Lameness prevention: it's all in the head An understanding of how cows think, how they see the world and how they move is essential for lameness prevention. East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Councilman LaMont Cole wants his colleagues to consider inserting hiring benchmarks into a set of proposed guidelines the governing body would use while weighing whether it will grant multimillion-dollar tax breaks to job-producing industries. Cole believes any company seeking a tax break through the state's Industrial Tax Exemption Program should create at least 25 permanent full-time jobs or 15 percent of the company's "pre-project baseline" employment level to qualify. The Industrial Tax Exemption Program is designed to give manufacturers a temporary break on their property taxes while setting up new capital expenditures. The councilman's recommendation was included in a draft of proposed guidelines Cole released Thursday. The full proposal is available here. "I think this addresses a range of concerns I've had and the areas that are important to me, like jobs," Cole said. "These guidelines are to let businesses know what our expectations are." Vote deferred on guidelines for industrial expansion tax breaks, East Baton Rouge council decides The East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council on Wednesday postponed its discussion and vote on proposed guidelines on how the governing body shou Cole's tweaks, made to guidelines he deferred at the council's meeting last month to give the public more time for a review, also include a stipulation which says the Metro Council won't give tax breaks to companies seeking them for projects already completed, for capital expenditures deemed routine, or for projects not in danger of going elsewhere. Councilman Matt Watson, who's been working with Cole behind the scenes on the guidelines, on Thursday objected to the suggestion that council members couldn't approve a tax break for a project that is already done. "A company has to wait until it has the actual receipts from the money it spent on capital projects to know how much their exemptions would be," Watson said. Cole said the restriction is intended to prevent companies from receiving tax breaks "after the fact," and not geared toward projects that are new to the ITEP-vetting process. Watson had backed the set of proposed guidelines the council tabled last month. Those were met with criticism from faith-based Together Baton Rouge, whose members have been outspoken critics of the state's tax break program. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up +3 Hundreds of EBR school workers vote for walkout; here's why, when, what to know Hundreds of East Baton Rouge school employees voted Tuesday night to walk out of work on Oct. 31. Instead of going to their schools, the emplo TBR said the earlier version of the guidelines were so broad the Metro Council would essentially rubber stamp any ITEP request without any stringent rules that could hold companies accountable for promises they might make about a project's economic benefit to the community. The Watson-backed stipulations also didn't include specific numbers for job creation nor the restrictions on already completed projects. The original set of guidelines also stated that, if a company didn't create new jobs, it could still gain ITEP approval from the Metro Council if it assured city-parish leaders that during the 10 years of the tax break they wouldn't close or relocate the site to another parish or state, or if they could give the parish a "substantive competitive advantage" or provide some environmental benefit. Cole's recommendations includes mostly the same provisions. "LaMont went to Together Baton Rouge and they made a lot of changes," Watson said Thursday. "These were changes that were forced upon him; these are things I cannot support." Cole is expecting a lively discussion about his proposed guidelines at next week's Metro Council meeting, when the item will be up for a public hearing and possible adoption. "At a minimum, companies seeking to open up shop or expand here should have certain goals and one should be that they put people back to work," he said. WARSAW, Poland Poland's main gas company signed a long-term contract Thursday to receive deliveries of liquefied natural gas from Louisiana and Texas as part of a larger effort to reduce its energy dependence on Russia. The state company PGNiG signed the 24-year deal with American supplier Cheniere during a ceremony in Warsaw attended by U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry and Polish President Andrzej Duda. A tanker sailing just over a year ago out of Cheniere Energy's Sabine Pass LNG facility in Cameron Parish was the first liquefied natural gas shipment ever delivered from the United States to Poland and in general to eastern and northern Europe, which are building a new network of energy sources and gas transportation. Cheniere also is developing an LNG terminal in Corpus Christi, Texas, expected to go online in 2019. Driven by Louisiana's Sabine Pass, U.S. liquefied natural gas exports double in first half of 2018 U.S. exports of natural gas more than doubled in the first half of 2018, driven largely by Louisiana's Sabine Pass liquefied natural gas facil Poland opened its first terminal for LNG in Swinoujscie, on the Baltic Sea coast, in 2016 to receive gas from distant suppliers like the U.S. or Qatar, which has already made some deliveries. "This is a sign across Europe that this is how your energy security will be developed, your energy sources diversified," Perry said before the Thursday deal was signed. The value of the deal with the Polish company was not disclosed, in line with traditional secrecy for such energy deals. However, Piotr Wozniak, the president of PGNiG's management board, said the price is 20 to 30 percent lower than what Poland pays its current supplier in Russia. Under the deal, Poland will receive some 700 million cubic meters of natural gas from 2019 through 2022, and 39 billion cubic meters from 2023 through 2042. Poland's annual consumption of gas is almost 16 billion cubic meters, 25 percent of which is covered from Poland's own deposits. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up In October, PGNiG signed a separate long-term contract for the purchase of some 50 billion cubic meters of liquefied natural gas from Louisiana-based Venture Global Calcasieu Pass and Venture Global Plaquemines LNG, two terminals that are planned in the state. U.S. seeking to boost liquefied natural gas exports; $40.5B in LNG projects approved in Louisiana TOKYO A top U.S. energy official said Monday that Asia is the center of growth in energy demand and offers a great opportunity to expand Ame Wozniak said the Thursday's deal would help provide a safety net to protect neighboring Ukraine from unexpected breaks in Russian gas deliveries. PGNiG is planning two more deals for U.S. gas deliveries, he said. Poland and Ukraine feel especially vulnerable due to their dependence on Russia energy supplies, which Moscow has used as political leverage in the past. Their anxieties have increased because of a German-Russian project to build Nord Stream 2, a second pipeline under the Baltic Sea that would deliver gas directly from St. Petersburg to Germany, bypassing Ukraine and Poland. Perry is visiting several countries of central and eastern Europe to expand on energy partnerships in the region, the Department of Energy said. That was to replace a deal expiring with Russia's Gazprom and was the first such deal in central and eastern Europe. Baton Rouge-based Louisiana Fish Fry has been acquired by a New York-based private equity firm that plans to accelerate the companys growth. MidOcean Partners said it will grow Louisiana Fish Fry through organic initiatives and strategic mergers and acquisitions. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. IBM is in the midst of a recruitment push for its high-profile Baton Rouge client innovation center to meet a 800-job hiring goal by next summer and avoid paying penalties to the state. The firm is increasing employee referral incentives and holding a series of job fairs and other events to bolster hiring efforts, roughly eight months ahead of its hiring deadline. And the tech giant is getting an assist from Louisiana Economic Development, which has lent its FastStart workforce development program to help IBM hire the workers it promised under a revised agreement with the Gov. John Bel Edwards administration. IBM narrowly meets job goals in Baton Rouge, must hire 225 by next summer A year after defaulting on its agreement with Louisiana, IBM narrowly met its hiring goals for its Baton Rouge center in 2018 as part of a rev IBM is working in partnership with state and local leaders in Baton Rouge to meet our employment targets, IBM spokeswoman Sarah Minkel said, citing several initiatives the company is undertaking, like employee referral bonuses, job fairs and partnerships with local universities. If IBM fails to meet its hiring promises again, it will have to pay back $10,000 for each job it falls short. On Saturday, IBM will hold a career fair at Delgado Community College in New Orleans, an event supported by the state-funded FastStart program. IBM called the event part of a regular cadence of career fairs and community engagement events it is holding. The highly-touted FastStart program offers free recruitment and training services to certain companies that promise to hire at least 15 manufacturing jobs or 50 service-related jobs. LED FastStart also produced a video for IBM, released in August, that was apparently aimed at attracting potential employees. FastStart services are part of an incentive package the state and city-parish offered IBM totaling nearly $147 million over 17 years. The latest information provided to LED FastStart shows IBM currently has at least 80 openings for its Baton Rouge center, LED spokesman Ron Thibodeaux said, and the firm is expected to do additional recruitment activities in the coming months. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Between July 1 of this year and June 30, 2019, IBM must hire the full-time equivalent of 225 workers, at an average of $46,000 a year, to meet hiring targets set by the state. The job calculation divides the company's total Baton Rouge payroll by $46,000 to come up with the job number. The Baton Rouge IBM project, announced in 2013 under the former Gov. Bobby Jindal administration, was touted as a game-changer that would kick-start the state's tech economy. It was originally set to bring 800 jobs by last year. IBM fell well short of that goal, employing 572, including some who were allowed to be stationed in Monroe. Observers have cited IBMs low pay for workers here and fierce competition for skilled tech workers to explain the shortfall. IBM has also fallen short at other regional centers in Iowa and Missouri after receiving millions in incentives. The Edwards administration revised the deal to keep IBM in Baton Rouge longer and give it more time until 2019 to meet its 800-job goal. The company was not allowed to include Monroe workers in its 2018 count, and it narrowly met its hiring target for the year. Meanwhile, news outlets in other areas of the country have reported layoffs at various IBM locations this year. Minkel said IBM has expanded incentives to employees who refer people to the company in Baton Rouge, and has seen an uptick in referrals. The company also is focused on what IBM calls new collar jobs, which are in fast-growing fields but often dont require college degrees. IBM runs a new collar internship program in Baton Rouge. IBM posted a long list of openings for its Nov. 10 hiring event at Delgado. The firm is hiring in more than 30 fields, including enterprise applications management, application development, data science and more. Recruits are coming from a range of backgrounds, Minkel added, a mix of early-career professionals and expected hires. The company is hiring locally, she added, but is also expanding programs to attract people from out of state. The firm also continues to work with universities to continually update curriculum, Minkel said. LSU has updated its computer science curriculum since the state first struck the IBM deal in 2013. The state dedicated $14 million to expanding higher education programs to ensure a steady stream of workers for IBM. LED and Louisianas higher education community are committed to providing IBM with a world-class IT workforce, LED FastStart Executive Director Paul Helton said in a statement. IBM has partnered with LSU, Southern University and Baton Rouge Community College to create and implement programs of study for both IBMs needs and those of the greater IT industry across Louisiana. At the Baton Rouge Area Chambers monthly lunch in October, IBM executive Charles Masters said the Baton Rouge center was bringing in 10 to 15 new hires every couple weeks. The Baton Rouge center has around 300 clients, he said. Once again, the Baton Rouge area is leading Louisiana's academic rankings, but thanks to big changes in how the state calculates school and district letter grades the individual schools and districts look notably worse than they did last year. Three of the top five public school districts in Louisiana and five of the top 10 are in the region, according to annual school academic results released Thursday by the state. Those five Capitol region districts in the top 10 have historically been awarded A letter grades, this year Zachary and Ascension Parish were the only school districts to still earn an A under the new, tougher system. Central as well as West Feliciana and Livingston parishes slipped to B letter grades. Yes, we have higher expectations, and its going to take some time for schools and districts to catch up, State School Superintendent John White said Thursday. The rankings are part of district report cards for 70 school systems for the 2017-18 school year, which ended in May. The district scores were accompanied by school report cards for 1,320 individual public schools across Louisiana. And for the second year, Louisiana released ratings, or performance profiles, on 1,527 child care centers across the state. Full list: Louisiana school, district performance scores for 2017-2018 school year The 2017-2018 Louisiana school and district performance scores were released Thursday. The state as a whole maintained a B grade for a second The report cards size up how public schools are doing academically. That's largely on the basis of standardized test scores for elementary and middle schools. At the high school level, they also measure graduation rates and the rigor of academic coursework. The schools are graded on a 0-150 point scale and receive letter grades of A through F. This years report cards were calculated much differently than those last year. Among the changes, the new report cards give more weight to individual student growth: 25 percent for elementary and middle schools and 12.5 percent for high schools. Last year, such growth was awarded just a 7 percent weight roughly. And student growth, as measured by a complicated statistical process known as value-added modeling, or VAM, covers all students. Last year, only improvement among only struggling students counted. The state is placing such a value on growth that schools are also receiving a progress rating and a special progress letter grade. This is a measure by which many schools shined. In East Baton Rouge Parish, more than 70 percent of district schools earned an A or B, and all but a handful earned at least a C. The new report cards are also tougher because the state has quit curving school grades. The practice began in 2013 as a way to guarantee the same distribution of A and F schools. It began that year because of concerns about drops in scores after the state introduced harder standardized tests. Louisianas school accountability system will continue to get tougher as part of a seven-year plan approved by the state board of education last year. In the Baton Rouge region, the number of A-rated schools shrank from 41 to 33, while the ranks of D and F schools increased from 60 to 75 schools. Baton Rouge Magnet School continues as the highest-performing public school in the Capitol region and it ranks sixth statewide. The St. Helena Arts and Technology Academy was the lowest-performing school in the region, with an F grade and a low school performance score of 28 points out of a possible 150. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Sixty-six schools in the nine-parish area have been deemed in need of comprehensive intervention, seven more than last year. The East Baton Rouge Parish school system's share of those schools grew from 32 to 38. White said many of these schools are already implementing improvement plans and his office will work with the newly identified schools to find ways to improve. No parent wants to send their child to a school with a D and an F report card, White said. Worried about big drops in some school scores, the Louisiana Legislature took the unusual step of requiring the state to issue two scores and two letter grades this time around. The first shows how schools and systems fared under the old, more generous system and the second shows the snapshot taking into account new ratings. Even with the changes, Zachary continues to top state rankings as it has for years. Zachary earned 93.6 points out of 150 under the new system. Thats 22 points lower than the score it received last year. If the old system were still in place, Zachary would have dropped just 0.4 of a point. A 93.6 used to be a B grade, but as part of the transition to tougher accountability, the state lowered the threshold for an A from 100 to 90 points. In district after district, growth under the old system emerged as declines under the new system. The most dramatic example locally is West Feliciana Parish, which would have enjoyed an 8.6-point increase. Instead, its new score is 12.6 points below its score from last year. +7 School scores: Most BR area districts decline, while EBR and Livingston enjoy waiver Once again, the Capital region is leading the way in academic rankings with three of the top four public school districts in Louisiana, while The state as a whole would have grown 6.2 points, but its new score is 10.7 points below last years mark. East Baton Rouge Parish also would have seen a 7.3-point increase but instead its new score is 14.5 points below the number it was last year. Andrea OKonski, chief accountability officer for the school system, said given all the changes in how scores are calculated, its not fair to complete last years official school performance score with this year's score. Its apples and oranges, OKonski said. She said East Baton Rouge Parish actually declined just two-tenths of a point, according to a simulation the state ran showing school districts what their school performance score probably would have come out to if the new system had been in place last year. Not every district saw big swings in the shift from old to new. Baker City schools would have grown 2.8 points under the old system, but ended up with a new score 2.8 points lower than last year's score. Some districts would have declined under either system. St. Helena Parish, which fell to last place this year in state rankings, would have declined 8.8 points under the old system. Instead, its new score is 14.5 points lower than the score it had last year. St. Helena's new district performance score of 47.2 earned it an F grade. Madison Parish is the only other district in state to earn an F this year. Last year no traditional school districts earned Fs. This years scores also mean the end of short-term school accountability waivers granted in the wake of August 2016 floods. So, heavily flooded Livingston Parish received no school grades last year. Special waivers were also granted to 80 more schools across the state. Sixty-two of 81 East Baton Rouge Parish schools were given waivers as were all five schools in Baker. Voters in two Republican-controlled states this week overwhelmingly approved minimum wage hikes, giving new hope to advocates in Louisiana, where even more modest proposals repeatedly have been rejected at the GOP-dominated State Capitol in recent years. Minimum-wage workers in Louisiana make $7.25 an hour because it remains one of just five states that never adopted a state-level minimum wage rate and, therefore, defaults to the federal rate that hasn't changed since 2009. Missouri voters on Tuesday approved, with 62 percent supporting, a gradual minimum wage increase from $7.85 to $12 an hour by 2023. Arkansas, meanwhile, voted 68 percent in favor of increasing the minimum wage from $8.50 to $11 over three years. Workers in both states will start seeing bigger paychecks in January. On top of the referendums in Arkansas and Missouri this week, the minimum wage went up in 18 other states at the start of 2018, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The previous year, 19 states saw minimum wage hikes. But despite finding popularity elsewhere, and the vocal backing of Gov. John Bel Edwards here, minimum wage proposals have consistently faltered in the Louisiana Legislature in recent years. Edwards, a Democrat, campaigned on his support of a minimum wage hike in the 2015 election. He faces re-election next year against a still-to-be-determined slate of Republican challengers. "Other Southern conservative states are recognizing that $7.25 per hour is not a meaningful wage in 2018," Edwards deputy chief of staff Richard Carbo said Wednesday. "For the last three years, the Legislature has refused to support a pay raise for the people in Louisiana that need it most. " This is about saving people's lives, but some challenge Louisianas Medicaid health care costs In the two years since Louisiana expanded its Medicaid health care program, more than 400 women enrolled have been diagnosed with breast cance Carbo said Edwards will make a fourth pitch for a minimum wage hike in the legislative session that begins in April. "Louisianans work just as hard in these other states that are increasing the minimum wage," he said. "Their pay should reflect their hard work because the current wage isnt nearly enough." Influential business interest groups, including the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry and the National Federation of Independent Businesses, have strongly opposed attempts to increase the minimum wage in Louisiana, arguing that it takes decision-making abilities from business owners. Dawn Starns, state director for NFIB, said her group will continue to fight the proposal next year. House committee shoots down second attempt at equal pay legislation, minimum wage hike The effort to increase the minimum wage in Louisiana appears to be dead for the third year in a row, after bills that aimed to set the state's "Our members haven't budged on it," she said. "Wages are going up on their own because people are able to pay them ... You have to let the market respond how it's going to." "A mandate on wage requirement is not something that our business owners feel government should be involved in," she said. Sen. Troy Carter, D-New Orleans, has carried multiple minimum wage bills that eventually stalled out in the State Capitol. The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Minimum wage, equal pay legislation shot down in Senate; Gov. Edwards calls it 'a step backwards' State lawmakers have again rejected an effort to set a minimum wage in Louisiana, for the first time, that is higher than the federal rate. "I'm hopeful going forward the more and more success we see in other states, Louisiana will recognize that it's nearly impossible for people to survive on minimum wage," Carter said Wednesday. "It's very frustrating to see our neighboring states in key areas are beating us to the punch." Carter's previous proposals, which were backed by Edwards, called for a more modest increase $1.25 over two years to $8.50 an hour that would now be dwarfed by Arkansas and Missouri's new levels, so it's likely he'll go farther next year. "You have to go a little larger now," Carter said, adding that other living costs, including food and housing, have continued to rise as the Legislature rejected minimum wage hikes over the past three years. "I think most people recognize that everything is going up but people's pay," Carter said. "We can't continue to expect the working poor and working people to live on that either." Carter said he hasn't yet decided what amount he will target. "I think I can make a compelling argument that a dollar and a quarter isn't sufficient," he said. The House Labor Committee last year soundly rejected a $15 an hour proposal in a 9-3 vote, despite pleas from minimum-wage earners who filled the committee room to tell their lawmakers how they've struggled to make ends meet. Carter said he believes that a higher minimum wage would have a ripple effect of quality of life improvements for Louisiana families ultimately lifting people off of welfare programs, deterring crime and encouraging residents to remain in the state. "In a civilized society, we should be able to provide for our workers by giving them a living wage," he said. But the business groups that oppose a minimum wage hike argue that a it ultimately could disrupt employee wages up the chain. "Minimum wage is an entry-level position wage," Starns said. "Once you increase the bottom wage it requires an increase on the next level above that and the level above that." "Business owners can only withstand so much," she added. Carter's most recent proposal that failed in the Senate on a 17-21 vote would have automatically increased the minimum wage to $8 an hour in 2019 and $8.50 an hour in 2020. A separate bill from Carter that never made to the Senate floor would have allowed voters to decide whether the minimum wage should be increased to those levels. It was held up in a Senate money committee that had been pressed with addressing a potential looming budget shortfall. Starns couldn't say outright if NFIB would oppose a ballot referendum on the minimum wage. "We'd have to look at it," she said. The reasoning given by Treasurer Josh Frydenberg for blocking a CK Asset Holdings-led consortium from taking over Aussie pipeline operator APA Group doesn't make a lot of sense. The deal would be contrary to the national interest because it would result in "an undue concentration of foreign ownership by a single company group in our most significant gas transmission business," Frydenberg wrote on Wednesday in a statement halting the $13 billion acquisition. Shares of APA tanked on Thursday following the government's decision to block the deal. Credit:Bloomberg If a merged CK-APA would have undue concentration in gas transmission, that's entirely down to the APA side of the deal. CK group companies have just four tiny transmission pipelines in Australia: two of them serving a handful of country towns in Victoria and two others supplying the minor cities of Rockhampton and Alice Springs. Another is being built to fuel remote gold mines in Western Australia. In total, they can move a bit more than 36 terajoules of gas a day. APA, by contrast, shifts about 4,428 terajoules a day on its transmission pipes. The country's antitrust regulator has already examined the deal and found no reason to block it on competition grounds. Luke Foleys political career looks certain to end after the ABC journalist at the centre of harassment allegations released an explosive statement detailing the incident. The ABC has released a lengthy statement from Ashleigh Raper, outlining her version of the events of an incident allegedly involving Mr Foley at a CBD bar in late November 2016. Mr Foley has denied the allegations, but resigned as Opposition Leader. He will remain the Member for Auburn. ABC journalist Ashleigh Raper (inset) has released an explosive statement containing allegations against NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley. Credit:AAP/Twitter Ms Raper, who has declined to comment since Corrections Minister David Elliott first raised the allegations against Mr Foley under parliamentary privilege, said she decided to break her silence after recent conversations with Mr Foley. The statement had been released after Ms Raper said Mr Foley reneged on a promise he made during a phone conversation with her on Sunday to resign as Opposition Leader by Wednesday. He resigned late on Thursday afternoon. However, late on Thursday Kogarah MP Chris Minns was said to be "sounding out his colleagues" and is expected to also nominate for the leadership. MPs will vote at a special caucus meeting on Saturday. Ms Raper, who has declined to comment since Corrections Minister David Elliott first raised the allegations against Mr Foley under parliamentary privilege, said she decided to break her silence after recent conversations with the former Opposition Leader. The statement had been released after Ms Raper said Mr Foley reneged on a promise he made during a phone conversation with her on Sunday to resign as Opposition Leader by Wednesday. Luke Foley arrives at his press conference to announce his resignation. Credit:Janie Barrett During that conversation, Ms Raper alleges Mr Foley told her: "Im not a groper, Im just a drunk idiot." Her statement said: "This is a position I never wanted to be in and a statement I never intended to make. "But I think the time has come for my voice to be heard." NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley arrives at Parliament House in Sydney. Credit:AAP Ms Raper said the "escalation of the public debate, including in state and federal parliament despite my expressed wish to neither comment nor complain, and the likelihood of ongoing media and political interest" prompted her to speak Her statement said: "This is what happened on that night. "The party moved from Parliament House to Martin Place Bar after a number of hours. Later in the evening, Luke Foley approached a group of people, including me, to say goodnight. He stood next to me. ABC journalist Ashleigh Raper (inset) has released an explosive statement containing allegations against Labor's Luke Foley. Credit:AAP/Twitter "He put his hand through a gap in the back of my dress and inside my underpants. He rested his hand on my buttocks. Loading "I completely froze." She said Sean Nicholls, who was then the state political editor at The Sydney Morning Herald and is now an ABC journalist, witnessed the incident. Ms Raper said Mr Foley then left the bar and she discussed what had happened with Mr Nicholls. "As shaken as I was, I decided not to take any action and asked Sean to keep the events in the strictest confidence. He has honoured that," her statement says. She said there were several reasons for not wanting to make a complaint. "It is clear to me that a woman who is the subject of such behaviour is often the person who suffers once a complaint is made," Ms Raper said. "I cherished my position as a state political reporter and feared that would be lost. "I also feared the negative impact the publicity could have on me personally and on my young family. "This impact is now being felt profoundly." Ms Raper said she had a 19-minute telephone conversation with Mr Foley on Sunday during which he said to her he was "full of remorse for his behaviour" at the Christmas function. "He told me that he had wanted to talk to me about that night on many occasions over the past two years because, while he was drunk and couldnt remember all the details of the night, he knew he did something to offend me," she said. "He apologised again and told me, 'Im not a philanderer, Im not a groper, Im just a drunk idiot.' She said he promised to resign on either Monday or Wednesday, but not Tuesday because he "didn't want to be accused of burying the story" on Melbourne Cup Day. Loading But Mr Foley then called her on Tuesday, she said. During the call, he repeated his apology but said he would not be resigning as Opposition Leader, based on legal advice, she said. Mr Foleys caucus colleagues had maintained that they would not move on him as long as he continued to deny the allegation and Ms Raper did not make a statement. Blue Mountains Labor MP Trish Doyle was the first Labor MP to publicly call on Mr Foley to resign on Thursday, and threatened to call a leadership spill if he refused to do so. "In my view Mr Foley's position is untenable and he must resign today," Ms Doyle said in a statement. A former Brisbane liquidator has pleaded guilty to embezzling $800,000 from a property development company he'd been appointed to dissolve. David John Leigh, 56, of Sherwood, appearing in the Brisbane Magistrates Court, admitted three counts of fraud on Thursday, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission said in a statement. The corporate watchdog said between July and November 2017, Leigh transferred the money from Neolido Holdings Pty Ltd's external administration bank account to an account he controlled and used it for his own purposes. The former partner of PPB Advisory had been appointed as a co-liquidator of the south-Brisbane-based property development company in 2010 after it was wound up following a court application by ASIC. Following an investigation by ASIC, Leigh's registration as a company liquidator was suspended in 2018 and Leigh agreed to resign as external administrator of all his current appointments, ASIC says. In the wake of a near collision between US and Chinese warships in the South China Sea, "sooner or later somebody is going to have to back down" in the interests of diplomacy. That's the view of our defence and national security correspondent David Wroe on this week's episode of Please Explain. Meanwhile, Australia's diplomatic freeze, prompted in part by foreign interference laws introduced under Malcolm Turnbull, appears to be thawing as Marise Payne makes the first diplomatic trip by an Australian foreign minister to Beijing in almost three years. Wroe and world editor Michael Bachelard join Tory Maguire to ask just how significant this Beijing visit really is. And Matthew Knott joins us on the line from the US, where the midterms have just wrapped up. You can listen to all that right now, or even better, you can subscribe for free and have Please Explain arrive every week in your app of choice - Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify. James Gargasoulas arrives at the Supreme Court on Thursday. Credit:Justin McManus The spring racing carnival is the time when Melbourne sheds its winter veneer of dark clothes and the city takes on a different feel as the well-dressed head to the track. But in a different part of town they gathered, quiet and respectful, to look for answers where ultimately there may be none or at least, not the ones they really need. It is Court 3 at the Supreme Court and they are the relatives of those killed and injured when a Holden Commodore ploughed into pedestrians in Bourke Street on January 20, 2017. They chat to each other, having shared the same experience during previous court hearings. At 1.20pm he pleaded: "I'm telling you, you're making a big mistake". Detective Gentner sent a flurry of messages over the following minutes. "Stop please. Stop for me." Detective Senior Constable Murray Gentner leaves the Supreme Court on Thursday. Credit:AAP Mr Gargasoulas responded in a series of texts where he referred himself as a "saviour" and that the planet was destined to be destroyed by a comet. "I'm one man out and you need an army," Mr Gargasoulas texted. Only minutes before Mr Gargasoulas turned into Bourke Street, Detective Gentner made what turned out to be a last ditch plea: "Dont do this. Meet me. Stop doing this. Stop." Mr Gargasoulas faced the Supreme Court charged with six counts of murder and 27 counts of reckless conduct endangering life. He has pleaded not guilty to all 33 charges. Detective Gentner, who witnessed the carnage in Bourke Street from his position in one of the police cars chasing Mr Gargasoulas, said that until the maroon Holden Commodore mounted the footpath he believed the accused was just an "attention seeker". The detective went on to describe what it was like to follow behind Mr Gargasoulas as he sped up and hit pedestrians. "At that stage, that was when it was clear that people had no chance of getting out of the way and we were in a very bad situation. "I recall seeing someone probably go about nine metres in the air. At that point, he was clearly going very, very fast. "Certain [victims] stood out to me at the time, and they still do to this day. There was just so many people being hit, but there was ones that were very clearly ... clearly struck." Bourke Street on Friday, January 20, 2017. Credit:Justin McManus During the testimony, Mr Gargasoulas remained motionless, his head facing downwards as he read a book on Australian constitutional law sitting on the table in front of him. The court heard Mr Gargasoulas was planning to take the stand in his own defence to provide a reason for his actions. The 28-year-old, dressed in shiny black track pants, a tight fitting white collared shirt and sneakers, began nodding as his defence barrister Dr Theo Alexander foreshadowed the move in his opening address. "Mr Gargasoulas, for better or for worse, is absolutely committed to his explanation," Dr Alexander said. He did not describe what that explanation would be. Dr Alexander said Mr Gargasoulas was clearly "not a well man", but that his client believed he had "very important reasons" for what happened in Bourke Street. Director of Public Prosecutions Kerri Judd, QC, and Dr Alexander both told the court the facts of the case - including Mr Gargasoulas identity as the driver of the stolen car - were not in dispute. As part of her opening argument, Ms Judd screened CCTV and other video footage showing Mr Gargasoulas striking pedestrians along Bourke Street. There were audible gasps in the courtroom as the footage was played. Some relatives of the victims chose to leave the court before it was screened. Ms Judd later described how each of the 33 victims came to be in the street that day and the circumstances under which they were struck, and injured or killed. "He deliberately drove into pedestrians. In a period lasting only a minute the accused left a trail of death and carnage," Ms Judd said. Yosuke Kanno, 25, was struck outside Amart Sports. Thalia Hakin, 10, was with her family walking towards the RACV Club when she was hit. The others killed were three-month-old Zachary Matthew-Bryant, Bhavita Patel, 33, Jessica Mudie, 22, and Matthew Si, 33. Loading The court was told witnesses described Mr Gargasoulas conduct as "relentless" and he "just mowed people down". The prosecution also outlined what Mr Gargasoulas did in the days and hours before the Bourke Street attack. On January 17, Mr Gargasoulas told an associate that if he was chased by police again he would keep driving and start running people over. The following day he stole the maroon Holden Commodore from Windsor. Then, in the early hours of January 20, Mr Gargasoulas and his brother Angelo got into an argument at their mother's apartment. Mr Gargasoulas followed Angelo into the street and attacked him with a large kitchen knife. Believing he had killed his brother, Mr Gargasoulas went to the Gatwick Hotel in St Kilda where he told an associate: "I'm going to do something drastic. Take everyone out. They can suffer the consequences. Watch me, you'll see me tonight on the news." Watch me, you'll see me tonight on the news. James Gargasoulas The court heard Mr Gargasoulas had been using ice the day before the incident and that he had been a user since 2016. "At the time of the offences, Mr Gargasoulas was in a drug-induced psychosis," Dr Alexander told the court. However, he noted that drug use does not amount to a defence to the charges. "This is sad, tragic and emotional case," he said. 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. Energy Minister Lily DAmbrosio said such increases were shocking, and exactly why the state government was forcing retailers to fix prices for at least a year after customers enter into a contract. The government has directed Victorias Essential Services Commission to implement the new rules, to take effect in July next year, following the findings of an independent review into the state's retail gas and electricity markets. (The commission grants operating licences to retailers.) "This is outrageous its why were taking power out of the hands of the big energy companies," Ms DAmbrosio said of Ian's case. "Were implementing a new rule that will force energy retailers to honour any contract offer for a minimum of 12 months to stop this from happening." Ian, a Melbourne-based financial director who has requested that his surname not be published, said he queried the rate rise with Sumo after his latest bill, which arrived last week, included details of the increase. "I received an email from Sumo telling me that their rates were going up but no mention of how much or to what new rate," Ian said. "Attached to the email there were the new rates but when I got out my last bill I realised that they had gone up 55 per cent. I thought I must have calculated wrongly, but I rang their call centre the next day and they confirmed that indeed my rates had increased." However, when contacted by The Age about the matter, Sumo said the increase was a mistake, and a one-off. "In this particular case, we have identified an isolated billing error," its spokeswoman said. "The customer should not have received a price rise and we have reached out to this customer to apologise and rectify this issue." However, a number of comments about Sumo on the Product Review website tell a similar story: "I signed up because they were on top of energy compare website, only to have my electricity rate double after 3 months," said one. "Massive price hike, exactly 3 months to the day since the welcome letter," says another. The cheapest listings offered by discounted price on the VEC website last week were $1830 over 12 months, offered by Sumo Power and also by Tango Energy. Sumo Power founder Dominic Capomolla is also the CEO of Tango. The new rates Sumo flagged three months into Ian's contract equated to a 55 per cent increase. Without conditional discounts, such as for paying on time, Sumos offer leaps to $2900 annually, while Tango's doesn't change. Asked about the accuracy of its listing on the VEC website, the Sumo spokeswoman said the offer was "genuine". "However, rates can increase as the wholesale cost of electricity and other costs rise," she said. "This is standard across the retail sector. We make it clear to our customers that prices can vary over time from the outset," she said, adding that this information was included in the offer listed on the VEC website. "We typically only increase rates for our customers once each year. No customer will receive more than one price increase from Sumo this year." In 2016 Sumo, which has a call centre in South Melbourne, promised to help customers avoid bill shock by offering fixed-price energy contracts. However, a study on Victorian electricity prices released by St Vincent de Paul in January found that Sumo had the highest average standing offer available in each Victorian network area, ranging from $3258 to $4094 a year, based on a single-rate tariff and annual consumption of 4800kWh. Tango had the lowest standing offers available, from as little as $1635, based on the same criteria. For Ian, Sumos explanation of the "error" was too little, too late he has already returned to his previous retailer, Simply Energy. "I switched from Sumo back to my old provider, so now Im paying more than I was on with Sumo, but a lot less than if I stayed with them after the 55 per cent increase," he said. The new regulations announced last week will require energy retailers to provide a default offer, give at least five days notice of price changes, and that they must tell customers, including via their bills, when they have a cheaper offer available. Companies will also be forced to notify customers when they enter a contract about any potential for price changes during the agreement. Sumo Power and Tango Energy had the cheapest offers listed on the Victorian Energy Compare website last week for electricity. The VEC website is updated daily with information on new and existing offers. Retailers must provide information on any offers to the website within two days of them being made publicly available, or if they are about to expire. Each offer listed on the website includes a "price changes" section, in which retailers are required to notify customers about the process they will follow when altering their rates. A former police officer has appeared in court accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting four boys aged between 11 and 15. Initially Garry Edward Burton, 61, was charged in September with sexually abusing two boys between 2008 and 2011. There were 16 charges relating to these boys. Garry Burton has been accused of sexually abusing four boys since 1998. On Thursday, he had 45 more charges read to him in the Perth Magistrates Court in relation to another two boys who were aged between 14 and 16 years old when they were allegedly sexually assaulted by Mr Burton between 1998 and 2004. Mr Burton, who would have been aged 41 to 47 at the time of the alleged assaults, is accused of sexually penetrating the boys, indecently assaulting them, and forming an ongoing sexual relationship with them. NSW Police have confirmed to the Herald that they spoke to the ABC about journalist Ashleigh Raper's sexual harassment allegations against Luke Foley. A spokeswoman said Ms Raper had not made a complaint or provided a statement in relation to the allegations that Mr Foley put his hand down her underpants and touched her buttock at a party. But police have spoken to senior management at the public broadcaster, the spokeswoman said. "If a complaint it received, the matter will be taken seriously and investigated by detectives as would any allegation of this nature," the spokeswoman said. The spokeswoman would not comment on whether the ABC had initiated contact but it is understood NSW Police went to the ABC about the matter. Mr Foley, while announcing his resignation from the role of NSW Opposition Leader, denied all allegations against him and vowed to sue the ABC. Thousand Oaks: In the aftermath of the shooting at a country music bar in southern California, in which 13 people were killed, survivors are starting to tell their stories of how they escaped through a window with the help of a fast-acting bar patron. The bloodshed spread throughout the Borderline Bar & Grill, a popular nightspot in Thousand Oaks, an affluent city near Los Angeles. Matt Wennerstrom talks to reporters outside the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, California. Credit:Mike Nelson/EPA-EFE via The Washington Post Customer Matt Wennerstrom, 20, described the shooter as a "tall figure", more than 1.8 metres, wearing "all dark clothing". He said he saw the gunman open fire on employees working at the front of the bar. BOSTON--Demand and expectation for touchscreen-and-voice-centric HMI is higher than ever; now is the perfect time for voice recognition to step forward as the safest and most useful HMI modality for the car. But as Strategy Analytics found in its new IVX survey regarding consumer usage and satisfaction with integrated in-car voice recognition and satisfaction with in-vehicle touchscreens, the proliferation of intelligent voice assistants outside the car in addition to the increased familiarity and trust with these systems, has only heightened consumer awareness of the void between in-car and out-of-car UX. Surveying consumers in the US, Western Europe, and China, key report findings include: The downturn in satisfaction with many aspects of in-car touchscreens has begun in earnest, most notably for fingerprint smudging and text entry. Globally, satisfaction with touchscreens has now dipped to the lowest levels since 2014. Increased expectations for voice-based UI and frustration with existing offerings in the car have already led to some consumers abandoning integrated HMI altogether, in favor of mobile-device-based systems. Strategy Analytics found almost no consumer interest in automaker-branded voice assistants. But voice assistants developed for mobile or home are yet to provide the best experience in car. Hardware for voice assistants in the car remains a roadblock. Derek Viita, Senior Analyst IVX and report author commented, A perfect storm of factors contributes to these increased expectations. Consumers are now surrounded by superior voice and touchscreen experiences outside the car. HMI is becoming a more important factor in the purchase decision and automakers are not seen as innovators particularly when it comes to voice control systems. Continued Viita, The net result with has been an increase in usage of voice recognition systems, but flattening or decreasing satisfaction with all touch- and voice-based HMI in the cockpit. Added Chris Schreiner, Director, Syndicated Research UXIP: Well-designed purpose-built voice systems for the car do exist, but in our experience, in evaluations that compare embedded voice experiences to a mobile based assistant such as Siri or the Google Assistant, the mobile-based assistant wins out every time. Most on-market in-car systems are basic and unintuitive command-and-control systems; there is a need for car OEMs to up their game. About Strategy Analytics Strategy Analytics, Inc. provides the competitive edge with advisory services, consulting and actionable market intelligence for emerging technology, mobile and wireless, digital consumer and automotive electronics companies. With offices in North America, Europe and Asia, Strategy Analytics delivers insights for enterprise success. www.StrategyAnalytics.com. About In-vehicle UX Our In-vehicle User Experience (IVX) service investigates UX innovation opportunities in the connected vehicle. By understanding the emerging behaviors, needs, motivations, use cases, pain-points and must-have experiences of lead adopters and future target consumers, IVX delivers a roadmap to help you design the optimal experience. IVX forms part of the User Experience Innovation Practice (UXIP) at Strategy Analytics. Through both syndicated and proprietary user-centric research capabilities, UXIP delivers strategic insights and analysis on how to optimize the user experience of new and emerging technologies. Click here for more information. Mitsubishi Motors Reports FY2018 First-Half Financial Results for FY2018 TOKYO, Nov, 07 2018 ; Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) today announced its financial results for the first-half of FY2018 (from April 1 to September 30, 2018). 1. 1H/FY2018 Financial Results Highlights Mitsubishi Motors reported net sales of 1,169.3 billion yen for the first-half of FY2018, up 23.4% compared to the same period a year ago, against a backdrop of strong global unit sales. Operating profit increased to 56.9 billion yen compared with 44.2 billion yen in the same period a year ago, representing an operating margin of 4.9%. The improvement was driven by unit sales growth combined with material and other cost reductions. Net income was 51.9 billion yen. 2. Global sales performance Global sales volume for the first-half of FY2018 increased 19% year-on-year to 594,000 units. Volume in the ASEAN region increased 36% year-on-year to 152,000 units due to strong sales of the XPANDER, a next-generation crossover MPV, in Indonesia and the TRITON pick-up truck, predominantly in Thailand. We have also increased exports of the XPANDER after expanding production capacity in Indonesia. In the region of China and others, sales increased 19% year-on-year to 82,000 units, driven by strong performance of the locally produced Outlander. We also plan to launch the local production and distribution of the Eclipse Cross in China. In Europe, sales rose 29% year-on-year to 112,000 units, reflecting strong demand for the Eclipse Cross in Western Europe, as well as for the locally-produced Outlander in the region of Russia and others. 3. FY2018 forecasts Mitsubishi Motors forecasts for FY2018 are as shown below, reaffirming the figures filed with the Tokyo Stock Exchange in May 2018. Osamu Masuko, chief executive officer, said: "Despite the impact of natural disasters on production and shipments in Japan since June, the financial results for the first-half of the fiscal year were largely in line with our annual plan. Therefore, the Board of Directors has decided to pay an interim dividend of 10 yen per share as announced at the beginning of the fiscal year. Although we face various uncertainties in the global economy and from ongoing foreign currency fluctuations, we will focus relentlessly on achieving our forecasts in the second-half by boosting on global sales, predominantly in ASEAN, and unfailingly implementing cost reduction. "The business environment surrounding us, including the global economic and geopolitical situation, is changing rapidly every day. By paying attention and responding flexibly to the various risks that may affect Mitsubishi Motors, we will put our business on a path toward a full-scale recovery and establish the foundations for profitable and sustainable growth." About Mitsubishi Motors Mitsubishi Motors Corporation is a global automobile company based in Tokyo, Japan, which has a competitive edge in SUVs and pickup trucks, electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Since the Mitsubishi group produced its first car more than a century ago, we have demonstrated an ambitious and often disruptive approach, developing new vehicle genres and pioneering cutting-edge technologies. Deeply rooted in Mitsubishi Motors' DNA, our brand strategy will appeal to ambitious drivers, willing to challenge conventional wisdom and ready to embrace change. Consistent with this mindset, Mitsubishi Motors introduced its new brand strategy in 2017, expressed in its "Drive your Ambition" tagline - a combination of personal drive and forward attitude, and a reflection of the constant dialogue between the brand and its customers. Today Mitsubishi Motors is committed to continuous investment in innovative new technologies, attractive design and product development, bringing exciting and authentic new vehicles to customers around the world. Ford Six Hour Advertising Telethon A Ford Fan's Dream Kicking off this Saturday, November 10th, a first-of-its-kind collaboration between Ford F-Series and the HISTORY channel Truck Weekend in America exclusively features Ford as prime-time sponsor of original storytelling; the event airs throughout the weekend Six-hour programming event puts the automaker at the center of original storytelling focused on Fords legacy of toughness, heritage and performance All-new prime-time shows include Truck Night in America, Truck Hunters, Born Tough: Inside the Ford Factory, American Restoration: Truck Edition, Trucks Transformed: Custom Culture and Rescue Trucks; plus, 60-second vignettes will air all weekend long and on HISTORYs digital and social channels DEARBORN, Mich., Nov. 5, 2018 Beginning Saturday, November 10, the HISTORY channel and Ford F-Series are launching Truck Weekend in America a six-hour prime-time programming event that puts the automaker at the center of original storytelling throughout the weekend. This first-of-its-kind collaboration highlights Fords truck legacy of toughness, heritage and performance. Ford F-Series is Americas best-selling truck for 41 straight years and Americas best-selling vehicle for 36 straight years. More than a century ago Ford put America on wheels, and today our trucks are a vital part of the way people work, play and live, said Mark LaNeve, Ford vice president, U.S. marketing, sales and service. Truck Weekend in America is a tribute to the passion of our engineers as well as our customers, and to both the history and the future of the pickup truck. Paul Buccieri, president, A+E Networks Group, said Truck Weekend in America breaks with the traditional media mold with a programming event built on stories that are steeped in history, with an eye to the future. From the latest truck technology to vintage vehicles to totally unique modifications and everything in between, this outstanding collaboration delivers a weekend full of nonstop content, the likes of which truck lovers have never seen before. The all-new prime-time shows premiere this Saturday and Sunday. In addition, custom vignettes will air on HISTORY and its digital and social channels. Truck Weekend in America programming includes: Truck Night in America Saturday, 8 p.m. EST Its truck versus terrain, as truck owners from across the United States compete in grueling challenges to test their ingenuity and driving ability in the opening segment, Truck Night in America. Truck Hunters Saturday, 9 p.m. EST Two top truck builders compete for a sale as they find, restore and put their personal stamp on two classic trucks. Each shop must design with a buyer in mind and, with limited direction, blend its craftsmanship and style with personalized details to gain the buyers favor. These shops are putting it all on the line, as only one truck will be good enough to earn the sale. Born Tough: Inside the Ford Factory Saturday, 10 p.m. EST This one-hour special event lifts the veil on operations inside Fords historic Rouge Complex, where F-150 pickup trucks come to life. From stamping raw aluminum to the body shop to final assembly, cameras go behind the scenes and follow the high-tech descendants of Henry Fords groundbreaking assembly line. Born Tough reveals how a culture of manufacturing innovation has kept F-Series as Americas best-selling truck for 41 years. Truck Night in America Sunday, 8 p.m. EST The truck-versus-terrain competition series returns, celebrating toughness and craftsmanship with everyday people who truly love their trucks and push them to the maximum level in the most grueling challenges. American Restoration: Truck Edition Sunday, 9 p.m. EST Rick Dale is traveling the country looking to restore America one project at a time, now with his eye on a long-forgotten 1956 Ford pickup. Nick, a California grape farmer, bought the beat-up truck when he was 16 but never got around to completing the restoration because his family and farm came first. With a tight budget and just 30 days to restore it, Rick and his team work around-the-clock overcoming one challenge after another to bring this American classic back to life. Trucks Transformed: Custom Culture Sunday, 10 p.m. EST Americas growing community of truck customizers are going to never-imagined levels of performance, utility and just plain awesomeness. How far are they willing to go? This show features far-out custom trucks like rally racer Ken Blocks snow-conquering RaptorTrax and drifting champ Vaughn Gittin Jr.s ultimate fun-haver. Plus, theres a guide to how customization has come to the masses on budgets from small to huge. Trucks Transformed shows just how the pickup game has gotten picked up to the extreme. Rescue Trucks Sunday, 10:30 p.m. EST This half-hour special event follows our nations toughest first responders and their souped-up custom trucks, told from the perspective of these very heroes who put their courage, resourcefulness and vehicles to the test and the men and women theyve saved. The first responders in Rescue Trucks share some remarkable stories of survival and the trucks that came to the rescue. Click here for a sneak peek into this weekends special programming event, Truck Weekend in America. Ford Helps Pediatric Cancer Foundation Build Dreams, Hope Chattanooga, Tennessee-based Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer helps young cancer survivors heal, discover hope and a future In summer 2006, Dr. Jim Osborn and his wife Amy Jo welcomed their newborn son, Austin Hatcher, into the world. Within weeks, their bright, cuddly baby boy began to show signs of an illness, and days later, they would learn he had inoperable brain cancer. Just two weeks later, young Hatch died in his fathers arms. Devastated, the couple decided to honor their son by helping other parents of children stricken with cancer and through their loss, the Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer was born. They registered the charity the following December with the mission to help raise awareness of pediatric cancer and to provide support for families struggling to cope with its effects and treatment. Leveraging Jims experience as an orthopedic surgeon guided them to a holistic approach to supporting cancer survivors healthy lifestyle education, psycho-oncology and diversionary therapy coupled with industrial arts as a form of reparative therapy. One of the things that happens to kids undergoing chemo or radiation therapy is they lose dexterity, so they need occupational therapy to help restructure their sensing, said Jim. Diversionary therapy is exactly what it sounds like. It gives you something fun to distract you from the things going on. As longtime motorsports enthusiasts, Jim and Amy Jo turned to their friends at SEMA and the racing community to help them create the Hatcher Foundations Education Advancement Center. The group includes professional therapists, arts and crafts programs, and an automotive program, where kids can take part in building custom show cars. We merged motorsports with therapy in an effort to make recovery fun and not sterile, said Jim. Theres a lot of science and amazing technology in both the recovery therapy and motorsports industries, so with a little adaptation, they work very well together to improve recovery and long-term quality of life. Hatcher Foundation kids customize a Ford Explorer This past summer Ford donated a brand-new 2019 Ford Explorer Sport to the Austin Hatcher Foundation for the kids to customize into an eye-catching show vehicle. The high-performance Explorer will be part of the Ford display at this years SEMA show in Las Vegas. It features a custom leather interior, performance engine upgrades, a custom outdoor theme body wrap, Yakima rooftop rack and kayak mounts. Some kids got to work on the upholstery, some on the racks and some on the lights, said Johnathan Myren, Austin Hatcher Foundations Industrial Arts Director. It serves as a diversion from the things theyre going through, and we see progress in terms of their cognitive function and fine motor skills. A number of aftermarket suppliers donated parts and services for the build, including BFGoodrich, Yakima, RIGID lights, Paragon Wheels, Borla Exhaust, Hypertech, Traxda and Wizards Products. Wastegate Technologies and Wrap Artists created and installed the custom wrap, with Top Notch Customs LLC and Fully Loaded Interiors providing powder coating and custom leather interior. I have to thank Ford Motor Company for allowing us to participate in this project, said Jim. Its been awesome to see the kids working on this, and to hear the excitement in their voices when they finally got to see the finished product. After SEMA, the Hatcher Foundation plans to use the Explorer to support its Healthy Lifestyles program and later will auction it off to help fund survivor support programs. To learn more about the Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer, click here. As Americas favorite large SUV, learn more about the 2019 Ford Explorer here. Grab, Hyundai and Kia will create a Southeast Asia-wide electric vehicle (EV) partnership aimed at driving the adoption of EVs in the region Hyundai Motor Groups automotive affiliates Hyundai and Kia join Grabs current financing round, which has raised US$2.7 billion to date Hyundai Motor Group is committed to promoting zero-emission mobility services in Southeast Asia Hyundai Motor Group and Grab Holdings Inc. (Grab), Southeast Asias leading O2O (online to offline) mobile platform, today announced an agreement under which Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) and Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) will invest an additional US$250 million into Grab and establish a partnership to pilot EV programs across Southeast Asia. Under the EV partnership, Grab and the Hyundai Motor Group affiliates will bring together stakeholders from the EV industry to collaborate on measures to improve EV adoption and awareness in Southeast Asia. As home to one of the worlds fastest growing consumer hubs, Southeast Asia is a huge emerging market for EVs, said Dr. Youngcho Chi, Hyundai Motor Groups Chief Innovation Officer and head of Strategy & Technology Division. With its unparalleled footprint across the region, and an ever-expanding base of customers and merchants, Grab is an invaluable partner that will help accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles in Southeast Asia. To start, Grab, Hyundai and Kia will launch a series of EV pilot projects in Southeast Asia starting with Singapore in 2019. The pilot projects will focus on utilizing EVs to maximize cost efficiencies for Grabs driver-partners. The EV partnership will also work with regional stakeholders including governments and infrastructure players to improve EV infrastructure in the region, such as the building of a network of quick-charge stations. The EV partnership will also explore the development of customized maintenance packages to Grab EV drivers and conduct research into how EVs can be most efficiently deployed in Southeast Asia under hot and humid climate conditions. As the largest fleet owner of EVs in Singapore, we are excited to establish an industry partnership with Hyundai Motor Group to drive EV adoption across Southeast Asia. We both share a common vision on the electrification of mobility as one of the key foundations for building an environmentally sustainable and lowest-cost transportation platform, said Ming Maa, President of Grab. The three companies will also explore how to customize EVs to optimize them for mobility service platforms. The additional investment builds on Grabs existing strategic partnership with Hyundai and brings Grabs current fundraising to US$2.7 billion raised. Grab is on track to raise over US$3 billion by the end of this year. Investors in Grabs current financing round include Booking Holdings, Microsoft, Toyota, and global financial institutions such as OppenheimerFunds, Goldman Sachs Investment Partners, and Citi Ventures. Hyundai first invested in Grab in January, and the two companies began exploring collaborations in the EV sector. Grabs latest initiative, which expands its cooperation with the Korean automotive group to include Kia, is a milestone in the companys continuing efforts to promote the use of EVs in Southeast Asia. In August, Grab announced a partnership with Singapores energy utilities provider, SP Group, to use SP Groups public EV charging network for its EVs. With a commitment to driving innovation that will enhance its foothold in the future mobility market, Hyundai and Kia have been making significant strategic investments in promising start-ups. From technologies such as autonomous driving and artificial intelligence, to ride-sharing and things in-between, Hyundai Motor Group is building a network of industry experts that will contribute to enhancing peoples lives through the development of innovative mobility services. In line with its goal of becoming a leader in clean mobility, the Group also plans to develop more than double the number of its eco-friendly models to 38 by 2025. Grab is one of the most frequently used mobile O2O platforms in Southeast Asia, providing everyday services that matter most to consumers. Today, the Grab app has been downloaded onto over 125 million mobile devices, giving users access to over 8 million drivers, merchants and agents. Grab has the regions largest land transportation fleet and has completed over 2.5 billion rides since its founding in 2012. Grab offers the widest range of on-demand transport services in the region, in addition to food and package delivery services, across 235 cities in eight countries. Photo Credit: Bloomberg New Economy Forum AAA Predicts More Than 54 Million Americans Will Be On The Move This Thanksgiving Trump's Economy Boosts Enthusiasm for Having Fun ORLANDO, FL - November 8, 2018: The 2018 holiday weekend will see the highest Thanksgiving travel volume in more than a dozen years (since 2005), with 2.5 million more people taking to the nation's roads, skies, rails and waterways compared with last year. For the 48.5 million Americans planning a Thanksgiving road trip, INRIX, a global mobility analytics company, predicts travel times in the most congested cities in the U.S. could see much heavier than normal congestion. "The thriving economy is giving travelers a lot to be thankful for this year," says Jim Lehman, president of AAA East Central. "Two-and-a-half million more Americans will have the chance this year to create new lasting memories with their families and friends, which is very exciting to see." The Thanksgiving holiday period is defined as Wednesday, November 21 to Sunday, November 25. East South Central* Thanksgiving Forecast Highlights include: Thanksgiving holiday travelers will total 3.15 million, an increase of 4.8% from the 3 million in 2017. 3 million will travel by automobile, up 4.8% from last year's 2.87 million. 101,000 people will fly to their destinations, up 4.7% from last year's 96,000. *East South Central includes KY, TN, AL, and MS. Drivers Beware of Thanksgiving Congestion Based on historical and recent travel trends, INRIX and AAA predicts drivers will experience the greatest amount of congestion nationwide Thanksgiving week during the early evening commute period, with travel times starting to increase on Monday. In most cases, the best days to travel will be on Thanksgiving Day, Friday or Saturday. Drivers should expect increased travel times on Sunday as most holiday travelers will be making their way home after the long weekend. Higher Gas Prices Not Keeping Holiday Travelers Home Motorists can expect to pay the highest Thanksgiving gas prices in four years, with a national average of $2.745 as of November 7, 21 cents more than a year ago. (Today's gas prices can be found at gasprices.aaa.com.) Best Times to Fly and Book Thanksgiving Flights An analysis of AAA's national flight booking data from the last three years revealed that the Tuesday and Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving are usually the most popular air travel days across the country and have the highest average price per roundtrip ticket. Meanwhile, Thanksgiving Day consistently has the lowest average price per ticket and is the lightest travel day. Travelers looking to save money this holiday season can fly the morning of the holiday and arrive just in time for Thanksgiving dinner. Car Rental Costs Fall, Hotel Prices Mixed Travelers can expect to save on car rentals this Thanksgiving holiday season. At $63, the national average daily rate is 10 percent less than last year, according to AAA's Leisure Travel Index. Travelers can also save on AAA Three Diamond hotels, with an average nightly rate of $166, a decline of six percent compared to last year. Conversely, the average rate for AAA Two Diamond hotels has increased six percent with an average nightly cost of $124. Top 10 Thanksgiving Destinations Many travelers will seek iconic American cities, theme parks and other warm-weather destinations this Thanksgiving. Orlando, New York City and Anaheim top this year's top 10 holiday destinations based on AAA's national online and travel agency air and tour bookings. Punta Cana, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Miami are all gaining popularity as holiday spots compared with last year. 1. Orlando, Florida 2. New York, New York 3. Anaheim, California 4. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic 5. Las Vegas, Nevada 6. Cancun, Mexico 7. Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas 8. Honolulu, Hawaii 9. Washington, DC 10. Miami, Florida AAA to Rescue Nearly 360,000 Motorists AAA expects to rescue nearly 360,000 motorists at the roadside this Thanksgiving. Dead batteries, lockouts and flat tires will be the leading reasons AAA members will experience car trouble. AAA recommends motorists take their vehicle to a trusted repair facility to perform any needed maintenance before heading out. Oil changes, fluid level checks, battery tests and tire inspections go a long way toward reducing the chances of a breakdown. About the survey: AAA's projections are based on economic forecasting and research by IHS Markit. The London-based business information provider teamed with AAA in 2009 to jointly analyze travel trends during major holidays. AAA has been reporting on holiday travel trends for more than two decades. The complete AAA/IHS Markit 2018 Thanksgiving holiday travel forecast is available here. Evening hours of operation at three ports of entry will be reduced later this month, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) revealed this week. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 8/11/2018 (1109 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Evening hours of operation at three ports of entry will be reduced later this month, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) revealed this week. Tolstoi, Piney, and South Junction border crossings are affected by the service cuts, which take effect Nov. 26. Tolstoi, a port offering bilingual service daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., will close at 8 p.m. from Victoria Day through Labour Day, and 6 p.m. the rest of the year, Lisa White, CBSAs assistant director of communications, said Monday via email. Piney, currently open daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., will close at 5 p.m. year-round. South Junction, currently open from 8 a.m. to midnight each day, will close at 8 p.m. year-round. The CBSAs Sprague crossing will continue to operate 24/7, White confirmed. Cumulatively, the service reductions total 77 fewer hours of service per week for summer travellers, and 91 fewer hours per week the remainder of the year. White said CBSA made its decision following "a comprehensive review of local traffic patterns" at the three smaller ports. The announcement arrives less than a month after CBSA officials touted the completion of a $19 million expansion project at its 24-hour Emerson port, the provinces busiest. White noted Tolstois new hours of operation match those applied in January by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to its Lancaster port of entry. South Junctions new hours also match those at CBPs corresponding Roseau, Minn. port. Provencher MP Ted Falk issued a statement Tuesday decrying the lack of public consultations preceding the agencys decision. He encouraged constituents to attend public meetings slated for Nov. 14 at the Piney Community Centre, and Nov. 15 at the Tolstoi Ukrainian National Hall. Both meetings begin at 7 p.m. Falk said the three affected ports "still play a vital role in travel to and from the United States for thousands of residents in southeastern Manitoba," and noted area residents with jobs in Minnesota will be inconvenienced daily by the service reductions. "A large number of these people work evenings," he noted. Falk also questioned the impact the cuts will have on RM of Piney residents seeking medical care in Roseau under a unique cross-border health care agreement, and the implications for STARS air ambulance, which uses Pineys airport. People leave the scene of the shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill. Photo: Mark J Terrill/AP/REX/Shuttersto/Mark J Terrill/AP/REX/Shutterstock A gunman entered a bar packed with college students in Southern Californias Thousand Oaks late Wednesday night, firing multiple shots and killing at least 12 people and himself. The suspect has been identified as a 28-year-old white man and former marine, and was recently accused of sexual-assault by his high school track coach. Details about the horrific mass shooting are still coming in, but heres what we know so far. What happened? The shooting took place at a Western-style dance hall called Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, in the northwest region of the Greater Los Angeles Area, which was holding an event for college students. Nearly 100 people were there at the time of the attack. According to recent reports, a man wearing a black sweater, hat, and glasses walked up to the bar and shot a security guard standing outside, before entering, turning to his right, and shooting several other security guards and employees inside. He then walked onto the crowded dance floor, where people were line dancing, at around 11:20 p.m. He opened fire within seconds. I started hearing these big pops, one witness, John Hedge, told KABC. Pop, pop, pop. There was probably three or four. I hit the ground. Chyann Worrell, a junior at California State University Channel Islands who was at the bar to celebrate a friends 21st birthday, said she saw the assailant draw his gun and aim it at a man near the front of the bar. Within a split second, everybody yelled, Get down, student Taylor Whittler told KABC. A man and his stepfather, interviewed by ABC7 Eyewitness News, said they heard about a dozen shots before they were able to flee the scene. He fired the first shot, the stepfather said. And I knew it was real. My son thought it was a joke, so I pulled him down and got some cover. I looked up, and he was moving to the right. He shot the front doorman, who was just a young man. Then he shot the cashier, just a young girl. The gunman then threw a smoke grenade, he said. Some people used bar stools to smash windows and escape. When police arrived three minutes after the first 911 call, shots were still being fired. Its a horrific scene in there, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean told reporters Wednesday night. There is blood everywhere. Who were the victims? The bar is near several college campuses, and Wednesday theme nights draw crowds of students; this one was college country night, according to the bars website. At least 11 bar patrons and a sheriffs deputy, named Ron Helus, were found dead Wednesday night. Helus, a 29-year police veteran who was looking to retire within the next year, had already died when other officials arrived at the scene. Among the other victims: Noel Sparks, a member of the United Methodist Church of Westlake Village described as genuinely caring; Dan Manrique, a Marine Corps veteran; and Justin Meek, a California Lutheran University recent graduate who was said to have save lived during the shooting. Another victim, Cody Coffman, just turned 22 and was ready to join the Army. And the parents of Alaina Housley, a Pepperdine student who died in the attack, described her as an incredible young woman with so much life ahead of her we are devastated that her life was cut short in this manner. Telemachus Tel Orfanos, who lost his life at Borderline, had survived the Las Vegas music festival last year, where 58 people were killed and over 500 injured the worst mass shooting in U.S. history. According to one man who was about to enter the bar when the shooting happened, many others who attended the festival were also there that night. My son was in Las Vegas with one of his friends and he came home. He didnt come home last night, Telemachus mother, Susan Schmidt-Orfanos, said. And I dont want prayers, I dont want thoughts, I want gun control and I hope to God nobody else sends me more prayers. No. More. Guns. Dean said that there were multiple other victims of different levels of injuries. Who was the gunman? The suspected gunman was identified Thursday morning as Ian David Long, a 28-year-old heavily tattooed white male and former marine, armed with a single .45 caliber Glock handgun. Long was on active duty with the US Marine Corps from August 2008 to March 2013, according to Department of Defense records. Dean confirmed that Long shot himself; when officials arrived at the Borderline, he was found dead inside an office next to the bars entrance. When the news came out, Longs high school track coach, Dominique Colell, said he sexually assaulted her. I turned on the news and I was watching it and when they said his name my jaw just dropped, Colell told CBS Los Angeles. She said he attacked her his senior year, when someone found a phone and she was trying to figure out who it belonged to. Ian came up and started screaming at me that was his phone, she said. He just started grabbing me. He groped my stomach. He groped my butt. I pushed him off me and said after that youre off the team. She didnt report it, saying she was encouraged by other coaches to accept his apology, so as not to ruin his future in the Marine Corps. I should have reported it then, she added. This kid was mentally disturbed in high school. There were signs and the administration knew it. Sheriff Dean also described several minor run-ins law enforcement had with Long, in which he acted somewhat irate : Weve had several contacts with Mr. Long over the years, minor events, a traffic collision. He was a victim of a battery at a local bar in 2015. In April of this year, deputies were called to his house for a subject disturbing. They went to the house, they talked to him. He was somewhat irate. Acting a little irrationally. They called out our crisis intervention team, our mental health specialists who met with him, talked to him and cleared him. Didnt feel he was qualified to be taken under 5150. And he was left at that scene last April. There is currently no known motive in the shooting at Borderline Bar and Grill. This guy just came out of nowhere and came out with a gun and shot people in Thousand Oaks, California, another witness, Holden Harrah, said. And thats whats really blowing my mind its a really safe area. Many shared the sentiment: disbelief that something so violent could happen at their local college hang-out spot. According to Mayor Andy Fox, Thousand Oaks is considered one of the safest cities in the country, with one of the lowest crime rates per capita. Its safe. Its a safe place to be, Erika Sigman, a sophomore at Cal State Channel Island, told the Times. You can stay out all night at Borderline because theres major security. The reality is that these types of incidents can happen really at any place, at any time, Fox said. Even in communities that are considered extremely safe. California State Senator Kamala Harris responded to the mass shooting by urging Congress to tackle gun laws, writing, Leaders in Congress must act not some day, but now. I'm thankful for the heroic actions of law enforcement but heartbroken that they lost one of their own. Sgt. Ron Helus rushed into danger to save lives. A true hero. Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) November 8, 2018 Please share: an emergency hotline has been established for friends and family who are trying to locate loved ones who were at Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks (805) 465-6650 Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) November 8, 2018 This post will be updated as more information becomes known to the public. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images Tuesdays results were messy and contradictory, just like the current reality of reproductive rights. The federal courts are almost certainly not going to protect abortion access, and for now, at least, the states will have the power both to give and take away. We made huge gains at the state level, which is going to be crucially important as we face the post-Roe reality, says NARAL president Ilyse Hogue. Exit polls showed broad support for Roe v. Wade but also suggested that Republican voters in states like Indiana and North Dakota were motivated by Brett Kavanaughs nomination to vote Republican. Heres a full breakdown, from depressing to hopeful. The Senate and the judiciary are gone. The exact tally is still TBD, but theres no question Republicans grew to a commanding majority in the Senate, which has the sole authority to select federal judges and Supreme Court justices. These are the judges who decide how much states can limit abortion and contraceptive access. Replacing Justice Anthony Kennedy with Brett Kavanaugh was bad enough; should Donald Trump have the chance to make another pick for the Supreme Court justice, the impact would be catastrophic. Two out of three anti-abortion ballot measures passed. First, the bad news: Alabama voters approved a ballot measure that declared support for the sanctity of unborn life and the rights of unborn children, and to provide that the constitution of this state does not protect the right to abortion or require the funding of abortion. For now, its largely a symbolic move, unless the Supreme Court opens the door to its enforcement. Dr. Willie Parker, an abortion provider and board chair of Physicians for Reproductive Health called it so vague and dangerous that it could ban any abortion in the state. Of more immediate impact is the passage of a constitutional amendment in West Virginia that strips Medicaid patients of insurance coverage for abortion. Senator Manchin, the Democrat West Virginia reelected, tepidly opposed the measure. Deirdre Schifeling, executive director of Planned Parenthood Votes, blamed its passage on incredibly deceptive and vague language, and said the group is looking at the possibility of litigations. In another sign of the deepening chasm between red and blue states, Oregon voters went in the opposite direction and reaffirmed the states already broad public funding for abortion. And in Idaho, Utah, and Nebraska, voters chose to expand Medicaid, which will include comprehensive birth-control coverage, if not coverage of abortion. Democrats control the House; some noxious anti-choicers went home. Plenty of damage has and still can be done by Trump-controlled federal agencies. (Just this week, the Department of Health and Human Services issued rules to limit abortion coverage on insurance plans on the exchange and to grant employers broad ability to opt-out out of including birth control in their plans.) But without Republican control of the House, no major legislation restricting access to contraception or birth control including defunding Planned Parenthood or a ban on abortion at 20 weeks is likely to go anywhere. Pro-choice champions won in red states; Hogue is particularly fond of newly minted Texas Congressman Colin Allred, who she calls 100 percent a man for choice. In Orange County, California, 31-year-old Katie Hill, who spoke openly about how her miscarriage at 18 had informed her support for reproductive freedom, bested the anti-abortion Steve Knight. State maps look a lot better for reproductive rights than they did yesterday. Despite disappointments in Florida and Georgia, pro-choice Democrats didnt lose a single governors seat and picked up seven more. Former governors in some of the those states including Kansas, Michigan, and Wisconsin were zealous in limiting abortion access, making the replacements especially significant. Blue states also got bluer, with a total of state legislative 300 seats flipping Democratic, paving the way for stronger protections on access. We have six new trifectas, noted Hogue, meaning that Democrats control both chambers of the legislature and the governors mansion. A lot of those candidates, be they at the house of delegates level or the governors level, were running hard and strong on our issues. Kelly Baden, who directs reproductive rights for the State Policy Innovation Exchange, points out that some of these trifecta states (Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico, and New York) serve as critical access points for people who come from out of state to get abortions. In New York, for example, eight state Senate seats went to Democrats, after a concerted campaign highlighted their Republican opponents refusal to pass a Reproductive Health Act, in the the event that Roe v. Wade is overturned. Democrats now control the New York State Senate for the first time in a decade. Some Republican supermajorities, which can override vetoes, were shrunk to regular old majorities. But on a bleaker note, Ohios governor Mike DeWine worries Hogue: Youve already got a rabid anti-choice state legislature there, and now a governor who sees eye to eye with them on that. The Edge Breakfast Randell tries his best to guess what Adele's next song will sound like 1 Death Linked to Ongoing Turkey Salmonella Outbreak NEW YORKFederal health officials reported the first death in an ongoing salmonella outbreak linked to raw turkey on Nov. 8. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the death was in California but didnt have any immediate details. Since last November, the agency said 164 people have fallen ill in 35 states, with the most recent case being reported on Oct. 20. No products have been recalled, and the agency hasnt recommended that people avoid turkey. But it said it believes the outbreak is widespread and ongoing, and it reminded people to properly cook and handle turkey with Thanksgiving approaching. We are still seeing new illnesses being reported on a weekly basis, said Colin Basler, an epidemiologist with the CDC. Basler noted there is a lag time between when a person gets sick and when the illness gets reported to health officials. The California Department of Public Health did not immediately respond to an email seeking additional details about the death. A single supplier hasnt been identified in connection with the outbreak. The rare salmonella strain was identified in live turkeys, as well as in ground turkey, turkey patties and raw turkey pet food. The National Turkey Federation said in a statement that its members have reviewed their salmonella-control programs. The industry group said programs include vaccination and sanitation, such as wearing protective boots and clothing to reduce birds exposure to pathogens. To limit risk, the CDC recommends cooking turkey to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees, and washing hands and counters that have touched uncooked meat. Salmonella can be found in a variety of foods, including packaged foods. This week, Conagra Brands recalled 2.4 million boxes of Duncan Hines cake mix because of a link to salmonella. The CDC estimates salmonella causes about 1.2 million illnesses a year. Symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps and can last up to seven days. Illnesses are more likely to be severe in the elderly and infants, according to the CDC. A New Attorney General for a New Phase of the Spygate Scandal Whitaker appointment gives Trump an attorney general without recusal issues Commentary Just one day after the midterm elections, President Donald Trump asked Attorney General Jeff Sessions for his resignation and received it. Trump then elevated Matthew G. Whitaker, Sessionss chief of staff, to the role of acting attorney general. This move, on Nov. 7, ended almost two years of a contentious tenure in which the president and his attorney general were often at oddsat least publiclyon how to deal with matters relating to the Justice Department (DOJ). The biggest problem that constantly caused drama during Sessionss two years at the helm of the DOJ was having to recuse himself from overseeing any of the 2016 election-related investigations. As a key member of Trumps campaign team, who was repeatedly accused by top Democrats of being some sort of Russian agent, Sessions had to recuse himself. A person cant be in charge of investigating a campaign they had a role inthe conflicts of interest are apparent. For that reason, Sessions kept his distance and all of these investigations were handled by his top lieutenant, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. As Ive explained in previous columns, such as Rod Rosenstein: The Man With The Most Thankless Job In America and The Circus of Chaos And Confusion Around Rod Rosenstein Is Deliberate, not only is Rosenstein in charge of the Robert Mueller special counsel investigation, hes also in charge of leading extensive leak investigations, some of which extend right into the U.S. Congress itself. DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz dug deeply into the Crossfire Hurricane plot and exposed all the major players. Hes now preparing the report on his teams year-long investigation into the FBIs abuse of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. Meanwhile, Rosenstein has had to keep Congress at bay since material evidence from ongoing investigations cant be made public until the investigations have concludedno matter how loudly members of Congress complain about this. And then theres also the issue of leaks of classified information that came from Congress. Because Rosenstein is in charge of the leak hunt, that means its extremely likely hes leading investigations that are targeting key members of the selfsame committees that are loudly yelling for him to hand over more classified documents. So this is where things have stood for almost two years, with Sessions off doing other thingssuch as dealing with human- and sex-trafficking networks, illegal immigration, the opioid epidemic, and morewhile Rosenstein, Horowitz, and U.S. Attorney John Huber quietly investigated the Spygate scandal and built their cases. It appears the first phase, which just ended, was comprised of two years of slowly exposing each of the Spygate plotters, pulling their fangs and removing them from power, then building cases against them. This could happen while Sessions stayed where he was. But the next phase wont work with a recused attorney general. The prosecution phase needs a hands-on overseer who doesnt have any of the numerous conflicts of interest that hampered Sessions from the day of his swearing-in. There cant be any conflicts of interest that the defense lawyers and the media can use to attack the states case. Another year of Sessions ducking out of the room while deferring all questions about these things to Rosenstein wasnt going to cut it. Trump and Sessions both understood that, and thats why Whitaker was carefully moved into place in advance as Sessionss chief of staff in September last year. He garnered much interest when he wrote a July 2016 op-ed for USA Today, in which he stated hed be willing to indict Hillary Clinton for the massive exposure of classified information she caused with her private server. That means theyve been preparing for this move for at least a year. Spygate is a massive scandal that dwarfs Watergate. Top intelligence and law enforcement officials conspired together to hide what Clinton did and what she caused through that private server she insisted upon using. Because they compromised themselves to protect her so that she could run for president, it became extremely important to these officials that she win the 2016 election. It wasnt just about protecting Clinton. It was also about protecting themselves. For the Spygate plotters, this is personal. To take them on in the next phase of this fight, Trump wanted an attorney general without recusal issues and thats exactly what Whitaker gives him. Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated the date of Jeff Sessionss resignation. The Epoch Times regrets the error. Brian Cates is a political pundit and writer based in South Texas, and the author of Nobody Asked For My Opinion But Here It Is Anyway! He can be reached on Twitter at @drawandstrike. Tamera Mowry-Housley attends the 49th NAACP Image Awards at Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 15, 2018. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images) Actress Tamera Mowrys Niece Killed in Thousand Oaks Shooting UPDATE: Alaina Housley, 18, has been confirmed dead, according to a statement given to USA TODAY from actress Tamera Mowry-Housley and her husband Adam Housley. Our hearts are broken. We just learned that our niece Alaina was one of the victims of last nights shooting at Borderline bar in Thousand Oaks, the couple said in the statement. Alaina was an incredible young woman with so much life ahead of her and we are devastated that her life was cut short in this manner. We thank everyone for your prayers and ask for privacy at this time. Tamera Mowry-Housley, twin star of the hit series Sister, Sister from the 1990s, was searching for her niece on the morning of Nov. 8, after a deadly shooting the night before at a Southern California country dance bar that left at least 12 dead. The actress and her husband, former Fox News correspondent Adam Housley, were in contact with a young woman named Ashley on Twitter, who posted photos of her suitemate, saying she was missing. The suitemate was later identified as Alaina Housley, Tamera and Adams niece. Ashely this is her aunt Tamera Mowry Housley. Can you please DM me your information? Tamera Mowry-Housley (@TameraMowryTwo) November 8, 2018 Ashley said Alaina was wearing denim shorts, a blue flannel shirt, and sneakers. Mowry-Housley responded to her tweet, saying, Ashely this is her aunt Tamera Mowry Housley. Can you please DM me your information? Ashley then said that she talked to Adam and that Alaina was the only one out of a handful of girls [who] went to line dance tonight who were still missing. Mowry-Housleys twin sister Tia Mowry, also from the show Sister, Sister, later posted a photo with Alaina on Instagram, writing, Alaina Housely we are praying. We love u! If you know anything or any information please let us know. We love you! Reporter Andrea Castillo posted on Twitter that Adam Housley went looking for his niece at the Los Robles Regional Medical Center, but a guard didnt let him through, saying it was on lockdown. Castillo said Alainas Apple Watch and iPhone still showed her location at the dance floor of the Borderline Bar & Grill, where the shooting took place in Thousand Oaks. @adamhousley arrived at the hospital searching for his niece Alaina. A guard didnt let him through, saying it was on lockdown. He said Alaina, a Pepperdine freshman, was at the bar with several friends. Her Apple Watch and iPhone still showed her location on the dance floor. Andrea Castillo (@andreamcastillo) November 8, 2018 Housely also sent out messages on Twitter asking people to pray, and hours went by with no information available. My gut is saying shes inside the bar, dead, he told the Los Angeles Times. Im hoping Im wrong. Staying positive and praying and hoping and wishing there was more I could do. https://t.co/sp9I9dLXsq Adam Housley (@adamhousley) November 8, 2018 Mowry-Housley posted a photo of Alaina on Instagram in March 2017, with the caption, My niece Alaina Housley. I cant believe I met her when she was five. She now is a Junior in high school doing a photo shoot with a 70s theme. Kill it beauty. Good luck in all your future endeavors. A gunman dressed entirely in black opened fire at the Borderline Bar & Grill, which was holding a weekly college night on Wednesday, killing at least 12 people and sending hundreds fleeing. The gunman, identified as 28-year-old Ian David Long, was later found dead at the scene. Amendments on State-Funded Abortion Approved by 2 States, Rejected in 1 Abortion amendments were passed in Alabama and West Virginia on Oct. 6, while one on the ballot in Oregon was voted down. West Virginia In West Virginia, one of 17 states that funds abortion with taxpayer money, residents voted for Amendment 1 removing state funding for elective abortions by 3.46 percentage points. The amendment adds language to the constitution saying that nothing in it secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of abortion. This will prohibit Medicaid from covering the procedure, except under certain circumstances, such as if the mothers life is jeopardized by the pregnancy, the fetus is a product of reported rape or incest, or if it has a congenital condition. Oregon Oregon voted down an amendment that would prohibit state funding for abortion, except when medically necessary or required by federal law, by a margin of almost 28 points. That number is still preliminary because as of Nov. 7, not all ballots had been counted. Oregon has some of the most liberal abortion control laws in the country. Women considering an abortion dont have to go through a waiting period before getting the procedure, as some states require, and parents of minors dont have to be notified if their child gets an abortion. Alabama Alabama voters approved by a margin of 32 points Amendment 2 that granted personhood to the unborn, amending the states constitution to recognize and support the sanctity of unborn life and the rights of unborn children, including the right to life. It goes on to say that no provisions of the state constitution would guarantee the right to an abortion or require funding for abortions. The bills sponsor, Republican Rep. Matt Friday, has said he meant it to be a trigger law that would go into effect if Roe v. Wade were overturned at the federal level. Tonight was an overwhelming victory for life, Twinkle Cavanaugh, who was one of the leaders of a coalition supporting the amendment, told the Montgomery Advertiser. I believe with President Trumps help in appointing Justice Kavanaugh and our new Supreme Court, life has a fighting chance now because the conservatives have stepped up to the plate and done whats right. President Donald Trump, who has stated that he would try to put pro-life justices on the Supreme Court, defund Planned Parenthood, and make sure tax dollars dont go to fund the procedure, said Nov. 7 that he was going to keep pushing his pro-life agenda. I wont be able to explain that to you, because it is an issue that is a very divisive, polarizing issue, Trump told reporters at a press conference. But there is a solution. I think I have that solution, and nobody else does. We are going to be working on that. Anti-Abortion Activist Who Shot Kansas Abortion Doctor Freed KANSAS CITYA woman who shot Wichita abortion doctor George Tiller and attacked abortion clinics in several states in the 1990s has been released from prison in Oregon, prompting concern in clinics across the country, according to a published report on Nov. 7. Rachelle Shelley Shannon was released from a halfway house in Portland, the Bureau of Prisons confirmed. She will be on supervised release for three years but the bureau said conditions of her release will not be revealed. Shannon spent 25 years in custody and had been living at the halfway house since May, The Kansas City Star reported. Were extremely concerned, said Katherine Spillar, executive director of the Feminist Majority Foundation. Were alerting providers, briefing them and making sure they have enough security precautions in place. The Rev. Donald Spitz, an anti-abortion activist who stayed in contact with Shannon, said abortion-rights activists should not be worried about Shannons release. I dont think shell be doing anything violent, said Spitz, leader of Pro-Life Virginia and sponsor of the Army of God website. Of course, no one knows, but Id be very surprised. He said he talked to Shannon on Nov. 5, and described her as upbeat about her release but said he didnt know Shannons plans. Shannon, now 62, was sentenced to 11 years behind bars for shooting and wounding Tiller, and 20 years for six firebombings and two acid attacks at abortion clinics in California, Oregon, and Nevada. Stephen Peifer, a former assistant U.S. attorney who prosecuted Shannon in Portland in 1995, said Shannon could do something violent herself but its more likely she would counsel other people to do so. Shes completely unrehabilitated and totally incorrigible, Peifer said. She has the same mentality and goals that she had when she was convicted. On May 31, 2009, Tiller was shot and killed at his church in Wichita by Scott Roeder, who testified during his murder trial that he visited Shannon when she was imprisoned in Topeka. Julie Burkhart, a former employee of Tillers and founder of Trust Women Foundation, which operates clinics in Wichita, Oklahoma City, and Seattle, said Shannons release raises deep concerns. She tried to murder my boss, Burkhart said. And I absolutely do not believe under any circumstances that Shelley Shannon is reformed. She is still as dangerous today as she was in August of 1993. Shannon was an Oregon homemaker when she took a bus to Oklahoma City, where she rented a car and drove to Tillers clinic in Wichita. The clinic, Womens Health Care Services, was bombed in 1986 and was the focus of Operation Rescues 46-day Summer of Mercy campaign in 1991 that resulted in more than 2,600 arrests. Shannon shot Tiller as he drove out of the clinic parking lot. He was injured in both arms but returned to work the next day. After Shannon was arrested, police found a letter shed written to her daughter describing the shooting and denying that it was wrong. It was the most holy, most righteous thing Ive ever done, she wrote. I have no regrets. Investigators later found files on Shannons computer detailing clinic arsons and acid attacks she had committed. Security guards stand in front of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on June 12, 2017 in San Francisco, California. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Appeals Court Rules Against Trump on DACA Immigration Program A U.S. appeals court in California ruled on Nov. 8 that President Donald Trumps administration must continue a program begun under former President Barack Obama that protects hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens who were brought into the country illegally as children. The decision by the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals preserves the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program introduced in 2012 that has shielded a group of illegal aliens from deportation and has given them work permits, though not a path to citizenship. Trump has taken a stern stance against illegal immigration. His administration announced plans in September 2017 to phase out DACA, arguing that Obama exceeded his constitutional powers when he bypassed Congress and created the program. DACA currently protects roughly 700,000 young adults, mostly Hispanics, with the number previously as high as about 800,000 people. The three-judge panel unanimously upheld a federal judges January injunction maintaining the program, rejecting the administrations claim that the decision to end DACA was not reviewable by the courts. The ruling stems from a lawsuit brought by the University of California, the states of California, Maine, Maryland, and Minnesota and others challenging Trumps move to end DACA. The judges said the plaintiffs made a plausible case that the Republican presidents plan violates the U.S. Constitutions guarantee of equal protection under the law. The plaintiffs provided evidence of discriminatory motivation, including the rescission orders disparate impact on Latinos and persons of Mexican heritage, Judge Kim McLane Wardlaw write in the opinion. Wardlaw was appointed by Democratic former President Bill Clinton. The other two judges, John Owens and Jacqueline Nguyen, were appointed by Obama, a Democrat. Wardlaw and Nguyen also said the plaintiffs would likely win on their claim that rescinding DACA would violate federal administrative law. The ruling represented another legal defeat for Trump concerning DACA, although he has won court victories on other parts of his tough immigration policies. On Nov. 5, the administration took the unusual step of asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case even though the appeals court had yet to rule. Trump said on Nov. 7 he saw potential to work with Democrats, who won control of the House of Representatives this week, but would have to see how the Supreme Court rules on the issue. The ruling was the first by a federal appellate court to review the merits of the decision to rescind DACA. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. San Francisco-based U.S. District Judge William Alsup decided in January the government must continue processing renewals of existing DACA applications while litigation over the legality of Trumps action is resolved. The administration in February unsuccessfully appealed Alsups ruling to the Supreme Court. Trumps move last year had called for DACA to begin winding down this past March. Trumps action sparked an outcry from immigration advocates, business groups, colleges and some religious leaders. There are about 11 million illegal aliens in the United States, according to the Pew Research Center. Lawsuits both challenging and supporting Trumps decision to end DACA have been working their way through the courts, making it likely the issue will wind up in front of the Supreme Court. The 9th Circuit ruling does not impact a nationwide injunction to preserve DACA issued by U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis in Brooklyn in February, which also has been appealed. A federal judge in Washington in August ordered the administration to fully restore DACA, including taking new applications. That decision was stayed pending appeal. Legislation to extend protections for DACA recipients and provide them a path to citizenship failed in Congress this year. By Tom Hals Chinese customers look at the new iPhone X at the Apple store in Hangzhou in China's eastern Zhejiang province on November 3, 2017. (STR/AFP/Getty Images) Are Smartphone User Agreements and Harmful Technology Legal? Part 1 This article is part of a series on corporate surveillance highlighting civil liberty, privacy, cybersecurity, safety, and tech-product user exploitation threats associated with connected products that are supported by the Android (Google) OS, Apple iOS, and Microsoft Windows OS, smartphones and their harmful effects. In my last article (No.5) in this series, Smartphone Surveillance and Data-Mining: Who is Protecting Us? I noted many news stories that highlight negligent, abusive and misuse of a persons personal and professional information (also known as digital DNA) by companies such as Google, Apple, Facebook, Verizon, FitBit and other telecom and tech giants. In this article we will look at the legal process in order to conclude whether or not user agreements, also known as terms of use, that support connected products such as smartphones and tablet PCs plus social media platforms are legal. I will also pose the question; Is addictive, intrusive, exploitative and harmful technology legal? Due to negligent, abusive and harmful use of a persons collective digital DNA, it is important to establish that the published (online) and unpublished (hidden in device) terms of use which support all products concerned are legal because I believe that the terms of use and harmful technology are illegal according to my research of existing consumer laws at the state and federal level. Harmful Use of Digital DNA by Tech Giants Aside from news stories regarding negligent, abusive and harmful use of a persons collective digital DNA, I still do not understand how data-driven technology providers such as Google, Apple and Microsoft use, share, sell, purchase and aggregate a persons personal and professional telecom related information, aka digital DNA, to determine harmful as related to my use of a smartphone. According to my legal counsel, if I can answer this legal question, I believe that would open the door to a massive class action lawsuit similar to a class action lawsuit that changed the tobacco industry forever. We only hear about negligent, abusive and harmful use of telecom-related digital DNA when it becomes public, such as the Verizon LocationSmart and Zumiga scandal that was buried pretty fast by the mainstream media. However, what we dont know regarding the harmful use of digital DNA is the real story, especially since personal and professional digital DNA is being acquired from telecom subscribers and authorized device users such as spouse, children, employees, via protected (by due process/the Fourth Amendment) telecom-related products such as smartphones that require payment to participate As noted in Harmful Use of Smartphone Sensitive User Data Digital DNA, telecom product users are protected by privacy laws related to telecommunications while also being protected by consumer laws associated with deceptive trade practices, which is relevant to the unpublished hidden in device legalese and product warnings that support the preinstalled apps that support smartphones. Example- android Application Permission Statement- Contacts (Samsung Galaxy Note 8): Telecom related products such as smartphones are supported by protected telecom infrastructure governed by the FCC, which is why it is paramount to smartphone owners and/or users to understand who is collecting their telecom related digital DNA. Additionally, it is also highly important to understand how all parties concerned collect and use the digital DNA, which is relevant to the legality of smartphone user agreements and/or the collective terms of use associated with addictive, intrusive, exploitative and harmful technology, such as apps. Aside from AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint, Google, Apple, Microsoft, Samsung, Amazon and Facebooks use of telecom related digital DNA, it is unknown if a persons collective telecom- related digital DNA is ending up in the hands of entities that can bring harm to the product user such as: Data Brokers (e.g. Cambridge Analytica, LocationSmart, Zumiga, etc.) Employers (Current/Future) Business Competitors (Foreign/Domestic) State Actors (Foreign/Domestic) Bank and Insurance Underwriters Law Enforcement (domestic, Interpol) Institutions of Higher Learning And the list goes on No Reply From The Tech Giants Regarding formal customer complaints that I filed with AT&T, T-Mobile, Apple and Samsung, all parties concerned refuse to answer my questions regarding the harmful use of my personal and professional telecom-related digital DNA associated with third parties as I mentioned above. Note that I asked T-Mobile and Samsung to forward my formal customer complaints to Google, who also will not address this matter. Per article No. 3 in this series, When Smartphone User Agreements Become Cyber-Enslavement Agreements, T-Mobile and Verizon admit that smartphones and connected products supported by the Android OS, Apple iOS and Microsoft Windows OS are not private, secure or safe forms of telecommunications and computing, yet neither company will divulge what companies are collecting and using digital DNA acquired from telecom product users. Per T-Mobiles nebulous admission, they only describe all third-parties concerned in this manner: there are indeed a variety of parties that may collect and use information. T-Mobile Privacy Team (FCC Consumer Complaint #423849 Filed by Rex M. Lee/Public Record) Is Addictive, Intrusive, Exploitative and Technology With Harmful Effects Legal? According to T-Mobile, a variety of parties do in fact use, share, sell, and aggregate a smartphone users telecom-related digital DNA for financial gain at the expense of the product users civil liberties, privacy, cyber security and safety. Questions: Who are these third-parties that T-Mobile describes as a Variety of Parties plus how do all parties concerned use, share, sell, purchase and aggregate telecom- related personal and professional digital DNA? When I clicked on I Agree to accept the terms of use that supported the smartphones that I purchased from T-Mobile, did I agree to this level of surveillance and data mining associated with a the Samsung and Apple smartphones that I purchased from T-Mobile for my wife, children and myself? Answer: Due to unpublished application legalese and application product warnings associated with pre-installed content such as addictive, intrusive, harmful and exploitative apps, I say no due to fraud inducement (misleading advertising) and deceptive trade practices related to full disclosure of surveillance and data mining business practices employed by T-Mobile, Apple, Samsung, Google plus all relevant pre-installed content developers Per recent news reports coupled with admissions made by tech executives and product designers, the reports confirm that there are other forms of harm that can be associated with the use of social media platforms, plus uncontrollable preinstalled apps that support smartphones, tablets, PCs and connected products in general. Other forms of harm include the use of addictive, intrusive, exploitative and harmful technology, which was admitted by former Google and Facebook senior executives and product designers that include Eric Schmidt (Alphabet Inc./Google), Sean Parker (Facebook and Spotify) and Tristan Harris (Alphabet Inc./Google). The Facebook Cambridge Analytica scandal, the Fitbit Military Classified Information incident and the Verizon LocationMart scandal also showed us how data brokers can use a persons collective digital DNA in a harmful manner. There is another form of harm that I need to highlight that is relevant to the legality of user agreements before I expose what I believe are violations of privacy, telecommunication and consumer laws associated with the collective terms of use that support all products concerned. Terms of use do not explain how data-driven technology providers and data brokers use a persons personal and professional digital DNA such as using artificial intelligence, predictive analytics and suggestive technology in order to manipulate a technology product user into taking action. Tech giants such as Google, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and Facebook coupled with data brokers are conducting experiments on smartphone, social media and connected product users by applying AI to a persons collective digital DNA to capitalize on that persons personal preferences, which is used in conjunction with predictive analytics and suggestive technology to manipulate a tech product user into taking action. Per a creepy science fiction movie based on George Orwells 1984, data-driven technology developers view their product users as lab rats to be experimented on regardless of the harm that may come to the user even if the user is a child. Secret Physiological Experiments Dont take my word for this astonishing claim. Mike Schroepfer, chief technology officer of Facebook, admitted that Facebook conducts secret physiological experiments on the Facebook user, according to a report, Facebook Sorry Almost for Secret Philological Experiment on Users, published by The Guardian on Oct. 2, 2014. Admitting potential harm, Schroepfer said this: It is clear now that there are things we should have done differently For example, we should have considered other non-experimental ways to do this research. Furthermore, Sean Parker, co-founder of Facebook, and Tristan Harris, former Google product designer, have publicly admitted that Facebook and Google products are intentionally designed to be addictive regardless of the risk to the user, whether the user is an adult, teen or even a child. Parker also noted that addictive technology is harmful. In a November 2017 interview with Axios, he said, God only knows what its doing to our childrens brains. Designed to Be Addictive What Parker did not mention is the fact that addictive technology also harmfully impacts teens and adults as well as children. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide rates for teens rose between 2010 and 2015 after they had declined for nearly two decades citing one factor could be associated with the rise of social media user among teens. I believe that rise in teen suicide is partly caused by psychologically harmful addictive technology developed by tech giants such as Google and Facebook as publicly admitted by Parker and Harris. It may turn out that cyber-addiction coupled with the use of addictive, intrusive, exploitative and harmful technology could be as bad and as destructive as alcohol and drug addiction and even possibly worse due to the use of the technology by children and teens. Also not discussed in the interviews with Parker and Harris, as far as I know, is the fact that data- driven technology providers also use artificial intelligence (AI), predictive analytics and suggestive technology to manipulate their product users into taking action such as: Clicking on a link Engaging an automated chat bot that the user thinks is a real person Purchasing a retail product Voting for a presidential candidate (e.g. Facebook Cambridge Analytica) And the list goes on The misuse of AI, predictive analytics and suggestive technology is the equivalent to the misuse of subliminal advertising, which is highly illegal. Harmful use of a persons digital DNA is a relevant reason why we need to understand if the collective terms of use that support all products concerned are legal, especially since user agreements are supporting addictive, intrusive, exploitative and harmful technology. After all, who wants to pay for telecommunication products such as a smartphone that is supported by addictive, intrusive, harmful and exploitative content, which is supported by deceptive trade practices? Question: Why is harmful technology relevant to the collective terms of use that support all products concerned? Answer: Harmful technology is relevant because all products concerned are supported by unpublished (hidden in device) terms of use, which include application legalese that contains application product warnings that are not transparent to the product owner or the product user, which includes children and teens. Example- android (Google) Social Media Application Permission Statement with a Product Warning to Censor Speech meaning that the Product User Could be Harmed (Samsung Galaxy Note smartphone): Who is Protecting Us from Smartphones Harmful Effects? What is astonishing is the fact that the AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint, coupled with the FCC, FTC and state attorneys general, are not taking action to protect citizens, teens, children and business professionals in light of the public admissions made by Schroepfer (Facebook), Parker (co-founder Facebook and Spotify) and Harris (former Google product designer). Regarding my research on all products concerned and admissions made by all parties concerned, it is obvious that smartphones, tablet PCs, voice automate assistants and connected products in general are supported by addictive, intrusive, exploitative and harmful technology, which are all supported by misleading terms of use. Closing Questions: Who is asleep at the FCC and FTC especially officials responsible for protecting the privacy of children via the FTCs Childrens Online Protection Act (COPPA) 1998? Why is AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon and Sprint selling smartphones that are supported by preinstalled addictive, intrusive, exploitative and harmful technology putting their telecom subscribers (paying customers- individuals/businesses) and authorized device users (spouse, children, employees) in harms way? Why are lawmakers conducting meaningless congressional hearings that result in no changes plus meaningless apologies from tech executives such as Mark Zuckerberg? According to my research, coupled with admissions made by Sean Parker, Tristan Harris, T-Mobile and Verizon, it is clear that numerous laws are being violated by all parties concerned yet the FTC, FCC, DOJ, DHS, state attorneys general and lawmakers are not willing to protect citizens, children and business professionals from predatory surveillance and data mining business practices that can result in harm to the technology product user. Why? I will try to answer these most important questions within Part 2 of this article, which will be published next. I will cover specific consumer laws at the state and federal level that I believe are being violated today. The violations that I will expose will be backed by hard data, information and photographic evidence that I have submitted to: T-Mobile; AT&T; Verizon; Samsung; Apple; Google; The FTC, FCC, various state attorneys general and lawmakers; and Mainstream media such as 60 Minutes and CBS News. I will also shed light on why I believe that government agencies such as the FCC & FTC, state attorneys general and lawmakers are not willing to protect citizens, children and business professionals from addictive, intrusive, harmful and exploitative technology developed by companies such as Google, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and Facebook. I will also explain why mainstream media outlets refuse to publish some of my findings. Look for Part 2, Are Smartphone User Agreements and Harmful Technology Legal? Rex M. Lee is a privacy and data security consultant and Blackops Partners analyst and researcher. His website is MySmartPrivacy.com Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Australia Details Investment in Pacific as China Clout Grows CANBERRAAustralias prime minister on Nov. 7 outlined plans to increase investments in infrastructure in the South Pacific as Chinas influence in those nations grows. Prime Minister Scott Morrison also detailed plans for greater military and diplomatic engagement with Australias island neighbors who are increasing looking to China for aid through Beijings One Belt, One Road (OBOR or Belt and Road) infrastructure program. My government is returning the Pacific to where it should be front and center of Australias strategic outlook, foreign policy and personal connections, including at the highest levels of government, Morrison said in a speech. The 2 billion Australian dollar ($1.4 billion) Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific will provide grants and long-term loans for investments in telecommunications, energy, transport and water infrastructure, Morrison said. Another AU$1 billion ($728 million) will be injected into the Export Finance and Insurance Corp., Australias export credit agency, which will be given more flexibility to support investment in the region that would benefit Australia, he said. The Pacific region was estimated to need $3.1 billion in investment a year to 2030, he said. Its in our interest, thats why we need to do it, he added. The Australian Defense Force would also establish an Australia-based Pacific Mobile Training Teams that would visit island neighbors to train their militaries in humanitarian and disaster responses, peacekeeping and infantry skills. Australia will also put diplomats in all 18 countries in the Pacific Islands Forum, with new embassies planned for Palau, Marshall Islands, French Polynesia, Nui and Cook Islands. In January, China protested an Australian ministers criticism that Chinese aid programs in poor Pacific island countries were creating white elephants that threatened economic stability without delivering benefits. Sen. Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, the-then minister for international development and the Pacific, told The Australian newspaper that China was lending to Pacific nations on unfavorable terms to construct useless buildings and roads to nowhere. Youve got the Pacific full of these useless buildings which nobody maintains, which are basically white elephants, she told the newspaper. Fierravanti-Wells later said sustaining debt was a significant threat to economic stability of countries in the Pacific. China transferred at least $1.8 billion in aid and loans to South Pacific countries in a decade through 2016, the Sydney-based Lowy Institute international policy think tank found. The U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corp., the Japan Bank for Investment Cooperation and the Australian government announced in July a trilateral partnership to invest in infrastructure in the region. The-then Trade Minister Steve Ciobo denied at the time the three-way initiative was a challenge to China, saying it only added to various regional programs already underway. A U.S diplomat revealed in September that the United States, Japan and Australia were cooperating on a domestic internet cable proposal for Australias nearest neighbor, Papua New Guinea, as an alternative to an offer by Huawei, the Chinese telecommunications giant that the United States regards as a cybersecurity threat. The U.S. charge daffaires to Australia, James Carouso, said the three Pacific defense allies were negotiating with the impoverished South Pacific island nation of 8 million people, mostly subsistence farmers, on its internet contract. Papua New Guinea Minister Justin Tkatchenko said his government was willing to work with Australia on the internet network if it offered a better deal than Huawei, The Australian newspaper reported. By Rod McGuirk Boeings Warning Provides New Clues Into Lion Air 737 Max Crash A Boeing Co. warning to 737 Max operators around the globe provides the first clues about how bad data from an airflow sensor might have contributed to the deadly crash of an Indonesian airliner last week. The bulletin combined with statements by Indonesian investigators to suggest that the pilots on the Lion Air 737 Max 8 were battling the plane as its computers commanded a steep dive during its final moments of flight. The issue only occurs when a planes autopilot is switched off, Boeing said. The bulletin emphasized existing procedures for correcting the plane when it reacts to the erroneous data. Following the protocol should be routine for well-trained pilots, though may be more challenging in the heat of the moment when equipment is malfunctioning and alarms are sounding. U.S. aviation regulators said they are drafting an order requiring that airlines follow Boeings instructions. The manufacturer cautioned that the so-called angle-of-attack sensor can provide false readings in limited circumstances that cause the 737 Max to pitch nose downward. Boeing didnt recommend new inspections or other action for operators. The sensor on the doomed plane had been replaced the day before, after it failed on a previous trip, the Indonesia National Transportation Safety Committee said in a briefing. The malfunction can cause the planes computers to erroneously detect a mid-flight stall in airflow, causing the aircraft to abruptly dive to regain the speed it needs to keep flying. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on Nov. 7 said it will take further appropriate actions depending on the results of the investigation. The FAA also notified regulatory counterparts around the world, which typically follow the U.S. agencys lead on safety matters. The Boeing bulletin only reminds operators of the plane to emphasize procedures outlined in a checklist pilots are given to help navigate stabilizer issues. Its still possible the FAA may order the Chicago-based planemaker to redesign the equipment or software as investigators piece together details of the Oct. 29 accident, which killed 189 people. Fresh Questions The new information about Lion Air Flight 610 raises multiple questions investigators will want to examine on the pilots actions, how flight crews were trained and whether the maintenance performed on the system was adequate, said Roger Cox, a former NTSB investigator. I would definitely be looking at the man-machine interface and how pilots respond, said Cox, a former airline pilot who flew earlier versions of the 737 and specialized at the NTSB in cockpit actions. One of the puzzling things about the accident is that the plane was flying in clear skies during daylight, so pilots should have been able to handle the issues they faced with airspeed and erroneous sensors, Cox said. However, in rare instances, accidents have been caused by what investigators call a startle factor. If you dont take the appropriate action because youre surprised, you can make a serious error, he said. The pilots union at Southwest Airlines Co., the biggest customer of the 737 Max, hasnt received any reports from its members of problems with faulty sensor readings, said Jon Weaks, president of the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association. United Technologies Corp. supplies the angle-of-attack sensors and indicator for the 737 Max, according to Airframers.net. The company didnt response to requests for comment. Honeywell International Inc. provides the air data inertial reference unit. The Lion Air jetliner plunged into the Java Sea minutes after takeoff from Jakarta airport, nosing downward so suddenly that it may have hit speeds of 600 miles an hour before slamming into the water. Moments earlier, the pilots radioed a request to return to Jakarta to land, but never turned back toward the airport, according to Indonesias safety commission and flight-tracking data. The agency said the pilots were dealing with an erroneous airspeed indication. Boeing said it is cooperating fully and providing technical assistance as the investigation continues. While modern jetliners primarily operate on autopilot, the computerized system can disengage when airspeed indicators malfunction, forcing pilots to manually fly the aircraft. If there is an uncommanded nose-down stabilizer trim on the Max, pilots can counteract it by pushing a switch on their control yoke. But the planes computers will resume trying to dive as soon as they release the switch, the Boeing bulletin said. Flight crews should follow a separate protocol to halt the planes potentially dangerous action, according to the bulletin. Pilots are supposed to memorize a procedure to disengage the angle-of-attack inputs to the planes computer system. Boeing has delivered 219 Max planesthe latest and most advanced 737 jetssince the models made their commercial debut last year with a Lion Air subsidiary. The angle-of-attack sensor is intended to measure the angle between air flow and a reference line on the frame or wings so that they maintain lift. If the flow is disrupted by a plane going too slow or climbing too steeply, that can cause an aerodynamic stall and a plane will plummet. However, if the sensor malfunctions, it can cause the planes computers to erroneously think it is in a stallwhich can then command the aircraft to abruptly dive. Aircraft and engine manufacturers routinely send bulletins to air carriers noting safety measures and maintenance actions they should take, most of them relatively routine. But the urgency of a fatal accident can trigger a flurry of such notices. After an engine on a Southwest Airlines plane fractured earlier this year over Pennsylvania, killing a passenger, CFM International Inc. issued multiple bulletins to operators of its CFM56-7B power plants. Aviation regulators such as the U.S. FAA and the European Aviation Safety Agency often follow such actions by mandating that carriers follow the bulletins. Pilots raise and lower the nose of Boeing jetliners by pushing and pulling on a yoke in the cockpit, which controls panels at the tail known as elevators. In addition, a system known as pitch trim can be changed to prompt nose-up or nose-down movement. Computers Role The angle of attack readings are fed into a computer that in some cases will attempt to push down the nose using the pitch trim system. In the early days of the jet age, the pitch trim system was linked to several accidents. If pilots arent careful, they can cause severe nose-down trim settings that make it impossible to level a plane. While rare, similar accidents have also occurred more recently. An issue arose in 2016 at Rostov-on-Don Airport in Russia when a FlyDubai 737-800 nosed over and slammed into the runway at a steep angle, according to an interim report by Russian investigators. That case didnt involve the angle-of-attack system. One of the pilots had trimmed the plane to push the nose down while trying to climb after aborting a landing, the report said. All 62 people on board died. By Alan Levin, Julie Johnsson, & Harry Suhartono From Bloomberg Brazil's President-elect Jair Bolsonaro (R) and Brazil's President Michel Temer shake hands, at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, on Nov. 7, 2018. (Adriano Machado/Reuters) Brazils Bolsonaro Faces First Fiscal Setback as Judges Pay Rises BRASILIABrazils President-elect Jair Bolsonaro faced the first setback in his plans to reduce the countrys massive deficit on Nov. 7, as the Senate approved a 16 percent pay rise for the judiciary against his wishes. The right-wing politician was elected last month on a wave of anger over corruption and economic recession, which he and many voters blamed on the leftist Workers Partys long reign in power. Bolsonaro, who takes the reins on Jan.1, has begun naming key cabinet posts and laying out his vision for government, but, like other leaders before him, has found making changes in Brazil may not be an easy task. He told reporters that it was not the moment to approve pay hikes. But the Senate went ahead and passed a bill raising judges salaries, which serve as a benchmark for other public sector pay. This will add an estimated 4 billion reais ($1 billion) to next years deficit. Bolsonaros campaign pledges to merge the agriculture and environment ministries have also gone awry. As he named Congresswoman Tereza Cristina, the leader of Brazils farm caucus, to be his agriculture minister on Wednesday, he ditched his initial plan to merge the two portfolios. The plan had faced opposition from environmentalists, who said it would lead deforestation to explode, and from the farm sector that feared it would strain trade relationships. Cristina is an agronomist from the major farm state of Mato Grosso do Sul. She is the first woman to be named as a minister by Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro, who has said he wants to reduce the number of ministries, said on Wednesday he planned to merge the labor ministry with another, without providing details. Security Priority On his second day back in Brasilia as president-elect, Bolsonaro met with incumbent President Michel Temer to discuss prospects for what many say are urgently needed economic reforms. Bolsonaro said this week he would discuss with Temer the need to push through a pension overhaul this year to bring the deficit under control. At a news conference after the meeting, Temer said he had invited Bolsonaro to accompany him to the G20 summit from Nov. 30 to Dec. 1 in Buenos Aires, as part of the government transition. Bolsonaro also promised on Wednesday to prioritize a solution for Brazils public security problems, a central plank in the former army captains platform that emphasizes law and order. Augusto Heleno, the head of a group of retired army generals who backed Bolsonaros presidential bid, will take the top security position in the new cabinet, a spokesman for the transition team said on Wednesday. Heleno had previously been announced as the next defense minister. Bolsonaro told reporters that the chief executive of state-controlled oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA, Ivan Monteiro, was not expected to stay in the new administration. But GloboNews TV channel later reported that Bolsonaro would keep Monteiro, who took the helm of the worlds most indebted listed oil company in June. Monteiro said Tuesday he was open to staying if invited. Petrobras did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Bolsonaro said he and his economic guru Paulo Guedes had not discussed the fate of central bank chief Ilan Goldfajn. His foreign minister will be a career diplomat, he said. By Mateus Maia A girl uses an iPad at an Apple store in central London in this file photo. (Reuters/Luke MacGregor) British Official Urges More Protection for Children Datafied From Birth LONDONBritish children are having vast quantities of personal data collected from birth, according to a report released on Nov. 8 that calls for more transparency and greater legal protection. From proud parents sharing a photo of their newborn baby online to internet-based toys, smart speakers, and location tracking gadgets, childrens every move is being tracked, the Childrens Commissioner for England warned in the report. Were all datafied but the difference for children is theyre datafied from birth, the reports author Simone Vibert, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. I think we should be concerned because we dont know what the consequences of all this information about children will be in the future. Vibert said parents should stop and think before sharing information online about their children, whose online data footprints could one day put them at greater risk of identity theft or limit their job and university prospects. Last year, a popular childrens toy, CloudPets, was found to have breached data laws after gathering and storing online about two million personal messages shared between children and their family members. About 79 percent of 5-to-7-year-olds in Britain go online every week, mostly using a tablet. This jumps to 99 percent of 12-to-15-year-olds, according to a 2017 report by Britains communications regulator, Ofcom. Children aged 11 to 16 post on social media on average 26 times a day, which means by the age of 18 they are likely to have posted 70,000 times, the report found. It said that while personal information in the wrong hands could pose an immediate threat to childrens safety, there is less understanding of how personal data gathered in childhood shape peoples prospects in the long term. The report said the Childrens Commissioners office would draft a law outlining the statutory duty of care governing the relationship between social media companies and their audiences. By Adela Suliman Business Owners Upbeat About Economic Outlook NEW YORKAmerican small-businesses are more optimistic than ever, the latest data has revealed. The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) and United States Chamber of Commerce (USCC) both report small business optimism in September 2018 are at record-high levels. The NFIB Index of Small Business Optimism is up 0.9 points to a record 108.8 points. The MetLife and USCC Small Business Index for the third quarter of 2018 reported a record-breaking score of 69.7, up from the previous high of 68.7 in Q1. Small business owners report being upbeat about their companys future and the U.S. small business environment, thanks to legislative reforms and a booming economy. Its a record! says the NFIB report (pdf), showing the highest score on their optimism report since they began collecting data in 1986. The report says the hard parts of the economy, which include spending and job creation by small businesses, are improving. The rise in optimism reflects a rebound in national economic outlook and denotes the highest levels in the history of the survey, says the USCC report (pdf). The USCC report focuses on small business owners ability to obtain financing, analyzing conditions that affect whether a business can obtain a loan; 70 percent of businesses reported obtaining a loan is easier if they had sought a loan in the past. A Bureau of Labor Statistics productivity report likewise showed various signs of economic improvement. In the second quarter of 2018, non-farm labor productivity rose 2.9 percent; labor output jumped 5 percent; and hours worked soared 2 percent. Family Business Roars Back to Life Vasilios Katranis, owner, veteran, and father, took over the familys commercial interior construction contracting company with his wife in 2003. Red White and Blue Enterprise Corporation in Woodside, New York is one of the small businesses enjoying an economic revival. Back in 1994-95 we had some rough times, it was just barely enough to pay the lights, says Katranis, also recalling a similar situation during the 2008 global financial crisis. Since then, his focus has moved from labor to capital, specifically, automated machinery. We did drastic moves like upgrading our software. It was ridiculousthe amount of money we spent, he says. Since the financial crisis, and until May 2018, a one-size fits all regulatory approach had been used on the economy, according to Tom Sullivan, vice president of the USCC. He says the recently signed Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act helps small businesses source capital. This new act, passed by President Trump in May, allows banks to loan small businesses up to $250 billion compared to the financial crisis-inspired loan limit of $50 billion. The NFIB September report says more owners plan to obtain or maintain capital than the previous month, and obtaining loans is no longer small business owners top concern. Furthermore, it says capital spending is at its highest level since 2007, with one-third of the businesses surveyed planning to increase capital spending in the coming three to six months. The USCC report also says access to capital is strongest since 2008. Katraniss capital investments have increased over the years, buying modern machines and software usually used by large scale businesses. Automation is not an overnight thing, says Katranis. This thing took many years, and slowly we upgraded our machines, and we are in a position that we feel comfortable enough to be able to take large jobs with significant, rapid turn-around. New Talent Needed Now Since obtaining financing is no longer a primary concern, small business owners focus has shifted to labor. A record 25 percent of owners cited difficulty finding qualified workers as their single most important business problem, according to the NFIB. Unfortunately with less and less available carpenters and skilled labor, we had to make big changes in order to survive, says Katranis. Those changes include investing in capital, and hiring only two new employees since 2008. With the future looking more secure, Katranis has a strong motivation to ensure longevity of the businesshis son. From his father-in-law, founder of this family business, also named Vasilios, to his 11-year-old son, named Vasilios too, Katranis hopes his familys business can continue this legacy. I would like to pass this on to my son, hopefully its still around, he said. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivers a formal apology over the fate of the MS St. Louis and its passengers in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Nov. 7, 2018. (The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick) Canada in Brief, Nov. 8-14 Trudeau apologizes for 1939 refusal of Jewish refugees Survivors and families of 900 German Jews whose pleas for asylum Canada ignored during the Holocaust received an official federal apology Oct. 7, as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau vowed more federal help to combat anti-Semitic acts. In 1939, the government of Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King rejected an asylum request from an ocean liner carrying German Jews as it neared Halifax, forcing it back to Europe. Most of the passengers scattered across the continent and more than 250 of them died in the Holocaust. The decision was unacceptable then and it is unacceptable now, Trudeau said in his speech on the week marking the 80th anniversary of what is known as Kristallnacht and the start of the Holocaust. PCs set to take power in New Brunswick New Brunswick will get its next minority government on Nov. 9, one week after the Liberals fell on a confidence vote in the provincial legislature. Premier-designate Blaine Higgs, leader of the Progressive Conservative party, said he is still in the process of deciding who will be in cabinet. Higgs has made tackling the provinces financial woes a priority. Among other things, the net debt has swollen to more than $14 billion in the small province of about 750,000 people. I am questioning how we are spending at a rate of three percent when we have no more than a one percent rate of growth, he told reporters. Scheer says Clement no longer an MP after more allegations Tory Leader Andrew Scheer says he has asked Tony Clement to leave the Conservative caucus after more allegations of sexual impropriety were brought to his attention. Clement stepped down as the Conservative justice critic and resigned his committee roles on Oct. 6 after admitting he sent sexually explicit images and a video to someone he thought was a consenting woman. The recipient then turned around and demanded money to not share the images publicly. New information became available today that suggests there are allegations that this is not an isolated incident and therefore Ive asked Tony to resign from caucus and he has done so, a sombre looking Scheer said, without giving specifics. Trudeau apologizes to Tsilhqotin for 1864 hanging of chiefs Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has apologized to the Tsilhqotin community for the hanging of six chiefs more than 150 years ago. Speaking to hundreds of the First Nations members in British Columbias central Interior on Nov. 2, Trudeau said the colonial officials of the day erred in inviting the chiefs for peacekeeping talks where they were instead arrested, tried and hanged. He said the chiefs are fully exonerated without any wrongdoing because they were acting as one independent nation engaged in war with another when they attacked a road crew that intruded on their territory. Chief Joe Alphonse said the apology was significant not only because it was the first time that a prime minister visited title lands, but because it was made directly to community members. Postmedia cancels print deliveries to schools due to pot adverts Postmedia Network Inc. will no longer be delivering newspapers to schools across Canada in order to comply with federal laws that restrict how cannabis is advertised to minors. Spokeswoman Phyllise Gelfand says that in order to comply with the Cannabis Act, print deliveries have been cancelled to elementary and high schools across the country that take part in the Newspapers in Education program. The program is an international initiative that aims to improve media literacy in schools. With files from The Canadian Press China's then vice President Xi Jinping unveils a plaque at the opening of Australia's first Chinese Medicine Confucius Institute at the RMIT University in Melbourne on June 20, 2010. The Confucius Institutes are one method of the Chinese regime exerting influence abroad. (WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images) Vast Chinese Meddling Abroad Exposed in Report by Canadian Policy Institute Censorship, propaganda, bribery, intimidation are just a few tools used by the Chinese regime In the wake of a meticulous, courageous, and damning policy report by a Canadian think tank, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has nowhere to hide. To undermine the democratic world order, the CCP has blurred the lines between soft and sharp power in political warfare. The Chinese regime has enlisted embassies, businesses, NGOs, organized crime networks, and even overseas students and exile communities to further ambitions abroad. Contrary to popular belief, Beijings chief foreign-relations objective is a sphere of influence, not commercial gain, let alone a happy get-along-well together. The report The Hard Edge of Sharp Power: Understanding Chinas Influence Operations Abroad, published Oct. 25 by the nonpartisan Macdonald-Laurier Institute (MLI), an Ottawa think tank, provides eye-opening examples of Chinas sophisticated strategy to destabilize foreign institutions. Author J. Michael Colewho is based in Taiwanalso recommends actions that governments can take to fend off attacks that often fall into legal gray areas. Most of all, Cole writes, we have failed to pay enough attention to China over the years. Since Chinese leader Xi Jinping has ended hopes that China would liberalize and become democratic, we can no longer afford to regard [the China threat] as a distant phenomenon. Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States, in addition to Hong Kong and Taiwan, are the prime targets for Chinese propaganda, he argues. A War on the Truth Cole wants Canadians and Americans to be aware of the ideology that lies at the heart of the CCPs influence operations abroad. Its inherently authoritarian and inclined towards censorship and intimidation, affirming the truism that the first victim of war is the truth. The smoking guns include dismissals of and frivolous defamation lawsuits against journalists who dare to shine a light on the regimes criminality and brutality. One reason why Chinas strategy is so effective is an almost imperceptible focus on infiltrating and co-opting intellectual communities. Sought-after academic exchanges only go to researchers and instructors with acceptable views; generous grants to foreign universities make the recipients beholden to the regime and foster self-censorship. Confucius Institutes, overseen by Chinas Ministry of Education, are a Trojan horse and visible manifestation of influence on campuses. As shown in the Canadian documentary In the Name of Confucius, these organizations are vehicles for espionage, censorship, and curriculum manipulation. That is why the University of British Columbia has thrice rejected proposals to open a Confucius Institute on campus. With 110 such programs in the United States and 12 in Canada, they present a real challenge to the academic independence of American universities, notes Joseph Bosco, a retired China specialist from the U.S. Department of Defense. Too often, we get enchanted with the economic opportunities of interaction with China, and we neglect the problems that come from the close relationship with China and giving them the freedom to operate within the United States with propaganda institutions, he said. By the end of 2018, Chinese students at foreign universities will total 800,000. They wield considerable financial clout and offer regime foot soldiers. Cole highlights how some collaborate with embassies to blacklist professors, uphold the party line, and spy on peers. These surrogates adopt flimsy but effective name-calling to silence opponents as anti-China. Unfortunately, these efforts have often achieved their goals and axed academic scrutinyone reason why the MLI report is so historic and defiant. For example, Cambridge University Press (United Kingdom), Springer Nature (Germany), and Charles Sturt University (Australia) have succumbed and suppressed more than 2,450 books and papers. Springer Nature, the worlds largest academic publisher, has no-go topics that include Taiwan, the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, Tibet, and Falun Gong. The outcome: China is framing debates and exporting its Orwellian censorship apparatus without the layman realizing. The Chinese have, as Cole explains, exploited our one-sided openness in the West. The weight of evidence gives credence to President Donald Trumps vocal concerns about Chinese foul play at home and abroad, beyond economic sabotage. Politicos Serving the Motherland The story hardly ends with students and academic institutions. The CCP has expanded its reach within Chinese exile communitiesincluding those who have achieved elected officeand bankrolled a spiders web of ever-changing front organizations. One is the Chinese Ryuku Study Society, which promotes unification with Taiwan under CCP rule. Cole identifies accomplices such as New Zealand Member of Parliament Jian Yang and recently retired Ontario legislator Michael Chan. In particular, he points out that they have worked with Chinese foreign offices. In the case of Chan, he triggered the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, and he even brought a lawsuit against the Globe and Mail newspaper for reporting that. The proliferation of lucrative contracts for retired senior government and military officials also concerns Cole. He recommends an outright prohibition for a period of up to 10 years post-retirement. Avoid Becoming What You Oppose A major challenge facing liberal democracies trying to halt Chinese influence is concern about adopting the very crackdown they oppose. Ad hoc censorship of CCP actors around the world, particularly in liberal democracies that stand for peace and freedom, would prove counterproductive. As we fight this Orwellian assault against our societies, we must not, in our response, become Orwellian ourselves, Cole warns. Doing so would only assist China in its efforts to undermine the good functioning of, and our belief in, the democratic institutions that define who we are. Instead, he urges decisionmakers to take a careful, long-term approach. Universities and think tanks have a pivotal role to play in making the truth known, and that must bear on the selection of staff and institutional partnerships. Nations will need to update their legal systems to prevent abuse from political-warfare agents; enhance monitoring of foreign investment; improve identification and tracking systems to combat disinformation and cyber warfare; and better coordinate law-enforcement and intelligence agencies. The authors suggestions are likely to fail in nations with rampant corruption, which makes them vulnerable to Beijings deep pockets. A culture of cronyism, censorship, and bribery is precisely what facilitates Chinas sharp power. That makes limited government even more imperative, to enable greater transparency and impede hijacking attempts. In the meantime, China continues to increase spending abroad and conquer new markets. One barrier to that expansion is the United States and the Trump administration, with a new ally set to take office in Brazil. The European Union and Canadians can also act upon these findings if they are serious about being beacons for democratic values. Fergus Hodgson is the founder and executive editor of Latin American intelligence publication Antigua Report. Paz Gomez contributed to this article. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Australian Government Needs to Set China Policy or It Will Lose Control Three big recent developments threaten the federal governments control over its most difficult strategic policy challenge: the direction of Australias China policy. While Canberra worries about how its statements play in Beijing, the states and territories, businesses and universities are quickly driving their own engagement with China. Unless our federal government better explains the national security risks, Australias relations with China will be driven by groups interested in economic engagement, not national security. Consider recent examples of this trend. First, on Oct. 25 Victoria signed a memorandum of understanding with Beijings ambassador in Canberra, supporting President Xi Jinpings so-called Belt and Road Initiative Second, we saw the arrival in China on Oct. 26 of a large Australian business delegation headed by Malcolm Broomhead, the chairman of explosives manufacturing company Orica and member of the board of advisers of the Australia-China Belt & Road Initiativea private entity supporting more BRI business ties, which assisted Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on the MOU. Finally, on Oct. 16 a group known as the Australian Technology Network of Universities signed an Australia-Sino Engineering Partnership with nine Chinese technology universities, the better to facilitate more and deeper exchanges of science, technology, engineering and maths students, and encouraging industry-focused research collaboration between the two countries. Business delegations and university agreements involving China are nothing new but the Victorian MOU is in a class of its own for state governments rushing into international agreements without understanding or being constitutionally empowered to handle the national security implications. According to Andrews, the MOU will make Victoria the first and only Australian state to reach an agreement on the Belt and Road Initiative with the Chinese government. The MOU itself appears not to have been released, so its unclear what Victoria has really signed up to beyond the claim that it will ensure we are best placed to capitalise on the investment opportunities possible through the Belt and Road initiative, meaning more trade, jobs and investment for Victoria. The rhetoric is overblown and inaccurate. In 2015 the then Northern Territory government made the guileless claim that the 99-year lease of the Port of Darwin to a Chinese company was aimed at positioning the territory to be part of the BRI money flow. Never get between a state or territory and Chinese money. Frankly, the Victorian MOU is a disturbing development. How is it that Victoria has a published China strategy while Canberra lacks one? The answer, of course, is that the states and territories have no responsibility for national security and little or no access to the intelligence information that informs national judgments about Beijings strategic aims. In the past few years federal governments have started to push back against the Chinese Communist Partys covert and overt influence in Australian public life. Its hardly surprising that Beijing has concluded that state governments are softer targets. Opportunities for what, on the surface, seems easy Chinese money are being grabbed by state governments with breathless enthusiasm. But its the federal, not the state, government that has to manage the risks of Chinese espionage, cyber-hacking, subversion and undue domestic influencing. And its only the federal Defence, Home Affairs and intelligence agencies that track the negative impact of Chinas actions domestically, on our alliances and on Asia-Pacific security. Something has to give between federal and state views of the balance of risks and opportunities presented by China. Right now, the China aspirations of some state and territory governments, and of many universities and businesses, either ignore, dismiss or just dont register the national worries about Beijings trajectory to disrupt regional security. The national position on the BRI, with broad bipartisan support, is that Australia will consider investment proposals on a case-by-case basis but will not provide blanket endorsement to the scheme. Federal governments are hesitant to provide blanket support because its increasingly clear that initiatives arent purely economicand why should a sovereign country be told to sign up to another countrys political agenda? The BRI advances Chinas strategic aim to make weaker countries more dependent on Beijing, to lock out competitors and weaken US alliances in the Asia-Pacific. In the last months of his government, Malcolm Turnbull promoted a plan to provide Australian, Japanese, and US investment finance for Asia-Pacific infrastructure development as an alternative to the BRI, while then foreign minister Julie Bishop expressed public concern that BRI funding risked locking small Pacific and Indian Ocean economies into debt-trap financing that, as in Sri Lanka, could see state infrastructure handed to Beijing to cover construction debts. Many Australian businesses are also keen to hitch their wagons to the BRI. Broomhead was highly critical of Canberras handling of China relations at a business forum on Oct. 8, reportedly saying: I think the relationship (with China) in the past 18 months has been terrible, its been perplexing and its been deliberate on our part For some reason the recent government chose to go out of its way in rhetoric to almost insult the Chinese. On Oct. 26, Broomhead led a large business delegation to Beijing, involving BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, the Downer Group, Orica, Metro Mining, KPMG, McKinsey, Elders, Wesfarmers, ANZ, Minter Ellison, Resource Capital Funds, the Minerals Council of Australia and the Victorian and West Australian governments, discussing how to quickly facilitate business agreements. Broomhead is reported to have said: Its much easier to progress a project which comes under the BRI umbrella, because it is then part of an officially sanctioned process. According to exclusive reporting by Rowan Callick in The Australian, Oricas business partner in China is the state-owned Poly Group, an opaque conglomerate originating in the defence industry and described by the Beijing media outlet Caixin Global as a military giant. In 2013 the US sanctioned the groups Poly Technologies firm for violations of the USs Iran, North Korea, and Syria Nonproliferation Acta claim Poly disputed. The sanctions expired in February 2015. Whether collaboration with Poly Group represents a fantastic opportunity for Australian business remains to be seen. But its surely important to understand the connection in the broader context of Beijings defence and security agenda. For example, last week President Xi toured Chinas southern military region, which is responsible for the Peoples Liberation Army planning and military activities on the South China Sea and Taiwan. According to Hong Kongs South China Morning Post, Xi told his military commanders it was necessary to strengthen their mission and to concentrate preparation for fighting a war. Thats a noteworthy and new use of language by Xi, given high international tension in the South China Sea. Chinas more offensive military posture in the Asia-Pacific, rapid growth of hi-tech weapons and continuous cyber spying on Australias private and public sector should surely be a reason not to get too close to PRC state-owned entities. States and territories, businesses and universities would be somewhat justified to demand that the federal government must set the right framework for engaging with China. As the keeper of the intelligence and security keys, its only the federal government that is able to explain why there should be limits to building economic dependence on an authoritarian state focused on being a dominant military power. Pragmatic ministers sensibly avoid unnecessary diplomatic arguments with the Peoples Republic. But emphasising the prospects for co-operation simply masks the strategic trends working against Australias interests. The risks must be articulated. Scott Morrisons address this week to the Asia Briefing Live conference in Sydney points to some encouraging change in government messaging about China, as well as to Canberras agonising about what to say publicly. Morrisons speech makes a powerful claim to locate his foreign policy as drawn from our character, our values: We are more than the sum of our deals. We are better than that. He sets out essential Australian objectives: free and open markets, freedom of speech and thought, association and religion, and peaceful liberal democracy. If these values mean anything, they will quickly run up against the reality of PRC authoritarianism. On China, Morrison is wary: there must remain room for dialogue and co-operation but he worries that Beijing is exercising unprecedented influence. Now, Morrison should articulate sensible curbs on state, territory, business and university open-slather engagement with China. A failure to do so takes China policy out of the hands of federal government and into the control of those with priorities not driven by national security. Peter Jennings is the executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and a former deputy secretary for strategy in the Department of Defence. This article was first published in The Weekend Australian. Watch Next: Chinese Subversion & Corruption of U.S.A is Deep and Far Reaching In China, the Communist Party is using subversion, espionage and corruption against the United States, and is actively infiltrating and undermining key institutions to damage the United States and advance the interests of the Chinese regime. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Caravan participant Moises Esu Vidal Sanchez, 24, is a taxi driver from Honduras. (Tim MacFarlan/Special to The Epoch Times) Caravan Migrants Willing to Climb That Wall, Claim Asylum to Get Jobs As thousands of Central Americans travel north in caravans toward the U.S. border, several of the travelers explained that theyre having trouble getting a job in their home country or that they want a better one. For that reason, theyre willing to go to great lengths to apply for asylum in the United States. People come with the hope of breaking the wall [at the border], and they are going to break it, through faith in God, said Moises Esu Vidal Sanchez, 24. He worked as a taxi driver in the Honduran capital of San Pedro Sula, but embarked on the journey to escape personal issues. My mother passed away and there is nothing there for me now, he said. Traveling with a group of five male friends, he said he was willing to settle in Mexico. I like Mexico and Im pleased to be here, he said. Everywhere, there is workif you search for it, there is work. That doesnt mean, however, he agrees with the United States limiting immigration. He [President Donald Trump] has to open the border, so all the world can pass, Sanchez said. Eldin Moises Ramirez, 45, who came from Santa Barbara state in Honduras, where he was unemployed, left behind a 21-year-old son and two daughters, aged 18 and 11. The truth is, I took the decision to leave our country because life is very hard and suddenly, there is a great lack of employment, he said. There are threats from organized criminals and I cant support my family. We all believe in the possibility of a better life. He wasnt quite satisfied with the option of staying in Mexico. I think there are better places economically than Mexico, he said. Whether that means I apply for asylum in the U.S. or Canada, I dont know. Gaining asylum in the United States requires a credible claim of persecution or at least credible fear of persecution, based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, and/or membership in a particular social group. Central American migrants commonly apply for asylum but about 80 percent have their claims denied. Alfonso Mejia, 43, came from Costa Rica and joined the caravan in Huixtla, Mexico. I am here for the journey, he said. Costa Rica is a very nice country with a good economy, but I like to walk to get to know new placesI had never been to Mexico before. Im enjoying being here. It wasnt clear on what grounds Mejia could claim asylum, but he still expressed a wish to do so. Everyones going to the U.S. Were going to climb that wall. Donald Trump is going to understand that we are the majority, the people, he said. Im going to apply for asylum here in Mexico first. I have no criminal record, I have led a good life, thanks to God. Then, afterwards, the U.S., why not? Trump said the United States needs immigrants coming in, but that they have to go through the proper legal process. With reporting by Tim MacFarlan in Mexico City Cerebral Palsy Doesnt Stop This Young Woman From Dancing Rayhana Elharji has been grooving since 2011 BAYSIDE, N.Y.Cerebral palsy presents a wide array of challenges for those who have to contend with the illness. However, one young woman isnt letting her physical limitations stop her from dancing and dreaming. Rayhana Elharji is an ambitious 17-year-old from Brooklyn, New York. The National Honor Society student aspires to be a bioengineer, and wants to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for her undergraduate studies. Since 2011, Rayhana has been participating in a program called Dancing Dreams. Executive Director Joann Ferrara is a pediatric physical therapist; she started the organization after a little girl told her she wished she could be a dancer but nobody wanted to work with her. The organization, which became a nonprofit in 2008, provides dance classes and performance opportunities for children and young adults with medical or physical challenges. Pediatric physical therapists teach the classes, and each dancer has a helper to assist them. The program has been very influential for the participants. It helps their self esteem. It shows them they are capable of doing things they thought they might not be able to do, Ferrara explained. Dancing Dreams Rayhana found out about Dancing Dreams after speaking with a friend, and was immediately interested. Not only was she curious about dance, but the wise high school student was looking toward her future. First I thought itll be fun, and it is but now besides the fun I think it will look good on my college applications, Rayhana told The Epoch Times. [I] immediately loved her. She was just happy, and bright, and thrilled to be dancing, Ferrara recalled. As a young woman with Cerebral palsy, Rayhana faces a variety of obstacles. However, she doesnt pity herself. Rather, she challenges her self with gusto. Of course, everyone has challenges, but with my determination I overcome them, she said. Furthermore, the young woman maintains a sense of humor. The most fun part is being out of this damn chair and moving, Rayhana said with a smile. Dance Partners Rayhana and her dancing helper Gabby are good friends, and dancing has brought them even closer together. By the end of the first [class] we were already like best friends. We have a bond that will last through the years. We joke, and like teenagers we complain about schoolwork and stuff. Shes like the big sister Ive never had, Rayhana said. A Therapeutic Effect For Rayhana, dancing has both physical and psychological benefits. Like other kinds of exercise, it provides a valuable outlet for her. Dancing always helped me relieve my stress of getting good grades for my future. Im working towards going to MIT and dancing helps me relax my body and mind, Rayhana said. This will surely surprise you but Im a bundle of nerves and my muscles are stiff as a board so dancing helps me relax my muscles and brain. Ferrara is proud of Rayhana, and has developed a close relationship with her over the years. Furthermore, the experience has had a profound impact on both of them. Watching her grow and mature into a beautiful young woman she is today is nothing but joyous, Ferrara said. Shes tough. She goes to her goals, whatever it takes. She loves helping people shes always happy, Rayhanas mother Aicha Elkoufa said. Im proud of her. Ambition Rayhanas personal experience has made her empathetic towards others with physical limitations. She also has greater ambitions, like her goal to become a bioengineer. Well Im disabled so whos better than a person who knows what it is like to have a disability? And just to be clear, Im going to own a biotechnology business empire, Rayhana said. Accomplishments that I make drive myself to work harder and strive higher. A Chinese J-20 stealth fighter performs at the Airshow China 2018 in Zhuhai in southern China's Guangdong province on November 6, 2018. (WANG ZHAO/AFP/Getty Images) China Shows Off at Its Largest Airshow, but Experts Discern Weaknesses The Chinese military began showing off its latest aircraft at the countrys largest airshow, the 12th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, from Nov. 6 to Nov. 11 this year. But military experts observing the event noted a slew of weaknesses in what was meant to be a show of strength. The exhibition in the city of Zhuhai, in southern Chinas Guangdong Province, featured modern Chinese-designed combat aircraft and their capabilities, in particular the fifth-generation J-20 stealth fighter and jet-thrust vectoring controls on the J-10B, a light multirole fighter. The J-20, designed by the Chengdu Aerospace Corporation, was the focus of of the airshow, being Chinas indigenous fifth-generation jet fighter. Fifth-generation military aircraft, among which are the American F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II, as well as Russias Sukhoi Su-57, are characterized by their stealth and ability to supercruise, or fly at supersonic speeds without using afterburners. The J-20 made its maiden flight on Jan. 11, 2011, and was officially revealed at the last exhibition in 2016. It entered service with the Peoples Liberation Army Air Force in March 2017 and was assigned to combat units in February. Three J-20s performed in the airshow on Nov. 6, with a flight time of six minutes. Observers have noted many similarities with the American F-22, which first flew in 1997 and entered service with the U.S. Air Force in 2005. Chinese J-20 stealth fighters perform at the Airshow China 2018 in Zhuhai, south Chinas Guangdong province on November 6, 2018. (Wang Zhao/AFP/Getty Images) Harry Kazianis, director of defense studies at the U.S. Center for the National Interest, told CNBC in 2017, What Beijing has been very good at is targeting U.S. defense contractors, getting into their computer systems through various types of, essentially, cyberwarfare and stealing the designs of some of Americas best military assets. In March 2016, the U.S. Department of Justice published an indictment in which Su Bin, a Chinese national pleaded guilty to participating in a years-long conspiracy to hack into the computer networks of major U.S. defense contractors, steal sensitive military and export-controlled data, and send the stolen data to China. Some of the data was related to the F-22 and F-35, according to media reports. A major weakness of the J-20, like other Chinese military aircraft, lies in its engines as local manufacturers struggle to master the technology. In September, the WS-15 engine installed in the J-20 was reported to have been improved, but minor problems persist. A report by National Interest suggests that the J-20 cannot maintain its stealth qualities at supersonic speeds. The older J-10B fighter also featured at Zhuhai, with special attention paid to its thrust vectoring control capabilities. The planes demonstrated this technology with three kinds of maneuvers, including the Pugachevs Cobra, the Herbst maneuver, and the falling leaf maneuver. Chinese J-10 fighter jets from the Bayi Aerobatic Team of the Peoples Liberation Army Air Force perform at Airshow China 2018 in Zhuhai in southern Chinas Guangdong Province on Nov.r 7, 2018. (Wang Zhao/AFP/Getty Images) In the falling leaf maneuver, the aircraft stalls in mid-flight, and as it falls, induces a spin. The stabilizers counter the directional forces, allowing the pilot to spin in opposite directions, like a leaf. Hong Kongs Ming Pao quoted Wong Dung, chairman of the Macao International Military Association, as saying that thrust vectoring control capabilities are critical in such advanced and complicated maneuvers, as they aid in quick changes of direction and position. But the technology has high material requirements, or else the jet may catch fire while airborne. Wong noted that for reasons that are still unclear, the J-10B only turned once in the falling leaf maneuver, but the Russia-designed Sukhoi Su-35, which China imported in 2017, can do so multiple times. According to Wong, Chinese aerospace technology lags over 20 years behind the United States and Russia. China has been trying to close that gap using forced technology transfers, as well as espionage. On Oct. 30, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that it had charged 10 Chinese nationals with conspiracy to steal aviation technology from aircraft engine supplier CFM International, a joint venture between America GE Aviation and French Safran Aircraft Engines. On Oct. 10, Belgian authorities extradited a Chinese intelligence officer to the United States. He was charged with attempting to steal intellectual property related to jet engines. A worker is silhouetted against a computer display showing a live visualization of the online phishing and fraudulent phone calls across China in this file photo. China Telecom was caught employing a different method of cyber spying, namely diverting internet traffic. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File) China Telecom Hack Highlights Lack of Respect for Accords, Reciprocity Another warning for Canada on a wanting to build a closer relationship with China NEWS ANALYSIS Two common themes keep emerging in Chinas interaction with Canada and the United States: circumventing agreements and a lack of reciprocity. Invariably, at the centre of the issue are the deceitful actions of Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs). The latest example of Chinas cyber spying in Canada and the United States is diverting internet traffic. Other attempts at cyber espionage include back doors in Huawei smartphones and routers, malware, and special microchips on motherboards. Certainly, China is not respecting the spirit of understandings with Canada and the United States on cyber hacking, which increasingly appear to be toothless. Researchers Chris C. Demchak of the U.S. Naval War College and Tel Aviv Universitys Yuval Shavitt recently detailed how China hijacks internet traffic in a paper written for the U.S.-based Military Cyber Affairs journal. The report, titled Chinas MaximLeave No Access Point Unexploited: The Hidden Story of China Telecoms BGP Hijacking, states that Chinas economic progression depends on massive expropriation of foreign R&D. BGP, or border gateway protocol, is one of the two software protocols used by the glue holding the internet together. China Telecom Canada, a Chinese SOE and wholly owned subsidiary of China Telecom Americas, opened a branch office in 2005 and is headquartered in Markham, Ontario. Conservative member of Parliament Tom Kmiec, who warned the government about the potential takeover of Canadian infrastructure and construction giant Aecon by a Chinese SOE on public safety and national security grounds, sees his concerns playing out with China Telecom. The future in terms of global trade and trade dealsthere needs to be a broader debate about state-owned enterprises, he said in an interview. We should have a broader debate in Canada on whether we should allow any of them to do business here in any significant way. With the United States tightening the noose around the necks of Huawei and ZTE, China Telecomthe third-largest Chinese telecommunications firmhas seemed to be operating more quietly until now and may have been ordered to step up its intelligence-gathering efforts. Accords Not Respected In September 2015, U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to stop military forces from hacking commercial enterprises. For some time, the deal appeared to be working, as far fewer hacks were being reported, but since the agreement only covered military activities, it did not prevent Chinese SOEs from carrying on stealing trade secrets and more. While the 2015 agreement prohibited direct attacks on computer networks, it did nothing to prevent the hijacking of the vital internet backbone of Western countries, the report states. Starting in February 2016 and for about six months, China Telecom hijacked internet traffic going from Canadian to Korean government sites and diverted it through China. This was accomplished through access points on the internet called points of presence (PoPs), which allow the party controlling them to redirect and copy data. China has eight PoPs in the United States and two in Canada, but the North American countries have none in China. Similar to the lack of reciprocity in trade and foreign direct investment between Canada and China and between the United States and China, the North American countries have been naive in letting China establish these PoPs. I honestly dont know how they got PoPs in the United States without someone in the U.S. government giving it a blind eye or approval at the State Department level, said cybersecurity expert Gary Miliefsky in an interview. Miliefsky is a founding member of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and publisher of Cyber Defense Magazine. This story is just unfolding and is very big when it comes to stupidity and no reciprocity. So why did we let it happen? he said. Also, China has not been respecting the Canada-China National Security and Rule of Law Dialogue, which began in September 2016. The two sides agreed that neither countrys government would conduct or knowingly support cyber-enabled theft of intellectual property, including trade secrets or other confidential business information, with the intent of providing competitive advantages to companies or commercial sectors, according to a statement from the dialogue released in June 2017. Global Affairs Canada did not respond to a request for a 2018 update on the dialogue and the latest actions of China Telecom. Reciprocitythats the keyword now. Its just an expectation that theyre [China] going to treat us in the same manner, Kmiec said. Thats always been a problem. The authors of the Chinas Maxim report recommend a reciprocity policy, with one version being to have Beijing allow PoPs on Chinese soil based on a ratio of population size between China and other countries. For example, this would mean China allowing three times as many PoPs on its soil (24) as the eight it has in the United States. Miliefsky is highly skeptical that the United States and Canada will ever get their own PoPs in China. In addition to the eavesdropping on Chinese intellectual property, it could fundamentally threaten the control that the ruling communist regime maintains over the Chinese public. It could lead to uncontrolled knowledge by their own citizenry and even wanting for a first amendment like we have here in the United States, he said. Ending a War Cyber warfare has been going on for decades, though a lot of it doesnt grab headlines. Lets just give China the thumbs upin a bad wayfor being the most proactive and multi-generationally serious about it, Miliefsky said. Most of the greatest malware in the world is deployed out of China and most of the hardware made in that country is designed with purposeful flaws, in some cases for very easy exploitation, he added. Thus, computer chips, mobile devices, and internet-of-things (IoT) hardware have all become major security risks for companies and private citizens. This is one of the major accusations levied against Huaweithat it builds vulnerabilities or back doors in its products. Huawei has maintained its innocence, but a Nov. 2 story by The Weekend Australian highlights the Chinese companys role in cyber espionage. According to an Australian national security source, Chinese foreign intelligence allegedly obtained Huaweis help to get access codes to break into a foreign network. I dont think were going to see China let up, but were going to keep catching them red-handed, if you will, Miliefsky said. He hopes continued intelligent management of the complex Sino-U.S. relationship brings about fundamental change. It could take 20 years or longer to make necessary improvements where this behaviour becomes abhorrent to the Chinese people, Miliefsky said. For Canada, as it entertains overtures from China to renew free trade talks, it must consider the duplicitous behaviour not only in international trade, but also with respect to bilateral accords and understandings on cyber. The government of Canada has to take a very clear stance that there will be no more negotiations of any treaties until such time as these diversions of internet traffic and espionage actually stops, said Kmiec. Follow Rahul on Twitter @RV_ETBiz Costco Builds Facility for their $4.99 Rotisserie Chickens Upon approaching a certain section of Costco, a delicious aroma draws you closer to the source. A flock of people wait patiently, watching the rows of golden-brown birds rotating on the grill. A whole, fully cooked rotisserie chicken for a glorious price of $4.99 is too tempting not to buy. Everyday, people walk away with their carefully picked, plump trophies without thinking about how the wholesale giant maintains that low price. Costco partnered with Lincoln Premium Poultry (LPP) to build its own poultry production line in Fremont, Nebraska, and it is scheduled to open September 2019. LPP, the entity that will be in charge of the poultry production, is expected to process about 2 million chickens per weekday, according to Jessica Kolterman, a spokeswoman for LPP. They were looking at the projection of the chickens they would need in their stores moving forward over the next several years, said Kolterman. And the projections were showing a growth, a very, very aggressive growth pattern of what people were buying in the stores. By creating this production line, the company can control its own supply and demand. Nebraskas cheap corn feed helps maintain their prices at $4.99, according to Harvest Public Media. The facility will consist of a processing plant, hatchery, and feed mill. In addition, more than 100 new chicken farms around the area have signed contracts to raise the chickens, according to Harvest. Facility Aims for Transparency There were some concerns among locals about potential smells, water sanitation, and other environmental issues. But Kolterman said that those concerns likely came from people who do not know enough about modern barns. The spokeswoman said the barns would be using advanced technology to keep everything fully enclosed. The doors close before the birds are unloaded from the truck. Even if there were to be a smell, it would not leave the building. They will try their best to educate the public, show them how clean and safe it can be, and ensure the general care of the poultry and workers. We have a glass walkway that goes through the facility from the beginning to the end. So we can take people through, transparently show them heres what food-processing looks like in a modern society, said Kolterman. She also said that the three pillars of their contract include biosecurity to ensure the birds safety, strict animal welfare policies for farmers, and nutrient management. This gives Costco an idea of how the birds are being raised and what farmers are doing. We have the strict protocols, and we require our growers to get an environmental quality permit through the local permitting processes, even though permits are not required by law, said Kolterman. All technical factors aside, the reason for Costcos foray into the chicken business may simply be to attract and retain its customers. In this respect, the wholesale store is actually losing profit to maintain its commitment. I can only tell you what history has shown us: When others were raising their chicken prices from $4.99 to $5.99, we [Costco] were willing to eat, if you will, $30 million to $40 million a year in gross margin by keeping it at $4.99. Thats what we do for a living, Costcos chief financial officer Richard Galanti told The Seattle Times. Still, customers needs go first. If your demand is for a certain product, you know, we have to deliver that product, said Kolterman. Egypt Considering Ban on Burqa As Part of Security Crackdown: Reports Egypt is considering a ban on the Islamic full-face covering known as the burqa as part of a crackdown on terrorism, according to reports. The Muslim-majority nation has faced a series of recent attacks by Islamic terrorists, including the shooting of six Coptic Christians last week by ISIS. The ban, proposed as a draft bill in the Egyptian parliament, would prohibit the full face veil in public spaces, including schools and hospitals, reported MediaOnline. The draft bill, submitted by lawmaker Ghada Ajami, calls for a fine of 1,000 Egyptian pounds ($56) for breaching the ban. Islamic scholars have long debated whether women are obligated to cover their faces, and the majority of Muslims reject the wearing of the full-veil head-gear that originates in the ultra-conservative Wahhabi traditions. The Taliban made the wearing of the burqa compulsory after they took control of Afghanistan in 1996. Egypt mulled banning the head-gear back in 2016. Used to Hide Identity Egyptian political analyst Ahmad Sharbini told MediaOnline, Egypt is going through a period of instability because of radical Islamic groups operating within the country. The burqa creates a security problem as many male and female terrorists use it to hide their identities or sneak into places. If passed, this legislation would not infringe [on] freedoms or go against religions. Public safety and national security are more important than anything. The majority of terrorist attacks occur in the area of Northern Sinai, with most attacks aimed at government, security forces, and Coptic Christians. Attacks occur almost daily, most carried out by a local branch of ISIS. Last November, 311 people were killed in a bomb and gun attack on a Sufi mosque in northern Sinai. Egyptian authorities have been criticized by human rights organisations for systematic use of torture and enforced disappearances to silence political dissent. In Europe, several countries have enacted bans on the burqa and similar face veils in the last decade, including Austria, Denmark, France, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, and Belgium. Incompatible with Human Relations The bans have not been enacted simply for security reasons, however, attracting controversy and criticism from some human rights organizations. The European Court of Human Rights ruled last year that a ban on full-face coverings in Belgium did not violate anti-discrimination laws, the right to a private and family life, or freedom of thought or religion. The court said the Belgian state had a right to make its own judgment on full-face veils as being incompatible with social communication and more generally the establishment of human relations, which were indispensable for life in society. Earlier this year, Denmark became the latest country to ban full-face coverings, with violations subject to fines. British politician and would-be prime minister Boris Johnson courted controversy when he criticized Denmarks ban as running counter to the spirit of libertarianism, but reserved the right to mock the burqa saying people wearing them looked like letterboxes and bank robbers. He refused to apologize after being labelled Islamophobic. At the time, Maajid Nawaz, himself a reformed Islamic extremist, described the burqa as a uniform of medieval patriarchal tyranny that victim-blames women for their beauty. Im not advocating banning this monstrosity, but I refuse to defend it, he wrote on Twitter. It deserves to be ridiculed. Person in a Project Veritas video identified as Texas poll worker Pam Nash. (Screenshot via Youtube/Project Veritas) Election Officials Encourage Non-Citizen Voting, Influence Voters on Hidden Camera Several election officials in Texas were caught on hidden camera suggesting that non-citizens can vote and are voting, while some Ohio, Georgia, and New Jersey poll workers instructed undercover reporters on who or what to vote for. The videos were released by Project Veritas and Project Veritas Action, two nonprofits founded by James OKeefe, whose guerrilla style of undercover journalism has developed into a highly effective operation that has garnered headlines across the country for about a decade. We Get Tons of Them One of the reporters told a Texas poll worker that her boyfriend is a recipient of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a protection from deportation for illegal immigrants who arrived in the United States as minors, which was ordered by President Barack Obama in 2012. The reporter said the boyfriend was able to register to vote, although DACA doesnt bestow a legal status, much less citizenshipa prerequisite for voting. He is in the system, but he knows that, like, I dont know, theres, like, an issue with DACA people voting, the reporter said in the video. Uh-uh, the poll worker said, shaking her head. Tell him, uh-uh, tell him we had a lot of them. Youve got a lot of them? the reporter asked. Mhm, said the worker, identified as Pam Nash in the video, nodding. From early voter? We get tons of them. Tons of DACA voters. Okay, the reporter said. Get him. Bring him in, the worker said. All right. Will do, the reporter replied. He just needs his ID, right? Thats it. Drivers license. Hes good, the worker replied. And it doesnt matter that hes not a [citizen], the reporter said. Nah. No maam, the worker interjected. Poll workers can face misdemeanor charges in Texas for knowingly allowing voting by someone who isnt eligible. But another poll worker expressed the same attitude. Theyre Still Good Im registered to vote and my girlfriend is, too, another reporter asked a Texas poll worker, identified as Jamie Arriola. She has her license, but shes, like, a DACA recipient. So, I mean, like Shell be good, the worker replied. Shell be good? the reporter asked. Mhm. Just bring her ID, the worker said. She definitely has her ID, the reporter said. But she doesnt have, I dont think shes, like, has been fully processed as a citizen yet, but, like, she does have her ID. But shes in the process of getting it, right? the worker asked. Yeah, like, shes not a citizen yet, but, you know, the reporter replied. Yeah. DACA program, right? the worker said. Yeah, the reporter replied. Yeah. Theyre still good, the worker said. At another moment, the reporter asked if he could also bring the girlfriends mother and aunt. The worker said that as long as they have their ID in the state of Texas, theres no discrimination against it. We dont actually verify status, he said. Hes Better Some reporters posed as undecided and/or uninformed voters who asked poll workers for advice on who or what to vote for, even though poll workers are typically prohibited by law from telling people which candidate or measure to pick. One reporter engaged in a conversation with a poll worker in New Jersey, where Democratic incumbent Sen. Rob Menendez ended up winning against Republican challenger Bob Hugin. At first I was kind of scared to vote for Menendez, you know, but, because hes, you know, the reporter said. No, but hes better, said the poll worker, identified as Tyrese Wicker. In this situation right now, in this climate, even if who we elected [inaudible] better than Hugin. The worker said he was serving as a challenger for Hugin. The state allows candidates to hire challengers, who oversee and have the right to challenge the voting process and ballot counting. So youre a Hugin supporter? the reporter asked. No. Look, Im challenger for Hugin, he said. I vote Menendez. But Hugin is going to pay me for today. The worker went on to vehemently deny a connection with Hugin. Dont look at me like the enemy, Im not the enemy, okay? he said, as the reporter laughed. Democrats Has a Better Platform In Georgia, a journalist spoke with a poll worker identified as John Hill. Is there usually one you recommend? the reporter asked. Im going to say that, but dont come telling me he told me to, the worker replied. No, I wont, the reporter said. But the thing is, right now, the Democrats has a better platform for you and for me, the worker said. Hes a Good Guy In Ohio, a reporter asked a poll worker who should he vote for in the Senate race, where the Democratic incumbent, Sherrod Brown, ended up winning against Republican Jim Renacci. Want me to give you some advice? the worker, identified as Deonna Maiden, replied. Yeah, the reporter said. Which one? Hes already the senator, she said. Hes a good guy. So your recommendation is Sherrod Brown, the reporter also asked. Oh yeah, the worker said. Im a Democrat. Ill admit it. She also appeared willing to get the reporter some Democratic campaign material. I have the handout over there, if you want me to get it, she said. The offices of the Texas, Georgia, and Ohio secretaries of state, which oversee elections, didnt respond to requests for comment. New Jerseys secretary of state office responded, but didnt provide a statement. Ex-Fox News Reporter Adam Housleys Niece Killed in California Bar Shooting Alaina Housley was also the niece of "Sister Sister" actress Tamera Mowry-Housley Former Fox News correspondent Adam Housley and Sister Sister actress Tamera Mowry-Housley said their niece was killed during the mass shooting at a Thousand Oaks, California, bar on Nov. 7 They released a statement in confirming Alaina Housleys death. Our hearts are broken. We just learned that our niece Alaina was one of the victims of last nights shooting at Borderline bar in Thousand Oaks. Alaina was an incredible young woman with so much life ahead of her and we are devastated that her life was cut short in this manner. We thank everyone for your prayers and ask for privacy at this time, they said, according to The Associated Press. During the search for victims, Adam Housley wrote on Twitter: Please pray if you believe.pray. Ashely this is her aunt Tamera Mowry Housley. Can you please DM me your information? Tamera Mowry-Housley (@TameraMowryTwo) November 8, 2018 Please pray if you believe.pray. Adam Housley (@adamhousley) November 8, 2018 Alaina, an 18-year-old Pepperdine freshman, was at the Borderline Bar & Grill when a suspect, identified as former U.S. Marine Ian David Long, opened fire, killing her and 11 others. Long apparently shot and killed himself, police said. PTSD? In April 2018, mental health specialists talked to Long and had discussed his prior military service before asking him whether he had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). But they ultimately determined he wasnt a danger to himself or others and didnt place him in a psychiatric hold, The New York Times reported. They also stated he couldnt involuntarily be taken to a mental hospital under the California 5150 law code for the temporary, involuntary psychiatric commitment of individuals who present a danger to themselves or others due to mental illness, the Times report said. A neighbor had called police on a man earlier this year after hearing loud noises. I didnt know if he was hurting himself, Tom Hanson told NBC News. Long left the Marine Corps in March 2013 after a five-year-long stint. He was deployed in Afghanistan from November 2010 to June 2011 and was a machine gunner, NBC reported. According to the NBC report, Long may have posted a message on an online military forum. A member wrote about not knowing how long you want to be in the fight until youve been in the fight? Long then apparently said, Yup, its either an addiction or a nightmare. Sheriff Geoff Dean told reporters that in the April incident, officers were called to his home due to an unspecified disturbance. Long was also a victim of a 2015 bar fight in Thousand Oaks. It was a different bar, the paper reported. When the officers went in and made re-entry, they found him already deceased, Dean told 6ABC. He was found inside an office just adjacent to the entry to the bar. Dean said officials havent determined a motive in the case. Obviously, he had something going on in his head that would cause him to do something like this. So he obviously had some sort of issues, the sheriff added. President Donald Trump (L) shakes hands with Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou at the groundbreaking for the Foxconn Technology Group computer screen plant in Mt Pleasant, Wisconsin, on June 28, 2018. (Andy Manis/Getty Images) Foxconn Needs to Bring in Asian Workers, Says Harvard Professor America doesnt have the talent to set up and run Foxconns new plant in Wisconsin WASHINGTONA news report revealed that the new Foxconn factory in Wisconsin is planning to bring in workers from China, leading some to call locating the plant there a fiasco. The news, however, is not surprising, says a business expert, as the company needs some special manufacturing skills that have to come from Asia. If Foxconn is trying to build a flat panel display factory, they would be crazy not to bring some workers in from Asia, said Harvard Business School professor Willy Shih. These are expensive factories that have a lot of specialized equipment and need the people who know how to set up and run that equipment. The Wall Street Journal reported on Nov. 6 that Taiwanese Foxconn Technology was struggling due to a tight labor market to find personnel to help staff its large facility under construction in Racine County, Wisconsin. To overcome the problem, the company was considering transferring some of its workers from China, the report said. The company plans to hire 13,000 employees, primarily blue-collar workers along with engineers and business support personnel. All of the existing flat panel display factories in the world are located in East Asia, Shih said. Youre not going to find a lot of the skills that they need to run a factory like that successfully in Wisconsin because nobody in this country knows how to do those jobs, he said. The Wall Street Journal also reported that Foxconn executives were having a hard time convincing staff to relocate to the Wisconsin site. One engineer who declined to give his name said he wouldnt want to move to a place he worried could be as cold as Harbin, a northern Chinese city known as Ice City, the report stated. Chinese were also concerned about the lack of diversity in Racine County, the report claimed, citing the fact that more than 80 percent of the population is white. It would be fair to assume the company will need hundreds of engineers and specialists from Asia, said Shih. Before joining Harvard, Shih spent 28 years in product development and manufacturing at large U.S. corporations including IBM and Eastman Kodak. You need industrial engineers, electrical engineers, mechanical engineers, you need specialists who understand how to use those types of machines, how to set up the automation, he said. Foxconn denied the report, saying: We can categorically state that the assertion that we are recruiting Chinese personnel to staff our Wisconsin project is untrue. The company told The Wall Street Journal that its Wisconsin first commitment remains unchanged. First US Plant Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., is the worlds largest contract electronics manufacturer. The majority of its factories are located in China, with nearly 1.3 million employees in the mainland. The company is famous for being Apples manufacturing partner, producing about half of the worlds iPhones in its Zhengzhou plant in China. The facility can produce 500,000 iPhones a day, according to a New York Times article. Other major clients of Foxconn include Sony Corp., Dell Inc., and BlackBerry Ltd. The company announced last year, its plan to invest $10 billion over four years to build a 22-million square foot plant in Wisconsin that could eventually employ 13,000. Trump praised Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou at a White House event in July last year, saying: If I didnt get elected, he definitely wouldnt be spending $10 billion. To attract the investment, the state and the local authorities pledged $3.7 billion in tax and other incentives. Foxconn, however, has to meet certain hiring, wage, and investment requirements to receive those benefits. The first U.S. plant will bring the manufacturer closer to its biggest market. During his speech at the White House event, Gou said America lost its capability to produce TV. TV was invented in America, he said at a White House press conference. Yet America does not have a single LCD factory to produce a complete 8K system. We are going to change that, he said, referring to the highest resolution technology in digital TV. Erosion of Ecosystem For decades, many large American companies moved their manufacturing operations to low-cost countries, primarily China. Such moves brought cost benefits and competitive advantage in the short-term. But business leaders and politicians are now seeing the long-term fallout of these choices as the move led to the erosion of the industrial ecosystem in this country. Millions of American manufacturing jobs were lost. In some industries, the United States has fallen behind in its ability to manufacture, innovate, and compete. Shih, together with his colleague Gary Pisano at Harvard Business School, authored the book Producing Prosperity: Why America Needs a Manufacturing Renaissance in 2012. In the book, Shih and Pisano argue that the skills, know-how, and capabilities underpinning an industrial community accumulate over time. Once you lose the capabilities, you can bring them back, but the level of investment, activation energy to bring back is higher, Pisano said in a 2017 interview. Bringing manufacturing and innovation capabilities back to the country will help create the workforce skills needed to produce next-generation technologies. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the labor shortage and skills gap are serious challenges that face the country. We consistently hear from companies across a host of industries about similar difficulties in meeting their workforce needs, a U.S. Chamber of Commerce spokesperson said in an email. It is critically important that the U.S. enacts policies, such as modernizing our broken immigration system and expanding job-training programs, to ensure sustained economic growth and job creation. Manfred Weber of Germany delivers his speech at the European People's Party congress in Helsinki on Nov. 8, 2018. (Lehtikuva/Markku Ulander/Reuters) German Conservative Emerges as Early Front-Runner for EUs Top Job HELSINKIManfred Weber, a reserved Bavarian who has modeled himself on Germanys pragmatic chancellor, won the backing of Europes center-right parties on Thursday to stand in the race to become European Commission president in 2019. Weber, a German EU lawmaker, beat former Finnish prime minister Alexander Stubb to become the European Peoples Partys (EPP) top candidate in the European Parliament elections next May. That makes him an early front-runner for the EUs most influential job, the head of the blocs executive, which proposes legislation and negotiates free-trade deals. Weber, who is little known outside of Germany or Brussels and has never held a ministerial position, won 79 percent of the support of delegates from Europes largest political grouping. The campaign starts here in Helsinki, said Weber, a 46-year-old, guitar-playing Catholic who leads the EPP group in the European Parliament. We are bridge-builders, lets use this momentum. Then we will win in May 2019, he told cheering delegates to the music of Queens 1980s hit One Vision. Webers words emulated German Chancellor Angela Merkels language and style of compromise, a tone he used throughout his bid to become the successor to outgoing EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, also of the EPP, an umbrella group of pro-market conservatives. Popular with the Christian Democrat core of the group, Weber will now seek to challenge the anti-immigrant populists who hope to score well in May and whom the center-right see as threatening the values of openness and tolerance in Europe. Merkel has publicly backed Weber and did so again in Helsinki, saying it was a good day for the German Christian Democrats because we have not had a candidate for the head of the European Commission for a long time. Despite concerns elsewhere in Europe about Berlins growing power in Europe, with Germans in senior EU jobs, the only German to run the Brussels executive was Walter Hallstein in the late 1950s, but who had far less power than todays Commission chief. In theory, Weber is well-placed to win the job under a European Parliament agreement that the assembly election winner should take the top Commission post. Under that deal, designed to bring the European Union closer to voters, whichever group comes top in the European assemblys election will have first chance to try to obtain parliamentary backing to be Commission president. Orbans Shadow Such a contest is aimed at making the vote more relevant to citizens, who have turned out in ever smaller numbers to vote in European elections since the first were held in 1979. The EPP, including Merkels Christian Democrats, is set to win the most seats in the parliament elections, with 177 seats out of a total 705, according to data from different agencies on polls and recent election results analyzed by Reuters. But Webers lack of experience is likely to count against him with EU heads of state, who ultimately have the final say in dealing out top jobs. But with the EPP losing influence in France and Spain, the rise of right-wing parties across Europe, and with populists in its ranks in Hungary, Europes biggest political force faces accusations that it represents an out-of-date politics. Centrist French President Emmanuel Macron, who swept aside Frances traditional political parties with his 2017 victory, rejects the link between European Parliament elections and the Commission presidents post. Macrons Europe Minister Nathalie Loiseau took to Twitter immediately after Webers election to try to discredit him over support for EPP member Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban. The EPP chooses a candidate who campaigned for V. Orban a few months ago. Despite the risks of violating the founding values of the Union by Hungary, Loiseau said, citing Budapests attacks on press freedom and the judiciary. But Donald Tusk, the Pole who chairs summits of EU leaders, also sought to show that the EPP may not tolerate Orban much longer. If you support [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and attack Ukraine, if you are in favor of the aggressor and against the victim, you are not a Christian Democrat, he said of Orbans friendly ties with Moscow and tensions with Kiev. By Robin Emmott and Philip Blenkinsop Grandmotherly Advice for Todays Parents Today many parents are lucky to have their own parents playing active roles in the lives of their children. Its a beautiful thing to see and such a blessing to every member of the family. It can be easy to overlook the wisdom and experience from those who have made their way up the ranks to become grandparents. Long ago, elders were revered for their wisdom. In modern society, that sort of respect tends to be lacking. I asked grandparents what advice theyd give to parents today. Heres what they said. Be a Parent, Not a Friend Your kids will have plenty of friends, but only one set of parents, said grandmother Antoinette Kuritz of La Jolla, California. Be a parent. Set boundaries, expect the best of them, help them reach their potential intellectually, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Teach them manners. Too many kids grow up with no sense of their freedom ending where someone elses toes begin. Turn Down the Tech Set tech-free times for your family to encourage communication, Kuritz advised. And that means those times are tech-free for you, too. Dont Get Too Busy Dont over-schedule your kids, said grandmother Carol Chamberlain of Sacramento, California. Most will not get a college scholarship and you are missing out on family and creative time. Relax Dont stress over the small stuff, said grandmother Michelle Morton of Raleigh, North Carolina. I think it is great to have routines and all that, but at the end of the day what matters is spending time together. It will not hurt anyone if you stay up past bedtime or if you eat on the floor in the living room or if you have ice cream for dinner. Savor This Time Enjoy your kids, Kuritz said. They grow up so very fast. Make the most of those parenting years. I also asked grandparents what they hope children today will grow up understanding. They offered the following insights. Give of Yourself I want my grandchildren to know they are of value to themselves and to others, Kuritz said, and that there is incredible joy in giving and being of service. Cherish Your Family Grandmother Maria Calautti of Ontario, Canada said, I hope children of today grow up knowing the value of family, not just the immediate family but the extended family as well. I hope they grow up understanding and upholding family traditions, the new traditions they are creating [and] also the old traditions of the previous generations. Respect Your Elders Listen to older people like your grandmother, said grandmother Vicki Woods of Butler, Tennessee. They can be lots of fun and they certainly can answer a lot of questions about life and death. Trust Your Gut Trust your gut, Woods added. If something doesnt feel right, it probably isnt. Know Whats Truly Important I hope they grow up understanding that its not all about money and entitlement. Its about compassion, love, understanding, and humility. Calautti said. Finally, I asked grandparents what advice they wished they had heeded when they were parents. Take It Easy Kuritz wishes she had taken the time to relax more. Looking back, the house and meals did not have to be quite so perfect. I played and interacted a lot with my kids, and I wish I had done even more, she said. Dont Be So Strict Morton wishes she had considered the advice to not be so rigid as a parent and to let the reins go every once in a while. It Goes So Fast I wish I could have worked a little less to spend more time with the children, Calautti said. I was told that time goes by very fast. I just wish I knew at the time how very fast it really goes. Guide to the Classics: The Icelandic Saga Icelanders love books, both reading and writing them, and in recent years, translations of contemporary Icelandic literature have made it into bookshops and literary pages abroad in increasing numbers. Nor must we forget that in 1955, the Icelander Halldor Laxness won the Nobel Prize for literature. Back in the Middle Ages, Icelanders were great literary producers and consumers too. The term saga is used to refer to the new literary genre that developed in Iceland from the late 12th century up to the end of the 15th century and sometimes later than that. Saga is an Icelandic word that means something said, a narrative. Originally, the term is likely to have been applied to stories that were probably formed and transmitted orally. Later, they came to be recorded in writing, in handwritten manuscripts, many of which survive to the present day, though a good number have perished over the past 500 years or so. In terms of its structure, the Icelandic saga is usually a prose narrative, but in many cases contains a good deal of embedded poetry. With regard to its subject matter, the saga falls into several categories, and these allow it to be differentiated into generic subgroups. The Subjects of Sagas Sagas of kings are historical biographies of the kings of Norway (and to a lesser extent, of Denmark) from prehistoric times into the 14th century. Although the antecedents of the first kings sagas were composed by Norwegians, Icelanders quickly became the masters of this genre, which usually contains much embedded poetry. This poetry is attributed to the court poets, or skalds, of these kings, whose compositions (mostly elaborate praise-poems) must have been passed down by word of mouth, in some cases over more than 200 years. Most Icelandic saga writing was probably considered in the Middle Ages to be a form of history rather than fiction. This does not necessarily mean that the standards of modern historiography were applied to it, but what is narrated is likely to have been considered to be within the bounds of historical probability. Coleridges that willing suspension of disbelief for the moment, that constitutes poetic faith might have applied in the consciousness of some audiences to some of the events and characters that appear in a subgroup of the saga that modern scholars call the fornaldarsogur (sagas of the old time), in which supernatural happenings abound. But other people would probably have considered such things to have been normal in the society of the pre-Christian age in Scandinavia and other prehistoric realms. As for the Icelanders own history, that was the subject of several subgenres of the saga, including the best-known today, the so-called sagas of Icelanders or family sagas, as they are often known in English. There were also the so-called contemporary sagas that tell of what happened in Icelandic society during the turbulent 13th centuryin the middle of which Iceland lost its political independence to Norwayand sagas of bishops and saints. Furthermore, following the Norwegian king Hakon Hakonarsons introduction of a program of translating French romances into Norwegian, another type of saga, the sagas of knights, appeared, at first translating foreign romances and later, in Icelandic hands, developing indigenous romance narratives. From the 18th century, when saga translations first began to appear in modern European languages, sagas of Icelanders (family sagas) in particular have attracted foreign readers. There are now many English translations to choose from, in some cases multiple versions of a single saga. The most widely accessible at present are probably the most recent Penguin translations, which are new editions of a five-volume series originally published in Iceland in 1997 as The Complete Sagas of Icelanders. These were prepared by a number of saga scholars in collaboration with Icelandic colleagues. Increasingly, there are saga translations available on the web, though their quality is not always reliable. Sagas of Icelanders are about Icelandic families whose ancestors migrated to Iceland from Norway, the British Isles, and (in a few cases) other parts of Scandinavia toward the last decades of the ninth and the first three decades of the 10th century. Empire Writing Back to the Motherland Icelandic saga writing can be seen in the context of the modern idea (first formulated by Australian scholars) of the empire writing back to the motherland, in this case Iceland writing back to Norway and to common Scandinavian oral traditions of poetry and story. In this process, medieval Icelandic authors created a new literary form. The structure of saga narratives allows a number of different thematic and stylistic tropes to flourish. Many sagas of Icelanders are about feuds between families and their supporters; they give graphic accounts of fights, escapes, outlawry, and reconciliation. They detail complex legal procedures that, in the absence of a police force on the island, were the individuals main recourse to justice, but only if he had sufficiently powerful supporters. Some sagas, the so-called sagas of poets, detail the love lives and stormy careers of well-known skalds, off duty in Iceland from their careers at the Norwegian court. Others are more regional histories of families from certain parts of Iceland and their struggles with neighbors and with the supernatural inhabitants of their region. The saga form has often been compared to the modern literary form of the novel, but though similarities exist, there are also important differences. Like the novel, the saga narrates a chronologically defined story, but as often as not, there is not one story, but several intertwined narratives in a saga. That may sometimes be true of the novel, of course, but saga strands do not always link up to the main narrative. They may just peter out when the saga writer no longer needs a particular character or line of narration. It is common for saga authors to explain that someone or other is now out of this saga. Unlike the novel, the saga does not normally get inside a characters skin to reveal his or her inner thoughts or psychological motives; rather, external actions ascribed to the character reveal something of his motivation, given the small-scale society described and its conventionalized behavior. For example, if a character puts on dark-colored clothes (rather than neutral homespun), then you can be pretty sure something important is going to happen, usually of an aggressive nature. Narrative Voice The stance of the sagas narrating voice also differs from that of many narrative voices in the modern novel. The persona of the narrator is not omniscient, although he may reveal what the common opinion of a character or an action may be. Sometimes he will refer to dreams or what we would classify as supernatural happenings as indicators of what is likely to occur in the future or how a present action should be judged. An example from Brennu-Njals saga, The Saga of Burnt Njall, regarded by many critics as the best of the Icelandic family sagas, shows how the narrative voice in a saga can be heard obliquely. At a certain point in this saga, a group of men involved in a feud decide to burn Njall and his family in their farmhouse, an act that was conventionally regarded as a heinous crime. Njall himself, old and prescient, with an understanding of true Christian values though he lived before the conversion to Christianity, lies down with his wife under an ox hide to wait for death, saying that God will not let us burn both in this world and the next. When, after the fire, the couples bodies are discovered to be uncorrupted, the audience is left to draw the conclusion (assuming a medieval understanding of the Christian religion) that God has indeed saved Njall and his wife even though they were unbaptized. The conclusion here is, however, based on our knowledge of how medieval Christian audiences, for whom these narratives were written, would think. Although medieval Icelandic sagas are much less well-known than many other classics of European literature, they richly deserve a place in the company of the best that European literature has to offer. We do not know the names of their authors, and must recognize that the anonymity of those who created them has a literary point to make: Sagas narrate history, and that history belongs, if not to everyone living in Iceland at the time of writing (and to their modern descendants), then to specific families and other interest groups, whose ancestors figure in their stories. The authors shaped those stories but did not distort them. Margaret Clunies Ross is emeritus professor of English language and early English literature at the University of Sydney. This article was first published on The Conversation. Gunman Uses Smoke Grenades and Shoots at Least Six at California Country Music Bar A gunman opened fire at a country music bar in the city of Thousand Oaks, California, injuring multiple people. At least six people were shot at the Borderline Bar and Grill on Wednesday, Nov. 7, according to the Associated Press, including a deputy sheriff and a doorman. The shooter reportedly stormed into the venue wearing a black trench coat, armed with smoke grenades and a firearm with a high-capacity magazine. A sheriffs captain said that the threat was still active and the shooter was still at large after opening fire. I dont know what the status of those six are. And I dont know if one of the six is the shooter or not. Its still very fluid, and I hope to give you guys updates in terms of both the number and the status of the shooter, said Ventura County Sheriffs Office Capt. Garo Kuredjian. OFFICIAL INFORMATION FROM CAPTAIN GARO KUREDJIAN OF THE VENTURA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. AT LEAST 6 VICTIMS, INCLUDING ONE OFFICER, THREAT NOT CONFIRMER NEUTRALIZED AT THIS TIME. CALL CAME IN AT 11:20 PST https://t.co/Tp5AextXLh Jeremy Childs (@Jeremy_Childs) November 8, 2018 A witness told ABC Los Angeles station KABC-TV that he saw a security guard get shot, adding that the gunman appeared to use a big handgun and smoke grenades. The gunman was throwing smoke grenades all over the place, a different witness told KABC. I saw him point to the back of the cash register and he just kept firing. I ran out the front door. There was probably three or four [shots]. I hit the ground. I look upthe security guard is dead. Well, I dont want to say he was dead, but he was shot. He was down. The Ventura County Fire Department tweeted, Please stay away from area. Active law enforcement incident. Multiple injuries reported. Details still being determined. Multiple ambulances requested. #OaksInc: Ongoing active shooter incident reported at Borderline in @CityofTO . Please stay away from area. Active law enforcement incident. Multiple injuries reported. Details still being determined. Multiple ambulances requested. @VCFD pic.twitter.com/4X3b8KMisc VCFD PIO (@VCFD_PIO) November 8, 2018 Kuredjian confirmed at a news conference early Thursday, Nov. 8 that a sheriffs deputy was taken to a hospital suffering from gunshot wounds. Kuredjian did not provide information on the extent of the victims injuries. The sheriffs spokesman said the first reports of shots fired came around 11:20 p.m. at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, which is about 40 miles west of Los Angeles. He said responding deputies could hear gunshots as they arrived on scene. Witnesses told ABC News that a man fired several shots from a handgun before tossing smoke bombs and starting to fire again. The gunman used a semi-automatic weapon in the attack, according to the Ventura County Star. Police told the Los Angeles Times that at least 30 shots were fired. The bar is a country-themed bar known for its large dance floor and live music events, according to its website. With over 2,500 square feet of wide open dance floor, Borderline has provided a haven for country line dancing folks of all ages equipped with pool tables, the website says. Over the years, Borderline has hosted many legendary performances such as The Beach Boys, John Rich, Collin Raye, Mark Chesnutt, Lee Brice, Adam Carolla, and Tyler Farr to name a few. Hate Crimes Spike in New York, Official Figures Show NEW YORKNew York has seen an uptick in hate crimes, while overall crime rates decline, new statistics show. The latest crime figures released by the New York Police Department on Nov. 7 reveals a rise in hate crimes during October, particularly against the Jewish community. At this moment, theres a lot of hatred out there. There is too much hatred out there, said New York Mayor Bill de Blasio at a press conference at the Museum of Jewish Heritage on Nov. 7. In an incident four days earlier, a group of young people were caught on surveillance camera in Brooklyn throwing a pipe through a synagogue window. Footage also showed the same group hitting off a hat worn by a 14-year-old Hasidic boy, and later pushing a 10-year-old girl to the ground. A synagogue in Brooklyn was also vandalized with anti-Semitic graffiti on Nov. 1, less than a week after a gunman killed 11 people inside the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, the largest attack against Jews in U.S. history. A 26-year-old Brooklyn man was arrested in relation to the vandalism. Two men were also recently arrested for drawing swastikas on the steps and garage doors of several homes in Brooklyn on Oct. 30. So far, crimes against the Jewish community have accounted for just over half of the 309 reported hate crimes this year. This represents a 22 percent rise from the same time last year. About three-quarters of those crimes were vandalism involving swastikas, reported CBS. Increased reports of swastikas concern us and other criminal mischief here in the five boroughs absolutely concern us, Police Commissioner James ONeill said. None of it, none of it, will ever be tolerated in New York City. Thomas Galati, NYPD Chief of Intelligence, said the forces Hate Crimes Task Force works closely with the FBI and inter-state counterparts in its efforts to track and investigate hate groups, including white supremacists and neo-nazis, and individuals. We have been investigating a lot of these groups for the past several years, he said. We know who we need to watch, and we are watching them. On Nov. 3, the African Burial Ground National Monument in lower Manhattan, a historic site for the black community, was defaced with threatening racist graffiti. No arrests have been made in relation to this incident. Jury Chosen for US Trial of Mexicos El Chapo NEW YORKTwelve New Yorkers were chosen on Nov. 7 to sit on the jury that will decide the fate of accused Mexican drug lord Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, whose trial on U.S. drug trafficking charges begins next week. Among the seven women and five men are at least three immigrants, three Spanish speakers and several people with ties to law enforcement. Almost all had heard of Guzman, but said they could be impartial. We are satisfied with the jury that has been selected, Eduardo Balarezo, one of Guzmans lawyers, told reporters. The trial, which could last up to four months, is set to begin at the federal District Court in Brooklyn with lawyers opening statements on Nov. 13. Guzman, 61, was long known as the leader of Mexicos Sinaloa Cartel, which became one of the most powerful drug trafficking organizations in the world. His nicknamea reference to his height at five-feet, six-inchesis often translated in English as Shorty. He was extradited to the United States on Jan. 19, 2017, after escaping twice from Mexican prisons before being recaptured. Guzmans lawyers have hinted they will try to prove he played a smaller role in the cartel. U.S. prosecutors say that under Guzmans leadership, the cartel directed massive shipments of drugs including heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine bound for the United States. If convicted, Guzman faces life in prison. The jurors, who will remain anonymous, will be escorted into and out of the courthouse by armed federal marshals. Prosecutors have said the security is necessary because of Guzmans history of intimidating and even ordering murders of potential witnesses, while Guzmans lawyers have called those claims unfounded. Several jurors were excused after they expressed fear about serving on the jury. Those who made the cut include the niece of a former corrections officer, a South Asian man with a son in the New York Police Department and a Polish woman who said her son has had problems with drug abuse. All knew of Guzman but one, a woman from Ethiopia who said she had no clue about him. Six alternate jurors were also chosen to replace any jurors who cannot complete their service. U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan warned the jurors not to talk about the case as he dismissed them until Nov. 13. I will see you then for what I believe will be a very interesting experience for all of you, the judge said. By Brendan Pierson A Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) worker counts Kenya shilling notes on a money counting machine as she serves a client inside in the banking hall at the Kencom branch in Nairobi on July 10, 2018. (Thomas Mukoya/Reuters) Kenya Lawmaker Criticizes Chinese Businesses for Driving Out Local Companies NAIROBI, KenyaA lawmaker from Kenyas ruling party has proposed limiting foreign involvement in public contracts after what he said was an outcry about an influx of Chinese businesses driving out local companies. China has become Kenyas biggest trading partner, accounting for 17 percent of the East African nations annual trade by value, or more than $4 billion, heavily tilted in Chinas favor. That imbalance, together with increasing borrowing from China, which is estimated at 21 percent of Kenyas total public debt of 2.51 trillion shillings ($24.67 billion), has begun to ruffle feathers among Kenyans. The hue and cry has been brought about by what I call the Chinese invasion, Rigathi Gachagua, a member of parliament from central Kenya, told Reuters by phone. A recent wave of Chinese investments in real estate, retail and road construction sectors has further added to the unease. Gachagua proposes amendments to the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, 2015, to prevent foreigners from bidding for any contract valued at up to one billion shillings ($9.83 million). He said the proposal is going through the legislative process; he aims to bring it to parliament for debate in early 2019. The proposal has already garnered widespread support in the ruling Jubilee party and other parties, he said. Spokespeople for Jubilee and Kenyas trade ministry didnt immediately return several calls and emails requesting comment. The government in late October issued a notice to ban tilapia fish imports from next year, a move widely interpreted as targeting China, a major source of tilapia imports to Kenya. Chinas embassy in Nairobi declined to comment on Gachaguas initiative, but said it hoped the issue of fish imports would be resolved amicably, for the sake of the broader ties between the two nations. As a strategic partner of Kenya, China will not be engaged in a trade war with Kenya, or even associate the issue of fish imports with other cooperative projects, the embassy said in a statement. As with other African nations, Kenya has turned to China over the past few years for funds, technology, and equipment to develop its infrastructure, including its biggest project since independence, a $3.2 billion railway linking Mombasa to Nairobi, which was opened last year. The growing reliance on Chinese finances has caused anger among many Kenyans, with critics saying that it places an unbearable debt burden on future generations. Many Kenyans consider China the biggest threat to the countrys economic development, according to an article by Daily Nation, citing a survey conducted between July 25 and Aug. 2 by market researcher Ipsos Synovate. Among those polled, 26 percent see China as a threat to Kenyas development, while 38 percent say the relationship between Kenya and China will lead to job losses. Another 25 percent say that the Kenyan economy will be hurt by imports of cheap Chinese goods, while 8 percent believe that Chinas influence will foster corruption in Kenya. Corruption is one of the concerns voiced in a report presented at a U.S. congressional subcommittee hearing on Africa and global human rights on March 7. The report indicates that some contracts signed between China and top officials in the Kenyan government are shady, greased with bribes and other antecedents, such as all-expenses-paid shopping trips to China and scholarships given to Kenyan elite. China plays a big part in corrupting leaders to gain business advantages through corruption within Africa, especially in Kenya, the paper stated. Gachagua said China is using its position as a lender to give its firms an unfair advantage over their local counterparts, when it comes to competing for contracts. They have taken all the businesses and they are also buying all the goods from China, he said. ($1 = 101.7500 Kenyan shillings) By George Obulutsa. Epoch Times staff Frank Fang contributed to this report. Police officers stop and search people on the final day of the Notting Hill Carnival in London on Aug. 27, 2018. (Jack Taylor/Getty Images) Spate of Stabbings in London Raises Questions About Police Search Powers LONDONThe UKs surge in knife crime is back in the spotlight, with the latest figures showing it has climbed to record levels. The most recent fatal knifing victim in London, a 16-year-old boy, was the fifth person to die from suspected stab wounds in the capital in the span of a week. In response, on Nov. 6 and 7, law enforcement officers were granted the power to stop and search anyone during specific hours in several London boroughs. Interior minister Sajid Javid said hes deeply worried about the surge in violence, telling Sky News that hes been in talks with the British chancellor to allocate more funding to police. Javid also recently spoke at a police conference about several ideas to combat crime; the first item he listed is to make it easier for officers to stop and search in a more effective way. But for some, stop and search remains a topic of contention. Steep Decline Stop and search by police has decreased sharply to just under 300,000 searches in England and Wales, in the year ending March 2018. Thats the lowest level since data was first collected 17 years ago. Because of criticism that police were using it disproportionately against young black men, then-Interior Minister Theresa May ordered police in 2014 to only use the tactic in a more targeted way. Despite the decline, however, figures show that searches resulting in an arrest increased in the year ending March 2017, at 17 percent. In January, London Mayor Sadiq Khan broke an election promise when he called for an increase in stop and searches, in an effort to curb rising violence. Stop and Search Debate Stop and search is a tactic thats embroiled in political debate. Qualitative research by the Center for Social Justice, co-founded by former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith, found that some young ex-offenders felt stop and search was useful in deterring them from committing crimes. The centers report called for stop and search incidents to increase and challenged claims of racial profiling over who is stopped. Some former offenders, however, said it could cause distrust of police if the same person is repeatedly stopped and searched. Stop and search has been criticized as being ineffective, and responsible for souring relations between local communities and the police. Home Office data shows that black people are about four times more likely to be stopped as white people. In a recent report, The Colour of Injustice, Labour member of parliament David Lammy described stop and search as an ineffectual and racially unjust practice that stigmatizes black men. But Peter Kirkham, a former senior investigating officer at Londons Metropolitan Police, has a different perspective. While he said there could be a small amount of racism in the force, he described politicians such as Lammy as professional agitators about race. He noted that nobody points out gender discrimination during stop and search. No one looks at the fact that theres 9 to 10 discrepancy on gender in stop-search. Nobody says: Oh, they are being anti-male sexists. They go: Oh, more blokes are involved in crime,' he said. Once youve got someone whos decided to carry a knife, in a public place, for instance, the only way youre going to stop that person from using it, is by stop and search. That is the only intervention available. There is no other, prior to them using [the knife], he said. When Can Police Stop and Search in the UK? In the UK, police can stop and search someone if they have a reasonable cause to suspect someone has drugs, a weapon, stolen property, or an item that could be used to commit a crime. A senior police official can give approval to an officer to stop and search without reasonable grounds if theres a risk of serious violence, the person is carrying a weapon, or if in a specified area. An officer must give their name and position, the reason for the stop and search, and indicate that the search is on record. Correction: A previous version of this article misstated the previous title of Prime Minister Theresa May. She used to serve as interior minister. The Epoch Times regrets the error. Visitors splash in the sun on the High Line in New York City. (Samira Bouaou/Epoch Times) Manhattan High Line Elevates Walking Experience, Inspires Other Cities NEW YORKA recent trend to repurpose abandoned railway lines into linear parks, is adding a new dimension to nature walks in New York Cityand elsewhere. The repurposed New York Central Railroad spur is one of the citys most visited attractions, allowing thousands of tourists and locals daily to stroll along the 1.45-mile elevated High Line. The park is full of vegetation, lounging opportunities, unique walkways, and rare views. Art showings, movie screening, and live events are hosted weekly. The success of the High Line has inspired Queens and Philadelphia to also do away with dirt and the trash of abandoned railways, and repurpose them into parks. We are trying to figure out new uses in cities; linear parks are a great way to do it. They have a lot of edges, so a lot of people are living within a 10-minute walk, and thats great, said Carter Strickland, NY State Director at the Trust For Public Land that oversees the Queens Way Project. Queens Conceptual Design Submitted for Approval Strickland says the Queens Way Project has reached its first stage, with conceptual designs for the first mile already submitted to the City of New York; funding is being negotiated. We need $20 million to build our the Phase I. The whole project could cost $150 million, but we think its a great deal compared to what other parks cost. The park will include an outdoor classroom for schools, fast lane for bikers, and a slow lane for walkers, strollers, and kids. Large tracks will provide a space for relaxation. Strickland said, every part is well-designed [and] meets the need of the communities. Queens Ways 3.5-miles of park space will pass through central Queens, connecting neighborhoods, providing them with many benefits. Queens needs to connect to each other, and this would be the place to do it. They will meet and laugh on the Queen Way, and it will make their neighborhood much better, said Strickland. High Line Concept Spreads to Pennsylvania It took 19 months to build, and now Philadelphias Rail Park is a home to 1,100 plants, 11 types of trees, 30 varieties of perennials, wooden walkways, and swing-like floating banshees. Most of the park will be preserved as the original spur was on an elevated platform, creating a one-of-a-kind perspective on art and the city on its path. According to a Rail Park press release issued on May 10, the park has three unique features: the Viaduct, a half-mile long elevated iron structure twice the width of the High Line; the Cut, a 50-foot wide section, nine blocks long, 30 feet below street level, and lined with century-old stone walls; and the Tunnel, an extraordinary vaulted brick and stone tunnel, with intermittent light and air shafts, spanning over 3000 feet long. There are thousands of rail trails in the United States. Keep an eye-out for one in your neighborhood. Video Contradicts CNN and NY Times Claims About Acosta Incident News Analysis According to The New York Times and CNN, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders lied when she stated that CNNs White House correspondent, Jim Acosta, physically mistreated a Trump administration intern who reached out to retrieve a microphone from him. In an official statement, CNN said that Press Secretary Sarah Sanders lied. The New York Times accused Sanders of claiming falsely that Mr. Acosta had placed his hands on a young woman.' Acosta, in a direct response to Sanders, said this is a lie. Sanders cited the incident with the intern as the reason to revoke Acostas White House credentials and shared a video of the act as proof. The footage shows the intern walk toward Acosta after Trump indicated several times that he is moving to the next reporter. The aide reaches for the microphone twice with her right hand as Acosta shields it. On her third attempt, the intern gets a hold of the microphone with her left hand. At this point, Acosta pushes her arm down. The force of Acostas push is evident from the forward thrust of the interns figure, her momentary loss of balance, and the jolted look on her face as she turned to face Acosta. While there may be some gray area on the amount of force Acosta used, there is no doubt that his behavior toward the intern was rude. Considering that there was no consensus on what transpired, even among other media, the accusations from the CNN and The New York Times are at least unsubstantiated. Matt Dornic, the vice president of communications for CNN, went as far as to accuse the White House of doctoring the video. You manipulated this video. The lies never end, Dornic wrote on Twitter. Even though Sanders cited the specific incident with the intern in her statement, the New York Times and CNN reported that Acostas access was revoked because he asked Trump tough questions. That reporting requires context. Acosta has been addressing tough questions to both the president and his press secretary for nearly two years. He regularly disrupts press conferences and uses his questions to advocate for issues he feels strongly about. The White House has never threatened to revoke his access because of his style. President Trump believes in a free press and expects and welcomes tough questions of him and his Administration. We will, however, never tolerate a reporter placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern, Sanders said in a statement. This conduct is absolutely unacceptable. It is also completely disrespectful to the reporters colleagues not to allow them an opportunity to ask a question. There is only one known video which shows the incident. An eyewitness account from a Reuters reporter also challenges the White House claim. I was seated next to @Acosta at todays press conference and did not witness him placing his hands on the young intern, as the White House alleges, Reuters reporter Jeff Mason wrote on Twitter. Sanders responded to doubts about her claim in the afternoon on Nov. 8. The question is: did the reporter make contact or not? The video is clear, he did. We stand by our statement, Sanders said in a statement. How a viewer may perceive the incident in the video may be subject to bias. One way to examine the situation is to consider how CNN and the New York Times would describe the incident if the reporter was from Fox News and the intern was from the Obama White House. In a three-and-a-half minute segment interviewing Acosta on the night that his credentials were revoked, not once did CNN play the part of the video which shows Acostas treatment of the intern. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, and ranking member Rep. Adam Schiff speak to the media about Committee's investigation into Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election, at the U.S. Capitol on March 15, 2017. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Midterm Elections Produce Renewed Challenges on National-Security Committees for Trump The midterm elections have produced a changed leadership picture, and renewed challenges for President Donald Trump, on the national-security committees within Congress. With the switch to Democratic control in the House, a number of senior Democrats, known in congressional parlance as ranking members, will ascend to the chairmanships of their respective committees and subcommittees with the swearing-in of the new Congress in January. On the Senate side, Republicans maintain control of the chamber overall, with a retirement of a sitting committee chairman causing a change in its leadership ranks. Likely the most consequential change will come on the House Intelligence Committee, where strident presidential critic Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) is in line to assume the committees chairmanship, relegating current chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) to ranking member. Schiff has aggressively accused the Trump presidential campaign of collusion with Russia. Nunes has been a staunch advocate on behalf of the Trump administration, steadfastly defending it while leading Republican inquiries into counter-charges of Democratic infiltration and improper Obama administration surveillance of the Trump campaign. The House Armed Services Committee will be led by Adam Smith (D-Wash.), while Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) will move into the ranking member seat. On the Senate side, James Inhofe (R-Okla.) will maintain the gavel, with Jack Reed (D-R.I.) remaining as ranking member. The House Foreign Affairs Committee will be led by Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.). With Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) losing his reelection bid, committee Republicans will have to select a ranking member likely from either senior committee members Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) or Christopher Smith (R-N.J.). On the Senate side, James Risch (R-Idaho) stands to assume the chairmanship of that chambers Foreign Relations Committee with the retirement of current Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), while newly re-elected Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) will remain as ranking member. On the House Appropriations subcommittee for defense, Peter Visclosky (D-Ind.) is in line to assume the subcommittee chair, with Tom Cole (R-Okla.) moving to ranking member. In the Senate, the subcommittee remains unchanged, with Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) serving as its ranking member and Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) wielding the gavel. Longtime national-security committee members and staff frequently refer to traditional bipartisanship in their committees work. However, since the election of Trump, the investigations of potential Russian interference and counter-charges from Republicans of Obama administration meddling in the Trump campaign have strained that cooperation, particularly on the House Intelligence Committee. With Democrats soon to be in charge of the House, Trump administration priorities such as defense spending increases would appear particularly endangered. On the other hand, the president may find that Engel, as House Foreign Affairs chairman, may have a more receptive ear than most other congressional Democrats, as he was a vocal critic of the Iran nuclear deal forged during the Obama administration. On the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Risch and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), currently the two most senior committee Republicans, have been strong critics of Chinas foreign policy, trade practices, and human-rights record, while questioning some Trump administration policies toward it (most recently, granting a waiver to China on sanctions against Iran that would permit it to continue importing Iranian oil). Committee assignments and leadership are typically determined in January after the swearing-in of the new Congress. Midterm Election Polling Site Problems, Calls for Reform NEW YORKOutside the Brooklyn Board of Elections, on Nov. 7, Borough President Eric L. Adams called for a fundamental reform of New Yorks polling system after problems arose at polling sites on midterm election day. Issues included delayed poll site openings, long waiting lines, optical scanners breaking down, and some locations only having one working machine, prompting Adams to propose a five-point plan to remedy the situation. We saw the American dream turn into a nightmare, when countless number[s] of people stood on lines for long period of time, and were unable to get inside one, their voting location; and two, once they got there, they were unable to actually see their vote count, said Adams. One of the situations that arose was paper jams and having to call in a service technician to fix the problem due to poll workers being unable to fix it themselves. If that is not a duh moment, I dont know what is, said Adams. Holding up a VHS tape and cassette, Adams exclaimed his disdain for what took place on midterm election day. This is where we are, in our electoral process, said Adams, This is where we are in technology. We are still using antiquated methods, not only in the technology of the machines, but the technology of the mindset of people who are responsible of taking us to the next level. His five point plan consists of the following: An immediate investigation on city and state levels to determine responsibility for failure. Expansion of the poll worker and a coordinated trainer to incorporate basic scanner maintenance and repairs. Early Voting to join the 37 other states that have it. Convening technology innovators to test additional solutions for voting modernization. Stakeholder commitment to structure reform. Broken Record, Broken System According to Adams, 49 locations experienced serious problems, and that after analysis it will likely be over 100. Some people, like City Council member Corey Johnson, are calling for Board of Election director Mike Ryan to resign. Johnson tweeted: Michael Ryan should resign & we should begin a top to bottom review of how this happened. Its time for new leadership at BOE. Every election is like Groundhog Day: long lines, polling site issues, huge problems. Now were blaming the weather? Its unacceptable & unfair to voters. Michael Ryan should resign & we should begin a top to bottom review of how this happened. Its time for new leadership at BOE https://t.co/nxl5swtCeb Corey Johnson (@CoreyinNYC) November 6, 2018 [O]ther institutions rehearse before the opening day. This institution, seems to believe that the rehearsal is the opening day. Thats the wrong mindset we continue election after election. We cant continue to sing the same song of a broken record, in a broken system. Adams expressed the outcome would be determined after analysis, who should stay and who should go. However, he said that history has shown it usually starts at the top. He stated investigation needs to be done in order to ensure problems dont repeat themselves even if leadership is replaced. It is clearly an indictment on the leadership at the board of election, he said. Failure of vision, to fully see how do we move this system forward so we all can participate in the process. Midterm Election Wins Bolster Trumps Mandate Voters affirm Trump's agenda as Republicans expand Senate majority President Donald Trump celebrated the midterm elections as a tremendous success for his administration after Republicans expanded their majority in the Senate, maintained an edge in governorships, and handed control of the House to the Democrats by a slim margin instead of the predicted blowout to the so-called blue wave. With winners called in all but one statewide race, Republicans were on pace to gain three seats in the Senate and defended their lead in governorships by a two-seat margin. Trump called the partys performance very close to complete victory and told reporters at the White House that he would rather see Democrats with a slim majority in the House, since Republicans would be blamed if they failed to convert a slight lead into legislative success. An expanded majority in the Senate will allow Republicans to continue confirming Trumps nominees to key posts. In addition to confirming two conservative Supreme Court justices, the Senate has confirmed an unprecedented number of conservative judges to the lower courts during Trumps term, potentially reshaping Americas judicial system for decades. The victories are sure to reinforce the mandate of a president who nationalized the midterm elections by rallying his supporters to vote for Republicans as though his America First agenda was on the ballot. That message resonated with voters, who elected 9 out of 11 candidates Trump campaigned for, according to his own tally. We did this in spite of a very dramatic fundraising disadvantage driven by Democrats wealthy donors and special interests and very hostile media coverage, to put it mildly, Trump said at the White House on Nov. 7. The president told reporters at the White House that he won despite historic odds. The parties of first-term presidents tend to lose seats in both chambers in the first midterm elections. The Republicans three-seat expansion is a contrast to the 18 total seats lost by the Democrats in midterm elections in the Senate since 2010. The loss of 26 seats in the House, meanwhile, is dwarfed by the 63 seats lost by President Barack Obama in 2010 and the 52 seats lost by President Bill Clinton in 1994. Having seized control of the House of Representatives, Democrats will get the chance to convert their rhetoric into action. Rep. Adam Schiff, who will likely chair the House Intelligence Committee, has previously indicated wanting to continue the investigation into alleged Russia collusion. Eager to satisfy their base, Democrats on other committees are expected to jump in with probes of their own. Many have openly spoken of impeaching the commander in chief. But historical precedent suggests that an aggressive strategy targeting the president may backfire come 2020. Sen. Lindsey Graham, who led an effort to impeach President Bill Clinton, warned his Democratic colleagues of the perils of that approach. Republicans lost seats in the House after focusing on impeachment in 1998. In addition, any investigative action will also be countered with probes by the Republicans in the Senate, Trump warned. If the Democrats think they are going to waste Taxpayer Money investigating us at the House level, then we will likewise be forced to consider investigating them for all of the leaks of Classified Information, and much else, at the Senate level. Two can play that game! the president wrote on Twitter on Nov. 7. If the Democrats think they are going to waste Taxpayer Money investigating us at the House level, then we will likewise be forced to consider investigating them for all of the leaks of Classified Information, and much else, at the Senate level. Two can play that game! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 7, 2018 Any investigation of the president is likely to face the same fate as that of the Russia investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller. After nearly 18 months, Mueller has not brought any indictments related to collusion with Russia, the central theme of his investigation. They have found nothing. Zero, Trump said. The most likely impact of House investigations would be a swarm of legal issues for the White House, which is likely to fire up Trumps base for 2020 while producing no results to satisfy Democrat voters. All the while, the Senate is set to continue to methodically confirm Trumps nominees to the courts while holding a check on any Democrat-led legislation in the House. A Republican governorship majority coupled with GOP victories in gubernatorial races in battleground states may also boost Trump in 2020, since governors hold veto power over redistricting measures. Republican Ron DeSantis ousted Democratic opponent Andrew Gillum by less than one percentage point in a hotly contested race in Florida; Mike DeWine won the governorship in Ohio; and Republican Brian Kemp was ahead of Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams by 1.6 points with 100 percent of precincts reporting. Trump offered an olive branch to House Democrats as an alternative to an investigative face-off. The president endorsed Nancy Pelosi to be the speaker of the House and said that the two parties are equally invested in delivering legislation on infrastructure, health care, prescription drug prices, and veterans affairs. Now is the time for members of both parties to join together, put partisanship aside, and keep the American economic miracle going strong, Trump said. One factor that will amplify the presidents mandate is the ouster of anti-Trump Republicans Jeff Flake and Bob Corker from the Senate. The candidates who are replacing Corker and Flake, Republicans Marsha Blackburn and Martha McSally, owe their victories in part to the president, who held rallies for them in their home states. Blackburn ousted Democratic candidate Phil Bredesen in Tennessee by double digits. McSally was up by one percentage point over her Democratic opponent Kyrsten Sinema in Arizona as of 4:30 p.m. EST on Nov.7, with 99 percent of the precincts reporting. A worker checks a circuit board at a factory in Hangzhou in eastern China's Zhejiang Province, on May 22, 2018. (AFP/Getty Images) More Chinese Tech Companies Could Be Hit With US Export Ban, Japanese Media Say The recent announcement of an export ban by the U.S. Department of Commerce against Chinese chipmaker Fujian Jinhua has fueled speculation that other Chinese tech companies may soon face similar punishment, Japanese media report. U.S. authorities declared Oct. 29 that Fujian Jinhua would be prevented from buying U.S. chip components, software, and technology goods. The restrictions are similar to action taken against Chinese telecom giant ZTE earlier this year. More than 10 Chinese companies were identified in an April 2018 U.S. congressional report as subject to export-control risksmeaning that the United States could exert restrictions on them, the Japanese business daily Nikkei pointed out in a Nov. 2 article. The U.S.China Economic and Security Review Commission, a congressional committee that oversees economic issues with China, warned that the U.S. tech industrys reliance on Chinese suppliersmore than half of the parts used to manufacture tech goods at the top seven IT manufacturers, including IBM, Microsoft, and Intel, originated from Chinaposed a threat to U.S. national security and economic competitiveness. The report identified Chinese companies and research institutes, including telecom giants Huawei and ZTE, crystal display maker BOE Global, server maker Inspur Group, asset management group Tsinghua Holdings, and computer maker Lenovo as among tech suppliers that are either state-owned, state-controlled, or have other connections to the Chinese regime, and pose a national security risk to the United States. That report didnt include Fujian Jinhua. For example, the report described how Lishen Power Battery System, a supplier to U.S. computer maker Dell, has links to Chinas military and spy programs. The latest export ban is a warning to the rest of Chinas tech industry. The U.S. is using Fujian Jinhua case to demonstrate its ability to kill any of these semiconductor projects or hit top tech companies badly in one day, Roger Sheng, a Shanghai-based analyst at research company Gartner, said in an interview with Nikkei. According to Chinese media, Fujian Jinhua was months away from mass-manufacturing its own DRAM chips, a type of semiconductor chip used to power virtually all computers and electronic devices. Currently, the DRAM sector is dominated by South Korean companies Samsung and SK Hynix, and the U.S. memory chipmaker Micron. The three together hold more than 90 percent of the global market share as of the first quarter of 2018. Days after the export ban, on Nov. 1, Fujian Jinhua was named in an indictment by the U.S. Department of Justice for trying to steal DRAM-manufacturing technology from Micron. Also named in the indictment was Taiwan-based contract manufacturer UMC, who under a cooperation agreement signed with Fujian Jinhua in 2016, was tasked to develop DRAM technologies for the Chinese company. After the export ban, UMC announced that it halted its activities with Fujian Jinhua. Industry sources also told Nikkei that two other Chinese chipmakersInnotran Memory, a DRAM manufacturer located in Hefei City, the capital of eastern Chinas Anhui Province; and Yangtze Memory Technologies, a NAND flash memory maker based in Wuhan City, the capital of central Chinas Hubei Provinceare subject to high political risks, meaning that they are also likely to be hit with a U.S. export ban. DRAM and NAND flash are both semiconductor memory chips that store data within digital products. Yangtze Memory Technologies has ties to Tsinghua Holdings, the state-controlled asset management company named in the commission report. The company is a subsidiary of Chinese chipmaker Tsinghua Unigroup, which itself is a subsidiary of Tsinghua Holdings. According to Nikkei, neither Innotran Memory nor Yangtze Memory Technologies has started to generate revenue because they are still at a limited production stage. If any of these chip projects come across a similar banthat also means the doomsday for those new players, said Sean Yang, a semiconductor analyst at research company CINNO, in an interview with Nikkei. Its not possible for any chip manufacturers in the world to get rid of U.S. suppliers any time soon. Within the semiconductor industry, it is widely known that five manufacturers of semiconductor equipmentApplied Materials, Lam Research, and KLA-Tencor based in California; New York-based Veeco; and Dutch company ASMLsupply the bulk of integrated circuit (IC) chip manufacturers worldwide. Fujian Jinhua, Innotran Memory, and Yangtze Memory, all established in 2016, are key participants of Chinas Made in China 2025 industrial plan, according to Nikkei. The plan describes the Chinese regimes goal of achieving 70 percent self-sufficiency in 10 high-tech industries, including advanced information technology and semiconductor technology. In March, at a meeting held by Chinas rubber-stamp legislature National Peoples Congress, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang reiterated the need for stepping up the development of tech sectors such as IC and next-generation mobile communications 5G, according to Chinas state-run news site China.com. In June, China announced it would launch a state-backed fund of 300 billion yuan (about $47 billion) for investments in strategic and emerging industries, according to Reuters. The fund is partially aimed at spurring Chinas semiconductor industry, after a similar fund totaling 139 billion yuan (about $22 billion) was created in 2014. New York Professor Arrested for Stealing GOP Yard Signs A New York professor has been arrested after she was caught on camera removing pro-Republican signs from the front lawn of a property that did not belong to her. Laura Ebert, a 54-year-old economics lecturer at State University of New York (SUNY) at New Paltz, allegedly stole signs supporting John Faso and Marc Molinaro, two Republicans running for office in the recent midterm election. The theft took place at a residential property in Rosendale, which is about 8 miles away from the college where she works. Police have charged Ebert with misdemeanor larceny for allegedly swiping the signs, according to the Daily Mail. Radical left wing professor at State University of New York @newpaltz steals Republican candidate signs from yard. Charged with larceny. https://t.co/G253pocXRe Darren (@altritedarren) November 8, 2018 Video of the Oct. 30 theft shows a woman driving up to the home of Patrick and Lisa McGovern and rolling slightly onto their front lawn in her a pick-up truck with the trunk open. The determined-looking woman, believed to be Ebert, struts towards the two signs, yanks them off their posts, and throws them into the back of the truck. When Patrick McGovern noticed the signs were missing from his lawn, he reviewed security camera footage. Its crazy in our area lately. Its never been like this, Lisa McGovern told Fox News. People are getting over-emotional. She said she found the theft frightening and called the police. McGovern added that when she discovered it was a local professor, she found it somewhat amusing. I kind of thought it was funny in a way, because of the times, you hear about stories of the professors being very liberal and not allowing people with conservative or Republican views to speakalmost like trying to shut down my voice, which seems antithetical to what a professor should be doing because we should all have a voice, McGovern said, according to Fox News. McGovern shared the video on Nov. 1 on Twitter: My signs for #NY19 @JohnFasoNY and @MarcMolinaro were just stolen from my front lawn. Ebert later told Campus Reform that she let her emotions get the better of her and that she meant no harm. I have family I love that support Trump, so I was after the sign, not the person, Ebert said. I have apologized and feel bad, but clearly the GOP is putting a big deal [of] spin on this. Many signs have been taken and disfigured, which, while no excuse for my bad behavior, doesnt warrant the death threats I have receivedNor the smear campaign after me. McGovern said she did not want to vilify the professor, but added that it seemed to be a sign of the times. Im sure shes not a bad person but she just acted irrationally, McGovern told Fox News. I think its actually kind of a representation of whats happening in our country right now, that people on both sides are dug in on their side and doing things without thinking. Ebert is due to make a court appearance on Nov. 13, according to the Daily Mail, citing a Rosendale Town Police Department report. Pakistani Christian Woman Acquitted of Blasphemy Secure, Out of Jail ISLAMABAD/LAHORE, PakistanA Pakistani Christian woman has been freed from prison a week after the Supreme Court overturned her conviction and death sentence for blasphemy against Islam, and she is at a secure location in the country, officials said on Nov. 8. Officials dismissed some media reports that the woman, Asia Bibi, had been flown abroad, which would enrage hardline Islamists who have been protesting against her release and calling for her to be banned from leaving. The release overnight of the mother of five prompted immediate anger from an Islamist party that has threatened to paralyze the country with street protests if her acquittal is not reversed. Bibi, 53, was convicted of blasphemy in 2010 over allegations she made derogatory remarks about Islam after neighbors objected to her drinking water from their glass because she was not Muslim. She always denied having committed blasphemy. The case has outraged Christians worldwide, and Pope Francis met Bibis family this year, saying he prayed for her. Italy said on Tuesday it would try to help Bibi, who is Catholic, to leave Pakistan. Pakistans foreign ministry denied reports that Bibi had left the country and pointed out that a review of the Supreme Court decision to free her was pending. Asia Bibi is completely secure at a safe place in Pakistan, said ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal. Her writ is in court, when that is decided, Asia Bibi can go anywhere she wants to, she is a free national if she wants to go abroad, no harm in it. In Rome, the Catholic aid agency Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) said Bibi has been able to see her husband in an undisclosed location. Their daughters were close by but had not yet seen their mother as of early afternoon, Pakistan time. The agency, which arranged a meeting for Bibis husband and daughter with Pope Francis at the Vatican this year, said the family was awaiting visas but declined to disclose from which country for security reasons. Insulting Islams Prophet Mohammad carries a mandatory death penalty in Pakistan, which is about 95 percent Muslim and has among the harshest blasphemy laws in the world. No executions for blasphemy have been carried out in Pakistan but enraged mobs sometimes kill people accused of blasphemy. Rights groups say the blasphemy law is exploited by hardliners as well as ordinary Pakistanis to settle personal scores. Christians make up about 2 percent of the population. Agitated Security officials told Reuters early on Thursday that Bibi had been released from a prison in Multan, a city in the south of Punjab province. She was flown to Islamabad and was in protective custody because of threats to her life, said three officials, speaking on condition of anonymity. Bibis lawyer, who has fled Pakistan and this week sought asylum in the Netherlands, confirmed she was no longer in prison. All I can tell you is that she has been released, lawyer Saif-ul-Mulook told Reuters by phone from the Netherlands, where the government said on Thursday it had offered him temporary asylum. A spokesman for the hard-line Tehreek-e-Labaik (TLP) party, which took to the streets after the Supreme Court ruling, said her release violated a deal with the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan to end the protests. The TLP activists are agitated as the government has breached the agreement with our party. The rulers have shown their dishonesty, party spokesman Ejaz Ashrafi told Reuters. Under the deal, the government said it would not block a petition to the Supreme Court to review Bibis acquittal in light of sharia, Islamic religious law, the TLP said. It also said the government promised to work to ensure Bibi could not leave the country. If the government allows Bibi to leave, it would likely face more paralyzing protests from the TLP and other Islamist parties. By Asif Shahzad and Mubasher Bukhari Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian woman, listens to officials at a prison in Sheikhupura near Lahore, Pakistan, on Oct. 31, 2018. (AP) Pakistani Christian Woman Freed From Prison After Blasphemy Death Sentence Reversed ISLAMABAD/LAHORE, PakistanA Pakistani Christian woman has been freed from prison a week after the Supreme Court overturned her conviction and death sentence for blasphemy against Islam, and she is now at a secure location for fear of attacks on her, officials said on Nov. 1. The release of Asia Bibi, a mother of five, prompted immediate anger from a hard-line Islamist party that has threatened to paralyze daily life countrywide with street protests if her acquittal is not reversed. Insulting Islams Prophet Mohammad carries a mandatory death penalty in Pakistan, which has among the harshest blasphemy laws in the world. Three security officials told Reuters early on Thursday that Bibi, aged 53, had been released from a prison in Multan, a city in southern Punjab province. She was flown to the airport near the capital, Islamabad, but was in protective custody because of threats to her life, said the three officials, speaking on condition of anonymity. Bibis lawyerwho fled the country after the Supreme Court ruling and this week sought asylum in the Netherlandsconfirmed she was no longer in prison. All I can tell you is that she has been released, lawyer Saif-ul-Mulook told Reuters by phone from the Netherlands. A spokesman for the hard-line Tehreek-e-Labaik (TLP) party that took to the streets after the Supreme Court ruling said her release violated a deal with the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan to end the protests. The TLP activists are agitated as the government has breached the agreement with our party. The rulers have showed their dishonesty, TLP spokesman Ejaz Ashrafi told Reuters. A government deal with the TLP protesters last week promised not to block a petition for the Supreme Court to review Bibis acquittal in light of Islamic sharia law. The government also promised to work to ensure she could not leave the country to seek asylum while the petition was pending, the TLP has said. By Kay Johnson UK Police Posts Photo of Woman Cleaning Windows as a Warning Police in the United Kingdom shared a photo of a woman cleaning a window, but they say there is something wrong with it. In the photo, the woman can be seen wiping the glass. But Avon and Somerset Police issued a warning, saying, Do you see someone who is always inside the home cleaning? They are also never out of the home on their own? Fox News reported. This could be an indicator of domestic servitude. Many victims wont know theyre being exploited and need you to be a voice for them. According to Essex Live, a police spokesman said that we rely heavily on the public to be our eyes and ears, to be in the places we cant always be in. Intelligence plays a huge role in our fight to tackle crime; information received from the public could be the missing piece of a puzzle or break-through in a case. Do you see an individual responsible for the care of children 24 hours a day who is never allowed out of the house on their own? Domestic servitude is almost invisible, but we know its happening. Report to us on 101 or via @MSHelpline #TellUsWhatYouSee pic.twitter.com/p3ztTNOoG5 Wiltshire Police (@wiltshirepolice) November 6, 2018 The Wiltshire Police added in another post: Do you see an individual responsible for the care of children 24 hours a day who is never allowed out of the house on their own? Domestic servitude is almost invisible, but we know its happening. Report to us. Migrant Workers Face Serious Abuse In 2014, Human Rights Watch published a report saying the United Kingdom should abolish the tied visa to protect migrant workers and prevent forced labor. The rights group suggested in the report that indentured servitude is common among Middle Eastern countries. Every year, some 15,000 migrant domestic workers arrive in the UK. Many of those interviewed by Human Rights Watch were women from Asia or Africa who previously worked for their employers in the Gulf, and had already experienced abuse there at the hands of their employers, the report stated. Human Rights Watch has documented serious and widespread abuses against migrant domestic workers in the Gulf where gaps in labor laws and the restrictive sponsorship (kafala) system contribute to exploitation. The kafala system ties a domestic workers visa to her employer, and gives employers control over whether the worker can change jobs and, in some places, exit the country. The UKs abolition of the right to change employer risks sending a signal to employers from the Gulf that they can continue to treat their workers as they did under the kafala system, Human Rights Watch said, it said. The kafala system (pdf) is a method used to monitor migrant workers in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Rights groups have criticized the system due to human rights abuses and exploitation of workers. Former foreign policy advisor to President Donald Trump's election campaign, George Papadopoulos, leaves the US District Courts in Washington, DC, on Sept. 7, 2018. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images) Questions for George Papadopoulos News Analysis George Papadopoulos formally joined then-candidate Donald Trumps presidential campaign on March 21, 2016, as a foreign policy adviser specializing in the Middle East and Israel. He would later become a central figure in the TrumpRussia collusion narrative. Papadopoulos was targeted by a number of individuals beginning in March 2016and perhaps earlier. British and Australian officials were involved, as were U.S. intelligence agencies. Many of the targeting attempts seem to have been efforts to establish evidence of collusion with Russia. They appear to have all failed. Papadopoulos has often been portrayed as a low-level campaign volunteer, but this characterization isnt entirely fair. Papadopoulos played an active role in brokering the initial meeting between Trump and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi. Likewise, the targeting of Papadopoulos made him an important figure in the creation of the Russia-collusion narrative. Exact details of events related to him could provide crucial insight into how the FBIs investigation into the Trump campaign was started. On Nov. 2, Papadopoulos gave an in-depth, hour-long interview on the Dan Bongino Show. (You can find a full transcript of the interview here.) Bongino allowed Papadopoulos to develop his story with minimal interruption. Unlike most interviewers, Bongino understands the intricate details behind this topic, providing an expertise that makes for an in-depth and compelling result. It should be noted that my questions below arent meant to be a criticism of the Bongino interviewfar from it. I wouldnt have many of these questions if Bongino hadnt allowed Papadopoulos the opportunity to detail his version of events in such depth. London Center for International Law Practice In the interview, Papadopoulos discussed his place of employment at the time when the unusual events began to transpire: I was working at this organization in London, the London Center for International Law Practice, that, unbeknownst to me at the time, was apparently some sort of front group for ex-Western diplomats and ex-Western intelligence types of personalities. As Papadopoulos noted, the legal counsel for the FBI in the UK, Arvinder Sambei, just happens to also be a director at this organization. Theres a lot of ambiguity surrounding Papadopoulos employment at the London Center for International Law Practice (LCILP), and many basic questions remain unanswered. A mysterious organization, the London Center for International Law Practice, is at the center of some of the suspicious meetings Papadopoulos had. (Screenshot) Who was it that hired Papadopoulos at LCILP, and what was the exact starting date of his employment? How did Papadopoulos come to hear of this organization? Even seasoned journalists have had a difficult time obtaining any meaningful information about LCILP. Did Papadopoulos have prior interaction with LCILP or any associated individuals previously? And is he still in contact with anyone from LCILP? Who was Papadopoulos reporting to and what was his job descriptionwhat work did Papadopoulos actually do? What does LCILP actually do? Papadopoulos was pictured attending a July 20, 2016, American Jewish Committee panel discussion, where he was listed as the director of the Center for International Energy & Natural Resources Law at the London Centre of International Law Practice. When, exactly, did Papadopoulos decide to leave LCILP? Details on this have always been a bit tenuous. Most reports seem to indicate April or May 2016, but the American Jewish Committee panel discussion would seem to indicate otherwise. And what caused him to leave the position? Was it duties back home, was he required in Washington, or was there some other reason for his departure? The Link Campus Papadopoulos first met Professor Josef Mifsud on March 14, 2016, one week after joining the Trump campaign, at another unusual institutionthe Link Campus in Rome: They introduce me to Josef Mifsud at this university in Rome called Link Campus. This isnt any normal university. At the time, I had no idea what this place was. But apparently, its a training ground for Western intelligence operatives in Rome. The CIA has held symposiums there. Papadopoulos said that he was told, Before you leave [for Washington], you really need to come to Rome with us. We want to introduce you to some people there. Who was it that told Papadopoulos he needed to go to the Link Campus to meet Mifsud? Was it Sambei, as Papadopoulos seems to imply in the interview? Was anyone else involved in the process? Who else was Papadopoulos introduced to while in Rome beyond his introduction to Mifsud? I would also like more information on Link Campusis it intelligence community-affiliated? And what exactly do they do there? Given that Papadopoulos had just joined the Trump campaign, was he suspicious of the intelligence community element he suddenly found himself immersed in? One might expect an abundance of caution, especially given his new position with the campaign. Importantly, is there any association or affiliation with the FBIs Eurasian Crime Squad and its head, Michael Gaeta? Gaeta personally received the first draft of the Steele dossier from former British MI6 agent Christopher Steelewhose work was paid for by the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committeeafter receiving permission from State Department official Victoria Nuland in early July 2016 to meet him. Finally, had Papadopoulos been to Link Campus before, and was he associated with any of its affiliates previously? On May 25, 2016, a tweet by Nagi Idris shows Papadopoulos among an LCILP delegation visiting Link Campus University. Was this a second visit or a delayed photo from the March 14 visit? Josef Mifsud Papadopoulos met with Mifsud a second time, on March 24, 2016. This time, Mifsud brought along a young woman named Olga Polonskaya (Vinogradova is her maiden name), who was introduced to him as Putins niece. Papadopoulos noted that others played up her supposed status: A week later, Im back in London, preparing my life to move back to the U.S. and he emails me out of the blue, I need to introduce you to a very important girl. I go back to the LCILP, and all of a sudden, the directors over there are telling me, Guys, this is Putins niece. So, they were all in on this scam. It wasnt just Mifsud telling me that Im meeting Putins niece. It was the directors at the LCILP. Papadopoulos said that at the meeting, Polonskaya just sits there doesnt say much, just obscure, barely speaks English. But she began to email Papadopoulos the following month, in April, and went from speaking barely any English, to all of a sudden, shes fluent in the language. Shes some sort of insider to Moscow. When was it that Papadopoulos realized that she isnt really Putins niece? And when did he find himself alarmed at her newfound fluency? When he discovered the falsehood, did he ever question Mifsud or those at LCILP who vouched for her status? In fairness, Papadopoulos said that, at some point, he asked her, Are you the same person that I met in London with Mifsud? When did this happen, and how many times was he emailing her prior to this? Papadopoulos noted in the interview with Bongino that Polonskaya was actually a manager at a wine store. Did he ever pursue her status further to determine if intelligence community elements existed? Did he speak with her after discovering her identity? The Clinton Emails About a third of the way into the interview, Papadopoulos discussed the April 26, 2016, meeting where Mifsud told him the following: George, I have information that the Russians have thousands of Hillary Clintons emails. Papadopoulos said that he was surprised to hear that. Im just thinking, Is this guy just validating rumors that Judge Napolitano, I think the day before, was openly speculating on Fox News. Many people in the media were speculating about it. The first reference I can find of Napolitano speaking of the Russians having Clintons emails is on May 9, 2016, during an interview with Fox News Megyn Kelly. Napolitano would write about that two days later, on May 11, 2016. Perhaps thats an innocent revision of historyperhaps Napolitano spoke of this earlierbut I found this specific reference odd. Papadopoulos noted that it was at this meeting that he decided to distance himself from Mifsud, saying, I just wanted to get as far away as possible from this guy, Mifsud. Several days later, on April 30, 2016, Papadopoulos thanks Mifsud for his critical help in arranging a meeting between the campaign and the Russian government, and remarked, Its history-making if it happens.' George Papadopoulos arrives at a closed-door hearing before House committees on Oct. 25, 2018. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) Contact between Papadopoulos and Mifsud does indeed fall off. Mifsud emails Papadopoulos an update of recent conversations on May 13, 2016. There is nothing more known until Oct. 1, 2016, when Papadopoulos sends Mifsud a private Facebook message with a link to an article from Interfax.com, a Russian news website. What was this final contact for? Another question worth asking: If Papadopoulos distrusted Mifsud, why did he continue to communicate with Ivan Timofeev, an official at a state-sponsored think tank called Russian International Affairs Council, who he was introduced to directly by Mifsud? One of the biggest questions surrounding Papadopoulos is why he continuously allowed a seemingly endless sequence of questionable contacts to occur in the first place. A parallel question exists: Did Papadopoulos inform anyone elseincluding the Trump campaignof these recurring events? Gregory Baker and Terrence Dudley On May 5 or 6, 2016, immediately following an infamous interview with the Times of Londonin which Papadopoulos said then-Prime Minister David Cameron should apologize for calling Trump divisive, stupid, and wrongtwo Americans from the U.S. Embassy, Gregory Baker and Terrence Dudley, reached out to him and they met for dinner. Theyre spending a lot of money on me, their probing me, theyre asking me about my ties in the Middle East. Theyre asking me about what Trump wants to do with Russia, Papadopoulos noted. He said he was just deflecting them throughout the entire dinner. Why did these men reach out to Papadopulos and what agencies did they represent? Had Papadopoulos ever met with these men before? Did he hear from them again? Papadopoulos has stated he thought the men may have been from the Defense Intelligence Agency. What led him to believe that was so? Did he believe that going into the dinner meeting? An important question Papadopoulos may not be able to answer: Who instructed the two men to reach out to Papadopoulos in the first place? The Alexander Downer Meeting The following day, Erika Thompson messaged Papadopoulos, saying, Hi George, I would just like to let you know that Alexander Downer just wants to meet with you. Thompson is an Australian intelligence officer and an assistant to Downer. Papadopoulos was previously introduced to Thompson by her boyfriend, an Israeli diplomat named Christian Cantor. As Papadopoulos correctly noted in his interview, Downer isnt a random low-level Australian diplomat. This man ran the equivalent of the CIA in Australia for 17 years. He was the foreign minister and he was their biggest diplomat in London. Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Alexander Downer in London on January 24, 2017. (Jack Taylor/Getty Images) In fairness to Papadopoulos, the meeting with Downer appears to have been strained from the start. As Papadopoulos said, He basically was there to pass a message along from the UK to Trump to stop supporting Brexit. The meeting was not a pleasant one at all. No one was sitting there drinking or getting drunk. Papadopoulos said he also felt he was being recorded: I go to meet Downer, within one minute or two minutes of sitting down with this person, he pulls his phone out of his pocket and he starts holding it up to me, as if hes filming me or taking a picture, or something very strange. That is why I was always under the suspicion that this guy was filming me, recording my conversation. And now, theres evidence that he was actually recording this conversation. Papadopoulos also noted the obvious: I also find it very strange that Downer just wanted to meet around 10 days after Mifsud tells me this information. The whole thing seems very strange and very orchestrated. Papadopoulos was emphatic that emails were never mentioned: I remember so much about this meeting and I have zero memory whatsoever of ever talking about emails, so Im confident that I never did talk about emails. I have no memory of talking about emails. Given the odd sequence of meetings so close together, why did Papadopoulos accept the meeting? Perhaps the fair answer is that he felt he had no choice. Sergei Millian Around July 23 to 25, 2016, Papadopoulos had a meeting with Sergei Millian. Papadopoulos had previously messaged Ivan Timofeev, asking for any information on Millian. The two met in New York, and Papadopoulos noted that he thought Millian was recording him using his phone. Millian contacted Papadopoulos in late September or early October 2016, and they met again. Millian proposed a suspect arrangement: He comes to me, saying I have a deal for you, for $30,000 a month, a great office in Manhattan, its simply PR for, I think he said, some ex-minister in Russia. But the qualifier is you have to work for Trump at the same timein his administrationand you cant tell anybody. Papadopoulos said he told Millian, Listen, I dont know what youre talking about, Im not interested and I think you should just leave. An appropriate response. But again, why take the meeting in the first place, following the suspicions carried from the initial meeting? Stefan Halper, who has been revealed as an FBI informant, was already maintaining ongoing contact with Trump campaign adviser Carter Page since July 11, 2016, when he met Page at a Cambridge symposium. Halper also met with Trump campaign national co-chairman Sam Clovis. On Sept. 13, 2016, Papadopoulos had his meeting with Halper. Papadopoulos apparently had been met the evening before by Halpers assistant, Azura Turk, who he said is a Turkish national, she wasnt American. When did Papadopoulos realize her background? How did he view her attempts to try and seduce me and get me to say things that arent true, for example about Russia? Does he bring this unusual sequence of events up with Halper? Papadopoulos, according to his version of events, said little to Halper and, like the Downer attempt, the meeting ends quickly. I agree with the theory on Halper put forth by Papadopoulos: Stefan Halpers role was to cover for Alexander Downer, so that Alexander Downer would never have to be revealed as a source for this potential fake information. Papadopoulos appears to have handled things with Halper correctly, but why did he choose to go to London in the first place? There were other significant events unfolding at the same time. The FBIs counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign was opened on July 31, 2016. Then-Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) would send his first letter on Aug. 27, 2016, hinting at events. Paul Manafort resigned from the Trump campaign on Aug. 19, 2016, amid reports of foreign lobbying efforts. Clinton accused Russia of interfering in the presidential election on Sept. 5, just one week before the PapadopoulosHalper meeting. So why did Papadopoulos choose to meet with Halper? Why was this meeting not canceled? And why was it accepted in the first place? Meeting With UK Foreign and Commonwealth Officials On the same day as the Halper meeting, Papadopoulos had a working-level meeting with UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) officials. According to Papadopoulos, one of these officials was Tobias Ellwood, the No. 2 to Boris Johnson at the time. Details as to what was discussed at this meeting were not provided. Papadopoulos also noted that Elwood had been trying to meet with him for months. I find this odd. Papadopoulos appeared to take any number of meetings without hesitation. If Elwood had been wanting to meet with him, why didnt this happen previously? I would also like to know what was discussed at the dinner, and exactly who was in attendance. Charles Tawil Papadopouloss meeting with Charles Tawil was perhaps the strangest of his many encounters. Papadopoulos was interviewed by the FBI twice in early 2017: once on Jan. 27, which resulted in his eventual indictment for lying to FBI, and a second time on Feb. 16. Shortly after the second interview, Papadopoulos first met Charles Tawil: I had met this individual, I think, two weeks after the FBI had interviewed me. He just popped into my life, from heaven, I guess, and decided that he wanted to talk business of some nature with me. He was introduced to me by this other intermediary [David Haivri, an Israeli activist and author]. As soon as I get there, he starts telling me, You know, everyone can hear our conversation right now. And I started to feel very suspicious of what this guy was talking to me about. Fast forward to the end of the lunch, he goes to me, and he says, I want you to go to my friend and I want to take a picture of you. Now, Ive had many people take pictures of me during this entire episode and every single one who wanted to do that was connected to some intelligence operation. Why would anyone take a meeting with an unknown individual two weeks after being interviewed by the FBI? As noted in the Oct. 5, 2017, statement of the offense, Papadopoulos had been unnerved by the two FBI interviews, to the point where he apparently scrubbed his social-media accounts and changed phone numbers. Papadopoulos said he was highly suspicious of this meeting. Did Papadopoulos have any further contact with Tawil prior to their next described meeting in the summer of 2017? One other question: Who was the friend that Tawil referenced regarding the photo? In July 2017, Tawil sent an email to Papadopoulos, while he was on vacation in Mykonos with Simona Mangiante, his then-girlfriend. Tawil reportedly said, George, I want to come see you to finalize our business agreement. What business agreement? This was never elaborated on with regard to the initial meeting. Papadopoulos described the Mykonos meeting as follows: Tawil then comes to me and wants to meet in Mykonos. He starts talking strange to me and my girlfriend, basically asking if my girlfriend at the time was an operative, like he was. And then he says, Its very important for you come to Israel, so we can finalize this agreement. Again, what agreement? Equally important, Tawil apparently identifies himself as an operative at this meeting. And questions if Mangiante, Papadopouloss girlfriend, is an operative, as well. Why on earth would Papadopoulos continue to meet with someone who has identified himself as an operativeespecially following two FBI interviews? Also, why was it imperative that Papadopoulos come to Israeland why would Papadopoulos agree to do so? He said he had no understanding of what was transpiring: To this day, I never understood what on earth this person wanted to do, except set me up. Regardless, Papadopoulos does go to Israel. In his version of events, the trip made an impact: [Tawil] puts me in a room with these ex-Israeli intelligence people. I had absolutely no idea why I was in this room. And they were talking to me about some program of theirs that the CIA and the FBI were clients ofthat helped with social-media manipulation. Immediately, when I was stuck in this room with this person and these individuals, I knew I was being framed and I was being entrapped. Because thats not obviously what I was supposed to be doing, when I went to Israel. In Papadopouloss version of events, this would appear to be a tactic of intimidationleading to the sudden offer of money: As soon as that meeting ends, he takes me to a hotel, where Im completely terrified. I was texting my girlfriend at the time, How do I get out of here, I think this guy is going to kill me. Were in a room, and hes like, Come into my room, I need to talk to you. He hands me $10,000 in U.S. $100 bills. Right there and then, I said, If I dont take this money, this guy could possibly kill me, or if I take the money, let me get out of here, leave Israel and just tell him to take his money and never contact me again. And thats exactly what happened. Papadopoulos said he flew back to Greece a couple of days later. Why would you wait for days to leave Israel after that sequence of events? One would assume you would be on the very next flight back. While in Greece, Papadopoulos contacted his lawyers, who were apparently in Greece. Did he previously have legal representation in Greece, did he hire them on the spot, or were they provided through someone else? If so, who? Papadopoulos noted he offered to return the money at that point, some days following the meeting in Israel, but that offer was rebuffed by Tawil. Was this on the advice of his Greek lawyers? Papadopoulos later stated in a Twitter DM that Tawil later asked for the money to be returned after Papadopoulos was sentenced. Papadopoulos has claimed the money was likely marked and offered to turn it over to congressional investigators. If so, the sudden change of heart by Tawil makes some sense, but why would Tawil wait until the point of sentencing to ask for the moneys return? Meanwhile, Tawil has spoken to Scott Stedman, a reporter for Medium. In a Nov. 6, 2018, article, Tawil was quoted as disputing Papadopouloss version of events: I met him when he was out of a job and offered him a job and gave him, on his demand, a loancash, as he requestedbecause he did not have an account in Europe. He mentioned that I am working with Mossad or the FBI or some crap like this. He is a lunatic. According to Tawil, the money was a loan on the request of Mr. Papadopoulos, who was seeking to extend his European honeymoon with his new wife, Simona Mangiante. Tawil said he has copies of emails and WhatsApp communication with George that can prove that he is a liar. Tawil also claimed that Mangiante told him her dad was Swiss. Papadopoulos noted in his interview that he had met her parentstheyre the most Italian people you can possibly imagine. Some reconciling of events is clearly in order. The Arrest of Papadopoulos According to Papadopoulos, he left Greece three or four days after that exchange, leaving the money in the possession of his Greek lawyers. He also appears to have left his fiancee, Mangiante, in Greece. Instead of flying into Chicago, where I understand he lived at that time, Papadopoulos flew into Washington, where he was promptly arrested by the FBI. What transpired in Greece following the Israel meeting with Tawil? What, exactly, did his lawyers instruct him to do? Was Papadopoulos told to leave Greece, and if so, by whom? His Greek lawyers? An official from the United States? Or was this a pre-established return planned before the vacations start? If his return was previously planned, why did Papadopoulos leave his fiancee behind? And why did he fly into Dulles, as opposed to OHare? Papadopoulos has proven fairly descriptive of most events, but his recollection of his arrest seems particularly hazy: Papadopoulos: So, I get to the airport, theres agents waiting for me, Im handcuffed, Ive never been arrested before. And I was thinking, is this all for lying? Bongino: Are you arrested before clearing customs or after? Papadopoulos: Before. Bongino: Did you fill that blue slip outthe customs slip? Papadopoulos: I dont remember, but all I know is I never got to passport control. Bongino: You dont know what happened to that blue slipdid they take it from you? Papadopoulos: I cant remember, I cant remember. Bongino: Do they grab you right off the plane? Papadopoulos: I get on the shuttle train everyones exhaustedI just got off a transatlantic flight. I hadnt slept in about 20 hours. Its probably like 7 oclock at night. And I notice these two guys in crisp suits and ties, and I say these guys are probably agents of some sort. And before I get to passport control, Im basically detained and people are looking through my bagand looking for money, I think. And then, the youre under arrest, kinda thing. Bongino: So, they arrested you right there. Did they talk to you, then arrest youor did they tell you youre under arrest and then interview you? Papadopoulos: Youre under arrest, and then tried to interview me, and then, I just told them I want my lawyer now, because I have no idea whats going on. So everything, you have to understand, this was summer of 2017, before Bongino: Did they show you a warrant? Papadopoulos: No. Bongino: So what were you under arrest for? Papadopoulos: I never understood why I was under arrest until I got in front of the magistrate the next day. There were charges there [lying to the FBI & obstruction]. I never understood why I was being detained or why I was under arrest. In response to further questioning by Bongino, Papadopoulos closed with this: I think Politico wrote an article about this. It was Josh Gersteinwrote some article about it. My understanding, as I said, I had no idea why I was being arrested until the next day in front of the magistrate. I heard lying to the FBI and obstruction. I have to agree with you, I think it was rushed and there was probably a reason for that. I dont know why that happened though. Bonginos questioning regarding Papadopouloss customs declaration is key. Why was Papadopoulos arrested prior to going through customs? If Tawil gave $10,000 to Papadopoulos to serve as an entrapment by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is continuing the FBIs investigation into Russia collusion, why did the FBI arrest Papadopoulos before he crossed customs, since nothing would have been formally declaredunless the Mueller team wanted to prevent any declaration? Special Counsel Mueller Papadopouloss agreement to cooperate with the government was reached swiftlyand with no attorney present. Papadopoulos would later plead guilty to one count of lying to the FBI and was sentenced to 14 days in prison. Mueller noted that Papadopoulos did not provide substantial assistance in the sentencing memorandum. The May 17, 2017, appointment of Mueller as special counsel accomplished one very significant thing: It shifted control of the Russia investigation to Mueller from the FBI and Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein would retain ultimate authority over the probe, and any expansion of Muellers investigation required authorization from Rosenstein. Papadopoulos was arrested on July 27, 2017. This was the same day that Mueller was informed by DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz of the discovery of the existence of the StrzokPage texts. On July 28, 2017, McCabe lied to Horowitz while under oath regarding authorization of the leaking to The Wall Street Journal. At this point, Horowitz knew McCabe was lying to him. One could argue that the arrest of Papadopoulos by the Mueller teambefore he crossed customsseparated the case from McCabe and Strzok. More than anything else, I would like to know what Papadopulos discussed with the Mueller team in the 24 hours following his arrest. I think that set of conversations might hold the key to unlocking the answers to most of the other outstanding questions. Interestingly, Papadopoulos has said little to nothing about Mueller and his team. Perhaps he cant legally do so. One last thing: Papadopoulos has noted there was at least one spy in the Trump campaign. Fusion GPS co-founder Glenn Simpson, who was responsible for hiring Steele, the former British spy, to produce the dossier on Trump, had previously disclosed this in his Senate testimonyalthough he did his best to distance himself from his statements later. Papadopoulos told us this person is known both to himself and to congressional investigators: This is a person that probably no one has really heard of. He was a low-level player, but he was connected to our intelligence people. That information will definitely come out. Congress knows who it is. And Im sure in a report, or whatever theyre going to release, theyll probably be releasing him as a confidential source. The individual also may be identified in Muellers coming report. Recent Media Reports Shed Light on Chinas Influence Over Denmark The Chinese regimes grip on the Danish government has been exposed recently by local media. Some Danish politicians and experts have acknowledged their leaders mistakes in giving into Chinas demands in exchange for trade deals. They have urged the Danish government to stand up against Chinas human rights abuses. In 2012, Denmark signed a lucrative trade deal with China and turned a blind eye to the Chinese regimes record of human rights abuses despite having obtained a classified document (ahead of the trade meeting) that reports on the atrocities. The contents of the document were released to the public in October by Danish media Radio24syv. The Epoch Times reported on Sept. 4 that about 50 Falun Gong practitioners and 150 Tibetans won a lawsuit against the Copenhagen police department. The case was called the Tibet case or the Denmark Police Unconstitutional Case. The 200 people participated in two separate peaceful demonstrationsone in 2012 during a visit by the-then Chinese leader Hu Jintao, and the other in 2013 during a visit by a Chinese delegation. The police violated the law by interfering with the protesters demonstrations (violation of freedom of speech). It was later discovered that the police were following direct orders from the Chinese embassy on how to deal with protesters during state visits by Chinese leaders. Danish media P1 Orientering published on Sept.19 a report about a secret document, dating back to 2004, from the Chinese Embassy that gave direct orders to the Copenhagen Police on how to deal with protesters during a state visit by a Chinese delegation in 2004. The document paid particular attention to adherents of the meditation practice Falun Gong as the main protesters that the police needed to watch out for. Denmark Embassy Reports CCPs Persecution of Dissidents On Oct. 21, Denmarks Radio24syv published a classified document from the Danish Embassy of Beijing. The document, from 2012, was sent to the-then Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt on July 7 of the same year. The five-page document exposes the serious human rights violations by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). It outlined the Chinese regimes use of torture and executions on dissidents; detention and house arrest without trial or conviction; restrictions imposed on ethnic minorities and religious groups; restrictions on freedom of speech and freedom of the press; and severe penalties for any individual who supports independence for Xinjiang and Tibet in western China. The document mentioned the CCPs suppression of human rights lawyers, netizens, and critics, saying: The situation of human rights defenders, including attorneys who raise sensitive petitioners, as well as academics who oppose the current political perception have deteriorated in recent years and this development is likely to continue in the future. The CCP authority will suppress ruthlessly when it feels a threat to its rule or a challenge to its explanations on political or sensitive issues. One week after this document was sent to Thorning-Schmidt, the-then Chinese leader Hu was in Denmark for a state visit. Both countries signed a bilateral trade agreement worth $27.5 billion. Then whats the relation between this secret document and the trade agreement? Andreas Boje Forsby, a researcher of Nordic Institute of Asian Studies at the University of Copenhagen, told Radio24syv that the contents in the document are topics that the Danish cabinet ministers and politicians tried to avoid when they met with the Chinese officials. Peter Kofod Poulsen, member of parliament for the Danish Peoples Party, told Radio24syv in a recent interview, In one hand, (Danish Government) received the document that emphasized the horrible and evil persecution on the Chinese people by the Chinese government. But one week later, the government can sit down and sign the agreement with the Chinese leader who has the absolute power. This is really disgusting. Copenhagen Police Violated the LawThe Tibet Case The Epoch Times reported on Sept. 4 that about 50 Falun Gong practitioners and 150 Tibetans from Denmark and other Nordic countries received DKK 20,000 ($3,100) as compensation from the Copenhagen Police. Danish police had violated the constitution by engaging in the unlawful treatment of protesters from the meditation group Falun Gong and Tibetan rights groups at two separate incidentsone in the 2012 and the other in 2013. The Copenhagen Police issued a press statement on April 18 officially acknowledging that they had made serious mistakes in the handling of the protesters. Around the same time, Justice Minister of Denmark Soren Pape Poulsen, along with the Parliamentary Judiciary Committee, decided that all those who participated in the protests in 2012 and 2013 were also entitled to receive compensation200 were eligible, according to the Copenhagen Police Department. In 2012, when the-then Chinese leader Hu visited Copenhagen, the police used four vehicles to block all the protesters from Hus view. Furthermore, the police took away the Tibetan flags from Tibetan supporters bikes, and arrested six Tibetans who tried to approach Hu. In 2013, when Yu Zhengsheng, the-then chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Committee, was visiting the Amerinburg Palace in Copenhagen, the police took away two Falun Gong practitioners wearing yellow t-shirts. Some Falun Gong practitioners staged a peaceful demonstration at the Palace Square. Soon after, the six Tibetans and the two Falun Gong practitioners filed a lawsuit against the Danish police. In Sept. 2015, the Danish Supreme Court heard the proceedings of the eight parties and demanded the police to provide evidences from the two incidents. In October 2015, the-then Danish Minister of Justice, Soren Pind, received an Operational Instruction from the police. It was a written order from the Chinese Embassy given to the Copenhagen Police. The document stated: The protesters cannot be seen by Hu Jintaos team. Pind then set up a special committee to do a further investigation. The committee reported that the Chinese Embassy repeatedly emphasized to the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs that protesters should not be seen by the Chinese delegation during their visits in the countrythis would guarantee a successful visit and lucrative trade deals. The Danish newspaper Berlingske reported that the amount of goods exported from Denmark to China doubled since 2012. But some experts question Denmarks decision to do business with China despite its record of human rights abuses. Therefore, the Danish government must ask itself whether (the question of China) has chosen the right strategy, said Boje Forsby, a researcher at the Nordic Institute of Asian Studies. The case was called the Tibet case or the Denmark Police Unconstitutional Case. This is the first case in the world in which the judicial department of a country awarded compensation to Falun Gong practitioners. Kofod Poulsen, member of parliament for the Danish Peoples Party, told Radio24syv in an interview, This case has shaken our countrys system, the CCP wants to interfere with all aspects of us. Its not only happening in Denmark, but all around the world. Denmark must be a country that dares to speak freely and publicly. Copenhagen Police Followed Direct Orders from the Chinese Embassy Danish media P1 Orientering reported on Sept.19 that they had received a secret document given to the Copenhagen police department from the Chinese Embassy on how they would handle the visit of Wu Bangguo, the-then Chairman of China National Peoples Congress in 2004. The 13-page document outlined Wus itinerary and the arrangement of police protection during his visit in Denmark from May 31 to June 2, 2004, as well as sensitive information on how to handle protesters. The document stated, An official Chinese visit will be able to produce demonstrations aimed at human rights issues in China. It also mentioned that about 100 Falun Gong adherents from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Germany were expected to meet in Copenhagen to protest, and that the protest should not disrupt the chairmans visit. Wu was scheduled to visit the Little Mermaid, a popular bronze statue displayed on a rock by the waterside at the Langelinie promenade in Copenhagen. The document instructed police to keep the protesters in the dock area, away from the Little Mermaid, where they could not be seen. It mentioned potential protesters from the meditation practice Falun Gong. P1 Orientering interviewed two officers who took a lead role in executing the orders for Wus police protection. We learned from the management to keep the demonstrations a little bit away from our visitors because they do not like some protesters and have a different opinion, said Gunnar Sallov, one of the lead officers. Allan Christensen, the then-director of the radio services team, said it was more about visibility than security. It was clear that they should not be seen by the Chinese VIP because it would be offensive to him. Because you can safely keep them in front of some fences, but you can see through that. So thats the visibility. Forsby said the Danish parliament passed a resolution in 2013 to urge the government to make an effort to improve the human rights situation in China. Our government members have realized that error, and should work hard to improve. Li Chen & Tong Zhen contributed to this report. Following midterm elections, Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp reacts after appearing at his election night party in Athens, Ga., U.S. (Reuters/Chris Aluka Berry) Republican Declares Georgia Governor Win, Democrat Does Not Concede Republican Brian Kemps campaign said on Nov. 7 he had won Georgias high-profile governors race, but Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams vowed not to concede until all ballots were counted. Simply put, it is mathematically impossible for Stacey Abrams to win or force a run-off election, Kemp spokesman Cody Hall said in a statement on the evening of Nov, 7. Brian Kemp will now begin his transition as governor-elect of Georgia. Abrams, 44, is trying to become the first black woman elected governor of a U.S. state. Unofficial results from Nov, 6s election showed Kemp leading by more than 60,000 votes and just over the 50 percent threshold he needs to avoid a runoff under Georgia state law. Abrams campaign manager Lauren Groh-Wargo said there were thousands more mail, provisional and absentee ballots, however, still to be tallied. The Democratic campaign cited an incredible amount of irregularities on Election Day, including rejected ballots and broken voting machines, and said it would consider all options including litigation to ensure a fair election. The Georgia contest was among three dozen governor elections on Nov, 5. In some states, the races were seen as an early test of the parties strength ahead of the 2020 presidential race. Democrats seized seven Republican-held governorships, including in several states that helped deliver Republican President Donald Trumps surprise win in 2016, without suffering any losses. But Republicans triumphed in Florida and Ohio, both swing states that could play an outsized role in 2020. In Florida, Democrat Andrew Gillum lost his attempt to become the states first black governor, suffering a narrow defeat to Republican Ron DeSantis in a racially charged contest. Republicans also scored a major victory in Ohios governor race, where Mike DeWine, the state attorney general, defeated Democrat Richard Cordray. But in Wisconsin, Democrat Tony Evers appeared to pull off a narrow win to deny Republican incumbent Scott Walker a third term. Democrats also won gubernatorial races in three other states Michigan, Pennsylvania and Kansas that supported Trump in 2016. In Michigan, Democrat Gretchen Whitmer turned back Republican Bill Schuette, while in Kansas, Democrat Laura Kelly defeated Kris Kobach, a staunch Trump ally. Democratic candidates also triumphed in Illinois, Maine, New Mexico and Nevada, where Republicans had held the governorships. Every Vote Counted The races in Florida and Georgia were seen as a test of whether liberal candidates could prevail in Southern states, where centrist Democrats have repeatedly lost, by appealing to a coalition of young and minority voters. Both DeSantis and Kemp had strong support from Trump, who traveled to their states in the closing days of the campaigns to energize Republicans at Make America Great Again rallies. Democratic former President Barack Obama swooped in to boost the Democrats. Kemp, 55, oversees elections in his current role as secretary of state, a potential conflict of interest that drew repeated criticism from Democrats during the campaign. He refused to step down from his position and denied Democratic accusations that he used his office to suppress minority voters. The fight for state power received less attention than the battle for control of the U.S. Congress but could have a major impact on issues such as congressional redistricting and healthcare. Governors and hundreds of legislators elected this year will be in office when each state redraws congressional districts after the 2020 Census. Going into Nov. 6, Republicans controlled 33 governors mansions and two-thirds of state legislative chambers. Democrats, playing catch-up after a net loss of 13 governorships and more than 900 state legislative seats during the eight-year Obama administration, fielded their largest slate of legislative candidates in more than three decades. The party flipped six legislative chambers on Nov. 6 and now has complete control of state government in Colorado, New York, Illinois, Maine and New Mexico. By Joseph Ax The Kremlin is reflected in a polished plate of the state-controlled Russian oil giant Rosneft at the entrance of its headquarters in Moscow, on May 17, 2011. (Dmitry Kostyukov/AFP/Getty Images) Rosneft in Stand-Off With Oil Buyers as It Seeks Sanctions Protection MOSCOWRosneft wants its Western oil buyers to accept new terms and pay penalties from 2019 if they fail to pay for supplies in the event that new U.S. sanctions on the Russian energy major disrupt its oil sales, according to trading sources and Rosnefts draft contracts. The buyersincluding some of the worlds biggest oil companies and traders such as BP, Royal Dutch Shell, Total, Vitol, and Gunvorare fiercely opposing the move, according to trading sources. The stand-off is likely to force Rosneft to soften its demands, the sources said, adding that the development shows the extent to which the state-owned oil giant is concerned about widening U.S. sanctions on Russia. It is all very uncertain with the sanctions and Rosneft is clearly worried and is trying to minimize possible risks, said a trading source with a European major. We said no, we couldnt accept this, he added. Rosneft did not immediately respond to a Reuters request comment. BP and Gunvor declined Reuters requests for comment. Shell, Total, Vitol did not respond to Reuters inquiries. Russia has been under U.S. and EU sanctions since 2014 when it invaded Ukraines Crimean peninsula. The sanctions have been repeatedly widened to include new companies and sectors, making it tough for Russian oil firms to borrow money abroad, raise new capital or develop Arctic and unconventional deposits. President Vladimir Putins administration has been hoping for a thaw in relations with the United States since President Donald Trump came to power but Washington has imposed new sanctions instead, including on some of Russias richest people. Russian businesses are preparing for a new wave of sanctions expected in the coming days and months. The firms are trying to diversify away from dollar payments and tapping Asia for more of their financing and technology needs. Rosneft is run by a close ally of Putin, Igor Sechin. He and his company have been under sectoral sanctions since 2014. Rosneft has so far avoided being put on the Special Designated Nationals (SDN) list, which would make it impossible for major Western companies to have dealings with it. When Washington put Russias aluminum giant Rusal on the SDN list earlier this year, the move brought its metals exports to a near standstill and disrupted its access to raw materials from suppliers around the world. Stand Off A Rosneft tender document seen by Reuters showed the company had asked its oil buyers to accept a new clause in its 2019 annual tender to sell oil products. No sanctions shall terminate or amend any obligations of the parties stated by the contract, the document said. It also said that if a buyer walks away from the contract because of sanctions, it must compensate Rosneft with a payment that could either be a fixed amount or a sum calculated on the basis of the contract terms. Currently Rosneft has relatively mild sanction clauses, which say that none of the parties has an obligation to abide by the contract if sanctions are imposed and no penalty is levied. Rosneft is the worlds largest listed oil firm with oil and gas output at around 5 million barrels per day. It produces over 4 percent of global oilon par with Iranand counts all the global oil majors among its buyers. The buyers have insisted on sticking with the old clauses, according to five trading sources. Rosneft has so far said that it could not guarantee to consider buyers bids at tenders as valid unless they accept the new terms. Rosneft will award its annual oil products supply tenders on Dec. 5, according to the tender documents, giving the companies more time to negotiate. By Olga Yagova South Korean Minister: United States Says North Korea Canceled Meeting SEOUL, South KoreaSouth Koreas foreign minister said on Nov. 8, that U.S. officials told Seoul that it was North Korea that canceled nuclear talks this week between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a senior North Korean official. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung Wha provided no reason, aside from busy schedules, for why North Korea canceled the meeting set for Thursday, Nov. 8 in New York that was meant to discuss ridding the North of its nuclear weapons and setting up a second summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. But some analysts say a last-minute cancellationa familiar North Korean tacticcould be aimed at pressuring the United States to agree to a quick Trump-Kim summit because the North thinks it can win major concessions from Trump that lower-level U.S. officials might try to block. The U.S. president has recently appeared to be slowing the pace of diplomacy with North Korea amid signs that Kim is lagging behind in his supposed promise to denuclearize. Before this weeks cancellation, Trump said he wouldnt play a time game with the North over a denuclearization deal, while his national security director, John Bolton, said a second Kim-Trump summit wont happen until 2019. North Korea has yet to comment on the cancellation. Trump and Kim held a summit in June in Singapore, where they announced aspirational goals for a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula without describing how and when it would occur. But North Korea has since insisted that U.S.-led sanctions against it should be lifted before there will be any progress in nuclear negotiations. This has fueled doubts about whether Kim will ever deal away a nuclear program he may see as his strongest guarantee of survival. Washington says the sanctions will remain until North Korea takes concrete steps toward irreversibly and verifiably relinquishing its nuclear weapons. Many officials in the U.S. administration want to take time in setting up a summit because theyre trying to get something more substantial after widespread criticism that Trump made large concessions to Kim in the first summit without getting much in return, said Park Hyeong-jung, an analyst from the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul. This would require that the U.S. and North Korea hammer out details in lower-level talks about what can be exchanged at the next summit, but the cancellation of the meeting between Pompeo and Kim Yong Chol indicates that the two sides remain far apart, Park said. Foreign Minister Kang told lawmakers she planned to discuss the matter with Pompeo over the phone. South Koreas presidential office earlier said that the meetings postponement wouldnt affect the momentum of talks between the United States and North Korea. We were notified by the United States that North Korea explained that [the meeting] should be postponed because both sides have busy schedules, Kang said. I think it would be excessive to read too much into the postponement of the meeting. Trump told reporters at the White House that the United States is in no rush and that the meeting between Pompeo and Kim Yong Chol would be rescheduled. U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said the postponement was purely a scheduling issue but did not elaborate. When asked whether the discord over sanctions has made it more difficult to set up meetings, he said, This has to do with timing as a matterwere talking about scheduling. And Ill leave it at that. Seoul has worked hard to revive nuclear diplomacy between the United States and North Korea that has reduced war fears among South Koreans following a provocative run in North Korean weapons tests and Trumps threats of military action last year. Kim Jong Un shifted to diplomacy early this year and has held three summits with South Korean President Moon Jae-in. North Koreas Foreign Ministry last week criticized the United States for its continued support of sanctions and hinted it may resume nuclear development if the measures arent lifted. By Kim Tong-Hyung The Victims of Communism Memorial in Washington on Nov. 8, 2017. Established by the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, it is a replica of the Goddess of Democracy statue erected during China's Tiananmen Square protests in 1989. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) Virginia, First State to Join Trump in Remembering Victims of Communism The Commonwealth of Virginia had announced that it was joining President Donald Trump and the White House on the National Day for the Victims of Communism, Nov. 7, in commemorating victims of communism. President Trump released a statement on Nov. 7 to commemorate the more than 100 million people who died under oppressive regimes guided by communism, an ideology rooted in atheism and struggle. On the National Day for the Victims of Communism, we honor the memory of the more than 100 million people who have been killed and persecuted by communist totalitarian regimes, the statement said. We also reaffirm our steadfast support for those who strive for peace, prosperity, and freedom around the world. Trump proclaimed Nov. 7 as the National Day for the Victims of Communism last year. Virginia is the first state to follow suit. The state had passed a joint resolution in March 2018 to mark Nov. 7 in 2018 and all succeeding years as Victims of Communism Memorial Day. Virginia has led the charge in being the first legislature to establish a #VictimsOfCommunismDay. Heres why other states should too: https://t.co/ZoijRVFMtX Marion Smith (@smithmarion) November 7, 2018 The Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, a non-profit, says America has never had a day recognizing the victims of communism prior to Nov. 7, 2017. The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), an organization of state legislators in the United States, said that every state across the United States should observe a National Day for the Victims of Communism. The organization released a Model Policy on Victims of Communism Memorial Day on Oct. 4. Lawmakers from Kansas, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Texas have committed to sponsoring similar resolutions in their states, according to ALEC. Millions of Victims Since the Bolshevik Revolution It was 101 years ago, in 1917, that Vladimir Lenin had led a small group of Red Guards to seize the Winter Palace in Russia in what would become known as the Bolshevik Revolution. They formed the first communist government, which lead to decades of torture, starvation, incarceration, unnatural deaths, and the birthing of other communist regimes throughout the world. Today is the anniversary of the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution in Russia. It was the first time Marxism gained political power which proved a disaster for humanity. The tragedy still unfolds in China, Cuba, Laos, North Korea, Vietnam, and now Venezuela. Enough!https://t.co/rG7eZdY1QH Marion Smith (@smithmarion) November 8, 2018 Since the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, we have witnessed the effects of the tyrannical communist ideologyanguish, repression, and death, Trump said in his statement. Communism subordinates inherent human rights to the purported well-being of all, resulting in the extermination of religious freedom, private property, free speech, and, far too often, life. These horrors have included Ukrainians deliberately starved in the Holodomor, Russians purged in the Great Terror, Cambodians murdered in the killing fields, and Berliners shot as they tried to escape to freedom. The victims of these and many other atrocities bear silent testimony to the undeniable fact that communism, and the pursuit of it, will forever be destructive to the human spirit and to the prosperity of mankind, he added. Today, many people still suffer under the iron fist of communist ideologies, including in the socialist state of North Korea with its complex system of labor camps, and in communist China where citizens are indoctrinated with secularism and materialism from birth, and persecuted if they choose to believe in non-state sanctioned ideas, including schools of thought such as Falun Gong, Christianity, Tibetan Buddhism, and Islam. Marion Smith, the executive director of Victims of Communism, thanked the President for his message via Twitter and also noted that Communism is not a bygone phenomenonit continues to grip many nations today. We just published our Third Annual Report on US Attitudes Toward Socialism. It confirms that most Americans still lack a serious understanding of socialism and communism. Read findings here: https://t.co/qL6Vbr4wge pic.twitter.com/G2aua1CgL0 Marion Smith (@smithmarion) November 1, 2018 [The Bolshevik Revolution] was the first time Marxism gained political power which proved a disaster for humanity. The tragedy still unfolds in China, Cuba, Laos, North Korea, Vietnam, and now Venezuela. Enough! Smith wrote in a Twitter post. In the White House statement, Trump said that on the day marking 101 years since the Bolshevik Revolution, we remember all who have been denied the great blessings of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness under oppressive communist regimes. Together, we mourn the unbearable losses so many have endured under communism, and we renew our pledge to continue advancing the cause of freedom and opportunity for all. Watch Next: Communism Is Satanic by Nature Beneath its facade of liberation and equality is a system that aims to destroy the foundations of social harmony, pushing instead an ideology of hatred and struggle. Tesla Names Director Denholm as Chair After Musk Rows Tesla Inc. director Robyn Denholm, a telecoms executive who has worked for Toyota, has been promoted to chairwoman of the electric car company, tasked with regulating billionaire Elon Musks regime after months of turbulence which have worried Wall Street. An Australian accountant, Denholm currently works for telecoms firm Telstra and replaces Musk after he was forced to relinquish the role as part of a deal to head off charges of fraud by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The change in structure at the Silicon Valley firm, agreed to by Musk in a September court settlement, is supported by many on Wall Street who worry that his record of erratic behavior is undermining the companys progress. While she will resign from Telstra to take the role full-time, some analysts expressed concern that she may not be clearly enough removed from Musk to rein in the billionaires public outbursts and bring more order to Tesla. Denholm has been an independent director of Tesla since 2014 and the head of its audit committee. She was paid almost $5 million, mainly in stock options, by the company last year, making her the highest remunerated of its board members. I think an external candidate would have been the better choice, NordLB analyst Frank Schwope said. She is the easiest way for Elon Musk to continue as so far. Musk, who remains Teslas biggest shareholder and the driving force behind its ambitious plans to reshape electric battery technology and car transport, tweeted his approval of the appointment. Teslas court-approved settlement agreement with the SEC requires the company to appoint an independent chairman, although it does not define what it considers to be independent. A key question for the SEC will be whether Denholm can be considered to be independent, given her extensive links to the company. The SEC declined to comment on whether it had approved the appointment of Denholm. Musk, I believe has a ton to do with the selection and he wants to be sure that they can see eye-to-eye, said another analyst, Elazar Capitals Chaim Siegel. Tech Track Record Denholm is currently chief financial officer at Australian telecoms operator Telstra Corp. Ltd. She pumped petrol at her parents filling station before going on to study at Sydney University and joining accountancy firm Arthur Andersen. Since then, she has worked at Swiss power grid maker ABB Ltd., network gear firm Juniper Networks and 1980s and 90s computing giant Sun Microsystems. Telstra CEO, Andy Penn, said when he appointed her: Robyn has a proven track record as a global COO in a business focused on telecommunications networks. She has overseen business model transformation, supply chain, and broader business process re-engineering. She has been a senior executive and director in a range of complex technology environments which make her ideally qualified for the role. While Tesla is finally starting to make good on Musks promises on production of the Model 3 sedan, seen as crucial to the companys future, it has lost senior executives for sales, human resources, manufacturing, and finance in recent months. Its vice president for manufacturing Gilbert Passin was reported last month to have left. CFRA Research analyst Garrett Nelson said it made sense that Tesla should seek to avoid the risk of a genuine outsider clashing with Musk. We view the fact that Denholm has prior industry experience with Toyota positively, he said. The company has seen months of turbulence related to the public behavior of Musk, whose gift for self-promotion has made Tesla one of the worlds most talked-about businesses while causing spats with journalists, analysts, Wall Street investors, and rapper Azealia Banks. He is being sued for calling one of the divers behind this years Thai cave rescue a pedo. According to The Australian, Denholm, 55, says the only things that really disappoint her are rudeness and waste. I dont like people wasting resources, or if people and entities dont live up to their potential. And politeness costs you absolutely nothing. It doesnt matter whether you are the most senior person in the room, or the most junior, she told the paper. She takes over as Teslas chair immediately and will leave her role as CFO and head of strategy at Telstra once her six-month notice period with the company is complete, Tesla said. She was named as Telstras CFO in July. By Pushkala Aripaka The Charity Helping the Underprivileged Put Their Best Foot Forward 100 Suits for 100 Men is changing its customers appearance outside, and in In the heart of Jamaica, Queens, New York, is Emerson School. For the 300-plus middle school students, proficiency in math is 15 percent (state average is 49 percent); in reading and language arts, its 17 percent (state average is 46 percent). But the low academic scores arent a reflection of potential or talent, they suggest a lack of support and care. Kevin Livingston grew up there, and understands the root of the problem. The night before the first day of school, he reached out to his community members from the charity he started, 100 Suits for 100 Men. I need 50 men to show up with me tomorrow morning at 7 a.m. I put this call-out at 6 p.m., Livingston says. I need [them] to show up with me so we can shake hands with these young people, because there was not one man that was there sticking with these young people. Twelve hours later, 70 men were lined up in front of Emerson School shaking hands with, high-fiving, and encouraging the middle schoolers. A dozen police officers were also in line. I was surprised that I had so many cops come out, and I didnt even reach out to them. I dont know how they found out. Its amazing; Im just really humbled, Livingston says. When they respect your work, when you say you need help, they show up. In 2012, Livingston launched the non-profit 100 Suits for 100 Men, collecting suitssome from celebrities like Steve Harvey and Steve Martinand giving them out to help men get jobs. Now the majority of the work they do is the follow-up and personal development work after the dress attire is given. Livingston and his charity are clothing its customers with love, confidence, and the inner fortitude to always put their best foot forward. Legacy Livingston had the fortune of being raised by an amazing father and mother in South Jamaica. The area I grew up in was dicey, however, it was still full of people who were just doing the right thing, he says. His father taught him two core lessons that have shaped who he is today. Treat people like you want to be treated, Livingston says. He admits at the beginning of his new business, through trials and errors, hed fall short at times. But his fathers advice always echoed in his head, which Livingston now takes to heart in everything he does. My father, hes always one for treating people really nicely because you never know who youre encouraging. Secondly, everyday, Livingston was required to show up to work in a suit at his fathers travel agency. I remember being in the back of his travel agency stamping brochures for him but I had to come in with a shirt and a tie, he says. Livingstons mom also helped shape him, though in an entirely different way. My mother is a community organizer by nature [and] an education advocate [She] was really big into the whole seasonal giving and giving back for young people, Livingston says. For example, his mother would rent out daycare centers on Halloween and host parties, so that kids had somewhere to go. Livingston himself got involved in community-building in his youth as well. He would host community poetry shows and do toy drives for kids at domestic violence shelters. Though he was doing good for his community, Livingston also lost focus in high school and eventually dropped out. But he also understood the importance of financial autonomya core tenet of the charity hed later establish. I didnt really lean on my mom because I really want her, and my family, to know that I really want to build my own legacy and carry on my familys legacy, he says. Best Foot Forward Livingston got his GED and went to work full-time, landing a job at a stock brokerage firm on Wall Street. Hed make 700 phone calls a day to qualify just 20 leads. I learned a lot from them in regards to persistence and drive, he says. He also learned how to blend into the worlds most powerful financial district. They always taught us to act as if [we belonged], he says. I know what it feels like to go into a train or walk around Manhattan in a suit and look as though you fit in. Later on, Livingston worked at a bank in an area known for gangs. He saw young men who were confident, but society was pushing them away, not wanting to engage with them. He wondered how he could open a door of conversation and begin to change the narrative between these men and the community. I remember how I felt in a suit, Livingston says. Theres nothing better than a well-dressed man knowing what you want to do, and part of knowing what you want to do is feeling the part. Livingston started collecting suits, and giving them outa pull-in to be able to start a new conversation. Thats how 100 Suits for 100 Men began, which later became an official 501c3 charity. The suits are for interviews, and for morale and self-esteem boosters, he says. When a new customer comes in, the first step is the charitys boutique experiencea free suit, shirt, tie, shoes, and even a tailor to make sure everything is tip-top. Hes now expanded to also helping women, so men and women can both get an outfit, and a haircut as well. I believe that every customer that comes in our doors deserves an experience, not just receiving a suit, he says. Part of the boutique experience is simply listening to what the customer needs help with, and giving simple encouragement. Hey, brother. Youre a good, man Those simple words change the whole narrative, the whole ball game, Livingston says. 85 percent of what the charity does is done after the customer gets suited up, such as seeing a job developer at the boutique. Then, daily follow ups to make sure he or she makes progress finding work and stays on track. We have many relationships in terms of employment that our customers see right after they come out of 100 Suits, Livingston says. 100 Suits is also fully integrated into the local community. In addition to its two boutique stores, there are pop-up shops, and programming five days a week in Rikers Island, the citys main jail complex, and at Horizon Juvenile Center, a maximum security facility in the Bronx. Livingston says the feedback he gets from people who have gone through 100 Suits means the world to [him.] One gentleman recently posted on social media that hed never go back to his life of crime. Livingston posted a reply, Much love and respect. Keep moving forward. The man replied back, Kevin, its people like you that believed in me that helped me go forward. While Livingston has been deemed a hero by his supporters for founding this charity, he stays humble. The community is the owner Im here for the service to people, he says. You may find me on a corporate board, or in big time Manhattan, but where youre guaranteed to find me is amongst the people. J.H. White is an arts, culture, and mens fashion journalist living in New York. Thousand Oaks Shooter Ian David Long Was Weird Loner, Ex-Roommate Claims A former roommate of Ian David Long, identified as the gunman who shot and killed 12 people in California, claimed he was a weird loner. I think Ive actually gone there with him one time, Blake Winnett, who was his roommate in 2012 and 2014, said of Long and the bar. He was kind of weird. He always locked himself in his room, he was always by himself, he told the New York Post. I didnt really know him very well. Winnett said he knew Long served two to three tours overseas in the U.S. Marine Corps. Winnett described long as not the best roommate. He didnt want to help anyone do anything. He was just lazy, I guess, Winnett told the paper. When he was asked to take out the garbage, Thats not my [expletive] job, Winnett said. California shooter Ian David Long was weird loner, danced in garage https://t.co/C7u2uOCYHb pic.twitter.com/ETe4fOsLgh New York Post (@nypost) November 8, 2018 He wasnt violent but he was mean, he told the paper. He would go to the gym and then he would, I guess, try to learn dance moves or something. He would close the garage and be playing music and dancing in there, like sweating. I would open the garage and would be like, What are you doing? In the interview, Winnett said he hasnt spoken to Long in years. 28-year-old David Ian Long Suspected of Killing at Least 12 People at Thousand Oaks Bar https://t.co/qUEDhtSTqL TMZ (@TMZ) November 8, 2018 Its been so long since I talked to him. I tried reaching out to him before, he said. People can change. I just dont know why I cant see really any information on why he would do something like that. Thats crazy. Im blown away. Officials said Long opened fire at the Borderline bar in Ventura County. Hes also accused of gunning down Ventura County Sheriffs Deputy Sgt. Ron Helus. Police said they found Longs body inside the bar, dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Mental Health Evaluation? In April 2018, mental health specialists spoke with Long and had discussed his military service before asking him whether he had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). But they ultimately determined he wasnt a danger to himself or others, The New York Times reported. They also said he couldnt involuntarily be taken to a mental hospital under the California 5150 law code for the temporary, involuntary psychiatric commitment of individuals who present a danger to themselves or others due to mental illness, the report said. Sheriff Geoff Dean told reporters that in the April 2018 incident, officers were called to his home due to a disturbance. Meanwhile, Long was the victim of a 2015 bar fight in Thousand Oaks. It was a different bar, the paper reported. When the officers went in and made re-entry, they found him already deceased, Dean told 6ABC. He was found inside an office just adjacent to the entry to the bar. Obviously, he had something going on in his head that would cause him to do something like this. So he obviously had some sort of issues, the sheriff added. The shooters motive is not yet known, police said. Thousand Oaks Shooting: Gunman Is Dead, Police Confirm Ventura County Sheriff Sgt. Eric Buschow said the gunman suspected of carrying out a mass shooting in a Southern California country bar is dead. The unnamed gunman opened fire at the Borderline Bar and Grill around midnight on Wednesday, Nov. 7, injuring at least 11 people. Buschow indicated that among those victims there were fatalities, but he did not indicate how many, according to ABC7. Its been a rough night for all of us, Buschow said, according to the report. A deputy sheriff and a doorman were among the wounded. The shooter reportedly stormed into the venue wearing a black trench coat, armed with smoke grenades and a firearm with a high-capacity magazine. A sheriffs captain told reporters at the scene that the status of the injured was unclear. I cant tell you what the status of any of those that were shot is at this point, said Ventura County Sheriffs Office Capt. Garo Kuredjian. Its still very fluid, and I hope to give you guys updates in terms of both the number and the status of the shooter. OFFICIAL INFORMATION FROM CAPTAIN GARO KUREDJIAN OF THE VENTURA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. AT LEAST 6 VICTIMS, INCLUDING ONE OFFICER, THREAT NOT CONFIRMER NEUTRALIZED AT THIS TIME. CALL CAME IN AT 11:20 PST https://t.co/Tp5AextXLh Jeremy Childs (@Jeremy_Childs) November 8, 2018 Hundreds of people were inside the bar when the shooting occurred, the Los Angeles Times reported. Law enforcement and emergency crews flooded the scene and police urged the public to avoid the area. A witness told ABC Los Angeles station KABC-TV that he saw a security guard get shot, adding that the gunman appeared to use a big handgun and smoke grenades. The gunman was throwing smoke grenades all over the place, a different witness told KABC. I saw him point to the back of the cash register and he just kept firing. I ran out the front door. There was probably three or four [shots]. I hit the ground. I look upthe security guard is dead. Well, I dont want to say he was dead, but he was shot. He was down. The Ventura County Fire Department tweeted, Please stay away from area. Active law enforcement incident. Multiple injuries reported. Details still being determined. Multiple ambulances requested. #OaksInc: Ongoing active shooter incident reported at Borderline in @CityofTO . Please stay away from area. Active law enforcement incident. Multiple injuries reported. Details still being determined. Multiple ambulances requested. @VCFD pic.twitter.com/4X3b8KMisc VCFD PIO (@VCFD_PIO) November 8, 2018 Kuredjian confirmed at a news conference early Thursday, Nov. 8 that a sheriffs deputy was taken to a hospital suffering from gunshot wounds, but did not provide information on the extent of the victims injuries. The sheriffs spokesman said the first reports of shots fired came around 11:20 p.m. at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, which is about 40 miles west of Los Angeles. He said responding deputies could hear gunshots as they arrived on scene. Witnesses told ABC News that a man fired several shots from a handgun before tossing smoke bombs and starting to fire again. The gunman used a semi-automatic weapon in the attack, according to the Ventura County Star. Police told the Los Angeles Times that at least 30 shots were fired. The bar is a country-themed bar known for its large dance floor and live music events, according to its website. With over 2,500 square feet of wide open dance floor, Borderline has provided a haven for country line dancing folks of all ages equipped with pool tables, the website says. Over the years, Borderline has hosted many legendary performances such as The Beach Boys, John Rich, Collin Raye, Mark Chesnutt, Lee Brice, Adam Carolla, and Tyler Farr to name a few. The Associated Press contributed to this report. To Counter China, Australia Plans $2B Pacific Infrastructure Fund SYDNEYAustralia will create a $2 billion fund to provide loans to Pacific nations to build infrastructure, Prime Minister Scott Morrison is expected to announce on Nov. 8 as Canberra seeks to counter Chinas influence in the region. Australia and China have been vying for influence in sparsely populated Pacific island countries that control vast swathes of resource-rich oceans. China has spent $1.3 billion on confessional loans and gifts since 2011 to become the Pacifics second-largest donor after Australia, stoking concern in the West that several tiny nations could end up overburdened and in debt to Beijing. To counter, Morrison plans to announce that Australia will renew its focus on the Pacific, primarily through a new infrastructure fund. This $2 billion infrastructure initiative will significantly boost Australias support for infrastructure development in Pacific countries and Timor Leste, according to a speech Morrison is due to deliver in the state of Queensland and seen by Reuters. It will invest in essential infrastructure such as telecommunications, energy, transport, water, and it will stretch our aid dollars further. Foreign policy analysts say Australias new infrastructure fund will test Australias already cool relations with China, its largest trading partner. This announcement will be a gauge of whether Australia can improve relations with Beijing while doing things that would have previously annoyed China, said Nick Bisley, professor of international relations at Melbournes La Trobe University. Ties between the two countries have been strained since Australia accused China of meddling in its domestic affairs late last year. Australias Foreign Minister Marise Payne will on Nov. 8 meet her Chinese counterpart in Beijing, the first visit by a senior Canberra in two years after bilateral relations soured. Australia has already this year pledged to develop several infrastructure projects in the Pacific but it has been forced to raid its aid budget to fund the projects. In May, Australia said it would spend about $200 million to develop an undersea internet cables to Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the Solomon Islands amid national security concerns about Chinas Huawei Technologies Co Ltd [HWT.UL]. Earlier this month, Australia said it would help PNG develop a naval base, beating out China as a possible partner for the port development. By Colin Packham A worker checks aluminum rolls at a warehouse inside an industrial park in Binzhou, Shandong Province, China on April 7, 2018. (China Daily via Reuters) US to Impose New Duties on Chinese Aluminum Sheet Products WASHINGTONThe U.S. Commerce Department on Nov. 7 said it would impose final anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on Chinese common alloy aluminum sheet products of 96.3 percent to 176.2 percent. The decision marks the first time that final duties were issued in a trade remedy case initiated by the U.S. government since 1985. The Trump administration has promised a more aggressive approach to trade enforcement by having the Commerce Department launch more anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on behalf of private industry. We will continue to do everything in our power under U.S. law to restrict the flow of dumped or subsidized goods into U.S. markets, said Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in a statement. The final aluminum sheet duties, however, were reduced from those first imposed in April and July. The initial combined range was 198.4 percent to 280.46 percent. In 2017, imports of common alloy aluminum sheet from China were valued at an estimated $900 million, the Commerce Department said. The flat-rolled product is used in transportation, building and construction, infrastructure, electrical and marine applications. The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) is scheduled to make its final injury determinations on Dec. 20 after it voted 4-0 in January to authorize the investigation. U.S. aluminum industry firms including Aleris Corp, Arconic Inc, Constellium NV, Jupiter Aluminum Corp, JW Aluminum Company and Novelis Corp testified in December 2017 about what they termed a surge in low-priced, unfairly traded imports of common alloy sheet from China. The firms said the volume of aluminum sheet product imports had increased by nearly 750 percent over the last decade and by more than 91 percent between 2014 and 2017. This resulted in significant market share gains by Chinese imports at the direct expense of the U.S. industry. Heidi Brock, president and CEO of the Virginia-based Aluminum Association, said in a statement the body and its members were extremely pleased with the decision. Chinas aluminum exports fell by 3.6 percent from September to around 531,000 tons in October, the lowest since May, according to customs data released on Thursday. U.S. President Donald Trump slapped 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum in the spring. He said dumping of the metals, from countries such as China, decimated domestic producers and Americas falling capability to produce its own steel created a national security risk, he argued. The 10 percent tariff on $250 billion of Chinese goods was a retaliation against Chinas rampant theft of American trade secrets, forced transfer of know-how, and other trade violations. The tariff is slated to increase to 25 percent on Jan. 1, 2019, unless the two countries can come to an agreement. The steel tariffs have rejuvenated the American steel industry, but they have also put producers who depended on imported steel in a tough spot. U.S. companies have filed over 37,000 requests for exemption from the tariffs, forcing the Commerce Department to hire more people to handle them. By David Lawder & David Shepardson. Epoch Times staff Petr Svab contributed to this report. What We Know About Ian David Long, California Bar Shooter Former U.S. Marine Ian David Long has been named as the suspect who shot and killed 12 people in a Southern California bar before turning the gun on himself on Nov. 7. In April of this year, mental health specialists who spoke with Long discussed his military service and asked him whether he had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They determined he wasnt a danger to himself or others, The New York Times reported. They also said he couldnt involuntarily be taken to a mental hospital under the California 5150 law code for the temporary, involuntary psychiatric commitment of individuals who present a danger to themselves or others due to mental illness. Defense Department records show he was on active duty with the U.S. Marine Corps from August 2008 to March 2013. Sheriff Geoff Dean said that in the April incident, officers were called to his home due to a disturbance. Meanwhile, Long was the victim of a 2015 bar fight in Thousand Oaks. It was a different bar, the paper reported. Officials told reporters that Longs body was found inside the Thousand Oaks bar. They also recovered a Glock .45-caliber handgun at the scene. When the officers went in and made re-entry, they found him already deceased, Dean told 6ABC. He was found inside an office just adjacent to the entry to the bar. Obviously, he had something going on in his head that would cause him to do something like this. So he obviously had some sort of issues, the sheriff added. Dean said the shooters motive is not clear and is unsure if theres a connection between the bar and Long. #BREAKING: Photo of Thousand Oaks shooting suspect Ian David Long, a Marine veteran https://t.co/7EHNjj027E pic.twitter.com/SM5aNguZ3v KTLA (@KTLA) November 8, 2018 When he entered the bar, witnesses said he was clad in black and was wearing glasses. He began suddenly firing. I started hearing these big pops. Pop, pop, pop. There was probably three or four, I hit the ground, John Hedge was quoted by CNN as saying. This guy just came out of nowhere and came out with a gun and shot people in Thousand Oaks, California, Holden Harrah told CNN. And thats whats really blowing my mind, its a really safe area. I heard a gunshot, I turned around and I saw him shoot a couple more times, California Lutheran University student Teylor Whittler was quoted by KABC as saying. Within a split second, everybody yelled get down. A sheriffs sergeant, Ron Helus, was shot and killed in the incident. Local officials described him as a hero who tried to stop the massacre. President Donald Trump wrote on Twitter: God bless all of the victims and the families of the victims. I have been fully briefed on the terrible shooting in California. Law Enforcement and First Responders, together with the FBI, are on scene. 13 people, at this time, have been reported dead. Likewise, the shooter is dead, along with the first police officer to enter the bar, he wrote. Great bravery shown by police. California Highway Patrol was on scene within 3 minutes, with first officer to enter shot numerous times. That Sheriffs Sergeant died in the hospital. God bless all of the victims and families of the victims. Thank you to Law Enforcement, the president added. BRIDGEPORT A 28-year-old man who received six gunshot wounds Halloween night has died, police say. The victim was identified as David Belle and he died at St. Vincents Medical Center Tuesday night. After he was shot, police and family members were hopeful that he would pull through. He underwent extensive surgeries; his spleen, a kidney and part of his liver were removed, police said. In that Halloween shooting incident, a 41-year-old woman died, a victim who wasnt the intended target, detectives said. She was identified as Myoshi Bagley, and she was the mother of two. Police Chief Armando Perez said earlier that detectives are sifting through clues and theyre hoping that an arrest will be made soon. The chief said that video footage is aiding investigators in their hunt for whos responsible. This was the eighth homicide in Bridgeport so far this year. jburgeson@ctpost.com NORWALK The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk has chosen a former community banking executive from Easton to serve as its new president and chief executive officer. Maureen Hanley, a businesswoman with extensive professional and charitable involvement in Fairfield County, was chosen by the aquarium board of trustees executive committee. Shell start work Nov. 12 and focus, among other things, on keeping the aquariums doors open to visitors as the state replaces the Walk Bridge over the Norwalk River. The Walk Bridge project wont define or consume the Maritime Aquarium. We will do more than just get through this. We will thrive, Hanley said in a statement. The aquarium has developed an excellent response that ensures the high level of animal care and guest experience that our visitors have come to expect. Im excited to see this through, but to also seek new inspiring ways to tell the Aquariums story about Long Island Sound and to deepen the connections between our guests and our animals. The state plans begin replacing the bridge, which bisects the aquarium, in late 2019 and raze the IMAX Theater to stage the project. Hanley, a former community-banking executive who specialized in commercial lending, worked as a senior vice president-team leader of United Bank. She previously was vice president, head of commercial real estate, at Fairfield County Bank and senior vice president and co-chairwoman of the SNE Diversity Council for Commerce Bank/TD Bank. During her 24-year banking career, she negotiated billions of dollars in loans for commercial and residential projects in Fairfield and Westchester counties, and received numerous industry awards and recognition, according to the aquarium. The selection process for a new president began earlier this year when Brian Davis announced he would return to the Georgia Aquarium. The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk enlisted global executive-recruiting firm Korn Ferry to help find a replacement for him. The aquarium boards executive committee chose Hanley unanimously at a meeting Wednesday. Board Chairman Michael Widland said the aquarium will benefit from Hanleys extensive business experience in finance, construction and change management as well as her broad connections in the community. For years, Maureen has been an asset to Fairfield County in so many ways, and were thrilled to say that she is now the Maritime Aquariums asset, Widland said in the statement. She knows the aquarium; she knows this community; she knows the people; she has celebrated leadership skills; and she understands the issues facing the aquarium in the next few years. In addition to her banking work, Hanley is a past president and Women of the Year of the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Fairfield County; a board member and vice president of the Cardinal Shehan Center in Bridgeport; former director of the Womens Business Development Council in Stamford; and former chairwoman of the Housatonic Community College Good Citizen Luncheon. She volunteers with the Bridgeport Rescue Mission, Special Olympics, United Way, St. Vincents Medical Center Swim Across the Sound, and the Human Services Council of Norwalk. She founded the leadership council for both the Norwalk and Stamford chambers of commerce, according to the aquarium. Hanleys arrival comes as the Connecticut Department of Transportation prepares to replace the 122-year-old rail bridge and tear down the IMAX Theater. In response to the multi-year construction project, the aquarium negotiated with state and federal officials an agreement to build a functional replacement of the theater and relocate and fortify elements of the aquarium that will be lost or impacted. Hanley will be the eighth president of the Aquarium and third woman to lead the institution, which opened in 1988, houses sharks, seals, sea turtles, river otters, jellyfish and other animals, and draws up to 500,000 visitors to Norwalk annually. A mother of three, she said visits to the aquarium have been a tradition for her family. While my new task is to understand and lead the aquarium as its president I also know it as a mother, Hanley said. I know the impact it can have on one child, and on a classroom of students. We will continue to pursue those life-changing experiences for individual children, and in ways that continue to help close the achievement gap in our schools. Hanley was born on Long Island, grew up in New Fairfield, and graduated from the University of Connecticut, according to the aquarium. The UNs Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recently issued a stern warning: End humanitys dependence on fossil fuels within a decade or become directly responsible for not halting irreversible climate change. Related: #5 Ways Through Which Biotech Entrepreneurs are Going to Enhance Human Lives Clearly we have to pay attention to climate change. And, here, one of the biggest areas we can change is the power sector; that's because, currently, 33 percent of the worlds power comes from oil, while coal is responsible for 28 percent, and natural gas, 24 percent. Cutting out fossil fuels and switching to cleaner, renewable sources of energy could do a lot to impact climate change, but we may need to rethink some parts of our power grid. Power grids in industrialized countries were developed to convey a steady stream of electricity to as many people as possible and provide that steady stream of energy in the most reliable way possible. While that was certainly a noble cause, the architects of this system failed to take into account that such ease of use would result in ever-increasing demand for power, which would in turn result in tons of carbon dioxide being dumped into our atmosphere every year. In the United States alone, 35 percent of CO2 emissions comes from power generation. Now we know better, but doing better isnt looking as easy. Today, decades after scientists first sounded the alarm bells about climate change, alternatives to coal and oil are still costly and have poor adoption rates. Worldwide, only 3 percent of our power comes from renewable sources, 7 percent from hydroelectricity, and a measly 0.2 percent from solar. Solar adoption is on the rise, but it can be cost prohibitive for many people. Just a few solar panels can power an entire home or office, and 1 gigawatt of solar power generation can prevent 690 metric tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere. But even a standard system for a small house can cost an average of $13,188, while a system for a large house can be more than $20,000. And even at those prices, there are complications and regulatory hurdles that can make the cost savings negligible, further discouraging adoption. What Europe is doing to further blockchain's positive impact on the environment Already in Europe, there are multiple villages in the Netherlands where blockchain technology is being used to generate, share and store renewable energy among the homes, each of which has different combinations of energy production technology. Residents have solar panels, heat pumps and more and are governed independently of the main power grid. So far, these power co-ops are able to produce about 90 percent of the power residents need, drastically reducing their reliance on fossil fuels. In Europe, too, Eurelectric, the trade association of electric distribution operators for the continent, has been monitoring blockchains progress in modernizing the power grid and recently released a report about its findings. The report concluded that asset ownership of the power grid would remain an important task, and blockchain technology would be unlikely to change that aspect of the electric companies' business model. What blockchain could do Blockchain could, however, impact the generation side of power distribution. In fact, in 2017, a pilot program was launched using IBMs blockchain framework to stabilize the power grid in Europe, a first step in incorporating renewable and clean energy solutions into the power grid. One of the main problems with implementing new sources of power generation is that they can be unpredictable in the volume of power they will output in a given day. That means that on a cloudy day, a power grid would have to be able to shift from solar to an alternate source or battery backup. This is where blockchain smart grids come in handy on dumb existing power distribution networks -- the smart grid can tell when there is a shortfall in one part and switch sources without the need for constant human intervention. Related: 5 Industries Likely to Be Disrupted by Blockchain In undeveloped areas of the world, blockchain smart power grids can be used to solve the "last mile" problem in universal power adoption, by pulling power from multiple nearby sources. It can also give people the power to choose where their energy is coming from. Users on smart power distribution grids can choose how much of their power to gain from renewable sources based on market availability, cost, reliability and other factors. This is an alternative to just relying on power distribution operators to sell them whatever those operators are generating. Smart grids can also help people make the most efficient use of their resources by forecasting energy needs and storage use. Want to learn more about the potential of blockchain smart power grid technology to move your business forward? Check out this infographic from Lition: Related: Power to the People: How Energy Works on the Blockchain and Why Entrepreneurs Should Pay Attention Using Blockchain as a Financial Settlement Layer Europe Is a Leader in Blockchain Adoption Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved For more than half a century, documentary-maker Frederick Wiseman has observed American life from a discreet distance, creating visual and aural essays that fall into a felicitous middle ground between reportage and sheer poetry. His films have had impact: Wiseman's debut, "Titicut Follies," which exposed inhuman conditions at a New York state mental-health facility, spurred an outcry for immediate reform. But Wiseman's films are wondrously free of polemic or explicit agendas, which makes them that much more stealthily effective. "Monrovia, Indiana" stands as an exceptionally straightforward, four-square example of Wiseman's strategy. Filmed in the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election, the film takes viewers to the kind of rural Midwestern town that tipped that race: small (pop. 14,443), largely white, deeply religious and unsure what the future holds in an economic context of technological and cultural change. Rest assured, "Monrovia, Indiana," never invokes partisan politics. As usual, Wiseman simply trains his camera on what he deems important, creating a closely observed portrait of a community by way of still images and scenes captured on a static, dispassionate camera. The film's opening scene, of rolling cropland, handsome farmhouses, gentle-eyed cows and empty roads, could easily be accompanied by a soaring score by Aaron Copland. Wiseman doesn't go in for such dramatics: His only soundtrack is the sound of rustling leaves, chirping birds and occasional conversations among the citizens he keeps at a respectful arm's length. The result is a classic on a par with "Winesburg, Ohio" and "Our Town," a narrow slice of contemporary American life that manages to be both admiring, yet capable of polite skepticism. Wiseman never takes us into those stately clapboard homes behind neatly trimmed lawns. Instead, he captures life in public, as people go to school, get their hair cut, shop at the supermarket, have a cup of coffee at the corner cafe, wrestle with development issues at a town council meeting and honor a longtime member of the Monrovia Masonic Lodge with a ceremony recognizing 50 years of service. Because Wiseman declines to interview his subjects, a few questions go unanswered, because they're unasked. There's an unmistakable subtext to a contentious debate involving a subdivision called Homestead, for example, that's never fleshed out or explored. On the other hand, the lack of people speaking directly to the camera means that the audience will be spared the kind of rambling, self-justifying speeches that pass for too much national reporting in a world gone MAGA. Instead, we're simply afforded the privilege of watching people whose self-reliance and sense of mutual obligation can also be seen through a lens of insularity; whose spiritual practices are clearly deeply restorative but also self-righteously paternalistic; and whose pride in their roots as the breadbasket of the country is at odds with a Big Agricultural operation that is both a lifeline and a force for creeping alienation. "Monrovia, Indiana" may not be about politics, but it's a deeply political film. Rather than probe or interrogate, it presents a carefully crafted image of civic life that, in some ways, reflects society at large and, in other ways, exemplifies what's being left behind as that society inevitably changes. Like all of Wiseman's films, "Monrovia, Indiana" possesses almost meditative power. Deliberately paced, it accrues emotion and meaning in direct proportion to viewers' willingness to let it flow through them and, perhaps, leave them permanently changed. --- Three and one-half stars. Unrated. Contains some bloody images at a veterinarian's office. 143 minutes. Ratings Guide: Four stars masterpiece, three stars very good, two stars OK, one star poor, no stars waste of time. Edwardsville Over two dozen artists pieces are currently a part of the Edwardsville Arts Centers Hybridity exhibit, available for viewing through Nov. 24. This juried show, curated by Joe Page and Brigham Dimick, is about art that explores mixture or hybridity. This can include art forms that derive from cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary art practices as well as art that deliberately blurs the distinctions between traditional mediums. EAC Gallery Manager Carolyn Tidball explained that this juried show drew artists from all over the country. We have a lot of local artists. A lot of St. Louis artists as well as people from as far as Kentucky and New York. People applied from all over and shipped their work out here. Artists participating in the show include Bill Abendroth, Danielle Muzina, Susan Kunz, Dali Zheng, Cyane Tornatzky, William Harroff, Brittany Rhodes, Tracy Welling, Kira Friedrich, Steve Hartman, Jennifer Brown, Shane Rodems, Sara Drower, Jenny Kettler, Nicole Miller, Snail Scott, Layla Zubi, Sarah Marshal, Natalie Lowe, Sarah Walker, Juan Restrepo, Haley Inyart, Ginger Rasmussen, Joseph Ovalle, Catherine Morgan, and Dan Van Tassel. Tidball noted that the Best of Show Award, $150 in cash, was awarded to Dan Van Tassel for his piece Projecting. Its on several pedestals in the middle of the gallery. His piece is made of all kinds of things including resin, glass bulbs, cicada shells, dried flowers, and thread. Its definitely a mixed media piece, she said. Van Tassel described in his artist statement what influenced him to make what proved to be the winning piece. I am fascinated with how human beings interpret information, particularly when presented with a situation or idea that requires them to break their preconditioned notions of what the reality of an object or situation is, he wrote. The ways which we interact with one another and the environment which we exist in is a curiosity to me. This curiosity is furthered in how each of these elements affects the other. These relationships exist in their most primal state through the notion that what we do affects where we exist, but where we exist can also affect what we do, Van Tassel further noted. The focus of my interest in this relationship lies in the what if which is unique to human perception. Van Tassel pointed out that through this psychology of connection, a narrative is formed in the work. By displaying works which have this implied narrative quality, I hope to create visual tension, as well as to speak to a particular metaphor unique to each individual work, he added. On the surface, the works I create are playful and beg for interaction. While at the same time they are also provocative, and at times even repulsive in their content. It is my intention to utilize these elements of our humanity to emphasize the beauty in how humans interpret information, including information that can make us feel uncomfortable. Hybridity will be on display in the main gallery of the Edwardsville Arts Center through Nov. 24. Concurrently in the student gallery, art made by students from local private schools is on display. The EAC, located at 6165 Center Grove Road in Edwardsville, is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and is closed Sunday through Tuesday. EDWARDSVILLE Results from Tuesday nights midterm election have leaders of both major political parties in Madison County pondering the political leanings of their county. A number of Republican candidates carried the county, including incumbent Gov. Bruce Rauner, who was beaten soundly by Chicago Democrat JB Pritzker in the statewide race. Republican challengers Erika Harold and Jim Dodge, running for Illinois Attorney General and Treasurer, respectively, also won the county despite losing the bigger picture. But locally, two Democratic candidates for state legislature won election on the strength of Madison County votes, as incumbent Monica Bristow and upstart Rachelle Aud Crowe defeated Republican challenger Mike Babcock and Downstate United Party candidate Hal Patton for the area state Representative and Senate seats, respectively. It was a year that women did particularly well, and it showed in Madison County, said Mark Von Nida, the Madison County Democratic Party Chairman, regarding his thoughts on Tuesdays results. Von Nida answered his phone from the side of a roadway while picking up signs that were campaigning for people like Bristow. While he says hes happy with the results, hes most excited about voter turnout. Turnout was incredible, Von Nida said. I consider that an effort on the Democratic parties side to get people out to vote early we really worked hard with the state to get people out there. Von Nida said that his team was more focused on getting people to the polls than it was about who they were voting for. He claims that there were a few races he wished would have gone the other way, but overall he felt great about it. He went on to say with the trend in the counties right leaning voting pattern, he wasnt particularly shocked about any of the election results. Jeremy Plank, Madison County Republican Chairman, felt a little differently. Im a little disappointed with the results, but looking at the big picture we feel pretty good. We had some pretty big wins and we were able to maintain majority on the county board, Plank said. Local results will bring a few new faces to the Madison County Board, but little will change in the dynamic of the now- Republican-dominated board. Before the election, the board was split 15 Republican, 12 Democrat and 1 Independent, who usually aligned with Democrats. Two incumbent board members, Democrat Art Asadorian and Republican James Futrell, were defeated Tuesday, and Independent Robert Pollard switched to the Democratic party. Chris Hankins was elected to fill Helen Hawkins seat in the 16th District, and Chris Guy won the seat now occupied by Lisa Ciampoli, who did not run this year. This will not be a major change like the year before, said Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler. Not much unlike the rest on the counties political swift, last year, the board switched from being dominated by 18 Democrats and the sitting board chairman to the current configuration. We had a lot of new county board members, Prenzler added. That was a major change, this is not a big change. The split remains 15 Republicans and 13 Democrats. However, Asadorian, who came from what was traditionally a very strong Democratic area, was one of those Democrats who was often sharply critical of Prenzler. Art has never been mean-spirited with me, Prenzler said. Yes weve disagreed on issues but weve had a fine personal relationship. Another issue is the continued absence of Alton Democrat Jim Dodd. Because of health issues, Dodd, who ran unopposed in the Nov. 6 election, has only attended four County Board meetings since March 2017, and several times his absence on various committees has created problems from all of his board committees to avoid problems with having quorums. Currently, both Von Nida and Plank say their candidates have no intention of challenging results at this time, however both Babcock and Michael Sabolo Jr. of Madison County Board District 15 could challenge results as they both lost be a margin of less than five percent. Reach reporter Riley Newton at 618-208-6460. The incoming administration inherits a fiscal mess that some experts have said is beyond repair. One metaphor that comes to mind is some people have the best seats on the Titanic, said Bill Bergman, research director at Truth in Accounting. Bergman said the state is saddled with more than $200 billion of unfunded state employee retirement liabilities and more than $7 billion in backlogged bills. After a 15-point victory over incumbent Gov. Bruce Rauner, Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker said Tuesday that he wants responsible budgets. Bergman said that could be code for tax increases. Pritzker said during the campaign that he wanted to lower taxes for the middle class, but repeatedly refused to say who would have to pay more to straighten out the states financial problems and fund his plans for new spending. One of the challenges facing any quote responsible budget unquote looking ahead is the possibility that raising taxes and raising tax rates is like squeezing blood from a stone if people are leaving because theyre concerned about future tax increases, Bergman said. Bergman said Illinois has led the nation in outbound migration because taxpayers arent stupid. Illinois had a temporary tax increase that kicked in in 2011. It scaled back in 2015, the year Rauner took office. Lawmakers then passed a budget that was billions in the red, which Rauner vetoed. That began a historic two-and-a-half year budget impasse. Only after lawmakers gathered enough votes to override Rauners budget veto and pass a permanent tax increase in 2017 did the impasse end. Rauner then enacted a budget in 2018 that used all of the revenue from the $5 billion income tax increase he had vetoed. That budget still was unbalanced, despite the additional revenue. On the campaign trail, Pritzker blamed Rauner for the budget impasse, even though Democrats were responsible for holding things up for part of that time. Pritzker also campaigned on ushering in a progressive income tax, also known as a graduated income tax, where the rates differ on how much the taxpayer makes a year. Pritzker called it a fair tax, saying it should increase taxes on the wealthy and cut taxes for the middle class. He refused to provide details about what the rate structure would look like despite repeated questions. The state is constitutionally required to tax income at a flat tax rate, right now 4.95 percent, that is set by the legislature. To make the rates tiered, 60 percent of voters would need to approve a constitutional amendment. Financial analysis website Wirepoints crunched numbers on Pritzkers proposed initiatives and estimated the extra cost to the state would be $10.7 billion annually, on top of the backlogged bills and pension debt. To pay for that with a tiered income tax rate structure, Wirepoints estimated that only increasing taxes on income over $1 million would require a rate of 24.3 percent. Even when including higher taxes for those making $150,000 or more a year, Wirepoints found the rate would need to be 13.6 percent, higher than the tax rate in California for income over $1 million. Wirepoints Founder Mark Glennon said the outcome of Illinois election which also gave Democrats, who have mostly backed the idea of a progressive income tax, strong one-party control over the legislature likely means the issues of the states horrible finances wont be addressed. It will be a question of how much further do we need to get to look like Detroit or Puerto Rico before people start demanding real reforms, Glennon said. Bergman said there is one silver lining in having one-party rule: Accountability. As opposed to blaming gridlock and the lack of a budget, now we have accountability more clearly identified and that may be a positive, Bergman said. Bergman said tax increases could repel residents to other states. Greg Bishop reports on Illinois government and other statewide issues for INN. Bishop has years of award-winning broadcast experience, and previously hosted The Council Roundup, as well as Bishop On Air, a morning-drive current events talk show. 6 hours ago Dinner on the patio? First, hold the stench DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Parts of downtown Des Moines have been so transformed in the past decade by new apartments, trendy shops and microbreweries, its sometimes hard to reconcile the present with the not-so-distant past. But one strong reminder of the city's heritage remains: the stench. Read Article Bernie Ecclestone has hailed the "capitalist system" that saw him escape a bribery trial by paying the German court a record $100 million settlement. This week, the judge in Munich rubber-stamped the deal struck between the F1 supremo's lawyers and the prosecutors in the case surrounding a $44 million alleged bribe made years ago to jailed Gerhard Gribkowsky. Clearly, the fact a figure like billionaire Ecclestone was able to cling to power in F1 and avoid jail simply by dipping into his vast fortune has been highly controversial. The 83-year-old is unapologetic. "It's certainly a bit unfortunate to pay so much money," he told Wednesday's edition of the German tabloid Bild, "but it would be worse to not have the money. "I like this capitalist system," he added. Not at all surprised, however, is former F1 manager Willi Weber, who made his fortune taking 20 percent of Michael Schumacher's vast earnings. "I said a few months ago that it would be settled with money," he told Sport Bild on Wednesday. "That's how it is in formula one, and the same as when he gave Gribkowsky that money - without thinking too much about it," added Webber. (GMM) 'Free man' Ecclestone goes back to work on F1 Bernie Ecclestone is going straight back to work after agreeing to a $100 million deal to end his bribery trial in Munich. Amid high controversy and suggestions F1's major stakeholders and his employer CVC might not be happy with Tuesday's news, it was confirmed that the outcome of the court proceedings is that the 83-year-old is a "free man". "There was no conclusion on guilt or innocence of the defendant," said a court spokeswoman. "He is leaving this courtroom a free man." Briton Ecclestone, F1's chief executive and 'supremo' who has been working only part-time for months amid the trial, headed straight from Munich to London. "I've just got to get on with work," he told F1 business journalist Christian Sylt in the Independent newspaper. "I've got things I need to catch up with so I'm cracking on. "I have been wasting two days a week. Now I can get back to doing what I should be doing." The appearance that he effectively bought his innocence, however - particularly in the face of bribery charges - remains highly controversial. But Ecclestone, who admitted he feels "a bit of an idiot" for paying up, said the price he paid was so high only because he is a billionaire. "If I had proved that I hadn't got any money I wouldn't have had to pay," he insisted. "That's what it's all about." And the Daily Express quoted him as saying: "I've always said I was innocent and if I had waited until October I would have saved a lot of money. "But when you're trying to run businesses it's not easy trying to resolve things when dealing with lawyers for so much of the time," Ecclestone added. Indeed, his lawyers on Tuesday insisted that if the trial had simply run its course, Ecclestone would have been acquitted as prosecutors were having trouble proving the case. "What has happened is that the judge has come back and more or less said it's an acquittal, which he didn't have to do," said Ecclestone. "Another three months out would have been bad. I've been working weekends to catch up with what I've been missing during the week. I've not really noticed but it has probably taken its toll a little bit." Nonetheless, there remains speculation that, even though an innocent man on paper, damage has been done particularly in the eyes of CVC, a massive private equity firm. "Yes," Ecclestone is quoted by the Express newspaper, "I can get back to running the business five days a week instead of three and buying F1 remains a possibility." (GMM) Governor breaches silence on new Phoenix salvage team PHUKET: Phuket Governor Phakaphong Tavipatana today (Nov 8) finally publicly confirmed some details of the new salvage team hired to recover the wreck of the disaster-struck Phoenix tour boat. By The Phuket News Thursday 8 November 2018, 06:17PM Phuket Governor Phakaphong Tavipatana (left) speaks to the press outside the Phuket Forestry Center on Phuket Rd in Phuket Town today (Nov 8). Photo: PR Dept According to the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department, speaking to the press outside the Phuket Forestry Center on Phuket Rd in Phuket Town, Governor Phakaphong identified the new salvage company hired from Singapore as Seaquest Marine Ltd. This new company let their divers come to the site since Nov 7 (yesterday), and are waiting for a 1,200-ton crane with an arm 100 metres long and a 34m boat to arrive from Singapore, Gov Phakaphong said. Gov Phakaphong released no other details. Of note, standing silent beside Gov Phakaphong while the bare details were released was Wiwat Chitchertwong, the current Acting Chief of the Phuket Marine Office. Phoenix recovery team yet to arrive PHUKET: A new salvage team to try to recover the sunken tour boat Phoenix has yet to arrive in Phuket, CaptEkkachai Siri of Tourist Police confirmed this morning (Nov 8). tourismtransportdisastersmarineSafety By Tavee Adam Thursday 8 November 2018, 09:54AM Divers with the Spitz Tech Co Ltd salvage team assess their next step in the months-long attempts to recover the Phoenix, before they abandoned the project. Photo: PR Dept The news follows reports that the salvage team had arrived to start their recovery efforts yesterday. A company from Singapore is the new operator to recover the Phoenix, and will use a 1,000-tonne crane to raise the boat, Capt Ekkachai told The Phuket News today. The crane will arrive tomorrow (Nov 9) and will set the site and be ready for use in one to two days after that, he said. Capt Ekkachai declined to give any further information. I will send what information I have to Phuket PR (the Phuket Provincial office the Public Relations Department), he said. Meanwhile, Acting Phuket Marine Chief Wiwat Chitchertwong as with all this week was again unavailable for comment this morning, while all other officials at the Phuket Marine Office that The Phuket News spoke to said they were not authorised to comment on the publicly-funded project. The move to hire a new company to raise the Phoenix follows Spitz Tech Co Ltd ceasing its efforts in recovering the wreck, claiming it encountered too many problems in raising the 29-metre-long boat. (See story here.) Of note, one of the Spitz tech divers involved in the salvage, Niphat Joch Kludnak, 37, died on Sept 29 after fainting at the back of the main salvage boat and falling into the water. (See story here.) Spitz Tech Co Ltd was hired under a B10-million contract to recover the sunken tour boat. So far no details have been released about the arrangement for the new company from Singapore which remains unnamed to salvage the wreck. The news also follows Phuket Governor Phakaphong Tavipatana late last month handing down an order from Deputy Prime Minister Gen Chatchai Sarikulya for officials in Phuket to push for the island to lead the way in restoring tourists confidence in travelling to Thailand. Under the order, preservation of life and property are to be given top priority, while the media is to be told the truth about tourism issues. (See story here.) Singapore crane to raise Phoenix from Phuket seabed PHUKET: A floating crane is due to arrive from Singapore on Friday to take over the salvage of the tour boat Phoenix, which sank in July and 47 Chinese tourists drowned. Friday 9 November 2018, 01:31AM Singaporean salvage divers board a boat in Phuket on Thursday (Nov 8), on their way to examine the wreck of the tour boat Phoenix, ahead of a fresh effort to raise the vessel from the seabed. Photo: Bangkok Post / Achadtaya Chuenniran The arrival of the Singapore team follows the failure of locally hired Spitz Tech Co Ltd to complete the salvage. Spitz Tech said it had encountered too many problems in trying to refloat the 29-metre vessel, including the death of a member of the team . Nat Jabjai, Deputy Director-General of the Marine Department, confirmed on Thursday a Singapore company had been hired to raise the Phoenix. A floating crane was due in Phuket on Friday (Nov 9). Singaporean divers were examining the sunken boat and the condition of the seabed on Thursday, so the crane could move into position as soon as it arrived. The wreck would be lifted to the surface and the water pumped out of it. It would then be taken to Ratanachai dockyard in Tha Chin Canal, Muang district. He hoped that the salvage would be completed within 15 days. If the Phoenix is salvaged, everything will be clear. I hope that tourism will recover from the tragedy, Mr Nat said. Authorities were waiting to examine the wreck to determine why it sank. He estimated the cost of the salvage by the Singaporean team at B40 million. Phuket Governor Phakaphong Tavipatana on Thursday named the new salvage contractor as Seaquest Marine. He said the 1,200-tonne, 100-metre-long floating crane was accompanied by a 34-metre-long tugboat. The Phoenix capsized and sank in 45 metres of water during a storm off Phuket on July 5 and 47 Chinese tourists drowned. The boat operator had apparently ignored weather warnings. Chinese arrivals in Thailand have plunged since. Read original story here. Healthy eating ,exercise offer benefits even if pounds don't come off MONTGOMERY COUNTY COURTS A 37-year-old Souderton man is in Montgomery County Correctional Facility after failing to post bail and waiving his right to a preliminary hearing on multiple charges of disseminating child pornography, possessing child pornography and criminal use of a communications facility, the Montgomery County District Attorneys office said in a Nov. 6 release. During questioning after a search warrant was executed at his home on Oct. 25, Matthew Laver, of the 200 block of East Summit Street, admitted installing file sharing software onto his computer and downloading child pornography from the internet, according to the affidavit of probable cause in the case. He estimated he had more than 100 child pornography files on computer equipment and said he had masturbated to the child pornography, investigators said. The announcement of Lavers arrest was made by Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele, Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub, Abington Township Police Chief Patrick Molloy and the Pennsylvania Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, the release from Steeles office said. The affidavit was filed by Abington Township Police Department Det. Rick Beaghley, a Special County Detective investigating Internet crimes against children, the affidavit said. In September, the Bucks County ICAC Task Force shared information with the Montgomery County ICAC Task Force about child pornography having been downloaded from a computer at Lavers home, the release said. On July 30 into July 31, investigators using a file-sharing program connected to Lavers computer and downloaded nine files containing child pornography, the affidavit said. All of the files contained video and/or images showing children under 18 engaged in sexual acts and/or poses, the affidavit said. Laver was arraigned Oct. 25 before Magisterial District Judge Albert Augustine, Harleysville, who set bail at $100,000 cash and ordered that Laver have no unsupervised contact with children and no internet usage, the release said. A scheduled Nov. 5 preliminary hearing before Augustine was waived, court information shows. Ladies and gents, introducing the internet's cooked keeeent of the week. Meet Emile Ratelband, he's 69, lives in the Netherlands and reckons he should be allowed to legally turn the clock back and be 49 again. Why? Because if he was 49 he reckons his chances of scoring on Tinder would be far greater. When Im on Tinder and it say Im 69, I dont get an answer. His doctors told him he had the body of a 45-year-old, which really seemed to go to the pensioner's head. Emile's since launched a legal battle to switch his birthday from March 11, 1949 to March 11, 1969. Local authoritites are refusing to give into the ol' bastards requests so he's now suing them, arguing if transgender people are allowed to change their sex, why can't he change his age? Those two things are ever so slightly different, mate... Emile is putting up a good fight though, explaining: "I have done a check-up and what does it show? My biological age is 45 years." "When Im 69, I am limited. If Im 49, then I can buy a new house, drive a different car. I can take up more work." "When Im on Tinder and it say Im 69, I dont get an answer. When Im 49, with the face I have, I will be in a luxurious position." Transgenders can now have their gender changed on their birth certificate, and in the same spirit there should be room for an age change. Age is just a number eh, mate? The Sociological Review website and online magazine ISSN 2754-1371. This website is published by the Sociological Review Foundation Limited, a charitable company registered at the following address: Bowland College, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YT, UK. Charity number 1161961, company number 09044774 Unless otherwise specified content on the Sociological Review website is licenced under a Creative Commons licence (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). Information on using Creative Commons licensed content. At last months hearing into the sales practices of Canadas telecom giants, the CRTC heard a series of complaints about misleading tactics by aggressive sales representatives. It also heard of potential solutions, such as Australias code of conduct for telecom service providers. But that code is itself facing criticism and a push for reform. Australias Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code has been a positive step, according a leading Australian consumer advocacy group. But its hampered by a lack of independence in the enforcement of prohibitions against the sort of high-pressure sales tactics that came under fire during the week-long hearing in Gatineau, Que. Una Lawrence, director of policy for the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network, said the key question is whether a code developed by the industry and enforced by an agency funded by service providers is the best instrument to safeguard consumers. Generally, we have real concerns about the TCP Codes efficacy in the areas of selling practices, credit management and financial hardship practices across the industry sector, Lawrence said in an email. We consider these are areas where direct [government] regulation would drive better practices and improve consumer outcomes. In Australia, a consumer with an unresolved issue with a telco can lodge a complaint with the countrys Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, a dispute resolution service for telephone and Internet complaints that is fully funded by industry fees and charges. In Canada, the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS) is funded entirely by telecom service providers, with industry funding a common model for ombudsmans services agencies. The CCTS resolves customer complaints about wireless and television service contracts, but its current mandate does not give it authority to handle product and service pricing claims or consumer allegations of misleading or false advertising. Concerns about the effectiveness of the complaints-handling measures in the Australian code have been heightened by the high number of complaints to the Australian Telecommunications Industry ombudsman. That led to the government creating a new complaints handling standard that came into effect in July and which is enforceable by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), the countrys telecom regulator. Even though the code had been improved in 2012 following ACMAs public inquiry into customer service and complaint handling processes, complaints about mobile, landline and Internet services continued to soar. In the most recent quarters, they have fallen amid government intervention and industry initiatives such as the complaints handling rules, according to a report from the telecom ombudsman. We have been working hard to improve the way we respond to customer complaints and resolve issues more quickly, said a spokesperson for Optus, Australias second-largest telecommunications company. She added that she believes recent changes by Optus would be reflected in the ombudsmans report next year. The Australian code regulates sales, service and contracts, billing, credit and debt management. Proposed changes include making the billing of third-party charges clearer and making it easier to seek financial hardship assistance. Consumers are not well served by the current regulatory regime,said Angela Flannery, a Sydney-based partner with commercial law firm Holding Redlich. She added that service providers need to focus on ensuring better compliance with the code and any amendments. That view was echoed during the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commissions hearing last month. That hearing will lead to a report to Cabinet by the end of February and possibly the creation of a government-backed sales practices code, and a ban or limits on unsolicited door to door telecom sales calls. Public advocacy groups including the Fair Communications Sales Coalition told CRTC commissioners that poor sales practices are increasing, with the coalition calling for a code similar to Australias. It also disputed the claim that internal guidelines and rules issued by companies are effective in prohibiting misleading, aggressive and unsuitable sales. Whether this situation is due to the companies loss of control of their sales force, lack of audits or oversight, negligence, willful blindness or even intention is not relevant, coalition spokesperson Jennifer Chow told the CRTC. The coalitions delegation led by John Lawford, executive director of the Ottawa-based Public Interest Advocacy Centre told commissioners that Canada would ideally follow Australias lead in establishing one mandatory, national code of conduct for providing and selling telecom services. In their CRTC submissions, representatives of big telecommunications companies said they do not tolerate unethical sales practices and that employees undergo training to ensure that their sales tactics are appropriate. Rogers says it monitors and reviews all telephone sales calls, and uses other tactics such as mystery shoppers to keep tabs on what happens in store. Read more about: VANCOUVERFortisBC is looking at several options to boost its stock of natural gas in an effort to get its customers through the winter after a pipeline blast squeezed off supply. Sean Beardow, manager of corporate communications with Fortis, said the flow through the Enbridge pipeline that exploded in flames near Prince George last month has reached about 55 per cent, far below what theyll need this winter. He said the company is getting more fuel from an Alberta pipeline and has received permission from the B.C. Utilities Commission to purchase natural gas on the open market. He said theyre looking at on the spot market to import compressed and liquefied natural gas. Enbridge said it wants to get its pipeline capacity up to 80 per cent after the unexplained explosion, but Beardow said that wont be enough to get them through the winter, especially if its cold. Beardow is urging customers to help save, saying even small things can make a difference collectively. Eighty per cent can sound like its really good but the fact is that during the winter months, we use 100 per cent of what we get from the Enbridge transmission system, he said. He said theyre preparing for a potential acute shortage and are asking customers to step up their conservation measures. Theres not a single tipping point because really were looking at a number of variables that could affect gas supplies, he said, adding weather and customer demand will be key factors. SAINT JOHN, N.B. Its been a tough month for one of Canadas wealthiest families. The Irvings of New Brunswick are facing renewed scrutiny after a major industrial accident at the Irving Oil refinery in Saint John one month ago Thursday and three guilty pleas the following day from Irving Pulp and Paper for polluting the Saint John River. The sudden spate of bad publicity has drawn into sharp focus the delicate relationship between the Irving group of companies and the 69,000 residents of Saint John. The Irvings are one of the citys largest employers, and the familys privately owned companies are thought to be worth about $8 billion. No one was seriously hurt by the refinery blast, but residents were reminded that it was the fourth explosion at Canadas largest oil refinery in 20 years. As for the pulp and paper mill, owned by J.D. Irving Ltd., it was hit this week with one of largest penalties ever imposed in Canada for an environmental violation: $3.5 million. Fines for charges related to polluting were imposed on the same mill in 1999, 2009 and 2010. The citys mayor, Don Darling, has said Saint Johns large industrial base comes with risks, and he has called for a broader discussion about the relationship between residents and industry. Read More: Blast at Irving Oils Saint John refinery unlikely to hit gas prices Oil refinery explosion shakes Saint John, but no reports of serious injuries Thought I was dead for sure: Worker recalls escape from Irving Oil explosion He also drew attention to another incident in January, when a butane leak near the refinery forced the evacuation of businesses on at least two streets. We have a very, very high concentration of industry here in Saint John and I think weve gone through a series of butane leaks and explosions and fires, and I think it has people very nervous and rightly so, Darling said shortly after the latest explosion. Irving Oil spokeswoman Candice MacLean said the company, which employs more than 2,200 people in the province, is a safe, secure and reliable energy supplier. We are steadfastly committed to our employees and our customers and continue to invest millions of dollars each year to build stronger communities in our home province and across Atlantic Canada, MacLean said in a statement, adding that the company generates over 50 per cent of New Brunswicks export trade at $5 billion annually. Gordon Dalzell, a clean-air advocate in Saint John, said the Irving group plays a critically important role in the New Brunswick economy, but its economic might exacts a toll on the province. In a small city like Saint John, you quickly find out that many of your neighbours and their family members work for Irving, he said in a recent interview. Very few people will speak out ... to keep them accountable or to criticize some of their practices. Dalzell estimates the Irvings employ about 35,000 people across the province. You cant go too hard on these guys because they play such an important economic role, said Dalzell, who has lived near the refinery since 1979. But we do pay a price for that ... When you look at Saint John, its like a big industrial park. Gerry Lowe, a former city councillor who now represents Saint John Harbour in the provincial legislature for the Liberals, says dealing with the Irving family can be intimidating but that hasnt stopped him from speaking out. People dont know what is going on because they are a very private family, said Lowe. It creates so many rumours. As privately owned companies, the Irvings holdings are not subject to the same scrutiny as publicly held enterprises. In fact, estimates about the familys combined wealth are just guesses, based on a limited amount of public information. When he was on council, Lowe fought against a tax deal that capped the property tax on Irving Oils Canaport liquefied natural gas plant. People were saying, You shouldnt do that, (Arthur Irving) will move the LNG terminal. Lowe said. Thats the first thing youll hear from people who are timid. Emma Seamone, spokeswoman for the Sierra Club Canada Foundation, said there isnt enough scrutiny of the Irvings businesses because the family owns all of the English-language daily newspapers in the province. Its really hard to question Irving in the media and get that message out, said Seamone, chairwoman of the Atlantic chapters executive committee and a former resident of Saint John. However, the Irving newspapers are not the only media outlets in the province. The CBC, for example, has kept a close watch on the Irvings dealings over the years. And the newspaper group, owned by J.K. Irving, has made a point of asserting its editorial independence. Brunswick News is run by a competent, independent team that determines content, said spokeswoman Mary Keith. Its journalists have won numerous awards for the quality reporting. The Irving group of companies used to be controlled by the familys patriarch, K.C. Irving. But the conglomerate has been split up over the last decade between his three sons: Arthur, J.K. and Jack, who died in 2010. David Duplisea, spokesman for the Saint John Region Chamber of Commerce, declined a request for an interview. Both of these companies (J.D. Irving Ltd and Irving Oil Ltd.) are extremely important to our region and our province, he said in an email. They are important for our economic well-being and they contribute immensely to philanthropic and community efforts as well. Just over a year ago, Irving Oil was dealt a blow when Calgary-based TransCanada Corp. cancelled its $15.7-billion proposed Energy East pipeline, which would have carried Alberta crude to the Saint John refinery. A local business group estimated the project would have added thousands of jobs and $6.5 billion to the provincial economy. Darling has said his once-affluent city the oldest incorporated city in Canada was looking to Energy East as a source of momentum to get the local economy moving again. Despite the setback, Irving Oil remains a pivotal player in the provinces economy a fact likely not lost on the provinces next premier, Blaine Higgs. The Progressive Conservative leader, who will be sworn in on Friday, worked for Irving Oil for 33 years before he retired and turned to politics. Mediacorp Canada Inc., the largest publisher of employment periodicals in Canada, selected Irving Oil as one of Canadas Top 100 Employers this year, citing its maternity and parental leave top-ups, academic scholarships and its commitment to diversity and inclusion. The company also supports a number of charities, including the Fuel the Care program, which covers fuel-related travel expenses for a sick childs medical treatment. The program has helped more than 50,000 families across Atlantic Canada, Quebec, and New England in the past 15 years. Keith, who is a spokeswoman for J.D. Irving Ltd., offered a lengthy emailed response when asked about the renewed focus on the Irvings. Regarding the companys economic strength, Keith cited 2017 statistics indicating the 8,000 people who work for J.D. Irving Ltd. earn salaries that are, on average, 45 per cent higher than the provincial average for full-time workers. The company estimates that it indirectly supports another 9,000 jobs across the province, bringing its contribution to the economy to about $1 billion in employment income in 2017. She said the company is also known for supporting hundreds of events, scholarships and non-profit organizations. As well, she said J.D. Irving Ltd. has a well-earned reputation for stepping up to help when disaster strikes. Earlier this year, when the Saint John River flooded several communities, more than 150 JDI employees volunteered to fill more than 122,000 sand bags. The company helped keep the pharmacy in Chipman, N.B., open by airlifting in the pharmacist, and when the only way in or out of a west side community was by train, the company sent in an engine and passenger cars to help with evacuations. Read more about: The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce is one of the most commonly targeted brands used by cyberthieves in phishing attacks across North America, with a more than 600 per cent surge in fake email attempts in the third quarter, according to analysis by an email security firm. Vade Secures research shows that during that period CIBC was the lone Canadian company among the top 25 brands used by cybercriminals trying to trick people into handing over their credentials and confidential data, according to the France-based companys engine. The Toronto-based bank was ranked 25th and used in an average of 5.3 new phishing links per day during the third quarter, an increase of more than 622 per cent from the previous quarter, the analysis showed. The email security firms chief executive Adrien Gendre said each of these links, which typically mimic official webpages, can be sent to thousands of users. Its unclear what is behind the surge in phishing activity, but one factor could be CIBCs launch of its Simplii Financial direct banking brand last year, Gendre said. When users are less familiar with what interactions to expect, they are easier to deceive with a fake email, he said. Every new service, its a good target for phishing... People will click more on it, Gendre said. Vade Secure, based in Lille, France, protects more than 500 million inboxes and its conclusions were based on the phishing attacks detected by its artificial-intelligence powered platform. CIBC said cybersecurity is an evolving space that we monitor closely. We have multiple layers of security in place and continuously invest to safeguard our clients, spokesman Tom Wallis wrote in an emailed statement. The email security firms analysis comes as Canadian banks continue ramp up their spending on technology, including cybersecurity defences, and months after BMO and Simplii said that thousands of customers may have had personal and financial data compromised. In May, BMO said hackers contacted the bank claiming to be in possession of the personal data of fewer than 50,000 customers, and that the attack originated outside of Canada. At the same time, Simplii also warned that fraudsters may have accessed certain personal and account information for about 40,000 clients. A leak of user data is often followed by a wave of phishing attacks or a malware attack months later, Gendre said. A few years ago, grammatical errors or language mistakes would easily signal that it was fraudulent, but now these fake webpages are often indistinguishable from the real thing, Gendre added. The three top targets in North American phishing attacks during the third quarter were Microsoft, PayPal and Netflix, but other large Canadian banks were also among the 86 brands tracked by Vade Secure. Bank of Montreal was in 33rd place with phishing activity up 317.5 per cent from the previous quarter, followed by Scotiabank in 47th place with activity up 53.1 per cent. Royal Bank of Canada and Toronto-Dominion Bank saw a drop in phishing activity, down 91 per cent and 57.6 per cent from the previous quarter, respectively, to put them in the 49h and 62nd spots. However, during the second quarter, RBC was in the 21st spot with an 767.3 per cent increase in phishing links, according to Vade Secure. Gendre said cyberthieves typically cycle through different targets, switching to a new one as users become aware of the fake links and their attacks become less efficient. RBCs vice-president of cyber operations and chief information officer Adam Evans said that as the bank increases its global footprint it becomes a bigger target for phishing attacks, but it has layers of security to protect against these kinds threats. The bank has also been increasing its cybersecurity budget and investing in technologies to mitigate this threat, he added. Organizations that have a global footprint are going to be targeted more often and probably more frequently over time, he said. BMO, Scotiabank and TD Bank did not respond to requests for comment. Read more about: EDMONTONAlbertas new auditor general tabled his first report for members of the legislature on Wednesday and said a costly SuperNet contract has been mismanaged by Service Alberta for years. Auditor General Doug Wylies report outlines a few issues around process management and reporting. Its his first report since filling the position in April. One of the main things he and his team looked at was the SuperNet contract overseen by Service Alberta. SuperNet is a broadband internet service that connects public services like libraries, health institutions and rural municipalities. Its operated by third parties contracted by the Alberta government and overseen by Service Alberta. Wylie said the department had not been managing the contract well enough, leading to disruptions in service and contractual issues. We found that the processes could and should be improved relating to how the government is monitoring its contract (and) how its enforcing compliance with the terms and conditions of the contract, said Wylie at a news conference on Wednesday. They focused on the SuperNet operation contract as a way to see how Service Alberta oversees contracts generally, said Wylie. We recommend that the department of Service Alberta develop processes to improve its measuring, monitoring, and reporting of the performance of its large and complex contracts, the report said. The report also said Service Alberta was mismanaging the contract so badly that the department had to extend it in 2013 because it was not prepared to negotiate a new one. Service Alberta has been overseeing these contracts since 2001 when the SuperNet was brought in. There was an initial investment of $193 million to get it up and running and the report says that the government has spent about $1 billion total on the construction and operation of the system since. One of the contracts for running the SuperNet was with Axia, signed in 2013 for extension into 2018 by the previous Progressive Conservative government. This was the contract the audit report focused on and where it found the shortfalls. The cost of the contract per year was about a $40-million hit to taxpayers, plus about $16 million in maintenance costs. Brian Malkinson, minister of Service Alberta, told reporters that in July, a new contract was signed with Bell, which would have better oversight. The auditor general has yet to look at this contract. It is most definitely better now, Malkinson said. The report that the auditor general had forwarded was on the previous contract that the PCs had set up and I think its just an excellent example of something that our government had to come through and fix. He said they didnt fix it in 2015 when the NDP took power because they wanted to take time drafting a new contract. It would not be in Albertans interest to rush through making changes and not basically repeat some of the mistakes of the past, he said. Malkinson said hes planning to put the new contract online. But the report also looked at shortfalls of other governmental departments. Alberta Agriculture and Forestry was recommended to improve measuring and reporting of its wildfire prevention plan. The report also said the department needs to publicly report on its FireSmart programs, which help to prepare for wildfires. The report also noted that the oilsands monitoring program overseen by Alberta Environment and Parks needed to ensure its annual report is more accurate, clear and timely. The 2016-17 annual report on the program lacked important information about the overall program and its projects, the auditors report said. Overall, Wylies report praised the government, saying all financial statements for 2017-18 were clear and provided everything he needed for his report. He looked at statements from 139 bodies of government. As of November, there are 150 recommendations that have been made to government bodies. There are 138 outstanding recommendations yet to be addressed and made in past reports, plus 12 new ones that are part of this latest report. They are directed at various government bodies and can be looked at online in the auditor generals full report. Read more about: Own a little bit of history at a place where remembering the past is front of mind. The Toronto Antiquarian Book Fair has become a must-see annual event for its rare and lovely finds for every price bracket and interest. This years edition is being held Friday to Sunday at the Art Gallery of Ontario. We spoke to Robert Wright, president of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of Canada, about some of the highlights. See a US$600,000 book up close. You can buy it, too, if you have the cash (Thats $787,000 in Canadian dollars) burning a hole in your pocket. The Catholicon, written by Johannes Balbus and which became the standard Latin dictionary of the later Middle Ages, is one of the books American exhibitor Liber Antiquus is bringing up to the fair. This edition was published in 1469, has 373 leaves, stands more than a foot tall and its pages are decorated with penwork initials. It even has a direct connection with Gutenberg: He created the type. Plus, as Wright notes, books printed before 1500 are pretty uncommon. Remember the original In Flanders Fields. Lest we forget, Sunday is also Remembrance Day. While John McRae died in 1918, his two brothers published a commemorative booklet in 1920 that contained his famous In Flanders Fields poem, plus the very last poem he wrote, and which Contact Editions is bringing to the fair. Other dealers, too, are bringing items related to military history: Robert Borden was the Canadian prime minister during the First World War, and Reeve & Clarke is bringing speeches he delivered during that time. If you want to have a museum-quality book in your home, you could buy General Wolfes Instructions to Young Officers, which was written around the time of the battle on Quebec Citys Plains of Abraham. Its rare, printed in 1768 in London, and there are very few copies (one is on display at the Toronto Public Library). At only $3,000, its more within reach for those who cant splash out $600,000. Look at Patrick McGahern Books for the item. An autograph hunters playground. If collecting autographs drives your passion, there are rare ones on offer. Letters from Nietzsche, the poet Rilke and D.H. Lawrence are just a few at David Mason books. Then there are the signed books: Alice Munro, Leonard Cohen. There are plenty of modern first editions, too: Michael Connelly, Louise Penny name your genre. Books not your bag? Theres plenty suitable for displaying and framing. Youll be in the AGO, after all, and the fairs motto is Own an original by one of the masters. Sure, this refers to first edition books, of which there are plenty, but it refers equally to old, rare maps, photographs, old advertising, trade cards, stock certificates all suitable for collecting. Look at the Factory Girls story a collaborative project by 20 artists (only 15 copies were produced of this 2014 work) where various objects are used to illustrate and tie together two tragedies: The 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire in New York City and the 2012 Tazreen Fashions Factory fire in Bangladesh. This is being brought in by Baltimores Kelmscott Bookshop. Not just for Muggles. While youre not likely to find a first edition of the very first Harry Potter book (a first printing of The Philosphers Stone goes for between $40,000 to $50,000, according to AbeBooks), there is plenty for Hogwarts aficionados with first Canadian editions and collectors series. For fans of other childrens books, theres a first U.K. edition of Anne of Avonlea, and some lovely editions of the old-school annuals Girls Own Stories. The Toronto Antiquarian Book Fair is being held Nov. 9 to 11 at the Art Gallery of Ontario. General admission $19.50 for adults or free for AGO members. It runs Friday evening from 5 to 9, Saturday 10.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Check them out on Instagram @torontoantiquarianbookfair and Facebook. When actor-filmmaker Ryan Boyko was in Grade 10 in Saskatoon, he saw a documentary about the internment of Ukrainian Canadians during the First World War that left him stunned. Growing up in a Ukrainian-Canadian household, hed never heard that about the war and he went to his history teacher to learn more. He said, You mean the Japanese internment during World War II? and I said, No, I mean the Ukrainian internment during World War I, Boyko, 38, recalled in a recent phone interview. And he looked at me and said, That never happened. The experience sparked a decades-long research journey into the little-known chapter of Canadas history for Boyko, resulting in his feature directorial debut That Never Happened, which screened in Ottawa on Thursday and several other Canadian cities through Nov. 12. It hits various digital platforms on Nov. 13, and will be available on demand through Shaw and Bell. The documentary features interviews with experts and internee descendants as it details Canadas first national internment operations between 1914 to 1920, when roughly 8,500 people from Ukraine and other European countries some of them women and children were labelled enemy aliens and unjustly put into camps under the War Measures Act. Described in the film as essentially prison camps, some of them were in national parks and had inadequate food, clothing and shelter for the internees, who were forced to do hard labour in rough conditions. At least 106 people died in the camps, said Boyko. Most of those interned were Ukrainians, but they also included Croatians, Serbians, Bulgarians, Czechs, Slovaks and Armenians. During the same time period, more than 88,000 people from the same countries were forced to register in Canada and had to report monthly to the police. In some cases, officials demanded payment to get their documents stamped, according to those who speak in the doc. If they didnt pay up, they were interned. As Boykos film explains, in 1954 the government destroyed all of the records and ledgers pertaining to the internment operations. It wasnt until the late 70s and early 80s that people started talking about it, mostly a result of aging internees finally revealing their harrowing experiences to their loved ones. Most people dont know that they had family members who were interned, because most didnt talk about it, said the Hamilton-based Boyko, founder and CEO of Armistice Films Inc. And because there isnt a complete record of all 8,579 people who were interned there are only about 3,000 names that people know at the moment there are a lot of people missing. In 2005, a private members bill, C-331, was passed into law to recognize the internees. Theres also a Canadian First World War Internment Recognition Fund and an educational component in Canadas high school curriculum. Some individuals, like Boyko, are also raising awareness through various forms of research and initiatives like monuments at internment sites. Boyko, who also dove into the subject matter with his 2016 award-winning web series The Camps, recently screened That Never Happened at the United Nations in Geneva as part of its celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights. The post-screening chat was free-flowing and full of questions from UN representatives, which Boyko was later told is unusual for the typically regimented organization. Boykos next project is a feature film about the same subject matter, which he hopes to start filming in March as a co-production between Ukraine and Canada. The story will feature two brothers in the camps. I think its the start of the conversation that hopefully people are going to continue well after theyve seen the film, Boyko said. OTTAWAPrime Minister Justin Trudeau is giving indications that his patience is running out for Canada Post to reach a contract settlement with its unionized employees as rotating strikes continue. Trudeau said his government might soon act to end the dispute if the Crown corporation and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers cant bridge their differences. Trudeau commented on the dispute today as CUPW members expanded their rotating walkouts to dozens of locations across the country, including in Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia and Nova Scotia. The job actions have temporarily shut down Canada Posts operations in more than 150 communities since being launched last month. The Liberals have until now said they preferred to see contracts reached through collective bargaining. To help in that process, Labour Minister Patty Hajdu appointed a special mediator in the Canada Post dispute a little over two weeks ago. Read more: Opinion | Heather Mallick: Why Canada Post doesnt deliver for Canadians Highly respected mediator called in as Canada Post workers keep Toronto plants shut Canada Post strikes hit Toronto, 11 other cities in southern Ontario Morton Mitchnicks mandate has been extended until Sunday but Trudeau said he wants to see progress in the talks, hinting at legislative action if there is none. Christmas season is approaching and we know thats when Canadians use Canada Post more than at any other time, the prime minister said Thursday as he entered the House of Commons for question period. Of course, management and the union both know this. But if we dont see significant resolution shortly, all options will be on the table for resolving this. The two sides have been trying to hammer out agreements for nearly a year with no success. Canada Post said earlier Thursday it was dealing with a large backlog of undelivered packages as a result of the rotating strikes, which it said had grown after its largest processing centre in Toronto was shut down Wednesday for a second time in three weeks. The agencys Toronto sorting facilities are hubs for mail and parcel deliveries across the country and were shut by the union for two consecutive days in October. CUPW has said its key demands include job security, an end to forced overtime and overburdening, better health and safety measures, service expansion and equality for rural and suburban mail carriers with their urban counterparts. Along with the rotating strikes, the union has called on its members to refuse overtime, including working during the upcoming Remembrance Day long weekend. Canada Post has maintained it made significant offers to its workers that include increased wages, job security, and improved benefits, with no concession demands. But CUPW national president Mike Palecek has called the companys offers smoke and mirrors. Read more about: Francis Pegahmagabow went to a recruitment office almost immediately after war was declared in 1914. The Ojibwa sniper from Wasauksing First Nation of Parry Island would serve with the 1st Infantry Battalion and went on to become one of the most decorated soldiers in the First World War. When he returned to Canada, his reputation as a brave soldier counted for very little and he didnt receive the same rights or benefits as his white comrades. Theyd gone from being a soldier to just an Indian again, said Scott Sheffield, associate professor at the University of Fraser Valley and author of a report on First Nations veterans that prompted a federal government apology in 2003. Indigenous people were part of every 20th-century conflict Canada was involved in and served in the Canadian military at a higher Per-capita rate than any other group. About 4,000 First Nations men served in the First World War. After the armistice of Nov. 11, 1918, they returned to Canada still unable to vote and largely shut out of the meagre benefits on offer. Read more: Indigenous veterans remembered for contributions to Canadas military Although veterans were eligible to borrow money through the government for farm land, it was almost impossible for First Nations veterans to qualify. Worse than that, around 80,000 acres of reserve land that was good for farming was actually taken away from reserves, mostly in the Prairies, and largely given to white settler veterans, Sheffield said. That didnt stop Indigenous people from taking up the call again when Canada joined the Second World War about 4,300 enlisted. Thomas (Tommy) Prince, a member of the Brokenhead Ojibwa Nation in Manitoba, enlisted in 1940 and eventually was assigned to the Canadian-American First Special Service Force, known as the Devils Brigade. He became a legendary sniper, was awarded multiple medals and also served in the Korean War. Back in Canada, Prince ended up living in shelters and on the streets of Winnipeg until his death in 1977. After the Second World War, Indigenous veterans couldnt get information from trained veterans affairs counsellors, and had to go through their Indian agent. It was difficult for them to connect with non-Indigenous comrades because they werent allowed in legion halls. They were also unable to get a loan-grant combination that helped veterans set up careers and businesses. But Indigenous men and women continued to enlist and serve in the military from NATO duties during the Cold War to more recent tours in Afghanistan. Now an effort is underway to honour their sacrifice. Randi Gage, a Saginaw Chippewa from Michigan and a United States army veteran, organized the first Aboriginal Veterans Day in Manitoba in 1993. She wanted a day to honour them in their own communities but still allowed them to gather for Remembrance Day ceremonies. Nov. 8 was chosen because the number turned sideways is the Metis infinity symbol and its connected to some First Nations teachings, Gage said. She wrote letters to communities and veterans organizations to spread the word about the event. Most of the letters came back the most racist, disgusting: What the hell do you think you are doing?, What makes you so special? she said. But the event went ahead with a handful of veterans. The next year, National Aboriginal Veterans Day was inaugurated by Winnipegs city council. Gage said thousands of people attended to honour Indigenous veterans. To see the pride in those guys, it still gets me today, she said, starting to cry. It started the discussion. It started people talking. The 25th Aboriginal Veterans Day is being celebrated Thursday but Gage said there is still more work to do. The federal Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs has launched a study of benefits for Indigenous veterans. Veterans Affairs said in an emailed statement it is committed meeting the needs of Indigenous veterans and is talking to Aboriginal groups to determine the way forward. Meanwhile, the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa is holding a photographic exhibition, presented by the Embassy of Belgium, to celebrate the diversity of those who fought for the Allied effort. It includes images of Maori soldiers from New Zealand, Sikhs from the Indian Army Corps, and a photo of Indigenous recruits and elders from File Hills, Sask. A photo of Inuk sniper John Shiwak, who died on the battlefield in 1917, also hangs on the wall. Peter MacLeod, the museums director of research, said he hopes it changes the perspective of people who fought in the First World War. There is a huge story there about the diversity of the Canadian corps and the war effort in general, he said. This exhibition ... makes Canadians a bit more aware of the diversity in our countrys history and the contribution that all groups have made to Canada. Read more about: IQALUIT, NUNAVUTGrocery retailers were moving Thursday to ensure critical supplies remained available in Nunavuts capital after a fire destroyed significant parts of Iqaluits largest retail store. Another outlet stepped up to say it would accept a freighter-load of supplies originally intended for Northmart, where the fire broke out late Wednesday. We have committed to the full freighter of inventory that was already in transit, said Duane Wilson of Arctic Co-operatives, which owns Iqaluits other grocery store. Thats probably (already) on the ground. Theres going to be inventory in the community. Theres no immediate cause for panic. Wilson added that Arctic Co-operatives will also increase its regular Friday air freight shipments to Iqaluit. The Northmart store offered everything from clothes to furniture to snowmobiles, as well as places to eat or sit for a coffee. Its the hub of the community, said resident Mike Hadfield. You go every day. Theres always something that you need. When he heard about the fire, he headed to the Arctic Co-operatives store to stock up. I went down there to make sure I got my milk and bread and cream and eggs, perishables to last me a week. Within 10 minutes of me leaving the store, I drove by again and you couldnt find a parking spot within three blocks. Their shelves will be empty by the end of the day. Mayor Madeleine Redfern said the blaze started at the back of the building and had already destroyed the warehouse and several other facilities. From what Im seeing of the residents reactions, everyone is in shock and disbelief ... very concerned, she said. We initially hoped the fire could be put out very quickly. Everyone is just waiting to see what the final outcome will be. Redfern said a number of people work at the store, so its a significant employer and a provider of products. A nearby elders care home was evacuated as a precaution and Iqaluit residents were being asked to conserve water so that emergency crews would have an adequate supply for firefighting efforts. A school across from the store was closed for the morning. Most perishable food is flown year-round into the city of 7,700, while non-perishable food items and hard goods come in by sea. The issue is ensuring that the other retailers are able to bring in enough supplies on an ongoing basis, Redfern said. In these situations, its important that we work together for the common good. By late morning, most of the flames had been extinguished, although black smoke continued to billow, Hadfield said. Onlookers crowded the street. Theres a lot of people gathered. A spokeswoman for the government said the territory was looking into whether it has a role in keeping Iqaluit fed. The (territory) is working closely with the city of Iqaluit to provide any and all support. Cold and heated storage (is) available for food storage if and when needed, said Nasra Esak of Community and Government Services. The Health Department was working to ensure people get their medications. The RCMP were investigating the cause of the fire. As Toronto builders advocate for expanding the residential development zones beyond the GTA, a new report shows a record number of land transactions and dollar investments in the industry suggesting investors are doing more business with less land. According to real estate services firm CBRE Canada, investors shelled out a total of $6.8 billion in residential land transactions across the GTA last year. That amount is more than three times what it was about a decade ago, and represents the highest investment on record. There were also nearly 40 per cent more land deals recorded in 2017 than a decade earlier, with a total of 149 such transactions last year for low-density developments the land purchased to build single-family and semi-detached houses. Mike Czestochowski, CBRE Canadas executive vice-president for land services, said the increase in transactions is a result of decades-long changes that have transformed the local housing industry. Investors are now willing to pay more, even for much smaller pieces of land, as they know they can sell condos and houses at high prices, he said. When I started in this business a long time ago, a developer would not be interested unless its 50 or 100 acres of land, he said. That same developer, if hes looking at 10 acres today, lets say in the city of Markham, hes very interested because on 10 acres he may be able to fit 150 townhouses. And thats a big enough project to get enticed with. CBRE expects the trend to continue in the future. For the first half of 2018, the average price for one acre of low-density land in the GTA was more than $1 million. A decade ago, the same acre cost $382,000. For the high-density land, which is used for condo and rental apartments development, a square-foot of space is averaging $87 this year. It was about $42 a decade ago, according to the CBRE report. Another contributing factor driving the market up is the population growth in this region, Czestochowski said. While the inventory represented one unit (house or condo) per 190 people in 2005, that ratio has shot up to one unit per 575 in 2017, an increase of more than 200 per cent, he said. Theres still so much confidence in demand in the Greater Toronto Area that people have faith, especially at a land that we believe we know when its going to be developed, he said. Builders associations across the GTA have long argued that theres no more room for new developments, and pushed for policy-makers to allow residential development into rural and agriculture land beyond the regions already built-up areas. Justin Sherwood of the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) said the issue is one of settlement boundaries rather than land availability. Is there enough appropriately zoned serviced land available to support development? Id say the available supply of it is going down. Theres less and less of it, he said. The critical constraint is about making land shovel-ready for developers, and that can only happen through better policy-making and less red tape, Sherwood said. What is available is shrinking and caught up in the development approval processes that take so long, he said. Czestochowski agreed theres a shortage of land available for development, both for condos and single-family houses and both in the 416 and the 905 areas. Its a concern because, if government policies continue to constrain developments and how we get approvals and the cost of those approvals, that means housing costs are going to continue to increase, he said, adding government policies need to be pro-development. The demand is going to outpace the supply, and thats going to push the prices up. Get ready to boogie. Toronto charity Community Living Toronto is hosting its signature fundraiser to support people with intellectual disabilities Community Rocks and this years theme is disco. The event, which started in 2008 and is held every two years, has raised nearly $3 million to help people with intellectual disabilities find meaningful ways to live in the community. Its about community inclusion, said Angela Bradley, the organizations director or resource development and marketing. Celebrating the community coming together and celebrating people with an intellectual disability. The event is Saturday evening at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Exhibition Place. The last Community Rocks, in 2016, raised more than $600,000 through sponsorship packages. Community Living Toronto, which was founded in 1948, is one of the largest organizations of its kind in North America, with more than 1,000 members. Its mission is to foster inclusive communities by supporting the rights and choices of people with an intellectual disability. It was founded shortly after a grandmother, Victoria Glover, wrote a letter to the Toronto Star in 1948. In it, she reached out to other people who had loved ones with intellectual disabilities living at home, rather than at an institution, in order to help her grandchild find a community. Whether it is living alone or with a roommate, working in a supported environment or participating in community activities, we are here to help individuals realize their full potential and dreams, Community Living Toronto said in a news release. Tickets for the party are $175 per person and cover the costs of food and drinks, a cocktail reception, a live performance and a dance party with two DJs. Returning guests include Canadian rock group Sam Roberts Band, and CTVs Your Morning and eTalk host Ben Mulroney. I always enjoy being part of this event its a way for our city to come together as a community in support of a great cause, Mulroney said. Bradley said the event is about people celebrating and coming together on the same playing field. Its an important message for people to see, she said. I always say that if it changes one persons perspective, that after Saturday night, they get out in the community and they happen to see somebody with a disability and its changed their perspective a little bit, then our event is successful. War veteran Josh Makuch experienced first hand the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) a mental health problem caused by exposure to traumatic events. Having served as a rifle platoon commander fighting the Taliban counterinsurgency in Kandahar, Afghanistan, from early April to November 2009, Makuch struggled to adjust to life in the city upon his return from combat. Simple things set you off like walking around in the St. Lawrence market on a Saturday. (It) was something I could not do for three months after I got back because all Im doing is watching peoples hands, the Beach resident said. He dealt with his bout of PTSD relatively well, thanks to support from his close circle, but there are many who have to endure the trauma longer possibly for life. This is where he believes the military should do more beyond offering a few days of decompression outside Canada prior to returning home to blow off steam and attend mental health seminars, as opposed to providing any meaningful follow-through. I have friends who committed suicide, I have friends who didnt get that phone call from the (military) institution to check in on them, the former infantry officer said. The onus shouldnt be on the veterans to seek out help or on people around them who are not professionals to be observing the veterans and reporting their findings to someone, he said. That just shows that its a failure of the system, Makuch said. Mike Turner, veterans service officer with the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 11 at Dawes Road and Danforth Avenue, said they are seeing a lot of post-traumatic stress symptoms among Afghanistan veterans. The legion as a whole is doing its part by setting up the Operational Section Injury (OSI) section. It is a group of deputies that support veterans where all the deputies themselves are veterans, Turner said. So its one-on-one peer support, its mental health first aid, helping the veterans as they transition into civilian life, as well as finding resources and assisting them through either their PTSD or any physical concerns. At a branch level, the legion offers emergency support for veterans in need. We refer them to support structures that are available out there and offer financial assistance, he said. Makuch left the armed forces in 2012 and worked as a business consultant after receiving his MBA degree from Ryerson University. Recently, he came third in the municipal election race in Ward 19 Beaches East York. Reflecting back on his time in the war, Remembrance Day has taken a new meaning for him in the last few years because he has something very tangible to tie it back to. He remembers one of his platoon members who died in a bomb blast. Thats the person I think about on Remembrance Day. I still think about his parents who still live in New Brunswick, Makuch said. Bambang Sadewo is a reporter with toronto.com and Metroland Media Toronto. Email: bsadewo@toronto.com Read more about: MANILAOne of the founding members of a Filipino lawyers group at the forefront of opposing President Rodrigo Dutertes lethal war on drugs was gunned down Tuesday, killed by three bullets as he was leaving his office for the night. The lawyer, Benjamin Ramos, 56, was the 34th lawyer killed since Duterte became president two years ago. His group, the National Union of Peoples Lawyers, specialized in doing no-cost work for poor clients whose families have been targeted by police, soldiers and death squads associated with the presidents drug war. We are shocked, devastated and enraged at the premeditated, cold-blooded murder of our colleague and fellow peoples lawyer, said Edre Olalia, a leader of the group. We are disturbed and unbowed. These are dangerous times. Initial police reports said Ramos just finished work when he was shot by motorcycle-riding men near the central town of Kabankalan on Tuesday night. He was declared dead on arrival at the hospital. Colleagues described Ramos as passionately dedicated to pro-bono work for the poor, environmentalists, activists and political prisoners. The lawyers group said his work angered local policemen and the military. His picture was recently included by the local police in a list of people accused of having ties to the underground communist movement, a claim the group has denied. Read more: Rodrigo Duterte in Israel, first visit by a Philippines president Soaring rice prices are dulling Dutertes lustre in Philippines Philippine president revokes amnesty for fiercest critic Jose Manuel Diokno, a human rights lawyer for another organization, the Free Legal Assistance Group, said he was outraged by the killing. I join the calls for the police to conduct an impartial and thorough investigation, to find the motive, the gunmen and the mastermind, Diokno said in an interview, urging the Justice Department to take the lead in the inquiry. I ask my fellow lawyers who fight for what is right and just to continue and not be cowed. In a speech in August 2017, Duterte told the national police not to be daunted by rights lawyers investigating the thousands of deaths of what he called drug addicts and dealers. If they are obstructing justice, you shoot them, Duterte instructed police, referring to lawyers. (The president, himself a lawyer, began his political career as a prosecutor.) He often carries a list of the names of dozens of judges, members of the armed and police forces as well as of local politicians he claims are protecting drug suspects. Duterte has not publicly divulged how he came up with the list, although at least three mayors whose names appeared on it have been killed. Eight other mayors were also gunned down in suspicious circumstances. One of them was killed last year in a raid that left his wife and 10 other people dead. Another mayor was fatally shot during a flag-raising ceremony in July. Olalia said some members of the National Union of Peoples Lawyers received threats, and were labelled by police and the military as sympathetic to the political left, in open contempt of basic principles of the role of lawyers in democracy. He said a colleague investigating abuses against women and children, Katherine Panguban, was recently criticized by police for leading a fact-finding mission into the killings of nine farmers in the central city of Sagay. The military said the farmers were recruited by a front organization for communist rebels and attributed their deaths to infighting among the cadres. Olalia said Ramos death would not stop the groups work. We will be there in the trenches in defence of the defenceless, he said. There is no other choice. The group Human Rights Watch said Ramos killing was proof that impunity existed under Dutertes drug war. It is a blow to the human rights movement in the Philippines, the group said in a statement. We demand an impartial investigation into Ramos murder and the many other attacks against lawyers in the Philippines and that the authorities bring the perpetrators to justice. SAN PEDRO TAPANATEPECThe migrant caravan came alive one morning last week with a rustle of plastic tarps being taken down and packed. A crowd gathered well before dawn. Near the back of that crowd stood Keila Savioll Mejia. Two weeks earlier, the shy 21-year-old had left home in Honduras to join the caravan with her 2-year-old and 4-year-old daughters. She listened as organizers announced that two trucks were available to take women and children from Tapanatepec to the next stop, 33 miles away. Mejia thought about rushing forward to claim the last spot. Both of her daughters were sick and Camila, the oldest, was tired of walking. But she said she worried they would be crushed or suffocated in the throng. So she let others climb into the back of the truck, which soon overflowed with about three dozen people. There are no more trucks, an organizer said over a loudspeaker. Lets go. And with that, Mejia and her daughters set off on foot. U.S. President Trump has portrayed the migrant caravan as a monolithic threat, a mass of terrorists intent on invading the United States. In reality, the caravan is a collection of individuals and families, each with their own story. And few were worse off than Mejia. As she carried 2-year-old Samantha through the streets of Tapanatepec, she saw several families with sturdy strollers they had bought for 900 pesos around $60 at the Mexico-Guatemala border. Others were flimsy, held together with tape or twine. One father pushed his 5-year-old son in a donated wheelchair. Mejia had nothing, not even a baby carrier. By the time the caravan reached the edge of town, Mejias thin arms already ached from carrying her toddler. So mother and daughters rested under a tree. Mejia wore pink plastic slippers so thin they were like walking in bare feet. The girls wore sandals that were hardly any better. Besides a few donated diapers friends carried for them, all their belongings fit into a tiny Mafalda bag on Mejias back. Soon, they were back on their feet, Samantha on Mejias shoulders and Camila holding hands with Bessi Zelaya, a friend from Pena Blanca. As they walked through the pre-dawn darkness, the silence was broken every few minutes by the buzz of approaching motorcycle taxis. The tiny three-wheel vehicles would pull up, and half a dozen migrants would pile in, paying a few Mexican pesos to get a little closer to the next stop. But Mejia didnt have a few pesos. In Pena Blanca she had made 100 lempiras about $5 a day selling tortillas. The girls father had left them long ago, so they lived with Mejias mother and siblings in a small cinder block house. When she heard of the caravan forming in San Pedro Sula just 80 kilometres away, Mejia borrowed 500 lempiras from a friend, packed her daughters backpack and boarded a bus to the capital. By the time they caught up to the caravan a few days later, Mejia had spent half her money on bus fare. She quickly used the rest to buy food for the girls. Weve had to walk ever since, she said. As young men strode past and another overloaded mototaxi sped away, an organizer in a yellow traffic vest issued a warning to those falling behind. Hurry up, he said, or immigration will grab you. The fear was real. The sheer size of the caravan made it difficult for Mexican authorities to stop. But small groups that had split off had reportedly been detained and deported. The same could happen to stragglers. Camila, her tiny legs already exhausted, collapsed to the ground. The girl closed her eyes. Camila! Mejia said sharply. Arriba, said Zelaya, lifting her onto the shoulders of Fernando Reyes Enamorado, a neighbour from Pena Blanca. Camila drooped over the 19-year-olds head. They continued walking, but when they stopped at a house where the owners had brought out a jug of water for the migrants, Camila refused to get up. Mejia splashed the girl in the face with water, but she just sat on the ground, kicking off her sandals and beginning to cry. Levantate, Mejia told her. Get up. A family with a stroller went past. Then another, and another. Flashing lights in the distance behind them were a reminder that if they fell far enough behind, their journey could be over in an instant. Strangers stopped to offer to carry Camila, but the girl refused to let anyone touch her. Minutes passed as Samantha cried and Camila screamed and the caravan kept going without them. Friends disappeared into the distance. Dawn began to break. Soon the sun would rise, and the temperature would climb to nearly 40 degrees celsius. So Mejia did the only thing she could: She lifted both girls one over each shoulder and started walking. Within a few minutes, she had caught up with the others where the road met a highway. Migrants slept in the ditch as they waited for trucks on which to catch a ride. Mejia set the girls down and handed them candy to keep them awake. But as vehicles approached, it was the young men who always reacted first. They climbed atop oil tankers and leaped aboard moving container trucks. So Mejia started walking again, Samantha in her arms and Camila flailing unhappily at her side. But then their luck suddenly changed. As she passed a red car belonging to a Televisa news crew, the cameraman recognized her. Paco Santana, a TV anchorman, had interviewed Mejia a few days earlier and had given her a lift. Now he offered to do so again. I wish I could take you all like last time, but I have a woman who is very pregnant, he told Zelaya and Mejias other friends. No, no, no, said Ana Velazquez, 36, who was travelling with her 16-year-old daughter. What we want is for her to get a ride because the little girl doesnt like to walk. Well, Santana said, turning to Mejia. What do you? She looked at her friends. Then she looked at her daughters. Do you want to go in the car, like the other day? Santana asked Camila and Samantha. With shouts of excitement, her daughters made the decision for her. I dont have cookies this time, Santana said, opening the door of his car, where the pregnant woman and her partner were already waiting for a ride. Should we go get some? And then it was on to the next town, the single mothers odyssey over at least for another day. Read more about: THOUSAND OAKS, CALIF.Using a smoke bomb and a handgun, a hooded Marine combat veteran dressed in all black opened fire during college night at a country music bar in Southern California, killing 12 people and sending hundreds fleeing in terror before apparently taking his own life, authorities said Thursday. Authorities said the motive for the attack Wednesday night was under investigation. The killer was identified as 28-year-old Ian David Long, a former machine-gunner and veteran of the war in Afghanistan, who was interviewed by police at his home last spring after an episode of agitated behaviour that they were told might be post-traumatic stress disorder. Screaming in fear, patrons rushed for the exits, dived under tables and used bar stools to smash second-floor windows and jump to safety as gunfire reverberated through the Borderline Bar & Grill, a hangout popular with students from nearby California Lutheran University. I dropped to the floor, Sarah Rose DeSon told ABCs Good Morning America. A friend yelled, Everybody down! We were hiding behind tables trying to keep ourselves covered, she said. The dead included 11 people inside the bar and a veteran sheriffs sergeant who was the first officer inside the door, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said. Read more: How the horrific Las Vegas shooting got its name Eleven killed in horrific mass shooting at Pittsburgh synagogue; suspect in custody Its a horrific scene in there, Dean said in the parking lot. Theres blood everywhere. The bloodshed was the latest in what seems to be a never-ending string of mass shootings that are happening with terrifying frequency across the United States. All morning, people looking for missing friends and relatives arrived at a community centre where authorities and counsellors were informing the next of kin of those who died. Many walked past TV cameras with blank stares or tears in their eyes. In the parking lot, people comforted each other with hugs or a pat on the back. Jason Coffman received the news that his son Cody, 22, who was about to join the Army, was dead. Coffman broke down as he told reporters how his last words to his son as he went out that night were not to drink and drive and that he loved him. Oh, Cody, I love you, son, Coffman sobbed. Sister Sister actress Tamera Mowry-Housley and her husband said their 18-year-old niece Alaina Housely, a student at nearby Pepperdine University, was also among those killed. So was Justin Meek, a 23-year-old recent graduate of Cal Lutheran, according to the university. It was the nations deadliest such attack since 17 students and teachers were killed at a Parkland, Fla., high school nine months ago. It also came less than two weeks after a gunman massacred 11 people at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. Democratic Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom, in his first public appearance since winning office on Tuesday, lamented the violence that has come again to California. Its a gun culture, he said. You cant go to a bar or nightclub? You cant go to church or synagogue? Its insane is the only way to describe it. The normalization, thats the only way I can describe it. Its become normalized. U.S. President Donald Trump praised police for their great bravery in the attack and ordered flags flown at half-staff in honour of the victims. Long was armed with a Glock 21, a .45-calibre pistol designed to hold 10 rounds plus one in the chamber, according to the sheriff. But it had an extended magazine one capable of holding more ammunition that is illegal in California, Dean said. The killer also deployed a smoke device, a law enforcement official told the Associated Press. The official was not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Authorities converged on Longs home in Newbury Park, about eight kilometres from the Borderline bar, in a search for clues to what set him off. Theres no indication that he targeted the employees. We havent found any correlation, the sheriff said. Maybe there was a motive for this particular night, but we have no information leading to that at all. Long was in the Marines from 2008 to 2013, rose to the rank of corporal and served in Afghanistan in 2010-11 before he was honourably discharged, the military said. Court records show he married in 2009 and was divorced in 2013. Authorities said he had no criminal record, but in April officers were called to his home, where deputies found him angry and acting irrationally. The sheriff said officers were told he might have PTSD because of his military service. A mental health specialist met with him and didnt feel he needed to be hospitalized. Tom Hanson, 70, who lives next door to Long and his mother, said Thursday that he called the police about six months ago when he heard heavy-duty banging and shouting coming from the Longs home. I was concerned because I knew he had been in the military, he said. Hanson said the sheriffs deputy who arrived took his information, but he never learned more about what happened and hadnt spoken to Long since then. He said he was dumbfounded by the bloodshed. The gunman first shot a security guard standing outside, then went in and opened fire on staff members and patrons, the sheriff said. Sheriffs Sgt. Ron Helus and a passing highway patrolman arrived around 11:20 p.m. in response to several 911 calls, heard gunfire and went inside, the sheriff said. Helus was immediately shot, Dean said. The highway patrolman pulled Helus out, then waited as a SWAT team and scores more officers arrived. Helus died at a hospital. By the time officers entered the bar again, the gunfire had stopped, according to the sheriff. They found 12 people dead inside, including the gunman, who was discovered in an office and had apparently shot himself, the sheriff said. Theres no doubt that they saved lives by going in there and engaging with the suspect, said Dean, who was set to retire on Friday. He praised the slain officer a close friend as a hero: He went in there to save people and paid the ultimate price. One other person was wounded by gunfire, and as many as 15 others suffered minor injuries from jumping out windows or diving under tables, authorities said. People at the bar fled from all exits, broke through windows and hid in the attic and bathrooms, the sheriff said. He said they seemed to know what to do. Unfortunately our young people, people at nightclubs, have learned that this may happen, and they think about that. Fortunately it helped save a lot of lives that they fled the scene so rapidly, he said. Shootings of any kind are extremely rare in Thousand Oaks, a city of about 130,000 people about 64 kilometres from Los Angeles, just across the county line. The Borderline, which has a large dance hall along with several smaller areas for eating and drinking, was holding one of its regular College Country Nights. Nick Steinwender, Cal Lutheran student body president, told KTLA-TV he immediately started receiving messages about the shooting, and he and his roommate went to the scene to offer rides back to campus or moral support. Its going to be a very sombre day, Steinwender said. I know we dont have all the details in yet, but you know, it just feels like its an attack on our community. You know, I think its going to be something that were going to have to come together and move past. The bar is also close to several other universities, including California State University Channel Islands in Camarillo, Pepperdine in Malibu and Moorpark College in Moorpark. Cole Knapp, a freshman at Moorpark, said he was inside the bar when the shooting began, but thought at first that it was just someone with an M-80, just kind of playing a prank. Then he said he saw the gunman, wearing a small black head covering and black hoodie. I tried to get as many people to cover as I could, Knapp said. There was an exit right next to me, so I went through that. That exit leads to a patio where people smoke. People out there didnt really know what was going on. Theres a fence right there so I said, Everyone get over the fence as quickly as you can, and I followed them over. He said he had friends who were unaccounted for. Tayler Whitler, 19, said she was on the dance floor when she saw the gunman shooting and heard screams of Get down! It looked like he knew what he was doing, Whitler told KABC-TV. Around midday, the body of the slain sheriffs officer was taken by motorcade from the hospital to the coroners office. Thousands of people stood along the route or pulled over in their vehicles to watch the hearse pass. Firefighters use two ladder trucks to raise a giant American flag over the route. Helus was a 29-year veteran of the force with a wife and son and planned to retire in the coming year, said the sheriff, choking back tears. TALLAHASSEE, FLA.Legal wrangling began in earnest in Florida on Thursday, as top political campaigns girded for the possibility of lengthy and expensive vote recounts in a Senate race that remains too close to call and, unexpectedly, also in the closely contested governors race. Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, claimed victory in the Senate contest on Tuesday against Sen. Bill Nelson, the Democratic incumbent. But the vote gap between them has only narrowed since then, as the states largest counties have continued to tally ballots that were mailed in or cast on a provisional basis on Election Day. The gap has also closed in the governors race, which is now in recount territory as well. Andrew Gillum, a Democrat, conceded to Ron DeSantis, a Republican, late Tuesday night, shortly before The Associated Press called the race for DeSantis. But DeSantis victory margin has since shrunk to 0.44 percentage points 0.06 points below the recount threshold. DeSantis leads by more than 36,000 votes. Floridas 67 counties have until noon Saturday to submit their unofficial vote totals to the states division of elections. Four more contests for state agriculture commissioner, one state Senate seat and two state House seats are also likely to be headed for recounts. The lead in the agriculture commissioner race flipped on Thursday afternoon: Nikki Fried, a Democrat, moved ahead of Matt Caldwell, a Republican, by 2,884 votes. The highest-profile recount possibility so far, however, is in the U.S. Senate race. As of Thursday night, 15,127 votes separated Scott and Nelson, a difference of 0.18 percentage points. Under Florida law, a margin smaller than 0.5 points prompts a machine recount, and a margin of 0.25 points or less requires a more thorough manual recount. Of particular concern to Republicans is the slow pace of counting in Broward, the states second most populous county, where a court ruled in May that the office of the elections supervisor, Brenda Snipes, had illegally destroyed some ballots from a 2016 congressional race. Results from Broward so far indicate that nearly 25,000 people cast votes for governor but not for senator. Read more: GOP governor candidate Kemp resigns as Georgia secretary of state; activists head to court Women, LGBT candidates make history in 2018 midterms Once counties report their unofficial totals to the state Saturday, Secretary of State Ken Detzner, an appointee of Scott, will be able to order any of the legally mandated recounts. A statewide machine recount would have to be completed by 3 p.m. Nov. 15, Elias said. If that process yields a margin of less than 0.25 percentage points in any federal or state races, then Detzner would order manual recounts in those races of what are known as undervotes and overvotes; the recounts would have to be completed by Nov. 18. ATLANTARepublican Brian Kemp resigned Thursday as Georgias secretary of state, a day after his campaign said hes captured enough votes to become governor despite his rivals refusal to concede. As the states top election official, Kemp oversaw the race, and his resignation Thursday morning came as a hearing began for a lawsuit in which five voters asked that he be barred from exercising his duties in any future management of his own election tally. Democratic rival Stacey Abrams campaign had repeatedly accused Kemp of improperly using his post as secretary of state. Kemps resignation takes effect just before noon Thursday. Kemp said an interim secretary of state has been appointed to oversee the rest of the vote count. Abrams has pointed to ballots that have yet to be counted and says theres still the possibility of a December runoff. Her campaign has said she must pick up about 15,000 votes to do so. Kemp said Abrams is using old math. Without providing specifics, he said in a WSB Radio interview that the number is actually more like 30,000 votes. The Associated Press has not called the election. Read more: Georgia voting hits technical delays in key Atlanta suburbs Georgia, California, Florida: Here are the races too close to call At a news conference with Republican Gov. Nathan Deal late Thursday morning, Kemp declared that there are only about 20,000 provisional ballots that have not yet been counted in the race. He did not offer any details, but in response to a question said he would ask about releasing county-by-county results. Of Abrams, he said, Even if she got 100 per cent of those votes, we still win. In fact, Kemps office did release to the AP a county-level breakdown about the same time he started speaking in Deals office Thursday. The office had not immediately shared that requested information the day before, however, even as Kemps campaign cited the statewide estimate as his justification for declaring victory. The standoff continued to attract attention around the country, with the head of the Democratic National Committee applauding Abrams for pressing on and blasting Kemp as untrustworthy. It is grossly unfair to any fox in America to compare Brian Kemp with a fox guarding the hen house. It is much worse in Georgia, DNC Chairman Tom Perez told reporters in Washington. I dont think that race is over. Every vote must be counted, and the integrity of that election is at stake. Late Wednesday afternoon after a day of the campaigns, media and partisan observers scrambling for information about outstanding votes across Georgias 159 counties Kemp aide Ryan Mahoney told reporters on a conference call, We are declaring victory. Campaign official Austin Chambers, added: The message here is pretty simple: This election is over, and the results are clear. Abrams campaign manager Lauren Groh-Wargo retorted a few hours later that the Kemp campaign offered no proof other than non-specific provisional ballot counts released by Kemps official state office. Hes offered ... no indication of why we should take him at his word, Groh-Wargo said. The sitting secretary of state has declared himself the winner. The standoff leaves open the possibility of litigation as Abrams campaign has pushed for the continued counting of absentee, mail-in and provisional ballots, and renewed its concerns that Kemp was the chief elections officer supervising his own election, a race already marked by disputes over the voting process. If a runoff is necessary, the second round will take place Dec. 4, extending Abrams bid to become the first black woman elected governor in American history, while Kemp looks to maintain the GOPs domination in a state where Democrats havent won a governors race since 1998. Partisan observers nationally have watched intently for clues about just how much of a battleground Georgia can be in the 2020 presidential campaign. With reported votes exceeding 3.9 million almost 95 per cent of Georgias 2016 presidential turnout Kemp has just more than 50 per cent. Before the Kemp campaign declared victory Wednesday, Groh-Wargo estimated that about 15,000 votes separate Kemp from a runoff. She says at least that many outstanding absentee and mail-in ballots remained to be counted. Kemps spokeswoman in the secretary of states office, Candice Broce, said that by Wednesday afternoon the number of uncounted absentee and mail-in ballots was less than 2,000 with her boss still above the 50 per cent threshold. Broce said about 22,000 provisional ballots have yet to be processed, according to a canvass of county officials across the state. Mahoney asserted that those numbers make it impossible for Abrams to pick up enough votes to deny Kemp an outright victory. In 2016, with a slightly larger electorate, there were 16,739 provisional ballots. Of those, 7,592 were counted. State and campaign officials said they expected a much higher proportion to be counted this year. Abrams campaign officials said they believed the uncounted provisional ballots were in metro Atlanta counties where Abrams won a large share of the vote. Broce said the secretary of states office is working on releasing more detailed information. The lawsuit at issue Thursday morning in an Atlanta federal court came from voters who sued Kemp on Election Day alleging that Kemp presiding over an election in which he is a candidate violates a basic notion of fairness. The plaintiffs asked the court to block Kemp from having anything more to do with managing his election. The hearing ended shortly after it began with the announcement of Kemps resignation. Its not immediately clear what Kemps practical role was in the election tally. Local officials are responsible for counting the votes, including provisional ballots. County officials have until next Tuesday to certify their results and send them to Kemps office. Statewide certification must come by Nov. 20. With the heat of the political situation rising daily, JVP Leader and MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressed his views regarding this crisis during an interview. Excerpts: Q What is the JVPs opinion on the political situation that is unfolding at present? The political incidents that are taking place now are not related to the forward march of the country or its citizens. All these incidents have erupted as a result of the shameless, conspiratorial power struggle within the two political camps. Observing the activities in these camps during the past few days one could judge what sort of people they are and their characters. We are asking the people to think intelligently as to what they (Politicians) have done for the country during the past seventy years. Therefore the JVP is drawing the peoples attention as an alternative force around which the masses can rally round. Q At a time when the attention of everyone is drawn towards who would be the Prime Minister and what is going to happen to the Government, do you think people would show any interest on an alternative force as proposed by you? This is the opportune moment. It is clearly evident that there is a political conspiracy. This conspiracy is similar to eloping with a village damsel under the moonlight. The President in the dead of the night calls an MP and without the knowledge of all appoints him as the Prime Minister and follows this by proroguing the Parliament. It is true that the President has the power to appoint the Prime Minister, but it is the Parliament that decides who should be the Prime Minister. By this action it is amply proved that the President had activated this political conspiracy. The behaviour of Ranil Wickremesinghe during the recent past may have prompted him (President Sirisena) to resort to this action. But Sirisena should not forget that he was also a stake holder in this as he too is responsible for the three-and - a-half year rule. "The person who was subject to such slandering by the Mahinda camp has now sent his hands around the shoulders of those who slandered and slung mud at him" Sirisena has betrayed the 6.2 million who placed their trust in him by casting their franchise preferring him to Mahinda Rajapaksa. There were 5.7 million who voted against Sirisena. Therefore it is a established fact that there is no one among these groups who has hopes of uniting these two. Therefore it is proved now that both of them have gone against the mandate given to them. They had betrayed the mandate. It reached the boiling point last Friday with the conspiracy for a power change. Therefore there is no trust in each other. Therefore we are inviting everyone to join in protecting the peoples mandate. Therefore this is the moment for an alternate party, which can be a force to be reckoned with. Q You are vociferous in claiming that Maithripala Sirisena once alleged that in the event he had lost the Presidential election he and his family would have been buried six feet under while also levelling serious charges that they were mass scale fraudsters and corrupt individuals. Sirisena has finally put his arms around a person whom he has accused. Your comments. This surely portrays the level of politics and the rut into which they have dragged it into. Without any shame the dirtiest nature of it is now being displayed. This set of people is now jumping about in the stinking mud hole. Being in the Government of Mahinda, Maithri remained as a Minister and raised his hand approving all the misdeeds that were committed by the former president. Maithri then made his exit saying that he did not get a place and adding that if he was appointed as the Prime Minister at that time he would have left that Government. No, Maithripala Sirisena would never do that. The 2015 power camp gets build up with the aim of securing power. A coalition Government featuring both the UNP with the SLFP is formed with the aim of securing power. The present Mahinda- Maithri group of conspirators was formed with the intention of grabbing power in a shameless manner. "We however have a responsibility as a political group to intervene at a time the country is subject to anarchy or instability" It was Maithri who repeatedly claimed that in the event of losing the Presidential elections, he and his family would have been six feet underground. He also said that on the night of the elections he took shelter in a coconut estate. Who said these? Was it we? Maithri who made this announcement aloud and clear on many occasions has stooped to such a low by teaming up with Mahinda whom he accused and ridiculed. We also remember how Mahindas camp took the micky out of Maithri and ridiculed him using words and phrases which are unprintable. The person who was subject to such slandering by the Mahinda camp has now sent his hands around the shoulders of those who slandered and slung mud at him. This proves to the entire world how politically bankrupt these two individuals are. To grab power they would resort to any low tactics. Q What do you feel about having a possible Government under Maithripala and Mahinda Rajapakse given that there was a past where the president had lambasted the Rajapakses as rogues? There is no doubt about Ranil and Maithripala directly and indirectly working to delay the investigations relating to the frauds and acts of corruption of the former regime. If there had been a genuine interest to unearth the truth relating to these frauds and acts of corruption, they could have been uncovered. Those who were hell bent on taking these robbers into custody, they are now conniving with the same group of robbers to form a new Government. We have no doubt that this is an extension of the black era of the Rajapakses. Even those who were in the Yahapalana Government whose names have surfaced in connection with alleged frauds and corruption, have been bought over by the new regime. These individuals are featured in bids amounting to several millions of rupees. These three groups are presently engaged in gambling risking the lives of the people. Q Now everyone is anxiously awaiting the reconvening of the Parliament. Your comments. We do not think that this issue would resolve with the convening of the Parliament, removing the crown from Ranil and putting it on Mahinda or putting it back on Ranils head. It would not produce a solution to the issues confronting the country and its people. We however have a responsibility as a political group to intervene at a time the country is subject to anarchy or instability. The only solution is to convene Parliament and entrust responsibility to the person who commands the confidence of the majority. We demand that Parliament be reconvened with the aim of overcoming this instability. We remember how Dinesh Gunawardene, during the recent past, used to make much hue and cry demanding that parliament be summoned despite there being a flood situation in the country. Where are they now? They are today absconding from the Parliament. We are not demanding the reconvening of Parliament so that Ranil or Mahinda can show the majority, but do it because we have opinions to express regarding this instability. Q Presently it is said that the value of an MP is rising rapidly. Did they place any bids for JVP members? There were no calls from any side. Q Is it true that Basil Rajapaksa threw a bait earlier? There was some idea like that earlier. But we would never join in any coalition. We have no political affiliations with both these camps. However, instead, we have a political matter to sort out with these two factions. No one will step forward to make deals with our MPS, and that is the testimonial they had issued on us. From where do these groups get all this millions of money? This is the black money they possess. Q What will now happen to the post of chief organiser of the opposition As far as we are concerned we dont recognise such positions . We took them on as responsibilities. The party in the opposition which has the majority would get the post of Leader of the Opposition and the post of Chief Organizer of the Opposition. Q Opposition Leader Sampandan met Mahinda Rajapaksa and had a discussion. Your comments Mahinda Rajapaksa in order to retain his power, and taking into consideration the cases against them, and in order to block the entry of Gotabaya Rajapaksa, is now ready to resort to any dirty work. That is the reason he come forward at this critical juncture and accepted to work along with his enemy Maithripala Sirisena, thus obtaining the Premiership. Mahinda would not rest on his laurels and would align with any group in order to protect himself . Q Have you discussed this grave situation and the political instability with other minority parties? We are exploring all avenues to have discussions with the left movements, members of other parties, citizens groups, civil society Intellectuals and other individuals regarding this situation. We do not want to be mere spectators. We are getting directly involved in this and our interventions are to change this political out flow. Q What have you got to say about President Maithripala Sirisenas address to the nation? Actually it was lamentation. Is the President someone who laments in the face of his people? Mathripala Sirisena used to speak in this manner. There is no difference between his speech after exiting the government of Mahinda and the recent one he made. As President he was lamenting that he could not do many things and giving excuses. This questions his suitability for the post. Actually his address to the nation was a great insult to those who are tasked with such duties. It is similar to a comical act. Q Though you make accusations against Maithripala Sirisena, your political stance at that time indirectly contributed to him becoming the President. Therefore you too are responsible for the present situation During that election we were firm in our decision and that was to defeat the Rajapakse camp. We also reiterated that we had no faith in the rule that would follow. That is happening now. In the midst of these happenings it is our responsibility not to let go. Therefore we are offering leadership to the people to defeat both camps and strengthen the alternative force. (Courtesy Sunday Lankadeepa) The summer after my second year of university, I cycled around China. China in 1993 was very different from todays China. The dazzling Pudong skyline in Shanghai resembled a farmers field. Cities like Beijing, Hangzhou and Guangzhou were in the midst of a dramatic urban transformation. I survived on $5 a day which says as much about my preferences back then as it does about how rich China is today. All my possessions from my Birkenstocks to my 35 mm SLR camera fit in a single backpack. I remember standing for 16 hours on a loud train from Beijing to Shanghai, talking to a family about the Cultural Revolution. The trip was one of self-discovery. I learned how to be lonely. Oh, and I also learned Mandarin. Fast forward more than 25 years. As a political scientist who has devoted my career to studying the region, speaking Chinese is a big advantage. I use it when I meet colleagues and lead students and do fieldwork. It gives me instant credibility. This type of life-changing opportunity to study and work abroad should be available to all students. Yet despite Canadas belief that we are global, just over 10 per cent of Canadian post-secondary students will have a learning abroad experience by the time they graduate. In the U.S. that number is approximately 15 per cent, while in most European countries, more than 25 per cent of students will spend time abroad. Staying home is not good for the next generation of our graduates; nor is it good for Canada. For Canadas economy to thrive, our industries need to be more global. The United States, along with Mexico, will remain our most important economic partners. Yet the challenges of reaching the new US-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement, show the need to diversify our trading and investment partners. Canada, its companies and people need to be able to compete in markets around the world. If we want to keep the doors of the world open to Canada, we need people who understand other countries because they have studied, lived, and worked in them. We need people who will be able to collaborate with partners in Japan or Chile, and who wont expect everyone to speak English. These experiences are critical to maintaining and expanding the countrys commercial, diplomatic and cultural relationships, as a landmark report outlining the case for increasing the number of Canadian students who study abroad recently argued. Students in some disciplines, such as business or international relations, often participate in study and work abroad terms. But to achieve national impact, all students have to be encouraged to make international experience a part of their undergraduate programs, regardless of discipline or financial means, conclude authors Margaret Biggs and Roland Paris. Global learning is not just for rich kids to tour art galleries and sip cafe au lait in the French Riviera. An investment in global learning means any student should be able to go to Bangalore, Shanghai or Mexico City to study, learn, even do an internship in an international organization. Imagine the potential return on that kind of investment for the student, and for Canada. Canadas universities and colleges want to train the next generation of global graduates. Employers want us to do that. And we know that learning abroad needs to include not only semester- or yearlong exchanges, but shorter-term, more intensive research- and work-integrated learning experiences. Employers want to hire students with international experience. Surveys of employers show these graduates are more competitive and likely to succeed. They are more adaptable and understand how to navigate cultural differences. They are able to speak and work in several languages. These so-called soft skills of the 20th century are essential skills for the 21st century. At the University of Toronto, we are looking for international partners who can help us increase international learning experiences. We are tripling needs-based bursaries so no student who wants to spend time outside Canada for course work, research or a work internship is turned away. Preparing students for the future of work is important. But universities also want to pique students curiosity, encourage critical awareness and nurture creative thinking. We want our students to be curious, empathetic and culturally aware. The global learning agenda is in full swing in many places around the world. Canada, so far, lags behind. We need to get out in front. Every student deserves a summer like the one I had in China, one that will transform their life and leave an indelible imprint on their career. Joseph Wong is a professor of Political Science at the University of Toronto and the associate vice president and vice provost, International Student Experience. Read more about: Its hard to just have a little faith, Nov. 1 Joe Prochazka of Oshawa expressed concern about science in his letter on Nov.1. He knows that exploring Mars is a waste of time and resources because he believes in God. I was unaware that the Bible or the Koran or any Holy Book mentioned Mars, but I have not studied them as closely as Mr. Prochazka. Since the Space Age began in the early 1960s, there have been over fifty missions to Mars and some have been complete failures that never even got off the launch pad; one is en route, expected to land later this month; and at least seven more are in development. Mr. Prochazaka opines that science has not answered the question of how the universe got started (to his satisfaction) and nothing will be found on Mars. I am not sure that the main reason for exploring Mars is to answer that inquiry, and will religious believers give up their beliefs if something is found on the red planet? Science poses questions everyday and looks for those elusive answers knowing they will raise more questions. I agree with the great British scientist Richard Dawkins when he stated, I am against religion because it teaches us to be satisfied with not understanding the world. I love the idea that deep in the dark expanse of space there is a rocket that is getting ready to land on a planet 54.6 million kilometres from here. I hope they do find the microbe and I would be pleased to hear about the alien can-opener, but if is only a lovely red expanse of sand I will not give up on science. Donald Trump is unfazed. The U.S. presidents Republican Party no longer controls both houses of Congress. But Trump says thats fine. Indeed, he argued unconvincingly in a press conference this week, the results of Tuesdays mid-term elections will make it easier for him to advance his legislative agenda. Those were the elections that resulted in Democrats winning control of the House of Representatives and Republicans strengthening their hold on the Senate a recipe for gridlock. Both Trump and Democratic house leader Nancy Pelosi have promised to work together in a bipartisan manner to avoid this. But even if they are sincere, they almost certainly wont succeed. Just hours after making that co-operation pledge, Trump unilaterally fired Attorney-General Jeff Sessions the first step in any plan to derail special counsel Robert Muellers inquiry into alleged Russian meddling during the 2016 presidential election campaign. The Democrats responded, as expected, with fury. In fact, its arguably in their political interest not to co-operate on anything substantive with Trump during the lead-up to the 2020 presidential election. Why allow him to win any credit for, say, reforming health care? Similarly, its in Trumps political interest not to co-operate with the Democrats. Better for both to accuse the other side of obstructionism. All of which means that little is likely to happen legislatively in the domestic areas that pollsters say concern Americans such as health care and drug prices. Instead, expect Trump to focus more on matters over which Congress exercises little control, such as foreign and military affairs. The president is already saber-rattling against Iran. He has unilaterally pulled out of the nuclear accord with that country and is warning of dire consequences should Iran fail to accede to American demands. He has also sent U.S. troops to the Mexican border to thwart would-be illegal immigrants from Latin America. As commander-in-chief of the U.S. armed forces, he could make that deployment permanent. Conversely, he is talking nice to North Korea and has not ruled out inking some kind of peace accord with its leader, Kim Jong Un. Will he take the even bolder move of negotiating a peace deal with Afghanistans Taliban, thus putting an end to Americas longest war? Dont dismiss the possibility out of hand. The U.S. has been quietly trying to make peace with the Taliban since Barack Obamas presidency. Trumps overwhelming vanity might be enough to push this effort to a successful completion Trump has already declared economic war against China, and to a lesser degree against Canada and Europe, by slapping tariffs on products from these areas. Dont expect that to change until he gets what he wants (which in Canadas case are quotas on its steel and aluminum exports to the U.S.) Even before this weeks mid-terms Trump made it clear that he wants Americas trading partners to acquiesce to his demands. Now, with legislative achievements near impossible, his political need to win these trade wars is even greater. The other broad power a president enjoys is the ability to issue executive orders legally binding edicts that do not require Congressional approval. Obama made use of this power to bypass a Republican-controlled Congress and impose pollution requirements on the use of coal. Look for Trump to try something similar in areas that concern him. He has already mused about issuing an executive order that would deny the automatic right of citizenship to any person born in the U.S. Such a move would be immediately challenged as unconstitutional. But that wouldnt necessarily prevent Trump from trying it anyway. The point is that he wants to be remembered as more than just a crude blowhard with funny hair. All presidents want to leave a legacy. But Trumps need for acceptance and praise is so achingly obvious as to be almost pitiable. He is desperate to make a mark. If a hung Congress means he cant do it the usual way, he will find another. Read more about: OTTAWA Canada-U.S. trade observers say the Trudeau government should launch a whole new charm offensive to teach an incoming crop of rookie lawmakers about cross-border economic integration after American mid-term elections gave Democrats new powers to control the North American trade deals passage. But Canadas federal government is dismissing concerns about Canadas ability to close the deal on a new NAFTA, known as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The Democratic party, which traditionally embraces trade protectionist sentiment, gained the upper hand in the House of Representatives and is set to take control of key committees in charge of deciding how quickly implementation legislation for the USMCA will advance, or stall, through Congress. Subscribe to the Star to support our reporting on U.S. political news -- and what it means for Canada The federal Liberal government says it doesnt plan the kind of all-out full court press of new Democrat legislators that it carried on to woo American support throughout the NAFTA talks. Canadas ambassador to Washington, David MacNaughton, told Canadian television networks he is not particularly worried that Democrats will try to block ratification of the USMCA. Read more: U.S. midterm results could delay new trade deal into 2020, watchers warn Opinion | Susan Delacourt: Justin Trudeau treads carefully on U.S. election day How Democrats could help or hurt Trumps next trade policy moves They may not be the biggest free-traders in the world but I think they see this agreement is good for Canada, its good for the United States, MacNaughton said on CBCs Power and Politics. MacNaughton and other Canadian officials said they saw President Donald Trumps reaction Wednesday to midterm results as a positive signal too. During an extraordinarily acrimonious news conference where Trump slammed the media for not giving him credit for the booming economy, the U.S. president brushed off his past verbal slams of Canadas prime minister. He declared his rift with Justin Trudeau is repaired We have a very good relationship and said he would be able to work with Democrats to advance their interests in infrastructure and health care, and his interests in areas like border security and immigration. And, he said pointedly, the USMCA has gotten rave reviews. Not going to lose companies anymore to other countries. Trump credited his use of tariffs on imports for retaining companies in America by giving them a tremendous economic incentive, meaning its prohibitive for them to move into other jurisdictions, and for reaching better trade deals. He said as a result Americas steel and aluminum industries which were dead are recovering and our miners are working again. The USMCA is completely different than NAFTA, he claimed. Its not going to be like NAFTA which is one of the worst deals Ive ever seen, and he extended an offer of bipartisan co-operation. Now is the time for members of both parties to join together, put partisanship aside and keep the American economic miracle going strong. However academic and business experts suggested the Canadian government cannot become complacent now. Chris Sands, director of the Centre for Canadian Studies at Johns Hopkins University, said in an interview that trade was not a big issue for either party in most midterm races, but it is likely to become a bargaining chip between Democrats and Republicans in the Trump administration. The Democrats may want to leverage it in order advance their policies on immigration, infrastructure and health care, he said. I give the Trudeau (government) Canada generally, a lot of credit. Theyll go down in history for the amazing effort they had to reach out to the Americans with data to say look how much Canada contributes to your district in terms of jobs, investment and trade. And they had the numbers and they were persuasive. They were cross-country, it was Congress, it was governors, it was state legislators. Now we have a lot of new faces, we have to start over. Maryscott Greenwood, CEO of the Canadian-American Business Council, said: The Trudeau governments charm offensive is going to have to double down. I have a feeling theres a lot of education thats going to have to be done. She said the ratification of the deal will become the subject of a lot of arm-twisting between the Democrat leadership in the House and the Trump administration. The question becomes what will the Democrats ask in return for their support for the deal. Itll be a horse-trade and itll be a negotiation, she said. And that could take some time, and its complicated by the fact that the environment will be particularly contentious because the Democrats will be investigating the bejeezus out of the Trump administration. That being said, its in no ones interest to run the economy into the ground, said Greenwood. A senior Canadian official, speaking on a background basis only, said the Canadian embassy in Washington already has plans to reach out to congressional newcomers in the coming weeks. But he emphasized that the reality in Washington is that seniority equals power, and Trudeau, his foreign affairs minister Chrystia Freeland and MacNaughton among others, already know many of the key players, and have met with them on several occasions. Those include Nancy Pelosi, expected to become Speaker, Massachusetts Richard Neal, the ranking Democrat on the powerful ways and means House committee likely to become its chair, and Bill Pascrell, a Democrat from New Jersey, likely to become the ways and means trade subcommittee chair. The other key element, of course, is Trump himself. He has shown a willingness to use whatever executive powers he has, such as ordering tariffs levied in the name of national security. The Trudeau government is coming under increasing pressure from steel and aluminum workers in Canada, not to ratify the USMCA deal while tariffs remain, and not to agree to to any caps or limits on Canadian metals exports in exchange for their removal. Trudeau said earlier this week he is unlikely to withhold Canadas ratification of the deal over the question of tariffs, but will continue to press for their lifting. MacNaughton said Wednesday Trudeau is unlikely to appear at a signing ceremony to celebrate the USMCA as long as the tariffs stand. A Canadian official later said Trudeau would sign it, but would hold off on celebrations until tariffs lift. OTTAWATwo women who claim to have had intimate relationships with Tony Clement one online, one in person say the ousted Conservative parliamentarian was aware of attempts to expose his allegedly inappropriate behaviour toward women as early as last spring or summer. These accounts seem to contradict Clements initial public statement about when he became aware of an alleged attempt to extort him. They also call into question whether, given his position on Parliaments new national security committee, he fulfilled his legal obligation at the time to notify the Privy Council Office about whether his personal circumstances changed in a way that could affect his security clearance. Read more: Former Conservative MP Tony Clement admits to multiple acts of infidelity Until Tuesday, Clement was a leading member of the Conservative caucus who had twice jumped into the race to lead the party and served prominent cabinet roles under Stephen Harper. On Wednesday, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer requested Clements resignation. The demand came less than 24 hours after Clement published a statement claiming he was targeted for financial extortion after sending sexual images and a video to an unknown party. Clement claims he believed the person was a consenting female adult. The Star has interviewed two women who say they met Clement online and went on to have sexual interactions with him. Both women, who know each other and consulted about speaking publicly, asked the Star not to publish their names one out of concern over Clements reaction to her speaking publicly about him; the other because she feared ramifications in her professional life. The Star has agreed to keep their identities confidential in order to tell their stories in the public interest, as Clement was a senior Conservative figure with high level security clearance. When presented with a detailed account of the womens claims Wednesday night, Clement responded by email: Im working on a statement that Ill get to you when Im comfortable with it. Appreciate it. In a statement posted to his personal website Thursday afternoon, Clement confirmed he engaged in multiple inappropriate exchanges that crossed lines that should have never been crossed. He said these exchanges led to acts of infidelity. One of these exchanges led to a woman being offered money by an anonymous social media account in exchange for intimate and personal information about him, he said. He said he reported this to the Ontario Provincial Police last summer. He added that, most recently, another inappropriate exchange led to foreign actors attempting to use my indiscretion for financial extortion and that he immediately reported this to the RCMP. Clement apologized to his wife, family and supporters, as well as to women with whom the exchanges occurred and anyone else who felt in any way that I crossed online boundaries that made them feel uncomfortable. He said he intends to stay on as MP for Parry SoundMuskoka. According to the womens accounts, sometime last spring or summer Clement became aware of Instagram accounts that sent messages about his behaviour toward women, sought information about him, and posted photos of him. The women said Clement separately told them he had reported this online behaviour to police. This would mean Clement was aware for months that an unknown party was seeking embarrassing information about him before he publicly revealed the extortion allegations. As a member of Parliaments new national security committee, Clement was bound by law to notify the Clerk of the Privy Council the federal governments top bureaucrat of any change in their personal circumstances that may affect their security clearance. Examples spelled out in the law include criminal convictions, a change in financial situation, association with criminals and being the subject of a law enforcement action. The Star reported Tuesday night that Clement flagged the issue to the Privy Council Office days ago, and that Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus office was made aware. The RCMP is now investigating Clements allegation, but refused to say when the investigation was opened. Cameron Ahmad, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, said Thursday that the PMO learned of the alleged extortion against Clement, after the privy council was informed. In an email Thursday, Privy Council Office spokesperson Paul Duchesne said the office takes national security matters seriously. He said when PCO became aware of the situation, we immediately referred the matter to the RCMP and took every precaution necessary to safeguard Canadas national security. He did not say when the PCO first received information about Clements situation. Speaking to reporters in Brampton Thursday, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer suggested Clements online behaviour was not caught by Canadas national security agencies as they screened the former cabinet minister for his role on the committee. Not only were we not aware of this, but neither were the national security agencies who did the screening for Mr. Clement before he took his place on the committee, Scheer said. People are capable of having lapses of judgment, unexpected lapses of judgment. People make mistakes. When those mistakes are brought to light, then people take accountability for it. And organizations and groups with work with them have to make decisions as well. And thats why I believe that the right course of action was for Tony to respond to these allegations from outside caucus. The first woman who spoke to the Star is in her early twenties. She said Clement added her on Instagram last year and liked some of her photos. He started sending her direct messages, which she said became flirtatious and then overtly sexual. She said they started consensually sharing intimate messages, and he sent her explicit images. He would talk dirty to me, then send me nude photos and videos, she said. He asked her more than once to meet for coffee or come to his house, but the woman said she made up excuses to avoid going. She never met Clement in the offline world, she said. A few months ago the woman believes it was in June or July Clement asked her to delete all records of their conversations. She said the MP told her he was concerned his Instagram account was hacked and asked her to only speak to him over WhatsApp, an encrypted messaging service. The woman said she agreed with Clements request. Soon after that conversation, she said an unknown user added her on Instagram. She said the account messaged her and alleged Clement engaged in inappropriate sexual behaviour toward women. The woman, who said she didnt know who was behind the account, took it as a warning. I was actually kind of scared, she said. Im still wondering how the heck did they find me? The woman provided the Star with a screenshot of the message, which does not show the name of the account. The message is dated July 2. The woman said she told Clement about the message, and that he begged her to believe the message was not true and that she was the only woman he was interacting with. She said Clement sent her a screenshot of a different Instagram account, @pierson476. She said Clement asked her if she had seen that account on Instagram; the woman said she had not. The woman provided the Star with the screenshot she said Clement sent her. It is timestamped in her phone 7/3/18, a date she believes is July 3, 2018. The photo shows @pierson476s profile page, which displays two photos: one of a smartphone displaying a picture of a shirtless Clement, the other what appears to be Clement kissing a woman on the cheek. The Star was unable to find either account the one that messaged the woman about Clement, and @pierson476 on Instagram. The woman said both accounts disappeared soon after these interactions with Clement. The womans ex-boyfriend, whose contact information she provided to the Star, said she messaged him sometime in the summer he believes before August to tell him about her online interactions with Clement. He said she also told him about the strange Instagram accounts, and that she sent him the screenshot of @pierson476. The ex-boyfriends phone shows the screenshot was uploaded to his Google Photos application on July 3. Later, in what the woman recalls to be late July, she spoke with Clement again about the strange Instagram accounts. The woman said Clement told her someone was after him for money and that he told her he reported the activity to the RCMP and police. He was scared, the woman said. He said at one point he couldnt sleep for a week. The RCMP refused to say when they received information from Clement or opened their investigation into his claims. The second woman who spoke to the Star is in her twenties. She, too, met Clement online when he added her on social media. The woman said he started liking her pictures and then started sending her direct messages that often included kiss and heart emoticons. She said she went on to have an intimate relationship with Clement. She said she decided to end their relationship because the 57-year-old MP is married. Some time later, in May or June 2018, the woman said she received messages from two or three unknown users on Instagram. One of them sent her information about the first woman who spoke to the Star, and the two women connected online at that point, they said. The second woman said one of the accounts offered her money for information about Clement, but she said she doesnt recall which account it was. This person, whoever it was, was trying to expose his behaviour, she said. The woman said Clement was aware of this Instagram activity and flagged one of the accounts to her @pierson476. She said Clement told her he reported it to the Ontario Provincial Police, and that all of the strange accounts have since disappeared. The woman does not have any records of her interactions with these accounts, but she provided the Star with a screenshot of a text message conversation with Clement, in which he mentioned he was speaking with police. The woman said she scrolled back in her phone and took the screenshot Thursday, but said the exchange it shows is from July. Sgt. Carole Dionne, a spokesperson for the OPP, declined to comment Wednesday night. She said the OPP doesnt confirm if it receives reports from the public, nor does it confirm whether it has started an investigation. The RCMP declined further comment Thursday, aside from confirming an investigation has been opened at Clements request. Kim Fox, a Canadian journalist in Philadelphia, told the Star she also had unusual interactions with Clement on social media. About three or four years ago, she said he added her to Instagram and started liking her photos. She said she would wake up in the morning and see a wall of notifications sometimes up to 10 or 20, she said. It was a joke, I would screen cap them and I would send them to my friends, she said. It just made me really uncomfortable Its odd behaviour for a public figure. Read more about: Political trouble often arrives in threes. Its rare, though, for one politician to get in three kinds of trouble all at the same time. Tony Clement, the now-former Conservative, the long-time MP from Parry Sound-Muskoka, has somehow pulled it off. Subscribe to the Star to support political reporting and analysis from our award-winning journalists in Ottawa. With the revelation this week of Clements confessed, sexting adventures with a would-be extortionist, this former minister and leadership contender has landed on the wrong side of at least three big themes in the political news. The #MeToo movement; Digital hacking, security and personal privacy concerns; Read more: Tony Clement booted from Conservative caucus over sexting scandal Opinion | Vinay Menon: I was going to write about Donald Trump, but Tony Clement wouldnt let me Conservative MP Tony Clement scales back duties, says hes being extorted over sexually explicit images And finally, but not insignificantly, an emerging drama at Queens Park, with provincial Conservatives going through their own controversies over alleged sexual misbehaviour. We may never know what motivated Clement to place his long political career so close to the flames of self-immolation, but we do know it took a particular detachment from some high-profile current events. Start with the growing number of allegations about Clements relations with young women, which were popping up virally all over social media on Wednesday. Even if only the admitted case is correct, how did the #MeToo movement escape the notice of this MP? Was Clement away during the last few years when Parliament no, the whole world, really was talking about sexual harassment on the job and in public life? The sins to which Clement has confessed improper exchange of sexual information with a young woman online were so obviously wrong, said Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, that the official Opposition doesnt even need a code of conduct to cover it. I dont know that too many people would have to be told not to share explicit video and images with people that you havent met, Scheer told reporters on Wednesday. The Conservatives have been trying to appear more female-friendly in the run-up to the next election, knowing that womens votes could be crucial to any hopes of regaining power in 2019. Clements alleged type of friendliness with young women sadly not the first weve seen around Parliament Hill wasnt exactly the look they were seeking. One does wonder about the persistence of this behaviour, despite all the bad attention its received over the past few years, but thats another sad story. Next, take this whole business of personal privacy and hacking. For the past two weeks, Conservatives have aggressively jumped on this issue, leading every day in the Commons with pointed questions on what they say is a data grab by Statistics Canada on Canadians banking information. Clearly, Scheer and his caucus believed they had tapped into a powerful vein of concern in the population the very real, 21st-century fear that none of our personal information is safe. Clements imbroglio, however, threatens to turn all the Conservatives attack lines into a punch line. The very same political party setting itself up as the champion of privacy included, up to this week, an MP trading online in some of the most sensitive information around. Clement was well aware that personal security and hacking are a large public concern in the fall of 2018. In fact, less than two weeks ago, Clement was sitting in a Commons committee, grilling a Google representative about the danger of digital hacking and human error. In the unlikely event that this Clement story is adapted into a movie or fiction, this would be called dramatic foreshadowing. Were all susceptible to hacks, Clement said at the Oct. 23 committee meeting. Id be very surprised if there were no hacking attempts in the next federal election campaign in Canada. Speaking of that next campaign, Conservatives have been starting to feel pretty good about their chances, especially with their new allies in Doug Fords government at Queens Park. Scheer and Ford have been building an alliance to challenge Justin Trudeaus Liberals at every turn.. Just imagine what kind of sharing the two leaders might be doing this week tips on how to manage allegations of sexual misbehaviour against colleagues? While Ford has lost a senior minister and a top adviser to such scandal, now Scheer has lost an MP the same way someone with lots of experience in Ottawa and Queens Park. Somehow one doubts that this is the kind of common cause they sought. Its an unfortunate coincidence, image-wise, for Conservatives at all levels. But if allegiances are formed in adversity, perhaps the silver lining is that it will bring Scheer and Ford further together. The tale of Clements downward spiral isnt over. There will be lingering questions about the damage he may have done to more than his Conservative party, in his capacity as a member of the national security committee. Wed best hope that this fallout doesnt arrive in triplicate as well. Susan Delacourt is the Stars Ottawa bureau chief and a columnist covering national politics. Reach her via email: sdelacourt@thestar.ca or follow her on Twitter: @susandelacourt Read more about: VANCOUVERThree days after Elections B.C. started counting how many electoral referendum ballots its received, critics of the process are criticizing the extremely low turnout so far and demanding the NDP government step in. The independent agency said that as of Wednesday it had received just 1.4 per cent of registered voters ballots, slightly more than 47,000 votes, double those returned by Monday. That has the BC Liberals insisting the NDP explain why theres no minimum threshold to change the entire way British Columbians vote. Thats a point theyll likely repeat on Thursday evening as Premier John Horgan squares off in a debate against Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson. The numbers are deeply concerning, said the Official Opposition in an email to party supporters. Its time for John Horgan and the NDP to tell us just how low turnout has to be for them to abandon their plan to impose proportional representation on British Columbians. Theyve stacked the deck by not setting a minimum threshold for the results to count and we cant let them get away with it. This is B.C.s third referendum on proportional representation, but the first to require only a simple majority to pass, rekindling reformers hopes of having legislature seats better reflect the popular vote, known as proportional representation. Read more: Electoral dysfunction? Experts abroad weigh B.C. voting systems in referendum Brazils far-right election results become B.C. electoral reform fodder BC Liberals rally against proportional representation under new logo and branding B.C.s ballot asks two questions: First, whether we should keep first-past-the-post voting or change to proportional representation; and second, to rank three proportional systems in order of preference. Voters can answer both questions or just one. Referendum voting packages must be received by Elections B.C. before 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 30, either by mail or in-person at Service B.C. centres. In the Legislature on Monday, New Democrat MLA Bob DEith defended the referendum process, saying the Attorney General conducted the largest public consultation in B.C. history on the electoral models, and had the questions vetted and approved by Elections B.C. The Liberals want to say its rigged. This couldnt be further from the truth, the Maple Ridge-Mission MLA said. The process was open, transparent and consultative. I have every faith that the B.C. public can make an educated decision as to how to proceed with this referendum I think that we should have faith in our voting public. With Elections B.C. only officially starting to receive and count returned ballots on Monday, StarMetro compared the first three days to the same period the last time B.C. held a mail-in referendum the harmonized sale tax (HST) vote under the B.C. Liberals in 2011. Turnout by the end of that vote on a controversial tax was 53 per cent of registered B.C. voters. But despite Elections B.C. having to extend its voting period because of Canada Posts lockout of postal workers in June 2011 before all ballots could be delivered, by the third day after mail service resumed just 12,281 had been returned, or 0.4 per cent of the vote. In 2011, it took six business days for Elections B.C. to surpass the number of returned ballots in the first three days of the 2018 referendum. And although the HST vote was on a far less sweeping reform than how we vote and provided voters an extra two weeks of voting time in 2011 returned ballots didnt start to climb steeply until about halfway through the return period. For BC Liberal MLA Ellis Ross, however, the issues at stake in this years referendum on proportional representation are far more worrisome. In this case here, theres just no credible information about this process, how they designed it, and what real outcome people can actually expect, the Skeena riding MLA said in a phone interview. They knew people wouldnt participate because its a mail-in ballot and it wasnt done in line with another election. This is a sham, its wrong, and its been engineered for a Yes vote regardless of how many people show up. If just 10 show up and say Yes, basically youd get proportional representation in B.C. His partys own two previous referenda on ditching our current first-past-the-post system were not by mail, and required 60 per cent support to pass; this years only needs a simple majority. In 2005, nearly 58 per cent voted for change; turnout was 61 per cent of registered voters. Four years later, a second vote coinciding with a provincial election got only 39 per cent support, with turnout at 55 per cent of registered voters. To change something as fundamental as the democratic vote in B.C., I think the government should do everything they can to ensure they actually hear the will of the majority of people in B.C., Ross said. The majority of Canadians are apathetic when it comes to democracy; that could be the undoing of the citizens of B.C., even if they dont care about politics or government. Horgan will argue for proportional representation against Wilkinson in a debate on Thursday at 7 p.m. on CBCs TV, radio, website and social media channels, and on Global TV and CKNW. VANCOUVERThe cannabis shortages currently plaguing many Canadian provinces are driven by regulatory and production missteps, both predictable and inevitable, according to industry insiders. And despite some emerging clarity around how Canada wound up with empty shelves in the first weeks of legalization, shortages are unlikely to become a thing of the past quite yet, according to Khurram Malik, CEO of Canadian cannabis company Biome Grow Inc. Theres going to be a supply shortage on and off for over a year to come, Malik told StarMetro in an interview. This was very predictable. We did see it coming, but not to this extent. More than half of New Brunswicks cannabis stores were closed this week due to product shortfalls, while Winnipeg-based Delta 9 Cannabis Inc. was down to dried buds at the end of October after finding itself unable to obtain a restock of cannabinoid capsules or oils. In British Columbia, meanwhile, the B.C. Liquor Distribution Board said in October that cannabis producers have yet to meet their total product commitments to the provincial government. And these problems have been brewing for a long while, said Malik. This is due in part to the tough standards imposed by Health Canada on companies looking to break into the production market, he said. Malik said he suspects many licensed producers (LPs) have stockpiled cannabis products just sitting in their vaults enough, he suggested, to overcome the current early-days shortages impacting provincial markets. But getting that product out of the vaults and onto store shelves has likely been held up by red tape, he said, attributing such hiccups to the inevitable growing pains of a brand new sector. But those logistical issues are compounded by heel-dragging on Health Canadas part in regards to providing enough licenses to cannabis producers to ensure sufficient legal weed could be grown to serve a customer base energized by the euphoria of legalization. While the federal agency did ramp up licensing approvals in the past year, such an increase should have been undertaken much earlier, Malik said. Canadian cannabis growers, he noted, are held to a far higher standard than most other growers in international jurisdictions. While Colorado and California, for instance, faced their own shortages after legalization, those problems had more to do with how quickly the market went legitimate following licensees being approved. There was just no time for those growers to get on top of their game, Malik said. For that reason, the challenges those markets faced provide little insight into how Canadas shortages will ultimately shake out. Last but not least, there may be problems on the production side in terms of the ability of LPs to get to harvest quickly and efficiently enough. Many LPs Malik estimated more than nine in ten rely far too heavily on human labour, he said. This is a holdover from the days when LPs only grew for the medical market, he suggested, when profit margins were wider and market diversity was far slimmer. Before legalization, he said, a gram of weed could be grown by an LP for around $2.50, and sold for $7 or more. There were also simply fewer customers to serve. Now that the government takes its share and marks up either to a wholesaler or to a customer through its own retailer, LPs are making less money while being tasked with producing more weed on a regular basis. This, he said, makes old models centred around human workers unsustainable. And all of those producers whose facilities were built to run on this model are facing a rude awakening, he added. Malik said he believes automation is the only way for the cannabis industry to achieve reliable, consistent results at an affordable rate. This, he said, is no different than the systems any large-scale agricultural producer has had to adopt to survive. He points to the facilities Biome helps set up as an example. When the lights come on, we dont spend a year or two years trying to figure out how to grow in our facilities, he said. They hum right away. And the reason for that is we automate the heck out of our buildings and basically (take) the human being out of the equation as much as we possibly can. And while that solution may not sound appealing to some growers or consumers, there is simply no way for a company to survive in a sector like cannabis without moving in that direction, he said. Matt Maurer, a partner at Torkin Manes Barristers and Solicitors and vice chair of the firms Cannabis Law Group, also expressed little surprise at the fates befalling Canadian cannabis retailers. I think its highly predictable, Maurer told StarMetro. It just seems so obvious that there was going to be really significant demand. So obvious, in fact, that Maurer believes some governments ought to be owning more of the blame than they currently are. The province of Ontario, he said, has been pointing the finger at Canada Post and, to some degree, at producers. But supply and delivery arent the only problems facing the industry, he added. Maurer said hed spoken to an Ontario resident recently who had placed an online cannabis order within an hour of legalization, yet only received their package Tuesday three weeks later. Other reports, such as consumers who have had their deliveries cancelled or disappear without followup from the provincial retailer, have also begun to pile up, Maurer said. And all of these accounts suggest service-side problems as much as anything else, he added. With all of this in mind, its unlikely, he said, that things will begin to get any better in the near future. And Malik forecasted the same fate for the nascent industry. These shortages should ease up in the next couple weeks and then (return) again, he said. I think itll finally normalize in 2020, go from a shortage to a surplus But until then, if youre opening up a dispensary its a bit of a dicey prospect. You may have empty store shelves for a while. Read more about: VANCOUVERTheres a hidden cost to buying seafood in Canada, experts say: widespread labour abuses and modern slavery on the high seas. And Canada is lagging behind other developed countries in suppressing the process, which occurs in several other industries such as textiles and timber, they argue. Meanwhile, these labour abuses function as undercover subsidies that allow distant-water fishing fleets to overfish, despite the fact that it should normally be unprofitable, according to research published Wednesday from the Sea Around Us initiative at the University of British Columbia and University of Western Australia. These companies can make a profit only if they get subsidies and if they dont pay for their crews, explained Daniel Pauly, principal investigator at Sea Around Us. And the fish will end up in Canada. Thats because transshipment is a common practice, wherein multiple fishing vessels are combined at sea before landing at port to sell to wholesalers. Seafood caught under conditions of modern slavery defined as any exploitation that a person cannot avoid, refuse or leave because of threats, violence, abuse or deception is laundered by mixing it with other fish before it enters the supply chain, Pauly said in a phone interview. Read more: Time to end modern slavery in supply chains Laxative of the sea being passed off as premium fish in Canada: new report Ottawa looks the other way at seafood fraud Then, the fish is exported internationally. According to the 2018 Global Slavery Index, Canada ranked the sixth highest globally for annual imports of $15 billion (U.S.) worth of goods at-risk of being produced through modern slavery. It found that 24.9 million people are working in conditions of modern slavery. But abhorrent working conditions in the seafood sector is not new. A 2015 Associated Press investigation found instances of workers on Indonesian islands being marooned and kept in cages while captains returned to port. The fish and seafood they caught was traced to supermarkets and supply chains around the world. Share your thoughts Researchers combined fisheries information from Sea Around Us with national-level data on modern slavery and found countries whose fleets relied heavily on government subsidies, fish in the high seas, and fail to report their actual catch tend to fish beyond sustainable limits and are at high risk of labour abuses. Crews on vessels from China, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea and Russia are particularly at high risk because of a lack of regulatory oversight in those countries combined with the complexities of jurisdiction at sea, said David Tickler in a release, lead author from UWA. But the incentive for slavery comes from maintaining fisheries at any cost, Pauly argued. Governments often subsidize the fisheries who are under pressure to turn a profit and thats where dropping labour costs comes in. These slave fleets tend to stay at sea longer to fish more, while paying their crews little to nothing and forcing them to live and work in inhumane conditions, Pauly said. Still, the data did not account for slavery on fleets outside of the high seas. He noted the numbers are likely higher. Yet while companies turn a huge profit, residents in developing countries are placed under extreme duress to find ways to work and survive. This intense pressure on supply chains that causes slavery conditions, that definitely occurs in other sectors, are motivated by customers asking for cheaper prices, he explained. People have to ask themselves where does this cheap stuff come from? But unfortunately, Canadians are used to receiving very little information about the source of the products they are purchasing, said Julia Levin, seafood fraud campaigner with Oceana Canada, an independent charity. And Canadians tend to trust the relevant government agencies and departments ensuring the safety of their food, she added. Thats why it can be so shocking to learn about seafood fraud and its connection to illegal fishing as well as human rights abuses. In the meantime, an increasing amount of seafood sold in Canada is shipped from overseas, Levin said. Estimates suggest up to 80 per cent is imported and this seafood follows a long, complex and notoriously opaque path from a fishing vessel to our plates. But other jurisdictions have implemented laws around labour abuses, Levin said. U.S. trade law makes it illegal to import products made through forced labour and maintains a list of banned products. UK passed a Modern Slavery Act in 2015, she explained. Unfortunately, Canada has few measures in place to prevent illegal products from entering supply chains. Boat-to-border traceability which the United States implemented in January of this year under the Seafood Import Monitoring Program is necessary to ensure that all products entering Canada are legally caught, Levin said. But the group is calling for full-chain traceability in order so that Canadians are not at risk of seafood fraud and can make responsible seafood choices. Theyre also asking that Canada requires catch documentation to identify the origin and legality of seafood for all domestic and imported fish in line with existing European Union policy. Levin noted that in December 2017 the House of Commons Subcommittee on International Human Rights conducted a study on these abuses, where Oceana Canada submitted recommendations. The result was the creation of an independent Canadian ombudsman but Levin said, to her understanding, the position was yet to be filled. StarMetro reached out to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Department of Oceans and Fisheries but they were not immediately available for comment. In the wake of new findings, researchers called for a strengthening of national laws so that both the environmental and social elements of sustainability in seafood supply chains be audited in a transparent manner. Pauly said Canada should participate in all international initiatives that are meant to suppress slavery. That is at least what one can expect, he said. That means consumers must be watching their politicians, not so much their chefs. The study was published in Nature Communications and was a collaborative effort with the Walk Free Foundation, architects of the Global Slavery Index. Read more about: VANCOUVERB.C. labour activists are celebrating the impending repeal of two bills theyve fought to quash for almost two decades. Minister of Health Adrian Dix introduced legislation on Thursday to repeal Bill 29 and Bill 94, which gave employers in the health-care sector broad licence to lay off employees and restrict employment-security language in collective agreements with unions. The acts came into effect in 2002 and 2003. Labour advocates, and especially the Hospital Employees Union, have long argued the acts create unfair working conditions that disproportionately impact women of colour. These women comprise a large share of care-home employees performing duties like cleaning facilities and looking after seniors in long-term care. Contract flipping which occurs when contracted employees who unionize are laid off and replaced with workers under another contract is common in the health-care sector in B.C. and can result in low-wage workers losing whatever protections theyve gained through unionization. An expert panel that reviewed B.C.s labour code for the first time since 1992 released recommendations last month aimed at ending contract flipping in certain sectors, including health care. In a statement released by the government Thursday, Dix is quoted saying: This legislation will help to enhance the team-based care environment people count on at every level, from hospitals to care homes and in the community. Irene Lanzinger, president of the BC Federation of Labour, said in a statement Thursday that the repeal will be a positive move for both workers and patients who rely on their services and companionship. Repealing the legislation is a positive step that will end rampant contract-flipping in health care and make for more stable care especially for seniors, Lanzinger said. The legislation introduced Thursday will come into effect through regulation in 2019. Read more: Labour Code review panel recommends rules to end contract flipping in B.C. Hospital Employees Union rallies to stop care home staff layoffs in B.C. Community service and health workers win $100 million in redress funding for low wages Read more about: he present political crisis that has engulfed this country sees many contrasting views being presented as to whether it is an issue that also connects with the outside world or is purely an internal matter which should be settled within us. Right now what is continuing to fuel the crisis is the refusal of ousted Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe to accept his removal which puts the newly appointed person to that post Mahinda Rajapaksa in quite a difficult position. This power struggle makes us look very silly to the outside world because, like Great Britain has affirmed, all nations recognise the state. And that is how it should be. But as we know very well all countries that are players in the international scenario including Great Britain have their preferences on these matters. Meanwhile representatives of a section of the Maha Sanga early this week staged a rally at Town Hall and passed a resolution urging President Maithripala Sirisena to work in accordance with the Constitution and convene Parliament to settle this political crisis. Outspoken monk Ven. Dambara Amila had in fact warned that the international community would take tough action against Sri Lanka if the present political crisis continued. Another monk Ven. Hedigalle Wimalasara Thera had urged the authorities to safeguard democracy. These are the voices of one set of monks. However, contrary to these voices the Mahanayake of the Asgiriya Chapter the most Ven. Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Mahanayake Thera has said that this is an internal matter and external forces should not interfere in settling the issues of the country. Similar sentiments were aired by the Chief Incumbent of the Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara the Venerable Professor Kollupitiye Mahinda Sangarakkita thera. Also prominent nationalist monk ven. Elle Gunawansa thera said that the international community is shedding more tears at the change of Government than the people of the country as their agenda in Sri Lanka had been thwarted. However, Sri Lanka is also part of most international bodies and although such bodies cannot impose themselves on the country there views also matter internationally. For the record Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland recently made references to the Commonwealth Charter adopted in 2012 and reminded that all member states, Governments, political parties and civil societies have the responsibility to uphold and promote democratic cultures and practices. Its true that president Sirisena had his differences with ousted Premier Wickremesinghe and eventually decided to remove him. But what has earned him the wrath of a section of the population and mostly the western countries was the manner in which he removed his PM. US Embassador in Sri Lanka Alaina. B. Teplitz has underscored the importance of reconvening parliament to put an end to this current political crisis. The bottom line is that the outside world has influence over Sri Lanka in how it solves this political crisis; a fact that the islands patriotic citizens must fathom whether they fancy it or not. There is still confusion whether the UNP parliamentarians will get an opportunity to show their numbers when Parliament convenes on November 14. Ministers of the new Government including the Cabinet spokesmen have said the only agenda on the cards on this day is for President Sirisena to make the policy statement. President Sirisenas camp is confident that the full cabinet will be sworn in before Parliament is convened. This is amids news that some members of parliament switching off their phones or going overseas in their attempts to avoid being approached to accept portfolios. The UNP too is confidant and says that it can muster support to have a headcount of more than 113. As the political infighting continues, many people fear it would have international repercussions. Meanwhile the horse trading in politics continues while a helpless nation looks towards the skies for a solution out of it! How in the world are they going to make a PG-13 biopic of the life of Freddie Mercury? That dude lived a life. That was my first impression after hearing of the movies development. Early this year I saw the first trailer and knew it was about to become one of the front-running films for a lot of the attention during awards season. Now that its here, Im swooning. Bohemian Rhapsody is not a great biopic, one of my very favorite genres, nor is it particularly good drama. Yet, the musical performance scenes that follow British rock band Queen from their inception through their legendary Live Aid show in 1985 are tremendous. Ive rarely seen better, in fact, and these sequences give casual viewers a great way to step inside what it was like for the band to become one of the best-selling stadium acts in history. Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek) is the focal point of the movie, just as he was for the band in real life, and thats appropriate. Few rockers have the fully developed stage presence of peak-era Mercury. He was a diva before that idea carried the same connotations that it does now. He strutted and jived like Mick Jagger. He shimmied and swayed like Steven Tyler. He could out-range Roger Daltrey and had a mustache that some might even think could rival Bandit hey-day era Burt Reynolds. And he really, really loved cats, apparently, which is just another nugget that I cherished from this flick. But Bohemian Rhapsody is so much more than a look into the epic life of a bright-burning star of the middle 1970s. It excellently involves his bandmates into the story. Brian May (lead guitar, played by Gwilym Lee) and Roger Taylor (drums, Ben Hardy) are active producers on the movie and I feel like that gave us some great and true insight. Bassist John Deacon (Joe Mazzello) has been retired from touring since 1997. Each gets a swell depiction that, one must assume, is flattering and approaching reality. The movie is named for their most unique hit, the six-minute-long operatic single full of Figaro and strong latter-day connections to the movie Waynes World. We Are the Champions and We Will Rock You are celebrated as groundbreaking hits, but for this viewer, nothing was quite as great as Another One Bites the Dust. Deacon breaks out the songs smooth central bass line during the height of a recording studio fight one day. The band is being petulant and childish until he starts strumming it out loud. Before you know it, the malaise is gone and theyre forgoing their arguments for a chance to share a great lyric with the world. Queen was amazing I knew that even as a small child when their anthems were being played everywhere and this movie cinches that memory for me. Forming the central plotline of the movie is Freddies story. He was a pioneering gay rights figure during a time when everyone understood his homosexuality and no one talked about it, certainly not the man himself. Despite his long marriage to Mary Austin (Lucy Boynton), Mercury lived a closeted life, his queer nature overshadowed by his music and his ostentatious lifestyle. Bohemian Rhapsody tries to paint the picture that Mercury and his band were at constant odds because of the meddlesome producers John Reid (Aiden Gillen) and Paul Prenter (Allen Leach), but all great artists have rifts that expose their humanity behind the genius. This is also where the movie is less inventive and forgive me for using this word against this topic dull. If you go to see Bohemian Rhapsody, youre going for a pinch of story to lead up to the reenactment of the Live Aid performance, all twenty minutes of it dutifully recreated for us and played as an uninterrupted set on the worlds biggest stage. And it is still spectacular! Bohemian Rhapsody runs 134 minutes and is rated PG-13 for thematic elements, suggestive material, drug content, and language. I give this film three stars out of four. What made the Yahapalanaya coalition a refugee camp of political survivors? he teacher asked a Montessori child whats there in the drawing book drawn in large red, blue and green patches, smudged all over the page. The little one says The Sky. The teacher stands nonplussed. A sky? Why red and green for the sky? The kid points to another. He put red. So, I put green. And blue? the teacher asked. He gave that pastel. No contradictions and doubts here. It is the sky, as the little minds understood. That seems what our Constitution is with 19 Amendments to it made time and again. It is the drawing book of our legislators. They have drawn as they wished in creating a Constitution. People have to accept it as the supreme law of the land and are called upon to safeguard it too. On that supreme law called the Constitution, President Sirisena has signed the Gazette notification to convene the prorogued Parliament on Wednesday 14 November. Parliament was prorogued at midnight on Friday 26 October 2018, immediately after Mahinda Rajapaksa was arbitrarily appointed as PM by President Sirisena. The deal it is said was sealed with President Sirisena accepted as the SLPP-SLFP alliance presidential candidate and Rajapaksa agreeing to lead the campaign says inside information. "Parliamentary elections would follow immediately thereafter and allow Rajapaksa to be a powerful PM through another amendment to the Constitution, as Rajapaksa believes he could return with a 2/3 majority on his own" President Sirisena stands qualified to face an election on 10 January next year they claim, as he completes four years in office on January 8, 2019. Sirisena would keep the media ministry under him till then. Parliamentary elections would follow immediately thereafter and allow Rajapaksa to be a powerful PM through another amendment to the Constitution, as Rajapaksa believes he could return with a 2/3s majority on his own. What makes Rajapaksa so confident of his path to victory? He certainly is the most charismatic Sinhala Buddhist leader in post-independent Sri Lanka as I have said before in these pages. But how? is a question, often asked. Sri Lanka has always asked for Sinhala Buddhist leaders in mainstream national politics with a dominant social psyche that has been publicly Sinhala Buddhist from Anagarika Dharmapala afterwards. Yet, that was not without demands for socioeconomic answers for development. Socioeconomic issues left the Sinhala Buddhist psyche moderate though dominant with the urban middle class. This was taken into the provinces by the Buddhist Commission headed by Gunapala Malalasekera, assisted by N.Q. Dias in early 1950s. Bandaranaike thus becomes its political representation and was voted as PM in 1956, contesting from the MEP in an alliance with Philip Gunawardenas LSSP (R). Yet, the socioeconomic issues could not be forfeited for Sinhala Buddhist Nationalism till the 1972 Constitution and Standardisation in University entrance became political issues for Tamil democratic parties. To sum up a long political history, after 1972, the slogan for a Separate Tamil State, the 1983 July massacre of Tamil people, the escalation of the military conflict, lifted the moderate Sinhala Buddhist psyche into a more ruthless form of anti Tamil patriotism dragging in the rural society as well, from where the Sinhala soldiers were recruited. "From 2015 January corrupt and chaotic politics of Yahapalanaya made Rajapaksa politics dominant and inevitable" This became Mahinda Rajapaksas turf on which he bargained votes for his 2015 Presidential Election campaign. His political ancestry in the deep South, the very rare honour of being titled Sri Rohana Jana Ranjana by the prestigious Buddhist Sect Shyamopali Siyam Nikaya giving him acceptance among all Buddhist monks and free access to all Buddhist temples, his public acceptance of all superstitious beliefs and rituals of the ordinary Sinhala Buddhist folks makes him an organic leader of the Sinhala rural polity. Even his attire with the maroon shawl and the thick moustache, make him the icon of Sinhala Buddhist patriarchy, the much-revered father figure the Sinhala Buddhist majority has turned out to believe in. Beliefs dont fade off easily in backward cultures. That perhaps explains the pious attraction he has among rural women too. Meanwhile, the numbers game is still on, in a sordid struggle to give Rajapaksa the majority in Parliament. It has turned out more rough and tough than first expected to be. Chandrika Kumaratunge had also intervened to move her pawns on the chess board against Rajapaksa, leaving him with much less than the 108, Rishad Bathiudeens ACMC wants Rajapaksa to prove before the 05 ACMC MPs move in. From 2015 January 09 evening to 2018 October 26 midnight, corrupt and chaotic politics of Yahapalanaya made Sinhala Buddhist Rajapaksa politics dominant and inevitable. In an inherently corrupt urban-centred economic model that makes all systems hugely corrupt in this free market economy, nothing else can be expected too. Cronies who run business in this are not permanently affiliated to political parties. To say it mildly, they fund political parties and leading political personalities. There is thus, long-term obligations politicians have to give in to and compromise on. The Yahapalanaya coalition was therefore like a refugee camp of political survivors given 100-Days with an extension thereafter to find a permanent place. A refugee camp of surviving political groups and parties fighting to have permanency in an unprincipled, unplanned-for site theyve managed to squat on. The 19A, a product of that unholy coalition celebrated as an historic achievement, made the Constitution look like the smudged painting of the little kids sky. The latest Constitutional Coup by Sirisena and Rajapaksa thus made a mockery of the present Parliament and the Constitution with its 19A. This Constitutional Coup remains a long process that only comes to an end with their decision to have Presidential Poll in January and allow Rajapaksa to be head of a Caretaker Government, though without a clear majority. "Beliefs dont fade off easily in backward cultures. That perhaps explains the pious attraction he has among rural women too" Proving a majority does not arise immediately. On 14 November it would only be a ceremonial opening of a new Parliamentary Session by the President, after which the next date for Parliament sittings would be announced. That would have to be 05 days from the opening of the new session and therefore will have to be any day after November 19. It is only then, the Speaker could officially accept the No Confidence Motion against PM Rajapaksa that for once compels the UNP and others to accept Rajapaksa as the PM though argued as illegally appointed. Accepting the No Confidence Motion does not mean it would be discussed immediately and put to vote. Party leaders in Parliament will have to agree on a date to have it discussed and put to vote. That again can be haggled upon and delayed till early December if necessary. Meanwhile, the Presidential Poll would be announced making the No Confidence Motion irrelevant and dragging the UNP into another squabble in agreeing on a candidate. Whatever the outcome of schemings and manipulations for numbers and power, a Caretaker Government by Rajapaksa or a UNP led new alliance in Government, will not bring this tragi-comedy to an end, even after Parliament meets on Wednesday, November 14. Nor will a quick election provide any solace either, with these two mainstream political parties once again vying against each other. Continuing with this free market economy, they would not have anything new or different in their political thinking. Their culture of greed fashioned by big money and power would remain too. People cannot impact their political vision, nor on their party decisions. In short, NO political manoeuvring with these two political parties even with new human faces, male or female, can pull this society out of the gutter. Nothing short of shelving the free market urban economy with its filthy rich, for a complete paradigm change can lift this society to a decent, civilised life. That, therefore, demands a new social discourse on what development means to people and their personal and social life.Development should mean the quality of life in terms of time and wages for a cultural life and recreation, every citizen would be entitled to and would have access to with equal opportunities. We also need to define what democracy should be in its function beyond Rights and elections. "His political ancestry in the deep south, the very rare honour of being titled Sri Rohana Jana Ranjana, his public acceptance of all superstitious beliefs makes him an organic leader of the Sinhala rural polity" Democracy needs to be defined and designed as Participatory democracy with people adopting a national policy on all major necessities like education, health, public transport, through Referendums. We, therefore, need to pull the drafting of the New Constitution out of boardrooms with experts into the public domain as a social exercise, with active local participation, to draft and adopt a Constitution the people could own. With all political parties and their leaderships incapable and uninterested of even provoking such intellectual discourse in society, it certainly is the burden of the Concerned Citizenry to begin such social dialogue from the beginning. If at this juncture of disastrous political miscalculations made by self-elected social and public interest activists and a very corrupt, self-serving professional middle class, a new initiative if not initiated by all concerned citizens, then as Oscar Wilde says in the comedy, Lady Windermeres Fan: We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. With glee here in Sri Lanka, thinking alls done right, it is a heavy burden on society no doubt to kick-start a new dialogue, but Development and democracy dont come for free and without responsibility. EDWARDSVILLE Authorities are attempting to take possession of a car and cash from a suspect after an anonymous caller told police he and a passenger were in the car, smoking marijuana. Charged with unlawful possession of marijuana with intent to deliver is Antonio G. Cortes, 21, of Washington, Missouri, who was driving a 2012 Toyota Corolla when an officer made a traffic stop. Authorities have filed suit to take possession of the car and $839 found in his possession. EDWARDSVILLE Take a journey back in time to an early 19th century Christmas celebration. The 1820 Col. Benjamin Stephenson House ushers in the holiday season with the Christmas Candlelight Tours, Nov. 23-24 from 6-9 p.m. A variety of activities are planned to immerse visitors in a truly interactive historical experience. Self-guided tours allow guests to enjoy a leisurely visit of the traditionally decorated rooms while historical interpreters discuss the history of the house and Christmas customs of the 1820s. The dining room transforms into a dance floor offering an opportunity to learn a simple country dance. Music from the restored 1820 pianoforte encourages guests to sing along to many of their favorite holiday carols such as: Saw Three Ships, O Come All Ye Faithful, Noel, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Joy to the World, and Silent Night. Take a seat at the gaming table to play a hand in a popular 19th-century card game known as Whist. Father Christmas will be on site spreading holiday cheer while his brother, Rupert, once again, thrills with his mischievous antics as he finds out whos been naughty or nice. And, after the tour, enjoy a cup of hot wassail and a tasty treat served in the tavern. For the first time at the Stephenson House, local author D. L. Anderson will be on site giving an introduction to the wonderful festivities planned. She will discuss early American Christmas traditions and carols that are also featured in her book Bens Christmas Treasury. Visitors can hear short readings from her book before enjoying the rest of the holiday celebration. The admission fee is $10 for adults, $5 for children (6-12 years), and five years old and under are admitted free of charge. The 1820 Col Benjamin Stephenson House is a not-for-profit organization. Funds generated through this event will be used to develop educational programs in 2019. The 1820 Colonel Benjamin Stephenson is located at 409 South Buchanan St., Edwardsville, Illinois. Please call the Stephenson House at (618) 692-1818 if you have questions or need further information. Visit us online at www.stephensonhouse.org. The house will be closed during the day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. GODFREY Long-time local business owner and attorney Ben Allen was appointed Wednesday to the Godfrey Village Board, replacing the late Eldon Twirp Williams, who was murdered Oct. 16 in Alton. Allens appointment to the board was unanimously approved. Im very proud to be named as a trustee, Allen said during a break in Wednesdays meeting. Ive known Twirp and Ive watched his work virtually all my life. He was a friend and I knew his family since I was 11 years old. Allen is a criminal trial lawyer who has worked both as a prosecutor and defense attorney. He is also involved in a number of businesses and had been named a Local Legend by the former Alton Convention and Visitors Bureau for his work with The Loading Dock in Grafton. Godfrey has a great future, Allen said. Ive been involved in business and I hope to help Godfrey move forward. Mayor Mike McCormick said Tuesday that he would name a replacement to fill Williams remaining term, but did not disclose who it was until the meeting. I asked if hed be interested and he said, Yes, McCormick said. Im very honored he said Yes because everybody in the community knows Ben Allen and knows that he will serve that position quite well. Hes very familiar with economic development, which is always an issue in the village of Godfrey, McCormick added. Hes also an attorney. All positive things, thats why hes here. Im just proud as can be he said yes. Reach reporter Scott Cousins at 618-208-6447. There is an old saying, The definition of insanity is to keep doing that which doesnt work and expecting different results. We live in a state which has been controlled mainly by one political party for almost two decades. In fact, Republican Presidential candidates have quit wasting time campaigning here because they know this state thanks to the Chicago powers that be will go Democratic in the electoral college. Illinois is in deep financial trouble. Last I heard, the state is estimated to be $200-250 billion dollars in debt; second only to the much larger California. Payments to schools and medical institutions by the government of Illinois are now up to 17 months behind! The teacher retirement fund, which had matching payments neglected during the Blagojevich years, is precarious to say the least. We can keep on borrowing every year but sooner or later, well need to pay the piper. If not us, then our children will be handed the bill. Weve raised state income tax recently and have some of the higher gas taxes and yet were not digging ourselves out. Businesses can only be lured by offering them tax breaks something which really doesnt help with our financial burdens. Whose fault is this mess? You and I, the Illinois voters. It doesnt help that politician running for office in our nearly-bankrupt state know that the only way they can get elected is to promise to spend more money on projects that will make them popular but it is money we dont have. No one can get elected saying what needs to be said: If elected, Ill slash the budget, slash spending, and vote for a balanced budget amendment. And yet, there are many citizens here, apparently the majority, who will keep on blindly voting for the men and women belonging to the party that put us in this terrible predicament. If we continue to elect the same party to office each year, running up the debt even higher, then we deserve whatever happens to us. Crumbling roads, higher taxes, neglected schools and social services, etc. But do our children deserve this fate? When will we learn? How much more debt will we allow before enough is enough or everything comes crashing down? Im not sure I want to stick around to find out. William Nelson Fort Russell, Illinois The British Government had not withdrawn any funding to Sri Lanka due to human rights concerns between 2016-2019, State Minister for Asia and the Pacific Mark Field has said. In response to a question by Shadow Foreign SecretaryEmily Thornberry on Monday, the State Minister said they were committed to supporting the rebuilding of Sri Lanka following its long civil conflict. All funding provided to Sri Lanka through the Conflict, Stability, and Security Fund is designed to support reconciliation, the rule of law and improved human rights, and we are committed to supporting the rebuilding of the country following its long civil conflict, he said. He said he announced an additional 1m funding through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) to support the resettlement of families displaced by war in the north and east of Sri Lanka in August. In total, the UK is providing Sri Lanka with 7.9 million of Conflict, Stability and Security Fund funding over three years (2016-2019), including support for police reform, reconciliation and peacebuilding, and de-mining in the north of the country, he said. Ashley Garrett met Kyle Henry in medical school nine years ago. They were complete opposites, Ashley says; she, quiet and reserved, and he, talkative and outgoing. Nevertheless the pair became friends, studying and working together before eventually things turned romantic. Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kyle popped the question on Christmas Day 2017, while they were opening gifts with family. "There he was on one knee among a sea of wrapping paper," recalls Ashley, "I'll remember it forever." Since they began dating, the Texas-natives had often talked about visiting Ireland for a holiday. Slowly however the Emerald Isle became their dream wedding destination. Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Keen to elope, but not wanting to leave their family behind, Ashley and Kyle came up with a compromise - they would head to Ireland 'on holidays' with ten of their close family members, and squeeze in a wedding while they were here. Before any dates were saved however, Ashley and her mother embarked on a wedding venue recce to Ireland where they visited some of the country's most beautiful castles - six in total - before eventually settling on Ashford Castle in Co. Mayo for the big day. "We met wonderful people and had amazing food," says Ashley, "but after spending one night in Ashford Castle I knew it was the one. The atmosphere is unique, elegant and makes you feel like you stepped back in time to old world perfection." The couple enlisted the help of wedding planners Waterlily Weddings for the day, which was documented by Wim Vanhengel of In Love Photography. Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Planning Living in the US and tying the knot in Ireland, planning the big day was a little different for Kyle and Ashley. "I was nervous planning a wedding completely via email," explains the bride, "because the vision that you have is hard enough to explain and create when you can pick items out in person, so I was not sure what the day would bring." The couple enlisted the help of Waterlily Weddings to help with the day, while the pair themselves talked through the details during little breaks from work! Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Video of the Day "Every detail from the ceremony, to the flowers, cake and music that Kyle and I picked after late nights of call in the hospital was a perfect representation of who we are and what we like," Ashley explains. "The wonderful vendors were able to bring our vision to life even better than we hoped. It was truly amazing - and Ashford was absolutely wonderful!" The Dress In-keeping with the grandeur of her surroundings for the day, Ashley went with a glamorous ballgown by New York based Japanese design house Ysa Makino which she purchased in California. The dress featured a deep sheer v-neckline, balanced with a dramatic train and delicate off-the-shoulder sleeves. Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Groom Kyle opted for a traditional black tie suit and horseshoe waistcoat, which he found in Martin Feeney Formalwear in Galway. Kyle wore a white bowtie, while family members contrasted in black. The Priorities "We chose to get married in Ireland," Ashley explains, "because it was a place we had talked about visiting for the past nine years as a vacation destination and it slowly became our dream wedding destination. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp "We wanted a small intimate wedding with immediate family only - sort of a family vacation where we happened to get married. We had ten people plus us. "Our wedding was absolutely perfect for us. It was intimate, elegant, bright and we wouldnt have changed a thing." Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The adage that failures can teach many lessons seems quite... I knew nothing. - Ravi Karunanayake Politics does strange things to civil society. This, despite the fact that civil society is supposed to be independent. But then we are political animals. We do not want to be independent. We cant be independent. We have certain preferred outcomes and these we want to promote, one way or the other, regardless of those notions of democracy and freedom we bandy about day after day. In other words, its all about seeing your favourite horses running the country and telling others how to run themselves. The backlash against the (temporary?) caretaker government stems from three different groups. The first, obviously, are those who were humiliated at seeing the leader of the UNP being ousted, for the second time after a space of 10 years, from the Prime Ministers chair. These are the kepuwath kola types. The second are those who raved over the governments reformist programme but ranted against its pro-privatisation economic programme. These are the (spent) old leftists. Regardless of their motives, both of them support a return to the status quo, which is why even someone like Kumar David, despite his leftist credentials and critiques of IMF austerity measures, terms the Sirisena-Mahinda combination a putsch much less preferable to the government the likes of him were critiquing. Both these groups, however, are unapologetic about where their loyalties lie, even if they sweep those loyalties under the carpet of good governance. It is the third group that interests me. They are a mishmash of the first two, yet exude a (deceptive) neutral stance. Broadly entailing civil society, they include those outfits (in the media, online and everywhere else) which have been promoting the very same good governance the government they support played and tampered with, these last three years. If the Rajapaksas, who have no moral right over the UNP or their allies, want to pick on the hypocrisy of the previous government, they dont have to look further than the hypocrisy of this civil society (which, as a friend of mine recently commented, tongue in cheek, is as civil as the international community is international). They would need to point at two distinct incidents which transpired during the yahapalana years, both of which that civil society feigned silence at. Lets list them out, shall we? "If those protesting outside, on the streets, are shedding crocodile tears over the plight of the people, they have only to remind themselves that the people they are fighting for were left virtually voiceless, and paralysed, over these last three years" The first was the bond scandal. The independent media wasnt exactly quick to catch up on it, even when it was spreading like wildfire through informal channels, and when they did catch up on it, certain commentators did, and wrote, everything they could to absolve the not-so-immediate wrongdoers. I remember a particularly unsavoury piece, written by an anonymous Roving Editor and published in a prominent Sunday newspaper, prompting the politicians to stop focusing on the scandal and move on to bigger issues confronting this country. The best summing up of the magnitude of THIS issue came from former deputy governor of the Central Bank, W. A. Wijewardena, whose political inclinations are hardly with the Rajapaksas: that the bid placements caused a far worse damage to the bank than the 1996 LTTE bomb attack. Outrage against the bond auction came from, I can attest quite strongly, a broad section of the population, both for and against the Rajapaksa regime. Outrage from the Rajapaksa camp was directed less at the reality of the scandal than at the If-we-were-not-there-it-wouldnt-have-happened rhetoric. But that was a minority. The anger of the people, as a whole, was less partisan and more representative of the country (more representative, certainly, than the crowd that went out to the streets two weeks ago, since the money the Central Bank lost belonged to all of us). Civil society would have had a field day championing their cause, to the country, if not the world. And yet, no protest erupted. None of those freedom loving activists came out. Where were they? Singing The Internationale with the old leftists? EconomyNext, a website I otherwise respect immensely, failed to offer a single report on the bond auction in 2015, and did so only after the scandal hit the ceiling in 2016. The likes of Asanga Welikala and Razeen Sally, who delivered lectures on the role of the State as a night watchman, failed to condemn the role THIS State had taken on: as daylight robber. Welikala in particular had no problem titling his anti-Rajapaksa rant Paradise Lost? hinting that Rajapaksas appointment signalled an end to some paradise that was supposed to have existed until then. Deluded, much? And its not just the bond scandal. Malinda Seneviratne, in his piece Selective tear-shedding in seasons of demagoguery, asks the following question: When Sirisena gave nomination to Mahinda Rajapaksa and immediately thereafter stood with Wickremesinghe, did they whimper about the spirit of democracy? When he sacked and replaced the General Secretaries of the SLFP and UPFA, going as far as obtaining an interim court order so the Central Committees of these political entities could not function, did they protest? "EconomyNext failed to offer a single report on bond auction in 2015" I dont remember the US Embassy, the British High Commission, the European Union or the United Nations propounding their concerns over these anti-democratic moves. But there was a more reprehensible anti-democratic move engineered by the President. No one talked about it, and far from condemning it, many of those who are now denouncing the loss of democracy celebrated it. This was the decision of the President to usher in defeated candidates through the National List. It wasnt about the National List per se. It was about the legitimacy behind the decision to take in those who had clearly lost the trust of the people. D.E.W. Gunasekara, together with Nagananda Kodithuwakku, filed a petition against it, contending that the appointment of rejected candidates (as opposed to pre-selected appointees) through the List amounted to a violation of the peoples sovereign right to elect political representatives of their choice, since the clause inserted in the 1978 Constitution, Article 99A, the 14th Amendment, had not been enacted through the mandate of the people (obtained preferably via a referendum). "Former CJ Sripavan rapped Nagananda Kodithuwakku for obstructing justice" The petition was made in 2015. Then it got postponed. The then Chief Justice, K. Sripavan, withdrew from the case. Then it got postponed again. Then he argued that it was a not a matter of general or public importance. Then D.E.W. Gunasekera tried to take the case to Geneva. Then the Chief Justice rapped Kodithuwakku for obstructing justice (read, persisting with the issue). Then the case returned to the Supreme Court after Kodithuwakku filed a separate petition. Then it got delayed again. Forget the US Embassy. Forget the British High Commission. Forget the European Union. Forget the United Nations. Where was Civil Society? They had championed parliamentary legitimacy. They had facilitated a shift in the polity from state to the legislature. The appointment of failed candidates was clearly not right, then. Article 99A required a campaign against it, if at all because it was as much a violation of the peoples sovereign right as the appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa. And yet, no one spoke. No one hummed. Was it because if someone did hum, the Rajapaksas and their cohorts would have returned to the Parliament (they did, but not as ministers). Perhaps. Revolutions, after all, even the most facile revolutions (like the one we witnessed from 2015 to 2018), thrive on expedience, and on tactics that lie outside the parameters of constitutional legitimacy. They are crafted by politicians first, and only then by policymakers. But then, thats the exact same argument the Rajapaksas are using. Now. Whether or not they intended it, the former government handed over the fuel and the gunpowder to this government. You did it to us then, well do it to you now! is the gist, the bare essence, of what the likes of Keheliya Rambukwelle are spouting. But thats another story. If those protesting outside, on the streets, are shedding crocodile tears over the plight of the people, they have only to remind themselves that the people they are fighting for were left virtually voiceless, and paralysed, over these last three years. Where were these democracy lovers, we can ask, when the Central Bank went down in flames over those bids, the President sacked the General Secretaries of the SLFP and UPFA, and candidates roundly defeated in a general election were appointed without as much as a by-your-leave as ministers? Nowhere to be found. Should we stand by them now? Ideally, yes. Are they for democracy? Perhaps. Do they idealise political outcomes which negate their calls for a movement that is NOT about Ranil? Definitely. Is this hypocrisy with a capital H? You bet. A slew of opposition leaders slammed the Narendra Modi government's economic policies on Wednesday as the nation marked the second anniversary of the NDA government's controversial decision to ban Rs 500- and Rs 1,000-denomination notes in 2016. The Congress has called for nationwide protests on Friday to mark the second anniversary of demonetisation, with demonstrations at all district and state headquarters by its supporters. The main rally in Delhi will be a candle-light march from Jantar Mantar to the headquarters of the Reserve Bank of India. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi is expected to participate in the protests. On Thursday, the Congress circulated a statement from former prime minister Manmohan Singh, who described demonetisation as a an "ill-fated" and "ill-thought" exercise. "Today is a day to remember how economic misadventures can roil the nation for a long time and understand that economic policy making should be handled with thought and care... It is often said time is a great healer but unfortunately in the case of demonetisation, the scars and wounds of demonetisation are only getting more visible with time, Singh said. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee described demonetisation as a "dark day". Banerjee tweeted, Renowned economists, common people and all experts now agree. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal called demonetisation a self-inflicted wound. He tweeted, Though the list of financial scams of Modi govt is endless, demonetisation was a self inflicted deep wound on Indian economy which even two years later remains a mystery why the country was pushed into such a disaster ? As the world heaved a sigh of relief over the news that Asia Bibi had left Pakistan, the foreign office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal clarified that Bibi was, in fact, still in the country. "There is no truth in reports of her leaving the countryit is fake news," Faisal told Dawn News TV. Asia Bibi, or Asia Noreen, was released from Multan jail last night, 10 days after the Pakistan Supreme Court overturned her conviction and death sentence. In the middle of the night, breaking news in many media outlets had claimed that Asia Bibi was released from jail and that she was on her way to an "unknown destination". Reports claimed that she was taken to the Noor Khan Airbase, Rawalpindi, from where she would be shifted. News agency PTI had reported that Asia Bibi was to be flown to Netherlands in a chartered plane. Asia Bibi, a 47-year-old mother of four and a Christian, was convicted in 2010 under the blasphemy law after being accused of insulting Islam in a row with her neighbours. She always maintained her innocence, but has spent most of the past eight years in solitary confinement. The Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhary called out "irresponsible" behaviour of media outlets that were reporting "fake news" without "confirmation". "It has become a norm to publish fake news for sake of headlines," Chaudhry said on Twitter. "#AsiaBibi case is sensitive issue; it was extremely irresponsible to publish news of her leaving the country without confirmation. I strongly urge section of media to act responsible (sic)." According to Dawn, Asia Bibi's lawyer Saiful Mulook had said that she was being flown to an "unknown destination". This particular quote led to speculation that she had left the country. The Dawn story also reports that its reliable sources confirmed that Asia Bibi was brought to Islamabad onboard a special aircraft which landed at the old Benazir Bhutto International Airport, which is adjacent to the Noor Khan Airbase. From there she was taken, under tight security, to an undisclosed place. Asia Bibi's wherabouts will be kept secret as there is heavy threat to her life from hardline Islamic activists. The Pakistan Supreme Court's landmark verdict acquitting Asia Bibi of blasphemy charges had sparked countrywide protests and death threats from hardline groups. Protestors led by Tehreek-i-Labaik Pakistan and other groups had blocked major highways and roads in different parts of the country. However, the TLP later called off its agitation following an agreement with the government that assured initiation of a legal process to place the woman on the exit control list that will prevent her from flying abroad. It was also agreed upon that the government would also not oppose a review petition filed against the Supreme Court's judgement in the Asia Bibi blasphemy case. Earlier, Italy had said that it was working to help Asia Bibi leave Pakistan, amid warning from the woman's husband that her life was in danger. Her husband, Ashiq Masih, had also urged US President Donald Trump and the UK and Canada premiers to help her leave Pakistan. Top industrialists to attend Make in Odisha conclave: Minister Bhubaneswar, Nov 8 (PTI) Top industrialists including Mukesh Ambani, N Chandrasekaran, Kumar Mangalam Birla along with 800 other industry leaders are expected to attend the second edition of 'Make In Odisha' conclave begining November 11, official sources said Thursday. Apart from Reliance Industries, Aditya Birla Group and Tata Group, Vedanta Resources chief Anil Agarwal and industry delegation from at least six countries -- South Korea, Japan, Germany, France, Soudi Arabia and UAE -- are expected to attend the state's mega business meet here. Chairman of Mahindra Group Anand Mahindra, chairman of Jindal Steel and Power Limited Naveen Jindal and Adani Group chief Goutam Adani are also expected to be part of the conclave which will conclude on November 15. "Mukesh Ambani will be the star speaker at the Business Leadership Summit to be organiased just after plenary session of the MIO Conclave on November 12. The summit will provide leadership perspective from industry captains to inspire next generation leaders," Odisha's industries minister Ananta Das told reporters here. "Ambassadors of some countries will attend the conclave. Young entrepreneurs from within the state will also attend the event," Das said. The minister said Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will inaugurate the conclave. He had earlier met ambassadors of various countries in New Delhi in connection with the conclave for which Japan is the partner country. "Since Japan is the partner country of the conclave, a dedicated session for Japanese companies has been scheduled on November 12. The companies will showcase various investment opportunities in Odisha's manufacturing sector," Das said. Some of the Japanese companies which have confirmed their particiption include Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Marubeni, JFE Steel, Nissin Foods, Mitsui and Takahata Precision, Das said. Das said all preparations for the successful conduct of Make in Odisha Conclave - 2018 are nearing completion. The expo at this year's event will also be much larger, showcasing manufacturing prowess of the state through use of modern technologies by the companies operating here. Apart from seeking investment from the industries, the prime objective of the conclave is to showcase the potential of the state in different sectors, said industries secretary Sanjeev Chopra adding, the state will showcase possibility of emerging as a manufacturing hub of eastern India. The previous Conclave was held in 2016 where the state had received investment proposals worth Rs 2 lakh crore. "Of the 124 proposals received during the 2016 conclave, 65 per cent are in different stages of implementation," Chopra said. PTI AAM JM JM (Eds: Disclaimer: The following press release comes to you under an arrangement with PR Newswire. PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.) TRIVANDRUM, India, November 8, 2018/PRNewswire/ -- UST Global to showcase Digital Transformation Services, Platforms and Unique Talent model at the AWS re:Invent 2018 in Las Vegas on Nov 26-30, 2018 UST Global, a leading digital transformation solutions company, today announced that it has strengthened its relationship with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and will continue to grow its Digital Transformation Solutions on AWS to customers globally. In addition, UST Global is set to showcase its Digital Transformation Services, Platforms and Unique Talent model at the AWS re:Invent 2018 in Las Vegas on Nov 26-30. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/540539/USTGlobalLogo.jpg ) UST Global has been at the forefront of the cloud migration movement, providing innovative solutions including workload migrations, cloud operations, data analytics, mobile solutions, Internet of Things (IoT), Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), allowing its customers to embark on their digital transformation and cloud migration journey. With UST Global's spectrum of digital solutions for the cloud, combined with the power of AWS's hybrid architecture, clients will now have the ability to develop bespoke solutions that solve their business' unique challenges. UST Global works with Fortune 500/Global 1000 customers spread across 5 continents. The clients include banking and financial services, healthcare, insurance, retail, technology, manufacturing, telecom, and shipping. AWS re:Invent is a learning conference hosted by AWS for the global cloud computing community. The event features keynote announcements, training and certification opportunities, access to more than 2,000 technical sessions, a partner expo, after-hours events, and so much more. UST Global leaders Sunil Kanchi, CIO & Senior VP; and Muraleekrishnan Nair, Global Head of Infrastructure & Cloud Services (ICS), will be attending the event to meet and address current and prospective clients and partners. The UST Global booth attendees will experience the company's services in the real-world environment through VR demos and case studies of how the company has enabled transformation of its Global 1000 customers' businesses and the lives of their customers. Meet the UST Global team at booth 645. Sunil Kanchi, CIO & Senior Vice President, UST Global, said, "At UST Global, we support our Global 1000 clients in their digital journey by leveraging deep understanding of their businesses, and our capabilities on cloud and digital technologies. With our renewed focus on the relationship with AWS, and our global approach, we will give the power of holistic transformation to our clients. We are excited to be at AWS re:Invent 2018 and look forward to meeting prospective clients and partners to showcase our cloud and digital transformation capabilities." About UST Global UST Global is a leading digital technology solutions company that provides advanced computing and digital services to large private and public enterprises around the world. Its clients include Fortune 500 companies in banking and financial services, healthcare, insurance, retail, technology, manufacturing, shipping, and telecom. UST Global believes in building long-lasting, strategic business relationships through agile and client-centric global engagement models that combine local experts and resources with cost, scale, and quality advantages of global operations. For more information, please visit: www.ust-global.com Source: UST Global PWR PWR Thousand Oaks (US), Nov 8 (AP) A sheriff's captain says at least six people were shot late Wednesday when a suspect opened fire in a crowded Southern California bar. Ventura County Sheriff's Office Capt. Garo Kuredjian said at a news conference early Thursday that a sheriff's deputy was also shot and taken to a hospital. He could not immediately provide information on the extent of the victims' injuries. The sheriff's spokesman says the first reports of shots fired came around 11:20 p.m. at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, which is about 40 miles west of Los Angeles. He said responding deputies could hear gunshots as they arrived on scene. Authorities are still treating it as an active shooter scene. No other information was immediately available. Authorities say there were multiple injuries including one officer after a man opened fire in Southern California bar late Wednesday. Police tell the Ventura County Star that the initial report came around 11:20 p.m. that a man opened fire at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, which is about 40 miles west of Los Angeles. The extent of the victims' injuries wasn't immediately known. Ventura County Sheriff's Office Capt. Garo Kuredjian said late Wednesday that it was still "a very active scene." Witnesses tell ABC News that a man fired several shots from a handgun before tossing smoke bombs and starting to fire again. Police tell the Los Angeles Times that at least 30 shots were fired.(AP) AMS AMS Dushanbe, Nov 8 (AFP) Around 20 prisoners and two guards were killed in clashes at a prison in Tajikistan's northern city of Khujand, two security sources told AFP on Thursday. One of the sources said that "around 20 prisoners" died in clashes that also claimed the lives of two guards. The second source confirmed the number of victims and said a further six guards had been injured. The ex-Soviet country's government has yet to confirm the prison riot or the deaths. (AFP) SCY SCY The seat does not belong to the MP; it belongs to the party and voters n elderly gentleman, a United National Party supporter, cast his preference vote for a teledrama actress who contested the 2010 parliamentary elections from the UNP, for he felt she was being unfairly vilified by the then government leaders who suddenly projected her character as a a bad woman after she played the lead role as a do-gooder for more than a hundred episodes. She was, however, elected to parliament, largely on the sympathy of voters, including many elderly people who exercise their franchise not in anticipation of any benefits for them but in the hope that the future generation will have a better Sri Lanka. But she betrayed her voters, when she crossed the floor and joined the Mahinda Rajapaksa government after remaining some months in the opposition as a UNP parliamentarian. As Sri Lanka finds itself in a constitutional quagmire following the controversial swearing-in of a new prime minister by the President while the sitting prime minister insists he is the rightful holder of the post, the absence of an anti-defection law is seen to be the major curse that undermines democracy and the peoples mandate. As the numbers game for the decisive 113 target becomes dirtier by the hour, nothing makes such a huge mockery of democracy and the voters the biggest losers than the floor crossing, frog jumping or monkey acts of members of Sri Lankas 225-seat parliament. As MPs switch sides amid allegations that they are being bought over for hundreds of millions of rupees, the voters feel betrayed. In an audio clip posted on social media, a young smart voter was heard demanding from his MP who switched sides and was sworn in as a deputy minister that he be paid Rs. 2,900 the amount was worked out by dividing the money the politico is alleged to have received by the number of preferential votes he polled. Theres no gainsaying that Sri Lankas democracy is party-based. At the start of an election campaign, a political party presents before the voters its manifesto, outlining its policies and the programmes it intends to implement if elected to office. In the absence of a mechanism to hold the parties accountable to a judicial authority for the pledges they make in their election manifestoes, the parties do promise the sun and the moon. Whether they fulfill their promises is another matter. But the issue here is that the people do vote for a party rather than for an individual, for, at a parliamentary election, the main purpose is to elect a new ruling party or reelect the party in office. Our voting system is also structured accordingly. First we cast our vote for the party and then cast our preferences for the candidate of our choice. Under the circumstances, if MPs elected from one party switch their allegiance to another party, it is sheer betrayal, unless, of course, they are required to do so by a petition by their electorates with the number of signatures being, at least, equal to the preferential votes they received at the election. In Britain, though floor crossing is permitted, the present trend is MPs, instead of crossing the floor, resign their seats, publicly announce they have joined another party and stand for by-elections. Often, the MP who crosses over loses the seat. In the United States, elected representatives can take an independent stance on any issue, although they come under the party whip. In the US, both major parties encourage their opponents to jump to their sides, but, in such instances, research shows that the voters were furious and records show that the frog had often lost the reelection bid. Research carried out on floor crossing in developed democracies underscores that what matters more to the electorate is not the candidate but the party and its policies. If a candidate becomes bigger than the party, its populism or cultism that distorts democracy. In Australia, voters take to the streets shouting slogans such as Give back our seat when an elected member switches sides. An MP holding on to the seat and supporting a party which was not the choice of the people who elected the MP is seen in developed democracies as indulging in an act of fraud committed upon the voters. When money or other inducements such as cabinet posts are involved, then the fraud amounts to a murder of democracy. The seat strictly belongs to the party or to the voters. It is in this context that the need for anti-defection laws assumes significance. Sri Lankas democracy will remain defective until and unless the country strengthens its anti-defection laws or brings in constitutional amendments, making party jumping illegal. We need to ensure that the sanctity of the august assembly is not tainted by bribery and corruption and the earlier this is done the better it is for the survival of our democracy. Otherwise, what we call Sri Lankan democracy will only be a charade. India, the worlds largest democracy, passed its anti-defection law as a constitutional amendment in 1985 with the intention of ending bribery and corruption at the highest level and the ugly practice of inducing defection with the reward of ministerial positions and perks. According to the Indian law, members of parliament or state legislatures are deemed to have defected if they either voluntarily resign from their parties or disobeyed the directives of the party leadership on a vote. Even independent members are disqualified if they join a political party because the spirit of the law, as interpreted by a five-bench Supreme Court ruling in 1992, is to respect the electors preference of the party. During the hearing, the right of an MP to defect was defended in terms of the constitutionally guaranteed right of free speech, but the court held that the anti-defection law did not violate any rights, freedoms, or the basic structure of parliamentary democracy. Sri Lanka has an anti-defection clause in the constitution. According to Article 99(13), where a Member of Parliament ceases, by resignation, expulsion or otherwise, to be a member of a recognised political party or independent group on whose nomination paper his name appeared at the time of his becoming such Member of Parliament, his seat shall become vacant upon the expiration of a period of one month from the date of his ceasing to be such member. However, the vacation of the seat is subject to the provision that allows the Supreme Court to interpret the validity of a partys decision to expel an MP. Different Supreme Court benches in the Athulathmudali, Ameer Ali, Amunugama and Piyasena cases, for instance -- have interpreted the exception provision differently and their rulings have only increased the call to amend the law to plug the loopholes. However, in 2015 the move to strengthen the constitutional provision on anti-defection came a cropper when the Mahinda Rajapaksa-led opposition made the withdrawal of it as a condition to extend its support for the 19th Amendment. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, one of the prime movers of the 19th amendment, had to give in to get the bulk of the 19th amendment passed. But he must be ruing this mistake or the missed opportunity, having known that Joint Opposition leaders are past masters in fishing out rival party MPs with inducements of ministerial perks and allegedly money. We could have been spared of this moment of turmoil in our quest to establish democracy in our country, if we had included anti-defection provisions in the 19th Amendment. Washington, Nov 8 (AFP) A gunman barged into a large, crowded Los Angeles-area country music bar and dance hall and opened fire late Wednesday, wounding at least 11 people, the sheriff's office said. The venue was hosting an event for college students and possibly several hundred young people were inside, said Captain Garo Kuredjian of the Ventura County Sheriff's office. He said around 0915 GMT that the shooter was still confined inside the premises, adding he did not know if the shooter had been subdued or shot. Police who responded to reports of a shooting rushed to the scene and engaged the gunman, said Kuredjian. A deputy sheriff is among the 11 people shot. The incident happened at the Borderline Bar and Grill in the town of Thousand Oaks, a quiet, upscale residential suburb of Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Times quoted a law enforcement official as saying at least 30 shots had been fired. An unnamed witness told the newspaper that someone ran into the bar around 11:30 pm and started shooting what looked to be a black pistol. "He shot a lot, at least 30 times. I could still hear gunshots after everyone left," the Times quoted the man as saying.(AFP) AMS AMS (Eds: Updates with details, Trump's quotes) Washington/Los Angeles, Nov 8 (PTI) A gunman dressed in black sprayed bullets inside a crowded dance bar popular with college students Wednesday night, killing at least 12 people, including a police officer, in California's Thousand Oaks city in one of the "horrific" mass shooting incidents in the US. The gunman, who also injured nearly a dozen others, was found dead inside the Borderline Bar and Grill on the outskirts of Los Angeles although it was not immediately clear if he was killed by officers or shot himself. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean described the incident as "horrific." "It's a horrific scene in there, there is blood everywhere and the suspect is part of that, and I didn't want to get that close and disturb the scene and possibly disturb the investigation," he said. He said the motive of the shooter - whose identify was not known - is still unclear and investigators had not found any type of assault rifle within the bar. "Right now as far as we know there was only one handgun, but that could certainly change as we do a more thorough search of the building," he said. It was not immediately clear how the suspect died and the identities of the victims were not immediately released. President Donald Trump said that he has been "fully briefed on the terrible shooting in California." "Law Enforcement and First Responders, together with the FBI, are on scene. 13 people, at this time, have been reported dead. Likewise, the shooter is dead, along with the first police officer to enter the bar.... "Great bravery shown by police. California Highway Patrol was on scene within 3 minutes, with first officer to enter shot numerous times. That Sheriffs Sergeant died in the hospital. God bless all of the victims and families of the victims. Thank you to Law Enforcement," Trump said in a series of tweets. The hooded gunman burst into the bar around 11:20 p.m. (local time) dressed entirely in black. Ventura County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Ron Helus and a California Highway Patrol officer entered the bar first and were met with gunfire from the suspect, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing officials. Helus was shot several times and succumbed to his injuries at a hospital. He was planning to retire next year after a 29-year stint with the sheriffs department, Dean said. Helus, who died "a hero", is survived by a son and his wife, whom he called before entering the bar, Dean added. It was the second mass shooting in the US within two weeks. "We have no idea if there is a terrorism link to this or not. As you know, these are ongoing investigations and that information will come out as soon as we are able to determine exactly who the suspect was and what motive he might have had for this horrific event," Dean added. Citing witnesses, the paper said that people ran for cover when shooting started. Some people tried to break windows using chairs to escape the building while some hid in bathrooms. The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force has been rushed to the scene, according to an agency spokeswoman. Representatives from the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives were also dispatched. According to bar's website, Wednesday nights are college-themed nights open to students as young as 18. Quoting witnesses, the paper said the event is popular with Moorpark college students, and the Pepperdine student newspaper tweeted that students from its campus were also inside at the time of the shooting. This is the second time this year Thousand Oaks has seen violence in a crowded area. In March, a man shot and killed his wife before attempting to shoot himself at the Thousand Oaks Mall, the paper added. Last week, a gunman opened fire at a Jewish synagogue in the US city of Pittsburgh, killing 11 people and injuring several others including three policemen, in the deadliest "anti-Semitic attack" in America in years. PTI ZH AKJ ZH ZH Maha: Cong to hold 3-day deliberations for upcoming LS polls Mumbai, Nov 8 (PTI) The Maharashtra Congress will hold deliberations for three days from November 15 for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. A statement issued by the party informed that state Congress president Ashok Chavan and party general secretary in charge of Maharashtra Mallikarjun Kharge will take stock of the political situation in all 48 Lok Sabha constituencies of the state. The statement added that seats of Marathwada and Western Maharashtra regions will be deliberated upon on the first day, those in Vidarbha and North Maharashtra on the second day and that of Konkan region on the third day. The meet comes days after the Congress and the NCP inched closer to stitching an alliance for next year's Lok Sabha polls, with both parties reaching a consensus on 38 of the 48 seats in Maharashtra. Last week, NCP chief Sharad Pawar had reportedly said in Aurangabad that a consensus has been arrived at for 40 seats. Talking to PTI, a senior Congress leader, who is part of the seat-sharing talks, said consensus has been reached on about 38 seats, while discussions are underway for the other constituencies. PTI MM BNM BNM Guj NCP MLA, supporters booked for threatening hotel owner Ahmedabad, Nov 8 (PTI) Kandhal Jadeja, Gujarat's lone Nationalist Congress Party MLA, was booked for allegedly threatening a hotel owner following an altercation, Porbandar police said Thursday. The incident took place Wednesday night outside a hotel on Ranavav Road in Kamlabaug area near Porbandar town, about 400 kilometres from here. In his complaint to Kamlabaug police, hotel owner Lilabhai Odedara has alleged that Jadeja threatened to kill him following a verbal spat over a minor issue, a senior police official said. "Odedara has claimed that Jadeja, with around 10 of his supporters, came to the hotel and started abusing him and issued a threat to his life," said Deputy Superintendent of Police J C Kothiya. "Odedara claimed that Jadeja and others stopped near his roadside hotel and asked him not to sit close to the road. This minor issue led to a verbal spat" the Dy SP added. Jadeja and others were booked under various IPC sections dealing with criminal intimidation (506-2), trespass (443) and verbal abuse (504) and one supporter had been detained for questioning, he said. Despite repeated attempts, Jadeja could not be contacted for comments. Jadeja represents Kutiyana Assembly constituency in Porbandar district. PTI PJT PD BNM BNM Mumbai, Nov 8 (PTI) Senior Congress leader Ashok Chavan Thursday described demonetisation as the "biggest mistake of the Modi government" and claimed that it resulted in the slowdown of the economy and rise in unemployment. None of the objectives of demonetisation, like eradication of black money, removal of fake notes in circulation and breaking the back of Naxal and terror activities, have been achieved, he said on the second anniversary of note ban. On November 8, 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a ban on then in use Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 denomination bank notes with immediate effect. "Not all cash is black and not all black (money) is cash. Ours is a cash economy and receipts are not available for all transactions. It would be foolish to think that auto-rickshaw drivers, vegetable vendors, small shopkeepers and village markets deal in black money," Chavan said in a statement. Stressing the need for an analysis of demonetisation, the former chief minister of Maharashtra sought to know if the Union cabinet, the chief economic adviser, and the cabinet sub-committee were even aware of the decision. "Was there any meeting to discuss this. Are there any minutes of such a meeting? Demonetisation was the biggest mistake of the Modi government," he said. At the government level, there are many stakeholders while taking an important decision - a preliminary study is conducted, report is prepared, there is a discussion on the report and changes if necessary are made. The Opposition parties are also on board and a constitutional protocol is followed, he pointed out. The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) chief also noted that in the last two years, the chief economic adviser and the Niti Ayog vice chairman, who were appointed by the government, have quit. The current developments pertaining to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) are also a cause of concern, said Chavan, who is the Lok Sabha member from Nanded in Maharashtra. There has been a stand-off between the RBI and the Union Finance Ministry over a few policies majorly concerning ways to drive the economic growth. PTI MR GK DV DV \R New Delhi, Nov 8 (PTI) A day after Diwali, there were searching questions and some anguish too as a hazy morning dawned over the Delhi-NCR region, with many residents voicing their helplessness at the violation of the Supreme Court's 8-10 pm deadline of bursting firecrackers. Delhi recorded its worst air quality of the year on Thursday morning, with the air quality index jumping to 574 that falls in the severe-plus emergency category -- meaning that even healthy people may suffer from respiratory illnesses on a prolonged exposure to such air. "Delhi is a gas chamber for TB patients like me. We are caught in a bind. If we escape TB, then we will die of pollution," Hasmukh Rai, a senior citizen of Mayur Vihar. "In this season, when everybody is talking of bringing ordinances on variety of issues, why can't politicians join hands and bring ordinance to ban stubble burning?" he asked. South Delhi resident Sagarika Sharma said she had lost her mother to lung cancer last year due to this hazardous pollution. "My mother was not a smoker or drinker, but yes, she was guilty of living in Delhi." Sharma wonders how people cannot understand the repercussions of bursting crackers. "I understand they want to celebrate, but at the cost of digging ones own grave!" Even as the police launched a crackdown the violators and made multiple arrests, several people said, for them, Diwali meant bursting firecrackers. "Since childhood, we have been bursting crackers on Diwali. We do not understand green or red crackers. What we know is that it is a symbol of the festival for us and we will continue doing it," said Himanshu Bhalla, a Gurgaon resident. Another resident of Lajpat Nagar, who did not wish to be identified, said the order of the top court came out too late and and she cannot forgo the celebration of the festival over it. Environmental activists said the police needed to be supported by governments to strictly enforce the ban. "The judiciary has given our executive the necessary tools. We request our lawmakers to support our executive and all three arms of our democracy to work together to protect citizens health at this time of national health emergency," said Jyoti Pande Lavakare, co-founder, Care for Air NGO. "We would like our leadership and our prime minister to acknowledge this health emergency and encourage implementation of solutions," she added. Ravina Kohli, member of #MyRightToBreathe campaign, said people were in denial of the health impact of burning firecrackers of their health. "The police could have been helped by the politicians and local authorities for strictly enforcing the order." Reecha Upadhyay, another environmental activist with the Help Delhi Breathe campaign, called for awareness at the ground level over the health hazard caused by firecrackers. Environmental lawyer Ritwick Dutta said the violation of the deadline was not unexpected as one cannot expect an overnight change in people's behaviour because of a court order. Doctors also warned of the ill-effects that the severe air pollution could have on the health of people. "Before Diwali, we have witnessed a rise of 25 per cent in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation and asthma patients, many being new patients, said Arunesh Kumar, senior consultant, pulmonology, of a Gugaon hospital. "It is highly advisable that people should stay indoors, use N-99 masks while venturing out, avoid early-morning and late-evening outdoor activities, prevent children and elderly from going out, follow good hygiene and cleanliness practices, and keep oneself well-hydrated," Kumar added. PTI AMP UZM PLB GJS TDS HMB HMB New Delhi, Nov 8 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday wished BJP veteran L K Advani on his birthday, saying his contribution towards nation building is monumental. Advani turned 91 today. He was born on this day in 1927 in Karachi, now Pakistan. "Advani Ji's contribution towards India's development is monumental. His ministerial tenures are applauded for futuristic decision making and people-friendly policies. His wisdom is admired across the political spectrum," the prime minister wrote on Twitter. He also said the party veteran's impact on Indian politics is immense. "Selflessly and diligently, he built the @BJP4India and wonderfully mentored Karyakartas (workers)," he said in another tweet. PTI NAB SMN SMN New Delhi, Nov 8 (PTI) Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will attend a ceremony on Friday to induct new artillery guns and equipment, including K9 Vajra and M777 howitzers, at Deolali artillery centre in Nashik, a ministry spokesperson said. Induction of 100 K9 Vajra at a cost of Rs 4,366 crore is to complete by November 2020. The first batch of 10 guns will be delivered this month, Defence Ministry spokesperson Colonel Aman Anand told reporters on Thursday. The next 40 guns will be delivered in November 2019, and another 50 in November 2020, he said. The first regiment of K9 Vajra, first-ever artillery gun manufactured by the Indian private sector, is expected to complete by July 2019. The gun has a maximum range of 28-38 km. It is capable of burst firing three rounds in 30 seconds, intense firing of 15 rounds in three minutes and sustained firing of 60 rounds in 60 minutes, he said. The Army is also going to raise seven regiments of 145 M777 howitzers. Five guns each will be delivered to the Army beginning August 2019 and the entire process will complete in following 24 months. The first regiment will complete by October next year, the spokesperson said. The gun, having a range of 30 km, can be moved to a desired location using helicopters and service aircraft. Compact gun tractor to tow 130 MM and 155 MM artillery guns will also inducted during the ceremony, the officer said. It is fitted with a crane that can handle ammunition weighing two tons. Maximum speed of the vehicle without a tow is 80 km per hour which comes down to 50 km per hour with a gun attached to it, he added. PTI VIT VIT ABH ABH Hyderabad, Nov 8 (PTI) The BJP would "aim" to rename Hyderabad and other cities in the state after the names of great people if it is elected to power in Telangana in the December 7 poll, party leader Raja Singh said Thursday. "Our aim is, when our Bharatiya Janata Party government comes to power in Telangana, our first (priority) is development, second is these names should be changed. They should be named after great people, those who worked for our nation, righteousness and Telangana," he told PTI. Singh, who was a member of the recently-dissolved legislative assembly, said the Qutb Shahis, who ruled the region during the 16th century, had changed the name of the city, Bhagyanagar, to Hyderabad. They had also changed the names of other places, he said, adding Secunderabad and Karimnagar were among them. Singh also found fault with AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi's comments earlier Thursday that BJP president Amit Shah wants a "Muslim-free" India. He said Muslims should not believe Owaisi, who had often spoken against Telangana. Owaisi is Lok Sabha member from Hyderabad. Telangana goes to polls on December 7. PTI SJR SNE ABH ABH Chennai, Nov 8 (PTI) A woman employee of the Tamil Nadu forest department has approached the Madras High Court, alleging that her office in-charge has been abusing her mentally and physically. In her plea, she has demanded installation of CCTV cameras at workplace to ensure protection. The woman has been working in the Madukarai Range (Coimbatore district). When the plea was taken up Thursday, Justice S Vimala issued a notice to the principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF), returnable by two weeks. The petitioner said that she has been working as a computer operator since March 2017 and alleged that a forester, also her office in-charge, began harassing her verbally and physically. The woman said since she was the only woman employee, she could not share the details of the harassment with anyone. Later, the woman said she lodged a complaint with the forest ranger but he failed to act and she continued facing the ordeal. Then she raised the matter with the district forest officer who in turn forwarded the complaint to the internal complaints committee headed by a woman officer. But the petitioner alleged that some men stalled the inquiry by transferring the woman officer, forcing her to approach the court. PTI COR NVG BN SNE SNE Its not everyday that a President of a representative democracy mentions butterflies, not once but twice, in a public speech. Our President is obviously not fond of butterflies, going by what he said at the rally held at the Parliament Roundabout on Monday. The interminable list of his grievances and lamentations against the ousted PM as well as the reasons for removing the latter and appointing the former President and strongman to that seat, lengthens. The President is all at sea in his apologetics and woefully out of logic in defence. He was so out of sync at Diyawanna that MR had to remind him to stand still for the national anthem. In appointing MR as PM, the President was confident that MR commanded the majority support of the Parliament. Then came the assassination plot followed by the cultural differences with RW, among other things, apparently making unity impossible. Surprising, indeed, not to have realised that they were worlds apart in terms of cultural allegiances and personal inclinations, being in Parliament for over four decades and brushing shoulders with each other; but better late than never, you may say! Third in the list That aside, now it seems that it was not purely on the basis of 113 in Parliament that the President has made his dubious move on the night of October 26, which opponents call unconstitutional. Apparently, going by what he said, egged on by a cheering and devout MR worshipping crowd, MR was never a first choice. It turns out that his first choice was Sajith, the second Karu and in the absence of no volunteer to become PM, he was left with no alternative but to select MR. The UNPers are not fond of white hoppers it seems! Undoubtedly, the remark must have irked the Moustachioed Macho Maverick, to be counted third in the list. Falling from the throne, accepting nomination as the Kurunegala District Parliamentary candidate from MS, then standing up when MS inaugurated the eighth Parliament on September 1, 2015, and finally receiving the PM post from him a few days ago would have been too much. No, MR would not have liked that remark even a wee bit! As Ajith Perera, MP quips, not only has MS entrusted his political future in the hands of an extremely vindictive, not to say vicious politician, who never forgets those who have humiliated him, but also playing roulette with his very physical existence, with a man who wanted him six feet sub terrain, not once but five times; given the well-renowned theatrics of the Rajapaksa clan, decried by him at defection in November 2014, the apprehension stands valid. "The attempt to gatecrash the Attorney Generals Department, holds the key to the question. People look at Diyawanna, Wijerama and Temple Trees, but I dare say, the eye of the storm lies in Hulftsdorp" The Leech Tweet Another with the acronym MS, namely Mangala Samaraweera, tweeted ,obviously feeling the pinch of the butterfly insinuation, that it was better to be a butterfly than to be a leech; a reference to a despicable creature with the habit of attaching itself to any living organism to suck blood for its own survival. Well, MS did indeed get a pint of fresh political blood on January 8 after he clung on to the UNP and a floating vote amounting to 6.2 million. Now realising that he would never be the common candidate from the green side of the divide, he embarked on a type of a blitzkrieg, the hara-kiri style , a do or die mission, to leech on to another formidable and ever compliant political organism, the most credulous, worshipping and cult like constituency of the former strongman, a proverbial easy suck for a political piggybacking leech. The numbers game which was peanuts earlier for MR and his siblings with billions to dangle, seems a bit dodgy this time around. Firstly, there are only 30 Cabinet seats to carrot out; any prospective government thus conjured, with less than one and a half years left, appearing less appetizing for the turncoats in terms of the spoils such positions offer; the obvious indignation, of the moderate and apolitical segments, as shown by the lukewarm crowd support the Jana Mahima received; RW quite unlike his old self, deciding not to budge an inch turning Temple Trees into a symbolic fort of democracy; the galvanizing effect the highhanded move has had on the grassroot member of the UNP who are flocking to Colombo day in day out, something unimaginable pre October 26; amicable Karu not being so amicable and pliant anymore to the MR bandwagon. All this deter possible crossovers and as in the case of Manu the media man, might trigger traffic in the opposite direction. Picture postcards from Swaziland It is very rarely, that a PM or a national leader of that capacity would not receive even a single congratulatory note from the international community almost two weeks after appointment. Even the good old chief of Swaziland, with his blatant excesses and orgies, had the presence of mind to check his instincts before saying hi to his old friend from Sri Lanka. Just like the Rajapaksas eagerly awaited and highly publicized each and every ship and airplane that came to their port and airport, I am sure they will blow from all trumpets had the Swazi chief, at least, posted a picture postcard to his counterpart of sorts. That too is yet to be. No, it hardly augurs well for the former strongman of this isle, not at all. He is an old fox who would have, even in his sleep, realised that a UNP government that was growing extremely unpopular and having less than eighteen months in power would have offered him an ideal springboard to bounce back with a vengeance (not only figuratively, mind you) had he the patience and more importantly, time. My gut feeling says it was the time factor. Something might have drastically forced his hand to accept the MS offer. Otherwise, why jeopardize a certain opportunity and the return to glory, cometh the next election? President out of logic in defence Mangala tweets: Better to be a butterfly than to be a leech Public not privy to shady spots in SLs political history The eye of the storm The attempt to gatecrash the Attorney Generals Department, holds the key to the question. People look at Diyawanna, Wijerama and Temple Trees, but I dare say, the eye of the storm lies in Hulftsdorp. The files in the AGs Department as well as the appointment of Special High Courts. That is where the fate of a dynasty lies. The entire pantomime might not so much be directed at political power, per se, as it may be escaping the gallows or lengthy terms of imprisonment with RI. But that too is an educated guess of an ill informed citizen, mind you! There are many shady spots in our national political history that commoners like you and me are not privy to, folks! Like what MR told RW when they met on the wee hours of January 9, 2015 as well as what Gotabaya Rajapaksa whispered to RW when they met in a hush-hush one on one midnight rendezvous at Temple Trees a few days ago. Albeit now figuring as the bastille of democracy, Temple Trees is not without its fair share of political intrigue, by a long stretch! It is in such a context the rationale for the move and its aftermath baffles me. As MR himself admitted at the Diyawanna rally that he would not have made such a move himself, had he been the President; he needs not. He is not a leech who has to cling on to an alien political entity for survival. That is, if not for the time factor! In the mean time, the politics of butterflies and leeches, eating white hoppers and drinking black coffee, continues to dazzle the public eye. I dare venture to state who are better; butterflies or leeches? Even if I did, would it matter, when a 6.2 million vote matters so little? Hyderabad, Nov 8 (PTI) Seat-sharing deal among partners of the Congress-led grand alliance for the December 7 Assembly elections in Telangana has been finalised, a key AICC functionary said Thursday. The AICC in-charge of Telangana affairs, R C Khuntia told PTI, "Seat-sharing has been finalised. It will be announced after its approval by Congress President Rahul Gandhi." This ends weeks of negotiations that the Congress had with its electoral partners--the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) and the Communist Party of India (CPI). Khuntia did not say how many seats the Congress would contest in the polls for the 119-member Assembly but party sources indicated that it would not be less than 90. A TDP leader claimed that his party may get 14 to 18 seats. The founder-President of TJS, Prof M Kodandaram said the Congress has offered his party eight to ten seats, whereas he is seeking a minimum of 12 but expressed hope that the issue would be settled. "Some adjustment has to happen but we are more worried about the delay (in finalising the seat-sharing formula). Delay is the major issue," he told PTI. The CPI has been offered three seats. "We are going to discuss the offer tomorrow at our state executive meeting and decide about it," CPI General Secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy said. In addition, the party has been offered two MLC seats. He termed the offer "comparatively good in the present circumstances", but said the feeling among the party cadre is that it should have got two more Assembly seats. The TRS and the BJP are going it alone in the poll, the notification for which would be issued on November 12. PTI RS SS DV DV All oppn parties should come together to save country:Naidu (EDS: Adds words, updates with more quotes) Bengaluru, Nov 8 (PTI) Days after he met heads of opposition parties, including Rahul Gandhi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu Thursday held talks with former prime minister H D Deve Gowda and Karnataka counterpart H D Kumaraswamy and said it was necessary for the opposition to unite against BJP to save the country and institutions from destruction. Aiming to forge an anti-BJP front ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Naidu alleged that every institution, including CBI and RBI, had been destroyed by the BJP-led NDA government. "It is our responsibility to join hands together to save and protect this great nation and also save democracy and the Constitution," he told reporters after meeting Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy here. Naidu hinted that the 1996 model of forming the government with Deve Gowda as prime minister with outside support of the Congress, could also be one of the experiments to form the government at the centre. "PM candidate, we will decide. All of us will join together. First our aim is to protect democracy and save nation. What I am saying is, Congress is the main and major party. If you see only one experiment, that is under Deve Gowda's prime ministership. At that time, the Third Front had come to power. "Then we had take support from Congress from outside. That is the only experiment... " he said. Asked whether he was refering to 1996 model of forming government, he said, "I am interested in the nation and consensus. Everybody will join together. There is no organisation as of today. I have taken some initiative and I am meeting everybody. After that, we will meet and decide how to go about." Echoing similar views, Kumaraswamy said the prime ministerial candidate could be discussed later, "but at this point of time, the focus is to unite the opposition and save democracy." He said a mega farmers rally would be held in December or January. "I plan to hold the event by December-end or January (next year). All regional leaders, with the exception of BJP, will be invited," he said. Flaying the BJP-led NDA government, Deve Gowda alleged the NDA has created problems by destroying various institutions of the country. "It is the responsibility of all secular parties including the Congress to come together to oust the present government," he said. The meeting came amid the ruling Congress-JDS coalition winning two out of the three Lok Sabha seats and two assembly segments that went to bypolls in Karnataka on November 3. The BJP had managed to retain Shivamogga Lok Sabha seat, but lost Ballari, a bastion of the BJP and Reddy brothers. Naidu, who had last week met heads of several opposition parties, including Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi, had termed his party's alliance with the Congress a "democratic compulsion" to protect the country. Naidu Thursday said the prime ministerial candidate would be decided at later stage, but at this point of time, it was necessary for all opposition parties to unite together to not only save the country, "but also save institutions from destruction by central government." "It is an initial exercise (of bringing opposition parties together). After that, we will work together," he said. He said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Kumaraswamy were holding rallies in January. "These things are happening. How to work out the unification of the parties and how to go about thereafter, we will all see in course of time," he said. Lambasting the Centre, Naidu alleged that it was using CBI and income tax departments to "control opposition," conducting raids "indiscriminately and harassing politicians, which people have been witnessing even in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu." Such raids also have been conducted recently in Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar besides Gujarat, he alleged. "Even as these raids are taking place, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not making any statements," Naidu said. "Besides, destroying the insititutions, the Indian economy is in doldrums as demonetisation did not have good effect on it," he said. Petrol prices have been increasing day by day and rupee is also depreciating, he added. Launching a tirade against the BJP-led NDA government, Naidu alleged that the party had betrayed the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh as it did not confer special status for AP. The TDP broke away from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in March this year.PTI BDN BN BN BN BN BN TRS steps up attack on AP CM, says he conspired against T'gana (Eds: Adds some words in first para) Hyderabad, Nov 8 (PTI) Ruling TRS Thursday intensified its attack on TDP, a partner in the Congress-led "grand alliance" for the coming Telangana assembly polls, alleging that its supremo and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu indulged in "conspiracies" against the interests of the poll-bound state. TRS leader and minister in the caretaker government T Harish Rao, who addressed an open letter to Naidu, claimed that the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister "conspired" against Telangana in irrigation, power and other sectors, a charge repeatedly made by the ruling party leaders in recent days and rejected by the opposition parties. "Chandrababu Naidu is tooth and nail opposed to Telangana people and the formation of Telangana state. He did not tolerate Telangana movement. He cannot accept the word 'Telangana'," Harish Rao, a nephew of TRS president and caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, told reporters. In the letter, he listed 19 issues or alleged betrayals by Naidu against Telangana's interests. These included Naidu's opposition to Kaleswaram, Palamuru-Ranga Reddy, Dindi and other irrigation projects in Telangana, 'denying' Krishna river water to Telangana vis-a-vis Polavaram project, building "illegal" irrigation projects in Andhra Pradesh and denying Telangana's share of power from Sileru power plant. The TRS has been criticising the "grand alliance", claiming that Telangana's interests would suffer if the coalition came to power, in view of Naidu's alleged opposition to irrigation projects in Telangana. The "grand alliance" comprises Congress, TDP, CPI and Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS). Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president N Uttam Kumar Reddy had earlier said the TRS should talk about the state government's performance rather than attacking the alliance between Congress and TDP. PTI SJR RS VS VS VS VS M&S said its recently launched womenswear collaboration with TV personality Holly Willoughby had been a hit with customers Marks & Spencer boss Steve Rowe said he was facing the facts after its worst food sales in a decade. He said management was 'turning every stone' to revive the business after it posted a 2.9 per cent drop in food, with purchases of clothing and homeware products down 1.1 per cent. Revenues declined 3.1 per cent to just under 5billion, but profits edged up 7.1 per cent to 126.7million. The disappointing sales put further pressure on M&S to speed up its transformation plan ahead of Christmas. It is the first time since the second half of the 2008-09 financial year it has posted such poor food sales, when they fell 4.7 per cent. Rowe admitted M&S's poor food performance was in part self-inflicted as it got rid of 'confusing' multi-buy offers and introduced bigger family pack sizes and lower prices. Just last week M&S prompted outrage among customers after it scrapped its famous 10 'Dine in for Two' meal deal, replacing it with a 12 version. But Rowe said: 'We are turning every stone in the business over to make sure that we build a business fit for the future and that means there's an awful lot of work going on across every area,' he said. 'We're protecting the magic of M&S food, we believe it's the best on the High Street. But what we want to do is sharpen the value and that means we're bringing prices down and taking away confusing promotions.' M&S has already cut prices on 100 Christmas lines in a bid to encourage more customers through its doors. One in four turkeys sold in the UK at Christmas are from M&S. Like many other retailers, M&S has been hit by a downturn on the High Street and an onslaught from online-only firms such as Amazon and Asos. Its food division has also suffered from fierce competition posed by German discounters Lidl and Aldi. M&S said its recently launched womenswear collaboration with TV personality Holly Willoughby had been a hit with customers, but it was too early to see the full impact. Its online business fared better, where sales were up 9.1 per cent. One in five of every clothing and home purchase now made through its website though it does not have an online food delivery service. M&S is closing 100 stores to save cash and drive more customers to its website, and intends to close more. Tesla has appointed an Australian accountant to take over as chairman from Elon Musk as part of a settlement with US regulators. The electric car maker said Robyn Denholm, one of its non-executive directors, had been appointed to the role with immediate effect. It ends speculation about who will fill Musks shoes after the chief executive was banned from holding the role of chairman for three years. Australian accountant Robyn Denholm will replace Elon Musk as the chair of US electric car manufacturer Tesla That followed a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which accused the billionaire of fraud when he said a plan for taking Tesla private had funding secured. Denholm will remain as chief financial officer of Australian telecoms firm Telstra for six months before joining Tesla. Musk said: Robyn has extensive experience in the tech and auto industries. "She has made significant contributions as a board member over the past four years in helping us become profitable. Denholm said: I believe in this company, I believe in its mission and I look forward to helping Elon and Tesla achieve sustainable profitability. Looking ahead: John Lewis Chairman Sir Charles Mayfield Odd that John Lewis's upright chairman Sir Charles Mayfield, 51, should announce his departure date two years in advance. Still, can't hurt to give the headhunters an early heads up, I suppose. Ex-army officer Mayfield's predecessor, Sir Stuart Hampson, 71, has done all right for himself post-John Lewis. He's chairman of the Crown Estates and tours the lucrative speaker circuit, where his bon mots command as much as 25,000. Nor, one suspects, will Lieutenant Mayfield be knowingly undersold. Business poobah Sir Mike Rake, whose stuffed-to-the-brim CV includes chairmanships of BT and Worldpay as well as president of the CBI, was asked by Radio 4's Dominic O'Connell whether he could refer to him as a City grandee. 'I'd rather not,' he replied sternly. Why so touchy? Perhaps Rake, 70, worries his lofty status undermines his demands for a second referendum. He and his millionaire business contemporaries have laughingly dubbed it the 'People's Vote'. Google's geeky chief executive Sundar Pichai talks in an interview of his sparse upbringing in Chennai, India, where cramped conditions required him to sleep on the sitting room floor: 'There was a drought and we had anxiety. Even now, I can never sleep without a bottle of water beside my bed.' Now a reputed billionaire, shouldn't Pichai, 46, be more anxious about hushed-up sexual harassment allegations dogging his firm? Just a thought. Ruddy-nosed JD Wetherspoon publican Tim Martin is surprised to discover his customers 'even builders and rugby players' are drinking pink gin as an aperitif. He's referring to a syrupy pink-hued spirit his pubs now stock. I rather hoped he was referring to the tres buvable navy concoction of Plymouth gin and angostura bitters, still consumed in proper City lunching haunts. Former Prime Ministerial consort Denis Thatcher referred to it as his rocket fuel, and jolly well he ran on it too. Sainsbury's head offices in Holborn, London, now boast gender-neutral lavatories. A bold statement to reflect these complicated, non-binary times in which we now live (God help us) or just penny-pinching boss Mike Coupe's latest cost-cutting wheeze? Among the little-trumpeted reasons why Britain should grow and prosper after we leave the European Union is that the UK is a leader in biotechnology, pharmacology and natural science research. The hub of Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial and UCL universities with the Crick Institute added on has no match outside of the Boston area in the US. It is of marginal importance that the European Medicines Agency is moving to the Netherlands, as long as Britain seizes the initiative and creates a UK regulator open to fast-track testing and approvals. The European Medicines Agency is moving its headquarters to Amsterdam from London, and will start its operations on March 30, 2019, the day after Brexit will be formally completed When AstraZeneca stood firm in the face of an assault from Pfizer in 2014, the defence, led by French chief executive Pascal Soriot, was based around the future value of AZs drugs pipeline and the promise to establish a 700million research centre in Cambridge. Both are now happening. AZ cancer treatments, largely based around immunology treatments Imfinzi and Tagrisso for lung cancer and Lynparza for ovarian cancer, are now on the market. Indeed, Astra is working on a blood test that can identify tumour cells, which it hopes will lead to patients being scanned much earlier. The faster the diagnosis, the better chance of survival, with the possibility of a 95 per cent cure rate. The groups new medicine for life-threatening asthma, Fasenra, is also exceeding expectations. Sales in the third quarter are up 9 per cent. AZ also looks to be cracking the China market, where sales are up 32 per cent. There, the group has embraced smart technology to drive sales. The bottom line doesnt look as healthy, reflecting the huge continuing cost of R&D and drug development. But by the end of the year, AZ is pledging a rise in earnings per share. Like many businesses, it is committing funds to Brexit contingencies, including setting up supplementary production in Sweden for its blockbuster treatment Lynparza, currently made in Macclesfield. But, unlike former BT boss Sir Mike Rake and the car makers, it is not screaming foul from the sidelines. Good-time Charlie It was just 18 months ago that Sir Charles Mayfield was garlanded with the Chartered Management Institutes gold medal award, regarded as one of the highest honours in business. And it was only in September that the 51-year-old chairman of John Lewis was describing himself as energetic and noted the longevity of past holders of the job. But while many eyes were diverted by the ousting of our old friend Jeff Fairburn of Persimmon, clutching his 75million cheque, John Lewis let it be known that Mayfield would be heading for the door in a relaxed fashion in 2020. While it is still fashionable to laud the John Lewis stakeholder model, where the good and bad times are shared among partners, the most recent results, showing profits had plunged 99 per cent in the first half to 1.2million, are almost enough to make Marks & Spencer look like a Rolls-Royce operation. In a world of online price transparency, Lewiss never knowingly unsold creed is looking a little threadbare. Anecdotal evidence is that some of its newer Waitrose outlets are struggling and fresh produce in established outlets is not what it was. Arguably, the problems of other department store chains House of Fraser and Debenhams should provide an opportunity for John Lewis, as the last full-service department store standing, to reassert itself. Mayfield has more than a year to make mid-course corrections. But there may be partners wondering whether it was wise to have allowed the tubby grocer Mark Price, a potential successor, to head off into the sunset in 2016. Argos back-stop Is Sainsbury's chief executive Mike Coupe getting windy about the 14billion merger with Asda? Certainly, he sounds confident that, if Asda floundered, the purchase of Argos and its logistics has given it an online edge. Some 60 new Argos outlets have been added to its supermarkets, and synergies of 63million delivered early. Turnover and earnings are heading in the right direction. The risk is that after a 32 per cent rise in Sainsburys shares this year, the Competition & Markets Authority will block or demand remedies which could mess with the economics of greater purchasing power. That could bring the stock down with a nasty bump. ho is the winner of the current political game? No doubt, it is President Maithripala Sirisena, in spite of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa seeming to be. Before the President unseated Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to replace him with Rajapaksa on October 26, he had virtually been left destitute politically, with a bleak future. The return of Rajapaksa which the President himself feared once, had been only a matter of time, after the February 10 Local Government elections. The inevitability of the remaining supporters of the President teaming up with Rajapaksa had also been a matter of time, but a matter that would happen before the next national level elections. On the other hand, he had been in a bitter fight with his coalition partner, the United National Party (UNP). Hence, the latter fielding him as their candidate at the next Presidential election or at least at the next Parliamentary Elections, as an ordinary candidate had been impossible. Thus, it was evident to him that by the time the next Presidential Election was held, he would be on his own with a threat of facing the wrath of Rajapaksas, who seemed inevitable to capture power and who might not have forgotten the humiliation and the economic loss they suffered due to their defeat at the Presidential election in 2015. Against that backdrop, the only option that had been left with the President for his safety, as well as survival, was to patch up with Rajapaksa, the next President (de-facto or otherwise). "That is not to say that those learned men, who support the UNP are different, as the same thing happened in 2001 when 12 Peoples Alliance MPs crossed over to the UNP, ultimately compelling President Chandrika Kumaratunga to dissolve Parliament" If he resorts to that option on the eve of the next Presidential Election after his supporters left him, he would be humiliatingly rejected. But, now that he had given a thrilling victory to Rajapaksa against Wickremesinghe and by continuing to be Rajapaksas guardian and the shield in the current power struggle with Wickremesinghe, he has become the hero of Rajapaksas supporters. He successfully assimilated himself into the ranks of his former party men, who are now under a new banner, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna at the public meeting at the Parliament Junction on Monday. His flattering of Rajapaksa at that meeting was unimaginable, given his demonizing and vilifying of the latter until recently, but would have enthralled the Rajapaksa supporters. He has very cleverly come out of the woods. The continuing impasse and the uncertainty over who commands the confidence of the Parliament and what would happen at the next moment also seem to be serving the Presidents purpose. This impasse and the uncertainty make the Rajapaksa and his loyalists more and more dependent on the Presidents executive powers. Despite the repeated rhetoric on the part of Rajapaksa and some of his close aides, they do not seem to have bought over or lured sufficient MPs from the UNP and its allies to show that Rajapaksa commands the majority in the Parliament. National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa, who is well-known for his rhetorical skills, said at the meeting at the Parliament Junction on Monday They are continuing to come; tomorrow it would be 107 Newly appointed National Integration, Reconciliation and Official Languages Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara after a meeting with Speaker Karu Jayasuriya on Wednesday said there was no need for them to show the majority, as there had been so many Minority Governments in the world. The new Leader of the House and Megapolis and Western Development Minister Dinesh Gunawardena also after the same meeting argued that the majority did not mean the majority of the whole Parliament, but the majority of MPs present in the House when a vote is taken. "It was evident by the time the next Presidential Election is held, he would be on his own with a threat of facing the wrath of Rajapaksas, who seemed inevitable to capture power and who might not have forgotten the humiliation and economic loss they suffered due to their defeat at the Presidential election in 2015" The contention of Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, one of the first to cross over this time and appointed Education and Higher Education Minister was that there was no provision in the Present Constitution for one to show that he or she commanded the confidence of the Parliament. Another Rajapaksa loyalist Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena says that the President has the power to prorogue the Parliament again after it meets on November 14. All these remarks by Rajapaksa loyalists clearly indicate that the purported opinion of the President on October 26 that Rajapaksa was most likely to command the confidence of the Parliament was wrong. The current crisis (and also most of the earlier ones) is also a test on the morality of politicians and the general public. They talk about morality as well as the law only when they are on their side. When the morality clashes with the law they conveniently choose the one that is favourable to them. For instance, with regard to the appointment of Rajapaksa as the Prime Minister, the UNP seems to be keen on pointing out how the President vilified and demonized Rajapaksa in the past and how he was elected President by the UNP voters in 2015. They also remind the President the mandate 6.2 million people gave him, at the last Presidential election whereas Rajapaksa supporters point out the discretion and powers of the President in appointing a Prime Minister. The best case in point that indicates the degree of low- level that the society has stooped to is the horse-trading and the purported bribes offered to the Parliamentarians to switch sides. There are reasons for the UNP Parliamentarians to cross over to the Mahinda group, given the turn of the political trend which was manifested at the local government elections in February. The current opportunity is a godsend to them to jump out of the sinking ship even without a bribe. If the bribe also comes on their way, it would be a bonus which they could get hold of just with a pretension of hesitation to cross over. "Despite the repeated rhetoric on the part of Rajapaksa and some of his close aides, they do not seem to have bought over or lured sufficient MPs from the UNP and its allies to show that Rajapaksa commands the majority in the Parliament" The offers are said to be in the range between a staggering Rs. 200 million and Rs. 500 million. UNP Parliamentarian Palitha Range Bandara claims that he was offered a sum of Rs. 500 million plus a Cabinet portfolio. To prove his allegation, he placed before the media, audio evidence in which a seemingly familiar voice was heard luring the Puttalam District Parliamentarian, but sans the amount, he had referred to. The most disheartening point is that not a single person among the learned men, intellectuals or religious leaders, who support the President and the new Prime Minister, has the courage or the conscience to express his or her view on this political bribe. That is not to say that those learned men, intellectuals or religious leaders who support the UNP are different, as the same thing happened in 2001 when 12 Peoples Alliance (PA) Parliamentarians crossed over to the UNP, ultimately compelling President Chandrika Kumaratunga to dissolve Parliament. So long as politics is a money-making manoeuvre and until the people really view politics as a mechanism to collectively resolve their problems, rather than being just a gamble or a game that will produce winners and the losers, nothing else can be expected. The bosses of Britain's biggest builders have been paid more than 230million since the Help to Buy scheme was launched five years ago, the Mail can reveal. The chief executives of seven leading companies including Persimmon, Barratt Developments and Taylor Wimpey have seen their pay triple on the back of the taxpayer-funded subsidy. Profits have also jumped fourfold since George Osborne's housing programme was introduced in April 2013. The chief executives of seven leading companies including Persimmon, Barratt Developments and Taylor Wimpey have seen their pay triple on the back the taxpayer-funded subsidy But the number of new homes built has grown by just 50 per cent. The figures come just a day after Persimmon's chief executive Jeff Fairburn (pictured) was forced out after a row over his hefty 102million pay. His pay package, which was cut to 75million after an outcry from investors and the public, was thrust back into the spotlight last month when Fairburn flounced out of a TV interview when asked about the bonus. But while profits and pay have soared since Help to Buy was launched, many families are struggling to get on or move up the property ladder amid a chronic shortage of homes at affordable prices. Matt Kilcoyne, of the Adam Smith Institute thinktank, said: 'Housebuilders love Help to Buy. For chief executives it's meant bumper bonuses as their firms have lined their pockets with government money. But it pushed up prices for everyone else. 'The billions taxpayers have put into the scheme have been to the benefit of middle-class earners, with the average beneficiary earning 55,000 a year, with the cost of houses pushed even further out of reach for low earners and the young.' Developers claim the programme is crucial to tackle the UK's chronic housing shortage. A Mail analysis of AJ Bell figures for Taylor Wimpey, Persimmon, Barratt Developments, Bellway, Redrow, Berkeley Group and Bovis Homes show combined profits at the firms have jumped from 1.1billion in 2012 the year before Help to Buy came in to 4.4billion in 2017. Profits jumped almost 320pc at Barratt Developments and almost 400 per cent at Bellway in that time. Salaries to chief executives have seen a threefold increase, from 22.9million in 2013 to 68.7million last year. In contrast, the number of new houses built by the seven firms increased by just 50 per cent there were 47,250 new homes in 2012 and 70,890 five years later. 'Help to Buy has put money in the pockets of major developers, and has helped those who have benefited from it, but at the expense of affordability for everyone else,' said Reuben Young, director of campaign group Priced Out. 'How can government be serious about solving the affordability crisis if it is literally investing billions in public money in rising house prices?' AJ Bell's Russ Mould said Help to Buy has stoked demand for houses at a time when demand was outstripping supply. 'You can therefore argue that taxpayers' pounds have flooded straight into the scheme and into the builders' profits owing to the surge we have seen in prices and demand,' he said. But Steve Turner, director of communications at the Home Builders Federation, defended the scheme. 'Help to Buy is enabling the private sector housebuilding industry to address a housing crisis decades in the making,' he said. 'Alongside increased housing supply this building boom is delivering economic benefits to all areas, creating jobs and enabling people to buy a home. 'Just as builders posted big losses in the financial downturn, as output has increased, profits have increased, as is the case with any business in any sector.' The seven companies declined to comment. Latest figure suggest we will be able to continue piping North Sea Oil for another 20 years at least OIL FUTURE Reserves from the North Sea are sufficient to help sustain oil and gas production for at least the next 20 years, new figures indicate. A report published by the Government suggests that the overall remaining recoverable reserves and resources range from 10 to 20bn-plus of oil equivalent. It said production could last beyond the next two decades. CASH BACKING Investment platform Crowdcube, which allows savers to club together to invest in up-and-coming companies, has bagged 8.5million to expand. London-listed venture capital firm Draper Esprit led the funding round, while Channel 4s growth fund and investment firm Balderton Capital also contributed. TECH PARTNERSHIP Just one day after moving thousands of its employees into digital roles, Lloyds Banking Group has announced a partnership with tech company Thought Machine. Lloyds has invested 11million in the company, which will help the bank improve its online service. DIRECTOR ROLE Premier Inn owner Whitbread has appointed Frank Fiskers as a non-executive director. He is a former chief executive of Scandic Hotels and over 35 years of experience in the hospitality industry. SALES BOOST Restaurant owner Fulham Shores sales over the past six months have been trading ahead of expectations. The group owns pizza chain Franco Manca and The Real Greek. REVENUE UP Food ingredients firm Kerry Group posted a 2.2 per cent rise in revenues for nine months to September 30 compared with a year earlier. It expects full-year profits to be in line with expectations. CONTRACT RENEWAL Outsourcing firm Capita has had a 65million contract with Westminster City Council renewed. It will continue to collect taxes and manage benefits for the council for another seven years, with the option to extend it by three years. DEAL SEALED Broadband provider Hyperoptic is to speed up its rollout of cutting-edge cables in a major deal with the investment arm of the Abu Dhabi government. It will spend 500million on deploying fibre optic cables across the UK, aiming to hit 2m homes by 2021 and 5m by 2024 both a year earlier than previously planned. A turbulent day of trading for budget airline Wizz Air saw it swing from an 8 per cent loss to a rise of more than 8 per cent in the course of just a few hours. In early trading, shares plummeted after it lowered profit guidance from between 270million and 296million to between 235million and 261million. Traders baulked as it blamed higher fuel costs and summer strike action for creating a challenging environment, even though its profit for the six months ending in September hit a record 254.7million. But as the day progressed, the share price began to soar and ended the day 8.4 per cent, or 223p, higher at 2890p. Bumpy ride: In early trading, Wizz Air shares plummeted after it lowered profit guidance. But as the day progressed, the shares began to soar and ended 8.4 per cent higher at 2890p Part of this may have been due to investors reading further down Wizz Air's announcement. The airline said that it was confident that profits would grow further in 2020, as it runs new aeroplanes which burn 16 per cent less fuel than its current fleet. Chief executive Jozsef Varadi added that Wizz's 'ultra-low cost business model provides a significant competitive advantage in an environment of higher fuel prices', since customers will flock to find cheaper flights. US investors may also have contributed to the share price turnaround as they began trading later in the day. Market players across the pond have been watching European budget airlines intently. Stock Watch - Innovaderma Shares in fake tan and hair products maker Innovaderma sank despite a promising update. The Skinny Tan and Roots maker had previously only been able to sell its products in Superdrug due to an exclusivity agreement. But this is coming to an end, and from March they will be sold in Tesco and around 1,250 Boots stores, boosting its network from 800 to 2,400. This should lift revenue for the full year ending June 2019 by 31 per cent to 14million, Still, shares sank 17.3 per cent, or 21p, to 100.5p. The sector has found favour in the US, where the low-cost flight concept began, and investors are keen to take advantage of any dips in share price. But the cybersecurity company Sophos Group had less luck, and paid the price yesterday for over-promising to investors as it saw 634million wiped off its market value. Shareholders had high hopes for the tech firm at the beginning of the year. When it released its 2018 results back in May, Sophos said that it was expecting billings growth of around 15 per cent in the next financial year. But so far, billings have increased just 3 per cent to 269million. There were warning signs when Sophos released a first-quarter update in July. The company revealed then that billings performance was disappointingly low, saying that the WannaCry cyber attack the year before had boosted demand for its products in 2017 and made it a particularly tough period to compare with. Even so, major firms such as British Airways and Facebook have struggled with data breaches this year and Sophos does not appear to have reaped the benefits as a result over the six months to September. Its shares plummeted by 29 per cent, or 132.6p, to 324p, which is its biggest one-day fall in the three years it has been listed on the London Stock Exchange. The firm is now trading 44.3 per cent lower than it was in January this year. The FTSE 100 climbed as gains for the Democrats in this week's US mid-term elections helped to lift the blue-chip index's miners, as commodities, which are usually priced in dollars, became cheaper for other countries to buy. Metals miner Fresnillo edged up 3.6 per cent, or 31p, to 902p. In turn, that helped the FTSE 100 rise 1.1 per cent, or 76.6 points, to 7117.28 points. NMC Health, a private hospital firm based in the United Arab Emirates, was the biggest riser on the blue-chip index as it revealed it was planning to issue a bond. The company's share price perked up as a result, rising 4.3 per cent, or 144p, to 3500p. Royal Mail has reshuffled its board and ousted the UK boss of post and parcels after a summer of turmoil. Sue Whalley, who has worked at the company for 12 years, will step down from the board immediately and is to leave by the end of March. Board member Keith Williams, the former executive chairman of British Airways, is to become deputy chairman alongside chairman Les Owen. Post and Parcels UK chief Sue Whalley, left, will step down from the board immediately. Former chief exec Moya Greene, right, retired The moves follow months of controversy after fierce criticism of new boss Rico Back's pay, and a profit warning last month. The shake-up appeared to be an attempt to stablise ahead of its half-year results next week. Whalley, who has been at Royal Mail throughout its privatisation in 2013, said that it was 'time to move on'. The company did not give a specific reason for her departure. Back will take on her responsibilities for post and parcels, with finance chief Stuart Simpson handling day-to-day operations. Williams, who left BA in 2016, is seen as a safe pair of hands who can improve relations with unions as the company tries to make millions of pounds in savings and become more efficient a goal that has put it in conflict with workers angry at pay and conditions. The 62-year-old, who is also chairman of Halfords, deputy chairman of John Lewis and a non-executive director at Aviva, is set to reduce his commitments elsewhere to focus on working at Royal Mail. Ex-chairman Peter Long (pictured) stepped down in September following the appointment of new chief exec Rico who was give a 6m golden hello and a 2.7m-a-year salary Owen said Williams was a seasoned business leader, with a range of experience in regulated, customer-focused industries. Back added: 'Since Keith Williams joined us in January 2018, his broad experience has been very helpful indeed. 'I am delighted that we will be working even more closely with him in the future. 'Sue Whalley has worked tirelessly and I have worked closely with her for a number of years. 'My colleagues and I very much appreciate the work that she has done for Royal Mail and the positive change she has brought to many areas in the business.' Back's appointment sparked a furore earlier this year when it emerged that the 64-year-old, who took over from Moya Greene, had been handed 6million to change his former contract and stood to earn annual pay worth up to 2.7million. The lucrative deal was branded excessive by critics and opposed by 70pc of shareholders at the annual general meeting. It prompted the resignation of former chairman Peter Long in September, with Owen taking over in the aftermath of the revolt. Orna Ni-Chionna, the head of the pay committee, later admitted to MPs that the company was 'embarrassed' over how badly it misjudged opposition to Back's pay. Then in October, the group issued a profit warning, causing shares to plummet. End of an era: Redrow chairman and founder Steve Morgan will retire at the end of March Redrow chairman and founder Steve Morgan is to step down from the housebuilder he set up in 1974. The 65-year-old will retire at the end of March having spent two stints as chairman from 1974 to 2000 and then from 2009 to today. He will be replaced by chief executive John Tutte. Morgan holds a 21 per cent stake in Redrow worth around 420million and his charity, The Morgan Foundation, has shares worth 140million. The thrice-married father of five, a former owner of Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, draws a salary of just 15,000 and donates it to the charity. But he receives large dividend payments. Last year he was handed 21.7million. The average selling price of private reservations was 388,000 and its total order book rose by 11 per cent to 1.2billion. His plans to retire were announced at the annual meeting where Morgan warned that the housing market in London remains subdued. Shares were down 2.8 per cent, or 16p, at 549p. Plans to build a new nuclear energy plant in Cumbria have been scrapped after Japan-based conglomerate Toshiba axed NuGen, the British unit behind the project. The decision represents a blow to the government's plans to step up nuclear energy production and the Cumbria plant would have churned out 7 per cent of the country's electricity. A spokesman for the government's Business and Energy Department said Toshiba had made a 'commercial decision', adding that 'new nuclear' remained important. Axed: Plans to build a new nuclear energy plant in Cumbria have been scrapped But, unions have accused the government of allowing the 10billion project to collapse and failing to intervene to ensure it stayed on track. Justin Bowden, national officer of the GMB said: 'The British Government has blood on its hands as the final sad but predictable nail is banged into the coffin of Toshiba's jinxed jaunt into nuclear power. 'Relying in this way on foreign companies for our country's essential energy needs was always irresponsible. 'Add to that the multiple opportunities to step in and take control, that were missed or ignored.' Speaking to This is Money, Tim Yeo, former Tory MP and chair of pro-nuclear lobby group New Nuclear Watch Institute, said: 'This is a huge disappointment and a crushing blow to hopes of a revival of the UK nuclear energy industry. 'Although the Government has been in talks with Kepco over the NuGen project for more than a year it has still not decided what financial package will be offered to enable construction of new nuclear reactors to take place at Moorside. 'It is hardly surprising that Toshiba has finally lost patience and pulled the plug. 'In the past the British nuclear industry has suffered the consequences of a tendency to choose first of a kind (FOAK) technologies.' Apologies: Toshiba's president Satoshi Tsunakawa previously acknowledged problems facing Toshiba He added: 'This dithering is also jeopardising the chance to secure Korean investment into Britain just when it is most needed and deals a blow to job prospects in the Northwest.' After a board meeting held on Thursday, Toshiba said it was winding up NuGen because of its inability to find a buyer for it. Costs also influenced the decision and had already spiralled to 400million. Initially, Korea Electric Power Corporation had been a preferred bidder to take over the nuclear power plant project, but those talks fell through after more than a year of negotiations. Speculation that the project was unravelling had been around for some time. In September, NuGen was forced to cut its workforce from 100 down to 60, prompting calls for the government to step in and ensure the project did not collapse. Rebecca Long Bailey, shadow business secretary, said: 'Today's announcement by Toshiba is hugely concerning for the future of the sector and the thousands of jobs it would bring to Cumbria. Unfortunately, it's not surprising given the Government's long indecision and refusal to step in.' Shares in Toshiba are up over 12 per cent. In September, the firm behind the construction of proposed nuclear power plant site Hinkley Point C in Somerset said the project was on track. In future, the Hinkley plant is expected to provide 7 per cent of the UK's electricity needs for 60 years. Sainsbury's has been criticised for letting standards slip as it revealed sluggish sales growth and plunging profits. The supermarket, the second-biggest in the UK, blamed staff shortages and hot weather after customers grew frustrated with poorly stocked shelves and messy stores. Chief executive Mike Coupe insisted he was pleased with the latest results despite same-store sales edging up just 0.6 per cent in the 28 weeks to September, while profits tumbled 40 per cent to 132million. Sainsbury and Asda are in the middle of a company merger also involving Argos which is reported to be in the region of 12billion He said empty shelves and shabby stores were due to hotter weather and slashing thousands of roles to cut costs. It comes as Sainsburys awaits a decision from the competition authority on a 14billion merger with Asda. The merged group is targeting 500million savings by using its buying power to get better deals from suppliers and lower prices for customers. Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said the store were crucial: Shoppers will quickly lose patience if they cant find what they want. Sainsburys shouldnt be making such mistakes given the heightened competition. Neil Wilson, analyst at trading platform Markets, added: Standards have slipped. Its hard to see how merging with Asda will help much. But Coupe said the issue was fixed, saying: I could go around any of our competitors and take photos of empty shelves. Sainsburys has made space for sushi bars, beauty aisles, Specsavers concessions and Argos stores, after buying the retailer for 1.4billion. It now has 251 Argos shops within its stores. Despite a 0.5 per cent slump in supermarket sales, total revenues were boosted by the opening of new Argos shops, rising 3.5 per cent to 16.8billion compared with a year earlier. Sales in convenience stores rose 4.3 per cent and online grocery sales jumped 6.9 per cent. The Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Sainsburys takeover of Asda and its potential impact on suppliers and customers. It identified almost 500 areas that Sainsburys and Asda could be forced to sell supermarkets to get the deal done. But Coupe was confident Sainsburys could go it alone if the merger is not approved. He said: We have a clear strategy and you can see in the numbers were delivering. Were confident in our future whatever basis that future is. Burberry has shrugged off fears of a slowdown in China after selling out of a range of 290 T-shirts in the country within hours. The items, with a logo based on the interlocking initials of founder Thomas Burberry, were on sale through social media apps for 24 hours in South Korea, the UK, Japan and China. They proved massively popular with celebrities and shoppers and sold out within four hours in China. In fashion: Riccardo Tisci and Irina Shayk model Burberry's 290 T-shirts which feature a logo based on the interlocking initials of founder Thomas Burberry Burberry has been selling limited ranges through social media apps to excite customers. It comes after Italian Riccardo Tisci, 44, joined the British fashion house in March to lead its design team after 12 years as creative director at Givenchy. Chief executive Marco Gobbetti, 58, said: 'The initial response from influencers, press, buyers and customers to our new creative vision and Riccardo's debut collection 'Kingdom' has been exceptional.' He said Burberry was in the first phase of a plan to go more upmarket. Revenues slid 3 per cent to 1.2billion in the 26 weeks to September 29 but same-store sales rose 3 per cent. Operating profit fell 4 per cent to 178million. AstraZeneca boss Pascal Soriot hailed a turning point as his firm reported rising sales of its drugs. After eight years of decline, the Anglo-Swedish pharmaceuticals giant said booming demand for new medicines meant it could expect sustained growth. Sales of its drugs rose 8 per cent to 4billion in the third quarter of the year. Soriot, 59, said that the new products were picking up the slack from older ones. The Frenchman added: This is really a major milestone for us. When we set out the new strategy a few years back, not everyone believed we could return to growth. After eight years of decline, Anglo-Swedish pharmaceuticals giant Astrazeneca said booming demand for new medicines meant it could expect sustained growth Its clear that weve achieved an important inflection point. Im often reminded weve been in sales decline since 2010. And for the first time now, we experienced a very strong quarter. In the coming quarters and years, well make it sustainable. The promising update sent shares up 4 per cent though overall revenue and profit fell. This was because takings from asset sales and partnerships short-term measures it resorted to while it waited to deploy new drugs fell by 95 per cent. Profits were down 29 per cent to 1billion in the third quarter and 31 per cent to 2.7billionn in the first nine months of the year. When Soriot was brought in as chief executive in 2012, Astra faced a steep loss of revenues as patents for some of its best-sellers expired. Since then, it has seen more than half of its sales wiped out. But Soriot made re-stocking the cupboard the top priority, with supporters also crediting him with backing the most promising drugs that were in development. He also fought off a 70billion takeover bid from US rival Pfizer four years ago, urging investors to keep the faith in Astras pipeline. Yesterday, analysts said his strategy was at last paying off. Astra saw huge rises in sales of its new medicines during the quarter, with cancer drugs Lynparza, Tagrisso and Imfinzi leading the charge. Cardiovascular, renal and metabolism drugs Brilinta and Farxiga flew off the shelves and Soriot said respiratory drugs Fasenra and Pulmicort were doing extremely well. China remained a stand-out market, with sales rising by 32 per cent in the quarter. Overall, Soriot said new medicine sales grew 76 per cent, or 1.4billion, in the nine months to September 30. However total revenue for that period fell 6 per cent to 12billion. Nicholas Hyett, an analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: On the face of it these numbers are far from pretty. But scratch the surface and Astra is far from sickly. Its new drugs are flying off pharmacy shelves, particularly in oncology. Astra still needs to get debt back under control before it can start growing returns to shareholders, but chief executive Pascal Soriot isnt wrong when he says today is an important day. Graham Doyle, an analyst at Liberum, said: The continued outperformance from the new product launches and core diabetes portfolio should be well received. Would you spend 50 a month for a guaranteed weekend jaunt to a European destination every four months? This is the premise behind new start-up travel business BRB which adapts the subscription based business model made popular by the likes of Netflix and Spotify, to offer hassle free holidays where flights and accommodation are booked on your behalf. But there's a twist. You won't know where you'll be jetting off to or staying until a month before you travel. Greg Geny (right) and Alex Tomlinson (left) founded BRB which adapts the subscription based business model made popular by Netflix and Spotify, to offer hassle free package holidays The venture was started by self-confessed travel enthusiasts Greg Geny and Alex Tomlinson and unlike many joint ventures, where the founders are related or were friends prior to starting the business, Geny and Tomlinson had no past dealings with each other. They met at the offices of startup incubator Founders Factory, which develops business ideas to help them become a fully fledged company. This is via a cash injection and support from its in-house operations team for six months. Geny, originally from France, boasts seven years of experience in the travel industry - including a stint as a marketing director of a company which championed small independent hotels in the UK. He got his foot through Founders Factory's doors with a blueprint for what became BRB - text speak which some will know as 'be right back,' made popular in the MSN Messenger era. Tomlinson was a product designer for Founders Factory helping other start-ups come up with new concepts before deciding to try his hand at business. He said: 'I never thought about starting a business when I joined the factory, but when you're around entrepreneurial people everyday and see how they operate, you begin to think "I'd like to do that."' 'Both Greg and I hit it off. I totally got the idea - I thought the service is something that I would use. We discussed how to expand on the concept and the rest is history.' BRB allows you to select the type of trips you'd like to experience - be it a beach holiday or a romantic jaunt The duo received 150,000 from Founders Factory to get the business off the ground, and have since formed close ties with easyJet as well as the people who helped create travel booking website LastMinute. At present, BRB offers trips that last a total of three days, with two nights accommodation to over 50 destinations including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Croatia and Paris. To avoid nasty surprises, the service allows you to filter out destinations you don't want to visit or have traveled to before. In addition, BRB guarantees to put you up in a hotel with at least three stars to its name. You can invite friends to join your trip with a code. They can pay a one-off fee or become subscribers themselves. However, not everything is included. You'd need to sort out airport transfers, hold luggage and insurance (both travel and health). What's more, trips all start and end from London airports including Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton. The firm said it will be adding more regional airports in the future. All holiday packages offered by the firm are ATOL protected, meaning you won't lose money or become stranded abroad if the firm collapses. How does it work? Once you've signed up to the service, you're asked whether you plan on travelling with a loved one, a friend or by yourself. The next step allows you to select the type of getaways you'd like to experience - be it a beach holiday, a romantic jaunt or even a trip to a place where you can take lots of 'instagramable' photos (the company calls this a '#4theGram' break). To avoid nasty surprises, the service allows you to filter out destinations you don't want to visit or have traveled to before You can then filter out locations that you don't want to visit before choosing one of two subscription plans: to go it alone or to partner with a friend or loved one. There is an added incentive to choose the latter as it cost 89.99 a month for two people. If you split the cost down the middle, the cost per person is 45 - which is cheaper than the 49.99 charge if you choose to go it alone. Both plans guarantee a surprise trip every four months with travel accommodation. The firm said trips typically involves taking a flight but, on occasions, could require the use of another mode of transport. For example, you may depart from Kings Cross on the Eurostar for destinations including Lille, Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels. When it comes to accommodation, only three-star hotels that are rated 3.5 and above (out of five) on TripAdvisor make the cut. They also have to be in a central location, so airport hotels are excluded. The company sends out a postcard to reveal the destination a month prior to your chosen weekend. Geny said: 'The idea is to remove the stress and hassle of booking a holiday. 'Organising a trip with friends can be quite cumbersome. You often have people arguing over location and discussing payment can be an awkward conversation. We do the hard work for you so you don't have to.' The founders met each other at the startup incubator Founders Factory, which develops and test business ideas and helps them become a fully fledged company Behind the scenes, the firm negotiates special deals with a number of suppliers to offer a subscription model that is both affordable and, crucially, one that will make the business money. Geny added: 'We did a lot of market research before coming to the 50 a month charge [for a single subscription]. 'People already spend this amount on things like a gym membership but might only go a few times a month. 'They can spend that amount a month with us and actually have something to show for it.' The 50 per month price helps people split the cost of trips throughout the year - and essentially means three trips in 12 months for 600. The founders said they aim to break even with every transaction and hope to increase the firm's margins as it scales. Geny said: 'The early days for us is not about making money but providing a great service. 'Over time we will be able to negotiate better rates with suppliers and look at other ways of increasing our margin. 'Ultimately, we want to become your travel concierge. The more you use us, the more we learn about your travel habits. 'We hope to use this information to offer personalised add-ons to our packages such as excursions and restaurant vouchers.' Social media Like many young businesses with limited funds, BRB's marketing is limited to word of mouth recommendations, but also leans heavily on social media to increase brand awareness. The firm unashamedly seeks to attract millennials customers. The company's name, BRB, is a play on the commonly used acronym in online chat and texting to say that you're leaving for a moment, but will be back shortly. The postcard sent out by the firm ahead of every trip might seem like a novel initiative, but it also serves as a marketing tool Because millennials tend to use Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, BRB work with a number of 'social media influencers' to promote their brand. It is not a simple case of offering those with a considerable social media following free trips to promote the business according to Deny, adding: 'We work with people who have an genuine audience and who actually love our service are the people we work with.' The postcard sent out by the firm ahead of every trip might seem like a novel initiative, but it also serves as a marketing tool. The company hopes that customers will reveal their impending holiday to their social media followers by sharing snaps of them holding the postcard - thus, unwittingly, increasing BRB's profile. 'Similar to Starbucks where the barista writes your name on the paper cup, it is a way for people to identify us as a brand,' Tomlinson said. The founders aim to raise seed funding in the new year to help grow their business. In the meantime, they're developing a referral rewards program and aim to offer gift subscription packages in time for Christmas. uring his presidential election campaign in 2015, President Maithripala Sirisena used photos of murdered ruggerite Wasim Thajudeen and missing journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda to criticise the state of affairs under former President Mahinda Rajapaksas rule. At every election rally, Sirisena, ousted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe along with other politicians of the United National Front (UNF) Government spoke about the spate of killings, assaults, intimidations and abductions committed between 2005 and 2015. They promised to serve justice in cases including the alleged murder of Thajudeen, shooting of Katunayake Free Trade Zone (FTZ) worker Roshen Chanaka, the suspected killing of 27 prisoners at Welikada, the abduction of 11 youth in Dehiwala-Kotahena areas and the disappearance of journalist and cartoonist Ekneligoda. Since 2015, there seemed to be little progress in the investigations. The suspects of a few cases were arrested and compensation was paid to the families of victims. But, the masterminds behind the above mentioned criminal acts are still enjoying impunity. President Sirisenas Government, that promised to clear the stigma associated with the country regarding unsolved crimes of the previous regime, has failed to keep its word. Witnesses of the killing and abduction cases and relatives of the victims aired their views on the political change that is taking place in the country. They also voiced their opinions on how it would affect the ongoing investigations of their cases. They fear that the return of the previously ousted powerful leader Mahinda Rajapaksa would officially put the full stop to the ongoing investigations. Wasim Thajudeen, a prominent national rugby player, was found dead in a burnt car in May 2012 in Kirulapone. Earlier it was reported that his car had crashed into a wall and caught fire. It was ruled as an accidental death. However, the recent investigations by the CID had found that the player was murdered before the accident and what was made to resemble an accident was staged. Former Officer-In-Charge of Narahenpita Police Sumith Perera, former Western Province Senior DIG Anura Senanayake and former Colombo Judicial Medical Officer Prof. Ananda Samarasekara have been arrested in connection with the cover-up after the murder. However, no suspect has been arrested yet regarding the killing of the rugby player. The next trial date for the case is November 29. During the past three and a half years, Thajudeens murder case was making headlines almost every other day. Ayesha Thajudeen, the sister of the national rugby player, spoke to the Daily Mirror and expressed her disappointment over the political drama which was linked to his brothers murder case. She said that her family had hope when there were developments in the investigation. But, during the past one and half year, the investigation and the hearings turned out to be a mockery. I have stopped going to the hearings, Ayesha said. She is of the view that the political conflict between the two main political parties may have contributed to the bureaucratic delay of this murder case. "Our sadness has now turned into hatred because we shouldnt have gone through such an unpleasant experience if there was nothing important going to surface from the case" It has been very difficult for Thajudeens family to endure an experience in which one of its members face was in the headlines every day and eventually conclude with no positive outcome. She believes that the law enforcement authorities possess information regarding her brothers murder. Yet, they are not ready to release it to support the investigation. Our sadness has now turned into hatred because we shouldnt have gone through such an unpleasant experience if there was nothing important going to surface from the case, said Ayesha. I dont think we can harbour hope that this case would move forward. The only wish is that God will serve justice some day, Ayesha said. She pointed out that the judiciary and every law prevailing in the country should be put together for the benefit of its citizens. Even the political arena is in an entire mess now. How can we have any hope regarding our brothers case? asked Ayesha. She stated that Sri Lanka has reached a point where the country as a whole has lost. It isnt only about crimes, she reflected. It is ten years since the white van abductions featuring 11 youth had taken place in and around Colombo. The family members, whose sons, husbands and fathers have failed to return home since September 2008- when they were abducted in white vans allegedly by the Sri Lanka Navy- still demand that the authorities find out the whereabouts of their loved ones. During their 10-year struggle, Achala Senevirathne was the lawyer who represented the aggrieved families. Senevirathne said that it is too sad to say that parents, wives and children of the abducted are still looking forward to the return of their loved ones. She also said that they need to see the truth prevail, since all the evidence had been collected from the required parties. Governments may change from time to time. But the judicial system, where people seek justice from, has to remain independent without any political influence. We started this case against abductions of the 11 youths while being under pressure from outside parties who wanted us to withdraw ourselves from the case, she said. She underscored that detectives attached to law enforcement authorities and lawyers should be given the freedom to carry out their duties without fear. Senevirathne made a request; Dont touch judiciarys independency and law and order. Then the public can have confidence that their cases will be decided fairly and in accordance with the law. Six years have lapsed since the deaths of 27 inmates inside Welikada Prison; during a riot and in the aftermath of the incidents which took place in November 2012. The failure to promptly open and carry out a criminal investigation into the deaths is another black mark on Sri Lankas justice system. Despite having strong evidence and the testimonies of a number of witnesses to the alleged shooting incident, those who gave orders to shoot selected inmates havent been caught. The families of those killed claim that those responsible for the alleged massacre include some powerful political and security officials who are still roaming free. A key eyewitness to the shooting incident, Sudesh Nandimal Silva alleged that those who gave orders to shoot at the prisoners have surfaced in society due to changing political power. Silva has frequently been threatened and intimidated. Within the past three and half years, we witnessed some progress in investigations of crimes committed during the Rajapaksa regime. The investigations were slowly and steadily reaching the prosecution, he said. "Governments may change from time to time. But the judicial system, where people seek justice from, has to remain independent without any political influence" Silva thinks that deliberately protecting culprits of the crimes and delaying judicial procedure against them are chief reasons for the present political calamity. He said that the relatives of the victims of these cases had worked hard to unseat the previous Government, expecting good governance in stead where lives of the people would be safe. But, now President Sirisena has brought the Rajapaksas back to power, Silva said. He has no doubt that Mahinda Rajapaksas return to power would expose their lives to more danger. He is also disappointed with Presidents actions. Maithripala Sirisena assumed power by promoting our cases and being sensitive to our tears. He used the cases to get more votes and promised to bring justice to all the victims. He also promised to release the country from the grips of criminals. Dont let people experience another period of terror, he pleaded. Cartoonist and political analyst Prageeth Ekneligoda went missing in January, 2010, shortly before the Presidential Election. His wife Sandya Ekneligoda, demanding an account of her husbands whereabouts, has taken her protest even to the United Nations. She has been threatened and insulted by various people, yet she is determined to continue with her fight. Sandya told the Daily Mirror that the Army doesnt offer the necessary support in the investigations. They have information to continue with the investigations or to conclude them. But, for reasons known to them, they arent ready to support the case, she complained. I have been facing threats and intimidations even during the Yahapalana Government. By today the Rajapaksas have acquired power again. Our lives are in danger now. We never know how things would turn out, she said. She also criticized that several media organisations are working on propaganda, adding that the journalists and editors should not forget how media stations were burnt down, journalists were killed and attacked during the Rajapaksa regime. She stated that democracy in this country is at stake now. Speaking on the current political crisis, Ekneligoda said, Sirisenas actions in 2017 and 2018 did not match his words in 2015. If his actions did not match his words, then his words were nothing, but blatant lies, Sandya stressed. Roshen Chanaka was shot dead in May, 2011 by the police during a protest by Free Trade Zone (FTZ) workers in Katunayake against a Government move to introduce a pension scheme for the private sector employees. His mother, W.D. Kanthi ,who still laments over her sons demise, has been engaging in monthly protests outside the FTZ, demanding that the Government releases the report compiled by former High Court Judge Mahanama Tillekeratne on the Katunayake FTZ violence. Although the report was said to have been handed over to the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa, it was not published nor were the recommendations of the report implemented. Kanthi said that she also worked hard for the victory of the Yahapalana Government with high expectations of a safe country for sons of all Sri Lankan mothers. We cannot live in an unsafe country. Now we are compelled to do so. No one can guarantee the safety of our sons in this country now. The only thing that the Yahapalana Government did was the release of the Mahanama Tillekeratne Report. It also happened as a result of continual protests and requests, Kanthi said. She said that no matter who occupies the hot seat in politics, she would demand justice for her son; who died at a young age. Criminals should not be set free by any government. All the family members gathered here today have the right to hear the news of a fair verdict by the judiciary, Kanthi added. Meanwhile, Nava Sama Samaja Party Leader Wickramabahu Karunaratne said that in a country like Sri Lanka, impunity for murderers, fraudsters and human right violaters has been the norm. No person committing criminal activities has been held responsible for any of the human rights violations committed under the last Rajapaksa Government between 2005 and 2015. There has been little or no progress in investigating the attacks and threats that have taken place. We thought that the Yahapalana Government was a victory for democracy. We were wrong, Karunarathne said. Apart from the murder of Thajudeen, shooting of Chanaka, killing of 27 prisoners at Welikada, abduction of 11 youths for ransom and the abduction of Ekneligoda, there are many unsolved cases such as the extra-judicial killings during the 88-89 period which took place under the rule of the UNP Government too included in the accounts presented in the Batalanda Commission report. However, the lack of accountability together with violence and threats can affect the investigations and the parties who have been continuing to pursue these cases over the years despite obstacles. Whoever is in office, until authorities take concrete steps to reduce impunity, it will be difficult for the country to restore trust of the people in countrys democratic system and judiciary system. I dont think any of these investigations is genuine New Govt. Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella The Daily Mirror contacted the newly appointed Government Spokesperson and State Minister of Mass Media and Digital Infrastructure Keheliya Rambukwella for a comment on behalf of the new government regarding the above mentioned allegations. Rambukwella comments The Yahapalana Government promised that they would bring perpetrators of those incidents to book. They had almost four years in office to keep their word. But, I dont think they found anything substantial or anything that can be proved in a court of law. As they havent found any powerful political character behind these incidents as they earlier said, I dont think any of these investigations is genuine. "These so-called investigations are still in the non-summary level where the law enforcement agencies havent been able to find conclusive evidence against the defendants" The Army officials and Police officers were arrested and kept in remand with no strong charges against them. I salute the judges who bravely took the decision to grant bail to several suspects saying that they could not be locked up unless the detectives could prove their guilt. For an example, Senior DIG Anura Senanayake was kept in remand for almost 13 months. This is political victimization, said Rambukwella. He also said that these so-called investigations are still in the non-summary level where the law enforcement agencies havent been able to find conclusive evidence against the defendants. Wont continue investigations based on presumptions MP namal rajapaksa Meanwhile, Member of Parliament and eldest son of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, Namal Rajapaksa, speaking to the Daily Mirror upheld Minister Rambukwellas claims. He said that under his fathers new government, they would not continue or initiate investigations based on presumptions without having strong evidence. There is no room for politically motivated investigations under our Government. More than 550 sub-postmasters branded crooks by their own bosses turned the tables yesterday by taking the Post Office to court. In a landmark class action, they told the High Court in London their lives had been ruined by false accusations of theft. Some had attempted suicide while others had died fighting for justice in a dispute spanning more than a decade, the court heard. More than 550 sub-postmasters branded crooks by their own bosses turned the tables by taking the Post Office to court (pictured). From left, Jasvinder Barang, Karen Wilson, Scott Darlington, Jo Hamilton, Sue Knight, Nigel Night and Tracey Merritt One widow brought some of her late husbands ashes in a small box so he could finally have his day in court. Running post office branches in village stores, the sub-postmasters and mistresses were the backbones of their communities until the Post Office prosecuted them as thieves. Many were jailed, ended up bankrupt and had their good reputations shredded over thousands of pounds supposedly missing from their branch accounts. But it later emerged that glitches in new computer terminals installed in their shops could have been blamed for the shortfalls. Ex-postie turned 60 in prison One of the claimants in the High Court case is Noel Thomas, who spent his 60th birthday behind bars. He was sentenced to nine months after pleading guilty to false accounting over 50,000 missing from his tiny post office in Anglesey. The ex-postmans problems began when the Horizon computer system kept reporting money as missing after 2000. Noel Thomas (pictured) was sentenced to nine months after pleading guilty to false accounting over 50,000 missing from his tiny post office in Anglesey Mr Thomas, now 71, told a BBC documentary: They said I was the only person who had a problem. They dont know where the money is and I dont. I didnt steal it. He was charged with theft and false accounting but the former was dropped in return for him admitting the latter. The Post Office later admitted in documents seen by Panorama that while it could not rule out theft, the missing money was probably caused by operational errors. Advertisement The Post Office insists there is nothing significantly wrong with its computers and has so far spent 5million of taxpayers money on lawyers to fight off the claims of its former sub-postmasters. They came from all over the country yesterday for the first court hearing in their long quest for justice. The Post Office faces a compensation bill of up to 1billion if it loses. Jo Hamilton, 61, a former postmistress from Hampshire who now has a criminal record, said outside court: We have come here today to seek justice. It is not about the money, it is about clearing our good names. One widow, Karen Wilson (pictured) brought some of her late husbands ashes in a small box so he could finally have his day in court None of these people are thieves. They were hard-working pillars of the community who never even had a parking ticket until this wretched computer system came along. Karen Wilson, 64, whose postmaster husband Julian died from cancer two years ago after battling for justice for a decade, said: I have some of his ashes with me because I promised him I would never give up fighting to clear his name. About a dozen of the 557 claimants attended court yesterday. Their QC, Patrick Green, told Mr Justice Fraser that many claimants had been unfairly jailed for offences including false accounting, fraud and theft, when the real culprit was the malfunctioning Horizon computer system that records over-the-counter transactions in post offices. The sub-postmasters accuse the Post Office of not bothering to investigate glitches in the IT system, while relentlessly pursuing them through the courts for money which the computers claimed was missing, he added. The case will last months and is being split into two or three trials. The first will determine the contractual relationship between the claimants and the Post Office. The Post Office denies the allegations and argues the burden of proof is on the claimants to demonstrate that the Horizon computer was responsible. It said they were simply trying to avoid their responsibility for the losses and described the case as an ambitious attempt to rewrite the contract between it and the sub-postmasters. ORLANDO, Fla., November 8, 2018 Accounting firms must get in front of technology and changing client needs and expectations before they can evolve to being trusted advisors to clients and attract new ones, according to Jon Baron, keynote speaker at Thomson Reuters SYNERGY Users Conference. The new world of the accounting profession will require firms to embrace continuous transformation in order to thrive, Baron told the crowd of over 1,400 accounting, audit and tax professionals. Top Challenges The top challenges facing practitioners, such as keeping up with regulatory changes, new technology and the resultant revolution in client expectations as well as cybersecurity and finding and retaining top talent are driving transformation across the profession, said Baron. According to Baron, the proliferation of cloud, mobile, and new and converging technologies, is leading to collection of massive amounts of data. This data is fueling rapid proliferation of machine learning, artificial intelligence, and dramatic advances in robotic automation that will significantly impact the profession in the short term, in what they do and how they do it. Baron stated that a convergence of various technologies will drive both emerging and declining roles across all businesses and professions including accounting and tax, and that no work that humans do is immune from this movement. Emerging roles will include digital transformation specialists, process automation specialists, innovation professionals, and data analysts and scientists. Declining roles will include accounting, bookkeeping and payroll clerks, data entry clerks, administrative and executive assistants, and accountants and auditors. But this is an opportunity for practitioners as technology augmentation, rather than total automation in the profession, is most likely, said Baron. Freed up from the menial and task-oriented transactional work accounting professionals do today, firms will be able to invest more time with clients on proactive and forward-looking advisory and value-add services. Furthermore, automation will help ease the staffing shortage and bring some relief to the on-going talent war. Given all the rapid technology changes that clients and prospects are experiencing, Baron also emphasized the importance of embracing a digital mindset, and one that is constantly focused on improving the client experience. Considering the sensitive client data collected by firms, Baron also reinforced the importance of cybersecurity for accounting firms and reminded attendees that firms are in the cross-hairs of the bad actors and security is more important than convenience. He cautioned that firms must take their responsibilities for protecting client and firm data very seriously because any breach or exposure could threaten the identity and financial security of clients, the firm, staff of the firm, third parties, and more. Thomson Reuters Commitment Baron highlighted Thomson Reuters commitment to continued investment in the companys current solutions, incorporating emerging and converging technologies into new technology tools, and rapidly deploying new, cutting-edge workflow tools across the Onvio product-line. As part of his keynote address, Baron led a demonstration of Thomson Reuters Onvio, the next step in the evolution of cloud-based solutions serving the profession, and Thomson Reuters OnBalance, a mobile friendly small business accounting solution that firms can deploy to their business clients. Onvio and OnBalance work together seamlessly and enable firms to attract and retain clients with self-service tools that highlight their professional expertise and enable firm-client collaboration in real-time. Baron also demonstrated the sophisticated capabilities of Thomson Reuters UltraTax CS to automatically identify clients needing TCJA tax reform planning, as well as the use of Thomson Reuters Checkpoint and Thomson Reuters Planner CS to deliver timely and relevant TCJA tax advisory services. Additional product highlights included Thomson Reuters Onvio Firm Management, which will simplify and centralize back-office functions and client communications, and a first look at Thomson Reuters Onvio Tax and Advisory featuring a toolset for streamlining and automating small business advisory services. The Future of the Profession Accurate and reliable after-the-fact service is no longer enough for firms, said Baron. Thats simply expected. Firms must develop an advisory approach and provide clients with a more understandable way to view their money, net worth, and longer-term goals, which positions the firms as a trusted adviser. Baron noted that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) is a gift to the profession, perfectly teeing up firms to offer tax planning and advisory services in response to the reform. He also noted the opportunity may be short-term, so firms must take advantage now. He urged firms to adopt a continuous transformation mindset with a constant eye on shifting client needs and expectations. By embracing technology as an enabler, and by re-skilling sooner rather than later, Baron stated, firms will position themselves for a prosperous future where high levels of client satisfaction, the elimination of manual work, and a healthier bottom-line rule the day. 2018 SYNERGY Users Conference This year marks Barons 21st consecutive and final Users Conference keynote, as he will be leaving the business at the end of the year. Baron joined Thomson Reuters in 1992 and has been managing director of the Professional segment of the Tax & Accounting business for over 20 years. Hes also one of the professions most respected thought leaders, having been named on Accountings Todays Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting list 15 times. Thursdays opening session also included remarks by Charlotte Rushton, president of the Tax Professionals business of Thomson Reuters. Rushton was appointed to the role in June 2018 when Brian Peccarelli, the immediate past president of the Tax & Accounting business, was announced as co-chief operating officer of Thomson Reuters. Rushton joined Thomson Reuters in 2007 and has held a variety of senior leadership roles, including SVP and managing director, Asia Pacific and EMEA, for Tax & Accounting. She was most recently managing director of the companys US Law Firms business. To learn more about 2018 SYNERGY Users Conference, visit tax.thomsonreuters.com/synergy/accounting-firms. Thomson Reuters Thomson Reuters is the worlds leading provider of news and information-based tools to professionals. Our worldwide network of journalists and specialist editors keep customers up to speed on global developments, with a particular focus on legal, regulatory and tax changes. Thomson Reuters shares are listed on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges. For more information on Thomson Reuters, visit tr.com and for the latest world news, reuters.com. CONTACT Laura Rojo-Eddy Sr. Director, Communications +1 972 250 8556 laura.rojo-eddy@tr.com 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. The following companies are subsidiares of Thermo Fisher Scientific: 236 Perinton Parkway LLC, 27 Forge Parkway LLC, ABR--Affinity BioReagents, ACI Holdings Inc., ARG Services LLC, ASPEX Corporation, Abgene Inc., Abgene Limited, Acoustic Cytometry Systems Inc., AcroMetrix LLC, Acros Organics B.V.B.A., Advanced Biotechnologies Limited, Advanced Scientifics (ASI), Advanced Scientifics Inc., Advanced Scientifics International Inc., Affymetrix Biotech Participacoes Ltda., Affymetrix Biotech Shanghai Ltd, Affymetrix Inc, Affymetrix Japan K.K., Affymetrix Pte Ltd, Affymetrix UK Ltd, Afora S.A.U., Ahura Scientific, Alchematrix Inc., Alchematrix LLC, Alfa Aesar, Alfa Aesar (China) Chemical Co. Ltd., Alfa Aesar (Hong Kong) Limited, Allergon AB, Alphine Mountain Limited, Ambion Inc., Apogent Denmark ApS, Apogent Finance Company, Apogent Holding Company, Apogent Technologies Inc., Apogent Transition Corp., Apogent U.K. Limited, App-Tek International Pty Ltd, Applied Biosystems B.V., Applied Biosystems Finance B.V., Applied Biosystems International Inc., Applied Biosystems LLC, Applied Biosystems Taiwan LLC, Applied Biosystems Trading (Shanghai) Company Ltd., Applied Biosystems de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Applied Scientific Corporation, Avances Cientificos de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Avocado Research Chemicals Limited, B.R.A.H.M.S. Biotech GmbH, B.R.A.H.M.S. GmbH, B.R.A.H.M.S. UK Ltd, BAC BV, BAC IP BV, Barnstead Thermolyne LLC, Beijing Phadia Diagnostics Co Ltd, Bender MedSystems GmbH, BioTrove Corporation, BioTrove International Inc., Bioanalysis Labsystems S.A., Biochemical Sciences LLC, Biolab, BmT GmbH Laborprodukte, Bonsai Tecnologies - Sistemas para Biotecnologia e Industria Unipessoal Lda, Brammer Bio, Bumi-Sans Sendirian Berhad, CAC Limited, CB Diagnostics AB, CB Diagnostics Holding AB, CEPH International Corporation, CHK Holdings Inc., CRS Robotics, CTPS LLC, Capitol Scientific Products Inc., Capitol Vial Inc., Cellomics Inc., CellzDirect Inc., Cenduit GmbH, Cenduit LLC, Cezanne S.A.S., Chase Scientific Glass Inc., Chromacol Limited, Clintrak, Clintrak Clinical Labeling Services LLC, Clintrak Pharmaceutical Services LLC, Cohesive Technologies (UK) Limited, Cohesive Technologies Inc., Columbia Diagnostics Inc., Compendia Bioscience Inc., Comtest Limited, Consolidated Technologies Inc., Consultores Fisher Scientific Chile Ltd, Core Informatics, Core Informatics LLC, Core Informatics UK Ltd., D-finitive Technologies Inc., DCG Systems B.V., DCG Systems C.V., DCG Systems G.K., DCG Systems GmbH, DCG Systems Korea Ltd., DCG Systems LLC, DPI Newco LLC, DSM Pharmaceutical Products Inc., Dharmacon, Diagnostix Ltd., Dionex (China) Analytical Ltd, Dionex (Switzerland) AG, Dionex (UK) Limited, Dionex Austria GmbH, Dionex Benelux B.V., Dionex Brasil Instrumentos Cientificos Ltda, Dionex Canada Ltd., Dionex China Limited, Dionex Corporation, Dionex Denmark A/S, Dionex Holding GmbH, Dionex I LLC, Dionex Pty Ltd., Dionex S.A., Dionex S.p.A., Dionex Singapore Pte Ltd., Dionex Softron GmbH, Dionex Sweden AB, Distribution Solutions International Inc., Doe & Ingalls Investors Inc., Doe & Ingalls Limited, Doe & Ingalls Management LLC, Doe & Ingalls Properties II LLC, Doe & Ingalls Properties LLC, Doe & Ingalls of California Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Florida Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Maryland Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Massachusetts Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of North Carolina Operating LLC, Doublecape Holding Limited, Doublecape Limited, Drakeside Real Estate Holding Company LLC, Duke Scientific Corporation, Dynal Biotech Beijing Limited, EGS Gauging Ltd., EGS Gauging Technical Services Company, EP Scientific Products LLC, Ecochem N.V., EnviroEquip Pty Ltd, Epsom Glass Industries Limited, Equibio Limited, Erie Electroverre S.A., Erie Finance Limited, Erie LP Holding LLC, Erie Scientific Company of Puerto Rico, Erie Scientific Hungary Kft, Erie Scientific LLC, Erie U.K. Limited, Erie UK 1 Limited, Erie UK 2 Limited, Erie UK Holding Company, Erie UK Senior Holding Limited, European Laboratory Holdings Limited, Eutech Instruments Europe B.V., Eutech Instruments Pte Ltd., Eutech Instruments Sdn Bhd, Ever Ready Thermometer Co. Inc., FEI Asia Pacific Co. Ltd., FEI Australia Pty Ltd, FEI CPD B.V., FEI Company, FEI Company Japan Ltd., FEI Company of USA (S.E.A.) Pte Ltd., FEI Czech Republic s.r.o., FEI Deutschland GmbH, FEI EFA Inc., FEI EFA International Pte. Ltd., FEI Electron Optics B.V., FEI Electron Optics International B.V., FEI Europe B.V., FEI France SAS, FEI Global Holdings C.V., FEI Hong Kong Company Limited, FEI Houston Inc., FEI Italia Srl, FEI Korea Ltd., FEI Melbourne Pty Ltd., FEI Microscopy Solutions Ltd, FEI Munich GmbH, FEI Norway Holding AS, FEI SAS, FEI Saudi Arabia LLC, FEI Servicos de Nanotecnologia Ltda., FEI Technologies Inc., FEI Technology de Mexico S.A. de C.V., FEI Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., FEI Trondheim AS, FEI UK Ltd., FHP LLC, FRC Holding Inc. V, FS (Barbados) Capital Holdings Ltd., FS Casa Rocas Holdings LLC, FS Mexicana Holdings LLC, FSI Receivables Company LLC, FSII Sweden Holdings AB, FSII Sweden Holdings I AB, FSIR Holdings (UK) Limited, FSIR Holdings (US) Inc., FSUK Holdings Limited, FSWH Company LLC, FSWH II C.V., FSWH International Holdings LLC, Fermentas China Co. Ltd, Fermentas Inc., Fermentas International, Fermentas Sweden AB, Fermentas UK Limited, Fiberlite Centrifuge LLC, Finesse Scientific Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Finesse Solutions AG, Finesse Solutions Inc., Finnzymes Oy, Fisher Alder S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Asia Manufacturing Ventures Inc., Fisher Bermuda Holdings Limited, Fisher BioImage ApS, Fisher BioPharma Services (India) Private Limited, Fisher BioSciences Japan G.K., Fisher BioServices Inc., Fisher Bioblock Holding II SNC, Fisher CLP Holding Limited Partnership, Fisher Canada Holding ULC 1, Fisher Canada Holding ULC 2, Fisher Canada Holding ULC 3, Fisher Canada Limited Partnership, Fisher Chimica BVBA, Fisher Clinical Logistics LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Fisher Clinical Services (Bristol) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Colombia) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Korea) Co. Ltd, Fisher Clinical Services (Mexico) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Peru) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Fisher Clinical Services Colombia S.A.S., Fisher Clinical Services GmbH, Fisher Clinical Services Inc., Fisher Clinical Services Japan K.K., Fisher Clinical Services Latin America S.R.L., Fisher Clinical Services Limited Liability Company, Fisher Clinical Services Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Clinical Services Peru S.R.L, Fisher Clinical Services Pte Ltd., Fisher Clinical Services U.K. Limited, Fisher Emergo B.V., Fisher Germany Holdings GmbH, Fisher Hamilton China Inc., Fisher Hamilton Mexico LLC, Fisher Holdings ApS, Fisher Internet Minority Holdings L.L.C., Fisher Laboratory Products Manufacturing (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Fisher Luxembourg Danish Holdings SARL, Fisher Manufacturing (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Fisher Maybridge Holdings Limited, Fisher Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Scientific (Austria) GmbH, Fisher Scientific (Hong Kong) Limited, Fisher Scientific (M) Sdn Bhd, Fisher Scientific (SEA) Pte. Ltd., Fisher Scientific A/S, Fisher Scientific AG, Fisher Scientific Australia Pty Limited, Fisher Scientific Biotech Line ApS, Fisher Scientific Brazil Inc., Fisher Scientific Central America Inc., Fisher Scientific Chile Inc., Fisher Scientific Colombia Inc., Fisher Scientific Company, Fisher Scientific Company L.L.C., Fisher Scientific Costa Rica Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, Fisher Scientific Europe Holdings B.V., Fisher Scientific GTF AB, Fisher Scientific Germany Beteiligungs GmbH, Fisher Scientific GmbH, Fisher Scientific Holding Company LLC, Fisher Scientific Holding HK Limited, Fisher Scientific Holding U.K. Limited, Fisher Scientific Holdings (M) Sdn Bhd, Fisher Scientific Holdings (S) Pte Ltd, Fisher Scientific International LLC, Fisher Scientific Investments (Cayman) Ltd., Fisher Scientific Ireland Investments Unlimited, Fisher Scientific Ireland Limited, Fisher Scientific Japan Ltd., Fisher Scientific Jersey Island Limited, Fisher Scientific Korea Ltd, Fisher Scientific Latin America Inc., Fisher Scientific Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Fisher Scientific Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Scientific Mexico Inc., Fisher Scientific Middle East and Africa Inc., Fisher Scientific Norway AS, Fisher Scientific Operating Company, Fisher Scientific Oxoid Holdings Ltd., Fisher Scientific Oy, Fisher Scientific Pte. Ltd., Fisher Scientific S.A.S., Fisher Scientific S.L., Fisher Scientific SPRL, Fisher Scientific The Hague I B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague II B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague III B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague IV B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague V B.V., Fisher Scientific U.K. Limited, Fisher Scientific UK Holding Company 2, Fisher Scientific UK Holding Company Limited, Fisher Scientific Unipessoal Lda., Fisher Scientific Venezuela Inc., Fisher Scientific Worldwide (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Fisher Scientific Worldwide Holdings I C.V., Fisher Scientific Worldwide Inc., Fisher Scientific de Mexico S.A., Fisher Scientific of the Netherlands B.V., Fisher Scientific spol. S.r.o, Fisher Servicios Clinicos (Chile) LLC, Fisher Servicios Clinicos Chile Ltda, Fisher WWD Holding L.L.C., Fisher Worldwide Distribution SPV, Fisher Worldwide Gene Distribution SPV, Flux Instruments, Fuji Partnership, G & M Procter Limited, G V Instruments Limited, GV Instruments Canada Ltd., GV Instruments Inc, Gatan Inc, General Scientific Company Sdn Bhd (M), Genomed molekularbiologische und diagnostische Produkte GmbH, Gerhard Menzel B.V. & Co. KG, Gold Cattle Standard Testing Labs Inc., Golden West Indemnity Company Limited, Goring Kerr Detection Limited, Greenville Service Company Inc., HENO GmbH i.L., Hangar 215 Inc., Helmet Securities Limited, Henogen, HighChem, HyClone International Trade (Tianjin) Co. Ltd, Hybaid Limited, I.Q. (BIO) Limited, IDnostics AG, ILS Laboratories Scandinavia AB, Inel Inc., Inel SAS, InnaPhase Inc., InnaPhase Limited, IntegenX, Intrinsic BioProbes Inc., Intrinsic Bioprobes Inc., Invitrogen (Shanghai) Investment Co. Ltd., Invitrogen Argentina SA, Invitrogen BioServices India Private Limited, Invitrogen Europe Limited, Invitrogen Finance Corp., Invitrogen Holdings LLC, Invitrogen Holdings Ltd., Invitrogen Hong Kong Limited, Invitrogen IP Holdings Inc., Invitrogen Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Ion Torrent Systems Inc., Ionalytics Corporation, JSC Thermo Fisher Scientific, Jouan LLC, Jouan Limited, Jouan SA, Kendro Containment & Services Limited, Kendro Laboratory Products Ltd, Kettlebrook Insurance Co. ltd., Keystone Scientific, KonTEM GmbH, Kyle Jordan Investments LLC, LIFE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION, LTC Tech South Africa PTY Ltd., La-Pha-Pack GmbH, Lab Vision (UK) Limited, Lab Vision Corporation, Lab-Chrom-Pack LLC, Lab-Line Instruments Inc., Labomex MBP S. de R. L. De C.V., Laboratoire Service International - L.S.I, Laboratory Management Systems Inc., Laboratory Specialties Proprietary Ltd., LambTrack Limited, Laser Analytical Systems Inc., Liberty Lane Investment LLC, Liberty Lane Real Estate Holding Company LLC, Life Sciences International (Poland) SP z O.O, Life Sciences International Holdings BV, Life Sciences International LLC, Life Sciences International Limited, Life Technologies AS, Life Technologies Australia PTY Ltd., Life Technologies BPD AB, Life Technologies BPD UK Limited, Life Technologies Brasil Comercio e Industria de Produtos para Biotecnologia Ltda, Life Technologies Chile SpA, Life Technologies Clinical Services Lab Inc., Life Technologies Co. Ltd., Life Technologies Czech Republic s.r.o., Life Technologies DaAn Diagnostic (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd., Life Technologies Europe B.V., Life Technologies Finance Ltd., Life Technologies Finland Oy, Life Technologies GmbH, Life Technologies Holdings PTE Ltd., Life Technologies Inc., Life Technologies International B.V., Life Technologies Japan Ltd., Life Technologies Korea LLC, Life Technologies Limited, Life Technologies Magyarorszag Kft, Life Technologies New Zealand Ltd., Life Technologies Norway Investments US LLC, Life Technologies Polska Sp z.o.o., Life Technologies SA, Life Technologies SAS, Life Technologies s.r.o, Linkage Biosciences Inc., Linkage Biosciences S.a.r.l., Loftus Furnace Company, Lomb Scientific, Lomb Scientific (Aust) Pty Limited, MTI-GlobalStem, Marketbase International Limited, Matrix MicroScience Inc., Matrix MicroScience Ltd., Matrix Technologies Corporation Limited, Matrix Technologies LLC, Maybridge Chemical Company Limited, Maybridge Chemical Holdings Limited, Maybridge Limited, Medical Analysis Systems Inc., Medical Analysis Systems International Inc., Medical Diagnostics Systems Inc., Metavac LLC, Microgenics Corporation, Microgenics Diagnostics Pty Limited, Microgenics GmbH, Microm International GmbH, Microm Laborgerate S.L.U, Molecular BioProducts Inc., Molecular Probes Inc., Molecular Transfer Inc., NAPCO Inc., NERL Diagnostics LLC, NOVODIRECT GmbH Labor- und Industrie- Megerate, Nalge (Europe) Limited, Nalge Nunc International (Monterrey) LLC, Nalge Nunc International Corporation, Nanjing WeiKangLe Trading Industrial Co Ltd, NanoDrop Technologies LLC, National Scientific Company, Navaho Acquisition Corp., Neomarkers Inc., New FS Holdings Inc., NewcoGen PE LLC, Nihon Dynal K.K., Niton Asia Limited, NovaWave Technologies Inc., Nunc A/S, ONIX Systems Inc., OXOID CZ s.r.o., Odyssey Holdings Corporation, Odyssey Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Odyssey Luxembourg IP Holdings 1 S.a r.l., Odyssey Luxembourg IP Holdings 2 S.a r.l., Odyssey Venture Corporation, Omega Data Systems, One Lambda Inc, Onix Holdings Limited, Orme Scientific Limited, Owl Separation Systems LLC, Oxoid (ELY) Limited, Oxoid 2000 Limited, Oxoid AS, Oxoid Australia Pty. Limited, Oxoid Company, Oxoid Deutschland GmbH, Oxoid Holding SAS, Oxoid Holdings Limited, Oxoid Inc., Oxoid International Limited, Oxoid Investments GmbH, Oxoid Limited, Oxoid N.V., Oxoid New Zealand Limited, Oxoid Pension Trustees Limited, Oxoid Senior Holdings Limited, Oxoid UKH LLC, PAX - DSI Acquisition LLC, PE AG, Pacific Rim Far East Industries LLC, Pacific Rim Investment LLC, Panomics L.L.C., Panomics S.R.L., Patheon, Patheon API Inc., Patheon API Manufacturing Inc., Patheon API Services Inc., Patheon Austria GmbH & Co KG, Patheon B.V., Patheon Banner U.S. Holdings Inc., Patheon Biologics (NJ) LLC, Patheon Biologics Australia Pty Ltd, Patheon Biologics B.V., Patheon Biologics LLC, Patheon Calculus Merger LLC, Patheon Cooperatief U.A., Patheon Development Services Inc., Patheon Finance LLC, Patheon France SAS, Patheon Holdings B.V., Patheon Holdings I B.V., Patheon Holdings II B.V., Patheon Holdings SAS, Patheon I B.V., Patheon I Holding GmbH, Patheon Inc., Patheon International AG, Patheon Italia S.p.A., Patheon KK, Patheon Life Science Products International GmbH, Patheon Manufacturing Services LLC, Patheon Pharmaceuticals Inc., Patheon Pharmaceuticals Services Inc., Patheon Puerto Rico Acquisitions Corporation, Patheon Puerto Rico Inc., Patheon Regensburg GmbH, Patheon Softgels B.V., Patheon Softgels Inc., Patheon U.S. Holdings Inc., Patheon U.S. Holdings LLC, Patheon UK Limited, Patheon UK Pension Trustees Limited, Pelican Acquisition Corporation, Perbio Science (Canada) Company, Perbio Science AB, Perbio Science BVBA, Perbio Science France SAS, Perbio Science Inc., Perbio Science International Netherlands B.V., Perbio Science Invest AB, Perbio Science Nederland B.V., Perbio Science Projekt AB, Perbio Science Sweden Holdings AB, Perbio Science Switzerland SA, Perbio Science UK Limited, Phadia AB, Phadia Diagnosticos Ltda, Phadia GmbH, Phadia Holding AB, Phadia International Holdings C.V., Phadia Korea Co. Ltd, Phadia Luxembourg Holdings S.a.r.l., Phadia Malta Holdings Limited, Phadia Oy, Phadia Real Property AB, Phadia Sweden AB, Phadia Taiwan Inc., Phadia US Inc., Phadia s.r.o., Pharmacaps Mexicana SA de CV, Phenom-World B.V., Phenom-World Holding B.V, Phenom-World Innovations B.V., Phinotex, Pierce Biotechnology Inc., Pierce Milwaukee Holding Corp., Pierce Milwaukee Inc., Polychromix, Power Sweden Holdings I AB, Power Sweden Holdings II AB, Power Sweden Holdings III Aktiebolag, Princeton Gamma-Tech Instruments LLC, Princeton Security Technologies, Prionics AG, Prionics Asia Ltd., Prionics Deutschland GmbH, Prionics France SAS, Prionics Italia S.r.l., Prionics Lelystad B.V., Prionics USA Inc., Priority Air Express LLC, Priority Air Express Pte. Ltd., Priority Air Express UK Limited, Priority Air Holdings Corp, Priority Solutions International, Promedica Pty Limited, Proxeon, Proxeon Biosystems ApS, Qiagen, REP GBP I-B Blocker Inc., Raymond A Lamb Limited, Remel Europe Limited, Remel Inc., Richard-Allan Scientific Company, Robbins Scientific LLC, Robocon Labor- und Industrieroboter Gesellschaft m.b.H, Rupprecht and Patashnick, Rupprecht and Patashnick (R&P), Russell pH Limited, S.C.I. du 10 rue Dugay Trouin, SCI Inno 92, STC Bio Manufacturing Inc., Samco Scientific (Monterrey) LLC, Samco Scientific LLC, Saroph Sweden AB, Schantz Road LLC, Seradyn Inc., Shanghai Life Technologies Biotechnology Co. Limited, Shanghai Thermo Fisher (C-I) Trading Co. Ltd, Shanghai Thermo Fisher (S) Trading Co. Ltd, Southern Trials (Pty) Ltd., Specialty (SMI) Inc., Spectra-Physics AB, Spectra-Physics Holdings Limited, Spectra-Physics Holdings USA LLC, Spectronex, Staten Island Cogeneration Corporation, Sterilin Limited, Stokes Bio Ltd., Sweden DIA (Sweden) AB, SwissAnalytic Group GmbH, Systems Manufacturing Corporation, TFLP LLC, TFS Breda B.V., TFS LLC, TFS Singapore HK Limited, TFSL Financing GP LLC, TFSL Senior GP Holdings 2 LLC, TK Partnership, TKA Wasseraufbereitungssysteme, TMOI Inc., TPI Real Estate Holdings LLC, TSP Holdings I LLC, TWX LLC, Technology Design Solutions Pty Ltd, Thermedics Detection de Argentina S.R.L, Thermo Allen Coding Limited, Thermo Asset Management Services Inc., Thermo BioAnalysis LLC, Thermo BioAnalysis Limited, Thermo BioSciences Holdings LLC, Thermo CIDTEC, Thermo CRS Holdings Ltd., Thermo CRS Ltd., Thermo Cambridge Limited, Thermo Cayman Holdings Ltd., Thermo Corporation, Thermo DMA Inc., Thermo Detection de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Thermo Dutch Holdings Limited Partnership, Thermo EGS Gauging LLC, Thermo Eberline Holdings I LLC, Thermo Eberline Holdings II LLC, Thermo Eberline LLC, Thermo Electron (Calgary) Limited, Thermo Electron (Chile) S.p.A., Thermo Electron (Karlsruhe) GmbH, Thermo Electron (Management Services) Limited, Thermo Electron (Proprietary) Limited, Thermo Electron A/S, Thermo Electron Australia Pty Limited, Thermo Electron Export Inc., Thermo Electron Holdings SAS, Thermo Electron Industries, Thermo Electron LED GmbH, Thermo Electron LED S.A.S., Thermo Electron Limited, Thermo Electron Manufacturing Limited, Thermo Electron Metallurgical Services Inc., Thermo Electron North America LLC, Thermo Electron Pension Trust GmbH, Thermo Electron Puerto Rico Inc., Thermo Electron SAS, Thermo Electron Scientific Instruments LLC, Thermo Electron Sweden AB, Thermo Electron Sweden Forvaltning AB, Thermo Electron Weighing & Inspection Limited, Thermo Elemental Limited, Thermo Environmental Instruments LLC, Thermo Fast U.K. Limited, Thermo Finland Holdings LLC, Thermo Finland Holdings MT1 B.V., Thermo Finland Holdings MT2 B.V., Thermo Finnigan LLC, Thermo Finnigan Limited, Thermo Fisher (CN) Luxembourg Holding S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher (CN) Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher (CN) Malta Holdings Limited, Thermo Fisher (CN-I) Luxembourg LLC, Thermo Fisher (CN-II) Luxembourg LLC, Thermo Fisher (Cayman) Holdings I Ltd., Thermo Fisher (Cayman) Holdings II Ltd., Thermo Fisher (Finland Holdings 2) LLC, Thermo Fisher (Finland Holdings) Limited Partnership, Thermo Fisher (Gibraltar) II Limited, Thermo Fisher (Gibraltar) Limited, Thermo Fisher (Heysham) Limited, Thermo Fisher (Kandel) GmbH, Thermo Fisher CHK Holding LLC, Thermo Fisher China Business Trust, Thermo Fisher China Business Trust II, Thermo Fisher Costa Rica Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, Thermo Fisher Cyprus Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Detection Mexico LLC, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics (Ireland) Limited, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics AB, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics AG, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics AS, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Aps, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Austria GmbH, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics B.V., Thermo Fisher Diagnostics GmbH, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics K.K., Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Limited, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics NV, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics S.L.U., Thermo Fisher Diagnostics S.p.A. , Thermo Fisher Diagnostics SAS, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Sociedade Unipessoal Lda, Thermo Fisher Eurobonds Ltd., Thermo Fisher Financial Services Inc., Thermo Fisher GP LLC, Thermo Fisher German Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Germany B.V., Thermo Fisher India Divestco Private Limited, Thermo Fisher India Holding B.V., Thermo Fisher Insurance Holdings Inc., Thermo Fisher Insurance Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Investments (Cayman) Ltd., Thermo Fisher Israel Ltd., Thermo Fisher Production et Services SAS, Thermo Fisher Project Cyprus LLC, Thermo Fisher Re Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Asheville) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Australia) C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Barbados) Holdings Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Breda) Holding BV, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Bremen) GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific (CN) Limited Partnership, Thermo Fisher Scientific (China) Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (China) Holding Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (China-HK) Holding Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (DE) Holding S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Ecublens) SARL, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance I) B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance I) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance II) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance III) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance III) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Fuji) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Holding II) B.V. & Co. KG, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Hong Kong) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (IVGN) B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (IVGN) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Johannesburg) (Proprietary) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Mexico City) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Milwaukee) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Mississauga) Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Monterrey) S. De R.L. De C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (NK) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN) Austria Holding GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN) UK LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN) UK Limited Partnership, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN-I) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN-II) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN1) UK Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Panama) B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Panama) Dutch LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Praha) s.r.o., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Real Estate 1) GmbH & Co. KG, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Real Estate 1) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Schweiz) AG, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Shanghai) Instruments Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Suzhou) Instruments Co. Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific AL-1 LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific AU C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific AU II Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific AU LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific AU Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Africa Proprietary Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Aquasensors LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Australia Pty Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific B.V.B.A., Thermo Fisher Scientific BHK (I) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific BHK (II) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Baltics UAB, Thermo Fisher Scientific Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Biosciences Corp., Thermo Fisher Scientific Brahms LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Brasil Instrumentos de Processo Ltda., Thermo Fisher Scientific Brasil Servicos de Logistica Ltda, Thermo Fisher Scientific C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cayman Investments LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Chemicals Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific China (C-I) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific China (S) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific China Holdings I B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific China Holdings II B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific China Holdings III B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific China Holdings IV B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Chromatography Holdings Aps, Thermo Fisher Scientific Chromatography Holdings S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus I C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus I Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus II C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus II Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus III C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus III Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus IV C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus V C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Denmark Senior Holdings ApS, Thermo Fisher Scientific Erie 1 Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Erie Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Erie Financing S.a r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific Europe GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific FLC B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific FLC Finance C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific FLC II B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific FLC LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific FSIR Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific FSIR Financing S.a.r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific FSUKHCO Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Falcon Senior Holdings Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Finance Company BV, Thermo Fisher Scientific GENEART GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Germany BV & Co. KG, Thermo Fisher Scientific GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific HR Services Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Holdings (Cayman) I, Thermo Fisher Scientific Holdings (Cayman) II , Thermo Fisher Scientific Holdings Europe Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific IT Services GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific India Holding LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific India Pvt Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments (Malta) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments (Sweden) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments (Sweden) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments Malta (Sweden Financing) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Invitrogen Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Japan Holdings I B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Japan Holdings II B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Japan Holdings III B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific K.K., Thermo Fisher Scientific Korea Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific LSI Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life CV GP Holdings II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life CV GP Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Enterprises C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Enterprises GP LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Financing (Cayman), Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Financing C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Financing Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Holdings I C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Holdings II C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Holdings III C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Holdings Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life International GP Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life International Holdings I C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life International Holdings II C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments GP LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments I S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments II S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments III S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments IV S.a.r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments Malta Holding I LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments Malta Holding II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments Malta I Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments Malta II Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments US Financing I LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments US Financing II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life NL Holdings GP LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Netherlands Holding C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior GP Holdings II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior GP Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior Holdings C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior Holdings II C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior Holdings Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Switzerland Holdings GP LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Tech Korea Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Enterprise Holding Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investment I LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investment II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investment UK I Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investment UK II Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investments Holding LP, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Israel Investment I Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Israel Investment II Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Luxembourg Holding LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Enterprise Holdings S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg German Holdings S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Life Technologies UK Holding S.a r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Sweden Holdings I S.a r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Sweden Holdings II S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Venture Holdings I S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Venture Holdings II S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Thermo Fisher Scientific Malta Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Messtechnik GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Mexico City S. de R.L. de C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Middle East Holdings Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Milano Srl, Thermo Fisher Scientific NHK Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific New Zealand Holdings, Thermo Fisher Scientific New Zealand Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Norway Holdings AS, Thermo Fisher Scientific Norway US Investments LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Odyssey Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Odyssey Holdings Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Operating Company LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Oy, Thermo Fisher Scientific PN2 C.V, Thermo Fisher Scientific PN2 LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific PRB LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific PRB Malta Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific PRB S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Panama I Cayman Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Peru S.R.L., Thermo Fisher Scientific Pte. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific Re Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific SL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Senior Financing LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Senior Holdings Australia LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific South Africa Proprietary Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific SpA, Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra Malta Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra-Physics Holdings Luxembourg I S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra-Physics Holdings Luxembourg II S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra-Physics Investments Malta Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Switzerland Holdings C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific TR Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Taiwan Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific Vermogensverwaltungs GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific West Palm Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Wissenschaftliche Gerate GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Worldwide Investments (Cayman), Thermo Fisher Scientific eCommerce Solutions LLC , Thermo Fisher Senior Canada Holdings LLC, Thermo Foundation Inc., Thermo Gamma-Metrics Holdings Pty Ltd., Thermo Gamma-Metrics LLC, Thermo Gamma-Metrics Pty Ltd, Thermo Holding European Operations LLC, Thermo Hypersil Ltd, Thermo Hypersil-Keystone LLC, Thermo Informatics Asia Pacific Pty Ltd., Thermo Instrument Controls de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Thermo Kevex X-Ray LLC, Thermo Keytek LLC, Thermo LabSystems Inc., Thermo LabSystems S.A., Thermo Life Science International Trading (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Thermo Life Sciences AB, Thermo Luxembourg Holding S.a.r.l., Thermo Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Thermo MF Physics LLC, Thermo Measurement Ltd, Thermo Measuretech Canada Inc., Thermo Neslab LLC, Thermo Nicolet Limited, Thermo Onix Limited, Thermo Optek (Australia) Pty Ltd., Thermo Optek Limited, Thermo Optek S.A., Thermo Orion Inc., Thermo Portable Holdings LLC, Thermo Power Corporation, Thermo Process Instruments GP LLC, Thermo Process Instruments L.P., Thermo Projects Limited, Thermo Quest S.A., Thermo Radiometrie Limited, Thermo Ramsey Italia S.r.l., Thermo Ramsey LLC, Thermo Ramsey S.A., Thermo Re Ltd., Thermo Scientific Microbiology Pte Ltd., Thermo Scientific Microbiology Sdn Bhd, Thermo Scientific Portable Analytical Instruments Inc., Thermo Scientific Services Inc., Thermo Securities Corporation, Thermo Sentron Canada Inc., Thermo Sentron Limited, Thermo Shandon Inc., Thermo Shandon Limited, Thermo Suomi Holding B.V., Thermo TLH (UK) Limited, Thermo TLH L.P., Thermo Trace Pty Ltd., Thermo-Fisher Biochemical Product (Beijing) Co. Ltd., ThermoLase LLC, ThermoSpectra Limited, Trek Diagnostic Systems LLC, Trek Diagnostic Systems Ltd., Trek Holding Company II Ltd., Trek Holding Company Ltd., Trex Medical Corporation, USB Corporation, Union Lab Supplies Limited, United Diagnostics Inc., VG Systems Limited, Westover Scientific Inc., ZAO PE Biosystems, eBioscience GmbH, eBioscience Ltd, eBioscience SAS, and picoSpin LLC. Investment Objective: The Fund seeks total return, consisting of capital appreciation and income, by investing primarily in Chilean securities. For more detailed information on the specific risks associated with this fund, please view the Important Risk Considerations tab. Investment Policies: It is the policy of the Fund to invest its assets in Chilean equity and debt securities. For these purposes, Chilean securities means securities traded principally on stock exchanges in Chile. Read More UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has said he is willing to work with President Maithripala Sirisena if, given a chance to prove his majority in Parliament, the Hindu reported today. On whether he could still work with the President, Mr. Wickremesinghe said: Ill have no problem working with him, thats a question you must ask him. The Constitution doesnt make provision for personal prejudices, he said on Tuesday in an interview to The Hindu at Temple Trees. Amid the persisting political crisis, Mr. Wickremesinghe is optimistic about an early recall of Parliament. The Parliaments power is supreme and that is what the Speaker has upheld, he said, referring to Speaker Karu Jayasuriyas statement on Monday, noting that Mr. Rajapaksa will not be recognised as PM until he wins a floor test. I am confident of having the numbers, Mr. Wickremesinghe said, adding: The fact that they are delaying the recall is because they dont have the numbers. Mr. Sirisena, who earlier suspended Parliament until November 16, has recalled the House for November 14. The delay worries me because it makes the country more unstable, the ousted PM said. Mr. Wikremesinghe has ruled out a court appeal on the matter, citing the Parliaments supreme judicial powers. Reiterating the position, he said: Even if you go to court they will send you back to parliament on this matter. We are different from yours [Indian context]. On his strategy to stabilise to the country, should he prove his majority, Mr. Wickremesinghe said the cabinet might have to be reconstituted because some had left it, and joined the new cabinet that Mr. Sirisena has sworn in. But the Speaker has very well said the status quo of [last] Friday stands. Unless they prove a majority that stands. Asked what if Mr. Rajapaksa won the floor test Mr. Wickremesinghe, even before the question was completed, said: He wont be able to prove a majority. Pressed again for a response to such a hypothetical scenario, he said: I dont know about hypothesis, I am talking about the actual situation. He does not have the numbers. Washington With Democrats now in control of the House, President Donald Trump faces a tough test of whether he can forge compromises with a group of lawmakers who, he had warned his supporters, would wreck the U.S. economy. The president on Wednesday floated the possibility of agreements with Democrats to boost spending on America's infrastructure and to limit drug prices. Yet the poisonous atmosphere in Washington, mandated federal spending limits and a potential duel over the government's borrowing authority make it difficult to forge any deals that would boost growth. Over the next two years, most economic and market analysts foresee mainly entrenched gridlock in Congress. Many think the two sides will mostly maneuver for public favor while looking toward the 2020 presidential election year. At a news conference Wednesday, Trump reiterated his desire to forge some agreement on infrastructure spending to rebuild roadways, rail stations or airports, for example among other priorities. But to achieve any real breakthrough, he would have to compromise with Democrats who won office largely by opposing his plans to restrict immigration, his efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, his deficit-funded tax cuts and his opposition to gun control in the aftermath of mass shootings. That said, most economists don't think a stalemate in Congress would necessarily depress growth. The $20 trillion U.S. economy the world's largest relies far more on the health of the global economy and the willingness of consumers and businesses to spend rather than on any government actions. Nor do market analysts think stock prices will suffer. In fact, major stock averages soared Wednesday in the wake of the elections. In part, that's because Tuesday's vote caused no major surprises, in part because the prospect of little or no major congressional initiatives means lawmakers won't stand in the way of a robust U.S. economy. "While you might see further gridlock if the Democrats take the House, that doesn't mean it would tip the boat and slow growth," said Beth Ann Bovino, chief U.S. economist at S&P Global. Economists at Bank of America concluded, "We expect a divided government to lead to a legislative logjam in Washington, D.C., in the next Congress, limiting policy actions to passing the budget with modest spending increases and raising the debt ceiling." The new Democratic-led House could thwart Trump's plans for more tax cuts, a wall along the border with Mexico and a 5 percent budget cut to Cabinet departments. But the Democrats' own agendas would also likely meet with defeat. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. At his news conference, the president suggested that he could work with Democrats on such priorities as boosting infrastructure spending and reducing the costs of prescription drugs. But Trump made clear if House Democrats pursue him with investigations involving his 2016 connection to Russia or financial ethics allegations, he would drop his willingness to seek cooperation on legislation involving the economy or other issues. "They can play that game, but we can play it better," the president said. Still, Trump could be pressured to bargain with the Democrats on two major fiscal issues with consequences for the economy, said Joe Brusuelas, chief economist at the consultancy RSM. The president would need to increase the government's borrowing capacity or it would be unable to continue issuing debt and possibly shutter. A 2011 showdown on the debt ceiling led the S&P 500 stock index to plummet and raised fears that the economy could sink into a recession. "Given the new configuration of power in Washington, the probability of a government shutdown is greater than 50 percent," Brusuelas said. Second, Trump would need to sign a spending bill for fiscal 2020. Otherwise, previously agreed-upon spending caps would automatically reduce federal expenditures, which would likely slow the economy during a presidential election year. The economy has enjoyed an acceleration in growth this year to a gain estimated to be 3 percent. Unemployment is at a five-decade low of 3.7 percent, and employers are posting record-high job openings. The economy's expansion is already the second-longest on record. New York The White House on Wednesday suspended the press pass of CNN correspondent Jim Acosta after he and President Donald Trump had a heated confrontation during a news conference. They began sparring after Acosta asked Trump about the caravan of migrants heading from Latin America to the southern U.S. border. When Acosta tried to follow up with another question, Trump said, "That's enough!" and a female White House aide unsuccessfully tried to grab the microphone from Acosta. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders released a statement accusing Acosta of "placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern," calling it "absolutely unacceptable." The interaction between Acosta and the intern was brief, and Acosta appeared to brush her arm as she reached for the microphone and he tried to hold onto it. "Pardon me, ma'am," he told her. Acosta tweeted that Sanders' statement that he put his hands on the aide was "a lie." CNN said in a statement that the White House revoked Acosta's press pass out of "retaliation for his challenging questions" Wednesday, and the network accused Sanders of lying about Acosta's actions. "(Sanders) provided fraudulent accusations and cited an incident that never happened. This unprecedented decision is a threat to our democracy and the country deserves better," CNN said. "Jim Acosta has our full support." Journalists assigned to cover the White House apply for passes that allow them daily access to press areas in the West Wing. White House staffers decide whether journalists are eligible, though the Secret Service determines whether their applications are approved. The post-midterm election news conference marked a new low in the president's relationship with journalists. "It's such a hostile media," Trump said after ordering reporter April Ryan of the American Urban Radio Networks to sit down when she tried to ask him a question. The president complained that the media did not cover the humming economy and was responsible for much of the country's divided politics. He said, "I can do something fantastic, and they make it look not good." His exchanges with CNN's Acosta and NBC News' Peter Alexander turned bitterly personal, unusual even for a forum where the nature of their jobs often put presidents and the press at odds. "I came in here as a nice person wanting to answer questions, and I had people jumping out of their seats screaming questions at me," said Trump, who talked for nearly 90 minutes despite the run-ins with reporters. Acosta asked Trump why the caravan of migrants was emphasized as an issue in the just-concluded midterm races, and he questioned Trump's reference to the caravan as an invasion. "You should let me run the country," Trump said. "You run CNN and if you did it well, your ratings would be much better." After Acosta asked about the investigation of Russia's involvement in the 2016 election, Trump tried to turn to Alexander, but Acosta continued to ask questions. "CNN should be ashamed of itself having you work for them," the president said to Acosta. "You are a rude, terrible person. You shouldn't be working for CNN. The way you treat Sarah Sanders is horrible. The way you treat other people is horrible. You shouldn't treat people that way." Alexander came to his colleague's defense. "I've traveled with him and watched him," Alexander said. "He's a diligent reporter who busts his butt like the rest of us." "I'm not a big fan of yours, either," Trump replied. "I understand," Alexander said, attempting to ask a question. Acosta stood back up and noted the explosive devices that were recently sent to CNN and some of the president's political opponents. "Just sit down," Trump said. "When you report fake news, which CNN does a lot, you are the enemy of the people." CNN said Trump's attacks on the press have gone too far. "They are not only dangerous, they are disturbingly un-American," CNN tweeted after the exchange. "While President Trump has made it clear he does not respect a free press, he has a sworn obligation to protect it. A free press is vital to democracy, and we stand behind Jim Acosta and his fellow journalists everywhere." In announcing Acosta's suspension, Sanders said, "The fact that CNN is proud of the way their employee behaved is not only disgusting, it is an example of their outrageous disregard for everyone, including young women, who work in this administration." The White House Correspondents Association released a statement Wednesday saying it "strongly objects to the Trump Administration's decision to use U.S. Secret Service security credentials as a tool to punish a reporter with whom it has a difficult relationship. Revoking access to the White House complex is a reaction out of line to the purported offense and is unacceptable." The WHCA called on the White House to "immediately reverse this weak and misguided action." During the news conference, Trump also turned on reporter Yamiche Alcindor of PBS' "NewsHour." She said: "On the campaign trail, you called yourself a nationalist. Some people saw that as emboldening white nationalists." Trump interrupted her, calling it a racist question. Alcindor pressed on: "There are some people who say the Republican Party is seen as supporting white nationalists because of your rhetoric. What do you say to that?" "What you said is so insulting to me," he said. "It's a very terrible thing you said to me." Alcindor moved on to a different topic. Later, via Twitter, she said that she has interviewed white nationalists who say they are more excited by Trump than they have been about other presidents. "Even if President Trump doesn't intend it, some see him as directly appealing to the racists," she wrote. Trump told Ryan, of American Urban Radio Networks, repeatedly to sit down when she attempted to ask Trump about accusations of voter suppression. He said she was rude for interrupting another reporter, though he did briefly answer one of Ryan's questions. Nine Pin hosts pressing bash Nine Pin Cider Works' fifth-annual pressing party is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at the cidery, 929 Broadway, Albany. The event will feature a pressing of more than 100 varieties of apples from local orchards, including foraged wild apples, to create the 2018 Cider Monster; the release of 2017 Cider Monster and tastings of 2016 Cider Monster; and food, drink, goods from local vendors, events, live music and more. VIP tickets, at $30, include a bottle of 2017 Cider Monster; regular tickets are $15 online in advance, $20 at the door, and include a free glass of cider. Details and a ticket link are at ninepincider.com. New rolls, items at Pebbles Pebbles Asian Fusion in Latham has expanded its list of signature large sushi rolls to a full dozen, priced from $11.95 to $13.95, or any two for $20.95. Also, now available in English (previously only in Chinese) is a list called Kevin's Specialties that includes items such as fish with pickled Chinese vegetables, crispy marinated pig intestine, pig kidney and pickled vegetables with pork belly, as dictated by seasonal availability and the whims of chef-owner Kevin Hsu. Co-owner Jessica Hsu said there is also a daily update in Chinese for her husband's several followers in a private online group who get alerts for occasional specials such as "farm pig thigh dish" and "live crab dish." The full menu is at pebbleslatham.com. Inquire at the restaurant if interested in joining the private group. Located at 1186 Troy-Schenectady Road, Pebbles serves lunch and dinner Tuesday to Sunday. Call 518-867-8888 or order online via pebbleslatham.com. Creperie opens in Latham The first Capital Region location of a 17-shop chain called T-Swirl Crepe has been open for about two weeks at 622 New Loudon Road/Route 9 in Latham. The restaurant serves Japanese-style crepes made from rice flour and stuffed with breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert options, from short ribs and smoked salmon to eggs to fruit-and-sweet combinations. The location is part of the Village at New Loudon complex. Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, noon to 10 p.m. Sunday. Call 518-362-2355. The franchisee is listed as Lin Briana. Navona starts Sunday brunch Restaurant Navona in Albany introduced Sunday brunch in October. Available 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays, brunch includes a for-the-table Bloody Mary kit, pork-belly hash with eggs, chicken and waffles, breakfast tart, crisp oatmeal with berries, and shrimp salad with arugula, citrus, avocado and lemon farro. Navona, at 289 New Scotland Ave., otherwise serves lunch and dinner Tuesday to Friday and dinner on Saturday, closed Monday. Call 518-435-0202. Sixth-anniversary party at Lucas Confectionery Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The Lucas Confectionery, a wine bar that was the foundation of what grew into the Clark House Hospitality company led by business partners Vic Christopher and Heather LaVine, will celebrate its sixth anniversary on Friday with a party from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. There will be $6 wine specials, a DJ and the unveiling of Lucas' new menu. After the wine bar, Christopher and LaVine went on to open the adventurous restaurant Peck's Arcade, Little Pecks cafe, Twenty-Two 2nd. St. Wine Co. and a dive bar called The Bradley. All are in downtown Troy. Lucas Confectionery is at 12 Second St. Pasta Pane in Clifton Park hosting Stag's Leap dinner Pasta Pane in Clifton Park will host a dinner featuring wine from the acclaimed Stag's Leap Wine Cellars in California's Napa Valley starting at 6 p.m. Sunday. The price is $125 per person, plus tax and tip, for five courses with wine pairings. The meal includes cured salmon with lump crab; roasted beets with goat cheese and fregola; duck-porcini ravioli with roasted butternut squash and chestnut puree; dry-aged beef ribeye with fava beans; and coffee pana cotta with orange-spiced cookie. Reservations are required; call 518-371-5762. Pasta Pane is at 18 Park Ave. Compiled by Steve Barnes. Items to be considered for publication must be submitted to sbarnes@timesunion.com. Visit his blog, blog.timesunion.com/tablehopping. This is apparently true: People who buy or even see pictures of organic, healthful food are more likely to be ungenerous, judgmental and self-interested than people who buy or see pictures of standard or unhealthful foods. Rachel Herz, who studies the psychology of neuroscience, included that tidbit in her book "Why You Eat What You Eat." The book, which is scientific in nature but written in language any layperson can understand, is crammed full of similar information. "But to the extent that I have received hate mail about this book, it has been about that," Herz said in a recent interview from her home office in Rhode Island. Of course, it is the people who buy organic food who write the hate mail, she said, which kind of proves her point. She went on to cite studies showing that people who go to Whole Foods the Mecca of self-righteous shopping tend to behave badly in the parking lot. Buying organic foods feels like they are doing a good deed, and "you feel like you are morally licensed to be a jerk because you have done your good deed for the day," she said. The first part of "Why You Eat What You Eat" is about how our senses affect our eating in surprising ways, and the second part shows the unexpected ways that social and psychological factors have an impact on our relationship to food. For instance, people who drink bloody marys report that they taste better on an airplane than on the ground. According to a study cited by Herz, they are right and it is because of our sense of hearing. Loud noises have been shown to make salty foods taste less salty, sweet foods less sweet and sour foods less sour. Noise apparently has no effect on the taste receptors that sense bitter foods. But loud noises actually enhance the taste of umami, which is the flavor of earthiness found in mushrooms, meat and tomatoes. So the sound inside an airplane does indeed make tomato juice taste better. Then there is the problem with the color red. Red foods lead our brains to think that what we eat is going to be good, or at least sweet. For example, people think red grapes are sweeter than green, when they actually have the same amount of sweetness. That makes sense, Herz said, because our evolutionary ancestors learned that red fruit was riper and sweeter than green. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. On the other hand, red can also act as a kind of warning not to eat something, and this, too, is in our evolutionary hard-wiring. A German university asked more than 100 visitors to fill out some questionnaires. Next to one group, they put out a red paper plate containing 10 pretzels. Next to another, it was a blue plate, and a white plate was given to a third group. The people with the red plate ate only half as many pretzels as those with the blue or white plates. Why? According to Herz, it is because our ancestors learned to associate red as a sign of warning. Blood is red, as is inflammation and also poison berries. So while the color red can indicate a desirable level of sweetness, it also, "at the very least, draws our attention. It makes us think and be on alert. I think being on alert is a good cautionary state to be in," Herz said. Her previous books were about the sense of smell, which is her specialty, and what it means to be disgusted by something. The reaction of disgust is related to our sense of taste, she said; we have the same response to something vile as to something that tastes bitter because our evolutionary ancestors learned to associate a bitter taste with something noxious and potentially deadly. Herz said she wrote this third book because of her fascination with food and eating. After three years of anticipation, vineyards in the Capital Region and Upper Hudson Valley are on the eve of receiving their own federal designation as an American Viticulture Area (AVA). This designation legitimizes the area as a proven wine region and allows local vintners to tout their efforts in grape growing and winemaking. Andrew Weber, owner of Northern Cross Vineyard in Easton, Washington County, spearheaded the effort and first filed for the AVA designation in 2015; it was accepted that July. In April 2018, the petition was moved off the pending list, and Weber said he has received word that a final committee vote to approve the designation should be held this month. The AVA designation is granted by the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) and is a marker of a holistic wine process that includes growing grapes and producing wine in one geographical location, as opposed to bringing in grapes from other locations to make wine. The benefits of receiving the AVA designation are many, said Weber. "The winemaker will be able to better describe the origins of the wine, and the consumer will be better able to identify the wines," he said. Wines made from New York grapes in the combined 1,650 square miles of Albany, Rensselaer, Schenectady, Saratoga, Schoharie, Montgomery and Washington counties can be currently labeled as produced in New York, but with this specific Upper Hudson AVA designation, as it is called, wine made from 85 percent grapes from those seven counties can be listed with origins in the Upper Hudson AVA. Wineries using only grapes grown on its own vineyard within an official AVA can label its wine as "estate," which is wine industry shorthand for limited and special product. Used mostly for marketing so that consumers can easily identify the provenance of the wine, the Upper Hudson AVA would be the 10th AVA in New York state. (According to the TTB website, there are 242 AVAs in the U.S., with 139 alone in California.) There are 19 vineyards in the Upper Hudson AVA designation area. Four wineries can currently qualify as estate bottlers, three can receive the Upper Hudson AVA label, and nine more should be able to qualify for the label in the next few years, said Weber. Mike DiCrescenzo, owner of Altamont Winery in Altamont, is one of the winemakers who will label their wines as "estate" when the AVA designation is in place, as all of the grapes for his wines come from Altamont Winery's 13-acre vineyard. The Upper Hudson AVA is a reflection of what he called "responsible viticulture and sound enology," and gives credit to the work of establishing a region of cold-hardy grapes that make award-winning wines. "I'm fixed on getting this growing region established," he said, and pointed to the start of Altamont Winery's vineyard by Larry Lorenzo Grossi in 1981, who planted some of the first wine grapes to the area, including Sabrevois, first planted by Grossi in 1995. Other grapes, like Marquette, Frontenac, La Crescent and La Crosse, are cornerstones of the Upper Hudson AVA and will be used to develop a "signature" wine for the AVA, said Weber, much like how the Finger Lakes region is synonymous with riesling and the Napa Valley with zinfandel. "People want to try something new, something creative. With the understanding of the AVA, the consumer can be confident in buying something they will like," said Weber. "I think it's an important marketing tool because it distinguishes the area. The region can brand themselves around it," said Sam Filler, executive director of the New York Wine and Grape Foundation. He said signage in wine stores and marketing around the Upper Hudson AVA will help people identify the area as a respected wine region and offer consumer education on the region's characteristics. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. It also leads to a boost in secondary markets for the area, like agritourism, hospitality and local retail. "It's a bigger economic driver," said Weber, and can work in tangent with other initiatives like the Upper Hudson Wine Trail, which was designated through New York state legislation. The AVA helps to identify and promote the winemakers, the wine trail helps people to visit and find them. "I believe the Upper Hudson AVA designation will help with people identifying that there are local vineyards producing locally grown grapes, and I believe it will help draw people to visit the vineyards," said Paul Walker, co-owner of Casks and Kegs Tours in Clifton Park. He said he is expecting an increase in business based on the AVA, and added, "as more and more people not just locally but out-of-towners find out about the vineyards in the Upper Hudson AVA, the more likely they will be to make a point to visit the vineyards." Weber said the local food movement is helping to drive interest in regional wines, along with an increased interest in wine. U.S. wine sales rose by 3 percent in September 2018, for a total of $3.8 billion, according to beverage market research group BW166. The Wine Market Council numbers show that while wine has the smallest alcoholic beverage market share compared to spirits and beer, it has taken a bite out of the beer market, growing from 15.1 percent in 2010 to 17 percent in 2017. (Spirits grew by 2.5 percent while beer slipped by 4.4 percent in the same period.) DiCrescenzo said that growth will come from more than just tourism. "I look at it as, 'Do I have the workforce?'" he said, adding he would need to hire more employees in the vineyard, winery and tasting room because of the boon from the AVA. It will also make the Upper Hudson region a destination for vintners, winemakers and interns, potentially growing the number of wineries and acres of vines. "This is a work of passion, not money. This is a lifestyle," said DiCrescenzo of the wine process. He hopes the AVA designation would help allow area winemakers to share that passion with a larger audience. "It's been a great big experiment for the last few years," said Weber. Deanna Fox is a food and agriculture journalist. @DeannaNFox, foxonfood.com KILMAINE, Ireland Ireland is a proudly haunted island, its landscape defined by ancient cairns and standing stones, by ruined abbeys, castles and cottages. The spectral comes in many famous forms: the ladies the White Lady of Kinsale (who threw herself off the walls of Charles Fort after her husband was shot); the Waiting Lady of Ardgillan Castle (on vigil for her drowned husband); the Faceless Lady of Belvelly Castle (survived a siege but went insane upon discovering she was no longer beautiful) the incarcerated (Cork District Lunatic Asylum, the Wicklow Jail); and the casualties of war (the Jacobites of the Battle of Aughrim and King James II who is said to haunt Athcarne Castle six miles from where he died in the Battle of the Boyne). So if you are looking, there are plenty of ghosts to be found in Ireland. Or you can do what we did and just bring them with you. My family and I traveled to Ireland in June 2017 to scatter my parents' ashes at Downpatrick Head in County Mayo. We knew the exact spot because Mom and Dad, who spent many of their post-retirement summers in the land of our ancestors, had brought us here almost 20 years ago. Downpatrick Head is one of the world's more dramatic edges, where the wildflower-studded grass runs in sweet green benevolence until it hits the wild wind and a 140-foot drop onto black rocks and white foam. We have pictures of my then-1-year-old son Danny sitting in the grass picking daisies while my parents showed my brother, Jay, where they wanted their ashes to go: right in view of the towering sea stack called Dun Briste (Broken Fort) and a few yards from a blow hole where, my father informed us, British soldiers had thrown local villagers during the 1798 Irish Rebellion. So not, you know, Rose Hills cemetery back home. For a year or two, Downpatrick Head was something of a family joke. We would not make that crazy drive to that crazy cliff, but if we did, we would pitch the ashes down the blowhole. Then far too soon, it wasn't. My dad died four years after that trip; when we offered to take Mom and the ashes to Ireland, she said she wanted to wait and be scattered along with him. When she died a few years later, neither my brother nor I had the heart to make the journey. For years. After that once-upon-a-time 1-year-old went away to college, my brother and I realized we had to get moving, busy schedules and mixed feelings be damned. My husband, Richard, Danny and his sisters Fiona and Darby, and I flew to Dublin a few days before Jay and his husband, Franco. After what I can only hope was our very last argument to end with "Well, you're the oldest," Jay persuaded me to carry the cremains. It was a bit unsettling to travel with your parents' ashes. My mom was always fashion conscious, so I had to find a stylish carry-on, but it was still disconcerting to shove it in the overhead. In Dublin, we stayed in a lovely flat near the General Post Office, which now houses an excellent museum devoted to the 1916 Easter Rising. We put the bag in a nice alcove where I could nod to them as we came and went. --- AN 'ATMOSPHERE' It wasn't until we got to the castle that the haunting began. Jay had decided that we needed to rent a castle. He showed me a few from which to choose, and we both loved Turin Castle, a glorious restored keep in County Mayo near the towns of Ballinrobe and Cong (where "The Quiet Man" was filmed). It slept 12, with five bedrooms and five bathrooms. We were seven, so for once there were no arguments about bedrooms and no waiting for a free bathroom. Turin Castle rose square and solid from bright green fields at the end of a drive that was easy to miss, in part because it was preceded by at least two turns on unnamed lanes. It has been gorgeously restored, which is not to say renovated. The amenities were modern (and flawless), but the layout was true to history. All the rooms were accessed by a stone spiral staircase that began on the ground floor, where the doorways were small enough to make male invaders stoop so the current residents could cut off their heads. Along a series of landings were other bedrooms, bathrooms and the kitchen, which was connected to a breathtaking great room with a fireplace you could stand in and a table that can only be described as "baronial." (Which it is, in the video on the castle's website.) Jay and Franco arrived at the castle several hours after we did, through the mist at dusk, and Franco immediately informed the kids that he felt a definite "atmosphere." "It better have atmosphere," my jet-lagged brother grumbled, "it's an Irish castle." We have a few ghost stories from our travels Jay and Franco once stayed in a Parisian hotel with a sorrowing female presence that they felt but never saw and Ireland is full of places where a ghostly child or a cowled figure would make perfect sense. So when the "this castle is haunted" stories began, I wasn't surprised. Franco felt a hand tug his shirt as he got ready for bed; invisible fingers tousled Jay's hair. Danny, brushing his teeth one night, heard someone hiss "psst" at him, but no one was there. Fiona heard rustling in the kitchen and, annoyed when no one answered her, walked in from the great room to find the kitchen empty. I laughed, until one day when, after spending a quiet half-hour with Fiona and Darby, I went to find Richard, who asked, "What are those two fighting about now?" I told him the girls weren't fighting, hadn't made a sound. "But I heard one of them crying," Richard said. "Crying and crying." Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The wind at the castle was strong at times, but it always sounded precisely like the wind. More Information If you go To get to County Mayo, you can fly either into Dublin or Shannon; Shannon is a bit closer, but in either case, you will need to rent a car. Where to stay Turin Castle, Kilmaine, Ireland; 011-353-40440923, turincastle.com. $3,400-$4,600 a week, depending on season. Greenacres holiday cottage, Ballinrobe, Ireland; airbnb.com/rooms/24061022. $91 a night. Sleeps seven. Where to eat Mary's Cottage Kitchen, Main Street, Ballycastle, Ireland; 011-353-96-43361, lat.ms/maryscottagekitchen To learn more Downpatrick Head is along the Wild Atlantic Way, wildatlanticway.com, and one of many places worth visiting in County Mayo, mayo-ireland.ie/en/welcome See More Collapse I kept an eye, and ear, out after that, but it was all hard to believe. I have been in houses that felt disturbed or scarred, but Turin Castle was not like that, not scary at all. It was lovely and interesting; even those who felt the spirit thought it was mischievous, not malicious. I began to feel snubbed, having not encountered it. --- BEST LAID PLANS The day of the great ash scattering came, and we made our way north to Downpatrick Head with an obligatory, and expensive, stop at Foxford Woollen Mills where my parents had, years ago, purchased the approximately 387 tweed caps and wool sweaters we were still parceling out to family members. As we got closer, Waze, which had functioned beautifully throughout our trip, kept taking us along long and ill-fated routes, but we finally arrived at the tip top of Mayo, about three miles north of Ballycastle, population 219, where the wild Atlantic has carved cliffs and sea stacks. The geography had not changed in 20 years, but a few things had. There was a car park, and there was a viewing area around the blow hole, which we discovered is called Poll na Seantine (Hole of the Ancient Fire), and where, my father would have been interested to learn, local rebels had drowned while hiding from British soldiers. Which is bad, but not as bad as villagers being pitched onto the rocks. The wind was cold and steady under a pale gray sky. When my parents first brought us here, I told them their ashes would not be scattered anywhere if there was any chance they would blow back all over me. Dumped, not scattered. I had repeated this several times as we prepared for the trip. But the wind was at our backs as we faced the sea, so strong it molded our coats against us. We went to the spot that our parents had showed us and got as close to the edge of the cliff as our spouses would allow. Jay took Dad and I took Mom and we pried open the boxes, carefully cut the bags, said a prayer and on the count of three, shook their ashes onto Downpatrick Head. Dad flew out in a great cloud and marked the grass to the cliff. Mom flew out and then, after hanging in the air for a second or two, proceeded to defy the laws of aerodynamics and nature by flying against the wind and all over me. In my hair, in my eyes, in my mouth. All over my glasses, my coat, into my purse, ashes of Mom. For weeks after, I would pull something out of my wallet and find a little maternal grit. I was furious, my brother wide-eyed and my kids doubled over with laughter. "She heard you," said Fiona. "She heard what you said." I spat a few times and we walked around a bit, talking about that long-ago day and how much my parents had loved this country. Then we drove to Ballycastle to have lunch at Mary's Cottage Kitchen, where we had lunched with my parents all those years ago. I went into the ladies room to wipe the ashes from my face, and after I closed the door, the light went out, and then it went back on again. Quick as a wink. The sun came out on the drive home, and when we returned to the castle, it was bathed in golden light. We stayed another four days, and though the wind sighed and the fire threw shadows on the floor, there were no more hints of haunting. If we wanted ghosts, we would have to look elsewhere; ours were sinking into the Irish grass, settling beneath the Irish sea. Albany Pigs were on the ballot in California. That isn't a commentary on the state's politicians. The well-being of pigs was actually on the ballot Tuesday. Chickens too. And veal calves. Proposition 12, which passed with more than 60 percent of the vote, banned the sale of eggs from chickens raised in cages and meat grown in cruelly tight cages. A spokesman for the Humane Society of America called the vote "a massive blow against industrial animal agriculture's abusive confinement systems." (Insert a clapping hands emoji here.) We've come a long way in how we treat the animals we keep as pets dogs and cats, mostly. They have protections, legal and cultural, that were once unimaginable. That is worth celebrating. But that success is hardly the whole story. In factories intentionally hidden from view, our treatment of animals raised for food is increasingly and horribly cruel. As small family farms have given way to industrial agriculture, animals are more often treated like widgets rather than sentient beings capable of fear and pain. Americans are not necessarily happy with that. We're an animal-loving people, and most of us would be sickened if we saw the reality of what is happening. But we rarely do and so, out of sight, out of mind. Still, when given a chance to change the system, we usually grab it, as the landslide support for California's ballot measure demonstrates. Other states have passed similar laws. The tide is turning. But, as is often the case, New York is behind the curve of progress. The state Legislature is routinely asked to consider versions of a bill that would forbid the raising of pigs, veal calves and egg-laying chickens in crates that prevent an animal from "lying down, standing up and fully extending its limbs, and turning around freely." That's a depressingly low standard imagine the torture of not being allowed to lie down but the bill nevertheless goes nowhere, session after session. "The cruelty involved is so massive that enacting more humane standards should be everybody's goal," said Elinor Molbegott, an attorney for the Humane Society of New York. "The reluctance to do so seems to be mostly about greed and money." There is not a Democrat-Republican divide here. In the most recent session, the anti-crate legislation was sponsored by Assembly member Linda Rosenthal, a Democrat from Manhattan, and state Sen. Phil Boyle, a Republican from Long Island. Conservatives and liberals alike can believe that protecting the weak and powerless, animals included, is an important government goal. But there is an upstate-downstate split. Upstate legislators are responding to concerns and campaign contributions from powerful agriculture interests that resist government regulation and seem to fear that small measures aimed at helping animals will empower extremists who won't be happy with anything short of veganism for all. Neither concern is entirely unreasonable. Thoughtless regulation is often devastating to farming, especially small farms. Meanwhile, PETA opposed the California proposal because it fell short of its real goals: "Go egg free, not cage free," the animal-rights group said. For the record, I'm a meat eater who sees veganism as wrong-headed. I don't believe killing animals for food is a moral wrong. (A column for another day, perhaps.) But I'm also an animal lover who isn't willing to ignore the morally repellent treatment of animals. If I want a decent life for my dog and cat at home, shouldn't I want the same for the animals that end up on my plate? Pigs, in particular, are among the world's most emotionally and socially intelligent species. It makes little sense to demand protections for dogs and cats while ignoring pigs' misery. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. "I would hope we've evolved and have a growing sensitivity to the pain and suffering of animals," Molbegott told me. "Anything we can do to reduce their suffering, we should do." If you follow state politics, you know Tuesday's elections put Democrats firmly in control of the Senate. That has led to optimism among backers of long-stalled legislation including the Child Victims Act and voting reform. I asked Molbegott if the flip, along with the California vote, would improve the odds for Rosenthal and Boyle's bill for animals. "I would like to believe that," she said. "But I'm not convinced." That's more than a shame. It's unconscionable that New York lawmakers have been unwilling to do more for farm animals, even as other states move forward. More Information Contact columnist Chris Churchill at 518-454-5442 or email cchurchill@timesunion.com See More Collapse If it's true that the moral greatness of a nation can be judged by its treatment of animals and I believe it is then we live in an especially unethical time. The vast majority of animals in this country are raised for meat and eggs, and they have never been treated with more systematic barbarism. Doesn't that need to change? cchurchill@timesunion.com 518-454-5442 @chris_churchill 3 1 of 3 Albany Police Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Albany Police Show More Show Less 3 of 3 ALBANY Police arrested two people and confiscated three loaded handguns and seized two pounds of marijuana at a city residence Tuesday. Shamar Robinson, 25 of Albany, was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, possession of a weapon, possession of stolen property felony and one count of possession of marijuana, all felonies, and a misdemeanor of criminal use of drug paraphernalia, Albany police said. MILTON The news that a taxpayer living outside the village will no longer have to pay an additional town tax was overshadowed by a contentious debate over procurement practices and budgetary ambiguities at Wednesday night's public hearing on the town's $7.73 million budget. At the meeting Comptroller Darlene Allen explained the town outside village tax (which is 16 cents per thousand) was dropped because there was "sufficient revenue." "We don't need it this year," Allen told the town board during the discussion of the 2019 budget. The tax rate will now be equal for both town and village residents who will pay 66 cents per assessed thousand dollars. But two of the five Republican council members want to know how this is possible. Last year, the town board doubled town taxes for both village and town residents. At the same time, the town was also unraveling a $411,000 error in a fund balance that was carried over for several years. "I've asked that question twice. How we could be so far in debt last year and then not this year, and no one is giving me an answer," said Councilman Benny Zlotnick after the meeting. "I've asked a few times, how are we making this up. I'm told we did this, we did that. None of it makes any sense. We cut $75,000 out of the budget. How does that make up for $400,000?" Councilwoman Barbara Kerr, speaking after the meeting, said "How did this miracle occur? I don't know." After the meeting, Supervisor Scott Ostrander said the discovery of the error in 2017 was covered in the 2016 audit report, but he would not comment on how it was resolved. Neither would Allen when she was reached on Thursday. "It's the board's job to comment," she said. However, she did say the town received more sales tax revenue, a total of $360,196, allowing her to discard the 16 cents tax. John Olenik, the only member of the public to step up to the microphone at the public hearing, also questioned how the town could be out of debt and still use $1.2 million of its fund balance for the 2019 budget. "We've had ongoing continuing problems, budget, finance problems in this town," said Olenik, who later pointed out that the $1.2 million is a sixth of the town's budget. "(Last year's independent) audit pointed it out very clearly, we continue down the same road we do every year, pulling large amounts of the fund balance. Quite honestly, I don't know where the money comes from. At one point, in the not so distant past, we had a close to zero fund balance." In addition to the disappearing deficit, Kerr said she needs information on several budget items, including where all the money for the purchase of real property went. The budget materials handed out on Wednesday night show that budget line went from $56,300 to zero. She said she was told that they money went toward expenses associated with the failed purchase of Boyhaven, the 500-acre Boy Scout camp, that the town was slated to buy in 2017. She said the Boyhaven expenses, she was told, were paid out of the open space and park fund. She is also concerned by Ostrander's comment at the hearing that the town will be building a new facility. She and Zlotnick sit on the facilities committee and have heard nothing about construction of a new building, Kerr said. She also questioned an estimated $50,000 purchase of financial software that was not sent out to bid. That, she said, violates the procurement policy, which states that purchases "exceeding $20,000 in the fiscal year or public works contracts over $35,000 shall be formally bid." Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. "I'm of the belief that when you are spending $50,000 of taxpayer money, you go out to bid," Kerr said. "My problem is spending the people's money, tax money is not an employee's decision. It's the board's decision. We really don't have any facts on this." Kerr is also upset that neither she nor Zlotnick or Councilman Frank Blaisdell knew anything about the purchase, which was slated to be paid for out of the contingency budget. Kerr thought it should be a separate line item and not hidden in contingency, which she said is used for unforeseen costs. "How much more direct do I have to be to sit at a public board meeting and say why don't you have this in your budget," Kerr said. "Put the money in your budget. If she is working on this for months, why (doesn't) the board know." The 2019 preliminary budget, Allen said, was developed by herself, Ostrander and Councilman John Frolish, who said he knew about the software purchase for months because he talks to Allen. Town attorney Jim Craig said that the $50,000 for software doesn't need to go to bid because it falls under professional services. "Even if it's under professional services, it should go out to bid," Kerr said. A 2014 audit of Milton from the state comptroller's office noted the town's "accounting records were not adequately maintained" and the town" improperly budgeted and allocated sales tax revenue." A spokesman for the state comptroller's office said that there is no set schedule to audit towns. It is unclear when Milton will be audited by the comptroller again. CLIFTON PARK - The town will update its 610 streetlights with long-lasting LED bulbs and smart city technologies with the hopes of saving $4.5 million over 20 years. But to get to that saving, the town will have to spend $1.13 million to purchase the streetlights from National Grid and New York State Electric and Gas, and state-of-the-art technology and installation from Siemans. "We are incorporating the equipment necessary to ensure Clifton Park remains on the forefront of technological advancement," Supervisor Phil Barrett said of the plan that was unanimously approved by the town board on Monday. The updated street lights, with bulbs that will last 10 years, will also be equipped with GIS mapping, which is expected to allow for more efficient maintenance of the lights and the ability to dim or brighten specific lights. The lights will also include smart city controls that will, in the future, help the town to monitor air quality, traffic and noise, as well as enhance safety for pedestrian and cyclists. "Although this option increases the cost of the project, it is far less expensive to install the equipment now than it would be in the future as part of a separate initiative," Barrett said. Once the technology is installed, Siemans, a global energy company, will train town workers to maintain the lights. Barrett said the town will recoup its initial cost in six years. Beyond that, Barrett said, the town expects to save 60 to 65 percent of its energy costs. The change will also eliminate the town's facility cost, which it now pays to the electric companies. "The acquisition of the streetlight from the utility companies will incur substantial savings on an annual basis as facility charges, currently paid by all municipalities, will be eliminated," Barrett said. The poles on which the lights hang will remain in the hands of the utility companies. The town will only own the lights and the arm that illuminates the streets and most intersections. Barrett said Clifton Park is one of the first towns in the region to take advantage of the idea that has been encouraged by the state's Public Service Commission. In 2015, the state estimated that 1.4 million municipal streetlights could be part of the change to LED technology. The savings, PSC officials said, would create significant savings and lead to an overall reduction in emissions. Some of the first towns to purchase their streetlights and replace bulbs with LED lighting were West Seneca in Erie County, Horseheads in Chemung County and Clarkstown in Rockland County. In September, Albany announced it is considering purchasing its street lights, but it would have to borrow $29.3 million to do it. On Monday, Schenectady announced it is working with National Grid to retrofit 18 streetlights with LED bulbs. National Grid, a city press release noted, is expected to replace 4,200 city streetlights with LED bulbs and install smart city technology there. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Barrett said that Clifton Park looked at that option too, allowing National Grid to continue to own the lights and do its own updating. But a cost-analysis for the town showed that the savings were more substantial if Clifton Park purchased the lights, he said. "We have a lot fewer lights than Schenectady," Barrett said. "It was not a good fit for us." Barrett said Siemens has already offered guidance to several municipalities in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. A 2016 article in the Times Union revealed the company was the subject of an investigation by the state attorney general's office for inflating energy savings figures at the Saratoga County co-generation plant. The plant was supposed to be saving $130,000 a year on energy at the county-run nursing homes. But it actually cost the county $180,000 a year. The plant has since been decommissioned. Barrett said is not concerned about Siemans' history. "I do not foresee any risk in attaining significant savings for Clifton Park," Barrett said. "We will realize a large drop in energy costs and save money through the elimination of facility charges from the utilities. The savings are powerful, which is why more municipalities are now working toward completing the same process." He is looking forward to the next step, which is approval from PSC. "We hope that since we are on the forefront that there is not a long line of proposals at PSC," Barrett said. "Hopefully, we will get a quicker review time in the fact that we are early." COHOES - The school district has added eight new pre-kindergarten teachers in the wake of the abrupt closing of the Cohoes Community Center. "The program needs to stay and we need to keep it in Cohoes," Board of Education President Matthew Nolin said to the new employees at the district's meeting Wednesday night. "Thank you for helping us see it through." The need to hire eight pre-kindergarten teachers and 10 pre-kindergarten teacher aides came after deep financial problems forced the community center shutdown. That cost the jobs of 72 full- and part-time employees, and halted the center's day care program, which served parents of an estimated 29 toddlers and pre-schoolers. In the days following the abrupt closure the school district and town were left figuring out what to do. A Gofundme was set up to raise $50,000 for employees who couldn't be paid by the community center. As of Wednesday more than $8,000 had been raised. Officials said the center had violated state labor department rules by not providing notice that its employees would be losing their jobs. Private sector employers in New York that have more than 50 workers are required to issue what's known as a WARN notice 90 days before closing. The Albany County district attorney's office wants to examine the financial records of the nonprofit that runs the center. To help the students and families affected by the closure, Cohoes schools were kept open thanks to volunteers who agreed to staff the day-care programs. But still it left people in town wondering what next? Wednesday night it seemed the school district had come up with a "temporary" solution -- bringing aboard 18 pre-kindergarten employees. "We would like to say thank you to the school district to doing a wonderful time and picking us up in a time of crisis," one of the new pre-kindergarten teachers said at the meeting. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. In the school board meeting records the 18 new full and part-time employees are listed as "temporary staff to provide continued pre-kindergarten services as a result of the termination of the contract between the Cohoes school district and the Cohoes Child Development Center, which was run out of the Cohoes Community Center." The teachers will be placed in three schools -- the Abram Lansing Elementary School, Harmony Hill School and the Van Schaick Grade School. Their salaries, based on if they are full-time or part-time, range from about $13,600 to $29,000 and are grant-funded, based on the school board documents. "We really appreciate all of your efforts with our young students," said Erin Hill, the director of special programming for the district. ALBANY New York's top environmental officer is moving on after nearly four years in the post. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's spokesman Richard Azzopardi confirmed Wednesday that state Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos is planning to leave the job he has held since 2015. Prior to his appointment, Seggos advised the governor on environmental policy as his deputy secretary for the environment. ALBANY With the state Senate's Democratic conference picking up eight seats in Tuesday's election, granting them control of the chamber for the first time in almost a decade, they are suddenly in a position to pass a slew of bills that have repeatedly passed the state Assembly and died in the Senate. Democratic lawmakers will be expected to pass a number of protections including for labor, women and immigrants, and LGBTQ rights to form a bulwark against policies coming from President Donald J. Trump's administration. Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins, D-Westchester, will soon take the helm of the upper chamber, becoming New York's first-ever female legislative leader, working closely with Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie to steer the legislative agenda. But since this is Albany, don't expect the horsetrading and political high-jinks to end. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, who must sign off on legislation that passes both houses, still wields an inordinate amount of leverage over legislative priorities. Historically, big ticket items have been passed during budget negotiations, when the legislative leaders and Cuomo convene in a room to hammer out New York's $1.68 billion financial plan. Many bills popular among Democrats that the governor is less than enthusiastic about marijuana legalization, single-payer healthcare, and campaign finance reform, for example are likely to continue to languish in committee. Being in the majority comes with perks leadership positions, bonuses called "lulus," and hefty campaign donations and with them, pressure from advocates and special interest groups. The big test for Democrats will be on ethics and campaign finance reform. No longer can Senate Republicans be blamed for blocking efforts to close the "LLC loophole," which allows individuals and entities to make virtually unlimited campaign donations to lawmakers, or publicly financed elections. Government reform advocates like John Kaehny, of ReInvent Albany, is optimistic. "I think there will be tremendous energy from the Senate Democrats, because they've been out of office and they have a lot of pent up desire for change. And they have a group of young insurgent women from New York City who are going to try to change the world," he said. In the meantime, there are several significant pieces of legislation that have broad support among Democrats in both houses, and are included in the governor's agenda every year, that are likely to be signed into law in 2019. Here are six of them: Child Victims Act - This bill, which has been floating around the Legislature for more than a decade, would lengthen the statute of limitations for victims of childhood sex abuse to bring criminal and civil charges against their perpetrators. Every year, the law seems to move incrementally closer to the finish line. Senate Republicans introduced their own version of the bill, facing pressure from religious and educational institutions like the Catholic Church and the Boy Scouts of America, which lobbied against a provision that would allow past victims of abuse a "look-back window" to bring decades-old claims for one year after the legislation passed. The Reproductive Health Act - Democrats aggressively pushed to codify protections afforded by the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision, ahead of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation, which tilted the nation's highest court to the right. If the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, which guarantees a woman's right to an abortion, the state will fall back on its 1970 law, which advocates say has shortcomings. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. "With a unified pro-choice majority in the State Senate to partner with our long-standing champions in the Assembly and executive branch, New York State is finally poised to become the beacon of reproductive freedom the country needs in the wake of Justice Kavanaugh's confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court," said Andrea Miller, President of the National Institute for Reproductive Health Action Fund and PAC. GENDA - The Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act modifies New York's Human Rights Law, which currently does explicitly protect individuals who are discriminated against because of their gender identity or expression, such as transgender and gender nonconforming people. Cuomo has issued an executive order instructing courts to interpret the statute to include these identities, but advocates note that this temporary fix may be overridden by judicial interpretation and want crimes based on gender identity to be categorized as hate crimes in criminal and penal law. Bail reform - New York is on pace to join other states that have reformed the cash bail system, which critics says discriminates against those who cannot afford to post bail. The cause was spotlighted by heart-breaking case of Kalief Browder, a teen who committed suicide after spending three years at Riker's Island awaiting a court date for theft charges because he could not pay the $3,000 in bail. Cuomo proposed bail changes in his State of the State address and included funding for it in his proposed 2018-19 budget. Early voting - Democrats have every incentive to pass early voting, which is currently legal in some form in 34 other states and the District of Columbia. Previously, Republicans proved resistant to any expansion of voting rights that might jeopardize their sliver of a majority in the state Senate. The widespread ballot scanner issues, long lines, and misinformation in New York City during Tuesday's election will only turn up the pressure on the Legislature to get this law passed. Voter participation in New York has declined dramatically over the past half century and the state is ranked among the worst in the nation in electoral turnout. Senate Democrats' "no excuse" absentee voting bill and legislation to consolidate state and federal primary elections, sponsored by Stewart-Cousins, may also see passage in 2019. NY DREAM Act - This bill makes financial aid available to college students who moved to the U.S. illegally as children. It is a low-cost measure, granting a small minority of college students access to the same resources as their peers, but will signal that the state is friendly to immigrants, who feel besieged by the Trump administration's immigration policies. Four Capital Region men were arrested this week, in separate incidents, for sex related charges, including rape and child pornography possession, State Police said. Joshua Stevens, 31 of Grafton, was arrested Nov. 6 after forcibly engaging in sexual conduct with a woman in a car in Stephentown and displaying a weapon, State Police said. Stevens was charged with rape and criminal mischief, both felonies, and menacing and assault, both misdemeanors, police said. ALBANY An Albany County jury has convicted a 34-year-old ex-convict of kidnapping, rape and weapons charges for his attack on an unconscious woman whom he abducted from a car and victimized in his apartment -- after city police showed up and left. Abdul Trowell, who has a past conviction for criminal contempt, faces up to 50 years in prison at his sentencing by County Judge William Carter on Dec. 10. On Nov. 6, 2017, Trowell abducted the 23-year-old victim from a vehicle and brought her to his apartment, which is across the street from the governor's mansion, Albany County prosecutors said. The Times Union, quoting law enforcement sources and court records, reported in January that the woman was raped after police were called to the apartment on Eagle Street and left. "The circumstances surrounding it are something we definitely are taking a look at internally," acting Albany police Chief Robert Sears said at the time. He has since retired and been replaced by Police Chief Eric Hawkins. "We always try to review each case to see if there's anything we should have done better," Sears said at the time. "We're definitely conducting a review to make sure that if it wasn't done appropriately, we take appropriate measures. " On Wednesday, Officer Steven Smith said: "An internal review of the incident was conducted. We won't be discussing the details of that review as it's an internal personnel matter." Prosecutors say the sequence of events went as follows: The victim and a male friend arrived at a bar on Madison Avenue out 10:15 p.m. The male friend knew Trowell, who showed up about midnight, but the victim did not. She became highly intoxicated and, at various points, needed help in the bathroom and fell from her chair. When they left some time after 1:30 a.m., the victim needed help from several people to leave the bar and get into the male friend's nearby truck. The male friend drove. Trowell asked for a ride to his nearby apartment on Eagle Street. When they got there, Trowell unexpectedly picked up the woman and carried her into his home, which had not been part of any previous discussion. The male friend parked the truck and went into Trowell's apartment where he saw the victim on a couch. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. About 3:30 a.m., Trowell pulled out a knife and demanded the male friend leave. The male friend left and immediately called 911. Police officers arrived about 3:44 a.m. They could not gain full entry to the apartment and stayed at the scene until 5 a.m. when they and the male friend left. The victim was raped afterward. Prosecutors said Trowell "engaged in sexual intercourse with the female who remained unconscious and therefore was physically helpless." Police arrested Trowell on Nov. 7. On Monday, following a week-long trial, the jury convicted Trowell of second-degree kidnapping, first-degree rape and criminal possession of a weapon. Assistant District Attorney Shannon Sarfoh prosecuted the case. Troy Confronting a need to consolidate operations and simplify recruitment, Russell Sage College, founded as a women's school in 1916, may be going co-ed. Well become a single co-educational institution, Sage Colleges President Christopher Ames said in a recent phone interview. Im excited about it. The co-ed proposal was approved by board members in late October and it includes a reorganization of the multiple schools and names that are now operating under The Sage Colleges heading, which includes Russell Sage College and Sage College of Albany. Planners are now formalizing the reorganization outline which should be done in early 2019. The changes could take effect in the fall of 2020. The schools are technically set up as the women's Russell Sage College in Troy and the co-ed Sage College of Albany. Students apply to the schools separately but, once enrolled, can take classes at either campus, which can be confusing. There is one board of directors both schools. The overall female-to-male ratio is 73 percent to 27 percent, but that has been changing. Among new students in 2018, for instance, it's 68 percent female to 32 percent male. Currently, 24 percent of Sage College of Albany students pursue majors on the Troy campus, while 6 percent of Russell Sage College students take majors in Albany. There also are graduate schools in nursing and allied health sciences like physical therapy as well as in education and business. The plans come as Sage struggles with a junk bond rating and steep competition for students. Moodys Investor Services, which gave the school a Caa1 bond rating in May, cited increased competition for students and the schools unwieldy administrative structure as one of its challenges. Both the Troy and Albany campuses have dormitories. But the change would mean opening the Troy dorms to men. (Currently, a handful of male students in Troy who attend the schools theater program live in the dorms there). Ames conceded that the move will likely be controversial with some Russell Sage alumnae who are proud of the schools heritage as a womens institution. But in addition to confusion, Ames said Russell Sage College has in recent years suffered from what, with some exceptions, has been the long-term national decline in demand for exclusively womens colleges. Womens colleges have been incredibly valuable but the market for them has diminished, Ames said. At the same time, planners are also looking at the creation of an as-yet-unnamed womens institute at the school that would allow exploration of topics like the #MeToo movement and related gender issues, and which could contain a womens residence hall. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Russell Sage dates to 1916 when a noted Troy philanthropist and suffragist, Margaret Olivia Slocum Sage, created the school for women. The first class graduated four years later. The school enrolled men during World War II in order to support the war effort, however. By 1949, the school opened a co-ed division in Albany. Then in 1957, the co-ed Junior College of Albany opened. It became a four-year school in 2001 operating as Sage College of Albany. Overall, The Sage Colleges this year saw an enrollment increase of about 200 students, including transfers and first-year students, bringing the total incoming class to 570. Total undergraduate enrollment is 1,350, with 1,200 graduate students, including part-timers. More for you Sage's rating drops to lowest among private colleges Ames attributed the growth to a refocusing of recruitment efforts on in-state students. He said some 70 percent of college students nationally attend school within three hours of their home towns. Sage changes its name, it would not be the first Capital Region school to re-brand itself. Schenectady County Community College recently began marketing itself as SUNY Schenectady. While the official name remains the same, one reason for the change is that the old acronym, SCCC was similar to two other community colleges, Sullivan County Community College and and Suffolk County Community College, said marketing director David White. Overall, he said the school went through a two-year review of its branding and identity. rkarlin@timesunion.com 518-454-5758 @RickKarlinTU WASHINGTON President Trump fired Attorney General Jeff Sessions a day after midterm elections brought control of the House back to Democrats, setting up what may become the most serious constitutional crisis in Washington since the Watergate scandal of the 1970s. Trump carried through on his long-rumored plan to dump Sessions, whom he has never forgiven for recusing himself from the FBI investigation of Trump 2016 campaign connections to Russia, which set the stage for appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller. Trump also designated a loyalist, Sessions chief of staff Matthew Whitaker, as acting attorney general overseeing Mueller. Whitaker, who has openly criticized the Mueller probe, took the reins from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein - himself the object of Trumps Twitter scorn along with Sessions. In a letter to Trump released Wednesday, Sessions wrote: At your request, I am submitting my resignation. The abrupt switch prompted calls from Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer and other Democrats to insulate Mueller from political interference Given his previous comments advocating defunding and imposing limitations on the Mueller investigation, Mr. Whitaker should recuse himself from its oversight for the duration of his time as acting attorney general, Schumer said in a statement. Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill as news of Sessions departure was breaking, Schumer called the firing very suspect. Whitaker should not able to end it, limit it, or interfere with Mueller going forward and doing what he thinks is the right thing, Schumer said. We would hope if theres a constitutional crisis, our Republican colleagues would join us in thwarting the president from creating that crisis. Well see. While enough House seats changed hands Tuesday to give Democrats control of the House for the first time since 2011, Republicans expanded their control of the Senate by two seats, with results in a few races pending. Without a Senate majority, Schumers options may be limited. But Democratic control of the House as of January 2019 gives the party a barricade of sorts that Trump may find difficult to penetrate should he and Whitaker choose to undercut Mueller. Another New York Democrat, Rep. Gerald Nadler, whose district includes parts of Manhattan and Brooklyn, is in line to become chairman of the powerful House Judiciary Committee. Nadler on Wednesday pledged to protect Mueller. The firing of Jeff Sessions will be investigated and people will be held accountable, Nadler said in a statement. This must begin immediately and if not, a Democratic Congress will make it a priority in January. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who handily won re-election to a second full Senate term, tweeted: "The Senate must step up to protect the special counsel immediately. ... The American people deserve answers about Russian interference in our Democracy." The firing capped more than a year of Trump castigating Sessions, a former Alabama senator who had been one of Trumps earliest and most vocal Senate supporters, and he was a stalwart proponents of Trump's agenda as he pushed forward Trump's conservative policies on crime, sentencing, immigration and civil rights. Yet in August, Trump tweeted that Sessions was scared stiff and missing in action. Sessions responded by saying: "While I am Attorney General, the actions of the Department of Justice will not be improperly influenced by political considerations. Whitaker has not been shy about stating in public that Trump could rightly fire Sessions and appoint an acting attorney general to squelch Muller. "I could see a scenario where Jeff Sessions is replaced with a recess appointment and that attorney general doesn't fire Bob Mueller, but he just reduces his budget to so low that his investigation grinds to almost a halt," Whitaker said during a CNN interview last year. And in an op-ed for CNN, Whitaker said: "Mueller has come up to a red line in the Russia 2016 election-meddling investigation that he is dangerously close to crossing." SARATOGA -- A 45-year-old man was sentenced to 12 years in prison for his role in a large scale drug operation, the Saratoga County district attorney said Wednesday. The man, Cleveland Francis, was allegedly supplying a local drug dealer with more than two pounds of cocaine every few months, District Attorney Karen Heggen said. ALBANY New Yorkers voted in greater numbers on Tuesday than they did in the 2014 midterms, but turnout fell well short of Election Day 2016. According to results compiled by the state Board of Elections, more than 5.79 million votes were cast on Election Day in the state, which represented 45.6 percent of the state's electorate. The final turnout rate will likely hover above 48 percent when outstanding votes, including hundreds of thousands of absentee ballots, are counted. Across the Capital Region, turnout exceeded 50 percent, with Saratoga and Rensselaer counties leading the way at 54.8 percent. In Saratoga County, voting increased by nearly a third from four years ago. But while engagement was up 12.4 percentage points across the state compared to 2014, turnout still lagged behind the participation two years ago by 16.8 points. Downstate for Cuomo Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo rode the New York City electorate to victory on Tuesday, as he narrowly trailed Republican Marc Molinaro outside of the five boroughs. The governor took 62.2 percent of his votes from New York City and Long Island combined, where he won nearly three-quarters of the vote. The Capital Region, however, went overwhelmingly for Molinaro, with his best performance coming from the 55.6 percent he collected in Saratoga County. Cuomo comfortably won Albany County, growing his share of the vote there by nearly 7 percent from 2014. Blue wave The surge of Democratic enthusiasm that flipped control of eight state Senate seats controlled by Republicans was only powerful enough in the Capital Region to cut the GOP margins of victory in some traditionally red seats. In the past two election cycles, Republican state Sen. Kathy Marchione won by 25 percent and 29 percent in a district that includes Columbia County and parts of Saratoga, Rensselaer and Washington counties. In the open race for her seat on Tuesday, Democrat Aaron Gladd lost by about 8.2 points (based on Wednesday's tally), and collected more votes than the Democratic candidate garnered during the higher-turnout presidential election. While Democrat Tistrya Houghtling failed to unseat Republican Assemblyman Jake Ashby in the 107th Assembly District, which includes Washington, Rensselaer and Columbia counties, she did earn nearly 80 percent more votes than the most recent Democratic contender for the seat, and cut the margin of defeat by 30 percentage points. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. NY-19 Democratic congressman-elect Antonio Delgado can thank the voters of Ulster County for his narrow victory over Republican U.S. Rep. John Faso. The liberal enclave, which represented more than a quarter of the votes cast, supported Delgado to the tune of 60.1 percent. In Dutchess and Columbia counties, which accounted for about 27 percent of the turnout, Delgado racked up 51.9 percent of the vote. Faso cruised to victory in the less populated parts of the district, reaching at least 60 percent of the vote in Schoharie, Broome and Montgomery counties. The two independent candidates in the race earned 2.5 percent of the vote, which was slightly less than the margin of victory in the race. David.Lombardo@timesunion.com - 518.454.5427 - @poozer87 ALBANY While Democrats nationwide saw mixed results Tuesday evening, their longed-for blue wave swept over New York, where the party scored a resounding, long-awaited victory in the state Senate. From holding a bare 31-member minority in the 63-seat chamber heading into the election, the conference has now grown to a substantial majority of as many as 39 once final ballots are counted. That would be the largest Democratic majority in more than a century, a number that presents a different dynamic from the party's disastrous run in the majority in 2009 and 2010, when it had only the minimum of 32 votes to pass legislation. After five decades of nearly continuous Republican rule of the Senate, Democrats have many pent-up policy priorities, and the key players will shift. Here are some of the winners and losers within the chamber's orbit. Winners Andrea Stewart-Cousins: The Westchester state senator is set to become the first woman in state history to be part of the closed-door budget and legislative negotiations known up until now as "three men in a room." She is also the first Democratic leader of the state Senate since 1914 to hail from somewhere other than New York City. That could bring a more suburban perspective on issues such as property taxes, while also reflecting the conference's liberal views on social policy. It remains to be seen how far left the conference will push on hot-button priorities such as single-payer health care. Another factor: Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo helped elect some of the conference's more moderate new members, who will surely impact matters such as tax policy. NYSUT: A longtime major ally of the Senate Democrats, the state teachers union went all-in this year for the conference after Senate Republicans declined to allow a vote on a NYSUT-backed bill ending the linkage between students' state exam results and teachers' evaluations. There should be plenty of votes now in the Democratic conference to pass the union's priorities especially given the defeat of the Independent Democratic Conference, which was friendly to (and funded by) charter school supporters. One disappointment for NYSUT was the likely defeat of John Mannion, a biology teacher, for an open Senate seat that the union had targeted; the Democrats will, however, add an educator to their ranks in Sen.-elect Rachel May, an administrator at Syracuse University and former high school math teacher. Working Families Party: Few interest groups have fought as hard for a Democratic state Senate as the WFP, which also led the charge to unseat members of the IDC. Now the liberal party, which lost much of its union support over its decision not to back Cuomo this year, will be responsible for holding Democrats accountable for their vow to bring about publicly funded elections and more. The Parkside Group: The well-paid campaign consultant for Senate Democrats took its share of criticism for the conference's past failures to gain the majority. Now, the firm's phones are likely ringing off the hook: As with a number of other outfits across the state, the political consulting firm's main business is actually lobbying, which means that Parkside is well-positioned to lobby those they helped elect. The firm has close ties to Stewart-Cousins and other members. With greater power also comes scrutiny: When Democrats last held the majority in 2009-2010, the firm took criticism for lobbying the mother of Parkside principal Evan Stavisky, Queens Democratic state Sen. Toby Ann Stavisky, who is again poised to become the chair of the Higher Education Committee. (Other Parkside employees and not Stavisky himself lobbied the senator.) Other Democratic consulting firms that worked for pro-Senate Democratic outside groups include Red Horse Strategies and BerlinRosen. Mike Gianaris: The chairman of the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee since 2011, the Queens senator took his lumps and sacrificed his position as deputy leader in order to forge a reunification between the Senate Democrats and the IDC in April. With the IDC now a distant memory, Gianaris is set to serve as a power broker. Greenberg Traurig: This lobbying firm is already a top Albany earner. The firm's Josh Oppenheimer was compliance counsel for both the Senate Democrats and the state Democratic committee. Eleanor's Legacy: The group, which helps elect female candidates in New York, financed The Baker Project, an initiative to elect pro-choice women to the state Senate. Through both contributions to those candidates and an independent expenditure effort, the group helped elect at least three female Senate Democratic winners. Gary Greenberg: Greenberg, a minority owner in Vernon Downs Casino and Hotel, is also a long-time advocate for the Child Victims Act, legislation that would give greater legal recourse to victims of child sexual abuse. The bill finally appears poised for passage with Democratic control of the Senate. A PAC founded by Greenberg himself a victim of abuse as a child spent six-figure sums, and Greenberg also appeared at 16 rallies for 23 Democratic Senate candidates. Losers Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. John Flanagan: A factor largely out of Flangan's control, the presidency of Donald J. Trump, was responsible for sweeping away the long-held Senate Republican majority. Flanagan will not only lose his title as the chamber's majority leader, but with much of the Long Island Senate Republican delegation now replaced by Democrats, he may well lose his position as GOP leader. An upstate voice could well take Flanagan's place. MirRam Group: In non-state-Senate-related developments, the Manhattan-based lobbying firm is a winner, as the longtime consultant for New York City Public Advocate Letitia James, who was elected as state attorney general. But on the Senate front, the firm was a loser in the September primaries: It served as the campaign consultant for the former IDC members. Six of those eight members lost, including the IDC's former leader, Bronx Sen. Jeff Klein. Perhaps not coincidentally, MirRam recently gave a $25,000 campaign donation to the campaign arm of the Senate Democrats. Charter school supporters: It could have been worse. With polling showing a big night coming for Senate Democrats, deep-pocketed charter schools supporters did not offer their usual millions in outside support for their longtime allies in the chamber's GOP. Instead, some major charter supporters (such as Wal-Mart heiress Alice Walton) even gave major last-minute donations to Democrats for Education Reform, a group backing pro-charter Senate Democrats. That group supported three Senate Democratic candidates, though only one of them (Kevin Thomas of Long Island) looked likely to be victorious. Simcha Felder: Before Tuesday night, a single person controlled the balance of the majority in the state Senate: a Brooklyn Democrat who since his election in 2012 chose to conference with the chamber's Republicans. Felder represents the heavily Orthodox district of Borough Park, and had been able to wield broad power in the Senate GOP conference on his pet issues. But his decision to stay with the GOP, rather than flip the majority to Democrats before the election, means he will have less influence in the new Democratic majority although he could still end up joining the conference. The Catholic Church: Senate Republicans had long held up the Child Victims Act. Perhaps forecasting Tuesday's results, the church recently signaled a willingness to compromise on a key element of the legislation: allowing a window to revive old cases. The real estate industry: Jobs for New York, an independent expenditure group run by the Real Estate Board of New York, since 2014 had spent millions backing Senate Republicans. This year, the group cooled on Republicans and spent its ample funds on a single race to help Republican state Sen. Elaine Phillips, who lost to Democrat Anna Kaplan. While REBNY members made some effort to court Senate Democrats this election cycle, another city-based landlords group, the Rent Stabilization Association, poured $350,000 into a group that backed Senate Republicans. That could imperil the interests of the RSA, which represents smaller, rent-stabilized landlords, when New York City's rent laws are up for renewal in 2019. Republican lobbyists: Some Albany lobbyists that had deep ties to the Senate Republicans could have a bit less clout under Democratic rule. A few that come to mind are Mike Avella, a former Senate Republican counsel; Ken Riddett, the former counsel to ex-Senate Republican leader Joseph L. Bruno; and for Senate GOP staffers Steven Harris and John Cordo of the firm Cordo & Co. The campaign consulting firm for the real-estate-backed group Jobs for New York was Mercury Public Affairs, which has a number of Republican ties, but also boasts many Democratic veterans. Another firm historically influential on the GOP side has been Park Strategies, the firm founded by Republican former U.S. Sen. Al D'Amato. D'Amato notably did back Cuomo for governor. Nassau County Republicans: Just four years ago, the Senate Majority Leader was Dean Skelos, a Republican from deep-red Nassau County. Where once all nine state Senate seats on Long Island were Republican, now the GOP appears likely to hold just three and none of the five that are at least partially in Nassau County. A spate of recent corruption trials featuring Skelos and other Nassau Republicans contributed to the downfall. Republicans had long made the argument that Long Island would suffer under Democratic rule in particular, with less aid to public schools. But Long Island's many new Democrats have an incentive to deliver. [November 08, 2018] Canada Releases Interactive Map: Canada's Commemorative Map OTTAWA, Nov. 8, 2018 /CNW/ - Each year, on Remembrance Day, we continue to recognize and thank the brave Canadians in uniform who have served and continue to serve our country in times of war, military conflict and peace. Today, on Aboriginal Veterans Day, the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, along with Stephane Lauzon, Parliamentary Secretary of Veterans Affairs, released an interactive map highlighting Canadian locations, from cities to lakes, named after Canadians who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country in military conflicts. Called Canada's Commemorative Map, the interactive map shows the official names of geographical features such as lakes, rivers, mountains, islands, parks and other locations that were named to honour war causalities and to commemorate Cnada's war efforts from 1867 to the present. Place names provide a visible and enduring way to remember the personal sacrifice and heroism of armed forces personnel and certain civilians involved in these conflicts. To date, there are 450 names on the map, a small sample of commemorative names in Canada. The map will be updated on an ongoing basis. If you would like to contribute names to this project, please contact the Geographical Names Board of Canada Secretariat at Natural Resources Canada. Quotes "This map represents a way to forever tie Canada's land, rivers and oceans to those who served in defence of our values and democratic principles." Amarjeet Sohi Canada's Minister of Natural Resources "This is a very good way to honour and remember the men and women who have served and continue to serve Canada during times of war, conflict and peace. It is important to remember the sacrifices veterans have made during times of war, military conflict and peacekeeping missions and their contribution to our nation's history and its future. This map is a first, important step in an ongoing process with provinces and territories to commemorate those that have served in the defence of Canada." Stephane Lauzon Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence Associated Links: www.canada.ca/Commemorative-Map Follow us on Twitter: @NRCan (http://twitter.com/nrcan) SOURCE Natural Resources Canada [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 07, 2018] Intrusion Inc. Announces Financial Release Date and Conference Call Richardson, Texas, Nov. 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intrusion Inc. (OTCQB: INTZ), (Intrusion) will announce third quarter 2018 financial results on Monday, November 12, 2018. The press release will be published over the wire services after the market closes. The release will also be available on the companys web site at www.intrusion.com. Intrusion management will review the Companys financial and operational progress for the third quarter 2018 during a conference call later that day at 4:00 P.M., CST. Interested investors can access the all at 1-877-258-4925 (outside the United States, please dial 1-973-500-2152) at 4:00 P.M., CST. For those unable to participate in the live conference call, a replay will be accessible beginning November 12, 2018 at approximately 7:00 P.M., CST until November 19, 2018 by calling 1-855-859-2056 (if outside the United States, 1-404-537-3406). At the replay prompt, enter conference identification number 8077575. In addition, a live and archived audio webcast of the conference call will be available at www.intrusion.com. About Intrusion Inc. Intrusion Inc. is a global provider of entity identification, high speed data mining, cybercrime and advanced persistent threat detection products. Intrusions product families include TraceCop for identity discovery and disclosure, and Savant for network data mining and advanced persistent threat detection. Intrusions products help protect critical information assets by quickly detecting, protecting, analyzing and reporting attacks or misuse of classified, private and regulated information for government and enterprise networks. For more information, please visit www.intrusion.com. We develop, market and support a family of entity identification, high speed data mining, cybercrime and advanced persistent threat detection products. Contact Michael L. Paxton, VP, CFO 972.301.3658, [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 07, 2018] Andrew Landrum Named CFO of the Year LITTLE ROCK, Ark., Nov. 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ABC Financial Services, LLC (ABC), the leading provider of software and payment processing in the Health and Fitness Industry, announced their Chief Financial Officer, Andrew Landrum, received the CFO of the Year - for a Large Private Company, award today. In its 9th year, the award was created by Arkansas Business to honor outstanding CFO's around the state of Arkansas. Nomination forms were submitted to an independent panel of judges who determined the finalists and winners. As Chief Financial Officer, Andrew Landrum is responsible for all financial and risk management operations, as well as internal and client accounting. Andrew is dedicated to building world-class teams employing industry best practices in Finance and Accounting, and creating win-win partnerships with ABC Financial's valued clients, partners, and vendors. Andrew has 30 years' experience in financial and accounting management at Ernst & Young, LSI Financial Services (now Ally Financial), and Acxiom Corporation. He has been a licensed CPA in the state of Arkansas since 1987. "We are honored to have Andrew as our CFO," stated Corey Benish, President of ABC Financial. "This award recognizes not only Andrew's many contributions to ABC Financial, but is a testament to hi thoughtful leadership and steadfast commitment to building great teams throughout his entire career." "We are incredibly proud of Andrew for being acknowledged as the CFO of the year in the Large Private Company category," stated Bob Whisnant, Executive Vice President, ABC Financial. "He has earned this honor with his dedication, commitment, drive, passion, and inspiration to his employees and fellow workers at ABC. He continually praises others around him while refusing to take credit himself. This is why I am so pleased Arkansas Business has seen fit to call out Andrew for a lifetime of achievement." All finalists and winners of each category were honored at a special event November 7, 2018. Also, they were published in a special supplement of Arkansas Business distributed October 29, 2018. About ABC Financial ABC Financial is the nation's leading software and payment processing provider for health and fitness clubs. Its comprehensive offerings include payment processing solutions and advanced health club management tools, such as DataTrak, that allow gym owners and managers to track and manage memberships and member and employee schedules, drive member engagement, and automate payment processing functions. Founded in 1981 by Jim Bottin, ABC Financial's cutting edge technology and top quality customer service are utilized by more than 7,000 health clubs across the United States, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. The company's software has won numerous design and feature awards, such as Club Industry's Best of the Best and IHRSA's Vendor of the Year. In January 2018, ABC Financial was acquired by an affiliate of Thoma Bravo, LLC, a private equity firm based in San Francisco, CA and Chicago, IL CONTACT: Jennifer Hutchinson Director of Public Relations and Events 501-515-5029 [email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/andrew-landrum-named-cfo-of-the-year-300746183.html SOURCE ABC Financial [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 07, 2018] Clavis Insight Joins with Other Leading Ecommerce Analytics Firms to Form Edge by Ascential Clavis Insight, Brand View, One Click Retail and PlanetRetail RNG form the foundation of new industry-leading ecommerce-driven retail data, insights and advisory business SHANGHAI, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Last month, Ascential plc, the global specialist information company, announced the launch of Edge by Ascential, the next-generation data, insights and advisory service formulated by joining together Clavis Insight, One Click Retail, PlanetRetail RNG and Brand View to deliver the solutions that global brand manufacturers and retailers need to win in today's ecommerce-driven retail environment. Edge by Ascential provides its more than 500 customers with the industry's most comprehensive and actionable ecommerce-driven data, insights and advisory solutions to measure performance and drive sales, making it the industry's leading provider worldwide for ecommerce sales market share analysis, digital shelf analytics, price and promotions evaluation, and retail market optimization strategies. Edge by Ascential has over 400 employees in 10 offices across North America, Europe and Asia. "APAC is a key innovation hub for Edge by Ascential giventhe advanced nature of online shopping and retailer investment in the online channel," comments Declan Kearney, APAC MD and VP, Edge by Ascential. "We will continue to innovate our Edge Digital Shelf product and services, and provide enhanced solutions to help brands to accelerate their ecommerce readiness and leverage data and insights to optimize their performance in today's omnichannel market." In APAC, Edge by Ascential employs a team of experts across Product Development, Engineering, Consulting, Operations, Sales and Marketing. The APAC business partners with brands across 12 regional markets including China, India, Japan, Korea, SE Asia, Australia and New Zealand. In China, the Edge team and customers are partnering together to optimize Double 11 Sales, expected to fall short of the $25bn sold on Alibaba last year due to lower investment from Ali and JD and a slowing Chinese economy. The launch was announced to the Asian market during the APAC ecommerce Accelerator Summit held by Edge by Ascential in October in Shanghai. Overall 130 ecommerce professionals and industry leaders joined the Edge APAC team to explore ecommerce trends, the future of omnichannel and exchange best practice ecommerce execution. Speakers from leading brands and retailers, including Coca-Cola, General Mills, Mondelez, Pernod Ricard, Kimberly-Clark and Walmart, shared their vision and case studies. The company recently launched a Singapore office and appointed Harshal Acharya as Head of APAC Consulting to enhance the leadership team and to accelerate and improve customer adoption of Edge products and services. Before joining, Acharya was a Clavis Insight client at Johnson & Johnson, working in local, regional and global strategy and insights leadership roles. More information: www.ascentialedge.com. -End- About Edge by Ascential Formerly Brand View, Clavis Insight, One Click Retail and PlanetRetail RNG, Edge by Ascential delivers some of the industry's most accurate and actionable sales-driving data, insights and advisory solutions for global brands and retailers looking to win in today's ecommerce-driven world. SOURCE Edge by Ascential [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 07, 2018] Dr. Jesse Zhixi Fang Appointed as Chair of the RISC-V Foundation China Advisory Committee to Accelerate Adoption of the RISC-V ISA in China Today at the World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, China, the RISC-V Foundation, a non-profit corporation controlled by its members to drive the adoption and implementation of the free and open RISC-V instruction set architecture (ISA), announced that semiconductor industry veteran Dr. Jesse Zhixi Fang has been appointed Chair of the RISC-V Foundation's newly formed China Advisory Committee. Building on the RISC-V Foundation's growing footprint in China across more than 25 organizations and universities, the China Advisory Committee will guide the RISC-V Foundation's education and adoption strategies to further accelerate the RISC-V ecosystem in the region. Fang will work closely with local stakeholders and recruit key contributors within the RISC-V community in China to participate in the Committee. "We have seen significant global adoption of RISC-V, including a growing presence in China where RISC-V has received significant support from industry and academia," said Rick O'Connor, executive director of the non-profit RISC-V Foundation. "We are excited to work with Jesse, who has a proven track record of fostering innovation and growth, as Chair of the China Advisory Committee and continue the important mission of the RISC-V Foundation to enable a new era of processor innovation through open standard collaboration." Fang has more than 30 years of experience in the semiconductor field and is credited with nearly 40 global patents. Throughout his career he has held a variety of leadership roles, including his current roe as CEO of Tangram Technologies Inc., which he founded, and as a vice president at Intel (News - Alert). While at Intel, Fang launched Intel Labs China and served as its managing director, where he was responsible for five Intel research facilities as well as a joint research center with Tsinghua University to develop breakthrough technologies. Fang earned a bachelor's degree in math from Fudan University and earned a master's and doctorate degree in computer science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. "Over the past few years, China has significantly expanded its semiconductor industry in tandem with the 'Made in China 2025' initiative. Many organizations are taking advantage of the free and open RISC-V ISA to reach new levels of innovation and bolster China's semiconductor market amid global competition," said Fang. "I look forward to working closely with local companies, individual contributors and other stakeholders to build on this incredible momentum and help bring together this open, collaborative community of software and hardware innovators powering a new level of processor innovation leveraging the RISC-V ecosystem." Said Krste Asanovic, chairman of the Board of the RISC-V Foundation: "With the recent surge of interest in RISC-V in China, we've seen multiple RISC-V groups emerge, all with the goal of driving the RISC-V ISA ecosystem forward. The China Advisory Committee will provide guidance and direction for the RISC-V Foundation as RISC-V adoption continues to accelerate in China." Since its inception in 2015, the RISC-V Foundation has expanded its global reach to nearly 200 organizations, individuals, academics and universities from around the world. The RISC-V Foundation is calling on industry leaders to continue the momentum in China set by more than 25 organizations and universities, driving the adoption and implementation of the RISC-V ISA to pave the future of computing design and innovation. To learn more about the RISC-V Foundation, please visit: http://riscv.org About RISC-V Foundation RISC-V (pronounced "risk-five") is a free and open ISA enabling a new era of processor innovation through open standard collaboration. Founded in 2015, the RISC-V Foundation comprises more than 200 member organizations building the first open, collaborative community of software and hardware innovators powering a new era of processor innovation. Born in academia and research, RISC-V ISA delivers a new level of free, extensible software and hardware freedom on architecture, paving the way for the next 50 years of computing design and innovation. The RISC-V Foundation, a non-profit corporation controlled by its members, directs the future development and drives the adoption of the RISC-V ISA. Members of the RISC-V Foundation have access to and participate in the development of the RISC-V ISA specifications and related HW / SW ecosystem. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181107006015/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 07, 2018] Global Memorandum of Understanding signed between Xero and ACCA at World Congress of Accountants MoU highlights the importance of the cloud based economy to the accountancy profession SINGAPORE, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and Xero signed a global Memorandum of Understating (MoU) today at the World Congress of Accountants in Sydney. Maggie McGhee, executive director -- governance at ACCA signed the agreement with Rob Stone, National Partner Director, Xero Australia. Speaking of the agreement, Maggie McGee said: "Building upon the existing strong relationship ACCA enjoys with Xero in the UK, Singapore and Australia, the global MoU strengthens our work with an organisation that makes a difference to the accounting profession and to businesses globally. We know that the future will see a range of new technologies that will influence the way in which professional accountants work, and this is why digital is one of our seven vital skills for the future. "Our MoU is signed against a backdrop of an increasingly global and cloud-based economy, where small businesses need to be empowered with affordable, accessible technology that helps them grow their business and allows them to bring benefits for their clients," she said. Rob Stone from Xero added: "Businesses are becoming increasingly connected by trade and technology, and so platforms such as Xero, are creating new and exciting opportunities for accounting professionals and their clients to work across the globe. "Our Xero Small Business Insghts data shows us there is a correlation between businesses on our platform that are embracing digital connectivity and increased revenue and employment. Therefore, driving increased uptake of digital technology creates a huge opportunity to really grow the global economy. However, to do that really effectively, we know we need global partners who share our vision. We are looking forward to working closer with the ACCA to help our accounting partners and their clients navigate the evolving digital landscape." ACCA and Xero's MoU will: support ACCA members to prepare for the digital advances ahead, focussing on the digital skills agenda for the next generation of accountants including cloud accounting education and skills and enhancing members' competitive edge and professional mobility globally enable ACCA's partners in the small-and-medium practices (SMP) sector benefit from gaining access to business solutions and resources to help grow their business. S upport for Small and Medium Practices' (SMP) development of advanced digital skills and adoption of next generation technology to enable them to create new value-added services to grow domestically, regionally and globally. upport for Small and Medium Practices' (SMP) development of advanced digital skills and adoption of next generation technology to enable them to create new value-added services to grow domestically, regionally and globally. explore other potential areas where cooperation would be of mutual benefit to both parties, including events, research and development work. About ACCA ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is the global body for professional accountants, offering business-relevant, first-choice qualifications to people of application, ability and ambition around the world who seek a rewarding career in accountancy, finance and management. ACCA supports its 208,000 members and 503,000 students in 179 countries, helping them to develop successful careers in accounting and business, with the skills required by employers. ACCA works through a network of 104 offices and centres and more than 7,300 Approved Employers worldwide, who provide high standards of employee learning and development. Through its public interest remit, ACCA promotes appropriate regulation of accounting and conducts relevant research to ensure accountancy continues to grow in reputation and influence. ACCA has introduced major innovations to its flagship qualification to ensure its members and future members continue to be the most valued, up to date and sought-after accountancy professionals globally. Founded in 1904, ACCA has consistently held unique core values: opportunity, diversity, innovation, integrity and accountability. More information is here: www.accaglobal.com About Xero Born in the cloud, Xero is a beautiful, easy-to-use platform for small businesses and their advisors. The company has 1.4 million subscribers in over 180 countries and a thriving ecosystem seamlessly integrating with 700+ apps. On the inaugural 2018 Financial Times FT1000 High-Growth Companies Asia Pacific list, Xero was the fastest growing tech company in the $200 million+ segment. Xero won Technology Provider of the Year at the British Small Business Awards in 2016 and was rated by Canstar Blue as Australia's best accounting software four consecutive years, 2015-2018. SOURCE ACCA [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 07, 2018] Funding Societies | Modalku Included in Global List of 100 Leading Fintech Innovators Funding Societies | Modalku is the only P2P lending platform from Southeast Asia to be included in Fintech100 compiled by KPMG and H2 Ventures SINGAPORE, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Funding Societies | Modalku (FSMK) is the only peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platform from Southeast Asia to be included in Fintech100, an annual list of the top 100 leading financial technology innovators from around the world. Fintech100 is a collaboration between KPMG and H2 Ventures featuring the world's leading 50 Established Innovators, and the 50 most intriguing 'Emerging Stars'. FSMK was recognised for its efforts in solving the financial inclusion problem in Southeast Asia by making financing accessible to creditworthy SMEs. It is amongst 11 companies across 5 Southeast Asian countries that made the Fintech100 list. Fintech100 is compiled by KPMG and H2 Ventures following extensive global research and based on data across numerous aspects. Selection criteria - including annual and rate of raised capital, geographic diversity, sectoral diversity, and an X-factor that analyses business model innovation, product range, etc. - yielded 100 companies that are creating the most innovative products and services at the juncture of technology and finance. FSMK also joins the list of "Emerging 50" companies, which celebrates newer FinTech firms at the forefront of innovative technologies and practices. KPMG is a network of member firms around the world providing advisory, tax, and auditing services. KPMG Global Fintech (part of KPMG), which is present in 45 Fintech hubs around the world, and H2 Ventures, a leading Fintech venture capital investment firm based in Sydney, Australia, comprised the judging panel for the final shortlist of the Fintech100 list. Kelvin Teo, Co-founder of Funding Societies | Modalku, said, "Inaccessible SME financing is a tough but important problem to solve. While it's still early days for FSMK, we are humbled by the recognition amongst giants around the world. As we grow our presence in the region, we regularly benchmark ourselves against international standards and hope to achieve or even surpass it one day." FSMK connects local, creditworthy SMEs with investors (both individual and institutional) through a digital marketplace, thus increasing access to financing for the SME sector, which faces cash flow management issues. 81% of SMEs interviewed in the SME Development Survey by DP Information Group in 2017 stated that they experienced delays in customer payments, increasing cash flow gaps and working capital problems. With FSMK, SMEs can apply for up to SGD 2 million in unsecured business loans and SGD 3 million in secured business loans from its loan products and cash flow solutions. Since its establishment, FSMK has crowdfunded more than SGD 280 million to more than 20,000 SME loans across Southeast Asia through a pool of more than 80,000 registered investors. FSMK currently operates in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. It holds a Capital Markets Services License issued by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. FSMK received the largest Series A and Series B funding for a Southeast Asian P2P lending platform, amounting to USD 7 million and USD 25 million respectively. Its Series B funding round was announced in April 2018 and was supported by SoftBank Ventures Korea, Sequoia India, Alpha JWC Ventures Indonesia, and Golden Gate Ventures amongst others. Funding Societies | Modalku will be participating in the Singapore FinTech Festival 2018 at the Singapore Expo on 12 - 14 November 2018 at the ASEAN Fintech Startup Zone (Booth ZQ01). About Funding Societies | Modalku Founded in early 2015, Funding Societies | Modalku is a licensed digital lending platform in Southeast Asia that connects small and medium-sized enterprises ("SMEs") with retail and institutional lenders. It has achieved numerous milestones in a short span of time, including USD 25 million Series B funding round led by SoftBank Ventures Korea and supported by Sequoia India, Alpha JWC Ventures and Golden Gate Ventures. Funding Societies | Modalku is currently present in Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia, and is one of the largest digital lending platforms in the region. Through its searing growth, Funding Societies | Modalku remains dedicated to the vision of funding underserved SMEs and improving societies in Southeast Asia. Check out our story: https://blog.fundingsocieties.com/our-story/ Contact: Li Yingying, Senior Marketing Manager Funding Societies | Modalku [email protected] +65 6221 0958 Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20181108/2292923-1 SOURCE Funding Societies [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] WISeKey Releases WISePhone, the First Ever Secure Blockchain Phone with Cryptocurrency Payment Capabilities WISeKey Releases WISePhone, the First Ever Secure Blockchain Phone with Cryptocurrency Payment Capabilities WISePhone Geneva, November 8, 2018 - WISeKey International Holding Ltd ("WISeKey", SIX: WIHN), a leading cybersecurity and IoT company, today announced the release of WISePhone, a secure Blockchain mobile phone (for more info visit WISePhone.ch website), all components of which are entirely secured by WISeKey. WISeKey's Telecommunication Services Provider status under OFCOM, the Swiss Federal Office of Communications, allows the company to deploy mobile phone voice encryption solutions. WISePhone integrates WISeKey's innovative hardware and software technologies bringing to market the first and only smartphone powered by WISeCoin cryptocurrency Blockchain technology. WISePhone will also include a native Wallet that will be activated as soon as WISeCoin AG receives clearance from the Swiss financial market regulator, FINMA, to issue a Security Token Offering (STO) (https://ww.wisekey.com/press/wisecoin-ag-has-applied-for-regulatory-clearance-from-the-swiss-financial-market-regulator-finma-to-issue-a-security-token-offering-sto/). WISePhone's native Wallet is equipped with a HSM (Hardware Security Module) device and integrates the WISeKey SuisseID Digital Identity enabling cloud based qualified signing capabilities certified by the Swiss Government and in compliance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The WISePhone Wallet also uses WISeKey's Blockchain-as-a-Service ("BaaS") technology to conduct secure contactless payments and it is compatible with most of the existing Blockchain technologies. Additionally, WISePhone's suite of applications offer voice and text encrypted communication features (WISeTalk), due to sophisticated security mechanisms and advanced end-to-end encryption technologies. Furthermore, WISeID keeps users' data and digital assets protected inside an encrypted enclave (replicated in a secure swiss cloud), while WISeAccess provides additional secure authentication factors to access the WISePhone suite of applications. The WISePhone is a cost-effective and flexible platform that empowers efficiency and mobility within the organization whilst protecting the intellectual property and the confidentiality of the communications by transforming public networks and mobile devices into highly secure communication channels. "Through WISePhone, users are in control of their Identity and Data, instead of the service providers. Essentially, WISePhone is an Android phone like any other with all the same functionalities, but it has an additional locked area that is protected from Android's security issues. This unique feature, allows users to securely hold cryptocurrency or other crypto assets like non-fungible tokens, and also secure email and voice exchanges. It's a unique concept that brings over 20 years of cybersecurity and IoT experience of WISeKey into one phone," said Carlos Moreira, CEO of WISeKey. Since 2010, WISePhone.ch voice encryption products and services have been used by large user groups in public and private organizations and recently, the technology was upgraded to provide voice encryption services for a wider consumer platform, targeting global markets. Today, the platform hosted in Switzerland inside WISeKey's zero-risk bunker deep in the Swiss Alps, is providing Secure Cloud Storage solutions allowing users to securely exchange sensitive data and Identity Management with WISeID. To pre-register for WISePhone.CH: https://www.wisephone.ch/ . About WISeKey: WISeKey (SIX Swiss Exchange: WIHN) is a leading global cybersecurity company currently deploying via Virtual Platform large scale digital identity ecosystems. WISeKey's Swiss based cryptographic RoT and IoT Microchips provides secure authentication and identification, in both physical and virtual environments, for the Internet of Things, Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence. The WISeKey RoT serves as a common trust anchor to ensure the integrity of online transactions among objects and between objects and people. For more information, visit www.wisekey.com. To receive WISeKey's latest news visit the WISeKey Investors Corner. Press and investor contacts: WISeKey International Holding Ltd Company Contact: Carlos Moreira Chairman & CEO Tel: +41 22 594 3000 [email protected] WISeKey Investor Relations (US) Contact: Lena Cati The Equity Group Inc. Tel: +1 212 836-9611 [email protected] Disclaimer: This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning WISeKey International Holding Ltd and its business. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of WISeKey International Holding Ltd to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. WISeKey International Holding Ltd is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, and it does not constitute an offering prospectus within the meaning of article 652a or article 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or a listing prospectus within the meaning of the listing rules of the SIX Swiss Exchange. Investors must rely on their own evaluation of WISeKey and its securities, including the merits and risks involved. Nothing contained herein is, or shall be relied on as, a promise or representation as to the future performance of WISeKey. Attachment WISePhone.png [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] Splio Acquires Startup Gowento and Integrates Mobile Wallets Into its Marketing Platform PARIS, November 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mobile Wallets market is booming: the European rollout of Google Pay, Apple Pay ' s new product announcements, Samsung Pay launched last spring, and WeChat Pay is already a massive success in China . With Mobile Wallets, marketers can finally get into the Millennial mobile-first era by moving from post-app to the Mobile Moments phase. The benefits for marketers? Modernize the customer relationship by finally placing mobile at the heart of customer communications, engaging customers, anytime and anyplace. Splio is proud to announce today the acquisition of the French tech startup Gowento, the Mobile Customer Engagement platform. Splio adds the high-growth startup to become a major mobile CRM player and to lead the way to modernized customer relationships. Highly inspired by its deep knowledge of the Chinese market and by WeChat, Splio pursues its product development strategy around New Loyalty by adding Mobile Wallets to its omnichannel marketin platform. "With this first acquisition, Splio changes the industry landscape and sends a clear message to the European market. While China and the USA have made advances when it comes to Mobile Wallets, today Splio stands out in Europe with the integration of the Gowento's technology. A brand can now place mobile at the heart of its New Loyalty strategy and modernize the customer relationship without a third-party and without the need to download an app" said Mireille Messine, Chief Executive Officer, Splio. "The smartphone is the main interaction point between a brand and consumers, and more precisely its customers. With over 2.5 million apps available on the market and an average of twelve apps used regularly per consumer, the smartphone has become a high priority in a brand's CRM strategy. We built Gowento to respond to this challenge by using apps already available in smartphones, such as Apple Wallet, Google Pay or Google Chrome and Samsung Internet," explains Rabye Marouene, CEO and co-founder of Gowento. About Splio: www.splio.com Splio is an omnichannel marketing platform that combines marketing automation and loyalty marketing. The platform enables marketers to unify their customer knowledge, orchestrate marketing campaigns and new loyalty programs, both online and offline. Splio helps brands adapt to New Loyalty, with both points-based and relationship-based programs, to acquire, reactivate and engage their customers and boost their revenue. Contact: Sandra Fernandes [email protected] https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/780614/Splio_PDF.pdf SOURCE Splio [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] KKday Announces Series B+ Financing Round Led by Strategic Investors LINE Ventures and Alibaba TAIPEI, Taiwan, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- KKday , one of Asia's leading tours and activities ecommerce platforms, announced today its Series B+ funding co-led by LINE Ventures and the Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund. Existing investors, including CDIB Capital and Monk's Hill Ventures, also participated with follow-on investments. The strategic funding will accelerate KKday 's efforts to leverage innovative technologies in travel bookings and experiences, and further its global expansion into new markets. KKday , which launched in 2015, has been proactively expanding its business and its array of product offerings, curating more than 20,000 unique experiences in over 500 cities and 80 countries. Starting with its last round of investment, led by Japanese travel giant H.I.S., KKday has been deepening its partnerships with strategic investors to provide travelers with more in-depth and seamless travel experiences. This new financing round led by LINE Ventures demonstrates a new angle to the continued strategic investor approach. As one of the world's leading mobile messaging and technology companies, LINE Corporation provides its users with an integrated platform that features convenient daily life services, including mobile payment, retail shopping and news broadcasts. The two parties will begin their first strategic collaboration later this month in Taiwan when LINE launches "LINE Travel," a comprehensive in-app service that enables users to search and book flights, hotels, tours and activities, as well as to plan and share their itineraries with friends. "Asia's travel experience booking market has had explosive growth due to the changing of consumer behavior," said Masato Endo, the Investment Director of LINE Ventures. "And KKday , as one of the companies leading this transitional growth, has a CEO who is an entrepreneur with repeated success in the online travel agency field, an experienced executive team, and many young and aspiring team members. Through KKday 's relentless passion to create the most satisfying customer experiences, we are positive that KKday has the potential to become Asia's number one tours and activities booking platform." Chen Ming/span>-ming, the founder and CEO of KKday , states, "The investment and collaboration with LINE is a huge breakthrough, not just for KKday , but also for the travel industry. We are committed to digitizing travel experiences with our partners and are very excited to be working with LINE to build frictionless and seamless travel experiences for all travelers worldwide." According to KKday , more global collaboration with LINE is in the pipeline. Earlier this July, KKday announced financing from Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund and launched a flagship store under Fliggy, Alibaba Group's travel portal in China. Within less than four months, Alibaba witnessed the rapid growth of the business and the great potential of the company, thus increasing its investments in KKday . "Since our investment in July, KKday has demonstrated its strong execution capabilities in different markets and has shown exponential growth," said Andrew Lee, the Executive Director of Alibaba Taiwan Entrepreneurs Fund. " KKday 's goal for global expansion aligns with Alibaba's vision, and we are excited to join their journey and become a supportive strategic partner." With this latest infusion of capital, KKday is set to grow its operations in Japan, China and Korea, and expand into new markets including Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and the U.S.A. According to KKday , the investment details will remain undisclosed. About KKday KKday is an online platform that specializes in local in-destination tours and activities. Through a collection of highly curated experiences, KKday provides travelers an avenue to find exciting off-grid activities and book them easily through the platform. As the leading travel e-commerce platform in Asia, KKday is currently hosting over 20,000 experiences in over 80 countries and 500 cities. The platform is multilingual and supports both traditional and simplified Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, and other languages. KKday's goal is to be accessible and help all types of travelers find and experience new things. Visit KKday.com to learn more. About LINE Ventures With offices in Japan, the United States, China, and Korea, LINE Ventures is the venture investment arm of LINE Corporation, providing funding, industry knowledge, and operational support to its portfolio companies across the globe. Visit https://linecorp.com/en/ to learn more. About Alibaba Taiwan Entrepreneurs Fund Alibaba Taiwan Entrepreneurs Fund is a not-for-profit initiative launched by Alibaba Group in 2015. Its mission is to help Taiwan-based entrepreneurs and young people realize their dreams and visions for their businesses and communities. Alibaba Taiwan Entrepreneurs Fund is passionate about fostering the entrepreneurial spirit amongst young people. As such, it established a NT$10 billion fund in Taiwan to support local entrepreneurs. Visit https://www.ent-fund.org/en/about . About CDIB Capital Group CDIB Capital International ("CDIB Capital") invests in compelling growth oriented companies seeking to capitalize on cross market opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region. Its industry expertise, extensive local knowledge and regional footprint enable CDIB Capital to collaborate with its portfolio partners to boost enterprise value and increase connections between China and closely linked economies. CDIB Capital was established in 2006, as the private equity arm of China Development Financial ("CDF" or the "Group") with the objective to deploy and diversify the Group's proprietary capital outside of Taiwan, laying the foundation for a premier regional private equity asset management business. Visit http://www.cdibcapital.com/about.html . About Monk's Hill Ventures Monk's Hill Ventures is a venture capital fund that invests into high-growth, early stage technology startups in Southeast Asia. With a mantra of "entrepreneurs backing entrepreneurs", its founding partners Peng T. Ong and Kuo-Yi Lim are seasoned entrepreneurs who have built and backed global companies in Silicon Valley and Asia. With offices in Singapore and Jakarta, Monk's Hill Ventures invests in top entrepreneurs who are leveraging technology to take advantage of the fast-growing Southeast Asian markets. For more information, please visit www.monkshill.com . View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kkday-announces-series-b-financing-round-led-by-strategic-investors-line-ventures-and-alibaba-300746423.html SOURCE KKday [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] Enghouse Systems Acquires Telexis Solutions Acquisition Expands Product Portfolio For Public Transport Agencies and Operators MARKHAM, ON and THE HAGUE, Netherlands, Nov. 8, 2018 /CNW/ - Enghouse Systems Limited (TSX:ENGH) announced today it has acquired Telexis Solutions B.V. and Telexis B.V. ("Telexis Solutions") with annual revenue of approximately $18.8 million. Headquartered near The Hague, Netherlands, Telexis Solutions is an innovative technology provider offering public transport agencies/operators end-to-end e-ticketing solutions. It includes automated fare collection, sales and services, value added services, inspection and corresponding back office solutions. The solutions offer transit agencies/operators, ferry services and parking facilities a more efficient, fully integrated, hardware independent and scalable platform to provide high quality customer service and enhance revenue retention. "Telexis Solutions has a strong position in the Dutch market with systems that are a natural extension to Enghouse Transportation solutions," said Brad Cameron, General Manager, Enghouse Transportation. "This acquisition will improve our ability to penetrate new geographies, expand our Public Transit vision and complement our existing soutions. We are very pleased to welcome Telexis Solutions' customers and employees to the Enghouse Transportation family." Toofan Otaredian, CEO of Telexis Solutions, stated, "We are excited and look forward to joining and contributing to the success of the Enghouse team. Our complementary e-ticketing portfolio combined with Enghouse's capabilities will improve the position of Enghouse Transportation as a leading provider of Public Transit software solutions in the global market and improve the quality, continuity and sustainability of our services to Telexis Solutions' customers." About Enghouse Enghouse Systems Limited is a leading global provider of enterprise software solutions serving a variety of vertical markets. Its strategy is to build a more diverse enterprise software company through strategic acquisitions and managed growth within its business sectors: Contact Center, Networks (OSS/BSS) and Transportation/Public Safety. Enghouse shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:ENGH). Further information about Enghouse is available at www.enghouse.com. About Telexis Solutions Founded in 2000, Telexis is an innovative company tackling today's problems with the vision of tomorrow. Its technology focuses on providing end-to-end electronic ticketing solutions to the public transport vertical as well as other connected verticals such as the parking sector. The company has extensive and profound knowledge and experience in the underlying technologies such as contactless smart cards, Near Field Communications and the corresponding back office solutions. All technologies are proven, reliable and offer benefits to the public transport agencies/operators to serve their customer with high quality of service and optimize revenues. For more information, visit www.telexis.nl. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/enghouse-systems-acquires-telexis-solutions-300746437.html SOURCE Enghouse Systems Limited [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] ILIFE Celebrates AliExpress 11.11 Festival with Deals of up to 51% off SHENZHEN, China, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ILIFE, a user-driven innovation company specializing in robotic cleaning technology, is offering a variety of amazing deals on its signature lineups to celebrate AliExpress 11.11 Global Shopping Festival. ILIFE customers will be able to enjoy discounts of up to 51% on the V series vacuum/mopping robots, V7s Plus, V5s Pro; the A series carpet cleaning specialist robots, A8 and A7; and the newest floor wash robot W400. These products are invaluable to any family or individual looking for a hassle-free way to keep their home clean. The promotion will officially commence on the 11th of November (PST), and continue till the 12th of November (PST). Pre-orders are now available on ILIFE's Official Store and Spain Store on AliExpress.com, where customers can find early-bird special offers. Limited Time Deal Details: Product Promotional Price Discount V7s Plus $169.99 49% off V5s Pro $151.71 41% off A7 $239.99 40% off A6 $196.00 51% off V3s Pro $119.99 40% off W400 $249.99 30% off High-Performance Vacuuming and Mopping Robot -- V7s Plus: Dirt and dust are easily extracted by its combo of brushes and suction and then thrown into the dustbin, and stains are effectively removed by the microfiber mop cloth. Additional, with a high capacity battery, V7s Plus can effectively clean multiple rooms and large spaces. Dirt and dust are easily extracted by its combo of brushes and suction and then thrown into the dustbin, and stains are effectively removed by the microfiber mop cloth. Additional, with a high capacity battery, V7s Plus can effectively clean multiple rooms and large spaces. Best Seller 2-in-1 Robot -- V5s Pro: With powerful suction and wet mopping, V5s Pro allows easy hair, dust and debris pickup and tackles grime and dirt on the hard floor. It has four cleaning modes: Edge, Spot, Auto and Schedule, which can satisfy all cleaning needs With powerful suction and wet mopping, V5s Pro allows easy hair, dust and debris pickup and tackles grime and dirt on the hard floor. It has four cleaning modes: Edge, Spot, Auto and Schedule, which can satisfy all cleaning needs More Serious than it Looks -- A7: With the exceptional CyclonePower Cleaning System, A7 can perform high-efficiency cleaning and tackle complex tasks to offer practical home cleaning solutions. A7 can be activated through a multifunctional App, remote control or the button on the body to meet the needs of different family members. With the exceptional CyclonePower Cleaning System, A7 can perform high-efficiency cleaning and tackle complex tasks to offer practical home cleaning solutions. A7 can be activated through a multifunctional App, remote control or the button on the body to meet the needs of different family members. 1st Generation "Harsh" Floor Wash Robot -- W400: Cleaning more thoroughly than mopping robots, ILIFE W400 washes the floor repeatedly and thoroughly in 4 steps: moistening stains, scrubbing the floor, suctioning waste water and scraping residues off the floor. W400 can easily tackle "thick" household stains including sauce, paint and footprints, and scrapes away water from the kitchen and bathroom floors to avoid slippery floors. Additionally, ILIFE is collaborating with DEKO to provide even more discounts. DEKO GCD12DU3 12V MAX 3/8-Inch cordless drill and the DEKO LL5 series 4V1H1D self-leveling laser will also be part of this promotion. To purchase ILIFE or DEKO products on the discounted AliExpress 11.11 Global Shopping Festival , please visit: https://www.aliexpress.com/store/2792173?spm=2114.11010108.1000002.18.78fb649bJBTspv About ILIFE Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Shenzhen, China, ILIFE is a high-tech company specializing in robotic cleaning technology. Having successfully penetrated the global market, ILIFE's sales network reaches over 30 countries and regions, offering technologically advanced, high-quality and cost-effective robot vacuums to the consumers around the world. For more information, please visit: www.iliferobot.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iliferobotics Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/iliferobotics YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/iliferobot SOURCE ILIFE [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] Gazelle Reveals Top Five Consumer Electronics on Holiday Wish Lists Survey puts smartphones at the top of the list SAN DIEGO, CA, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Over 180 million shoppers are expected to take advantage of Black Friday deals this holiday season. Once a one-day sale, Black Friday has turned into a multi-week event with the goal of fulfilling holiday wish lists. Smartphones top wish lists this year according to a survey conducted by Gazelle, the leading online marketplace for consumers to buy and sell previously owned electronic devices. Forty-four percent of Americans who are looking to purchase new electronic devices over the holidays would like smartphones, with 23 percent eyeing a new Samsung Galaxy and 21 percent desiring a new iPhone. Rounding out the top five most wished-for items are the Apple Watch (17 percent), iPad (16 percent) and MacBook (14 percent). While 30 percent of consumers are hoping for electronic devices as gifts, only 12 percent are holding out for smartphone deals and 16 percent for tablet bargains. Retailers will need to truly surprise and delight shoppers this year to earn their smartphone, tablet and computer sales. Consumers looking to check everything off their wish list while working with a budget can shop for their favorite electronic devices through Gazelle's online marketplace. Gazelle is ensuring that its sales are focused on the products consumers prioritize at the top of their lists. So, leading up to Black Friday, Gazelle will be featuring countdown promotions and site wide sales on the certified previously-owned items most sought after this holiday season: Countdown to Black Friday Promos November 8-12 $50 off iMacs November 8-11 20% off iPhone 6s and 6s Plus November 16-28 $50 off Galaxy 8 and S8 Black Friday and Cyber Monday Specials November 23-26* *Some products available on select dates 10% off storewide 25% off iPhone X 30% off iPhone 8 Plus 15% off iPhone 7 Plus 30% off select MacBook Pro and MacBook 30% off iPad 3 & iPad 4 "While some consumers want the newest models, many are looking for the best deals, so Gazelle is making sure that their top five wish list items are available at even lower prices with competitive pre-Black Friday, Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotions," said Yanyan Ji, SVP Marketing and GM, e-Commerce at ecoATM Gazelle. "Certified previously-owned devices are a smart option for consumers looking to fulfill their holiday shopping on a budget." About ecoATM Gazelle The pioneer of reCommerce, ecoATM Gazelle offers an easy way for consumers to purchase certified pre-owned electronics as well as the ability to earn money for smartphones, tablets, and computers in two convenient ways: through the Gazelle.com online marketplace or at the over 3,000 ecoATM kiosks in malls and retail locations across the country. Learn more about ecoATM Gazelle at www.ecoatm.com and www.gazelle.com. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gazelle-reveals-top-five-consumer-electronics-on-holiday-wish-lists-300746342.html SOURCE ecoATM Gazelle [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] Xiao-i to Expand Hong Kong presence with Regional HQ SHANGHAI, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Shanghai Xiaoi Robot Technology Co. Ltd ("Xiao-i" or the "Company"), a leading developer of artificial intelligence technology and industry application platforms in China, is committed to expanding in Hong Kong as part of its international growth, according to its founder and CEO Pinpin Zhu. Dr. Zhu made the comments while hosting InvestHK Director-General Stephen Phillips at Xiao-i's AI+ Experience Centre in Shanghai. Dr. Zhu said, "Xiao-i aims to create an AI ecosystem and encourages more counterparts to join in to improve and advance the industry. As an important step in our international expansion, we established a subsdiary in Hong Kong in 2016, and are planning to develop our Asia-Pacific regional headquarters there. We have also built our AI+ Experience Centre and AI+ Open Lab in the city." Exchanging views with Dr. Zhu on the outlook for AI development and collaboration between industry and academia, Stephen Phillips said, "The Hong Kong government in its recent Policy Address was highly supportive of the importance of AI and other digital technologies. InvestHK will continue to support the innovation of companies like Xiao-i." Xiao-i's AI+ Experience Centre is China's first professional AI exhibition centre, which showcases the development of the country's AI industry as well as Xiao-i's achievements in AI industry applications across various domains such as customer service, smart city, smart finance, and smart office. Dr. Zhu during the visit briefed Mr. Phillips on the company's history and current developments. They also discussed how Xiao-i would like to seek more support from the Hong Kong government in terms of talent acquisition and market development. Stephen Phillips was accompanied by other senior representatives from InvestHK, a government department that aims to promote Hong Kong as a base to locate a business and assist overseas enterprises establish and develop their presence in the city. About Xiao-i Shanghai Xiaoi Robot Technology Co. Ltd ("Xiao-i") develops world-class AI technologies and industry applications that revolutionize business operations and provide meaningful progress to people's lives. Since its establishment in Shanghai in 2001, Xiao-i has become an industry pioneer, integrating its AI applications across multiple sectors. Over 1,000 large businesses and government organizations in China have used Xiao-i applications to improve their operations and deliver greater value to more than 800 million users. Xiao-i has become a leader in the business-to-business space and is extending this success into consumer applications and solutions. Xiao-i's major investors include Alibaba Group, China-based private equity firm CBC and other institutional investors. Official website: http://www.xiaoi.com/ Linkedin page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xiaoi/ Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20181108/2294124-1 SOURCE Xiao-i [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Homeless Veterans Shelter to Receive $10K Grant from First Security Bank and FHLB Dallas First Security Bank and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) will award $10,000 in Partnership Grant Program (PGP (News - Alert)) funds to Bob Davis Male Veterans Shelter to help the organization cover operating expenses. Local dignitaries will join bank representatives in awarding the funds at a check presentation at noon Friday, November 9, 2018, at First Security Bank's offices at 949 Hwy 62 NE in Mountain Home, Arkansas. The media is encouraged to attend. The mission of Bob Davis Male Veterans Shelter is to provide homeless veterans with food, shelter, clothing and social services needed to reintegrate into society. Services provided by the shelter include job training, education, counseling and job placement. The structure of the PGP allows FHLB Dallas member institutions like First Security Bank to make a contribution of $500 to $4,000 to a community-based organization (CBO), which FHLB Dallas will match at a 3:1 ratio. For more information about the PGP, visit fhlb.com/pgp. WHAT: Check Presentation WHEN: 12:00 p.m., Friday, November 9, 2018 WHO: Tim Coleman, President, First Security Bank Cindy Arnold, Branch Manager, First Security Bank Joanna Farris, Secretary and Treasurer, Bob Davis Male Veterans Shelter Melanie Dill, Community and Economic Development Product Manager, FHLB Dallas WHERE: First Security Bank 949 Hwy 62 NE Mountain Home, Arkansas 72653 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005012/en/ [November 08, 2018] CADAR Retail Partnership with Neiman Marcus Brings Luxury Fine Jewelry Collection to Select Brick-and-Mortar Stores and Online NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- CADAR, the award-winning luxury fine jewelry brand, has partnered with luxury retailer Neiman Marcus to further expand the distribution of its coveted collection. A curated selection of CADAR pieces are now available in stores, beginning with the Beverly Hills, Houston, West Palm Beach and Scottsdale locations, as well as online at neimanmarcus.com. CADAR is the only new fine jewelry brand featured by the venerable retailer to date this season. The collaboration developed following the evocative debut of the most recent CADAR Collection, Second Skin, at the 2018 Couture Show in Las Vegas. The CADAR aesthetic is rich in symbolism, encompassing universal themes such as light, water, life, love and nature, reimagined in a sophisticated and nuanced visual narrative. The Neiman Marcus showcase includes hand-picked pieces from the Reflections, Endless and Second Skin Feather Collections. It will soon expand to include the Second Skin Python Collection. Lance Burns/span>, National Buyer-Precious Jewelry at Neiman Marcus, stated, "I love the fluidity and femininity of the CADAR Collection. I am excited to offer this collection to our clients at Neiman Marcus." "We are thrilled to embark on this partnership with Neiman Marcus, a truly iconic fashion destination for the modern woman the CADAR woman," said Michal Kadar, Founder and Creative Director of CADAR. "It is a great honor to be chosen and to be so warmly welcomed into such distinguished company." About CADAR: Founded in 2015, CADAR made its retail debut the following year at Bergdorf Goodman and quickly became one of the most compelling new luxury brands in the fine jewelry industry. It has received numerous accolades, including for Michal Kadar as an FGI "Rising Star" in the fine jewelry category, "Best in Gold" at COUTURE 2017, and "Gold Design of the Year" in the inaugural Town & Country Magazine Jewelry Awards in 2018. CADAR is modern yet timeless, and embraces subtle visual references to Art Deco, Art Nouveau, spiritual geometry and Japanese artistic motifs. The unifying aesthetic of bold minimalism and elemental beauty is notable for its proportion and balance. Each piece is created with reverence for the architecture of the body, featuring intricate detail and stunningly fluid movement. Handcrafted in New York City and Italy by local artisans, CADAR features gold and diamonds, and reflects the singular standards of its Creative Director, Michal Kadar. To learn more or to view the collection, please visit CADAR.com. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cadar-retail-partnership-with-neiman-marcus-brings-luxury-fine-jewelry-collection-to-select-brick-and-mortar-stores-and-online-300746175.html SOURCE CADAR [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] Engagement Labs Releases TotalSocial Ranking of Top Supermarkets Brands NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Engagement Labs Inc. (TSXV: EL) (OTCQB: ELBSF), an industry-leading data and analytics firm that focuses on the entire social ecosystem and its impact on business, today released its TotalSocial top 10 ranking supermarkets and hypermarket brands in the U.S. based on social influence. The analysis is unique in that it combines offline and online consumer conversations and is based on Engagement Labs' proprietary TotalSocial data and analytics, which continuously measures the most important drivers of brand performance in both face-to-face (offline) and social media (online) conversations. The brands in the top 10 have earned the highest TotalSocial scores in the category for the last six months, compared to last year six months ending March 2017. Top 10 TotalSocial Supermarket and Hypermarket Brands Rank Change 1. Whole Foods +1 2. Target +2 3. H-E-B -1 4. Costco +1 5. Publix -4 6. Trader Joe's +1 7. Kroger -1 8. Sam's Club +5 9. Walmart -1 10. Albertsons +4 Source: Engagement Labs TotalSocial Top 10 Supermarket Brands 6 months ending September 2018 compared to 6 months ending March 2017. According to Engagement Labs' report, Sam's Club enjoyed the biggest jump in the rankings, moving into the eighth place from its previous spot at 13, primarily due to large increase in offline sentiment, and to a lesser extent an increase in online brand sharing. The brand announced in mid-2018 that they were changing the format of several of their stores to be more like "distribution warehouses" to focus on fulfilling online orders. They are also developing a small-format concept focusing on fresh food and "grab-and-go" meals. Whole Foods moved into the number one spot from its previous rank at two, due to an increase in offline brand sharing. The American supermarket chain that specializes in selling organic products was acquired by Amazon last year, and has offered savings exclusive to Amazon Prime members. Target is ranked second overall and is the top-ranked "hypermarket" on the list. "It is natural for consumers to develop a very close relationship with the grocery store they visit frequently, and thus it is important for them to focus on driving recommendations from their loyal customers," said Ed Keller, CEO of Engagement Labs. "The emergence of home delivery for groceries increases the competitive challenge. Whole Foods' number-one TotalSocial rank, combined with the backing of its new owner, Amazon, makes it the brand to watch in this important category." Consumers across generations approach shopping in different ways. Safeway dropped out of the top 10 to number 18. The brand's Florida stores have recently been acquired by Publix. While it's parent company Publix, the employee-owned supermarket chain, currently sits at number five from its previously held number one spot. This drop was caused by a decrease in the brand's sentiment, particularly online. Publix was recently at the center of a boycott because of the their support of Adam Putnam for Florida governor, a self-proclaimed "proud NRA sellout". To learn more about Engagement Labs and how to increase your brand's word of mouth in real life and online, reach out at: [email protected]. About Engagement Labs Engagement Labs (TSXV: EL) (OTCQB: ELBSF) is an industry-leading data and analytics firm that provides social intelligence for Fortune 500 brands and companies. The Company's TotalSocial platform focuses on the entire social ecosystem by combining powerful online (social media) and offline (word of mouth) data with predictive analytics. Engagement Labs has a proprietary ten-year database of unique brand, industry and competitive intelligence, matched with its cutting-edge predictive analytics that use machine learning and artificial intelligence to reveal the social metrics that increase marketing ROI and top line revenue for its diverse group of clients. To learn more visit www.engagementlabs.com / www.totalsocial.com. About TotalSocial TotalSocial is a premier data and analytics platform that provides brands with unique insights, improved marketing ROI and strategies to grow revenue. Fueled by actionable online and offline data, TotalSocial is the only platform that encompasses and listens to the entire social ecosystem. TotalSocial offers unique, proprietary data about brands, its industry and competitors. With cutting-edge diagnostics, patent-pending predictive analytics and machine learning, TotalSocial identifies business opportunities and provides recommendations and a roadmap to grow revenue and achieve business and marketing goals. Disclaimer in regard to Forward-looking Statements Certain statements included herein constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management at this time, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, Engagement Labs does not intend, and undertakes no obligation, to update any forward-looking statements to reflect, in particular, new information or future events. 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. For media inquiries please contact: Vanessa Lontoc, Marketing Director / Ed Keller, CEO Engagement Labs 732-846-6800 [email protected] / [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/engagement-labs-releases-totalsocial-ranking-of-top-supermarkets-brands-300746337.html SOURCE Engagement Labs [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] SlashNext Survey Reveals 95% of IT Security Pros Underestimate Phishing Attack Risks PLEASANTON, Calif., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SlashNext, the leader in real-time phishing site detection for businesses, today released new survey data suggesting a dangerous lack of understanding and gaps in protection against modern, fast-moving phishing attacks. A revealing survey of cybersecurity decision-makers showed that most companies lack adequate safeguards against phishing threats on the Web and many don't fully understand the prevalence and risks of this growing threat. As such, most organizations are left in the dark when it comes to understanding their exposure to modern phishing tactics and in evaluating what solutions are needed to keep employees protected and to reduce the risk of breaches. The SlashNext 2018 Phishing Survey reveals that 95 percent of respondents underestimate how frequently phishing is used at the start of attacks to successfully breach enterprise networks. Only 5 percent of respondents realize that phishing is at the start of over 90 percent of successful breaches. In fact, phishing is one of the most used and most successful attack vectors, but despite multi-level security controls and phishing awareness training for employees, most organizations remain unaware of their increasing vulnerability to these threats. Most phishing sites stay online for just four to eight hours, with some up for only minutes, according to the 2018 Webroot Threat Report. Such brief durations demand that organizations use real-time anti-phishing solutions that can detect a malicious phishing site in real time, rather than putting faith in static threat feeds that cannot keep up with the volume and short lifecycles of today's fast-moving phishing threats on the Web. While phishing attacks are often equated with phishing emails, phishing attack vectors are expanding beyond email. Both employees and consumers are subject to targeted phishing attacks in ads, search results, pop-ups, social media, IM and chat applications, rogue browser extensions and apps. Users encounter these threats on the Web or in free apps, where even a single mistaken click can open teir companies up to costly data breaches or extortion attempts. Over half of respondents to the SlashNext survey named the growing number of phishing attack vectors beyond email as a "Top 3" concern in terms of potential phishing threats. The other top concerns involved the growing sophistication and realism of spoofed sites, and the difficulties in training employees to spot these new types of phishing threats. "Phishing tactics have evolved to using very fast-moving phishing sites and attack vectors that evade existing security controls. And with such legitimate-looking phishing sites manipulating users, there is little to protect employees, not even phishing awareness training," said Atif Mushtaq, CEO and founder of SlashNext. "The solution involves a phishing detection system that can analyze and detect malicious sites like a team of cybersecurity researchers, but do it in real-time to protect users." Other key findings from the SlashNext 2018 Phishing Survey include: Nearly two-thirds of respondents (64 percent) cite shortfalls in employee awareness and training as their top concern for protecting workers against social engineering and phishing threats. Nearly half of respondents (45 percent) believe they experience 50 or more phishing attacks per month. 14 percent believe they experience more than 500 phishing attacks per month. Only one-third of respondents (32 percent) agree or strongly agree that their current threat feeds and block lists are adequate to protect users from new phishing sites. Four out of ten (39 percent) cite the inability of their current defenses to reliably detect phishing attacks as a top concern. 87% of respondents are currently evaluating or planning to evaluate real-time phishing site detection technologies. The SlashNext 2018 Phishing Survey was conducted by Survata, an independent research firm based in San Francisco. The survey was taken by 300 IT security decision-makers in mid-sized firms in the U.S. between Sept. 21, 2018 and Sept. 26, 2018. For more information and an infographic with survey results, visit www.slashnext.com. About SlashNext SlashNext is pioneering a more effective approach to real-time phishing site detection and phishing protection. With patent-pending SEER threat detection technology, SlashNext can detect malicious phishing sites in seconds with the power of adaptive machine learning in the cloud. SlashNext integrates seamlessly with customers' URL filtration/blocking defenses for immediate phishing protection against today's short-lived but highly-targeted phishing attacks, regardless of the attack vector. SlashNext founder and CEO Atif Mushtaq previously spent nine years as a Senior Scientist at FireEye, where he was one of the main architects of FireEye's core malware detection technology. SlashNext is headquartered in Silicon Valley and is backed by top-tier venture capital firms. To learn more about SlashNext and to keep up on the latest news, visit: www.SlashNext.com , or follow @slashnextinc on Twitter. Media Contact: Lisa Cravens Lumina Communications for SlashNext [email protected] 408-680-0563 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/slashnext-survey-reveals-95-of-it-security-pros-underestimate-phishing-attack-risks-300746250.html SOURCE SlashNext [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] EFG Companies Says 2019 Dealership Revenue Demands a Bridge Between F&I and the Service Drive EFG Companies, the innovator behind the award-winning Hyundai Assurance program, sees an on-ramp to profit via an elevated bridge between the F&I office and the service drive. The relationship between the F&I office and the service drive has always been a tertiary strategy. Road savvy dealers now recognize that failure to accelerate that relationship will sub-optimize revenue potential and detour long-term customer relationships. To watch EFG's CEO John Pappanastos' comment on the highway to the future success of retail automotive, visit http://bit.ly/2RB7qcg. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005213/en/ Disruptive business models, like Carvana and Vroom, have grasped the concept of utilizing customer service as a means to more efficient conversions. A high level of customer service is becoming a requirement for doing business, especially among Millennial consumers who demand their needs be met on their terms. According to Cox (News - Alert) Automotive, only 66 percent of this demographic is satisfied with the dealership experience, and 79 percent want to learn about F&I on their own, before they visit the dealer. In addition, 63 percent of shoppers across all age demographics are more likely to purchase F&I products if they could learn about them on their own time before purchase. Read the Road Signs At EFG's recent annual Agent Council, top-tier agents from across the United States discussed ways to accelerate the relationship between service and F&I. "Our dealership clients are under pressure from the OEMs to increase customer retention," said John Kane, Co-Founder of Empire Dealer Services. Empire Dealer Services took home EFG's Top Agent Award at this year's Agent Counci. "However, even if you take out that pressure, it's still clear that the most successful and cost-effective way forward is customer retention. And, the best road that I've seen toward achieving repeat business is by aligning all dealership departments with this goal." This culture shift of placing extreme emphasis on customer service involves training the sales and service team members on the benefits of the F&I products sold in finance to both the dealership and consumers. "Unit sales has always been priority number one in our industry," said Mike Dunahoo, Owner of Star Auto Group based in Abilene, TX . "While that priority remains, never before in history has the service drive been potentially the greatest lever for future success. Now, the service drive is as important as sales to continuously and genuinely please customers through value-driven information and motivating incentives for service." The industry has already seen tech-based relationship-building tools, like EFG's Driver's Advocate Mobile App System, enter the market. "We're starting to see greater utilization of digitally-based products, like Driver's Advocate, to create more relevant and timely communication between consumers and dealerships, facilitating a more one-on-one relationship," said John Pappanastos, President and CEO of EFG Companies. "In the next few years, F&I administrators and dealers need to work together to fully realize the potential these tools provide when it comes to customer service and retention." Additionally, the industry can expect to see a resurgence of maintenance programs in terms of both implementation within the dealership as well as an evolution of the programs' features and offerings. "While maintenance programs have always been around, our dealer clients are asking for support in how to best utilize them," said Kane. "Most dealers fail to recognize that a maintenance program's sole purpose is to foster customer retention. That means selling the product at, or near cost to increase product penetration, and therefore, customer retention." Lastly, recognizing the need for greater customer service goes hand-in-hand with an increased focus on training in the service center. "Dealers don't have to reinvent the wheel to remain competitive. Integrating operations between the service drive and the F&I office creates a natural customer retention cycle," said Pappanastos. "However, this integration will take more than selling F&I products. It will require dealers to invest in the service center by providing service managers more comprehensive training around customer service and sales. For example, EFG has taken proactive steps to build out a full portfolio of training services for virtually every aspect of the dealership, including service manager training." Utilizing F&I products and training to align dealership operations toward the common goal of customer retention is one step forward on the road to boosting customer service and dealership revenue. Once those rumble strips have been cleared, winning dealerships can then tackle increased transparency in the F&I office, online tools for customers to educate themselves on the benefits of consumer protection products and deliver a more consultative approach to sales. About EFG Companies EFG Companies drives the industry's highest-reported compliant F&I profitability through its distinct engagement model in which the company operates as an extension of the dealer's management team. EFG addresses total dealership performance, and its client satisfaction Net Promoter score is higher than national corporate leaders such as Southwest Airlines, USAA Banking and Finance, and Nordstrom. Learn more about EFG at: www.efgcompanies.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005213/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] Wolters Kluwer Receives Top Honors by Business Intelligence Group's BIG Award for Business for Tax and Accounting Product Excellence Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting announces it received top honors in the 2018 Business Intelligence Group's BIG Award for Business including New Product of the Year for CCH Tagetik IFRS 17 and Product of the Year for CCH Axcess. The BIG Award for Business recognizes companies, products and people that are leading their respective industries. "Being recognized by BIG Award for Business in two product categories highlights how Wolters Kluwer delivers on its value promise to customers," said Karen Abramson, CEO, Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting. "We put the customer at the center of everything and our IFRS solutions is evident of that. We focus on continuous improvement and our consistent enhancement to CCH (News - Alert) Axcess highlights that commitment." p> Tax & Accounting wins from the 2018 Business Intelligence Group's BIG Award for Business include: CCH Tagetik IFRS 17 was recognized for providing insurers with a comprehensive solution to quickly comply with the new IFRS 17 - Insurance Contracts standards including a data repository, data model, calculations, journal entries and workflow processes Category: New Product of the Year CCH Axcess was recognized for providing accounting firms with a comprehensive cloud-based platform that builds efficiency in tax preparation, compliance and workflow processes through multiple cloud-based modules Category: Product of the Year About Wolters Kluwer Wolters Kluwer is a global leader in professional information, software solutions, and services for the health, tax & accounting, finance, risk & compliance, and legal sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with specialized technology and services. Wolters Kluwer reported 2017 annual revenues of 4.4 billion. The group serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 19,000 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands. Wolters Kluwer shares are listed on Euronext Amsterdam (WKL) and are included in the AEX and Euronext 100 indices. Wolters Kluwer has a sponsored Level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) program. The ADRs are traded on the over-the-counter market in the U.S. (WTKWY). For more information about our solutions and organization, visit www.wolterskluwer.com, follow us on Twitter, Facebook (News - Alert), LinkedIn, and YouTube. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005433/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] BlackRidge Technology Partners with Atrion Communications to Deliver Enhanced Cybersecurity Solutions to Customers RENO, Nev., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- BlackRidge Technology International, Inc. (OTCQB: BRTI), a leading provider of next-generation cyber defense solutions, is partnering with Atrion Communications, a full-service information security and technology consulting firm, to bring enhanced cybersecurity solutions to Atrion's customers. BlackRidge products will extend Atrion's cybersecurity solutions portfolio and be featured in the Atrion Cyber Innovation Center, an interactive cybersecurity solution center where a set of integrated and robust technologies allow customers to see a holistic cybersecurity solution in action. BlackRidge's adaptive cyber defense technology authenticates users and devices in the very first packet of a network session, before a connection is established, and greenlights trusted users and blocks or redirects unauthorized or anonymous traffic. The solution allows organizations to enforce access rules, implement microsegmentation policies, and cloak networks and other assets to prevent scanning and probing by cyber-attackers. "BlackRidge is committed to a channel strategy that includes enlisting best-of-breed solution partners like Atrion Communications to deliver our advanced cyber defense solutions to the market," said Bill Joll, head of worldwide sales at BlackRidge Technology. "The Atrion partnership will simplify and expedite the procurement of BlackRidge solutions for Atrion's customers by allowing their customers to test and simulate protection against cyber threats using the realistic customer environments in Atrion's Cyber Innovation Center." "Since our funding in 1985, Atrion has partnered with top technology providers that drive innovation, like BlackRidge Technology," said Dom Grillo, president of Atrion Communications. "As technology and customers' needs have evolved, we've continuously adapted to meet those needs. The latest evolution has been the expansion of our cybersecurity solutions portfolio, as well as the rollout of additional services focused on security program development. The partnership with BlackRidge will help us further strengthen our customers' cybersecurity programs." "BlackRidge Technology's pedigree was forged in military operations that require a high degree of protection," said Richard Moore, chief information security officer at Atrion Communications. "The BlackRidge solution represents a new way to look at cybersecurity: defending servers, networks, industrial control systems and cloud platforms by establishing pre-session cryptographic authentication and essentially cloaking the network architecture from potential attackers. BlackRidge allows CXOs to deploy a proven technology that is flexible enough to meet most business technology objectives and cybersecurity strategies." About Atrion Communications Atrion Communication Resources, Inc., is a veteran-owned full-service information security and technology consulting firm, founded in 1985 by Pat Grillo. Atrion's mission is to ensure a secure world where all can operate with peace of mind, knowing their data is protected with a cohesive strategy and the industry's most innovative technology. Headquartered in Branchburg, New Jersey, Atrion services companies across all vertical markets, with a focus on medium to large enterprise businesses in the northeastern United States. About BlackRidge Technology BlackRidge Technology provides an adaptive cyber defense solution that enables our customers to deliver more secure and resilient business services in today's rapidly evolving technology and cyberthreat environments. The BlackRidge Adaptive Trust solution provides end-to-end security that proactively isolates cloud services, protects servers and segments networks. Our patented First Packet Authentication technology authenticates user and device identity and enforces security policy on the first packet of a network session. This new level of real-time protection blocks or redirects unidentified and unauthorized traffic to stop attacks and unauthorized access. BlackRidge was founded in 2010 to commercialize its military-grade and patented network security technology. For more information, visit www.blackridge.us. Media Relations Contact: LANE, A Finn Partners Company Lisa Heathman +1-503-546-7871 [email protected] Investor Relations Contact: MZ North America Chris Tyson +1-949-491-8235 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/blackridge-technology-partners-with-atrion-communications-to-deliver-enhanced-cybersecurity-solutions-to-customers-300746418.html SOURCE BlackRidge Technology International, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] NanoSphere Forms Cannabis Subsidiary in Canada NanoSphere Health Sciences, Inc. (CSE: NSHS) (OTC: NSHSF) ("NanoSphere" or "the Company"), is taking its cannabis business global with the formation of a wholly owned subsidiary, NanoSphere Cannabis International ("NCI"). This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005279/en/ NanoSphere Health Sciences produces a range of healthy cannabis products under the Evolve trademark. (Photo: Business Wire) NanoSphere developed a patented process using nanoparticles to deliver medicines, nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals directly through the skin or the mucous membrane into the blood stream. The technology allows for more precise dosing, faster onset, and better bioavailability of medicines or cannabis. The new Vancouver-based company will be charged with the task of licensing NanoSphere's groundbreaking technology in countries where medical or recreational cannabis is legal. Gary Symons, currently CEO at Deep Incite Consulting and Director of Communications at Delta 9 Cannabis, has been named President and Chief Operating Officer of NCI. Symons comes to the cannabis business with an unusual skill set. He was an investigative and crime reporter for 23 years, most recently with CBC News, and then founded and ran VeriCorder Technology until it was acquired in 2012. Mr. Symons has worked in the cannabis industry since 2012 as a financier, consultant and advisor to several cannabis companies, including Delta 9 Cannabis Inc., (TSXV: NINE) (OTC: VRNDF) and also owns a boutique finance and communications firm. Mr. Symons was involved in more than $50 million in financing for the sector during that time, and has negotiated dozens of international licensing deals over his career. NanoSphere CEO and Chairman Robert Sutton says the NCI operation is being formed to focus specifically on the global cannabis industry. "The NCI operation is being formed in Canada to focus specifically on Canadian and Global opportunities available in the cannabis industry," Sutton explained. "Leaders in the industry from around the world look to companies in the Canadian legal market for guidance on regulations and product development. It is important that the NanoSphere delivery system be represented in these discussions to aid in our global expansion." "The formation of NCI is partly designed to help foster the partnership between NanoSphere and Delta 9 Cannabis Inc.," adds Symons. "We are working to finalize our agreement with Delta 9 to be our Canadian partner and holder of the Master License for our Cannabis Delivery System. The unique grow pod system developed by Delta 9, combined with our technology, would give both companies a means to rapidly expand into global markets with a product that no other company can match." NCI and Delta 9 are currently preparing applications to Health Canada for a suite of products that will provide a safer and healthier way to consume cannabis, both for the medical and recreational cannabis markets. NanoSphere's Commitment to Licensing IP NanoSphere launched its IP licensing program in 2015 and is entertaining several licensing opportunities via a rigorous evaluation process. For more information about NanoSphere's licensing program, please visit: https://www.nanospherehealth.com/licensing/ About NanoSphere NanoSphere Health Sciences, Inc. is a biotechnology firm specializing in the creation of the patented NanoSphere Delivery System, a revolutionary platform using nanotechnology in the biodelivery of supplements, nutraceuticals and over-the-counter medications for the cannabis, pharmaceutical and animal health industries, and beyond. Covered by U.S. Patent No. 10,028,919 and U.S. Patent No. 9,925,149, NanoSphere Delivery System represents one of the most important developments for advancing the non-invasive and user-friendly delivery of biological agents in over 25 years. NanoSphere was named for the 2018 Frost and Sullivan Technology Innovation Award and was recognized by ACQ5 Global Awards as Company of the Year for Nano-Biotechnology, Innovative Company of the Year for Healthcare, and its CEO Robert Sutton was honoured as Gamechanger of the Year. For more information on NanoSphere, please visit http://www.nanospherehealth.com. About Evolve Formulas Evolve Formulas is the provider of the world's first and only scientifically proven nanoparticle delivery system in cannabis. Evolve's pioneering product, Transdermal NanoSerum, is a fast-acting, ultra-strength transdermal formula infused with nano-encapsulated cannabis and cannabis extracts. NanoSerum immediately penetrates the skin to deliver direct-focused results and intelligently carries a full spectrum of cannabinoids and phytochemicals to receptors throughout the body for systemic healing. Evolve Formula products leverage NanoSphere Health Sciences patented NanoSphere Delivery System. The NanoSphere Delivery System is a revolutionary platform using nanotechnology in the biodelivery of supplements, nutraceuticals and over-the-counter medications for the cannabis, pharmaceutical and animal health industries, and beyond. For more information on Evolve Formulas, visit https://www.evolveformulas.com/. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward Looking Statement Caution This news release includes forward looking statements that are subject to assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Statements in this news release which are not purely historical are forward looking statements, including without limitation any statements concerning the Company's intentions, plans, estimates, expectations or beliefs regarding the future. Although the Company believes that any forward looking statements in this news release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such forward looking statements will prove to be accurate. The Company cautions readers that all forward looking statements, including without limitation those relating to the Company's future operations and business prospects, are based on assumptions none of which can be assured, and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward looking statements. Readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such risks and uncertainties and should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements. Any forward looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual events or results could or do differ from those projected in the forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005279/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] Students Facing Physical, Learning, and Mental Health Challenges Can Rise Above with Disability Guides from TheBestSchools.org GEORGETOWN, Ky., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- College and university are hard enough without the added challenges faced by those with disabilities, be they learning, mental health, or physical. To assist students, especially those off campus in online learning situations, TheBestSchools.org has released these Disability Guides: Learning Accommodations for Online College Students https://thebestschools.org/resources/learning-accommodations-online-college-students/ Laws Impacting Students with Disabilities https://thebestschools.org/resources/students-disabilities-laws/ Disability Advocacy for Students Online https://thebestschools.org/resources/disability-advocacy-students-online/ Physical Disabilities and Online College https://thebestschools.org/resources/physical-disabilities-online-college/ Learning Disabilities and Online College https://thebestschools.org/resources/learning-disabilities-online-college/ Visually Impaired Students and Online College https://thebestschools.orgresources/visual-impairment-online-college/ Hearing Impaired Students and Online College https://thebestschools.org/resources/hearing-impairment-online-college/ Autism Spectrum and Online College https://thebestschools.org/resources/autism-spectrum-online-college/ Disabled Veterans and Online College https://thebestschools.org/resources/disabled-veterans-online-college/ Mental Health Resources for Online College Students https://thebestschools.org/resources/mental-health-online-college-students/ Online Learning News for Students with Disabilities https://thebestschools.org/resources/online-learning-disabilities-news/ The guides pack legal rights information, support organization links, productivity enhancement tips, degree choice advice, and the latest disability-specific computer and assistive-technology tool suggestions to meet the unique needs of a variety of disabled students. In addition, at a time when students in online degree programs report the highest level of satisfaction with their college experience, TheBestSchools.org offers reasons why online college is perfectly suited for students with disabilities. "No obstacles should stand in the way of students' dreams for their education," says Dan Edelen, marketing director for TheBestSchools.org. "While colleges continue to improve accessibility, we're working to bring all those positive services and improvements to the attention of those who need them most. Our Disability Guides meet a student's particular needs and does so in a way that delivers valuable information succinctly, while integrating a wide range of resources for simplified access." TheBestSchools.org is the authoritative source for school rankings secondary, college & university, postgraduate, online, and on-campus providing millions of prospective students with the information they need to find the right school for them. TheBestSchools.org is an educational website whose staff and advisory board believe learning transforms lives for the better and should be a lifelong pursuit. Contact: Dan Edelen Marketing Director TheBestSchools.org [email protected] (513) 601-8202 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/students-facing-physical-learning-and-mental-health-challenges-can-rise-above-with-disability-guides-from-thebestschoolsorg-300746270.html SOURCE TheBestSchools.org [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] Telstra Corporation Limited to present at the dbVIC - Deutsche Bank ADR Virtual Investor Conference on November 14, 2018 Company invites individual and institutional investors, as well as advisors, to attend interactive, real-time virtual event MELBOURNE, Australia, Nov. 8, 2018 /CNW/ -- Telstra Corporation Limited (Australia: TLS; OTC Pink: TLSYY) based in Australia and focused on telecommunications services, today announced that Telstra's Head of Investor Relations, Ross Moffat, will present at the dbVIC - Deutsche Bank American Depositary Receipt (ADR) Virtual Investor Conference on November 8, 2018. This virtual investor conference is aimed exclusively at introducing global companies with ADR programs to investors. DATE: November 14, 2018 TIME: 12:30 PM ET LINK: https://tinyurl.com/111415dbvicprepr This will be a live, interactive online event where investors are invited to ask international companies their questions in real-time and to download a company's information in their "virtual trade booth" in the Exhibits section. If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an on-demand archive will be available for 90 days. Participation is free of charge. It is recommended tha investors pre-register to save time and receive event updates. Recent Company Highlights 20 June 2018 announced new three year strategy, Telstra2022 (T22) announced new three year strategy, Telstra2022 (T22) 16 August 2018 announced FY18 results announced FY18 results 16 October 2018 AGM About Telstra Telstra is a leading telecommunications and technology company. We offer a full range of services and compete in all telecommunications markets in Australia, operating the largest mobile and Wi-Fi networks. Globally, we provide end-to-end solutions including managed network services, global connectivity, cloud, voice, colocation, conferencing and satellite solutions. We have licenses in Asia, Europe and the United States and offer access to more than 2,000 points of presence across the globe. For more information visit www.telstra.com. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/telstra-corporation-limited-to-present-at-the-dbvic---deutsche-bank-adr-virtual-investor-conference-on-november-14-2018-300746434.html SOURCE Telstra Corporation Limited [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] New RootMetrics Report Shows AT&T and Verizon in a Heated Race for Top Mobile Performance in Cleveland BELLEVUE, Wash., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A new report from RootMetrics by IHS Markit, the gold standard for mobile performance benchmarking, reveals Verizon and AT&T share the overall performance award in Cleveland, which Verizon previously won outright. According to the latest 2nd Half 2018 Cleveland Metro RootScore Report , AT&T and Verizon also tie for awards in network reliability and call performance. Meanwhile, Verizon earns the Data Performance RootScore Award outright for the second consecutive testing period. Looking at data performance in the metro area, AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon record the fastest median download speeds ranging between 39.4 Mbps and 44.3 Mbps. Meanwhile, Verizon alone records the fastest median upload speed at 17.0 Mbps, allowing subscribers to upload a picture to social media in about two seconds. "The mobile performance race in Cleveland is getting more intense, with multiple award wins for Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile," said Doug King, director of business development at RootMetrics. "AT&T and Verizon have made network reliability a priority, while T-Mobile continues to heat up the competition in network speed. It's clear Cleveland natives are in good hands with the mobile networks improving to fit the needs of all smartphone users, no matter how they use their devices most." This is the fifteenth time RootMetrics has tested the mobile networks in Cleveland and issued findings for the metro area. RootScore Reports provide a scientific, independent, onsumer-focused assessment of mobile network performance. Mobile Performance You Can Depend on Reliability and speed are crucial to a consistently good mobile experience. RootMetrics indicates performance in these key areas with its network reliability category, a combination of results from data, call and text tests. Its network speed category examines results across testing of data transfers, downloading email and web/app tasks. While all four carriers earn high scores of 97.6 and above in the network reliability category, Verizon and AT&T tie for the top spot. Meanwhile, Verizon and T-Mobile share the award for network speed. Data Performance The data performance category reflects how well networks perform in downloading and uploading data, performing email tasks and downloading files that approximate loading typical webpages or apps. Verizon wins the Data Performance RootScore Award outright for the second consecutive report. The carrier also records the fastest median upload speed at 17.0 Mbps, while AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon record the fastest median download speeds, ranging between 39.4 Mbps and 44.3 Mbps. Subscribers on AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon can expect to download a high-definition television show in about two minutes. Call and Text Performance Call and text capabilities are fundamental to a strong mobile experience. Call performance testing is based on how reliably each network can place and maintain calls, while text performance measures how reliably and quickly consumers can send and receive text messages. Verizon and AT&T share the award for call performance, while all four carriers share the Text Performance RootScore Award. Comprehensive Testing To evaluate the mobile experience in Cleveland, RootMetrics conducted tests across all hours of the day and night from October 8 through October 19. Using smartphones purchased off the shelf at carrier stores, tests were conducted indoors at 113 locations and while driving 2,281 miles. For details about RootMetrics testing, see the methodology section of the RootMetrics website. About RootMetrics RootMetrics by IHS Markit is mobile analytics that measure mobile network performance and offers insights into the consumer mobile experience. RootMetrics provides data on mobile network performance to help the networks improve and give consumers an end-to-end look at mobile performance. To ensure that RootMetrics testing reflects real-world mobile usage, testing is conducted based on where, when and how consumers use their smartphones most often. IHS Markit and RootMetrics are registered trademarks of IHS Markit Ltd. and/or its affiliates. All other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners 2018 IHS Markit Ltd. All rights reserved. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Lori Niquette for RootMetrics [email protected] 617-779-1800 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-rootmetrics-report-shows-att-and-verizon-in-a-heated-race-for-top-mobile-performance-in-cleveland-300746474.html SOURCE RootMetrics [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] Town Shoes Canada Taps SB360 Capital Partners To Conduct Closing Sale For All 28 Stores And Ecommerce TORONTO, Nov. 8, 2018 /CNW/ -- Town Shoes Canada, a trend setting mid-luxury footwear retailer, has retained SB360 Capital Partners LLC (www.sb360.com), to assist in the closure of all 28 stores operating as Town Shoes and the Town Shoes ecommerce platform. Ohio based DSW Inc., parent company of Town Shoes Limited, announced earlier this year the decision to close all stores bannered as Town Shoes. The Company will focus their Canadian investment on the growth of the larger Town Shoes Limited banners including DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse, The Shoe Company, and Shoe Warehouse. SB360 Capital Partners ("SB360") is one of North America's largest and most experienced companies providing asset disposition and advisory services. SB360 will assist Town Shoes with the liquidation of all inventory and the orderly wind-down of the remaining 28 stores and the ecommerce platform. A "Closing Sale" is already underway with discounts storewide and across all categories of the ecommerce platform. Ziggy SchafferCanada is synonymous with high quality, trend-setting footwear for Men and Women. To find this level of mid-luxury product at a discount is really unheard of." "Town Shoes is an incomparable brand well-known throughout Canada," said Aaron Miller, Executive Vice President of SB360. "With some of the finest labels to be found anywhere, the discounts offered during the winddown will be historic." Over the last couple months SB360 assisted Town Shoes with the closing of locations in the Fairview Mall and Chinook Centre. Earlier this year the firm helped Nine West Canada with the closure of 35 Nine West stores and the winddown of the Nine West Canada ecommerce store. SB360 is currently engaged in numerous US ventures and is assisting US furniture labels Thomasville and Broyhill with the closure of company-owned stores. About SB360 Capital Partners, LLC SB360 Capital Partners (www.sb360.com), a Schottenstein Affiliate, helps businesses manage change, restructure assets, and turn around dwindling profitability. SB360's equity investments in retail, wholesale, and consumer product companies, fund turnarounds and infuse capital for growth opportunities. Other acquisitions provide liquidity to businesses experiencing change. SB360 acquires assets of all types including inventory, fixed assets, intellectual property, real estate, and complete business units. Asset disposition services range from guaranteed asset value recovery to acting as a liquidation consultant. The firm also has entities engaged in real estate advisory, commercial real estate investment, and the operation of the SBC Logistics Asset Recovery Center in Columbus. A lending affiliate, Second Avenue Capital Partners, provides asset-based loans for middle market companies. The principals of SB360 hold extensive commercial interests in national retail and wholesale operations; internationally recognized consumer brands; commercial, residential, and industrial real estate properties; and financial service operations. About Town Shoes Limited With more than 65 years of retailing heritage, Town Shoes Limited is the largest branded footwear retailer in Canada. The company operates stores across Canada under four banners: Town Shoes, DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse, The Shoe Company, and Shoe Warehouseeach dedicated to fashion, quality and value. Town Shoes Limited is based in Toronto, Ontario, and is a division of U.S.-based DSW Inc. SOURCE SB360 Capital Partners LLC [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] Mountaingate Capital Platform HS2 Solutions Announces Rebranding to Bounteous and Expands into Canada with Acquisition of Demac Media Mountaingate Capital portfolio company HS2 Solutions, a leading creator of big-picture digital solutions, has rebranded as Bounteous, uniting its deep capabilities in strategy, customer experience, engineering, eCommerce, analytics, and digital marketing across North America. The Bounteous brand combines HS2, LunaMetrics, Infield Digital, and now, Demac Media, under an integrated offering of digital competencies, providing more comprehensive digital transformation solutions for clients than ever before. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005201/en/ The Bounteous new brand identity, logo, and website, www.bounteous.com, celebrate the team's premier capabilities, unsurpassed talent, and expanded geographic reach. Bounteous, meaning "generously given" or "plentiful," speaks to the flow of insights, ideas, imagination, and innovation across disciplines and business functions. "The best digital brand experiences are created when we activate the abundance of data and insights across all the digital touchpoints that permeate our lives. Everything we do is designed to optimize that flow, so we can create big-picture digital solutions that drive results for our clients," said Phil Hollyer, Bounteous co-founder and CEO. Keith Schwartz, Bounteous co-founder and President, added, "We are fueled by the boundless energy, passion, and pure talent that flows through our team. Now one company united by a shared set of values, we'll continue to provide top-notch client service, deep critical thinking, flawless execution, and excellent business results to our valued clients and partners." Bounteous also announced the acquisition of Demac Media, Canada's largest and most established eCommerce agency, and that it will become Bounteous Canada. Bounteous Canada leverages strategic partnerships with world-class commerce platforms including Adobe (News - Alert)/Magento, Shopify, and Workarea. With this acquisition, Bounteous now employs close to 400 experts across offices in Chicago, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Denver, Berlin, and Toronto. Bounteous Canada brings its expertise in digital commerce solutions to the North American enterprise, leveraging more than a decade of experience across hundreds of leading companies including Sleep Country, Staples (News - Alert) Canada, and the Government of Alberta. Bounteous Canada is the largest Magento Gold partner in Canada and one of the top Magento partners globally. "Bounteous Canada is dedicated to being the best customer experience, eCommerce, and strategic partner for clients across North America," said Mike Brown, who joins Bounteous Canada as its new president with the acquisition. Brown is the former Chief Growth Officer for ICF Olson (News - Alert) and president of its Canadian subsidiary, where he built what began as a small mobile technology startup into one of the country's top digital agencies, and subsequently guided it through two successive acquisitions. "By aligning with the strength of Bounteous, we're able to both expand the reach of our eCommerce leadership into the U.S., and also strengthen the complementary capabilities that can deliver results for our Canadian partners." About Bounteous Founded in 2003 in Chicago, Bounteous delivers comprehensive strategy, customer experience, engineering, eCommerce, analytics, and digital marketing solutions to leading Fortune 1000 companies. The company helped build Domino's Pizza into one of the world's most successful eCommerce brands and serves as the agency of record for Domino's Canada. It was recognized as 2018's Adobe Emerging Partner of the Year and is an Acquia Preferred Partner and Google (News - Alert) Marketing Platform Sales Partner. For more information, please visit www.bounteous.com. For the most up-to-date news, follow Bounteous on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. About Mountaingate Capital Mountaingate Capital is a private equity firm based in Denver that specializes in building and empowering lower middle market companies with strong growth potential and engaged leadership teams. The firm was launched by a team of partners with deep investment expertise in four distinct market sectors: marketing services, business/industrial services, specialty distribution and specialty manufacturing, including medical devices. Mountaingate's focus on organic growth coupled with its proven customer-centric buy-and-build approach for add-on acquisitions and shared equity ownership with management creates more value for the end customer, while forging stronger, more collaborative, and more successful investment partnerships with management teams. In 2017, Mountaingate announced the close of its first fund with $395 million in capital commitments. Mountaingate targets investments in new platform companies typically with $5 million to $25 million of EBITDA. For more information on Mountaingate, please visit www.mountaingate.com. Follow Mountaingate on LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005201/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] Frost Bank Leverages Machine Learning to Drive Awareness for "Opt for Optimism" Initiative AdTheorent, Inc., a digital advertising leader using advanced machine learning technology and solutions to deliver impactful advertising campaigns for marketers, and McGarrah Jessee, a full-service, Austin-born creative and brand development agency, today announced results from a digital awareness campaign within Frost Bank's "Opt for Optimism" initiative. The goals of the campaign are to drive awareness of Frost and the initiative among an audience of optimistic individuals, as well as to inspire optimism among the target audience. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005504/en/ The Overall "Opt for Optimism" Initiative Bigger than a traditional marketing campaign, Opt for Optimism is a multiyear, grassroots-inspired initiative to combat cultural pessimism and ignite the powers of optimism. Frost's goal is to move beyond telling people to be optimistic, and, instead, to help them feel it. Through partnerships, storytelling and public activations, Frost is sparking active conversations about optimism in order to help people experience its benefits for themselves and, in the process, align the Frost brand with this positive and beneficial human capability. The digital awareness campaign is one part of the overarching "Opt for Optimism" initiative, and due to the success of the first campaign, AdTheorent is currently executing a second cross-screen digital campaign utilizing rich media and interactive pre-roll video. "I encourage all of you to go to opt4optimism.com and just look at the content there. We're trying to build community. We're trying to inspire generosity. Take the 30-day optimism challenge. It'll make you a better person." said Phil Green, Chairman and CEO of Frost Bank. Custom Audience (News - Alert) Builder: Identifying Optimists To identify the target audience of optimistic and generous people, AdTheorent uilized its Audience Builder capability. AdTheorent's Audience Builder leveraged elegant live-poll ad units to identify a deterministic audience of engaged hand-raisers. In this case, AdTheorent polled individuals about optimism and charity with two unique questions: Do you think optimism can be learned? Have you donated to charity recently? AdTheorent then used the attributes and characteristics of consumers who responded to build a Predictive Audience, after which AdTheorent's machine learning platform identified the consumers within that audience who were most likely to convert. Campaign Results: Measured by Moat Analytics The campaign Video Completion Rate (VCR) was 82%, exceeding the industry average by 9.3%. Additionally, AdTheorent utilized Moat to measure real-time attention analytics beyond CTR. The campaign was very successful, exceeding all client-defined benchmarks: 40.82% Attention Quality, which is the percentage of impressions that converted from hovering to interacting; 32.22% Completion Quality, which is the percentage of video completes that were audible and visible. "Our goal is for people to discover conversations and experience optimism through active involvement, all on their own terms," said Elizabeth Crawford, Associate Media Director at McGarrah Jessee. "AdTheorent's unique ability to deterministically identify 'optimists', and then through machine learning identify those with the highest likelihood of engaging with that messaging has been an extremely effective approach for us, and we are thrilled with the results of this campaign." To learn more about Frost's "Opt for Optimism" initiative, please visit: WWW.OPT4OPTIMISM.COM About AdTheorent AdTheorent uses advanced machine learning technology and solutions to deliver impactful advertising campaigns for marketers. AdTheorent's industry-leading machine learning platform powers its predictive targeting, geo-intelligence, proprietary relationship graph and in-house creative capability, Studio A\T. This product suite allows advertisers to identify the most qualified individuals coupled with the optimal creative experience to drive campaign performance and deliver on advertiser KPIs at scale. In the last year, AdTheorent's solutions have been recognized with numerous awards, including: "Best AI-Based Advertising Solution" (AI Breakthrough Awards), "Most Innovative Product" (B.I.G. Innovation Awards), "Most Innovative Platform" (DMA Innovation Award), as well as Frost & Sullivan's (News - Alert) "Digital Advertising Leadership Award" and Deloitte's Technology "Fast 500." AdTheorent is headquartered in New York, with twelve office across the United States and Canada. For more information, visit adtheorent.com. About Frost: Frost is the banking, investments and insurance subsidiary of Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. (NYSE: CFR), a financial holding company, headquartered in San Antonio, with $31.2 billion in assets at September 30, 2018. One of the 50 largest U.S. banks, Frost provides a wide range of banking, investments and insurance services to businesses and individuals across Texas in the Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Permian Basin, Rio Grande Valley and San Antonio regions. Founded in 1868, Frost has helped clients with their financial needs during three centuries. About McGarrah Jessee Founded in 1996, McGarrah Jessee is a full-service, Austin-born creative and brand development agency built on the philosophy that having no hard walls between disciplines leads to greater collaboration and innovation. In 2017, McGarrah Jessee was named Small Agency of the Year: Gold by AdAge and has been recognized by Outside Magazine as a best place to work. The agency and its work has been featured in Fast Company, Ad Age, Adweek, Communication Arts and ANA Magazine. www.mc-j.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005504/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] Peapod Names Selma Postma as New President CHICAGO, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Peapod today announced that Selma Postma, who most recently served as general manager of Albert Heijn Online, has been appointed to the role of president, Peapod, effective Jan. 1, 2019. "We're extremely pleased to have Selma to serve at the helm of Peapod," said JJ Fleeman, chief ecommerce officer and President, Peapod Digital Labs. "Selma has a proven track record of building an omnichannel experience at Albert Heijn, where she accelerated online growth to more than 20 percent annually and launched several customer-facing solutions, such as the popular mobile app, Appie, single sign-on with bol.com, the largest online, non-food retailer in the Netherlands, and much more. We are confident her expertise will accelerate the ecommerce experience for Peapod customers and continue to grow sales." Postma joins Peapod after a distinguished career of nearly 20 years at Albert Heijn, Ahold Delhaize's largest grocery retailer in the Ntherlands. Since 2014, she was General Manager of Albert Heijn Online, where she led the transformation of Albert Heijn into an omnichannel retailer by optimizing ah.nl and creating customer features such as predict my list, voice assistants and subscription services. "I'm very excited to join Peapod, which has a great 30-year heritage in eCommerce to build upon as we look to future growth," said Postma. "I look forward to working with the team that has built this strong brand, along with Peapod Digital Labs and the great local U.S. brands of Ahold Delhaize, to continue to accelerate sales and deliver a world-class consumer experience." Postma holds a business administration degree in Strategic Management from Erasmus University Rotterdam. She will relocate to Chicago, Ill., with her husband and three children in the new year. About Peapod Peapod, an Ahold Delhaize USA company, is America's leading online grocer with over 45 million orders delivered to date. Peapod's intuitive, inspiring website and award-winning mobile app allow customers to shop faster and smarter as well as save time and money with each order. Peapod is an easy and convenient solution for the busy consumer shopping for fresh groceries, pantry staples and meal solutions. Peapod offers delivery to both homes and businesses, and has over 200 pick-up locations. Peapod is available in 24 metro markets across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Maryland, District of Columbia, and Virginia. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/peapod-names-selma-postma-as-new-president-300746719.html SOURCE Peapod [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] Cambio Extends Its Network by Lighting Kent County Fiber Optic Systems CHESTERTOWN, Md., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Cambio WiFi (Cambio), one of Americas first LTE over fixed wireless internet service providers (WISP), announces it has partnered with Kent County Fiber Optic Systems (Kent FOS) to utilize their dark fiber to increase its capacity to provider internet services in rural Kent County Maryland. "This is a very exciting development for our customers and business. By lighting the dark fiber, we will be able to provide faster and more reliable bandwidth", said Stephen J. Kirby, Jr, Cambio's President & Founder. About Kent FIBER Optic Systems Kent FIBER Optic Systems, a Woman owned business with a Women's Business Enterprise (WBE) Certification, provides the FIBER BROADBAND connectivity throughout Kent Conty, MD. Dark FIBER is the solution to meet the critical requirements of security, reliability, control, scalability, and even cost when it comes to Business. A sound and secure communications infrastructure is the foundation to support the rapidly advancing technologies which support organizational growth while at the same time improving customer and constituent satisfaction through cost effective and reliable performance. About Cambio WiFi of Delmarva Cambio WiFi a fixed wireless internet service provider delivering the most reliable LTE wireless broadband internet service in Rural America, utilizing high speed fiber optics and state-of-the-art equipment in the core of its network. Cambio leverages an agreement with Kent County Maryland to utilize their water towers to broadcast its signal 5-7 miles at speeds up to 90Mbps in July of 2015. It also obtained a 3.65GHz license with the FCC in November 2016 to operate in a wireless spectrum with less interference. Cambio currently has offices in Chestertown, Maryland and New York City. CONTACT Joseph Gillette, Chairman & CEO Cambio WiFi, 212-497-8080, [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cambio-extends-its-network-by-lighting-kent-county-fiber-optic-systems-300746759.html SOURCE Cambio WiFi [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] A.M. Best Upgrades Issuer Credit Ratings of Castle Harbour Insurance Limited, Harrington Sound Insurance Limited; Affirms Credit Ratings of Colliers Bay Insurance Limited A.M. Best has upgraded the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICR) to "a+" from "a" and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A (Excellent) of Castle Harbour Insurance Limited (Castle Harbour) and Harrington Sound Insurance Limited (Harrington). A.M. Best also has affirmed the FSR of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term ICR of "a" of Colliers Bay Insurance Limited (Colliers) (Cayman Islands) (together these three companies are known as the captives). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable. All companies are domiciled in Bermuda, unless otherwise specified. The ratings of Castle Harbour and Harrington reflect their balance sheet strength, which A.M. Best categorizes as strongest, as well as their strong operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM). The ratings of Colliers reflect its balance sheet strength, which A.M. Best categorizes as strongest, as well as its adequate operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate ERM. The companies are captive insurance companies for Schlumberger (News - Alert) Limited, a leading provider of technology, integrated project management and information solutions to customers working in the oil and gas industry worldwide. The ratings consider the captives' critical role as part of the parent company and their excellent operating performance during the past five years, providing tailored insurance coverage for certain property/casualty risks to subsidiaries of the parent. A.M. Best views the captives' management and corporate strategy as positive rating factors, given the group's conservative underwriting, operational goals and transparency. ERM is appropriate given the impact on its conservative risk culture, defined risk controls, and optimization of the captives' capital and surplus. The business profiles are assessed as neutral, though they are single parent captives, as each writes a broad scope of business and has significant geographic diversification. The captives also carry relatively large limits in their general liability and proerty lines of business. A.M. Best also recognizes the financial flexibility afforded the captives by the well-rated parent. Colliers' rating attributes are identical to those described above. However, this captive covers the seismic acquisition risks for Schlumberger Limited, which will no longer be needed, as Schlumberger Limited is in the process of divesting the assets of WesternGeco Seismic Holdings Ltd., the subsidiary for which Colliers provided coverage. As a run-off entity, it will have weaker operating performance over time and a finite business profile. The company, does, however, receive rating enhancement from its parent based on its role and integration within the parent's organization and A.M. Best's expectation that management will continue to maintain the strongest level of capital in the captive to support any risks through the run-off period. A.M. Best remains the leading rating agency of alternative risk transfer entities, with more than 200 such vehicles rated in the United States and throughout the world. For current Best's Credit Ratings and independent data on the captive and alternative risk transfer insurance market, please visit www.ambest.com/captive. This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on A.M. Best's website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see A.M. Best's Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Understanding Best's Credit Ratings. For information on the proper media use of Best's Credit Ratings and A.M. Best press releases, please view Guide for Media - Proper Use of Best's Credit Ratings and A.M. Best Rating Action Press Releases. A.M. Best is a global rating agency and information provider with a unique focus on the insurance industry. Visit www.ambest.com for more information. Copyright 2018 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005609/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] Allstate Broadens Consumer Protection at SquareTrade NORTHBROOK, Ill., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) has agreed to acquire PlumChoice, a leading provider of cloud and technical support services to consumers and small businesses, in a $30 million deal. The privately held company, headquartered in Lowell, Massachusetts, will become part of SquareTrade, Allstate's provider of protection plans for mobile phones, consumer electronics and appliances. PlumChoice offers an innovative platform to provide support solutions to customers needing help with setup, connectivity, internet of things (IoT) devices and cloud services. PlumChoice has handled over 15 million tech support requests, delivering market-leading custome satisfaction scores, to empower customers to get the most out of their technology. PlumChoice's patented Chromatix technology will be integrated into SquareTrade's award-winning service platform. "As our digital lives grow more connected and complicated, getting technology to work for us and not against us is a consumer priority," said Ahmed Khaishgi, President and co-founder of SquareTrade. "This acquisition joins two industry leaders to deliver a best-in-class tech support solution for the millions of customers who have chosen to protect their devices with SquareTrade protection plans." "We are excited to join SquareTrade, a company that shares our commitment to delivering high-quality service to customers," said David Shimoni, CEO of PlumChoice. "This partnership allows us to expand the customer service offerings available to tech support representatives, retailers and service providers so they are better able to meet their customers' growing technology needs." The transaction is expected to close before year-end and is subject to customary closing conditions. Financial information, including material announcements about The Allstate Corporation, is routinely posted on www.allstateinvestors.com. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/allstate-broadens-consumer-protection-at-squaretrade-300746772.html SOURCE The Allstate Corporation [November 08, 2018] Datacoral Introduces Data Infrastructure as a Service for the Public Cloud SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Datacoral today unveiled a private and secure end-to-end data infrastructure service for data-driven companies. Datacoral abstracts the complexities and pain points of building data products, by bringing data sources together, then organizing and processing them to extract insights that can be directly applied to operations, product development and marketing solutions. The company also announced Series A financing of $10M led by Madrona Venture Group with participation from Social Capital, which initially led Datacoral's seed round of $4 million in 2017. "As companies look to their data to deliver value data practitioners are finding that configuring and managing their own data infrastructure is a time consuming job that is expensive and fraught with errors," said founder and CEO, Raghu Murthy. "We have built a platform that easily and automatically brings together data from different applications and databases, organizes that data in any query engine and acts on insights that are critical to running their business. A crucial component is that it works securely and privately within the customer's cloud, instead of us ingesting data from their systems." Datacoral is a secure end-to-end data infrastructure as a service that reduces the complexity of data engineering, enabling data scientists and business operators to quickly generate insights on a scalable platform. The service works seamlessly with public cloud providers to dramatically simplify the common yet tedious elements of building data products. With Datacoral, companies benefit from: A single, high-level interface: see how your data is flowing, no matter which query engine you use, with a simplified, central view. The interface alerts you to data dependency and schema changes that cannot be automatically handled. see how your data is flowing, no matter which query engine you use, with a simplified, central view. The interface alerts you to data dependency and schema changes that cannot be automatically handled. Functional building blocks : collect, organize and harness the power of data using our collection of building blocks, which are customizable to your needs and work with the technologies you already have in place. The flexible architecture is designed to work with you today an then grow with you over time. : collect, organize and harness the power of data using our collection of building blocks, which are customizable to your needs and work with the technologies you already have in place. The flexible architecture is designed to work with you today an then grow with you over time. Fully-managed data flow : access guaranteed data delivery to get full visibility into how data is flowing, data freshness and data integrity. Datacoral manages the stack for you, instead of your data practitioners having to manually audit for this. : access guaranteed data delivery to get full visibility into how data is flowing, data freshness and data integrity. Datacoral manages the stack for you, instead of your data practitioners having to manually audit for this. Security built-in: meet the highest security standards by ensuring your data never leaves your stack. Datacoral works within your public cloud account and is encrypted, so you have full control. Raghu Murthy , who was an early engineer in the Facebook team in charge of scaling that company's data infrastructure, Datacoral was developed while Murthy was an EIR at Social Capital. The company stems from his extensive experience building and maintaining data infrastructure at internet scale companies like Facebook and Yahoo, where he learned the pain points and time sucks that could be automated to free up teams to focus on the semantics and shape of the data, rather than the pipes. Datacoral has expanded quickly with customers seeing immediate results in time and investment savings as they leverage the building blocks of the Datacoral platform. "Every company today wants to be data driven and the first step is a scalable data infrastructure. But, data infrastructure is time intensive and costly to build, maintain, and secure. Additionally, as cloud born companies look to data, it is particularly difficult to create an end to end system in the cloud," said Sudip Chakrabarti, Madrona Venture Group. "Raghu and his team are uniquely suited to build such a system and have already seen incredible success. We are very excited to work with the team." "As someone who's built products all my life, I can't stress how important analytics and real time insights are to succeeding with customers," said Jay Zaveri, Partner at Social Capital. "Datacoral makes a hair pulling exercise around collecting, organizing and utilizing clean, secure and quality data from all kinds of systems really easy. At Social Capital, we know because we use them, to collect all our data to get better insight all from our own cloud. We now can't work without them." Datacoral is a partner of major cloud providers and offers a secure data infrastructure service completely within the customer's cloud account to alleviate security and compliance risks. Initial Datacoral customers include Greenhouse, Front, Ezetap, Swing Education, mPharma, and Fin among others. Datacoral will use the new funding to accelerate product development and invest in sales and marketing to meet growing market demand. "As we grew, we wanted a deeper understanding of our customers, so our data scientists started working directly in our databases with homespun ETLs. We looked at several solutions to help offload a lot of this, but our data is very sensitive, and we did not want to lose control of it by sending it to a vendor's data center. We even considered building the infrastructure ourselves," said Aaron Gibralter, Director of Engineering, Greenhouse. "With Datacoral, we have a data infrastructure stack that integrates with all our systems, has fully-managed data flow and delivery, and works securely within our own cloud. Our data scientists now focus more on supporting our customer success team, and have expanded their impact to sales, finance, and marketing. Datacoral's building blocks provide flexibility for growth over time without much effort, while our data scientists stay focused on other strategic value." For more information about Datacoral, visit datacoral.com. About Datacoral Datacoral provides data infrastructure as a service, enabling data scientists to build data products at a fraction of the cost and time. Our product offers specialized building block to collect data from any source, organize that data in any query engine, and use that data for gathering insights. Check out Datacoral at datacoral.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/datacoral-introduces-data-infrastructure-as-a-service-for-the-public-cloud-300746303.html SOURCE Datacoral Inc [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] iVueit's On-Demand Site Auditing Platform Exceeds 25,000 Locations iVueit, an Ohio-based startup seeking to revolutionize the way commercial contractors, service aggregators, and facilities management verify the status of retail, restaurant, hotel, bank and convenience store chain locations under management, has announced that its platform has reached a major milestone, photographing over 25,000 locations across 50 US states. "iVueit was developed by facilities professionals who understand the herculean challenge of quickly gathering photos and information to make informed decisions," says Mike Popadak, Co-Founder & CEO at iVueit. "iVueit is truly a game changer, delivering real-time photographic verification of property status with the click of a button." The iVueit platform simplifies the process of collecting, exchanging and maintaining photographic verification and data about a location's exterior and interior status. This benefits a variety of repair and maintenance contractors and service aggregators who are under pressure to cost-effectively provide their clients with proof-of-service, including: interior/exterior lighting floorcare facade condition parking lots snow removal landscaping disaster relief services The company says it's a win-win for all. "Before iVueit, contractors, service aggregators and facilities management would spend thousands of dollars and hours, attempting to amass a photographic record of all locations under management. The results were incomplete, costly and delivered too late to provide real insights and meaningful decision support," says Matt Lyons, Co-Founder & COO. At the heart of iVueit's platform is their nationwide Vuer network, comprised of over 30,000 registered app users who are deployed on-demand to complete verification projects in as little as 1.5 days, on average, with 50% being completed the day they are requested. "iVueit is putting on-demand photos in our hands quickly and accurately. There's no disputing a time stamped photo proving how a location looks right now." -Regional Facilities Manager About iVueit iVueit is a technology platform and mobile app that simplifies the process of collecting, exchanging and maintaining photographic verification and data of a location's interior and exterior status. iVueit currently has verified over 25,000 retail, bank, hotel, c-store and commercial real estate locations for national brands. The app is available for download at Apple and Google (News - Alert) Play app stores. Follow iVueit at @iVueit on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. For more information, please visit www.iVueit.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005644/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] BROWZ Announces Relationship with Avis to Expand Member Benefit Offerings Leading contractor management service BROWZ has announced an aggressive plan to deepen benefits for members, including discounted rates on Avis and Budget Vehicle Rentals. SALT LAKE CITY, Nov. 8, 2018 /CNW/ -- BROWZ, the leading provider of contractor management services and compliance solutions, has announced an aggressive strategy to deepen member benefits. Since 2001, BROWZ has provided the world's largest global organizations and their supply chains with an efficient means to exchange compliance data including Environmental Health and Safety, Insurance, Financial, Business Continuity, Diversity information and more. In addition to the benefits of improved communication, efficiency, and relationships that the SaaS based solution provides, BROWZ is partnering with Avis Budget Group to provide preferred rates and promotions on Avis and Budget vehicle rentals, intended to assist BROWZ Network Membes in the operation of their businesses. "BROWZ is proud to further expand the benefits our members receive, in addition to best in class supply chain qualification. These discounted and preferred rates offered by Avis and Budget are intended to help our members operate their business more effectively," says Elaine Beitler, BROWZ CEO. "We develop relationships with premier organizations and provide extended benefits as a way to thank the incredible members of our network." Avis Budget Group is one of the world's best-known car rental brands operating Avis Car Rental, Budget Car Rental, Budget Truck Rental, Zipcar, and Payless Car Rental. Avis and Budget are in over 180 countries with approximately 11,000 locations and 620,000 vehicles. The Avis brand has a long history of innovation in the car rental industry and is one of the world's top brands for customer loyalty. BROWZ members may receive a discount code by contacting their BROWZ account representative. About BROWZ: BROWZ ensures that supply chains are safe, qualified, and socially responsible by delivering a comprehensive solution to prequalify, assess, and monitor supply chain compliance based on the unique needs of your business. BROWZ provides comprehensive assessments using patented, configurable technology and expertise, resulting in the site operator's confidence of a safer work environment for clients and supply chains around the world. The BROWZ product suite addresses global supply chain needs related to qualifying your supply chain, addressing risk, managing employee-level data, conducting safety auditing, and sourcing new suppliers. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/browz-announces-relationship-with-avis-to-expand-member-benefit-offerings-300745978.html SOURCE BROWZ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] BetterCloud and Dropbox Team Up to Bolster SaaS Security and Operations Management NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- BetterCloud , the leading SaaS operations management platform, and Dropbox, Inc. , a leading global collaboration platform, today announced an expanded partnership and technology integration for enterprise organizations to secure their business-critical data with Dropbox. Joint customers can now define, execute and manage policies to meet day-to-day operational management and security requirements within their Dropbox application environment. "There's no question that SaaS has made employees more productive, and companies like Dropbox want to further empower IT teams with advanced security features to expand adoption of tools like Dropbox Business across their organizations," said Shreyas Sadalgi, Chief Business Strategy Officer of BetterCloud. "This is precisely why our partnership with Dropbox is so important. As more applications create more dispersed data, our integration with Dropbox allows IT departments to better manage who is accessing data without sacrificing the ease of use that make people more productive." BetterCloud and Dropbox are already providing hundreds of customers with robust data security and operations management capabilities. Additionally, in a step to further extend its partnership, Dropbox has selected BetterCloud to join their new security, operations and governance ecosystem of strategic technology partners as a premier partner. Dropbox will also be offering a special edition of " BetterCloud for Dropbox " to all of their customers for $2 /user/month. New features available today through this partnership and special edition pricing include On-Demand Workflows and Time-Based Roles . With On-Demand workflows, Dropbox admins can run customizable, automated sequences of Dropbox admin actions directly from the Users and Files grids of BetterCloud, taking advantage of built-in filtering and bulk options to easily target the right set of users or files, and run workflows on many users at once. Time-based roles give Dropbox admins access to BetterCloud only at specific times, ensuring that access to govern Dropbox data is turned on only when necessary and when it aligns with the least privilege model of security. "This deeper partnership with BetterCloud will allow our joint customers to empower their employees to use the tools they love like Dropbox with seamless security built in," said Billy Blau, Global Head of Business Development and Partnerships for Dropbox. "We've been impressed with the capabilities of the BetterCloud platform and look forward to offering these new integrations to our customers." This expanded partnership comes on the heels of momentous growth in 2017. Since securing its $60M funding round earlier this year, BetterCloud has established a partnership and technology integration with identity access management leader Okta and significantly expanded its long-standing partnership with Google. The company has also made significant additions to its SaaS Operations Management platform with the introduction of Activity-Based Alerts for G Suite and the many other applications the company supports. BetterCloud was also recently recognized by Gartner, Inc. in its inaugural Cloud Office Management Market Guide and by 451 Research as a pioneer in the SaaS Operations Management market. About BetterCloud BetterCloud is the first SaaS Operations Management platform, empowering IT to define, remediate, and enforce management and security policies for SaaS applications. Over 2,500 customers in 60+ countries rely on BetterCloud for continuous event monitoring, quickly remediating threats, and fully-automated policy enforcement. To further guide customers on their SaaS strategy, the company established the first-ever "SaaS Application Management and Security Framework" in its newly published book, Controlling Your SaaS Environment . BetterCloud is headquartered in New York City with an engineering office in Atlanta, GA. For more information, please visit www.bettercloud.com . View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bettercloud-and-dropbox-team-up-to-bolster-saas-security-and-operations-management-300746516.html SOURCE BetterCloud [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] Collaboration Among National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) and United States Geological Survey Scientists Benefits Health of Pacific Northwest Ecosystem By any measure, the Wind River (News - Alert) Experimental Forest is a remote area. Yet two teams of ecologists managed to meet up and collaborate in their efforts to study the federally threatened Steelhead Trout species (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and map the long-term overall health of the aquatic system. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) is a fact-finding research organization that has scientists studying the landscape across the country including its natural resources and the natural hazards that threaten it. For decades, its Columbia River Research Laboratory (a field station of USGS Western Fisheries Research Center) has worked in the Wind River watershed to monitor the health of salmonids and steelhead populations, their response to human activities, and the factors limiting their abundance. The lab works in close coordination with other agencies in the Wind River watershed including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), and the U.S. Forest Service. Funding for much of the work is provided by the Bonneville Power Administration. The NEON project, managed by Battelle for the National Science Foundation, is a continental-scale ecological observation facility that collects and provides open data from 81 field sites across the United States that characterize and quantify how our nation's ecosystems are changing. The data will contribute to a better understanding and more accurate forecasting of how human activities impact ecosystems and how society can more effectively address critical ecological questions and issues. Martha Creek,a tributary to the Wind River, hosts a NEON study reach that is slated to remain active for the full 30-year duration of the project. NEON's presence in Martha Creek has been in the works for years, and sampling finally began in November 2017. Through it all, USGS staff have been supportive stakeholders. For example, Ian Jezorek, a fish biologist who has been studying the steelhead population for years, provided training opportunities to NEON field ecologists in fish identification and recognition of redds, the nesting areas of steelhead and other salmonids. As a source of open data on stream and environmental conditions, fish populations, and more, NEON's Martha Creek site now produces a rich dataset that complements the USGS and other Wind River partners' efforts. Once NEON had the Martha Creek field site up and running, the scientists realized they had an opportunity to be more efficient with their fish sampling goals by coordinating efforts. A primary study method for USGS and WDFW is tagging of juvenile and adult Steelhead with Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags. These very small tags are uniquely coded and can allow researchers to follow movements and growth of individual fish through their lifespan. Detection and recapture sites in the Wind River watershed and throughout the Columbia River provide the ability to gather complete life histories of detected fish. The USGS team PIT tags about 1,500 juvenile Steelhead a year in order to track their movements and growth, and to provide data to inform life-cycle models in development with WDFW. Each fall, NEON ecologists use electrofishing to collect fish, measure and weigh them, examine their overall health, then return them unharmed back into the stream. Revisits to the site as NEON has planned will allow opportunities to recapture these PIT-tagged Steelhead and track growth rates. "A plan to resample the same site for 30 years is relatively rare and provides a fantastic opportunity to learn about growth and behavior of any fish present," Jazorek said. The teams joined forces this fall so that when the NEON team pulled fish from the water and performed their assessments, they then passed them over to the USGS scientists who inserted PIT tags. Both teams said the collaboration was worthwhile and beneficial. "Our sensors are active in the region and are capturing a lot of data that are useful to other researchers, including those at the Columbia River Research Lab," Ben Vierra, science operations manager for NEON in the Pacific Northwest, said. Data from this effort should be published and available on the data portal around mid-December. Brandon Jensen, an aquatic scientist and designer of NEON's fish sampling protocols, said it's not always easy to jump through necessary bureaucratic hoops to collaborate. "This set a precedent in that we were able to rally support and expedite approvals for this type of collaboration. Ultimately these opportunities provide the user community with more robust data and the ability to access NEON sampling sites," Jensen said. For more information about using NEON research infrastructure go to the NEON Assignable Assets Program website: https://www.neonscience.org/assignable-assets About Battelle Every day, the people of Battelle apply science and technology to solving what matters most. At major technology centers and national laboratories around the world, Battelle conducts research and development, designs and manufactures products, and delivers critical services for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio since its founding in 1929, Battelle serves the national security, health and life sciences, and energy and environmental industries. For more information, visit www.battelle.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005805/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] Global Truck Mounted Crane Market 2018-2022 | Rapid Globalization of Industries Drives Growth | Technavio Technavio's global truck mounted crane market research report forecasts the market to grow at a CAGR of over 9% during the forecast period. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005820/en/ Technavio's global truck mounted crane market research report forecasts the market to grow at a CAGR of over 9% during the forecast period, 2018-2022. (Photo: Business Wire) The adaptation of diesel engines for mobile crane applications will be one of the major trends in the global truck mounted crane market during 2018-2022. Truck-mounted crane manufacturers are compelled to provide offerings, which adhere to the specified emission regulations after the implementation of the Stage V regulations in Europe. Many diesel engine manufacturers that supply engines for mobile crane applications are introducing innovative diesel engines that cater to the heavy-duty requirements of mobile cranes. This report is available at a USD 1,000 discount for a limited time only: <>View market snapshot before purchasing According to Technavio's analysts, one of the key drivers for the global truck mounted crane market is the rapid globalization of industries. Global truck mounted crane market: Rapid globalization of industries The industrial and construction end-user sectors have been positively impacted by the advent of globalization. The companies can reduce production costs substantially through global investments and technological innovation. As a result, there has been an increase in the competition among international and domestic vendors. According to a senior research analyst at Technavio, "Many construction and manufacturing companies that are based in developed countries such as the US and Western Europe are shifting their focus toward emerging economies to save production costs. The companies are shifting their base to emerging economies such as China, India, Indonesia, and Brazil owing to low labor costs and lower procurement costs for raw materials." Global truck mounted crane market: Segmentation analysis This global truck mounted crane market analysis report provides market segmentation by end-user (construction, industries, and utilities) and by region (the Americas, APAC, and EMEA). This report provides an in-depth analysis of the prominent factors influencing the market, including drivers, opportunities, trends, and industry-specific challenges. Of the three end-user sectors, the construction industry held the largest truck mounted crane market share in 2017, contributing to nearly 47% of the market. This end-user segment will dominate the global market throughout the forecast period. The APAC region held the largest share of the market in 2017, accounting for more than 43% share. It was followed by the Americas and EMEA respectively. The APAC region is expected to dominate the market throughout the period 2018-2022. Looking for more information on this market? Request a free sample report Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report such as the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. Some of the key topics covered in the report include: Market Landscape Market ecosystem Market characteristics Market segmentation analysis Market Sizing Market definition Market size and forecast Five Forces Analysis Market Segmentation Geographical Segmentation Regional comparison Key leading countries Market Drivers Market Challenges Market Trends Vendor Landscape Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors Competitive scenario About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 10,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at [email protected]. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005820/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] 4me and Scopism Announce the Results of First Global SIAM Survey PALO ALTO, Calif., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- 4me Inc., a SaaS start-up dedicated to improving the success of selective outsourcing, is delighted to announce the availability of the first global SIAM survey that it commissioned through IT consulting firm Scopism. Service Integration and Management (SIAM) is an operational methodology that is gaining strategic importance within organizations that need to manage the relations between the internal and external service providers and allow secure collaboration between them. The results were compiled from nearly 250 respondents, 62 percent employed in organizations employing more than 5,000 people, predominantly in mid-to-senior management roles of which 45 percent work in IT. The geographic spread was indicative of where SIAM has its roots; with 37 percent of respondents located in Northern Europe, followed by India, Japan and Australia. Of great interest to anyone tasked with managing outsourcing and ensuring service delivery excellence will be the trends emerging in organizations planning to introduce SIAM and those that have achieved adoption. Of those planning to adopt SIAM, 91 percent expects this to be in place in the next three years. Other interesting findings are that 52 percent of tese respondents are seeking greater control over their existing vendors and 22 percent are looking to move internally hosted services to a number of different managed providers. The responses from those that had already completed their adoption show that 50 percent completed their SIAM implementation. "The proliferation of Cloud services supporting initiatives like Digital Transformation is seeing organizations selectively outsourcing many of the services previously provided by teams within the IT department," said Cor Winkler Prins, CEO and co-founder of 4me. "This survey illustrates that the question is no longer whether to outsource or whether selective outsourcing is the right approach. The question is now how to stay in control of all the providers." The results also showed that the adoption of SIAM causes new obstacles to emerge. Organizational change was consistently cited as the primary challenge, regardless of the status of the implementation. 4me was honored to sponsor this first global survey. The insights it provides should be valuable for anyone seeking guidance on forming their SIAM strategy. As an enabler of SIAM, in addition to the more traditional enterprise service management capabilities, these insights will also assist 4me in its continued progress as a thought and market leader in the SIAM tooling space. "It will be interesting to see next year whether organizations still feel as strongly about staying in control of their SIAM implementation, whether organizational change management remains the main challenge and whether SIAM transitions become shorter as this still relatively new management approach matures," concluded Cor Winkler Prins. The 2018 Global SIAM Survey is now available from https://www.4me.com/white-papers/scopism-global-siam-survey/. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/4me-and-scopism-announce-the-results-of-first-global-siam-survey-300746865.html SOURCE 4me Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] Congressman Carbajal Headlines Latino Farmer Conference Held Today SANTA MARIA, Calif., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The fourth annual Growing Together Latino Farmer Conference is being held today, in Santa Maria, Calif. More than 200 farmers, along with representatives from local agriculture businesses, are in attendance. "Hispanic farmers and ranchers are a growing demographic in California and on the Central Coast, so I'm thrilled that this year's annual Latino Farmer Conference is being held in Santa Maria," said Congressman Salud Carbajal (CA-24). "The conference gives Latino farmers support, education, and networking opportunities that help them thrive in the agricultural industry." Congressman Carbajal's remarks kicked off the event, followed by an opening keynote address by farmers from Rancho La Familia Farm, vegetable and strawberry growers from Santa Maria. Hosted by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the conference is open to all farmers and ranchers, yet is uniquely tilored towards Spanish-speaking growers. The program will be translated into English, with translation headsets. Conducting the conference in Spanish will provide an enriched learning experience. Six different, educational workshops are following the opening remarks. The courses will be held in two, 90-minute blocks. This allows each attendee to choose two different subjects of interest throughout the day. The workshop topics will cover: Access to Capital and USDA Resources; Soil Health; Efficient Use of Water; Food Safety Requirements; Regulations for Farmworker Health and Safety and Marketing. The conference will conclude with a buyer panel representing a diverse cross section of California agriculture. NCAT, a national nonprofit organization with offices in six states including California has been promoting sustainable living for over 35 years. In recent years, their agriculture work has focused on underserved small-scale intensive farming, urban farming, and local foods; assistance to small farmers and beginning and new farmers. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service is the lead USDA partner in this conference. NRCS has provided leadership in a partnership effort to help America's private landowners and managers conserve their soil, water and other natural resources since 1935. For more information on NRCS, visit www.nrcs.usda.gov . View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/congressman-carbajal-headlines-latino-farmer-conference-held-today-300746973.html SOURCE USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] JD.com Launches Program to Support Special Needs Children Through Art Therapy NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- E-commerce giant JD.com, China's largest online retailer and biggest overall retailer by revenue, expanded its extensive philanthropic commitments with a new charity program for children with developmental disabilities such as autism and Down syndrome. The new philanthropic initiative is called "Creating Happiness Together," with the goal to raise money for World of Art Brut Culture (WABC), a Shanghai non-governmental organization (NGO) devoted to supporting special needs individuals through a creative art therapy treatment. Prior to the program launching, JD sought out paintings designed by children supported by WABC to feature this artwork on 100,000 of its delivery packages. Last week, from November 1 through November 3, some JD.com customers in northern China who ordered qualifying products received their orders in the special packaging. "From the very beginning, JD.com has been committed to leveraging its success to give back to society and help those in need," said Libo Ma, head of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at JD.com and general secretary of the company's charity affiliate, JD Foundation. "This innovative program supports the artistic development of kids with special needs. In addition, it brings smiles to customers lucky enough to get one of the packages with a unique work of art created by one of the children. That's why it is a wonderful new addition to JD's many philanthropic commitments." In another exciting aspect of the program, JD.com will unveil and promote a new page on its site that features approximately 1000 popular items such as computers and consumer electronics from 50 top brands including Xiaomi, JBL, and deli among others. A portion of the proceeds from every purchase on the new page will go to WABC. "JBL has always been dedicated to using our resources to support groups in need in the community," said Raymond Jiang, Director of E-Commerce of JBL. "Thanks to its huge influence with both Chinese consumers and businesses, JD.com is our ideal partner for driving this new charitable endeavor to success. We look forward to working closely with them to bring happiness into the lives of more young people." JD organized an exhibition in Beijing on November 4 where the children's artwork was displayed. In addition, the company has launched an HTML5 page that features the children's paintings in black and white, on which customers can add colors of their choice to customize the artwork to their likings. So far, over 170,000 people have participated, creating more than 100,000 customized works and generating more than 700,000 views. The company is promoting the program's online and offline activities using both WeChat and Weibo to raise awareness throughout China's vast population of social media users. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jdcom-launches-program-to-support-special-needs-children-through-art-therapy-300746912.html SOURCE JD.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] Teledyne LeCroy Accelerates Mobile Display, Camera, and ADAS Development with Industry's First MIPI C-PHY/D-PHY Analyzer SEOUL, South Korea, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Teledyne LeCroy Inc., the worldwide leader in protocol test solutions, introduces the new Envision X84 protocol analyzer, a flexible and robust analyzer designed to ease troubleshooting and support the development of complex imaging and detection systems for mobile displays and cameras. The First Analyzer to Support MIPI CSI-2 and MIPI DSI-2 in a Single Platform Envision X84 is the industry's first analyzer that supports both MIPI C-PHY/D-PHY and MIPI Camera Serial Interface (CSI-2)/MIPI Display Serial Interface (DSI-2) in a single platform, providing device designers and system integrators more design flexibility, control and expediency than previously available. MIPI interfaces and busses are used extensively in both cameras and mobile displays in devices and systems. MIPI CSI-2 supports high-performance video (1080p, 4K, 8K and beyond), and high-resolution photography and is increasingly used to transport camera images for advanced driver assist systems (ADAS) in the automotive environment. MIPI DSI-2 supports ultra-high definition (4K and 8k) mobile displays and specifies the physical link between the chip and display in devices such as smartphones, tablets, AR/VR headsets and connected cars. The MIPI C-PHY and D-PHY busses provide high-throughput performance in connecting displays and cameras to their application processors. Design and test engineers and system integrators can rely on the Envision X84 analyzer to test performance and conformance of MIPI CSI-2 for cameras and image sensors and MIPI DSI-2 for mobile displays. The Envision X84 protocol analyzer will help to accelerate the design and development of mobile devices, application processors, and systems on chip (SoCs), especially when both C-PHY and D-PHY are implemented in the same chip. Specifications The Envision X84 protocol analyzer with full C-PHY and D-PHY capture capability has up to 3 lanes of C-PHY at 3Gsym (24Gbps) and up to 4 lanes of D-PHY at 2.5Gbps or 10Gbps. This includes support for MIPI CSI-2 and MIPI DSI-2 protocols. As the most flexible and robust analyzer on the market for mobile camera and display environments, Envision X84 performs protocol checking from PHY level through protocol-level events, including low-power modes and reads/writes. Complex, event-based transaction captures are coupled with 2.5-ns event timing resolution for detailed debugging. The system supports all camera and display packet types and data formats as well as command and video modes. Availability Teledyne LeCroy's Envision X84 MIPI C-PHY/D-PHY analyzer is currently available for purchase. For more information, engineers can contact their regional Sales Engineer: 1-800 909-7211 or 408 273-5736; or [email protected]; or visit the Envision x84 web page at: http://teledynelecroy.com/protocolanalyzer/mipi/envision-x84-analyzer About Teledyne LeCroy Teledyne LeCroy Inc. is a leading manufacturer of advanced oscilloscopes, protocol analyzers, and other test instruments that verify performance, validate compliance, and debug complex electronic systems quickly and thoroughly. Since its founding in 1964, the Company has focused on incorporating powerful tools into innovative products that enhance "Time-to-Insight". Faster time to insight enables users to rapidly find and fix defects in complex electronic systems, dramatically improving time-to-market for a wide variety of applications and end markets. Teledyne LeCroy is based in Chestnut Ridge, N.Y. For more information, visit Teledyne LeCroy's website at teledynelecroy.com. 2018 by Teledyne LeCroy. All rights reserved. Specifications are subject to change without notice. Media contact: Bill Johnson Marketing Manager (434) 951-0207 Technical contact: Roy Chestnut Director of Technical Marketing (408) 273-5694 Customer contact: Teledyne LeCroy Customer Care Center (800) 553-2769 Website: http://teledynelecroy.com/ View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/teledyne-lecroy-accelerates-mobile-display-camera-and-adas-development-with-industrys-first-mipi-c-phyd-phy-analyzer-300746978.html SOURCE Teledyne LeCroy [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] @ SC18 Everything's Bigger in Texas - This Year, SCinet Diamond Level Contributors' Generosity is No Small Feat In just a few days, a group of 225 volunteers will have completed the execution of SCinet, the world's fastest temporary network that supports the SC Conference which is taking place in Dallas from November 11 to 16, 2018. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005856/en/ SCinet is a collaborative effort by volunteer experts from 85 organizations than span industry, academia, and government that takes one year to plan, one month to build, one week to operate, and less than 24 hours to tear down. It offers an unprecedented amount of bandwidth - anticipated 4.02 terabits per second for SC18 - within the conference exhibit hall and connects the convention center to the broader internet. What makes SCinet possible? SCinet contributors donate millions of dollars in equipment, software, and services that are needed to build and support the network each year for the SC Conference. At this year's conference in Dallas, it's estimated that contributions from 40 organizations will total 52 million. Three companies individually topped the highest level of contributions with donations of resources worth $5 million each: CenturyLink (News - Alert), Cisco, and Juniper. "SCinet can only flourish due to the incredible generosity of our contributing partners," said Jason Zurawski, SCinet chair and science engagement engineer at the Energy Sciences Network (ESnet). "CenturyLink, Cisco (News - Alert), and Juniper have all gone above and beyond to ensure the success of SCinet this year through the donation of hardware, software, services, and the most important of resources: time." CenturyLink has been instrumental in supporting the demonstrations that push the envelope on cutting edge research. Their assistance has enabled 19 wide area network connections to cities that include Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Seattle, Sunnyvale, and Washington, D.C. Cisco remains a steadfast partner in the operation and design of SCinet as part of their organizational commitment in supporting research and education through advancements in networking, data center, security, automation and programmability focused on improving and accelerating innovation. Their contributions of hardware span many different use cases, from metropolitan networking to core routers and switches, as well as hundreds of access points that SCinet will use to provide wireless internet capabilities across 1 million square feet in the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas. Juniper Networks (News - Alert) continues to lead the way in delivering cutting edge network hardware for use in SCinet. By offering to support SCinet with prototype devices, SCinet volunteers and users are exposed to the next generation in transport capabilities at 400-gigabits. With SCinet contributors' support, members of the HPC community participating at the SC Conference are able to demonstrate the advanced computing resources of their home institutions and showcase the revolutionary applications and experiments that are a hallmark of SC. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005856/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] Clear Channel Outdoor's Efforts Help the Patriot Education Fund Reach $500K Milestone The Patriot (News - Alert) Education Fund, the organization that provides college scholarships, and mentoring to Illinois military families, and Clear Channel Outdoor Americas (CCOA) (NYSE: CCO), an indirect subsidiary of iHeart Media Inc., today announced the Patriot Education Fund has reached a milestone of awarding $500,000 in scholarships to Illinois veterans and their families. Clear Channel (News - Alert) Outdoor has been an active supporter of the Patriot Education Fund by donating digital out of home (DOOH) billboards annually to promote scholarships for military veterans. Four local Illinois residents were named as recipients of the Patriot Education Fund's Clear Channel Outdoor scholarships for 2018. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005868/en/ Clear Channel Outdoor promoted the Patriot Education Fund on billboards throughout Northeast Illinois to promote scholarships for military veterans and their families. (Photo: Business Wire) The Patriot Education Fund provides financial and educational assistance to enlisted military veterans (E1 to E5) and their dependents. The organization bridges the unintended funding gaps created by the post 9/11 GI Bill, by providing financial support to individuals pursuing bachelor and associate degrees, accredited technical training diplomas and certified apprenticeship programs. With a 100 percent graduation rate since 2011, the Patriot Education Fund has underwritten135 scholarships with over $500,000 reinvested back into Illinois military families across the state. A corporate partner to the Patriot Education Fund since 2013, Clear Channel Outdoor has donated complimentary digital out of home advertising from 2016-2018 throughout Northeast Illinois to promote scholarships for military veterans. The billboards ran creative on how to apply for a scholarship through the Patriot Education Fund in over 30 communities. "We're proud to support the mission of the Patriot Education Fund over the last five years," said Ed Marcin, Vice President Public Affairs/Special Projects, Clear Channel Outdoor Chicago. "The Patriot Education Fund provides our local Illinois veterans and their families with access to the educational opportunities they need as they transition from service to our country into successful careers. We honor our veterans for their dedicated services and are so proud of our scholars as they continue to thrive as students and new professionals." "Thanks to key corporate partners like Clear Channel Outdoor, the Patriot Education Fund has raised over $500,000 to provide education benefits for veterans and their families," said Dave Dahler, Chairman, Patriot Education Fund. "The Patriot Education Fund and Clear Channel Outdoor partnership has ensured that these American heroes will transition successfully into the private sector." "Clear Channel Outdoor has been extremely valuable from our inception by raising awareness of our mission and by making veterans aware of valuable scholarship opportunities," said Mark Slaby, Founder, Patriot Education Fund. "Clear Channel has had a major factor in building awareness of our program and mission to support military families." 2018 Patriot Education Fund Clear Channel Outdoor Scholarship Recipients John Leonard Sims of Evergreen Park, Illinois, served as an Army Ranger and was deployed three times to Afghanistan and oversaw training of new Rangers as well as served as a medic. He is in his third semester of college pursuing a degree in Middle Eastern Affairs at Columbia University in New York and has a college GPA of 3.65. John wants to pursue a career with the FBI after college. John Leonard Sims says: "While the GI Bill has enabled millions of veterans to obtain a college education, it unfortunately does not always cover the true cost of an education. This was a reality that I was faced with when I began attending Columbia University upon my separation from the United States Army. While many veterans must take out thousands of dollars in studentloans, I am extremely fortunate in having received a scholarship from the Patriot Education Fund. The Patriot Education Fund is an incredible organization that is dedicated to helping veterans make their post military aspirations a reality. While many organizations claim this as their mission, the Patriot Education Fund is truly dedicated to it. The Patriot Education Fund provides a level of assistance to individual veterans that truly makes an impact on not only their day to day lives but on their futures as well. Since receiving the scholarship, I have been able to dedicate more of my attention to excelling in the classroom and far less time worrying about how I am going to pay for my education. This is all thanks to the Patriot Education Fund and the wonderful work that they are doing." Destiny Williams of Chicago, Illinois, is studying Early Childhood Education at Illinois State University and is a Dean's List student (top 10%). Both of her parents are veterans, her father was deployed four times, and Destiny would like to become an educator of low-income students and eventually hopes to teach fellow military children. Destiny Williams says: "I am so appreciative to have received the Patriot Education Scholarship. Ever since I won the scholarship I had more time to focus on my academics. Since I started my senior year this semester I have been struggling to find a job to help my dad pay my rent and pay for personal expenses like toiletries, gas money, and groceries. If it weren't for the scholarship, trying to figure out how to pay for my tuition would have been an extra burden for my family and me. If I did not have this scholarship I might have come out of college with a lot of student loans. Since the salary in the field of education is not super great, the time it would have taken me to pay off the student loans would have been much longer and harder to complete, thus adding yet another burden for my parents and I to worry about. I am truly grateful to have been given the opportunity to receive this scholarship because I know there were a lot of people that applied for it." Josue Contreras of Chicago, Illinois, was an Army Combat Medic who was deployed two times. Josue saved for his education -- but when Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico - he and his wife used all his savings to help his family members there. Josue is now a Chicago Public School middle school teacher working with students from low income backgrounds. Impacted by the immense gun violence in his hometown of Chicago, Josue changed his course of study from medicine to becoming a teacher because he saw impacting young people as the greatest need. He is working on his Master's Degree in Dual Language Teacher Leadership at Roosevelt University having previously graduated summa cum laude from Northeastern Illinois University. Josue says: "My wife saw the billboard advertisement at the Ogilvie train station. To be selected in itself is humbling and a great honor. I am beyond ecstatic that my financial security is squared away because of the Patriot Education Fund. Now I can just focus on working and getting my Master's degree. You're donating to a group of Americans who already have proven their worth in gold just simply by raising their right hand and saying that they will defend the Constitution of the United States. You're investing in people who view America as worth dying for. That mission of serving their country doesn't die when they get out of uniform. It's still ingrained in them." Leah Staros of Glendale Heights, Illinois, is a 12 year veteran military spouse. Her husband had two deployments to Al Taqqadum, and completed eight years active duty and an additional four years as a reservist. Leah is working to fulfill her dream of becoming a nurse while being a mother and caregiver to a mom who's in her early stages of dementia. Leah's requirements outside the classroom make it difficult to fund her pursuit of higher education. The Patriot Education Fund has been "an answer to her prayers." Her anticipated graduation is May 2019 from the Chamberlain School of Nursing. Leah says: "I was really unsure how I was going to pay for my final classes as I am out of federal loan funding after this session. I am incredibly grateful for The Patriot Education Fund. The support of PEF has made my education possible. My scholarship is not only an investment in my future but my family's well-being by lifting our financial burden. I followed my Marine around the world and had to put my education on hold until we settled somewhere long enough to complete my degree. Once we transitioned to the civilian life, financial barriers put my education on hold. PEF erased those barriers. I look forward to graduating with my nursing degree and serving my community!" For more information on the Patriot Education Fund, please visit: http://www.patrioteducationfund.org/. About Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCO) is one of the world's largest outdoor advertising companies with over 450,000 displays in 31 countries across Asia, Europe, Latin America and North America. Reaching millions of people monthly, including consumers in 44 of the top 50 U.S. markets, Clear Channel Outdoor enables advertisers to engage with consumers through innovative advertising solutions. Clear Channel Outdoor is pioneering the integration of out-of-home with mobile and social platforms, and the company's digital platform includes more than 1,200 digital billboards across 28 markets in the U.S. and more than 13,000 digital displays in international markets. More information is available at www.clearchanneloutdoor.com and www.clearchannelinternational.com. Follow & Like Us: LinkedIn Twitter Instagram Facebook Read our award-winning blog: http://blog.clearchanneloutdoor.com/ About The Patriot Education Fund The mission of the Patriot Education Fund is to provide financial and educational assistance to enlisted military veterans (E1 to E5) and their dependents. We bridge the unintended funding gaps created by the post 9/11 GI Bill, by providing financial support to individuals pursuing: bachelor and associate degrees, accredited technical training diplomas, and certified apprenticeship programs. We focus our investments in those individuals and families who display financial need, while demonstrating the greatest promise that our investments in their lives will continue to benefit our country and community through their leadership. The Patriot Education Fund is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt, charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to the Patriot Education Fund are deductible under Section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code, and the Fund is qualified to receive tax deductible bequests, devises, transfers, or gifts under Sections 2055, 2106, or 2522 of the Internal Revenue Code. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005868/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] Application Deadline Approaches for the Vizient Spring 2019 Innovative Technology Exchange Suppliers interested in showcasing their innovative technology to decision makers from hospitals from across the country are encouraged to submit their application now to participate in the 2019 Vizient Innovative Technology Exchange. The event, which is part of Vizient's Spring Connections Summit, will take place on Thursday, April 4, 2019, at the Aria (News - Alert) in Las Vegas. The deadline to apply to participate in the Exchange is Friday, Nov. 30, 2018. The Innovative Technology Exchange offers up to 100 selected suppliers the unique opportunity to connect with hospital decision makers and discuss and demonstrate how their technology improves clinical outcomes, enhances safety or drives incremental improvements to the health care business model. "The Innovative Technology Exchange is a hands-on event which provides suppliers and users the opportunity to interact with vendors who are bringing innovative solutions to the health care industry. The direct interaction gives attendees a deeper understanding of the new technology which enables them to confidently discuss it with physicians and other colleagues," said Debbie Archer, procurement director at Vizient. The annual Innovative Technology Exchange is part of Vizient's Innovative Technology Program that includes product review by member-led councils and task forces of supplier submitted technologies. Since 2003, Vizient has reviewed approximately 2500 new and innovative technologies as part of the Innovative Technology Program. This review process may result in an Innovative Technology contract with Vizient. About Vizient, Inc. Vizient, Inc., the largest member-driven health care performance improvement company in the country, provides innovative data-driven solutions, expertise and collaborative opportunities that lead to improved patient outcomes and lower costs. Vizient's diverse membership base includes academic medical centers, pediatric facilities, community hospitals, integrated health delivery networks and non-acute health care providers and represents approximately $100 billion in annual purchasing volume. The Vizient brand identity represents the integration of VHA Inc., University HealthSystem Consortium and Novation, which combined in 2015, as well as MedAssets' Spend and Clinical Resource Management (SCM) segment, including Sg2, which was acquired in 2016. In 2018, Vizient again received a World's Most Ethical Company designation from the Ethisphere Institute. Vizient's headquarters are in Irving, Texas, with locations in Chicago and other cities across the United States. Please visit www.vizientinc.com as well as our newsroom, blog, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube pages for more information about the company. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005880/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] Electronic Shelf Label Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2018 - 2026 NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Electronic Shelf Label Market (Component - Hardware (Labels (Product) Type - LCD ESL, Segmented E-paper ESL, Full-graphic E-paper ESL, Infrastructure - Access Points (Transceivers and Base Stations), Handheld Devices), Software (Pricing and Shelf Management Software, Other Digital Infrastructure), Services (Support and Maintenance, Installation, Training and Consulting); Communication Technology - Radio Frequency (RF), Infrared (IR), Near-Field Communication (NFC), Beacon; End use - Organized Retail Stores (Supermarkets and Hypermarkets, Malls), Drug Store and Pharmacies, Consumer Electronics (Standalone), Other Specialty Stores (Multi Brand Stores, Company-owned/Brand Stores)) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2018 - 2026 Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05611717 Electronic Shelf Label Market: Overview This comprehensive report titled Electronic Shelf Label Market -Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 2018 2026, by Transparency Market Research, analyzes and provides growth forecast for the electronic shelf label market at the global and regional level.The report provides analysis for the period 20162026, wherein 2018 to 2026 is the forecast period and the base year is 2017. An in-depth and unbiased market assessment has been made to offer readers insightful and accurate analysis. The report emphasizes on all the major trends that play a key role in the growth of the electronic shelf label between 2018 and 2026. It also focuses on market drivers, restraining factors, and opportunities of the electronic shelf label market during the forecast period. The report includes a detailed ecosystem analysis and opportunity analysis, which is focused on providing an extensive view of the global electronic shelf label market.Porter's Five Forces analysis is also provided to understand the competitive scenario in the market. The study incorporates attractiveness analysis of the electronic shelf label market, in which segments such as hardware, software, and services are benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate, and attractiveness in terms of opportunity.In order to provide a complete analysis of the overall competitive scenario in the electronic shelf label market, attractiveness analysis of every geographic region mentioned in the reporthas been provided. An overview of the electronic shelf label market detailing key trends and dynamics has been included to providea clear understanding of market ecosystem forces.The dynamics include impact analysis of drivers and opportunities and market restraining factors of the electronic shelf label market. Additionally, the report provides analysis of business strategies adopted by market leaders. Trends and services related to electronic shelf label along with their applications have also been explained in the report. Global Electronic Shelf Label Market: Scope of the Report The study provides a decisive view on the global electronic shelf label market, broadly segmentedbased on componentinto hardware, software,and services; based on communication technology intoradio frequency (RF), infrared (IR), near fiel communication (NFC), and beacon; and in terms ofend-useinto organized retail stores, drug store/pharmacies, consumer electronics (standalone), and other specialty stores. Further, the report provides a detailed breakdown of the electronic shelf label market across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America, thus providing valuable insights at the micro and macro levels. The report highlights the competitive scenario within the electronic shelf label market, ranking all the major players according to key recent developments and their geographic presence.The insights into the electronic shelf label market are a result of our extensive primary interviews, secondary research, and in-house expert panel reviews. These market estimates have been analyzed by considering the impact of different economic, political, social, legal, and technological factors. The market in North America has been segmented into the U.S., Canada , and Rest of North America . Furthermore, the market in Europe has been analyzed across France , Germany , the U.K., and Rest of Europe . The electronic shelf label market in Asia Pacific has also been segmented at country level into India , China , Japan , and Rest of Asia Pacific . The Middle East & Africa region covers GCC countries, South Africa , and Rest of Middle East & Africa . Similarly, South America includes Brazil and Rest of South America . This report provides all the strategic information required to understand the electronic shelf label market along with component, communication technology, and end-use of electronic shelf labels. Global Electronic Shelf Label Market: Research Methodology The research methodology is a perfect combination of primary research, secondary research, and expert panel reviews. Secondary sources such as annual reports, company websites, SEC filings and investor presentations, internal and external proprietary databases, statistical databases, relevant patent and regulatory databases, market reports, government publications, World Bank database, and industry white papers are usually referred to develop a preliminary understanding of the market. Primary research involves telephonic interviews, e-mail interactions, and face-to-face interviews for detailed and unbiased reviews of the electronic shelf label market across geographies.Primary interviews are usually conducted on an ongoing basis with industry experts and participants in order to obtain the latest market insights and validate existing data and analysis. Primary interviews offer new and fresh information on important factors such as market trends, market size, competitive landscape,growth trends, etc.These factors help validate and strengthen secondary research findings. Moreover, the data collected and analyzed from secondary and primary research is again discussed and examined by our expert panel. Global Electronic Shelf LabelMarket: Competitive Dynamics The research study includes profiles of major companies operating in the global electronic shelf label market.Market players have been profiled in terms of attributes such as company overview, financial overview, business strategies, and recent developments. Some of the key players in the electronic shelf label market are Altierre Corp., Displaydata Ltd., Pricer AB, SES-imagotag, E Ink Holdings, Inc., and Teraoka Seiko Co., Ltd. among others The electronic shelf label market has been segmented as follows: Global Electronic Shelf Label Market By Component Hardware Labels (Product) Type LCD ESL Segmented E-paper ESL Full-graphic E-paper ESL Infrastructure Access Points (Transceivers & Base Stations) Handheld Devices Software Pricing and Shelf Management Software Other Digital Infrastructure Services Support and Maintenance Installation Training and Consulting By Communication Technology Radio Frequency (RF) Infrared (IR) Near-Field Communication (NFC) Beacon By End-use Organized Retail Stores Supermarkets& Hypermarkets Malls Drug Store/Pharmacies Consumer Electronics (Standalone) Other Specialty Stores Multi Brand Stores Company-owned/ Brand Stores By Geography North America The U.S. Canada Rest of North America Europe Germany The U.K. France Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China Japan India Rest of Asia Pacific Middle East &Africa GCC Countries South Africa Rest of Middle East &Africa South America Brazil Rest of South America Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05611717 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 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/electronic-shelf-label-market---global-industry-analysis-size-share-growth-trends-and-forecast-2018---2026-300746711.html SOURCE Reportlinker [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] U.S. Navy Awards SAIC $597 Million Contract The U.S. Navy awarded Science Applications International Corp. (NYSE: SAIC (News - Alert)) an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract for the production and delivery of integrated Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C5ISR) systems, networks, and support equipment in support of the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center (SSC) Atlantic. The single-award contract has a five-year period of performance worth approximately $597 million. The contract has an additional two-year award term that, if earned, would increase its potential value to approximately $861 million. Delivery/Task orders awarded under the contract will include procuring, fabricating, assembling, integrating, testing, inspecting and delivering a highly diverse range of systems that include various complex designs provided by Navy program offices in the form of technical data packages. Systems vary in complexity, but generally include the integration of engineered cable assemblies, mounting kit assemblies, hardware, and software/security applications necessary to provide the Warfighter with the capability to communicate, maintain situational awareness, and achieve information dominance. Work will be performed in Charleston, South Carolina and Norfolk, Virginia. "We are proud to continue to help SSC Atlantic streamline their system production services and provide warfighters with the latest technology available," said Jim Scanlon, SAIC senior vice president and general manager of the Defense Systems Customer Group. "For this contract, SAIC enables shared resources across the command, resulting in cost savings; as we provide complex electronic systems to the Navy." About SAIC SAIC is a premier technology integrator providing full life cycle services and solutions in the technical, engineering, intelligence, and enterprise information technology markets. SAIC is Redefining Ingenuity through its deep customer and domain knowledge to enable the delivery of systems engineering and integration offerings for large, complex projects. SAIC's more than 15,000 employees are driven by integrity and mission focus to serve customers in the U.S. federal government. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, SAIC has annual revenues of approximately $4.5 billion. For more information, visit saic.com. For ongoing news, please visit our newsroom. Certain statements in this announcement constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve risks and uncertainties and a number of factors could cause our actual results, performance, achievements, or industry results to be very different from the results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some of these factors include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in SAIC's Annual Report on Form 10-K and other such filings that SAIC makes with the SEC (News - Alert) from time to time, which may be viewed or obtained through the Investor Relations section of our web site at www.saic.com . Due to such uncertainties and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005883/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] New CPC QD Solution Optimizes HPC Liquid Cooling ST. PAUL, Minn., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- CPC (Colder Products Company) , part of Dover (NYSE: DOV) and maker of quick disconnects (QDs) designed specifically for liquid cooling use, introduces its PLQ2 high-performance thermoplastic connector. These QDs deliver new capabilities in tensile strength, creep resistance and temperature handling for high performance computing (HPC) and data center liquid cooling applications. Made of polyphenylsulfone (PPSU), the connectors offer a heat deflection temperature of more than 200C and are chemically compatible with today's most widely used coolants and engineered fluids. "PLQ Series QDs are among the highest-performing engineered polymer connectors for liquid cooling applications available. They vastly reduce concerns around plastic QD durability and performance," said Elizabeth Langer, Senior Design Engineer, Thermal Management. "HPC and data center specifiers and operators can use these plastic QDs with confidence." Until now, users seeking the lightweight and corrosion-resistant benefits of plastic QDs typically sacrificed some level of robustness. With the PLQ Series that tradeoff is no longer necessary. The PLQ Series' advanced polymer construction maintains excellent thermo-oxidative stability and long-term material performance over time. PLQ QDs operate in temperatures from 0F to 240F (-17to 115C). Dimensionally stable PPSU has low water absorption making PLQ QDs ideal for water-cooled systems and humid environments. As a thermal insulator, PPSU reduces potential condensation on the connector and eases handlingthe QD will not behot to the touch when warm fluid is present. The PPSU connector is inherently flame retardant with a UL94 V-0 rating. PLQ Series QDs feature a multilobed seal for redundant protection against leakage and lasting shape retention during extended periods of connection. Multilobe seals provide greater sealing efficiency than standard o-rings while requiring less force to connect. The non-spill design allows disconnection under pressure without leaksessential in protecting electronics from exposure to fluid and enabling hot swapping of equipment. CPC is known for its easy-to-connect, robust non-spill connectors for HPC, data centers and other critical thermal management applications. The PLQ2 connector has undergone more than 10,000 cycles of leak testing as well as fluid burst pressure, creep resistance testing and more, proving its performance capabilities. CPC's extensive manufacturing validation process also includes both 100 percent function and leak testing during production. The new PLQ2 Series will be highlighted at the SC18 meeting in Dallas November 12-15 (CPC Booth #3926) and begins shipping December 2018. Watch the introduction video for the PLQ Series, highlighting its performance and versatility. For more information on any of the other 10,000+ innovative connection solutions CPC offers, visit cpcworldwide.com. About CPC: CPC (Colder Products Company) is the leading provider of quick disconnect couplings, fittings and connectors for the life sciences, bioprocessing, thermal management, industrial and chemical handling markets. CPC is an operating company within Dover Corporation. For a free catalog or more information, contact: Colder Products Company, 1001 Westgate Drive, St. Paul, MN 55114. Phone: 651-645-0091. Toll-free: 800-444-2474. Fax: 651-645-5404. Web: cpcworldwide.com. About Dover: Dover is a diversified global manufacturer with annual revenues of approximately $7 billion. We deliver innovative equipment and components, specialty systems, consumable supplies, software and digital solutions, and support services through three operating segments: Engineered Systems, Fluids, and Refrigeration & Food Equipment. Dover combines global scale with operational agility to lead the markets we serve. Recognized for our entrepreneurial approach for over 60 years, our team of over 24,000 employees takes an ownership mindset, collaborating with customers to redefine what's possible. Headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois, Dover trades on the New York Stock Exchange under "DOV." Additional information is available at dovercorporation.com. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-cpc-qd-solution-optimizes-hpc-liquid-cooling-300747105.html SOURCE Dover [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] TIAA Bank Teams Up With Urban League to Impact St. Louis Families This Thanksgiving TIAA Bank, the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis and Schnucks Supermarkets are joining forces again this holiday season to help fight food insecurity. On November 20, the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis and TIAA Bank volunteers will distribute more than 1,900 free pre-packaged Thanksgiving meals to low-to-moderate income residents thanks to a major sponsorship by TIAA Bank and Schnucks Supermarkets. "At TIAA Bank, we're always here to support the communities where we work and live," said Joseph Hernandez, community reinvestment officer of TIAA Bank. "The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis is making a difference in so many lives and we're honored to team up to make an even bigger impact at The 25th Annual Turkey Giveaway." This marks the third year TIAA Bank has supported the cause and stepped in as Presenting Sponsor. Since teaming up with the Urban League in 2016, the organizations have fed Thanksgiving meals to nearly 6,000 families in low- to moderate-income areas in St. Louis, MO. "We are both excited and thankful to have TIAA Bank serve as our primary sponsor for our Turkey Giveaway for the past three years. It is only through our valuable collaboration that many of our needy families will be able to have a Thanksgiving meal this year," said Michael P. McMillan, president and CEO of The Urban League o Metropolitan St. Louis, Inc. The 25th Annual Turkey Giveaway will take place on Tuesday, November 20, 2018 from 1:00 pm. to 3:00 p.m. at Urban League Outreach Centers located at 935 Vandeventer Ave., St. Louis, MO 63108 in St. Louis City, 8960 Jennings Station Road, Jennings, MO 63136 in St. Louis County and at the Clyde C. Jordan Center on 6755 State St., East St. Louis, IL 62203. For more information, please call (314) 615-3642 or go online to www.ulstl.com. About TIAA Bank As a part of TIAA's Retail Financial Services business, TIAA Bank, a division of TIAA, FSB, provides full-service, nationwide banking and lending services to consumer, commercial and institutional clients through a variety of channels, including online, its Florida-based financial centers and at other business offices throughout the country. More information on TIAA Bankcan be found at TIAABank.com. The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis is a social service and civil rights organization that works to fulfill its mission of Empowering Communities and Changing Lives. Programs are offered in the areas of Economic Opportunity, Community Empowerment, Education Excellence, Civil Rights and Advocacy. For more information about the Urban League please visit our website at www.ulstl.com. TIAA Bank is a division of TIAA, FSB. 2018 TIAA, FSB. 17ECM6640.20. TIAA, FSB NMLS ID: 399805. TIAA Bank, NMLS ID: 399805. 17XXXXXXX View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005987/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] Superior Court Affirms Fall Protection Safety Order for Elevated Telecommunications Structure SACRAMENTO, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Alameda County Superior Court recently affirmed that fall protection safety orders apply to elevated indoor telecommunication structures. Cal/OSHA citations issued after an employee suffered serious head injuries from a 7-foot fall from a telecommunications structure were appealed by the employer. Pinnacle Telecommunications, Inc. asserted that the safety order was too vague and did not apply. The Occupational Safety and Health Appeals Board (OSHAB) upheld the citations and the employer subsequently filed a petition in Alameda County Superior Court. The court's ruling affirmed the appeals board's decision that indoor suspended structures supporting telephone equipment and cables require proper fall protection, such as with work done on outdoor telecommunication poles or towers. In January 2014, a telephone line worker employed by Pinnacle Telecommunications, Inc., was installing telecommunications switchgears at a sub-station in Albany. He was standing on a metal structure less than 20 inches wide suspended from the ceiling, and was seriously injured after a 7-foot fall from the structure. Cal/OSHA's inspection determined the employer did not: provide training on when to use fall protection equipment. require workers to use personal fall protection devices or other fall protections methods such as guardrails or safety nets when working on elevated structures more than four feet above the ground. The division issued Pinnacle Telecommunications $25,560 in proposed penalties for a serious category citation as Pinnacle failed to ensure the use of fall protection equipment and a general category citation for ot providing required training. Pinnacle appealed, asserting the safety order cited did not apply because the structure on which employees were working is not covered by the regulation and the safety order is unconstitutionally vague. OSHAB affirmed the citations on September 22, 2017, and the employer filed a petition in Alameda County Superior Court on October 20, 2017. Superior Court Judge Kimberly E. Colwell on August 21 denied the employer's petition, upholding OSHAB's finding that the safety order was clear and appropriately applied to the structure from which the employee fell. OSHAB is a three-member judicial body appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate which handles employers' appeals of citations issued by Cal/OSHA for alleged violation of workplace safety and health regulations. The mission of the appeals board is to fairly, timely and efficiently resolve appeals and to provide clear, consistent guidance to the public, thereby promoting workplace safety and health. Members of the press may contact Peter Melton or Frank Polizzi at (510) 286-1161, and are encouraged to subscribe to get email alerts on DIR's press releases or other departmental updates. https://www.facebook.com/CaliforniaDIR https://twitter.com/CA_DIR http://www.youtube.com/CaliforniaDIR http://www.dir.ca.gov/email/listsub.asp?choice=1 The California Department of Industrial Relations , established in 1927, protects and improves the health, safety, and economic well-being of over 18 million wage earners, and helps their employers comply with state labor laws. DIR is housed within the Labor & Workforce Development Agency . For general inquiries, contact DIR's Communications Call Center at 844-LABOR-DIR (844-522-6734) for help in locating the appropriate division or program in our department. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/superior-court-affirms-fall-protection-safety-order-for-elevated-telecommunications-structure-300747114.html SOURCE California Department of Industrial Relations; Occupational Safety and Health Appeals Board [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] Kinaxis Inc. Reports Third Quarter 2018 Results Reports 19% growth in subscription revenue and Adjusted EBITDA(2) of 31% of revenue(1) OTTAWA, Nov. 8, 2018 /CNW/ - Kinaxis (TSX: KXS), provider of RapidResponse, the recognized leader in digital supply chain management for concurrent planning, today reported results for its fiscal third quarter ended September 30, 2018. Kinaxis has adopted IFRS 15 and 16(1) (or "the Standards") with an initial date of application of January 1, 2018. The information for Q3 2018 has been presented both before and after adoption of the Standards, while the information presented for 2017 has not been restated. Prior to the effect of the Standards, Q3 2018 total revenue was up 18% to $39.6 million, subscription services revenue grew by 19% to $30.7 million, Adjusted EBITDA(2) was up 14% to $12.3 million (31% of revenue), and profit declined to $5.2 million from $6.0 million, all compared to Q3 2017. Giving effect to the Standards, Q3 2018 total revenue was $36.6 million, total subscription revenue was $27.7 million, Adjusted EBITDA(2) was $9.5 million (26% of revenue) and profit was $2.7 million. All amounts are in U.S. dollars. All figures are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), unless otherwise indicated. "We continued to execute on key strategic initiatives this past quarter including the expansion of our global sales and operations, particularly in Europe. Our overall pipeline continues to grow and strengthen. The current quarter and 2018 full-year subscription revenue growth is slightly lower than expectation due to a number of late stage deals slipping outside of Q3. We are very confident in closing these opportunities, and more importantly, remain confident in achieving our goal of accelerated growth in 2019," said John Sicard, Chief Executive Officer of Kinaxis. "Our continuing success is built on the unique concurrent planning capabilities of our RapidResponse platform. Validating this differentiation, Gartner has once again recognized Kinaxis as a leader in their Magic Quadrant for Supply Chain Planning System of Record, positioning us as the leader with respect to completeness of vision. Ventana Research provided further validation by honoring Kinaxis as a Digital Innovation Award winner in the Operations and Supply Chain category for our use of machine learning techniques to create the Kinaxis Self-Healing Supply Chain solution. I am more excited than ever about our position in the market and our opportunity to help companies transform their supply chain performance." Q3 2018 Highlights Under IFRS 15/16(1) Prior to IFRS 15/16(1) $ USD millions, except as otherwise indicated Q3 2018 Q3 2018 Q3 2017 Change Total Revenue 36.6 39.6 33.5 18% Subscription services 27.2 30.7 25.8 19% Subscription term licenses 0.5 - - - Total subscription revenue 27.7 30.7 25.8 19% Gross profit 24.6 27.6 23.8 16% (67%) (70%) (71%) Profit 2.7 5.2 6.0 (13%) ($0.10/diluted share) ($0.19/diluted share) ($0.23/diluted share) Adjusted EBITDA(2) 9.5 12.3 10.8 14% (26%) (31%) (32%) Cash from operating activities 2.0 2.0 3.3 (40%) (1) Kinaxis has adopted IFRS 15, using the cumulative effect method, and IFRS 16, using the modified retrospective approach, and an initial date of application of January 1, 2018. Accordingly, the information presented for 2017 has not been restated. The impact of the adoption of IFRS 15 relates primarily to accounting for Kinaxis' revenue from on-premise, fixed term subscription arrangements and capitalization of contract acquisition costs. IFRS 16 specifies how to recognize, measure, present and disclose leases. The standard provides a single lessee accounting model, requiring lessees to recognize assets and liabilities for all major leases. See the Kinaxis financial statements and MD&A for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 for further information. (2) "Adjusted EBITDA" is a non-IFRS measure and is not a recognized, defined or a standardized measure under IFRS. This measure as well as other non-IFRS financial measures reported by Kinaxis are defined in the "Non-IFRS Measures" section of this news release. Analysis of Q3 2018 vs Q3 2017 Financial Highlights As noted in our financial statements and management's discussion and analysis (MD&A) for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, Kinaxis adopted the Standards on January 1, 2018. We have not restated the 2017 comparative information but have also presented the 2018 results prior to giving effect to the Standards, to create a basis for this comparative analysis. Prior to the effect of the Standards, in the third quarter of 2018 subscription services revenue grew by 19% to $30.7 million, due to contracts secured with new customers, as well as expansion of existing customer subscriptions. Total revenue grew 18%, to $39.6 million. After applying the Standards, subscription services revenue was $27.2 million, subscription term license revenue was $0.5 million (for total subscription revenue of $27.7 million), and total revenue was $36.6 million. Prior to the effect of the Standards, in the third quarter of 2018 gross profit grew 16% to $27.6 million and gross profit margin was 70% compared to 71%. The slightly lower gross profit margin reflects increases in headcount and related compensation costs and higher depreciation costs associated with the expansion of data center capacity, including new data centers in Europe and Japan, to support new and ongoing customer engagements as well as global expansion. Prior to the effect of the Standards, Profit for the third quarter of 2018 was $5.2 million ($0.19 per diluted share), compared to $6.0 million ($0.23 per diluted share). The decrease in profit reflects an increase in operating expenses incurred to support our global expansion and ongoing product innovation, net of increases in revenue and gross profit. After applying the Standards, gross profit was $24.6 million, or 67% of revenue, and profit was $2.7 million ($0.10 per diluted share). Prior to the effect of the Standards, Adjusted EBITDA(2) for the third quarter of 2018 grew 14%, to $12.3 million, or 31% of revenue, which reflects the growth in revenue and gross profit in the period. After applying the Standards, Adjusted EBITDA(2) was $9.5 million, or 26% of revenue. Cash generated by operating activities was $2.0 million for the third quarter of 2018, down from $3.3 million. Cash and cash equivalents were $176.1 million at September 30, 2018, compared to $158.4 million at December 31, 2017. Financial Guidance Kinaxis is updating the guidance it previously provided for certain key financial targets, both prior to and after adoption of the Standards. The following are the updated financial targets for FY 2018: $ USD millions, except as otherwise indicated Under IFRS 15/16 FY 2018 Prior to IFRS 15/16 FY 2018 Total revenue $152-153 $155-157 Subscription services revenue $107-108 21-22% growth Subscription term licenses $9-10 - Adjusted EBITDA margin 25-28% of revenue 25-27% of revenue "We have adjusted revenue guidance slightly to reflect the delays in closing certain new business, while reaffirming our strong EBITDA guidance. Next quarter, we expect to provide guidance for 2019 that reflects accelerating revenue growth," said Richard Monkman, Chief Financial Officer. This guidance is provided to enhance visibility into Kinaxis' expectations for financial targets for the periods indicated. Please refer to the section regarding forward-looking statements which forms an integral part of this release. This press release, along with the financial statements and Kinaxis' MD&A for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, are available on Kinaxis' website and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Conference Call Kinaxis will host a conference call tomorrow, November 9, 2018, to discuss these results. John Sicard, Chief Executive Officer, and Richard Monkman, Chief Financial Officer, will host the call starting at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time. A question and answer session will follow management's presentation. Date: Friday, November 9, 2018 Time: 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time Webcast: https://bit.ly/2R1PLdA Dial-in number: (647) 427-7450 or (888) 231-8191 Replay: (416) 849-0833 or (855) 859-2056 Available until 12:00 midnight Eastern Time Friday, November 16, 2018 Reference number: 8752009 Please call the conference telephone number 5-10 minutes prior to the start time. An operator will register your name and organization. About Kinaxis Inc. As the recognized leader in digital supply chain management for concurrent planning, Kinaxis is helping organizations around the world revolutionize their supply chain planning. Kinaxis RapidResponse, our cloud-based supply chain management software, connects your data, processes and people into a single harmonious environment. With a consolidated view of the entire supply chain, you can plan expected performance, monitor progress and respond to disconnects when reality hits. RapidResponse lets you know sooner and act faster, leading to reduced decision latency, and improved operational and financial performance. We can prove it. From implementation to expansion, we're here to help our customers with every step of their supply chain journey. Non-IFRS Measures This news release contains non-IFRS measures, specifically, Adjusted profit, Adjusted diluted earnings per share and Adjusted EBITDA. We use Adjusted profit and Adjusted diluted earnings per share, which remove the impact of our redeemable preferred shares and share based compensation plans, to measure our performance as these measurements better align the reporting of our results and improve comparability against our peers. We use Adjusted EBITDA to provide investors with a supplemental measure of our operating performance and thus highlight trends in our core business that may not otherwise be apparent when relying solely on IFRS financial measures. We believe that securities analysts, investors and other interested parties frequently use non-IFRS measures in the evaluation of issuers. Management also uses non-IFRS measures in order to facilitate operating performance comparisons from period to period, prepare annual operating budgets and assess our ability to meet our capital expenditure and work capital requirements. Adjusted profit, Adjusted diluted earnings per share and Adjusted EBITDA are not recognized, defined or standardized measures under IFRS. Our definition of Adjusted profit, Adjusted diluted earnings per share and Adjusted EBITDA will likely differ from that used by other companies (including our peers) and therefore comparability may be limited. Non-IFRS measures should not be considered a substitute for or in isolation from measures prepared in accordance with IFRS. Investors are encouraged to review our financial statements and disclosures in their entirety and are cautioned not to put undue reliance on non-IFRS measures and view them in conjunction with the most comparable IFRS financial measures. Kinaxis has reconciled Adjusted profit and Adjusted EBITDA to the most comparable IFRS financial measure as follows: Three months ended September 30, Nine months ended September 30, Pre-IFRS 15/16 Pre-IFRS 15/16 2018 2018 2017 2018 2018 2017 (In thousands of U.S. dollars) Profit $ 2,665 $ 5,233 $ 6,032 $ 11,483 $ 12,868 $ 14,898 Share-based compensation 2,959 2,959 2,299 8,644 8,644 7,412 Adjusted profit $ 5,624 $ 8,192 $ 8,331 $ 20,127 $ 21,512 $ 22,310 Income tax expense 1,333 2,765 1,817 6,272 6,760 4,791 Depreciation 2,649 1,809 911 7,199 4,834 2,517 Foreign exchange loss 177 41 30 203 390 53 Net finance income (264) (506) (276) (602) (1,313) (753) 3,895 4,109 2,482 13,072 10,671 6,608 Adjusted EBITDA $ 9,519 $ 12,301 $ 10,813 $ 33,199 $ 32,183 $ 28,918 Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenue 26% 31% 32% 30% 28% 29% Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements include statements as to our expectations for growth of annual total revenue, annual subscription services and term license revenue, and our expectations for Adjusted EBITDA achievement, in each case looking forward for the balance of our fiscal year ending December 31, 2018, as well as statements as to Kinaxis' growth opportunities and the potential benefits of, and markets and demand for, Kinaxis' products and services. These statements are subject to certain assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including our view of the relative position of Kinaxis' products and services compared to competitive offerings in the industry. In particular, our guidance for 2018 annual total revenue, annual subscription services and term license revenue and annual Adjusted EBITDA, is subject to certain assumptions, including: our ability to win business from new customers and expand business from existing customers; the timing of new customer wins and expansion decisions by our existing customers; maintaining our current customer retention levels; and with respect to Adjusted EBITDA, our ability to contain expense levels while expanding our business. These and other assumptions, risks and uncertainties may cause Kinaxis' actual results, performance, achievements and developments to differ materially from the results, performance, achievements or developments expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Material risks and uncertainties relating to our business are described under the headings "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risks and Uncertainties" in our annual MD&A dated February 28, 2018, under the heading "Risk Factors" in our Annual Information Form dated March 29, 2018, and in our other public documents filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities, which are available at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements are provided to help readers understand management's expectations as at the date of this release and may not be suitable for other purposes. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Kinaxis assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by law. Kinaxis Inc. Condensed Consolidated Interim Statements of Financial Position As at September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017 (Expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars) (Unaudited) September 30, 2018 December 31, 2017* Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 176,084 $ 158,398 Trade and other receivables 36,953 31,783 Investment tax credits recoverable - 911 Prepaid expenses 7,200 4,196 220,237 195,288 Non-current assets: Property and equipment 23,532 17,350 Right-of-use assets 12,581 - Contract acquisition costs 13,069 - Unbilled receivables 259 - Deferred tax assets 15 55 $ 269,693 $ 212,693 Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity Current liabilities: Trade payables and accrued liabilities $ 17,418 $ 11,176 Deferred revenue 51,077 67,040 Lease obligations 3,215 - 71,710 78,216 Non-current liabilities: Deferred revenue 1,991 7,745 Lease obligations 9,490 - Deferred tax liabilities 8,325 1,944 19,806 9,689 Shareholders' equity: Share capital 122,489 108,253 Contributed surplus 23,344 19,294 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (497) (284) Retained earnings (deficit) 32,841 (2,475) 178,177 124,788 $ 269,693 $ 212,693 * The Company adopted IFRS 15 and 16 as described in Note 3 to the Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements, which are available on sedar.com. Under this adoption, the comparative information is not restated. Kinaxis Inc. Condensed Consolidated Interim Statements of Comprehensive Income For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 (Expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars, except share and per share data) (Unaudited) For the three months ended September 30, For the nine months ended September 30, 2018 2017* 2018 2017* Revenue $ 36,585 $ 33,486 $ 112,428 $ 98,894 Cost of revenue 12,014 9,681 34,642 30,043 Gross profit 24,571 23,805 77,786 68,851 Operating expenses: Selling and marketing 8,487 7,100 24,770 21,398 Research and development 6,415 5,986 20,521 18,083 General and administrative 5,758 3,116 15,139 10,381 20,660 16,202 60,430 49,862 3,911 7,603 17,356 18,989 Other income (expense): Foreign exchange loss (177) (30) (203) (53) Net finance income 264 276 602 753 87 246 399 700 Profit before income taxes 3,998 7,849 17,755 19,689 Income tax expense 1,333 1,817 6,272 4,791 Profit 2,665 6,032 11,483 14,898 Other comprehensive income (loss) Items that are or may be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss: Foreign currency translation differences - foreign operations (170) 2 (213) 131 Total comprehensive income $ 2,495 $ 6,034 $ 11,270 $ 15,029 Basic earnings per share $ 0.10 $ 0.24 $ 0.45 $ 0.59 Weighted average number of basic Common Shares 25,974,858 25,417,766 25,747,532 25,265,637 Diluted earnings per share $ 0.10 $ 0.23 $ 0.43 $ 0.56 Weighted average number of diluted Common Shares 26,894,970 26,507,279 26,786,436 26,440,167 * The Company adopted IFRS 15 and 16 as described in Note 3 to the Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements, which are available on sedar.com. Under this adoption, the comparative information is not restated. Kinaxis Inc. Condensed Consolidated Interim Statements of Changes in Shareholders' Equity For the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 (Expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars) (Unaudited) Accumulated other Retained Share Contributed comprehensive earnings capital surplus income (loss) (deficit) Total equity* Balance, December 31, 2016 $ 97,164 $ 13,924 $ (519) $ (22,858) $ 87,711 Profit - - - 14,898 14,898 Other comprehensive income - - 131 - 131 Total comprehensive income - - 131 14,898 15,029 Share options exercised 9,056 (2,624) - - 6,432 Share based payments - 7,412 - - 7,412 Total shareholder transactions 9,056 4,788 - - 13,844 Balance, September 30, 2017 $ 106,220 $ 18,712 $ (388) $ (7,960) $ 116,584 Balance, December 31, 2017 $ 108,253 $ 19,294 $ (284) $ (2,475) $ 124,788 Adjustment on initial application of IFRS 15 - - - 23,833 23,833 Adjusted balance, January 1, 2018 108,253 19,294 (284) 21,358 148,621 Profit - - - 11,483 11,483 Other comprehensive loss - - (213) - (213) Total comprehensive income (loss) - - (213) 11,483 11,270 Share options exercised 13,384 (3,742) - - 9,642 Deferred share units exercised 852 (852) - - - Share based payments - 8,644 - - 8,644 Total shareholder transactions 14,236 4,050 - - 18,286 Balance, September 30, 2018 $ 122,489 $ 23,344 $ (497) $ 32,841 $ 178,177 * The Company adopted IFRS 15 and 16 as described in Note 3 to the Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements, which are available on sedar.com. Under this adoption, the comparative information is not restated. Kinaxis Inc. Condensed Consolidated Interim Statements of Cash Flows For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 (Expressed in thousands of U.S. dollars) (Unaudited) For the three months ended September 30, For the nine months ended September 30, 2018 2017* 2018 2017* Cash flows from operating activities: Profit $ 2,665 $ 6,032 $ 11,483 $ 14,898 Items not affecting cash: Depreciation of property and equipment and right-of-use assets 2,649 911 7,199 2,517 Share-based payments 2,959 2,299 8,644 7,412 Amortization of lease inducement - - - (18) Investment tax credits recoverable - 310 911 (532) Net finance income (264) - (602) - Income tax expense 1,333 1,817 6,272 4,791 Change in operating assets and liabilities (6,519) (7,436) (9,126) (4,270) Interest received 506 - 1,313 - Interest paid (242) - (711) - Income taxes paid (1,125) (662) (3,624) (3,749) 1,962 3,271 21,759 21,049 Cash flows used investing activities: Purchase of property and equipment (1,762) (2,660) (11,112) (4,304) Cash flows from financing activities: Payment of lease obligations (724) - (2,006) - Common shares issued on exercise of stock options 2,503 510 9,642 6,432 1,779 510 7,636 6,432 Increase in cash and cash equivalents 1,979 1,121 18,283 23,177 Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 174,577 150,425 158,398 127,910 Effects of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents (472) (111) (597) 348 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 176,084 $ 151,435 $ 176,084 $ 151,435 * The Company adopted IFRS 15 and 16 as described in Note 3 to the Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements, which are available on sedar.com. Under this adoption, the comparative information is not restated. SOURCE Kinaxis Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] Targus Named CES 2019 Innovation Awards Honoree for World's First USB-C Universal Quad Video HD Docking Station ANAHEIM, Calif., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Targus, the industry leader that introduced the first universal dual-video docking station, announced today that its USB-C Universal Quad Video HD Docking Station (DOCK520USZ) has been selected as a CES 2019 Innovation Awards Honoree in the Computer Peripherals category. Revealed today at CES Unveiled in NY, this award-winning dock will be displayed at the CES Innovation Awards Showcase during CES 2019 in Las Vegas. Targus will also be showcasing its honored Universal Quad Video HD Docking Station along with other next generation docking solutions and accessories throughout the show starting with CES Unveiled on Sunday, January 6 and continuing at its booth (LVCC, South Hall, Booth #31147). The DOCK520USZ gives call centers, investment firms, design agencies, and IT departments the ability to connect a laptop to up to four monitors via (4) HDMI video out ports. Outfitted with Dual DisplayLink DL-3950 chip technology, the dock supports four HD (1920 x 1080 p60) displays or one 2K (2560 x 1440 p50) display. The docking station includes additional ports to connect essential USB 3.0 peripherals and to an Ethernet network. It has a compact and low-profile, consuming half the dek space of typical docks. Wide compatibility with virtually any laptop ensures easy deployment and use with Thunderbolt 3, Display Port Alt-Mode, and USB 3.0, 3.1 and Type-C devices. "We're honored to be recognized with an Innovation Award for our new quad-display docking station," says Andrew Corkill, Vice President of Marketing & Channel Management at Targus. "It's the industry's first universal docking station to support four HD extended displays - reaffirming Targus as a true innovator for individuals who want to see and do more while they work. We are thrilled to be showcasing this product achievement at CES along with other revolutionary product innovations in our pipeline." The DOCK520USZ Spec includes: 4 HMDI 2.0 1 USB-C 3.0 Port with power (15W non-PD) 4 USB 3.0 ports (1 fast charging) 1 Gigabit Ethernet port 1 3.5mm combo Audio In/Out To get a demonstration of Targus' quad-display docking station, and a sneak peak of new Targus products at CES 2019, please contact [email protected] Availability The USB-C Universal Quad Video HD Docking Station will be available through authorized resellers and at targus.com this holiday season. About Targus Thirty-five years and a history of firsts, Targus has been revolutionizing mobile computing accessories for large enterprises and end-users alike connecting people and technology in meaningful ways. From laptop bags to tablet cases to peripherals and universal docking stations, we persistently conceive, design, and produce innovative, productivity-boosting solutions that make the complex, simple; and help people pursue their passions and live their purpose at work and in life. We cross categories, regions, industries, and lifestyles with a breadth and depth of products that seamlessly provide you with everything you need to live, dream, and do. Headquartered in Anaheim, California, Targus has global operations in over 45 offices and distribution in more than 100 countries. Learn more about us at targus.com, like or follow us at facebook.com/targus and linkedin.com/targus. About CES Innovation Awards CES Innovation Awards are granted to new consumer technology products that enable, enhance, and connect computer systems across 28 categories. Entries are on the products' innovation in design, engineering, and user value. For more information on CES and the Innovation Awards visit ces.tech/Events-Programs/Innovation-Awards.aspx. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/targus-named-ces-2019-innovation-awards-honoree-for-worlds-first-usb-c-universal-quad-video-hd-docking-station-300747055.html SOURCE Targus [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2018] The Consumer Technology Association Inducts 14 Industry Leaders into the 2018 CT Hall of Fame The Consumer Technology Association (CTA)TM, inducted 14 visionaries into the Consumer Technology (CT) Hall of Fame at its annual awards dinner, held last night at Capitale in New York City. CTA created the Hall of Fame in 2000 to honor industry pioneers and entrepreneurs. This year's honorees include John Briesch, the Sony executive who led the launch of the compact disc (CD); Dr. John Cioffi, the father of Digital Subscriber Line (DSL); Robert Cole, founder of World Wide Stereo; Richard Doherty, an influential technology journalist and industry analyst; Peter Lesser, smart home pioneer and founder of X-10 USA; Mike Romagnolo, founder of DOW Stereo/Video; and Edgar Villchur, inventor of the acoustic suspension speaker. In addition, two teams are also part of the 2018 class. First, the co-founders of Thiel Audio, Kathy Gornik and Jim Thiel and the co-founders of Skype, the person-to-person video phone platform: Janus Friis, Ahti Heinla, Priit Kasesalu, Jaan Tallinn and Niklas Zennstrom (News - Alert). Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of CTA, praised the inductees for their contributions that have helped to grow the U.S. economy. He said, "Tonight, we honor the leaders that inspire us and motivate us to think outside the box. The entrepreneurs in the CT Hall of Fame are an extraordinary group. They inspire us to be better and encourage us to reach for the stars." The first inductee to accept his award was John Briesch who advised attendees, "If you have a passion, a new technology or a dream, seek out partners and instill in them your passion. Build networks within your area of expertise to create a working team of people who believe." Next, Dr. Cioffi, thanked Stanford University for the support it gave him during the development of the DSL high-speed data technology. "With my Stanford affiliation, it has always been about my students over the years. They propped me up and have been involved in everything I've done," he said. Robert Cole, founder of Worldwide Stereo said, "Nobody gets here alone," as he recognized the inspiration his family has given him. From his mother ho shared her love of music, to his brother who taught him the inner workings of speakers to his wife of 45 years who stood by him. "It's hard to fail when you have that kind of support." Sabrina Doherty accepted the award on behalf of her late father, industry analyst Richard Doherty. Sabrina recalled the many road trips to tradeshows the Doherty family took. "It was at these tech shows where we would walk the halls and he would point out people and tell us how they made our world better and how their vision, discoveries and guidance upgraded our lives." Kathy Gornik, the co-founder of Thiel Audio and former CTA Chairman as well as chair of multiple CTA boards, said, "We were a little company in a garage in Kentucky and if it hadn't been for CES (News - Alert), I really don't know how we would have grown this company to become a worldwide player. We were not huge, but plenty big enough for us." Early smart home entrepreneur Peter Lesser shared his respect to the industry he participated in for more than 40 years. "Just to be on the same list as so many industry greats is a bit crazy, certainly gratifying but above all very humbling," he said. "I will never forget this night, this industry and the great people in it." Michael Romagnolo of DOW Stereo/Video thanked the many people, manufacturers and businesses who helped his independent electronics store grow into one of the largest in the country. "I just want to let you know that this is one of the biggest honors of my life," he said. CEO and President of VOXX International, Pat Lavelle, accepted the award on behalf of Edgar Villchur. Villchur founded Acoustics Research (AR) whose products and inventions set the standard for high-quality audio. "Being the current guardian of AR, we strive to carry Edgar's goal of truth in listening, building hi-res audio players and high fidelity hi-res headphones that have won numerous awards and accolades around the globe," Lavelle said. Finally, the Honorable Darrell Issa surprised guests to accept his 2017 award, after being unable to attend last year due to the Congressional voting schedule. He helped establish pro-tech and free market policies in Congress after a successful career as CEO of Directed Electronics. During his speech, Congressman Issa shared his experiences as a young businessman, driving from Cleveland to Chicago on little sleep just for the opportunity in exhibit at CES. With the 2018 class, the CT Hall of Fame grows to 260 inventors, engineers, retailers, journalists and entrepreneurs who conceived, promoted and/or wrote about the innovative technologies, products and services that connect and improve the lives of global consumers. The inductees were selected by media and industry professionals, who judged the nominations submitted by manufacturers, retailers and journalists. To learn more about the CT Hall of Fame program and for information on the 2019 nomination process, visit CTA.tech. Complete profiles of the honorees are in the November issue of CTA's magazine It Is Innovation (i3). About Consumer Technology Association: Consumer Technology Association (CTA)TM is the trade association representing the $377 billion U.S. consumer technology industry, which supports more than 15 million U.S. jobs. More than 2,200 companies - 80 percent are small businesses and startups; others are among the world's best-known brands - enjoy the benefits of CTA membership including policy advocacy, market research, technical education, industry promotion, standards development and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CTA also owns and produces CES - the world's gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. Profits from CES are reinvested into CTA's industry services. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108006057/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] How to disable the new Twitter font If you dont like Twitter's new Chirp font, heres how to get the old one back, and how to switch back if you change your mind. SAN FRANCISCO With a foldable phone grabbing all the hype and a revamped phone interface giving us a glimpse of what Samsung phones might look like in the very near future, it's understandable that other products might have gotten lost in the shuffle at Samsung's developer conference today (Nov. 7). And that's exactly what happened with the Galaxy Home, the voice-powered smart speaker Samsung's working on to challenge similar products from Google and Amazon. The Galaxy Home made an appearance on stage during today's keynote outlining Samsung's vision of a lifestyle built around connected devices. But it was easy to overlook the speaker since Samsung said very little about it that we hadn't already heard during a sneak peak at Galaxy Home back in August. At the time, when the Galaxy Home made its debut at the same event where the Galaxy Note 9 made its debut, Samsung promised more info about the speaker at this developer conference. But that info didn't turn out to be a price or a ship date. We're still in the dark on how much the Galaxy Home will cost and when it will arrive. MORE: Best Smart Speakers Bixby built in Instead, Samsung talked up the speaker's smart features, which now include tapping into the built-in Bixby assistant to make hands free phone calls. With a voice command, you can ask Bixby to call up a contact, turning the Galaxy Home into a fancy speaker phone. You're also able to ask the speaker to find your phone when you've misplaced it in your home. These features come with a couple of caveats. You'll need to connect your phone to the Galaxy Home over Bluetooth to take advantage of these features. And they'll also only work with Samsung phones great if you've got a Galaxy S9 or Note 9, but not so much if you use a different Android phone. Otherwise, the Galaxy Home's appearance at Samsung's developers conference served mostly to remind us of the features Samsung touted in August. The speaker features eight far-field mics, 6 1.5-inch speakers and a 4-inch subwoofer. There's a built-in SmartThings hub that lets you control compatible smart home devices from the speaker. Directional audio Still, it's helpful to see some of these features in action. Take Sound Steer, which lets you direct audio toward where you're sitting in the room. You can do this either using SmartThings app on your phone to manually change the direction or use the verbal "Sound steer" command and have Bixby do the work for you. In practice, it's a very clever way of adjusting your audio experience on the fly. Samsung set up a demo at its developer conference where about three dozen Galaxy Home speakers tapped into Spotify, which is partnering with Samsung on this device, to fill a room with pulsating techno music. It's a bit of cheat, since you're not going to have 36 or so smart speakers lined up in your home (well... nothing's stopping you), but it still demonstrated Galaxy Home's rich, clear tones and thumping base without the high volume causing any distortion. Pricing and availability a mystery With no pricing and availability, it seemed like Galaxy Home's primary purpose for being at this event was to tempt developers into using the new Bixby Developer Studio to optimize their own offerings for the smart speaker. That only underscores the long odds Samsung is facing here. After all, Amazon already has a vast array of skills that developers have built for its Alexa-powered speakers and Google Home has established itself in the marketplace as well. Nearly three months after Samsung first unveiled it we're still waiting for a chance to see what a shipping version of Galaxy Home can do. How to make your Android phone charge faster There are several ways to make your Android phone charge faster. Here, we outline them all so you can learn how to juice up your device more quickly. Microsoft President Brad Smith warned this week that if governments dont rein in on the public use of facial recognition software, the year 2024 could become as dystopian as the fictional year 1984 from the George Orwell novel, 1984. Perils of Facial Recognition Technology companies such as Facebook, Google, and Amazon, as well as multiple start-ups have already started to deploy facial recognition software for uses that may seem more or less harmless at the moment: photo tagging, face filters and Face ID-like biometric systems to unlock devices. However, as reported by Recode, during the Web Summit tech conference in Portugal Smith warned that in the future, the uses of facial recognition software could be much less harmless. He pointed out that retailers, for instance, will be able to track every move a customer makes within the store, including what goods they picked up, what they purchased and when they were there last. However, even that will be nothing in comparison to the future surveillance capabilities of governments. For the first time, the world is on the threshold of technology that would give a government the ability to follow anyone anywhere and everyone everywhere. It could know exactly where you are going, where you have been and where you were yesterday as well. And this has profound potential ramifications for even just the fundamental civil liberties on which democratic societies rely," Smith said. "Before we wake up and find that the year 2024 looks like the book 1984, lets figure out what kind of world we want to create, and what are the safeguards and what are the limitations of both companies and governments for the use of this technology. Smith: Regulation Is Necessary Earlier this year, Smith called for governments to regulate the use of facial recognition technology so that users rights arent constantly violated in the future by corporations and government agencies. What makes things worse is that the technology itself is still biased and far from perfect. There have been reports of Amazon Rekognition and London polices facial recognition technology being imperfect, to say the least. However, despite these significant error rates, law enforcement agencies continue deployment, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has also started encouraging airlines to adopt facial recognition software at airports. This could put innocent people in situations where authorities might confuse them for armed and dangerous criminals just because of an erroneous match made by the facial recognition software. Smith warned that facial recognition technology is most dangerous when it's believed to be perfect because governments may no longer verify the facial recognition results at that point and completely rely on them to identify criminals. Smith believes governments should adopt a strong framework for how it should use facial recognition in a way that doesnt infringe on peoples rights. Retailers may also need regulation that requires asking for customers' consent letting facial recognition software can track them in-store, he argues. Microsofts President previously recommended that the U.S. Congress create an independent commission that can evaluate the dangers of facial recognition technology and propose regulation frameworks. A similar expert commission was used after the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. Since then, 28 such expert commissions were formed on various issues, such as protecting children in disasters or the future of the U.S. army. Despite Claire McCaskill's Loss, Democrats Shouldn't Give Up in Missouri Nicholas Lemann on why Democrats should continue to compete in Missouri despite Senator Claire McCaskill's defeat. Don't blame TKC for that headline. From the STL Post-Dispatch:Thankfully, the New Yorker is offering some encouragement along with their A Kansas City man pleaded guilty Thursday to voluntary manslaughter in connection with the 2013 fatal stabbing of Corey Laykovich. Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said in a news release that John D. Seger, 26, was sentenced to nine years in prison. Laykovich was stabbed after stopping at a convenience store. Kansas City American Dream Achieved New Citizens From 30 Countries Are Sworn In At The Kansas City Library Arem Mohammed's white tuxedo flashed as bright as his smile while he sang the national anthem for the first time as a U.S. citizen Wednesday at a Golden Ghetto Road Binge Overland Park wants to make US 69 six lanes Overland Park city officials will meet with state lawmakers Thursday, asking for help expanding U.S. 69 to six lanes. KCMO International Biz Power Play Saudi Arabian investment pushing WISE into Nigeria, Japan, Middle East The multimillion-dollar investment from a Saudi Arabian accelerator and capital firm is pushing WISE Power from the West Bottoms to global growth. KCK Foodie Fail Examined HHS sends consultant to ask UG about the holdup on Argentine fast food project The Department of Health and Human Services sent a consultant to KCK to ask the Unified Government why it's taking so long to build fast-food restaurants in Argentine, which are partially... Cowtown Futbol Playoff Time Shades of Blue Soccer Show - The Playoffs Return to KC This week's podcast will get you ready for Sunday as the MLS Playoffs return to Kansas City! Lucky Win Streak Cont'd What are the odds? Chiefs have won 13 straight pre-game coin tosses KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Some think of 13 as being the most unlucky number. It turned out to be a stroke of good luck for the Kansas City Chiefs (8-1) and keeping their streak alive -- when it comes to winning game day coin tosses. The numbers are fairly staggering. Winter Weekend Ahead End-of-the-Week Snowstorm to Impact Kansas City to Chicago The snowstorm is expected to hit the Midwest all day Thursday and Thursday night. Quick glimpse at a classic American hottie still on top of her promo game:Closer to home, these news links start our day . . .is the TBT song for right now and this is the morning. . . JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - The Roman Catholic Diocese of Jefferson City, Missouri, has released the names of 33 priests and religious brothers found through a sexual abuse investigation to be "credibly accused" or removed from ministry in the diocese. The names were released Thursday by Bishop W. Shawn McKnight. Next steps unclear after Missouri gas tax increase fails Supporters of a plan that would have boosted Missouri's gas tax by 10 cents are plotting their next steps after voters rejected the increase Tuesday. KC's newspaper. . . Meanwhile, the STL public radio offers a bit more journalism on the topic. Take a look: The 911 Carrera RS never officially made it across the Atlantic and into the U.S. market. With that being said, 45 cars that were meant to be used in a Carrera Cup U.S. series that never materialized did trickle down to dealerships and were quietly sold in 1993 in the shadow of the RS America which deserves its own review as it isnt identical to the European RS. For 1992, Porsche launched the Carrera RS in Europe which was, in essence, a road-legal version of the Carrera Cup racing cars. This single-make series was on the bill of the Formula 1 World Championship weekends as support races in between F1 sessions. The Benjamin Dimson-penned Porsche 911 (964) debuted in 1989 and featured a rounder body shape in tune with the times which was a clear, but not profoundly radical, departure from the design of the previous 911 that was still tracing its roots back to the original Ferdinand Alexander Porsche-drawn model launched in 1963. The Porsche 911 Carrera RS is an exercise in reducing a formula to its purest form. It was built as a lighter, faster, and more powerful version of the 964-generation Carrera 2 and it stands as a spiritual successor of the magnificent 911 Carrera 2.7 RS from the early 70s. 1992 Porsche 911 Carrera RS Exterior The Porsche 911 had gone without a significant visual makeover for almost 15 years by the time the 964 dropped in 1989. It arrived as a sleeker and rounder interpretation of the already classic 911 shape and incorporated some production firsts on the technical side of things. It was, for instance, the first 911 to come with all-wheel drive and the first 911 to come with a Tiptronic automatic gearbox. Porsche also claimed at the time that 85% of the 964s components are new compared to the outgoing model which, frankly, was to be expected given the stagnation period of the 911 in the 80s. The Carrera RS was unveiled at the Geneva Auto Show for the 1992 model year. Aesthetically-speaking, it was pretty much identical to the AWD Carrera 4 and the RWD Carrera 2, although the Cup 1-style wheels made it stand out, coupled with a lower stance. Up front, the 964 RS looks docile, Porsche didnt bother to fit it with a more aggressive front bumper. This came later with the more ludicrous RS 3.8 which had a big wing in the back and a lowered nosecone with winglets on both corners. But the 964 doesnt, and its for the better. It looks like a sleeper made that way from the factory. The main differentiator between the 964 and the classic 911 is comprised of the bumpers which are seamlessly incorporated into the body line. The front bumper features two narrow and elongated air intakes just below the number plate while the indicators and fog lights sit on the corners of the bumper. Porsche also offered an NGT package for the Carrera RS which shed off some more weight and, what is more, the fog lights were replaced by two body-painted inlets. The twin headlights sit lower than on the previous 911 although their tunnels are still higher than the receding hood line. The front hood itself has a massive air vent just aft of the windshield to aid interior cooling. The front trunk hood on the RS is made out of aluminum to save weight and, for the same purpose, Porsche used thinner glass for the side windows and the rear window as well. The profile of the Carrera RS looks simple, combining the old-fashioned line with some touches of modernity. The first thing you notice is that this 964 sits lower than your average Carrera 2 or Carrera 4. Indeed, this model sits 1.6 inches closer to the ground than the standard versions thanks to a sporty suspension that was judged as being too stiff back in 1992, but you get used to it and its still usable as a daily driver. The five-spoke magnesium 18-inch wheels are buckled in Yokohama rubber and have become highly popular among Porsche fans over the years. The rear of this 964 is barely letting any clue out about how spirited it can go. The protruding rear bumper makes way for only one exhaust tip and the bar-style taillights are identical to those on any other Porsches of that vintage. Indeed, the Porsche lettering in the median part of the taillights is an element thats present on the RS as well. The engine hood is the only party piece. It features the Carrera RS nameplate with black letters and also an electronically-moveable spoiler that lifts when the car exceeds 50 mph but, otherwise, sits flush with the rear hood and acts as an air vent. As mentioned before, the Carrera RS 3.8 came with a fixed rear wing that offered permanent downforce. 1992 Porsche 911 Carrera RS Exterior Dimensions Wheelbase 89.4 inches Overall Length 168.3 inches Width 65.0 inches Height 52.0 inches 1992 Porsche 911 Carrera RS Interior The interior premises of a Carrera RS are religiously bare to save weight. You get no A/C, electric windows, power steering, front armrests speed control, or the rear seats. The original seats were also binned and replaced with tasty leather-wrapped bucket seats that lack most seat controls. The sound insulation inside is almost completely dumped as well as is the case with the radio. What do you get, then? Well, you could re-equip your RS with an air con and even a radio but, let it in its barest form and youll face a neigh-on empty dashboard covered in leather. The old-school Porsche steering wheel with horizontal spokes seats in front of five, round analog dials. The tachometer is the biggest and it seats in the middle with the odometer to its right To its left is the oil pressure and oil level meter as well as the water level meter. The RS doesnt have a center console, so the shifter sticks right out of the transmission tunnel with the handbrake just between the tri-color seats. The floor-hinged pedals are angled towards the center of the car but that isnt a reason of alarm for taller folks they are even more askew on the 993. The interior door panels are also extremely basic. You get a textile loop to help you pull the door when you get in, a handle to push it open when you get out and a knob to operate the windows manually. As I said, Porsche pushed weight saving to 11 with the NGT package that ditches even the original steering wheel for a racing-like Momo one. The bucket seats are also replaced by racing seats with 6-point harnesses and it has no more floor mats. This one, the basic RS, still has some, although they are quite thin. 1992 Porsche 911 Carrera RS Drivetrain Theres no magic going on underneath the body of a 964 RS but, in fact, theres a whole lot of magic going on there. What I mean is that there are no electronic aids, even the steering is unassisted, and the engine is of the old N/A air-cooled way but with Bosch Motronic engine management and multipoint fuel injection. The engine itself, known as M64/03 internally, is a flat-6 with a 3.6-liter capacity that develops 260-horsepower at 6,100 rpm. Max torque is 240 pound-feet at 4,800 rpm. With the car weighing only 2,711 pounds, a whole 385.8 pounds lighter than the U.S.-spec Carrera 2, its capable of sprinting from 0 to 62 mph in under 6 seconds while top speed is 162 mph. That SOHC M64/03 engine is blissful. Its fitted with a light single-mass flywheel which weighs only 12 pounds and was one of the key perpetrators of the power gain over the standard 964. Being naturally-aspirated, you have to rev it to get things going and thats just the beauty of it. The engine is linked to a 5-speed steel synchromesh gearbox with closer ratios known as the G50/10. The RS is fitted with an asymmetrical limited-slip differential to make things easier coming out of corners. How does all that work? Well, Motoring Search had this to say following their road test: The mechanical clatter of its flat-six hardens to a visceral snarl as the revs rise. Below 4,000rpm it feels merely quick then all hell breaks loose and it explodes to the 6,800rpm redline faster than you can grab the next gear. Its uncouth, uncompromising and utterly fantastic. CAR Magazine, after a massive Porsche-only test, went on to state that the RS is not a fast car, feeling surprisingly leisurely at low rpms and never really pulling with the spine-tingling vim that you might expect, but it sounds fantastic and handles so sweetly that you stop worrying about outright pace and start focussing on carrying speed, on listening to what the chassis is telling you in the least convoluted terms. Richard Hammond, a 911 devotee through and through, also had a go in one during his TG days and was over the moon talking about the machine. The lighter flywheel and closer ratios mean it barks like an angry dog and hauls through those close ratio gears just as aggressively. The 0-60 sprint time is 5.4secs, far from world-beating, but it does it with such a linear relentlessness allied to a sense that it will do it this time and the next and again and again forever. He went on to add that all the things a 911 lover loves: the feel through the steering wheel, the tiny shimmy from the front end when it goes light over a crest, the squat and grip from that weighty back end and the constant shouting, grinding, clattery racket from that ugly-looking engine (like a washing machine full of bear traps and honey badgers) are served up in massive helpings. You have to thank the track-focused suspension for the improved road holding and that visceral feel as the wheels vigorously communicate to you everything that goes on down below. The suspension, independent all around with MacPherson struts up front, has stiffer springs, shock absorbers, and adjustable stabilizer bars. Hefty ventilated discs sit behind each of the four wheels. 1992 Porsche 911 Carrera RS - specifications Engine H-6, 3.6-liter, 2V, Rear, longitudinal Power 260 horsepower at 6,100 rpm. Maximum speed 162 mph Acceleration 0 - 60 mph 5.4 sec Minimum volume of trunk 3.17 cubic feet Torque 275 pound-feet at 5600 rpm Fuel System Multi-point injection Bore x Stroke 100 mm x 76.4 mm Compression ratio 11:3 Drive wheel Rear-wheel drive Number of Gears 5-speed, manual, steel synchromesh with closer ratios Front suspension Helical spring Rear suspension Helical spring Front brakes Ventilated discs Rear brakes Ventilated discs 1992 Porsche 911 Carrera RS Pricing The 964-generation 911 Carrera RS has garnered a big following over the years and, as the second-to-last generation to feature air cooling, its highly sought after. Add to this the fact that its incredibly involving and fulfilling to drive and that less than 2,300 units were ever built to understand why you have to dip into six-figure sums to buy one. The car we see in these images, painted in a striking Guards red exterior color, hit the block during the 2016 RM/Sothebys sale in Monaco. The approximated selling value ranged between $430,000 and $518,000. But there are far cheaper examples out there, somewhere in the $215,000-$300,000 range. It all depends on the mileage, particular configuration, and history. Many RSes are used as track day machines so those are somewhat more worn out and may sell for less in comparison with garage queens that barely covered 10,000 miles in all of their +25-year life. 1992 Porsche 911 Carrera RS Competition 79 The F355 Berlinetta was the F348s replacement and was a major step in the right direction for Ferrari, a company that was thought to have derailed from its goal of creating pure and fast driving machines. The Mondial and the 348 (even in TS trim) tattered that image but the 355 showed the world that Ferrari still got it. It debuted in 1994 and, with over 11,000 units sold until 1999, it was a success. It featured a steel monocoque with a tubular steel rear sub-frame that kept the dry weight just below the 3,000 pounds mark. It came with Pirelli rubber that wrapped around the 18-inch rims and was equipped with power steering although a manual rack and pinion setup was available by request. The F355 was powered by a mid-longitudinally-mounted 3.5-liter DOHC V-8 engine with 5 valves per cylinder. Max power output was quoted by Ferrari as 375-horsepower at 8,250 rpm and 268 pound-feet of torque at 6,000 rpm. The 6-speed manual gearbox was the standard transmission option although, later, Ferrari offered a flappy-paddle F1-style electro-hydraulic gearbox. Arguably, the Pininfarina body of the F355 makes it the standout when compared to the Porsche which looks mundane. But the Porsche is closer if not better when it comes to the driving experience. Granted, the Ferrari could be quicker around the track due to the position of the engine and added horsepower and torque. Read our full review on the 1995-1999 Ferrari F355 Berlinetta Chevrolet Corvette C4 LT1 The LT1 5.7-liter V-8 engine was available on the C4-generation Corvette between 1992 and 1996 in thee different versions, all deploying 300-horsepower with torque varying between 330 pound-feet and 340 pound-feet. On the Y-body, the LT1 engine had a cast iron block, with aluminum heads The C4 with the LT1 engine is the closest rival to the Carrera RS from the whole C4 range. The car itself was designed by Jerry Palmer and debuted almost a decade before the launch of the 964 Carrera RS. However, it was still going strong by the early 90s. The C4 moved away from the fiberglass body construction of the C3 with the rear section being made from molded plastics. It was also the first Corvette to had a glass rear greenhouse. As the first uniframe Corvette, it came with independent suspension all around, by transverse fiberglass mono-leaf springs, and disc brakes with aluminum calipers. It weighed 3,240 pounds thanks to a proper Grand Tourer interior with the innovative electronic dashboard. Sadly for Chevrolet, even the ZL1 Lotus-tuned version wasnt quite bettering a Carrera RS on the twisty bits of a race track, although it could rocket past on the straights. Final Thoughts The 964 Carrera RS is a pure drivers car like only Porsche manages to pull off. Its light, nimble, not fully planted to the road surface so you get to play a bit, sounds amazing and isnt flashy. Best of all the worlds? Maybe. Think of it as one final celebration of the past before progress marched in, said CAR Magazine. Its a car youll ache to spend time with, to learn its quirks and exploit its talents. The buzz of driving it stayed with us many hours after we reluctantly handed back the keys, is how Motoring Research put it. All in all, its bucket list stuff! Love it Gorgeous-sounding 3.6-liter N/A flat-6 Amazingly rewarding to drive, but you have to give it your full attention Very sound investment, as with all limited-run air-cooled Porsches Leave it Its already expensive to buy Some may dislike thats not flashy in any way shape or form Further reading Read our full review on the 1994 Porsche 964 Speedster. Read our full review on the 1995 Porsche 993 Cup 3.8 RSR. Source: RM Sothebys Under the framework of the 11th African Union Extraordinary Summit, the AU Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) officially opened on Monday 5th November 2018, at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa. The meeting brought together the Permanent Representatives of the 55 AU member states based in Addis Ababa and key AU officials, among others. Over two days, the PRC session considered and deliberated on issues related to the AU Institutional Reform process, including reform of the AU Commission. Deliberations focused on the structure and portfolios of the senior leadership of the Commission, selection of the senior leadership of the Commission, as well as administrative and financial reforms. In his opening remarks, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the AU Commission, reiterated that since the launching of the AU reform process in January 2017, significant progress has been made in its implementation. He mentioned in particular the introduction of quotas for youth and women, the rationalisation of working methods and the slow but steady progress towards financial autonomy. The Chairperson added that the results thus achieved demonstrate, if need be, the relevance of the vision of the African leaders when they agreed to set the institutional reforms in motion. The rationalisation of our working methods has resulted in greater efficiency in the conduct of the affairs of our Union. Progress towards financial autonomy has established the conditions for greater ownership of our policies and efforts. The ongoing improvement in the representation of youths and women in the Commission will inject greater dynamism and innovation within it. At the same time, it must be recognised that much remains to be done, he added. Highlighting the issues to be considered by the PRC meeting, the Chairperson noted that it is important to keep in mind the reasons for which the reform was initiated. Basically, it is about giving us, through the Union, the human, material, financial and political means to meet the strong and legitimate expectations of our States and our peoples. Agenda 2063, which serves as a compass in this new phase of the pan-African movement, obliges us to accelerate integration, to put an end to the poverty and underdevelopment afflicting our populations; to silence the weapons and thus put an end to the suffering of all kinds generated by the conflicts; and to ensure that Africa speaks with one voice in the international arena to better defend its interests and work towards a more just and inclusive world order. He concluded that such ambitious objectives of Agenda 2063 require, for their realization, a more functional and efficient Union. Over the two days of their meeting, the ambassadors also discussed the mandate of the AU Development Agency (AUDA), currently known as the New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD). In this regard, the Chairperson recalled that the governance structure of AUDA was validated at the July summit, which was held in Nouakchott, Mauritania. The PRC meeting was also expected to discuss financing the African Union, the AU Peace Fund, and the division of labor between the AU, RECs, continental organizations and Member States. They evaluated Africas strategic partnerships and consider the report of the Chairperson of the Commission on the Outcome of the Extraordinary Session of the Executive Council on the ACP post-2020. There were also discussions around organs of the Union, including the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), the African Court on Human and Peoples Rights, the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights, the Pan-African Parliament, as well as strengthening of the Peace and Security Council (PSC). Additionally, the PRC meeting prepared the agenda of the 11th AU Extraordinary Assembly with appropriate recommendations for consideration by the 20th Extraordinary Session of the Executive Council, scheduled to take place from 14-15 November 2018. For more on the AU reform process, please visit our African Union Resources page. Meeting of the Permanent Representatives Committee on the Institutional Reform: Statement of the Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union This session of the Permanent Representatives Committee marks an important stage on the way leading to the Extraordinary Summit that will bring together our leaders on 17 and 18 November 2018 in Addis Ababa, on the crucial issue of the institutional reform of our Union. In fact, it will make it possible to adequately prepare the meeting of the Executive Council of 14 November, which will precede the Summit itself. Your deliberations will be informed by the conclusions of the Retreat of the Executive Council, held here, in Addis Ababa, in early September, as well as by the brainstorming meeting you held as a prelude to the said Retreat. Furthermore, the Commission has submitted a Report which, taking into account the work already done, states concrete proposals on the way forward. In short, your organ has many materials to feed into its discussions. As this is a process endorsed by the highest authority of our Union, I have no doubt that you will wholeheartedly do everything in your power to help arrive at the desired destination. May I seize this opportunity to reiterate my appreciation to all the Permanent Representatives here present for their commitment. I commend the work that your body does on a daily basis, to advance our Continental agenda, including the institutional reform of our Union. Since the launching of the reform process in January 2017, significant progress has been made in its implementation. I mention in particular the introduction of quotas for youths and women, the rationalisation of our working methods and the slow but steady progress towards financial autonomy. The Nouakchott Summit, last July, marked further progress. Thus, it validated the new governance structure of the New Partnership for Africas Development, which will become the African Union's Development Agency. The Summit also resulted in establishing the credibility of our budget process. The decrease in the budget for the 2019 financial year, without being an end in itself, was the culmination of this process. In this context, I am pleased to note the reduction in the level of our dependence on international partners. The results thus achieved demonstrate, if need be, the relevance of the vision that imbued our leaders when they agreed to set the institutional reform in motion. The rationalisation of our working methods has resulted in greater efficiency in the conduct of the affairs of our Union. Progress towards financial autonomy has established the conditions for greater ownership of our policies and efforts. The ongoing improvement in the representation of youths and women in the Commission will inject greater dynamism and innovation within it. At the same time, it must be recognised that much remains to be done. The decision adopted in Nouakchott to convene an Extraordinary session on the institutional reform of our Union is an expression of the strong political will of our Heads of State and Government. Drawing lesson from past attempts at reform, our leaders want to ensure that the efforts made in the wake of the decision taken at the Addis Ababa Summit, in January 2017, do not get bogged down in endless procedural debates, that the reform take the path, alas already borrowed in the past, promises without tomorrow. Africa simply can not afford to fall into hesitation and procrastination. The legitimate demands of our peoples' effectiveness, their demands for results and the urgency of their needs, especially the youth, leave us no choice but to persevere in the chosen path. I take this opportunity to inform you that I have just appointed a Youth Envoy, surrounded by a Youth Advisory Council, whose members I have also appointed. We have to go further and tighten our ranks because the international context is very difficult, characterized by the return of force in unilateralism in both political and economic spheres. Several issues are on the agenda of the Extraordinary Summit: the reform of the Commission, the division of labor between the Union and the Regional Economic Communities, the strengthening of the role of the Peer Review Mechanism and the the effectiveness of many of the Union's bodies, including the Peace and Security Council, as well as the streamlining of our international partnerships. It is also expected that financial issues will be discussed in the light of ongoing processes on the scale of contributions and sanctions for non-compliance by Member States with their obligations in this area. The report submitted to you includes detailed proposals on each of these issues. It is up to you to enrich them so that, at the end of the Summit, we can collectively take new steps in our quest for a more effective institution adapted to the goals assigned to it. I would like, particularly with regard to the reform of the Commission, to stress the crucial importance of this issue. The Commission is supposed to be the driving force of our Union. The capacity of our Union to carry out the many tasks that have been opened up depends on its ability to fully assume its immense responsibilities. In considering these different issues, it is important to keep in mind the reasons for which the reform was initiated. Basically, it is about giving us, through the Union, the human, material, financial and political means to meet the strong and legitimate expectations of our States and our peoples. The 2063 Agenda, which serves us as a compass in this new phase of the Pan-African movement, obliges us to accelerate integration, to put an end to the poverty and underdevelopment afflicting our populations; to silence the weapons and thus put an end to the suffering of all kinds generated by the conflicts; and to ensure that Africa speaks with one voice in the international arena to better defend its interests and work towards a more just and inclusive world order. You will agree with me that such ambitious objectives require, for their realization, a more functional and efficient Union. This is the challenge of the reform. This is to say the heaviness of the task that awaits you in the days to come. I am sure your deliberations will live up to the stakes. I thank you for your kind attention. Keynote address by President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Opening Plenary It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to South Africa for this, the inaugural Africa Investment Forum. I wish to commend the African Development Bank, the continents pre-eminent financial institution, for convening this Forum, and to thank the bank for choosing to host it here in Johannesburg. The Africa Investment Forum is a significant milestone in our quest to reshape the fortunes of the African continent. The Forum is a platform for African governments and businesses, continental and international financial institutions, and other development partners, to focus on the critical task of making Africa the next global frontier in investment. Over these few days, we will share experiences and best practice. We will outline strategies for growing our economies. And, most importantly, we will connect financial institutions, project sponsors, institutional investors and other stakeholders with a view to concluding transactions. Africa is a continent on the rise. It has experienced significant growth over the last two decades, fuelled in part by improved governance and the deepening of democracy. Rising incomes have seen the growth of the middle class and an increase in consumer spending. With substantial urban growth, ready internet access, abundant resources and a large youthful population, African countries have enormous potential to leverage the technological advances of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. They have the potential to forge a new world of work that fosters innovation and entrepreneurship. To realise this potential, Africa needs to invest in the skills, capabilities and well-being of its people. It needs to improve governance and promote peace and stability. Most importantly, if Africa is to seize the opportunities of the future, it needs to mobilise large scale, sustained investment, especially in infrastructure. African governments cannot do this without business. The private sector and private markets are key players in the African investment landscape, supported by the lending capacity of financial institutions, both on the continent and beyond. If we are to unlock and sustain the flow of capital to Africa, we need to drive the economic reforms necessary to create an enabling business environment. To be globally competitive, to become investment destinations of choice, we need to resolve the problems that keep investors away. We have to address governance challenges such as policy uncertainty, financial mismanagement and corruption. As African leaders, we must demonstrate a firm commitment to act against corruption both within public institutions and the private sector. We must deal with burdensome red tape, provide policy and regulatory certainty, and strengthen our financial institutions. The Africa Investment Forum provides a welcome platform for us to outline the work we are doing to create a more enabling environment for investors in Africa. It is also an opportunity for us to listen to the concerns and suggestions of business leaders, to draw lessons, and to act. This Forum is aligned to the key aspiration of the African Unions Agenda 2063 of a prosperous and integrated Africa, characterised by inclusive growth and sustainable development. Agenda 2063 has a resource mobilisation strategy that relies on the identification and expansion of investment partnerships to propel growth. The economic transformation of the continent is dependent on all our efforts to move industrial and infrastructure projects to bankable stages, to raise capital and to accelerate the financial closure of deals. International partnerships such as the G20 Compact with Africa can make an important contribution to this growth, while offering investors significant opportunities to do business across the continent. The Compact is geared towards strengthening macroeconomic, business and financing frameworks across the continent to promote private investment from companies in G20 countries. The potential of this initiative was evident in Berlin last week, where a diverse range of investors announced plans to invest in various projects in participating African countries. African integration is key to attracting investment and growing our respective economies. The adoption of the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement in March this year is a historic development that has the potential to fundamentally change African economies. The expansion of intra-African trade through the Continental Free Trade Area will contribute to better policy harmonisation and trade liberalisation and facilitation regimes. It should enhance industry competitiveness, expand continental market access and lead to the better allocation of resources. This is good for investors, who will have access to a market of more than 1.2 billion people and a combined GDP of more than $3.4 trillion. Economic integration whether at continental or regional level will further deepen the inter-connectedness of African economies. The fortunes of any one country will be even more closely dependent on the fortunes of all countries. As South Africa, this informs our approach to investment and development. We have launched an ambitious investment drive to raise $100 billion in new investment over the next 5 years. This is vital to reigniting growth in our economy and creating jobs on a far greater scale. Two weeks ago, we held the inaugural South Africa Investment Conference here in Johannesburg, where several companies announced new investments to a total value of R290 billion. Any investment in South Africa is an investment in Africa. With its diversified economy and manufacturing base, advanced infrastructure and large workforce, and sophisticated telecommunications and financial sectors, South Africa has long been an important destination on the continent for foreign investors. Our strategic position offers opportunities for investors wanting to do business in the rest of the continent. We firmly believe that the growth of any one African economy presents opportunities for its neighbours creating new markets for goods and services, increasing trade opportunities and expanding potential for intra-African investment. It is for this reason that in 2016 the South African government launched an agency in the Department of Trade and Industry called Trade Invest Africa. It gives effect to our conviction that sustainable growth in South Africa cannot be separated from growth in the rest of the African continent. Trade Invest Africa is tasked with facilitating outward investments by South African entities to the rest of Africa through targeted financial and non-financial support. Our approach is informed by a realisation that trade integration alone will not bring sufficient economic benefits. Our approach seeks to address industrial capacity and infrastructure development alongside the implementation of free trade arrangements. To extract the real value of a Continental Free Trade Area, we need to have the means to produce the goods that we want to trade. We need factories, affordable energy, reliable water supplies, universal broadband and integrated supply chains. We also need the roads, railway lines, harbours and air networks that are essential to move these goods. And the people who will produce and transport these goods need decent housing in sustainable communities. They needs schools, universities, clinics and hospitals. It is vital therefore that we take an integrated approach to economic development both within countries and across the continent. It is up to us to harness the power of initiatives such as the Africa Investment Forum that bring together business, financial institutions and governments in a single marketplace. It is only through partnerships that we can succeed, and through mobilising our collective resources that we can have the financial means to do what we have set out to achieve. This Forum is laying the ground work for a new era of collaboration that will propel us towards our goal of a prosperous, united and integrated continent. We continue to be inspired by the optimism and resolve of the citizens of our great nations. It is the interests of these citizens that we must value above all else. It is their wellbeing and their prosperity to which we must dedicate our every effort and our every capability. That is why we need investment, why we need partnership, and why we have all gathered here today for this inaugural Africa Investment Forum. I thank you. Remarks by President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Welcome Dinner of the Inaugural Africa Investment Forum 7 November 2018 It is my pleasure to welcome you to South Africa and to this, the inaugural Africa Investment Forum. This Forum, with its strategic focus on leveraging public private partnerships to drive investment on the continent, gives us great cause for optimism. Among the key aspirations of the African Unions Agenda 2063 is that of a prosperous and integrated continent based on inclusive growth and sustainable development. African integration speaks to the free movement of people, to the deepening of intra-African trade, and to cooperation across borders on infrastructure development. Importantly, it speaks to strengthening the capacity of continental financial institutions such as the African Development Bank to power Africas growth. African integration is key to attracting investment and growing our respective economies. It is an imperative if we are to fully harness the potential of our citizens. In July this year, South Africa joined 44 other countries in signing the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement. The agreement will pave the way for greater inter-regional trade, increased investment and faster industrialisation. This Forum therefore comes at a critical and timely juncture. Earlier this year the World Bank forecast that 6 out of the 10 fastest growing economies for 2018 would be in Africa. With a youthful and tech-savvy population, vast resources and diverse investment opportunities across a range of sectors such as agriculture, mining, telecoms and to energy, Africa is ideally positioned to drive global growth. The pace with which new technologies have been embraced by the young people of this continent suggests that Africa has the potential to effectively seize the opportunities of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Numerous studies have shown that developing countries, many of which are in Africa, are suited for so-called leapfrog development. We have seen, for example, the spectacular growth of mobile banking technology in African countries, wholly bypassing traditional banking systems that have been inaccessible to rural communities. In other instances, renewable energy investment has seen some African communities bypass conventional energy grids. By harnessing the potential of technology and by mobilising investment from the private sector, African societies can be at the forefront of innovation and progress. To do this, we must confront some of the perceptions that exist about investing in African countries. There are concerns that barriers to entry are high, regulatory red tape is overly burdensome, and governance challenges make investing in African economies risky. It should not be difficult to do business in Africa, and yet, as investors often tell us, it has been. If we are to unlock capital flows, we have to develop sound policy and regulatory environments, strengthen our financial institutions, improve governance and deal decisively with corruption. Providing policy certainty and consistency is critical if we are to realise the levels of investment we seek. This is why the African Development Bank should be commended for convening this Forum as a platform of engagement between African governments, the private sector and continental and international financial institutions. Tomorrow you will be hearing from leaders from across the continent about the concrete actions we are undertaking in our respective countries to create a business-friendly environment that catalyses investment. But the Africa Investment Forum is about more than just discussing ways to unlock obstacles to further investment. We are bringing tangible, real projects to the table. Africa will not be able to raise the $130 billion or more that it needs each year to meet its infrastructure requirements, without massive private sector investment in the continents development. It is not only the people of Africa who stand to benefit. Governments and the private sector should form relationships of mutual benefit, because Africa holds significant and untapped potential for investors. For investors looking to diversify their portfolios, Africa is a continent where opportunities are immense and the returns on investment are significant whether it is investing in climate smart agriculture in Nyando, Kenya; in an automotive manufacturing plant in Port Elizabeth, South Africa; in a hydroelectric dam on the Congo River; or in a tech start-up in Lagos. We will be using this platform to showcase the opportunities that exist. We will be using it to highlight what we are doing to remove the bottlenecks that stand in the way of greater investment into our respective countries. We hope that the deliberations here will be robust, spirited and, above all, results-oriented. Id like to welcome you once again to our country, and encourage you to take advantage of your time here to see as much of South Africa as you can. We are justifiably proud that we continue to attract high numbers of tourists to our shores, and we trust that for those visiting for the first time that it will not be your last. This year South Africa marks the centenary of the birth of the founder of our nation, Nelson Mandela. He was a legendary statesman, an exemplary leader, and an ardent pan-Africanist. He never tired of emphasising the inextricable links between the struggles and fortunes of South Africa, and those of the rest of the continent. And, he always advocated for a more integrated continent. In presenting the Africa Peace Award to the nation of Mozambique in 1997, President Mandela said: The time for Africas renewal, for our continent to occupy the pedestal of the successful, has come to pass. Africa yearns and deserves to redeem her glory; to reassert her centuries-old contribution to economics, politics, culture and the arts, and once more to be a pioneer in the many fields of human endeavour. The convening of the Africa Investment Forum is but one of the many means by which we as African leaders seek to develop our continent, improve the conditions of her people, and enhance her prosperity. In this we know we can count on the domestic and international business and investor community to work with us, side by side. A strong prosperous Africa, driven by the energies of its citizens is in the interest and reach of us all. I thank you. Speech by High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini during the S&D 2018 Africa Week This is the third important meeting that the [S&D Socialists & Democrats in the European Parliament] Group promotes on Africa and I think that it is almost revolutionary these days to have a conversation on our partnership with Africa beyond migration. I know that in this room this goes without saying, this seems self-evident, that we cannot even imagine having a partnership with a continent based on one issue yet very relevant but one only. I think that having the courage and the vision of saying we have to work and we need to work on our partnership beyond migration, with Africa, with the European Union on your side, is exactly the right political message to send, so thank you for this. I think this is exactly the kind of message we need in Europe today. Yesterday, I know you celebrated Nelson Mandelas one hundred years. He was a man who managed to inspire entire generations all across the world. His fight for freedom and justice was first and foremost for the people of his country indeed a revolution but it soon became a symbol of something much bigger. And all of a sudden, the story of one man and one country started to speak to the whole world, and brought change across the world. Madibas liberation and his election sent a message of hope that touched the hearts and the minds of people all across the globe. It was a message of democracy, a message of social justice, equal opportunities for all beyond ethnicity, beyond faith and social background. But it was also a message of reconciliation, inside countries and among countries. He imagined a world where all countries had the same rights, and where international relations could be and had to be based on cooperation and partnership. At that moment in time, Africa was at the centre of the world with this inspiring revolutionary message. Mandelas ideas inspired for sure my generation but also many others. I would say it gave us strength and courage to face things that were perceived as impossible. My favourite quote from him is that Everything seems impossible until it is done, and I think this is something we should keep in mind especially in Europe nowadays. But today international relations are not the same that Mandela used to imagine. We face the return to a more dangerous way of interpreting, understanding, living global politics: a way of interpreting international relations based not on cooperation and partnership, not on win-win solutions, but more and more often as a power game, as a zero sum game. Many of us have the feeling that there is little hope to move towards a more cooperative global order, and it is indeed very difficult in these days to be optimistic and to stay optimistic. Still, a big part of the worlds future, but also the worlds present, depends on Africa, and also depends on our partnership. I know that Africa does not always perceives itself as a major global player, well it is. Look at the numbers, look at the demography, look at the richness natural resources, of the people. You are a big global player and together, Europe and Africa, can shape the features of international relations in quite a revolutionary way. I often say that maybe for someone like me that comes from a place that geographically is quite close to Africa, it is natural. But today, it is all of the European Union that is aware of the strategic importance of the European-African partnership. It was probably not the case a few years ago, but today this is reality. I often make reference to an anecdote that explains very well how close we are: only 17 kilometres away. I had to fly from Tunis, Africa to Malta that at the time was holding the European Union presidency, and I was flying South if you fly from Tunis to Valletta, you are flying South. This to say that even the paradigm of a North-South divide, nowadays, is something we need to challenge together. We cannot do it alone as Europeans, I think you cannot do it alone as Africans, but I think, this is the challenge we are facing together. And this would be a service that we do not only to our people, but also to the rest of the world. Africa has a role to play and has a responsibility when it comes to shaping international relations. This not just because most of the worlds demographic growth is happening inside Africa, it is also about an idea of international relations and global politics. In our daily engagements, we are showing that a more cooperative governance of global affairs is not just possible it is but it is actually the only effective way to deal with the challenges of our times: a) a global governance that is based on cooperation inside the regions. Africa is experiencing on a daily basis a strengthening of its regional and sub-regional organisations that inspires many of us. It is also inspired by much of what we have done in Europe, but this is a continuous learning process in which we exchange experiences, so a governance based on cooperation inside the regions and among the regions. I am happy to say that in these years we have invested so much in our relations with the sub-regional organisations and with the African Union in an unprecedented manner: b) a governance that has inclusive growth and the fight against inequalities as its core objectives. We do not say that often but I think this is it and we have to face reality as it is. We often talk about the root causes of migration, namely poverty, climate change. Let us call things with their names. We are talking about inequalities: an unequal distribution of wealth and resources around the world. This is what we are talking about when we talk about the root causes of migration also conflicts and crises, and many of them are caused exactly by inequalities and unequal distribution of resources. We together can promote the idea that we share as Africans and Europeans that it is a false illusion to think that if my neighbour is strong in a sense of competition this creates a problem. I think we have understood from our history, both in Africa and in Europe, that if my neighbour has a problem I also have a problem. And the best way to invest in my strength is investing in my neighbours strength. This is how the European Union was built, after having experienced centuries of conflict, competition and wars, and I believe this is the lesson that also the African continent has learned over its history. This is the kind of cooperation we have started to establish with Africa in these years. Beyond the donor-recipient relation, we went from the idea of having projects for Africa, which is something good and that we continue to do, to the idea of working with Africa, as I was saying, towards our common interests. It is true that part of our work these years has focused on migration and particularly on fighting traffickers and helping people free themselves from traffickers. I think this is a common interest we share. We finally realised that the management of migration flows is not a South-North divide but it is a common interest to manage together. It is a complex challenge also because most of the African countries are at the same time countries of origin, of transit and of destination nowadays. So we have a common challenge to deal with and only together we can do it. I can give you the example: last year during the Summit we had with the African Union in Abidjan we decided that we wanted to tackle the awful situation in the detention centres in Libya. We established a joint task force European Union, United Nations, African Union and we managed in a few months to liberate tens of thousands of men and women from the detention centres and bring them back home safely with the support they need to start their lives again. This was made possible exactly because of our partnership, of cooperation. Europe would have not done it alone, Africa would not have done it alone and the United Nations neither. Out of this cooperation, out of this partnership we managed to bring results and this needs to continue because we might fall into the illusion that this is done it is not. We need to sustain the work that has been started. This is just one starting point of our cooperation. I know our time is limited. But let me mention one other important point that is at the centre of our work, which is the work on security. We are exploring new ways to cooperate for our common security. Our cooperation with the G5 Sahel in this respect is particularly innovative. We started from a very basic idea that no one knows Africas true security needs better than the people of Africa and so our African partners are now defining their needs and the strategy and we are giving our support to their initiatives, like in the G5 Sahel because that is also in our own interest. Sustainable security is essential for sustainable development and this is a pressing need. Yet, this is definitely not enough to guarantee a better present and a better future for Africans. And so I come to the real centre of our cooperation and I close on this. Beyond migration, beyond security, our cooperation is now driven by two main goals: create good jobs and good opportunities for the African youth and engage constantly with the young people of Africa. I am happy to see here youth representatives because the rhetoric, the narrative of you being the future for Africa is simply not matching reality. You are the present of the continent and the only way to get it right is to let you influence the policies we are putting in place. We have established as European Union, together with the African Union, initiatives to have the young generations of Africa and of Europe and of the diaspora heard and to get their voices, that are very clear and loud, to the decision making process. We have established in particular an [AU-EU] Youth Plug-In Initiative that created an opportunity for young people to create proposals on concrete projects. I am happy to say that next week in Paris they will be at the [Paris] Peace Forum to present their ideas to world leaders and influencers, to make these projects reality and some of them are supported by the European Union. Let me finish by saying that I am proud of the work that we have started. It is still a long way to go. It will require a lot of political courage, determination, also resources, partnership, patience from time to time but I think we are on the right track to change the paradigm from the old traditional partnership based only on development cooperation to an equal partnership of friends. But let me say more than friends: brothers and sisters. The award-winning Royal Cliff Hotels Group has once again welcomed distinguished doctors, medical academics and members of the Infectious Disease Association of Thailand (IDAT) who gathered for their 44th annual meeting under the theme of Infectious Disease 2018: Now and Next. (TRAVPR.COM) THAILAND - November 8th, 2018 - Pattaya, Thailand - The award-winning Royal Cliff Hotels Group has once again welcomed distinguished doctors, medical academics and members of the Infectious Disease Association of Thailand (IDAT) who gathered for their 44th annual meeting under the theme of Infectious Disease 2018: Now and Next. We are delighted to welcome back all the members of this prestigious association and grateful to be the chosen venue for such an important event once again. Mr. Vitanart Vathanakul, the CEO of the Royal Cliff Hotels Group said. The success of every event is our top priority and we are pleased with the positive feedback we have received from the delegates which continually inspire us to improve and to continue providing with excellent service to ensure a successful and remarkable event experience. A unique meeting destination that is set in a stunning location with breath-taking ocean views, the Royal Cliff Hotels Group along with Pattaya Exhibition And Convention Hall (PEACH) is one of Asia's premier resort - convention destinations that provide complete versatility as a convenient 'one-stop convention solution' for any meeting needs. With over 13,000 sq.m of available meeting space, it offers modern facilities, professional services and technological support to successfully host a wide variety of engagements such as international conferences, exhibitions, product launches and banquets. Want to hold your next event at the Royal Cliff and PEACH? Request for a proposal by contacting our Sales Managers at (+66) 38 250 421 Ext: 2845 or emailing: success@royalcliff.com. Let us make your event extraordinary! For more information on the Royal Cliff Hotels Group and PEACH, please visit www.royalcliff.com and www.peachthailand.com ### Treehugger and our third-party partners use cookies and process personal data like unique identifiers based on your consent to store and/or access information on a device, display personalized ads and for content measurement, audience insight, and product development. To change or withdraw your consent choices for Treehugger.com, including your right to object where legitimate interest is used, click below. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. List of Partners (vendors) vinaymishra188@gmail.com New Delhi, November 8 Fortis Healthcare said today its CEO Bhavdeep Singh has resigned but will continue in his current capacity till a successor is found. Singh has resigned from his position by communication dated November 8, 2018. The Board of Directors of the company has considered and accepted his resignation, Fortis Healthcare said in a regulatory filing. At the request of the Board, Singh has agreed to continue in his current capacity till such time his succession planning is crystallised, the filing added. The development comes nearly four months after the crisis-hit healthcare chain was acquired by Malaysias IHH Healthcare, which agreed to invest Rs 4,000 crore in it by way of preferential allotment of shares. Singh has steered the organisation over the past three and a half years. In July this year, IHH Healthcare won the race to take control of cash-strapped Fortis. PTI amansharma@tribunemail.com Chandigarh, November 8 Thirty-seven people were arrested in Chandigarh as revellers in cities across Punjab and Haryana flouted the Supreme Court order which had limited the bursting of crackers only between 8 pm and 10 pm on Diwali, police said on Thursday. In Ludhiana, one of the most polluted city in the country, 14 cases were registered for flouting the apex court's time frame on bursting crackers. In Chandigarh, altogether 28 cases were registered for violation of the apex court order. The cases were registered under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code for disobedience of an order promulgated by public authorities. The Air Quality Index (AQI) at several places in the two states was recorded as 'poor' and 'very poor' on Thursday morning after Diwali night. The pollution-regulating authorities, however, said the air quality after this Diwali remained better than what it was last year. "We have registered 14 cases so far against unknown persons in connection with the violation (of the Supreme Court order)," Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner of Police Ashwani Kapoor said Thursday. He said the police had appealed to the people before Diwali to adhere to the apex court's 8-to-10 pm time frame for bursting crackers, adding as soon as the violators are verified, their names will be added in the FIR. The order was flouted at many places in the two states as people started bursting crackers well before 8 pm and continued beyond 10 pm. The pollution level rose at several places in two states on Thursday morning. In Punjab, AQI in the morning was found to be 221 in Ludhiana, 266 in Jalandhar, 221 in Amritsar, 271 in Patiala, 223 in Mandi Gobindgarh and 215 in Khanna. The AQI range between 201 and 300 falls under "poor" category. Before Diwali, the AQI in Punjab hovered around moderate to poor category. In Haryana, the AQI after Diwali reached 300 in Rohtak and 353 in Gurugram which is in 'poor to very poor' category. In Faridabad, the AQI was 401, just touching the 'severe' category. In Chandigarh, the AQI was 155, which is in the 'moderate' category, the officials said. The pollution level was about 25 to 30 per cent less this year if you compare it with the air quality level during the last year's Diwali. This year, the air quality was much better, Punjab Pollution Control Board's Chief Environmental Engineer Karunesh Garg said. The AQI in many parts of Punjab after Diwali normally used to be beyond 300, Garg said, adding that the apex court order has helped a lot in creating awareness about disadvantages of bursting firecrackers. Earlier, people used to start bursting firecrackers a few days before Diwali. But this time, they burst crackers for a limited period, said Garg. This year the traders also bought lesser stock of crackers, fearing a loss if they could not sell it. "This year, the enthusiasm among people about bursting crackers was not that much which used to be there earlier. The traders, therefore, were worried about the sale of crackers," a Ludhiana-based trader said. For Amritsar, Diwali remained a low-key affair in the wake of the tragic train accident which had left about 60 people dead and scores of others injured after a train mowed down revellers watching Dussehra celebrations, traders said. - PTI editorial@tribune.com Our Correspondent Sonepat, November 8 The CIA-2 unit of the police has arrested 11 gangsters after a brief encounter near Kumaspur village in the district. Superintendent of Police Pratiksha Godara told this to the media here on Thursday. The gangsters were identified as Krishan, Pawan, Neetu, Dinesh, Mahipal, Amit, Sunil, Ravinder, Pawan, Pramod and Ravinder. They were wanted in about 35 cases. The police seized more than Rs 10 lakh, two cars, a carbine, a rifle, three revolvers, five pistols and 82 cartridges from them. The SP said a CIA team led by Inspector Ajay Kumar was on patrolling duty in Bahalgarh area of the district on Wednesday evening when it received a tip-off about armed gangsters conspiring to loot people. After a brief chase, the SP said, the team surrounded them and asked them to surrender. The gangsters, however, opened fire. The police fired in return. Constable Amit, and gangsters Krishan and Pawan were injured. Godara said five of the accused carried a reward of Rs 50,000 on their head. The gangsters were wanted in 35-odd cases of murder, attempt to murder, loot and extortion in Haryana and Delhi, the SP said, adding they were taken in 10-day police custody. editorial@tribune.com Sushil Manav Tribune News Service Chandigarh, November 8 The family feud in the INLD has not just remained a political row, but seems to have driven a permanent wedge in the Chautala clan as for the first time ever, Ajay Singh and Abhay Singh Chautala on Thursday accepted greetings of Ram-Rami sitting at two separate venues. Ram-Rami is a prominent event observed by the Jat community in Haryana and nearby Rajasthan a day after Diwali when younger people visit their elders in the village, including parents and grand-parents, to seek blessings. Since former Deputy PM Devi Lals time, it has been a tradition in the Chautala clan that all male members would sit on the lawns of their ancestral Tejakhera farmhouse in Sirsa, as the INLD supporters from across Haryana visited them to wish Ram-Rami for Diwali festival. However, the scene was entirely different this time, as while Abhay Singh accepted greetings from supporters at the farmhouse, his elder brother Ajay Singh met followers in his Sirsa residence. Sources said both Ajay Singh as well as his MP son Dushyant Chautala went to the main chowk of Tejakhera village where a statue of Chaudhary Devi Lal stands in the early hours and came back after paying homage to him. The father-son duo did not visit the Tejakhera farmhouse, owned by patriarch Om Prakash Chautala. Hundreds of supporters of the two camps kept visiting Tejakhera as well as Sirsa through the day. The tradition of Ram Rami is very old in Chaudhary Devi Lals family. Earlier, the family used to accept greetings from people at their ancestral house in Chautala village. However, when the Tejakhera farmhouse was built in the late 1970s when Devi Lal became CM, the venue was shifted there, said a supporter. Meanwhile, Dushyant Chautalas visit to Union Minister of State for External Affairs Rao Inderjit Singhs residence a day before Diwali has added spice to the current family feud. Sources said Dushyant remained closeted with the Union minister for over an hour. While Raos office said it was a courtesy call to greet the minister on Diwali, Dushyants father Ajay Singh said meetings between two political leaders always have political meanings. editorial@tribune.com Shimla, November 8 Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur today met Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi today and urged for according permission to use the Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE) helipad at Manali for tourism purpose. He said Himachal witnessed heavy tourist influx, especially Manali and surrounding areas, and to boost tourism, this would help and improve the connectivity. He apprised her that roads in Kinnaur and Lahaul Spiti being maintained by the BRO were not in good condition. These were the only access roads to hydel projects being constructed on the Sutlej and Chenab and required immediate attention. Thakur also requested her for renaming Rohtang tunnel after the name of the late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who had a special attachment for the people of the state. He said the tunnel was a gift to the people as the project came up during his tenure only. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman agreed in principle for according permission to use the helipad for tourism purposes and also directed the officers concerned to issue directions to the BRO for upkeep of roads. TNS editorial@tribune.com Dipender Manta Tribune News Service Mandi, November 8 The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) opened the Rohtang Pass on Wednesday, bringing relief to residents of Lahaul-Spiti. The pass was closed on November 3 following heavy snowfall in the region, cutting off the tribal district from the rest of the state. Talking to The Tribune, BRO Commander Col AK Awasthi said: The pass could only be restored due to tireless efforts of the BRO. We had engaged our workforce and machinery from Lahaul and Manali to restore the road at the earliest. On Diwali too, BRO men were seen clearing snow from the Manali-Leh highway. By afternoon, they had restored the pass. As soon as it opened, around 150 stranded vehicles passed from the Lahaul side towards Kullu. The vehicles had been stuck in the valley since November 3 because of heavy snowfall, Awasthi said. On Thursday, the Kullu administration allowed the movement of vehicles from Manali towards Lahaul, which were stranded in Kullu-Manali. A large number of Lahaul-Spiti residents, living in Kullu-Manali, keep shuttling between Kullu and Lahaul for various works. However, the district administration has restricted the movement of tourist vehicles towards the Rohtang Pass for security reasons. They have been allowed to go up to Gulaba. Raman Gharsana, Subdivisional Magistrate, Manali, said: We are allowing the movement of Lahaul-Spiti residents towards Lahaul from the Manali side. The tourists can go up to Gulaba only for snow-related activities. The people have been told not to take the road between Manali and Lahaul because of frost at several places. Ashok Kumar, Dinesh Kumar, Gyalchhan, Ravinder and a few other residents of Lahaul-Spiti thanked the BRO for opening the road despite several challenges in sub-zero temperature. It will help us transport potato seed out of the district, they said. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Jammu, November 8 In a major breakthrough, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Jammu, has recovered 50 kg of heroin, valued at Rs 250 crore in the international market, from a Delhi-bound truck laden with apple boxes. This was the third big seizure of heroin this year in the Jammu region. During the last four months, three heroin consignments originating from Kashmir with a cumulative market value of Rs 800 crore have been seized. Without divulging the details of the modus operandi adopted by drug smugglers, the NCB said the smuggling could be part of narco-terrorism. The NCB has arrested the truck driver, a resident of north Kashmirs Kupwara district, for carrying the consignment which was concealed in apple boxes. Based on specific information, a team of the NCB intercepted an apple-laden truck coming from Sopore on the November 5 evening at Ban Toll Plaza on the Jammu-Udhampur highway. The truck was brought to Narwal Fruit Mandi. Upon search, 50 packets of heroin were found concealed in three wooden boxes, Virender Yadav, NCB, Zonal Director, Jammu, told mediapersons here. Yadav said the truck, which originated from Kashmir, was headed for New Delhi. We found that the drugs were packed in pouches laid under layers of apple. There were at least 50 such packets weighing 50.120 kg. This is the third biggest seizure of heroin in the current year in India by any agency, the NCB director said. To a query, he said, We cant rule out that such big consignments are part of narco-terrorism and funding generated through it can be used for carrying out terror activities. This is part of the investigation. On being asked whether drugs were being smuggled from Pakistan, Yadav remained tight-lipped about the source point, saying that the investigation was on. In the last four months, the NCB has seized 161 kg of heroin valuing Rs 800 crore from the Jammu region alone. The seized consignments, according to sources, originated from Afghanistan and reached J&K via Pakistan. On August 6, the NCB and J&K Police recovered 51 kg of heroin on the bypass under the jurisdiction of Trikuta Nagar police station in Jammu. The IGP, Jammu, had claimed that it was Afghanistan-origin high-quality heroin which was being transported to Punjab from Handwara district of Kashmir. On September 2, a team of the NCB had seized 22 kg of the 60-kg heroin seized from a car at Lakhanpur and arrested three persons while they were transporting the consignment to Punjab. The rest of the 38 kg was seized from a house in Handwara. editorial@tribune.com Sumit Hakhoo Tribune News Service Jammu, November 8 Callousness shown by the successive governments in Jammu and Kashmir has left thousands of farmers cultivating finest varieties of basmati rice in the world at the mercy of the broker-miller cartel. As harvesting is about to end, the state has again failed to bring basmati under the ambit of the minimum support price (MSP). This has left the field open for exploitation of cultivators who are forced to sell their produce at the rates set by millers. Ironically, J&K lifted ban on the export of basmati in 2009, but no sincere effort has been made to promote it as a national and international brand. According to officials in the agriculture department, the annual production of basmati is about 1 lakh metric tonnes. The varieties grown in the state are known for its long grains, aroma and exotic flavour. It is estimated about 30,000 metric tonnes is procured by buyers from outside the state. Basmati is still treated as a novelty item. It has not been brought under the Essential Commodities Act which determines the MSP for other crops, like wheat. The harvesting will end in the next two weeks in most of the areas. However, in the absence of government intervention, traders from outside the state decide price and export produce of J&K, said Choudhary Dev Raj, president, Rice Growers Association in RS Pura, the main basmati growing area of J&K. It is estimated that about 50,000 hectares is under cultivation of different basmati varieties, including 370, Sugandha, Sanwal, Ranbir basmati, RR-564, Pusa no.1 and Pusa basmati 1121. About 90 per cent of the land falls near the 198-km International Border which traverses through Jammu, Samba and Kathua district. When contacted, Director, Agriculture, HL Razdan, admitted that the basmati farmers faced problems in the absence of the MSP, but said the department was trying to streamline the system. It is under consideration of Central and state governments. But till such a mechanism is announced, we will keep on holding regular meetings with farmers during the harvesting season to ensure they get the maximum price from buyers, said Razdan. Although officials from the agriculture department said in 2017, cultivators got Rs 4,000 to Rs 4,500 per quintal for the produce, but an activist alleged that the farmers did not get more than Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 per quintal as brokers had upper hand in the deals. editorial@tribune.com Dinesh Manhotra Tribune News Service Jammu, November 8 As fear psychosis has gripped the minority community following the killings of BJP leader Anil Parihar and his brother Ajeet Parihar in a terror attack, prominent Kishtwar residents approached the Central government to take some immediate steps to restore confidence of people. After meeting Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday evening, members of the minority community on Thursday afternoon called on Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to seek her intervention to fulfil their long-pending demand of setting up an Army cantonment at Kishtwar. The delegation was led by Sanatan Dharam Sabha president Hans Raj Bhutial and comprised members of the minority community, including BJP MLA Sunil Sharma. Sources said the minority community had lost faith in the local administration as the police had failed to take steps against the revival of militancy. On Monday morning, a delegation left for New Delhi to meet Central ministers, a source said, adding, members of the minority community are still camping in the Capital to brief other senior BJP leaders about the prevailing fear psychosis in Kishtwar district. BJP MLA Sunil Sharma told The Tribune over phone that the delegation had demanded handing over of the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The Home Minister has assured us that those involved in the killings would be tracked, he said, adding that the delegation told the minister that the situation in the area was like early 1990s when militancy was at its peak in the region. The Defence Minister assured us of pursuing the proposal of setting up an Army cantonment in Kishtwar, Sharma said, adding that the process would be started shortly. The Union Home Minister was also briefed that militancy was again spreading in the region due to the disbanding of special operations group of the police due to political reasons, Sharma said. The plan to again set up village defence committees was also discussed, he said. On November 1, Parihar brothers were killed by unknown gunmen in Kishtwar town. A day later, the police had constituted a special investigation team to probe the case. On November 5, Governor Satya Pal Malik had admitted that the killings of Parihar brothers was a terror attack. Shutdown observed A complete shutdown was observed in Kishtwar on Thursday over the killings of BJP leader Anil Parihar and his brother Ajeet Parihar by unknown gunmen last week. In a joint call by the Sanatan Dharam, Chenab Valley Traders Association, Kishtwar, Beopar Mandal, Kishtwar, and Majlis Shora Committee, Kishtwar, all shops in the district remained closed. Association general secretary Arshad Giri said, We jointly observed a complete shutdown in Kishtwar in solidarity with the family and demanded the early arrest of the killers. Kishtwar MLC Firdous Tak said, Both communities jointly observed a shutdown in Kishtwar and demanded a probe at the highest level. The killings of Parihar brothers are the loss of the whole region, not just of their family. OC Main demands Charanjeet Singh Minhas Charanjeet Singh Minhas IT was the Saturday after. The first Shabbat service in the aftermath of the Pittsburgh tragedy was about to begin. A friend and I entered the local synagogue in Newark, Delaware. Rabbi Jacob Lieberman, a short, handsome man, stepped off the dais to welcome us. After returning to the lectern, his hands rose repeatedly to his face. Then he left. I noticed other congregants looking at us with kindness. He reentered after a couple of minutes and looked at us all. He was still crying. Growing up in Punjab and working in India, the US to me, and like others, was a land of opportunities. No wonder, then, that an Army havaldars son could think of starting a software company immediately after landing there in 1999. It has been especially painful to witness the hatred expressed by a tiny, but lethal, group of individuals in this country. Six years ago, it struck a gurdwara in Oak Creek. Recently, a synagogue in Pittsburgh. In between, a black church in Charleston. All three tragedies were perpetrated by lone white supremacists; all three at places of God; all three at an interval of three years. And then, there were additional tragedies in schools across the country, the concert in Las Vegas, the nightclub in Florida.... My friend and I were at Temple Beth El to express our solidarity. The sinking feeling I had after hearing about the Oak Creek shooting is still fresh with me. I was in Bengaluru that day, visiting my India operations with my family. My wife and I were worried about our son. He was then, and even today, the lone Sikh boy with long hair to ever attend his private school in its century-old history. He has private violin lessons in a neighbourhood we know from the many Passovers we have enjoyed there. That day, I dropped him and went to the gym, where I learned of the Pittsburgh shooting. It triggered that familiar sinking feeling. I thought of my Jewish friends and their pain. The next day I joined hundreds gathered at a vigil in Newark. Addressing the gathering, including representatives of many faiths, Rabbi Lieberman said: For our grief, this is an opportunity to mourn. For our outrage, its a time to cry out. For our fear, an opportunity to pray and to invite courage, and for our vulnerability, its a time to stand with others and to discover that we are not really alone. Later, a couple of Sikhs questioned me for going to the Shabbat service, just as many Sikhs and others ask me every year why I host Iftar dinner during Ramadan. Yet some others question my celebrating Christmas, Diwali, Lohri, Holi, Passover and other festivals. Why not? I ask. You are a Sikh. I am told. Precisely. I only feel like a Sikh when I am doing this, because my Nanaks blessing of sarbat da bhala hugs me warmly and blissfully only during such moments. editorial@tribune.com Raipur, November 8 Four civilians and a CISF jawan were killed in an IED blast inside a bus, suspected to be the handiwork of Naxals, in Chhattisgarhs Dantewada district on Thursday, ahead of PM Narendra Modis scheduled visit to Jagdalpur district, about 100 km from Dantewada, on Friday to campaign for the BJP. Also, two personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) were injured in the third Naxal attack in 15 days in the poll-bound state. The IED explosion took place in a hilly area in Bacheli, about 450 km from here, when the CISF personnel were returning to their camp in Akashnagar after purchasing groceries, Dantewada SP Abhishek Pallava said. The Naxals triggered a powerful IED blast, killing a CISF jawan, the bus driver, conductor, cleaner and another person, who is yet to be identified, he said. The private bus was allotted to the CISF team deployed in the Bailadila mining area of the National Mining Development Corporation in Dantewada for election duty. On October 30, three police personnel and a Doordarshan cameraman were killed in a Maoist attack in Dantewadas Aranpur area. Prior to that, on October 27, four CRPF personnel were killed and two injured after Maoists blew up a bulletproof bunker vehicle in Bijapur district. The Naxalites have asked voters to boycott the Assembly polls, to be held in two phases. PTI monicakchauhan@gmail.com Chennai, November 8 The ruling AIADMK is up in arms against Tamil film star Vijay's Diwali release 'Sarkar' for its reported reference to former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, besides the alleged depiction of certain government schemes in bad light. Senior AIADMK ministers demanded that the contentious scenes be deleted, and threatened to initiate legal action if the latter failed to comply. Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar wanted to know why certain references deemed to be that to the late Jayalalithaa had found their way into the script. However, rebel AIADMK leader T T V Dhinakaran claimed Jayalalithaa was never addressed by the name mentioned in the film but charged commercial intent behind showing the AIADMK's 'freebies' in bad light. Law Minister C Ve Shanmugham said certain scenes amounted to inciting violence and warned of action. The scenes relating to burning of items disbursed under government welfare schemes amount to inciting violence. Whether it is the producer (Sun Pictures) or actor (Vijay), or theatres-- they will have to face action, he told reporters. DMK leader Pazha.Karuppiah, who has played the antagonist's role in the film, wanted to know how scenes of a movie could be deleted after the Censor Board had cleared it. Reports suggested that certain scenes show grinder, mixers and fans being burnt, seen as an obvious reference to the late Jayalalithaa's flagship schemes of providing these items free of cost, in line with an electoral promise in 2011. AIADMK workers staged a protest outside a theatre in Madurai demanding that certain scenes be removed. A show was also cancelled. Workers said they would not allow the film to be screened till derogatory scenes and dialogues were removed, the police said. At some movie halls in Coimbatore and Chennai, banners of the film and that of Vijay were damaged allegedly by AIADMK supporters. Some AIADMK workers staged a sit-in at a theatre in Coimbatore seeking a ban on the film. On a character whose name has purported reference to Jayalalithaa, Jayakumar said it was an attempt at "maligning" the late party chief and sought legal action against the crew. He also wondered if the filmmakers could have come up with such a flick when Jayalalithaa was alive and said her death has "emboldened" them. "If they (Vijay) had spelt out their policies, ideology and if the movie is reflective of that, it is fine. But in order to project themselves, to trample over others' sentiments and hurting them, that is not acceptable," he said. Referring to the films of matinee idol and AIADMK founder, former chief minister M G Ramachandran, Jayakumar said the late leader's films never carried such content. In an apparent reference to MGR's elevation from a film star to chief minister, he said "not all can become MGR." Lashing out at Vijay, Information Minister Kadambur C Raju said "This is not good for a growing actor like Vijay." The matter has come to the government's notice. We will advise them to remove the scenes. If they do it themselves it's fine, otherwise, we will decide the next course of action," he said. Meanwhile, Dhinakaran lashed out at the 'Sarkar' team, saying there was commercial intent behind the controversies. He, however, denied that a particular woman character's name had reference to Jayalalithaa. Komalavalli (the character's name) is not Amma's name at all. In 2002-03 when a Congressman referred to her by this name, Amma herself said this was not her name and that she had not even done any such film role," he said. However, the film was produced with "commercial intent and they have to do something" to make it a success, he added. You know who the producers are, he said, in an apparent referrence to Sun Pictures, owned by the Maran brothers of the DMK's extended first family. I was told that the free grinder, mixie are burnt. If they had burnt free colour TV also we can say that there is a sense of objectivity," he added. Late DMK chief M Karunanidhi's poll-time promise of providing free colour TVs to every household if elected to power in the 2006 Assembly polls had significantly helped the party win the polls then. Dhinakaran also ridiculed the Ministers for just giving publicity for the multi-crore venture. Meanwhile, actor-politician Karuppiah, a former AIADMK MLA who switched over to DMK, seemed to see no reason behind the demand for removal of the contentious scenes, saying it was released only after being cleared by the Censor Board. He claimed some of his dialogues referring to Karunanidhi had been muted. Recalling BJP's opposition to Vijay's 2017 movie 'Mersal', he said the party had made the film a grand success and that the AIADMK was now going to do the same for 'Sarkar.' 'Sarkar,' produced by Sun Pictures stars Vijay and Keerthi Suresh in key roles. It is directed by AR Murugadoss and has music by Oscar winner AR Rahman.The film had earlier courted a pre-release controversy over plagiarism. An aspiring filmmaker claimed that the film's story was his, following which Murugadoss went in for a compromise with the claimant. Incidentally, 'Mersal' had seen BJP protesting over certain "incorrect" references to the Goods and Services Tax (GST). PTI amansharma@tribunemail.com Bengaluru, November 8 Days after he met heads of opposition parties, including Rahul Gandhi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday held talks with former prime minister H D Deve Gowda and Karnataka counterpart H D Kumaraswamy and said it was necessary for the opposition to unite against BJP to save the country and institutions from destruction. Aiming to forge an anti-BJP front ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Naidu alleged that every institution, including CBI and RBI, had been destroyed by the BJP-led NDA government. "It is our responsibility to join hands together to save and protect this great nation and also save democracy and the Constitution," he told reporters after meeting Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy here. Naidu hinted that the 1996 model of forming the government with Deve Gowda as prime minister with outside support of the Congress, could also be one of the experiments to form the government at the centre. "PM candidate, we will decide. All of us will join together. First our aim is to protect democracy and save nation. What I am saying is, Congress is the main and major party. If you see only one experiment, that is under Deve Gowda's prime ministership. At that time, the Third Front had come to power. "Then we had take support from Congress from outside. That is the only experiment..." he said. Asked whether he was refering to 1996 model of forming government, he said, "I am interested in the nation and consensus. Everybody will join together. There is no organisation as of today. I have taken some initiative and I am meeting everybody. After that, we will meet and decide how to go about." Echoing similar views, Kumaraswamy said the prime ministerial candidate could be discussed later, "but at this point of time, the focus is to unite the opposition and save democracy". He said a mega farmers rally would be held in December or January. "I plan to hold the event by December-end or January (next year). All regional leaders, with the exception of BJP, will be invited," he said. Flaying the BJP-led NDA government, Deve Gowda alleged the NDA has created problems by destroying various institutions of the country. "It is the responsibility of all secular parties including the Congress to come together to oust the present government," he said. The meeting came amid the ruling Congress-JDS coalition winning two out of the three Lok Sabha seats and two assembly segments that went to bypolls in Karnataka on November 3. The BJP had managed to retain Shivamogga Lok Sabha seat, but lost Ballari, a bastion of the BJP and Reddy brothers. Naidu, who had last week met heads of several opposition parties, including Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi, had termed his party's alliance with the Congress a "democratic compulsion" to protect the country. Naidu on Thursday said the prime ministerial candidate would be decided at later stage, but at this point of time, it was necessary for all opposition parties to unite together to not only save the country, "but also save institutions from destruction by central government". "It is an initial exercise (of bringing opposition parties together). After that, we will work together," he said. He said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Kumaraswamy were holding rallies in January. "These things are happening. How to work out the unification of the parties and how to go about thereafter, we will all see in course of time," he said. Lambasting the Centre, Naidu alleged that it was using CBI and income tax departments to "control opposition," conducting raids "indiscriminately and harassing politicians, which people have been witnessing even in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu". Such raids also have been conducted recently in Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar besides Gujarat, he alleged. "Even as these raids are taking place, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not making any statements," Naidu said. "Besides, destroying the insititutions, the Indian economy is in doldrums as demonetisation did not have good effect on it," he said. Petrol prices have been increasing day by day and rupee is also depreciating, he added. Launching a tirade against the BJP-led NDA government, Naidu alleged that the party had betrayed the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh as it did not confer special status for AP. The TDP broke away from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in March this year. - PTI monicakchauhan@gmail.com New Delhi, November 8 Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will attend a ceremony on Friday to induct new artillery guns and equipment, including K9 Vajra and M777 howitzers, at Deolali artillery centre in Nashik, a ministry spokesperson said. Induction of 100 K9 Vajra at a cost of Rs 4,366 crore is to complete by November 2020. The first batch of 10 guns will be delivered this month, Defence Ministry spokesperson Colonel Aman Anand told reporters on Thursday. The next 40 guns will be delivered in November 2019, and another 50 in November 2020, he said. The first regiment of K9 Vajra, first-ever artillery gun manufactured by the Indian private sector, is expected to complete by July 2019. The gun has a maximum range of 28-38 km. It is capable of burst firing three rounds in 30 seconds, intense firing of 15 rounds in three minutes and sustained firing of 60 rounds in 60 minutes, he said. The Army is also going to raise seven regiments of 145 M777 howitzers. Five guns each will be delivered to the Army beginning August 2019 and the entire process will complete in following 24 months. The first regiment will complete by October next year, the spokesperson said. The gun, having a range of 30 km, can be moved to a desired location using helicopters and service aircraft. Compact gun tractor to tow 130 MM and 155 MM artillery guns will also inducted during the ceremony, the officer said. It is fitted with a crane that can handle ammunition weighing two tons. Maximum speed of the vehicle without a tow is 80 km per hour, which comes down to 50 km per hour with a gun attached to it, he added. PTI rajivbhatia82@gmail.com New Delhi, November 7 Delhi recorded its worst air quality of the year the morning after Diwali as the pollution level entered "severe-plus emergency" category due to rampant bursting of toxic firecrackers, authorities said on Thursday. The overall air quality index jumped to 574, which falls in the "severe-plus emergency" category, according to data by the Centre-run SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research). The sharp spike in pollution is caused by rampant use of firecrackers that has led to the formation of a smoky layer across the national capital and drastically reduced visibility, the authorities said. The SAFAR had warned that even if partial toxic firecrackers as compare to last year were burnt, then the air quality would fall in the severe category. An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered "good", 51 and 100 "satisfactory", 101 and 200 "moderate", 201 and 300 "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor", and 401 and 500 "severe". Above 500 is "severe-plus emergency" category. The Delhi Air Quality Index is around 574 at present. Air Quality Index entered in severe category at 2 AM after midnight on Thursday and will continue to remain in severe category until evening, a senior official said. A 'severe plus emergency' air quality index (AQI) essentially means that even healthy people may suffer from respiratory illnesses on a prolonged exposure to such air. This air will seriously affect those with ailments, according to the advisory issued by SAFAR. Air Quality Index (AQI) data shows major pollutant PM 2.5 and PM 10 are at 500 (severe) in Lodhi Road area. Delhi's Anand Vihar and area around Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium recorded 999, area around US Embassy abd Chanakyapuri 459all 'Hazardous' levels. The US embassy said PM 2.5 levels in its part of central Delhi had soared to 689, indicating emergency conditions, posing a serious health risk. A level of 50 or less is considered safe. Few Delhi residents wear face masks when they go out in heavy smog and joggers and passersby were out as normal near parliament early on Thursday. Last month, the Supreme Court allowed the use of "green" firecrackers for Diwali, but only for two hours in the evening. However, there were no "green" fireworks available for sale and countless fireworks were let off through the evening. A senior government official had told Reuters the city was heading into a "deadly cocktail" of pollution due to fireworks around Diwali and crop residue burning by farmers. Authorities have been reluctant to ban fireworks to avoid offending members of the majority Hindu community. Diwali is one of their biggest festivals. "The Supreme Court order on fireworks was not followed and health warnings from the government were limited to few newspapers and some websites," said Greenpeace campaigner Sunil Dahiya. The apparent lack of concern about the toxic airwhether through ignorance or apathygives politicians the cover they need for failing to address the problem, say environmental activists and others. Tiny particulate matter can cause major health problems. In recent weeks, Delhi doctors have reported an increase in patients with respiratory problems. Adding to the smog has been smoke from the surrounding countryside, where farmers at this time of the year burn the stubble in their fields to prepare for winter sowing. More gentle winds and cool air, which can trap pollution, exacerbate the problem. The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 302 at 11 pm, which fell in the very poor category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Source: AQI The air quality started deteriorating rapidly from 7 pm. The AQI was 281 at 7 pm. It rose to 291 at 8 pm and further deteriorated to 294 at 9 pm and 296 at 10 pm, according to the CPCB. The court had asked the police to ensure that banned firecrackers were not sold and said in case of any violation, the station house officer (SHO) of the police station concerned would be held personally liable and it would amount to committing contempt of the court. But despite the apex court order, there were reports of its violation from many areas long after 10 pm. Several areas showed a spike in the air pollution. Areas like ITO and Jahangirpuri recorded very high pollution levels. Violations of the Supreme Court order were reported from Mayur Vihar Extension, Lajpat Nagar, Lutyens' Delhi, IP extension, Dwarka, and Noida Sector 78, among other places. Delhi Police said they had patrol teams across the city, with senior police officers overseeing the operation. In all, they registered 562 criminal cases, some 72 cases under the Explosives Act, arrested 87 people for illegal sale of firecrackers and took legal action against 24 underage offenders under the Juvenile Justice Act, they said. The online indicators of the pollution monitoring stations in the city indicated "poor" and "very poor" air quality as the volume of ultra-fine particulates PM2.5 and PM10, which enter the respiratory system and manage to reach the bloodstream, sharply rose from around 8 pm. According to the CPCB data, the 24-hour rolling average of PM2.5 and PM10 were 164 and 294 micrograms per cubic metre respectively. The SAFAR forecast "bad" air quality Thursday even though partially toxic crackers were burst as compared to 2017. It also said the pollution levels would peak between 11 am and 3 am Wednesday and Thursday. The situation was similar, if not worse, in the neighbouring areas of Delhi such as Gurugram, Noida and Ghaziabad, where crackers were burst as usual, raising question marks on the efficacy of the administration in enforcing the apex court's ban. A "very poor" AQI essentially means that people may suffer from respiratory illnesses on a prolonged exposure to such air. If the air quality dips further, the AQI will turn "severe", which may trouble even those with sound health conditions and seriously affect those with ailments. As many as 209 calls were received by the Delhi Fire Services on Diwali, including one related to a huge fire in a factory at Bawana, officials said. Of these, 89 calls were related to fire incidents at garbage and dumpyards, while the rest were related to fire incidents involving electric wires, at factories and residential areas, a senior Delhi Fire Services officer said. The officials said the number of calls related to firecrackers was comparatively low, but there was no decline in the number of calls related to fire incidents. The Centre, in collaboration with the Delhi government, has launched a 10-day "Clean Air Campaign" from November 1 to 10 to monitor and report polluting activities as well as to ensure quick action. About 52 teams deployed under the campaign are visiting different parts of Delhi and the adjacent towns of Faridabad, Gurugram, Ghaziabad and Noida. The teams are being led by the sub-divisional magistrates of the respective areas and comprise senior officials of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), representatives of the CPCB, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC). Agencies/TNS editorial@tribune.com New Delhi, November 8 In a first, India will be a participant in multilateral talks with the Afghan Taliban in the same room, but at a non-official level. Russia will be hosting discussion on Afghanistan and steps towards political reconciliation in the war-torn country for the second time on Friday. The talks, previously scheduled in September, were postponed after the Ashraf Ghani government pulled out, calling it unnecessary in view of the Talibans rejection of peace and direct negotiations. The meeting will bring together deputy foreign ministers and special representatives from 12 countries, including Iran, China, Pakistan and the US . India supports all efforts at peace and reconciliation, the MEA said. TNS editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 8 Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday strongly defended demonetisation, stating it moved towards formalisation of the economy, making it less dependent on cash, attacked black money, hastened digitisation and created positive impact on both direct and indirect taxes in the past two years. On a day when the Opposition attacked the exercise with Congress president Rahul Gandhi accusing the governments spin doctors, including incompetent Finance Minister, of defending an indefensible, criminal policy, Jaitley mocked the prophets of doom for predicting decline of GDP by 2 per cent when India remained the fastest growing economy in the world. What has happened to the prophets of doom who said GDP will decline by at least 2 per cent. For the fifth year running, India will be the fastest growing (large) economy in the world. It is continuing to happen. So prophets of doom have been proven wrong. Even when there was global stress, we managed to have respectable growth rate, he said. On the second anniversary of demonetisation, Jaitley said it was a key step in a chain of important decisions to formalise the economy by targeting black money outside India with asset holders being asked to bring it back by paying penal tax and those who failed to do so being prosecuted under the Black Money Act. Dismissing as misconceived argument that return of over 99 per cent of cash into system failed the objective, he said it was not confiscation of currency but making the holders pay tax. The move compelled holders of cash to deposit it in the banks and response was received from suspected 17.42 lakh account holders linked to accounts with enormity of cash deposited. He said the system was needed to be shaken to make India move from cash to digital, which would have an impact on higher tax revenue and higher tax base. Financial inclusion was another important step to ensure that even weaker sections became part of the formal economy. Jan Dhan Accounts have resulted in most people being connected to the banking system. He said the Aadhaar law has ensured that Direct Benefit Transfer of government support system reached directly into the bank accounts. The GST has further ensured that in the matter of indirect taxes, the tax procedures become simple. It is now becoming increasingly difficult to evade the tax system. Push towards digitisation resulted in launch of Unified Payment Interface (UPI) involving real time payments that touched Rs598 billion in September. The Bharat Interface for Money (BHIM) is currently used by 1.25 crore people with Rs70.6 billion value of transactions in September. Collection of direct taxes improved with a rise of 20.2 per cent in the current financial year, while corporate tax rose by 19.5 per cent. During 2017-18, 6.86 crore tax returns were filed against 3.8 crore in May 2014. vermaajay1968@gmail.com Sumedha Sharma Tribune News Service Gurugram, November 8 A senior postal official of Pataudi is wanted for allegedly duping over 300 villagers of Rs 40 lakh in the name of opening savings accounts. The accused, identified as Govind, was posted as assistant postmaster in Khod village. He has allegedly been absconding for many days. The accused had allegedly opened their savings accounts and issued passbooks in 2015, but had been keeping their instalments with him ever since. It was his prolonged absence that highlighted that the accounts were never officially started. In his complaint, Khod village resident Ramphal told the police, He (Govind) opened recurring deposit accounts in 2015 and we had been contributing to it ever since. In front of us, he would make entries in the passbook, stamp it and keep it with himself for the next transaction. We never doubted him. But he did not turn up for several months after his transfer. When we enquired about our savings from the new staff, we got to know there were no accounts in our name. He took over Rs 40 lakh from 300 persons like me. An FIR has been registered against Govind under Sections 420 (cheating) and 406 (criminal breach of trust) of the IPC at the Pataudi police station. We have registered a case. We sought the record from the post office, but did not find any details of these account holders, said Inspector Jai Prakash Yadav, SHO of Pataudi police station. monicakchauhan@gmail.com Sukhmeet Bhasin Tribune News Service Bathinda, November 8 A 24-year-old youth was allegedly stabbed to death by a vegetable vendor and his father for a paltry sum of Rs 200. Gobind Singh was killed by the two with a sharp-edged weapon at Gurusar village in Bhagta Bhaika area on Diwal. The accused allegedly fled the spot after the crime. Police have registered a case on the statement of the deceaseds brother. Gurpreet Singh, in a statement to the police, said his brother, who worked as a labourer at the grain market, had bought vegetables of worth Rs 200 from Harbans Singh a few days back. He said his brother did not pay as he had no money at that point and promised to pay later. Harbans kept asked for the money and Gobind assured him that he will return the money soon. However, on Diwali day when Gobind Singh was returning home after work, Harbans and his son Gurwinder Singh followed him attacked the victim as he was entering his house. Gobind died on the spot. A case has been registered against the accused at Dyalpura police station. However, no arrests have been made so far in this case. Meanwhile, the relatives held a protest placing the body of the victim on the Bathinda-Bajakhana road and demanded arrest of the accused due to which the traffic was affected. editorial@tribune.com Ruchika M Khanna Tribune News Service Chandigarh, November 8 This year, a good yield of paddy and a reasonable hike in its MSP was expected to bring relief for the state farmers. But all their hopes were dashed with a fall in the yield and high moisture content in the crop. As the procurement season peaks, high moisture in paddy is forcing procurement agencies to reject the crop. Though the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has fixed permissible moisture limit at 17 per cent, almost half the crop reaching mandis in the state has moisture content of over 20 per cent. While the fall in yield has forced the government to rework and reduce its procurement targets by 9 lakh metric tonnes (LMT), the high moisture content is likely to reduce the procurement by another 5 LMT. The agencies will not be buying moist paddy and the farmers will have to store it and sell it later after drying. The latest figures put the total procurement target at 165 LMT. Harbans Singh Rosha, a commission agent in Khanna, said: In some cases, moisture content in the crop is as high as 24 per cent. We cannot purchase this paddy. Farmers are forced to first hire labour and dry the paddy, if it has to be bought by the agencies. The farmers were being harassed and the main reason for this was the government decision of late sowing of paddy, he said. The paddy was sown only after June 20. This meant that maturing was delayed. Since there were rains in September end, the crop did not ripen properly. It affected the yield and also led to high moisture content, he said. Farmers too said the moisture content was relatively higher this year because of delayed sowing. Gurdev Singh of Rajgarh near Doraha said though half of his crop was sold after a week of being dried, for which he had to shell out an additional Rs 15 per quintal as labour charges, the remaining crop had not been sold so far. I have no option but to raise another loan from an arhtiya, he rued. Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan, general secretary of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), said the day temperature had fallen and paddy could not be dried quickly. The farmers will suffer huge losses. That is why we have decided to launch an agitation after November 11 to demand that the permissible limit of moisture content be raised to 24 per cent, he said. So far, 125.36 LMT has been procured against 155 LMT procured during the same period last year. This shows that the procurement is down by 30 LMT so far. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 8 The National Implementation Committee with regard to the commemoration of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak met on Thursday and decided to create an inter-faith institute in the name of the first Sikh Guru. The meeting was presided over by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. It was attended by Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma, Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore and Punjab Culture Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu. Punjab BJP president and MP Shwait Malik, former MP and Chairman of National Commission for Minorities Tarlochan Singh, both newly appointed members of Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Trust, and SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal also attended the meeting. Tarlochan Singh said: Besides an inter-faith institute, it has been decided to develop Sultanpur Lodhi in Kapurthala and Bein river. Tarlochan Singh said it had also been decided to approach the UNESCO for publication of Guru Granth Sahib in all foreign languages recognised by the UNO. Besides, the state governments would be asked to publish the holy book in Indian languages. The SGPC president said the Centre should take requisite steps to facilitate religious visits of the Sikhs from India to Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur Sahib. Both shrines are located in Pakistan. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Chandigarh, November 8 People burst firecrackers past midnight in gross violation of the Supreme Court two-hour limit, but not many FIRs were registered in this regard on Diwali. Police figures reveal that only Amritsar and Ludhiana recorded more than 10 FIRs for flouting the SC ban. Barnala recorded seven cases, while the Patiala police registered five FIRs. Surprisingly, six police districts, including Bathinda city, Ropar, Gurdaspur, Pathankot and Sangrur, besides Abohar city did not record a single case of bursting of firecrackers beyond the SCs two-hour limit. Ludhiana registered 14, while Amritsar lodged 13 FIRs. Jalandhar recorded six cases, while Batala had one. Officials at the state police headquarters said the final figure would be known by tomorrow. Officials said it was not possible to post staff at every nook and corner of the state, but still best possible vigil was kept. Ludhiana DCP Ashwani Kapoor said they were even checking the Facebook live posts of city people to identify those who violated the court directions. A state government spokesperson said there were not many violations and due to strict enforcement of the orders, the pollution levels have come down. editorial@tribune.com GS Paul Tribune News Service Amritsar, November 8 Newly appointed Akal Takht acting Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh faced opposition while delivering his first sandesh (customary public address) during Bandi Chhor Diwas (Diwali) from the Darshni Deodi of the Golden Temple on Wednesday. Organisers of the controversial sarbat Khalsa Jarnail Singh Sakhira and his supporters, SAD (Amritsar) activists and hardliners showed black flags to Giani Harpreet Singh and raised pro-Khalistan slogans on the Golden Temple premises. Parallel jathedar Jagtar Singh Hawara released a message from Tihar Jail, while parallel acting jathedar Dhian Singh Mand released a separate message from Bargari, where he has been participating in a morcha against police inaction in sacrilege and Behbal Kalan firing incidents. Despite disturbance, Giani Harpreet Singh read out the message. He said besides the unforgettable incidents of 1984 Operation Bluestar, followed by November 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the series of sacrileges and Sikh political prisoners behind the bars despite completion of their sentence compelled one to think that Sikhs were discriminated against as a second-class citizen in their own country. He said now under a deep-rooted conspiracy, the Sikh history was being targeted by implementing distorted textbooks in schools. He said similarly abusive language was being used on social media to create a division among the Sikh community. He said the need of the hour was to be cautious of such conspirators and be on one platform in the light of Gurbani teachings and commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak unitedly. Meanwhile, Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh Bittu said, The irony is that Mand, who is serving as an acting Jathedar on behalf of Hawara, delivered his own message despite the latters sandesh that was already in the public domain. Hence, his conduct reflected that Sarbat Khalsa-appointed Jathedars are further divided. The three sandeshs in a competitive mood have mocked the community, he said. The role of the Jathedar of Akal Takht was to unite the Sikhs and not to disunite. But in this case, the existing set of parallel Jathedars had been instrumental in disuniting the Sikhs, he said. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Bathinda, November 8 A follower of Dera Sacha Sauda has been arrested in connection with a 2015 incident of sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib at Gurusar village near Bhagta Bhaika in the district. The accused has been identified as Jatinderbir Arora alias Jimmy. He has been arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Punjab Police from Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, last night. It is learnt that the accused was returning back from his honeymoon in Malaysia and was accompanied by his wife. He was arrested at the airport. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) and SIT member Ranbir Singh Khatra said a Rampura Phul court had granted five-day police remand of the accused. On June 2, 2015, an FIR was registered at Baja Khana police station after a bir of Guru Granth Sahib was stolen from a gurdwara at Burj Jawahar Singh Wala. On October 12, torn pages of the bir were found in Bargari. During the protests that followed, two Sikh men died in police firing at Behbal Kalan village on October 14. Later on October 20, around 157 pages of Guru Granth Sahib were found scattered at different places in the village and as per the police, these pages were of the same bir that was stolen from gurdwara in Burj Jawahar Singh Wala village in Faridkot. The accused is a prominent member of Dera Sacha Sauda in Punjab. The police had earlier issued a lookout notice against him. uttara@tribuneindia.com Thousand Oaks (US), November 8 A sheriffs captain says at least six people were shot late Wednesday when a suspect opened fire in a crowded southern California bar. Ventura County Sheriffs Office Capt Garo Kuredjian said at a news conference early Thursday that a sheriffs deputy was also shot and taken to a hospital. He could not immediately provide information on the extent of the victims injuries. The sheriffs spokesman says the first reports of shots fired came around 11:20 pm at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, which is about 40 miles west of Los Angeles. He said responding deputies could hear gunshots as they arrived on scene. Authorities are still treating it as an active shooter scene. No other information was immediately available. Authorities say there were multiple injuries including one officer after a man opened fire in southern California bar late Wednesday. Police tell the Ventura County Star that the initial report came around 11:20 p.m. that a man opened fire at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, which is about 40 miles west of Los Angeles. The extent of the victims injuries wasnt immediately known. Ventura County Sheriffs Office Capt. Garo Kuredjian said late Wednesday that it was still a very active scene. Witnesses tell ABC News that a man fired several shots from a handgun before tossing smoke bombs and starting to fire again. Police tell the Los Angeles Times that at least 30 shots were fired. AP amansharma@tribunemail.com Washington/Los Angeles, November 8 A US Marine veteran dressed in black sprayed bullets inside a crowded dance bar popular with college students on Wednesday night, killing at least 12 people, including a police officer, in Thousand Oaks city in California, in one of the "horrific" mass shooting incidents in the US. The gunman, who also injured nearly two dozen others, was found dead inside the Borderline Bar and Grill on the outskirts of Los Angeles. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean identified the gunman as 28-year-old Ian David Long, a US Marine Corps veteran, who used a .45 caliber Glock handgun during the shooting. Long, who shot himself, was dead when officers made entry into the bar, Dean said as he described the shooting incident as "horrific." "It's a horrific scene in there, there is blood everywhere and the suspect is part of that," he said. He said the motive of the shooter is still unclear. He was known to authorities for minor crimes. The shooter was on active duty with the US Marine Corps from August 2008 to March 2013, according to Department of Defense records. Authorities had "minor" run-ins with Long in the past, Dean said, citing few incidents. "We have had several contacts with Long over the years, minor events, a traffic collision," Dean said, adding that deputies were called to his house for a disturbance in April this year and "felt he might be suffering from Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)." Twenty-one people wounded in the shooting were treated and released from area hospitals, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office. President Donald Trump said that he has been "fully briefed on the terrible shooting in California". "Law Enforcement and First Responders, together with the FBI, are on scene. Thirteen people, at this time, have been reported dead. Likewise, the shooter is dead, along with the first police officer to enter the bar.... "Great bravery shown by police. California Highway Patrol was on scene within 3 minutes, with first officer to enter shot numerous times. That Sheriff's Sergeant died in the hospital. God bless all of the victims and families of the victims. Thank you to Law Enforcement," Trump said in a series of tweets. In memory of victims, President Trump in a proclamation ordered that the flag of the US shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds. The hooded gunman burst into the bar around 11.20 pm (local time) entirely dressed in black. Ventura County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Ron Helus and a California Highway Patrol officer entered the bar first and were met with gunfire from the suspect, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing officials. Helus was shot several times and succumbed to his injuries at a hospital. He was planning to retire next year after a 29-year stint with the sheriff's department, Dean said. Helus, who died "a hero", is survived by a son and his wife, whom he called before entering the bar, Dean added. It was the second mass shooting in the US within two weeks. "We have no idea if there is a terrorism link to this or not. As you know, these are ongoing investigations and that information will come out as soon as we are able to determine exactly who the suspect was and what motive he might have had for this horrific event," Dean added. Citing witnesses, the paper said that people ran for cover when shooting started. Some people tried to break windows using chairs to escape the building while some hid in bathrooms. The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force has been rushed to the scene, according to an agency spokeswoman. Representatives from the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives were also dispatched. According to bar's website, Wednesday nights are college-themed nights open to students as young as 18. Quoting witnesses, the paper said the event is popular with Moorpark college students, and the Pepperdine student newspaper tweeted that students from its campus were also inside at the time of the shooting. "He just pulled out a gun and shot my friend that was working the front desk," 21-year-old Holden Harrah was quoted as saying by the paper. "I heard more gunshots behind me. I was freaking out," said Harrah, who was among the hundreds inside listening to music Wednesday night as a part of the college night event. The suspect is reported to have drove his mother's car to the attack and said nothing upon entering the bar. Authorities are searching his home and the weapon used for the crime. This is the second time this year Thousand Oaks has seen violence in a crowded area. In March, a man shot and killed his wife before attempting to shoot himself at the Thousand Oaks Mall, the paper added. Last week, a gunman opened fire at a Jewish synagogue in the US city of Pittsburgh, killing 11 people and injuring several others including three policemen, in the deadliest "anti-Semitic attack" in America in years. - PTI sanjiv@tribunemail.com Washington, November 8 A colourful brothel owner and former reality TV star who died last month nonetheless posthumously won a seat in the Nevada state legislature. He may be dead, but Dennis Hof scored 69.02 per cent in Tuesdays vote against Democratic candidate Lesia Romanov, at 30.98 per cent, to win the assembly seat representing rural southern Nye County, official records showed. A Republican will be tapped to serve in his place. Hof, 72, was found dead at the Love Ranch, one of his legal brothels in Crystal, Nevada, on October 16 after celebrating his birthday with a party attended by porn star Ron Jeremy and other guests. He was believed to have died in his sleep. Hof, who starred in the HBO reality television show Cathouse about the prostitutes working at one of his establishments, was running as a Donald Trump-style Republican. AFP gspannu7@gmail.com Lagos, November 8 Gunmen have abducted four Catholic priests in southern Nigeria, a local state official told AFP on Wednesday. The kidnapping happened on Tuesday at a border community between Edo and Delta States in the south, said Andrew Aniamaka, a spokesman for Delta State. They were abducted on their way to Ekpoma, Edo state, from Delta for an event, he added, saying police and local security were hunting for the gunmen. A source at the Warri Catholic diocese in Delta State confirmed the incident, which comes less than three weeks after five Catholic nuns were kidnapped in Delta State. The nuns were released two weeks later, and a suspect was in custody, said Aniamaka. He would not say if a ransom had been paid. Several sources confirm that the nuns had been returning from a burial ceremony in the southeast Nigeria when they were abducted by gunmen who opened fire on their vehicles, injuring two other nuns. In January, Nigerias bishops denounced a wave of kidnappings for ransom in the country. AFP gspannu7@gmail.com Islamabad/Lahore, November 8 Pakistani authorities on Thursday rejected as fake news reports that a Christian woman who was released from a jail a week after the Supreme Court overturned her conviction and death sentence for blasphemy has left for the Netherlands. Aasia Bibi, 47, acquitted in the blasphemy case was released, amid nationwide anger, from the jail in Multan on Wednesday midnight. It was reported in local media that she was taken to Noor Khan Airbase Rawalpindi, from where she would be shifted to the Netherlands. Aasia Bibi was released from New Jail for Women Multan (some 350 kilometers from Lahore) on Wednesday midnight. She is taken to Noor Khan Airbase Rawalpindi where a chartered plane will take her to Netherlands, 24News reported on Thursday. Some other news channels also reported the release of Aasia Bibi and her departure for Netherlands. However, Foreign Office spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal said there was no truth that the mother of five had left the country. There is no truth in reports about Bibi leaving the country it is fake news, he said. Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry also rejected the reports about her going out of the country. It has become a norm to publish fake news for sake of headlines, #AsiaBibi case is sensitive issue it was extremely irresponsible to publish news of her leaving the country without confirmation, I strongly urge section of media to act responsible, he said. Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) of Khadim Hussain Rizvi spokesperson Hafiz Shahbaz Attari issued a statement to media saying the Imran Khan government has released Aasia Bibi as the Netherlands ambassador in Islamabad reached Multan jail along with the government officials to ensure her release. She is being transported to Netherlands. He said a call has been given to the workers who are gathering in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to stop the government to allow Aasia leave the country. The apex court verdict on Bibi prompted immediate anger from an Islamist party that has threatened to paralyse daily life countrywide with street protests if her acquittal is not reversed. A spokesman for the Punjab government however refused to comment. The government cannot give any comment on this matter, a spokesman for the Punjab government told media. Earlier, Italy said it would help Bibi leave the country because her life in danger following charges of blasphemy that put her on death row for eight years. Her husband had also urged the US president, and the UK and Canada premiers to help her leave the country for her life. Bibis husband Ashiq Masih in a video message had appealed to the world leaders to help Aasia leave Pakistan for her safety. I request President Donald Trump to help us to leave Pakistan and I also request the prime minister of the UK and Canada to help us. Help us in getting freedom, said Masih. In a landmark judgement last week, a three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar overturned the conviction of Aasia Bibi facing execution for blasphemy. Her acquittal triggered street protests by radical Islamists paralysing Pakistan for three days, blocking roads, torching vehicles, damaging public and private properties and attacking policemen for three days. However, hours after the killing of Godfather of Taliban Maulana Samiul Haq, the TLP on Friday announced ending sit-ins across the country following reaching a deal with the government on the issue of acquittal of Bibi. As per the agreement, the government will immediately initiate a process to place the name of Bibi on the no-fly list (exit control list). Bibi was convicted in 2010 after being accused of insulting Islam in a row with her neighbours. She always maintained her innocence, but has spent most of the past eight years in solitary confinement. Police had arrested over 1,000 workers of the TLP mostly from Punjab province but later released almost all of them on the threat of the radicals that they would block roads if the TLP workers were not released. PTI rajivbhatia82@gmail.com Washington, November 8 In an unprecedented move, the White House has suspended the press credentials of a CNN journalist terming his behaviour as "disgusting and outrageous", hours after he engaged in a heated argument with President Donald Trump during a press conference. Defending its chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta, the CNN said the decision is "a threat to democracy". The White House's move followed a heated exchange between Trump and Acosta who refused the President's orders to sit down and clung to the microphone and persisted with questions about his views on a caravan of Central American migrants making its way to the US border. A visibly angry Trump said "that's enough!" and a White House intern unsuccessfully tried to take the microphone from the CNN journalist. Describing Acosta's behaviour as "disgusting and outrageous", the White House Press Secretary, Sarah Sanders, in a statement on Wednesday said: "As a result of today's incident, the White House is suspending the hard pass of the reporter involved until further notice". Sanders said Trump believes in a free press and expects and welcomes tough questions of him and his Administration. "We will, however, never tolerate a reporter placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern. This conduct is absolutely unacceptable, she said. "It is also completely disrespectful to the reporter's colleagues not to allow them an opportunity to ask a question," she said. Sanders said Trump has given the press more access than any President in history. "Contrary to CNN's assertions, there is no greater demonstration of the President's support for a free press than the event he held today. Only they would attack the President for not being supportive of a free press in the midst of him taking 68 questions from 35 different reporters over the course of an hour and a halfincluding several from the reporter in question," she said. Meanwhile, the CNN said the revocation of Acosta's pass "was done in retaliation for his challenging questions at today's press conference...This unprecedented decision is a threat to our democracy and the country deserves better". Acosta was stopped by the Secret Service from entering the White House at about 7 pm. Former president of the White House Correspondents Association, Jeff Mason, refuted the White House accusation that Acosta placed his hand on a female White House intern. "I was seated next to Acosta at today's press conference and did not witness him placing his hands on the young intern, as the White House alleges," he tweeted. Mason, a Reuters correspondent, also came forward in defence of his CNN colleague. He said Acosta held on to the microphone as the intern reached for it and later posted a few pictures from the press conference to prove his point. Peter Baker from The New York Times, who has been covering the White House for 22 years, said, "This is something I have never seen since I started covering the White House in 1996. Other presidents did not fear tough questioning". The White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) also said such a decision is "unacceptable" and urged the White House that it "immediately reverse its decision". "Journalists may use a range of approaches to carry out their jobs and the WHCA does not police the tone or frequency of the questions its members ask of powerful senior government officials, including the President," WHCA president Olivier Knox said. The White House, meanwhile, said it stands by its decision. "We stand by our decision to revoke this individual's hard pass. We will not tolerate the inappropriate behaviour clearly documented in this video," Sanders said, posting a video of the CNN reporter allegedly placing his hand on a young woman. PTI 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. Hi all, We're looking for some advice on our trip to Vietnam next year. We will be in Vietnam for 26 days at the end of July and most of Aug, and will be travelling with 2 boys (aged 9 & 11). We want to take it quiet leisurely rather than cram in loads locations and spend most of the time travelling around. In summary we're flying into and out of Ho Chi Minh City, plan to fly up to Hoi An/Hue for 6 days, then travel south via Da Lat and end up for a week chilling in Phu Quoc. We do have 3/4 days in the middle that we're still unsure about. Rough Itinerary so far Day 1-2 - HCMC Day 3-9 - Hoi An / Hue Day 10-13 - Da Lat Day 14-17 - ??? (Mui Ne, back to HCMC, Mekong Delta)? Day 18-24 Phu Quoc Day 25-26 HCMC Day 27-31 Hong Kong Open question that would be great to get your input on; 1) Too long in Hoi An / Hue? 2) What to do in between Da Lat and Phu Quoc? 3) Would you recommend hiring motorbikes with the 2 kids, mainly for Phu Quoc so we can get to more remote beaches? 4) Book hotels in advance or just wing it there? We're quite open to not sticking to a strict schedule if it's possible to book hotels/travel last minute. 4 years ago we did something similar in Thailand and only booked the first 4 days hotel and then moved on when we felt like it. Good idea for Vietnam? Many thanks in advance for your replies. Ben Four days in Japan - let me know if our itinerary is worth i Four days in Japan - let me know if our itinerary is worth i Hello Japan travelers - I need your thoughts on the current schedule for my upcoming trip to Japan. We arrive late afternoon on Sunday, November 18. Plan to spend two nights in Tokyo. On the 20th, we plan to take the Shinkansen to Kyoto and spend two nights in Kyoto. On Thursday the 22nd, we return. I figure we will need to leave Kyoto around 9 a.m. to catch the train to Tokyo Station, then the Narita Express to the airport in order to make our 5:30 p.m. flight (this gives us a little room for error). With this schedule, our final day is spent on trains and then a 12-hour flight. So the question is - is it worth it to go to Kyoto or should we stay in Tokyo? If we stay in Tokyo, then at least we will have part of the day on the 22nd to wander around. But if Kyoto is worth it for the 1.5 days we will be there - then we'll go. What do you think, Japan travel experts? Thank you for your thoughts! I am travelling to Vietnam through Bangkok and Cambodia from 22 Nov. To 13 Dec. Wanted to spend 2 weeks in Vietnam from north to South. Can plan to go first to Vietnam in late November or do it at the end of my trip in early December But through my internet surfing I found that north is cold and foggy in this time of year and possiblity of being muddy in trekking in Sapa area. And as for Halong bay I found it is cold and foggy too. Is it better to omit the northern part in this trip and do it in the right time? (Maybe another trip to Vietnam in next years!) And this trip just go in south and Central cities? Please advise. Thank you in advance Nani Re: Do Not Use ICON Parking in NYC 9. Re: Do Not Use ICON Parking in NYC ... employees must take the cars out for a spin Thats a serious accusation and I find it really ridiculous. Do you have any paperwork with icon can parking? Do they disallow any responsibility for damage? You got it off your chest and other people will read what you said. I think you should roll with the punches iand concentrate on what was good about the vacation. Be happy you have disposable income and you can travel. This to me seems like a rich persons problem. President Trump and the Republican Party have run the most racist national political campaign since the 1968 presidential bid of segregationist George Wallace. We shall soon see how much the country has changed in 50 years and in what direction. I grew up in the South under Jim Crow, so Ive seen and heard this garbage before. Trump claims that Democrat Stacey Abrams, who happens to be African American, is not qualified to be governor of Georgia because of her past. What past? Her degrees from Spelman College, the University of Texas and Yale Law School? Her work as a tax attorney? Her service as minority leader of the Georgia Legislature? In Florida, referring to another African-American candidate, Trump has said that Andrew Gillum is not equipped to be your governor. Its not for him. He has also, apropos of nothing, called Gillum a stone-cold thief. Gillum has a degree from Florida A&M University and has been mayor of Tallahassee since 2014. Trump chooses his attack words carefully. Not qualified and not equipped are of a piece with the low-I.Q. jibe he uses when he tweets about Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif. smarmy and unsubtle suggestions that these accomplished black Americans are intrinsically inferior to whites. Implying that Abrams has a shady past and that Gillum is a thief echoes the old segregationists claim that black people simply cannot be trusted. Trump might as well have called the two candidates lazy and shiftless. I understand that Trump is in a panic Gillum is slightly favored to defeat Republican Ron DeSantis, and Abrams has been running neck-and-neck with Republican Brian Kemp. For Democrats to win governorships in these two big, important Southern states would be an ominous sign for the future of the GOP, not to mention for Trumps re-election bid. But I also understand that the president is blatantly encouraging his white supporters to buy into ugly, long-discredited racist stereotypes about African-Americans. Even Wallace who stood in the schoolhouse door to try to prevent integration of the University of Alabama was less openly bigoted during his run for the White House. Trumps racism toward Latinos is worse. And the Republican Party shamefully goes along without even a word of protest. Last week, Trump tweeted a campaign spot that made the infamous Willie Horton ad look mild by comparison. It features an undocumented Mexican immigrant named Luis Bracamontes, who brazenly boasts of having slain two California police officers in 2014 and says he wishes he had killed more. Democrats let him into our country, the ad states. Democrats let him stay. Who else would Democrats let in? As the Washington Posts Fact Checker column noted, the ad is a lie. Bracamontes came into the country illegally under both Republican and Democratic administrations and was deported under both Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Nobody let him into our country. Nobody let him stay not even the Republican prosecutor in Arizona who, at one point, decided to dismiss drug and weapons charges against him. Bracamontes is an evil individual who now resides on death row. But facts are never the point with Trump. The theme of the ad isnt law and order; its immigration. Bracamontes is presented as the kind of person who will terrorize your neighborhood if you vote for Democrats one of the bad hombres who, in Trumps dystopian fantasy, have created an acute crisis along the border. Trump began his presidential campaign by portraying Mexican immigrants as drug smugglers and rapists. He has ended the GOPs midterm campaign by pretending that a ragtag caravan of Central American asylum seekers still in southern Mexico, far from the Rio Grande poses such a threat that 15,000 combat-ready troops are needed to guard the border. Except for Trumps short-lived policy of separating asylum-seeking parents from their children, the GOP has been content to go along with Trumps general program of demonizing Latino immigrants. Republicans know that illegal border crossings are far down from their peak; that undocumented immigrants are not responsible for any kind of crime wave; and that most asylum seekers who are provisionally admitted to the country dutifully report for their court hearings. But when Trump lies about all of this, Republicans just smile. Trump encourages his base to hold and express racist views about African-Americans. He encourages the crowds at his raucous rallies to see Latinos as predatory criminals. He stokes fear, anger and resentment toward minorities. Republicans who do not reject and condemn Trumps demagoguery are complicit in it and will share in historys judgment. Eugene Robinsons email address is eugenerobinson@washpost.com. - Shameem Ahmed passed on after a short illness - President Uhru Kenyatta sent his condolence message to the family mourning the late as a respected citizen A somber mood has engulfed the family of Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed after death of her mother-in-law who passed on after a short illness. The late Shameem Ahmed was one of the pioneer women in public service who championed for girl child education. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Controversial Kiambu businessmans failed marriage proposal sparks fallout with rich lover Shameem Ahmed is the mother of Khalid Ahmed, husband to CS Ambassador Amina Mohamed. Photo: UGC Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Gideon Moi visits hospitalised Migori Women Rep after road accident on her way to his fundraiser Following the death, President Uhuru Kenyatta sent his condolence message to the family saying Shameem was a great woman who and a respected citizen who served the nations with distinction. "Indeed Begum Shameem Ahmed was one of the most distinguished ladies of her time. She was a matriarch, completely devoted to her family and the nation," said Uhuru. The head of State noted the greatness and achievements of Shameem can be seen in the way she raised her family in love and many will miss her wise counsel and guidance. READ ALSO: First black gay man elected in US midterm elections "She was a great woman, committed to excellency and dignity as reflected in the way she brought up a distinguished family including Khalid Ahmed, husband to CS Amina Mohamed, whose service and patriotism has helped transform our nation in many ways," he added. He said the death of Mama Shameem Ahmed is not only a big loss to the family and the community, which she lived in, but the country at large. The president prayed to God to give the family, relatives and friends the strength and grace to bear the loss. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news Kenya News Today: This Is Why Jacque Maribe Was Granted Bail | Tuko TV Source: Tuko.co.ke - Salim further claimed many wrote off Ruto thanks to the unity pact between Uhuru and Raila - He argued Ruto's inroads into Western and Coast areas shows how clever he is - Uhuru and Raila maintain the 2022 succession politics was not one of the factors behind handshake The former aide to ODM leader Raila Odinga, Salim Lone has on Wednesday, November 7, admitted Deputy President William Ruto is Kenyas cleverest and most organised politician. In his tweet, Salim further claimed the unity pact between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila have deluded the public to believe the country's second command was politically made irrelevant. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Dont be deceived, Uhuru-Raila handshake only serves their interests, not yours - Timothy Njoya Raila and his former aide Salim Lone in a past event. Photo: Raila Odinga/Facebook. Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Kisa cha kusikitisha cha mwanamke aliyevua nguo mbele ya Rais Cyril Ramaphosa "Handshake lulled many into believing Ruto 2022 was finished. Untrue. Ruto just about Kenya's cleverest, most organized leader. Look at this line-up and Coast's recently. Mega corruption not handicap but essential strength in our system,"he tweeted. He went on to argue Ruto's inroads into Western and Coast areas from where he fished some key political figures is a hallmark of a serious politician keen to win presidency in 2022. READ ALSO: Raila Odinga can help William Ruto become president in 2022 - Kipchumba Murkomen "Yes, Luhyas have had great leaders - like 42 of our other nations which have not provided a president. We must work harder, make progressive cross-national alliances. Its possible to win even in this mess!" added the UN employee. Kenyatta and Raila Odinga held a surprise meeting on Friday, March 9 at Harambee House and later two stepped out of Harambee House and jointly addressed the nation disclosing they had agreed to work together. Even though the two leaders maintained the 2022 succession politics was not one of the resons which informed the historic handshake, many observers opined the deal could be Ruto's death knell. Veteran political analyst, Edward Kisiang'ani, believes the DP's chances of clinching the top seat was pegged on the Uhuru-Raila peace deal. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. Joseph Irungu and Jacque Maribe in court over the murder of Monica Kimani - On Tuko TV Source: Tuko - The lawmakers want outsourced catering services from a 5-star hotel - They claimed the quality of food they were being served in Parliament was very poor - The legislators suggested their food should be cooked only by professional chefs - A report was tabled in Parliament recommending changes to Members Services and Facilities - The report was produced after a bench-marking exercise in the UK and Northern Ireland Members of the 12th Parliament have angrily protested the quality of food they were being served when they visit the August House claiming it was poorly prepared. The lawmakers demanded their catering services to be outsourced from a 5-star hotel where the food would be prepared by professional chefs only and not some random people hired by the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC). Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: MPs plead with Speaker to provide them with plenty of quality meals and not funeral tea The lawmakers, led by Majority Leader Aden Duale demand 5-star hotel catering services claiming the food they were being served in Parliament was of very poor quality. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Kisa cha kusikitisha cha mwanamke aliyevua nguo mbele ya Rais Cyril Ramaphosa While debating a report on Members' Services and Facilities on Wednesday, November 7, the MPs, led by the National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale called for full implementation of the recommendations contained in the House report. The said report had recommended for several changes including construction of two cafeterias, renovation of Parliament's kitchen, bar and restaurant, and members' lounge. READ ALSO: Meet the longest serving MP in the 12th parliament who even Uhuru now calls 'father of the house' TUKO.co.ke understands the Committee, chaired by Nyaribari Masaba MP Ezekiel Machogu, tabled the report following a bench-marking exercise in the United Kingdom (UK) and Northern Ireland National Assemblies. The Committee has reportedly been in constant talks with Speaker Justin Muturi to push for implementation of the recommendations. We have been doing follow ups on this issue and have made a call to the chairman of the PSC over the matter. Only 20% of the recommendations have been adopted, Machogu told Parliament. READ ALSO: NASA MPs storm out of parliament This was not the first time the MPs were protesting the quality of food they were being served. In February 2018, the lawmakers suspended the business of the day to deliberate on what they considered a pressing matter. Mr Speaker, the type of tea that we are being served when we come here has very little milk. It looks like that offered during funerals, Suna East MP Junet Mohammed, kicked off the stormy session. READ ALSO: Embakasi man sentenced to 4 years in jail for killing colleague over food The MPs pleaded with Speaker Muturi to put the catering department on notice to improve quality of food for the honourable members. They also raised concerns with the cost of food at the Parliament's dining hall and claimed they were spending too much to be served with low quality meals. Issue of queuing for food like high school students also came up. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. Kenyans' Reactions to President Uhuru's VAT Bill - On Tuko TV Source: Breaking News - Muthoki Mumo and Angela Quintal were arrested on Wednesday - Their belongings were searched by people said to be Tanzanian officials - Mumo and Quintal's Twitter accounts, however, remain suspended - They were freed on Thursday morning but their silence has sparked concern Tanzanian authorities have released two journalists they had detained on Wednesday, November 7. TUKO.co.ke has learnt that Muthoki Mumo and Angela Quintal were freed on the morning of Thursday, November 8. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens. READ ALSO: Police boss denies knowledge of anonymous killer officer Hesy Muthoki Mumo (l) and Angela Quintal (r) were freed on the morning of Thursday, November 8. Photo: UGC Source: UGC READ ALSO: KCSE students steal invigilator, police officers phones in Thika According to a statement from South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation, the duo is back in their hotel rooms to continue with their duties. "South Africa (SA) journalist Angela Quintal and colleague are back in their hotel. SAs High Commissioner Thami Mseleku is meeting with them to discuss last nights events. He will then engage Tanzanian authorities," the statement read. READ ALSO: Nairobi lady painfully narrates how hubby dumped her for her cousin The journalist's Twitter accounts, however, remained suspended and thus throwing into question the circumstances of their freedom. Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Executive Director Joel Simon expressed fears that the journalist's phones might be compromised as they had not communicated. The journalist's Twitter accounts, however, remained suspended and thus throwing into question the circumstances of their freedom. Photo: UGC Source: UGC The last communication was from Quintal, who tweeted that people who identified themselves as Tanzania Immigration officers had arrested them. They are said to have also searched their belongings. "It's extremely alarming that Angela Quintal's devices may have been compromised. We have had no contact with Angela and Muthoki since they were detained and believe both are still in the custody of Tanzanian authorities," Simon tweeted. READ ALSO: Uganda youths resort to smoking grey hair so they can grow old faster Quintal is the CPJ's Africa programme coordinator while Mumo (former Nation Media journalist) is the sub-Saharan Africa representative. The journalists are on a reporting mission in Tanzania and according to the Human Rights Watch, their visit in the country was legal and the arrest was disturbing. "We are concerned for the safety of our colleagues Angela Quintal and Muthoki Mumo, who were detained while legally visiting Tanzania," Human Rights Watch tweeted. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. Phenny Awiti Story: Meet HIV Positive Mom Raising HIV Negative Kids | Tuko TV. Source: Tuko Breaking News Latest - Six suitors took part in the auction to marry a teenage girl in South Sudan - The competition was held for about two weeks until a winner was announced - South Sudanese tycoon emerged victorious with 520 heifers, 3 Toyota V8 cars and KSh 1 million - Women lawyers from the country have equated the practice to commoditisation of women - They want those involved to face the full force of the law for violating human rights Women lawyers from South Sudan have called out the government to investigate a bizarre incident in which a famil has auctioned their 17-year-old daughter for marriage. Under the National Alliance for Women Lawyers, acting executive director Monica Adhiue, also wants those involved in the auctioning process to face the full force of the law for violating human rights. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens. READ ALSO: Kitale man compelled by court to pay dowry after staying with wife for 10 years The beautiful Nyalong standing next to one of the suitors who later won her. Photo: Juba TV/Facebook. Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Rais Uhuru akutana na mlinzi wake wa zamani mwaka mmoja baada ya kumpandisha cheo Juba TV reported six men had shown interest to marry Nyalong Ngong Deng with various proposals; one suitor paraded 520 heifers and three Toyota V8 cars to win the teenager's heart. Speaking to Voice of America (VoA) on Wednesday, November 6, Adhiue said the practice though forms part of Dinka's culture, it amounts to commoditisation of women. "The practice is a gross human rights violation and violates the rights of a girl. It does not only deprive the girl child from education and limit her future opportunities in her life, but also increases the risk of violence, jeopardises her health, reduces the girl child to a property, and deprives her from the right to choose," said Adhiue. READ ALSO: Kericho man kills father who refused to help him pay dowry South Sudanese tycoon Kok Alat eventually emerged victorious as there was no any other suitor to match his 520 heifers, three Toyota V8 cars and KSh 1 million. David Mayom Riak came third with 353 cows plus a parcel of land while Mawut Agorok managed 187 animals. The group is also demanding that any government official who sanctioned the exercise be suspended. "They need to be suspended from their office and this case to be investigated and, of course, whoever is involved in this auctioning also later needs to be properly investigated and held accountable because this is a violation of human rights," she told VoA. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. Carolyne Nduti Untold Story: My Husband Left Me for My Cousin - Kenya Untold Stories | Tuko TV Source: Breaking News - The youths are befriending the elders to get the grey hair from them - They mix the hair with opium and and smoke as narcotic drugs - They want to grow old faster for them to benefit from senior citizen government grant Elderly people in Katakwi, Uganda, are now walking with their heads fully covered, scared of youths who have decided to forcefully shave their grey hairs. Jobless but arguably smart youths are now smoking grey hair of the octogenerians so that they can grow old faster to benefit from the government's senior citizen grant. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Police boss denies knowledge of anonymous killer officer Hesy The youths take the grey hair from the old and mix with opium to smoke it. Photo: UGC Source: UGC READ ALSO: Police train eyes on matatu graffiti glorifying violence, gangsterism Katakwi district community liaison officer, Oduko, issued a warning to the elders asking them to be careful with young men who befriend them, reported Uganda's New Vision. "I warn the old people to be vigilant and be wary of young men befriending them because they might soon resort to cutting off your heads so that they get grey hair, said Oduko. According to Oduko, who doubles up as officer in charge of Katakwi Central Police Station, the youths mix grey hair or soot with opium and then smoke as narcotic drugs. READ ALSO: Bodies of 2 students who drowned while taking selfies recovered after relatives perform rituals Oduko said the officers realised the new trend during community policing meetings in various areas in the district. He said the youths have been getting the hair from saloons and others have been befriending old women to get the precious commodity from them. READ ALSO: Over 30 people ready to testify against Migori governor in Sharon's murder case The police officer expressed the young men were interested in enrolling into the senior citizen government grant which offers KSh 700 every month to people above the age of 65 years. The youth claim that now that there are no jobs, its better they grow old so that they begin benefiting from the government money meant for elders, Oduko said. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news Kenya News Today: This Is Why Jacque Maribe Was Granted Bail | Tuko TV Source: Tuko Breaking News Latest - The students were arrested after their colleagues positively identified them - They had stolen two phones worth KSh 28,000, in total, from an invigilator and a police officer - They were found guilty and will now serve one year on probation Two Form Four students from Heights Academy in Thika will serve one year in prison after a court in Thika found them guilty of stealing two phones. The two who are supposed to be sitting for their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams were found guilty of stealing the phones from one of the invigilators and a police officer. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: 13 KCSE candidates in one school in Bomet county are pregnant They stole an Infinix Note 5 phone and a Techno N65 while taking their Chemistry exam on Tuesday, November 6. Source: UGC READ ALSO: 2018 KCSE results will be announced from best performing school - CS Amina Mohamed TUKO.co.ke understands they stole an Infinix Note 5 phone from the invigilator and a Techno N65 from the police officer while sitting for their Chemistry exam on Tuesday, November 6. However, it is not clear how the two stole the phones from the invigilator identified as Eunice Wanjiku and the Police officer identified as Hassan Gabow The Infinix phone is said to be worth KSh 18,000 while the Techno phone is reported to be worth KSh 10, 000. READ ALSO: KCSE candidate forced to cancel exams after undergoing caesarian section After the two were positively identified by their fellow students, they produced the phones which were later used as evidence in court. They pleaded guilty to the charges on Thursday, November 8, but asked for forgiveness while appearing before Thika resident magistrate Kyanya Nyamori. This comes at a time the national examination has ben characterised with cases of irregularities and high rate of pregnancies among candidates. READ ALSO: Poor parenting to blame for high rate of teenage pregnancies - KNEC boss George Magoha So far police have arrested at least 31 suspects in connection with exam irregularities across the country. They include 24 teachers, four policemen, a bursar and two photocopiers. In Kisii alone, 17 suspects were arrested on Monday, November 5, after they were found with copies of a chemistry exam paper. READ ALSO: KCPE 2018: Government to be lenient in marking papers of girls who delivered during exams Earlier reports by TUKO.co.ke indicated they were caught working out the answers in a house neighbouring the school. It is not clear how the suspects were able to access question papers and photocopy them. It is also puzzling how the question papers which are supposed to be in the custody of school principals ended up with outsiders. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. The Sad Life of Dedan Kimathi's Forgotten Family - on Tuko TV. Source: Kenya Breaking News Today By now, most people who have caught a glimpse of musician Eddy Kenzo's songs are familiar with the popular dance group Ghetto Kids. Those adorable siblings are super flexible and can drop it like it's hot! Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Radio duo Jalango, Alex Mwakideu disagree live on air, switch off each others mics READ ALSO: 13 captivating photos of former TV girl Faith Muturi preparing for baby number two Even Us rapper French Montana could not help but search for as he thought their talent was one to watch out for. So he traveled to Uganda and shot his song Unforgettable featuring the skilled dancers. READ ALSO: Nairobi lady painfully narrates how hubby dumped her for her cousin Let us just say the world was completely taken by the triplets and as fate would have it, French changed their lives. The iconic star bought them a house and managed to keep it on the down low before the kids decided to share the exciting news on social media. The massive mansion could leave most people in shame as no one would even guess it belongs to kids. For a home like that? One would have to work for years before erecting it and managing to live in it eventually. The kids penned a sweet message for the musician as they continuously thanked him for changing their lives for the better. 2018 has been a great year for us! We thank the Almighty God for the blessings and we pray he continues blessing us more and more. French Montana and the whole team We cannot thank you enough! We only pray to God to continue blessing you guys and we shall always be proud of you. Words cannot express how happy we are but only God knows what is inside our hearts. May God bless you more and more," the triplets penned. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. Carolyne Nduti Untold Story: My Husband Left Me for My Cousin - Kenya Untold Stories | Tuko TV Source: Tuko - Narok, Homa Bay, West Pokot and Tana River counties are hardest hit by the menace - The education sector has since directed for investigation into teenage pregnancies - At least 449 girls have missed to do their exams due to pregnancy related complications - The number is feared to be higher as many other cases could be going unreported Even as the Education Ministry continues to direct concerted efforts in ending exam cheating, teenage pregnancies have proved to be another tough thorn stuck in the sectors's foot. At least 449 girls have failed to sit for their national exams (both KCPE and KCSE) as a result of early pregnancies. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens. READ ALSO: 41 KCSE candidates in Kitui give birth as exam progresses, 72 others pregnant At least 449 girls have failed sit their national exams ( both KCPE and KCSE) as a result of early pregnancies. Photo: UGC Source: UGC READ ALSO: 13 KCSE candidates in one school in Bomet county are pregnant Several others have taken their exams in maternity wards and the recurrent trend seems to be on an upward trajectory. According to a recent Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) report on teenage pregnancy prevalence, Narok County topped the list with a rate of 40%. Homa Bay County comes in second with 33%, in the third position was West Pokot (29%), Tana-River and Nyamira (28%) and in the sixth position was Samburu with 26%. Several others have taken their exams in maternity wards and the recurrent trend seems to be on an upward trajectory. Photo: The Standard Source: UGC In the study, counties which had the least prevalence of the menace were Murang'a (6%), Nyeri (7%), Embu (8%), Elgeyo-Marakwet (9%) while Nyandarau and Lamu tied at 10%. Migori, Kwale, Bomet had a rate of 24%, Trans - Nzoia (23%), Uasin Gishu and Kilifi (22%), Kericho and Busia (21%) while Kajiado, Turkan and Meru had 20%. Kakamega, Isiolo, Laikipia (19%), Kisii and Nakuru (18%), Wajir, Nairobi and Saiya (17%), Marsabit and Mombasa (16%) as Nandi and Kisumu registered 15%. Kitui, Bungoma, Machakos, Kiambu and Tharaka Nithi counties recorded 14%, Taita Taveta, Baringo and Vihiga (13%), Kirinyaga and Makueni (11%) and Garissa, Mandera and Lamu (10%) READ ALSO: 6 girls give birth in Ukambani as KCSE exams kick off READ ALSO: Poor parenting to blame for high rate of teenage pregnancies - KNEC boss George Magoha Since the KCSE exams kicked off on Monday, November 5, 41 students gave birth in Kitui County. TUKO.co.ke, also understands that 72 other KCSE candidates in the same county are pregnant and could break into labour at any unspecified time. In Bomet County, 20 candidates sitting their KCSE exams were reported to be expectant. Among them are 13 students from St Monica Secondary School while the remaining seven hail from different schools. Kenya National Examinations Council Chairman George Magoha shifted part of the blame on parents whom he castigated for forgetting their parenting roles. Photo: UGC Source: UGC READ ALSO: 13 KCSE candidates in one school in Bomet county are pregnant This comes even as players in the sector lobby for increased sex education in both primary and secondary schools in a move to deal with the pregnancies. In one of his responses, Kenya National Examinations Council Chairman George Magoha shifted part of the blame to parents whom he castigated for forgetting their parenting roles. Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsanga described the pregnancies as a big problem in the education sector which needed a multi-sectoral approach for it to be solved. "This is similar to rape and those involved in spoiling our girls should be brought to book and charged with defilement. No one can claim there was consent as the young-ones are still at an age (below 18) where they can not make their own informed decisions," said the PS. The KCPE candidate being assisted to rest after she delivered before sitting for her exams. Photo: Triza Mwikali. Source: Original On his part, Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary General Wilson Sossion faulted the community the pregnancies. He claimed morals were currently at their lowest and pressed upon quality assurance officers to deal with issue head on. But we must also call out quality assurance officials. Have these cases been happening behind their backs? posed Sossion Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. Okoth Obado Supporters Celebrate His Release | Tuko TV. Source: Tuko November 30th is an important date for those in this country who are vaccinated with Astraze Ukraine has suggested starting joint consultations on possible creation of a free trade area with China. First Vice Prime Minister - Economic Development and Trade Minister of Ukraine Stepan Kubiv said at the meeting with Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China Liu He in Beijing, the press service of Ukraines Economic Development Ministry reports. "Over the past several years, Ukraine has significantly expanded its network of preferential trade regimes. We have a new free trade agreement with Canada, we have completed the free trade talks with Israel and we are finalizing the negotiations with Turkey. We see the effectiveness of these agreements, therefore I propose to start joint Ukrainian-Chinese consultations on possible creation of Ukraine-China free trade area," Kubiv said. The meeting participants focused their discussion on expanding Ukraine-China trade and economic cooperation, both within the framework of existing opportunities and new tools. Cooperation with China is an unchanged and strategic priority of Ukraine's foreign economic policy. For 8 months of 2018, the trade turnover between Ukraine and China totaled almost $6 billion and grew by 21%. However, this trade volume did not match the existing potential. In the next five years, we can increase the trade turnover up to $20 billion a year. Therefore, we need to step up cooperation in all possible areas and develop new tools, Kubiv stressed. The parties also discussed cooperation within the framework of the initiative of Chinese president Xi Jinping One Belt, One Road as well as cooperation in the field of energy, both traditional and alternative, infrastructure projects, industry, engineering, agriculture and agro-industry, innovation, digitalization and other ongoing and promising projects. ol Ukraine will intensify cooperation with the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, in particular in the areas of healthcare, agriculture and construction. Vice Prime Minister Pavlo Rozenko stated this at a meeting with Abdulwahab Al Bade, Director General of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, the Government portal reports. "We pay much attention to the development of mutually beneficial cooperation with the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development in the field of investment. Expanding economic ties with authoritative Kuwaiti financial institutions, as well as involving the Kuwait Fund in the implementation of credit and investment projects in Ukraine, is an important priority of our government," said Rozenko. He said he hopes that joint projects with the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development will be implemented in Ukraine, especially in the healthcare, agriculture and construction sectors, including infrastructure projects. Rozenko also thanked the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development for the assistance provided to Ukraine. iy The first tranche of the macro-financial assistance of the European Union in the amount of EUR 500 million will be allocated to Ukraine in the coming weeks. I and Vice-President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis have discussed that EUR 500 million in macro-financial assistance will be allocated in the near future, in a few weeks, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko told journalists in Helsinki, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. In addition, according to Poroshenko, Ukraine will be given assistance in cooperation with the IMF. As reported, on September 14, Ukraine and the EU signed a Memorandum of Understanding and the Loan Agreement between the EU and the National Bank of Ukraine on the EUs macro-financial assistance program in the amount of EUR 1 billion. The Memorandum of Understanding defines a list of measures for the implementation of structural reforms in public finance management. It is also touches upon the good governance and combating corruption, sectoral reforms, social policy and management in state-owned companies. The European Unions program of macro-financial assistance to Ukraine in the amount of EUR 1 billion contains 18 conditions: six of them should be fulfilled to get the first tranche, while 12 should be met to receive the second tranche. November 7-8, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko makes a working visit to Finland. ol President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko met with President of Finland Sauli Niinisto. The parties praised the high dynamics of bilateral political dialogue. President Poroshenko emphasized Ukraine's willingness to continue strengthening bilateral cooperation, particularly in trade. In this context, the importance of a forthcoming visit of the President of Finland to Ukraine was underscored, the press service of the President of Ukraine reports. President Niinisto assured that Finland would continue to support Ukraine in its struggle for the restoration of sovereignty and territorial integrity, including through the assistance in reforms. Petro Poroshenko thanked Finland for the tangible assistance in overcoming the humanitarian consequences of Russian aggression in Donbas. The parties discussed further steps to release Ukrainian political prisoners held in Russia. The President of Ukraine thanked the Finnish colleague for his personal pro-active stand in this issue. November 7-8, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko makes a working visit to Finland, where he will take part in the congress and the summit of the European People's Party. ol Verkhovna Rada Chairman Andriy Parubiy has met with a group of experts from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) headed by IMF Mission Chief for Ukraine Ron Van Rooden, the Ukrainian parliament's press service has reported. "I praise our cooperation, especially in the implementation of anti-corruption reform and the creation of an anti-corruption court. I hope that such cooperation will also be fruitful in the future," Parubiy said. He called critically important the IMF's assistance in 2014, when Ukraine was in a very difficult position caused by Russian aggression. Parubiy stressed the need to continue cooperation with the IMF on the path of reforms in Ukraine. According to him, these reforms are not always popular, but critically important to the development of the Ukrainian economy. He noted that Ukraine's draft state budget for 2019 was currently being discussed. "We understand very well how much this document is important not only to our domestic economic development, but also to cooperation with the IMF," he said. Parubiy stressed that "everything possible is being done so that it is adopted as soon as possible and that the budget is balanced." He predicted that the document would be endorsed on November 22 this year. He also emphasized that cooperation with the IMF and recommendations of the fund are important to the adoption of the country's state budget. Parubiy also noted a high level of cooperation with the government, in particular at the level of concerned committees with the ministries. "Committees are in close coordination and cooperation with the government," he said, expressing confidence in the fastest adoption of a balanced budget. Van Rooden, in turn, said that despite elections next year, in order to ensure the macroeconomic stability of Ukraine's economy, the budget for next year should be balanced. He wished success and further fruitful cooperation. op The Republic of Latvia plans to open its representative office in Donetsk region, according to the Information and Internal Policy Department of the Donetsk Regional Military and Civil Administration. Latvia plans to open a consulate in Donetsk region. Chairman of the Donetsk Regional State Administration Oleksandr Kuts discussed this issue with Parliamentary Secretary at the Defense Ministry of the Republic of Latvia Viesturs Silenieks during a meeting with the Latvian delegation at the Donetsk Regional State Administration, reads the report. Members of the delegation, representatives of the National Guard and the Armed Forces of the Republic of Latvia, said that they had come to Ukraine to learn and adopt practices, in particular, managerial and military ones, acquired by Ukraine during the years of resistance to Russian armed aggression. The parties agreed to share experience in creating self-defense units, organizing the work of military and civil administrations, military chaplains, etc. Kuts emphasized that the region is ready for cooperation and exchange of experience. iy President Petro Poroshenko and Vice-President of the European Commission for Euro and Social Dialogue, Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union Valdis Dombrovskis have discussed the implantation of the memorandum for macro-financial assistance for Ukraine. The meeting was held in Helsinki as part of the official visit of the Ukrainian president to the Republic of Finland, the presidents press service reports. The Head of State and the Vice-President of the European Commission discussed the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding and the Loan Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union on the Fourth Macro-Financial Assistance Programme for Ukraine in the amount of EUR 1 billion, reads the report. According to the Presidential Administration, during the meeting, it was noted that Ukraine is implementing its commitments under the above mentioned agreements as fast as possible. To date, all six conditions for the first tranche of assistance (EUR 500 million) are being completed and a positive assessment by the European Commission is expected. Also, Valdis Dombrovskis assured that the European Union will continue to comprehensively support Ukraine on the track of successful reforms and implementation of the Association Agreement. As reported, President Petro Poroshenko in on an official visit to the Republic of Finland on November 7-8. iy Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Rozenko has called on the State of Kuwait not to support the occupying power of Crimea with any political, economic or humanitarian contacts. We ask the State of Kuwait not to support the occupying power of Crimea with any political, economic or humanitarian contacts, which are a gross violation of the international law, Rozenko said at the meeting with Prime Minister of Kuwait Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, the press service of the Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine reports. Rozenko noted that Russias military invasion and annexation of Ukrainian territories brought a lot of suffering to the civilian population of Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk regions. About 250,000 Crimean Tatars live in the Russian-occupied Crimea. The Russian occupation authorities brutally violate their educational, religious, linguistic and other rights. The situation in Crimea deteriorates. I also appeal to Kuwait with a request to make every possible effort to help our Muslim compatriots - the Crimean Tatars - and to protect their rights, Rozenko stressed. The Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine thanked the Government of Kuwait for supporting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. During the meeting, the parties also discussed bilateral cooperation between Ukraine and Kuwait in the field of trade, investment, health care, etc. ol EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Johannes Hahn will visit Ukraine on Friday, November 9, the EU Delegation to Ukraine has reported. According to the report, the main objective of the visit is to discuss the progress of reforms and the implementation of the Association Agreement. "During his stay he will meet with President [Petro] Poroshenko, Prime Minister [Volodymyr] Groysman, Foreign Minister [Pavlo] Klimkin, Head of NABU [Artem] Sytnyk, representatives of civil society, with whom he would like to discuss latest attacks against activists," reads the statement. At the meeting with Prime Minister Groysman, Commissioner Hahn will present him the new regular Association Implementation Report, which assesses the progress that Ukraine has made under the Association Agreement over the past year. In order to commemorate Heavenly Hundred Heroes, Commissioner Hahn, together with Foreign Minister Klimkin, will lay flowers at the memorial site. As a sign of support of public media, the EU Commissioner will visit the public broadcaster, where he will meet with their management and supervisory board. In addition, Commissioner Hahn will sign on behalf of the EU with UN Resident Coordinator Osnat Lubrani the EU-UNDP agreement on the EU Support to the East of Ukraine (new EUR 50 million program). op Russia must stop repressions against activists in Crimea and must fulfill its obligations as an occupying state within the framework of the international humanitarian law and human rights standards. "On Tuesday, the Russian occupying forces served fake charges on Crimean Tatar lawyer Emil Kurbedinov, who works tirelessly providing legal assistance to dozens of victims of the Russian occupation regime. We call on Russia to end its repressive policies and fulfill its obligations, being an occupying state, under the international humanitarian law and human rights standards," Ihor Prokopchuk, the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the International Organizations in Vienna, said at the OSCE Permanent Council meeting in Vienna on Thursday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. Addressing the delegations of the OSCE member states, Prokopchuk asked them not to allow the Russian Federation to divert attention from the grave consequences of Russia's illegal occupation of Crimea. "The Russian security services and law enforcement agencies continue a campaign of persecutions and intimidation," he said. We call on the Russian Federation to stop its illegal occupation of Crimea and stop the aggression against Ukraine, to withdraw its military formations from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and fulfill its obligations under the Minsk agreements, the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the International Organizations in Vienna added. ol The Administration of the U.S. President and the American people honor the memory of the millions of victims of the communist regimes, including Ukrainians deliberately starved in Holodomor - the man-made famine - arranged by the Stalinist regime in Ukraine in 1932-33. "Since the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, we have witnessed the effects of the tyrannical communist ideologyanguish, repression, and death," reads the Presidential message on the National Day for the Victims of Communism, posted on the White House website. As emphasized, communism subordinates inherent human rights to the purported well-being of all, resulting in the extermination of religious freedom, private property, free speech, and, far too often, life. "These horrors have included Ukrainians deliberately starved in the Holodomor," the document says. Russians purged in the Great Terror, Cambodians murdered in the killing fields, and Berliners shot as they tried to escape to freedom are also mentioned. The victims of these and many other atrocities bear silent testimony to the undeniable fact that communism, and the pursuit of it, will forever be destructive to the human spirit and to the prosperity of mankind, the Administration of the U.S. President underscores. ol Minister of Culture Yevhen Nyshchuk has said that Ukraine should form a state policy in the field of cultural and creative industries. He stated this during the opening of the Second Annual International Forum Creative Ukraine, which is held in Kyiv on November 8-9, according to an Ukrinform correspondent. "Last year's forum gathered more than 300 participants from 16 countries. According to experts, the forum became one of the three leaders in those events related to the creative industries. This year we want to focus on uniting the efforts of authorities, businesses and civil society so that to form a state policy in the field of creative industries," said Nyshchuk. "Creative industries as a global trend are the great source of development of the country and its citizens," Nyshchuk added. Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary EU Ambassador to Ukraine, Hugues Mingarelli, noted that the European Union will assist Ukraine in developing creative industries. He also added that Ukraine has a huge potential for the development of these industries, as there are lot of educated and capable young people in the country, as well as a great cultural heritage. Mingarelli stressed that the European Union will in any possible way help Ukraine develop creative industries. International Forum Creative Ukraine is a platform for political and expert discussion on the development of state policy in the field of cultural and creative industries. Promoting cooperation between government, civil society and businesses, the Forum aims to enhance public-private cooperation in the field of cultural and creative industries at national and regional levels. The event will gather international experts on the creative economy, creative professions and culture policymakers from all over Europe. iy Ukraine's State Border Guard Service (SBGS) has refused entry to Ukraine for Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy Vereysky Amvrosy. SBGS spokesman Oleh Slobodian confirmed the report in a comment to Ukrinform on Thursday. "Yes, this information is true. Such a fact was recorded yesterday. First, border guards fulfilled the order of a law enforcement agency regarding this Russian citizen, in order not to let him to Ukraine. Second, this citizen could not confirm the purpose of his trip," Slobodian said. Earlier, the Moscow Theological Academy reported on its website that Ambrose had been denied entry to Ukraine at Kyiv's Zhuliany Airport. op The United States Senate on October 4 unanimously passed a bipartisan resolution, where the Holodomor of 1932-1933 was designated as genocide against the Ukrainian people. The State of Virginia has become the 18th state of the United States that has joined a campaign to commemorate the Holodomor of 1932-1933 in Ukraine. "Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and his totalitarian regime committed an act of genocide through the implementation of an engineered famine by confiscating land, grain, and animals from the Ukrainian people," says the Certificate of Recognition signed by Governor of Virginia Ralph S. Northam, the Embassy of Ukraine in the USA wrote on Facebook. As UNIAN reported earlier, the United States Senate on October 4 unanimously passed a bipartisan resolution that became the first ever legal act of the United States Congress, where the Holodomor of 1932-1933 was designated as genocide against the Ukrainian people. The resolution also condemns "the systematic violations of human rights, including the freedom of self-determination and freedom of speech, of the Ukrainian people by the Soviet government." The Commissioner will sign a new EU-funded program in support of eastern Ukraine. Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn is visiting Kyiv on November 8-9 to take stock of reforms in Ukraine with key actors. "The Commissioner will meet with key political authorities of the country including President [Petro] Poroshenko, Prime Minister [Volodymyr] Groysman and Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin," the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine has said in an announcement. Read alsoEuropean Commissioner Hahn: No risks of suspension of visa-free travel because of Ukrainians He is to hand over an annual report on the implementation of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement to the prime minister. What is more, Hahn will meet with senior officials from the National Anti-corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) to discuss the state of play in the fight against corruption. During his visit, the Commissioner is scheduled to sign a new EU-funded program in support of eastern Ukraine, which will be implemented by UNDP and other partners. He will also meet with representatives of civil society organizations just few days after the sad news of the passing of Ukrainian activist Kateryna Handziuk, a victim of an acid attack. Hahn will reiterate that attacks against civil society activists are unacceptable and that the perpetrators of this crime and other attacks must be brought to justice. What is more, the European official will pay tribute to the 'Heavenly Hundred Heroes Memorial' in Kyiv. Underlining the importance of independent media for the democratic development of the country, Hahn is to visit the Ukrainian public broadcaster (UA:PBC), where he will discuss with senior management and the supervisory board the impact of its underfunding. The parties noted Russia's destructive influence on elections in different countries through cyber attacks, disinformation campaigns, and subversion. President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and President of the European Council Donald Tusk spoke in favor of strengthening the coordination of efforts to tackle Russian interference in next year's elections both in Ukraine and the EU as the two leaders met on the sidelines of the European People's Party Congress in Helsinki (Finland) Thursday. In the context of preparations for elections in Ukraine and the European Union in 2019, Petro Poroshenko and Donald Tusk recognized the need to strengthen the coordination of efforts of Ukraine and the EU in countering Russia's external interference through cyber attacks, disinformation, and subversive activities, the Ukrainian president's press service reported. Read alsoEU reiterates non-recognition of illegal elections in Donbas Petro Poroshenko thanked Tusk for his strong messages in defense of Ukraine against Russian aggression. In turn, the EC president noted the efforts of the Ukrainian leader in implementing reforms and welcomed the achievement of an important agreement with the International Monetary Fund, which will contribute to macroeconomic stabilization in Ukraine. As UNIAN reported earlier, the next presidential elections in Ukraine are scheduled for March 31, 2019, while parliamentary elections will be held October 27, 2019. Elections of members of the European Parliament are scheduled for May 2019. The president noted that the meetings of the European People's Party clearly refuted any allegations of "Ukraine fatigue" in Europe or that the country is losing EU support. The main issues discussed during the Summit and the Congress of the European People's Party were the issues of maintaining peace and unity of the European Union and support for Ukraine in its fight against the aggressor state, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko told reporters in Helsinki. "We have thoroughly discussed the future of Europe - what it should be like over the next 5 years, what challenges are facing Europe: security challenges, peace-building challenges, challenges in the area of countering threats, challenges in the development of Europe. And it is very important that Ukraine took an active part in the discussion, and I felt a very strong support from European leaders. And today it was demonstrated during the Congress," the Head of State said in a statement after the work of the Congress. He stressed that all participants in the meeting expressed a common position regarding the situation in the region. "There was one position: [to find out] how we can save the world, how we can ensure the unity of the European Union," the President said. Petro Poroshenko noted that these meetings of the European People's Party clearly refuted any allegations of "Ukraine fatigue" in Europe or that the country is losing EU support. Read alsoPoroshenko, Tusk speak of stronger coordination to counter Russia's election meddling "On the contrary, you heard President of the European Council Donald Tusk clearly stating that the one who does not condemn Putin for his aggression against Ukraine, the one who does not help Ukraine cannot be considered a European, a true member of the European People's Party. And you have seen the reaction of the hall that gave a standing ovation to Mr. Tusk, a great friend of Ukraine," the president emphasized. The head of state invited the EU leaders, including Donald Tusk, to visit Ukraine. "The invitation was kindly accepted. Mr. Tusk will visit early next year and we will have a very active dialogue, especially on the eve of the European Union Summit, where the issue of prolonging sanctions will be discussed," Petro Poroshenko noted. The president also said that in the framework of the Summit and the EPP Congress he had held bilateral meetings with a number of European leaders, in particular, with President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, President of the European People's Party Joseph Daul, leaders of other states, including Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, and others. During the negotiations with Vice-President of the European Commission, Valdis Dombrovskis, the issue of allocation of a EUR 500 mln macro-financial assistance to Ukraine was discussed, the Head of State noted. According to him, in a few weeks the assistance will be provided. The interlocutors also discussed the assistance to Ukraine in cooperation with the International Monetary Fund. "Today, we have a great attention of Europe, great help from Europe. We are together. I think this is a very positive signal that Ukraine has received today," Petro Poroshenko summed up. Russia's FSB said the people had not been detained. Members of Russia's law enforcement agency have raided the house of Crimean Tatar Khalil Ablyamitov in the village of Azovske, Dzhankoy district in Russian-occupied Crimea. The information about the raid was reported at about 07:00 on November 8. According to NGO Crimean Solidarity, it was conducted by 11 masked men wearing uniforms with OMON (SWAT police) insignia. Five members of the Crimean Tatar family, including 18-month-old baby, live in the house where the police raid took place. During the search, Ablyamitov felt bad, an ambulance was called. When the search was over, the security officers took his son, Ablyalim Ablyamitov, with his wife Aizhan away in an unknown direction. Their baby was left at home. According to the NGO, Ablyamitov's relatives called the FSB's hot line to report the disappearance, and their application was allegedly accepted, but the FSB said the people had not been detained and there was no such information from the security forces. Two enemy troops were killed and another three were wounded, intelligence reports say. Russia's hybrid military forces mounted 19 attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas in the past 24 hours, with three Ukrainian soldiers reported as wounded in action. Read alsoDonbas update: One Ukrainian soldier wounded in past 24 hours "Three Ukrainian soldiers were wounded in the past day. According to intelligence reports, two occupiers were killed and another three were wounded," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation said in an update published on Facebook as of 07:00 Kyiv time on November 8, 2018. The Russian occupation forces opened aimed fire from grenade launchers of various systems, heavy machine guns and small arms to attack the defenders of the towns of Avdiyivka, Maryinka, and Krasnohorivka. The villages of Stanytsia Luhanska, Luhanske, Zaitseve, Pisky, Novomykhailivka, Pavlopil, Hnutove, and Lebedynske were also under attack. What is more, the enemy resorted to weapons of infantry fighting vehicles and a ZU-23-2 towed 23mm anti-aircraft twin-barreled autocannon to shell the Ukrainian positions near Pavlopil. "Since Thursday midnight, Russian-led forces have mounted one attack on the Ukrainian positions near Krymske, using 82mm mortars, grenade launchers and small arms. No casualties among Ukrainian troops have been reported since the start of the day," the report said. Rumors are spreading in Donetsk and Luhansk that the Ukrainian authorities will stop paying social benefits to Ukrainians in the occupied territory if they have taken part in the "voting." Dmytro Tymchuk, the coordinator of the Ukrainian-based Information Resistance OSINT community, has said the command of the Russian occupation forces continues active preparations for the "elections" of the so-called leaders of the "Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics" ("DPR/LPR"), which are scheduled for November 11, 2018. In this regard, the Russian occupation administration in the temporarily occupied territories has stepped up law and order, as well as counterintelligence measures. Read alsoUkraine's deputy minister for occupied areas reveals Russia's plans for "LPR/DPR" "The personnel of the so-called 'DPR/LPR' security forces have been transferred to increased security duty. Training is under way to practice reaction to possible seizure of or an attack on a polling station, as well as to 'restore order' in case of riots," Tymchuk wrote on Facebook. Collaborators from among public sector workers, mid-level and minor officials of the de-facto administrations of the occupation forces, former Ukrainian law enforcement officers who defected to the occupiers are also worried by the fact that lists of "DPR citizens" participating in preparations of the November 11 "elections" have been posted on the Internet. "There are rumors in Donetsk and Luhansk that the Ukrainian authorities will stop paying social benefits [to Ukrainian citizens residing in the occupied territory] for voting in the 'elections,' and those involved will be arrested when trying to cross the contact line. The de-facto administrations and the so-called 'Ministry of Civil Defense' are trying to suppress panic rumors, but so far without success," Tymchuk said. The Ukraine official said that Russia continued to hinder the efforts of the special monitoring mission's observers in Donbas. Ukraine's Representative to the OSCE and UN in Vienna, Ihor Prokopchuk, addressing the OSCE Permanent Council on Thursday said Russia was attempting to seize more territory in Ukraine amid their ongoing violations of Minsk agreements that had been designed to provide a peaceful settlement to the Donbas conflict. "Russia, instead of pulling out from Ukraine territory, again attempts to seize larger areas in violation of Minsk agreements: OSCE SMM registers new sets of trenches seen for the first time, up to 1km further west than previously observed positions of Russian proxies near Stavky and Horlivka," Prokopchuk said, according to the Ukrainian mission's tweet. The Ukrainian diplomat also strongly condemned Russia's plans to hold "illegal and fake" so-called elections in the occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions Nov 11. Read alsoOSCE spots amassing of heavy weapons at five training areas in occupied Donbas "We strongly condemn plans of Russia to hold illegal and fake so-called elections in the occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine in an attempt to create an air of legitimacy around new appointments in its occupation administration," he said. Besides, the Ukraine official said that Russia continued to hinder the efforts of the special monitoring mission's observers in Donbas. By downing an OSCE SMM long-range UAV deep inside Russia-occupied territory of Donbas near Russia-controlled segment of border, Russian armed formations have diminished the OSCE monitoring capability that was an "obvious target of perpetrators," the diplomat stressed. Read alsoThree Ukrainian soldiers wounded in Donbas in past 24 hours The Ukraine mission encouraged the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre "to strengthen efforts aimed at enhancing technical capabilities of OSCE SMM to monitor situation on the ground, especially in the areas of Ukraine temporarily occupied by Russia, where the Mission has no or very restricted access." As UNIAN reported earlier, on October 21, OSCE SMM's then-deputy chief Alexander Hug said that the mission's UAVs discovered near Stavky and Horlivka a network of trenches that stretched further westward, thus shrinking the distance between the warring parties. At one location, the distance decreased to just 1 km. Also, the Ukrainian side to the Joint Control and Coordination Center stated that the occupation forces were amassing a significant number of heavy weapons, breaching the withdrawal lines. An unknown number of people were also wounded during the attack at the Borderline Bar and Grill, a Country & Western venue in the Los Angeles suburb of Thousand Oaks. A gunman killed 12 people, including a sheriff's deputy, when he walked into a Southern California bar and grill and started shooting on Wednesday night, police said. The gunman was also killed, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean told a news conference on Thursday, though it was not immediately clear by whom, as reported by Reuters. Read alsoGunman kills two at video game tournament in Florida media An unknown number of people were also wounded during the attack at the Borderline Bar and Grill, a Country & Western venue in the Los Angeles suburb of Thousand Oaks where a crowd had gathered for a night of dancing, drinking and eating. "It's a horrific scene in there," Dean said. "There is blood everywhere and the suspect is part of that." The sheriff's deputy who died was identified as Sgt. Ron Helus, a 29-year-veteran of the department, Dean said. No other victims were identified. The sheriff said the gunman has not been identified and there was no known motive for the shooting. Accounts about the incident varied widely throughout the early morning hours with initial reports saying the suspect was in custody. But Sheriff Dean has since said that the gunman died at the scene. Some social media accounts said a bearded man wearing a dark trenchcoat walked in and started shooting. Witnesses told CNN that patrons were there for the "College Country" night with line-dancing, music, drinks and food, and the place was packed with a young crowd. When the shots started, some people smashed windows with chairs to escape, witnesses told CNN. Other witnesses and people posting on social media said that the man might have fired up to 30 times. Others reported fewer shots, and he might have tossed smoke bombs. Officials said that shots were still being fired when the first officers arrived at the scene. ATHENS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th November, 2018) The separation of church and state in Greece will allow the authorities to exclude the clergy from the official public servants' register, thus making 10,000 government jobs available, the Greek government spokesman, Dimitris Tzanakopoulos, said. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Archbishop Hieronymos II of Athens and All Greece agreed on the conditions for the disestablishment of church and state within the framework of a constitutional reform. The reform stipulates that the clergy, traditionally receiving salaries just like other public servants, will not receive the remuneration any more. Instead, the government will pay annual subsidies to the church, amounting to a total worth of salaries that the clergy should receive as civil servants. "This agreement practically vacates 10,000 government jobs. Despite the fact that clergy members are not specifically public servants, they are considered to be [public servants] and are counted as public servants," Tzanakopoulos said on Wednesday. Athens reached an agreement with its international creditors that new public servants will take the clergy's places in the official register, according to the spokesman. The Greek bailout program requires the implementation of the austerity policy which ensures employment cuts in the public sector. The constitutional amendments, ensuring the separation of state and church, long advocated by Tsipras who is known to be an atheist, were introduced by the Greek ruling SYRIZA party Last Friday. Their physique may be a far cry from the celebrated bulk of Japan's mammoth fighters, but athletes like Walter Rivas are beginning to make a name for themselves -- and the noble sport of sumo wrestling -- in Venezuela. Caracas, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Nov, 2018 ) :Their physique may be a far cry from the celebrated bulk of Japan's mammoth fighters, but athletes like Walter Rivas are beginning to make a name for themselves -- and the noble sport of sumo wrestling -- in Venezuela. Popularizing the traditional Japanese combat sport in crisis-wracked Venezuela, of all places, is an uphill battle. Here, a wrestler's most fearsome opponent is not the one staring them down from across the dohyo, or ring, but the country's overwhelming economic crisis. Despite the struggle, Duglexer Gonzalez says with a sense of pride: "Sumo in Venezuela? Yes. Here in Venezuela, can you believe, we have sumo."Known by his sumo moniker of "King Musampa," he was one of the first practitioners of the discipline in the Caribbean country and now heads the fledgling national federation. "We're fighting against taboos and high costs," he said. (@ChaudhryMAli88) President Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Masood Khan and Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan strongly condemned the brutal and indiscriminate use of force by Indian forces at Line of Control (LoC) that resulted in the martyrdom of a soldier in Bhimber district. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Nov, 2018 ) :President Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Masood Khan and Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan strongly condemned the brutal and indiscriminate use of force by Indian forces at Line of Control (LoC) that resulted in the martyrdom of a soldier in Bhimber district. In their condolence messages, both the leaders paid rich tributes to the martyred Pakistani soldier, saying that Indian forces were continuously violating ceasefire agreement at LoC and escalating tensions on the LoC only to detract the world's attention from the human rights violations in the Indian Occupied Kashmir, said a press release. President Masood Khan said Indian cowardice acts at LoC cannot dampen the spirit of Kashmiri people for the freedom of their motherland from Indian occupation. Paying tributes to the armed forces for defending frontiers of the country, the president said Indian occupation forces were acting out of frustration due to their failure to face the unprecedented resistance put up by the courageous people of Occupied Kashmir. Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan strongly condemned the Indian firing and martyrdom of a Pak Army soldier in Bhimber Sector of AJK and said people of AJK feel proud of the sacrifices rendered by Pak Army in defending the territory against the onslaught by India. He said enemy cannot cast evil eye on AJK, if need be people of AJK will fight in shoulder to shoulder with ourvaliant forces. (@ChaudhryMAli88) The Abu Dhabi Diplomacy Conference is set to take place from 14 to 15 November at The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort in Abu Dhabi with the aim of discussing the latest innovations, trends and challenges in the field of diplomatic practice. ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 08th Nov, 2018) The Abu Dhabi Diplomacy Conference is set to take place from 14 to 15 November at The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort in Abu Dhabi with the aim of discussing the latest innovations, trends and challenges in the field of diplomatic practice. Held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the event will draw the participation of over 300 delegates. The Emirates Diplomatic academy, EDA, yesterday announced at a press conference that it will host the inaugural edition of the Conference that is set to feature interactive panel discussions and practical workshops designed to identify effective solutions that can be implemented by ministries of foreign affairs across the globe. Among the speakers confirmed to attend the event are; Reem Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation; Zaki Nusseibeh, Minister of State; Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence; Susana Malcorra, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Argentina Republic; Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Colombia; and Nabil Fahmy, Founding Dean of the school of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the American University in Cairo and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt. Bernardino Leon, Director-General of EDA, said, "The conference is set to present an ideal platform to explore new concepts to strengthen the effectiveness of diplomacy and enhance synergies between diplomats in the UAE and their international counterparts. It is our vision that the Abu Dhabi Diplomacy Conference will contribute to the conversation that shapes the future of diplomacy." Speaking on the purpose of the event, Dr. Nawal Al-Hosany, Permanent Representative of the UAE to the International Renewable Energy Agency and Deputy Director General of EDA, said, "This conference was created to connect diplomats from around the world. Through this forum, we seek to promote the exchange of ideas and international diplomatic best practices, which in turn can contribute to finding constructive solutions to the most pressing global issues." She added, "Amidst the Fourth Industrial Revolution, diplomacy in the 21st century has unprecedented technology and communication methods at their disposal that also present various challenges. Not only are there new ways to communicate but there are new, non-traditional players who are taking on increasingly prominent roles on the world stage. While artificial intelligence, advanced robotics and social media are tools that can increase efficiency, erase borders and bring people together, they also contribute to intensifying the social divide and bring with them entirely new rules and regulations. Todays diplomacy can no longer work without transparency, engagement and closer collaboration. The Abu Dhabi Diplomacy Conference aims to leverage this opportunity to address the industrys most crucial challenges." Running on the sidelines of the event will be the Future Diplomats PeaceGame, which engages outstanding trainee diplomats and students of international affairs from over 20 countries in resolving simulated international conflicts. Hosted by EDA, the Future Diplomats PeaceGame, is being organised in collaboration with the Foreign Policy Group and the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University, with the generous support of the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Attendees at the conference will comprise ministers, serving diplomats from a wide range of countries, former senior diplomats, as well as directors of diplomatic academies and leading young diplomats and trainees from around the world. The Belarus-China Business Forum has focused on ways to boost the export of Belarusian goods and services to the Chinese market, reported the Belarusian Telegraph Agency, BelTA. MINSK, Belarus, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 08th Nov, 2018) The Belarus-China business Forum has focused on ways to boost the export of Belarusian goods and services to the Chinese market, reported the Belarusian Telegraph Agency, BelTA. The Business Forum took place in Shanghai on 7th November on the sidelines of the first China International Import Expo, BelTA learned from the Belarusian Consulate General in Shanghai. Within a couple of days Belarusian companies signed over 15 contracts, memoranda and agreements worth several dozen million Dollars. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the forum were head of Belarus delegation, Deputy Head of the Belarus President Administration Nikolai Snopkov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to China Kirill Rudy and representative of the Department of Eurasia at the Chinese Ministry of Commerce Liu Xuesong. Heads of ministries, concerns, the China-Belarus Industrial Park Great Stone and about 80 Belarusian exporting companies and their Chinese partners discussed ways and instruments to promote and diversify the export of Belarusian goods and services on the Chinese market. At the opening ceremony of the forum a cooperation agreement was signed between the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Shanghai Sub-Council, a cooperation memorandum between Belgospishcheprom Concern and Jiangsu SOHO Holdings Group Co., as well as number of other documents. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Dr. Mohammed Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Ambassador to Kazakhstan, attended a meeting between Alik Shpekbayev, Chairman of the Agency for Civil Service Affairs and Anti-Corruption of Kazakhstan, and Faisal Yousef Sulaitin, Executive Director of the Dubai Economic Security Centre, and his delegation at the agencys headquarters. ASTANA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 07th Nov, 2018) Dr. Mohammed Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Ambassador to Kazakhstan, attended a meeting between Alik Shpekbayev, Chairman of the Agency for Civil Service Affairs and Anti-Corruption of Kazakhstan, and Faisal Yousef Sulaitin, Executive Director of the Dubai Economic Security Centre, and his delegation at the agencys headquarters. The meeting addressed the bilateral relations between the UAE and Kazakhstan and the means of strengthening them in all areas, especially in combatting corruption and economic crimes. Shpekbayev thanked Al Jaber for helping to develop the bilateral cooperation between relevant authorities from both countries, to serve the interests of their peoples while expressing his gratitude to Sulaitin for accepting his invitation to visit Kazakhstan, which will help promote the cooperation between relevant authorities in exchanging expertise, information and visits, to benefit from the experiences of the UAE and Kazakhstan in combatting corruption. Sulaitin commended the agencys role in combatting corruption in Kazakhstan while pointing out that the centre has prioritised its cooperation with the agency, due to their common goal of countering corruption and other economic crimes. Al Jaber said that the UAE Embassy in Kazakhstan always aims to facilitate direct communication between relevant authorities from both countries, to strengthen their overall relations. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Emirates Global Aluminum today announced the arrival of two SD40-2 shunting-locomotives that will be used on its under-construction bauxite mining project in the West African country of Guinea. ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 08th Nov, 2018) Emirates Global Aluminum today announced the arrival of two SD40-2 shunting-locomotives that will be used on its under-construction bauxite mining project in the West African country of Guinea. EGAs subsidiary Guinea Alumina Corporation is building a bauxite mine and associated export facilities in Guinea in the largest greenfield investment in the country in the past 40 years. The shunting-locomotives will be used to move rail wagons around GACs loading area at its mine location and at its unloading platform at Kamsar port on the Guinean coast. The locomotives were manufactured in the United States, with each power-rated to 3,000 horsepower and can shunt and manuvre up to 120 fully-laden wagons (weighing more than 10,200 tonnes). First bauxite exports from Guinea Alumina Corporations project are expected to start during the second half of 2019. GAC is expected to produce some 12 million tonnes of bauxite per year once fully operational. Paulo Castellari, GACs Chief Executive Officer, said, "The arrival of these shunting-locomotives is another milestone in the development of our project, which will boost the mining sector and the economy of the area and of Guinea as a whole. Our infrastructure for the mining of bauxite and delivery to ships for export is rapidly taking shape. We are focused on completing our work safely and efficiently." GAC will use existing railway lines and hauling-locomotives for most of the 90-kilometre journey from the mine to the port. The company is building rail spurs at both ends of the line to connect the existing rail network to its facilities. The total budgeted project cost of the GAC project is around $1.4 billion. Issues of mutual interest and ways of advancing bilateral relations were the main topics of discussions as Dr. Ahmed Abdullah Saeed Al Matroushi, UAE Ambassador to Romania, met the head of Romania's ruling Social Democrat Party, Liviu Dragnea, who is also Speaker of the Lower House, today at the Palace of the Parliament here. BUKHAREST, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 08th Nov, 2018) Issues of mutual interest and ways of advancing bilateral relations were the main topics of discussions as Dr. Ahmed Abdullah Saeed Al Matroushi, UAE Ambassador to Romania, met the head of Romania's ruling Social Democrat Party, Liviu Dragnea, who is also Speaker of the Lower House, today at the Palace of the Parliament here. The meeting addressed means of propelling bilateral relations at the parliamentary level. In pursuit of establishing socially impactful and innovative businesses, the first group of the 10-month Badiri Social Entrepreneurship Programme, BSEP, has spent a week in India to receive inspiration and guidance from the countrys social entrepreneurship ecosystem on how to align their business interests with a social purpose. SHARJAH, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 08th Nov, 2018) In pursuit of establishing socially impactful and innovative businesses, the first group of the 10-month Badiri Social Entrepreneurship Programme, BSEP, has spent a week in India to receive inspiration and guidance from the countrys social entrepreneurship ecosystem on how to align their business interests with a social purpose. BSEP is the brainchild of Sharjah-based NAMA Women Advancement Establishments education and capacity building arm, Badiri Education and Development academy, and the UK-based school for Social Entrepreneurs, SSE. Through their collaboration on BSEP, the SSE is expanding its reach into the Arab region for the first time. The programme aims to empower Emirati and UAE-based female entrepreneurs above the age of 20, through knowledge-exchange and expert sessions that will equip them with the skills and knowledge needed to turn their business into profitable social enterprises. With an emphasis on practical learning, the programmes customised curriculum took 13 UAE-based businesswomen and entrepreneurs, who were chosen through a series of interviews, to London and Cornwall in August, followed by more hands-on training and expertise-sharing for a week in the UAE, and the final weeklong field visit to New Delhi, India, from 26th October to 3rd November, 2018, where they met with the owners of successful Indian social enterprises through SSE India. While in India, BSEP participants interacted with SSE India fellows who are creating significant social change through their enterprises in a variety of industries, and met with celebrated Names in the subcontinent, such as Sunil Ganesh and Ankit Gupta who engaged them in a discussion on their business and how they started, and how to measure their social impact of their enterprises by devising specific metrics. They also witnessed an inspiring talk by Sharmila Karve, who is now a driving force for women entrepreneurship in her role as a Director of SSE India and the Global Diversity Leader at PwC. She spoke about her humble beginnings as a young intern at PwC India before she became one of its first female partners. In another session, the group met with SSE India 2018 Fellow, Yusra Khan, who told them about how a simple question "what is on your bucket list?" posed to street children prompted her and a group of socially-minded youngsters to start their non-profit, Bucket List, to serve street children. Highlighting the importance of these visits, Reem BinKaram, Director of NAMA Women Advancement Establishment said, "Project visits and field trips are a central focus of BSEP, as social enterprises thrive on a unique dynamic, which is being socially conscious. Learning from other peoples experiences requires in-depth exploration and placing oneself within the physical context of the social impact of a business. "For the past three months, the 13 BSEP participants have been working intensely to shape their business model canvases and examine their value propositions. Each one has benefitted immensely from the field visits, first in the United Kingdom, UAE and now in India. These global encounters have introduced them to essential social entrepreneurship concepts, the Theory of Change for instance. These valuable real-time interactions and learning on the field have not only helped them recognise how to incorporate protability within projects that create a positive social impact, but gain practical insights from successful social entrepreneurs in different countries operating in different socioeconomic contexts. " Pitch development, learning about structuring the organisations systems, operations and finance, internal change processes for creating desired performance, facilitation and team leadership skills, immersion into social entrepreneurship in India and using that knowledge to build a successful social business in the UAE, were among the practical exercises conducted by Gagan Sethi of Janvikas and other leading experts. Janvikas session also touched on the important theme of how to build a social enterprise from within. Assia Riccio, Founder of Evolvin Women, TEDx speaker and one of BSEPs participants, said, "The learning phase in India has been transformational. I met social entrepreneurs who are breaking stereotypes and changing their community for the better. Through these experiences, I have gained a better understanding of myself as an entrepreneur. BSEP is changing the way I look at my business and at myself and is offering me the guidance I really needed to bring my knowledge, experience and skills together to create a social impact." Dr. Mariam Ketait, an Emirati family doctor and well-being advocate, said the programme helped her get out of a mindset that was holding her back, and made her trust herself and others more, "I have not only learned the technical aspects of a social business through this intensive course but met many like-minded women and men in different countries who share my purpose. The bonds I have made with these change-makers will remain. The learnings of this trip have not just made me more business ready, but have had a huge impact on my personal journey as well," she noted. For a third BSEP participant, Ayesha Naseem, the BSEP journey has been equally emotional. She said, "It has been an intense experiential learning programme, fun but also had some tears. BSEP was carefully curated to give us an insight into the different ecosystems that exist to solve key social issues. While the social problems may be unique to a country, at the heart of every solution lies a deeply personal why." The lessons we learned could be applied to life and business in equal measure." "It was just amazing to witness the different ways in which so many spirited individuals around the world are working and collaborating to overcome societal challenges innovatively. NAMA and SSE UK and India have worked together to ensure that we felt comfortable in previously unknown environments. From breaking bread together to travelling 300 plus kilometres on a bus to meeting incredible social entrepreneurs, every day has been different." The India trip brings the BSEP field visits to an end, and November will see the participants attending webinars, while December is slated for the submission and pitch of their business plans and their graduation. After nishing BSEP, participants will have acquired important skills that will help them establish their own social enterprises or enhance the operation of their existing enterprises. (@rukhshanmir) ISLAMABAD, Nov 7 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Nov, 2018 ) :Twenty Pakistani companies have setup stalls to showcase preventive gloves, headgear and other specialized risk preventive wears at the 3-day 27th Expo Protection, being held in Paris from 6-8 November, 2018. Over 20,000 visitors and exhibitors from 33 countries visited the Pakistani stalls and showed their keen interest in the high quality and price competitive products of Pakistan. The Ambassador of Pakistan to France Moin-ul-Haque visited the Expo and thanked the Pakistani exhibitors for their participation and showcasing their high-quality products in the most prestigious exhibition of Europe, says a press release received from Paris. He hoped that their active participation in the exhibition would help to establish contacts with their foreign counterparts, develop partnerships, secure new contracts and promote their products in the rich and affluent markets of France and Europe. Over 550 exhibitors from 33 countries are participating in the three-day International Expo Protection, 2018. (@rukhshanmir) Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has extended greetings to Hindu communities living across the world especially Pakistani Hindus on the eve of Diwali festival being celebrated on Wednesday. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Nov, 2018 ) :Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has extended greetings to Hindu communities living across the world especially Pakistani Hindus on the eve of Diwali festival being celebrated on Wednesday. In his message on Diwali, the PPP Chairman held out assurances to the non-Muslims living in Pakistan that his Party will always stand for their protection and promotion as equal citizens of the state as per the vision of the founding fathers of the country and teachings of our religion islam, said a press release. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari further said that Diwali is celebrated as a triumph of good over evil and light over darkness adding that philosophy of PPP was also to fight against darkness, injustices and inequality. PPP urged all those celebrating Diwali to hold special prayers for the peace, prosperity and progress of the country as well as for interfaith harmony and cohesive coexistence in the society. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also asked the PPP leaders, especially those of Minority Wing to celebrate and share festivities with the have nots who need more attention and care. Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said the Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf( PTI) government was committed to implement its manifesto and would fulfilled all its promises made with the people. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Nov, 2018 ) :Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said the Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf( PTI) government was committed to implement its manifesto and would fulfilled all its promises made with the people. The Prime Minister stated this while talking to Members of the National Assembly from Swabi, Mardan, Chansaddah, Nowshera and Peshawar districts at Prime Minister Office. Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaisar, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, Minister of State Ali Muhammad Khan and Special Assistant Naeem ul Haq were also present during the meeting. The Parliamentarians informed the Prime Minister about problems of their respective Constituencies and development projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Prime Minister assured them resolution of problems of their constituencies on priority basis. He said that maintenance of the law and order situation and writ of the government was our top priority. He said that when the PTI came into power the country was passing through a critical financial crisis and first priority of the government was to approach the friendly countries to stabilize the economy and provided the people all possible relief to minimize their problems. The Prime Minister said the government was also working on giving required facilities to export industry to increase the country's exports besides efforts were also being made to provide health, education and other facilities to the people on priority basis. The Prime Minister told the Parliamentarians that five million housing scheme of the government would not only provide housing facilities to the people but it would also generate economic activities in the country and provide job opportunities to youth. "Work is also in progress to provide temporary shelters and two times meal to the poor and destitute in various cities," the Prime Minister said . He said the MNAs of those constituencies, where survey about Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), had not been conducted should inform the government so that survey about poverty alleviation could be conducted in those areas on priority basis. The Prime Minister said presently the country was passing through a critical juncture but expressed the hope the people would see a visible change in the next six years. This country has a lot of potential, he said and added that about100 milliontalentedyouthunder the age of35 years had the ability to change destiny of Pakistan. He said the ministers had been made responsible about their duties and their performance would be reviewed regularly, adding that the PTI government had set the tradition of reviewing performance of minister for the first time. He said the process of accountability would be continued despite the hue and cry of those elements frightened from this process. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Nov, 2018 ) :The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought a reply from the management of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on an audit report submitted by Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP). A two-judge bench headed by Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed heard the case regarding proposed selling of national assets, including the PIA, at throwaway price. During the course of proceedings, Justice Saeed observed that the AGP's report was a postpartum of the national carrier's performance. It had clearly mentioned the ails the PIA was suffering from, he added. Meanwhile, the PIA's counsel sought the top court's permission to fill the vacant posts and extend the contracts of emlpoees. The Supreme Court on March 31 had completely banned new recruitments in the PIA. Justice Azmat asked about the need to fill the posts. How the department, which was already facing financial crisis, could bear the burden of new employees. He, however, ordered the airline to submit the list of vacant posts to the court. Besides seeking the PIA management's reply on the audit report, the court directed the Secretary Civil Aviation, Director General of Federal Investigation Agency and NAB officials on next date of hearing on November 16. President Dr Arif Alvi Thursday summoned the session of Senate at 10:30 am on November 9 (Friday) at the Parliament House. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Nov, 2018 ) :President Dr Arif Alvi Thursday summoned the session of Senate at 10:30 am on November 9 (Friday) at the Parliament House. He summoned the Senate session in exercise of powers conferred by clause (1) of Article 54 of the Constitution, a press release issued by the Senate Secretariat said. The Arab League welcomes the initiative of Moroccan King Mohammed VI on the creation of the bilateral political mechanism to resume normal relations with Algeria, the organization's Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said on Thursday in a statement. CAIRO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th November, 2018) The Arab League welcomes the initiative of Moroccan King Mohammed VI on the creation of the bilateral political mechanism to resume normal relations with Algeria, the organization's Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said on Thursday in a statement. On Wednesday, Mohammed VI called on Algeria to engage in an open and frank dialogue aimed at resumption of normal relations and overcoming the existing differences between the two Arab countries. He proposed to create the bilateral political mechanism of dialogue between Morocco and Algeria. "This important call allows [Morocco and Algeria] to open new prospects of the bilateral relations as well as paving the path for the normalization of the situation at the level of the Arab Maghreb Union [AMU] and promotes cooperation in the regions of North Africa, Sahel and Sahara region," Gheit said. The conflict in Western Sahara has been poisoning the relations between Algeria and Morocco, the two largest AMU countries, for many years. Morocco considers Western Sahara, which is the former Spanish colony, its territory, while Algeria stands for its self-determination. Since 1994, the land border between the two countries has been closed. (@FahadShabbir) Around 20 prisoners and two guards were killed in clashes at a maximum security prison in Tajikistan's northern city of Khujand, two security sources told AFP on Thursday. Dushanbe, Tajikistan, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Nov, 2018 ) :Around 20 prisoners and two guards were killed in clashes at a maximum security prison in Tajikistan's northern city of Khujand, two security sources told AFP on Thursday. The prison in Tajikistan's second-largest city is home to prisoners serving long sentences for serious crimes including extremism and murder. One of the sources said that "around 20 prisoners" died in clashes that also claimed the lives of two guards. The second source confirmed the number of victims and said a further six guards had been injured. The ex-Soviet country's government has yet to confirm the prison riot or the deaths. "A riot involving dozens of prisoners occurred Wednesday night and continued into Thursday," one of the security sources told AFP, requesting anonymity. Another source said the riot had begun when prisoners seized "cutting objects" from a workshop in the prison. The prison in Khujand, located some 300 kilometres (186 miles) to the north of the capital Dushanbe, has seen prison breaks in the past. Belarusian First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrei Yeudachenka met with Deputy Director-General of the World Trade Organization Alan Wolff and Officer in Charge of the WTO Accessions Division Maika Oshikawa on Thursday and discussed the country's accession to the international organization. MINSK, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Nov, 2018 ) :Belarusian First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrei Yeudachenka met with Deputy Director-General of the World Trade Organization Alan Wolff and Officer in Charge of the WTO Accessions Division Maika Oshikawa on Thursday and discussed the country's accession to the international organization. Andrei Yeudachenka confirmed Belarus' determination to become a full-fledged member of the WTO, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During the meeting Andrei Yeudachenka informed the WTO delegation about Belarus' consistent work to join the WTO. The parties discussed ways to increase efficiency of efforts to promote Belarus' national interests in the context of its accession to the organization, bearing in mind that Belarus is member of the EAEU. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Belgian Defense Minister Steven Vandeput confirmed that a military jet had been destroyed in October at the Florennes airbase as the result of a projectile being accidentally shot from a F-16 jet. BRUSSELS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th November, 2018) Belgian Defense Minister Steven Vandeput confirmed that a military jet had been destroyed in October at the Florennes airbase as the result of a projectile being accidentally shot from a F-16 jet. The incident occurred on October 11 and a number of media speculated that the jet was destroyed by accident. This information had not, however, been confirmed by the Belgian Defense Ministry. "The [fighter's] explosion was caused by a shot that was accidental fired from a cannon of a F-16 jet that was going through maintenance. The specific causes of the incident are still being investigated," Vandeput said on Wednesday, as quoted by the RTL broadcaster. The minister added that human error on the part of an employee who was in charge of checking the cannon was likely to be the reason behind the accident, which left two people with hearing problems. These kinds of accidental shots are a serious problem for military aviation. One of the deadliest incidents occurred on July 29, 1967, when a US F-4B Phantom bomber-fighter on board the USS Forrestal aircraft carrier in the Gulf of Tonkin accidentally fired a Zuni rocket, causing a large fire on the vessel that left 134 people dead and 161 more injured. All the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member states support the efforts of Russia and Kazakhstan to achieve a political settlement in Syria, according to the organization's summit declaration signed Thursday. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th November, 2018) All the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member states support the efforts of Russia and Kazakhstan to achieve a political settlement in Syria, according to the organization's summit declaration signed Thursday. "We support the efforts of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan to achieve a long-term political settlement in the Syrian Arab Republic," it says. The Syrian authorities will not leave even the smallest part of the Syrian territory in the hands of Turkish, US or any other forces, Syrian Army political bureau head Brig. Gen. Hasan Ahmad Hasan told Sputnik in an interview. DAMASCUS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th November, 2018) The Syrian authorities will not leave even the smallest part of the Syrian territory in the hands of Turkish, US or any other forces, Syrian Army political bureau head Brig. Gen. Hasan Ahmad Hasan told Sputnik in an interview. "Those who believe that Syria will leave any piece of its land under the control of the Turkish, US or some other forces should think again," Hasan said. The official noted that Damascus had the right to fight military presence of the United States and other members of the international coalition with all possible means. Chile's military on Wednesday returned to their home country a first group of destitute Haitian migrants as part of a broader repatriation plan. PortauPrince, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Nov, 2018 ) :Chile's military on Wednesday returned to their home country a first group of destitute Haitian migrants as part of a broader repatriation plan. The 184 migrants that landed in Port-au-Prince expressed satisfaction in being back on their island though they knew conditions had not improved. "We cannot find work in Chile," said a young woman as she disembarked from the plane, having spent two years in the South American country. "The living conditions are worse than in Haiti," she added. A thousand Haitians have enrolled in the plan by Chilean government, which provides them with a military plane for the return trip. Only 70,000 of the 200,000 Haitians currently living in Chile hold papers entitling them to stay in Chile indefinitely. But the future of those who have decided to return is just as uncertain. Economic indicators have dropped in the last 20 months in Haiti, the poorest nation in the Americas. The first migrants returning from Chile were almost left to their own devices on Wednesday night at the Port-au-Prince airport. Haitian Ministers of Social Affairs and Haitians living abroad, who came to greet them, tried in vain to reassure them. Pierre Garot Nere, executive director of the Collective of Organizations for the Defense of the Rights of Migrants and Returnees, slammed what he called the lack of planning by Haitian authorities to receive these migrants. "This is a total disappointment. There was no planning to welcome home these Haitians who have had trouble" abroad, he said. He also said that many of these Haitians had been victims in Chile, one of Latin America's wealthiest countries, of "exclusion" and "racism." (@rukhshanmir) The Ecuadorian authorities have not yet received an official request for the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Jose Valencia said. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th November, 2018) The Ecuadorian authorities have not yet received an official request for the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Jose Valencia said. "At the moment there is no official request for the extradition of Julian Assange," Valencia said Wednesday, as quoted by the Publica FM radio station. He noted that Quito had spent over $6 million on Assange, mostly on security. In October, Assange's lawyer Carlos Poveda told Sputnik that the WikiLeaks founder was ready to turn himself in to the UK authories if he received a written guarantee that he would not be extradited to the United States or to any other country. Later, Assange accused Ecuador of planning to hand him over to the United States and looking for an excuse to end his asylum, after conditions of his stay at the diplomatic mission were leaked to the media. The long list of rules regulates Assange's communication with the outside world. Among other things, it bans the WikiLeaks founder from expressing any political opinions that can be deemed as interference in the affairs of other countries. Assange was questioned by the UK police over his alleged involvement in a sexual assault case in Sweden and released on bail. The whistleblower breached the terms of his bail by taking refuge in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London in 2012. Sweden dropped the investigation in 2017, but the UK arrest warrant for Assange, issued over the violations of his bail, remained in place. Assange fears potential extradition to the United States, where he might face espionage charges over WikiLeaks releasing a great number of what it claimed were US government documents. Lagos, Nov 7 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Nov, 2018 ) :Gunmen have abducted four Catholic priests in southern Nigeria, a local state official told AFP Wednesday. The kidnapping happened on Tuesday at a border community between Edo and Delta States in the south, said Andrew Aniamaka, a spokesman for Delta State. "They were abducted on their way to Ekpoma, Edo state, from Delta for an event," he added, saying police and local security were hunting for the gunmen. A source at the Warri Catholic diocese in Delta State confirmed the incident, which comes less than three weeks after five Catholic nuns were kidnapped in Delta State. The nuns were released two weeks later, and a suspect was in custody, said Aniamaka. He would not say if a ransom had been paid. Several sources confirm that the nuns had been returning from a burial ceremony in the southeast Nigeria when they were abducted by gunmen who opened fire on their vehicles, injuring two other nuns. In January, Nigeria's bishops denounced a wave of kidnappings for ransom in the country. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Cyprus, which has the highest number of first-time asylum applicants relative to its population, is particularly concerned with the issue but so far European Union countries have not found common ground CYPRUS, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Nov, 2018 ) :Cyprus, which has the highest number of first-time asylum applicants relative to its population, is particularly concerned with the issue but so far European Union countries have not found common ground. According to a competent source from Brussels, northern European countries are reluctant to share the burden with EU Mediterranean countries, which have been at the forefront for years. Brexit is another issue that concerns EU Member States and which affects the negotiations for the new Financial Framework (EU budget 2020 - 2027) as well. The issue is particularly important, since the UK is the second largest net contributor to the EU. One issue related to Brexit which also affects Cyprus is toxic waste that is being exported from Cyprus to Britain for processing and destruction. The EU regulations provide that exports of such waste are allowed from one EU country to another. Thus, with Britain leaving the EU, Cypriot hospitals and industries that have such waste will have to find other recipients in other European countries, which, according to the source, will not be easy. As regards the issue of the Sovereign British Bases in Cyprus, it is noted that Nicosia and Brussels are very close to an agreement with the UK. The agreement -once finalized -will be included in the form of a protocol in the Brexit agreement between the EU and Britain. As regards the issue of golden visa schemes, the source pointed out that there are eight moreEU states that are active in this sector while there are some states that offer passports andgolden visas more easily than Cyprus. Kazakhstan and Belarus have signed the 2019 Military Cooperation Plan, Kazinform news agency said Thursday ASTANA, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Nov, 2018 ) :Kazakhstan and Belarus have signed the 2019 Military Cooperation Plan, Kazinform news agency said Thursday. The plan was signed during a meeting between Minister of Defense of Kazakhstan Nurlan Yermekbayev and his Belarusian colleague, Lieutenant General Andrei Ravkov in Astana as part of the joint meeting of the Foreign Ministers Council, Defense Ministers Council and the Committee of the CSTO security councils' secretaries. The two sides discussed the current and promising areas of bilateral interaction, the press service of the Kazakh Defense Ministry says. Malaysia and Morocco have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Putrajaya for cooperation in the field of higher education and scientific research. KUALA LUMPUR, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Nov, 2018 ) :Malaysia and Morocco have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Putrajaya for cooperation in the field of higher education and scientific research. The MoU was signed by the Malaysian Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching and the Moroccan Minister for Higher Education and Scientific Research, Khalid Samadi. Also present at the ceremony was the Secretary-General of the Malaysian Education Ministry Dr Mohd Gazali Abas, the Moroccan Ambassador to Malaysia Mohamed Reda Benkhaldoun and senior officials of both countries. "The MoU will also encourage the exchange and attachment of academic staff and researchers," said a statement issued by the Malaysian Education Ministry. Mohamed Reda, meanwhile, believed that the MoU was an important step towards building a Malaysia-Morocco joint committee in higher education. "This MoU will also help resolve student issues related to visa, scholarships, accommodation and transportation, in addition to availing plenty of opportunities to Moroccan students to continue their education in Malaysia. "The committee will also allow both parties to hold scheduled discussions in the future," he told Bernama. (@rukhshanmir) Building roads and expanding cities, ports and industrial parks -- Morocco is pressing ahead with economic development in Western Sahara without waiting for a political settlement on the disputed territory. Laayoune, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Nov, 2018 ) :Building roads and expanding cities, ports and industrial parks -- Morocco is pressing ahead with economic development in Western Sahara without waiting for a political settlement on the disputed territory. The latest sign of the kingdom's assertive approach to the former Spanish colony was on show last weekend at a business forum organised by Moroccan authorities in Laayoune, the region's largest city. "This is a very rich region," said Rokia Derham, Morocco's secretary of state for foreign trade. "There is great potential in industry, fishing, agriculture or the relocation of services. We want to see foreign investors coming," she told AFP. Morocco and the Polisario Front fought for decades over control of Western Sahara, until a 1991 UN-brokered ceasefire froze the conflict and left Rabat in control of most of the desert area. The forum urged French companies to "give their business new momentum" by investing in a territory touted as a "model of regional development". More than 60 countries are expected to partake in the upcoming Ministerial Conference on Afghanistan in Geneva in late November, where the Afghan authorities will report on the reached progress and changes to the situation in the country, the US Department of State said. WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th November, 2018) More than 60 countries are expected to partake in the upcoming Ministerial Conference on Afghanistan in Geneva in late November, where the Afghan authorities will report on the reached progress and changes to the situation in the country, the US Department of State said. "The conference in late November will be an opportunity for the Afghan government to report on the progress it has made in implementing key reforms that will bring the country closer to peace and self-reliance. With over 60 of Afghanistan's international allies scheduled to attend, the conference will also send a strong signal of the international community's resolve and commitment to ending Afghanistan's decades-long conflict," the department's statement issued late on Wednesday read. The conference will be held in the Swiss capital on November 27-28. During the meeting, the participants are expected to assess to which extent Afghanistan has benefited from the $15.2 billion aid, which the international community pledged to provide between 2016-2020. Prior to the Geneva Ministerial Conference, a second round of talks on the Afghan settlement in the Moscow format at the level of deputy foreign ministers and special representatives will be held in Russia on Friday. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, more than 10 countries, including the United States, have been invited to attend. A delegation representing the Taliban movement, which is one of the major forces opposing Kabul, is expected to participate in such a meeting for the first time. The first meeting in the Moscow format was held in 2017, bringing together Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, India and Afghanistan, in an attempt to promote the national reconciliation process in Afghanistan through regional cooperation. Afghanistan has long been struggling to achieve stability in the country, especially in the terms of security. Amid the long-standing conflict between Kabul and numerous armed groups, including the Taliban, the government had to postpone parliamentary elections on several occasions since 2016. In October, the elections did take place but were nonetheless marred by a series of terrorist attacks, which claimed the lives of almost 60 people, according to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). More than 700 Syrian refugees have returned to their home country from Jordan and Lebanon over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for the Reception, Allocation and Accommodation of Refugees said Thursday. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th November, 2018) More than 700 Syrian refugees have returned to their home country from Jordan and Lebanon over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for the Reception, Allocation and Accommodation of Refugees said Thursday. "Over the past 24 hours, 716 refugees came back to Syria from abroad, including 124 people (38 women and 64 children) from Lebanon via the Jeydet-Yabus and Talkalakh checkpoints and 592 people (178 women and 302 children) from Jordan via the Nasib checkpoint," the center's daily bulletin read. A total of 31,976 Syrians have returned to their home country since July 18. Moreover, 276 internally displaced Syrians have returned to their homes in Eastern Ghouta, Deir ez-Zor and Damascus provinces over the past 24 hours. According to the center, the Syrian Armed Forces' engineering units continue their mine clearance operations. Over the past 24 hours, they have de-activated 42 explosive devices including two improvised explosive devices. As the Syrian government has regained control over most of the country's territories that were seized by terrorists, it is now focused on creating favorable conditions for repatriating refugees. Moscow is assisting Damascus in this, along with providing humanitarian aid to civilians and being a guarantor of the ceasefire. (@ChaudhryMAli88) A riot at a high-security prison in northern Tajikistan has resulted in 27 fatalities, including two officers, a local security source told Sputnik on Thursday. DUSHANBE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th November, 2018) A riot at a high-security prison in northern Tajikistan has resulted in 27 fatalities, including two officers, a local security source told Sputnik on Thursday. "Two officers were killed in the riot. Six prison guards were injured and hospitalized. Their lives aren't in danger," the source said, adding that 25 other fatalities were inmates. The riot broke out on Wednesday night in the second-largest Tajik city of Khujand after an inmate, believed to be a member of the Islamic State terror group (banned in Russia), assaulted a guard. The prisoner wrestled a rifle from an officer and took control of a prison unit with the help of other inmates. Security forces stormed the facility and quelled the riot. Neighboring Kyrgyzstan has said it is closely watching the events in Tajikistan. The Kyrgyz border guard agency has said it has ramped up security along the border and at checkpoints. (@rukhshanmir) He head of the Romanian Senate is being investigated over claims he took bribes when serving as prime minister in 2008, the Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office (DNA) said Thursday. Bucharest, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Nov, 2018 ) :The head of the Romanian Senate is being investigated over claims he took bribes when serving as prime minister in 2008, the Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office (DNA) said Thursday. Prosecutors say Calin Popescu Tariceanu received bribes totalling 700,000 Euros ($800,000) from an Austrian firm which acted as an intermediary in the government's purchase of 40,000 microsoft software licences. Tariceanu is alleged to have used the money to cover campaign expenses. The DNA said it had opened the probe at the request of Austrian authorities. Tariceanu, 66, was prime minister between 2004 and 2008 and is also the leader of the ALDE party, the junior partner in a coalition with the Social Democratic Party (PSD). He has denied all wrongdoing and echoed language frequently used by PSD leaders against the DNA, accusing it of abuse of power. "It's another reaction to my attitude regarding the fight against the judiciary's abuses and excesses. Those who illegally grabbed power within the Romanian state are obviously angered by my actions", Tariceanu said in a statement late Wednesday. For the investigation to continue, the Senate will have to vote to approve a request by the DNA to lift Tariceanu's parliamentary immunity. However, ALDE and PSD together have a solid majority in the chamber. In October 2016, a former Romanian minister and three businessmen were jailed over corruption charges relating to the original contract for the purchase of Microsoft licences signed in 2004. According to prosecutors, the government paid $54 million for the licences in the 2004 contract, of which $20 million "represented commissions for people involved in the contract, both within ministries and private companies". It is not the first time that ethical questions have been raised over the sale of the software giant's products outside the US. The Wall Street Journal reported in 2013 that "US authorities had examined Microsoft's relationship with business partners in China, Romania, Italy, Russia, and Pakistan amid allegations these partners may have bribed government buyers or provided kickbacks". In August, the paper reported it could not be determined if any of those investigations were still ongoing but that a fresh bribery probe had been opened by US authorities into the sale of Microsoft products in Hungary. The situation in Libya continues to deteriorate ahead of the presidential and parliamentary elections, which are scheduled for early December, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th November, 2018) The situation in Libya continues to deteriorate ahead of the presidential and parliamentary elections, which are scheduled for early December Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday. "Instead of stabilization, the situation has signs of further deterioration. Intentions to act in an agreed manner, with focus on the organization of presidential and parliamentary elections on December 10, that were declared by top Libyan leaders at Paris Conference in May this year, are unfortunately poorly supported by concrete measures," Zakharova said at a briefing. Libya has been torn apart by conflict since longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown in 2011. Currently, there is a dual authority in the country. The UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), headed by Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj, operates in the country's west and is headquartered in Tripoli. The authorities of the eastern part of the country operate independently of Tripoli and cooperate with the Libyan National Army (LNA), headed by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar. Moscow has repeatedly called on all political forces of Libya to join forces. The international conference on Libya took place in Paris on May 29 and was attended by the four main leaders of Libya Haftar, Sarraj as well as Aguila Saleh and Khaled al-Mechri, the leaders of the rival parliamentary assemblies. During the conference the sides agreed to hold nationwide parliamentary and presidential elections in December. The next international conference on Libya is scheduled for November 12-13 and will take place in the Italian city of Palermo. Haftar has already confirmed his participation in the event. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart, Donald Trump, have been invited, but the Kremlin announced last week that the Russian president was not scheduled to attend the conference. On Wednesday, media reported, citing Libyan Army press service, that Haftar had arrived in Moscow to meet with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. Sweden has prolonged internal border controls with Germany and Denmark for a further three months over security concerns, the Swedish Justice Ministry said Thursday. STOCKHOLM (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th November, 2018) Sweden has prolonged internal border controls with Germany and Denmark for a further three months over security concerns, the Swedish Justice Ministry said Thursday. Internal border checks were brought back in 2015, with EU's permission, to get a grip on migrant inflows as they traveled north. Controls were last extended until November 11. "The government of Sweden decided today to prolong internal border controls for an additional three months," the ministry said in a statement. The ministry cited a persisting threat to domestic security and similar decisions by other EU members. In August, Sweden said that EU's porous frontiers allowed potential terrorists to slip into the country. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Damascus awaits Russia's response to the Turkish side's statement on a possible operation against Kurdish troops in Syria, Syrian Army political bureau head Brig. Gen. Hasan Ahmad Hasan told Sputnik in an interview. DAMASCUS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th November, 2018) Damascus awaits Russia's response to the Turkish side's statement on a possible operation against Kurdish troops in Syria, Syrian Army political bureau head Brig. Gen. Hasan Ahmad Hasan told Sputnik in an interview. In late October, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Ankara would soon begin a large-scale operation against the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) to the east of the Euphrates. "Everyone should respond to it, not only the Syrian army, but our Russian friends who constantly coordinate or reach agreements with Turkey," Hasan said. According to the official, Erdogan could not make such statements "unless he has reached an agreement with the US side." (@rukhshanmir) Thirteen inmates were killed in a riot in a correction facility in the city of Khujand in Tajikistan's northern Sughd province, a source in security forces told Sputnik. DUSHANBE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th November, 2018) Thirteen inmates were killed in a riot in a correction facility in the city of Khujand in Tajikistan's northern Sughd province, a source in security forces told Sputnik. "Thirteen prisoners were killed during the storming of a strict-regime colony in Khujand, where they raised a riot," the source said. According to him, one of the prisoners, a member of the Islamic State terrorist group (banned in Russia), managed to disarm a guard, took his machine gun and started shooting at guards and warders, with prisoners seizing one of the prison buildings. Local special forces suppressed the riot. (@rukhshanmir) A zoo in Denmark is pleading for the return of three rare turtles that officials said were stolen from the facility during operating hours. DENMARK, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Nov, 2018 ) :A zoo in Denmark is pleading for the return of three rare turtles that officials said were stolen from the facility during operating hours. The Randers Tropical Zoo said the three Burmese star turtles were taken from their indoor exhibit at some point during public visiting hours Sunday. Zoo officials said the fences in the exhibit were too high for the turtles to have escaped on their own. The zoo said it would not press charges against the thieves if they voluntarily return the animals unharmed. Officials said they had planned to attempt to breed the rare turtles, which have not been successfully bred incaptivity for five years. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Turkey signed memorandums of understanding with Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan on diaspora policies on Thursday. ANKARA, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Nov, 2018 ) :Turkey signed memorandums of understanding with Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan on diaspora policies on Thursday. The MoUs were signed between Turkey's Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) and the Azerbaijan State Committee on Affairs with Diaspora; and another between YTB and Kazakhstan Citizens Foundation. Speaking at the signing ceremony at the YTB headquarters in the capital Ankara, YTB President Abdullah Eren said Turkey Graduates Association is active in Kazakhstan and it should also open offices in the other Turkic Council countries. Eren said Turkiye Scholarships provides the opportunity to educate 17,775 scholarship recipients from 150 countries in thebest universities of Turkey. A cooperation protocol between Turkey's Yunus Emre Institute and Kazakhstan Citizens Foundation was also signed during the event. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Ankara doubts that the Syrian refugees currently residing in Turkey will return to their homeland if Bashar Assad remains the Syrian president, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Volkan Bozkir said on Thursday MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th November, 2018) Ankara doubts that the Syrian refugees currently residing in Turkey will return to their homeland if Bashar Assad remains the Syrian president, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Volkan Bozkir said on Thursday. Bozkir recalled that there currently were four million Syrian refugees residing in Turkey, while the total number of Syrians who have left during the course of the war is around five or six million. "If Bashar Assad remains the country's head in the future, we do not believe that those people [refugees], who left the country in their time, will be able to return to their homeland," the official said at a joint meeting of the Russian Federation Council Committee on International Affairs and the Commission on International Affairs of the Turkish parliament. Bozkir noted that it was up to the Syrian people to decide who would lead the country after Assad. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly said that the comprehensive settlement in Syria cannot be reached while Assad is in power. The Turkish leader has even called Assad a terrorist. Syria has been in a state of civil war since 2011, with the government forces fighting numerous opposition groups and terrorist organizations. Russia, along with Turkey and Iran, is a guarantor of the ceasefire in the country, and also provides humanitarian assistance to Syrian civilians and is actively engaged in the settlement dialogue. As the Syrian government has won back vast territories that had been controlled by militants during the civil war, it is now focused on rebuilding Syria for the actively repatriating refugees. According to the latest information obtained by the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for the Reception, Allocation and Accommodation of Refugees, a total of 31,976 Syrians have returned to their homes from abroad since July 18. At the same time, UN Refugee Agency has said that there are still over 6 million registered refugees seeking asylum in 45 countries worldwide. The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has warned UK banking consumers of potential fraud that may take place during Brexit, media reported Thursday. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th November, 2018) The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has warned UK banking consumers of potential fraud that may take place during Brexit, media reported Thursday. According to the Financial Times, the watchdog said that "during this period of uncertainty" financial operations of UK expats in Europe may be compromised and suggested that clients of UK banks in Europe refrain from providing their banking details to suspicious agents. The watchdog added that UK banking consumers inside the country should be unaffected, as branches of European lenders located in the United Kingdom are controlled by domestic regulators. The warning comes amid uncertainties in the future of the UK-EU post-Brexit arrangements. The Brexit negotiations have turned out to be tougher than expected for both sides, with neither able to agree on major points such as the Irish border and post-Brexit trade tariffs with third parties. Meanwhile, the prospect of UK leaving the bloc without a deal looms large as the negotiations are scheduled to conclude by the end of March 2019. United Nations, United States, Nov 7 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Nov, 2018 ) :The UN Security Council is weighing a plan that would see UN peacekeepers in the Central African Republic offer support to newly-trained national troops as they deploy across the strife-scarred country. A French-drafted resolution would authorize the MINUSCA mission to "provide limited logistical support" for troops that have been trained by the European Union, according to the text seen by AFP on Wednesday. The proposal is raising eyebrows, in particular from the United States, which is seeking to streamline peacekeeping operations to reduce costs and make them more effective, diplomats said. The council will vote on the draft resolution next week. The European Union has trained more than 3,000 men and women to serve in the Central African Armed Forces while Russia and France have provided them with weapons and other military equipment, with UN approval. The train-and-equip program is intended to help the Central African Republic recover from the bloodletting that exploded in 2013 after the ouster of leader Francois Bozize, a Christian, by mainly Muslim Seleka rebels. The current president, Faustin-Archange Touadera, controls only a fraction of the country, most of which is overrun by militants who claim to protect either the Christian or Muslim communities. The council will vote on backing the "rapid extension of state authority over the entire territory" by supporting the deployment of the vetted and trained troops in areas outside of Bangui. The draft resolution also takes aim at recent Russian efforts to broker peace deals in car by specifying that an African-led initiative is "the only framework" for a solution. Working with Sudan, Russia in August convened talks in Khartoum of Central African militias who signed a preliminary agreement, drawing criticism from France of unhelpful meddling. To step up diplomatic efforts, the United Nations and the African Union plan to appoint a joint special envoy while UN envoy Parfait Onanga-Anyanga will become part of the AU panel leading the peace effort. The draft resolution extends the MINUSCA mission until November 2019 and maintains a ceiling of 11,650 military personnel. Last year, the council added 900 extra troops to the mission as violence raged on. MINUSCA is the UN's fourth largest mission, after the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Mali. (@ChaudhryMAli88) WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th November, 2018) The Arctic Ocean region remains at low risk for international conflict, but the US Navy has sufficient forces deployed to carry out the national strategy for the region announced in 2016, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) said in a report on Thursday. "The Navy's June 2018 report aligns with Department of Defense (DOD) assessments that the Arctic is at low risk for conflict and that DOD has the capabilities to execute the 2016 DOD Arctic Strategy," the report said. The June 2018 report also aligns with assessments of Arctic capabilities and gaps in the Navy's 2014 road map for implementing the strategy, the GAO noted. "The report notes the significant limitations for operating surface ships in the Arctic, but states that the Navy has the capabilities required for executing the strategy, and so has no plan to design ice-hardened surface ships," the GAO said. Defense Department officials stated that the United States has options other than Navy surface ships for demonstrating the US right to operate in the Arctic, including using Coast Guard vessels, Navy submarines or military aircraft, the report added. The United States expressed readiness to launch the procedure of removing Sudan from its list of State Sponsors of Terrorism if the North African nation meets relevant criteria for it. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th November, 2018) The United States expressed readiness to launch the procedure of removing Sudan from its list of State Sponsors of Terrorism if the North African nation meets relevant criteria for it. The State Department spokeswoman, Heather Nauert, said in a statement late on Wednesday, that US Deputy State Secretary John Sullivan had met with Sudanese Foreign Minister Dirdeiry Mohamed Ahmed to discuss the launch of the so-called Phase II framework for bilateral cooperation, which is aimed at boosting bilateral ties, stepping up reforms by Khartoum and stabilizing the situation in the North African country. "The United States is prepared to initiate the process of rescinding Sudan's designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism if the determination is made that all of the relevant statutory criteria have been met, and if Sudan makes progress in addressing each of the six key areas of mutual concern prioritized by the Phase II framework," the statement read. The African nation was added to the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism in 1993 as Washington accused it of supporting terror groups, including al-Qaeda (banned in Russia). The move means imposing various restrictions on Khartoum, including those limiting external players' cooperation with Sudanese authorities and their access to financial markets. The United States has, however, said that Khartoum has recently been cooperating with Washington in the fight against terrorism. Description The 2018 Radiological Society of North America annual meeting will be held from November 25-30 in Chicago, IL, with the theme, "Tomorrow's Radiology Today". Stay tuned for more information on meeting presentations, exhibits and attractions planned for 2018. Nigerian Catholic Church authorities have asked the faithful in that country to pray for the release of four priests abducted by gunmen, this week, in the Delta State, south-east of Nigeria. Africa Service Vatican City The abducted priests were celebrating their tenth anniversaries as priests Frs. Victor Adigboluja (Ijebu Ode Diocese), Anthony Otegbola (Abeokuta Diocese), Joseph Ediae (Benin Archdiocese) and Obadjere Emmanuel (Warri Diocese) were returning from a special reunion meeting held in Warri on Monday and Tuesday. The priests met this week, to commemorate their 10th priestly anniversaries. On Tuesday evening, after a successful reunion in Warri, the priests were relocating to the All Saints seminary in Uhiele- Ekpoma, their Alma Mater, where they were scheduled to continue the celebrations with the seminary community. On their way to Ekpoma, gunmen suddenly ambushed them, spraying the convoy of vehicles with bullets. Some priests managed to escape in their damaged cars while the four priests were captured. Two weeks ago, five abducted nuns were released The abductions come hardly two weeks after five religious women of the Congregation of Martha and Mary in the Diocese of Issele-Uku, State of Delta were released. Nigeria media quoted the Public Relations Officer of the Delta State Police Command, DSP Andrew Aniamaka as confirming the abductions but releasing no further details. Church authorities have asked the faithful to pray for the release of the priests. Asia Bibi, the Catholic woman acquitted by Pakistan's Supreme Court after being sentenced to death in 2010 on blasphemy charges, was released on November 7. By Robin Gomes Asia Bibi, the 47 year-old Catholic mother of 5 children, acquitted by Pakistan's Supreme Court on October 31 after being sentenced to death in 2010 on a false charge of blasphemy, was released on Wednesday and transferred to an undisclosed location in the capital. Amid tight security, Asia Bibi left a prison in Multan, Punjab province, for a flight to Islamabad. Troops guarded the roads leading to the airport from which she flew out. Asia Bibis lawyer, Saiful Mulook, who fled Pakistan this week and sought asylum in the Netherlands, confirmed she was no longer in prison. Authorities last month said they arrested two prisoners for allegedly conspiring to strangle her and since then additional police and troops have been deployed to the facility in Punjab. Officials said Asia Bibi will be safer at the new facility in Islamabad. Protests Since the Supreme Court verdict, groups linked to the hardline Islamist Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) party, who want the Christian woman hanged publicly, paralyzed many of the countrys cities with demonstrations, roadblocks and threats. To end the unrest, the government came to terms with the Islamists on Friday, putting a hold on Asia Bibis release, preventing her from leaving the country, accepting a revision of her sentence, and freeing all the demonstrators arrested. After the news of Asia Bibis release, a TLP spokesman Ejaz Ashrafi said Asia Bibi's release was in breach of their deal with the government. "The rulers have shown their dishonesty," he told Reuters. Asia Bibi still in Pakistan The ministry of foreign affairs on Thursday rejected news reports that Asia Bibi has left the country. There is no truth in reports that Asia Bibi has left the country. She is in Pakistan, Foreign Office spokesperson Muhammad Faisal said during his weekly press briefing. Shortly after Faisals clarification, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry slammed some media organizations for running the "fake news" regarding Asia Bibi leaving the country. In a tweet he said, "It has become a norm to publish fake news for sake of headlines, #AsiaBibi case is sensitive issue it was extremely irresponsible to publish news of her leaving the country without confirmation, I strongly urge section of media to act responsible ." The minister for foreign affairs further said, "Asia Bibi is now a free citizen and can go where she pleases after the SC verdict. There is no ban on the movement of a free citizen." A review petition has been filed in the court and the Ministry of Interior can inform regarding whether she can be legally barred from leaving the country," he added. Plea for asylum Asia Bibi's husband, Ashiq Masih, pleaded with the United States, Great Britain, Canada and Italy for asylum, saying it would be too dangerous for his family to stay in Pakistan. Pakistani authorities now say the Christian woman may not leave the country because a petition for a review of the court's ruling was filed by a radical Islamist lawyer requesting the acquittal be reversed. Pakistani courts usually take years to decide such cases. Blasphemy In perhaps Pakistans most famous blasphemy case, Asia Bibi was arrested and imprisoned in June 2009 on allegation of insulting the Prophet Muhammad, following an argument with Muslim women over her use of a drinking vessel meant for Muslims. She and her family have denied the allegation. The following year she was sentenced to death. According to the blasphemy laws in Pakistans Penal Code, insulting the Prophet Muhammad is a crime punishable by death, while offending the Koran, Islam holy book, incurs life imprisonment. Popes In the past years, 2 Popes have pleaded for the release of Asia Bibi. In 2010, Pope Benedict XVI had added his voice to international calls for the release of Asia Bibi. During a special event organized in Rome on 24 February to express solidarity for those persecuted for their faith across the world, Pope Francis had a private meeting with Ashiq and Eisham, the husband and daughter of the Catholic woman. GRAMMY-nominated, multi-platinum alt-rock band, Plain White Ts, will be kicking off their Fall tour later this month in support of their new studio album Parallel Universe (out now via Fearless Records). Theyll be making a stop in Las Vegas on Friday, November 9 at Brooklyn Bowl. Parallel Universe marks the bands 13 year return on Fearless Records following their independent 2015 release American Nights. The album displays the bands new shift in sound as they have evolved into more ethereal electronic pop strengthened by lush guitar tones and synth transmissions. Here is the video for their latest single Light Up The Room: Light Up The Room httpvh://youtu.be/9gKHE0PyJJ4 Brothers David Morton and Michael Mortons Steakhouse, MB Steak, located at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, will welcome rodeo fans throughout the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR). From Thursday, Dec. 6 through Saturday, Dec. 15, the luxury steakhouse will offer flavorful, juicy dishes and premium drink selections to fuel patrons throughout the week-long competition (Photo credit: Jim K. Decker) Executive Chef Patrick Munster will expertly prepare the Cowboy Cut, a juicy 24-ounce USDA Prime Certified Black Angus bone-in ribeye, sourced from Creekstone Farms, priced at $89. NFR fans may pair the steak dish with a bourbon flight, featuring 1-ounce pours of four ultra-premium bourbons: Woodford Reserve, Angels Envy, Four Roses Single Barrel and Old Forester, priced at $29; or the Smoke and Mirrors, made with a barrel-aged mix of Templeton rye whiskey, St. George Bruto Americano and Punt e Mes, garnished with orange peel and a cherry, priced at $18. The cocktail is placed into a smoke box and smoked for approximately 15 seconds with hickory chips for a bold, smoky flavor. Since pulling out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a massive 12-country trade agreement, US President Donald Trump has engaged in bilateral trade talks with allies and competitors alike. So far, the US has begun or completed trade negotiations with Canada, Mexico, South Korea, Japan, and the EU, among others, and entered into a large-scale trade war with China. With the recent agreement with Canada and Mexico to replace NAFTA, the US has now set its sights on Vietnam. Given the concerns the US and Vietnam share over Chinas regional ambitions, a strengthened relationship is mutually beneficial. In a symbolic step towards strengthening relations before trade negotiations begin in earnest, the US has recently issued a massive cleanup of Agent Orange in Vietnam. However, the US has also shown its willingness to deploy aggressive negotiating tactics on close allies to gain maximum trade concessions, even if doing so might strain broader geopolitical considerations. Issues on the agenda Both the US and Vietnam have voiced concerns about the others trade policies. Now, in order to achieve a bilateral trade agreement, three main issues will have to be resolved: the US trade deficit with Vietnam, the dispute over Vietnamese catfish exports, and Vietnams ongoing aspiration to be considered a market economy. Trade deficit Trump has made concerns over US trade deficits a key issue in trade discussions with various countries, and this is also true for Vietnam. The major concern has been raised regarding the rising bilateral trade imbalance. The US runs a substantial deficit in the relationship with Vietnam. Over a decade ago, the US trade deficit was US$10.11 billion in 2008. Through the first eight months of 2018, Vietnam currently runs a bilateral trade surplus with the US, at more than US$25.74 billion. The disparate trade flow between the countries has led to controversy in regards to anti-dumping laws imposed on Vietnam by the US and have prevented a bilateral investment treaty to date. Trump has suggested measures to refocus US arms sales to Vietnam, where Vietnamese purchases on US equipment remains low, as a way to reduce the trade gap. Catfish trade One nagging issue that re-emerged during the TPP negotiations was Vietnamese catfish exports to the US. Controversy over trade rules emerged following a bilateral trade agreement signed between the US and Vietnam in 2001, which prompted a 17-year trade dispute over catfish. Vietnam viewed US regulations governing catfish imports as protectionist, while the US argued that Vietnam was dumping its catfish products on the US and damaging US producers. Vietnamese officials have taken this concern to the World Trade Organization (WTO), filing its first complaint in February 2018; however, several procedural hurdles have followed since then. Therefore, this issue will most likely impede a straightforward agreement during negotiations. There is hope for this issue to be resolved, however, if Vietnam can attain market economy status. Current trade regulation features, such as anti-dumping duties on Vietnams catfish, could change under this upgraded designation and favor Vietnam under WTO rulings for such disputes. Market economy status Vietnamese officials have vocalized the countrys aim to change the current status from non-market economy to market economy. Vietnam is constricted to its non-market economy status until it fulfills its accreditation under US law, or until 2019 when it will be re-evaluated by the WTO. Vietnams non-market economy status under US qualification applies to its interventionist outlook, which provides for greater regulation, like higher tariffs, as well as preventing the opening of trade and investment options. For Vietnam to attain the desired status, it will need to loosen its state-run economic policy, however, it is still up to the discretion of US authorities to decide if the catfish controversy should be upheld. If Vietnam can achieve market-economy status, it would also reveal the countrys evolution as an increasingly open economy, and free the country from the application of protectionist policies, such as countervailing duty cases, including in relation to the ongoing catfish dispute. Implications for US-Vietnam relations With a revived political and economic focus from the US towards Vietnam, new bilateral trading terms will most likely focus on increasing US exports and to reduce certain technical barriers to trade. That being said, US-Vietnam relations were dealt a blow when the US backed out of the TPP. While Vietnam is a member of the resurrected Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which resulted from the failure of the TPP, the US has not shown serious consideration of rejoining the pact on new terms. Further, Vietnam is in negotiations to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), an ambitious trade group led by China. Without the participation of the US, trade flows will likely grow less quickly, as participating countrys become more accessible for trade and investment. With its close proximity to China, the US incentive to deepen relations with Vietnam can be seen in the newly dealt USMCA deal with Canada and Mexico, with a particular focus on Article 32.10 that acts as a window of control if either country arranges a trade deal with China. On the other hand, Vietnams interest in signing a bilateral investment treaty (BIT) to secure access in the US market represents its desire to cooperate to enhance economic activity. However, serious issues remain to be resolved in regards to the trade discrepancy, and Vietnams formal advancement to be recognized as a market economy need to be ironed out to reach an agreement. Despite these political challenges, the private sector is likely to push ahead: the combination of trade uncertainty from the US-China trade war and Vietnams low-cost and steadily opening economy make Vietnam increasingly attractive for US businesses. According to Mauro Gasparotti, director of Savills Hotels Asia-Pacific, Urban Branded Residences (UBR) are residential products that offer hotel-like facilities and services for residents. They are typically associated with a third-party brand, which could be hotel brands like Ritz Carlton or Mandarin Oriental, but also non-hotel brands such as Porsche or Aston Martin, Gasparotti said. Urban branded residences are gaining traction in Vietnam Figures from Savills stated that there are more than 400 residential brands globally, 85 per cent of which are schemes from hotel brands. They all offer a superior set of facilities and services compared to the more classical residences. Based on our studies, almost 74 per cent of branded residences around the globe are located in urban locations, whilst in Vietnam, the vast majority of mixed-use residential and hospitality products are located in coastal areas and are defined as condotels. We believe there is tremendous opportunity for developers to embrace this concept and apply it in urban cities as competition in the residential sector will be fiercer and buyers increasingly demand alternative products. This trend has already began to grow rapidly in the US, Europe, and other Asian countries such as China, Hong Kong, and Thailand. Vietnam is on track to be the next country to see the strong growth of this concept, Gasparotti added. According to Gasparotti, branded residences usually have a different target of clients than condotels. They are proposed as lifestyle products and are usually less attractive in rental yield but focus on a longer term value proposition and capital gain. Vietnam, compared to other countries, is currently offering considerably higher guaranteed returns which, in certain cases, will be challenging to deliver if only unit rental revenue is relied upon. We strongly advise developers to conceptualise products that deliver quality and long-term value to the buyers instead of short-term rental gain, he added. Branded residences are attractive through offering the additional value of a brand and enhancing experiences for homeowners. The engagement of a brand ensures quality design, security, and high levels of services. Andrew Pang from Yoo believes that creative and unique design can add significant value to all aspects of a branded residence project. Our aim is try to improve the quality of peoples lives through design, whether it is a residence or a hotel room. Design is a platform which can heighten the sense of enjoyment of residence owners as well as hotels guests, he said. There are several types of branded residences which can be standalone residential buildings or mixed-use developments. In a mixed-use development, in most of the cases, the residences are integrated with a hotel component in the same location. Karan Kaul from Langham Hospitality Group added that hotel brands can add significant value to the residential components of mixed-use developments. It is a win-win framework whereby buyers receive the exclusivity of the brand design and amenities from the hotel as well as the possible benefits of a rental pool and professional management, said Kaul. The Peak a component of the Midtown project located in Phu My Hung City Centre has been developed with stylish architecture and lasting quality, as well as international standards in all respects to meet buyers of all ages. The Peak New benchmark for quality The Peak is the last component of the Midtown project and as such has been created with the highest quality building on the success of its predecessors at Midtown, such as The Grande, The Symphony, and The Signature. Developed by Phu My Hung Development Corp. and its three Japanese partners Daiwa House Group, Nomura Real Estate Group, and Sumitomo Forestry Group, The Peak is the crowning jewel of Phu My Hung Midtown. All facilities of the Midtown complex have been designed with care by the investors to ensure that the project is second to none in any aspect and is of the highest quality and durability. The Peak, however, takes sophistication one step further with its planning, interior, landscaping, and construction materials. The living space of The Peak and the whole Midtown complex is in harmony with nature Regarding scale, The Peak has the largest area compared to the three other components in Midtown, and it also has the easiest access to the public facilities of the whole Midtown complex, from the trading centre and leisure facilities to the local education system. Moreover, when designing the Midtown complex, the architects had took special care to highlight the river running through the project and place it at the core of the entire project. Sakura Park, the most beautiful venue of the entire Midtown project, was also built along the river with The Peak towering over one end. The Peak is also a landmark in both design and landscaping, as the centrepiece of the whole Midtown project. As the key component of Midtown, The Peak was designed with smooth curves akin to waves to create harmony with the land area. The shape of the building curves alongside the river, bringing residents even closer to nature. The Peak has simple but elegant multi-functional design Inspiration from the land of the rising sun The Peaks landscape design was inspired by the Japanese partners, infusing the project with distinct Japanese characteristics not only by planting Singapore Sakura flowers directly imported from Singapore, but by following the Zen style with clear, simple, and unique design. For example, some special architectural features make for unique hotspots for the building and visitors and provide cooling shades and private space for residents. The Peaks natural and inner landscape are in complete harmony. The units are designed with many clear glass walls which permit unlimited views on the outside. The glass walls also help save space in every unit and add a sense of spaciousness. Nature takes centre stage at The Peak While the design of The Peak is simple, it lacks for naught in elegance and harmony with the surrounding natural landscape, playing to the strengths of Midtowns unparalleled sophistication and unique architectural solutions. Perfect utilities Having a large land area, The Peak has reserved great space for different public facilities that were designed as colourful, organic parts of the landscape while offering multiple functions to easily meet the demands of every kind of resident, from children to the elderly, accommodating different interests and nationalities. The waterfall at the heart of the M8B building The open-air public area at the ground floor is divided into many sub-areas where residents can enjoy a waterfall, take a stroll or sample exquisite food and beverages at nearby restaurants. Luxury and multi-functional facilities bring to mind premier resorts The Peaks residents are offered not only resort-level living standards and nice landscaping, but also perfect facilities. Apart from facilities like the gym centre, swimming pool, and communal centre, children can enjoy both open-air and an indoor playing areas, library, and especially a golf stimulator room. All of these facilities are located at the ground floor, as well as the third and the sixth floors of the complex, which are within convenient reach for all residents for daily use without being overloaded during end-of-the-day rush hours, weekends, and festivals. US President Donald Trump speaks during a post-election press conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC. (Jim WATSON/AFP) WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump urged Democrats on Wednesday (Nov 7) to "put partisanship aside" as he bluntly warned them against using their newfound control of the US House of Representatives to tie up his administration in investigations. "It was a big day yesterday, an incredible day," Trump said following Tuesday's midterm election in which Republicans lost the House but increased their hold on the Senate. "I think people like the job I'm doing," Trump told a free-wheeling news conference at the White House which featured several acrimonious exchanges with reporters. Democrats will have around 229 seats in the 435-member House, while Republicans will hold 53 seats in the 100-member Senate, up from 51, according to projections by The New York Times. Trump offered an olive branch to Democrats, praising their leader and likely next House speaker Nancy Pelosi and saying "I really believe that we have the chance to get along really well with the Democrats." "It is time for members of both parties to join together, put partisanship aside, and keep the American economic miracle going strong." Trump cited healthcare and infrastructure as areas where the two parties could work together. But the president warned he would not hesitate to retaliate if House Democrats use their committee powers in the next Congress to investigate members of his administration or his personal finances. "They can play that game," he said. "All you are going to do is end up in back and forth and back and forth. "I think that I am better at that game then they are actually," he said. "Or we can work together," he said, adding that "it really could be a beautiful bipartisan type of situation." Trump also dismissed the suggestion he could move to end Special Counsel Robert Mueller's ongoing investigation of whether his 2016 election campaign colluded with Russia to get him into the White House. "I could fire everybody right now, but I don't want to stop it because politically I don't like stopping it," Trump said, calling the probe a "hoax" and a "disgrace." "It should never have been started because there was no crime," he said. "There's no collusion." 'VERY HOSTILE MEDIA COVERAGE' Trump reeled off a shopping list of disadvantages he claimed that the Republicans had faced going into Tuesday's vote, including "wealthy donors and special interests" for the Democrats, and "very hostile media coverage." At one point during the press conference, a visibly angry Trump branded CNN's White House correspondent Jim Acosta a "rude, terrible person" and an "enemy of the people" in a testy exchange. "You shouldn't be working for CNN," he said. "When you report fake news, which CNN does a lot, you are the enemy of the people." Trump also called out Republicans who did not accept his offer of campaign help, saying they failed to accept his "embrace." "You have some that said, 'Let's stay away, let's stay away.' They did very poorly," Trump said. Republicans backed by the White House defeated Democratic senators in several states won by Trump in 2016 - Florida, Indiana, Missouri and North Dakota. The Republican Senate candidate was also leading in Arizona while Democrats picked up a Republican Senate seat in Nevada. Democrats gained seven governorships but fell short in a high-profile race in Florida, which - as Trump noted on Wednesday - is expected to play a key role in the 2020 presidential election. With the House victory, Democrats will take over committees, giving them the power to hold hearings, call witnesses and issue subpoenas to administration officials. "We will conduct the investigations that Republicans wouldn't conduct," Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell of California said on NBC's "Today" show. "We'll fill in the gaps on the Russia investigations," he said of the Mueller probe. "American people will see (Trump's) tax returns." 'COLLEGIAL PLACE' Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said he expected the president would be able to work with a divided Congress. "The Senate is a pretty collegial place and even though we had big differences over things like taxes and judges, there were plenty of other things we did together and no reason that would stop simply because the House now becomes Democratic," he said. "We're certainly going to try to help the president achieve what he would like with the (US-Mexico) wall," McConnell said. Pelosi, who is likely to return as House speaker despite opposition from some centrist Democrats, promised that the party will serve as a counterweight - but also work with Trump. "Today is more than about Democrats and Republicans. It's about restoring the constitution's checks and balances to the Trump administration," Pelosi said. But she added: "A Democratic Congress will work for solutions that bring us together, because we have all had enough of division." Like in the 2016 presidential election, rural areas went heavily for Republicans on Tuesday while urban areas broke towards the Democrats. More women than men voted for Democrats, according to exit polls, particularly white suburban women, and the new House will feature a record number of women lawmakers. But the rosiest expectations of some Democrats - that they could create a "blue wave" even when playing defense on the Senate map - proved unfounded. Inaugural program at Kansai airport was carried out in style of Japanese special traditional Kagami Biraki ceremony After the inaugural flight from Hanoi touched down in Kansai International Airport in Osaka this morning, a special celebration was held, featuring the Kagami Biraki (literally, Opening the Mirror), a Japanese tradition performed for opening ceremonies. The Hanoi-Osaka route will operate daily return flights from November 8, 2018 Later on, passengers onboard Vietjets debut flight from Osaka to Hanoi were treated to Vietnamese folk dance performances, showcasing Vietnamese culture to all international passengers especially Japanese ones travelling to Vietnam. Besides, all passengers onboard the two inaugural flights received gifts such as brocade bags, special pens, and caps from the representatives of Vietjets management. Jeremy Goldstrich, corporate executive vice president and chief operating officer of Kansai Airport, said: We are honoured that KIX has been chosen as Vietjets first destination in Japan from Hanoi and soon to be from Ho Chi Minh City. Hanoi is an amazing city and is also the gateway to world-famous tourist destinations such as Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh, and Sapa. We hope more people from Japan and Vietnam as well as international travellers can enjoy travelling, touring, and trading between the countries thanks to Vietjets affordable, joyful flights. Using Vietjets new and modern A321neo aircraft, the Hanoi-Osaka route operates a return flight on a daily basis with a flight time of more than four hours per leg. A flight departs from Hanoi each day at 1.40am and arrives to Osaka at 7.50am. Coming in the other direction, the flight takes off in Osaka at 9.20am and lands in Hanoi at around 1.05pm (all local times). Vietjets new service to Osaka brings the airlines total number of international routes to 64, with a network that spans 11 countries. The airline will soon launch two other routes to Japan from Vietnam, including the Ho Chi Minh City-Osaka (Kansai) route from December 14, 2018 and the Hanoi-Tokyo (Narita) route from January 11, 2019. To celebrate these debut flights on the Hanoi- Osaka route, Vietjet has hosted a mega-promotion over "three golden days" on November 7- 9, 2018 with giving away 10,000 promotional tickets priced only from USD0. Booking can be made at any time at www.vietjetair.com. The promotional tickets apply for all three of Vietjets new international routes to Japan. The benchmark VN Index advanced on Thursday morning as investors were upbeat after Asian shares reacted positively to the US mid-term elections. The benchmark VN Index on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange gained 0.51 per cent to end at 926.88 points. The southern market index moved little on Wednesday. The HNX Index on the Ha Noi Stock Exchange was up 0.67 per cent to close at 104.89 points. The northern market index lost 0.34 per cent in the previous day. More than 104.5 million shares were traded on the two exchanges, worth VND1.75 trillion (US$77.6 million). Market sentiment was positive as investors had a good reaction to the US mid-term elections, in which the Democrats won control of the House of Representatives over the Republicans. Analysts said the victory would make it harder for US president Donald Trump to issue future policies. Asian shares advanced in the morning trade, having a positive impact on Vietnamese stocks. The large-cap VN30 Index was up 0.38 per cent to 902.69 points at the of the morning session. Nineteen of the 30 largest stocks by market capitalisation in the VN30 basket advanced. The market breadth was positive as the number of stocks that gained doubled that of decliners across the market, 244 to 119. The afternoon trading session starts at 1pm. U.S. President Donald Trump is boasting of "a Very Big Win" in Tuesday's national congressional elections, after Republicans strengthened their hold on the Senate, even as Democrats took control of the House of Representatives for the first time in eight years. Amnesty International is calling on the pro-Iranian Houthi group to withdraw from the May 22 national hospital in Yemen's Red Sea port city of Hodeida. The Saudi-led coalition, which is gaining ground in the rebel-held city, claims the Houthis are using patients as human shields. The head of Amnesty International's Middle East program, Samah Hadad, said the presence of Houthi forces on the rooftop of the building constitutes a breach of the human rights of the patients inside the hospital. Both the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition trying to dislodge them from Hodeida are claiming to have inflicted heavy casualties on each other. but the head of the Houthi group, Abdel Malek al-Houthi, admitted his forces had suffered some setbacks. He conceded that Saudi-led forces have mounted a major operation, bringing in large numbers of reinforcements and weaponry to put pressure on the city and advance. But he added that the major part of Hodeida province remains under Houthi control. A Yemeni military commander working alongside Saudi-coalition forces said coalition forces have advanced in Hodeida and that the Houthi forces have been fleeing and taking heavy losses. VOA could not independently confirm these reports. Recent Arab media video showed coalition forces advancing inside the city. Mohammed al Bakhiti, a Houthi spokesman, told Arab media his group was inflicting heavy casualties on the Saudi-led coalition. He said Saudi-led forces attack from the air, then bring forces in to advance inside on the ground. But he claimed his men lure them into narrow areas, then inflict heavy casualties on them. Meanwhile, many international NGOs and humanitarian groups like the U.N.'s FAO warn of the increased risk of famine in Yemen if fighting continues. The group's head, Jose Graziano da Silva, said on Twitter fighting is making the situation worse. Despite various appeals to end the three-and-a-half-year-old conflict, Samir al-Shibani, the deputy-human rights minister of Yemen's internationally recognized government of President Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi, claimed these appeals increase whenever the Saudi-led coalition advances in the country. He contended that the internationally-prompted hysteria to hold dialogue begins every time the balance of forces on the ground begins to tip in favor of the Hadi government. Despite the noise, he said the Hadi government's conditions are for dialogue are well-known, the main condition being that all traces of the Houthi-led coup on the ground be removed. U.N. Yemen envoy Martin Griffiths told Al Hurra TV several days ago he was hoping to bring the parties to the dialogue table "before year's end." He said "a number of European governments have offered to host the talks. Recent efforts to bring representatives of the Houthis and the Hadi government to the bargaining table have failed. A Syrian artist draws sketches of colorless, broken and undefined features in an attempt to cope with the horror and trauma of his time in prison, where he was subject to constant torture and abuse by Syrian government forces. Najah al-Bukai draws images from the time when he was arrested, detained and tortured by the Syrian regime in one of the notorious prisons in the Syrian capital, Damascus. Drawing my experience relieves me from my nightmares, and this continues to develop as a healing method, al-Bukai told VOA. He said his goal is not to document the events but rather to use drawing as a mechanism to heal from the physiological wounds and trauma he sustained during his time in the prison. Drawing on a paper, al-Bukai relies on his memory to recall images from inside the prison. He then re-creates them in an effort to come to terms with the experience. People might not look at a graphic photograph taken of a horrific situation, but when it is an artwork people react differently. They do look at it and feel compassionate about the subject of the artwork, al-Bukai added. Al-Bukai, who lives in Paris, was a college professor from Homs in central Syria. He studied art in France and returned to Syria in 2006 to teach art and mass media at Damascus University. He owned his own art studio in the Syrian capital. When the uprising started in 2011, al-Bukai took part in peaceful protests in a number of Syrian towns to demand political reforms and more rights for Syrians. In 2012, when the Syrian government intensified its crackdown on opposition protesters and groups, many Syrians were displaced and al-Bukai started volunteer work to deliver aid packages to the besieged areas in the Damascus countryside. That is when he was arrested for the first time. I was taken to security branch 227 and accused of weakening the national sentiment. I was imprisoned for one month in which I lost 13 kilos [about 28 pounds] because the prisoners are barely fed, al-Bukai said. After my release I went into hiding at an acquaintances house in Damascus, he said. Branch 227, also known as Al Mantiqa security department, is in Damascus. It is part of a number of intelligence branches in the area where Syrian regime opponents are interrogated using torture and other brutal techniques. Second arrest In 2014, after keeping a low profile and mostly living in hiding, al-Bukai was frustrated and decided to go to Lebanon. Before making it to Lebanon, he was arrested for a second time on the Syrian-Lebanese border and was taken to the same security branch where he was kept two years earlier. He said he was kept there for 70 days before they transferred him to Damascus central prison in Adra town, northeast of Damascus. Al-Bukai says he was tortured physically and psychologically. He was electrocuted, brutally beaten, starved and hanged for hours from his hands. He says he also witnessed the torture of other detainees, with some tortured by what he termed the German chair technique, in which prison guards broke the backs of detainees, paralyzing them. Dead bodies Among all the horrific memories, al-Bukai says one image stands out. It is the memory of detainees carrying the bodies of those who died under torture. The image is reflected in many of his drawings as well. Everyday evening around 8 p.m., a truck full of dead bodies arrived to branch 227 from other detention centers. The security officers would order a number of detainees to go out and empty the truck. We used to go out in our underwear with a green wool military blanket to carry the dead, al-Bukai said. Al-Bukai added that the bodies were kept in the basement of their branch for the night and in the morning those who died under torture from their branch would be put with them and taken away by a truck. A security guard told us that the dead [bodies] were taken to Najha public cemetery [on the southern outskirts of the Syrian capital], al-Bukai said. We heard the screams of those who were tortured, the cracking of their bones, and we heard their moaning as they were slowly dying, and we hoped that they die sooner so they finally could have some peace, al-Bukai said. Talking through drawing Drawing memories became a visceral habit for al-Bukai. He believes he will not be able to stop the drawings because they are part of his life and experience now. Once you live through this experience, it will stay with you. I cannot stop the images of what I saw from appearing in my mind, and drawing these images over and over again became an obsession. Drawing helps me in healing and coping with the pain, al-Bukai said. Al-Bukai added that the detainees who went through similar horrors tend to talk about their experiences repeatedly, but after a while, those who listen to them get bored of the repeated stories. For the tortured detainees, silence is a black box in memory. I talk through my drawings, al-Bukai said. 140,000 cases of people detained Tens of thousands of Syrians have been reportedly killed by the regime forces inside different prisons in the country. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a U.K.-based rights group monitoring developments in Syria since 2011, has documented more than 140,000 cases of people being detained by the Syrian regime. The group has also documented the deaths of more than 60,000 civilians in detention centers during the seven-year war in Syria, including women and children. They died because of torture, starvation and lack of medicine. VOA could not independently verify the authenticity of these figures. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Canberra will set up a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure bank to fund telecommunications, energy, transport and water projects in the South Pacific. There will be new diplomatic posts in Palau, the Marshall Islands, French Polynesia, Niue and the Cook Islands. Australia is also promising to boost defense cooperation in the region. Morrison says Australia must do more to help its Pacific neighbors. "We have got their back, they have got our back," he said. "They have always had our back, we need to just further strengthen that friendship and relationship. It is our responsibility in this part of the world. I think we have a real duty of care to our Pacific family and friends." The prime ministers announcement in a speech to soldiers in Queensland state is seen by analysts as an attempt to counter Chinese influence in the South Pacific. There are concerns that Beijing is piling up debt on developing nations in the South Pacific that they cannot service, making them politically obligated to Beijing. Australia stresses it will co-operate with other countries trying to boost development in the region, including China. John Lee, a former senior advisor to the Australian government, says Chinas political and diplomatic activities in the South Pacific have increased sharply. "We have been surprised by the extent to which the Chinese are making a play in the Pacific. We have always had a very strong aid and economic development program with the Pacific, but we did not view it as an area of contestation until quite recently." It comes as Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne arrives in Beijing for talks with her Chinese counterpart. It's the first time in three years the nations' foreign ministers have met. Bilateral relations have suffered after allegations were raised in Australia about Chinese interference in domestic politics. Canberras pivot towards the South Pacific also come ahead of next weeks Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Papua New Guinea. Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend and will convene his own separate meeting with Pacific leaders. Papua New Guinea, Australias nearest neighbor, has been among the biggest recipients of Chinese-funded infrastructure and is a signatory to the controversial "Belt and Road Initiative." A popular journalist from Cameroon's restive Anglophone region remains in jail after she was arrested and charged with propagating false information and terrorism. Media rights groups say the arrest of Equinoxe broadcast journalist Mimi Mefo is an attempt to silence outlets that report on the crisis in that region. Mefo's lawyer, Alice Nkon, said her client was taken to a prison called New Bell around midnight Wednesday, some 10 hours after she showed up as requested at a gendarmerie station in Cameroon's economic capital, Douala. Mefo had opted for the right to remain silent after gendarmerie officials accused her of reporting false information, Nkon said. According to Nkon, the gendarmerie were referring to a report in which Mefo said bullets found in bodies of civilians killed in violence came from the regular army, not armed separatists, as the military had alleged. Nkon said the gendarmes also presented screen shots of Mefo's Facebook pages and accused her client of cybercrimes, saying that most of what was published constituted an attack on state security. Libom Li Likeng, Cameroon's telecommunication's minister, says the law provides for several sanctions, including prison sentences of up to two years for people guilty of using social media to propagate false information. She says the propagation of such information on social media is punishable by six months to two years in prison and a fine ranging from $8,000 to $16,000. She says her ministry has cybersurveillance equipment and will be proposing additional texts to the law on cybercriminality. Other journalists who have been detained for several weeks in Cameroon include Michel Biem Tong, known for being highly critical of executions he alleges are committed by the military fighting the Boko Haram insurgency and crisis in the English-speaking regions. He was arrested October 23. Gustave Flaubert Kengne, publisher of Orientation Hebdo that specializes in reporting human rights abuses, was arrested in the western town of Bafoussam on October 29, just after Joseph Olinga of Le Jour newspaper was arrested. The Anglophone community in Cameroon is protesting political and economic discrimination in the majority French-speaking country. In June, a report by international human rights group Amnesty International criticized both the military and separatists for using unnecessary and excessive force. Amnesty said civilians frequently were caught up in the violence. The government criticized the report as biased and stated that its military was professional. On Tuesday, the U.S. State Department issued a statement condemning the kidnapping of dozens of students and staff in Cameroon's restive northwest region. The 79 students who were abducted from their school along with their principal have been freed. Three school staffers kidnapped with the students were still being held captive. The statement also made note of the death of American missionary Charles Wesco in the Anglophone crisis. The governor of the northwest region of Cameroon, Deben Tchoffo, says he has called on the administration and soldiers to look for the remaining staff, but he is counting on the collaboration of the population. The governor says the administration, traditional rulers, and elite and local council authorities have been mobilized to work with the population and ensure that all those abducted are freed, the kidnappings are stopped and peace returns. He says he is appealing to all youth who have taken up weapons against their people and the state to repent, warning that otherwise the military will kill them. Built to hunt Russian submarines, Canadian frigate HMCS Calgary is instead chasing Japanese and U.S. subs in western Pacific drills as Canada joins other maritime nations in seeking to contain Chinese influence in the Indo Pacific. The expectation is to see one, if not two ships, on a year-round basis doing a variety of things with a variety of partners in the region, Commander Blair Saltel, the captain of Calgary, said in Yokosuka, Japan. His ship, docked at the naval base near Tokyo along with Canadian navy supply ship the Asterix, left Canada in July on a mission that has taken it through the East China Sea, to Australia and into the contested South China Sea, where it encountered curious Chinese warships. Anti-submarine exercises Last week, it joined Japanese and U.S. warships, including the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier, for anti-submarine warfare exercises in the Western Pacific that were part of the biggest combat readiness war game ever staged in and around Japan. Theres an opportunity for Canada to demonstrate that we have experience working with allies within coalitions, Saltel said. Canadas decision to deploy ships to Asian naval exercises comes as other nations, including Britain and France, bolster their presence in a region, fearing Chinas growing military power could see vital commercial sea lanes come under Beijings sway. London this year has dispatched three warships to the Indo Pacific, including its largest amphibious assault ship, HMS Albion. On its return journey west, following a visit to Japan, the 22,000 ton vessel, with a contingent of 120 Royal Marines on board, sailed close to islands claimed by China in the South China Sea. Beijing, which says its presence on island bases there is peaceful, slammed the operation as a provocation. Japan, which operates the second largest navy in Asia, this year dispatched the Kaga helicopter on a two-month tour through the South China Sea, and into Indian Ocean, where it sailed with the latest British warship to travel to the region, the Argyll. More drills ahead Before returning to Canada, the Calgary this month will sail to Sasebo in western Japan, another key base for both the U.S. and Japanese navies, for more anti-submarine warfare drills. Its a steady progression toward a mutual agreement to make sure we can share information, share logistics and be able to cooperate at a moments notice should our navies require, Saltel said on the Calgarys bridge as his crew and local Japanese engineers carried out maintenance work. China will give El Salvador $150 million to spur development of social and technological projects, the Salvadoran president said on Wednesday, the latest sign of deepening ties between the countries that has alarmed the United States. Salvadoran President Salvador Sanchez Ceren is returning from his first trip to China since the countries established diplomatic ties in August. Speaking on local television, Ceren said he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the visit and agreed to 13 joint projects, without providing details. The donation marks China's latest gambit to make inroads in Central America, a campaign that has drawn the ire of the United States. Earlier this year, El Salvador cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favor of China, following the Dominican Republic and Panama. The United States promptly recalled its ambassadors in the region. "This historic meeting between the governments of the People's Republic of China and the Republic of El Salvador has produced excellent results," Ceren said. "This confirms that the establishment of diplomatic relations with China is my government's most important decision in foreign policy." Representatives for the Chinese government were not immediately available for comment. The date when the funds will be received has not been set, a spokesman for the Salvadoran government said. China will also donate three thousand tons of rice to support Salvadorans who are reeling from a drought in July and floods in October, Ceren said. The White House warned in August that China was luring countries with incentives that "facilitate economic dependence and domination, not partnership. Self-ruled Taiwan has formal relations with a dwindling number of countries, almost all of them small and less developed nations in Central America and the Pacific. Throughout Europe, commemorations are being held to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. But in Turkey, the event is all but ignored. The Ottoman Empire that preceded modern Turkey was a key ally of Germany in World War I, and Turkey is holding no official commemorations marking the centennial of the end of hostilities. Today, cargo ships from around the world pull into Istanbul, but a century ago it was allied warships that occupied the waters around the then-named Constantinople, capital of the Ottoman empire in its final days. The powerful show of force was among the most visible images of the humiliating defeat of the Ottomans, a time which Turkey still wants to forget. We prefer not to commemorate the beginning and end of the first world war, said Serhat Guvenc, professor of international relations at Istanbuls Kadir Has University. "It's not considered an event, a development which brought good fortunes to the country. WATCH: 100th Anniversary of End of World War I Stirs Painful Memories in Turkey It is not only the humiliation of Istanbul's occupation along with much of the country by French, British, Greek, and Italian forces that evokes those sentiments today. The defeat marked the end of the Ottoman Empire and the loss of vast swathes of territory to the British and French, which eventually became modern Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinian territories. We have many legacy issues, leftovers from the First World War still influencing Turkish politics, Turkish culture the trauma of losing an empire," said Guvenc. I am sure you heard the term Sevres syndrome the fear of losing the country, the fear of hostile encirclement, etc.," he said. "So it continues to shape, it haunts the public the fear of losing the homeland. Turks are taught in school how Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of the modern Turkish Republic, defeated the allied powers after World War I. The victory prevented a far more severe loss of territory demanded by the victorious powers under the Treaty of Sevres. Following Ataturks military success, in 1923 the more equitable Treaty of Lausanne replaced Sevres, ensuring the survival of Turkey as a nation. Guvenc suggests one reason the events of a century ago continue to resonate is because Turkey escaped World War II. Most European countries involved in World War I, their political culture was shaped by what happened in the Second World War," he said. "Turkey, fortunately, stayed out of the war, however, [and] did not experience the fascism, totalitarianism experience of other countries, the genocide, etc. But historians say there have been other consequences, including the rise of nationalism in recent years. We are lagging behind the rest of the countries in Europe in terms of political culture Guvenc said. In some respects, the over-emphasis of nationalism in Turkey is a heritage of World War I. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose roots lie in Islam and nationalism, has presided over a revival in nostalgia for the countrys Ottoman past and the rekindling of memories of lost lands. The present turmoil in neighboring Syria and Iraq, former Ottoman territories, is now seen by some in Turkey as an opportunity of righting what its leaders see as an historical injustice. Today the Middle East is in upheaval, so even there is the talk of the change of frontiers, said former senior Turkish diplomat Aydin Selcen, who served in the region. So Turkey sees there an opening to readjust these grievances done to it following the First World War, flexing its muscles and taking back what belongs to Turkey," Selcen claimed. "But it's a far shot; even this is not in the cards. Definitely, Turkey is looking for more influence in its near abroad region. More than ever before in the [Turkish] Republican history its present in the Middle East. The starkest example is the presence of the Turkish military both in Iraq and Syria. Turkey is continuing to reinforce its armed forces in Syria. A broad swath of Syrian territory is under Turkish control as part of a war against Islamic State and the YPG Kurdish militia considered by Ankara as terrorists. Earlier this month, Erdogan warned of a new major military operation against Kurdish YPG militia that would extend Turkeys control of Syrian territory. With Turkish forces controlling Syrian territory that was part of the Ottoman empire the question is raised is Ankara settling unfinished business dating back to World War I. The authoritarian rulers (in the Middle East) definitely will be concerned [about Ankaras intentions], said Guvenc. The Turkish desire to have a say in the former Ottoman territories may be going down, striking a chord with some of these people, he said. A Palestinian shot last month during protests on the Israel-Gaza border has succumbed to his wounds, the health ministry in the Gaza Strip said on Thursday. Ahmad al-Najar, 21, was shot by Israeli fire east of Khan Yunis and was later transferred to the occupied West Bank for treatment, a health ministry spokesman said in a statement. He died on Wednesday, the spokesman added. At least 219 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since months of often violent border protests began in March, according to an AFP tally. One Israeli soldier was killed by a Palestinian sniper. Recent days have seen progress towards an agreement whereby Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas would stop the protests in return for an easing of Israel's blockade of the coastal enclave. The Metropolitan Grand Central bus terminal in this city where the migrant caravan traveling through Mexico originated more than three weeks ago is a place of crossing destinies for Hondurans dreaming of seeking a better life in the United States. Some of the dozens of people sleeping on the concrete floor or outside on the grass underneath palm trees bathed by the light of street lamps are awaiting buses to the Guatemalan border to begin the journey north. Others are arriving after failing to complete the trip and are being ferried back to the precarious lives they left behind. Hundreds of the mostly Honduran migrants who set out with the caravan that has traversed hundreds of miles through three countries before arriving in Mexico City this week have returned home, according to the Mexican government. Some grew disillusioned. Others simply wore out. Still others were detained and returned, or gave up on waiting for possible asylum in Mexico and accepted bus rides back home. Disembarking at the bus station in San Pedro Sula, nearly all of those returning said the same thing: Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but they intend to try again. "I would go 30 times more if possible," said Daniel Castaneda, an 18-year-old from the central city of Comayagua. He was detained shortly after migrants in a caravan following in the footsteps of the first one clashed with police on a bridge on the Mexican border with Guatemala late last month. "I can't say when, but I am going to keep going. ... This country is going to be left empty," he said. Reny Maudiel a fresh-faced 16-year-old in a green T-shirt, a mop of curly hair sticking skyward from his head, said he was turned off by the violence of last month's border clashes. He was also exhausted, and his feet hurt _ but already his mind was turning northward. "I hope another opportunity emerges," he said. While U.S. President Donald Trump seized on the caravan as a campaign issue for Tuesday's midterm elections and suggested that criminals had infiltrated the group, the migrants say they are fleeing poverty, lack of jobs and rampant violence. In a country that is one of the world's deadliest by homicide rates, San Pedro Sula is among the most violent cities as the Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13 street gang, fights street-by-street with the rival 18th Street gang for territory. It's also seen a harsh crackdown by security forces including documented abuses. Nationwide nearly two-thirds of Hondurans, or some 5.5 million people, live in poverty, according to the World Bank. Pablo Alba choked up thinking about how his 11-year-old son wrapped his arms around his neck and begged to be taken on the journey north. Alba said no, not wanting the boy to risk the arduous trek. "If there must be suffering, I will go alone," he said, recalling that Oct. 13 day when he set off to join the caravan with only the clothes on his back. The 64-year-old had never thought about emigrating before because he had always been able to find work. A trained veterinarian, he ended up selling tamales cooked by his landlady, and it wasn't nearly enough to support his family. Mexican authorities say some 3,230 migrants from the caravan have requested refuge. Alba used to be one of them. But shut in at an immigration center and unable to communicate with his children -- he had no money or cell phone -- he dropped his application and agreed to return to Honduras. Some 480 others have done the same, according to the Mexican government. He intends to try again in March -- only this time he will bring his kids. According to data from Mexico's National Immigration Institute, on average 136 Honduran migrants per day have been returned to their country this year. Women and children are taken directly to a shelter in San Pedro Sula. Men go by bus to the Caribbean coastal city of Omoa, and from there are transferred to the San Pedro terminal. Some days they're met at the bus station by government officials sitting behind a plastic table offering "solidarity bags" of basic goods such as rice and dried spaghetti, along with a photo of President Juan Orlando Hernandez and a note saying it comes from his government. Jorge Marquez said they were taking returnees' information to "follow up with them" and allow them to benefit from aid that Hernandez has promised in response to the caravan, which at its peak numbered more than 7,000 people. But such vows largely ring hollow in this deeply troubled and politically unstable country. In interviews with The Associated Press, most returnees said they faced only a bleak future if they remained in Honduras. However, some, like Gerardo Castillo, a 35-year-old mason, did find encouragement in promises by Mexico's President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who takes office Dec. 1, to give special visas to Central Americans to work in his country. Castillo, who left two children back home in Olancho and has two more in the United States, complained that immigration agents under the current Mexican administration were detaining migrants who separated from the main caravan, as happened to him. In Lopez Obrador, he sees a possible future in Mexico. "On Dec. 1, I will be in Tecun Uman," Castillo said, referring to the Guatemalan city across the river border from Mexico. Olvin Fernando Murillo, 20, made it almost 200 miles (300 kilometers) north of that crossing to the town of Arriaga - still far from Phoenix, Arizona, where a brother lives. That's when his 16-year-old girlfriend got sick. When it became clear she wasn't getting better they decided to return to their Honduran hometown of El Paraiso on the border with Nicaragua. He sold his cellphone to raise a bit of money and had little more than a donated green backpack he picked up after crossing into Mexico. But his plans were clear. "To rest for a while, and in January, another caravan," he said. Rumors that yet more caravans will form are flying in every corner of Honduras. They're attractive for the perception that they provide safety in numbers, and because they're a way to avoid paying thousands of dollars to a smuggler. But the reality is far less certain. Those few who make it to the United States face a tough road to be able to stay legally; poverty and violence are not supposed to be considered as qualifying factors for asylum. Trump has talked of making asylum even more difficult, of detaining applicants in tent cities and of sending 15,000 U.S. troops to the southern border. Still, 27-year-old Claudia Noriega was determined to risk it, saying she can no longer make a living selling sweets since sugar prices have soared. She was aware she could end up back here in a few weeks' time, just like the men sleeping on the bus terminal floor. "The important thing is to try," she said. "And if you can't, you'll have to see what to do then." Four years after coming into office, Indonesian President Joko Jokowi Widodos goal of food sovereignty continues to be a work in progress. In his vision, Indonesia would be able to produce main commodities such as rice, corn and soy. But the governments recent decision to import 100,000 tons of corn for cattle feed until the end of the year indicates the goal is far from fruition. The Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture said the decision was made because the price of corn has increased in several areas because of the cost of logistics, not because of a decrease in production. Agung Hendriadi, the head of Food Security Agency at the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture, said that Indonesia produces enough corn to meet the local demand. In fact, our production has a surplus, he said. As of 2018, Indonesia produces 28.48 million tons. Food sovereignty vs. security According to Dwi Andreas Santosa, a professor of agriculture at the Bogor Agricultural Institute, the concept of food sovereignty includes protection of farmers against what he called an unfair international trading system. Based on our experiences, too much imports on different commodities is almost always to the detriment of farmers, he told VOA. Santosa added that the food sovereignty Jokowi is aiming for is different from food security, in which it does not matter where the food comes from as long as it can meet the demand. Data from the Indonesian National Statistics Agency (BPS) shows Indonesia has managed to increase its agricultural exports by 24 percent to 31 million tons from 2016 to 2017. But Santosa argued the countrys dependency on imported commodities has also increased. Import data for seven main commodities rose from 21.7 million tons in 2014 to 25.5 million tons in 2017. This includes rice, soy, sugar, corn, wheat, garlic and tapioca. Last year, Indonesia became the biggest wheat importer. Import data in 2017 shows 12.5 million tons, he said. Wheat imports Indonesia cannot produce wheat. And because the government reduced imports of corn by 60 percent, wheat imports for cattle feed surged from 200,000 tons in 2015 to 3 million tons in 2016. As for soy, Indonesia can only produce 30 percent of the local demand, more than 400,000 tons have to be flown in from overseas in 2018. Hendriadi explained that his ministry has a program to localize raw materials used in the food industry to reduce imports. We will substitute imported commodities. To make flour, we have cassava, corn and banana, he told VOA. Widiyanto, program manager of Right to Food at Oxfam, said the biggest homework in Jokowis government to achieve food sovereignty is to establish a food authority agency. In Indonesia, production is handled by the Agriculture Ministry, and price stabilization by the Trade Ministry, while stock is kept by Logistics Affairs Agency. Its not easy to harmonize three institutions that are directly related. The government should be serious to discuss the establishment of [a] food agency so there wont be conflict among those institutions, he said. Widiyanto also mentioned Indonesia has lost more than 600,000 hectares of agricultural land within the last five years. That leaves the country with 7.1 million hectares of active land. But the majority of the farmers own less than 2 hectares of land. Nevertheless, he lauded the presidents commitment to solve inequality and land conflict by issuing the presidential decree on agricultural reform Oct. 10. The decree will deal with land certification for farmers, which would allow them to access financial aid, land redistribution and giving the rights for local people to manage their forest with the social forestry scheme. Data authority The government has also admitted that data disparity is one of the main issues facing Indonesian agriculture. Starting this year, rice production data will only refer to statistics from the National Statistics Agency (BPS). Santosa said the BPS does not have conflict of interest in issuing data, whereas other related agencies might manipulate it. Only the current government dared to correct the data, and the BPS finally issued it. Data on rice this year, next year BPS will have corn and others, he said. But ultimately, according to Santoso, the concept of food sovereignty should have a goal to increase the welfare of farmers as the main actors in food production. The BPS noted that the farmer exchange rate slightly decreased in 2017 to 101.28 from 101.65 in 2016. This year, Hendriadi noted that the rate has increased to 102.25. Fewer farmers Santoso explained the farmer exchange rate is one of the indicators used to determine welfare. The rate is counted by subtracting the selling price of the farmers products with the price of products that they consume. If it goes under 100, that means he is at loss, he added. At the moment the agricultural sector is becoming less lucrative and many farmers have left their occupation, while the current government focuses on the amount of production and export. Indonesia lost 5 million farmers who stopped farming activities in the last 10 years. And now there are around 26 million farmers. Around 70 percent of active farmers are now above 45 years old, Widiyanto said. But Hendriadi said the data has shown an improvement in the countrys agricultural sector. Jokowis program (for food sovereignty) is running well, we are already self-sufficient in rice, he added. Among the winners in America's bitter midterm elections were dozens of military veterans, whose "mission first" mindset could help in a deeply divided Congress where the notion of bipartisanship has all but disappeared. At least 16 "freshmen" veterans were elected for the first time to serve in the House of Representatives, the largest influx of new vets since 2010. Final tallies were still being counted, but at least three of these newcomers are women, meaning seven female vets will now serve in Congress the highest number ever. The wins come at a time when the number of former military politicians has plummeted from a high of more than 70 percent in the early 1970s to about 20 percent today, as older lawmakers who served in America's 20th-century conflicts stepped down. "We have just elected to Congress a record number of new Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, while witnessing the largest influx ever of women veterans," said Seth Lynn, founder of the Veterans Campaign organization that encourages vets to seek leadership roles. "What we are seeing today is the torch being passed to the post-9/11 generation of veterans." Ellen Zeng, a spokeswoman for With Honor political action committee that helps fund veteran candidates, said former military members carry broad appeal in a polarized and divided America. "Veterans pledged an oath to support and defend the constitution," Zeng told AFP. "They know what it means to put their country's interests ahead of their own. When they serve ... it's about mission first, they think that mentality is something they can bring to Congress." Crossing party lines With Honor only endorsed candidates who pledged to frequently meet with members of the opposing party and co-sponsor legislation with someone from across the aisle, Zeng added. After years of bruising fights in Congress over everything from health care to immigration, the very idea of both parties working together in a meaningful way may seem far-fetched. This year's winners include Brian Mast, a former Army bomb technician who lost both legs when he stepped on an explosive device in Afghanistan. Though he is a Republican, he has backed a ban on assault weapons, the sort of political measure that is anathema to many in his party. President Donald Trump has repeatedly accused the Democrats of letting the military atrophy under Barack Obama, and Republicans have painted themselves as the party that supports the military the most. But this year's midterm elections saw a small increase in the numbers of veterans running as Democrats, and the public sees the party's national security credibility growing, said Rebecca Burgess, manager for the Program on American Citizenship at the American Enterprise Institute. "The rising numbers of post-9/11 veterans in Congress is reflective of that and will only increase our perception ... in the public's eye that not all those who enter the military who serve, who come out of the military are Republican," she told AFP. "More or less, those who serve reflect the nation at large." According to Lynn, of Veterans Campaign, at least 78 veterans from both parties were elected, after more than 170 ran. The Democrats gained at least three veterans, while the Republicans lost six. Veterans' insight Burgess said veterans typically bring a level of defense expertise that's invaluable for shaping national security policies including when to go to war. "They tend to ask more about when and how we use military force," she said. "They tend to conduct more oversight of the [president] and they tend to work to see that troops have the necessary resources and training to operate effectively and successfully." In Texas, voters elected Dan Crenshaw, a Republican former Navy SEAL who lost an eye in a bomb blast in Afghanistan. Voters in New Jersey elected Democrat Mikie Sherrill, a former Navy pilot who will represent a district that had been a Republican stronghold for decades. But Burgess cautioned that candidates should not lean too much on their military experience. Retired fighter pilot Amy McGrath, for instance, lost her Democratic bid to oust House Republican incumbent Andy Barr of Kentucky. McGrath "has a great, great narrative," Burgess said. "However, she was so heavy on her military narrative that it was hard to find what her actual policies were." Italian police discovered 270 kg (600 lb.) of heroin hidden in a container that arrived aboard a ship from Iran, the biggest such haul for at least 20 years in Italy, police said on Thursday. The freighter had set sail from the Iranian Gulf port of Bandar Abbas and stopped off in Hamburg, Germany and Valencia, Spain before reaching the Italian port of Genoa on Oct. 17, where police discovered the heroin stashed away in a consignment of Bentonite clay. A police spokesman said investigators were not sure when or where the drugs were brought onto the ship. Police allowed a small portion of the illicit cargo to continue its planned journey by truck to the Netherlands. They tracked the vehicle as it crossed Switzerland, France and Belgium before reaching the Dutch town of Roosendal. When the vehicle pulled into a warehouse on Nov. 2, Italian and Dutch police raided the premises and arrested two men of Turkish origin. The truck driver apparently did not know heroin was in his rig, police said. "The investigation continues in order to trace the entire network that manages the drug trade, which shows, once again, that the port of Genoa is an important crossroads for drug shipments destined for the rest of Europe," a statement said. Authorities in Irans capital have arrested a journalist who wrote about government corruption, in the latest of a series of Iranian journalist detentions that have drawn international concern. The first word of journalist Masoud Kazemis arrest came from his fiancee, Shima Tadrisi, in a Monday tweet. She said neighbors told her that several people entered the couples Tehran home that morning and took Kazemi away. We do not know which entity arrested him or the reason for the arrest, Tadrisi said, adding that those who took her fiance also confiscated laptop computers, hard disks and flash drives from the home. Kazemi is a former reporter for Irans reformist Shargh daily newspaper. An Iranian journalist who identified himself as a friend and former colleague of Kazemi, Sobhan Hassanvand, also posted a tweet saying Kazemi had been arrested Monday. Hassanvand, who is based in Tehran, attached to his tweet a screenshot of Kazemis Twitter profile, @masoudkazemi81, which has been suspended. The screenshot shows what appears to be one of Kazemis last tweets before being arrested. In that post, beneath a pinned tweet at the top of his profile, Kazemi urged his followers to take a look at this thread to become familiar with a small part of systematic corruption, and the role of fathers and their children in these corruption cases. There was no immediate comment on Kazemis arrest in Iranian state media. Government corruption has been one of several public grievances driving Iranians to stage frequent nationwide protests against Irans Islamist rulers since last December. Paris-based international media rights group Reporters Without Borders, also known as RSF, said Kazemi often posted tweets criticizing the situation in Iran and the policies of different government factions. In an article posted Tuesday, RSF said Iranian authorities had detained several other Iranian journalists since September, including Saba Azarpeyk, a former reporter with the pro-reformist daily Etemad, and Iranian Kurdish freelance journalist Ejlal Qawami. It said Azarpeyk had published an article accusing newly appointed Labor Minister Mohammad Shariatmadari of corruption, while Qawami had posted articles about the situation of prisoners of conscience in Irans Kurdistan province. Reza Moini, head of RSFs Iran/Afghanistan desk, accused Iran of detaining journalists arbitrarily and called for their immediate release. We urge the regime to stop suppressing the freedom to inform, he said. Obstructing press freedom and arresting journalists do not help to combat corruption. This article originated in VOAs Persian service. The political landscape shifted in Washington this week in the wake of the 2018 congressional midterm elections. Opposition Democrats won back control of the House of Representatives while Republicans expanded their majority in the Senate. The election returns amounted to what many see as a split midterm verdict on Donald Trump's presidency, as we hear from VOA National correspondent Jim Malone. Election experts have long warned about the nation's aging fleet of voting equipment. This week's elections underscored just how badly upgrades are needed. Across the country, reports poured in Tuesday amid heavy voter turnout of equipment failing or malfunctioning, triggering frustration among voters and long lines at polling places. Scanners used to record ballots broke down in New York City. Voting machines stalled or stopped working in Detroit. Electronic poll books used to check in voters failed in Georgia. Machines failed to read ballots in Wake County, North Carolina, as officials blamed humidity and lengthy ballots. Those problems followed a busy early voting period that revealed other concerns, including machines that altered voters' choices in Texas, North Carolina and Georgia. Voting experts had hoped the threat of foreign governments meddling in U.S. elections, raised in 2016 when Russia targeted state election systems, would prompt action to upgrade the machinery that underpins U.S. elections. But two years before the 2020 presidential election, 41 states are still using machines that were manufactured more than a decade ago and a dozen states are using at least some electronic machines that produce no paper trail, which can be used to settle a disputed outcome. Just three states require the type of rigorous audit backed by cybersecurity experts. Some of the voting machines in use Tuesday were built before Apple released the first iPhone in 2007, while other equipment has become so obsolete that election workers have been forced to search on eBay for replacement parts. 'You can't run democracy on the cheap' In some cases, local election offices have no technicians who are trained to repair their machines when something goes wrong. Some even run on Windows operating systems that Microsoft no longer supports. "You can't run democracy on the cheap," said Jenny Flanagan, vice president for state operations with Common Cause. "We have to invest in our democracy to make our elections work." Congress sent $380 million to states earlier this year, but that was nowhere near enough to pay for the bulk of the nation's nearly 10,000 election jurisdictions to upgrade their equipment. Experts with the Brennan Center for Justice have estimated it would take $1 billion or more to make the necessary upgrades. In Georgia, where numerous problems led to long lines and discouraged voters at polling places Tuesday, the cost to replace its all-electronic machines is estimated at $120 million. The machines have been in use since 2002 and do not produce a paper record that voters can use to verify their selections and election workers can use to audit results. The election technology in Georgia and the other states using all-electronic machines is so unreliable and vulnerable to hacking that Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen has joined calls for the machines to be replaced. In August, she said she wants "all state and local election officials to make certain that by the 2020 presidential election, every American votes on a verifiable and auditable ballot." Widespread issues Voters on Election Day and during early voting in the weeks before reported sporadic problems with election equipment in numerous states, including Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia, said Kristen Clarke, president of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, which runs the nonpartisan Election Protection voter assistance hotline. During early voting in Texas, some voters who were casting "straight ticket" ballots for candidates solely of one party found their vote in the nationally watched U.S. Senate race changed to the other party's candidate. State officials said that can occur when voters complete and submit ballots too quickly, but voting experts said it was wrong to blame voters. The real problem was poorly designed technology that is 16 years old, they said. "You design it to work regardless of how fast people push buttons," said University of Iowa computer scientist Douglas Jones, author of Broken Ballots. Jones said Tuesday's problems were not unusually bad given the state of the technology used. On Election Day, 18 voting locations in Texas opened late because of machine or poll book failures, and some locations still did not have all machines working by mid-afternoon Tuesday. Clock is ticking Officials in 33 states have said they must replace their machines by 2020, according to a Brennan Center for Justice report earlier this year. But so far there has not been a wholesale commitment to paying for the upgrades. "A big part of this is people who are responsible for making decisions on how the money is being spent think people don't care," said Lawrence Norden, a voting systems expert at the Brennan Center. "When you have to make decisions about how to spend money and you are a state legislator, you feel more pressure to spend money on basic services." New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood said she was determined to get something done after voters in her state were forced to drop their ballots into emergency boxes or resort to voting by affidavit because so many electronic scanners failed within hours after the polls opened. New York's "archaic elections systems aren't just inconvenient they also undermine our democratic process," Underwood tweeted Tuesday. The malfunctioning equipment turned a polling place in Brooklyn's Park Slope neighborhood into a "mosh pit," said Brad Lander, a New York City councilman. By the time he got a chance to vote, all four of the scanners in the precinct were broken. The clock is ticking to make upgrades, with the presidential election just two years away. Selecting and buying new voting machines can easily take a year and a half or longer, and that's assuming a state has money to spend. "It's not like going into Best Buy, and saying 'I want 250 of those machines,"' said Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos. The United States has announced additional sanctions against a number of Russian and Ukrainian entities tied to Russia's actions in neighboring Ukraine. The Trump administration announced the sanctions Thursday ahead of a trip by U.S. President Donald Trump to Paris, where he and Russian President Vladimir Putin will both be visiting on Sunday to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. Thursday's news about new sanctions affect two Ukrainians, one Russian and nine organizations in Ukraine and Russia. The U.S. Treasury Department said the sanctions affect two people and one group engaged in "serious human rights abuses in parts of Ukraine." In a statement, the Treasury Department's undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, Sigal Mandelker, said the department "remains committed to targeting Russian-backed entities that seek to profit from Russia's illegal annexation and occupation of Crimea." She added, "Treasury remains committed to targeting Russian-backed entities that seek to profit from Russia's illegal annexation and occupation of Crimea. Our sanctions are a clear reminder that efforts seeking to normalize investment and economic relationships with those operating in Crimea will not be tolerated and are subject to U.S. and EU sanctions authorities." The effect of the sanctions is to freeze any U.S. assets held by the individuals or entities, and to prohibit U.S. citizens from doing business with them. The individuals targeted for sanctions include Andriy Volodymyrovych Sushko, an officer in the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, who is suspected of having "unlawfully abducted a Crimean Tatar activist who objected to Russia's occupation of Crimea, and having subsequently participated in the abuse of this individual," according to the Treasury statement. The sanctions also target Aleksander Basov, who is an official of the so-called Luhansk People's Republic, a political entity in eastern Ukraine that is not internationally recognized as an autonomous state. Basov is accused of ordering or being complicit in human rights abuses in Russia-controlled Ukraine. A third individual, Vladimir Nikolaevich Zaritsky, is under sanctions for actions by his company, Limited Liability Company Infrastructure Projects Management Company, for buying and developing property illegally seized from the government of Ukraine. The organizations targeted for sanctions largely fall into the category of private investors who are operating in Russian-controlled Crimea without consent of the Ukrainian government. The new sanctions announced Thursday followed a contentious press conference by Trump, in which he insisted former U.S. President Barack Obama was responsible for allowing Russia to annex the territory it now controls in eastern Ukraine. A North Korean worker who claims he is a victim of modern slavery in a Polish shipyard has filed a criminal complaint against a Dutch shipbuilder that bought products from the Polish firm, an activist group said Thursday. The Global Legal Action Network said in a statement that the man endured 12-hour workdays in unsafe conditions and had much of his wages seized by the North Korean state. The network did not release the plaintiffs name to protect his safety. Dutch lawyer Barbara van Straaten, who filed the case Monday on the workers behalf, also is not revealing the name of the Dutch shipbuilder so as not to jeopardize a requested criminal investigation. Under Dutch law, companies can face prosecution if they profit from labor exploitation, even if it happened in another country. The Global Legal Action Network said the North Korean worked at a shipyard in Gdynia, Poland owned by a private company, Crist. Company spokesman Tomasz Wrzask said the shipyard previously worked with a Polish firm called ARMEX that once employed North Koreans, but ended the collaboration in the summer of 2016. ARMEX had all the necessary permissions to operate in the European Union and in Poland, and was under the supervision of Polands National Labor Inspectorate. We had no reason for suspicion, Wrzask said. Wrzask said it was an outrage that Crists name was made public while the Dutch shipbuilder was not identified. The allegations were made without letting us know when the work was taking place, what was the project and what was the name of the Dutch company, he said. Without that, we cannot verify at this stage if it is connected with us. Global Legal Action Network Director Gearoid O Cuinn said the case will send a strong message to multinational corporations that profiting from forced labor will entail serious legal risk. A Global Slavery Index published in July estimated that 40.3 million people worldwide were subjected to modern slavery in 2016. The Walk Free Foundations index reported that where one in 10 people lived under such conditions in North Korea, the highest concentration in the world. The North Korean government also sends tens of thousands of workers abroad under arrangements that bring in revenue estimated at between $200 million to $500 million a year. Organizers are calling for protests across the United States on Thursday in response to President Donald Trumps move to oust Attorney General Jeff Sessions and replace him with someone who has been publicly critical of the investigation into Russian election interference and possible obstruction of justice by the president. The protests are planned for each of the 50 U.S. states as well as the U.S. territories Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Organizers are asking people to sign up on a website to signal their attendance, but it is not clear how many people will participate. The Washington protest is set to take place in front of the White House. Sessions announced his resignation Wednesday at Trumps request, and the president chose Sessions chief of staff Matthew Whitaker to serve as acting attorney general. Organizers are demanding Whitaker recuse himself from overseeing the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller, citing his past critical statements that they say show clear conflicts of interest. They also want Congress to take steps to protect the special counsels office. Whitaker said during his time as a commentator for the CNN cable television network that the Mueller probe should be limited, and that if Sessions were fired then a new attorney general could cut Muellers funding to the point the investigation would come to a halt. He also said there was no real evidence to support allegations Trump obstructed justice, and in an opinion article for The Hill newspaper he said Trump made the right decision by firing FBI Director James Comey in 2017. Comey at the time was leading the FBIs investigation of Russian election meddling, and his firing brought conjecture that Trump did so in order to thwart the probe. Days after ousting Comey, Trump said he was thinking of this Russia thing when he decided to dismiss him. Mueller was soon appointed to take over the investigation. Trump has repeatedly criticized Muellers probe, calling it a witch hunt and denying he obstructed justice or that his campaign colluded with Russia. Scientists have found the oldest known example of an animal drawing: a red silhouette of a bull-like beast on the wall of an Indonesian cave. The sketch is at least 40,000 years old, slightly older than similar animal paintings found in famous caves in France and Spain. Until a few years ago, experts believed Europe was where our ancestors started drawing animals and other figures. But the age of the drawing reported Wednesday in the journal Nature, along with previous discoveries in Southeast Asia, suggests that figurative drawing appeared in both continents about the same time. The new findings fuel discussions about whether historical or evolutionary events prompted this near-simultaneous burst of human creativity, said lead author Maxime Aubert, an archaeologist and geochemist at Griffith University in Australia. The remote limestones caves on Borneo have been known to contain prehistoric drawings since the 1990s. To reach them, Aubert and his team used machetes to hack through thick jungle in a verdant corner of the island. Search for specific minerals Strapping on miners helmets to illuminate the darkness, they walked and crawled through miles of caves decorated with hundreds of ancient designs, looking for artwork that could be dated. They needed to find specific mineral deposits on the drawings to determine their age with technology that measures decay of the element uranium. Most of the paintings we actually cant sample, said Aubert. Aubert and his fellow researchers reported in 2014 on cave art from the neighboring Indonesian island of Sulawesi. They dated hand stencils, created by blowing red dye through a tube to capture the outline of a hand pressed against rock, to almost 40,000 years ago. Now, with the Borneo cave art, the scientists can construct a rough timeline of how art developed in the area. In addition to the bull, which is about 5 feet (1.5 meters) wide, they dated red- and purple-colored hand stencils and cave paintings of human scenes. After large animal drawings and stencils, it seems the focus shifted to showing the human world, Aubert said. Around 14,000 years ago, the cave-dwellers began to regularly sketch human figures doing things like dancing and hunting, often wearing large headdresses. A similar transition in rock art subjects happened in the caves of Europe. Thats very cool, from a human point of view, said Peter Veth, an archaeologist at the University of Western Australia, who was not involved in the study. People adopted similar strategies in different environments as they became more modern. Did migrants bring skills? The island of Borneo was still connected to mainland Southeast Asia when the first figurative drawings were made about 40,000 years ago which is also about the time that the first modern humans arrived in Europe. The earliest drawings of animals in the French cave of Chauvet have been dated to about 33,500 to 37,000 years ago. Whether new waves of people migrating from Africa brought the skills of figurative cave painting with them, or whether these arts emerged later, remains unclear. Scientists have only a partial record of global rock art. The earliest cave etchings have been found in Africa and include abstract designs, like crosshatches, dating to around 73,000 years ago. The next stage of research in Indonesia will include excavations to learn more about the people who made these paintings. A few sites have already been identified, containing human bones, prehistoric jewelry and remains of small animals. As for the red bull, its meaning remains a mystery. We think it wasnt just food for them it meant something special, said Aubert. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley says it was North Korea that postponed this week's high-level talks with Washington. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was due to meet Thursday with Kim Yong Chol, a senior adviser to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, to discuss moving forward on a vague agreement signed back in June by Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump during their historic summit, which calls for Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons program. Haley, who talked to reporters before and after a closed-door meeting of the U.N. Security Council, played down the delay saying, "I don't think there was some major issue'' for the postponement. But she also took the time to blast Russia for wanting to lift banking sanctions imposed on North Korea. Alluding to the "carrot and stick" approach the U.S. has used to try and curb Pyongyang's nuclear program, Haley said, "We have given a lot of carrots up until now. We are not going to get rid of the stick, because they haven't done anything to warrant getting rid of the sanctions yet." During a news conference Wednesday at the White House, Trump said he is in "no rush" to finalize a deal. "I would love to take the sanctions off, but they have to be responsive, too. It's a two-way street," Trump said. Both Russia and China have said they believe the North should be rewarded for stopping missile tests and opening a dialogue with the United States. But Washington and other Western powers say sanctions must be enforced until there is full denuclearization. North Korea warned last week it will consider reviving its nuclear weapons program if the United States fails to lift its crippling economic sanctions against the regime. North Korea is also seeking a peace treaty with the United States and South Korea that will formally end the 1950-53 Korean War that split the communist North from the democratic South. The fighting ended with an armistice, leaving North and South Korea in a technical state of war. Readers with a science bent have likely seen at least one headline about a research paper proposing that the mysterious little space rock with a really funny name that zoomed between the Sun and Mercury last year might have alien origins. The research paper is from Harvard University, the Ivy'est of Ivy League schools. The Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, to be exact. So could it be that the object, called Oumuamua, Hawaiian for 'scout', is truly some kind of alien artifact, or an actual space probe sent to spy on all us Earthlings? Hate to be a bummer, but no! Let's throw away our scientific and journalist objectivity for a moment and admit that most people want the answer to be 'yes.' That's why scientists spend so much time looking for extrasolar planets that are like Earth, and why we want to get closer looks at Mars, and send probes to Europa or Enceladus or any place with oceans of liquid water. Researchers and astronomers all want some proof that humans are not all alone in the universe. But in this case, based on conversations VOA has had with astronomers, and based on everything scientists know about space rocks, comets, and asteroids, Oumuamua doesn't seem to be acting much differently than any other space rock out there in the void. But here's what scisntists do know about Oumuamua, and that might help explain why some scientists are so excited about it, whether it offers proof of alien intelligence or not. Oumuamua was the first interstellar object to visit our solar system. That means it came from another star system like our own. It flew between Mercury and the Sun in November 2017, almost exactly a year ago. It moved really quickly, at about 136-thousand kilometers per hour. Michele Bannister from Queen's College in Belfast told VOA that scientists only had about three weeks to get a good look at it. Credit: NASA Oumuamua is reddish, and about 400 meters long. However, it's 10 times longer than it is wide, so basically it looks a bit like a giant, dirty interstellar icicle. In space terms, 400 meters is tiny, so just finding the thing was a big win for astronomers. For decades weve theorized that such interstellar objects are out there," says NASA's Thomas Zurbuchen "and nowfor the first timewe have direct evidence they exist. That's really interesting, but how did the whole "aliens" thing get started? Well, it turns out that Oumuamua is definitely 'unusual' in that it isn't just ambling through the galaxy. It's changing speed and direction by itself. Bannister calls this "non-gravitational acceleration." It turns out that's not particularly strange or even unusual. Bannister says this rock is likely filled with the kinds of things that comets and asteroids generally have in abundance. Carbon monoxide, for instance or cyanide. If so, when they get close to the sun and get warm, these gases shoot out like jets in a process called sublimation. This is likely what made Oumuamua look like it was acting under its own power, because it was in a way. Here's how NASA explains this outgassing acceleration: Credit: NASA We'll never really know But that perfectly reasonable explanation didn't stop Harvard scientists Shmuel Bialy and Abraham Loeb from putting forth a few possible alternate possibilities for Oumuamua, including one that suggests our interstellar space rock was a lightsail, a giant sail that uses energy from the sun instead of wind to push a vehicle through space. They suggest this might be a possibility because some other studies suggest our interstellar wanderer isn't a comet and isn't doing any outgassing. Hence the solar sail idea. And the team does the math to show how Oumuamua might fit the bill. The other possibility put forward by Bialy and Loeb is that "Oumuamua may be a fully operational probe sent intentionally to Earth vicinity by an alien civilization." They do the math here as well to show how Oumuamua's trajectory might make sense if it was aimed our way. It's important to note that the paper hasn't been peer reviewed yet, which is the process all scientific research goes through before it gets published by reputable journals like Science, or Nature. That means other scientists in the same field read it over, give input and check on its validity. So we'll see what happens with this paper. But as far as Oumuamua goes, it's too small for even our best telescopes to get a look at, so researchers have all the information they'll ever have. But don't worry, there are likely a lot more Oumuamua's out there. The galaxy is filled with flying rocks, Bannister says. "Trillions upon trillions" of space rocks, ranging in size from a "skyscraper" to a planet, are likely roaming around the galaxy. And if we're lucky, Bannister says we should be able to see about one a year. So, in a way the Earth is getting visitors from other stars, but they're just random rocks passing through. So, no aliens, but still pretty really great science. The United States and the Taliban are both set to attend for the first time a multilateral conference Russia will host Friday in Moscow to discuss how to achieve peace and national reconciliation in Afghanistan. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said on the eve of the meeting that delegates from 12 countries, including the U.S., will participate in the second Moscow format consultations. She emphasized the conference is solely aimed at facilitating a conducive atmosphere for bilateral or multilateral dialogue formats to promote a negotiated solution to the Afghan problem as soon as possible. Washington had turned down the invitation to the first meeting Moscow hosted last year, while the Taliban also had stayed away from it. A State Department spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday that in coordination with the Afghan government, the U.S. embassy in Moscow will send a representative to the working level to observe the discussions. China, Pakistan, Iran, India, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan are among other participants. The Afghan government refused to send its officials to the meeting but has allowed a delegation of the countrys High Peace Council to take part in the event. The Russian side reaffirms its position that there is no alternative to a political settlement in Afghanistan and neighboring countries, as well as Afghanistans regional partners, need to actively work and coordinate their efforts in this direction, Zakharova told a weekly news conference in Moscow. A five-member delegation from the Qatar-based political office of the Taliban will take part in Fridays meeting. This will be the first appearance by the Taliban at such an international conference, Zakharova emphasized. She noted that participants will be sitting across a big table in the same hall. It was for the Taliban and the Afghan delegation to answer, however, whether there will be any direct contact or interaction between the two sides, the Russian spokeswoman said when asked whether the two warring parties will have bilateral discussions. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid reiterated Thursday there is no intention to engage with Afghan delegates at Fridays meeting. This conference is not about holding negotiations with any party whatsoever; rather it is about finding a peaceful solution to the issue of Afghanistan. There will not be any sort of negotiations taking place with the delegation of Kabul administration, he said. Mujahid defended the Talibans participation in Moscow meeting, saying it will not be chaired or co-chaired by the Kabul government unlike previous such international gatherings. With participation in the meeting, the international status of the Islamic Emirate [the Taliban] will be strengthened even further Such diplomatic efforts of the Islamic Emirate showcase the active, clear and independent diplomacy and policy of the Islamic Emirate in the political field, asserted the insurgent spokesman. The Moscow conference comes as Washington already has initiated a direct dialogue process with the Taliban, meeting a long-running insurgent demand. U.S. officials have held two meetings with the Qatar-based Taliban negotiators since July. The latest talks occurred last month where newly appointed special envoy for Afghanistan reconciliation, Zalamay Khalilzad, led the U.S. team. Pakistan confirmed on Thursday the U.S.-led peace initiative prompted Islamabad to release a senior jailed Taliban leader last month. The insurgent commander in question, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, was captured in 2010 in a joint operation by Pakistani and American security operatives in Karachi, Pakistans largest city. The man, popularly known as Mullah Baradar, was second-in-command of the Taliban at the time of his arrest. His release was facilitated by Pakistan at the U.S. request in order to move forward on the shared objective of pursuing a political settlement in Afghanistan. ... He was released to provide impetus to the peace and reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan, said Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal. Two staff members of the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists were freed Thursday, a day after Tanzanian immigration authorities took the women from their Dar es Salaam hotel and held them at an unknown location. CPJ, in a statement on its website, welcomed the release of colleagues Angela Quintal and Muthoki Mumo, Africa program coordinator and representative, respectively. The organization said the women had safely left the country, and it urged Tanzanian authorities to halt their ongoing crackdown against a free press. On Twitter, CPJ had expressed fears for the safety of the two, who were on a reporting mission. Ali Mtanda, spokesman for Tanzania's immigration department, told VOA that "CPJ officials admitted that they were in the country to meet journalists, which violates their visa requirements." Quintal is a South African citizen and Mumo is a Kenyan, Reuters news service reported. Mtanda said their visa applications "simply said they are in the country as visitors." He also said the two were told to "obtain accreditation from the Ministry of Information" if they wanted to interview journalists. CPJs statement said immigration and security officials took the women to an undisclosed location, allowing them to return to their hotel after several hours of questioning. During their detention, Quintal and Mumos phones and computers were also seized, and a false tweet saying they had been released was sent from Quintals personal Twitter account. Press freedom in Tanzanian has come under attack in the last few years by President John Magufuli's administration, which has implemented harsh legislation and harassed journalists and bloggers, CPJ has said. Another watchdog group, Freedom House, describes Tanzania as "partly free," with "mounting repression of the opposition, media outlets and social media users who are critical of the increasingly authoritarian president. " The administration denies that criticism. VOA Swahili Service stringer Idd Uwesu contributed an interview to this report. A fiery protest of China's rule in Tibet left Dobo, 23, dead Nov. 4. Tibetan exiles say this is the 153rd instance of self-immolation since 2009. Most of the people who have set themselves on fire have died. The protesters have called for autonomy and freedom for Tibet, and the return of Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, from exile in India. "The Chinese government should address the legitimate grievances of the Tibetan people" and review policies that prompt Tibetans to use "self-immolation to protest the Chinese rule in Tibet," said Lobsang Sangay, the head of the Tibetan government-in-exile. Dobo's protest was in Amdo Ngawa, eastern Tibet, an area where 40 previous self-immolations have taken place. Dobo was from Jakorma village in the Choejema area of Ngawa county, Sichuan province. President Donald Trump forced his controversial Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign on Wednesday, setting the stage for a potential showdown with newly energized Congressional Democrats over the investigation of Russia's involvement in the 2016 presidential election. Sessions, in a letter to Trump, wrote that he was resigning at your request," accepting a fait accompli hed long sought to avert despite being repeatedly chastisedand publicly belittled by Trump over his recusal from oversight of the Russia probe. In a pair of tweets announcing Sessions' resignation Wednesday afternoon, Trump thanked the attorney general for his service and said Matt Whitaker,Sessions' chief of staff and vocal critic of the Russia investigation, would take over as acting attorney general. A permanent replacement would be announced later, Trump said, without indicating whether he'd tap Whitaker for the top job at Justice send his name to the Senate. The forced departure of Sessions, a 71-year-old former Republican Senator and early supporter of Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, capped a turbulent tenure that hit a rough patch just weeks after Sessions took office in February 2017 and recused himself because of conflicts of interest. Trump blamed the recusal for the appointment of Russia investigation Special Counsel Robert Mueller, and over the course of the attorney generals 20-month tenure repeatedly castigated Sessions for failing to rein in what he derided as a witch hunt led by Mueller and "17 Angry Democrats." WATCH: Trump Asks Attorney General to Resign Congressional probe urged Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, the top Democrat on the House oversight committee and a frequent Trump critic, urged Congress to investigate "the real reason" for the attorney general's "termination." At a testy White House news conference earlier Wednesday, Trump was asked if he could stop the Mueller probe in light of potentially investigations by the newly empowered House Democrats. Trump responded: "I could fire everybody right now. But I don't want to stop it because, politically, I don't like stopping it." Democratic leaders on the Hill, including House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Mark Warner issued nearly identical tweets urging Whitaker to recuse himself from the Russia investigation, citing his vocal criticism of the probe. "Given his previous comments advocating defunding and imposing limitations on the Mueller investigation, Mr. Whitaker should recuse himself from its oversight for the duration of his time as acting attorney general, Schumer tweeted. In a statement issued late Wednesday, Whitaker did not address the question of recusal but he said, "I am committed to leading a fair Department with the highest ethical standards, that upholds the rule of law, and seeks justice for all Americans." White House counselor Kellyanne Conway told reporters on Thursday that she saw no reason Whitaker should recuse himself from the Russia probe because of comments he made about the investigation in his private capacity. Asked whether Whitaker planned to consult Justice Department ethics experts on whether he should recuse himself, Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said, "We're following regular order here." "The acting attorney general is in charge of all matters under the purview of the Department of Justice," she added. Whitaker served as U.S. attorney for the southern district of Iowa from 2004 to 2009 during the administration of former President George W. Bush. According to his LinkedIn profile, he headed Foundations for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT), a self-described ethics watchdog, until September 2017, shortly before joining the Justice Department. In an opinion piece for CNN.com in July 2017, two months after Mueller's appointment, Whitaker wrote that the Mueller investigation had "gone too far" and urged Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who'll now be reporting to him, to limit the special counsels authority. John Malcolm, a former federal prosecutor now with the Heritage Foundation, a conservative research group, said he saw no reason for Whitaker to step aside. "He is the acting attorney general. He has no reason to recuse himself," Malcolm told VOA. Malcolm said Sessions did "a solid job of implementing the president's law enforcement priorities" he praised the attorney general for "protecting the integrity of the department and trying to keep it above politics." Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a Republican member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and close Trump ally whose own named has been floated as a possible candidate for the top post at Justice, tweeted on Wednesday that he looked "forward to working with President Trump to find a confirmable, worthy successor. In 1980, in fear of his life, Debesai Neguse fled Eritrea to seek asylum in America. His wife, Azeib, joined him a year later, and together they rebuilt their lives, 12,000 kilometers from home. When they left Eritrea, in East Africa, a decades-long war for independence from neighboring Ethiopia had devastated the country. The conflict took tens of thousands of lives, depleted the economy and placed the entire nation, and its 6 million people, on a war footing until just this past summer, when a peace deal transpired. On Tuesday, Debesai and Azeib celebrated a milestone in their journey when their son, Joe, became Colorados first black congressman and the United States first Eritrean-American representative. Historic election Neguse, 34, defeated Republican Peter Yu, also a first-generation American, with 60 percent of the vote. Growing up, his parents instilled the importance of hard work, integrity and fairness. Its those values, he said, that propelled him into a career in politics. Over 35 years ago, my parents came to the United States from a small country in East Africa as immigrants to a country that welcomed them with open arms and tremendous opportunities, Neguse said in his victory speech. In 2014, Neguse ran, unsuccessfully, to be Colorados secretary of state. At the time, he emphasized how his parents lives shaped his political aspirations. Its very personal for me, he said in a campaign video. And Im running for this office, in many ways, because of my parents journey and their experiences and the value on the right to vote they had imparted to me. Neguse, a Democrat, ran in Colorados second district and will represent about 720,000 Coloradans in a district that covers about 10 counties. Hell fill the seat held for nearly a decade by Jared Polis, who will become the states next governor. Neguse raised more than $1.2 million for his campaign, compared to Yus roughly $66,000. Empathy and compassion Im not a typical candidate, Neguse said in a campaign video published this summer. As the son of immigrants, as the son of refugees who came to this country, I firmly believe that we are a country rooted in the values of empathy and compassion for people who are coming to the United States to rebuild their shattered lives. The U.S. Embassy in Asmara, Eritrea, congratulated Neguse in a Facebook post Wednesday. Joe Neguse was elected to represent the 2nd Congressional District of Colorado, The embassy said. Congressman-elect Neguse also represents the diversity of America and another example of the strong ties between the people of our two countries. Neguses victory will make him one of the youngest members of the 116th U.S. Congress. Hes also a new father. In August, his wife, Andrea, gave birth to their first child, Natalie. When he goes to work for the people of Colorado in January, Neguse hopes to reaffirm the values of diversity and inclusion. While our campaign may be over, our real work has only just begun, Neguse said in his victory speech. We are living in trying times, which demands the very best of ourselves in order to combat the toxicity and the vitriol and the strife so common today. U.S. and Turkish forces have completed their second joint patrol in the area of Manbij, Syria, where Kurdish militia have been critical to defeating Islamic State fighters. Two U.S. military officials confirmed the patrols in northern Syria to VOA on Thursday. The first joint patrol was last week. The convoy of dozens of troops patrolled northwest of Manbij along the demarcation line dividing Turkish-controlled territory from the area controlled by the U.S.-backed Manbij Military Council. The Pentagon says the purpose of the patrols is to support "long-term security in Manbij" and uphold American commitments to NATO ally Turkey. Since June, U.S. and Turkish forces conducted more than 60 of what defense officials have called "coordinated but independent" patrols in the area. Ankara and Washington agreed on a road map to stabilize Manbij earlier that month, amid Turkish demands for the withdrawal of Kurdish militia who helped push Islamic State from the city in 2016. Those Kurdish militia fighters, known as the People's Protection Units (YPG), are bolstered by Washington as part of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) countering Islamic State. Ankara views the YPG, however, as the Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which Turkey, the U.S. and European Union all consider to be a terrorist organization. The U.S. and the YPG reject that characterization. As a result of the road map, the Manbij Military Council announced in July that all Kurdish militia who were associated with YPG had left the city. Kurdish counter-IS fight suspended Meanwhile, in eastern Syria's Deir el-Zour province, the SDF continues to suspend its offensive against IS over recent Turkish shelling. Last week, Turkish forces struck several Kurdish militia targets near the town of Kobani, in northern Syria. The SDF said it fired back in self-defense and destroyed a Turkish military vehicle. How do you spell success? For T.V. Ramakrishna, its spelled B-E-E. The retired civil engineer from Bangalore had the opportunity to attend college in the United States, where he settled and raised a family. He became familiar with spelling bees, in which students spell increasingly difficult words to win prizes like college scholarships. Those competitions inspired him to start a similar program in Bangalore, to give poor kids there a way to improve their English language skills and advance their educational opportunities. Education opens doors Ramakrishna was the youngest of seven kids, raised by a poor widow, who was lucky enough to have caring adults around him who helped him pursue an education. Motivated by his teachers encouragement, he worked hard in school, won scholarships and went to college. Eventually, he came the United States, where he received his doctorate degree in civil engineering. He settled in West Virginia and had a successful professional and family life. When he retired, he returned to Bangalore with his wife, Vijaya, and in 1998, founded the nonprofit Sahasra Deepika Foundation for Education. Thousand lights of hope Sahasra Deepika is a Sanskrit word that means 1,000 lights, explained Ramakrishnas daughter, Sarva Rajendra. My father looks at it as 1,000 lights of hope, love and compassion for children in need, she added. And hes always believed that if each one of us would light the life of just one child in need, the world would change for the better. Rajendra, who serves as the foundations president, says her fathers goal is to help poor children in his hometown get a good education. In the past 20 years, Sahasra Deepika has helped hundreds of impoverished children, especially girls. In 2009, the foundation expanded its programs to reach even more children in underserved government schools and help them improve their English language skills. Bangalore is a very cosmopolitan city, and if you dont know English and you only know the native language of Kannada, youre at a disadvantage to get a good job, even as a driver or anything like that, Rajendra explained. So, my father remembered seeing the National Spelling Bee in the U.S. so he kind of thought, why not use the words to reach more children in poor government schools. My Mom went to different schools and encouraged them to participate and this is how the program grew. Bee the Future Last year, about 2,500 students from 25 schools took part in the competition. Winners get college scholarships and other prizes and opportunities offered by the sponsoring corporations. The scholarship to college is really, really an important prize for that child because they come from the lowest ranks of the society, Rajendra explained. To be able to get through and get the scholarship to the next stage is really a springboard for their future success. To celebrate the programs 10th anniversary, Rajendra asked filmmaker Monika Samtani to produce a documentary about it. She traveled to Bangalore with a camera crew and a definite idea about how to craft the story. You can imagine what happens, Samtani said. Kids get on the stage, they spell a word. They win or lose. Thats not the approach we wanted to take. We wanted to hear the story, the journey of the children because thats what makes it so special. We wanted to get their parents. We wanted to film their homes. So her film, Bee the Future, follows several students as theyre preparing for and going through the competition. The students were chosen at random before the spelling bee took place, Samtani said. We wanted to see the process that they were going through, practicing at the school, practicing at home, early in the morning, late in the night, the intensity with which they practiced and also how important it was to their family, she said. So getting a sense of what this meant to them by going to their homes and schools. Turning points One of those randomly selected kids, Priyanka Dodamani, won the competition. Not only did she get a scholarship, she got an invitation to attend the U.S. National Spelling Bee in Washington. When we asked her, what is it that you want to do now? Samtani recalled, She said, I want to go right back to my village and have the opportunity to improve my village. Its a turning point in her life. She wants to use her success to not only her advantage, but the greater community. Samtani, who was a reporter before starting her production company and becoming a filmmaker, says producing Bee the Future has also been a turning point for her in a way. Shes more determined than ever to keep creating documentaries that inspire and empower people, especially women, around the world. As for the Sahasra Deepika Foundation, the success of the spelling bees has filled the program organizers with confidence that they can reach more children and inspire them to embark on the exciting journey that spells success for their future. Uighurs are a largely Muslim ethnic minority group based mainly in China's westernmost Xinjiang region. They tend to have more in common culturally and ethnically with people across Central Asian nations than they do with Han Chinese. Their language is related to Turkish and also shares similarities with Uzbek, Mongolian, Kazakh and Kyrgyz. Islam is an important part of their identity. Most practice a moderate form of Sunni Islam, while some are followers of Sufi sects. It is not uncommon for Uighurs to drink alcohol or for women to work. Uighurs tend to have more Mediterranean features and a larger build than their Han Chinese neighbors. China's 2010 census put the total population of Uighurs at just over 10 million, less than 1 percent of China's total population. They are the largest ethnic group in the autonomous region of Xinjiang. Where do the Uighurs live? Most Uighurs live in China's autonomous region of Xinjiang, the country's largest region. Xinjiang is strategically important to China, as it borders eight countries Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. Until recently, the population of Xinjiang was mostly Uighurs, but an influx of Han Chinese to the region has, in part, fueled tensions between the two groups. Uighurs who live outside Xinjiang tend to be male traders who live in Chinese cities. There are also an estimated 400,000 Uighurs who live outside China, with most of them living in the Central Asian states bordering Xinjiang. Xinjiang is rich in natural resources, and its economy has largely revolved around agriculture and trade. Its towns were once main stopping points along the famous Silk Road. The region has been part of a shifting power struggle over the last millennium, marked by a series of conquests by the Chinese, as well as periods of occasional independence. What is now known as Xinjiang came under Chinese rule in the 18th century. The region experienced a short-lived period of independence in the 1940s, but China regained control when the Communists took power in 1949. Why is there tension between China and the Uighurs? Xinjiang has experienced a huge demographic shift in the last 70 years. Uighurs made up 75 percent of the region's population in 1945, but make up only about 45 percent today. Han Chinese have moved to Xinjiang's cities in large numbers, attracted by major development projects that have brought prosperity to the region. However, Uighurs have complained that the best jobs are given to Han Chinese, who do better economically, a fact that has fueled resentment between the groups. The population of Han Chinese has grown from 9 percent in 1945 to 40 percent today. China has also deployed a large number of troops who are stationed in the region. As demographics change, activists say the Uighurs' ability to engage in business and cultural activities has been gradually curtailed by the Chinese government. They also say the government places severe restrictions on Islam, branding ordinary Muslim traditions as religious "extremism" in order to curtail them. Journalists have reported in that in recent years, the local government has organized public ceremonies and signings in which ethnic minorities pledge their loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party. They also say the state makes it difficult for Uighurs to have any contact with other Turkic and Muslim peoples abroad. When have tensions flared? Tensions between the Uighurs and the Chinese government increased in the 1990s when support for separatist groups was on the rise in Xinjiang. The groups were inspired by the collapse of the Soviet Union and the emergence of independent Muslim states in Central Asia. China's government suppressed public demonstrations, and activists went underground. China was accused of intensifying its crackdown on the Uighurs in the runup to the Beijing Olympics in 2008, but tensions dramatically escalated in 2009. Rioting took place that year in the regional capital, Urumqi, and Chinese officials said around 200 people were killed, most of them Han Chinese. Beijing argued that a crackdown was necessary to stop the violence and the spread of separatist sentiment. Tensions rose again in 2016 with the arrival of a new party secretary to Xinjiang, Chen Quanguo, who pursued the same hard-line policies he had previously used while in Tibet. Since then, human rights groups have accused China of putting a million Uighurs in detention camps. China says it has put Uighurs in "vocational education centers" to stop the spread of religious extremism and to halt a surge in terrorist attacks. Critics of the Chinese policy say the measures are aimed at destroying Uighur identity. Women in key swing districts across the country delivered congressional victories to the Democratic Party Tuesday, helping to shift the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives for the remaining two years of the Trump presidency. The U.S. may be divided along political and ideological lines, but Associated Press exit polls show female voters united behind the Democratic Party in the 2018 midterm congressional elections by a 55 percent to 41 percent margin. The partisan divide among male voters was much narrower. In a midterm election cycle heralded as the Year of the Woman because of the record number of female candidates for office and the surging #MeToo movement, women delivered a generally harsh verdict regarding Trumps first two years in office. First nationwide polls since 2016 The 2018 elections marked the first time voters went to the polls nationwide since Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election. The Womens March that brought out millions of female protesters the day after President Donald Trumps inauguration also fueled so-called Indivisible groups, an anti-Trump resistance, across the nation. Those Indivisible groups supported a new wave of female candidates. When the new Congress is sworn in early next year, a record 96 women will serve, according to the latest election projections. That number is up from the 84 women currently serving in the 115th Congress. Gender equality was an important issue for women in this election, according to a June 2018 survey for Gender Watch 2018, a nonpartisan project tracking gender dynamics this election season. But other issues, including health care, immigration and the state of the economy all played a role in voter decision-making. Moreover, only a third of all voters said Trump had the right temperament to serve as president, according to AP exit polling. Immigrant caravan talk backfires In the days leading up to the election, Trump said his sharp focus on immigrant caravans moving north toward the U.S.-Mexico border, and the threats he contends they pose, would appeal to women. Border security is also a womens issue, Trump told supporters at a rally in Indiana Friday. Women want safe neighborhoods for their families, great schools and health care for their children, and they want criminals to be thrown in jail or thrown the hell out of our country. But that approach did not ultimately appeal to women in swing districts across the country. Women voters were pivotal, said Molly ORourke, a professor of political communication at American University. Democrats took the House back because of women voters. There was a historic gender gap 23 point gender gap in congressional voting, and thats larger than ever. ORourke noted that women favored Democratic candidates in congressional matchups by 19 points. It was really on the shoulders of women voters that Democrats had the momentum to take back the House, she said. District by district Democrats regained control of the House on Tuesday for the first time in eight years, 221 to 196, by picking up 26 seats previously held by Republicans. In many of those races, women from suburban swing areas played a decisive role in the outcome. For instance, in three congressional districts Virginias 7th and 10th, and New Jerseys 11th women provided voting strength that flipped Republican-held seats. Virginias 7th, a district split between rural areas and the suburbs of Richmond, shifted by 17 percentage points in favor of Democrats between 2016 to 2018, delivering a win to the Democratic candidate, Abigail Spanberger. The former CIA officer beat Tea Party incumbent Dave Brat in no small part through the activism of local liberal womens groups. The women are in my grill no matter where I go, Brat said of those female liberal groups in his district earlier this year. They come up When is your next town hall? And believe me, its not to give positive input. In Virginias 10th, Democratic lawyer and state senator Jennifer Wexton beat two-term Republican Rep. Barbara Comstock in a district that went for Clinton over Trump in the 2016 presidential election, 52 percent to 42 percent. Flipping these so-called split districts divided between Democratic presidential support and a Republican representative was a key element of the Democrats strategy to take control of the House in 2018, according to analysts. Former Navy pilot Mikie Sherrill flipped New Jerseys 11th away from Republican Jay Webber, giving Democrats control of the district for the first time in 36 years. Democratic or leaning that way Rates of female voters have equaled or exceeded those of men for decades, according to a study by the Center for American Women and Politics. Women are also more likely to identify as Democrats or lean Democratic, according to a 2018 Pew Research Center survey. A majority of women identify as Democrats or lean Democratic at 56 percent, while 37 percent affiliate with or lean toward the GOP. The share of women identifying as Democrats or leaning Democratic is up 4 percentage points since 2015 and is at one of its highest points since 1992. In 2014,the most recent off-presidential midterm election year, Democrats won the U.S. House vote among women, even though Republicans overwhelmingly secured overall control of the chamber. Analysts warn against viewing women as a monolithic voting bloc. Education, race, ethnicity Theres a bigger divide on education. So, educated, college educated women, suburban women thats where we did see the biggest Democratic gains across the various cities, West to East, said John Fortier, a political analyst at the Bipartisan Policy Center. Democrats doing well in areas where there are educated suburban women and men, but especially suburban women. Race and ethnicity also provide further divisions within groups of female voters. Fifty-two percent of white women voted for Trump in the 2016 presidential election, and studies show female support for the president has held consistently, although college educated white women generally oppose Trump. Rebecca Gill, a professor of political science at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, says white female voters are harder to classify because their vote often depends on their level of education and marital status. White women are harder to predict, and there are more of them that parties will try to win over, Gill said. Democrats at least have the luxury of largely taking women of color (votes) for granted. In terms of white women, theyre sort of in the middle, Gill said. You can predict what theyre going to do sometimes on the basis of how educated they are. Certainly whether theyre married or not. As the focus now turns toward Trumps re-election run in 2020, Republicans recognize they have a problem to address. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham told Fox News Tuesday night after projections showed Republicans had lost control of the House. Weve got to address the suburban women problem, because its real, he said. #TheyVoted. Voters 30 and younger stepped up to the polls in Tuesdays midterm elections at an "extraordinary" rate compared with the midterm turnout in 2014, helping Democrats win back a majority in the House of Representatives, analysts say. "Young people's dramatic rise in voter turnout, combined with an overwhelming preference for Democratic candidates, made youth a powerful voting bloc in the 2018 midterms," reported the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tufts University in suburban Boston. "I feel very content. I'm hoping the House of Representatives now being run by the Democrats will be a step in the right direction of a more balanced legislature," said Michelle Sullivan, 25, of Wilmington, N.C. "I understand politics isn't all sunshine and rainbows, but it would be nice to see more bipartisanship and cooperation amongst the two parties." Roughly 31 percent of young people 18 to 29 cast ballots Tuesday, compared with four years earlier when 21 percent of eligible young voters went to the polls, CIRCLE wrote on its website. "We estimate that this is by far the highest level of participation among youth in the past quarter century the last seven midterm elections during which we've been using this same calculation method," it said. According to early analysis of exit poll data, 67 percent of young voters cast ballots for Democratic House candidates, compared with 32 percent who chose Republican candidates. "That extraordinary 35 percentage-point gap in support for Democrats over Republicans is about three times higher than it was in the 2014 midterms, when 54 percent of under-30 voters chose a Democrat, and 43 percent a Republican," CIRCLE reported. "It is, by far, the largest difference in vote choice among young people in the past quarter century." "We, the Democrats, FINALLY took a step in the right direction," Paige Baldwin, 28, of Kelso, Wash., said in response to questions from VOA. "However, I'm saddened that we didn't do more. Not that I'm not grateful! We have so much diversity in the House now that has never been there before! LGBTQ, Muslim, WOMEN and men who are qualified! Based on the results, our work is not done! Hate is still in power! I also ... feel exhausted!!!" African-American and Latino youths 90 percent and 80 percent, respectively showed Democrats the most political love. White youths voted 57 percent for Democrats and 42 percent for Republicans. "With the first Native women, first Latina representatives in certain states, first Muslim women, and first African-American women representatives in certain states, I think we are getting closer to a more accurate representation of America in the halls of power," said Erin Capina, 23, of Silver Spring, Md. "Change comes. It might happen excruciatingly slowly, but it happens." "On Election Day, when the Democratic Party took back control of the House of Representatives, young people (ages 18-29) offered their candidates an overwhelming level of support today," CIRCLE stated. Tharin Nolte, 24, of Summerville, S.C., who did not identify as a Democrat, agreed. "They expected more Democrats to show up to this election, and they turned out to vote for their candidates. ... My political party didn't win, but that doesn't mean that I don't have hope for us," she said. Younger Americans say they were driven by divisive government and a disregard for issues that will impact them more greatly than their elders, such as climate change and the heavy burden of student debt. Student activists from Parkland, Fla., are credited with increasing voter registration and youth participation. After 17 people were gunned down at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in February, students there banded together to combat gun violence with a grassroots campaign that organized the March for Our Lives protests in Washington and several U.S. cities nationwide that drew hundreds of thousands. "I am optimistic knowing that there is some check and balance restored back to Congress," said Emily Paxson, 24, of Washington. "However, I was hoping for a few more victories in the South, specifically Florida, Georgia and Texas." In Texas, Senate Democratic candidate Beto O'Rourke, 46, who waged a youth-focused campaign, lost to incumbent Republican Ted Cruz, 49. More than 70 percent of Texas youth voted for O'Rourke, compared with 29 percent for Cruz. "I'm unpleasantly surprised O'Rourke lost," said Brittany Vulich, 25, of Milwaukee, Wis. "What a missed opportunity for Texans. I'm convinced more than ever that [Cruz's] allegiance is to the straight, white, upper-middle-class, male agenda and not the all-encompassing other populations he claims to champion." "The level of youth support for O'Rourke is remarkable in a state where young people supported Hillary Clinton with 55 percent of their vote just two years ago," CIRCLE wrote. "In 2014, Texas youth were evenly divided 49 percent to 49 percent between the gubernatorial candidates of both parties." "To see the amount of young people that were first-time voters come out is really a testament to the direction this country is moving," said Brett Capina, 25, of Aldie, Va. "I'm hopeful that the momentum sticks, and people are just as motivated for the 2020 election and all future midterms." Authorities have identified the gunman who killed 12 people late Wednesday during an attack at a southern California bar and dance club as 29 year-old Ian Long. A motive for the shooting or Long's residence have not yet been disclosed. The mass shooting occurred after the attacker, who also died, entered the Borderline Bar & Grill in the city of Thousand Oaks armed with a handgun and a smoke bomb. The club was hosting a "college night" event at a country music bar at the time of the shooting. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean told reporters one of the first officers to arrive was shot after going inside to confront the shooter. He said Sheriff Sgt. Ron Helus, a 29-year veteran of the department, later died after being taken to a hospital. "I told his wife he died a hero," Dean said. There were multiple people injured in the attack as well, but Dean said the exact number was unclear because a number of them had taken themselves to hospitals for treatment. "It's a horrific incident," Dean said."It's part of the horrors that are happening in our country and everywhere, and I think it's impossible to put any logic or any sense to the senseless." Investigators are working with the help of the FBI to determine the identity of the shooter and a motive for the shooting. President Donald Trump wrote on Twitter early Thursday he has been "fully briefed" on the shooting, applauded the response of law enforcers and extended blessings to the victims and their families. Dean said the suspect was found dead inside the bar with a gunshot wound, but that it was not clear who had fired that shot. Eyewitnesses described a scene of chaos as shots rang out in the dance club and patrons scrambled to seek cover and escape. The shooting comes days after a gunman massacred 11 people at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The suspect in that case, 46-year-old Robert Bowers, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. Funeral Announcements A daily list of current funeral annoucements as heard on KXRA 1490 AM/100.3 FM News Updates The daily news, sports, and events delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Sports Update This current sports headlines delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Upcoming Events This email is the events of the area delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Breaking News The big news. Sent only as it happens. Photo: Vulture The true-crime podcast universe is ever expanding. Were here to make it a bit smaller, a bit more manageable. There are a lot of great shows and each has a lot of great episodes, so we want to highlight the exceptional, the noteworthy. Each week, our crack team of podcast enthusiasts and specialists will pick their favorites. To read last weeks edition, click here. Standoff: What Happened at Ruby Ridge?: Two Shotguns While 1992 seems like a long time ago given the whiplash speed of todays news cycle, its not hard to connect the standoff between the ATF and the Weaver family and the current strain of white nationalism thats no longer afraid to rear its ugly head across America. How did a simple bench warrant trigger events that resulted in an 11-day siege between federal agencies and a reclusive family obsessed with the coming apocalypse? So far, Slates deep dive is both fascinating and scary, because we know how the Weavers story ends and what comes next the horrific Oklahoma City bombing for starters, since Timothy McVeigh was inspired by the Weavers and the massive cluster eff in Waco the next year, but also current events. We only have to look at the self-styled militias heading south to protect us from the caravan of women and children coming across the border to see how far we havent come. Jenni Miller Serial Killers: Killer Caregiver Beverley Allitt If, like me, you watched the HBO documentary Mommy Dead and Dearest about a woman suffering from Munchausen syndrome and the pain she inflicted on her daughter with rapt attention, youll want to add the latest episode of Serial Killers (the first of a two-parter) to your queue. The episode centers on nurse Beverley Allitt, who over the course of 59 days in 1991, grievously injured 13 children (four of whom died) under her care at Grantham and Kesteven Hospital in Lincolnshire, England. Making her crimes even more dastardly (if thats possible) was her tendency to befriend the parents after the fact, earning their trust and currying sympathy. (In one case, she even went so far as to become the godmother to one of her survivors!) Hosts Greg Polcyn and Vanessa Richardson spend much of this first episode exploring Allitts backstory and the factors that may have driven her deadly deeds. Its an interesting listen, but I do have one quibble the hosts make a point of repeatedly mentioning that Allitt made it to the ripe old age of 16 without ever having a boyfriend, which may have alienated her from her peers. No need for the shade! Amy Wilkinson Already Gone: 104 The Murder of Becky Stowe When Becky Stowe disappeared without a trace from her friends house in July 1993, her family and community gathered together to search for her. But it was two years before any useful information would come to light that led to finding Becky and her murderer. This story is absolutely heartbreaking, and kept making me sigh with frustration at how this poor girls case was treated. As a whole, Already Gone is a great podcast that focuses on cases that go cold for many years and how theyre eventually solved, and Beckys case is a prime example of the frustrations felt by so many people when dealing with an unsolved case. Hillary Nelson Happy Face: Leroy As the daughter of Keith Jesperson, a.k.a. the Happy Face Killer, Melissa Moore has made it her lifes mission to figure out what it means to be related to a serial killer, and this episode where she finally meets with the son of her fathers last victim is absolutely wrenching. For years, Don Findlay had resolutely refused to be on Moores show Monster in My Family, and according to Moore, he told a TV producer hed like to do to her what her father did to his mother, Julie Ann Winningham. Their meeting is touch-and-go at first, but Findlay opens up about his late mother and the effect her brutal murder has had on his life, and comes to a better understanding of how Moores life was also upended. It makes you hope that some healing is possible. Jenni Miller Last Podcast on the Left: Peter Kurten Part 1: Papa Denke Peter Kurten, a.k.a. the Vampire of The Vampire of Dusseldorf, is the sort of serial killer whose crimes are almost too gruesome to be believed, ranging from offenses against animals, children, and adults dead and alive in almost every manner you could imagine. Hes sort of the perfect killer for LPotL to cover since the podcasts style is if snuff films (if they were real) had an MST3K chorus; its a style that you either love or you hate, but it can also depend on the subject matter, which they admit they themselves often find disturbing. If you really want to feel like a good Silkwood shower, check out the episodes on the Toy Box Killer or the conspiracies about the Franklin Credit Union. This episode also touches on other murderous monsters from this era, like cannibal Karl Denke. Animal lovers will want to skip this one. Jenni Miller Criminal: Episode 102: Ride-Along Host Phoebe Judge does something a little different this week, buckling herself into the passenger seat of a police cruiser for a ride-along in Austin, Texas. After a humorous opener in which the usually unflappable Judge finds herself anxiously locked out of the police precinct in the early-morning, pre-dawn hours, we finally meet her police escort, Officer Edward Ruff, and the two are off. Their first stop? Beto ORourke campaign headquarters, where someone has staked a severed pigs head with a note that reads Down with imperialist pigs. (Texas, man.) Once that bit of business is cleaned up, the two spend the rest of the day chasing down mostly quiet cases everything from a Chihuahua on the loose to a parole violation. Between incidents, Judge peppers Officer Ruff with questions about his day-to-day work and perceptions of the police force at large. Its clear that Officer Ruff is a bit uncomfortable serving as mouthpiece for his brothers and sisters in blue, but as an officer of color, he has a worldview thats important to hear. Though the episode may lack dramatic shootouts or frenetic high-speed chases, its a vital reminder of the often-dangerous and under-valued work that goes on behind the scenes of our criminal justice system. Amy Wilkinson Cults: Church of Satan - Anton LaVey Why does it seem that so many cult leaders also wanted to be musicians? This is a question I often ask myself while listening to Cults and if you know the answer, Id really love to have a chat. This weeks episode dives into Anton LaVey, the founder of the Church of Satan. LaVey is an incredibly interesting, horrible, and fascinating human and just so happens to look exactly like what you imagine Satan might like. Also? He was a fairly prolific musician. Hillary Nelson This weeks reviewers: Jenni Miller, Hillary Nelson, and Amy Wilkinson. Jason Mantzoukas, June Diane Raphael, and Paul Scheer of How Did This Get Made? Photo: FilmMagic The comedy podcast universe is ever expanding, not unlike the universe universe. Were here to make it a bit smaller, a bit more manageable. There are a lot of great shows and each has a lot of great episodes, so we want to highlight the exceptional, the noteworthy. Each week our crack team of podcast enthusiasts and specialists and especially enthusiastic people will pick their favorites. We hope to have your ears permanently plugged with the best in aural comedy. How Did This Get Made? 200th Mini Retrospective Clip Show Spectacular! Marc: Two-hundred episodes is a hell of milestone for a podcast, but 400 is twice as awesome, and thats what How Did This Get Made?, the paragon of podcasts about crappy movies with hosts Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, and Jason Mantzoukas has going on this week. Well, they actually celebrated 200 full episodes last week in a live show featuring guest Seth Rogen. But its also a couple hundred of their minis, which are their own kind of weirdness. Paul Scheer takes the helm through a collection of snippets from favorite past episodes, recorded messages from longtime HDTGM fans, and a reverse countdown of his five favorite episodes. Co-host Jason Mantzoukas pops in for a few minutes of reminiscing about some moments that really got him laughing. In fact, some of the most fun in this mega-flashback episode is the audio record of the peals of laughter from hosts, guests, and even audiences in the few clips from live shows that get featured. (The one where Jason absconds with an infant from the audience, and threatens to do it again, is contagiously funny.) Listen: Spotify | Apple | Website Comments by Celebs - The Power of the Blue Check ft. Nikki Glaser Leigh: Stars! They really are just like us! Mainly in how much they also love following the lives of other stars on Instagram. Chances are youre already familiar with @commentsbycelebs, the wildly popular Instagram account that finds and highlights comments made by celebrities on the posts of other celebrities. To make sure we absolutely never miss a beat when it comes to celebrity gossip, the account has spun off into a podcast hosted by Emma Diamond and Julie Kramer, the duo behind the viral account. This week theyre joined by Nikki Glaser, who breaks down what its like to actually leave comments on Instagram as someone who has that almighty blue checkmark next to their name, knowing that whatever you write is going to rise to the top. They also cover how quickly we all move on from celebrity scandals, wild age gaps of celebrity couples, how problematic Alec Baldwin is, and what it must be like to give or receive a gift as a Kardashian. And of course, can there ever be a conversation about celebrity news without the latest Pete Davidson and Ariana Grande updates coming up? The answer is no. But at least now that the midterms are over, you can confidently click the link to this episode without second-guessing whether or not youre going to be redirected to a voter-registration site. Listen: Apple | Website Doughboys Double - Biggie Feedbag VIII w/ Yusong Liu & Emma Erdbrink Tom: If theres one thing we can all agree on, its that constantly procrastinating the opening of mail is a universal struggle. In the eighth installment of the Biggie Feedbag, master mail-keepers Yusong Liu and Emma Erdbrink take listeners on an audio tour through a highlight reel of Doughboys talking points. From Mitch and Wiger exchanging insults to updates from the world of competitive gaming, the topics covered in this Double extend well beyond the realm of fast food. To further procrastinate the opening of fan mail, Yusong first opens up about an internal crisis, Mitch talks about his meals from a recent trip, and Wiger does some general robot stuff. As we finally jump into the actual feedbag which contains packages, notes, and obscure snacks sent to our favorite fast-foodies were quickly derailed when our foursome gets spooked by a mysterious noise coming from inside Mitchs house, specifically his bathroom. To find out the cause of the noise, hear Wiger share a nice compliment about Mitch, and listen to engineer Emma talk about her obsession with The Sims, join the Golden Plate Club today. Listen: Website Behind the Bastards - The Bastards of the 2018 Midterm Election Mark: In advance of Tuesdays midterm elections, Behind the Bastards host Robert Evans primed listeners with a brief history of Ted Cruz, followed by this summary of the rest of the slimy bastards on the ticket. And there are plenty to choose from. Katy Stoll and Cody Johnston of the Even More News podcast join the nationwide tour for what served as a helpful preelection study guide. Postelection day, the episode makes for a handy report card. Points to Illinois for sending neo-Nazi Arthur Jones and Beyonce conspiracist Bill Fawell back to their caves. God is a white supremacist enthusiast Russell Walker and his Geocities website were sent packing by North Carolina. Well done, Virginia, for electing Tim Kaine over Confederate-statue-lover Corey Stewart, although Stewart still somehow earned 41 percent of the vote. On the other hand, a big fat F to Iowa for reelecting Americas worst uncle, Steve King, back to Congress. No podcast host puts more prep into their show than Robert Evans does. Bad politicians arent going away anytime soon, which earns Behind the Bastards a well-deserved place in listeners earholes. Listen: Spotify | Apple | Website Chapo Trap House - Wonk the Pain Away: An Election Special feat. Will Sommer Pablo: I am so jealous of people for whom the name Jacob Wohl meant nothing until last week. For the blissfully ignorant who dont spend each day rotting away on political Twitter, the young Wohl reigns supreme with one of worlds foremost broken brains. And last week, the professional Twitter troll landed himself in hot water when it was discovered that he was behind the failed attempt to frame special counsel Robert Mueller for rape. If you dont care to see a Trump bootlickers visible flop sweat at a Holiday Inn, this weeks Chapo guest Will Sommer does an excellent recap of the Periscoped press conference that will likely be used as evidence in a future federal indictment. Even though the majority of this episode is focused on midterm predictions that are now old news, its still a superb listen for those unfamiliar with the saga of Wohls ironically named Surefire Intelligence. Listen: Spotify | Apple | Website Podcast: The Ride - Bill and Teds Excellent Halloween Adventure with Brad Evans and Nick Ciarelli Kathryn: Brad Evans and Nick Ciarelli (Atlantic City, UCB LA) visit Podcast: The Ride to deconstruct perhaps the most infamous defunct theme-park attraction in history: Bill and Teds Excellent Halloween Adventure. It had been a yearly immersive live show combining the Harlem Shake, Paula Deen, North West, the government shutdown, Macklemore, Elian Gonzalez, Kim Jong-un, Sharknado, and anything else that had breached the public consciousness over the preceding 12 months completely unrelated to Halloween all bookended by sexy dance numbers. It was a fixture of Universals Halloween Horror Nights for decades until one intrepid Vice reporter revealed how homophobic/racist/terrible the show was, leading to its cancellation in 2013 (though the Orlando version forged ahead until last year). Brad and Nick are the undisputed authorities on the ride: They wrote a long-running UCB stage show-based-on-the-show-based-on-a-movie, so theyre more than able to deliver a two-hour oral history of the famous debacle. If you never got the chance to see Bill and Teds Excellent Halloween Adventure in real life, you dont want to watch the bootleg videos on YouTube, and you couldnt get to Brad and Nicks Bill and Teds Spooky Halloween Spooftacular, this episode of Podcast: The Ride should do the trick. Listen: Spotify | Apple | Website Other Podcasts Were Listening To: Asian, Not Asian - I Loved Kumon and Harvard Was Fun (Feat. Karen Chee) Listen: Spotify | Apple | Website Comedy Bang Bang - Jason Mantzoukas, Paul F. Tompkins Listen: Spotify | Apple | Website Seek Treatment - Oldest Kid in the Cul-De-Sac w/ Mitra Jouhari Listen: Spotify | Apple | Website Why Wont You Date Me - Vagina Talk w/Megan Neuringer Listen: Spotify | Apple | Website Girls Gotta Eat - Do You Believe in Life After Love? With Sean Donnelly Listen: Spotify | Apple | Website Alchemy This Replacing Zuckerberg, Motor Lodge, and Honeymoon on the Boardwalk Listen: Apple | Website Got a comedy podcast recommendation? Drop us a line at comedypodcasts@vulture.com. This weeks reviewers: Pablo Goldstein, Kathryn Doyle, Marc Hershon, Leigh Cesiro, Mark Kramer, and Tom Rainey. Young Thug. Photo: Suzi Pratt/WireImage Young Thug has been jailed in Georgia after failing a drug test, the Blast and Pitchfork report. According to the Blast, the Atlanta rapper (nee Jeffery Lamar Williams) was scheduled for arraignment in DeKalb County on Thursday morning on eight felony drug and weapons charges stemming from a September 2017 arrest. However, he reportedly failed his last drug test, prompting the judge in the case to revoke his bond; Thug was reportedly taken into custody on Wednesday morning. Thug was arrested last year after he was pulled over by police in Georgia for driving with tinted widows. Police then charged him with possession of marijuana, methamphetamine, and hydrocodone with intent to distribute. During the traffic stop, he was also allegedly found with codeine (two counts), a firearm, Xanax, and an amphetamine. Thug was arrested again in August at a Dave and Busters in Los Angeles where he was hosting both his birthday and album-release party for Slime Language; he was charged with possession of a firearm found in his car. According to the Blast, prosecutors in the separate Georgia case argued in September that the second arrest was grounds to revoke his bond, but the judge allowed Thug to remain out on bail until his trial. (Thug had turned himself in on September 11 and was released on bond on September 13.) It appears he will now remain jailed. Update, November 14: Young Thug has been released from jail after six days, according to local NBC affiliate WXIA-TV. Under the conditions of his release, Thug must undergo substance-abuse counseling, meet with a probation officer, and submit to random drug-testing at least twice a week while he awaits trail. Thug reportedly refused to eat or drink during his first 48 hours in custody as a way of punishing himself. On Wednesday, Thug appeared in court and gave the following statement to the judge: Im sorry for disobeying the court. Im sorry for disobeying my PO and being here again. I just wanna be home with my family and do right. I know I got so many millions of people that pay attention to me. I live so different not blaming it on that. These last six days in jail, I understood that this is real life. I got sons thats 10, 11 years old. They look up to me. I dont want them to think that going to jail, even if youre able to get right back out, is cool. I want to grow, and I have grown. Ive made mistakes and Ive been penalized for them. Im sorry and I wont disobey you again. You have my word. Congressman-elect Joe Cunningham thought it was a "good omen" on Election Day Eve that his 8-month-old son slept through the entire night. It was the first time he'd done so. The young Democrat flipped a historically Republican South Carolina seat in a race that has garnered much national attention: earlier this year incumbent GOP Rep. Mark Sanford lost his primary to Trump-supporting conservative Katie Arrington. Sanford refused to endorse her (or Cunningham) in the general election, and then the national Republicans swooped in at the last minute, with more than $80,000 in ads in the final days to help Arrington's campaign. Donald Trump Elections and campaigns Government and public administration Government bodies and offices Government organizations - US Political Figures - US Politics US Congress US federal government US House of Representatives White House Continents and regions Elections (by type) North America South Carolina Southeastern United States The Americas United States US Federal elections US House elections Cunningham's win attracted its own amount of widespread interest from high-profile Democrats. An aide to former Vice President Joe Biden said Biden called Cunningham to congratulate him Wednesday. As the power in the House shifts to Democrats, leaders from within Cunningham's party have signaled that investigating the Trump White House and administration will be a top priority. But Cunningham is not as interested in oversight. "We should be focusing on issues that affect people's lives, like making health care more affordable and fixing our infrastructure," he told CNN in a phone interview on Wednesday. "We should let the special counsel finish his investigation first." In fact, Cunningham said he is "absolutely" open to meeting with President Donald Trump and working across the aisle on issues. "We want to work with President Trump on things that help the Lowcountry, infrastructure being a main one," he told CNN. Cunningham, who has never held elected office, said he was not surprised by the victory. "We knew we were going to win going into this," he said. "The momentum was on our side going into election night. After talking to folks on the ground, I was confident we would come out on top but we knew we were in for a long night." The race was called in the wee hours of Wednesday morning. What was the winning issue, in Cunningham's opinion? Mostly offshore drilling, he says: "Local issues like that matter." But he also pointed to his optimistic tone. "There was an overarching theme: breaking through this political tribalism and partisan gridlock that exists in DC. That's what carried the day. Most people in the first district are trying to do away with this political tribalism: extinguish those flames. The message of bringing people together, building bridges not walls." By contrast, in a recent campaign event with Sen. Lindsey Graham in late October in Charleston, Arrington encouraged chants of "Build the Wall!" and even suggested that her opponents were "evil." When asked by CNN if the migrant caravan, a major focus for the President and Republicans on the midterm campaign trail, was a losing message for the race, Cunningham said. "She was trying to probably nationalize this race. We were running on local issues. I know immigration is a strong concern for people in this district and across the country." Cunningham, who ran his election saying that he would not support Nancy Pelosi to be speaker of the House of Representatives, stands by that position. "My position has been the same since day one and that has not changed," he said, adding that he had not seen what Democratic leaders had said Wednesday in press conferences. Who does he believe should lead the Democratic Party? Cunningham is going to wait and meet fellow members in DC soon, saying he can "name on one hand" the number of Congressmen and women that he has met before. "We need someone who represents the values of those in the first district," he said. "That was our message in this race." In the meantime, he's putting the bipartisan approach to work, as he and Sanford work in a transition plan. Cunningham says he's received calls from both Democrats like Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn and Republicans like Sen. Tim Scott, congratulating him on the unlikely victory. (CNN) -- A US Marines veteran opened fire at a Southern California bar late Wednesday, killing at least 12 people before killing himself, and sending panicked survivors scrambling through doors and windows to escape, authorities said. Investigators believe Ian David Long, 28, used a legally purchased Glock 21 .45-caliber handgun with an extended magazine to shoot patrons, staff and a sheriff's deputy at Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, and they're trying to figure out why he did it, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said Thursday morning. The suspected Ian David Long was on Active Duty with the US Marine Corps from August 2008 to March 2013, according to Department of Defense Records The suspected Ian David Long was on Active Duty with the US Marine Corps from August 2008 to March 2013, according to Department of Defense Records Sgt. Ron Helus Sgt. Ron Helus "We have no idea what the motive was at this point," Dean said. "It's a horrific scene in there," he said earlier. "There is blood everywhere and the suspect is part of that." Live updates on mass shooting Among those killed was Ventura County sheriff's Sgt. Ron Helus, who rushed in minutes after the first gunshots were reported at 11:20 p.m., Dean said. Helus had been at the department for nearly three decades and planned to retire within the next year, the sheriff said, choking back tears. "Ron ... gave his all and tonight, he died a hero because he went in to save lives," Dean said. The shooting broke out during the Western-style bar's weekly line dancing and college night open to people 18 and older. People dropped to the floor and hid behind barstools in stunned silence, witnesses said. Others jumped over chairs and broke windows to get out. Taylor Von Molt, 21, said she was dancing when she "heard what I thought was a balloon pop." "I heard it a couple more times, and I turned around and I saw him (the gunman)," she said. "He had ... what looked like a bandanna on the bottom on his face, sunglasses, black hoodie, dark jeans." About 21 others were injured, many trying to escape, the sheriff's office said. Law enforcement officials have yet to release the names of most of those who were killed or injured, and anxious friends and relatives gathered at a designated spot in the city to await word on what happened to their loved ones. What we know about the shooting 'I started hearing these big pops' The gunman apparently arrived at the bar Wednesday night in a car, and shot an unarmed security guard who was standing outside, Dean said. Long then stepped inside, and apparently shot other security workers and employees and opened fire farther inside the club, the sheriff said. Six off-duty law enforcement officers were in the bar when the shooting happened, Dean said. It wasn't immediately clear what happened to them. A woman whose daughter was at the bar said one of those officers "stood in front of her daughter, protecting her life with his own," Ventura County sheriff's Senior Deputy Julie Novak told CNN affiliate KCAL/KCBS. Witnesses described a man clothed in black and wearing glasses as he walked onto the dance floor filled with people and began shooting. Von Molt ran toward the nearest exit but tripped, and people kept running on top of her in a rush to escape. Eventually she got up and ran out, and got checked at a hospital for bruises. Von Molt said some of her friends got out, but she didn't immediately know where others were. John Hedge, who was at the bar with his stepfather, told CNN affiliate KABC that he hit the ground after hearing three or four popping sounds. "I started hearing these big pops. Pop, pop, pop," he said. "I look up -- the security guard is dead. Well, I don't want to say he was dead, but he was shot." People "dog-piled on top of each other" trying to hide in silence, California Lutheran University student Teylor Whittler told KABC. Some men ran toward them and said the gunman was coming. As they escaped through the bar's back door, she heard a second round of shots. There was no screaming, she said -- just gunfire and stampeding crowds. The bar is near several universities, including California Lutheran, which canceled Thursday's classes in response to the shooting. Nick Steinwender, who is part of California Lutheran's student government, said his friends were inside the bar when the shooting started. "It was chaos, people jumping out of windows, hopping over gates and just trying to get out," he told KABC. "From what I heard, the gunman started shooting at the front desk. ... Students were hiding in the attics, bathrooms and stuff like that." Pepperdine University said it believes "multiple Pepperdine students" also were there. A prayer service for the campus community was scheduled at a theater there at noon Thursday. Long had previous contacts with the law, sheriff says Deputies were at Long's home in the Newbury Park area of Thousand Oaks on Thursday morning, seeking to serve a search warrant, Dean said. Thousand Oaks is in Ventura County, about 40 miles from downtown Los Angeles. Long was in the US Marine Corps from August 2008 to March 2013, Defense Department records show. He subsequently was a student at California State University, Northridge, from 2013 to 2016, the school said. Long pursued a major in athletic training but did not graduate, the university's Carmen Ramos Chandler said Law enforcement had several previous contacts with Long, including in April when officers were called to a disturbance at his home, the sheriff said. "He was somewhat irate, acting a little irrationally," Dean said. Mental health specialists talked to him and didn't feel he qualified to be detained under the state's "5150" mental health detention law, Dean said. One of Long's neighbors, Tom Hansen, told KABC he had called police in April. "I don't know exactly what he was doing -- it was like he was banging on the walls and shouting," Hansen said. "It concerned me, so I called the police." Hansen told KABC everything seemed to go back to normal afterward and he never learned what had happened. Long also had been a victim of battery at a different Thousand Oaks bar in January 2015, the sheriff said. Long posted about his service with the Marines on an online forum called ShadowSpear in March 2017. He wrote he had been an infantry machine gunner, had served in Afghanistan and was an instructor in Okinawa, Japan. Deputy killed after rushing inside Helus, the slain sheriff's deputy, arrived at the bar 3 minutes after 911 calls came in, along with two California Highway Patrol officers, Dean said. Helus went in because gunshots still were being fired -- and he was shot multiple times, Dean said. A Highway Patrol officer pulled Helus out and waited for reinforcements. When more officers arrived, they found the gunman dead inside, Dean said. Helus died at a hospital, police said. He is survived by a wife and a son. "I don't think there's anything more heroic than what he did," a colleague, sheriff's Sgt. Eric Buschow, said Thursday morning. Helus was on the phone with his wife shortly before he responded to the shooting, Dean said. "(He said), 'Hey, I have to handle a call. I love you, I'll talk to you later,' " the sheriff said. Father crushed to learn his son was killed One of those who died was Cody Coffman, 22, his father said. Cody was at the bar with friends -- and when his friends escaped, they woke his father up around 1 a.m. to tell him they didn't know if his son had gotten out. Just before 10 a.m., the father told reporters Cody had died. In between sobs, Jason Coffman recounted his last conversation with Cody. "I talked to him last night before he headed out the door. First thing I said was, 'Don't drink and drive.' " "Last thing I said was, 'Son, I love you.' " Another victim was identified by California Lutheran as recent graduate Justin Meek, 23. The school said he "heroically saved lives in the incident." Also killed was Alaina Housley, the niece of "The Real" co-host Tamera Mowry-Housley and her husband, Adam Housley. They described her as incredible. The Shoals community is devastated after the death of a state trooper, a husband and father of four. Jason Hewett, 34, was killed Tuesday morning after he was struck by a car on County Road 137 in Lauderdale County. Hewett was off-duty and running at the time of the crash. On Wednesday, Hewett was escorted to a funeral home in Florence by a caravan of State Troopers and other law enforcement agencies in the Shoals. Hewett was a 2006 graduate of the Alabama State Trooper Academy and served the Lauderdale County community. Many of his friends say not only was he an amazing trooper, but he was an even better father, husband and son. His brothers in blue went to Huntsville to escort him home.They wanted to honor him and the life he lead serving the people of the Shoals. Many officers have a mark on their badge to honor Hewett or have changed their Facebook profile pictures to show support for Hewett's family. A donation site has been set up to help the Hewett family. It's unclear if the person who struck Hewett will face any charges. Veterans Day is on Sunday, November 11th, and a local school hosted a special program on Thursday. Students at Meridianville Middle School honored local veterans by organizing a program just for them. The school band performed a musical salute to all the branches of the Armed Forces. There was also a slide-show organized with photos of locals who served in the military. Students who helped lead the program say the program is all about saluting our heroes. "It's really important to have our veterans here because they deserve our respect. And we have the right and the duty to honor them," said 7th grade student, Taylor Franklin. The new principal of the middle school also shared some of his personal experience in the military and as a Captain of the Alabama National Guard. The school organizes the program yearly. People in North Alabama will join others nationwide on Thursday to protest former Attorney General Jeff Sessions' forced resignation. There will be two protests in North Alabama at 5 PM, one in Huntsville outside of Congressman Mo Brooks' district office and the other being in Florence at the downtown post office. These protests are a result of the public concern surrounding the man temporarily replacing Sessions, Matthew Whitaker, who publicly claimed Robert Mueller and the Russian interference case were overstepping. With Whitaker as Attorney General, protesters are worried he serves the best interest of President Trump instead of the entire country. Protests are taking place across the entire country at 5 PM local time. Wednesday night Alabamians are wondering what's next for Jeff Sessions. Will he return to state politics, or ride off into the sunset following his resignation as United States Attorney General? All while his former senate seat is set to come up for election in 2020. Many people in Huntsville did not want to talk to WAAY 31 about Jeff Sessions and his resignation for several different reasons. The reasons varied from not having an opinion on the matter to not knowing who Sessions is all together. WAAY 31 did talk to political analysts, Dale Jackson and Waymon Burke, about the move and how it will impact Alabama politics. Both of them said it's simply too early to tell what the impact will be, because we don't know what Sessions will do. Sessions is over seventy years old and has already spent nearly 20 years in the United States Senate. Jackson said there is one certainty in all of this. The senate seat Sessions used to hold, which Doug Jones is currently occupying, is most definitely up for grabs for any republican. "Doug Jones is a one-termer. There's no question about it, but the question is: who runs against him? If Jeff Sessions wants that seat, I don't know if he can get through a republican primary because of how much the president has run him down. Unless the president maybe comes down here and says, 'hey, I love Jeff Sessions,'" said Jackson. Burke said he wouldn't be surprised if Sessions would still get massive support from voters here in Alabama. "I think he would be a formidable candidate for sure. We don't know what the political landscape is going to look like in two years. That's several life times away in politics." Many prominent republican politicians publicly supported Sessions on Wednesday following his resignation. Hundreds of students and the Semper Fi Community Task Force of North Alabama welcomed wounded warriors to Huntsville. The 29 veterans traveled from 9 states across the country. The wounded warriors along with service dogs and caregivers are here to be recognized for veterans day. Semper Fi wanted to recognize and show them hospitality. Many of these veterans never received a welcome back ceremony, because they were wounded. Outside of them participating in the Veterans Day parade this weekend, they'll ride a boat on Lake Guntersville, attend several dinners, a middle school choir will sing to them and they'll fly on a private airplane. WAAY 31 spoke with a 6th grader at Madison Academy who said both his parents were in the Navy, so cheering the veterans was an honor. "That was really fun, and my mom was really excited for me to come and was wanting me to come, and it was a fun experience," said Theodore Foster. The service members represent 5 branches of the military. They go back home on Tuesday. The Carmel Valley Community Planning Board unanimously approved the new Seabreeze Senior Living center at its Oct. 25 meeting. The new senior living facility will replace the existing Seabreeze Farms Equestrian Center on Old Carmel Valley Road. The main building on the property adjacent to Cathedral Catholic High School will house 104 assisted living units as well as a separate memory care wing with 14 units. Seabreeze will also include five one-story casitas with two units each for independent living. The current zoning allows for licensed residential care facilities for seniors but developers SRM Development will need to amend the precise plan for the area and obtain a conditional use permit. Seabreeze is expected to go before the San Diego Planning Commission for approval by the end of the year or early 2019. Ryan Leong, principal with SRM Development, said while not many in the immediate neighborhood were using the equestrian facility, there is a growing senior demographic and a shortage of senior housing in the area. This project is going a long way in helping meet that demand, Leong said. The property on Old Carmel Valley Road has been an equestrian center for almost 30 years. Owner Chad Harris has said it became challenging to operate the fairly large agricultural use surrounded by a growing suburban community, which prompted him to explore alternate uses for the site that would be compatible with the zoning and a benefit to the overall community. Leong said the senior living community was selected as the highest and best use of the land, as it has minimal impacts, is a quiet neighbor and a low-traffic and population generator. The average age of residents will be 85 years old and only about a quarter of the residents will have a car, Leong said. By comparison, he said more residential density would increase car traffic and create more impact on local schools and facilities. Of the 32-acre site, only 8.78 acres will be developed, leaving the remaining 24 acres as open space. Harris will maintain a small pasture and boarding for 15 to 25 retired horses and the project will provide improved access to public trails in the open space, including a connection alongside the Cathedral Catholic school property from Del Mar Heights Road. Trailheads open to the community from the Seabreeze property will wind through the open space and connect at Carmel Knolls Drive. Leong said that as part of the process over the past year, they have met extensively with surrounding neighbors, the homeowners association, the high school as well as residents across the canyon. A focus has been placed on preserving views and keeping common areas and the main entry away from the adjacent community, facing the canyon instead. Per a rendering provided by SRM, the project will not be visible to residents across the canyon and landscape screening will be used to shield views from the immediate neighbors. The biggest changes from the community involvement has been in the design, which evolved from modern architecture to a Spanish Colonial style that better fits in with the architecture seen throughout the community. Neighbors said that Harris has been more than accommodating throughout the process, open to meeting frequently for one-on-one conversations, There have been more meetings with neighbors than any project Ive been a part of, Leong said. Residents said they appreciated the outreach effort. I love looking at the horses and Im going to really miss that because its part of what makes the community special, one neighbor said. If it has to change, this has been a good experience. That increase in Saudi production has been making its way onto the global market, said energy analyst Pavel Molchanov of Raymond James. Oil prices have been in a soft patch through the past month and the first half of November. This should not obscure the big picture . . . which tells us the market remains undersupplied. In the closing hours of the war, a young officer named Gurney happens upon a bombed-out chateau from which he hears Just a Song at Twilight being played on a piano. After he cautiously enters the house, he discovers a beautiful young woman in evening dress dead on a sofa. At the piano is a dead man wearing the uniform of a German general. When Gurney looks more closely at him, he undergoes the greatest shock of my life. The face is that of his friend and comrade G.B. Gerard Bretherton with whom he had chatted briefly just the day before. What does it all mean? There appear to be two equally unlikely alternatives: G.B. was either a British spy in the German Army or a German spy in the British Army. Or could there be another explanation? Pictures of Jay-Z taken over the years by different photographers highlight his evolution from a boastful young rapper with big aspirations to a mogul dealing with fame, wealth and outsize expectations both cultural and social. In 1995, he is dressed in Bermuda shorts and a campshirt like some Boca Raton retiree and he is photographed by Jamil GS in front of a Lexus with a personalized license plate and bottles of Cristal visible through the windshield. There are other poses from that shoot in front of a yacht, framed by the twin towers in New York all underscoring a journey toward material wealth. By 2007, Jay-Z is photographed by Clinch in the style of a jazz artist standing behind a spit guard, microphones hanging off to the side, his face partially obscured by shadow. Clinch had 12 minutes to capture the image of a contemplative performer, alone. Theres no expensive stuff visible no markers of success except the man himself. Todays Headlines The most important news stories of the day, curated by Post editors and delivered every morning. Email address By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy With split Congress, funding for infrastructure is unlikely By JOSH BOAK AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON With Democrats now in control of the House, President Donald Trump faces a tough test of whether he can forge compromises with a group of lawmakers who, he had warned his supporters, would wreck the U.S. economy. The president on Wednesday floated the possibility of agreements with Democrats to boost spending on America's infrastructure and to limit drug prices. Yet the poisonous atmosphere in Washington, mandated federal spending limits and a potential duel over the government's borrowing authority make it difficult to achieve any deals that would boost growth. Over the next two years, most economic and market analysts foresee mainly entrenched gridlock in Congress. Many think the two sides will mostly maneuver for public favor while looking toward the 2020 presidential election year. At a news conference Wednesday, Trump reiterated his desire to reach some agreement on infrastructure spending to rebuild roadways, rail stations or airports, for example among other priorities. But to achieve any real breakthrough, he would have to compromise with Democrats who won office largely by opposing his plans to restrict immigration, his efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, his deficit-funded tax cuts and his opposition to gun control in the aftermath of mass shootings. That said, most economists don't think a stalemate in Congress would necessarily depress growth. The $20 trillion U.S. economy the world's largest relies far more on the health of the global economy and the willingness of consumers and businesses to spend rather than on any government actions. Nor do market analysts think stock prices will suffer. In fact, major stock averages soared Wednesday in the wake of the elections. In part, that's because Tuesday's vote caused no major surprises, in part because the prospect of little or no major congressional initiatives means lawmakers won't stand in the way of a robust U.S. economy. While you might see further gridlock if the Democrats take the House, that doesn't mean it would tip the boat and slow growth, said Beth Ann Bovino, chief U.S. economist at S&P Global. Economists at Bank of America concluded, We expect a divided government to lead to a legislative logjam in Washington, DC in the next Congress, limiting policy actions to passing the budget with modest spending increases and raising the debt ceiling. The new Democratic-led House could thwart Trump's plans for more tax cuts, a wall along the border with Mexico and a 5 percent budget cut to Cabinet departments. But the Democrats' own agendas would also likely meet with defeat. At his news conference, the president suggested that he could work with Democrats on such priorities as boosting infrastructure spending and reducing the costs of prescription drugs. But Trump made clear that if House Democrats pursue him with investigations involving his 2016's connection to Russia or financial ethics allegations, he would drop his willingness to seek cooperation on legislation involving the economy or other issues. They can play that game, but we can play it better, the president said. Still, Trump could be pressured to bargain with the Democrats on two major fiscal issues with consequences for the economy, said Joe Brusuelas, chief economist at the consultancy RSM. The president would need to increase the government's borrowing capacity or it would be unable to continue issuing debt and possibly shutter. A 2011 showdown on the debt ceiling led the S&P 500 stock index to plummet and raised fears that the economy could sink into a recession. Given the new configuration of power in Washington, the probability of a government shutdown is greater than 50 percent, Brusuelas said. Second, Trump would need to sign a spending bill for fiscal 2020. Otherwise, previously agreed-upon spending caps would automatically reduce federal expenditures, which would likely slow the economy during a presidential election year. The economy has enjoyed an acceleration in growth this year to a gain estimated to be 3 percent. Unemployment is at a five-decade low of 3.7 percent, and employers are posting record-high job openings. The economy's expansion is already the second-longest on record. But annual growth is widely expected to dip back to its long-term average near 2 percent by 2020. It's even possible the economy could slip into a recession within a few years as growth stalls for reasons unrelated to who controls the White House or Congress. A global slowdown could, for example, spill into the United States. Or higher interest rates, spurred by the Federal Reserve, might depress economic activity. Trump would still have discretion on some key economic issues. His trade war with China and his drive to reduce regulations are two of them. The president has managed to pursue those priorities without Congress' involvement, though his updated trade agreement with Canada and Mexico would need congressional approval. In an appearance last month at Harvard University, Pelosi, outlined her agenda should her party regain the chamber's majority and she the speakership. Within the first 100 days, Pelosi said, she would seek to reduce the influence of large campaign donors and groups that aren't legally required to disclose their funding sources. She would also pursue infrastructure funding and seek protections for undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children, among other priorities. Yet the rancor between the two parties makes the likelihood of any meaningful economic measures appear dim. The way parties are talking about it right now, I don't think anybody is dying to cooperate, said Michael Madowitz, chief economist at the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank. It's possible Trump might feel pressure to produce some tangible legislative results before his quest for re-election. If so, he could backtrack and find ways to work with Democrats to boost the economy. Trump is the wild card here, said Jason Rosenstock, a financial industry lobbyist with Thorn Run Partners. He may want to be seen as a deal-cutter going into the 2020 election. Abramss appearance resonated as a kind of existential victory because she looked comfortable and confident standing on the political stage on her own terms not those of Hollywood, fashion magazines, corporate consultants or students of history and without having those terms become an issue or an obvious impediment. She has been called relatable and authentic because of the bullet points of her appearance. Yet much of that assessment is not because of any particular beauty regimen or shopping habit but because her existence is similar to countless African American women who live lives of great accomplishment and satisfaction while remaining seemingly invisible in the broader world. They are professors and bankers and stay-at-home mothers; they practice yoga and go for regular morning jogs. They have spa days and favorite manicurists; they are suburban women, churchgoing women and soccer moms. They see each other even if others refuse to see them. No, something more is called for: CNN should sue the Trump White House on First Amendment grounds. And press-rights groups, along with other media organizations, should join in to create a united and powerful front. (Fox News, which benefited from the press corps united front on its behalf when the Obama White House tried to exclude it from some briefings in 2009, should pay that solidarity forward by getting on board.) Theres good news for motorists like Epstein. The industry is gradually changing. Hertz disclosed the fees at the time it quoted his initial price (although he didnt see it because someone else made the reservation for him). Regulators only require that rental companies show the full cost before buyers complete the reservation. Car rental companies break down the fees before the final purchase screen as a service to drivers. Middle school has marked an inflection point for the city, with families often leaving for charters or other options. Kelly Miller Middle in Northeast Washington reported a 24 percent increase, while Hardy Middle School in Northwest grew by 15 percent. The Hardy increase could be attributed to redistricting, which sent many students originally zoned for Alice Deal Middle to Hardy this year. Thats one of the opportunities we have with this exhibit to be able to say, You know what? These people have been with us since the 1880s, and were only now able to see them as real people, she said. Democratic teachers and education leaders were heartened by the victory of Jahana Hayes, the 2016 National Teacher of the Year, who is slated to become the first black congresswoman from Connecticut. She faced long odds, first by beating in the primary the candidate endorsed by the Democratic establishment. It was a position shes accustomed to: She was raised in public housing by a mother addicted to drugs, and she became pregnant at 17, eventually making it to college with the help of high school teachers. His answer to that question whether you share his beliefs or not matters now more than ever because of the stakes moving forward from the midterms. In two years, both political parties will want a firm understanding of who is with them and who, with the right influence, could be. Painting groups with broad strokes and dismissing those who dont fit the easy narrative as outliers is not the way to get there. The man had gone into cardiac arrest at Barnard Elementary School, along Decatur Street NW near the Petworth neighborhood, as he tried to cast his vote. Jenee Wood, a 911 call-taker for the Districts Office of Unified Communications, answered the initial call and talked a bystander through how to do CPR. Fundamentally, he didnt come in there with a philosophical agenda. It doesnt mean that he didnt have a philosophy, just that he was willing to listen to people and meet them where they were, Steele said. When you lead with your own drum, making your own noise, it means youre not hearing what the people are saying. Theyre more often than not getting it right. President Trump has not been held accountable, Cummings said during a 45-minute interview Wednesday at his Baltimore office, hours after winning reelection to a 12th term. We want to figure out if the president is acting in the interests of the American people or in his own financial interest. I would consider it legislative malpractice not to do it. Wuerls immediate predecessor, Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, was removed from ministry by the Vatican following allegations that he molested a teenage altar boy nearly 50 years ago, before he was in Washington. Subsequently, The Washington Post and other media reported that McCarrick had been accused of sexual misconduct with one other minor and with several young adult priests and seminarians including two cases involving adults that his previous dioceses in New Jersey had known about and settled out of court. Zafar owned several firearms but bought a new one from a dealer in Mexico to shoot Ashcraft, according to court records. He took more than 100 photos of the U.S. Consulate in Guadalajara and of diplomats cars, including the one driven by Ashcraft. On the day of the shooting, he walked to an area of the ramp where he wouldnt be seen by a security guard. I could fire everybody right now, Trump said at a post-election news conference Wednesday, shortly before Sessions resigned at the presidents request and was replaced on an acting basis with Matthew G. Whitaker. Whitaker will assume aut hority over the special-counsel probe, a Justice Department official said, and does not intend to recuse himself from overseeing the investigation, according to people close to him. D.C. police said they interviewed that teenager, who is now 17, on Oct. 29. She told detectives that the incident occurred in May 2015, when she and her family were at the church to sell food and snow cones for a picnic. Once those activities had finished, she said, she retreated to the rectory office to wait for her mother, who was cleaning up. The teenager said she was playing on her iPod and sitting in a chair when the priest placed his hand on her chest and rubbed down from the shoulder, under her shirt and bra, court documents state. A lot of people here look only at national politics. If you just heard from the folks who lived here a long time, [Vihstadt] would have won quite handily, Presswood said. I dont mean to say we dont want [the newcomers]. But if theres anyone whos done a better job in Arlington, Id like to meet him. Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Faiz Shakir, national political director for the American Civil Liberties Union, said that the organization spent about $5.5 million to boost the amendment, first to help get it on the ballot and then with the campaign to pass it. That effort started with making sure conservatives could get behind what had begun as a liberal cause. This was a brazen and defiant response to the election results by a president who is apparently moved neither by convention nor by constitutional checks on his power. He renewed his threat Wednesday unilaterally to try to rewrite the Constitutions citizenship provisions by executive order. Rather than offer reconciliation, he trolled his opponents and spun more wild fantasies: The Democrats agree that a wall is necessary on the border, Democrats at a high level have suggested . . . getting rid of law enforcement, CNN has perpetrated voter suppression. Or by slamming the brakes on Muellers ability to follow the evidence against Trump or his family. It is time for Rosenstein, who is the acting attorney general for the purposes of this investigation, to order Mueller to limit the scope of his investigation to the four corners of the order appointing him special counsel, Whitaker wrote in an op-ed for CNN the following month. If he doesnt, then Muellers investigation will eventually start to look like a political fishing expedition. This would not only be out of character for a respected figure like Mueller, but also could be damaging to the President of the United States and his family and by extension, to the country. Another notably unexceptional aspect of this election was that, just as more women were running, more women were losing. That was critically important: For women to reach anywhere near parity in representation, they need role models of women willing to take risks and be resilient despite losses. Many female candidates, in the political corollary to the corporate glass cliff, ran in races that were particularly high risk and in districts that were heavily gerrymandered. Just as Stacey Abrams did in her campaign to become the first African American female governor of Georgia (she is contesting the results), women set out to fight in some of the most difficult races, sending a message that, win or lose, they were ready to battle on any terrain. The Posts analysis of the battleground U.S. Senate and governor polls tracked by RealClearPolitics finds that on the basis of preliminary vote counts, state polls erred by an average of 4.1 percentage points in estimating the vote margin between Democratic and Republican candidates. That is lower than an average error of 5.1 points in 2016 state-level presidential polls, but is just about average for state-level polls in presidential elections since 2000. Polling errors in key races for the Senate and governorships were also somewhat lower than the average of 5.4 points for Senate and governor elections since 1998, according an analysis by the website FiveThirtyEight this spring. European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, who is playing host at an Armistice Day ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe on Sunday marking the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I, have been mostly muted in their reaction to the election outcome. Foreign-affairs analysts said the Europeans, bruised by Trumps sharp- elbowed posture, are under no illusions that his tone toward them will change despite the ballot box rebuke, and they are bracing for the possibility that the president could be emboldened to take more confrontational or destabilizing actions abroad if he is hemmed in at home. Peggy Xu, 23, was one of those voters. Xu provided emails to The Washington Post showing that she requested an absentee ballot from Fulton County on Oct. 6 and said she later saw on the secretary of states website that one had been sent to her. But she never received it, she said. She tried again, didnt receive the second ballot either and was not able to vote, she said. To be clear: we do not hold that DACA could not be rescinded as an exercise of Executive Branch discretion, Judge Kim McLane Wardlaw said in the opinion. We hold only that here, where the Executive did not make a discretionary choice to end DACA but rather acted based on an erroneous view of what the law required the rescission was arbitrary and capricious under settled law. The likely recounts, however, are expected to be more orderly than the televised circus that resulted in George W. Bushs election to the presidency. Under changes to state law, local canvass boards no longer have discretion over whether to order a recount, and new optical-scan voting machines have made it easier to divine voter intent than the old punch card ballots, which sometimes featured the partially detached bits of paper. As a congresswoman, but more importantly as a mother, I pledge to do everything I can to make our communities safer. The most important title I am ever going to hold is Jordans mom and that is what drives me to keep going. Knowing firsthand the deep pain of losing a loved one to gun violence is what drove me to stand up, she said. Whether its gun laws, or criminal justice reform, or reproductive rights issues, to acknowledging climate change, there are many things that have not been able to move because of my Republican colleagues, Stewart-Cousins said. We are expecting we will be able to restore trust in government for New Yorkers as well as being a progressive beacon. Ahead of the midterms, they were determined to do all they could to protect all that Trump had done and ensure that Republicans remained in power. Hardwick had been to many Trump rallies more than he could count but at his last one Sunday in Macon, he said he had locked eyes with Trump just before the president rhapsodized about all that was at stake in the midterms. But she ended up voting for DeSantis, partially because she wanted to see an end to racial divisions. In Coopers eyes, tensions between races in Madison only worsened after Obamas election in 2008. Black neighbors just started seeing everything differently, she said. They seemed consumed with Obama as the first black president and less concerned about how he was affecting the economy in Florida. Weve got folks on our voter protection team right now, chasing provisional ballots, Perez said at a breakfast roundtable sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor. They claim there are something like 22,000 or 25,000 provisional ballots still out in Georgia. Ill be honest with you; I dont believe them. I think theres more. The problem is that the fox is guarding the henhouse; the person who wants to be governor is overseeing the integrity of the election. The FTC case included an email Whitaker wrote on Aug. 21, 2015, to someone who had complained about the firms conduct and threatened, among other things, to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. Whitaker noted that he was a former U.S. attorney and accused the complainant of trying to smear the company. I am assuming you understand that there could be serious civil and criminal consequences for you, he wrote in the email, which was included in the federal district court filing in the matter. It became a question of when, not if, and once something becomes inevitable, its harder to be outraged about it, said one former White House official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to be candid. Patience is not often an attribute attributed to Trump, but if he has to be, he can be very patient. The session with reporters was traditional only in that recent presidents have also held one on the day after a midterm vote, typically using it as a way to frame the changed legislative dynamics, to spin events a little, or a lot, and express humility about a loss before explaining how they plan to learn from the setback. In his piece, George Conway argued that Whitaker should to be subject to Senate confirmation before serving. Because he wasnt, there has been no mechanism for scrutinizing whether he has the character and ability to evenhandedly enforce the law in such a position of grave responsibility, the piece said. The public is entitled to that assurance, especially since Mr. Whitakers only supervisor is President Trump himself, and the president is hopelessly compromised by the Mueller investigation. They can play that game, but we can play it better, because we have a thing called the United States Senate, Trump said. They can look at us, then we can look at them and itll go back and forth. And itll probably be very good for me politically . . . because I think Im better at that game than they are, actually. A turning point in the debate over health care occurred when Republicans took complete control of the government in 2017. They had used the ACA during the Obama years as a rallying cry for voters to put them in power. Once they had it, they promised, they would use it to take the law apart. It seems like we have jungle law now. It is deeply disturbing that this one radical group has gotten so much power that they can take the whole country hostage, and no one can stop them, said Nelson Azeem, a former legislator from Punjab and a Christian leader. This has caused great fear in the hearts of Christians and other minorities, who feel they could be targeted anywhere on charges of blasphemy and no one could protect them, no matter how baseless the charges are. In advance of the gathering in Paris, Macron has positioned himself as Europes leading challenger to the rising tide of nationalism. He has said that leaders such as Hungarys Viktor Orban are right to see him as their biggest opponents and warned in an address to the United Nations that unilateralism inevitably engenders withdrawal and conflict. It's all about framing for 2020, said Joel Rubin, who was the State Departments liaison to the House during the Obama administration. So much of what the House can do is not through writing a bill that will have to be agreed to by the Senate and signed by the president. Its about clarifying differences and highlighting them. Syrias minority populations are worried that Islamic State militants are regrouping in remote areas of the country after being chased out of their strongholds by U.S.- and Syrian-backed forces. The Druze community had been desperately seeking support from the U.S., Russian and Syrian governments in securing the release of the Druze hostages among those captured by the Islamic State this summer. On Thursday, Syrian state media announced that the Syrian army freed 19 Druze women and children held by the Islamic State since the July attack. The individuals, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal deliberations, said the administration has considered an array of potential actions, including lesser measures to punish the rebels, but they said no decision had been made. It was not immediately clear how far deliberations about the terrorist designation, which would be made by the State Department, had progressed. We do this because of our obligations under international law and who we are as a country, and what we understand our role to be in terms of protecting people fleeing persecution, added Jadwat, who said ACLU attorneys have been anticipating the new measures and reviewing legal options. If the president doesnt like what the law says, the way to address it is to get Congress to pass a new one. On the issue of his opinion columns, Whitaker could argue that he took positions before he knew the full factual and legal circumstances of the case and therefore there is no need for recusal. It is possible ethics officials could still advise him that his commentary created the appearance of a conflict of interest but leave the decision to him. If they recommended forcefully that he recuse himself and he declined, Whitaker could then be referred to the Justice Departments Office of Professional Responsibility, and his license to practice law could be put at issue. The United States has been taken advantage of for many decades on trade, Trump said in a May 31 statement. Those days are over. Earlier today, this message was conveyed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada: The United State[s] will agree to a fair deal, or there will be no deal at all. Banks have told the Hayne royal commission that more rules to ensure their lending is responsible would make it harder for consumers and businesses to get loans and push borrowers into the hands of unregulated "shadow" banks. Home loans and other types of finance could be harder to get if banks have to be more strict on how they assess a borrower's ability to repay a loan. Credit:AAP Responding to Commissioner Kenneth Hayne's critical interim report, lenders including Westpac and the Commonwealth Bank firmly argued against changing the laws to force banks to take on greater responsibility for ensuring loans are suitable for their customers. Under the current laws, banks must make "reasonable inquiries" into a consumer's finances before lending them money, and must ensure loans are "not unsuitable" for consumers. Business lending is not covered by responsible lending laws, but subject to an industry code of conduct. The major banks' long-term funding costs are likely to be raised by a new proposal to boost capital requirements by tens of billions of dollars, in a move that could drag on profits but make the financial system more resilient to shocks. The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) on Thursday proposed lifting total capital requirements for the country's four biggest lenders by four to five percentage points by 2023, in a plan to deal with any future bank failures. The new rules would require the big four banks to hold more capital as a buffer against financial shocks. Credit:Karl Hilzinger The change, a recommendation of the 2014 Financial System Inquiry, would allow banks to use any form of capital to meet the higher requirements. APRA said it anticipated most of the capital would be tier 2 capital - which includes forms of capital such as hybrids or subordinated debt. Unlike APRA's related push to make banks "unquestionably strong" by raising their equity capital, which helps lenders absorb shocks in a crisis, this change is designed to support the "orderly resolution" of a failed bank. Former prime minister Paul Keating's incendiary rhetoric may be entertaining, but it won't be enough to stop the most significant media merger in decades from getting over the line. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission on Thursday said it wouldn't object to the historic tie-up between Fairfax Media (publisher of this column) and Nine Entertainment Co. Former prime minister Paul Keating. Credit:Louise Kennerley The decision, which was widely expected, prompted a fresh outburst from Keating, who was the architect of longstanding cross media ownership laws that were dismantled last year. The old laws would have prevented the merger from happening. In a strongly-worded statement, Keating said on Thursday the deal would consign Fairfax newspapers to the "ethical dustbin of Channel Nine" and "poison quality journalism". He added that the ACCC had acted like a "bunny caught in the headlights" and was "simply not up to it". This former prison guard spent months in Goulburn jail after his ex-partner falsely alleged he had bashed and sexually assaulted her. Prosecutors will press for full time jail for a woman who has admitted she made a false rape allegation against her former partner, a court heard on Tuesday. The former NSW police worker, 28, pleaded guilty this week to the false accusation charge, admitting she staged a fake crime scene, self-inflicted injuries to her head, called triple-o, and later concocted a fake story to police. Among the false allegations she made were that her ex-partner had come to the house and raped her before hosing her off in the yard, court documents say. When the man was arrested on her false allegations he spent more than three months in Goulburn Supermax prison, because of his work as a Canberra prison guard. A female has been killed and three males critically injured in a crash between a semitrailer and a car south of Perth. Emergency services were called to the scene on South West Highway near Hall Road, Waroona, around 4pm Thursday. The crash site. Credit:Caitlyn Rintoul Firefighters extricated the casualties and a rescue helicopter flew one of the wounded to Royal Perth Hospital, while the other two went via ambulance. They were still being assessed in the Emergency Department at 7.30pm. RPH staff could not confirm their ages. Mr Turnbull blamed the instability caused by the coup leaders for fuelling fear among ordinary MPs who voted for change to end the uncertainty. He named Mr Dutton, Mr Abbott, Mathias Cormann, Mitch Fifield, Michaelia Cash, Greg Hunt, Steve Ciobo, Michael Keenan and Angus Taylor for the spill. Malcolm Turnbull has named Peter Dutton and Tony Abbott among the main plotters to oust him. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen They effectively blew up the government, he said. And that created a situation of enormous instability. He said this meant that Liberal MPs were frightened and intimidated and bullied into the final vote. So there are some people who would have voted for the spill not because they wanted me to stop being prime minister, but they wanted the destabilisation to stop, he said. In a key statement on media coverage that destabilised his government, Mr Turnbull confirmed that he was told News Corp executive chairman Rupert Murdoch said Malcolms got to go in the lead-up to the spill. Mr Turnbull said he was told this remark by Seven Network chairman Kerry Stokes after the media mogul had a conversation with Mr Murdoch. Kerry Stokes, hes given an account of this conversation to many people, he said to Rupert: Thats crazy, Malcolms doing well in the polls, hes way ahead of Bill Shorten. Why would you want Bill Shorten to be prime minister? To which, according to Kerry, Rupert said: Oh, well, three years of Labor wouldnt be so bad. I cant work that out. I cant explain that. Mr Turnbull said he spoke to News Corp head Rupert Murdoch about his publications coverage of his government. Credit:ABC Mr Turnbull confirmed that he spoke to Mr Murdoch during the week of the spill to complain about media coverage by the companys newspapers. He said it was really Lachlan's responsibility, but he's always said words to that effect in recent years. I'm not suggesting that isn't right. Mr Turnbull dismissed Mr Dutton by saying he made no clear case for the challenge, unlike Mr Turnbull himself when he stood in public before challenging Mr Abbott in September 2015. He said he wanted to take the GST off power prices. That might be a justification for bringing a submission to cabinet. Its hardly a justification for overthrowing the government, Mr Turnbull said. He also chided former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce for not helping the government in the Wentworth byelection campaign by fuelling leadership instability in the Nationals and proposing the Snowy 2.0 hydro scheme be replaced by a coal-fired power station. Loading I believe the byelection was lost in the last week. It was a pretty messy week for the government, he said. Mr Turnbull blamed the its OK to be white vote in the Senate and Mr Morrisons proposal to move the Australian embassy in Israel. What happened in that last week was the swing against the Liberal Party was accentuated and accelerated, he said. One audience member, Louise Dunbar, said she initially thought Mr Turnbull had a vision for Australia, but was disappointed. You were ineffectual, not able to make the hard decisions, nor confront the media to argue your case, unengaged [sic] with the public and biding your time towards the end, she said. I would like you to take responsibility, and not blame anyone else for this. You had the opportunity, and you blew it. What do you say to the Australian public? Malcolm Turnbull and Donald Trump at the White House in February. The former PM says he was able to keep Australia free from tariffs imposed by the US President. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Mr Turnbull listed achievements including record jobs growth, economic growth, reduced personal income tax, reduced company tax, changes to school funding and record funding for health and pharmaceutical benefits. He added that he prevented Australia suffering from the increase in steel and aluminium tariffs imposed on other nations by US President Donald Trump and also kept the Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal alive. To mixed applause and murmurs of criticism from the audience, he also noted that 5000 same-sex couples had married since his government oversaw marriage equality after a postal survey last year. On climate change, he talked up the adoption of solar power because of the falling cost of solar panels, but said this required long-term planning for energy story including pumped hydro. If you wanted to build a new dispatchable power station, if you said you wanted to deliver 1000 megawatts of power continuously, and you wanted to do that from new sources, I do not believe that you would build, today, a coal-fired power station, he said. He said that applied regardless of issues about climate policy and carbon risk, because renewable generation was so cheap. On Nauru and asylum seekers, Mr Turnbull noted that Labor put people in detention centres by failing to stop boat arrivals. I was able to negotiate a deal with Barack Obama to resettle refugees from Nauru and Manus into the United States, he said. Rather controversially, and with some difficulty, I was able to hang onto that deal with President Trump, and, at this stage, between 400 and 500 people have been resettled. A class action law firm representing thousands of workers allegedly owed more than $320 million in entitlements will apply to intervene in a casual worker test case. ACT-based law firm Adero will on Thursday apply in the Federal Court to intervene in the case between mining industry labour hire firm WorkPac and its former worker Robert Rossato, which seeks to clarify the definition of a casual worker. Rory Markham of Adero Law is preparing class actions against Australia's biggest mining labour hire firms. Credit:Simon McCarthy WorkPac is seeking a declaration that Mr Rossato was a casual employee and not entitled to annual leave, after being hit with an earlier ruling that a truck driver it employed on a casual basis, Paul Skene, was entitled to leave. It comes after Federal Industrial Relations Minister Kelly O'Dwyer last month applied to intervene in the case on behalf of the Commonwealth, saying the law must be clarified to prevent workers from "double dipping" by claiming leave on top of casual loadings. Australia's two most senior Anglicans say there is no need to maintain laws that allow religious schools to discriminate against gay teachers, amid a stunning backflip by the church in Sydney. Philip Freier, the Archbishop of Melbourne and head of the Anglican church in Australia, said he was not aware any Melbourne Anglican school had used its exemption from anti-discrimination laws to expel a gay student or fire a gay teacher. Furthermore, "we have no desire to do so, and no desire for the legal right to discrimination along those lines", Dr Freier said. Melbourne Archbishop Philip Freier said schools in his diocese do not want the right to discriminate against teachers. Credit:Penny Stephens Meanwhile, Sydney Archbishop Glenn Davies said he was "deeply sorry" for a letter co-signed by 34 church schools in NSW calling for "clumsy" exemptions to anti-discrimination laws to remain. Jakarta: Former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd has savaged Scott Morrison's proposal to consider moving Australia's embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, describing it has "foolhardy", and warning it could lead a new wave of violent protest in the Middle East. In a blistering critique of the prime minister's proposal, Mr Rudd says it is regrettable that Mr Morrison has even considered departing from the long-held bipartisan consensus in Australian politics on the status of Jerusalem "for domestic political purposes". Kevin Rudd will unleash on Scott Morrison. Moving the embassy would amount to "sacrificing Australias international political credibility for petty local partisan advantage". "As a former prime minister and foreign minister of Australia, I would call on Prime Minister Morrison to abandon this foolhardy position. There should be no 'process' for him to reach the decision that all his predecessors have reached over many decades, including Prime Minister Howard." Trump then snapped at Peter Alexander of NBC News and directed April Ryan of American Urban Radio to "sit down." Democrats captured the House in Tuesday's elections by leveraging voter fury with Trump, especially in the nation's suburbs and among women and minority voters. That ensures a change in power on Capitol Hill, dividing government in Washington for the first time in Trump's presidency. House minority leader Nancy Pelosi is confident that Democrats will retake the House. Credit:AP Trump on Wednesday said he hopes he can work with Congress to get enough money to build his long-promised border wall but that he would not necessarily force a government shutdown over the issue. "We need the money to build the wall, the whole wall, not pieces of it," Trump told reporters at a news conference at the White House following Tuesday's midterm election. "We need the wall, many Democrats know we need the wall, and we're just going to have to see what happens." Addressing reporters at a White House news conference, Trump repeatedly praised House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, who is poised to reclaim the speaker's gavel she lost eight years ago, and said he looked forward to working with her on "a beautiful bipartisan-type situation." Trump says he could fire Special counsel Robert Mueller. Credit:AP Trump said he saw opportunities to work with Democrats to rebuild the nation's infrastructure, lower the costs of prescription drugs and refashion trade policy. "Now we have a much easier path because the Democrats will come to us with a plan for infrastructure, a plan for health care, a plan for whatever they're looking at, and we'll negotiate," Trump said. Pelosi said her party's victory was about "restoring the Constitution's checks and balances to the Trump administration." But the president said he would react aggressively to any attempt to probe his administration, predicting a "warlike posture" if they investigate him. "They can play that game, but we can play it better, because we have a thing called the United States Senate," Trump said, referring to the enlarged GOP Senate majority following Tuesday's midterm elections. "I could see it being extremely good for me politically because I think I'm better at that game than they are, actually, but we'll find out." Trump also claimed he has the power to immediately end special counsel Robert Mueller's expansive investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, but that he wants to "let it go on." Loading "I could fire everybody right now, but I don't want to stop it because politically I don't like stopping it," Trump said. "It's a disgrace. It should never have been started, because there is no crime." Trump claimed credit for helping grow the GOP's Senate majority and claimed that his party beat expectations "significantly" in the House. He claimed that his "vigorous campaigning stopped the blue wave," and he relished Republican victories in places where Democrats attracted celebrity surrogates, including Oprah Winfrey and former president Barack Obama. "I thought it was very close to complete victory," Trump said. Trump tried to put a positive spin on the mixed verdict, at best, that voters delivered in the first national referendum on his presidency. Trump was cutting in his criticism of some individual House Republicans who lost re-election, attributing their losses to their decisions to distance themselves from him because he was so toxic with voters in their districts. He cited Representatives Carlos Curbelo in South Florida, Mike Coffman in the Denver area and Mia Love in Utah, among others. "Mia Love gave me no love, and she lost," Trump said. In a mocking tone, he continued, "Too bad. Sorry about that, Mia." In a morning tweet, Trump warned House Democrats not to "waste Taxpayer Money" on probes of his administration and said Senate Republicans would respond by investigating Democratic lawmakers for their alleged infractions. "If the Democrats think they are going to waste Taxpayer Money investigating us at the House level, then we will likewise be forced to consider investigating them for all of the leaks of Classified Information, and much else, at the Senate level," Trump said on Twitter. "Two can play that game!" Trump declared a "Big Victory" in the midterm elections, despite the Democratic takeover of the House, and showed none of the humility his predecessors had conveyed at similar junctures. Obama called his 2010 midterm losses a "shellacking," while President George W. Bush called his party's 2006 defeat a "thumpin'." SHELTON Another year, another glowing evaluation for the citys school superintendent. Despite challenging financial obstacles, Schools Superintendent Chris Clouet had an exceptional year as the educational leader of the district, according to an evaluation released on Thursday. Board Chairman Mark Holden said with the evaluation complete, the board will negotiate a contract extension before the end of November. The evaluation reflects the fact Chris is doing an outstanding job for Shelton Public Schools, Holden said. Clouet started in January 2016. Last years evaluation was also glowing This years evaluation was compiled by the nine-member school board after an executive session on Wednesday. He maintains high visibility in the public and in our schools, according to the written summation. Dr. Clouet maintains good community relationships and works to improve the consistently strained relationship with city officials. That is about as close as the board came in the five-page document to referencing this years protracted school bus battle with Mayor Mark Lauretti and the Board of Aldermen. The city took the district to court this past summer after the district rebuffed a city offer to take over the school bus operation in favor of a private vendor. A court-led settlement resulted. Exceptional with communicating to the board updates on the bus situation, one board member commented. In each of several areas, board members ranked Clouet on a scale of 1 to 5. The scores were then combined. On community relations, Clouet scored a 39 out of a possible 45. Parents view him as a kind man who cares about students, wrote one board member. On educational leadership, Clouet scored a 40.5, on staff relations he got a 39.5. On business and finance he got a 38.5, and on organizational management a score of 41. One board member said Clouet is creative when looking for alternative resources. Another said he thinks ahead. Clouets current salary is $202,950. Next year it will be $209,040. Alterna Bank recently partnered with Canadian Fintech Flinks to help its customers open and fund their account faster. With this move, new online applicants will reportedly be able to transfer money from their other Canadian financial institutions to Alterna Bank in 5 minutes or less. Flinks is an entity that provides financial data aggregation. With its technology embedded into Alterna Bank's online account opening process, new applicants' can authentic their identity reliably and securely. In addition, these consumers will be able to validate and link their bank accounts. "Fintechs, like Flinks, are constantly improving their services and applications. Their agility and ability to be responsive to the needs of financial organizations like Alterna Bank, keeps us at the forefront of digital banking in Canada," said Rob Paterson, Alterna President and Chief Executive Officer. "As we work towards making the most of every customer interaction, we are extremely pleased to be providing another secure money transfer option for customers who bank with us." Alterna Bank confirmed that it saw fintech companies as essential to the banks growth. The bank believes that technological advances empower customers to manage their finances in a more convenient fashion. Commenting on the partnership, Flinks Founder & CEO Yves-Gabriel Leboeuf expressed optimism. "Flinks is on a mission to give back power to consumers with their financial data, and we're thrilled that Alterna has launched this initiative," he noted. USA Today recently published an article trying to settle the debate on the best pizza in every state. To determine their list, they utilized TripAdvisor. Using the tens of thousands of ratings added daily by diners on its review site, TripAdvisor has named the top-rated pizzerias in every state. The list is based on the opinions of TripAdvisor diners. It takes into account the ratio and quality of pizzeria reviews compared to overall ratings, along with quality and quantity of reviews received in the past year (ending September 2018). Featured restaurants have a minimum of 4 out of 5 bubbles, 100 reviews and 10 locations or less as of September. Of all the pizza establishments in Kansas, they ended up with Ziggys Pizza. Congrats to Ziggys on their accolade. Of course, its a restaurant weve been too so many times and are big fans of. What do you think? Were they right or wrong? You can read the article here. Happy Dining, Eddy To nominate your restaurant or event to be considered for a review, please email us with your restaurant information. We are always open to suggestions. Check out more from Wichita By E.B. by visiting our social media sites: WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump must have been spoiling for a fight Wednesday when he woke up to a harsh new political reality: a divided Congress, newly empowered Democrats and maybe even a powerful new presidential challenger. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 7/11/2018 (1109 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump must have been spoiling for a fight Wednesday when he woke up to a harsh new political reality: a divided Congress, newly empowered Democrats and maybe even a powerful new presidential challenger. While a surge of opposition didn't swamp the Senate, where the Republicans actually made gains, Democrats turned the tide in the House of Representatives, forming a majority that gives them more power to subpoena cabinet members, investigate the president's ties to Russia and compel the release of the his tax returns. But to hear Trump tell it, the midterms represented an "almost total victory" for his party. President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in the East Room at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) By turns conciliatory and combative, Trump put on a vintage performance Wednesday in the East Room of the White House listing Republicans who lost after rejecting his campaign help, sparring angrily with reporters and offering to work with Democrats only if they stand down on their investigative threats. "They did very poorly," he said of a number of Republican incumbents who turned down his support, several of whom he mentioned by name. "I'm not sure that I should be happy or sad, but I feel just fine about it." Within hours of the end of the 90-minute news conference, another prominent name was gone: Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who submitted his resignation Wednesday "at (Trump's) request" after months of being vilified and embarassed publicy by the president for recusing himself from the Russia investigation. Whenever the subject of Russia or taxes came up Wednesday, Trump sounded like he was issuing an ultimatum. "They've got nothing, zero. You know why? 'Cause there is nothing," he said of the Democrats, suggesting that he would push Senate investigations of Democrats' conduct if they try the same thing with him. "They can play that game, but we can play it better, because we have a thing called the United States Senate, and a lot of very questionable things were done, between leaks of classified information and many other elements that should not have taken place." Traders on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange watch President Donald Trump's news conference, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018. Technology and health care stocks are leading indexes broadly higher on Wall Street as results of the midterm elections came in largely as investors had expected. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) One thing that clearly didn't change overnight was Trump's contempt for the media, particularly CNN. "You are a rude, terrible person," Trump said during one especially heated exchange when CNN's Jim Acosta tried to steer the line of questioning towards the ongoing Russia investigation. "The way you treat (press secretary) Sarah Huckabee is horrible and the way you treat other people are horrible. You shouldn't treat people that way." Journalists raise their hands to ask a question during a news conference with President Donald Trump in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Tuesday's vote ushered a number of new and diverse faces into Congress, including the first Muslim, Indigenous and Korean-born women, while voters in Colorado made Jared Polis the first openly gay man to be elected a state governor. And it might also have freed up another Democratic superstar to take a run at the White House: the charismatic Beto O'Rourke, who was edged out in his bid to represent Texas in the Senate by Republican incumbent Ted Cruz. O'Rourke capped off a remarkably strong campaign with a concession speech that sounded much more like a call to arms. "We are great people: ambitious, defined by our aspirations, the hard work that we are willing to commit in order to achieve them," he told supporters in his hometown of El Paso. "Every single one of us Republicans, Democrats, independents, from the biggest of cities to the smallest of towns the people of Texas want to do and will do the great work of this country." Tuesday's result might have freed up another Democratic superstar to take a run at the White House: the charismatic Beto O'Rourke. (Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News via AP, Pool) Before Tuesday's result, O'Rourke had said he had no plans to seek the presidential nomination in 2020. Asked if she believes him, University of Texas at Austin politics lecturer Victoria DeFrancesco had a simple answer: "No." "Had he won, then 2020 would have been tough for him to justify," DeFrancesco said in an interview. "He is a fantastic fundraiser, he has a great message and if you watched his concession speech I've never seen a concession speech like that. That was basically a campaign speech. So you can read between the lines." Of course, no shortage of Democratic hopefuls are waiting in the wings, all representing segments of the demographic and ideological formula some believe comprises the perfect candidate: elder statesman Joe Biden, visible minorities Cory Booker and Kamala Harris and political veteran Elizabeth Warren, among others. "I think he's as strong of a candidate as anyone else, but it would not be a cakewalk, because there are a lot of other talented people out there," DeFrancesco said. "You could boil it down to two camps: some say, 'Let's play to that middle,' and others will say, 'No, let's fortify the bases.' So I think the next 12 to 18 months are going to be about defining which of those two visions wins out." A democratic government For the people and By the people Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 8/11/2018 (1109 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Flip phone, we hardly knew ye. Samsung Electronics on Wednesday offered a peek at a future phone that unfolds like a book to reveal a 7.3-inch screen inside. Part pocket-size flip phone, part tablet, its the most interesting idea Ive seen in smartphone design for years. You have to see it to believe it and unfortunately, we only got a tease. We think of a smartphone screen as a rigid piece of glass thats limited by the size of the device itself. But Samsungs so-called Infinity Flex Display folds, unfolds and refolds to pack up into a smaller form. This origami screen is bound for a big phone launch, but Samsung didnt offer a name, price or even a timeline other than 2019. The Korean electronics giant showed the new display technology at its annual San Francisco developer conference in the hopes of wooing app makers to create experiences that take advantage of it. In an interview, the CEO of Samsungs mobile division DJ Koh told me the folding phone is no gimmick. "In terms of productivity, always a bigger screen is better," he said. "If we made a much bigger screen than the Note, then it would become a tablet. So why dont we think about folding? We started from this simple idea three or four years ago." Folded up, the device has a screen on its front. When opened, the interior screen lays flat with little hint of a crease to show a widescreen version of whatever app had been previously running on the front. Howd they make the screen fold flat? Koh said Samsung has had bendable OLED screens for years, but theyve been fixed behind glass. The folding phones interior screen uses a different kind of composite polymer transparent material that can withstand being opened or closed at least 300,000 times. Well have to see how it wears in real-world use. What will we do with that big screen? Koh has a few ideas such as play games, watch videos and multitask with up to three open apps but realizes Samsung needs software and user experience help to make the new kind of phone useful before it goes on sale. "We cannot make it happen on our own," he said. Samsung also sought help from Google, whose Android software powers the phone and will need to be tweaked to take advantage of it. "Theres lots of challenges we need to overcome together," Koh said. Washington Post Lifeflight doctors still have very serious concerns about the possibility of privatizing Manitobas air ambulance services after meeting with the provincial health and infrastructure ministers on Wednesday. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 7/11/2018 (1109 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Lifeflight doctors still have "very serious concerns" about the possibility of privatizing Manitobas air ambulance services after meeting with the provincial health and infrastructure ministers on Wednesday. In a letter addressed to Health Minister Cameron Friesen leaked to media last week, the 16 doctors responsible for administering the provinces Lifeflight services seemed poised to quit en masse should Manitoba go through with its plan to privatize their workspace. Dr. Renate Singh, director of the Lifeflight program, said the resulting meeting with Friesen and Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler was valuable, but did little to quell concerns. "We are satisfied that both ministers were engaged and interested in what we had to say. And we had some opportunity to provide some education around the medical side on the consequences of privatization that had not been thoroughly explored before," Singh said. "We still have very serious concerns around privatization. Our concerns havent changed. Our continuation with the program at this point would be extremely uncertain depending on the outcome of this process." Friesen said the province plans to continue with its request for proposal (RFP) process to see if any private companies could provide Manitoba with safer and more efficient air ambulance services. A decision on Lifeflight's future is expected in early 2019, a government spokesperson said. During question period on Wednesday, Friesen pointed to seven other Canadian regions British Columbia, Yukon, Alberta, Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the Northwest Territories that opted to privatize their critical air ambulance services, showing that path is possible. "Well only proceed if its safer and better. If its not safer and better, we wont proceed. The market will tell us through this RFP process if there are those that can meet this strong threshold for safety and efficiency, and we will respond on the basis of evidence," the minister said. "Were in the middle of a process by which government is asking some fundamental questions about a provision of service in Manitoba. Is this the best service? Is this the safest service in its current form?" Friesen said. "Now, we wont apologize for asking those questions. I think theyre the questions that policy-makers and government must ask in order to make sure were getting the best service possible for Manitobans." The province is also going to include Southern Air Ambulance (SAA) in the scope of the RFP for Lifeflight, Friesen said. Southern Air Ambulance provides inter-facility transportation to health centres or hospitals for patients who arent in critical condition, with the goal of curbing lengthy road transports. Its fleet has been grounded periodically over the past couple of years. Friesen said there may be a need for more credentialed pilots to get those planes up in the air. Michelle Gawronsky, president of the Manitoba Government and General Employees Union, which represents SAA crews, said the province has been "starving the Southern Air Ambulance service to the point that its grounded the entire service and has put its future in jeopardy." "By not investing in pilots or paramedics to fully staff the service, they set it up for failure. For over three years, the service has never had a full complement of pilots or paramedics," she said in an emailed statement. "As a result, patients will be forced to endure long trips in ground ambulances instead of steady, smooth flights for a fraction of the time. For paramedics, this means more fatigue due to long transports. Rural Manitobans shouldnt have to put up with this barrier to accessing specialized medical treatments and tests and should demand more from this government." jessica.botelho@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @_jessbu Manitoba's Progressive Conservative government has ordered more than $16-million worth of studies by private consultants since coming to power, seeking advice on everything from health system reforms and cannabis retailing to the sustainability of the horse racing industry. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 7/11/2018 (1109 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Manitoba's Progressive Conservative government has ordered more than $16-million worth of studies by private consultants since coming to power, seeking advice on everything from health system reforms and cannabis retailing to the sustainability of the horse racing industry. The close to 20 studies tabulated by the Free Press are by no means an exhaustive list -- all governments engage outside experts on numerous issues -- but include some of the more high-profile efforts by the Tories to enlist help to shape policy and/or drive down costs. It includes KPMG reviews of the sustainability of the health-care system and the government's fiscal performance, each at a cost of $750,000, and a recently awarded contract worth $6.3 million to Pricewaterhouse Coopers to review government tendering practices. Provincial studies Health System Sustainability & Innovation Review (KPMG) Cost: $749,000 Timeline: announced November 2016, completed in January 2017 (Phase 1) and March 2017 (Phase 2) Made public: partially released December 2017 Virgo Mental Health and Addictions Review Cost: $194,050 Timeline: completed March 31 Made public: yes click to read more Health System Sustainability & Innovation Review (KPMG) Cost: $749,000 Timeline: announced November 2016, completed in January 2017 (Phase 1) and March 2017 (Phase 2) Made public: partially released December 2017 Virgo Mental Health and Addictions Review Cost: $194,050 Timeline: completed March 31 Made public: yes Health Wait Times Task Force Cost: $150,000 Timeline: completed November 2017 Made public: yes Manitoba Fiscal Performance Review (KPMG) Cost: $750,000 Timeline: released October 2017 Made public: yes (with limited exceptions relating to confidentiality of contributors) Pricewaterhouse Coopers Procurement Modernization Strategy Cost: $6.3 million Timeline: announced October, three-year initiative Made public: details to come, government says Constitutional opinion from Brian Schwartz on carbon pricing Cost: $40,000 Timeline: announced August 2017, completed October 2017 Made public: yes KPMG P3 Business Case Manitoba Schools Project Cost: $287,000 Timeline: announced August 2017, to have been completed December 2017 Made public: province promises to do so in future Economic Development Strategy (Deloitte LLP) Cost: $150,000 Timeline: completed December 2017 Made public: yes Look North Consultation Cost: $63,714 Timeline: completed October 2017 Made public: yes Optimus/SBR Fairness Report (Cannabis retail) Cost: $17,386 Timeline: completed July Made public: yes MLT Aikins Policy Review of Workplace Harassment and Sexual Harassment Policies, Practices and Procedures Cost: $46,000 Timeline: announced February 2018, completed summer 2018 Made public: yes Boston Consulting financial review of Manitoba Hydro Cost: About $4.3 million Timeline: completed September 2016 Made public: yes Economic review of Manitoba Hydro's Keeyask and Bipole III projects, conducted by Gordon Campbell Cost: $2.5 million Timeline: announced October, to be completed by December 2019 Made public: It will be, government says Fisheries review by Signature Mediation Cost: $150,000 Timeline: reported from October 2016 to March 2017, posted November 2017 Made public: yes Sustainability review of Manitoba Horse Racing Industry Cost: $135,000 Timeline: report is completed Made public: government plans to release it soon Colleges review by Higher Education Associates Cost: $207,000 Timeline: announced June 2017, completed March Made public: yes Social Impact Bonds strategy by MaRS Centre for Impact Investing Cost: $150,000 Timeline: announced October 2017, to begin in early 2018 Made public: no CancerCare Manitoba Operational Review Cost: unknown Timeline: to be awarded in January, report due 12 weeks later Made public: minister has said it will not be released Total: $16.2 million -- sources: government of Manitoba, media reports, freedom of information requests Close Not all consultant contracts that have made the news are high-cost. For instance, the government paid University of Manitoba law Prof. Brian Schwartz $40,000 last year for a constitutional opinion, as it devised its made-in-Manitoba carbon pricing plan. The latest high-profile external study to come to light is the proposed operational review of CancerCare Manitoba. A request for proposals has been issued, and the government plans to award the contract in late January. No cost estimates have been released. Finance Minister Scott Fielding says the studies are needed because the previous NDP government "systematically mismanaged the province for 17 years," costing taxpayers a fortune. "As a result, we are calling on experts to provide their advice on fixing the provinces finances on a number of fronts and strengthening the services Manitobans rely on," he said in a statement. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Finance Minister Scott Fielding "We will continue to seek expertise, new ideas and best practices that are globally recognized." NDP Leader Wab Kinew said the danger of hiring outside consultants is decisions on health care, for instance, are being made by accountants, as opposed to health-care experts. "The decisions (are) just being made by somebody looking at a spreadsheet," Kinew said. That has led to recommendations that may produce short-term savings but may wind up leading to higher long-term costs, he said. He cited a recommendation to reduce government-funded physiotherapy services as an example. Cutting physiotherapy services could lead to repeat hospitalizations and greater long-term system costs, not to mention reducing the patients quality of life, the NDP leader said. Winnipeg political scientist Paul Thomas said there has been a trend in recent years by governments to rely increasingly on outside consultants as they reduce the number of in-house policy analysts. New governments such as Manitobas -- was elected in 2016 -- tend to use outside consultants more than more established administrations because they may fear senior bureaucrats will resist reforms, he said. Outside consultants tend to "do the bidding of the political masters," Thomas said. "If youre in the consulting business, you dont want to burn your bridges by saying to government, Theres far less money to be saved here, and these programs are not as bad as you think they are.' "Many of the studies being requisitioned by governments today are efficiency or value-for-money audits," Thomas said. The large consulting firms will first send in accountants and business experts to come up with a game plan, and then offer the services of more broadly trained policy and management consulting experts within the same firm to implement it. "Its become a real growth industry within the public sector," Thomas said. A review by the Free Press shows the Civil Service Commission and the Department of Finance spend the most of any government departments and branches on consulting services. larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca jessica.botelho@freepress.mb.ca Laura Genaille doesn't worry about taking a bus during the day, but she's not willing to risk it after dark. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 7/11/2018 (1109 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Laura Genaille doesn't worry about taking a bus during the day, but she's not willing to risk it after dark. "I don't find it would be too safe riding on a bus by myself at night," Genaille said while waiting in the cold Wednesday afternoon along the Graham Avenue transit corridor. "Not when the sun has gone down." JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Jonathan Meikle, left, and Matthew Shorting intervened in a bus attack Sunday when they were riding the 170 bus on Main St. at St Mary. The friends say they intervened when another indigenous man made racial slurs against a black passenger. Meikle was stabbed in the leg when the man pulled a knife. The two, both members of the Bear Clan, held the man until police arrived. Every weekday in Winnipeg, thousands of people rely on Winnipeg's transit system to get them where they need to go. The city's 623-bus fleet travels more than 29 million kilometres each year, stopping at 5,170 locations. But violent incidents are occurring with greater frequency and many riders are boarding the bus with growing apprehension. Last Sunday, a man who intervened after a passenger hurled racial slurs at another rider was stabbed in the leg. Related Items Click to Expand Articles Nov 7, 2018: Despite concerns, transit still a safe option Editorial A woman waiting in a bus shelter outside the North Point Douglas Manor on Main Street Wednesday said she rarely uses transit unless she is with a friend or co-worker. "I don't like to take the bus when I'm alone," said Ruth, who did not want her last name published. "I don't feel safe. "If I take the bus alone, it is only in my neighbourhood to go shopping at Kildonan Place. And I don't use it at night; my husband comes to pick me up. But I know it can be unsafe anytime, anywhere." Waiting in another corner of the frigid shelter, Tony Henderson said he uses Winnipeg Transit every day, despite having been the target of an attack. "I got jumped on the 38," he said. "I was punched, but nothing happened. I had my arms up to protect myself. I'm from the North End, I know how to defend myself. "He hit me 10 times. But I'm not scared to go on the bus. I'm more concerned about the fare increases. Twenty cents more is a large increase when you are on a fixed income." 'I got jumped on the 38, I was punched, but nothing happened. I had my arms up to protect myself. I'm from the North End, I know how to defend myself' Tony Henderson on being attacked while riding a city transit bus A recent Free Press story, using data obtained from the city that tracked transit violence over several years, reported that highest number of assaults occurs on the Route 16 bus. On that route Wednesday, heading west on Selkirk Avenue, a female passenger said she doesn't ride at night. "The few times I have, it was good," she said, declining to give her name. "But the odd time something happens. It happens." Another passenger on route 16 said he doesn't get bothered. "I'm a big boy," he said. "I've never seen anything happen, but the cameras, when they are working, do nothing. It's just like the Wi-Fi sometimes they don't work and other times the driver doesn't turn it on... they should just beef up security." Even an off-duty driver, sitting at the back of the bus, admitted, "I don't think it's safe." "I try to focus on driving when I'm driving the bus," he said, and made reference to the February 2017 stabbing death of a driver finishing his route on the University of Manitoba campus. "Half the time I'm not even looking at the mirror to see what's going on... there's bad people everywhere." Aleen Chaudhary, president of Local 1505 of the Amalgamated Transit Union, said the union continues to ask for Winnipeg Transit to beef up security. "As a bus driver, it changes the whole atmosphere after it is dark," Chaudhary said, adding young drivers often request daytime routes but are usually out of luck because of their lack of seniority and are assigned riskier evening and weekend shifts. "It's a different clientele altogether... people should feel secure whether they are a driver or passenger. The city has to provide a safe workplace." kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca There will be extra security at every Jewish community centre and synagogue this week as Jews worldwide gather to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass. Kristallnacht, which took place in Germany, Austria and the Sudetenland on Nov. 9 and 10, 1938, is recognized as the harbinger of the Final Solution, Nazi Germanys calculated attempt to destroy the Jewish people. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 8/11/2018 (1109 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion There will be extra security at every Jewish community centre and synagogue this week as Jews worldwide gather to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass. Kristallnacht, which took place in Germany, Austria and the Sudetenland on Nov. 9 and 10, 1938, is recognized as the harbinger of the Final Solution, Nazi Germanys calculated attempt to destroy the Jewish people. The extra security, of course, will be a response to the mass shooting that took place on Oct. 27 in the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, when an alt-right Nazi sympathizer armed with a semi-automatic weapon reportedly shouted, "All Jews must die" and proceeded to murder 11 congregants. It is both shocking and terrifying to realize that in spite of the passage of eight decades and the enactment and entrenchment of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and anti-hate legislation, there are still people intent on murdering Jews simply for being Jews and for doing what Jews are obligated to be doing. What the Jews of Pittsburgh were doing was lending their support to an organization called HIAS, a global Jewish non-profit agency committed to refugee protection. The weekend before the shooting, HIAS had sponsored a national Refugee Shabbat, in which refugees, no matter their origins, were welcomed into Jewish sanctuaries to celebrate the Sabbath and enjoy Jewish hospitality. The event was also intended to remind Jewish congregants of their moral obligation to take action to help ease the burden of the more than 65 million refugees currently searching the world for a place to call home. As an organization founded by and largely supported by Jewish people, HIAS understands the toll of persecution and violence, malevolence and exile, homelessness and rootlessness. It understands what Somali-British poet Warsan Shire expresses so eloquently in her poem, Home, when she writes, "No one puts their children in a boat unless the water is safer than the land." It understands that becoming a refugee is not a choice. Initially established in the late 19th century to assist Jews fleeing anti-Semitic pogroms in Tsarist Russia, HIAS was active in the resettlement of Jewish refugees following both world wars, as well as the handful of European Jews allowed into the United States immediately following the Kristallnacht pogrom. More recently, it turned its attention to assisting non-Jewish refugees and asylum seekers, among them Eritreans, Sudanese, Rohingyas and Central Americans. It seems that it was HIASs support for those Central American asylum seekers in particular that enraged the shooter. The actions of that shooter represent the worst anti-Semitic incident ever perpetrated in North America. They also reflect the divisiveness, xenophobia and hatred that have come to define our times. Kristallnacht, too, was a reflection of divisiveness, xenophobia and hatred, although on a much larger scale. When it was over, 1,000 synagogues lay in ruins, 30,000 Jews were incarcerated in concentration camps and 100 Jews lay dead. Although their individual names go unmentioned, those victims are still recognized and remembered at Kristallnacht memorial services each year. Jewish communities have become adept at doing memorial services. Here in Winnipeg, in addition to the annual Kristallnacht memorial, we also have annual services to remember victims of the AIMA bombing in Buenos Aires, victims of the Holocaust and victims of war and terror in Israel. No doubt, there will now be an annual service to recall the victims of the Pittsburgh massacre. Memorial services are important. But there is another way, a better way, for the Jewish community of Winnipeg to remember the Pittsburgh victims. Lets pay homage to those killed by taking up, as they did, the cause of the refugee. Lets give our support and time to local agencies that, like HIAS, are committed to the safety and security of refugees and asylum seekers. Lets take advantage of the fact Canada is one of the few countries in the world that allows the private sponsorship of refugees. Lets encourage our synagogues, our federation and our community organizations to take on more community sponsorships and to speak out and act accordingly when they see refugees and asylum seekers being ill-treated, no matter where that ill treatment takes place. Lets urge one of our community organizations to apply to become a sponsorship agreement holder, so that we can help others bring their uprooted families and friends here to Canada. Lets do what HIAS does. Welcome the stranger. Protect the refugee. Lets not just attend annual memorial services. In the name of those murdered in Pittsburgh, in Kristallnacht and in the Holocaust, lets save some lives. Sharon Chisvin is a Winnipeg-based freelance writer. Scott Walkers administration has been one of the nations most vocal opponents of the Affordable Care Act. Wisconsin was one of more than a dozen Republican-led states that did not fully expand Medicaid using federal money provided by the ACA, and his administration is currently embroiled in a costly lawsuit to have it declared unconstitutional. If the suit is successful, as appears likely with Trumps Supreme Court, then the ACAs mandate for insurance companies to cover pre-existing coverage would end. Gov.-elect Tony Evers vowed during his campaign to drop the suit, to expand Medicaid in Wisconsin and to require insurance coverage for pre-existing conditions. First, however, hell have to overcome opposition from Republican leaders, whove rejected such positions in the past and have indicated their intention to treat Evers with hostility rather than cooperation. In fact, theyve all but promised gridlock for the next two years, as national Republican leaders did after the election of Barack Obama. Enacted in 2010, the ACA required all states to extend Medicaid, a federal program that provides health care to adults earning up to 38 percent above the federal poverty line, which translates into an annual income of $16,753 or less. The ACA required states that didnt already do so to extend Medicaid beneficiaries to low-income, childless and non-disabled adults. In states that adopted Medicaid expansion, it reduced the uninsured rate and increased the economic security of low-income Americans. It also has produced jobs, particularly in the health care sector. The U.S. Supreme Court in 2012 upheld the ACA, but allowed states to opt out of Medicaid expansion. Changing attitudes Wisconsin Republican leaders will continue to resist Medicaid expansion at its members peril, says Citizen Action of Wisconsin. The group cites exit polling from Nov. 6 showing that a super majority of Wisconsin voters ranked health care as their top issue, and 67 percent of voters said they want major changes in the health care system. Those attitudes factored prominently into the victories of Tony Evers, Lt. Governor-elect Mandela Barnes, Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Attorney General-elect Josh Kaul and State Treasurer-elect Sarah Godlewski, according to Citizen Action. Pull Quote This year, voters in three red states Idaho, Nebraska and Utah backed binding referendums approving expansion of Medicaid, despite the opposition of their Republican leaders. Citizen Action organizer Jeff Smith also rode to victory in the states Senate District 31 (western Wisconsin) on health care reform, according to the group. One of the keys to the election was Scott Walkers fundamental misreading of the publics profound unhappiness with the health care system, said Robert Kraig, executive director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin, in a statement to the press. Pre-existing condition discrimination is not a small technical issue, it strikes to the heart of the problem with health care. It can only be meaningfully addressed by using our democracy to fundamentally reform the entire system to guarantee everyone access to high quality coverage, no matter what. This starts with a more robust public role in the system through Medicaid expansion to the full extent allowed by federal law and taking on price gouging by prescription drug corporations. In the midterm election cycle, Democratic candidates in the state supported a BadgerCare Public Option, which Citizen Action members played a major part in developing. That plan would allow individuals and small businesses to buy into Wisconsins popular BadgerCare program at much lower cost than corporate health insurance. For example, Citizen Action's BadgerCare Public Option would cost up to $24,000 less for a family of four, according to Citizen Action research. Directly to the voters In 2014, health care advocates tried to persuade Wisconsin Republican leaders to expand Medicaid by taking the issue directly to the voters through non-binding ballot initiatives. That effort failed, but more recently the strategy has begun working in other states. Last year, Maine became the first state where voters, as opposed to governors or legislatures, decided to expand Medicaid under the ACA. Pull Quote The resistance of Wisconsin Republicans could come back to haunt them in 2020, just as Walkers resistance did in 2018. This year, voters in three red states Idaho, Nebraska and Utah backed binding referendums approving expansion of Medicaid, despite the opposition of their Republican leaders. Passage of the referendums shows that the ACA has gained popularity over the years. It also shows that Nebraskans wanted action, said Nebraska Sen. Adam Morfeld of Lincoln, a Democrat who helped organize the Insure the Good Life drive and served as a consultant to it, told the Omaha World-Herald. They provided action. The measure will extend benefits to nearly 90,000 people in Nebraska. In Idaho, where 91,000 would gain coverage, the initiative passed with over 60 percent of the vote. It had the support of the Republican governor, Bruce Otter. That was not the case in either Nebraska or Utah, where Republican governors opposed expansion. In Utah, 150,000 would gain access. Thirty-five states plus Washington, D.C., have all approved Medicaid expansion. Montana is poised to join that group in the next few days after all the votes in that state have been tabulated. The momentum toward Medicaid expansion will likely add pressure on the remaining states, including Wisconsin, to do so. The resistance of Wisconsin Republicans could come back to haunt them in 2020, just as Walkers resistance did in 2018. Stateline, a news service of The Pew Charitable Trusts, contributed to this analysis. The following companies are subsidiares of Sonoco Products: AMGH, APEI UK Limited, APEI Unlimited IOM, Associated Packaging Technologies Inc., Beteiligungen Sonoco Deutschland Vermogensverwaltungsgesellschaft mbh, CP Acquisition LLC, Can Packaging, Can Packaging SAS, Cap Liners Limited, Capseals Limited, Capseals Liners Limited, Cascades Sonoco Inc. (fka Cascades Conversion Inc), Clear Lam Flexible Films (Nanjing) Co. Ltd., Clear Lam Packaging Inc., Clear Pack Co., Clear Pack Company, Colombiana P.M. LLC, Conitex Sonoco (BVI) Ltd., Conitex Sonoco (Mexico) S. de R.L. de C.V., Conitex Sonoco Hellas S.A., Conitex Sonoco Holding B.V., Conitex Sonoco Inc., Conitex Sonoco India Pvt. Ltd., Conitex Sonoco N.V., Conitex Sonoco Shanghai Ltd., Conitex Sonoco Suzhou Co. Ltd., Conitex Sonoco Taiwan Ltd., Conitex Sonoco USA Inc., Convex Mold Inc., Corenso Holdings America Inc., Corenso North America, Corenso Richmond LLC, Corepak Limited, CorrFlex Graphics LLC, Demolli Industria Cartaria S.p.A., Engraph Inc., Engraph Puerto Rico Inc., Fair Lawn Packaging Services LLC, Friarsgate Studio Limited, Graffo Paranaense De Embalagens S.A., Graffo Paranaense de Embalagens S/A, Grove Mill Paper Company Limited, Gunther of America Inc., Hartsville Corrugating LLC, Hayes Manufacturing Group, Heathfield Reels Limited, Highland Packaging Solutions, Highland Packaging Solutions LLC, Industrial Machine Co. Inc., Inversiones Sonoco Limitada, Italtubetti SpA, Laminar Medica, Laminar Medica (CE) s.r.o., Laminar Medica Limited, Manufacturas Sonoco S.A. de C.V., Matrix Packaging Inc., Nathaniel Lloyd & Company Limited, OOO Sonoco Alcore (fka ZAO Sonoco Alcore), Ontario Inc., PT Conitex Sonoco, PT Papcor Asia Pacific, PT Papertech Indonesia, PT Sonoco Indonesia, Packaging Holdings Inc., Papcor (Dezhou) Packaging Material Co. Ltd., Papertech Dezhou Co. Ltd., Papertech SL, PenPack LLC, Peninsula Packaging Company, Peninsula Packaging LLC, Penpack S. de R.L. de C.V., Phoenix Packaging Corp., Plastique Holdings LTD, SAS Du Lagon, SCI Lagon Quest, SMB GmbH, SPC Capital Management Inc., SPC Liquidation LLC, SPC Management LLC, SPC Resources Inc., SR Holdings of the Carolinas LLC, Sebro Plastics Inc., Sonoco (Shanghai) Co., Sonoco (Taicang) Packaging Co., Sonoco (Weifang) Packaging Company Ltd., Sonoco Absorbent Technologies LLC, Sonoco Absorbent Technologies Limited, Sonoco Alcore - Demolli S.r.l., Sonoco Alcore AB, Sonoco Alcore GmbH, Sonoco Alcore N.V., Sonoco Alcore Nederland B.V., Sonoco Ambalaj Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Sonoco Asia Holding S.a.r.l., Sonoco Asia L.L.C., Sonoco Asia Management Company L.L.C., Sonoco Australia Pty Ltd, Sonoco Board Mills Limited, Sonoco Bonmati S.A.U., Sonoco Canada Corporation, Sonoco Capseals Liners Limited, Sonoco Comercial S. de R.L. de C.V., Sonoco Consumer Products Dordrecht B.V. (fka Dorpak B.V.), Sonoco Consumer Products Europe GmbH (fka Weidenhammer Packaging Group GmbH), Sonoco Consumer Products Hellas S.A. (fka Weidenhammer Hellas S.A.), Sonoco Consumer Products Limited, Sonoco Consumer Products Mechelen BVBA (fka Weidenhammer Belgium BVBA), Sonoco Consumer Products Montanay SAS (fka Neuvibox SAS), Sonoco Consumer Products Poland Sp. Z.O.O., Sonoco Consumer Products SAS, Sonoco Consumer Products South Africa (PTY) Ltd., Sonoco Consumer Products Zwenkau GmbH (fka fka Weidenhammer Plastice Packaging GmbH), Sonoco Cores and Paper Limited, Sonoco D & P LLC, Sonoco D and P York LLC, Sonoco Deutschland GmbH, Sonoco Deutschland Holdings GmbH, Sonoco Development Inc., Sonoco Display and Packaging LLC, Sonoco Elk Grove Inc., Sonoco Embalagens Ltda. (fka Sonoco Embalagens S.A.), Sonoco Europe Limited, Sonoco Flexible Packaging Canada Corporation, Sonoco Flexible Packaging Co. Inc., Sonoco Graphics India Private Limited, Sonoco Hickory Inc., Sonoco Holdings Inc., Sonoco Holdings UK Limited, Sonoco Hutchinson LLC, Sonoco IPD France SAS, Sonoco Iberia S.L.U., Sonoco International Holdings GmbH, Sonoco JV GmbH & Co. KG, Sonoco Kaiping Packaging Co. Ltd., Sonoco Limited, Sonoco Luxembourg Holding S.a.r.l., Sonoco Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Sonoco Milnrow, Sonoco Netherlands Holding II BV, Sonoco Netherlands Holding III BV, Sonoco New Zealand Limited, Sonoco Operadora S. de R.L. de C.V., Sonoco Packaging Limited, Sonoco Packaging Tapes Limited, Sonoco Paper Mill & IPD Hellas SA, Sonoco Paperboard Group LLC, Sonoco Partitions Inc., Sonoco Phoenix LLC, Sonoco Pina S.A.U., Sonoco Plastics B.V., Sonoco Plastics Canada ULC, Sonoco Plastics Germany GmbH, Sonoco Plastics Inc., Sonoco Poland Holdings B.V., Sonoco Polysack A/S Inc., Sonoco Polysack Limited, Sonoco Products Company UK, Sonoco Products Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Sonoco Protective Solutions Inc., Sonoco Recycling - International Trade Group LLC (fka Reparco USA Inc.), Sonoco Recycling LLC, Sonoco Reels Limited, Sonoco Retail Packaging S. de R.L. de C.V., Sonoco S.A. de C.V., Sonoco SAS, Sonoco Saudi Limited Company, Sonoco Services LLC, Sonoco Singapore Pte. Ltd., Sonoco TEQ Holdings Ltd, Sonoco TEQ LLC, Sonoco TEQ Ltd, Sonoco TEQ Sp. Z.o.o, Sonoco Taiwan Ltd, Sonoco Thailand Ltd, Sonoco UK Leasing Limited, Sonoco Venezolana C.A., Sonoco Venture International Holdings GmbH, Sonoco Ventures UK Limited, Sonoco Wisconsin Rapids Core Plant LLC, Sonoco Wisconsin Rapids Inc., Sonoco Wisconsin Rapids Paper Mill LLC, Sonoco Yatai Pinghu Packaging Co Ltd, Sonoco de Colombia Ltda, Sonoco do Brasil Participacoes Ltda, Sonoco do Brazil Ltda, Sonoco of Puerto Rico Inc., Sonoco-Alcore AS, Sonoco-Alcore Ou, Sonoco-Alcore Oy, Sonoco-Alcore S.a.r.l., Sonoco-Alcore Sp. Z.O.O., Sonoco-Engraph Puerto Rico Inc., TPT Board Mills Limited, TPT Limited, Tegrant Alloyd Brands Inc., Tegrant Corporation, Tegrant International Inc., Tegrant Property Holdings LLC, Tegrant de Mexico S.A. de C.V., ThermoSafe Brands Asia PTE LTD., ThermoSafe Brands Europe Ltd., Thermoform Engineered Quality LLC, Trident Graphics Canada Corporation, Trident Graphics NA LLC, U.S. Paper Mills Corp., Unit Reels & Drums Limited, Weidenhammer Chile Ltda., Weidenhammer Packaging Group, Weidenhammer UK Ltd., and Wisenberg U.S. Inc.. The following companies are subsidiares of Accenture: 2nd Road, 2nd Road Pty Ltd., ?What If!, ?What If! China Holdings Ltd, ?What If! Holdings Limited, ?What If! Innovation Singapore Holdings Pte, ?What If! Limited, ?What If! Shanghai Co. Ltd, ?What If! USA LLC, ACN Consulting Co Ltd, AD Dialeto Agencia de Publicidade SA, AD.Dialeto (Digital Agency acquired by Accenture), AGS Business and Technology Services Limited, ASM Research Inc., ASM Research LLC, ATAN, Accenture (Beijing) Mobile Technology Co Ltd, Accenture (Botswana) (Proprietary) Limited, Accenture (China) Co Ltd, Accenture (Shenzhen) Technology Co. Ltd., Accenture (South Africa) (Proprietary) Limited, Accenture (South Africa) Pty Limited, Accenture (UK) Ltd, Accenture 2 Business Process Services S.A., Accenture 2 LLC, Accenture A/S, Accenture AB, Accenture AG, Accenture AS, Accenture Africa Pty Ltd, Accenture Australia Holding B.V., Accenture Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, Accenture Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture Azerbaijan Ltd, Accenture BPM Operations Support Services S.A., Accenture BPM S.C.R.L., Accenture BV, Accenture Branch Holdings B.V., Accenture Bulgaria EOOD, Accenture Business Services for Utilities Inc, Accenture Business Services of British Columbia Limited Partnership, Accenture Business and Technology Services LLC, Accenture C.A, Accenture CAS GmbH, Accenture Canada Holdings Inc., Accenture Capital DAC, Accenture Capital Inc, Accenture Central Europe B.V., Accenture Chile Asesorias y Servicios Ltda, Accenture Cloud Services GmbH, Accenture Cloud Software Solutions Ltd, Accenture Cloud Solutions Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture Cloud Solutions LLC, Accenture Cloud Solutions Ltd, Accenture Cloud Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Co Ltd, Accenture Co Ltd., Accenture Communications Infrastructure Solutions Ltd, Accenture Company Ltd, Accenture Consulting Services Ltd Tanzania, Accenture Consultores de Gestao S.A., Accenture Consultoria de Industria e Consumo Ltda, Accenture Consultoria de Recursos Naturais Ltda, Accenture Credit Services LLC, Accenture Customer Services Distribution SAS, Accenture Customer Services Limited, Accenture Danismanlik Limited Sirketi, Accenture Defined Benefit Pension Plan Trustees Ltd, Accenture Defined Contribution Pension Plan Trustees Ltd, Accenture Delivery Poland sp. z o.o., Accenture Dienstleistungen GmbH, Accenture Digital France Holdings SA, Accenture Digital Holdings GmbH, Accenture East Africa Limited, Accenture Ecuador S.A., Accenture Egypt LLC, Accenture Enterprise Development (Shanghai) Co Ltd., Accenture Federal Services LLC, Accenture Finance (Gibraltar) III Ltd, Accenture Finance GmbH, Accenture Finance GmbH in liquidation, Accenture Finance II GmbH, Accenture Finance II GmbH in liquidation, Accenture Finance II Ltd, Accenture Finance Limited, Accenture Finance and Accounting BPO Services S.p.A., Accenture Finance and Accounting Services Srl, Accenture Flex LLC, Accenture GP LLC, Accenture Ghana Limited, Accenture Global Holdings Ltd., Accenture Global Services Ltd, Accenture Global Solutions Ltd, Accenture GmbH, Accenture HR Services Ltd, Accenture HR Services S.p.A., Accenture Healthcare Processing Inc., Accenture Holding GmbH, Accenture Holding GmbH & Co. KG, Accenture Holding GmbH in liquidation, Accenture Holdings (Iberia) S.L., Accenture Holdings B.V., Accenture Holdings France SAS, Accenture Holdings plc, Accenture Hungary Holdings Kft, Accenture Inc, Accenture Industrial Software Limited Liability Company (Accenture Endustriyel Yazylym Cozumleri Limited irketi), Accenture Industrial Software Limited Liability Company (Accenture Endustriyel Yazlm Cozumleri Limited Sirketi), Accenture Industrial Software Solutions Kft, Accenture Industrial Software Solutions SA, Accenture Insurance Services LLC, Accenture Insurance Services SAS, Accenture Insurance Services SpA, Accenture International BV, Accenture International Capital SCA, Accenture International LLC, Accenture International Limited, Accenture International Sarl, Accenture Japan Ltd, Accenture Korea BV, Accenture LLC, Accenture LLP, Accenture Lanka (Private) Ltd, Accenture Limited, Accenture Ltd, Accenture Ltda, Accenture Maghreb S.a.r.l., Accenture Managed Services SRL, Accenture Managed Services SpA, Accenture Management GmbH, Accenture Middle East B.V, Accenture Middle East BV, Accenture Minority I BV, Accenture Minority III Ltd, Accenture Mozambique Limitada, Accenture Mzansi (Pty) Ltd, Accenture NV/SA, Accenture NZ Limited, Accenture Newco LLC, Accenture Nova Scotia Unlimited Liability Co., Accenture OOO, Accenture Operations Sp. z o.o., Accenture Outsourcing SRL, Accenture Outsourcing Services, Accenture Outsourcing Services S.A., Accenture Oy, Accenture Panama Inc, Accenture Participations BV, Accenture Participations II Limited, Accenture Peru S.R.L, Accenture Peru S.R.L., Accenture Post Trade Processing SAS, Accenture Post-Trade Processing Limited, Accenture Process Ltd, Accenture Product Lifecycle Services, Accenture Properties, Accenture Pte Ltd, Accenture Puerto Rico LLC, Accenture S.A., Accenture S.C., Accenture S.L., Accenture S.R.L., Accenture SAS, Accenture SG Services Pte Ltd, Accenture SRL, Accenture Saudi Arabia Limited, Accenture Sendirian Berhad, Accenture Service Center SRL, Accenture Services (Mauritius) Ltd, Accenture Services AB, Accenture Services AG, Accenture Services AS, Accenture Services GmbH, Accenture Services Ltd, Accenture Services Morocco SA, Accenture Services Oy, Accenture Services Pty Ltd, Accenture Services S.r.l., Accenture Services SRL, Accenture Services Sp. z o.o., Accenture Services Sp. z.o.o., Accenture Services and Technology Srl, Accenture Services fur Kreditinstitute GmbH, Accenture Services s.r.o., Accenture Servicos Administrativos Ltda, Accenture Servicos de Suporte de Negocios Ltda, Accenture Solutions Co Ltd, Accenture Solutions Private Limited, Accenture Solutions Pte Ltd, Accenture Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Solutions Sdn Bhd, Accenture Sp. z o.o., Accenture Sp. z.o.o., Accenture SpA, Accenture State Healthcare Services LLC, Accenture Sub II Inc., Accenture Sub Inc, Accenture Sub LLC, Accenture Systems Integration Limited, Accenture Sarl, Accenture Tanacsado Kolatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Accenture Tanacsado Kolatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag KFT, Accenture Technologia, Accenture Technologia Consultoria e Outsourcing S.A., Accenture Technology Infrastructure Services Pty Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions (Dalian) Co Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions (HK) Co. Ltd., Accenture Technology Solutions (Thailand) Co. Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions - Solucoes Informaticas Integradas, Accenture Technology Solutions - Solucoes Informaticas Integradas S.A., Accenture Technology Solutions GmbH, Accenture Technology Solutions Oy, Accenture Technology Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions S.A. de C.V., Accenture Technology Solutions SAS, Accenture Technology Solutions SRL, Accenture Technology Solutions Sdn. Bhd., Accenture Technology Solutions Slovakia s.r.o., Accenture Technology Ventures BV, Accenture Technology Ventures S.P.R.L., Accenture Uruguay SRL, Accenture Vietnam Co., Accenture Vietnam Co. LTD, Accenture Zambia Limited, Accenture do Brasil Limitada, Accenture plc, Accenture s.r.o., Acceria, Acquity Customer Insight Limited, Acquity Group, Adaptly LLC, Adaptly UK Limited, AddVal Technology, Adqptly, Advantium Inc., Agave Consultants Limited, Agilex Technologies Inc., Allen International, Allen International Consulting Group Ltd, Alnova Technologies Corporation S.L., AlphaBeta Advisors, Altima, Altima Asia Ltd., Altima SAS, Altitude, Altitude LLC, Analytics 8 LP, Analytics 8 Pty Ltd, Analytics8, Aorui Advertising (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Apis, Appaloosa Technology SAS, Arca, Ariba - BPO, Arismore, Aspiro Solutions (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Avanade, Avanade (Guangzhou) Computer Technology Development Co. Ltd., Avanade (Thailand) Co Ltd, Avanade Asia Pte Ltd, Avanade Australia Pty Ltd, Avanade Belgium SPRL, Avanade Canada Inc., Avanade Denmark A/S, Avanade Denmark ApS, Avanade Deutschland GmbH, Avanade Europe Holdings Ltd, Avanade Europe Services Ltd, Avanade Federal Services LLC, Avanade Finland Oy, Avanade France SAS, Avanade GZ Computer Technology Development Co. Ltd. (SH), Avanade Guangzhou, Avanade Holdings LLC, Avanade Hong Kong Ltd, Avanade International Corporation, Avanade Ireland Limited, Avanade Italy SRL, Avanade KK, Avanade Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avanade Netherlands BV, Avanade Norway AS, Avanade Poland Sp. z o.o., Avanade Poland Sp. z.o.o., Avanade Schweiz GmbH, Avanade South Africa, Avanade South Africa Pty Ltd, Avanade Spain SL, Avanade Sweden AB, Avanade UK Ltd, Avanade do Brasil Limitada, Avanade Osterreich GmbH, AvantBiz Consulting Limited, Avenai, Axia Ltd., BABCN LLC, BCT Solutions, BCT Solutions Pty Ltd, BPO Servicos Administrativos Ltda, BRIDGE Energy Group, Beacon Consulting Group Inc., Beijing Genesis Interactive Technology Co. Ltd., Benext, Bionic, Blue Horseshoe, Boomerang Pharmaceutical Communications, Boomerang Pharmaceuticals Communications Ireland Limited, Bow & Arrow, Brand Learning, Brand Learning Group Limited, Brand Learning LLC, Brand Learning Ltd, Brand Learning Partners Limited, Brand Learning Pte Limited, Bridge Energy Group LLC, Brightstep AB, Byte Prophecy, CAS, CRMWaypoint, CadenceQuest Inc., Capable Marketer Limited, Capgemini - North American health practice, Capital Consultancy Services Inc., Certus Solutions Consulting Services Ltd, Certus Solutions Ltd, ChangeTrack Research Pty Ltd., Chaotic Moon Studios, Chengdu Mensa Advertising Co. Ltd., Cimation, Cimation UK Limited, Cirruseo, Cirruseo SAS, Clarity Insights, Clearhead, Clearhead Group, Clearhead Group LLC, ClientHouse GmbH, Cloud Sherpas, Cloud Sherpas (GA) LLC, Cloud Sherpas (SN) (PTE.) Limited, Cloud Sherpas New Zealand Ltd., Cloud Talent Limited, Cloudsherpas, Cloudsherpas Inc., Cloudworks, Codagenic Pty. Ltd., Computer Research and Telecommunications LLC, Concrete Desenvolvimento de Sistemas Ltda., Concrete Solutions, Concrete Solutions Ltda., Context Information Security, Coritel S.A., Corliant Inc., CreativeDrive, CustomerWorks Europe SL, Cutting Edge Solutions Ltd, D5 Global Holdings LLC, DAZ Systems Inc, DAZ Systems LLC, DAZSI Systems (India) Pvt. Ltd., DMA Solutions Limited, Davies Consulting, DayNine Consulting, DayNine Consulting (Australia) PTY LTD, DayNine Consulting (Deutschland) GmbH, DayNine Consulting (New Zealand) Limited, DayNine Consulting France SAS, DayNine Consulting Japan K.K., DayNine Consulting LLC, Declarative Holdings, Declarative Holdings LLC, Defense Point Security, Deja vu Security, Design Strategy and Research de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Designaffairs LLC, Digiplug S.A.S., Digiplug SAS, Digital Consulting & Software Services LLC, Droga5, Droga5 LLC, Droga5 Studios LLC, Droga5 UK Ltd., Duck Creek Technologies, Duck Creek Technologies LLC, Deja Vu Security LLC, ESR Labs, Elcurator SAS, Enaxis Consulting, Enaxis Consulting L.P., End-to-End Analytics, Energuia Web, Energuia Web S.A., Energy Management Brokers Ltd., Energy Quote Private Ltd., EnergyQuote JHA, EnergyQuote JHA Ltd., EnergyQuote Trading Ltd., Enimbos, Enkitec, Enterprise System Partners, Enterprise System Partners B.V. , Enterprise System Partners Bilisim Danismanlik Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Enterprise System Partners Global Corporation, Enterprise System Partners Limited, Enterprise System Partners PR LLC, Enterprise System Partners S.A.S., Entropia, Epylon, Ethica Consulting Group, Evopro Group, Exactside Limited, Exton Consulting, Fairway Technologies Inc, Fairway Technologies LLC, Filmproduction ApS, First Annapolis Consulting, First Annapolis Consulting Inc., First Annapolis Consulting LLC, First Annapolis International, Fjord, Focus Group Europe, Focus Group Europe Limited, Formicary, Formicary Holdings Limited, Formicary Limited, FusionX, FutureMove Automotive, Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda., Genfour, Genfour Limited, George Group Consulting L.P., Gestalt LLC, Gestion Altima Canada Inc., Gevity, Global Public Firm S.L., GlobalView SAS, GoodFilm GmbH Filmproduktion Stuttgart, H.B. Maynard and Co. Inc., HRC Retail Advisory, Hagberg Consulting Group, Hangzhou Aiyunzhe Technology Co. Ltd., Happen, Hjaltelin Stahl, Hjaltelin Stahl K/S, Hytracc Consulting AS, Hytracc Consulting Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Hytracc Consulting UK Limited, Hytracc Holding AS, I-Faber S.p.A., IBB Consulting, IMJ Corp, IMJ Corporation, INCAD, INSITUM, IT One Company Limited, ITBS Servicios Bancarios de Tecnologia de la Informacion SL, Icon Integration, Imagine Broadband (USA) Ltd, Imagine Broadband USA LLC, Imaginea Inc, Industrie&Co, Infoman AG, Infoman Schweiz AG, Informatica de Euskadi S.L., Infusion Development Inc., Infusion Development UK Limited, InfusionDev LLC, Innoveer Solutions India Pvt Ltd, Insitum Consultoria Argentina SRL, Insitum Consultoria Brasil LTDA, Insitum Consultoria Colombia SAS, Insitum Consultoria Europa SL, Insitum Consultoria Peru SAC, Insitum Consultoria S.A. de C.V., Intrepid, Intrigo Systems Inc, Intrigo Systems India Pvt. Limited, Intrigo Systems LLC, Inventor Advertisement (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Inventor Technology Limited, InvestTech, Investtech Systems Consulting LLC, Javelin Group, Javelin Group (Bulgaria) EOOD, Javelin Group Limited (UK), Javelin Group SASU, K Comms Group Limited, KCS.net AG, KCS.net AG West, KCS.net Deutschland GmbH, KCS.net Holding AG, KCS.net Osterreich GmbH, Kaper Communications Limited, Karma Communications Debtco Limited, Karma Communications Group Limited, Karma Communications Holdings Limited, Karmarama, Karmarama Comms Limited, Karmarama Limited, Knowledge Rules Inc., Knowledgent, Knowledgent Group LLC, Kogentix, Kogentix LLC, Kogentix Ltd, Kogentix Singapore Pte. Ltd, Kogentix Technologies Private Limited, Kolle Rebbe, Kolle Rebbe GmbH, Kream Comms Limited, Kunstmaan, Kunstmaan NV, Kurt Salmon, Kurt Salmon Canada LTD, Kurt Salmon UKI, Kurt Salmon UKI Ltd., Kurt Salmon US LLC, LEXTA, LINKBYNET, LabAnswer, LabAnswer Government, LemonXL Limited, Logistics Market Place Limited (UK), Loud & Clear Creative Pty Ltd, MAXIM Systems Inc., MCG US Holdings LLC, Mackevision CG Technology and Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Mackevision Corporation, Mackevision Japan Co. Ltd., Mackevision Korea Ltd, Mackevision Medien Design, Mackevision Medien Design GmbH, Mackevision Singapore Pte. Ltd., Mackevision UK Ltd, Maglan, Maglan Information Defense Technologies Research Ltd., Maihiro, Matter, Matter Llc, Maud Corp Pty Limited, Maxamine International, Media Audits Ltd., Media Hive, Mediasenz Pty Ltd., Meredith Specialty LLC, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing Corporation, Meridian Informed Purchasing Ltd., Mindtribe, Mindtribe Product Engineering LLC, MobGen, MobGen Technology S.L, Moonrise NV, Mortgage Cadence, Mortgage Cadence an Accenture Company, Most Champion Ltd, Mudano, N3 LLC, NBS Marketing Inc., NYTEC, Nanjing Demeng Advertising Co. Ltd., Nashco Consulting, NaviSys Inc., NellArmonia, Neo Metrics Analytics S.L., Neo Metrics Chile, Neo Metrics Chile S.A., New Content, New Content Chile SpA, New Content Editora e Produtora Ltda., New Energy Aborda, New Energy Associates Ltd, New Energy Group, New Energy S.r.l., NewsPage, NewsPage (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, NewsPage China Ltd., NewsPage Pte Ltd, Nice Agency Limited, Northstream, Northstream AB, Northstream Holding AB, OCTO Technology, OPS Rules Management Consultants, Octagon Research Solutions Inc., Octo Technology LTDA, Octo Technology Pty Ltd, Octo Technology SA, Octo Technology SPRL, Octoman SAS, Odgaard ApS, Olikka, Openmind, Openminded, Operaciones Accenture S.A. de C.V., OpusLine, Orbium, Orbium Consulting Ltd, Orbium GmbH, Orbium Holding AG, Orbium Inc., Orbium International AG, Orbium International sp. z o.o., Orbium Licences AG, Orbium Limited, Orbium Pte. Ltd., Orbium Pty Ltd, Orbium Services sp. z o.o., Orbium Sarl, Origin Digital, PCO Innovation, PCO Innovation Canada Inc., PCO Innovation EURL, PIXO PUNCH Limited, PLM Systems S.r.l, POC Holdings, PRION GmbH, PT Accenture, PT Asta Catur Indra, PT Kogentix Teknologi Indonesia, Pach Invest SARL, Pach Invest SAS, PacificLink Group, PacificLink iMedia Ltd., Paja Finanssipalvelut Oy, Parker Fitzgerald Inc, Parker Fitzgerald Inc., Parker Fitzgerald International Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Limited, Parker Fitzgerald PTY Ltd, Parker Fitzgerald Services Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Solutions Limited, Partners Technology Mexico Holdings BV, Pecaso Ltd., Pegasus Production K/S, Perseroan Terbatas. Accenture, Phase One Consulting Group, Pillar Technology, Pollux, Pragsis Bidoop, Pragsis Bidoop UK Ltd, Pragsis Technologies S.L, PrimeQ, PrimeQ Australia Pty Ltd, PrimeQ Ltd, PrimeQ NZ Pty Ltd, Procurian Germany GmbH, Procurian Inc., Procurian International I LLC, Procurian International II LLC, Procurian LLC, Procurian Singapore Pte. Ltd., Procurian Switzerland GmbH, Procurian USA LLC, Proquire LLC, PureApps Ltd., Qi Jie Beijing Information Technologies Co Ltd, Radiant Services, Radiant Services LLC, Random Walk Computing Inc., Reactive Media Limited, Reactive Media Pty Ltd., Real Protect, Realworld OO Systems Ltd., Redcore, Redcore (Asia) Pte Ltd, Redcore (India) Private Limited (India), Redcore (New Zealand) Limited, Redcore Group Holdings Pty Ltd, Redcore Pty Ltd, Renacentis IT Services, Revolutionary Security, RiskControl, Rothco, Rothco Holdings Designated Activity Company, Rothco Unlimited Company, S.C. EnergyQuote S.r.l., S3 TV Technology Limited, S3 TV Technology Ltd., SEC Servizi, SEC Servizi S.p.A., SOPIA Corp., Sagacious Consultants, Sagacious Consultants LLC, Salt Solutions, Sanchez Capital Services Pvt Ltd, Schlumberger Business Consulting, Seabury Airline Planning Group, Seabury Aviation & Aerospace (UK) Limited, Seabury Aviation & Aerospace Asia (Hong Kong) Limited, Seabury Aviation Consulting LLC, Seabury Cargo Advisory B.V., Seabury Consulting, Seabury Corporate Advisors LLC, Seabury Human Capital LLC, Seabury Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Seabury Structured Finance LLC, Search Technologies BPO, Search Technologies BPO Inc., Search Technologies GmbH, Search Technologies International LLC, Search Technologies LATAM, Search Technologies LATAM S.A., Search Technologies LLC, Search Technologies Limited, Sente Partners LLC, Sentelis, Servicios Tecnicos de Programacion Accenture S.C., Shackleton, Shackleton Barcelona S.L., Shackleton Chile S.A., Shackleton Madrid S.L., Shackleton S.A., Shanghai Baiyue Advertising Co. Ltd., Shun Zhe Technology Development Co. Ltd., Silveo, Simian Pty Limited, SinnerSchrader, SinnerSchrader AG, SinnerSchrader Commerce GmbH, SinnerSchrader Content GmbH, SinnerSchrader Deutschland GmbH, SinnerSchrader Praha s.r.o., SinnerSchrader Swipe GmbH, Sistemes Consulting S.L., Solutions IQ, Solutions IQ LLC, SolutionsIQ, SolutionsIQ India Consulting Services Private Limited, Storm Digital, Storm Digital B.V., Structure Consulting Group, Structure Consulting Group LLC, Sutter Mills, Systor AG, TQuila Limited (UK), Tadata Creative Unlimited Company, Tara Insurance DAC, Tara Risk DAC, TargetST8, TargetST8 Consulting LLC, Tech - Avanade Portugal Unipessoal Lda, Tecnilogica Ecosistemas S.A., Tecnilogica Ltd., Tecnilogica, The Brand Learning Partners Limited, The Callisto Integration Corporation, The Monkeys, The Monkeys Pty Limited, The Myrtle Group, Total Logistics, Total Logistics Supply Chain Consultants Limited, Tquila, Trivadis AG, Troop Studios Pty Ltd, VanBerlo, Verax Solutions, Verax Solutions Corporation, Vertical Retail Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd., Vertical Retail Consulting Hong Kong, Vertical Retail Consulting Hong Kong Ltd., Vertical Retail Consulting Ltd., Vivere Brasil Servicos e Solucoes SA, Vivere Brasil Solucoes De Credito Ltda., Wabion GmbH, Weblinc Pty Ltd, Wire Stone, Wire Stone LLC, Wire Stone Sarl, Wolox, Workforce Insight, Yesler, Zag, Zenta, Zenta Global Philippines, Zenta Global Philippines Inc., Zenta Mortgage Services LLC, Zenta Recoveries Inc, Zenta US Holdings Inc., Zielpuls, Zielpuls (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zielpuls GmbH, avVenta, designaffairs, designaffairs Business Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., designaffairs GmbH, designaffairs group China Co. Ltd., dgroup, i4C Analytics, iDefense, and solid-serVision.com GmbH. The following companies are subsidiares of American International Group: AGC Life Insurance Company, AIG APAC HOLDINGS PTE. LTD., AIG Advisors S.r.l., AIG Aerospace Insurance Services Inc., AIG Asia Pacific Insurance Pte. Ltd., AIG Asset Management (Europe) Limited, AIG Asset Management (U.S.) LLC, AIG Assurance Company, AIG Australia Limited, AIG Brazil Holding I LLC, AIG CIS Investments LLC, AIG Canada Holdings Inc., AIG Capital Corporation, AIG Capital Services Inc., AIG Claims Inc., AIG Egypt Insurance Company S.A.E., AIG Employee Services Inc., AIG Europe (Services) Limited, AIG Europe Holdings S.a.rl., AIG Europe S.A., AIG Federal Savings Bank, AIG Financial Products Corp., AIG General Insurance Co. Ltd., AIG Global Asset Management Holdings Corp., AIG Global Real Estate Investment Corp., AIG Global Reinsurance Operations, AIG Holdings Europe Limited, AIG Insurance (Thailand) Public Company Limited, AIG Insurance Company China Limited, AIG Insurance Company JSC, AIG Insurance Company of Canada, AIG Insurance Company-Puerto Rico, AIG Insurance Hong Kong Limited, AIG Insurance Limited, AIG Insurance Management Services Inc., AIG Insurance New Zealand Limited, AIG International Holdings GmbH, AIG Investments UK Limited, AIG Israel Insurance Company Ltd, AIG Japan Holdings Kabushiki Kaisha, AIG Kenya Insurance Company Limited, AIG Korea Inc., AIG Latin America I.I., AIG Latin America Investments S.L., AIG Lebanon SAL, AIG Life Holdings Inc., AIG Life Insurance Company (Switzerland) Ltd, AIG Life Limited, AIG Life South Africa Limited, AIG Life of Bermuda Ltd., AIG MEA Holdings Limited, AIG MEA Limited, AIG Malaysia Insurance Berhad, AIG Markets Inc., AIG Matched Funding Corp., AIG PC Global Services Inc., AIG Philippines Insurance Inc., AIG Property Casualty Company, AIG Property Casualty Inc., AIG Property Casualty International LLC, AIG Property Casualty U.S. Inc., AIG Re-Takaful (L) Berhad, AIG Resseguros Brasil S.A., AIG Seguros Brasil S.A., AIG Seguros Mexico S.A. de C.V., AIG Shared Services Corporation, AIG South Africa Limited, AIG Specialty Insurance Company, AIG Technologies Inc., AIG Travel Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., AIG Travel Assist Inc., AIG Travel Assist Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., AIG Travel EMEA Limited, AIG Travel Inc., AIG Uganda Limited, AIG Vietnam Insurance Company Limited, AIG WarrantyGuard Inc., AIG-FP Pinestead Holdings Corp., AIG-Metropolitana Cia. de Seguros y Reaseguros S.A., AIGGRE EOLA LLC, AIGGRE Europe Real Estate Fund I GP S.a r.l., AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund I GP LLC, AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund I LP, AIGGRE U.S. Real Estate Fund II GP LLC, AIU Insurance Company, AM Holdings LLC, Ageas Protect, AlphaCat Managers Ltd., American General Corporation, American General Life Insurance Company, American Home Assurance Co. Ltd., American Home Assurance Company, American Home Assurance Company Escritorio de Representacao no Brasil Ltda., American International Group Inc., American International Group UK Limited, American International Overseas Association, American International Overseas Limited, American International Realty Corp., American International Reinsurance Company Ltd., American International Underwriters del Ecuador-Holding S.A., American Security Life Insurance Company Limited, Arthur J. Glatfelter Agency Inc., Avondhu Limited, Blackboard Customer Care Insurance Services LLC, Blackboard Insurance Company, Blackboard Services LLC, Blackboard Specialty Insurance Company, Blackboard U.S. Holdings Inc., Chartis Takaful Enaya B.S.C. (c), Commerce and Industry Insurance Company, Crop Risk Services Inc., Eaglestone Reinsurance Company, Ellipse, Fortitude Group Holdings LLC, Fortitude Life & Annuity Solutions Inc., Fortitude Reinsurance Company Ltd., Franklin Life Insurance Company, Fuji Fire and Marine, Glatfelter Insurance Group, Globe and Rutgers Insurance Group, Grand Isle SAC Limited, Granite State Insurance Company, Group Risk Services Limited, Group Risk Technologies Limited, Illinois National Insurance Co., Jefferson Eola Venture LLC, Johannesburg Insurance Holdings (Proprietary) Limited, Laya Healthcare Limited, Lexington Insurance Company, MG Reinsurance Limited, Mt. Mansfield Company Inc., National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh Pa., National Union Fire Insurance Company of Vermont, New Hampshire Insurance Company, PT AIG Insurance Indonesia, Pine Street Real Estate Holdings Corp., Private Joint-Stock Company AIG Ukraine Insurance Company, Risk Specialists Companies Insurance Agency Inc., SA Affordable Housing LLC, SAFG Retirement Services Inc., Service Net Warranty LLC, Stratford Insurance Company, SunAmerica Affordable Housing Partners Inc., SunAmerica Asset Management LLC, Talbot Holdings Ltd., Talbot Underwriting Holdings Ltd., Talbot Underwriting Ltd., Thai CIT Holding Company Limited, The Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania, The United States Life Insurance Company in the City of New York, The Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company, Travel Guard, Travel Guard Group Canada Inc./Groupe Garde Voyage du Canada Inc., Travel Guard Group Inc., Tudor Insurance Company, VALIC Financial Advisors Inc., Valic Retirement Services Company, Validus Holdings, Validus Holdings (UK) Ltd., Validus Holdings Ltd., Validus Reinsurance (Switzerland) Ltd, Validus Reinsurance Ltd., Validus Ventures Ltd., Volunteer Firemen's Insurance Services Inc., Western World Insurance Company, and Western World Insurance Group Inc.. American Water Works Co., Inc. engages in the provision of complementary water and wastewater services. It operates through the following segments: Regulated Businesses; Market-Based Businesses; and Other. The Regulated Businesses segment provides water and wastewater services to customers. The Market-Based Businesses segment is responsible for Military Services Group, Contract Operations Group, Homeowner Services Group, and Keystone Operations. The Other segment includes corporate costs that are not allocated to the Company's operating segments, eliminations of inter-segment transactions, fair value adjustments and associated income and deductions related to the acquisitions that have not been allocated to the operating segments for evaluation of performance and allocation of resource purposes. The company was founded in 1886 and is headquartered in Camden, NJ. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Archer-Daniels-Midland: ADM (Shanghai) Management Co. LTD, ADM (Thailand) Ltd, ADM Ag Holdings Ltd, ADM Agri-Industries Company, ADM Agriculture Limited, ADM Agro Iberica S. L. U., ADM Agro Indust Latur and Vizag Pvt Ltd, ADM Agro Industries India Private Limited, ADM Agro Industries KOTA and AKOLA Pvt. Ltd., ADM Agro SRL, ADM Agroinvestimentos LTDA, ADM Alliance Nutrition of Puerto Rico LLC, ADM Americas S de RL, ADM Andina Peru SRL, ADM Antwerp NV, ADM Arkady Ireland Limited, ADM Asia-Pacific Trading Pte. Ltd., ADM Australia Holdings I PTY Limited, ADM Bio Science And Technology (Tianjin) Co Ltd, ADM Bioproductos SA DE CV, ADM CZERNIN SA, ADM Caribbean Inc, ADM Chile Comercial LTDA, ADM Clinton Bioprocessing Inc, ADM DO Brasil LTDA, ADM Direct Polska SP. ZO.O, ADM Dominican Holdings Inc., ADM Dominicana SA, ADM Edible Bean Specialties Inc, ADM Europe HoldCo SL, ADM European Holdings LLC, ADM European Management Holding GMBH, ADM Export Co, ADM Food Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd., ADM France, ADM Germany GmbH, ADM Grain River System Inc., ADM Hamburg Aktiengesesllschaft, ADM Holding (Thailand) LTD, ADM Holdings LLC, ADM Hungary Agro Trading LLC, ADM Industries Centers Ltd, ADM International Holdings Inc, ADM International SARL, ADM Interoceanic LTD, ADM Investments LTD, ADM Investor Services Inc, ADM Investor Services International LTD, ADM Ireland Receivables Company Limited, ADM Israel, ADM Japan Ltd, ADM MALBORK SA, ADM Mainz GMBH, ADM Medsofts Sarl, ADM Mexico Inc, ADM Mexico SA DE CV, ADM Milling Co, ADM Milling LTD, ADM New Zealand Limited, ADM Olomouc S.R.O., ADM Paraguay SRL, ADM Protexin Limited, ADM Pura Limited, ADM Receivables LLC, ADM Rice Inc, ADM Ringaskiddy Unlimited Company, ADM Romania Logistics SRL, ADM Romania Trading SRL, ADM Specialty Ingredients - Europe BV, ADM Spyck GMBH, ADM Szamotuly SP Z O.O, ADM Trading Australia Pty. Ltd., ADM Trading Co, ADM Transportation Company, ADM Trucking Inc, ADM Vietnam CO. LTD, ADM WILD Europe GmbH and Co. KG, ADM WILD Ingredients GmbH, ADM WILD Nauen GmbH, ADM WILD Valencia S.A., ADM Wild Netherlands BV, ADM Worldwide Holdings LP, ADMIS Holding Co Inc., ADMIS Hong Kong LTD, ADMIS Singapore Pte Limited, AOR, AT Holdings II Company, Agri Port Services Investments Ltd., Agri Port Services LLC, Agricolas Madagascar SARLU, Agrinational Insurance Co, Agriserve, Agrograin LTD, Alfrebro LLC, Alfred C Toepfer International Netherlands BV, Alimenta USA, American River Transportation Company LLC, Ameriseed, Amylum Bulgaria EAD, Amylum Nisasta Sanayi Ve Ticarek Anonim Sirketi, Archer Daniels Midland (UK) Limited, Archer Daniels Midland Asia Pacific Ltd., Archer Daniels Midland Erith LTD, Archer Daniels Midland Europe BV, Archer Daniels Midland Europoort BV, Archer Daniels Midland Nederland BV, Archer Daniels Midland Singapore PTE LTD, Arinos Unlimited, Aston Foods & Food Ingredients, Balanceados Nova SA Balnova, Barbados Mills Limited, Bela Vista Bio Etanol Participacoes LTDA, Bern Aqua, BioPolis SL, Biopolis, Campa Sued GmbH & Co KG, Cattleman's Choice Loomix LLC, Chamtor, Ci ADM Colombia Ltda., Controladora ADM Sa De Cv, Crosswind Petfoods Inc., Daavision BV, Eaststarch, Eatem Corporation, Eatem Foods, Elstar Oils, English River Pellets Inc., Epicore Bionetworks INC, Epicore Networks (USA) INC, Erich Ziegler GmbH, Evialis France, Fasco Mills Co., Filozoo SRL, Florida Chemical, Florida Chemical Company LLC, GP Blanching Inc., Global Cocoa Holdings LTD, Golden Peanut Company LLC, Golden Peanut and Tree Nut Seed SA (PTY) LTD, Golden Peanut and Tree Nuts SA, Group Lysac, Guyomarc'h - VCN Company Limited, Guyomarc'h Vietnam CO LTD, HFR Shipping Company Ltd, HRA Shipping Company Ltd, HTI Shipping Company Ltd, Harvest Innovations, Hilltop Grain and Feed, Holding P and A Asia Company Limited, Hubei Meiweiyuan Biotechnology, Ilitchevskiy Maslo Extractionniy Zavod (IMEZ), Invivo NSA Asia PTE LTD, Invivo NSA Philippines Inc, Jamaica Flour Mills Limited, Julius Meijer-Alpharma BV, LLC ADM Ukraine, Liquid Feed Commodities, Malta Industries SA de CV, Malta-Texo De Mexico SA de CV, Master Mix of Trinidad LTD, Medsofts Investment Co, Medsofts L.L.C., Medsofts Trading Co, Mepla Comercio e Navegacao Ltda, NRG Inc, Naviera Chaco SRL, Neovia, Neovia Latina SL, Neovia Nutricao E Saude Animal LTDA, North Star Shipping S.R.L., P and A Marketing SA, PJSC ADM Illichivsk, PT Wirifa Sakti, Pancosma (Shanghai) Feed Additives CO LTD, Pancosma France SAS, Pancosma SA, Premiere Agri Technologies of Mexico Inc, Pura Foods LTD, Rodelle Inc., Schokinag-Schokolade-Industrie Herrmann, Sermix, Setna Nutricion SA, Societe Industrielle Des Oleagineux, Southern Cellulose Products Inc, Soy Investors LLC, Specialty Commodities, Specialty Commodities LLC, Sul Mineira Alimentos LTDA, SzSzV Kft, Toepfer International, Toepfer International Trading (Shanghai) Co. LTD., Vantage Corn Processors LLC, WILD Amazon Flavors Ltda, WILD Flavors, Wild Flavors Inc., Wild Flavors International GmbH, Wild Flavors Singapore Pte. Ltd., Wild Intermare GmbH, Wild Russia LLC, and Wisium SA (PTY) LTD. The following companies are subsidiares of BlackRock: Acero Cooperatief U.A., Acero Holdings I B.V., Amethyst Merger Sub LLC, AnalytX Hosting LLC, AnalytX LLC, AnalytX Software LLC, Aperio, Aperio, Aquila Heywood, Asia-Pacific Private Credit Opportunities Fund I (GenPar) Ltd., BAA Holdings LLC, BFM Holdco LLC, BLK (Gallatin) Holdings LLC, BLK SMI LLC, BR Acquisition Mexico S.A. de C.V., BR Jersey International Holdings L.P., Beijing eFront Software Company Limited, BlackRock (Barbados) Finco 1 SRL, BlackRock (Channel Islands) Limited, BlackRock (Luxembourg) S.A., BlackRock (Netherlands) B.V., BlackRock (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BlackRock (Singapore) Holdco II Pte. Ltd., BlackRock (Singapore) Holdco Pte. Limited, BlackRock (Singapore) Limited, BlackRock AP Investment Holdco LLC, BlackRock Advisors (UK) Limited, BlackRock Advisors LLC, BlackRock Advisors Singapore Pte. Limited, BlackRock Alternative Advisors GP Holdings LLC, BlackRock Alternatives Management LLC, BlackRock Argentina Asesorias Ltda., BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited, BlackRock Asset Management Deutschland AG, BlackRock Asset Management International Inc., BlackRock Asset Management Investor Services Limited, BlackRock Asset Management Ireland Limited, BlackRock Asset Management North Asia Limited, BlackRock Asset Management Schweiz AG, BlackRock Asset Management UK Limited, BlackRock Australia Holdco Pty. Ltd., BlackRock Brasil Gestora de Investimentos Ltda., BlackRock Cal 1 Investor LLC, BlackRock Canada Holdings LP, BlackRock Canada Holdings ULC, BlackRock Capital Holdings Inc., BlackRock Capital Investment Advisors LLC, BlackRock Capital Management Inc., BlackRock Cayco Limited, BlackRock Cayman 1 LP, BlackRock Cayman Capital Holdings Limited, BlackRock Cayman Finco 2 Limited, BlackRock Cayman Finco 3 Limited, BlackRock Cayman Finco Limited, BlackRock Cayman West Bay Finco Limited, BlackRock Cayman West Bay IV Limited, BlackRock Cayman Z Limited, BlackRock Channel Islands Holdco Limited, BlackRock Chile Asesorias Limitada, BlackRock Colombia Holdco LLC, BlackRock Colombia Infraestructura S.A.S., BlackRock Colombia SAS, BlackRock Company Secretarial Services (UK) Limited, BlackRock Corporation US Inc., BlackRock Delaware Holdings Inc., BlackRock Enterprise Management Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BlackRock Europe Development Management Limited, BlackRock Execution Services, BlackRock Finance Europe Limited, BlackRock Financial Management Inc., BlackRock Finco LLC, BlackRock Finco UK Ltd., BlackRock First Partner Limited, BlackRock France SAS, BlackRock Fund Advisors, BlackRock Fund Management Company S.A., BlackRock Fund Managers Limited, BlackRock Funding International Ltd., BlackRock Funds Services Group LLC, BlackRock Germany GmBH, BlackRock Group Limited, BlackRock HK Holdco Limited, BlackRock Holdco 2 Inc., BlackRock Holdco 3 LLC, BlackRock Holdco 4 LLC, BlackRock Holdco 5 LLC, BlackRock Holdco 6 LLC, BlackRock Hungary Kft, BlackRock Index Services LLC, BlackRock Infrastructure Management I LLC, BlackRock Institutional Services Inc., BlackRock Institutional Trust Company National Association, BlackRock International Holdings Inc., BlackRock International Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Australia) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Dublin) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Korea) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BlackRock Investment Management (Taiwan) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited, BlackRock Investment Management Ireland Holdings Limited, BlackRock Investment Management LLC, BlackRock Investments LLC, BlackRock Japan Co. Ltd., BlackRock Japan Holdings GK, BlackRock Jersey Finco 2 Limited, BlackRock Latin America Holdco LLC, BlackRock Latin American Holdings B.V., BlackRock Life Limited, BlackRock Lux Finco S.a r.l., BlackRock Luxembourg Holdco S.a r.l., BlackRock Mexican Holdco B.V., BlackRock Mexico Infraestructura I S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Infraestructura II S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Infraestructura III S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Manager II S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Manager III S. de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Manager S de R.L. de C.V., BlackRock Mexico Operadora S.A. de C.V. Sociedad Operadora de Fondos de Inversion, BlackRock Mortgage Ventures LLC, BlackRock Niagara LLC, BlackRock Operations (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., BlackRock Overseas Investment Fund Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BlackRock PC Holdings LLC, BlackRock Pensions Limited, BlackRock Peru Asesorias S.A., BlackRock Property Consulting (Beijing) Co. Ltd., BlackRock Property France S.a.r.l., BlackRock Property Lux S.a.r.l., BlackRock Property Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., BlackRock Realty Advisors Inc., BlackRock Saudi Arabia, BlackRock Scale Holdings LLC, BlackRock Services India Private Limited, BlackRock Singapore III Pte. Ltd., BlackRock Slovakia s.r.o., BlackRock Strategic Investors GP LLC, BlackRock Strategic Investors LP, BlackRock Trident Holding Company Limited, BlackRock UK (Alpha) Limited, BlackRock UK (Beta) Limited, BlackRock UK (Delta) LP, BlackRock UK (Gamma) Limited, BlackRock UK (Sigma) Limited, BlackRock UK 2 LLP, BlackRock UK 3 LLP, BlackRock UK 4 LLP, BlackRock UK A LLP, BlackRock UK Holdco 2 Limited, BlackRock UK Holdco Limited, Blackhawk Investment Holding LLC, CIE Automotive, Cachematrix Holdings, Cachematrix Holdings LLC, Cachematrix Integrations Private Limited, Cachematrix Software Solutions LLC, Cachematrix UK Limited, FutureAdvisor Inc., Glass Mountain Pipeline, Global Energy & Power Infrastructure Advisors LLC, Global Energy & Power Infrastructure II Advisors LLC, Grosvenor Alternate Partner Limited, Grosvenor Ventures Limited, HLX Financial Holdings LLC, MGPA (Bermuda) Limited, MGPA (Exec) Limited, MGPA Limited, Mercury Carry Company Ltd., Mercury Private Equity MUST 3 (Jersey) Limited, Object Capital Technology Inc., Phoenix Acquisition B.V., Phoenix Acquisitions Holdings LLC, Portfolio Administration & Management Ltd., Prestadora de Servicios Integrales BlackRock Mexico S.A. de C.V., SVOF/MM LLC, St. Albans House Nominees (Jersey) Ltd., State Street Research & Management, Tennenbaum Capital Partners LLC, Tennenbaum Capital Partners LLC, Tlali Acero S.A. de C.V. SOFOM ENR, Trident Merger LLC, eFront, eFront, eFront (Jersey) Limited, eFront DMLT Holdings LLC, eFront DMLT Holdings S.R.L, eFront DR S.R.L, eFront Do Brasil Solucoes Informaticas Para Sistemas Financeiros Ltda., eFront FZ-LLC, eFront Financial Solutions Inc., eFront GmbH, eFront Holding II SAS, eFront Holdings SAS, eFront Hong Kong Limited, eFront II SAS, eFront Kabushiki Kaisha, eFront Ltd, eFront SAS, eFront Singapore Pte. Ltd, eFront Software Luxembourg S.a r.l., eFront Solutions Financeieres Inc., eFront d.o.o. Beograd, iShares (DE) I Investmentaktiengesellschaft mit Teilgesellschaftsvermogen, and iShares Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC. The following companies are subsidiares of Bristol-Myers Squibb: 1096271 B.C. ULC, 345 Park LLC, A.G. Medical Services P.A., AHI Investment LLC, AbVitro LLC, Abraxis BioScience Australia Pty Ltd., Abraxis BioScience Inc., Abraxis BioScience International Holding Company Inc., Abraxis BioScience LLC, Abraxis BioScience Puerto Rico LLC, Acetylon Pharmaceuticals Inc., Adnexus, Adnexus a Bristol-Myers Squibb R&D Company, Allard Labs Acquisition G.P., Amira Pharmaceuticals, Amira Pharmaceuticals Inc., Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Apothecon LLC, B-MS Generx Unlimited Company, BMS Benelux Holdings B.V., BMS Bermuda Nominees L.L.C., BMS Data Acquisition Company LLC, BMS Forex Company, BMS Holdings Sarl, BMS Holdings Spain S.L., BMS International Insurance Designated Activity Company, BMS Investco SAS, BMS Korea Holdings L.L.C., BMS Latin American Nominees L.L.C., BMS Luxembourg Partners L.L.C., BMS Omega Bermuda Holdings Finance Ltd., BMS Pharmaceutical Korea Limited, BMS Pharmaceuticals Germany Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals International Holdings Netherlands B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Korea Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Mexico Holdings B.V., BMS Pharmaceuticals Netherlands Holdings B.V., BMS Real Estate LLC, BMS Spain Investments LLC, BMS Strategic Portfolio Investments Holdings Inc., Blisa Acquisition G.P., Bristol (Iran) S.A., Bristol Iran Private Company Limited, Bristol Laboratories Inc., Bristol Laboratories International S.A., Bristol Laboratories Medical Information Systems Inc., Bristol-Myers (Andes) L.L.C., Bristol-Myers (Private) Limited, Bristol-Myers Middle East S.A.L., Bristol-Myers Overseas Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (China) Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (Israel) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (NZ) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Proprietary) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (Singapore) Pte. Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb (Taiwan) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb (West Indies) Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb A.E., Bristol-Myers Squibb Aktiebolag, Bristol-Myers Squibb Argentina S. R. L., Bristol-Myers Squibb Australia Pty. Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Axia Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb B.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb Belgium S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Business Services Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada Co., Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada International Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Delta Company Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Denmark Filial of Bristol-Myers Squibb AB, Bristol-Myers Squibb EMEA Sarl, Bristol-Myers Squibb Egypt LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Epsilon Holdings Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Farmaceutica Ltda., Bristol-Myers Squibb Farmaceutica Portuguesa S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb GesmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb GmbH & Co. KGaA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holding Germany GmbH & Co. KG, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings 2002 Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Germany Verwaltungs GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Ireland Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Holdings Pharma Ltd. Liability Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Ilaclari Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb India Pvt. Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb International Company Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb International Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb Investco L.L.C., Bristol-Myers Squibb K.K., Bristol-Myers Squibb Kft., Bristol-Myers Squibb Luxembourg International S.C.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Bristol-Myers Squibb MEA GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb Manufacturing Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Marketing Services S.R.L., Bristol-Myers Squibb Middle East & Africa FZ-LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Norway Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Nutricionales de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb Peru S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma (HK) Ltd, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma (Thailand) Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Holding Company LLC, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Ventures Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceuticals Unlimited Company, Bristol-Myers Squibb Polska Sp. z o.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Products SA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Puerto Rico Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Puerto Rico/Sanofi Pharmaceutical Partnership Puerto Rico, Bristol-Myers Squibb Romania S.R.L., Bristol-Myers Squibb S.A.U., Bristol-Myers Squibb S.r.l., Bristol-Myers Squibb SA, Bristol-Myers Squibb Sanofi Pharmaceuticals Holding Partnership, Bristol-Myers Squibb Sarl, Bristol-Myers Squibb Service Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Services Sp. z o.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Spol. s r.o., Bristol-Myers Squibb Theta Finance Ltd., Bristol-Myers Squibb Trustees Limited, Bristol-Myers Squibb Verwaltungs GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb de Colombia S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb de Costa Rica Sociedad Anonima, Bristol-Myers Squibb de Guatemala S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Bristol-Myers Squibb/Astrazeneca EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Pfizer EEIG, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Sanofi Pharmaceuticals Partnership, Bristol-Myers de Venezuela S.C.A., CHT I LLC, CHT II LLC, CHT III LLC, CHT IV LLC, CR Finance Company LLC, Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals, Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals Inc., Celem LLC, Celem Ltd., Celgene, Celgene A.B., Celgene AS, Celgene Ab (Finland), Celgene Alpine Investment Co. II LLC, Celgene Alpine Investment Co. III LLC, Celgene Alpine Investment Co. LLC, Celgene ApS, Celgene B.V., Celgene BVBA, Celgene Brasil Produtos Farmaceuticos Ltda., Celgene CAR LLC, Celgene CAR Ltd., Celgene Chemicals Sarl, Celgene China Holdings LLC, Celgene Co., Celgene Corporation, Celgene Distribution B.V., Celgene EngMab GmbH, Celgene Europe B.V., Celgene Europe Limited, Celgene European Investment Company LLC, Celgene Financing Company LLC, Celgene Global Holdings Sarl, Celgene GmbH [Austria], Celgene GmbH [Germany], Celgene GmbH [Switzerland], Celgene Holdings East Corporation, Celgene Holdings II Sarl, Celgene Holdings III Sarl, Celgene Ilac Pazarlama ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Celgene Inc., Celgene International Holdings Corporation, Celgene International II Sarl, Celgene International III Sarl, Celgene International Inc., Celgene International Sarl, Celgene K.K., Celgene Kft., Celgene Limited [Hong Kong], Celgene Limited [Ireland], Celgene Limited [New Zealand], Celgene Limited [Taiwan], Celgene Limited [UK], Celgene Logistics Sarl, Celgene Ltd, Celgene Luxembourg Sarl, Celgene Management Sarl, Celgene NJ Investment Co, Celgene Netherlands B.V., Celgene Netherlands Investment B.V., Celgene Pharmaceutical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Celgene Pte. Ltd., Celgene Pty Ltd, Celgene Puerto Rico Distribution LLC, Celgene Quanticel Research Inc, Celgene R&D Sarl, Celgene RIVOT LLC, Celgene RIVOT Ltd., Celgene RIVOT SRL, Celgene Receptos Limited, Celgene Receptos Sarl, Celgene Research Incubator At Summit West LLC, Celgene Research S.L.U., Celgene Research and Development Company LLC, Celgene Research and Development I ULC, Celgene Research and Development II LLC, Celgene Research and Investment Company II LLC, Celgene S. de R.L. de C.V., Celgene S.L.U., Celgene S.R.L., Celgene SAS, Celgene Sarl AU, Celgene Sdn Bhd, Celgene Services Sarl, Celgene Sociedade Unipessoal Lda, Celgene Sp. Z.o.o., Celgene Sro [Czech Republic], Celgene Summit Investment Co, Celgene Switzerland Holding Sarl, Celgene Switzerland II LLC, Celgene Switzerland Investment Sarl, Celgene Switzerland LLC, Celgene Switzerland Sarl, Celgene Tri A Holdings Ltd., Celgene Tri Sarl, Celgene UK Distribution Limited, Celgene UK Holdings Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing II Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing III Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing Limited, Celgene d.o.o., Celgene sro [Slovakia], Celmed LLC, Celmed Ltd., ConvaTec Divestiture, Cormorant Pharmaceuticals, Cormorant Pharmaceuticals AB, Crosp Ltd., Delinia Inc., Deuteria Pharmaceuticals Inc., DuPont Pharmaceuticals, E. R. Squibb & Sons Inter-American Corporation, E. R. Squibb & Sons L.L.C., E. R. Squibb & Sons Limited, EWI Corporation, EngMab Sarl, F-star Alpha, FermaVir Pharmaceuticals L.L.C., FermaVir Research L.L.C., Flexus Biosciences, Flexus Biosciences Inc., Forbius, Galecto Biotech, GenPharm International L.L.C., Gloucester Pharmaceuticals LLC, Grove Insurance Company Ltd., Heyden Farmaceutica Portuguesa Limitada, IFM Therapeutics, Impact Biomedicines Inc., Inhibitex, Inhibitex L.L.C., Innate Tumor Immunity Inc., JuMP Holdings LLC, Juno Therapeutics GmbH, Juno Therapeutics Inc., Kosan Biosciences, Kosan Biosciences Incorporated, Linson Investments Limited, Mead Johnson (Manufacturing) Jamaica Limited, Mead Johnson Jamaica Ltd., Medarex, Morris Avenue Investment II LLC, Morris Avenue Investment LLC, MyoKardia, O.o.o. Bristol-Myers Squibb, Oy Bristol-Myers Squibb (Finland) AB, Padlock Therapeutics, Padlock Therapeutics Inc., Pharmion LLC, Princeton Pharmaceutical Products Inc., Receptos LLC, Receptos Services LLC, RedoxTherapies Inc., Route 22 Real Estate Holding Corporation, SPV A Holdings ULC, Seamair Insurance DAC, Signal Pharmaceuticals LLC, Sino-American Shanghai Squibb Pharmaceuticals Limited, Societe Francaise de Complements Alimentaires(S.O.F.C.A.), Squibb Middle East S.A., Summit West Celgene LLC, Swords Laboratories, VentiRx Pharmaceuticals Inc., Westwood-Intrafin SA, Westwood-Squibb Pharmaceuticals Inc., X-Body Inc., ZymoGenetics, ZymoGenetics Inc., ZymoGenetics LLC, ZymoGenetics Paymaster LLC, iPierian, and iPierian Inc.. 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.. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, a diversified financial institution, provides various financial products and services to personal, business, public sector, and institutional clients in Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through four strategic business units: Canadian Personal and Business Banking; Canadian Commercial Banking and Wealth Management; U.S. Commercial Banking and Wealth Management; and Capital Markets. The company offers chequing, savings, and business accounts; mortgages; loans, lines of credit, student lines of credit, and business and agriculture loans; investment and insurance services; and credit cards, as well as overdraft protection services. It also provides day-to-day banking, borrowing and credit, investing and wealth, specialty, and international services; correspondent banking and online foreign exchange services; and cash management services. The company serves its customers through its banking centers, as well as direct, mobile, and remote channels. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce was founded in 1867 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Read More Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited, through its subsidiaries, provides property and casualty insurance and reinsurance, and investment management services in the United States, Canada, Asia, and internationally. The company operates through Insurance and Reinsurance, Run-off, and Non-Insurance Companies segments. It insures against losses to property from fire, explosion, earthquake, windstorm, flood, boiler explosion, machinery breakdown, and construction defects, as well as underwrites automobile, commercial and personal property, and crop insurance. The company also offers workers' compensation, employer's liability, accident and health, medical malpractice, professional liability, and umbrella coverage insurance products; marine, aerospace, surety risk, and other risks and liabilities insurance products; and reinsurance products. In addition, it retails home improvement goods, toys and baby products, golf equipment, sports apparel and accessories, housewares and home dAcors, and tableware and gifts; invests in retail business; and owns and operates holiday resorts. Further, the company provides integrated travel and travel-related financial services; originates, processes, and distributes pulses and staple foods; creates, produces, and distributes entertainment content; and provision of pet medical insurance and database services, as well as media and marketing solutions. The company was formerly known as Markel Financial Holdings Limited and changed its name to Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited in 1987. Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited was incorporated in 1951 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Read More Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, a technology company, focuses in the areas of automation and digitalization in Europe, Commonwealth of Independent States, Africa, the Middle East, the Americas, Asia, and Australia. Its Digital Industries segment offers automation systems and software for factories, numerical control systems, motors, drives and inverters, and integrated automation systems for machine tools and production machines; process control systems, machine-to-machine communication products, sensors and radio frequency identification systems; production and product lifecycle management software; mechatronic systems simulation and testing software; and cloud-based industrial Internet of Things operating system. The company's Smart Infrastructure segment supplies and connects energy systems and building technologies to enhance efficiency and sustainability; and supports customers to address technology shifts. Its Mobility segment provides passenger and freight transportation, such as rail vehicles, rail automation and electrification systems, road traffic technology, digital solutions, and related services; and mobility system services. The company's Siemens Healthineers segment offers medical technology and software solutions; and clinical consulting and training services. Its Siemens Financial Services segment provides leasing solutions and equipment; and debt and equity investment products. The company was founded in 1847 and is headquartered in Munich, Germany. Read More Tallgrass Energy, LP, through its subsidiaries, provides crude oil transportation services to customers in Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, and the surrounding regions of the United States. The company operates through three segments: Natural Gas Transportation; Crude Oil Transportation; and Gathering, Processing & Terminalling. It also provides natural gas transportation and storage services for customers in the Rocky Mountain, Midwest, and Appalachian regions; natural gas and crude oil gathering and processing services for customers in Wyoming; and natural gas liquids (NGLs) transportation services in Northeast Colorado and Wyoming. In addition, the company offers water business services, including freshwater transportation, and produced water gathering and disposal in Colorado, Texas, Wyoming, and North Dakota; crude oil storage and terminalling services in Colorado, Oklahoma, and Kansas; and marketing services for NGLs and crude oil. The company was formerly known as Tallgrass Energy GP, LP and changed its name to Tallgrass Energy, LP in June 2018. Tallgrass Energy, LP was founded in 2013 and is based in Leawood, Kansas. Read More International Business Machines Corp. is an information technology company, which provides integrated solutions that leverage information technology and knowledge of business processes. It operates through the following segments: Cloud and Cognitive Software, Global Business Services, Global Technology Services, Systems, and Global Financing. The Cloud and Cognitive Software segment provides integrated and secure cloud, data, and solutions to the clients. The Global Business Services segment provides clients with consulting, application management, and business process outsourcing services. The Global Technology Services segment provides comprehensive IT infrastructure and platform services that create business value for clients. The Systems segment provides clients with innovative infrastructure platforms to help meet the requirements of hybrid cloud and enterprise AI workload. The Global Financing segment provides client financing, commercial financing, and participates in the remanufacturing and remarketing of used equipment. The company was founded by Charles Ranlett Flint and Thomas J. Watson Sr. on June 16, 1911 and is headquartered in Armonk, NY. Read More Deutsche Telekom AG, together with its subsidiaries, provides integrated telecommunication services. The company operates through five segments: Germany, United States, Europe, Systems Solutions, and Group Development. It offers fixed-network services, including voice and data communication services based on fixed-network and broadband technology; and sells terminal equipment and other hardware products, as well as services to resellers. The company also provides mobile voice and data services to consumers and business customers; sells mobile devices and other hardware products; and sells mobile services to resellers and to companies that purchases and markets network services to third parties, such as mobile virtual network operators. In addition, it offers internet services; internet-based TV products and services; and information and communication technology systems for multinational corporations and public sector institutions with an infrastructure of data centers and networks under the T-Systems brand, as well as call center services. The company has 242 million mobile customers and 22 million broadband customers, as well as 27 million fixed-network lines. Deutsche Telekom AG has a collaboration with VMware, Inc. on cloud-based open and intelligent virtual RAN platform to bring agility to radio access networks for existing LTE and future 5G networks; and partnership with Microsoft to deliver high-performance cloud computing experiences. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Bonn, Germany. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Ingersoll Rand: 211 E. Russell Road LLC, Air-Relief, Belliss & Morcom Brasil, Belliss and Morcom, Boardwalk Enterprises, Charm Merger Sub Inc., CompAir, CompAir (Hankook) Korea Co. Ltd., CompAir Acquisition (No. 2) Ltd., CompAir Acquisition Ltd., CompAir BroomWade Ltd., CompAir Canada, CompAir Finance Ltd., CompAir GmbH, CompAir Holdings Limited, CompAir Holman Ltd, CompAir International Trading (Shanghai) Co Ltd, CompAir Korea Ltd, CompAir South Africa (SA) (Pty) Ltd., CompAir UK Ltd, CompAir USA, Consolidated Distribution Holdings Ltd., DV Systems Inc., Emco Wheaton, Emco Wheaton GmbH Branch, Emco Wheaton Gmbh, Emco Wheaton UK, Emco Wheaton USA Inc, Enza Air Propriety Limited (South Africa), GD Aria Holdings #2 Limited, GD Aria Holdings Limited, GD Aria Investments Limited, GD First UK Ltd, GD German Holdings GmbH, GD German Holdings I Gmbh, GD German Holdings II GmbH, GD German Investments GmbH, GD Global Holdings, GD Global Holdings II, GD Global Holdings UK II Ltd., GD Global Ventures I B.V., GD Global Ventures II B.V., GD Global Ventures III B.V., GD Industrial Products Malaysia SDN. BHD., GD Investment KY, GD UK Finance Ltd., Gardner Denver (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Gardner Denver Austria GmbH, Gardner Denver Bad Neustadt Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Belgium NV, Gardner Denver Brasil Industria E Comercio de Maquinas Ltda., Gardner Denver CZ + SK sro, Gardner Denver Canada Corp, Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments II Ltd., Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments II Ltd. - US Branch, Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments Ltd., Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments Ltd. - US Branch, Gardner Denver Deutschland GmbH, Gardner Denver Engineered Products India Private Limited, Gardner Denver FZE, Gardner Denver Finance II LLC, Gardner Denver Finance Inc & Co KG, Gardner Denver France SA, Gardner Denver France SAS, Gardner Denver Group Services Ltd, Gardner Denver Group Svcs Ltd, Gardner Denver Hoffman, Gardner Denver Holdings, Gardner Denver Holdings Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Investments Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Ltd, Gardner Denver Iberica, Gardner Denver Industries Ltd., Gardner Denver Industries Pty Ltd., Gardner Denver Industries Pty Ltd. Branch, Gardner Denver International, Gardner Denver International Ltd., Gardner Denver Intl Ltd Middle East Regional Rep Office, Gardner Denver Investments, Gardner Denver Italy Holdings S.r.L., Gardner Denver Japan, Gardner Denver Kirchhain Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Korea, Gardner Denver Korea Ltd, Gardner Denver Ltd, Gardner Denver Ltd South Africa, Gardner Denver Ltd., Gardner Denver Ltd. Branch (Ireland), Gardner Denver Machinery (Shanghai) Co, Gardner Denver Machinery (Shanghai) Co., Gardner Denver Nash Brasil Industria E Comercio De Bombas Ltda, Gardner Denver Nash Deutschland GmbH, Gardner Denver Nash LLC, Gardner Denver Nash Machinery Ltd, Gardner Denver Nash Machinery Ltd., Gardner Denver Nederland BV, Gardner Denver Nederland Investments B.V., Gardner Denver Oberdorfer Pumps, Gardner Denver Oy, Gardner Denver Petroleum Pumps, Gardner Denver Polska Sp z.o.o., Gardner Denver Pte Ltd., Gardner Denver S.r.l., Gardner Denver Schopfheim GmbH, Gardner Denver Schopfheim Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Schweiz AG, Gardner Denver Slovakia, Gardner Denver SudAmerica S.r.l., Gardner Denver Sweden AB, Gardner Denver Taiwan Ltd., Gardner Denver Thomas, Gardner Denver Thomas GmbH, Gardner Denver Thomas Pneumatic Systems (Wuxi) Co., Gardner Denver Thomas Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver UK, Gardner Denver Water Jetting Systems, Garo Dott. Ing. Roberto Gabbioneta S.r.l., Hamworthy Belliss & Morcom, ILMVAC (UK) Ltd., ILS Innovative Labor Systeme, ILS Inovative Laborsysteme GmbH, Indonesia Foreign Trade Representative Office, LeROI, LeRoi International Inc, MP Pumps Inc., Mako Compressors, Nash, Nash Elmo, Oina VV, Oina VV Aktiebolag, Robuschi, Rotary Compression Technologies, Runtech Systems, Runtech Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Runtech Systems Inc., Runtech Systems OY, Shanghai CompAir Compressors Co Ltd, Shanghai Compressors & Blowers Ltd., Syltone, TCM Investments, TIWR Real Estate GmbH & Co. KG, TODO AB, Tamrotor Marine Compressors AS, Thomas Industries, Thomas Industries Inc., Tri-Continent Scientific, Welch Vacuum Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zinsser Analytic, Zinsser Analytik GmbH, and Zinsser NA. The following companies are subsidiares of EnerSys: ABSL Power Solutions Inc., ABSL Power Solutions Ltd., Acumuladores Industriales EnerSys SA, Alpha Alternative Energy Inc., Alpha Broadband Services Inc., Alpha Innovations Industria e Comercio de Produtos Eletronicos Ltda., Alpha Innovations Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Alpha Mexico Network Power S.A. de C.V., Alpha Tech Energy Solutions India Private Limited, Alpha Technical Services Ltd., Alpha Technologies Ltd., Alpha Technologies Pty. Ltd., Alpha Technologies Services Inc., Alphatec Technologies (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Argus Research Ltd., Batterias Hawker de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Battery Power International Pte Ltd., Coppervale Enterprises Inc., DCPM Engineering Sdn Bhd, EH Batterien AG, EH Europe GmbH, EH Global Holdings GmbH, EH Swiss Holdings GmbH, ENAS Industrial Batteries Morocco Sarl, EnerSys (Chaozhou) Huada Batteries Company Limited, EnerSys (China) Huada Batteries Company Limited, EnerSys (Chongqing) Huada Batteries Company Limited, EnerSys (Jiangsu) Huada Batteries Company Limited (94.7%) *, EnerSys (Luxembourg) Finance Sarl, EnerSys (Yangzhou) Huada Batteries Co. Ltd., EnerSys A/S, EnerSys AB, EnerSys AD, EnerSys AE, EnerSys AS, EnerSys Advanced Systems Inc., EnerSys Argentina S.A., EnerSys Asia Limited, EnerSys Australia Pty Ltd., EnerSys BV, EnerSys BVBA, EnerSys Battery Private Limited, EnerSys Brasil Ltda., EnerSys Bulgaria EOOD, EnerSys Canada Inc., EnerSys Capital Inc., EnerSys Cayman Euro L.P., EnerSys Cayman Holdings L.P., EnerSys Cayman Inc., EnerSys Delaware Inc., EnerSys Delaware LLC I, EnerSys Delaware LLC II, EnerSys Delaware LLC III, EnerSys Delaware LLC IV, EnerSys Delaware LLC V, EnerSys Energy Products Inc., EnerSys Europe Oy, EnerSys European Holding Co., EnerSys GmbH, EnerSys Holdings (Luxembourg) Sarl, EnerSys Holdings UK Ltd., EnerSys Hungaria Kft., EnerSys India Batteries Private Ltd., EnerSys JSC, EnerSys LLC, EnerSys Ltd., EnerSys Malaysia Sdn Bhd, EnerSys Mexico Holdings LLC, EnerSys Mexico Management LLC, EnerSys Participacoes Ltda., EnerSys Reserve Power Pte. Ltd., EnerSys S.r.l., EnerSys SARL, EnerSys SNC, EnerSys South East Asia Pte. Ltd., EnerSys de Mexico II S de R.L. de CV, EnerSys de Mexico S de R.L. de CV, EnerSys s.r.o., EnerSys sp. z o.o., EnerSystem Chile Ltda., Enersys Aku Sanaya Dis Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Esfinco LLC, Hawker GmbH, Hawker Power Systems Inc., Hawker Powersource Inc., Hawker Systems GmbH & Co. KG., ICS Industries Pty Ltd, ICS Industries Pty Ltd., ICS Sheet Metal Pty Ltd., Industrial Battery Holding Ltda., International Communication Shelters Australasia Pty Ltd., Lancord Pty Ltd., Lenmic Pty Ltd., MIB Energy Sdn Bhd, N Holding AB, National Infrastructure Pty Ltd., National Infrastructure Services Pty Ltd., NaviSemi Energy Pte Ltd., NaviSemi Inc., New Pacifico Realty Inc., NorthStar Battery Company LLC, NorthStar Battery Company LLC, NorthStar Battery DMCC, Outback Power Technologies Inc., Powercom (NSW) Pty Ltd., Powersonic S de R.L. de CV, Purcell Systems, Purcell Systems Inc., Purcell Systems International AB, Quallion LLC, Riverfront Holding S. de R.L. de C.V., Shenzhen Huada Power Supply Mechanical & Electrical Co. Ltd. , SiteTel Shanghai Co Ltd., SiteTel Sweden AB, Telecomponents & Supply (Hong Kong) Ltd., The Enser Corporation, UTS Holdings Sdn Bhd, UTS Technology (JB) Sdn Bhd, UTS Technology (PG) Sdn Bhd, YCI Inc., and Yecoltd S. de R.L. de CV. Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF's stock was trading at $93.15 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, RSP shares have increased by 71.4% and is now trading at $159.65. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. Continental Building Products Inc (NYSE:CBPX) issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November, 12th. The construction company reported $0.39 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.38 by $0.01. The construction company had revenue of $127.40 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $127.16 million. Continental Building Products had a trailing twelve-month return on equity of 18.84% and a net margin of 12.12%. Continental Building Products's quarterly revenue was down 2.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.51 EPS. View Continental Building Products' earnings history. The following companies are subsidiares of Global Payments: ACTIVE Network - Communities and Sports, Active Network (HK) Limited, Active Network IPICO (CA) Inc., Active Network IPICO (US) Inc., Active Network IPICO Holdings (US) LLC, Active Network IPICO Holdings (US) LLC, Active Network IPICO Innovation Inc., Active Networks LLC, AdvancedMD, Athlaction Intermediate LLC, Athlaction Topco LLC, AuctionPay, Comercia Global Payments Entidad de Pago S.L., DEBITEK INC, Digital Dining LLC, Dinerware LLC, DolEx Europe S.L., Educational Computer Systems Inc., Ematters Australia Pty Ltd., Equifax Credit Services LLC, Ezi Holdings Pty. Ltd., Ezi Management Pty Ltd., Ezidebit, Ezidebit (NZ) Limited, Ezidebit HK Ltd., Ezidebit Pty Ltd., GP Finance LLC, GPC Financial Corporation, GPS Holding Limited Partnership, GPUK LLP, Global Payment Holding Company, Global Payment Systems Asia-Pacific (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd., Global Payment Systems LLC, Global Payment Systems of Canada Ltd., Global Payments - Caixa Acquisition Corporation S.a.r.l., Global Payments - Realex Payments Holding Limited, Global Payments - Servicos de Pagamentos S.A., Global Payments Acquisition Corp. 1 B.V., Global Payments Acquisition Corp. 2 B.V., Global Payments Acquisition Corp. 3 B.V., Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 2 LLC, Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 2 S.a.r.l., Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 3 LLC, Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 3 S.a.r.l., Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 4 S.a.r.l., Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 6 S.a.r.l., Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 7 LLC, Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 7 S.a.r.l., Global Payments Acquisition Corporation HK Holding Limited, Global Payments Acquisition PS 1 C.V., Global Payments Acquisition PS 2 C.V., Global Payments Acquisition PS 3 C. V., Global Payments Acquisition PS1-Global Payments Direct S.e.n.c., Global Payments Asia-Pacific (Hong Kong Holding) Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific (Hong Kong) Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific (India) Private Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific (Shanghai) Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific (Singapore Holding) Ltd., Global Payments Asia-Pacific Lanka (Private) Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific Macau Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific Maldives Private Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific Philippines Incorporated, Global Payments Asia-Pacific Processing Company Limited, Global Payments Australia Pty 1 Ltd., Global Payments Australia Pty 2 Ltd., Global Payments Canada GP, Global Payments Canada Inc., Global Payments Card Processing Malaysia Sdn. Bhd, Global Payments Check Recovery Services Inc., Global Payments Check Services Inc., Global Payments Direct Inc., Global Payments Europe d.o.o. Sarajevo, Global Payments Europe s.r.o., Global Payments Gaming Canada Inc., Global Payments Gaming International Inc., Global Payments Gaming Services Inc., Global Payments Integrated, Global Payments Limited, Global Payments Process Centre Inc., Global Payments South America Brasil-Servicos de Pagamentos S.A., Global Payments UK 2 Ltd., Global Payments UK Ltd., Global Payments s.r.o., Greater Giving Inc., Heartland Acquisition LLC, Heartland Payment Solutions Inc., Heartland Payment Systems, Heartland Payment Systems LLC, Heartland Payroll Solutions Inc., IPICO South Africa (Pty) Ltd., JumpForward LLC, Maximum Solutions LLC, Merchant Services U.S.A. Inc., Modular Data Inc., NDC Holdings (UK) Ltd., NDPS Holdings Inc., PCAmerica LLC, Pay and Shop Limited, PayPros LLC, Payment Processing, Payroll 1 Inc., Realex Payments, SICOM Systems, Sabrir Invest S.L., Sentral Education, Spolecnost pro informacni database a.s., Storman Holdings Pty Ltd., Storman Software Inc., Storman Software Limited, Storman Software Ltd., Storman Software Pty Ltd., TeamPages Inc., The Active Network (Asia) Pte. Ltd, The Active Network (Aus-NZ) Pty. Ltd., The Active Network (EU) Ltd., The Active Network Ltd., The Active Network Ltd. (Chengdu), The Active Network Ltd. (Xian), Total System Services, TouchNet Information Systems Inc., UCS Terminal Joint Stock Company, United Card Service Joint Stock Company, VEPF III AIV VI-C Corp., VEPF IV AIV VII-C Corp., VFF I AIV IV-C Corp., Web Active Corporation Pty Ltd., Xenial, Xpient LLC, eWAY, eWay Europe Limited, eWay Payments Asia Pte Ltd., eWay Payments Inc., eWay Payments New Zealand Limited, eWay Payments North America Inc., and eWay Payments Pty Ltd.. SunTrust Banks, Inc. operates as the holding company for SunTrust Bank that provides various financial services for consumers, businesses, corporations, institutions, and not-for-profit entities in the United States. It operates in two segments, Consumer and Wholesale. The Consumer segment provides deposits and payments; home equity and personal credit lines; auto, student, and other lending products; credit cards; discount/online and full-service brokerage products; professional investment advisory products and services; and trust services, as well as family office solutions. This segment also offers residential mortgage products in the secondary market. The Wholesale segment provides capital markets solutions, including advisory, capital raising, and financial risk management; asset-based financing solutions, such as securitizations, asset-based lending, equipment financing, and structured real estate arrangements; cash management services and auto dealer financing solutions; investment banking solutions; and credit and deposit, fee-based product offering, multi-family agency lending, advisory, commercial mortgage brokerage, and tailored financing and equity investment solutions. This segment also offers treasury and payment solutions, such as operating various electronic and paper payment types, which comprise card, wire transfer, automated clearing house, check, and cash; and provides services clients to manage their accounts online. The company offers its products and services through a network of traditional and in-store branches, automated teller machines, Internet, mobile, and telephone banking channels. As of December 31, 2018, it operated 1,218 full-service banking offices located in Florida, Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland, South Carolina, and the District of Columbia. SunTrust Banks, Inc. was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Caterpillar: Advanced Tri-Gen Power Systems LLC, Anchor Coupling Inc., Asia Power Systems (Tianjin) Ltd., AsiaTrak (Tianjin) Ltd., Banco Caterpillar S.A., Berg Propulsion International Pte Ltd., Bucyrus, Bucyrus Australia Surface Pty. Ltd., Bucyrus Europe Holdings Ltd., Bucyrus Europe Limited, Bucyrus International (Chile) Limitada, Bucyrus International (Peru) S.A., Bucyrus Mining Australia Pty. Ltd., Bucyrus Mining China LLC, Bucyrus UK Limited, Cat Rental Kyushu LLC, Caterpillar (Africa) (Proprietary) Limited, Caterpillar (China) Financial Leasing Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (China) Machinery Components Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (HK) Limited, Caterpillar (Huainan) Machinery Service Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Langfang) Mining Equipment Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Luxembourg) Investment Co. S.a r.l., Caterpillar (NI) Limited, Caterpillar (Newberry) LLC, Caterpillar (Qingzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Suzhou) Logistics Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Thailand) Limited, Caterpillar (U.K.) Limited, Caterpillar (Wujiang) Ltd., Caterpillar (Xuzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar (Zhengzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar Acquisition Holding Corp., Caterpillar Americas C.V., Caterpillar Americas Co., Caterpillar Americas Funding Inc., Caterpillar Americas Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Asia Limited, Caterpillar Asia Pacific L.P., Caterpillar Asia Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Asset Intelligence LLC, Caterpillar Belgium S.A., Caterpillar Brasil Comercio de Maquinas e Pecas Ltda., Caterpillar Brasil Ltda., Caterpillar Brazil LLC, Caterpillar Castings Kiel GmbH, Caterpillar Centro de Formacion S.L., Caterpillar China Limited, Caterpillar Commercial Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Commercial LLC, Caterpillar Commercial Northern Europe Limited, Caterpillar Commercial S.A., Caterpillar Commercial S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Commercial Services S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Communications LLC, Caterpillar Corporativo Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Cote DIvoire, Caterpillar Credito S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.N.R., Caterpillar DC Pension Trust Limited, Caterpillar Digital Services & Solutions SARL, Caterpillar Distribution International LLC, Caterpillar Distribution Services Europe B.V.B.A., Caterpillar East Real Estate Holding Ltd., Caterpillar Emissions Solutions Inc., Caterpillar Energy Solutions Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Energy Solutions GmbH, Caterpillar Energy Solutions Inc., Caterpillar Energy Solutions S.A., Caterpillar Energy System Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Engine Systems Inc., Caterpillar Equipos Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Eurasia LLC, Caterpillar FS (QFC) LLC, Caterpillar Finance France S.A., Caterpillar Finance Kabushiki Kaisha, Caterpillar Financial Acquisition Funding LLC, Caterpillar Financial Aftermarket Solutions Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Australia Leasing Pty Limited, Caterpillar Financial Australia Limited, Caterpillar Financial Commercial Account Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Corporacion Financiera S.A. E.F.C., Caterpillar Financial Dealer Funding LLC, Caterpillar Financial Funding Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Kazakhstan Limited Liability Partnership, Caterpillar Financial Leasing (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Financial New Zealand Limited, Caterpillar Financial Nordic Services AB, Caterpillar Financial Nova Scotia Corporation, Caterpillar Financial OOO, Caterpillar Financial Receivables Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Renting S.A., Caterpillar Financial SARL, Caterpillar Financial Services (Dubai) Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services (Ireland) plc, Caterpillar Financial Services (UK) Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services Argentina S.A., Caterpillar Financial Services Asia Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Financial Services Belgium S.P.R.L., Caterpillar Financial Services CR s.r.o., Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Services GmbH, Caterpillar Financial Services India Private Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services Leasing ULC, Caterpillar Financial Services Limited Les Services Financiers Caterpillar Limitee, Caterpillar Financial Services Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Caterpillar Financial Services Netherlands B.V., Caterpillar Financial Services Norway AS, Caterpillar Financial Services Philippines Inc., Caterpillar Financial Services Poland Sp. z o.o., Caterpillar Financial Services South Africa (Pty) Limited, Caterpillar Financial UK Acquisition Funding Partners, Caterpillar Financial Ukraine LLC, Caterpillar Fluid Systems S.r.l., Caterpillar Fomento Comercial Ltda., Caterpillar Forest Products Inc., Caterpillar France S.A.S., Caterpillar GB L.L.C., Caterpillar Global Investments S.a r.l., Caterpillar Global Mining America LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Equipamentos De Mineracao do Brasil Ltda., Caterpillar Global Mining Equipment LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Europe GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Expanded Products Pty Ltd, Caterpillar Global Mining Germany Holdings GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining HMS GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Holdings GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Hong Kong AFC Manufacturing Holding Co. Limited, Caterpillar Global Mining Hong Kong Limited, Caterpillar Global Mining LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Mexico LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Global Mining SARL, Caterpillar Global Mining U.S. Parts LLC, Caterpillar Global Services LLC, Caterpillar Group Services S.A., Caterpillar Holding (France) S.A.S., Caterpillar Holding Germany GmbH, Caterpillar Holdings Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Hungary Components Manufacturing Ltd., Caterpillar Hydraulics Italia S.r.l., Caterpillar IPX LLC, Caterpillar IRB LLC, Caterpillar Impact Products Limited, Caterpillar India Private Limited, Caterpillar Industrial Inc., Caterpillar Industrias Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Industries (Pty) Ltd, Caterpillar Insurance Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Insurance Company, Caterpillar Insurance Holdings Inc., Caterpillar Insurance Services Corporation, Caterpillar International Finance Designated Activity Company, Caterpillar International Finance Luxembourg Holding S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Finance Luxembourg S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Holding S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Luxembourg I S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Luxembourg II S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Product SARL, Caterpillar International Services Corporation, Caterpillar International Services del Peru S.A., Caterpillar Investment Limited, Caterpillar Investment One SARL, Caterpillar Investment Two SARL, Caterpillar Investments, Caterpillar Japan LLC, Caterpillar Latin America Services S.R.L., Caterpillar Latin America Services de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Latin America Services de Panama S. de R.L., Caterpillar Latin America Servicios de Chile Limitada, Caterpillar Latin America Support Services S. DE R.L., Caterpillar Leasing (Thailand) Limited, Caterpillar Leasing Chile S.A., Caterpillar Leasing GmbH (Leipzig), Caterpillar Leasing Operativo Limitada, Caterpillar Life Insurance Company, Caterpillar Logistics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Logistics (UK) Limited, Caterpillar Logistics Inc., Caterpillar Logistics ML Services France S.A.S., Caterpillar Logistics Services China Limited, Caterpillar Luxembourg Group S.ar.l., Caterpillar Luxembourg LLC, Caterpillar Luxembourg S.a r.l., Caterpillar Machinery Nantong Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Marine Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Marine Asset Intelligence, Caterpillar Marine Power UK Limited, Caterpillar Marine Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Maroc SARL, Caterpillar Materiels Routiers SAS, Caterpillar Mexico LLC, Caterpillar Mexico S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar Mining Canada ULC, Caterpillar Mining Chile Servicios Limitada, Caterpillar Motoren (Guangdong) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Co. KG, Caterpillar Motoren Henstedt-Ulzburg GmbH, Caterpillar Motoren Rostock GmbH, Caterpillar Motoren Verwaltungs-GmbH, Caterpillar Netherlands Holding B.V., Caterpillar North America C.V., Caterpillar Operator Training Ltd., Caterpillar Overseas Credit Corporation SARL, Caterpillar Overseas Investment Holding SARL, Caterpillar Overseas Limited, Caterpillar Overseas SARL, Caterpillar Panama Services S.A., Caterpillar Paving Products Inc., Caterpillar Paving Products Xuzhou Ltd., Caterpillar Pension Trust Limited, Caterpillar Poland Sp. z o.o., Caterpillar Power Generation Systems (Bangladesh) Limited, Caterpillar Power Generation Systems L.L.C., Caterpillar Power Systems Inc., Caterpillar Power Ventures International Ltd., Caterpillar Precision Seals Korea, Caterpillar Prodotti Stradali S.r.l., Caterpillar Product Services Corporation, Caterpillar Propulsion AB, Caterpillar Propulsion International Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Propulsion Italy S.R.L., Caterpillar Propulsion Namibia (Proprietary) Limited, Caterpillar Propulsion Production AB, Caterpillar Propulsion Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Propulsion Singapore Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar R&D Center (China) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe LLC, Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe Servicios S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar Reman Powertrain Indiana LLC, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Drivetrain LLC, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Renting France S.A.S., Caterpillar Reynosa S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar SARL, Caterpillar Services Germany GmbH, Caterpillar Servicios Limitada, Caterpillar Servicios Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Servizi Italia Srl, Caterpillar Shrewsbury Limited, Caterpillar Skinningrove Limited, Caterpillar Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd., Caterpillar Special Services Belgium S.P.R.L., Caterpillar Switchgear Americas LLC, Caterpillar Switchgear Holding Inc., Caterpillar Tianjin Ltd., Caterpillar Torreon S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Tosno L.L.C., Caterpillar Transmissions France S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Tunneling Canada Holdings Ltd., Caterpillar Tunnelling Canada Corporation, Caterpillar Tunnelling Europe Limited, Caterpillar UK Employee Trust Limited, Caterpillar UK Engines Company Limited, Caterpillar UK Group Limited, Caterpillar UK Holdings Limited, Caterpillar Undercarriage (Xuzhou) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Underground Mining Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Used Equipment Services Inc., Caterpillar Venture Capital Inc., Caterpillar Work Tools B.V., Caterpillar Work Tools Inc., Caterpillar World Trading Corporation, Caterpillar Xuzhou, Caterpillar of Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar of Canada Corporation, Caterpillar of Delaware Inc., Centre de Distribution de Wallonie SPRL, CleanAir Systems, Downer Freight Rail, ECM Railway Evolution Romania s.r.l., ECM S.p.A., EDC European Excavator Design Center GmbH, EMC Holding Corp., EMD International Holdings Inc., ERA Information & Entertainment (BVI) Limited, ERA Mining Machinery Limited, Electro-Motive Diesel Limited, Electro-Motive Locomotive Technologies LLC, Electro-Motive Technical Consulting Co. (Beijing) Ltd., Energy Services International Limited, Equipos de Acuna S.A. de C.V., Eurenov S.A.S., F. G. Wilson (Proprietary) Limited, F. Perkins Limited, FG Wilson (Engineering) Limited, GB Holdco (China) Inc., GFCM Comercial Mexico S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.N.R., GFCM Servicios S.A. de C.V., Gremada Industries - Assets, Hong Kong Siwei Holdings Limited, Inmobiliaria Conek S.A. de C.V., JCS Co., Kemper Valve & Fittings Corp., Leo Inc., Locomotive Demand Power Pty Ltd., Locomotoras Progress Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Lovat, M2M Data Corporation, MGE Equipamentos & Servicos Ferroviarios, MWM, MWM Austria GmbH, MWM Benelux B.V., MWM Energy Australia Pty Ltd, MWM France S.A.S, MWM Real Estate GmbH, MaK Americas Inc., MaK Americas Inc. (Canada), Magnum Power Products LLC, Marble, Maschinenbau Kiel GmbH, Mec-Track S.r.l., Metalmark Financial Services Limited, Motoren Steffens GmbH, Nippon Caterpillar LLC, P. T. Solar Services Indonesia, PT Caterpillar Finance Indonesia, PT. Bucyrus Indonesia, PT. Caterpillar Indonesia, PT. Caterpillar Indonesia Batam, PT. Caterpillar Remanufacturing Indonesia, Perkins Engines, Perkins Engines (Asia Pacific) Pte Ltd, Perkins Engines Group Limited, Perkins Engines Inc., Perkins Group Limited, Perkins Holdings Limited LLC, Perkins India Private Limited, Perkins International Inc., Perkins Japan LLC, Perkins Limited, Perkins Machinery (Changshu) Co. Ltd., Perkins Motores do Brasil Ltda., Perkins Power Systems Technology (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Perkins Small Engines (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Perkins Small Engines LLC, Perkins Small Engines Limited, Perkins Technology Inc., Progress Metal Reclamation Company, Progress Rail Arabia Limited Company, Progress Rail Australia Pty Ltd, Progress Rail Canada Corporation, Progress Rail Equipamentos e Servicos Ferroviarios do Brasil Ltda., Progress Rail Equipment Leasing Corporation, Progress Rail Holdings Inc., Progress Rail Innovations Private Limited, Progress Rail Inspection & Information Systems GmbH, Progress Rail Inspection & Information Systems S.r.l., Progress Rail International Corp., Progress Rail Leasing Canada Corporation, Progress Rail Leasing Corporation, Progress Rail Leasing de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Progress Rail Locomotivas (do Brasil) Ltda., Progress Rail Locomotive Canada Co., Progress Rail Locomotive Chile SpA, Progress Rail Locomotive Inc., Progress Rail Maintenance de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Progress Rail Manufacturing Corporation, Progress Rail Raceland Corporation, Progress Rail Rocklin Corporation, Progress Rail SA Proprietary Limited, Progress Rail Services Corporation, Progress Rail Services Holdings Corp., Progress Rail Services LLC, Progress Rail Services UK Limited, Progress Rail Switching Services LLC, Progress Rail Transcanada Corporation, Progress Rail Welding Corporation, Progress Rail Wildwood LLC, Progress Rail de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pyroban Group, Pyroban Group, Pyrrha Investments B.V., Pyrrha Investments Limited, S&L Railroad LLC, SCM Singapore Holdings Pte. Ltd., SPL Software Alliance LLC, Sabre Engines, Servicios de Turbinas Solar S. de R.L. de C.V., Shandong SEM Machinery Co. Ltd., Solar Turbines, Solar Turbines, Solar Turbines (Beijing) Trading Services Co. Ltd., Solar Turbines (Thailand) Ltd., Solar Turbines CIS Limited Liability Company, Solar Turbines Canada Ltd./Ltee., Solar Turbines Central Asia Limited Liability Partnership, Solar Turbines EAME s.r.o., Solar Turbines Egypt Limited Liability Company, Solar Turbines Europe S.A., Solar Turbines India Private Limited, Solar Turbines International Company, Solar Turbines Italy S.R.L., Solar Turbines Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Solar Turbines Middle East Limited, Solar Turbines New Zealand Limited, Solar Turbines Saudi Arabia Limited, Solar Turbines Services Company, Solar Turbines Services Nigeria Limited, Solar Turbines Services of Argentina S.R.L., Solar Turbines Switzerland Sagl, Solar Turbines Trinidad & Tobago Limited, Solar Turbines West-Africa SARL, Tangshan DBT Machinery Co. Ltd., Tecnologia Modificada S.A. de C.V., Towmotor Corporation, Traction & Mining Motor Repairs Pty Ltd, Turbinas Solar S.A. de C.V., Turbinas Solar de Colombia S.A., Turbinas Solar de Venezuela C.A., Turbo Tecnologia de Reparaciones S.A. de C.V., Turbomach, Turbomach Endustriyel Gaz Turbinleri Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited, Turbomach France SARL, Turbomach GmbH, Turbomach Netherlands B.V., Turbomach Pakistan (Private) Limited, Turbomach S.A. Unipersonal, Turbomach Sp. Z o.o., Turner Powertrain Systems Limited, UK Hose Assembly Limited, Underground Imaging Technologies Inc, United Industries LLC, VALA Inc., Vasky Energy Ltd., Wealdstone Engineering, Weir - Oil & Gas Division, West Virginia Auto Shredding Inc., Western Gear Machinery LLC, Wetland Sustainability Fund I LLC, Williams Technologies, Yard Club, Zhengzhou Siwei Mechanical and Electrical Equipment Sales Co. Ltd., and okyo Rental Ltd.. The following companies are subsidiares of Abbott Laboratories: 3A Nutrition (Vietnam) Company Limited, ABON Biopharm (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd., AGA Medical Belgium, AGA Medical Corporation, AGA Medical Holdings Inc., ALR Holdings, AML Medical LLC, APK Advanced Medical Technologies LLC, ATS Bermuda Holdings Limited, ATS Laboratories Inc., Abbott, Abbott (Jiaxing) Nutrition Co. Ltd., Abbott (UK) Finance Limited, Abbott (UK) Holdings Limited, Abbott AG, Abbott Asia Holdings Limited, Abbott Asia Investments Limited, Abbott Australasia Holdings Limited, Abbott Australasia Pty Ltd, Abbott B.V., Abbott Bahamas Overseas Businesses Corporation, Abbott Belgian Investments, Abbott Bermuda Holding Ltd., Abbott Biologicals B.V., Abbott Biologicals LLC, Abbott Bulgaria Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Capital India Limited, Abbott Cardiovascular Inc., Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc., Abbott Delaware LLC, Abbott Diabetes Care Inc., Abbott Diabetes Care Limited, Abbott Diabetes Care Sales Corporation, Abbott Diagnostics GmbH, Abbott Diagnostics International Ltd., Abbott Diagnostics Technologies AS, Abbott Doral Investments S.L., Abbott Equity Holdings Unlimited, Abbott Equity Investments LLC, Abbott Established Products Holdings (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Finance Company SA, Abbott Financial Holdings SRL, Abbott France S.A.S., Abbott Fund Tanzania Limited, Abbott Gesellschaft m.b.H., Abbott GmbH & Co. KG, Abbott Health Products LLC, Abbott Healthcare (Puerto Rico) Ltd., Abbott Healthcare B.V., Abbott Healthcare Costa Rica S.A., Abbott Healthcare LLC, Abbott Healthcare Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Healthcare Private Limited, Abbott Healthcare Products B.V., Abbott Healthcare Products Ltd, Abbott Holding (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Holding GmbH, Abbott Holding Subsidiary (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Holding Subsidiary (Gibraltar) Limited Luxembourg S.C.S., Abbott Holdings B.V., Abbott Holdings LLC, Abbott Holdings Limited, Abbott Holdings Poland Spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Hungary Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Abbott Iberian Investments (2) Limited, Abbott Iberian Investments Limited, Abbott India Limited, Abbott Informatics Asia Pacific Limited, Abbott Informatics Canada Inc, Abbott Informatics Corporation, Abbott Informatics Europe Limited, Abbott Informatics France, Abbott Informatics Germany GmbH, Abbott Informatics Netherlands B.V., Abbott Informatics Singapore Pte. Limited, Abbott Informatics Spain S.A., Abbott Informatics Technologies Ltd, Abbott International Corporation, Abbott International Enterprises Ltd., Abbott International Holdings Limited, Abbott International LLC, Abbott International Luxembourg S.ar.l., Abbott Investments Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Ireland, Abbott Ireland Financing Designated Activity Company, Abbott Ireland Limited, Abbott Japan Co. Ltd., Abbott Kazakhstan Limited Liability Partnership, Abbott Knoll Investments B.V., Abbott Korea Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Bangladesh) Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Chile) Holdco (Dos) SpA, Abbott Laboratories (Chile) Holdco SpA, Abbott Laboratories (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Abbott Laboratories (Mozambique) Limitada, Abbott Laboratories (Pakistan) Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Philippines), Abbott Laboratories (Puerto Rico) Incorporated, Abbott Laboratories (Singapore) Private Limited, Abbott Laboratories A/S, Abbott Laboratories Argentina Sociedad Anonima, Abbott Laboratories B.V., Abbott Laboratories C.A., Abbott Laboratories Finance B.V., Abbott Laboratories GmbH, Abbott Laboratories Inc., Abbott Laboratories International LLC, Abbott Laboratories Ireland Limited, Abbott Laboratories Limited, Abbott Laboratories Limited - Laboratoires Abbott Limitee, Abbott Laboratories NZ Limited, Abbott Laboratories Pacific Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Poland Spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Laboratories Products B.V., Abbott Laboratories Residential Development Fund Inc., Abbott Laboratories S.A., Abbott Laboratories SA, Abbott Laboratories Services Corp., Abbott Laboratories Slovakia s.r.o., Abbott Laboratories South Africa (Pty) Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Trustee Company Limited, Abbott Laboratories Uruguay S.A., Abbott Laboratories Vascular Enterprises, Abbott Laboratories d.o.o., Abbott Laboratories de Chile Limitada, Abbott Laboratories de Colombia S.A., Abbott Laboratories de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Abbott Laboratories druzba za farmacijo in diagnostiko d.o.o., Abbott Laboratories s.r.o., Abbott Laboratories(Hellas) Societe Anonyme, Abbott Laboratorios S.A., Abbott Laboratorios S.A., Abbott Laboratorios del Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Abbott Laboratuarlari Ithalat Ihracat ve Ticaret Ltd.Sti, Abbott Laboratorios Lda, Abbott Laboratorios do Brasil Ltda., Abbott Limited Egypt LLC, Abbott Logistics B.V., Abbott Management GmbH, Abbott Management LLC, Abbott Manufacturing Singapore Private Limited, Abbott Mature Products International Unlimited Company, Abbott Mature Products Management Limited, Abbott Medical (Hong Kong) Limited, Abbott Medical (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Abbott Medical (Portugal) Distribuicao de Produtos Medicos Lda, Abbott Medical (Schweiz) AG, Abbott Medical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Abbott Medical (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Australia Pty. Ltd., Abbott Medical Austria Ges.m.b.H., Abbott Medical Balkan d.o.o. Beograd (Novi Beograd), Abbott Medical Belgium, Abbott Medical Canada Inc./ Medicale Abbott Canada Inc., Abbott Medical Danmark A/S, Abbott Medical Devices Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Espana S.A., Abbott Medical Estonia OU, Abbott Medical Finland Oy, Abbott Medical France SAS, Abbott Medical GmbH, Abbott Medical Hellas Limited Liability Trading Company, Abbott Medical Ireland Limited, Abbott Medical Italia S.p.A., Abbott Medical Japan Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Korea Limited, Abbott Medical Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Abbott Medical Laboratories LTD, Abbott Medical Nederland B.V., Abbott Medical New Zealand Limited, Abbott Medical Norway AS, Abbott Medical Overseas Cyprus Limited, Abbott Medical Sweden AB, Abbott Medical Taiwan Co., Abbott Medical U.K. Limited, Abbott Medical spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Middle East S.A.R.L., Abbott Molecular Inc., Abbott Morocco SARL, Abbott Nederland C.V., Abbott Nederland Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Netherlands Investments B.V., Abbott Norge AS, Abbott Nutrition Limited, Abbott Nutrition Manufacturing Inc., Abbott Operations Singapore Pte. Ltd., Abbott Operations Uruguay S.R.L., Abbott Overseas Cyprus Limited, Abbott Overseas Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Overseas S.A., Abbott Oy, Abbott Point of Care Canada Limited, Abbott Point of Care Inc., Abbott Poland Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Procurement LLC, Abbott Products (Philippines) Inc., Abbott Products (Spain) S.L., Abbott Products Algerie EURL, Abbott Products B.V., Abbott Products Distribution SAS, Abbott Products Egypt LLC, Abbott Products Limited, Abbott Products Limited Liability Company, Abbott Products Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Products Operations AG, Abbott Products Operations LLC, Abbott Products Romania S.R.L., Abbott Products Tunisie S.A.R.L., Abbott Products Unlimited Company, Abbott Resources Inc., Abbott Resources International Inc., Abbott S.r.l., Abbott Saudi Arabia Trading Company, Abbott Scandinavia Aktiebolag, Abbott Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, Abbott South Africa Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Strategic Opportunities Limited, Abbott Trading Company Inc., Abbott Universal LLC, Abbott Vascular Devices (2) Limited, Abbott Vascular Devices Limited, Abbott Vascular Inc., Abbott Vascular Instruments Deutschland GmbH, Abbott Vascular International, Abbott Vascular Japan Co. Ltd, Abbott Vascular Limitada, Abbott Vascular Netherlands B.V., Abbott Vascular Solutions Inc., Abbott Ventures Inc., Abbott West Indies Limited, Abbott drustvo sa ogranicenom odgovornoscu za trgovinu i usluge, Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Inc., Alere, Alere (Shanghai) Diagnostics Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Healthcare Management Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Medical Sales Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Technology Co. Ltd., Alere A/S, Alere AB, Alere AS, Alere AS Holdings Limited, Alere BBI Holdings Limited, Alere Bangladesh Limited, Alere China Co. Ltd., Alere Colombia S.A., Alere Connect LLC, Alere Connected Health Limited, Alere Connected Health Ltd., Alere Diagnostics GmbH, Alere DoA Holding GmbH, Alere GmbH, Alere GmbH (Austria), Alere GmbH (Germany), Alere HK Holdings Ltd., Alere Health B.V., Alere Health BVBA, Alere Health Corp., Alere Health Sdn Bhd, Alere Health Services B.V., Alere Healthcare (Pty) Limited, Alere Healthcare Connections Limited, Alere Healthcare Inc., Alere Healthcare Nigeria Limited, Alere Healthcare S.L., Alere Holdco Inc., Alere Holding GmbH, Alere Holdings Bermuda Limited, Alere Holdings Pty Limited, Alere Home Monitoring Inc., Alere Inc., Alere Informatics Inc., Alere International Holding Corp., Alere International Limited, Alere Lda, Alere Limited, Alere Limited (New Zealand), Alere Medical BVBA, Alere Medical Co. Ltd., Alere Medical Pakistan (Private) Limited, Alere Medical Private Limited, Alere North America LLC, Alere Oy Ab, Alere Philippines Inc., Alere Phoenix ACQ Inc., Alere Pte Ltd, Alere S.A., Alere S.r.l., Alere S/A, Alere SAS, Alere San Diego Inc., Alere Scarborough Inc., Alere Spain S.L., Alere Switzerland GmbH, Alere Technologies GmbH, Alere Technologies Holdings Limited, Alere Technologies Limited, Alere Toxicology AB, Alere Toxicology Inc., Alere Toxicology S.r.l., Alere Toxicology Services Inc., Alere Toxicology plc, Alere UK Holdings Limited, Alere UK Subco Limited, Alere ULC, Alere US Holdings LLC, Alere s.r.o., Alisoc Investment & Co, Amedica Biotech Inc., Ameditech Inc., American Generics S.A.S., American Medical Supplies Inc., American Pharmacist Inc., Antares S.A., Apica Cardiovascular Limited, Aquagestion Capacitacion S.A., Aquagestion S.A., Arriva Medical LLC, Arriva Medical Philippines Inc., Arvis Investments Limited, Atlas Farmaceutica S.A., Avee Laboratories Inc., Axis-Shield AD III AS, Axis-Shield AD IV AS, Axis-Shield AS, Axis-Shield Diagnostics Limited, Axis-Shield Ltd., BBI Animal Health Limited, BBI Diagnostics Group 2 Public Limited Company, Banco de Vida S.A., Bioabsorbable Vascular Solutions Inc., Bioalgae S.A., Biohealth LLC, Biosite Incorporated, Bosque Bonito S.A., Branan Medical Corporation, Brandex Europe C.V., British Colloids Limited, CFR Chile S.A., CFR Interamericas EL Salvador Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, CFR Interamericas Nicaragua Sociedad Anonima, CFR Interamericas Panama S.A., CFR Pharmaceuticals, California Property Holdings III LLC, CardioMEMS LLC, Caripharm Inc., Cephea Valve Technologies, Cephea Valve Technologies Inc., Colibri Medical Aktiebolag, Comercializadora y Distribuidora CFR Interamericas Honduras S.A., Concateno South Limited, Concateno UK Limited, Consorcio Tecnologico en Biomedicina Clinico-Molecular S.A., Continuum Services LLC, Cozart Limited, Dextech S.A., Diagnostik Nord GmbH, Distribuciones Uquifa S.A.S., Domesco Medical Import-Export Joint-Stock Corporation, Duphar International Research B.V., Endocardial Solutions, Epocal (US) Inc, Esprit de Vie S.A., European Chemicals & Co, European Drug Testing Service EDTS AB, European Services S.A., Evalve Inc., Evalve International Inc., FARMINDUSTRIA S.A., Fada Pharma Paraguay Sociedad Anonima, Fadapharma del Ecuador S.A., Farmaceutica Mont Blanc S.L., Farmacologia Em Aquicultura Veterinaria Ltda., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV Ecuador S.A., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV S.A., Fernwood Investment S.A., First Check Diagnostics LLC, Focus Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Forensics Limited, Forestcreek Overseas S.A., Fournier Pharma Corp., Fournier Pharma GmbH, Fournier Pharmaceuticals Limited, Framed B.V., Gabmed GmbH, Garden Hills LLC, Global Analytical Development LLC, Globapharm & CO LP, Glomed Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Golnorth Investments S.A., Gynocare Limited, Gynopharm Sociedad Anonima, Gynopharm de Centroamerica S.A., Gynopharm de Venezuela C.A., Hi-Tronics Designs Inc., IDEV Technologies Inc., IG Innovations Limited, IMTC Finance B.V., IMTC Holdings B.V., IMTC Technologies Inc., Ibis Biosciences LLC, Igloo Zone Chile S.A., Igloo Zone S.L., Inmobiliaria Naknek S.A.C., Innovacon Inc., Instant Tech Subsidiary Acquisition Inc., Instant Technologies Inc., Instituto de Criopreservacion de Chile S.A., Integrated Vascular Systems Inc., Inverness Canadian Acquisition Corporation, Inverness Medical (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Australia Pty Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Hong Kong Limited, Inverness Medical Innovations SK LLC, Inverness Medical Investments LLC, Inverness Medical LLC, Inverness Medical Shimla Private Limited, Inversiones K2 SpA, Inversiones Komodo S.R.L., Ionian Technologies LLC, Irvine Biomedical Inc., Kalila Medical, Kangshenyunga S.A., Knoll UK Investments Unlimited, LLC VeroInPharm, Laboratoires Fournier S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano Lafrancol S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano del Ecuador S.A., Laboratorio Internacional Argentino S.A., Laboratorio Synthesis S.A.S., Laboratorios Lafi Limitada, Laboratorios Naturmedik S.A.S., Laboratorios Pauly Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Laboratorios Recalcine S.A., Laboratorios Transpharm S.A., Laboratory Specialists of America Inc., Lafrancol Dominicana S.A.S., Lafrancol Guatemala S.A. Sociedad Anonima, Lafrancol Internacional S.A.S, Lafrancol Peru S.R.L, Lake Forest Investments LLC, Lightlab Imaging Inc., Limited Liability Company Abbott Laboratories, Limited Liability Company Abbott Ukraine, Limited Liability Company VEROPHARM, Lung Fung Hong (China) Limited, Mansbridge Pharmaceuticals Limited, MediGuide LLC, MediGuide Ltd., Medscreen Holdings Limited, Metropolitana Farmaceutica S.A., Midwest Properties LLC, Murex Argentina S.A., Murex Biotech Limited, Murex Biotech South Africa, Murex Diagnostics Inc., Murex Diagnostics International Inc., Natural Supplement Association LLC, Negocios Denia Sociedad Anonima, Neosalud S.A.C., Nether Pharma N.P. C.V., NeuroTherm LLC, Normann Pharma-Handels GmbH, North Shore Properties Inc., Novamedi S.A., Novasalud.com S.A., Nutravida S.A., OJSC Voronezhkhimpharm, Omnilab Iberia Sociedad Limitada, OptiMedica, Orgenics France SAS, Orgenics International Holdings B.V., Orgenics Ltd., PBM-Selfcare LLC, PDD II LLC, PDD LLC, PT Alere Health, PT. Abbott Indonesia, PT. Abbott Products Indonesia, Pacesetter Inc., Pantech (RF) (PTY) LTD, Pembrooke Occupational Health Inc., Penagos S.A., Pharma International Sociedad Anonima, Pharmaceutical Technologies (Pharmatech) S.A., Pharmatech Boliviana S.A., Polygon Labs S.A., Quality Assured Services Inc., RF Medical Holdings LLC, RTL Holdings Inc., Ramses Business Corp., Recben Xenerics Farmaceutica Limitada, Redwood Toxicology Laboratory Inc., Rich Horizons International Limited, SC VEROPHARM, SJ Medical Mexico S de R.L. de C.V., SJM International Inc., SJM Thunder Holding Company, SPDH Inc., Saboya Enterprises Corporation, Salviac Limited, Scanax AS, Sealing Solutions Inc., Selfcare Technology Inc., Shandong Abbott Dairy Product Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Medical Devices Science and Technology Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Shanghai Si Fa Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Sinensix & Co., Spinal Modulation LLC, St. Jude Medical, St. Jude Medical AB, St. Jude Medical ATG Inc., St. Jude Medical Argentina S.A., St. Jude Medical Asia Pacific Holdings GK, St. Jude Medical Atrial Fibrillation Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Brasil Ltda., St. Jude Medical Business Services Inc., St. Jude Medical Cardiology Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Colombia Ltda., St. Jude Medical Coordination Center, St. Jude Medical Costa Rica Limitada, St. Jude Medical Europe Inc., St. Jude Medical Export Ges.m.b.H., St. Jude Medical GVA Sarl, St. Jude Medical Holdings B.V., St. Jude Medical India Private Limited, St. Jude Medical International Holding, St. Jude Medical LLC, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings II, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings NT, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings SMI S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings TC S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Mexico Business Services S. de R.L. de C.V., St. Jude Medical Middle East DMCC, St. Jude Medical Operations (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., St. Jude Medical Puerto Rico LLC, St. Jude Medical S.C. Inc., St. Jude Medical Systems AB, St. Jude Medical Turkey Medikal Urunler Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Standard Diagnostics Inc., Standing Stone LLC, Swan-Myers Incorporated, TC1 LLC, Tendyne Holdings Inc., Tendyne Medical Inc., Thoratec Delaware LLC, Thoratec Europe Limited, Thoratec LLC, Thoratec Switzerland GmbH, Tobal Products Incorporated, Topera GmbH in Liquidation, Topera Inc., Tremora S.A., Tuenir S.A., TwistDx, UAB Abbott Laboratories, UAB Abbott Medical Lithuania, Union-Madison Realty Company Inc., Unipath Limited (dba Alere International/aka Cranfield), Unipath Management Limited, Unipath Pension Trustee Limited, Veropharm, Veropharm Limited Liability Partnership, Vida Cell Inversiones S.A., Vida Cell S.A., Vivalsol, W&R Pharma Handels GmbH, Western Pharmaceuticals S.A., X Technologies Inc., Yissum Holding Limited, ZonePerfect Nutrition Company, eScreen Canada ULC, eScreen Inc., ( ), and Abbott Laboratories Baltics. Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Aktiengesellschaft, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, sells, and deals in printing press and other print media industry products in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia/Pacific, Eastern Europe, North America, and South America. It operates through Heidelberg Digital Technology, Heidelberg Lifecycle Solutions, and Heidelberg Financial Services segments. The company offers printing machines, including digital, offset, narrow web, screen, and inline-flexo printing, as well as remarketed equipment; and finishing equipment comprising cutting, die-cutting and embossing, folding, inspection, folding carton gluing, and hot foil stamping. It also provides technical services, such as installation and relocation, maintenance and cleaning, remote support, repair, and overhauling services, as well as service parts; and performance services consisting of performance evaluation, color management, training, upgrades and retrofits, monitoring, output optimization, print shop optimization, and investment planning. In addition, the company offers financial services; and consumables, such as CtP printing and analog plates, films, platemaking chemicals, proofing materials, toners, glues, staple cartridges, hole punching supplies, inks, coatings and varnishes, blankets, rollers, chemicals, pressroom supplies, cutting knives, banderoles, dispersion glues, binding glues, stitching wires and sealing threads, and folding carton gluing supplies. Further, it provides software solutions; and consulting and other services in the field of mechanical, engineering, electronics, and electrical engineering, and the metal industry. The company was formerly known as Schnellpressenfabrik AG Heidelberg and changed its name to Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Aktiengesellschaft in 1967. Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Aktiengesellschaft was founded in 1850 and is based in Heidelberg, Germany. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Brinker International: BI INTERNATIONAL SERVICES LLC, BI MEXICO HOLDING CORPORATION, BIPC GLOBAL PAYROLL COMPANY LLC, BIPC INVESTMENTS LLC, BIPC MANAGEMENT LLC, BRINKER AIRPORTS LLC, BRINKER ALABAMA INC., BRINKER ARKANSAS INC., BRINKER ASIA INC., BRINKER BRAZIL LLC, BRINKER CANADIAN HOLDING CO. ULC, BRINKER CANADIAN RESTAURANT CO. ULC, BRINKER CB LP, BRINKER CB MANAGEMENT LLC, BRINKER FHC B.V., BRINKER FLORIDA INC., BRINKER FREEHOLD INC., BRINKER GEORGIA INC., BRINKER INTERNATIONAL PAYROLL COMPANY L.P., BRINKER LOUISIANA INC., BRINKER MICHIGAN INC., BRINKER MISSISSIPPI INC., BRINKER MISSOURI INC., BRINKER NEVADA INC., BRINKER NEW JERSEY INC., BRINKER NORTH CAROLINA INC., BRINKER OF BALTIMORE COUNTY INC., BRINKER OF CARROLL COUNTY INC., BRINKER OF CECIL COUNTY INC., BRINKER OKLAHOMA INC., BRINKER OPCO LLC, BRINKER PENN TRUST, BRINKER PROPCO FLORIDA INC., BRINKER PROPERTY CORPORATION, BRINKER PURCHASING INC., BRINKER RESTAURANT CORPORATION, BRINKER RHODE ISLAND INC., BRINKER SERVICES CORPORATION, BRINKER SOUTH CAROLINA INC., BRINKER TEXAS INC., BRINKER VIRGINIA INC., CHILIS BEVERAGE COMPANY INC., CHILIS INC. a Delaware corporation, CHILIS INC. a Tennessee corporation, CHILIS INTERNATIONAL BASES B.V., CHILIS OF BEL AIR INC., CHILIS OF KANSAS INC., CHILIS OF MARYLAND INC., CHILIS OF WEST VIRGINIA INC., Grady's Inc., MAGGIANO'S OF ANNAPOLIS INC., MAGGIANO'S OF HOWARD COUNTY INC., MAGGIANO'S OF KANSAS INC., MAGGIANOS BEVERAGE COMPANY, MAGGIANOS HOLDING CORPORATION, MAGGIANOS INC., MAGGIANOS OF TYSONS INC., MAGGIANOS PROPERTY CORPORATION, MAGGIANOS TEXAS INC., PEPPER DINING HOLDING CORP., PEPPER DINING Inc., and PEPPER DINING VERMONT INC.. Invesco Municipal Income Opportunities Trust is a closed-ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Invesco Ltd. The fund is co-managed by Invesco Advisers, Inc., INVESCO Asset Management Deutschland GmbH, INVESCO Asset Management Limited, INVESCO Asset Management (Japan) Limited, Invesco Hong Kong Limited, INVESCO Senior Secured Management, Inc., and Invesco Canada Ltd. It invests in the fixed income markets of the United States. The fund primarily invests in municipal bonds rated BB or better by Standard & Poor's or Ba or better by Moody's. It employs fundamental analysis with bottom-up security selection approach to create its portfolio. The fund was previously known as Morgan Stanley Municipal Income Opportunities Trust. Invesco Municipal Income Opportunities Trust was formed on September 19, 1988 and is domiciled in the United States. Read More Deutsche BArse AG operates as an exchange organization in Europe, the United States, and the Asia-Pacific. The company operates through seven segments: Eurex (Financial Derivatives), EEX (Commodities), 360T (Foreign Exchange), Xetra (Cash Equities), Clearstream (Post-Trading), IFS (Investment Fund Services), and Qontigo (index and analytics business). The company engages in the electronic trading of derivatives, electricity and gas products, emission rights, and foreign exchange; operating of Eurex Repo over the counter (OTC) trading platform and electronic clearing architecture; and operating as a central counterparty for on-and-off exchange derivatives, repo transactions, and OTC and exchange-traded derivatives. It also operates in the cash market through Xetra, BArse Frankfurt, and Tradegate trading venues; operates as a central counterparty for equities and bonds; and provides listing services. In addition, the company offers custody and settlement services for securities; investment fund services; global securities financing services; and global securities finance and collateral management, as well as secured money, market transaction, and repos and securities lending transaction services. Further, it develops and markets indices, as well as portfolio management and risk analysis software; markets licenses for trading and market signals; provides technology and reporting solutions for external customers; and offers link-up of trading participants. Deutsche BArse AG was founded in 1585 and is headquartered in Eschborn, Germany. Read More iShares MSCI Chile ETF's stock was trading at $25.05 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, ECH shares have increased by 1.6% and is now trading at $25.45. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. iShares National Muni Bond ETF's stock was trading at $114.45 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 (Coronavirus) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, MUB stock has increased by 1.6% and is now trading at $116.25. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Magna International Inc. designs, engineers, and manufactures components, assemblies, systems, subsystems, and modules for original equipment manufacturers of vehicles and light trucks worldwide. The company operates through four segments: Body Exteriors & Structures, Power & Vision, Seating Systems, and Complete Vehicles. Its Body Exteriors & Structures segment provides body and chassis systems, as well as engineering and testing services; exterior systems, including fascia and trims, front end modules, front integration panels, liftgate modules, active aerodynamics, engineered glass, running boards, truck bed access products, and side doors; and roof systems, such as modular and textile folding roofs, and hard and soft tops. The company's Power & Vision segment offers dedicated hybrid, dual and e-clutch, and manual transmissions; engine drive plates and accessories; AWD/4WD products, rear drive modules, and hybrid and battery electric drive systems; transmission, engine, and driveline components; advanced driver assistance systems, camera systems, ultrasonic sensors, and electronic controllers; interior and exterior mirrors, actuators, door handles, overhead consoles, and camera monitoring systems; head, tail, and fog lamps; signal and other lighting products; and latching systems, door modules, window systems, power closure systems, hinges and wire forming, and handle assemblies. Its Seating Systems segment provides seat structures, mechanism and hardware solutions, and foam and trim products. The company's Complete Vehicles segment offers vehicle manufacturing and engineering services. It also designs, engineers, and manufactures tooling products. Magna International Inc. was founded in 1957 and is headquartered in Aurora, Canada. Read More Merck & Co., Inc. pays an annual dividend of $2.60 per share and currently has a dividend yield of 3.13%. Merck & Co., Inc. has been increasing its dividend for 10 consecutive years, indicating the company has a strong committment to maintain and grow its dividend. The dividend payout ratio of Merck & Co., Inc. is 91.87%. Payout ratios above 75% are not desirable because they may not be sustainable. Based on earnings estimates, Merck & Co., Inc. will have a dividend payout ratio of 39.16% next year. This indicates that Merck & Co., Inc. will be able to sustain or increase its dividend. View Merck & Co., Inc.'s dividend history. The following companies are subsidiares of NOV: AG Holding UK, APL France SAS, APL Management Pte Ltd, APL Norway AS, APL do Brasil Ltda., ASEP Group Holding B.V., ASEP Otomotiv Sanayi Ticaret Ltd., Ackerman Holdings C.V., Ackerman Holdings GP LLC, Ackerman International Holland B.V., Advanced Production and Loading, Advanced Wirecloth, Aggregate Plant Products Co., American Pipe and Construction International, Ameron B.V., Ameron Holdings Pte. Ltd., Ameron International, Ameron International Corporation, Ameron Pole Products LLC, Ameron Polyplaster Industria E Comercio de Tubos Ltda., Ameron Singapore Holding, Ameron Singapore Poly Holdings Pte. Ltd., Ameron Trading Holdings Pte. Ltd., Andergauge Limited, Andergauge Redback, Andergauge USA, Arabian Rig Manufacturing Company, Axiom Process Limited, Belco Manufacturing Company, Big Red Tubulars Limited, Bondstrand Ltd., Bowen Downhole Inc., Bowen Downhole LLC, Brandt Interests, Brandt Oilfield Services (M) Sdn. Bhd., C.M.A. Canavera S.R.L., CJSC Fidmash, CJSC Novmash, CSI Inspection, Camco Drilling Group Limited, Chemineer, Coil Services Middle East LLC, Containment Solutions, Containment Solutions Services, Couoperatie Intelliserv Holding U.A., Couoperatie NOV NL U.A., Danco AS, Denali Incorporated, Denali Management, Devin International, Dreco Canada L.P., Dreco DHT, Dreco Eastern Europe ULC, Dreco Energy Services ULC, Dreco International Holdings ULC, Dreco LLC, E.C. Motors, Elmar Far East Pty Ltd, Enerflow Industries, Enerpro de Mexico, Environmental Procedures LLC, Ershigs, Fabricated Plastics Acquisitions Limited, Fabricated Plastics Limited, Fiber Glass Systems, Fiber Glass Systems (Qingdao) Composite Piping Co., Fiber Glass Systems Holdings, Fiber Glass Systems Oman L.L.C., Fiber Glass Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Fiberspar, Fiberspar Australia Pty. Ltd., Fiberspar Corporation, Fiberspar Linepipe Canada Ltd., Fibra Ingenieria y Construccion S.A., FidService, Fjords Processing (Shanghai) Co., Fjords Processing 1 AS, Fjords Processing AS, Fjords Processing Australia Pty Ltd, Fjords Processing France SAS, Fjords Processing Korea Co. Ltd., Fjords Processing Limited, Fjords Processing UK Ltd., Fryma S.a.r.l., GOT German Oil Tools GmbH, GP USA Holding LLC, GPEX, German Oil Tools (Middle East) FZE, Grant Prideco (Jiangsu) Drilling Products Co., Grant Prideco (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Grant Prideco AB TCA Holding LLC, Grant Prideco European Holding, Grant Prideco Holding, Grant Prideco III C. V., Grant Prideco Inc., Grant Prideco Jersey Limited, Grant Prideco L.P., Grant Prideco Mauritius Limited, Grant Prideco Netherlands B.V., Grant Prideco PC Composites Holdings, Grant Prideco S. de R.L. de C.V., Grant Prideco USA, Grant Prideco de Venezuela, Greystone Technologies Pty. Ltd., GustoMSC B.V., GustoMSC U.S., Hebei Huayouyiji Tuboscope Coating Co., Hitec AS, Hydralift AmClyde, Hydralift France SAS, Hydralift Holdings UK Limited, Inspecciones y Pruebas No Destructivas, IntelliServ Norway AS, Intelliserv, Intelliserv GP Holdings LLC, Intelliserv International Holding, Intelliserv LLC, Interval LLC, JiangYin Tuboscope Tubular Development Co., Merpro Group Limited, Merpro Products Limited, Merpro Tortek Limited, Midsund Bruk AS, Mono Group Pension Trustees Limited, Mono Pumps New Zealand Company, Monoflo NOV S.A.I.C., Moyno Inc., Moyno de Mexico S.A. de C.V., NKT Flexibles I/S, NOV (Asia), NOV (Barbados) Holding SRL, NOV (Barbados) SRL, NOV (Caymans), NOV (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., NOV - Oil Services Angola LDA., NOV APL Limited, NOV ASEP Elmar Mexico, NOV Africa Pty Ltd, NOV Australia Pty Ltd, NOV Azerbaijan LLC, NOV Brandt Europe France, NOV Brandt Oilfield Services Middle East LLC, NOV CV1 GP LLC, NOV CV2 GP LLC, NOV Completion Tools AS, NOV Completion Tools LLC, NOV Completion and Production Solutions Korea Ltd., NOV DH de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., NOV DHT Canada Holding ULC, NOV Denmark Cooperatief U.A., NOV Downhole Argentina, NOV Downhole Bolivia S.R.L., NOV Downhole Colombia, NOV Downhole Comercializacao de Equipamentos para Petroleo Ltda., NOV Downhole Congo, NOV Downhole Eurasia Limited, NOV Downhole Europe B.V., NOV Downhole Germany GmbH, NOV Downhole Italia S.R.L., NOV Downhole Kazakhstan, NOV Downhole Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., NOV Downhole Pty Ltd, NOV Downhole Thailand, NOV Dreco GP LLC, NOV EU Acquisition SNC, NOV Elmar (Middle East) Limited, NOV Elmar NL B.V., NOV Elmar Pte. Ltd., NOV Enerflow ULC, NOV Eurasia Holding LLC, NOV European Holding LLC, NOV Expatriate Services, NOV FGS Malaysia Sdn Bhd, NOV FGS Singapore (Pte.) Ltd, NOV Fiber Glass Systems Fabricacao De Tubos E Conexoes Ltda, NOV Flexibles Equipamentos E Servicos Ltda., NOV Flexibles Holding ApS, NOV Floating Production AS, NOV Fluid Control B.V., NOV GEO GP LLC, NOV GEO LP1 C.V., NOV GEO LP2 C.V., NOV GP Holding L.P., NOV GP1 Holding LLC, NOV Gabon SARL, NOV Germany Holding GmbH, NOV Ghana Limited, NOV Grant Prideco Drilling Equipment Manufacturing LLC, NOV Grant Prideco Drilling Products Middle East FZE, NOV Grant Prideco L.L.C., NOV Holding Danmark ApS, NOV Holding Germany GmbH & Co KG, NOV Holding Germany Management GmbH, NOV Holdings B.V., NOV Hydra Rig Pte. Ltd, NOV India Private Limited, NOV Intelliserv UK Limited, NOV International Holdings C.V., NOV International Holdings GP LLC, NOV Intervention & Stimulation Equipment US LLC, NOV Intervention and Stimulation Equipment Aftermarket Comercio de Equipamentos e Servicos Ltda., NOV Kenya Limited, NOV Kostroma LLC, NOV Kuwait Light & Heavy Equipment Repairing & Maintenance Co., NOV LP (Trading), NOV MSI Pipe Protection Technologies Inc., NOV MSI Pipe Protection Technologies Mexico, NOV Mexico Holding LLC, NOV Middle East FZCO, NOV Mission Products UK Limited, NOV Mozambique Limitada, NOV NL Mexico Holding B.V., NOV Netherlands Finance Holding C.V., NOV Netherlands Finance Holding LLC, NOV North America I/P, NOV Oil & Gas Services Egypt (S.A.E), NOV Oil & Gas Services Uganda Limited, NOV Oil and Gas Services Ghana Limited, NOV Oil and Gas Services Namibia (Proprietary) Limited, NOV Oil and Gas Services Nigeria Limited, NOV Oil and Gas Services South Africa (Pty) Limited, NOV Oilfield Services Tanzania Limited, NOV Oilfield Services Vostok LLC, NOV Oilfield Solutions Ltd., NOV Park II B.V., NOV Process & Flow Technologies AS, NOV Process & Flow Technologies Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., NOV Process & Flow Technologies Pte. Ltd., NOV Process & Flow Technologies UK Limited, NOV Process & Flow Technologies US, NOV Rig Solutions Pte. Ltd., NOV Romania, NOV Saudi Arabia Co. Ltd., NOV Saudi Arabia Trading Co., NOV Services Ltd., NOV Servicios de Personal Mexico, NOV Subsea Products AS, NOV TV2 LLC, NOV TVI LLC, NOV Tanajib Kuwait for Services and Maintenance of Oil Rigs Refineries and Petrochemicals, NOV Tuboscope Italia S.R.L., NOV Tuboscope Middle East LLC, NOV Tuboscope NL B.V., NOV Tubulars and Connectors Ltd., NOV UK (Angola Acquisitions) Limited, NOV UK Finance Limited, NOV UK Holdings Limited, NOV UK Korea LP, NOV Wellbore Technologies Norway LLC, NOV Wellbore Technologies do Brasil Equipamentos E Servicos Ltda., NOV Wellsite Services Germany GmbH, NOV Worldwide C.V., NOV-BLM SAS, NOVM Holding LLC, NOW Downhole Tools, NOW International LLC, NOW Nova Scotia Holdings LLC, NOW Oilfield Services, NQL Holland B.V., National Oilwell (U.K.) Limited, National Oilwell Algerie, National Oilwell DHT, National Oilwell Middle East Company, National Oilwell Services de Mexico, National Oilwell Varco (Beijing) Investment Management Co. Ltd., National Oilwell Varco (Thailand) Ltd., National Oilwell Varco Algeria, National Oilwell Varco Almansoori Services, National Oilwell Varco Bahrain WLL, National Oilwell Varco Belgium SA, National Oilwell Varco Denmark I/S, National Oilwell Varco Egypt LLC, National Oilwell Varco Eurasia, National Oilwell Varco Guatemala, National Oilwell Varco Guyana Inc., National Oilwell Varco Hungary Limited Liability Company, National Oilwell Varco Korea Co., National Oilwell Varco MSW S.A., National Oilwell Varco Mexico, National Oilwell Varco Muscat L.L.C., National Oilwell Varco Norway AS, National Oilwell Varco Peru S.R.L., National Oilwell Varco Petroleum Equipment (Shanghai) Co., National Oilwell Varco Poland Sp.z.o.o., National Oilwell Varco Pte. Ltd., National Oilwell Varco Rig Equipment Trading (Shanghai) Co., National Oilwell Varco Romania S.R.L., National Oilwell Varco Solutions, National Oilwell Varco UK Limited, National Oilwell Varco Ukraine LLC, National Oilwell Varco de Bolivia S.R.L., National Oilwell Varco de Chile - Servicios Limitada, National Oilwell Varco do Brasil Ltda., National Oilwell de Venezuela, National-Oilwell Pte. Ltd., National-Oilwell Pty. Ltd., PT Fjords Processing Indonesia, PT H-Tech Oilfield Equipment, PT NOV Oilfield Services, PT National Oilwell Varco, PT PROFAB INDONESIA, Pesaka Inspection Services SDN.BHD., Pipex Limited, Pipex PX Limited, Pipex Structural Composites Limited, Pridecomex Holding S. de R.L. de C.V., Pridecomex TA Industries, Procon Engineering Ltd., Profab Engineering Pte. Ltd., Profab Services Pte Ltd, Quality Tubing FSC, R&M C.V., R&M Canada Cooperatief U.A., R&M Energy Systems Australia Pty Ltd., R&M Energy Systems de Argentina S.A., R&M Energy Systems de Venezuela, R&M Environmental Strategies, R&M Singapore Holding LLC, R&M UK Holding LLC, RE.MAC.UT. S.r.l., RHI Holding LLC, ReedHycalog, ReedHycalog International Holding, ReedHycalog LLC, ReedHycalog UK Limited, Robannic Overseas Finance A.V.V., Robbins & Myers, Robbins & Myers (Suzhou) Process Equipment Company Limited, Robbins & Myers B.V., Robbins & Myers Foundation, Robbins & Myers GP LLC, Robbins & Myers Holdings, Robbins & Myers Holdings UK Limited, Robbins & Myers Inc, Robbins & Myers Italia S.R.L., Robbins & Myers N.V., Rodic S.A. de C.V., Romaco S.a.r.l., STAR Sudamtex Tubulares S.A., STBH2O TUNISIE, STSA, Screen Manufacturing Company Unlimited, Seabox AS, Slip Clutch Systems Limited, Smart Drilling GmbH, Soil Recovery A/S, South Seas Inspection, Subseaflex Holding ApS, T-3 Energy Preferred Industries Mexico, T-3 Energy Services, T-3 Energy Services Cayman, T-3 Energy Services Cayman Holdings, T-3 Energy Services India Private Limited, T-3 Energy Services Mexico, T-3 Investment Corporation IV, T-3 Mexican Holdings, TVI Holdings, Telluride Insurance Limited, Tianjin Grant TPCO Drilling Tools Company Limited, Tube-Kote, Tubo-FGS, Tuboscope & Co. LLC, Tuboscope (Holding U.S.) LLC, Tuboscope Brandt de Venezuela, Tuboscope Machining Services AS, Tuboscope Norge AS, Tuboscope Pipeline Services Inc., Tuboscope Services, Tuboscope Vetco (Deutschland) GmbH, Tuboscope Vetco (France) SAS, Tuboscope Vetco (Oesterreich) GmbH, Tuboscope Vetco Canada ULC, Tuboscope Vetco Capital Limited, Tuboscope Vetco Moscow CJSC, Tuboscope Vetco de Argentina S.A., Tubular Coatings Solutions Ltd., Tucom Composites Polyester Sanayi Ticaret Ltd., Varco BJ B.V., Varco CIS, Varco Canada ULC, Varco I/P, Varco International de Venezuela, Varco L.P., Varco US Holdings LLC, Vetco Coating GmbH, Vetco Enterprise GmbH, Vetco Saudi Arabia Ltd., Visible Assets, Wilson International, Woolley, XL Systems, XL Systems Antilles, XL Systems Europe B.V., XL Systems International, voestalpine Middle East Free Zone Establishment, voestalpine Tubulars Corporation, voestalpine Tubulars GmbH, and voestalpine Tubulars GmbH & Co KG. 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 There is not enough analysis data for Northstar Realty Europe. 4.5 Community Rank Outperform Votes Northstar Realty Europe has received 195 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Northstar Realty Europe has received 89 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Northstar Realty Europe has received 68.66% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Northstar Realty Europe and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe NRE will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe NRE will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next Pembina Pipeline Corporation provides transportation and midstream services for the energy industry. It operates through three segments: Pipelines, Facilities, and Marketing & New Ventures. The Pipelines segment operates conventional, oil sands and heavy oil, and transmission assets with a transportation capacity of 3.1 millions of barrels of oil equivalent per day, ground storage of 11 millions of barrels, and rail terminalling capacity of approximately 145 thousands of barrels of oil equivalent per day serving markets and basins across North America. The Facilities segment offers infrastructure that provides customers with natural gas, condensate, and natural gas liquids (NGLs), including ethane, propane, butane, and condensate; and includes 354 thousands of barrels per day of NGL fractionation capacity, 21 millions of barrels of cavern storage capacity, and associated pipeline and rail terminalling facilities. The Marketing & New Ventures segment buys and sells hydrocarbon liquids and natural gas originating in the Western Canadian sedimentary basin and other basins. Pembina Pipeline Corporation was incorporated in 1954 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Becton, Dickinson and: (Bard Istanbul Healthcare Limited Company), Accuri Cytometers, Accuri Cytometers Inc., Adaptec Manufacturing Singapore, 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. Bdn., Becton Dickinson GmbH, Becton Dickinson Guatemala S.A., Becton Dickinson Hellas S.A., Becton Dickinson Holdings Limited, Becton Dickinson Holdings Pte Ltd., Becton Dickinson Hungary Kft., Becton Dickinson India Private Limited, Becton Dickinson Industrias Cirurgicas Ltda., Becton Dickinson Infusion Therapy AB, Becton Dickinson Infusion Therapy Holdings UK Limited, Becton Dickinson Infusion Therapy Systems Inc., Becton Dickinson Infusion Therapy Systems Inc. S.A. de C.V., Becton Dickinson Infusion Therapy UK, Becton Dickinson Insulin Syringe Ltd., Becton Dickinson International Holdings II Pte Ltd., Becton Dickinson International Holdings III Pte Ltd., Becton Dickinson International Holdings Pte Ltd., Becton Dickinson Israel Ltd., Becton Dickinson Italia S.p.A., Becton Dickinson Ithalat Ihracat Limited Sirketi, Becton Dickinson Korea Holding Inc., Becton Dickinson Korea Ltd., Becton Dickinson Ltd., Becton Dickinson Luxembourg Finance S.a.r.L., Becton Dickinson Luxembourg Global Holdings Sarl, Becton Dickinson Luxembourg Holdings II S.a.r.L, Becton Dickinson Luxembourg Holdings III S.a.r.L, Becton Dickinson Malaysia Inc., Becton Dickinson Management GmbH & Co. KG, Becton Dickinson Matrex Holdings Inc., Becton Dickinson Medical (S) Pte Ltd., Becton Dickinson Medical Devices (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Becton Dickinson Medical Devices (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Becton Dickinson Medical Products Pte. Ltd., Becton Dickinson Medical Technology (Jiangsu) Co. Ltd., Becton Dickinson Netherlands Global Holdings II C.V., Becton Dickinson Netherlands Holdings B.V., Becton Dickinson Netherlands Holdings II B.V., Becton Dickinson Norway AS, Becton Dickinson O.Y., Becton Dickinson Overseas Services Ltd., Becton Dickinson Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd., Becton Dickinson Penel Limited, Becton Dickinson Philippines Inc., Becton Dickinson Polska Sp.z.o.o., Becton Dickinson Portugal Unipessoal Lda., Becton Dickinson Pty. Ltd., Becton Dickinson Research Centre Ireland Limited, Becton Dickinson Rowa Germany GmbH, Becton Dickinson Rowa Italy Srl, Becton Dickinson S.A., Becton Dickinson Sample Collection GmbH, Becton Dickinson Scot Financing L.L.P., Becton Dickinson Scot Financing L.P., Becton Dickinson Sdn. Bhd., Becton Dickinson Slovakia s.r.o., Becton Dickinson Sweden AB, Becton Dickinson Sweden Holdings AB, Becton Dickinson Switzerland Global Holdings SarL, Becton Dickinson Technology Campus India, Becton Dickinson U.K. Limited, Becton Dickinson UK Financing I Ltd., Becton Dickinson UK Financing II Ltd., Becton Dickinson Venezuela C.A., Becton Dickinson Venture LLC, Becton Dickinson Verwaltungs GmbH, Becton Dickinson Vostok LLC, Becton Dickinson Worldwide Investments Sa.r.L., Becton Dickinson Zambia Limited, Becton Dickinson and Company Ltd., Becton Dickinson de Colombia Ltda., Becton Dickinson de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Becton Dickinson del Uruguay S.A., Benex Ltd., Biometric Imaging, Bridger Biomed Inc., C. R. Bard, C. R. Bard (Portugal)-Produtos e Artigos Medicos e Farmaceuticos, C. R. Bard Do Brazil Productos Medicos Ltds., C. R. Bard GmbH, C. R. Bard Inc., C. R. Bard Netherlands Sales B.V., CME America LLC, CME Ltd., CME Medical (UK) Limited, CME UK (Holdings) Limited, CRISI Medical Systems, CRISI Medical Systems Inc., Caesarea Medical Electronics, Cardal II LLC, Care Fusion Development Private Limited, CareFusion, CareFusion (Barbados) SrL, CareFusion (Shanghai) Commercial and Trading Co. Limited, CareFusion 213 LLC, CareFusion 2200 Inc., CareFusion 2201 Inc., CareFusion 302 LLC, CareFusion 303 Inc., CareFusion Asia (HK) Limited, CareFusion BH 335 d.o.o. Cazin, CareFusion Corporation, CareFusion D.R. 203 Ltd., CareFusion France 309 S.A.S., CareFusion Germany 318 GmbH, CareFusion Iberia 308 S.L., CareFusion Israel 330 Ltd., CareFusion Italy 312 S.p.A., CareFusion Manufacturing LLC, CareFusion Mexico 215 S.A. de C.V., CareFusion Netherlands 328 B.V., CareFusion Netherlands 503 B.V., CareFusion Netherlands 504 B.V., CareFusion Netherlands Financing 283 C.V., CareFusion Resources LLC, CareFusion S.A. 319 (Proprietary) Limited, CareFusion Solutions LLC, CareFusion U.K. 244 Limited, CareFusion U.K. 305 Limited, CareFusion U.K. 306 Limited, Carmel Pharma AB, Carmel Pharma Inc, Cato Software Solutions, Cell Analysis Systems Inc, Cellular Research, Cellular Research Inc., Clearstream Technologies Group Limited, Clearstream Technologies Limited, Clontech Laboratories Inc, Corporativo BD de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Cubex, Cytopeia, DLD (Bermuda) Ltd., DVL Acquisition Sub Inc., Davol Inc., Davol International Limited, Davol Surgical Innovations S.A. de C.V., Difco Laboratories Incorporated, Distribuidora BD Mexico S.A. de C.V., Dutch American Manufacturers (D.A.M.) B.V., Dymax Corporation, Embo Medical Limited, Enturia de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Enturican Inc., FJ International Inc., FlowCardia Inc., FlowCardia LLC, FlowJo LLC, Franklin Lakes Enterprises L.L.C., GSL Solutions, Gamer Lasertechnik GmbH, GenCell Biosystems, GenCell Biosystems Ltd., GeneOhm Sciences, GeneOhm Sciences Canada Inc., Gentest Corporation, Gesco International Inc., Gesco International LLC, HandyLab Inc, HandyLab Inc., IBD Holdings LLC, Ionotophoretics Corporation, JoHome LLC, Kabushiki Kaisha Medicon (Medicon Inc.), Liberator Health and Education Services Inc., Liberator Health and Wellness Inc., Liberator Medical Holdings Inc., Liberator Medical Supply Inc., LifeBond, Limited Liability Company Bard Rus, Loma Vista Medical Inc., Loma Vista Medical LLC, Lutonix Inc., Med-Design Corporation, Med-Design Investment Holdings Inc., Med-Safe Systems Inc., MedChem Products Inc., Medafor Inc., Medegen LLC, Medinservice.com Inc., Medivance Inc., NAT Diagnostics, NAT Diagnostics Inc., NOW Medical Distribution Inc., NOW Medical Distribution LLC, Navarre Biomedical LLC, Navarre Biomedical Ltd., Neomend Inc., Nippon Becton Dickinson Company Ltd., Omega Biosystems Incorporated, P.R.C.(Isialys)Societe a responsabilitie limitee(Societe a associe unique), PT Becton Dickinson Indonesia, PharMingen, PreAnalytiX GmbH, Pristine Access Technologies Inc., ProSeed Inc., Procesos para Esterilizacion S.A. de C.V., Productos Bard de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Productos Para el Cuidado de la Salud S.A. de C.V., Puls Medical Devices AS LC, PureWick Corporation, Roberts Laboratories Inc., Rochester Medical Corporation, Rochester Medical Ltd., Saf-T-Med, Safety Syringes, Safety Syringes Inc., Sendal S.L.U., SenoRx Inc., SenoRx LLC, Shield Healthcare Centers Inc., Sirigen, Sirigen II Limited, Sirigen Inc., Sistemas Medicos ALARIS S.A. de C.V., Specialized Cooperative Corporation, Specialized Health Products Inc., Specialized Health Products International Inc., Specialized Health Products International LLC, Staged Diabetes Management LLC, Straub Medical, Straub Medical, Straub Medical (US) LLC, Straub Medical (United Kingdom) Ltd., Straub Medical France, Surgical Site Solutions Inc., TVA Medical, TVA Medical GmbH, TVA Medical Inc., Tepha, Touchstone Medical Limited, Tri-County Medical & Ostomy Supplies Inc., TriPath Imaging, TriPath Imaging Inc., Vas-Cath Incorporated, Vascular Pathways Inc., Velano Vascular, Venetec International Inc., Venetec International LLC, Y-Med Inc., and Y-Med LLC. This Page Is Under Construction - Coming Soon! Why am I seeing this 'Under Construction' page? Rayonier Advanced Materials, Inc. engages in the production and sale of cellulose products, which is a natural polymer commonly used in the production of cell phone and computer screens, filters, and pharmaceuticals. It operates through the following segments: High Purity Cellulose, Forest Products, Paperboard, Pulp and Newsprint, and Corporate. The High Purity Cellulose segment manufacture and market high purity cellulose, which is sold as either cellulose specialties or commodity products in U.S., Canda, and France. The Forest Products segment manufacture and market construction-grade lumber in North America through seven sawmills located in Canada. The Paperboard segment comprises paperboard products. The Pulp and Newsprint segment involves in the production of pulp and newsprint in Canada. The Corporate segment consists senior management, accounting, information systems, human resources, treasury, tax, and legal administrative functions that provide support services to the operating business units. The company was founded in 1926 and is headquartered in Jacksonville, FL. Read More SPDR Gold Shares' stock was trading at $153.93 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, GLD stock has increased by 12.1% and is now trading at $172.61. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. Parkland Corporation operates as a marketer, distributor, and refiner of fuel and petroleum products in Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through Canada, International, USA, Supply, and Corporate segments. The Canada segment supplies and supports a coast-to-coast network of 1,860 retail gas stations under the Ultramar, Esso, Fas Gas Plus, Chevron, Pioneer, and Race Trac as well as operates convenience stores under the On the Run/MarchA Express brand. Additionally it offers bulk fuel, bulk and cylinder exchange propane, heating oil, lubricants, and other related products and services to commercial, industrial, and residential customers in various industries, such as oil and gas, construction, mining, forestry, fishing, and transportation under the Ultramar, Bluewave Energy, Pipeline Commercial, Chevron, Columbia Fuels, and Sparlings Propane brands. The International segment operates retail service stations under the Esso, Shell, and Sol brands; and delivers and supplies gasoline, diesel, fuel oil, propane, and lubricants to customers in various sectors, including power, oil and gas, and mining. The USA segment operates a network of gas stations; and delivers bulk fuel, lubricants, and other related products and services under the Farstad Oil, Rhinehart Oil, Tropic Oil, Superpumper, Harts, and On the Run brands. The Supply segment manufactures transportation fuels; transports, stores, and markets fuels, crude oil, and liquid petroleum gases; and manufactures and sells aviation fuel to airlines. This segment also engages in the wholesale, supply, and distribution business. The company was formerly known as Parkland Fuel Corporation and changed its name to Parkland Corporation in May 2020. The company was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Read More SociAtA GAnArale SociAtA anonyme provides financial services in Europe, the Americas, Asia, Oceania, Africa, and France. The company offers retail banking services, including deposits and loans, vehicles and asset management, corporate finance, insurance, payments, investment, and online brokerage and financial information services; Internet, mobile, telephone, and service platforms; and online banking to individual and professional customers, businesses, non-profit associations and local authorities under the Societe Generale, CrAdit du Nord, and Boursorama Banque brands. It also provides international retail banking and financial services, comprising of deposit and loan products; consumer finance and car finance; mortgage facilities; corporate and investment banking; infrastructure, renewable energies, and agribusiness financing; life, retirement savings, and personal protection insurance products; vehicle leasing and fleet management services; and vendor and equipment finance services to corporate and individual customers. In addition, the company offers capital market services, such as fixed income and currencies, equities, and securities services; mergers and acquisitions, advisory and other corporate finance advisory services, and corporate banking and investment banking, as well as capital raising solutions for debt or equity, financial engineering, and hedging for issuers; transaction and payment services, comprising of cash management, trade finance, cash clearing and correspondent banking, supply chain finance, and foreign exchange services; and export finance, aircraft finance, shipping finance, real estate finance, and structured solutions and leasing. Further, it provides financial engineering and wealth management solutions; structured products, hedge funds, mutual funds, private equity funds and real estate investment solutions; and asset management solutions. SociAtA GAnArale SociAtA anonyme was founded in 1864 and is headquartered in Paris, France. Read More Teekay Offshore Partners L.P. provides marine transportation, oil production, storage, long-distance towing and offshore installation, and maintenance and safety services for the oil industry. It operates in six segments: Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO); Shuttle Tanker; Floating Storage and Off-Take (FSO); Unit for Maintenance and Safety (UMS); Towage and Offshore Installation Vessels; and Conventional Tanker. The company serves customers in offshore oil regions of the North Sea, Brazil, and the East Coast of Canada. As at December 31, 2018, it had a fleet of 35 shuttle tankers, 2 chartered-in vessels, 1 HiLoad dynamic positioning unit, 8 FPSO units, 6 FSO units, 10 long-distance towage and offshore installation vessels, 1 UMS, and 2 chartered-in conventional oil tankers. Teekay Offshore GP L.L.C. serves as the general partner of Teekay Offshore Partners L.P. The company was founded in 2006 and is based in Hamilton, Bermuda. Teekay Offshore Partners L.P. is a subsidiary of Brookfield TK TOLP L.P. Read More Toyota Motor Corp. engages in the manufacture and sale of motor vehicles and parts. It operates through the following segments: Automotive, Financial Services, and All Other. The Automotive segment designs, manufactures, assembles and sells passenger cars, minivans, trucks, and related vehicle parts and accessories. It is also involved in the development of intelligent transport systems. The Financial Services segment offers purchase or lease financing to Toyota vehicle dealers and customers. It also provides retail leasing through lease contracts purchase by dealers. The All Others segment deals with the design and manufacture and sale of housing, telecommunications and other businesses. The company was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda on August 28, 1937 and is headquartered in Toyota, Japan. Read More TelefAnica Deutschland Holding AG provides integrated telecommunication services to private and business customers in Germany. It offers voice, data, and value-added services in mobile and fixed line networks; access to infrastructure and services for its wholesale partners; and digital products and services in the fields of Internet of Things. The company provides its products and services through a network of independently operated franchise and premium partner shops, and online and telesales channels, as well as indirect selling channels, such as partnerships and co-operations with retailers. It markets its products and services under the O2, Blau, AY YILDIZ, Ortel Mobile, FONIC, netzclub, and TArkeiSIM brand names. As of December 31, 2020, TelefAnica Deutschland Holding AG had approximately 47 million customers. The company was formerly known as TelefAnica Germany Verwaltungs GmbH and changed its name to TelefAnica Deutschland Holding AG in September 2012. The company is based in Munich, Germany. TelefAnica Deutschland Holding AG is a subsidiary of Telefonica Germany Holdings Limited. Read More Valvoline, Inc. is engaged in producing, marketing and supplying of engine & automotive maintenance products and services. The company operates through three segments: Quick Lubes, Core North America and International. The Quick Lubes segment provides services to passenger car and light truck quick lube market through company-owned and independent franchised retail quick lube service center stores and independent express care stores that service vehicles with valvoline products. The Core North America segment sells engine and automotive maintenance products in the United States and Canada to retailers, installers, and heavy-duty customers to service vehicles and equipment. The International segment sells engine and automotive products in more than 140 countries outside of the United States and Canada for the maintenance of consumer and commercial vehicles and equipment. Its products include motor oil, gear oil, pro-v racing and antifreeze and radiator. Valvoline was founded in 1866 and is headquartered in Lexington, KY. Read More BINGHAMTON NewsChannel 2 is reporting a new vote total for the 22nd Congressional District race, and the gap between the challenger and the incumbent has gotten even tighter. The State Board of Elections says Broome County added 433 more tallied votes to this race since we last checked in on Wednesday. The new overall vote totals are: Anthony Brindisi (D) - 117,931 votes Claudia Tenney (R) - 116,638 votes That leaves a new lead of 1,293 votes for Brindisi. Looking more closely at Broome County, Tenney picked up 281 more votes while Brindisi added 152. NewsChannel 2 has reached out to the Broome County Board of Elections for comment, specifically asking where these votes are coming from and why it took two days for them to be counted. The BOE commissioners issued this statement via email Thursday afternoon: There was an issue on Election Night uploading the results from one voting machine in the Town of Barker. The results from this voting machine were not initially included in the unofficial total vote count reported on Election Night, resulting in net gain for Claudia Tenney. After the polls closed and results were counted Tuesday night, Brindisi was leading Tenney by fewer than 1,500 votes. Several national news organizations had projected Brindisi as the winner however, WKTV did not. Brindisi gave a victory speech at his election party Tuesday night, before word spread that the vote gap had been closed. Tenney has not conceded. More than 16,000 absentee ballots still need to be counted, plus additional provisional and military ballots. The 22nd Congressional District covers all or part of eight counties in upstate New York, including the cities of Utica and Binghamton. Tenney, a one-term incumbent, was an early supporter of President Donald Trump. Her policies remained popular in a district which strongly backed Trump in 2016. The President visited Utica in August for a Tenney campaign fundraiser, and his sons Donald Jr. and Eric visited the area shortly before election day to campaign for her as well. Brindisi, a state assemblyman representing the 119th District, campaigned on calls for bipartisanship in Washington. He was endorsed by Republican former Congressmen Sherwood Boehlert and Richard Hanna. UTICA - In the 22nd Congressional district, roughly 1,400 votes separate winner, Democrat Anthony Brindisi, from Republican incumbent, Claudia Tenney. The number of absentee, affadavit, military and provisional ballots could approach 20,000. "I'm not gonna concede. There's gonna be a recanvas," said Congresswoman Tenney during a speech to supporters on election night. Toward the end of her remarks, someone told Tenney something off-podium. She returned to the dais with a parting comment; a potential cliffhanger. "We may be at a recount. Good news to come, maybe," said Tenney, before stepping away from the podium for good. Challenger Brindisi, currently leading Tenney by about 1400 votes, said he plans to go to Washington in two months. "We're gonna start planning for our first day in office January 3rd. We want to get up and running and hit the ground," said Brindisi, adding that he doesn't expect the final count to change anything. "I think if you look at where the bulk of absentees lie, they're in counties that we won, so we think they're gonna shake out very similar to the results that we saw last night." Tenney spend the day with her son, family and lawyers, traveling the district, seeking more information. Brindisi said next up for him is some family time The county boards of election will begin counting absentee ballots the Tuesday after election day. Depending on how long that takes, plus the recanvas, and if anyone requests a recount, the race could go on for weeks. UTICA Utica Police and New York State Troopers searched through the North Utica marsh early Wednesday afternoon looking for a man accused of shoplifting from Walmart. NewsChannel 2s reporter on the scene spotted law enforcement in action and caught the whole ordeal on camera. Police search for an alleged shoplifting suspect in North Utica on November 7, 2018. Police search for an alleged shoplifting suspect in North Utica on November 7, 2018. Utica Police tell us the man, identified as 33-year-old Joseph Cittadino of Utica, allegedly stole from the nearby Walmart near Horatio Street and River Road, then ran away from the store. Police found him hiding under the ramp to Route 12 south, across from River Road. Cittadino yelled obscenities at our reporter and said "I stole a speaker." Police say Cittadino is charged with petit larceny. DEANSBORO - Route 12B has reopened after it was temporarily shut down in both directions Thursday due to wires in the road. The New York State Department of Transportation sent an alert at 11:21 a.m. saying "Route 12B is closed in both directions at Peck Road in Deansboro due to wires down." The DOT says firefighters and DOT crews were on the scene dealing with the situation, and NYSEG had been called in. The DOT detoured vehicles onto Peck Road, to Skyline Drive, then to Bogusville Hill Road. The DOT says the wires were cleared and Route 12B was reopened at 2:00 p.m. WHITESBORO -- Officials with the Whitesboro Central School District are making sure students and parents are aware of the dangers of e-cigarettes. The school district held a community night discussing how they plan to stop vaping in their schools. Superintendent Brian Bellair says vaping is an issue happening in their schools. He announced that the school district has secured a grant for devices that will help school officials detect when students are vaping. Vaping refers to using a handheld electronic device that mimics the feeling of smoking. Vaping is also known as using e-cigarettes or JUULS, and contain as much nicotine as a pack of cigarettes. Bellair says the school district will place 50 devices in its middle and high schools, which is where they deal with vaping the most. "When vaping first came out it really was marketed as a way for people to quit smoking so, people perceived it as something that was safer and we know more now about it, Bellair said. We know that when people engage in certain addictions, theyre more likely to become addicted to other substances. So, one addiction certainly can lead to another, and the fact that the concentration of nicotine is so high makes it a much more highly addictive form of smoking." According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, e-cigarettes are now the most commonly used tobacco product among youth. Bellair says the vaping detectors will be put in places that are hard to monitor, such as bathrooms and locker rooms. He says the detectors have been ordered and the school plans to have them installed in the next 4-6 weeks. Students will be notified about the detectors in hopes of decreasing the use of e-cigarettes in school. LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) A convenience store employee, who was carrying a gun on the job, accidentally shot himself Wednesday morning, police said. Around 1:35 a.m., police said 37-year-old James Allen called dispatch and reported he had been shot in the hand. He told police he was taking out the trash at the Village Pantry on South 4th Street. After reviewing surveillance footage, police said Allen actually shot himself in the hand. Police said Allen was taken to the hospital for treatment. The case has been forwarded to the prosecutor's office. LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - The Federal Drug Administration has approved a new, very powerful opioid drug. Now, some who work closely with opioid addiction and overdoses have concerns. Its called Dsuvia. Its an opioid drug that is 1,000 times stronger than morphine and 10 times stronger than fetanyl, which is the opioid commonly seen in overdoses today. We are in the midst of an opioid crisis and Lafayette is not immune to that, said Darrell Clase, Director of the Tippecanoe Emergency Ambulance Service. When Jason Padgett from Home With Hope was asked if he thought the FDA will be able to keep Dsuvia out of the hands of those who would use it negatively, his answer was clear. No, I dont. Ever, he said. We are consistently, one to three times a day, called to overdoses here in Tippecanoe County, said Clase. Padgett works to help those who battle this disease through the recovery process. "I just got a call on my way here that one of my friends overdosed and died last night and that makes three in the Lafayette area in the past 72 hours," he said. So naturally, both are concerned about the direction Dsuvia will take. FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb released a statement earlier this week trying to address some of the concerns about the drug. He said it will be used to help our military. The FDA has made it a high priority to make sure our soldiers have access to treatments that meet the unique needs of the battlefield, said his statement in part. But giving wounded soldiers could lead to a slippery slope. According to a study in 2014, 15% of veterans regularly used opioids, a rate that is much higher than the general population. Even though Padgett said this drug can get in the wrong hands, he still sees the other side of the coin. As a United States Marine, when I can see Dsuvia will be used to help those on the battlefield, I have to say there is some merit to that, he said. Do we punish the rest of the world because people are looking for a chemical escape? He said that its time that people look at addiction as a societal issue. "People need housing, they need to be able to support their families, have a purpose in life, he said. Until we start teaching people how to parent, how to address their emotional and psychological issues. This is how we fight addiction. Clase is the one answering all the calls for help and administering recovery drugs such as Narcan and Naloxone. "If a medicine of this sort was to hit the streets it would pose significant challenges for the EMS world, he said. He said it is unknown if Narcan and Naloxone would be able to revive someone who had overdosed on Dsuvia. "We already have a limited amount of resources to treat those people and adding something to the mix I just think continues to create more challenges, he said. If we could control what is already happening, it would be a different story, but until that happens, I feel that we are fighting a losing battle. He said if Dsuvia should become more widespread, he and his team will be as proactive as possible. It is something we would seek training on, he said. Hopefully that would never happen since its only supposed to be used in a healthcare setting, but we just never know what can happen. Padgett said there are lots of things happening in Lafayette to create a positive recover environment. The Opioid Task Force is working towards possibly creating a recovery community organization, Workforce One is helping people get jobs at Caterpillar and SIA, he said. Those are the kinds of things that change peoples lives. They recently got a grant to form a quick response team, comprised of one EMS person and one certified addictions peer recovery person who will go out and talk to anybody within 72 hours who has overdosed and opted to not seek further help. Padgett said that team should be up and running by early December. WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) One in seven of your neighbors will struggle with hunger this holiday season according to Food Finders Food Bank. This is one reason why the team at Elmcroft Senior Living is working with Phoenix Paramedic Solutions to collect food Thursday. The organizations are hosting a Fill the Ambulance Food Drive. It's actually the first time Elmcroft and Phoenix Paramedic Solutions will host this event for Food Finders, but help is needed from the community to fill the ambulance with food. The ambulance will be parked at Elmcroft and you should be able to see it from the street. The senior living community is located near the Salisbury Street and Kalbere Road intersection. If you can, drop off some non-perishable food. "I think we forget that those in our own community need food and need help," said Elmcroft Sales Director Venessa Sowders. "Just doing something like this, especially near this time, is so important and just humbling." Food Finders is asking people to donate foods that you would like to eat, especially items children would like to eat this holiday season. Both organizations are hoping to make this an annual tradition. "I would love to go big and fill the ambulance full of food with it overflowing," Sowders said. "I think if we get half for the first year it would be great." Food you can drop off includes canned meats like tuna, chicken, and salmon, canned vegetables and fruit, peanut butter, pasta, rice, cooking oil, 100% fruit juices, beans, and shelf-stable milk. The food drive is being held Thursday from 11 a.m. and will end at 1 p.m. If you can't make it you can host your own food drive the planning kit is available here. This link also provides most wanted items and information on how to host a food or fund drive. Workers at Elmcroft will also be providing a free lunch for those who donate during the food drive. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Russia will host the second round of the Moscow peace conference on Afghanistan this month, which its Foreign Ministry bills as the first direct high-level talks between the Taliban and Afghan government. The importance that Russia attaches to the second session of the Moscow conference on Afghanistan on Nov. 9 is evident from the fact that the event, which will be held at the level of deputy foreign ministers, will be opened by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who was not present at similar meetings on Syria, even during that countrys most difficult periods. Russias Foreign Ministry sent invitations to representatives of 11 countries -- Afghanistan, the U.S., India, Iran, China, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The Afghan government has already confirmed that a delegation from the countrys High Peace Council will be attending, while the Taliban also said it would send representatives to Moscow. A high-ranking delegation of the Political Office of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan [Taliban] will take part in the conference It is a conference about holding comprehensive discussions on finding a peaceful solution to the Afghan quandary and ending American occupation. The Islamic Emirate will also give a detailed speech and clarify its views and policy about all aspects of the issue, including restoring peace and security, the Taliban said in a statement. Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai also announced his intention to attend the conference because any possibility of peace talks with the Taliban should not be ignored. Atta Muhammad Nur, the former governor of Balkh province, is also expected to attend. According to the Russian Foreign Ministrys statement, all the invited countries but one -- the U.S. -- confirmed their participation. The U.S. State Department earlier explained its refusal due to the absence of significant results of the first meeting in Moscow regarding the Afghan peace process. But Russian diplomats say off-record that the U.S. will be indirectly involved and informed. "The President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Mr. [Ashraf] Ghani, decided to send a delegation of the country's High Peace Council to the meeting. For the first time, a delegation from the Taliban's Political Office in Doha will participate in an international meeting of this level," the statement read. "The Russian side reaffirms the position that there is no alternative to a political settlement in Afghanistan and that there is a need for active coordinated work by Afghanistan's neighbouring countries and regional partners in this area," it added. Although each of the countries invited to the conference is deeply involved in the Afghan conflict, their role at the conference is to legitimize the process of the talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government, Omar Nessar, director of the Center for Contemporary Afghan Studies, told Anadolu Agency. One of the main issues that Nessar expects the Taliban to discuss with the Afghan government at the conference is the withdrawal of all foreign troops from the country, primarily American forces. "At first glance, it seems that this is an unsolvable task. On the other hand, the attitude towards the U.S. presence in Afghanistan is changing even for those who supported it. American troops are in Afghanistan under the security agreement. However, after 17 years in the country, the U.S. has not fulfilled any of its obligations under it. Why are they there then? Nessar said. He dismissed expectations of an immediate coup detat following the departure of the U.S. military. "There is a common stereotype that the Afghan government will not last a day without the U.S. troops. But it is in the case if the Taliban take action. But who says it will? We must remember that the Taliban will not last long without external support as well. And if the supporters of the two sides agree to avoid immediate war, with this starting point, we can work on a solution, he said. If the U.S. categorically rejects the withdrawal of its troops, it could maintain its military presence in the country, but under other conditions. The U.S. could rent military bases from Afghanistan. This option would be more honest, Nessar said. The withdrawal of foreign troops from the country must be accompanied by economic support, Alexey Muraviev, the head of the School of Asian Studies at the National Research University Higher School of Economics in Moscow, told Anadolu Agency. "At the moment, the production of drugs is the base of the countrys shadow economy. If thinking sincerely about the peace process, it is necessary to decide what to replace it with, he said. Economic powerhouse China could become one of Afghanistans major economic supporters, which is in line with the countrys policy of primarily pursuing commercial interests, he said. "The difficulties of the Chinese in the country are associated with a lack of understanding of the Afghan specifics and a lack of attention to the cultural component," he said. Finally, it is necessary to stop imposing leaders on the country. There should be a national leader acceptable to all segments of the population, said political expert Denis Korkodinov. "Afghanistan needs a leader who grew up, learnt and worked in Afghanistan, who knows the land, and not another Soviet or American or protege of any other country. Only a person who comes from Afghanistan can understand why people support the Taliban, what makes people look for support from radicals instead of trying to build a society that will strive for social equality and justice," he said. Korkodinov recalled that from the 19th century, all Afghan leaders have been proteges of foreign powers. In India, it would be the same if Mahatma Gandhi had not appeared, who was acceptable for everyone, he said. "But people like Mahatma Gandhi are quite rare. India is lucky. Pakistan is less fortunate. Afghanistan is a failure in this sense. It is a very multi-ethnic and multicultural region where it has always been difficult to find a balance. So now it is difficult to imagine that a national leader acceptable for everyone will appear and unite the country. But at least we have to try to find him. It is necessary to work in this direction anyway, he said. On October 17, the International Socialist Organization (ISO) announced that it was withdrawing its endorsement of the Green Party candidates for New York State governor, Howie Hawkins, and lieutenant governor, Jia Lee, who ran against the Democratic incumbents Andrew Cuomo and Kathy Hochul in Tuesdays election. The ISO justified its rupture with the Green candidates over the issue of Syria. The immediate reason given for rescinding their endorsement was the appearance in September at a Hawkins fundraiser of comedian and YouTube talk show host Jimmy Dore. Dore has denounced the US intervention in Syria and debunked unsubstantiated claims by the Obama and Trump administrations that alleged chemical weapons attacks on Syrian civilians were the work of government forces. Washington has used these allegations to justify airstrikes directed against the government of President Bashar al-Assad, which the US has targeted for regime-change. The ISOs right-wing attack on the Green Party is consistent with its long-standing role as an agent of US imperialism and political accomplice in a neo-colonial war that has killed hundreds of thousands of Syrian civilians, turned millions more into refugees and destroyed the countrys infrastructure. The ISOs position is in sync with that of the Democratic Party and those factions within the US military and intelligence establishment that consider the Trump administrations conduct of the US war in Syria insufficiently aggressive, and are demanding a more belligerent posture toward Assads main ally, Russia. In the October 17 statement, The Independent Left Must Oppose Islamophobia, published on the ISOs website, SocialistWorker.org, the New York City district of the organization demanded that the Hawkins-Lee campaign publicly clarify its opposition to the Islamophobic and Assadist views put forward by these figures. The ISO brands as Islamophobic and Assadist anyone who questions the role of US imperialism and its allies in funding and arming Islamist rebels, including forces linked to Al Qaeda, and orchestrating the seven-year-long war for regime-change. This is a reactionary slander. Opposition to US imperialism in Syria does not imply political support for the bourgeois Assad regime. The defense of oppressed former colonial countries against imperialism is a fundamental principle of the Marxist movement, regardless of the nature of their regimes. Genuine socialists do not lend any credibility to the cynical attempts of the US ruling class to cloak its war crimes in the mantle of human rights. Nor do they cede to the imperialists the task of settling accounts with Syrias bourgeois regimea task that must be carried out by the Syrian working class as part of a united, international struggle of the working class against world imperialism. Similarly, applying the term Islamophobic to those who oppose the long-standing use by US imperialism in the Middle East of right-wing Islamist militias and political movements as instruments for regime change and suppression of the working class is a political libel. It is of a piece with the ISOs attempt to portray right-wing terror outfits in the pay of Washington and its regional allies, led by Saudi Arabia, as the spearhead of a democratic revolution. In the October 17 statement, the ISO writes: Dores YouTube show, with its 400 thousand subscribers, is a platform for conspiratorial arguments about Syria, including the claim that the outcry against the Assad regimes use of chemical weapons is a false flag operation. By conspiratorial arguments the ISO means Dores exposure of falsehoods and contradictions in the claims of the media, the Trump administration and the Democratic Party that Assad forces carried out chemical weapons attacks on civilians in 2017 and 2018. These allegations were used to justify US missile attacks on Syrian forces in April of 2017 and again last April. The ISO article links to a video of Dore debunking the claims of a Syrian government gas attack on Idlib Province, which were used as the pretext for the April 2017 missile attack on Syrias Shayrat airbase. The ISO has been aligned with the Green Party, a bourgeois party steeped in nationalism and hostile to any independent movement of the working class, since 2004. ISO members have repeatedly run for office on the Green Party ticket. The organization has to be well aware that among both the Greenss leaders and members there has existed a range of opinions critical of American policy in Syria for some time. Green presidential candidate Jill Steins running mate in the 2016 presidential election, Ajamu Baraka, for example, had spoken critically of US human rights imperialism and called American intervention in Syria a classic destabilization campaign. While supporting the Stein campaign in 2016, the ISO criticized it for failing to unambiguously back the US wars in Syria and Iraq. In August of 2016, SocialistWorker.org writer Ashley Smith complained that Jill Stein has made little to no criticism of Assad. There is no doubt that since then, the ISO has hardened its pro-war line and aggressively attackedin the name of the Syrian democratic revolution anyone who opposes the US aggression in the region. Last May, SocialistWorker.org issued a rebuke to an article in Jacobin, the magazine associated with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), for casting doubt on the idea that Syrian Dictator Bashir Al-Assad used chemical weapons. The invocation of the appearance of the comedian Jimmy Dore at the Hawkins rally, however, is a transparent pretext for breaking with the Greens. Underlying this move are real political pressures. First and foremost among them are the recent successes of the ISOs political allies in the Democratic Socialists of America in fielding winning candidates for the Democratic Party, particularly in New York, such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for Congress and Julia Salazar for State Assembly. The privileged upper middle class constituency to which the ISO is oriented was also drawn to the unsuccessful challenge by former TV star Cynthia Nixon to incumbent Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo. With their endorsement of the Greens, the ISOs leadership became fearful that it was missing the boat. Nonetheless, this shift has provoked a crisis inside the ISO. The predominant layer within the organization that wanted to ditch the Greens to work with or within the DSA, that is, more openly and more directly in the Democratic Party, has encountered opposition from other elements that are concerned about the ramifications of such a blatant orientation to the oldest capitalist party in the world. Danny Katch, a leader of the ISO opposed to the decision, in an October 18 discussion article warns SocialistWorker.org s readers and the ISO membership not to confuse this discussion with the debates weve been having in the ISOparticularly in New York Cityaround left-wing Democrats like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. There are connections, certainly, but opposition to endorsing Hawkins is not an inevitable by-product of wanting to endorse Democrats instead. Of course, the issue of an openor slightly less open, via the DSAturn by the ISO to the Democrats is precisely what is involved here. What concerns Katch is that the ISOs decision to break with the Greens will expose this political orientation and make it more difficult for the organization to provide a left gloss for its pro-imperialist politics. He refers to a discussion in the New York ISO branch about the growing influence on the left of supposedly anti-imperialist support for dictatorships, by which he means hostility to the US military intervention in the Middle East, which the ISO supports, among broad layers of workers and youth. Lance Selfa, another ISO leader who opposed withdrawing the endorsement of the Green Party nomination, echoes this sentiment in his own comment in SocialistWorker.org, arguing that the decision does a greater disservice to the cause of building a new party of the left than the shortcomings of the Hawkins/Lee campaign. In other words, a section of the ISO fears that such a demonstrative break with the Greens will not only damage relations with a left bourgeois party with which it has longstanding ties, but also expose the organization for what it is: a shill for the Democratic Party While the pressures from within the upper middle class milieu within which it operates to join in the most important election of our lives to battle the Trump regime have shifted the ISO toward closer integration into the Democratic Party, there are evident concerns within the organization that such an approach can diminish its effectiveness in providing a pseudo-left cover for the policies of the factions within the ruling class and the state with which they are allied. On October 29, Mexicos president-elect, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO), announced that the incoming administration would cancel a massive new airport in Mexico City after the proposal was rejected in a referendum involving a small fraction of eligible voters. The announcement provoked a wave of indignation from domestic and foreign investors, who have already completed about one third of the US$13 billion project and have widely speculated on properties surrounding the new airport. The New International Airport for Mexico City (NAICM) would have been the largest public infrastructure project in Mexico in a century and was set to replace the capitals current international airport, the busiest in Latin America. By the final stages of the project in 2065, the airport was set to have a capacity of 125 million passengers annually, making it the second largest airport in the world by todays standards. AMLO made canceling the project one of the key promises of his presidential campaign. About 2 percent of voters nationwide cast ballots in the airport vote, most of them from municipalities that voted for his party, the Movement for National Regeneration (Morena), in the July 1 national elections. Media reports alleged that polling places were staffed by former Morena campaign volunteers and that there were no checks to prevent individuals from voting multiple times. There is undoubtedly real social opposition to the NAICM. To the masses, the new airport exemplifies the corruption and criminality of the ruling class. The airports designer was the son-in-law of Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim, the seventh richest person in the world, while the contract for the construction of the terminal building was awarded to a consortium led by a company owned by Slim himself. There were fortunes to be made through land speculation, with the value of properties surrounding the airport increasing by 50 to 60 percent. According to the official results, about 70 percent of those who participated in the referendum voted for AMLOs alternative proposal, which involves adding two runways to an existing military airbase rather than building a new airport. Given Mexico Citys mountainous location, the viability of operating the existing international airport and the military base simultaneously is unclear, with multiple experts urging a study to assess the operational risks involved. After AMLO announced that the project would be canceled, the peso had its largest one-day drop since the election of Donald Trump in 2016, while the Mexican stock exchange fell by 4 percent. Fitch Rating downgraded the country from stable to negative. Worried commentaries from the international press noted that AMLOs decision had generated uncertainty about his ability to drop his left facade in order to ruthlessly repress social opposition and implement measures necessary for guaranteeing the bottom line of the ruling class. Quickly answering this call from his true constituency, AMLO rushed to reassure big business that his administration could be trusted to guarantee their interests. From the beginning of the analysis on this issue, we have made it clear that companies and investors interests will be safe, he said. There are funds that back up the claims made by contractors and investors. We have the bank guarantees to fulfill any claim made by companies. The incoming administrations communications director assured that investors and contractors would not lose one peso of their money as a result of AMLOs decision. The current international airport has been operating over capacity for more than 20 years. However, NAIM has been entirely centered on maximizing the wealth of a tiny layer at the top, not on addressing the social needs of the working class. Throughout the election, AMLO made populist appeals against the new airport in order to exploit and channel social anger behind his campaign. AMLOs reaction to finance capital lays bare that he is as faithful a representative of the ruling class as any other capitalist politician. The crisis surrounding the new airport coincided with a massive water shutoff in Mexico City, the largest city in North America. This past week, about 4 million residents of Mexico City went without water due to maintenance to the reservoir pipelines feeding the metropolitan area. Three million people from the neighboring State of Mexico were also affected. For three days, all public schools in the capital shut down due to a lack of water. A city of 21 million people witnessed scenes fitting another century, with millions of people relying on water stored in buckets, bathtubs or containers for cooking, cleaning, and bathing for days at a time. The government estimates that as much as 40 percent of water coming into Mexico City is lost due to leaks, and some reports estimate that the city will run out of water in the next 50 years if current patterns hold. The water crisis in Mexico City and the NAIM project are directly linked, with scientists repeatedly warning that building the new airport would exacerbate Mexico Citys water crisis. Whether it be lining the pockets of the ruling elite, as was the case with NAIM, or insisting that there is no money for a mass infrastructure project, the profit system has no progressive answer for the working class. Neither the water crisis nor the transportation needs of the masses can be solved on a rational basis under capitalism. A recent Credit Suisse report revealed that the top 10 percent of Mexicans own 70 percent of the countrys wealth, while the top 1 percentor 130,000 individualsown 40 percent of Mexicos wealth. Millions are squandered each year militarizing the border between Mexico and Central America to prevent some of the most exploited and vulnerable layers of the international working class from seeking a better life. Genuine socialists insist that not a single social problem facing the working class can be solved without a frontal assault on the wealth of the ruling elite. Workers and youth should judge AMLO and Morena not by his populist phrases, but by the history, program, and class orientation of this party, all of which are based on nationalism and a constituency in privileged layers of the upper-middle class. The Mexican working class, together with its class brothers and sisters throughout the Americas and internationally, need a socialist revolution in order to scientifically plan and organize society based on their objective social needs. The Socialist Equality Partys candidate in the 12th congressional district race in Michigan, Niles Niemuth, won 2,198 votes in Tuesdays 2018 midterm elections. Niemuth was the only candidate to run on an anti-war, pro-immigrant, socialist and internationalist program in the interests of workers in the United States and around the world. Every vote cast for Niles was a class-conscious action and vote for socialism made by a worker or young person who had come into contact with the SEPs campaign over the previous six months. Due to anti-democratic electoral restrictions, Niles party affiliation was not listed on the ballot alongside his name. This meant that Niles did not get votes from those who wanted to support a socialist candidate but had not heard of his campaign. The only third party listed on the ballot was the Working Class Party and its candidate Gary Walkowicz, who received 6,684 votes. Niemuths campaign had been given only the most limited media coverage, with local TV station WDIV initially refusing to advertise it at all. It later published a link to Niles campaign, after the World Socialist Web Site published an open letter to the news station demanding that it end its censorship. Niemuth and his supporters spoke with thousands of workers, students and young people in the district, which includes Ann Arbor, home to the University of Michigan, Dearborn, the largest concentration of Arab Americans in the US, and the working-class and deindustrialized towns of Ypsilanti and the Downriver area. Niemuths campaign spoke with and gave a voice to striking hotel workers, autoworkers, teachers, workers at Amazon and UPS, immigrants, students, and workers of all backgrounds. It published dozens of articles, videos and statements on the major political issues facing the working class in the US and internationally. His campaign was endorsed by Christine Assange, the mother of WikiLeaks former editor Julian Assange, for its defense of her son, WikiLeaks and journalistic freedom. Many workers and youth in Michigan and internationally were introduced to socialism by Niles campaign. Ethan, a freshman at the University of Michigan, joined Niles campaign after seeing a poster on campus this semester. He told the WSWS his experiences after polling day: Todays elections were for most Americans just business as usual: they had the option to vote for a capitalist, warmongering Democrat or a capitalist, divisive Republican, he said. But in Michigans 12th district me, and thousands of others, had the option to vote for the working class by casting a ballot for Niles Niemuth, the only candidate promoting genuine socialism in the US. We are told that voting third party is a waste of a vote, but as long as we think Republicans and Democrats own our votes they will continue exploiting the poor, dividing us based on insignificant identity issues, and practicing imperialism. I was proud to work with the Niles campaign to educate people on these issues, and ultimately very proud to cast my first and only ballot today for socialism. Kat The WSWS also spoke with Kat, one of the thousands who voted for Niles, outside a polling booth in Lincoln Park. She is studying environmental studies with a major in Chemistry at Henry Ford Community College, and working as a waitress at a local Sushi restaurant for anywhere between $8 and $12 an hour, depending on the night. She met Niles while he was campaigning at Henry Ford College. I was talking to Niles for a minute there, she said. I agreed with a lot of the things he was talking about. None of the other candidates were good. I think both the Democrats and Republicans are totally corrupt. They dont allow room for other parties. Are we even democratic if theres just two parties? Kat is 20 and was 10 years old when Barack Obama was elected in 2008. She said she didnt remember the election but all I remember is everyone was happy about it. But he did a whole bunch of things that were horrible. Its all for profit. The wars are for oil, using countries for their resources and acting like they are uncivilized nations that we need to fix. Jim, a graduate student at University of Michigan, who helped with the campaign, shared his thoughts today: I voted for Niles because he was the only genuine Marxist on the ballot, he said. Since coming into contact with Niles and the SEP/IYSSE, I read a pamphlet by Leon Trotsky on fascism, and I had some of Trotskys warnings in my head when I voted. I voted for Niles because I wanted to give a class-conscious vote. He continued: I started helping with the campaign because prior to it, I felt helpless about the entire political situation. I just feel like is not enough to just vote. I wanted to be part of something that challenges the status quo. My hope moving forward from this election is that the working class and youth in the United States learns a lot about the Democratic Party in the next two years. Whatever the outcome theyre going to preach civility and not to be too impractical and all that. Its a total trap. 2016 for me, is when I started looking for alternatives. I supported Bernie Sanders and he threw all of that behind a liar and right-wing political figure like Hillary Clinton. Jim concluded: This election and the coming period is yet another chance for young people and workers to learn that liberalism and the Democratic Party are not going to oppose this shift to right. Its time to start learning about Marxism, and to fight for an alternative. And I think Niles campaign will be viewed as the only legitimate alternative to people paying close attention. As it pursues its war with US-backed Kurdish-nationalist organizations, the Turkish government is threatening an outright military occupation of large parts of Syria that could provoke war with Syria and a direct clash with US forces. On Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounced joint patrols by US forces and Kurdish-led militias as unacceptable. Speaking to reporters in Ankara, he said: Not only can we not accept (the joint patrols), such a development will cause serious problems at the border. This came after Turkey shelled positions of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the Zor Magar region east of the Euphrates River and the town of Tal Abyad starting on October 28, killing at least 10 Kurdish fighters. Two days earlier, Erdogan had delivered a final warning to Syrian Kurdish fighters to retreat. He also warned that Turkeys next target would be positions of the Peoples Protection Units (YPG, a Kurdish force that is the key component of the SDF) east of the Euphrates. On October 30, as shelling continued, Erdogan stepped up threats to invade Syria to attack the US-backed Kurdish forces: We are going to destroy the terrorist organization preparations and plans have been completed. Weve made our plans and programs, and initiated it in the previous days. We will come down on the terrorist organizations neck with more extensive, effective operations. We could arrive suddenly one night. This provoked an angry warning from Washington on October 31. State Department deputy spokesman Robert Palladino said: Unilateral military strikes into northwest Syria by any party, particularly as American personnel may be present or in the vicinity, are of great concern to us Coordination and consultation between the United States and Turkey on issues of security concern is a better approach. Ankara, however, is determined to crush the YPG, which it views as an affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), the Turkish Kurdish separatist movement against which it has waged a bloody counter insurgency campaign for more than 30 years. Ankara also fears Kurdish autonomy in Syria, worried it will provoke demands for Kurdish autonomy in eastern Turkey. In an apparent attempt to placate Ankara, Washington announced on Tuesday that it would place bounties on the heads of three PKK leaders. Visiting Turkey, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Palmer announced that the State Departments Rewards for Justice program is offering money for information leading to the capture of the PKK officials. The bounties are $5 million for Murat Karayilan, $4 million for Cemil Bayik and $3 million for Duran Kalkan. But Ambassador James Jeffrey, the US special representative for Syria engagement, said Washington did not see the YPG and PKK as the same entity. He declared: For us, the PKK is a terrorist organization. We are not of the same opinion on the YPG. We ensure that the YPG operates as part of the Syrian Democratic Forces in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant [ISIL] in a way that does not pose a threat to Turkey. Turkish presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin rebuffed the US initiative, saying Ankara would treat it with caution and demanding that Washington sever all ties with the YPG. Turkeys ever-deeper involvement in the bloodshed across the region is the product of Erdogans decision to support the proxy war for regime change launched by the NATO imperialist powers in Syria in 2011. As the WSWS previously noted: All Erdogans calculations were upended by the intensification of the war and of the class struggle in the Middle East. In 2013, amid growing working class anger against Egypts Islamist President Mohammad Mursi and social protests in Turkey centred in Gezi Park, the imperialist powers backed an army coup that toppled Mursi. As the Islamic State (IS) militia grew in Syria and invaded Iraq, moreover, they turned to the use of Kurdish nationalist groups as their proxies against IS. Erdogan could not adapt himself to these sudden, violent shifts in imperialist war policy, and Ankaras imperialist allies rapidly came to see him not as a strategic partner, but as an unreliable one. After Russia intervened militarily to prevent NATO-backed Islamist militias from overthrowing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Turkish jets shot down a Russian jet over Syria in November 2015, with US support. After Russia escalated its military posture in response and threatened economic sanctions in retaliation against Turkey, however, Ankara tacked back toward Russia and China. Ankara turned first to China and then Russia for an air defence system, while its relations with the Obama administration and its European allies rapidly deteriorated. In July 2016, a section of Turkeys military, encouraged by Washington and Berlin, launched an abortive putsch out of NATOs Incirlik air base, aiming to murder Erdogan and carry out regime change in Turkey. Erdogan responded to the coup by stepping up the war against the Kurds and imposing a state of emergency, seeking to strangle all political opposition. Ankara also maneuvered closer to Moscow and Tehran, setting up talks in Astana for a solution to the Syria war. And Erdogan ordered the Turkish army to launch its own invasions of Syria, Operation Euphrates Shield (in August 2016) and Operation Olive Branch (in January 2018), directed against the YPG. The brief warming of US-Turkish relations that followed the gruesome state murder on October 2 of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul appears to have quickly ended. Ankara clearly saw the investigation of the Khashoggi assassination as a means of promoting Turkish interests in relation to Riyadh and Washington. It had shared tense relations with both the Saudi regime and US imperialism, including over the Saudi blockade of Qatar, a key Turkish ally, and the US alliance with the YPG in Syria. Erdogan sought to improve relations with Washington by investigating the killing of Khashoggi, who worked extensively for US publications, including the Washington Post. Ankara also released US pastor Andrew Brunson, whom it had accused of helping prepare the 2016 coup. But Washington soon dropped the Khashoggi murder, focusing instead on strategies for intensifying the war in Syria. Ankara is responding by moving closer to the European powers and seeking to exploit their growing differences with Washington. It joined a new mechanism with Germany, France and Russia to work out a peace deal in Syria acceptable to the European imperialist powers. An inconclusive October 27 Istanbul summit on Syria, hosted by Erdogan, was attended by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Russia President Vladimir Putin. After the summit, they called for a new Syrian constitution to be drafted before the end of this year, paving the way for free and fair elections, according to a joint statement. Visiting Tokyo on Tuesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu also criticized US sanctions against Iran, which have been the subject of escalating conflict between Washington and the European powers. While we were asking (for) an exemption from the United States, we have also been very frank with them that cornering Iran is not wise, he said. Turkey is against sanctions, we dont believe any results can be achieved through the sanctions. The European Union has recalled the head of its delegation to Tanzania because of what it calls a "deterioration of the human rights and rule of law" in the east African nation. The EU -- a major donor to Tanzania that has pledged more than $700 million in support between 2014 and 2020 -- said in a statement that it would be conducting a broader review of its relations with the country. Africa Continents and regions Demographic groups Eastern Africa European Union Gays and lesbians Government organizations - Intl LGBT rights Population and demographics Sex and gender issues Society Tanzania The move to withdraw its ambassador, Roeland van de Geer, comes after severe international criticism over a crackdown on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Tanzanians. According to activists speaking to CNN, the crackdown has forced many gay citizens into hiding or to flee the country. In related news, 10 men have been arrested on suspicion of being gay on the semi-autonomous Tanzanian island of Zanzibar, according to Amnesty International. The men were arrested over the weekend in a raid at Pongwe Beach on the island. A human rights defender in Zanzibar, who asked not to be named because he fears for his safety, told CNN: "They were just at the beach enjoying themselves and the police ambushed them. "This was not a gay wedding as the police say. They always use that as an excuse," he added. "The situation here is even worse than on the mainland and it has gotten bad since the new president [John Magufuli] came in. "Members of the LGBT community and also sex workers are being humiliated, beaten and harassed by both ordinary people and the police." The arrests come after the regional governor of Dar es Salaam, Paul Makonda, called on the public to report names of suspected gay men to the police. Amnesty's deputy director for East Africa, Seif Magango, said: "This is a shocking blow following the Tanzanian government's assurance that no one would be targeted and arrested because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity." CNN's efforts to reach Zanzibar authorities have so far been unsuccessful. Colonial-era laws LGBT people face a 30-year jail sentence in Tanzanian for gay male sex, a holdover from colonial-era laws, mirroring severe penalties for same-sex relationships across many African countries. Alhough the government denounced Makonda's comments, the prospect of a task force scouring the streets and social media accounts for "evidence" of LGBT Tanzanians has terrified many in the community already dealing with a homophobic community and government. Human Rights Watch also says the government has shut down LGBT-friendly clinics, prohibited community organizations from doing HIV outreach targeting key populations and arrested activists holding workshops about legal advice. CORINTH, Miss. (WTVA) - Corinth police are warning residents of a new scam. Police say citizens have been receiving phone calls from a foreign-speaking person using local phone numbers. The caller claims to be with the Social Security Office and asks if a new Social Security card or number has been received. Police remind people to not give out any personal information over the phone and hang up as soon as you know the call is a scam. CARROLL COUNTY, Miss. (WTVA) - Thirteen Carroll Academy students were injured after a school bus driver had a heart attack. Mississippi Highway Patrol Sgt. Ronnie Shive says Jeffrey King, 75, suffered a massive heart attack before 4:00 Wednesday afternoon. Shive says King was traveling along Highway 82 from Carrollton to Greenwood with 23 Carroll Academy students on board. The driver went off the highway in Carroll County near CR 316 and landed in a ravine. Shive says 13 students suffered minor injuries. They were taken to a local hospital for treatment. As for the school bus driver, Shive says King was flown to the University Of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. His condition is unknown at this time. The accident remains under investigation This Week's Deals With Gold Include Hitman 2, Injustice 2 and Watch Dogs 2 An Arkansas man was arrested Thursday after police accused him sending death threats to CNN anchor Don Lemon. According to the Baxter County Sheriffs office, Benjamin Craig Matthews made 40 calls to CNN from a period between Oct. 30 and Nov. 2 The content of these calls ranged from general harassment, threat of bodily injury, and calls threatening the life of a CNN journalist. More than 40 such calls had been received by CNN from the same person, read a press release from the sheriffs office, adding that Matthews had been booked on felony charges of Terroristic Threatening and Harassing Communications. USA Today and local media reports said the anchor in question was Don Lemon. In one such call, Matthews asked to be transferred to Lemons dead body hanging from a tree, the paper reported. Also Read: Don Lemon: 'Biggest Terror Threat in This Country Is White Men' (Video) Reps for Lemon at CNN and the Baxter County sheriffs office did not immediately respond to request for comment from TheWrap. Its not the first time CNN has faced death threats from around the country. In January, a 19-year-old Michigan man, Brandon Griesemer, made 22 phone calls to CNN threatening to kill CNN journalists over fake news. Something Lemon at the time blamed on President Trumps anti-press rhetoric. Theres nothing random about this. Nothing, said Lemon on his show. This is what happens when the President of the United States, Donald Trump, repeatedly attacks members of the press simply for reporting facts he does not like. In recent weeks Lemon, a vociferous Trump critic, has warned of radicalized white men in the United States, saying they were the biggest threat America currently faced. We have to stop demonizing people and realize the biggest terror threat in this country is white men, most of them radicalized to the right, and we have to start doing something about them, he said during an appearance on Cuomo Primetime last month. There is no travel ban on them they had the Muslim ban. There is no white guy ban. So what do we do about that? Trump routinely denigrates CNN as fake news, and has called their reporters enemies of the people. Critics have warned that the tough talk could lead to violence against reporters, much like the kind threatened by Matthews and Griesemer. Read original story Arkansas Man Arrested, Accused of Multiple Death Threats Against CNN At TheWrap Judge Brian M. Cogan had what he called an open rebellion on his hands Wednesday morning when, after announcing the selection of a jury in the trial of Joaquin Archivaldo El Chapo Guzman Loera, one juror broke down crying, begging to be taken off the jury. The woman told Cogan that, two days into the selection process, her coworkers had already deduced that she was in the pool of about 100 people drawn from Brooklyn, Long Island and Staten Island as potential jurors in the case. Who else might be able to identify her? Earlier in the week, others had been dismissed after expressing fear of being identified, but now, with the jury selected, Cogan decided that letting one juror beg off would give the wrong idea. Jeffrey Lichtman, another defense attorney for El Chapo, agreed. My concern is that if one gets off with a few tears, were going to have a trail of tears, he said. Guzmans trial is set to start on Tuesday, November 13th. But first, Cogan, along with the defense and prosecution teams, had to wade through a pool of about potential jurors to find 12 people capable of judging the case on its own merits, free of bias. El Chapo has pleaded not guilty to a 17-count indictment accusing him of running an international drug-trafficking conspiracy, including charges of illegal and deadly gunplay, and money laundering. If convicted, he faces life in prison. Guzman, 61, stands accused of being the all-powerful don of the ruthless Sinaloa Cartel, which for decades funneled hundreds of thousands of tons of cocaine, methamphetamines, heroin, and marijuana into the United States, while ruling Guzmans stronghold in the Sierra Madre mountains like a paralel state, with paramilitary forces at his beck and call and cops, judges and politicians on his payroll. Guzman is not technically charged with murder, but prosecutors have said they intend to tie him to more than 30 homicides so potential jurors are not wrong to feel jittery about the weeks and months ahead, even if Guzmans lawyers have kindly promised that their client will not murder anyone. Each juror is now under the protection of the United States Marshals service, whose agents will be shuttling them between their homes and the courthouse in Downtown Brooklyn every day for the duration of the trial. Story continues The jury was finalized Wednesday morning, with seven women and five men, along with six alternate jurors four women and two men selected to spend the next three to four months hearing testimony regarding the most minute details of El Chapos alleged crimes. Its a diverse crowd, with a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, including at least three immigrants and four Spanish speakers, ranging from native fluency to a juror who said she used to converse with a Mexican gentleman who lived with me. By and large, the jurors professed liberal views on drugs, with several telling the judge that they support legalization and regulation of marijuana, but that it would not sway them in considering the evidence against Guzman. Others have relatives in law enforcement, including one woman with a brother in the Department of Homeland Security stationed in a Texas border town, and another brother who is a helicopter pilot for DHS. Speaking with reporters outside the courtroom, one of Guzmans defense attorneys, Eduardo Balarezo, said he was pleased with the men and women chosen to pass judgement on the alleged crimes of his client. We trust they will do their duty, Balarezo said. In an effort to protect the anonymity of jurors, Judge Brian M. Cogan held the selection process in an empty courtroom, open only to the prosecutors, the defense team, El Chapo, and a pool of five reporters perched in the jury box, making the affair unusually intimate. Cogan sat perched at the head of a table flanked on each side by the defense and prosecution teams, while El Chapo sat on the far end, with his interpreter. One by one, the potential jurors sat to Cogans left, and, sitting just feet from Guzman, answered questions designed to weed out anyone whose biases against or knowledge of El Chapo might make them unable to fairly judge the merits of the case. The would-be jurors were quizzed on their feelings about drugs, their family connections to law enforcement, and whether they feared being tasked with the potential wrath of the cartel. Throughout the proceedings, El Chapo paid some attention to the potential jurors, occasionally laughing at an answer, but didnt stare them down. For the most part he sat still, focusing on his interpreter. Among the first group questioned on Monday was a man sporting a ponytail, the professional Michael Jackson impersonator, a revelation that prompted a cheerful outburst from Balarezo, the defense attorney. Show us the moonwalk! joked Balarezo The ersatz King of Pop was not dismissed that day, but Cogan let him go on Tuesday after his unique job caught the attention of the press, and prosecutors expressed concern that he would be too easy to identify. One woman, who had requested a private discussion with Cogan, broke down in tears, Cogan said, telling the judge that while she did not fear the wrath of Guzmans sicarios, she feared that the worry would weigh heavily on her mother, who had fretted Monday night that they would be forced to sell their home and move in order to stay safe. This prompted a hearty laugh from Guzman, but Cogan took the womans concern seriously and sent her home. Another woman was sent home after she confessed she had googled Guzmans name alongside kill jurors, and found an article in which El Chapos lawyers had pledged that no juror killing would take place. She was not reassured. Even that statement made me nervous, she said. Cogan let her go. One young man with long, damp hair and red eyes told the judge he knew of Guzman thanks in part to his local deli, which has an El Chapo sandwich consisting of a bagel with capers, cream cheese and lox, which he described as delicious. The man survived the first day of selection, but came in the next day concerned that he and his deli could be identified by the sandwich. Cogan sent him home. On Tuesday, a member of the jury pool had a panic attack in the waiting room, and had to be sent to the hospital in an ambulance. Another man questioned on Monday was from Medellin, Colombia, home of Pablo Escobars Medellin Cartel. He made it to Tuesday as well, until a court security officer notified the judge that the man had asked about the possibility of getting an autograph from El Chapo. This raised concern from prosecutors, while Lichtman, the defense attorney, argued that simply wanting an autograph shouldnt be grounds for dismissal. I have the autograph of Charles Manson and the two leaders of Hamas, and Im obviously not a big fan of them, he said. He may just be interested in the autographs of famous people. The man from Medellin admitted, however, that he was a bit of a fan of Guzman, and Cogan sent him home. Not everyones biases were grounds for immediate dismissal. In one instance Tuesday afternoon, Cogan queried an older white man who on his questionnaire had replied that he would vote to convict in any case involving a cartel, describing drug traffickers as an evil bunch. As with others who had made clear their personal feelings about aspects of the case, Cogan asked the man if he might be able to lay aside his feelings and approach the trial impartially. The man said he could try. Cogan, who kept disciplined control of the process, gave the man a nerdy nudge. To paraphrase Yoda, there is no try, you do or dont do, Cogan said. The older juror was not among those eventually selected. The jury selection lurched forward, and by Tuesday evening, the prosecution and defense teams had largely made their choices about who to cut. On Wednesday, the decision was made all but final the jurors are empaneled, but Cogan will not swear them in until the beginning of trial next week. One juror, an African-American man in his thirties, had said on an initial questionnaire that he was a supporter of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the newly elected Congresswoman from the Bronx who has vocally advocated the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but the juror made it onto the panel after he told the judge that his politics would not affect his view of the trial testimony of law enforcement, which is expected to include agents from ICE. All but one juror, a middle-aged woman who emigrated from Ethiopia decades ago, said they knew some information about El Chapo. One woman said she had begun watching a Netflix series about Guzman, but had found it boring. Another woman said she had watched the series Narcos which in its first three seasons stays largely in Colombia and does not feature El Chapo but her main takeaway was that the main DEA agent was hot. (It was unclear if she referred to Agent Murphy, the towheaded lead played by Boyd Holbrook, from the first two seasons, or his world-weary partner Agent Pena, played by Pedro Pascal, who starred in the third season.) On Wednesday afternoon, officially under partial sequestration and protected by U.S. Marshals, the jurors headed home for some rest before the start of the trial next week, with a final reminder from Cogan. Talk about the weather, the elections; maybe not the elections, Cogan said. But not anything about this case. Ill see you back here on Tuesday for what I believe will be a very interesting experience for all of you. Among the Middle Easts 10 submissions, three of which are helmed by women, are several titles that are likely to be competitive in the foreign-language category. These include the Cannes jury prize-winner Capernaum, from Lebanons helmer-actress Nadine Labaki, and The Cakemaker from Israels Ofir Raul Grazier. While the lineup includes some films that premiered at major festivals such as Berlin, Venice and Cannes, nearly all of the regional entries, with the exception of the Yemeni title 10 Days Before the Wedding, have screened in multiple smaller festivals and nabbed several awards. Labakis third feature, Capernaum, is the story of an impoverished Beirut boy who launches a lawsuit against his parents for bringing him into the world. It has a lot going for it: Its a heart-tugging social-issues drama with adorable non-pro child actors, and it plays like, er, a Slumdog Beirut. Moreover, the film, due out Stateside in December, has the muscle of boutique arthouse distributor Sony Pictures Classics behind it. Last year, Lebanon scored a nomination for Ziad Doueiris The Insult; odds are that Capernaum will make it two in a row. In certain ways, the tender, delicate drama The Cakemaker is an unusual submission from Israel. It views the country and Jewish society through the lens of an outsider thrice-over: a gay, Christian German who travels to Jerusalem to trace the life of his deceased male lover, a closeted married man. Its a film about loneliness and yearning, filled with sensuous textures and mouth-watering edibles. While Capernaum and The Cakemaker represent the regions best bets for an Oscar nomination, there are a couple of dark- horse titles that might have an outside chance for the short list of nine. Among them is Iranian Vahid Jalilvands No Date, No Signature, a complex drama about a well-meaning medical examiner haunted by the death of a child. The films twists and turns may remind some viewers of the works of Iranian master (and two-time foreign-language Oscar winner) Asghar Farhadi. Meanwhile, Beauty and the Dogs from Tunisian helmer Kaouther Ben Hania, about a young woman raped by police officers, definitely speaks to the current #MeToo zeitgeist. Story continues Although less competitive as Oscar fare, the remaining Middle Eastern titles certainly provide strong social issues commentary. Palestines entry, Ghost Hunting from Raed Andoni, which nabbed the documentary prize at the Berlinale, assembles a group of former Israeli prisoners to re-create the circumstances of their incarceration. Iraqs The Journey, from Mohamed Jabarah Al-Daradji, explores the mind of a would-be suicide bomber. Moroccos Burnout, from Nour-Eddine Lakhmari, looks at the seamy side of Casablanca society. And Egypts road movie, Yomeddine, from A.B. Shawky, follows a former leper as he crosses the country looking for long-lost relatives. Love and death are near neighbors in Algerias Until the End of Time, from Yasmine Chouikh, in which an elderly gravedigger and a widow meet in a cemetery and develop feelings for one another. So are they too in 10 Days Before the Wedding, Amr Gamals Aden-set drama about a couple struggling to tie the knot in the middle of Yemens civil war. Related stories 'Roma,' 'Birds of Passage' Carry Latin America's Best Hopes of Oscar Glory Canada and Australia Have a Leg Up in Foreign-Language Oscar Race Oscars: A Guide to the 2018 Foreign-Language Entries Accepted by the Academy Subscribe to Variety Newsletters and Email Alerts! Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez orders a pastrami taco, hold the guac. Its a cloudy Monday in late August and were sitting at a four-top near the back of Flats Fix, a narrow Manhattan taqueria sidled up next to Union Square. This isnt just another random interview-in-a-quiet-restaurant selection, thoughand not just because this place isnt quiet. Until last February, Ocasio-Cortez spent most of her days working here, slinging tequila-based cocktails and living off tips from the happy hour crowd. Everyone knows her: the servers, the bartenders, the cooks, the regulars. I havent been back in awhile, she tells me, as yet another former coworker comes up for a hug. Things have been a little crazy. Yes. A little crazy. Last night Ocasio-Cortez became the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. But on the day of our interview, shes still processing the reality of having trounced the 14th Districts powerhouse incumbent Joseph Crowley in the Democratic primary. Crowley had been in politics since before she was born, repped the district unopposed since 2013. Ocasio-Cortez, a 29-year-old self-described Democratic Socialist of Puerto Rican descent, didnt even have a Wikipedia page. Her campaign spent just over 5 percent of what Crowleys did. And yet, on June 26, 2018, she beat him by more than 14 percentage points and rocketed into the national spotlight; not just as an unexpected victor who proved all the polls wrong, but as a shining light for progressivesand especially young people of color. Here at Flats Fix, with its a zigzag of fluorescent lights and trip-hop playlist and giant yellow surfboard affixed to the wall, shes taking a moment to reflect. My campaign started in food, and in a lot of ways evolved out of food, she tells me, motioning toward the wooden counter that runs the length of the restaurant, the bottles of Jose Cuervo and Patron stacked on shelves strung with red fairy lights and South American flags. For 80 percent of this campaign, I operated out of a paper grocery bag hidden behind that bar. Between shifts at the restaurant, shed reach into the bag for her political literature and a change of clothes, then set out to canvass. Story continues She leans across the table, her jean jacket buttoned all the way up, her large brown eyes intense, magnetic. For me it was especially potent that I was working in the food service industry while running for office because I wasnt, like, reminiscing on some summer job I had when I was a teenager. This was the life I was living. For Ocasio-Cortez, food is political, and the most tangible indicator of our social inequities. Sure, as living beings we all must eat to surviveand theres unity in thatbut what we eat and how much and where it comes from and what we must do to get it varies widely. The food industry is the nexus of almost all of the major forces in our politics today, she says. Its super closely linked with climate change and ethics. Its the nexus of minimum wage fights, of immigration law, of criminal justice reform, of health care debates, of education. Youd be hard-pressed to find a political issue that doesnt have food implications. Most politicians, she points out, are disconnected from these realities. At the start of this Congress, the median net worth of members across both parties was five times that of an American household. Many members of Congress were born into wealth, or they grew up around it, Ocasio-Cortez says. How can you legislate a better life for working people if youve never been a working person? Try living with the anxiety of not having health insurance for three years when your tooth starts to hurt. Its this existential dread. I have that perspective. I feel like I understand whats happening electorally because I have experienced it myself. Courtesy of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was born in the Bronx, the only child of Sergio, a Bronx-born architect, and Blanca, a Puerto Rican immigrant who cleaned houses and drove a bus to make ends meet. We were poor, so I was used to eating rice and beans every day, Ocasio-Cortez recalls. Alsowhat do they call it in English? Cream of Wheat. I loved Cream of Wheat. With sugar. Every year for her parents anniversary, Sergio would dig up a traditional Puerto Rican roasting pit in the backyard and spend hours turning a whole pig on a spit until the meat was smoked crisp on the outside, juicy-tender on the inside. Those are some of her best memories. When she was five, her family moved to a considerably more affluent suburb of Westchester County, New York, where the public schools were better. But that didnt mean life got easy, she says. The thing that people dont realize is that wherever there is affluence, theres an underclass. Theres a service class. And thats what I grew up in, scrubbing toilets with my mom. But the Ocasio-Cortez family found their place in the community, inviting employees of the local Dunkin Donuts over for Thanksgiving dinner, serving their turkey with pernil, a Puerto Ricanstyle roast pork shoulder bathed in tangy sofrito. My dad used to say that he collected people, she recalls. If you didnt have a place to go on Thanksgiving, you came to our place. We never had a table big enough to fit everyone, but wed always have folding chairs. Youd make a plate, eat it out of your lap, and share stories. She wanted to be a scientist when she grew up, but her first on-the-books job was at an Irish pub, at 15 or 16 years old, working as a hostess to pay for her extracurriculars. Shed split up the after-school hours: a few days a week working at the pub, a few taking the commuter rail into Manhattan to run experiments out of Mount Sinai Medical Center in Spanish Harlem. She was competitive, won second prize at the worlds largest pre-collegiate science fair, got a small asteroid named after her as a reward: the 23238 Ocasio-Cortez. Oh yeah, and she always loved cooking because: Thats what it is. You know? Its chemistry. As a freshman at Boston University, Ocasio-Cortez moved into pre-med housing. More science; that was the plan. But then she studied abroad in Niger, doing rotations at a maternity clinic on the outskirts of Niamey. The country, ranked last in the UN Human Development Index, was recovering from severe famine. I saw a lot of pretty brutal things there, she says, recalling babies born on steel tables covered in nothing but wax print cloth. Cemented in her mind is one particularly difficult pregnancy that resulted in a stillbirth: The reason the child had passed was very preventable. For me it was a very powerful moment. This childs life was literally decided because of where it was born. Suddenly the path shed plannedmedical school, becoming a doctor, having a familyno longer seemed like an option. I couldnt just go back home and lead a normal life, she says. I justcouldnt. Though she recognized the importance of individualized care, she wanted to go bigger, deeper, down to the dark roots of suffering. So she switched her major to economics and began to focus on policyand in particular, the issues that affected her own community of working class people of color in the Bronx. After graduation Ocasio-Cortez returned to New York where she was hired as an educational director at the National Hispanic Institute, a nonprofit serving Hispanic youth. But she also went back to the restaurant industry: bartending and waitressing were necessary to supplement her income, which she used to help her mother stay afloat after Sergio died of cancer. At restaurants, she worked side by side with immigrants both documented and undocumented. Their stories and experiences informed her work as a local organizer. For me whats important is to value the hands that go into your food, she says. All of them. Photograph by Andy Hur About one-third of the people working in the food-service industry are undocumented, with most holding the lowest-paying jobs, like bussing tables and dishwashing, according to a recent Pew Research Center study. In the agricultural industry, that number rises to more than half. As a result, restaurant kitchens, food-processing facilities, and commercial farms have been a frequent target for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since it was formed in 2003. But after President Donald Trump took office in January 2017, raids and arrests surged, and not just in the food industry. During the current administrations first 100 days, ICE apprehended 41,318 immigrants, up 37.6 percent over the same period the year before, according to the agency. But arrests of immigrants with no criminal record represented the biggest statistical increase: that number more than doubled by the end of April 2017. And we have yet to see the results of more recent White House policies. While these mandates arent the only factors contributing to the increasingly severe labor shortages reported at restaurants across the country, they certainly play a part, especially when coupled with ramped-up enforcement at the border. Between 2015 and 2017, the number of National Restaurant Association members reporting labor recruitment as their top challenge more than doubled. The tenor of working at Flats Fix became very different, Ocasio-Cortez says. ICE never raided this particular restaurant, but the fear that they might permeated the kitchen. Immigrant workers, even many who were here legally, began quitting and returning to their countries of origin. She recalls one long-term brunch chef, nicknamed Grande, whod been at the diner next door (where she also worked) for 15 years. He ran the line like clockwork, she says. The Coffee Shop, as it was called, had once been an iconic New York City establishment, even a regular setting for Sex and the City. But after Grande returned to Mexico, the workers who were left couldnt keep up with demand. You cant hire that back. That stuff takes years to perfect, she continues. Our kitchen got all messed up. We had to change our brunch menu because we couldnt handle the same volume of orders anymore. Last month the Coffee Shop shut down. Photograph by Corey Torpie Ocasio-Cortezs platform is one built on her own life experiences. Her push for universal Medicare strikes a particular chord with the more than 85 percent of restaurant workers whose employers do not offer health insurance. Her proposed doubling of the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 addresses the income imbalances brought on by the tipping industry and the 40 percent of restaurant workers living in near poverty. Even her calls to abolish ICE tie in to the frequency with which immigrant restaurant workers are targeted. Its one thing to put your head in the sand, she says, but its another to actively disrespect and hate the people who feed you. Because honestly, thats what a lot of this anti-immigrant rhetoric is about. Youre hating the people who feed you, which is a pretty messed-up thing. Its this conviction, perhaps, that allowed her to win a seemingly unwinnable primary, even as a young, unknown, and underfunded candidate. Taking a seat in the House of Representatives never seemed out of the question. Even when things looked their worstlike in January when it was just me and my partner in our apartment and I was bartending full-time while challenging one of the most powerful members of Congressnever did I feel like I didnt have a shot, she tells me. Her communications manager is signaling weve run out of time. Because Im an organizer. Im on the ground. I know my community. We acknowledge that all this shit is stacked up against us, but we dont get to give up. We dont have the luxury. She pushes her chair back, gets up to go, her taco only half eaten. Out of nearly four millions ballots cast in Georgia's hotly-contested gubernatorial race, Democrat Stacey Abrams trailed Brian Kemp, her Republican opponent, by just 64,000 votes as Election Night drew to a close. Abrams, however, has not yet conceded, as her campaign has noted several peculiar irregularities which suggest that ballots in Democrat-leaning counties have yet to be tallied. Kemp has 50.4 percent of the vote right now, but if that number dips below the simple majority required by state law, the pair would proceed to a runoff election on December 4. Abrams is optimistic. "You're going to have a chance to do a do-over," she told supporters on Tuesday. In other words, Georgia's efforts to investigate and address these irregularities matters a lot. And as you may be aware, in a fun twist, the current secretary of statethe person who is tasked with conducting elections in a fair and transparent manner, and ensuring that every vote gets counted, and certifying the results by the deadline of November 20happens to be...Brian Kemp. Wait, I just want to make sure I understand. The man who wants to be governor and the person in charge of the election for governor are the same person? That is correct. How is this legal? Some states require secretaries of state, on conflicts-of-interest grounds, to recuse themselves from elections in which they appear on the ballot, and/or to delegate their election-related duties to a deputy. No such law exists in Georgia, though, and before the election, Kemp preemptively ruled out the possibility of recusing himself, even if the race were to head to a recountwhich might be exactly what happens. Why? Because, more or less, Georgians have nothing about which to be concerned, he says! "We've got a very competent elections team to oversee that process," Kemp assured voters during a debate in October. "I'm certain that there would be a lot of people watching that." Story continues What is the actual reason for his refusal to recuse himself? It's impossible to know what's in the man's heart. But I do know that in his official capacity as secretary of state, Kemp purged some 1.4 million voter registrations between 2012 and today, including and nearly 670,000 in 2017 alone. Many of these registrations were removed from the rolls because they moved to another city, or moved across town, or even switched apartments in the same building. I know that he froze some 53,000 voter registration applications for minor typographical errors, and that an estimated 70 percent of those applications came from black people. I know that he told supporters that low voter turnout would be key to his Election Day success. I know that in the campaign's final days, his office opened an "investigation" into the state Democratic party, and splashed the announcement across the front of its web site for anyone logging on for information about their polling place to see. "I'm not worried about how it looks," he told reporters, referring to his decision to publicize the news just two days before Election Day. I also know that on Tuesday, it was really, really hard for registered Georgia voters in heavily minority areas to cast their ballots. Look at this embarrassing, banana-republic absurdity taking place in the United States in 2018: Why is the Abrams campaign hopeful for a recount and/or a runoff? First, the Wall Street Journal has reported that Abrams' campaign is considering litigation in the areas in which long lines and technical difficulties made it hard to vote. And even among the ballots that were cast, there may be serious problems. According to a statement provided by the campaign to CNN, three of the state's most populous counties "have reported only a portion of the votes that were submitted by early mail," and four others "have reported exactly 0 votes by mail." The campaign believes that there are at least 77,000 uncounted ballots across these seven counties. It is statistically unlikely that Stacey Abrams wins 90 percent of them and snatches the election from Kemp outright. But if counting or recounting them sends his percentage of the total below that 50 percent threshold, the race starts all over again. Is it really possible for election officials to screw up this badly? Could a recount really lead to a different result? Oh God, yes. Al Franken won his first Senate campaign in 2008 after being declared the runner-up on Election Night. Christine Gregoire won her 2004 bid to become Washington's governor after a six-month recount. Elections in America are administered using dated machinery that seems to fail at the worst possible time, and by local officials who make mistakes (at best) or seek to put their thumbs on the scale (at worst). The recount is a safeguard against the possibility that these factors could change an outcome to something other than the one for which voters voted. Outcomes don't often change, but the fact that they sometimes do is why the procedure exists in the first place. And the person in charge of this hypothetical recount, again, is...? Brian Kemp. This man belongs in jail. That isn't a question. But yes. More than 200 members of Congress are worth $1 million or morenot exactly what wed call relatable. But one new congresswomans financial situation will be very familiar to anyone whos pursued higher education. Abby Finkenauer, newly elected Iowa representative, said during her campaign that shes still carrying $20,000 in student debt, and before you ask, yes, shes a millennial. At age 29, Finkenauerlike most people her agedoesnt own a home, is driving a 10-year-old car, and is still paying off her debt. And thats part of the reason she ran for office. Theres a whole generation of folks that are around my age who are not doing as well as our parents did, she said in an interview with TIME. These are the types of issues that just arent being talked about in D.C. There are not a lot of people sitting around thinking about student loans. Tonight we as Iowans made clear who we are. Tonight, Iowa rejected fear and division, and tonight, Iowa proved we step up for our neighbors. I truly believe hope is the reason we got this far - and hope is the reason we still have work to do. https://t.co/HYa19cCosT Abby Finkenauer (@Abby4Iowa) November 7, 2018 Finkenauer, who has served as an Iowa state house representative since 2015, beat out Republican incumbent Rep. Rod Blum after raising $4 million in campaign funds, most of that through individual donations. She joins fellow 29-year-old Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezwho on November 6th became the youngest woman ever elected to Congress (she is, however, a couple months older than Finkenauer)and other young progressives who won seats on election night in calling for attention to education and access to health care. Celebrating her victory on Twitter, Finkenauer wrote, I truly believe hope is the reason we got this farand hope is the reason we still have work to do. Congrats, and thank you. An 11-year-old boy in Cleveland is facing charges after taking police on a high-speed chase Sunday night after his mother took away his PlayStation. The boy, whose name was not released by police, stole his mothers 2013 Dodge Durango around 10:45 p.m. on Sunday after they got into an argument that led to her taking away his PlayStation, according to Cleveland.com. She went to bed after the argument, only to be awakened by a phone call from the boys father, who said he saw their son driving the SUV. The boy drove recklessly, reaching speeds above 70 mph, until he crashed the SUV into a parked truck, according to local station WEWS TV. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries. It was the second time in 13 months the boy took the familys car out for an illegal joyride, Cleveland.com reported. In October of last year, he led troopers on a 50-mile chase on an interstate before being apprehended. He was charged with a felony in juvenile court. A judge ruled he was incompetent to stand trial, and the charges were dismissed. He is currently at the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Detention Center, where he faces possible felony charges, according to Yahoo. Police said the young suspect suffers from attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder and oppositional defiant disorder, Inside Edition reported. Also on HuffPost Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Thirteen people including a sheriff's deputy and the gunman were killed in a shooting in a crowded bar late Wednesday night, reports CBS Los Angeles. The shooter was found dead inside, authorities said. The station said one person was seen -- apparently lifeless -- on the ground outside the bar's entrance. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean told reporters early Thursday his colleague died at a hospital. He was identified as Sheriff's Sgt. Ron Helus, a 29-year veteran about a year from retiring. His voice cracking, Dean described Helus as a friend. "I told his wife he died a hero -- he went in to save lives," Dean said. Helus is survived by a wife and son. Dean said, "It's a horrific scene in there. There's blood everywhere." He said the gunman had apparently shot himself. Dean added that the shooter's motive wasn't known and it wasn't clear if it was a case of terrorism. He said the only weapon found in an initial sweep was a handgun. Witnesses said the shots sounded like they were coming from a semi-automatic weapon. In addition to those who died, injured or wounded patrons were brought to hospitals or went to them on their own. Ventura County Sheriff's deputies responded to the Borderline Bar and Grill, some 40 miles west of L.A., at about 11:20 p.m. Sheriff's Capt. Garo Kuredjian said deputies could hear gunfire when they arrived. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean briefs reporters at the intersection of US 101 freeway and the Moorpark Rad exit as police vehicles close off the area responding to a shooting at a bar in Thousand Oaks, California, on Nov. 8, 2018. FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images There were roughly 200 people in the bar for a popular weekly "College Country" night, police said. The gunman threw smoke bombs when he entered, perhaps to cause confusion, CBS L.A. reported. Witnesses told the station some people broke windows to get out or smashed windows so others could flee. The father of one patron told CBS L.A. his daughter told him the gunman "knew what he was doing" and came in "with a purpose." A witness told the station, "There were people in the middle dancing and just hanging out and having a good time" when "very, very loud gunshots" rang out inside. Story continues Numerous law enforcement agencies were on-scene, including the FBI and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. National Guard members were assisting, as well. Patrons were seen being led out of the bar by deputies. This story was originally published by CBS News on Nov. 8, 2018 at 3:15 a.m. ET. RELATED CONTENT: 'This Is Us' Emotionally Honors Pittsburgh After Deadly Synagogue Shooting Ellen DeGeneres, Mandy Moore and More Stars React to Shooting at Pittsburgh Synagogue Jason Aldean Pays Tribute to Victims and Survivors 1 Year After Las Vegas Shooting Related Articles: Kannon Shanmugam, Williams & Connolly. Photo: Diego M. Radzinschi/ALM With nearly $315 million in damages at stake, the U.S. Supreme Court appeared divided over whether 2000 USS Cole bombing victims and their families gave proper legal notice to Sudan eight years ago. The justices heard hourlong arguments in Republic of Sudan v. Harrison, stemming from a default judgment won by the Cole plaintiffs who claimed Sudan provided material support to al-Qaida and Osama bin Laden. The terrorist attack in Yemen killed 17 sailors and injured 42 others. During arguments, the justices struggled with an arcane issue that could force the Cole families if they lose to restart their difficult litigation filed in Washington in 2010 under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, or FSIA. Did they comply with the act by mailing notice of their complaint to Sudan's U.S. Embassy? Or were they required by the act and international law to send it to the foreign minister's address in Sudan? Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. told White & Case partner Christopher Curran, representing Sudan since 2015, that his "first instinct" if he wanted to mail something to the head or a cabinet member of a foreign country would be to deliver it to the embassy. "I mean, the idea of mailing it to the foreign minister in some country and assuming it's going to get there in any reasonable time, I think you're much more, much more likely to reach them through the embassy," Roberts said. The key provision in the FSIA does not say to mail notice "at his own office," Justice Elena Kagan told Curran. "And in the absence of that kind of language, there seems something special about the embassy situation. That's just everybody understands that embassies are supposed to be the point of contact if you want to do anything with respect to a foreign government." But Curran countered embassies exist to serve diplomatic functions, "not to be a catch-all recipient for service of process or other things being sent to the foreign state." He argued that the plain meaning of the service provision that the mailing be dispatched to a specific personrequires that the mailing bear the address of that person. "When Congress intended there to be an intermediary between the sender and the ultimate recipient, it said so," said Curran, adding Congress did so in another provision of the act but not in the provision at issue Wednesday in the high court. Curran also argued embassy service violates the Vienna Convention of Diplomatic Relations, which provides the premises of an embassy or mission is "inviolable." Curran received an argument boost from Assistant to the Solicitor General Erica Ross, which backs Sudan in an amicus brief. Williams & Connolly partner Kannon Shanmugam, representing the Cole families, told the justices that Sudan was trying to reverse the judgment based on "an unstated procedural requirement," noting the FSIA notice provision does not require a mailing to the home country. Justice Sonia Sotomayor said the foreign minister is not physically at the embassy except for occasional visits. "It seems a natural understanding under most due process concerns that you serve the person where you're likely to find them," she said. The case was tried by Miami attorney Andrew Hall of Hall, Lamb, Hall & Leto. The appeal is based on three turnover orders obtained by Hall in New York against banks with Sudan government accounts. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit approved service at the embassy in conflict with other circuits, which set up the U.S. Supreme Court appeal. The United States and 22 other countries do not accept service at embassies, said Justice Stephen Breyer. "To turn over to these countries, often very small, often without adequate legal advice, something that departs from a simple legal rule that everyone of them has followed in one form or another in the past is something that makes me nervous," he said. Shanmugam told Breyer a country does not have to accept service and can return the service packet immediately, and a country can object to any default judgment. He also said the justices could distinguish embassies from consulates and U.N. missions on the ground that embassies perform a unique function. "The reason that we attempted service at the embassy was for the simple reason that, in 2004, Sudan was at the tail end of its civil war, and it was very hard even to find someone who would deliver a package to Khartoum with the requisite return receipt," Shanmugam said. "And so this case really illustrates why this policy makes sense." "What would be the consequences in this particular case if you had to go back and if we were to rule against you and you succeed in achieving service" under another provision of FSIA?" asked Justice Samuel Alito Jr. "Would Sudan appear?" The case would have to start over, replied Shanmugam, and that would be particularly inequitable. The statute does not have the notice requirement sought by Sudan, and Sudan had actual notice of the litigation. "We're talking about an objection that was raised at the very last minute in response to turnover orders. And that would be the height of unfairness to the Cole victims," some of whom attended the hearing. Read more: Appellate Hot List 2018: Williams & Connolly Hall Lamb Rebuffed on USS Cole Lawsuit Against Sudan $315 million awarded to victims in USS Cole attack The actor denies any wrongdoing. (PA Images) A Bafta-nominated actor who terrified a barmaid with a fake gun thought she resembled Katharine Hepburn and only wanted to give her career advice, a court heard on Thursday. John McEnery, 75, of Marine Parade, Sheerness, Kent, left Melissa Green screaming for help when he brandished the black water pistol at The Leading Light in Faversham, Kent, on August 8 last year. He denies intending to cause her to fear violence and on Thursday told a Maidstone Crown Court jury he wanted to support her career in events. He and Steven Majewski, 43, of Canal Road, Strood, also deny a similar charge after they allegedly produced the same fake weapon at the binElla Wine and Champagne Bar at Standard Quay, Faversham, between July 1 and August 2017. Staff claim one of the defendants threatened to shoot them if they were not served, before Majewski briefly pulled out the imitation gun. McEnery on Thursday admitted in court he was a recovering alcoholic and last acted four or five years ago. In August 2017 he had relapsed, become homeless and ended up living with Majewski on a ship owned by Finbarr OBrien. McEnery is a BAFTA-nominated actor (PA Images) On the fishing trawler, which had been converted into a galleon, McEnery said the men played around with the water pistol shooting flying insects and having a bit of pranky fun. He admitted carrying the fake gun in a borrowed jacket on August 8, but it had only crossed his mind to use it to trick a friend who owned a Faversham music shop. I thought I might have a little prank with it and do a spoof your money or your life and then squirt water at him, he said. The film and TV actor was barred from The Leading Light pub, but went to try to arrange a meeting between Ms Green and Mr OBrien, who had worked in events. He said he had spoken to Ms Green once before and wanted to help her. She put me in mind of a young Katharine Hepburn, he said. I told her that, I said Katharine Hepburn eat your heart out, but she didnt know who I was talking about. Story continues McEnery said it had been thoughtless and stupid to produce the fake gun from his pocket, but that he had only been looking for a pen. The actor also said he could not remember much about turning up drunk and being refused a drink at the binElla bar on an earlier date. In a police interview he said if he had made the threat to shoot someone, it would have been in parody. Speaking in court on Thursday he speculated it might be because he had previously met with two pirates on Mr OBriens ship. One of them was called Pirate Jim, he explained. He was half Calabrian and half Welsh and we had a conversation about the Ndrangheta mafia. Asked by his lawyer Ms Pippa Woodrow whether he had ever deliberately tried to make someone fear he would shoot them, McEnery said: Never. McEnery, who was nominated for a Bafta for his portrayal of Mercutio in Franco Zeffirellis 1968 film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, was once married to Dynasty actress Stephanie Beacham. His television credits include The Bill, Silent Witness and the Scarlet Pimpernel. The trial continues. Read more Gemma Collins dance partner hits back at online trolls Thousands of people still watch black and white television Rylan Clark-Neal to replace Zoe Ball on Radio 2 Saturday slot The Ventura County sheriffs deputy killed in the mass shooting at a California bar was on the phone with his wife when he got the call about the incident. Sgt. Ron Helus, who spoke to his wife multiple times during every shift, told her Ive got to go handle a call. I love you. Ill talk to you later, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said Thursday. Helus, a 29-year veteran of the sheriffs office, arrived at Borderline Bar & Grill within two minutes of the first 911 Wednesday night. When he entered the bar and confront the gunman, he was shot multiple times. A California Highway Patrol officer rescued him from the gunfire, but Helus later died at the hospital. Eleven other people were killed when Ian David Long, a 28-year-old Marine veteran, opened fire during a college country night event at the popular bar in Thousand Oaks, Calif. He was totally committed, Dean said, noting that Helus was looking to retire in the next year. He gave his all. Tonight, as I told his wife, he died a hero. He went in to save lives, to save other people. Dean, who counted Helus as a friend, grew emotional while describing the officers last moments. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean says of Sgt. Ron Helus, who was killed in mass shooting at Borderline Bar & Grill: He died a hero. He went in to save lives, to save other people. (VC Sheriff photo) #ThousandOaksShooting pic.twitter.com/XUqbZqlUQC S.B. News-Press (@sbnpnews) November 8, 2018 Helus, 54, is survived by a son and his wife. After weeks of campaigning and buildup Election Day 2018 has arrived. While a record-breaking 36 million people have already taken advantage of early voting, tens of millions across the country headed to the polls on Tuesday to cast their ballots in races that will determine control of the House, the Senate and several key governors mansions, including in Georgia, Florida and Ohio. Scattered reports of long lines, bad weather and faulty voting machines are not keeping voters from exercising their civic duty. While midterm elections tend to have lower turnout than presidential election years, today is expected to set record-breaking turnout numbers for a midterm election. Here is what Election Day 2018 looks like in America. Members of Women on the Move confirm registration and polling precincts with callers at the Urban League of Greater Columbus in Columbus, Ga. on election day, Nov. 6, 2018. Poll inspector Jane Goldman prepares Senate candidate Rep. Beto O'Rourke, his wife Amy Sanders and their children are surrounded by journalists after they voted at El Paso Community College-Rio Grande Campus in El Paso. Jose Maybit Lopez, an intern for Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, steams a flag in preparation for the Election Night party in Houston. President Donald Trump has held rallies in multiple battleground states over the last weeks making his final pitch to Republican voters ahead of the election. Trump told attendees at a Cleveland rally on Monday that Republican voters on Tuesday could, stop the radical resistance in its tracks. Tuesday is your chance to send a message to the Democrat mob and to everyone who has made it their mission to denigrate our movement and to divide our great nation, the President said. High-profile Democrats including former President Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey have hit the campaign trail for Democratic nominees in tight races, including Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum, who faces Republican Ron DeSantis, and Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, who faces Republican Brian Kemp. After a demoralizing loss in the 2016 election, Democrats are attempting to pull off a Blue Wave as Republicans fight to hold control over the House and Senate. Candidates have stressed that the stakes of todays election are high whichever party holds the majority in Congress can set the national legislative agenda. Gina Martinez and Kim Bubello This page will be updated. Democratic candidate for Michigan's 11th Congressional District Haley Stevens talks to supporters and volunteers while launching election day canvassing at her Field Office in Troy, Mich. Mike Caruso campaign employee Isaac Rheinbolt, chats with a Trump supporter, who did not want to be identified, in the parking lot of the Boca Raton Community Center on Election Day. Tallahassee mayor and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum casts his ballot with his four-year-old twins Caroline, left, and Jackson in Tallahassee, Fla. Pedro Rojas, a National News Correspondent at Univision, reports from the Election Night party for Sen. Ted Cruz in Houston. Volunteer Fizza Alam calls voters on Election Day at the Campaign Headquarters for Jahana Hayes. Hayes is poised to be the first African American Woman from New England voted to the US Congress . Democratic Congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez glances up as she fills out her ballot to vote in the midterm elections in the Bronx, New York City. The 2018 election is shaping up to be a historic year for midterm voter turnout, with many states recording levels of voter participation not seen for a non-presidential election in decades. Certainly in states like Florida and Virginia were seeing turnout rates that are at least at 20-year highs, says Corwin Smidt, an associate professor of political science at Michigan State University. This is a high water mark for midterm turnout. Approximately 114 million votes were cast in U.S. House races in 2018, compared to 83 million in 2014, according to estimates by the New York Times In Florida, more than 8 million voters cast ballots in the Senate matchup between Republican Rick Scott and Democrat Sen. Bill Nelson, with 99% of the vote counted. Compare that to 6 million votes in the 2014 midterm and 5.5 million in 2010 another wave election. Virginias Senate race between Democrat Sen. Tim Kaine and Republican Corey Stewart drew nearly 3.3 million votes, according to preliminary tallies. About 2.2 million votes were cast in both 2010 and 2014. Many other states have also registered unusually high levels of voter participation. In Kentucky, more than 1.5 million ballots were cast in 2014 election as compared to 1.45 million in 2014, despite the fact that no state-wide office was open this election cycle. In 2014, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was up for reelection. In New Jersey, nearly 2.8 million people voted in the 2018 Senate race. Less than 2 million ballots were cast in 2014. Turnout levels havent quite reached the numbers seen in recent presidential elections, but they are historic for a midterm year according to Smidt. Total turnout numbers may even shape up to be similar to those seen in lower-turnout presidential elections, like those in 1992 and 1996. Another important factor is less tangible: the increasing nationalization and polarization of American politics. For President Donald Trump, that has meant that he could motivate his base to vote in the midterms by bringing up hot-button issues like immigration and race, and by injecting his own ego into local races. A vote for Marsha is really a vote for me, Trump said at an October campaign rally for Tennessee Rep. Marsha Blackburn who handily beat a popular former Democratic governor to win a seat in the Senate. In general, the nationalization of politics has made it that turnout is not so much about local issues as it is national issues. Thats a trend thats been going on in politics for the last 20 years, Smidt tells TIME. Knowing that its more of a party battle, not a vote over an incumbentmany people are more interested in turning out. The knowledge that control over the House or Senate may change hands can increase turnout, as it did this election cycle, can also drive voter turnout. State ballot initiatives like Floridas Amendment 4 also can raise enthusiasm for voting, as do low Presidential approval ratings and increasingly efficient election administration. The numbers may indicate just how concerned voters are for the future of the United States. 2002 was an intense election over a possible invasion in Iraq. 2006, it was a high turnout in regards to negativity about how things were going in Iraq, explains Smidt. And even then were having higher turnout now, or as high, if not higher, than those midterms. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was in the middle of giving his post-election spiel to reporters when the news broke of Attorney General Jeff Sessions firing. After he was speaking, he was handed a note telling him what had just happened. Oh, he said. Then, bracing for the inevitable questions from reporters, he gave his immediate reaction: protecting Mueller and his investigation is paramount, he said. It would create a constitutional crisis if this were a prelude to ending or greatly limiting the Mueller investigation. And I hope President Trump and those he listens to will refrain from that. Schumer then declined to take additional questions from reporters on this subject until after discussing the election, and only opined that he thought the timing was suspect. He later issued a statement calling for Sessions interim replacement, Matt Whitaker, to recuse himself from overseeing the investigation. Sessions had recused himself from the probe, giving oversight to his deputy Rod Rosenstein. The shakeup means that Whitaker will likely assume that responsibility. Schumers immediate referral to Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation was a contrast with Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, the first lawmaker to issue an official statement. Although Cornyn strongly defended Sessions work both in the Department of Justice and as a longtime Alabama Senator, there was no mention of Muellers probe or the potential implications surrounding it. As more reactions flowed in, both parties seemed to mimic the initial responses of Schumer and Cornyn: Democrats expressed alarm with House Democrats immediately threatening to investigate the termination when they took control of the chamber in January while Republicans praised Sessions personally, but showed no public concern for preserving the Russia probe. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who had said Wednesday morning that he expected the Senates next term to be focused on confirmations its not up to me to tell the President to put in a cabinet, he told reporters followed suit with his own statement wishing Sessions well and praising his steadfast commitment to the rule of law. But he made no mention of Whitaker, Mueller, or the investigation. Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley mentioned Whitaker, but only in the context that he looked forward to working with him. And Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who once said there would be holy hell to pay if Trump fired Sessions and was thought to be a contender for his replacement, tweeted out his desire to work with the president to find a successor making sure to note that he had no interest in the position. Story continues I look forward to working with President @realDonaldTrump to find a confirmable, worthy successor so that we can start a new chapter at the Department of Justice and deal with both the opportunities and challenges our nation faces, he tweeted. Very few current Republican Senators expressed concern about the Mueller investigation. Those who did included outgoing Sen. Jeff Flake, and Maine Sen. Susan Collins. Utah Senator-elect Mitt Romney, who won his race Tuesday to replace Orrin Hatch, who is retiring, called it imperative that Mueller continue his work. I want to thank Jeff Sessions for his service to our country as Attorney General. Under Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, it is imperative that the important work of the Justice Department continues, and that the Mueller investigation proceeds to its conclusion unimpeded. Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) November 7, 2018 On the House side, current Republican leaders who had spent the morning announcing what they would run for in the minority party also did not issue immediate statements. (Kevin McCarthy had announced he was mounting a run for minority leader and Steve Scalise as whip). But it became clear Democrats intended to use their newfound majority to investigate what had transpired. Three of the likely chairmen of the committees wth the most high profile investigative and oversight power Rep. Elijah Cummings on Oversight and Government Reform, Rep. Jerrold Nadler on Judiciary, and Rep. Adam Schiff on intelligence immediately demanded answers and vowed accountability. We are immediately issuing multiple letters to key officials demanding that they preserve all relevant documents related to this action to make sure that the investigation and any evidence remains safe from improper interference or destruction, Nadler said in a statement. The American people understand that no person is above the law and have demanded accountability from their government. By Philip Wen and Colin Packham BEIJING/SYDNEY (Reuters) - Beijing and Canberra should be cooperating in the South Pacific and not be cast as strategic rivals, China's top diplomat said on Thursday, after Australia launched a multi-billion dollar fund to counter China's rising influence in the region. Standing alongside Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, Chinese State Councillor Wang Yi made the conciliatory remarks after a meeting in Beijing widely billed as a step toward re-setting bilateral ties after a lengthy diplomatic chill. Wang said that he had agreed with Payne that the two countries could combine their respective strengths and embark on trilateral cooperation with Pacific island countries. "We are not rivals, and we can absolutely become cooperation partners," Wang told reporters, describing the meeting as important after the recent "ups and downs" in the relationship. Payne said the discussions were "valuable, full and candid". "We've realistically acknowledged today that in a relationship as dynamic as ours ... there will be from time to time differences," she said later at a separate news briefing. "But what is important about that is how we manage those and we are focused on managing them respectfully, mindful of the tremendous opportunities the relationship presents to both our nations." Ties became strained late last year, when the previous Australian prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, accused China of interfering in its domestic affairs. The two countries have also been vying for influence in sparsely populated Pacific island countries that control vast swathes of resource-rich ocean. But even as his foreign minister visited Beijing, Prime Minister Scott Morrison characterized the Pacific as its domain while offering the region up to A$3 billion ($2.18 billion) in cheap infrastructure loans and grants. "This is our patch, this is our part of the world," Morrison said in his most detailed foreign policy speech since becoming prime minister in August. Speaking in Queensland, Morrison said Australia would invest in telecommunications, energy, transport and water projects in the region. He also said Australia would also expand its diplomatic presence in the Pacific, posting staff to Palau, the Marshall Islands, French Polynesia, Niue and the Cook Islands. There are also plans to strengthen Australia's defense and security ties with Pacific islands through joint exercises and training. Morrison did not name China in the speech, but analysts said it was a clear response to China's spreading influence. "Australia is reacting to what China is doing. Australia needs more tools to engage with the Pacific," said Jonathan Pryke, a Pacific Islands foreign policy expert with the Lowy Institute, an Australian think-tank. China has spent $1.3 billion on concessionary loans and gifts since 2011 to become the Pacific's second-largest donor after Australia, stoking concern in the West that several tiny nations could end up overburdened and in debt to Beijing. On Wednesday, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said Australia would oppose a A$13 billion buyout of APA Group, Australia's biggest gas pipeline company, by Hong Kong's CK Group on grounds that it would be against the national interest. While reiterating the government's stand on APA, Payne said Australia remained open to Chinese investment. Wang said Beijing welcomed that assurance. Last December, Beijing took umbrage at Turnbull's comments and the subsequent introduction of legislation to counter foreign interference, which appeared to be directed in large part at China. Prior to Payne's visit, China had unofficially suspended accepting visits by senior Australian ministers, and Chinese state media had carried numerous anti-Australian articles. (Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore) With an eye on China's growing role in the Pacific, Australia on Thursday announced Aus$3 billion in financial enticements to boost its presence in the region, accompanied by a series of security and political initiatives. Beijing is piling investment into the Pacific, sending ever more fishing vessels deeper into its waters and reportedly mulling the construction of a military base on Vanuatu. Faced with this increasing Chinese influence, Prime Minister Scott Morrison vowed to take Australia's engagement "to a new level." "We want to work with our Pacific Islands partners to build a Pacific region that is secure strategically, stable economically and sovereign politically," Morrison said as he prepares for a major Asian-Pacific summit in Port Moresby next week. He underscored a series of security, economic and diplomatic initiatives, including the donation of patrol boats and the development of a joint military base in Papua New Guinea. The centerpiece however is cold hard cash -- much sought after by poverty-hit countries in the region -- with Morrisonannouncing a Aus$2 billion (US$1.5 billion) fund"to significantly boost Australia's support for infrastructure development in Pacific countries and Timor-Leste". He also announced a further Aus$1 billion for export financing to support investments in the region. Morrison's government has been preoccupied by domestic infighting and has diverged politically from Pacific Island nations threatened by rising waters, by questioning climate change. Australia has long been a major political player in much of the south and west Pacific, but has lost ground with China ploughing massive investment into the region as part of its "Belt and Road" initiative. - Charm offensive - His announcement comes as Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne visited Beijing, the first time someone in her position has visited in three years, and just after Australia blocked a bid of more than US$9 billion from Hong Kong giant CK Group for the country's biggest gas pipeline company. Story continues Although the Pacific islands are small in size, and a less vital waterway for trade than the contested South China Sea, their exclusive economic zones make up a massive proportion of the world's maritime assets. And the region has become increasingly important as Beijing has signalled its intent to develop a "Blue Water" navy that can project Chinese power far beyond its coastal waters. The Chinese authorities have also been keen to harness natural resources from hardwood to nickel and have -- with notable success -- tried to entice countries in the region to drop recognition of Taiwan, isolating its cross-strait foe. The number of Chinese fishing vessels operating in the tuna-rich waters of the Pacific has also increased from 244 in 2010 to over 600, according to data from Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission. Without mentioning China by name, Morrison hailed common values with island nations and said he would expand Australia's diplomatic footprint to "every member country of the Pacific Islands Forum". Australian media reported that Morrison will continue his charm offensive at the Asia-Pacific summit in Port Moresby, where he will host leaders for a barbecue. He will have competition from Xi Jinping, who is also expected to meet a host of regional leaders when he attends the summit. US president Donald Trump will not attend, sending Vice President Mike Pence in his stead. Paris (AFP) - Britain's foreign minister played down Thursday the prospect of an imminent deal on Brexit and called for greater efforts to be made in the negotiations to "understand the other's perspective." After a speech in Paris that sought to soothe tensions with France caused by Britain's exit from the European Union, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt was asked if a deal was within reach in the next week. "Seven days is probably pushing it, but I am optimistic that there will be a Brexit deal but I wouldn't want to be drawn on a specific timescale," he told an audience at the British embassy. Negotiators have been racing the clock to try to agree the outlines of a withdrawal agreement that could be approved at a summit of EU leaders in Brussels this month, but hopes are fading. EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier warned Wednesday that "more work is needed" in the talks. Hunt used his speech, delivered in French, to pay tribute to the "bonds of friendship and commerce" between Britain and France and to make the case for the closest possible relationship between the allies after Brexit. France has taken a hard line in the negotiations, with President Emmanuel Macron insistent that Britain should not be allowed to negotiate advantages for itself as it withdraws from the European Union. Hunt also raised hackles in Paris last month when he compared the EU to the Soviet Union and suggested its members were trying to punish Britain for leaving. "I an absolutely certain that France is keen to reach an agreement," Hunt said. "Not reaching an agreement is in no one's interest." Addressing concerns in the French government that Britain wants to withdraw from the EU but retain the same trading advantages, Hunt said that London was "not... trying to have 'our cake and eat it'." Britain is due to leave the 28-nation bloc on March 29 next year but talks on its exit remain held up by disagreements over managing the border between EU member Ireland and the British-ruled province of Northern Ireland. Story continues The issue is set to be discussed between Macron and British Prime Minister Theresa May on Friday when they meet in northern France for a ceremony to mark the end of World War I. Hunt's speech reflected Britain's desire -- reciprocated in Paris -- to maintain close ties after Brexit despite the tricky negotiations and sometimes overheated rhetoric. Recent reports in the British tabloid media have suggested French ports are preparing to stall trade with Britain after Brexit -- something categorically denied in France. The countries are Europe's two biggest military powers and its second- and third-biggest economies, after Germany. THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) -- Ian David Long began his adult life by enlisting in the Marines and getting married. Years after a divorce and a discharge and months after shouting brought a mental health expert to his door, Long killed 12 people at a country music bar outside Los Angeles. Long, 28, was a former military machine gunner who apparently killed himself after the Wednesday night attack in Thousand Oaks, the quiet suburb where he lived with his mother. Neighbors said Thursday they would hear loud, aggressive fights between the two. Authorities said they visited that ranch-style house only once, in April, after a neighbor reported yelling and crashing sounds. Deputies found Long "was somewhat irate, acting a little irrationally" and called in a mental health specialist, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said. That specialist assessed Long but concluded he couldn't be involuntarily committed for psychiatric observation. "The mental health experts out there cleared him that day," Dean told reporters Thursday, though they were concerned he might be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder because of his military service. "Obviously he had something going on in his head that would cause him to do something like this," Dean said. A next-door neighbor said he called authorities about six months ago when he heard loud banging and shouting at Long's home. "I was concerned because I knew he had been in the military," neighbor Tom Hanson said Thursday, as federal and local law enforcement officers searched Long's house, where an American flag flew over the garage. Hanson described Long as an introvert and said he was "dumbfounded" by the massacre. Long's only other contact with authorities came after a traffic collision and after he alleged he was the victim of a violent encounter in 2015 at another bar in Thousand Oaks, the sheriff said. Long enlisted in the Marines at 18 and was married as a 19-year-old in Honolulu in June 2009, according to military and court records. Story continues His military service lasted nearly five years, and he was honorably discharged with the rank of corporal in 2013, the Pentagon said. He was part of the infantry, responsible for hauling and shooting machine guns. During his service, Long's marriage fell apart. He and his wife separated in June 2011, while he was deployed on a seven-month tour in Afghanistan. The couple cited irreconcilable differences in divorce papers filed in May 2013, two months after Long left the Marines. Later, he enrolled at nearby California State University, Northridge, last attending in 2016, the school said in a statement. More recently he was living in a home where neighbors said they could hear frequent, aggressive shouting between Long and his mother, especially over the last year. About 18 months ago, Don and Effie MacLeod heard "an awful argument" and what he believes was a gunshot from the Longs' property. Don MacLeod said he did not call police but avoided speaking with Ian Long. "I told my wife, 'Just be polite to him. If he talks, just acknowledge him, don't go into conversation with him,'" Don MacLeod said Thursday. Sparse pictures on social media showed a happy Long family. His mother, Colleen, posted Facebook photos of her son in his military uniform in 2010 and 2011. "My Son is home, well sort of, back in Hawaii, soon to be in Cali come January, hooray!" she wrote on Dec. 14, 2012. Another photo from 2014 shows Ian Long with his arm draped around his mother in front of Dodger Stadium. The two were wearing Dodgers T-shirts and smiles. Authorities haven't identified what motivated Long to open fire during college night at Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, around 40 miles (64 kilometers) from downtown Los Angeles. The city of about 130,000 people is consistently near the top of lists ranking the safest places in California. The dead included 11 people inside the bar and a veteran sheriff's sergeant who was the first officer through the door. The Marine Corps said Long earned several awards, including a Combat Action Ribbon and a Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, Third Marine Division in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. ___ Pritchard reported from Los Angeles. Contributing were Michael Kunzelman in College Park, Maryland; Tami Abdollah and Lolita Baldor in Washington; Alina Hartounian in Phoenix; and Reese Dunklin in Dallas. Several people have been killed and around a dozen others injured in a shooting at a bar hosting an event for college students in California. A gunman reportedly used smoke grenades before firing into a crowd of around 200 people at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, 40 miles northwest of Los Angeles, at 11.20pm local time. There are multiple fatalities, said Eric Buschow of Ventura County Sheriffs Office, without giving a specific number. Authorities confirmed a police officer was among the 11 injured. That figure was projected to rise. The suspect, described as wearing a black trench coat and mask covering his face, was confirmed dead after being engaged and neutralised by police, Andrew Fox, mayor of Thousand Oaks, said. :: Follow live updates on the shooting in Thousand Oaks :: Captain Garo Kuredjian of the Ventura County Sheriff's Office said there was no longer a threat to people living nearby after earlier saying the shooter may still be on the loose in what was "a very active scene". Witnesses said the gunman shot a security guard standing at the door of the bar before entering the building and throwing "smoke grenades all over the place". A female cashier was said to be among the victims. Several witnesses told ABC 7 the man was armed with a handgun. Others reported seeing a high-capacity magazine or "Uzi-style" weapon. At least 30 shots were fired before people inside the bar began using chairs to smash windows to escape, the witness said. Teylor Whittler, 19, was on the dance floor when the shooting started. She said: "I heard the gunshot, turned around and saw him shoot a couple more times. "Within a split second everyone yelled get down. I ran to where the back door is, and everyone dog-piled on top of each other. It was silent for a couple of seconds and then all of a sudden a couple of guys started running to the back door and said get up hes coming. Story continues "It was a huge panic, everyone tried getting up, and some guy came behind me, lifted me up and said lets go. I got a bar stool thrown at my head because they were trying to use it to get out. Teylor Whittler is hugged by her father after she fled the Borderline Bar (EPA) Nick Steinwender, student body president at nearby California Lutheran University, rushed to the scene when he heard about a shooting at the bar where he knew friends and fellow students were inside. "It was chaos, people jumping out of windows, people hopping over gates to get out," he told KABC-TV. Video showed casualties being carried away from the bar by members of the public and the emergency services. Bomb squad and FBI teams have been called to the area and Swat units are in place although authorities said the bar was now safe to enter for emergency services. Several people who hid in the attic of the building during the shooting were escorted out by police. Emergency services were seen searching the roof of the building. Earlier, Ventura County Fire Department issued a statement saying: "Ongoing active shooter incident reported at Borderline in Thousand Oaks. "Please stay away from area. Active law enforcement incident. Multiple injuries reported. Details still being determined. Multiple ambulances requested." The website for Borderline bar showed that Wednesday nights are College Country Nights that last from 9 pm until 2am. Thousand Oaks, a wealthy city home to several colleges and universities, is ranked as one of America's safest cities by the FBI. The US has suffered a succession of deadly incidents involving guns in recent days, including a shooting in a yoga studio in Florida that left two people dead and five injured. Late last month a gunman entered the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh just as Shabbat services were beginning and started shooting, killing 11 people and wounding six others in the deadliest attack on Jews in US history. The suspect behind Americas latest mass shooting has been identified as Ian David Long, who law enforcement officials have accused of killing at least 12 people inside the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, California. The gunman, identified by NBC News as a heavily-tattooed, 28-year-old white male, used a .45 calibre handgun and was found dead after storming the bar thats commonly frequented by country music fans on Wednesday nights. One eye witness said the gunman was throwing smoke grenades as he repeatedly fired shots inside the bar, telling reporters, he just kept firing. Details surrounding the suspect began flooding in from neighbours who told ABC News he was a veteran who may have suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Police said he was an ex-Marine who had multiple run-ins with law enforcement in recent years and likely shot himself Wednesday night in the bar. The gunman stormed the Borderline Bar & Grill a venue that has been operating for more than 25 years, according to its website wearing black while seemingly shooting at random victims. 18-year-old teenagers and above are allowed entry to the venue on Wednesday nights, with those under the legal drinking age receiving black X marks on their hands. An official told the Associated Press the shooter had deployed a smoke device and did not say anything as he opened fire inside of the bar. Hundreds of people immediately fled the scene, with numerous other victims injured while jumping out of windows and ducking under tables, police said Thursday. In a video obtained by Associated Press, successive shots were heard at the shooting scene at California bar. https://t.co/osgVvWFp3C The Associated Press (@AP) November 8, 2018 Reports arriving out of Thousand Oaks, California painted a picture of the heartbreaking scene. Ron Helus, a local sheriffs sergeant, died while attempting to rescue victims. Story continues Ron was a hardworking, dedicated sheriff's sergeant. He was totally committed. He gave his all and tonight, as I told his wife, he died a hero because he went in to save lives, to save other people, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean told reporters. I never thought I would see the things around the country that would happen, but I've learned it doesn't matter what community you're in, it doesn't matter how safe your community is, it can happen anywhere. Jason Coffmann showed reporters photos of his son, Cody, outside the Thousands Oaks Teen Centre where a gathering point had been established for victims families. The father said he had learned his son did not make it out of the bar on Wednesday night. #LIVE: Neighbors are saying David Ian Long was a veteran who suffered from PTSD, "I have no idea what he was doing with a gun" https://t.co/3gvXBtsEIT pic.twitter.com/ZN9yLx86YD ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) November 8, 2018 The Los Angeles Times also reported there were several survivors of the Las Vegas massacre one of the deadliest mass shootings in American history inside the bar when the suspect began open firing. Eye witnesses said the bar was packed on Wednesday night, with more than 100 people enjoying music and drinks many of them arriving from several large nearby universities. Local police reported numerous contacts with the former Marine on Wednesday, including a call that led officers to his home in April of this year. Officials found Mr Long acting "irate and irrationally," however, he was not taken into custody at the time. A mental health crisis team was called to the scene. The suspect also had prior run-ins with the police, including a traffic incident and another time in which he was the victim of a battery at a bar. #BREAKING UPDATE: Authorities are at a home in the 800 block of Fowler Ave. in Newbury Park, about 10 minutes from the Thousand Oaks bar where the mass shooting occurred. pic.twitter.com/UHinT8Cytu CBS Los Angeles (@CBSLA) November 8, 2018 Donald Trump ordered flags at half-staff on Thursday as a mark of solemn respect for the victims of the terrible act of violence perpetrated in Thousand Oaks, California, the president said in a statement. As news broke surrounding the identification of the suspect, a heavy police presence was observed at a home just ten minutes from the Borderline Bar & Grill. It was not immediately clear whether that was the home of Mr Long. More follows Montreal (AFP) - Canadian aerospace and transportation manufacturer Bombardier on Thursday announced 5,000 global job cuts over the next year to 18 months in a bid to "streamline" the struggling firm. The Montreal-based group also announced the sale of "non-core assets" totaling around $900 million, including the Q Series aircraft program and the de Havilland trademark, which was sold for some $300 million to a Canadian investment fund. The restructuring announcement came as the company reported net income of $167 million in the third quarter, compared with a loss of $11 million a year earlier. Bombardier Alain Bellemare President and CEO said of the restructuring, "we continue to make solid progress executing our turnaround plan." "With today's announcements we have set in motion the next round of actions necessary to unleash the full potential of the Bombardier portfolio," he said in a statement, adding that the firm "will continue to be proactive in focusing and streamlining the organization." Excluding one-off and one-time items, Bombardier posted a quarterly adjusted earnings of 4 cents a share, above the consensus of analysts who expected a gain of 2 cents. The strong profit came despite a five percent drop in quarterly sales from the same period a year ago to $3.6 billion. For the full year, Bombardier expects revenues of approximately $16.5 billion, at the low end of its guidance range. Unable to recover the balance, the Canadian aircraft manufacturer decided to give up control (50.01 percent) of its subsidiary dedicated to the CSeries aircraft, now known as the A220, to the European giant Airbus. The transaction was completed in July. Bellemare was brought on board in 2015 to shore up the company that was in serious financial trouble with the CSeries program. The Quebec government had to come to its rescue in 2015 with a $1 billion bailout. St. John's (Antigua and Barbuda) (AFP) - A centuries-old London body will continue to have the final say on the administration of justice in two Caribbean ex-colonies after referendums to replace it with a regional court failed to reach the requisite majorities. British rule in Antigua and Barbuda and Grenada ended decades ago but - like many of the English-speaking islands - they have retained the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council as their final court of appeal. Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne on Wednesday described the result as "disappointing but not surprising," given the lack of support from the main opposition. Voters in both nations went to the polls Tuesday to determine whether to officially adopt the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) instead. Just under 48 percent of people in Antigua and Barbuda voted in favor of the constitutional changes and around 45 percent of those in Grenada. The referendums required a two-thirds majority to pass. Low turnout in both countries suggested some apathy among the populace; just one in four registered voters took part in Grenada and one in three in the twin island nation. Both governments had campaigned heavily in favor of the CCJ, with the main opposition parties urging residents to vote against it. The Privy Council, which has its roots in Medieval times and was once the court of last resort for the entire British Empire, has made a number of pivotal rulings in recent years. One includes deeming it unconstitutional for St Lucia to use capital punishment as the mandatory sentence for murder. For many, ditching the Privy Council is seen as a progressive step towards greater independence by breaking age-old colonial ties. They argue that the cost of travelling to London is prohibitive while the CCJ, which travels between the regions islands, offers greater access to justice. Others are concerned over possible political interference in the CCJs operations, along with a lack of impartiality among judges from small nations, such as Antigua and Barbuda and Grenada which have just 130,000 registered voters combined. Story continues The CCJ heard its first case in 2005. Despite several Caribbean countries declaring their intention to adopt it as their final appellate court, to date, only Dominica, Guyana, Barbados and Belize have done so. The Privy Council remains the highest court of appeal for several other independent Commonwealth countries and the British territories. CCJ President Adrian Saunders, who recently said it was an "embarrassment" that so much of the region still shunned the court, said he respected the two nations' decisions. He added that the exercise had seen increased public education and stimulated dialogue. Ian David Long killed 12 people in a mass shooting in California A mass killer who shot dead 12 people in a California bar before turning the gun on himself has been identified as former Marine Ian David Long. Long opened fire with a .45 caliber Glock handgun in a country and western bar in Thousand Oaks packed with young people. There is no known motive for the killing spree. Dominic Raab has been criticised after admitting he did not realise the importance of the trade route between Dover and Calais. He told a conference he had not quite understood how many of the UKs imports pass between the ports. A customs border would come into place between Dover and Calais in the event of a no-deal Brexit, meaning customs controls, increased costs and delays for businesses would be more likely. A man who throttled his wife to death before claiming she had hanged herself has been jailed for life. Derek Potter, 64, covered up the killing of his wife Lesley, 66, by pretending to their family that she killed herself in a bedroom at their home in Mumbles, South Wales. He later confessed to a colleague that he strangled her. One lucky lottery player yet to cash in their ticket is sitting on a jaw-dropping jackpot prize of more than 76m. National Lottery players across the country are being urged to double-check their tickets, with whoever secured the life-changing fortune in the draw last Friday seemingly still unaware that they are a multi-millionaire in waiting. SAN SALVADOR (Reuters) - China will give El Salvador $150 million to spur development of social and technological projects, the Salvadoran president said on Wednesday, the latest sign of deepening ties between the countries that has alarmed the United States. Salvadoran President Salvador Sanchez Ceren is returning from his first trip to China since the countries established diplomatic ties in August. Speaking on local television, Ceren said he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the visit and agreed to 13 joint projects, without providing details. The donation marks China's latest gambit to make inroads in Central America, a campaign that has drawn the ire of the United States. Earlier this year, El Salvador cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favor of China, following the Dominican Republic and Panama. The United States promptly recalled its ambassadors in the region. "This historic meeting between the governments of the People's Republic of China and the Republic of El Salvador has produced excellent results," Ceren said. "This confirms that the establishment of diplomatic relations with China is my government's most important decision in foreign policy." Speaking in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the two countries had agreed to a series of cooperation projects, including in infrastructure and education, when the two presidents met in China last week. "The friendly cooperation between China and El Salvador is developing smoothly and rapidly," Hua told a daily news briefing. "China is willing to provide what help it can for El Salvador's economic and social development. The relevant help will be focused on people's pressing welfare needs in El Salvador," she added. The date when the funds will be received has not been set, a spokesman for the Salvadoran government said. China will also donate three thousand tons of rice to support Salvadorans who are reeling from a drought in July and floods in October, Ceren said. The White House warned in August that China was luring countries with incentives that "facilitate economic dependence and domination, not partnership." Self-ruled Taiwan has formal relations with a dwindling number of countries, almost all of them small and less developed nations in Central America and the Pacific. (Reporting by Nelson Renteria; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Beijing; Writing by Julia Love; Editing by Darren Schuettler) AccuWeather In the wake of a potent cold front that will track through the Northeast early Thanksgiving week, the coldest air of the season will bring temperatures plummeting to levels more typical of mid-December to the Great Lakes region and Northeast. The wintry chill will also fuel the lake-effect snow machine, sending snow squalls barreling across the region. As a storm brings rain to the Ohio Valley and into the Northeast through Sunday night, the cold front associated with the storm will sweep throug Bularat (Albania) (AFP) - Hundreds attended a funeral in southern Albania on Thursday for an ethnic Greek man who was killed by police there last month, inflaming tensions between Athens and Tirana. Konstantinos Katsifas, who had dual Greek and Albanian citizenship, was killed during a shootout with police in the town of Bularat on October 28. Albanian authorities described the 35-year-old as a Greek "extremist" who had fired a Kalashnikov into the air in the centre of the village, nearby where a ceremony was being held to commemorate Greek soldiers who fought in World War II. A 30-minute shootout ensued after police tried to apprehend him. Athens said the loss of life was "unacceptable" and requested a full investigation, while some Greek nationalist groups have protested against the killing, firebombing an Albanian tourism office in Athens. On Thursday hundreds of mourners carrying white-and-blue Greek flags flocked by bus and car, some travelling from Greece, to Bularat. Katsifas was carried in an open casket draped with Greek flags as some mourners chanted "Konstantinos, you are alive and leading us!" A police source told AFP that 10 Greek nationalists were arrested at the border and banned from entering Albania to attend the funeral. The treatment of Albania's ethnic Greeks has long strained bilateral relations. The size of the ethnic Greek minority in Albania is disputed, though a 2011 census put it at 25,000, in an overall population of 2.8 million. They are concentrated in the south. Some 600,000 Albanians have also emigrated to Greece since the fall of communism almost 30 years ago. The neighbours have a number of other long-running disputes, including a disagreement over their maritime border, which is believed to straddle lucrative energy resources. In an illustration of their complex relations, the countries have yet to officially lift the state of war declared in 1940, though both sides have indicated an intention to do so. By Jamie Freed and Fanny Potkin JAKARTA (Reuters) - In April 2013, a Lion Air Boeing 737 missed the runway on the Indonesian resort island of Bali in bad weather and plowed into the sea, cracking its fuselage open on the rocks. All 108 on board survived. But a September 2014 report by Indonesia's air crash investigators highlighted errors and poor training, saying the 24-year-old co-pilot had failed to adhere to the "basic principles of jet aircraft flying." Lion Air, struggling to get off a European Union blacklist because of "unaddressed safety concerns," asked Airbus, which supplies part of its fleet, to help improve training. The EU removed the privately owned budget airline from the list in 2016 after it determined Lion Air met international safety standards. None of Indonesia's roughly 100 airlines - most of them tiny - remain on the EU blacklist, with the last few coming off in June. All were banned in 2007; the national carrier, Garuda Indonesia, was the first to be removed in 2009. The crash of a Lion Air jet on Oct. 29 into the sea off Jakarta has put a spotlight back on the airline's safety record, although the cause remains undetermined. None of the aircraft's 189 passengers and crew survived. Lion Air's latest crisis illustrates the challenge relatively new carriers face as they try to keep pace with unstoppable demand for air travel in developing nations while striving for standards that mature markets took decades to reach. Retired air force chief of staff Chappy Hakim, an adviser to the transport ministry, told Reuters he avoided flying with Lion Air or other Indonesian airlines, with the exception of Garuda, which has not had a fatal crash since 2007. "I know Garuda," he said of the national carrier. "The other airlines, I don't believe they do the maintenance and training properly. He declined to elaborate further. Lion Air Managing Director Daniel Putut disputed any laxity in the airline's safety culture, stressing that it conducted maintenance in accordance with manufacturer guidelines. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the Indonesian aviation authority, did not respond to multiple requests for comment about Lion Airs safety record. Putut, a former pilot, also told Reuters during a visit to the airline's training center near the Jakarta airport that it complied with all regulatory requirements. He said Lion Air had worked hard to install an attitude of "zero tolerance" for accidents after the Bali crash, making last week's disaster a painful eye-opener. Thousands of Lion Air flights have taken off and landed without serious incident since then. "We are also looking into what went wrong - new aircraft, experienced crews, and we have applied the zero-tolerance culture, yet another accident happened," Putut said. "But we still don't know the cause, so we will wait for the investigation from NTSC (National Transportation Safety Committee)." SAFETY CULTURE Frank Caron, head of a risk consulting firm who served as Lion Air's safety manager from 2009 to 2011 after insurance companies requested a foreign expert, said that at the time he was troubled by what he regarded as the airline's attitude that accidents were inevitable. "Safety is much more than running concepts and procedures," he said. "Safety is a spirit, a state of mind, a way of thinking, an attitude in the daily aspects of an operational life. And that is precisely what Lion never got. They would say, 'The airline has 250 flights a day, it is not abnormal that you have accidents.'" For example, after the 2013 Bali crash, Lion Air co-founder Rusdi Kirana told local media who asked about the airline's safety record: "If we are seen to have many accidents, it's because of our frequency of flights." Caron claimed he left Lion Air after some of his safety recommendations were not implemented. Lion Air's chief executive declined to comment on Caron's account of his departure or his other assertions. Indonesian accident investigators made four recommendations after the Bali crash, including that Lion Air should "ensure that all pilots must be competent in hand flying" and teach proper cockpit coordination. They also urged the aviation authority to ensure all airlines under its control did the same. Putut said Lion Air embraced those recommendations. Between the Bali crash and the one last week, Lion Air had three non-fatal accidents, including one in April in which a 737 skidded off a runway, according to Flight Safety Foundation's Aviation Safety Network database. Since it began operating 18 years ago, Lion Air has seen a total of eight planes damaged beyond repair in accidents, two of which killed a combined 214 people, according to the Aviation Safety Network database. During the same period, five jets from its chief rival, the national carrier Garuda Indonesia , were damaged beyond repair, and two accidents killed a combined 22 people, according to the database. Garuda declined to comment about its safety record. Since the 2013 Bali crash, Lion Air has sought to improve safety by gaining European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification for its pilot training and maintenance facilities. EASA certifies its training center to instruct other airlines' pilots on A320 simulators and is seeking the same approvals for 737 jets and ATR72 turboprops, said Audy L Punuh, Lion Air's Angkasa Pilot Training Organisation Director. RAPID GROWTH Lion Air has expanded quickly since it started flying in 2000, overtaking national carrier Garuda by capturing more than half of the domestic market and establishing offshoots in Thailand and Malaysia. It has ridden a wave of aviation growth in Indonesia, where air travel has become critical for the economy. Domestic air traffic more than tripled in Indonesia over the past decade as prosperity and low fares made flying affordable for more people. With 129 million passengers in 2017, the Southeast Asian country was already the world's 10th-largest aviation market and is projected to continue growing. That growth has been accompanied by an air-accident rate that was twice the global average in 2017 and consistently higher than Indonesias neighbors in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, according to the United Nations' aviation agency. Indonesian pilots are allowed to fly a maximum of 110 hours a month, which is more than the 100 hours in most other countries. Last year seven commercial planes were damaged beyond repair around the world, according to Boeing data; two were in Indonesia, wrecked in non-fatal accidents involving Sriwijaya Air and Tri M.G. Airlines. LATEST CRASH Flight JT610 took off from Jakarta at 6:20 a.m. on Oct. 29, bound for Bangka island, off Sumatra, and plunged into the sea 13 minutes later. Just before the crash, the pilot asked to return to the airport. The aircraft flew erratically on its previous flight and its airspeed readings were unreliable, according to an accident investigator and a flight tracking website. Investigators on Monday said the flight data recorder from the downed jet showed an airspeed indicator had been damaged during its final four flights, raising questions about maintenance and mechanical problems. Boeing said on Wednesday it had issued a bulletin to airlines reminding pilots about what it described as existing procedures for handling erroneous data from sensors. The Federal Aviation Administration later issued a directive calling for revisions to "operating procedures of the airplane flight manual." It is too early for regulators to decide whether to reconsider the decision to remove Lion Air from the EU blacklist, EU Ambassador to Indonesia Vincent Guerend told Reuters. "The European Commission continues to monitor the situation on a regular basis," he said. "It is still too early to have any conclusive views on the causes of the accident." (This story fixes typo in name of Lion Air's Angkasa Pilot Training Organisation Director) (Reporting by Jamie Freed, Fanny Potkin, Jessica Damiana, Cindy Silviana, Fathin Ungku, Ed Davies, Gayatri Suroyo and Tabita Diela in Jakarta and Tim Hepher in Hong Kong; Editing by John Chalmers and Gerry Doyle) Democrat Ned Lamont will be Connecticut's next governor. (Photo: Hartford Courant via Getty Images) Twelve years after first appearing on the political stage as an upstart liberal insurgent, Democrat Ned Lamont won the election on Tuesday to be Connecticuts next governor. He defeated Republican candidate Bob Stefanowski. Lamont, a wealthy businessman who spent $12 million of his own fortune on the election, won a closely fought race that revolved around taxes, health care and the states falling population and lack of job creation. Lamon prevailed despite the unpopularity of outgoing Democratic Gov. Dan Malloy, which was an anchor dragging him down. Malloys unpopularity stems from his passage of the states largest tax increase in 2011 and, despite that tax increase, continued government budget cuts. Meanwhile, the state has seen an incredibly unequal recovery from the Great Recession, with its many wealthy residents recouping their losses while the middle class and poor have suffered amid a climate of stagnant job growth. Lamont first shot into political stardom in 2006 when he challenged then-Sen. Joe Lieberman in a Democratic Party primary election from the left. Lamont ran specifically against Liebermans vote to give President George W. Bush the authority to invade Iraq. His campaign was backed by bloggers known as the Netroots, who advocated for pushing the Democratic Party further to the left. He defeated Lieberman in the primary, but the former vice presidential nominee quit the Democratic Party and won re-election as an independent on the Connecticut for Lieberman Party line. This was Lamonts second bid for the states governorship. In 2010, he ran in the Democratic Party primary against Malloy, but lost. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Democrats Bill Nelson and Andrew Gillum lead in the Florida Senate and gubernatorial races, respectively, according to an NBC News/Marist poll. Nelson hopes to beat back a challenge by Republican Gov. Rick Scott, while Gillum is running against Trump supporter Ron DeSantis, a former congressman. The swing state plays host to multiple critical races in Tuesday's midterm elections as Democrats try to flip control of both chambers of Congress and several governor's offices. Democrats hold slim leads in Florida's pivotal statewide races in the final push to Tuesday's midterm elections, a poll released Monday found. In a Senate race that will help to determine control of the chamber, incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson leads Republican Gov. Rick Scott by 4 percentage points, according to the NBC News/Marist survey . The Democrat garners 50 percent of support among likely voters, versus 46 percent for his GOP challenger. Four percent are undecided. Democratic Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum leads the Florida gubernatorial contest by the same margin over Republican former Rep. Ron DeSantis, a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump. Their leads fall within the 5 percentage point margin of error for likely voters. The swing state survey bodes well for Democrats in a midterm in which they hope to challenge for control of both chambers of Congress and flip several governor's offices. A Nelson win would limit the GOP's potential to boost its 51-49 majority in the Senate and Donald Trump ability to push his legislative priorities through Congress. In a state Trump won in 2016, only 44 percent of likely voters approve of the job the president is doing, while 51 percent disapprove, the poll found. A victory by Gillum, Florida's first black gubernatorial candidate, would change party control of the state governor's office. He could pursue policies such as the expansion of the federal and state Medicaid insurance program for low-income people. Story continues Nelson and Gillum lead among independents, African-Americans, Latinos and women. Scott and DeSantis have an edge among whites, men and seniors. In a state where nonpartisan forecasters consider six House races competitive, likely voters also narrowly favor Democratic control of Congress. Forty-nine percent say they prefer a legislative branch controlled by Democrats, while 45 percent would rather see GOP majorities. When asked which party they are more likely to vote for in their own congressional districts, 51 percent of likely voters say the Democrat, while 46 prefer the Republican. Democrats aim to pick up a net 23 GOP-held seats in the House to win a majority. They have a chance to convert multiple seats in Florida, including the South Florida 27th and 26th Districts that Democrat Hillary Clinton won in the 2016 presidential contest. In the statewide races, likely voters have better views of the Democratic candidates than their Republican opponents. Forty-five percent say they have a favorable impression of Nelson, while 42 percent have an unfavorable view of him. The 76-year-old Nelson is seeking his fourth term in the Senate. Forty-two percent of likely voters see Scott favorably, versus 50 percent who view him unfavorably. Scott, 65, has been governor for two terms. Locally, the governor has faced backlash both for his handling of an algae crisis in the state and potential conflicts of interest due to the structure of a so-called blind trust he set up for his business assets. Forty-eight percent of likely voters have a favorable impression of Gillum, while 40 percent see him unfavorably. He has been mayor of Tallahassee, the state capital, since 2014. Gillum faces accusations of corruption due to an FBI investigation into development in Tallahassee. The mayor has said the probe does not target him personally. Forty-three percent have a favorable view of DeSantis, versus 45 percent who have an unfavorable impression. DeSantis was in Congress from 2013 until earlier this year, when he resigned to run for governor. DeSantis and his campaign have repeatedly denied accusations of racism first leveled hours after his gubernatorial primary victory, when he warned voters not to "monkey this up" and vote for Gillum. In a debate last month, Gillum said that he is "not calling Mr. DeSantis a racist," he is "simply saying the racists believe he's a racist." The live-caller NBC/Marist poll of Florida was conducted Oct. 30 through Nov. 1. The margin of error for all adults is +/- 3.8 percentage points. The margin of error for 917 registered voters is +/- 4.1 percentage points, and the margin of error for 595 likely voters is +/-5.0 percentage points. More From CNBC Americans vote at a polling station in Hermosa Beach, California during US midterm elections on Tuesday. Photo: Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images The Democrats top cybersecurity boss said he cannot guarantee the midterm elections earlier this week were hack-free. Good news is we didnt hear very much on that day, said Raffi Krikorian, the chief technology officer of the Democratic National Committee, on Thursday. But remember, any sophisticated attack is not something were going to detect today. Its something were going to detect a few days from now, or a few weeks or a few months from now, as we go through our logs and try to understand what really happened. Krikorian made his first public remarks since the US midterms at the annual Web Summit tech event in Lisbon, Portugal. Krikorian leads a team of 35 technology and security specialists tasked with protecting the Democrats and the partys tech infrastructure. He was previously a top executive at Uber and pioneered self-driving technology at the ride-sharing company. Prior to Uber, he worked as a top engineering executive at Twitter (TWTR). As far as we can tell, no one had a [cybersecurity] incident. But remember, were also dealing with an infrastructure thats super rickety. Were dealing with foreign interference of well-funded actors that well probably never detect. So this is a very complicated landscape, he said. Were about to start on a whole set of post-mortems, effectively, on just what happened on the days, weeks leading up to election day so we can really understand [if there was a security breach]. Democrats won a majority in the US House of Representatives on Tuesday while the Republicans increased their majority in the Senate. The Democrats were especially vigilant about cybersecurity during these midterms following high-profile hacking incidents and disinformation campaigns in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election. Krikorian previously said he moved from the tech sector into the political sphere after the 2016 election of Donald Trump. I just felt that the world was broken and I needed to find a place where I could apply what Id learned in my previous roles to see if I could make a difference, he said in a 2017 interview with the MIT Technology Review. Story continues He now says social media companies are not doing enough to protect voters and the democratic process from hackers, foreign interference and disinformation campaigns. I dont believe theyre doing enough now Were only 10% down a very long road in order to try to make these platforms secure, he said, noting he was constantly coordinating with executives at Google (GOOGL), Twitter and Facebook (FB) on cybersecurity issues. Transparency is the thing that we need to be pushing more, he said, adding that he would welcome more regulation of social media companies and more cybersecurity support from the federal government. By Susan Cornwell WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Now that the Democrats have won control of the U.S. House of Representatives, they need to choose a leader and that means solving one of their toughest puzzles: Nancy Pelosi. A contest among the Democrats for the House's top job of speaker will play out over the next 10 weeks or so, with the formidable 78-year-old San Francisco liberal at the center. Pelosi, who has led the House Democrats in the minority or majority since 2003, told reporters on Wednesday she was confident she would be speaker of the House again. She has some critics who say it is time for generational change, but no challenger has emerged, and two senior Democrats said on Wednesday they would seek other leadership jobs. "I think I'm the best person to go forward, to unify, to negotiate," she said. Pelosi made history from 2007 to 2011 as the first woman speaker, a powerful position second in the line of emergency presidential succession after the vice president. An unexpected intervention in the speaker's race came on Wednesday from Republican President Donald Trump, who tweeted that Pelosi deserved the job, even though he frequently assails her and other Democrats as obstructions to his agenda. "In all fairness, Nancy Pelosi deserves to be chosen Speaker of the House by the Democrats," he said on Twitter. "If they give her a hard time, perhaps we will add some Republican votes. She has earned this great honor!" Trump's intent with the tweet was unclear but he also telephoned Pelosi on Tuesday evening to congratulate her on the Democrats' win. Pelosi, acknowledging the tweet, told reporters: "I don't think anybody deserves anything. It's not about what you have done, it's what you can do." Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway said Trump told Pelosi he was willing to make a deal on young illegal immigrants known as Dreamers and work on infrastructure spending, but he also wants to build a wall on the southern border with Mexico. DISSATISFACTION During the congressional campaigns that just ended, dozens of Democratic House candidates called for new leadership, registering indirect dissatisfaction with Pelosi, who has become a punching bag for Republicans. But not all the Democrats urging new leadership won election to the House. With some races still undecided, Democrats were headed for a gain of about 30 seats, beyond the 23 they needed to claim their first majority in the 435-member House in eight years. Their first order of business as the House majority will be to decide whether to put the speaker's gavel back in Pelosi's hands. At a victory celebration in Washington on Tuesday, Pelosi said a Democratic House "will work for solutions that bring us together because we have all had enough of division." She was flanked by No. 2 House Democrat Steny Hoyer and No. 3 House Democrat James Clyburn in a sign that the three - all in their late 70s - could aim to lead the chamber in the new Congress that convenes in early January. Hoyer, who is from Maryland, plans to run for majority leader, a spokeswoman said on Wednesday, which would keep him in the No. 2 position. South Carolina's Clyburn, who previously said he would not challenge Pelosi but would consider running for speaker if Pelosi could not find the votes, said on Wednesday he would run for House majority whip. He has competition for that job: Representative Diana DeGette, 61, of Colorado. Pelosi's path back to the top job is clear. First, she must capture a majority of Democrats in a closed-doors Nov. 28 party leadership election. Two years ago, in the internal party race for minority leader, 63 Democrats voted for Representative Tim Ryan of Ohio, but Pelosi received 134 votes. Ryan has not ruled out running for a leadership post again, but he is discussing the situation with new House Democrats who were elected on Tuesday, a spokesman said. Some of those, like Abigail Spanberger of Virginia and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, have said they would not vote for Pelosi for speaker. Some Democrats already in the House, like Representative Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, also oppose Pelosi, saying she has not encouraged a younger generation of Democrats to move into leadership positions. "We need someone who builds a bench rather than clears it," Moulton said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. Pelosi touched on those concerns at the news conference, saying: "I have always advanced members into leadership. They have to decide they want to run." If Pelosi prevails at the party level, she would become the Democrats' candidate for speaker in a public roll call vote in early January by all 435 House members from both parties. A handful of more junior lawmakers are in leadership races too. New Mexico's Ben Ray Lujan, 46, current chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, announced Wednesday his bid for assistant Democratic leader, the 4th-ranking position, joining two other Democrats already in the contest: Cheri Bustos of Illinois and David Cicilline of Rhode Island. (Reporting by Susan Cornwell; Additional reporting by Richard Cowan and David Morgan; Editing by Peter Cooney and James Dalgleish) Port-au-Prince (AFP) - Chile's military on Wednesday returned to their home country a first group of destitute Haitian migrants as part of a broader repatriation plan. The 184 migrants that landed in Port-au-Prince expressed satisfaction in being back on their island though they knew conditions had not improved. "We cannot find work in Chile," said a young woman as she disembarked from the plane, having spent two years in the South American country. "The living conditions are worse than in Haiti," she added. A thousand Haitians have enrolled in the plan by Chilean government, which provides them with a military plane for the return trip. Only 70,000 of the 200,000 Haitians currently living in Chile hold papers entitling them to stay in Chile indefinitely. But the future of those who have decided to return is just as uncertain. Economic indicators have dropped in the last 20 months in Haiti, the poorest nation in the Americas. The first migrants returning from Chile were almost left to their own devices on Wednesday night at the Port-au-Prince airport. Haitian Ministers of Social Affairs and Haitians living abroad, who came to greet them, tried in vain to reassure them. Pierre Garot Nere, executive director of the Collective of Organizations for the Defense of the Rights of Migrants and Returnees, slammed what he called the lack of planning by Haitian authorities to receive these migrants. "This is a total disappointment. There was no planning to welcome home these Haitians who have had trouble" abroad, he said. He also said that many of these Haitians had been victims in Chile, one of Latin America's wealthiest countries, of "exclusion" and "racism." Dismissal of the attorney general raises fears that Trumps actual target is the investigation that has dogged his presidency The firing of attorney general Jeff Sessions on Wednesday by Donald Trump prompted a rash of warnings that Trumps real target was special counsel Robert Mueller and his investigation of the Trump campaigns Russia ties, which Trump had complained loudly about at a news conference just hours earlier. The firing fits a clear pattern of interference by Trump in the Mueller inquiry, said congressman Jerry Nadler, the incoming chairman of the judiciary committee, in a statement. There is no mistaking what this means, and what is at stake: this is a constitutionally perilous moment for our country and for the president. Adam Schiff, the incoming chairman of the House intelligence committee, tweeted that Trump wants an attorney general to serve his interest, not the public. Muellers investigation and the independence of the justice department must be protected, Schiff said. Shortly after Trump tweeted that Sessions was being replaced which came about 12 hours after the Democrats won control of the House of Representatives in midterm elections the attorney general released an undated letter informing Trump at your request, I am submitting my resignation. A sense of alarm over the Sessions firing and what it could mean for the Mueller investigation was widespread in national security circles. The special counsels office is nested inside the justice department, which is headed by the attorney general. Not a drill, tweeted Susan Hennessey, the editor of the Lawfare blog and a Brookings Institution fellow. This is a frontal assault on the Mueller investigation. Trump sees a window and hes taking it. Trumps precise plan for Mueller was unclear from the immediate news of the Sessions firing, the latest in a long series of high-profile firings and resignations from the highest echelons of the Trump administration. While Trumps loudest complaints about Sessions centered on the attorney generals decision to recuse himself from oversight of the Russia inquiry, Trump has voiced displeasure with Sessions for many other reasons. Story continues Donald trump with Jeff Sessions in 2017. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters Most recently, Trump blamed Sessions after two Republican candidates for Congress were hit with criminal indictments in the run-up to the midterm elections. (Both candidates won.) But most observers saw a clear move against Mueller by the White House in Sessionss firing. Matthew Whitaker, the official named by Trump to act as Sessionss stand-in pending a formal nomination to be announced later, published an editorial in 2017 warning that the Mueller inquiry was overstepping its bounds. A justice department spokeswoman indicated on Wednesday that Whitaker would have direct oversight of the Mueller investigation, replacing the deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein, who stepped in after Sessionss recusal. The acting attorney general is in charge of all matters under the purview of the Department of Justice, spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said in an email. This is a frontal assault on the Mueller investigation. Trump sees a window and hes taking it Susan Hennessey, Brookings Institution Elected officials may challenge that attempted transfer of command, however, arguing that Whitaker would first need to be confirmed by the Senate before assuming the oversight role. The uncertainty attached to the matter underscored the rare nature of the situation and the internal turbulence at play. Whitaker described an internal strategy for foiling Mueller on CNN in 2017. I could see a scenario where Jeff Sessions is replaced, he said, it would [be a] recess appointment and that attorney general doesnt fire Bob Mueller but he just reduces his budget to so low that his investigation grinds to almost a halt. In an oversight role of Mueller, Whitaker might further be able to frustrate the Russia inquiry by cooperating with hostile congressional committees attacking the investigation with subpoenas for sensitive documents or testimony. Rosenstein had shielded Mueller from such attacks. Hours before firing Sessions, Trump ranted in a press conference that the Mueller inquiry was a disgrace and said: I could fire everybody right now. But then Trump seemed to say he would not take action to pull the plug on the Mueller inquiry. I dont want to stop it, Trump said, because politically I dont want to stop it. Trumps popularity dived after he fired former the FBI director James Comey in May 2017, the act that triggered the Mueller appointment. Prominent figures have insisted that the integrity of Muellers investigation be protected. Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images Democrats expressed alarm and concern at the timing of Sessionss firing and the identity of his replacement. The Senate minority leader, Charles Schumer, called on Whitaker to recuse himself. No one is above the law and any effort to interfere with the special counsels investigation would be a gross abuse of power by the president, said Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, in a statement. While the president may have the authority to replace the attorney general, this must not be the first step in an attempt to impede, obstruct or end the Mueller investigation. Anyone who attempts to interfere with or obstruct the Mueller inquiry must be held accountable, the former attorney general Eric Holder tweeted. This is a red line. We are a nation of laws and norms not subject to the self interested actions of one man. Whitaker has left a long trail of published opinions indicating a skepticism of the Mueller probe and an occasional anti-Democratic partisan bent. Defending a June 2017 meeting between Trump campaign figures and Russian operatives, Whitaker echoed Trump, saying: You would always take the meeting. He wrote in July 2016 that he would indict Hillary Clinton over her handling of classified information on email. Parts of the Mueller investigation may be out of Trumps reach. Mueller has this whole thing booby trapped for precisely these kinds of Mickey Mouse moves by POTUS, tweeted former FBI special agent Asha Rangappa. Mueller has this whole thing booby trapped for precisely these kinds of Mickey Mouse moves by POTUS https://t.co/WWdIDTOIqd Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) November 7, 2018 Others expressed confidence that Mueller had an emergency plan in place. Mueller has known since day 1 he may be canned! the former justice department official Julie Zebrak tweeted. They have been doling out work to the [US attorneys offices], the litigating divisions and have contingencies in place. Career folks will continue working and the show will go on. Emile Ratelband wants to legally lower his age (CEN) A Dutch pensioner is attempting to legally lower his age in an attempt to bolster his success in finding dates on Tinder. Emile Ratelband, 69, wants to change his birthday from 11 March 1949 to 11 March 1969 making him a 49-year-old man in the eyes of the law. Mr Ratelband believes that he is discriminated against because of his age and wants a local court in the city of Amhem, south-east of Amsterdam, to rule on the case after his local authority refused to change his age on official documents. The Dutch entrepreneur wants to boost his dating prospects on Tinder (Getty) Mr Ratelband says he will give up his pension entitlements if the court rules in his favour He said: When Im 69, I am limited. If Im 49, then I can buy a new house, drive a different car. I can take up more work. When Im on Tinder and it say Im 69, I dont get an answer. When Im 49, with the face I have, I will be in a luxurious position. MORE: Pensioner, 98, fights for life after being brutally attacked and robbed of his TV in burglary blackspot MORE: Takeaway bosses sentenced over death of 15-year-old-girl with nut allergy Mr Ratelband believes the change is no different than identifying as transgender, adding to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf: You can change your name. You can change your gender. Why not your age? The self-help guru, who voiced the character Vladimir Trunkov in the Dutch-language version of the Pixar film Cars 2, described himself as a young god. Mr Ratelband believes he is discriminated against because of his age (Getty) He said his doctors told him he had the body of someone more than 20 years younger than himself. If successful, Mr Ratelband said he would give up his pension entitlements. A ruling is expected within four weeks. BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A lawyer for former Ecuadoran president Rafael Correa denied a report on Thursday that he had requested asylum in Belgium as he faces prosecution at home over a kidnapping case. National news agency Belga cited unidentified sources saying that Correa, who now lives in his wife's native Belgium after governing Ecuador for a decade, had applied for asylum. Le Soir newspaper cited a report that he had lodged the request in June. A lawyer for Correa, Caupolican Ochoa, said that was not true. "The news that has been spread does not correspond to the truth," he told Reuters. "There is nothing about asylum. A moment ago President Correa told me there was not a request." Correa is embroiled in a legal battle with prosecutors pursuing a case involving the kidnapping in 2012 of an opposition lawmaker. On Wednesday, a judge ratified an order for him to be imprisoned pending a trial, ordered his bank accounts frozen and an international arrest warrant to be issued. The leftist Correa gained international prominence when Ecuador granted asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who has spent the last six years living in the country's embassy in London after being investigated over sexual assault in Sweden. Belgium has gained a reputation for being reluctant to extradite people claiming political motives behind their prosecution. It was a reason Catalonia's leader fled there last year as Spain sought to arrest him after the regional government organized an independence referendum. (Reporting by Alastair Macdonald and Daphne Psaledakis in Brussels and Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by Foo Yun Chee/Mark Heinrich) By Chris Kahn and Ginger Gibson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Increased support from women, youth and Hispanic voters gave Democrats the boost they needed to take control of the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday, according to a Reuters/Ipsos Election Day poll. Fifty-five percent of women said they backed a Democrat for the House this year, compared with 49 percent who in 2014 said they backed a Democrat in the congressional midterm elections. Young voters also swung aggressively toward Democrats, with those ages 18 to 34 backing Democrats by 62 percent to 34 percent support for Republicans, a 28-percentage point gap. This was up from 2014, when 54 percent of young voters backed Democrats and 36 percent went for Republicans, an 18-point gap. Hispanic voters also favored Democratic House candidates by 33 percentage points - higher than the 18-point gap with Republicans that Democrats enjoyed in 2014, the poll found. Democrats took control from Republicans in the House on Tuesday but Republicans outperformed expectations in Senate races and were set to pick up seats in the upper chamber. All 435 seats in the House, 35 seats in the 100-member Senate and 36 of the 50 state governorship were at stake. Overall, U.S. voters were deeply divided about Republican President Donald Trump's job performance and the direction of the country. When asked about Trump's performance in office, 52 percent said they disapproved and 44 percent said they approved, the poll found. The poll was conducted online on Tuesday and based on responses from 38,196 people who voted in 37 states. The poll is ongoing and will be updated as the vote is tallied. WOMEN DIVIDED Election Day polling revealed a split among women voters, who proved a decisive voting bloc for Democrats in the House but sided with Republicans in key Senate races. Voters coalesced around three top election issues. The poll found 14 percent listed the economy as their top issue and another 14 percent named immigration. In third place, 13 percent said healthcare was their primary concern. Both Democrats and Republicans cited immigration as a concern evidence that the issue resonated among the Republican base but also stoked opposition among Democrats. Among Republicans, immigration was the top issue with 24 percent citing it. For Democrats, it was healthcare, which registered with 18 percent of voters. Democrats made healthcare and protecting the Affordable Care Act, popularly known as Obamacare, the central theme of their House and Senate campaigns, warning that people could lose coverage for pre-existing health conditions and other protections if Republicans kept control of Congress. The Reuters/Ipsos poll found robust support for changing the nation's gun laws. Seven in 10 voters said they wanted moderate or strong regulations and restrictions for firearms, the poll found. Emboldened by a spate of school shootings and shift in public opinion, Democrats this cycle embraced limits on firearms after decades of avoiding talking about gun control. About half of midterm voters want abortion to be legal in "most" or "all" cases, the poll found. A slightly smaller number, four in 10, want abortion to be illegal, the poll found. For all Reuters election coverage, click: https://www.reuters.com/politics/election2018 (Reporting by Ginger Gibson and Chris Kahn; Editing by Doina Chiacu, Colleen Jenkins and Howard Goller) Brussels (AFP) - An EU court ruled Thursday that Brussels regulators are wrong to test the energy efficiency of vacuum cleaners using empty dust bags, in a victory for British manufacturer Dyson. Household vacuums sold in Europe must carry energy labelling to allow consumers to judge which models are more efficient and thus cheaper to run and less damaging to the environment. But Dyson, which makes cleaners with without bags, argues that tests carried out on its competitors' products do not take into account the extra energy they need to operate with full dust receptacles. On Thursday, the General Court of the European Union, the bloc's second-highest court, agreed with the British firm and annulled the European Commission's regulation on the testing of vacuum cleaners. In its ruling, the court found the commission had "disregarded an essential element" of its own directive on providing European consumers with scientifically accurate information. Dyson is owned by inventor and entrepreneur James Dyson, whose pioneering appliances are hailed as a British industrial success story and who is aiming to break into the electric car market. Dyson brought the complaint about EU regulations to the ECJ even though its billionaire founder is a high-profile supporter of Brexit, his country's planned departure from the European Union. Helsinki (AFP) - Europe's main right-wing parties Thursday chose German MEP Manfred Weber to lead them into next year's European election campaign -- perhaps giving him a shot at the EU's most powerful post. Weber -- an ally of German Chancellor Angela Merkel -- won the backing of 79.2 percent of delegates of the European People's Party (EPP) meeting in Helsinki, easily beating former Finnish premier Alexander Stubb's 20 percent. If the EPP retains its position as the largest group in the European Parliament after the May election, Weber will be in a strong position to bid to take over from Jean-Claude Juncker as head of the European Commission, the bloc's executive arm. But some polls are predicting the EPP could lose its crown under pressure from populists on both left and right, or the leaders of EU member states -- who will have the final say -- might decide not to appoint a party candidate at all. Nevertheless, the candidacy is a key prize in the horse-trading for top jobs that will follow EU elections on May 26 next year. Also in the mix are plum spots to lead the European Council -- which represents national governments -- the European Parliament, the European Central Bank and the bloc's foreign policy. - 'Protect our values' - Little known in Germany, Weber has a veteran insider's knowledge of EU institutions but little experience in government in his homeland. The 46-year-old former businessman was in the Bavarian state parliament from a young age before heading to Europe without ever holding national responsibility. He is a discreet figure, working quietly to build networks of influence in Brussels and Strasbourg. In his final speech before Thursday's vote, he took a swipe at critics who have accused him of pandering to anti-immigrant and far-right parties with some of his past comments on the Islamic headscarf and European identity. Speaking fondly of his home village in Bavaria, in Germany's conservative Roman Catholic south, Weber said Christianity was the "one thing in common" across Europe. Story continues "When I use this picture I am heavily attacked in social media... when I recall the Christian heritage of this continent, that this sounds so old-fashioned, so conservative, so backward looking," he said. "I tell you I don't care. I think it is important to describe the fundamental values of this continent. We are proud of this and we will protect these values." On Wednesday, both Weber and Stubb sought to avoid confrontation in their only campaign debate and stayed clear of the most painful subject of all: the presence of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in the EPP ranks. Orban and his Fidesz party are accused of trampling over European values, particularly through strict anti-migration policies and repeated clashes with Brussels over human rights issues. - 'Farage in every country' - Weber, who leads the EPP group in the European Parliament, had received the key nods of Merkel and the head of France's centre-right Republicans party, Laurent Wauquiez. He was also counting on Austria's right-wing Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and on Orban to rally to his cause, and they duly delivered in speeches before the 758 delegates. Other leading EPP members, however, warned of the danger of populism and nationalism. In very pointed remarks, EU Council president Donald Tusk tackled Orban -- without naming him. "If you don't like the free press and NGOs, if you tolerate xenophobia, homophobia, nationalism and anti-Semitism, you are not a Christian Democrat," Tusk declared. "If you want to replace the Western model of liberal democracy with an Eastern model of 'authoritarian democracy'," you are not a Christian Democrat. EPP vice president and the EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier also stood up for the party's European federalist instincts and against the lure of euroscepticism. "We'll have to fight against those who want to demolish Europe, with their populist deceit, with their attacks against the European project," Barnier said. "There is now a Farage in every country, in every country," he warned, referring to the anti-EU British MEP and champion of Brexit Nigel Farage. Nov 7 (Reuters) - Republicans were projected to retain control of the U.S. Senate after voters cast ballots on Tuesday in races to decide 35 of the chamber's 100 seats. The following is a tally of seats that will change parties, based on projections from media outlets and data provider DDHQ. The outcome of two races, one in Arizona and an election in Mississippi that is headed for a runoff, have yet to be determined. State Winning party Indiana Republican North Dakota Republican Missouri Republican Florida* Republican Nevada Democratic *Most media outlets have not yet called the Florida Senate race, which could go to an automatic recount. (Reporting by Jason Lange and Michelle Price) Ezra Miller (Credit: REUTERS/Thomas Peter) Ezra Miller has revealed that he was plied with wine when he was an underage actor by a director and a producer, who also made suggestive comments to him. The star of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald revealed his story in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, in which he refers to Hollywood stars as sex workers. Though he doesnt name them, he says: They gave me wine and I was underaged. They were like, Hey, want to be in our movie about gay revolution? And I was like, No, you guys are monsters. Its a great f**kin age of being like, You know what? That sh*ts unacceptable, And its amazing for a lot of us to watch. Cause, like, we all knew it was unacceptable when we f**king survived it. Thats what Hollywood is. I thought we all knew we were sex workers. Miller in Fantastic Beasts: The Grimes of Grindelwald (Credit: Warner Bros) Miller, who also plays The Flash in the DC Extended Universe movies, also discusses the Scottish director Lynne Ramsay in the interview, with whom he made his breakthrough in the movie We Need To Talk About Kevin. He calls Ramsay the greatest director alive, and explains his fury at her treatment during the making of the Natalie Portman movie Jane Got A Gun. Ramsay sensationally failed to turn up on the first day of filming and was fired, with lawsuits and counter-lawsuits ensuing. Powerful men, they dont know how bad they want to submit to a woman, a feminine power, but they should. I advise they do it immediately because theyre f**kin up the world, he said. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is due out on November 16. Read more Tom Hanks promises emotional ending to Toy Story 4 Michael Douglas gets Hollywood Walk of Fame star Cameras roll on Deadwood movie Brasilia (AFP) - Brazil's President-elect Jair Bolsonaro said Wednesday that he alone cannot rescue the country from economic hardship and spiraling violent crime, as he met with outgoing head of state Michel Temer and the country's Supreme Court chief. Bolsonaro won an election run-off 10 days ago against leftist candidate Fernando Haddad with a market-friendly, tough-on-crime platform that resonated with a population disillusioned with political corruption and increasing insecurity. "No single person is going to save our country," Bolsonaro -- who takes office on January 1 -- said on the second day of a visit to the capital Brasilia, where he met Temer for the first time since the election. It takes "a team, the unity of authorities alongside the people in order to offer alternatives that will allow Brazil to occupy the prominent position it deserves" globally, he added. Temer invited Bolsonaro to accompany him on his foreign trips -- meaning he could meet US President Donald Trump during the G20 summit, which begins in Buenos Aires at the end of the month. Dubbed the "Tropical Trump" by some, Bolsonaro openly admires the American leader, who was quick to offer his congratulations to the new Brazilian president following his election victory. Temer said there would be "true" collaboration between the pair, while Bolsonaro said he would seek out his predecessor "at other opportunities" so they could ensure a "fluid" transition. After meeting Supreme Court president Dias Toffoli, Bolsonaro spoke out in defense of the separation of powers, an attempt to allay fears triggered by past comments in which he expressed admiration for Brazil's 1964-85 military dictatorship. - 'I'm not worried' - He also moved to dispel concerns that his cabinet would lack diversity, following statements seen as sexist, racist and homophobic. "I'm not worried about the color, sex or sexuality of those in my team, but rather with the mission of bringing growth to Brazil, and tackling crime and corruption," said Bolsonaro. Story continues He has so far named five people to his cabinet, all white men, and 27 consultants -- mostly from the military or economists -- to advise the government during its transition period, with no women among them. However, following repeated questioning from journalists, Bolsonaro's team said four women -- three with military links and an economist -- would collaborate with the future government. Brazil's population is 43 percent white, almost nine percent black and 47 percent mixed race. Bolsonaro's primary challenges when he takes office will be to relaunch the economy after two years of recession followed by two more of limited growth, and to reduce violent crime, especially the spiraling murder rate. He will need to achieve that while also implementing a program to reduce public spending through privatizations and pension reform. One of his election vows was to streamline the civil service by merging various ministries and on Wednesday he said the Labor Ministry would be incorporated into another government department, without specifying which one. Since his October 28 victory, though, Bolsonaro has issued a number of confusing statements surrounding his plans. He first said the number of ministries would be reduced from 29 to 15 but on Wednesday revised that by saying it might rise to 18. He previously announced that the Environment Ministry would be incorporated into the Agriculture Ministry, before changing his mind two days later following uproar from environmentalists. Philippine Airlines flight attendant Patrisha Organo went above and beyond the call of duty on Tuesday when she breastfed a wailing infant on a domestic flight after the babys mother had run out of formula. Organo described the incident to Yahoo Lifestyle in a phone call from Manila. It took place during a check flight, which would qualify her as a cabin crew evaluator, one of the duties required of an assistant line administrator. Organo had recently been promoted to this role. I thought that this flights gonna be so special as this is a big step on my flying career, she wrote on Facebook. I breastfed a strangers baby inflight, flight attendant Patrisha Organo wrote in a Facebook post thats gone viral. (Photo: Caters News Agency) Little did she know just how special it would be. In the early morning hours, Organo heard a sound coming from the cabin it was the cry of a baby in distress. You know the difference between a cry of hunger, a cry of sleepiness, or a cry of something else, Organo, who has a 9-month-old daughter, tells Yahoo Lifestyle. So she walked down the aisle to approach the mom and asked if she needed to feed the infant. Thats when the woman revealed, through tears, that she had run out of formula. Organo, who has been a flight attendant for the airline for four years, said she felt like she had to do something. Passengers started looking and staring at the tiny, fragile crying infant, Organo recalls of the scene in her Facebook post. Theres no formula milk onboard. I thought to myself, theres only one thing I could offer and thats my own milk. She informed Sheryl Villaflor, the flights line administrator, of her plan then she approached the mother again. She said, Yes yes! but in her language, Organo says. The line administrator then led the babys mother to a private area where Organo could feed the infant. The other passengers had no idea what was going on, she recalls. The baby was so hungry, the way she latched on. Organo remembers recognizing the look of relief in the mothers eyes as the baby was finally able to eat. As a mother herself, she could relate. That empathy, she told Yahoo Lifestyle, comes from her own personal journey with breastfeeding, which was not always an easy one. Story continues In my early days of breastfeeding, I would really like to give up, but because I have the strong support of my husband, I kept going, she says. He kept encouraging me. It was a storm of emotion and without my husbands support, I could never do it. Organo said that despite struggling with breastfeeding at first, she has a strong supply of milk clearly strong enough for two. The mother was sincerely grateful for the generous gesture, Organo remembers, but she wasnt the only one piling on the accolades. The photo of the uniformed flight attendant serenely feeding the baby has gone viral, and Facebook users are now hailing Organos efforts. The post has been shared more than 21,000 times and has amassed nearly 120,000 reactions some of love, and some of shock. One commenter mentioned that this incident should prompt airlines to carry formula as a precautionary measure. Organo doesnt consider what she did extraordinary, though she sees herself as a fellow mom and a breastfeeding advocate. When I posted that on Facebook, it was to inspire other people and to normalize breastfeeding, she told Yahoo Lifestyle. It was only after she took a nap and woke up to check her Facebook that she realized the post had gone viral. I am so overwhelmed with the positive comments! she says. In case youre wondering, Organo did get qualified as an evaluator that day making it her second grand accomplishment on what was undoubtedly a day to remember. Thank you, Lord for the gift of mothers milk, she wrote in her Facebook post, signing off as Patrisha Organo, Flight Attendant/Breastfeeding Advocate. Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. Miami (AFP) - Florida Democrat Bill Nelson called Wednesday for a recount in his race for re-election to the US Senate against Republican Governor Rick Scott. The race during Tuesday's midterm vote was one of America's most-watched, with the outgoing governor Scott mounting a tough challenge against three-time incumbent Nelson. As of November 7 at 9:14 pm Scott narrowly led Nelson by 0.4 percentage points, with 99 percent of precincts reporting, according to The New York Times. "A significant number of ballots have not yet been counted and, because of the size of Florida, we believe the results of the election are unknown and require a recount," said Marc Elias, a lawyer representing Nelson's campaign. The Nelson camp's statement said Scott had "prematurely" claimed victory on Tuesday, and cited media reports of balloting problems and other polling irregularities. The statement said state law requires a recount when the margin between candidates is less than a one-half percentage point. Florida, Andrew Gillum, 2018 midterm elections As the United States Senate race in Florida headed to a recount, the governors race there on Wednesday morning also looked likely to go to a recount of its own even though Democrat Andrew Gillum, as The New York Times reported, gave a concession speech on Tuesday and Republican Ron DeSantis, who was endorsed by Donald Trump, declared victory. Though the latest vote count in the race, reported by The Times, showed DeSantis ahead by 55,439 votes, a margin of 0.7 percent outside the margin of 0.5 percent which would entitle Gillum to demand a recount according to one report, Gillums camp now says that the vote gap between the two candidates is much smaller. According to April Ryan, White House correspondent for American Urban Radio Networks, Gillums representatives as of Wednesday morning said that his losing margin was only about 15,000 votes. Click here to continue and read more... The closely contested Florida Senate race between incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson and Gov. Rick Scott (R) will likely head to a recount as soon as Wednesday. According to unofficial results from the states division of elections, Scott leads Nelson by only 0.42 percent, enough to trigger a recount. With his narrow lead, Scott claimed victory late Tuesday night, though The Associated Press had not officially called the race. Nelson did not make remarks at his election night party Tuesday night. His campaign manager had said that the senator will be making a full statement on Wednesday to thank his campaign. But on Wednesday morning, Nelson issued a statement saying that he does not plan to concede. We are proceeding to a recount, he said. Under Florida law, if the unofficial results show a margin of 0.5 percent or less, the race heads to a machine recount, ordered by the secretary of state. If the machine recount results show a margin of 0.25 percent or less, the race would then head to a manual recount, which could take weeks. Florida is no stranger to recounts. The infamous 2000 presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore came down to multiple contested recounts in the state, leading to a Supreme Court decision declaring Bush the winner. Related Coverage In Historic Move, Florida Approves Automatically Restoring Voting Rights To Felons Florida Senate Race Goes To A Recount After Early Calls For Rick Scott (UPDATE) Florida Rejects First Black Governor But Approves Restoration Of Felons' Voting Rights Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. MORONI (Reuters) - France and the Indian Ocean state of Comoros have agreed to resolve a row linked to immigration and territorial disputes, they said on Wednesday. Comoros will reverse a March 21 decision to refuse to accept Comoros citizens turned away from the island of Mayotte, which is officially part of France, although Comoros claims it. In turn, France will rescind a suspension on visas for Comorians. Faced with a wave of migrants this year, many of them pregnant women hoping to give birth in Mayotte so their children could become French, France this year began deporting would-be immigrants back to Comoros. Comoros considers Mayotte, 400 km (250 miles) east of Mozambique, as part of its archipelago. But Mayotte is a former French colony that voted against independence in 1974 and 1976. In 2009, its people voted overwhelmingly to become a full part of France. That has kept Mayotte richer and more stable than the coup-prone Comoros, and many Comorians try to move to Mayotte. Further agreed steps will be set out in a document to be signed later this month, the two foreign ministries said in a joint statement. (Reporting by Ali Amir Ahmed; Writing by Duncan Miriri; Editing by Kevin Liffey) Donald Trump has dismissed the potential for impeachment proceedings against him and Mike Pence in an ill-tempered press conference the day after the midterm elections. The president referred to those who have called for his impeachment as sick, suggesting members of the Democratic Party supported ousting him and his vice president, as well as new Supreme Court judge Brett Kavanaugh. The press conference arrived shortly after Democrats regained control of the US House of Representatives, seemingly causing Mr Trump to defend his own influence on an election he hoped would serve as a positive referendum on his presidency. He said he had not discussed potential impeachment proceedings when speaking with Nancy Pelosi this week, before rhetorically asking reporters, What do you do? Do you impeach somebody because they created the greatest economic success in the history of our country? No, but lets impeach him anyway! he continued. I hate to say this, but after him, were going to impeach the vice president. Were going to impeach Mike Pence. Mike Pence doesnt get impeached for anything. Mr Trumps press conference was an immediate controversy, as the president engaged in a tense fight with CNNs Jim Acosta, smacked down reporter April Ryan, repeatedly suggested he could not understand foreign reporters due to their accents and refused to acknowledge the Republican Partys shortcomings with female voters on Tuesday. He went on to lambaste his opponents on several occasions, including during his response to Daily Mails Francesca Chambers, who asked about whether or not he had spoken about impeachment proceedings with Democratic leadership. These people are sick and you know what? They have to get their bearing. Really. They have to get their bearing, he added. And when you ask about division, theyre the ones that cause division, they cause tremendous division. Meanwhile, Ms Pelosi, slated to become the next speaker of the House, has shied away from expressing support for the presidents impeachment. Story continues Shortly before her partys election victories, the House minority leader said she would not seek to immediately impeach Mr Trump if the Democrats regained control. I get criticized in my own party for not being in support of it, she said. But I'm not. If that happens, it would have to be bipartisan, and the evidence would have to be so conclusive. Libreville (AFP) - Senior figures in Gabon's ruling party on Thursday called on the government to clarify the condition of President Ali Bongo, whose hospitalisation in Saudi Arabia has fuelled speculation that he is incapacitated. The consultative committee of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG) said clarity was necessary to "reassure the public" at a time "of wild rumours in the media and on social networks." While insisting that "vacation of power is not on the agenda", the committee warned lack of information could "promote hatred, division and a deteriorating political climate." Bongo, 59, fell ill on October 24 during a visit to Riyadh to attend an economic forum. His spokesman Ike Ngouoni said doctors there had diagnosed him with "severe fatigue" and ordered bed rest. A foreign source close to the couple told AFP on Wednesday that Bongo had had a stroke. Lack of official news -- along with memories of the secrecy-shrouded demise of Bongo's father, Omar Bongo, who died in office in 2009 after decades at the helm -- has set the rumour mill churning at full tilt. French-born First Lady Sylvia Bongo, meanwhile, said on social media that she and her family were "particularly touched... by the numerous prayers and messages of support." She also recently swapped her profile photo on social media from a colour portrait to a black and white shot of the couple. Candidates emerged victorious in dozens of pivotal races this week after running on platforms that included support for gun safety measures, and gun violence prevention groups are hailing those successes as a validation of their unprecedented election efforts, which included hundreds of endorsements and tens of millions of dollars in total campaign spending. The issue of firearms was expected to play a role in the 2018 midterms, but it was unclear how important it would be. Although the gun safety movement has been growing steadily since the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, the massacre this February at a high school in Parkland, Florida, gave a surge of momentum to the cause. A new generation of young leaders emerged out of that tragedy, and current and former students crisscrossed the nation ahead of the election to register and mobilize voters around gun violence prevention. With polls showing that gun policy was an important issue for many Democratic voters on Election Day and with gun safety groups actually outspending the National Rifle Associations lagging political expenditures advocates got an early start on their big night. In the NRAs home state of Virginia, Sen. Tim Kaine (D) handily defeated GOP nominee Corey Stewart, an NRA-backed county board supervisor and staunch defender of Confederate symbols and monuments. A short time later, Rep. Barbara Comstock (R) widely regarded as an NRA darling fell to Democratic challenger Jennifer Wexton in a battle for Virginias 10th congressional district, which houses NRAs headquarters. Also in Virginia, Democrats Elaine Luria and Abigail Spanberger would go on to defeat GOP incumbents in their U.S. House races. Democrat Jennifer Wexton on Tuesday defeated incumbent Rep. Barbara Comstock (R) in Virginia's 10th congressional district. Wexton had the support of national gun violence prevention groups eager to take down Comstock, who was regarded as a darling of the NRA. (Photo: Bloomberg via Getty Images) Kaine, Wexton, Luria and Spanberger all carried endorsements from leading gun safety groups, including the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Everytown for Gun Safety and the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. Story continues Those organizations also backed Democrat Jason Crow, a U.S. Army Ranger veteran who toppled Rep. Mike Coffman (R) in Colorado. Crow supports a ban on assault-style rifles, and in January, hell be sworn in to represent a district that includes Aurora, the site of the deadly 2012 mass shooting at a movie theater. The gunman there was equipped with a semiautomatic AR-15 rifle and high-capacity ammunition magazines, among other weapons. In Texas, Democrats Colin Allred, Lizzie Pannill Fletcher and Veronica Escobar all won their U.S. House races with the help of gun safety groups. Allred defeated incumbent Rep. Pete Sessions (R), who had been a top recipient of NRA money over the course of his career. Gun safety advocates also claimed key House victories in other states, including California, Kansas, Minnesota, New Jersey and New York. On Thursday, Democrat Lucy McBath won her House contest in Georgia, defeating a Republican incumbent in a traditional GOP stronghold. Gun reform was a major campaign issue for McBath, who became a prominent figure in the movement after her son, Jordan Davis, was fatally shot in 2012 by a white man complaining about him playing loud music in his car. With some races still too close to call at the time of publish, other advocates could still pick up more seats. Brady, Everytown and Giffords also backed winners in U.S. Senate competitions. Democrat Jacky Rosen knocked out incumbent Sen. Dean Heller (R) in Nevada, and Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) fended off a challenge from Republican Leah Vukmir, who carried an A-plus rating from the NRA. Gun safety advocates triumphed in gubernatorial races as well, with Democrat Adam Sisolak winning in Nevada, Democrat Tim Walz securing victory in Minnesota and Democrat Gretchen Whitmer defeating Bill Schuette in Michigan. The NRA had endorsed all three Republicans in those races. The cause of gun violence prevention also proved to be popular on the ballot, as voters in Washington state passed a measure to raise the legal age to buy semiautomatic rifles to 21, while also implementing enhanced background check, training and waiting period requirements for those firearms. But Election Day didnt pass without disappointment for the gun reform movement. In Florida, young activists watched as Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum fell to NRA-backed Republican Ron DeSantis. Advocates could suffer another setback in the states U.S. Senate race, though the tight contest between Sen. Bill Nelson (D) and Republican Rick Scott appears headed for a recount. And with the NRA endorsing candidates in hundreds of safer competitions across the nation, plenty of reliable pro-gun allies will be headed to Congress or governorships next year. Still, to gun violence prevention advocates, Tuesdays results served as a clear sign that the intensity gap on gun policy has closed, and that the longstanding NRA stranglehold on the issue has been broken. Americans voting with gun violence in mind are voting for gun safety and against the NRA, said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, an arm of Everytown, in a call with reporters on Tuesday. Voters have grown tired of politicians offering the empty rhetoric of thoughts and prayers after national shooting tragedies, Watts added. Lawmakers will have to start proving that theyre acting to stop gun violence in order to keep their jobs, she said. With a Democratic-controlled House and new proponents of gun safety in Congress, Brady Campaign co-president Avery Gardiner expressed optimism that lawmakers would finally take action on key gun safety priorities. Expanded background checks, banning weapons of war, passing nationwide extreme risk protection orders at long last, all of these important measures will see a vote from a Congress committed to keeping Americans safe, Gardiner said in a statement. Although the midterm elections mark a significant achievement for these advocacy groups, the work of stopping gun violence has only just begun, said former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), who founded the Giffords Law Center after surviving a near-fatal shooting in 2011. When youre fighting to save lives, the stakes are simply too high to walk away, Giffords said in a statement. Tonights election shows, as Martin Luther King once said, that the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. Were committed to keep fighting for justice, no matter how long it takes. This has been updated to reflect Lucy McBaths election win in Georgia. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) An IndyCar official said Thursday there is no deal in place to return to Brazil in 2020 with a road race in Rio de Janeiro. Rio Mayor Marcelo Crivella earlier this week said he had reached an agreement with series organizers. Jay Frye, IndyCar's president of competition and operations, said that is not currently the case. "We saw the reports and obviously we have a great history there, but IndyCar has no plans at this time to race there in 2020," Frye told The Associated Press. "We get calls all the time, which is flattering. But we have no deal to race in Brazil." IndyCar last raced in Brazil in 2013 in Sao Paulo. The first IndyCar race in Brazil was in 1996 at the Jacarapegua track, which has been replaced by Rio Olympic Park. Brasilia was scheduled to host an IndyCar race in 2015 but the event was canceled. ___ More AP Auto Racing: https://apnews.com/apf-AutoRacing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Lyon (AFP) - Interpol must accept the resignation of its Chinese boss, who is detained in China on charges of accepting bribes, the organisation's secretary general said Thursday. Interpol, which coordinates police work across the world, has been "strongly encouraging China to provide us with more details, more information" on what exactly took place when former director Meng Hongwei was reported missing in early October, Juergen Stock told a news conference at Interpol headquarters in Lyon, France. "We have to accept, like we would accept with any other country, that this country (China) is taking sovereign decisions and if that country tells us: 'we have investigations, they are ongoing, and the president has been resigning, he's not a delegate of the country anymore,' then we have to accept," Stock said. Meng, who had travelled back to China, was reported missing by his wife who had stayed at home in the southeastern French city of Lyon. China then informed Interpol that Meng had resigned as the organisation's president, before saying he had been charged with accepting bribes. Stock said he had no further details and could only say that the bribery charges were not linked to Meng's work at Interpol. "There's no reason for me to suspect that anything was forced or wrong" regarding the resignation, Stock said. Meng's successor is to be appointed later this month at Interpol's general assembly in Dubai. The body investigating Meng, China's National Supervisory Commission, can hold suspects for as long as six months without providing access to legal counsel. TEHRAN, Iran (AP) Iran's oil minister on Thursday predicted a painful time ahead for international oil customers as U.S. sanctions take hold, saying waivers that Washington granted to eight major oil-importing countries are not enough for market demands. Iranian state TV quoted the minster, Bijan Zanganeh, as saying he sees the months ahead as "painful months for oil consumers." Zanganeh claimed the Trump administration may have been able to "superficially" bring fuel prices down ahead of the U.S. mid-term elections this week but that there's bound to be a hike in prices in the future. The United States on Monday re-imposed oil and banking sanctions on Iran that where lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal but granted waivers to eight major importers to continue buying Iranian petroleum products without penalty for another six months. Also Thursday, Iran's representative to OPEC, Hossein Kazempour Ardebili, claimed that Russia and Saudi Arabia were helping Trump by increasing their own production to keep oil prices low. Trump repeatedly has asked oil producers to pump more crude to lower prices. The latest batch of U.S. sanctions severely impacts Iran's oil industry, the major source of the country's foreign revenue. Tehran worries OPEC and non-OPEC countries such as Russia will increase their production to fill the gap in response. On Tuesday, Zanganeh, the oil minister, wrote a letter to the OPEC chief, asking that the so-called Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee which consists of all OPEC and non-OPEC countries some members of the committee "openly" take side with the United States on the matter of sanctions on Iran. The committee is due to hold a meeting next week in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, an ally of Iran's regional rival Saudi Arabia. TEHRAN, Iran (AP) Iran's oil minister on Thursday predicted a painful time ahead for international oil customers as U.S. sanctions take hold, saying waivers that Washington granted to eight major oil-importing countries are not enough for market demands. Iranian state TV quoted the minster, Bijan Zanganeh, as saying he sees the months ahead as "painful months for oil consumers." Zanganeh claimed the Trump administration may have been able to "superficially" bring fuel prices down ahead of the U.S. mid-term elections this week but that there's bound to be a hike in prices in the future. The United States on Monday re-imposed oil and banking sanctions on Iran that where lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal but granted waivers to eight major importers to continue buying Iranian petroleum products without penalty for another six months. Also Thursday, Iran's representative to OPEC, Hossein Kazempour Ardebili, claimed that Russia and Saudi Arabia were helping Trump by increasing their own production to keep oil prices low. Trump repeatedly has asked oil producers to pump more crude to lower prices. The latest batch of U.S. sanctions severely impacts Iran's oil industry, the major source of the country's foreign revenue. Tehran worries OPEC and non-OPEC countries such as Russia will increase their production to fill the gap in response. On Tuesday, Zanganeh, the oil minister, wrote a letter to the OPEC chief, saying that some members of the so-called Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee which consists of all OPEC and non-OPEC countries "openly" take side with the United States on the matter of sanctions on Iran. The committee is due to hold a meeting next week in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, an ally of Iran's regional rival Saudi Arabia. Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney speaking at a Brexit workshop for Irish companies in Dublin in November. Photo: Reuters Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney has significantly downplayed the likelihood of an imminent breakthrough in Brexit negotiations, despite indications that prime minister Theresa Mays cabinet may sign off on a draft of the withdrawal agreement next week. I would urge caution that an imminent breakthrough is not necessarily to be taken for granted, not by a long shot, Coveney said on Thursday. He went on: Repeatedly, people seem to make the same mistake over and over againassuming that if the British cabinet agrees something then thats it then: everything is agreed. Mays cabinet has been invited to read a near-final draft of a proposed Brexit withdrawal agreement, but the text does not include details of the disputed proposals for the Northern Ireland backstop. It had been reported that May may call a cabinet meeting to allow ministers to approve the full draft, including text relating to the backstop, as soon as this weekend, with a view to calling a special November summit of EU leaders. Reuters reported on Thursday, however, that it was unlikely that such a cabinet meeting would be called before next week, citing an unnamed government source. This is a negotiation and needs to be an agreementof course between the British government, but also the European Union and the 27 countries, Coveney said, speaking to the Irish-Canada Business Association in Dublin. I would urge caution that people dont get carried away on the back of rumour in the coming days. Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar said on Wednesday that it was now less likely that the UK would strike a deal with the EU in November, while Irelands EU commissioner, Phil Hogan, said on Thursday that he thought proposals on the Irish backstop were likely to be agreed at a December EU summit. READ MORE: Brexit deal in November becoming less likely, warns Varadkar Asked earlier this week whether it was possible a deal could be struck soon, EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said that, while the clock was ticking, he could not give a date. Story continues Without this backstop there will be no deal. It is as simple as that, Barnier warned. There is still a real point of divergence on the way of guaranteeing peace in Ireland, that there are no borders in Ireland, while protecting the integrity of the single market, he said. The atmosphere around Brexit negotiations seemed to improve momentarily earlier this week, following Varadkars willingness to consider a review process for the Northern Ireland backstop. But both Coveney and Varadkar insisted that this review process would not allow the UK to unilaterally end the backstop, which is designed to prevent a hard border in Northern Ireland. Varadkar told Irish national state broadcaster RTE on Thursday that internal British politics could not allow Ireland or the EU to soften its position on the backstop. The ball is very much in Londons court, he said. I just hope prime minister May is in a position to get any potential agreement through her cabinet and through her parliament. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), whose 10 lawmakers prop up Mays government in the House of Commons, warned on Tuesday that the UK was heading for a no-deal Brexit. READ MORE: DUP: Looks like were heading for no-deal Brexit The DUP opposes the backstop, since it would likely require Northern Ireland to be more closely aligned with the EUs customs and trade rules than the rest of the UK. Donald Trump has forced out Jeff Sessions, the attorney general, in his first cabinet clean-out following the midterm elections, and someone whose departure had been anticipated ever since he ruled himself out from overseeing the Russia probe. In what was likely to be the first of several shake-ups following Tuesdays elections, which saw Republicans lose control of the House of Representatives to the Democrats, Mr Sessions said he had been asked to resign and had done so. Dear Mr President, at your request I am submitting my resignation, Mr Sessions said in his letter. The firing of Mr Sessions, and his replacement with his own chief of staff, Matthew Whitaker, who will be acting attorney general, will immediately trigger fears the president is preparing to terminate the inquiry being carried out by special counsel Robert Mueller. Mr Mueller was appointed to lead an investigation into Russias alleged interference in the 2016 election and possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow, after the president fired then FBI Director James Comey. Under normal circumstances, Mr Sessions would have overseen the probe. But having already triggered controversy over his failure to acknowledge a meeting he had held with Russian officials during the transition process, Mr Sessions asked that his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, take on the responsibility. While Mr Sessions was among the very first members of the Senate to support Mr Trumps bid for the White House, and shared similar views on immigration and other issues, the president never forgave the man from Alabama for his decision. He frequently took to social media to criticise both him and the Department of Justice, leading to constant speculation that either Mr Sessions or Mr Rosenstein, or both, were to be fired. Many believed such a move would presage a decision to close down Mr Muellers probe. On Wednesday, newly emboldened Democrats warned the president not to take such a step. Chuck Schumer, the senior Democrat in the Senate, said the president would trigger a constitutional crisis if he tried to impede the independent probe. Story continues Nancy Pelosi, the new speaker of the House of Representatives, said Mr Sessions sacking appeared to be a blatant attempt by Mr Trump to scupper the former FBI directors work, while Susan Collins, a Republican senator, warned the president in a tweet that it is imperative that the administration not impede the Mueller investigation. At a press conference on Wednesday morning, a testy and ill-tempered Mr Trump was asked about a possible cabinet shake-up. He refused to provide specifics but said it was normal for administrations to make such changes. He also said he was very happy with the majority of the people working for him. We are pleased to announce that Matthew Whitaker, chief of staff to Attorney General Jeff Sessions at the Department of Justice, will become our new acting attorney general of the United States. He will serve our country well, Mr Trump tweeted. We thank attorney general Jeff Sessions for his service, and wish him well! A permanent replacement will be nominated at a later date. It it not clear just how long Mr Trump has been planning to fire Mr Sessions. The outed attorney generals resignation letter was not dated. Mr Sessions departure comes at a critical time in the probe into alleged collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign. It has been reported that Mr Mueller was likely to send at least part of his report to Mr Rosenstein once the the midterms were over. Whether the findings are to be made public remains unclear. Meanwhile, the loss of the House has provided an opportunity for Democrats to quiz and question administration officials, to demand records and make life difficult for the president. Mr Trump said he was willing to cooperate with Democrats on Capitol Hill, but not if they opted to seek to investigate him. They can play that game, but we can play it better, Mr Trump said of the possibility of Democratic investigations. All youre going to do is end up in back and forth and back and forth, and two years is going to go up and we wont have done a thing. By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN (Reuters) - Jordan said on Thursday it was in talks with Washington and Moscow to empty a desert camp used by 50,000 displaced Syrians, a move aimed at defusing security tensions near a potential military flashpoint on its northeast border with Syria. Jordan's foreign ministry said the kingdom backed a Russian plan to arrange the voluntary return of the inhabitants of Rukban camp to their home areas in eastern Syria following their recapture by the Syrian government from Islamic State. "Jordanian-U.S.-Russian talks have begun with the aim of finding a fundamental solution to Rukban by ensuring the right conditions of their voluntary return to their cities and towns," Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al Qatarneh said. "Jordan supports the Russian plan to create the conditions that allow the emptying of the camp," he said in a statement. He did not elaborate. Intelligence sources say the Russian plan entails negotiating with Syrian tribal leaders and former Western-backed rebels sheltering in the camp area to provide safe passage for returnees to go to opposition areas in northern Syria, and to help those who want to go their homes in state-held areas. Many camp inhabitants are not ready to go back to homes in state-held areas for fear of being drafted for conscription, tribal figures in the camp say. Developments at Rukban are watched closely around the region because it is near a U.S. garrison in southeastern Syria at Tanf on the Iraq-Syria border. The camp falls within a so-called deconfliction zone set up by the Pentagon to try to shield the Tanf garrison from attacks by pro-government forces. Damascus says the U.S. forces are occupying Syrian territory and providing a safe-haven in that area for rebels it deems terrorists. Jordan officials have repeatedly said they suspect the camp is infiltrated with IS sleeper cells, a security nightmare that has haunted Amman since an IS militant in 2016 drove a car bomb into a Jordanian military border post, killing seven guards. In the last three years, tens of thousands of Syrians trekked to the camp where the borders of Syria, Jordan and Iraq meet. They fled expanded Russian and U.S.-led coalition air strikes against IS-held areas in central and eastern Syria. Intelligence sources say a siege of the camp last month by the Syrian army that depleted food stores in the compound and raised the specter of starvation was aimed at piling pressure on Washington. Russia's defense ministry in August repeated an accusation that Washington has been harboring Islamic State militants within the zone. Washington however responded to growing Russian pressure by conducting rare military exercises in the base last month, and General Joseph Votel, head of U.S. Central Command, made an unannounced visit to Tanf. Tanf lies on the strategic Damascus-Baghdad highway, once a major supply route for Iranian weapons into Syria. This makes the base a bulwark against Iran and part of a larger campaign against Iranian influence in the Middle East. (Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi, Editing by William Maclean) PHOENIX (AP) A judge on Thursday rejected Republican demands to immediately limit vote counts in the razor-close U.S. Senate race in Arizona and has set a hearing on the challenge affecting about 5,600 votes in the state's most populous county. Judge Margaret R. Mahoney said it was too soon to require Maricopa and other counties to stop contacting voters to verify signatures on mail ballots. She also declined to order the counties to temporarily separate mail ballots that have been verified by that process after Election Day. County registrars said that would cause chaos and slow the long vote-counting process even more. Mahoney scheduled a hearing Friday and indicated she would rule then. The lawsuit came hours before Democrat Kyrsten Sinema jumped into a slight lead over Republican Martha McSally in the midst of the slow vote count. Sinema is ahead by about 9,000 votes out of 1.9 million counted so far. About 400,000 remain to be counted in the race to replace retiring Republican Sen. Jeff Flake. The suit alleges that the state's county recorders don't follow a uniform standard for allowing voters to address problems with their mail-in ballots, and that Maricopa and Pima counties improperly allow the fixes for up to five days after Election Day. Sinema has gained votes recently from Maricopa, and Pima is a Democratic bastion. Lawyers who filed the suit say they'd be happy if Mahoney decided to order the state's more rural counties to follow the same procedures, which would have the effect of expanding the vote count. Currently, several other counties that lean Republican destroy mail ballots if voters don't help verify their signatures before polls close on Election Day. "At the end of the day, each vote should be treated the same way," attorney Bret Johnson said in an interview. Recorder Adrian Fontes, the official in charge of counting ballots in Maricopa County, home to 60 percent of Arizona voters, said his office would not finish tallying votes for another week. Story continues "We know there's urgency out there, but we want to get it right, not quick," he said. Arizona is notoriously slow at tallying ballots even though about 75 percent of votes are cast by mail. Those ballots must go through a laborious verification process. If the signature on the envelope does not match the signature on the voter file, elections officials can contact the voter to try to resolve the discrepancy. Such situations arise, for example, when voters have Parkinson's disease and can no longer sign as they did in the past. At Thursday's hearing, officials from the state's 15 counties suggested the lawsuit only involves a fraction of votes. Colleen Connor, deputy Maricopa County attorney, said there were only 5,600 votes in Maricopa that would fall under the lawsuit and that the rates elsewhere also appeared low. Fontes said part of the logjam is due to his office's computer system dating from the 1980s, when Maricopa was far smaller and only a handful of its residents voted by mail. He said the system only allows his office to tally about 75,000 votes a day. The two Senate campaigns have long braced for a slow vote count. McSally is no stranger to the issue. It took The Associated Press 12 days to declare a winner in McSally's first race for Congress, which she narrowly lost. On Thursday, she tweeted: "Woke up this morning dreading a long and painful process. I've been here before, and now, here I am again.the dentist's chair." She attached a photo of herself leaning back at the dentist's office, about to get her teeth examined. ___ For AP's complete coverage of the U.S. midterm elections: http://apne.ws/APPolitics A Texas judge reportedly released nearly all of his juvenile defendants after losing his re-election on Tuesday, but not before asking if they planned to kill anyone. Harris County Juvenile Court Judge Glenn Devlin on Wednesday ordered the release of at least seven kids four facing aggravated robbery charges reasoning that this was what the voters wanted, the Houston Chronicle reported. Devlin, a longtime Republican jurist who has been a presiding judge in the 313th District Court since 2010, was one of dozens of Republicans who had their seats snatched by a Democrat in the state in Tuesdays midterm election. Harris County Juvenile Court Judge Glenn Devlin released several defendants on Wednesday, reportedly reasoning that this was what the voters wanted after he lost his re-election battle. (Photo: glenndevlin.com) Harris County Public Defender Steven Halpert, whose client was among those released by Devlin on Wednesday, said Devlins defeat appeared to have motivated the releases, which started with him asking the defendants, If I release you, will you go out and murder anybody? I just think this was a post-election weird blip, Halpert told local Houston station ABC 13. He made a comment, This is obviously what the voters wanted and I think theres an implication by electing all Democratic judges, theres this belief that Democratic judges are going to be soft on crime. Perhaps supporting that suspected motivation, Devlin reportedly reset all of his released defendants cases for Jan. 4, which is when his Democratic replacement, Natalia Oakes, takes over. Oakes, reacting to Devlins behavior in an email to HuffPost on Thursday, said: I would not have expected that from a professional. According to a report last month by the Chronicle, Devlin and fellow judge John Philips have a heavy track record of incarcerating juvenile defendants in their county and were behind more than one-fifth of the juveniles sent to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department in recent years. Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg condemned the judges actions on Wednesday. We oppose the wholesale release of violent offenders of any age; this could endanger the public, Ogg said in a statement sent to HuffPost. Story continues Sharon Watkins Jones, director of political strategies for the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, also called for an investigation into Devlins behavior. Devlin reportedly reset all of his released defendants cases for Jan. 4, which is when his Democratic replacement, Natalia Oakes, takes over. (Photo: ClassicStock via Getty Images) Judge Devlins mass release of children today, without any apparent concern for the childrens safety or for ensuring that they are released to their parents, proves his detachment from the needs of each child. Reducing mass incarceration and addressing racial disparities require judges to look at people as individuals, Jones said in a statement released Wednesday. We call on the Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct to investigate Judge Devlin for violating the canons of judicial conduct. It is improper for a judge to make orders motivated by partisan interests or spite as a result of his political loss. Devlins office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Houston reporter Keri Blakinger, who broke the story for the Chronicle, said Devlin did not appear in court on Thursday and that his coordinator refused to explain his absence when questioned. One attorney, while waiting to find out who would oversee Devlins cases on Thursday, reportedly told Blakinger that they werent in court when the incident happened, but I sure wish I was. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. The gunman who killed 12 at a crowded bar in Thousand Oaks, Calif., was a Marine combat veteran who likely suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said. Authorities identified the suspect as former machine gunner Ian David Long, 28, on Thursday. Dressed all in black and with his hood pulled low, Long entered the Borderline Bar & Grill around 11:20 p.m. on Wednesday, opening fire as a number of students were gathered for a college country night event. At least 23 people were injured while trying to escape the veterans rampage, Ventura County officials report. Long was found in dead of a gunshot wound inside the bar in an office adjacent to the entry. We believe he shot himself, Dean said. Long is not believed to have had a previous criminal record, but police visited the Southern California home he shared with his mother in April over a domestic disturbance. Neighbors recalled loud and sometimes violent fights between Long and his mother, AP reports. The motive for the shooting is still under investigation. Long may have illegally acquired the gun used in the shooting Law enforcement officials said Long was armed with a Glock 21, a .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun. Long also threw smoke bombs into the crowded country music bar before shooting a bouncer, cashier and a number of patrons, AP reports. Victims dove for cover behind bar furniture as the carnage unfolded, according to witnesses. When Long stopped to reload, some used barstools to break windows and escape. According to Dean, Longs handgun is designed to hold 10 rounds but had an extended magazine, which is illegal in California. Dean said Long had legally purchased the weapon. Long had a history of domestic disturbances Police searched the Newbury Park home where Long lived with his mother Colleen on Thursday, according to AP. Neighbors recounted a history of loud, aggressive fights between the mother and son. Law enforcement officers had previously had several contacts with Long over minor events, Dean said. Story continues In April, Ventura County Sheriffs Department deputies responded to a domestic disturbance complaint at the Longs ranch-style home. The next-door neighbor, Tom Hanson, said he called the police after he heard heavy-duty banging and shouting, AP reports. Somebody has missed something here, said Tom Hansons wife, Julie Hanson. This woman has to know that this child needed help. Law enforcement found Long somewhat irate, [and] acting a little irrationally, according to Dean. But the sheriffs deputies declined to send Long for a psychiatric evaluation after he was cleared by a mental health specialist. The evaluator did warn officers that Long might be suffering from PTSD related to his military service, according to Dean. Obviously he had something going on in his head that would cause him to do something like this, Dean said. He added that Long claimed to have been the victim of a violent assault at another Thousand Oaks bar in 2015. Officials said Long purchased the gun used in the shooting shortly after the domestic disturbance in April, according to the Los Angeles Times. Deployment in Afghanistan and failed marriage Long enlisted in the Marine Corps at the age of 18 in 2008 and served as an infantry gunner, according to service records. He was deployed to Afghanistan from Nov. 16, 2010 to June 14, 2011. He earned the rank of corporal in August 2011 and received an honorable discharge in 2013. The Marine Corps extends its deepest condolences to the families of the victims in this senseless tragedy, Capt. Joseph Butterfield, a Marine spokesman, said. According to court records, Long got married in Honolulu in 2009. But the couple separated in 2011, while Long was on a seven-month-long deployment, and filed for divorce in May 2013 two months after his discharge. The couples divorce papers cited irreconcilable differences, according to AP. Long also attended California State University and was last there in 2016, the university said in a statement to AP. Longs ex-roommate was shocked to learn of the shooting Newbury Park resident Winnet Blake, who lived with Long for several years, says he was shocked when he found out about the news. He was just quiet and kept to himself, he was just a roommate, Blake tells TIME. I was shocked, I was like What the hell? This is crazy. Blake and Long were roommates on two separate occasions: once in Ventura County for 8 months and then again for a year and a half in Los Angeles County. Blake says the last time they were roommates was two years ago. Blake adds that while the two lived together, Long mostly kept to himself. Blake said that to his knowledge, Long did not keep guns around the apartment. He was not aware of his roommate being politically active. Thats not something we spoke about. Blake says. Brussels (AFP) - Kosovo and Serbia's presidents met Thursday under EU auspices to resume dialogue aimed at normalising relations, amid increasing tensions between former foes. EU's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini was meeting with Kosovo president Hashim Thaci and his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic, her spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic tweeted. This was their first meeting since July 18, after a scheduled meeting in September between the two presidents fell apart at the last minute due to ongoing tensions. In 2008, a decade after the 1998-1999 war between Serbia's forces and pro-independence ethnic Albanian guerrillas, Kosovo broke away from Serbia. Serbia refuses to recognise Kosovo's independence, although more than 100 countries, including the United States and most EU member states, have done so. "In today's meeting we will reconfirm Kosovo's full commitment to achieve a legally binding comprehensive agreement with Serbia," Thaci tweeted ahead of the meeting. Vucic said he had no big expectations of a breakthrough but said it was necessary to talk, Serbia's national broadcaster RTS reported, ahead of the meeting. After the meeting, that lasted less then an hour, Mogherini said it was "decided to remain in constant contact in the coming days to assess the follow up of today's meeting". She urged both sides "to refrain from words, actions and measures that are contrary to the spirit of normalisation," according to a statement released by the EU's foreign policy service after the meeting. "The European Union expects Serbia and Kosovo to swiftly deliver on their commitment to the dialogue given the direct link between comprehensive normalisation of relations between them and the concrete prospects for their EU aspirations," Mogherini said. Both sides need to reach a binding agreement on their ties to make progress towards EU membership. The talks resumed two days after Kosovo raised taxes on Serbian goods by 10 percent on Tuesday, saying the move was in retaliation for Belgrade's efforts to thwart recognition of its former province. Story continues Belgrade is also upset with Pristina's recent decision to form its own army, despite fierce opposition from the ethnic Serb minority and from Serbia. Kosovo's security is currently ensured by NATO-led KFOR troops. In addition, the diplomatic deadlock garnered attention over the summer when officials on both sides discussed the possibility of border changes as part of deal to reset ties. Local media speculated that a Serb-dominated part of Kosovo could be traded for a mostly Albanian region of southern Serbia. Rights groups have strongly condemned the proposal, warning that redrawing the map could have a dangerous domino effect in the fractured region. However, some US and European officials have hinted they might accept such a deal. Earlier this week, Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said his country "will support any deal that will be reached between Belgrade and Pristina. "I assume that the EU will also support it, even if the deal includes a land exchange or border correction deal" between Kosovo and Serbia, Kurz added during a visit to Pristina. AP Survivors of last year's mass shooting in Las Vegas were inside a California bar when a gunman opened fire and killed 12 people on Wednesday night. The Borderline Bar & Grill, located in Thousand Oaks, had hundreds of people inside their establishment for their college country night when police believe Ian David Longa Marine Corps veteranfired at patrons around 11:30pm. The authorities found Mr Long dead inside the bar, but are unsure of how he died. An employee at Borderline Bar & Grill survived the mass shooting in Las Vegas - where 58 people were killed - in October 2017. A lot of people in the Route 91 [Las Vegas] situation go here, Chandler Gunn, 23, told the Los Angeles Times. Theres people that live a whole lifetime without seeing this, and then theres people that have seen it twice. Josh Coaly, a 27-year-old who was at the bar with his father during the shooting, said he had been to Borderline multiple times with his friends, one of whom also survived the Route 91 shooting. Carl Edgar, 24, a regular at Borderline, was at the bar with his 20 friendssome of whom also survived the Las Vegas shootingwhen Mr Long fired bullets. Mr Edgar told LA Times his friends are safe and that he is hopeful that his friends will get through the horrific incident. As far as I know, all of my friends are OK, safe, Mr Edgar said. There are a few people we cant get a hold of, but in these situations, people usually turn off their phones to be safe so Im not gonna get too worried. A lot of my friends survived Route 91. If they survived that, theyll survive this. Reporters on the scene have also tweeted hearing similar stories from Wednesdays mass shootings survivors that a few of the people inside Borderline were also present at the Las Vegas shooting. We are hearing that some of the people who were at #Borderline, were also at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas, scene of the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history. #ThousandOaks #shooting Marc Brown (@abc7marc) November 8, 2018 A man outside the Borderline bar awaiting word on his friends says they had previously attended the Route 91 festival in Vegas that was the scene of the deadliest mass shooting in US history. Terrible. Jon Passantino (@passantino) November 8, 2018 On October 1, 2017, Stephen Paddock, 64, fired over 1,000 rounds at a crowd of concert-goers at the Route 91 country music festival from his Mandalay Bay Hotel suite on the 32nd floor. As well as the dozens killed he injured 851 others, making it the deadliest mass shooting an individual committed on US soil. Mr Paddock was found dead in his hotel room from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The authorities have not yet been able to determine his motive. WASHINGTON (AP) The Latest on the midterm elections (all times local): 4:50 p.m. Republican Mike Dunleavy has fended off Democrat Mark Begich to win the Alaska governor's race. Dunleavy cast himself as tough on crime and supported a full payout of the check Alaskans receive from the state's oil-wealth fund, the Alaska Permanent Fund. The payout has been limited since 2016 amid a state budget deficit. Dunleavy says Alaskans have lost faith in government and have little trust in politicians. Alaska Gov. Bill Walker, an independent, ended his re-election campaign last month after his lieutenant governor resigned for what Walker described as an inappropriate overture to a woman. Walker said he concluded he could not win against Begich and Dunleavy and said he thought Begich would be better for Alaska than Dunleavy. ___ 1 p.m. Montana Democrat Jon Tester has won a third Senate term, beating Republican Matt Rosendale, the state auditor. President Donald Trump had taken a personal interest in defeating Tester, and had visited the state to campaign against the incumbent. Trump had said he wanted to make Tester pay at the polls for helping derail a Trump nominee to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Tester is the top Democrat on the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee. Tester insisted that Montana voters across the political spectrum would support him after examining his record. Trump held four rallies in Montana and sent his eldest son and Vice President Mike Pence to headline more appearances. Rosendale also got help from outside cash that poured into the race. __ 12 p.m. There's a winner in the race for Connecticut governor, and it's Democratic businessman Ned Lamont. The 64-year-old cable TV company founder has prevailed over Republican businessman Bob Stefanowski. Lamont's victory means the seat stays in Democratic hands, with the Democratic incumbent, Dannel Malloy, set to leave office. Lamont has promised to be a "firewall" against the policies of President Donald Trump. Story continues Lamont poured more than $12 million of his own money into the hotly contest race. He'd run for office before, losing bids for the Senate in 2006 and for governor in 2010. Lamont's win completes a Democratic sweep of the top offices on the ballot in Connecticut, including the re-election of Sen. Chris Murphy ___ 9:25 a.m. Democrats have regained control of the House from President Donald Trump's Republican Party in the midterm elections. There was a revolt in the suburbs Tuesday against the GOP, and the political upheaval now threatens what's left of Trump's agenda. But on Election Day, Republicans added to their edge in the Senate and prevailed in some key governor's race. All in all, Republicans beat back the potential of big Democrat gains across the board. The "blue wave" that some feared never fully materialized. The mixed verdict in the first nationwide election of Trump's presidency showed the limits of his hard-line immigration rhetoric in today's political landscape, where college-educated voters in the suburbs rejected his warnings of a migrant "invasion." But blue-collar voters and rural America embraced his aggressive talk and stands. By Gederts Gelzis RIGA (Reuters) - Latvia's president nominated Janis Bordans of the New Conservative Party as prime minister on Wednesday and the lawyer immediately pledged to form a government that would fight corruption and seek to restore faith in the rule of law. The Baltic country of two millions has been beset by corruption and money-laundering scandals and dissatisfied Latvians, who voted in October, rejected a right-of-center ruling coalition, turning to three other parties including Bordans' New Conservatives. The central bank governor is awaiting trial on charges of accepting a bribe and one of the biggest banks, ABLV, went into liquidation this year after U.S. authorities accused it of laundering vast sums of money for people from the former Soviet Union. "The rule of law will not be just for the sake of it, but to enable the government to work effectively and allow for a truly free market economy to prosper in Latvia," Bordans, a former justice minister, told reporters on Wednesday after President Raimonds Vejonis invited him to form a government. "Latvian society, including those on low incomes, should feel the consequences of the economic growth very positively," he said. Bordans and his party ran on an anti-corruption agenda in October and took 13.6 percent of the votes. He has until November 21 to try to form a government and present it to parliament for a vote. He has already secured the backing of the populist KPV LV and Development/For parties, but he will need support from two others to form a majority government. Bordans said the new government would consist of five parties and would not feature the Russia-friendly Harmony or The Union of Greens and Farmers. (Writing by Johan Ahlander; Editing by Richard Balmforth) Democratic state Sen. Laura Kelly has won the Kansas governors race, defeating Kansas secretary of state and Donald Trump ally Kris Kobach. Kansans chose to elect a Democratic governor just two years after supporting Trump by over 20 percentage points. Polls showed a tied race heading into Election Day, but Kelly ended up with a fundraising edge over Kobach, a controversial figure with a national profile. While Kansas is frequently thought of as a deep-red state, former Gov. Sam Brownback (R) left office this year as one of the least popular governors in the country. He resigned to take a job in the Trump administration. Polls also showed that a large number of voters in the state had a negative view of Kobach, who had risen to prominence as a conservative hard-liner on voting restrictions and immigration. (Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS) Despite Kobachs rising star in the GOP, two Republican former governors and a former U.S. senator for Kansas endorsed Kelly. Among his more controversial proposals, Kobach had vowed to reimplement Brownbacks steep tax cuts, which were so disastrous for the states economy that Republicans repealed them. Kellys campaign consistently sought to tie Kobach to Brownback. Kellys win is also a defeat for Trump, who is close with Kobach and who traveled to the state to campaign for him. Vice President Mike Pence also stumped for Kobach. Kelly, a state senator since 2005, faced criticism during the Democratic primary for being too cozy with the National Rifle Association and supporting a bill that allowed people to carry a concealed weapon without a permit. Kelly said she realized the bill went too far and supports restrictions on carrying weapons on college campuses. She has also said she wouldnt back new abortion restrictions and was endorsed by Planned Parenthood and EMILYs List. Kelly has supported increased funding for education after the Kansas Supreme Court ruled the state had to increase school funding. She also proved to be a strong fundraiser in the campaign, while Kobach relied on funds from his running mate, Republican lieutenant governor nominee Wink Hartman. Raising so much money allowed her to present herself as a credible alternative to Kobach, Bob Beatty, a political science professor at Washburn University in Topeka, told HuffPost last week. Story continues Kelly will be sworn in as the states 48th governor in January. Related Coverage Democrats Are Running Strong Campaigns In Kansas (Yes, Kansas) Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Geneva (AFP) - At least 2.3 million people have fled Venezuela's economic and political crisis since 2015, the UN said Thursday, warning that host countries' capacity to shelter them was now "severely strained". The UN agencies for refugees and migration said that more than three million Venezuelans now live abroad. "Most of these people have left since 2015," UN refugee agency spokesman William Spindler told AFP. He said "at least 2.3 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants" had left the country since its crisis escalated three years ago, but he stressed that many people leave through "irregular" routes, and "the real figure could be higher". That marks a jump of 400,000 people since the last tally by the UNHCR on October 1, although Spindler stressed that some of the change could reflect data adjustments. Spindler said surveys of exiled Venezuelans indicated that the exodus was prompted by a variety of reasons linked to their country's economic collapse, including insecurity and violence as well as chronic shortages of food and medicines. Data from national immigration authorities and other sources show that Latin American and Caribbean countries host around 2.4 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants, according to the joint statement from UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration. "Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have largely maintained a commendable open-door policy to refugees and migrants from Venezuela," Eduardo Stein, UNHCR-IOM Joint Special Representative for Refugees and Migrants from Venezuela, said in the statement. "However, their reception capacity is severely strained, requiring a more robust and immediate response from the international community if this generosity and solidarity are to continue," he added. Colombia has seen the biggest influx and is currently hosting more than one million refugees and migrants from Venezuela, the statement said. Story continues It is followed by Peru, with more than half a million, Ecuador more than 220,000, Argentina 130,000, Chile more than 100,000 and Brazil 85,000, it said. Beyond South America, countries in Central America and the Caribbean have also recorded increased arrivals from Venezuela, with Panama for instance now hosting some 94,000 Venezuelans, the UN agencies said. Oil income-dependent Venezuela's economic woes began in 2014 with the crash in the price of crude. President Nicolas Maduro's government has since been slapped with a range of sanctions over its crackdown on the opposition and civil society critics. BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Lebanese Shi'ite Muslim group Hezbollah will not give way in a dispute over Sunni Muslim representation in a new unity government, the pro-Hezbollah al-Akhbar newspaper reported on Wednesday, signaling no quick end to the standoff. Separately, a senior political source close to Hezbollah told Reuters it was up to President Michel Aoun, a Maronite Christian, to resolve the problem because neither Hezbollah nor Prime Minister-designate Saad al-Hariri could give ground. Six months since a parliamentary election, the row over Sunni representation is seen as the final hurdle to the formation of a new government. Posts in the 30-seat cabinet are parceled out along sectarian lines. Lebanon is in dire need of a government able to make economic reforms that are seen as more pressing than ever. The country is wrestling with the world's third largest public debt as a proportion of the economy and stagnant growth. A deal seemed close last week when a dispute over Christian representation was settled, with the anti-Hezbollah Christian Lebanese Forces ceding ground to Aoun and his Free Patriotic Movement, which is allied to Hezbollah. But Hezbollah, a powerful armed group backed by Iran, is pressing its demand for one of its Sunni allies to be given a cabinet portfolio to reflect gains they made in the May 6 parliamentary election. Al-Akhbar, citing unidentified sources, said Aoun and Hariri must listen to Hezbollah's Sunni allies "and agree with them on a way out" of the row. "Hezbollah will accept whatever the allies find appropriate," it said. Hariri, Lebanon's leading Sunni who is currently on a visit to France, has ruled out ceding one of his cabinet seats to the Hezbollah-allied Sunnis. Another possibility would be for Aoun to nominate one of the Hezbollah-allied Sunnis within a group of ministers allocated to him. But he appeared to rule this out last week when he criticized the Hezbollah-allied Sunnis for demanding a ministry, saying their demand was "not proper" or "justified". The senior political source close to Hezbollah said the ball was in Aoun's court. "Neither can Hariri retreat, nor can the (Hezbollah-allied) Sunnis, nor can Hezbollah. If the president wants a government he has to take the responsibility," the source said. (Writing by Tom Perry; Editing by Mark Heinrich) United Nations (United States) (AFP) - A national conference will be held in Libya in the first weeks of 2019 to push for elections that could take place next year, the UN envoy told the Security Council on Thursday. UN envoy Ghassan Salame said the conference will provide "a platform" for Libyans to spell out their vision for the future and "no longer be ignored" by those in power in the divided country. Elections in Libya are meant to turn the page on years of chaos following the 2011 overthrow of Moamer Kadhafi that has seen a bitter rivalry emerge between two governments scrambling for control of the north African country's oil wealth. A French-backed plan to hold elections on December 10 fell apart in September when the United States, Russia and other powers at the Security Council refused to back the timetable. Speaking to the council by videoconference from Tripoli, Salame said the national conference, which has been under discussion since last year, had been delayed because of ongoing fighting and political divisions. "Now, conditions are more propitious," he said. "The national conference is to be held in the first weeks of 2019. The subsequent electoral process should commence in the spring of 2019." The envoy quoted a poll showing that 80 percent of Libyans insist on having elections and stressed that international support for the conference was crucial. The decision to move ahead with the national conference came ahead of Italian-hosted talks in Sicily next week intended to shore up efforts to bring stability to Libya. World powers and Arab countries have backed rival groups in the battle for influence in Libya, hindering progress toward a common approach. In an interview with AFP, the head of Libya's UN-backed government, Fayez al-Sarraj, appealed for a "common vision" and an end to "negative interventions by some countries." Libya produces 1.3 million barrels of oil per day, generating $13 billion in revenue in just the first half of this year for the country of 6.5 million people. But Salame said Libyans have been increasingly impoverished while billions are being stolen from national coffers. SKOPJE, Macedonia (AP) Lawmakers in Macedonia have backed a court request to expel from parliament former conservative prime minister Nikola Gruevski, who is facing imprisonment on corruption-related charges. A parliamentary committee voted Wednesday to recommend that lawmakers revoke Gruevski's parliamentary mandate. The 48-year-old politician served as prime minister from 2006 to 2016 and is currently a parliament member of the main opposition VMRO-DPMNE party. The motion would require a two-thirds majority in the 120-seat parliament to be approved. Gruevski was sentenced in May to two years in prison for unlawfully influencing officials at the Interior Ministry over the purchase of a luxury vehicle at an estimated cost of 600,000 euros ($680,000). He has appealed the decision and has requested that the prison sentence be deferred, citing parliamentary duties. At least 13 people are dead, including a sheriffs sergeant and the gunman. Police identified the gunman as Ian David Long, a 28-year-old military veteran. The attack took place during Borderline Bar & Grills Country Night for college students. THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. Thirteen people are dead after a shooter opened fire late Wednesday at a popular college bar roughly 40 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Police officers headed to Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks around 11:20 p.m. after receiving multiple calls of shots fired, said Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean. It was College Country Night at the bar and the dance floor was full of students from nearby universities. A sheriffs unit and two highway patrol officers responded to the calls for help. Ventura County Sgt. Ron Helus and a patrol officer went in through the front door, at which point Helus was struck multiple times with gunfire. The patrol officer rescued Helus out of the line of gunfire, but Helus later died from his injuries. Additional units arrived and recovered a single handgun, officials said. At least 23 others were injured in the attack, a spokesman for the Ventura County Fire Department told HuffPost. Some of the injured were rescued and taken to local hospitals, and others with minor wounds took themselves to hospitals. Its a horrific scene in there, Dean said, adding that people were found hiding in bathrooms and attics. He described Helus, a 29-year law enforcement veteran, as a hard-working, dedicated sheriffs sergeant. He was totally committed, Dean said. He gave his all, and tonight, as I told his wife, he died a hero. He went in to save lives, to save other people. Absolutely heartbreaking interview from witness with @ABC7Jory at scene of reported mass shooting at #Borderline in #ThousandOaks. Theyre so young, this shouldnt have happened to them. pic.twitter.com/gwHU4XCfaO Greg Lee (@abc7greg) November 8, 2018 Police identified the suspect in the shooting as Ian David Long, 28. He was a student at California State University at Northridge who last attended in 2016, the school confirmed. He was also a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, according to authorities. Police had met with him earlier this year but he wasnt arrested. Story continues Long likely shot himself, officials said. He had legally purchased the .45-caliber handgun he used during the shooting, but had outfitted it with an extended magazine that isnt legal to purchase in California under a 2000 law. Its unclear when and where he purchased the magazine. Long deployed a smoke device during the attack, an official told the Associated Press. Authorities havent speculated on a motive. Borderline, which bills itself as the biggest dance floor in town, is a popular spot for college students from nearby California Lutheran University, Moorpark College and Pepperdine University. @pepperdine STATEMENT (1/2): The University has received reports that several Pepperdine students were at Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks this evening when a gunman reportedly entered the location and began shooting. At this time, the University is working to identify Pepperdine Graphic (@PeppGraphic) November 8, 2018 Emotional community members on Thursday morning trickled in and out of the Thousand Oaks Teen Center, waiting for information on missing friends and family members. Last night and today is going to be a very difficult day for many, many people, Thousand Oaks Mayor Andy Fox told a crowd of reporters outside the center, which was blocked off by tape. Fox said he isnt sure how many people are injured, but that officials have begun notifying victims next of kin. A vigil is scheduled for Thursday evening. Police had yet to identify any of the victims, but Jason Coffman told reporters that his 22-year-old son Cody was among the dead. Oh Cody, I love you so much, he said, sobbing and wiping his tears with a tissue. I cannot believe it has happened to my family. I am speechless and heartbroken. Justin Meek, a 23-year-old graduate of California Lutheran University and reportedly the bars bouncer, died after he heroically saved lives in the incident, according to the school. Alaina Housley, the 22-year-old niece of actress Tamera Mowry-Housley, was also killed in the attack, her family said. Sean Adler, 48, was also named as a victim who was fatally shot by the suspect, ABC and CBS both reported. Holden Harrah, 21, (right), who witnessed the shooting at Borderline Bar & Grill late Wednesday, hugs family and friends. (Photo: Al Seib via Getty Images) Related: Photos Show Scene Outside Thousand Oaks Bar After Mass Shooting Capt. Garo Kuredjian of the sheriffs office told reporters that hundreds of people may have been inside the bar at the time of the attack. He described Thousand Oaks as a very safe community where shootings dont happen very frequently. Officials called on community members to donate blood to help those injured in the shooting. A blood drive had already been scheduled for Thursday at La Rena High School and Middle School, located about two miles north of Borderline Bar & Grill. The school opened its event to the public in the wake of the shooting, drawing hundreds of donors to show up. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. Hundreds standing in line at La Reina High to donate blood. Officials warned it could be hours but most staying in line. The blood drive already had been planned for about 30 people. After the shooting, the school offered to open it up to the public as well#ThousandOaksShooting pic.twitter.com/JnyY6ZOmrQ Cheri Carlson (@vcCheri) November 8, 2018 A witness told KABC-TV that there were many young people having a great time in the bar when a man entered and began shooting. Several witnesses said they saw the gunman shoot multiple people and deploy smoke bombs. Margot Marty, 27, said she was on the dance floor because one of her favorite songs had just started playing when she heard shots. She turned to see a man dressed in black standing at the entry to the bar, firing rapidly. Marty, a French national living in the U.S., described a scene of chaos that followed. People helped one another off the ground and toward a back exit, where Marty said she saw a man break a window using only his body so people could flee more quickly. I stayed behind because my friend was towards the bar when it happened and I just wanted to go back to get her or find her, she said. Both Marty and her friend made it out of the bar. Outside the bar, Marty said survivors huddled behind cars and helped people who had been lightly injured in the scuffle one had twisted a knee. The bar patrons found refuge at neighboring houses, where people offered water and first aid. Six off-duty police officers were also inside the bar at the time of the shooting, Ventura County Sheriff Dean told reporters. He said a mother told him the officers stood in front of her daughter, protecting her from the spray of bullets. Borderline is honestly that place you wanted to be after a long hard day, to be around the people who love the same music and have the same interests as you, Marybeth Schroeder, a promoter for the bar, told HuffPost. Having a bad day? Go to Borderline. Long day at work? Go to Borderline. Your boyfriend just broke up with you? Go to Borderline. Your dog just passed away? Go to Borderline. Hayley Miller, Andy Campbell and Nick Wing contributed reporting. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. Also on HuffPost People comfort each other after a mass shooting at a bar in Thousand Oaks, California. People comfort each other as they stand near the scene. Nellie Wong cries as Chyann Worrell holds her. The two and Erika Sigman (right) were all inside when the shooting started inside the Borderline Bar & Grill. Tim Dominguez, who was in the bar with his son, sits under the freeway. In this image taken from video, a victim is carried from the scene of the shooting Wednesday evening. Holden Harrah, 21, (right), who witnessed the shooting, hugs family and friends. People leave the scene in Thousand Oaks. Sheriff and FBI investigators huddle at the command post. Police work in the area. A man speaks with law enforcement personnel as people stand near South Moorpark Road. Molly Esterline is hugged by David Crawford near the scene. People stand in a parking lot along South Moorpark Road. Jason Coffman displays a photo of his son Cody outside the Thousands Oaks Teen Center, where he came hoping to find his son who was at the Borderline Bar & Grill. A forensics team works the scene on Thursday in Thousand Oaks. Police officers guard the scene. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean identifies Ian Long as the shooter at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks. Police investigate the scene. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's next interior minister plans to submit a bill to legalize recreational and medical marijuana use, according to documents posted on the Congress website on Tuesday, the latest step by the incoming government to shake up the country's fight against drug-related crime. The bill, which is backed by Senator Olga Sanchez, Mexico President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's choice for interior minister, could be presented this week, two legislative sources said. But it could still face resistance within the coalition led by the president-elect's National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) party. If the bill passes, Mexico would join Canada, Uruguay and a host of U.S. states that have legalized the drug. In the 26-page bill posted on the Congress website, Sanchez wrote that Mexico's ban on recreational cannabis has contributed to crime and violence. "The objective can't be to eradicate the consumption of a substance that's as prevalent as cannabis is," Sanchez wrote. MORENA's coalition has a majority in both houses, but the alliance includes a conservative party that has in the past opposed some socially progressive policies. (Reporting by Veronica Gomez, Miguel Angel Gutierrez, Diego Ore and Daina Beth Solomon; Writing by Julia Love; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel and Bill Berkrot) Michel Barnier warned that Europe is under threat from a Farage in every country (Getty Images) Michel Barnier said today that Europe is now under threat from a Farage in every country. The EUs Brexit negotiator namechecked the former Ukip leader as he warned of the increasing threat of populism across the continent. Speaking at the conference of the EPP, the EUs main centre-right party, he said: We will have to fight against those who want to demolish Europe with their fear, their populist deceit. He warned that the existence of the EU is under threat in a speech that also touched on the deadlocked Brexit negotiations without going into any great detail. Mr Barnier pledged to fulfil my Brexit mission to the end and warned once more that the clock is ticking. The former french politician struggled to hold the room as he addressed the future of the EU, speaking to empty seats and a distracted crowd. The most extraordinary thing about Barniers speech, literally NO-ONE is listening, I mean NO-ONE!!! Most ppl talking amongst themselves or went off to vote. Actually felt very disrespectful He did not hold the room pic.twitter.com/iwO0DFlu6I Darren McCaffrey (@DarrenEuronews) November 8, 2018 German chancellor Angela Merkel walked out of the speech half way through, while German MEP Manfred Weber stood to pose for photographs in front of Mr Barnier. His speech came as Brexit negotiators continued to grapple of the issue of the Irish backstop. Cabinet ministers met yesterday to discuss the UKs position, with Theresa May scrambling to gain support for her latest proposal for the backstop. The PM is suggesting a deal that would see the whole of the UK kept in a customs union with the EU until an agreement can be reached to prevent a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland. Brexiteers are insisting that the Britain must be able to terminate the backstop at any point without the approval of the EU to prevent the UK being forced to abide by EU rules forever. Story continues But the EU has repeatedly said that it will not accept a backstop agreement with an end date. Mr Barnier said yesterday that no Brexit deal will be signed unless a satisfactory agreement regarding the Irish border can be reached. By David Randall NEW YORK (Reuters) - Michigan's vote Tuesday to become the 10th U.S. state where the recreational use of cannabis is legal is adding more momentum to a trend that some investors now say is inevitable: that marijuana will become legal nationwide within the next 5 years. As a result, companies, portfolio managers, and high-ranking executives are racing to position themselves to profit from what is expected to become a multi-billion dollar market. Executives at companies including Amazon.com Inc , Molson Coors Brewing Co , and Nike Inc have jumped to roles at Canadian cannabis companies such as Tilray Inc and Canopy Growth Corp over the last 18 months in order to gain experience in the industry. At the same time companies ranging from Coca-Cola Co to Corona beer-maker Constellation Brands Inc have taken the first steps into building cannabis-infused products. "We fully expect a successful regulated market to eventually develop around cannabis, and when it does, we expect it will disproportionately benefit the strongest innovators with well-branded products & robust supply chains," said Bonnie Herzog, an analyst at Wells Fargo who is bullish on the shares of Constellation Brands. Investors say that they are watching Canada, where the legal recreational use of marijuana went into effect in October, as a testing ground for retailers and companies before U.S. legalization. "The Canadian legalization has been a major catalyst for growth for a lot of companies in this space, and big consumer companies in the U.S. are paying attention," said Barbara Miller, a portfolio manager for the Federated Kaufmann line of funds. "We're seeing consumer product companies test the waters and try to figure out how cannabis will factor into existing products or into new lines of products," she said, ranging from personal wellness products like CBD-infused lotion to consumable products like cannabis-infused beer. Recreational marijuana sales in Canada are expected to generate $4.3 billion in revenue in 2019, or slightly more than 60 percent of the country's total $7.1 billion marijuana market, which includes medical and illegal sales, consulting firm Deloitte noted. In the U.S., cannabis remains illegal under federal law. Senator Elizabeth Warren, who is widely expected to run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, introduced a bipartisan bill in August that would amend the Controlled Substances Act to allow cannabis companies in states where marijuana is legal to open accounts at federally regulated financial institutions and remain exempt from federal persecution. The Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America, a trade group that represents more than 80 percent of all wines and spirits sold in the U.S., voiced support for legal cannabis in July. American executives who have joined the Canadian cannabis industry say that they were motivated in part by the expectation that marijuana will become federally legal in the U.S. within the next few years, a decision that helped them balance out the danger of reputational risk associated with a substance that has long been associated with the black market. "I had a negative perception of the industry initially and my first inclination was that cannabis companies were penny stocks and not that credible," said Mark Castaneda, the chief financial officer at Tilray. It was only after a headhunter sold him on the industry that Castaneda felt comfortable enough to make the switch. "I started to see that this was a lifetime chance because this is a massive shift where you know there are consumers who use this product and now that it was legal the market could be even larger," he said, adding that he expects that Canadian cannabis companies such as his own will eventually expand into the U.S. once marijuana becomes legal. The potential growth of the cannabis industry in the U.S. is evident in the work histories of new hires by Canadian cannabis companies that have their sights set on expansion, said David King, a senior portfolio manager at Columbia Threadneedle Investments who has invested in convertible bonds issued by Canopy Growth Corp. "You go to roadshows to some of these cannabis companies and their new executives are coming from impressive places," he said. "You have real adults running the company." (Reporting by David Randall; Editing by Jennifer Ablan) A deceased brothel owner and reality television star has won a state assembly seat in Nevada in the midterm elections. Dennis Hof, who owned seven legal brothels in the state, died last month during his 72nd birthday celebrations. His body was found on 16 October at his Love Ranch, in Crystal, Nevada. The aspiring politician called himself "the Trump of Pahrump, after the town he hoped to represent. He also wrote a book called The Art Of The Pimp, playing on the title of Donald Trump's own book The Art Of The Deal. Hof posthumously defeated Democratic school administrator Lesia Romanov on Tuesday, according to The Nevada Independent. "My man Dennis Hof crushed his opponent from the great beyond," Chuck Muth, his campaign manager, wrote on Twitter. I know Republicans in Nevada got massacred tonight, but my man Dennis Hof crushed his opponent from the great beyond in AD-36 & we crushed the anti-brothel initiative in Lyon County by about 80%. So pardon me, but Im celebrating. Chuck Muth (@ChuckMuth) November 7, 2018 Hof's name was kept on the midterm election ballots as it was too late to alter them by the time of his death. Mr Muth previously predicted that the 72-year-old's death would help him to victory, "There are a lot of Republicans who were uncomfortable voting for Dennis because of the nature of his business and they now know that he is not the one who will be serving," the campaign manager said to Reuters. They will feel much more comfortable casting the ballot for him knowing there will be another Republican to replace him." Nevada is the only state in the US where prostitution remains legal in some areas. County commissioners will now meet to approve another local Republican put forward by the GOP to fill the seat, The results of the midterm elections will install a new wave of diverse, progressive, first-time candidates in congress. Ahead of the election, white men represented 69 per cent of all governors and members of congress, but just a third of the United States population. This year, 58 per cent of candidates were white men. As the results came in, the 2018 midterms became a night of firsts. Women were running in record numbers as well as black and ethnic minorities and LGBT+ candidates who were in the running for House, Senate and governor seats, all helping to make it a record year for diversity. Here are the newly elected congresspersons helping to diversify US politics and address the countrys historic imbalance. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Ocasio-Cortez was the shock winner in the Democratic primaries (AFP/Getty) At 29, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has become the youngest women ever elected to congress. She will represent New Yorks 14th congressional district. A year before successfully taking on 10-term Democrat incumbent Joe Crowley in the 2018 primaries, Ms Ocasio-Cortez was working in bar to help support her family. Our district is 70 per cent people of colour, and we have never had a person of colour represent us in American history, she said ahead of the election. Ayanna Pressley Pressley defeated 10-term Republican Michael Capuano (AFP/Getty) Ayanna Pressley has become Massachusetts first black congresswoman. In the state primary the Democrat defeated 10-term Republican Michael Capuano in a significant political upset. She had already become the first black woman to be elected to Boston City Council in 2009. After her electoral victory last night she asked her supporters: Can a congresswoman wear her hair in braids? Rock a black leather jacket? Young Kim Young Kim is the first Korean-American elected to congress (AP) Republican candidate Young Kim has become the first Korean-American woman elected to congress, representing Californias 39th Congressional District. She is herself an immigrant from South Korea and is said to have diverging views from Donald Trump on issues including immigration and trade. Deb Haaland Native American Haaland called for the impeachment of Donald Trump (Photos Debra Haaland) Already having become the first Native American woman to chair a state political party, Deb Haaland has now become the joint-first Native American woman to be elected to congress, alongside Sharice Davids (see below). Story continues Ms Haaland is a member of the Laguna Pueblo tribe, and ran a campaign calling for the impeachment of Donald Trump as well as calling for greater environmental action and universal healthcare. Sharice Davids Davids and Haaland, above, are the first Native American women elected to congress (AP) Sharice Davids of Kansas won her seat to become the first Native American and gay woman elected to the House. Ms Davids is an attorney and member of the Ho-Chunk nation. She is also a former MMA (mixed martial arts) fighter. Rashida Tlaib Democrat Rashida Tlaib outside the Michigan Capitol in Lansing (AP) In 2009 Rashida Tlaib became the first Muslim American woman to serve in the Michigan Legislature, and the second Muslim woman in history to be elected to any US state legislature. Her midterms election victory makes her the joint-first Muslim women elected to congress, along with Ilhan Omar (see below). Following her historic election she said: Being there [in congress] is going to be important so that my residents feel like they have a seat at the table but also someone with a lot of courage to stand up and speak up. Ilhan Omar Ilhan Omar speaks at her midterm election night party in Minneapolis, Minnesota (Reuters) Minnesotan politician Ilhan Omar has become the first Somali-American elected to congress. She is also the director of policy and initiatives at the Women Organizing Women Network. She was born in Mogadishu, the youngest of seven siblings. Her family fled Somalia when the civil war broke out in 1991, settling in the US in 1995. She became the very first Somali-American elected to office in the US when she was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2016. She said the politics of fear motivated her to enter the race, and her progressive campaign focused on raising wages, subsidising higher education and improving access to healthcare. Jared Polis Jared Polis won in Colorado; he is the first openly gay governor in the US (Reuters) Colorado has elected the USs first openly gay governor. Democrat Jared Polis was also the USs first openly gay man to be elected to the House of Representatives in 2008. His gubernatorial campaign focused on free early-childhood education, and making Colorado into becoming a 100 per cent renewable energy state. Lauren Underwood Represent-elect for Illinois, Underwood was part of the Obama administration (AP) Nurse and health policy expert Lauren Underwood has narrowly beaten Republican Randy Hultgren to win a seat representing Illinois 14th congressional district. Ms Underwood began her political career working as a special assistant for the Obama administration in 2014. Two years later, Obama appointed her senior adviser at the US Department of Health and Human Services where she helped implement the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. BRIGHTON, Mich. Doug Vandewarker, a software consultant, said he usually votes Republican. But he was voting Democratic this time because he didnt think Donald Trump should be the face of our country. Over the course of two hours outside a polling place in Brighton, a small Michigan city roughly equidistant between Detroit and Lansing, I heard many more statements similar to that like when Mike Blood, managing director at a software company, said he wanted a bulwark against the current administration, and when Crystal Straughan, a hairdresser, said, I dont think the president is a good example for my child. All of these people said theyd voted for Republicans at points in the past, as did Mary Ann Budd, a horticulturalist. But on Tuesday, she said, I voted Democratic all the way through and I havent done that in years. Im independent, leaning conservative. There needs to be more balance. It was a lot different from what Id heard two years ago outside another Michigan polling place in Macomb County, the heavily white, middle-class Detroit suburb where the most energized voters were the ones who hated Hillary Clinton. The angry mood was a hint of things to come that night. Id picked Brighton for this years stakeout in the hopes it would be similarly revealing. The city sits in Michigans 8th Congressional District, which Trump carried by 7 percentage points and Mike Bishop, the Republican incumbent, won by even more in 2016. But this time Bishop was running against Democrat Elissa Slotkin, a former CIA officer who had served in Iraq. Her big issue was Bishops vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act and its highly popular protections for people with pre-existing conditions. The argument over health care along with a devastating television ad may have made the difference. Slotkin won, with the Wednesday morning tally showing her vote share at 50.8 percent to Bishops 46.8 percent, for a margin of roughly 13,000 votes. Story continues Slotkins victory was part of a bigger trend, one that was arguably Tuesdays most important result: Democrats winning back the House of Representatives. As of Wednesday morning, Democrats seemed poised to claim about 230 seats overall, giving them a 25-seat majority, give or take more than enough to stop Republican legislation and, no less important, to start Democratic investigations. The push to repeal Obamacare by legislation will stop, at least for now. The Trump administrations management of government, not to mention Trumps personal and financial conduct, will finally get some congressional scrutiny. Democrats made other major gains like the election of Americas first openly gay governor in Colorado and the passage of ballot initiatives in three deeply conservative states that will allow 300,000 low-income working adults to get Medicaid. Two years ago, in the wake of Trumps election, shell-shocked Democrats probably would have cherished such victories. But the mood among Democrats and their supporters was pretty mixed as Tuesday slipped into Wednesday. How The System Is Still Rigged Against Democrats Partly the disappointment was a function of losses by a handful of candidates, like Beto ORourke, the Texas congressman running for the Senate, in whom Democrats across the country had invested so much emotionally. Partly it was how the night played out: The first big news came from Florida, where progressives watched one of their heroes, Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, lose his bid to become governor even as they saw one of their villains, outgoing governor Rick Scott, move ahead in the vote for U.S. senator. (A recount is now likely in the Senate race.) But the setbacks went beyond that. Control of the U.S. Senate had also been in play this election and, although the polls had suggested for a while that Republicans were likely to retain their majority, many Democrats grasped at encouraging signs like shocking early turnout numbers in Texas or a late-breaking media investigation of the Republican Senate candidate in Missouri. In the end, the polls were right and the upset didnt happen. Republicans will actually emerge from the election with a larger majority in the Senate than they had before, ensuring no media narrative about a blue wave. But it would have been that kind of wave if votes actually translated more directly to results. Democrats won the national popular vote by more than 7 percentage points, according to the latest data. Its no secret why Democrats nevertheless emerged with fewer Senate seats. The Constitution gives disproportionate power to small states in the upper chamber, which in the current political alignment means conservative-leaning states have extra representation. This is an ongoing problem that will undermine Democrats in the next election just as surely as it did this one. A similar problem plagues the House, where the incoming Democratic majority is probably smaller than it might have been because of partisan gerrymandering. And the newly elected Democrats who won in Republican-leaning districts like Michigans 8th are sure to face difficult challenges winning re-election in two years. As gerrymandering expert Dave Daley told HuffPost recently, If it requires a generational wave to give Democrats [the House], thats a sign of just how powerful gerrymandering is, not a sign that it can be conquered. In 2020, Democrats will have to confront another familiar obstacle: the Electoral College, which also gives smaller states extra power. Its why Democrats have won the popular vote in five of the last six presidential elections, with the lone loss a relatively small one, but in three of the six elections a Republican went to the White House anyway. This is the new normal in America, the political minority wielding power that looks more like a majoritys, and the problem seems likely to get worse as Republicans find more and more ways to protect themselves politically. Some of the most arresting images from Tuesday showed the long lines in Georgia, where Brian Kemp, the Republican secretary of state who was also the partys nominee for governor, told a private gathering that Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams voter mobilization continues to concern us, especially if everybody uses and exercises their right to vote. (Kemp was ahead on Wednesday morning, though Georgia was still counting ballots.) Long lines at the polls in Georgia on Tuesday were a reminder that voting in many minority communities is difficult, which may have something to do with the Republican state officials in charge. (Photo: The Washington Post via Getty Images) That kind of thing was happening all over in the country. In North Dakota, the location of another key contested Senate race, Republicans had implemented a voter identification law that made it more difficult for Native Americans, also thought to lean Democratic, to cast ballots. Those barriers to voting, like some of the more egregious attempts at partisan gerrymandering, are constitutionally suspect. But Democrats cannot count on federal courts to save them because Republicans are successfully packing the courts with sympathetic judges including the U.S. Supreme Court, in no small part because they refused to fill a vacant seat while Barack Obama was still president. Republicans have at least one other big advantage going for them and that is the media: They can depend on a slavishly partisan set of publications and networks upon which their followers will rely exclusively an ecosystem that has no real analogue on the political left. In 2018, that meant Republicans could make up stories about invasions from an immigrant caravan or claim falsely to support protections for people with pre-existing conditions. The strategy didnt work everywhere, as Mike Bishop can attest, but it probably helped secure at least some of those Senate races. What Democrats Can Do And What They Cant Do The midterms were a stress test for the U.S. system of government an experiment in whether a party could pursue a highly unpopular agenda and get away with it. The results were mixed at best. Republicans lost their House majority, yes, but they could have lost bigger, and somehow their Senate majority did grow. Ultimately, some less-heralded victories at the state level may prove more consequential in terms of future elections. In Florida, voters approved a constitutional amendment to automatically re-enfranchise felons who had served their time, with exceptions for convicted murderers and sex offenders. That should give the vote to more than a million Floridians, many of whom committed only minor crimes many years before. And in Michigan, two key political reforms passed at the ballot box. One sets up a bipartisan commission to draw lines for state legislative and congressional districts, in the hopes of ending gerrymandering once and for all. The other enacts a series of reforms, including same-day registration, that will make it easier to vote. Both reforms had strong support from the people I met in Brighton, even those who were voting for Republicans. Fairness seems to have at least some bipartisan appeal. But the Michigan and Florida measures remain more the exception than the rule. Gerrymandering will persist in other parts of the country, as will voter suppression, and even moderate changes to the Senate (like adding the District of Columbia as a full-voting state) are not possible right now. All of that means Democrats have to keep doing what they did over the past two years nominating strong candidates, organizing supporters and turning out the vote. A lot of those Senate races were close and demographic trends at least should favor the party over time. The Democrats are making political progress and achieved a lot on Tuesday, more than disappointed partisans probably realize. But they will need to make even more gains, against the same old daunting odds, if they want to control the federal government again. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Democrats pick up House seats in Virginia and Florida but Senate likely to remain in Republican control as Donnelly loses in Indiana Voters fill in their ballots for the midterm election in Louisville, Kentucky. Photograph: John Sommers Ii/Reuters Democrats made a series of early gains as the first polls closed in the 2018 midterm elections, but uncertainty loomed over the prospect of a blue wave as the majority of House and Senate races were too close to call. As initial returns trickled in from the midwest and east coast, Republicans remained competitive in key congressional and gubernatorial contests that mark a critical test for Donald Trump his administration. An energized American electorate is poised to deliver a verdict on the direction of the country under the presidents stewardship and whether Republicans should remain in power in Washington. Democrats, who need to flip 23 seats to take control of the House of Representatives, picked up three seats previously held by Republicans. In Virginia, Democrat Jennifer Wexton defeated Representative Barbara Comstock; and in Florida, the seat held by the retiring GOP representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen went to Donna Shalala, a Democrat who formerly served as Bill Clintons health and human services secretary. Incumbent Republican Mike Coffman was ousted by Democrat Jason Crow in a Colorado district that swung for Hillary Clinton in 2016. But the Democratic partys chances of retaking the Senate appeared grim as Senator Joe Donnelly, a vulnerable incumbent Democrat, lost his seat to Republican Mike Braun. The Republican congresswoman Marsha Blackburn emerged victorious in Tennessee, a contest that drew national attention after pop star Taylor Swift endorsed the Democratic candidate, Phil Bredesen. Democrats were, however, able to breathe a sigh of relief as Joe Manchin, another red state Democrat, held on to his Senate seat in West Virginia, a state Trump won by 42 points in 2016. Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey and the Ohio senator Sherrod Brown, two other Democrats targeted by Republicans, were also re-elected to another term. Story continues Democrats are defending 10 Senate seats in states that Trump largely won by double digits two years ago, rendering the upper chamber of Congress an uphill battle. Democrats had otherwise been favored to win back the House for the first time in more than a decade, but early results did not yet signal a rout was under way. Healthcare and immigration were the top issues on voters minds as they cast their ballots, according to an exit poll survey conducted by the Associated Press, and 64% of those surveyed said Trump was a factor in their voting choice. Higher than usual turnout was reported across the country, where 36 governors contests reinforced the ramifications of what former president Barack Obama dubbed as perhaps the most important election of our lifetimes. Democrats are hoping to make gains at the state level and roll back a longstanding Republican advantage in governors mansions across the US. Wins for the party in battleground states such as Florida, Ohio and Wisconsin would not only lead to far more progressive state governments but also give the party influence in the redistricting process scheduled to take place after 2020. At least two deep blue states voted to re-elect moderate Republican governors who succeeded by distancing themselves from Trump. Larry Hogan defeated Ben Jealous, the former chairman of the NAACP, in Maryland, while popular incumbent Charlie Baker resoundingly won in Massachusetts. Democrats scored a pickup in Illinois, where JB Pritzker, whose family owns the Hyatt hotel chain, unseated the Republican governor, Bruce Rauner. Democrats have sought to cast the 2018 midterms as a referendum on Trump, whose tenure in the White House has left Americans sharply polarized and been defined by a period of chaos, tribalism and the shattering of norms. Trumps divisive style was laid bare in the run-up to Tuesdays election, which saw the president resort to unfounded claims about his political opponents and vitriolic rhetoric on immigration in an effort to energize his base in contrast to the positive economic message that many down-ballot Republicans were touting. While crisscrossing the country on behalf of Republican candidates, Trumps closing argument largely consisted of stoking fears around a caravan of migrants fleeing violence and poverty in Central America and headed toward the US-Mexico border. The president also repeatedly declared that Democrats, if elected, would lead a socialist takeover of America. The elections carry significant ramifications for what remains of Trumps first term. If Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi gain the majority, they will try to raise your taxes, restore job-killing regulations, shut down your coal mines and timber mills, take away your healthcare, impose socialism, and ERASE your borders. VOTE for @MattForMontana and @GregForMontana! pic.twitter.com/aDnCQKY7QD Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 3, 2018 Should they win back a majority in the House, Democrats are expected to launch a flurry of investigations into the president and his administration. The White Houses legal team is reportedly bracing for potential inquiries that include whether Trump obstructed justice in the Russia investigation, the misuse of taxpayer dollars by several cabinet officials, and hush money paid to women to keep silent about their alleged affairs with Trump before he was elected president. A Democratic victory would also stonewall much of Trumps agenda. Republicans have vowed to pursue further tax cuts and changes to popular government programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid and social security, and repeal and replace Barack Obamas healthcare law, should they remain in power. Although a number of Democratic heavyweights hit the trail to stump on behalf of candidates, including former president Barack Obama, former vice-president Joe Biden and former talkshow host Oprah Winfrey, the narrative was still dominated by Trump and his freewheeling rhetoric. As he said at a rally on Indiana on Monday, The midterm elections used to be like boring. Who ever heard of midterms? he added. Now its like the hottest thing. Additional reporting by Lauren Gambino Thirteen people, including a sheriffs sergeant described as a hero and the gunman himself, have been killed after a mass shooting in a busy country and western bar in southern California. The shooter, identified by authorities as 28-year-old US Marines veteran Ian David Long, turned the gun on himself after carrying out the horrific killing spree, during which he deployed a smoke device and used a .45-calibre handgun. A further 21 people have been released from hospital after being treated for their injuries. Long opened fire at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, about 40 miles west of Los Angeles, at about 11.20pm local time on Wednesday night. Police said that the bar was packed with young people attending a weekly college line-dancing night. Police have confirmed that 11 people died in the shooting in Thousand Oaks, California (Picture: AP) The gunman behind the mass shooting is also confirmed dead (Picture: AP) Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said: Its absolutely horrific. If you can imagine young people out on a Wednesday night, having a good time, at a bar theyve probably been to many times. Thousand Oaks, one of the safest cities in the United States, and something like this happens. Were trying to make sense out of the senseless, its absolutely tragic. Mr Dean confirmed that Sheriffs Sergeant Ron Helus, who was responding to the incident, was shot after he entered the building. He died at a hospital early on Thursday. Sergeant Helus, who was set to retire next year, was described as a hero after trying to take down the killer. MORE: White House suspends CNN reporter after accusing him of unacceptable behaviour during fiery press conference MORE: Pensioner, 98, fights for life after being brutally attacked and robbed of his TV in burglary blackspot Tayler Whitler, 19, said she was inside the bar when a man walked in with his face partly covered by something resembling a ski mask, opened fire on a person working on the door, then began to shoot people at random. Police said hundreds of people were in the busy bar (Picture: AP) She told KABC-TV: It was really, really, really shocking. It looked like he knew what he was doing. Nick Steinwender, student union president at nearby California Lutheran University, rushed to the scene when he heard about a shooting at the bar where he knew friends and fellow students were. Story continues It was chaos, people jumping out of windows, people hopping over gates to get out, Mr Steinwender told KABC. He said he heard from people inside that they were hiding in toilets and the attic of the bar. The US president Donald Trump offered condolences after the shooting, saying on Twitter that he has been fully briefed on the terrible shooting. He praised law enforcement, saying Great bravery shown by police and said God bless all of the victims and families of the victims. A neighbor of California bar shooter Ian David Long told reporters that he was a military veteran who may have struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder. An unidentified female neighbor who claimed she knew Long told KABC reporters near the suspect's home in Newbury Park, Calif., that the suspect should likely not have had access to a firearm due to his alleged condition. "I don't know what he was doing with a gun," she said. Another neighbor, who spoke anonymously with ABC News, said Long was a homebody who lived with his 61-year-old mother and would rarely go outside. The neighbor also claimed that Long's mother recently confided that her son was growing "violent." Wednesday's attack on the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, Calif., left 12 people dead, including one law enforcement official. Long was also found dead at the bar from a gunshot wound, although it remains unclear if the wound was self-inflicted or if the shooter was gunned down by police. During a Thursday press conference, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said that Long, who served in the United States Marine Corps, had several prior interactions with the sheriff's department over the years. These included a traffic collision, a traffic citation and an instance in which Long was a victim of battery at a local bar in 2015. In April 2018, authorities responded to Long's home on a report that he was acting erratically. Sheriff Dean said that though Long was found to be "somewhat irate" and "acting a little irrationally," he was cleared at the time by a crisis intervention team and a mental health specialist. "PTSD might be a part of the conversation," Dean added of the April incident. Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle to premiere on 7 Dec Its official, Netflix will be bringing Mowgli: Legend Of The Jungle to the big screen in a limited release on 29 November, ahead of its global debut on the streaming service on 7 December. Its also dropped a new trailer, which you can watch below. Mowgli: Legend Of The Jungle tells the classic story of Rudyard Kiplings Jungle Book, with a heavy focus on Mowglis journey, and is said to be a darker take on the material, compared to the Disney animated and live action adaptations. Its directed by Andy Serkis, who also appears as iconic bear Baloo. In addition to the release date and trailer, weve also got a lovely new poster. Mowgli looks to the horizon. As you can see from the credits on that poster, Serkis has gathered a fairly astonishing cast, which includes Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Benedict Cumberbatch, Andy Serkis, Freida Pinto, Matthew Rhys and Naomie Harris, all appearing alongside newcomer Rohan Chand in the titular role. The film, previously developed by Warner Brothers before being sold to Netflix, looks like the highest profile addition to the streaming service yet. Its Netflixs first bonafide blockbuster (sorry Bright fans) and it caps a fairly incredible year for Netflix, which has added a new Orson Welles movie (The Other Side Of The Wind), a genuine Oscar contender (Roma) and a high profile novel adaptation (Bird Box) to its line-up. And it looks like Netflix will stay in the Serkis business the service is also funding Serkis motion-capture adaptation of George Orwells Animal Farm, in a deal that was announced earlier this year. Heres the official Mowgli: Legend Of The Jungle synopsis: Acclaimed actor and director Andy Serkis reinvents Rudyard Kiplings beloved masterpiece, in which a boy torn between two worlds accepts his destiny and becomes a legend. Mowgli (Rohan Chand) has never truly belonged in either the wilds of the jungle or the civilized world of man. Now he must navigate the inherent dangers of each on a journey to discover where he truly belongs. Read more Netflix Acquires George Orwells Animal Farm Netflix Acquires Andy Serkis-Directed Mowgli Dark and savage trailer for Andy Serkiss Mowgli lands Actress Nicole Kidman and actor Tom Cruise attend the 63rd Annual Academy Awards After Party Hosted by Irving Swifty Lazar on March 25, 1991 at Spago in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage) By Rebekah Scanlan, Yahoo Lifestyle AU Nicole Kidman has opened up about her very private relationship with her two eldest children from her marriage to Tom Cruise. In a rare conversation about her adopted kids, Bella, 25, and Connor, 23, the actress discussed how she deals with their commitment to the Church of Scientology when she herself doesnt believe in it. They are adults. They are able to make their own decisions, she told Who magazine. Nicole Kidman has made a rare comment about her relationship with her adopted kids Bella Cruise and Connor Cruise. Source: Getty Nicoles struggles with Scientology But the mum-of-four who shares two daughters Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret with husband Keith Urban went on to describe that its her duty as a mum to love them no matter what. They have made choices to be Scientologists and as a mother, its my job to love them, she said. And I am an example of that tolerance and thats what I believe that no matter what your child does, the child has love and the child has to know there is available love and Im open here. Over the years, the 51-year-old has remained notoriously tight-lipped about the difficulties shes faced since separating from Tom a devout Scientologist after 11 years of marriage in 2001. The 51-year-old has never spoken about her relationship struggles with her kids, after splitting from Tom Cruise a devout Scientologist after 11 years of marriage in 2001.Source: Getty Choosing family versus faith Fellow Aussie Joel Edgerton, who worked with Kidman in her current movie Boy Erased, alongside Russell Crowe, spoke about the battle in a chat with Yahoo Lifestyle just last week. Nicole has her own connection with religion and faith, he explained in an interview with Yahoo Lifestyle. If you know Nicole well enough, you know a bit about her history and choosing family versus faith and various things that connect her with this story. Shes now married to singer Keith Urban and has two kids, Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret, seen here in 2014. Source: Getty Nicole has never spoken publicly about Bella and Connors faith before, making this rare comment on the cult-like religion even more remarkable. It was a documentary in 2015 that delved into the hidden life of Scientology that first suggested the religion was behind the wedge between the Big Little Lies star and her older kids. Boy Erased is released in UK cinemas 8 February 2019 Read more Kidman stars in groovy new Aquaman posters Kidman: Cruise marriage protected me from harassment Kidman unrecognisable in Destroyer Staying in the White House? (PA) He may have had a bad week in the polls but Donald Trump is still favourite to win the next Presidential election in 2020. Despite losing his majority in the House of Representatives, bookmakers still think the controversial president is set to remain in the White House for a second term. Although his odds have lengthened slightly, Trump remains the man to beat say the bookies. We see last night as overall a positive one for Donald Trump, said Paddy Powers Lee Price. He lost the House of Representatives but this was expected and the Democrats did not make the massive gains that some were expecting. Along with this the Republicans increased their majority in The Senate. If last night was billed as a Referendum on how Trump has performed as President then you would have to say he passed. An angry Trump reacts to CNN reporter Jim Acosta (PA) William Hill said that Trumps odds had drifted slightly, but agreed he was still the favourite. Donald Trumps odds have drifted slightly to 6/4 from 11/8, said the bookmaker. However, there appears two threats to his status as the favourite. First, the emergence of a strong Democrat challenger, Beto O Rourke. The new Democrat star was narrowly beaten by Ted Cruz in the Senate contest in the traditional Republican stronghold of Texas. Despite losing, ORourkes campaign was the best showing by a Democrat in Texas in 20 years and looks certain to be a front runner for the Democrat ticket in three years time. Next president of the USA? Beto O Rourke (PA) Beto ORourke was a Lone Star in his attempt to take Texas, however, the fact that Ted did anything but Cruz to victory in a largely blue state suggests the Democrats latest poster boy is a genuine contender for the White House, said William Hill spokesman Joe Crilly. Paddy Power also identified another threat impeachment. Somewhat contradictory the likelihood of him being Impeached has increased, said Lee Price. Seeing as The House of Representatives have the power to impeach, the Democrats now have the numbers to push it through if they can find just cause. Story continues Thats gone from 10/1 to 3/1 on Trump being impeached in 2019. Price changes below Trump to win 2020 Presidential election: into 6/4 from 13/8 Trump to be Impeached in his first term: into evens from 7/4 Trump to be Impeached in 2019: into 3/1 from 10/1 A government shutdown to take place in 2019: into 8/1 from 50/1 Beto ORourke to be the Democrat Nominee for 2020: into 5/1 from 10/1. Joe Biden to be the Democrat Nominee for 2020: into 5/1 from 14/1. Trump to complete his 1st Term of Office: into 1/3 from 2/5 The company shortlisted 20 finalist cities earlier this year after receiving 238 initial bids. Toronto was the only Canadian region to make the cut. Torontos bid for an Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) headquarters is looking more and more like a longshot. Thats thanks in large part to the fact the tech-savvy city is not part of the United States, according to a pair of researchers from the employment search engine Indeed. The websites chief economist Jed Kolko, and his Canada-focused counterpart Brendon Bernard, are following the Seattle, Washington-headquartered companys search for a host city for its planned US$5-billion HQ2. Neither is willing to completely rule out Toronto, even in the face of a spate media reports suggesting the e-commerce giant will split its expansion between Long Island City, New York and the Crystal City area of Arlington, Northern Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. Amazon has not publicly addressed reports of a decision. The company shortlisted 20 finalist cities earlier this year after receiving 238 initial bids. Toronto was the only Canadian region to make the cut. The e-commerce giant is widely expected to announce its pick, or picks, by the end of the year. It doesnt seem like Toronto is in the running, Bernard reluctantly told Yahoo Finance Canada on Wednesday. We sort of expected that a major U.S. city would likely be chosen. Its interesting that they are considering two right now. We feel you, Dawson (Giphy) Toronto ticks many of the boxes listed on Amazons request for proposal document; a tech-oriented labour force capable of filling 50,000 jobs, an international airport, mass transit, higher learning institutions, and a diverse population. The citys bid, led by the regional investment agency Toronto Global, is outlined in a 97-page response, complete with a letter from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and glowing testimonials from an array of business leaders. Kolko said while Toronto has a lot to be proud of, a Canadian headquarters would mean additional operational complexity and political risk for a company increasingly in the spotlight. Story continues In the current American political climate, there are lots of ways in which the move (into Canada) could bring objections or backlash, he told Yahoo Finance Canada. In a Nov. 4 interview with Axios, U.S. President Donald Trump said his administration is looking into potential antitrust violations by Amazon, Facebook (FB), and Google parent company Alphabet (GOOG). Trump has repeatedly targeted major U.S. companies for shifting resources to international markets. Kolko, who has long-predicted Northern Virginia would be Amazons top choice, said close proximity to the centre of U.S. politics is of strategic importance to Americas largest technology firms. With tech companies increasingly involved with, and sometimes the targets of, public policy debates, being in the Washington-area could be a big advantage, he said, adding that Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has a home in the area, and owns The Washington Post newspaper. Toronto put its best foot forward Losing to the New York or Washington, D.C.-areas would in no way imply Torontos tech scene is anything less than thriving, Bernard said. Toronto placed fourth on a recent CBRE Group ranking of North Americas fastest-growing tech talent markets. Its the first time a Canadian city has cracked the top five. Bernard notes the venture capital dollars flowing into Toronto is further evidence of the emergence of a global tech hub. He said Toronto was number 12 on a ranking of venture capital investment destination compiled by the Martin Prosperity Institute at the University of Torontos Rotman School of Management. New York was fourth and Washington, D.C. was eighth. That kind of suggests that Toronto might not be home to as many of the sort of cutting-edge, frontier technology companies that some places in the U.S. might be, he said. But its definitely nothing to sneeze at. Bernard said the success of Torontos tech scene speaks for itself. Unfortunately, when it comes to winning Amazons approval, he said talented Canadians will need to shout across an international border. Staying in America has its advantages for Amazon, Bernard said. Toronto put its best foot forward. Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. In 1971, nearly three-fourths of the members of Congress were military veterans. When the current session of Congress began in 2017, that figure was less than 19%. That might change after Tuesdays midterms, especially in the House of Representatives. According to With Honor, a cross-partisan Super PAC devoted to increasing military representation in Congress, over 200 veterans sought Congressional seats this election season most of them in the House. This count includes third-party and active write-in candidates. Of the 75 House races and 13 Senate races the Cook Political Report identified as competitive on the Monday before Election Day, more than 20 included veteran candidates. Mikie Sherrill, a Naval Academy graduate, former Navy helicopter pilot and the Democratic candidate for New Jerseys 11th District hopes to help improve the ratio. Sherrill told TIME her experiences in the Navy make her uniquely positioned to work with lawmakers across the aisle to get meaningful legislation accomplished. When I was a helicopter aircraft commander, we never flew on a Democratic mission or a Republican mission, she said. We always were able to work with one another, despite coming from all over the country and all different backgrounds. We were always able to work together and get the job done. Read More: Veterans Slam Shameful Ad Attacking Candidate for Living Out of State During Military Service Even though shes running as a Democrat in a district that has been solidly red for more than three decades, Sherrill has led a competitive campaign. The most recent poll indicates she has a double-digit lead over her Republican opponent, Jay Webber, a member of the New Jersey General Assembly. Rye Barcott, a former Marine and a co-founder of With Honor, told TIME military veterans face barriers that many of their opponents dont. In addition to the rising congressional campaign costs, members of the military move around a lot. While non-veteran candidates can often spend most of their lives in a home district, military vets can spend years away from theirs. That, in addition to the elimination of the draft, has led to the decline in veterans congressional representation. Story continues But veterans also understand serving their country better than most, he said, and thats part of why their perspectives are so necessary. No matter what your job [in the military], you are giving part of your life maybe up to and including your life for your country. You are willingly putting it on the line. According to research from the Lugar Center, a Washington-based nonprofit, even veterans from deep red and blue districts are more likely than their non-veteran counterparts to exhibit bipartisan behavior, such as as co-sponsoring legislation across the aisle or regularly meeting with members from the opposing party. Barcott says part of this can be attributed to the military being diverse itself. When you serve, you interact with Americans from all walks of life, he said. It doesnt matter who your parents were, it doesnt matter where you came from. Its about as close to a meritocracy as we have in the United States. Rep. Don Bacon, a Republican Congressman seeking a second term in Nebraskas second district, shared similar sentiments with TIME. Bacon served in the Air Force for more than 29 years, lastly as a Brigadier General. A New York Times/Siena poll indicated he was up by nine points as of late September. My best friends across the aisle are veterans, he said. Were not hyper-partisan. We may disagree on taxes or healthcare, but we find a lot of areas to work on. With Honor, which received a $10 million donation from Amazon founder and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos earlier this year, has endorsed 19 House Democrat and 20 House Republicans candidates that remain in this election cycle. But its not about partisanship. The mission, Barcott said, has always been to help the country move forward. Sherrill said she and her fellow veterans are in a good position to lead the charge. Veterans are stepping up to serve their country again because we know what this country stands for, she said. We have all taken oaths to support and defend the Constitution. Pyeongtaek (South Korea) (AFP) - The outgoing commander of US forces in South Korea on Thursday urged Seoul and Washington to maintain their alliance as differences mount in their approach to the nuclear-armed North. The US played a key role in defending the South after the North invaded in 1950, triggering the Korean War, and even now stations 28,500 troops in the country, a treaty ally, to protect it from its neighbour. US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un traded personal insults and threats of war last year, only for fears of conflict to be replaced by a rapid diplomatic rapprochement. But as progress has slowed in recent months there has been a growing uneasiness between the allies, with the US firm on sanctions against Pyongyang while Seoul is seeking to relax measures on its neighbour. "In this place we have never succeeded by going alone," General Vincent Brooks said in his last act as the commander of US Forces Korea, the UN Command and the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command. "Our fears and our concerns should rise if we become inclined to go our own way." On the campaign trail US President Donald Trump raised doubts about the continued presence of US troops in South Korea. This week the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff said the US would need to make "some changes to the military posture on the peninsula" over time if talks with Pyongyang progress. Over the 65 years of the alliance, Brooks told a change-of-command ceremony at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, "we grew stronger under the tests and strains that confronted us, contrary to the predictions of cracks and fissures". "Let this be a lesson to all in the alliance," he added. Brooks, who took up his post in April 2016, has described his time in the South as "a rollercoaster ride". He previously said he was given no prior indication that Trump, after his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June, would announce the cancellation of "very provocative" and expensive joint military drills with the South. Story continues The allies have since suspended most of their major joint exercises, including the Ulchi Freedom Guardian in August and the Vigilant Ace air force training initially slated for next month. His successor General Robert B. Abrams told his Senate confirmation hearing there "was certainly a degradation in the readiness of the force, for the combined forces" as a result of the pause in drills. At Thursday's ceremony Abrams -- whose father was a former Army Chief of Staff for whom the M1 Abrams tank is named -- vowed to continue Washington's "ironclad relationship" with Seoul. The military would maintain its capability so "we cannot only deter but defeat external threats if we are called to do so", he said. Report originally published on Yahoo Lifestyle AU Owen Wilson has just welcomed a newborn daughter with ex-girlfriend Varunie Vongsvirates, but the actor reportedly refuses to meet her. The baby girl named Lyla, was born in October but has still not met her father, according to Us Weekly. Owen Wilson has just welcomed a newborn daughter with ex-girlfriend Varunie Vongsvirates, but the actor reportedly refuses to meet her. Source: Getty / Instagram He does not want to visit [and does not] want any custody of her, an alleged source told the magazine. The Marley & Me actor even checked the no visitation box in court in June, the insider added. Despite having not met his daughter or been in contact with Varunie who was his girlfriend of five years, the source revealed Lyla looks just like Owen. Varunie (pictured here in 2016) reportedly dated Owen for five years. Source: Instagram/Varunie Responding to the claims, a representative for the actor told the magazine, This is a private matter and its not appropriate to comment further. Varunie has posted a few sweet photos of the newborn to her Instagram account and it appears she has given Lyla her fathers last name. My sweet little princess. Lyla Aranya Wilson, born on 10-09-18, she captioned a photo of her daughter, which was posted a few weeks ago. Owen already has two other children one son, Robert, born in 2011 with ex-girlfriend Jade Duell and another son, Finn, born in 2014 with fitness trainer, Caroline Lindqvist. Yahoo Lifestyle has contacted the actors representatives for a comment on the report. Read more Owen Wilson sofa ad under fire Luke Wilson hailed a hero after crash Kidman talks Scientology Washington (AFP) - President Donald Trump faces a barrage of investigations targeting everything from his taxes to his Russian business ties after Democrats captured the House of Representatives in Tuesday's elections. With the House in their control beginning in January, Democrats will replace Republicans at the head of every committee, giving them the power to set hearing agendas, call witnesses and issue subpoenas to top officials of Trump's administration. Hours after the election results became clear, Trump tweeted a warning Wednesday morning that he was ready to fight fire with fire. "If the Democrats think they are going to waste Taxpayer Money investigating us at the House level, then we will likewise be forced to consider investigating them for all of the leaks of Classified Information, and much else, at the Senate level. Two can play that game!" he said. Losing his Republican majority in the House removes much of the insulation that has been crucial to Trump's political success in his first two years. Now Democrats could lay bare alleged conflicts of interest, misuse of funds, and abuse of power by the president and his cabinet. Investigations could gridlock a White House already besieged by the Russia collusion investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, heavily bogging down the administration's agenda and foiling Trump's message. And, indeed, after Trump fired Attorney General Jeff Sessions Wednesday, putting the Mueller probe in jeopardy, Democratic Congressman Jerry Nadler warned that he intended to lead a House Judiciary Committee examination. "The firing of Jeff Sessions will be investigated and people will be held accountable. This must begin immediately, and if not, then a Democratic Congress will make this a priority in January," he said. - Two dozen probes possible - A Republican spreadsheet obtained by the Axios news site before the vote detailed a long list of the probes expected from the new House, including: Story continues - Billionaire Trump's record of paying taxes - Whether Trump and his family illegally benefit from their business while in power - Trump's hush payments to women claiming past affairs with him - Alleged misuse of funds for personal needs by cabinet secretaries - Trump's controversial firing of former FBI director James Comey - Trump's mishandling of classified information - Alleged legal abuses in the anti-Muslim travel ban - Security clearances in the White House According to some estimates, two dozen probes could be opened quickly. Democrats have already piled up scores of subpoenas of documents and witnesses which Republicans have repeatedly rejected over the past two years. "We are going to have to ruthlessly prioritize because there is so much that has gone wrong," Democrat Adam Schiff, who is expected to become chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said ahead of the election. The Intelligence Committee will press ahead with the Russia election meddling investigation, and Trump's business relations with Russians. The Judiciary Committee, expected to be headed by current senior Democrat Jerry Nadler, has its eyes on business conflicts of Trump's family. Republicans' silence on the issue "speaks to an administration run amok and a Republican majority willing to turn a blind eye to gross misconduct," Judiciary Committee Democrats said in a report earlier this year. Nadler could also launch a probe into the Russia meddling issue, preparing the ground for a possible impeachment motion against Trump. The House Ways and Means Committee is expected to subpoena Trump's long-hidden tax returns amid suspicions the billionaire has paid minimal amounts for years and possibly expose hidden foreign ties. Asked about it on Monday, Trump replied stiffly: "I don't care. They can do whatever they want and I can do whatever I want." Elijah Cummings, currently the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, also has a wish list of probes, including Trump's apparent interference in a plan to build a new headquarters for the FBI; drug pricing under the Trump administration; and the mishandling of the deadly 2017 hurricane disaster in Puerto Rico. Tacloban (Philippines) (AFP) - Philippine survivors of Super Typhoon Haiyan recalled their terror and loss in memorial gatherings held Thursday for the thousands killed five years ago in the country's worst storm on record. Then the strongest typhoon to ever hit land, Haiyan left more than 7,360 people dead or missing across the central Philippines, with a tsunami-like storm surge wiping out communities and triggering a global humanitarian response. In Tacloban, the worst-hit city, residents painted gravestones in memory of the typhoon dead. They laid flowers and lit candles at tombs and a mass grave for unidentified victims. Survivors of the calamity shed tears as they recounted how they had escaped death. "I felt like it was the end of the world. It was like I was in a washing machine, a whirlpool. I was so afraid," Amelita Gerado, 49, told AFP, describing the onslaught of seawater that swamped her home. "There is still pain, a scar, but we are recovering," said the woman, whose brother-in-law was among those killed. The city government has declared November 8 a "day of remembrance and gratitude" to mark the devastation wrought by the 2013 typhoon, which highlighted how underprepared the disaster-prone Southeast Asian nation was for large-scale calamities. "We are here to give thanks to the Lord," said pensioner Ponciano Cruzata, one of about 4,000 people attending another memorial event at the city's sports stadium that had served as a shelter for thousands after the storm. The 64-year-old retired coast guard officer told AFP the surge of water had killed more than 20 of his neighbours, but his family of five had survived on the second floor of their house -- the only structure left standing on the block. Several hundred residents also attended a Catholic mass at the low-lying coastal city's Santo Nino church in mid-afternoon. Lanterns were to be launched from the stadium and candles lit at the building after sundown to honour the dead, officials said. Story continues - Danger zones - An average of 20 typhoons and storms lash the Philippines each year, killing hundreds of people and leaving millions in near-perpetual poverty. But Haiyan remains the most powerful, with gusts exceeding 305 kilometres (190 miles) per hour at first landfall. A surge of seawater higher than a tree crashed into densely populated areas, leaving corpses strewn across streets and washing ships to shore. Survivors and aid groups say rehabilitation has been slow, especially for the million families who lost their homes. Of the target 205,128 permanent houses for those living in so-called danger zones, only 100,709 have been built, according to President Rodrigo Duterte's government. "We are addressing issues that cause the delay, which include limited availability of titled lands for resettlement, slow processing and issuance of permits," Duterte's spokesman Salvador Panelo said on Wednesday. Relocation sites built about an hour away from Tacloban also lacked a steady supply of electricity, drinking water, and jobs, authorities added. For many whose relatives remain missing, the absence of their loved ones' remains is also a lingering challenge. "We just put gravestones here even if we are not sure their bodies are here, just so we have somewhere to light candles. I want to honour their memory," said Michael Ybanez, who lost his mother, sister, a nephew and a niece in the tragedy. Beijing police Thursday briefly detained two students who were part of a group protesting alleged worker exploitation outside an Apple store, according to one of the demonstrators. The group was protesting in response to allegations made last month that one of the US company's suppliers was exploiting student workers in southwest China. The two held were from Renmin University and Peking University -- two schools that have seen a surge of student-led labour activism this year. One of the other protesters, a 21-year-old from Renmin University, told AFP that a group of police ordered the students to show their IDs shortly after they finished taking photos in front of the Apple store. A total of 10 students participated in the protest. "They said we were disrupting the order, disrupting law and order, and asked to check our IDs," said the student, who requested anonymity. After the protesters initially refused to show their identification cards, the police took the two away, she said. They were later released at about 8:00pm (1200 GMT) after police questioned them about the protest, the source said. Teachers from their respective universities then escorted them back to school. Beijing police did not immediately respond to AFP's request for comment. According to photos shared on Twitter by eyewitness Zhifan Liu, a French freelance journalist based in Beijing, the students were holding signs denouncing "illegal" student employment at an Apple factory and in support of workers being allowed to form unions. The students had planned to take photos and shoot a video to raise awareness around the alleged exploitation of student workers at an Apple Watch factory in Chongqing municipality. According to a report published last month by Hong Kong-based labour rights group Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehaviour (SACOM), students from a vocational school had to work punishing hours at the factory, assembling Apple Watches -- under the guise of "internships" -- or else their degrees would be withheld. Story continues The Chongqing factory is operated by Quanta Computer, a Taiwanese electronics manufacturer, and also produces devices for other brands. Apple has said it is investigating the allegations. An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment on Thursday's protest. Student activists from top Chinese schools are rallying behind labour rights and unions despite crackdowns by universities and the police this year. Many belong to Marxist societies or student groups -- some of which have struggled to register officially with their schools as universities try to rein in labour activism. In August, a police raid swept up student activists in Guangdong province, according to the official website of the Jasic Workers Solidarity group. The students were there to support workers from Jasic Technology, a welding machinery company, who were trying to form their own union. According to the Jasic Workers Solidarity group, which the student activists were members of, the police beat students and confiscated their phones during the raid. Yue Xin, a Peking University student who co-authored a petition demanding details of a sexual abuse case at the school, was detained during the August police sweep and has not been heard from since. Sgt. Ron Helus, who was due to retire next year, was among the victims of the gun rampage in Thousand Oaks, California. (KGO San Francisco/PA) A dedicated police officer who was one year from retirement died in the California bar massacre while trying to stop the gunman, it emerged today. Sgt. Ron Helus, whod worked in law enforcement for 29 years, was among the victims at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks after he went in to save lives. He was one of the first officers through the door of the bar, according to CNN, but died at the hands of the gunman who killed 11 others. Sgt. Helus had a wife and son, and was due to retire in the next year from Ventura County, California Sheriffs Office. Sgt. Ron Helus, in an image from his social media profile. (Facebook) The gunman opened fire at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, about 40 miles west of Los Angeles, at about 11.20pm on Wednesday night. Police said that hundreds of people were in the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks and shots were still being fired when officers arrived. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean, describing Sgt. Helus, said: He went into save lives, to save other people. He was totally committed, he gave his all, and tonight, as I told his wife, he died a hero. Its so tragic losing Ron. We go to the gym together, work out together. its horrific and terrible and it saddens our hearts. A victim of the shooting is wheeled away minutes after the gun rampage. (PA) Shocked bystanders are treated at the scene in Thousand Oaks, California. (PA) President Trump today praised the bravery of police in responding to the shooting. Mr Trump said on Twitter that he has been fully briefed on the terrible shooting. He praised law enforcement, saying Great bravery shown by police and said God bless all of the victims and families of the victims. Forensics officers scour the scene at the Borderline Bar & Grill after the shooting. (PA) Officers scramble to the California bar, which was said to be popular with local students. (PA) The Borderline Bar & Grill lists a College Country Night which takes place on Wednesdays, and is said to be popular with students. Authorities have identified the gunman and the handgun he used to kill 12 people at a southern California bar. An official said the man was 29 years old and deployed a smoke device and used a .45-calibre handgun when he opened fire inside the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, north of Los Angeles. Milan (AFP) - A contested high-speed train line between Italy and France has become a key battleground for a divided populist government in Rome, with part of the coalition demanding the project be scrapped. Business leaders are expected to lead a rally on Saturday urging Rome to forge ahead with the 8.6-billion euro ($9.8-billion) tunnel through the Alps for the line linking Turin to Lyon, which has already been partially dug. The rail link will reduce travel time between Milan and Paris from almost seven hours to just over four. As well as being attacked by environmentalists, the line has been criticised as a misuse of public funds and the anti-establishment Five Stars Movement (M5S) had pledged to block it if elected. But its government partner, the far-right League, favours the venture and the movement now fears the so-called TAV may join the growing list of promises it has been forced to break. With furious M5S voters burning its flag over other perceived betrayals, analysts have warned a go-ahead on the line could be devastating, particularly for populist leader and deputy prime minister Luigi Di Maio. - 'Sacrificed' - "Italy is the second largest manufacturing country in Europe, and it is in its interest to have large-scale infrastructure," insists Vincenzo Boccia, head of the industry lobby Confindustria. Turin's city hall -- run by the M5S -- voted against the line last week, as protests raged outside. The following day, the Piedmont regional council -- where the centre-left has the majority -- voted in favour. Piedmont head Sergio Chiamparino has said he is ready to hold a referendum on the issue to decide once and for all, while supporters of the project are to demonstrate in Turin on Saturday, along with local French politicians. The contested project is for a 57 kilometres (35 miles) long tunnel between the Susa Valley and Maurienne Valley. Proponents of the line, launched nearly 20 years ago and officially scheduled to be finished in 2025, argue that it will rid the roads of a million trucks and avert some three million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year. Story continues But supporters fear the M5S could get its way should the League believe the coalition's future is at risk over the project. Paolo Ugge, head of the Conftrasporto transport and logistics confederation, said it was "unacceptable that a strategic piece of infrastructure... could be sacrificed as a bargaining chip". Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has said a decision on the TAV will be taken after a "cost-benefit analysis". - 'Legitimate questions' - The bill for the tunnel is being split 40 percent, 35 percent and 25 percent between the European Union, Italy and France. French Transport Minister Elisabeth Borne on Monday promised in parliament "the government's determination to build this infrastructure". Borne said she respected Rome's decision to carry out a new evaluation of the line's social and economic impact, but warned that the clock was ticking for launching tenders for the project. She will meet her Italian counterpart for talks on Monday. France's Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire in August said there were "legitimate questions" being asked by the Italian government over its profitability. The EU is trying to encourage both countries to move forward with a programme that will otherwise leave it out of pocket. The European Commission's then-coordinator for a trans-European railway network, Jan Brinkhorst, reminded Italy and France in September that the EU had already shelled out 370 million euros on the project between 2007 and 2013. A further 814 million euros for the 2014-2020 period has been signed off on, including 120 million euros already paid. He warned that scrapping the project could result in the EU demanding its money back, according to European sources. And in a carrot and stick approach, he suggested there could be more money if the project goes ahead. The Commission has proposed upping its contribution to cross-border projects to 50 percent -- potentially bringing the TAV an extra 860 million euros. Prince Charles, a longtime environmentalist, wants to leave this world a better place for his children and grandchildren. During a nine-day trip to West Africa, he discussed his concerns about the planet at a recent meeting on plastic pollution in Ghana. I am about to have another grandchild actually. I suspect quite a few of you may too have grandchildren or will do soon, he said, as reported by The Telegraph. It does seem to me insanity if we are going to bequeath this completely polluted, damaged and destroyed world to them. He added, All grandchildren deserve a better future. Prince Charles attends a meeting to discuss the cocoa industry at the Movenpick Hotel on Nov. 5 in Accra, Ghana. He is on a nine-day trip to West Africa. (Photo: WPA Pool via Getty Images) The prince also spoke about reducing the amount of plastic that pollutes the earths oceans. A good start has been made. The matter of plastic debris in the environment, in particular the ocean, is now on the agenda, Charles said. We do, however, need to keep it there as the amount of plastic entering the ocean every year is, unbelievably, set to get worse rather than better. We cannot, indeed must not, allow this situation to continue. During a speech in honor of Charles upcoming 70th birthday, Prince Harry spoke about his fathers enduring commitment to his charitable causes and focus on the environment. I ask everyone here to say a huge thank you to you, for your incredible work over nearly 50 years, the Duke of Sussex said at his fathers patronage celebration in May. Work that has given self-confidence and opportunity to thousands of young people who might not have had the best start in life; Or to champion causes like climate change long before almost anyone else was talking about it; and above all, for your vision and ability to bring people together to make change happen, Harry said, according to the royal familys official website. Prince Harry, Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duchess of Sussex at Charles' 70th birthday patronage celebration at Buckingham Palace on May 22 in London. Charles' birthday is Nov. 14. (Photo: Chris Jackson via Getty Images) Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, are expecting their first child, Charles fourth grandchild, in the spring, according to Kensington Palace. Perhaps the new royal will one day work on environmental issues with Granddad. Story continues Subscribe to HuffPosts Watching the Royals newsletter for all things Windsor (and beyond). Related Content Meghan Markle's Half-Sister Responds To Prince Harry's Comments On Family Meghan Markle's Half-Sister Pulls Awkward Stunt Outside Kensington Palace Thomas Markle Found Out About Meghan Markle's Baby News From The Radio Also on HuffPost Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. With the last of the midterm results still rolling in, the next Congress is certain to have a record number of women by a wide margin, easily surpassing the standing record of 84 women in the House of Representatives. As of 2:45 a.m., 95 women have won seats in the 116th Congress, with 4 races yet to be called in which both candidates are female, meaning there will be at least 99 women reporting to work at the Capitol in January of next year. The number will almost certainly end up being north of 100, as 14 races also remain undecided in which a woman is running against a man. As for the Senate, the final tally will either meet or fall short of the current record-high 23 female members of Congress, depending on whether Rep. Jacky Rosen can unseat Nevada Sen. Dean Heller. Arizona also remains uncalled, but both candidates are women. In split-gender races, women have won 65 races and lost 101, but this is not necessarily a strong indication of gender bias. Many of the 237 women on the ballot in this election were facing entrenched incumbents who typically enjoy a major advantage in fundraising and name recognition. At that rate, we can expect the number of women in the House to go as high as about 110 when the 14 remaining face-offs are called. Most recent Congressional elections have sent a record number of women to the House, but the gain has never been anywhere near the margin we can expect Wednesday morning. The plan for a Westminster airport (Barratt) Its London but not as we know it. Images have surfaced of what London would have looked like if some amazing architectural projects had been given the go-ahead. The plans include astonishing developments for some of the most well-known sites in the British capital. And even in a city with such architectural landmarks, such as Big Ben or the Tower of London, some of the plans turned down would have been jaw-dropping. The Central London Monorail Traffic has long been a problem in London and in the late 1960s one designer came up with the plan to take buses off the road and put them in the air. Specifically, the idea was to get rid of all buses and put in a monorail in central London. There were even images drawn up to show what it would like but the idea never got off the ground. The Regent Street monorail (Barratt) What the street actually looks like today (Barratt) Westminster City Airport A long=-standing London row is what to do with the citys main airport. Build a new one, build on on an island, or just build a new runway at Heathrow? Back in 1934, plans were drawn up for a London airport above the River Thames, situated right next to the Houses of Parliament, in between Westminster Bridge and the relatively new Lambeth Bridge. Sadly, it was never given the green light. How it would have looked, with an airport attached (Barratt) The 1934 plan for the Westminster airport (Barratt) What Westminster looks like today (Barratt) The Trafalgar Square Pyramid Trafalgar Square is one of the most recognisable parts of London But it could have looked entirely different if the original monument was accepted by city planners. Instead of Nelsons column, there was a plan in the 1820s for the a 300-feet pyramid monument to celebrate the victories of the Battle of Trafalgar and the Battle of the Nile. The pyramid was set to be taller than St Pauls Cathedral, with 22 steps paying tribute to each year of the two Anglo-French wars. The idea though was never approved. The Trafalgar Square pyramid (Barratt) Republican Josh Hawley defeated incumbent Democrat Claire McCaskill in the race for a Missouri Senate seat, becoming the third pickup for Republicans as they cemented their majority in the Senate Tuesday night. McCaskill was one of the most vulnerable Democrats in the Senate. McCaskill is a moderate Democrat and Missouri voted for Trump over Hillary Clinton by nearly 20 points in 2016. Trump hammered McCaskill in the days leading up to the election, hosting two rallies in the state in the final week of the campaign to boost Hawley, the states attorney general. McCaskill painted herself as a moderate member of her party she ran an ad that said shes not one of those crazy Democrats and has said she supports Trump on border security. But Trump sought to tie her to Democratic leadership and criticized her for voting against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaughs confirmation. Shes been saying such nice things about me, Trump said at a campaign appearance in Missouri days before the election. But you know what? Shell never vote with me. Thats the problem. Hawley, on the other hand, pitched himself as a reliable conservative and a strong supporter of Trump and his policies. She just doesnt vote with Missouri, Hawley told 41 KSHB of McCaskill. The Supreme Court is so important, our rights are at issue, our future. The Brett Kavanaugh smear shows you the stakes. The Supreme Court, securing our border, jobs from overseas; This is about saving our country. UPDATE: The Florida Senate race between incumbent Democrat Bill Nelson and Gov. Rick Scott (R) is heading for a recount that could begin as soon as Wednesday. Scott claimed victory Tuesday night, but Nelson said Wednesday that he would not concede. Florida state law triggers a recount ordered by the secretary of state when the margin of victory is 0.5 percent or less. According to unofficial results, Scott leads Nelson by 0.42 percent. PREVIOUSLY: Florida Gov. Rick Scott has ousted Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, a big step toward Republicans hopes of hanging onto and even building on their majority in the U.S. Senate. Scott, 65, will join Marco Rubio in Washington in January, giving the state two Republican senators for the first time since Reconstruction. Nelson, 76, had been seeking his fourth six-year term following his stint as the states insurance commissioner and, before that, 12 years in the House as a congressman from the Space Coast. Scott is finishing out two terms as the states chief executive and could not seek a third because of term limits. He was seen as among the GOPs strongest recruits to take away Democratic-held Senate seats, and his victory likely makes it impossible for Democrats to win back the chamber this election. Scotts two previous election victories had been squeakers 1.1 percentage points each time and his Senate victory will likely be even narrower, less than 1 percentage point, by the time all the votes are counted. Florida now has three times elected to statewide office the man who in the 1990s ran the for-profit hospital chain that agreed to pay $1.7 billion in fines for systematically defrauding Medicare, Medicaid and veterans health programs. Scott invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate oneself 75 times during a deposition in a related civil trial about his role in the fraud committed by Columbia/HCA. Gov. Rick Scott has beat Sen. Bill Nelson to give Florida two GOP senators. (Photo: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS) During Scotts first run for governor in 2010, both his Republican opponent in the primary and Democratic nominee Alex Sink used that history in negative ads against him. But Scott was willing to spend freely from his personal fortune of hundreds of millions of dollars and managed to eke out narrow wins against both. Story continues In 2014, Scott barely won re-election against Charlie Crist, who had been the Republican governor before Scott but had since become a Democrat. In fact, Scotts popularity only broke 50 percent on a consistent basis in 2017, after his generally well-regarded handling of Hurricane Irma. That improvement in his polling numbers, in addition to his continued willingness to spend heavily on his own campaigns, made national Republicans believe that Scott had a good chance of defeating Nelson, whose two previous re-elections had been against weak opponents. All that, though, was before this summer, when red tide worsened along the southwest coast of Florida and blooms of thick, blue-green algae from Lake Okeechobee began choking Fort Myers on the Gulf of Mexico and Stuart on the Atlantic Ocean. When the freshwater algae hits salt water at the coast, it dies, releasing toxins into the water and air and, scientists believe, providing additional food for the naturally occurring red tide bacteria. The result has been the deaths of millions of fish, sea turtles, dolphins and manatees, with their carcasses washing up on beaches and adding the stench of decay to air already acrid from the red tide toxins. Many environmentalists blamed Scott for the calamity. He had slashed budgets for the agencies responsible for safeguarding the water quality in Lake Okeechobee and eased enforcement efforts against polluters. Scott faced protests late this summer at campaign stops in Fort Myers and Venice both Republican strongholds. He largely refrained from coastal campaign visits as the red tide spread up Floridas eastern coast, and then he stopped campaigning altogether after Hurricane Michael struck the Panhandle last month. Scott, though, had the advantage of running for the Senate as a sitting governor. Governors of a state are well known to voters and are able to take credit for day-to-day accomplishments, while senators have nowhere near that level of visibility. The last incumbent senator to lose election in Florida, in fact, was defeated by a sitting governor: Democrat Bob Graham ousted Republican Sen. Paula Hawkins in 1986. In the end, the advantage of that bully pulpit combined with the tens of millions of Scotts own dollars he put into his race was enough to win. Related Coverage Rick Scott's Early Gift From Trump Team May Create More Problems Than It's Worth Democrats Roll Out Joe Biden For Andrew Gillum And Bill Nelson As Early Voting Starts In Florida Obama Brings His Star Power To Florida For Andrew Gillum And Bill Nelson Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Dakar (AFP) - Thirty-two human-rights groups launched a campaign Thursday over a detained Mauritanian blogger who was entitled to release a year ago after his case of blasphemy was settled. "Although authorities should have released him in November 2017, Mohamed Mkhaitir is still being detained in an undisclosed location," they said in a joint statement. "His physical and mental health are deteriorating as a result of his prolonged detention." Mkhaitir, 35, was pitched into a storm in the conservative Muslim nation over a blog post deemed to insult the prophet Mohammed. Amid protests and outrage, he was arrested in January 2014, put on trial in December 2015 and charged with apostasy, before being sentenced to death the following day. On November 9 2017, after Mkhaitir repeatedly repented, an appeal court overturned the ruling and handed him a two-year prison service -- which he had already served -- and a fine. Amnesty International, one of the signatories, said lawyers have repeatedly requested to visit him but not received an answer from the ministry of justice. In May, the Mauritanian authorities said Mkhaitir -- also spelt Mkheitir and M'Kheitir -- was being held in "administrative detention for his own safety." Angry protests unfurled in Mauritanian towns when Mkhaitir was put on trial and after his sentence was announced. The National Assembly, in April this year, passed a law making the death penalty mandatory for convictions for "blasphemous speech" and "sacrilegious" acts, even if the offender promptly repents. The last execution in Mauritania took place in 1987. Mkhaitir's case contributed to Mauritania falling 17 positions in Reporters Without Borders' 2018 World Press Freedom Index, the biggest drop of any African nation. Two Asian women won Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Press Freedom Awards on Thursday for their bravery in holding governments to account in the face of persistent threats. Indian freelance reporter Swati Chaturvedi and Filipina social media campaigner Inday Espina-Varona were honoured at the RSF annual awards, being staged in London for the first time. Maltese journalist Matthew Caruana Galizia, who has carried on the work of his mother Daphne, murdered for exposing corruption on the Mediterranean island, was also honoured at the ceremony at the Getty Images Gallery. Established in 1985 to defend and promote press freedom, Paris-based RSF has been presenting its yearly awards since 1992. Previous winners include the late Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, imprisoned Saudi blogger Raif Badawi and the Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet. Chaturvedi won the Prize for Courage, awarded for journalism in a hostile environment. She has faced online harassment campaigns after exposing what she calls a "troll army" operating for the governing Bharatiya Janata Party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "I get a dozen death threats every day and around 15 to 20 rape threats," she told AFP. "The whole idea of a democracy is that you are allowed to have a dissenting view. "Unfortunately, the way politics has panned out across the world, journalists are really under threat. "It is sad that you are called courageous just for doing your job." - Sexist attacks - Veteran journalist Espina-Varona founded a social media women's rights campaign in response to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's comments on women. "After a particularly hard-hitting column, I find 50 to 80 private messages calling me a liar, an ugly woman, and mostly these are sexist attacks," she told AFP. "The slurs don't really bother me but the threats that say 'we know where you live, we'll see if you are as brave as you think' -- that bothers me because it also happens to other journalists." Story continues She won the Prize for Independence, awarded to reporters for resisting pressure in carrying out their work. "Independence is very important for citizen journalism. I teach young people to be critical minded and I hope this award will inspire them," she said. Some 63 journalists, 11 citizen journalists and four media assistants have been killed so far in 2018, RSF said, including Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. A total of 55 journalists were killed in the whole of 2017. Caruana Galizia won the Prize for Impact, awarded for work that has led to an increase in awareness of journalistic freedom. His mother, Malta's pioneering anti-corruption blogger, was assassinated in a car bomb attack in October 2017. - 'Fight for the right thing' - "It's a recognition that what we're fighting for is right," he said of the award. "It's about continuing to fight for the right thing: justice for my mother and for her stories. Everything else will follow. "Hope is a word for people who have already given up." He said Malta could and should become a functional European Union democracy that did not have to rely on investigative journalism as the last remaining line of defence. However, "its toxicity will spread" throughout the EU if partners including Britain and France did not join the fight. Daphne Caruana Galizia's murder remains unresolved. Ninety percent of violent crimes against journalists go unpunished, said RSF. Afghanistan is currently the world's deadliest country for journalists, with 14 killed this year. "The alarming number of deaths is a reminder of the urgent need to provide journalists with more protection," said RSF secretary-general Christophe Deloire. Some 168 journalists, 150 citizen journalists and 19 media assistants are in jail, the organisation said. RSF's 2018 World Press Freedom Index ranks the worst five countries for journalists as China, Syria, Turkmenistan, Eritrea and North Korea, which came last at 180th. Bombardier cuts 5,000 jobs in worldwide cull (Reuters) A steady flow of taxpayer dollars isnt stopping Bombardier (BBD-B.TO) from eliminating more jobs. It plans to cut about 5,000 over the next year or so. The downsizing is expected to save the Montreal-based company $250 million by 2021. Details were revealed in the companys latest earnings report. Once again it appears the government was bamboozled, Benj Gallander of Contra The Heard Investment Letter told Yahoo Finance Canada. Unfortunately the norm is to look at the short term in many ways and election prospects as compared to what will work in the long run. In what appears to be a shift in focus on its rail and business jet divisions, Bombardier is also selling what it calls non-core assets. Longview Aviation Capital is buying the Q Series turboprop aircraft program. CAE is buying Bombardiers training services. Bombardier says the sales will bring in $900 million. With our heavy investment cycle now completed, we continue to make solid progress executing our turnaround plan, says Bombardier CEO Alain Bellemare. With todays announcements we have set in motion the next round of actions necessary to unleash the full potential of the Bombardier portfolio. Bombardiers stock fell sharply in early trading, despite the cost-cutting efforts. The plunge was severe enough to trigger a trading halt. The amount of cash on hand being well below estimates was the likely culprit. Bombardier shares fell after earnings report. (Yahoo Finance) Gallander has bet on Bombardier in the past, but concerns about debt have kept him away lately. He says the sale of assets is significant. It seems that in May this was not on the table. That is a major managerial shift. Couple this with the sale of a controlling stake in the C Series to Airbus and these are very sad days for the Canadian economy, says Gallander. I think that it can be compared on a smaller level to the shutdown of the Avro Arrow, a day that in the Canadian aviation industry was known as Black Friday with a loss of almost 30,000 jobs. Story continues A part of doing business Despite the negative reaction on Bay street, McGills Karl Moore told Yahoo Finance Canada todays announcements are sound business moves. Alain Bellemare has to decide where in their various business lines to invest their CAPEX, clearly the future is brighter in the Business Jets and Transportation Divisions than in the Q400 or the pilot training, says Moore. The job cuts announcement sparked anger among politicians. Interim Parti Quebecois leader Pascal Berube called the announcement catastrophic for employment in Quebec and called on Bombardier execs to give back public money. The union representing 19,000 workers says hes worried about the future of the aircraft industry. Its very bad news, says Renaud Gagne, director of Unifors Quebec division. It sends a troubling message for the future of the industry at the same time the sector is suffering from a labour shortage. But Karl Moore was not surprised by the announcement. The layoffs are largely as a result of the 7000 development being done and so without new products to work on these jobs are simply not necessary anymore. This is simply part of the natural ebb and flow of aircraft development. I suspect these engineers would have seen this coming for some time, says Moore. Despite todays turbulence, Bombardier expects sales to grow by 10 per cent next year, fueled by its Global 7500 business jet. A homeless couple gather their belongings at a tent camp in San Francisco. Half the money that the newly passed Proposition C generates will go toward building permanent housing for homeless residents. (Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS) San Francisco voters have passed Proposition C after a heated campaign to tax the citys wealthiest businesses in order to double funding for its overstretched homelessness services. The measure, which divided both tech CEOs and local leaders, approves a new tax of 0.175 to 0.69 percent on any businesses gross annual receipts that total over $50 million. Though its expected to affect 300 to 400 businesses, many regard it as an effort to get the citys newcomer tech companies to help solve a homelessness crisis thats come to define the city as much as the tech industry has. Just weeks before the election, the United Nations singled out the issue of homelessness in San Francisco as being cruel and inhumane and in violation of human rights. Prop. C expects to raise as much as $300 million for homelessness services, nearly doubling what San Francisco currently spends to help the estimated 7,500 individuals and 1,200 families living on its streets. It mandates that half of the money it generates go toward permanent housing; one-quarter toward mental health and addiction services; 15 percent toward homeless prevention programs, such as rent assistance and eviction defense; and 10 percent toward emergency shelters and hygiene programs. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff led the push for passing Proposition C in the tech community. (Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS) In an assessment of the ballot measures claims, the citys Office of Economic Analysis concluded that Prop. C would likely succeed in reducing homelessness in San Francisco and improving health outcomes and reducing the use of acute and emergency services in the city. But the assessment also found that the new tax may cost the city 725 to 875 jobs a year over the next two decades a net estimate found by factoring in both the jobs lost because of higher business taxes and the jobs gained by increased spending on construction and homeless services. Despite the possibility of jobs leaving the city, it was championed by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Rep Jackie Speier (D-Calif.), the San Francisco police commissioner, the San Francisco Board of Education leaders and some of the citys progressive supervisors. Story continues The most vocal advocate among those who will be taxed has been Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, who pledged at least $2 million to help it pass. He squabbled with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, whom Benioff accused of acting in his own financial interest without providing another solution. Dorsey, whose Twitter headquarters sits squarely in the middle of a neighborhood prominently struggling with homelessness, sided with San Francisco Mayor London Breed against Prop. C on the basis that San Franciscans should listen to the mayor. Breed, who was sworn into office in July, has raised concerns about the economic effect of Proposition C, the fact that it lacks a precise spending plan and that it does not plan for oversight or audits on how the money is spent. Other vocal critics of the plan include Jon Zieger, CEO of the tech company Stripe; state Sen. Scott Wiener (D); and the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. Related Coverage San Francisco To Get A Record $100 Million To Fight Homelessness Why You Should Keep An Eye On The Effort To Repeal California's Gas Tax San Francisco Voters To Decide Whether To Tax Tech Giants To Fight Homelessness Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. UVALDE, Texas (AP) A driver convicted in a church bus crash in South Texas that left 13 people dead will soon learn his punishment. Twenty-one-year-old Jack Dillon Young , of Leakey, faces up to 270 years in prison after pleading no contest in June to 13 counts of intoxication manslaughter and one count of intoxication assault. Prosecutors say Young was driving under the influence of a prescription antidepressant and had smoked marijuana before the March 2017 collision on U.S Highway 83 near Uvalde, about 75 miles (120 kilometers) west of San Antonio. His sentencing hearing began Wednesday in Uvalde. Defense attorney Rogelio Munoz asked for mercy and said doctors didn't properly monitor Young's prescription drug use. The hearing is expected to last at least through the end of the week. If its November in the Sunshine State, it must be time for a recount or two. The two top races in the state, for governor and senator, seem likely to go to recounts, with less than .5 percent separating the Republican and Democratic candidates, which automatically triggers a new machine count under Florida law. A lead of less than 0.25 percent triggers a hand recount of actual ballots. As of Thursday afternoon, in the race for governor, former Republican Rep. Ron DeSantis leads Tallahassee mayor Andrew Gillum by .47 percent. In the Senate race, Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, is ahead of incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson by .22 percent. Thousands of ballots remain uncounted, according to the Miami Herald, including in the Democratic stronghold of Broward County, where officials have yet to disclose early voting and absentee totals. Gillum conceded Tuesday night but his campaign released a statement Thursday morning walking it back. On Tuesday night, the Gillum for Governor campaign operated with the best information available about the number of outstanding ballots left to count, Gillums communications director Johanna Cervone said in a statement. Since that time, it has become clear there are many more uncounted ballots than was originally reported. Our campaign, along with our attorney Barry Richard, is monitoring the situation closely and is ready for any outcome, including a state-mandated recount. Mayor Gillum started his campaign for the people, and we are committed to ensuring every single vote in Florida is counted. Having already declared victory, Scotts campaign has attempted to portray the results as settled. Left to right: Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum, Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis, Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., Florida governor and Republican senatorial candidate Rick Scott. (Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: MPI10/MediaPunch/IPX/Getty Images, John Raoux/AP, Jeff Mitchell /Getty Images, Joe Raedle/Getty Images) This morning, Bill Nelson is introducing the people of Florida to Marc Elias, a hired gun from Washington, D.C., who will try to win an election for Nelson that Nelson has already lost, Scotts campaign said in an email Thursday. Nelson hired veteran election-law attorney Marc Elias to navigate what is sure to prove a highly contentious process, reminiscent of the battle that decided the 2000 presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore. In that race, Florida, which held the balance of power in the Electoral College, was decided in favor of Bush by .01%, or fewer than 1,000 votes, after the Supreme Court halted an ongoing recount. Story continues Florida has since abandoned the punch-ballot voting technology, which required election officials to examine hanging chads in an attempt to discern the intent of voters. A significant number of ballots have not yet been counted and, because of the size of Florida, we believe the results of the election are unknown and require a recount, Elias said in a statement Wednesday. Election supervisors in Floridas 67 counties have until 1 p.m. Saturday to send their unofficial results to the secretary of state. If recounts do go forward, the state will find itself under national scrutiny, just as it was in 2000. The recounts will be nationally watched, Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner told county elections supervisors Thursday, according to the Tampa Bay Times. [Were] under a microscope. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: Ventura County Sheriffs Sgt. Ron Helus died a hero in Wednesdays shooting at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, Sheriff Geoff Dean said. Helus was among at least 12 killed when a gunman opened fire on the popular nightspot for local college students outside Los Angeles. Helus, among the first law enforcement responders, entered the front door of the bar with a highway patrol officer, according to reports. He was shot multiple times before his fellow officer could move him out of the way. Helus later died from his injuries. Helus, who was married and had a son, had been on the force for 29 years and was to retire in a year, CBS News noted. He was totally committed, Dean said. He gave his all and tonight, as I told his wife, he died a hero ... because he went in to save lives. (Photo: Facebook) Capt. Garo Kuredjian said in the video below posted by CNN that a young man who was inside the club told him that Helus saved additional people from being victims. Thats what cops do, Kuredjian said. Thats what he did. "When he heard the gunfire, he ran in. He ran in and no doubt saved others... And that's what cops do. That's what he did.": Sgt. Ron Helus had been set to retire in the next year. He is among at least 12 killed in the Thousand Oaks shooting. https://t.co/WDmZrgvadj pic.twitter.com/s3p2JDKTdr CNN (@CNN) November 8, 2018 Helus, 54, also owned a business called Gun Control, specializing in firearms training, according to his Facebook page. He was a University of Oklahoma graduate. Its so tragic losing Ron, Dean said, per CNN. We go to the gym together, work out together. Its horrific and terrible and it saddens our hearts. Also on HuffPost Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. People comfort each other after a mass shooting at a bar in Thousand Oaks, California. People comfort each other as they stand near the scene. Nellie Wong cries as Chyann Worrell holds her. The two and Erika Sigman (right) were all inside when the shooting started inside the Borderline Bar & Grill. Tim Dominguez, who was in the bar with his son, sits under the freeway. In this image taken from video, a victim is carried from the scene of the shooting Wednesday evening. Holden Harrah, 21, (right), who witnessed the shooting, hugs family and friends. People leave the scene in Thousand Oaks. Sheriff and FBI investigators huddle at the command post. Police work in the area. A man speaks with law enforcement personnel as people stand near South Moorpark Road. Molly Esterline is hugged by David Crawford near the scene. People stand in a parking lot along South Moorpark Road. Jason Coffman displays a photo of his son Cody outside the Thousands Oaks Teen Center, where he came hoping to find his son who was at the Borderline Bar & Grill. A forensics team works the scene on Thursday in Thousand Oaks. Police officers guard the scene. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean identifies Ian Long as the shooter at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks. Police investigate the scene. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Bratislava (AFP) - Slovak activists on Thursday transformed segmented park benches in Bratislava into comfortable places to sleep in a silent protest against a law in EU neighbour Hungary criminalising homelessness. "These segmented benches prevent people from lying down. For us, they represent hostile, anti-homeless architecture," Sandra Pazman Tordova, organiser of this solidarity campaign, told AFP. Protesters stacked special narrow mattresses high enough to create a soft, level sleeping surface over armrests segmenting park benches to prevent anyone from stretching out on them. Wearing deep blue bathrobes over their clothes, they then stretched out on the benches for a nap. The protest comes as some candidates in municipal elections that will be held across Slovakia on Saturday have been campaigning on measures inspired by Hungary's move to ban sleeping rough. "Some local politicians declared during the current pre-election campaign that homeless people should be expelled from city centres and even promised their voters that they will push through measures similar to those in Hungary," Tordova said. Rough sleeping in EU member Hungary was banned in October under a homelessness law adopted by right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government that critics have described as "cruel". With police now empowered to remove rough sleepers from streets and dismantle huts and shacks, a Hungarian government official said that the law "serves the interests of society as a whole". But Pazman Tordova, who works for the Proti prudu NGO focused on helping the homeless, insisted that "repression is not a solution". Homeless people in Slovakia have limited access to shelters. There are only 250 beds in the 24-hour shelters in the capital Bratislava, a city of 420,000 people. According to official statistics, there are at least 2,064 homeless people in the capital but NGOs estimate their population at 4,000. London (AFP) - Spoof billboards appeared in the British capital on Thursday purportedly organised by Russian military intelligence officers "to celebrate their role" in the 2016 Brexit referendum -- to the bemusement of Londoners. The posters, an attempt at geo-political satire erected at several spots in east London, are supposedly the work of Russia's GRU military intelligence unit, according to a light-hearted press release from organisers. One billboard reads "let's celebrate a red, white and blue Brexit" -- with the "r" in Brexit reversed to appear Cyrillic -- alongside a picture of Russian President Vladimir Putin winking and clasping the Russian flag. Another screams "thank you! Boris" next to a well-known photo of Boris Johnson, Britain's former foreign secretary and leading Brexiteer, suspended from a zipwire. He is also holding Russian flags in his hands in the poster. Both billboards carry the hashtag "proudbear" and list a Russia-based website. "Proud Bear" is a St Petersburg-based cyber-intelligence unit hoping "to counter recent unwarranted negative publicity about the GRU," the organiser's satirical statement said. Britain has blamed the agency for orchestrating the poisoning of ex-Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the English city of Salisbury in March. Meanwhile the "Proud Bear" name appears to be a mocking reference to the Russian hacking groups Fancy Bear and Cozy Bear, accused of cyber-attacks on the US Democratic Party in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election. The billboard organisers added mockingly they aim to highlight the GRU's "part in Britain's imminent liberation from the EU". Although the British government has said it found no evidence of foreign interference in the Brexit vote, some critics have accused Moscow of playing an underhand role. Bemused Londoners passing the posters on Thursday seemed unsure what to make of them. Story continues "I have no idea what this is -- I took a photo to Google it," said 49-year-old Roasana Claussen as she stared up at Putin. Church worker Hassan Jama, 30, was similarly perplexed in front of the Johnson billboard. "I don't have a clue. This is my first time seeing it," he said. But the joke wasn't lost on everyone. "I find that very funny," chuckled 32-year-old Olly Hawes. "It's thought provoking in some ways." Noting their placement in east London, which heavily backed Britain remaining in the EU in the 2016 referendum, he added: "I guess it's preaching to the converted, and perhaps a jab in the ribs rather than an attempt to achieve anything." The organisers announced they have also launched a bid to raise 55,000 (63,000 euros, $72,000) to place an advert on "the largest digital billboard in Europe... in Waterloo station". They pledged the 40-metre long advert will feature "a topless Vladimir Putin riding Big Ben like a horse, alongside the words "taking back control" -- a key Brexiteers slogan. A prolonged power-struggle between Sri Lanka's president and his sacked prime minister has paralysed the island's government and must be solved immediately, a key MP said Wednesday. President Maithripala Sirisena is yet to appoint several ministers since controversially dismissing Ranil Wickremesinghe's administration last month and appointing former strongman Mahinda Rajapakse in his place. The move, which has been described as illegal by opponents, has triggered a constitutional crisis. Sirisena has filled only 20 of 30 cabinet positions -- purposefully keeping some portfolios vacant to tempt legislators of Wickremesinghe's party to defect to his and Rajapakse's side ahead of a parliamentary vote on November 14. The vote will determine whether Wickremesinghe or Rajapakse has a majority to form a government. "Our country is going down the precipice. No one is working in government offices," Kumar Welgama, a senior member of Rajapakse's party and an influential Sri Lankan politician, told reporters in Colombo. "Public servants want to know who the real PM is. People are confused," he added, calling for the suspension of parliament to be lifted so that the issue of who is the rightful prime minister can be settled. "Today, we are the laughing stock of the world. One prime minister is in the official residence and the other is in the PM's office. "We need to settle this issue through parliament," he said. Sirisena sacked Wickremesinghe on October 26 due to an intense personality clash between the two. Wickremesinghe says his dismissal was illegal and claims to command a majority in parliament. Rajapakse also maintains that he has a majority, however, leaving the country in the unusual position of having two people claiming to be prime minister. Sirisena shut parliament a day after sacking Wickremesinghe. He has refused calls to reconvene it at the earliest opportunity, saying it will not reopen until November 14. According to latest counts, Wickremesinghe has 103 MPs from the 225-seat assembly after gaining a defection on Tuesday, while Rajapakse and Sirisena have 101. Most of the remaining 21 MPs are set to oppose Rajapakse, observers say. Khartoum (AFP) - Sudan on Thursday welcomed a US announcement that Washington was willing to remove Khartoum from its blacklist of state sponsors of terrorism and said it was ready to cooperate. The US State Department Wednesday said Washington was prepared to "initiate the process of rescinding Sudan's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism" if Khartoum undertakes more reforms. It called on Sudan to engage in further anti-terrorism cooperation and improve its human rights record, and act on outstanding claims related to terrorism as well as work to resolve internal conflicts. The announcement came after talks Tuesday in Washington between US Deputy John Sullivan and Sudanese Foreign Minister Al-Dierdiry Ahmed. The Sudanese foreign ministry said the talks marked the "launching of the second phase of the strategic dialogue with the United States" aimed at bolstering "bilateral cooperation" between the two countries and achieving "progress in a number of fields of mutual concern". A statement said Sudan "welcomes" these talks and the US announcement that it was "ready to engage in a process to remove Sudan from a list of state sponsors of terrorism" in stages. The statement stressed Sudan's "readiness to engage" in steps aimed at "reaching the aspired goals". Washington blacklisted Sudan in 1993 over its alleged links with Islamist extremists, and in 1998 it struck Khartoum with cruise missiles. Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden lived in Sudan between 1992 to 1996. In October 2017, Washington lifted decades-old sanctions on Sudan following improved relations between the two countries. Officials say blacklisting Sudan is holding back it crisis-hit economy from recovering as international banks, global financial institutions and investors remain wary of conducting commercial transactions with the country. Texas voters have re-elected Republican Ted Cruz to the US Senate after a tight battle with Democrat Beto ORourke. The Senate seat for the Lone Star state remains ruby red after the historic 2018 midterms, though analysts said Mr ORourke brought a wave of Democratic voters to the ballots and could prove a viable candidate in the 2020 presidential elections. His candidacy may have proven beneficial for Democrats like Gina Ortiz Jones whose bid to win the House of Representatives seat of Republican Will Hurd in the states 23rd district was too close to call. Mr Cruz was not the only Republican to fight back against Democrats threatening the GOPs hold on the region, however. Texas Governor Greg Abbott also won a second term by defeating Democrat Lupe Valdez in a race whose outcome was seldom in doubt. Mr Cruz congratulated Mr ORourke during a celebratory speech on Tuesday night, saying his opponent poured his heart into the race. Meanwhile, Mr ORourke said he was so f****** proud of his supporters in a viral concession speech that essentially left the door open to his running against Donald Trump in 2020. The president played a key role in the US Senate race, throwing his support behind Mr Cruz and stumping for the Republican despite the two previously hurling exchanges towards each other in the 2016 presidential election. To catch up on how the evening progressed follow our live blog below Please take a moment for the live blog above to load. Twelve people have been killed and around a dozen more injured after a gunman opened fire in a packed bar hosting an event for students in southern California. The suspect entered the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, 40 miles northwest of Los Angeles, at 11.20pm local time and started firing into a crowd of around 200 people. A sheriff's sergeant responding to reports of the shooting died after being "struck multiple times with gunfire", Ventura County sheriff Geoff Dean said. :: Follow live updates from the Thousand Oaks shooting :: The 29-year-old suspect, described as dressed all in black with a mask covering his face, died inside the bar. His death took the total number of fatalities to 13. "It is a horrific scene in there, there is blood everywhere, and the suspect is part of that," Mr Dean said. The sheriff added that around 10 other people were shot and injured and an additional 10-12 were walking wounded. No other information on the victims was immediately known. "We don't know who shot anybody at this point," Mr Dean said, adding that the suspect was yet to be identified. Authorities do not yet know how the gunman, who was armed with a .45-caliber handgun, died, or what his motive might have been. Witnesses said the suspect shot a security guard standing at the door of the bar before entering the building and throwing "smoke grenades all over the place". He then fired into the crowd, apparently at random. A female cashier was said to be among the victims. At least 30 shots were fired before people inside the bar began using chairs to smash windows to escape, the witness said. Police were at the scene three minutes after the first 911 call was made. Teylor Whittler is hugged by her father after she fled the Borderline Bar (EPA) Donald Trump said he had been "fully briefed on the terrible shooting" and praised law enforcement, saying "great bravery" had been shown by the police. Sergeant Ron Helus, the police officer killed outside the bar, had a wife and son and was due to retire within the next 12 months after 29 years service. Story continues "Ron was a hardworking, dedicated sheriff's sergeant who was totally committed," Mr Dean said, "and tonight, as I told his wife, he died a hero because he went in to save lives." Teylor Whittler, 19, was on the dance floor when the shooting started. She said: "I heard the gunshot, turned around and saw him shoot a couple more times. "Within a split second everyone yelled get down. I ran to where the back door is, and everyone dog-piled on top of each other. It was silent for a couple of seconds and then all of a sudden a couple of guys started running to the back door and said get up hes coming. "It was a huge panic, everyone tried getting up, and some guy came behind me, lifted me up and said lets go. I got a bar stool thrown at my head because they were trying to use it to get out. Nick Steinwender, student body president at nearby California Lutheran University, rushed to the scene when he heard about a shooting at the bar where he knew friends and fellow students were inside. "It was chaos, people jumping out of windows, people hopping over gates to get out," he told KABC-TV. The website for Borderline bar showed that Wednesday nights are College Country Nights that last from 9 pm until 2am. Nearby Pepperdine University said "multiple ... students were on site" at the bar and staff were "working to identify and provide support to those students". Matt Wennerstrom, 20, took over carrying someone who had been shot. He has blood on his t shirt. He tried to get as many people as he could out of the bar. #ThousandOaksShooting pic.twitter.com/LVZkftr8db Brittny Mejia (@brittny_mejia) November 8, 2018 Thousand Oaks, a wealthy area close to several colleges and universities, is ranked as one of America's safest cities by the FBI. The US has suffered a succession of deadly incidents involving guns in recent days, including a shooting in a yoga studio in Florida that left two people dead and five injured. Last month a gunman entered the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh just as Shabbat services were beginning and started shooting, killing 11 people and wounding six others in the deadliest attack on Jews in US history. A former US Marine killed 12 people as he opened fire in a California country music bar packed with college students. America's latest mass shooting took place in the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, a leafy, middle class city near Los Angeles. The gunman Ian David Long, 28, had served in the Marines for five years until 2013, earning the rank of corporal, and had been deployed as a machine gunner to Afghanistan in 2010. He was believed to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. In April this year police were called to his home five miles from the bar, where he lived with his mother, because he was behaving angrily and erratically. A mental health crisis team was drafted in but concluded Long did not need to be hospitalised. The gunman burst into the bar around 11:20 p.m, dressed in all black Credit: Al Seib / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Wearing a black hooded top and a balaclava over his face Long approached the Borderline, which was holding a regular "college country night," at 11.20pm on Wednesday. He shot dead the bouncer before moving inside, killing more staff, throwing smoke bombs, and shooting customers at random, including people lying injured on the floor. He then shot himself dead in the bar's office. Long was armed with a legally owned Glock handgun, but it had a high-capacity magazine which is illegal in California. The dead included the first police officer on the scene, Sergeant Ron Helus, 54. Law enforcement agencies were swiftly on the scene Credit: AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said: "He went in there to save people and made the ultimate sacrifice. It's a horrific scene in there. There's blood everywhere. It's hell." He said no motive for the shooting had been established, but the gunman "obviously had something going on in his head". Long dropped out of college in California in 2016 towards the end of a sports degree. Last year Long explained on Shadowspear, an internet forum for special forces soldiers, his decision to drop out of his college sports degree. He wrote: "Maybe the ego got the better of me but it took only one time for a 19-year-old athlete to talk down to me and tell me how to do my job that I realised this wasn't the career I wanted." Story continues Police also had contact with him in 2015 when he was beaten up at a bar. John Hedge, who was in the Borderline, said: "I just started hearing these big pops. Pop, pop, pop. I hit the ground. I look up. The security guard was shot, he was down. The gunman was throwing smoke grenades all over the place." Another survivor, Teylor Whittler, 19, said she was on the dance floor and "dove to the ground". She said the gunman "had perfect form and looked like he knew what he was doing". Describing the incident in April, Sheriff Dean said: "Officers felt he might be suffering from PTSD, the fact he was a veteran and had been in the corps. "They called out our crisis intervention team, our mental health specialists who met with him, talked to him, and cleared him." A recent survey named Thousand Oaks the third-safest city in the United States. First victim identified: Sergeant Ron Helus of the Ventura County Sheriff's Office Donald Trump, the US president, said he had "been fully briefed on the terrible shooting" and ordered flags to be flown at half-staff at public buildings. Six shot in club in Thousand Oaks plus deputy shot responding pic.twitter.com/6iSAzbzazr Richard Winton (@LAcrimes) November 8, 2018 It was the latest chapter in America's epidemic of gun violence, happening 10 days after a gunman killed 11 people at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. Jerry Nadler, a leading Democrat congressman in Washington, said an attempt to introduce a new law on universal background checks for gun buyers would begin when the House of Representatives convenes, with a Democratic majority, in January. He said: "We must find a way to stop the senseless, and many times preventable, killings that are robbing our country of innocent lives." For some survivors, the mass shooting at Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, wasnt their first. Dozens of people who were at the country music bar outside Los Angeles when a gunman opened fire late Wednesday also survived the October 2017 Las Vegas massacre, where a gunman killed 58 people. Nick Champion was among those inside the bar when the gunman struck, killing at least a dozen people. Its the second time in about a year and a month that this has happened, Champion said in an interview with Californias OnSceneTV, which aired on CBS This Morning. I was in the Las Vegas Route 91 mass shooting, as well as probably 50 or 60 others who were in the building at the same time as me tonight. Its a big thing for us, he added. We all are a big family, and unfortunately, this family got hit twice. That music fans like Champion could be caught up in more than one gun-fueled massacre is a sobering reflection of how frequently mass shootings happen in America. Nicholas Champion was inside the California bar during the mass shooting. He also survived the 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas that killed 58 people and injured hundreds more: https://t.co/9swbbJ45P5 pic.twitter.com/HX80jFow4n CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) November 8, 2018 Champion did not immediately respond to a message from HuffPost. At least one survivor of the Route 91 massacre died in the shooting at Borderline. Telemachus Orfanos, 27, worked as a security guard at the bar, but had been there on Wednesday just to enjoy a night out with friends, his friend Marybeth Schroeder, who also works at Borderline, told HuffPost. After Orfanos was confirmed dead, his mother, Susan Schmidt-Orfanos, tearfully called for more gun control and derided lawmakers for offering thoughts and prayers. Story continues My son was in Las Vegas with a lot of his friends and he came home. He didnt come home last night, she told KABC-TV. I dont want prayers. I dont want thoughts. I want gun control, and I hope to God nobody else sends me any more prayers. I want gun control. No more guns! As many as 30 people at Borderline on Wednesday night also attended last years Las Vegas festival, music fan Cory Spellman, 27, told HuffPost. She described the bar as a community that included dozens of people who also attended the Vegas festival. Were one big family, said Spellman, who was not at the bar Wednesday night. Katie Ray, 25, also survived the Vegas shooting with her fiance, whom she met at Borderline. She told HuffPost that the bar, where she has been a regular since 2014, was a place of healing for the tight-knit group of Vegas survivors. For many of us, it was seeing each others faces in the bar again that brought us a huge sense of relief, she said. Champion recounted his experience in Las Vegas last year in an interview with Billboard magazine, and talked about friendships he developed with other country music fans line-dancing at the Borderline. The friends often traveled to country festivals, he said in the article. The Las Vegas show was the fifth. Even though Ill never be as comfortable again in that kind of setting, whether its concerts, clubs, bars, anything where theres a big group of people in any kind of confined space, Im never going to be as comfortable again, Champion said in the Billboard article. But its not going to stop me, and I dont want to let fear change the way I live. He said then that he and his friends planned to hold a memorial service at Borderline for the Las Vegas victims. Were going to be hanging the Route 91 flag up at our college night tonight at Borderline, he said. Were going to be doing a little moment of silence. The friends also marked the six-month anniversary of the Las Vegas massacre with an event at Borderline, according to a photo from Champions Facebook page. Champion told Billboard in April that the Las Vegas shooting inspired him to become a firefighter. Others inside the Borderline on Wednesday also had endured the Las Vegas massacre, friends told the Los Angeles Times. Wednesday was the bars regular College Music Night, featuring line-dancing. A lot of people in the Route 91 situation go here, Chandler Gunn, who said a friend was inside when the shooting started, told the Times. Theres people that live a whole lifetime without seeing this, and then theres people that have seen it twice. This story has been updated with additional details. Sara Boboltz contributed reporting. Related Coverage Thousand Oaks Bar Shooting Leaves At Least 13 Dead, Including Gunman These Are The Victims Of The Thousand Oaks Shooting Mom Of Thousand Oaks Shooting Victim Who Survived Las Vegas Makes Heartbreaking Plea Also on HuffPost Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. People comfort each other after a mass shooting at a bar in Thousand Oaks, California. People comfort each other as they stand near the scene. Nellie Wong cries as Chyann Worrell holds her. The two and Erika Sigman (right) were all inside when the shooting started inside the Borderline Bar & Grill. Tim Dominguez, who was in the bar with his son, sits under the freeway. In this image taken from video, a victim is carried from the scene of the shooting Wednesday evening. Holden Harrah, 21, (right), who witnessed the shooting, hugs family and friends. People leave the scene in Thousand Oaks. Sheriff and FBI investigators huddle at the command post. Police work in the area. A man speaks with law enforcement personnel as people stand near South Moorpark Road. Molly Esterline is hugged by David Crawford near the scene. People stand in a parking lot along South Moorpark Road. Jason Coffman displays a photo of his son Cody outside the Thousands Oaks Teen Center, where he came hoping to find his son who was at the Borderline Bar & Grill. A forensics team works the scene on Thursday in Thousand Oaks. Police officers guard the scene. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean identifies Ian Long as the shooter at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks. Police investigate the scene. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Three men have been jailed for a brutal machete attack in broad daylight that left a man with life-threatening injuries. Amir Hussain, 23, and brothers Zain Islam, also 23, and Hussan Yousaf, 21, were caught on CCTV launching the savage assault. All three denied attempted murder but were found guilty following a trial at Birmingham Crown Court and jailed for a total of 43 years on Monday. Hussain, of Bordesley Green, Birmingham, was jailed for 17 years while Islam and Yousaf, both from Small Heath, were handed 13-year sentences. Machete horror Hussan Yousaf, Zain Islam, and Amir Hussain (L-R) were jailed for a total of 43 years for the brutal attack (Pictures: SWNS) The trio had chased the 23-year-old victim, who was driving his mum to a doctors appointment, in a stolen pick-up truck on May 22 in Small Heath, Birmingham, forcing him to plough into bollards. As the victim pleaded for his mother to be spared, Hussain launched the attack, hacking at him with the 12-inch blade. MORE: Flybe flight seconds from crashing after it plummeted 500ft in 18 seconds due to autopilot error MORE: Indian capital shrouded by toxic smoke after thousands set off firecrackers to celebrate Diwali CCTV footage shows the victim staggering around while clutching his torso as his attackers sped off. He was left with his stomach sliced open and a deep cut to his arm. The victim was left with life-threatening injuries (Picture: SWNS) The trio were eventually found after police first retrieved the car which contained traces of the victims blood as well as Yousafs fingerprints and later received a tip-off as to their whereabouts. They were found lying low in a hotel room in Attercliffe, near Sheffield on June 6. Drugs were also recovered from the room plus almost 6,500 in cash. After the sentencing, Detective Constable Darren English, from West Midlands Police, said: This was a savage attack that left the victim with life threatening injuries in fact, had it not been for the swift actions of a nurse who ran to his aid he may well have died. The Fiat 44 passed the victims Audi Q7 moments after he set off to take his mum to the doctor. It reversed at speed for about 200 metres before swinging into a driveway and giving chase. Story continues Panicked the victim does not know the motive for the attack, police said (Picture: SWNS) He added: The victim who has not been able to provide a motive for attack was understandably panicked and in his bid to get away collided with bollards and a wall. He pleaded with the men who he knew from the local area for calm and urged them not to hurt his mother. But Hussain immediately began hitting out with the machete. The victim was placed in an induced coma and thankfully pulled through following surgery but he has been left with scarring and the psychological impact of such a traumatic event. Im pleased the courts have taken these three dangerous men out of society for a significant period of time. WASHINGTON President Donald Trumps dismissal of former Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Wednesday, less than 24 hours after Democrats won control of the House, sets up a potential constitutional showdown over Robert Muellers special counsel investigation examining Russian interference in the 2016 election. Sessions, an early Trump supporter who came under sustained and withering criticism from the president for recusing himself from overseeing the Russia investigation, departed the Justice Department in darkness Wednesday evening. Dozens of Justice Department employees looked on and applauded as Sessions shook hands with Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker (his former chief of staff), Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, Solicitor General Noel Francisco and Civil Division chief and former chief of staff Jody Hunt before boarding a black SUV in the courtyard of the Robert F. Kennedy Building. The acting attorney general, deputy attorney general and solicitor general send off former Attorney General Jeff Sessions. pic.twitter.com/KQfqkXPr80 Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) November 7, 2018 Democrats were certainly not fans of Sessions, a hard-line opponent of illegal immigration who rolled back enforcement of civil rights laws and tossed out Obama-era sentencing reforms. But they see Sessions ouster as yet another instance of Trump seeking to interfere with the Mueller probe, which has already resulted in the convictions of several Trump aides and the indictments of scores of Russian actors for their efforts to boost Trumps candidacy. And now, in the 116th U.S. Congress, theyll control the House gavels. The firing of Jeff Sessions will be investigated and people will be held accountable, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, said in a statement. This must begin immediately, and if not, then a Democratic Congress will make this a priority in January. Story continues President Trump waited until just hours after the midterm elections to make this move, which had been rumored for months, said Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee. Congress must now investigate the real reason for this termination, confirm that Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker is recused from all aspects of the Special Counsels probe, and ensure that the Department of Justice safeguards the integrity of the Mueller investigation. Democrats Question Whitakers Role Whitaker, who was able to assume the acting attorney general position because Sessions resigned instead of being fired, has enjoyed a meteoric rise since he was hired as Sessions chief of staff last year. After serving as a U.S. attorney in Iowa, Whitaker unsuccessfully ran for Senate and then became a commentator on CNN and ran a conservative ethics watchdog group called the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust. Hes said that Rosenstein, who oversees the Russia probe and is now Whitakers deputy, shouldve ordered Mueller to limit the scope of his investigation, and he warned that the special counsel was going too far and could be turning his investigation into a witch hunt. Cummings and other Democrats have called on Whitaker to recuse himself from the Mueller probe, given his prior commentary on the investigation as well as his ties to Sam Clovis, a witness in the Mueller investigation. Whitaker, in a statement Wednesday night, said he was committed to leading a fair Department with the highest ethical standards. The Justice Department has not said whether hell comply with the decision of career ethics officials who will examine whether theres a need for him to recuse himself. Matt Whitaker, now the acting attorney general, participates in an August roundtable event at the Department of Justice. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Its unclear if Trump wants Whitaker to take on the position permanently or if hell nominate a replacement. But, given what happened with Sessions, it seems unlikely Whitaker would agree to recuse himself from the Mueller probe. Oversight Will Have To Wait A Few Months Its unlikely that Republicans will agree to any form of oversight of the special counsel until Democrats take control of the House in January. When they do, it will mark a new era for the Trump administration, which hasnt faced any real congressional scrutiny since Trump took office in 2017. Republicans such as Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) have instead sought to protect the White Houses interests and to undermine the special counsel investigation. When Democrats do take over Congress, one key document theyll be interested in is the final report on Muellers investigation. Mueller is a by-the-books guy, and few expect him to break with Justice Department precedent and attempt to indict Trump. Whats more likely is that Muellers team will prepare a report outlining the evidence gathered about Trump, including the question of whether Trumps firing of former FBI Director James Comey or other attempts to intervene in the Mueller probe amounted to obstruction of justice. But where that report ultimately ends up is unclear. Theres no guarantee that Mueller and Rosenstein will send the report to Capitol Hill. Rudy Giuliani Trumps attorney/television surrogate has said theyd attempt to block the release of any Mueller report, though experts have said its unclear that the executive branch could actually claim privilege over the document. Whitaker, who has written about the ways a new attorney general could rein in the Mueller probe, could try to keep the document out of Congress hands. Subpoena Enforcement Could Lead To Court Battles Overall, its safe to expect more pressure on the Trump administration. It largely ignored requests from Democrats when they were in the House minority, but now the Democrats will have subpoena power. (One complicating factor: They have to rely upon the administration-controlled Justice Department to enforce such a subpoena.) There could be lengthy legal battles over which documents Congress is entitled to and which ones the Trump administration can keep secret. And the increased pressure from Capitol Hill will come at a time when a number of prominent legal roles in the administration are empty. Rep. Adam Schiff, the Democratic ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, said last month that the panel would investigate Russian money-laundering and Trumps business dealings. In a Washington Post op-ed, Schiff said that Democrats will need to ruthlessly prioritize the most important matters first, which he said included examining allegations that the Russians have financial leverage over Trump. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. Related Coverage Jeff Sessions Resigns As Attorney General At President Trump's Request Jeff Sessions Was Trumps Most Effective Cabinet Member. He Fired Him Anyway. Matt Whitaker, Trump's Acting Attorney General Pick, Is A Major Critic Of The Russia Probe This article originally appeared on HuffPost. By David Morgan and Susan Cornwell WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives pledged a new era of congressional scrutiny over President Donald Trump on Wednesday, shrugging off White House threats of political warfare if Democrats launch investigations into his affairs. "We have a constitutional responsibility for oversight," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters, a day after voters gave Democrats control of the House for the first time in eight years. "This doesn't mean we go looking for a fight. But it means that if we see a need to go forward, we will," she said. Incoming Democratic committee chairmen are expected to lead investigations into Trump's long-hidden tax returns, possible conflicts of interest from his business empire and any collusion between Russia and Trump's campaign team in the 2016 election. Pelosi, who hopes to return as House speaker when the new Democratic majority takes over in January, said committee chairmen will decide how to proceed and make their recommendations to the Democratic caucus. "But you can be sure of one thing: when we go down any of these paths, we'll know what we're doing and we'll do it right," said the 78-year-old San Francisco liberal. Trump earlier threatened to forego any attempt at bipartisanship and urge retaliatory investigations against Democrats in the Senate, which Republicans retained on Tuesday. "We're going to do the same thing, and government comes to a halt, and I would blame them," Trump said at a news conference. Trump does not have the authority to order Senate investigations. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell declined to comment on the possibility of retaliatory probes, which Trump first raised in a morning statement on Twitter. Trump has never faced opposition party control in Congress as president. Democrats say their House majority will end the ability of Republican lawmakers to protect him from scrutiny. "The American people have demanded accountability from their government," Representative Jerrold Nadler, the New York Democrat poised to become chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, wrote on Twitter. Trump "may not like it, but he and his administration will be held accountable to our laws and to the American people." The confrontational tone on both sides may preview what's in store for the next two years of Trump's presidency. Nadler, once slammed by Trump as "one of the most egregious hacks in contemporary politics," is among four senior Democrats who have clashed with the president in the past and will take over key House committees when the new Congress convenes. The others are Elijah Cummings at the House Oversight Committee; Adam Schiff of the Intelligence Committee, slammed by Trump as "sleazy;" and Maxine Waters at the Financial Services Committee, whom Trump said has "extraordinarily low IQ." Chairing the committees - where they are currently the highest-ranking Democrats - will give these Democrats the power to demand documents and testimony from White House officials and figures in Trump's campaign team and businesses, and to issue subpoenas if needed. "I plan to shine a light on waste, fraud, and abuse in the Trump administration," Cummings said on Wednesday. "I want to probe senior administration officials across the government who have abused their positions of power and wasted taxpayer money, as well as President Trump's decisions to act in his own financial self-interest," he said in a statement. The White House could respond to committee demands by citing executive privilege. That would likely result in court battles. 'NOT NERVOUS' Trump senior adviser Kellyanne Conway told CNN that House Democrats could encounter resistance from lawmakers within their own ranks who won swing districts. "People like when you focus on the issues, not investigations," Conway said. "The president's not nervous about anything." A first salvo is expected to come from Representative Richard Neal, who will likely be the Democratic chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, and who has said he will demand Trump's tax returns from Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. That could set in motion a series of probes into any disclosures from the documents. Trump on Wednesday reiterated his claim that the returns cannot be released due to an Internal Revenue Service audit. Schiff has said his panel would probe allegations that Russian money may have been laundered though Trump businesses and that Moscow might have financial leverage over him. Waters and other Democrats have been clamoring for details about Trumps relationship with German-based Deutsche Bank and what it may know about links between the president and Russia. Nadler's panel would handle any effort to impeach Trump, depending on the outcome of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's federal probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. elections and possible Trump campaign collusion with Moscow. Trump denies any collusion and has long denounced Mueller's investigation as a witch hunt. Moscow denies meddling. Nadler has said any impeachment effort must be based on evidence of action to subvert the Constitution that is so overwhelming it would trouble even the president's supporters. (Reporting by David Morgan and Susan Cornwell; Additional reporting by Patricia Zengerle, Amanda Becker, Susan Heavey and Mark Hosenball; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh) Washington (AFP) - President Donald Trump was accused Thursday of pushing America toward a constitutional crisis after his firing of the attorney general cast doubt over the future of an explosive probe into election collusion with Russian agents. Trump emerged from Tuesday's midterm elections promising a new era of cooperation, but suspicions that he is trying to kill the Russia probe and an extraordinary intensification of his war with journalists has thrown Washington into turmoil. The investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller's into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow during the 2016 election has been hanging over Trump throughout his turbulent presidency. Trump has continuously threatened that he has the power to shut down what he calls "a witch hunt" and on Wednesday he took the first potential step when he replaced his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, with loyalist Matthew Whitaker. The switch, announced abruptly in a Trump tweet, provoked consternation across Washington, where politicians from both sides of the aisle have long warned that political interference in Mueller's work cannot be tolerated. Democrats, who won the lower house of Congress in Tuesday's midterm elections, now see Trump as close to crossing that line with the ultimate goal of covering up alleged crimes. "The rule of law is disappearing before our eyes," tweeted Sally Yates, a deputy attorney general under Trump's predecessor Barack Obama and briefly in the top job under Trump before he sacked her. "He wants a political crony to protect him from the investigation of his own campaign," she said. Neal Katyal and George Conway, two prominent Washington lawyers, wrote in The New York Times that Trump was already breaking the law by appointing Whitaker without Senate confirmation. The rushed appointment "is unconstitutional. It's illegal. And it means that anything Mr Whitaker does, or tries to do, in that position is invalid," they argued. Story continues - Live TV row - In cities nationwide protestors took to the streets urging Congress to protect Mueller's probe. "Matthew Whitaker has criticized Robert Mueller's investigation again and again," said Noah Bookbinder at a park near the White House, where some 500 demonstrators had gathered as part of the "Nobody Is Above The Law" protests. "He's called it a lynch mob," said Bookbinder, head of the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics, a Washington group. "He said it should be shut down." "Congress has to step in, and protect this investigation." Trump said Wednesday that the midterms, where Democrats won the House of Representatives and Republicans held the Senate, meant both sides would have to learn bipartisanship. But if anything, the election aftermath has featured even hotter controversy than before, whether over Mueller or Trump's other favorite bugbear -- the media. At a press conference Wednesday, Trump branded CNN reporter Jim Acosta an "enemy of the people" when he posed questions, including about the Russia probe, and refused to give up the mic. The row, carried live on national TV networks, was followed by Trump issuing angry put-downs to several other reporters. Shortly after, the White House took the extremely rare measure of revoking Acosta's press pass. On Thursday, the Acosta incident entered even more bizarre territory when the White House was accused of tweeting a video doctored to make the reporter appear more aggressive in fending off the female press aide who tried to remove his mic. Answering allegations Thursday that the White House had used a clip edited by a notorious right-wing conspiracy theorist, Trump spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said: "We stand by our statement." - Call to 'stop him' - Spats between Trump and journalists can sometimes seem circus-like, but critics say the president's hot temper illustrates his deeper disdain for Washington norms -- and allegedly for the rule of law. Those concerns are now focused on the future of the Mueller probe, which began as a look into alleged links with Russians seeking to disrupt the election and expanded into an investigation of billionaire Trump's murky finances, including his business ties to Russia. As Mueller has gotten closer to the heart of the Trump family's closely guarded financial secrets, the president has become more enraged. Whitaker now becomes Mueller's new boss and will likely be sympathetic towards Trump. Sessions had recused himself from the investigation, because of his own contacts with Russians during the 2016 campaign, instead handing responsibility for Mueller to his deputy Rod Rosenstein. Trump responded by repeatedly seeking to publicly humiliate Sessions. Whitaker has made no public comment since being named, but is reported in US media to have made clear he will not recuse himself. In the past, he has shown distinct skepticism about the probe, calling for its scope to be curtailed. In 2017 he even used Trump's words, warning against Mueller engaging in a "witch hunt." He also called the appointment of Mueller as special counsel -- a position meant to be safe from political influence -- "ridiculous." In the House of Representatives, the senior Democrat on the Intelligence Committee -- which Democrats will control from January -- sounded the alarm. "If the president seeks to interfere in the impartial administration of justice, the Congress must stop him," Adam Schiff said. Republicans, with a handful of exceptions, have so far remained silent. Dublin (AFP) - Two men have been arrested in Northern Ireland on hate crime charges after a group dressed in Ku Klux Klan costumes posed for a photograph outside an Islamic centre, police said Thursday. The social media image showed nine people in white hoods carrying crucifixes close to the Bangladesh Islamic Centre in Newtownards on Saturday 27 October -- when many revellers were out celebrating Halloween. Police "have arrested two men, aged 33 and 36," the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said in a statement. Superintendent Brian Kee said police had carried our searches in Newtownards and had seized "a number of items". The men were both arrested "on suspicion of displaying written material to stir up hatred or arouse fear", police said. Both have been released on bail and a police spokesman told AFP the investigation remained open. Last weekend the paper Sunday Life reported they had identified the man who took the pictures of the group. They named him as Barry Good -- a member of unionist paramilitary group the Ulster Defence Association (UDA). The paper said it was also aware of the identities of two of the "klansmen" -- one a "major drug dealer" -- but that it could not publish them for legal reasons. When images of the KKK group were circulated on social media there were reports that the party, dressed in white robes and hoods, also visited bars in Newtownards. The group posed for photos at a pub in the town with a woman by the name of Sharon Mellor -- the partner of the leader of far-right group National Front, the Belfast Telegraph reported. The publication produced an image of Mellor with an individual clothed in a blood-spattered KKK costume, holding a beer. Mellor told the paper the people were "random strangers". "A few blokes were dressed up for Halloween, no idea who they were," she added. The paper also claimed Mellor "joked" three years ago about having tried to set fire to the same Islamic centre. A pig's head was left outside the centre in August last year. The KKK -- a white supremacist group founded after the abolition of slavery in the USA -- is notorious for committing barbarous acts of violence against ethnic minorities. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. special envoy for peace in Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, will visit Afghanistan, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar from Nov. 8 to 20 to push for peace negotiations with the Afghan Taliban, the State Department said on Thursday. Khalilzad met Taliban leaders in Qatar last month as part of efforts to find a way to end the 17-year-long war in Afghanistan, according to the Islamist group that was ousted from power by U.S.-led forces in 2001. "On his last trip to the region in October, Special Representative Khalilzad called on the Afghan Government and the Taliban to organize authoritative negotiating teams, and has been encouraged to see that both parties are taking steps in that direction," the State Department said in a statement. "The United States remains committed to a political settlement that results in an end to the war and to the terrorist threat posed to the United States and the world." The Taliban are fighting the U.S.-backed Kabul government to re-impose strict Islamic law and have stepped up attacks in strategic provinces. A senior Taliban official said after last month's talks that Khalilzad had asked the Taliban leadership, based in the Qatari capital Doha, to declare a ceasefire in Afghanistan for six months. In exchange, the Taliban want the Afghan government to release fighters from jails and the swift removal of foreign forces fighting alongside Afghan troops. A statement by the U.S. embassy in Kabul about Khalilzad's diplomatic tour in October did not confirm his meeting with the Taliban. (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; Writing by Mohammad Zargham; Editing by James Dalgleish and Grant McCool) Geneva (AFP) - The UN's World Food Programme (WFP) said Thursday it will nearly double food aid to Yemen to reach 14 million people a month -- almost half the war-ravaged country's population. Yemen is in the grip of the world's worst hunger crisis as government troops backed by a Saudi-led coalition battles Huthi rebels. On Wednesday, 35 Yemeni and international NGOs called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in the impoverished country, and said 14 million people were "on the brink of famine". The WFP is providing food assistance to about seven to eight million people every day, "but the situation has now got so dire that WFP is preparing to scale up", spokesman Herve Verhoosel told journalists in Geneva on Thursday. He added: "Indications are that even greater efforts will be needed to avert mass starvation. The new target of 14 million requires a huge amount of logistic work, outreach, funding and preparation." The WFP said the violence must stop immediately to give Yemen "a chance to pull back from the brink". "Unless it does, this will become a country of living ghosts, its people reduced to sacks of bones. Humanitarians can only do so much in the face of relentless bombing and unconscionable war tactics that spare no one." The WFP said it will need more money to provide food to all of those in need. The budget for eight million people is about $125 million per month, but "as the food security situation deteriorates and WFP prepares to scale up its food and nutrition programmes, it is clear our funding requirements are set to increase accordingly". The uncle of a young college student who was at a bar in Thousand Oaks, Calif., on Wednesday night when shots rang out says he fears the worst may have happened to his niece. Adam Housley, a former national correspondent at Fox News, told the Los Angeles Times that his niece, 18-year-old Pepperdine freshman Alaina Housley, was reveling with friends at Borderline Bar & Grill when a gunman stormed in, killing at least 12 people, including one law enforcement official. Alaina Housley is also the niece of actress and "The Real" host Tamera Mowry-Housley. Adam Housley told the outlet that he arrived at Los Robles Regional Medical Center around 3:30 a.m. on Thursday morning looking for Alaina, but was prevented from entering by a guard who said the facility was on lockdown. Family members of Alaina were able to track her Apple Watch and iPhone, both of which showed her location as on the dance floor of Borderline Bar & Grill, unmoving, which led them to fear the worst. "My gut is saying shes inside the bar, dead," Housley said. "I'm hoping I'm wrong." "You just dont think that same stupid quote you just dont think its going to happen to you," he added. A student named Ashley, who identified herself as Alaina's suitemate, took to Twitter shortly after the shooting to share photos of the missing teen and ask for the public's help in finding her. "My suitemate is still missing, she is wearing denim shorts, a blue flannel and sneakers, pls let me know if you know anything," the young woman wrote. My suitemate is still missing, she is wearing denim shorts, a blue flannel and sneakers, pls let me know if you know anything #Borderlinepic.twitter.com/t1nUHneChW Ashley (@amowreader) November 8, 2018 The gunman, identified as 28-year-old Ian David Long, entered the establishment shortly before midnight, deployed a smoke bomb and opened fire. Story continues Long, who witnesses say was dressed in all black with his face partly covered, was still firing his weapon indiscriminately when first responders arrived on the scene. Photos from the scene: Sgt. Ron Helus, a 29-year veteran of the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, was shot multiple times while entering the bar and tragically died later on from his injuries. The shooter's body was later found inside the bar, but it remains unclear how he died. Wednesday's attack was the most deadly mass shooting in the U.S. since 17 teachers and students were gunned down at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in February. DAYTON, Ohio (AP) An Ohio man accused of trying to fly overseas to train with an Islamic State-affiliated group has pleaded not guilty to a federal charge of attempting to provide material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization. Court records show Naser Almadaoji (NAH'-ser ahl-mah-DOW'-jee) pleaded not guilty Thursday in U.S. District Court in Dayton. The government has accused the Iraqi-born U.S. citizen of arranging to move through Kazakhstan to Afghanistan, where he intended to train with a group called ISIS Wilayat Khorasan (wihl-eye-AHT' KOH'-rah-sahn). A message seeking comment was left with his attorney. The 19-year-old from Beavercreek in suburban Dayton was arrested Oct. 24 at John Glenn International Airport in Columbus. The government said Almadaoji unsuccessfully tried to join a terrorist group after traveling to Egypt and Jordan in February. Warsaw (AFP) - Washington's energy secretary on Thursday hailed a 24-year deal to deliver US liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Poland as signal for Europe on ensuring energy security and easing dependence on Russian supplies. The deal, the second multi-decade agreement with a US firm signed in two months, comes as Warsaw looks to diversify its gas supplies in an effort to wean itself off its heavy reliance on Russia amid tensions with Moscow. "This is a signal across Europe that this is how your energy future can be developed, the security of the country, the diversity of supply -- this is a great day for Europe," US energy secretary Rick Perry said at a signing ceremony in Warsaw with Polish President Andrzej Duda. Poland, which currently sources about two-thirds of its gas from Kremlin-backed Russian energy giant Gazprom, is also eyeing imports from Norway and Qatar. State-run gas firm PGNiG said it had sealed a two-tranche 24-year deal for LNG deliveries from the Texas-based Cheniere Marketing International, amounting to a total of 40.95 billion cubic meters of natural gas after regasification. "This deal will provide Poland with energy security," said Duda, adding that the agreement reflects "a real transatlantic partnership." The deal with the US firm is due to take effect in 2019, three years before Warsaw's current contract with Gazprom for 10 billion cubic metres of natural gas per year is set to end. - Anti-trust complaints - PGNiG CEO Piotr Wozniak said the terms of the deal including "a competitive price, are fully satisfactory" although no value for the contract was provided, adding two further deals were planned. "We want to build a full supply portfolio," he said. PGNiG struck a similar 20-year deal in October with the US-based Venture Global LNG for delivery of up to two million tonnes of liquefied natural gas per year. Poland in October filed a complaint with the EU's top court against a controversial deal by the European Commission to settle an anti-trust case against Gazprom. Story continues This allowed Gazprom to avoid billions in fines after eight eastern EU members including Poland claimed the Russian giant had abused its dominant position as a gas provider in their region. The settlement with the EU came after Gazprom agreed to benchmark prices in eastern Europe against prices in the rest of Europe, and to drop clauses restricting the re-export of gas by clients. Perry and Poland's energy minister Krzysztof Tchorzewski signed a declaration of cooperation on energy security later on Thursday. The US official also attended cyber security exercises near Warsaw where US experts trained Poles on how to prevent attacks by hackers on power grids. Brussels (AFP) - Europe must not weaken its sanctions against Russia, a senior US official said Tuesday, warning that Moscow posed a "clear and present danger" to the West that was "getting worse and not better". Washington is pressing EU countries to maintain tough sanctions imposed on Russia over the annexation of Crimea and the Ukraine crisis, as Italy's pro-Kremlin government pushes the bloc to relax the pressure on Moscow. On a trip to Moscow last month, Italy's far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini denounced the "madness" of western sanctions against Russia and launched a fierce attack on EU policy. David Tessler, deputy director of policy planning staff for the US Secretary of State, told reporters in Brussels that fresh sanctions against Moscow were under consideration over the nerve agent attack on former Russian agent Sergei Skripal in Britain. Tessler said the success of sanctions against Russia depended on close coordination with Europe and he has been shuttling around European capitals for the last 18 months to press the case. "Our sanctions must remain strong until we see the behaviour change in Moscow that we're all looking for," Tessler said. "We do not believe in any relaxation of sanctions before there's full behaviour change, full implementation of Russian commitments." Tessler said he recently visited Austria, where the government is seen as more sympathetic to Moscow and whose foreign minister danced with Russian President Vladimir Putin at her wedding in the summer, and would travel to Rome soon to lobby the government there. As well as the Ukraine crisis and the Skripal poisoning, Moscow is also accused of seeking to influence numerous elections around Europe and the US through disinformation campaigns and of launching countless cyber attacks on various civilian targets. Russia's cyber campaign hit the headlines last month when the Netherlands foiled a plot by suspected Kremlin intelligence agents to hack the global chemical weapons watchdog in the Hague. Despite stinging US and European sanctions, Tessler said, Washington believes that the threat from Russia is "getting worse and not better". "It is for us not a theoretical debate that we can casually talk about -- it is a clear and present danger that the Russians pose that we are combating," he said. Washington (AFP) - About half a million people have died violently in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan due to the US "war on terror" that was launched following the September 11 attacks in 2001, according to a study released Thursday. The report by Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs put the death toll at between 480,000 and 507,000 people -- but said the actual number is likely higher. The new toll "is a more than 110,000 increase over the last count, issued just two years ago in August 2016," Brown said in a statement. "Though the war on terror is often overlooked by the American public, press and lawmakers, the increased body count signals that, far from diminishing, this war remains intense." The death toll includes insurgents, local police and security forces, civilians and US and allied troops. The report's author, Neta Crawford, said many of those reported by US and local forces as militants may actually have been civilians. "We may never know the total direct death toll in these wars," Crawford wrote. "For example, tens of thousands of civilians may have died in retaking Mosul and other cities from ISIS but their bodies have likely not been recovered." The report states that between 182,272 and 204,575 civilians have been killed in Iraq, 38,480 in Afghanistan, and 23,372 in Pakistan. Nearly 7,000 US troops have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. The tally does not include all people who have died indirectly as a result of war, including through a loss of infrastructure or disease. Caracas (AFP) - Venezuelan authorities ordered more than 600 arrests over the last eight months for "speculation" on the currency market, Attorney General Tarek William Saab announced Thursday. Saab told reporters in Caracas that 70 arrest warrants had been issued since August for "illegal transactions." Crisis-torn Venezuela's socialist government has cracked down heavily on perceived breaches of strict currency exchange regulations, in place since 2003. Saab said transactions were driven by "illegal" exchange houses in a dozen countries, mostly in Colombia and the United States "dedicated to attacking" the local currency, the bolivar. President Nicolas Maduro said his country -- where years of economic crisis has sparked an exodus of two million people -- was the victim of an "economic war" waged by opposition and the United States. Saab said 255 people had been brought before the courts and more than 3,000 bank accounts had been blocked. Illegal transactions were stopping up to $200 million from entering the formal economy every month, Saab said. Voters in blue states supported ballot measures related to expanding access to the ballot, while voters in red states voted in favor of stricter rules. In several states on Tuesday, voters were asked to weigh in on measures that could both expand and restrict ballot access from voter ID laws in North Carolina and Arkansas to automatic and same-day voter registration in Nevada and Maryland. In Florida, voters opted to restore access for some convicted felons. Going into Election Day, there were signs of growing concern about voting itself. The Georgia gubernatorial race brought voting rights issues to the forefront; in part because Democrat Stacey Abrams has made access to the ballot one of her core tenets, but also because her Republican opponent Brian Kemp, who also serves as secretary of state, has been accused of attempting to restrict minority access to the ballot. Elsewhere, voter ID laws that have been upheld by courts in North Dakota and Arkansas have led many to worry that some minority votes will be suppressed. Same goes for a voter roll purge that was upheld by the Supreme Court in Ohio. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, nine states had restrictions in place that didnt exist during the last election. Access to the ballot has been expanded in a number of states, too. Around 25 states have expanded voter access since 2013, including 16 states that have expanded access since the 2016 election. The full extent of the impact those changes have on the election are yet to be seen. But what we do know is how voters came down on ballot measures and amendments related to voting rights. North Carolina requires voter ID On Tuesday, voters in North Carolina voted in favor of amending the state constitution to include a requirement that voters present a photo ID when they cast an in-person ballot. The state legislature will convene later this month. During the session, lawmakers are expected to define what types of ID will be acceptable. The voter ID question was one of six ballot questions that North Carolina voters considered on Tuesday. Story continues It has been a long road for voter ID laws in the Tar Heel state. A 2013 law that included voter ID, along with other provisions that made it harder for some residents to vote, was struck down by a federal court for targeting black voters with almost surgical precision in 2016. Republican lawmakers in the state say the voter ID requirements are necessary in order to prevent in-person voter fraud, despite the fact that in-person fraud is very rare. Voting rights advocates have argued that the laws real intent is to suppress voter turnout among minority voters. Arkansas requires voter ID Like North Carolina, Arkansas has also faced trouble in its efforts to enact a voter ID requirement. In 2014, the states Supreme Court ruled that a law requiring voters to present an ID at the polls was unconstitutional. Yet in 2017, the state legislature enacted another voter ID law that was in effect for the 2018 midterm election, despite facing some legal challenges. Those without ID are allowed to cast provisional ballots in the state. But the voter ID battle reached a pivotal breaking point on Tuesday, when voters decided to amend the states constitution to include a requirement that voters present a voter ID at the polls succeeded. Under the amendment, the state would be required to provide free IDs to voters without them. Nevada votes on automatic voter registration Voters in Nevada will decide if their state should join the 13 others and D.C. that have implemented automatic voter registration. Under the initiative, known as Nevada Question 5, eligible citizens will be automatically registered to vote when they apply to receive or renew a license or change their address via the states Department of Motor Vehicles. Support for the initiative has largely fallen along party lines when Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval vetoed the measure, forcing a public vote, he said that auto-registration extinguishes a fundamental, individual choice. The core freedom of deciding whether one wishes to initiate voter registration belongs to the individual, not the government, he said at the time. Michigan makes voting easier Michigan voters came out in favor of an amendment that adds eight voting provisions to the state constitution. The changes include same-day voter registration, straight-party ticket voting, allows for the automatic registration of eligible voters and no-excuse absentee voting, among other things. Maryland allows same-day voter registration Maryland will join 16 states and D.C. in allowing voters to register to vote and immediately cast ballots on Election Day. A ballot question before Maryland voters asked voters if they support or oppose such a measure. Voters in the state could already register to vote until the end of the early voting period, but this ballot measure amends the state constitution in order to allow voter registration through Election Day. Florida gives felons the right to vote Over 1 million Floridians could have their voting rights restored in Florida where voters approved the states Amendment 4. A disproportionate number of African American and Democratic voters could be impacted by the restoration, according to a Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald analysis. Under the proposed amendment, convicted felons would be eligible to vote upon the completion of their sentence. Those convicted of murder and felony sex crimes, however, would not be eligible to vote. High profile groups on both sides of the political spectrum from the American Civil Liberties Union to the Koch-backed Freedom Partnersand celebrities including John Legend and Rihanna came out in support of the amendment. Mailing mosquitoes doesn't seem wise on the surface. Nevertheless, researchers from New Mexico State University have been looking into it, as part of an effort to help control the spread of disease. SEE ALSO: The air quality in India is horrendously bad right now. Here's why. Sending out sterilised male mosquitoes from the lab back into the wild is one way to help reduce numbers, as they mate with females but don't produce any offspring. But there's the issue of figuring out how to send thousands, or even millions of mosquitoes into a chosen wilderness area. Would they survive a 24-hour shipping process? And how many would you be able to fit in a package? The answer is yes, and you can fit in quite a lot of the insects, as per a study published in the Journal of Insect Science on Wednesday. NMSU's Hae-Na Chung and her team of researchers discovered you can fit in 240 live mosquitoes per cubic centimetre, which equates to 1,200 mosquitoes to a teaspoon. "We started our experiments in 50 milliliter tubes and quickly learned that you have to raise a lot of mosquitoes to fill such a tube 10,000 males fit in one. We then switched to 10 millilitre syringes and were astonished how many mosquitoes you can fit into one, up to 2,500," Immo Hansen, an associate professor at NMSU, said in a statement online. For a shipping test, a precise number of the mosquitoes were packed into 10-millilitre syringes, of which the plungers were then compressed to the 1-millilitre mark (1 cubic centimetre). They were then packed into a styrofoam container with a cooling element, then shipped from Las Cruces, New Mexico, to Davis, California. Upon delivery, the mosquitoes were inspected for survival rate and damage. At 240 mosquitoes per cubic centimetre, the highest density tested, there were missing scales, and some of the insects had slightly damaged wings. But the tightness of the packing seemed to be more of a benefit. Story continues "The high mortality of the not-so-densely packed mosquitoes in our real-world shipping assay was unexpected," Hansen added. "We hypothesize that the vibrations during transport, especially during the flight, affected the loosely packed mosquitoes more than the densely packed ones." The next step for researchers is to discover how fit the mosquitoes are following shipment, which they aim to discover through semi-field experiments next year. Feeling itchy? By Rami Ayyub and Ali Sawafta BEIT UR AL-FAUQA, West Bank (Reuters) - Tuning into the news at dawn on Wednesday, the extended family of Rashida Tlaib, the first Palestinian-American woman to be elected to the U.S. Congress, celebrated her victory in their home in the Israeli occupied West Bank. Tlaib, a Democrat, ran virtually unopposed in Michigan's 13th congressional district, which encompasses southwest Detroit and its suburbs west to the city of Dearborn. She previously served in Michigan's state legislature. She has become "a source of pride for Palestine and the entire Arab and Muslim world," her uncle, Bassam Tlaib, said in the small village of Beit Ur Al-Fauqa. With her win, Tlaib, 44, will become the first Palestinian-American woman to serve in the U.S. Congress. Alongside incoming Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar, she will also be one of the first Muslim women to join the congressional ranks. "I'm going to speak truth to power," Tlaib told the Detroit Free Press on election night on Tuesday. "I obviously have a set agenda that's not going to be a priority for the current president but that doesn't mean I'm not going to push back." Tlaib's district is home to one of the largest Arab-American populations in the United States. Her win highlights a wave of Palestinian diaspora candidates and activists who have embraced the Democratic Party's progressive wing at a low point in U.S.-Palestinian relations under Republican President Donald Trump. In California's 50th district, Ammar Campa-Najjar, a Palestinian-American who spent part of his childhood in Gaza and whose father served in the Palestinian Authority, was in a close race with incumbent Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter, early results showed. "The success of [Tlaib and Campa-Najjar's] progressive messaging on a wide range of issues, including Palestine, is reflective of a shifting public discourse that Palestine activists have played a role in shaping," said Omar Baddar, deputy director of the Washington-based Arab American Institute. CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM Under Trump, Washington has alienated Palestinians by recognizing contested Jerusalem as Israel's capital and moving the American embassy there, and by slashing U.S. funding of the U.N. body that aids Palestinians. Palestinians have broken off contact with his administration, which has promised to announce a peace plan soon for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In the West Bank city of Ramallah and throughout the territory, Palestinians took a cautious view of the election news. "Change is incremental, and Palestinians in Palestine are intimately aware of that," said Salem Barahmeh, executive director of the Ramallah-based Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy. "That said, Tlaib's election is seen as a glimmer of hope in a very dark chapter in the Palestinian people's history," Barahmeh added. Bassam Tlaib, the candidate's uncle, said she had "stood against Trump" at a time when "even our Arab leaders are unwilling to face (him)." (Writing by Rami Ayyub; Editing by Jeffrey Heller) The Pacific archipelago of Palau is regarded as one of the best diving locations in the world, with hundreds of varieties of fish and coral found within its reefs. In an effort to protect those natural treasures from harmful chemicals, Palau recently became the first country to ban many types of sunscreen. Amid growing anxiety about the worlds oceans, advocates hope that Palaus lawwhich follows a similar measure by the state of Hawaiimay be just the first swell of a new legal wave. Whats the science behind the ban? An estimated 14,000 tons of sunscreen wash into the oceans each year, but research shows that chemicals that protect skin from harmful ultra-violet light can also damage coral. When ocean temperatures rise, the algae that feed coral and lend it its vivid colors leave, causing coral to bleach and eventually die. Chemicals in sunscreen can cause bleaching to occur at lower temperatures than normal. When combined with the rising mercury, that bodes bad news for both biodiversity and tourism. How will the ban work? Palaus ban, which was signed into law on Oct. 25 and comes into effect on Jan. 1, 2020, will outlaw sunscreens that rely on any of 10 chemicals, like oxybenzone. Offending brands will be confiscated at airports, and their import or sale will carry fines of up to $1,000. The law is designed to walk a smart balance between educating tourists and scaring them away, Palaus President Tommy Remengesau said. What does the future look like? In 2016 and 2017, record heat caused 50% of the coral in Australias Great Barrier Reef to bleach. By 2030, scientists predict, 90% of the worlds coral will be threatened. And on Nov. 6, the U.N.s bio-diversity czar told the Guardian that species loss poses a risk to human life everywhere. So officials in places like Palau and Hawaii say that with so many environmental factors out of their control, regulating sunscreens is the least they can do. And while some sunscreen companies are opposed, the ban creates an incentive for reef-safe varietiesa move that officials hope might help save everyones skin. Owen Knight, center, just wanted five cards for his birthday, but he and his mom got so much more after a family members Facebook post went viral. (Photo: Mindy Davey) Unlike most teenagers, Owen Knight didnt want much for his 15th birthday just a few cards would have been nice. Instead, he got hundreds of cards and presents, a parade, and new friends, while his mom found a new outlook on life. And it all started with a Facebook post. Owen suffers from multiple illnesses, one of which is terminal. He was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy when he was 4 years old and also suffers from dilated cardiomyopathy, which is a disease of the heart muscle. When he was born up until he was 4, I could tell something was wrong, Owens mother, Jessica VanWinkle, told Yahoo Lifestyle. He didnt start rolling over, he didnt crawl, he didnt walk, he didnt talk. It was still like taking care of a newborn at 3 years old. His doctors were unable to diagnose him, but his daycare teacher could. His teacher happened to know someone else with Duchennes disease and recognized the symptoms, and she called the hospital and set us up to meet with them, and he was diagnosed. Four years later, they found out about Owens heart disease. His heart is tripled in size and doesnt work properly, his mom said. And then its just been on and on. Hes had many, many, many surgeries, everything you could think of. Owen has two siblings, one of whom has his own health problems. But because of medical things his older brother and I have gone through, it was just part of our life, it was just like every day something else went wrong or something bad happened, Jessica said. We joked around and said we were cursed. We just felt like we could never take a step forward. Birthdays have not been easy, for many reasons. Theyre bittersweet because you dont want [the kids] to get older because you know what that means, she said. Every day, kids as young as 7 years old are passing from Duchennes disease. So its scary. Plus, shes never been able to give Owen the type of birthday she thinks he deserves. Financially, we just meet our bills, so theres no going to the zoo or the movies or birthday parties. Every year I could tell he was sad but trying to not let me know, and there were other times where he would ask me questions like How come nobody came for my birthday? she shared. I know Ive given him enough love. But it was the other stuff. There were so many times when I was like, man, if he had a family with money, he could get to do the things he should get to. Story continues For these reasons and more, Jessica has always kept to herself. Were very humble people, she said of her family, which lives in Webster, N.Y. Ive never borrowed, Ive never complained. I would never ask for help because I knew I couldnt repay. We never have guests, we never go anywhere. So, for this big birthday on Nov. 7, Amy VanWinkle, Jessicas sister and Owens aunt, just hoped to put a smile on the boys face. All he wanted for his birthday was a card or two. Three months ago, he started letting his aunt know that his birthday was coming up, and could she please send him a card, Jessica said. Every day he reminded Amy about the card. Little did he know that his aunt would deliver, literally and figuratively. She said, Would it be OK if I did a post asking if my friends could send one too? And Im still struggling to figure out Facebook, so I told her yes, thinking Facebook was just a thing where your friends are and she would ask them, the mother said. At this point, Owens goal was to get five cards in the mail, so his mom figured this would be a good way to get the extra four. So, last week Amy posted photos of her nephew on Facebook, along with the request. The response was bigger than this quiet family could have ever imagined. Amys post was shared over 1,600 times. Then Owens sister Amber posted as well, and her message was shared almost 1,200 times. Then Owens home aide Mike Gessin posted about Owen and his birthday, and his message was shared almost 500 times. Amy called me and was like, It took off, Jessica said. New to Facebook, Jessica wasnt sure what that meant. So she brought me her phone, and neither of us really understood how many people it was reaching, but I had people calling me and texting me and messaging me about all three of the posts. Over the next few days, the family was blown away by strangers acts of kindness. People starting showing up on their doorstep to hand-deliver cards and gifts to Owen, including a cop. A Webster police officer showed up at my door, and he said that they saw my sisters post and that they wanted to help. So Jessica simply asked them to install new smoke and gas detectors. But the police wanted to do more. Other than that, on all the holidays they have parades in the village, and for the past 10 years Owen has begged me every year, every parade, Can I drive my wheelchair with them, can I be in it? But most of the time you have to be in a sport or something to be in the parade. Jessica mentioned that to the cop, and he ran with it. I said, I dont know if you have any pull, but one other thing is that Owens always wanted to be in the parade. Like, dont go out of your way, but can he just drive his wheelchair alongside? The next thing she knew, the community was organizing a parade just for Owens birthday. I figured maybe it would be one cop car, a fire truck he loves fire trucks. Instead, it became this huge thing: There was SWAT there, policemen, fire trucks, ambulances, loaders, construction vehicles, Batman with his vehicle. It was an actual parade just like in the village, Jessica recalled. It went to his school, and when we walked through the front doors, all the students came out and lined the hallway and sang Happy Birthday. They had cake. The marching band was playing. It was amazing. Owen had a very busy day. But he didnt forget about the cards. Until yesterday, Owen kept checking the mail, and there wasnt a thing, Jessica said. There were people handing us cards personally, but nothing showed up in the mailbox, and thats really what he wanted. So his mom called the post office on Wednesday. They said, Let me look, I think he might have got two. And she came back to the phone and said, I apologize we have three giant mail bags and a bin. Thats when they realized how many people his aunts initial post had reached. Mail carriers showed up the next day when Owen was in school to drop off everything. There were packages too, Jessica said. I told my sister, all we need is words of encouragement because there are so many days where he wants to give up. Theyve gotten bad news from doctors lately, including the difficult news that this could be his final birthday. But the postal delivery was the encouragement they needed. Owens bus pulled up, and he came in and saw the cards on the floor, and he was just in shock. Emotionally, it was just so much. Theres been a bunch of times when hes just cried. His mom was overwhelmed too. We kept feeling bad that all these people were going out of their way for us. But between the both of us, just looking at each other in awe, it was a lot of happy tears. But it wasnt time to go through the cards yet. They still had guests to entertain. When he got home, people were kind of showing up one at a time nonstop with a card or gift. Jessica wasnt used to this kind of company. Pretty much my whole life Ive been shy and quiet; I like to be invisible. So it was scary at first, but I wanted every person to see me, have a conversation with me, tell me their story. And each person just made me cry. And the gifts kept coming. The construction people from the parade ended up showing up that night with a loader completely full of gifts, and they dumped the bucket in my driveway. One of the gifts was a TV. Owen, knowing we dont have a lot of money, for Christmas, he really wanted a TV, and hed say, I know thats a lot, but thats all I want. And they brought us a TV. Then Batman showed up, followed by YouTube star Mindy Davey, who dropped by with gifts and pizza. He got his first flowers ever. He was so excited because hes never received flowers before, Jessica said, laughing. He was still using sheets from when he was a little kid, and he got all new bedding. And then a sign company that just opened up in Webster handmade Owen a Black Ops 3 sign for his wall. Its gorgeous. One of the last guests paid a virtual visit: Malcolm from MKTO, the familys favorite band, recorded a personal birthday message for Owen. The most surprising guest, however, might have been Jessicas mom, from whom she is estranged. She came to the house after hearing the news about Owens birthday. Owen spent much of Wednesday evening greeting guests and making new friends, so he didnt really get to tackle the cards til late, Jessica said. After everybody left, Owen was like, Everyone sent these cards its really important to them that I start opening them on my birthday. So he did start, he was opening them, reading them, so happy. Its emotional; we need to take breaks. He got through about 100 that night, but Jessica said that didnt even make a dent. Needless to say, Owens never had a birthday like this. Normally he has hospital appointments, Jessica said. However, this experience has given Jessica a whole new outlook on life. In a thank-you Facebook post the day after Owens birthday, she expressed her heartfelt thanks, writing, Everything my son has ever wanted and I could never give, you did. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who liked, commented, sent a birthday message, shared, messaged us Posted by Jessica VanWinkle on Thursday, November 8, 2018 Unsurprisingly, Owen is still begging his mom to open the birthday cards, while she has already started writing thank-you notes. The 15-year-olds only complaint is that its starting to hurt to smile so much, and Jessica said thats the best thing shes ever heard him say. The shy mother knows things will soon return to normal, but shes not worried. The good stuff like never feeling alone again will last forever. Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. Queen Elizabeth and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh appear in these edited images after Singh said he does not see the significance of the monarchy in modern Canadian society. Photos from Getty Images. Earlier this week, Yahoo Canada invited readers to weigh in on NDP Leader Jagmeet Singhs recent comments about the British monarchy and its relevance to Canadians. In an interview Sunday on CTVs Question Period, Singh said he believed Canada should shed the British monarchy and become a republic. I dont see the relevance of it, and I dont think that most Canadians do, Singh said of the monarchy. I believe that we should be a state, I think that makes sense, and Im open to hearing folks opinions on that, but thats my take. The comments came after host Evan Solomon asked Singh if he identified as a monarchist or a republican, in the context of a National Post investigation into former governor general Adrienne Clarkson claiming more than $1 million in expenses since leaving the position in 2005. When polled by Yahoo Canada, 54 per cent of respondents said they believe the monarchy is relevant in Canada, and 46 per cent said they do not. More than 7,000 votes were casted in the online poll. While those in favour of the monarchy outnumbered those against it by less than 10 per cent in the poll, comments on the story suggested a more dramatic divide. The highest rated and most discussed comments came from those who were pro-monarchy. Some monarchists pointed to the things Canada has gained from Britain, such as models for democracy, parliament, common law and rule of law, arguing the country should remain a constitutional monarchy out of respect to Britain. Others said Canadas historic ties to Britain have always been a source of pride for them. One Yahoo Canada reader argued that because both countries identities and values are so similar, maintaining the union between them makes sense. Another saw value in having a non-political head of state at a time when the world is seeing increasingly politically unstable climates. Although their comments were not as popular as those in favour of the monarchy, people who support ditching the Queen had their say, too. Many echoed Singhs claim that the monarchy isnt relevant in Canada and has no place in modern society. Story continues Others pointed out the difference in labels between citizen and subject that appear to be at odds with one another. Some said they resented being under the rule of another countrys figurehead leader, especially a monarch. Arguments aside, if the Canadian government were to try and ditch the monarchy, the process would likely be a tricky one. Under section 41 of the Constitution, changing anything about the office of the Queen requires the unanimous consent of all 10 provinces. And if the provinces are as divided as Yahoos readers, Canada wont be cutting ties with the Queen and her brood any time soon. With files from Elisabetta Bianchini Hodeida (Yemen) (AFP) - Yemeni pro-government forces backed by Saudi-led coalition warplanes advanced inside rebel-held Hodeida Thursday, leaving hundreds of thousands of civilians bracing for fighting in the streets of the Red Sea port city. After a week of intense battles with the Iran-backed Huthi insurgents on the outskirts of Hodeida, loyalist troops reached residential neighbourhoods, using bulldozers to remove concrete road blocks installed by the rebels. Flashing victory signs, troops of the United Arab Emirates-trained Giants Brigade armed with automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades rolled down the city's streets in pickup trucks bearing their brigade logo spray-painted in red, a journalist working for AFP reported. Three military sources said that government forces and their coalition allies were edging towards the city's vital port through which nearly 80 percent of Yemen's commercial imports and practically all UN-supervised humanitarian aid pass. Columns headed for the docks advanced two kilometres (more than a mile) along the main road from the interior to the east and three kilometres along the coast road from the south, the sources said. "Either the rebels surrender the city peacefully or we take it by force, but we will take it either way," commander Moammar al-Saidy told AFP. Coalition warplanes bombed rebel positions as the ground forces advanced. At least 47 Huthi fighters were killed, hospital sources in rebel-held areas told AFP. Medics at hospitals in government-held territory said 11 soldiers were killed. The deaths bring the overall toll from seven days of fighting to 250 combatants killed -- 197 rebels and 53 loyalists. Aid group Save the Children confirmed the death of one civilian, a 15-year-old boy who died of shrapnel wounds sustained just outside the city. The Huthis have controlled Hodeida since 2014 when they overran the capital Sanaa and then swept though much of the rest of the country, triggering Saudi-led military intervention the following year and a devastating war of attrition. Story continues The rebels have since been driven out of virtually all of the south and much of the Red Sea coast. Government forces launched their offensive to retake Hodeida in June backed by significant numbers of Emirati ground troops. Their advance into the city of some 600,000 people has been slowed by trenches and minefields dug by the rebels around their last major coastal stronghold, an army source said. - 'No surrender' - Pro-government forces told AFP Thursday that military operations were ongoing with fierce clashes rocking the city after dark. "We will clean the streets of the city... of Huthi militias and we will continue to advance beyond Hodeida," said fighter Fadel Abbas. But rebel chief Abdulmalik al-Huthi vowed late on Wednesday that his fighters would never surrender despite being seriously outnumbered. "This is not happening and will not happen ever," he said. And the rebels said Thursday evening that they had "cut the supply routes" for pro-government forces in four parts of Hodeida province outside the city. The rebel-controlled Saba news agency said Huthi forces were using loudspeakers to call on loyalist fighters to surrender. North Hodeida is still under total rebel control. While some shops had shuttered their windows, a vegetable market was bustling as armed men could be seen patrolling the area. Pedestrians and cars poured into Jizan Road, a main street in the city's north. Human rights groups have voiced fears that a protracted battle for the city will exact heavy civilian casualties and force a halt to vital food shipments. UN agencies say some 14 million people are at risk of famine in Yemen, which they have described as the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Aid groups have appealed to both the rebels and the coalition to provide safe passage for fleeing civilians and halt fighting around hospitals. On Thursday, Amnesty International accused the rebels of "deliberate militarisation" of one of Hodeida's main hospitals, saying they had placed snipers on the roof of the facility in the May 22 district. At another of the city's major hospitals, Al-Thawra, just metres from the front line, a 10-year-old boy died of malnutrition Thursday, the UN children's agency UNICEF reported. "We're running out of words to describe how wretched the situation is," said Fabrizio Carboni, International Committee of the Red Cross Middle East director, in a statement. Nearly 10,000 Yemenis have been killed since 2015, according to the WHO. Human rights groups say the real death toll may be five times as high. Multiple UN-sponsored efforts to broker a power-sharing agreement between the government and the rebels have failed. A UN push to convene peace talks in Switzerland collapsed in September as the rebels stayed away, saying they had not received sufficient guarantees for their safe passage. UN special envoy Martin Griffiths on Wednesday said he aimed to hold peace talks by the end of the year. A would-be suicide attacker who detonated a homemade pipe bomb on the New York City subway has been found guilty of terror offences. Akayed Ullah injured himself and three other people when he detonated an improvised device strapped to his chest in an underground walkway between stations near Times Square in December 2017. After the verdict was handed down in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday, Ullah told the judge he had carried out the attack in retribution for the actions of the US president. Akayed Ullah detonated a pipe bomb strapped to his chest in a subway underpass (AP) I was angry with Donald Trump because he says he will bomb the Middle East and then he will protect his nation, he said. Judge Richard Sullivan replied: Right now is not the time for a statement. The trial saw Ullah claim he had only intended to kill himself during the attack, which caused no fatalities and left a handful of commuters with minor injuries. However, prosecutors said he wanted to maim or kill commuters as part of a lone wolf terrorist attack on behalf of Isis. They disputed the defence claim, saying Bangladeshi-born Ullah would not have worn a bomb had he wanted to kill only himself. They also cited social media postings by the defendant, as well as claims he made to investigators after his arrest that he did it for the Islamic State. At trial, Ullah was confronted with his post-arrest statements and his social media comments, including Facebook taunts directed at Mr Trump before the attack. Authorities said Ullahs radicalisation began in 2014, when he started viewing materials online, including a video instructing Isis supporters to carry out attacks in their homelands. In closing arguments Monday, assistant US attorney George Turner said Ullah told investigators he wanted to avenge US aggression towards Isis and chose a busy weekday morning to attack, hoping to cause maximum damage. The prosecutor said the 28-year-old, of Brooklyn, followed the propaganda group online and wanted to follow its instructions to carry out a lone wolf terror attack on Americans. Story continues His goal was to injure and kill innocent civilians, to terrorise, Mr Turner added. Ullahs attorney Amy Gallicchio, had argued her client had detonated the device strapped to himself in an isolated corridor, as opposed to a packed subway carriage, in a bid to take his own life. It was a disturbing act by a disturbed man, she said. This is not a lone-wolf attack. Additional reporting by AP New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has received death threats from environmental activists outraged by the governments use of a pesticide to combat invasive species. Ardern told local TV news show Newshub on Tuesday that she had been the subject of numerous threats from so-called anti-1080 protesters, including at least one against her life. The government says the chemical pesticide, known as 1080, is a safe substance for eliminating predators such as possums and weasels. But environmental activists contend the poison threatens native wildlife, as well as humans, and pollutes waterways. Ardern said New Zealand welcomed peaceful protests, but when we see that tip into violence or threats of violence against people working on the front line and doing their job, then that concerns me. Read more: Jacinda Ardern: Up Close With New Zealands Prime Minister Anti-1080 campaigns have escalated in recent months, with employees of the countrys Department of Conservation reportedly being targeted by threats and harassment, according to the Guardian. In September, activists left fake 1080 pellets and dead protected birds on the steps of parliament. Tests later revealed some of the birds had been bludgeoned to death rather than poisoned. New Zealands Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage accused protestors of spreading fake news about the impact of 1080. Conservation staff have also had vehicles vandalized, been trapped inside national parks by protestors blocking exits and received threats to shoot down department helicopters. In total, the Department recorded 93 incidents in October, according to Newshub. On Wednesday, an anti-1080 activist was arrested and charged with four counts of blackmail over threatening letters sent to staff, according to the Guardian. My greater concern is with those on the front line who receive these threats a bit more directly and a bit more personally, Ardern said. 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. US: a Syrian man was sentenced to life in federal prison for his conspiracy convictions for making circuit boards that were used to remotely detonate roadside bombs in attacks against US soldiers during the Iraq War. US authorities say Ahmed Alahmedalabdaloklah (AL-ah-med-AL-ab-dahl-OK'-lah) made circuit boards that were used to detonate bombs for the 1920 Revolution Brigades, an insurgent group that claimed responsibility for 230 attacks against American soldiers in Iraq from 2005 to 2010. Prosecutors had sought a life sentence for Alahmedalabdaloklah's four convictions, arguing he hasn't shown any remorse for his actions. His attorneys said their client had no prior convictions and complained that co-conspirators haven't been prosecuted for their role in the crimes. SEOUL, South Korea South Korea's foreign minister quoted US officials Thursday as saying that it was North Korea that canceled a meeting this week between US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a senior North Korean official on nuclear issues. North Korea sent a notification to Washington to call off the meeting aimed at discussing the North's denuclearization and setting up a second summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said Thursday. Egyptian military source denied Thursday Palestinian accusation that Egyptian naval forces fired on a Palestinian fishing boat and killed a fisherman on Wednesday. Citing security concerns, the state enforces a naval blockade on the Palestinian coastal enclave, which is controlled by the Hamas Islamist group. Israel currently allows Gaza fishing boats to venture up to nine nautical miles offshore. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has reportedly managed to convince Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to agree to accept the ceasefire understandings reached between Hamas and Israel , the London-based Al Hayat reported on Thursday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter For months, the Palestinian leader has opposed the negotiations over the ceasefire arrangement because he was left out of the talks, which were held directly with Hamas. Abbas feared such an agreement would perpetuate the Hamas rule in the strip, pushing the Palestinian Authority out of Gaza for good. Last weekend, Abbas and Sisi met in Sharm El Sheikh, where the Egyptian president gave his Palestinian counterpart a detailed review of the Egyptian efforts to reach the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, as well as the attempts to revive the Palestinian reconciliation. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (Photo: AFP) Abbas reportedly agreed to the understandings in order to give Gazans some "breathing space," according to Palestinian sources speaking to Al Hayat. The sources said the understandings reached include two stages: the first will take two to three weeks, and the second will take six months. They said Israel has agreed to transfer a $90 million Qatari grant into the Gaza Strip to pay the salaries of Hamas government employees for six months, but conditioned it on the US being responsible for the money transfer. The transfer the money is expected to either take place Thursday or next week. In addition, the paper reported Israel had agreed, as part of the first stage of the ceasefire understandings, to increase the export from the Gaza Strip for the first time in years. OTTAWA - Canadas Prime Minister Justin Trudeau formally apologized on Wednesday for the countrys 1939 refusal to take in a ship carrying more than 900 Jewish refugees, adding that the country would do more to protect Canadian Jews from violence. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The St. Louis left Hamburg in May 1939 in a desperate search for a safe haven from persecution by Nazi Germany. After it was rebuffed by Canada and other nations, it returned to Europe, where historians have estimated that more than 250 of the passengers were murdered in Nazi death camps. We apologize to the 907 German Jews aboard the St. Louis, as well as their families, Trudeau told the House of Commons. We are sorry for the callousness of Canadas response. We are sorry for not apologizing sooner. Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau apologizing for turning down the St. Louis (Photo: Reuters) The apology came less than two weeks after a gunman shot dead 11 people, including a Canadian woman, at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. Vigils were held across Canada in the aftermath of the attack. Jewish Canadians are understandably feeling vulnerable and there have been calls to protect synagogues and other places that are at risk of hate-motivated crimes, Trudeau said during his parliamentary address. And I pledge to you all now: we will do more, he said, noting that around 17 percent of all Canadian hate crimes target Jewish people. Shimon Koffler Fogel, head of the Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs, applauded Trudeaus historic apology and his pledge to expand security measures for Jewish institutions. Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau meets with Ana Maria Gordon, the only surviving Canadian passenger aboard the St. Louis (Photo: Reuters) Earlier, Trudeau met with Ana Maria Gordon, the only surviving Canadian passenger from the ship, and her family members, and spoke about the need to fight anti-Semitism. Trudeau, a Liberal, has made a number of apologies for Canadas historic failings. Last week the prime minister visited hundreds of indigenous people in British Columbia to say sorry for the hanging of six chiefs 150 years ago. In May 2016, six months after taking office, he stood in parliament to apologize to the descendents of hundreds of passengers of the Komagata Maru, a Japanese vessel carrying Sikh, Muslim and Hindu migrants who were refused entry into Canada under 1914 immigration laws. The victims of the 2015 Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade attack appealed Wednesday to the Advisory Committee for Appointments to Senior Positions, headed by retired Supreme Court Justice Eliezer Goldberg, asking them to cancel the appointment of Moshe "Chico" Edri who headed the Jerusalem District at the time of the incidentas police commissioner. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The committee, which is required to provide its opinion regarding the integrity of the appointment, issued a notice calling on the public to bring to its members' attention facts that could assist them in providing their opinion. "We urge the committee to delve into the report issued by the inquiry committee that investigated the incident, and especially examine the testimonies of Edri's subordinates," the victims wrote to the committee. Moshe Edri and Shira Banki "(Due to) the contradictions between the testimonies, and the fact that Edri amended his testimony We, the victims of the greatest intelligence failure in the history of the Israel Police, cast doubt on Edris ability to meet the rigid integrity standards expected from the No. 1 policeman, and we are calling on other citizens to voice their disagreement to the appointment, they added. "We believe it is inconceivable that an officer whose failure was so grave and directly contributed to the murder of the late Shira Banki, who was 15, assumes command of the entire police force, they went on to say. According to the victims, Edri "renounced his responsibility as the events commander, disregarding the nature and the scope of the parade," they explained, adding, "the units and police officers who are supposed to deal with threats such as Yishai Schlissel, who was previously imprisoned for stabbing several people at a Gay Pride Parade 10 years prior, don't have the required authority." Yishai Schlissel being apprehended after the 2015 Pride Parade attack (Photo: Reuters) Edri did not instruct the relevant units to cooperate with the regional commanders, leaving Schlissel, who was released from jail a few weeks earlier, unsupervised, the letter stated. "The findings of the investigation committee indicate that Edri's decisions and the manner in which he divided the responsibility between the various parties under his command led to utter confusion," the victims went on to say. The wounded claim that after the attack, Edri did not take responsibility for the incident, and tried to minimize his part in the failure that occurred. In retrospect, it also turns out that he altered his testimony after reviewing the committee's findings. Noam Eyal, one of the wounded, said, "the committee has come to examine Edri's qualifications in terms of integrity. Unlike Minister Erdan and Edris people from the police we know Edri did not take responsibility for his part, and his subordinates made serious allegations about the price they paid for their part in the failure. Noam Eyal Yael Belkin, who is also one of the letter's signatories, said she "hopes the committee will do the right thing and stop this appointment. "We stand by the wounded and implore the committee to properly discuss the serious failure that occurred under Edri," said Eran Globus, the chairman of the Jerusalem Open House for Pride and Tolerance. Deputy Commissioner Benzi Sau, who was acting police commissioner at the time, told Ynet last week that the allegations regarding Edri's conduct during the 2015 parade do not undermine his talents. "Our investigation revealed that Edri had taken all the precautionary measures required of the district commander. It's unfortunate that in the end, the despicable murderer managed to breach the police barrier, but it's definitely not his fault, Sau emphasized. A precedent-setting decision made by Jerusalem District Court Judge Moshe Drori based on the Nation-State Law means that any Jew from anywhere in the world who comes to harm because he is Jewish could sue for damages at an Israeli court. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Judge Drori ruled on a tort claim filed by two women who were held hostages when Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) terrorists hijacked the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro in 1985. The ruling is based, inter alia, on the Basic Law: Israel as the Nation State of the Jewish People, according to which the Jewish State is responsible for ensuring the well-being of its citizens and of those of Jewish origin who were affected by anti-Semitism. Achille Lauro cruise ship The Achille Lauro NIS 20 million tort claim was filed in 2000 on behalf of two Jewish-American women who were abducted and held captive by PLO terrorists. The women have since passed away, and the claim was submitted on behalf of their estate by the Shurat Hadin organization. The PLO argued that an Israeli court doesn't have the authority to review the case, since the incident did not occur within Israel's borders. Furthermore, the plaintiffs are American citizens, not Israeli. Drori rejected those claims, ruling that the case would be heard by the Jerusalem District Court. Judge Moshe Drori This is the second time Drori bases his rulings on the Nation-State Law. "The people of the Jewish nation are often harmed due to their Jewish descent, and therefore Israel must work to guarantee their safety," the judge wrote in his decision. "Since the state failed, in this case, and the plaintiffs were hurt from a terror attack carried by the respondents, the State of Israel is obligated to allow and assist the plaintiffs to receive the highest compensation possible, according to the Israeli judicial system," Drori said. In 1985, four terrorists took over the ship Achille Lauro while it was sailing from Alexandria to Port Said in Egypt. The terrorists threatened to hurt their hostages on the ship if 50 Palestinian security prisoners serving their sentence in Israel are not released. American Jew Leon Klinghoffer, a disabled man in a wheelchair, was shot and thrown overbroad while still alive. The ship sailed back to Alexandria, and after two days of negotiations, the terrorists agreed to abandon the ship and were flown to Tunisia in an Egyptian plane. Attorney Nitsana Darshan-Leitner "The Achille Lauro affair was one of the most horrific terror attacks carried out in Israel's history, and therefore the Israeli legal system has the authority to review it," said attorney Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, the founder of Shurat HaDin. "Drori's decision proves that even after 33 years, the State of Israel is responsible to hunt down those who want to harm it and will bring to justice those persecuting Jews worldwide," Darshan-Leitner added. "Even thought so much time has passed, the PLO will not be able to harm innocent Jews and avoid punishment." Ventura County sheriff's spokesman says gunman is dead inside the bar in Southern California. Earlier, authorities say 11 people including sheriff's deputy were shot. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed on Thursday that a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 in Argentina would go ahead at the end of the month, RIA news agency reported. The two leaders are due to meet briefly before then at a short working lunch in the Elysee Palace in Paris on November 11. The effects of Operation 512 conducted by the police several years ago, which was designed to combat the ever growing organized crime rings, began to wane as the practice of attaching explosive devices to vehicles of crime bosses enemies, have come back into fashion and has left three people dead over the past week. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter As part of the police campaign to eliminate organized crime, a special body was set up in the Lahav 433 unit to deal with the phenomenon of explosive devices used for the purpose of keeping score in the criminal world, aiming to not only reduce assassinations but also to prevent innocent bypassers from getting hurt. The quiet lasted for a few years but the police couldnt sustain applying pressure for much longer, and cars began exploding once again. Scene of assasination on Coastal Highway On Wednesday, at around 2:50pm, it happened on the Coastal Highwayan explosive device detonated on a Skoda vehiclekilling one and leaving two others moderately and lightly wounded. The men, who were in their 30s, are known to the police for property and drug offenses and are reportedly Netanya natives. The police investigation revealed that the target of the assassination attempt was not the eventual casualty but rather one of the other two passengers, who apparently was arrested two years ago on suspicion of assaulting a member of a criminal family, and the car bomb was the familys way of extracting revenge. However, other scenarios are being examined. The investigators estimate that the car was under surveillance and the device was detonated by remote control. By all indications, the bomb was attached to the front of the car. Fortunately, no innocent bystanders were harmed. After the bomb exploded, the car hit the guardrail and then stopped. Two of the wounded were evacuated by MDA to Ichilov Hospital at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center. Scene of assasination on Coastal Highway (Photo: Dana Kopel) Wednesdays assassination attempt was exceptional due to the fact that it had taken place on a crowded Highway. Earlier this week, at the Hatikva neighborhood in Tel Aviv, two men were also killed in a car bombing, who according to the police, were members of the Musli crime organization. The senior of the two men, Uzi Bar Zion, survived an assassination attempt two months ago in Holon. The other one, Elad Sardanioff, was supposed to serve as a witness for a prosecution during a trial currently being conducted against a head of a criminal family. A similar incident also occurred in May when Ali Amer from Kafr Qasim was killed by an explosive device, also detonated by remote control, planted in his car while he was driving near the Elishama junction in the Sharon Region. Footage of a car explosion in Tel Aviv's Hatikva neighborhood (: ) X Last November, a 30-year-old man was killed after an explosive device detonated while he was driving along the Ayalon Highway. These cases have a common denominator that points to a worrisome conclusion: the criminal world has raised its head once again and feels free to carry out assassinations, which can easily harm innocent people. Another indicator of that is the attempted assassination of a well-known criminal Ben Cohen a few weeks ago at Tel Aviv's Kikar HaMedina. Unidentified men shot toward his car, which was empty at the time of the incident. Cohen lost his legs in January 2016, after an explosive device exploded in his vehicle. Another serious incident took place a few weeks ago in Jaffa after suspects opened fire at a family standing next to their home. A five-year-old boy was left critically wounded. A police source summed up the situation, emphasizing that criminals once again feel free to plan and carry out complex and dangerous assassinations." Thousands of high-school students from Gaza border communities began the last leg of their protest march Thursday and are expected to reach the Wohl Rose Park park situated opposite the Knesset in Jerusalem. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The youth have organized the march in order to raise awareness of the ongoing high tensions on the Gaza border. The studentssophomores, juniors and seniorshave walked over 90 kilometers for the past five days in order to reach the capital, and they were joined along the way by their peers from other areas of the country. Gaza area residents march (Photo: Roee Idan) On Thursday morning, the teenagers were joined by the bereaved families, who lost their loved ones during Operation Protective Edge. President Reuven Rivlin greeted the youth as they entered the city and said: How fortunate are the people whose youngsters march at its head, and happy are the parents who raised their children with such a feeling of national pride, of love of the country, of such a meaningful connection to our wonderful country. You are not the young people of the area around Gaza, you are the young people that embrace the whole country. We hear your call and it breaks our hearts. I promise you: we will not, and we must not, let the Code Red alarm become a routine. Red will remain the color of the wildflowers that grow in the area. President Rivlin marching with the youth (Photo: Gov. Press Office) President Rivlin greeting the Gaza vicinity youth (Photo: Gov. Press Office) The president then marched with the youngsters who continued from there towards the Knesset. Despite the harsh weather conditions over the past week, the march continued as planned and the youth reached Jerusalem around 4pm, where a rally was held during which the participant demanded that the government restore quiet to the Gaza border region, ravaged by Hamas-led border violence over the past seven months. The president speaking to the marchers (Photo: Gov. Press Office) The organizers of the demonstration emphasized its not an attempt to convey political messages. Dozens of local authorities made busses available at the student's disposal. Ophir Liebstein, the head of Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council, praised the efforts of the teenagers. "I congratulate these amazing youth for this authentic protest, absent of politics or unnecessary rhetoric. These exceptional young men and women are marching to Jerusalem to protect their home We stand with them They managed to unite the country, he stressed. Gadi Yarkoni, chairman of the Eshkol Regional Council, spoke about the measures taken in support of the protest. "Black South" march (Photo: Assaf Kamar) The awakening of the protest in the communities surrounding the Gaza Strip on the security situation is understandable, justified and legitimate, he said. Protests, by nature, come from below. And that is their strength. It is not correct for the council to lead protests but it can support and give them a tailwind using the tools available to it, that is how we operate. We allowed the students of the "Nofei Habesor" to protest at the council junction, without the police's approval. We set up buses to transport students and escorts. We have budgeted films for the students and all the resources in the council are geared towards assisting and cooperating in favor of the matter, each in its own field. We stand behind you. I'll be at the rally too, and ask let them grow up quietly. "Let us grow up in peace" (Photo: Roee Idan) Growing up in the shadow of war The children know no other reality than that of the Code Red sirens, rocket barrages and military operations. Now, shortly before they enlist in the IDF, they have organized this large protest, the most significant one since the wave of incendiary balloons and kites caused so much damage. Because the Education Ministry is barred by law from endorsing such protests at the expense of class time, their schools took no part in the march. But the teachers and administrators lent their support. Marching from Gaza to Jerusalem Ahead of the march, students prepared placards, flags and T-shits with the logo let us grow up in peace. Our message is that we want change, said Roi Rahaf, a twelfth grader from Kibbutz Miflasim. Ever since we were born we have been living between wars The government has the power to change this, which is why we are marching to the Knesset. It is a march to arouse awareness regarding what is occurring in the Gaza vicinity, to tell our story of youth dealing with the difficult security situation. It is a long and enriching journey. As with any modern protest, updates were released in real-time via the groups Instagram and Facebook pages. DUBAI - Israel and Gulf Arab states should cooperate on aviation security and other civilian areas such as transportation, commercial aviation and tourism, Israel's intelligence minister told Reuters on Thursday after a visit to Oman. Israel Katz, who is also transport minister, was in the Omani capital Muscat this week attending a transportation conference. His visit came less than two weeks after a rare visit to the Gulf state by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to meet ruler Sultan Qaboos bin Said al-Said. "In my view cooperation between Israel and the Gulf states can and should be expanded ... ," Katz told Reuters by email. "Israel also has a lot to offer when it comes to water desalination and irrigation, agriculture and medicine." There are no commercial passenger flights between Israel and any of the six Gulf states, though Air India this year started flights to Tel Aviv from India that seemed to lift a 70-year-old ban on flights to or from Israel from using Saudi airspace. The High Court issued a two week restraining order against the demolition of the home of the terrorist who killed two Israelis in Barkan last month. The demolition order was issued by the Commander of Central Command Maj. Gen. Nadav Padan. The family of the terrorist appealed the decision to the court which then asked the state to respond within ten days. Officials in Gaza said that NIS 90 million in funds from Qatar were transferred to the territory. Government employees are expected to receive their salaries for the month of August on Friday. Their salaries for September and October are to be paid soon as well. The Qatari funds are for civilian employees only and not security services. The attitude in Israel toward renewed sanctions on Iran is that of an open miracle. An extraordinary case in which history took a U-turn when it seemed that al was lost. The Iranians, for the first time in more than three years, are moving from a period of momentum an international certificate of kashrut to the regime and regional expansion of an amazing scope to the defensive. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter From an optimistic perspective, the new sanctions will require the Iranians to engage in domestic matters, essentially the survival of the ayatollahs' regime, leaving less material and mental resources for the megalomaniacal moves of the kind we have seen in Syria, Yemen, Iraq and recently, even closer to home, on the Gaza front. President Trump; Hassan Rouhani While Israelis are completely satisfied, officials in Washington, especially among those who pushed for an American exit from the nuclear agreement and to restore the sanctions, are less satisfied. The special permit issued to eight countries to buy gas and oil from Iran, permitting the operation of three civilian reactors in Iran, and other issues, give the impression that the Europeans have obtained enough from President Trump to maintain the framework of the agreement. Moreover, some elements of the administration itself are trying to reconcile with the Iranians. It may not seem realistic at the moment, but it is a Trump we are talking about, and it is difficult to assess the direction of his next move, especially since he declared that he is interested in a deal and called on the Iranians to return to the negotiating table. Twitter war over sanctions It should also be noted that Trump maintains distance from the rhetoric regarding the overthrow of the Iranian regime. It reminds him of Bush-type complications in Iraq. Overall, he's a man of deals. One way or another, this is an opportunity window that will not return. In the coming months, the Iranian regime will become poorer and more vulnerable. The resources it had to invest in Syria, for example, but also in the Palestinian arena, will diminish. In the absence of international enthusiasm to invest hundreds of billions in rehabilitating Syria, they will not reap any benefits from their huge investment in this country in the foreseeable future. Israel must use this time wisely, especially by determinedly removing from them the desire to establish themselves in Syria, and perhaps also with a different approach toward the military wings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, both funded by the Revolutionary Guards' al-Quds Force. Islamic Jihad parade in Gaza (Photo: Reuters) This is not the time to rest. We received a second, unbelievable opportunity, with the US withdrawal from the nuclear agreement, and we have to act on the assumption that there will be no third chance. Not only the Iranians, but also the Palestinians, very much hope that they have only two years left with Trump, and not six years. As with the Iranian issue, here too, it should be ensured that Trump's activity, in this case the "deal of the century" that the Palestinians rejected even before it came to light, does not become destabilizing. While Netanyahu juggles remarkably well between the Gulf states mired in their own conflict the Saudis on a day and the Qataris at night things close to home look much bleaker. Not only in Gaza, which could erupt again at any moment, but also in the West Bank. After two years during which Mahmoud Abbas turned the phrase "the deal of the century" into a kind of curse, second only to the Balfour Declaration in terms of the scope of the historic catastrophe for the Palestinians, there is a chance that a public display of such a peace plan would lead to a large-scale Palestinian campaign against it, with whose consequences we will have to deal with. There is no deadline yet to present the deal outline, but it is assumed that after the results of the US midterm elections are clear and nearing New Years, the administrations excuses will run out. The deal of the century was supposed to enjoy the full support of the Arab countries, especially Saudi Arabia. But the unexpected entanglement of the crown prince in the Khashoggi murder case casts doubt on his ability to engage in such an effort, especially against the will of the Palestinians, at a time when the international image of Saudi Arabia is at its lowest ebb since the September 11 attacks. The Saudis were supposed to bring two things to the table: legitimization of the process and money. Money is still not lacking, but in a situation where Ben Salman is still trying to stabilize his chair, it is difficult to ask him to put his position to the test. Trump's first two years were indulging for Israel. It is reasonable to assume that the administration's pro-Israel line will continue for the next two years, but it will also have to put up with the implications of its major moves from Tehran, through Syria, to Gaza and Jerusalem. By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] MADISON, Wis. It took until 1:24 a.m. Wednesday for the Associated Press to call the race, but Democrat Tony Evers will be the next governor of Wisconsin, defeating Republican incumbent Scott Walkers bid for a third term in office in Tuesdays election. In a race that initially appeared to be headed for a recount, Evers received 1,324,648 votes to Walkers 1,293,799. In Iron County, it was Walker who came out ahead; getting 1,788 votes to Evers 1,264 votes. Libertarian Phillip Anderson received 7 votes in the county, Wisconsin Gre... The Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) reported that nearly 70 Queensland suburbs registered double digit growth over the 12 months to June, running contrary to the notion of a nationally cooling property market. REIQ CEO Antonia Mercorella agrees, noting that the reality where numerous markets in the state performing exceptionally well was running against the popular belief. A total of 68 suburbs throughout Queensland have delivered double-digit growth over 12 months, which is a really strong result, she said. And there are many more suburbs delivering strong single-digit growth. Its a great market to be in at the moment. The Queensland Market Monitor revealed that the suburbs seeing gains are found throughout the state, specifically in the southeast corner, central and northern Queensland. It was highlighted that the Blackwater has been the top performer among these suburbs, with 151% growth. This was driven by the resurgence in coal prices and the low base starting point. 11 suburbs hit an annual price growth of more than 20%. Apart from Blackwater, Spring Mountain (Ipswich), Collinsville, Minyama (Sunshine Coast), Hamilton, Hollywell (Gold Coast), Miles, Mount Coolum, Dundowran Beach (Fraser Coast), Boonah (Scenic Rim) and Idalia (Townsville) were on the list. REIQ CEO Antonia Mercorella welcomed the fact that the growth was not focused on one area. This spread of suburbs is a good indication that Queensland real estate is delivering steady sustainable growth across the board. Were seeing growth outside the southeast corner, she said. However, she also emphasised that values in mining towns remained low compared to figures from five years ago. While were definitely seeing prices come back in western Queensland mining towns, such as Blackwater, these prices are still below their peak. Its unlikely well see a return to pre-2013 prices in those areas anytime soon, she noted. Looking closely into the data, it was found that there are two different price range dominating the list of top performing suburbs. First, there was the very affordable bracket with a price range below $350,000. Second range was the price bracket above $500,000 and below $750,000, which generally appeals to family lifestyle. Eighteen top-performing suburbs reported a median house price range below $350,000. Most of these suburbs are in regional Queensland. 18 top performers, meanwhile, were seen to have an annual median house price range between $500,000 and $749,999. Thirteen of these suburbs are located in the southeast corner. Finally, eight top performing suburbs reported an annual median price range above $1 million. All these suburbs are located in Brisbane, Noosa or the Sunshine Coast LGA. News Washington, DC - Monday, Secretary Michael R. Pompeo met with Republic of Cyprus Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides at the State Department. Secretary Pompeo and Foreign Minister Christodoulides agreed on the importance of enhancing the U.S.-Republic of Cyprus relationship and welcomed the signing by Foreign Minister Christodoulides and Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs A. Wess Mitchell of the Statement of Intent on strengthening and developing the bilateral security relationship. The Statement of Intent will advance shared interests in combatting terrorism, enhancing maritime and border security, and promoting regional stability. The Secretary reaffirmed longstanding U.S. policy on resources in the Republic of Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone and also said the United States continues to support Cypriot-led, UN-facilitated efforts to reunify the island as a bizonal, bicommunal federation, which would benefit all Cypriots. Latest News Washington, DC - Secretary Michael R. Pompeo spoke today with Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland. The Secretary and the Foreign Minister discussed a number of global and bilateral issues. The Secretary and the Foreign Minister agreed on the importance of ascertaining all of the facts in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and holding all of those involved accountable. They also discussed Iran sanctions, the situation in Nicaragua, and the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business. Norcros plc, together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and distributes bathroom and kitchen products in the United Kingdom and South Africa. The company manufactures and distributes electric, and mixer showers and accessories under the Triton brand name; shower enclosures and trays to the residential, commercial, and hospitality sectors under the Merlyn brand; taps, mixer showers, bathroom accessories, high end brassware, and valves under the Vado brand name; and accessories and furniture for the bathroom, such as toilet seats, wall-mounted cupboards, vanity units, shower rods, rails, and curtains to retail and trade customers under the Croydex brand name. It also offers kitchen taps, sinks, and instant hot water taps under the Abode brand name; ceramic wall and floor tiles under the Johnson Tiles brand name; and adhesives, grouts, and surface preparation products under the Norcros Adhesives brand name for fixing ceramic and porcelain tiles, mosaics, natural stones, and marbles. In addition, the company provides tile adhesives, pourable floor coverings, and tiling tools for various types of ceramic, porcelain, or natural stone tiles; and various products for the preparation of floors before the installation of hard and soft floor coverings, including primers, additives, patching and repair compounds, and screeds and self-levelling screeds, as well as waterproofing systems under the TAL brand name, as well as specialist plumbing materials under the House of Plumbing brand name. It also retails wall and floor tiles, adhesives, showers, sanitaryware, and bathroom fittings under the Tile Africa brand name. The company serves consumers, architects, designers, developers, retailers, and wholesalers. Norcros plc was incorporated in 1999 and is headquartered in Wilmslow, the United Kingdom. Read More - A 54-year-old man has killed his wife and brother in Russia - The man shot the two after waking up to find them making love in his house A man has allegedly killed his wife and elder brother after he woke in the middle of the night and heard them making love. According to reports Oleg Kirkunov, 54, lived in Ufa, Russia, with his wife Olga Sukhanova, 44. His brother Evgeny, 65, joined them for a meal and drinks at their home and he was invited to stay the night and sleep in the couples spare room. Oleg Kirkunov (Photo source: Mirror.co.uk) Source: UGC But Oleg woke in the night after hearing noises coming from the spare room. READ ALSO: Top Kumawood actor stabbed to death in Kumasi (Photo) Realising his wife was not in bed beside him, he went to investigate and found his brother having sex with his wife, so he shot them dead. Mirror.co.uk reported that graphic footage recorded by police shows Olga lying dead on the bed, with a huge head wound and the body of Evgeny also lying on the floor in a pool of blood. A gun was also seen on the floor in the video while the man can be seen explaining what happened to the police after confessing to killing the two. Explaining what transpired, police said the unemployed man a keen hunter grabbed his Saiga gun and shot his wife in the head as she lay in the bed. READ ALSO: Sad photos of slay queens mourning at Charlotte Abena Woodey's one-week drop Then he gunned down his brother who had dressed and was trying to escape. He then immediately called the police and confessed to the killings. He entered the room and saw his wife making love to his brother, Mirror UK quoted Ufa1 news agency to have reported. The Russian Investigative Committee is reported to have confirmed that the criminal has been detained. Charges have been brought against him. He is accused of double murder. READ ALSO: Young maid poisons boss, 4 grandchildren for not giving her food (Video) Meanwhile, a prisoner who was remanded to reappear before the court this week has reportedly disappeared from the Kumasi Central prisons. READ ALSO: Lady declared wanted by the police for stealing at a party finally speaks; says she was acting (Videos) The escaped prisoner identified as Abdul-Razak, YEN.com.gh has gathered, was standing trial for various crimes key among which was his alleged association with rebels in neighbouring countries. He had been remanded on Friday, November 2, 2018, to reappear at a later date while his docket was forwarded to the Attorney Generals Department for advice. But prison officers woke up the next day to find Abdul-Razak's absence from the prison without any physical sign of a jailbreak. READ ALSO: Dillish Mathews drops wild video and lovely photos with Adebayor to confirm they're dating Xandy Kamel Interview on Star Gist: 'Benedicta Gafah Has No Womb' Xandy Drops Bombshell| #Yencomgh: READ ALSO: I seduced my boss by not wearing pants to the office for 3 weeks - NSS girl wildly confesses Share your views on this with us in the comments section below. Do you have a story to share with us? Inbox us on our Facebook/Instagram page and we could feature your story. To stay up to date with the latest news, download our news app on Google Play today Source: Yen - The police in Kumasi have confirmed the death of Kumawood actor, Abass Nurudeen aka Blinkz - The actor was allegedly stabbed to death by two men during a brawl at Akorem in Kumasi - Blinkz was trying to intervene in a quarrel between his boss' wife and her brother It is no more a rumour that Kumawood actor and makeup artist, Abass 'Blinkz' Nurudeen has been stabbed to death in Kumasi. Reports had been rife on the afternoon of Wednesday, November 7, that Abass had died after been stabbed in a brawl. While the reports had been prominent on social media, it had remained a rumour and details had been sketchy. Kumawood actor Abass 'Blinkz' Nurudeen (Photo: Supplied) Source: Facebook But the police in Kumasi have confirmed the death of the well-built actor who is popular for his roles as a 'thug' in many Kumawood movies. READ ALSO: Medikal and 5 other musicians who have 'chopped and dawged' Sister Derby According to the Manhyia Divisional Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Kwaku Buah, the stabbing incident happened at about 10:30 am. The deceased, ACP Buah narrated, who also works as at Acheamfour Terminal, a bus terminal in Kumasi, visited his boss' house at Akorem, a suburb of Kumasi. Upon reaching the house, Abass Blinkz met his boss' wife and her brother exchanging words Worried by the quarrel, he tried to intervene. But the brother of his boss' wife got angry over his intervention and engaged him in a brawl. READ ALSO: Are you cockroaches? - Sister Derby jabs Medikal and Fella Makafui in wild 'diss' song (Audio) The boss brother-in-law and another guy present came together to attack Blinkz with knives stabbing him in the in the process. One reportedly stabbed him in the ribs and the other sliced him in the back before Blinkz fell and collapsed. He was immediately rushed to the Manhyia Hospital where he was pronounced dead minutes later Speaking to the press over the matter, ACP Buah urged the public to assist in apprehending the suspects who are said to have bolted. READ ALSO: Sad photos of slay queens mourning at Charlotte Abena Woodey's one-week drop Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh earlier shared the video of a man who has killed his wife and elder brother after he woke in the middle of the night and heard them making love. According to reports Oleg Kirkunov, 54, lived in Ufa, Russia, with his wife Olga Sukhanova, 44. His brother Evgeny, 65, joined them for a meal and drinks at their home and he was invited to stay the night and sleep in the couples spare room. But Oleg woke in the night after hearing noises coming from the spare room. Realising his wife was not in bed beside him, he went to investigate and found his brother having sex with his wife, so he shot them dead. Xandy Kamel Interview on Star Gist: 'Benedicta Gafah Has No Womb' Xandy Drops Bombshell| #Yencomgh: READ ALSO: I seduced my boss by not wearing pants to the office for 3 weeks - NSS girl wildly confesses Share your views on this with us in the comments section below. Do you have a story to share with us? Inbox us on our Facebook/Instagram page and we could feature your story. To stay up to date with the latest news, download our news app on Google Play today Source: Yen Newspaper - A photo of a man alleged to part of the stabbing incident which resulted in the death of Abass Nurudeen - The actor was allegedly attacked and stabbed by two men during a brawl in Kumasi - Blinkz was trying to intervene in a quarrel between his boss' wife and her brother YEN.com.gh has sighted a photo of a young man believed to have been directly involved in the stabbing incident which led to the death of Abass Nurudeen, a Ghanaian actor. According to reports, the young man was one of the two suspects alleged to have stabbed Abass Nurudeen and were currently on the run after committing the dastardly act. The name of the alleged suspect is yet to be ascertained as investigations go on following the actor's unfortunate demise. One of the men alleged to have stabbed Abass Nurudeen. Credit: Facebook/Breaking News Ghana Source: Facebook READ ALSO: 5 financial responsibilities of every boyfriend Abass Nurudeen, popularly known as Blinkz, was a Kumawood actor and makeup artist. Reports had been rife on the afternoon of Wednesday, November 7, that Abass died after being stabbed in a brawl. The police in Kumasi who were notified of the incident rushed to the scene and confirmed the death of the well-built actor who was popular for his roles as a 'thug' in many Kumawood movies. Preliminary investigations led Manhyia Divisional Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Kwaku Buah, to believe that the stabbing incident happened at about 10:30 am. ACP Buah narrated that the deceased also worked at Acheamfour Terminal, a bus terminal in Kumasi. He added that the stabbing incident happened after he (Abass Nurudeen) visited his boss' house at Akorem, a suburb of Kumasi. Late Abass Nurudeen. Credit: Supplied Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Photo: Midwifery Council honours nurse for delivering baby on a bus Abass, according to reports, met his boss' wife and her brother exchanging words upon arrival. The deceased then tried to intervene. But the brother of his boss' wife got angry over his intervention and engaged him in a brawl which later turned bloody. The boss brother-in-law and another guy present came together to attack Blinkz with knives stabbing him in the process. Abass was reportedly stabbed in the ribs and there was another cut on his back which caused him to fall and collapse. He was immediately rushed to the Manhyia Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Speaking to the press over the matter, ACP Buah urged the public to assist in apprehending the suspects who are said to have bolted after committing the crime. READ ALSO: Video: Vicky Zugah twerks for veteran actor Fred Amugi Watch: Ghana News Today: Mariam Owusu-Poku Crowned Miss Malaika 2018 | Yen.com.gh Have national and human interest issues to discuss? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page. Source: Yen - Some members of the Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG) have apologised to former president Mahama for voting against him in 2016 - They said President Akufo-Addo and the NPP have disappointed them - The group has asked Mahama to come back in election 2020 Some members of the Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTAG), have apologised to former president John Mahama for voting against him and the NDC in 2016. The group embarked on a demonstration on Wednesday, October 7, 2018, to compel the government to give them permanent employment. The unemployed teachers, according to a report sighted by YEN.com.gh on Classfmonline.com, said they felt disappointed in Akufo-Addo and his government. READ ALSO: Visibly pregnant Ama McBrown sings praises to God in latest video TTAG explained that its members were supposed to be given permanent employment in September 2018, but the government, according to their intelligence, intends posting them to do the one-year mandatory national service, which, they say, is not part of the initial agreement. They said that they received a better treatment under the erstwhile Mahama government as compared with their welfare now under Akufo-Akufo, and thus apologised to the former president and called for his return to power. Some of the aggrieved teachers chanted 'Mahama, we are sorry... come back" as they demonstrated. READ ALSO: Ebonys father announces arrival of new Ebony Reigns in latest wild video Some of the females among them said, they were often tempted to chase men for survival because of their unemployed state. If you dont take time, my dear, you will do something that you are not supposed to do; you will be gallivanting around chasing men here and there [for survival]. Meanwhile, we have completed [school] and need to be posted, one female teacher lamented. We want newly-trained teachers to be posted by the Ghana Education Service (GES) [and not to] enroll us for national service, another teacher added. READ ALSO: Photo of the man who stabbed Kumawood actor pops up The TTAG members marched through the principal streets of Accra with placards with inscriptions: "Thanks for Allowance but post us now", You gave us an allowance and so what?, Education sector is in limbo, Napo must go, NPP, we are tired of promises; post us now, NPP has betrayed us, GES post us now. They marched from the Obra Spot near the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange and ended at the Hearts of Oak Park in Accra in demonstrating against the government. The group announced that it will also present a petition to Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia. READ ALSO: Man refuses to pay toll in protest of bad Tema motorway road Ghana News Today: Mariam Owusu-Poku Crowned Miss Malaika 2018 | Yen.com.gh READ ALSO: Kwesi Nyantakyis children reportedly abused in school Have national and human interest issues to discuss? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page Source: Yen Ghana Ghanaian actress Fella Makafui has landed himself into trouble after snatching Medikal from Sister Derby. Social media users have taken Fella Makafui to the cleaners after helping Medikal to break Sister Derbys heart. Fella Makafui in displaying her beauty, posted a photo of herself on Instagram looking gorgeous. READ ALSO: Sista Afia flaunts her big 'melons' on social media She captioned the photo: Mirror Mirror on the wall. However, social media users who have much knowledge with respect to the romantic relationship between Medikal and Fella Makafui blasted the latter while they consoled Sister Derby. @jeffrey_wyte says Fella Makafui is a greedy person. He commented: @fellamakafui so u do saaa u take @amgmedikal why u be eye red so. READ ALSO: I don't care what people say about me - Nina Richie @ghfilas commented: So u are happy stealing some ones boys friend?. @moonkiidd also wrote: U re hurting the baby o..can't u hear him crying. Despite the criticism, other followers extended their compliments to the YOLO actress. @shadrach.t commented: Wow u look so beautiful to me. @albert_agyepong wrote: Body soo cute. READ ALSO: Vicky Zugah twerks for veteran actor Fred Amugi As earlier reported by YEN.com.gh, Fella Makafui and Medikal are in serious relationship. Medikal in confirming his relationship with Fella Makafui released a new video on his Intagram page. In the video, Medikal went on to sing about Fella Makafui's 'backside' and said it was so fat that it could the case of obesity. Medikal also throw jabs at social media users who waded into rumours about his relationship with the actress. Watch:Xandy Khamel: Benedicta Gafah took me to a spiritualist | Yen.com.gh Your stories and photos are always welcome. Send us message via YEN's official Facebook page. Source: Yen - Former president Jerry John Rawlings has described the erstwhile Mahama administration as the worst in the nations history - He said Mahamas government engaged in deep corruption with impunity - Rawlings has been criticising Mahama and the NDC before and after the party lost the 2016 elections Former president Jerry John Rawlings has claimed that President Akufo-Addo and his New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration inherited corruption at its worst from the erstwhile Mahama administration. According to Rawlings, when Akufo-Addo took over from the John Mahama goverment in 2017, the country was already sinking deep in practice of corruption with impunity. By the time this administration came into office, the country was literally drowning in the practice of corruption with impunity. The NPP has therefore inherited national corruption at its worst, Rawlings stated. READ ALSO: We're sorry! Jobless teachers beg Mahama to "come back" He was speaking when he received a delegation of political leaders from Sierra Leone, led by former Vice-President, Chief Sam-Sumana. This is not the first time the former President has castigated Mahama and the NDC. Rawlings had in the past expressed disgust about what he claimed was serious corruption in the previous Mahama administration, criticizing the members for putting their interests first. Since the NDC lost the 2016 general elections, the ex-president has criticized the leadership of the party with Mahama at the receiving end for engaging in various acts of corruption, including vote-buying in internal NDC elections. READ ALSO: Visibly pregnant Ama McBrown sings praises to God in latest video This has pitched him against some elements in the party, who are not satisfied with his public criticism of the leadership of the party. He had also described members of the party as greedy and selfish, saying they are part of the reason for the poverty in Ghana today. Speaking to the delegates that visited him over the weekend, Mr. Rawlings said that governments that fail to punish corrupt officials provide a favourable climate for crime to thrive, adding that that was the case of the NDC. He indicated that the current government owes its own survival to the anti-corruption crusade. READ ALSO: Ebonys father announces arrival of new Ebony Reigns in latest wild video Former President Rawlings, therefore, called on citizens to help the government fight corruption since government alone cannot succeed in doing so. The former Vice-President of Sierra Leone said the group recognizes the ideals of former President Rawlings who wants to see a better Africa. He said Mr. Rawlings served as the foundation for the renewed development of Ghana after the demise of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. We look up to you as a role model because of the peace and stability you brought not only to Ghana, but also Sierra Leone and Liberia during your tenure as head of state, Chief Sam-Sumana stated. READ ALSO: Photo of the man who stabbed Kumawood actor pops up Ghana News Today: Mariam Owusu-Poku Crowned Miss Malaika 2018 | Yen.com.gh READ ALSO: Man refuses to pay toll in protest of bad Tema motorway road Have national and human interest issues to discuss? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page Source: Yen.com.gh With no information as to when Chinas months-long freeze on issuing new game licenses will end, Tencent is reportedly shifting its budget to weather the halt. According to an internal document picked up by Bloomberg, Tencent has asked its marketing execs to endure the hard times together by keeping a tight grip on marketing spend. Tencent is asking, per the memo, for projects to return their unspent marketing cash to the larger companys coffers if those games werent able to grab a license from the Chinese government ahead of the freeze. Tencent declined the publications request for comment on the memo. The freeze has been ongoing for most of 2018 and follows the restructuring of the internal government office that usually handles issuing licenses for games to release in China. Up until just recently, game makers could obtain a provisional green channel approval that allowed titles to launch and monetize for a period of one month, but that program was quietly shuttered just a few weeks ago. While some analysts say that the end of the freeze is in sight, Tencent and other companies that expected revenue from Chinas massive game market are still feeling the effects of the halt. In addition to this marketing shift, the company previously underwent a restructuring effort aimed at increasing its focus on corporate clients, its first major restructure in 6 years. The Long Beach Independent Redistricting Commission approved a new redistricting map on Thursday, setting a new political landscape for the next decade. Terminal will be closed to passengers : Anti-Terror Exercise at Cologne/Bonn Airport SANKT AUGUSTIN/ BONN/ COLOGNE An anti-terror exercise is being carried out at a German airport for the first time. Cologne police, federal police forces from Sankt Augustin and customs agents are involved in the exercise that will take place at Cologne/Bonn Airport. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken Overnight from November 20 to 21, federal police officers from Sankt Augustin and police units from Cologne will conduct a large-scale anti-terror exercise at Cologne/Bonn Airport. Several runs are planned as part of the exercise, in which customs workers are also involved. The exercise will not be open to the public. Will air traffic be affected by the exercise? According to the Federal Police Directorate in Sankt Augustin, large areas of Terminal 1 will be closed off during the exercise. The entire Terminal 1 will not be available for passengers to check-in for flights scheduled during this time period. Instead, all flight operations will be carried out in Terminal 2 during the anti-terror exercise. Operations at Terminal 2 are expected to run without any disruptions. Cologne/Bonn Airport says it will publish further information well in advance of the anti-terror exercise so that passengers are informed. Further details will follow in the coming days, according to an airport spokeswoman. Have similar exercises already taken place? So far, similar exercises have only been carried out at various railway stations throughout Germany or in shopping centers such as the Neumarkt-Galerie in Cologne. The organizer of this series of exercises is the Federal Police Academy based in Lubeck. The anti-terror exercise at Cologne/Bonn Airport is the first of its kind in this series. The Cologne/Bonn Airport was chosen for logistical reasons and because it is close to the German Federal Police in Sankt Augustin. Cologne police said that they supported this initiative in order to strengthen cooperation in the event of an emergency. They are also responsible for the training in connection with the exercise. Most recently, their capabilities were put into action during a hostage-taking situation at Cologne Central Station on October 15. In that incident, they also worked in unison with the Federal Police. Romance scam : Bonn police search for accused scammer BONN A man believed to be around 50-years-old is accused of cheating a 55-year-old woman out of a large sum of money after pretending to be in love with her. Police are searching for the man and have released a photo. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken Investigators from the Bonn police are searching for a suspect who is believed to have cheated a 55-year-old woman out of a five-figure sum of money. The victim had met the man at the beginning of July through a dating portal on the Internet. "The 50-year-old, who appeared eloquent, pretended to have fallen in love with the woman and persuaded the 55-year-old to make money available for the alleged love affair," the police reported. The man is described as 1.95 to 2.05 meters tall. He is sturdily built and has a large belly. He has dark blonde hair, blue eyes and a chin beard. He spoke German with a Dutch or Belgian accent and is tattooed on his neck and left wrist. Investigators have not yet been able to identify the suspect so police were able to obtain a court order to publish his photo. The victim had taken a picture of the man during a time when they met up. He gained the womans trust, having provided her with a false name. If anyone has information about this man, they are asked to please contact Bonn police at: (0228) 150. When Stony Brook University anthropologist James Rossie began sifting through sediment in the Tugen Hills of Kenya during his first day of the dig, he didnt know hed discover teeth from a previously undiscovered tiny ape species. Now, a study authored by Rossie and his former doctoral advisor, the late Andrew Hill of Yale University, shows that this belongs to a new species of apethe smallest ever yet described, weighing just under 3.5 kilogramsfrom 12.5 million year old sites in the Tugen Hills, giving important clues about the unexplained decline in diversity of apes during the Miocene epoch. The paper, titled A new species of Simiolus from the middle Miocene of the Tugen Hills, Kenya, is scheduled to published in the December issue of the Journal of Human Evolution. The fossil molars were found at three different sites along the Tugen Hills and Lake Baringo Basin by Rossie and Hill in 2004, just more than a decade before Hills death in 2015. Rossie said fossil molars from the tiny ape, now housed in the National Museum of Kenya, Nairobi, show evidence of leaf eating, which suggests that it was in direct competition with the earliest colobine monkeys for food resources. Rossie said the small ape is also the latest-surviving member yet described of the small apes that flourished in the early Miocene epoch. At the beginning of the Miocene epoch, there were only a few species of monkeys, while apes were represented by a broad radiation of species ranging from 4 to 50 kilograms; today, however, there are only a handful of ape species remaining. Precisely what caused the decrease in ape diversity and rise of monkey diversity is a mystery that paleontologists have been contemplating for decades, Rossie said, and many suspect that direct competition between the two groups was to blame. One thing this shows us is that some apes were leaning toward folivory [leaf eating] at just the time when monkeys were evolving their uniquely effective adaptations for it, said Rossie, . Under those circumstances, Im not surprised that this is the last you see of these small apes. Weve previously found the earliest colobine monkeys at these sites, and now we have an ape that looks like it would have been in direct competition with them for food. Rossie, an associate professor of anthropology in the College of Arts and Sciences, said fossil molars from the tiny ape, now housed in the National Museum of Kenya, Nairobi, show evidence of leaf eating, which suggests that it was in direct competition with the earliest colobine monkeys for food resources. Rossie said the small ape is also the latest-surviving member yet described of the small apes that flourished in the early Miocene epoch. The greatest obstacle to solving this puzzle is the relative scarcity of fossil sites in the middle of the transition, Rossie said from about 14 to 6 Ma. The new species comes from sites in the Tugen Hills that are among a small number of African sites in this time range. Reference: James B. Rossie et al. A new species of Simiolus from the middle Miocene of the Tugen Hills, Kenya, Journal of Human Evolution (2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2018.09.002 Note: The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Stony Brook University. Nacogdoches, TX (75965) Today Scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. High 72F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Cloudy early with some clearing expected late. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 47F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. clarajancita at 8-11-2018 02:31 PM (3 years ago) (f) A lawyer has narrated a horrific encounter she had with another road user. A lawyer has narrated a horrific encounter she had with another road user. Quote Police and other passersby, who were men, took sides with the man. However, she said a female road user captured the incident. When the man, who is a driver for the real owner of the car, was asked to swear that he was telling the truth, he said his religion doesn't allow him to swear. When they eventually got to the station and every evidence was laid out, the DPO asked her if she wanted to press charges. It was at this point that the man began begging that he has a wife and kids. Others joined him to beg and told her to forgive. This, she said, angered her because she was being made to feel guilty for seeking justice. The young lady, who only recently returned to Nigeria, said the country is 'doomed' and has beaten her hard over and over again. She added that Nigeria is not safe and women are not valued because every organization is run by men. @TheFit Lawyer said she was assaulted at link bridge by a driver who scratched her car. She said he tried to deny that he scratched her and pinned the blame on her. He then got down and an argument ensued during which he slapped her. A fight then broke out and her nail was broken so bad that she was bleeding.Police and other passersby, who were men, took sides with the man. However, she said a female road user captured the incident.When the man, who is a driver for the real owner of the car, was asked to swear that he was telling the truth, he said his religion doesn't allow him to swear.When they eventually got to the station and every evidence was laid out, the DPO asked her if she wanted to press charges. It was at this point that the man began begging that he has a wife and kids.Others joined him to beg and told her to forgive. This, she said, angered her because she was being made to feel guilty for seeking justice.The young lady, who only recently returned to Nigeria, said the country is 'doomed' and has beaten her hard over and over again. She added that Nigeria is not safe and women are not valued because every organization is run by men. Read her account of the road rage incident in the screenshots below. Read her account of the road rage incident in the screenshots below. Post Reply I am a metro reporter on Gistmania, I have been publishing news materials for over 5 years Posted: at 8-11-2018 02:31 PM (3 years ago) | Hero clarajancita at 8-11-2018 03:07 PM (3 years ago) (f) Prince Charles of the United Kingdon who touched down in Lagos yesterday has been heard speaking Naija's pidgin English, as he hung out with celebrities. Duke of Cornwall, Prince Charles, who is the heir apparent to the British throne, and the eldest child of Queen Elizabeth II, arrived in Lagos on Wednesday, a day after touching down in Abuja, the nation's capital. Prince Charles of the United Kingdon who touched down in Lagos yesterday has been heard speaking Naija's pidgin English, as he hung out with celebrities. Duke of Cornwall, Prince Charles, who is the heir apparent to the British throne, and the eldest child of Queen Elizabeth II, arrived in Lagos on Wednesday, a day after touching down in Abuja, the nation's capital. The Prince of Wales who is the oldest and longest-serving heir apparent in British history, on Wednesday, visited Nigerias commercial capital. While speaking when he was addressing assembled dignitaries including former heads of state, presidential candidates, leading politicians, and stars from the world of fashion, music and the arts, the Prince asked, How you dey? (How are you?). Queen Elizabeth IIs eldest son and heir, who turns 70 this month and winds up a tour of The Gambia, Ghana and Nigeria on Thursday, said he was pleased to be back in Lasgidi (Lagos). M.I Abaga, Mr Eazi, Dare Alade, others with Prince Charles in Lagos The Prince of Wales who is the oldest and longest-serving heir apparent in British history, on Wednesday, visited Nigerias commercial capital.While speaking when he was addressing assembled dignitaries including former heads of state, presidential candidates, leading politicians, and stars from the world of fashion, music and the arts, the Prince asked, How you dey? (How are you?).Queen Elizabeth IIs eldest son and heir, who turns 70 this month and winds up a tour of The Gambia, Ghana and Nigeria on Thursday, said he was pleased to be back in Lasgidi (Lagos).M.I Abaga, Mr Eazi, Dare Alade, others with Prince Charles in Lagos Quote I find it hard to believe that nearly 30 years have passed since I first came to this city, he added in a speech at the British Deputy High Commissioners residence. As they say, God don butta my bread (God has blessed me), he said, praising the city for its dynamism and energy. Lagos - home to more than 20 million people and driver of the economy of Africas most populous nation - is a hub of innovation and industry. Charles, whose Princes Trust has helped launch the careers of hundreds of thousands of young entrepreneurs, said both shared the same spirit of imagination and ingenuity. he said, praising the city for its dynamism and energy. Lagos - home to more than 20 million people and driver of the economy of Africas most populous nation - is a hub of innovation and industry.Charles, whose Princes Trust has helped launch the careers of hundreds of thousands of young entrepreneurs, said both shared the same spirit of imagination and ingenuity. Quote If life dey show you pepper, make pepper soup, he said, which roughly translates to life is what you make it. Post Reply I am a metro reporter on Gistmania, I have been publishing news materials for over 5 years Posted: at 8-11-2018 03:07 PM (3 years ago) | Hero Rafael has been awarded a cyber security contract with the Israel Railway Authority November 2018 by Marc Jacob Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. has been awarded a contract to supply its cyber defense solution to the Israel Railway Authority. Rafael will build the Authoritys Cyber Security Operations Center (CSOC) to optimize the awareness and prevention of the more than 10 million monthly cyber-attack attempts aimed at gathering critical intelligence and other forms of hacking against the trains subsystems. In the last few years, Rafael has been chosen to lead a number of major Cyber defense projects totaling tens of millions of dollars in Israel and around the world, including Israels national CERT Program and the Bank of Israels National Credit Registry Defense Program, as well as major international projects with undisclosed customers. As a major Cyber player In Israel, Rafael has decided to offer a new vision for the cyber domain. Rafaels cyber solutions are comprehensive, due to its multi-disciplinary knowledge and vast hands-on experience, earned through its participation in numerous projects. The companys capabilities are based on a unique research team that includes some of the best talents in Israel and experience gained as the national Cyber research laboratory in Israel. Brigadier General (ret.), VP Ariel Karo, Head of Rafaels C4I and Cyber Directorate stated that the solutions to be provided by Rafael will comprise a significant contribution to the Trains effort to bolster its defense against cyber threats. Karo added: "Our solution is conceptually unique, and is designed to analyze and suit the proper mode of operation to the most complex threats in the global cyber arena." CALGARY, Alberta, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Voyageur Minerals Ltd. (TSXV-VM) (the Company or Voyageur) is pleased to announce that it has signed a joint venture agreement with Chief Medical Supply Ltd (CM) of Calgary, Alberta. The joint venture will engage in the development, marketing and commercialization of human and animal radiographic contrast agents and related pharmaceutical products, focusing on development of barium sulfate contrast products. The joint venture will provide Voyageur with the opportunity to penetrate the highest value barium sulfate market in the world. Management anticipates that cash flow from this line of business will begin in 2019. Terms of the Agreement: Voyageur will provide up to 2,000 metric tonnes annually of USP grade barium sulfate API, to the Joint Venture at no cost to the Joint Venture. CM will provide the Canadian regulatory approval, the formulation, manufacturing, testing and packaging of the barite suspension products, using its own facilities and equipment, at no cost to the Joint Venture. All other activities in respect to regulatory approvals, marketing and sales of the products will be for the account of the joint venture, and the costs of such will be a direct charge against the revenues of the joint venture. The joint venture will begin formulation of its product lines and move forward with applications for Health Canada drug identification number registration. The joint ventures target for initial sales is the second quarter of 2019. Initial sales of the product will focus on Canada utilising the Health Canada bidding process. After sales into the Canadian market have commenced, the joint venture will apply for certification and begin sales into Europe and the rest of the world, excluding the United States. Approval for sale in the United States requires approval through the FDA. This process will take a year or more before sales can begin in the United States. The joint venture plans on targeting markets with government-run health care systems and private clinics. The following markets will be pursued in the near term: North America, Europe, Brazil, Argentina, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, South Africa, Russia, Israel, Turkey, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, UAE, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Japan, Philippines, Brunei, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Voyageur is excited to work with Dr. Merle Olson and Paul Tulan, officers of CM who have a proven track record of successfully manufacturing and selling various pharmaceutical products. They bring with them a team of experts, turn key barium suspension contrast manufacturing and expertise in formulating, marketing and permitting of pharmaceutical products. About Chief Medical Supply: CM provides high quality, competitively priced pharmaceuticals and hemodialysis products to pharmacies and hospitals across Canada. Operating from both its 33,000 square-foot plant in Calgary, Alberta and its 90,000 square-foot facility in Mississauga, Ontario, CM is able to supply products coast-to-coast. CM has both drug and medical device establishment licenses issued by Health Canada. The goal at CMS is to provide first-rate service; employees strive to avoid backorders and delays relentlessly. Policies are in place to make sure the customer always knows the status of an order, including its ETA. Providing exceptional customer service is the first priority at CMS. About Voyageur Minerals Voyageur is a Calgary based company which owns 100% interest in three Barium Sulfate ("Barite") deposits including two properties suitable in grade for the industrial barite market place, and interests in a high grade lithium brine project in Utah, USA. Voyageur's business plan is to develop its barite deposit at Frances Creek, BC, Canada, for near term cash flow, while it continues exploration for critical and strategic minerals. The Frances Creek project is moving forward to manufacture pharmaceutical grade barium sulfate and high purity Blanc fixe barium sulfate for the paint and plastic markets. The Companys qualified person as defined by NI 43-101, Mr. Brad Willis has reviewed this news release and approved it. For further information, please contact: John Rucci, CEO Steven R. Livingston, VP Finance Cell (403) 383-8588 Cell (403) 471-1659 Office (587)-779-6166 Office (587)-779-6166 jrucci@voyageurminerals.ca steve@voyageurminerals.ca 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 news release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to the Qualifying Transaction, including statements regarding the acquisition of future assets, the discovery and commercialization of commercial quantities of industrial minerals, the successful commercialization of the Companys assets, expected operational activities, other statements that are not historical facts. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are based will occur. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not occur, which may cause actual performance and results in future periods to differ materially from any estimates or projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These assumptions, risks and uncertainties include, among other things: the risk that the assets do not provide commercial quantities or grades of marketable minerals, that even if they do contain commercial quantities of marketable minerals that the Company will not be able to economically produce such discoveries, the existence of commercial grades of commercial minerals, timing of obtaining required approvals, state of the economy in general and capital markets in particular, investor interest in the business and future prospects of the Company. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no 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 securities law. Additionally, the Company undertakes no obligation to comment on the expectations of, or statements made, by third parties in respect of the matters discussed above. In races that were largely overshadowed by high-stakes U.S. Senate, House and gubernatorial contests this election season, moderate-to-liberal judicial candidates made a strong showing.They prevailed in state supreme court elections in Arkansas, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina and Ohio. Conservatives, for their part, cheered results in Alabama and West Virginia.The highest-profile victory for Democrats came in North Carolina, where Democrat Anita Earls defeated Republicans Chris Anglin and Barbara Jackson. The GOP had worried that Anglin and Jackson would split the Republican vote between them, leading to Earls' victory. They were right: 49 percent voted for Earls, 34 percent for Jackson and 16 percent for Anglin.Earls is a prominent civil rights attorney who has been a key player in the state's long-running battle over redistricting. Her victory expands the liberal lead on the court to 5-2.Perhaps the biggest surprise for Democrats came in Ohio, where Republicans won most of the statewide races. In one of the two contested supreme court races there, Democratic appeals court Judge Melody Stewart defeated incumbent Mary DeGenaro, who had been appointed by GOP Gov. John Kasich. The margin was 52 percent to 48 percent.In the other race, Democrat Michael Donnelly, a common pleas judge, defeated Republican Craig Baldwin, an appeals court judge, by a 60 percent to 40 percent margin.The two Ohio Democrats join five Republicans on the court.In Nevada, a state that experienced a Democratic tilt on Election Day, the more liberal candidate won both of the contested state supreme court seats on the ballot.Elissa Cadish, a district judge and a Democrat with union backing, easily defeated Jerry Tao, who had aligned himself with the National Rifle Association and the unsuccessful Republican gubernatorial nominee, Adam Laxalt.In Nevada's second contested race, incumbent Lidia Siglitch defeated Matthew Harter by 16 percentage points. Stiglich is the first openly gay justice in Nevada history; Harter, a family court judge in Las Vegas, described himself as a conservative.Another state with a strong Democratic showing on Election Day was New Mexico, where Democrat Michael Vigil, who has served for a decade and a half on the state court of appeals, ousted Gary Clingman, a Republican incumbent on the court.The verdict was mixed in Michigan, where supreme court candidates are nominated by the parties but run as nonpartisans.Two of the seven incumbent justices were up this year: Kurtis Wilder and Elizabeth Clement, both Republican-appointed justices on a court with a breakdown of five Republicans and two Democrats. On Election Day, Clement won another term, but Wilder appears to have lost to Democratic-backed attorney Megan Cavanagh.Meanwhile, in Arkansas' nonpartisan race for an associate justice position, incumbent Courtney Goodson defeated challenger David Sterling, who served as chief counsel for the state Department of Human Services and who had pitched himself as the more conservative of the two candidates. Despite being attacked in a flurry of ads by the Republican State Leadership Committee, Goodson prevailed.The good news for Republicans and conservatives came in Alabama and West Virginia.In Alabama, voters elected current Associate Justice Tom Parker for the court's chief justice post. Parker is a longtime ally of social conservative Roy Moore. He defeated Democrat Robert Vance Jr., who had received donations and endorsements not just from Democrats but also from several former Republican justices who preferred his relatively moderate stances. Parker won by 57 percent to 43 percent.And in West Virginia, the two interim justices appointed by Republican Gov. Jim Justice -- former U.S. Rep. Evan Jenkins and former state House Speaker Tim Armstead -- won seats on the court.The victories come after months of upheaval on the court . Justices Menis Ketchum and Robin Davis both resigned over the summer, and the court's other incumbent justices were impeached amid allegations of overspending and corruption.Meanwhile, a surprise judicial shift played out in Texas, driven by the surprisingly strong U.S. Senate campaign by Democrat Beto O'Rourke. Democrats captured 30 of 42 judicial seats in play on the state's courts of appeals. The appeals judges are elected from 14 districts for six-year staggered terms with court sizes varying from three to 13 members.Prior the 2018 election, there were 66 Republican appeals judges and 14 Democratic appeals judges, with Republicans holding a majority on 11 courts and Democrats on three. It has been a year of unrest over education policy and funding. Teachers launched several statewide strikes, some lasting weeks, and inspired walkouts and protests in many other states.Still, most states voting for state superintendent stuck to their partisan leanings on Election Day.The biggest shift came in Arizona, where Democrat Kathy Hoffman, a speech therapist, bilingual teacher and first-time statewide candidate, pulled off an upset over former U.S. Rep. Frank Riggs, a Republican. Hoffman won with 51.5 percent of the vote, compared to 48.5 percent for Riggs. This marks the first time a Democrat has occupied the office since the mid-1990s.Other states offered less surprising results.In California's officially nonpartisan contest between two Democrats, Tony Thurmond, who had the backing of the California Teachers Association, narrowly defeated charter school advocate Marshall Tuck, who along with his allies outspent Thurmond by a 2-to-1 margin. Tuck conceded to Thurmond, who will succeed the term-limited Tom Torlakson, who was also endorsed by teachers' unions.In two Republican-leaning states, Democratic superintendent candidates made surprisingly strong showings, but ultimately fell short. Incumbent Republican Sherri Ybarra defeated Democrat Cindy Wilson in Idaho by 52 percent to 48 percent, a significantly closer contest than in the open-seat gubernatorial race.And in Georgia, Richard Woods, the incumbent Republican, defeated Democrat Otha Thornton, an Iraq War veteran who has served as president of the National PTA, by 53 percent to 47 percent. Thornton, who had the backing of the Georgia Federation of Teachers, would have been the first African-American in that post.Other races were not as competitive.In Wyoming, incumbent Republican Jillian Balow ran unopposed, and in Oklahoma -- a state rocked by teacher protests earlier this year -- Republican incumbent Joy Hofmeister easily defeated Democrat John Cox.In South Carolina, the biggest news about the education superintendent wasn't that incumbent Republican Molly Spearman easily defeated her little-known Democratic challenger, Israel Romero. Rather, it was that voters decisively rejected a ballot measure that would have made the position a gubernatorial appointment in the future. The idea has been pushed by Republicans for 15 years. Yet, it failed by a 60 percent to 40 percent margin.Finally, in Wisconsin, Democrat Tony Evers demonstrated that holding a superintendent job can push one's career upward. He defeated Republican Gov. Scott Walker in Walker's bid for a third term. The campaign focused heavily on education policy. Republican Brian Kemp on Thursday resigned as Georgia's secretary of state, saying he needs to start the work of transitioning to the state's top office after earning a "clear and convincing victory" at the ballot box.But Stacey Abrams is not conceding anything yet, hopeful that a trove of provisional ballots could be enough to swing the race into a runoff.Her campaign unveiled a litigation team poised to take the fight to the courts, and that an additional 25,632 Abrams votes will push this race into runoff territory.Kemp's office has said there are roughly 25,000 outstanding provisional and absentee ballots, but has not yet released a detailed account of where they exist."The votes are not there for her," Kemp said. "I respect the hard-fought race she ran. But we won the race and we're moving forward."His resignation as secretary of state was likely to be assailed by Democrats, who long questioned how he could oversee the state's election process even as he ran for Georgia's highest office.Kemp said he wasn't concerned about those critiques and "wasn't going to run from my job," but said that a new secretary of state will "give the public confidence in the certification process" that's expected to be completed next week.Gov. Nathan Deal appointed longtime ally Robyn Crittenden, who is commissioner of the state Department of Human Services, to the post. He said Kemp's resignation was "very important" to help him prepare for the transition.The legal battle, meanwhile, is well underway on other fronts.The state chapter of the NAACP filed a pair of lawsuits claiming that students at Spelman College and Morehouse College were improperly forced to vote with a provisional ballot _ or dissuaded from voting at all _ because their names didn't show up on voter registration lists.And the second seeks to preserve the right for voters in the Pittman Park Recreation Center area to cast ballots. That was the precinct where massive lines formed because of too few polling machines. Even after five additional voting devices were delivered, some people waited four hours at the Atlanta site.Abrams has urged supporters to prepare for a Dec. 4 runoff, which would be required if neither candidate holds a majority of the vote when the counting ends. The latest vote tally had Kemp nearly 63,000 votes ahead of Abrams _ and about 13,000 votes over the 50 percent threshold.In an early-morning memo Tuesday and two teleconferences hours later, Abrams' aides tried to outline a path to avoid a defeat even as they criticized Kemp for remaining in his role as secretary of state while he ran for governor.Abrams campaign manager Lauren Groh-Wargo said the Democrat would benefit from thousands of provisional ballots cast by voters who ran into difficulties at polling sites, and the possibility that mail-in votes were delayed by complications related to Hurricane Michael.Her campaign has also urged the state to appoint a "nonpartisan bureaucrat" to oversee the certification of results, which is likely to take place next week, instead of Kemp.The secretary of state had long refused calls to resign or recuse himself, saying he has a constitutional obligation to fulfill his term.As some of the final returns trickled in, Kemp's campaign aggressively made the case to reporters that it's mathematically impossible for Abrams to force the race into overtime.Glen Bolger, Kemp's pollster, said there were about 3,000 absentee ballots still pending and an estimated 22,000 provisional ballots. In 2016, with a slightly larger electorate, 7,592 of 16,739 provisional ballots were counted.And a string of Republican officials rushed to congratulate "governor-elect" Kemp, including Deal, House Speaker David Ralston and U.S. Sens. Johnny Isakson and David Perdue.Kemp also moved quickly to set up his transition team, announcing campaign manager Tim Fleming would serve as his chief of staff, and that David Dove, his office's former legal counsel, would head up his transition team.Wary of losing the media battle, Abrams has pushed back on Kemp's narrative that his victory is a foregone conclusion.Her campaign has called on Kemp's office to release a county-by-county breakdown of where the 25,000 or so votes remain. Groh-Wargo said many of these ballots are in predominantly Democratic areas."The voters of Georgia deserve to have their questions answered and their votes counted before the sitting secretary of state crowns himself governor," the campaign said.The post-election saga marks a new phase in a scathing nationally-watched race between bitter rivals.Kemp built his lead by staking a claim on rural Georgia, where he got a higher vote share than even Donald Trump in some deep-red bastions. He relentlessly appealed to social conservatives and Trump supporters, closing his campaign with a raucous rally with the president in Macon.It paid off. The 1.97 million votes he earned was the highest a gubernatorial candidate in Georgia has ever achieved, part of soaring turnout that was closer to presidential levels than normally more sedate midterms. And it fell just behind Trump's vote total in 2016.Just as conservative parts of Georgia got redder, liberal bastions of the state turned bluer. Hillary Clinton won DeKalb County _ the state's biggest Democratic stronghold _ with 79 percent in 2016. Abrams' support there tops 83 percent.Abrams also led a surge through Atlanta's suburbs to carry Cobb and Gwinnett counties _ two former GOP bastions that turned blue for the first time in decades in 2016. And she narrowly won Henry County, another suburban county that's gone from reliably red to perpetually purple.That buoyed down-ticket candidates who clobbered Republicans in the suburbs, where Democrats picked up about a dozen legislative seats. A string of powerful GOP incumbents in the city's northern stretches were ousted, including U.S. Rep. Karen Handel. Stacey Abrams, the Democratic candidate in Georgia's bitterly disputed governor's race, refused to concede defeat Wednesday, activating a legal team as her opponent, Republican Brian Kemp, declared victory.On Wednesday evening -- with nearly all 3.9 million votes counted and Abrams trailing Kemp by fewer than 63,000 votes -- the Abrams campaign said that it was 25,700 votes shy of triggering a runoff and 23,800 votes from a recount and that she would not concede until it was clear every last vote was tallied."Make no mistake: This race is not over," Abrams said on Twitter. "My team will continue to work around the clock to make sure that every ballot is counted -- because voting is the bedrock and lifeblood of our democracy."But the prospect of a runoff -- which would take place Dec. 4 if no candidate in the three-person race secured 50 percent of the vote -- appeared to be growing slimmer.The office of the secretary of state -- who happens to be Kemp -- issued a statement saying that fewer than 3,000 nonprovisional votes remained across the state and county officials reported fewer than 22,000 provisional ballots cast.With 50.3 percent of the vote -- compared with 48.7 percent for Abrams and less than 1 percent for Libertarian candidate Ted Metz -- the Kemp campaign declared victory."Brian Kemp earned nearly 2 million votes on Tuesday -- by far the most of any gubernatorial candidate in our state's history," Cody Hall, Kemp's press secretary, said in a statement late Wednesday afternoon. "Simply put, it is mathematically impossible for Stacey Abrams to win or force a run-off election."Abrams, Georgia's former state House minority leader who hopes to make history as the nation's first black female governor, has consistently accused Kemp of voter suppression and questioned why he continues to supervise his own election."Our opponent has had his secretary of state's office declare himself the victor, and we are here tonight to say that we do not accept that," Abrams' campaign manager, Lauren Groh-Wargo, said in a conference call with reporters.The campaign's legal team, which includes lawyers who worked on the Bush vs. Gore presidential election case in Florida in 2000, will review Georgia election law and compile information about voting irregularities in polling stations with long lines and broken machines.Republicans were quick to dismiss Democratic hopes, with Kemp telling supporters early Wednesday: "The math is on our side.""Turn out the lights, the party's over," tweeted GOP pollster Glen Bolger."Brian Kemp is going to be Governor of Georgia without a runoff," Erick Erickson, the conservative American blogger and radio host, said on Twitter. "He won fair and square."Whatever the outcome, many Georgians are bracing for an extended showdown over voting rights.Over the last few decades, a wave of transplants from elsewhere in the country has moved to metro Atlanta, shifting the state's demographics in a direction favorable for Democrats. Since Kemp took over as secretary of state in 2010, he has introduced a raft of strict voter requirements that have shut down hundreds of polling stations and purged hundreds of thousands of Georgians from electoral rolls."What I told myself when I woke up this morning was this was just a battle in a long war and we continue to fight for democracy," said Carol Anderson, professor of African American studies at Emory University in Atlanta."There seems to be some kind of shock that people are questioning the legitimacy of this election," she added. "There shouldn't be a surprise. We knew -- you knew and I knew -- it was going to be a dogfight. It's like being the referee in the Super Bowl, but you're also playing on one of the teams. That's what this is."Last month, a coalition of civil rights groups filed a federal lawsuit accusing Kemp of undermining the voting rights of minority Georgians by blocking more than 50,000 voter registrations -- nearly 70 percent of them submitted by black applicants.Two hours before polls closed Tuesday, a group of Georgia voters represented by Protect Democracy, a nonpartisan nonprofit group, filed an emergency federal lawsuit seeking to bar Kemp from presiding over his election, alleging that the arrangement violated their constitutional right to due process.As Georgia Democrats dig in for a lengthy dispute over ballots -- the deadline for counties to certify their election results is next Tuesday and the state deadline is Nov. 20 -- the Rev. Raphael Warnock, senior pastor of the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, said Abrams had already won a victory of sorts.Not only was voter turnout historic -- more than 3.9 million Georgians voted, compared with 2.5 million in 2014 -- but Abrams had succeeded in her strategy of mobilizing tens of thousands of minority voters."We are seeing unfold before our very eyes a new South that is progressive and inclusive and increasingly embracing of the future," Warnock said. "Georgia will never be the same because of her candidacy."Still, despite the high turnout, a question mark hovered over the race, he said."Because Brian Kemp has abused his power in such a flagrant way, to play games with the process, there's a way in which we still don't know what the Georgia electorate is saying in this moment _ and we may never know, because of the people that he has purged from the rolls," Warnock said."In a real sense, the margin of this race may well be decided by the depth of the secretary of the state's corruption."The race was Georgia's closest gubernatorial election since 1966, the first time a Republican ran for governor in the 20th century, said Charles S. Bullock III, a professor of political science at the University of Georgia.The closeness of the race showed that Republican power has been receding in Georgia, he said. While Democrats were not the majority party in Georgia, he said, they had become fully competitive and Democrats picked up a smattering of seats in Georgia's state House and Senate."There's been a flashing red light for Republicans -- be careful! You're running out of votes!" Bullock said. "Now that flashing red light has been replaced by a siren."Erickson, too, issued a warning, telling his fellow conservatives that while Kemp's alignment with President Donald Trump allowed him to bolster his rural base, it also cost him a significant portion of suburban metro Atlanta voters."Republicans are really going to have to think carefully of just how much they want to be in the President's shadow," Erickson tweeted. "Suburban voters who tend to vote Republican clearly do not like Trump."Abrams had a simple message for the hundreds of supporters -- including Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, civil rights activist the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Kandi Burruss of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" -- who packed the ballroom of the Hyatt Regency in downtown Atlanta on election night."In Georgia, civil rights has always been an act of will and a battle for our souls," she told the crowd. "And because we have been fighting this fight since the beginning, we have learned a fundamental truth: Democracy only works when we work for it, when we fight for it, when we demand it." Description GIS 08 November, 2018: The plague of domestic violence is a national issue and a serious concern which affects each citizen. It is nonpolitical and therefore we all have to work in collaboration towards ensuring a fairer society with equal opportunities for everyone. This statement was made by the Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Local Government and Outer Islands, Minister of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare, Mrs Fazila Jeewa-Daureeawoo, today at the Prison Training School, in Beau Bassin. The Vice-Prime Minister was speaking at the launching of a one-day capacity-building workshop for 146 Trainee Prison Officers on the theme End Gender-Based Violence. The aim is to equip participants with basic tools to respond to challenges related to Gender-Based Violence in both their professional and personal lives and to enable them discharge their duties effectively and efficiently within the prison environment. The workshop is organised by the Ministry of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare in collaboration with the Mauritius Prison Service. In her address, Mrs Jeewa-Daureeawoo, said that domestic violence is a major scourge in Mauritius and has always existed within the family unit across the island and is very much present worldwide. Yet, this does not mean that nothing should be done to address this issue and what is crucial is that we have to continue working and finding new ways and means to stand up against the challenge posed by domestic violence, she indicated. The Vice-Prime Minister referred to the introduction in 1987 of a first legislation, the Protection from domestic violence Act, to address the problem of domestic violence. In addition, subsequent amendments were brought to the law in 2004, 2007 and 2011, and recently in 2016 so as to increase condemnations, and the term violence domestic has been redefined and presently perpetrators can be arrested when committing this offense, she highlighted. However, Mrs Jeewa-Daureeawoo observed, there is no preventive law pertaining to domestic violence and the arsenal intervenes only after the act of violence has been made. Statistics, she added, indicate that women are the victims of domestic violence in the majority of cases and the best of laws are not sufficient to solve the issue of domestic violence. The Vice-Prime Minister also lauded the efforts of the Police Force, NGOs and the civil society in helping to tackle the problem of domestic violence and emphasised the importance to enlist the participation of men as caring partners in this endeavour. Likewise, she made an appeal to the population to change their mindset while bringing up their children and not to make any differences between daughters and sons. It is necessary for parents to give both girls and boys equal chances as this will ultimately lead to reducing problems related to domestic violence in the future, she added. For his part, the Acting Commissioner of Prisons, Mr Rungadoo, emphasised that Gender-Based Violence is a crime against humanity and its tentacles are expanding with not only physical and emotional effects but also with consequent impacts on the economy. Mankind, Mr Rungadoo pointed out, cannot remain insensitive to such a problematic issue which is disrupting the very essence of the family unit. In the same vein, he appealed to all stakeholders to work together to put an end to Gender-Based Violence and empower all citizens to say no to Gender-Based Violence. The capacity-building workshop Presentations during the workshop are focusing on the following: the context of Gender-Based Violence; identifying signs of Gender-Based Violence; managing and responding to Gender-Based Violence; and responding to perpetrators of domestic violence. Interactive sessions are focusing on rehabilitative strategies for perpetrators of domestic violence. Topics being covered are expected to enable Trainee Prison Officers sharpen their skills in as much as understanding Gender-Based Violence as well as managing and responding to it and in dealing with offenders. Resource persons are from the Ministry of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare. (TNS) San Francisco Bay Area ferry riders can now skip the ticket line and use their phone as a boarding pass, ferry officials announced.The San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) this week, unveiled its mobile ticketing solution with partner, Hopthru, giving passengers a simple method to purchase San Francisco Bay Ferry tickets and board using their phones, they said.Passengers can use the Hopthru app to buy tickets for any of San Francisco Bay Ferrys four regular routes right from their Apple or Android devices. This provides a third way to purchase tickets, in addition to obtaining paper tickets and using a Clipper card, officials said.Passengers can download the Hopthru app in their devices app store or can receive a download link by texting hopthru to 43506. After signing up, they are prompted to select their transit agency, rider type and ticket type, then complete their purchase, they said.Once a rider is ready to show their proof of ticket, they can activate their pass and then present it to the deckhand, officials said. Purchased passes can be activated at any time with or without internet connection, enabling riders to travel without having to worry about keeping a cell signal, they said.If, however, your phone dies before you get the chance to show your ticket, officials will not take your word for it, ferry spokesman Thomas Hall said.Having a working phone that can display the ticket is a requirement. There are no refunds in such a case, he said. On the other hand, senior and youth discounts are available on the app, though you may be asked to prove you qualify, Hall said.Discounts that are ordinarily available are also available through the app: for those 65 or older, age 5 to 18 and disabled, with proof, like a Medicare card, or a DMV disabled parking placard registration. Children under 5 are still free, he said.Were confident this will be a big convenience for folks, he said. Quicker boarding, shorter lines at the ticket office, were trying to make it easy for folks. Hopthru has been really helpful in getting us launched fairly quickly.The WETA board approved the partnership in August and the site launched 2 months later, he said.We went live last week, and its working well. From what weve heard, its gone pretty smoothly, Hall said, adding that this is not a new concept.You see this with all sorts of services, and its coming to transit in a big way, he said. Napas Vine transit uses this also.Ferry officials said they expect the new app will mostly be used by less frequent passengers, since regular commuters get a better deal with their Clipper cards, Hall said.We are excited to offer this technology to our passengers, WETA Executive Director Nina Rannells said. Hopthru will improve the time it takes to board, decrease WETAs operating costs and reduce waste from paper tickets.Hopthru is a San Francisco-based mobile ticketing platform for public transit agencies. Its available for use with transit agencies in Washington, Oregon, California and Michigan with agencies in more states coming on board soon, officials said.Hopthru will receive a commission on tickets sold through its app, though that will have no impact on ticket prices, Hall said. (TNS) A monitor tracking the city of Clevelands progress under a consent decree has given the OK to a plan to upgrade the police departments technology.The plan focuses on the ways the city will ensure that the police department keeps up to date with its technology and equipment. It sets up an IT strategy to ensure equipment is upgraded and maintained, and seeks to hold employees accountable for doing so.The plan calls for the city to spend more than $27 million in equipment and upgrades between 2018 and 2023, and nearly $2.6 million annually to operate and maintain the equipment and software. Greg White, the citys consent decree coordinator, said this plan includes rolling out new laptop and desktop computers to be used by officers on the street and in the police districts and headquarters.Police monitor Matthew Barge wrote in a court filing last week that the new plan met the requirements the city agreed to under a consent decree it reached with the Justice Department in 2015. Barge asked U.S. District Judge Solomon Oliver Jr. to approve the new plan.The equipment and resource plan, a key portion of the consent decree , is a long time in the making. It emerged out of the Justice Departments finding that police officers were too often using outdated equipment and police cars, and were forced to perform tasks such as filling out reports by hand instead of using computers.The plan, at least as it pertains to patrol officers, is meant to give the city a roadmap to allow officers to spend more time on the street. As with many portions of the consent decree, though, it took a few tries for the city to complete it.The city first submitted an equipment and resource plan in 2016, but Barge and his team rejected it for being overly vague and not outlining the departments specific needs. The original version of the plan also did not provide deadlines for addressing those needs, and Barge noted that Clevelands equipment was decades behind departments in other major cities.City officials revised the plan, and the monitoring team approved a portion of a new plan in 2017. The revisions related to upgrading the departments computer-aided dispatch system and buying new patrol cars.Upgrading the police departments equipment is one of the most costly components of the consent decree, as the city has committed to spending millions of dollars for upgrades over several years. (TNS) - The Owensboro-Daviess County 911 board Wednesday discussed replacing hardware and software that activate the city's emergency weather sirens, a project that would require funding in both the city and county budgets.Daviess County Emergency Management Director Andy Ball said after the meeting that county officials are ready to move forward on budgeting for the new equipment if city elected officials agree. Ball said a decision would have to be made in the near future so funding for the equipment can be included in the next city budget.The hardware is in the 911 Dispatch Center and EMA offices and activates the county's warning sirens. Paul Nave, the city and county 911 center director, said the equipment is outdated."Our system is sunsetting and is not going to be supported" by its manufacturer, Nave said. "So, we are going to have to come up with a solution that is a viable solution."After the meeting, Ball said the system is old, and a few years ago, the hardware in the EMA office broke down and was out of service for about seven weeks, which meant the only place the sirens could be activated was from dispatch."For the past three years, I've wanted to replace the system," Ball said. "The judge (executive) wants to replace it."Aside from being unsupported by the vendor, the current system requires someone to activate the sirens in person from either the dispatch center or the EMA office in the county courthouse. If a weather emergency happens after normal EMA business hours, Ball said he has to call dispatch to have someone there sound the sirens.With a new system, the sirens could be activated "from my cell (phone)," Ball said. Voice messages could also be sent to the sirens capable of broadcasting messages from a cellphone, he said.There are six sirens in the county that can't receive and play voice messages because they use old technology. Ball said he is replacing older sirens periodically with grants and expects to have the older sirens replaced within six to eight years.The hardware system would cost the city about $22,000 and the county $18,000, with the money coming from the city and county's operating budgets, as opposed to the 911 center's budget, Ball said. Both the system in the EMA office and the system at the dispatch center would need to be replaced at the same time."We don't want an antiquated system in the city, with a brand-new system here" in the county courthouse, Ball said. "That would defeat the purpose."Ball asked the board members to recommend city commissioners include the project in their next budget. City Police Chief Art Ealum said the vendor Ball had consulted, Whelen Engineering, has hardware being used by seven agencies in the state, with two of those agencies being the dispatch center and the EMA office. Whelen Engineering is the vendor for outdated hardware now being used.Ealum recommended the board talk to other vendors before recommending the city fund the project in its budget. Ball said afterward the project would have to go through the bid process before a vendor was selected."My concern is the city's budget is quickly coming up," Ball said. " ... If it doesn't make it into this budget cycle, I have to wait another year and a half," before the funds could be approved in both the city and county budgets. The city and county are both on fiscal years, and elected officials in both bodies will discuss their next budgets in the spring for approval by July 1.James Mayse, 270-691-7303, jmayse@messenger-inquirer.com, Twitter: @JamesMayse2018 the Messenger-Inquirer (Owensboro, Ky.)Visit the Messenger-Inquirer (Owensboro, Ky.) at www.messenger-inquirer.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (TNS) - More than 100 people gathered at a government center in Apple Valley Monday night to send a message to all that they stand against all forms of hate and evil.We as a community will not tolerate intolerance and crimes based on intolerance, and we, as a community, stand in solidarity arms locked, ready to defend and protect, every citizen here in Minnesota, U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald said.MacDonald was one of more than nine officials who spoke as part of a community meeting in response to the shooting that took place at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The more than an hourlong event discussed a variety of topics including federal hate crimes laws, identifying and reporting hate crimes, and best practices for creating safe and secure houses of worship.Former U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger took a moment to reflect on the Pittsburgh massacre from his vantage point as both a Jewish person and a law enforcement official.It can be too easy for us as Americans to write off those who bring bigotry and hate to our world as crackpots, as loners, Luger said. We do that a lot and it's true when an act of violence occurs at a mosque, a synagogue or a church, it's easy to write those people off for that reason.Recalling a speech Charles Lindbergh gave in 1941 urging the U.S. not to join World War II, Luger said that Lindbergh blamed many factors, but first and foremost, was American Jews.This wasnt a crackpot, Luger said. He didn't even realize what he was saying was anti-Semitic. He was surprised at the backlash.Luger urged those in attendance to remember that when they think about hate and bigotry, it is not just crackpots or some other person out there.It exists right in our community and it always has. Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, sexism, racism, it's there and been with us for a long time, Luger said. Our job is to do what we can to turn it around, but you've got to recognize the illness for what it is in order to bring about the cure.Referencing both the Pittsburg shooting and the killing of two African-Americans at a supermarket in Kentucky, MacDonald repeatedly said she was deeply saddened and disturbed by events like those.These attacks are reprehensible and they are antithetical to what we stand for as a nation and a state, she said. Every individual has the right to feel safe and secure in their home, in their community, in their house of worship no matter who they are, no matter where they worship, no matter where they pray.These events serve as a solemn reminder for all of us in law enforcement and the community that when we stand together and be vigilant against such crimes, MacDonald continued. I will not tolerate such crimes to be committed against any individual under my jurisdiction.Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Jill Sanborn echoed MacDonalds words, saying that hate would not be tolerated against the freedom to believe, live, love and worship how we want.Sanborn also said that the FBI was currently not tracking any threat in the U.S. on any house of worship.But in order to make those assessments, we need you guys to continue to be our eyes and ears and share suspicious things you may see or hear so we can follow up on this, Sanborn said. We need you to report those instances to us so we can get ahead of the hate and look to prosecute and distrust somebody before an attack as heinous as the one in Pittsburgh.2018 the Post-BulletinVisit the Post-Bulletin at www.postbulletin.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (TNS) - The state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection has announced the release of a new mobile phone application where you can report suspicious activity to authorities.The free app, it says, will engage our public to assist in the security of the Homeland.The simple interface will allow the user to anonymously report unusual activity and even include photos in just a few clicks. The report is sent directly to Counter Terrorism watch personnel who are on-duty 24 hours a day. Join the team that keeps CT SAFE.According to the description on the App Store, The CT Safe Mobile Application, in collaboration with the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, along with the Connecticut Intelligence Center, allows citizens of Connecticut to report on suspicious activities within their communities. Connecticut citizens can view and select suspicious activities from a list of predefined activities, elect the appropriate activity, and generate an email to the Connecticut Intelligence Center.The CT Safe Mobile Application integrates with Google Maps and a users mobile device camera or photo library to send accurate location coordinates along with photos, assisting citizens reporting suspicious activities within their communities.The Connecticut Intelligence Center is described as the designated state fusion center, which is comprised of state, local and federal partners including the Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, Division of State Police, Department of Corrections, CT National Guard, Municipal police, FBI, U.S. Coast Guard, Office of the United States Attorney, and the federal Department of Homeland Security. Personnel from additional state agencies are available as subject matter experts and liaisons to assist as needed.Among the suspicious activities people should watch for are trespass/surveillance, theft, vandalism, recruiting, weapons-related, cyber-related, human tracking and any activity believed to be suspicious.Always keep in mind your safety comes first. Never confront, pursue, or in any way interfere with anyone whom you believe is acting suspiciously.To download:Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/detailsApple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ct-safe/id1437645620?mt=82018 the Connecticut Post (Bridgeport, Conn.)Visit the Connecticut Post (Bridgeport, Conn.) at www.ctpost.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The future of electric vehicles is reaching beyond the handful of personal car brands, and is landing a place in the trucking and transport industries as regions explore next-generation transportation with the aim of reducing planet-warming emissions and improving air quality.In Southern California, the government is helping with that...A demonstration project will put more than 20 battery-electric big rigs on the highways to move goods along the much-trafficked routes between the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to warehousing and distribution facilities in the Inland Empire roughly 50 miles away.What we are hoping to achieve with this project is the successful demonstration of battery-electric technology for big-rig trucks carrying cargo locally and regionally to and from our ports, railyards and warehouse distribution centers, said Sam Atwood, media relations manager for the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD).Our ultimate goal is to convert all of the transportation sources in our region especially heavy-duty trucks to near-zero and zero emissions, he added.SCAQMDs electric trucking demonstration project is known as the Volvo LIGHTS (Low Impact Green Heavy Transport Solutions) project. Roughly half of the projects $91 million price tag will be funded by a $44.8 million grant from the California Air Resources Board.The Volvo LIGHTS project will involve 16 partners and is part of California Climate Investments , an initiative that puts funding generated from the states cap-and-trade program toward efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The project is set to reduce an estimated 3.57 tons of air pollutants and 3,020 tons of greenhouse gases annually, according to Volvo Trucks officials.The project, to be fully implemented in 2020, will deploy 23 battery-electric-powered Volvo big-rig trucks, all made in the U.S. The demonstration project will also install both Direct Current (DC) fast-charging and more conventional Level 2 charging infrastructure, which will be managed by Greenlots , a global provider of EV charging software. The infrastructure itself will be developed by ABB Connect, Burns & McDonnell and other manufacturers. The project will also include the development of up to 1.9 megawatts of solar power development to power the electric vehicle chargers.The aim of the project is not simply to introduce electric trucks, but to explore options to achieve a true zero-emission ecosystem, which means exploring technologies like solar power generation and battery storage, said Lin-Zhuang Khoo, a senior vice president at Greenlots.The primary goal of this project will be to show that, hey, it can work in a real-world application, and these are the strategies that weve come up with to help you, not just recharge your vehicle in the shortest amount of time, but also lower your total cost of operation, said Khoo.Precisely how much range of performance the trucks will display in actual real-world scenarios is still to be determined.Its meant to at least allow a full round trip of these trucks to the port and back, with full container haulage, said Khoo. And then also allow enough time to recharge them for the next trip.Using the 150 kw DC fast-chargers, Khoo said, we expect anywhere from 90 minutes to two hours of charging time.The Volvo project is not the only effort to introduce battery-electric trucking into the Los Angeles shipping region. In July, SCAQMD and Daimler Trucks North America launched a $31.3 million demonstration project to deploy 20 heavy-duty battery-electric trucks, seven of them at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. Those trucks should be in operation by April 2019.About a year ago, officials announced the eHighway , a one-mile stretch to test three big rigs equipped with electric-hybrid motors and the sort of extendable arm that connects the trucks to an overhead power supply. The project was a joint effort by Siemens and SCAQMD.Meanwhile, companies like package shipper UPS have been experimenting with the deployment of some 800 fully electric or electric-hybrid delivery vehicles . The company is even using pedal-assist cargo e-bikes and similar electric-assist vehicles to test micro-delivery programs in select markets.The demonstration trucks to be used in the Volvo LIGHTS project will be based on technology already being used in the Volvo FE Electric, which Volvo Trucks unveiled in May and will begin selling in Europe in 2019.This is an excellent opportunity to show the end-to-end potential of electrification, said Peter Voorhoeve, president of Volvo Trucks North America, in a statement. From solar energy harvesting at our customer locations, to electric vehicle uptime services, to potential second uses for batteries, this project will provide invaluable experience and data for the whole value chain. Discussions of how technology is changing the job of government sometimes view the challenge reactively, but a recent report from Deloitte lands ahead of the issue, probing how the work will change and predicting positions based on advances in tech and the rising influence of the consumer and talent markets.In Government Jobs of the Future, authors Amrita Datar, William D. Eggers and Jenn Gustetic consider what will government work look like in 2025 and beyond? The aim is to educate readers on how public-sector staff and machines can work together to optimize our collective impact. A central goal, Eggers toldwas to deconstruct how that work takes place, then reimagine it enabled by machine learning and digital technologies and new business tools.The idea of human-to-machine pairing permeates the study, which Eggers said aims to change the dystopian narrative thats often heard about automation leading to disappearing jobs. In fact, he noted, human-to-machine pairings date back to the mechanization of farming. The current shift is already creating new jobs, he said, highlighting recent additions to teams like the user experience coordinator and positions in search engine optimization.Whats new, Eggers said, is the rise of artificial intelligence and tools and techniques around virtual reality, augmented reality and in other areas, which should dramatically augment staffers capabilities. The report's prediction of future jobs suggests a heavy lean on the use of technology to power flexible, remote and connected work. Additionally, the authors found that future jobs will center on employees, focusing on their wellness and personal development, and enabling broader on-the-job mobility and personal opportunities such as passion projects.This was really about saying we have an opportunity to shape this future of government work. It can be incredibly empowering for employees, and we wanted to start that process by developing these future government jobs, said Eggers.The report, released Oct. 4, envisions six new public-sector job profiles of the future, built on areas of government service that regardless of their eventual evolution arent going anywhere:would investigate abuse, neglect or harm against children, offer counseling, court testimony and coordinate services and interventions. The person profiled in this report has a bachelors in social work, along with certifications in analytics and as a social worker; they would have previously worked in analytics and as a child welfare specialist.would assist low-risk, nonviolent offenders in virtual incarceration, skill-building and employment, monitored by digital tools. This person would have earned a bachelors in social work and started their career as a correctional case manager after interning at a county probation department.oversees the citys multimodal transportation system via AI, to minimize accidents and disruption while helping optimize prices and routes. This individual would hold a bachelors in mechanical engineering and a masters in urban and regional planning, and would be certified in the use of AI for transportation systems.inspects public spaces including restaurants, schools, and day cares and nursing homes; investigates incidences of illness; analyzes health data; and advises public and private officials. This person would have a bachelors in public health and national environmental certifications.would command a garrison, managing infrastructure and daily operations and connecting with mission commanders and officials. A graduate of military schools, this individual would hold dual masters degrees in international relations and strategic studies.is grounded in human resources and helps an agency identify and deploy its workforce enterprisewide, based on need and skill sets. This person would have a bachelors in business administration and HR certification.Technology underpins each future job classification: augmenting, as the report's authors wrote, the existing abilities of these human workers. Powered by tech, the child aid coordinator and smart base commander were able to pivot their time away from administrative tasks toward client interactions and strategy sessions. In the former case, Eggers said, the time shift could be particularly welcome. He cited an analysis done recently in Colorado indicating case workers there spent less than 10 percent of their work time interacting with children and families. In the Deloitte report, the child aid coordinators client interaction time rose from 25 percent to 40 percent.The criminal redirection officer, whose toolbox includes machine learning to enable virtual check-ins with clients and a virtual reality training environment, epitomizes the ongoing shift that has seen law enforcement deploy predictive policing, body-worn cameras, AI and analytics. The emphasis here on virtual incarceration could be a valuable change for the public sector, Eggers said, calling it a really big opportunity that could save a lot of money.In a recent interview around his companys release of Reimagining the Police Workforce: A Vision for the Future, Jody Weis, Accentures public safety lead for North America, and a federal and local member of law enforcement, agreed agencies are embracing technology to varying degrees and praised its potential for expanding their grasp.Just sifting through that huge haystack to find that proverbial needle having the tool to help you a little bit is incredibly helpful, Weis said.But hiring and retention will be ongoing challenges for agencies seeking to modernize or redefine job classifications around technology. In the area of cybersecurity and creating a hardened posture, Eggers recommended agencies engage with the private and educational sectors to facilitate reskilling and training but also consider imbedding AI into their cyberdefense to expand its reach.The issue of outdated job classifications and work rules remains a big one for the public sector, the author said. As part of early steps toward meeting the challenge of technology, he recommended being more strategic with HR and moving away from systems that focus on classifications and rules.I think at the very basic level, governments need to understand where the world is moving and [show] a destination, and thats a little bit of what these jobs of the future are doing, and kind of reimagining how to get there and doing some of that basic analysis, Eggers said. He suggested agencies consider new jobs theyll need to add, future skills employees will need and which activities can be automated. The next step for F1 is a Vietnamese driver. That is the claim of F1 chief executive Chase Carey, after Liberty Media announced that Hanoi will host a street race starting in 2020. Some think the news is actually an embarrassment for Carey, who had earlier tried but failed to take Miami to the calendar. Vietnam is instead Liberty's first new race, but Carey insists that Asia is in fact "a cornerstone to our long term growth strategy". "I think in the past there was a bit of a short term view towards many of the things we did," Carey told AFP news agency. He doesn't deny that the success of the new Vietnam race could be helped by a local driver being on the grid. "We'd love to have a Chinese driver, an American driver, a female driver, a Vietnamese driver, all be part of our future," said Carey. (GMM) Sport VIDEO: Sheikh Hamdan invites fitness enthusiasts to join him for Dubai Run on Nov.26 Sheikh Hamdan said on Instagram, Join me in the Dubai Run, one of the most prominent activities of the Dubai Fitness Challenge on November 26th Sheikh Zayed Road will turn into a track for competition and excellence...With your participation, we will make Dubai the most active city in the world. Blog Archive Nov 2021 (52) Oct 2021 (58) Sep 2021 (67) Aug 2021 (62) Jul 2021 (54) Jun 2021 (50) May 2021 (58) Apr 2021 (44) Mar 2021 (57) Feb 2021 (64) Jan 2021 (93) Dec 2020 (82) Nov 2020 (62) Oct 2020 (50) Sep 2020 (45) Aug 2020 (51) Jul 2020 (56) Jun 2020 (53) May 2020 (70) Apr 2020 (66) Mar 2020 (169) Feb 2020 (211) Jan 2020 (184) Dec 2019 (54) Nov 2019 (56) Oct 2019 (55) Sep 2019 (63) Aug 2019 (54) Jul 2019 (69) Jun 2019 (56) May 2019 (65) Apr 2019 (68) Mar 2019 (72) Feb 2019 (76) Jan 2019 (62) Dec 2018 (55) Nov 2018 (69) Oct 2018 (90) Sep 2018 (82) Aug 2018 (58) Jul 2018 (36) Jun 2018 (47) May 2018 (44) Apr 2018 (64) Mar 2018 (63) Feb 2018 (68) Jan 2018 (92) Dec 2017 (85) Nov 2017 (64) Oct 2017 (82) Sep 2017 (54) Aug 2017 (89) Jul 2017 (60) Jun 2017 (86) May 2017 (84) Apr 2017 (62) Mar 2017 (86) Feb 2017 (91) Jan 2017 (113) Dec 2016 (109) Nov 2016 (100) Oct 2016 (82) Sep 2016 (95) Aug 2016 (84) Jul 2016 (84) Jun 2016 (99) May 2016 (93) Apr 2016 (106) Mar 2016 (145) Feb 2016 (125) Jan 2016 (103) Dec 2015 (83) Nov 2015 (80) Oct 2015 (100) Sep 2015 (111) Aug 2015 (94) Jul 2015 (98) Jun 2015 (151) May 2015 (125) Apr 2015 (109) Mar 2015 (122) Feb 2015 (113) Jan 2015 (135) Dec 2014 (131) Nov 2014 (115) Oct 2014 (146) Sep 2014 (112) Aug 2014 (128) Jul 2014 (94) Jun 2014 (104) May 2014 (140) Apr 2014 (132) Mar 2014 (81) Feb 2014 (89) Jan 2014 (141) Dec 2013 (100) Nov 2013 (96) Oct 2013 (99) Sep 2013 (94) Aug 2013 (95) Jul 2013 (95) Jun 2013 (91) May 2013 (139) Apr 2013 (179) Mar 2013 (73) Feb 2013 (76) Jan 2013 (85) Dec 2012 (59) Nov 2012 (71) Oct 2012 (85) Sep 2012 (70) Aug 2012 (71) Jul 2012 (53) Jun 2012 (51) May 2012 (52) Apr 2012 (52) Mar 2012 (69) Feb 2012 (76) Jan 2012 (70) Dec 2011 (60) Nov 2011 (54) Oct 2011 (57) Sep 2011 (75) Aug 2011 (72) Jul 2011 (64) Jun 2011 (76) May 2011 (56) Apr 2011 (73) Mar 2011 (114) Feb 2011 (71) Jan 2011 (80) Dec 2010 (92) Nov 2010 (82) Oct 2010 (73) Sep 2010 (95) Aug 2010 (86) Jul 2010 (81) Jun 2010 (76) May 2010 (71) Apr 2010 (74) Mar 2010 (74) Feb 2010 (82) Jan 2010 (101) Dec 2009 (108) Nov 2009 (182) Oct 2009 (136) Sep 2009 (102) Aug 2009 (120) Jul 2009 (151) Jun 2009 (136) May 2009 (180) Apr 2009 (145) Mar 2009 (113) Feb 2009 (113) Jan 2009 (124) Dec 2008 (108) Nov 2008 (69) Oct 2008 (89) Sep 2008 (76) Aug 2008 (75) Jul 2008 (87) Jun 2008 (80) May 2008 (99) Apr 2008 (93) Mar 2008 (115) Feb 2008 (147) Jan 2008 (162) Dec 2007 (124) Nov 2007 (95) Oct 2007 (67) Sep 2007 (42) Aug 2007 (78) Jul 2007 (75) Jun 2007 (123) May 2007 (110) Apr 2007 (108) Mar 2007 (92) Feb 2007 (136) Jan 2007 (119) Dec 2006 (41) Nov 2006 (34) Oct 2006 (12) Sep 2006 (13) Aug 2006 (13) Jul 2006 (16) Jun 2006 (12) May 2006 (21) Apr 2006 (38) Mar 2006 (27) Feb 2006 (25) Jan 2006 (18) Public meetings scheduled island-wide for creation of Oahu Climate Action Plan News Release from City and County of Honolulu, Nov 5, 2018 Honolulu The citys Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency (Resilience Office) is continuing its community engagement phase to create Oahus first-ever Climate Action Plan (CAP). In partnership with Honolulu City Councilmembers, Hawaii Pacific University, and the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, the Resilience Office is co-hosting community meetings across Oahu to discuss climate change impacts already affecting our island and to ask for citizen input about how to reduce our climate emissions as rapidly as possible. The interest and engagement we have seen from the public at our Climate Action Plan meetings thus far is a testament to our islands desire to be ready for climate change, said Josh Stanbro, the citys Chief Resilience Officer and Executive Director of the Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency. The sense of urgency is palpable in these meetings. People want to know what steps we can all take to protect our island now and they want to make sure we are protecting our quality of life in the future for our keiki. Residents who attend the upcoming meetings will learn how climate change is impacting Oahu and the effort to prioritize strategies for reducing Oahus greenhouse gas emissions. Participants will also help identify personal actions they can take to achieve a more resilient future. During the meetings participants will engage in a game that sparks discussion about the best way to transition Oahu to a clean energy future and meet our commitment to the Paris climate agreement. State and city leaders have set goals for fossil fuel-free ground transportation and a mandate of 100 percent renewable energy by 2045. The citys Climate Action Plan is designed to take citizen input and translate it directly into specific actions and policies required to achieve these broader goals by 2045. The next five community meetings have been scheduled as follows: Thursday, November 8, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM (Co-hosted by Council Chair Ernie Martin) Waialua Elementary School Cafeteria 67-020 Waialua Beach Road Waialua, Hawaii 96791 Wednesday, November 14, 6:30 PM 8:00 PM (Co-hosted by Hawaii Pacific University and Chamber of Commerce Hawaii) Climate Action Plan Public Meeting Series (Downtown Honolulu) Aloha Tower Marketplace Multi-Purpose Room #3 1 Aloha Tower Drive Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 Tuesday, November 27, 7:00 PM 8:30 PM (Co-hosted by Councilmember Ikaika Anderson) Climate Action Plan Public Meeting Series (Windward Oahu) Benjamin Parker Elementary School Cafeteria 45-259 Waikalua Road Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744 Wednesday, December 12, 2018, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM (Co-hosted by Councilmember Ron Menor) Climate Action Plan Public Meeting Series (Central Oahu) Mililani High School Cafeteria 95-1200 Meheula Parkway Mililani, Hawaii 96789 Thursday, December 13, 7:00 PM 8:30 PM (Co-hosted by Councilmember Kymberly Marcos Pine) Climate Action Plan Public Meeting Series (Leeward Oahu) Kapolei Hale, Conference Rooms A&B 1000 Uluohia Street Kapolei, Hawaii 96707 Climate Action Plan Public Meetings have already been held in Hawaii Kai, Aiea, Salt Lake, and Kakaako at the Blaisdell Center. More information about the upcoming meetings can be found online at An engaged community is a critical element in addressing climate change, as every household can take action, even while larger transportation and energy systems are slowly transitioned away from fossil fuel. To stay informed with the latest news from the Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency, to provide feedback or to subscribe to the Resilience Office mailing list, please visit www.resilientoahu.org. PAU HNN: Worried about climate change? City to host more meetings to discuss its plan of action I think its pretty clear [that the elections will have to be postponed], barring any miracles, she stated on Wednesday. The Finnish government has decided to postpone the first county elections from next spring to next autumn, confirms Anu Vehvilainen (Centre), the Minister of Local Government and Public Reforms. The government was originally to hold the elections in conjunction with the upcoming elections to the European Parliament on 2326 May 2019. The Chancellor of Justice, however, ruled that the legislative amendments have to be enacted no later than six months prior to the elections to allow for sufficient time for preparation. Now that were this far into November, we should get the laws to the session hall at the turn of November and December, said Vehvilainen. The Parliaments Social Affairs and Health Committee yesterday finalised its draft statement on another major component of the long-discussed social, health care and regional government reform: the bill to increase patients freedom of choice over their service provider. The draft statement will next be considered by the Parliaments Constitutional Law Committee. If the Constitutional Law Committee finds no fault with the draft statement, it will be sent back to the Social Affairs and Health Committee before the bill is put to a vote in the Finnish Parliament. Vehvilainen said she does not expect the committee to expedite its work on the statement. The most important thing is to make the decisions before the end of this electoral term. Thats the most important thing. I wont speculate on how itll be approached by the Constitutional Law Committee. As the Constitutional Law Committee has already looked at the bill once, I hope it can proceed in accordance with what the government proposed in its response, she said. Aleksi Teivainen HT Source: Uusi Suomi The public broadcasting company reported today that 22.7 per cent of the public would currently vote for the Social Democrats and 20.2 per cent for the National Coalition. The Social Democratic Party and National Coalition Party are separated by no more than 2.5 percentage points after popular support for the former increased by 0.1 percentage points and that for the latter by 1.3 percentage points in October, according to YLE. The Centre Party, on the other hand, has failed to keep step with the two parties, with its popularity falling by 1.1 percentage points to 16.5 per cent. Jenni Karimaki, a senior researcher at the Centre for Parliamentary Studies of the University of Turku, estimates that the two ruling parties are heading in different directions due to the burden of responsibility being heavier for the Centre Party than for the National Coalition. The Centre, she explained, has taken most of the blame for unpopular decisions and controversies such as the recent dispute over measures to encourage hiring by small businesses, whereas the National Coalition can be seen as having stood up for principles in the government. The Green League has similarly continued on a downward trajectory, with its popularity slipping by 0.3 percentage points to 11.3 per cent. Its projected vote share is lower than its vote share in the latest municipal elections (12.5%) but as the opposition party readily reminds still well above its vote share in the latest parliamentary elections (8.5%). The Finns Party and Left Alliance traded places as the fifth and sixth most popular parties, as support for the former increased by 0.5 percentage points to 9.8 per cent and that for the latter decreased by 0.6 percentage points to 9.2 per cent. YLE also highlighted that the share of undecided voters is unusually high: only 59 per cent of respondents were willing to disclose which party they would vote for if the parliamentary elections were held today. A total of 3,433 people were interviewed for the poll between 3 October and 6 November by Taloustutkimus. Aleksi Teivainen HT Source: Uusi Suomi 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. Author created Lost Cause myth that underpinned Jim Crow AMERICAN SCHEMERS EDWARD POLLARD was a newspaperman, a lawyer, a congressional clerk, a prisoner of war, and a bigamist. However, the Virginia native won fame as a defender of slavery, as a propagandist for white supremacy, and as creator of the Lost Cause mythology that soothed Southern psyches after the Civil War and suffused Southern politics for a century. Born in 1832, Pollard grew up watching slaves toil on his familys two plantations. Upon graduating from the University of Virginia in 1850, he studied law at William and Mary until that college expelled him for misbehavior. He went west to get in on the gold rush. When that didnt pan out, he took up reporting, writing dispatches from California, the Caribbean, and Asia. Returning to America, he became a lawyer and landed a sinecure as clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee. In 1859, he wrote a pugnacious defense of slavery, Black Diamonds Gathered in the Darkey Homes of the South. The American institution of slavery does not depress the African, Pollard wrote. It elevates him from the condition of a nomad, a heathen, a brute to that of a civilized and comfortable creature and gives to him the precious treasure of a saving religion. Pollard wrote that he loved his familys happy, contented slaves and that he had shed copious tears over his black Mammys grave. I love the simple and unadulterated slave, with his geniality, his mirth, his swagger and his nonsense, he wrote. But there were limits to this proprietary affection: When I see a slave above his condition, or hear him talk insultingly of even the lowest white man in the land, I am strongly tempted to knock him down. Black Diamonds won Pollard a taste of literary fame. He soon married. His wife died in July 1860. Four months later, Abraham Lincoln was elected president and Pollard wrote The Southern Spy, a broadside of a book in the form of nasty letters to Lincoln. The South does not fear you, Pollard proclaimed. The Union is lost forever. When war began, Pollard moved to Richmond, married an Englishwoman, and became an editor at the Richmond Examiner. A fast, facile writer, Pollard chronicled the war in books he churned out year by year during it. In 1864, angling for overseas sales, he boarded a blockade runner bound for England. A U.S. Navy vessel seized the Confederate ship. Arrested, Pollard spent weeks jailed in Boston before being paroled to live with relatives in Brooklyn. Early in 1865, he returned to Richmond. He watched the Union army capture the city and harangued street-corner crowds, urging fellow secessionists to fight the Yankees. Not surprisingly, the Yankees threw him in jail. After his release, he deserted his wife and fled to Memphis. He took up with another woman, deserted her, and, without dissolving his marriage, wed a divorcee. Amid these erotic adventures, he managed to write the book that made him notoriousThe Lost Cause. Published in 1866, Cause devotes most of its 750 pages to Civil War battles. Though unabashedly pro-Confederate, its military history is reasonably accurate. Otherwise, the book is an atrocious cornucopia of the crackpot ideas modern historians call the Lost Cause mythology. Neither slavery nor secession caused the Civil War, Pollard wrote. Instead, he blamed the inevitable clash of opposite civilizationsthe coarse and materialistic society of the North steamrolling the noble South, a feudal culture of scholarship and manners. Slavery was wonderful, inculcating chivalry in whites and protecting the Negro in life and limb and in many personal rights. Blacks were lazy and unreliable but when enslaved exhibited cheerfulness and contentment and eagerly supported the Confederate cause. The Souths better men would have triumphed, Pollard claimed, except that the Union army, filled with rowdies and roughs of the Northern cities, overwhelmed the outnumbered Confederates. Winning its war of subjugation, the North tormented the former Confederacy with Reconstruction policies designed to Africanize the South and create mongrelism. Pollards book proved enormously popular. Readers bought more than 50,000 copies of the first edition; subsequent printings sold well in America, England, and France. Pollards preposterous portrait of genteel aristocrats, mindlessly happy slaves, and evil carpetbaggers was a balm for Southerners depressed by defeat. Northerners fell for his palaver, too. His stereotypes became Americana, recycled for decades in textbooks, novels, and Hollywood hits like The Birth of a Nation and Gone with the Wind. And Pollard wasnt done. In 1868, while battling his third wife in a nasty divorce, he wrote The Lost Cause Regained. This sequela campaign document for Horatio Seymour, that years Democratic candidate for presidentwas as influential and nefarious as the original. Regained proclaimed the inferiority of the Negro and predicted that Negro suffrage would imprison white people in the valley of humiliation and death. But Pollard saw hope. The true cause fought for in the late war has not been lost, he wrote. That true cause wasnt slavery; it was the supremacy of the white race. If Northern and Southern whites united behind the Democratic Party, Pollard wrote, they could end Reconstruction and restore the grand and august theory of co-equal sovereign states. To Pollard and the Democrats, states rights included Southern states right to pass laws disenfranchising black people. The happy result, Pollard wrote, would be the South still retaining the Negro as a laborer, and keeping him in a condition where his political influence is as indifferent as when he was a slave. Pollards suggestion to his fellow Democrats: White is the winning word, and let us never be done repeating it. The very word moves the instincts of the voting population of the North. That didnt work in 1868: Seymour lost to Ulysses S. Grant. And Pollard never did see a Democrat in the White House. He died in Virginia in 1872. However, Pollards Lost Cause Regained strategy outlived him by nearly a century. Democrats in the South advertised themselves as the white mans party. They fought Reconstruction, compelled Republicans to withdraw federal troops from the region, and, under the banner of states rights, legislated segregation, denied black Americans the vote, and shored up white supremacy. Pollards scheme worked as planned until the 1960s, when Democrat Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. Since thenin an irony that might have amused the man who conjured up the Lost Causewhite Southerners have voted overwhelmingly Republican. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. Republicans in Maine did a lot of losing yesterday. Eric Brakey tried taking out Angus King and got 35.2% of the vote for his effort. Chellie Pingree was reelected to the House with 58.9% of the vote. Republican Mark Holbrook took just under a third of the vote-- 106,750 (32.3%). And in the second district, the race is too close to call, although it looks like Democrat Jared Golden may well replace Republican incumbent Bruce Poliquin. The Democrats also took control of the state Senate, winning at least 21 seats in the 35-seat chamber, and increased their majority in the state House, with at least 81 of the 151 seats. And... the day after termed out Governor Paul LePage announced he's had enough of Maine and is moving to Florida, the voters chose Democrat Janet Mills to replace him. She took 310,493 votes (51.1%) with Republican Shawn Moody, the Republican in the race, taking 261,353 votes (43.0%) In all, a very bad day for the GOP. So no one should have been surprised today when she took one look at Trump's immediate steps to end the Mueller investigation and tweeted her disapproval: and figuratively. Too late; the damage is down. She voted to confirm Kavanaugh and she cuddled up with Trump enough to make normal Mainers sick (literallyfiguratively. But now she's concerned? Was she not paying attention for the last coupla years? Who, oh, who could have guessed Trump would interfere with the investigation? Or that there is a single normal Trump would hesitate to break? Susan Collins is concerned. She's going to be a lot more concerned when she's on the ballot with him in 2020. New York Times reported that Trump said he would adopt a " And what about Trump's threats today to "have" the Senate "investigate" Democratic members of Congress if any committees start investigating him, probably the top reason why millions of voters decided to replace Republicans with Democrats in the House. Thereported that Trump said he would adopt a " warlike posture " towards the House Democrats if they did. "They can play that game, but we can play better because we have a thing called the United States Senate and a lot of questionable things were done between leaks of classified information and many other elements that should not have taken place... I could see it being extremely good for me politically because I think Im better at that game than they are, actually, but well find out." It doesn't seem like any other Republicans are concerned about that or that Trump fired Sessions half a day after the midterms and replaced Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein with a stooge, Matthew Whitaker, to "oversee" Mueller and his team. Don't recall Whitaker? He was the one who wrote an OpEd last year claiming that if Mueller looked into the Trump crime family finances he would be "dangerously close to crossing" a red line. State Allocates $150K To Berkshires For Overflow Sheltering This Winter PITTSFIELD, Mass. The state has allocated $150,000 to provide addition shelters for those in need this winter. The Department of Housing and Community Development is providing the funds to ServiceNet to provide overflow sheltering. ServiceNet will subcontract with other organizations in the county including Soldier On in Pittsfield, Construct in Great Barrington, and the Lousison House in North Adams to serve the homeless population this winter. "It is welcome news that the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development will continue to provide funding for the Winter Overflow Homeless Shelter beds. The continued support of DHCD, the Berkshire legislative delegation, and Mayor Tyer are indicative of both the high level of need for these resources during the cold weather months and a measure of the effectiveness of the six-year-long collaboration between Berkshire County's shelter providers and the Berkshire County Regional Housing Authority," reads a statement from Brad Gordon, executive director with the Berkshire County Regional Housing Authority. The county's state legislative delegation, community organizations, and Mayor Linda Tyer led the effort in pushing for the funds. "My deepest thanks to the Department of Community and Housing Development for providing this crucial funding once again. For the past six years, it has served as a vital resource for Pittsfield's and Berkshire County's homeless community. We know that access to winter sheltering is literally life or death for homeless men and women," Tyer said. "Now, we are able to provide this much-needed support to members of our community. I am deeply proud to be a part of a county that knows the value of true partnership to ensure that we continue to help our under-resourced citizens." Last year the state had withheld the additional funds and Barton's Crossing struggled to keep up with the demands. This year the money has been released before the cold truly set in. "This comes at an important time as cold weather arrives, and at a time when there remains an incredible need. When it comes to supporting some of the most vulnerable in our community it often takes teamwork at the local and state level, and this is a tremendous example of that," said state Sen. Adam Hinds said. ServiceNet's Jay Sacchetti, Senior Vice President of Shelter & Housing, Vocational, and Addiction Service, acknowledged the significance of collaboration among the area agencies and praised the state for the funding. "Our partnership and advocacy with Berkshire County Regional Housing Authority has made it possible to continue a countywide effort to shelter people during the coldest months of the year. We are pleased to be able to collaborate with and provide funding to Louison House, Construct and Soldier On to meet the needs of homeless individuals in Berkshire County," Sacchetti said. "We would like the thank Assistant Deputy Undersecretary of the Department of Housing and Community Development Jane Banks for making this funding available." Homelessness has been moved to the front-burner in Pittsfield specifically with the recent creation of a Homeless Prevention Committee. That committee is eyed to connect more closely and care for the city's homeless residents at a greater level. "Agencies in Berkshire County collaborate better than anywhere else and there is no better example than those that work together to address winter shelter needs. Because of that, the $150,000 of state funding goes a long way," said Farley-Bouvier. "We have a great deal of work to do to reduce and eliminate homelessness in our city and in the Commonwealth. In the meantime, we are incredibly fortunate to have these dedicated professionals serving these vulnerable citizens." BCC President Ellen Kennedy and MCLA President James Birge signed the articulation agreement on Tuesday. MCLA President James Birge. BCC President Ellen Kennedy. The two presidents signed the paperwork first. Jennifer Berne of BCC and Emily Williams of MCLA. Chris Aylesworth of BCC and Monica Joslin of MCLA. Elena Nuciforo of BCC and Anne Goodwin of MCLA. PreviousNext BCC, MCLA Align Community Health Programs Nicole Porther from MCLA said the need for trained community health professionals is growing as the population ages. PITTSFIELD, Mass. As the population ages, there is a burgeoning need for community health educators. Berkshire Community College and the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts have recognized that need and on Tuesday signed an articulation agreement to start training those professionals. "There are career opportunities which are so critical to well-paid positions doing work people love. We are particularly proud of getting our side of this launch and being able to align it so well with what is happening at MCLA," said BCC President Ellen Kennedy said. Both schools recently developed programs for community health. BCC started a certificate program and MCLA created a health sciences and a community health education program. A new agreement between the two schools aligns the two schools' programming to create a seamless transition from an associate's degree to a bachelor's degree. "It is a very dynamic partnership and one we definitely need considering our population keeps changing. We have new health issues. We have an aging population," said Nicole Porther, coordinator of the Community Health Education program at MCLA. The programming stems from a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report predicting growth in the progression to increase 16 percent in the next decade. The job is a middle-ground between medical and social work, helping people understand what is happening medically and connecting them with the information and resources they need. MCLA President James Birge knowns firsthand how important of a job it can be. He said his daughter has a complicated medical condition and if it weren't for community health nurses, he and his wife would struggle to understand all of it. "It brings a great amount of comfort to me and my wife Lisa when someone can explain to us what is going to happen with a new strategy or new drug," he said. Elena Nuciforo headed the effort to craft a program at BCC. She said it is particularly important to have locally trained professionals who understand the issue in the county. "We will have a whole group of professionals who are locally trained, which in community health is really really important," Nuciforo said. She said Berkshire Medical Center is already hiring more community health workers. Kennedy added that insurance companies are now covering services provided by community health workers and educators, which will add to the demand. Elena Nuciforo was an integral part in aligning the two programs. "There is a need for community health workers. There is a need for community health educators," Porther said. Nuciforo sees a path starting in high school when students can come to BCC and earn their first three credits. From there, they become students of the college and after graduation, easily move to MCLA. Some students may opt to become on the ground workers while others can continue on with education and become trainers. Kennedy said she's seen interest in those working in health fields who are looking to change trades. "This is an important program. Two years ago we launched two new academic programs, health sciences, and community health education. With the signing today both programs will have a pathway between Berkshire Community College, MCLA, and the community," Birge said. The articulation agreement is one of a number the county's two public colleges have signed in recent years. BCC's Vice President of Academic Affairs Jennifer Berne says it is one of many more. "I think this is one of many partnerships that we may pursue that are in service of both of our institutions but even more in the service of the community," Berne said. The two Cheshire selectmen are split on who to hire as town administrator. Cheshire Selectmen Split on Town Administrator Candidates CHESHIRE, Mass. The town's two selectmen are split on the decision for town administrator. They went over some of their thoughts Tuesday regarding selecting one of the three candidates for the post but before their regularly scheduled meeting and agreed to hold off their decision. "I would like to defer further conversation even if we have to continue the discussion next week," Selectwoman Carol Francesconi said. "Let's regroup and think about each other's thoughts ... a decision is not going to be made tonight." Francesconi said she was in favor of hiring attorney and former Cheshire selectmen Edmund St. John IV while Selectman Robert Ciskowski was in favor of hiring Thomas Spiro, the former program coordinator at Elms College's Greenfield campus and town administrative aide in Conway. Current Town Administrator Mark Webber announced his retirement earlier this year and the town plans to bring on another part-time administrator but at a higher salary and for more hours a week. The Selectmen received nine applications that they narrowed down to three finalists. Interviews were held Nov 1. Francesconi and Ciskowski agreed that the third candidate, Marion Carr, operations director at Head Start of the Berkshires, was not their top candidate and conveyed concern about her long commute from Otis. Francesconi asked for input from Webber and Selectmen's Assistant Carole Hilderbrand but Ciskowski though that the decision should purely be a Board of Selectmen's issue. "I am not ready to give over my powers as a selectman on this even though I respect both of your opinions," he said. Webber did not advise reopening the position. "I have to be a consideration in how long it takes, and we are doing pretty good but to reopen it and do this again will put this out quite a bit," he said. Clarksburg had run into a similar problem four years ago when that Select Board was also down to two members because one had quit to apply for the town administrator's post. It took the departure of one of the board members and an election to come up with a majority vote. The Cheshire officials don't have a firm date for a decision but said they did not yet want to reopen the interviews. Ciskowski said he still wants to have a timely decision. "We would like to expedite this for all parties' sake and especially for Mark," he said. Webber said he plans to stay on through the transition whoever they pick. "I am more than willing and feel it necessary to do this with any of the two candidates and stay on for however long it takes for the transition," he said. "I do this gladly." Francesconi had few words to say and only added that she had to "digest" Ciskowski's thoughts Ciskowski, however, stayed firm. "I think Carol has made her thoughts clear, but I guess but I got this far in life by the way I was brought up and the experiences that I have," he said. "I guess I am going to have a tough time changing my idea. I am where I want to be on this one." Tyer Proposes Property Tax Rate Cut PITTSFIELD, Mass. Do you remember where you were in 1993? That's the question Mayor Linda Tyer asked in her office Wednesday morning. Because 1993 was the last time the tax bill for the average single-family home in Pittsfield decreased. Next week that could change. Tyer is putting forth a proposal to cut the tax rate for both residential and commercial properties and in turn, she said the average tax bills will go down even though values have risen. "The residential tax rate is going down from $20.01 to $19.42. That's a decrease of 59 cents per thousand. The commercial tax rate is going down from $39.98 to $39.94, that is 4 cents per thousand," Tyer said. The mayor said the average single-family home, valued at $186,600, would see a $9.48 decrease in the tax bill after the increased property value is factored in. Last year the average single-family home was valued $181,572. That's a $5,000 increase over fiscal 2017. The median commercial property would see a decrease of $367.38 after factoring in a decrease in assessed value. Last year the median commercial property was valued at $198,000 and that has dropped to $189,000. The budget for fiscal 2019 was approved in the spring and in next week the City Council will be asked to vote on the tax classification. "From our perspective, this is a pretty remarkable turnaround considering where we were when we came into City Hall in January 2016 and we were confronted by a fiscal crisis," Tyer said. "When we came in we inherited about a decade of declining property values, rising fixed costs that put significant pressure on our budgets and there was no plan to address these trends." The council's vote will be on keeping a split tax rate and the shift factor, a determination on who pays more of the levy burden residential property owners or commercial property owners. Tyer said the proposal does shift more toward commercial than last year but she said increased residential values and fairly flat commercial values offset the shift. Pittsfield has more than 19,000 taxable properties; of this number, 11,332 are single-family homes in the city. This year a 4.9 percent increase in state aid, adding $2.5 million more to the city's coffers, and a little over $100,000 in local receipts is reducing the reliance on property taxes. The mayor is also proposing using $1 million in free cash. Those combined outpaced the increase of $2.8 million in the city's budget, resulting in less needing to be pulled from taxpayers. "We're seeing growth trends in motor vehicle excise, we're seeing growth trends in hotel tax, meals tax, we will eventually see the marijuana tax in the next fiscal year," Finance Director Matthew Kerwood said of increase local receipts. "We're still being conservative from a budgetary standpoint with local receipts but we are able to creep those up from year to year based on what we are seeing on actuals." The mayor said the ability to reduce taxes is a culmination of multiple factors over her three years in office. The city was and still is but to a lesser degree facing a significant fiscal crisis. The city's levy ceiling had crossed below the levy limit, restricting how much could be raised from taxes. In Tyer's second year of office, the city cut a number of position in the schools in order to keep under that ceiling. "We had to make some really difficult decisions to contain costs. That was a difficult time for all of us. It was not easy to tell people we have to relief you, we have to have a reduction in force. It did provide us with the ability to contain costs within our budget framework. In that year, we didn't have all of these other things we have been striving for coming to fruition that we do this year," Tyer said. The major driver of that budget was an increase in health insurance. The mayor has since negotiated a new contract with the Public Employees Committee on health care that tempered the yearly increase. "The big nut in that budget was the health insurance and being able to talk with our employee groups about the serious nature of our situation and being able to come together at a table and have a fair and good faith negotiation that led to significant savings on the budget side but also allowed for them to have more choices is a big part of the cost containment formula," Tyer said. The mayor said the city developed better financial forecasting models and new ways to manage the city's debt, negotiated longer contracts with the unions to create more stability, and tried to limit increases to the budget. The city also adopted a new way to assess utilities that brings in additional revenue from those companies. "In three successive budgets, we had many departments that were either level-funded or reduced. The strategy was to control costs by building these conservative budgets while at the same time ensuring city services are strong and reflect the expectations and values of our community," Tyer said. Meanwhile, Tyer said more resources were put toward the Police Department, the development of a new therapeutic program in the schools, and the paving this year of "nearly 11 miles of roads." During the last three years, property values have risen especially following the re-evaluation and so have tax bills. Increased property values also push the levy ceiling up. Tyer said, with her proposal, the city increases its distance between the levy ceiling even more. Assessor Paula King said residential properties have again risen this year but commercial properties decreased slightly. "Our average single-family homes have increased about 2.77 percent overall and it is dramatic because there are 11,000 single family homes, the majority of our properties. That is a significant increase and it has continued over the past few years and we are finally at a point where we were prior to when the market crashed," King said. "Commercial values have stayed relatively stable." Kerwood said the administration has also been looking to reduce the amount of free cash being used to lower tax rates. Auditors have said free cash is a one-time revenue source and should only be used for one-time expenses and not the city's operating budget. Auditors have also pushed for increased reserves. "Our strategy has been to reduce the amount of free cash being used to offset the tax rate," Kerwood said. "In FY15, FY14, they were using in excess of $2 million to reduce the amount that would be coming from the levy. We're doing it with a million." City councilors during the budget hearings had urged the mayor to use more free cash to further reduce the residential tax burden. Kerwood said reserves will be increasing by 1 percent, moving to 7 percent of the city's budget, which is closer to the 10 percent auditors target. Kerwood said the city will have about $11 million in reserves. "This is really remarkable but it is not the end. It is not the period at the end of a sentence because we have to keep working at this to show a real, proven methodology. We will continue to budget conservatively. It doesn't mean that when we all come together in January for our budget summit that it is free for all for department heads," Tyer said. "It means we will continue to monitor debt and adjust accordingly. We'll bring on the school as some debt falls off. We manage the wastewater upgrades, manage that debt, bring some on as some come off. We continue to build reserves." The city has not flipped the levy ceiling and limit yet. Kerwood said if the ceiling wasn't lower than the limit, the city would have an excess levy capacity of more than $5 million. But since the ceiling is still lower, the city has a capacity of $3.1 million more than double what the city had at this time last year. "We're inching toward that but we are not there yet," Kerwood said. 'The Old Man & the Gun': The Antihero & the Movie Star If movies were cherished trinkets, director David Lowery's "The Old Man & the Gun," based on a true story and starring Robert Redford as the gentlemanly, senior citizen bank robber, Forrest Tucker, would deserve a place of honor in your cigar box. It is at once a sympathetically laced portrait of the legendary stickup man/jail escapist extraordinaire and a nostalgia-evoking paean to one of the last great movie stars. We are warmly invited to again marvel at how Redford's handsomeness and signature humanitarianism have always seemed so magically inseparable. We hook up with Forrest just shortly after his astonishing, much heralded escape from San Quentin. Now holed up with two old bank-robbing pals, Teddy (Danny Glover) and Waller (ToWaits), he immediately sets about resurrecting his career. In no time, he recaptures the hearts and imaginations of the cheering public in that curious, guilty thrill of hypocrisy that gives dispensation to bandits who thumb their noses at The Man, providing it's done with grace and style. Oh, you also can't hurt or kill anyone. But of course, for every amiable antihero, there is an almost as interesting, would-be spoiler. In this case, it's Casey Affleck's detective John Hunt, a dedicated crime-solver soon perplexed and miffed by what becomes his white whale. Perhaps delivering a message that many of our current, more scurrilous politicians can learn a lesson from, Hunt, a family man when he isn't sleuthing, sees the elusive golden-ager not so much as an enemy, but more as a worthy adversary. The cat and mouse game ensues, with each competitor's personal life serving as a subplot. Enter stage left Sissy Spacek as Jewel, Forrest's potential love interest in a relationship marked by a getting-to-know-you period that unfolds like a mystery provides bouquets of whimsy, and engages us with the poetic enchantment that it is never too late to find that special someone. That Jewel lives on her big ranch, out among the wide open spaces, supplies a dramatic if not completely metaphorical contrast to Forrest's almost entire life of incarceration. She is cautious. And we are wary, tacitly informing that we'll revoke our indulgence if he breaks our gal's heart. Meanwhile, in more traditionally domestic circumstances, we observe detective Hunt trying to balance his duties as father and husband with the professional challenges being wrought by the title character's much-publicized crime spree. Although downright glum at first, everything changes once he gets a sense of Forrest's chivalric code of illegal acquisition. Enthusiasm leads to insight and a mutual admiration which, we fear, cannot end satisfactorily for both parties. The attraction here is the inherently glib oxymoron, a sub-genre that deals in the theory that some brigands, by sheer dint of an otherwise peerless code of ethics and an enticing personality, supply us with a vicarious, fantasy need. Here, the lines of right and wrong blur. And while ultimately in conflict with what it takes to keep the scales of justice evenly balanced, the unspoken thought is that these idiosyncratic souls are ultimately more above board in their dealings than the so-called honest bigwigs who all but make our pocketbooks their very own. Happily, more than just charmed by Redford's characterization, we are also treated to his rather astute and sensitive dissection of bank robber Tucker's pathology. In ancient times, robed philosophers might have opined that the purloining of financial repositories was fated, that it was in the perpetrator's stars. Here, a case is made for the environmental causes, using stills and scenes from previous Redford movies to catalog the progression of a thief. But bottom line, he just has to rob banks. I am brought to two thoughts. No. 1 is from an auto-seat cover expert I frequent on occasion who related that an uncle once told him that man is born with a "giant emptiness in his chest, and that he is destined to try and fill it until the end of his days." No. 2 brings to mind Taffy, my intrepid, handsome, wirehaired mutt with a perfect black eye who, like Achilles, lived his short but illustrious seven years from my sixth to my 13th year. Taffy chased cars. He couldn't help himself. There was no happier moment for Taffy than when nipping at a speeding rear hubcap. For me? Of late it's that perfect drive on a winding country road, the exhaust note of the two-seater echoing into the woods as I motor to that idealized, as yet unfound cafe where you can get the best darn blueberry cobbler there ever was, served by the nicest, well, you get the picture. All of which goes to suggest that if you deal in the sort of wish fulfillment here delineated, it might prove entertaining as well as instructive to compare notes with "The Old Man & the Gun." "The Old Man & the Gun," rated PG-13, is a Fox Searchlight Pictures release directed by David Lowery and stars Robert Redford, Sissy Spacek and Casey Affleck. Running time: 93 minutes Search All categories Advertising General Aerospace General Agriculture General Airlines General America - Post 9/11 General Apparel General Apple Products General Architectural General Architecture Architecture Art & Entertainments Books Celebrities Country Music Dance Magazines Movies Museums Music Music Downloads News & Talk Shows Performing Arts Photography Television Web Sites Arts/Culture General Auction General Automotive Aftermarket Classic Autos Consumer Publications General Motorcycle & Bike Racing Recreational Vehicle Repair & Service Trade Publications Blogging & Social Media Blogging & Social Media Business Advertising / Marketing Books Consumer Research Direct Marketing e-Commerce Entrepreneurs Finance Franchise Human Resources Insurance Investment Management Markets Network Marketing Online Marketing / SEO Payday Loans Public Relations Publications Real Estate Retail Stocks Supermarkets Women in Business Careers/HR General Chemical General Coaching / Mentoring Coaching / Mentoring Computers Apple Products Databases Games & Entertainment General Hosting Instruction Linux / GNU "Open Source" Macintosh Microsoft Windows PC Operating Systems Programming Security Software Tablet PCs Utilities Construction General Consumer Gifts and Collectibles Hobbies Web sites / Internet Design Graphic Design Industrial Web E-Cigarette General eCommerce General Economy General Education College / University General Home Schooling K-12 Post Graduate Technical Electronics General Email Marketing General EmailWire Press Releases Press Release Tips Employment/Careers General Engineering General Entertainment General Environment General Events / Trade Shows General Finance General Food General Franchise General Fraud / Identity Theft General Gaming General Government General Judicial Law Enforcement Legislative Local National Public Services Security State Transportation Healthcare General Home and Family Banking / Personal Finance Bereavement / Loss Home Furnishings / Interiors Landscaping & Gardening Marriage / Relationships Money Parenting Payday Loans Pets Taxes Wedding / Bridal Home Schooling General Hotels/Resorts General Household General Industry Aerospace / Defense Agriculture Apparel / Textiles Broadcast Construction / Building Electrical Food Funeral Healthcare Leisure / Hospitality Logistics / Shipping Manufacturing / Production Mining / Metals Oil / Energy Paper / Forest Products Plumbing, Heating & AC Print Media Printing Publishing Radio Restaurants Tobacco Toy Insurance General Internet/Online General Legal General Leisure General Lifestyle Beauty Dating / Singles Diet / Weight Loss Fashion Food / Beverage Health & Fitness Hotel / Resorts Pastimes Restaurants Retirement Travel & Tourism Machinery General Maritime General Medical Addiction Allergies Alternative Medicine Asthma Cancer Cardiology Chiropractic Dental Dermatology Diabetes Emergency Family Medicine General General Geriatrics Hospitals Infectious Diseases Internal Medicine Managed Care / HMO Medical Products Mental Health Neurology Nursing Nutrition OB / GYN Pediatrics Pharmaceuticals Physical Therapy Plastic Surgery Psychology Radiology / Imaging Research Sports Medicine Surgery Vision Military General Mining/Metals General Miscellaneous General Nanotechnology Nanotechnology Non-profit General Occupational Safety Occupational Safety Oil/Energy General Opinion / Editorial Opinion / Editorial Paper Products General Paper/Forest General Pharmaceuticals General Podcasting Announce Tools and Services Politics Politics Print Media General Public Utilities Public Utilities Publishing General Radio General Real Estate General Religion Christian General Islam Jewish Other Restaurants General Retail General RSS & Content Syndication RSS & Content Syndication Science and Research Science and Research Self-Help / Personal Growth Self-Help / Personal Growth Shipbuilding General Society African American Interests Asian Interests Childrens Issues Disabled Issues / Disabilities Gay / Lesbian Hispanic Mens Interests Native American Senior Citizens Social Services Teen Issues/Interests Womens Interest Software General Sports Baseball Basketball Bicycling Boating / Maritime Bowling Boxing Fishing Football Golf Hockey Hunting Martial Arts Outdoors Rugby Soccer Tennis Water Winter/Snow Sports/Fitness General Stocks General Supermarkets General Technology Biotechnology Computer Electronics Enterprise Software Games Graphics/Printing/CAD Hardware / Peripherals Industrial Information Internet Multimedia Networking Public Sector/Government Robotics Semiconductor Software Telecommunications Webmasters Telecom General Wireless Television General Tobacco General Trade General Transportation General Travel General Utilities General Volunteer Volunteer Weather Weather This content is from: Capital Markets The head of the EU clearing house argues the next step is a dialogue amongst regulators on the best definition of systemic importance The balance of the Indianapolis Public Schools board of commissioners shifted slightly after the 2018 general election ballots were counted, but it wasnt enough to unseat the majority of reform-minded members. Three board seats were up for grabs this election cycle, and newcomers grabbed at least two of them, with 99 percent of precincts counted at the time of this papers deadline. Taria Slack, an opponent of the districts bend toward innovation schools, defeated incumbent Dorene Rodriguez Hoops for the District 5 seat and had an 18-percentage point lead midday Nov. 7. Evan Hawkins, an IPS parent and former charter school administrator who supports innovation schools, easily fended off two candidates for the District 3 seat with 53 percent of the vote. School board members are nonpartisan. One race was too close to call. By midday Nov. 7, Susan Collins seemed to have won an at large seat with 44 percent of the vote, edging out incumbent Mary Ann Sullivan, with 42 percent of the vote. Marion County suspended counting ballots Nov. 6 after 90 percent reporting. At that time, Slack and Hawkins were already clear winners. Hawkins win secured the reform-minded majority on the board. He went against the grain of most other challengers during the race to support the boards direction toward innovation schools, which private managers operate independent of IPS. Hawkins wouldnt commit himself to the boards larger plan for the district without first seeing it for himself, but he did not back away from his support for innovation schools. Im definitely one that believes that innovation schools are part of the offering that we should have for families, Hawkins said. His closest challenger, Michele Lorbieski, was critical during candidate forums of the districts innovation school movement. Collins was one of the most prominent critics of the districts innovation direction during the campaign. According to pre-election campaign finance disclosures released in October, she received $15,000 from the Indiana Political Action Committee for Education (I-PACE), the political arm of the states largest teachers union. Collins probable election does not signal an end to the innovation effort, since the board still has a pro-reform majority, but her preference for a more traditional model of school operations will fly in the face of what the board and Superintendent Lewis Ferebee have planned for IPS. Sullivan, who was elected to the board in 2015, was an ally of the districts push toward innovation schools. She was one of the biggest proponents of the districts innovation direction during the campaign. Current at large commissioner Elizabeth Gore has been the only source of consistent criticism for the districts trajectory. Slack, who worked as a federal employee for about a decade, was also critical of innovation schools during the campaign and received support from the teachers union. According to her campaign finance disclosure, Slack received $28,500 from I-PACE. Her win over Hoops represents another case of an innovation school critic beating a pro-innovation incumbent. Hoops was running for her seat for the first time since she was appointed in 2016 to fill a vacancy. Slack and Hoops did not respond to a request for comment before deadline. Contact staff writer Tyler Fenwick at 317-762-7853 and follow him on Twitter @Ty_Fenwick. IPS loses reformers The police has said the reported attempt on the lives of Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and his family, was merely burglary. Updating Nigerians on the matter, the police released photos of things retrieved from the suspect in their custody, af According to police, the alleged assassins had Motor Jack, Big Screw Driver, a Big Rod, Black Small Torch Light and a small kitchen knife. Police also stated that no firearms or lethal weapon were found on them. However, Ekweremadu has threatened to release the video of the alleged attempt on his life, to prove to police, he was actually almost killed. Chelsea travel to Belarus to take on Bate BorisoV in their 4th Europa group stage match of the current campaign. The Blues who are the only unbeaten side across all competitions in Europes top five league would be looking to consolidate their stay at the top of their group table. Although Bate are the last on the group table, they are tied on three points with both Paok and Videoton who sits on second and third respectively. As a result of this, we back the encounter to be a keenly contested one as the home team would want to sit back with the hope of catching the Blues on the break. Below is what we expect from the tie. 1. Chelsea wins and over 1.5 which is priced at 1.49odds 2.We back Chelsea to score in both halves which is also priced at 2.2 3odds. 3.We also back the tie to produce no goal in the first 15 minutes which is priced 1.55odds. Which do you think is appropriate? ?? Former presidential aide and Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) chieftain, Reno Omokri, has reacted to claims by Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed that it costs the federal government N3.5m monthly. Mr Mohammed said this recently while be in interviewed by journalisys, in a video that has now become an online sensation. According to the self acclaimed ruffler of President Muhammadu Buharis feathers, the same federal government that feed the leader of the Islamic Movement with such an outrageous sum, pays Nigerian workers N18,000 monthly. Omokri, said the revelation is an insult to workers, who are expected to feed themselves and their family with the miserable sum. Omokri, further went on to ask, how much Former National Security Adviser, Col Dasuki Sambo, who is also in the custody of the government, is being fed with. He made this statement via his Twitter handle on Thursday, thus: How can President Muhammadu Buhari feed only one man, Ibrahim El Zakzaky, with 3.5 million and expect a worker with a wife and children to feed his family with 18,000 per month? This is an insult to Nigerian workers. I wonder how much Buhari is feeding Dasuki with! Lai Mohammed, Nigerias information minister has stirred a hot debate among Nigerians on social media after he claimed that the government spends about N3.5 million monthly to feed Ibrahim El-Zakzaky. The cleric who is the leader of the Shiite IMN movement has been in the custody of the Nigerian government for over two years. El- Zakzaky was accused of blocking a public road, which army boss, Tukur Buratai was plying at the time. The incidence which happened in December 2015, saw soldiers attack many of the clerics supporters leading to the death of hundreds of them. at least 347 of them. Nigerians are now reacting to the video which has gone viral, wherein the Information Minister, while addressing some journalists made the claims that it costs government a whooping N3.5m to feed El Zakzaky monthly. Take a look "N30K is enough to feed a family of 4 for a month." Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour & Productivity "It costs FG N3.5m to feed ElZakzaky for a month." Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information & Culture. These people don't rate us. Igala High Chief (@I_Am_Ilemona) November 8, 2018 https://twitter.com/ani_nomso/status/1060458993095716864?s=19 https://twitter.com/dadiyata/status/1060467261474004992?s=19 How can we be using #3.5 million to feed someone, is he eating a whole cow daily? Because me ayam lost o ( Lai Mohammed ) NaijaPR (@Naija_PR) November 8, 2018 https://twitter.com/degosTee/status/1060447379042811905?s=19 Nigerian gay activist Bisi Alimi has revealed plans to also tread the path of fatherhood alongside his spouse. Bisi whose spouse is an Australian named Anthony Davis just made it known that he is ready to be a father, and apparently, he intends to do this with his husband. The Nigerian gay who already has a child for himself made his intention just after he celebrated his second wedding anniversary with his spouse. To celebrate the occasion of their being together for two years, Bisi had taken to sharing a picture as well as writing some touching captions on his social media handles. It was also through these social media channels that the gay activist announced that he is setting out on the journey to fatherhood. On his Instagram page, Bisi shared a symbolic post on which he placed the pictures of a baby and a feeding bottle. Then, he went on to write a caption which read thus: Officially starting the journey to fatherhood. Clearly, the Nigerian who is seen as the first one to publicly come out and declare his interest in men on air is now ready to turn up the volume with regards to his relationship with Anthony. Bahrains top religious scholars are calling for mass protests on Friday against the tyrannical regime in Manama and its push to normalize ties with Israel as well as Sundays life sentence against opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman. AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Bahrains top religious scholars are calling for mass protests on Friday against the tyrannical regime in Manama and its push to normalize ties with Israel as well as Sundays life sentence against opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman. The arrogant regime in Bahrain has gone too far. The rumors about the determination of the regime to desecrate Bahrains pure land with Zionist tyranny is a matter that cannot be overlooked, the scholars said in a statement on Wednesday. We call upon our valiant people to respond to the national appeal and take to the streets to declare [their rejection] loudly in the face of the dictatorial regime and the Zionist entity, the statement adds. Recent weeks have seen a number of appearances by Israeli officials in Gulf states amid speculation that Manama may soon host Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Natanyahu. /257 spain-320 x 215 Most if not all of these foreign insurers are subject to non-resident income tax under the regime for permanent establishments in Spain. Under that regime, without prejudice to what is established in the applicable tax treaty, they must pay corporate income tax on all of the income obtained through their permanent establishments (PEs) in Spain. Until recently, the tax position of foreign insurers PEs went unchallenged, and tax managers, mostly working from head offices, didnt give a second thought to checking the box of their compliance duties with the support of local tax compliance services providers. However, that peace of mind has gone since the Spanish tax agency in particular, the Madrid branch, where most PEs are tax domiciled started an audit campaign in relation to those PEs a couple of years ago, unexpectedly resulting in big headaches for tax managers. It is known that the most relevant expense items on an insurers income statement are claims, technical provisions and (ceded) reinsurance premiums. As such, the Spanish tax agency is questioning the deductibility of all of those items. The deductibility of large claims is now being challenged mostly on the basis of their allegedly incorrect and even unfair attribution to the PE. Using different arguments, the tax inspectors are saying that these claims do not pertain to the PE for tax purposes. The deductibility of reinsurance premiums (usually paid to another group unit) is being rejected on the grounds that the relevant reinsurance agreements do not make sense from an entrepreneurial perspective (quota share agreements) or do not provide effective protection to the PE on standalone basis (XL agreements). Therefore, they must be disregarded for tax purposes regardless of whether these transactions have been priced at arms length. Lastly, technical reserves and, in particular, claims provisions (i.e. outstanding and IBNR) are being considered excessive for tax purposes or even disproportionate or without technical justification at the level of the PE. In this case, tax inspectors are basing the assessments on a more than questionable interpretation and application of the Spanish tax provisions that deal with the tax treatment of technical provisions for corporate income tax purposes. More specifically, when claims provisions are calculated by the insurer using its own statistical methods and not the method provided as a safe harbour by Spanish regulatory provisions inspectors are denying the deductibility of the provision on the ground that they are not reliable for tax purposes and consequently they are not a valid basis for calculating the tax debt. Alternatively, tax inspectors are using a residual methodology provided for in the regulatory legislation for those situations in which the insurer has not got enough information to accurately determine the amount of the reserve. It is pretty difficult to predict how and when these controversies will end because, although there are strong arguments to oppose the tax agencys multimillion euro assessments, the litigation route could go on for years. This is because the wording of the law, i.e. the regulatory provisions dealing with the methods for calculating the reserves, is vague and gives leeway to different interpretations, and the Spanish courts, in particular the Supreme Court, have typically adopted very restrictive positions on this issue. With this in mind, it is advisable to review a PEs tax position in view of the criteria adopted by the tax authorities and eventually evaluate whether it would be convenient to request a ruling from the Spanish Directorate-General of Taxes. However, it is necessary to take into consideration that the binding effects of this type of rulings only apply from the ruling date onwards and in the absence of contradictory case law or changes in the law. Lets see what the future brings. Jorge Moreira Jorge Moreira (jorge.moreira@garrigues.com) Garrigues, Taxand Spain Tel: +34 915145200 Website: www.garrigues.com The material on this site is for financial institutions, professional investors and their professional advisers. It is for information only. Please read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy before using the site. All material subject to strictly enforced copyright laws. 2021 Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC. For help please see our FAQ. Share this article This content is from: European Union A year after the release of the Paradise Papers, some politicians, tax justice campaigners, and legal professionals believe too little has changed. Actions beyond the BEPS project may be necessary, says one MP. Iowa State Student Government elections take place every spring. One of 15 constituencies, the College of Design is represented by o Cody Woodruff, Student Government speaker, and Kelsey Culbertson, CALS senator, during the student student government meeting on Oct. 24 in the Campanile room of the Memorial Union. The meeting centered on funding for Latinx Initiatives, Rodeo Club, seating at-large members to the finance committee and confirming members to the election commission. 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. Feedback policy If you have a grievance concerning the content or argument of the Editorial Board, please contact either Opinion Editor Peyton Hamel (peyton.hamel@iowastatedaily.com) or the Editorial Board as a whole (editorialboard@iowastatedaily.com). Those wanting to respond to editorials can also submit a letter to the editor through the Iowa State Daily website or by emailing the letter to Opinion Editor Peyton Hamel (peyton.hamel@iowastatedaily.com) or Editor-in-Chief Sage Smith (sage.smith@iowastatedaily.com). Column Policy Columns are hyper-specific to opinion and are written by only columnists employed by the Iowa State Daily. Columnists are unique because they have a specific writing day and only publish on those writing days. Each column undergoes a thorough editing process ensuring the integrity of the writer, and their claim is maintained while remaining research-based and respectful. Columns may be submitted from community members. These are labelled as Guest Columns. 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 When Apple launched iOS 12.1, it welcomed the addition of dual SIM support by way of the companys eSIM feature within its newest iPhones. And while that feature is not ready to go for the major wireless carriers in the United States, other network options are giving the green light to the feature. Today, for instance, the short-term data allowance network, GigSky, has updated its iOS app to support the eSIM functionality within the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and the iPhone XR. Heres the apps changelog, which also includes some unspecified improvements to the user interface and general bug fixes: Support for eSIM on iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR. UI improvements and Bug fixes. GigSky is designed to offer up limited-time access to a mobile network so you dont have to rely on your primary network or finding a WiFi connection. You can buy data access in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America/Caribbean, Middle East/Africa or an individual country within the GigSky app (there is a link to download the app at the bottom of this article). And here is how it works on Apples newest iPhones: Requires iOS 12.1 or later. Download the app and add a cellular data only plan Create an account and pay with Apple Pay or add a payment method. Built in data connectivity on Dual SIM will activate the eSIM cellular data only plan Data bundles allow data use in multiple countries or an individual country. Flexible pay-as-you-go plans for daily use or to use for up to 30 days. No contracts, monthly recurring charges, or subscriptions required. Is dual SIM support a feature youre eagerly anticipating support from your wireless network of choice? Download What has been rumored and teased for years now is finally, officially official, and with it welcomes the next major design cue for smartphones. The first foldable smartphone wasnt made by Samsung, that goes to a company with a much smaller footprint than Samsung, but this here marks the first major turning point for what will likely be a major design cue for smartphones moving forward. The Verge has the first clear look at Samsungs foldable smartphone, which, at the time of publication, doesnt have an official name just yet. Samsung actually dimmed the lights on the stage to hide some of the design elements of the upcoming device, even though it appears to be a prototype and several elements of the physical design may change in the future. We can see the device folds out into a tablet-style with a larger main display, and then folds into a candybar-like style when closed. That bigger display measures in at 7.3 inches, with the cover display quite a bit smaller. With what Samsung calls multi active window future owners of the foldable phone will be able to run three apps at the same time. That foldable display is being called the Infinity Flex Display in a matter of months, but thats all we know about a potential launch date. The company isnt confirming a release date for the foldable phone just yet. Samsung is not the only company working on foldable phones. LG is rumored to be launching its own device in early 2019 (Samsungs own device is expected to arrive sometime early next year as well). Intel is working on support for dual-screen devices as well. And then there is Microsoft, with the oft-rumored project Andromeda which features a pocketable dual-screen surface device. And, of course, there are patent applications that point to a future where there may even be foldable iPhones. Heres the video of the Samsung foldable phone demo from the event: [image(s) via The Verge Czech-Slovak Film Festival 2018 The event aims to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the founding of Czechoslovakia, as well as the 25th anniversary of independent Slovak and Czech Republics. Free tickets can be obtained at the National Cinema Center at No.87 Lang Ha street, Ba Dinh district, Hanoi; at CineStar Hai Ba Trung at No.135 Hai Ba Trung street, district 1, Ho Chi Minh city; at the Embassy of the Czech Republic at No.13 Chu Van An, Ba Dinh district, Hanoi; and at the Embassy of the Slovak Republic at No.13 Ba Huyen Thanh Quan street, Ba Dinh district, Hanoi. The films are screened in their original languages with Vietnamese and English subtitles. Ambassador of Czech Republic to Vietnam Vitezslav Grepl expressed the hope that Vietnamese friends will find a special movie for themselves. It may be one of the films that has been honored by the most prestigious international awards, or the one you remember in the past for a particular reason. While Ivana Beclakova, Charge d'Affaires of the Slovak Republic in Vietnam, believes that bringing different films of the time, as well as the richness of the genre, will create a warm and friendly atmosphere for all who are interested in exploring the cinema masterpieces of Czech and Slovak./. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 The BCI for Q3 stood at 81 points, the second highest level since late 2016. EuroCham said despite a slight BIC decline from Q2, when the index hit an 18-month high, European firms sentiment in Q3 remained positive, reflecting their confidence in Vietnams trade and investment environment. EuroCham member businesses reported good performance between July and September, with 57 percent describing it as good and 10 percent as excellent. Only 8 percent gave negative responses. Regarding their outlook for Q4, the respondents remain optimistic with nearly 60 percent believing that their business situation will be good and another 11 percent answering excellent. In the survey, more than 50 percent of the interviewed firms said they will expand their workforce in Q4. The same rate of European companies said they will increase investment this quarter with 40.9 percent anticipating a moderate increase and 10.8 percent expecting a significant increase. Only 6 percent plan a reduction in their investment. EuroCham Co-Chairman Nicolas Audier said European investors now want to enter the Vietnamese market and expect the ratification of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement. Therefore, EuroCham will continue working to promote the ratification of this historic deal and encourage trade and investment activities of European businesses in Vietnam./. all the while feeling guilty I wasnt meeting my daily writing quota or able to maintain my author profile on my social pages or interacting with potential readers Which meant, Id be doing a tap dance of sorts. In the back of my obsessive/compulsive mind, I was plotting yet another murder mystery, while in person I was Nancy-tourist, shooting photos and chatting away with strangers about the various ports where our ship had docked. I flittered from photo shoot to wine tastings and back to tour groups,. But, the longer we were away, the more I relaxed I became with the idea that time off might be a good thing. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form U.S. President Donald Trump attends a press conference at the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on Nov. 7, 2018. U.S. Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he will have lunch with Russian President Vladimir Putin among other leaders during his planned trip to Paris but no meeting was expected. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong) WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he will have lunch with Russian President Vladimir Putin among other leaders during his planned trip to Paris but no meeting was expected. "We will be having a lunch, but I'm sure many people will be there," said Trump at a press conference at the White House when asked if he will meet Putin in Paris, where over 60 leaders were expected to convene on Sunday to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of the World War I. "I don't think we have anything scheduled in Paris," said Trump, explaining that he didn't think there would be time set for any meeting given his short stay there. "We will very shortly meet again at the G20. And that's where we were actually looking forward to meet," Trump added. The Kremlin announced earlier on Wednesday that Putin and Trump will meet at a short working lunch in the Elysee Palace, with longer and more comprehensive talks expected at a summit of the Group of 20 countries at the end of this month in Argentina. 5 1 [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] The police escort suspects of telecom fraud to get off a plane at Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, on Nov. 7, 2018. A total of 36 telecom fraudsters have been brought back from the Philippines to southern China's Shenzhen Wednesday. The suspects are behind more than 700 fraud cases across China involving over 18 million yuan (2.6 million U.S. dollars), according to the police. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian) GUANGZHOU, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- A total of 36 telecom fraudsters have been returned from the Philippines to southern China's Shenzhen Wednesday. The suspects are behind more than 700 fraud cases across China involving over 18 million yuan (2.6 million U.S. dollars), according to the police. Among the repatriated, 22 have been handed over to Guangdong police, and the other 14 are being sent to northeast China's Jilin Province for further investigation. Police said the suspects, based in the Philippines, used e-mails and social networking software to trick victims into purchasing assigned products online using their own money to boost order volumes. Then the suspects would wire them the order amounts together with some rewards to establish trust, before inducing them to invest more, but later refused to pay them back using various reasons. Most victims were young people such as college students, some being swindled out of hundreds of thousands of yuan, according to the police. 6 1 [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Washington State Governor Jay Inslee and Attorney General (AG) Bob Ferguson on Wednesday urged U.S. President Donald Trump to reverse a proposed rule that could prolong detention of immigrant children. Inslee and Ferguson said in a statement that Trump administration's family separation policies "are appallingly reminiscent of the immoral removal of Native American children from their families and the unjustified internment of thousands of innocent Japanese Americans" more than four decades ago. They were referring to the internment of Japanese Americans in the United States during World War II. About 10,000 to 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry, who mostly were living on the Pacific Coast, were forced to be relocated and incarcerated in concentration camps in the western interior of the country. The two officials said Trump's immigration policy embedded in the proposal would reverse protections for migrant children, allowing the federal government to detain them for prolonged, potentially indefinite, amounts of time. "We strongly oppose the Proposed Rule's attempt to allow the indefinite detention of children in family detention centers, raise barriers for children seeking to be released into the care of sponsors, and grant the Department of Homeland Security essentially unfettered discretion to prolong the detention of children," they said. Ferguson's office said this is not the first time that Ferguson has opposed the Trump Administration's "inhumane treatment and detention of immigrant families." In June, Ferguson filed a lawsuit challenging Trump's "zero tolerance" policy announced in April, which was intended to ramp-up criminal prosecution of people caught entering the United States illegally. Nearly 3,000 children were separated from their parents at the U.S. border before Trump signed an executive order on June 20 to halt family separation. However, the "zero tolerance" policy still remains in force. [ Editor: WPY ] JERUSALEM, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Two Israelis were slightly injured in a Palestinian shooting attack on a bus near a settlement in the Israel-occupied West Bank on Wednesday night, the military said. The incident took place near the Focus Crossing, adjacent to the settlement of Beit El, north of Ramallah City. A live fire was opened at a moving bus, a military spokesperson said in a statement. "Two civilians were struck by fragments and lightly injured before being evacuated for medical treatment," the statement read. The shooter or shooters fled the scene, the spokesperson said, adding that "Israel Defense Forces troops are searching the area." Israel's emergency service said one of the injured is the bus driver, a man in his 30s, and the other is a 35-year-old passenger. The shooting was the latest in a spate of violence in the West Bank. On Tuesday, a Palestinian woman was shot and injured after she attempted to stab with scissors the Israeli border police officers near a petrol station outside the settlements of Alon and Kfar Adumim, northeast of Jerusalem. On Monday, Israeli forces shot and injured a Palestinian man in his alleged stabbing attempt in the settlement of Kiryat Arba, east of Hebron City. The violence comes amid tensions between Israelis and Palestinians in the wake of a diplomatic freeze in the peace process and regular protests in the Gaza Strip against the 12-year Israeli blockade on the coastal enclave. [ Editor: WPY ] This is the fifth article in a series on Zandari Festa 2018, held Oct. 4 to 7. By Anastasia Traynin Following three days with the energy of loud guitars, a chill electronic performance is perfect. performed in the dimly lit basement cave venue of Convent, early evening on Sunday, Oct. 7. Originally performing under the name Yukari, she debuted in 2012 and has been gradually building her electro-pop sound, inspired by the likes of Grimes and M83. Already on her fourth Zandari showcase, Aseul's EP "Asobi" was released in late July, over two years since the full-length "New Pop," with highlight tracks and accompanying videos "Fill Me Up," "Sandcastles," "Seoul Girl" and "Always With You." For Zandari she played that record all the way through, performing her signature mesmerizing vocals and beats while sitting calmly on stage and vocalizing into a microphone, surrounded by all her gear. Aseul, whose real name is Lee Soo-jung, comes from a music major background, but her creative process comes from her own personal emotions. Her song lyrics read like a diary, tending towards a feeling of existentialism and loss about modern life. These emotional feelings coupled with her electro-pop beats make for compelling listening. Beyond that, along with Neon Bunny and Uza, Aseul says she remains one of the few active female electronic performers in the Korean music scene, naturally leading to a small circle of collaborators. With Neon Bunny, she has toured in Taiwan and the three artists continue to work together and support each other's projects. She wants people to continue discovering her music and to think "ah, there is this kind of artist," she said, adding: "There are many more indie musicians in Korea but it's a shame that many of them aren't taking part in Zandari. It would be nice if more people were able to participate." "Asobi" was mastered by American musician Brannon McLeod at Dramaface Recordings and features him on guitar on "Sandcastles" and "Room." Additionally, after an open call for remixes from the album, Argentine artist Ouji picked up . In general, Aseul said she attracts more international than local fans. "During my performances, there seem to be more foreigners than Koreans. Relatively speaking, after the performance, it's mostly foreigners that will say 'I want to buy your CD' or 'I enjoyed your performance.'" In September, Aseul did a three-show mini Shanghai tour in support of "Asobi." After playing more promotional shows, she plans to release more individual singles, so as to keep the momentum going and close the long gap that has grown between her albums, building her fan base both locally and abroad. Hyundai Motor Group Executive Vice Chairman Chung Eui-sun, left, listens to an explanation about "Cillia," an art piece by Chinese artist Ou Jifei, right, during the opening ceremony of the "Future Humanity-Our Shared Planet" exhibition at Hyundai Motorstudio Beijing, Wednesday. Courtesy of Hyundai Motor By Park Jae-hyuk Hyundai Motor will hold art exhibitions until February 2019 at Hyundai Motorstudio sites in Seoul, Beijing and Moscow, the nation's leading carmaker said Thursday. The company collaborated with the Austrian cultural institute Ars Electronica for the media art project titled "Future Humanity-Our Shared Planet." The opening ceremony was held at Hyundai Motorstudio Beijing, Wednesday. Hyundai Motor Group Executive Vice Chairman Chung Eui-sun, Hyundai Motor Vice President Cornelia Schneider and Ars Electronica Festival Director Martin Honzik attended the ceremony with 60 leading figures from the artistic community, including Qiu Zhijie, a professor at the School of Inter-Media Art of the China Art Academy. The Hyundai Blue Prize for rising curators in China was also awarded during the opening ceremony. Wei Ying, winner of the Creativity Prize, and Long Xingru, who received the Sustainability Prize, will have an opportunity to stage an exhibition at Hyundai Motorstudio Beijing next year under the theme of "Future Humanity." Hyundai Motor will start holding exhibitions under the same title in Seoul, Friday, and in Moscow, Nov. 24, It will display 25 pieces by 19 artists from around the world. The automaker said it decided to offer this project to explore human-centered values and concerns about the future with its customers worldwide. The exhibitions therefore feature artwork made with Fourth Industrial Revolution technology such as virtual reality, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, the internet of things and big data. For example, "Learning to see: Hello, World!" by Turkish artist Memo Akten used a visual technology for future mobility to show an AI learning process. With the artwork, the artist aims to show new perspectives humankind will develop in the future. "The exhibition aims to explore and express the essence of humanity as well as the importance of loving mankind, something that is at times under-acknowledged in our everyday lives which are driven by advanced technologies," said Schneider, who is also head of space innovation at Hyundai Motor. "Hyundai Motor will continue to make various efforts to convey human-centered values that go beyond mobility technology." Minister of SMEs and Startups Hong Jong-haak, left, and Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Lee Hae-chan. Korea Times file By Park Jae-hyuk The Moon Jae-in administration and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) have come under mounting criticism from the business circle for their unprecedented attempt to force companies to share profits with subcontractors, according to industry officials, Thursday. Many business leaders here brand the controversial policy move "socialistic." Some of them even fear possible trade disputes with other countries, given that it may lead to discrimination against foreign subcontractors. "It is an unconstitutional idea that threatens the base of capitalism," Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) Vice Chairman Kwon Tae-shin told reporters Wednesday. "If the government wants to force conglomerates to share profits with subcontractors, it should urge them to share losses as well. Also, foreign subcontractors may file complaints with the World Trade Organization, if they are excluded from profit sharing." Korea Employers Federation Vice Chairman Kim Yong-geun also said profit sharing will harm the independence of corporate management. "It may cause another dispute, because it is impossible to calculate each subcontractor's contribution," he told reporters the same day. A possible violation of the Subcontracting Law is another problem. "For conglomerates to evaluate each subcontractor's contributiveness, they will have no choice but to force subcontractors to share proprietary information, and this is a violation of the Subcontracting Law," said an executive at one of the country's top business groups, declining to be named. Smaller firms also worry about the side effects of the policy. They expect it will accelerate the exodus of Korean companies. "More conglomerates will replace their Korean subcontractors with foreign partners," said an official at the Association of High Potential Enterprise of Korea, a business lobby for medium-sized firms. "Korean subcontractors will face a worsening business situation, if this happens." The government and the ruling party claim the profit sharing is not a compulsory measure. "The government will just give incentives to conglomerates, if they voluntarily share their profits with small- and medium-sized subcontractors," a Ministry of SMEs and Startups official said. However, most observers expect the National Tax Service and the Fair Trade Commission will pressure businesses to comply with the measure, one of the 100 major policy tasks President Moon announced in July 2017. "Firms that do not share their profits will face unfavorable public opinion," a researcher at the Korea Economic Research Institute said. "It will practically be a compulsory measure." This is not the first time legislation for profit sharing has stirred controversy in Korea. In 2011, then Korea Commission for Corporate Partnership Chairman Chung Un-chan tried to implement the system under the previous Lee Myung-bak administration. However, he failed, after facing a strong backlash from business leaders. Back then, Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee came under the spotlight for his sarcastic comments regarding Chung. "I'm confused about whether it is a term used in socialist states or capitalist countries," he said at the time. "I grew up in an entrepreneur's family and have studied economics. However, I've never heard of the concept." By Lee Kyung-min A group of lawyers has urged the government to promptly institute measures to help regulate the blockchain business here. They said the current, long-extended inaction only hampers development of the financial industry, while more fall victim to cryptocurrency-related fraud due to a lack of credible information. In a statement released Thursday, the Korean Bar Association (KBA) said the government should join the global wave of efforts to come up with an institutional framework for the unconventional method of investment. "Japan, Estonia and Malta have nearly concluded establishing relevant legal frameworks, while similar efforts are ongoing in France, Russia and Gibraltar. The U.S., Singapore and Switzerland have yet to legislate the business, but financial regulators there have issued guidelines as part of broader efforts to regulate the industry," the lawyers said in the statement. Rep. Song Hee-kyoung of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party speaks at the beginning of a meeting organized by members of the Korean Bar Association to urge the government to institute measures to help settle the blockchain business at the National Assembly, Thursday. To her right is Korean Bar Association President Kim Hyun. Yonhap By Park Hyong-ki Woori Bank CEO Sohn Tae-seung KHARTOUM, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Sudan said on Wednesday that it has invited African leaders to attend the opening session of peace negotiations between the government and the opposition in Central African Republic (CAR), a local media outlet reported. The opening session is slated for mid-November in Sudan's capital Khartoum, said Sudanese Media Center. "Khartoum's initiative to achieve peace and reconciliation in the CAR has received acceptance by the international community besides a great support from the African Union," Bushara Juma'a Aror, Sudan's information minister and government spokesman, was quoted as saying. In August, Khartoum hosted a session of talks between the CAR's Seleka armed opposition and the Anti-Balaka militia group under a Russian initiative and the patronage of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. The talks concluded with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, which requires the establishment of a joint body for peace aiming at renouncing violence and extremism, cessation of hostilities and allowing free movement of citizens and trade with neighboring countries. Since 2013, the CAR has been suffering from a religious and ethnic conflict after the Muslim-majority Seleka armed opposition seized power, which led to reprisal operations by the Anti-Balaka militia group said to be composed primarily of Christians. [ Editor: WPY ] A turkey to-go menu is available at the Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel. Courtesy of Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel By Kang Seung-woo Local hotels are busy coming up with diverse Thanksgiving dining options to celebrate the Turkey Day that falls on Nov. 22. Everything from a sumptuous meal and a festive buffet to even to-go menus is all set to serve Thanksgiving dinners. The Westin Chosun Seoul showcases turkey promotions at its dining facilities. Under the Surf and Turf promotion at its French restaurant, the Ninth Gate, chefs will carve and serve a 7.5-kilogram turkey along with side dishes such as string bean casserole and steamed red cabbage. The dinner will be available from Nov. 19 to 25. The hotel's Italian osteria, Rubrica, also offers a Premium Roast Turkey promotion, through which guests can enjoy a 7-kilogram whole roast turkey with chestnut stuffing, cranberry sauce and gravy. The package will run from Nov. 12 to Dec. 31. The Grand Hilton Seoul presents two types of Thanksgiving meals on Nov. 22. Its Buffet Restaurant offers the Thanksgiving Gala Dinner featuring roasted turkey, juicy prime rib and meat feast, flanked by mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, giblet sauce and stuffing. "Guests will be able to enjoy savory roasted turkey and more than 100 traditional buffet foods, including Korean, Japanese and Western dishes," a Hilton official said. This year, more hotels plan to offer to-go options. The Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel has already been presenting a roasted turkey for those who plan to have a Thanksgiving party at home. The Turkey To Go promotion, enough for more than five people, features a 5-kilogram sage-roasted turkey and a variety of side dishes such as mashed sweet pumpkin, baked macaroni and cheese, pickle radish and sweet apple pie. It is scheduled to run until the end of the year, also being suitable for those who have a Christmas or year-end party. Traditional American-style turkey will be available as a takeout at Grand Deli of the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas until the end of the year. Its turkeys are marinated in herbal salty water for a minimum of 12 hours before being coated with herbal butter and roasted at a low temperature. It comes with roasted sausages, figs, corn, sweet potatoes, chestnuts and other side dishes along with giblet gravy and cranberry sauce. The Grand Hilton Seoul also has a turkey to-go promotion, coinciding with its Thanksgiving-themed buffet. The menu includes a golden brown turkey with mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, giblet sauce and stuffing, which is enough to feed eight people. By Jung Min-ho A Pakistani Christian woman has been freed from prison after spending eight years on death row for "blasphemy." This came after the Supreme Court overturned the conviction last week against Asia Bibi, 53, a mother of five, who was found guilty of the crime in 2010 over allegations she made derogatory remarks about the Prophet Muhammad during a row with neighbors. She always denied the charge. Bibi is now at an undisclosed location for fear of attacks. The ruling immediately prompted protests from thousands of hardline Islamists who called for her to be hanged. Pressured by them, the Pakistani government said it would bar her from leaving the country. Under Pakistan's draconian blasphemy laws, offenders can face a death sentence. They have been used disproportionately against minority religious groups in the Muslim-dominant country (95 percent) despite international human rights groups' criticism. Critics say the laws have often been used to exact revenge after personal rows or to go after journalists critical of the religious establishment. Bibi's case attracted widespread outrage and support from Christians worldwide. Several countries have reportedly offered her asylum. US President Donald J. Trump speaks at a press conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 07 November 2018. EPA-Yonhap North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un looks at U.S. President Donald Trump before their bilateral meeting at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa island in Singapore June 12, 2018. Yonhap U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he expects to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un "sometime early next year." Trump's remarks came hours after the U.S. announced the postponement of Thursday's scheduled meeting between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and North Korean officials in New York. "We're very happy how it's going with North Korea," Trump said at a White House press conference on Tuesday's midterm elections, adding that the meeting will be rescheduled. He attributed the sudden cancellation to "trips that are being made," but did not elaborate. "We think it's going fine," Trump said. "We're in no rush. We're in no hurry. The sanctions are still on." Pompeo and Kim Yong-chol, a close aide to the North Korean leader, were expected to continue talks on dismantling the regime's nuclear weapons program and arranging a second summit between the leader and Trump. Asked if he still plans to have the second summit, the U.S. president said, "Sometime next year, I would say. Sometime early next year." The State Department provided no explanation for the meeting's postponement. In a statement released at midnight, the department said the two sides "will reconvene when our respective schedules permit." In this July 7, 2018 file photo, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, right, and Kim Yong Chol, a North Korean senior ruling party official and former intelligence chief, arrive for a lunch at the Park Hwa Guest House in Pyongyang, North Korea. Kim Yong Chol, a senior North Korean envoy's meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo has been delayed, throwing already deadlocked diplomacy over the North's nuclear weapons into further uncertainty. AP-Yonhap By Jung Da-min Thae Yong-ho, a high-ranking North Korean defector who has backed sanctions on North Korea, called off attending a public event early this week after receiving a threatening letter from an online community for progressive students. The letter warned him to stop "activities hindering reunification" of the two Koreas or the community's members will move to "arrest" him. Such criticism is not unusual for Thae, who fled to Seoul in August 2016 while serving in the United Kingdom as North Korea's deputy ambassador. He has been a target of harsh words from progressive activists who support the Moon Jae-in administration's North Korea-friendly policies. But it is the first time he has canceled an appearance following criticism. The community posted the letter's full text on its Facebook account Tuesday, the day it sent the letter to the defector and the cancelation took place. In the letter, the community condemned Thae for making critical comments of North Korea's human rights at a recent seminar at the National Assembly. "You only made remarks that hinder peace and unification (of the two Koreas) during the seminar," the community wrote. "Please stay calm and don't stand in the way toward peace and unification." According to reports, Thae decided to cancel "at the last minute" after discussing the issue with his security guards. "We were told from Thae's side that it would be difficult for him to attend the event because of those who would stage a rally calling for Thae's arrest," an event organizer was quoted as saying in a report. Earlier, Thae complained about the government's sluggish response to threats to defectors critical of the North. Yoo Je-chul, the head of the living environment policy office of the environment ministry, makes a presentation on strengthened countermeasures against fine dust at the Government Complex in Sejong, Thursday. Yonhap By Jung Hae-myoung The alternate day driving ban will be expanded from the public sector to all drivers starting next February, as a strengthened countermeasure against fine dust, the government said Thursday. Incentives for diesel cars will also be abolished because old diesel vehicles are one of the factors generating fine dust. The government announced a set of toughened anti-fine dust measures, after high levels of fine and ultrafine dust clouded the nation for days. According to the measures, drivers will be subject to an alternate day driving ban based on even and odd last numbers of license plates, depending on their emission discharging levels, starting Feb. 15. So far, the rule has been applied only to public servants and is only recommended for the private sector. The government will also abolish the "clean diesel policy," promulgated by the Lee Myung-bak administration which argued that diesel cars had a higher fuel efficiency compared to gasoline cars. It will end incentives for diesel cars purchases, including discounts at parking lots, and will expand financial support for those who got rid of old diesel trucks and buy ones that run on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). In the public sector, it plans to replace gasoline cars with eco-friendly ones such as electric. As suspending operation of coal-fired power plants has proven to be effective in reducing fine dust levels, the government plans to shut down more from March to June. The government will install air purifiers at schools and kindergartens, and help daycare centers measure indoor air quality. Cooperation with neighboring countries to tackle fine dust will be strengthened, especially with China, to reduce the inflow of air pollution from the country. The government will cooperate with regional governments in China to outfit factories there with Korea's advanced technology on environment protection. "When fine dust levels are high, the government will make all-out efforts, treating it is a natural disaster," an environment ministry official said. "The public sector will lead, so that the private sector will follow suit." By Jung Min-ho A Japanese man has been detained for allegedly stealing bullets from an indoor shooting range in Seoul, police said Thursday. According to the Seoul Namdaemun Police Station, investigators caught the suspect, 24, at Myungdong about 10:15 p.m. Wednesday for allegedly stealing two bullets when he was at the range with his Korean-Chinese friend, 43, earlier that day. After concluding that the Japanese man acted alone, police released his friend. During questioning, the suspect said he stole the bullets on impulse and thought they would be great for "home decoration." Gen. Robert Abrams looks to the dais as he testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018. On that day, Gen. Abrams was nominated to take command of U.S. and allied forces in South Korea. He said the decision to cancel several major military exercises on the Korean peninsula this year caused a slight degradation in the readiness of American forces. Yonhap Army Gen. Robert B. Abrams took office as the new commander of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) on Thursday, amid diplomatic efforts by Seoul and Washington to build a lasting peace on the divided peninsula. The change-of-command ceremony took place at Camp Humphreys, a sprawling U.S. military complex in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, at 10 a.m. It was attended by top South Korean and U.S. officials, including Seoul's Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo. Abrams, the former chief of the U.S. Army Forces Command, replaced Gen. Vincent Brooks who had led the USFK, the U.N. Command and the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command, all headquartered in South Korea, since April 2016. He is expected to face a series of daunting tasks, including coordinating with South Korean forces over the planned transfer of wartime operational control and exploring ways to maintain a robust readiness posture amid peace efforts with Pyongyang. Gen. Robert Abrams, right, shakes hands with Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sen. James Inhofe, R-Ok., left, as ranking member Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., stands center, after a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018. Yonhap By Kang Seung-woo A Japanese man was caught stealing two bullets at a live shooting range in Myeong-dong, central Seoul, according to police, Thursday. The ammunition was retrieved, they added. According to the Namdaemun Police Station, the 24-year-old Japanese man, accompanied by a Chinese man, took the ammunition from the range at 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, while a staff member was reloading a handgun. In response, after securing surveillance footage of the suspect, police searched the Myeong-dong area and caught him entering a building near Myeong-dong Station at 10:15 p.m. His Chinese companion was also detained. The man told police he stole the bullets impulsively to use them for "decoration." The two had no previous criminal records. Police later released the Japanese man as the bullets were recovered and there was no perceived danger. They plan to question him further without physical detention. The Chinese man was cleared of any suspicions and released. The shooting range is an indoor live firing range that has emerged as a hot destination among foreign tourists. However, there have been safety issues at some ranges the latest of which occurred two months ago. In September, a 36-year-old man, who worked in the film industry, committed suicide at the same shooting range with a revolver. By Lee Suh-yoon Recent allegations that a 35-year-old pastor sexually abused at least 26 teenage girls in his youth ministry group have refueled the debate over the manipulative tactics of sex offenders in the clergy. On Tuesday, four of the alleged victims masked and covered in black spoke out against a pastor at their church in Incheon, claiming he "groomed" them into accommodating his sexual demands for years in their teens. "Every time I said no, he told me he loved me, saying it was the first time he felt this way about someone," one of the victims said at a press conference held at a Christian meeting hall in Yeonji-dong, Seoul. "I trusted the pastor, so I never thought he could lie in God's name." The pastor, surnamed Kim, approached young female students in the youth ministry of his church, buying them treats and gently counseling them on family issues. As the girls started to trust him more, Kim started making sexual comments or touching them. He convinced the girls they were in loving relationships that would eventually end in marriage. Gradually, he got them to have sex with him regularly, telling them he wanted to "purify" bad memories of being raped by his uncle. "It was hard for the victims to even register their situation as sexual abuse while they were stuck in the continuous cycle of psychological brainwashing and rape," Chae Su-ji, head of the Christian Counseling Center for Violence Against Women, told The Korea Times, Wednesday. "As the relationship deepens and the young person is forced to keep secrets, she is increasingly isolated from others, making it easier for the pastor to psychologically control her." Kim, son of the head pastor, carried on this tactic with multiple girls at a time. His behavior was noticed by the church leadership, but went unpunished for the last 10 years. His tactics are echoed in similar cases that have been pulled out of the shadows by the #MeToo movement earlier this year, like the notorious Lee Jae-rock, a senior pastor at the 140,000-strong Manmin Central Church now on trial for raping seven female followers. Perpetrators tend to target the most vulnerable, using the victim's faith. "The perpetrators approach the most vulnerable, or those who are alone and don't have friends or parent figures they can openly talk to," Chae said. "They also use the fact that young Christian girls, especially those with absent or abusive fathers, see a pastor as a second father whom they idealize and want validation from." The Christian center has received over 400 consultations triple the annual average since January, when the #MeToo movement caught on in the country. Over 680 religious leaders were apprehended for sexual abuse from 2010 to 2016, according to police records, but many more crimes went unreported, experts say. Proper punishment is another issue. When a female pastor whom one of the victims confided in recently called out Kim's actions, the victims were threatened, bribed, and even accused of cult activities, the victims say. Police said they will begin investigating the case, today. By Cho Jae-hyon Rotary International President Barry Rassin said he will support Korean Rotary's bid to host the 2027 International Rotary Convention in Busan. Rassin is visiting Korea to attend the Korean Rotary's annual conference at the Haeundae Grand Hotel in Busan, a three-day gathering which opened on Tuesday. It has drawn more than 1,000 Rotarians from Korea and other countries. At the annual seminar, the members discussed the future of Korean Rotary and new policies of Rotary International. Korean Rotary will celebrate its centenary in 2027. Rassin said many Rotarians hope Korea will host another major global event, pledging to give a full support if the southern port city of Busan is viewed as the right venue for the 2027 International Rotary Convention. He said Korea has shown "very strong membership growth" and Korean Rotarians are very active in all kinds of peace, environment and community services programs. "We are very proud of Rotary clubs in Korea." The Korean Rotary has the fourth largest number of members in the world after the United States, India and Japan, he said. It has about 65,000 members and about 1,600 Rotary clubs here. Rassin said he came to Korea to thank Korean Rotarians for their untiring services and devotion for positive changes in communities. He said the organization will play a role in helping its Korean members contribute to achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula. Under the slogan, "Be the Inspiration," Rassin is leading the international organization which has 1.2 million members worldwide. He has been committed to reducing the number of children suffering from polio worldwide. Since 1985 when Rotary International started a campaign to eradicate polio, the number of cases dropped from 350,000 a year in 125 countries to only 25 cases in two countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Rassin said the organization will continue to strive to attain the certified eradication of polio. The Rotary Club was founded by a young lawyer, Paul Harris, in the United States in 1905. WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump will hold a bilateral meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron during his upcoming trip to France this weekend, the White House announced on Wednesday. Trump will join Macron and other world leaders in the ceremonies marking the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War on Nov. 11, according to a White House statement. He will have a meeting with his French counterpart to discuss topics on European security, bilateral economic ties and the situation in the Middle East, the statement said. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will also participate in the Trump's meeting with Macron, State Department spokesperson said in a press release. The White House also confirmed that the Trump-Macron meeting would be the only bilateral meeting that Trump will hold during his France trip, ruling out the possibility of meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who will also attend the commemorating event. Both the U.S. and Russian officials have previously confirmed that a meeting between the two leaders would be held in Paris on the sidelines of World War I commemoration ceremonies. But Trump said on Monday that he would "probably not" meet Putin in Paris. The Kremlin announced earlier on Wednesday that Putin and Trump will meet at a short working lunch in the Elysee Palace, with longer and more comprehensive talks at G20 Summit in Argentina at the end of this month. Amid the ongoing U.S. sanctions on Russia and Washington's recent stance on the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, the relations between Washington and Moscow have been strained recently. Enditem [ Editor: WPY ] Kim Jung-hyun The Korea Times is pleased to announce the winners of the 14th English Economic Essay Contest for university students on two subjects: "Should Korea regulate cryptocurrencies?" for applicants in Korea, and "Suggestions for spurring Korea's economic growth" for those from abroad. Kim Jung-hyun, a business administration major at Korea University, won the Grand Award for applicants in Korea, and the overseas winner was Olivia Han, a history major at Boston University Kim will receive a round-trip ticket from Incheon to Los Angeles and Han will get a round-trip ticket from her hometown to Incheon. Olivia Han Gen. Robert Abrams, new commander of U.S. Forces Korea, ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command and United Nations Command, speaks at a change-of-command ceremony held on Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. First from right is the outgoing Gen. Vincent Brooks. Yonhap By Kim Bo-eun President Moon Jae-in asked the new U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) commander to oversee the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) of Korean forces to the host country smoothly, at a change-of-command ceremony held Thursday. Army Gen. Robert Abrams replaced Gen. Vincent Brooks as commander of the USFK, the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC) and the United Nations Command (UNC), at the ceremony held on Camp Humphreys, a U.S. military base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. "I believe a more stable South Korea-U.S. joint defense posture will be maintained centering on General Abrams," Moon said in a congratulatory address. "I ask that (the USFK commander) seeks to push forward with pending tasks such as the transfer of wartime operational control and relocation of the USFK without setbacks, through close consultation." Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and Indo-Pacific Commander chief Adm. Philip Davidson were present at the ceremony, which also marked the 40th anniversary of the CFC. The President said the history of the CFC is the history of the alliance between the two countries. "The alliance between Seoul and Washington which was established during the war has guarded peace not only on the Korean Peninsula but also in Northeast Asia, and we are in the process of creating a new peace through the power of the alliance," he said. "I am deeply honored to have this opportunity to lead this one-of-a-kind triple-headed command, a unique joint combined force that draws its strength from the ironclad relationship with the Republic of Korea and the commitment of the United Nations," the new commander said. "The U.N. Command, the Combined Forces Command and the USFK are critically important for our shared interests in the defense of the Korean Peninsula and the security of the region. All three are bound by the deep, enduring relationships, commitment to each other, which is critical to the success of their missions." The new commander will be tasked with challenges such as maintaining military preparedness while observing the dialogue process with North Korea over its denuclearization. He may also be involved in adjusting the role of the joint military forces here, at a time the two Koreas are seeking to establish a peace regime on the peninsula. The role in the past has focused on countering North Korea's military threats. Abrams is known to have a hard-line stance toward North Korea. In his confirmation hearing in September, he stated the suspension of joint military exercises between the U.S. and South Korea led to the "degradation" of military readiness. Abrams graduated from the United State Military Academy. He has held command and staff positions in Germany, the U.S. and Southwest Asia. Most recently, he served as chief of the U.S. Army Forces Command. Abrams' father was former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Creighton Abrams and both his older brothers have served as Army generals. The outgoing Gen. Brooks served his position for two years and six months, during the turbulent years of North Korea's nuclear and missile provocations. By Kim Bo-eun The unification ministry set aside around 350 billion won ($315 million) to connect the rail and road networks of the two Koreas according to documents that were initially undisclosed. The documents obtained by Rep. Choung Byoung-gug of the Bareunmirae Party from the ministry and National Assembly, stated that 352.6 billion won out of a 1.97 trillion won fund for inter-Korean affairs had been set aside to link transport networks with North Korea. The documents for the first time showed the government's budget for the project. Specifically, the ministry had set aside 134.1 billion won for rail connections and 54.8 billion won for roads. The ministry also reportedly drew up another 163.7 billion won for "establishing infrastructure for inter-Korean economic cooperation." The budget was drawn up at a time when the project has been put on hold as the Koreas have yet to conduct inspections on train tracks in the North. This is because the United Nations Command, which is in charge of approving personnel and equipment crossing the military demarcation line (MDL), has barred South Koreans from crossing to survey the North's transport infrastructure. This is due to the fact that a South Korean train carrying oil needs to cross the MDL. The United Nations Security Council sanctions on North Korea ban this. Resolution 2397 states "all member states shall prohibit the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer to North Korea, through their territories or by their nationals, or using their flag vessels, aircraft, pipelines, rail lines, or vehicles, of all refined petroleum products." The U.S. has maintained its stance that sanctions will not be eased until North Korea achieves denuclearization. The Koreas had planned for the inspection of the North's rail lines to take place in August, but this remains postponed. The inspections would need to take place this month if the groundbreaking ceremony for the project to connect the railways were to take place in late November or early December, as the Koreas agreed to at a high-level meeting last month. Meanwhile, a unification ministry official said Thursday the government "was making preparations so the groundbreaking ceremony can take place as agreed." The remarks come amid circumstances in which a high-level meeting between North Korea and the U.S., previously scheduled to take place this week, has been postponed. The official also confirmed Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon's visit to the U.S. next week. During his visit, the minister is expected to speak with U.S. officials about pushing forward with inter-Korean projects amid ongoing denuclearization talks between Pyongyang and Washington. President Moon Jae-in pays for a box of dried mackerel, a specialty of Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, during a visit to Pohang Jukdo Market, Thursday. Moon visited the southeastern coastal city to attend an inaugural forum on economic cooperation between South Korea and Russia. Yonhap By Kim Yoo-chul President Moon Jae-in plans to support South Korea's bid to win a contract to build a nuclear power plant in the Czech Republic. This is seen as the government wanting to keep domestic nuclear reactor technology competitive internationally, officials said Thursday. At a recent meeting with floor leaders of the country's five parties _ including the ruling Democratic Party Korea (DPK) and the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) _ Moon said the government will initiate programs to keep local nuclear reactor technology afloat internationally. "The question is how to protect and defend the national interest by helping domestic nuclear power companies win contracts for the construction of nuclear plants in other countries," one official told The Korea Times, wishing to remain anonymous. "This is a separate issue compared to the government's move to use natural gas and renewables in order to maintain its policy of gradually retiring nuclear-generated power." President Moon said earlier the government will continue to phase out nuclear power plants. Cheong Wa Dae said the handling of nuclear reactor-related issues has recently been transferred to its economic affairs team, giving leader Yoon Jong-won, a presidential senior secretary, full responsibility. The remarks came after the state-run Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co. (KHNP) said it was looking to win a lucrative nuclear-reactor deal in the Czech Republic after the central European country said it was evaluating "lots of options" to phase out coal-burning plants and reduce carbon emissions. "Assistance from Cheong Wa Dae is required for the KHNP to win the nuclear construction contracts in the Czech Republic," another official said. "The presidential economic affairs team has acknowledged this issue, as the deal, if it happens, will help local suppliers." The KHNP is building a nuclear plant for the United Arab Emirates at Barakah. The Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) is discussing with the United Kingdom a multi-billion-dollar nuclear power plant construction deal there. President Moon's drive to move away from nuclear energy to environmentally friendly renewables has been accelerated by deteriorating air quality and safety concerns. But the country's nuclear reactor suppliers are feeling a sense of crisis as the policy will jeopardize their ability to export nuclear technology by hurting their market credibility. The Czech government was to decide on how to finance and build new nuclear reactors at the Temelin power plant by the end of the year. Companies from Russia, the United States and China are chasing the contract. The Czech Republic is betting on nuclear energy, which now accounts for about 40 percent of its power output. By Choe Chong-dae In the wake of opening its doors to the West in 1882, Korea established its initial postal service in 1884 with the appointment of a postmaster general and subsequent issuance of the Joseon Kingdom's first stamps. After a hiatus of more than a decade, Korea began a domestic postal service between Seoul and Chemulpo (modern day Incheon). Demand for the service was high and soon mail routes were opened throughout the country. As leaves fall from trees in late autumn, many streams of thought cross my mind. Reminiscing on days gone by, I am reminded of the postman who delivered precious letters and New Year's greeting cards to my home in Gyeongju while I was a young student in the 1960s. At that time, not many homes in underdeveloped Korea were equipped with telephones. The postman played a very important role in delivering not only handwritten love letters describing joyful or sorrowful emotions, but also current news and hope. The most welcoming guest to the elders of remote villages in the mountains and on islands is supposed to be the postman. Thanks to the postman who travels the mountain trail on his motorbike, old parents can enjoy social interaction and learn news of their children who have left for cities. The postman is the symbol of analog life that connects people to the past. Particularly, around extra-long Chuseok and Lunar New Year holidays, it was meaningful to reminisce on the good old days when we were counting down to the postman's visit. Nowadays, many postmen frequently help us accomplish miscellaneous tasks such as paying utility bills and taxes, ordering pharmaceutical products and delivering various kinds of leaflets and credit card statements. The postman reminds me of an old song sung by the Beatles, "Please Mr. Postman." It goes:"Oh yes, wait a minute, Mr. Postman. Wait, wait, hey, hey, hey, Mister Postman. Please Mr. Postman, look and see. Oh yeah, if there is a letter in your bag for me? (Please, please, Mister Postman) I've been waiting such a long, long time. (Oh, yeah) Since I heard from that girl of mine, there must be some word today. From my girlfriend so far away." Fast forward a few decades later and we have the romantic film, "Il Postino" (The Postman) released in 1994. The movie blends fact and fiction in a tale of the real life Chilean poet Pablo Neruda and his friendship with a simple Italian postman on a rural island in Italy. I am inspired by a beautiful story of a postman in Gyeongju. Over a century ago on one afternoon in 1909, a postman was climbing a narrow path to deliver a letter in a remote mountainous village. He got caught in a rainstorm and sought shelter in the nearest cave he could find. Once inside, he lit a candle in the dark. As his eyes grew accustomed to the darkness, he began to discern a magnificent stone Buddha looming over him, while on the surrounding walls were shadowy figures. As a result, the stone Buddha, an artificial grotto hermitage built in the eighth century during the Silla Kingdom and deemed by many to be the most beautiful masterpiece of Buddhist sculpture in Korea, was revealed to modern mankind. If it were not for the remarkable insight of the postman, the Seokguram Grotto in Gyeongju would have been left to the forces of nature. An accidental discovery by a postman can have such significant and everlasting impact. The postman is a messenger of hope! Choe Chong-dae is a guest columnist of The Korea Times. He is president of Dae-kwang International Co., and director of the Korean-Swedish Association. He can be reached at choecd@naver.com By Arthur I. Cyr Perspective through examination of history is always helpful, as long as we perceive the past accurately. Extreme, overwrought rhetoric has now become commonplace, within the media as well as from political candidates. Statements include the bizarre claim that the United States is on the verge of "another Civil War." The aftermath of the previous war poisoned American politics for decades. Do we face that? Of course not, and responding effectively to this superficial and immature rhetoric should include examining in specific terms the U.S. presidential race of 1968, just 50 years ago. As the year began, the nation was experiencing a sustained violent crime wave. This was unprecedented, at least since World War II. Crime rates today are extremely low, despite the terrible problem of periodic mass killings. Additionally, urban riots, which reflected intense racial unrest, and at times violent anti-Vietnam War demonstrations, characterized our nation in those difficult years. This is absent today. Beleaguered President Lyndon Johnson became a prisoner of events, restricted in major public appearances primarily to military bases. The leaders in Hanoi of the long-term, brutal revolution in Vietnam took full advantage of the situation. On Jan. 30, 1968, during an agreed ceasefire, the Viet Cong guerillas along with heavily armed elements of North Vietnam's formidable army suddenly attacked virtually every city and town across South Vietnam. Bloody fighting went on for weeks, and sporadic action continued into the fall of the year. Initially, the enemy gained ground, killed large numbers of both Americans and South Vietnamese, and enjoyed tremendous shock effect. Confirming Hanoi's gamble, the Tet Offensive resulted in military defeat but political victory. Public support for the Vietnam War dissipated. Anti-war Senator Eugene McCarthy (D-MN) won a significant vote in the March 12 New Hampshire presidential primary. President Johnson actually won the election, but many interpreted the result as a defeat. Senator Robert F. Kennedy (D-NY) declared his candidacy. President Johnson withdrew from contention. On April 4, civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated in Memphis Tennessee. Violent riots exploded across the nation. Heavily armed U.S. Army and Marine forces deployed to protect Washington, D.C. Shortly after midnight on June 5, 1968, an assassin fatally wounded Kennedy in a hotel in Los Angeles. Kennedy had just narrowly won the California Democratic presidential primary. Just before the California election, Senator McCarthy had decisively defeated Kennedy in the important Oregon primary a fact overlooked in many popular accounts of those days. Neither candidate was clearly winning. Meanwhile, former Vice President Richard Nixon came back from what appeared to be political oblivion to secure the Republican presidential nomination. He was the favorite of grass-roots party workers, and held off challenges from uncertain liberal Governor Nelson Rockefeller of New York and aggressive conservative Governor Ronald Reagan of California. Vice President Hubert Humphrey, the Democratic presidential nominee, initially was far behind Nixon in opinion polls, and for a time third-party racist candidate Governor George Wallace (D-AL) was a major threat to his support. Yet Humphrey, a brilliant campaigner, surged and only narrowly lost to Nixon. Opinion polls generally showed him more popular than either Kennedy or McCarthy and a stronger candidate against any likely Republican nominee. The durable American political system worked in 1968. We probably will survive 2018. Arthur I. Cyr ( ) is Clausen Distinguished Professor at Carthage College and the author of "After the Cold War" (NYU Press and Macmillan/Palgrave). In this long and fiercely contested election, President Donald Trump told voters to pretend he was on the ballot. Apparently, they responded. They came out in droves across the nation and on Long Island, part of a midterm election that was unusually intense and energetic whether measured by sharply spiked voter turnout, massive campaign cash raised and spent, hordes of newly registered voters, or an unprecedented diversity of candidates. In some places, voters wanted Trump guiding the nation's economic and immigration policies and projecting American strength to the world. But voters elsewhere rejected his appeals to fear and division and his increasingly apocalyptic and fact-challenged rhetoric. They wanted congressional oversight of him and his administration, and protection of guaranteed coverage for those with pre-existing conditions. That's the way it's been with Trump, our national lightning rod since announcing his candidacy in 2015. He again was inescapable in this campaign. Loathed or loved, he had New Yorkers, like everyone else, checking returns from Florida, Texas, Virginia and beyond to see whether Democrats would take control of the House of Representatives, which they did behind a wave of strong women candidates and increasingly Democratic suburbs. The blue wave might not have been quite the tsunami some predicted for the House, nor did it reach the shores of the U.S. Senate, where Republicans padded their advantage. But it did crest big in New York. The state got bluer while also making history. Letitia James, New York City's Democratic public advocate, will become the state's first black attorney general and the first woman elected to the position. She will join a trio of familiar Democrats Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie who posted easy wins, as expected. Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand held strong, and the state's congressional delegation turned bluer with several big wins. And the Democratic sweep was complete with the party taking firm control of the State Senate, the last vestige of GOP power on the state level. Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Yonkers) will be the first woman to be Senate majority leader, and will force an overdue rewriting of the "three men in a room" adage about who handles the levers of power in Albany. Democratic control also means likely progress on issues like voting and ethics reforms, gun control and a plastic bag ban. It also will mean suburban Democrats from Long Island will have to work hard to ensure Albany doesn't become New York City-centric. And now a reckoning awaits the state Republican Party. It has not broadened its base, nor has it offered a positive vision for New York, and it has not elected anyone statewide since George E. Pataki for governor in 2002. The best news from Tuesday was the voter turnout, the highest midterm showing since 1982. Whether you were new voters, young voters or previously disillusioned, thanks. Democracy is stronger when all of us participate. The above editorial appeared in Newsday. It was distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. By Andrew Hammond Democrats made significant gains in the House of Representatives on Tuesday winning back control of the chamber. One key implication of the new era of the divided government in Washington could be an increasing focus on foreign policy by Donald Trump in 2019 and 2020. While the pickups for Democrats in the House are by no means the end of Trump's presidency, it may well stymie his domestic agenda in the two years to come. Yet the president, who gives every indication that he will stand again in 2020, may potentially still have a glide path to re-election, much as Barack Obama did in 2012 running against a Republican House after that chamber flipped control in 2010. In the election aftermath, Trump is heading overseas and this may be a sign of things to come. This weekend, he will attend centenary events in Europe for the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I, plus the G20 summit in Argentina later this month as part of a wider tour of South America. Trump is far from alone, undertaking similarly timed foreign travel after tough midterms. For instance, Obama traveled to India, Indonesia, South Korea, Japan and Portugal in November 2010 after bruising losses for Democrats. Meanwhile, George W. Bush went on a foreign tour in November 2006 to Russia, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Estonia, Latvia and Jordan after Republicans lost control of the House and Senate. On the broader policy front for the next two years, Trump may now increasingly turn his attention to foreign affairs. Already, this autumn and winter, he is considering a potential second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un; seeking to conclude trade renegotiations with Mexico and possibly Canada too; not to mention manage the ongoing trade spat with China. It has been the case for several other recent presidents, from the vantage point of domestic policy, that their first two years are the most productive. During this initial period in the White House, presidents usually succeed in enacting core priorities (as Trump did, for instance with his tax cut package). To be sure, Trump may achieve further domestic policy successes over the next two years. However, numerous other recent presidents have found it more difficult to acquire momentum behind an array of significant new legislative measures after their initial phase in office. In part, this is because several presidents in the postwar era have held a weaker position in Congress over time. For instance, both Clinton in 1994 and Obama in 2010 saw two years into their presidencies striking gains by the Republicans who picked up the House in both these midterm ballots from Democrats, and also the Senate in 1994. A second potential reason for greater stress on foreign policy by Trump in the next two years could be his desire to establish a legacy in the event that he fails to be re-elected in 2020, unexpectedly decides not to seek a second term, or is potentially impeached. Previous presidents have often seen foreign policy initiatives as a key part of the legacy they wish to build. For instance, Richard Nixon scored a string of foreign policy successes in his second two years of office from 1971 to 1973. This included his landmark meeting with Chairman Mao Zedong in China in February 1972 before signing two nuclear agreements with Moscow to limit nuclear weapons. More recently, Bush sought to spread his self-proclaimed freedom agenda after the 2001 terrorist attacks, not least with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Taken together, this underlines the significant chance that Trump will increasingly turn to the world stage in advance of 2020. This would be especially likely if he perceives significant potential foreign policy opportunities on the horizon, including de-escalating tensions in the world's last Cold War-era frontier through the prize of complete and verifiable denuclearization of North Korea. Andrew Hammond ( ) is an associate at LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics. New strategy needed to avoid fall of flagship industry The outlook for Korea's information and communications technology (ICT) industry for next year seems dark. Concerns are mounting that a cold wave will hit the sector, as the growth in semiconductors lets up and the production and export of mobile handsets slows. According to the Korea Information Society Development Institute (KISDI), the ICT industry's output in 2019 will inch up to 519 trillion won ($462 billion), just a 3.1 percent increase from 2018. That will be a sharp setback from the 8.7 percent rise recorded in 2017 when the exports of computer chips, displays and cellphones boomed. Its midterm prospects until 2021 are even dimmer, with experts predicting a contraction. That points to the need for the government and business officials to come up with pre-emptive measures. KISDI warned the industry's output would fall 0.5 percent to 516 trillion won in 2020 and drop 0.8 percent to 513 trillion won in 2021. Exports will also fall 4.4 percent in 2020 and 2.4 percent in 2021. The institute attributed the decline in the semiconductor industry to the rise of Chinese chipmakers. It predicted the memory chip market, which recorded growth of 61.8 percent in 2017 and 29.9 percent this year, would mark a single-digit increase of 9.6 percent next year. The ICT sector has taken the lead in Korea's industrial production and exports. In the global competitiveness ranking released by the World Economic Forum, Korea took first place in ICT penetration, ranked first in the number of internet subscribers and ninth in internet-using population. All this shows why Korea cannot let its ICT industry fall helplessly by the wayside. The Moon Jae-in administration is vowing to reinvigorate its production and foreign shipments by fusing them with other industries with the debut of fifth generation (5G) networks. We have a sense that the government's plan still stops short of seeing the comprehensive big picture, however. Now is the time for policymakers to show great determination in maintaining the ICT industry's competitive edge so that it can bolster the entire economy, by coming up with more elaborate strategies. Watch out for impact on Washington's policy on Korea President Donald Trump's Republican Party, which currently controls both chambers of Congress, has lost control of the House of Representatives but kept the Senate in midterm elections Tuesday. This is the first time for the Democrats to take the House in eight years. President Trump is likely to face tougher checks from the Democrats on major policies, such as immigration, taxes, healthcare and trade. Leader of the House Nancy Pelosi vowed to restore the Constitution's checks and balances against the Trump administration. The elections coincided with news of the postponement of a high-level U.S.-North Korea meeting that was scheduled to take place in New York, Thursday. There had been much expectation for the meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Kim Yong-chol, vice chairman of the North's ruling Workers' Party Central Committee, to close the gap in nuclear negotiations and settle the details for a second summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. But the meeting was canceled abruptly at the last minute, sparking concerns the two sides were experiencing difficulties in their negotiations. Pyongyang has called for the easing of sanctions and has been reluctant to comply with the U.S. demand for a list of its nuclear weapons, and other steps for accelerating its denuclearization. The delay in U.S.-North Korea talks could affect the peace process on the Korean Peninsula and inter-Korean economic cooperation that President Moon Jae-in has strongly pushed for. While Moon is still pursuing Kim's visit to Seoul within the year, Trump said during a post-election press conference he expected a second meeting with Kim will take place sometime early next year. He added he was in no rush and "sanctions are still on," urging North Korea to be responsive. The high-level meeting should be rearranged at an early date so the U.S.-North Korea talks do not lose momentum. Trump is expected to keep his policy on the North, but could face further gridlock in Congress if the Democrats keep putting the brakes on his administration with a view to winning the presidential race in 2020. This could affect the pace of Trump's North Korea policy. It is urgent for Seoul to prepare for the uncertainties that may rise in the wake of the election. It would be timely to expedite parliamentary exchanges with the U.S. to promote communication on key bilateral issues in the alliance and in trade, such as revisions to the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement. TALUQAN, Afghanistan, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Eleven security personnel were killed and 12 others injured after the Taliban insurgents attacked a military base in Khwaja Ghar district of the northern Takhar province on Thursday, provincial police spokesman Abdul Khalil Asir said. The insurgents, according to the official, stormed the military base in Darwazakan area of Khwaja Ghar district at 1:00 a.m. local time killing 11 soldiers on the spot and injuring 12 others. Eight militants were also killed in the firefight and the insurgents fled the area, the official asserted. Taliban militants haven't yet commented. [ Editor: WPY ] In this Jan. 22, 2014, file photo, a partially constructed gas refinery at the South Pars gas field is seen on the northern coast of Persian Gulf in Asalouyeh, Iran. Japan, South Korea and other major oil importers welcomed Tuesday the decision by the Trump administration to let them continue to import Iranian crude oil and other petroleum products despite the re-imposition of sanctions on Tehran. AP-Yonhap South Korean refiners and petrochemical companies are struggling to diversify imports of ultralight crude following the U.S. reimposition of sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, industry sources said Thursday. Washington on Monday reinstated all Iranian sanctions removed under the 2016 nuclear deal but 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. But the U.S. move has left them in trouble over how to diversify import sources of condensate, from which naphtha, a key raw material for petrochemicals, is derived. "The domestic industry is trying to diversify import sources, but there is no clear alternative as Iranian condensate is the best in terms of price and supply," an industry source said on condition of anonymity. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (L) speaks during a press conference in Washington D.C. Nov. 5, 2018. The U.S. reimposed sanctions against Iran's oil exports, which had been lifted under the landmark 2015 nuclear agreement to curtail Iran's nuclear program. However, Washington granted temporary waivers to allow eight major buyers to keep importing Iranian oil for some time. Xinhua-Yonhap Supporters applaud U.S. President Donald Trump as he arrives to attend a campaign rally at Middle Georgia Regional Airport in Macon, Georgia, U.S., November 4, 2018. REUTERS-Yonhap By Shi Jiangtao The mixed results in Tuesday's US midterm elections provided further evidence of the political divisions caused by President Donald Trump's contentious domestic agenda, but left Beijing no wiser as to the possible future direction of his hardline policy on China. While Trump's power may be weakened as a result of a divided Congress that looks set to put him under intense scrutiny, observers in both China and the US say the outcome may have little, if any, effect on the unfolding power play between the world's two biggest economies that has plunged their ties into their worst downward spiral for decades. "The conflict between China and the US, this mistrust and angry sentiment is more among the elite, and is not something that concerns everyday voters," said Zha Daojiong, a professor of international political economy at Peking University in Beijing. "No matter what party they belong to, what topic they are voting on, the China factor is very little or even non-existent." As in previous midterm polls, foreign policy matters took a back seat to divisive domestic issues like jobs, health care and immigration. "US-China relations are not a central issue for voters," said Zhao Ma, an associate professor of modern Chinese history and culture at Washington University in St Louis. "Even though many experts argue that a pain-free trade war with China is nearly impossible, US consumers, especially farmers in the heartland, haven't yet felt such pain; and most of them continue to support Trump's domestic agenda and foreign policy. U.S. President Donald Trump holds his signed memorandum on intellectual property tariffs on high-tech goods from China, at the White House in Washington, U.S. March 22, 2018. Yonhap "Although a split congress could block much of Trump's controversial agenda and even start the impeachment process, it is highly unlikely to reverse the downward turn of the US-China relations, in light of the bipartisan consensus in Washington that sees China as a 'revisionist power' undermining the US-led global political and economic order," he said. Observers say Trump is more likely to view the elections results which saw his Republican Party lose control of the House of Representatives for the first time in eight years while maintaining its majority in the Senate as a vote of confidence for his domestic and foreign policies. Just hours after the polls closed, the 72-year-old former reality television star tweeted that the elections were a "tremendous success" for his "America first" strategy, despite the outcome being widely reported as a major setback for him. According to Shi Yinhong, a professor of international relations and director of American Studies at Renmin University in Beijing, Trump was likely to toughen his tough rhetoric on China over trade and other thorny security and diplomatic issues. "Congress does not have much of a direct role in Trump's foreign policy and Trump will maintain his firm control," he said. "I don't see any imminent positive shifts in his China policy." American academic Orville Schell does not see any changes ahead on Donald Trump's China policy. Photo from the South China Morning Post Orville Schell, a veteran US expert on China, agreed the midterm elections were unlikely to yield any changes to Trump's China policy, citing "very rare" bipartisan consensus in Washington on the need to stand up to Beijing's assertiveness. "There is no group in America any more that wants to develop good relations with China no matter what," all are saying that the relation is out of balance, said Schell, the Arthur Ross director of the Centre on US-China Relations at the Asia Society in New York. While foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said China would not comment on US domestic affairs, she said the two sides should manage their differences and ensure stable relations for the benefit of both nations and the world. Beijing will soon have an opportunity to gauge Trump's standpoint when two senior officials travel to Washington this week. Yang Jiechi, director of the Communist Party's Office of Foreign Affairs, and Defence Minister General Wei Fenghe will meet Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary James Mattis for the second US-China Diplomatic and Security Dialogue, following a meeting in June 2017. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and China's Defense Minister Wei Fenghe greet each other ahead of talks in Singapore, October 18, 2018. Yonhap It will be the first senior-level dialogue since the trade war started in July and is expected to pave the way for the planned meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the G20 summit in Argentina later this month. David Rubenstein, co-founder and co-executive chairman of private equity firm The Carlyle Group, asked an audience of business leaders including Gary Cohn, Trump's former top economic adviser at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum on Wednesday if anyone thought Trump's policies would change after the midterms. No one raised a hand. "I don't think the president will think he's been weakened," he said, pointing to the Republicans' tightened grip on the Senate. "The real question people should ask is what are the Democrats going to do with power? Power can go to your head." Trump told reporters earlier he wanted to adopt a more moderate tone, so after the midterms there could be some arrangement with China to "bring some kind of resolution to the uncertainties" on trade, Rubenstein said. In the months leading up to the midterms, the US-China trade tensions have spilled over into other areas, including a bitter war of words over human rights abuses in China's far western Xinjiang region, territorial disputes in the South China Sea and accusations of Beijing trying to boost its geopolitical influence. In this Saturday, March 3, 2018, photo, Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the opening session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in Beijing's Great Hall of the People. Yonhap "But if Trump is hoping that an all-out offensive will force China to surrender, that is not going to happen," Ma said. "In the wake of the midterm elections, the Trump administration might start to clarify its priorities and present China with a workable list of demands so as to avoid a protracted conflict." Yuan Peng, president of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations in Beijing, said China-US relations were at a turning point that would see competition, rather than cooperation, becoming the dominant factor. "The midterm election [results] may have some effect, but will not fundamentally alter the growing rivalry between the two powers," he said. "The best both parties can do is manage the competition and try to stop it escalating into an all-out confrontation." Shi said China and the US were destined for a protracted period of tension or even a new cold war as many others had predicted. The only way to avoid such a "nightmare scenario" was for Beijing to reverse its aggressive diplomatic and military approach and make real efforts towards adjusting its much-criticised unfair trade policies and practices, he said. U.S. President Donald Trump welcomes Chinese President Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago state in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., April 6, 2017. Yonhap According to Major General Doan Hung Minh, deputy head of the General Department of Defence Industry under the Ministry of Defence, all products on display at Vietnams stall have been designed by Vietnam. Some have been exported, such as war ships, infantry guns and military communication equipment. Deputy Defence Minister Senior Lieutenant General Be Xuan Truong said Vietnams defence industry is not well known, so the expo is a good opportunity for the country to promote its defence products. He added that the event also offers an opportunity for Vietnam to learn from other countries experience in developing the defence industry and to seek potential partners for cooperation in the field. Visiting Vietnams stall at the expo, the Malaysian Navys Commander Admiral Tan Sri Ahmad Kamarulzaman said Vietnams defence industry has seen fast growth recently. He added that he hopes for stronger development in the defence cooperation between the two countries and among the members of the ASEAN for peaceful purposes. The biennial INDODEFENCE 2018 is one of the biggest events of the defence industry in Southeast Asia. This years event sees the participation of 68 countries, including the US, Russia, China, Sweden, South Africa, the Republic of Korea, India and Singapore. Several forums are expected to be held within the framework of the event, dealing with various themes such as defence business, cooperation on maritime security and anti-terrorism and aerospace business. A meeting at defence ministerial level will also be held. Freely accessible local news is vital. Please power our reporters and help keep us independent with a donation today. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced today that his office is gathering information from the public about sexual misconduct by Catholic clergy. On Twitter Wednesday afternoon, Becerra implored Californians who believe they've been victims to submit complaints. The announcement comes as survivors and their advocates call for Becerra to launch a statewide grand jury investigation like the one concluded this summer in Pennsylvania resulting in an explosive report on church abuse. Attorney Mike Finnegan, who represents California clergy abuse victims, says the AG's announcement is a significant step. "Because it takes it from the realm of not knowing whether they're doing something to concretely that they're at the very least looking into this and taking it much more seriously than in the past," said Finnegan. If you believe youve been a victim of or have information regarding incidents of sexual abuse by clergy members in California, please report it at: https://t.co/ysZXkLKX51 The CA DOJ is gathering information from the public regarding complaints of this nature in California. Archive - Attorney General Becerra (@AGBecerra) November 7, 2018 The attorney general's office refused to either confirm or deny whether it is investigating the Catholic Church or plans to do so. But in a statement, it said information from the public is necessary "in light of the news surrounding the sexual abuse of children by members of clergy or religious organizations across the country." Becerra encouraged Californians to fill out online complaint forms if they have any information about sexual misconduct by clergy members. They can also send his office an email at ClergyAbuse@doj.ca.gov. The U.S. Department of Justice launched its own investigation into clergy sex abuse in Pennsylvania following the grand jury report in that state. Since the clergy sex abuse scandal broke in Boston in 2002, attorneys general in just four states have forced the Catholic Church to turn over their records. Facing public pressure, more than a dozen states around the country have recently announced investigations of their own. In a September news conference, Becerra confirmed to reporters that clergy sexual abuse was on his radar. "We are very aware of the allegations, the actions that were taken in Pennsylvania and the professed actions that other states are planning to take," Becerra said. "California is a leader when it comes to just about everything you can think of. We'll take a backseat to no one when it comes to protecting our people." KPCC/LAist reported last month on the personal cost to the victims, including two brothers from an immigrant family abused by a predatory priest moved from one location to another by the church. Abuse survivors sued California's bishops last month for civil conspiracy and public nuisance, alleging Catholic officials across the state covered up criminal activity by keeping known and suspected abusers in ministry, moving them around and failing to report abuse to police. Becerra's Wednesday announcement comes one day after he was re-elected to his position. Finnegan says Becerra's request for information is welcome news for survivors. "What survivors of abuse want is for the truth to come out," Finnegan said. "The AG's office has the power to get that out there. If that leads to some of the top officials and perpetrators being put behind bars, that's great." Aaron Schrank covers religion, international affairs and the Southern California diaspora under a grant from the Luce Foundation. Hey, thanks. You read the entire story. And we love you for that. Here at LAist, our goal is to cover the stories that matter to you, not advertisers. We don't have paywalls, but we do have payments (aka bills). So if you love independent, local journalism, join us. Let's make the world a better place, together. Donate now. Freely accessible local news is vital. Please power our reporters and help keep us independent with a donation today. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe Eyewitness reports | Community impact | What we know about the shooter A gunman opened fire at a crowded bar in Thousand Oaks late Wednesday night, killing a dozen people, including a Ventura County sheriff's sergeant. The shooter also died at the scene. More than 20 others were injured during the attack. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean identified the suspect as Ian David Long, 28, a Marine Corps veteran. Long allegedly shot a security guard at the entrance of The Borderline Bar and Grill, before entering the bar and opening fire on employees and patrons. People walk away from the scene Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Thousand Oaks, where a gunman opened fire Wednesday inside a country dance bar crowded with hundreds of people on "college night," killing 12 people. (Mark J. Terrill/AP) At a Thursday morning news conference, Dean called the shooting a "tragic, senseless loss of life." "We've got to do something about the hate," he said. "And we've got to do something to spread the love." Authorities received multiple 911 calls of shots being fired at around 11:20 p.m. Wednesday. The bar had been hosting "Country College Night," an event that drew college-age students from around the region. A CHP officer and Ventura County County sheriff's sergeant, later identified as Sgt. Ron Helus, arrived on the scene three minutes later. Upon entering the front door, the two exchanged gunfire with the suspect. Sgt. Helus was shot multiple times. The CHP officer pulled him out of the line of fire and stepped back to secure the perimeter, Sheriff Dean said, but Helus died from his injuries. Today we mourn the loss of Sergeant Ron Helus who gave his life serving the community. Please keep his family and the families of the victims in your thoughts and prayers. pic.twitter.com/EwDsnPRDCs Ventura County Sheriff (@VENTURASHERIFF) November 8, 2018 When backup arrived, officers re-entered the bar and found the suspect dead, according to Dean. Multiple agencies responded to the scene, including Ventura County Police Department, Ventura County Sheriff's Department, Los Angeles County Fire Department, Los Angeles City Fire Department, CHP and FBI. Many at the bar fled the scene and took themselves to local hospitals. A total of 23 people suffered non-fatal injuries and have since been released, according to Ventura County Emergency Services. It wasn't immediately clear how many victims remained in the hospital. FULL COVERAGE: 'WE JUST RAN' Witnesses described a chaotic scene when the gunman opened fire. Many ran or jumped out of windows to escape the building. "A lot of gun shots. A lot of gun shots," witness Sarah Rose Deson told our media partner NBC4. "I was just laying there. Everyone was under the table, so it was hard to kind of get under there, but I was with my friends. "I look behind me and there's a smoke bomb going off. Like I see sparks and then I just see smoke everywhere. My friends got up and we just ran." Cole Knapp said he and a group of people took cover behind a pool table. He estimated about 120 people were inside the bar when the gunman came in. "He raised his arm. The first shot went off. I thought it was just someone playing a prank with an M-80, but immediately I looked at him and he continued shooting at the person behind the front desk," Knapp said. Knapp added that they ran out a door to the smoking patio, which led to the parking lot, before hopping a fence. People comfort each other as they sit near the scene of a mass shooting at a Thousand Oaks bar on Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) (Mark J. Terrill/AP) Cal State Channel Islands student Matt Wennerstrom, 20, went to the bar every Wednesday for college night. "I heard gunshots," Wennerstrom said. "I saw a tall, dark figure with a handgun opening fire on the girl that was standing at the front counter, which actually was one of my close friends." Wennerstrom hid behind a pool table until he heard a break in the shooting. "I looked up and one of my other friends had thrown a bar stool through the window, so we could get out, and then I grabbed another one and we threw that one to the window, pushed the glass out of the way and got as many people out of that window as possible," he said. Mitchel Hunter, 19, from Simi Valley, told NBC4 that he saw the gunman with a short-barreled semi-automatic pistol with a big magazine. Hunter said he emptied the magazine and reloaded. "It took forever to get the cops there," he added. Three off-duty LAPD officers were at the bar during the shooting, according to L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti. None of them were injured and they helped others get out and assisted with medical treatment at the scene, the mayor said. Benjamin Ginsburg escaped out of a back door and was one of the people helped by the off-duty officers. For him, Borderline Bar and Grill was a second home. "I started going just for the dancing,"Ginsburg said in an interview with KPCC's AirTalk Thursday. "I made friends there. I have a community there." 'THIS IS A HEART THAT I WILL NEVER GET BACK' Jason Coffman arrived at the family unification center early Thursday morning, looking for his missing son, 22-year-old Cody Coffman. "I was woken up at my house by some knocking on my door," he told NBC4. "Some girls that were there said there was a mass shooting at Borderline where my son was and he didn't come out." Jason Coffman displays a photo of his son Cody outside the Thousands Oaks Teen Center where he came hoping to find his son who was at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks Wednesday night. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images) Just before 10 a.m. Thursday, Jason Coffman got the news that his son had died inside the bar. Speaking with reporters moments later, Jason said his firstborn son leaves behind "a legacy of love (and) laughter." "I talked to him last night before he headed out the door," Jason Coffman said, fighting through tears. "First thing I said was 'please don't drink and drive.'" Jason's last words to his son were that he loved him. "That was the last thing I said. Oh my god." Jason said he has a daughter on the way and Cody "was so excited to have his first sister." Cody Coffman had just turned 22 and planned to enlist in the military, his father said. "I just want to pray for everybody else that is going through the same situation and there's many more to come," Coffman said. "This is a heart that I will never get back." Jason Coffman is the first to exit the reuinification center. His son Cody is one of the 11 that was killed. He had just turned 22 and had plans of fulfilling his dream of joining the military. Jason says Cody was excited to meet his sister due later this month. @KPCC @LAist pic.twitter.com/AzK3rmIM1v Caleigh Wells (@cgrey307) November 8, 2018 'HE DIED A HERO' The procession carrying the body of Ventura County Sheriff's Sgt. Ron Helus, who was killed in a mass shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill, leaves Los Robles Hospital in Thousand Oaks on November 8, 2018. (David McNew/Getty Images) The sheriff broke down in tears discussing the death of Sgt. Ron Helus. "He died a hero," Dean said. "He went in to save lives, to save other people." Helus, a Moorpark resident, was a 29-year veteran of the department and was set to retire in the next year. He is survived by his wife and son. Dean, who is also set to retire this month, recounted how Helus would often call his wife while on duty. Wednesday night was no different. Dean said Helus was on the phone with her when the call came in of shots fired at the bar. "He said, 'hon, I got to go, I love you. I gotta go on a call,'" Dean said. A procession for Helus began at 10 a.m., as authorities transport his body from Los Robles hospital to the Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office. COMMUNITY IMPACT Thousand Oaks is located about 40 miles west of downtown Los Angeles. "Thousand Oaks is a pretty conservative, middle class community," Dean said. "We have one of the lowest crime rates in the country. This is kind of a surprise and unexpected tragic occurrence. Socioeconomics and crime rates don't have much impact on senseless acts like this." People watch the procession carrying the body of Ventura County Sheriff's Sgt. Ron Helus, who was killed in a mass shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill, leave Los Robles Hospital on November 8, 2018 in Thousand Oaks. (David McNew/Getty Images) Pepperdine University said it had multiple students who were at the bar, including students from Seaver College and the School of Law. The university later confirmed that one student, Alaina Housley, died in the attack. We are devastated to report that one of our students, Alaina Housley, was among those who passed away at Borderline in Thousand Oaks last night. Pepperdine University (@pepperdine) November 8, 2018 Cal Lutheran University announced that 23-year-old Justin Meek, a recent graduate, had been killed in the bar shooting. The university canceled classes for Thursday and Friday but said the campus will remain open. Students at Cal Lutheran had been working on a production of the play Columbinus, a show about the 1999 shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo. The production was scheduled to open today, Nov. 8, and run for two weekends. The first weekend of shows has been canceled, according to the school's theatre department. It's unclear if the second weekend of performances will happen. Officials from Los Robles Hospital said they are in need of blood donors, especially those with O negative blood, for patients in critical condition. A blood drive is being held at La Reina High School, 106 W. Janss Rd., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Appointments were being made by phone at 877-25-VITAL, but recent callers report the lines are overloaded. Operators suggested visiting Vitalant.org to arrange donations. An already scheduled blood drive at the Best Western Plus Thousand Oaks Inn, 75 West Thousand Oaks Blvd., was opened up to the larger community in the wake of the shooting. Im at the mobile blood drive at the Best Western in Thousand Oaks. Blood bank employees and volunteers are telling people they are full - theyre passing out the number of the blood bank service for folks to set up appointments later this week. #BorderlineShooting @KPCC @LAist pic.twitter.com/JpgPYrUuRS Emily Elena Dugdale (she/her) (@eedugdale) November 8, 2018 A family unification center has been set up at 1375 E. Janss Rd. in Thousand Oaks. For those looking for information on family and friends, call the emergency information hotline at 805-465-6650. A vigil for the victims has been scheduled for 6 p.m. tonight at the Fred Kavli Theater at the Thousand Oaks Civic Center. The sheriff's office said Moorpark Road south of the 101 Freeway "will continue to have heavy law enforcement presence throughout the night" and residents were advised to avoid the area. In a tweet, the sheriff's office listed the following continued road closures: Moorpark Road from Highway 101 to Los Padres Drive Highway 101 on/off ramps at Moorpark Road Southbound Moorpark Road is being diverted at Hillcrest Drive or Thousand Oaks Boulevard MOTIVE UNCLEAR A forensics team works the scene Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Thousand Oaks, Calif. where a gunman opened fire Wednesday inside a country dance bar. (Mark J. Terrill/AP) Ian David Long, who lived in the area, was armed with a .45-caliber handgun, which he bought legally, and used an extended magazine, Sheriff Dean said. It was still unclear what connection the shooter had to the bar. The motive was still under investigation. Dean said his department had "minor interactions" with the suspect over the years, including for a traffic collision and once when Long was the victim of battery at a local bar. Dean also described an incident last April at Long's home where deputies responded to a "subject disturbing" call. "He [Long] was somewhat irate, acting a little irrationally," Dean told reporters Thursday morning. "They called out our crisis intervention team, our mental health specialists, who met with him, talked to him, and cleared him. Didn't feel he was qualified to be take under a 5150. And he was left at that scene last April." YOUR QUESTIONS Kristen Muller, Melissa Leu, Stephanie O'Neill, Elina Shatkin, Ryan Fonseca, Annie Gilbertson and Emily Henderson contributed to this story. UPDATES: 2:38 p.m.: The article was updated with information on confirmed shooting victims. 2:05 p.m.: The article was updated with the most recent road closure information. 12:21 p.m.: The article was updated with information about a postponed theatre production at Cal Lutheran. 11:58 a.m.: The article was updated with quotes from Jason Coffman. 11:45 a.m.: The article was updated with information from a bar patron who escaped unharmed. 11:31 a.m.: The article was updated with information about a second blood donation site. 11:22 a.m.: The article was updated with information about the number of injured vicims and their status. 10:45 a.m.: The article was updated with information about a planned community vigil. 10:35 a.m.: The article was updated with information about the procession for Sgt. Ron Helus. 10:14 a.m.: The article was updated with information about Cody Coffman, the second known victim in the shooting. 9:55 a.m.: The article was updated with more information about blood donations . 9:34 a.m.: The article was updated with more information about Sgt. Ron Helus. 8:44 a.m.: The article was updated with information from Mayor Eric Garcetti. 8:20 a.m.: The article was updated with details of the suspect's previous interations with law enforcement. 8:08 a.m.: The article was updated with details of the shooting and canceled classes at Cal Lutheran. 7:09 a.m.: The article was updated with the identification of the gunman. 6:58 a.m.: This article was updated with more accounts from eyewitnesses. 6:13 a.m.: This article was updated with more accounts from eyewitnesses. 5:43 a.m.: This article was updated with an interview with a parent of a missing college student. 5:34 a.m.: This article was updated with information from nearby colleges. 5:26 a.m.: This article was updated with road closures. 5:10 a.m.: This article was updated with an interview from an eyewitness. 4:47 a.m.: This article was updated with an additional interview from the Ventura County sheriff. This article was originally published at 3:53 a.m.. Freely accessible local news is vital. Please power our reporters and help keep us independent with a donation today. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe By Mike Roe with LAist staff After a tragedy like Wednesday night's mass shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, many people are feeling distressed. People also want to help. Here are some resources and advice for how to deal with your own feelings while also helping others. HOW TO GIVE BLOOD The line of people waiting to donate blood in the wake of the mass shooting at a bar in Thousand Oaks stretched down and around the block. (Via Gene Kang/NBC4) (Photo via Gene Kang/NBC4) Officials from Los Robles Hospital, which was treating victims from the shooting, said this morning that they are in need of donors. However, the outpouring of support has overwhelmed the blood drives at both La Reina High School and Best Western's Thousand Oaks Inn. To make an appointment to give blood tomorrow (Friday), you can go to Blood4Life.org. However, if you aren't in the area, La Reina High School suggests finding a blood drive or donation center near you. You can find a nearby blood drive through the Red Cross. Im at the mobile blood drive at the Best Western in Thousand Oaks. Blood bank employees and volunteers are telling people they are full - theyre passing out the number of the blood bank service for folks to set up appointments later this week. #BorderlineShooting @KPCC @LAist pic.twitter.com/JpgPYrUuRS Emily Elena Dugdale (she/her) (@eedugdale) November 8, 2018 To give at the La Reina blood drive, you can call 805-543-4290 to make an appointment. Ping Fang - in the pink shirt - takes a photo of the blood drive contact information. I just feel like I should do something, said, his voice breaking. It just breaks my heart. #borderlineshooting @KPCC @LAist pic.twitter.com/RV3QO6C1qT Emily Elena Dugdale (she/her) (@eedugdale) November 8, 2018 Thousand Oaks Transit is also offering free rides to donate blood in the area. You can call 805-375-5473 or 805-375-5467 for more information. We also received a tip that we have debunked -- Cedars-Sinai hospital is not treating any victims from the Thousand Oaks shooting, according to their press office, so it is not seeking blood to treat Borderline victims. HOW TO MAKE A DONATION The Westlake Village Rotary Club organized a fund through GoFundMe for victims of the Borderline shooting. The Borderline Bar and Grill's owner is a member of that Rotary Club. "Please respond to this hateful act with your act of love today," the message on the page reads. "This fundraiser is meant to provide relief and financial support to the victims and families of this tragic Thousand Oaks mass shooting. " "Thousand Oaks is more than the community we do business in but rather our brothers, sisters, dads, mommas, friends, family and neighbors," the Borderline Bar and Grill said in its post linking to the fundraiser. HOW TO COPE After an event like the Thousand Oaks mass shooting, people may have feelings of fear, anxiety, grief, and helplessness, according to the federal government. The director of the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement, Dr. David Schonfeld, spoke with KPCC's Take Two. This disaster can affect those beyond the people who were directly impacted. "We often go through our day with certain assumptions that allow us to get up and go through our day without feeling overwhelmed," Schonfeld said. "When you hear about it happening someplace else, then you start to feel vulnerable." One thing that can help is joining with others in the community. A vigil for the victims has been scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Fred Kavli Theater at the Thousand Oaks Civic Center. Symptoms after a mass shooting can include overwhelming anxiety, trouble sleeping, and other depression-like symptoms. Other signs of emotional distress include feeling numb, feeling like nothing matters, feeling helpless or hopeless, worrying a lot of the time, feeling guilty but not sure why, feeling like you have to keep busy, and excessive smoking, drinking, or drug use. The American Counseling Association offers these tips: Self-care. They suggest monitoring your physical health needs. You should remember to eat, sleep, exercise, and try to maintain a normal daily routine. "While it may seem counterintuitive to think about taking care of yourself first, you cannot be of service to others if you are unstable." They suggest monitoring your physical health needs. You should remember to eat, sleep, exercise, and try to maintain a normal daily routine. "While it may seem counterintuitive to think about taking care of yourself first, you cannot be of service to others if you are unstable." Pay attention to your emotional health. It's normal to feel a wide range of feelings after an event like this. "Know that others are also experiencing emotional reactions and may need your time and patience to put their feelings and thoughts in order." It's normal to feel a wide range of feelings after an event like this. "Know that others are also experiencing emotional reactions and may need your time and patience to put their feelings and thoughts in order." Try to recognize when either you or those around you need support. People can feel stress following an event like this, including due to things they see in the media. Eating, sleeping, energy level, and mood can all be affected. "Watch for regressed behaviors, such as clinging in children and intense emotional reactions, such as anxiety or a strong need for retribution in adults." People can feel stress following an event like this, including due to things they see in the media. Eating, sleeping, energy level, and mood can all be affected. "Watch for regressed behaviors, such as clinging in children and intense emotional reactions, such as anxiety or a strong need for retribution in adults." Avoid overexposing yourself to media. Information is important, but news about shootings and mass deaths can cause acute stress and post traumatic stress symptoms. Limit your exposure -- when you need to, take a break. Information is important, but news about shootings and mass deaths can cause acute stress and post traumatic stress symptoms. Limit your exposure -- when you need to, take a break. Point people in need to professional counselors. More information on getting post-disaster help is below. More information on getting post-disaster help is below. Maintain contact with friends and family. They can help to emotionally support you at this time. They can help to emotionally support you at this time. Focus on your strength base. Continue your practices that you have found give you emotional relief. "Remind yourself of people and events which are meaningful and comforting." Continue your practices that you have found give you emotional relief. "Remind yourself of people and events which are meaningful and comforting." Talk to others as needed. Ask for help if you're having trouble recovering, or if everyday tasks seem difficult to manage. You can find more tips from the American Psychological Association and the National Center for PTSD. Two of those tips from the APA: Help others or do something productive. They suggested finding ways in your community to help those who have been affected or have other needs. "Helping someone else often has the benefit of making you feel better, too." They suggested finding ways in your community to help those who have been affected or have other needs. "Helping someone else often has the benefit of making you feel better, too." Remember that grief is a long process. You'll need time to experience your feelings and to recover. Some may need to stay home, while others will get back to their daily routines. You should expect to experience ups and downs. Disaster Distress Helpline: The federal government runs a helpline for those coping in the aftermath of a disaster. They note that this mass shooting could lead to feelings of fear, anxiety, and grief. You can call 1-800-985-5990, text "TalkWithUs" to 66746, or visit DisasterDistress.samhsa.gov to be connected with a trained crisis counselor. They are available 24 hours a day, and can provide crisis counseling for those in emotional distress related to a disaster, information on how to recognize distress and its effects, provide tips for healthy copy, and offer referrals to local crisis call centers for follow-up care. There is help available for both English- and Spanish-speakers, as well as interpretation for more than 100 other languages. There is also a local helpline for those in Ventura County -- you can call the Ventura County Crisis Team at 866-998-2243. WHAT TO DO IF YOU WERE DIRECTLY AFFECTED People whose lives were in jeopardy or who had people they cared about who were in jeopardy can be affected in many ways, including being hyper vigilant, irritable, or startling easy as they remain on edge, looking for threats, Schonfeld said. "A lot of individuals will also have guilt feelings -- whether they have some sense of responsibility about how they contributed, or what they failed to do at the time," Schonfeld said. "People in these situations, they tend to feel guilty, as opposed to recognizing that they had no role to play in it." The most important thing after a disaster like this is for people to get to safety -- but Schonfeld said it's also important for those people to feel safe. Their basic needs also need to be provided for. "Individuals often flee the scene, and they leave things behind," Schonfeld said. After that, they need to be reunited with people and things that bring them comfort. "Since there were a lot of college students there, that can be a challenge," Schonfeld said. "For kids who are new to a college campus, they may not yet have a large number of friends. But they're also separated from their families, from the places that brought them comfort, from the individuals who provided them support at times of need in the past. And they're often not in very private environments. Even the bathrooms aren't private, and their bedroom isn't private." HOW TO FIND FAMILY OR FRIENDS For those looking for information on family members or friends, Ventura County has a joint information hotline at 805-465-6650. A Family Assistance Center is located at the Thousand Oaks Teen Center, 1375 East Janss Road, Thousand Oaks. Representatives from the Red Cross and chaplains are on the scene to help. WHY WE PRAY AFTER MASS SHOOTINGS People hug and pray before the procession carrying the body of Ventura County Sheriff Sgt. Ron Helus, who was killed in a mass shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill, leaves Los Robles Hospital on Nov. 8, 2018 in Thousand Oaks. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images) (David McNew/Getty Images) Communities of different faiths often come together in the wake of a disaster in prayer. Take Two looked at this after the 2015 San Bernardino shooting attack. Brie Loskota of USC's Center for Religion and Civic Culture told Take Two at the time that people turn to religion in times of tragedy looking for four essential things: Community Rituals of hope Moments of personal transcendence Deeper purpose "Prayer is a ritualized way in which people are able to bring those four elements of religion together and really shape meaning and create community when things feel out of control," Loskota said. Loskota responded to people who get upset when prayer is suggested following a disaster. She said prayer isn't a "Get Out Of Action Free Card." "The words in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says, 'I was hungry and you fed me,' not 'I was hungry and you prayed for me,'" Loskota said. "There's an impulse that is supposed to compel people to action -- that they are empowered through their sense of prayer and clarity that comes with it -- to do good things in the world and transform the world." She added, "Religion is not treating prayer as magic ... humans still have obligations to transform the world." Rev. Sandy Tice of the First Presbyterian Church in San Bernardino told Take Two that the point of prayer is often misunderstood. "I don't think we pray believing that suddenly the world will be cheery and perfect," Tice said. "Prayer -- in my view -- is an act of defiance in a situation like this." RESOURCES AT SCHOOLS Ventura County provided this list of resources for those at nearby schools: Conejo Valley Unified School District - There will be counselors available for students and staff. - There will be counselors available for students and staff. California Lutheran University - resources and services for students and staff are available at the Thousand Oaks CLU campus Sammuelson Chapel. - resources and services for students and staff are available at the Thousand Oaks CLU campus Sammuelson Chapel. California State University Channel Islands - Students are encouraged to reach out to Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) for additional support. CAPS can be reached anytime at 805-437-2088. If you reach the voicemail, select option 2 to access 24/7 phone counseling. Faculty and staff who would like additional support may utilize the Employee Assistance Program by visiting www.liveandworkwell.com or calling (800) 234-5465. - Students are encouraged to reach out to Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) for additional support. CAPS can be reached anytime at 805-437-2088. If you reach the voicemail, select option 2 to access 24/7 phone counseling. Faculty and staff who would like additional support may utilize the Employee Assistance Program by visiting www.liveandworkwell.com or calling (800) 234-5465. Pepperdine - Students may contact the Counseling Center at (310) 506-4210 or by email at student.counseling.center@pepperdine.eduThe Counseling Center provides free, confidential emotional/psychological support to all Pepperdine students. Faculty and staff may access counseling services through their Employee Assistance Program. Details are available on the HR website or by contacting HR at (310) 506-4397. Pastoral support is available to the Pepperdine community through the Office of the Chaplain. Contact chaplain Sara Barton at sara.barton@pepperdine.edu or associate chaplain Eric Wilson at eric.wilson@pepperdine.edu or at (310) 506-4275 - Students may contact the Counseling Center at (310) 506-4210 or by email at student.counseling.center@pepperdine.eduThe Counseling Center provides free, confidential emotional/psychological support to all Pepperdine students. Faculty and staff may access counseling services through their Employee Assistance Program. Details are available on the HR website or by contacting HR at (310) 506-4397. Pastoral support is available to the Pepperdine community through the Office of the Chaplain. Contact chaplain Sara Barton at sara.barton@pepperdine.edu or associate chaplain Eric Wilson at eric.wilson@pepperdine.edu or at (310) 506-4275 Ventura County Community College District - The Student Health Centers are open for support services- Walk-in or call (805) 378-1413 RESOURCES FOR MILITARY Also from Ventura County: Ventura County Naval Base - Fleet and Family Support Center, For anyone affected and needing assistance from the incident in Thousand Oaks, Crisis Counselors will be available at Building 1169, the Fleet and Family Service Center, on Port Hueneme during normal working hours. People can either walk in, or call the front desk at (805) 982-5037 and make an appointment. - Fleet and Family Support Center, For anyone affected and needing assistance from the incident in Thousand Oaks, Crisis Counselors will be available at Building 1169, the Fleet and Family Service Center, on Port Hueneme during normal working hours. People can either walk in, or call the front desk at (805) 982-5037 and make an appointment. Veterans needing crisis support - Call The Veterans Crisis Line, 1-800-273-8255 This story has been updated. Freely accessible local news is vital. Please power our reporters and help keep us independent with a donation today. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe Twelve people died when a person opened fire at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks late Wednesday night. The gunman also died at the scene. More than 20 others were injured in the attack. On Thursday afternoon, the Ventura County Medical Examiner confirmed the identity of all 12 victims. Here's a little bit about them. SEAN ADLER The L.A. Times reports the 48-year-old "trained to become a deputy with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department -- but then he had a heart attack and had to change course. Over the summer, he proudly opened a coffee shop ... While the business got going, Sean continued working as a bouncer at Borderline Bar and Grill to support his wife and two sons ... He was working at the bar when he was killed." #ThousandOaksMassacre: Sean Adler is one of the 12 victims killed. His coffee company in Simi Valley is closed today, flowers and notes are piling up in front of the store. pic.twitter.com/1A6It3BYjS Veronica Miracle (@ABC7Veronica) November 8, 2018 BLAKE DINGMAN His brother, Aidan Dingman, posted on Instagram: "Last night my life was changed forever. I received news of gunfire at Borderline Bar & Grille from a friend. Which was where my brother was hanging out for the night. Me, my dad, and mom raced to the scene. Or as close as we could get ... Blake, I love you so much and I miss you more than you can imagine." The 21-year-old was "a jokester and a fixture in Ventura County's off-roading community," the L.A. Times reports. "I don't think I ever saw him sad about anything," his friend Michael Moses told the paper. JAKE DUNHAM The 21-year-old was at Borderline with his friend Blake Dingman, the L.A. Times reports. Dunham's sister Alexis posted a photo on Facebook and asked for privacy, saying "These last days have completely shattered us we have hardly gotten any sleep ... please let my family rest. We will talk when we are ready." CODY GIFFORD-COFFMAN Cody Coffman (Photo via NBC4 courtesy Jason Coffman) Just before 10 a.m. on Thursday, Jason Coffman learned that his son was killed. "I talked to him last night before he headed out the door," Coffman said, fighting through tears. "First thing I said was 'please don't drink and drive.'" Jason's last words to his son were that he loved him. At a press conference, he said his first born son leaves behind "a legacy of love (and) laughter." "Cody was the big brother that my kids need," he said, fighting through tears. "Son, I love you so much." Jason said he has a daughter on the way and Cody "was so excited to have his first sister." Cody Coffman had just turned 22 and planned to enlist in the military, his father said. VENTURA COUNTY SHERIFF'S SGT. RON HELUS Ventura County Sheriff's Sgt. Ron Helus (Courtesy Ventura County Sheriff's Department) Sgt. Ron Helus was on the phone with his wife when he heard reports of gunfire. He told her he loved her and hung up to respond. Within minutes he was at the Borderline Bar & Grill with a CHP officer. He was killed in a shootout with the gunman. "There's no doubt that they saved lives by going in there," the Ventura County Sheriff told reporters. The 29-year veteran of the force had been nearing retirement. ALAINA HOUSLEY Alaina Housley, 18 -- one of the victims in the Thousand Oaks shooting. Pepperdine University confirmed that freshman student Alaina Housley, 18, was among the dead. She had earlier been reported missing by friends and family. It was a somber day at the Christian seaside university 20 miles south of the Borderline Bar and Grill. Pepperdine officials said they were devastated to share the news. Before her death was confirmed, a group of students gathered outside of Housley's dorm, trying to stay hopeful. "We've all been up watching the news, listening to police scanners, praying, calling our parents," freshman Pari Cribbins said. She had her arm around another student who was at the Borderline Bar on Wednesday night, but who was too shaken to talk about it. Housley graduated from high school in Napa Valley before coming to Malibu for college. She was an English major who had joined the university choir and was planning on spending her sophomore year studying abroad at Pepperdine's campus in Florence, Italy. Her parents are both Pepperdine alum. So are her aunt and uncle, actress Tamera Mowry-Housley and her husband, former Fox News reporter Adam Housley. Their statement to the media, sent to LAist, confirmed they'd gotten the worst news about her fate. "Our hearts are broken," the couple said. "We just learned that our niece Alaina was one of the victims of last night's shooting at Borderline bar in Thousand Oaks. Alaina was an incredible young woman with so much life ahead of her and we are devastated that her life was cut short in this manner." Another Pepperdine student, Peyton Lee, said the students there can take some comfort in knowing their friend is at peace. "We've been talking about that, no matter what happens, she'll be in the best place she can possibly be in," Lee said. "Just pray for her family." Freshman Mahala Bayless said the community is coming together in the wake of the tragedy. "There's not a better place for us to be," Bayless said. "In Pepperdine, we're surrounded by a community of grace, faith, and love through God and Christ." The university didn't cancel classes, but held an afternoon prayer service. Sara Barton is the University's chaplain "We came together to do what people of faith do, when we're not sure what else to do -- we pray, read scriptures, be together in a community of faith," the university's chaplain Sara Barton said. "Our students wanted that, they needed that." Pepperdine officials say they're offering support to students through the university's counseling center and chaplain's office. DANIEL MANRIQUE A Facebook post from his sister Gladys Manrique Koscak says "he was shot and killed in an absolutely senseless act of violence that we will never understand. He had spent his entire adult life, post military service, helping veterans readjust to civilian life and had just recently accepted a position with Team RWB as the Pacific Regional Program Manager. I have no doubt that he died a hero, shielding others from gunshots. He will forever be our hero, son, brother, and the best uncle anybody could ever ask for." The L.A. Times reports that he was 33 years old. JUSTIN MEEK California Lutheran University issued a Campus Alert at 11:13 a.m. on its website: "The Cal Lutheran community is filled with sorrow over the violent events that took place last night a few miles from campus in Thousand Oaks. Sadly, we have learned from the family that a recent graduate, Justin Meek, 23, is one of the precious lives cut short in this tragedy. Meek heroically saved lives in the incident." The L.A. Times reports he was a bouncer at Borderline, and a promoter for the bar. He also helped children with autism at Channel Islands Social Services and sang in a quartet. MARK MEZA The 20-year-old was one of the victims. The L.A. Times reports he attended Santa Barbara Community College in 2014. KRISTINA MORISETTE The L.A. Times reports that Kristina, 20, was working at Borderline that night. She left a gift for her mom and headed out Wednesday night for her 6 p.m. shift. At 12:30 p.m. Thursday, her parents learned their youngest child had died. TELEMACHUS ORFANOS The mother of Telemachus Orafnos, 27, told ABC7 he survived the Las Vegas shooting before being killed Wednesday night. She called for gun control in response to the shootings. I hope to God no one sends me anymore prayers. I want gun control. No more guns! - mother of shooting victim Telemachus Orfanos. She says he survived the #LasVegasShooting but did not survive the #ThousandOaksMassacre. @ABC7 @ABCNewsLive pic.twitter.com/UMqTY1RATK Veronica Miracle (@ABC7Veronica) November 8, 2018 NOEL SPARKS The L.A. Times reports the 21-year-old Moorpark College student "had been to Borderline Bar and Grill before. In late October, she posted on her Facebook page that she would be attending the bar's College Country Night Halloween Hoedown." The United Methodist Church Westlake Village posted an annoucement via Facebook on Wednesday: "It is with heavy hearts that we notify you that Noel Sparks was among the victims of last night's shooting. We grieve with Tony Sparks and Wendy Anderson." "Love Is Life," reads her Instagram bio. Nov. 9, 2018, 3:30 p.m: This article was updated to include Mark Meza, Blake Dingman, Jake Dunham and details from the Medical Examiner announcement. Nov. 9, 2018, 11:30 a.m.: This article was updated to add victims Sean Adler, Dan Manrique, Kristina Morisette and Noel Sparks. The story was also updated with additional details about Justin Meek and Telemachus Orfanos. This story will be updated. YOUR QUESTIONS Next years Bodhi Tree concert series looks to showcase the best that San Diego has to offer, with homegrown musicians performing to raise money for local charities and the lineup has just been announced for the 2019 season. Our whole goal is to highlight the world-class talent right here in San Diego, said Bodhi Tree co-founder Diane DuMelle. We have San Diego legends this year. As with concerts past, all proceeds benefit local charities. To date, Bodhi Tree (based out of St. James by-the-Sea Episcopal Church in La Jolla) has presented more than 30 concerts and donated more than $25,000 to charitable causes. The series kicks off 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019 with the San Diego-based Ira Liss Big Band Jazz Machine at the Cuvier Club, 7776 Eads Ave., benefiting Vida Joven de Mexico Orphanage. Despite the 40 years the Band has been performing in San Diego, this will be its first time with the Bodhi Tree concert series. Bodhi Tree has a great reputation for presenting really good concerts, and its a great cause. The concept of partnering with charities is unique yet its obvious, and obviously successful. Were hoping this will be first of many such performances with them, Liss said. Self-described as a modern big band, Liss said concert-goers can expect the large sound of multiple instruments associated with the big band sound, but with a creative twist. We play things that are traditional yet up-to-date. We play a wide variety of music for the jazz idiom and we tend to want to things that are more creative than strictly big band or jazz. Enrique Toral Courtesy The series continues with the Benedetti & Svoboda Guitar Duo (of Fred Benedetti and George Svoboda), when they perform 4 p.m. Sunday, March 31 at St. James by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, 743 Prospect St., benefiting the San Diego-based Guitars in the Classroom; and then with Enrique Toral & Friends Back to Broadway Cabaret, 7 p.m. Saturday, May 18 at the La Jolla Community Center, 6811 La Jolla Blvd., benefitting the San Diego LGBT Center Youth Services. From there, the fundraising concerts take a brief pause so Bodhi Tree can present its second Music en la Calle, a free multicultural music and food festival, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, June 15 in City Heights at Fairmount Avenue at El Cajon Boulevard. Its a great, special event with eight solid hours of music. We have artists that represent the diversity of the neighborhood, DuMelle said. In September, a concert that DuMelle calls a fan favorite, returns. The Gilbert & Sullivan sing-along focuses on The Pirates of Penzance, 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22 at the All Souls Episcopal Church, 1475 Catalina Blvd. in Point Loma, benefiting The San Diego Maritime Museum. We start with a short rehearsal with the audience. We hand out scores and our chorus will rehearse with them and get them singing. It is a concert not a full production, but we have the best of the best singing the roles and we encourage the audience to sing all the way through and they really do, DuMelle said. The concert series concludes with All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914, with multiple performances Nov. 15-17 at the Veterans Museum, 2115 Park Blvd., in Balboa Park, benefitting its host. The performance is a recreation of the World War I Allied Forces and German soldiers that laid down their weapons to sing Christmas carols across the trenches. Next month, Brooks Brothers clothiers, which has already vacated its 14,000-square-foot space at 1055 Wall St., will move into the former Burns Drugs storefront at 7824 Girard Ave., currently being renovated. The opening date has not been set, but management expects it to be sometime in early December. Mike Carter, Brooks Brothers regional vice-president told La Jolla Light via e-mail: We are excited for the opening of our new Brooks Brothers on Girard Avenue, and looking forward to continuing to serve the La Jolla community in our beautiful new space. Our guests can expect the same exceptional personal service, as well as a complete selection of our timeless classics and seasonal collections for men, women and children. Brooks Brothers is the oldest mens clothier in the United States and is headquartered on Madison Avenue in Manhattan, according to its website. Founded in 1818 as a family business, the privately owned company is owned by the Italian billionaire Claudio Del Vecchio. The Burns Drugs space, built in 1931, has been vacant and under construction since it closed in May 2014 after 62 years as a Village mainstay. Paul Benton, of La Jolla-based Alcorn & Benton Architects, designed the renovated building. The buildings owner, who wishes to remain anonymous, had the property redesigned to house retail tenants on the ground floor and two residential units on the second story. The original plan was to renovate the space to accommodate two ground-floor tenants, however, Brooks Brothers will account for the entire street level with 4,591 square feet of commercial space. The top-floor units will be a one-bedroom 1,222-square-foot apartment, and a two-bedroom 1,531-square-foot single-family residence. A garage in the rear of the building will be constructed to add two parking spaces. More Girard Avenue business Across the street, at 7851 Girard Ave., the building that formerly housed The Gap was divided into two spaces. Soha Living, a Hawaiian-themed decor and home goods retailer, opened in September. A lease was just signed to have high-end Danish electronics firm, Bang and Olufsen, occupy the other half. According to its website, Bang and Olufsen manufactures speakers, headphones, earphones, accessories and more. Kristi Nelson asks her Bird Rock Elementary School (BRES) first-graders what their motto is. In near-unison, 25 high voices shout: Be part of your world and not just in it! Nelsons class is Skyping with Mark Johnson, state superintendent for all of North Carolinas public schools, via a computer projecting on the classrooms pull-down screen. Johnson has just thanked them profusely for donating much-needed school supplies to a school flooded by Hurricane Florence in September. He said he would personally deliver the crayons, paper and pencils to Dixon Elementary in Holly Ridge, North Carolina, to students just like you, on the first day that the school reopens after its massive cleanup. Guess what else I got in the mail? Johnson asks. I got all the letters that you wrote to students. I got letters from Penelope, from Blake, from Oliver (Each kiddo screams as Johnson mentions their name.) The Dixon students will write them back, Johnson promises, because it means so much to us that you sent these things to us, you have no idea. Can you imagine your classroom not having any supplies? No! several of Nelsons students reply. The mottto of Miss Nelsons class is be part of your world and not just in it. COREY LEVITAN Nelson, a 24-year San Diego teaching veteran currently in her second year at BRES, performs on example of what she calls community world outreach every month. I think its just who I am, she said. Its harder for the younger grades to understand the impact they can have but we keep trying. The supplies were collected for Septembers outreach. For Octobers, Nelsons students made 100 peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches that were delivered to downtowns homeless. Next month, theyll sing for residents of a local senior center. Miss Nelson really does live what she says, said BRES principal Andi Frost. She really creates her curriculum in such a way that everything the kids learn is also an opportunity to serve the world, and I think its just fantastic. After hearing about the devastation caused by Florence, Nelson solicited supply donations from the parents of her students. All answered the call, she reported. Then we just got online and started Googling, Nelson said. One of their e-mails was forwarded up to Johnson. After Johnson waves goodbye and the Skype call ends, first-grader Blake Dielman volunteers to represent his class in explaining how the experience of giving makes them feel. Im sad that they got flooded, Dielman says after asking for Nelsons help spelling his last name, but Im happy that we made the sandwiches. No! one of Dielmans classmates corrects him. The sandwiches were for the homeless people! Attending a get-together of the Vietnam-Russia Friendship Parliamentarian Group on November 7 on the occasion of the 101st anniversary of the Russian Revolution, Luu also suggested both sides enhance parliamentary and people-to-people diplomacy, especially promoting the close coordination between the Vietnam-Russia Friendship Parliamentarian Group and the Russia-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarian Group. According to President of the Vietnam-Russia Friendship Parliamentarian Group Phan Xuan Dung, cooperative ties between the NA and the Russian Federal Assembly have enjoyed due attention, with regular high-level exchanges. The exchanges are crucial for both sides to share experience in performing functions of the legislative bodies, supervise the implementation of the bilateral agreements inked between the two Governments, and create legal environment for partnership between localities and businesses of the two countries, Dung stressed. At the meeting, participants highlighted the special relations with Russia as well as Russias support for Vietnamese people and country. Car crashes into Fire Station No. 9 A car slammed into a La Jolla fire station the night of Nov. 3, coming close to firefighters but causing no injuries, authorities said. Three people were in the car when it veered off the road and took out a section of the wall at San Diego Fire-Rescue Departments Station 9 on Ardath Lane near Torrey Pines Road. The crash, which happened about 7:30 p.m., severed a natural gas line to an exterior barbecue. A San Diego Gas & Electric crew was called in to make repairs to the line. A structural engineer was evaluating the extent of damage to the building, according to a Fire Department tweet. The cause of the crash is under investigation. Police Blotter Oct. 6 Fraud, 1400 block Yost Drive, midnight Oct. 8 Vehicle break-in/theft, 700 block Coast Boulevard South, 6:15 p.m. Oct. 15 Fraud, 700 block Silver St., midnight Oct. 22 Vehicle break-in/theft, 400 block Westbourne St., 11:10 p.m. Oct. 24 Vehicle break-in/theft, 5100 block La Jolla Blvd., 3:08 a.m. Oct. 26 Vehicle break-in/theft, 5700 block Dolphin Place, 6 p.m. Oct. 27 Battery on person (details not available by deadline), 6400 block La Jolla Blvd. 6:58 p.m. Vehicle break-in/theft, 2200 block Torrey Pines Lane, 10 p.m. Oct. 28 Vehicle break-in/theft, Bird Rock Avenue at Dolphin Place, 7 a.m. Vehicle break-in/theft, 8300 block Camino del Oro, noon Oct. 30 Residential burglary, 700 block Muirlands Vista Way, 3 a.m. Vehicle break-in/theft, 6100 block La Jolla Blvd., 3 a.m. Vehicle break-in/theft, 1500 block Alta La Jolla Drive, 6:40 a.m. Fraud, 6700 block Neptune Place, 11 a.m. Vehicle theft, Gravilla Street at Neptune Place, 11 a.m. Assault with a deadly weapon (details not available by deadline), 8300 block Camino del Oro, 12:50 p.m. DUI: Alcohol, 600 block Nautilus St., 11:29 p.m. Oct. 31 Petty theft, 8600 block Villa La Jolla Drive, 1:43 p.m. Theft, 10500 block North Torrey Pines Road, 4:10 p.m. Vehicle break-in/theft, 8500 block El Paseo Grande, 5:40 p.m. Nov. 1 Vandalism ($400 or more), 400 block Prospect St., 5:20 p.m. Nov. 2 Commercial burglary (weapon used), 800 block Turquoise St., 8:50 a.m. Fraud, 8300 block La Jolla Scenic Drive North, 11 a.m. Nov. 3 Residential burglary, 2700 block Costebelle Drive, 9 a.m. Grand theft: Money/labor/property over $950, 9700 block North Torrey Pines Road, 11:15 a.m. Disorderly conduct (alcohol), 7300 block Eads Ave., 4:27 p.m.Nov. 4 Street robbery (no weapon), 3300 block Nobel Drive, 12:15 a.m. Compiled by Ashley Mackin-Solomon The Sri Lanka pavilion at the Swiss International Holiday Exhibition known as iViaggiatori was inaugurated by the Mayor of Lugano Marco Borradori, chief Organizer of Lugano Exhibition Marco Peon, and the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the World Trade Organization Ambassador R. D. S. Kumararatne, on 01 November 2018. The Sri Lanka Mission in Geneva, in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, organized Sri Lankas participation at this Holiday Exhibition which was held from 01 to 04 November 2018 at the Lugano Exhibition Centre in Switzerland. iViaggiatori is a prestigious tourism event that takes place annually in the Italian speaking canton in Switzerland, and is recognized as one of the prominent tourism trade fairs in Europe. Switzerland is a well-developed economy with a GDP of CHF 668 billion and a per capita of CHF 79,000, the second highest in the world. The households disposal income is estimated to be CHF 400 billion with an average saving rate of 14%. Swiss tourists are considered to be high spenders in leisure travel. The joint effort made by the Sri Lanka Mission in Geneva and the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau is timely as Sri Lanka is gradually becoming a popular destination for Swiss tourists. This is further facilitated with the introduction of Swiss Air chartered flights Edelweiss Air twice a week starting from 03 November this year for Zurich-Colombo-Zurich sectors. Sri Lankas recognition by Lonely Planet as the number one tourist destination for 2019 will complement Sri Lankas promotional efforts in the Swiss market. The Swiss International Holiday Exhibition attracts around 20,000 participants from among travel agents, tour operators, and tourism related professionals. This annual exhibition started in 2003 and the exhibition area has expanded over 30% with the increasing number of exhibitors from all-over the world. The 2018 edition was attended by over 250 exhibitors from countries such as Italy, Switzerland, Sri Lanka, India, Spain, Cyprus, Canada, Germany, Tanzania, Croatia, Ethiopia, Costa Rica, Chile, Austria, Maldives, Lithuania, Greece, South Africa, Indonesia, Uganda, and Mongolia. This year, six (06) companies representing Sri Lankas tourism business sector, namely, Karusan Travels, A. Baur & Company Travel (pvt) Ltd., Lets travel, Ayu in the Wild Holidays, Coral Sands Hotel Ltd., and The choice - Gem & Jewellery participated in the exhibition. Sri Lankas participation at the exhibition was coordinated by Marketing Officer in charge of the Swiss Market at the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Jagath Perera. The Sri Lanka pavilion also received coverage from the popular television channel TELETICINI on the opening day of the exhibition. Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka Geneva 05 November 2018 In the last few years, Anthem Blue Cross has made a strong bid for the award for the most heartless and senseless coverage policy in the health insurance business. Its competition entry is a policy that penalizes patients for seeking unnecessary treatment at an emergency room. If Anthem concludes that the reason for the visit wasnt an emergency after all, it can deny the claimsaddling members with bills that could exceed $10,000. Anthems rationale is that the ER is the costliest venue for medical treatment; therefore, weeding out patients whose medical complaints could more appropriately be managed through a doctors appointment or a visit to an urgent-care clinic will save money for Anthem and for its customers base. Anthem launched this program in Kentucky in 2015 and expanded it in 2017 and this year to Indiana, Georgia, Missouri and Ohio. (The company dropped plans to expand it this year into New Hampshire.) Im a board-certified trained doctor of emergency medicine, and I have trouble ... knowing what the patient was thinking at 3 oclock in the morning. ER physician Jonathan Heidt Advertisement Now, after several years experience in some of those states, a few conclusions can be drawn about it. First, the program as a whole appears to be a bust. According to statistics the company provided to Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, the vast majority of claims denials under the program have been reversed on appeal. The number of initial denials has fallen this year, too, after Anthem changed the rules to broaden the exemptions that is, cases in which the ER claim would always be approved, no questions asked. Perhaps most important, expecting consumers to diagnose their conditions as emergent or non-emergent before going to the ER is stupid and possibly illegal, insofar as it requires them to make judgments that ER doctors often cant make without a professional examination. Using the ultimate diagnosis as a proxy for the urgency of the original visit to the ER is an imperfect standard to the point of being nonsensical, in medical terms. Im a board-certified trained doctor of emergency medicine, Jonathan Heidt, president of the Missouri chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians, told me in January, and I have trouble looking at the ER note and knowing what the patient was thinking at 3 oclock in the morning. But the likelihood is that Anthem doesnt actually want to deny members ER claims what it really wants is for them not to go to the ER at all. Anthems policy is really just another hoop for consumers to jump through, which always translates into less usage. The drawback is that these obstacles result in less unnecessary medical care, but less necessary care too. More on that in a bit. The statistics on claims denials and reversals come from a report McCaskill issued this summer, using Anthem data (even though the company stiff-armed her on some of her data requests). The conclusions about the wisdom of the policy come from an analysis by researchers at Yale and Harvard medical schools recently published by the Journal of the American Medical Assn. The researchers concluded that anthems system is so flawed it could place many patients who reasonably seek ED [emergency department] care at risk of coverage denial. Anthem, the nations second biggest health insurer, says its standing by its policy, though it has no current plans to expand it to more states. The company told me by email that its Emergency Department Review was designed to reduce the trend in recent years of inappropriate use of EDs for non-emergencies. It said it found that about 5% of all claims it received for ER care were for non-emergencies, which is in line with findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The important questions, however, are what counts as a non-emergency, who makes the call, and when? Anthems system is based on the diagnostic codes submitted by the ER with its claim in other words, what the ER doctors ultimately judged the patients problem to be. In Indiana Anthem used a roster of 120 codes ranging from abrasion to viral wart and including various contusions and pain complaints; in Missouri, according to ER doctors, the list ran to more than 1,900 conditions. If the conditions appeared on the ER claim, Anthem would subject the claim to further review, with an eye to rejecting it. Under Anthems original rules, the denial policy wouldnt apply when the patient is 14 or younger, an urgent care clinic isnt located within 15 miles, or the visit occurs on a Sunday or holiday. This year the company added several exclusions. Claims will always be paid if the patient was directed to visit the ER by a doctor; is traveling out of state; received any surgery, IV medications, or an MRI or CT scan at the ER. The basic problem remains, however: A final diagnosis by an ER doctor isnt very useful in judging what motivated a patient to report to the ER in the first place. Thats what the Harvard/Yale study found. Anthem denials of ER claims in Missouri soared in June 2017, when it implemented its review policy, and ebbed when reality asserted itself. (Office of Sen. Claire McCaskill) Patients arent diagnosticians. They dont make decisions on whether to go to the ER based on a diagnosis, but based on their symptoms. And 90% of the symptoms that typically send a patient to the ER are common to both nonemergency conditions and potentially life-threatening emergencies. Back or abdominal pain could be a muscle spasm or herald a kidney stone or appendicitis; the researchers found that in their study sample of emergency cases from 2011 to 2015, abdominal pain resulted in hospital admission 16% of the time but could result in Anthem denials in 4.3% of cases. Chest pain could be indigestion or a heart attack. Headache, vomiting, dizziness, cough and shortness of breath also could go either way. In Anthems system, the researchers warned, patients with acute illnesses are put in a difficult position of weighing the risk of delayed treatment for severe disease vs an uncovered medical bill. Anthem told me that if a consumer reasonably believes that he or she is experiencing an emergency medical condition, then they should always call 911 or go to the ED. But thats just empty persiflage, if the consequence of guessing wrong is a bill for several thousand bucks. Anthems denied ER claims fell to zero by March 2018 in Kentucky (orange), Missouri (blue) and Georgia (gray), but the policy remains in place. (McCaskill) The stakes are considerable. The Harvard/Yale study calculated that if Anthems policy were widely copied, nearly 1 in 6 ER visits by insured adults would result in a non-emergency diagnosis and be subject to denial. McCaskills report traced the life cycle of Anthem ER claims denials and appeals in Kentucky, Georgia and her home state of Missouri. Her findings are eye-opening. In July through December of last year, 5% of ER claims 3,700 were denied in Missouri, 4% (5,000) in Kentucky and 7% (3,500) in Georgia. Another 5% were initially denied but paid after appeals in Missouri, 7% in Kentucky and 13% in Georgia. In fact, most denials were eventually overturned and the rate of reversals rose almost every month into this year. In Missouri, the rate of reversals increased from 58% in July 2017 to 73% in November, a trend largely matched in the other two states. Since January, when Anthem changed its standards, ER denials have plummeted to zero in all three states by March 2018, McCaskill reports. That points to the question of why Anthems program still exists at all. To begin with, it may well violate federal law, which requires insurers to cover ER services if a patient arrives with symptoms that a prudent layperson one with an average knowledge of health and medicine could reasonably expect to result in serious impairment to his or her health. Anthem says its physician reviews are aimed at matching ER diagnoses with the prudent layperson standard, which may explain why denials have plunged. Even in 2017, when the company was still denying a sizable percentage of ER claims, the results appear to have fallen short of its expectations. McCaskill says Anthem had projected that its program would save $2.9 million a year via denials of unnecessary ER visits in Missouri alone; but in the last six months of 2017, the denials yielded only $1 million in savings through unpaid claims not counting the reversals after appeal. The statistics suggest that Anthems initiative might even have cost the company more than it saved. Thousands of ER claims had to be scrutinized by professionals before denials, examined again if they were appealed, and ultimately paid if the denials were reversed. Some of these costs land on the shoulders of patients. Anthem customers face the tension of how to pay five-figure bills for ER visits they thought would be covered for a nominal co-pay, and weeks or months of lost work time or other inconveniences trying to challenge the decision. Emergency Departments face the uncertainty of getting reimbursed for their services. Still, the gains Anthem may have garnered from its policy may not be obvious. If it succeeded in discouraging patients from presenting at the ER in the first place out of fear of a big bill, that wouldnt show up in denial and appeal statistics. Anthem couldnt be tagged for infringing the prudent layperson rule, because the decision to skip the ER would be made by its imprudent customers on their own, for their own reasons. Perhaps its a bit unfair to criticize Anthem for trying to shift the costs of ER coverage to patients. After all, trying to avoid paying out on claims is what comes naturally to insurance companies. Thats what allowed Anthem to record a profit of $3.8 billion last year on revenue of $90 billion, and to pay its recently-retired chairman and CEO, Joe Swedish, nearly $50 million in 2015-2017. Indulgent state regulators in five states have allowed Anthem to get away with this flagrantly anti-consumer practice. The blame belongs to them. 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. The Washington journalists at Fox News are used to some of the over-the-top commentary of the high-rated opinion hosts on the cable network. But Sean Hannitys on-stage appearance at President Trumps Missouri rally on the eve of the midterm election was seen as an egregious breach of standards for a news organization, even one with a political commentator who is known to be a cheerleader for the White House. The images of Hannity embracing the president presented by other news outlets as an example of how Fox News serves as a propaganda machine for the White House led the networks top Washington journalists to complain to senior executives on Tuesday. Fox News Chief Political Anchor Bret Baier told the Los Angeles Times that Hannitys actions were the main topic during a previously scheduled lunch with Fox News chief executive Suzanne Scott and president of news Jay Wallace held a few hours before the network presented its midterm election coverage Tuesday in New York. Washington anchor Martha MacCallum, Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace and senior political analyst Brit Hume were also in attendance. Advertisement There was a lot of concern about it and making sure that we as a network were sending the right signals and ... there was a commitment to show the importance of news, said Baier, who was asked about Hannity during an interview about the networks midterm coverage. The coverage, led by Baier and MacCallum, was watched by more than 7.8 million viewers, more than any other broadcast or cable network, as the Democrats regained control of the House while the Republicans added to their majority in the Senate. Fox News was the first to project that the Democrats would take the House. But the straight-ahead journalism on Fox News is often overshadowed by its voluble prime-time commentators whose views closely align with Trump and often echo the presidents harsh criticism of the mainstream media. Baier said he had a personal discussion with Hannity about the Missouri appearance. He declined to reveal any details about their talk but appeared satisfied with the outcome. Going forward I think things will be a little different, Baier said. What he does and what I do are two different things but on an event like that it obviously bleeds into our news coverage and he acknowledges that. We had a good conversation. Ive had a long relationship with him and hes always been great with me. But this is a moment that needed to be dealt with. Before the Tuesday lunch, Fox News publicly rebuked the actions of Hannity and weekend host Jeanine Pirro, who also appeared at the rally. But there is no indication that any disciplinary measures are being taken. Fox News does not condone any talent participating in campaign events, the company said in a statement. We have an extraordinary team of journalists helming our coverage tonight and we are extremely proud of their work. This was an unfortunate distraction and has been addressed. Hannity issued a statement on Tuesday claiming he did not know Trump would call him onstage at the rally. When the POTUS invited me on stage to give a few remarks last night, I was surprised, yet honored by the presidents request. This was not planned. However, the explanation was at odds with a news release issued by the Trump campaign Sunday that promoted the appearances of Hannity and conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh at the event. stephen.battaglio@latimes.com Twitter: @SteveBattaglio Years before Goldman Sachs Group Inc. arranged bond deals now at the heart of globe-spanning corruption investigations, the firms then-chief executive, Lloyd Blankfein, personally helped forge ties with Malaysia and its new sovereign wealth fund, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Blankfein was the unidentified high-ranking Goldman Sachs executive referenced in U.S. court documents who attended a 2009 meeting with the former Malaysian prime minister, the people said. The meeting was arranged with the help of men who are now tied to the subsequent plundering of the 1MDB fund, according to U.S. court documents unsealed last week. The meeting at the Four Seasons hotel in New York was set up and attended by two key figures in the 1MDB scandal, Malaysian businessman Jho Low and former Goldman partner Tim Leissner, one person with direct knowledge of the matter said, asking not to be identified because the information isnt public. The high-level gathering laid the groundwork for a relationship that would prove profitable for the investment bank. Since then, the use of $6.5 billion that Goldman raised for 1MDB has sparked investigations across several nations and entangled the U.S. bank in a high-profile corruption investigation. Advertisement A spokesman for Goldman Sachs declined to comment on Blankfeins behalf. The bank has said that it believed proceeds of debt sales it underwrote were for development projects and that Leissner withheld information from the firm. Lows presence at the meeting with Blankfein, one of the most senior executives in global finance, illustrates the meteoric rise of a largely unknown financier who had managed to cultivate relationships with senior Malaysian government officials, including then-Prime Minister Najib Razak. By the time of the meeting, Lows lavish spending habits were New York tabloid fodder. Starting about two months before the meeting, according to U.S. filings, Leissner and another Goldman banker began a years-long effort to bring Low aboard as a client, a request that compliance workers at the firm consistently denied. Theres no indication that Blankfein was aware of the internal assessments of Low or knew the identities of all the people present at the meeting. The documents filed by an FBI agent in June said that evidence supports that Low was present at the meeting. The agenda for the November 2009 meeting was mapped out by Low and included a debrief with Najib and the 1MDB boys after Goldman executives had left, the documents show. The meeting offered Blankfein a chance to speak with Najib in his first year as prime minister, and Najibs visit to New York included meetings with other business leaders and U.S. investors. A month after the gathering, Malaysias securities commission announced that Goldman Sachs would set up fund management and corporate finance advisory operations in the nation. Low was closely involved in helping Goldman Sachs win the Malaysian business even as Leissner and at least one other lower-ranking banker were already working to shield his role from its compliance group to avoid additional scrutiny, according to federal filings. Goldman Sachs went on to raise as much as $6.5 billion for 1MDB in subsequent years, receiving about $600 million in fees. The U.S. has since accused Low of teaming up with the Goldman bankers to pilfer money from the fund, 1Malaysia Development Bhd. Leissner pleaded guilty to conspiring to launder money and violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act by paying bribes. Goldmans earnings from the deals have also become a sore point with the new Malaysian government, which hopes to recoup some of the money. The firm said in a quarterly filing last week that it couldnt predict the outcome of the Justice Department investigation but said it could face significant fines. Blankfein, who stepped down as Goldman Sachs chief executive last month and still serves as chairman, said at a conference in New York last week that hes not aware of senior managers missing red flags in the 1MDB dealings. Instead, he said, the matter was an issue of a few employees dodging bank controls and lying about it. The federal filings unsealed last week also place Najib and a high-ranking executive from the bank in a meeting with Leissner and Low in 2013 in New York. Theres no indication that the executive from the later meeting is the same as the one from 2009. Natarajan and Chew write for Bloomberg. UPDATES: 2:05 p.m.: This article was updated with information from a Goldman filing. This article was originally published at 9:45 a.m. The Federal Trade Commission announced Thursday that its looking to shut down the largest overseas real estate investment scam it has ever encountered: an unfinished luxury development in Belize whose owners and management, the agency alleged, bilked people out of more than $100 million. The schemes perpetrators were based in Irvine, the FTC said in a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Maryland. It alleged that the development called Sanctuary Belize, the Reserve or Sanctuary Bay was advertised on national television and that telemarketers made false claims to lure American retirees to buy lots. The commission alleged false claims that included telling consumers the development would be finished within two to five years and that their investments would quickly double or triple in value, with all money collected from the lots being plowed back into the development. Unfortunately, these claims were all false, said James Kohm, assistant director of the FTCs division of enforcement. Advertisement In its complaint, the FTC said that the development is nowhere near completion after 12 years of promises and that lot funds are used for personal expenses or otherwise funneled to people, companies and projects unrelated to Sanctuary Belize. In all, the FTC said developers collected more than $100 million from more than 1,000 consumers. The defendants lured people with the deceptive pitch that they could build their dream home, Kohm said. But instead of getting their dream home, buyers found themselves in a nightmare. The commission filed its complaint against multiple people and companies it said were affiliated with Sanctuary Belize, including Andris Pukke of Newport Beach. In 2006, Pukke agreed to settle a separate case in which the FTC alleged his now-defunct firm AmeriDebt engaged in deceptive credit counseling practices. As part of that case, Pukke was required to give up his interest in the Belize land, but he continued to control the development through an office on Michelson Drive in Irvine, the FTC alleged. Associates also falsely told consumers Pukke was no longer involved, and Pukke in the early days of the scam spoke to investors using an alias, the complaint alleged. The FTC said a federal judge recently granted a temporary restraining order that froze the assets of the Belize defendants, including Pukke, and prohibited them from traveling outside the United States. An attorney who had represented Pukke did not respond to requests for comment. A message left with an employee at the developments Irvine office was also not returned. Neither was a message left at a telephone number associated with another defendant, Peter Baker, whom the FTC characterized as a longtime friend of Pukkes. Last year, Pukkes attorney, Kristin McGough, told the Wall Street Journal her client was not involved in the development besides sometimes providing marketing consulting. Although Baker, who owns the development company, told the paper that construction was delayed by a vocal homeowners group that drew negative attention and slow sales. The Journal also reported the developers won a libel case in Belize court against the homeowner group for critical statements made online. The developers website for the property, now known as the Reserve, includes a two-minute-plus video that features images of turquoise waters and white sand beaches an encouragement to sign up for a $1,500-per-couple tour. The boots on the ground experience, the website says, is designed to give a better understanding as to why our development is the most secure investment opportunity in Belize. The FTC said potential buyers were promised all the amenities of an American luxury resort community, including a hospital, hotels, a golf course, a spa, a casino, high-end boutiques, cafes, restaurants, and an American-style supermarket. The pitch started before the tour began, the FTC alleged, with some consumers putting down substantial deposits before arriving in Belize. While there, the FTC said, consumers sometimes encountered plants people paid by the developer to act as enthusiastic consumers. Sales presentations were held, repeating false claims made by telemarketers, including that the development would finish quickly and lots would soar in value, the FTC said. To seal the deal, the complaint alleged, workers whisked consumers away to a small private island, where in a thatch-roofed gazebo suspended above the water they negotiated over lots that typically went for $150,000 to $500,000. Today, more than 10 years after sales started, the FTC said most of the Manhattan-sized development is unfinished, including the hospital, hotels, golf course and casino. Only part of the marina and about 12 homes are completed, many of which are occupied by people with ties to the development, the FTC said. Consumers were supposed to hire a builder to construct their home or use a developer-tied company, but many probably didnt because they saw the overall property was far from completion and their lot values were not soaring, the FTC said. As time went by, some investors sold their lots back to the developer at a loss, while others stopped making payments, according to the FTC. At times, consumers tried to unload the lots themselves but found a developer-tied brokerage did not operate in good faith and many local real estate agents refused to list homes at Sanctuary Belize, according to the FTC. Frank Balluff said he and his wife purchased a lot at the development in 2012, impressed by the marketing pitch. In a sworn declaration, he said the developers improperly foreclosed on him, and hes lost more than $310,000. At a news conference in Washington, D.C., Balluff said others experienced much worse. There are people who have literally died waiting for this to get completed, he said. andrew.khouri@latimes.com Follow me @khouriandrew on Twitter UPDATES: 3:30 p.m.: This article was updated throughout with additional details from the Federal Trade Commission. This article was originally published at 10:05 a.m. After butting heads for two years with the Anaheim City Council, Walt Disney Co. appears to have won a favorable majority on the panel as candidates backed by the media giant were well ahead in a wide field of hopefuls. Three City Council candidates, including the mayor, who received campaign support from Disney are leading in an election that centered on whether the companys popular theme park resort Anaheims largest employer is paying enough tax to the city and offering workers fair salaries. The three leading candidates will join a fourth Disney supporter next year on the seven-member council. Anaheim voters, however, were split on a living wage initiative that would require hospitality businesses that accept a city tax subsidy to pay hourly wages of at least $15. Measure L was leading by about 500 votes Wednesday. Advertisement Disney said it would hold off commenting on the outcome of the race until official results are announced by the Orange County registrar of voters. As many as 418,600 ballots remained outstanding countywide Wednesday. Disney, through Disney Worldwide Services, donated at least $1.6 million to candidates and city ballot measures, according to campaign reports for donations made before Oct. 25. Before the living wage initiative qualified for the ballot in June, Disney donated heavily to defeat the measure. Disney was outspent by labor unions, led by Unite Here Local 11, which represents hotel workers in Anaheim. The labor groups spent at least $1.9 million, most of it in support of Measure L. Disney contributed $2,000 to the campaign of Harry Sidhu, a businessman and former mayor pro tem who had a sizable lead in the race to replace Mayor Tom Tait, an ardent Disney critic who has to step down because of term limits. But Sidhu said the donations do not make him beholden to Disney. I was elected by the voters, and no one else, because they knew I was the only candidate who could bring this city together, end the divisiveness and improve the quality of life for every resident, he said. The best way we can do that is to make sure we take the huge tax revenue generated from our Resort District and spend it in the neighborhoods. Disney also made donations of about $1.2 million to a slate of council candidates including Jordan Brandman, an educator and businessman who was leading over another Disney critic, Councilman James Vanderbilt. Also on the Disney-supported slate was Trevor ONeil, the owner of an in-home care service company who was leading in the race to replace Disney supporter Kris Murray, who is also being forced out by term limits. If the final election results follow Wednesdays voting trends, Sidhu, ONeil and Brandman are expected to join strong Disney advocate Councilwoman Lucille Kring to form a pro-Disney majority. Kring has two more years on her term. Meanwhile, Councilman Jose Moreno, an ardent critic of the Disneyland Resort, had a sizable lead Wednesday in his reelection bid. The ballot initiative that would require hospitality businesses that accept a tax subsidy from Anaheim to pay workers a living wage was slightly ahead in the polls Wednesday morning. Unions representing Disneyland Resort workers collected the signatures to put the measure on the ballot. Union leaders said the support by Anaheim voters for Measure L suggests residents are sympathetic to the plight of resort workers who are struggling to make ends meet. I think they know that employees must be compensated in a better way, said Ada Briceno, co-president of Unite Here Local 11, one of the unions representing workers at the resort. If approved, the measure would require hospitality companies that get a tax break from Anaheim to pay an hourly wage of at least $15 starting in January, increasing $1 an hour each year until 2022, when the wage would be tied to the cost of living. But opponents of the initiative headed by the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce said too many outstanding ballots are left to be counted to determine voter intent. Campaigning against Measure L, they said the extra cost of paying higher wages will scare off new development projects in the city. Todd Ament, chief executive of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce, said he and other opponents are confident that in the end the results will show that voters saw through the misleading campaign of the special interests pushing Measure L and said no to this bad deal for our city. Supporters and opponents of the measure disagree on whether the initiative applies to the Disneyland Resort, which ended two tax subsidy agreements with the city this year. But the resort continues to benefit from a 1996 agreement in which Anaheim sold 40-year bonds to build a $108-million parking garage that is used by the resort and generates more than $35 million a year for Disney. The bond is being paid off with taxes collected mostly from Disney but also from bed taxes from hotels throughout the city. Anaheim City Atty. Robert Fabela has said that he doesnt believe the bond agreement qualifies as a tax subsidy and that therefore Measure L does not apply to the resort. Supporters of Measure L disagree, saying the bond measure fits the definition of a tax break. Union leader Briceno said she expects that the debate over whether the initiative applies to the resort will ultimately be decided in a courtroom. We have plaintiffs ready to go and we have attorneys ready to litigate, she said. hugo.martin@latimes.com To read more about the travel and tourism industries, follow @hugomartin on Twitter. The delegation held working sessions with representatives from the Russian Presidential Domestic Policy Directorate, the Ministry of Justice and the Public Chamber Commission on Interethnic Relations. At the working sessions, Thang informed the Russian side about the situation of religious affairs and faiths in Vietnam, noting that Vietnam is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country, with the majority of people having religious beliefs and with no conflict between the religions in Vietnam. Vietnam pursues the consistent policy of respecting equality between religions and religions are free to carry out their activities in accordance with their own charter and the legal framework of the State, Thang said. The Vietnamese official added that religious organisations in Vietnam also actively expand their foreign affairs and participate in interreligious forums in the world, making positive contributions to the stability and peace throughout the region and world. Both sides agreed that the two countries share many similarities in their religious situations and exchanged their experience in State management of religion to make positive contributions to national development. The parties also agreed to consider the establishment of exchange programmes to share information and insight between the Vietnamese Government Committee for Religious Affairs and other Russian agencies and organisations in order to promote peace, solidarity and traditional friendship between Vietnam and Russia. Luxury shoe designer Donald Pliner is looking to start off on the right foot in Bel-Air. His Mediterranean-style mansion, full of chic style and fashionable finishes, is on the market for $5.9 million. He bought it six years ago for $4.26 million, records show. His wife, Lisa Pliner, remodeled the Traditional-style interior into a flashier space with a bit more personality. Spanning a third of an acre in guard-gated Bel-Air Crest, the home opens through double doors to a foyer topped by an antler-shaped chandelier. A wrought-iron-wrapped catwalk rings the space. 1 / 13 Donald Pliners Bel-Air mansion (Wayne Ford) 2 / 13 Donald Pliners Bel-Air mansion (Wayne Ford) 3 / 13 Donald Pliners Bel-Air mansion (Wayne Ford) 4 / 13 Donald Pliners Bel-Air mansion (Wayne Ford) 5 / 13 Donald Pliners Bel-Air mansion (Wayne Ford) 6 / 13 Donald Pliners Bel-Air mansion (Wayne Ford) 7 / 13 Donald Pliners Bel-Air mansion (Wayne Ford) 8 / 13 Donald Pliners Bel-Air mansion (Wayne Ford) 9 / 13 Donald Pliners Bel-Air mansion (Wayne Ford) 10 / 13 Donald Pliners Bel-Air mansion (Wayne Ford) 11 / 13 Donald Pliners Bel-Air mansion (Wayne Ford) 12 / 13 Donald Pliners Bel-Air mansion (Wayne Ford) 13 / 13 Donald Pliners Bel-Air mansion (Wayne Ford) Advertisement Floors of tile and dark hardwood switch off on the main level, lining an expansive living room with a fireplace, a formal dining room and a black-and-white chefs kitchen with a breakfast nook. Theres also a toned-down family room with French doors and a wet bar in the corner. Upstairs, the master suite offers a fireplace, dual closets and dual bathrooms and a balcony. Its one of five bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms in 7,603 square feet. Dense landscaping and a flagstone patio surround a saltwater pool and spa in the backyard. Scattered lounges accessed by stone-and-turf walkways finish off the grounds. Tatiana Derovanessian of dreamliving LA and Marc Elkaim of Barnes International are the listing agents. Pliner opened his first retail store, Pappagallo Beverly Hills, in 1967 and founded Donald J. Pliner of Florida Inc. 22 years later. The brand, which he left in 2015, sells luxury shoes and accessories manufactured in Spain and Italy. jack.flemming@latimes.com | Twitter: @jflem94 Facebook Inc.'s recent disclosures on blocking suspicious accounts show that the companys efforts to root out election meddling are working to a point. Whats not known is how much the social networking giant isnt catching and whether this whack-a-mole fight will ever end, as those wanting to influence elections in the United States and elsewhere can easily create replacement Facebook pages, groups and accounts. Facebook said it blocked an unspecified number of additional accounts Tuesday because of suspected connections to foreign efforts to interfere in the U.S. midterm election through disinformation on social media. Thats on top of the 115 accounts Facebook blocked earlier in the week and the 652 pages, groups and accounts it removed in August. Facebook said the additional accounts were identified after a website that claimed to be associated with the Russia-based Internet Research Agency published a list of Instagram accounts it says it created. Facebook said it had blocked most of the listed accounts already and has now blocked the rest. Advertisement This is a timely reminder that these bad actors wont give up, Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebooks head of cybersecurity policy, said in a statement. U.S. tech companies have stepped up efforts to fight disinformation campaigns by Russian groups, whom authorities accuse of swaying the 2016 presidential election. The companies were caught embarrassingly off-guard then. This time around, there are clear signs they are making some progress. Sam Gill of the nonprofit John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, which recently commissioned a study on misinformation on social media, said that although tech companies cannot declare victory yet, the leaders of the companies dont talk any more that it isnt a problem they talk about how important it is to get it right. Thats in contrast to Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerbergs now-infamous quip in November 2016 calling the idea that fake news on Facebook influenced the elections pretty crazy. But social media companies still have work to do. By some measures, the spread of fake news on Facebook has declined since 2016, but the same cant always be said for Twitter. The Knight study on misinformation points to a central problem that has emerged since 2016: It isnt just foreign agents spreading misinformation. Plenty of homegrown sites are at it too. The study found that fake news is still being spread on Twitter, the vast majority of it from just a few sources. Gill said that at this point, we simply dont know enough to say how the spread of misinformation has changed since 2016. Thats despite a slew of academic studies that try to measure the spread and consumption of fake news on these services. We need a lot more basic research studying the relationship between social media and democracy, he said. We need to see more and understand more from the companies. We need access to more information. Long criticized for not giving academic researchers access to its data, Facebook launched a program in April designed to address this issue though only when it comes to elections. The initiative solicits proposals from outside researchers, then works with Facebook to give researchers access to Facebook data. Facebook doesnt get to pre-approve research and provides no funding. But until there is more research, social media companies must contend with present-day problems around misinformation, hate and propaganda, playing whack-a-mole as new fake accounts and trolls pop up trying to misuse their services. After all, the 2020 presidential election is less than two years away and jockeying for that contest starts now. Ortutay writes for the Associated Press. Sprint Corp. has been slowing traffic to Microsoft Corp.s internet-based video chat service Skype, according to new findings from an ongoing study by Northeastern University and the University of Massachusetts. More than 100,000 consumers have used the researchers Wehe smartphone app to test internet connections. Information from those tests is aggregated and analyzed by the researchers to check if data speeds are being slowed, or throttled, for specific mobile services. Among leading U.S. carriers, Sprint was the only one to throttle Skype, the study found. The throttling was detected in 34% of 1,968 full tests defined as those in which a user ran two tests in a row conducted between Jan. 18 and Oct. 15. It happened regularly and was spread geographically across the United States. Android phone users were more affected than owners of Apple Inc.s iPhones. In the case of a video call, which is what we were testing, the video quality would be much poorer poorer than what the network supports, said David Choffnes, one of the researchers who developed the Wehe app. Advertisement The finding is particularly troubling because Skype relies on Sprints wireless internet network, but the app also provides a communication tool that competes with Sprints calling services, the researcher added. If you are a telephony provider and you provide IP services over that network, then you shouldnt be able to limit the service offered by another telephony provider that runs over the internet, Choffnes said. From a pure common sense competition view, it seems directly anti-competitive. Slowing speeds can reduce bottlenecks and congestion, but it raises questions about whether all internet traffic is treated equally, a prime tenet of net neutrality. The principle states that carriers should not discriminate by user, app or content. The Federal Communications Commission enshrined net-neutrality rules in 2015, but after President Trump took office last year, a Republican-led FCC scrapped the regulations. Sprint spokeswoman Lisa Dimino said her company doesnt single out Skype or any individual content provider in this way. Microsoft declined to comment. The researchers bought a Sprint wireless plan to try to detect throttling of Skype in the lab, but they couldnt replicate the experience of the Wehe app users. They said that was probably because it affects only certain subscription plans, not the one they bought. Choffnes became an internet celebrity in December, when Apple rejected the Wehe app from the App Store. After an outcry, Apple approved and published the app. Wehe had only a handful of users before the episode, but it quickly gained tens of thousands of new testers. This year, Choffnes and his fellow researchers found that the largest U.S. telecom companies were throttling popular apps including Netflix and Googles YouTube. Both studies look for differentiation, when a type of traffic on a network is treated differently from other types of traffic. Most of this activity is throttling. Choffnes work is funded by the National Science Foundation, Google parent Alphabet Inc. and ARCEP, the French telecom regulator. Amazon.com Inc. provided some free services, and Choffnes has been asked by Verizon Communications Inc. to measure throttling across all carriers. The technology industry has turned the Bay Area into an economic powerhouse that many of the worlds most valuable companies call home. But the influx of well-paid tech workers has also clogged the regions infrastructure and sent housing prices soaring, exacerbating a homelessness crisis on the streets of San Francisco. In two ballot measures Tuesday that amounted to a regional referendum on how much tech corporations should contribute to the common good, voters in San Francisco and in Googles hometown of Mountain View decided that some wealth redistribution was in order. These companies have more money than God, and its fair for them to pay their share above the existing taxes and donations they already make, said Mountain View Mayor Lenny Siegel, who spearheaded the successful effort to pass a head tax aimed squarely at Google. The more contentious referendum was San Franciscos Proposition C, which adds a new bracket to the citys tax on gross receipts for companies bringing in more than $50 million a year. It requires that proceeds from the new tax go solely to providing permanent housing, rent support and services for San Franciscans who would otherwise be homeless. Advertisement In an analysis, the San Francisco office of the controller estimated that 300 to 400 businesses will be affected by the tax, which will add as much as $300 million a year to the $380 million the city currently spends on services and housing related to homelessness, including rent subsidies and shelters. We have tremendous wealth in San Francisco and we have people who are literally dying on our streets, said Jennifer Friedenbach, director of the Coalition on Homelessness, who led the effort to pass Proposition C. Its a pretty simple equation. The proposition gained prominent opponents early on. Democrats including recently elected Mayor London Breed and state Sen. Scott Wiener joined the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce in arguing that Proposition C failed to create a system of oversight for the new funds. The influx of funding could make our homelessness problem worse by attracting more people in need to the city, and the additional tax would harm the local economy, Breed said in a statement. Even though these investments can be very impactful, simply spending more money does not guarantee youll see improvements, Wiener said. We have a brand-new mayor who has been clear that homelessness is her No.1 priority, and I believe that we should give her space to lead on this issue. Executives at tech firms that process payments, including Jack Dorsey, chief executive of Square, and Patrick Collison, chief executive of Stripe, said the tax unfairly targeted financial services businesses like their own, which had already been taxed at a higher rate than other sectors. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff emerged as a champion of the proposition, pouring almost $8 million into campaign coffers by election day. He publicly argued with proposition opponents, such as Dorsey and Zynga co-founder Mark Pincus, chiding on Twitter that the homeless have been left behind by You & the other 70 SF billionaires. The proposition passed with 60% of the vote. The city controllers office said Wednesday that collection will begin in 2019, but noted that funds wont be allocated until the resolution of a lawsuit filed by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn. over a June ballot measure, which calls into question whether new taxes need a two-thirds majority to go into effect. In the Silicon Valley city of Mountain View, voters opted to alter the citys business license fee, which had stayed flat at $30 per company for decades, to one that changes based on the size of the companys workforce. A business with fewer than 50 employees will now pay a flat fee between $100 and $450 for registration and licensing. The bill for a company with 5,000 employees would climb to $584,070. And Google, whose estimated Mountain View workforce of 23,000 dwarfs its neighbors, is slated to pay more than $3 million a year under the new regime. Google declined to comment on the measure, as did the two pro-business lobbying organizations, Silicon Valley Leadership Group and Bay Area Council, that had publicly opposed the measure in City Council sessions before it was put on the ballot. With no organized opposition, the new tax passed with more than 69% of the vote and is set to go into full effect in 2022. Money raised will go to the citys general fund, but the City Council passed a resolution to earmark most of it for transit infrastructure. We do not have a hostile relationship with Google in Mountain View, said Siegel, who lost his own reelection campaign. Google donates to all kinds of things, but for the kind of capital investments you need for transportation, we need a steady stream of revenue to raise bonds. Though technology companies have faced some public backlash in the Bay Area, including high-profile protests over employees shuttle buses, these twin ballot measures are a rare instance when voters have pushed back against the industry. Cupertino, the hometown of Apple, considered giving voters a chance to put a head tax on its main employer before shelving the idea this year. The Seattle City Council passed a head tax to fund affordable housing and homelessness services on its resident behemoth, Amazon, in May, only to overturn the tax in June in response to pressure from the company. sam.dean@latimes.com Follow me on Twitter: @samaugustdean Sitting in a nearly empty Arizona State University theater two years ago, L.A. choreographer Ana Maria Alvarez anxiously watched the presidential election play out on her phone. At the same time, her urban Latin dance theater company Contra-Tiempo rehearsed Agua Furiosa, a piece exploring racial conflict, economic inequity and the politics of water and drought. But in that moment, Alvarez had a realization. Watching them perform this really intense, really kind-of heavy piece about humanity being so horrible to each other, and about oppression and looking at the results and feeling like, we cant be doing this work right now, Alvarez reflected during a recent rehearsal. This work actually doesnt make sense right now we need to activate joy. Months earlier, Alvarez had a dream about choreographing around the idea of joy. Within a week, she applied for a grant, allowing her to begin work on what eventually became Contra-Tiempos latest production, joyUS justUS, which premiered in September. On Saturday, the company will perform joyUS at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach before embarking on a 20-city tour. The production, which features music from East L.A. band Las Cafeteras and explores joy as an act of radical resistance, mixes dance with music and spoken word. Advertisement [JoyUS] is about how we can reframe the world and the way that we have been moving forward in the world from a perspective thats not from patriarchy and racism and all these constraints that disconnect us, Alvarez said. Bianca Medina holds Jasmine Stanley during a recent rehearsal at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center. (Maria Alejandra Cardona / Los Angeles Times) During a recent rehearsal at a mid-city studio, the company drilled one of their final numbers in the show. But instead of dance choreography, this piece was a call and response Afro-Cuban rhythm section. Standing in a circle with other Contra-Tiempo members and Las Cafeteras musicians, dancer Samad Raheem Guerra played a cowbell, struggling to maintain his repetitive lead as others began joining in with different rhythms. It feels like my mind is breaking, Guerra said, laughing after one attempt at the musical section quickly fell apart. But after many more attempts, the section began clicking into place and the dancers and musicians faces lit up when they finally fell into a groove. During a brief break, Alvarez explained that this piece is about decolonizing the clave it wasnt about the counts, it was about feeling the music. Alvarez founded Contra-Tiempo 13 years ago after completing her masters thesis at UCLA on salsa as a metaphor for resistance. The company blends salsa, Afro-Cuban, hip-hop and modern dance a genre that didnt exist for Alvarez when she first entered the dance scene. As an arts activist, the choreographers work has tackled political issues including environmental and food justice, black and brown relations in the U.S., and immigration. This production, she says, is a return to the the companys origin. JoyUS justUS is a coming back to the essence of what makes dance powerful, Alvarez said. What allows us to build the world thats more just is our capacity to come together and be connected and see ourselves in one another. The process of choreographing joy emerged from a two-year collaboration with Community Coalition, a South L.A. nonprofit founded by congresswoman Karen Bass. For Alvarez, it was important for Contra-Tiempo, a company of black and brown dancers, to work in a community of color. They held weekly sabor sessions community dance jams near Leimert Park and nearly 10 choreographic labs over the two-year creation process, showing pieces of the work to gauge community response. During these sessions, the dance company also held council, an indigenous storytelling practice where participants share stories about their life experiences. The piece really grew because of that. It became a reflection of the work we were doing in South L.A. It became a reflection of us as organizers and activists and artists who are committed to making social change and grappling with what did it mean...when the world in some ways feels like its crumbling, Alvarez said. How do you take joy almost as a weapon, as a way to create a world that you believe in. Jannet Galdamez, from left, Jasmine Stanley, Isis Avalos and Bianca Medina rehearse. (Maria Alejandra Cardona / Los Angeles Times) Numerous stories about peoples relationships with their mother at council sessions found their way into the production mothering is one of the shows most prominent themes. One piece in the production explores Alvarezs relationship with her youngest son, 2, who had a serious health scare when he was born. Ultimately, Alvarez wants viewers to find connection in their shared experiences through joyUS. She also hopes to break down the barriers between the artists and the audience. Each show will have a community altar, of 50 to 75 children and adults who sit on stage observing the show as a representation of humanity. And the production will end with a celebratory dance jam open to everyone. I dont want people to come and feel that was a nice show to watch, Alvarez said. But I want people to come and say thats a reflection of the world we live in and Im a part of that. I want them to be inspired. Samad Raheem Guerra and Chris Quenza perform a dance piece together. (Maria Alejandra Cardona / Los Angeles Times) joyUS justUS with live accompaniment by Las Cafeteras Where: Carpenter Performing Arts Center, 6200 E. Atherton St., Long Beach When: Saturday, Nov. 10, at 8 p.m. Tickets: $50.00 Info: https://carpenterarts.org/ makeda.easter@latimes.com @makedaeaster Now that Academy Award winner Charlize Theron has been directed twice by Jason Reitman in writer Diablo Codys dark character studies Young Adult and this years Tully she has a sense of what roles he likes her in. We always joke that he casts me as miserable women, says Theron. He always says, Thats my favorite. When I see you being miserable, for some reason I just love that. Reitman has a lot to love in Therons Tully character, Marlo. The sleep-deprived fortysomething mother of three including a newborn with a distracted husband (Ron Livingston) is falling apart at the seams. Then, help arrives in the form of a supportive, chatty young night nurse (Mackenzie Davis). To portray ragged Marlo, Theron drew on her own experiences: Ive seen so many movies where the mom wears lip gloss and has enough energy to move about, says Theron, who, with her own mother, is team-raising a son, Jackson, and a daughter, August, both adopted. Shes so deflated from everything even trying to get a baby to sleep is a deflated act. Recently, Theron spoke by phone about weight gain, Marlos outfits and why she finds producing refreshing. Advertisement Charlize Theron stars as Marlo in Jason Reitmans Tully. (Kimberly French / Focus Features) RELATED: In her own words, Diablo Cody reveals how writing Tully saved her How did the reunion with you, Reitman and Cody come about? Jason and I became really good friends after Young Adult, and we were hanging out and he said, Diablo has an idea for us to get back on the set. Its this idea [about] if a younger you arrived at your moment of most need and rescued you. I said, Im in. Tell her to write fast. And she did. Six weeks later, we had the script. It was everything that shed talked about. When I read it, my second kid was six months old and I was just coming out of that tunnel. Reading it was really powerful. Those details, it was like PTSD. All of that made saying yes to it a very raw kind of reaction. You gained 50 pounds for the part. Did you ever discuss just wearing a padded suit? I dont think we ever had that discussion. I dont think thats where my head goes. Jason and I work from a place thats so real. I was in great shape [from Atomic Blonde]. And I think he did say jokingly, Well, you know what you have to do, and I said, [resigned] I know, I know. Have you ever stepped on a scale and seen that number? No. The last two weeks before we started shooting, my body hit a certain weight. That set the tone for the whole movie mentally and physically. I remember coming to Vancouver and [doing] the first fitting. I was so lethargic, so out of breath. I could barely bend down to put on shoes. I wasnt expecting the mental challenge that came with gaining weight. It was a hard shoot for me. Physically, mentally. Id never dealt with depression. I had two little kids while I was working with twins, a 5-year-old and an 8-year-old [actor]. Your children were on location? My baby was with me the whole time because she was very little. My older one went to a little school there. I worked the schedule out where I could drop him off at school then go to work. Then my mom would pick him up, bring him to set and wed hang out in the afternoon. There were days where I was just so tired, Id just sit on the couch. But at least I got to see them. The Tully costume designer, Aieisha Li, said she wanted to dim your light. Explain. Whenever we put something bright on me, I always had this line in my head. When women are pregnant, we walk up to them and go, Youre glowing. And theyre not really glowing. And after [you have the baby], you are for sure not glowing. So if I put something on and I was glowing? It didnt make it. We tried to eliminate things that made it feel like a movie. What are you wearing when you feel you look like a whale? When you dont care? Is it true that you like to do your own hair and makeup? I do my hair and makeup a lot. I tend to be in movies involving real people in real circumstances. Ive done lots where I drive from my hotel or my home straight to set. Sometimes I even take my [wardrobe] home. Im not wearing makeup in [Tully]. Jason wanted me really clammy at all times. So Id put lots of moisturizer on my face and that was it. How does being a producer make you a better actor? Producing makes me not overthink the process of acting. Its really good for me. You have to switch off the emotional process and think about other things. Lots of actors come in and make it about themselves. Once you actually produce a film, you understand the entirety of what it is to really tell a story, the entire story. Taking that two-hour break to go and do something else? Problem solving, not getting a location, having financial limitations. Its almost a way of refreshing myself. I think every actor should produce. When a gunman opened fire Wednesday night in Thousand Oaks, targeting a bar packed with college students and alumni, 13 people died, including a graduate of California Lutheran University. The tragic headline was far too familiar to eight students at the school, who have been rehearsing for their staging of columbinus, which centers on the Columbine High School massacre in Littleton, Colo., nearly 20 years ago. The two-hour, three-act play was set to open Thursday night, complete with a post-show conversation with its director and actors, as well as faculty members from the universitys psychology and criminal justice departments. However, the initial weekends three performances through Saturday have since been canceled, along with Thursdays classes, said the schools media representative. At press time, the university was unsure whether the next four performances (Nov. 15-18) would still take place as scheduled. Advertisement The documentary drama, written by The Humans playwright Stephen Karam and the late PJ Paparelli, depicts the devastating events of Columbine on April 20, 1999, as well as its aftermath. Playwright Stephen Karam, who co-wrote columbinus, expressed his sympathy for the victims of the Thousand Oaks shooting. (Theo Wargo / Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions) Im heartbroken to learn about the shooting in Thousand Oaks. My thoughts are with everyone affected by the shooting and the families of the victims, Karam said when reached by The Times on Thursday afternoon. PJs belief was that theater couldnt solve anything, but it could create space for a conversation about such incomprehensible violence, however unresolvable the questions around these senseless killings seem, Karam added. I believe creating a dialogue is more healing than leading with the impulse to look away. Written over four years of intense research, the unsanitized columbinus intertwines police evidence, excerpts from the two shooters journals and interviews with parents, survivors and Littleton community leaders to illuminate the realities of Americas adolescent culture. The piece first premiered at Marylands Round House Theatre in 2005, and a revised edition incorporating new survivor accounts from Columbine as well as the 2012 movie theater shooting in Aurora, Colo. opened in Chicago in 2013. The Cal Lutheran students putting on columbinus prepared for the task by watching documentaries on the tragedy, as well as the survivor interviews and news coverage that followed. We started from a place that was very grounded in history, director Brett Elliott recently told the Ventura County Star of the casts extensive research. Right from the start, the cast was really moved by and convicted by the truth that is behind the writing and conception of the play. Jeremy Kahn, left, Daniel Chung and Jackie Chung in Julia Chos play Office Hour, which made its Bay Area debut earlier this year. (Kevin Berne / Berkeley Repertory Theatre) FULL COVERAGE: 12 killed in Thousand Oaks bar shooting Cal Lutherans production of columbinus isnt the only show in California exploring school shootings. Beverly Hills Theatre 40 recently mounted a production of 26 Pebbles, Eric Ulloas play that zooms in on the Sandy Hook massacre in Newtown, Conn., in 2012; Julia Chos one-act play Office Hour, which examines the classic shooter stereotype, made its Bay Area debut this past spring at Berkeley Rep. And though Cal Lutherans production is currently on hold, columbinus will still play elsewhere, as a staging in Tampa, Fla., is slated to open in January; it was programmed in response to the high school shooting in Parkland earlier this year. This is an important work that we want to get out to the public, said Karla Hartley, producing artistic director of Stageworks Theatre, which is mounting columbinus in Florida alongside Innovocative Theatre. The beauty of live theater is that you get to sit next to someone who is not like you and have the same experience of sitting and watching a play, Hartley told The Times. Gun control is an important issue, especially here in Florida, and in light of all of the violence that keeps happening, its still a topic we need to explore. As Wednesday nights tragedy has proved yet again, these unthinkable acts of violence are all too common in America.That still bothers Karam, who was in New York City when he woke up to the news of the Thousand Oaks tragedy. When I worked on columbinus with PJ Paparelli, there was a lot of tension about whether examining what was, at the time, the worst school shooting in U.S. history had merit. Many hoped it would remain an isolated case of evil, of sociopathy, the playwright told The Times. It was difficult to even get schools to allow their students to see the play; the fear was a show about gun violence in schools might provoke more gun violence in schools. Countless other shootings have made it clear that these incidents arent going away, and the problem is getting worse. ashley.lee@latimes.com Twitter: @cashleelee UPDATES: 3:30 p.m.: This article has been updated with additional details. This article was originally published at 3:05 p.m. Last fall, the emergence of the #MeToo and Times Up movements cast a harsh glare on rampant and pervasive gender inequity in Hollywood, among other issues. In the year since, there has been a palpable cultural shift as the push for gender parity and inclusion has risen to the forefront of several industries in Tinseltown and beyond. Thats why for the 32nd edition of AFI Fest, Los Angeles preeminent film festival, newly appointed director Michael Lumpkin chose to feature an all-female lineup of filmmakers for the festivals Cinemas Legacy program, which celebrates film history by screening recent restorations of classic and lesser-known films. I see the program as a foundation for where we are today around women in film, said Lumpkin. Part of it certainly is creating change as we move forward, but I think its also very important to look back and elevate work to show that there is a legacy of women filmmakers. Advertisement In the past, Cinemas Legacy has functioned as a greatest hits-type section, these mega hits that everyone has already seen, and as it so happens, almost all of these classics are directed by men, said festival programmer Beth Hanna. So we wanted to rewrite what Cinemas Legacy is and look specifically at women working in the independent film sector, both here and abroad. The program will spotlight six indie filmmakers and their lesser-known films, which were originally released between 1978 and 1992: Kathleen Collins The Cruz Brothers and Miss Malloy, Cauleen Smiths Drylongso, Nietzchka Keenes The Juniper Tree (Einitreo), Chantal Akermans The Meetings of Anna (Les Rendez-vous DAnna), Barbara Hammers Nitrate Kisses and Nina Menkes Queen of Diamonds. But AFI Fests emphasis on womens stories this year extends beyond Cinemas Legacy. Of the 134 titles set to screen, 65 were directed by women and 23 are from women of color. Last year just 40 of the 137 films featured a woman at the helm. It wasnt that we set out for a quota, said Lumpkin of the numbers, which translate to roughly 48% of the festivals films. It was not really an intentional programming decision at all. In meetings when were discussing films, they just organically tend to be these more female-oriented stories, agreed Hanna. It just felt like a year when we really needed to make a statement in terms of how female filmmakers are really a substantial part of this festival. Running through Nov. 15 at the TCL Chinese Theaters, the Egyptian Theatre and the Hollywood Roosevelt, the 2018 AFI Fest will offer up films across the genres of comedy, drama, suspense and everything in between. An expected 70,000 attendees will have access to 83 features, 47 shorts and four episodic projects running the gamut from big-budget blockbusters to smaller-scale indies and award contenders, as well as foreign-language films. A scene from Cathy Yans Dead Pigs, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and will screen at this years AFI Fest. (AFI Fest) There are dramas like Mimi Leders Ruth Bader Ginsburg biopic, On the Basis of Sex, which serves as the festivals opening-night gala presentation; Susanne Biers dystopian thriller Bird Box, which will have its world premiere; and Cathy Yans Dead Pigs, which will screen in the festivals New Auteurs section. Yan, who will attend for the first time this year, says she feels grateful that festivals like AFI have become more cognizant of the gender imbalance in the film industry and of the unique challenges faced by female filmmakers. Ive been very lucky in the sense that Dead Pigs was made in such a year of awareness, she said. Its been great to see; its been very empowering. Positive reception to Dead Pigs, Yans debut about Chinas pig farms and the effects of Western influence on the country, has already helped the director snag her next gig at the helm of DC Comics Birds of Prey, a standalone Harley Quinn film starring Margot Robbie in a return to her Suicide Squad role. I saw Dead Pigs before I knew that Yan had signed on to direct [Birds of Prey], said Lumpkin. And [her appointment] makes sense, with her way of connecting with audiences and making her work very accessible. It plays like no other film Ive seen from China. Its very new and fresh. Cathy just has this lyrical quality to her filmmaking that comes through so strong in her debut, said Hanna. Its a very ambitious film that she really pulled off. Among the other female-helmed films in the fests New Auteurs section are Hungarys One Day, about 24 hours in the life of an underappreciated mother from director Zsofia Szilagyi, and Kenyas Rafiki, an uplifting love story between two young women from Wanuri Kahiu that caused waves, and was initially banned, in its home country. Film and TV veteran Leder has been a Hollywood fixture for years now, but On the Basis of Sex will mark her first time bringing a film to the festival. As one of the first women accepted into AFIs cinematography program, she says the experience holds a particular significance for her. Its such a gift to be the opening night at AFI, she said. I feel like Ive come full circle. This premiere will feel like many others of my premieres, but it will be the most personal one because of the journey I have experienced from AFI to where I am now. Her film, set for a theatrical release on Christmas Day, tracks the early life of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her landmark legal battles for gender equality, starring Felicity Jones as Ginsburg and Armie Hammer as her husband, Marty. This is a film about how change happens, said Leder. This is the origin story of a modern-day superhero and also very much a story about how love prevails. On the Basis of Sex really speaks to where we are in the country right now on a lot of levels, said Lumpkin. The festival is two days after the midterm elections, and we felt ... this was the perfect movie to show our opening-night audiences 48 hours later. A scene from Mary Queen of Scots, a historical drama that will screen as part of AFI Fests closing-night gala. (Parisa Tag / Focus Features) Female-centric storylines are also heavily represented among the festivals offerings. The closing-night gala is the world premiere of Josie Rourkes historical drama, Mary Queen of Scots, starring Saorsie Ronan in the title role and Margot Robbie as Elizabeth I. The festival will host a conversation with Natalie Portman on Friday in conjunction with a screening of Vox Lux, in which she stars. Karyn Kusamas L.A. noir Destroyer makes its local debut Tuesday, accompanied by an extended career retrospective conversation with the films star, Nicole Kidman. Both films premiered at prestigious fall festivals to strong reviews. Unlike the recently shuttered L.A. Film Festival, AFI Fests timing in the heart of awards season has helped it stand out as a crucial part of the local film scene. Among the additional female-driven award contenders on tap at this years fest are Alfonso Cuarons Mexican family drama, Roma, starring newcomers Yalitza Aparicio and Marina de Tavira; Yorgos Lathimos cutting period romp, The Favourite, starring Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz; and a gala presentation of Steve McQueens heist thriller, Widows, starring Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki and Cynthia Erivo and co-written by Gone Girl author Gillian Flynn. And the festival will highlight a broad range of female filmmakers from around the world, including Nadine Labaki, whose Capernaum is Lebanons entry for this years foreign language Oscar race; Italian auteur Alice Rohrwachers Happy as Lazzaro, which was acquired by Netflix out of this years Cannes Film Festival; and the latest works from French filmmaker Mia Hansen-Love (Maya) and Japanese director Naomi Kawase (Vision). In our programming we are looking to represent as many different female stories as we possibly can, said Hanna. Ive noticed that in female-directed films, theyre usually about women of varying ages, and I hope that adds a sense of inclusiveness to the festival. I hope audience-goers feel like their stories are being shown onscreen in a way that adds to a sense of community. sonaiya.kelley@latimes.com follow me on twitter @sonaiyak A pillow-lipped, golden-tressed teenage boy saunters up to a palatial Buenos Aires home and casually hops the fence. He enters through an open sliding door, helps himself to a drink, fingers the jewelry and wanders around with a kind of entitled insouciance. He puts on a record and begins to dance wildly, his curls bouncing in time with the staccato beat. He leaves on a motorcycle with a few LPs stashed on the back, arriving home where he greets his mother (Cecilia Roth), whos cooking his favorite meal. This is our introduction to the sweet-faced antihero in Luis Ortegas El Angel, produced by Pedro Almodovar and Argentinas Academy Awards submission. In the narration that accompanies this opening sequence, the young man, known as Carlitos, wonders, Doesnt anyone consider being free? He declares I was born a thief, with no sense of guilt or pride. He simply is who he is Carlos Eduardo Robledo Puch, a teenage psychopath who terrorized Argentina in the early 70s with a crime spree of rape, robbery and murder. Newspapers dubbed him The Angel of Death and the The Black Angel due to the juxtaposition of his cherubic appearance and his remorseless criminal behavior. Director/co-writer Ortega has brought Robledo Puchs story to the screen with an achingly cool period sensibility, and a stunning debut performance by 19-year-old Lorenzo Ferro (the son of actor Rafael Ferro) in the starring role. Its a nonchalant, sexy Goodfellas; a Bonnie & Clyde featuring two young men in a love story of sorts, one that defies categorization or labels, and is entirely driven by the taboo thrills of criminality. Advertisement Baby-faced burglar Carlitos spots the glowering, macho Ramon (Chino Darin) at his new vocational school. Soon, the pair, along with Ramons father, Jose (Daniel Fanego), embark on a life of bold robberies, cleaning out armories, jewelry stores and homes full of precious artwork. For Ramon and Jose, thievery is the means to an end, but for Carlitos, its the thrill of the act. He luxuriates and lingers during his crimes, taking pleasure in the process. He keeps a treasure or two that catch his eye a painting here, a pistol there but he doesnt seem to give a single thought to his share of the take. He also has a tendency to always shoot first. Carlitos ambiguous sexuality sparks desire in girlfriends, guys and parents alike. Theres a roiling tension between he and Ramon that goes nowhere, because for Ramon, sex is like crime a means to an end. Hes ruthlessly ambitious and pragmatic, not a hedonist like Carlitos. But the energy between them is as thick as the buttery mashed potatoes Carlitos mother serves alongside fried steak, spritzed with lemon. The film is a cozy environment to house this heated dynamic: color-saturated and richly textured, a sensual delight of plush upscale homes, 70s rock and snug bell-bottoms. The methodical and measured pace, especially during the films second hour, is somewhat frustrating. As audiences watching a crime film, we expect a flurry of activity depicted in montage, but El Angel deliberately denies that, and like its protagonist, never loses its cool. The pace reflects the laid-back, composed demeanor of this young killer, who calmly murders and disfigures anyone who inconveniences him. That pace is somewhat uncomfortable, but so is confronting just who and what Carlitos is. El Angel doesnt offer any concrete answers, and though it paints a vivid portrait of this real-life devil, the fact is that ultimately, we end up seduced by him as well. ------------- El Angel In Spanish with English subtitles Not rated Running time: 1 hour, 58 minutes Playing: Starts Nov. 9, Landmark Nuart, West Los Angeles ------------ See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers calendar@latimes.com @LATimesMovies Family Thanksgiving dinners are often fraught with drama, but writer-director Jenna Laurenzos debut comedy Lez Bomb could make even the most contentious gatherings look calm by comparison. Though her script overloads its characters with confusion to the point of farce, theres still a warm, authentic core that drives this well-meaning effort. When Lauren (Laurenzo) travels home to the New Jersey suburbs for Thanksgiving, she intends to come out of the closet to her family including parents (Kevin Pollak, Deirdre OConnell) and grandparents (Cloris Leachman, Bruce Dern) and introduce her girlfriend Hailey (Caitlin Mehner). But misunderstanding after misunderstanding piles up, and the family believes shes actually in love with her roommate, Austin (Brandon Micheal Hall). While her mother frets over the turkey, Lauren wonders if her family will ever listen to and understand her, and Hailey begins to doubt how comfortable Lauren is in their relationship. Overwritten and overlit (often resembling a basic-cable sitcom), Lez Bomb frequently undercuts its own charms. This is Laurenzos first film leading both behind and in front of the camera, and her inexperience often shows in moments that require greater skill. But she succeeds at casting, with OConnell providing an emotional core as Laurens mother and Pollak supplying laughs. Unsurprisingly, award-winning veterans Leachman and Dern are the highlight, elevating each scene theyre in with sly, knowing delivery. Lez Bomb is overstuffed in a slight 90-minute run time (particularly in its final act), but at least still manages to be more fun than a stressful holiday dinner. Advertisement ------------- Lez Bomb Not rated Running time: 1 hour, 30 minutes Playing: Starts Nov. 9, AMC Universal CityWalk 19; also on VOD See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers calendar@latimes.com @LATimesMovies * Japan's central government and Okinawa prefecture agreed Tuesday to hold discussions for about a month on the contentious issue of the relocation of a US military base within Japan's southernmost prefecture of Okinawa. * The Kremlin currently sees no prospect of improving Russia-US relations irrespective of the outcome of the US midterm elections, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday. * British Prime Minister Theresa May on November 6 said that she is confident that a deal could be reached with European Union (EU) ahead of the Brexit talks deadline, stressing it must not be done at any cost to her country. The comments came as Britain and EU are reaching the last weeks of their Brexit talks. * The 2018 midterm elections are expected to be the most expensive congressional elections in US history, as candidates for the House and Senate races have raised over US$2.5 billion, according to data released on November 6 by the Center for Responsive Politics. * Iranian and Russian officials held a meeting in Iran's capital Tehran to discuss the latest developments in Syria and Yemen, Tasnim news agency reported on November 6. * Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Christine Lagarde in Beijing on Tuesday, pledging to work with the IMF to promote international economic cooperation and free trade. * Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has asked technocrat ministers of her cabinet to resign shortly after announcement of the election schedule. * Kiev has called for the cancellation of the forthcoming elections in the insurgent-controlled areas in eastern Ukraine, a senior Ukrainian official said Tuesday. * The Moroccan king Mohammed VI on November 6 called for direct and frank dialogue to settle differences with neighboring Algeria. The land borders between Morocco and Algeria have been closed since 1994 amid their tensions over border issues. * The head of the UN children's agency, UNICEF, on November 6 called for an end to intense fighting near the main hospital in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, Yemen, that threatened the lives of 59 children, including 25 in intensive care. * The Nigerian government has earmarked US$1.3 billion to fund five critical projects across the country, Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed said in Abuja on November 6. * The Pakistani government will start negotiating a possible bailout package with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from November 7, local media reported on November 6. According to the local media reports, this would be Pakistan's 13th IMF bailout package since the 1980s. * Egyptian and French naval forces carried out joint military drills across the Mediterranean Sea on November 6, the Egyptian military spokesman said in a statement. * UN agencies said Tuesday that the number of migrants and refugees who died while crossing the Mediterranean this year has exceeded 2,000 while the numbers crossing the sea reached 100,630. * Environmental regulators in Germany have announced tougher national regulations for the use of certain crop protection products by farmers on November 6. * Mozambique Electoral Commission and the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) signed on November 6 in Maputo, a memorandum of understanding for a US$10 million project sponsored by EU to manage electoral processes and help the country build its democracy for a period of five years. * Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on November 6 that there is no need to deploy military bases of other countries, including Russia, in Belarus. * Iran unveiled a homegrown defensive missile system and a new 3D radar on the second day of the ongoing military exercise on November 6. The missile system, named "Mersad," is a medium-range and surface-to-air defensive technology with electronic warfare capabilities. Chivalry is dead, or so thinks college senior Blake Conway in the charming comedy The New Romantic. Canadian writer-director and AFI alum Carly Stones debut feature places a funny, intelligent young woman at the intersection of career ambition, relationship disappointment and 21st century economics that echo a bygone era. A sex columnist for her school newspaper, Blake points to Nora Ephron and Hunter S. Thompson as her inspirations, but she has not shaken her teenage affinity for Jane Austen in looking for her Mr. Darcy. As played with wonderful brio by Jessica Barden, Blake is goofy, but serious-minded; sensibly stylish but no fashionista; and fiercely determined to prove to her friends and colleagues that she can produce the gonzo writing to which she aspires. She also possesses the kind of callow spunk Lou Grant would have hated. Stone may lean too heavily on her indie pop soundtrack for tonal transitions, but shes savvy enough to let the real emotions play out across Bardens face, which can suggest a soliloquys worth of feels in a split second. Stones also written some nice supporting roles for Hayley Law, Camila Mendes, Avan Jogia, Brett Dier and Timm Sharp. The New Romantic follows a very familiar arc, but the path is certainly a pleasant one, thanks to Bardens naturally ebullient performance. Her enthusiasm in the fun parts is infectious, and she holds the camera during the moments of melancholy. Advertisement ------------- The New Romantic Not rated Running time: 1 hour, 22 minutes Playing: Laemmle Music Hall, Beverly Hills; also on VOD, Nov. 13 See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers Kevin.Crust@latimes.com @storyspheare Outlaw King tells a story that is both old and old-fashioned but does it in a decidedly modern way. Cowritten and directed by David Mackenzie, it gives hope to moviegoers who value venerable action genres and will be pleased to see them showing signs of life. Though Mackenzies last film, the Oscar-nominated Hell or High Water, was set firmly in the contemporary American West, he is as Scottish as his name implies, and this story of the 14th century journey of storied Scots ruler Robert the Bruce from outlaw to king feels like something hes been waiting his whole life to take on. Making excellent use of his High Water star Chris Pine as the Bruce, Mackenzie brings a contemporary sensibility as well as a sense of epic adventure and a passion for the period to a ripsnorter of a tale. Working with top cinematographer Barry Ackroyd (The Hurt Locker and Ken Loachs atmospheric The Wind That Shakes The Barley), Mackenzie shot entirely in Scotland (according to, the credits insist, the borders of 1320) and as much as possible in remote and beautiful areas. Advertisement Similarly the director, veteran production designer Don Burt and costume designer Jane Petrie have given Outlaw King a lived-in look, creating a world that appears muddy and primitive in Ackroyds immersive camerawork even when its inhabitants are at their most regal. For many non-Scots, key connections to the Bruce may be limited to the childrens storybook tale of his encounter with a persistent spider and his appearance as a character in Mel Gibsons Braveheart. We dont see the spider in action (though a few webs turn up, perhaps as tributes to the durability of the legend), and the Outlaw King script, written by Bash Doran, Mackenzie and James MacInnes, chooses to focus on a self-contained three-year period instead of complex and exhausting decades of battles. The action begins in 1304, when all the Scottish lords still standing arrive at Stirling Castle to pledge fealty to successful invader King Edward I of England (an excellent Stephen Dillane). William Wallace (Gibsons Braveheart character) is still at large, but his days are numbered. Robert the Bruce is there, along with his father and his three brothers, but he is not happy about Bruce the seniors decision to submit. Not one little bit. Content or not, this turns out to be a busy day for the Bruce. He has a run-in with the kings ill-tempered son, the Prince of Wales (Billy Howle), watches as the legendarily hot-headed James Douglas (scene-stealing Aaron Taylor-Johnson), known to history as the Black Douglas, gets thrown out of the big tent, and even has his personal life attended to. Florence Pugh in a scene from the movie Outlaw King. (Netflix) As a sign of royal favor, King Edward presents the widowed Scot with a new bride, his goddaughter Elizabeth de Burgh, expertly played by Florence Pugh, memorable for her starring role in British indie hit Lady Macbeth. Though quite young, Elizabeth is clearly a woman of spirit and nothing like the submissive type. In true movie fashion, sparks fly between her and the Bruce the moment their eyes meet, and watching their relationship play out over the course of the film provides a pleasant break from the films battle scenes, of which there are many. For it is the main business of Outlaw King to show the long and complex chain of circumstances that lead the Bruce to have himself first declared King of the Scots and then try to gather allies and reignite a rebellion against England that all his subjects are sick of. Though its unlikely Mackenzie would have thought of the American Pine for this role if the two had not previously worked together, the actor, best known for his franchise movie work in Star Trek and Wonder Woman, gets to exhibit a kind of brooding gravitas that suits him well. The films time span may be only three years, stopping at 1307s Battle of Loudon Hill, but the Bruce gets to experience lots of setbacks, including having to lead 50 men against the strongest army in the world. Like that unseen spider, he knows how to persevere. The director himself knows something about perseverance. Unhappy with the rushed cut that debuted at Toronto (It felt like it was a little long and perhaps there were one or two fight scenes too many), he went back to the editing room and cut some 20 minutes. Inevitably violent (though a disemboweling still seems excessive), as edited by Jake Roberts Outlaw King now moves along at a satisfyingly brisk pace. While we likely have not seen the end of Robert the Bruce on film, this for sure is a worthy addition to the canon. ------------ Outlaw King Rated: R, for sequences of brutal war violence, some sexuality, language and brief nudity Running time: 1 hour, 57 minutes Playing: Landmark, West Los Angeles, and streaming on Netflix kenneth.turan@latimes.com @KennethTuran True or false: The swaggering TV soap opera Dallas was conceived as an American version of Ingmar Bergmans intimate drama Scenes from a Marriage, his 1973, six-part Swedish miniseries later condensed for theatrical consumption. The answer true is one of the more unlikely things to be learned from Margarethe von Trottas admiring, reflective documentary Searching for Ingmar Bergman, a chatty and enjoyable but decidedly nondefinitive look at one of the cinemas most acclaimed, influential auteurs, who would have turned 100 this year. Its been a long time since Bergmans somber, symbolic, psychodramatic brand of art film turned heads and sent critics into paroxysms of praise. Which raises the question (not quite answered here): Does Bergman, a nine-time Oscar nominee who directed more than 45 features and TV movies (most of which he wrote) between 1946 and 2003, remain such an iconic figure among filmmakers, scholars, historians and other cinephiles older and younger? He clearly does to Von Trotta, who directed and co-wrote here with Felix Moeller (he also co-directed with Bettina Bohler). She has long counted herself among those irrevocably indebted to Bergman, starting with her first viewing of The Seventh Seal, his 1957 masterwork about life, death and chess. Von Trotta begins Searching by intercutting clips from the famed opening scene of Seal, in which Max von Sydows Knight meets the monk-hooded Grim Reaper on a rocky beach, with shots of Von Trotta exploring the exact Swedish seaside location where Seal was filmed. Its a kicky, stirring homage. Advertisement Interviews follow with such international filmmakers as Olivier Assayas (Clouds of Sils Maria), Ruben Ostlund (Force Majeure), Carlos Saura (The Spirit of the Beehive) and Mia Hansen-Lve (Things to Come); several actresses (most notably the great Liv Ullman, still a dazzler) and other Bergman movie collaborators; and two of Bergmans sons, Daniel and Ingmar Jr., plus a grandson all of whom intriguingly weigh in on the filmmakers impact on their work and lives. Complementing these folks heartfelt, passionate, at times amusing observations and anecdotes are provocative clips from some of Bergmans best-known films, including Wild Strawberries, Winter Light, Persona, Hour of the Wolf and Autumn Sonata, which help stitch together a strong reminder of his distinct visual and emotional style. (Oddly, Cries and Whispers, one of Bergmans most honored and infinitely dissectable movies, is omitted here.) Archival chats and behind-the-scenes footage with Bergman are also peppered into this hopscotching portrait. As reverent and ardent as those interviewed here may be about the writer-director, who also worked extensively in the theater, his many faults and quirks do not go unmentioned. Perhaps most significant was his contradictory attitude toward women: Although Bergman provided a host of fascinating, groundbreaking, sensual roles for such actresses as Ullman, Bibi Andersson, Harriet Andersson and Ingrid Thulin, his personal approach to his numerous lovers and wives was, according to son Daniel, far more selfish. That he was less-than-devoted to the nine children he had among his five wives (plus Ullman) each birth mainly serving to prove, at least in Bergmans mind, these womens love for him is just one of several examples of his narcissism discussed here. Its also said that Bergman was the real child of the bunch, a concept von Trotta smartly connects via clips from Bergmans child-centric family epic, Fanny and Alexander. Bergmans self-imposed exile to Germany in 1976 after he was charged with tax evasion by Swedish authorities (the charges were later dropped) is also covered, along with a dissection of two of his lesser-seen films, The Serpents Egg and From the Life of the Marionettes, both of which mirrored his dark, alienated state during this period. Von Trotta, who began her career as an actress and went on to direct such well-regarded films as The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum (co-helmed by her then-husband, filmmaker Volker Schlondorff), The German Sisters (a Bergman favorite) and, more recently, Hannah Arendt, spends much time here in front of the camera both as interviewer and solo participant. While that kind of self-insertion doesnt always work in documentaries, Von Trottas captivating presence and many significant, real-life intersections with Bergman make her a welcome guide. Searching for Ingmar Bergman. Not rated. Running time: 1 hour, 39 minutes. In German, English, Swedish, French and Spanish with English subtitles. Playing: Laemmle Royal Theatre, West Los Angeles; Edwards Westpark 8, Irvine. ------------ See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers calendar@latimes.com @LATimesMovies Steven Yeun is a master at playing nice. But after six years portraying moral compass and emergent leader Glenn Rhee on AMCs long-running The Walking Dead, the 34-year-old actor has embraced the opportunity to do something different. Its cool to be able to graduate from a show and experience such as The Walking Dead and be able to constantly stretch myself and put myself to the test, he said. I just hope I can continue to do that. Yeun has found one of his meatiest roles to date with Burning, Lee Chang-dongs haunting mystery drama and South Koreas official Oscar entry for foreign language film. He plays Ben, a handsome and wealthy Gatsby-type whose ceaseless pursuit of fun indicates a pervasive and gnawing ennui. Advertisement Times critic Justin Chang calls the film, which is now playing in limited release and expanding to additional theaters Friday, a romantic triangle, a crime thriller, a dark comedy of class rage [and] a parable for a divided nation. My character, he has a sense of emptiness about him, a sense of loneliness, said Yeun. Regardless of whether he has all the things that he needs in this material life, hes clearly or maybe not clearly missing something. Ben seeks diversion in Hae-mi (Jeon Jong-seo), an emotive firebrand whose dramatic highs and lows serve as a counterpoint to his calm remove. But he seems to get the biggest kick out of his encounters with Jong-su (Yoo Ah-in), a farm boy and Hae-mis would-be paramour, the perfect foil to Bens polished wealth. Theres a really fun connection to be made about what each character is burning for in their own right, what theyre waiting for, said Yeun. Hae-mi has been waiting for Ben, Ben has been waiting for Jong-su, and Jong-su has been waiting for Hae-mi. Something to make them feel again. Maybe hes been waiting for someone like [Jong-su] his whole life. The disappearance of one of the three in the third act leads to the collapse of their precarious triangle. Several clues are uncovered to imply Bens potential involvement, though the film offers no clear answers. And neither does Yeun. Director Lee was like, Youll be the only person that knows, and you will make that decision for yourself, he said. And then he asked me at the end of the shoot which one I chose. I told him that I wasnt going to tell him either. So Im the only one that knows. Steven Yeun, above, has a mysterious duality, says Burning director Lee Chang-dong. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times) REVIEW: Lee Chang-dongs Burning is a mesmerizing drama of rage, confusion and thwarted desire Lee was inspired to adapt Burning, which is based on Haruki Murakamis 1983 short story Barn Burning, because of the storys open-endedness. When I first read Murakamis short story, what interested me was the fact that, unlike other typical thrillers, theres no real resolution, he said. So I thought that this openness could then be expanded into other and bigger mysteries. Rather than barns, which are in short supply in Korea, the film substitutes the countrys ample greenhouses to explore themes of destruction and insouciance. Ben says theres a lot of dirty greenhouses everywhere and they make everything look disgusting, might as well get rid of them, said Yeun. As if hes some agent of nature to do that. And so it can imply an idea, it can be literal. Theres a lot of layers there, I think. Despite being fluent in Korean, speaking the language convincingly was a challenge for the actor, who grew up in Michigan (he was born in Seoul). Being conscious of the nuances and intonations of native speakers was tricky, he said, but that sense of difference was ultimately absorbed into the fabric of Ben. I think thats a part of the reason why director Lee cast me, said Yeun. Ben isnt American, but we didnt try to suppress my inherent Americanness in my body. Rather, we let it color the ambiguity of this person who, for all intents and purposes, looks, speaks and acts Korean. But then theres a weird energy about him where it doesnt seem right. Beyond lending a sense of the other, Lee said the range Yeun exhibited in the action-adventure Okja and on The Walking Dead also contributed to his decision to cast him. In Okja, he plays a character that is very bright and expressive, which is quite different from his character in Burning, the director said. This difference was very interesting because Ben could be a very scary serial killer or he could be a very kind, gentle and wealthy friend. This mysterious duality is a very important character trait of Bens and the fact that Steven could portray both sides of this was impressive. In Burning, Steven Yeun portrays Ben, who is equal parts charming and sinister. (WellGo USA) Yeuns portrayal of Ben, equal parts charming and sinister, is searing. In many ways the characters menace is rooted in his ambiguity. I think thats where a lot of the mystique comes from, said Yeun. Not that you can say, Hey, this guys creepy because hes evil, I actually think Bens creepy because youre just like, What are you? Who are you? So I played with that dissonance. It was easy to find moments where I could hang on to the evil interpretation of the character, he added. But then it became more interesting, in my opinion, to stray away from that aspect of him and really just deep-dive into being a present, lonely person. To embody that sense of loneliness, Yeun forced himself into Bens shoes, despite the ensuing discomfort. The character really started to click for me when I truly could see the world in the same way that he saw it, he said. Which was fun and not fun at the same time. In some ways, someone who can be brave in the face of chaos, in the face of examining and accepting that the world is, in his eyes, meaningless, and still be able to get up every day is freakier [than pure evil], he said. You dont understand that person . To get into the mind of an emotionally vacant person, he read works like Martin McDonaghs The Pillowman and Albert Camus The Stranger. Books by Nietzsche and zen-focused, Buddhist philosophies also lent color to the character, but it wasnt until the LA-based actor arrived in South Korea that Bens pathos really began to take shape. The character really started to open up to me when I was put in to interact with the actors, he said. That and also this pervasive sense of loneliness that I myself went through just being there. During production he stayed at the Grand Hyatt in Itaewon, a Westernized hotel situated by Mount Namsan (You can have a very Glass Tower experience from that place) and made the deliberate choice to isolate himself from everyone, opting to walk the streets and eat alone. Over time I was like, Im lonely, he recalled. But then what was really wonderful and refreshing was that I had a direct thing to put that into. Glenn (Steven Yeun), Zombie and Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) pretend to be zombies in an episodic photo from Season 1 of The Walking Dead. (Scott Garfield / AMC) RELATED: Director Lee Chang-dong and actor Steven Yeun on the profound mysteries of Burning Yeun got his start acting while at Michigans Kalamazoo College. Early on in his career, he scored the role of a lifetime as Glenn, one of the few principal characters in the first season of The Walking Dead. And on a show that kills off characters with alarming regularity, he continued for six seasons. I was so green and just kind of learning the ropes, said Yeun of his time on the AMC series. There, I felt like that was me just being physical. Really honing my skill and relying on my body to get me to a lot of places. Despite the popularity of his character (who met his demise in the epic season seven premiere), Yeun admits he doesnt miss the pace of television. I have in hindsight realized that these experiences sometimes get to be pretty intense and all-consuming, he said. Its really nice to be able to start a character and then finish. I dont know if I have the skill yet of being able to hang my hat at the door as well as I should be able to. Over the course of six years on the top-rated series, Yeuns star began to rise. He scored the lead role in the horror indie Mayhem and a supporting role in Okja. Most memorably, he played union organizer Squeeze in Boots Rileys sci-fi comedy Sorry To Bother You opposite Lakeith Stanfield and Tessa Thompson. Acting has been a really wonderful vehicle of being able to explore my own innate humanness and my own personality, he said. When you embody another being you get that real type of empathy that only stretches you and makes you larger and deeper. Thats what continues to draw me. As for how hed want his career to unfold, Yeun says he knows better than to tell the universe his plans. Much like Burning, you will never know, he said. We pull out a plan and thats great and all, but it never goes that way. So these days Ive just been following my gut to where projects lead. Its not me making choices per se, its more like, Heres a bunch of not great projects and then heres the one thats good, so Im going to do that one thats good. Maybe I want to be more human in my roles, maybe I want to normalize me to this society, to myself, I dont know. Those seem like the right moves, but who knows? Im just kind of going with it these days. The Walking Dead grad Steven Yeun and director Lee Chang-dong talk about why it was important to film Burning in Korea and how it changed Yeuns approach to the part. sonaiya.kelley@latimes.com follow me on twitter @sonaiyak Editors note: Author Harper Lee has died at the age of 89. Last year, when the prequel to her signature work To Kill a Mockingbird was released, we took a look at ways in which the original novel has influenced American culture: If you went to junior high or high school in the United States, chances are youve read To Kill a Mockingbird (or at least skimmed the CliffsNotes). Even if you havent, youve probably seen the 1962 film, starring Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch, perhaps the most iconic role of his career -- although early reviews of the book Go Set A Watchman indicate Atticus may not be as noble as everyone thought. If youve somehow managed to avoid both the book and movie, though, youre still probably more familiar with Harper Lees classic than you think. To Kill a Mockingbird has likely made more appearances in American pop culture than any other American novel (with the possible exception of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn). Its become an inescapable part of our cultural DNA, and with the upcoming release of Lees second novel, Go Set a Watchman, you can bet that even more Mockingbird references will be showing up on screens both big and small, on the radio and pretty much everywhere else. Advertisement What impact did To Kill a Mockingbird have on you? Join the conversation on Facebook >> Here are some of our favorites. TELEVISION One of the earliest references to Lees book on American television came in 1969, with an episode of the comedy Get Smart featuring the agents on the trail of a figurine called the Tequila Mockingbird. (Tequila Mockingbird is the joke that refuses to die. Theres a cocktail with that name, featuring lime juice, creme de menthe and tequila; an entire book of literary cocktails; the Los Angeles punk scenester; drag performers; and bars and restaurants in Maryland, Connecticut, Florida and New Zealand named after the groan-worthy pun.) A reference to the book shows up in the 30 Rock episode Murphy Brown Lied to Us, when Liz Lemon meets a smart, independent young girl whos trying to get her classmates to call her Scout. (It doesnt work.) Fans of Community might have recognized a shout-out to Scout Finch in the episode Paranormal Parentage, when the group of friends gets together for a costume party. Britta, played by Gillian Jacobs, is dressed as a ham just like Scouts famous costume in the To Kill a Mockingbird movie. And then, of course, theres The Simpsons. In the episode Diatribe of a Mad Housewife, Marge writes a romance novel, and Homer realizes hell have to read it. Hes not happy about it: I swore never to read again after To Kill a Mockingbird gave me no useful advice on killing mockingbirds. It did teach me not to judge a man based on the color of his skin, but what good does that do me? MUSIC Perhaps the most overt reference to Lees novel in rock music comes from the Boo Radleys, a 90s Britpop band that took their name from the reclusive, misunderstood hero in To Kill a Mockingbird. The band was best known for its insanely catchy song Wake Up Boo!, and the guitarist explained the groups name in an interview on the Creation Records website: We just thought it was a cool name. ... It was the one book we did in school that had any lasting impression on me. The Philadelphia hardcore punk band Paint It Black recorded a song called Atticus Finch, though the lyrics seem to have nothing to do with the soft-spoken attorney. Theyre also mostly unsuitable for work. Heres a slightly edited taste: "[Darn] parasite! / So dont talk until you take a walk in my Chucks / What the [heck]? / I guess youre [quite] out of luck. A little more family-friendly is Atticus, a song from the London indie rock band the Noisettes. To kill a mockingbird / Is to silence the song / That seduces you ... Constellations tonight / are so fiercesomely bright, my love / I have no fear / I am Atticus now. MOVIES Lee and Truman Capote were close friends, and the character Dill, Scouts friend, in To Kill a Mockingbird was based on the In Cold Blood author. So its no surprise that Lee shows up in two movies about Capote, Infamous and Capote. In Infamous, Lee is portrayed by Sandra Bullock, with Toby Jones starring as Capote. The two visit Holcomb, Kansas, the site of the murders that would eventually form the basis for In Cold Blood. Bullock plays Lee as cool and amused by her flamboyant friends antics, urging him to come in on little cats paws. (Its no use, Capote shoots back. This cat has long, noisy nails.) Capote, starring Catherine Keener as Lee and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman as the title character, plays out much the same way. Keeners Lee is also calm and charming, drolly thanking Capote after he tells her, Youre the only one I know with the qualifications to be both a research assistant and a personal bodyguard. To Kill a Mockingbird also shows up in the 2012 film The Perks of Being a Wallflower, based on Stephen Chboskys book, as an assignment given to a high school English class by Mr. Anderson, played by Paul Rudd. CELEBRITY OFFSPRING Jennifer Love Hewitt and her husband, Brian Hallisay, welcomed son Atticus into the world June 14. Other celebrities whove named their sons Atticus are Jason Behr and KaDee Strickland (in 2013), Casey Affleck and Summer Phoenix (in 2008), and Daniel Baldwin (in 1996). Honorable mention: Jake Gyllenhaals two dogs are a puggle named Boo Radley and Atticus Finch, a rescued German Shepherd. SHOPPING Out of Print clothing has T-shirts and pendants taken from the book while unofficial T-shirts from Atticus Finchs fictional law firm are available online. Blink-182 members Mark Hoppus and Tom DeLonge are two of the founders of Atticus Clothing. The streetwear company uses a dead bird as a logo. Craft site Etsy is a To Kill a Mockingbird extravaganza. Fans of the books can buy cufflinks, art prints, silk scarves, tennis shoes, e-reader covers, iPhone covers, bookmarks, necklaces, purses, coffee mugs and more. UNCLOTHED To Kill a Mockingbird has inspired dozens of different literary tattoos. One strategy is the simple mockingbird symbol. Another is the long quote: I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. Its when you know youre licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do. And then there are many styles in between. SEE YOU IN THE FUNNY PAPERS Perhaps the sweetest, and funniest, reference to Lee in recent pop culture comes from Berkeley Breathed, creator of the Bloom County and Outland comic strips. In one installment of Outland from 1994, Opus the Penguin reflects on To Kill a Mockingbird, his favorite book. Every summer since I was little, Ive re-read it, Opus reflects, just to remind me [of] the fragile thread of dignity and grace that unites the human tapestry. Opus is then told that a sequel to the movie version of To Kill a Mockingbird is in the works, and is handed the script. The sequel is not Go Set a Watchman, though. Its a movie called Kill Mo Mockingbird: Boo Radley Loose in the Hood, written by Quentin Tarantino and directed by Oliver Stone. Lee must have been amused: She sent Breathed a fan letter. ALSO: 23 fiction books youll want to read -- and share How to celebrate To Kill a Mockingbird and Go Set a Watchman Rereading To Kill a Mockingbird: It lingers, but not in the way he expected Earlier this year, I received an email that contained a link, which led me to a beautiful short film called the The Passage, which led me to the Lyric Hyperion Theatre in Silver Lake and the professional doorstep of Philip Burgers, aka Dr. Brown, teacher and clown. I might have encountered Burgers/Brown sooner had I seen his episode of the 2016 Netflix comedy anthology The Characters, or two short episodes on YouTube of Comedy Blaps, made for Britains Channel 4, or attended one of his several acclaimed appearances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. But it was The Passage, created and co-written by Burgers with director Kitao Sakurai (The Eric Andre Show) that I saw first, falling in love with its strangeness and simplicity. It moves from tension to release (to tension, and so on), from celebration to horror. There is drumming, there is dancing and there is death, as Burgers character is chased, for no clear reason, from a storefront church, to a Japanese bath house, to an African household, onto a Scandinavian trawler. Burgers doesnt speak at all, and none of the speaking characters speak English. There are no subtitles. You want to just be suggestive, Burgers told me recently, and then the audience has space to dream around it, and is an active participant in it. Their imaginations are working. Advertisement When I say that Burgers is a clown, you should not picture the white face, the red nose, the orange wig of circuses and nightmares. His training is theatrical and European and the sort of thing its practitioners often called work, though its goal is play. It is serious and silly, simultaneously. Still, in person, with a thick frizz of hair jutting out from beneath a ball cap, a colorful patterned shirt, shorts with dark socks and an energy that might be described as relaxed restlessness, there is something about Burgers one could call clownish. Phil can hide nothing, says collaborator Chad Damiani. (Damiani and Juzo Yoshida, partners in the clowning duo Jetzo, play Burgers mysterious pursuers in The Passage.) He says exactly whats on his mind; if hes upset, he wears it through his whole body. Hes, like, a pure clown. We were sitting with Burgers on the streetside patio of the Lyric Hyperion Theatre, at the corner of Lyric and Hyperion avenues. Burgers has recently improved the theater, replacing a Plexiglas partition with wood and creating a friendly, protected space within. He was just back from the Venice International Film Festival and a screening of Mexican director Carlos Reygadas new film, Our Time (Nuestro Tiempo), in which Burgers co-stars. Burgers, who speaks fluent Italian and Spanish, French quite well, a little bit of Polish and a tiny bit of Dutch, calls himself a nomad by nature. He says The Passage was born out of frustration of not traveling and not being exposed to new cultures. I was living in Echo Park in a gentrified neighborhood and going to my coffee shop with a bunch of other people who looked like me. And then Id drive to Westlake and its a totally different culture, people selling things on the street and Mexican churches; it was this whole other life I was not a part of even though I lived so close to it. He cites as an inspiration City of Gold, Laura Gabberts 2015 documentary about the late L.A. Times food critic Jonathan Gold, where he goes to different parts of L.A. and tastes their food and learns about their culture. I think that Phil has the ability to take ephemeral, instinctual, emotional ideas and find ways of making them concrete and real onstage and on screen while also retaining a sense of mystery, director Sakurai told me. Everything that Phil does I think he both understands from a very technical level, but hes OK with certain things being mysterious and coming out of the ether and not knowing why hes attracted to them. The film has had a run of good and bad fortune. It had its world premiere in February at the Sundance Film Festival (in the television category Indie Episodic) and more recently won awards at the L.A. Film Festival, Aspen Shortsfest and the New York Television Festival. (It works as a short film or a pilot, as the occasion demands.) But last month, as an upshot of the merger of AT&T and WarnerMedia, Super Deluxe, the studio that produced The Passage (with Abso Lutely, the production company run by Tim Heidecker, Eric Wareheim and Dave Kneebone), fell to the corporate ax. And the streaming service FilmStruck, which this month began offering The Passage for what was meant to be an indefinite run, was struck down as well. Still, you can see it there through November, as well as on the TBS Digital website and its YouTube channel. The irrepressible Phil Burgers, aka Dr Brown, tries to abide by a nearby sign at the Lyric Hyperion Theatre. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) Phil can hide nothing. ... Hes, like, a pure clown. Chad Damiani Learning to hear no Burgers, 41, grew up in Rancho Palos Verdes; his mother is Italian and his father is from Holland. His road to clowning was long and circuitous; he worked in Long Beach as a mental health specialist, doing outreach with the homeless; taught Spanish in San Francisco and Westchester; and was a production assistant before deciding that Hollywood felt like a very unhealthy breeding ground as a young artist. Its a good place to come when you know what you have to offer, but if you want to discover it, it feels really destructive to that process. Thats why I left, to go find my voice. He was 28, working in Italy as a bicycle tour guide, when he traveled to Scotland to check out the famed Edinburgh Festival Fringe and saw a show by a Philadelphia group called Pig Iron. [It] really blew my mind, Burgers said. It was a silent show, and it made me laugh, it made me cry, it was so beautiful. And I asked them afterwards, What is this? They said, This is clown. They directed him to the Ecole Philippe Gaulier outside Paris; Gaulier had trained Roberto Benigni, Sacha Baron Cohen and Emma Thompson. Its not an academic approach at all, Burgers said. You just have to come onstage and make us laugh or just be beautiful, and most of the time [Gaulier] just tells you how [bad] you are. Id always been this gregarious, outspoken, extroverted, entertaining type person and thought I was really funny. And I came to school with that kind of, All right, I got it, and he just killed it. The first four months were about me realizing Im not really good, and when I realized I wasnt good, thats when things started to come. Accordingly, anyone interested in taking classes with Burgers will find this warning posted on the theaters website: Come learn how not to take your self so seriously, be stupid and relatively free, and have fun with an audience. Note this sounds fun and easy, but the workshop is actually very difficult seriously. I (Dr. Brown/Philip Burgers) am often NOT nice and some people dont like this approach, but if you can handle admitting that what you just did on stage was horrible and nobody really laughed, then perhaps youll get something out of this class. Its called via negativa, Burgers said, which is by way of no. Its saying no to the work until theres a yes moment. Which is very different than the American approach, which is much more through positive reinforcement: Thats so great, keep going. Im also an American from Southern California, so positive reinforcement just naturally finds its way in. I am harsh, but its never no to you personally; its no to the work. But because the work is so personal, the lines are blurred. Phil Burgers, aka Dr Brown, has taken over the Lyric Hyperion Theatre and done some remodeling in both the building and the programming. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) When I say that Burgers is a clown, you should not picture the white face, the red nose, the orange wig of circuses and nightmares. I think its a really important thing, to protect this community of spirit, of having it not be too competitive, Burgers said. Clown work helps because you just admit you kind of suck. Once that happens, everybodys on each others side. After years working abroad, Burgers returned to the states in 2015 to make his episode of The Characters, an intricately choreographed single-shot circular journey along a block in Queens, in which he dodges in and out of wigs and costumes and characters, apartments and cafes and bars, gathering strangers as he goes. In its traveling structure, it prefigures The Passage, and though Burgers speaks in it, its a full-body performance. Moving back to L.A., he soon found his way to the Lyric Hyperion, where he began to perform and help develop other performers shows and where a troupe started to develop, made up of the people who inspire me the most, and who surprise me the most, that Ive found so far. Eventually he became the theaters creative director and, after former owner Mark Sherman moved out of state early this year, its owner. I just want this to be a safe place for failure, said Burgers, who recently converted the theater into a tax-exempt nonprofit, without the pressures of the commercial industry. I think the nonprofit ethos fits well with artists. The Lyric provides a platform no other theater in Los Angeles provides, said Natalie Palamides. Her one-woman shows Laid, about a woman who lays an egg every morning and has to decide whether to raise or eat it, and Nate, in which she plays a man to explore issues of consent, were directed by Burgers. And like Burgers own shows, they were Festival Fringe hits. Its really a home for artists to explore and to fail, whereas other theaters make you go through a process to put up shows in which they want to make sure youre not failing they make you submit an application and a script where at the Lyric they let you try out whatever your artist heart and brain desires. They encourage people to fail, because through failure is where we find the best things. Failure, of course, is only a place to start. I want you to do bad, said Burgers, but with the intention of making great work eventually. Phil always pushes you to keep refining and developing your work, Palamides noted. He doesnt let you sit in mediocrity, and hes always encouraging you to look for ways to subvert the material instead of just going for the cliches and the tropes. Even after we take the shows to Edinburgh, Ill still get pages of notes after every show. Phil Burgers, aka Dr. Brown, is always up for shocking his audience with his wry brand of comedy. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) Spirit of play The Lyric Hyperion Theater is not the only place theatrical clowning is done or taught in Los Angeles. There are clown shows at the Clubhouse on Vermont Avenue and the Pack Theater on Santa Monica Boulevard, and classes at Cirque Du Soleil vet John Gilkeys The Idiot Workshop and at the Clown School, whose David Bridel was a student of Gaulier. And its not all clowning at the Lyric Hyperion. There are stand-up nights, variety shows, plays, music, screenings. Sunday mornings theres a drag brunch; Sunday afternoons, a piano bar that brings in the older generation of the neighborhood. Its also a hangout; coffee and alcohol and some simple food are served. The mornings are busy, said Burgers, and at night its packed out here. As a performer, Burgers is directing his energy into taking that clown-y kind of playful stupidity, the spirit of play and irreverence and surrealness and bringing it into film. Im not so interested in doing solo stage stuff anymore. I did that for many years cracked that nut. Nevertheless, hell perform his unpronounceable one-man show, Befrdfgth, at the Lyric Hyperion Theater for three nights in December. Theyre prop-based and physical and really dumb, he says of his shows. I come on with this hes holding a bottle of water and pretend to drink and it falls all over me. Ill play with the audience too. Ill pretend that Im swimming and need a lifeguard, and they have to save me. Lots of visual gags and lots of action; there are no clever jokes in it. Its all a relationship between me and the audience and then playing with that relationship. Theres something very primal and innocent about clowning, Damiani told me. Its getting to this place where the audience can see everything youre thinking and feeling, and its all happening, no different than a puppy or a baby; we wear it all in our body and on our face. And the choices we make, no matter how dumb, the audience is on board because were connected with them. So much of this work is about receiving and being open, said Burgers, and not like performers where we see, Yes, Im a performer and they give so much. This is just the opposite: I listen, I watch, and with that we go somewhere. The Lyric Hyperion What: Shows, classes Where: 2106 Hyperion Ave., Los Angeles Info: (213) 928-2299, lyrichyperion.com ALSO Carlos Reygadas films search for authenticity beyond reality The fresh The Characters and the stale Flaked have Netflix in common and little else Review: In Homecoming, a Julia Roberts acting question and the dark fun of data-mining tyranny Review: Why Chilling Adventures of Sabrina will have you pulling for Kiernan Shipkas conflicted teen witch robert.lloyd@latimes.com Follow Robert Lloyd on Twitter @LATimesTVLloyd In a sprawling former meat warehouse in downtown L.A., a lifesize hippo sculpture stands guard mouth agape and milk crates embedded in its side merchandised with jars of jam. Around the corner, an out-of-print book about ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, sits on a shelf next to screen-printed T-shirts bearing images plucked from its pages. One street address away, but in the same building, a Paris-based designers fall and winter 2018 apparel collection hangs from pieces of repurposed fitness equipment. The space in between is a rabbit warren of retail spaces delineated by yards of chain link fence, gracefully curving galvanized metal and bone-white walls of hand-placed ceramic subway tiles. Welcome to Dover Street Market Los Angeles, the latest cabinet of retail curiosities from the folks behind the Comme des Garcons label. Officially open as of Nov. 3, its an ambitious, 15,000-square-foot bid to coax luxury shoppers out of their internet-spun cocoons and into an actual bricks-and-mortar space and one in downtowns Arts District without a single street-level window at that. She hates windows, says Comme des Garcons Chief ExecutiveAdrian Joffe on a recent tour of the space she being Joffes wife, Comme des Garcons designer Rei Kawakubo, who conceptualized the space. So our windows are going to be two event spaces. Those two 150-foot-square spaces, he explains, will house rotating art installations (at opening one is a dressed-up assortment of dinosaurs a collaboration between Kawakubo and artist Shimoda Masakatsu, the other has a Basquiat theme). Dont worry, though, the space isnt devoid of sunlight, which streams in through skylights high up in the vaulted ceiling. An art installation space curated by Rei Kawakubo, features the work of Shimoda Masakatsu. Those spaces act as our windows says Adrian Joffe. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) Advertisement In a pre-opening interview at the companys Paris headquarters last month, and again on last weeks tour, Joffe takes great pains to highlight what he calls a trans-sectional hut a massive wall-like structure that runs through the middle of the two conjoined buildings. He says Kawakubo envisioned the swath of corrugated metal, bleached-white wood and white subway tile as connective tissue. They arent walls, he says emphatically, but youre probably going to call them walls, arent you? Not-window windows, not-wall walls and an off-the-beaten path location so random that it all but requires the use of a mapping app (even if you think you can navigate to the corner of Imperial and 6th streets by yourself) may sound like a recipe for retail disaster, but Joffe and Kawakubo have built their stable of Comme des Garcons brands (currently numbering more than a dozen) and five other Dover Street Market retail spaces worldwide (the first opened in London in 2004, the only other U.S. outpost opened in New York in 2013) on being staunchly and creatively oppositional. An exterior view of the windowless Dover Street Market Los Angeles at the corner of Imperial and Sixth streets in the DTLA Arts District. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) That means a retail mix that ranges from some of the best-known luxury labels on the planet (Prada and a cabinet full of Chanel jewelry for starters, with Guccis Chateau Marmont capsule collection set to drop soon) to under-the-radar streetwear brands like Brain Dead (the Los Angeles label responsible for the aforementioned hippo sculpture and jars of jam the latter a quince-flavored collaboration with Sqirls Jessica Koslow that debuted at the store opening) and Doublet, a Tokyo-based label whose designer, Masayuki Ino, landed the 2018 LVMH Prize earlier this year and whose playful, gender-fluid pieces include things like screen-printed T-shirts that riff on the Hollywood sign using re-arrangable Velcro letters. Other labels in the mix include Maison Margiela, Stussy, Sacai, Raf Simons, Virgil Ablohs white-hot Off-White label and Thom Browne (and thats barely and we mean barely the tip of the DSM iceberg), as well as brands that are marking the opening of their first L.A. retail space like Brendon Babenziens New York-based menswear label Noah and British skate brand Palace. The Palace space at the new Dover Street Market marks the brands first retail space in Los Angeles. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) Other notable spaces waiting to be discovered include Idea Books (they of the ikebana books and T-shirts as well as tote bags emblazoned with the word drugs or talent), a collaboration between Nike and Eli Russell Linnetz (a photographer and director whos worked with the likes of Kim Kardashian, Kanye West and Lady Gaga) thats heavy on the lime green corduroy button-front shirts, and a West Coast outpost of Rose Bakery, a popular eatery thats taken up residence inside several other Dover Street Market locations. The art-meets-retail emphasis means theres something beautifully bizarre around just about every corner (and even above in the form of artist-commissioned chandeliers). At opening that includes furry, gaping-mouthed pillars standing watch over the wares of French clothing label Jacquemus like totem poles designed by Sid and Marty Krofft, the first permanent space worldwide for Marine Serre the French designer who won the 2017 LVMH Prize which consists of the fitness equipment mentioned above with a video monitor looping the labels latest campaign tacked on for good measure serving as the backdrop for an assortment of khaki-colored safari jackets, dresses fashioned from draped up-cycled silk scarves and mint-green rib-knit sweaters. Curved walls of galvanized metal flank the Comme des Garcons Homme Plus and Shirt space inside the new Dover Street Market Los Angeles. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) Kyle Ng, co-founder of the 4-year-old Brain Dead label, which is also carried in other Dover Street Market (DSM) locations, says that having the freedom to create what he wanted on site was a big part of the draw. DSM has always really supported us and let us do our own thing. Were really into art and sculptural stuff, he said, pointing to the hippo in the room. The clothes are secondary to us so its amazing to get an opportunity to execute things the way you want. (As for the hippo, Ng explains that as a result of his longtime fascination with taxidermy. The milk crates, he says, are a callback to the Brain Dead studio space, which is filled with them.) Those unfamiliar with the ways of Dover Street Markets around the globe should note that everything described above might well disappear in a matter of months. Thats because, in keeping with the overarching theme of beautiful chaos, all of the stores close for several days each January and June for a biannual new beginning, during which the interior and the assorted designer spaces evolve, reboot and restock. As to the larger question of whether customers will seek out the emporium of all things eclectic and open their wallets if they do the Nov. 2 press and VIP event the day before the official store opening (which drew Diane Keaton and Tommy Hilfiger, among others) saw three of the stores cash wraps with lines at least nine people deep, each customer queued up with an armload of merchandise to purchase. Dover Street Market Los Angeles, open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m., 606-608 Imperial St., Los Angeles adam.tschorn@latimes.com For more musings on all things fashion and style, follow me at @ARTschorn The phone starts buzzing. Its 6 a.m. Who is texting this early? The message reads: 12-pound bird. What temp? Stuffing in or out? It is Thanksgiving, I realize. For the next several hours, my phone turns in to the de facto Butterball Hotline for every panicked friend and family member in my life. Im sure its the same for most chefs: the barrage of predictable questions, and the feeling that no matter how good the advice I give, people will still do what theyve always done at Thanksgiving and be mildly disappointed with the results. As an immigrant kid growing up in L.A., all I ever wanted was to fit in and be American. I liked Korean food, loved it, ate it, but when Thanksgiving came around, I demanded we partake in the cultural tradition of the authentic American Thanksgiving, so my family made it all: turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes. I dont know that any of us liked it, but it felt the right thing to do. The centerpiece of any proper Thanksgiving is that burnished magazine cover turkey. And yet Ive never encountered an ingredient so vexing to so many as that benign bird. Turkey is actually quite difficult to cook properly. It takes a bit of finesse. I know, Ive tried. As a chef, I began experimenting with turkey techniques, trying to cook my way around the birds shortcomings and challenges: its dryness, its blandness and that skin that never quite crisps the way a chickens can (unless you cook it separately from the whole animal, though thats another conversation completely). I tried different types and methods of brining; I air-dried the bird a la Peking duck; I tried to luxurify it, stuffing white truffle shavings under the skin. No matter what I did, the results were still pretty boring. It was still just turkey. As an immigrant kid growing up in L.A., all I ever wanted was to fit in and be American. I know its part of a deeply rooted American holiday tradition, but eventually, I had to face the fact: It isnt worth it. Most people tell me that they dont even like turkey but that they like the traditional side dishes or the way gravy can right the inherent wrongs of the animals physiognomy. Sometime in the late 90s, when I was the chef of Michaels in Santa Monica, a Thanksgiving rolled around and my parents were back in Korea. There was no pressure to do the pretending-to-be-good-Americans thing. So I decided I would have a Friendsgiving at my house, and for the first time in my life, I didnt serve turkey. In fact, I was done trying to be traditional. I was taking this holiday overboard, no jumbo bird or stuffing or even marshmallow-covered sweet potatoes in sight. Still want turkey? Make your Thanksgiving meal on sheet pans Heres my thinking: If youre going to spend weeks planning and all day in the kitchen, why cook something staid? Heres what I do love about Thanksgiving: the idea of gathering friends around a table for a holiday that is almost expressly about the act of eating together. Why not push it all the way? Of course, being a chef, I rarely cooked at home, let alone had people over. So if I was going to do this, I wanted it to be special. I decided I would serve prime rib chefs, almost to a one, know that a properly cooked prime rib is about as good as meat gets. So I had my meat guy dry-age a rack of prime rib for me. When traditional sides don't cut it: cauliflower vadouvan gratin. Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times Recipe: Triple cheese curried cauliflower gratin I wanted the meal to kick off with ostentatious luxury that made it clear this wasnt Thanksgiving at your boring aunts house: We would down oysters and lots of caviar. My preferred oyster preparation is called Oysters a la Russe, a canape allegedly served on the Titanic the night it went down; I figured it was fitting to roll this out on the night I was sending old-school Thanksgiving to its watery grave. I added caviar to my version. Why not? Traditional sides wouldnt cut it. Stuffing is for turkeys, literally and figuratively. Instead, I made a savory bread pudding using cornbread, bacon and Swiss chard. For potatoes, I opted for pomme dauphinois, a labor-intensive southern French classic of paper-thin sliced potatoes layered with Gruyere cheese, cream and garlic. (You can also add Parmesan, and Cantal cheese if you can find it; these days, my potatoes also include cauliflower and are spiked with vadouvan, a kind of French curry powder-ish spice blend that you should definitely find for your cupboard.) Heres what I do love about Thanksgiving: the idea of gathering friends around a table When the oysters and caviar didnt feel opulent enough, I started doing versions of uni ssam. Basically a cross between nigiri sushi and lettuce cups using fresh Santa Barbara sea urchin, the dish involves sushi rice that has been lightly crisped and a savory-spicy fermented bean paste such as Chinese doubanjiang or Korean ssamjang to offer a funky contrast to the sweet flavor of perfect urchin. Recipe: Oysters a la russe This year, after pushing prime rib as far as I could, I am switching to racks of lamb, taking on a new challenge, taking the holiday a new way. Ive been tinkering with Sichuan flavors for many years now at my restaurant Lukshon in Culver City and Im obsessed with how cumin is used with lamb in Sichuan cooking. So Ive come up with a cumin-driven spice blend that really plays well with the gaminess of lamb. I really like the Asian tradition of serving rice toward the end of the meal. A big guest favorite these last few years has been congee made with king crab dashi and king crab meat and finished with a little cultured butter, a la risotto. Then covered in shaved fresh white truffle. Sichuan-spiced lamb from chef Sang Yoon of Lukshon. Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times Recipe: Sichuan spiced lamb What do we drink? Champagne and only Champagne: No one needs to bring anything to Sangsgiving. I raid my cellar I have been a Champagne fanatic for years and we start with bracingly tart blanc de blancs and then descend into pinot noir-driven roses. What my friends and I know as Sangsgiving is today an intentional feast of excess. In its nearly two decades, it has become an invitation my friends jockey for with little success. No more than a dozen are invited. There are no plus-ones; seriously I once ordered an Uber for a friends out-of-town buddy who showed up uninvited. Spicy uni lardo sushi lettuce cups Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times Recipe: Spicy uni lardo sushi lettuce cups Thanksgiving when I was a kid was about fitting in, about being as American as I could be, about recipes off boxes and cans and not even a little kimchi to make things taste better. My way of thinking about the holiday now is that bird or no bird, we gather, we eat, we give thanks. Sangsgiving is a perversity of sorts, but I like to think of it as a melting pot meal that represents everything I have learned and eaten and experienced here, served up as a special evening for my friends. It is as American as anything. Play our gift guide game and find presents for everyone Support our journalism Please consider subscribing today to support stories like this one. Get full access to our signature journalism for just 99 cents for the first four weeks. Already a subscriber? Your support makes our work possible. Thank you. food@latimes.com @latimesfood Some homeowners crave folding glass walls that extend the indoors outside. Others prefer floor-to-ceiling glass windows that bring the outdoors in. Yaniv and Nina Tepper wanted to see through their 1956 ranch house to better experience their Laurel Canyon environment. We wanted indoor-outdoor flow to connect to the canyon, says Yaniv, a partner at the Angeleno Group, a private equity firm that invests in clean energy. For the record: An earlier version of this story said that Yaniv Tepper is a partner at the Angelo Group. He is a partner at the Angeleno Group. Set on a lush hillside in Wonderland Park, the couples unremarkable home failed to live up to the impressive midcentury gems in the neighborhood such as Pierre Koenigs Case Study House 21. To help them reimagine the four-bedroom, three-bath house, Yaniv and Nina, a child psychologist, enlisted architect David Thompson of Assembledge+, who was deeply influenced by the historic enclave. Advertisement The neighborhood was created by landscape designer Garrett Eckbo and was built on inclusion, Thompson explains. You cant help but be a good neighbor when you are up against something as impressive as a Case Study House. Among the houses flaws to be addressed: There was a choppy floor plan with a childrens wing on one side and an awkwardly placed master bedroom Thompson guesses it was an addition on the other. A wall separating the master bedroom and main living area left the kitchen and dining area dark and cramped despite multiple skylights. Adding to the houses poor flow was limited access to the backyard and pool through a small door located next to the kitchen sink. Worst of all: There was little connection between the house and the outdoors. The master bedroom and bathroom addition, at right, clad in red cedar, rises above the house. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) Thompsons goal was to create a unified living experience on the ground level that connected the house to the front and back yards. He began by removing the wall between the dining room and the master suite to create a family room that extends to the pool. This simple move opened up the house and expanded the floor plan, making an immediate connection between the front and rear yards. Thompson then added a second-floor master bedroom suite that appears to float above the family room. Its separation from the house gives the floor plan below a sense of freedom. Play our gift guide game and find presents for everyone On the ground floor, Thompson left the childrens wing intact for Talia, 14, and Mayan, 8, and installed a bedroom and bathroom for Aiden, 17, between the family room and the houses garage-turned-media-room. Now the first floor has direct access to the front courtyard and the backyard courtesy of floor-to-ceiling aluminum sliding doors that are like moving windows. The front corner of the house is exposed to allow light and air in and offers sightlines through the house to the backyard. The new floor plan connects the interiors to the canyon. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) The transparency continues upstairs in the master suite and bath, where the floating rooms connect to the trees courtesy of frameless, glass-cornered windows. Its supposed to be a treehouse, Thompson explains. Thats why the house is clad in red cedar and the master bedroom rises. I wanted the addition to read as its own piece and disengage with the rest of the house. In another thoughtful move, Thompson installed a slim glass skylight between the original house and the additions. It adds a glimmer of sunlight to the ground floor and highlights the collision of old and new. We wanted to create a transparency between the two pieces, Thompson says. Gift wrapping ideas, tree lightings and where to shop for the holidays Its a juxtaposition that is not lost on Thompson, who is building a house for himself nearby. I wanted to engage all the pieces, Thompson says. The front yard is an experience. The backyard is an experience. Yet they all flow together and connect. Because smart house devices were important to the homeowners, the update includes photovoltaic panels; LED luminaires with full natural spectral light; NEST thermal controllers with energy-efficient settings; a home automation system that controls lighting, thermal comfort, audio, alarm and cameras; an electric charging station connected to solar panels; thermal films on glass; and digital real-time metering for electricity and water. The Tepper family; Yaniv and Nina and their children, from left, Talia, 14, Mayan, 8, and Aiden, 17, and labrador Jagger. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) Modern yet relaxed, the end result with help from interior designer Vanessa Alexander and landscape designer Mike Fiore is rustic, modern and family-friendly. Thompson refers to it as California Modernism, a new identity he hopes will honor the historic neighborhood. We were always trying to keep the spirit of this beautiful enclave alive, Thompson says. We wanted to keep the torch going. ALSO: A dated Tudor is reborn as a sun-drenched family compound. Call it Moroccan Modern After years spent traveling the world, this filmmaking family puts down roots in Pasadena Before & After: A modernist home goes from dark and dismal to filled with light After being convicted, Maywood Mayor Ramon Medina filed the legal equivalent of a Hail Mary: a motion asking a judge to dismiss an animal abuse case by claiming, in part, that he did not own the dog in question. It did not work. On Wednesday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michelle M. Ahnn denied the motion and ordered the mayor to complete five days of community service, attend animal care classes and not get into any more legal trouble for a year. Anthony Willoughby, the attorney representing Medina in the animal abuse case, said he plans to file an appeal on his clients behalf. Advertisement Medinas legal issues with the pit bull Hershey began in February 2015 after the dog was dropped off at a shelter in Downey. Animal control officers noticed that the animal couldnt move and was twitching, a sign that it was severely dehydrated, according to L.A. Countys animal control department. Pit bulls have a muscular tone appearance, but Hershey was not like that, said an official. You could see her ribs through her fur and you could see her hip bones on her back. Picture an extremely thin dog. Ultimately, Hershey was put down and the focus shifted to the dogs owner. Animal control officers were able to link the dog to Medina based on a form that had been filled out by the man who had dropped off the dog at the shelter. Authorities said the man, Bobby Wiley, was an employee of Medina and that the dog had been at his employers business, R&M Auto Service. Unable to get records from Medina about the pit bull, animal care officers sent the case to the district attorney to consider filing charges against the mayor. Prosecutors said they mailed a letter in September 2015, notifying Medina of the criminal case and informing him to appear in court on Oct. 22. Medina never showed up and a bench warrant for his arrest was issued. For more than two years, the case sat in the court system, until February when Medina went to court and pleaded not guilty of one misdemeanor count each of cruelty to an animal and failure to care for an animal. In August, a jury found the mayor guilty. Last month, the mayor requested that the case be dismissed because he was denied a right to due process. He said he had a right to a speedy and fair trial, which he said he didnt get. He also claimed there was insufficient evidence that he had committed the crime. Ahnn disagreed with those claims. She said Medina never expressed concerns about a speedy trial. In fact, the time given to the defense allowed them to locate Wiley, a crucial witness. She said that based on the evidence brought to the jurors they had determined that Medina was the owner of the dog and the evidence of the crime was the body of Hershey. In the statement posted on the armed group's website, the hardliner group said that a delegation from the group will attend the meeting in Moscow slated on November 9, to find a peaceful solution to the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan and seek what it called an end to "the US occupation" of the country. "A particular point needs clarification; this conference is not about negotiating with any particular side rather it is a conference about holding comprehensive discussions on finding a peaceful solution to the Afghan quandary and ending the American occupation," asserted the Taliban statement. The statement comes after the government of Afghanistan said it has no plan on sending delegation to the Moscow-led peace meeting on Afghan imbroglio. Afghan government has said repeatedly that it only wants to attend an Afghan-initiated and Afghan-led negotiation with the armed oppositions, but supports any peace talks in which Afghan interest was at the forefront. Thousand Oaks gunmans former college roommate: He kept to himself, always had his earbuds in The Newbury Park home of nightclub shooter Ian David Long is cordoned off by red tape. (Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images) A former roommate of the man suspected of entering a crowded nightclub Wednesday night and killing a Ventura County Sheriffs Sergeant and at least 12 others before killing himself described the gunman as quiet and reclusive. Blake Winnett said he lived with Ian Long, 28, for about two years after they met in 2013. The two were roommates in Simi Valley first and then in Reseda while Long studied at Cal State Northridge. He wasnt outgoing or talkative, Winnett, a set builder, said. He kept to himself, always had his earbuds in. He went to the gym, went to class, or rode his motorcycle. Winnett remembered trying to coax his former roommate into going out for a drink, usually without success. He never wanted to go, he said of Long, though occasionally the two went to bars around Los Angeles and Simi Valley, Winnett couldnt remember if they ever went to Borderline together Hes not really a country guy, Winnett said but knew Long had been there before. Winnett said Long had his quirks. Sometimes, he would hang out in the homes garage for hours in the 100-degree heat of the San Fernando Valley. Hed listen to electronic dance music and dubstep, dancing alone. He did it all by himself, Winnett said. Maybe he was just embarrassed by it? But hed be in the garage for an hour, 100 degrees outside and in the middle of the day. At the time, Winnett said, Long was also dabbling in Molly, the recreational drug. Winnett said his former roommate also took painkillers for an injury after a freeway motorcycle accident around 2015 Long had some friends, however, and was dating a girl at the time. His mom was a frequent visitor and was a sweetheart toward her son, Winnett said. I feel bad for her. She was always there for him, Winnett added. On Thursday morning, Winnett was wrestling with his memories and phoning old roommates to figure out how this happened. Winnett, who last spoke to Long a year ago, said he couldnt see Long carrying out such a massacre. Another former roommate told Winnett she had her suspicions. Shes like, I always thought if there was a shooting, he would be the one to do it, Winnett recalled her saying earlier Thursday morning. Neighbors in the Newbury Park neighborhood where Long lived most recently also described him as reclusive. Earlier this year, Tom Hanson, 70, who lives next door, said he called police after he heard Long tearing the house apart. Hanson said he was worried Long would hurt himself. I am not surprised, but Im shocked, he said. Nick Dichirico, 63, a retired Verizon employee, said he regularly talks to his neighbors while walking his dog, with the exception of Long. He was one person that wouldnt talk to anybody, Dichirico said. In what officials described as mass devastation, at least 1,000 structures were lost Thursday when a fire swept through the Northern California town of Paradise, forcing residents to run for their lives. The Butte County fire exploded from 10 acres to more than 10,000 acres in a matter of hours, taking direct aim at the town of 27,000 known as a popular retirement community. THE LATEST: Camp fire in Northern California explodes to 70,000 acres It has destroyed the town, said Scott McLean, a spokesman with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. By Thursday evening, it had charred 20,000 acres and left 15,000 structures under threat. Advertisement As people raced to safety, roads became choked with traffic, forcing some to flee on foot as the fire engulfed nearby homes and buildings. One hospital was evacuated its patients were taken to nearby medical facilities and parts of its campus were damaged by the flames. At least two firefighters and multiple citizens have been injured, though officials would not say if anyone has died. Named the Camp fire because it began near Camp Creek Road in Butte County, the blaze was first reported about 6:30 a.m., according to a Cal Fire spokesman. By midday, smoke had blanketed the town in darkness. Its been nighttime for the last six hours, the smoke has come down so low and so heavy, McLean said. At a Red Cross shelter in Oroville, two women described their harrowing escape from a burning mobile home park in Paradise. Soon after, the trauma hit Patsy Jacobs, 62, and she began to sob. Its all right, said her neighbor, Jane Palmer, 77. Were alive. The rapid spread of the blaze spurred acting California Gov. Gavin Newsom who is filling in while Gov. Jerry Brown is out of state to declare a state of emergency for Butte County. Hours after the Camp fire began, the same gusty winds caused another wildfire to erupt in Southern California, threatening homes in Ventura County. In Butte County, residents in several towns hugging California 70 near the Plumas National Forest were ordered to evacuate and the highway was closed. In addition to Paradise, people in Concow, Pulga, Magalia, Butte Creek Canyon and Butte Valley were told to leave their homes, according to the Butte County Sheriffs Office. Butte College was closed and turned into a command center for firefighters and other emergency workers. Multiple evacuation centers were opened in churches and on fairgrounds in nearby towns. Late Thursday, evacuation orders were expanded west to the city limits of Chico, according to the Butte County Sheriffs Office. Officers were working through requests to check the welfare of some 400 people, down from an initial 600-plus such requests, authorities said. Thousands of motorists spilled onto roadways, following recently redesigned evacuation routes intended to make it easier for them to escape. Yet many wound up sitting in gridlock or fled their vehicles in panic. Emergency crews tried to bump the abandoned cars out of the way, then called for bulldozers to clear a path. I saw a steady line of cars, bumper to bumper, trying to get out of Paradise, said Shaaron Vogel, 67, a member of the nursing faculty at Butte College. Watching the drivers that were trying to get away was horrifying because you could see their faces and how scared they were. It really brings it home how many lives its affected. And so fast. (Los Angeles Times) On social media, people trying to evacuate described being stuck in their cars, watching as nearby homes burned. The sky turned black with ash and smoke. Some abandoned their vehicles, creating yet another obstacle for those attempting to escape. Gilbert and Susanne Orr, who fled their home in Concow for the safety of a Red Cross shelter in Oroville, said they ended up sitting in stop-and-start traffic as sparks from the fire blew across their car. To make the situation worse, the drivers-side window on their Trans Am wouldnt close. It was burning on both sides of the road, and the wind was blowing and its just blowing right across the car, said Susanne, 68. We couldnt get the people to move, said Gilbert, 71. We were so scared. Everybody was so scared. The couples home survived a forest fire in 2008, but they said they dont think it will survive this one. By the time they left, taking little else with them except a young hound dog named Duke, there were flames by their woodshed and their pasture was ablaze. Kim Benn, 49, said she was so certain that she was going to die, trapped in her car with flames on both sides while trying to get out of Paradise, that she called her mother to say goodbye. The fire had caught her by surprise. It was miles away at least according to the TV news when what sounded like rain hitting the roof caused her to look outside. Chunks of burned wood, still smoking, were falling from the sky. Ten minutes later, a neighbor banged on her door, yelling that it was time to leave. She grabbed her cats and began to drive out through thickening smoke. Officials in Butte County said the growing fire posed a serious threat. Authorities said it was too early to begin to tally the structure losses. Nor could they confirm the stories of injuries and fatalities that began to emerge as the day wore on. Its bad, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea told the Chico Enterprise-Record. Were trying to get as many people out as quickly as possible and save as many lives as we can. Greg Rader, 55, who sought shelter in Oroville, said he met a woman there whose husband and 29-year-old son had died in the fire. Rader said that his own house was gone and that hed had no opportunity to take anything, not even his four cats. It was either leave now, or not be able to leave, he said. Ive been in Paradise since 2005, and weve had fires every year, but Ive never seen a fire like this, he said. Anywhere. Ever. Firefighters have had a difficult time with the dynamic and fast-moving blaze, Cal Fire spokesman Rick Carhart said. Theres a pretty good wind on the fire, and its in an area where access is extremely difficult, he said. The fire cut off power to about 34,000 customers in Butte and Plumas counties, according to a spokesman for Pacific Gas & Electric Co. The company had notified thousands of customers Wednesday that it was considering shutting off power in eight counties in Northern California as a safety measure in preparation for a forecast of high winds and low humidity a recipe for extreme fire danger. But a spokesman said PG&E has not taken this step yet. The utility did shut off natural gas lines to 12,000 customers in Paradise, officials said. Air quality officials warned residents in the Bay Area they would probably see and smell smoke from the fire that was burning far to the northeast. The National Weather Service issued red-flag warnings for fire danger in many areas of the state, saying low humidity and strong winds were expected to continue through Friday evening. anna.phillips@latimes.com Twitter: @annamphillips UPDATES: 10:20 p.m.: This article was updated with new figures. 6:45 p.m.: This article was updated with new evacuation orders extending west to Chico city limits. 6:20 p.m.: This article was updated with more information from Cal Fire and evacuees. 5:15 p.m.: This article was updated with information about structures destroyed. 4:20 p.m.: This article was updated throughout with additional reporting and comments from residents. 12:55 p.m.: This article was updated with new acreage numbers and details about power outages. 11:45 a.m.: This article was updated with additional information about the fire. 11 a.m.: This article was updated with evacuation centers opening and a comment from the California Highway Patrol. 10:20 a.m.: This article was updated with additional evacuation details. This article was originally published at 9:45 a.m. Kevin de Leon spent his longshot campaign against Sen. Dianne Feinstein arguing that she was not sufficiently fighting against President Trump and his conservative agenda in Washington. But when election night came, De Leon ended up garnering strong support from some of Californias reddest counties, including those who want to break off from the liberal bastion to become the state of Jefferson. It was an ironic end to a race in which where De Leon always trailed in the polls and ended up losing 54% to 46%, according to preliminary figures. Because two Democrats were the top primary vote getters, there was no Republican on the ballot. Before Tuesday, many policy experts thought droves of Republicans wouldnt vote in the Senate race. Advertisement That seems to have happened to some degree whereas 7.1 million people voted in the governors race, about 6.3 million voted for either Feinstein or De Leon. Keith Smith, associate professor of political science at University of the Pacific, said he expected even more of a dropoff than that. Since she played such an outsized role in the Kavanaugh brouhaha, she became a focal point for Republican discontent in the process, Smith said. I do think there are a number of Republicans who otherwise might have sat out the election and chosen not to vote who did vote for De Leon because he wasnt Feinstein. Feinstein, a ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, became the target of more Republican ire than usual after the Kavanaugh hearings, with President Trump tweeting about the California Democrat and mentioning her while out stumping for Republican candidates. In early October, Trump supporters chanted Lock her up! in reference to Feinstein as the president stood on stage and argued that Feinstein leaked the letter from Northern California psychology professor Christine Blasey Ford in which Ford accuses Justice Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when they were teenagers. Trump didnt start the chant, which was previously reserved for Hillary Clinton. Youre talking to a Kevin de Leon voter, and thats plain and simple because I wanted to punish her for what she did to Brett Kavanaugh, and I did that even though I know a lot about De Leon, said Bill Whalen, a research fellow at Stanford University s Hoover Institution and former speech writer for Republican governor Pete Wilson. Feinsteins campaign disagreed that De Leons Republican support was from voters upset about Kavanaugh and argued that, instead, it was because people know where Feinstein stands on gun control, LGBTQ rights and abortion and they know they disagree with her. They didnt decide they were voting for Kevin because they agreed with him, said Bill Carrick, Feinsteins longtime strategist. I think that, ironically, he was rewarded for being relatively unknown with Republican voters. Thats why I say he was the stealth Republican candidate. People on the other side of the aisle agreed with that assessment. In the primary, De Leon did well among white progressives, Republican consultant Mike Madrid said, but in the general election, many of his votes likely came from white conservatives. What seemed his greatest weakness was actually De Leons greatest strength his lack of resources didnt allow him to interject himself into the campaign in a way that clarified what he stood for, and it became a straight referendum on Feinstein, Madrid said. In the end, De Leon won 40 of California 58 counties, many of them in rural areas that have long supported Republicans, according to early unofficial voter data. But he lost the most-populous counties, and not just deep-blue ones like Los Angeles and San Francisco. Feinstein carried Orange County as well as San Diego. (Kyle Kim / Los Angeles Times Graphics) De Leon said people voted for him because he spent a substantial amount of time in the Central Valley and made campaign stops in the Inland Empire, talking to both Democrats and Republicans who expressed disdain over the establishment authority. He said he did not agree that he received votes because people didnt know who he was. For the first time in 25 years, we had real conversation in California about the values we want represented in Washington, De Leon said. Im proud to earn the support of nearly 3 million Californians and 70% of the counties across the state. Those numbers come as a shock to pundits and critics alike because I was never supposed to be here at all a Latino kid with an Irish first name who grew up dirt poor, I have been constantly underestimated. De Leon was outspent Feinstein entered the last few weeks of the race with more than a 10-1 cash advantage meaning he never had enough in his campaign coffer to advertise on TV or on the radio, a key part of running in a state as large as California. He didnt get a chance to tell voters his platform and Feinstein didnt make any effort to run attack ads telling residents why they shouldnt vote for him. The two met publicly only once for a public conversation, rather than a debate, in mid-October in San Francisco, and they stayed cordial toward one another. Feinsteins campaign strategy for the most part seemed to largely ignore De Leon and focus attention on her goals to pass healthcare reform and stronger gun control regulations. That worked, as even though thousands of Republicans seem to have chosen her opponent, she had plenty of Democrats willing to give her whats thought to be her final term in the Senate. This is a clear Kavanaugh effect, said Thad Kousser, chair of the political science department at UC San Diego. She faced a lot of criticism from national Republican leaders, including President Donald Trump, when Republicans were trying to make up their mind about who the lesser of two evils was in the Senate race. It doesnt take much to swing someone when its a Republican choosing between two Democrats. Staff writer Sarah D. Wire contributed to this report. jaclyn.cosgrove@latimes.com @jaclyncosgrove Advocates in Fresno have long urged city leaders to spend more on its neglected parks. The Trust for Public Land consistently scores Fresno at or near last out of the largest 100 cities nationwide. The city scored 94th this year. For the record: An earlier version of this article identified the head of Fresno Building Healthy Communities as Sandra Celeson-Castro. Her name is Sandra Celedon-Castro. That wont change soon. Nearly half of Fresno voters cast ballots for Measure P, a sales tax of less than half of 1% that would have been used to create parks in neighborhoods that lack park access, clean and update existing parks, improve recreational and cultural programs, and provide job training for veterans and at-risk youth. The measure required two-thirds of the vote to pass. The measure would have raised $37.5 million each year for 30 years, with almost half going toward maintaining existing parks and nearly a quarter facilitating the creation of others. Advertisement Opponents including Mayor Lee Brand said the measure was well intentioned but would take money away from public safety services such as police and fire. Brand worried that voters in the city where one in three residents live below the poverty level wouldnt tolerate additional taxes for those services. Instead, he plans to work on a 2020 ballot measure that includes both. Ill be the first to say we need help with our parks, he said at a news conference last month. Nobody here is against parks, but we need a balanced approach because it totally neglects public safety. Advocates, including former Mayor Ashley Swearengin, said better parks would make Fresno more desirable by improving property values and decreasing crime rates. They said leaders had failed for decades to care for the citys green spaces. The stats are hard to ignore. Roughly half of Fresnos population doesnt live within walking distance of a park, according to a parks plan from 2016. Last year, Fresno the fifth largest city in California spent $35 per capita on parks, according to the Fresno Bee. By comparison, Bakersfield spent $74 and Sacramento spent $119. Using city data, Fresno Building Healthy Communities, which led a campaign advocating for better parks, found a significant disparity in where parks are located throughout the city. South of Shaw Avenue, known locally as the dividing line between wealth and concentrated poverty, there was 1 acre of green space per 1,000 residents. North of Shaw, that number increased to 4.6 acres. Starting in 2015, advocates plastered billboards with that information around the city. Your ZIP Code shouldnt predict how long youll live but it does, the advertisements read. Sandra Celedon-Castro, who heads Fresno BHC, said the close results show that Fresno residents want clean and safe neighborhood parks. Just policing our communities is not the answer to crime and poverty, she said. Quality parks are part of the real answer. Parks provide young people with safe spaces to grow and thrive. andrea.castillo@latimes.com | Twitter: @andreamcastillo State authorities are asking people who believe they have been sexually abused by clergy members in California to come forward with information. The plea comes after several Roman Catholic dioceses across the state released the names, in some cases for the first time, of priests accused of sexual misconduct. In light of the news surrounding the sexual abuse of children by members of clergy or religious organizations across the country, the Department of Justice is gathering information from the public regarding complaints of this nature in California, state Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerras office said in a statement. If you believe youve been a victim of or have information regarding incidents of sexual abuse by clergy members in California, please report it at: https://t.co/ysZXkLKX51 The CA DOJ is gathering information from the public regarding complaints of this nature in California. Xavier Becerra (@AGBecerra) November 7, 2018 Advertisement Last month, the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Jose released the names of 15 priests who worked in Santa Clara County and were accused of sexually abusing children. Of them, nine are dead and the rest have been banned from the ministry. Four of the men had been convicted of sex crimes. The list released by the San Jose Diocese did not describe the cases in detail. The reported allegations occurred from 1961 through the early 2000s. The San Diego Diocese updated its public list in mid-September. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the Diocese of Orange are reviewing their lists of credibly accused priests which were last updated in 2008 and 2016, respectively to see whether any names should be added. The San Bernardino Diocese released the names of 34 priests on Oct. 8. Anyone with information about sexual misconduct by clergy members is asked to report the incident online or email ClergyAbuse@doj.ca.gov. alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com Twitter: @AleneTchek Before the gunshots shouted into the night, before he pushed through that barroom door, before the bullets struck and his body crumpled, Sgt. Ron Helus was on the phone with his wife. I gotta go handle a call. I love you. Ill talk to you later. The words had been uttered countless times by the Ventura County sheriffs veteran who was on the brink of retirement. He had worn a badge for 29 years the span of his marriage, and one year longer than the life of the gunman who would take it all away. Helus, 54, had a reputation as an easygoing, lighthearted officer, always up for small talk. Patrons at the Starbucks where he grabbed his morning coffee knew his smile. Regulars at his gym in Camarillo recalled how he struck up conversations about current events. On Thursday, his usual elliptical machine was kept off-limits and displayed his photo. Advertisement Ventura County Sheriffs Sgt. Ron Helus was among the victims in a mass shooting at a Thousand Oaks bar Wednesday night. (Ventura County Sheriffs Department) See full coverage of the Thousand Oaks shooting In his Moorpark neighborhood where he gave out his phone number and urged people to call if there was trouble even if it was the middle of the night Helus was remembered for his generosity and welcoming personality. The neighborhood is pretty quiet because of him, said Zac Hernandez, 56, who has lived across from the Heluses for more than two decades. Im going to miss him terribly. I really cant believe hes gone. When he joined the Sheriffs Department, Helus quickly established himself as a leader. With a knack for investigations, he worked narcotics, was on the SWAT team for many years, and was a firearms instructor. He was an unbelievable man, Sheriffs Capt. Garo Kuredjian said. He was a lifetime learner, a trainer, a mentor, a leader. He was a cops cop. But there were two things he placed before his job: his wife Karen, and his son, Jordan, 24. Even though he was a police officer he still made sure he was at every step of Jordans life, said friend Sheila Karn, 47. On Facebook, Helus mentioned his son often, calling him the best son in the world, and a fine young man with incredible character. He made every effort to attend school events, even field trips across the country. Friend Tamara Rossie-Molina asked Helus if he would be willing to serve as a mentor for her son, who wasnt speaking with his father much after his parents divorced. I talked to Ron, seeing if he could kind of be there in my sons life. And he absolutely did, said Rossie-Molina, 55. He would talk to him at all the football games and ask him what he was doing, checking in. He was a stand-up guy who you could count on, she said. When he said something it meant something. Helus was a Notre Dame football fan and a workout fanatic, often at the gym or learning karate. He once showed up to work with a black eye that he said he had gotten at the dojo and laughed at the ribbing from his colleagues. He loved laboring over barbecue ribs and tri-tip and was also an avid fisherman, specifically interested in freshwater trout. He took great pleasure in camping trips to Mammoth Mountain with his son. He liked the solitude of remote areas, of getting away from law enforcement and work it was his refuge from everyday life, said Steve Capuano, a friend and retired sergeant. Helus had his eye on life beyond the department and had recently started his own business in firearms training. Two years ago, he earned his masters degree in administrative leadership online from the University of Oklahoma. Friends said his wife proudly talked about Helus accomplishing this while holding down a full-time job. He was a shining star student, one of the best and most responsible Ive ever had, said Martha Banz, one of his professors and the interim dean of the schools extended campus. Banz recalled one of Helus favorite quotes: Live your life so that the fear of death never enters your heart. Helus had responded Wednesday to Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks immediately after the 911 call came in at 11:20 p.m. Gunshots were fired from inside the dance hall. Helus went in through the front door. A California Highway Patrol officer eventually pulled Helus out of the line of fire. The sergeant died at Los Robles Regional Medical Center. Twelve others were killed, including the gunman. The procession that carried Helus body in a black Cadillac hearse to the medical examiners office later that morning was held to the soundtrack of helicopters and deputies motorcycles. Officers saluted. Onlookers placed hands over hearts. Sheriff Geoff Dean called Helus a dear friend known for holding meticulous briefings and trainings so that officers stayed safe. He praised Helus actions. Our officers know, when you get to a scene, and theres two of you, or even just one of you, and theres shooting going on, you go in, Dean said. Colleagues who woke to reports of Helus death passed the news around in shock. He was so absolutely proficient if theres anyone that could have survived the encounter last night, it would have been Ron, Capuano said, stopping himself as he tripped on the words and cried. The same thought struck Sheriffs Sgt. Eric Buschow who started with the department around the same time as Helus. Buschow called Helus an instinctive cop. Hes a tactician, so I have no doubt he employed the best tactics possible. Unfortunately in a chaotic situation like that, youve just got to go in. And he did. What else do you call that, he said, but heroic? Para leer esta nota en espanol, haga clic aqui Times staff writers Rong-Gong Lin II, Angel Jennings, Benjamin Oreskes, Marisa Gerber and Sean Greene contributed to this report. UPDATES: 8:25 p.m.: This article was entirely rewritten to include new information and quotes from colleagues and friends. 12:40 p.m.: This article was updated with details on the sergeants call with his wife and additional information from the sheriff. 11:50 a.m.: This article was updated with comment from Ventura County Sheriffs Deputy Chris Dyer. 5:35 a.m.: This article was updated with additional details and quotes from sheriffs Capt. Garo Kuredjian and Sgt. Eric Buschow. This article was originally published at 3:40 a.m. They descended on free-wheeling Venice Beach with clipboards and questions in hand. Their goal: to gauge humanitys tolerance for the smell and sight of public pot smoking. Akbar Karriem considered them ridiculous. Everybody be smoking, Karriem said as he sat on the boardwalk and lit a marijuana pipe. Its part of the culture here. Its like a religion. It wasnt quite noon Wednesday when the women from the Institute for Public Strategies arrived. As sidewalk vendors set up their tables and laid out their wares, the women politely approached bystanders at the Venice Beach skate park and began their questioning. Advertisement Do you ever notice marijuana smoke in this location? How often? Do you or someone you know suffer an allergy or sensitivity to marijuana smoke? If yes, how much does it bother them on a scale of 0 to 4? One of the goals of the survey, said Westside Impact Coalition Director Sarah Blanch, was to learn where people encounter marijuana smoke in public, what they think of it, and if anything can be done to minimize it if its a problem. Theres a pervasive view that its not harmful, she said. The surveys are being conducted countywide through March and the effort is funded by the countys Department of Public Health. They hope to get feedback from 10,000 business owners, residents and visitors and then return next summer with a list of recommendations on how to notify and educate the public about marijuana laws and risks. Some people they talked to were a bit skeptical of the survey. When Blanch interviewed a man on a Bird scooter, her questions were met with befuddlement. Is there anything you can do? Damian Alli asked Blanch. I honestly dont think anything can be done at this point. The floodgates are wide open. Alli, 29, said he grew up around the smell of marijuana in Long Beach. Even though he doesnt smoke it, he said the smell doesnt bother him. If it still bothers you, people got to get with the times, he said. Its become the norm. Skateboarder Dominique Jones said while concerns over marijuana smoke might make sense in some places, the survey takers werent likely to hear much of that on the boardwalk Wednesday. That smell is a lot better than a lot of the other smells around here, he said. New Yorkers Andrea Georges and her boyfriend, Kevin Dolan, were visiting the skate park while house hunting in West L.A. Georges, 26, said she barely noticed the smell of marijuana as she walked through Venice. Compared with Brooklyn, it was nothing, she said. Who cares? Its the same with cigarettes. People still do it, she said. David Guerci can attest to that. Hes one of the managers of Native American World, a clothing store thats been on the boardwalk for 20 years and is now two doors down from the Green Doctors, a medicinal marijuana recommendation office. There was a time when youd occasionally see someone smoking a joint on the sand or down by the water line, but now its a daily occurrence, Guerci said. He said he thinks the increase in pot smoking is connected to an increase in homelessness. Theres places to do it, [like] in the privacy of your home, he said. But if you have no place and this is where you reside youre exposed. But there appear to be few complaints as long as youre discreet, said Joe Killmeister, 33, of Sacramento. An employee at another boardwalk storefront, Killmeister said he moved to Los Angeles two months ago and was busted for smoking a joint in public his first month on the job. I didnt see him because he was plainclothes, Killmeister said of the cop who handed him a $250 citation. He wasnt too harsh. But he wasnt cool at all. joseph.serna@latimes.com For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna on Twitter. The election may be over, but officials say nearly a million ballots have yet to be counted in Los Angeles County, leaving the outcome of one tight race up in the air. Of the estimated 984,000 outstanding ballots, almost 60% are vote-by-mail ballots collected at the polls or postmarked on or before election day, and nearly 40% are provisional ballots, according to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. The agency will continue to log vote-by-mail ballots postmarked appropriately through Friday. A tiny percentage of outstanding ballots include conditional and miscellaneous ballots. About 4,000 people in Los Angeles County cast ballots under the Conditional Voter Registration program, which allows residents who missed the voter registration deadline to vote. About 8,000 more ballots are in the miscellaneous category, which include those that have write-ins, are damaged, need to be remade or require further review. Advertisement The uncounted ballots could sway the Los Angeles County sheriffs race, which has so far been too close to call. Incumbent Sheriff Jim McDonnell is in jeopardy of being ousted as his challenger, retired Sheriffs Lt. Alex Villanueva, took a razor-thin lead in the race to head one of the nations largest law enforcement agencies. With 100% of precincts reporting Wednesday, Villanueva was ahead by only 4,927 votes. Historically, the sheriff of L.A. County could count on being easily reelected in the primary, but Villanueva disrupted that pattern when he became one of only four challengers in the last century to push a sitting sheriff into a runoff. Meanwhile, in Orange County, about 400,000 ballots remain to be counted. Voters in Anaheim were split on a living wage initiative that would require hospitality businesses that accept a city tax subsidy to pay hourly wages of at least $15. Measure L was leading by only about 500 votes Wednesday. Also close is the race to represent Orange Countys 48th Congressional District. Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher trailed his Democratic challenger, Harley Rouda, by just 3,602 votes Wednesday evening. Times staff writer Maya Lau contributed to this report. alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com Twitter: @AleneTchek Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev co-chair the 23rd China-Russia Prime Ministers' Regular Meeting in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 7, 2018. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) BEIJING, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- China and Russia agreed on Wednesday to further enhance political and strategic mutual trust while expanding economic and trade cooperation. The agreement came as Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev co-chaired the 23rd regular meeting between Chinese and Russian heads of governments here in Beijing. The meeting is the first of its kind since the two countries formed new governments and it is of great importance, serving as a link between the past and the future, said Li. He said China and Russia are the biggest neighbors in the region and provide important development opportunities to each other. Noting that the presidents of the two countries have met multiple times and the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination has been maintained at a high level, Li said this is not only in line with the interests of the two countries and the two peoples, but also conducive to the stability of the world and the recovery of the global economy. "China is willing to work with Russia to continue deepening political and strategic mutual trust, expanding all-round cooperation and jointly contributing to world peace, stability and development," said Li. Li and Medvedev listened to reports by Chinese vice premiers Han Zheng, Sun Chunlan and Hu Chunhua, as well as Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Anton Siluanov, and deputy prime ministers Tatyana Golikova, Maxim Akimov and Yury Trutnev. Hailing the rapid development of China-Russia economic and trade cooperation since the beginning of this year, Li said the bilateral trade volume will hopefully exceed 100 billion U.S. dollars by year-end, and there is great potential in the future. He called on both sides to further improve trade facilitation, expand mutual investment, reinforce agricultural cooperation, boost cross-border e-commerce development and enhance cooperation in areas of innovation, especially the application of science, technology and basic research. Li also called for intensified people-to-people and local exchanges as well as cooperation in areas of media, youth, tourism, health and sports. China stands ready to work with Russia to be committed to upholding the basic principles and spirit of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and safeguarding free trade and multilateralism, Li said, adding that China will synergize the Belt and Road Initiative and the Eurasian Economic Union. For his part, Medvedev spoke highly of the high-level mutual trust between the two countries, saying Russia is willing to intensify exchanges with China at all levels, further enhance substantial cooperation and expand trade scales. He encouraged both sides to strengthen cooperation in areas of innovation, e-commerce, agriculture, energy, nuclear energy and transportation. The two heads of government agreed to uphold multilateralism and free trade with the WTO as its core. Medvedev also called on both sides to enhance communication on the reform of the WTO and coordination and cooperation under the frameworks of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS. After the talks, Li and Medvedev signed the joint communique of the 23rd regular meeting between Chinese and Russian heads of governments and witnessed the signing of a series of deals in areas including investment, energy, local cooperation, cultural exchanges, agriculture, quality inspection and aviation. The two heads of government also jointly met with the press following the signing ceremony. Calling the meeting "pragmatic and efficient with fruitful results," Li said the dialogue that has run for 22 years without interruption is proof of high-level and stable China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination and bilateral cooperation in various fields. According to Li, the two sides agreed to continue exploring the potential of two-way trade and investment, strengthening cooperation in science and technology innovation, and enhancing local cooperation between China's northeastern provinces and Russia's Far East to cultivate growth points in areas of resources and agricultural products. The two sides will jointly work to put the agreement on economic and trade cooperation between China and the Eurasian Economic Union into effect at an early date, start negotiations on the Eurasian economic partnership in a pragmatic manner and lay a foundation for the building of an all-round and high-level trade and investment liberalization arrangement in the Eurasian region that will open up to other economies, Li said. Medvedev called on both sides to support cooperation between small and medium-sized enterprises and strengthen cooperation on oil and natural gas projects. Both sides expressed willingness to dovetail the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and Russia's Eurasian Economic Union. China's top legislator Li Zhanshu also met with Medvedev on Wednesday, calling on the two nations' legislative bodies to provide legal protection for the continued high-level development of bilateral ties. Medvedev is paying an official visit to China from Nov. 5 to 7 at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. During his stay in China, Medvedev also attended the opening ceremony of the first China International Import Expo on Monday in Shanghai and met with Chinese President Xi Jinping there. Challenger Alex Villanuevas narrow lead over incumbent Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell came as a result of strong support in areas dominated by Latino voters, according to a review of detailed election results released Wednesday. Unofficial results show that Villaneuva, a retired sheriffs lieutenant, outperformed his opponent in places like Southeast Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley and the Pomona Valley. Tuesdays election results mirror those of the June primary, when the 55-year-old Villanueva, who has Puerto Rican and Polish American heritage, won strong support from voters in those same heavily Latino areas. But he also made inroads in areas like Central L.A. and the Westside. In Santa Monica, the early count showed Villanueva slightly ahead, an improvement on his 33% in the primary, which also featured a third candidate, Bob Lindsey. McDonnell lost ground there. Advertisement In Central L.A. neighborhoods such as Mid-City and Mid-Wilshire, Villaneuva picked up many precincts where McDonnell was the top vote-getter in the primary. In West Hollywood, the early results showed Villaneuva with a large lead. In June, he won only 42% of the citys votes to McDonnells 49%. How your neighborhood voted in the razor-thin L.A. Sheriffs race McDonnell appeared to have picked up most of the precincts that Lindsey had won in the June primary in the San Gabriel Valley neighborhoods of Glendora and San Dimas. With 100% of precincts reporting, Villanueva was ahead by less than 5,000 votes out of 1.6 million counted as of Wednesday afternoon. The L.A. County registrars office estimates there are 984,000 ballots left to be counted, the majority of which are mail-in ballots. Its unclear how many of those include votes cast in the sheriffs race. McDonnell, 59, campaigned on a promise to continue reforms he championed in his first term, such as reducing serious jail violence and enhancing mental-health care behind bars. But the Sheriffs Department faced new criticism in recent months. A Times investigation found that a team of deputies targeted thousands of innocent Latino motorists on the 5 Freeway in drug searches, a practice now under review by the countys inspector general. There also have been concerns about why the department has not done more to curb deputies wearing of matching tattoos that critics say are indications of secret cliques within the agency. Those issues completely reinforced the idea that Villanueva is a reformer, a Democrat who is coming in here to shake things up, said Fernando Guerra, political science professor at Loyola Marymount University. Given how close it was, it did play a role. Guerra conducted an exit poll of roughly 1,500 voters in L.A. County. He said a preliminary look at the data shows that Villanueva did extremely well with Latino voters and better with white voters than he expected. He did not have detailed results to share. Several factors drove the results, including the growth of the Latino electorate, dominance of the Democratic Party and union support for Villanueva, Guerra said. But he also cited the changing narrative of public safety, noting that Villanueva had promised to kick immigration agents out of the countys jails. The days of a law-and-order sheriff just doesnt cut it anymore, Guerra said. Voters are looking at crime and incarceration from a different perspective. Its a different view of public safety thats much more complex. Times staff writer Anthony Pesce contributed to this report. ben.poston@latimes.com Twitter: @bposton Until recently, the conventional wisdom held that Jim McDonnell had a fairly easy path to be reelected as Los Angeles County sheriff. Hed made strides in bringing stability to a troubled agency torn by scandal. His resume boasted years in the top echelons of local law enforcement. Now McDonnell, 59, is in the political fight of his life, with the future of his slate of reforms aimed at stamping out corruption and misconduct hanging in the balance. There is the possibility he could lose his job to a challenger with far less management experience but a stronger ground game who took a razor-thin lead in the race just before dawn Wednesday morning. Retired Sheriffs Lt. Alex Villanueva was ahead by 4,927 votes, stirring predictions of a potential upset. Advertisement How your neighborhood voted in the razor-thin L.A. County sheriffs race With nearly a million provisional and mail-in ballots still being counted, the outcome of the race was far from certain. But the fact that McDonnells fate will come down to the last batch of votes has stunned the Los Angeles political establishment. While Villanueva positioned himself as a progressive alternative to McDonnell in a deep-blue county, he has also expressed doubts about some of the reforms pushed by McDonnell, including greater transparency about police misconduct. Whereas McDonnell commanded high-dollar donations, Villanueva inspired phone bankers and social media ads. Campaign workers with Citizens PAC, a group that received most of its funding from labor organizations including the Service Employees International Union, knocked on doors, made 2 million calls, sent 3 million text messages and created memes and social media videos on behalf of Villanueva, said Javier Gonzalez, the groups campaign strategist. Though the sheriffs race is nonpartisan, Villanueva, 55, advertised himself as a Democrat who wants to kick immigration agents out of county jails, earning him an endorsement from the Los Angeles County Democratic Party and giving him a narrative hook McDonnell lacked. Gonzalez said they hit lightning in a bottle with Villanueva, who checked all of the boxes. A Democrat, progressive, straight and narrow, law enforcement credentials, military credentials, fluent Spanish, lived in Puerto Rico, Gonzalez said. It was a perfect storm here. Though Villanueva has deviated from a typical progressive platform hes raised the possibility of giving deputies metal flashlights so they can defend themselves against inmates his message provided enough cues to draw in voters. Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell greets supporters on election night at the JW Marriott at L.A. Live. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Indeed, Villanueva attracted an unlikely coalition, with support from the rank-and-file deputies union as well as progressive activists. Patrisse Cullors, a co-founder of Black Lives Matter and creator of Dignity and Power Now, a group that advocates for inmates and their families, said she was involved in organizing to vote McDonnell out. She said her campaign work was separate from her relationship to those groups. It needs to be clear: We can vote you out of office if were not happy with what youre doing. Thats the point I want to make. Sure we might vote Alex into office, and in four years we might vote him out. There needs to be public accountability, she said. McDonnells campaign manager, Steve Barkan, said the flood of mailers touting Villanueva as a Democrat provided voters with valuable information, while his own client couldnt find an equally effective way to promote his agenda. Our polling showed a perception of extraordinarily high job performance for McDonnell himself, Barkan said. Barkan said McDonnell mainly relied on slate mailers as well as print and radio ads. He said that it had been a struggle to promote McDonnells positive, more general message of reform and that the past strategy of reaching voters through traditional news media is no longer a guarantee. Some observers said McDonnell stumbled by not winning outright in the primary. His campaigns efforts were beyond tepid. He should have gone for it. He should have gone all out in terms of, one, raising money, and two, spending money, and running like he was behind, said Steve Cooley, a former Los Angeles County district attorney who organized a fundraiser for McDonnell. He would have knocked out his two opponents. He came very, very close. Many political experts said that even though Villanueva had pushed McDonnell into a runoff, it should have been nearly impossible to pose a serious threat to a sitting sheriff. I have egg on my face. I have an entire omelet on my face, said Jessica Levinson, a Loyola Law School professor who teaches election law. For months, and even until early Wednesday morning, she predicted an upset would be very unlikely. The voters sent a really clear message. They need faster and different change, and they think the Sheriffs Department needs an overhaul that hasnt happened yet. On the other hand, this was a low-information race, so I still have to wonder how much this has to do with confusion on the ballot. She said voters are often influenced by the bare-bones information inside the voting booth: a candidates name and title. She also cautioned that the volume of uncounted ballots means the race could still go either way. The Sheriffs Department has faced new questions in recent months. A Times investigation found that a team of deputies targeted thousands of innocent Latino motorists on the 5 Freeway in drug searches, a practice now under review. There also have been concerns about why the department has not done more to curb deputies wearing of matching tattoos that critics say are indications of secret cliques within the agency. McDonnell campaigned on a promise to continue the improvements hes made in his first term, such as reducing serious jail violence and enhancing mental-health care behind bars. The former Long Beach police chief and longtime Los Angeles Police Department official touted his support for the nearly 2-year-old Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission and drew headlines when he tried to give prosecutors a so-called Brady list of about 300 deputies with histories of misconduct. But Villanueva, who says he was the victim of unjust discipline while with the department, has called the roster a fake list compiled from retaliatory investigations. His position echoes that of the Assn. for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, the rank-and-file union that sued McDonnell to block disclosure and has given at least $1.32 million to an outside group supporting Villanueva. Villanueva argued that the Sheriffs Department hadnt done enough to distance itself from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which is allowed to use office space inside one of the county jails. An Air Force veteran who served three decades in the Sheriffs Department, Villanueva said he would kick ICE agents out of the lockup, saying his deputies would instead march inmates out of the jail into ICE custody. Its unclear, though, how that position might have helped in a diverse, deep-blue county where opposition to President Trumps immigration crackdown is strong. Villanueva, who has Puerto Rican and Polish American heritage, was most strongly supported in heavily Latino areas like Southeast Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley and Pomona, just as in the primary, a Times analysis showed. In Central L.A. neighborhoods such as Mid-City and Mid-Wilshire, Villanueva picked up many precincts that McDonnell had won in the primary. In West Hollywood, Villanueva won 59% of votes, compared with 42% in the primary. McDonnell remained the stronger fundraiser, drawing about $1.2 million from individual donors, mostly in Los Angeles, Long Beach and Beverly Hills. He was supported by at least $954,000 in additional dollars from an independent committee funded by business executives and a union representing sergeants, lieutenants and other Sheriffs Department employees. Villanueva raised $156,000 from people concentrated mostly in eastern parts of the county near La Habra Heights, where he lives, but he was backed by an additional $1.4 million in outside money from labor groups including the rank-and-file deputies union. More clarity in the contest may come Friday, when the next update to vote totals is scheduled. Times staff writers Anthony Pesce and Ben Poston contributed to this report. maya.lau@latimes.com brittny.mejia@latimes.com james.queally@latimes.com The man accused of holding customers hostage inside a Trader Joes this summer will be allowed to represent himself on murder and other charges, a judge ruled Wednesday. Gene Evin Atkins, who is accused of engaging in a gun battle with Los Angeles police that ended with the shooting death of a Trader Joes manager, faces 51 criminal counts, including murder, attempted murder of a peace officer and kidnapping. Atkins, 28, made the request during a court hearing after interrupting his court-appointed attorney to address Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Gustavo N. Sztraicher. Your honor, I would like to fire my attorney, he said. I would like to go pro per. Advertisement The judge warned Atkins that, in his opinion, it was almost always unwise to represent oneself. Atkins would be at a disadvantage, the judge said, explaining that he would face an experienced prosecutor and wouldnt receive special treatment. Atkins nodded, saying he understood. Do you understand that you could receive multiple life sentences, the judge asked? Yes, Atkins responded. It is my recommendation that you not represent yourself, Sztraicher said, before ultimately granting the request, saying he believed Atkins had knowingly and expressly waived his right to counsel. Investigators say that on July 21, Atkins shot his grandmother, kidnapped his girlfriend and fired a gun at police officers from his car during a chase that ended in Silver Lake when he crashed into a light post on Hyperion Avenue. While running into the Trader Joes, Atkins fired from his hip and police returned a barrage of bullets, according to dashboard video released by the Los Angeles Police Department. Store manager Melyda Corado, 27, was killed. At a news conference a few days after the shootout, Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore announced that a bullet from an officers gun had killed Corado. Its every officers worst nightmare, Moore said. An attorney representing Corados family has argued that officers had no tactical plan and violated department policy when they opened fire even though people were on the sidewalk and inside the store. Although Atkins did not fire the fatal round, prosecutors charged him under the legal theory known as the provocative act murder doctrine, alleging his actions set off a series of events that led to the death. Atkins is scheduled to be arraigned on Dec. 17. marisa.gerber@latimes.com Twitter: @marisagerber Under pressure from Gov. Jerry Browns administration, state regulators once again postponed a vote on a contentious plan to force San Francisco and several big San Joaquin Valley irrigation districts to give up some of their water supplies for environmental protection. On the eve of Wednesdays scheduled vote, Brown and the man who will succeed him next year, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, asked for a months delay and promised to get involved in ongoing settlement negotiations. If adopted, the State Water Resources Control Board proposal to boost flows on three salmon-bearing rivers would amount to an unprecedented step to hold districts with historic water rights accountable for the environmental toll of their massive diversions. The agricultural districts, which staked their claims to the river flows a century or more ago, have bitterly contested the proposed restrictions, calling them economically devastating and vowing to challenge them in court. Advertisement (Los Angeles Times) The water board staff spent years developing the proposed standards and the Brown administration has long advocated voluntary agreements to avoid a prolonged legal battle. Talks between state officials and river users picked up after the final board proposal was released in July. The board postponed a scheduled August vote, but with no settlement on the immediate horizon, appeared ready to adopt the flow requirements on Wednesday. At the last minute, Brown and Newsom wrote board chairman Felicia Marcus, asking for a postponement. During this time, we pledge to actively and meaningfully engage to bring this vital matter to a successful closure, the Democrats said. At Wednesdays meeting, environmental advocates argued that more delay would weaken the states hand in settlement negotiations. State officials and river users, on the other hand, insisted that by December they could come up with an agreement that would meet the boards ecological objectives. This is it. No more time beyond the next 35 days, said California Fish and Wildlife Director Chuck Bonham, who represents the state in the confidential negotiations. The Brown administration will not seek another delay. Marcus said she agonized over whether to again postpone the vote. But she ultimately chose to heed Browns call for more time. Reluctantly but with hope I will support giving it a try. Im firmly committed to act in December, she said. Board members are appointed to four-year-terms by the governor, so Wednesdays discussion played out against the coming change in administration. The letters language seemed to signal that Newsom would not change course and continue to support the board in requiring greater river flows to help migrating salmon. It is an amazing letter, board member Tam Doduc said, citing a paragraph in which the political leaders said any agreement would obligate water rights holders to improve stream flows and restore habitat. The current board proposal would collectively cost water districts 300,000 acre-feet of supply or roughly 15% of their total diversions on the Stanislaus, Tuolumne and Merced rivers. But the board has left the door open to relaxing those requirements if water users agree to other measures to improve fish conditions, such as expanding floodplains and restoring habitat. San Francisco and several big irrigation districts draw so much water from the three tributaries of the San Joaquin River that their average flows range from 21% to 40% of what they would be without dams and diversions. At times the river beds hold as little as 10% of the natural flow. Combined with pollution and habitat loss, the diversions have helped drive once abundant salmon runs to the brink of extinction and contributed to a cascade of ecological problems downstream in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the heart of Californias water system. bettina.boxall@latimes.com Twitter: @boxall Judging by its politicians, Missouri is looking bleak for Democrats. The onetime middle-of-the-road state has just one Democrat left in a statewide office the state auditor after voters sent Sen. Claire McCaskill packing on Tuesday night. The Legislature remains GOP-dominated, and in 2016 President Trump won the state by more than 18 percentage points. Yet farther down the ballot, the news for Missouri liberals was far sunnier. Voters approved a variety of left-friendly ballot measures including a minimum-wage hike to $12 an hour by 2023, the legalization of medical marijuana, redistricting and campaign finance reform. I think [Democrats will] be buoyed by the fact that these won and won handily, said Daniel Ponder, a political science professor at Drury University in Springfield, Mo. Once you see that not only can this be done, but it can be done relatively easily I definitely think people can use that as a blueprint going forward for more liberal and progressive causes. Advertisement The same pattern held in many other moderate- and conservative-leaning states: Liberal-backed ballot measures especially those involving criminal justice reform or healthcare had greater success than Democratic candidates. Party identification is one of the most powerful forces in politics, with many people voting strictly on party lines when it comes to choosing their politicians. But ballot measures, while often pushing policies favored by one party more than another, dont come with D or R labels. Voters can make their choices without feeling like theyre casting their ballots for one party or another. Most Americans arent particularly ideological, said Lilliana Mason, a government professor at the University of Maryland and author of a recent book, Uncivil Agreement, about identity in politics. Though Americans are polarized around who you are, what your identity is, polling shows that the public holds fairly liberal positions on a lot of issues, Mason said. Democrats seized the U.S. House on Tuesday but lost seats in the U.S. Senate, while flipping 330 Republican-held seats in statehouses across the nation, short of the average loss of 424 seats by the presidents party in midterm elections since 1902, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Few races stung Democrats as much as the one for governor in Florida, a key swing state. The Democratic candidate, Andrew Gillum, lost to his Trump-backed Republican opponent, Ron DeSantis. Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson also trails his GOP challenger, Gov. Rick Scott, in a similarly tight race. Down the ballot in Florida, however, one of the biggest stories was a major victory for liberals: passage of a constitutional amendment to do away with a law permanently stripping convicted felons of their right to vote. It won big, 64.5% to 35.5%, a victory that will restore voting rights to more than 1 million people and probably have significant benefits for Democrats in future Florida elections, where the margins are often gossamer-thin. An analysis by the Tampa Bay Times and the Miami Herald found that black voters were five times more likely than white voters to have lost their voting rights, with Democratic voters three times as likely as Republican voters to be affected. Gillum said in his concession speech Tuesday night that he was proud of the amendments victory: That is one step closer to where we need to be. State-level Medicaid expansion under Obamacare, a major Democratic-supported policy, also saw several victories in deep-red states. Republican candidate Brad Little trounced Democrat Paulette Jordan 60% to 38% to become governor of Idaho, but voters there approved a Medicare expansion measure 60.5% to 39.5%. It was a similar story in Nebraska, where voters expanded Medicaid while handily reelecting incumbent Republican Sen. Deb Fischer, another expansion skeptic. In Utah, Republican Mitt Romney vaulted into the Senate as voters there approved Medicaid expansion and legalized medical marijuana. Romney opposed both measures, saying the issues should instead be addressed by elected officials. In Arkansas, Gov. Asa Hutchinson cruised to reelection with more than 65% of the vote, and the states four Republican U.S. representatives will return to their seats in Washington. At the same time, voters overwhelmingly approved a minimum-wage hike to $11 an hour by 2021. Demonstrating their ideological flexibility, they also voted for a new voter-identification constitutional amendment with 79.5% of the vote. Louisiana voters in large measure lived up to the states right-wing history, reelecting all of their congressional incumbents five out of the six are Republican and voting to ban felons from holding public office less than five years after completing their sentences. But they also passed a measure requiring unanimous verdicts in felony conviction cases, overturning an unusual rule that required only 10 out of 12 jurors and that the left-leaning Southern Poverty Law Center called a racially-charged remnant from the Jim Crow era. Lack of ideological consistency cut the other direction too. In West Virginia, Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin III won reelection as voters also ushered in a constitutional amendment that says nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of abortion. Alabama voters, who less than a year ago elected a Democrat, Doug Jones, to the Senate over conservative firebrand Roy Moore, approved an antiabortion constitutional amendment Tuesday to recognize and support the sanctity of unborn life and the rights of unborn children, including the right to life. And abortion is one of the major culture-war issues that made McCaskill a soft target in Missouri, even as the states voters opted to support several liberal-friendly policies. David Lauter contributed to this report from Washington. matt.pearce@latimes.com Matt Pearce is a national reporter for The Times. Follow him on Twitter at @mattdpearce. More national headlines Three years ago, Scott Walker entered the Republican presidential primary race riding high, with big-money backers and a legitimate place among the front-runners. That campaign ended after just a few months as Donald Trump bulldozed through the field, leaving Walker and the other contenders in his wake. For the record: An earlier version of this article incorrectly described the law governing recounts. The law allows a candidate to request a recount if the vote is within a percentage point of the rivals. The recount is not automatic. On Tuesday, the Wisconsin governors once rising star flickered out, losing a bid for reelection to a third four-year term to Tony Evers, a genial but spotlight-shy state schools superintendent who fit squarely into what one voter called the vanilla cardboard candidate model that Democrats have tended to put up against Walker. One difference: Evers had name recognition and pedigree, having been elected three times statewide to the schools job. Walkers national ambitions came back to haunt him with Evers repeatedly hammering him for staking out far-right positions on healthcare and education, as well as his austerity measures on such basics as road construction. Walkers tightfisted approach, Evers said, had more to do with satisfying his ultra-conservative national Republican donor base than the people of Wisconsin. Advertisement The razor-thin race swayed back and forth into early Wednesday, when the counting of about 47,000 absentee ballots from deep-blue Milwaukee clinched the race for Evers, with a margin of just more than 1 percentage point. Walkers camp had initially considered the possibility of seeking a recount a position made tougher by a law Walker himself had championed. After a successful demand for a recount of 2016 Wisconsin presidential election results when Donald Trump carried the state by 22,000 votes, the first Republican since Ronald Reagan to do so Walker pushed for legislation that allows a candidate to request a recount only if the vote total is within 1 percentage point of his or her opponent. On Wednesday afternoon, Walker issued a concession statement. In beating Walker, Evers prevailed over a candidate whod developed an aura of invincibility in the state. Evers was joined in victory by a slate of statewide Democratic candidates including Sen. Tammy Baldwin, who cruised to reelection, after eight years where Republicans have occupied every top state office except the one Evers has held. The Democratic resurgence comes in advance of crucial 2020 redistricting, where legislative maps will be redrawn. Democrats have sued over the maps Walker and Republicans drew in 2010, accusing the state GOP of gerrymandering. Walker not only won gubernatorial elections in 2010 and 2014, but also held off a recall effort in 2012 that came in response to the governors early effort to curtail collective bargaining rights for the states public-sector workers. That fight against unions and their backers attracted massive Capitol protests and elevated Walkers status as a rising national conservative star. Democrats finally whipped their nemesis with a strong get-out-the-vote operation. Statewide, more than 2.6 million people voted, the highest turnout for a midterm election in memory. Evers ran up the numbers in the states two largest population centers, Milwaukee County and Dane County, home to Madison, the states capital and home of the flagship University of Wisconsin campus. Voters generally reported being happy with the state of the economy both in the state, where the unemployment rate hovers just below 3%, and nationally under Trump. But independents, who broke for Walker in his previous races, tended to vote against him this time. Its a relief for me personally, said Jim Doyle, a 56-year-old arts administrator who shares a name with the Democratic governor Walker replaced. Doyle said he wanted to send a message against Trump, who has made nice with Walker since the 2016 presidential primaries. The last two years have been nothing short of toxic for me, he said. But Doyle also felt repelled by Walkers record on education. Beyond his union-busting efforts, which resulted in lower pay and benefits for teachers, Walker also cut funding significantly in his first term for both K-12 education and for the states 26-campus university system. I dont understand how thats a positive message for the future, he said, stating further that Walker and his Republican allies seemed to regard education as a form of elitism, which frightens me. Walker never finished college. Simmons is a special correspondent. Acting Atty. Gen. Matt Whitaker has no intention of recusing himself from overseeing the special counsel probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election, according to people close to him who added they do not believe he would approve any subpoena of President Trump as part of that investigation. Since stepping into his new role on Wednesday, Whitaker has faced questions principally from Democrats about whether he should recuse himself from the Russia investigation, given that he has written opinion pieces in the past about the investigation and is a friend and political ally of a witness. On Thursday, two people close to Whitaker said he has no intention of taking himself off the Russia case. Ethics officials at the Justice Department are likely to review his past work to see if he has any financial or personal conflicts. In many instances, that office does not require a Justice Department official to recuse, but suggests a course of action. In the past, senior Justice Department officials have tended to follow such advice, but they are rarely actually ordered to do so, according to officials familiar with the process. Advertisement A Justice Department spokeswoman declined to comment. Department officials have said Whitaker will follow the regular procedure in handling any ethics issues that arise. The two people close to Whitaker also said they strongly believe that he would not approve any request from special counsel Robert S. Mueller III to subpoena the president. Mueller and Trumps lawyers have negotiated for months about a possible interview, with no agreement in sight. Whitakers elevation to become the nations top law enforcement official followed the ouster Wednesday of Jeff Sessions as attorney general. Sessions had endured months of public abuse from Trump, who soured on Sessions because he recused himself from oversight of the Russia investigation shortly after he arrived at the Justice Department. Sessions felt that Muellers investigation had gone on too long, but also believed it was important that he stay in the attorney generals job as a means of protecting the special counsels work so that, when it was concluded, the public would have confidence that it had not been manipulated, according to a person familiar with his thinking. Whitaker harbors frustrations about the length of the special counsels probe and doubts about the scope of Muellers authority, a person familiar with the matter said. He has also questioned Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosensteins authority to give Mueller such wide latitude. Whitaker does, however, believe that Sessions had no choice but to recuse himself from the matter, the person said. While Whitaker is now Muellers ultimate supervisor, it was not immediately clear whether Rosenstein would step aside. Justice Department officials said the deputy attorney general would normally play an active, hands-on role in overseeing such a high-profile probe, and they had no reason to believe that Rosenstein would be cut out now. Whitaker was virtually unknown to Sessions before becoming his chief of staff. A person familiar with the matter said he got on the White Houses radar via conservative circles in Iowa, his TV appearances and his connections with the Federalist Society and other conservative groups. When Sessionss previous chief of staff, Jody Hunt, was departing, Sessions brought Whitaker in for an interview and came to like him, the person said. Another person said that remained true ever after Whitaker took his place. Whitaker was a hard-charging top aide to Sessions, imposing on the Justice Department his personal philosophy of starting with the end goal in mind. His style rubbed many the wrong way, and at times Justice Department officials pushed back on his demands. Department officials said his taking over for his boss was, at the very least, awkward, because chiefs of staff typically leave with the attorney general. Barrett, Zapotosky and Dawsey write for the Washington Post. Enough Americans rose up against President Trump on Tuesday to take from him and his party one house of Congress, and that will partially block his path of destruction through the nation. For that we are grateful. Democrats also won governors offices previously held by Republicans in Kansas, Maine, Michigan and Wisconsin and flipped legislative houses in Maine and Minnesota. It was a referendum on Trump and Trump lost. It was indeed a blue wave. But not a tsunami. It was not big enough to show that the populist reactionary movement that elected Trump in 2016 was an anomaly. Buoyed by the presidents xenophobic attacks on migrant invaders, Republicans held on to some House seats in districts thought to be vulnerable, and they strengthened their Senate majority. And Trump, as he demonstrated at his postelection news conference, remains the same preening, excuse-making, dissembling, self-obsessed reality-show-host-turned-politician that he was on Nov. 5. Many Americans had believed that Trumps election two years ago was a brief deviation from the norm that would be reversed once rational voters saw what he was like in office. The returns were a depressing wake-up call to the true extent of division in the country. In fact, tens of millions of people turned out to vote in favor of Trumpism. The mixed result gave the president room to claim a Big Victory, ignoring the challenges he is certain to face from the newly Democratic-controlled House. It also tightened his control of the GOP, as many of the Republicans in swing districts whod kept their distance from the president either retired or lost their reelection bids. Advertisement The battle to quiet Trump and Trumpism did not end on Tuesday. In short, Trumpism lives. It continues to be the nations loudest voice, and its chief message to our own people and to the peoples of the world. That message is horrendous. It is a message suffused with alt-right, racist ideology, most often broadcast to the presidents 55 million followers on Twitter but occasionally from a White House podium as well. It is a message that bullies and disparages longtime allies and cozies up to foreign tyrants. It is a message of ridicule for essential U.S. institutions, including courts, Congress, citizenship, the FBI and the intelligence community. It is a message that demonizes journalists, scientists and others who seek to find and report the truth. It is a message of support for people like accused sex predator Roy Moore. It is a message that pushes back against the #MeToo movement and the efforts to end sexual misconduct in multiple strands of American society. It is a message that manifests itself in shocking policies that, for example, separate immigrant families seeking asylum from their children, who are traumatized and locked up in facilities where they receive inadequate care. Or in inept directives to, for example, deny entry to the United States for people with entry visas. Or in the drive to roll back healthcare, nutrition and other safety-net services to the poorest Americans. It tells our allies and enemies alike that the president of the United States the leader of the free world, and a person who once embodied not just the majesty of the office but the American values of liberty, equal justice under law and human dignity is ignorant of the nations history and role in the world. Many Americans are still biting their tongues and voting Republican, waiting to see if perhaps Trump might somehow be a net gain for the country. And many a minority, perhaps, but a sizable one embrace his attacks on people, nations, institutions and truth. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion Some comfort can and should be taken in the flipping of the House of Representatives. Voters in congressional districts around the country ended the Republican power monopoly in Washington, and they ended the opportunity for Trumps party to push through legislation without Democratic support. They made over Congress, making it more reflective of the people it serves. They elected a record number of female lawmakers, including Native Americans and Muslims. They elected the first female senator from Tennessee albeit a Republican who is firmly in Trumps corner. That diversity is, itself, a rebuke to Trump, whether or not he cares to admit it. Kansas voters, in electing Laura Kelly as their governor, not only chose a woman and a Democrat, but bloodied Trumps nose in rejecting Kris Kobach, leader of a ridiculous and short-lived commission the president created to seek out supposedly massive voter fraud. Yes, there was a blue wave. But it is not yet big enough to counter the red tide that Trump spawned and rode to victory two years ago. The battle to quiet Trump and Trumpism did not end on Tuesday. It will be a long slog, and the voters who spoke up in opposition Tuesday will have to keep speaking for at least another two years loudly, courageously, unmistakably. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook In ordinary times, a presidents decision to replace his attorney general halfway through his term wouldnt set off alarm bells about possible obstruction of justice. But these are not ordinary times and Donald Trump is not an ordinary president. Trumps decision to ask for the resignation of the long-suffering Jeff Sessions raises the question of whether, with the midterm election behind him, the president might finally try to shut down the Justice Department investigation of possible ties between Russia and his 2016 campaign the probe he has feverishly denounced as a witch hunt. He must not be allowed to do so. In ousting Sessions, Trump has finally punished the Republican former senator from Alabama for his absolutely appropriate decision to recuse himself from the Russia investigation because of the role he had played in Trumps campaign. That recusal paved the way for Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein to appoint Robert S. Mueller III as a special counsel in the Russia investigation. For Trump, Sessions recusal was an unforgivable sin. Advertisement Republican leaders in Congress need to echo that warning and support legislation to make it harder to remove Mueller. Given that history, Sessions forced departure raises alarms that Trump might make good on his threat this summer to get involved if the Justice Department and the FBI didnt straighten out properly. Sessions duties will be temporarily assumed not by Rosenstein, who would seem the obvious choice, but by Matthew G. Whitaker, who has been serving as Sessions chief of staff. Justice Department officials indicated that Whitaker also would take over supervision of Muellers Russia investigation. Yet Whitaker has been critical of the probe, warning in a 2017 column that the special counsel was dangerously close to crossing a red line after it was reported that investigators could be looking into financial records relating to the Trump Organization. Whitaker also has spoken publicly about how Sessions successor as attorney general could stall Muellers probe by eliminating its budget, and he went to Twitter in August 2017 to share an op-ed that instructed Trumps then-attorney, Do not cooperate with Mueller lynch mob. This track record suggests that Trump did not elevate Whitaker for his managerial prowess or his zeal for the Justice Departments mission. This page opposed Sessions nomination as attorney general because of his regressive views on civil rights, immigration, sentencing and other issues. And once in office, Sessions lived down to his critics worst expectations. He was a throwback in many ways to the bad old days of tough-sounding but uninformed approaches to criminal justice. But it wasnt these policy views that antagonized Trump; it was Sessions recognition that he was ethically obligated to recuse himself from the Russia investigation and the fact that, as Trump put, he never took control of the Justice Department. To his credit, Sessions pointedly pushed back against the presidents criticism, insisting that the Justice Department under his leadership will not be improperly influenced by political considerations. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion That must remain the case after Sessions departure. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) said on Wednesday that any effort to interfere with the special counsels investigation would be a gross abuse of power by the president. While the president may have the authority to replace the attorney general, this must not be the first step in an attempt to impede, obstruct or end the Mueller investigation. Republican leaders in Congress need to echo that warning and support legislation to make it harder to remove Mueller. And the Senate should refuse to confirm any nominee to replace Sessions who wont pledge under oath to protect the special counsel and allow him to complete his assignment. When Democrats regained control of the House of Representatives in Tuesdays elections, we suggested that they should be cautious about moving toward impeachment of the president. Our advice would be very different if Trump tried to capitalize on Sessions resignation to halt or hamper the Mueller investigation. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook Numb. Thats the only word for it. California awoke this morning to reports of another mass shooting, this time in Thousand Oaks, a suburban community that prides itself on being among the safest cities in America. More than 100 people, many of them college kids, were in the Borderline Bar & Grill country dance bar when a man dressed in black walked in with some sort of smoke-generating device and opened fire with a .45-caliber Glock handgun, killing 11 people inside and Ventura County Sheriffs Sgt. Ron Helus, one of the first law-enforcement officers to arrive, before dying of a gunshot himself. Motive? Too soon to say. Was the gun bought legally? Again, thats the kind of detail that will filter out in the coming hours and days. Preventable? That answer ranges from apparently not to who the hell knows? Numb. The Gun Violence Archive reports that gunmen have shot and killed 1,096 people, including the Thousand Oaks victims, in California since the first of the year. In the same period, gunmen nationwide have taken the lives of 114 people in 18 mass killings, defined as incidents in which at least four people are killed excluding the shooter. No place seems safe. In recent years Americans have been gunned down en masse in schools and houses of worship, music venues and in their own homes. The shooters have been motivated by racism, by rage over politics, by mental illness; in some cases, their reasons remain inscrutable. And the president would have us tremble in fear of immigrants. Advertisement It is impossible to imagine the grief of the families of the victims. A tragic irony is that a few of the people in the dance bar Wednesday night had also been in the crowd 13 months ago when a gunman opened fire from a snipers nest in the Mandalay Bay hotel on the Route 91 Harvest festival across the street, killing 58 people and wounding 413 more. On that occasion, an additional 454 people suffered injuries in the mad scramble to find cover or escape the open-air venue. On Wednesday, more than a dozen people similarly suffered injuries as they scrambled for safety, including crawling through windows shattered with bar furniture. And the president would have us tremble in fear of immigrants. This is just one more episode in our endless rolling tragedy of gun violence. Less than two weeks ago an antiSemitic gunman ranting about immigration killed 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue. Eight weeks ago six people died when a gunman moved through Bakersfield firing in anger over a broken relationship. Twelve weeks ago a distraught father in the Northern California city of Clearlake shot his four children, killing three of them before killing himself. And on goes the body count. In recent years these killings have happened in every corner of the country, from an Oregon community college to a San Bernardino holiday party to a Florida high school to a Connecticut elementary school. As the sharp pain of grief subsides to a persistent ache, calls for stricter gun control laws are shushed by the gun lobby, which accuses those who try to fix this scourge of not showing appropriate respect for the dead, of politicizing tragedy. But this country would be much better off showing more respect for the living by limiting easy access to guns, thereby reducing these grotesque levels of violence. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion There are far, far too many guns floating around the U.S., both legally and illegally owned. Time was, people bought guns to go hunting, or to practice target shooting. In recent years gun owners have told poll-takers that their guns are for personal safety. Yet they are far more often used to threaten, intimidate or kill family members, or in suicides. Less often, but with more notice taken, they are used to mow down mass numbers of people, as occurred Wednesday night here in California, which has some of the toughest gun control laws in the nation. Is this a fixable problem? There has long been a lack of political will to take on the powerful National Rifle Assn., but at some point, that apparent lack of political will by default becomes the political will: We decide through inaction that the status quo is acceptable. Is that what Americans want? Are we willing to let the bodies stack up on the principle that we all need our own personal arsenals to fight the bogeyman of tyranny? Have we been outgunned by a heartless adversary that cares more about cold steel than warm, beating hearts? For the sake of the future victims, we hope not. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook UPDATES: 10:30 a.m. This editorial was updated with fresh details on killings so far this year. An exhibitor introduces Wisconsin jade to visitors at the first China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 7, 2018. (Xinhua/Wang Jianhua) SHANGHAI, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- From wines to health products, from wearable technology to whole-home automation, from helicopters to electric motors for aerospace, from global logistics service to financial solutions... More than 160 American companies, armed with their fanciest products and newest services, are frantically trying to attract Chinese consumers amidst the hive of activity at the ongoing China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai that opened on Monday. HEAVYWEIGHTS Top U.S. companies show up at the six-day CIIE, an event that declares China's unshakable belief in multilateralism, and aim to sow new seeds with the Chinese. In the past 40 years, AECOM, a U.S. multinational engineering firm that provides design, consulting, construction and management services, has participated in a wide array of major national development projects in China, including the Belt and Road construction, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and Yangtze River Delta Economic Zone projects, said Sean Chiao, president of AECOM Asia Pacific. Commenting on the CIIE, he said it will "definitely play an unparalleled role in facilitating and promoting the economic development of China and of the world." "The CIIE is a platform that goes beyond China," said Stephen Badger, chairman of the board of directors of confectionery maker Mars from Chicago, Illinois. "It is a truly global event driving development across all Chinese industries by promoting cooperation amongst government and business entities as well as globalization and trade liberalization," he said. "As President Xi Jinping touched on (on Monday), we will only realize our shared future in this new era by supporting economic globalization, global opening up, and inclusive development -- all principles that Mars stands by as well," Badger added. Companies like Johnson &Johnson also pick the newly-born fair to debut in the Chinese market a host of advanced medical devices; whilst many AI-based products from other companies are introduced to Chinese consumers ahead of schedule thanks to the CIIE. According to the expo's organizer, U.S. companies, including Ford, Tesla, Microsoft, Dell, Qualcomm, General Electric, Mars and 3M, have already agreed to participate next year. New York-based Estee Lauder, which missed this year's event, has made an early decision that it will join in the coming year. BURGEONING MARKET Besides the heavyweights, state-level U.S. organizations are bringing in new players as well. Notably at the expo are nine companies from Wisconsin. "So far, we do not hear companies saying 'Oh No,'" said Cate Rahmlow, director of Sector Strategy Development with Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. The team of companies she assembles includes those from manufacturing, agriculture and smart water technology sectors. Some companies even signed for their attendance before the event was officially promoted in Wisconsin state in February, said Khay Khong, a colleague of Rahmlow, who is more specialized in the Asian market. "To do business in China, you need a long-term relationship..." and "if you think in the long term, China's growing middle-class is going to demand more such products," Khong said, pointing to some state-of-the-art voice-controlled home automation products on display at the Wisconsin booth, which covered an area of around 200 square meters. The size of the booth was the envy of Del Christensen. Leading a number of companies from the Bay Area, Christensen, from the Bay Area Council, a regional business and economic policy association based in San Francisco, regretted that he had not managed to book a larger space. At his kiosk of some 10 square meters, his exhibits include wines made in the Bay Area, home to some of the world's most famous wineries, and biotech and tourism products. "Next year, I am going to get a bigger booth," said Christensen. In Hall 7 at the CIIE, Belkin was promoting its latest model of touch-less phone chargers and an easy screen protector service. A manufacturer of consumer electronics headquartered in California, Belkin is famous for its cellphone care products and its high compatibility with Apple. Alex Chang, senior e-commerce manager of Belkin (Shanghai), said shopping online has made it easier for Chinese people to choose high-end quality products. The Chinese market is full of potential, he said, stressing that Belkin also works now with Chinese mobile phone brands to develop more diversified products. "YES" TO FREE TRADE If new business is found at the CIIE, it is definitely a plus for both China and the United States. "But even the establishment of new business contacts can be a plus as it creates the possibility of new business down the road," Kenneth Jarrett, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, told Xinhua. The sheer size of the U.S. and Chinese economies means that if there is increased trade between them, "it makes a big contribution to global GDP growth, which is a positive stimulus for all," Jarrett added. For Harld Peters, president of UPS China, the free flow of trade is vital. "The world's logistic industry benefits from a global system that facilitates trade, only then can we reach maximum efficiency and effectiveness to reach our customers," Peters told Xinhua. "I am a strong believer of the fact that trade empowers people and gets people opportunities and gets business opportunities," he said. "If business grows, people grow as well. The way they can do with their life improves as well." "I have a very solid belief that at the end of the day, trade wins," Peters said. For his part, Liang Ming, director of the foreign trade research center at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said "China's negative list is getting shorter and shorter, and we have the roadmap and timetable for continuous promotion of our opening up." It is fair to say that China's opening up, with sound achievements, will be a big cake for the world, Liang said. Donald Trump did something that seems impossible: He made Jeff Sessions into a sympathetic figure. The firing of Sessions as attorney general on the day after the election made me realize how much Sessions has been integral to upholding the rule of law in the first two years of the Trump presidency. The core of the rule of law is that no one, not even the president, is above the law, and it is Sessions who, despite all of Trumps personal attacks and insults, insured that special counsel Robert S. Mueller III could continue his investigation. I have found much of Sessions conduct as attorney general to be loathsome. He initiated and defended the illegal and morally bankrupt policy of separating children from their parents at the border. He has threatened cities with loss of federal funds if they dont cooperate with federal immigration authorities, a policy that several federal courts have declared unconstitutional. Sessions has mandated that those arrested for federal crimes, including drug offenses, be charged to the maximum. He made clear that the Justice Department would no longer bring actions against police departments for having a pattern and practice of violating civil rights. Despite withering attacks by Trump, Sessions never caved to the pressure. Advertisement Despite all of this, Sessions has been crucial in protecting the special counsels work. Although Trump repeatedly has called it a witch hunt and a hoax, it is an essential investigation into crimes that go to the very heart of the integrity of our election system. Any assertion that the investigation is a witch hunt is belied by its success. So far, it has resulted in 32 indictments or guilty pleas, including guilty pleas from former top-level Trump advisors such as Michael Flynn, Rick Gates and Michael Cohen. Paul Manafort, who managed the presidents 2016 campaign, was convicted by a jury of charges that could keep him in prison for decades. Muellers team, quite appropriately, has not revealed what it has learned or exactly what the lines of the investigation are. But there remains the possibility that it may lead to evidence against Trumps family or the president himself. It is essential that Mueller not be impeded. Despite withering attacks by Trump, Sessions never caved to the pressure. Trump repeatedly referred to Sessions as missing in action and called him Mr. Magoo, referring to a bumbling cartoon character from decades ago. I can think of virtually no instance where a president so viciously criticized a member of his Cabinet. Trump was most outraged at Sessions for recusing himself from overseeing Muellers investigation. But Sessions did exactly the right thing in removing himself. Muellers brief includes looking at whether federal laws were broken in connection with Russias involvement in the 2016 campaign. During Sessions Senate confirmation process, Sen. Patrick J. Leahy, a Democratic member of the Judiciary Committee, asked the attorney general designate in a questionnaire if he had been in contact with anyone connected to any part of the Russian government about the 2016 election, either before or after election day. Sessions answer was no. During the hearings, Sen. Al Franken asked Sessions what he would do if he learned of evidence that someone affiliated with the Trump campaign had communicated with the Russian government in the course of the campaign. Sessions replied, Im not aware of any of those activities. I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign, and I did not have communications with the Russians. It was later revealed that Sessions had at least two conversations with the Russian ambassador to the United States in July and September 2016. Sessions knew he was a potential target for the investigation, and therefore he was required by ethics rules to recuse himself. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein replaced Sessions as the official to whom Mueller reported. Trump attacked Rosenstein for not limiting the investigation. He attacked Sessions for not controlling Rosenstein and Mueller. But Sessions never flinched, and he never backed down from his recusal. He deserves our admiration for standing up for the rule of law. With Sessions gone, Muellers future is uncertain. The newly appointed Acting Atty. Gen. Matthew Whitaker has been hostile to the investigation and critical of Mueller. When Democrats take control the House of Representatives in January, they are sure to launch oversight hearings related to the musical chairs at Justice, Russian collusion and more. But members of Congress cannot bring criminal indictments, and it is easier for a president to refuse to cooperate with Congress than to resist court orders. I never imagined I would say this, but we might come to find we miss Jeff Sessions as attorney general. Erwin Chemerinsky is dean and professor at UC Berkeley School of Law. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook To the editor: On a recent trip to Australia, I remember feeling a palpable sense of ease walking into malls and other public areas because I knew a mass shooting is far less likely to happen there than in my own country. This is a stark reality that we can no longer ignore. With another mass shooting in California, we need stringent gun laws as soon as possible. We must ask: Do we love our guns more than our fellow Americans who have died in these shootings? Our cherished right to bear arms is costing us innocent lives. Deranged and sick people have easy access to guns. This is not freedom. Walking around Sydney without worrying I would be gunned down is freedom. Not feeling afraid when my little brother goes to school is freedom. Our kids learning without fearing violent death is freedom. Advertisement America needs to prioritize its people over guns. This should not be a partisan issue. Huma Munir, Miami .. To the editor: Another mass shooting has occurred, this time at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks. Many fine people were killed there, and President Trump has made a statement about the tragedy. However, I wonder if it has occurred to him that the vast majority of these mass shootings have been committed by white males who are United States citizens. Will having a wall or thousands of active-duty troops at the border with Mexico stop these shootings? Robert B. Corsun, Sherman Oaks .. To the editor: Once again, we awoke to news of another shooting, another vigil, another moment of outrage. And yet no one addresses the issue of gun control. Once again, people who knew the alleged gunman were aware that he had problems. Like everyone else, I am disgusted and heartsick over these instances. And still everyone points to the 2nd Amendment, which was written in the 18th century by old white men who wanted to make sure the states had militias. Do we still need a militia? Troubled people have too many guns, and nothing effective is done. In the meantime, I will wait for the next mass shooting and the next vigil. Eileen Martin, North Hollywood .. To the editor: The cashier gave me a quick smile, like she always did, took my $5 and said, Have a good evening. My phone has been ringing all morning no, I wasnt there Wednesday night, but I usually am. In another sense, we are all there in our emptiness. Maybe all that is left to bind us together is our emptiness. A store, a synagogue, a yoga studio and now a country western bar. Another sweet smile taken, and the bright light of our country has been dimmed once again. She was young, and maybe that is all we get to remember her by. Kevin Anthony, Studio City Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook To the editor: Those who wonder just how far this country has migrated away from the rule of law need only to consider the Iran nuclear agreement. This is an international agreement that was codified in a United Nations Security Council resolution. As such, it has the status of international law. Curiously, there hasnt even been much of a discussion in the U.S. media about the legal implications of our unilateral violation of international law by virtue of President Trumps rejection of the agreement. Worse, there has been no discussion of the legal basis for our imposition of sanctions on Iran. Iran has not violated the agreement except in the mind of our president. Advertisement The rule of law is our bulwark against the tyranny of one-man rule. Unfortunately, it is not self-executing. It depends on the vigilance of people who care about the rule of law while they witness our descent into autocracy. Siegfried Othmer, Woodland Hills .. To the editor: If Trump were honest, he would make clear that he calls the Iran nuclear deal defective at its core not because of Iran, but because it was President Obamas deal. At a deeper level, this shows the weakness of the U.S. Senate, which is so riven by partisanship that the possibility of any treaty being ratified by a two-thirds majority is nonexistent. This further weakens the division of powers and checks and balances at the foundation of our republic. I still believe that the agreement that the Obama administration negotiated with Iran was and is good in itself. However, the former president and the Senate were wrong to evade handling this as a treaty. Bob Wieting, Simi Valley Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook California Republicans lost two House seats in Tuesdays midterm election and could surrender more as tens of thousands of ballots are counted in four other contests that remain too close to call. The party has an exceedingly small chance of holding the seats of Reps. Dana Rohrabacher and Jeff Denham, historical voting patterns suggest. Two other Republicans, Rep. Mimi Walters and Young Kim of Fullerton, hold thin leads over their opponents that could also vanish. The reason is simple: Early voters, often older white Californians who start mailing in their ballots weeks before election day, lean Republican, and later voters, many of them young and minority, tend to prefer Democrats. With extremely rare exceptions, close races in California shift in Democrats favor typically by 2 percentage points as the later ballots are counted, according to Political Data, a firm that tracks voter trends. Advertisement This is as dependable as the tides, said Paul Mitchell, the firms vice president. A huge share of the ballots perhaps 40% remain uncounted, largely due to Californians increasing preference to vote by mail. By law, ballots postmarked by election day and received by Friday must be tabulated. For voters, the race is over, said state Republican Chairman Jim Brulte. For us, it isnt. Both major parties were assembling squads of lawyers and volunteers Wednesday to dispatch to county registrars offices to monitor the post-election ballot counts. Florida may have popularized the term hanging chad, but ballot integrity has been done by major political parties for a very long time, Brulte said, alluding to dangling paper fragments from punch-card ballots. The election is not over until all the votes that are legally cast are counted. For Republicans, the drift of votes toward Democrats as the tally unfolds can be grim. The day after an election, Republican candidates locked in a nearly tied race must evaluate not whether they can pull ahead, but whether they have a big enough buffer to sustain Democrats inevitable gains. That cold calculation led GOP Rep. Steve Knight to concede defeat Wednesday to Democrat Katie Hill in the 25th Congressional District, a longtime Republican stronghold that includes Simi Valley, Santa Clarita and the Antelope Valley. The voters have spoken, and they want a new congressman or congresswoman for this district, Knight told KCBS-TV. We wish her the best. Democrat Katie Hill won a close race against Rep. Steve Knight (R-Palmdale), who conceded on Wednesday. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) Another former conservative bastion, the coastal 49th Congressional District in southern Orange and northern San Diego counties, turned blue on Tuesday as Democrat Mike Levin, an environmental lawyer, won the seat of retiring GOP Rep. Darrell Issa. If Rohrabacher loses in Orange Countys 48th Congressional District and Denham cedes San Joaquin Valleys 10th, Republicans would be left with just 10 of the states 53 seats in the House, a fresh sign of the partys steep decline as Californias population has diversified since the 1990s. Republicans nightmare scenario for the midterm would be the ouster of Walters in the 45th Congressional District, which covers Irvine, Mission Viejo and Rancho Santa Margarita, and a defeat for Kim in the 39th, which includes Yorba Linda, Hacienda Heights and Fullerton. If Rohrabacher, Walters and Kim all lose, it would mark the first time since the 1930s that Republicans have no one from Orange County in Congress. On Wednesday, Walters was leading Democrat Katie Porter, 52% to 48%, and Kim, a former state Assembly member, was ahead of Democrat Gil Cisneros, 51% to 49%. Both Walters and Kim are bracing for cliff-hangers. Their margins on Wednesday more than 6,200 votes for Walters and nearly 3,900 for Kim could disappear within days. The election-night lead that Republican Young Kim of Fullerton established over Democrat Gil Cisneros in the 39th Congressional District could vanish as late ballots are counted. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) Election officers in Californias 58 counties must report their final vote counts to the secretary of state by Dec. 7. The state will certify the election results a week after that. Californias slow vote count can be anti-climactic after a frenetic campaign. In 2010, Republican Steve Cooley led Democrat Kamala Harris in the election-night tally for state attorney general, but she pulled ahead 10 days later. In the end, it took 23 days of counting before Cooley conceded. Harris won by fewer than 75,000 votes out of 9.6 million cast. Two years ago, it took three weeks to confirm Issas reelection to a ninth term. His victory margin was 1,621 votes. Wed rather get it right than get it fast, said Secretary of State Alex Padilla, a Democrat who coasted to reelection on Tuesday. And the policies in place are built on our commitment to preserve the voting rights of every Californian. Preliminary election returns show Democrat Harley Rouda set to unseat Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher. (Eugene Garcia / EPA-Shutterstock) Statewide, 7.3 million ballots were counted on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, but counties are expected to report as many as 4 million more in the days ahead. The bulk of the election-night results come from votes cast in person at polling stations or by ballots that arrived by mail before Nov. 6. The ballots counted later come from a variety of sources. Some are mail ballots that voters dropped off at polling places on election day. Some met the deadline for the Tuesday postmark, and will roll in by Friday. Now that California has same-day registration, known as conditional voting, yet another group of uncounted ballots comes from people whose eligibility needs to be verified. Eligibility also has to be checked for voters who cast provisional ballots those who show up at the wrong polling station, for instance, but whose votes are still valid. michael.finnegan@latimes.com Twitter: @finneganLAT Stacey Abrams, the Democratic candidate in Georgias bitterly disputed governors race, refused to concede defeat Wednesday, activating a legal team as her opponent, Republican Brian Kemp, declared victory. On Wednesday evening with nearly all 3.9 million votes counted and Abrams trailing Kemp by fewer than 63,000 votes the Abrams campaign said that it was 25,700 votes shy of triggering a runoff and 23,800 votes from a recount and that she would not concede until it was clear every last vote was tallied. Make no mistake: This race is not over, Abrams said on Twitter. My team will continue to work around the clock to make sure that every ballot is counted because voting is the bedrock and lifeblood of our democracy. Advertisement But the prospect of a runoff which would take place Dec. 4 if no candidate in the three-person race secured 50% of the vote appeared to be growing slimmer. The office of the secretary of state who happens to be Kemp issued a statement saying that fewer than 3,000 nonprovisional votes remained across the state and county officials reported fewer than 22,000 provisional ballots cast. With 50.3% of the vote compared with 48.7% for Abrams and less than 1% for Libertarian candidate Ted Metz the Kemp campaign declared victory. Brian Kemp earned nearly two million votes on Tuesday by far the most of any gubernatorial candidate in our states history, Cody Hall, Kemps press secretary, said in a statement late Wednesday afternoon. Simply put, it is mathematically impossible for Stacey Abrams to win or force a run-off election. Abrams, Georgias former state House minority leader who hopes to make history as the nations first black female governor, has consistently accused Kemp of voter suppression and questioned why he continues to supervise his own election. Our opponent has had his secretary of states office declare himself the victor, and we are here tonight to say that we do not accept that, Abrams campaign manager, Lauren Groh-Wargo, said in a conference call with reporters. The campaigns legal team, which includes lawyers who worked on the Bush vs. Gore presidential election case in Florida in 2000, will review Georgia election law and compile information about voting irregularities in polling stations with long lines and broken machines. Georgia Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp gives a thumbs-up to supporters, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, in Athens, Ga. (John Bazemore / AP) Republicans were quick to dismiss Democratic hopes, with Kemp telling supporters early Wednesday: The math is on our side. Turn out the lights, the partys over, tweeted GOP pollster Glen Bolger. Brian Kemp is going to be Governor of Georgia without a runoff, Erick Erickson, the conservative American blogger and radio host, said on Twitter. He won fair and square. Whatever the outcome, many Georgians are bracing for an extended showdown over voting rights. Over the last few decades, a wave of transplants from elsewhere in the country has moved to metro Atlanta, shifting the states demographics in a direction favorable for Democrats. Since Kemp took over as secretary of state in 2010, he has introduced a raft of strict voter requirements that have shut down hundreds of polling stations and purged hundreds of thousands of Georgians from electoral rolls. What I told myself when I woke up this morning was this was just a battle in a long war and we continue to fight for democracy, said Carol Anderson, professor of African American studies at Emory University in Atlanta. There seems to be some kind of shock that people are questioning the legitimacy of this election, she added. There shouldnt be a surprise. We knew you knew and I knew it was going to be a dogfight. Its like being the referee in the Super Bowl, but youre also playing on one of the teams. Thats what this is. Last month, a coalition of civil rights groups filed a federal lawsuit accusing Kemp of undermining the voting rights of minority Georgians by blocking more than 50,000 voter registrations nearly 70% of them submitted by black applicants. Two hours before polls closed Tuesday, a group of Georgia voters represented by Protect Democracy, a nonpartisan nonprofit group, filed an emergency federal lawsuit seeking to bar Kemp from presiding over his election, alleging that the arrangement violated their constitutional right to due process. As Georgia Democrats dig in for a lengthy dispute over ballots the deadline for counties to certify their election results is next Tuesday and the state deadline is Nov. 20 the Rev. Raphael Warnock, senior pastor of the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, said Abrams had already won a victory of sorts. Not only was voter turnout historic more than 3.9 million Georgians voted, compared with 2.5 million in 2014 but Abrams had succeeded in her strategy of mobilizing tens of thousands of minority voters. We are seeing unfold before our very eyes a new South that is progressive and inclusive and increasingly embracing of the future, Warnock said. Georgia will never be the same because of her candidacy. Still, despite the high turnout, a question mark hovered over the race, he said. Because Brian Kemp has abused his power in such a flagrant way, to play games with the process, theres a way in which we still dont know what the Georgia electorate is saying in this moment and we may never know, because of the people that he has purged from the rolls, Warnock said. In a real sense, the margin of this race may well be decided by the depth of the secretary of the states corruption. The race was Georgias closest gubernatorial election since 1966, the first time a Republican ran for governor in the 20th century, said Charles S. Bullock III, a professor of political science at the University of Georgia. The closeness of the race showed that Republican power has been receding in Georgia, he said. While Democrats were not the majority party in Georgia, he said, they had become fully competitive and Democrats picked up a smattering of seats in Georgias state House and Senate. Theres been a flashing red light for Republicans be careful! Youre running out of votes! Bullock said. Now that flashing red light has been replaced by a siren. Erickson, too, issued a warning, telling his fellow conservatives that while Kemps alignment with President Trump allowed him to bolster his rural base, it also cost him a significant portion of suburban metro Atlanta voters. Republicans are really going to have to think carefully of just how much they want to be in the Presidents shadow, Erickson tweeted. Suburban voters who tend to vote Republican clearly do not like Trump. Abrams had a simple message for the hundreds of supporters including Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, civil rights activist the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Kandi Burruss of The Real Housewives of Atlanta who packed the ballroom of the Hyatt Regency in downtown Atlanta on election night. In Georgia, civil rights has always been an act of will and a battle for our souls, she told the crowd. And because we have been fighting this fight since the beginning, we have learned a fundamental truth: Democracy only works when we work for it, when we fight for it, when we demand it. jenny.jarvie@latimes.com @jennyjarvie Indicted Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter won reelection this week, beating back a robust Democratic challenge. But on Dec. 3, hes due in federal court, where he faces felony charges that he misused campaign contributions. So what happens to his congressional seat if hes convicted? The congressman from Alpine pleaded not guilty in August and refused to take himself out of the race in his 50th Congressional District, saying the federal indictment alleging fraud and conspiracy was politically motivated. In the election, he faced Democrat Ammar Campa-Najjar in one of the most personal and at times ugly races in the state. The Republican repeatedly made unfounded claims that his opponent would be a national security risk. If Hunter is convicted, there is no constitutional provision or House rule that explicitly requires him to lose his seat, even if he is imprisoned and unable to vote on behalf of his district. Whether he would be pressured to resign would be a decision for the House majority party soon to be the Democrats. Advertisement You can be found guilty and still serve, said Loyola Law School professor Jessica Levinson. Ahead of the election, a September poll showed that nearly 4 in 10 of the districts likely voters believed the five-term incumbent was definitely or probably guilty. Hunter and his wife, Margaret, who also pleaded not guilty in the case, are scheduled to go to court Dec. 3 for a status hearing. Proceedings were delayed after a defense attorney requested more time go through discovery material. The Hunters could face 21 months to five years of incarceration if convicted, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. In that case, a series of possibilities could play out. You can be found guilty and still serve. Jessica Levinson, Loyola Law School professor House rules do advise but do not mandate that a sitting member sentenced to two or more years in prison step down from committees and refrain from voting. After his indictment, Hunter broke from standard practice and declined to step down from his committee posts; he acquiesced after House Speaker Paul D. Ryans office moved to strip his committee posts, according to Politico. In the case of conviction, the leader of the majority party can ask and pressure a member to step aside. I think if Hunter is convicted and it appears that he has to be in prison, there would be enormous pressure from the party leadership for him to step down, Levinson said. Because they would want to have a working member someone who isnt literally behind bars. Results from the 2018 midterm elections But the only way a member would be forcibly removed is by expulsion, which is uncommon. Its occurred five times in the House, the last time in 2002 when Rep. James Traficant, an Ohio Democrat, was convicted of racketeering and other felonies. (In the Senate, there have been 15 expulsions since 1789. Fourteen of the senators were expelled for supporting the Confederacy.) Other than expulsion, the House can censure or reprimand a member. In 1979, for example, Charles Diggs of Michigan was censured after he was convicted on 11 counts of mail fraud and 18 counts of making false statements. Censure requires members to stand at the well of the House the area in front of the rostrum to receive a formal and public disapproval, and they are typically stripped of committee duties. Reprimand often comes in the form of a letter or private meeting. If Hunter were convicted and needed to be replaced, it would mean a special election. In California, a special election is typically called within 14 days to fill a House seat. The election is held 126 to 140 days after the election proclamation. That means a vacant seat could remain empty for quite some time. I suspect if Hunter is convicted, said Matt Glassman of Georgetown Universitys Government Affairs Institute, hes not coming back to Washington. colleen.shalby@latimes.com Twitter: @cshalby ALSO Results from the 2018 midterm elections Republicans losing control of the House means Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) has an easier path to becoming his partys leader in the lower chamber, even if its not the speakership he has long coveted. The difference between being speaker and minority leader is like the difference between lightning and a lightning bug, Claremont McKenna College politics professor John J. Pitney said, paraphrasing Mark Twain. The speaker can do things. The minority leader can only complain. So why would anyone want to be minority leader? You have the potential of becoming speaker if the political tides were to shift in two to four years, Pitney said. Advertisement And thats what McCarthy highlighted in a letter to colleagues announcing his interest in leading Republicans in the minority next year. McCarthy noted that he helped engineer Republicans return to control in 2010. I helped build a majority from a deeper hole than this, and I have what it takes to do it again, McCarthy said. Reeling from losing more than 30 seats on election night, Republicans are expected to hold their leadership elections Wednesday. McCarthy is the presumptive favorite to become minority leader. McCarthy spent the months since House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) announced his retirement quietly shoring up his support for a bid for speaker among the Republican conference and acting as a top campaign surrogate by raising money and support for colleagues across the country. Ryan quickly tapped him as his preferred replacement, and while President Trump hasnt made an outright endorsement, he and the man he calls my Kevin are in frequent contact. But some had questioned if McCarthy had done enough to court the most conservative members of the conference. They blocked his 2015 bid for speaker because they viewed him as insufficiently conservative and too aligned to the GOP establishment. The speculation increased earlier this year when House Freedom Caucus founder Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said he would challenge McCarthy for the top spot. Jordan confirmed this week hell still challenge McCarthy for minority leader, saying Republicans lost the House because they didnt do enough to implement the campaign promises Trump ran on in 2016. But the calculus is different for a minority leader race compared with a speakers race, which should make it easier for McCarthy to lock it down. A candidate for speaker needs at least 50% of all votes 218 when all House seats are occupied and Democrats and Republicans get to participate. Jordans entry into the speakers race was a problem because he could pull away enough votes from conservative Republicans to prevent McCarthy from getting the majority he needed, especially since Democrats would almost certainly vote for their candidate. A candidate for minority leader just needs support from a majority of his own party, and Jordans coalition isnt thought to be big enough to deny McCarthy that. And Jordans bid could be thrown into turmoil if rank and file Republicans blame the right wing of their party for forcing a vote to overturn the Affordable Care Act in 2017. Democrats lambasted Republicans with that hugely unpopular vote all through the campaign. The No. 3 Republican in the House, Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana, who was considered a possible challenger to McCarthy for the speakership, said in a letter to colleagues that he would run for minority whip. House Republican Conference Chairwoman Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington indicated Thursday that she will not seek another term in that post, leaving the door open for the only other person who has entered the race, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.). Though not as influential as the speaker, the minority leader does have the power to do a bit more than just complain about whatever legislation the majority puts forward. The leader is the public face of their party in the House, offering the most prominent opposition to what the other side does, or doesnt, do. And, if they are savvy like current House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), they know when to hold their caucus together and wring concessions out of the majority party in exchange for help passing legislation. Pelosi repeatedly stepped in during her years as minority leader to help Republican leaders who couldnt get enough votes from their own party in exchange for adding something Democrats wanted or killing legislation they opposed. The latest from Washington More stories from Sarah D. Wire sarah.wire@latimes.com Follow @sarahdwire on Twitter UPDATES: 12:15 p.m.: This article was updated with details about McMorris Rodgers. This article was originally published at 11 a.m. Democrats owe their newly elected House majority to an upsurge of votes from women, younger Americans and white college graduates, deepening divides that emerged in the election two years ago and shaping the debate within the party over how to challenge President Trump in 2020. With more than a dozen races left to be called, including several in California, Democrats appear to have picked up a net of about 35 congressional seats, significantly more than the 23 they needed for a majority. Most of those gains came in the outskirts of major cities, from Orange County to the suburbs of Dallas and Houston and on east to Philadelphia and New Jersey. At the same time, Republicans strengthened their hold on more rural parts of the country, sweeping aside Democratic senators in North Dakota, Missouri and Indiana. With strong support from Floridas more rural regions, Republicans may also have picked up the states Senate seat, which remains too close to call. Advertisement The results reinforced a pattern that emerged in Trumps election, only now with even greater intensity, political experts said Wednesday. We have galaxies that are spinning away from each other, said Paul Maslin, a longtime Democrat strategist who helped reelect Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin, among other candidates on Tuesdays ballot. Suburban and metropolitan urban America is going in one direction, and rural, small town, ex-urban America is going the other direction, he said. Or as veteran political analyst Stu Rothenberg put it, the reds are redder, the blues are bluer and the passion is more intense on both sides. The contrast couldnt be sharper. Results from the 2018 midterm elections Republicans see that pattern playing to Trumps advantage. Rural America has decided that Donald Trump is their guy, said Scott Jennings, a Republican strategist and advisor to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). They see him fighting the media, they see him fighting the mob. Hes fighting battles on their behalf that no one else ever fought. Thats locked in and is never going to change. The coasts are still largely unhappy with him, Jennings conceded. But so long as Trump can hold onto his base, he said, the president can stay within hailing distance of the electoral college majority needed for reelection. He can get the rest of the vote he needs if the economy remains healthy and if hes willing to sometimes be boring and talk about it more, Jennings added. Donald Trump has a better than 50% chance of being reelected, and I didnt see anything last night that changes my opinion about that, Jennings said. The urban-rural divide is what it was. Democrats see the matter differently. They note that their candidates, overall, won the congressional vote by about 7 percentage points. The swing from 2016, when Democrats lost the congressional vote by a point, represents one of the largest shifts since World War II, said Matt Grossmann, a Michigan State University political scientist. If Democrats can maintain that edge, it would create a much more hostile environment nationally than Trump had in 2016, especially in the big industrial states of the Midwest and mid-Atlantic regions where Trump cemented his victory two years ago. Democrats made major gains in those states Tuesday night. The biggest swings toward the Democrats came among women, especially college-educated whites, said Brian Schaffner of Tufts University, one of the directors of the Cooperative Congressional Election Study, a survey of 90,000 people that constitutes the largest academic study of U.S. voters. Get the latest news from the nations capital on Essential Washington >> The survey showed that about two-thirds of college-educated white women voted for Democratic candidates, Schaffner said. That group, about 1 in 7 voters, was already among the Democrats biggest backers, but it moved an additional 8 percentage points to Democrats this year, the survey indicated. That was the largest swing of any major group, Schaffner said. Voters younger than 40 showed a similar-sized shift toward the Democrats, Schaffner said. That included a significant number of those who had voted for Trump in 2016. Trump lost very few older voters who sided with him in the last election, he said. But among younger voters, he lost enough to make a difference. Two other surveys done for news organizations the exit poll conducted for major television networks and a separate survey of more than 115,000 voters conducted for the Associated Press, painted a picture of the electorate that was largely the same as the academic survey. The AP VoteCast survey showed that about 38% of voters cast ballots to express opposition to Trump, compared with about 26% who voted to express support. The Democratic gains came mostly in suburban areas, especially outside the South, Schaffner said. In Southern suburbs, the two parties split the vote fairly evenly. Outside the South, however, Democrats won suburbs by 10 to 15 percentage points. Midterm elections typically serve in part as a referendum on the party in power, but local and regional issues often play a role too. This time, the president overshadowed every other issue to an unprecedented degree, said Gary Jacobson, a political science professor at UC San Diego. Trump in his news conference on Wednesday claimed credit for his partys victories in the Senate and blamed Republican candidates who distanced themselves from him for their losses. The numbers rebut the second part of his claim, Jacobson said in an email. It was to the Republicans disadvantage that Trump was central to the electoral decision in House races, though it helped Republican Senate candidates in some of the red states, he wrote. Tuesdays results will be eagerly analyzed by Democratic activists as they debate a presidential nomination fight that has already gotten underway and will now rapidly intensify. The partys left wing had high hopes for a trio of charismatic candidates who excited core Democratic voters, as well as House candidates in some swing districts who ran as unabashed progressives. But none of the three progressive standard-bearers Beto ORourke in Texas, Andrew Gillum in Florida and Stacey Abrams in Georgia won their race. ORourke and Gillum have conceded defeat in their races for the Senate and governor, respectively. Abrams has not conceded, but trails significantly behind her Republican gubernatorial opponent, Brian Kemp. Democrats obviously broke through in the suburbs. Winning the House was significant, said Maslin, the Democratic strategist. But lets not kid ourselves, those are states we wanted to win, and we didnt. On the other hand, said political media strategist Don Sipple, one has to be struck that they all ran as unapologetic progressives and all came very close. And each of the three did at least as well as more moderate candidates have previously done in their states. That tells you something about the new South, said Sipple, who helped elect Govs. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jerry Brown. It also keeps alive the argument that the best path forward for Democrats is to find candidates who can excite young voters and minorities, as opposed to those who hope to win back older, less liberal white voters who have moved to the Republican side of the aisle. Thats a false choice, Maslin said. Anyone who thinks its a zero-sum game, we can only do this, or a candidate should only do that, is wrong, he said. We have to do both. Lauter reported from Washington and Barabak from Los Angeles. Lauter reported from Washington and Barabak from Los Angeles. David.Lauter@latimes.com Mark.Barabak@latimes.com For more on Politics and Policy, follow me @DavidLauter The gains Democrats amassed this week in the House of Representatives and governors offices throughout the country should strengthen Californias hand, creating potent new allies in the states pursuit of progressive policies and blunting White House assaults on its agenda. On climate change, immigration and healthcare, all issues on which California is taking a national lead, the landscape has shifted with the election. The new Democratic-controlled House will give the state expanded tools to fight the Trump administration and empower California to more energetically enforce emissions rules and other environmental protections. And the Democratic gains in statehouses nationwide will give California a bigger alliance of partners than it has had in recent years. It bolsters our case, Gov. Jerry Brown said. We cant be steamrolled now. Advertisement Plans for robust House oversight have the potential to slow or even derail some of the administrations rollbacks of landmark federal environmental protections California has been fighting. The control congressional Democrats will gain over the federal budget could be used to steer the Justice Department away from its attacks on Californias liberal net neutrality, sanctuary city and recreational marijuana use laws. And it will give a boost to the states efforts to stop the administration from adding a citizenship question on the census, which California warns would result in immigrants not being counted. It is a game changer, said Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Fremont). When you control one of these branches of Congress, it becomes easier to stop things. The agencies will have to be much more careful about abiding by the law. The House can now exercise oversight and prevent them from not allowing California to implement its values and its laws. California still has a tough road ahead. Control of a single congressional chamber and a shift of power in other states hardly signals a return to the days nearly a decade ago when California worked in tandem with a Democratic Congress and the Obama administration to advance a shared national vision on climate change, immigration and innovation. But the electoral gains bring welcome reinforcements for the state in its battle with the Trump administration. Wins by Democrats in state attorneys general offices will increase the coalition joining California in such efforts, giving added weight to the states claims and expanding the fronts on which it can battle. Colorado, Michigan, Nevada and Wisconsin which all appeared to have elected Democratic attorneys general on Tuesday will now probably be joining California and its allies in court in many of the fights. They are entering the fray as the administration is seeking to gut power-plant emission rules that were crucial to the U.S. meeting its obligations under the Paris agreement on global warming that President Trump has disavowed. Trumps Environmental Protection Agency is also moving to unravel fuel economy standards that are a linchpin of climate action in California and across the country and take away Californias authority under the Clean Air Act to set its own aggressive tailpipe emission rules. The state legal actions may soon be aided by House inquiries that could bog down some of the administrations key policy initiatives. Its significant that Democrats now have this power, said Richard Revesz, a regulatory law professor at New York University. A lot of the efforts to roll back Obama administration regulations are on weak legal footing. There are glaring legal or analytical weaknesses. Bringing attention to them can be a good strategy. Republicans took that approach when resisting President Obamas agenda, and succeeded in using the material from its hearings to persuade states not to follow new Obama rules. Democratic lawmakers can now use subpoenas to investigate the communications between agencies and and the companies they regulate for improper corporate influence over rule making. Evidence they unearth can be used in the ongoing legal battles launched by California. On Wednesday morning, energy lobbyists were already advising their clients to expect a raft of investigations in which they could be called to testify, and briefing them on how to respond to subpoenas. Companies will find themselves up against lawmakers like Rep. Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael), a high-ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee eager to make use of the new authority Democrats will have in the House. This will help us protect California, he said. The question is where to begin. Many of these policies are on flimsy legal ground. To the extent the next Congress can expose just how flimsy that ground is, it becomes much more likely the legal challenges can prevail. California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra said hes eager for House Democrats to start investigating the administrations addition of a question to the census asking if participants are U.S. citizens. His office warns that the question has the potential to deter so many people in California from participating that it could cost the state a congressional seat and billions of dollars in federal assistance. But the administration has delayed turning over information the state needs to build its case in court, and time is fast running out. Having a chamber willing to do oversight will help us get these answers, Becerra said. The attorney general is encouraged that, thanks to the election, the coalition of attorneys general fighting the Trump administration will represent more than half of all states and an even bigger share of the national economy. There is clearly strength in numbers, Becerra said. Also growing substantially this week is the climate action alliance that California helped build to lead the nation toward meeting the goals in the Paris agreement. The Democrats flipped seven governors offices Tuesday, some in states that have been deeply resistant to climate action. Six of those seven new governors have already said they want their states to meet the Paris targets, said Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, chair of the Democratic Governors Assn. The biggest change here is the states can move forward doing things Trump doesnt like. Like a lot of things in life, said Inslee, the more people that join you, the more you feel encouraged, and the more difficult it is to create a political firestorm to come after you. The latest look at the Trump administration and the rest of Washington More stories from Evan Halper evan.halper@latimes.com | Twitter: @evanhalper Times staff writer John Myers in Sacramento contributed to this report. President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, greets residents at a community elderly center in Shanghai during his inspection of the city on Tuesday. [Photo/Xinhua] Pursuit of reform and opening-up emphasized during Shanghai visit President Xi Jinping stressed the need for firm determination and full confidence during the nations reform and opening-up on his two-day inspection tour in Shanghai, which concluded on Wednesday. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, urged the city to continue to play a pioneering role in the countrys reform and opening-up and serve as a forerunner in innovative development. Xi started the tour after he attended the opening ceremony of the China International Import Expo in Shanghai on Monday. He visited enterprises, communities, the citys operation and management center and the high-tech park in the Pudong New Area. He also interacted with company managers, government officials and residents, and learned of the economic situation, technological innovation and city and community management in Shanghai. Xi said the external environment of Chinas development is undergoing marked changes and the countrys economy has transitioned from high-speed growth to high-quality development. He said the country is facing increasing difficulties in economic development resulting from unbalanced and insufficient development as well as some cyclical, structural and institutional problems. Strategic focus must be maintained to achieve the goals that the country has set, Xi said. Noting that Shanghai has maintained its crucial role in the country, Xi urged the city to make greater contributions to Chinas reform and opening-up. He called on Shanghai to make all-out efforts to advance national strategies such as construction of the Belt and Road and development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and take the lead in promoting high-quality and integrated development in the Yangtze River Delta. Priority should be given to high-quality development in the real economy, Xi said. He added that efforts should be stepped up to strengthen integrated development of the real economy, technological innovation, modern financing and human resources so as to improve the influence and competitive edge of Shanghai. Xi called for concrete steps to deepen reforms in such fields as State-owned capital and enterprises and the private economy and capital markets. He also called for building a business environment that is first class internationally, and for vigorously advancing to an even higher level all-around opening-up. Xi was shown achievements in frontier technologies in the fields of photonics, aviation and aerospace, life science and integrated circuits at the exhibition hall of Zhangjiang Science City, a national-level technological innovation center in the citys Pudong New Area. Speaking to scientists at the exhibition hall, Xi highlighted the nations urgent need for more scientific and technological innovations, and he urged them to seize opportunities to strive for more major breakthroughs in technological innovation. Visiting Shanghai Tower at 632 meters, the nations tallest skyscraper Xi recalled the history of the citys development in recent decades and said Shanghai vividly demonstrates the astounding changes that have taken place in China since its reform and opening-up. The landmark building in Lujiazui, the financial center of the Pudong New Area, was approved by Xi when he was the secretary of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee in 2007. During his tour, Xi also met with senior military officers stationed in Shanghai. A decade after President Obama took office pledging to extend healthcare protections to all Americans and setting off an unprecedented partisan battle, the fight is effectively over. Years from now, the 2018 midterm election is likely to be recognized as the moment that cemented the Affordable Care Acts position alongside other pillars of the American healthcare system, such as Medicare. Most immediately, the Democratic takeover of the House of Representatives precludes any new Republican campaign to repeal the law, at least for another two years. More profoundly, these elections revealed the depth of public support in red states and blue for core parts of the 2010 law, often called Obamacare. And they offered a sharp warning to politicians who threaten the laws protections. Advertisement Voters in deeply conservative states, including Idaho, Nebraska and Utah, strongly backed ballot measures to expand Medicaid and extend government health coverage to their poorest neighbors, an option made possible by the law. At the same time, Republican candidates across the country, facing withering attacks from their Democratic opponents, went out of their way to insist they would champion safeguards for Americans with preexisting medical conditions even after long trying to repeal those protections. These safeguards, once isolated to a handful of states, were enacted nationwide for the first time through the healthcare law and guaranteed by financial assistance to help low- and moderate-income consumers buy health coverage. Now President Trump and other GOP leaders, many still smarting from their failed push to repeal the law last year, no longer even make a pretense of offering an alternative to the current law. The American people have given us divided government, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Wednesday, acknowledging that repeal is no longer an option. I think the message is: Figure out what you can do together, and do it. To be sure, antipathy to the healthcare law remains high among many conservatives. The two political parties still hold starkly divergent views of where to take American healthcare, with many Democrats eyeing ways to open up the government Medicare or Medicaid programs to more people, and Republicans looking for ways to scale back government regulation of healthcare, as the Trump administration has already started to do. Republican leaders also continue to harbor dreams of dramatically scaling back federal spending on Medicaid and Medicare. Trumps own 2019 budget envisions hundreds of billions of dollars in cuts to Medicaid. GOP governors and state attorneys general, meanwhile, continue to push a lawsuit, backed by the Trump administration, to wipe out the healthcare law and its preexisting condition protections nationwide. The case is currently before a federal judge in Texas. Such retrenchments have long been at odds with public opinion. Even when the healthcare law itself could barely get the support of four in 10 Americans, polling by the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation showed that as many as 75% of Americans liked its key components, such as expanding Medicaid and prohibiting insurers from turning away sick consumers. Medicaid, in particular, has proven remarkably popular, even among Republicans. But until this weeks elections, it was unclear what price Republican politicians would pay if they tried to take these protections away. The verdict was devastating. Voters on Tuesday punished GOP lawmakers like New Jersey Rep. Tom MacArthur, a lead architect of the House Republican plan in 2017 to roll back requirements that health plans offer comprehensive coverage to people with preexisting conditions. MacArthur was among more than two dozen House Republicans who lost their seats Tuesday. In Texas, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, another leading proponent of scaling back protections for preexisting conditions, managed to hold on to his seat against a spirited challenge from Democratic Rep. Beto ORourke. But Cruz prevailed by just over 200,000 votes, whereas the Republican gubernatorial candidate in Texas beat his Democratic opponent by more than 1.1 million votes. Sen. McConnell has said out loud what many Republicans have been thinking, said Jennifer Young, a veteran GOP lobbyist and senior official at the Department of Health and Human Services under President George W. Bush. Many Republicans are more than ready to shift their attention to other healthcare priorities. Elsewhere, Republican politicians such as Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts simply tried to get out of the way of popular pushes to expand Medicaid coverage. Ricketts, who once railed against the Affordable Care Act and resisted expanding Medicaid coverage in Nebraska, never took a position on this years Medicaid ballot measure. It passed 53% to 47%. In Idaho and Utah, Medicaid measures won 61% and 54% of the vote, respectively. Idahos measure got an eleventh-hour boost when the outgoing Republican Gov. Butch Otter endorsed it, noting: We cannot continue to let hardworking Idahoans go without healthcare. With Democratic gubernatorial victories in Kansas and Wisconsin on Tuesday, it is now possible that as many as five more states could soon be expanding Medicaid coverage through the Affordable Care Act. That would leave only a dozen holdouts, mostly clustered in the Deep South. Whether those states will embrace universal coverage for their residents is unclear. But the tide of public opinion is moving away from those who continue to resist it. Exit polls Tuesday showed that nearly six in 10 voters said it should be the responsibility of the federal government to make sure all Americans have healthcare coverage, a core principle of the law Obama signed eight years ago. The exit polling tracks with other surveys that have shown the share of Americans backing such a role for the federal government has increased steadily over the last decade. Republicans are going to find that they oppose coverage at their own political peril, warned Brad Woodhouse, executive director of Protect Our Care, a liberal advocacy group formed last year to fight GOP efforts to roll back the healthcare law. Obamacare 101: A primer on key issues in the debate over repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act. The latest from Washington More stories from Noam N. Levey noam.levey@latimes.com @noamlevey The defeat of a ballot measure that would have allowed for the expansion of rent control across California has buoyed landlords and left tenants pinning their hopes on the states new governor for relief. Proposition 10 failed resoundingly with nearly 62% of voters rejecting the initiative as of results tallied Wednesday. The initiative would have repealed the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, which bans cities and counties from implementing more aggressive forms of rent control. The result means those prohibitions remain in place. For the record: An earlier version of this article stated that the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act prohibits local governments from implementing rent controls on apartments built before 1995. The law prohibits rent controls on apartments built after 1995. Landlord groups, which funded a nearly $80-million opposition campaign that outraised supporters 3 to 1, said voters made their opinions clear. When a measure loses by double digits, thats such a strong message, said Debra Carlton, senior vice president at the California Apartment Assn. Certainly, any changes to rent control or Costa-Hawkins in general will be a heavy lift after this. Advertisement Voters reject Proposition 10, halting effort to expand rent control across the state Supporters of expanding rent control, however, said the campaign pushed tenant concerns to the forefront of the states housing debate. Theyre also taking solace in a pledge from Democratic Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom, who has said that he will try to strike a deal on new rent control policies upon taking office. Newsom opposed Proposition 10, saying that he preferred amending Costa-Hawkins rather than repealing it. What were seeing now is that families and seniors are being evicted, facing economic eviction right now, said Jennifer Martinez, director of strategy for the nonprofit PICO California, a backer of Proposition 10. That doesnt seem to be slowing down. It seems to be growing to many more regions of the state. We need relief now. Martinez called the prospect of Newsoms involvement exciting and important. Voters from all parts of California opposed Proposition 10. The initiative was losing in all but one of the states 58 counties as of Wednesday, with only San Franciscans giving it majority support. Similarly, municipal efforts to implement some rent controls in Santa Cruz and National City, a small community south of San Diego, also appeared headed for defeat by large margins. Tenant groups responded to Tuesdays loss by protesting at the Santa Monica offices of Blackstone, the private equity firm that owns thousands of apartments in the state and was a major donor to the campaign against Proposition 10. At the rally, activists called on Newsom to address skyrocketing rents. Supporters also said they were open to tenant protections that were narrower than those proposed by the initiative. Costa-Hawkins, which passed 23 years ago, prohibits local governments from implementing rent control on single-family homes, condominiums and apartments built after 1995 or earlier in Los Angeles, San Francisco and other cities with longstanding rent stabilization rules. It also gives landlords the right to charge rents at the market rate once a tenant in a rent-controlled unit moves out. Proposition 10 would have repealed Costa-Hawkins entirely, leaving local governments to implement new rent stabilization rules at their discretion. In January, a legislative committee defeated a bill that also would have done away with Costa-Hawkins. The failures show that lawmakers and advocates should take a different approach, said Assemblyman Rob Bonta (D-Alameda), a coauthor of the failed rent control bill. When youve tried something twice and it didnt pass, youve gotta look at other alternatives, too, Bonta said. You cant have blinders on. Bonta said hes hoping his colleagues would consider legislation to counter rent gouging, limit conversions of rent-controlled apartments to for-sale condominiums and amend Costa-Hawkins rather than repealing it. But the resounding defeat of Proposition 10 might add to the landlord lobbys already strong position. During debate over the legislation to repeal Costa-Hawkins, Carlton told lawmakers that her group was willing to consider changes that would allow cities and counties to place rent control rules on more recently built apartments. In an interview Wednesday, Carlton said Tuesdays result made it less likely landlord groups would agree to such amendments. If I were to take the pulse at the moment Id say theyd be less inclined, she said. That would be the logical conclusion. Its unclear what Newsom plans to do. The governor-elect did not speak publicly to reporters on Wednesday, but previously told the Sacramento Bee that he expected to deal with rent control right away. I will take responsibility to address the issue if [Proposition 10] does get defeated, Newsom said. Adding tenant protections could be part of a larger package of new housing legislation and policies that Newsom is expected to propose in the coming year. He made addressing the states housing affordability problems a key campaign promise. Principally, Newsom has called for the construction of 3.5 million new homes by 2025, a level of production never seen in California at least since the state building industry began keeping statistics in the 1950s. Some supporters of Proposition 10 have been critical of Newsoms positions on tenant issues. A top official at the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that spent $23.2 million on the pro-Proposition 10 campaign described Newsom last week as bought and paid for by the landlords and the Realtor lobby and the developer lobby. But Michael Weinstein, the AIDS Healthcare Foundations president, said late Tuesday that he wanted to work with the new governor before deciding whether to put another rent control initiative on the 2020 ballot. No matter what happens at the Capitol, there will be another major rent control debate in the state in the coming years. Residents in Sacramento, Californias sixth-largest city, have qualified an initiative for the 2020 ballot that would implement rent stabilization on older apartments. Michelle Pariset, an initiative proponent who works on statewide housing issues for the nonprofit law firm Public Advocates, said she hoped a local rent control battle in the shadow of the Capitol would spur legislators to act. When you try to do something progressive you lose a lot of the time, Pariset said. But you keep fighting. Coverage of California politics liam.dillon@latimes.com @dillonliam What kind of governor will Gavin Newsom be? An innovative progressive? A pragmatic moderate? An empty suit? Its anyones guess. Hes a blank slate probably the blankest slate of any California governor-elect in modern times. Everyone knew what to anticipate from Gov. Jerry Brown and he met expectations. Arnold Schwarzenegger was a celebrity showman and governed like it. Gray Davis had been an uncharismatic Sacramento fixture for 24 years. Pete Wilson and George Deukmejian had solid records in major elective office. Ronald Reagan had never held office, but had been preaching his political beliefs for years. Pat Brown was a career politician. Newsom was mayor of San Francisco, but that job has little relevance to being governor of the state with the worlds fifth largest economy. Then he became an ignored potted plant as lieutenant governor. Advertisement And because Newsom didnt have a competitive general-election race, he jogged and was never forced to commit himself to policy details. Heres what I think about Newsom: I dont think hes an empty suit. I dont really know him. But in a few lengthy conversations Ive had with Newsom, he has been impressive. Ive been struck by his knowledge of issues and his having thought them through. He seems to be a serious policy wonk. And he can articulate his thinking, a trait all leaders need. Although Newsoms campaign slogan was courage for a change, he appears to be girded with the kind of cautious pragmatism that youd expect from a very successful businessman. (He made his money in wine and lodging.) More from George Skelton At the same time, he definitely has a flair for the dramatic. The best example of that was when he allowed same-sex marriages in San Francisco shortly after he became mayor. They were illegal then. He was boldly ahead of his time. Then there were the two hot-button ballot initiatives he sponsored two years ago. One legalized marijuana, although he insisted to me hed never smoked pot. Alcohol had earlier been his demon, he said. His other ballot measure made Californias gun controls even tighter. Based on history, we can expect Newsom to make a big splash with something early in his governorship. But right now he needs to hire a good speechwriter. His election-night victory speech had some nice lines, but included way too many platitudes. Newsom is better than that. This wasnt bad, clearly aimed at President Trump: Roll the credits on the politics of chaos and the politics of cruelty. Also: In California, we dont separate families and we dont lock kids in cages. So Newsom, unlike Brown, apparently sees himself as the Trump resister-in-chief for California. But he should mute himself. Ive a hunch most voters have ODd on the anti-Trump drumbeat and want their new governor to focus on making life better for them. Coverage of California politics One thing Newsom needs to be constantly reminded of: Although he won by a landslide, he carried only a small sliver of geography along the coast. He was rejected in all but two counties Sacramento and Yolo in the 400-mile-long Central Valley stretching from Redding to Bakersfield. If the Democrat truly hopes to unite the state and achieve bipartisan victories in the Capitol, he cant ignore Trumpland in inland California. Itll be tricky. At the same time, hell have to satisfy his liberal base particularly labor unions in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. Courage for a change means having the guts to say no. But first he needs a successful transition to one of the most powerful political jobs in America, one that can ultimately be a springboard to the White House. Nothing is more important than the transition, says political attorney Steve Merksamer, who was Deukmejians chief of staff. Its like building a foundation for a new house. He has to turn his first state budget in to the printer by mid-December. Hes very lucky hes inheriting a big surplus. The most important thing hes going to do, Merksamer continues, is figure out who to surround himself with. Theyre going to define his administration. Hes going to have hundreds maybe thousands of people applying for jobs. Hes going to be contacted by some people he hasnt seen in 30 years. His second most important appointment behind only chief-of-staff is state finance director. Schwarzenegger and Reagan both screwed up on their initial picks. One other thing Newsom needs to decide: Do he, his wife and four children live in Sacramento, which the governor-elect has called dull, or try to commute from their gorgeous home in Marin County, a short scenic drive over the Golden Gate Bridge from glamorous San Francisco? He shouldnt even think about it. He badly wanted to be governor. Sacramento comes with the 24/7 job. Move into the rehabilitated governors mansion and send the kids to private schools. One thing Newsom should tackle is tax reform: The current outdated system is dangerously volatile. Politically, it must be revenue-neutral: Sales taxes need to be cut and extended to services. Income taxes also need to be trimmed, from the middle to the top. Newsom says he sees an opening in conjunction with a proposed property tax overhaul set for the 2020 ballot. Im open to putting everything on the table, he told me. But his first priorities are expanding early childhood education, eradicating homelessness and establishing universal healthcare not necessarily single-payer. Im going to push the envelope, lean in on this and see how far we can take it, he said of healthcare. Newsom is a potential rock star. He has the looks, persona, smarts and a talented actress-filmmaker wife in Jennifer Siebel Newsom. But hell need to show he can perform. george.skelton@latimes.com Follow @LATimesSkelton on Twitter What makes a 26-minute television cartoon special a classic, still shining brightly after 52 years? Chapman University will answer that question with its campuswide Grinch Week that starts on Nov. 10 with an opening reception to the exhibition, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!: Chuck Jones and the Making of an Animated Classic, at its Hilbert Museum of California Art in Orange. On Nov. 17 the museum, in conjunction with its Musco Center for the Arts, will co-present a screening and panel discussion of How the Grinch Stole Christmas! There will also be a WinterFest Celebration and Days Holiday Tree-Lighting on Nov. 14. It began with the theme of Christmas and How the Grinch Stole Christmas! for our exhibition, said Mary Platt, director of the Hilbert Museum, and it grew from there into a full-on Grinch week of activities. Were very excited for this event and feel its such an honor for us to be in partnership with Chapman and the Hilbert Museum, said Linda Jones Clough, daughter of late Chuck Jones, director of How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Clough is one of Saturdays panel members. She is involved with two family businesses: Linda Jones Enterprises Inc., which runs several Chuck Jones-related galleries, and the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity, based in Costa Mesa and run by Chucks grandson, Craig Kausen. The Nov. 11 event will screen the original cartoon based on the 1957 childrens book by Theodor Dr. Seuss Geisel. (Seuss was his middle name.) Dr. Seuss adapted his book for the special and co-produced it with Jones, a longtime Orange Country resident famous for Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck cartoons. Himself a three-time Oscar winner, Jones Loony Tunes style of animation is easily discernible in Grinch. Its such an elegant, simple evocation of the spirit of Christmas, Platt said of the cartoon classic. She pointed out that the classic song Youre a Mean One, Mr. Grinch is sung by Thurl Ravenscroft, who was for many years the voice of the annual Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach. Clough explained that Dr. Seuss had a bad experience in Hollywood and was reluctant to work on the film, but her father was able to convince him because they had previously worked together on the Pvt. Snafu World War II cartoons. Jones realized that a reading of the original Grinch story didnt take up a half-hour, so he filled up the time with song and action without narration, Clough said. She also revealed that Boris Karloff, the narrator and voice of the Grinch, was not even in the U.S. when he recorded his lines. "[Karloff] was in London and said he was too busy and couldnt come out, Clough said, so they sent him the script and he recorded his lines in one weekMy father had that much confidence in him, and it resulted in a wonderful and inspiring reading. After two TV cartoon sequels (one winning an Emmy) and a 2000 live-action feature film, a new 3-D animated feature The Grinch premieres on Nov. 9, so theres no denying the lasting appeal of the 1966 original. We all need to remember its message of new hope thats worth celebrating, Clough said. Thats what The Grinch is all about. IF YOU GO What: The Hilbert Museum of California Art and the Musco Center for the Arts present How the Grinch Stole Christmas!: Chuck Jones, Dr. Seuss and the Making of an Animated Classic, a screening of the cartoon, panel discussion and exhibition. When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17; part of the campuswide Grinch Week (through Nov. 17) and the concurrent Grinch exhibition at the museum (through Jan. 19.) Where: Musco Center for the Arts, Chapman University, 415 N. Glassell St., Orange. Cost: Free (but reservation required) Information: (844) 626-8726; muscocenter.org To survive the experience of war, some veterans need to get their memories, thoughts and feelings out into the open. Others find comfort in listening. And then there are veterans who prefer not to express anything at all in some cases, holding everything inside for decades. Wherever vets fall on this wide-ranging spectrum, Chance Theaters Veterans Speak Up program seems to have something helpful, perhaps invaluable, to offer. Veterans Speak Up is an offshoot of the theaters Speak Up community outreach program, where a series of weekly workshops culminates in the public performance of an original theatrical piece written and performed by the current years participants. The program took shape in 2015 in partnership with Veterans First (now Veterans Outreach OC) as a direct outgrowth of a 2014 study conducted by the Orange County Community Foundation. The study found that members of the military coming home to Orange County, which has the fourth-largest veteran population in California, are significantly under-prepared for civilian life. Karen OHanlon, the programs director from its inception, said eliciting the trust of vets who participate has easily been the most daunting task. Easing the path is sincerity, showing vets she only wants to hear their stories at whatever level they feel comfortable. Chance Theaters program is an ongoing collaboration between veterans living in Orange County and the Anaheim theaters various company and board members. Up front, second from left, is the programs director, Karen OHanlon, with vet Alan Duran. (Photo courtesy of Chance Theater) Constant throughout the programs four years has been its goals of empowering vets and building empathy within the community for the experiences, mindset and challenges vets face on a daily basis. OHanlon said she and others at Chance envision the program as using theater as a means for rehabilitation and expression by talking about their experiences and sharing with their families, fellow veterans and members of the public [so they can gain] a better understanding of the life of a veteran its challenges as well as its points of pride. In many cases, these difficult events have led to traumas associated with PTSD. That condition, OHanlon said, appears to be the most prevalent among vets, and it can also trigger, among other difficulties, homelessness or drug abuse. A 2017 Homeless Count and Survey Report conducted by the Orange County Continuum found that last year the number of homeless veterans increased in Orange County for the first time in seven years. Another thread many vets have in common is how theyre treated and regarded by others upon re-entering civilian life. A returning vet comes home a changed person, OHanlon said, noting that for Vietnam vets, homecoming has been toughest they werent treated so well. USAF vet Frank Barry, a linguistics specialist who worked in an undercover airborne unit in Vietnam, has participated in all four Veterans Speak Up programs to date. (Photo courtesy of Chance Theater) Veteran Frank Barry had already been a Chance patron for a dozen years when he decided to participate. He saw a flier in the theater lobby in 2015 asking vets to tell their stories something he hadnt yet been able to do. An eight-year U.S. Air Force vet and linguistics specialist, Barry was part of an undercover airborne unit flying nighttime missions out of Da Nang. Because what I did was classified, I had never had a chance to tell my story, said Barry, who majored in theater at UMass. Unlike Barry, though, for most veterans, the process of creating a work of theater is something new. Handouts guide them through four areas: sharing, choosing, crafting and performing. OHanlon said whether sharing something particularly sensitive or even simply feeling uncomfortable being on stage vets are always in control of the process and the material. They can veto anything that causes unease or discomfort. Most valuable to Barry has been the stories of the other vets. Barry said the program is such a catharsis for many who participate, a factor he said aligns neatly with the true nature of theater to be cathartic. OHanlon, Barry said, deserves credit and praise for the programs success. A lot of stuff comes up [in the workshops], he said, yet she doesnt edit or censor. She creates a space where the guys can share things and cry and laugh. She makes us all very comfortable telling our stories. If it werent for her, we wouldnt do that. OHanlon believes its crucial for self-healing that the vets dont feel diagnosed, censored or judged. It empowers them while also frequently kicking open the door of communication with loved ones in attendance, she said. This years vets will split into two groups Nov. 11 to deliver Veterans Day performances, both at 1:30 p.m., one at Bowers Museums Norma Kershaw Auditorium ($12 general, veterans admitted free), and one at Segerstrom Centers Argyros Plaza (free of charge). But the full show will take place Dec. 4 at Chance Theater in Anaheim Hills. Audiences should be prepared. What theyre talking about is scary stuff, and were not sugar-coating, OHanlon said. This is about them speaking their truths, so theres a certain harshness to it. If You Go What: Veterans Speak Up Where: Cripe Stage, Chance Theater at Bette Aitken Theater Arts Center, 5522 E. La Palma Avenue, Anaheim When: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 4 Cost: $11 to $15 (discounts available for active and veteran military personnel, seniors and students) Information: (888) 455-4212, chancetheater.com One Republican claimed victory in a local election for state Assembly, while another remained locked in a tight battle Wednesday. With all precincts reporting tallies from Tuesdays voting, Tyler Diep the Republican vice mayor of Westminster had received 54.2% of the vote in the 72nd Assembly District, which includes Fountain Valley and a portion of Huntington Beach. His opponent, Huntington Beach Democrat Josh Lowenthal, came up short with 45.8%. Thank you to my parents, friends, staff, volunteers and supporters, Diep wrote on his Facebook page Wednesday. Im grateful to those that voted for me, and to those that did not, I will work hard to gain your support. Lowenthal a business executive and son of Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) expressed thanks to his supporters for believing in me, supporting me, embracing change in Orange County. Im so proud of the campaign we ran together, he wrote on Facebook. And while I wont be able to represent you in Sacramento, Im still here and will not stop doing what I can to make our quality of life better. There is lots of work to do. Meanwhile, 74th District incumbent Matthew Harper (R-Huntington Beach) had a slight advantage over his opponent, Laguna Beach Democrat Cottie Petrie-Norris. With all precincts reporting, his lead was 436 votes, or 50.2% to 49.8%. The 74th District includes Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach and part of Huntington Beach. Petrie-Norris wrote in a Facebook post Wednesday that the race was still too close to call. About 420,000 ballots were left to be tabulated countywide, according to the Orange County registrar of voters office. The next update is scheduled for Thursday evening. Harper also noted that there were plenty of outstanding ballots to be taken into account, but he expressed confidence that his lead would hold up. Historically, late absentees will usually match early absentees and, if thats the case, then well probably have a widening margin. I feel pretty good about it, he said. This has been a watershed election for Orange County, Petrie-Norris said in a later statement. We have seen record mobilization, record activism and record levels of voter participation. This is an incredibly exciting moment, and were looking forward to every vote being counted. RESULTS Vote totals and percentages 72nd Assembly District Tyler Diep: 54,931 (54.2%) Josh Lowenthal: 46,381 (45.8%) 74th Assembly District Matthew Harper (incumbent): 61,754 (50.2%) Cottie Petrie-Norris: 61,318 (49.8%) Source: Orange County registrar of voters office, with all precincts reporting luke.money@latimes.com Twitter @LukeMMoney UPDATES: 6:05 p.m.: This article was updated with the latest voting figures. This article was originally published at 4:40 p.m. Four years on the Fountain Valley Planning Commission prepared Patrick Harper for his promotion. Harper is headed to the City Council after Fountain Valley voters Tuesday picked him, community activist Kim Constantine and incumbent Michael Vo for the three available seats on the five-person council. Harper ran for the council in 2014, not long after being appointed to the Planning Commission, and he came in fourth behind three incumbents. As he continued with the commission, he got a good sense of city service, he said, and became well-versed in the Fountain Valley Crossings rezoning project, one of the towns major issues. He also became known to residents. Harpers switch to the council will make use of his planning and development knowledge as the city begins its general plan update. He also plans to tackle the budget, tapping his professional background as a certified public accountant. He said he wants the city to be prepared with a balanced budget when the Measure HH sales tax sunsets in 2037. I just want to do a good job for the city, he said. Vo, the current mayor, led all candidates in the election with 16.1% of the vote with all precincts reporting. He thanked voters for keeping him in his seat. Im honored to continue service, he said. Theres a lot more to be done. Harper, who collected the second-highest vote total, and Constantine, who placed third, replace veteran council members John Collins and Larry Crandall. Collins is termed out, and Crandall chose not to run. Crandall served from 1998 to 2012 before he was appointed back to the council this year to complete the term of Mark McCurdy, who resigned in January. Collins and Crandall will take a combined 43 years of institutional knowledge with them, but council members Cheryl Brothers and Steve Nagel, whose terms end in 2020, also are experienced. Brothers has 12 years of council service so far, and Nagel has 10. RESULTS Vote totals and percentages Michael Vo (incumbent): 5,651 (16.1%) Patrick Harper: 5,560 (15.9%) Kim Constantine: 5,213 (14.9%) Glenn Grandis: 4,415 (12.6%) Tom Nguyen: 3,923 (11.2%) Dave Osborn: 3,880 (11.1%) Patrick Tucker: 3,762 (10.7%) Nick Lecong: 2,617 (7.5%) Source: Orange County registrar of voters office, with all precincts reporting hillary.davis@latimes.com Twitter: @Daily_PilotHD The federal government agreed to return more than $3 million in assets seized from a Costa Mesa nursing school after the U.S. attorneys office decided not to prosecute the college or its owners in connection with a fraud investigation, attorneys for the school said. A case brought by federal authorities against Pacific College, a private for-profit nursing school, was dismissed Nov. 1. The assets were seized in October 2017 as part of an investigation into allegations of a financial aid fraud scheme. After a complete and comprehensive investigation that stretched for an entire year, Pacific College has been exonerated, attorney Eliot Krieger, who represented one of Pacific Colleges owners, said in a statement. The allegations were always completely unfounded, as there was never any wrongdoing, and the college is gratified that the federal government now understands that. The U.S. attorneys office did not comment. In June, lawyers for Pacific College asked a federal judge to order authorities to return the seized funds. Officials said the school would have to close if the assets werent returned. Pacific College, whose main campus is at 3160 Red Hill Ave. in Costa Mesa, opened in 1993. It has satellite locations in Commerce and Ontario and previously on the campus of Cal State Long Beach. Authorities had alleged that Pacific College increased students tuition to eliminate refunds of financial aid funding to the students and enable the school to keep the money. Federal financial aid is awarded based on student applications, but the funds are disbursed directly to the school where a student is enrolled. Typically, a school applies the funds to the students account and any amount above the cost of tuition is given to the student to cover living expenses. The government also alleged that Pacific College, among other things, inflated grades, falsified attendance records and passed students through its nursing program in a manner that maintained a false standard of academic progress that kept students enrolled in the program and sustained the flow of incoming [federal student aid] funds, according to the U.S. attorneys office. Pacific College received $22.9 million in financial aid funds from 2010 to 2017, according to court documents. The college has not received money from the U.S. Department of Education since September 2017 because of the investigation, the defendants attorneys said. Federal prosecutors said in court documents that the FBI, the Department of Education and the California Department of Consumer Affairs began investigating the college in late 2012. Attorney James Spertus, who represents Pacific College President William Nelson and his wife, Ila, argued in a May 14 court filing that the FBI investigation did not begin in 2012 but started only after a Pacific College employee threatened to have his friends at the FBI shut down the college unless it paid him and gave him equity in the school. The college refused, Spertus wrote. julia.sclafani@latimes.com Sunday marks the centennial of Armistice Day a World War I ceasefire signed on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 and a ceremony at Lanterman House aims to commemorate the historic occasion. The special event takes place Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at the museum grounds, 4420 Encinas Drive, in La Canada, and includes a flag ceremony, student performances, recitations and free tours of Lanterman House. There, a mini-exhibit of local artifacts from the World War I era will be displayed. Laura Verlaque, executive director of the museum, said the goal of the event is to shed light on the citys own historic ties to the international conflict once billed as the war to end all wars. I hope this will be a day people can come into Lanterman House and reflect on the legacy of the war, Verlaque said. Valley Sun columnist Joe Puglia, who organizes the citys annual Memorial Day Service, was enlisted by Verlaque to help plan the commemoration. Puglia described the era as a time of great nationalism, during which young men were eager to fight for their country. You had these great armies the Germans, the French, the British, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Union they built these massive forces, and when you have that youve got to use it, he said. It was a brief time in world history where it was beautiful to die for your country. Though America did not deploy troops until 1917, young men nationwide signed up to serve. Among them was Lloyd Lanterman, who graduated from Glendale High School in January 1918 at age 21 and arrived five months later at Riversides March Air Field to begin his military service as a chauffeur for the Armys Flying School detachment. An archived image of Lloyd Lanterman, pictured sometime around 1918 at the age of 21, when he enlisted for service during World War I. (Tim Berger / La Canada Valley Sun) A diary entry starting July 1, 1918, from Lloyd Lanterman. (Tim Berger / La Canada Valley Sun) Lanterman House archivist Julie Yamashita uncovered a diary recording a moment of the mans brief service, beginning with June 25, 1918, arrival and describing a brief quarantine from influenza. Arrived at Field with folks, a hot day, Lanterman wrote in his first entry. Enlisted, was given bed and bedding. Made a mattress of straw; quite a change from home, you bet. Information on former La Canada residents Willard Griswold Barnum and Howard Omar McMullin who both died from illness before they saw battle and whose names are inscribed on the WWI plaque in Memorial Park will also be on display. Even though they didnt die in combat, they did serve their country and they did die for their country, Verlaque said. For more, visit lantermanfoundation.org. sara.cardine@latimes.com Twitter: @SaraCardine I was at my friend Janes place in West Hollywood, where she was hosting a table read for one of her cool friends television pilots. Shed assembled a group of hungry, motivated creative types and I, another aspiring TV writer, was hoping to make the acquaintance of someone several rungs ahead of me on the Hollywood ladder. Enter L., who had just quit his development job to pursue writing full-time. He had representation and had been taking meetings. We talked writing, our dream jobs and our how-did-I-get-to-L.A. stories. I described the sketch comedy web series Id created. Thats awesome, he exclaimed and he put both hands up as if to elicit a high-10. Who doesnt want to high-10 a stranger? So I did it and he took the moment that my hands hit his to interlace his fingers with mine. There was some prolonged hand-to-hand contact that I was not anticipating, and then I was left wondering was he flirting with me? (Im not sure Id know. Heres a brief history of my dating experience: I have almost none.) He was certainly agreeing with me a lot, and smiling. He was pretty cute with his mid-90s alternative-rocker hair (my favorite kind), dirty blond and slightly longer than chin-length (like Johnny Rzeznik in 96). He said he wanted to read my scripts, and I said I wanted the feedback. We exchanged contact info and made plans to get together. I almost couldnt believe my luck. I just came to network, but I thought I might get even more out of it. L. could introduce me to a manager. Or, even better, I might fall for him. Are you a veteran of L.A.'s current dating scene? We want to publish your story Advertisement After a few days of flirty texting, L. and I made plans to meet in West Hollywood at Laurel Hardware. I arrived early and ordered a drink so that by the time he arrived, my awkwardness and nervousness would be minimal. I had been almost positive this was a date a few days ago, but then self-doubt crept in. As I waited alone surrounded by people my age who looked like they knew what they were doing, I wondered if Id read this whole thing wrong. He arrived and we got a table. And boy, the conversation was flowing. He definitely seemed interested in me. The waitress came by several times to get our order, but after a half-hour passed we still hadnt glanced at the menu. He described his one-hour drama and his feature set in New York City, and I humbly gushed about my comedy pilot. Then he turned the conversation to relationships. More L.A. Affairs columns He said his most recent relationship lasted seven years. Then he moved out to L.A. from the East Coast and things fell apart. That was four years ago, and he had been single, or dating, ever since. Oh, me too! I exclaimed drunkenly (the waitress had come by again and despite my comfortable tipsiness, I ordered another gin and tonic to go along with my appetizer). I continued, I havent been on a third date in four years, which is not at all the same as a long-term relationship, but that was all I could think of to contribute to the conversation. He was silent for a minute. He nodded his head a few times before sipping his Stella as if he was carefully mulling over my drunken confession? The check came and we split it. (Ugh. Never a good sign.) We walked down Santa Monica Boulevard together half a block before we discovered we were going the wrong way. I thought we were walking to his car, which was in the other direction and he thought we were walking to my car, which wasnt there because I Uberd (was he really going to let me drive in my clearly altered state?) He chuckled as we turned around, guiding my inebriated body with his arm. The contact was brief, but it felt nice and I basked in it. This is a funny story well tell people when they ask us about our first date, I thought. My basking was interrupted by his scoffing, I cant believe that you were walking me to my car! Youre just so pretty, I joked, I wanted to make sure you made it to your car safely. I thought I was being hilarious. He didnt, nor did he respond by saying that Im pretty. He waited with me for my Uber and we hugged goodbye. I slowly pulled away and looked him in the eyes, awaiting my kiss. But he continued to pull away from me and the car. The night was over. Where did I go wrong? A few days later, despite the fact that we hadnt made plans again, I sent him my pilot and feature as he had insisted that he wanted to read them. He sent me his pilot and feature and I read them quickly. I wrote back that I really liked his stuff and would love to get together to talk about it. He said that hed only read my pilot but that he really dug it and needed a few more days to get through my feature. I took this as a positive sign. If he didnt want to see me again, he wouldnt be responding, right? But another week passed without hearing from him. It was clear he didnt want to see me in a romantic capacity, but didnt he want my feedback on his script? I definitely wanted notes on mine. Maybe hed give great notes. Maybe hed give my pilot to his agent ... Two weeks went by and I knew he was never going to follow up. Did I really go through all of this for nothing? I gave it one last shot. I texted, How about next week? Does Tuesday work for you? He wrote back, Probably, but my friend might have an improv show, so Ill let you know. He never did let me know. I wanted to be the confident girl who could get romantically rejected, shake it off and pursue the professional connection. But more important, I wanted to be the cool girl who could take a hint and recognize disinterest. I never reached out again and he never reached out to me, either. Professionally, I didnt need his feedback or validation. And romantically, besides the hair, he wasnt that cute anyway. The author is a writer in Los Angeles. You can find her on Instagram @clareshmare. L.A. Affairs chronicles the search for love in and around Los Angeles. If you have comments or a true story to tell, email us at LAAffairs@latimes.com. MORE L.A. LOVE STORIES Im black. Hes white. Heres what happened I went on a bunch of blind dates with total losers I was sleeping alone in a strangers bed and falling for him home@latimes.com Work has officially begun on China's first two domestically-made large luxury cruise ships, reports Xinhua. China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) signed an agreement to build two 135,000-metric-ton cruise ships in partnership with British-American cruise operator Carnival Corporation and the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri on Tuesday in Shanghai, the host city of the ongoing China International Import Expo. An artist's rendering of China's 135,000-metric ton cruise ship, which will be built by China State Shipbuilding Corporation in partnership with British-American cruise operator Carnival Corporation and the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri. [Photo provided by CSSC] Each ship will be equipped with over 2,000 passenger rooms and will be capable of accommodating more than 5,000 passengers. The ships, which each come with a price tag of 770 million U.S. dollars, will cater to China's burgeoning tourism market: Data from Goldman Sachs points to a 70 percent annual rise in the number of China's cruise ship passengers from 2013 to 2016. And Cruise Industry News said that about 2.8 million tourists from China went on at least one cruise trip last year. An artist's rendering of China's 135,000-metric ton cruise ship, which will be built by China State Shipbuilding Corporation in partnership with British-American cruise operator Carnival Corporation and the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri. [Photo provided by CSSC] The project marks a significant milestone in the evolution of China's shipbuilding industry, according to the CSSC. The first of the vessels is scheduled to be delivered in September 2023, and the second will follow in 2024. And the agreement left open the option for the construction of another four ships. Youll wind up in Mexico if you miss the turnoff on Arizona 286 to Rancho de la Osa. Thats what almost happened to my husband, Paul, and me when we drove 90 minutes south from Tucson to this historic Arizona guest ranch. We visited because new owners have refurbished the 590-acre Sonoran Desert property, adding archery, sport shooting and utility-task-vehicle excursions to its horseback riding and other activities. Like guests who have visited since 1926, including Franklin Roosevelt, Joan Crawford and John Wayne, we found the eucalyptus-shaded oasis an enchanting spot for aficionados of horses, impossibly blue sky and an Old West experience. The tab for two: $540.50 per night for a deluxe room, meals, horseback riding and other activities in low season (through Dec. 15 and Jan. 2-Feb. 16). High season, $655.50 for two per night (Christmas holiday and Feb. 17-April 20). Does not include 15% service fee and taxes. (Lou Spirito For The Times) THE BED The ranchs 19 guest rooms, all with fireplaces, updated bathrooms and air conditioning, are painted in vibrant pastels and decorated with framed vintage cowboy bandannas and other authentic artifacts. We stayed in a spacious corner room named for President Lyndon Johnson. The story goes that LBJ visited the ranch when he was a Texas senator and brought his own horses. Advertisement THE MEAL A clanging bell announces mealtime in the hacienda, its rooms decorated with photos of ranch life over the last 100 years. Guests eat family-style at a long, wood table. The food has a Mexican flair: fresh, handmade corn tortillas, salsa, and rice and beans were served with scrambled eggs and pancakes for breakfast, and tacos for lunch. Dinner featured succulent breast of chicken with sauteed peppers and an irresistible coconut flan. Fresh green salads and fruit were served at lunch and dinner. THE FIND Ross Knox, head wrangler at Rancho de la Osa, ran away from home at 16 to become a cowboy. He also became a cowboy poet and has been a star for 34 years at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nev. After dinner, Knox entertained guests with his colorful verses. Memories, one of his bittersweet poems, ends: When the memories come callin, you cant help but pray, Lord, please make me a cowboy again for a day! THE LESSON LEARNED Im a 13-year-old kid with a grin on my face when I lope on horseback across the desert. At Rancho de la Osa, I discovered I get as big a kick out of herding cattle. Knox gave a lesson to guests in the dusty arena. When he yelled, Go get a cow, we all made the mistake of nudging our horses into a trot. He taught us to sneak up on the heifer instead to avoid spooking her and then guide her slowly in the right direction. Knoxs advice is good for life too: The slower and smarter you go, the faster youll get done! Rancho de la Osa, 1 Osa Ranch Road, Sasabe, Ariz.; (520) 339-1086, ranchodelaosa.com. Call to check on wheelchair accessibility. Hawaiis top chefs Chai Chaowasaree, Alan Wong and Roy Yamaguchi are among the 69 restaurant cooks who will create special multi-course menus in a salute to local cuisine during the 11th Restaurant Week Hawaii. Fixed-price meals offer a chance for locals and visitors to try something new at Honolulu-area restaurants during the dining event that starts Thursday and continues through Nov. 18. Some restaurants will offer casual lunches, others elegant dinners. Eateries at Waikikis International Market Place at 2330 Kalakaua Ave. will be preparing the following specials: Eating House 1849 helmed by Yamaguchi will serve a two-course $28 lunch. It will feature a soup of the day (served with Ohia sweet bread) followed by a choice of entrees that include barbecue chicken sandwich and a poke salad. Advertisement Two mini rice bowls, one featuring various seafood (front), the other beef, will be served at Mitsuwa Marketplace during Restaurant Week Hawaii. (Jillian Parel) Mitsuwa Marketplace will offer two mini rice bowls throughout the day priced at $4.99 each: a kaisen chirashi bowl with egg, salmon roe, shiso leaf, shrimp, squid, tuna and uni (sea urchin); and a beef bowl with thin-sliced beef, red ginger and onions. Herringbone will present a four-course dinner priced at $65, which includes smoked trout Caesar salad, Kona Kampachi (Hawaiian yellowtail) crudo, flat iron steak and chocolate butter mochi. Hanks Haute Dogs, a bit off the tourist trail at 324 Coral St., will offer a newly created burger (not a hotdog) concocted by chef Henry Adaniya. The truffle cheese Hankbuger ($9.95) adds truffle cheese sauce, bacon, onion, lettuce and tomato to a one-third pound beef patty. Guests head toward Chef Roy Yamaguchis Eating House 1849 in Honolulu, one of the restaurants that will feature a special menu for Restaurant Week Hawaii. (International Market Place) Restaurant reservations arent required but are recommended during restaurant week, particularly at more upscale places such as Herringbone and Eating House 1849. A portion of the events proceeds will benefit the University of Hawaiis Culinary Institute of the Pacific, which plans to expand its Diamond Head campus. Info: Restaurant Week Hawaii ALSO Las Vegas newest Sunday brunches offer buffet-style or a la carte choices, or a little of both New attraction is all about you: A look inside Hollywoods Museum of Selfies Dumb and dumber: Do these things on a cruise and you could be in a world of trouble travel@latimes.com @latimestravel The opening of Mammoth Mountain, which had been scheduled for Thursday, was delayed and is now expected to open the first run Saturday. In announcing the postponement, Sierra ski resorts website cited warm temperatures as the culprit, saying they had slowed our progress. We are delaying Thursdays opening day until were confident we have enough snow to get open and stay open, it said, promising, Well get this party started soon. True to its word, Broadway Express, a.k.a. Chair 1, was set to open the season at 8:30 a.m. Saturday. Advertisement The high on Saturday is expected to be 46, but Mother Nature is taking a chill pill, and the high for Sunday is expected to be 34, with a low of 23. As of Thursday, the resort had not had any natural snow. Total snowfall for the 2017-18 season was 274 inches, according to OntheSnow.com; 2016 was a big snow year, with 536 inches. Meanwhile, over in Nevada, Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe opened for passholders Oct. 19 and is expected to be open to Friday-Sunday. Its website was reporting a base depth of 8 to 12 inches. travel@latimes.com @latimestravel The USS Arizona Memorial, closed since May because of damage to a loading ramp, is expected to reopen in March. The Arizona is part of the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument, which also has sites in Alaskas Aleutian Islands and Californias Tule Lake Unit. The battleship sank in 40 feet of water during the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on the naval base, killing more than 1,170 crewmen in the bombing and subsequent explosions. More than 330 survived. Despite efforts to recover the bodies, more than 900 remained trapped in the ship. Work on the USS Arizona Memorial began in 1960 and was completed in May 1962. Advertisement Until the crack was discovered, visitors were ferried to the memorial and could disembark on the structure that rests atop the ship. Oil still leaks from the sunken ship, bubbling to the surface. During the closure, the Park Service is taking visitors on a harbor tour of what is called Battleship Row. The repair timeline means the memorial will not be open on National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Not being able to welcome survivors and their families on the USS Arizona Memorial this coming December 7th is heartbreaking, Jacqueline Ashwell, superintendent of WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument, said in a Park Service statement. After exploring multiple options, we are working with our friends in the U.S. Navy to hold an intimate ceremony aboard a vessel adjacent to the USS Arizona. The Arizona is but one of the historic sites at Pearl Harbor, which includes the USS Missouri, site of the Japanese surrender on Sept. 2, 1945; the USS Bowfin submarine, which went into service on Dec. 7, 1942, a year after the attack; and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, which displays numerous aircraft, including a Japanese Zero and a Curtiss Warhawk Flying Tiger fighter. Seeing the Arizona memorial, which includes a tour of the visitor center, is free but requires a ticket, which can be reserved at lat.ms/arizonatickets. The other attractions, which are open, charge admission; for information on Passport to Pearl Harbor package prices: lat.ms/passporttopearlharbor. travel@latimes.com @latimestravel Ecuadors top court ordered former President Rafael Correa on Wednesday to stand trial for his alleged role in the 2012 botched kidnapping of an opposition lawmaker. Correa was charged by prosecutors in September with orchestrating Fernando Baldas kidnapping in Bogota after Balda fled to Colombias capital to escape what he considered persecution by Correa. A Supreme Court justice decided that the accusations against Correa, his top intelligence chief and two others merited a trial. Judge Daniel Camacho also formally declared Correa a fugitive after he flouted for months an order to appear before the court every 15 days as part of the ongoing probe. For Correas defiance, Ecuadorean authorities had previously requested his arrest and extradition from Belgium, where he has been living since leaving office last year. Correa has long denied the charges, considering them part of a political witch hunt headed by his handpicked successor turned arch-critic, President Lenin Moreno. Late Wednesday, before the judges ruling, Correa called the charges a farce but said he was more worried about Ecuadors future than his own legal troubles. Advertisement We expected something like this because for weeks weve been witnesses to the uncontrolled political pressure being applied to the judge, Caupolican Ochoa, Correas attorney, said outside the court where a small group of Correa supporters had gathered. Balda said he took no pleasure in the legal victory because we cant celebrate the fact that these criminal acts were ordered by a president. Former Ecuadoran deputy Fernando Balda leaves the National Court in Quito on Nov. 7, 2018, after attending a hearing in which Ecuadoran former President Rafael Correa was summoned to trial on the alleged kidnapping of the opposition deputy in 2012. (RODRIGO BUENDIA / AFP/Getty Images) Correa, a firebrand who governed Ecuador with an iron fist for a decade, garnered legions of supporters by promoting generous health and social programs aimed at reducing inequality. Supporters credit him with providing Ecuador political and economic stability after a tumultuous period in the nations history. But the combative leader also feuded with the media, business community, indigenous groups and environmentalists by pushing through measures that consolidated executive power. And his record has increasingly come under scrutiny since leaving office. In addition to the kidnapping case, several top aides, including his former Vice President Jorge Glas, have either been jailed or are under investigation for corruption. Balda was abducted but quickly escaped harm after nearby taxi drivers alerted police, who stopped the vehicle in which he was being taken away. Colombian authorities later determined that three intelligence agents with Ecuadors police had contracted the kidnappers to abduct Balda. Proceedings against Correa are unlikely to begin anytime soon because he can only be tried once in Ecuador. If found guilty, he faces up to 12 years in prison. Interpols secretary general said Thursday that the international police organizations rules forbid him from probing into the fate of the Chinese government official who served as Interpol president for almost two years before he vanished during a trip to China. In his first public remarks about the disappearance of Meng Hongwei, Interpol Secretary General Juergen Stock said he encouraged Chinese authorities to provide information about Mengs location and legal status but can do no more. Stock spoke to journalists as Interpol members prepare to elect a new president to replace Meng during a general assembly in Dubai on Nov. 18-21. Meng became the organizations president in November 2016. Chinese authorities said they detained Meng, 64, on bribery charges, though his wife has described him as a victim of political persecution. He was Chinas vice minister of public security and appears to be the latest ranking Chinese official to have been caught in a sweeping purge under President Xi Jinping. Advertisement Stock said his organization learned of Mengs disappearance on Oct. 5 via media reports that came out after Mengs wife said she had not heard from him since the end of September and reported him missing. Interpol contacted Beijing, asking for clarification, according to Stock. A high-level Chinese delegation arrived at Interpols Lyon, France, headquarters on Oct. 7, reported that Meng had written a resignation letter and advised that he was no longer a delegate from China to Interpol meaning he could no longer serve as president. Chinas Interpol office transmitted the resignation letter to Interpol headquarters later that day. Pressed on whether Interpol had assurances Meng actually wrote it or did so without duress, Stock hedged. There was no reason for me to [suspect] that anything was forced or wrong, he said. Interpol appeared to accept the Chinese delegations explanation at face value and publicly announced that night that Meng had stepped down, without commenting on why or what happened. Stock cited the structure and nature of the 192-member organization, which provides a platform for member nations to share information on criminal activities, and the vast needs it fulfills in trying to contain ballooning transnational crime. Interpol databases are queried 200 times each second by police around the world, he said. We are a rules-based organization. That is very important to understand, Stock said, adding that the role of Interpol is not to govern over member states. We are not an investigative body, he said. Stock said he is in constant contact with the national central bureau in Beijing that serves as Interpols point of contact in China. As secretary general, Stock manages Interpols day-to-day activities, while the agencys elected president has a less hands-on, more symbolic role. We are strongly encouraging China to come forth with details of Mengs case, Stock said. He suggested Chinese officials would when the right moment comes. Mengs wife, Grace Meng, told the Associated Press last month that she received threats after her husband disappeared. She and their two children are under police protection in Lyon. There is no doubt this is a very regrettable situation, Stock said. But on the other hand, we have to ensure day-to-day operations ... continue. He also conceded that Interpol must mitigate negative impact springing from Mengs disappearance. Interpol acts as a clearinghouse for national police services that want to hunt down suspects outside their borders. Governments have repeatedly tried to use Interpol to find political enemies, even though its charter explicitly proclaims its neutrality and prohibits use of police notices for political reasons. Stock said that ensuring the notices are not misused has been one of his priorities. A Christian woman acquitted after eight years on death row for blasphemy was released but her whereabouts in Islamabad remained a closely guarded secret on Thursday following demands by radical Islamists that she be publicly executed. Asia Bibi was with her family and under heavy security after being transferred to the Pakistani capital overnight from her detention facility in southern Punjab. The European Parliament has made an offer to protect Bibis family. For the moment, she was still in Pakistan, according to two people who are close to her. They spoke on condition of anonymity so as not to endanger Bibis life. Bibi left the Punjab facility amid tight security late Wednesday night and was flown to Islamabad. Troops had guarded the roads leading to the airport from which she departed, Pakistani officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak to media. Advertisement Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry confirmed Thursday that Bibi was still in Pakistan. Radical Islamists have been demanding Bibis death as well as the death of the three Supreme Court judges who acquitted her last week. Following her acquittal, the hard-line Tehreek-e-Labbaik Party forced a countrywide shutdown as their supporters took to the streets for three days to protest Bibis release. Scores of protesters were arrested for damaging vehicles and property during the rallies and bank accounts of some of the leaders of the party were reportedly frozen. The rallies only dispersed after Prime Minister Imran Khans government promised a court would review a motion to challenge the acquittal and deny Bibi permission to leave Pakistan. Critics immediately accused Khan, who came to power after elections last summer riding in part on an Islamist agenda, of capitulating to the radicals. Bibis acquittal initially seemed to bring an end to her ordeal, which began on a blistering hot day in 2009 when the farmworker and mother of five went to fetch water. An argument took place after two fellow female farmworkers refused to drink from the same container as a Christian. Nearly a week later, the two women said Bibi had insulted the prophet Muhammad and she was charged with blasphemy a controversial issue in Pakistan, where mere accusations of blasphemy can cause riots. The charge itself carries the death penalty and Bibi was sentenced to death in 2010. Her case garnered worldwide attention and brought sharp criticism of Pakistans blasphemy law. In a letter, European Parliament President Antonio Tajani invited Bibi and her family to Europe. In the letter, a copy of which was seen by the Associated Press, Tajani tells Bibis husband, Ashiq Masih, that the European Parliament is extremely concerned for your safety as well as your familys, due to the violence by extremist elements in Pakistan. The letter was an indication that Bibi and her family may be leaving for Europe imminently, though their destination has not been confirmed. Earlier, Spain and France had offered her asylum. Last month, while Bibi was still in custody, Pakistani authorities said they arrested two prisoners for allegedly conspiring to strangle her and since then additional police and troops have been deployed to the facility in Punjab. Days after the Trump administration issued a call for a cease-fire in Yemens protracted civil war, humanitarian organizations warned of the likelihood of severe escalation in civilian casualties, particularly in the port city of Hudaydah. Combat in the Houthi rebel-controlled city and surrounding area -- including ground fighting and airstrikes by a U.S.-supported Saudi-led coalition that is fighting the Iran-backed rebels -- has been ongoing since December 2017. But the fighting has intensified, even as U.S. officials called last week for a cessation of hostilities and for the warring parties to join in peace talks before the end of November. On Saturday alone, more than 200 airstrikes were reported in and around Hudaydah, according to the European Commissions directorate-general for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. As the countrys major port on the Red Sea, Hudaydah served as the entry point for 85% of Yemens food imports before the civil war, according to the World Health Organization. Advertisement WHO officials said the new surge of conflict in the area is having an impact on the strategic port and has further increased the threat of famine in the country, where 14 million people about half the population are facing pre-famine conditions, according to United Nations officials. The growing problem of hunger in Yemen was brought into sharp relief last month when a New York Times photograph of emaciated 7-year-old Amal Hussain lying in a hospital bed in northern Yemen went viral. The newspaper reported days later that the girl died. The WHO said in a statement Thursday that the fighting in Hudaydah is placing tens of thousands of already vulnerable people at risk, and preventing WHO from reaching them with the help they urgently need. The organization noted that half the countrys health facilities are already out of commission. In recent days, clashes have erupted near health centers, causing service interruptions. The International Committee of the Red Cross said that the citys largest hospital, Al Thawra, is mere meters from the front-line, and if more health structures are rendered dysfunctional, the remaining facilities might not have the capacity to provide regular services or cope with an influx of casualties. Amnesty International said in a report released Wednesday that Houthi fighters had taken over another hospital, raising fears of Saudi-led attacks that could result in further casualties among patients and staffers inside. The organization said that Houthi fighters had occupied a hospital in Hudaydahs May 22 district on Nov. 2 and taken up positions on its roof. Locals said the fighters had been coming and going since that day. Samah Hadid, Amnestys Middle East director of Campaigns, said the development could threaten the lives of dozens of civilian patients, as well as medical workers. The presence of Houthi fighters on the hospitals roof violates international humanitarian law, but this violation does not make the hospital and the patients and medical staff lawful targets for Saudi Arabia and UAE-led Coalition air strikes, he said in a statement. The hospital is full of injured civilians who have nowhere else to go for lifesaving medical care. Anyone attacking a hospital under these conditions risks responsibility for war crimes. Amnesty International also reported that it had documented airstrikes on civilian targets in Hudaydah and the surrounding area by the Saudi-led coalition; including on a Houthi checkpoint through which a stream of civilian traffic was passing, and on a vegetable market in Bayt al Faqih. The Houthis, in turn, have responded to the military advance on the city with mortar fire, which is notoriously imprecise and should never be used in populated areas, the report said. This tactic is also claiming an increasing number of civilian lives. More than half of Hudaydahs prewar population of 600,000 has fled, according to the International Organization for Migration. But with many escape routes blocked or destroyed, aid workers said tens of thousands of civilians are now trapped in the city in the face of escalating conflict. Amid the escalating violence, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis last week called for all parties to join in a peace process. The Saudi kingdom has come under increased scrutiny in the wake of the killing of Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents, and in the United States, Congress has stepped up pressure on the Trump administration to curtail U.S. support for Saudi military operations in Yemen. Within 30 days, Mattis said, we want to see everybody around a peace table based on a cease-fire. So far, the calls for a cease-fire have not produced results. Rebel leader Abdul-Malek al-Houthi, in a televised speech Wednesday, said attacks by the Saudi coalition are up, and he accused the United States of hypocrisy. The military escalation on the west coast came after the U.S. calls to stop the war in Yemen, and the level of the field does not predict readiness for peace and dialogue, Houthi said. Meanwhile, aid organizations called for restraint. Hudaydah is once again trapped in violence with hundreds of thousands of Yemenis caught in the middle, said Fabrizio Carboni, International Committee of the Red Cross regional director for the Near and Middle East. The upcoming talks cannot be an excuse to disregard the laws of war that protect the lives of the Yemeni people. Sewell is a special correspondent. UPDATES: 1 p.m.: The wire story has been replaced with staff reporting. The article was originally published at 9:32 a.m. China's first unmanned missile boat that recently tested missile launch is on display at the 12th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition (Airshow China) in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong province. The unmanned boat, Liaowangzhe-2, is the country's first and second globally to fire a missile successfully. A remote-controlled unmanned ship of Israel's "Protector" series successfully fired a missile during an exercise last year. It is for the first time that Liaowangzhe-2 is shown to the public. It is jointly developed by Zhuhai-based shipping developer Oceanalpha, Xi'an Institute of Modern Control Technology and Huazhong Institute of Electro-Optics. The unmanned boat is 7.5 meters long and 2.7 meters wide, having a tonnage of 3.7 tons and a maximum speed of 45 knots. It can sail about 310 nautical miles at a speed of 22 knots. It can be used in sea conditions leveled below rough, or waves below 2.5 meters high. Liaowangzhe-2 is a reconnaissance and strike integrated unmanned vehicle, and it is equipped with a quadruple missile launcher in the front to launch four missiles with a maximum range of 5 kilometers under an image-aided terminal guidance system. It can be used for patrol missions around islands and border waters, attacking medium and small targets on the sea and land. A group of such boats could also carry out disability strike on large targets. The boat has different operation modes, such as fully autonomous, semi-autonomous and remote-controlled. Bright future for local youth Swan Hill Rural City Council was announced as one of five councils across Victoria to share in $2.5 million funding from the State Governments Youth Empower Program. Council will use the funding to deliver projects to support young people in Swan Hill, Lake Boga, Robinvale and Nyah to achieve their education and employment goals. Mayor, Les McPhee, said the funding meant big things for Councils Youth Support Program. We have such a unique situation in our region, with a large number of smaller outlying towns that dont have direct access to youth services. This funding will allow us to boost support and resources for young people in our smaller townships who are at risk of disengaging from education and training. The funding announcement was made at the inaugural Youth Affairs Council Victoria Rural Youth Awards, where Councils own Youth Support Co-ordinator Kane Sparks was the first ever inductee to their Hall of Fame. Kane was selected for his long standing and dedicated service to the youth sector and the impact hes had on young people in the community. Kane has been working with the youth of our region for ten years and is a worthy recipient. Id also like to congratulate NOVO Youth Council members Hana Roberts and Tiana Sixsmith who were named as finalists in the Young People Leading Change in Rural or Regional Victoria category. Swan Hill was the only region to have three award nominations, which just further highlights the fantastic work of our young people and our Youth Support program. Councils join to prepare for Summer Four neighbouring Victorian councils have joined forces in a bid to highlight the importance of community safety. Kingston Council, Frankston City Council and Mornington Peninsula Shire and City of Greater Dandenong will host Operation Community Ready designed to educate the community. Visitors will be able to participate in a range of interactive activities and watch demonstrations on water safety and fire behaviour. They will also be able to meet with emergency services representatives and learn more about the work they do. The councils will launch a range of resources including a booklet, eight preparedness videos and an interactive website which will assist the community in developing their own emergency plans. Greater Dandenong Mayor Councillor Youhorn Chea said that 26 percent of the people living within the four council areas only arrived in Australia in the past 10 years, so education and awareness was paramount. This event is not only an opportunity to learn more about what these services do but also a chance to learn more about the role everyone can play in being emergency ready. Kingston Mayor, Steve Staikos, said local families could gain vital tips to help them put together their own emergency action plans. Frankston City Council Mayor, Colin Hampton, said earlier this year the Frankston community experienced an evacuation due to a bushfire in Carrum Downs. This event brought home the importance of being prepared. We dont know how we will react in an emergency until it happens but having everything you need ready to go means that you can grab what you need most, without wasting time by over thinking it. Mornington Peninsula Shire, Mayor, Bryan Payne, said visitors to the event would have the opportunity to interact with members of the Victorian Coastguard, the SES, CFA, Victoria Police and meet search and rescue dogs. Drought Communities Program Workshop at Roads Congress There are now 81 councils eligible to receive funding under the Federal Governments Drought Communities Program (DCP), including 40 councils in New South Wales, 22 in Queensland, 2 in Victoria and 17 in South Australia. The program provides grants of up to $1 million for drought-affected councils to spend on locally identified projects aimed at stimulating the local economy and maintaining jobs. There is a real desire by the Commonwealth to see DCP funds spent immediately but discussions with eligible councils have highlighted concerns around the tight time frames for spending the funds (by 30 June 2019), especially in light of councils needs to comply with established procurement and tender processes, the importance of consulting with communities on projects and an overwhelming desire by councils to spend the money wisely and with maximum impact for local employment. This is clearly a challenging brief for many councils, and a genuine opportunity at the same time. I believe there is value in DCP councils sharing their experiences in how to deal with the rapid procurement and administrative challenges, to discuss their ideas for projects and how to keep the vast majority of expenditure local, if not all of it. It is an ideal opportunity to learn and leverage off each other. I have therefore asked that a DCP Workshop be held as part of the upcoming National Local Roads and Transport Congress in Alice Springs. Almost 20 of the 81 DCP councils are already attending the congress and are eligible to participate. The ALGA Secretariat will be in touch with the other 61 DCP councils regarding attending the workshop, their experiences relating to the program and the benefits of sharing information and action plans. The Workshop has been tentatively scheduled for 7:30 am to 9:30 am (including breakfast) on the morning of Thursday 22 November, which will allow attendees time to catch outgoing flights leaving late morning/early afternoon. Councils interested in attending the congress and the DCP Workshop should contact Jill Brown, ALGAs Director of National Events, on (02) 6122 9436 or email jill.brown[@]alga.asn.au as soon as practicable. In the interim, our thoughts and best wishes remain with all drought affected communities and their councils. Editorial Alice Springs, Northern Territory, will host the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) Roads Congress this month. On page three of LG Focus this month, the ALGA President, David OLoughlin talks about a special gathering of affected Councils from drought areas to be held in conjunction with the Roads Congress. Taking advantage of the national event already convened, the special gathering will discuss how to maximise the opportunity provided by the Federal Governments Drought Communities Program (DCP). With an invitation for all councils affected to attend, this is a good opportunity to discuss the requirements needed to be eligible for the grant money available. This is a positive step forward for local councils and shires to put their hands up in a time of crisis. A drought, unlike other disasters, grows slowly over many years and does not have the visual impact of floods, fires and cyclones which provide graphic images of damaged property, blackened landscapes, trees and buildings blown away, houses and businesss underwater, and easily calculable financial costings. Only recently have the extent of the current drought and the proportion of the country already in its grip become widely known. Until reports on the ABCs 7:30 Report captured the publics attention and Federal Government relief gestures were publicised, the suffering of farming families were going largely unnoticed by the wider community. The toll that the big dry has had/is having on farms and farming communities went unseen. The domino effect of such weather events has an enormous impact on the local communities involved, when the farmers cant pay their bills or buy the necessities of life, the businesses in town feel it and curtail their own spending. I remember many years ago when the owner of a menswear store told me their profits and their ability to employ extra staff depended on how the local farmers were going, if the menswear store was going well so also was the farming community if they werent neither were the farmers. As the ALGA president says, the councils need to be able to comply with established procurement and tender processes and spend the money wisely with maximum impact for local employment. This is a good initiative of the ALGA. See you in Alice. Export meatworks one step closer Maranoa Regional Council, Queensland is seeking a proposal and quotation to update the Maranoa Meat Processing Facility pre-feasibility report. In 2016 the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) commissioned a study to determine the best proposal most likely to be sustainable and offer investment proposition. This study promoted the Maranoa as a key prospect for investing in an export accredited abattoir. Portfolio Chair for Economic Development, Councillor Cameron ONeil, said the updated report would reflect recent changes to market conditions and trends to outline the relative advantages of supporting an export accredited abattoir proposal for the Maranoa. The Queensland Government is in full support of a new meatworks in Queensland and Roma has a lot to offer. It is an exciting time for the Maranoa, with this concept in the works for many years, we are now able to approach developers and investors for the potential project. Maranoa Regional Council is committed to facilitating and promoting investment opportunities into our communities and a new meatworks would diversify the agricultural industry base, create jobs and provide broad reaching economic benefits to our community. Intercultural city promotes inclusiveness City of Maribyrnong, Victoria, has signed a statement of intent to become a member of the Intercultural Cities Programme. Following the official signing, a ceremonial signing was held on Wednesday 24 October at a Childrens Week event with local families in Braybrook. Mayor, Cuc Lam, along with Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Stephen Wall, hosted a bilingual storytime session in English and Vietnamese, explaining the importance of cultural diversity in the City, and Councils commitment to promoting inclusivity. The Mayor said that becoming an Intercultural City demonstrates Councils commitment to being a community where everyone feels welcome. People from all around the world now call Maribyrnong home, and we want to make sure that everyone feels a sense of belonging and is given the opportunity to thrive. We are proud of our diversity, and we want to continue to foster and promote interculturalism. The Intercultural Cities Programme is an initiative that supports cities internationally to review their policies through an intercultural lens and develop comprehensive intercultural strategies to enable them to manage diversity positively and realise their diversity advantage. The programme helps cities to empower all members of their community, regardless of where they are from, and to promote interaction between people of different backgrounds. Building on a commitment to a strong and resilient community that celebrates its diversity, Council will work across the organisation and community to create an Intercultural Strategy that builds and promotes intercultural learning, dialogue and relationships. Mobile technology aids safety Enhanced community safety is just one benefit of the successful roll-out of 24/7 mobile technology for CoSafe officers, the mobile patrol security service instituted by City of Cockburn, Western Australia (WA). The project has enabled the City to improve CoSafe incident attendance and planned inspections, provide timely online lodgement of external referrals for CrimeStoppers, Main Roads WA and public utilities, plus automated daily reports. Saving about 1,000 sheets of A4 paper every week is another improved efficiency and cost saving of the sustainability project. In-vehicle mounted tablet devices improve information capture and eliminate double-handling of data while providing a bank of accessible documentation about safety-related issues in the community. Rangers and Community Safety Manager, Michael Emery, said the $70,000 project meant CoSafe officers received their jobs via text and lodged them via real time connected tablets. This means they can get going straight away; we know seconds can sometimes be the difference between a good outcome and disaster. The new system was developed over three months by Asset Services from the Citys Infrastructure Services Business Unit, included more than 70 hours of training for CoSafe officers who automatically receive and generate more than 1,100 work instructions online every week. Along with all CoSafe vehicles now having CCTV installed, the program further enhances the safety of our officers and the quality of information collected by CoSafe. Its the latest in the Citys ongoing Mobile Strategy being delivered by Asset Services which has introduced mobile technology to the Citys Engineering and Works Directorate, embarking on a landmark pilot project with its Parks team in 2014. Cockburn was the first WA council to pilot and implement Technology One mobile technology, which is a big sustainability tick for the City, Mr Emery said. The exhibition booth prepared by Australian cosmetics enterprises. (Photo/ Li Yi from Peoples Daily) On the first day of the China International Import Expo (CIIE), companies from all over the world displayed their advanced products and businesses. There are seven different exhibition areas showcasing products and services. High-end Intelligent Equipment Exhibition Area How to realize intelligence and automation on the production and manufacturing sites? The over 30,000-square meter-exhibition area of high-end intelligent equipment at the ongoing first China International Import Expo (CIIE) has offered diverse solutions to the question. In this exhibition area of cutting-edge scientific and technological achievements, more than 400 enterprises including General Electric, DuPont, Mitsubishi Electric, Microsoft, and Dell catch peoples eyes with a variety of ingenious creations in fields such as new energy equipment, industrial automation and robotics, and aerospace technologies and equipment. A man shakes hands with the SCHUNK SVH five-finger machine hand. (Peoples Daily/Huang Fahong) Trade in Services Exhibition Area The eye-catching entrance to the exhibition area of trade in services gains a lot of attention. With just a touch of finger on the large LED screen, visitors can see photos and read explanations about 100 antique collections in the Palace Museum of China. It is a culture-themed project jointly launched by Google and the Palace Museum, which displays a precious collection of 100 antiques in the Palace Museum such as potteries, paintings and works of calligraphy, bronze wares, and objects decorated with enamel. Besides, many leading corporations gathered in the area, including financial institutions such as Standard Chartered Bank and Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation , accounting firms like Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and Ernst & Young, inspection and certification agencies such as Bureau Veritas from France and Underwriters Laboratories from the US, and DHL from the logistics industry. This exhibition area doesnt sell products, but offers people with various services and solutions. Medical Equipment & Health Care Products Exhibiton Area The worlds smallest cardiac pacemaker, thinnest blood pressure monitor, fastest immunoassay analyzer, first nuclear magnetic resonance imaging instrument for infants and children, various sophisticated products appeared in the exhibition area of medical equipment and health care products. As scientific and technological research products are most concentrated, this area has attracted nearly 300 companies from 51 countries around the world. Food & Agricultural Products Exhibition Area In the exhibition area of food and agricultural products, guides from Ghana showed the specialties they brought to reporters, saying that Ghanas chocolate is not only delicious, but can stand relatively high temperature. The chocolate wont melt even if held in hands. The manager of a Ghanaian cocoa processing company said that they have brought a variety of chocolate and cocoa products to the Expo. Apart from looking for agents, they are also planning to cooperate with Chinese e-commerce companies. In the near future, Chinese consumers can buy Ghanaian chocolate without leaving home, added the manager. Special ham attracts visitors to the Spanish booth. (Peoples Daily/Han Xiaoming) The CIIE provides a platform for nearly 2,000 companies from over 100 countries in the exhibition area of food and agricultural products. The exhibits range from organic and healthy local products to processed goods produced with modern technologies, including dairy, meat, aquatic products, vegetable and fruit, as well as tea and coffee, etc. Apparel, Accessories & Consumer Goods Exhibition Area The exhibition booth of diamonds and gems is no doubt the most expensive part of apparel, accessories and consumer goods exhibition. The extra security checks for them demonstrate how valuable they are. Twelve Polish Jewelry companies have brought their most precious jewelries to the Expo. According to Mariusz Gliwinski, the vice-president of the International Amber Association, Poland accounts for 70 percent of the worlds production in amber, while 50 percent of the worlds amber products are consumed in China, which is a huge market for Poland. Consumer Electronics & Home Appliances Exhibition Area What will our homes look like in the future? The consumer electronics and appliances exhibition area at the first CIIE might have just given you an answer. At the exhibition booths in the nearly 10,000-square meter-area, more than 90 enterprises from 15 countries and regions displayed their most advanced creations in multiple fields, such as mobile devices, smart home, smart household appliances and video games. Automobiles Exhibition Area China is the worlds fastest-growing market with the largest demand for automobiles. , More than one million cars are imported into China each year, with the sales exceeding $45 billion. The first CIIE has attracted 68 automobile companies from 17 countries, most of which are world-famous manufacturers. The firms have brought their most treasured products to the event to catch the eyes of Chinese buyers. New energy vehicle is a key development area for the automobile industry. Honda is showcasing its latest hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle at the expo. An employee of Honda said that this model hasnt been sold in China so far, and this expo offered Honda an opportunity to cooperate with Chinese partners to popularize hydrogen filling stations while looking for Chinese buyers, thus making efforts to build a cleaner world. The women of Central Desert Regional Council Local women in local government The Central Desert Regional Council area is in the central southern section of the Northern Territory (NT), lying north of Alice Springs and covering a landmass larger than that of Victoria. There are nine remote Aboriginal communities in the region and 13 outstations housing just over 4,000 residents. Council employs 320-odd staff, 71 percent of whom are Aboriginal and 49 percent are female. Chief Executive Officer, Diane Hood, has nominated several of the women on her team for recognition as LG Focus Councils High Achievers. Maintaining culture One of Councils senior managers, Sascha McKell was raised in Councils largest community, Yuendumu. The daughter of the manager of a 1,600 square km cattle station, Sascha was educated in Yuendumu and Adelaide before returning to community in her early 20s to work for the Community Government Council which later became Central Desert Regional Council. Over the ensuing 11 years, Sascha held a number of positions across a variety of departments. She also briefly held a place on the communitys local decision making body, the Local Authority before going on to be an elected member sitting on the Regional Council with Aboriginal elders and leaders from around the region. A passionate supporter of all of the Councils communities, Sascha said, Local communities are vital for the maintenance of Aboriginal culture in Australia. Its essential that funding is effectively managed, services are delivered well and people have access to the same facilities as their city cousins. Sascha currently oversees the management of four of the regions communities, including her beloved Yuendumu. Sisters share the role Across the highway some 432km away is the community of Engawala where Council oversees municipal services to the community and its outstations, airstrip maintenance, animal control, community safety, aged and disability services, childrens services, school nutrition, youth, sport and recreation programs and is contracted to provide Centrelink services and monitor the delivery of power and water supplies. Engawala is home to 177 residents, 20 of whom work for Council. Council has several female heroes in Engawala, the first being local sisters, Maureen and Dianne Dixon who job share the role of administering the Council office. Both women were born and bred in community, following in the footsteps of many generations of family. Both have worked for Council for eight years, hold Certificate III qualifications in Local Government and both are accredited by the Federal Government as Centrelink Agents. Dianne is also a member of another of the local heroes, the Engawala Local Authority. Local Authorities exist in all nine communities as a means of stimulating engagement in council decision making, thus ensuring the management and development of local government services are in line with community aspirations. The 4th tier of government Engawalas six appointed Local Authority members are all Aboriginal and all female. The body is supported by the Regional Council to meet five times per year with staff traversing the 360km round trip from Alice Springs to provide secretariat services. CEO Hood, who also attends most meetings, said, Local Authorities are the hidden fourth tier of Government in that their input shapes local decision making and informs the strategic direction of the Regional Council. Its a privilege to work with a group of Aboriginal Elders, mothers, sisters and aunts who represent their community with pride and passion. A future leader Council is also proud of Reanna Campbell from Yuelamu, a community of 253 people some three hours drive from Alice Springs. At 25, Reanna has recently been appointed to the NT Chief Ministers First Circles Leadership Program, which provides participants with exposure to the workings of the NT Government and supports them to develop their skills. The programs manager, Andrew Ross, said, Reanna was chosen because she demonstrated a sound work ethic, commitment to family and community and a willingness to develop knowledge in order to contribute to the Yuelamu community. Ms Hood, commented that Reannas accolade, is well deserved, and she is in good company with five past councillors having been part of this valued program. It is hoped that Reanna will consider becoming a Councillor one day. Council celebrates and thanks its 157 female employees as making a valued contribution to local government in the Northern Territory. Tickled pink The Penrith City Council, New South Wales, showed its support for Pink Up Penrith during the month of October. Mayor, Ross Fowler OAM, flicked the switch for the lights of the Civic Centre, with Penrith becoming the first metropolitan city to go pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. During October the McGrath Foundation asked communities across the state to Pink Up their entire town to raise awareness of its mission to raise funds to increase the number of specialist Breast Care Nurses throughout Australia. Council is thrilled to get behind this initiative and offer its support to the McGrath Foundation. Its shocking to think that one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer by the age of 85. In addition, we know that 148 men are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. At Councils ordinary meeting on 29 October, councillors and the business paper itself also turned pink. Two way street A Western Australian wheatbelt community is grading the roads of integration through an innovative community based work program. Communities are made of people, not rhetoric. If a community is defined by the strength of connections among the people who live in and around it then the Shire of Dowerin has much to be proud of. Situated 156 kilometres north east of Perth, the Shire of Dowerin covers 1867 square kilometres, with a resident population of 690. What makes Dowerin unique is the establishment of the Wheatbelt Workcamp by the Department of Justice just five kilometres from the centre of town. Officially opened in February 2012, the Wheatbelt Workcamp houses 20 low risk, minimum security prisoners who provide significant services to the town of Dowerin along with the Shires of Kellerberrin, Merredin, Tammin, Wyalkatchem, Goomalling, Wongan Hills and Cunderdin. Organisations request assistance with conservation, maintenance and construction projects, all of which afford prisoners the opportunity to undertake life and work skills development in an environment that reflects their low risk to the community. There is no shortage of requests from community groups and the Shire alike. The work camp is an integral part of the Dowerin Community and is self-contained in terms of its own resources and equipment to deliver services throughout the Wheatbelt. Shire of Dowerin Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ms Rebecca McCall, said, The projects undertaken by the work camp are immeasurable in their benefits to our community and you would expect that the skills and esteem gained by the prisoners to be key factors in their successful reintegration back into society. The workcamp contributes to the economic development of the community through its purchases of food, vehicle maintenance and other equipment along with the weekly spends of the 20 workcamp residents at the local general store. The Shire of Dowerin currently has three residents of the workcamp working alongside its own employees as unpaid static workers, which in the last year has not only contributed enormously towards the maintenance of the roads and the upkeep of community infrastructure but also provided a saving to ratepayers in the tens of thousands of dollars. Shires Works Manager, Glen Brigg, said, Static workers drive our graders, collect our rubbish, trim our trees and patch the roads. Some static workers are given the opportunity to undertake paid work with the Shire in the six months prior to their release through the Prisoner Employment Program (PEP). Currently the Shire has one worker participating in the PEP program, bringing new skill sets to the community whilst being provided with the opportunity to live and work in regional Western Australia. The ongoing successful engagement between the community and the workcamp is evidenced in those prisoners who have continued to work and live in the Shire. Currently there are three individuals from the workcamp who have been employed by the Shire of Dowerin post their release, with the Shire going so far as to provide accommodation for these employees. Strong connections with the local community are vital for the workcamp to succeed. It is reliant on local groups and the Shire to engage prisoners in meaningful worthwhile work projects to help prisoners re-connect with society through a structured workday in a public setting. The community of Dowerin continues to embrace the opportunities offered by the workcamp to better our region - not only does the community acknowledge their part in making a positive difference in the broader community, but in turn have their local amenities, environment and services enhanced, said Ms McCall. Breaking News Lincoln Falls to #1 Irwin (OCILLA, GA) The Red Devils were outscored 51-27 by #1 ranked Irwin County Friday night to end the season in the 2nd round of the... Last call for Pioneer Day participation Pioneer Day, Lincolntons largest attended event of the year, is this Saturday from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m, and all those with an interest in... Secret Santa application deadline is Friday Applications for the Secret Santa program should be turned in no later than this Friday, November 19 in order to register needy area children for... Board sets 2022-2023 school calendar, approves propane school bus, cameras The school calendar for 2022-23 was finalized by the Lincoln County Board of Education in their November 9 meeting, along with the purchase of a... On a weekend in which the team was looking to honor the 75 victims of the Nov. 14, 1970, plane crash, Marshall couldn't come up with the plays needed to get past UAB, who earned a 21-14 win over the Herd at Joan C. Edwards Stadium. While we in the United States were devastated by the recent shooting of 11 people at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, there has also been continuing violence in the Holy Land. A Catholic News Service (CNS) article published on October 29 said Holy Land Church leaders expressed concern in the wake of recent incidents involving the Christian community. Monks of the Salesian Monastery at Beit Jamal west of Jerusalem discovered October 16 that their cemetery had been vandalized, including broken crosses and damage to tombs. The monastery, which has good relations with its Jewish neighbors, was vandalized two years ago and again in 2017. No suspects have been arrested, reported CNS. About 50 incidents of vandalism on Christian holy sites have occurred in the last six years, according to several sources. Equestrian Order As a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, I am especially concerned about whats happening in the Holy Land. Our order dates back to the First Crusade, when the leader, Godfrey de Bouillon, liberated Jerusalem. As part of his reorganization of the religious, military, and public bodies of the territories newly freed from Muslim control, Godfrey founded the Order of Canons of the Holy Sepulchre. The first King of Jerusalem, Baldwin I, assumed leadership of this canonical order in 1103, and reserved the right for himself and his successors to appoint Knights to it, should the patriarch be absent or unable to do so. Later, women were admitted to the order. Supporting Christian presence The Equestrian Order is the only lay institution of the Vatican State charged with providing for the needs of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which supports the Christian presence in the Holy Land. The contributions made by its members throughout the world are the main source of funding. All of the orders Lieutenancies also arrange pilgrimages, during which members visit the holy sites and meet the people whom they are supporting and assure them they are not forgotten. Its important to note that the order supports cultural and social works and educational institutions of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land. These services are open to people of all faiths. Declining numbers of Christians From the latter half of the 20th century, the flow of middle-class Christian families leaving the Holy Land has become a real exodus. Today, the order reports that the proportion of Christians varies from two to four percent (some say even lower) in different areas of the Holy Land. Those who remain are largely craft workers, small tradesmen, and those working in the tourist industry. Importance of education Since the end of the 19th century, the order has financed the construction of 40 Patriarchate schools in Israel, Palestine, and Jordan, and it continues to fund at least part of their running costs. Today, around 19,000 students attend these schools, from nursery classes through elementary, middle, and upper school, as well as in technical schools. The orders emphasis on education aims to get people of different races and religions used to living in peace and mutual respect. It is hoped that, if the values of mutual tolerance and cooperation are encouraged from an early age, they may continue into adult life. The Patriarchate is able to manage its budget largely thanks to the continuing generosity of the active members of the order. Catholics also support work in the Holy Land during a collection taken on Good Friday every year in all Catholic parishes. I encourage everyone to join with our order in praying for peace in the Holy Land, the land where Jesus lived. The first China International Import Expo (CIIE) is an extraordinary platform for China to pursue a shared future with the world, which can be sensed at venue of the event. It takes over 20,000 steps to walk around the exhibition areas where display a wide range of products and services, including high-end equipment and consumer goods. Covering a total area of 300,000 square meters, the exhibition is attended by 172 countries, regions and international organizations, as well as more than 3,600 enterprises. In addition, the event is also joined by more than 400,000 buyers from home and abroad. The signing room, which locates on the second floor of the venue, was always packed with buyers, because of which the staff members had to work overtime. The CIIE is a prosperous business and trade platform. A foreign scholar pointed out that it is hard for enterprises to compete with their international counterparts and even the domestic ones, if they do not enter the Chinese market and follow on the latest trends. Only by entering China can they be called global players. Considering this, some firms have already confirmed their participation in the 2019 CIIE and booked their booths. The CIIE is an open platform for communication. The booth in front of the CIIE news center displays books in Chinese, English, Arabic, Russian and Japanese languages, almost all of which are about opening up. A few people by a booth of medical equipment were seen communicating in three different languages with body language as assistance. Business may be one reason for which they came to the expo, but the experience, communication, mutual learning and mutual inspiration at the event will give them more sense of gain. The expo is also a platform that is beneficial to all. Even a journalist inquired about the performance of a vehicle at the booth of BMW. It indicated that every consumer would possibly be attracted by the products that they like and then nurture a desire for consumption. On Oct. 11, BMW and Chinas Brilliance Automotive signed an agreement on the establishment of a new factory. The German automaker became the first beneficiary after China relaxed the joint-venture equity limit for foreign automobile enterprises. A variety of goods were displayed at the CIIE, including vehicles, agricultural products, and medical and healthcare facilities. They reflect the ever-growing needs of the Chinese consumers for a better life. The CIIE has also transformed from a 6-day event into a constant online transaction platform. To broaden Chinese consumers access to the worlds fine products reflects Chinas sincerity to open up and embrace the world, as well as the consumption upgrading of the Chinese people and their pursuit of a better life. This content is from: Patents IP is not likely to be a big focus if Hank Johnson becomes chair of House of Representatives IP subcommittee but all bets are off if one possibility who has been highly critical of patents is appointed New Delhi : The Congress today demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should apologise to the country for ruining and wrecking its economy. The congress leaders also said that they will hold a nationwide protest against the complete demolition of the Indian economy unleashed by the Tuglaq farmaan of demonetisation two years ago. PM Modi stood up two years ago on November 8 and addressed the nation, demonetising almost Rs 16.99 lakh crore in circulation, Tewari said. The three reasons given for that "Tughlaqi farmaan" were that it would curb black money, weed out fake notes and proscribe terror financing, but two years later none of those objectives have materialised, he added. Washington : The White House on Wednesday suspended the press pass of a CNN reporter who earlier locked horns with President Donald Trump at a news conference. An angry Trump had called reporter Jim Acosta a rude, terrible person after the CNN reporter refused to the President's orders to sit down and give up the microphone during the conference one day after the US midterm vote. A heated exchange began between the duo after the journalist questioned Mr President about his views on a caravan of Central American migrants making its way to the US border. Trump said "that's enough!" and a White House intern unsuccessfully tried to take the microphone from the CNN journalist. "We will, however, never tolerate a reporter placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern. This conduct is absolutely unacceptable," she said. Acosta refuted the accusation of misconduct, tweeting "this is a lie" and his network and a number of Washington journalists who had been at the press conference voiced support for him. BREAKING: White House announces suspension of credentials for CNN reporter Jim Acosta after incident where White House aide tried to physically remove a microphone from his hands. NBC Politics (@NBCPolitics) November 8, 2018 This is a lie. https://t.co/FastFfWych Jim Acosta (@Acosta) November 8, 2018 REMEMBERING THE FORGOTTEN. Tingog Party-list 1st nominee and Leyte (1st District) Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez leads the candle lighting on the wooden crosses at the Yolanda Victims Memorial Circle in Tacloban City to commemorate the 5th anniversary of Super Typhoon Yolanda. Ver Noveno Resettlement projects in Tacloban will be fully completed in a year or two, Malacanang promised on Wednesday as it marked the fifth anniversary of the onslaught of Super Typhoon Yolanda, even as ain the governments .Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said the government is doing its best to resolve the. There are certain constraints like we have to look for titles of land to build houses for them. We have to look for the very place where the people may need certain services that are not there, he said. It will take a little time. But certainly, the government is doing its best, he said. In an earlier statement, the Palace official also said they are getting a grip on the five-year delay to speed up the rehabilitation efforts in Tacloban. READ: Yolanda survivors hit slow rehab, lack of services We are addressing issues that cause the delay, which include limited availability of titled lands for resettlement, slow processing, and issuance of permits and licenses for construction projects and absence of sustainable livelihood opportunities, among others, he said. He said the Special Assistant for Special Concerns, which oversees the rehabilitation of Yolanda-ravaged areas, has already used nearly P2 billion. A total of P146.156 billion was released to implementing national government agencies, government-owned-and-controlled corporations, and local government units. Half of the funds released were allotted for housing programs and ancillary basic utilities, said Panelo, citing the latest reports as of Oct. 30. He then echoed the National Housing Authoritys report that out of the 205,128 permanent housing targets for Yolanda, 100,709 have been completed. [From that] a total of 46,412 houses have already been occupied, while 54, 297 are now ready for occupancy, Panelo said. Yolanda has taught us a hard lesson in public service, particularly on the need to respond to our peoples plight with more compassion and urgency. This is why the Duterte administration has worked harder to fast-track the recovery efforts for Yolanda survivors, he said. We commend the exemplary resilience of our own people, which in the face of adversity, have remained steadfast, he added. In August 2017, President Duterte created an inter-agency task force solely committed to monitor rehabilitation and recovery projects in Yolanda-affected areas. In November 2013, Yolanda (Haiyan) battered areas of the Visayas, killing thousands and causing extensive damage. Leyte Rep. Yedda Marie Kittilstvedt-Romualdez on Thursday expressed her gratitude to the first responders, including President Rodrigo Duterte, who was still the mayor of Davao, for showing compassion for Tacloban residents immediately after Yolanda. We thank the...volunteers especially President Duterte who was then the Davao City mayor for coming in Yolanda-hit areas and help us, said Romualdez, the chairperson of the House committee on accounts. Thank you for the selflessness of all volunteers and organizations that took part and contributed in the recovery and rehabilitation efforts of the communities affected by the typhoon. But in Tacloban City, 3,000 members of People Surge, a broad coalition of Yolanda survivors, took to the streets, calling President Duterte inutile in finding solutions to the same problems faced by his predecessor, President Benigno Aquino III. Efleda Bautista, the president of People Surge, said that the past five years since Yolanda hit Eastern Visayas was supposed to be enough for the recovery and rehabilitation phase of the region. Bautista said they marked the Yolanda rehabilitation under President Duterte as slow-paced, segmented and anti-people. We are the Yolanda survivors and we are ready to surge, she said.There is a zero percent progress in the governments bogus Yolanda rehabilitation project, she added. The project is only aimed at attracting investors and creating businesses profiteering from the peoples vulnerability to disasters, said Bautista, whose group also called Aquino inutile over his Build Back Better program. She said that Yolanda housing project in the region remains incomplete while those who have relocated still suffer from the lack of basic utilities and livelihood. Aside from assailing the bungled rehabilitation in the region, Bautista also slammed the increasing prices of commodities, particularly the rice, saying this is a result of the governments neglect over the agriculture sector, most affected in times of disasters. Being the countrys second poorest region, we are the most affected by the TRAIN (Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion) Law implementation and this is worsened by the fact that the government is just turning a blind eye on the state of the disaster survivors, she said. Earlier, Special Assistant to the President Christopher Go maintained that the recovery is fast in Tacloban and Leyte. Go added that Duterte is always thinking about the betterment of the Filipino people. Go recalled how Duterte rushed to in Tacloban to deliver immediate help to the Yolanda victims and ordered for the continuation of the rehabilitation during his administration. In a speech in Tacloban City on Nov. 7, he said that housing is now 80 percent complete in the different resettlement sites at the northern part of Tacloban. These resettlement sites also have an electric connection while its water system is undergoing the bidding process, Go said. He also highlighted the 27.3-kilometer tide embankment project under Duterte, which aims to protect some 30,800 houses and infrastructures in Tacloban-Palo-Tanauan areas from similar storm surge in the future. Meanwhile, Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, who attended the 5th commemorative program in Tacloban, said that the issues surrounding Yolanda have to be solved. From unidentified bodies to housing to coconut industry. I think Yolanda and entire nightmare that ensued has to be resolved, she told reporters. She questioned if the government had indeed built back better, pointing to real gaps in infrastructure and the development of agriculture. Senator Loren Legarda on Thursday renewed her call for communities to heighten resilience to disasters. Long before Yolanda and more so after, I have knocked on the doors of local government units urging them to implement our environmental laws to build resilience and reduce disaster risks. Disaster preparedness is one of the seven core areas of governance in building sustainably progressive and inclusive communities, said Legarda. The Senator said that there have been improvements through the years, particularly in the issuance of weather advisories and early warnings and enforcement of early evacuation, but more needs to be done. We need to continuously conduct massive education and information campaigns on disaster preparedness so that communities do not remain complacent, Legarda said. She cited the need to ensure that in rebuilding communities, the country is not rebuilding the risks again. We must reduce the risks and not create new risks, she said. FORCEFUL FIREARMS. At Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City on Thursday, PNP chief Oscar Albayalde (middle) and NCRPO chief Director Guillermo Eleazar (left) inspect the high-powered firearms allegedly seized from National Democratic Front of the Philippines peace consultant Vicente Ladlad, Alberto and Virginia Villamor during a raid in Lot 16-A Block 3 Saint Mark corner Saint Joseph Sts., Dona Tomasa, Barangay. San Bartolome, Novaliches, Quezon City Wednesday night. Quezon City Police District Director P/C Supt. Joselito Esquivel (unseen) escorts the arrested CPP- NDF leader (left above) identified as Vicente Ladlad in clenched fist at Camp Karingal. (left below) Esquivel escorts another CPP- NDF identified as Virginia Villamor, aka ate Anna. Norman Cruz, Manny Palmero READ: Reds wont fall for Rodys trap The Palace said Thursday that the sudden arrest of National Democratic Front of the Philippines peace consultant Vicente Ladlad was not a violation of the provisions of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees.Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said the JASIG, an agreement which essentially guarantees the immunity and safety of individuals involved in the peace talks, is not currently in force as the peace talks between the Duterte administration and the NDFP have already been terminated. The JASIG is operative only if there are peace talks ongoing, but that has been terminated by the proclamation of the President on Nov. 23, 2017. Secondly, the crime of rebellion is a continuing crime and therefore no warrant of arrest is needed for that, Panelo said. Panelo said other consultants covered by the JASIG can be arrested by the government any time since peace talks were already terminated. Ladlad, a long-time activist and peace advocate, was arrested early Thursday by police. Fides Lim, Ladlads wife took to Facebook and announced the disappearance of her husband, claiming that members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group abducted Ladlad. Arresting unit can only be the CIDG which tailed me last week. Please help me look for Vic, she said, expressing worries about his health, as he suffers from chronic asthma, which has already deteriorated into emphysema. Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman Jose Ma. Sison was quick to speculate that Ladlad could have been framed by the Duterte administration as he claimed there is no warrant of arrest issued against the NDFP consultant. There is no valid warrant of arrest against him. But in the Duterte scheme, he is likely to be framed as a combatant with firearms and explosives planted despite his serious health condition, he said. Earlier reports said Ladlad was arrested for charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosGovtives in Novaliches, Quezon City. Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff Gen. Carlito Galvez, Jr., lauded law enforcement agents and the concerned citizen who helped in the arrest of Ladlad. I would like to commend the swift response of the authorities and the concerned citizen for the arrest of these notorious personalities. The peoples vigilance has been an important aspect of our security operations and has been valuable in the fight against terrorism, Galvez said in a statement. The AFP chief also stressed the importance of cooperation in the security sector to curb terror groups and their leaders. The AFP and PNP (Philippine National Police) in [their] unrelenting pursuit of peace and prosperity will be hitting them in all fronts. The apprehension of Ladlad will create a leadership vacuum in their organization which will speed up the process of defeating insurgency in the country, Galvez added.He added that since the assumption of President Rodrigo Duterte, 54 prominent communist personalities have been neutralized. This has resulted in the disruption of internal coordination of the rebel group from the national level down to the New Peoples Army (NPA) platoons. The leadership vacuum led the insurgents to fall complacent, causing the stagnation and decline in their major fields of work in launching the armed struggle, the AFP chief added. Ladlad is a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Central Committee, head of its National United Front Commission, and consultant to its now defunct peace negotiations. Ladlad and his aides, Alberto and Virginia Villamor, were arrested in his alleged safehouse in Dona Tomasa Subdivision, Barangay San Bartolome, Novaliches, Quezon City early Thursday. Police said they found an AK-47, one M-16A1, one Colt Mk IV, four hand grenades, and assorted ammunition during the raid. Ladlad is accused of involvement in the multiple murder cases for the purging of communist members tagged by the CPP leadership as government spies in their organization. At least 67 bodies were unearthed in September 2006 involving the Southern Leyte Front of the NPA. Ladlad was among those in the CPP who were charged with multiple counts of murder over the massacre. Also charged were Adelberto Silva, head of the National Organization Department and Secretary General of the CPP. He was arrested in Laguna in October. But PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said Ladlad and two others were arrested for illegal possession of firearms, not their affiliation with the communists. He added that Ladlad could not hide behind the JASIC because they broke the law. CHICAGO, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- An American Chinese entrepreneur has been awarded with special honor for his contribution to U.S-China friendship, promoting cultural exchange in the U.S Midwestern state of Iowa. Iowa International Center (IIC) selected Albert Liu, director of International Business Development for Kent Pet Group, as an Honoree for the 2018 Passport to Prosperity Award, local media Voice of Muscatine reported on Wednesday. "Albert has been a brilliant and critical resource for Iowans across the state. He is informed and sincere, which has added so much to the way Iowans and Chinese are able to appreciate each other's cultures." the nomination letter for Liu said. One of Liu's major contributions includes his role in orchestrating the sister city relationship between Iowa's Muscatine and China's Zhengding. Liu worked as the director of Asian sales for Musco Lighting from 2010 to early 2018 and visited Muscatine often. Eventually he met Sarah Lande, who helped him get involved in the Muscatine community, particularly in volunteering to develop the relationship with China. In 2012, Liu organized and led a delegation of five members from Muscatine including Mayor Hopkins and Sarah Lande to visit four cities in China to start the sister city relationship with Zhengding. For these efforts, he was also awarded with a Gold Key to the City of Muscatine by Mayor Hopkins and the Muscatine City Council. Liu came to live in Iowa in 1994 as an immigrant from China. During that time, he became involved with the IIC when he volunteered for one of their programs to welcome and give orientation to new international students. Since then he has served with state and local boards, committees, and businesses dedicated to building a strong relationship between Iowa and China. Based in Des Moines, capital of Iowa, IIC is a non-profit organization, providing personal and professional opportunities linking Iowans with peoples from around the world. Tale of Two Metals: One WAY More Valuable Than Gold, The Other Historically Undervalued Gold is the metal of kings, the ultimate money, an eternal store of value, an untarnishable embodiment of beauty. Gold is all those things. But it is not the most valuable metal you can own on a cost-per-ounce basis. Often, platinum commands a higher price than gold. Lately, platinum has traded at an abnormally large discount to the yellow metal. Metals investors who want to hold the most concentrated wealth in a single ounce bullion product should opt not for gold or platinumbut for a different platinum group metal called rhodium. Rhodium is scarce and thinly traded. Frankly, its a little-known metal even among metals investors. Like platinum and palladium, the primary application for rhodium is catalytic converters for cars and trucks. It is alloyed with platinum and palladium to enhance resistance to corrosion. Rhodium is also used in some types of jewelry. Rhodium has quietly been in a raging bull market over the past couple years. Prices bottomed out in 2016 at around $600/oz. This September, they surged to over $2,400/oz and have remained there. As impressive as that quadrupling is, rhodium still trades far below its all-time high from 10 years ago. From 2004 to 2008, rhodium launched from $500 to as high as $10,000/oz. At its current value of $2,425/oz, the niche metal still has lots of room to run. Of course, the trade off associated with rhodiums explosive price potential is that it also carries significant downside risk. This metal isnt for the faint of heart. Folks just getting started in precious metals investing should first build up core holdings in gold and silver. But more seasoned hard assets investors who want to add a high-risk/high-reward speculative component to their precious metals portfolio might consider rhodium. The high-flying metal is currently available to investors in the form of one-ounce bullion bars. They come sealed and authenticated by either of the reputable mints Baird & Company or PAMP Suisse. More options are available for the more popular catalytic metals, platinum and palladium. Bars, privately minted rounds, and even some sovereign coins are available to investors. A Contrarian Bet on a Platinum Comeback Platinum currently sells at a discount of more than $350 to gold and a discount of nearly $250 to palladium. Thats unusual historically on both fronts. In fact, the platinum:palladium ratio, which came in at over 5:1 as recently as 2009, slid below 0.8:1 this October its lowest point since 2001! Platinums large discount incentivizes industrial users of palladium (mainly automakers) to begin substituting in platinum where feasible. Platinum has generally been favored by diesel engine manufacturers, while palladium has increasingly been preferred for conventional gasoline vehicles. Ever since the Volkswagen diesel emissions cheating scandal, diesel car manufacturing has been in a bear market bringing down demand for platinum as a side effect. Whether platinum prices have finally bottomed out remains to be seen. Platinum wont stay down forever, though. Its next bull market could be driven by a comeback for diesel, substitution by palladium users, a supply shortfall, or some combination of these fundamentals. Most platinum comes from South Africa, a country now ruled by a land-grabbing, asset-seizing government. Due in part to political risk and in part to adverse market conditions, many South African mines have scaled down operations or closed this year. Total annual platinum supply of 8 million ounces still meets demand, but that dynamic could change by next year. In the months ahead, supply destruction could lead to a deficit in the platinum market. Given the dire situation in the South African mining industry, supply will difficult to ramp up again when its needed. Contrarian metals investors are positioning themselves in platinum at current levels with the expectation that when the market turns, prices could run higher for years to come. At the very least, a bet on platinum again becoming more expensive than palladium... and again more expensive than gold, seems likely to pay off eventually. It always has before whenever platinum got anywhere near as depressed as it is today. Stefan Gleason is President of Money Metals Exchange, the national precious metals company named 2015 "Dealer of the Year" in the United States by an independent global ratings group. A graduate of the University of Florida, Gleason is a seasoned business leader, investor, political strategist, and grassroots activist. Gleason has frequently appeared on national television networks such as CNN, FoxNews, and CNBC, and his writings have appeared in hundreds of publications such as the Wall Street Journal, Detroit News, Washington Times, and National Review. 2018 Stefan Gleason - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors. 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. End in Sight for 'Unloved' Silver Technical analyst Clive Maund charts silver and explains why he believes the metal's prospects are changing. Silver continues to be a singularly neglected and unloved investment, and has been for years now, but as we will proceed to see, this is not a situation that is likely to continue for much longer. On its 10-year chart we can see that silver has basically been moving sideways marking out a low base pattern since late 2014late 2015, following a severe bear market from its 2011 highs. For a while this year it was thought to be marking out a downsloping Head-and-Shoulders bottom, but with the renewed decline from June through late August, it was clear that the pattern had morphed into something else, and on the basis of what we are seeing in other metals, principally copper, gold and platinum, it now looks like it may instead be completing a large Double Bottom pattern, and if this is what it is, then it is very close to the second low of the Double Bottom here, and thus at an excellent point to buy. On the 6-month chart we can see that the second low of the giant Double Bottom shown on the 10-year chart appears to have taken the form of a tight Head-and-Shoulders bottom. About two weeks ago it looked like a neat and tidy pattern was completing, so the drop early last week came as something of a surprise, but Thursday's high volume rally was a bullish development that restored the bullish look of the pattern, which at this point looks like an irregular Head-and-Shoulders bottom with two small right shoulders. Interestingly, it stalled out again on Friday at the resistance at the upper boundary of the pattern, showing how important it is, and while it could back off a little bit short-term, it looks like it is getting ready to break out of it. Thus it is interesting to observe silver's latest COT chart, which certainly looks bullish as it reveals that the Large Specs remain completely demoralized regarding silver, as they are still short, which is good to know as they always overall wrong. Although it has eased somewhat in recent weeks, the latest Hedgers chart still presents a strongly bullish picture for silver, as large commercial Hedger's positions are still historically at a very low level. Chart courtesy of sentimentrader.com We have just entered November, which our seasonal chart reveals is a better month for silver than October, and it is interesting and timely to observe that this marks the start of the most positive period of the year for silver, on a seasonal basis. Chart courtesy of sentimentrader.com Finally, since it is unlikely that gold and silver will advance without other metals like copper and especially platinum coming along for the ride, it is worth looking at the latest charts for copper and platinum. As we can see below, a parallel Head-and-Shoulders bottom has formed on both the copper and platinum charts, although the Left Shoulder low on the charts of both these metals occurred in July, whereas the Left Shoulder low on the silver chart formed in August. Apart from this detail though, these charts are supportive of an upside breakout by silver soon, as copper, with its high volume up days, certainly looks like it is readying to break out to the upside, and platinum already did so on Thursday last week, which was a positive development for the metals sector generally. Clive Maund has been president of www.clivemaund.com, a successful resource sector website, since its inception in 2003. He has 30 years' experience in technical analysis and has worked for banks, commodity brokers and stockbrokers in the City of London. He holds a Diploma in Technical Analysis from the UK Society of Technical Analysts. Disclosure: 1) Statements and opinions expressed are the opinions of Clive Maund and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. Clive Maund is wholly responsible for the validity of the statements. Streetwise Reports was not involved in the content preparation. Clive Maund was not paid by Streetwise Reports LLC for this article. Streetwise Reports was not paid by the author to publish or syndicate this article. 2) This article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports. 3) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the interview or the decision to write an article, until one week after the publication of the interview or article. Charts provided by the author. CliveMaund.com Disclosure: The above represents the opinion and analysis of Mr Maund, based on data available to him, at the time of writing. Mr. Maund's opinions are his own, and are not a recommendation or an offer to buy or sell securities. Mr. Maund is an independent analyst who receives no compensation of any kind from any groups, individuals or corporations mentioned in his reports. As trading and investing in any financial markets may involve serious risk of loss, Mr. Maund recommends that you consult with a qualified investment advisor, one licensed by appropriate regulatory agencies in your legal jurisdiction and do your own due diligence and research when making any kind of a transaction with financial ramifications. Although a qualified and experienced stock market analyst, Clive Maund is not a Registered Securities Advisor. Therefore Mr. Maund's opinions on the market and stocks can only be construed as a solicitation to buy and sell securities when they are subject to the prior approval and endorsement of a Registered Securities Advisor operating in accordance with the appropriate regulations in your area of jurisdiction. 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. News came today of the arrest of a far-right, 63-year-old man who wanted to assassinate the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez. Despite the fact that the police found 16 guns in his possession, the Spanish National Audience refused to deal with the case as it did not consider it an instance of terrorism. This is the same tribunal that has sentenced rap artists to jail time for glorifying terrorism in their lyrics. A case of double standards? Read the article in Spanish on Lucha de Clases. The arrest of Manuel Sanchez Murillo, an expert marksman, has raised many questions in Spain. The man was arrested three weeks ago but the details were only made public today in an exclusive article in Publico, which, quoting sources close to the investigation, reveals a great deal about the case. Franco-supporting terrorist Manuel Sanchez Murillo is a member of a local, Olympic shooting club in Terrassa, where he is one of the best shooters. He works as a private security guard and therefore has a legal gun permit. He raised alarm by asking for logistical support to carry out the assassination of Sanchez in a private WhatsApp group he was a member of. This was a very specific request in which he wanted others to help him establish the prime ministers schedule, so he could organise the shooting. He wanted to finish off that shitty red. According to the report in Publico, he didnt mind being arrested afterwards, I am ready to sacrifice myself for Spain, he said. The motivation? Sanchez Murillo is a supporter of Spains former dictator, Franco and was enraged by the decision of the PSOE government to remove the dictators remains from the Valley of the Fallen: a fascist monument near Madrid. Manuel Sanchez Murillo was planning to kill the Prime Minister, but he is not regarded as a "terrorist" by the courts / Image: fair use Tipped off by one of the members of the WhatsApp group, the police obtained search and arrest warrants. When they entered his house they were surprised to find an arsenal of 22 weapons, including the CETME assault rifle used by the Spanish army, a Skorpion submachine gun and four high-precision rifles, able to shoot a target at 1000 to 1500 metres, as well as 16 handguns. Many of these weapons were illegal and some of them had been modified. Sanchez Murillo moved in far-right circles, nostalgic for the Franco era, and his father had been the last local mayor in Rubi from this period. Scandalous double standards Perhaps the most scandalous part of this story is that the National Audience, the tribunal that deals with cases of terrorism or crimes against the state, refused to handle the case as it did not consider it as a terrorist threat, but rather a case of homicide of an authority and illegal possession of weapons! Typically for its treatment of the far right, the media has described Murillo as a lone wolf rather than a terrorist. The National Audience replaced the Public Order Tribunal of the Franco regime, which dealt with political crimes. In recent times, the National Audience has tried a whole series of scandalous cases as part of an offensive against freedom of expression. For instance, the National Audience initially accepted a case against a group of puppeteers who were accused of glorifying terrorism, though the charges were later dropped. It has also sentenced communist rap artist, Pablo Hasel, for the same crime of glorifying terrorism due to lyrics from his songs. The National Audience also tried seven youths from Alsasua (Navarre) for terrorism, after they were involved in a bar brawl with some off-duty Civil Guards. They were sentenced to a total of 67 years in jail, though the court finally did not find grounds for the crime of terrorism. Additionally, the National Audience sentenced Mallorca rap artist, Valtonyc, to three-and-half years in jail for his lyrics, which they accused of glorifying terrorism. He absconded justice and is now in exile in Belgium, with the Spanish judiciary seeking his extradition. These are just some examples of the use of accusations of terrorism and glorifying terrorism by the State Prosecutor as a weapon against freedom of expression, to criminalise the Basque youth and generally to cow and threaten left-wing, anti-regime activists. Tamara Vila's arrest in April and terrorism charge for participating in the CDRs reflects the rotten double standards of the Spanish judiciary / Image: fair use Another example of the double standards of the Spanish justice system and particularly of the National Audience is that of Tamara Vila and Adria Carrasco: two activists of the Catalan Committees for the Defence of the Republic. On 10 April this year they were both charged with terrorism, rebellion and sedition. Tamara Vila was arrested by armed, balaclava-clad Civil Guard agents at her home in Viladecans; while Adria, from nearby Esplugues, managed to avoid arrest and is currently in exile in Belgium. The media was present during the arrest of Tamara and highlighted the terrorism charge in a clear attempt to criminalise the CDRs. Their only crime had been to participate in CDR actions to protest the arrest of Catalan president Puigdemont in Germany. These actions consisted of opening up toll booths for drivers to pass without paying. The case against Tamara was so scandalous and devoid of evidence that she was released the day after her arrest, but the National Audience ordered her confinement to her hometown, which she cannot leave without permission from the court: not even to visit her sick mother in hospital. Seven months later, the National Audience ruled that there were no grounds for the charges of terrorism, rebellion nor sedition against Murillo and that the case should be pursued by a lower local court, only for the charge of public disturbance. This is a welcome development, of course, which shows that the case against the CDR activists was a complete fabrication and merely used to intimidate others. But we should remember that under the Spanish legal code, the crime of public disturbance, which is regularly used by the police against demonstrators in cases where theres not been any violence, can carry prison sentences of up to three years. Against repression of democratic rights! What we can see clearly is how the National Audience and the State Prosecutor are ready to use charges of terrorism willy-nilly against left-wing activists, rap artists, Basque youth, Catalan activists, or anyone they deem a danger to the regime, but when it comes to far-right terrorists they are prepared to turn a blind eye and minimise charges. The National Audience is ready to use charges of terrorism against anyone they deem a danger to the regime, but when it comes to far-right terrorists they minimise charges / Image: fair use The whole of the Spanish legal system is rancid to its foundations and furthermore was inherited from the Franco dictatorship without any significant cleansing. Unfortunately, neither Podemos nor Izquierda Unida have taken the issue of repression as seriously as it deserves. In Spain, there is a whole series of political prisoners. Fran Molero from the Andalucian Workers Union (SAT) and Alfon, the youth from Vallecas (both victims of police frame-ups), the Catalan political prisoners, the Alsasu youth and many others are being tried or have been sentenced to jail time. This is a basic issue of democratic rights, which should be taken up in a united campaign against repression, with mass demonstrations, mass meetings in workplaces and working-class neighbourhoods; legal defence and so on. The struggle to defend legal rights and against repression is an integral part of the struggle against the 1978 regime and against capitalism. The 2018 US midterms have come and gone and there were no major surprises. Both Democrats and Republicans worked to mobilise millions and opened their pocketbooks to do soto the tune of $4 billion. This and the polarisation in society led to a huge rise in turnout, with a record 113 million voting, and over 30 million getting their votes in early, compared to 83 million who voted in 2014. Midterm elections usually see a lower turnout than presidential elections. In the 2010 and 2014 midterms, the turnout was 41 percent and 36.4 percent respectively. In the 2016 presidential election, the turnout was 55 percent. This year, 49 percent of eligible voters cast a vote. While these figures indicate a profound polarisation in society, the absence of a political party of the working class means that these elections can only give a partial and distorted reflection of the mood in society. The Democrats rode a modest wave of anti-Trump anger to retake the House of Representatives, while Trumps racist pandering to the more backward, rural areas of the country helped Republicans increase their control of the Senate. Nevertheless, there were important trends revealed in this electoral snapshot of the mood of the country, which provides an opportunity for revolutionary Marxists to yet again make our case for a fundamental political and economic change. The polarisation in society led to a huge rise in turnout, with a record 113 million voting / Image: Flickr, Ted Eytan The first thing we must note is that, during the whole of the arduous and polarised campaign, not a single issue of real importance to working people was front and center. For example, where was the debate about the high cost of housing and the related increase in homelessness? Or the need for higher wages and unions in the workplace? What about the need for free education and the cancellation of the student debt? And although some called for free universal healthcare, no one presented a comprehensive plan to pay for it out of the profits of the pharmaceutical, health insurance, and other medical giantsor their nationalisation under workers control. Nor was there any focus on the movement to stop police killings and racism, the need for generous paid parental leave and daycare, or a plan for major infrastructure projects. The bourgeois media and politicians set the tone and frame the issues. It is in the class interest of the capitalists of both parties to misdirect and create confusion. The Democrats and Republicans did not want to address real issues as this would expose the crisis of American capitalism. Trump tried to instill fear, creating scapegoats to distract people from the real causes of their economic problems. And the Democrats basically limited their campaign to for or against Trumpas though simply checking his power would lead to a wonderful life. The real state of affairs Booms and slumps are a constant feature of capitalism, and since 1974, the slumps have done more to deteriorate quality of life than the booms have done to increase it as the lions share of the wealth created by the working has gone to enrich the richest 1 percent. The present recoverythe second-longest in post-World War II historyhas lasted 9 years and 5 months. As a result, many people do think things are better than they were in 2008, at the height of the last crisis, but they also think the economy is not giving them the living standard they expect. There is a generalised feeling that life is quite difficult for workers, and for the youth in particular. The employment figures published by the White House hide the fact that some 57 million workers have dropped out of the workforce in the past decade, leaving the US labor force participation rate at a dismal 40-year low. This is another form of hidden unemployment. As of this summer, 22 million people are underemployedeither earning too little to make ends meet, or stuck with a part-time job. Nearly half of the employed workforce, 60 million workers, are earning $15 or less, while over 40 million workers scrape by on less than $12. A referendum on Trump? Trump was elected with 46.1 percent of the vote. His core base was the racist petty bourgeoisie and a small wing of the far right of the ruling class, as most of the ruling class supported Hillary Clinton. He also received the votes of many white workers who, without a class alternative, were looking to protest the status quo. In 2018, the Republicans largely held on to this vote, while pretty much everyone else voted against them. It is significant, however, that the Democrats won back some areas lost in the key rust belt states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Wisconsin, which tipped the balance to Trump in 2016. As an example, Ohio Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown cruised to a third term in a state that Trump won by eight points two years ago. And the workers of Wisconsin finally succeeded in kicking out Governor Scott Walker, though we might add, it was no thanks to the Democrats! It is significant that the Democrats won back some areas lost in key rust belt states that tipped the balance to Trump in 2016 / Image: Flickr, Gage Skidmore In the two years that Trump has been in power, he has done very little of substanceunless inflammatory rhetoric and tweets can be counted as such. He could not even get the Republicans in the Senate to support repeal of Obamacare. GDP has risen and there been a steady increase in (mostly low-wage) jobs, but this is largely due to inertia from the already-in-motion recovery that preceded his electionalthough he would claim full credit and point to his tax cuts as the reason. As for America First, Trumps trade policy is actually leading to rising contradictions, especially for soybean and pork farmers and businesses that purchase steel and aluminum. And what about his promise of massive infrastructural investment? That too has gone by the wayside. Now that they control the House, the Democrats will work to tie Trump into knots with their myriad investigations, lawsuits, and intrigues. However, one thing that is likely off the agenda is impeachmentthat battle cry of so many liberals and even some on the left who think there is a panacea solution to the systemic crisis. Nancy Pelosi, who, after eight years of being on the outside looking in may once again become Speaker of the House, has said she will not support it. Marxists understand that impeachment is nothing but another distraction from the real issues. Trump is unfit to rule because the system he defends and represents is unfit rulenot because of this or that legalistic technicality or malfeasance. US workers cannot place their hopes in the capitalist Democratic Party to get rid of Trumpwho would, in any case, only be replaced by the equally reactionary Mike Pence. The task before us is not only to get rid of Trump but to get rid of the rotten system of capitalism itself. The next two years will see a further weakening of Trump and we can expect him to continue to lash out at scapegoats to create distractions. All of this will make Trumps reelection in 2020 more complicated, though nothing is guaranteed, as the Democrats are experts at seizing defeat from the jaws of victory. But the real elephant in the room is the coming economic crisis, which will upset all the carefully laid plans and set new parameters for economic, social, and political struggle. Some takeaways In a two-party system, those who wanted to oppose Trump felt they had to vote Democrat, and there was a definite swing in their direction. Lesser evilism was seriously undermined in 2016, and cannot last forever. But the truth is concrete, and until something comes along to replace the current parties, there will be a continuous and contradictory back and forth between them. In a two-party system, those who wanted to oppose Trump felt they had to vote Democrat, and there was a definite swing in their direction / Image: Pixabay The Democrats won a total 230 seats out of 435, in the House of Representatives, giving them control of this body. Even where they lost, there was a large swing to Democrats. In Kentucky, Republican Andy Barr won by 22 points in 2016. This time, he won by just three pointsa swing of 19 percent against Trump. In Texas, where Beto ORourke campaigned free of corporate money and for single-payer healthcare, there was a swing of six points against the Republicans compared to the 2016 presidential election and a 13-point swing against Ted Cruz compared with his last election in 2012. The Democrats also won the governorship in 23 of the 36 states where this office was up for election, including Kansas, Illinois, and the afore-mentioned Wisconsin, and came close in other states as well. In New York State, the Democrats now have control of both houses of the state legislature and all statewide positions. The Democrats now have no excuses for not passing major reforms like statewide single-payer healthcare and free education from daycare to grad schoolor for not repealing the reactionary Taylor Law. Votes for women and minority candidates represent an instinctive rejection of Trumps sexism, but the Democrats and Republicans cant solve the problems of the working class and oppressed / Image: NewMexicoMercury Despite the passage of reactionary measures that will most likely lead to restricted access to abortions in Alabama and West Virginia, several ballot measures shed light on the rumblings beneath the surface. For example, proposed minimum wage hikes were approved in Arkansas ($11) and Missouri ($12). Earlier this year, so-called right-to-work legislation in Missouri was defeated by 68 percent of the vote in a referendum. These votes, in areas largely dominated by the Republicans, show that when given a chance to vote concretely in their own interests, workers will do so. It also shows that a future mass workers party will be able to win support on a class basis, even from those who today consider themselves Republicans. 2018 was also a banner year for women candidates. College-educated women preferred Democrats by 18 percent, as compared to 2012 when this same group voted for Mitt Romney over Obama by a margin of 6 percent. At least 96 women are projected to win seats in the House of Representatives. Two Muslim women and a Native American woman were also elected for the first time. All of this represents an instinctive rejection of Trumps disgusting sexism and comes after the rise of the #MeToo movement. But we must also ask, what policies will most of these candidates defend? Experience shows that a capitalist party cant solve the problems of the working class. Working-class women have working-class problems and need working-class candidates and solutions. Since neither the Democrats nor the Republicans can deliver, we can be sure that working-class women will be at the forefront of a future mass socialist party. One person, one vote? Most people would be astonished to know that, although 45 million people voted for Democrats in the US Senate races, and the Republicans received just 33 million votesthe Republicans actually gained seats! How is this possible? Elections in the US are distorted by the very structure of its 'democracy.' One person, one vote is alleged to be a basic principle of bourgeois democracy, yet American capitalism does not abide by this principle. The US Constitution of 1787 was ratified by a handful of white, male property owners over the age of twentyno one else was allowed to vote on itand even then, it was just barely approved. The US House of Representatives is the more representative legislative branch, but the founders created the Senate as well as two other branches of government with powers to stop the House in its tracksjust in case ordinary people ever got control of it. Furthermore, from the Senate to the Electoral College, more sparsely populated states have a weighted advantage over their urban counterparts because every state automatically gets two Senators, and at least one congressperson, which gives them a minimum of three electoral votes, no matter how many people live there. As an example, Wyoming has 580,000 people, two Senators, and one congressperson. This means it gets one electoral vote for every 193,333 people. But New York State, with its 19.85 million people, 27 congresspersons and two Senators, only gets one for every 684,482. It is even more skewed when it comes to the Senate. Wyoming, North Dakota, and Montana have a combined population of less than 2.4 million, but get six votes in the Senate. Missouri has a population of six million people and only two votes. California has a population of nearly 40 million peoplemore than the whole of Canadaand yet it also has just two Senators. Washington, DC, a city of more than 700,000 people, does not have any Senators or a voting congressperson. In addition to this, millions of felons are disqualified from voting at all and there is a nonstop effort to deny or discourage poor workers from voting, especially Native Americans, black people, and Latinos. A missed opportunity for the left The rise of the socialist label was a significant development in these elections. As a result of Sanderss meteoric 2016 run, socialism is now front and center in American politics and many candidates openly identify themselves as such. However, there is socialism and there is socialism. And it is not that the Democrats have moved to the left but much of the left moved to the Democratswho are only too happy to accommodate and co-opt these candidates, however well-meaning they may be. Three DSA members, who identified themselves as socialists, ran for Congress as Democrats, with two of them winning: Rashida Tlaib in Michigan and Alexandra Ocasio Cortez in New York (the youngest-ever woman elected to the House). In Maine, independent Senator Angus King, who caucuses with the Democrats, won reelection, but the Democratic candidate was Zak Ringelstein, a DSA candidate who won more than 10 percent of the vote in the ranked-choice voting system. Julia Salazar, another DSA member, was elected as one of New Yorks Democratic State Senators. Two self-identified socialists and DSA members won seats in the Housebut we think it was a mistake for them to run as Democrats / Image: Mark Dillman All of this shows that people are looking to the left and are open to and looking for socialist ideas. However, we think it was a mistake for these candidates to run as Democrats. It was also a mistake to run on a reformist programme that seeks only a kinder, gentler capitalismat a time when the crisis makes it impossible for the system to deliver anything of substance. If people associate socialism with broken promises and a continuation of the status quo, the current revival of interest in these ideas could turn into its opposite. This is why we believe the 2018 midterms were yet another missed opportunity for the working class and the left. At this stage of the class struggle, we believe that election campaigns should be used as opportunities to raise the consciousness of workers, to help them organise, expose the system, and crucially, point to the need for a mass socialist party and a workers government. Recent polls have shown that 62 percent of Americans want a third party and this rises to 71 percent when it comes to millennials. According to CNN, nearly four out of ten voters said their vote was a sign of opposition Trump. This is an incredible statistic since it means that roughly four out of five who voted Democrat were not voting for them but against Trump. However, we must be clear that, no matter how much workers want their own party, this cannot be wished into existenceit must be built! The first step towards actually building such a party is to have a perspective to do so. The IMTs perspective is that the historic impasse of the capitalist systemwith the instability and attacks on workers it will bringis preparing the way for an intensification of the class struggle. Only a workers government with socialist policies can really beat Trump and capitalism. Bernie Sanderswith his mass base of supporters, contributors, and voterscould have built a mass working-class socialist party. But his capitulation to the Democrats and top-down control of the Our Revolution organisation cut across that opportunity. Since then, and especially after Trumps election, many people awakened to left politics joined DSA, which grew from 6,000 members to 50,000. DSA is not a mass party, but it is the largest socialist organisation in the country. It is in a unique position to use its rising profile to put forward bold socialist policies and the need for a break with the Democratsan essential first step in the fight for socialism. For example, if DSA had stood five or ten candidates for Congress, either on a socialist line or as independents, running on a socialist programme and calling for the building of mass working-class socialist party, it could have generated even more interest for socialist ideas. DSA could have mobilised a nationwide campaign with members and supporters everywhere helping out and possibly writing in candidates in their local areas. Given the mood in the electorate, these candidates would have made a good showing and may have even won a seat. And even if they were all defeated this time around, it could have led to hundreds of thousands of new DSA members and an experience that could be built on in the years ahead. Instead, Bernie Sanders and most of the DSA basically backed the Democrats. Where DSA ran candidates, like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib, they ran them as Democrats on a program acceptable to the Democrats. Rather than using the election to raise political consciousness, they are sowing illusions and disappointment which will be revealed over the next period. As it is not organized as a political party, DSA has no way of holding its elected members accountable. Their candidates will come under enormous pressure from the Democratic leadership to fall into linewith the offer of both carrots and sticks. They will also be associated with all of the reactionary policies of the Democratic Party. This only adds to political confusion instead of clarifying the class interests of the Democrats and the need for a workers alternative. As for the labour leaders, they played their usual lamentable role in this election. Like the Democrats, they seem to hope that, if they keep their heads down long enough, demographic changes will be enough to nudge out the Republicans, thus guaranteeing the rule of worker-friendly Democrats. Never mind that that party has never had the interests of the workers in mind! And though they mostly supported the Democrats, and in a few areas, like Pennsylvanias 1st Congressional district, the AFL-CIO supported Republican Brian Fitzpatrick and helped him win reelection. The class collaborationist outlook of the labour leaders is a dead end and will only change when serious left oppositions are built in the trade unions. What is to be done? Lenin explained that without theory, there is no revolutionary movement. It seems as though the entire leftnot just in the US, but around the worldis demoralised and pessimistic. On the other hand, the International Marxist Tendency is exceedingly optimistic! Why this disparity? Because we take what Lenin said seriously. We know that if we are serious about taking on capitalism, we need to take a scientific approach. Otherwise, we end up thinking the way our class enemy wants us to thinklike the reformists. No matter how good their intentions, they end up following the lead of the ruling class and get trapped in the mentality that capitalism is almighty and will last forever and that the best we can do is pressure them for reforms. But with a scientific approach, we can see the size and potential power of the working classand the growing weakness and divisions among the capitalists. We know that the workers will eventually be forced to fight back against the system, whether it has a revolutionary leadership or not. But if it wants to fight and win, it must build that leadership, and that leadership must be guided by theorythe concentrated lessons of the past experience and struggles of the working class. This is why we must continue building this leadership now. If we succeed in accumulating quality today, we will develop much greater quantity in the heat of future events. Marxism is still a small force but we have gained much over the last period. With clear ideas on the need for class independence and a socialist revolution, we are confident we can make even further strides in the years ahead. The objective conditions for our growth are highly favorable because neither the capitalists nor the reformists will be able to solve the systems contradictions. By standing against the tide of lesser evilism we have been able to differentiate ourselves from those on the left who capitulated to that pressure. For many workers, the question of who is the greater or lesser evil is not at all clearand understandably so. Instead of throwing ourselves onto the miniature blue wave of class collaboration with the Democratic Party, the IMT puts our confidence in the working class. What will smash the wobbling two-party system is not the tepid anyone but Trump programme of the Democrats, but the tsunami of class struggle that is on the horizon. It is impossible to predict precisely when it will come; but when it does, socialists need all hands on deck and a clear plan to help channel all that energy into revolutionary change. If you agree with this analysis, we invite you to work with and join the International Marxist Tendency. In Montana, we are celebrating a strong economy with growing wages, additional jobs and a culture of entrepreneurship. But our economic success means workers are in high demand, which brings new challenges for employers who are seeking to recruit and retain skilled employees. As the labor relations analyst at NorthWestern Energy, I know its important to have businesses and industries at the forefront of responding to Montanas worker shortage. Ive had the privilege to serve as a member of the State Workforce Innovation Board that advises the governor on statewide workforce development strategies. And most recently, I accepted a position as chair of the Apprenticeship Advisory Council for the Montana Department of Labor & Industry, which provides guidance and supports the Montana Registered Apprenticeship Program. Dean Bentley https://mtstandard.com/opinion/columnists/guest-view-apprenticeships-mean-opportunity/article_43206dcf-e2ea-5d70-8c9a-e65ca98964db.html *** NorthWestern Energy is committed to providing excellent service for our customers. In order to attract the best employees, we offer an attractive salary based on qualifications, a performance-based incentive program, and competitive benefits. We encourage employees to find opportunities to use their leadership skills to contribute to and strengthen the organization. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer/Minority/Female/Vet/Disability. We invite disabled applicants to voluntarily identify any accommodations they may need in the application process. In compliance with the ADA Amendments Act, should you have a disability that requires assistance and/or reasonable accommodation with the job application process, please contact the Human Resources department via phone at 1-800-245-6977. View Career opportunities with NorthWestern Energy http://www.northwesternenergy.com/jobs In a time when Idahos job growth is increasingly dependent on in-migration, to what degree do reports perceived as racist, such as the recent Middleton teacher costume incident, affect business ability to recruit out-of-state workers? Though the Aryan Nations compound in Hayden was shut down and then burned in 2000, more recent incidents, such as the groups of teachers who dressed up as the proposed US-Mexico border wall and used Mexican stereotypes, the Redoubt movement, and isolated incidents of flyers promoting racist ideas, have reportedly concerned some ethnic and sexual minorities looking at Idaho. With Idahos unemployment rate and college graduation rate so low, and with the state looking to newcomers to fill jobs, anything that discourages potential new residents is a problem, according to some local business leaders. By: Sharon Fisher The donated items on display The Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, His Excellency Wu Peng continues to demonstrate his willingness to help strengthen Sierra Leones development process, thereby taking his countrys shared vision and common prosperity to various sectors in the West African Country. In his New Direction Agenda, President Bio deemed balanced development of different regions in this country equally important. As a good friend of Sierra Leone, China fully endorses President Bios governance philosophy and today we are here hoping to contribute a little bit to the development of Kenema, said the Chinese Ambassador while marking the presentation of educational support and launching of free medical services in the Government Secondary School in Kenema City, eastern Sierra Leone. Items donated include computers, solar-energy lights, schoolbags, notebooks and other kinds of equipment and stationaries. We hope our donation will benefit pupils in Kenema Government Secondary School and help facilitate their study and light up their dreams, he told the jubilant school ceremony. The hope of this country lies in the education of its children, thats why we travelled hundreds of miles from Freetown to this place with gifts for your pupils. Ambassador Wu Peng was conferred honorary alumni by the Principal of the School during his visit a few months after he assumed office as Ambassador of the Peoples Republic of China to Sierra Leone. I am here to present the support from Chinese Embassy and launch the free medical services to Government Secondary School Kenema, Ambassador Wu Peng remarked. The recent support came after the launch of the Chinese Brightness Trip Activity at the Kenema Government Hospital, aiming at helping people who are suffering from cataract to see again. School Authorities and Pupils thankful to the Chinese Government The Ambassador pointed out that besides health care, his embassy is also willing to help boost education in Kenema, which is prioritized by President Julius Maada Bio. We understand that the free quality education program faces some difficulties here like shortage of school furniture, stationery and modern teaching facilities such as computers, he said and further stated that they will do their best to support in these areas. The Chinese Government has realized the importance of health, which is why it has continued cooperating with the Sierra Leone government to strengthen the health sector for the benefit of the people. Ambassador Wu Peng taken on a conducted tour Sierra Leone, Ambassador Wu Peng said, is on the path of development, so is Kenema District. In this progress of development, "China as your brother will offer constant support to make Sierra Leone a better place, he assured. School Authorities and other Personalities at the event thanked the Chinese Government and singled out Ambassador Wu Peng who has been supportive of the countrys development drive. In November, Idaho WWAMI will be hosting their annual Faculty Development Workshop where physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners will continue their education by learning the latest practices on teaching medical education. By Frank M. Batcha Jr. Read more here: https://www.idahostatesman.com/opinion/readers-opinion/article220949090.html#storylink=cpy EU Commissioner for Food and Health Safety, Vytenis Andriukaitis (Photo/Courtesy of Delegation of the European Union to China) The CIIE is a real example of the possibilities of fair trade and openness between countries, said EU commissioner for Food and Health Safety, Vytenis Andriukaitis, on Nov. 6. The commissioner made the comments as he officially opened the EU booth, where a number of stalls displayed EU products such as honey, chocolate and wines, and live chefs cooked up a deli-cious feast for hungry onlookers. Regarding the first ever CIIE, the commissioner said, Now you can see a real example of possibili-ties to promote fair trade, openness, possibilities to encourage countries to cooperate, to promote multilateralism and also to build a rule-based international trade system, inviting all countries around the table. Chinese President Xi Jinping opened the CIIE with a keynote speech, which focused on China opening more to the world. Andriukaitis noted, Those messages are very important for all of us. For the European Union, for China, for those countries who strongly believe in rule-based trade, in an international trade system, in multilateralism, in possibilities to strengthen WTO rules and imple-ment those rules, and of course to also promote quicker access to market and openness." Discussing what the EU can bring to China, the commissioner explained that the EU has the high-est food safety standards in the world, and China has been fast catching up, promoting more safety standards. Andriukaitis believes that with easier trade links, Chinese consumers would have access to more choice of good quality, healthy goods, noting, Our consumers ask us to provide more safe food, more healthy food, at socially acceptable prices. China and the EU are the biggest exporters in the world. Its not a question about market; its a question about possibilities to strengthen our ties, our cooperation and to improve access to the market because consumers need to have much more choice. We have a lot of practical questions on the table, speaking about possibilities to help China to strengthen the Chinese food safety system, Andriukaitis explains, noting that the EU have com-prehensive strategies to fight against certain diseases such as African swine fever. We can ex-change our expertise and help China with how we can fight against disease together. The CIIE hopes to build connections and allow for more open and free trade between China and other countries. Openness for trade, openness for investment, openness for market - its funda-mental, concluded Andriukaitis. The first China International Import Expo (CIIE) opened in Shanghai on Nov. 5. More than 3,600 companies from 172 countries, regions, and organizations are showcasing their exhibits. Reporters from People's Daily Online headed to a college campus, to see what Chinese and foreign students think about CIIE. (Photo/Screenshot of the video) Following the attack last Friday, Egyptian police said 19 gunmen involved in the ambush were killed during a raid on a hideout in a mountainous region west of Minya governorate Sunday Egypt's Health Minister Hala Zayed said that almost all of whom were injured in a terrorist attack on a bus that killed at least seven Copts and injured 12 near the Monastery of Saint Samuel the Confessor in Upper Egypt's Minya last Friday have recovered or are in a stable condition. Zayed paid a visit to the injured at Zayed Specialised Hospital, after which it was announced that three of the injured remain in the intensive care but are stable. Zayed said that four other cases are set to leave hospital after a full recover Seven Coptic Christians were killed last Friday when terrorists attacked with firearms a bus carrying Coptic Christians in Minya, according to health ministry figures. The self-proclaimed Islamic State terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attack. Last Friday's bus attack is the second terrorist attack of its kind. In May 2017, armed terrorists targeted a bus carrying pilgrims heading to the same monastery, leaving 30 dead and two dozen injured. Following the attack last Friday, Egyptian police said 19 gunmen involved in the ambush were killed during a raid on a hideout in a mountainous region west of Minya governorate Sunday. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt's army has inaugurated the first phase of building a new residential village in central Sinai, as it pushes ahead with development projects in the border region in parallel with counterterrorism efforts, the military said. El-Gawfa village comprises a total of 100 units, with the first phase involving 30 ready-to-move-in Bedouin homes fitted with home appliances and furniture, the military said in a statement sent to Ahram Online. The project is part of the army's efforts "to move forward in the field of development in the Sinai Peninsula in tandem with combating terrorism," the statement said. The project is being carried out in cooperation with North Sinai municipal authorities and a number of civil society groups including the Misr El-Kheir charity foundation. The army and the North Sinai officials have delivered contracts for the new units to those in need among marginalised communities in the region. The second phase is planned to include 70 homes, each at 200 sqm. Search Keywords: Short link: Egyptian ambassador to Tel Aviv Khaled Azmy said on Thursday that Egypt is committed to achieving a comprehensive and just peace in the Middle East as the only way to ensure lasting stability and prosperity for all the peoples of the region, according to a statement by the Egyptian foreign ministry. In a meeting with Israeli President Reuven Rivilin, the Egyptian ambassador said that the peace agreement between Egypt and Israel, which was signed 40 years ago, managed to lower tensions in the region and become one of the pillars of stability in the Middle East. The statement by ambassador Azmy was made as he presented his credentials to the Israeli president as Egypt's new envoy to Israel. Azmy stressed the necessity for a two-state solution along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital. During the meeting, Azmy reiterated the assertion previously made by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi that Egypt is ready to exert all efforts to ensure that the Israeli and Palestinian parties achieve peace. The ambassador added that Egypt is continuing its efforts to prevent the deterioration of the humanitarian situation and the security conditions in the Palestinian territories, and that it is also continuing its international communications to revive the peace process. Azmy was appointed as Egypt's ambassador to Israel in August, succeeding Hazem Khairat, who served as ambassador to Israel for more than two years. Search Keywords: Short link: Two days after the terrorist attack on 2 November in Minya the Interior Ministry announced that it had killed 19 of the terrorists who ambushed Copts returning from the Monastery of St Samuel the Confessor in Gebel Al-Qalamoun in Minya governorate. Field and technical working teams were formed immediately after the incident, with the participation of all relevant sectors of the ministry, and a plan of pursuit was devised based on information that had been gathered and the perpetrators likely escape route, said a statement released by the ministry. Areas frequented or used as bases by the suspects were combed, especially the remote areas terrorists use as hideouts or as staging posts for their attacks. Information revealed that the group of terrorists who carried out the attack members of a cell based in a mountainous area in the western desert portion of the Minya governorate. The statement went on to detail that when security forces began to surround the area the terrorists opened fire. By the time the confrontation ended 19 terrorists had been killed. Their identities have not yet been disclosed. The Interior Ministry released photographs of the location of the raid and of the bodies of the terrorists. Some of the images showed recently printed documents with Islamic State (IS) flags. Other photographs showed religious books. IS immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. On Saturday, the IS-affiliated Amaq news agency posted a statement claiming that IS fighters had targeted buses transporting Copts on a trip to the St Samual Monastery the Confessor in Minya. However, the language used in the statement differed from that used in a previous statement claiming responsibility for a similar attack against Copts on a visit to the same monastery in May 2017. On the earlier occasion the IS statement used an Iraqi term for a military detachment mafraza which is rarely used by Egyptian terrorist organisations. This, plus other linguistic/rhetorical indicators, raised suspicions that IS may have hastened to claim responsibility for an attack in which it played no role in an attempt to show it remains a force to be reckoned with. The IS affiliate in Egypt may have wanted to demonstrate it is able to continue to carry out attacks against Coptic targets, such as the bombings of the churches in Alexandria and Tanta, although it should be borne in mind the claim of responsibility comes at a time when the organisation is heavily incapacitated and hemmed in by Comprehensive Operation Sinai (COS) 2018. Suspicions immediately turned to Al-Qaeda rather than IS or its Egyptian affiliate, as being behind the attack. The attack in Minya occurred a day after Internet sites affiliated with Al-Qaeda and with the Muslim Brotherhood broadcast a documentary, The Oasis: A Lethal Trap, which paid tribute to the leaders of the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Morabitoun organisation, founded in Libya by the discharged Egyptian army officer Hisham Ashmawi, recently apprehended in Libya. The film contained testimonies by participants in the Bahariya Oasis terrorist attack that claimed the lives of many policemen in October last year. The film was lauded by Muslim Brotherhood leaders who hailed Ashmawis colleagues, Emad Abdel-Hamid, who was killed in the operation and Omar Rifaai Sorour, the organisations mufti killed several months ago in Derna, as martyrs. This caused analysts to reassess the Muslim Brotherhoods connection with recent events and, in particular, to posit a relationship between militant Muslim Brotherhood offshoots like Hasm, implicated in numerous terrorist attacks, and Al-Qaeda. Some observers have picked up on the similarity between the voice of the narrator in the documentary and statements previously broadcast by Hasm, leading Mohamed Gomaa, a researcher with Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies, to conclude the film was a piece of propaganda, made by Hasm for Al-Qaeda. He says the threat to Egypt from Ashmawis group continues in spite of the elimination of Morabitoun leaders and the arrest of Ashmawi, himself, in Libya. Eyewitness accounts of the terrorist attack in Minya confirm that gunmen in a vehicle unleashed rounds of rapid fire against three buses.The buses were driving on an unpaved side road to the monastery because the main road had been closed to all vehicles apart from those with a permit from security authorities. The alternative road was well known and easily accessible to the terrorists, says Ali Bakr, an expert on extremist movements. He believes that the group responsible for the attack may have been helped by local collaborators. Bakr also argues that, if this was an Al-Qaeda operation, it could have been carried out by local elements who had formed a sleeping cell subordinate to Ashmawis Al-Qaeda affiliate in Libya. After Ashmawis arrest, they found themselves at a dead end organisationally, especially given the tightening of security along the western border with Libya. They therefore embarked on the Minya attack as a last ditch jihadist suicide operation. The foregoing scenarios may not exclude the IS hypothesis but they do weaken it, especially given that none of the members of the organisation have been arrested. It should also be borne in mind that the IS affiliate in Sinai has had its infrastructure destroyed and any ability to move from Sinai into the Nile Valley seriously curtailed. Timing was a crucial factor in the Minya attack. As mentioned above it occurred a day after the film The Oasis: A Lethal Trap was broadcast in order to remind viewers of previous terrorist events in the Western Oases and Upper Egypt. It also followed military and security statements that confirmed the success of a series of debilitating pre-emptive strikes against terrorists in Sinai. That it occurred in tandem with the launch of the International Youth Forum in Sharm El-Sheikh suggests one purpose was to show Egypt was not safe from terrorist attacks and that the country remained unstable. For his part, President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi asked forum participants to stand in mourning for the victims of the attack and offered his condolences to their relatives. On his official Twitter account he reaffirmed the governments resolve to sustain efforts to fight terrorism and to hunt down the criminals. He stressed that the recent attack will not diminish our nations will to continue the battle for survival and construction. * A version of this article appears in print in the 8 November, 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Reasonable doubts Search Keywords: Short link: Education Montgomery County Community College will present the spring installment of the interview/talk show program Issues and Insights April 20 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Science Center room 214, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The programs will be simulcast to the Colleges West Campus in South Hall room 216, 101 College Drive, Pottstown. Dr. Kolsky will offer a humorous presentation, Carrots, Sticks and Politics: A State of the Nation and the World Message. In this speech, he will provide his interpretation of domestic and international politics and then welcome questions from the audience for discussion. Issues and Insights, is free and open to the public. For information, contact Dr. Thomas Kolsky, professor of political science, at 215-641-6380 or tkolsky@mc3.edu. Montgomery County Community Colleges STEM Scholars Program will host a STEM Jam! open house April 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Advanced Technology Center at the Colleges Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The drop-in event is designed for students interested in learning more about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Activities will include STEM program information and career advising, STEM speakers throughout the day from industry and academia, micro-helicopter and robotics competitive obstacle courses and demonstrations and static models of STEM student and faculty work. For more information about STEM Jam! or STEM programs at MCCC, contact William Brownlowe at wbrownlowe@mc3.edu or 215-641-6644, or Robin Zuhlke at 215-619-7440 or rzuhlke@mc3.edu. Temple Ambler, located at 580 Meetinghouse Road, presents the following events: International Club Global Bazaar April 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. The Ambler Campus International Club invites all students, faculty, staff and the community to celebrate a multitude of diverse cultures, which will be showcased at the organizations Global Bazaar. This family friendly event will highlight cultural traditions and celebrations in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South American, North America and Africa through music, entertainment, food and informative displays developed and presented by students at the Ambler Campus. Young visitors will be provided with passports, which they may get stamped at each country they visit. Prizes will be awarded to world travelers who talk to cultural representatives, answer questions about the countries theyve visited and take part in fun-filled activities designed to help them learn about the rich diversity of cultures found throughout the world. Refreshments will be served. The event is free. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail tuc36466@temple.edu. EarthFest 2011 April 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than 75 exhibitors, including the Philadelphia Zoo, The Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Elmwood Park Zoo and the Insectarium, will take part in EarthFest 2011. School students of all ages are invited to attend and develop displays of their own. EarthFest partner the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society also offers its Kids Grow Expo, featuring the Junior Flower Show, as part of the event. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail duffyj@temple.edu. Annual Spring Plant Sale May 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The plant sale an Ambler Campus tradition dating back to the early 1900s will feature woody plants and perennials in portable sizes, hardy trees, shrubs, and vines, native plants that are attractive to wildlife, herbs, and hanging baskets. There will also be numerous special plants for sale to highlight Amblers special anniversary year. Garden books and garden tools will also be available for sale. Students, staff, and volunteers from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture and the Ambler Arboretum Advisory Committee will be available to answer questions. All proceeds from the Spring Plant Sale will support the Ambler Arboretum Fund and the Pi Alpha Xi National Honor Society. Information: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. June Homecoming/Louise Bush-Brown Garden Dedication June 5 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. (June Homecoming), Bright Hall Lounge; 2 p.m. (Garden Dedication), Ambler Campus Formal Perennial Gardens. Tickets June Homecoming: Participant $18 per person; Sustainer $25 per person; Benefactor $40 per person. The 2011 June Homecoming, sponsored by the School of Environmental Design Alumni Association, will include the Alumni Association annual meeting and luncheon. June Homecoming will be followed by the formal dedication of Temple University Amblers Formal Perennial Gardens as the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Gardens. During this 100th anniversary of the campus, Temple University Ambler and the Ambler Arboretum of the Temple University is honoring Louise Bush-Browns many contributions to the history of the campus by formally dedicating the gardens in her honor. During the program, campus Executive William Parshall will welcome guests, Ambler Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey will speak about the Bush-Browns and the history of the garden, and an official ribbon cutting will be held for the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Garden. Following the ribbon cutting, guests are invited to take a tour of the gardens, which will wend their way to the Campus Greenhouse for the School of Environmental Designs annual Plant Auction. Information (Garden Dedication): 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Information (June Homecoming): 215-482-0722. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. Northview Garden Tour and Fundraiser for the Ambler Arboretum June 12 from noon to 5 p.m. Call for reservations. Tickets: $15 per person or $20 at the door. In addition to the gardens of the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University, Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey has a garden oasis all her own right in Ambler Northview. Visitors will have the opportunity to take self-guided tours throughout the many gardens, where garden experts will be available to answer questions about the various designs. The Ambler Keystone Chapter of the Womans National Farm and Garden Association will also provide tea and refreshments. All proceeds from the tours will support the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University. Information or to register: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. The Senior Adult Activities Center of Montgomery County, 536 George Street, Norristown, will hold the following events: SAAC Adult Day Care, an alternative to Nursing Home Care is available for information call 610-275-1960 Volunteers are needed for Meals on Wheels Program (call the number above) SAACs Fifth Avenue Boutique opens Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Exercise with Theresa will be held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1 p.m. Dance class is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Tai Chi is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Yoga is held every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. Line Dancing is held every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Dancing with Joan is held every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. Sculpture Class is held Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Why Should I Learn Spanish? will be held Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. Generations On-Line computer classes for seniors will be held Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. 4 p.m. computers are available during those hours. Health Living will be held every Tuesday at 1 p.m. Boomer U will hold the following events. Boomer U is located at 45 Forest Avenue, Ambler. Registration & payment is required for all events: 215-619-8863. Pilates Class is held Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30 a.m. First class is free; please bring a mat. For information call 610-291-5376. Blue Bell School of Dance, 921 Penllyn Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, hosts Argentine Tango Classes and a Milonga dance party every Friday evening. Lessons start at 8:30 p.m. followed by dancing at 9:30 p.m. Andrew Conway, master Argentine Tango dancer, instructor and performer and his partner Linda Chase will instruct. All levels welcome and no partner is needed. Refreshments will be served. Fee is $12 per person and includes lesson and dancing. Information: 215-634-1101 or www.amoretango.com. The Montgomery Hospital Medical Center will offer the following classes: Childbirth Education Class- all parents are invited to participate, including those who are delivering at other hospitals. For more information on maternity services or classes, call 610-270-2020. CPR and First Aid Courses are offered for beginners to experiences health care providers. Call 610-270-2313. The Ambler SAAC (Senior Adult Activities Center), located at 45 Forest Ave in Ambler will hold the following events: Tai Chi every Monday and Thursday at 11 a.m. Yoga is every Tuesday at 1 p.m. and Friday at 10:30 a.m. Strength and balance training every Wednesday at 10 a.m. Armchair Aerobics is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Gourmet Weight Wise every Thursday at 12:30. Fitness Center and Pool Room open daily 8 a.m.-4 p.m. The Diabetes Education Center will offer day and evening classes each month. Health insurance pays for diabetes education classes. Preregistration is required. Call 610-270-2301. For Kids & Families The Ambler Kiwanis Club will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt April 26 at 10 a.m. in Ambler Borough Park, located just off of the intersection of Hendricks Street and Valley Brook Road. Members of the Wissahickon Key Club will assist Kiwanians in hiding thousands of wrapped chocolate eggs in a designated area of the park. Also hidden will be plastic colored eggs, which are redeemed for prizes. Elementary school children are separated by age. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation will hold its 21st annual Storybook Egg-Stravaganza April 15 fom 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Upper Dublin Township Building. Toddlers and preschoolers love this annual event where photo opportunities with favorite friends abound! Treasures are collected from UDP&Rs assortment of lifesize cutouts of favorite cartoon characters from Disney, Sesame Street, Nickelodeon and other well-known animation. Children can have their picture taken with Bugsy OHare; bring your own camera. And dont forget a basket for goodies! $7 for UD residents; $12 for non-residents. Pre-register at 215-643-1600 ext. 3443. Splash Week is a free week-long program that teaches children and families basic swimming skills and water safety practices. All YMCA branches will host multiple classes each day from April 11 to 15. For more information, contact the Ambler Area YMCA at 215-628-9950. Healthy Kids Day is April 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day is filled with fun, engaging and artistic activities that cultivate healthy living as part of the YMCAs larger efforts to help more kids and families become physically active. All activities are free and open to the community. For more information, contact the Ambler YMCA at 215-628-9950. No reservation is required. The Ambler Area YMCA has added several new programs for area youngsters. Classes are held late afternoons or evenings on various weekdays. For more information, visit philaymca.org or call 215-628-9950. Basic Beading: Ages: 10+. Wednesdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. This class will teach you the fundamentals of wiring and stringing along with how color can be used to create unique and vibrant beadwork design. You will create various jewelry including earrings, bracelets, charm pendants and much more! Supplies will be provided. Bringing your own jewelry pliers or tools would be a plus. Messin with the Masters: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. Learn about some of the worlds greatest artists. You will be inspired to create your own Starry Night with oil pastels and tempera paints, a tissue paper painted Monet garden, a Picasso head using scraps of paper, a Georgia OKeeffe clay flower bowl and a Rousseau jungle collage. Super Scientist: Ages: 5-7. Mondays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Well be concocting chemistry experiments such as making slime, mixing potions and having fun with magnet magic. Your budding little scientist will enhance his/her creative thinking and motor skills and to top it off will learn that science can be serious fun. Wacky Junk Art: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 6 to 6:45 p.m. Why throw it away! Instead join us to make household junk into aliens from outer space, wacky specs, crazy hats, body masks or a recycled train. Globe Trotters: Ages: 4-6. Tuesdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Youre never too young to start thinking globally. Each week, we explore a new country through crafts, games, music, stories and even some taste-testing. A perfect introduction to our great big world! Crazy about Crafts: Ages: 5-7, Thursdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Let your childs creative juices flow with our fun arts and crafts projects each week. Fine motor skills and creative thinking skills will be enhanced with this crafty class. Come out and join the Ambler Area YMCAs Teen and Junior Leaders Club. Participants are given the freedom to plan community service projects year round and truly make a difference in the lives of people in need. Those in Teen and Junior Leaders also attend leadership retreats all along the East Coast three times a year and meet other leaders who are doing the same great work in their respective areas. Dont miss out on this inspiring opportunity. Teen Leaders, ages 13-17, meet every Wednesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Junior Leaders, ages 10-12, will begin in the spring and will meet every Monday. For more information, contact Mike Miles, Teen Director, 215- 628-9950 x 1540 or mmiles@philaymca.org. Did you know that the new Ambler Area YMCA holds childrens birthday parties at its site for members and non members as well. The Ambler Y does all the work from start to finish and birthday parties include a personalized cake, ice cream, beverage and paper products. Parties are held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and include two party hosts to lead activities, set-up, clean-up and assist with serving. You can have a Splash Party for children ages six to 12 in the new zero depth entry pool with water slide and spray fountains. Up to 25 children have exclusive use of the pool area with 30 minutes in the party room. Sports Parties are offered for kids ages four to 12 with age appropriate activities and games, and sports such as floor hockey, soccer, basketball or dodge ball. Children ages three to five years of age will enjoy parties in the Family Active Center with use of the Moon Bounce and organized activities, such as parachute play and songs. For information, 215-628-9950 ext. 1583. Community Events at the Ambler Y: -YAchievers YMCA Achievers is a developmentally based, extracurricular, educational and team mentoring program designed to help students in grades five through 12 prepare for fulfilled livelihoods in college and beyond. Participation is free and all students in this program receive a free YMCA membership. Registration for the 2009 program begins now. You do not need to be a YMCA member to utilize these special services. Call 215-628-9950 to register. Greater Norristown Art Leagues Childrens Weeklong Summer Art Camps will be held at 800 West Germantown Pike in East Norriton, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday throughout the summer. The cost per session is $125 per student for ages 6 and up. Jo Ann Cooksey Bono teaches an introduction to basic drawing skills and techniques from 10 a.m. until the lunch break each day. In the afternoon sessions, Mary Vogel Lozinak involves the students in hands on projects such as collage, papermaking, T-shirt printing, 3D design and sculpy clay. Fridays Graduation Day includes an art show, awards ceremony and reception for parents, siblings, grandparents and friends. All supplies are included. Students provide their own lunch. A refrigerator is available and the building is air-conditioned. This is the 15th year to run this successful program. Both instructors are professional artists with State Police and Child Abuse Clearances. To register, call Jo Ann at 610-279-1008, or register on-line at www.gnal.org. Health Dresher Physical Therapy is hosting an interactive seminar discussing its Golf Assessment Progam April 30 from 10 a.m. to noon at Dresher Physical Therapy, 1075 Virginia Drive, Suite 200, Fort Washington. Physical therapist Chris Miller, certified through the Titleist Performance Institute, will discuss why your body may be the most important piece of golf equipment you invest in and how this can drastically improve your game. $10 in advance; $15 at the door. Call 215-619-4545 to reserve your spot. The Chestnut Hill Center for Enrichment, Center on the Hill and Chestnut Hill Hospital will host a Senior Health and Resource Fair April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chestnut Hill Presbyterian Church, 8855 Germantown Ave. The event is free. For more information, call 215-248-0180 or e-mail chseniors@cavtel.net. The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is hosting Help Yourself to Health, a new six-week workshop for older adults with ongoing health conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, heart disease and others. The free workshop will take place at the Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center, 45 Forest Ave. on six Thursdays, May 12 through June 16 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Although there is no charge to participate, registration is required. To register, call 215-619-8863. The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is sponsoring an eight-week program called A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls. Presented by the Montgomery County Health Department, this workshop will be held on Tuesdays, May 3 to June 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Ambler Center, 45 Forest Ave. If you pre-register by April 27, the fee is only $5! Registration at the first class is $10. (Checks should be payable to SAAC and will benefit our Meals on Wheels program that serves homebound seniors.) A workbook will be provided and refreshments will be served. Call 215-619-8863 to register or for more information. Fort Washington Wellness Center classes are ongoing. There are several offered during lunch or right after work, for your convenience: Boot Camp from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday; Zumba is MWF from 11 a.m. to noon and Friday at 4 p.m.; there are 25 cycling classes; Ashtanga and Vinyasana Yoga and Pilates; and a group Womens Strength Training class M-F from 10 to 11 a.m. Questions, call Cathy DeMarco at 215-641-1245. Following the success of other local area programs, Impact Sports and Upper Dublin Parks and Recreation are delighted to team up again to offer a spring program for the 2011 season! Upper Dublin area children ages 3-5 years old can attend a Sports Program featuring their favorite sports games; soccer, rugby, hockey, track and field, basketball, and more. The program will start on April 27 and run through June 1. Cost for the program is $85 for the six weeks. The classes will be running 12- 1 p.m.; 1- 2 p.m.; 2- 3 p.m. For more info or to register, call Upper Dublin Township on 215 643 1600 or visit their website a http://www.upperdublin.net. Spring Aquatic Programs UDHS Pool: -Summer is just around the corner Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool can help get you into shape! Programs begin in March; preregistration is required. Shallow Water Aerobics Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 8-8:45 p.m., $40R/$50NR. Adult Swim Instructions Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 7-8 p.m., $50R/$60NR -Open Rec Swims are fun for the whole family! Come out on Fridays from 7-9 p.m. or Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. and enjoy use of the pool and diving area. Fridays are offered through June 17; Saturdays are offered March 12-May 21. -Join a growing group of adult lap swimmers and water walkers. Lanes are set aside evenings and weekends for use; lanes are shared. Monday Thursday from 7:30-9:30 p.m.; Fridays from 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays (March 12-May 21) from 1-4 p.m. -Private Swimming & Diving Lessons for ages 3-adult are offered at the UDHS Pool through a partnership with the Upper Dublin Aquatic Club (UDAC). Visit the UDAC website for more information, www.udac.us, and click the link to UDHS Private Lessons. -Looking for local programs for US Masters Swimming (adults) or Water Polo (all ages)? UDAC and UDSD are working together to develop programs that will be offered at the UDHS Pool. Add your name to Interest Lists by emailing slohoefer@upperdublin.net. emails will be sent about clinics and program start dates. Questions about Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool, group use of the pool or pool rental? Contact Susan Lohoefer, Facility & Community Affairs Manager at slohoefer@upperdublin.net or call 215-643-8800 x8994. SilverSneakers Fitness Program. The Healthyways SilverSneakers Fitness Program is a result-oriented program that enables older adults to take charge of their health. The program is an innovative blend of physical activity, healthy lifestyle and socially oriented programing. Members of the program are eligible for a free YMCA membership, with use of the pool and exercise equipment, along with customized classes designed for older adults who want to improve their strength, flexibility, balance and endurance. If you are a subscriber to Independence Blue Cross (Personal Choice 65 PPO) or Keystone 65 HMO, Bravo Health, or Health Options Programs (HOP), call the Ambler Area YMCA, 215-628-9950 or Hatboro Area YMCA, 215-674-4545. You can also visit www.silversneakers.com. Zumba Fitness offers Zumba dance/fitness classes at Academy of Dance and Music/BBAD Studio located at 1524 DeKalb Pike in Blue Bell (behind Sherwin Williams). Classes are offered three times a week: Tuesdays at 6 p.m., Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. For a free trial pass for your first class, email us at info@danceandmusic.biz or call 610-277-2557. For more info, visit our site at www.academyofdanceandmusic.org. Chestnut Hill Health Systems presents the following Health Education Programs: FITNESS CLASSES Golden Yoga: A Breathing, Stretching and Relaxation Class. Fridays, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Lea Auditorium, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. Registration for four classes at a time required. Golden Yoga is Classical Yoga, adapted by the SKY Foundation, to accommodate those who have difficulty getting up and down from the floor. The program includes postures, breathing, relaxation and meditation techniques, all performed while sitting in a chair and standing. Registration required. Call 215-247-3029. Cost: $20 for 4 classes per month. Tai Chi: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8:30 9:30 a.m. Springfield Residence, 8601 Stenton Ave. Classes, for the novice or beginner/intermediate student, are designed to improve balance, power, posture, coordination, flexibility and mental focus. Slow, gentle movements are modified to most everyones abilities. For more information or to sign up for a free introductory class, call 215-882-2804. Cost: $8 per class/paid monthly. SUPPORT GROUPS Weight Loss Surgery Support Group: Fourth Wednesday of the month, 7-8 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. Join us for a monthly get-together where well share information for those interested in weight loss surgery, learn from guest speakers discussing current news on issues including lifestyle modification, nutrition and exercise and provide ongoing support for those who have completed surgery. Registration required. Call 215-753-2000. Breast Cancer Networking Group: Fourth Tuesday of the month 5:30 7 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. A free, confidential support group for women living with a diagnosis of breast cancer designed to provide a forum for sharing information, feelings and concerns associated with breast cancer. Facilitated by Tish Wakefield, LCSW, Oncology Social Worker. Registration required. To register or for more information, call 215-248-8047. New Moms Support Groups Tuesdays 10:30 a.m. 12 p.m.; contact Jeanine ORourke, MSW or 2:30 4 p.m.; contact Susan Schack, Ph.D Volunteer Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. The Center for Postpartum Depression at Chestnut Hill Hospital is pleased to offer two new support groups to support new moms. Both groups will be run by experienced mental health professionals who really get it when it comes to new motherhood and juggling relationships, extended family, work/family balance and self-care. If you are experiencing new mom challenges that often heighten anxiety and involve hormonally driven depression, join us for an informative and supportive forum to connect with other moms. Infants are welcome. $30 per session (flexible based on need). Registration is required. Call Dr. Schack, 646-265-2484, or Ms. ORourke, 215-206-2931. Man to Man Prostate Cancer Support Group Third Thursday of the month 8-9 a.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. A networking group for men diagnosed with prostate cancer designed to provide education, support and encouragement. Spouses and partners welcome. Harry M. Baer, MD, Chief, Urology Division, will host Ask the Doctor. Registration required. Call 215-248-8325. Contact the Senior Center by phone 215-248-0180 or email (chseniors@cavtel.net) with your questions about these programs or any of our on-going activities and classes. Holy Redeemer HomeCare and Hospice seeks compassionate and emotionally mature volunteers to provide support to local hospice patients and their families in Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Volunteers may also assist with pet therapy and administrative work within the hospice department and are requested to have daytime availability. Hospice patient care volunteers visit with patients in their homes or nursing facilities once a week for two to three hours. They provide emotional support and companionship to patients and family members, assist with errands or provide respite for caregivers. Bereavement volunteers support the families of hospice patients following the loss of a loved one, while administrative volunteers assist with typing, mailings and/or filing. Hospice care workers provide a great service to families and loved ones of hospice patients. Many volunteers also report a great deal of personal satisfaction as a result of their services. Patient care and bereavement volunteers complete an application and attend an 18-hour volunteer training program that covers the medical, psychological and spiritual aspects of hospice volunteering. Day and evening training programs are offered. To sign up for volunteer opportunities in Pennsylvania, contact Holy Redeemer Volunteer Coordinator Jean Francis at 215-698-3737 or email jfrancis@holyredeemer.com. Librarytalk Upper Dublin Public Library, 805 Loch Alsh Avenue, Ft. Washington, 215-628-8744 www.upperdublinlibrary.org APRIL CHILDRENS PROGRAMS: Storytimes: Please register in the library. o Wee Ones: 0 to 23 months Thursdays and Fridays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. o Tiny Tots: age 2. Wednesdays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. and Fridays 11 to 11:20 a.m. o Jr. Book Lovers: ages 3 to 6. Tuesdays 10:30 to 11 a.m. o Bedtime Storytimes: 7 to 7:30 p.m. April 20 and 27. Wear your jammies, bring your teddy & hear Miss Barbara read bedtime stories! For ages 3 to 6. APRIL TEEN PROGRAMS: North Hills Library Teens April 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. Movie Matinee APRIL UDPL ADULT PROGRAMS: NEW! ESL Conversation Group. Tuesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. Interested in practicing your English in a safe and caring environment? Come to our conversation group and improve your skills! Please register with Kay Klocko at 215-628-8744 or kklocko@mclinc.org. One-on-One Computer Mentoring. Get personalized assistance from experienced computer volunteers! Sign-up for a one-hour session. Limit one session per month. Please register contact info above. Book Groups Please register with Kay Klocko 215-628-8744. o Daytimers: April 21 at 1:30 p.m. Tired of book groups where you all read the same book? Read any fiction or non-fiction book on this months theme: Explorers. Please register. Meetings: Annual Meeting of the Friends of UDPL: April 14 at 1 p.m. Board of Directors: April 20 at 7 p.m. Blue Bell Library www.wvpl.org Upcoming Events: The Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 650 Skippack Pike (Route 73) in Blue Bell, is diagonally across from the Blue Bell Inn. Call 215-643-1320 or visit their website at www.wvpl.org. For children and teens at Blue Bell: * Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian. * Mondays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages. * Fridays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Family Movies, new releases, second Saturdays of the month at 1:30 p.m. * May 14 Despicable Me * June 11 Alpha and Omega * Special Events * April watch for date of spring/Easter events * April 14 at 4:30 p.m. Junior Lego Club for children ages 3 through 5. Parents and caregivers need to stay with children. * April 14 at 7 p.m. Jeopardy for ages 11 to 18. Test your book and library knowledge for prizes. Sign up to be a contestant. No sign up to be in the audience. Snacks provided. * April 16 at 1 p.m. Adult Mystery Book Group discussing The Beekeepers Apprentice by Laurie King. * April 16 at 1:30 p.m. Childrens event for One Book, Every Young Child celebration. Story and craft for book Whose Shoes? * April 19 at 7 p.m. and April 26 at 1:30 p.m.- Adult book group discusses The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester. Group led by Adam Button. * April 30 through May 3 Friends book sale with about 10,000 items for sale for children, teens and adults. * May sign up for Science in the Summer * June sign up for Enrichment Programs for Elementary-Age children * June sign up for Summer Reading, all ages For adults at Blue Bell: * Daytime Book Discussion Group fourth Tuesday, Jan April at 1:30 p.m. * April 26 The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester * Night-time Book Discussion Group third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. o April 19 The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester * Art Series with Dr. Sheldon Weintraub, docent at The Barnes and speaker at local colleges o April 27 at 2 p.m. The Art of Looking at Art-Is She Nude or Is She Naked? *Mystery Book Discussion Group, third Saturday of the month at 1 p.m.; new mystery theme each month; www.wvpl.org/programs * Yoga on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop-in class. * Tai Chi on Mondays at 3 p.m. with Dr. Kurt Findeisen. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop in class. * Philadelphia Museum of Art presents class on their Marc Chagall exhibit, April 13 at 2 p.m. * Giant Book Sale, April 29 May 3 o Starts with almost 10,000 items for children and adults! o Held during library hours. o Preview for members of the Friends of the Library, April 28 at 7 p.m. o Join the Friends and attend the preview sale. Modest fee to join. * Blooms at Blue Bell Gardening Series o May 11 at 1 p.m. Summer Bulbs by PA Horticultural Society * Knitting group Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Work on your project or observe and learn. The groups continue year-round in the community room. * Socrates Cafe discussion group every Monday at 7 p.m. You pick the topic to discuss each week. No sign-up, nothing to read. * Bridge every Friday at 12:30 p.m. New players welcome. * Mah Jong every Wednesday at 1 p.m. New players welcome. *Chess every Wednesday at 7p.m. for adults and teens 14 and older. * Movie Matinee showing recent releases every Thursday at 2 p.m. April 14: Maos Last Dancer; April 21: Welcome to the Rileys; April 28: Conviction; May 5: Inception; May 12: Inside Job; May 19 The Kings Speech; May 26 The Fighter; June 2 Rabbit Hole; June 9 Black Swan; June 16 127 Hours * Ongoing like-new, year-round book sale for adults & children during library hours * Library opening at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday! Ambler Library, a branch of the Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 209 Race St., 215-646-1072. www.wvpl.org. All the following events occur at the Ambler Library. * Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian. * Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages. * For adults: * Beading Group meets the first and third Monday of every month at 1 p.m. Work on your own projects or come to watch and learn. * Free Family History Lookup with Connie Briggs. Email Connie for an appointment at the Ambler Library. conniebriggs@comcast.net * Special Events: * April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Book Group discusses Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian. * April 19 at 7 p.m. Travel to Paris with world traveler Harry Balin. Tea and scones at 6:30 p.m. * April 21 at 7 p.m. Art with Sara for children in fourth through seventh grades. *May 2 at 6:30 p.m. Discuss the movie Lone Star with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time. *May 10 Robert Capucci discusses Art into Fashion. Tea and scones served at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m. *May 12 at 1:30p.m. Book Group discusses The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman. *May 17 Tour the gardens of Devon and Southwest England with Lois McMullen. Tea and Scones at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m. *June 13 at 6:30 p.m. Discuss the movie Blade Runner with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time. Meetings and Lectures The Unisys Blue Bell Retiree Group will meet in the Church on the Mall in the Plymouth Meeting Mall April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Kathy Sacket Young, director/trainer with the North Penn YMCA, will speak on Keeping Fit in Retirement. For more information, contact Membership Committee Chairperson Jerry Feldscher at 610-275-3538 or President Al Rollin at 215-368-4833. The next FWBA meeting will be April 28 at the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m.; meeting from noon to 1 p.m. Leon Singletary, Principal, First Contact HR and FWBA Executive Board, will present: Social Media: How to Use It To Get More Business. Lunch is provided courtesy of the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Members are welcome to bring a guest. An RSVP is requested by return email or 215-628-0313. Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern PA is hosting a information sessions over the next few weeks on how to become a Big Brother. The information sessions will take place: April 16 at noon, April 19 at 8 a.m. and April 28 at 6 p.m. All sessions will be held at the groups Norristown Office,t 530 DeKalb St., Norristown. For more information, call 610-277-2200. The North Penn Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) normally meets on the third Tuesday of each month from now until May. Meetings are held at the William Penn Inn on Route 202 and Sumneytown Pike, Upper Gwynedd, PA. Social hour starts at 5:30 p.m., dinner is served at 6:30 p.m., and the technical program begins at 7 p.m. Cost with reservation is $28 for members. Members without reservations and guests pay $30. Students with reservations pay $15. Reservations may be made by noon on the Monday preceding the meeting by phoning 215-371-1854 or emailing the reservation to northpennima@yahoo.com northpennima@yahoo.com. Information about the North Penn Chapter is available at http://northpenn.imanet.org/. LeTip, a professional organization of men and women who are dedicated to the highest standards of competence and service meets every Tuesday at Cedar Brook Country Club, 180 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell at 7 a.m. -meeting officially starts at 7:16 a.m. and ends at 8:31 a.m. Our purpose is the exchange of business tips, leads, and referrals. Each business category is represented by one member and conflicts of interest are disallowed. Guests are welcome to visit any of our breakfast meetings. Every third Thursday of month, Sunrise Assisted Living of Blue Bell (795 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422, 215-619-2777) serves as a satellite site to 148th Legislative district PA congressman Mike Gerber from 10 a.m. to noon. Stop by for help needed with things such as disability placards and license plates, vehicle registration, utilities issues, birth/death certificates,property tax/rent rebates, etc. Notary services arranged by appointment. The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce is an action-oriented organization dedicated to promoting its members and the economic health of eastern Montgomery county. The Chamber is committed to serving as a catalyst by uniting business, community agencies, government and education to make our county a great place to live and work. For information, call 215-887-5122 or visit www.emccc.org. Do you have a fear of public speaking? Blue Bell Toastmasters Club can help. We meet from 7 to 9 p.m., on the second and fourth Tuesday at the Marriott Courtyard, located on Route 202, directly across from the Montgomeryville Mall. Learn how to improve communication and leadership skills in a friendly and supportive environment. Guests are welcome. Admission fee: $5. For more info, visit www.bbtoast.org. The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will hold the following meetings (for reservations to any of the following, email info@PennSuburban.org) -Breakfast News Network, 7:30-8:45 a.m. at Normandy Farm Hotel (1401 Morris Road, Blue Bell, PA 19422) $15 members, includes full buffet breakfast. Join us for a networking program at Normandy Farm Hotel every Thursday morning for breakfast, business news, informative speakers, and plenty of networking. The cost includes a full breakfast buffet. Copies of the business cards will be made available to those who would like them. The BNI, Fort Washington Chapter meets every Monday at The Hilton Garden Inn, 520 Pennsylvania Ave., Fort Washington for a networking meeting. Meetings are from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Visitors are welcome. The only cost to attend is the cost of your meal. For information or a reservation to attend, please call Luanne Cram at 215-947-7784, or visit our Internet site at: http://www.BNIDVR.Com and click on the menu item Find a Chapter. For the past seven years, people have enjoyed participating in WVWAs Adopt-a-Tree program. Individuals can support the Association in its reforestation efforts by purchasing native trees to be planted. Supporters can plant their adopted tree or have WVWA volunteers will plant it. Trees cost $30 each. If you would like to volunteer or purchase a tree(s), please contact: Bob Adams at Bob@wvwa.org or call: 215-646-8866 for more information. Check www.WVWA.org for directions and maps. Sustainable Upper Dublin, http://sustainableupperdublin.org, meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m., at the Upper Dublin Township Building, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington, PA 19034. Please send any questions to suec@sustainableupperdublin.org or call 610-996-6316. To learn more about Sustainable Upper Dublin, view or join the discussion at http://googlegroups.com/group/sustainableupperdublin. Special Events The Mattie N. Dixon Community Cupboard will hold its first nutrition class April 19 at 10 a.m. at the Community Cupboard, 150 N. Main St., Ambler. Lynne Sinclair, a nutritionist from Abington Memorial Hospital specializing in diabetic nutrition, will conduct the class. Topics will include healthy eating, beneficial foods, recipes, making meals with every day foods, and how to use unfamiliar produce. A healthy snack will be provided.The class is is open to all residents in Montgomery County. The Historical Society of Fort Washington presents The History of Conshohocken April 19 at 8 p.m. at the Clifton House, 473 Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington. Jack Coll will present an illustrated program on the history of the Borough of Conshohocken. Coll is a longtime resident of Conshohocken and a member of the Conshohocken Historical Society. He is co-author with his son, Brian, of the Arcadia Then and Now Series book Conshohocken. He has also done books Conshohocken and West Conshohocken Sports and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Italian Feast. He has taken many photos for the Conshohocken Record and the Norristown Times Herald. This program is free. Refreshments will be served. For additional information, call 215-646-6065. Taste of the White House Soiree featuring former White House Chef Walter Scheib will take place April 29 at 6 p.m. at Manufacturers Golf & Country Club in Fort Washington to celebrate HealthLinks 10th anniversary and honor its founders, the Eugene Jackson Family. The evening will heat up with a Chef Meet & Greet, followed by a specially selected presidential menu. Gala tickets are $150 per person. Proceeds benefit HealthLink, a free clinic providing compassionate, quality medical and dental care to uninsured, working adults in Bucks and Montgomery counties who fall in between the health care cracks. Go to http://tasteofthewhitehouse.charityhappenings.org to make reservations online or lend support through sponsorship. For event information, call 267-699-0124 or email jmarushak@healthlinkmedical.org. The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association will hold an open house at the Evans-Mumbower Mill April 17 from 1 to 4 p.m. The Mill is at the corner of Swedesford and Township Line Roads in Upper Gwynedd. The open house is free but donations are welcome. For more information, call 215-646-8866 o email info@wvwa.org. The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce will host Breakfast With Your County Commissioners and State Representatives April 21 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Fort Washington, 432 W. Pennasylvania Ave. Commissioners: James R. Matthews (Chairman), Joseph M. Hoeffel (Vice Chair), State Representatives: Todd Stephens (District 151) and Josh Shapiro (District 153). Register onlineat www.emccc.org. $10 for EMCCC member; $20 for non-members. Upper Dublins Districtwide Allied Art Show will be held April 27 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in the Upper Dublin High School Athletic Complex. The Rev. Alfred Muli, chaplain at Fort Washington Estates, will be the featured speaker at the Kiwanis sponsored breakfast observing the National Day of Prayer May 5 at 7 a.m. at the William Penn Inn. The breakfast is open to the public ($15). Reservations can be made by calling 215-646-4356 or by emailing georgesaurman@Juno.com. The Upper Dublin Shade Tree Commission invites people to participate in its spring bare root planting events, sponsored in part by Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Friends of Robbins Park. On April 9, zix trees will be planted at the Evelyn B. Wright Park & Community Pool, 401 Logan Ave., North Hills, at 9 a.m., followed by the planting of 10 trees at Sheeleigh Park, Loch Alsh Avenue and Douglas Street, Ambler, at 10:15 a.m. On April 29, students from Upper Dublin High School will join the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to plant 16 trees in Robbins Park, Butler Pike and Meetinghouse Road, Ambler, to help launch the societys Million Trees campaign. This event will occur in conjunction with Temple Amblers EarthFest. Experienced tree-tenders are sought to assist the students. For more information,contact Ron Ayres at 215-653-0421 or 215-483-4348. The Friends of the Wissahickon and the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association are teaming up once again to clean the Wissahickon Creek from top to bottom April 30 from 9 a.m. to noon. This spring marks the 41st anniversary of Wissahickon Valley Watershed Associations annual Creek Clean Up, and the second year that FOW has teamed up with WVWA. Volunteers of all ages will clean the creek, the surrounding trails and the many tributaries of the Wissahickon Creek. Armed with bags, volunteers will be assigned to sections of the creek. Following the clean up, all volunteers are invited to WVWAs Talkin Trash picnic in Fort Washington State Park, with food provided by Whole Foods Market of North Wales. The pavilion is located on Mill Road in Flourtown. To help out in Montgomery County, all volunteers must be pre-assigned a section of the Wissahickon Creek to clean. Please contact Bob Adams, WVWA director of stewardship, at 215-646-8866 ext. 14 or bob@wvwa.org. To work with the Friends of the Wissahickon in Philadelphia, meet at the pavilion along Forbidden Drive, a short distance south of the intersection of Forbidden Drive and Northwestern Avenue. Limited parking is available along Northwestern Avenue and other nearby streets. Volunteers are encouraged to bike or carpool to the event. To participate, register at www.fow.org. Contact Kevin Groves with questions at 215-247-0417 ext. 105 or groves@fow.org. Montgomery County Community Colleges International Club invites the community to the second annual International Festival April 20 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The rain date is April 26. The International Club will transform the outside quad area into multicultural celebration with various performances by dancers, singers and musicians. Artists will share their artwork at various display tables. Activities include games, raffles, Easter egg decorating and henna tattoos. Students will have samples of international cuisine at tables representing different countries and will serve food from various local ethnic restaurants. Throughout the evening, volunteers will accept donations and will raffle gift baskets and prizes to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity. Donations of food, international clothes and prizes are needed. Volunteers, including artists and performers, are welcome. For more information or to sponsor an activity, contact Gillian Nel, International Club president, at gnel9277@students.mc3.edu or 267-974-0163. The Arts and Humanities Division at Montgomery County Community College is partnering with the Philadelphia Writers Conference to host Memoirs Matter: How Life Stories (Including Yours) Can Transform Your Relationship to Literature April 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Advanced Technology Center room 101, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The event is free and open to the public. In the first part of this two-hour seminar, professor and author Robert Waxler will explain how writing his two memoirs affected his life as well as his relationship to literature. In the second part, blogger and workshop leader Jerry Waxler will present a sequence of steps to help writers find their own story. For information, contact Dana Resente at dresente@mc3.edu. The Maple Glen Garden Club will hold its fourth annual Plant Sale on May 7 from 8 to 11 a.m. Perennials, shrubs, vegetables and native plants grown by the club members will be sold. The club uses the plant sale proceeds to fund community projects, a college scholarship and community plantings. The sale will be held in the 500 block of Coach Road, Horsham, as part of a neighborhood garage sale. Plants will be sold at bargain prices. For more information, email MapleGlenGardenClub@gmail.com. The Relay for Life Craft Show is looking for local crafters to participate in show, which will be May 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Wissahickon High School track, 521 Houston Road, Ambler. There is a $10 entry fee, and 20 percent of sales are donated to the American Cancer Society. Participants will receive a 6-foot table under a tent. For information, contact Joanne at joannescoles@comcast.net or Mindy at mcamsilver@comcast.net. Spring House Estates is hosting its annual book fair on April 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. and April 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Included will be hardback and paperback used books. Spring House Estates is located at 728 Norristown Road, Lower Gwynedd. The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will present the Penn Suburban/Hatfield Joint Business Card Exchange April 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Univest Bank Lansdale Area Financial Service Center, 120 Forty Foot Road, Hatfield. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. Join Univest National Bank and Trust Co. for a spring-inspired Business Card Exchange at its newest office in the Hatfield Pointe Shopping Center. Come out and meet members of Univests executive management team while enjoying fine food and beverages. 13th Annual Community Reading Day Kick-off Breakfast Get Together April 26 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the North Wales Area Library, 233 Swartley St., North Wales. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. For more information, contact the chamber office at 215-362-9200 or info@pennsuburban.org. Join presenting sponsor Verizon, chamber staff and fellow members for the Community Reading Day volunteer get together. The Community Reading Day program allows volunteers to read a designated book to second-grade students throughout 38 area public and private schools and present the book as a gift to each class. Even if you are not a volunteer, you are cordially invited to stop by to network, enjoy coffee and pastries. Ambler Mennonite Church is hosting a Spring Craft Show and Flea Market May 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Rain date will be May 28. The community is invited to shop the great craft booths, find some gifts and deals, as well as enjoy home baked goods and tasty lunch specials. Childrens activities are planned. All vendors are encouraged to contact the church at 215-643-4876 or AmblerMennonite@verizon.net. Advertising, signage, customer parking and a shuttle to auxiliary parking at nearby lots for vendors will be provided. 10 foot by 10 foot spaces can be rented for $5 each and tables for an additional $5 each. All proceeds from space and table rentals go toward school kits for children around the world. The church is located at the corner of East Mt. Pleasant Avenue and North Spring Garden Street, Ambler. The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association presents The Life & Times of Aquatic Insects in the Wissahickon Creek April 16 from 1 to 3 p.m. Join WVWA for a hands-on program. RSVP required: www.wvwa.org or 215-646-8866. WVWA member fee: $5 per person / $15 per family. Non-WVWA member fee: $10 per person / $20 per family. The photography exhibition Natures Palette by photo-artist Judy Miller will run March 18 to May 19 at the Art in the Storefront gallery, 41 E. Butler Pike, Ambler. JPRN Networking For People in Transition & People Who Can Help Them Unemployment remains high. JPRN, the Jarrettown Professional Relationship Network can help. Are you trying to network your way to a new job? Do you have expertise or contacts that can help people in transition? Is your company or organization looking for people in the area? This is a free outreach program to support those seeking work, involve people with contacts and networking know how, and involve local companies. Meetings held monthly at Jarrettown United Methodist Church, Limekiln Pike. Pennsylvanias Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) grant program is now open for the 2010-11 heating season. Grants are based on income, family size, type of heating fuel and region. Additional information, such as specific income limits, and applications for LIHEAP grants are available online via the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to Social Services (COMPASS) website at www.compass.state.pa.us. Applications are available at most public officals district offices, county assistance offices, local utility companies and community service agencies, such as Area Agencies on Aging or community action agencies. Begin your holiday shopping at Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation! Entertainment books for 2011, Philadelphia North, are now on sale at $30 each. Regal/United Artists movie tickets are on sale for just $7.50 each, and tickets to the Adventure Aquarium, Baltimore Aquarium, and the Philadelphia Zoo are also available. Discounted ski vouchers to area mountains will be arriving in December; call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. RSVP of Montgomery County and the Wissahickon Valley Public Library have partnered again to offer the public their popular free mock interview sessions. The mock interviews are conducted by RSVP volunteers who are retired professionals, some of whom were in hiring positions themselves. Packets of information which include a sample employment application and interviewing tips with mock interview questions are available at the library to pick up prior to a scheduled mock interview or will be sent via email once the interview is scheduled. To schedule your interview, please contact Janis Glusman at RSVP 610-834-1040, ext. 16. The library is also offering a free resume review service. Bring in your current resume and the professional reference staff will assist you with hints and tips on capturing your work history accurately. Registration for Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation summer playgrounds, Camp B.I.G. and Small Folks, X-Zone, and sports camps has began. Register online at www.upperdublin.net/store, or at the UDP&R office, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington. Call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Danielles Espresso Cafe presents Mornings at Mondaug Bark Park April 16 and May 21 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Meet fellow dog lovers. These events include complimentary coffee, treats for people and pups and raffles/giveaways. Upper Dublins Annual Spring Flea Market will be held June 4 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reserve a table, or come and shop. Tables are $15 for UD residents, $20 for non-residents. This successful event occurs rain or shine. Refreshments available. Call 215-643-1600 ext. 3443 to register for a table. Regal movie tickets available for purchase at Upper Dublin Township Parks & Recreation. Reduced rate: $7.50 per ticket. Some restrictions apply. Call 215-643-1600 x3443. Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation movie tickets $7.50 Regal Cinemas, United Artist & Edwards Cinemas on sale throughout the year Monday Friday from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation Camp Sign-ups for Stony Creek Day Camp Stony Creek Tracers and Park n Tots. Register on-line at www.whitpaintownship.org OrCome to Township Building with check or Visa MasterCard Monday Friday from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. For additional information call 610.277-2400 ext. 374 Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation offers exciting new programs for the fall: -Returning favorites include UK Elite Petite Soccer, Tiny Dancers, Kiddie Tennis, Fun-nastics, Messy Playtime, Little Chefs, and more. Babysitters Training will be offered in November and December. Continuing Adult Fitness Classes include Cardio Circuit, Core & More, Yoga, Boxing, and Adult G.Y.M. For more information call 215-643-1600 x3443. Register for programs online at www.upperdublin.net/store. Music and Theater The community is invited to a Cantors Concert April 16 at 8 p.m. Congregation Beth Or, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen. Listen and hum-along to the Yiddish, pop tunes and classical music performed by Congregation Beth Ors own Cantor David Green and his special guest, Cantor Irvin Bell, from Temple Beth Israel in Deerfield Beach, Fla. The cantors will be accompanied by Mark Sobol and his Klezmer musicians. Tickets are $18 in advance and $25 at the door. RSVP with payment to Barb Murtha, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen, PA 19002, or call 215-646-5806 ext. 220. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse will host the Jameson Sisters May 14. Doors open at 7:30 pm, performance at 8:00 pm. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse is located at the corner of Rte. 202 & Sumneytown Pike, Gwynedd. $5 suggested donation. Light refreshment available at a modest cost. For further information, call 215-393-9576 or visit gwyneddmeeting.org/coffeehouse.html. Celebrate patriotism through song with Gwynedd-Mercy Colleges choir, the Voices of Gwynedd, as it presents Hear America Singing April 15 at 8 p.m. The choir will perform song selections from all over the country, including Georgia on My Mind, New York State of Mind, and a medley including Philadelphia Freedom and Allentown. The performance will end with When the Saints Go Marching In to acknowledge the choirs upcoming tour in New Orleans. Hear America Singing will take place in the Julia Ball Auditorium, located in St. Bernard Hall. Parking is available in lots A, C and D. Admission is free. The Choristers will present Anton Dvoraks Stabat Mater April 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Upper Dublin Lutheran Church in Ambler. The choir will be accompanied by a 41-piece orchestra. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for senior citizens, $10 for students and children are free. Tickets will be sold in advance or at the door. For more information, call 215-542-7871 or visit TheChoristers.org Religious News The Staircase Gallery at Or Hadash: A Reconstructionist Congregation in Fort Washington will feature the work of Emily Ennuat-Lustine. The artist will be showing paintings and graphics inspired by her own personal spiritual journey and quest for meaning. Some of the works to be shown have been inspired by Biblical Psalms and writings. Her work has been shown at Abington Art Center, Cheltenham Arts Center and Old City Gallery of Jewish Art among others. The exhibition is open Friday evenings starting Feb. 18 after Shabbat services. Gallery hours are: Mondays through Thursdays 10-4:30, Fridays 10-3 and following Shabbat Services and Sundays 10-1. The synagogue is located at 190 Camp Hill Road in Fort Washington. For additional information contact the synagogue office at 215-283-0276. Reunions St. Matthews High School Conshohocken Class of 1961 is looking for classmates. For details, contact Greg Marincola at 215-646-2239, 215-740-1296 or gregcola@comcast.net. Olney High School Class of 1971 is Lloking for classmates for a 40th reunion Oct. 28. For details, contact Judy at ohsclassof71@yahoo.com or 215-870-7572. Abington High School Class of 1961 is seeking classmates for a 50-year reunion to be held Oct. 14-15, 2011.Visit the website, www.abington61.com, for details or call 215-947-1779. Overbrook High School class of January 1956 is having a 55 year reunion on May 22, 2011 at the Bala Golf Club in Philadelphia. For information please contact overbrookreunion56@comcast.net Germantown High School Class Of January 1961 is looking for classmates for 50th year reunion to take place in May of 2011. Please contact: 215-362-9148, 856-577-0659 or samdelcomo@comcast.net The June 1961 class of Germantown High School is holding their 50th reunion on May 15, which will be a brunch. For further details please contact Linda Dorfman Alten at lindaalten@yahoo.com or call 215-441-8411. Support New Life Presbyterian Church in Dresher, will host GriefShare, a special seminar and support group which will run on Monday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m., from March 7 through June 6. At each meeting there will be a DVD about the grief process, discussion and reference to a grief workbook. Preregistration is required to secure a place in the group and to purchase a GriefShare notebook (for a one-time fee of $15). The notebook goes along with the 13-week schedule covering such topics as: living with grief, the effects of grief, and stuck in grief. For more information or to register, call: Sandy Elder at 215-884-5149. PUPS (People Understanding Parkinsons) A self-help group for those adjusting to a new diagnosis or dealing with the early stages of Parkinsons Disease. Meets fourth Tuesday of the month from 1 to 2:30 p.m., at Abington Health Center, Schilling Campus, Willowood Building, 2510 Maryland Road, Suite 251, Willow Grove. For more information or to RSVP, contact Lorna at 215-542-2931. The North Penn Visiting Nurse Associations Meals on Wheels program is looking for volunteers to pack or deliver meals to the elderly and infirmed. Meals are packed and delivered mornings, Monday through Friday. You can volunteer for as many days per week or month as you would like. Packaging meals requires approximately 2-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves making sandwiches, packaging food into individual serving containers and packing coolers with the meals. Delivering meals requires approximately 1-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves loading coolers into your car and delivering a route of approximately 10 to 15 stops. The Meals on Wheels program is also in need of emergency, winter-weather volunteers to pack and deliver meals in bad weather. North Penn VNA is located at 51 Medical Campus Drive in Lansdale and delivers meals in the Lansdale, North Wales and Blue Bell areas. For more information or to volunteer, please call Bridget, North Penn VNA Meals on Wheels coordinator at 215-855-8296. Elkins Park Area CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) meets the first Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 p.m., at Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital in Elkins Park. For information on CHADD or ADHD, please see our website www.chadd.net/249 or call Claire Noyes at: 215-779-6656. Center for Loss and Bereavement, 3847 Skippack Pike, Skippack (610-222-4110) www.bereavementcenter.org Offers professional counseling for individuals, couples, children and families dealing with issues of loss and bereavement. Six-week adult support groups: Newly forming young adult grief support group every other Wednesday, 7 8:15 p.m. (free of charge); Monthly loss of child support second Mondays, 7-8:15 p.m.; Six-week young loss of spouse/partner Thursdays, 10-11:15 a.m.; Other groups scheduled as interest is shown for suicide loss support, adult loss of parent, motherless daughters, adult loss of sibling, coping with chronic illness and disability and mens loss of spouse. Nellos Corner Family Bereavement program offers peer grief support groups for ages 4 through teen and their caregivers Every other Tuesday or Wednesday (free of charge) Local chapter of Parents of Murdered Children also meets at the Center. Registration required. Call for further information. CHADD is a national organization for children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder, providing education, advocacy and support for individuals and their families with AD/HD. Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital, 60 Township Line Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027, will host children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder on the First Tuesday of each month 7 8:30 p.m. Free, no childcare provided. The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphias Kehillah of Old York Road is sponsoring a free Caregiver Support Group for individuals who care for an elderly person with cognitive and/or physical impairments. The group meets at SarahCare Adult Day Care Center, 101 Washington Lane, Suite G-6, Jenkintown, Pa., on the first Wednesday of each month. Patty Rich, WASHINGTON (AP) The U.S. on Friday opened COVID-19 booster shots to all adults and took the extra step of urging people 50 and older to seek one, aiming to ward off a winter surge as coronavirus cases rise even before millions of Americans travel for the holidays. Thirty-five Yemeni and international NGOs called Wednesday for an "immediate cessation of hostilities" in Yemen, where they warned 14 million people were now "on the brink of famine". The joint appeal was signed by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Action Against Hunger, CARE International, Oxfam, Doctors of the World, and Yemeni organisations, according to a statement. "With 14 million men, women and children on the brink of famine -- half the country's population -- there has never been a more urgent time to act," the statement said. It called on governments to "secure an immediate cessation of hostilities" and "suspend the supply of arms at risk of being used in Yemen". The most impoverished country in the Arab world, Yemen has been gripped by war since 2015, when a regional military coalition led by Saudi Arabia joined the government's fight against Houthi rebels. "The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is manmade and a direct consequence of the warring parties' severe restrictions on access to food, fuel, medical imports and humanitarian aid," the statement added. "The collapse of the Yemeni rial and the non-payment of public sector workers is adding to the catastrophe. "We call on governments to redouble their efforts to guarantee unimpeded access to essential items... including through the lifeline port of Hodeidah, where civilians have been caught in renewed fighting over the past few days." International aid groups have appealed to both the rebels and the alliance to allow civilians to escape the densely-populated city of 600,000 people. Nearly 10,000 Yemenis have been killed in the conflict since 2015, according to the World Health Organization. *The story was edited by Ahram Online. Search Keywords: Short link: Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi appointed Mohammed al-Maqdishi as minister of defense, state news agency SABA reported on late Wednesday. Hadi appointed Abdullah Al-Nakhi as new Chief of Staff, the agency said. The humanitarian situation in Yemen has worsened sharply since 2015, putting millions on the brink of starvation and ravaging the already weak economy. The United Nations has no up-to-date estimate of the death toll in Yemen war. It said in August 2016 that according to medical centers at least 10,000 people had been killed. *The story was edited by Ahram Online. Search Keywords: Short link: Qatars Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani will meet with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Friday during a visit to Turkey, the Turkish presidency said on Thursday. In a statement, the presidency said the two leaders would discuss bilateral ties and regional issues during their talks. Search Keywords: Short link: CoreLogic: Easing Standards for DTI, LTV Underwriting A deep dig into recent home purchase loans shows that some of the underwriting standards employed by FHA and the GSEs (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) eased over the year that ended with Q2 2018. Archana Pradhan, an analyst with CoreLogic's Mortgage Finance and Risk Management Department writes in the company's Insights blog that neither conventional nor FHA lending extended the easing to their respective treatment of credit scores. CoreLogic looked at the three key factors in mortgage underwriting, debt-to-income (DTI) and loan-to-value (LTV) ratios along with credit scores. The analysis included average scores and ratios, but Pradhan says that measure does not necessary indicate any higher risk to the housing market, so the company included an analysis of the trends in the share of loans originated using the relaxed standards. Loans with DTI ratios above 45 percent peaked pre-crisis at around a 35 percent share for both GSE and FHA lending. The GSE share peaked and was headed down before the housing crash started, crossing FHA as its shares were still rising. Throughout the housing crisis FHA shares of loans with DTIs over 45 percent never fell below one-fifth of the total while the GSE share was in the 5 to 7 percent range. In July 2017 Fannie Mae raised its maximum DTI from 45 percent to 50 percent. The average DTI ratio had been rising steadily since mid-2013, but took off after that change, rising 2 percentage points from the second quarter of 2017 to almost 37 percent by the same quarter this year. The average DTI for FHA loans started to rise after Q2 2015 and by the second quarter of this year had risen to 43 percent, its highest level in at least 14 years. Not surprisingly, as shown in Figure 1, the share of loans with high DTI ratio loans appears to have been triggered for both GSE and FHA lending by Fannie Mae's action. The changes in LTV ratios over time have not been as dramatic as those for DTI. For FHA purchase loans the average LTV has remained steady at around 96-97 percent for more than a decade while for conventional loans the average rose steadily from about 76 percent in the second quarter of 2010 to 82 percent in the same quarter of 2018 but there was little change for either loan type between 2017 and 2018. Both GSEs started buying loans with less than 5 percent downpayment in early 2015 and their share of these high LTV loans started rising almost immediately from less than 2 percent in 2014 to 9 percent in the second quarter of 2018. In contrast, the share of FHA loans with LTV ratio above 95 percent has remained steady at around 87-89 percent in last couple of years. Consistent with its mission FHA has always had lower lending standards that the GSEs and still do for average credit scores. The average score of its borrowers has declined steadily since the second quarter of 2011, from 709 at that point to 681 this year. For conventional borrowers the average credit score has been more consistent, remaining in the range of 758-763 since 2009. Looking at the high-risk tail, the share of borrowers with a credit score less than 640 is just 1 percent for conventional loans compared with 18 percent for FHA loans originated in Q2 2018. Pradhan concludes that although both the DTI and LTV standards have been relaxed since 2015, credit score standards have not been eased. "In fact, the average credit scores for both FHA and conventional loans were much higher in Q2 2018 than the pre-crises level," she says. "High credit score standards and full documentation help offset the added risk from high LTV/DTI loans in Q2 2018." Looking for rhetorical patterns in pharmaceutical literature and antifeminist arguments against womens education. If youve ever watched the movie Little Women, you may remember a young Kirsten Dunst saying with a righteous anger that reverberated out of the screen: Mr. Davis said it is as useful to educate a woman as it is to educate a female cat." When Louisa May Alcott wrote the novel that many consider a foundational work in womens literature, the opinions of Mr. Davis and his ilk were common. Such opinions could be largely attributed to Dr. Edward Hammond Clarke (1820-1877), a man who taught materia medica (the forerunner to pharmacy) courses at Harvard University and is noted for his antifeminist text Sex in Education: Or, A Fair Chance for the Girls (1873). Though numerous historians have picked through Clarkes writings, a Michigan Technological University researcher for the first time connects Clarkes pharmaceutical and antifeminist texts through their rhetorical structure and argument. Andrew Fiss, assistant professor of technical and professional communication, has published Structures of Antifeminism: Drugs and Womens Education in the Texts of Dr. Clarke in Peitho Journal. Fiss studies science communication and the rhetoric of science and technology specifically. His research, though examining the writings of a man 141 years in the grave, finds new relevance in the era of the #MeToo movement. Clarkes antifeminism framed womens education as a dangerous drug, and dehumanized female students as curious creatures little more than objects of medical research. The question of womens education. I became interested in this because there was an urban legend at Vassar College, where I did my undergraduate degree, about these ideas, Fiss says. The legend is that there was a person who looked at the education students were receiving at Vassarwhich was a womens college at the timeand worried it would make their brains grow so much they would not be able to have children. At the time of Clarkes writings, medicine was moving from its roots in botanywith a heavy emphasis on how similar medicinal plants might have similar effects on the human bodytoward the emphasis on clinical observations of physiological effects of particular treatments. Womens education was also becoming increasingly common, a trend Clarke found disturbing. Julia Ward Howe was one of many women to pen responses to Clarke's "Sex in Education". Image Credit: U.S. Archives Clarkes musings on the effects of education on womens bodies are shocking, particularly because a man who was trusted as an expert in his field based his antifeminist views on anecdotes, and because ironically, much of his adoption of physiological and clinical methods into his materia medica lectures was influenced by his friend Dr. Marie Zakrzewskas enthusiasm for scientific, rather than botanically focused, medicine. Zakrzewska, who emigrated from Germany, founded the New England Hospital for Women and Children, the second hospital in America to be run by female surgeons and physicians. There does not appear to be a record of whether Clarke and Zakrzewskas friendship survived the publication of Sex in Education. Many prominent, well-educated women including Mary Putnam Jacobi, Eliza Bisbee Duffey and Julia Ward Howe refuted Clarkes publication at the time, and it has been vigorously refuted ever since. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Fiss began his exploration of Clarkes texts with the assumption that Clarke made blatantly sexist comments in his letters and books in medicine and pharmacy. However, Fiss discovered while looking for Clarkes antifeminism in his medical work, there were actually important instances of Clarkes medical work in his antifeminism. There was a formulaic way in which he taught that seemed to enter the antifeminist educational work he published, Fiss says. Fiss argues that the rhetoric of both Clarkes materia medica lectures about drug use and his antifeminist writings were rooted in a common structure and four-part arrangement: discussion of physiological action of a drug, clinical application, followed by the potential for overuse of a drug, and finally proper use of a drug. For Clarkes writings about education, the formula remains, with the overuse of education substituted for drug abuse. Clarkes rhetorical structure reveals how important it is to pay attention to patterns in the structure of popular scientific texts and the specialist work that was published by the same person. Im interested in science communication and how scientists can address non-expert audiences. Strangely enough, thats what Edward Clarke was doing in Sex in Education, Fiss says. But at the same time, theres the idea of considering a scientists whole body of work, because it is possible to see connections to what theyve published in specialty fields. Even if it seems when theyre addressing a non-expert audience, that what they say is a matter of opinion and prejudice, there may be connections to their science. Its a disturbing thing, but also something people in technical and scientific communication should realize. Clarkes writings also encouraged objectifying female students as mere objects of medical inquiry. Yet, Fiss says, such objectification hasnt stopped but has evolved. Educational institutions have a legacy of objectifying students and encouraging objectification, Fiss says. And unfortunately, and though I think there are various reasons for it, its something that happens, especially in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) classes. Sometimes, when STEM researchers look at their students, its difficult for them to see them as people, not just as things they can study. Grants and Funding A Mellon postdoctoral fellowship supported some of the research. Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, and is home to more than 7,000 students from 55 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, the University offers more than 125 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure. Berlin Reporter Plans underway to construct greenhouse by Jody Houle BERLIN At a council meeting last Monday, the city council showed support for a renewable energy project to use steam from the biomass plant for a greenhouse that would be constructed at the former Burgess mill site. Dammon Frecker and Sarah Boone of Cate Street Operations told the council that New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission put out a request for proposal for a thermal, renewable energy project and said that $1 million is available. CSO plans to apply for $500,000. Frecker said that the grant money "comes from alternative compliance payments from the utility companies and that it would take the PUC about two months to go through the proposals, so they would decide early in the new year." The plans are to use steam from the Burgess BioPower turbines to heat a four acre greenhouse. The steam, created by burning wood, would heat the greenhouse. At the former mill site, the old warehouse would be torn down and the maintenance office would be relocated to make room for the greenhouse. The greenhouse would produce baby green leaves. CSO is working with Wilson Engineering Services to conduct a feasibility study, a firm that is also conducting a feasibility study on heating streets and sidewalks in Berlin for a snowmelt project. That study is $20,000. Both projects would account for 20 percent of thermal energy from the plant. Burgess BioPower would be the developer but the greenhouse would be owned and operated by an unnamed third party. Frecker and Boone explained that about 12 jobs would be created for construction and 30 would be created once the greenhouse was in operation. Councilor Michael Rozek asked if easement for the snowmobile trail would be honored and Frecker said it would be. Mayor Paul Grenier encouraged CSO to look into a finance package from the Business Finance Authority or Community Development Block Grants. Grenier praised CSO for their commitment to the city. BERLIN At a council meeting last Monday, the city council showed support for a renewable energy project to use steam from the biomass plant for a greenhouse that would be constructed at the former Burgess mill site.Dammon Frecker and Sarah Boone of Cate Street Operations told the council that New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission put out a request for proposal for a thermal, renewable energy project and said that $1 million is available. CSO plans to apply for $500,000.Frecker said that the grant money "comes from alternative compliance payments from the utility companies and that it would take the PUC about two months to go through the proposals, so they would decide early in the new year."The plans are to use steam from the Burgess BioPower turbines to heat a four acre greenhouse. The steam, created by burning wood, would heat the greenhouse.At the former mill site, the old warehouse would be torn down and the maintenance office would be relocated to make room for the greenhouse. The greenhouse would produce baby green leaves.CSO is working with Wilson Engineering Services to conduct a feasibility study, a firm that is also conducting a feasibility study on heating streets and sidewalks in Berlin for a snowmelt project. That study is $20,000. Both projects would account for 20 percent of thermal energy from the plant.Burgess BioPower would be the developer but the greenhouse would be owned and operated by an unnamed third party.Frecker and Boone explained that about 12 jobs would be created for construction and 30 would be created once the greenhouse was in operation.Councilor Michael Rozek asked if easement for the snowmobile trail would be honored and Frecker said it would be.Mayor Paul Grenier encouraged CSO to look into a finance package from the Business Finance Authority or Community Development Block Grants.Grenier praised CSO for their commitment to the city. Houthi fighters battled Saudi-led forces in Yemens port city of Hodeidah on Thursday and posted gunmen on the roof of a hospital, leaving doctors and young patients in the line of fire, rights groups and military sources said. The Houthis raided the May 22 hospital in the citys eastern suburbs, sources said, as clashes raged on in the face of mounting calls from world powers, including some of Saudi Arabias main Western allies, for a ceasefire. This is a stomach-churning development that could have devastating consequences for the hospitals medical workers and dozens of civilian patients, including many children, said Amnestys Internationals Middle East Director of Campaigns, Samah Hadid. Fighting was getting closer to the hospital and had already disrupted services there, the International Committee of the Red Cross added. Medics at hospitals inside the city reported 47 rebels had been killed in overnight ground fighting and air raids by a Saudi-led coalition supporting the government. Sources at hospitals in government-held areas on the outskirts said 11 soldiers had also been killed. Houthi officials did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. A Saudi-led coalition has been battling to push Houthis out of the city they have held since 2014. A surge of fighting in the past week has trapped thousands of civilians in the crossfire and coalition air raids. Nearly 80 percent of Yemen's commercial imports and practically all UN-supervised humanitarian aid pass through Hodeida. UN bodies and other powers have warned that an all-out attack on the city, an entry point for 80 percent of Yemens food imports and aid relief, could trigger a famine in the impoverished state. The latest fighting has focused on Hodeidahs eastern 7th July neighborhoods and around a university just 4 km (2.5 miles) from the port and a few blocks from al-Thawra hospital, the main medical facility on Yemens western coast. Search Keywords: Short link: Carroll County Independent Voters hand several key positions in Carroll County to new faces by Melissa Seamans REGION As the votes were tallied in Tuesday's midterm elections, there were several key races here in Carroll County where voters decided a change was needed. In the closely watched race for retiring Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter's position representing New Hampshire's First District which includes all of Carroll County Democrat Chris Pappas emerged as the winner, garnering 132,345 votes district wide compared to Republican challenger Eddie Edwards with 111,537. The hotly contested gubernatorial race saw incumbent Chris Sununu pull ahead of Democratic challenger Molly Kelly early on in the evening, garnering 258,718 votes to Kelly's 229,883. Closer to home, incumbent Jeb Bradley handily beat Democratic opponent Chris Meier by nearly 4,000 votes to retain his seat as state Senator for District 3. The tally district wide at press time, with 91 percent of precincts reporting, showed Bradley with 14,205 votes and Meier with 10,507. Chandler denied 19th term After serving 18 terms as a state representative, New Hampshire House Speaker Gene Chandler, R-Bartlett, lost his bid for a 19th term Nov. 6. Voters in District One Jackson, Hart's Location, and Chandler's hometown of Bartlett decided Democrat Anita Burroughs of Bartlett will represent them for the next two years. Chandler received 1,074 votes and Burroughs 1,281. Shake-up on County Delegation In a shake up of the Carroll County Delegation, two longtime Republican state representatives lost their re-election bid Nov. 6. District 2, representing Conway, Chatham, Eaton and Hale's Location, will be represented by three Democrats, incumbent Tom Buco (2,323 votes), and newcomers Harrison Kanzler (2,080 votes) and Stephen Woodcock (1,970 votes). They bested Republican William Cuccio (1,400 votes) and incumbents Karen Umberger (1,544) and Frank McCarthy (1,439 votes). Another seat on the Carroll County Delegation flipped from red to blue as longtime state representative Mark McConkey (R-Freedom) lost his bid for re-election. Democrat incumbent Jerry Knirk (R-Freedom) and former state representative Susan Ticehurst (D-Tamworth) will represent the District 3 towns of Freedom, Tamworth, Madison and Albany. Voter turnout was record breaking in many towns across the state for the midterm election. In Freedom, 64 percent of voters cast a ballot in the Nov. 6 election 695 at the polls and 112 absentee ballot. Additionally, 46 people registered to vote. Incumbents retain seats in District 5 Three of Carroll County's state representatives will retain their seats, as Republicans Lino Avellani, Ed Comeau and Bill Nelson won their re-election bid by a wide margin Nov. 6. The trio represents District 5 consisting of Brookfield, Wakefield, Effingham and Ossipee. Avellani (2,422 votes), Comeau (2,407 votes) and Nelson (2,424 votes) topped Effingham Democrats Knute Ogren (1,511 votes) and Teresa Swanick (1,651 votes) and Ossipee Democrat Patricia Pustell (1,530 votes. REGION As the votes were tallied in Tuesday's midterm elections, there were several key races here in Carroll County where voters decided a change was needed.In the closely watched race for retiring Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter's position representing New Hampshire's First District which includes all of Carroll County Democrat Chris Pappas emerged as the winner, garnering 132,345 votes district wide compared to Republican challenger Eddie Edwards with 111,537.The hotly contested gubernatorial race saw incumbent Chris Sununu pull ahead of Democratic challenger Molly Kelly early on in the evening, garnering 258,718 votes to Kelly's 229,883.Closer to home, incumbent Jeb Bradley handily beat Democratic opponent Chris Meier by nearly 4,000 votes to retain his seat as state Senator for District 3. The tally district wide at press time, with 91 percent of precincts reporting, showed Bradley with 14,205 votes and Meier with 10,507.Chandler denied 19th termAfter serving 18 terms as a state representative, New Hampshire House Speaker Gene Chandler, R-Bartlett, lost his bid for a 19th term Nov. 6.Voters in District One Jackson, Hart's Location, and Chandler's hometown of Bartlett decided Democrat Anita Burroughs of Bartlett will represent them for the next two years.Chandler received 1,074 votes and Burroughs 1,281.Shake-up on County DelegationIn a shake up of the Carroll County Delegation, two longtime Republican state representatives lost their re-election bid Nov. 6.District 2, representing Conway, Chatham, Eaton and Hale's Location, will be represented by three Democrats, incumbent Tom Buco (2,323 votes), and newcomers Harrison Kanzler (2,080 votes) and Stephen Woodcock (1,970 votes). They bested Republican William Cuccio (1,400 votes) and incumbents Karen Umberger (1,544) and Frank McCarthy (1,439 votes).Another seat on the Carroll County Delegation flipped from red to blue as longtime state representative Mark McConkey (R-Freedom) lost his bid for re-election.Democrat incumbent Jerry Knirk (R-Freedom) and former state representative Susan Ticehurst (D-Tamworth) will represent the District 3 towns of Freedom, Tamworth, Madison and Albany.Voter turnout was record breaking in many towns across the state for the midterm election. In Freedom, 64 percent of voters cast a ballot in the Nov. 6 election 695 at the polls and 112 absentee ballot. Additionally, 46 people registered to vote.Incumbents retain seats in District 5Three of Carroll County's state representatives will retain their seats, as Republicans Lino Avellani, Ed Comeau and Bill Nelson won their re-election bid by a wide margin Nov. 6. The trio represents District 5 consisting of Brookfield, Wakefield, Effingham and Ossipee.Avellani (2,422 votes), Comeau (2,407 votes) and Nelson (2,424 votes) topped Effingham Democrats Knute Ogren (1,511 votes) and Teresa Swanick (1,651 votes) and Ossipee Democrat Patricia Pustell (1,530 votes. Carroll County Independent Arias, Seigars earn volleyball All-State honors Cook Library receives Sustaining the Humanities grant Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.com Carroll County Independent Suspect in double homicide takes own life by Elissa Paquette OSSIPEE On Wednesday, Oct. 31, Kevin Moran, age 41, of Ossipee, messaged family members and then shot and killed himself in a vehicle outside his home with a single shot. An official statement from the Attorney General's Office, the New Hampshire State Police and Wolfeboro Police Chief Dean Rondeau released on Nov. 2, states that they are confident that Moran, based on physical evidence collected during the investigation, phone records and interviews, is guilty of the shooting deaths of Kris Dube and Kathy Moran, both age 36. Dube was found dead of multiple gun shot wounds on Sunday evening, Oct. 21, in a single family home in Wolfeboro. Kathy Moran, Kevin's estranged wife, was hospitalized in critical condition following a single gun shot that evening in the same incident, but succumbed to her injuries days later. According to the statement, the investigation revealed that Mr. Moran had been unhappy with his wife's recent relationship with Dube, and had threatened them both. The day after the shootings, he checked himself into a hospital and remained hospitalized until Tuesday, Oct. 30. "During that time, Mr. Moran was aware that the homicide investigation had made significant progress and was focused on him as the suspect," reads the statement. The deaths leave the Dube and Moran families reeling from the tragic succession of events and the Wolfeboro and Ossipee communities stunned at the violence in their midst. OSSIPEE On Wednesday, Oct. 31, Kevin Moran, age 41, of Ossipee, messaged family members and then shot and killed himself in a vehicle outside his home with a single shot.An official statement from the Attorney General's Office, the New Hampshire State Police and Wolfeboro Police Chief Dean Rondeau released on Nov. 2, states that they are confident that Moran, based on physical evidence collected during the investigation, phone records and interviews, is guilty of the shooting deaths of Kris Dube and Kathy Moran, both age 36.Dube was found dead of multiple gun shot wounds on Sunday evening, Oct. 21, in a single family home in Wolfeboro. Kathy Moran, Kevin's estranged wife, was hospitalized in critical condition following a single gun shot that evening in the same incident, but succumbed to her injuries days later.According to the statement, the investigation revealed that Mr. Moran had been unhappy with his wife's recent relationship with Dube, and had threatened them both. The day after the shootings, he checked himself into a hospital and remained hospitalized until Tuesday, Oct. 30."During that time, Mr. Moran was aware that the homicide investigation had made significant progress and was focused on him as the suspect," reads the statement.The deaths leave the Dube and Moran families reeling from the tragic succession of events and the Wolfeboro and Ossipee communities stunned at the violence in their midst. Coos County Democrat Company looking to build hydrogen plant at former Groveton mill site by Jody Houle GROVETON Imagine a energy project that would cut energy costs to local businesses by 50 percent. That's what a Utah-based company wants to do in Groveton. Plans are underway for Q Hydrogen Solutions to construct a state-of-the-art, one-of-a-kind hydrogen energy plant at the former Groveton Wausau paper mill site that would create jobs and generate 30 megawatts of clean energy using hydrogen. That would be enough power to provide businesses in the industrial park located at the site. Hydrogen would be created by stripping hydrogen molecules out of water and using the hydrogen to power engines. Whitaker Irvin, Jr., CEO of Q Hydrogen Solutions, has explained that the concept of using hydrogen as energy has been explored and done before but it hasn't become mainstream because it is expensive for processing and uses other, less clean fuels such as natural gas. He said his company will use a process of using less heat to produce hydrogen which would make it less expensive to generate. Power generated by the plant would be sold businesses in the industrial park at half the current price from Eversource. The hope would be to attract other businesses. There is already one company, a data company, committed to buying power -- the company left the region due to high energy costs but would relocate here from Massachusetts if the project goes through. Once operational, 27 people would be employed and the local economy would be boosted. The energy would not be interconnected with the large portion of the power grid and is close to the minimum capacity that Site Evaluation Committee approves. So, the company will be applying for an exception from SEC. State and local officials, including Gov. Chris Sununu, support the project. The proposal for the project is awaiting air and water permits from the state. Construction is set for January. GROVETON Imagine a energy project that would cut energy costs to local businesses by 50 percent. That's what a Utah-based company wants to do in Groveton.Plans are underway for Q Hydrogen Solutions to construct a state-of-the-art, one-of-a-kind hydrogen energy plant at the former Groveton Wausau paper mill site that would create jobs and generate 30 megawatts of clean energy using hydrogen. That would be enough power to provide businesses in the industrial park located at the site.Hydrogen would be created by stripping hydrogen molecules out of water and using the hydrogen to power engines.Whitaker Irvin, Jr., CEO of Q Hydrogen Solutions, has explained that the concept of using hydrogen as energy has been explored and done before but it hasn't become mainstream because it is expensive for processing and uses other, less clean fuels such as natural gas. He said his company will use a process of using less heat to produce hydrogen which would make it less expensive to generate.Power generated by the plant would be sold businesses in the industrial park at half the current price from Eversource. The hope would be to attract other businesses. There is already one company, a data company, committed to buying power -- the company left the region due to high energy costs but would relocate here from Massachusetts if the project goes through.Once operational, 27 people would be employed and the local economy would be boosted.The energy would not be interconnected with the large portion of the power grid and is close to the minimum capacity that Site Evaluation Committee approves. So, the company will be applying for an exception from SEC.State and local officials, including Gov. Chris Sununu, support the project.The proposal for the project is awaiting air and water permits from the state.Construction is set for January. Littleton Courier Tri-County CAP seeking aid from area communities by Justin Roshak LITTLETONRepresentatives from three different branches of the Tri-County Community Action Program (CAP) went before the Budget Committee last week to request its support for their voter-considered aid requests, which go on the warrant in March. Brenda Gagne, Transport Director for Tri-County Transit came to request support for the Tri-Town Bus, which operates through the Littleton-Lancaster corridor, and for its door-to-door service. Tri-County Transit facilitated 9,100 trips for 288 Littleton residents last year. Many of them were veterans bound for the White River Junction office of Veterans Affairs. Others used the service to access medical care, whether to Littleton Regional, Weeks, or a mental health visit. Tri-County Transit also provides a volunteer-run, long-distance transport service for seniors and veterans, which goes as far as Portland, Maine, but also to Manchester and White River Junction. Gagne said that while her service and the Senior Center's do overlap, there was enough volume of need that they do not duplicate The Tri-Town Bus deviates up to a quarter of a mile, and costs $3 for an all day, unlimited ride. The door-to-door bus is free, and long-distance medical transport is grant funded, and free to both the elderly and the disabled. Many use it for essential grocery runs, or even to access work. While the VA offers its own bus, an all-day group tripGagne explained that many of her veteran clients find a 12-hour trip too taxing, physically or mentally, and prefer the more focused service. Next, Dawn Ferringo, Division Director of Preventative Services, came to advocate for Tri-County Cap programs related to homeless intervention and prevention, and its several shelters. Last year, homeless outreach reached 84 individuals, loans were granted to 16, and four residents were temporarily put up in hotels. The programs provide cash assistance, in the form of security deposits for new rentals, and aid for rent arrearages. Eviction-prevention services can pay up to six months of rent, under certain circumstances. Where applicable, contracted loan repayment is kept to manageable levels, such as $30 per month. "If they default on that loan, the Feds up the money to the landlord, so the landlord isn't at risk," Ferringo explained, and added "We try to hold them accountable." "All these services reduce your direct costs for town welfare money," she pointed out. Every school in the state has a homeless liaison, and the program works with those in Littleton, Lisbon, and Bethlehem. Ferringo observed that her staff receives more calls from schools related to domestic violence than for homelessness. The program collaborates with multiple local charities, including catholic charities and Community Church of Franconia. This year, the organization have organized a partnership with the Littleton PD, and will transport residents She asked for $5,000 for her homelessness programs. Burch House services victims of domestic violence in 17 northern Grafton County116 women and children in Littleton along last year, and 554 individuals in the broader region. Ferringo requested $3,080 for Burch House, an amount which is level over the past two years, and will be used as matching funds to acquire grants, which expect 25 percent chip-in of non-federal and non-state money. Town-provided money qualifies, so if all goes well, the $3,080 can be leveraged into as much as three times that in grants. County funding also qualifies for grant purposes. Finally, Tri-County CAP's Energy Services Division requested $11,000 to provide fuel and electrical assistance. Last year, the program served some 220 households for a total value of about $191,319 in fuel assistance. They weatherized 12 homes at a cost of $49,871, and provided $16,661 from their fuel pantries, all in Littleton alone. The program aims to provide about one third of annual heating costs to those who qualify. When someone applies for fuel and energy aid, they are requested to prove a month of income, provide landlord forms and tax returns, as well as report other aid programs, such as food stamps. Fuel assistance is open to anyone under 60 percent median income, and runs Dec. 3 through April 30. Electrical assistance takes the form of an annual discount, and has slightly higher income qualifications. Fuel assistance is federally funded, but does not cover offices, administration, and implementationso town aid will support the organization's operations and presence in the region. Voters will decide on Tri-County CAP's requests for aid in March. LITTLETONRepresentatives from three different branches of the Tri-County Community Action Program (CAP) went before the Budget Committee last week to request its support for their voter-considered aid requests, which go on the warrant in March.Brenda Gagne, Transport Director for Tri-County Transit came to request support for the Tri-Town Bus, which operates through the Littleton-Lancaster corridor, and for its door-to-door service.Tri-County Transit facilitated 9,100 trips for 288 Littleton residents last year. Many of them were veterans bound for the White River Junction office of Veterans Affairs. Others used the service to access medical care, whether to Littleton Regional, Weeks, or a mental health visit.Tri-County Transit also provides a volunteer-run, long-distance transport service for seniors and veterans, which goes as far as Portland, Maine, but also to Manchester and White River Junction.Gagne said that while her service and the Senior Center's do overlap, there was enough volume of need that they do not duplicateThe Tri-Town Bus deviates up to a quarter of a mile, and costs $3 for an all day, unlimited ride. The door-to-door bus is free, and long-distance medical transport is grant funded, and free to both the elderly and the disabled. Many use it for essential grocery runs, or even to access work.While the VA offers its own bus, an all-day group tripGagne explained that many of her veteran clients find a 12-hour trip too taxing, physically or mentally, and prefer the more focused service.Next, Dawn Ferringo, Division Director of Preventative Services, came to advocate for Tri-County Cap programs related to homeless intervention and prevention, and its several shelters.Last year, homeless outreach reached 84 individuals, loans were granted to 16, and four residents were temporarily put up in hotels.The programs provide cash assistance, in the form of security deposits for new rentals, and aid for rent arrearages. Eviction-prevention services can pay up to six months of rent, under certain circumstances. Where applicable, contracted loan repayment is kept to manageable levels, such as $30 per month."If they default on that loan, the Feds up the money to the landlord, so the landlord isn't at risk," Ferringo explained, and added "We try to hold them accountable.""All these services reduce your direct costs for town welfare money," she pointed out.Every school in the state has a homeless liaison, and the program works with those in Littleton, Lisbon, and Bethlehem. Ferringo observed that her staff receives more calls from schools related to domestic violence than for homelessness. The program collaborates with multiple local charities, including catholic charities and Community Church of Franconia. This year, the organization have organized a partnership with the Littleton PD, and will transport residentsShe asked for $5,000 for her homelessness programs.Burch House services victims of domestic violence in 17 northern Grafton County116 women and children in Littleton along last year, and 554 individuals in the broader region.Ferringo requested $3,080 for Burch House, an amount which is level over the past two years, and will be used as matching funds to acquire grants, which expect 25 percent chip-in of non-federal and non-state money. Town-provided money qualifies, so if all goes well, the $3,080 can be leveraged into as much as three times that in grants. County funding also qualifies for grant purposes.Finally, Tri-County CAP's Energy Services Division requested $11,000 to provide fuel and electrical assistance. Last year, the program served some 220 households for a total value of about $191,319 in fuel assistance. They weatherized 12 homes at a cost of $49,871, and provided $16,661 from their fuel pantries, all in Littleton alone. The program aims to provide about one third of annual heating costs to those who qualify.When someone applies for fuel and energy aid, they are requested to prove a month of income, provide landlord forms and tax returns, as well as report other aid programs, such as food stamps. Fuel assistance is open to anyone under 60 percent median income, and runs Dec. 3 through April 30. Electrical assistance takes the form of an annual discount, and has slightly higher income qualifications. Fuel assistance is federally funded, but does not cover offices, administration, and implementationso town aid will support the organization's operations and presence in the region.Voters will decide on Tri-County CAP's requests for aid in March. Littleton Courier Littleton School Board decides against mask mandate at emergency meeting County broadband project secures funding, faces opposition Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.com Meredith News Inter-Lakes Interact inducts new members, celebrates community service by Erin Plummer Some of the new members of the Inter-Lakes High School Interact Club. (Photo by Erin Plummer) (click for larger version) MEREDITH The Inter-Lakes High School Interact Club was recognized for its community service as it inducted 23 new members. Interact is a nationwide organization for high school students sponsored by the Rotary Club. The Inter-Lakes High School chapter held its induction ceremony on Thursday night, along with presentations of money and items collected for different local organizations. Richard Goodby of the Meredith Rotary Club's Interact Committee said there are more than 500,000 members of Interact worldwide, which compared to Meredith's population of more than 6,000 people is staggering. Rotary District Governor Venu Rao presented the club with a citation recognizing its community service. "How fortunate we are to look around and see what we can do to help our fellow human beings who are less fortunate," Rao said. He said this club has helped its community in many different ways, which makes everyone proud. "We come together as Rotarians to bring our time, our talent, and our treasure to help fellow human beings," Rao said. Rao said each dollar raised by Rotary Clubs for any charitable purpose is matched by $3.50 by Rotary International. One example was a water project in India, where the Rotary clubs in the US and India raised $25,00 each. Interact made a number of presentations of dollars and items raised for local organizations. Keith True of the Meredith Police Department accepted a check for the LEAD program, which educates sixth graders about substance abuse. Interact had scheduled a day running the Moulton Farm Corn Maze to raise money for Make-A-Wish New Hampshire, though the event had to be cancelled. Rotary still donated $500 and John Moulton from Moulton Farm donated $160, giving $660 to Make-A-Wish. Helping to accept the check was a wish recipient named Lucas, who went to Disney World for his wish. Over the month of October Inter-Lakes Interact had collected over 1,400 pairs of socks for their Soxtober event. The event collects socks, which are often the most needed and least donated itemto homeless shelters. The socks were presented to three local organizations: The Pemi Bridge House in Plymouth, the Salvation Army of Laconia, and the Santa Fund of the Greater Lakes Region. Representatives from the Pemi Bridge House and the Santa Fund were at the presentation. A presentation will be made to the Salvation Army at a later time. Andrea Condodemetraky of the Santa Fund said these socks are delivered with every pair of boots that goes out. "We deliver these socks with a smile and a hug and hope, which us a lot for a lot of people," Condodemetraky said. MEREDITH The Inter-Lakes High School Interact Club was recognized for its community service as it inducted 23 new members.Interact is a nationwide organization for high school students sponsored by the Rotary Club. The Inter-Lakes High School chapter held its induction ceremony on Thursday night, along with presentations of money and items collected for different local organizations.Richard Goodby of the Meredith Rotary Club's Interact Committee said there are more than 500,000 members of Interact worldwide, which compared to Meredith's population of more than 6,000 people is staggering.Rotary District Governor Venu Rao presented the club with a citation recognizing its community service."How fortunate we are to look around and see what we can do to help our fellow human beings who are less fortunate," Rao said.He said this club has helped its community in many different ways, which makes everyone proud."We come together as Rotarians to bring our time, our talent, and our treasure to help fellow human beings," Rao said.Rao said each dollar raised by Rotary Clubs for any charitable purpose is matched by $3.50 by Rotary International. One example was a water project in India, where the Rotary clubs in the US and India raised $25,00 each.Interact made a number of presentations of dollars and items raised for local organizations.Keith True of the Meredith Police Department accepted a check for the LEAD program, which educates sixth graders about substance abuse.Interact had scheduled a day running the Moulton Farm Corn Maze to raise money for Make-A-Wish New Hampshire, though the event had to be cancelled. Rotary still donated $500 and John Moulton from Moulton Farm donated $160, giving $660 to Make-A-Wish. Helping to accept the check was a wish recipient named Lucas, who went to Disney World for his wish.Over the month of October Inter-Lakes Interact had collected over 1,400 pairs of socks for their Soxtober event. The event collects socks, which are often the most needed and least donated itemto homeless shelters.The socks were presented to three local organizations: The Pemi Bridge House in Plymouth, the Salvation Army of Laconia, and the Santa Fund of the Greater Lakes Region. Representatives from the Pemi Bridge House and the Santa Fund were at the presentation. A presentation will be made to the Salvation Army at a later time.Andrea Condodemetraky of the Santa Fund said these socks are delivered with every pair of boots that goes out."We deliver these socks with a smile and a hug and hope, which us a lot for a lot of people," Condodemetraky said. Meredith News Masks now optional for court and ice sports at IL Local thrift shop recognized for helping Inter-Lakes programs Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.com Newfound Landing Bristol voters agree to purchase, renovate LRGHealthcare building by Thomas P. Caldwell BRISTOL Voters attending a special town meeting on Nov. 1 decided the time was right to seize an opportunity to purchase and renovate a downtown building to serve as a new town hall. The 164-65 decision exceeded by eight votes the two-thirds majority necessary to pass the $899,637 warrant article, but the discussion leading up to the vote made it appear the split would be much closer. Opponents of the plan spoke of the burden it would place on those living on low or fixed incomes and complained that it would not address all of the problems identified notably the inadequate facilities at the police station. Proponents pointed out that voters have rejected previous proposals that would have addressed those inadequacies because incorporating them into a building and renovation plan pushed the cost into the millions. The needs of the police station can be addressed in future years, they said. Currently, the town offices and police department share space in the Bristol Municipal Building, built in the 1960s and renovated in 1990. Several attempts have been made since then to address overcrowding and bring the police department up to recommended standards. In 2007, voters rejected a $2.4 million proposal to renovate the Old Town Hall a plan that included elevating the building to create a basement area and purchasing property behind the building for additional parking while turning the Municipal Building into a police station, with the appropriate upgrades. Two and a half years ago, voters rejected a $52,000 proposal to do an operational study of the police department and develop architectural drawings to expand the town offices and police department. The article was amended to form a space needs committee to look into the town's needs for the next 25 years and to propose a solution. At this year's March Town Meeting, based on the space needs committee report and recommendations, selectmen proposed a $2,650,000 solution that would involve building a new town hall and renovating the current building for the police department. Selectmen moved to table that article, however, after learning that LRGHealthcare had decided to shut down the Newfound Family Practice office, asking instead for time to look into the possibility of purchasing the building. Voters agreed to wait and also voted to reduce the budget and not put away as much money in capital reserve funds in anticipation of the possibility that the town would be able to buy the building later in the year. Single-item warrant The special town meeting on Nov. 1 gave voters the opportunity to decide whether the purchase the building at the negotiated price of $335,800 and make $563,837 worth of renovations and related expenditures, for a total appropriation of $899,637. Selectmen proposed applying $250,000 from the town's unexpended fund balance and borrowing $649,637. The interest generated through public tours and letters to local newspapers brought a standing-room-only crowd to the Old Town Hall for the discussion. With 219 voters casting ballots, the attendance exceeded the regular March Town Meeting, when 165 people cast ballots. Moderator Edward "Ned" Gordon opened the meeting but, because he had served as chair of the space needs committee and wanted to speak in favor of the article, he appointed his daughter, Atty. Dorcas Gordon, to conduct the meeting. "This is not an Ivanka arrangement," she assured the voters as she took over. Rick Alpers, chair of the Bristol Board of Selectmen, praised the high turnout "for what I feel is an important decision on an issue that goes back 25 years." Alpers said it is in the town's best interest to not only purchase the downtown property but to "do as much as possible now" to renovate the building so that, when the staff moves in, they will not be faced with the disruption of future renovations. "I truly believe this is the right thing to do," he said. Many people who spoke said they supported the purchase, but questioned the extent of the renovations. Others questioned the layout and the need for a large meeting room. Some argued the building was simply too old (30 years) and too large to properly serve the town. Some objected to the article because neither the selectmen nor the architect and engineering firm could say how much would be saved by making specific changes to the plan. The work has not yet gone out to bid and cost estimates are general at this time. The fact that the purchase would take another property off the tax rolls also riled some voters, who pointed out that the town now owns the former Millstream restaurant property, the Smith lot next to the Bristol Municipal Building, and the former tannery property, among others. Alpers confirmed that the professional building had generated about $12,000 per year in tax revenue from LRGHealthcare. An advantage of the purchase, in addition to having a central location for the town offices and an easy-access meeting room that can accommodate elections, is the building's proximity to the Old Town Hall on Summer Street. While the Old Town Hall has been recently renovated for public functions, some residents find it difficult to climb the sidewalk leading to it. Those who do use it often use the professional building parking lot and, if the town owns it, people will continue to have a place to place to park when going to either building. They might lose that access if someone else purchased the property. Alpers said there also is a possibility of designating spaces there to serve downtown tenants who have no place to put their cars during the winter parking ban. Resident Lloyd Belvin declared, "I'm the cheapest guy in town, but I think we should buy the building." However, he said, the town should put off the renovations until the March Town Meeting, when voters know how much the school budget will be. John Sellers said the town could build a more attractive building at less expense, and argued that the excess space in the building would result in the town hiring additional employees to fill it. Ned Gordon said the town has found that it cannot build a new building for less money. Paul Simard challenged the space needs committee's findings, saying the needs have changed in the last two years, and he urged the town to start over with a new space needs study. Former selectman Burt Williams said he had come to the meeting prepared to offer an amendment that would reduce the figure by $50,000, but after hearing the discussion, he supported the article as written. Ned Gordon said after the meeting, "I thought the amount [for renovations] was pretty rich, and have some questions about the design, but it would be a terrible shame to lose that building. If it had to be all or nothing, it's better to be all than nothing." BRISTOL Voters attending a special town meeting on Nov. 1 decided the time was right to seize an opportunity to purchase and renovate a downtown building to serve as a new town hall.The 164-65 decision exceeded by eight votes the two-thirds majority necessary to pass the $899,637 warrant article, but the discussion leading up to the vote made it appear the split would be much closer.Opponents of the plan spoke of the burden it would place on those living on low or fixed incomes and complained that it would not address all of the problems identified notably the inadequate facilities at the police station.Proponents pointed out that voters have rejected previous proposals that would have addressed those inadequacies because incorporating them into a building and renovation plan pushed the cost into the millions. The needs of the police station can be addressed in future years, they said.Currently, the town offices and police department share space in the Bristol Municipal Building, built in the 1960s and renovated in 1990. Several attempts have been made since then to address overcrowding and bring the police department up to recommended standards.In 2007, voters rejected a $2.4 million proposal to renovate the Old Town Hall a plan that included elevating the building to create a basement area and purchasing property behind the building for additional parking while turning the Municipal Building into a police station, with the appropriate upgrades.Two and a half years ago, voters rejected a $52,000 proposal to do an operational study of the police department and develop architectural drawings to expand the town offices and police department. The article was amended to form a space needs committee to look into the town's needs for the next 25 years and to propose a solution.At this year's March Town Meeting, based on the space needs committee report and recommendations, selectmen proposed a $2,650,000 solution that would involve building a new town hall and renovating the current building for the police department. Selectmen moved to table that article, however, after learning that LRGHealthcare had decided to shut down the Newfound Family Practice office, asking instead for time to look into the possibility of purchasing the building.Voters agreed to wait and also voted to reduce the budget and not put away as much money in capital reserve funds in anticipation of the possibility that the town would be able to buy the building later in the year.Single-item warrantThe special town meeting on Nov. 1 gave voters the opportunity to decide whether the purchase the building at the negotiated price of $335,800 and make $563,837 worth of renovations and related expenditures, for a total appropriation of $899,637. Selectmen proposed applying $250,000 from the town's unexpended fund balance and borrowing $649,637.The interest generated through public tours and letters to local newspapers brought a standing-room-only crowd to the Old Town Hall for the discussion. With 219 voters casting ballots, the attendance exceeded the regular March Town Meeting, when 165 people cast ballots.Moderator Edward "Ned" Gordon opened the meeting but, because he had served as chair of the space needs committee and wanted to speak in favor of the article, he appointed his daughter, Atty. Dorcas Gordon, to conduct the meeting."This is not an Ivanka arrangement," she assured the voters as she took over.Rick Alpers, chair of the Bristol Board of Selectmen, praised the high turnout "for what I feel is an important decision on an issue that goes back 25 years."Alpers said it is in the town's best interest to not only purchase the downtown property but to "do as much as possible now" to renovate the building so that, when the staff moves in, they will not be faced with the disruption of future renovations."I truly believe this is the right thing to do," he said.Many people who spoke said they supported the purchase, but questioned the extent of the renovations. Others questioned the layout and the need for a large meeting room. Some argued the building was simply too old (30 years) and too large to properly serve the town.Some objected to the article because neither the selectmen nor the architect and engineering firm could say how much would be saved by making specific changes to the plan. The work has not yet gone out to bid and cost estimates are general at this time.The fact that the purchase would take another property off the tax rolls also riled some voters, who pointed out that the town now owns the former Millstream restaurant property, the Smith lot next to the Bristol Municipal Building, and the former tannery property, among others. Alpers confirmed that the professional building had generated about $12,000 per year in tax revenue from LRGHealthcare.An advantage of the purchase, in addition to having a central location for the town offices and an easy-access meeting room that can accommodate elections, is the building's proximity to the Old Town Hall on Summer Street. While the Old Town Hall has been recently renovated for public functions, some residents find it difficult to climb the sidewalk leading to it. Those who do use it often use the professional building parking lot and, if the town owns it, people will continue to have a place to place to park when going to either building. They might lose that access if someone else purchased the property.Alpers said there also is a possibility of designating spaces there to serve downtown tenants who have no place to put their cars during the winter parking ban.Resident Lloyd Belvin declared, "I'm the cheapest guy in town, but I think we should buy the building."However, he said, the town should put off the renovations until the March Town Meeting, when voters know how much the school budget will be.John Sellers said the town could build a more attractive building at less expense, and argued that the excess space in the building would result in the town hiring additional employees to fill it.Ned Gordon said the town has found that it cannot build a new building for less money.Paul Simard challenged the space needs committee's findings, saying the needs have changed in the last two years, and he urged the town to start over with a new space needs study.Former selectman Burt Williams said he had come to the meeting prepared to offer an amendment that would reduce the figure by $50,000, but after hearing the discussion, he supported the article as written.Ned Gordon said after the meeting, "I thought the amount [for renovations] was pretty rich, and have some questions about the design, but it would be a terrible shame to lose that building. If it had to be all or nothing, it's better to be all than nothing." Newfound Landing Quartet of Bears earn volleyball All-State honors Common Man Golf Tournament tees up $30,000 for Make A Wish Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.com Plymouth Record Enterprise Plymouth's 2018 Hometown Holiday Celebration is Nov. 30-Dec. 2 PLYMOUTH Plymouth's 2018 Hometown Holiday Celebration and Parade is less than a month away! Invite your friends and relatives to come for a visit on the weekend of Dec. 1 to enjoy a great Plymouth tradition. It's going to be another fun-filled weekend. Friday at 10:30 a.m., PSU's Operating Staff begins its 11th Annual Festival of Trees, a raffle for the beautifully decorated trees on display at the Senior Center. For Festival of Trees information, call Fawn Ouelette at 535-2185 or e-mail feouellette@plymouth.edu. Saturday, Dec. 1, is a very busy Celebration day. New this year, at 3 p.m., Jeff Day, of Ice Designs, will be doing an Ice Carving Demonstration on the Common, continuing until just before the Parade begins. What can one man create out of 4 big blocks of Ice in 2 hours? Come find out, and bring your camera. Starting at 4 p.m., CADY elves will begin the Cookie Creation Station compliments of PSU Dining Services and all three Main Street Banks will have "warming stations" with free hot chocolate. At 4:30 p.m., Tim Keefe leads us in holiday songs and fun on the Common. And at 5 p.m., the Parade!!!! Prior year's parades have bustled with brightly lit floats, bands, a "wrecker train," decorated walking groups, a Chinese dragon, decked out animals, dance troupes, and, of course, Santa. What will this year bring? Will you be in the parade? We can't wait to see. After the parade, Santa will visit with the kids at the Senior Center. For the ninth year, Alex Ray and the Rotarians will be hosting their "Chill-buster" barbeque while warm yourself at the big Bonfire on Green Street across from the Senior Center. What a great Christmas Season sendoff! On Sunday, skate for free with Santa at the PSU ice arena from 1-3 p.m. Santa will be on the ice for visiting and for free photographs. Free skates are available thanks to PSU. There's plenty of time to register for the parade. It's free! Get the registration form and guidelines from the Plymouth Rotary Website at The parade committee is now actively raising funds for the event. Contributions are gratefully accepted. This year, Rotary has pledged proceeds of this event to support the Plymouth Community Closet Christmas Basket Project, delivering 250 baskets to local families in need. Be generous. Write checks to "Plymouth Rotary Foundation- Parade" and mail contributions to: Marcie Gowen, Woodsville Guaranty Savings Bank, 7 Town West Rd., Plymouth, NH 03264. Thank you for your support. PLYMOUTH Plymouth's 2018 Hometown Holiday Celebration and Parade is less than a month away! Invite your friends and relatives to come for a visit on the weekend of Dec. 1 to enjoy a great Plymouth tradition.It's going to be another fun-filled weekend. Friday at 10:30 a.m., PSU's Operating Staff begins its 11th Annual Festival of Trees, a raffle for the beautifully decorated trees on display at the Senior Center. For Festival of Trees information, call Fawn Ouelette at 535-2185 or e-mail feouellette@plymouth.edu.Saturday, Dec. 1, is a very busy Celebration day. New this year, at 3 p.m., Jeff Day, of Ice Designs, will be doing an Ice Carving Demonstration on the Common, continuing until just before the Parade begins. What can one man create out of 4 big blocks of Ice in 2 hours? Come find out, and bring your camera. Starting at 4 p.m., CADY elves will begin the Cookie Creation Station compliments of PSU Dining Services and all three Main Street Banks will have "warming stations" with free hot chocolate. At 4:30 p.m., Tim Keefe leads us in holiday songs and fun on the Common. And at 5 p.m., the Parade!!!! Prior year's parades have bustled with brightly lit floats, bands, a "wrecker train," decorated walking groups, a Chinese dragon, decked out animals, dance troupes, and, of course, Santa. What will this year bring? Will you be in the parade? We can't wait to see.After the parade, Santa will visit with the kids at the Senior Center. For the ninth year, Alex Ray and the Rotarians will be hosting their "Chill-buster" barbeque while warm yourself at the big Bonfire on Green Street across from the Senior Center. What a great Christmas Season sendoff!On Sunday, skate for free with Santa at the PSU ice arena from 1-3 p.m. Santa will be on the ice for visiting and for free photographs. Free skates are available thanks to PSU.There's plenty of time to register for the parade. It's free! Get the registration form and guidelines from the Plymouth Rotary Website at www.plymouthnhrotary.org . Or, contact Marcie Gowen at 236-9121 (mgowen@the guarantybank.com) or Steve Rand at 236-6587 for paper forms. Registration period ends Friday, Nov. 30.The parade committee is now actively raising funds for the event. Contributions are gratefully accepted. This year, Rotary has pledged proceeds of this event to support the Plymouth Community Closet Christmas Basket Project, delivering 250 baskets to local families in need. Be generous.Write checks to "Plymouth Rotary Foundation- Parade" and mail contributions to: Marcie Gowen, Woodsville Guaranty Savings Bank, 7 Town West Rd., Plymouth, NH 03264. Thank you for your support. Plymouth Record Enterprise Bonan to become Fire Chief in Holderness Ashland selectmen approve proposed budget Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.com Winnisquam Echo Sanbornton Public Library seeks community's help in restoring historic painting by Donna Rhodes write the author Sanbornton Public Library is seeking donations for the restoration of a painting of the Alfred Burleigh family, done in 1862 by prominent Sanbornton portrait artist Walter Ingalls, so it can once again be placed on display in the library. (Courtesy Photo) (click for larger version) SANBORNTON Sanbornton Public Library is seeking help from citizens, businesses and private foundations for a very special project the restoration of an 1800's portrait of the Alfred Burleigh family, painted by famed portrait artist Walter Ingalls. Library Director Marcia Haigh said the painting, once on display in the library, has been in storage for many years. It was recently "re-discovered" and since time has taken a slight toll on its appearance, the board decided it would be great to have it restored in time for the town's 250th Anniversary in 2020. They have received an estimate of $2,700 for the restoration from Martha Cox of Great Works Restoration in Shapleigh, Maine and are now busy seeking donations to have the work done. The Burleigh family, comprised of Alfred, his wife Emeline, and George, the only one of three children to survive infancy, are the subjects of the painting and were members of some of Sanbornton's earliest families. Emeline was the daughter of Col. Daniel Sanborn who commanded a regiment of the New Hampshire State Militia, was a schoolteacher and a member of the Sanbornton Congregational Church for 44 years. While it is not clear why the painting was commissioned nor how much, if anything, the Burleigh's paid to have it done, it is never the less a quite lifelike and compelling look at a Sanbornton family in 1862. Ingalls also spent most of his life in the town. Born in Canterbury in 1805, his family moved to Sanbornton the year he turned 13. When he and his brother Gardner did not want to be farmers like their father Jesse wished, he built a cabinet shop and hired a professional cabinetmaker to teach them a trade. Another historical side note is that Jesse Ingalls was one of the founders of the Woodman-Sanbornton Academy, now home to the Sanbornton Public Library. In the early 1830's the cabinet shop burned down and soon the two brothers moved to Lowell, Mass. to become portrait painters. For a few years, Walter travelled throughout New York and New England painting portraits before returning to Sanbornton in 1835. From 1840-1849 he became involved in politics, serving as the Sanbornton Town Moderator for seven years then as the town's representative in the New Hampshire State Legislature from 1847-1849. He eventually began traveling across the country again, painting portraits along the way, where he became heavily influenced by the invention of the camera. In 1858, Ingalls declared he had returned to New Hampshire with newfound skills that had "all the advantage of the camera combined with the skillful blending and softening of the crude outline." In 1860, he was living back in Sanbornton Square, and his portrait of the Burleigh family was painted two years later. Among the most notable of his local works were paintings of the Tiltons and other related families, while his portrait of George Washington still hangs in the New Hampshire State Capitol building today. To restore the 36-by-30-inch Burleigh family portrait to its rightful condition, it will have to have dirt and layers of varnish removed from the surface. The canvas itself will need repairs, as will the frame and stretcher. It will then be retouched where needed, have lost paint filled in, and the faded colors brightened before a layer of isolating varnish will serve to protect it for display in the library once again. Those who would like more details on the conservator's proposal can obtain a written copy of it at the library and donations toward the project in any amount are gratefully accepted. Checks, made payable to Sanbornton Public Library, can either be dropped off at 27 Meetinghouse Hill Rd. or mailed to P.O. Box 88, Sanbornton, N.H. 03269. For further information on donations or the project itself, please contact the library at 286-8288. SANBORNTON Sanbornton Public Library is seeking help from citizens, businesses and private foundations for a very special project the restoration of an 1800's portrait of the Alfred Burleigh family, painted by famed portrait artist Walter Ingalls.Library Director Marcia Haigh said the painting, once on display in the library, has been in storage for many years. It was recently "re-discovered" and since time has taken a slight toll on its appearance, the board decided it would be great to have it restored in time for the town's 250th Anniversary in 2020.They have received an estimate of $2,700 for the restoration from Martha Cox of Great Works Restoration in Shapleigh, Maine and are now busy seeking donations to have the work done.The Burleigh family, comprised of Alfred, his wife Emeline, and George, the only one of three children to survive infancy, are the subjects of the painting and were members of some of Sanbornton's earliest families. Emeline was the daughter of Col. Daniel Sanborn who commanded a regiment of the New Hampshire State Militia, was a schoolteacher and a member of the Sanbornton Congregational Church for 44 years.While it is not clear why the painting was commissioned nor how much, if anything, the Burleigh's paid to have it done, it is never the less a quite lifelike and compelling look at a Sanbornton family in 1862.Ingalls also spent most of his life in the town. Born in Canterbury in 1805, his family moved to Sanbornton the year he turned 13. When he and his brother Gardner did not want to be farmers like their father Jesse wished, he built a cabinet shop and hired a professional cabinetmaker to teach them a trade.Another historical side note is that Jesse Ingalls was one of the founders of the Woodman-Sanbornton Academy, now home to the Sanbornton Public Library.In the early 1830's the cabinet shop burned down and soon the two brothers moved to Lowell, Mass. to become portrait painters. For a few years, Walter travelled throughout New York and New England painting portraits before returning to Sanbornton in 1835.From 1840-1849 he became involved in politics, serving as the Sanbornton Town Moderator for seven years then as the town's representative in the New Hampshire State Legislature from 1847-1849.He eventually began traveling across the country again, painting portraits along the way, where he became heavily influenced by the invention of the camera. In 1858, Ingalls declared he had returned to New Hampshire with newfound skills that had "all the advantage of the camera combined with the skillful blending and softening of the crude outline."In 1860, he was living back in Sanbornton Square, and his portrait of the Burleigh family was painted two years later.Among the most notable of his local works were paintings of the Tiltons and other related families, while his portrait of George Washington still hangs in the New Hampshire State Capitol building today.To restore the 36-by-30-inch Burleigh family portrait to its rightful condition, it will have to have dirt and layers of varnish removed from the surface. The canvas itself will need repairs, as will the frame and stretcher. It will then be retouched where needed, have lost paint filled in, and the faded colors brightened before a layer of isolating varnish will serve to protect it for display in the library once again.Those who would like more details on the conservator's proposal can obtain a written copy of it at the library and donations toward the project in any amount are gratefully accepted. Checks, made payable to Sanbornton Public Library, can either be dropped off at 27 Meetinghouse Hill Rd. or mailed to P.O. Box 88, Sanbornton, N.H. 03269. For further information on donations or the project itself, please contact the library at 286-8288. Winnisquam Echo Franklin Savings Banks promotes five employees Winter sports start dates announced at Winnisquam Recent Donna Rhodes Bonan to become Fire Chief in Holderness 2021-Nov-18 Plymouth police welcome new Chief, Deputy Chief 2021-Nov-11 Community creates moving tribute to Hazel Roy 2021-Nov-04 Engine dedicated in honor of former Sanbornton Fire Chief 2021-Nov-04 Fundraiser celebrates former Alexandria residents love for animals 2021-Oct-29 Fundraiser planned to benefit local animal lovers family 2021-Oct-13 More... Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.com Sesa sen By Express News Service BHUBANESWAR: Making a beeline to the profits counter, spiritual gurus have proven their acumen when it comes to business as well. The religious heads have been aggressively chasing rivals to grab a bigger slice of the Swadeshi market pie --- a segment that was largely ignored by multinational companies -- amid other brands pulling up their socks to stay in the Swadeshi league. Baba Ramdevs unparalleled success as a yoga guru and founder of FMCG brand Patanjali, which crossed Rs 10,000 crore in revenues in FY17 from nearly Rs 500 crore just six years ago, is astounding. More so because even conglomerates like ITC and P&G have taken over a decade to reach that milestone. Ramdev says in three years, he will take Swadeshi products of Patanjali to great heights and leave the foreign intruders in our dust. He also seems confident of crossing its ambitious target of Rs 20,000-Rs 25,000 crore by 2020 and making Patanjali the biggest brand globally by 2025. Industry observers ascribe the popularity of the Swadeshi wave to a clever mix of advertising and spirituality by the gurus. If savvy marketing has helped Ramdev cause jitters among FMCG heavyweights, the consumer and wellness arm of the Art of Living, Sri Sri Tattva, owned by spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has strongly capitalised on the charisma of its guru, said an analyst. Sri Sri had spent as much as Rs10 crore on TV advertising during the latest IPL season. According to multiple reports, this year too, it will focus on healthy advertising. Acknowledging the desi segment, the entrant aims to open 1,000 outlets, 600 of which would be operational by March 2019, and earn Rs 500 crore in revenue by 2020. There are other baba entrepreneurs, too, who have gone the Patanjali way to scale up their business of Swadeshi products. In February 2016, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh the leader of Dera Sacha Sauda, a sect in northern India launched about 150 products, marketed as Swadeshi (indigenous) and organic, including rice, pickle, and bottled water, among others. Besides, the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha and Pondicherry Sri Aurobindo Ashram have entered the FMCG space thanks to Patanjalis winning streak. Going forward, it will not be easy for the niche brands to make it big considering the challenges such as building a distribution network, getting regulatory approvals, availability in retail among other factors, that usually takes a long time with sustained marketing efforts, pointed out Rajat Wahi, partner at Deloitte India. The consumer goods segment may continue to be a niche sector for the small players with consumers restricted to their own followers, he added. Meanwhile, the growth of Patanjali Ayurveda faltered during the past one year as the MNCs launched herbal products to counter its challenge. Notwithstanding the efforts of several firms trying to veer consumers away from the Swadeshi products by pulling up brands, particularly Patanjali for misleading ad campaigns disparaging competitors, the babas remained unfazed and desi juggernaut rolled on. Recently, Patanjalis foray into the apparel segment through its brand Paridhan added another wing to its empire. While the Haridwar-based company took three years to launch the brand since its announcement, Sri Sri went ahead and launched a range of ethnic wear, yoga wear and accessories for men, women and children under the brand BYOGI early this year. The competition is further heated up as both brands are set to make an aggressive distribution push in the country. Whats next? Patanjali plans to go after junk food chains such as McDonalds and KFC by launching its own chain of nutritious fast food restaurants with desi flavour. It seems that the spiritual gurus have hit upon the perfect mantra to influence peoples mind by bridging the daily needs of customers with cultural roots and clinging on to their core grassroots strategy. Dr Swathi Rajagopal By Express News Service BENGALURU: There has been an increasing number of H1N1 viral influenza cases along with cases of other infections such as dengue in the past few weeks in Karnataka. The health department has put the state on high alert in view of the same. H1N1 influenza virus had already caused a pandemic in 2009. The sudden heavy rains, global climate changes with the recent floods in Kerala are probable reasons for the increase in the number of cases. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has reported that Influenza A (H3N2) viruses have dominated during 2017-2018. However, towards the second half of the year 2018, Influenza B viruses are being more commonly reported. The infection can be self-limiting. However, children, elderly population, those with underlying lung conditions like COPD, Bronchial asthma, post organ transplant individuals are more susceptible to complications from influenza. The expert is the consultant-Infectious Disease, Aster CMI Hospital German shipbuilder Luerssen has suspended production of coastguard vessels it was building for Saudi Arabia and placed large numbers of staff on short hours, blaming uncertainty over whether Berlin would grant future weapons export licenses. After journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed in Saudi Arabias consulate in Istanbul, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Berlin would authorize no further weapons exports until Riyadh had satisfactorily explained his death. Privately-owned Luerssen was commissioned to build the coastal patrol vessels five years ago, and construction began at its Peene Shipyard in 2016. Suspending construction and cutting working hours as a direct consequence is a heavy blow to us, said shipyard official Harald Jaekel in a statement. Almost all of Peenes 300 workers would be affected, the statement said. The uncertainty over future authorizations made production planning impossible, the company added, saying that suspending production was the only way to minimize the resulting risk. Saudi Arabia makes a major contribution to Germanys defense industry. So far this year, some 400 million euros of exports were approved to the country, making it the second-biggest recipient of German arms after Algeria. *The story was edited by Ahram Online. Search Keywords: Short link: By Express News Service BENGALURU: A Tamil film, released a month ago, that was allegedly shot inside the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) head office, has caused a controversy as BBMP authorities have maintained that they had not granted permission for it. Karnataka BJP spokesperson Prakash S alleged that the crew of the movie Imaikkaa Nodigal had allegedly covered the Kempegowda emblem and the Palike board to convert it into a CBI office for their movie. Not just that, the film was also shot inside the BBMP Commissioners chamber where the lead actress Nayanthara was seen sitting inside. He said that he was shocked when he watched the movie. How can one allow shooting inside the Palike Building? They have converted the building into a movie set. Will they allow shooting inside the Vidhana Soudha next? he questioned. He alleged that members of the ruling party and officials allowed the film crew to shoot inside so as to get funds as the BBMP is short of cash. He also pointed out that the shooting was done inside the BBMP building. However, the BBMP officials said that they were not aware of it. We have not given any permission for shooting. I have seen some of the movie clippings after I heard the complaint. They seem to have taken the shots using a drone. However, our permission is a must even for a drone. We can lodge a police complaint against the movie crew, a senior official said, preferring to remain anonymous. Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun, too said that no shooting was allowed inside.However, we will get the clippings of the movie and check which portions of the building they have been shot in. We will then discuss it with our legal cell to decide what action can be taken, she said. One of the senior BBMP councillors said the officials might have given the permission to shoot during the night.This was not done on paper. The shooting might have taken place at night, he said. SV Krishna Chaitanya By Express News Service CHENNAI: Three cheers to Chennai and the accolade must go to its citizens. Where other major metros are struggling to keep pollution levels in check, especially during Deepavali, Chennai has managed to record lowest levels this time. Although clear skies and sea breeze has helped disperse pollutants faster, it was finally the people of Chennai, especially younger brigade, who decided to go green and say no to fire crackers. There has been a drop in sales of crackers and the sparklers and non-noisy aerial shots are the most sought-after. The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) is monitoring the ambient air quality (AAQ) both pre-Deepavali and post-Deepavali in five locations in Chennai Triplicane, Besant Nagar, Nungambakkam, Sowcarpet and T Nagar and the data released on Wednesday shows the particulate matter (PM2.5 & PM10) was within the permissible limits in all five locations, except in Sowcarpet where PM10 marginally crossed the standard mark of 100 g/m3 (micrograms per cubic metre) recording 114. Rewinding to 2017, the city choked under thick blanket of smog as pollution levels jumped eight times and several morning flights were cancelled. Except Besant Nagar, other places clocked over 500 g/m3 of PM10, which is hazardous. However, the noise levels remain a concern this year too as all stations breached prescribed standards as last year. In fact, T Nagar has recorded higher decibel levels of 89 dB(A) compared to 77 dB(A) in 2017. TNPCB chairman Shambu Kallolikar has thanked people for keeping pollution under check. Besides SC guidelines and awareness campaign, there was visible change in peoples mindset, he told Express. The sale of fire crackers had dropped by 45 to 50 per cent too. V Ganesh, a wholesaler in Egmore, said: Sale of crackers used to pick up a week before festival, but this time market saw good business only on Monday. Chennai tops bookings list, Madurai next Chennai: As many as 2,372 people were booked across the State on Tuesday for bursting crackers beyond the stipulated hours fixed by the SC. Chennai topped with 359 bookings. In Kancheepuram, 79 cases were registered and in Tiruvallur, 105. Madurai city police registered 134 cases. In Coimbatore (114), Tirunelveli (109), Tiruchy (45) and Salem (44) too there were bookings. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Delhis air quality is expected to remain in the severe category over the next two days as the smoke emitted by fire crackers has slowed down the process of pollutant dispersion, a report by government-run agency System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research, said on Thursday. Air quality in the national capital reached the severe plus emergency category on Thursday with the Air Quality Index touching 642 in a majority of areas a day after Diwali celebrations. However, the Delhi government claimed that their anti-cracker campaign and measures like creating awareness among schoolchildren helped in reducing the number of crackers burst. ALSO READ: Delhi traders sell vegetables stuffed with old crackers to protest SC order Heavy pollution during early morning hours after Diwali night in New Delhi on Thursday. (Photo | Naveen Kumar/ EPS) As one of the measures under the Graded Action Plan formulated by the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority, entry of heavy and medium goods vehicles in the city will not be allowed. The ban will continue till December 11 and only goods carrying essential items are exempted. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police on Diwali registered a total of 562 cases under IPC Section 188 (disobedience of order) and arrested 310 people for violating the Supreme Courts order on bursting crackers in the designated time frame only. A total of 87 people were also arrested and 72 cases registered in connection with illegal sale of crackers, the police added.Out of the 562 cases registered, six cases were in New Delhi district, 22 in southwest district, 37 in east district, 59 in northeast district, 47 in Shadara, 30 in central, eight in north, 48 in northwest, 58 in Rohini, 48 in south, 23 in southeast, 52 in west, 89 in outer Delhi and 35 in Dwarka district of Delhi. About 2,776 kgs of firecrackers from various parts of the city were seized. WATCH: By PTI BHOPAL: Senior BJP leader and former Union minister Sartaj Singh Thursday wept openly after his name did not figure in the third list of party's candidates for the November 28 Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls. Singh (77) is a two-time MLA from Seoni-Malwa seat in the state's Hoshangabad district. The BJP Thursday released its third list of 32 candidates, leaving only six seats, in the 230-member MP House, for which no names have been declared so far. These are Seoni-Malwa, from which Singh is a sitting MLA, Panna, Lakhnadoun, Bhopal North, Mahidpur and Garoth. Sitting among his supporters, the Sikh leader tried to conceal his tears by covering his face for a few moments. According to a supporter of Singh, the BJP has told the veteran MLA that he would not be nominated from Seoni-Malwa. Singh was earlier dropped as MP PWD minister along with state Home minister Babulal Gaur in June 2016 reportedly due to old age. When contacted, Singh refused to divulge his next move and said that he was deliberating with supporters as well as senior leaders in Itarsi town in Hoshangabad. Asked for a comment on Singh's teary reaction after the announcement of the party's third list, MP BJP spokesperson Anil Soumitra said it was "unbecoming" on the part of the former. "The BJP has valued him immensely. The party has made him Union minister, twice MP Minister, MP and MLA. What more does he want?" Soumitra questioned. "Instead of Vanaprashta (retirement in forest), he wants to stay put in Grihastha (household)," he added. Meanwhile, the Congress took a dig at the BJP and said that the latter had a habit of treating senior leaders in such a manner. MP Congress spokesperson Bhupendra Gupta claimed that the BJP had "no respect" for elders and gave the example of party patriarch LK Advani. Asked whether the Congress was ready to field Singh from Hoshangabad constituency, as it has already announced a candidate from Seoni-Malwa seat, Gupta said such matters were decided by the party's high command. Congress sources, however, said Singh had been offered a ticket by the opposition party to contest from Hoshangabad. The BJP and Congress are yet to declare candidates for six and 17 seats respectively. By Online Desk Following a number of allegations about showing the Tamil Nadu government in bad light, team 'Sarkar' on Thursday agreed to cut the ''controversial scenes." On demand of the state government, the Vijay-starrer film has now muted the name "Komalavalli".Also, the alleged insults against the freebies are being removed, according to reports. Earlier in the day, Tamil Nadu Law minister CV Shanmugam condemned 'Sarkar' for allegedly attempting to instigate violence in society and said that it is not less than a terrorist instigating people for violence. "Through this movie, an attempt is made to instigate violence in society. It is not less than a terrorist instigating people for violence. It attempts to pull down a democratically elected government. We will take action against the actor and the team," C.V. Shanmugam said. ALSO READ: 'Sarkar' controversy: Police came to my house and banged the door several times, says AR Murugadoss The movie which has successfully minted 100 crores within two days of opening is getting a mixed reaction from the public. While some are considering the film as one of Vijay's best works, there are a few who think otherwise. By Online Desk 'Sarkar' producers Sun Pictures have put out a shocking tweet stating that Tamil Nadu police were at film director AR Murugadoss' residence to arrest him Thursday night. The production house has tweeted out stating, "Police reach director AR Murugadoss residence to arrest him." BREAKING NEWS : Police reach Director A.R.Murugadoss residence to arrest him. Sun Pictures (@sunpictures) November 8, 2018 This news has startled both fans and the film fraternity. Sun Pictures later put out another tweet stating that the cops had left the residence of AR Murugadoss since he was not present there, but not before enquiring about his whereabouts. ALSO READ: Distributors to clip 'offensive' scenes from Sarkar Sun Pictures (@sunpictures) November 8, 2018 AR Murugadoss on Twitter has stated that the police had come to his house late tonight and banged the door several times. He went on to add that, "Since I was not there they left the premises. Right now I was told there is no police outside my house." Police had come to my house late tonight and banged the door several times.Since I was not there they left the premises. Right now I was told there is no police outside my house. A.R.Murugadoss (@ARMurugadoss) November 8, 2018 The Tamil Nadu police, however, has denied plans to arrest the film maker. According to a Newsminute report, T-Nagar DCP said that regular patrol officers in that area were on their beat movement. A senior police officer said that police wanted to check the security measures at Murugadoss' residence. After facing many hurdles, Murugadoss' Sarkar' starring Vijay hit the theatres on Tuesday on the occasion of Diwali. Since the release of the film, many AIADMK ministers and party cadres have expressed their displeasure about certain scenes in 'Sarkar'. The party cadres even went on to protest outside various theatres in Tamil Nadu. Many of whom even indulged in damaging the banners and cutouts of Vijay which was placed outside cinema halls. It the reports are anything to go by, the 'Sarkar' team has decided to remove/mute a few scenes that were termed 'controversial'. Earlier in the day, Tamil Nadu Law minister CV Shanmugam condemned 'Sarkar' for allegedly attempting to instigate violence in society and said that it is not less than a terrorist instigating people for violence. "Through this movie, an attempt is made to instigate violence in society. It is not less than a terrorist instigating people for violence. It attempts to pull down a democratically elected government. We will take action against the actor and the team," C.V. Shanmugam said. 'Sarkar' had a blockbuster opening across Tamil Nadu and despite mixed reviews, the fans have given a thumbs up to the political flick. The movie has successfully minted 100 crores within two days of its release. (With inputs from ANI) Prasanta Mazumdar By Express News Service GUWAHATI: Meghalaya activist Agnes Kharshiing was attacked and left in a serious condition by suspected coal mafias in the states East Jaintia Hills district on Thursday. Kharshiing, who is the president of Shillong-based Civil Society Womens Organisation, sustained head injuries and was rushed to a local hospital. However, as her condition deteriorated, she was rushed to the NEIGRIHMS hospital in state capital Shillong. The incident occurred at Tuber Sohshrieh in East Jaintia Hills district around noon when she and fellow activist Anita Sangma visited the site to take stock of coal mining despite by a ban by the National Green Tribunal (NGT). Kharshiings brother John Kharshiing said Sangma too was attacked. The driver of their vehicle escaped unhurt, he said. The information that I received was that they were taking pictures and filming at the illegal coal mining site when a mob suddenly appeared before them and launched an attack, he said. According to reports, the duo was brutally assaulted and dragged into a jungle. Later, Sangma managed to crawl her way back to a nearby road and shouted for help. Kharshiing was spotted in the jungle, unconscious. The attack was perpetrated a day after based on Kharshiings complaint, the police had seized some coal-laden trucks in Shillong. She had been vocal against coal mining and exposed a number of cases of mining and transportation of coal ever since the NGT enforced the ban. By Express News Service MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Congress is planning to review its position in all the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state during a three-day meet next week. The party will decide on its alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) after the meeting, state Congress president Ashok Chavan said. Chavan confirmed that the 50:50 formula proposed by the NCP is unacceptable to his party. However, he stated that the seat-sharing formula would be finalised before November-end. He added that his party's review of all seats doesn't mean that their alliance with the NCP is under threat. During the three-day meet starting on November 15, the state Congress is planning to seek views of district-level leaders on sharing the Lok Sabha seats with allies. After the joint meeting between leaders from both the parties last week, it was said that both will stake claim to eight Lok Sabha constituencies. This is believed to have hurt the dialogue process. After the review meeting, the party is likely to renew its claim on the disputed seats, claimed a senior Congress leader. Anuradha Shukla By Express News Service NEW DELHI: With all eyes on the RBI board meeting on November 19, the government has asked Finance Ministry officials to avoid making any unnecessary public comments to fuel speculation. Officials of the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) will meet Finance Ministry officials ahead of the meeting. The market is rife with all kinds of rumours and speculation ahead of the November board meeting. In this context, any unnecessary public remarks by government officials may be counter-productive and may spark negative sentiment in the market and among investors, a senior government official told TNIE. Urjit Patel, RBI Governor | PTI The spat between the RBI and the Finance Ministry hit its lowest level last week after the ministry wrote to the RBI, threatening to invoke Section 7 of the RBI Act. This led to public outbursts of Deputy Governor Viral Acharya and sparked rumours that RBI Governor Urjit Patel might resign. After the markets reacted negatively to the news, the government issued statements to announce a ceasefire, albeit temporarily. However, the fight between the Finance Ministry and RBI is far from over, as can be seen by the recent tweets by Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg, wherein he took a jibe at the deputy governor. There are media reports that the government intends to step up the pressure on the central bank to relax lending curbs and hand over surplus reserves even if it risks provoking a resignation by the banks governor. In this backdrop, the PMO is likely to intervene. The official added that the PMO would have a meeting with the Finance Ministry team ahead of the November 19 board meeting.The PMO is keeping a close watch over the situation. Ahead of the meeting the PMO is likely to meet the Finance Ministry team to get full details of the situation, the official added. The spat between the RBI and the Finance Ministry hit its lowest level last week after the ministry wrote to the RBI, threatening to invoke Section 7 of the RBI Act. Urjit Patel to resign on Nov 19? If the govt-RBI rift escalates, there is a good chance the central bank governor will step down at the next board meeting, according to a Moneylife report By UNI KOLHAPUR: A commotion broke out late Wednesday night in Pulachai-Shiroli village in Hatkanangale tehsil of the district as the village sarpanch fired several gunshots in the air, after performing Laxmi puja. According to Shirili-MIDC Police this morning, Pulachai- Shiroli village Sarpanch Shashikant alias Bhau Khavre fired many rounds of bullets, in lieu of firecrackers, in the air with a revolver and a twelve bore gun. Supporters of sarpanch circulated the video of the incident on the messaging platform, WhatsApp. As the video was doing rounds on social media, it was noticed by police here. Deputy Superintendent of Police(Dysp) Suraj Gaurav directed the Shiroli-MIDC Police Station to take valid legal action against the sarpanch. Incidentally, Sarpanch Khavre, who is absconding after the firing incident, had pointed pistol at a leader of the opposition party during village election a few years ago. Shiroli-MIDC police has registered a case against Khavre under section 30 of The Arms Act,1959. A probe is underway and whether the accused has licenses for both the guns from which shots were fired, is also being investigated. A new UN envoy to Syria begins his tenure next month, with the challenges awaiting him being close to insoluble, writes Bassel Oudat in Damascus After much bickering between Russia and the US on who will succeed Staffan de Mistura as UN envoy to Syria, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has announced that the UN Security Council has chosen Norwegian diplomat Geir Pedersen as its new envoy to the country. Pedersen will leave his post as Norways Ambassador to Beijing to begin his new mission in early December. Pedersen, 63, is married with five children. Since 1998 he has held a variety of posts in Norways Foreign Ministry, and in 1993 he was a member of the Norwegian team in the Oslo talks that led to mutual recognition between the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and Israel. He served as UN representative to Lebanon after the assassination of former prime minister Rafiq Al-Hariri between 2007 and 2008 and as his countrys representative to the UN from 2012 to 2017. Pedersen expects his mission to be very difficult, but he has said he is hopeful he can contribute to ending the eight-year conflict. This conflict has continued for too many years, he said. If I can contribute to ending it, then I must say yes to the challenge. He said it was important to have the support of the UN Security Council and regional powers and to have a good dialogue with the Syrian parties so we can have a credible and comprehensive process. Former envoys including Kofi Annan, Lakhdar Brahimi and Staffan de Mistura all failed to end the suffering of the Syrian people. Annan was the best in pushing for a political solution through the holding of the Geneva I and Geneva II Conferences that stipulated that Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad cannot play any role in the countrys future and must leave power. During the tenures of Brahimi and de Mistura, the Syrian people suffered enormous losses. De Mistura contributed to the displacement of more people and the military defeat of the Syrian opposition due to his various empty promises. He comforted Al-Assad and was silent about the crimes of the regime. De Mistura followed the regime line on every issue, including fighting terrorism and possible partition, procrastinating on everything coming from the opposition. Pedersen will continue on the troubled path of his predecessor, with the Syrian opposition placing little faith in UN envoys, believing that the future of the country will in fact come through an eventual US-Russian agreement. De Mistura will leave his post after a last-ditch effort to form a Constituent Assembly to draft a new constitution for Syria. Russia wants this to be a product of the Astana Process it is sponsoring and not of UN Security Council Resolution 2254, which is the preferred international roadmap. Five issues in particular await Pedersen, including forming the Constituent Assembly and restarting the political process, ending the presence of foreign forces in Syria, maintaining the countrys unity, seeing to the return of the refugees and finally reconstruction. The biggest hurdle will be the Assembly, especially given the conflict of interests between a current led by Russia and supported by Iran and Syria and another led by the US supported by Europe, the Gulf countries and the opposition. These two currents were at loggerheads during de Misturas tenure, as Russia took the hardline position that the regime should appoint one third of the Assemblys members. Pedersen also faces the challenge of relaunching the political process based on the Geneva Conferences. Moscow wants the process to be based on the Astana Process, which guarantees that Al-Assad will remain in power while carrying out cosmetic reforms. The Geneva Conferences call for forming a transitional governing body with a full mandate that can transform Syria into a pluralist democratic country. Removing the foreign forces from Syria will be difficult, especially the Iranian militias, the Hizbullah forces and the Turkish, Russian, French and US troops in Syria. There are also fighters with terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda and Islamic State (IS). Keeping Syria united will require considerable effort amid the chaotic reality on the ground, regional and international interference, and attempts to divide the country along sectarian and ethnic lines. Syrias Kurds want to secede from the rest of the country, while the regime and Iran are carrying out widespread demographic changes. Pedersen must also consider the issue of reconstruction and the return of the refugees, complicated since countries with interests in Syria have linked reconstruction with a political settlement. Millions of Syrian refugees will not return home while Al-Assad remains in power, insisting that justice, security and peace will not come to the country while his regime continues. Some have described Pedersen as a possible saviour of the situation since he has many of the skills that could enable him to jumpstart the political process. Some expect the new UN envoy to reach a solution to the Syrian crisis, but the complex issues at play make it hard to believe he will. Will Pedersen be able to persuade Russia to accept opposition participation in the Constituent Assembly? Can he prevent Moscow from ramming through an alternative track, or make it abandon the Astana Process? Can he convince Iran to remove its militias from Syria? Can he convince the Kurds to abandon their dream of secession? It is unlikely that the Norwegian diplomat will succeed in reaching a solution to these complex problems. They require an international consensus, and this is not on the horizon. It is difficult to expect that Pedersen will find a breakthrough. He is likely to join his predecessors in failure and procrastination, even if it is to be hoped he will not falsify the truth, a regrettable feature of de Misturas tenure. * A version of this article appears in print in the 8 November, 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Challenges for the new envoy Search Keywords: Short link: Anant ST Das By Express News Service PATNA: A police chowkidar was dragged out of his house and shot dead in cold blood by the Maoists in Bihars Gaya district late on Wednesday night. ALSO READ | Chhattisgarh: Four including jawan killed as Maoists blow up CISF vehicle in Dantewada The bullet-ridden body of Rajeshwar Paswan, 45, was recovered near a canal at Rengania village under Amas police station on Thursday morning. In a handwritten note the rebels left at the scene of the crime, they said Paswan was punished for being a police informer. Half a dozen armed men arrived at his house late in the night and dragged him outside. They took him outside the village and shot him dead. The killers are believed to be Maoists. The matter is being probed, said Amas police station officer-in-charge Chandra Prakash Singh. Paswans body was sent for an autopsy to Anugrah Narayan Magadh Medical College and Hospital (ANMCH) in Gaya. Police sources said the chowkidar was under the hit list of the leftwing rebels for the past few months for the inputs he had been providing on their activities. Gaya is one of four southern districts of Bihar which are part of the countrys 30 districts that are the most affected by leftwing extremism. The other three districts in the state are Aurangabad, Jamui and Lakhisarai. Two other Maoist-affected districts in Bihar Nawada and Muzaffarpur had shed the worst-hit tag in the home ministrys latest assessment in April. With a marked reduction in incidents of violence perpetrated by the leftwing insurgents, Bihar is now ranked fifth among Maoist-affected states, below Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Maharashtra. In the Union home ministrys rankings last year, Bihar was ranked third. The state witnessed only 33 incidents of Maoist violence during the first six months of this year, according to the ministrys half-yearly review. In rural areas of southern Bihar, the Maoists often kill ordinary citizens and security personnel they suspect of being police informers. In September, a jawan of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) was shot dead outside his home by the Maoists in Jamui district after being suspected of being a police informer. By Express News Service BENGALURU: Amid a cheering crowd contained in a file behind police barricades outside his residence, former Prime Minister HD Devegowda welcomed Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday. The two leaders, in the presence of Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, discussed the need to bring all non-BJP parties on board in the run-up to the 2019 elections in an hour-long meeting at Devegowda's residence. ALSO READ | Chandrababu Naidus fight against BJP gets an impetus Thursday meeting was part of Naidu's continued efforts to hold talks with leaders of regional parties across the country to arrive at a consensus over a united front against the BJP. Naidu, who visited AICC President Rahul Gandhi earlier this week, is scheduled to meet DMK Chief MK Stalin in Chennai on Friday. Criticising the union government became the common ground of discussion between the three leaders who postured themselves in perfect harmony for cameras prior to the meeting and post it. "You are interested in PM candidate or politics but I am only interested in safeguarding the constitution. All of us will decide," Naidu said when asked about his support to Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Ministerial face of the united opposition if there were one to be. All three leaders spoke about the 'failures' of the union government and its alleged misuse of central agencies. "Country is paramount and not individuals. It is the responsibility of all secular parties including Congress to come together to defeat the NDA government," HD Devegowda said. The JD(S) supremo reiterated that Naidu had been holding talks with leaders like Sharad Pawar, Farooq Abdullah, Mayawati, Mamata Banerjee, MK Stalin as well as Rahul Gandhi to do his best to consolidate all secular parties. Speaking to the media post the meeting, HD Kumaraswamy referred to Naidu as a 'coordinator' between regional parties. "Former PM Devegowda's guidance has been sought considering his seniority and experience. Naidu has taken the initiative of becoming a coordinator between parties to bring everyone on board. 2019 will see a repeat of 1996," HD Kumaraswamy said. Naidu met HD Devegowda with the same intentions and at the same venue as his Telangana counterpart K Chandrashekhar Rao in April albeit without the Congress in the picture. After Mamata Banerjee and KCR, it is not Naidu's turn to approach non-BJP parties for a consensus on a common front. "We have a common objective. I have joined this momentum to save this country, democracy. I have spoken to Mayawati and Akhilesh. I am interested in consensus. Once I finish meeting everyone we will hold a meeting. This is just an initial exercise," Naidu said. By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Crime Branch will probe the murder of a 32-year-old man at Neyyattinkara who was allegedly pushed before a speeding car by Neyyattinkara DySP B Harikumar on Monday night. On Wednesday, State Police Chief Loknath Behera gave his nod for Rural SP P Asok Kumars recommendation for a crime branch investigation as the accused is a senior police officer. ALSO READ | Police in Tamil Nadu to trace accused DySP The accused police officer has been suspended and he is still absconding and the police have expanded the investigation to trace him. I have recommended a crime branch probe as there is a circular in the Police Department. It is suitable in this case as the accused is a police officer. However, our investigation is progressing and it will continue until a new state crime branch team will take over the probe, Asok told Express. The victim Sanal Kumar was allegedly pushed before a speeding car by the accused late on Monday following an argument over parking their cars at Kodanagavila near Neyyattinkara. Sanal, an electrician and a resident of Kamukinkode near Neyyattinkara, was fatally injured and succumbed to injuries following heavy blood loss. Harikumar went absconding soon after the incident. On Tuesday, the Neyyattinkara police registered a murder case (IPC Section-302) against Harikumar and a special investigation team was constituted. He was also suspended by the department as part of the disciplinary measure. Manoj Viswanathan By Express News Service KOCHI: It is rightly called the festival of lights, with diyas lighting the entrance to houses and colourful crackers illuminating the night sky. However, the sparkle of Diwali festivities in the state was low-key with people abandoning big celebrations following the devastating flood and the restrictions imposed by the Supreme Court on fireworks. "We are happy to see Kerala celebrate a green and safe Diwali," said deputy chief controller of Explosives (Kerala and Lakshadweep) R Venugopal. "Not a single accident was reported in the state and the sale of crackers was really low." According to him, people in the state celebrated with sparklers and flowerpots which don't create noise pollution. "The Supreme Court emphasised the need to use green crackers and we in turn informed firecracker dealers about the need to reduce sales. District police chiefs and the district magistrates were briefed about the Supreme Court order and the authorities initiated steps to avoid the use of harmful crackers. We think the recent flood was also a reason for the reduced use of crackers," he said. Kerala State Pollution Control Board chairman K Sajeevan said data on noise and air pollution during the Diwali days is being compiled. "Indications are celebrations were less widespread this year," he said.Not surprisingly, it has been a disappointing Diwali for firecracker manufacturers in Paravur and Cherai which are already reeling under the huge losses incurred in the flood. Many units are yet to start production. "We started manufacturing crackers for this year from May onwards, but all the stocks were destroyed in the flood," said Baiju, the owner of Babu Fireworks unit at Paravur. "We incurred a loss of `30 lakh. My father who was shattered by the devastation died recently. We are in a debt trap and I have had to get the licence changed to my name to restart the unit. We brought some crackers from Sivakasi for our regular customers, but the sales were not encouraging." Other firecracker manufacturersl ikeMonappas, Chandran and Burma Fireworks were hit. "All our stocks were destroyed in the flood. We incurred loss stock to market for the festival," said Burma Fireworks owner Ramakrishnan. By Express News Service KOCHI: The IRCTC has launched a Ramayana tour package to Sri Lanka from Kochi. The six-day package will cost Rs 45,904 per person. An IRCTC press release said the journey will start on December 11 from CIAL; the return to Kochi will be on December 17. The itinerary includes visits to Dambulla, Trincomalee, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Colombo. Tickets include the fare of economy class tickets, stay in three-star hotels, an air-conditioned vehicle for travelling in Sri Lanka, entry tickets at all pilgrim centres and tourist destinations, tour guide, visa charges and travel insurance. For details, visit www.irctctourism.com or contact IRCTC Thiruvananthapuram: 9567863245, Kozhikode: 9746743047 and Ernakulam: 956786341/9567863242. By Express News Service KOCHI: The state government on Wednesday informed the High Court that neither the media nor genuine devotees were prevented by the police from entering Sabarimala. The government said when the temple opened for monthly poojas on October 17, several women devotees aged 10 to 50 had come to the hill shrine. Devotees climbing the holy steps leading to the sanctum sanctorum of Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple on Monday (file photo) | B P Deepu However, extremist groups assembled unlawfully at the hill shrine under the garb of Namajapam and forcefully prevented women from exercising their fundamental right to pray at Sabarimala. The police made necessary arrangements to prevent any illegal activity and provide security for pilgrims when the temple opened for Chithira Atta Vishesham on November 5, the government said. The Centre had issued a letter to Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka governments following information that Hindu outfits and certain caste-based outfits were conducting statewide protests against the Supreme Court verdict on women entry. The Centre had directed the state to take effective measures to maintain law and order and the state acted as per the Centres directives, the government submitted. The government said the prohibitory orders were issued based on an intelligence report. It filed the statement in response to a petition by Janam TV chief editor G K Suresh Babu, who challenged the government order banning the entry of media at the Sabarimala temple premises between November 3 and the morning of November 5. By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has condemned the Railways for erasing the mural, depicting the Wagon Tragedy, at the Tirur railway station. In a strongly-worded letter, the CM said through its actions the public sector giant had belittled the the Independence Movement. The murals of Wagon Tragedy and Thunchath Ramanujan Ezhuthachan were drawn on the walls of the Tirur station as part of the Railways nationwide programme to portray historic incidents and cultural movements. It is learnt the Railways decided to remove the mural following opposition from some Sangh Parivar groups. The RSS, with the help of the Union Government, is trying to distort Indias history. The word Freedom has become allergic to them, he said. The Chief Minister said the RSS did not play any role in the Independent Struggle. They supported the British whenever they got a chance. It is no wonder they fear the golden annals of Freedom Struggle. The railway authorities decision can only be seen as anti-national, he said. By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after a 32-year-old man was allegedly murdered by Neyyattinkara DySP B Harikumar following an altercation, the investigation team probing the case has gone to Tamil Nadu after reports that the accused had fled to Madurai. A police team including two sub-inspectors left for Madurai on Wednesday morning. A source said the accused would move for anticipatory bail and his phone is found to be switched off. Nedumangad ASP Sujith Das, who is leading the team, told Express a police team has been sent to Madurai to trace the accused and a probe is simultaneously progressing in Neyyattinkara too. On Wednesday, a police team raided the house of Harikumar at Neyyattinkara. We are weighing all options. The team has some pressure to trace the accused at the earliest. We have got some vital clues and are not in a position to divulge. However, the accused will soon be landed in the police net, Sujith said. IG rank officer should probe, says Chennithala TPuram: Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala has said an official in the rank of IG should be entrusted with the investigation against Neyyattinkara DySP B Harikumar. Its a murder committed by a DySP, and hence the responsibility lies with the government. Hence the victims family should be provided compensation, financial aid for childrens education and a government job for the victims wife, he said. Chennithala said he would give a letter to the Chief Minister raising these demands. Chennithala also criticised the decision to entrust the probe with an ASP. Harikumar should be dismissed: Sanals wife Viji, Sanal Kumars wife, said Harikumar should be dismissed from the police service and he should be arrested. Suspension is not enough. He should be put behind bars and removed from service, Viji said. A delegation from Neyyattinkara also submitted a petition to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday demanding the arrest of Harikumar. DySP visited CPM office after the murder, says BJP TPuram: Suspended DySP B Harikumar, who allegedly murdered a youth by pushing him in front of a moving car, had visited the CPM district office soon after the incident, the BJP has alleged. The CPM and the police are protecting the accused. The officer had frequently contacted CPM district secretary Anavoor Nagappan, Neyyattinkara MLA K Ansalan and former CPM MLA V Sivankutty, said BJP district president S Suresh. By ANI NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu Law minister CV Shanmugam on Thursday condemned Tamil actor Vijay's recent release 'Sarkar' for allegedly attempting to instigate violence in society and said that it is not less than a terrorist instigating people for violence. "Through this movie, an attempt is made to instigate violence in society. It is not less than a terrorist instigating people for violence. It attempts to pull down a democratically elected government. We will take action against the actor and the team," C.V. Shanmugam said. READ| Thanks to Vijay-starrer 'Sarkar', now people are googling for section 49P The movie which has successfully minted 100 crores within two days of opening is getting a mixed reaction from the public. While some are considering the film as one of Vijay's best works, there are a few who think otherwise. This is not the first time Vijay's film has attracted controversies for its political content and views. In 2017, the Bharatiya Janata Party raised objections to a section in his film 'Mersal' for promoting 'misconceptions' about central government schemes, including Goods and Services Tax (GST), demonetisation and Digital India. By PTI WASHINGTON: Greeting people across the world observing Diwali, the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday said that it is a festival that celebrates the triumph of light over darkness. He also said that it is also a time of reflection and prayer when observers perform seva, or selfless service, without any expectation of reward or payment. In a Diwali message wishing people a joyous and prosperous holiday, Pompeo said, "Also known as the 'Festival of Lights', this special occasion celebrates the triumph of light over darkness." The US Secretary of State said that nearly a billion celebrants from around the world will light the diya, or lamp, "as a reminder that good ultimately overcomes evil, understanding over ignorance, and kindness over animosity". "As those celebrating decorate their homes with vibrant lights, I would also like to recognize the achievements of our friends in the United States observing Diwali who make important contributions to our country on a daily basis," Pompeo said. Senator John Cornyn, who is co-chair of the Senate India Caucus, said that Diwali marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year, and millions across the globe - including hundreds of thousands of Indian-Americans in Texas - celebrate the Festival of Lights. "These lights are physical, including lanterns, candles, and fireworks, but for those who light the flames, they hold a deeper meaning. Diwali celebrates awareness of one's inner light and light's triumph over darkness. It celebrates goodness over evil and hope over despair," he said. Tulsi Gabbard, the first Hindu elected to the US House of Representatives, in a video message said that Diwali is such a special time of year where people all over the world are coming together to light their lamps in honour the return of Lord Ramachandra to His kingdom after many years in exile, and celebrate the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. "Unfortunately, in our world today, we find ourselves surrounded by darkness and divisiveness, based on race, gender, politics, or religion. We see political leaders and influencers, people in the media, unfortunately fomenting bigotry and hatred, for their own personal or political gain," she rued. Rather than engaging in constructive dialogue, treating each other with respect, disagreeing without being disagreeable, too much of the public discourse is dominated by hatred, tribalism, and character assassination which unfortunately has also led to threats or acts of violence, Gabbard said. The empowerment of women was a core policy of the post-Saddam era in Iraq, but systemic failures have prevented Iraqi womens full participation in society UN Special Representative in Iraq Jan Kubis has complained of a lack of female representation in the new Iraqi government following a session of the parliament on 25 October in which 14 ministers were sworn into the new cabinet. In a statement, Kubis welcomed the partial formation of Iraqs new cabinet by Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi but voiced deep concern at the lack of female representation among the ministers announced so far. Kubis noted that there are excellent, well-qualified and experienced females active in the political life [of Iraq], and ignoring their potential is to miss important opportunities. Abdul-Mahdi suggested two women for the justice and education portfolios, but both were rejected along with six other nominees by the lawmakers who asked the prime minister for replacements. Abdul-Mahdi was supposed to have considered reopening a ministry of women that had been closed by his predecessor, but so far he has made no mention of his plans. Under the electoral law enacted after the fall of former dictator Saddam Hussein in the US-led invasion in 2003, Iraqi women were given a quota of 25 per cent in the national parliament and other elected local councils. In the five national elections that have taken place since then so far, few female candidates have gained the votes necessary to win their seats, and most of them have filled their seats thanks to the womens quota allocated to their lists according to the proportional representation voting system. Some 2,600 women candidates ran for the 83 seats reserved for women in the 12 May elections. The number of candidates provoked a backlash from anti-feminist elements or doubters, a largely hidden but common trend challenging gender equality. During the election campaign, posters of female candidates were defaced and photographs allegedly of candidates wearing revealing clothing were spread online. That vandalism was apparently the work of conservative elements in the male-dominated society. It underlined the fact that womens contribution and participation in the parliament has not been duly acknowledged. While sitting in the legislature could in theory give women an important role, the question is whether Iraqi women have been able to make their voices heard and have a share in crucial decision-making. Records have shown that a higher percentage of females in Iraqs parliament has only provided women with symbolic participation, and the lack of women in decision-making positions percolates up to the top. As parliamentary records since 2006 show, most women members have had little effect on legislation, largely siding with their parties and blocs during debates and decision-making. Women are often taken advantage of and are kept in the background. If you are outstanding and hardworking [but] do not belong to the royal families of Iraq (of which we have so many), then they will create a sexual scenario to ruin your reputation, Hezha Khan, a Kurdish activist, told the Kurdistan-based Rudaw news outlet. Many activists have even demanded that the quota system be abolished, arguing that quantity should not come at the expense of quality and blaming the system for bringing unqualified women into politics. Meanwhile, those Iraqi women who are in politics are exposed to abuse by politicians or political groups. A recent case in point was that of former MP Shatha Al-Abbousi who faces charges of embezzlement and forgery in regard to the May elections. According to audio recordings leaked to a local newspaper, Al-Abbousi was brokering between candidates and senior members of the Independent Elections Committee to buy seats in the current parliament. The tapes reveal dubious connections with militia leaders and underhand business, but they also reveal the vulnerability of women in Iraqi politics and how they are used by politicians of influence. But while the lack of womens representation and leadership roles underscores the empowerment deficiency, Iraqi women face a range of other challenges such as growing anti-feminism in the country and even high-profile killing. The latest woman to be killed was Tara Faris, a fashion model and social media star whose carefully crafted lifestyle and fashion photographs drew more than 2.7 million followers on Instagram. Faris, a former beauty queen who was voted one of Iraqs most-followed social media stars, was shot three times in September while at the wheel of her white convertible in an upscale Baghdad neighbourhood. A week earlier, a womens rights activist, Suad Al-Ali, was killed in Basra, gunned down on the way to her car. Meanwhile, two beauticians, Rasha Al-Hassan and Rafif Al-Yasiri, died in mysterious circumstances in Baghdad one week apart in August. Former Iraqi prime minister Haider Al-Abadi acknowledged that that the deaths were not random events and pledged to hunt down the attackers. The killings have triggered fears of an organised witch-hunt targeting outspoken women or females resisting the traditions of a conservative society and aiming at silencing them. Shimaa Qassem, a former Miss Iraq, said she had received death threats days after another Iraqi model was shot dead. Another model, Jihan Hashim, voiced similar fears for her life, saying she was planning to leave Kurdistan for a safe haven abroad. However, the status of the Iraqi women who comprise 57 per cent of the total population has declined steadily since 2003. Iraqi women have suffered economic and social difficulties due to conflicts, violence and economic hardships. In addition, religious, political and economic conflicts have taken their toll on Iraqi women, including in the form of physical abuse, domestic violence and honour killings. Early marriage is another serious issue that Iraqi women face, as the countrys post-Saddam rulers have started flouting an existing law that forbids child marriage. The United Nations childrens agency UNICEF has estimated that approximately one in five girls in Iraq are married before the age of 18. While poverty and conflict could be behind the phenomenon, newly rising conservatism is believed to be the main driver of child marriage in Iraq. Members of the ruling Shia parties have tried several times over recent years to change the law in order to allow marriage for girls as young as nine, which they claim would be in line with Islamic Sharia law. The measure was blocked after opposition by national NGOs and international human rights groups. Yet, it is widely expected that Shia religious politicians will try to reintroduce the bill to the new parliament. Fifteen years after the US-led invasion of Iraq, the protracted political conflicts and the failure to rebuild the country have had devastating consequences for Iraqi women and girls. The facade of womens empowerment and participation in politics cannot hide the reality that women continue to face ongoing hardships and discrimination in conflict-ridden Iraq. From imposing veiling and abusing females for wearing makeup by the Islamist groups in power to segregation in the public sphere, Iraqi women are being seriously discriminated against in almost every major area. As a result, womens empowerment in Iraq is a myth not only because they are still underrepresented at the decision-making table, but also because across professional fields and in real life they are still not free from social, economic and political pressures or constraints. The post-Saddam political system dominated by Islamist Shia groups is particularly accountable for the regression of the status of Iraqi women, regardless of the countrys circumstances. * A version of this article appears in print in the 8 November, 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Reality or myth of female empowerment? Search Keywords: Short link: By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The United States has exempted India from certain sanctions for the development of the strategically located Chabahar Port in Iran, along with the construction of the railway line connecting it with Afghanistan.The decision by the Trump administration, which a day earlier imposed the toughest-ever sanctions on Iran, is seen as a recognition by Washington of Indias role in development of the port on the Gulf of Oman, which is of immense strategic importance for the development of war-torn Afghanistan. After extensive consideration, the secretary (of state) has provided for an exception from imposition of certain sanctions under the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act of 2012, with respect to the development of Chabahar port, construction of an associated railway and for shipment of non-sanctionable goods through the port for Afghanistans use, as well as the countrys continued imports of Iranian petroleum products, a State Department spokesperson told PTI. The US on Monday imposed the toughest-ever sanctions on a Iran aimed at altering the regimes behaviour. The sanctions cover Irans banking and energy sectors and reinstate penalties for countries and companies around the world that do not halt Iranian oil imports. However, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that eight countriesIndia, China, Italy, Greece, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Turkeywere temporarily allowed to continue buying Iranian oil as they showed significant reduction in oil purchase from the country. To a question on the fate of Chabahar port after the US reimposed all its sanctions on Iran, the spokesperson said, This exception relates to reconstruction assistance and economic development for Afghanistan. These activities are vital for the ongoing support of Afghanistans growth and humanitarian relief. By AFP MULTAN: A Pakistani Christian woman who spent eight years on death row for blasphemy has been freed from jail and is believed to have already flown out of the city of Multan where she was being held, heading for an unknown destination, her lawyer said Thursday. Asia Bibi's release comes a week after her acquittal in a landmark case that triggered angry Islamist protests in Muslim-majority Pakistan and following appeals from her husband for Britain or the United States to grant the family asylum. Her lawyer fled to the Netherlands on Saturday under threat to his life. Bibi's conviction was overturned by the country's highest court last Wednesday, but she remained in prison as the government negotiated with hardliners who blockaded major cities and demanded her immediate execution. "She has been freed," lawyer Saif-ul-Mulook said in a text message to AFP. "I have been told that she is on a plane but nobody knows where she will land." According to a civil aviation official, the aircraft that collected Bibi from jail would be required to land in Islamabad but it was unclear if she may have had a connecting flight. READ HERE: Fearing for life, Asia Bibi's lawyer flees Pakistan; requests government to protect family Following protests at last week's ruling, the government agreed in a deal with Islamists to impose a travel ban on Bibi, and not to challenge an appeal in the Supreme Court. An order for her release arrived Wednesday at the jail in the central city of Multan where she was held, a prison official told AFP. "Asia Bibi has left the prison and has been transferred to a safe place!" tweeted Antonio Tajani, president of the European Parliament. Another civil aviation official, in Multan, said a small plane arrived in the city with "a few foreigners and some Pakistanis" on board to fetch Bibi. Her case has underscored deep divisions between traditionalists and modernisers in the devoutly Muslim country. The conviction stemmed from a 2009 incident when Bibi was asked to fetch water while out working in the fields. Muslim women labourers objected to her touching the water bowl as a non-Muslim, and a fight reportedly erupted. A local imam then claimed Bibi insulted the Prophet Mohammed. Bibi has consistently denied the charges, and her prosecution rallied international rights groups, politician, and religious figures. Pope Benedict XVI called for her release in 2010, while his successor, Pope Francis, met her daughter in 2015. Incendiary charge Bibi's husband Ashiq Masih has appealed for Britain or the United States to grant the family asylum and several governments including those if Italy and France have offered to help. Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini tweeted: "I will do everything humanly possible to guarantee this young woman's future." Blasphemy is an incendiary charge in Muslim-majority Pakistan, where even unsubstantiated allegations of insulting Islam can result in death at the hands of mobs. ALSO READ: Life in the shadows: Pakistani Christians fear arrest in Thailand Mere calls to reform the law have provoked violence, most notably the assassination of Salmaan Taseer, the governor of Pakistan's Punjab province, by his own bodyguard in Islamabad in 2011. Taseer had called for Bibi's release, and his son Shahbaz tweeted "Pakistan Zindabad" ("Long live Pakistan") following last week's ruling. Thousands of Islamist hardliners poured onto the streets in protest after Supreme Court judges overturned Bibi's conviction last Wednesday. Demonstrations broke out in major cities across the country in the wake of the ruling, with club-wielding protesters blocking Islamabad's main highway and barricading roads in Karachi and Lahore. One of the most vocal groups in the protests -- the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) -- called for "mutiny" against the army's top brass and the assassination of the top court's justices. In a statement, the TLP termed Bibi's release "against the government agreement". "The entire atmosphere of Pakistan is in pain and grief after hearing the news about the blasphemer of the holy prophet Asia," it said. One resident in Multan, Rizwan Khan, told AFP that Bibi would not be safe wherever she went, while another, Qari Muneer, said the decision should be reversed and called for her to receive "strict punishment". By ANI DUBLIN: Irish low-cost airline Ryanair has sacked six cabin crew for faking a picture of themselves sleeping on the floor at Malaga Airport in Spain, where they had to stay overnight owing to inclement weather. Ryanair exposes fake photo of cabin crew sleeping in crew room. Watch video here: pic.twitter.com/tzTn6EHsKH Ryanair (@Ryanair) October 17, 2018 The staged image surfaced on social media last month, after flights to Porto city in Portugal were disrupted due to thunderstorms. Several flights were diverted to Malaga. The photograph was then shared on online platforms, CNN reported. According to the security footage, the six cabin crew were seen getting into a position on the floor for the snap. After the picture was taken, the staffers got up and walked away. In a statement, Ryanair said that the staffers were fired for "breach of contract on grounds of gross misconduct." "The stranded crew, in a gesture of protest, took a photo that immediately became viral: Laying on the floor was the only option to rest their 'suitable accommodation'," Portuguese union had SNPVAC said last month. This is a Ryanair 737 crew based in Portugal, stranded in Malaga, Spain a couple of nights ago due to storms. They are sleeping on the floor of the Ryanair crew room. RYR is earning 1.25 billion this year but will not put stranded crews in a hotel for the night. @peterbellew ? pic.twitter.com/lILWZVqqGj Jim Atkinson (@Jimbaba) October 14, 2018 However, Ryanair clarified that the flight crew were in the crew room for a brief, before being shifted to a VIP lounge. The budget carrier added that the "hotels were fully booked" due to a national holiday. By PTI WASHINGTON: Experts in the US have welcomed the Trump administration's decision to exempt India from the imposition of certain sanctions for the development of the strategically-located Chabahar Port in Iran, along with the construction of the railway line connecting it with Afghanistan. ALSO READ | US exempts India from sanctions for development of Irans Chabahar The decision taken on Tuesday by the Trump administration, which a day earlier imposed the toughest ever sanctions on Iran and is very restrictive in giving exemptions, is a seen as a recognition by Washington of India's major role in the development of the port on the Gulf of Oman, which is of immense strategic importance for the reconstruction of war-torn Afghanistan. "This was the right call. India's ability to not just continue its development assistance to Afghanistan but also to scale up will be vastly enhanced by the development of the Chabahar port," Alyssa Ayres, a senior fellow for India, Pakistan, and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations think-tank, said. Ayres, who had worked in the State Department in the Obama administration, said as Kabul and New Delhi seek ways to increase trade connectivity for Afghan exporters to the enormous Indian market, an overland and sea supply chain will be helpful as everything cannot be exported economically via air freight. "Increasing opportunities for economic activity in Afghanistan will be crucial for the country's stability, and India is the most important economy in the region to provide that ballast," she said. According to Anish Goel, who was part of the White House's National Security Team during the Obama regime, the exception for the Chabahar port is a reflection of the "competing priorities at play". "As much as the (US) administration wants to squeeze and isolate Iran, it also does not want to do anything to damage or restrict the ongoing efforts in Afghanistan. The port, when finished, will be vital for shipping goods to Afghanistan," he said. "But it is clear that the exception was written to be as narrow as possible and focus only on those activities that will be beneficial to Afghanistan," Goel added. The Chabahar Port is considered a gateway to golden opportunities for trade by India, Iran and Afghanistan with central Asian countries besides ramping up trade among the three countries after Pakistan denied transit access to India. The exemption provided to India is a much welcome and necessary step in the right direction, noted Bharath Gopalaswamy, director of the South Asian centre in the think-tank, Atlantic Council. ALSO READ | US to exempt China, India, Japan from Iran oil sanctions: Mike Pompeo The exemption underscores that the US understands the opportunities that India offers by being an important partner and player in the region, he said, adding, "This was the right step in the right direction. " In May 2016, India, Iran and Afghanistan inked a pact which entailed the establishment of Transit and Transport Corridor among the three countries using Chabahar Port as one of the regional hubs for sea transportation in Iran, besides multi-modal transport of goods and passengers across the three nations. The port in the Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich nations southern coast is easily accessible from India's western coast and is increasingly seen as a counter to Pakistan's Gwadar Port, which is being developed with Chinese investment and is located at distance of around 80 km from Chabahar. A hard-fought race for governor in Georgia remained unresolved on Thursday, two days after U.S. elections, with Democrat Stacey Abrams forming a litigation team for possible legal challenges even as Republican Brian Kemp met with the states current governor to begin planning his transition to the office. Kemp declared victory late on Wednesday, hours after the Abrams campaign said it believed thousands of as-yet uncounted provisional, mailed-in and absentee ballots could still force a runoff election. Abrams and voting-rights groups have cried foul over the fact that as Georgias secretary of state Kemp is the states top election official, meaning his office is overseeing his own election results. But Kemp announced his resignation as secretary of state at a news conference alongside current Republican Governor Nathan Deal on Thursday, saying it would ensure public confidence in the final results, while freeing him to focus on preparing for his new role as governor. Abrams, 44, is vying to become the countrys first black woman to be elected governor of a U.S. state. She has accused Kemp of deliberately suppressing minority votes, an allegation Kemp has denied. Under state law, if no candidate reaches 50 percent of the vote, the top two finishers advance to a second election in December. A minor party candidate also ran in Tuesdays race. Kemps vote count stood at 50.33 percent as of Thursday morning, according to unofficial results. The Georgia race was one of several around the country that were still undecided two days after the elections, in which control of the U.S. Congress, 36 governorships and hundreds of state offices were up for grabs. Democrats won a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives for the first time since losing power in the 2010 election, while Republicans were set to expand their majority in the U.S. Senate. The result was a setback for Republican President Donald Trump. But he shrugged that off on Wednesday, trumpeting his role in Republican gains in the Senate and threatening to fight back if Democrats use their new majority in the House to launch investigations into his administration and finances. FLORIDA, ARIZONA RACES The Florida race for U.S. Senate was headed for an automatic recount, with Republican Rick Scott, the states outgoing governor, holding a lead of less than half a percentage point over the Democratic incumbent, Bill Nelson. A recount is automatically triggered under state law if the margin of victory is below 0.5 percent, unless the losing candidate refuses. Nelsons campaign planned to pursue the recount, a move that Scotts campaign called sad and desperate. Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate race in Arizona was still too close to call, with elections officials expected to take days to tally hundreds of thousands of outstanding ballots. Republican Martha McSally and Democrat Krysten Sinema, both congresswomen, were locked in a tight battle, with McSally holding a 49.4 percent to 48.4 percent lead as of Thursday morning. Several Republican officials filed a lawsuit on Wednesday night seeking to limit the number of mail-in ballots that are counted. Most voters in Arizona cast ballots by mail, which under state law must have their signatures verified before they can be counted. If a problem with a signature is identified, county recorders are allowed to contact the voter to determine whether the ballot was properly cast. The lawsuit claims that two counties improperly permit voters to fix problems even after Election Day and that a uniform standard should be enforced. An update to the figures in massive Maricopa County, where the majority of Arizona votes are cast, was expected late on Thursday. Search Keywords: Short link: A report by Egypt's Ministry of Agriculture says that Egypt has imported 10.1 million tonnes of wheat from nine countries in Eastern Europe and Asia since January. One of the world's largest wheat importers, Egypt imported nearly 7.1 million tonnes from Russia, the report said. In second place came Ukraine at 100,000 tonnes. Egypt cultivates nearly 3 million tonnes of wheat annually, but consume between 13 and 16 million tonnes of wheat every year. In 2016/17, Egypt imported 5.5 million tonnes of wheat, compared to 4.6 million tonnes in the 2015/16 season. In October, Egypt said it is in the early stages of talks with international banks over a plan to hedge against the global rise in commodity prices. Cairo spends around $1.5 billion annually on wheat imports to support a sprawling bread subsidy programme relied on by tens of millions of Egyptians. Search Keywords: Short link: Reporter Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk). Reporter/Columnist Julie Wurth is a reporter covering the University of Illinois at The News-Gazette. Her email is jwurth@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@jawurth). Egypt's Agriculture and Land Reclamation Minister Ezzedin Abu Steit said that the Central Administration of Plant Quarantine has opened markets in Japan for the Egyptian agricultural products. In statements to the press on Thursday, Abu Steit said that the Japanese market has been opened to many Egyptian crops after holding negotiations with the Japanese side and carrying out technical and quarantine studies. Both sides probed export requirements for a number of Egyptian vegetables and fruits, the minister said, adding that it was agreed upon to apply phytosanitary conditions required by Japan. The agricultural crops to be exported to the Japanese market include potatoes, green onions, cucumbers, garlic, courgettes, okra, artichoke, green peas, green beans, asparagus, sesame, melons, watermelons and dates, Abu Steit said. Search Keywords: Short link: One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021 Former Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) Commissioner General Mr Gershem Pasi has appeared before Chief Magistrate Mishrod Guvamombe facing charges of criminal abuse of office prejudicing the revenue collector of $11 million. Pasi was granted US$2000 bail and ordered to deposit surety in the form of title deeds worth US$150 000, and to report twice a week at Borrowdale Police Station. Chief Murinye (Mr Ephias Munodawafa) on Tuesday told US Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Brian Nichols that illegal economic sanctions imposed by his country on Zimbabwe should be removed as they were hurting ordinary people. Chief Murinye, who was giving a vote of thanks at the end of a signing ceremony for US$475 000 availed by the US government through the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) at Great Zimbabwe Monuments, said the US should consider the suffering of the people because of the sanctions. The chief, who graduated with a Law degree at the University of Zimbabwe last year and under whose jurisdiction the Great Zimbabwe Monument falls, told Mr Nichols to tell US President Mr Donald Trump to remove the illegal economic blockade on Zimbabwe. My message to you (Ambassador Nichols) is that please tell the great American President (Mr Donald) Trump to lift sanctions on Zimbabwe, said Chief Murinye, who is one of Masvingos prominent chiefs. Zimbabwe is reeling from those sanctions. Tell him to have mercy on us and lift the sanctions. Chief Murinyes take on the illegal sanctions had been stoked by Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs Ezra Chadzamira, who had earlier called on the US administrations financial assistance for the preservation of Great Zimbabwe Monuments to be extended to the Zimbabwean economy in general. He said such financial assistance would help the country to realise its developmental goals as envisioned by President Mnangagwas administration, which seeks to make Zimbabwe an upper-middle income economy by 2030. I cannot agree further with what the Minister of State has said in his speech. You can cut a limb to save a life, but you cannot take away life to save a limb. Our economy is our life and lifeline, said Chief Murinye. Speaking to the media after Chief Murinyes speech, Minister Chadzamira said the traditional leader was right to call for the lifting of the illegal sanctions on Harare by Washington. Yes, he (Chief Murinye) is right, the illegal sanctions should be removed. They (US government) cannot give us support (the AFCP) on one side, but on the other the country is reeling from an illegal economic blockade imposed by it, said Minister Chadzamira. He dismissed allegations that Chief Murinye had used the wrong platform to talk about US sanctions, saying the economic embargo was stifling development in the country. Zimbabwe has been reeling under the ruinous sanctions imposed by the West led by the US nearly 20 years ago. Washington enacted the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act (ZIDERA), which has been renewed on an annual basis by successive US Presidents since 2001 in response to countrys land reform programme. ZIDERA orders US representatives in international financial institutions to vote against any move to extend financial lines of credit to Zimbabwe among other things. Head of the European Union Delegation to Egypt Ambassador Ivan Surkos said that Egypt will cut the tariff on cars imported from the EU to reach zero percent starting from January 2019, in accordance with an approved schedule of Egypt-EU partnership agreement. In statements on Thursday, he added that this was officially announced during a meeting of the Egyptian-European partnership committee. The ambassador added that the relations between Egypt and the EU are expanded in all important fields of sustainable economic and social development and stability in Egypt. The meeting also assessed the development in implementing the outcome of the meeting that was held in 2017, he said. The ambassador pointed out that the meeting also tackled human rights and Egypts aspirations to achieve a modern and democratic state. Egypt and the 15 European Union Member States signed a partnership agreement on June 25, 2001, in Brussels to gradually establish a free trade area over a transitional period not to exceed 12 years from the entry into force of the agreement. Egypt-EU Association Agreement entered into force on January 1, 2004. According to the agreement, customs duties were reduced by 10% annually starting six years after the entry into force of the Agreement, or January 2010, with duties completely eliminated within 16 years after entry into force of this agreement. Search Keywords: Short link: Former president Robert Mugabes son-in law Simba Chikore will be tried together with his co-accused Simbarashe Mutimbe after the State successfully applied that their dockets be married. Chikore and Mutimbe allegedly unlawfully detained Zimbabwe Airways employee Bertha Zakeyo for four hours when they denied her exit from her workplace. The State, represented by Linda Gadzikwa, applied that the two be jointly charged because they connived to commit the offence. Gadzikwa argued that the duo is facing the same charge and that the circumstances are the same. Through his lawyer, Chris Venturas, Chikore opposed the marrying of the dockets, arguing that the State failed to make a courtesy notice of its intention to jointly try the accused persons. Venturas said if they had been notified earlier, they would have adequately prepared their responses. It is on this basis that administration of justice would be prejudiced; am opposing this application to marry the dockets, Venturas submitted. I propose that the matter against my client be withdrawn and State continues by way of summons because everything is amiss here. I will be consenting to this application if we proceed by way of summons. However, Harare magistrate Elisha Singano ruled in favour of the State and that according to the Form 242, Chikore and Mutimbe acted in common purpose. Singano said the charge which is of unlawful detention is also the same. It is the courts considered view that no prejudice will be suffered if Chikore is jointly charged with Mutimbe on the same charge and on the same facts. The State must prepare papers to reflect this position either when they are preparing for trial or on the next court date, Singano ruled. The application has merit that they were acting in common purpose and therefore the application is hereby granted. Singano also implored the State to notify the defence counsel if ever they intend to make an application to allow the defence prepare and take proper instructions from the client. He remanded the matter to December 14 for trial. Daily News (Newser) A Christian woman acquitted by Pakistan's Supreme Court eight years after being sentenced to death for blasphemy was flown Wednesday night to a facility in the capital Islamabad from an undisclosed location for security reasons, two senior government officials said. Amid tight security, Asia Bibi left a detention facility in Punjab province for the flight to the capital, the officials said. Troops guarded the roads leading to the airport from which she departed, they said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday as they were not authorized to speak to media on the record. Authorities last month said they arrested two prisoners for allegedly conspiring to strangle her and since then additional police and troops have been deployed to the facility in Punjab. Officials said Bibi will be safer at the new facility in Islamabad, the AP reports. story continues below Bibi's transfer comes a week after the high court in a landmark ruling acquitted Bibi and ordered her released, a move that triggered nationwide protests. Bibi's release was put on hold Friday after authorities held talks with radical Islamists who want her publicly hanged. Bibi was arrested in 2009 on charges of insulting Islam's prophet and she was sentenced to death in 2010. Her lawyer said Wednesday she had been released from jail but was still in protective custody, per the Guardian. Her husband says the family is in danger remaining in Pakistan and is seeking asylum elsewhere, but authorities now say Bibi may not leave the country because a petition for a review of the court's ruling was filed by a radical Islamist lawyer requesting the acquittal be reversed. Pakistani courts usually take years to decide such cases. (Italy is working to help.) (Newser) Sales staff at a home renovation company in the Chinese city of Zunyi had a choice: Meet their sales targets, or face punishments including being forced to eat cockroaches and drink urine. Police investigated the company after reports and video surfaced of the cruel and bizarre punishments, the BBC reports. According to reports on social media, underperforming staff at the company were also forced to drink toilet water or vinegar, have their heads shaved, or sell condoms on the street. Video posted online shows workers being hit with a belt and drinking cups of yellow liquid. story continues below "If the sales goal has not been met by the end of this month, the team leader will have to eat three cockroaches for each failed sale," read one text message sent to employees. Police said that as a result of their investigation, two company managers were sentenced to 10 days in jail and a third to 5 days. Workers said they were afraid to quit or speak out about the abuse because the company owed them months of back pay and they feared the money would be withheld, reports the South China Morning Post. The Post notes that labor unrest and reports of ill-treatment of workers have both been rising as China's economy slows down. (Chinese citizens with "bad social credit" are also being punished.) (Newser) In a move likely to be controversial, Japanese regulators have granted an operations extension for an aging nuclear reactor similar to the ones at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant that melted down following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, Reuters reports. The 40-year-old Tokai Daini reactor, which was also damaged in 2011, was approved on Wednesday for a 20-year lifetime extensiona first such extension for a boiling water reactordespite previous promises by the government to retire reactors at 40 years. According to Reuters, the decision will help the countrys main utilities provider, Japan Atomic Power Co, which has been bleeding cash after the shutdown of two nuclear power plants. story continues below About a million people live within a 20-mile radius of Tokai Daini, which is located some 60 miles from Tokyo. Local opposition has been strong, according to reports, but many are reticent to express their opinion, an Australian living in the area tells Reuters. The mayor of Naka city, which is near the reactor, has said there is no way to evacuate all the people living near the reactor, saying, no matter how much time is spent on them, it wont be possible to set up escape plans. Among planned safety improvements for the reactor is a tsunami protection wall. The plant is not expected to go back online until sometime in the 2020s. (Japan had a big plan. Now it just has a lot of plutonium.) (Newser) A day after losing his re-election bid, a Texas judge released nearly all of the juvenile defendants who appeared before him after asking them whether they intended to kill anyone, the AP reports. Harris County prosecutors expressed concerns after Judge Glenn Devlin made the decision Wednesday in Houston. The juveniles face charges ranging from misdemeanors to violent crimes. story continues below The Houston Chronicle reports the longtime Republican jurist rescheduled the cases for the first week in January, after the Democrat who beat him during Tuesday's election takes the bench. It's unclear how many juveniles were released, but officials said there were at least seven. District Attorney Kim Ogg released a statement saying prosecutors opposed "the wholesale release of violent offenders at any age." Ogg said the move "could endanger the public." Devlin declined comment. (Read more texas stories.) (Newser) At least 13 people are dead after a gunman opened fire inside a crowded dance bar in Thousand Oaks, California, Wednesday night, says Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean, per the AP. The fatalities include one deputy; the gunman also is among the dead. A witness tells the Los Angeles Times that at least 30 shots were fired after a gunman entered the Borderline Bar & Grill, a country-themed bar that was holding a college night, around 11:20pm. Ventura County Sheriff's Office Capt. Garo Kuredjian told reporters that the gunman was still firing when police arrived at the bar. story continues below Witnesses say the gunman fired shots from a handgun after entering the crowded bar, threw some smoke grenades, then started firing again. Witness John Hedge says he saw a security guard get shot. "The gunman was throwing smoke grenades all over the place," he tells KABC. "I saw him point to the back of the cash register ... and he just kept firing. I ran out the front door," he says. The Los Angeles Times reports that friends of those who were inside the venue say the crowd included survivors of last year's Las Vegas mass shooting. (Read more mass shootings stories.) (Newser) President Trump's forcing out of Jeff Sessions has cast doubt on the future of Robert Mueller's investigationespecially since Sessions' replacement, Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, has long been a critic of the probe. Whitaker, who served as Sessions' chief of staff, has repeatedly accused the Mueller investigation of overreach and said last year that if funding could be cut off, "his investigation grinds to almost a halt." He also tweeted a link describing the probe as a "witch hunt." A senior administration official tells the Washington Post that Whitaker, who met with Trump at least a dozen times, tended to smile and nod in agreement whenever the president complained about the Mueller investigation. More: Outcry from Democrats. Democrats viewed the move as a clear attempt to crush the Russia election-meddling probe and called for Whitaker to recuse himself as Sessions had done, the BBC reports. "Congress must take immediate action to protect the rule of law and integrity of the investigation," Nancy Pelosi tweeted, citing Whitaker's "records of threats to undermine & weaken the Russia investigation." story continues below What Whitaker could do . The New York Times takes a look at what Whitaker can and can't do to curtail Mueller's investigation. He could shrink the budget of the special counsel's office, block subpoenas, and order Mueller to stop investigating specific matters. But to fire Mueller, he would have to either find reasons to fire him for misconduct or, in order to fire him without cause, revoke the regulations protecting Mueller. . The New York Times takes a look at what Whitaker can and can't do to curtail Mueller's investigation. He could shrink the budget of the special counsel's office, block subpoenas, and order Mueller to stop investigating specific matters. But to fire Mueller, he would have to either find reasons to fire him for misconduct or, in order to fire him without cause, revoke the regulations protecting Mueller. "A political fishing expedition." In an opinion piece for CNN last year, Whitaker warmed that the Mueller investigation could turn into a "political fishing expedition" if it didn't limit its scope. He wrote that he found it "deeply concerning" that Mueller was reportedly crossing a "red line" by looking into Trump's finances. Click for the full piece. In an opinion piece for CNN last year, Whitaker warmed that the Mueller investigation could turn into a "political fishing expedition" if it didn't limit its scope. He wrote that he found it "deeply concerning" that Mueller was reportedly crossing a "red line" by looking into Trump's finances. Click for the full piece. A gift to Democrats? Politico describes the dismissal of Sessions as having handed House Democrats their first investigation "on a silver platter." Incoming committee chairmen have already sent letters to the administration calling for the preservation of all materials "relevant to the work of the Office of the Special Counsel or the departure of the Attorney General." Politico describes the dismissal of Sessions as having handed House Democrats their first investigation "on a silver platter." Incoming committee chairmen have already sent letters to the administration calling for the preservation of all materials "relevant to the work of the Office of the Special Counsel or the departure of the Attorney General." GOP says probe must go on. Republicans including Sen. Susan Collins and Mitt Romney warned Trump that the Mueller investigation must go on, the Guardian reports. "It is imperative that the Administration not impede the Mueller investigation," Collins tweeted. "Special Counsel Mueller must be allowed to complete his work without interference." She praised Sessions as a "leader of integrity who served his country well." (Weeks before the firing, Trump said it was "sad" that he "didn't have an attorney general." (Newser) Amendment 13 needed just 60% of Tuesday's votes to pass in Florida, but more than 5.3 million voters, or 69%, cast their ballots in favor of itmeaning by the end of 2020, legal dog racing in the Sunshine State will be no more, NBC News reports. It's a "knockout blow to a cruel industry that has been hurting and killing dogs for nearly a century," says the Committee to Protect Dogs, one of the lobbyists for the statewide ban, per the Orlando Sentinel. State records note that more than 460 dogs have died at Florida tracks just since 2013, the first year such data started being gathered, the Miami Herald notes. The news is sure to make national waves as well, considering Florida hosts 11 of the country's remaining 17 active dog tracks. The industry will essentially be "swept away in the night," says the director of greyhound advocacy group GREY2K USA. story continues below The issue now: what to do with the 5,000 to 7,000 greyhounds that will soon be forced into early retirement. A rep for the National Greyhound Association says "98%" of dogs who leave racing are adopted, and most of the rest head to farms to breed. But the head of a greyhound adoption group says not only will homes need to be found for the still-racing dogs, but also for the young dogs on breeding farms that haven't found their way to the track yet. "Some of these dogs might end up at shelters, and they're not all no-kill," she tells NBC. "That's the scary part." Other states where dog racing remains legal include Iowa, Arkansas, Alabama, West Virginia, and Texas. (At least a dozen greyhounds tested positive for cocaine in Florida last year.) (Newser) Education Week has picked the two latest students to profile for its "Faces of the Future" series, but they're seemingly odd honorees on the surface: Jeremy Currier and Seth Stephens have been expelled from their high school and face possible criminal prosecution. So what gives? It turns out the two are computer whizzes, and they managed to hack into the computer network of their Rochester Community Schools district in Michigan and have free reign for about two years. "It wasn't anything malicious," says Jeremy, 15. "I mostly just wanted to figure out what else I could do." They had access to student and teacher passwords, exams, grades, locker combinations, lunch balances, you name it. Still, there's no evidence the pair did anything malevolent with their access, such as changing grades or selling tests. story continues below They did use the computers for some cryptocurrency mining, though it's unclear whether they made any money. (Some details are still under wraps.) The district finally caught the pair, expelled them in May, and turned the investigation over to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office. That inquiry is still in process. Education Week explains its choice to profile the teens, with the case highlighting a two-fold problem: School districts are struggling to protect their IT systems, and they're struggling to prepare students to join the high-tech workforce. The big question here: "How can schools better develop the potential of children with advanced computing skills and a penchant for probing boundariesbefore things go bad?" Click for the full story, which recounts how the teens first got into the system thanks to a sticky note with passwords. (Click for other Longform stories.) (Newser) In June 1939, more than 900 German Jews fleeing persecution by the Nazis were forced to return to Europe, including 254 who'd later die in concentration camps. Traveling aboard the MS St. Louis, they'd been turned away by the US and Cuba before a group of Canadians urged the federal government to accept them, per the CBC. A poppy symbolizing remembrance ablaze on his lapel in the House of Commons, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday issued "a long overdue apology" for the denial that followed amid anti-Semitic sentiment. "To harbor such hatred and indifference towards the refugees was to share in the moral responsibility for their deaths," for "our silence permitted the Nazis to come up with their own final solution," he said, per the Canadian Press. The US State Department issued its own apology in 2012. story continues below While some of the 907 passengers were delivered to the UK, Netherlands, France, and Belgium, roughly half of the 500 who ended up back in Germany died before the end of World War II, per the CBC. Adolf Hitler's test of "the bounds of our humanity and the limits of our solidarity was one the Canadian government failed miserably," but it was "indifferent to the suffering of Jews long after," Trudeau said, noting "discrimination and violence against Jewish people in Canada and around the world continues at an alarming rate." The New York Times notes "Trudeau has made apologizing a regular ritual, even by Canadian standards." Conservative opposition leader Andrew Scheer, meanwhile, says "there is no shame as a country in acknowledging shameful acts in our past. The real shame would be in forgetting them." (Trudeau has also apologized for the execution of indigenous chiefs.) (Newser) A woman from Azerbaijan whose fortune has been targeted by British authorities under anti-corruption laws was freed on bail Thursday while she battles extradition to her homeland over embezzlement allegations. Zamira Hajiyeva is the first person to be subject to an Unexplained Wealth Order, a measure introduced this year in a bid to curb London's status as a haven for ill-gotten gains, reports the AP. The orders allow authorities to seize assets from people suspected of corruption or links to organized crime until the owners account for how they were acquired. story continues below Hajiyeva's husband, former International Bank of Azerbaijan Chairman Jahangir Hajiyev, was sentenced to 15 years in jail in his home country in 2016 for fraud and embezzlement. British authorities want to know where Hajiyeva got the funds to spend $21 million on jewelry, wine, and other goods at luxury London department store Harrods and to buy properties worth $29 million. Hajiyeva, 55, was arrested last week by British police on an Azeri request over alleged embezzlement. A High Court judge ruled Thursday that there were no "substantial grounds" to refuse her bail. (More on the case here.) (Newser) Authorities are still trying to piece together the facts regarding the mass shooting at a bar in Thousand Oaks, California, that left 13 people dead, including the gunman. "We have no idea what the motive is at this point," says the local sheriff. Here is what is known so far, including sad news for Sister Sister actress Tamera Mowry-Housley: The shooter: He's been identified as Ian David Long, 28, ABC News reports. Witnesses say he was clad in black and said nothing before opening fire in the Borderline Bar & Grill with a legally purchased Glock .45-caliber handgun. Police think he died of a self-inflicted gunshot inside the bar. The Los Angeles Times also has this odd detail: Police believe the gunman drove his mother's car there. He's been identified as Ian David Long, 28, ABC News reports. Witnesses say he was clad in black and said nothing before opening fire in the Borderline Bar & Grill with a legally purchased Glock .45-caliber handgun. Police think he died of a self-inflicted gunshot inside the bar. The Los Angeles Times also has this odd detail: Police believe the gunman drove his mother's car there. Former Marine: Long served in the Marines for five years, including a tour in Afghanistan's Helmand Province, reports NBC News. He left the military in 2013. In April of this year, police responded to his home on a complaint of disturbing the peace and found Long to be "somewhat irate and acting irrationally." However, he was not taken into custody after an evaluation by mental health professionals. A neighbor tells the LAT that he thinks Long had PTSD. "I know he tore the house up." Long lived with his mother. story continues below The victims: Eleven people were killed inside the bar, and not all of their identities have been released. Sheriff's Sgt. Ron Helus died early Thursday at the hospital after being shot multiple times. He was among the first law-enforcement officers at the scene. "He was willing to sacrifice his life for the sake of others," says Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean, per NBC News. "As I told his wife, he died a hero." Helus had planned to retire next year. Eleven people were killed inside the bar, and not all of their identities have been released. Sheriff's Sgt. Ron Helus died early Thursday at the hospital after being shot multiple times. He was among the first law-enforcement officers at the scene. "He was willing to sacrifice his life for the sake of others," says Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean, per NBC News. "As I told his wife, he died a hero." Helus had planned to retire next year. Niece killed: On Thursday morning, Sister Sister actress Tamera Mowry-Housley had been trying to track down her 18-year-old niece, who was at the bar at the time of the shooting. The actress's husband, Adam Housley, wrote on Twitter: "Please pray if you believe....pray." By the afternoon, however, the sad confirmation came: Pepperdine University freshman Alaina Housley had been killed, reports USA Today. "Our hearts are broken," said the couple in a statement. "Alaina was an incredible young woman." On Thursday morning, Sister Sister actress Tamera Mowry-Housley had been trying to track down her 18-year-old niece, who was at the bar at the time of the shooting. The actress's husband, Adam Housley, wrote on Twitter: "Please pray if you believe....pray." By the afternoon, however, the sad confirmation came: Pepperdine University freshman Alaina Housley had been killed, reports USA Today. "Our hearts are broken," said the couple in a statement. "Alaina was an incredible young woman." More victims named: Other victims named so far include Cody Coffman, 22, Justin Meek, 23, Noel Sparks, 21, and Sean Adler (variously reported as Sean Alder). The Ventura County Star and KTLA are keeping lists of victims and their stories. Other victims named so far include Cody Coffman, 22, Justin Meek, 23, Noel Sparks, 21, and Sean Adler (variously reported as Sean Alder). The Ventura County Star and KTLA are keeping lists of victims and their stories. The bedlam: "I was on the dance floor dancing and all of a sudden I heard the shots," Teylor Whittler tells ABC News. "I ended up getting caught on the ground and stumbled over by multiple people," and at one point she got hit in the head with a bar stool being hurled at a window by people trying to escape. Witnesses say the shooter also threw at least one smoke bomb. "I was on the dance floor dancing and all of a sudden I heard the shots," Teylor Whittler tells ABC News. "I ended up getting caught on the ground and stumbled over by multiple people," and at one point she got hit in the head with a bar stool being hurled at a window by people trying to escape. Witnesses say the shooter also threw at least one smoke bomb. Another witness: "I ran out the front door," one man tells CBS News. "I hear chairs being thrown out the window, people were trying to get out the window and the gunman ... he went behind the cash register. ... There was probably 12 shots before I got out the front door." "I ran out the front door," one man tells CBS News. "I hear chairs being thrown out the window, people were trying to get out the window and the gunman ... he went behind the cash register. ... There was probably 12 shots before I got out the front door." Country theme: The Borderline is near California Lutheran University, as well as Pepperdine in Malibu, Moorpark College in Moorpark, and California State University Channel Islands in Camarillo, reports the AP. The site includes a large dance hall, and Wednesday was "College Country Night." (Read our initial report on the shooting here .) (Newser) A US appeals court ruled Thursday that President Donald Trump cannot immediately end an Obama-era program shielding young immigrants from deportation. A three-judge panel of the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously kept in place a preliminary injunction blocking Trump's decision to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, the AP reports. Lawsuits by California and others challenging the administration's decision will continue in federal court while the injunction remains in place. In Thursday's ruling, 9th Circuit Judge Kim Wardlaw said California and other plaintiffs were likely to succeed with their claim that the decision to end DACA was arbitrary and capricious. story continues below She said the court is not trying to infringe on the president's power regarding immigration law and instead wants to enable the exercise of that authority "in a manner that is free from legal misconceptions and is democratically accountable to the public." The Trump administration has said it moved to end the program last year because Texas and other states threatened to sue, raising the prospect of a chaotic end to DACA. Trump's decision to end it prompted lawsuits across the nation, including one by California. A judge overseeing that lawsuit and four others ruled against the administration and reinstated the program in January. The Trump administration then asked the 9th Circuit to throw out that ruling. Federal judges in New York and Washington also have ruled against Trump on DACA. (A teen who had DACA status was sent back to Mexico and murdered there.) olalathos Over the last several years, Facebook has gone from facilitating the free flow of information to inhibiting it through incremental censorship and account purges. What began with the ban of Alex Jones last summer has since escalated to include the expulsion of hundreds of additional pages, each political in nature. And as more people become wary of the social media platforms motives, one thing is absolutely certain: we need more market competition in the realm of social media.Facebook might seem too big to fail, but rest assured it is not. Unless it is protected by a government monopoly, every single product and service is vulnerable to market forces, even those considered too powerful. Just a few weeks ago, the once-mighty Sears announced its plans to file for bankruptcy and close 142 of its department store locations. It also wasnt so long ago when Blockbuster Video, a staple of weekend fun in the 90s, announced its closure, as well. These institutions were at the top of their games at one point but were each unable to satisfy their customers as they once did. And both were inevitably replaced by better services like Amazon Prime and Netflix.Facebook might seem different from other traditional market entities since it technically doesnt sell anything to the bulk of its users. But just like Sears and Blockbuster, its success relies on its ability to attract and maintain its customers. And in the wake of the recent purgesand its recent security breachesit is quite possible that, like Myspace and Friendster, Facebook is not long for this world.The SituationWhen it was announced that Facebook, YouTube, iTunes, and eventually Twitter had banned the accounts associated with Alex Jones, it elicited mixed reactions from the public. On one hand, Alex Jones is infamously known for building his career on being an instigator and a troll, rendering him an unsympathetic character to most of the American public. On the other hand, the sweeping ban of Jones was concerning as it threatened the future of independent media. After all, if this could happen to Jones, who would be next?To be sure, Facebook is privately owned and is allowed to curate its own content as it sees fit. However, just because someone can do something doesnt necessarily mean that they should. And it most certainly doesnt mean that, as users of this platform, we should not voice our concerns.As the summer droned on, independent media held its breath waiting to see how the Jones decision would impact their own accounts.A few weeks ago, the situation escalated when Facebook went one step further and announced it would be deleting nearly 800 pages it said violated its terms of service. Specifically, these pages were accused of spamming users, though Facebooks use of the word was not clearly defined.However, the fact remains that many of the deleted pages were right-leaning and libertarian, leading many to assume that these purges were politically motivated. And given the prior accusations made against Facebook in regards to suppressing conservative-leaning links and news stories, these assumptions did not seem off-base even if Zuckerberg claimed that content was not a contributing factor.Carey Wedler, editor-in-chief of Anti-Media, an independent news platform that just had its page deleted by Facebook, told FEE:According to Facebook, we were not suspended for our content but for spamming and using misleading practices, but these are tactics we have never employed, and other large pages that employ posting strategies like ours, such as Occupy Democrats (also known to share fake news), were not removed. Curiously, in July, Facebook assigned us a representative to help us manage our page. They also gave us $500 in free advertising to boost our content in September, and these actions seem to imply they had no issues with either our content or our practices.Even though the purges proximity to the approaching midterm elections appears suspect, Facebook maintains that its decision to delete these accounts was purely the result of spam violations and not because of the actual page content. This allowed Zuckerberg to hold firm to his claims that Facebook was not practicing censorship but was instead just enforcing policies that already existed in the user terms of service.However, last week the popular libertarian Facebook account Liberty Memes had its page deleted, adding more fuel to the fire. Unlike the previous purge, Liberty Memes was not deleted under the guise of spamming its users like the others. Instead, Facebook openly admitted that the page was being deleted directly because of its content.In the digital age, it is highly probable that at some point you will come into contact with content you find offensive or untrue. While offensive content can simply be ignored and dismissed, ideally, each individual should be responsible for determining whether or not the information they are exposed to is credible. But with the fake news hysteria we are currently experiencing, Facebook has taken it upon itself to protect its users from potentially misleading or even offensive content. And even if these decisions were made in an attempt to appease the many users who would like to see all opposing thought suppressed, this may inevitably come back to haunt the company.Facebook has not had a great couple of years. In addition to being blamed for both the suppression of conservative links and Trump being elected to office, the popular social media site was also found to have compromised its users data on more than one occasion. And while the decision was voluntary, Zuckerberg also found himself testifying in front of Congress just a few months ago. And on the business side of things, market shares have slumped 7.5 percent over the year.In fact, over the past year, Facebook use has also been dwindling, and over 44 percent of young users have admitted to deleting the app off of their phones entirely. In droves, young people are flocking to sites like Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter, instead. And without this younger crowd, Facebook could soon find itself desperate for users.As written in INC:Recent findings make it clear that a large number of users have changed their relationship with Facebook over the past year following the companys privacy and security scandals. With ripple effects still being felt over six months after Cambridge Analytica, its unlikely migration from the app will slow down any time soon.So, what does this mean for those of us who are dissatisfied with the behavior of Zuckerberg and Facebook? It means the situation is ripe for new platforms to rise up and take its place. And we should be diligently searching for its replacement or replacements.Voice and ExitVoting with our dollars is one of the most powerful actions we can take as consumers. While we might not be paying for Facebook memberships, each time we log-on to the site and actively engage with other users, we are voting in favor of the social media company. And for many of us, we feel as though we have no other choice.As a writer, I will be the first to admit that I personally rely on Facebook as a means of sharing my work with others. In fact, the thought of deleting my account fills me with unease and isolation. After all, if I am not on Facebook, how can I stay connected to all my contacts around the globe? And since many of us are so hesitant to leave, Facebook has maintained its power in the social media space. But this can easily change.https://www.activistpost.com/2018/11/not-too-big-to-fail-why-facebooks-long-reign-may-be-coming-to-an-end.html German textile and fashion sector is looking towards Bahrain to improve their access to the Gulf market, according to a German trade delegation that arrived in Bahrain. The first-ever trade delegation comprises five companies and arrived here from Riyadh. Members of the delegation told Tribune that Bahrain is an attractive market and also one that they envision as a hub for the GCC. We are here to represent the Germany textile and fashion industry and also to find opportunities on how we can collaborate with companies from Bahrain and form a fruitful partnership. Bahrain is a good market in the region, we want to cover Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and other countries in the region. We are here to explore the market here and participate in this market, head of the delegation, Sven Eriskat told Tribune. We understand that many companies are using Bahrain to reach other countries in the Gulf. It would be a great way to reach the markets in the Gulf, he said. We have had many German delegations that have come here before but this is the first time a German delegation is here representing the textile and fashion industry. This being the first mission, it will be a learning process. This is the first ignition and if we find out that there is an opportunity then we will surely come back and we will come back with a bigger delegation with specialties like medical textiles, medical textiles, technical textiles, and many others. This is going to help the Bahraini side as well, it will be a win-win situation. Apollo 15 Command Module Pilot, Col Al Worden, will make his first visit to Bahrain next week as a goodwill ambassador for the US aerospace industry, particularly American companies participating in the Bahrain International Airshow 2018 (BIAS) at Sakhir Air Base from November 14-16. Wordens week-long schedule includes official appearances at the event, the fastest-growing Airshow in the Middle East, as well as participation in coinciding military and student programmes. Worden will address the Second Manama Air Power Symposium, which will be attended by Chiefs of Air Staff from around the world on the eve of the Airshow. He will also make presentations to a gathering of the Royal Bahrain Air Force and a Bahrain University audience, all to promote multilateral cooperation in aerospace and space exploration. The tour is being led, in coordination with event organisers, by Kallman Worldwide, Inc., the United States representative and organiser of the USA Partnership Pavilion at aerospace and defence events around the world for more than three decades, including BIAS 2018. Kallman has partnered with Worden and a coalition of industry supporters since 2015 to promote excellence in engineering from classrooms to careers. The High Criminal Court has sentenced a Bangladeshi national to 10 years behind bars along with BD5,000 fine for attempting to smuggle drugs into Bahrain. He was arrested for carrying one kilogram of marijuana along with 900 narcotic pills at the Bahrain International Airport. A wooden tool used to smoke marijuana was found in his luggage. During questioning, the defendant admitted to smuggling bid. I travelled recently to my country and I stayed for five days, during which I smoked marijuana. I met a person and he requested me to deliver some drugs to Bahrain for BD200. The defendant will be deported once he completes his jail time. Bahrain Cinema Company also known as Cineco opened its latest Cineplex at the Oasis Mall, Juffair on 25 October, 2018, substantially increasing the companys total investment in the Kingdom by BD2.6 million. The Cineplex encompasses 10 screens in an area of approximately 3,000 square meters and presents a wide variety of new offerings, including a Kids Cinema, a first in the Kingdom, and an exclusive VIP fine dining opportunity. Cinema experience is further enhanced with its state-of-theart technology and comprehensive services, exemplified by its Dolby Atmos systems and its 3D technology. Cinekids, a kids cinema includes a play area where parents can entrust their children to the care of professional Nannies and do some relaxed shopping. Besides showing movies suitable for kids of all ages, Cinekids also provides Birthday packages for children through which families can celebrate their birthdays with flair. The all-new, exclusive VIP food outlet, Cine Gourmet, serves VIP customers in an outlet in the cinema lobby that is separate from the regular cinema concession counters, which they can then enjoy in the VIP cinema lounge. Elaborating, Chief Executive Officer of Bahrain Cinema Company, Ahmed Rashed, said: We are also proud to state that with the opening of the Cineplex in Oasis Mall, Bahrain Cinema Company now owns and operates a total of 57 cinema screens in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Turkey and Bahrain has been enjoying vast economic and trade relations for years. Turkey mainly imports aluminium and petro-chemicals from Bahrain and exports spare parts, foodstuffs, textiles and garments, tobacco products. Turkeys exports $ 227.4 million and imports $186,7 million, totalling $ 414 million in 2017. The first 9 months turnover reached $ 374,5 million this year. Bahrain, as a banking hub, hosts several Turkish banks dealing in wholesale banking activities. Turkey and Bahrain are the members of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC). They have common visions with regard to the challenges that the Islamic world has been facing. His Majesty King Hamad was one of the leaders who visited Tur - key in order to show solidarity with the Turkish Government after the failed coup detat in 2016. Turkey and Bahrain share common cultural values and their geographical proximity is an advantage. You can reach Istanbul in four hours by plane. There are at least three different flights every day. We even witnessed up to six direct flights to different cities in the last summer. Therefore, we may say that Turkey is one of the preferred destinations by Bahraini tourists. Last year, Bahrainis visited Turkey 59.442 times (We know that some Bahrainis go to Turkey more than once). The first nine months statistics indicates that the number stood at 59.296. Turkey has celebrated 95th anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic on Monday 29 October. It gives us excitement that we have only five years to reach centenary of the Republic. Bahrain will celebrate 47th anniversary of its independence in December. We wish all the best to the leadership of Bahrain led by HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa as well as to the people of Bahrain for their continuous prosperity. Fatima Atiku Abubakar, Commissioner of Health, Adamawa State, will has been invited to appear before the Adamawa State House of Assembly... Fatima Atiku Abubakar, Commissioner of Health, Adamawa State, will has been invited to appear before the Adamawa State House of Assembly to explain non-payment of six-month salaries to some health workers in the state. The Health Commissioner, who is the biological daughter of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is to appear at plenary alongside some principal officers of her ministry and the state Accountant General, Augustina Wandamiya. Presiding at plenary on Tuesday, Speaker of the House, Kabiru Mijinyawa, had said: "The invitation of the officers was over non-payment of six-month salaries of some recruited health workers. "The House has also constituted an ad hoc committee, under the chairmanship of the Majority Leader, Hassan Barguma (APC-Hong), to probe the alleged utilisation of N2 billion Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) agricultural loan. The CBN was said to have granted the loan to the state through the Adamawa Agricultural Development and Investment Ltd, (AADIL). David Umahi, governor of Ebonyi state, says the police report on the alleged assassination attempt on Ike Ekweremadu, deputy senate, w... David Umahi, governor of Ebonyi state, says the police report on the alleged assassination attempt on Ike Ekweremadu, deputy senate, was rushed. Gunmen on Tuesday invaded the residence of Ekweremadu while he was at home with his family. Uche Anichukwu, his media aide, described the incident as an assassination attempt. The police said it has started an investigation and found the case to be a burglary. Umahi, who is the chairman of south-east governors forum, said the police should conduct a thorough investigation before coming out with a report. Our son was almost assassinated and I am sure that our people are not satisfied with the explanation given by the police that it was a mere burglary, he said on Wednesday. The governor said the conclusion of the police on the matter was wrong. How would it be burglary when his son was captured in one room and taken to the father to open the door? The situation is not good at all as the police should protect his life and that of every leader in the land, he said. SOUTH-EAST GOVS KICK Meanwhile, the south-east governors forum has rejected what it described as hasty conclusion. Simon Ortuanya, director-general of the forum, said the careful and methodical execution of the plot as reported pointed to something more sinister than burglary. According to him, if the mission was mere burglary, the burglars would not have prevailed on the son to take them to his fathers bedroom. The police have arrested and detained four of its personnel and one NSCDC personnel on duty when the alleged assassination attempt on ... The police have arrested and detained four of its personnel and one NSCDC personnel on duty when the alleged assassination attempt on Ike Ekweremadu, deputy senate president, took place. Jimoh Moshood, police spokesman, said on Wednesday that the officers were being investigated. Moshood said there was no cover-up by the police in the investigation of the crime. The four policemen and one personnel of the NSCDC on duty at the residence of the deputy senate president at the time of the incidence have been arrested and detained, he said. He said it was not correct that the police responded after seven hours when the incident happened. The spokesman said further investigation shows that the incident was not an assassination attempt on the life of Ekweremadu. Update on further investigation did not reveal assassination attempt but a burglary attempt, he said. He said the investigation carried out so far showed that the suspects in the case did not have an idea that the residence belongs to the deputy senate president. Moshood said efforts are being intensified to arrest the second suspect, Dan Ali, who escaped from the scene of the crime. Speaking to journalists, the principal suspect, Mohammed Yusuf, 25, said they only went there to steal and not to assassinate him. We did not go to the residence of Ekweremadu to assassinate him or anybody in the house, he said. President Muhammadu Buhari again on Wednesday said the mismanagement he met when he assumed office in May, 2015 was mind-boggling. ... President Muhammadu Buhari again on Wednesday said the mismanagement he met when he assumed office in May, 2015 was mind-boggling. Despite this, however, he said his administration was working hard to organise the country. A statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, quoted the President as making the claims while receiving a group from the southeastern part of the county under the aegis of One on One Nigeria on Tuesday evening. A statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, quoted the President as making the claims while receiving a group from the southeastern part of the county under the aegis of One on One Nigeria on Tuesday evening. We are trying to organise the country. The extent of mismanagement we met when we came was mind-boggling, Buhari said. We are trying to organise the country. The extent of mismanagement we met when we came was mind-boggling, Buhari said. He added, Many times, I have spoken about the tremendous resources available to us between 1999 and 2014 and how they were frittered. If only they had used just 25 per cent of them on infrastructure: road, rail, power, Nigerians would mind their own business and not bother about whoever was in power. The casualty figure on our roads daily is simply scandalous. No wonder they are in the opposition now, despite all the power they thought they had. The group, led by Chief Chido Obidiegwu, said it had keenly observed the achievements of the Buhari administration nationwide, particularly in the South-East. Emmanuel Bwacha, senate deputy minority leader, says incompetent politicians are responsible for the ethno-religious crisis in Nigeria... Emmanuel Bwacha, senate deputy minority leader, says incompetent politicians are responsible for the ethno-religious crisis in Nigeria. In an interview with NAN on Wednesday, Bwacha, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said 80 percent of politicians capitalise on ethnic and religious differences to get elected. He urged the electorate, particularly residents of Taraba state, to vote wisely so as to prevent wicked politicians from using religion to score cheap political goals. I want to say clearly that this situation is not peculiar to Taraba state, it is a national problem, he said. It is a national problem that is fuelled by bad leadership because when people have a lot of inadequacies and they are suffering from complex, they often resort to either religion or ethnocentrism and geo-politics. And this will continue to play because a lot of people come to contest election not because they have the capacity but because they want to capitalise on tribe or religion as a tool to advance their political interest. 80 percent of most of our politicians depend on this because most of them dont have the capacity, they are hanging on to primordial sentiments and we will continue to suffer this problem. The lawmaker warned fellow politicians to stop promoting religious politics because God cherishes just and fair leaders not religious bigot. There are unserious Muslims and unserious Christians and in the category of these unserious ones, they actually constitute the troublemakers, he said. Both Muslims and Christians meet to steal the commonwealth and later they will be talking about religion. Most of them are criminals and this is the problem we have in this country. Until people understand this, the nation cannot move forward Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, said yesterday, that the debt for infrastructure in Nigeria was good debt as far as he is concerned.Fashola said the Federal Government should not be judged like a private company when it comes to borrowing.He said this at the Africa Investment Forum in Sandton South Africa.His words: The only thing I want to say about debt is that if it is debt for infrastructure, as far as I am concerned, it is good debt.I think we must see government is different from companies, and the profit of a government and a nation is the prosperity of its people, not how much money it has in a bank.The former governor of Lagos state said as a governor in Africas largest city, he had to take loans to set up six power plants in the state, but tied the repayment of the debt to the states monthly allocation from the federal government.He said he gave the investors the assurance that if he defaulted, they could take the money from the monthly income of the state.Fashola said: On this side, I think my outlook is different; if you cant find the money, just like I challenged people two days ago, they want roads, they want bridges and they dont want to borrow and they dont want you to raise taxes. So how do you deliver?I think the important thing is to raise debt, invest it in infrastructure because it will deliver prosperity, it will build efficiency in the nation, it would turn into growth and it would yield income over time.The minister said Nigerias power problems have changed over the past three years, yet the government must keep up.Fashola explained that when he came in as a minister, the problem was how to generate power; he said today, the problem is how to distribute power. The Oduduwa Vanguard has replied the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, over his attack on President... The Oduduwa Vanguard has replied the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, over his attack on President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal governments for donating $500,000 to Guinea Bissau. The group asked Atiku to go for crash course on economy before exhibiting his ignorance. Atiku had slammed the federal governments $500,000 donation to Guinea Bissau, describing the gesture as wasteful. According to him, it was one of the ways the President Muhammadu Buhari administration brought a once thriving economy to its knees. Oduduwa Vanguard described Atikus comment to a strategic act as irresponsible on many levels. Aare Kunle Adewole, President of the group said Atiku was not qualified to be entrusted with making decisions for 200 million Nigerians because he lacked patient to fully understand issues before reacting. According to Kolawale, We wonder how an Atiku that can donate lavishly to buy cars for women will find it wrong that Nigeria wants to play its big brother role to other Africa nations. This is double standard at play at best and we advise the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari not to join Atiku at the level to which he has sunken. It will amount to wrestling a hog in the mud. A right thinking person that looks beyond the meanness of satiating only his own avarice would have seen that there are gains to Nigeria when the donations to Guinea Bissau are well exploited. For one, a revived Guinea Bissau or any other African country provides fertile grounds for Nigerians to go exploit since we fortunately have enterprising Nigerians that have made marks for themselves in their places of sojourn. We believe that helping other nations to stay afloat when we can is a strategic way of ensuring that our countrys huge population is able to spread outwards to these other places and earn their keep. An intelligent person will realize that remittances from the funds repatriated by such Nigerians will go a long way to helping the economy back home. It is understandable that Atiku is projecting his own values unto others because this kind of donation would have found its way into private pockets between 1999 and 2007 when he was vice president. The absence of such slush fund must have been responsible for his recent gimmick of under declaring his income so that he can keep back some more money from tax avoidance. The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organization, Afenifere, in Ekiti State, yesterday, condemned the suspension of former Deputy Governor of Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore by the Reuben Fasoranti-led faction of the group.A national leader of the group in Ekiti, Senator Ayo Fasanmi said it was laughable for the Fasoranti faction to slam suspension on Omisore for working for the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the last governorship election in Osun State.He maintained that the Fasoranti group lacks the moral rectitude to speak for the Yoruba race having allegedly derailed from the progressive ideology of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.The 93-year-old Awosit described Omisores purported suspension as the most embarrassing action taken by anyone or group since the death of the late sage.He said the Yoruba race had benefited from the Buhari-led government in terms of key appointments, influence and execution of key projects.In a statement by the state Publicity Secretary, Chief Biodun Akin-Fasae, Senator Fasanmi said the Fasoranti-led group had crossed the red line with its action.He said: The Fasoranti/Adebanjo group must henceforth stop talking on behalf of the Yoruba race because they have derailed. I am warning them that they should not put the Yoruba race on sale.The Yoruba race is comfortable with the progressives as being represented by the All Progressives Congress, APC, where the Yoruba is having the chunk of appointments.This has never happened even when Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was President. I wonder what Fasoranti and his group wanted by their anti-Buhari posture except they want to tell us they are now against Chief Awolowos legacies which all Yoruba are still proud to associate with.Anyway, many of those working for PDP within Afenifere never stood for any election all through their political life. President Muhammadu Buhari says his administration has done a lot to halt the advancement of Boko Haram in the country. Buhari sai... President Muhammadu Buhari says his administration has done a lot to halt the advancement of Boko Haram in the country. Buhari said this on Thursday while speaking at the 73rd African Parliamentary Union (APU) conference in Abuja. The president said terrorism, armed banditry and organised crimes have continued to be a security challenge for African countries. I am delighted that the 41st Conference of Speakers, as part of its meeting, will be considering the role of parliaments in the fight against terrorism, armed gangs and organised crimes in Africa, he said. Terrorism, armed banditry and organised crimes have continued to be a security challenge for member states of the African Union; the proliferation of arms aided by abuse of the ease of movement of persons across freer borders, which have been historically in place to encourage African unity, have contributed to acts of terrorism by groups like Al Shaabab, ISIS and Boko Haram. Here in Nigeria, we have done a lot to reverse the terror trend and halt the advancement of Boko Haram. We have in collaboration with our neighbours strengthened our armed forces to effectively confront terror groups and have also initiated programmes to address widespread poverty, which has been identified as a significant factor fueling unrest and boosting terror recruitments. Buhari said in spite of the progress that has been made by his administration, there is still the challenge of armed invaders who ransack villages and small farming communities and commit terrible acts. He said: We are also making progress in addressing this challenge. While I commend the actions of African governments in dealing with these evil groups, it is my strong belief that the APU will develop strategies to assist governments in confronting this menace and, as Chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), I will be more than willing to fast track your resolutions for deliberation and adoption at the ECOWAS sub-region and the much larger African Union. The president expressed happiness that the promotion of girls education as a way to address early marriages would be the focus of the APU Committee of women parliamentarians. This is another subject that requires close attention and I assure you of the support and cooperation of the government of Nigeria, he said. A few months back, four girls from a high school in Anambra State, in south-east of Nigeria, won the first prize for innovation at an international competition held in the United States of America. Akinwumi Adesina, the president of the Africa Development Bank, says 98 percent of women repay their loans. Speaking at the first ev... Akinwumi Adesina, the president of the Africa Development Bank, says 98 percent of women repay their loans. Speaking at the first ever Africa Investment Forum (AIF) in Sandton, South Africa, Adesina said if women had the resources available to men, the gross domestic product (GDP) of the world will go up by 26 percent. If the world today has the same resources for women that it has for men, you would be able to increase the GDP of the world by 26 percent, Adesina said. And in case of Africa, that GDP will go up by an additional 12 percent. So it makes sense, economic sense, to invest in women. That is where the challenge really is, the women dont have access to finance. If you look at the financing gap that women have, it is roughly anything around $42 billion in terms of financing businesses for women in Africa today. Take agriculture, that is probably another $12 billion gap for financing for women. Women, we know, payback on their loans; 98 percent payback on their loan. So, what sense does it make that you are telling me that you are not goin to be lending to women that pay back 98 percent of their loans. I am sure the balance of two percent is probably their husbands in a way telling them that they shouldnt go and pay. The point I am trying to make is that women are bankable! Adesina said the AfDB is doing what it can to ensure that banks in Africa lend more to women, and rejig the financial system. Women pay back their loans, we have to develop new financing instruments that allows us to lend more to women, not based on collateral, because there is nothing better than the collateral of your repayment rate, he added. Let us rejig and tune the financial market towards women, and that is why for us at AfDB, everything we do is to make sure that we do that. We give quite a lot of financing to women through intermediary financing institutions. and we hold banks accountable to what the do for women. The final quarter of 2021 is on its way and theres so much positivity about the rapid growth of the... 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. Metsa Board's Lidloc Earns Red Dot Design Award in Berlin Metsa Board's Lidloc design is based upon an extension to a standard cup structure that folds and locks into an integrated lid. The one-piece construction made of paperboard removes the need for a separate plastic lid. Nov. 7, 2018 - Metsa Board announced that its paperboard cup design, 'Lidloc', has been awarded the coveted 'Red Dot' for design excellence and creative achievement. A 24-member jury examined, discussed and evaluated over 8,600 international communication design works before deciding upon the winners of the coveted Red Dot awards one of the world's largest design competitions. The Lidloc design is based upon an extension to a standard cup structure that folds and locks into an integrated lid. The one-piece construction made of paperboard removes the need for a separate plastic lid. The cup is easy to fold and assemble with a secure lid-locking design and offers extra branding power as it can be printed as one piece with the rest of the cup. The Red Dot Award is one of the most recognized design awards within the packaging industry, explained Cyril Drouet, Metsa Board's Packaging Services Director. We are delighted to see our patented Lidloc cup getting this recognition as we believe it offers a more sustainable alternative to single use plastic lids. We are going to start testing of Lidloc with selected customers in the coming months and after careful testing we are ready to bring the design more widely to the market," he added. The ceremony for the Red Dot Awards took place on 26 October during the Designers' Night at the 'ewerk' in Berlin. The prize-winning projects will also be featured in the 'International Yearbook Communication Design 2018/2019,' which will be published on 15 November and distributed in 40 countries. Metsa Board is a leading European producer of premium fresh fiber paperboards including folding boxboards, food service boards and white kraftliners. To learn more, please visit: www.metsaboard.com . SOURCE: Metsa Board Nobody should enter a screening of A Star Is Born without expecting to feel some things. But despite this being the film's fourth remake, not everybody is prepared for just how raw that ending is. Which is why New Zealand has added a mental health warning to screenings of Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga's probable Oscar winner, as The Guardian reports. Following viewer complaints, the New Zealand film classification board has required that the film screen with a suicide warning two teenagers reported being triggered by the content of its final scenes. A mental health organization also complained to the commission. "Many people in New Zealand have been impacted by suicide," head of the New Zealand film classification board David Shanks told The Guardian. "For those who have lost someone close to them, a warning gives them a chance to make an informed choice about watching." In the United States, A Star Is Born has a restricted R rating. In New Zealand viewing is unrestricted, but recommended for viewers over the age of 16 only. If you're worried about seeing the entire movie, don't worry. The trailer alone is one of the greatest of all time, and is almost guaranteed to have a positive affect on mental health: It seems that, even after 40 years, Grease is still the word. It's time to "go back to high school" with Simon Miller's newest collection, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the beloved movie musical Grease. The Nordstrom SPACE-exclusive collection includes an array of women's pieces that pay tribute to the cultural trademarks of the film. Simon Miller designers Chelsea Hansford and Daniel Corrigan have combined these iconic themes with modern stylistic elements that are unique to the label in order to create a nostalgia-filled romp through Rydell High. Some of the pieces are more literal, including the $650 biker-style "Greased Jacket," which is certain to bring out the Danny Zuko in anyone. Some of the homages, however, flirt with the overall essence of the film and the 1950s in general; a badass version of the label's revered Bonsai bag is included in the collection. The reimagined bag features clusters of white lightning bolts cast against a bold red background, and is the very first print version of the purse for Simon Miller. Los Angeles-based photographer Milan Zrnic shot the campaign, focusing in on some of the more iconic scenes from the movie. A shot of models wearing various pieces from the collection atop a flame covered convertible pays tribute to the classic groove, "Greased Lightnin'," while another captures the iconic final scene. Two models sit cooly in a hot rod poised for flight, one cocked back slightly to reveal a piece reminiscent of Sandy's off-the-shoulder top, which will retail for $290. The full collection is available now in-store and online, and features pieces ranging from $100 to $650. News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism. Forced Psychiatric Hospitalization Cannot Become New Means of Silencing Dissent in Iran 11/07/18 Source: Center for Human Rights in Iran Teachers' Rights Activist, Held Against His Will at Psychiatric Hospital in Iran and Forcibly Given Medications, Must Be Released Immediately Wife and Son of Hashem Khastar Arrested with Other Protestors, Released Same Day The Iranian government should immediately release teachers' rights activist Hashem Khastar from the psychiatric facility where he has been forcibly and unlawfully held, the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) said in a statement on November 6, 2018. In addition, CHRI condemns the arrest on November 5, of Khastar's wife, Sedigheh Maleki, and their two sons, Jahed Khastar and Ahmad Khastar, in addition to the other protesters who were with them, in front of the hospital where Khastar is being unlawfully held. While they were released at the end of the day, these arrests were a transparent means of intimidation to shut down protest over Khastar's forced admittance into the psychiatric hospital. "The Iranian authorities are using imprisonment in a psychiatric facility in order to silence a civil rights activist, and arresting family members or anyone else that dares to protest this abuse of power to enforce this silence," said Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of CHRI. "This is right out of the playbook of the worst abuses by authoritarian powers." By arresting the prominent activist, forcibly admitting him to a psychiatric facility and administering medication against his will, Iranian officials have committed a blatant act of arbitrary detention and torture and violated the right to health, which requires free and informed consent to any medical care, CHRI said in its statement. Hashem Khastar Forced Hospitalization and "Treatment" Is Arbitrary Detention and Torture What has transpired against Khastar is legally defined as "arbitrary detention" and a violation of Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Iran is a signatory, which states "No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention." As remarked by the UN Human Rights Committee, the body interpreting the covenant, "any form of physical restriction not allowing the person to leave the facility is considered detention and the fact that the facility is a medical center does not change this." The authorities have also violated Article 7 of the ICCPR, which states, "No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. In particular, no one shall be subjected without his free consent to medical or scientific experimentation." Even if an individual has mental health issues, in accordance with Article 14 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), a disability in and of itself cannot justify the deprivation of liberty. Article 15 of the CRPD also prohibits any medical or scientific tests on people without their consent, which they consider to be acts of torture and degrading, inhuman treatment. In addition, according to the CRPD's Article 25 and Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights, (ICESCR), as interpreted by the relevant UN Committee, providing medical care must be on the basis of free and informed consent and prescribing any medication or procedure without such informed consent is a blatant and serious violation of human rights. According to Iran's domestic rules on medical procedure, the only exceptions to the principle of consent concern children and individuals whose decisions are made by legal guardians. Even in emergency situations, the consent of the individual or his family is required as soon as possible. Iran's Guidelines for Special Situations in Rehabilitation and Treatment Centers for Psychiatric Patients stipulate that if a person with acute mental health conditions has not been declared "incapacitated" by medical or judicial authorities, her/his personal consent is necessary to carry out any medical treatment. "We are deeply concerned that the forcible admission of individuals into psychiatric facilities will become the norm in dealing with civil activists and critics of the state, giving the Iranian authorities yet another means to ignore judicial procedure and unlawfully arrest and detain critics of the state," Ghaemi said. "We urge international human rights mechanisms, including the UN Human Rights Council, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the UN special rapporteur for human rights in Iran to forcefully condemn this action and demand the immediate release of Khastar." Khastar's Arrest for Peaceful Activism and Forced Hospitalization According to Sedigheh Maleki, who spoke about her husband's forced admittance into the psychiatric hospital before she herself was arrested, the retired teachers' rights advocate was arrested in Mashhad, in the northeast province of Khorasan Razavi on October 23 by plain-clothed individuals who did not reveal their identity or present a warrant. They forcibly put Khastar in an ambulance and admitted him to the Ibn-e Sina and Dr. Hejazi Psychiatry Hospital against his will. Despite his resistance and objections, Khastar was tied to a bed, given a number of injections, had blood withdrawn and was administered unknown tests. According to his family, his close friend and colleague, Javad La'l-Mohammadi, and the Iranian Teachers' Trade Association (ITTA), who issued a statement, Khastar has never had any psychiatric issues and there have never been any questions about his full mental health. Since his arrest, he has been visited once by two of his relatives for 10 minutes in the presence of a security agent. None of the judicial, security or military officials have responded to inquiries by Khastar's family or taken responsibility for his forced arrest. Meanwhile, hospital staff have said they cannot give information without a written permission from the prosecutor of Mashhad, Gholamali Sadeghi. Khastar was arrested ten days after teachers in several cities in Iran participated in a peaceful sit-in to demand educational reforms and the release of imprisoned teachers' rights activists. Arrest of Family Members The arrest of Khastar's family members, meanwhile, is a continuation of the authorities' use of pressure, harassment and detainment of family members as a means to intimidate and silence criticism of unlawful and politically motivated arrests, CHRI added. An eyewitness at the gathering at the hospital where Khastar's family members were arrested, who requested anonymity for security reasons, told CHRI that the police blocked streets leading to the hospital prior to the arrests of the family members and other protesters. "On Monday [November 5, 2018] I went toward the hospital along with a few friends and colleagues but there were a lot of security forces stationed there-Intelligence Ministry agents in plain clothes and policemen. They were stationed in a square near the hospital, blocking the street leading to it. Mr. Khastar's wife and their sons were quickly taken into custody along with several protesters," the source said. Those arrested include Khastar's academic colleagues Hadi Lotfinia and Mohammad Yazdi as well as eight others whose names have not been released. In interviews about her husband's illegal hospitalization prior to her arrest, Sedigheh Maleki had said she had been warned that if she continued to talk to the media she would face prosecution. The detainees were first transferred to a local police station and later taken away by security forces to an unknown location, according to the source. "The rally and arguments with the police went on until five-thirty in the afternoon. They took the detainees to the Shafa Police Station and when we went to ask about their situation, the guard at the gate would not let us inside. We then talked to the station officer and he told us that the security agents came and took the detainees but didn't say where. They told us to come back tomorrow for more information." CHRI has learned that Khastar's wife and their two sons, along with all the other detained protesters, were released at 10:00 p.m. Tehran-time on November 5. What's So Tough About The 'Toughest Ever' U.S. Sanctions On Iran? 11/07/18 By Freud Bezhan, RFE/RL President Donald Trump labeled new U.S. sanctions on Iran as the "toughest ever," saying the punitive measures would force Tehran to end its "malign" behavior. Analysts say the new measures that came into effect on November 5 are indeed the strongest sanctions regime imposed by Washington against Iran. But they also note that the sanctions lack the broad international backing that gave previous measures strength. cartoon by Mohammadreza Shahmirvalad, Iranian daily Shahrvand The new sanctions come months after Trump pulled the United States out of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers that was intended to curb Tehran's nuclear ambitions in exchange for relief from nuclear-related sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union, as well as the termination of UN nuclear-related resolutions against Iran. Trump said at the time that he would reinstate the sanctions that had been lifted as part of the deal, which he described as the "worst ever." So what makes the new measures, which heavily target oil exports and which Iranian President Hassan Rohani has called "a new injustice," tougher than before? Sanctions Strengthened "The United States has not only reinstated all sanctions that were lifted as part of the 2015 nuclear deal, but it has also blacklisted about 300 new Iranian individuals and entities," says Ahmad Majidyar, the director of the Iran Observed Project at the Washington-based Middle East Institute. The U.S. Treasury Department on November 5 imposed sanctions on Iran's crucial oil, banking, and transportation sectors. The sanctions cover 50 Iranian banks and subsidiaries, more than 200 persons and vessels in its shipping sector, and targets Tehran's national airline, Iran Air, and more than 65 of its aircraft. These measures are on top of existing U.S. sanctions linked to Iran's human rights record, alleged support for terrorism, and its ballistic-missile program that were maintained even under the nuclear deal. Scott Lucas, an Iran specialist at Birmingham University in Britain and editor of the EA World View website, says the new U.S. penalties mark a shift from "targeted sanctions to sweeping general sanctions." Lucas says, for example, that the declared aim of sanctions on Iran's crucial oil exports is to completely cut off this revenue source, not just limit it. Washington has given waivers to eight countries to purchase Iranian oil but they expire in March 2019. "Instead of targeting Iranian companies or individuals, these new U.S. sanctions are aiming to choke off the regime entirely," says Lucas. 'Lack Of International Support' The U.S. sanctions regime prior to the nuclear deal in 2015 was backed by measures by the UN Security Council and the European Union. But the latest U.S. measures are unilateral. "The Trump administration may still find it difficult to enforce the stringent sanctions to its fullest potential because of a lack of international support to economically isolate Iran," says Majidyar. While major international companies and banks will no longer risk doing business with Iran, says Majidyar, smaller and mid-size companies in Europe and Asia are expected to maintain some level of trade with Tehran, with some support from their respective governments. Other analysts say that even unilateral U.S. sanctions will be extremely powerful and severely affect Iran's access to trading relationships, finance, and foreign investment. "Many international companies have already voted with their checkbooks, and there's little question that Iran's economy will come under growing duress in the months ahead," says Naysan Rafati, an Iran analyst at the International Crisis Group. Dozens of Western companies have pulled out of Iran in recent months out of a fear of huge U.S. fines. 'Destroying The Regime' U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on November 5 that the intention of U.S. sanctions was not only to deter Iran's nuclear ambitions but to "fundamentally change" Tehran's "destabilizing behavior." Washington says the terms of the 2015 nuclear accord were not strict enough to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. It also accuses Tehran of proliferating ballistic missiles and supporting armed groups in the region that the United States considers terrorist organizations. But analysts suggest that the new U.S. sanctions are not intended to limit Tehran's nuclear program, but to destroy the clerical establishment. "The reinstatement of U.S. sanctions isn't so much about the details of the sanctions with the intent of changing the regime's behavior," says Steve Hanke, an economist at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. "It's all about taking out and destroying the regime. The U.S. sanctions are now all about total war." 'Greater Shock Than Before' Analysts say Iran stands to be hurt more by the latest U.S. sanctions than by previous measures, in large part because of the effectiveness of the latter. Lucas says Iran's economy was "already battered" by previous rounds of sanctions. "It's a weakened economy that going to have to take a greater shock than before." And Majidyar notes that the latest U.S. penalties -- which completely return the sanctions dropped in the 2015 deal, after a first round targeting financial transactions, aircraft, and heavy metals was reimposed in August -- may not be the last. He says the U.S. Department of State may next designate Iran's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) a foreign terrorist organization (FTO). The U.S. Congress is expected to introduce additional sanctions on Iran and its regional allies, and the Trump administration could try to work with its allies to impose human rights-related sanctions on Tehran as well, he says. About the author: Frud Bezhan (BezhanF@rferl.org) covers Afghanistan and the broader South Asia and Middle East region. Follow on Twitter The Bank of Ghana has cautioned the public against depositing funds with entities not licensed to take deposits. The central bank in a statement issued Thursday, November 8, 2018 and signed by Frances Van-Hein Sackey, Bank Secretary, the entities including Global Coin Community Help International Limited (G.C.C.H), Wealth Drive Ghana Limited (WDG), Devonshire Place Capital Ghana Limited, TCL Markets Ghana Limited, FX-Crypto Traders and Sonsis Susu Services have not been licensed to carry out activities of taking deposits from depositors. The Bank is therefore warning the public to be careful of deals with these entities as any business done with them would be at the risk of depositors. The Bank of Ghana said it will not be liable for the refund of any deposit lost by a depositor. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has threatened to sue Accra Breweries Ltd (ABL) over illegal tax stamps found in one of its warehouses at Gbawe in Accra. A team comprising the Excise Unit and the GRA Task Force on Tuesday, November 6 inspected retail centers to ensure compliance with excise tax stamp policy in the capital. At the Gbawe warehouse of ABL, the team discovered that tons of crates of Club Beer and Voltic Mineral Water, among other beverages, which did not have the tax stamps affixed on them, were being loaded onto trucks for distribution. The officials acted swiftly to confiscate the products and engaged the management in a dialogue. In an attempt to prove innocence, a staff at the center entered one of the offices and came out with more than four big rolls of sealed tax stamps. Chief Revenue Officer, Kwabena Apau Awua Anto, who was obviously unhappy with the development, warned that they would take the matter up at the head office. He disclosed that they [Accra Brewery] dont have any right to supply stamps for anybody. GRA is the only state institution mandated to supply the stamps. He said that Accra Brewery has no authority to supply tax stamps to anybody and that is why we have seized the stamps. We will take it up. Its a serious offence! Any retailer, distributor or wholesaler with any of the affected stocks that were before the start of the programme can apply for the stamps, he said, adding that no company is allowed to transfer stamps to anybody. Companies and several organizations have been applying for the stamps since March and the GRA has been providing same. The Authority takes inventory of the products of the organisations and supplies tax stamps in equal measure to be affixed on them. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Department of Political Science of the University of Ghana (UG) Wednesday inaugurated the first Ghana Political Science Association to enhance the political landscape and promote national socio-economic development through research. The Association, which comprise Political Scientists in public universities across the country, individuals from cognate departments, alumni, and students, aims at providing a common platform for professional networking across the world. It is also to promote the conduct of research and discussions of political issues to enrich policy making. Emeritus Professor Kwame A. Ninsin of the Department of Political Science, addressing the theme, Political Science Research and the Quest for Ghanas Democratic Development, said the poor had little or no value for democratic rights. However, he said every citizen deserved to enjoy equal privileges, respect and rights. Our research system needs to be recalibrated into mainstream human development for the state to pursue policies that would improve the lives of its citizenry, he said. We should, therefore, maintain a high degree autonomy and promote justice, liberty, equality, and the dignity of the country. He said the low research output by African researchers made it difficult to meet the world standards but this needed to change. The failure of Africas governments is the failure of researchers in assisting in the formulation of policies to contribute to socio-economic development, he declared. He, therefore, urged researchers to conduct researches on pertinent issues of national interest, such as justice and injustice, inequality, and lack of access to public goods. Prof Ninsin also mentioned food production and security, child health, poverty, child-adult welfare as some of the important areas that needed researchers attention to enhance their development. Investing in a childs education is a socially-responsible way of creating access to give citizens justice and socio-economic freedom, he said. Mr Prosper Bani, a Former Chief of Staff of the Presidency, who delivered a key note address, said he had experienced real political crisis and how they were managed. Election disputes can degenerate the progress and peace of a country and lead it into crisis, he cautioned. Ghana is not there yet, but we should be mindful that there are no strong institutions that can control threats accumulated from electoral disputes. I am not scaring anybody, but that is the fact. Mr Bani noted that though that was part of the reasons for establishing the National Peace Council to maintain the peace, it lacked the requisite resources, logistics and personnel to achieve its mandate. Yet in this country, we witness disputes some leading into violence. We need to work towards protecting our democracy because that is the only way to mobilise resources for national development, he said. He urged also political science students to conduct research on the real plight of Ghanaians in the various sectors of the economy and present facts as well as evidence to policy makers, saying, that would enhance their decisions towards the development of the country. Prof Joseph Atsu Aryee, of the Department of Political Science, who Chaired the ceremony, said in the quest for development, foreign aid bodies dictated to Africa and influenced its policies and developmental content. This, he said, had led to Africans struggling and wallowing in poverty. He expressed his satisfaction that the Department now had its first female Dean since its establishment in 1960. Dr Maame Gyekye-Gyandoh, the Dean of the Department, said the Association would also work towards promoting the maximisation of Ghanas human and financial resources. It would also successfully engage the West through research and publication concerning the nation and continent at large. 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 The Sissala East Constituency Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Mr. Baku Rafik, is in the full grips of the police after allegedly being involved in the issuerance and sale of fake fertilizer coupons under the Government's flagship Planting for Food and Jobs programme. Mr. Baku Rafik was arrested following a tip-off by a staff working with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in the Upper East Region. The NDC Chairman, who is said to be a fertiliser distributor was said to have issued over 5,000 fake coupons and presented them as genuine to suppliers for claims. According to information, the evil operations of some distributors issuing fake fertilizer coupons came to the attention of the acting National Director of Crop Services, Mr. Seth Akoto, who caused investigations to be conducted. In the course of the investigations, the name of Mr. Baku Rafik, who is a local distributor for one of the companies contracted by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to supply organic fertilizers to farmers, came up as the suspect behind the deal. A security expert, name withheld, feigned interest and therefore sought assistance of Mr. Baku for fertiliser business. The NDC Constituency Chairman then obliged and promised to supply him these fake coupons. The two then agreed to meet at Bolga where the business would be transacted. On Thursday morning, Mr. Baku Rafik gladly drove to Bolga hoping to transact business with his partner but luck however ran out on him after realizing the person he was dealing with was a Staff of the Ministry working together with the security agencies in the Upper East Region. He was subsequently arrested and incarcerated by the police. Meanwhile, reports say the Police in Bolga are arranging to transfer him to the National CID Headqurters for further investigations. According to reports, Mr. Baku is part of a bigger cartel of groups and individuals engaged in smuggling and sale of fake fertilizer coupons under the Government's flagship Planting for Food and Jobs programme. His arrest comes few weeks after the President, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo and the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Hon. Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto visited the three northern regions and pledged a crackdown on unscrupulous elements sabotaging the Government's flagship programme. Source: newsroomgh.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Popular pastor, Mensa Otabil, and his church International Central Gospel Church are among 15 shareholders and directors of defunct Capital Bank sued over the collapse of the bank. The Plaintiffs, Messrs Vish Ashiagbor and Eric Nana Nipah from PricewaterhouseCoopers say the banks collapse was a direct result of defendants misgovernance and willful breaches of banking regulations. The writ of summons named the sins of each of the defendants and confirmed a financial autopsy report that said its founder William Ato Essien used depositors funds as is personal piggy bank. In one such personal piggy bank transactions, Ato Essien request for 130m loan to be given to an investment company he owned, Capital and More Ltd. But the senior management of the bank declined the disbursement of the money which was public funds from the Bank of Ghana injected to save the troubled bank in 2015. Enter the revered Pastor Mensa Otabil who as Board chairman provided a personal guarantee that the loan to the CEOs other company will be repaid. The statement of claim said the money given out in 2015 has not been paid after three years. The writ faulted the pastor for guaranteeing the disbursement even though he was conscious at all material times that it was in breach of banking regulations as well as against the expressed opposition of the senior managers. That 130m was not the only loan William Ato Essien took from his bank. There was another 29.9m he caused to be granted companies he owned or was related to. He later came for another 78.9m in loans. The CEO has been asked in the writ to cough up more than 580m in shareholder loans he took as well as loans granted to companies he owned or is related to. In another episode of severe and acute culture of mismanagement at the defunct bank, the directors and shareholders kept 482m in non-existent investments in their books. The central bank would later grant their request for this imaginary investment to be converted into actual loans to be paid by the shareholders. To date, a shareholder Otabil and Associates founded by the pastor and management expert has been unable to pay 51.6m which is they share of the loan converted from the imaginary investments. Otabils church the International Central Gospel Church which was a shareholder in the bank has also failed to pay 51.6m which is also their share of the 482m loan. A third defendant, Oheneba Osei-Akoto took a 2.42m loan in December 2016 using his residential property at Regimanuel Gray Estates at East Legon as collateral. The defendant and shareholder has failed to pay back the money. The plaintiffs said these defendants are responsible for serious financial loss at the defunct Capital bank. Source: myjoyonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Prince Charles has spoken about the ongoing dispute over whose Jollof rice is best, only to side step the issue of revealing his own preference. Speaking in Nigeria at the end of his West Africa tour, he said: Quote Message: Having also visited The Gambia and Ghana over the past week, our visit to Nigeria may perhaps provide an invaluable opportunity to compare if one ever dares do such a thing! the relative merits of each countrys Jollof rice however, for fear of sparking a diplomatic incident, I suspect I shall have to let you draw your own conclusions about which countrys Jollof we found to be the most delicious!" The last high-profile British person to dare to talk about Jollof rice was the chef, Jamie Oliver, who at least seemed to unite West Africans in condemnation of his own recipe. We suspect that Prince Charles was briefed about the ongoing rivalry over the traditional dish made with rice, tomatoes and spices because he was so careful not to reveal his favourite. Source: BBC 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 NIGERIA: An 18-year-old boy has been arrested by police in Edo state after he allegedly killed his mother then had sex with her corpse for ritual purposes. Samuel Emobor Oghenekporboro allegedly killed his 58-year-old mother, identified as Mrs Christiana Ighoyivwi, by strangling her until she passed out at their residence at 8B, Market road, Ologbo Community along Benin- Sapele road in Ikpoba-Okha local government area, Edo state. The suspect was paraded before newsmen on Wednesday, alongside other criminals, in Benin. The young man confessed to strangling his mother at 5 a.m. on October 10. He told journalists that he carried out the act after consulting a spiritualist who promised to make him rich. The spiritualist allegedly promised that money would fall from heaven as he makes love to his mothers corpse. He said that he had sexual intercourse with her corpse for two days, as instructed by the spiritualist but luck ran out on him when his suspicious grandmother, Maria Gabriel, raised the alarm Mrs Maria Gabriel was at the residence at about 6am to invite her late daughter to a nearby church for morning prayers. She knocked repeatedly on her daughters door but nobody responded so she raised alarm after peeping through the door. The boy attempted to escape after he opened the door but he was caught by neighbours who then handed him over to the police. Spokesman for Edo Police Command, DSP Chidi Nwabuzor, said investigation was ongoing saying the suspect would be arraigned soon. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) is putting in stringent security measures to close all avenues used by persons who want to use the countrys sea ports to stowaway to Western countries. Security operatives at the Tema Port say stowaway is the major challenge faced by the GPHA as one or two persons have been caught engaging in it this year. Mr Stevens Siaka-Anane, Deputy Harbour Master in-charge of operations, disclosed this on Thursday during the Second Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport-Ghana (CILT) Continuous Professional Development Programme at Tema. The programme was on the theme: Review of Maritime Security in Ghana Territorial Waters Mr Siaka-Anane explained that mostly, such stowaways hid in empty containers from depots, adding that such containers often do not undergo scanning. He indicated that officials of Abidjan port in Cote dIvoire always accused Ghana of allowing people to stowaway as according to them whenever they arrested such persons they turn out to be Ghanaians. He however noted that the claim was been worked on to ascertain whether they started their stowaway journeys from the Ghana or joined on the sea saying that having the image of a stowaway prone area would not help the country. The Deputy Harbour Master said measures put in place to curb the practice included proper identification and restriction of persons going onboard of vessels be they stevedores or for any business. Others are stringent access control, monitoring of stevedoring, gangway manning, waterside patrols, and empty container visits as well as the usage of trained dogs for rummaging and prosecution of persons who attempted to stowaways. 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 Youth of Adentan have mounted a blockade on the Madina highway following the killing of a middle-aged woman Thursday afternoon. They burnt tyres and threatened motorists as they expressed anger over the carnage on the highway. The killing of the woman on Thursday brought the situation to a head triggering the action of the youth, who had planned a vigil for Friday. Eye witnesses say the youth were undaunted by the presence of police and fire officers, who rushed to the scene to ensure calm. Deaths on the Madina-Adentan highway have been on the ascendancy with residents blaming the situation on lack of footbridges. Government has indicated that budget allocation has been made for the resumption of work on the highway in 2019. VIDEO- Source: 3news.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, is laying blame at the doorstep of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the ongoing saga at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and the University of Education, Winneba (UEW). According to him, by ignoring the date set by the Supreme Court for ruling on the University of Education's attempt to dissolve the Council, and going ahead to swear-in a new Vice Chancellor, suggests his involvement per the captain planet style he adopted in the dissolution of KNUST Governing Council and the removal of the Vice Chancellor. What happened at University of Education, Winneba clearly shows that the rampage that occurred on KNUST campus where the Governing Council was dissolved and the Vice-Chancellor made to step aside, had the tacit support of Nana Addo. The MP at Winneba (Efutu MP, Hon Afenyo-Markin) and some NPP activists were used as the attack-dogs to frustrate the University authorities. They also schemed to have the case assigned to a local judge who gave a bad ruling and now it has to take the Supreme Court to reverse it, he asserted on Okay FMs Ade Akye Abia Morning Show on Thursday. Asiedu Nketiahs comment was borne out of the fact that the governing council of the University of Education, Winneba, dismissed five principal officers of the institution a couple of months ago. The five are the Vice-Chancellor who was serving a suspension, Professor Mawutor Avoke, Finance Officer, Dr. Theophilus Senyo Ackorlie, Daniel Tetteh, Mary Dzimey and Frank Owusu Boateng. A Winneba High Court in 2017 ordered Professor Mawutor Avoke, to step aside until a case brought against him and the Universitys Governing Council is determined. However, before the substantive claims were looked into, the University, through its lawyers, applied to the court to dismiss the suit on the three counts, but the application was dismissed. The High Court subsequently found Professor Avoke, and the schools Finance Officer, Dr. Theopholus Senyo Ackorlie, guilty of procurement and other financial irregularities. To General Mosquito, as he is known in social circles, President Akufo-Addo, considered as a renowned lawyer, has embarrassed himself with the way he stormed the campus of KNUST to usurp the powers of the Governing Council, since a military government would not even have acted the way he did. The way the government handled the KNUST saga was wrong . . . but it has become the norm of this Akufo-Addo government to always interfere in the academic freedom of independent university governing councils. This government does not allow independent institutions to stand on their own." . . Nana Addo behaves as if he is captain planet' appearing at every given opportunity to cause destruction. It is part of the reasons why his government is not doing well in this country, he added. He wondered if the eyes of a Presidential Candidate sees differently immediately the person becomes President on account of Akufo-Addo's conduct. Is it not the same Nana Addo who campaigned on and championed the rule of law? How could he have sworn-in another Vice Chancellor to head UEW when the case was before the Supreme Court and the date for the ruling was made known to him? Now, the Supreme Court has knocked him down unanimously by ruling against his decision. How is he going to tell the new VC he swore-in to step aside for the old VC to continue his work? he quizzed. He therefore warned the President against any attempt to reverse the ruling of the Supreme Court on the UEW case by appointing more judges at the Supreme Court as Ghanaians are watching him keenly. These two incidents the President interfered with indicate that his government does not believe in academic freedom but mere political antics. I am proposing that in the next national awards, one should be given to the President as someone who breaks down institutions . . . they want to subject everything to the wrong exercise of the Presidents power, he stated. General Mosquito further catalogued a number of public institutions with independent powers that President Akufo-Addo has destroyed since he assumed the mantle of leadership. " . . the Bank of Ghanas independence has been destroyed by sacking the Governor and his deputies . . . the Electoral Commissions Chairperson, Madam Charlotte Osei and her deputies sacked . . . the President also nearly succeeded in having the Auditor-General relieved of his post but for the timely intervention of the general public . . . and now he has turned his attention to the Universities, seeking to sack Vice Chancellors and dissolve their Governing Councils," he enumerated. Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com/[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 Government has described as untrue, claims by former President Mahama that public High Schools have not been fumigated since the introduction of the Free SHS Programme. Mr. Mahama who is seeking re-election for the flagbearer slot of the Opposition Party criticised the Akufo-Addo administration for not fumigating the Public senior high schools which has led to students complaining of bites from bed bugs. But the Minister for Information Kojo Oppong Nkrumah at a Press Briefing in Accra said the claims by the Former President are not factual. It is worthy of note that Former President Mahama has never supported the Free SHS idea and has always attempted to demonise it at every opportunity. This is not the first comment aimed at undermining the programme that he has made and so we are not surprised. But for the avoidance of doubt, we want to state for the records that 678 senior high schools have been fumigated, said Oppong Nkrumah. He said the fumigation exercise was completed last week. In a breakdown to the Press, the Minister disclosed that the fumigation exercise took place in 120 schools in the Ashanti Region, 80 in the Bono-Ahafo Region, 70 in the Central Region and 97 schools in the Eastern Region. The rest are 50 schools in the Greater Accra region, 52 in the Northern Region, 34 in the Upper East, 21 in the Upper West, 100 in the Volta Region and 54 schools in the Western Region. Oppong Nkrumah said there are no records available of the last time all senior high schools in Ghana were fumigated comprehensively even under the tenure of Former President Mahama like it has been done today. He urged the Former President to stop undermining the laudable programme. This administration thereby encourages the former President that when it comes to state and national matters, it will be best if he speaks in the national interest, and speaks to facts," he told the Press. Oppong Nkrumah said The Akufo-Addo administration remains committed to seeing that the Free SHS program succeeds. We will not leave any stone unturned in achieving this objective. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The National Treasurer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Alhaji Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah, wants NDC General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah to be rejected at the partys upcoming national primaries. According to him, Asiedu Nketia is a dictator and some of his actions were destroying the party. The 68-year-old Alhaji Abdullah Ahmed, popularly known as Alhaji PMC, says Asiedu Nketiah does not heed to advice, adding that the partys National Chairman, Kofi Portuphy, is even unable to control him and his cohorts. There has never been an issue raised by Chairman Portuphy or myself at our meetings that Asiedu Nketia has approved before. When I make suggestions they throw it away saying it is illegal. Chairman Portuphy is unable to control him. Asiedu Nketia is a dictator. He has a bad attitude. He does not listen to advice. He likes insulting people. When you say something and it goes against them, they push the young guys to insult you, he said in a radio interview on Asempa FM Wednesday afternoon. The NDC will hold its primaries on November 17, 2017, to elect national executives to lead the NDC for the next four years. Asiedu Nketia is seeking to be given the nod again as its General Secretary, a position he has occupied since December 2005. According to Alhaji Abdullah, who is turning 70 soon and is set to retire from active politics, although he does not hate Asiedu Nketia, NDC delegates must not give him another chance because he will destroy the party. Asiedu Nketia is there sacking chiefs from his office. They have ganged up against me. I suggested that lets empower the grassroots. I had support from the Chairman, Kofi Adams, Koku Anyidoho, but the others said it was illegal. When you say something and they disagree, they send the small boys after you to insult you. The grassroots have been working and if we dont want to empower them and you sit at the headquarters to seek your own welfare it is bad. It is the grassroots that brought the party to power in 2008, he added. He also accused Asiedu Nketia of contributing to the partys massive loss in the Brong Ahafo Region. Source: Citinewsroom Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Former President Jerry Rawlings has revealed that the current New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration inherited corruption at its worst from the previous Mahama administration. According to him, when President Akufo-Addo took over from the erstwhile John Mahama administration in 2017, the country was already drowning in practice of corruption with impunity. By the time this administration came into office, the country was literally drowning in the practice of corruption with impunity. This administration has therefore inherited national corruption at its worst, Mr. Rawlings stated. Former President Rawlings, who gave cold shoulder to some people at the state dinner held in honour of the visiting British Royal couple- Prince Charles and Lady Camilla, made the remarks when he received a delegation of political leaders from Sierra Leone, led by former Vice-President, Chief Sam-Sumana. The former President in the past expressed disgust about the level of corruption in the previous Mahama administration, criticizing the members for putting their interests first. Since the NDC lost the 2016 general elections, the ex-president has criticized the leadership of the party for engaging in various acts of corruption, including vote-buying in internal NDC elections. This has pitched him against some elements in the party, who are not satisfied with his public criticism of the leadership of the party. Former President John Dramani Mahama has been at the receiving end of most of his bashing in recent times. Speaking at the June 4 Revolutionary lecture series at the National Theatre in May, this year, Mr. Rawlings indicated that there are acts committed by members of the NDC while in power that he has not revealed. He described members of the party as greedy and selfish, saying they are part of the reason for the poverty in Ghana today. Speaking to the delegates that visited him over the weekend, Mr. Rawlings disclosed that governments that fail to punish corrupt officials provide a favourable climate for crime to thrive. He explained that some administrations, which found the integrity level of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) too high and intimidating, corrupted some of our national institutions in order to survive. Former President Rawlings told his guests that the 31st December Revolution brought the best out of the people despite several efforts by Western powers to derail the process, including the deportation of 1 million Ghanaians from Nigeria under the leadership of Shehu Shagari. He indicated that the current government owes its own survival to the anti-corruption crusade. Former President Rawlings, therefore, called on citizens to help the government fight corruption since government alone cannot succeed in doing so. The former Vice-President of Sierra Leone said the group recognizes the ideals of former President Rawlings who wants to see a better Africa. He said Mr. Rawlings served as the foundation for the renewed development of Ghana after the demise of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. We look up to you as a role model because of the peace and stability you brought not only to Ghana, but also Sierra Leone and Liberia during your tenure as head of state, Chief Sam-Sumana said. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Author Kathy Page is seen in this undated handout photo. Page has won the $50,000 Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize for ``Dear Evelyn,'' a wartime romance inspired by love letters between her own mother and father. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Rogers Writers Trust Fiction Prize, *MANDATORY CREDIT* The Look Out II unmanned missile vessel is displayed at Airshow China 2018 in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province. Photo: Liu Xuanzun/GT A Chinese company has revealed an independently developed unmanned missile boat with reconnaissance and attack capabilities, claiming it as the first of its kind in China. Guangdong-based Yunzhou Tech, also known as Oceanalpha, debuted the Look Out II vessel to the public at Airshow China 2018 in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong Province on Tuesday. Loaded with four precision missiles that can hit targets 5 kilometers away, the vessel is also equipped with a radar and electro-optical system enabling it to carry out reconnaissance missions, according to a statement the company sent to the Global Times on Tuesday. The Chinese naval drone, 7.5 meters long and 2.7 meters wide, has a displacement of 3.7 tons and can sail at 45 knots at its full speed, the statement said. Su Zhen, Look Out II project director, told the Global Times at the show on Wednesday that although the vessel was relatively small and its missile could not reach very far, it was fast and stealthy, enabling it to get nearer its target and launch close-quarters strikes. "It is not the Look Out II's goal to sink an enemy vessel on its own," Su said. "As long as we damage the enemy ship's key structure like the command center, armory or engine room, it is enough for us to get the upper hand so that we can follow up," he said. Su said that an unmanned surface vessel is significantly cost-efficient compared to a traditional naval ship. Because it is unmanned, no operator casualty will occur. The company claims that Look Out II is the first unmanned missile boat made in China and the second in the world. The first was developed by Israel. The development of Look Out II indicates that China is globally competitive in making unmanned surface vehicles and is of significant strategic meaning as China did not have such vessels in the past, the company said. Look Out II conducted its first missile test in late October. It successfully hit the target at the first attempt, the statement said. Su said that while the drone can automatically sail the sea and choose optimal routes with artificial intelligence (AI), the use of weapons is still done manually through remote control. "We cannot have AI determine the life and death of humans," Su said. In June Yunzhou conducted a test in which 56 unmanned boats formed a formation dubbed a "shark swarm." Su said that Look Out II can use a similar tactic or even team up with naval drones with other capabilities. The company is already offering unmanned boats capable of electromagnetic countermeasures, patroling, escort and reconnaissance, Su said. "The user can form different formations according to the situation on the battlefield," he said. Military experts said a large number of armed unmanned surface vehicles can overwhelm enemy vessels. Yunzhou is eager to deliver its products to the People's Liberation Army. Foreign countries including Namibia have also expressed interest, according to the statement. The overall purpose of the mission, SpaceIL says, is to inspire more Israelis to pursue STEM careers. Three engineers formed the non-profit in 2011 to compete for the Google Lunar X-Prize, a $30 million contest encouraging privately funded groups to land on the Moon. The first team to land, travel 500 meters and transmit imagery would have earned $20 million. A second-place team would have earned $5 million, and another $5 million was up for grabs through stretch goals like visiting an old Apollo site and contributing to STEM diversity. Google withdrew the cash prizes in April 2018 when no group was able to meet the contest deadline, which had already been extended from 2017. A few teams, including SpaceIL, pushed on, and despite a brush with bankruptcy at the end of 2017, SpaceIL announced they would be ready to fly at the end of 2018. The launch has since been delayed until the "beginning of 2019," SpaceIL representatives said in response to emailed questions. The lander, which is in the process of being named through an online contest, will leave Earth aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Florida. SpaceIL is one of at least three customers with spacecraft aboard the flight. The primary payload is an Indonesian telecommunications satellite called PSN-6, built by sat-building company SSL. Another undisclosed rider rumored to be a U.S. government satellite. Rideshare missions are common, but this one is unique because one spacecraft is headed to the Moon while two others will trek to geosynchronous orbit, a region almost 36,000 kilometers above Earth. There, satellites have one-day orbits to match Earths rotation, enabling them to linger over the same ground spot. All three spacecraft will detach from the Falcon 9 into a geosynchronous transfer orbit with a high point, or apogee, of 60,000 kilometers. The SpaceIL lander will orbit Earth three times, raising its orbit until being captured by the Moon's gravity. The process will take more than two months, and at the Moon, the lander will make two orbits before landing. In another mission twist, Spaceflight, the company that arranged the rideshare aspect of the Falcon 9 launch, says the undisclosed satellite will remain attached to PSN-6 while both satellites head to geosynchronous orbit. Ryan Olcott, a Spaceflight mission manager, called this arrangement "groundbreaking." "Were really thrilled to develop this relationship with SSL, Olcott said. It is a great enabler for a broad category of rideshares that would be much harder or impossible to perform with a single ring below a primary spacecraft." The company is already offering geosynchronous ridealongs as a dedicated service for future launches. BUSIA The Electoral Commission has nominated five candidates to contest for the Busia LC5 seat in a by-election scheduled to take place on November 18, 2018. The seat fell vacant in May this year after the Court of Appeal nullified the election of the incumbent, Mr Ouma Adea, on grounds that he had been convicted of corruption in 2013. The candidates, who were nominated on Tuesday and Wednesday by Mr Umar Kiyimba, the district returning officer, are Mr Chrispus Bwire, Mr. Tony Ojambo and Geoffrey Wandera, all independents, and NRMs Paul Boniface Oguttu and Tony Ojambo . Mr Kiyimba said one candidate was not nominated because he failed to meet the required demands. We had one candidate who could not be nominated because he failed to raise the required signatures as stipulated by the Electoral Commission, Mr Kiyimba told journalists at Busia District Council Hall on Wednesday. Democratic Party president Nobert Mao, who attended Mr Njokis nomination urged the electorates to vote their candidate to propel the district to greater heights. Mr Mao further warned the ruling party against rigging. We are warning the ruling party that should they rig elections, we will occupy all the public spaces in Busia district and make it difficult for anyone to stay in and operate. We want a free and fair election, Mr Mao said. Mr. Njoki said he will serve his people diligently if voted into office. My leadership is to serve people and to see that our district is on the right track in economic development, he said. Mr Oguttu, the NRM candidate warned the voters against entrusting leadership into the hands of the Opposition candidate, saying they are not developmental. Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party has announced that they will support the Democratic Party (DP) candidate in the by-election. Last Monday, the FDC leadership said despite having strong leaders in Busia, they have decided to rally behind Mr Njoki, who vied for the same position in the last elections. We have had a long relationship with Mr Deo and we shall not field a candidate despite having strong leaders in Busia, said Mr Harold Kaija, the party Deputy Secretary-General, during a press conference at the FDC headquarters in Najjanankumbi near Kampala on Monday. Several individuals had come forward seeking to carry the FDC flag in the election. They are Ms Kevina Taaka, the former Busia Municipality MP, Mr Sanya Emmanuel Mango, the Samia Bugwe North chairperson, Mr Amin Sadik, the Busia Municipality chairperson, and Dr Were Odimbe, the district chairman. The move is likely to galvanize the party position as it prepares to face the NRM, which is currently in turmoil after three of its members last week revealed that they will also stand; one on the party ticket and the other two as independents. Related Long-range early warning radar detects and tracks a target in a video of "five major radar early warning systems". The China Electronics Technology Group Corporation unveiled the systems to meet the requirements of future armed conflicts. Photo: Liu Yang/GT The five major radar early warning systems unveiled at the Airshow China 2018 will meet the requirements of future armed conflicts, experts said. The early warning systems, released by the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation on Wednesday, include anti-missile operations, space attack, space defense, joint theater operations, ocean warfare, global surveillance and combat, the company said. Hu Mingchun, director of the corporation's No.14 research institute, told the Global Times that in the information era, military equipment must comprise a system to effectively conduct missions. "No matter how advanced the electronic device might be, a system of devices that can operate and coordinate is indispensible," Hu said. A systematic warning tool is the core link in battle, he said. The radar system is the "eye of the troops," Hu said. "The system collects information about the battlefield environment, the enemy and ourselves. It also allocates resources and tasks through a command automation system to guarantee the accuracy of attacks." The five systems were more than a concept, Hu said. The corporation can provide customers with existing military electronic devices to serve as a command center and key detectors. Multifunctional phased array radar tracks and identifies warhead in a video of "five major radar early warning systems".The China Electronics Technology Group Corporation unveiled the systems to meet the requirements of future armed conflicts. Photo: Liu Yang/GT KAMPALA An inquiry by the Office of the President has said that an anti-poverty group operating in Rukungiri District is operating as a non-governmental organization and should not benefit from any form of government funding. Boona Bagaigahare Nyekundire Group has since October been a subject of investigation by State House over alleged fraud after the group leader, Ms Peace Rugambwa, claimed that claimed to have spent about 1.9 billion shillings of her own money to mobilise NRM supporters in Rukungiri on behalf of the directive of President Museveni to fight poverty, which she wants him to refund. However, after over a month of investigation, a five-member State House probe team led by Mr Francis Batinti on Wednesday presented the findings of the report, indicating that the group does not operate as a mobilization outfit but rather as an NGO since members pay a membership fee of 12,000 shillings. The report findings also indicated that the group has a membership of 17,198 members and 2,442 of these are elderly persons over 70 years. It also revealed that the unions and mattresses which the group leaders claimed to have supplied to all members were not actually supplied. For instance, only 42 group members received mattresses and others 57 had been bought, pending distribution. For the onions, the report revealed that they had been distributed in 2016 when residents had not registered under this group. As a result, the report concluded that Boona Bagaigahare Nyekundire Group is like an NGO and its leadership could organize funding elsewhere but not the governments consolidated fund. It also concluded that since Ms Rugambwa collected Shs12000 membership fee from people as an NRM mobiliser, the party should pay this money back. Ms Rugambwa was not available for a comment but said Mr Emmy Turyabagenyi, a member of the group, who attended the meeting for the presentation of the findings, said the report is biased. This report is biased and against a good cause for service delivery for a grass root person, a lot is missing like the many people that received onion seeds, we joined this group on a voluntary basis and saying NRM party refunds us Shs 12000 is really a shame. If they are weaknesses let them be rectified but this group stays, said Mr Turyabagenyi. Earlier before the report could be presented, some Boona Bagaigahare Nyekundire Group members stormed the venue, claiming that they were not invited to the meeting yet they are stakeholders. However, the group was allowed to attend by RDC Dan Kaguta. While sanctioning the investigation in September, the State House Comptroller, Ms Lucy Nakyobe, said they wanted to establish whether Ms Rugambwa spent all the money on mobilisation. She said she gave out onion seedlings and mattresses to the elderly, and during the woman MP bye-election, she also mobilised the people to vote the NRM candidate and that she is in debts that are almost making her to lose her property, Ms Nakyobe said in Rukungiri. According to group members, each one paid Shs12,000 as subscription fee so as to qualify to benefit from the different items given such as mattresses, seeds and loans. Related Authorities say two suspects have been arrested in a shooting that wounded a Philadelphia police officer after he and another uniformed officer apparently interrupted a confrontation between two men in the Kensington neighborhood. Commissioner Richard Ross said 31-year-old Officer Paul Sulock was shot in the leg shortly after 11 a.m. Wednesday, reports WPVI. Ross said the men were crouched behind cars across the street from each other, one armed and apparently about to shoot the other. "The quick action of these police officers probably saved the life of one of these people involved, quite frankly. It was going to be a shooting, there is no question about that," said Ross. The armed man reportedly fired at the officers, hitting Sulock in his thigh. Ross said Sulock chased down one of the suspects despite his wound. The other suspect was also arrested. Police said Sulock, a father of four, has been on the force for nearly 11 years and is the son of another officer. A second Texas police officer was arrested Tuesday in connection with a double homicide in New York last month, reports the Dallas Morning News. Sunray police Officer Bron Bohlar, 34, and former Sunray police Chief Timothy Dean, 32, are charged in the fatal shootings of 24-year-old Amber Washburn and 28-year-old Joshua Niles in their Sodus, NY, neighborhood. Officials also charged Dean's wife, Charlene Childers, 25, who has two children with Niles. He had gained custody of the children just days before the slayings, WHAM-TV reported. The Texas Rangers had already arrested Dean and Childers on child abuse charges, Wayne County, N.Y., Sheriff Barry Virts said. The children are now with a family member. Virts said Dean traveled to New York to kill the couple while Childers and Bohlar remained in Texas. Childers went to New York to attend the vigil and was arrested afterward. Commission opens infringement procedure against Hungary In its monthly package of infringement decisions, the European Commission has opened an infringement procedure against Hungary, calling on the country - and another seven member states - to correctly transpose EU rules regarding the requirements of the Energy Efficiency Directive. On Thursday, the EU executive decided to send letters of formal notice to Austria, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Spain and for failing to correctly transpose or implement certain requirements of the Energy Efficiency Directive (Directive 2012/27/EU).The Directive establishes a common framework of measures for the promotion of energy efficiency within the EU in order to ensure the achievement of the EU's 20% energy efficiency target for 2020 and to pave the way for further energy efficiency improvements beyond that date. These Member States now have two months to reply to the arguments raised by the Commission; otherwise, the Commission may decide to send a reasoned opinion. Przepraszamy! Ogoszenie na stanowisku: PTP Accountant wygaso z dniem 2018-11-27 Ta propozycja bya zozona przez Hays Poland Sp. z o.o. Mozliwe przyczyny wygasniecia oferty to: propozycja zamieszczona przez pracodawce zostaa usunieta z serwisu praca.egospodarka.pl rekruter zakonczy proces rekrutacji uzyskujac odpowiednia ilosc CV rekruter zmodyfikowa tresc ogoszenia i jest ono dostepne pod innym adresem url dostawca tresci usuna ogoszenie z bazy danych niewasciwy adres WWW ogoszenia Jezeli poszukujesz pracy w branzy Inne / Pozostae, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca Inne / Pozostae Jezeli poszukujesz pracy na stanowisku PTP Accountant, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca PTP Accountant Jezeli poszukujesz pracy w miescie: Gdansk, zajrzyj tutaj: Praca Gdansk Pamietaj, ze mozesz takze rozpoczac poszukiwanie pracy od strony gownej, kliknij tutaj. Inne propozycje, ktore mogy byc w kregu Twoich zainteresowan: MUMBAI, November 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- UNSW's India Open Days 2018 aims to provide insightful information to students seeking world-class education UNSW's India engagement is seeing larger numbers of high-achieving students from India going to UNSW for under-graduate and post-graduate studies cutting across multiple disciplines. This trend is anticipated to continue with growing recognition of UNSW's core strengths in a strong future-ready pedagogy and a high employability quotient. In the 2018 QS Rankings, UNSW is among the top 50 of the best-ranked institutions in the world. Academic excellence, a robust multicultural experience and a strong focus on employability would continue to be the priority as the university implements its UNSW 2025 Strategy. All of this would be deeply rooted in UNSW's strict adherence to a value-based education and its commitment to creating a just society. Aayushi Pandey, a post-graduate from UNSW Business School said that she found her days at UNSW particularly enjoyable because the pedagogy was praxiological, "Solving problems through team-work, made the learning experience unique. What was also extraordinary is that the careers counselling started from the day I joined and not when I was about to complete my studies. UNSW is truly engaged in our future!" Recognizing that education needs to constantly evolve and cater to the growing and diverse requirements of the student community, UNSW Sydney has a system of constantly studying and evaluating what would add maximum value to students. Consequently, it was decided to move towards a new Academic Calendar from 2019 called UNSW3+, since it would provide future students with the opportunity to tailor and personalize their study experience and prepare for professional success. This sensitivity towards the needs of its students lies at the core of UNSW's USP. 'UNSW India Open Days' are the flagship recruitment events in India, which are a 'Must-Do' for any Indian prospective student seeking a world-class international education that singularly provides a global and future-ready experience. The events will kick off in New Delhi on Sunday (18th November at Shangi-la Eros hotel from 2PM - 5PM), followed by Chennai (20th November at Taj Coromandal hotel from 2PM - 5PM), Pune (22nd November at JW Marriott hotel from 10 AM to 1 PM) and Mumbai (23rd November at Nehru Centre from 2PM - 5PM). Students can register directly online for Delhi, Chennai, Pune or Mumbai This year, the events have been crafted, for the first time by any international university, with an extraordinary wow-factor that would enable students, parents and educators to magically experience UNSW through interactions with each of its faculties as well as student services, including tailored support from the careers and employability team that supports UNSWs strong academic and employability rankings. A unique experience awaits all those who attend these sessions for which pre-registration is a requirement. The design, layout and format for the UNSW Open Days 2018 would be interactive and students and parents are invited to experience a day at UNSW at our VR zone; build an impressive LinkedIn profile with our experts; decode their ideal career through our bespoke consultations and meet with the Faculty of their dream program. The UNSW delegation would include representatives from Engineering, Business, Art & Design, Arts & Social Sciences, Science, Medicine, Law, Built Environment and UNSW Canberra, apart from student support services, such as, careers and employability, accommodation and future student services. UNSW Admissions will be present at the sessions and students are encouraged to bring their academic transcript for assessment on the day. Eligible students will receive a waiver of the AUD$125.00 application fee. This is the time when students would be making the important decision on what to study and where. For a strong learning and living experience, UNSW Sydney in unmatched. Taking advantage of the India Open Days is the way to start. Former Indian diplomat and UNSW India Country Director, Mr. Amit Dasgupta said that UNSW's India engagement is rooted in collaboration and partnership because "The strong education we provide and the research collaborations we offer are aimed at adding value to India's demographic dividend." About University of New South Wales, Sydney: Located in Sydney, a safe and student friendly city, UNSW is home to more than 52,000 students from nearly 130 countries. UNSW has been attracting a growing number of bright Indian students for Undergraduate and Post Graduate studies in Business, Commerce, IT, Engineering, Design & Architecture. As one of the world's leading research and teaching universities, UNSW's cutting-edge research and innovation - facilitated by 3,000 faculty - is known for acceptance and successful commercialization. The 2019 edition of the QS World University Rankings: Graduate Employability, that reviewed 500 universities, has placed UNSW 28th in the world for graduate employability. For more details, please visit: http://www.UNSW.edu.au Media Contact : Parmpreet Kaur [email protected] +91-9870390819 Communicate India SOURCE University of New South Wales File photo for the US F-35 fighter jet By Wang Yu The US Defense Secretary James Norman Mattis has signed a memorandum, requesting that the US Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps keep main fighter jets such as F-35 fighter planes, F-22 Raptor stealth fighter jets, F-16 fighters and F/A-18 air fighters in combat readiness throughout the fiscal year 2019, that the ratio of task-performing fighters should be raised to 80%, and that they should be ready for battle through perfect systemic combat capabilities and strong comprehensive national support. In order to achieve this goal, the various services of the US military started to focus on improving their operational readiness of air combat forces. But the road ahead might not be smooth due to various institutional obstacles and technical difficulties. The worrying situation of the US fighter planes The air superiority has always been a trump card held by the US military and a precondition for carrying out military operations. Compared with other countries, the US military possesses the advantage of generational gaps in areas of surveillance, remote strike and electromagnetic suppression. However, the surge in missions in multiple hotspots has made the US air combat forces feel the strain. The long-term execution of missions by various fighters has led to significant losses that exceed expectations. The number of the US fighters in combat readiness continues to decline. In the US Air Force, for example, the average combat readiness rate of fighters was only 71.3% in fiscal year 2017. If we exclude drones whose combat readiness rate is kept at around 90% per year, the overall combat readiness rate of manned fighters is less than 70%. In regards to each fighter model, the combat readiness rates for F-16C, F-16D, F-22A, and F-35A were 70.22%, 65.96%, 49.01%, and 54.67%, respectively in fiscal year 2017. The readiness rates of the F/A-18 and F-35 series of fighters owned by the US Navy and Marine Corps, however, were even worse. It has been reported that more than 60% of the fighters in the two services were unable to perform their duties. F-16, F/A-18 and other types of fighters in full service, generally face problems such as aging, frequent failures, discontinuation of spare parts production and inventory reduction. In particular, carrier-based F/A-18 fighters have been deployed in a high-salt and high-humidity environment for a long time, and have frequently been used to perform operational missions overseas. Thus, their aging situation is even more serious than other ground-based fighters. Richard V. Spencer, Secretary of the US Navy, revealed to the media that the US Navy has 546 F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighters in service, but only 270 of them can execute missions, and the combat readiness rate of the old model F/A-18C/D Hornet fighters is less than 30%. The lack of experienced ground staff is another influential factor. After a large number of ground staff in the US Air Force was cut down in 2014, the staff gap reached a peak of 4,000, making preparations for aircraft takeoff and landing more time-consuming than ever. Although the US Air Force later narrowed this gap to 200 people, the structural problem in terms of personnel is even more prominent. The proportion of ground crew in middle and high-tech levels is too low. The newly recruited personnel need 5 to 7 years to gain experience and get promoted through progressive training to become competent for high-tech aircraft repair and maintenance work. If the logistic team lives up to an ideal state, it will take a long time to bridge the gap between novices and veterans. US military faces multiple challenges As General Carlton D. Everhart, commander of the US Air Forces Air Mobility Command (AMC), has said, Winning a battle depends on aerodynamics, while winning a war relies on logistics. The ambitious goal of 80% proposed by James Mattis has been recognized by all the US military services, but it will not be easy to achieve this goal on time due to the enormous difficulties and challenges. The US Air Force first launched a specific plan to achieve the 80% target. The US Air Force Secretary Heather Ann Wilson said in an interview on October 25 that the US Air Force will adjust its budget structure, increase investment in supply, expand the number of ground staff by increasing bonuses and years of service, and increase the number of to-be-maintained fighters and their frequency of maintenance. In addition, personnel training for pilots will be strengthened and their flight training time will be guaranteed, with a view to shape the soldiers morale, recognition and sense of pride. In response to the maintenance of old fighters such as the F/A-18s, the US Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan and the Commandant of US Marine Corps Robert Blake Neller told reporters on October 10 that they could speed up the retirement of old fighters, turning them into organ donors to guarantee the supply of newer fighter parts and to alleviate the shortage caused by the reduction or discontinuation of parts production. At the same time, rational allocation of manpower and resources will be applied to the maintenance of new fighters. Besides, the support of military enterprises is also crucial. According to reports, Lockheed Martin cooperates with the US Air Force to monitor the status of fighters using advanced data analysis and intelligent algorithms, such as monitoring stealth coating performance of the F-22 and F-35, and the aging degree of the F-16 fuselage, to estimate potential hazards and to complete the procurement and preparation of parts in advance. Boeing has strengthened its cooperation with the US Navy by sending field service representatives and engineers to comprehensively assess the supply chain needs. Increasing the level of fighters combat readiness means reducing the denominator while improving the numerator, namely reducing the size of the fleet, which runs counter to the idea of the Trump administration, the congressional hawks, and the conservative academic community. The 2019 Index of US Military Strength issued by the Heritage Foundation mentioned that the US Air Force needs 1,200 fighters, the Navy 624 fighters, and the Marine Corps 36 expeditionary battalion units to meet its operational needs. The US Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson is planning to expand the US Air Force by a quarter by 2030, adding 14 tanker squadrons, seven fighter squadrons, five bomber squadrons, nine combat search and rescue squadrons, one air transportation squadron and two drone squadrons. However, operational effectiveness cannot be simply and accurately reflected by numbers, as its limited maintenance capabilities may be cut back further. Disclaimer: The author is Wang Yu. The article was published on the China Defense Newspaper on November 7. It is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military online. LONDON, November 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Industrial and consumer goods giant partners with AI Advice Platform to make AI adoption more efficient and drive transformation Henkel has entered into a landmark partnership with CognitionX, a rich, comprehensive library of curated AI news and network of experts. Digital innovation platform Henkel X, part of German multinational Henkel, which owns brands including Persil, Loctite, and Schwarzkopf, is partnering with AI News and Advice Platform CognitionX to engage the Henkel X community with information, a network of expertise and knowledge around the deployment of artificial intelligence. As of 2019, Henkel X will syndicate curated AI news from CognitionX, which publishes handpicked updates across a range of industry sectors, to encourage its community and provide access to new solutions, opportunities for collaboration and the knowledge to embrace innovation. Henkel will also start to roll out the Enterprise Edition of CognitionX's AI Advice Platform, to access a Wiki of AI products, capitalise on the company's existing internal AI knowledge, and leverage a network of external AI experts through a single platform. Henkel X engaged with CognitionX as part of its mission to unite and accelerate Henkel's entrepreneurial transformation, inspired by the "Lean Startup" methodology of "build, measure, learn". The news comes at the same time as Founders Forum meets in Dusseldorf, Henkel's headquarter city. The premier community for global entrepreneurs, CEOs, and investors in the digital, media and technology sectors is being hosted in association with Henkel on November 7th and 8th. Dr. Rahmyn Kress, Chief Digital Officer at Henkel, said: "Henkel is proud to have been a family business for 140 years. Our challenge, like many major enterprises, is to embrace change. We are focused on solutions to grow internal collaboration and make more use of own enterprise knowledge. These latest investments will help Henkel drive a new, entrepreneurial digital culture and ensure we are able to respond to accelerating technological change." Charlie Muirhead, Founder and CEO of CognitionX, said: "It's now mission critical for organisations to have an AI strategy and start transformation. Getting that right means leveraging and developing internal knowledge, as well as accessing external expertise where needed." But many companies are stuck with the same age-old challenge: 'if we only knew what we knew, we would be three times more productive'. We're thrilled to be working with Rahmyn and the Henkel X team, who see the opportunity to catapult the company forward, by growing and capitalising on their internal AI expertise, as well as of those in our network." CognitionX's AI News and Advice Platform helps large organisations share knowledge by matching questions to both internal and external experts in a simple, fast and cost-effective way. Its initial focus is on AI, but there is potential to apply this model to advice on a whole range of other topics and domains. CognitionX recently announced a $4.1M funding round led by Unilever Ventures, Gary Gauba, Founder of Cognilytics and Founder of The CXO Fund, and Manoj Saxena, Chairman of CognitiveScale and former IBM Watson General Manager. Gauba and Saxena joined a list of existing tech angels including Brent Hoberman CBE, Executive Chairman at Founders Factory and Co-founder of lastminute.com, renowned start-up investor Esther Dyson, Joanna Shields, Group CEO of BenevolentAI, Lord Young, former UK Trade Secretary and entrepreneur along with William Tunstall-Pedoe, whose business, Evi, was acquired by Amazon and used to create Alexa. About Henkel Henkel holds leading positions with three business units in both industrial and consumer businesses thanks to strong brands, innovations and technologies. Henkel Adhesive Technologies is the global leader in the adhesives market - across all industry segments worldwide. In its Laundry & Home Care and Beauty Care businesses, Henkel holds leading positions in many markets and categories around the world. Founded in 1876, Henkel looks back on more than 140 years of success. In 2017, Henkel reported sales of 20 billion euros and adjusted operating profit of around 3.5 billion euros. Henkel employs more than 53,000 people globally. Its preferred shares are listed in the German stock index DAX. In 2018, the company has launched Henkel X, an agile, hyper-connected and entrepreneurial platform for collaboration and innovation, bringing together the smartest network and industry partners through open collaboration. Ambition is to unite and accelerate Henkel's entrepreneurial transformation across three pillars: Ecosystem, Experience and Experimentation (build, measure and learn). About CognitionX Founded in 2015 CognitionX's mission is to bring clarity to, and accelerate adoption of, AI across all organisations from global enterprises to startups, and help ensure a safe and responsible transition to an AI-driven society. In addition to running CogX (http://www.CogX.co), the world's leading Festival of AI and emerging technology, CognitionX's groundbreaking AI Advice Platform connects users and organisations in real-time with news, products and a global network of technology experts. CognitionX also delivers Custom Research for clients including the Mayor of London, Swedbank and Accenture. SOURCE CognitionX NEW YORK and BANGALORE, India, November 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Mphasis Stelligent boosts Mphasis ' end-to-end capabilities in public cloud with a focus on DevOps and Containerization; further augmenting its managed services capabilities Mphasis Stelligent combines best-in-class DevOps and DevSecOps solutions on Amazon Web Services (AWS) and delivery at scale with customer-centric digital transformation and hyper-personalization to enterprise clients Mphasis (BSE: 526299) (NSE: MPHASIS ), an Information Technology (IT) solutions provider specializing in cloud and cognitive services announced today its acquisition of Stelligent Systems LLC, a technology services company specializing in DevOps automation on Amazon Web Services (AWS). Headquartered in Reston, VA, Stelligent provides DevOps and DevSecOps solutions on AWS. The company is a Premier Consulting Partner on AWS Partner Network (APN) and holds both AWS DevOps and Financial Services expertise in deploying their customers' applications on AWS with greater speed, agility, and security. The acquisition is an all-cash deal valued at USD 25 million. Since inception in 2007, Stelligent's driving mission is to 'help their customers gain the ability to continuously deploy their software when they want to and with confidence'. The company has been providing leading enterprises, including Fortune 500 companies, with continuous integration and delivery solutions on AWS and has built its brand as a pioneer and visionary within the AWS ecosystem. "The advent of public cloud infrastructure and SaaS software has elevated the importance of rapid automation in product development and product engineering for enterprises moving to the cloud. Together with Stelligent and its community heroes in the AWS ecosystem, we believe we are uniquely positioned to take advantage of this market opportunity. This allows us to join forces with an equally technically-deep company, bringing innovative, in-depth cloud solutions to enterprises in all Mphasis client segments," said Nitin Rakesh, CEO and Executive Director, Mphasis. "Stelligent is very excited to further its DevOps capability across a broader range of clients and become central to Mphasis' AWS go-to-market strategy. Our engineers will greatly benefit from being part of a larger, complementary tech-centric community; as well as serve enterprises in end-to-end AWS DevOps, DevSecOps and additional AWS cloud services," said Bill Santos, CEO, Stelligent. Stelligent's team of over 50 engineers hold over 100 certifications and significant experience and expertise in DevOps Automation as well as one of a select few consulting partners with two AWS Heroes - an AWS Community Hero and an AWS Hero for Containerization. Safe Harbor: Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks, and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in our earnings, revenue and profits, our ability to generate and manage growth, intense competition in IT services, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, withdrawal of fiscal governmental incentives, political instability, war, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies, and general economic conditions affecting our business and industry. We may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf. About Mphasis Mphasis (BSE: 526299; NSE: MPHASIS) applies next-generation technology to help enterprises transform businesses globally. Customer centricity is foundational to Mphasis and is reflected in the Mphasis' Front2Back Transformation approach. Front2Back uses the exponential power of cloud and cognitive to provide hyper-personalized digital experience to clients and their end customers. Mphasis' Service Transformation approach helps 'shrink the core' through the application of digital technologies across legacy environments within an enterprise, enabling businesses to stay ahead in a changing world. Mphasis' core reference architectures and tools, speed and innovation with domain expertise and specialization are key to building strong relationships with marquee clients. Click here to know more. About Stelligent Stelligent provides DevOps automation professional services on AWS, enabling engineering teams to focus on creating software users love. Our goal is to work closely with customers to develop fundamentally secure infrastructure automation code, deployment pipelines, and feedback mechanisms for faster, more consistent software and infrastructure deployments. For more information, please visit: http://www.Stelligent.com. SOURCE Mphasis If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here Welcome Guest! You Are Here: By Li Guigang, Zhu Xiaonan and Liu Wenjun ZHENGZHOU, CHINA, Nov. 8 (ChinaMil) -- Peacekeepers of the 5th Chinese peacekeeping infantry battalion to South Sudan (Juba) attended an oath-taking rally in China on Wednesday, marking the establishment of the battalion and its expedition to South Sudan. At the oath-taking ceremony, 700 peacekeepers vowed solemnly to fulfill their duties. The 700 peacekeepers mainly come from a brigade of the PLA 83rd Group Army. Among them, 129 have peacekeeping experience, and 110 have participated in the previous peacekeeping infantry battalions. It also includes a 13-member female infantry squad. In addition to performing patrol and humanitarian rescue tasks with male peacekeepers, the female peacekeepers will also carry out cultural exchanges, and help protect womens and childrens rights and interests. Unlike previous infantry battalions, the 5th Chinese peacekeeping infantry battalion to South Sudan will no longer be affiliated to the Sector South of the United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS). Instead, it will serve under the UNMISS Regional Protection Force. The number of UN missions to the Chinese peacekeeping infantry battalion has increased from 11 to 14, and the tasks are more important, complex and dangerous than ever before. The battalion will be deployed to South Sudans capital Juba to perform such missions as protection of local civilians, UN personnel and humanitarian assistance staff, as well as patrol, guard and armed escort duties. The 5th Chinese peacekeeping infantry battalion to South Sudan is scheduled to depart from Zhengzhou City on November 12, flying in four batches on UN charter flights to the mission area in Juba for their one-year peacekeeping mission. Rantoul, IL (61866) Today A mix of clouds and sun. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 54F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Some passing clouds. Low 21F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. Presidential residence embezzlement case defendant to stay detained till late December RIA Novosti, Ruslan Krivobok 17:35 08/11/2018 MOSCOW, November 8 (RAPSI) The Moscow City Court on Thursday upheld extension of detention for the state-run company Atecks ex-chief Andrey Kaminov charged with embezzlement of over one billion rubles ($15 million) during construction and reconstruction of the presidential residence in Novo-Ogaryevo (Moscow region), the courts press service told RAPSI. He will stay in jail until December 21. In August, Kaminov, his former deputy Stanislav Kyuner and ex-head of Stroyfacade company Dmitry Torchinsky were presented with final charges. According to investigators, the defendants have organized a criminal group to commit large-scale embezzlement. Investigators believe that the alleged criminals embezzled state funds allocated for the execution of various construction projects of federal importance. Damage caused is estimated at around 225 million rubles (about $3.5 million) and was later raised up to over 1.3 billion rubles ($20 million). Kaminov has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors seek to launch case against prison employees over photos of inmate RIA Novosti, Tatyana Kuznetsova 12:59 08/11/2018 MOSCOW, November 8 (RAPSI) Prosecutor has asked investigators to launch a criminal case against officials and employees of a penal colony after emergence of photos picturing a high-profile criminal violating Russian prison rules, the press-service of the prosecutors office of the Amur region has stated. The criminal case may be classified as abuse of office and exceeding official powers. Examination conducted by prosecutors throughout 2018 revealed that prison officials made it possible for Vyacheslav Tsepovyaz, a member of notorious Sergey Tsapoks gang, convicted of participation in mass murder, to systematically violate the rules: eat gourmet food, have additional visits, freely use prohibited items. It was also found that the penal colonys administration unlawfully mitigated the inmates prison conditions. Earlier, Russian media published photos of Tsepovyaz eating crabs, caviar and barbecuing in the colony. Authenticity of these photos was not disputed. In 2013, Russias Krasnodar Regional Court found gang leader Sergey Tsapok guilty of mass murder and sentenced him to life in prison. Tsapok and his group have been found guilty of other numerous crimes, including grave and exceptionally grave ones. Tsepovyaz was sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison. On November 4, 2010, 12 people, including four children, were brutally murdered in the village of Kushchevskaya in the Krasnodar Territory in southern Russia. The family of a wealthy local farmer Server Ametov was stabbed to death along with visiting friends and a bystander. The convicted killers started several fires around the house before fleeing. That murder became one of the most high-profile cases in modern Russia. The investigation revealed that the thugs had terrorized the village for years, and that some local police officers had covered up their activities. The marks will be finalized if there is no objection during a 90-day comment period. All the trademarks were applied for in 2016. China also granted provisional approval for two "Trump" trademarks to DTTM Operations LLC, headquartered at Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue in New York. They cover branded restaurant, bar and hotel services, as well as clothing and shoes. The new approvals cover Ivanka-branded fashion gear including sunglasses, handbags, shoes and jewelry, as well as beauty services and voting machines. The approvals came three months after Ivanka Trump announced she was dissolving her namesake brand to focus on government work. In October, China's Trademark Office granted provisional approval for 16 trademarks to Ivanka Trump Marks LLC, bringing to 34 the total number of marks China has greenlighted this year, according to the office's online database. The Chinese government granted 18 trademarks to companies linked to President Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka Trump over the last two months, Chinese public records show, raising concerns about conflicts of interest in the White House. "These trademarks were sought to broadly protect Ms. Trump's name, and to prevent others from stealing her name and using it to sell their products," Peter Mirijanian, a spokesman for Ivanka Trump's ethics attorney, said in an e-mail. "This is a common trademark practice, which is why the trademark applications were granted." Both the president and his daughter have substantial intellectual property holdings in China. Critics worry that China, where the courts and bureaucracy are designed to reflect the will of the ruling Communist Party, could exploit those valuable rights for political leverage. There has also been concern that the Trump family's global intellectual property portfolio lays the groundwork for the president and his daughter, who serves as a White House adviser, to profit from their global brands as soon as they leave office. "Ivanka receives preliminary approval for these new Chinese trademarks while her father continues to wage a trade war with China. Since she has retained her foreign trademarks, the public will continue to have to ask whether President Trump has made foreign policy decisions in the interest of his and his family's businesses," wrote Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a government watchdog group that first published the news about Ivanka Trump brand's new Chinese trademarks. Lawyers for Donald Trump in Beijing declined to comment. Companies register trademarks for a variety of reasons. They can be a sign of corporate ambition, but many companies also file defensively, particularly in China, where trademark squatting is rampant. Trademarks are classified by category and may include items that a brand does not intend to market. Some trademark lawyers also advise clients to register trademarks for merchandise made in China, even if it's not sold there. China has said it handles all trademark applications equally under the law. China is on the lookout for investment pastures where its money is welcome, safe and earns a decent return. India also needs vast investment - about $1 trillion over the next 10-15 years - in infrastructure, green energy, transportation and heavy industry, says Ravi Bhoothalingam. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com The trade war launched by President Trump against China is in high gear. Chinese exports to the USA worth $250 billion are now subject to additional imposts. A further $250 billion could suffer similar - or worse - treatment, if China does not take steps to rectify unfair practices in its trade and intellectual property regimes. Another blow is the USAs recent renegotiation of its free trade agreement with Canada and Mexico (USMCA) which contains a significant clause - that any party to that treaty can pull out of it if one of them signs a free trade agreement with a non-market economy - read China. All this is not good news for anyone - world trade will take a knock as global supply chains readjust painfully to cope with these realities. But for China, it is a double whammy. First, there will be a scramble as some of its exporters relocate to other destinations. Second, if the USA signs USMCA-like trade deals with Europe, Japan and others, China could find its global trade footprint under pressure. Even if America does not carry out its threat in full measure, its stance could influence allies to constrict their trade with - or investment from - China. This is a warning shot across Chinas bows. There could be a silver lining for India. Such a threatened trade encirclement could make China review its stance in the on-going negotiations to conclude the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) - a 16-nation free trade agreement which includes China and India but excludes the USA. Indian industry has been sceptical of any benefits of Indias free trade agreements signed with ASEAN and South Korea, and is particularly fearful that, after RCEP comes into force, duty-free Chinese imports might disembowel a large section of Indian industry. Thus, India has sought long transition periods before Chinese goods can enjoy RCEP-enabled duty-free access into India, and this constitutes a sticking point in the deal. But the trade war might prompt the Chinese to take a more accommodative position. If that happens, will India play ball? Indian industry is deeply divided. One section feels that India must embrace the RCEP which inter alia will open China to duty-free access, offering vast opportunities for Indian manufacturing and services. But another section prefers to remain sheltered behind Indias tariff regime, fearing massive business losses if Indian industry faces Chinese competition, whether with transition or not. In an election year, those risks look scary. Indias present RCEP moment seems to echo Chinas WTO moment in many ways. In 2001, China acceded to very strict conditions imposed by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) - so harsh, that many hard-boiled trade negotiators wondered if that country had taken a step too far - to join the multilateral trading system. In the event, China took the leap into the future, with results now evident. For India too, the RCEP accession may be just the right trigger for Make in India to rise and fly, albeit with some blood, sweat and tears. This is where China fits in. Right now, China is rebalancing its economy away from investment to consumption. And from an export-surplus economy to one with a greater balance in its world trade. The pressures now faced by China from the USA (and potentially from others) should make it look more seriously at expanding its investment and trade with India, and thus to examine the Sino-Indian bilateral trade deficit with greater care. Indeed, China can source some of its consumption needs directly from India. Take medicines. India is rightly called the pharmacy of the world with more than a 40 per cent share of the US generics market. The healthcare bill for Chinese families can be significantly reduced if their people could buy inexpensive Indian generic pharmaceuticals. In recent months, a popular Chinese film Dying to Survive depicted the true story of a Chinese leukaemia patient who smuggled cheap anti-cancer generics from India to treat a thousand people afflicted by chronic myeloid leukaemia. (Arrested for the crime, the man was released after a social media campaign mounted by those patients aroused a public outcry in his favour, and the import rules have since been liberalised.) China supplies 85 million of the worlds tourists, but only 280,000 Chinese visit India each year. Promoting Chinese tourism to India could bring huge benefits to India by way of revenue and employment. There are other possibilities: a 2016 report of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has highlighted five areas where India can increase exports to China, and 18 fields for mutually productive Chinese investment into India. President Trump has also imposed a stricter scrutiny of Chinas investments - existing and proposed - in the USA. Other countries too have become wary. So, China is on the lookout for investment pastures where its money is welcome, safe and earns a decent return. Moreover, Chinas recent setbacks in its Belt-and-Road (BRI) projects in Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Pakistan could not have been too comforting. India, on the other hand, has a stable political environment and a reasonable investment climate with the necessary regulatory controls and sound (though slow) legal processes. India also needs vast investment - about $1 trillion over the next 10-15 years - in infrastructure, green energy, transportation and heavy industry. And India will not be a negotiating push-over for China. Overall, the match seems ideal. Indeed, without such investment, can India achieve the growth rates required to bring prosperity to its people, let alone aim to become a global power? India thus faces a peculiar dilemma. On pure economic logic, Chinas investment case makes sense for India. But that means dealing with a geopolitical rival to strengthen our economic sinews - can we have our cake and eat it too? To Indias leaders, that poses a crucial challenge, demanding political sagacity and dexterous diplomacy. Ravi Bhoothalingam is an independent corporate director and an Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Chinese Studies, Delhi ONGC, Hindustan Petroleum, Bharat Petroleum, Indian Oil and Oil India listed the spending as part of their mandatory CSR commitment, but CAG noted that the Sardar Patel statue did not qualify for CSR funding. Sachin P Mampatta reports. IMAGE: The Statue of Unity during its inauguration in Kevadia. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters Public sector companies may have spent more on the Sardar Patel statue, billed as the world's tallest than was recently noted by the Comptroller and Auditor General. The country's topmost auditor had flagged the contributions in a report because the money came from the companies' corporate social responsibility budgets, even though the statue did not qualify under the relevant provision. The CAG mentioned five companies giving Rs 1.47 billion for the statue in its report for 2016-2017. But an analysis of Prime Database numbers and of listed companies' disclosures shows that a dozen firms contributed at least Rs 2.93 billion towards the cost of the statue over the last five years. The figure could have been even higher if some numbers had not been excluded from the analysis because of lack of clarity in the way they were presented. The CAG report had noted that there was a shortage of funds for the statue -- which is twice as high as the Statue of Liberty -- from the trust managing the project and that public sector companies were subsequently asked to contribute. The 182-metre statue, near the Narmada Dam in Gujarat, has been built at a cost of about 30 billion, which means the 12 public sector companies contributed roughly 10 per cent to the project. Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi inaugurated the statue, known as the Statue of Unity, on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's birth anniversary on October 31. 'The trust approached five of the Central Public Sector Enterprises to participate in the project and contribute substantial funds as there was a shortfall of funds for the year 2016-17 to the extent of Rs 780 crore (Rs 7.8 billion),' CAG said. The Oil & Natural Gas Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation, Indian Oil Corporation, and Oil India were the five companies named. The report noted that the companies listed this spending as part of their mandatory CSR commitment, under a section for the 'protection of national heritage, art and culture. It also noted that the Sardar Patel statue did not qualify for CSR funding as it was not a heritage asset. CAG said ONGC justified the expenditure because the statue project included the promotion of education and development on the banks of the Narmada river. The other four companies said they had interpreted the activity around the statue liberally to capture the spirit of the heritage provision. 'The fact remained that the contribution towards construction of the statue did not qualify as CSR activity as per schedule VII of the Companies Act, 2013,' noted CAG. Shriram Subramanian, founder and managing director at proxy advisory and corporate governance firm, InGovern, said the statute failed to qualify as an activity which contributes towards society in the way that the provision was intended. "It goes against the spirit of CSR," he said. Pranav Haldea, managing director, PRIME Database Group, suggested that the public sector contribution to the statue under CSR could fall into a "grey area" and that it was understandable if companies looked at the spending as legitimate. "One can argue that this qualifies as protection of national heritage," said Haldea. E-mails to each of the 12 companies did not receive a response nor did an e-mail sent to the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Rastriya Ekta Trust, the special purpose vehicle set up by the Gujarat government to execute the project. Describing demonetisation as a tragedy that destroyed millions of lives, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Thursday alleged that the governments move was a carefully planned criminal financial scam whose full truth is yet to be revealed. IMAGE: Congress chief Rahul Gandhi addresses a press conference, saying the full truth about demonetisation wasn't out yet. Photograph: Kamal Singh/PTI Photo On the second anniversary of note ban, he also alleged that demonetisation was a planned brutal conspiracy and a shrewd scheme to convert the black money of Prime Minister Narendra Modis suit-booted friends. India will discover, no matter how the government tries to hide it, that demonetisation wasnt just an ill-conceived and poorly executed economic policy with innocent intent, but a carefully planned, criminal financial scam, Gandhi said in a statement. The full truth about demonetisation is not out yet. Indias people will not rest till it is, he said. In his statement, Gandhi said on the second anniversary of the prime ministers monumental blunder, the governments spin-doctors, including our incompetent finance minister, have the unenviable task of defending an indefensible, criminal policy. Demonetisation was a tragedy. India has faced many tragedies in its past. Many a time have envious, external enemies tried to hurt us. But demonetisation is unique in the history of our tragedies because it was a self-inflicted, suicidal attack that destroyed millions of lives and ruined thousands of Indias small businesses, he alleged. He claimed that the worst hit by demonetisation were the poorest of the poor, who he said were forced to queue for days to exchange their meagre savings. Modis demonetisation cost India over one and a half million jobs and wiped out at least 1 per cent from Indias GDP, Gandhi alleged. November 8th will forever go down in the history of India, as a day of infamy. Two years ago, on this day, Prime Minister Modi unleashed the tyranny of demonetisation on the nation. At eight that night, he appeared on television to deliver a unilateral announcement, that we now know didnt even have the support of his own economic advisors. With that one declaration of demonetisation, Mr Modi took 86% of Indias currency out of circulation, bringing our economy to a grinding halt, he said. Former prime minister Manmohan Singh said on the decisions second anniversary on Thursday that the havoc it unleashed on the economy and society is now evident. The Congress leader asked the government to not resort to further unorthodox, short-term economic measures that can cause any more uncertainty in the economy. Today is a day to remember how economic misadventures can roil the nation for a long time and understand that economic policy making should be handled with thought and care, Singh said in a statement. He urged the government to restore certainty and visibility in economic policies. Notebandi (demonetisation) impacted every single person, regardless of age, gender, religion, occupation or creed, he said. It is often said time is a great healer but unfortunately in the case of demonetisation, the scars and wounds of demonetisation are only getting more visible with time, Singh said. The Congress, too, criticised the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Centres move by calling it a black day for Indian democracy and economy. The cost and destruction by demonetisation was endured by every citizen of this country other than few crony capitalist friends of Prime Minister Modi. Demonetisation was a black day for our democracy and our economy, read a post on the official Twitter handle of the Congress party. Resonating similar sentiments, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also took to the micro-blogging site and wrote, #DarkDay Today is the second anniversary of #DeMonetisation disaster. From the moment it was announced I said so. Renowned economists, common people and all experts now all agree. On November 8, 2016, the Centre had declared Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes as non-legal and introduced new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes. Since then, various opposition leaders have highly criticised the Centres move, while the members of the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies have backed the decision. The US president called Jim Acosta a rude, terrible person after he refused to give up a microphone while trying to ask a question. IMAGE: A White House staff member reaches for the microphone held by CNN's Jim Acosta as he questions US President Donald Trump during a news conference following Tuesday's midterm US congressional elections at the White House in Washington. Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters In an unprecedented move, the White House has suspended the credentials of a senior CNN journalist for his disgusting and outrageous behaviour, hours after he had a testy exchange with United States President Donald Trump during a marathon news conference. The move came just hours after CNNs chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta drew the ire of Trump by persisting with questions about his views on a caravan of Central American migrants making its way to the US border and refused to the Presidents orders to sit down and clung to the microphone. The removal of Acostas pass is a sharp escalation of tensions between the Trump administration and the media. At the news conference, which lasted 1 hour and 26 minutes, Trump snapped at the press corps, called reporters rude for asking questions, and made baseless claims about political polling. IMAGE: The White House staff member stepped in to try to take the microphone away from CNN's Jim Acosta. Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters Acosta was one of the first reporters Trump called on. Thank you, Mr. President, he said. I want to challenge you on one of the statements that you made in the tail end of the campaign. Trump leaned into the microphone and said, Here we go -- seemingly relishing the confrontation. As you know, Mr President, the caravan is not an invasion, Acosta said. Its a group of migrants moving up from Central America towards the border with the US. Trump, sarcastically, replied, Thank you for telling me that, I appreciate it. Acosta: Why did you characterise it as such? Because I consider it an invasion. You and I have a difference of opinion. But do you think that you demonised immigrants? No, not at all. I want them to come into the country. But they have to come in legally, Trump said. Thats what the migrants are trying to do -- they say they intend to seek asylum, he said. IMAGE: CNN's Jim Acosta detaches his earphone at the end of a news conference after a tense exchange between Acosta and US President Donald Trump. Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters Acosta called out the misleading ad released by the Republican Party and said: Theyre hundreds of miles away, though. Theyre hundreds and hundreds of miles away. Thats not an invasion. You know what? I think you should, Trump started to say, pointing at Acosta. Honestly, I think you should let me run the country. You run CNN. And if you did it well, your ratings would be much better. Okay, thats enough, a visibly angry Trump said as Acosta tried to ask another question. Then a White House intern unsuccessfully tried to take the microphone from the CNN correspondent. Trump backed away from the podium for a moment, signalling he was done, while Acosta asked the question again and then let go of the microphone. Defending Acosta, the CNN said the Trump administrations decision was a threat to democracy. Describing Acostas behaviour as disgusting and outrageous, the White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, in a statement on Wednesday said, As a result of todays incident, the White House is suspending the hard pass of the reporter involved until further notice. Sanders said Trump believes in a free press and expects and welcomes tough questions of him and his administration. We will, however, never tolerate a reporter placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern. This conduct is absolutely unacceptable, she said. It is also completely disrespectful to the reporters colleagues not to allow them an opportunity to ask a question, she said. Sanders claimed Trump has given the press more access than any US president in history. Contrary to CNNs assertions, there is no greater demonstration of the Presidents support for a free press than the event he held today. Only they would attack the President for not being supportive of a free press in the midst of him taking 68 questions from 35 different reporters over the course of an hour and a half including several from the reporter in question, she said. IMAGE: CNN's Jim Acosta (left) hugs colleague Peter Alexander of NBC after the tense exchange he had with Trump. Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters Meanwhile, the CNN said the revocation of Acostas pass was done in retaliation for his challenging questions at todays press conference...This unprecedented decision is a threat to our democracy and the country deserves better. Acosta was stopped by the Secret Service from entering the White House about 7 pm. Former president of the White House Correspondents Association, Jeff Mason, refuted the White House accusation that Acosta placed his hand on a female White House intern. I was seated next to Acosta at todays press conference and did not witness him placing his hands on the young intern, as the White House alleges, he tweeted. Mason, a Reuters correspondent, said Acosta held on to the microphone as the intern reached for it and later posted a few pictures from the press conference to prove his point. Peter Baker from The New York Times, who has been covering the White House for 22 years, said, This is something I have never seen since I started covering the White House in 1996. Other presidents did not fear tough questioning. The White House Correspondents Association also said such a decision is unacceptable and urged the White House that it immediately reverse its decision. Journalists may use a range of approaches to carry out their jobs and the WHCA does not police the tone or frequency of the questions its members ask of powerful senior government officials, including the President, WHCA president Olivier Knox said. The White House, meanwhile, said it stands by its decision. We stand by our decision to revoke this individuals hard pass. We will not tolerate the inappropriate behaviour clearly documented in this video, Sanders said, posting a video of the CNN reporter allegedly placing his hand on a young woman. Trump spars with CNNs Acosta IMAGE: Jim Acostas question on a migrant caravan from Central America got the entire issue rolling. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters US President Donald Trumps post-election news conference at the White House saw him getting involved in an angry exchange with the CNN reporter. To CNNs Jim Acostas question on a migrant caravan from Central America moving towards the United States, many members of whom were termed criminals by Trump, the visibly upset president said, I think you should let me run the country, you run CNN. When the CNN reporter refused to hand over the microphone to a White House staffer, as Trump had called another journalist to ask question, the president said, Thats enough. Put down the mic. When the reporter asked whether Trump was worried about indictments coming down in this investigation, he said, I tell you what, CNN should be ashamed of itself having you working for them. You are a rude, terrible person, You shouldnt be working for CNN. I think, thats unfair, the CNN journalist said. But Trump continued, Youre a very rude person. The way you treat (White House Press Secretary) Sarah Huckabee Sanders is horrible and the way you treat other people are horrible. You shouldnt treat people that way. When an NBC News reporter came to his fellow journalists defense, the president said, When you report fake news, which CNN does a lot, you are the enemy of the people. The pollution levels in the national capital were 10 times the permissible limit due to rampant bursting of firecrackers. IMAGE: Morning walkers wear pollution masks as thick haze engulfs city a day after Diwali celebrations. Air quality levels were 10 times the permissible limits. Photograph: Kamal Singh/PTI Photo A thick haze engulfed Delhi on Thursday as it recorded its worst air quality of the year the morning after Diwali, with the pollution level entering severe-plus emergency category or ten times the permissible limit due to rampant bursting of toxic firecrackers in gross violation of a Supreme Court order, authorities said. While many residents and green activists voiced their helplessness at the violation of the Supreme Courts 8 pm to 10 pm time limit of bursting firecrackers and expressed anguish, doctors advised people to stay indoors, use N-99 masks and not venture out. IMAGE: Morning walkers wear pollution masks as thick haze engulfs city a day after Diwali celebrations, in New Delhi. Photograph: Ravi Choudhary/PTI Photo The Delhi police said it had registered over 550 cases and arrested over 300 people for violating apex courts order in this regard, while asserting that on Diwali day, it also seized 2,776 kg of firecrackers, arrested 87 people and registered 72 cases in connection with illegal sale of firecrackers. Delhi Fire Services responded to over 300 calls on fire incidents triggered by firecrackers and LPG cylinder blast, among others, on Diwali night in Delhi, including an incident in which two children lost their lives and two others were injured. This, they said was much higher than previous years. Over 250 cases of burn injuries were reported by various hospitals in the national capital this Diwali. IMAGE: A man crosses a road on a smoggy morning in New Delhi. The overall air quality index in Delhi jumped to 574 which falls in the severe-plus emergency category. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters The Supreme Court has allowed people to burst firecrackers from 8 pm to 10 pm only on Diwali and other festivals. The top court also allowed manufacture and sale of just green crackers which have low emission of light, sound and harmful chemicals. WATCH: Delhi engulfed in smog The court said the police should ensure there was no sale of banned firecrackers and in case of any violation, the Station House Officer of the police station of the area would be held personally liable and this would amount to committing contempt of court. But despite the Supreme Courts order, certain places recorded violations where firecrackers were burnt before and after the set time frame. IMAGE: Vehicles drive through smog in New Delhi. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters The areas where the violations were recorded included Mayur Vihar Extension, Lajpat Nagar, Lutyens Delhi, IP extension, Dwarka and Noida Sector 78, according to a report. The police admitted that violations were observed and it would take serious legal action against people violating the apex court order. They said they were continuously patrolling the areas to check for violations. Partly as a result of smoke from the firecrackers, the overall air quality index in Delhi jumped to 574 which falls in the severe-plus emergency category, according to data by the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research. A severe plus emergency AQI essentially means that even healthy people could suffer from respiratory illnesses on prolonged exposure. This air will seriously affect those with ailments, according to the advisory issued by SAFAR. IMAGE: A combination picture shows buildings shrouded in smog in New Delhi. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters The overall AQI was 10 times the permissible limit. An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered good, 51 and 100 satisfactory, 101 and 200 moderate, 201 and 300 poor, 301 and 400 very poor, and 401 and 500 severe. AQI above 500 falls in the severe-plus emergency category. The sharp spike in pollution is caused by rampant burning of firecrackers that has led to the formation of a smoky layer across the national capital and drastically reduced visibility, the authorities said. Delhis AQI is around 574 at present. Air Quality Index entered the severe category at 2 am after midnight on Thursday and will continue to remain in the severe category until evening, a senior official said. IMAGE: Buildings are seen shrouded in smog in New Delhi. The Air Quality Index entered in severe category at 2 am after midnight on Thursday and will continue to remain in severe category until evening. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters The PM2.5 (particles in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres) level recorded was at nearly seven times the permissable limit at 414. The PM10 (particles in the air with a diameter of less than 10 micrometres) level recorded was four times the permissible limit at 433. Indias official permissible PM2.5 limit is 60 gm-3 while PM10 level is 100 gm-3. IMAGE: Smoke rises as people burn crackers during Diwali celebrations, in Gurugram. Photograph: PTI Photo Meanwhile residents expressed anguish over the pollution levels despite the order. Delhi is a gas chamber for tuberculosis patients like me. We are caught in a bind. If we escape TB, then we will die of pollution, said Hasmukh Rai, a senior citizen of Mayur Vihar. In this season, when everybody is talking of bringing ordinances on variety of issues, why cant politicians join hands and bring ordinance to ban stubble burning? he asked. IMAGE: A boy lights a firecracker on a street as he celebrates Diwali. People burst firecrackers until at least midnight, two hours after the 10 pm deadline. Photograph: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters Environmental activists said the police needed to be supported by governments to strictly enforce the ban. The judiciary has given our executive the necessary tools. We request our lawmakers to support our executive and all three arms of our democracy to work together to protect citizens health at this time of national health emergency, said Jyoti Pande Lavakare, co-founder, Care for Air NGO. We would like our leadership and our prime minister to acknowledge this health emergency and encourage implementation of solutions, she added. Environmental lawyer Ritwick Dutta said the violation of the deadline was not unexpected as one cannot expect an overnight change in peoples behaviour. Doctors meanwhile advised people to take precautionary measures. Arunesh Kumar, senior consultant, pulmonology, of a Gugaon hospital said: It is highly advisable that people should stay indoors, use N-99 masks while venturing out and avoid early-morning and late-evening outdoor activities, among others. The gunman, dressed in a black trenchcoat and armed with a pistol equipped with an extended magazine and smoke grenades, was found dead inside the Borderline Bar and Grill. IMAGE: FBI agents monitor the scene near the Borderline Bar and Grill, where a mass shooting occurred. Photograph: David McNew/Getty Images A gunman dressed in black sprayed bullets inside a crowded dance bar popular with college students on Wednesday night, killing at least 12 people, including a police officer, in Californias Thousand Oaks city in one of the horrific mass shooting incidents in the United States. The gunman, who also injured nearly a dozen others, was found dead inside the Borderline Bar and Grill on the outskirts of Los Angeles although it was not immediately clear if he was killed by officers or shot himself. IMAGE: People comfort each other after a mass shooting at a bar in Thousand Oaks, California. Photograph: Ringo Chiu/Reuters Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean described the incident as horrific. Its a horrific scene in there, there is blood everywhere and the suspect is part of that, and I didnt want to get that close and disturb the scene and possibly disturb the investigation, he said. He said the motive of the shooter -- whose identity was not known -- is still unclear and investigators had not found any type of assault rifle within the bar. Right now as far as we know there was only one handgun, but that could certainly change as we do a more thorough search of the building, he said. It was not immediately clear how the suspect died and the identities of the victims were not immediately released. IMAGE: Police guard the site of a mass shooting at a bar in Thousand Oaks, California. Photograph: Ringo Chiu/Reuters US President Donald Trump said that he has been fully briefed on the terrible shooting in California. Law Enforcement and First Responders, together with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, are on scene. 13 people, at this time, have been reported dead. Likewise, the shooter is dead, along with the first police officer to enter the bar.... Great bravery shown by police. California Highway Patrol was on scene within 3 minutes, with first officer to enter shot numerous times. That Sheriffs Sergeant died in the hospital. God bless all of the victims and families of the victims. Thank you to Law Enforcement, Trump said in a series of tweets. IMAGE: An emergency vehicle arrives at the site of a mass shooting at a bar in Thousand Oaks, California. Photograph: Ringo Chiu/Reuters The hooded gunman burst into the bar around 11:20 pm (local time) dressed entirely in black. Ventura County Sheriffs Department Sergeant Ron Helus and a California Highway Patrol officer entered the bar first and were met with gunfire from the suspect, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing officials. Helus was shot several times and succumbed to his injuries at a hospital. He was planning to retire next year after a 29-year stint with the sheriffs department, Dean said. Helus, who died a hero, is survived by a son and his wife, whom he called before entering the bar, Dean added. It was the second mass shooting in the US within two weeks. We have no idea if there is a terrorism link to this or not. As you know, these are ongoing investigations and that information will come out as soon as we are able to determine exactly who the suspect was and what motive he might have had for this horrific event, Dean added. Citing witnesses, the paper said that people ran for cover when shooting started. Some people tried to break windows using chairs to escape the building while some hid in bathrooms. IMAGE: Neon signs are on display at The Borderline Bar and Grill, the scene of a mass shooting in Thousand Oaks, California. Photograph: David McNew/Getty Images The FBIs Joint Terrorism Task Force has been rushed to the scene, according to an agency spokeswoman. Representatives from the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives were also dispatched. According to bars website, Wednesday nights are college-themed nights open to students as young as 18. Quoting witnesses, the paper said the event is popular with Moorpark college students, and the Pepperdine student newspaper tweeted that students from its campus were also inside at the time of the shooting. He just pulled out a gun and shot my friend that was working the front desk, 21-year-old Holden Harrah was quoted as saying by the paper. I heard more gunshots behind me. I was freaking out, said Harrah, who was among the hundreds inside listening to music Wednesday night as a part of a college night event. Quoting law enforcement officials, the daily said the gunman, a 29-year-old man, was armed with a Glock .45 handgun and some type of smoke device. He is reported to have drove his mothers car to the attack and said nothing upon entering the bar. The gun was purchased locally. This is the second time this year Thousand Oaks has seen violence in a crowded area. In March, a man shot and killed his wife before attempting to shoot himself at the Thousand Oaks Mall, the paper added. Last week, a gunman opened fire at a Jewish synagogue in the US city of Pittsburgh, killing 11 people and injuring several others including three policemen, in the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in America in years. Top Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah, on Thursday greeted party veteran L K Advani on his 91st birthday, recalling his contribution to national politics, and also in building the party and propagating its ideology. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited L K Advani's residence on the latter's 91st birthday and praised him and his impact on politics. Photograph: @narendramodi/Twitter The party veterans impact on Indian politics is immense, the prime minister said. Advani jis contribution towards Indias development is monumental. His ministerial tenures are applauded for futuristic decision making and people-friendly policies. His wisdom is admired across the political spectrum, Modi wrote on Twitter. He credited Advani, the longest serving party president and also deputy prime minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, for selflessly and diligently building the BJP and wonderfully mentoring its workers. In his tweets, Shah said Advani strengthened the BJPs organisation and inspired its workers while also infusing discipline into them with his lifelong hard work. In taking our ideology to the masses from the Jana Sangh to the BJP and in setting India on the path to progress as a skilled politician in Parliament, Advani jis contribution to Indian politics is unparalleled, he said. Jana Sangh, founded in 1951, was the precursor to the Bharatiya Janata Party, which was launched in 1980. Home Minister and former BJP president Rajnath Singh described Advani as a stalwart of Indian politics. He has nurtured the BJP from its inception. Advani ji is an inspiration to millions of party karyakartas (workers). May he be blessed with a good health and long life, Singh said. Credited for crafting the BJPs rise to a pre-eminent position in late 80s and 90s after it had hit a low of two Lok Sabha seats in 1984 Lok Sabha polls, Advani has been sidelined from the partys affairs and was made a member of margdarshak mandal (group of mentors) in 2014 after it came to power. The group has, incidentally, never met since its inception. Stepping up his efforts for an anti-Bharatiya Janata Party front in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Telugu Desam Party supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu Thursday met his Karnataka counterpart H D Kumaraswamy after which he said a grand alliance of various regional parties would be forged soon in which the Congress will be a main anchor. IMAGES: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu greets Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy and former prime minister HD Deve Gowda before a meeting in Bengaluru. Photographs: Shailendra Bhojak/PTI Photo Naidus meeting with the top brass of the Janata Dal-Secular -- Kumaraswamy and his father and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda -- came two days after the JD-S-Congress coalition candidates defeated the BJP 4-1 in three Lok Sabha and two assembly seats in the bypolls. Setting the stage for the revival of an united front against the BJP, Naidu claimed the mood of the nation was against the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance and soon an alliance would be formed with various regional parties. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Naidu said the initial steps for the formation of the alliance was underway and that once the modalities were fixed, programmes would be chalked out later. I have spoken to Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav. I have met everybody. Tomorrow I am meeting Stalin (Dravida Munnetra Kazagham president). We will decide how to take forward the alliance with consensus. It is an initial exercise. After that we will work together, he said. Naidu also said the Congress will be a main anchor in any grand alliance of opposition parties. Congress is a major opposition party, he said, pointing out that Deve Gowda became prime minister with support of the Congress from outside in 1996. Congress is a main anchor, Naidu added. However, he ducked questions on the alliances prime ministerial candidate. PM candidate we will be decided later, first we will save the nation, he said. The comments by Naidu came on a day when senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said state-wise alliances would benefit the party and was the best way to defeat the BJP. The kind of alliance that was formed in Karnataka yielded results. Similar alliances should be formed in different states, Chidambaram told reporters in Kolkata. The electoral sweep by the ruling coalition in Karnataka came as a boost to opposition unity as the bypolls were seen as a barometer of the public mood ahead of the 2019 polls. Gowda said the meeting was called to work out further strategy on forming the alliance and urged like-minded parties to join hands for the elections. It is the responsibility of all secular parties including Congress to come together to replace NDA govt, he said. Kumaraswamy expressed confidence that the 2019 polls will see a repeat of the 1996 result, when a united opposition had formed the government and Gowda had become the prime minister I think 1996 will be repeated in 2019 elections., he said, adding Gowda and Naidu are old friends and their arithmetic is good. BJPs estranged ally Shiv Sena, meanwhile, took a dig at its senior coalition partner over the Karnataka result, saying it indicated that achche din (good days) will return for the Congress in 2019. The Uddhav Thackeray-led party also said the BJPs defeat in a string of Lok Sabha and assembly bypolls in the country would infuse a fresh lease of life in the Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. In an editorial laced with sarcasm in the party mouthpiece Saamana, the Sena said the BJP probably lost in Karnataka for ignoring poll promises like construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya and for imposing some other agenda. Mocking the BJP, the edit said the party should think why its losing streak is continuing unabated even as some revolutionary changes are taking place in the country under the BJP-led government by its own admission. The U.S. on Wednesday denied that it plans to reduce its military presence in South Korea after remarks from its top military officer sent alarm bells ringing. Asked about earlier remarks by U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford that Washington will have to make "some changes to the military posture" if negotiations with North Korea make progress, JCS spokesman Patrick Ryder told Voice of America that it is not considering scaling down its defense posture in South Korea. He said Dunford only meant that "the Defense Department is in support of the State Department when it comes to the ongoing diplomatic negotiations with North Korea." Dunford alarmed Koreans by saying at a seminar, "Frankly the more successful we are in the diplomatic track, the more uncomfortable we will be in the military space. Because over time, this negotiation will take a form where we're going to have to start making some changes to the military posture on the peninsula. And we're prepared to do that to support of Secretary Pompeo and make sure that we get to the desired end state which is a peaceful denuclearization." A government source here said, "He seems to mean that the JCS could be ready for the suspension of joint drills, the scale-down of deployment of strategic assets on the peninsula, or a partial reduction of the USFK, if there is progress in denuclearization negotiations and the Korean War is formally declared over." Ryder added that the Pentagon has already taken measures "to support Secretary Pompeo's efforts" like suspending large-scale joint drills with South Korea earlier this year. The central government in Seoul has no plan to meet a delegation of seven senior North Korean officials who will visit Gyeonggi Province at the invitation of the local government next week, the Unification Ministry said Wednesday. The delegation will be led by Ri Jong-hyok, the vice chairman of the North's Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, and Kim Song-hye of the United Front Department. Asked by reporters whether the government has plans to meet them, ministry spokesman Baik Tae-hyun said, "They're coming to attend an event sponsored by a local government and civic groups. I understand that [North Korea] hasn't asked our government's opinion about it." But the denial has raised eyebrows because the North Korean officials are very senior cross-border negotiators. Ri, a veteran apparatchik handling South Korean affairs, was deeply involved in launching package tours to Mt. Kumgang and the inter-Korean Kaesong Industrial Complex. There is speculation that he will deliver a letter to Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung from leader Kim Jong-un inviting Pope Francis to Pyongyang. Kim Song-hye, one of the few female apparatchiks involved in South Korean affairs, has attended various kinds of cross-border talks since 2005. She accompanied Kim Jong-un's sister Yo-jong during her visit to South Korea in February and visited the U.S. in late May with Kim Jong-un's right-hand man Kim Yong-chol. She was also to have attended high-level U.S.-North Korea talks scheduled for Thursday in New York, but they were canceled at the last minute. "It's unusual for senior North Korean officials to attend an event sponsored by civic groups," a researcher at a government-funded think tank pointed out. "This suggests that they have something to discuss in secret with South Korean officials." New York, NY -- (ReleaseWire) -- 11/08/2018 --With no doubts, every party has to be memorable, be it a birthday bash or a corporate get together. Voila Caterers can bring the best level of catering services in Harlem and Manhattan, New York to its clients at virtually any location of their choice. The talented catering staff can design menus tailored to the particular needs of the clients. From traditional offerings to American dishes, exquisite French cuisine to vegan recipes, the expert chefs can make the menu a celebration of good taste. Coupled with years of experience in the industry, the company is well versed about the requirements of an occasion. Special treats to relatives and friends are always fun. But what's the point in organizing an event if it keeps the host busy in the kitchen. Leaving this task to the Voila Caterers means the host will always be free to interact with the guests and engage in fun activities. The catering staff at Voila Caterers can arrange the occasion or event in a luxurious atmosphere. Their impeccable service is sure to turn one's day into a brighter and sparkling one. They wish to give their clients the best guidance regarding ideation and arrangement. With years of experience upon their sleeve, the company would be more enthusiastic to create a dream environment for a happy occasion that one could ever imagine. The objective of the caterers is to schedule an event creating high standard arrangements. The unusual combination of refreshing beverages and excellent food never fail to stretch one's mind beyond the higher echelons of delight and joy. At Voila Caterers, the professionals leave no stone unturned to serve the guests in the best possible manner by bringing a supreme level of pleasure and pride. For more information about cocktail party catering in Midtown and New York City, visit http://www.voilacaterers.com/event-catering-in-harlem-manhattan-upper-east-side-upper-west-side-westchester. About Voila Caterers Food is not just a means of filling the tummy when Voila Caterers is in charge. The catering company has made a name for itself by serving delicious food presented most creatively that not only satiates the body but also gladdens the heart. The company offers personalized menu for every occasion without compromising on quality. North Korea plans to build the largest water park in Asia at the scenic Mt. Kumgang resort with foreign investment even as severe food shortages loom amid international sanctions. North Korea's Kumgangsan International Travel Agency posted an investors' guide on its website detailing plans for the water park. According to the guide, the water park will cover 200,000 sq.m in Kosong, Kangwon Province, making it the biggest in Asia. The idea is to operate it as a joint venture for 10 years, and the travel agency claims construction will only take six months. The agency also said there will be an exhibition center for products from the Mt. Kumgang region as well as a hospital and 700-room hotel. The North is desperate for foreign investment to develop its tourism industry and recently opened a website detailing 14 projects involving a hotel, a power generation facility, railways, restaurants and other services in Wonsan. The North apparently hopes to cushion some of the effects of the sanctions, which ban imports of materials and cash but not tourism itself. This is probably why North Korean leader Kim Jong-un recently visited the Samjiyon area as well looking out masterfully over deserted beaches in Wonsan and Kalma, which are being eyed as tourism destinations. UN Security Council resolutions prohibit the establishment of any joint ventures with North Korean groups or individuals, so the water park is currently a castle in the air. Cho Young-gi at Kookmin University said North Korea "appears to be preparing ahead for an easing of sanctions. This may also be a form of pressure on the South Korean government to invest money." Foreign trade data from Germany is due on Thursday, headlining a light day for the European economic news. At 1.45 am ET, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs releases Swiss unemployment data. The jobless rate is seen unchanged at seasonally adjusted 2.5 percent in October. At 2.00 am ET, Destatis is scheduled to issue Germany's foreign trade figures. Exports are forecast to gain 0.3 percent on month and imports to rise 0.8 percent in September. At 2.45 am ET, France's foreign trade data is due. The trade deficit is forecast to widen to EUR 5.8 billion in September from EUR 5.6 billion in August. At 3.00 am ET, industrial output from Spain is due. Economists forecast output to grow 0.8 percent on year in September, following a 1.2 percent rise in August. In the meantime, consumer prices and industrial production from Hungary are due. At 5.00 am ET, Greece unemployment data is due for August. The jobless rate stood at 19 percent in July. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Economic News What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more. Apple Inc. (AAPL) announced Thursday that Apple Iconsiam will open Saturday in Bangkok on the shores of the Chao Phraya. The store will feature Apple's full line of products including iPhone XS, iPhone XR and Apple Watch Series 4. It will also invite visitors to pursue their creative passions with free Today at Apple sessions. More than 100 employees are ready to welcome customers on Saturday at 10 a.m., the company noted. Elevated above the "River of Kings" in the heart of Bangkok, Apple Iconsiam sits alongside storied sites and cultural landmarks. Apple Iconsiam features two expansive glass facades that create transparency through the store to the river, city and beyond. Inside the store, a spacious Forum offers all of Apple's free Today at Apple sessions, which inspire visitors to connect with one another, discover a new passion or take their skills to the next level. These hands-on sessions, led by Creative Pros, offer tools for all to explore their creative curiosity and learn to make the most of Apple products and services. Angela Ahrendts, Apple's senior vice president of Retail, said, "We are thrilled to introduce our Thai customers to Today at Apple, our full line of products, our phenomenal employees and the service and support that are loved by customers around the world." For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News German stocks rose on Thursday to extend gains from the previous session, as the U.S. midterm election results offered no surprise and data showed China's exports and imports both increased more than expected in October. Traders looked ahead to the FOMC announcement for new clues as to whether the U.S. central bank will signal a December rate hike. The benchmark DAX was up 57 points or 0.49 percent at 11,636 in opening deals after rising 0.8 percent in the previous session. Commerzbank jumped more than 4 percent. The lender reported a decline in third-quarter earnings, but backed its FY outlook and maintained dividend pledge. Siemens advanced 1.4 percent. The engineering firm raised dividend and announced a share buyback. HeidelbergCement climbed over 4 percent. The cement maker affirmed its FY18 profit outlook after reporting a 12 percent increase in Q3 profit. Freenet AG shares slumped 4.4 percent. The network-independent telecommunications provider reported that its EBITDA exclusive of Sunrise and profits of analogue radio sale for the third-quarter amounted to 104.8 million euros, slightly lower than the corresponding previous-year quarter level. Deutsche Telekom edged up slightly after reporting a surge in Q3 net profit and raising FY18 adjusted EBITDA view. Hannover rose half a percent after reporting a rise in nine-month profit and confirming FY18 profit view. In economic news, Germany's exports and imports declined unexpectedly in September, official data revealed. Exports dropped 0.8 percent month-on-month, reversing a 0.1 percent rise in August. At the same time, imports slid 0.4 percent following August's 2.4 percent decrease. Economists had forecast a 0.3 percent rise in exports and a 0.8 percent increase in imports. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com French stocks were moving higher on Thursday as results of the U.S. mid-term elections came in line with expectations and data showed China's exports and imports both increased more than expected in October, despite a trade battle with the United States. Traders looked ahead to the FOMC announcement for new clues as to whether the U.S. central bank will signal a December rate hike. The benchmark CAC 40 was up 17 points or 0.35 percent at 5,155 in opening deals after rallying 1.2 percent on Wednesday. Societe Generale shares jumped nearly 4 percent. The lender reported a 32 percent rise in third-quarter net income on strong revenue growth. Rival BNP Paribas inched up 0.3 percent and Credit Agricole added 1.6 percent. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis European stocks rose on Thursday to extend gains from the previous session, as the U.S. election uncertainty faded in the rear-view mirror, Chinese trade data topped forecasts and investors turned their attention to a monetary policy announcement from the Federal Reserve, due later in the day. No change in the Fed rate is expected, but traders will be looking for new clues as to whether there will be a December rate hike. The pan-European Stoxx Europe 600 index was up 0.35 percent at 367.66 in opening deals after climbing 1.1 percent the previous day. The German DAX, France's CAC 40 index and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 were marginally higher, paring early gains as investors digest mixed corporate earnings results. British drugmaker Hikma Pharmaceuticals jumped 7 percent after raising full-year revenue expectations for its injectables division. HeidelbergCement climbed 2.7 percent in Frankfurt. The cement maker affirmed its FY18 profit outlook after reporting a 12 percent increase in Q3 profit. Siemens advanced 1 percent. The engineering firm raised dividend and announced a share buyback. Commerzbank jumped 5 percent. The German lender reported a decline in third-quarter earnings, but backed its FY outlook and maintained dividend pledge. Societe Generale shares jumped 3 percent in Paris. The French lender reported a 32 percent rise in third-quarter net income on strong revenue growth. Italian lender UniCredit tumbled 3 percent after its third-quarter net profit fell 99.0 percent to 29 million euros from 2.82 billion euros last year. Inmarsat slumped 7.2 percent in London. The mobile satellite company has reported a drop in revenue in its major Maritime division. In economic news, Germany's exports and imports declined unexpectedly in September, official data revealed. Exports dropped 0.8 percent month-on-month, reversing a 0.1 percent rise in August. At the same time, imports slid 0.4 percent following August's 2.4 percent decrease. Economists had forecast a 0.3 percent rise in exports and a 0.8 percent increase in imports. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions is reportedly considering running for his old Alabama Senate seat in 2020 after being fired as the nation's top law enforcement official on Wednesday. Citing people familiar with his thinking, a report from Politico said Sessions might challenge Democratic Senator Doug Jones, D-Ala. Jones won a special election to fill Sessions' seat last year in an upset victory over former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore and is up for re-election to a full term in 2020. Former Alabama Senator Luther Strange encouraged Sessions to run in a post on Twitter on Wednesday, tweeting, "Jeff Sessions for Senate in 2020!" Jones is seen as the most vulnerable incumbent senator up for re-election in 2020, although GOP officials told Politico that President Donald Trump's relentless attacks on Sessions have taken a toll on his popularity in Alabama. Trump fired Sessions on Wednesday after repeatedly criticizing the former Attorney General for recusing himself from the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election. In a post on Twitter, Trump revealed Sessions' Chief of Staff Matthew Whitaker will become acting Attorney General. "We thank Attorney General Jeff Sessions for his service, and wish him well!" Trump added in a subsequent tweet. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras (AP) The Metropolitan Grand Central bus terminal in this city where the migrant caravan traveling through Mexico originated more than three weeks ago is a place of crossing destinies for Hondurans dreaming of seeking a better life in the United States. Some of the dozens of people sleeping on the concrete floor or outside on the grass underneath palm trees bathed by the light of street lamps are awaiting buses to the Guatemalan border to begin the journey north. Others are arriving after failing to complete the trip and are being ferried back to the precarious lives they left behind. Hundreds of the mostly Honduran migrants who set out with the caravan that has traversed hundreds of miles through three countries before arriving in Mexico City this week have returned home, according to the Mexican government. Some grew disillusioned. Others simply wore out. Still others were detained and returned, or gave up on waiting for possible asylum in Mexico and accepted bus rides back home. Disembarking at the bus station in San Pedro Sula, nearly all of those returning said the same thing: Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but they intend to try again. "I would go 30 times more if possible," said Daniel Castaneda, an 18-year-old from the central city of Comayagua. He was detained shortly after migrants in a caravan following in the footsteps of the first one clashed with police on a bridge on the Mexican border with Guatemala late last month. "I can't say when, but I am going to keep going. ... This country is going to be left empty," he said. Reny Maudiel a fresh-faced 16-year-old in a green T-shirt, a mop of curly hair sticking skyward from his head, said he was turned off by the violence of last month's border clashes. He was also exhausted, and his feet hurt but already his mind was turning northward. "I hope another opportunity emerges," he said. While U.S. President Donald Trump seized on the caravan as a campaign issue for Tuesday's midterm elections and suggested that criminals had infiltrated the group, the migrants say they are fleeing poverty, lack of jobs and rampant violence. In a country that is one of the world's deadliest by homicide rates, San Pedro Sula is among the most violent cities as the Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13 street gang, fights street-by-street with the rival 18th Street gang for territory. It's also seen a harsh crackdown by security forces including documented abuses. Nationwide nearly two-thirds of Hondurans, or some 5.5 million people, live in poverty, according to the World Bank. Pablo Alba choked up thinking about how his 11-year-old son wrapped his arms around his neck and begged to be taken on the journey north. Alba said no, not wanting the boy to risk the arduous trek. "If there must be suffering, I will go alone," he said, recalling that Oct. 13 day when he set off to join the caravan with only the clothes on his back. The 64-year-old had never thought about emigrating before because he had always been able to find work. A trained veterinarian, he ended up selling tamales cooked by his landlady, and it wasn't nearly enough to support his family. Mexican authorities say some 3,230 migrants from the caravan have requested refuge. Alba used to be one of them. But shut in at an immigration center and unable to communicate with his children he had no money or cell phone he dropped his application and agreed to return to Honduras. Some 480 others have done the same, according to the Mexican government. He intends to try again in March only this time he will bring his kids. According to data from Mexico's National Immigration Institute, on average 136 Honduran migrants per day have been returned to their country this year. Women and children are taken directly to a shelter in San Pedro Sula. Men go by bus to the Caribbean coastal city of Omoa, and from there are transferred to the San Pedro terminal. Some days they're met at the bus station by government officials sitting behind a plastic table offering "solidarity bags" of basic goods such as rice and dried spaghetti, along with a photo of President Juan Orlando Hernandez and a note saying it comes from his government. Jorge Marquez said they were taking returnees' information to "follow up with them" and allow them to benefit from aid that Hernandez has promised in response to the caravan, which at its peak numbered more than 7,000 people. But such vows largely ring hollow in this deeply troubled and politically unstable country. In interviews with The Associated Press, most returnees said they faced only a bleak future if they remained in Honduras. However, some, like Gerardo Castillo, a 35-year-old mason, did find encouragement in promises by Mexico's President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who takes office Dec. 1, to give special visas to Central Americans to work in his country. Castillo, who left two children back home in Olancho and has two more in the United States, complained that immigration agents under the current Mexican administration were detaining migrants who separated from the main caravan, as happened to him. In Lopez Obrador, he sees a possible future in Mexico. "On Dec. 1, I will be in Tecun Uman," Castillo said, referring to the Guatemalan city across the river border from Mexico. Olvin Fernando Murillo, 20, made it almost 200 miles (300 kilometers) north of that crossing to the town of Arriaga still far from Phoenix, Arizona, where a brother lives. That's when his 16-year-old girlfriend got sick. When it became clear she wasn't getting better they decided to return to their Honduran hometown of El Paraiso on the border with Nicaragua. He sold his cellphone to raise a bit of money and had little more than a donated green backpack he picked up after crossing into Mexico. But his plans were clear. "To rest for a while, and in January, another caravan," he said. Rumors that yet more caravans will form are flying in every corner of Honduras. They're attractive for the perception that they provide safety in numbers, and because they're a way to avoid paying thousands of dollars to a smuggler. But the reality is far less certain. Those few who make it to the United States face a tough road to be able to stay legally; poverty and violence are not supposed to be considered as qualifying factors for asylum. Trump has talked of making asylum even more difficult, of detaining applicants in tent cities and of sending 15,000 U.S. troops to the southern border. Still, 27-year-old Claudia Noriega was determined to risk it, saying she can no longer make a living selling sweets since sugar prices have soared. She was aware she could end up back here in a few weeks' time, just like the men sleeping on the bus terminal floor. "The important thing is to try," she said. "And if you can't, you'll have to see what to do then." Dear Editor The United Nations Report mentioned on the front page of yesterdays issue showing concerns about the joblessness in Samoa is a matter not to be taken lightly. Around the Region Development has rapidly changed island nations rich in culture and resources and the whole dress up which is urbanization comes like an epidemic with side affects likened to social Ebola. In Samoa case we fall short of mineral deposits and land resources characteristic of our brother nations Papua, Fiji and Vanuatu to name a few. However, our greatest resource is our people. A New Zealand Quota Scheme with a ceiling, temporary seasonal worker programs and UN Peace Keeping are a few but far from adequate opportunities to curb growing joblessness. A requirement Government should look into is a home-based opportunity for both our skilled and unskilled labour force. You may scoff at the idea, but militarization maybe an option to address the problem. I am not talking about a military force that fights battles more so an option to further ones personal development while earning a salary. They key concern of the report is youth unemployment, school leavers who generally lack the skills suggestive because their limited education. These are the target group of this piece people who dont succeed in written education but are probably more likely to thrive in a more practical applied education characteristic of military training and development. The nature of Samoa being responsive to peer direction from a young age and a total respect for ones elders does suggest a regimental type development system would be a rewarding avenue for jobless youth. Common social problems stemming from youth unemployment like gang culture, alcohol and drug abuse are usually direct products of aimlessness. Being idle is proven to be key factor in youth crime and the severity of the offending. It is imperative to understand that trades options far outweigh subjects available in formal education in Samoa. What better vehicle to develop this than a military where they would be paid a severance while building a career. Literally taking the be all you can be military slogan would be a good step in the right direction for our youth. The whole nature of prevention rather than finding a cure is where Samoa focus should be. A benefit we have in Samoa is although we may be the forefathers of the independence movement in the Pacific, our cautious approach to development does put us in a better predicament than our neighbours. Riots, youth and general social unrest in neighboring communities to great extent are the result of failing to support youth. News shows an increase in youth crime, some may say a result of poor parenting, but I bid to differ. As a parent with children who have left school I often ponder over their options and see them far from adequate with only bleak futures ahead. We must see through their eyes as well and how low self esteem can set in with an uncertain future path. We must understand personal development is ongoing and it should be positively nurtured by all sector of our community. Journalist Robert S McCain described it well, Idle minds are the devils research and development department. Its all about alternative options to mainstream education, this would be a great government focus especially considering school leaver numbers will increase faster than job openings in paradise. Oka se idle! Oi Sole! The Office of the Attorney General has engaged Crown Prosecutors from Auckland to prosecute a criminal case against a former Cabinet Minister and four other defendants. Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt, Heather Tupea Schmidt, Apulu Lance Polu, Martin Schwalger and Tuitui Aipulupo face a total of 233 criminal charges in relation to an on-going dispute over a nonu company, involving another senior member of the ruling Human Rights Protection Party (H.R.P.P) and Associate Minister of the Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Peseta Vaifou Tevaga. In response to questions from the Samoa Observer, Attorney General Lemalu Hermann Retzlaff said the engagement of overseas lawyers are steps taken to ensure justice is served and any conflicts of interest are eliminated. It is the appropriate step to take in this particular case, to ensure that justice is seen to be done, from the point of view of prosecuting this matter fairly and objectively, he said. According to the criminal charge sheet, Laaulialemalietoa is facing one count of alleged forgery, 40 charges of alleged theft, 16 for allegedly obtaining by deception, 16 counts of allegedly causing loss by deception and 88 charges of alleged theft by a person in a special relationship. Heather Tupea Schmidt, Owner of Talamua Media, Apulu Lance Polu, Martin Schwalger and Tuitui Aipulupo are also facing various charges. Lemalu said it is normal for the Attorney General to engage lawyers outside the office and is a practice that his peers do when necessary in other jurisdictions. The purpose is to remove any conflicts of interest and where the cases are set to take lengthy periods, it assists the Office given the high volume and urgency of all the cases carried by the team, he said. In relation to the substantive matter, lawyers within the Office of Attorney General had conflicts of interest, hence the decision to outsource the job - though Crown Prosecutors of South Auckland will work with a lawyer from the Office of the Attorney General. But there is a lawyer from this office assigned to the file, working with the engaged lawyers. In terms of volume, the hearing is estimated to take four or more weeks with over 30 files, and over 200 charges to carry. Therefore, the Crown Prosecutors of South Auckland have been engaged. The engagement of foreign lawyers is not the first for the Office of Attorney General, with Lemalu indicating that it has happened before. For overseas prosecution assistance, this dates back to past cases such as Meredith Connell, Crown Law Auckland, prosecuting the matter related to the death of a late Cabinet Minister. In terms of how much it will cost taxpayers to engage the New Zealand-based lawyers, the Attorney General did not specify except to say that their engagement was within their budget. The case in question had since been adjourned to an undisclosed date. Two years of research finally came to fruition with the launch of the Mose and the Manumea book at the Le Manumea Hotel in Vailima yesterday. Launched by the Acting New Zealand High Commissioner, Nick Hurley, the book is for Samoan children and it talks about a young boy who is searching for the manumea a rare bird native to Samoa that is on the verge of extinction. Mose and the Manumea is also published in Samoan, and it teaches children the importance of the manumea and why it is essential to protect native trees for the sake of preserving the manumea population. One of the authors of the book, Jane Vaafusuaga said the book is the culmination of collaborative work and research between various conservation organisation in Samoa and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (M.N.R.E.). The book took about two years to complete. It took six months to complete the first draft, and another year for the production, and six months for translation, Jane told the Samoa Observer. Mose and the Manumea is a story that also has scientific facts about the manumea and other native species in Samoa. An organisation that was actively involved in the research work was the Faleaseela Environment Protection Society (F.E.P.S.), which is a committee set up by the villagers of Faleaseela to protect the environment, native species and in particular the manumea bird. F.E.P.S. committee member, Sooula Apineru said the matais and students of the village were also involved in the project to protect the manumea, and they also helped Jane develop the book. M.N.R.E. Chief Executive Officer, Ulu Bismarck Crawley said the manumea is critically endangered and is listed in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature red list of endangered species. This calls for us to collectively work together to protect these rare species. This book helps us understand our role as part of the community in building awareness and understanding of the importance of our biodiversity to our sustainable life, he said. Second author and a New Zealand based Scientist, Rebecca Stirnemann, who was involved in the research work of the manumea since 2016, said the population of the manumea is about 200. I used about 72 sound recorders placed in deeper native forests around Savaii and Upolu to look for the manumea, with the assistance of some local guides, Rebecca said. What we found was that the manumea is being threatened by invasive species such as cats and rats, and that is why we need to enforce pest control and to also encourage the planting of more native trees, which the bird feed on, because there are less young manumea in existence. Book illustrator, Christina Brady told the gathering especially the children to use their talents and skills in the best way and to help in the betterment of the community. The authors acknowledged everybody who had assisted in the compilation of the book. Some of the money made from the book sales will go to the Auckland Zoo Conservation, who have been doing conservation work in Samoa. Mose and the Manumea will be on sale at the Temptations House and the Pacific Jewels, including other retail stores for $45. Hyundai vice chairman Chung Eui-sun is investing an extra W284 billion into ride-hailing app Grab, the Uber of Southeast Asia (US$1=W1,122). This is the biggest amount Hyundai has ever invested in a foreign company. Hyundai said Wednesday it will invest US$250 million into the Singapore-based company after investing another $25 million in January. But Hyundai did not reveal how big a stake that will give it. Grab is the No. 1 ride-hailing app in Southeast Asia and globally ranks third after DiDi of China and Uber of the U.S. It is available in 235 cities in eight Southeast Asian countries and accounts for a whopping 75-percent share of the market there. Since its establishment in 2012, cumulative usage has reached 2.5 billion rides. Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi was at the Auckland International Airport yesterday to celebrate a milestone for Air Tahiti Nui. Tuilaepa joined Cook Islands Prime Minister, Henry Puna, President of French Polynesia, Tagaloa Eduard Fritch and other top regional officials to welcome Air Tahiti Nui's first Dreamliner. The aircraft landed in Auckland marking a new phase for the airline. The entry of the first of four Dreamliners into its fleet coincides with Air Tahiti Nui's 20th anniversary this year, the NZ Herald reported. The 787-9 has been named Fakarava after the picturesque atoll in French Polynesia's Tuamotu Islands, which boasts a lagoon with similar shades of blue to the aircraft' paint job. The airline says the design and colours are inspired by the beauty and richness of the Polynesian islands, the livery features Air Tahiti Nui's trademark tiare flower, a tattoo pattern representing a story of Tahiti and its people, and the blue hues that the islands are synonymous with. The airline is phasing out its current Airbus A340-300 fleet. The twin engine Dreamliner is more efficient than four-engine A340 and the airlines estimates it will save close to 30,000 tonnes of fuel a year.. The French Polynesian flag carrier has bought two of the planes and two leased through the Air Lease Corporation. They are powered by General Electric engines, not those from Rolls-Royce whose earlier model Dreamliner power plants need more maintenance and repairs. Each plane has 30 business class seats, 32 premium economy seats and 232 economy seats. Air Tahiti Nui flies to Paris via Los Angeles. It says that with faster aircraft it aims to reduce travel times by around an hour and a half on a return flight to Paris. Expanded rent control in California failed with voters Tuesday, but it might be an issue that refuses to go away. Proposition 10 sought to repeal a 1995 law, the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, that limits county and city governments ability to slow rent hikes. Around 38 percent of voters in California voted for the measure, with 62 percent opposing. A rent control measure in National City also failed. Activists in San Diego County said Wednesday that they wont stop the push for rent control and have already begun planning next moves. While voters declined to repeal Costa-Hawkins, it is still possible under the law to enact rent control on units built before 1995. Rafael Bautista, of the group San Diego Tenants United, said a new super-majority of Democrats on the San Diego City Council meant that organizers will target the city as a place to push for rent control. Advertisement The California Democratic Party endorsed Prop 10, he said. We expect (local Democrats) to do something on rent control. You cant get endorse Costa-Hawkins and not put rent control up. We are going to press them, press them on those contradictions. For those who were opposed to rent control, they were breathing a sigh of relief Wednesday. Borre Winckel, CEO of the local Building Industry Association, said enacting rent control would have encouraged developers to build less housing exacerbating declines in residential building based on historical averages. Why in a production-starved market would you encourage even further reductions in production? he said. However, Winckel acknowledged housing advocates were not out of the woods yet. In addition to continued calls for rent control, he said requirements for including subsidized housing in new development would continue to raise costs. Mayor Kevin Faulconer tweeted Wednesday that Prop 10 was not the answer to the citys housing woes. He said the solution to shortages was to build more housing. Our communities are facing a housing crisis, but Prop. 10 wasnt the answer. Rent control leads to subpar housing quality and hinders new construction the exact opposite of what CA needs right now. The solution to our housing shortage is to build more housing. Kevin Faulconer (@Kevin_Faulconer) November 7, 2018 Yet advocates of Prop 10 say they are undeterred, and will push for another statewide measure to repeal Costa-Hawkins. Paola Montes-Martinez, a San Diego organizer with Prop 10, said there may be more support in Sacramento for rent control after this election. Governor-elect Gavin Newsom said on the campaign trail he was against Prop 10, but believed that the Costa-Hawkins law should be changed to add more renter protections. We built the strongest coalition all across the state than ever before around this issue, she said. We are ready to go at it again in 2020, 2022, whatever it takes. Why it lost Rent control advocates said they were outspent by some of the nations biggest landlords, which they say ran a campaign that confused voters. No on Prop 10 raised about $76.2 million and the Yes on Prop 10 campaign had $26.2 million, campaign finance reports show. The No advertisements focused on veterans and older people concerned it would make housing more expensive. Even people people that were proponents of Prop 10 were a little bit confused, Bautista said. When people are confused, they typically vote no. Opponents of Prop 10 said the measure lost because voters knew pitfalls of rent control. Most economists argue that rent control leads to a reduction in the quality and quantity of housing. Tonight demonstrates that voters want a real solution to our affordable housing crisis by soundly rejecting Proposition 10s ill-conceived rent control initiative, said Sid Lakireddy, chair of the political committee of the California Rental Housing Association, on Tuesday night. The housing factor Most real estate agent groups, like the California Association of Realtors, opposed Prop 10 and were pleased it was defeated. Of concern to real estate agents was Costa-Hawkins prevents any type of rent control on single-family homes or condos. Many critics of Prop 10 said removing those protections would decrease home values. Sellers would have been really, really hamstrung, said Encinitas-based RE/MAX agent Dave Hyman on Wednesday morning. The values of their homes, in areas where people anticipated rent control coming, would have plummeted. He said he didnt have any buyers concerned about rent control in the past few months, but that he didnt think it was because it wasnt on most peoples radar. It didnt all go the way the Realtor group wanted last night. Prop 5 was defeated, which would have allowed seniors 55 years old and up to bring their lower tax rate (guaranteed by Prop 13) to any new homes in the state they buy. And do it an unlimited number of times. Advocates said Prop 5 would have encouraged seniors living alone to downsize and open up homes to young families, but critics noted the state Legislative Analysts Office predicted local governments would lose more than $100 million a year in property tax funding if it passed. Business phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1891 Twitter: @phillipmolnar ALSO San Diegos new single-family homes are pricey, modern and in short supply Tijuana condo craze continues in to 2018 Last years housing market broke records The Digital Bookmobile, a 42-foot-long toterhome showcasing high-tech ways to enjoy literature, will be pulling up in La Mesa later this month. The Digital Bookmobile travels the country to reach out to communities, public libraries and schools to promote local libraries digital catalog of eBooks, audiobooks and streaming video via a specially outfitted toterhome likened to a stretched out semi-truck turned into a motorhome. The toterhome offers exhibits and devices as part of its free interactive experience that explores the digital services available at public and school libraries. Its aim is to help readers feel comfortable browsing and borrowing from digital catalogs. Part of the traveling vehicle is The Gadget Gallery, which is filled with devices including the iPhone and iPad, Android phones and tablets, Chromebook and Kindle, for visitors to browse the librarys digital services. Advertisement The La Mesa Library will be hosting The Digital Bookmobile from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 15, next to the library at 8074 Allison Ave. The vehicle stops the next day at the Poway County Library. La Mesa Branch Library Head Librarian Chelsea Harris said the La Mesa Library offers eBook help every Tuesday at 2 p.m. and that The Digital Bookmobile visit will draw attention to the resources and different devices the library already offers. Harris said that in September, there were about 11,300 checkouts of eBooks and audio books in La Mesa. Throughout the county library system during that same month, there were about 144,000 checkouts of eBooks and audio books.. By comparison, there were 56,000 print media checkouts in La Mesa in August and about 850,000 print media checkouts in the county library system that same month. The traveling exhibit first launched in 2008 in Central Park in New York and has since traveled more than 200,000 miles at 900 events. For more information, visit digitalbookmobile.com; to browse libraries, ebooks and more, visit overdrive.com karen.pearlman@sduniontribune.com East County election results from Tuesday show some changes are coming to several local city councils. In Santee, the first by-district election will bring Laura Koval to the City Council in District 3. Incumbents Rob McNelis (District 1) and Ronn Hall (District 2) also won voter approval in their respective districts. Koval earned 1,961 or 61 percent of the vote, besting two challengers for the seat now occupied by Brian W. Jones, who won the 38th District Senate seat on Tuesday. District 3 candidate Zack Gianino had 927 votes and Lynda Marrokal 338 in the election. Koval, the recreation director at Santee Lakes, said she is looking forward to getting started. Advertisement I am a businesswoman, so I know there is a job to do well beyond being elected, Koval said. I have a list of questions, some plans to share and Ive got some ideas. Im excited to talk to people in the city to see what we can work on starting on day one. McNelis captured 1,976 votes, or 57 percent; his opponent, Evlyn Andrade-Heymsfield had 1,486 votes. Hall had 2,092 votes, or 70 percent; Rudy Reyes got 900 votes. In her first political outing, Akilah Weber, the daughter of Assemblywoman Shirley Weber, bested two incumbents with the most votes in La Mesa, where two City Council seats were being chosen. Weber had 6,090 votes, or 28 percent, and incumbent Bill Baber had 5,436 votes. La Mesas other incumbent, Guy McWhirter, was a close third finisher, with 5,243 votes. Weber, a physician who specializes in obstetrics and gynecology, will join another doctor on the council Mayor Mark Arapostathis, better known as Dr. A, who has a doctorate in education. We are pleased that my message resonated with the residents of La Mesa, Weber said. We are encouraged by the results that have come in so far. I look forward to working with the mayor and the other members of the City Council. . Baber said he was disappointed that McWhirter was not re-elected, but that he was looking forward to working with Weber. Baber said his campaign focused on five ps police, parks, pot, potholes and pets and then added a sixth one, though that came with a caveat. My daughter reminded me about fire, spelled phire, Baber said. Im focused on those issues that are important to the people of La Mesa. Unlike Arapostathis, who ran unopposed for his mayors seat in La Mesa, El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells was challenged by Helix Water District Board Vice President Joel Scalzitti. Wells handily won with 8,807 votes, or 66 percent; Scalzitti got 3,459 votes and a third candidate who dropped out before the election, Robert Weaver, got 1,047 votes. Im very thankful that the people are giving me the opportunity to serve another term, Wells said. I promise to do my best to serve with integrity and humility. Although City Councilman Ben Kalasho was beaten by fellow incumbent Gary Kendrick in the first by-district election in El Cajon, Kalasho will be allowed to keep his seat for two more years. Both live in the Fletcher Hills area of the city. Kendrick earned 4,096 votes or 85 percent; Kalasho tallied 730 votes. Kendrick said that while by-district voting means City Council members will be more tuned into concerns affecting their particular areas, the city is a lot like a human body and Fletcher Hills is a part of it; you cant just cut off one part like an arm or a leg. In Lemon Grove, where a troubled budget has been the citys No. 1 concern, incumbents Jennifer Mendoza and Jerry Jones beat out Teresa Profitt and Kamaal Martin. Mendoza had 2,123 votes or 32 percent; Jones had 1,834 votes or 28 percent; Rosiak earned 1,514 votes; Martin, 1,168. Rosiak also failed in her bid to join the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District Board for Area 5. Jones, who has been on the City Council since 2002, said he had some concerns about being re-elected because of an anti-incumbent push. I am a longtime incumbent and the city does have its problems, Jones said. I havent sugar-coated it, Ive taken responsibility for it. But my campaign was run on my record. That includes opposing a tax increase that wasnt vetted and opposing overdevelopment. karen.pearlman@sduniontribune.com Coronado resident Tom Rice, a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Division the Screaming Eagles during World War II, is 25 years older than the Mother Goose Parade in El Cajon. Rice said he cant remember the last time he attended the event that rolls through downtown El Cajon, but later this month, he will be first in line for the parade, agreeing to be the events grand marshal this year. Its going to be memorable, said Rice, a U.S. history and government teacher for 44 years at Chula Vista and Hilltop high schools. And I get to ride in a convertible like a teenager. Rice isnt used to being grounded. Advertisement The man who was awarded a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart turned 97 in August, but still jumps from airplanes on D-Day every year. Thats right in line with this years parade theme, The Skys The Limit! Tom says he always jumps for those who no longer can, said his wife, Brenda. Its kind of the same for the parade. He will lead it for those who cant, and he is honored by it. This years Mother Goose Parade kicks off at 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 18, at Main Street at El Cajon Boulevard. The parade will have more than 100 colorful parade entries, including floats, big balloons, marching bands, clowns, equestrians, local dignitaries and celebrities. A live feed is expected to air at ustream.tv/channel/mgp2013 Some of the star power the parade has confirmed include Brandon Tyler Russell from Greys Anatomy, Colton Shires from the daytime drama Passions and actress Karina Michel, who also started a business, Fresh Patch, on Shark Tank. The Mother Goose Parade Association, which runs the event, is a nonprofit public benefit corporation, which offers workshops and scholarship programs to children. The parade is expected to end around 4 p.m. Phased road closures start at 10 a.m. and the following streets will be affected, according to the parade website mothergooseparade.org: Douglas Avenue from El Cajon Boulevard to Claydelle Avenue will close from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.; El Cajon Boulevard from Johnson Avenue to Main Street will be closed from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.; Johnson Avenue from El Cajon Boulevard to Main Street will close from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.; and Main Street from Johnson Avenue to First Street will be closed from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. karen.pearlman@sduniontribune.com Chili, and lots of it, will be the center of attention Saturday in Lemon Grove at the 14th annual Wild Western Round-Up and Chili Cook-Off. More than a dozen local chefs will vie for the title of best chili in Lemon Grove hoping to unseat perennial winners, the Lemon Grove Firefighters, who have taken home the title the last five years. Presented annually by Soroptimist International of Lemon Grove, this years event is also backed by the Lions Club of Lemon Grove, and is set for 6 to 8:30 p.m. at St. John of the Cross Parish on Broadway at Columbus Drive. The cost is $20 per person. In the past, Lemon Grove has seen a lot of traditional events go by the wayside, like Lemon Grove Days, said Soroptimist and Lemon Grove City Councilwoman Jennifer Mendoza. This has become kind of a signature event for Lemon Grove citizens to get involved an attend. People have said they want more events in Lemon Grove, so we are trying to do that, trying to fill that void. Advertisement In addition to the different kinds of chili, including a plant-based offering, the event includes other prizes and auction items. Mendoza said this year EDCO is donating a yard Dumpster; there will also be certificates for meals from local eateries Lidos and The Grove Grinder. For those who hanker for something in addition to chili, the owners of Giardino Neighborhood Cucina will be bringing a portable oven and cooking woodfired pizzas, Mendoza said. Proceeds from the event support local food banks and womens and childrens organizations in Lemon Grove. karen.pearlman@sduniontribune.com Carole Patterson (Courtesy photo) CARLSBAD Therapist joins center Carole Patterson, Ph.D., has joined the team of licensed mental health therapists at S.A.G.E. Therapy Center, which counsels individuals, children and adolescents, couples and families. Patterson brings almost 25 years of experience as a licensed clinical social worker and mental health therapist. Her areas of specialization include individual therapy for depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, panic attacks and addiction. She is also a certified Alcohol Drug Counselor II and is experienced in child and parent therapy. The center is at 2725 Jefferson St., Suite 4A. Call (760) 703-2188; visit sagetherapycenter.com. Advertisement ESCONDIDO Distribution building completed in industrial park Badiee Development and Exeter Property Group have completed construction of the Exeter Industrial Park, a 212,088-square-foot industrial distribution building on a 10.9-acre campus at 1925 and 2005 Harmony Grove Road. This is the first new industrial building in more than a decade and is the largest building of its kind in the city. The project is a partnership between Badiee and Exeter, who last year reached an agreement to combine two separate projects into a single-tenant building, now known as Exeter Industrial Park. Badiee Development served as construction manager of the park. The single tenant is Veritiv, a North American business-to-business distributor of packaging, facility solutions, and print and public publishing products and services, as well as logistics and supply chain management solutions. FALLBROOK Womens networking breakfast Wednesday The Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce hosts a WIN Women in Networking breakfast from 8 to 10 a.m. Wednesday at VFW Post 1924, 1175 Old Stage Road. Shara French will speak on Embrace Your Voice. Cost is $10 prepaid, plus option to donate a can of coffee to the post. Reserve with payment to jackie.toppin@fallbrookchamberofcommerce.org. OCEANSIDE Honor a Hero, Hire a Vet job fair Friday The Honor a Hero, Hire a Vet Job and Resource Fair, sponsored by the California Employment Development Department, runs from 9 a.m. to noon Friday at the North County Coastal Career Center, 1949 Avenida del Oro, Suite 106. The event is free to the public and focuses on helping military personnel, including National Guard members and reservists returning from active duty, to find jobs. Job seekers should come dressed to make that invaluable first impression. Government agencies and community organizations will provide information on employment, benefits, training and education as well as other veteran services. Call (760) 414-3517 or email george.haith@edd.ca.gov. VISTA Vista Business Expo coming to Civic Center The 2018 Vista Business Expo hosted by the Vista Chamber of Commerce takes place from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Vista Civic Center. Its the chambers largest networking event of the year, with more than 30 vendors, free food, craft beer, photo booth, free raffle tickets and more. Entry is $10 at the door, but free if you preregister at bit.ly/2E4Ucmk. Please send items to laura.groch@sduniontribune.com at least 10 days before events. laura.groch@sduniontribune.com Carlsbad Mayor Matt Hall, first elected to the City Council in 1994 and mayor since 2000, easily held off a challenge from first-term Councilwoman Cori Schumacher, according to updated results released Wednesday by the San Diego County Registrar of Voters Office. Im excited and looking forward to the next four years, Hall said. I hope we can all work together to make Carlsbad an even better place. Carlsbad Mayor Matt Hall (Union-Tribune file photo) Halls campaign focused on his longtime record of service, financial responsibility, and support for public safety. Schumacher emphasized a need for new leadership, transparency in government, and local control of issues such as low-income housing and the master plan for Palomar-McClellan Airport. Advertisement Im proud of how our campaign consistently took the high road, Schumacher said Wednesday. We faced a significant challenge with the infusion of funds from developers and hoteliers. Schumacher, 41, is a former professional surfer and founder of a nonprofit, The Inspire Initiative, that works to empower women through surfing. She was first elected to the council in 2016. Councilwoman Cori Schumacher (Union-Tribune file photo) Her candidacy for mayor helped open the door for new thinking and new leadership on the council, she said. She will continue to serve two more years, along with Councilman Keith Blackburn, as the councils two at-large members. Hall had 56.76 percent of the vote and Schumacher had 43.06 percent, the most recent unofficial count showed. All the citys 94 precincts were included, but nearly 500,000 provisional ballots countywide remained to be processed. Hall, 70, is only Carlsbads second mayor in 30 years, following in the footsteps of former Carlsbad High School teacher Bud Lewis, who served 40 years on the City Council, including 24 as mayor. Much closer were the elections for two seats in the citys newly created council districts. Council members Mark Packard and Michael Schumacher, no relation to Cori Schumacher, both decided not to seek re-election this year, which may have increased interest in the positions. The winner was still too close to call Wednesday in District 1, which represents the downtown Village, Barrio and Olde Carlsbad neighborhoods,. Tracy Carmichael narrowly led in the results released Tuesday night, but with new totals announced Wednesday morning she was 17 votes behind Barbara Hamilton, a difference of 37.56 percent to 37.30 percent. Other candidates in District 1 were Linda Breen with 14 percent of the votes, and David McGee with 11.02 percent. District 3, which includes an area from the beach to San Marcos south of Palomar Airport Road, also was close. Corrine Busta led with 50.86 percent of the votes, and Priya Bhat-Patel had 48.99 percent, a difference of 48 individual votes. City Clerk Barbara Engleson and City Treasurer Craig Lindholm were uncontested in the election. Provisional ballots include late mail-in ballots, damaged ballots, ballots from people who went to the wrong polling place and more. They are likely to trickle in for weeks. philip.diehl@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @phildiehl China will give El Salvador $150 million to spur development of social and technological projects, the Salvadoran president said on Wednesday, the latest sign of deepening ties between the countries that has alarmed the United States. Salvadoran President Salvador Sanchez Ceren is returning from his first trip to China since the countries established diplomatic ties in August. Speaking on local television, Ceren said he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the visit and agreed to 13 joint projects, without providing details. The donation marks China's latest gambit to make inroads in Central America, a campaign that has drawn the ire of the United States. Earlier this year, El Salvador cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favor of China, following the Dominican Republic and Panama. The United States promptly recalled its ambassadors in the region. A longtime Cardiff resident, but a political newcomer, appears to have defeated a two-term incumbent councilman in the citys first elections under its new district-based system, according to unofficial election results released Wednesday. Meanwhile, an appointed incumbent appeared to be narrowly winning in the citys new eastern district and the citys mayor had easily captured a second term in her city-wide election. The political newcomer -- Jody Hubbard, a retired certified public accountant who was appointed to the citys planning commission early this year -- captured 52.96 percent of the vote compared to incumbent Mark Muirs 46.83 percent in the race for the District 3 council spot. This is the first time Encinitas voters are electing council members by districts and both of the candidates said the design of the new district it mostly covers Cardiff as well as a small bit of the citys mid-section centered along Encinitas Boulevard -- benefitted Hubbard. Muir lives in the citys central region, while Hubbard lives in Cardiff. Advertisement Hubbard, an avid cyclist and body surfer who used to compete in body surfing events, said shes been walking and biking her community for all of the 17 years that shes lived there and her commitment to outdoor physical activity is something thats shared by many of her fellow Cardiff residents. I think it resonated with the folks that live here, she said. Her endorsements also helped, as did the so-called blue wave of Democratic fever that swept the states voters, she added. Hubbard was endorsed by the League of Conservation Voters, the Sierra Club and Mayor Catherine Blakespear, whos a Cardiff resident. Muir, a retired city fire chief whos finishing up his second, four-year term as a councilman, said he thinks that what really benefited Hubbard was the gerrymandered nature of the district, and not the fact that shes a Democrat and hes a Republican. Im outside of the district ... look at the map. I dont think you could get any futher out ... its a finger that goes out and pulls me in, he said. If you look at that I actually did pretty good. Muir, who has served on many government boards and is currently chairman of the San Diego County Water Authoritys board, said hes sorry to have lost, but looks forward to becoming a regular resident. Because he became a councilman directly after he retired from the fire department, he feels like he never really retired at all, he said. Im actually looking forward to being a resident, maybe a community organizer, he said. Hell be involved in politics regardless --- he wasnt the only one in his household on the ballot Tuesday. His wife Maureen was re-elected to her seat on the San Dieguito Union High School Board that night. One Encinitas city race remained close Wednesday. Only 103 votes separated Councilman Joe Mosca from his challenger Tony Brandenburg. Mosca, a San Diego Gas & Electric Co. employee who was appointed as a city councilman in 2017, couldnt be reached for comment Wednesday. Brandenburg, who had 48.76 percent of the vote compared to Moscas 50.89 percent, said Im not conceding and Im not celebrating. This was Brandenburgs second run for council in two years and he said the new district-based system had its benefits and disadvantages. A retired judge and former city planning commissioner, Brandenburg said hes well known in the Olivenhain area of the new district because hes lived there for five decades and because his family has been extremely active in the Olivenhain Valley 4-H Club. However, he isnt as well known in the more liberal New Encinitas region of the district, he said. The mayors spot was a city-wide election, unlike the council seats. Blakespear, an attorney who was seeking a second term as mayor, cruised to victory and captured 82.88 percent of the vote against challenger John Paul Elliott, a real estate broker who moved back into town this summer and had never run for political office before. I think the communitys message of support came through loud and clear, Blakespear said Wednesday morning. A colorful figure who tried to list his dog Coco as his running mate on the ballot, Elliott opposed the citys Streetscape plans and the Beacons Beach staircase project and vowed to have the city pay for and build housing for city employees, area teachers and other people It could be days or even weeks before the winner of the race for mayor of Escondido is determined. As of now, incumbent Sam Abed leads challenger Paul Mac McNamara by just 388 votes out of 24,106 cast. There are still thousands of Escondido ballots that remain to be counted, ones mailed or handed in at polling stations in the days leading up to the election. Eight years ago, when Abed was first elected, more than 31,000 votes were cast in the race. Four years ago, 27,432 people voted for mayor. This year, turnout was unprecedented for a recent mid-term election and its possible that anywhere from 10,000 to 15,000 Escondido ballots remain uncounted. Still, Abed was sounding like a winner Wednesday, though he conceded it may be awhile before everything is known. Advertisement I appreciate the support we got throughout the community, he said. Its really an honor for me to be re-elected for a third term. McNamara said such confidence makes little sense. Im behind by less than one percentage point, McNamara said. There may be 14,000 votes to go. I think its premature to claim victory or concede defeat. Meanwhile, it appears certain that longtime incumbent Councilman Ed Gallo has lost to challenger Consuelo Martinez, the young Latina that he beat by just 69 votes four years ago, to represent District 1 in the center of the city. Martinez leads Gallo by more than 500 votes out of roughly 3,000 that were cast in District 1, which has far fewer registered voters than the other districts and accounts for only about one-eighth of all the voters in the city. She is not claiming victory yet, but Gallo on Wednesday said it would take a hail mary type miracle for him to win. Im proud of the grassroots campaign that we ran, Martinez said Wednesday. I feel like for Escondido this was a long time coming. I know that we spent a lot of time talking to voters at their doors and I think that was really impactful. Were really happy with the early results, but we know there are many thousands still to be counted and well wait for the final count to come out, she said. But we are happy with the initial count and believe Escondido is ready for a change. Gallo said Martinez was able to get out her base core of supporters in the district, which was created earlier this decade to have a majority Latino voting block. I think thats what did it, he said. Gallo said he was happy with the campaign he ran. I dont know what else I could have done, he said. It is what it is and life goes on. Escondido will still hopefully be a good city and theyll be progressing forward. At least well have three of the old guard left. Gallo said that assuming Abed is re-elected, the council would still have a conservative majority with Mike Morasco and John Masson, who won his race for District 2 easily Tuesday, garnering about 53 percent of the vote. Challenger Vanessa Valenzuela got 35 percent and Nicole Downey got 10 percent. Martinez will likely give new voice to Councilwoman Olga Diaz, who for years has been out-voted 4-1 on many controversial issues. Escondido has a rule that it takes two council members to agree to place items on an agenda. Often Diaz has been unable to even get matters of concern to her before the council for discussion. That will likely change now with Martinezs election. I think there will be new exchanges of ideas that hasnt happened on the council before, Martinez said. Im excited to see what happens after all the final results are in. Of course, should McNamara pull out a victory, then the conservative majority that has ruled over the city for decades will end instantly. It would be a sea change many have predicted would come to the city, which has a Latino majority. Abed said he thinks the reason his race is so close has less to do with local politics and more to do with a national trend of distrust of incumbent politicians. Another factor both Abed and McNamara agreed on is the changing demographics of the city. It used to be that residents who identified as Republicans outnumbered Democrats by the thousands in Escondido. The most recent numbers, however, show only 750 more registered Republicans in Escondido than Democrats. And there are almost as many voters who decline to state a political party preference as there are Democrats more than 20,000. jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones A group of artists who formed a club in Fallbrook in the early 1960s opened their first gallery this fall. The Fallbrook Art Associations art gallery at 127 N. Main Ave. features more than 80 artworks, including paintings, photography, computer art and multimedia in its current show in the new 1,200-square-foot space. We have rented space in the past for our shows, meetings, demos and workshops, said Jan Carre, gallery secretary. There was no previous gallery, this is our first home. Volunteers worked for weeks preparing the space for the exhibit, building movable walls, installing a new floor and painting walls. Advertisement The group was organized in 1962 by local high school teacher Carlton Poling, who wanted to start an art club to foster his students interest in art. Poling started teaching an art class for adults, sponsored by Palomar College, which drew about 50 artists. Nearly all joined the new art club. Ron and Marie Scofield called together area artists to sponsor a school contest and art exhibition. The association was formed with 39 charter members, led by Ron Scofield as the first president. The clubs first big art show was held in 1967 with Southwest Bank as sponsor contributing money for art awards, which the bank continued to do for a number of years. The nonprofit association continued to grow and in 1984 started renting the second floor of Home Savings Bank. Since then, the club has had various meeting places, most recently at the Fallbrook Womans Club. Gallery directors Julie Compton and Ruth Parker. (Courtesy) The volunteer-run art group with 130 members will continue to hold meetings featuring guest artists at 9 a.m. on the third Saturday of each month at the Womans Club, but now the group has a place for monthly shows and art classes. Shows are slated to include a range of artwork in various categories, including paintings, drawings, prints, pastels and sculptures along with photographs, cards and prints. Artwork for shows will be changed out mid-month. The gallery is run by volunteer Gallery Directors Julie Compton and Ruth Parker. The group also raises funds for high school and college scholarships, and runs an Art Assist Program at the Fallbrook Library to enrich art education for local children. Several fundraising events are being planned to help keep the gallery in operation. Were all very excited about the gallery and it is open for all artists emerging and established to exhibit, including association members and nonmembers, Compton said. A grand opening for the gallery is slated for Jan. 26 and a gala is being planned for September next year to celebrate 50 years of incorporation. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and noon to 3 p.m. Sundays at 127 N. Main Ave., Suite B. Call (760) 645-0491 or visit fallbrookartassn.org. Even though a measure to increase a fire department tax failed Tuesday in Julian, there was reason for supporters of the volunteer Julian Cuyamaca Fire Protection District to celebrate. Within the next few months, another election will be held to determine the fate of the last remaining volunteer department in the county following the verification of signatures completed on Tuesday. In September, at the request of the fire districts directors and the countys Fire Authority, the members of the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO), which oversees special districts in the county, voted to dissolve the Julian department in favor of the county taking control. However, under LAFCO rules rarely applied, a protest hearing was held in October at which 626 signatures of voters in the district were turned in indicating their opposition to the dissolution. On Tuesday, the Registrar of Voters verified that the signatures were legitimate, LAFCO Executive Officer Keene Simonds said. Advertisement Under LAFCO rules, had 50 percent or more of the voters objected, the dissolution proceedings would have ended. Instead, 26 percent of the voters signed protest forms which now forces LAFCO to schedule another election, probably to be held within the next few months, to let the people served by the fire department decide the matter. On Dec. 3, the LAFCO commission will decide what type of election should take place. They can ask the Board of Supervisors to schedule a special election in the area, for which LAFCO has already set aside about $40,000 to cover the cost, or they could schedule a mail-in only election. Meanwhile, Julian voters on Tuesday appeared to have handily rejected a request to raise their parcel taxes from $50 to $200 to help pay for the volunteer department. The measure was losing by a 57 percent to 43 percent margin with all precincts reporting on Wednesday. The measures defeat brings into question whether a special election to save the volunteer department will be successful, and if it is, how the district would pay for such things as paid staff and station and equipment maintenance. Supporters have said if the tax failed but the department survives, they will have to step up fundraising efforts. jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones Oceanside residents defeated a ballot measure that would have made it more difficult to build homes on the citys remaining farmland, but their votes were too close to call Wednesday over which of two incumbents will continue on the City Council. Councilwoman Esther Sanchez, behind in Tuesdays initial results, picked up enough votes overnight to take the lead for the citys first-ever District 1 council seat. The results remain unofficial and nearly 500,000 ballots countywide remain to be processed, according to the San Diego County Registrar of Voters Office. Councilwoman Esther Sanchez (Courtesy photo) Oceanside is among several North County cities and school boards that recently formed voting districts, in which candidates are elected from specific areas instead of at-large. Advertisement The tentative results showed Sanchez with an 85 vote lead over incumbent Councilman Chuck Lowery, who also lives in the northwest quadrant of the city represented by District 1. The numbers are close and the counting continues, Lowery said by email Wednesday when asked to comment. Low voter turnout and a preference for a career politician may have contributed to the close race, he added. Sanchez did not return a call asking for comment. Councilman Chuck Lowery (Courtesy photo) Sanchez had 34.87 percent of the vote, while Lowery got 33.63 percent, according to the results so far. The other candidates in the district, Susan Custer, had 22.25 percent, and Michael M. Odegaard got 9.05 percent. The other council seat on the ballot, District 2, had no incumbent, and Christopher Rodriguez was the clear winner with 42.92 percent of the vote. Others were Dana Corso with 26.48 percent, Terry W. Johnson Sr. with 15.68 percent, Larry Kornit with 9.01 percent, and Kristopher Kagan with 5.76 percent. Oceanside residents also appear to have chosen a new city treasurer, Victor Roy, who received 53.87 percent of the vote. Incumbent Rafe E. Trickey Jr., appointed to the job in January 2017, received 45.72 percent. Proposition Y, also known as the SOAR initiative, was voted down with 54 percent voting no and 46 percent saying yes. Placed on the ballot as a citizens initiative, the Save Our open-space and Agricultural Resources effort was prompted by a developers proposal to build nearly 700 homes, a hotel and retail shops on land now used for farming. The measures approval would have required a citywide vote on any request to change the zoning on agricultural land, parks or open space, taking the matter out of the City Councils hands. The areas large commercial farmers opposed the measure, saying it would restrict their property rights and hurt farming more than it would help. They were backed financially by the developer of North River Farms, a project by Integral Communities, spending more than $1 million on their No on Y campaign. Meanwhile, SOAR supporters spent a little more than $31,000, according to disclosure statements filed with the city clerks office. The money made a difference, said SOAR organizer Dennis Martinek on Wednesday. The strategy of the other side was to confuse people, he said, and they were successful. Many voters were unable to decide whether the measure would help farmers or hurt them. Voters looked more favorably on Measure X, a half-cent sales tax increase that the Oceanside City Council placed on the ballot to raise money for basic city services such as street maintenance and police and fire protection. Yes on Measure X had 54 percent of the votes cast, while the no votes were 46 percent, according to results released Wednesday. philip.diehl@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @phildiehl San Marcos council candidate Maria Nunez climbed past her competitor Craig Garcia, for a seat representing District 1, in the citys center. As of Wednesday morning, preliminary results showed Nunez with a narrow lead of 43 percent, to Garcias tally of 42 percent a difference of 15 votes. That was a reversal from numbers released on election night, when Garcia led Nunez by 10 points, at 46 to 36 percent. Nunez said she was encouraged by the change, but holding tight for final election returns. Were waiting anxiously for the registrar to give us final numbers, she said. Advertisement Nunez, identified as no party preference, said Tuesday that she wasnt concerned by the gap Tuesday evening, assuming that Garcia, a Republican, would gain more support from early and mail-in voters. We were confident that our votes would come in later, she said. The San Marcos mayoral position is elected at large, while the council seats will be decided for the first time this year by voting districts. In District 1, in the central area of the city including the Richmar neighborhood, Nunez, an attorney, competed with business owner Craig Garcia and Oceanside City Council aide Cliff Ireland. Ireland held 14 percent of votes Wednesday morning. In District 2, which includes San Elijo Hills, San Marcos Unified School District board member Randy Walton widened his margin over his competitors, Vallecitos Water District board member Mike Sannella with planning commissioner Eric Flodine. On Wednesday, Walton held a 15-point lead with 50 percent of votes, compared to Sannella, with 34 percent. That was an increase over Tuesday evening, when Walton held a 10-point lead on Sannella. On Wednesday, Flodine was in third place with 15 percent. Councilwoman Rebecca Jones maintained her lead for the mayors seat over Councilman Chris Orlando, capturing 53 percent of the vote compared to Orlando at 42 percent. Childrens author Bradley Zink held 5 percent. deborah.brennan@sduniontribune.com Twitter@deborahsbrennan If theres one thing North County farmer David Sasuga learned in more than 20 years of working with chefs, its that he never wanted to get into the grueling and risky restaurant business. Then last year, Sasugas brother-in-law, chef Eric Lee, announced to the family that he wanted to open his own restaurant. So instead of trying to discourage Lee, Sasuga and his wife, Julie, decided to combine all of their industry experience and business expertise to help make Lees restaurant a success. The result is Umami Japanese, which held its grand opening Nov. 1 in the North City development near Cal State San Marcos. Owned by Lee and his wife, Jenny, of San Marcos, Umami serves a diverse menu of Asian foods, including sushi, ramen, poke bowls, bao buns, rice bowls and assorted hot items. Sasuga called the items on the restaurants vast 14-page menu a fusion of traditional Japanese and Korean dishes with a modern California flair. Advertisement The Sasugas, who live in Vista, are the founders of Fresh Origins Microgreens, an 88-acre, 23-year-old San Marcos farm that is the nations largest supplier of microgreens and edible flowers to the restaurant industry. A crunchy vegetable roll at Umami Japanese in San Marcos. (Courtesy photo) Julie Sasugas brother, Eric, has worked for many years in the restaurant industry as a sushi chef, working for the Love Boat Sushi chain as well as Blue Ocean and Ototo. When he and his wife announced plans to strike out on their own last year, the Sasugas dedicated themselves to helping the younger couple avoid some of the pitfalls that can befall first-time restaurateurs. Julie found the location in the North City development and hunted down ingredient suppliers. David scouted, imported and refinished the restaurants high-end walnut bar and tables from China. They both helped with the design, planning and even child care of the Lees two young children as the restaurant came to fruition. Umami is a Japanese word that translates as deliciousness. Its also recognized as the savory fifth flavor that the tongue can detect (the others are sweet, salty, bitter and sour). Sasuga said the word was chosen for the restaurants name because its Japanese, but also familiar to American diners. The restaurants logo is a circle of five fishes swimming in a circle, one of them red. Lees staff includes seven chefs and two cooks. He is overseeing the cold food program, which makes up 60 percent of the menu. Chef James Han is overseeing the hot menu kitchen. Because some of the chefs have experience with Korean cuisine, there are authentic bao buns and bibimbap on the menu. The seafood served at the restaurant is sourced from Ocean Group Inc. Most of the fish arrives whole and is broken down in-house. Sasuga said the restaurants mission is to serve fresh and housemade ingredients. Even the wasabi root is hand-grated in-house. A nigiri plate at Umami Japanese in San Marcos. (Courtesy photo) The idea was to create a beautiful environment and put the focus on quality ingredients, Sasuga said. We want to attract a mix of students and families with a good balance of offerings and accessible pricing. Much of the menu is dedicated to sushi with both Japanese and Western options. There are traditional bento boxes, sashimi plates and specialty rolls, a well as California-style tempura and baked rolls with quirky names like San Marcos, CSU, Gina and Matthew, the latter two named after the Lees children. The restaurant serves hot and cold sake, Japanese beers, wines and and Japanese-style desserts. Still to come: slushy cocktails made with a SnowPop micro-shaved ice machine. And a hot-and-cold grab-and-go takeout counter will open soon near the restaurants main entrance. Even with all of Sasugas restaurant experience, he admits opening Umami was more challenging than anyone expected. There were many setbacks with design architecture, construction, interior design and the furniture. Since the restaurants soft opening in October, there have been additional challenges with construction on the street outside the restaurant and limited signage for the free garage parking nearby. But the Sasugas and Lees are optimistic about the future of both the vast mixed-use North City development and Umami Japanese. Were grateful to the owners of North City for their confidence in us and for giving us such a prime space, Sasuga said. And were really grateful to the community, which has supported us from the beginning. Were excited for the future. Umami Japanese Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays-Wednesdays. 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays. Where: 251 North City Drive, Suite 122, San Marcos Phone: (760) 410-4129 Online: umamijp.com pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com A ballot drive to allow medical marijuana dispensaries in Vista passed with 51 percent of the vote, according to preliminary election results released Wednesday. Measure Z, proposed by the pro-pot organization Vistans for Safe Community Access, would authorize retail medical marijuana sales at up to 11 shops in the city, and set a 7 percent special tax on gross sales. The measure would make Vista the first city in North County to allow storefront marijuana sales. Its the product of a two-year campaign to gain a foothold in the city, during which proponents invested $575,000 in petition drives and campaign efforts. Measure BB, a city-sponsored alternative that would allow just three delivery-only dispensaries, fell short on election day, just shy of 45 percent of the vote. Advertisement Measure Z does appear to be very well on its way to passage, and its a clear statement by the voters of Vista that they prefer storefronts over delivery-only service, said Cody Campbell, a spokesman for the campaign. However, the citys marijuana tax proposal, Measure AA, which sets a range of tax rates for marijuana sales and cultivation, passed by a similar margin to the citizens initiative. If two competing ballot measures both exceed 50 percent, the one with the higher number of votes prevails, legal experts said. In Vista, however, there are overlapping provisions among the ballot measures. So its unclear which would govern tax rates on new marijuana retailers, if the citys tax measure gains more votes than the citizens initiative proposal. The numbers released Tuesday morning represented election returns from 100 percent of precincts, the San Diego County Registrar reported. But nearly half a million individual ballots remained uncounted, and the outcome of the measure was not final. At the moment, what comes next is were waiting for a formal vote count, City Attorney Darold Pieper said. Obviously there are hundreds of thousands of ballots outstanding. We will not evaluate the next step until we know how the votes on both measures turns out. Campbell noted that the citizens proposal was leading with several hundred votes, and said proponents are optimistic it will prevail. If Measure Z wins in final vote counts, the city would prepare to accept applications and approve licenses for marijuana dispensaries early next year, Pieper said. We would need to develop all of the application forms and our rules for evaluating the sufficiency of the applications, he said. Were standing by and waiting. Measure Z, proposed by the pro-pot organization Vistans for Safe Community Access, qualified for the ballot last September, allowing city voters to weigh in Tuesday on retail marijuana sales. The proposal followed two separate petition drives starting in 2016. The first was rejected for technical errors in the paperwork, while the final measure qualified for this years midterm election. In June, the city council approved an alternate ballot initiative that would permit more restricted marijuana business. The city also floated Measure AA, which would tax marijuana cultivation at $14 per square foot of cultivation facilities, and tax gross sales at up to 3.5 percent for testing labs, 8 percent for manufacturing and distribution, 10 percent for medical cannabis, and 12 percent for adult-use pot sales. Campbell said that regardless of the tax rates, medical marijuana retailers would begin planning to secure city licenses, as well as the state licenses required. Although the measure allows up to 11 dispensaries, he said its likely there would be about half that many to start. He said the measures apparent success in Vista should guide other cities efforts to regulate marijuana sales. After the dust settles, other jurisdictions in San Diego and beyond San Diego County, need to look at how they can look at the sale of medical cannabis, and where appropriate, adult-use cannabis, without going to the ballot, Campbell said. deborah.brennan@sduniontribune.com Twitter@deborahsbrennan Chula Vista voters overwhelming approved Measure Q, a cannabis business tax, according to unofficial results released Wednesday by the countys Registrar of Voters. The City Council passed a recreational marijuana ordinance in May, but those regulations were dependent on voters approving the sales tax measure, which they did by a 2-1 margin. Nearly 64 percent of voters, or 25,144 people, voted for the tax while 36 percent, or 14,479 people, voted against it. Cannabis advocates said Chula Vistas market might become one of the biggest in the region. Advertisement Because of that ordinance, theres a ton of potential for Chula Vista, said Dallin Young, the executive director of the Association of Cannabis Professionals. The San Diego-based group lobbies for regulation at the local level. They have written some cannabis ballot measures in the county, including Oceanside and Encinitas. The citys regulations allow up to 12 cannabis retailers, split between dispensaries and delivery services; 10 cultivation sites; and an unlimited number of testing and manufacturing facilities. Those retail limits make it possible for Chula Vista to have more marijuana shops per capita than the city of San Diego, which limits dispensaries to 36, but has more than four times as many people has Chula Vista. The tax is expected to generate $6 million a year for Chula Vista. The measure calls for a range between 5 percent and 15 percent on all marijuana businesses except cultivation facilities, which are subject to a $5 to $25 per square foot tax. The City Council reserves the right to set the tax within those ranges. Competition between San Diego and Chula Vista will strengthen the entire regions marijuana industry, Young said. Additionally, Chula Vista raises the bar by including delivery-specific businesses in its regulations while San Diego shut them out of its ordinance. Its going to benefit the entire region, Young said. Delivery businesses do not require as much overhead as dispensaries, therefore more people are able to afford the start-up costs, Young added. State rules do not limit delivery services to geographic boundaries. Therefore, Chula Vista-based delivery businesses can service customers in Imperial Beach, Coronado, National City or San Diego. City staff hope to publish their regulations online within the next 30 days. In December, the city plans to host a meeting where potential applicants can ask questions about the permitting process before Chula Vista begins accepting applications in January, said Deputy City Manager Kelly Bacon. In addition to getting approval from Chula Vista, applicants will also have to get a state license to open cannabis businesses in the South Bay. Part of the reason the council approved the marijuana ordinance was to stop illegal dispensaries from opening in Chula Vista. They argued that a regulated legal market will fund enforcement measures against the illegal market. The city attorney plans to hire a criminal prosecutor to help the city close the illegal stores more aggressively. Anyone associated with illegal pot businesses, including landlords who leased to unlicensed dealers, will be forbidden from opening a legal marijuana business in Chula Vista, Bacon said. OTHER ELECTION RESULTS Incumbent Mayor Mary Casillas Salas, City Attorney Glen Googins, and City Councilman John McCann will keep their jobs, according to unofficial election results. Casillas defeated her challenger, Hector Gastelum, by nearly 40 percentage points. She was not available for an interview Wednesday, according to Francisco Estrada, her chief of staff. I am grateful and humbled by the overwhelming support of our community, Salas wrote in a statement. There are many good things happening in Chula Vista, but theres still much to be accomplished. Like Salas, City Attorney Googins defeated his opponent by a wide margin. Googins received 61 percent of the vote, according to unofficial results. McCann defeated Mark Bartlett by nine points. Im thankful for the voters for giving me a chance to serve the community I grew up in and the community were raising our children in, McCann said. Specific projects hed like to work on are opening an off-leash dog park in Rohr Park and putting a drop-off lane at Eastlake High School. In the other City Council race, the one to represent the northwest portion of the city, former AT&T executive Jill Galvez defeated retired firefighter and businessman Steve Stenberg by a narrow margin. According to unofficial results, Galvez won by 220 votes. Galvez had 51 percent of the votes, or 4,665, while Stenberg had 48 percent, or 4,445. Contact Gustavo Solis via Email or Twitter Imperial Beach voters made history Tuesday, electing the first Latino member to the City Council, according to unofficial election results. Paloma Aguirre, a first-time candidate, had 26 percent, or 1,551 votes, as of Wednesday morning. That put her second behind incumbent Councilman Ed Spriggs in an at-large race where the top two vote-getters win a seat on the council. Spriggs had 26 percent, or 1,558 votes. I feel incredibly proud to be the first Hispanic elected to the city of Imperial Beach council, she said. Particularly because the citys population is over 50 percent Hispanic. The pair beat out Dane Crosby, who had 20 percent, or 1,198 votes; Darnisha Hunter, with 16 percent, or 970 votes; and Mo Camacho, with 9 percent, or 539 votes. Advertisement Aguirre said she hopes her presence on the council inspires other Latinos to run for office. Aguirres victory came less than two months after a lawyer threatened to sue the city for its at-large election system. The letter claimed Imperial Beachs current system disenfranchises Latino voters, pointing out that even though half of the citys residents are Latino, Imperial Beach has never elected a Latino person to the City Council. Aguirre faced vocal opposition in the final weeks of the election as residents questioned her independence during City Council meetings. They claimed that because Aguirre works for a nonprofit the mayor founded and is the executive director of, she would not have her own voice in the council. Aguirre is the Coastal and Marine Director for WildCoast. I understand that could be seen as a conflict of interest, Aguirre said. My decision to run was completely independent. To avoid the appearance of conflicts of interests, Aguirre and Mayor Serge Dedina promised to restructure the nonprofit to have Aguirre report directly to the board of directors. Dedina will have no say in Aguirres day-to-day work, her employment status at the nonprofit or her salary, she said. Dedina won his re-election bid with 66 percent of the vote, or 2,291 votes, according to unofficial results. His opponent, Valerie Acevez, had 32 percent, or 1,138 votes. Imperial Beachs most pressing issues are cross-border sewage and the lack of affordable housing, Aguirre said. She plans to work on both sides of the border to stop the flow of pollution into the Pacific Ocean. Specifically, Aguirre wants to reduce the number of straws and single-use plastics in Imperial Beach and work with Mexicos federal government to increase capacity at the treatment plant in Punta Bandera, which is over capacity, she said. Regarding affordable housing, Aguirre said shed like to tackle the issue from multiple angles that include incentivizing developers to build more affordable units, pressuring absentee landlords to put their vacant units on the market, and enforcing existing short-term rental regulations. Contact Gustavo Solis via Email or Twitter Canadian pavilion unveiled at the Expo By:Cao Jun, Zheng Qian | From:english.eastday.com | 2018-11-07 18:32 As famous Canadian agricultural products like lobster, beef, blueberries and canola oil have long been available to Chinese consumers, more Canadian products in other areas are expected to enter the Chinese market with the aid of China International Import Expo (CIIE). As one of the guests of honor, Canada has set up a national pavilion at the Expo with an area of 256 square meters to showcase its high-quality goods. In addition to the physical exhibition hall, a virtual pavilion has also been built online through VR technology. At the opening ceremony of the Canadian national pavilion on November 6, Chinese and Canadian companies signed 19 commercial agreements worth a total value of more than 3 billion yuan. The agreements involve industries of life science, health care, agricultural products, aviation and transportation. Among them, the most important commercial agreement is the Strategic Partnership Agreement signed between the Canadian Health Management Center and Chinese insurance and medical institutions. According to the agreement, the Canadian Health Management Center will work with Chinese partners to promote the construction of 400 Canadian Health Management Center branches across China. This is the fifth time I have led a delegation to visit China, said Lawrence MacAulay, Canada's minister of agriculture and agri-food. This is also the largest delegation I have led to China. I hope the import expo could further promote economic and trade exchanges between China and Canada and let us make new friends to enjoy new business opportunities. Themed around healthy life, the Canadian national pavilion is green and paperless. During the expo week, seminars on topics such as clean technology and investment will also be held by the Canadian exhibitors. More than a month after the San Ysidro school board agreed to settle a lawsuit against former Superintendent Manuel Paul, the district has not released details or a copy of the agreement. San Ysidro School District officials say they are withholding the agreement because it is missing the signature of a community member who joined the lawsuit as a plaintiff: Esther Gutierrez. Once a fully executed agreement is received by the District, it may be released to the public, the district said in a statement to The San Diego Union-Tribune. The districts lawsuit was filed in February 2015 in an attempt to recover more than $200,000 in severance pay from Paul, who a month earlier was sentenced to two months in federal prison for his role in a pay-to-play scheme. Advertisement The case appeared to reach an end after the school board approved the settlement agreement at a closed-door meeting on Sept. 13. Trustees and Superintendent Gina Potter characterized the agreement as the closing of a chapter. It is unclear why Gutierrez, whose grandchild is a student in the district, has not signed the agreement. Attempts to reach her were unsuccessful. District spokesman Francisco Mata said the lawyer representing the district in the case against Paul said the agreement was promptly mailed to Ms. Gutierrez for signature. Mata said the lawyer, William Trejo, was following up with Ms. Gutierrez to expedite finalizing the agreement. Trejo did not respond to requests for comment. The lawsuit against Paul in not the only district matter Gutierrez has been involved in. In 2015, she was part of successful efforts to unseat two trustees first Jose Barajas, then Luciana Corrales. Both trustees stepped down, in a three-month period, under pressure and threats of petitions calling for their resignation. Gutierrez was added as a plaintiff in the case against Paul in May 2016. Court records show she joined the lawsuit after Pauls lawyer argued in court that the district did not have the grounds to bring a claim under a state code 526a that allows certain tax payers to sue government officials to recoup wasted funds. The court sided with Paul but allowed the district to amend its complaint. In response, the district added Gutierrez to the lawsuit, identifying her as a taxpayer and local resident. Paul, who for years rose through the ranks before he was hired as superintendent in 2007, was placed on leave after he was indicted in a pay-to-play scheme that spread across three South Bay school districts. He resigned five months later. He pleaded guilty in San Diego Superior Court and was sentenced to probation, ordered to do community service and fined. But the charges against him didnt stop there. Paul also was charged in federal court, where he admitted he demanded campaign contributions from contractors as a price to consider them for work on district projects. In January 2015, Paul was sentenced to two months in federal prison, ordered to do community service and fined. The district sued him to recover the roughly $211,000 paid out to him, the salary he was paid while on administrative leave, attorney fees and other damages. Pauls lawyer, Dennis Grady, declined to comment on the settlement agreement. I am precluded by confidentiality from discussing anything at all about that, he said. Email: david.hernandez@sduniontribune.com Phone: (619) 293-1876 Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez The deadline is nearing for the annual Local Author Showcase at San Diegos Central Library. Now in its 53rd year, the showcase is open to county residents (zip codes 91901 92199) who published a book this year. Books submitted by Nov. 26 will be included in a month-long exhibit in February at the library. The showcase is designed to bring exposure to local talent and nurture the pursuit of the writing arts in San Diego, officials said. Its part of the librarys larger effort to highlight the intellectual and creative achievements of area writers through public readings, writing workshops, book discussions, short-story contests, and other events. Advertisement Last year, the showcase attracted dozens of fiction and non-fiction titles from a wide variety of genres, including biography, history, mystery, self-help, business, poetry, memoir, romance, sports, and westerns. Books published through commercial houses and those that are self-published are eligible. So, too, are e-books. After the February exhibit in the first-floor Dickinson Popular Library, the books will be shelved for one year in the local author collection and available for the public to check out. Some may then be added to the permanent collection. There will also be an online gallery featuring photos and information about the books. It opens at the same time as the library exhibit and will be up until the following February. A private preview and reception for the authors will be held before the showcase opens. There is also a showcase for young authors, ages 11 and under, which was started a few years ago in response to the large number of books being submitted by kids. It takes place in March. Unlike the grown-up showcase, in which books must look like books, the young authors exhibit is open to zines, chapbooks and other unbound booklets. A separate showcase is also planned for teen authors, ages 12-18, sometime in the spring. Authors are asked to limit their submissions to one book, even if they published more during the year. Books that are not added to the permanent collection will be returned to the authors if they request it during registration for the showcase. Otherwise, they will be donated to the Friends of the Library, which may sell them to raise funds for the library. More information is available by emailing the local author program: localauthor@sandiego.gov. john.wilkens@sduniontribune.com What if your family were made up of only excellent chefs whod prepare a gourmet Thanksgiving feast and they wont even sit next to you during dinner, blathering bad jokes youve heard since you were 6? Now that would be something to be thankful for. A version of that culinary Thanksgiving heaven will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 14, when eight of San Diegos most acclaimed chefs prepare a ChefsGiving holiday feast at Provisional Kitchen, Cafe & Mercantile. Turkey and all the fixings plus seven kinds of dessert! will be prepared by: Advertisement Brandon Sloan, chef de cuisine, Provisional Kitchen, Cafe & Mercantile (Truffled Beggars Turkey) chef de cuisine, Provisional Kitchen, Cafe & Mercantile (Truffled Beggars Turkey) Anthony Wells, executive chef, Juniper & Ivy (Chestnut Stuffing) executive chef, Juniper & Ivy (Chestnut Stuffing) Jojo Ruiz, executive chef and partner, Lionfish (Twice Baked Clams with Chorizo, Saffron, Soffrito, Pepper and Onion Escabeche) executive chef and partner, Lionfish (Twice Baked Clams with Chorizo, Saffron, Soffrito, Pepper and Onion Escabeche) Shane McIntyre, co-chef and partner, Herb & Wood (Coal Roasted Beets with Beet Green Gremolata, Citrus, Whipped Shafts Blue Cheese) co-chef and partner, Herb & Wood (Coal Roasted Beets with Beet Green Gremolata, Citrus, Whipped Shafts Blue Cheese) Tim Kolanko, executive chef, Blue Bridge Hospitality (Fall Vegetable Gratin with Squash, Celery Root, Leek, Fennel) executive chef, Blue Bridge Hospitality (Fall Vegetable Gratin with Squash, Celery Root, Leek, Fennel) Alfred Alfie Szeprethy, executive chef, Pisco Rotisserie & Cevicheria (Farro Salad with Dried Cranberries, Goat Cheese, Arugula, Pecans) executive chef, Pisco Rotisserie & Cevicheria (Farro Salad with Dried Cranberries, Goat Cheese, Arugula, Pecans) Adrian Mendoza, executive pastry chef, Herb & Wood (Caramelized Pink Lady Apple and Rum Raisin Pie with Fennel Oat Crumble; Blackberry Pie; Chocolate and Banana Rum Cream Pie; Kalamansi and Kaffir Lime Meringue Piel; Red Kuri Squash Pie with Maple Whipped Cream and Candied Pepitas; Home-made Vanilla Bean Gelato) executive pastry chef, Herb & Wood (Caramelized Pink Lady Apple and Rum Raisin Pie with Fennel Oat Crumble; Blackberry Pie; Chocolate and Banana Rum Cream Pie; Kalamansi and Kaffir Lime Meringue Piel; Red Kuri Squash Pie with Maple Whipped Cream and Candied Pepitas; Home-made Vanilla Bean Gelato) Lori Sauer, executive pastry chef, Crafted Baked Goods (Pumpkin Cake with Apple Cider Caramel) Dinner will be served family style, at communal tables at the stylish restaurant, which is located at the Pendry hotel in the Gaslamp. Three wines selected to pair with the meal Cambria Estate Winery Julias Vineyard Pinot Noir, Katherines Vineyard Chardonnay, and Julias Vineyard Rose, all from Santa Maria are included in the ticket price. Banter will also be served up: when not in the kitchen, the chefs will meet with guests, as will Julia Jackson, co-proprietor of Cambria Estate Wines. And everybodys favorite dinner companion,Troy Johnson, the food critic, writer and Guys Grocery Games judge, will host the evening. Lets just hope he saves any bad jokes for his own family. The ChefsGiving dinner is $145, which includes a $25 donation to the San Diego Food Bank. Get tickets here. 6:30-9:30 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 14. Provisional Kitchen, Cafe & Mercantile, 425 Fifth Ave., downtown San Diego. A pre-Thanksgiving ChefsGiving feast will be held Nov. 14 at the stylish Provisional Kitchen, Cafe & Mercantile at the Pendry Hotel in downtown San Diegos Gaslamp Quarter. (Courtesy photo) michele.parente@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @sdeditgirl A job description for the Pilobolus performers in Shadowland would include a list of unexpected skills: contortionist, shadowcaster, actor, puppeteer, comedian and the ability to morph into an elephant. The position also requires getting along with others at a very, very close range and the ability to think on your feet or head, or any and all body parts. After touring to more than 30 countries, the show visits San Diego on Saturday as part of the La Jolla Music Society Dance Series. Shadowland tells the coming-of-age story about a young girl who falls asleep and dreams of a different life. She finds herself trapped in the land of shadows where a giant shadow arm reaches down to transform her into a character that is part dog, part girl. Advertisement Along her road to discovery, she encounters scary, silly and strange shadow creatures many made by dancers grouped together. It takes four dancers, for instance, to make that elephant. We create shapes so that you dont know where one body ends and another begins, explains Renee Jaworski, who shares artistic director duties with Matt Kent. In Pilobolus, we take multiple bodies and we hook them together, or we might have one upstage and one downstage. Its all in the service of creating a shadow shape or image, whether that be an animal, a building or any landscape we are trying to make. Shadowland uses hundreds of props, a variety of light sources and silhouette imagery along with a team of nine dancers/shadowcasters who work in front and behind the stage to tell the story. The show took years of trial and error and many collaborators before it came together. Pilobolus Dance Troupe was founded in 1971 by three friends who attended a Dartmouth College dance class. The odd name, suggested by founding member Jonathan Wolken, shares its moniker with a sunlight-loving fungus that can spew its spores with surprising power and velocity. Today, Pilobolus is one of the most profitable and long-standing dance troupes in the country. and like the fungus, it has reach. Based in Connecticut, the company includes an education and outreach program, a touring company and a creative services branch that features the dancers in corporate projects and commercials. Co-artistic directors Jaworski and Kent started as dancers and both remembered their auditions. Jaworski was hired in 2000 for her theatricality and her ability to jump up on guys. Kent started in 1996 and says that his unusual approach to improvisation and the fact that he was considered spherically even impressed the Pilobolus team. The history of Shadowland can be traced back to a car commercial for Hyundai, in which the Pilobolus dancers formed a shadow shape of a moving vehicle. Then, the company performed a series of shadow images for nominated films at the 79th Academy Awards in 2007. After the Oscars, they were bombarded with calls, and it became clear that the shadow-shifting elements of their work had potential for increased success and visibility. We were doing five-minute pieces for prints or a wedding or a release of a product, Kent explains. We had several years of that kind of work, and we thought, we should be able to make something that is more for everybody. We wanted to reach out and create a show using this new technique we had just discovered. The members of Pilobolus sought out collaborators who would help with telling a longer story with universal appeal. Composer David Poe wrote the original score and Steven Banks, the head writer of SpongeBob SquarePants, became an important contributor. In 2009, Shadowland was launched, the first show of its kind to tour the globe. Shadowland 2: The New Adventure is currently showing in Europe. In every city that Shadowland visits, the shadowcasters create a finale that pays tribute to that location. Their position calls for collaborative creativity or the ability to shift mentally and physically. Their job is to not only perform the piece but to understand what we are trying to say so we can make small changes, Jaworski explains. And whenever we go to a city, we need those shadowcasters to be able to quickly put together a series of images about the area we are in. La Jolla Music Society presents Shadowland by Pilobolus When: 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday. A pre-concert interview with local dance professional John Malashock begins one hour before each show. Where: Spreckels Theatre, 121 Broadway, downtown Tickets: $20-$75 Phone: (858) 459-3728 Online: ljms.org Manna is a freelance writer. Movie people have long loved Coronado from the days of old Hollywood to new and that love continues today with the annual Coronado Island Film Festival, featuring four days of movie screenings, parties, exhibits, workshops, panel discussions, live performances and more. With a focus on well-written films that inspire, teach, entertain, and give audiences plenty of feels, the festival includes categories for narrative features, short films and documentaries, including an early screening of Green Book with Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen (pictured). The venues for the movies are within walking distance of each other and are all located in Coronado. Plus, film critic Leonard Maltin returns as host of the festival and honorary jury president. 2018 Coronado Island Film Festival: Friday through Monday. Various times and locations in Coronado. $235 for festival pass (a limited number of standby tickets may become available for $15-$20). coronadoislandfilmfestival.com Each year, in recognition of the service provided by the countrys veterans, the San Diego Veterans Day parade celebrates the men and women whove served in the military. This year, more than 4,000 veterans, active-duty military members, marching bands, floats and civic groups are expected to attend and Lift Your Voice for Veterans along North Harbor Drive. Viewing areas, grandstands and parking will be available. San Diego Veterans Day parade: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Beginning at North Harbor Drive, one block south of Grape Street, moving south past Broadway and the USS Midway, ending on Harbor Drive, one block east of Pacific Highway. sdvetparade.org Due to security concerns, the mayor of Warsaw on Wednesday banned radical Polish nationalists from marching on the 100th anniversary of Polands independence. The move prompted Polish leaders to quickly draw up plans for an inclusive march Sunday that could be embraced by all citizens. It was a significant about-face for the populist government, which has been trying not to alienate far-right voters but then faced the strong possibility that the main news from Poland on its centennial would have been about extremists or even violence. It seemed the Warsaw mayor, normally a political rival from the opposition centrist Civic Platform, offered them a way out of their predicament. Mayor Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz said she wanted to put a stop to the extremist displays that have appeared yearly on Polands Nov. 11 Independence Day at far-right marches that have drawn tens of thousands to the capital. At last years march, some participants carried racist and anti-Islamic banners calling for a White Europe and displayed white supremacist symbols like the Celtic Cross. There were also cases of violence against counter-protesters. Advertisement The event drew heavy media coverage and international criticism. Lawmakers in the European Parliament called the participants fascists a label that infuriated the conservative Polish government, whose leaders said most people marched with the national flag and without the racist banners. They mostly praised the march as an expression of patriotism, with one minister calling it a beautiful sight. This year, Poland is celebrating the centenary of its independence, gained in 1918 at the end of World War I. This is not how the celebrations should look on the 100th anniversary of regaining our independence, Gronkiewicz-Waltz said during a news conference. Warsaw has suffered enough because of aggressive nationalism. Gronkiewicz-Waltz noted that the chief organizer of the Warsaw far-right march is a leader of the National Radical Camp, which traces its roots to an anti-Semitic movement of the 1930s. She said she has asked the government to outlaw it but has been ignored. The capital city saved the honor of the country, the liberal daily Gazeta Wyborcza wrote. Many other Poles have resented how the nationalists in recent years have managed to draw so much attention to Independence Day, overshadowing other celebrations. President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki met after the mayors announcement and said that a march organized by the government would take place in Warsaw on Sunday instead. Presidential spokesman Blazej Spychalski invited all Poles to march with national flags to show that we are one white-and-red team, a reference to the flags colors. The government had held failed talks earlier with the far-right nationalists, hoping to make their march a state event, but far-right organizers refused the government demand that marchers carry only flags, no banners, Morawiecki said. A similar ban on a far-right Independence Day march was announced Tuesday by the mayor of the western Polish city of Wroclaw, who cited the risk that participants might incite racial and ethnic hatred. The bans followed signals that extremists from elsewhere in Europe planned to travel to Warsaw on Sunday. Mass walkouts by Polish police officers in recent days also raised concerns that clashes between participants and counter-protesters could get out of hand if there were not enough officers to intervene. Meanwhile, a controversial statue of the late President Lech Kaczynski was installed in a central Warsaw square ahead of its weekend unveiling as part of the centennial celebrations. Kaczynski, who was killed in a 2010 plane crash in Russia, was the identical twin of Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the head of the right-wing Law and Justice Party currently in power. While Poles have universally mourned the deaths of the president and the 95 other people who perished with him they remain divided on how to judge his presidency and whether he deserves such hero status. More than 140 memorials to him already exist across the nation of 38 million people. Welcome to the Essential California newsletter. Its Thursday, Nov. 8, and heres whats happening across California: TOP STORIES A gunman threw smoke bombs and rained bullets on a crowd of hundreds inside a Thousand Oaks bar that is popular with college students Wednesday night, leaving 12 dead, including a sheriffs sergeant shot trying to stop the carnage. The massacre occurred at the Borderline Bar & Grill, with the assailant firing wildly into the crowd. In addition to the dead, 10 other people may have been injured, according to Sheriff Geoff Dean, who added that its too early to know whether the shooter took his own life. The gunman burst into the bar about 11:20 p.m., cloaked in all black. Los Angeles Times More from the scene Advertisement -- Friends and family anxiously converged at the bar early Thursday to learn the fate of their loved ones. Some said that some of those inside had survived the mass shooting at Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas last year. Los Angeles Times -- This is a safe place. My parents let me go here. This is a trusted place, said one Cal State Channel Islands student who was at the bar. To know that this happened in my safe place is a very, very scary thing. You just dont expect it to happen in Thousand Oaks. Los Angeles Times The next chapter in the House Perhaps the greatest consequence of the Democrats taking back the House will be their ability to issue subpoenas. Expect these to start flying come January, as committees begin to dig into the scandals that have befallen the Trump administration. Burbanks Rep. Adam Schiff will likely be the chair of the House Intelligence committee, and as election results rolled in, he expressed some level of excitement at this prospect. Los Angeles Times Plus: These Democrats are poised to take over some key House panels (and make things harder for Trump). Los Angeles Times A message from our wise man When it comes to politics, few know more than The Times Mark Z. Barabak. Hes been on the scene since before one of your Essential California authors was born and has some wise words about what begins now that the Midterms are done and dusted: Hello, Ben, and 2020! Californias going to be in the thick of the next presidential race for the first time in decades, and not because of the fantastical notion the states going to be choosing the next Democratic nominee with its early primary redux. With several White House hopefuls of California pedigree (and varying degrees of plausibility) in the running, the states culture, its values, demography and economy will be on the ballot in states across the country hey here, Iowa and New Hampshire! The state has historically been on the cutting edge, the place where the future is invented. Its a future some find scary, with its changing racial composition, and one that others eagerly embrace. Make no mistake, it will very much be a part of the political discussion for the next two years. Coming soon to Sacramento Few can argue with California Democrats that their sweeping victories on Tuesday are a clear mandate to set in place an agenda for the state that will last well into the next decade. Less clear, though, is what those marching orders should be and whether voters will embrace the full panoply of demands that have lurched the states dominant party leftward since the election of President Trump. No one will face that task more directly than Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom. Los Angeles Times Plus: Heres where Newsom stands on state issues. Los Angeles Times And: With Newsom as governor, Californias battle with Trump intensifies. Los Angeles Times Interesting: Last night, Gov. Jerry Brown was out of the state for an event in Texas. So Gov.-elect Newsom was actually also acting Gov. Newsom. Los Angeles Times HOUSE RESULTS (Here are the latest results from the closest races) CA-10: Rep. Jeff Denham is trying to hold on to his seat against Democrat Josh Harder in a race thats too close to call. Los Angeles Times CA-25. GOP Rep. Steve Knight conceded to Democratic challenger Katie Hill. Los Angeles Times CA-39: Young Kim held a lead over Democrat Gil Cisneros. Los Angeles Times CA-45: Rep. Mimi Walters of Laguna Beach is leading her Democratic challenger, but ballots are still being counted. Los Angeles Times CA-48: Rep. Dana Rohrabacher of Costa Mesa is trailing Democrat Harley Rouda in his attempt to hold on to the seat hes had for decades. Daily Pilot CA-49: Democrat Mike Levin defeated Diane Harkey. Los Angeles Times CA-50: Indicted Rep. Duncan Hunter beat challenger Ammar Campa-Najjar. Los Angeles Times All the results can be found here: Los Angeles Times ELECTION ODDS AND ENDS The results are revealing: Heres what we learned from election day in California. Los Angeles Times Measuring the drapes or not: Will the man who once dismissed Sacramento as just so dull move to the capital as the next governor of California? Sacramento Bee A failing franchise: Is the California GOP doomed? CalMatters The big picture: Inside the fight to turn red California blue. The New York Times Plus: An obituary for old Orange County, dead at age 129. Los Angeles Times Get the Essential California newsletter L.A. STORIES True shocker: Sheriff Jim McDonnell is perilously close to losing his job running one of the nations largest law enforcement agencies to a challenger with little management experience, stunning political observers and raising questions about why he faltered. Los Angeles Times In Inglewood: Voters elected Mayor James T. Butts to a third term, defeating a local clergyman who had the financial backing of an entertainment conglomerate and some prominent celebrities. Los Angeles Times Fire and fury: Strong Santa Ana winds are expected to blow through the Southland this week, which, paired with low humidity, could bring critical fire weather conditions. Los Angeles Times IMMIGRATION AND THE BORDER A changing O.C.: With a record 24 candidates running for political office in Orange County, Vietnamese Americans were in a position to score big. On Tuesday they did, with 13 of them poised to win elections. In Garden Grove, four of the five council seats will likely be held by Vietnamese Americans. Los Angeles Times CRIME AND COURTS At L.A. City Hall: The scene could have been out of a movie: more than a dozen FBI agents striding out of elevators on the fourth floor of Los Angeles City Hall and descending on the office of Councilman Jose Huizar. Los Angeles Times Big news: Orange County Dist. Atty. Tony Rackauckas is facing the first serious electoral challenge of his 20 years in the job. Los Angeles Times In court: Claims of racial profiling on the 5 Freeway echo findings against sheriffs deputies in Antelope Valley. Los Angeles Times CALIFORNIA CULTURE Podcast: Investigating the deaths of Lorenzen Wright and Kevin Ellison. Los Angeles Times Big anniversary: How the Hollywood sign became L.A.s most famous landmark. Los Angeles Magazine More Hollywood stuff: As Netflix agrees to theatrical runs, which directors will get A-list treatment? The Hollywood Reporter 5 on 5: The Lakers real problems and how to solve them. ESPN CALIFORNIA ALMANAC Los Angeles area: partly cloudy, 76, Thursday; sunny, 80, Friday. San Diego: sunny, 71, Thursday; sunny, 78, Friday. San Francisco area: sunny, 72, Thursday; sunny, 69, Friday. San Jose: sunny, 76, Thursday; sunny, 75, Friday. Sacramento: cloudy, 75, Thursday; sunny, 72, Friday. More weather is here. AND FINALLY Todays California memory comes from Laryn Lee: I was born in 1955 at the French Catholic Hospital in Chinatown. All my dads friends in Chinatown were amazed that we moved from an apartment on Sunset Boulevard to our first house all the way out in Pico Rivera, which still had lots of orange groves. We mainly played outdoors with many other baby boomer kids of all ages on our long street, which ended at the San Gabriel riverbed. We loved having out-of-town relatives visit us in SoCal, as each time we would get to go along with them to Disneyland. We safely stored our leftover A through E tickets for Disneyland and knew how to convince the ride operators to let us combine our non-E tickets to get on to an E ticket ride like the super fast Matterhorn bobsleds or driving the electric cars in Autopia. After college I ended up settling in Cypress and working for Disney Stores, where my employee pass allowed me to take up to three guests a maximum of 23 times per year. I still love going to Disneyland! If you have a memory or story about the Golden State, share it with us. Send us an email to let us know what you love or fondly remember about our state. (Please keep your story to 100 words.) Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to Benjamin Oreskes and Shelby Grad. Also follow them on Twitter @boreskes and @shelbygrad. November 8, 1925 The San Diego Union The San Diego Union-Tribune will mark its 150th anniversary in 2018 by presenting a significant front page from the archives each day throughout the year. Sunday, November 8, 1925 In 1925 San Diego City Councilman Harry K. Weitzel was convicted on two bribery counts and forced to give up his seat on the council. Weitzel was convicted of soliciting bribes of $100,000 and $4,000 from Ed Fletcher and Charles F. Stern, owners of the Cuyamaca water system, to influence the Common Council to buy the water system and support the annexation of East San Diego. Later, Weitzel's 10-year sentence was set aside when appeals court ruled it was not a crime under California law to merely ask for a bribe. Here are the first few paragraphs of the story: WEITZEL FOUND GUILTY COUNCILMAN CONVICTED ON 2 BRIBERY COUNTS JURY REACHES VERDICT AFTER FIVE HOUS OF DELIBERATION; DEFENDANT FACES TWO TO 28 YEARS IN PRISON Accused City Official Seems Near Collapse as Decision Is Read in Court Room; Sentence to Be Pronounced Next Tuesday Morning at 10 OClock; Defense to Move for New Trial. Guilty! Like the crack of doom, that word fell upon the ears of Councilman Harry K. Weitzel late yesterday, when a jury of five women and seven men convicted him on two counts of a charge that he had agreed to receive bribe money. Slumping in his chair, his face deathly white and with one hand pressed to forehead, the accused councilman heard the verdict which, unless he is successful in an appeal, will place him behind prison bars for a period of from 1 to 14 years on each of the two counts. He seemed about to collapse, slowly shaking his head to and fro, as if doubting the reality of the proceedings. His son, Frank Weitzel, who has been by his fathers side since the trial began, put his arm around the stricken man to support him. Jurors Show Strain of Five Hours Deliberation The strain that the jury had been through in reaching a verdict of conviction was stamped on every jurors face, as they filed into the court room and took their seats in the jury box, ready to report. This was at 3:45 oclock in the afternoon. The jury had deliberated since 10:40 in the morninga period of five hours. Has the jury reached a verdict? asked Judge George H. Cabaniss. We have, your honor, responded E.E. Scranton,ex-navy officer, who had been elected jury chairman. The verdict was handed to the judge. he read it slowly to himself and then passed it to Court Clerk John Gruebele, with instructions to read it aloud. View anniversary front pages online at sandiegouniontribune.com/150-years. For more from the Union-Tribune digital archives, go to newslibrary.com/sites/sdub. Searching is free, with registration. A fee is required to view full stories. E-commerce enterprises ambitious at Expo By:Zheng Qian | From:english.eastday.com | 2018-11-08 09:13 At the China International Import Expo (CIIE), e-commerce companies are active and placing many purchase orders. The Ministry of Commerce holds a press conference at the China International Import Expo (CIIE).[Photo/Eastday.com] At a press conference, Qian Fangli, director of the electronic commerce and information department at the Ministry of Commerce, announced that since the opening of the Expo nearly 100 e-commerce companies have conducted purchase negotiations with more than 400 international brands from more than 30 countries and regions. According to Qian, China has the largest online retail market in the world and the largest number of online shopping users. Among the top ten e-commerce companies in the world, four are located in China. China's e-commerce has entered a mature period of improving quality and efficiency. Data released by the Ministry of Commerce shows that from January to August this year, cross-border e-commerce imports into China have totaled 48.97 billion yuan, close to that of last year. Amid the increasing demand of Chinese consumers for overseas quality products, China's e-commerce imports will play an important role in a new round of opening up and cooperation. The Expo will undoubtedly serve as a bridge. For the cross-border e-commerce platforms, it enables them to efficiently contact global high-quality brands to establish a supply chain; and for consumers, since the platforms directly purchase commodities at the import fair, the quality of the goods are guaranteed. A man has been ripping wigs off the heads of Orthodox Jewish women in North Hollywood, and police believe the suspect has been targeting the victims because of their faith, authorities said. Police said they arrested a suspect in the case Wednesday evening. The man, who was not immediately identified, is suspected of battery in three incidents involving Jewish women in September and November, according to a Los Angeles Police Department release. The first incident, which took place on the holiest Jewish holiday, Yom Kippur, involved an 80-year-old woman who was walking on Bellaire Avenue near Burbank Boulevard, the LAPD said. The woman noticed she was being followed by a man who grabbed the wig off her head, smiled and handed it back to her, police said. An image of the man suspected of attacking Orthodox Jewish women in North Hollywood. (LAPD) Advertisement Later that day, the man approached a 36-year-old woman and tried to pull the wig from her head as well, according to the LAPD. On Tuesday afternoon, a 58-year-old woman was loading musical equipment into a vehicle near Laurel Canyon and Burbank boulevards when apparently the same man pulled the wig from her head. He apologized to the victim in a sarcastic manner before throwing the wig on the ground, police said. The suspect appears to have battered the women and targeted their wigs because of their religious beliefs, the LAPD said in a statement. Orthodox Jewish women often wear wigs, scarfs or hats to cover their hair as a symbol of modesty. Attacks on the Jewish community have become an increasing concern for local law enforcement in recent weeks, after a gunman stormed the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, killing 11 people in late October. The shooter, 46-year-old Robert Bowers, explicitly stated a desire to kill Jews as he engaged in a firefight with police. Anti-Semitic incidents have been on the rise nationally, according to the Anti-Defamation League, which tracks such incidents by drawing on reports from police and news publications. There were 1,986 such incidents in 2017, a 57% jump from the prior year, according to data compiled by the ADL. Just last week, someone scrawled anti-Semitic grafitti across the outside of an Irvine synagogue. Anyone with information about the incidents should contact the LAPDs North Hollywood Division at (818) 754-8451. Times staff writer Alene Tchekmedyian contributed to this report. james.queally@latimes.com Twitter: @JamesQueallyLAT UPDATES: 10:25 p.m.: This story was updated with the suspects arrest. 5:50 p.m.: This story was updated with an image of the suspect. This story was first published at 3:05 p.m. For two decades, Orange County Dist. Atty. Tony Rackauckas has easily held his position as Orange Countys top prosecutor. But on Wednesday, the day after the midterm election, it appeared that the controversial district attorney could very likely be unseated by his longtime public nemesis, Orange County Supervisor Todd Spitzer. With all precincts reporting, Spitzer led Rackauckas by nearly 6 percentage points, or more than 31,000 votes. But the county registrar cautioned that the outcome remained unclear because more than 400,000 ballots had yet to be counted. The results signal the first serious challenge Rackauckas has faced during his 20 years as district attorney, at a time when his office is under intense scrutiny for the mishandling of high-profile criminal cases. Advertisement Spitzers campaign eagerly capitalized on the scandal. When reached by phone Wednesday, the former assemblyman was confident that he would ultimately clinch the position. Im extremely pleased by the fact that Orange County voters understand there are serious problems in the district attorneys office, said Spitzer, 57. Under my leadership, were going to play by the rules. Were going to be ethical, honest and open prosecutors. Were going to do whats right every single time. Rackauckas did not respond to multiple requests for comment. The district attorneys race was very vitriolic. In October, Rackauckas chief-of-staff proclaimed Spitzer had a malignant soul and would stop at nothing to gain political advantage. Most recently, Spitzer accused Rackauckas of subverting the criminal justice system for political gain by sitting on a high-profile rape case until just before the election. For the 75-year-old Rackauckas, this was just icing atop a layered cake of bad publicity. His office has been accused of illegally using jailhouse informants to obtain confessions, and in 2015 a criminal court judge removed the district attorneys office from the murder trial of Scott Dekraai, who shot and killed his ex-wife and seven others at a Seal Beach salon in 2011. The so-called snitch scandal resulted in reduced or thrown-out charges in other criminal cases and the retrial of several convicted killers. The district attorneys office is now facing a civil lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union. Dekraais attorney, Orange County Assistant Public Defender Scott Sanders, has contended that the use of informants was a years-long violation of inmates rights. On Wednesday, Sanders said that while he does not share identical views with Spitzer when it comes to the criminal justice system, he believes the sitting supervisor could usher in a new era for the district attorneys office. He emphasized throughout his campaign he will not tolerate misconduct by prosecutors or members of law enforcement, Sanders said. He now has the opportunity to carry out that promise and make the system far better for everyone. Paul Wilson, whose wife, Christy Lynn Wilson, was murdered by Dekraai, agreed that the district attorneys office is in desperate need of fresh leadership. As a victim of violent crime, he never had my back from day one, Wilson said of Rackauckas. In Tonys office, they lied to my face. Wilson said hes optimistic that Spitzer could spur reform, but that the office which handles more than 60,000 cases a year and has an annual budget of about $145 million still needs to be watched closely, regardless of who is leading it. Spitzers record is far from spotless. Last year, he settled a lawsuit for $150,000 with a former member of his staff who alleged several labor law violations, including working shifts of up to 24 hours. And in 2015, Spitzer was criticized for carrying a loaded handgun into a Foothill Ranch Mexican restaurant and making a citizens arrest of a preacher, whom Spitzer said was suspiciously eyeing a knife. Officials found that Spitzer acted lawfully based on a perceived threat, but Rackauckas said the incident proved a lack of judgment. Spitzer, meanwhile, argued that his time as an LAPD reserve officer led to his reaction. The feud between Spitzer and Rackauckas has deep roots. Spitzer worked as a prosecutor under Rackauckas for a year, and at one point appeared to be the incumbents eventual successor. But the two had a public falling out in 2010 when Rackauckas accused Spitzer of misconduct and fired him. When Rackauckas last won reelection in 2014, with 73.3% of the vote, he said he wouldnt run again but he gave it another go, in part to keep Spitzer from taking the helm. Rackauckas, appointed to the judiciary in 1990, gained a reputation for being lenient toward nonviolent defendants facing lengthy jail terms under the states three-strikes law. Hes also been a leader in the use of DNA analysis to apprehend violent criminals. As a state lawmaker, Spitzer was closely tied to the victims rights movement, and in 2008 led the campaign to pass Marsys law. Hes pledged that if elected, he will partner with nonprofits such as the ACLU to help reform the district attorneys office. Spitzer also ran on a platform of strengthening public safety. Throughout his campaign, he pointed to state data that show an uptick in violent crime in some Orange County cities between 2016 and 2017. He said that if he is elected, he will retire from the county as district attorney. I ran for D.A. because I love being a prosecutor. Its the only thing I want to do, Spitzer said. This isnt a stepping stone. laura.newberry@latimes.com | Twitter: @LauraMNewberry Now that the votes from Tuesdays midterm elections have mostly been counted, we know who the most of the winners are. Do we know what the results mean? Yes. And No. Were the midterms a rebuke against President Trump? With the Democrats winning back the House and the Republicans expanding their majority in the Senate, that would be a Yes. And a No. Is our voting process secure? Homeland Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said there is no evidence of efforts to hack the midterm elections, but polling-place shortages, voting-machine chaos and general voting insanity proves that havoc can come from within. So, Yes. And No. Advertisement Was voter turnout awesome? Yes. Sort of. A record 113 million or so people voted, which accounts for just 48 percent of the eligible-voter population. Sigh. But here is something we know for sure. Was this the Year of the Woman, as predicted? Yes. Yes. Yes. And Yes. As of Tuesday, a record 117 women won their races. Is that enough? Heck no. But it still feels like something special. I feel energized and hopeful, said Amy Swazey, executive board member and 2019 march co-director for Womens March San Diego. No matter what their ideology or position, women make up a majority of the population, and we need to be seen and we need to be heard. It is critical that we have the voices of women in the conversation. Given that women are the larger demographic, these voices are not as loud as they should be. But thanks in no small part to the support of female voters in the midterms, womens voices will be a lot louder than they have been in the past. As of Wednesday, a record 98 women running for the House of Representatives won. At least nine female governors were elected Tuesday night, which is three more female governors than we had before. In the Senate, at least 13 women won their races, so the gender imbalance there wont be as egregious as it used to be either. Still, its a reflection of this imbalance that such relatively small numbers feel like such a big deal. That doesnt make the female wave any less historical, but it doesnt make the situation any less frustrating either. The numbers really should be at 50 percent, said local Congresswoman Susan Davis, who won Tuesday nights race against Morgan Murtaugh. Weve had all of these gentlemen elected for all of these years, and we dont celebrate that. What we want to see is a day when we dont feel like we have to celebrate percentages of women because I hope we will be at parity and weve moved beyond that. But we arent there yet. And regardless of your gender or political persuasion, this infusion of women into our civic bloodstream is not only noteworthy, its important. For everybody. Forty-two of the winning female candidates are women of color. The House will now include its first two Muslim American women and its first two Native American women. At least three of the winners are from the LGBTQ community. Diversity benefits everyone because it allows for the expression and consideration of a wider range of viewpoints, said Wendy L. Patrick, an attorney who lectures on business ethics at San Diego State University. It ensures a sharing of a wide range of perspectives and experiences, and that collective wisdom is very helpful in the political process. The Year of the Woman isnt noteworthy just because there will be more women at the table. Its because there will be more women representing more communities at the table. Which means the table just got bigger and the conversations happening around the table will be more inclusive. When girls see women who look like them who come from their same communities and from their ethnicities and they see them succeeding, they see what is possible, said Carla Vallone, president of board of trustees for the San Diego County branch of the Girls Inc. service and advocacy organization. I think this will impact their lives in that more women will have the confidence to run for political office and see they will have constituencies that will support them. We dont all come from the same place with the same life experiences and the same points of view, and our political leaders shouldnt either. Does the future of our democracy depend on the kind of change that is happening now? Yes. Yes it does. Twitter: @karla_peterson karla.peterson@sduniontribune.com A federal jury this week convicted a man of assaulting a Border Patrol agent in a 2017 incident near Tecate in which the man drove away in a stolen vehicle while the agent was leaning inside the car attempting to grab the keys. John Leland Combs was found guilty Tuesday of felony assault on a federal officer and high speed flight from a checkpoint. Hes scheduled to be sentenced in February. According to prosecutors from the U.S. Attorneys Office, evidence proved Combs assaulted Agent Norberto Ribac early on the morning of Sept. 2, 2017, and then fled from other agents at a checkpoint on a rural highway. About 5:30 a.m. that day, Ribac was patrolling near the Tecate Port of Entry as part of an all-terrain vehicle unit, when he discovered northbound shoe prints in the sand, prosecutors said in a statement. Ribac followed the footprints to Industrial Road, where he found Combs standing next to a car, talking on a cellphone a few yards north of the border fence. Advertisement When Ribac approached him and asked if there was anyone in the car with him, Combs replied he was alone. He voluntarily opened the trunk of the Hyundai Genesis so Ribac could inspect it, prosecutors said. Moments later, the agent noticed Combs was walking toward the drivers door of the car. Combs got into the sedan which turned out to be stolen and started it, prompting Ribac to reach inside through the drivers window to try to turn off the engine, prosecutors said. At that point, Combs drove off with the agents upper body still inside the car. As Ribac struggled to free himself, the car struck him on his right elbow and the right side of his head, breaking his ATV helmet, prosecutors said. After the incident, Combs fled from a checkpoint on Campo Road, reaching 70 mph as he swerved in and out of traffic on a winding two-lane highway, prosecutors said. He was finally stopped when Border Patrol agents threw a spike strip, causing him to lose control of the car. He tried to run but was quickly arrested. City News Service contributed to this report. Twitter: @Alex_Riggins (619) 293-1710 alex.riggins@sduniontribune.com An 81-year-old infirm woman repeatedly broke into tears as she testified Wednesday that her neighbor, a professional caregiver, barely fed her, withheld water and cut off her contact with her daughter and friends two years ago. A prosecutor asked Lorraine Vega why she didnt request more food from her caregiver, Shirley Montano. I was afraid to, Vega replied, before pausing and crying quietly. I was afraid shed yell at me. Deputy District Attorney Rebecca Zipp asked Vega why she was afraid. Advertisement I dont remember, said Vega, who now lives with her daughter in Phoenix. Lorraine Vega who in a previous case was abused by Shirley Montana, sobs during her testimony Wednesday in San Diego Superior Court. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) Vega, seated in a wheelchair, had a hard time hearing but appeared to answer questions as best she could in a San Diego Superior Court hearing known as a conditional exam. Such exams are given to prospective trial witnesses to capture their testimony in case they are unavailable later possibly because of death or a military deployment. Vegas testimony was lined up in advance of a Jan. 16 preliminary hearing for Montano, 52, who is charged with murder, kidnapping, elder abuse and false imprisonment in a case involving two other alleged victims. Further charges against her are kidnapping for ransom, theft from an elder and perjury for allegedly falsifying an application for federal housing aid. She faces life in prison if convicted of all charges. Prosecutors allege that Montano imprisoned, starved and beat a woman for 23 years. The motive was to collect the womans $910 monthly Social Security benefits, Zipp said. Montano also allegedly kept a disabled man in such horrible conditions that he died in her care. The murder charge stems from his death. At Montanos arraignment on the charges in August, Zipp referred to the female victim only as Josefina, 59, and did not name the male victim. In that hearing, Zipp outlined horrific conditions Josefina lived in at Montanos City Heights apartment. Josefina was kept for years in a small room, beaten, intimidated, made to lie in soiled diapers on a urine-soaked mattress and prevented from contacting anyone on the outside, Zipp said. At her most emaciated level, the 5-foot 6-inch woman weighed 81 pounds, the prosecutor said. Before Wednesdays hearing got underway, Zipp said she wanted Vegas testimony on the record because of the similarities between what Vega and Josefina endured. Vega fell and broke her hip at her home in May 2016. She said Montano, a neighbor she knew slightly, volunteered to care for her. But, Vega said, Montano barely helped her. If I was lucky, once a day, a container of frozen yogurt, Vega said. Once in a while she gave me a bottle of water not every day. She canceled my (doctor) appointments. Montanos lawyer, Shannon Sebeckis from the Office of the Alternate Public Defender, got Vega to acknowledge there were times when she spoke to her daughter and to friends, and that Montano arranged for workers to make repairs at Vegas house. Police came to her house in July, and Montano was charged with elder abuse of Vega. Montano pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a year in custody. While in jail, she asked a neighbor to check on Josefina, and soon afterward authorities began investigating that as an elder abuse case, Zipp said. She said Josefina had suffered some sort of disability around age 36 that put her under Montanos control. Josefina has since been relocated to a safe residence, Zipp said. pauline.repard@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @pdrepard Home Just In Govt has clear vision, no one should look for alternative: Madhav Kumar Nepal Kathmandu, November 8 Nepal Communist Partys senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal has commented that the incumbent government led by his partys Chairman KP Sharma Oli has got a clear vision, hence no one should make any effort to topple it for the search of alternatives. Nepal says the government led by Oli, who has remained his arch rival in the party for years, has got the vision of taking the country and people towards prosperity and development. Hosting a Deusi Bhailo team of the Reporters Club at his residence in Kathmandu on Wednesday evening, the former prime minister said no one should think toppling it. Around a month ago, Nepal had strongly criticised the government during a parliamentary meeting. But, Nepal yesterday said the failure of a communist government would mean the failure of entire country, hence everyone should cooperate with the government in leading economic and social transformation in the country. A man arrested last month for peeping on at least six women in September and October in their Pacific Beach homes was sentenced Wednesday to just short of a year in jail, the San Diego City Attorneys Office said. James Wayne Hubbard, 48, was charged after his Oct. 12 arrest with six misdemeanor counts of peeping and prowling and one count of petty theft for stealing a towel from one of the homes, Chief Deputy City Attorney Mike Giorgino said. Hubbard pleaded guilty Oct. 24 to three counts of peeping and prowling. As part of his plea, Hubbard agreed to spend 364 days in custody. San Diego Superior Court Judge Cindy Davis imposed the sentence Wednesday. Mr. Hubbards actions violated the privacy of women who understandably believed they were safe and secure in the confines of their own homes, City Attorney Mara Elliott said in a statement. Although the State of California classifies crimes like these as misdemeanors, we take them very seriously. Advertisement Hubbards crime spree began Sept. 11, when a witness called 911 after catching him looking into apartment windows on Hornblend Street, Giorgino said in a statement. Then on Sept. 25, a woman walked into her kitchen wearing only her underwear and saw Hubbard looking in at her through her kitchen window at her Thomas Avenue home. She screamed for her roommate, who saw (Hubbard) looking into a neighbors window, Giorgino said. Police arrested Hubbard on Sept. 25 on suspicion of one count of prowling and another of loitering and peeking, according to Giorgino and arrest records. But following his Sept. 25 arrest, Hubbard was released by the court because there was insufficient evidence to file charges at that time, Giorgino said in an email. On Oct. 4, a woman living on Olive Avenue was in her living room expressing milk for her infant when she saw Hubbard staring through a window at her, Giorgino said. But Hubbards favorite target, according to prosecutors, was the home on Thomas Avenue where hed previously peeped on the woman in the kitchen in her underwear. He returned to the home Oct. 9 but this time, newly installed surveillance cameras captured footage of him standing on the patio and peering through a sliding glass door. He returned a third time, on Oct. 12, when the surveillance cameras again captured him looking into windows, Giorgino said. When he was arrested that same day, he was carrying a towel stolen from the Thomas Avenue home. Elliott said her office prosecuted the case aggressively in hopes of deterring Hubbard and like-minded individuals from committing more egregious acts in the future. In all, Hubbard victimized nine women, according to Deputy City Attorney Christina Howden, who prosecuted the case. No victims showed up to make statements at Hubbards sentencing, but all of them were happy with the fact that he pleaded guilty, Howden said outside court. In the midst of Hubbards peeping spree, a 28-year-old woman was sexually assaulted inside her home on Chalcedony Street by a man who, like Hubbard, was described as bald, white and likely in his 40s. But police believe the suspect in that assault was 55-year-old Jeffrey Hanze, who was arrested late last month in Los Angeles County. Hanze pleaded not guilty Monday to three felony charges and is being held in lieu of $1 million bail. City News Service contributed to this report. Twitter: @Alex_Riggins (619) 293-1710 alex.riggins@sduniontribune.com There were a few voting glitches Tuesday but county officials say they were normal Election Day hiccups. The County of San Diego braced for what was expected to be near-record turnout in the midterm elections on Tuesday amid political division that has sent voter interest skyward. County election officials anticipated as many as 68 percent of the countys 1.7 million registered voters would cast ballots, which would be the highest midterm election turnout since 2010. While official counts were not yet available Wednesday, the 430,000 mail-in ballots the county had received as of Tuesday afternoon supported predictions of high voter participation. On the whole, the election went smoothly in San Diego County, officials said. But like most elections, there were a few problems. Advertisement One issue may have involved the California New Motor Vehicle Program and how it was rolled out. Under the program, which began this year, eligible voters who obtained or renewed drivers licenses were automatically registered to vote. Many voters reported they were registered as mail-in voters, without knowing they were. They showed up at polling stations without their mail-in ballots, causing confusion. Those voters were allowed to cast provisional ballots, according to precinct inspectors, meaning they would be checked to make sure two ballots were not cast by the same person. The Motor Voter Program was passed to bring California into compliance with a 1993 federal law, which sought to increase voting opportunities for all Americans and make it easier for citizens to register and maintain their registration status. Since its implementation, there have been issues with the program, including reports of non-eligible voters registering to vote or political party preference being incorrectly changed. According to Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, who authored the bill, thats not enough to halt the effort just yet. This program has worked. We have so many new registrants. We have so many people who have updated their address. Thats incredible, Fletcher said. We dont need to end the program we just need to fix it. The San Diego County Registrar of Voters reports that about 1.2 million people out of the more than 1.7 million registered voters in the county are mail-in voters. Fletcher said some of those registrants may have incorrectly or inadvertently been listed as mail-in voters but its still unclear if the program is to blame. In the meantime, legislators have called for an audit of the automatic registration program to figure out what caused the other known problems. According to county spokesman Mike Workman, its normal for issues to arise on Election Day and its too soon to tell if the reports are anecdotal or an actual increase in provisional ballots. We dont have any new information on this and its going to take some time to get clarity on what happened, Workman said. The amount of instances that we heard of and were reading about on social media could indicate that there are more of these issues than before, but its not an uncommon issue. Another issue was longer wait times at the polls and after they closed when results were released. County officials said the ballot for those voting in the city of San Diego was about 4-1/2-feet long. It was the second time a two-card ballot had been issued. The first was in November 2016 for the presidential election. Two ballots. Four sides, Workman said. Its going to take people twice as long to vote and its going to take us twice as long to get the numbers out. Workman said this is the new normal. In November 2016, voters passed a measure that required all races for San Diego City offices to be determined in the general election, even if a candidate won more than 50 percent of votes in the primary. The county passed a similar measure requiring runoff elections and changes will take effect in the 2020 election. This is going to be the new trend, Workman said. The runoffs mean longer ballots Longer ballots mean youre going to wait longer for people to vote, and when thats done, youre going to wait longer for results because its more pages to count. morgan.cook@sduniontribune.com With six incumbents cruising to solid victories on election night, it is now clear that San Diego Countys state Assembly delegation will look quite similar to its current configuration in 2019, with one notable exception. Encinitas city councilwoman Tasha Boerner Horvath won the right to represent coastal North County over fellow Democrat and Oceanside activist Elizabeth Warren in the 76th Assembly district. Unofficial polling results showed Boerner Horvath with a comfortable 11 percentage point lead over Warren Wednesday evening. The unprecedented Democrat-versus-Democrat contest came in a region Oceanside, Encinitas, Carlsbad., Vista and Camp Pendleton that has traditionally chosen Republicans, but incumbent Rocky Chavezs decision to seek a Congressional seat left an opening that the regions top-two primary system filled with blue this time around. In an email, Boerner Horvath said she was humbled by the victory. Advertisement I am looking forward to serving as the responsive and effective advocate that North County residents deserve to have in the state Assembly, she said. I would also like to congratulate and thank Liz Warren for the campaign she ran and the ideas she worked to advance. Warren did not respond to a request for comment on the unofficial election results. Though both women share the same party, Warren ran a more activist campaign, focusing on issues such as Medicare for all and free education while Boerner Horvaths message pulled more toward the center. Brian Maienschein, who represents San Diegos 77th Assembly District which includes Scripps Ranch, Rancho Santa Fe, Mira Mesa and other communities generally north of State Route 52, was the only Assembly incumbent on the ballot this year who did not end the night with a double-digit lead. As of the Registrar of Voters final election update Tuesday morning, with nearly 500,000 provisional and mail ballots remaining to be counted, Maienschein led challenging Democrat and Realtor Sunday Gover 53 percent to 47 percent. Democratic donors got solidly behind Gover, flooding her campaign with donations in the final few months of her campaign. Results for the rest of San Diego Countys Assembly delegation were as follows: In East countys District 71, incumbent Randy Voepel earned 63 percent of the vote, besting challenger James Elia. District 75, which includes inland North County and Temecula, will continue to be represented by Republican Marie Waldron who took 58 percent of ballots tallied. She faced Democrat Alan Geraci. Todd Gloria had a very strong night at the polls in District 78. His coastal and downtown San Diego seat is secure with a 69 percent vote share over Republican Maggie Campbell. In central San Diego District 79 incumbent Shirley Weber took 63 percent of ballots counted so far, opening a wide margin against challenging Republican John Moore. Lorena Gonzalez, who represents District 80 in south San Diego County, collected 71 percent of the vote against Republican Lincoln Pickard. Health Playlist On Now Video: Why aren't Americans getting flu shots? 0:37 On Now Video: Leaders urge public to help extinguish hepatitis outbreak On Now San Diego starts cleansing sidewalks, streets to combat hepatitis A On Now Video: Scripps to shutter its hospice service On Now Video: Scripps La Jolla hospitals nab top local spot in annual hospital rankings On Now Video: Does a parent's Alzheimer's doom their children? On Now Video: Vaccine can prevent human papillomavirus, which can cause cancer 0:31 On Now 23 local doctors have already faced state discipline in 2017 0:48 On Now EpiPen recall expands On Now Kids can add years to your life paul.sisson@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1850 Twitter: @paulsisson Though a few races are still so close that they could change in the coming days or weeks, its clear that the governing boards of Palomar Health and Tri-City Medical Center will see leadership changes in 2019. In Oceanside, Tri-City incumbent Laura Mitchell trailed challenger and state Assemblyman Rocky Chavez by 343 votes. Board chair Jim Dagostino led challenger and health care executive Tracy Younger in Tri-Citys Carlsbad subdivision, but only by 119 votes. Palomar, which is not split into subdivisions like Tri-City is, saw both of its incumbents, Dale Bardin and Hans Christian Sison, finishing just outside the top-four who will earn seats in 2019. Both men were more than 1,000 votes away from making the cut. Especially for the both close Tri-City races, and to a lesser extent for Palomar incumbents, final results are still in flux. The county Registrar of Voters announced Wednesday morning that, while all precincts had finished reporting, there are still about 490,000 provisional and mail ballots left to count. Advertisement Younger, on the wrong side of the narrowest margin, said she believed that Tri-Citys decision to shut down its behavioral health units earlier this year played a big role helping voters decide who to support. In the end, she said, Tri-City needs to find its footing while faced with financial uncertainty. Win or lose, I really hope they can get back on track, she said. Right now, in talking to people during the election, I perceived that there is a big divide between administration and employees, and I hope they can heal that and move forward. Chavez, who said he was approached by existing hospital board members and Tri-Citys chief executive to run for the Tri-City board, said he remains dissatisfied that the community has lost such vital psychiatric resources. A family member with mental illness, he said, has relied on Tri-City for care on several occasions. If his lead holds as outstanding ballots are counted, Chavez said he hopes that he can help the board work out a shared vision for how Tri-City should move forward. We need to first figure out who we want to be, and then we can figure out how were going to get there, Chavez said. Out east, Dr. Richard Engel, an anesthesiologist who practices at Palomar and at other hospitals in the region, was the top vote-getter among the four challengers currently in line to fill seats next year. Engel, who has previously served in physician leadership at Palomar and has worked at Palomar hospitals since 1989, said he believes there is still room for better communication between administration and medical staff. Though he said he supports the administrations work to handle a recent series of unfavorable Medicare audits and believes that work benefited the whole Palomar system, more can be done, he said, to help board members truly understand whats going on on the front lines. I dont think I have all of the answers, and I know I certainly dont have all of the information, but I do think that my experience and my perspective would be valuable on this board, Engel said. Linda Greer, Laurie Edwards-Tate and John Clark are currently the second-, third- and fourth-place finishers in the Palomar race, earning 15, 14, and 12.5 percent of the vote among nine candidates. Health Playlist On Now Video: Why aren't Americans getting flu shots? 0:37 On Now Video: Leaders urge public to help extinguish hepatitis outbreak On Now San Diego starts cleansing sidewalks, streets to combat hepatitis A On Now Video: Scripps to shutter its hospice service On Now Video: Scripps La Jolla hospitals nab top local spot in annual hospital rankings On Now Video: Does a parent's Alzheimer's doom their children? On Now Video: Vaccine can prevent human papillomavirus, which can cause cancer 0:31 On Now 23 local doctors have already faced state discipline in 2017 0:48 On Now EpiPen recall expands On Now Kids can add years to your life paul.sisson@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1850 Twitter: @paulsisson San Diego County residents and other Californians came out in support of two propositions that will fund affordable housing for people in need and people who have mental health issues. With 100 percent of the precincts reporting following Tuesdays election, Proposition 1 passed with 54 percent of the votes statewide and 51 percent in San Diego County. The proposition authorizes $4 billion in general obligation bonds for existing affordable housing programs. Proposition 2 passed with 61 percent statewide and 60 percent in San Diego County. The proposition authorizes about $2 billion in bonds to fund housing programs for people with mental illness and is expected to build 20,000 permanent supportive housing units under a state program called No Place Like Home. Everything is kind of coming together nicely, said John Seymour, vice president of acquisitions and forward planning for National Community Renaissance, a Rancho Cucamonga-based nonprofit specializing in affordable housing for families, seniors, special-needs residents and the workforce. Advertisement The new funding is just one of a few new positive developments Seymour saw for affordable housing. State Assembly Bill 2162, which takes effect in January, will streamline the approval process for affordable units, possibly cutting six months or a full year off construction times, Seymour said. He predicted that money from Proposition 2 could help fund the construction of 3,000 housing units in San Diego County. He also expected the development process to be smoother than it had been because builders will work with the county rather than Sacramento. I cant tell you what a relief that is, he said. Theyre local and understand our projects a little better than Sacramento. National Community Renaissance projects include Vista del Puente in Seacrest, scheduled to open next month with 38 units for homeless veterans, an Encanto project under construction with eight units for veterans, a 95-unit Nestor project for chronically homeless people and a 50-unit project for formerly homeless seniors scheduled to break ground next week in San Ysidro. Charles Schmid, chief operating officer of affordable-housing developer Chelsea Investment Corporation, also was optimistic that the proposition would spark more housing for people with mental challenges experiencing homelessness. With the passage of Prop. 2, a funding source is now available to help construct these much-needed units to help address the housing crisis, he wrote in an e-mail. No Place Like Home provides capital funding, as well as operating subsidies and support, in order to get the projects from the planning stages to construction. Stephen Russell, executive director of the San Diego Housing Federation, said San Diego County could receive $125 million from Propsition 2 over four years, beginning with $40 million that will be available soon for developers. The money will come from a 2004 initiative that placed a 1 percent tax on income above $1 million to fund mental health services. While supporters of Proposition 2 included the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the Contra Costa County chapter of the organization opposed it. Gigi Crowder of the Contra Costa County chapter said her group opposed the proposition because it would divert money for services to fund housing, which she saw as a recipe for disaster. We made housing our number-one priority in Contra Costa, but we didnt think it would be at the expense of treatment, she said. Russell said it is true that some money for services will be diverted for housing, but he stressed that the housing projects would be connected to supportive services. The San Diego Housing Authority had supported the propositions and hosted a September Proposition 1 rally attended by state Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, and a coalition from business, labor, the health industry and nonprofits. In some ways, its terribly exciting because we have money, Russell said Wednesdsay morning. The excitement over Proposition 1 was tempered, however, because of uncertainty about how much funding San Diego may receive. The proposition provides $4 billion to house veterans, low-income residents and other groups, but San Diego will have to compete with other cities for allocations based on matching local funds, he said. Los Angeles and San Francisco are likely to get more money than San Diego because those cities have more revenue available, he said. Russell said he was encouraged by changes coming to the San Diego City Council and county Board of Supervisors following the election, but he also saw a need for a new source of revenue to bring in more from the state. The Housing Authority had floated the idea of a $900 million bond earlier this year, and that measure is even more enticing if it could lead to a greater share of Proposition 1 money, he said. Were having international discussions soon, he said about the bond proposal. My expectations is were still planning on the 2020 ballot. Homeless Playlist On Now San Diego hepatitis outbreak continues to grow: 481 cases On Now Homeless entrenched in booming tent city along Santa Ana River On Now San Diego mayor agreed to homeless hub, then delayed, advocates say On Now Homeless outreach in San Diego On Now Video: Street Art: Portraits of San Diego's Homeless #8 On Now In poverty himself, 'Water Man Dave,' is the fearless saint of San Diego's homeless 5:41 On Now Video: Homeless living in cars find safe havens 2:21 On Now Street Art: Portraits of San Diego's Homeless #7 On Now Pitching a tent plan for San Diego's homeless On Now Homeless efforts get $80M boost for various services gary.warth@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @GaryWarthUT 760-529-4939 Eighty-five-year-old Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg fractured three ribs in a fall in her office at the court and is in the hospital, the court said Thursday. The courts oldest justice fell Wednesday evening, the court said. She called Supreme Court police to take her to George Washington University Hospital in Washington early Thursday after experiencing discomfort overnight, court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said. She was admitted to the hospital for treatment and observation after tests showed she fractured three ribs. In her absence, the court went ahead Thursday with a courtroom ceremony welcoming new Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who joined the court last month. President Donald Trump and new acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker were on hand. Advertisement Ginsburg has had a series of health problems. She broke two ribs in a fall in 2012. She has had two prior bouts with cancer and had a stent implanted to open a blocked artery in 2014. She also was hospitalized after a bad reaction to medicine in 2009. But she has never missed Supreme Court arguments. The court wont hear arguments again until Nov. 26. Rib fractures are common among older adults, particularly after falls. The severity depends in part on whether the ribs are cracked or broken all the way through, and how many are broken. The extent of Ginsburgs injury was not clear. A complete break requires making sure the two ends are in alignment, so that a sharp piece of bone doesnt puncture nearby blood vessels or organs. Broken ribs typically heal on their own in six weeks to a month, and patients are advised to limit strenuous activity. But they can be very painful and controlling pain is key. A chief complication is pneumonia, when patients dont breathe deeply enough or cough enough because of the rib pain. Appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1993, Ginsburg rebuffed suggestions from some liberals that she should step down in the first two years of President Barack Obamas second term, when Democrats also controlled the Senate and would have been likely to confirm her successor. She already has hired clerks for the term that extends into 2020, indicating she has no plans to retire. Ginsburg leads the courts liberal wing. Associated Press writer Lauran Neergaard contributed to this report. The party of Mexicos president-elect submitted legislation Thursday that would legalize marijuana possession, public use, growing and sales. Sen. Olga Sanchez Cordero presented the measure, saying that everyone should have the right to carry up to 30 grams [1 ounce] of cannabis. People could carry more than an ounce if they obtained a permit to do so under the proposal. From the point of view of negative effects, there is no reason why marijuana should not be legal, if alcohol and tobacco are, according to the bill. Cordero has been picked as interior secretary by President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who takes office Dec. 1. She is currently a senator for Lopez Obradors leftist Morena party. Advertisement Her bill also would allow every Mexican to grow as many as 20 marijuana plants on private property and produce up to 17 ounces a year. Public smoking of marijuana would be allowed, except in tobacco-smoke-free spaces. Sales of marijuana would be regulated by a special agency, which would oversee purity, packaging and quality. Sales of edible marijuana products would be prohibited, as would advertising or promoting marijuana. Providing pot to minors would be illegal, and driving while under the influence of marijuana would be subject to prosecution. The bill would need the approval of both houses of Congress, where Morena and its allies hold majorities in the two chambers. In 2016, the government began granting permits for some patients to import medicinal marijuana products. It has also decriminalized the possession small amounts of marijuana (about 5 grams) and issued several permits for people to cultivate and possess pot for personal use. Uruguay was the first country to legalize marijuana for personal use. This year, Canada became the second and largest country with a legal national marijuana marketplace. Authorities have identified the shooter accused of gunning down 12 people at a popular California college bar as former Marine Ian David Long. Officers found the 28-year-old suspect dead inside Borderline Bar & Grill late Wednesday night after the bloody attack. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said the gunman used a legally purchased .45 caliber Glock modified with an extended magazine to carry out the mass shooting. We dont know how many rounds were in the weapon, Dean said during a press conference late Thursday morning. Witnesses are still being interviewed. The Ventura County Sheriffs Department has had several interactions with Long in the past, including an April call to his Newbury Park home, where authorities found him acting irate and irrational. A crisis mental team also responded, but concluded that he did not need to be taken into custody. Advertisement According to Department of Defense records, Long was on active duty with the US Marine Corps from August 2008 to March 2013. He reportedly shared information about his military service on a special forces forum called Shadowspear. In a March 2017 post uncovered by CNN, Long said he served in Afghanistan as an infantry machine gunner and was an instructor in Okinawa. I was honorably discharged in 2013. I am graduating with a B.S. in Athletic training in two months, he wrote. Maybe the ego got the better of me but it took only one time for a 19 year old D-2 athlete to talk down to me and tell me how to do my job that I realized this wasnt the career I wanted to head. Dean said its possible the suspected gunman had been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. In the neighborhood where Long lived, residents said they were all aware the former Marine struggled with mental health issues. Neighbor Donald MacLeod said the suspect lived with his mom and would often curse at her, throw tools and explode in anger. He was very aggressive. There were threats of violence, more than once, MacLeod, who lives directly behind Longs house in Newbury Park, told the Daily News. MacLeod, 79, said he believed Long kept a firearm in the house after hearing a gunshot during a loud fight about 18 months ago. The argument was going on a good ten to 15 minutes. It amplified up, up and up with a couple of door slams in between, he said. All of a sudden, I heard a gunshot. I told my wife, Leave the lights out, dont go near the back wall, a bullet can go through the stucco, MacLeod said. The retired firefighter from Scotland said he quietly crept into his yard to better determine what was going on over the fence. He said all of a sudden, their lights went all off and the dogs just shut up, and everything went quiet. He also recalled the incident in April. It was arguing, a lot of shouting, he said. When the police came by, they didnt go straight in. I think he might have barricaded himself. Reinforcements came and they closed the street off. California State University Northridge President Dianne Harrison confirmed Long was a student at the school until 2016. Oh behalf of California State University, Northridge, our hearts and thoughts are with the victims, survivors, first responders, and loved ones affected by the horrific massacre that occurred in Thousand Oaks last night, Harrison said in a statement. As members of the Matador family, I ask that our campus come together and support one another during this troubling time. The bearded man, who was also heavily tattooed, was wearing a black hat, glasses and a black shirt when he burst into the popular college hangout, where he allegedly threw several smoke bombs before he opened fire. Sources told the Times Long drove his mothers car to Thousand Oaks bar, at the time hosting its weekly Country College night. Pepperdine University, located about a half hour away from the site of shooting confirmed students were at the club when the gunfire kicked off. Borderline Bar & Grill is also close to several other schools, including California Lutheran University and Moorpark College. Ventura County Sheriffs Department Sgt. Ron Helus, a 29-year-veteran with the department, responded to the shooting around 11 p.m. along with a member of the California Highway patrol. Dean said the sergeant was struck several times during an exchange of gunfire with the suspect. Helus, who intended to retire next year, died from his injuries at a nearby hospital. We dont have details to confirm an exact chronology about what happened. Well provide that to you as we bring all our witness statements together and we feel more comfortable talking about that, Dean told reporters. We have no idea what the motive was at this point. The sheriff added that while the attack did appear to be planned, there was no evidence to suggest he was targeting certain people inside the bar. Investigators have already secured Longs home and are combing it for evidence they hope will provide them additional insight into the deadly incident. Authorities have not yet identified any of the other 11 people killed in the attack. One other person suffered a gunshot wound and as many as 15 others suffered a range of minor injuries. With News Wire Services Election losses by two incumbents on Tuesday will move the San Diego City Council farther to the left and could allow Democrats and labor leaders to pursue a more ambitious agenda on homelessness, affordable housing and other issues. The city will continue to have a divided government with a Republican mayor and a Democratic majority on the council, but Republican Lorie Zapfs loss to Democrat Dr. Jennifer Campbell boosted the Democratic majority from 5-4 to 6-3. That supermajority will allow Democrats to override vetoes by Mayor Kevin Faulconer on contentious issues, giving Democrats more power to set priorities and pursue policies and projects that might not be popular with Faulconer. Youll see the Democrats be willing to set a more ambitious agenda because they now have the ability to drive that debate, Keith Maddox, leader of the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council, said by phone on Wednesday. Advertisement Further diminishing Faulconers power was civil rights lawyer Monica Montgomery defeating Council President Myrtle Cole, the mayors closest ally among council Democrats in recent years. While both women are Democrats, Montgomery ran against Cole from the left and is perceived as significantly more liberal on many issues. Council positions in San Diego are officially non-partisan, but votes are often along party lines, especially on contentious issues. Some Republicans and business leaders say theyre concerned having a supermajority could make council Democrats less business-friendly and prompt them to focus more on policies like a recently approved polystyrene ban. I hope we dont get sidetracked on issues that dont make a big difference to the city, because the citys got problems right now, Jerry Sanders, chief executive of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, said by phone on Wednesday. The Democrats having a supermajority means that we need to find ways to work more closely together, said Sanders, a close ally of Faulconer and a former San Diego mayor. Its obviously not the result we wanted. I think an evenly divided council is probably a good thing because it forces people to work together, but I still think there are ways we can work together. Councilwoman Barbara Bry, D-La Jolla, said by phone on Wednesday that talk of the Democratic supermajority has been overblown. Im always about getting things done and I think my colleagues are the same, she said. We dont always vote along party lines. My goal is that we all work together regardless of party. Weve done that successfully many times. Bry, however, said that she welcomes having six Democratic votes instead of five on the council. She said the additional vote will make Faulconer more hesitant to use his line-item veto on the city budget, especially in partisan ways. Bry also balked at descriptions of Democrats as unfriendly or unsympathetic to business. I always use the business lens when making a decision, said Bry, a longtime technology entrepreneur. Some economists told us raising the citys minimum wage would put thousands of people out of work, and look at what we have today -- the lowest unemployment rate weve ever had in San Diego. She contends the citys recent ban on polystyrene, which is more popularly known as Styrofoam, was handled fairly and equitably by giving waivers and grace periods to many restaurants and other businesses. Bry said the ban was the right move, despite opposition from the chamber and the California Restaurant Association. At the end of the day, the little pieces of foam get into the fish and thats not good for anybody, she said. I count on my colleagues to make rational and practical decisions, regardless of party. Maddox, the labor leader, said Democrats and labor leaders support local business because they know a thriving economy is necessary for high-paying jobs with solid security. Maddox, however, said its important that the city not be too generous with businesses at the expense of communities and ordinary residents. We dont oppose a business-friendly agenda, it just needs to be a fair shake, he said. I wouldnt say its going to be anti-business. I just think workers and the community will have a much bigger say. Councilman Chris Cate of Mira Mesa, a Republican who won re-election on Tuesday night over Democrat Tommy Hough, said hes concerned the supermajority will make the council more partisan. Cate said hed like to see Democrats reach out to council Republicans on issues, not ram a hard-line agenda through without consensus just because they have enough votes to do that. Do they want to be partisan in how they approach the different issues at City Hall, or do they want to have a more open-door policy where they work with all of their colleagues? Cate said in a Tuesday night interview. Only time will tell what kind of approach they want to take. Campbell, the Democrat who defeated Zapf, said she expects the supermajority to change Faulconers approach. The mayor will need to be working with us in concert, said Campbell, who lives in the Bay Ho section of Clairemont. We will all need to work together and be collegial and get our problems solved. In an email on Wednesday afternoon, a spokesman for Faulconer said the mayor is optimistic about partnering with the new council. The mayor has a long and successful track record of building partnerships across party lines and he will work with the new council members to find areas of common ground, said the spokesman, Matt Awbrey. At the end of the day we serve the same constituents. Its not in the best interest of council members to have an adversarial relationship, because that stands in the way of getting things done that are important to San Diegans and our communities. The power shift at City Hall could help Faulconer start governing in new, more effective ways, said Vince Vasquez, a local political consultant. This seems like an opportunity for the mayor to pivot, Vasquez said by phone on Wednesday. I think there was a strong dependence on his relationship with the council president to get things done, so maybe he will find a different approach. Vasquez noted that the two years with Cole serving as council president have been marked by turmoil and more partisanship than under previous council presidents Sherri Lightner and Todd Gloria. Time and time again we saw controversies erupt, Vasquez said. It didnt seem to be a smooth working relationship, so I see this as an opportunity to try something different. Coles departure means there will be a new council president, with Bry, Councilman Chris Ward of University Heights and Councilwoman Georgette Gomez of City Heights the leading candidates, as the senior Democrats on the council. I think its a great opportunity and I would be honored if my colleagues vote for me, said Bry, who has held the councils No. 2 job since last December. At the end of the day, its up to them. A factor in whether Bry gets the pivotal post could be the expectation she will battle fellow Democrats Gloria and Congressman Scott Peters to replace Faulconer as mayor in 2020. The council president post would be considered helpful to Bry, so any of her council colleagues who support Gloria or Peters for mayor could be reluctant to appoint her. Tuesday nights losses by Zapf and Cole are the first time any incumbent has lost a San Diego council race since 1992. A spokeswoman for Cole didnt respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. Zapf said by email on Wednesday that she wishes Campbell the best in her new position and that she has enjoyed her time at City Hall. Representing the beach and bay communities has been a privilege and I am deeply grateful to voters for investing their trust in me, she said. While I am deeply disappointed with the outcome, I have overcome bigger challenges in my life, she said. I intend to continue working on the important issues that matter to the residents of San Diegos neighborhoods. In the fourth council runoff on Tuesday, Vivian Moreno defeated fellow Democrat Antonio Martinez. Moreno will replace Councilman David Alvarez, who couldnt run for re-election because of term limits. david.garrick@sduniontribune.com (619) 269-8906 Twitter:@UTDavidGarrick Kathmandu, November 8 Nepal Communist Party senior leader and former Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal says ruling and opposition sides should come together and cooperate each other to spearhead the campaign of nation building. Hosting a Deusi Bhailo team of Reporters Club Nepal at his residence in Kathmandu on Thursday morning, Khanal said all political parties should be united on key national issues such as social and economic transformation, poverty, backwardness and economic dependence. On the occasion, he suggested the government put its efforts on development and prosperity so as to meet peoples expectations. Meanwhile, Khanal expressed his dissatisfaction over the delay in the conclusion of unification process between then CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist Centre. He, however, expressed his hope that the party would hold its Secretariat meeting soon to wrap up the process. It took three tries at elective office for Nathan Fletcher to win back voters confidence after he stepped away from the California Assembly in favor of a shot at the San Diego mayors office. Now the question for Tuesdays runaway winner of the District 4 seat on the county Board of Supervisors is, how effective can he be as the lone Democrat on a panel featuring four Republicans and a decades-long history of conservative policies? I believe we will begin to see change in county government, said Fletcher, who spent much of Wednesday fielding congratulatory messages from San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and most members of the county board to which he was elected. I believe our region needs action and progress, particularly in the areas of mental health, housing and homelessness, he said. As I take office, my focus is getting to work on solutions to address these and other issues. Advertisement Fletcher beat Republican and former District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis by almost 30 percentage points on the Tuesday ballot, according to county election officials. By Wednesday morning, when it was clear Fletcher and Jim Desmond, the Republican mayor of San Marcos, had been elected, several veteran local officials publicly praised the newcomers to the county board. San Diego County now has two new incoming supervisors for the first time since 1994, Supervisor Dianne Jacob posted on Twitter. I welcome this new chapter in county history and look forward to teaming up to better serve the public. Adding to the intrigue is the 180-degree turn in Fletchers political allegiance since he vacated the statehouse. Fletcher abandoned the Republican Party after he was passed over for an endorsement in the 2012 mayors race. He declared himself an independent, then failed to make the run-off. The following year, after the mayors office became available as a result of Bob Filners resignation amid a sexual harassment scandal, Fletcher announced he had joined the Democratic Party and would be a candidate in the special election. But party leaders were skeptical of his shifting ideology and denied Fletcher their endorsement. He -- and Dumanis -- lost that race too. The former Marine took a job at Qualcomm, taught classes at the University of California San Diego and set up a charity aimed at helping veterans in need. Then he zeroed in on termed-out Supervisor Ron Roberts seat early last year. Fletchers marriage to Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego, on New Years Day 2017 didnt hurt his prospects. With his brides help, Fletcher locked up support from organized labor, collected key political donations and vanquished his rivals in the June primary. Carl Luna, the Mesa College political science professor who has been following Fletchers career path since his first Assembly race a decade ago, said the new 4th District supervisor is likely to make few waves out of the gate. A lot of what the supervisors do is meat-and-potatoes governing, he said. They each have their own districts to look after and one their unspoken rules is: I dont mess with your ability to make your district happy and you dont mess with mine. But Fletcher eventually will have a decision to make about going along and getting along, Luna said, because voters Tuesday also approved a measure that pushes all county races to general elections, when voter turnout favors Democrats. With the November runoff measure passing, both those seats (held by termed-out Supervisors Greg Cox and Dianne Jacob) are possibly going to flip, he said. Nathan Fletchers question is: Does he play the good soldier or does he try to become the disruptor to lead a Democratic insurgency in 2020? So far, the only Democrat on the Board of Supervisors is saying all the right things. You have to enter the office with a sense of working to deliver results and I certainly will arrive in county government ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work, Fletcher said. Im optimistic that we can see progress. jeff.mcdonald@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1708 @sdutMcDonald Rep. Duncan D. Hunter, R-Alpine, set out his agenda for his sixth term in Congress on Wednesday calling for rebuilding the military, protecting the border, cutting taxes, supporting veterans, protecting gun rights and creating small business jobs. Hell have to do it all against uphill odds. The House has changed hands to place him in the minority party and hes under a federal criminal indictment with his wife for alleged theft of $250,000 in campaign funds. They deny the charges. Hunter will continue to represent the heavily Republican 50th Congressional District after winning the most competitive race of his career, defeating Democrat Ammar Campa-Najjar by about 9 percentage points significantly closer than the 27- and 43-point victories that Hunter scored in 2016 and 2014. The win represents continuation of a family tradition, as the congressman succeeded his father, Duncan L. Hunter, in office. Rep. Hunter has forged reputations as a reliable conservative. Advertisement He always grades out high on the issues that are most important to the district, said Dan Summers, a Ramona resident of 32 years who supported Hunter and is chairman of the American Liberty Forum of Ramona. What I expect from him going forward is to support President Trumps agenda the border wall, strong military and the proposed 10 percent tax cut for the middle class. Hes not going to change, it is who he is, Summers said of Hunter. And for Hunters part hes clearly well-aware of the expectations. I am proud of this record and I intend to make it business-as-usual in working with President Trump for the next two years to achieve more success, especially given the challenge of having a Democrat-led House, Hunter said in a statement on Wednesday. Hunter and his wife, Margaret, will return to federal court for a status conference related to their late August indictment on 60 counts of fraud and misuse of campaign funds for personal expenses such as groceries, family vacations and private school tuition. Hunter and his wife have both pleaded not guilty to those charges, and Hunter has called the indictment a politically motivated witch hunt. Through a spokesman Hunter also expressed he is looking forward to a trial occurring as soon as possible. The case will likely be litigated in the months and possibly years to come barring the parties reach some kind of deal, but in the meantime could prove detrimental to his abilities as a congressman. As a sitting congressman Hunter can still cast a vote and his office can assist constituents with federal agencies, but his political clout has likely waned. He is not going to be as effective a member of Congress for very concrete reasons he is literally under federal indictment, it doesnt make him as politically viable, said Loyola Law School Professor Jessica Levinson pointing to challenges Hunter may face in coordinating and collaborating with other House members. He can still serve, but I would think it is more difficult for him to do what he has to do in the House. Under pressure from Speaker Paul Ryan, Hunter resigned from all of his posts on congressional committees, which play an important role in fostering debate and helping shape bills. Especially under new Democratic leadership of the House, Hunter is unlikely to resume any committee assignments. If it is a fairly complicated case, it is going to be expensive to defend, said Gary Jacobson, an emeritus professor of political science at University of California San Diego. It is going to be an ordeal for him, it has to be. If Hunter is convicted, there is no explicit law or rule that would require him to leave the House. Even if he receives a prison sentence, House rules recommend but do not necessarily require that he step down from committees or refrain from voting, Levinson said. A former prosecutor with the U.S. Attorneys Office told The San Diego Union-Tribune at the time of the indictment tthat he Hunters would probably face between 21 months and five years of incarceration if convicted. If Hunter did not resign, and political pressure was not enough to coerce him, there are a few options at the disposal of the House to punish him. With Democrats in control of the House instead of Republicans, the degree of punishment could be more severe. Party leadership could attempt to force Hunters removal through expulsion, something that has occurred only five times in the House. Outside of expulsion the House could censure or reprimand a member which would be a more minor private or public admonishment. Although Hunters spokesman declined to comment on whether Hunter would resign if convicted, some of his supporters such as Summers certainly expect him too. If Duncan is found guilty, hes an honorable man I would hope he would resign and that would trigger a special election, said Summers, adding that there are several Republicans in the district who could step up. Summers also noted he believes Hunter is innocent until proven guilty and expressed concerns about the timing of the indictment, among other things. If Hunter ultimately resigns or is removed from office, it would likely trigger a special election at the cost of taxpayers to fill the seat. Given the makeup of the district, it is more than likely a Republican would still be elected to the seat, said Jacobson, adding that the prospect of choosing a different Republican in a special election may be part of what motivated many Republicans to vote for Hunter despite the indictment. Levinson said Hunters re-election sends a message. The big takeaway is the words federal indictment are not lethal to re-election, said Levinson. Unofficial results released Wednesday confirm what seemed apparent election night: Californias 49th Congressional District turned blue. The unofficial tally had Democrat Mike Levin at 53.5 percent to his opponent Diane Harkeys 46.5 percent, with all precincts reporting, according to the California Secretary of States online election results. Across the country, Democrats gained more than the 23 House seats they needed to win a majority. I hope it means we can more effectively represent the interests of the 49th, given that Ill be in the majority, Levin said. Advertisement Although it has long been a Republican stronghold, the Democrats targeted the district as a potential seat to flip. Two years ago, nine-term Congressman Darrell Issa held onto it by just 1,621 votes a win of just .6 percent over his challenger. As the reality of his apparent win set in, Levin spoke about what hed like to do as a congressman the newest to join a San Diego delegation of reelected incumbents from working toward more bipartisanship to where he might set up his offices.(Hint: its too soon to say.) Hes also gearing up for monthly town halls in the district that stretches along the affluent coastal swath from about La Jolla north to Dana Point. Not surprisingly, Levin, an environmental attorney and clean energy advocate, listed energy and the environment among his top priorities. He listed a few different committees, including transportation, to which hed like to be appointed. And when asked about President Trump, the apparent soon-to-be congressman said he expects the House will exercise appropriate oversight as called for in the Constitution. Levin spoke of wanting to get to the truth, and pointed to Russian interference, the current Special Counsel investigation headed by Robert Mueller, and whether the president had violated the Constitutions emoluments clause regarding personal benefit from the office. He said that impeaching the president as some have speculated House Democrats might want to do is not a goal. Getting to the truth is the goal, he said. I am in favor of getting the facts and getting to the truth. The Congressman-elect said he sees several issues as potentials to find bipartisan agreement: reducing the cost of prescription drugs; ensuring health care coverage for people with pre-existing conditions; and a path to citizenship for the dreamers, non-citizens brought to the country as children. I actually am very hopeful if we can just get passed the toxic rhetoric (we can) get back to comprehensive immigration reform, he said, noting he wants a policy focused on security and compassion. Hed like to be asked to join the Energy and Commerce Committee but hes also very aware that its a pretty big ask for a freshman representative. Levin said he plans to request assignments to the Houses Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, as well as the Committee on Natural Resources. And especially given the regions heavy military presence, hes also interested in the Committee on Veterans Affairs. About three-quarters of the district sits in north San Diego County, with southern Orange County making up the balance. With that much of the district in North County, Levin said he expects to spend about three-quarters of his time attending events in that part of the district. Its a familiar idea for him. Of the 197 house party campaign events he attended, roughly 150 of them were in San Diego County. Hes not yet sure where he will have his offices, although during the campaign he had sites in Solana Beach, Oceanside and San Clemente. Issa had offices in Vista and Dana Point. Levin also said he plans to hold at least one town hall a month, saying there is no substitute for face-to-face voter communication. My hope would be that by holding them very frequently, we could actually do a much better job of listening to concerns and trying to respond as best we can, Levin said. Levin pulled in 94,579 votes to his opponents 82,095 among the votes counted and tallies posted as of Wednesday. Im very realistic that I am not going to please everyone, he said, but Im also mindful of the fact that I am going to be a representative of all the people it the district, not just those who voted for me. Levin is a numbers guy, and he knew precisely what he was looking for as the results started coming in. He knew it would be close. Two years ago, Issa kept his seat by just 1,621 votes. With the first Orange County tally, he was at 44 percent 12 points behind Harkey but two percent better than he had expected. And when San Diegos early tally went up, he was up, with 55 percent one point higher than he had figured. For all his analytical approach, his understanding of the numbers and his likely win, he said one particular election night moment sticks with him: His victory speech. There, near the front of the crowd, was his his wide-eyed 6-year-old son. I will never forget, Levin said, how excited my son looked when he realized dad was going to win the race. teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com (760) 529-4945 Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT San Diego police detectives and patrol officers were searching the South Bay on Wednesday night for a car carrying three men, one of whom allegedly shot at a pedestrian near a trolley station, police said. The victim was walking with his wife around 8:50 p.m. on Cottonwood Road near Beyer Boulevard in San Ysidro when a car pulled up beside them, San Diego police Officer John Buttle said. The victim said three men were in the car. Words were exchanged, but the victim ignored them and kept walking, Buttle said. Details of what happened next were unclear, but at some point the victims wife either left or the couple became separated, Buttle said. As the victim approached the Beyer Boulevard trolley station the second-to-last stop on the Blue Line at least one of the suspects in the car opened fire. Advertisement The victim was not hit or injured in the shooting, Buttle said. Police were searching Wednesday night for the suspect car, described as a maroon four-door Saturn. No other details of the incident were available. Twitter: @Alex_Riggins (619) 293-1710 alex.riggins@sduniontribune.com A motorcyclist killed in a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 8 in La Mesa on Wednesday was a retired U.S. marshal who was en route to work as a court security officer, the federal law enforcement agency said. John Brady, 65, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which happened about 5:10 a.m. Wednesday on westbound I-8 east of state Route 125. He had been on his way to his job as a court security officer at the federal courthouse in San Diego, U.S. Marshals Service spokesman Ben Walker said. Brady joined the U.S. Marshals Service on Sept. 15, 1980, and retired on Jan. 3, 2007, Walker said. The California Highway Patrol was investigating the circumstances of the crash. A man used a demand note to rob a bank late Wednesday morning in the El Cerrito neighborhood south of the College Area, police said. Dressed in all dark clothing, the suspect walked into the Union Bank on El Cajon Boulevard and 60th Street around 11:30 a.m. and handed a teller the demand note, San Diego police Officer Dino Delimitros said. He was given an undisclosed amount of cash and left through the front doors, which open onto a busy section of El Cajon Boulevard just west of College Avenue and the Campus Plaza Shopping Center. Robbery detectives were dispatched to the bank to investigate the heist, and the FBIs San Diego field office asked for public help to identify the suspect. Advertisement The robber is described as a black male, goatee, short black hair, late 30s to early 40's , 6'2" tall, heavy build, wearing a dark blue jacket with grey hood. Have info? Contact: SD FBI (858) 320-1800; https://t.co/WPgcPZlt2w or https://t.co/JPl4z1JUqr or (88)580-8477 pic.twitter.com/P9w6cltMIp FBI San Diego (@FBISanDiego) November 8, 2018 The bandit was described as a black man in his late 30s or early 40s, between 5 feet 10 inches and 6 feet 2 inches, with a medium to heavy build, a goatee and short hair. He wore all dark clothing, including a dark blue jacket with a gray hood. Anyone with information about the robbery or the suspects identity was asked to call the local FBI office at (858) 320-1800, or San Diego County Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at (888) 580-8477. Twitter: @Alex_Riggins (619) 293-1710 alex.riggins@sduniontribune.com UPDATES: 6 p.m.: This article was updated with additional descriptive details about the suspect and surveillance photos provided by the FBI. This article was originally published at 3:20 p.m. President George W. Bush would blow off steam by clearing brush from his ranch. President Obama would sneak a soupcon of almonds or a cigarette. President Trumps happy place: duking it out with a roomful of pestering reporters. Trump turned his post-election news conference on Wednesday normally an occasion for presidents to lick wounds and move on after midterm losses into a nearly 90-minute political tour de force for the president who loves as much as anything to put on a pugilistic performance. He took no blame for the type of humbling losses that Bush called a thumpin in 2006 or Obama acknowledged as a shellacking in 2010, when they similarly presided over their partys loss of at least one house of Congress. Instead, Trump hailed a great victory, against the electoral evidence otherwise. Then, after dutifully reading off most of the 10 pages of prepared notes from beneath the sparkling chandeliers in the White House East Room, he gleefully began brawling and blaming his enemies rather, enemies of the people, as he again labeled reporters, one in particular. Advertisement The president told a black reporter, who asked whether his calling himself a nationalist was emboldening white nationalists, that she was asking a racist question. He taunted Republican House members who lost their seats after refusing his embrace, saying, Too bad. Sorry about that. He mocked Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a close ally, with an aside to a Japanese reporter, Say hello to Shinzo. Im sure hes happy about tariffs on his cars. Above all, Trump suggested that his primary opponent for the next two years will not be Democratic House leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco for whom he had nothing but kind words or any other Democrats angling for their partys 2020 presidential nomination, or even the special counsels office that is investigating him, his company and his 2016 campaign. Instead, Trump showed hes running against the news media. And some reporters played willing foils by interrupting the president, shouting and refusing to yield the floor. I tell you what, CNN should be ashamed of itself having you working for them, Trump told CNNs Jim Acosta, after the correspondent refused to defer to another reporter or hand the microphone to a White House intern tasked by Trump to take it from him. You are a rude, terrible person, he further admonished Acosta. You shouldnt be working for CNN. When the waiting reporter, NBCs Peter Alexander, defended Acosta for his diligence as a reporter, Trump pounced on Alexander. Well, Im not a big fan of yours, either, so you know. And on they went, back and forth. Trump told three reporters with foreign accents that he could not understand them, even as he fended off questions about whether his campaign rhetoric had been xenophobic. He barked Sit down! six times to reporters. Quiet, quiet, quiet, he told another, raising his voice. As he fought with questioners, he just as often avoided answering their questions. NBCs Kristen Welker asked Trump twice about the rise of anti-Semitic attacks and hate crimes since his election. The first time, Trump replied with an extended boast about his relations with Israel. The second time, he went on a tangent about trade and Chinese President Xi Jinping. I think I am a great moral leader and I love our country, Trump said finally, offering no elaboration, after she pressed a third time. Current and former aides say he is often motivated by genuine anger, rather than strategy, in such confrontations. A bit of both was on display. As vexed as he appeared at moments, the president by his performance distracted from the news of Republicans loss of control of the House, which was both a rebuke of Trump given his centrality to the election and a development that introduced a significant check on his presidency. Beyond that, the sparring with reporters served as a message to Trumps base, that he will not stop fighting. While critics saw a petulant, un-presidential performance, many in Trumps thrall saw a ravenous and disrespectful media always out to get the president. When Acosta protested that CNN employees had been targeted by the recent mailing of pipe bombs, allegedly by a Trump supporter, after such rhetoric, the president showed no sense of responsibility, let alone remorse. When you report fake news which CNN does a lot you are the enemy of the people, Trump said. Hours later the White House, in a rare move, said that it was suspending Acostas press credential, falsely claiming he physically mistreated the female intern who tried to take his microphone as he persisted in questioning Trump. President Trump spars with CNNs Jim Acosta at a White House news conference. MORE: White House suspends press pass of CNNs Jim Acosta after heated exchange with Trump Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, a rival for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, was among the most prominent critics after Trumps news conference, tweeting his endorsement of the important role of a free press in a constitutional democracy. If Trump notices, he would likely greet such criticism from an establishment Republican as a gift, and take a swipe on Twitter, demeaning Bush as he did to crushing effect during the Republican primary debates. While reporters were Trumps primary targets in the East Room, they were not the only ones. The president went out of his way to lambaste fellow Republicans who had kept their distance or even criticized him during their campaigns, given his unpopularity in their districts or states. You had some that decided to, Lets stay away. Lets stay away, Trump said, shaking his head. They did very poorly. Im not sure that I should be happy or sad, but I feel just fine about it, he continued, before reeling off the names of vanquished Republicans from Florida, Colorado, Minnesota, Virginia, Illinois, New York, New Jersey and Utah. Carlos Curbelo, Mike Coffman too bad, Mike, he said, looking to the side as if addressing the Colorado congressman. Referring to a Utah congresswoman, he said, Mia Love gave me no love and she lost. Too bad, Mia. For some Republicans still feeling the pain of the partys defeats, it was too much from a president whose low popularity among minority, suburban and female voters propelled their losses. Among them was Rep. Ryan Costello, who chose retirement rather than facing reelection in a redrawn Pennsylvania district that was captured by a Democrat on Tuesday. He tweeted resentfully during the news conference about dealing with harassment and filth spewed at Republican members of Congress in tough seats every day for 2 yrs because of Trump. He wrote that most of these lawmakers chose to bite their lips most of the time, even as Trumps incivility further dimmed their political futures. To lose because of Trump and have him piss on u, Costello continued, Angers me to my core. Others responded to Trumps grave-dancing with a bit of gallows humor, hitting back at the president whos given new meaning to bully pulpit. Among them was Josh Penry, Coffmans strategist for the congressmans unsuccessful bid for reelection from a suburban Denver district. If he would have attacked us from the White House podium 72 hours ago, Penry said of Trump, we might have won the damn thing. Times staff writer Eli Stokols contributed to this report. Follow the latest news of the Trump administration on Essential Washington noah.bierman@latimes.com Twitter: @noahbierman UPDATES: 5:30 p.m.: This article was updated with White House action to suspend press credentials of CNNs Jim Acosta. This article was originally published at 4:35 p.m. Has there ever been an election like Tuesdays in which partisans and pundits with such a wide range of views could claim vindication from the results? Maybe not. Yes, Democrats retaking the House was huge, and seeing this as a rebuke of President Donald Trump is a logical conclusion especially given how well the nation has been doing in creating jobs and raising wages for low-skill workers. Its the economy, stupid Democratic strategist James Carvilles familiar 1992 mantra for what campaigns should emphasize didnt hold up this year. On CNN, commentator Van Jones declared ... My heart has been restored! It is the end of one-party rule in the U.S., thank God, and the beginning of a new Democratic Party ... . In The Week, Ryan Cooper also drew big conclusions: Advertisement This election is a clear demonstration that the Republican Party and its leader Donald Trump are badly out of step with the mainstream of American society. Polls have already demonstrated that many of its policy views are extremely unpopular, but talking to a pollster is a considerably different proposition than casting a vote for someone who will exercise political power. On Tuesday we saw that a sizable majority of the American public was willing to put their votes where their mouths are. But given that Republicans look very likely to have increased their edge in the Senate and that the GOPs House losses were historically typical for the party holding the White House in the first midterm after a presidential election even some writers who cant stand Trump werent buying Coopers thesis. In The Atlantic, David Frum wrote that .... Almost every candidate in whom Democrats at the national level invested emotional energy Beto ORourke in Texas, Andrew Gillum in Florida, Stacey Abrams in Georgia appears to have lost. Almost every detested Republican appears to have survived: Devin Nunes, Ted Cruz, Ron DeSantis, even Duncan Hunter, a California Republican under indictment. .... There is no progressive majority in America. There is no progressive plurality in America. And there certainly is no progressive Electoral College coalition in America. Vox co-founder Matthew Yglesias another Trump loather made a more nuanced version of this case on Twitter: Very normal Democrats won all kinds of House races without reviving blue dog antics but [there are] also a bunch of reality checks for the capital-l Left in these results. Not just a couple of House races where insurgent candidates fizzled, but the California rent control initiative, the Washington green new deal initiative and the [Maryland governors race] all show limited appetite for ambitious left policy in even blue states. Conversely, the more modest economic progressive agenda of Medicaid expansion and minimum wage increases continues to triumph even in very conservative states. The Bernie Sanders wing of the Democratic Party didnt have much to celebrate, as Yglesias notes, but hes right conventional liberals absolutely do. In three conservative states where elected Republicans have been ferocious critics of Obamacare Idaho, Nebraska and Utah voters backed having their states more fully participate in the law by providing subsidized Medicaid for all residents who make less than 133 percent of the poverty line. And in two generally conservative states where Republicans have long opposed raising the minimum wage Arkansas and Missouri voters approved huge hikes. So is the GOP losing the policy wars? Not necessarily. Reuters reported that three states rejected the lefts green agenda, notably its repeated warnings that fracking is evil: Voters in Colorado, Arizona and Washington states rejected ballot initiatives that sought to curb fossil fuels use by restricting drilling, putting a fee on carbon emissions and mandating wider use of renewable energy. The results were a setback for green activists, but a win for the energy industry and the Trump administration, which has sought to unfetter oil, gas and coal production by rolling back environmental protections. And there is yet another way to look at Tuesdays results that also goes in the GOPs direction. The Reason Foundations Hit & Run blog noted that ... The four Democratic senators facing competitive races who voted against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh lost their seats in Tuesdays midterm elections, while the sole Democratic senator who supported the judge West Virginias Joe Manchin claimed victory. Indianas Joe Donnelly, Missouris Claire McCaskill, North Dakotas Heidi Heitkamp and [apparently] Floridas Bill Nelson all lost their re-election bids. In North Dakota, voters who were especially concerned about the Kavanaugh proceedings which featured a dramatic series of late-breaking sexual assault allegations, at least two of which now seem highly questionable voted GOP by a two-to-one margin ... . And heres yet another angle: The Democrats can now go beyond just claiming theyre the party most favorable to women and minorities. Theyre now finally electing more women and minorities, as ABC News reported: It was a historic night for female candidates, with a record number of women elected to Congress. According to ABC News projections, at least 98 women will join the House of Representatives, with 84 Democrats and 14 Republicans, and 12 will join the Senate, 10 of whom will be Democrats and two are Republicans. ... Of the 98 female winners in the lower chamber, 42 were nonwhite women, including Michigan Democrat Rashida Tlaib and Minnesota Democrat Ilhan Omar, who will be the first Muslin-American women in Congress. One activist interviewed by The Washington Post suggested nothing less than a gender partisan realignment was coming: Are women fired up? That is putting it mildly, said Jen Cox, a founder of PaveItBlue. Her group, one of many formed since Trumps election and after the Womens March, connected thousands of women in the Atlanta area interested in becoming more politically active. Its historic. Its our turn in having a say in changing the face of politics, Cox said. So America went left or went right Tuesday night, depending on who you listen to and what you care about. But one thing didnt change: Donald Trump. On Wednesday, he held the longest news conference of his presidency and quadrupled down on his media bashing, going off on multiple reporters. He spoke initially of his interest in working with House Democrats on issues where common ground could be found. Then it was revealed that he had ousted Attorney General Jeff Sessions and replaced him for now with Matt Whitaker, a Justice Department official whos ripped special prosecutor Robert Muellers probe of the Trump campaigns links to Russian operatives. Anticipating Mueller will be fired next, Democrats predictably and understandably went nuts. Which is, of course, nothing new in the age of Trump. So how much really changed Tuesday night? We give the final word to GOP strategist Terry Sullivan, who Wednesday told The Atlantic: To quote the brilliant political strategist and philosopher Pete Townshend, Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. [The] predictably muddled results of last night dont give any guidance on the effectiveness of Trumpism. Some places it works and some places it doesnt Both sides declare victory. Both sides supporters believe theyre right. And so it goes. That last sentence is a Kurt Vonnegut reference, by the way. His best novels often anticipated a dystopian America. Just not the one we sometimes seem to be stuck in. Reed, who prefers Lovetron to Tralfamadore, is deputy editor of the editorial and opinion section. Twitter: @chrisreed99. Email: chris.reed@sduniontribune.com. Column archive: sdut.us/chrisreed. Twitter: @sdutIdeas Facebook: San Diego Union-Tribune Ideas & Opinion Every New Year, we never run out of some cliched resolutions about improving self. Even though this may appear overrated to many people, many cultures around the world celebrate the idea of self-improvement. In Nepal too, the Newars welcome their new year called Nepal Sambat by worshipping themselves. If you have been to Basantapur during the celebration of the Nhu Dan (New Year), you know for sure that it is nothing but grand and ostentatious like all other culturally rich Newari festivals. Newar ladies clad in traditional black and red Hakupatasi flood the squares of Basantapur and somewhere men play Dhime, producing sounds that fill the entire place with clamour. However, the pivot of the Nhu Dan is Mha Puja, an annual ritual of worshipping oneself literally as mha means self. As strange as it may sound, it stems from the belief that God resides everywhere even inside us. But the purpose of celebrating the festival in the New Year is mainly to purify oneself from the transgressions of the past year and to welcome the new year with optimism, and hope for prosperity and good health. It coincides on the 4th day of Tihar, a day before Bhaitika. The ritual that is performed in the twilight with glittering diyos in the background is nothing but ethereal. Some families determine the auspicious time for worship after consulting astrologers and priests. Few communities among Newars perform it in the mornings often accompanied with a rigorous fast. The stage of Mha Puja is a carefully depicted and metaphorical. The Mandal, often handmade, depicts three, seven or nine elements. Ideally, the Mandal must have nine pictorial depictions; Nags reflection, lotus, silk flag, Amrit (elixir) , a pair of fish, an umbrella and a left-sided shankha (conch). Although we might not glance twice to inquire what these symbols used from the ancient time mean, they do carry great significance. This pursuit led me to question the priest of Golden Temple, Deepak Gurju, who unlocked the hidden meaning of these symbols. For instance, Nags reflection is believed to be more precious than a diamond and it is important for people to ward off diseases. Just like a lotus blooms away from dirt, the depiction of flower in the Mandal is meant to make people grow away from ills. It is believed that just looking at it invites good luck. Even the Sagun given at the end of the puja is profoundly symbolical. Usually people are handed with a basket containing boiled fried eggs and fish. Symbolically they are opposites. Fish are the dominant creatures of water whereas eggs are origins of birds which are creatures of the sky. By giving these as Sagun, the eldest woman of the family means to hope for the ultimate acquisition of wisdom. The priest also expresses concerns over the manner in which Mha Puja has been celebrated, often derailing from its originality. Even in small instances such as using the red mud instead of cow dung in the Mandal, it goes on to show that people in the cities rarely have the means, nor the time to capture the true authenticity of these traditions. In the time of his grandparents, people used to follow all the nine symbols and seven elements in the Mandal, but nowadays people hardly put three elements in their Mandal; namely brown rice, paddy and lavah (fried paddy) signifying an appeal for a prolonged life, satisfaction in everyday life and knowledge. He goes on to add humour in the situation by saying that people have already started replacing the iconic aflame panas (that signifies the life-line of an individual) during the Mha Puja to more artificial wax candles. Even though changes may have marred its originality, the spirit of the tradition has not been diminished. Often celebrated the next evening after Laxmi Puja, the result is a beautiful cultural fusion wherein Mha Puja respects the lingering presence of Laxmi from the previous day. It is evident in the way people worship a broom, a jar filled with water and a Nanglo, regarded as the symbols of Laxmi. Newars eagerly wait for this festival and celebrate it with grandeur. Nhu Dan is that time of the year when people reflect on their life including its achievements and shortcomings, yet grow hopeful for a better one. From the archive A community Veterans Day observance will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday at Poway Veterans Park and will be highlighted by the dedication of a memorial honoring those who were prisoners of war or missing in action. The POW/MIA structure is to be constructed this week on the eastern slope of the park, behind the memorial plaza. It includes a bronze Soldiers Cross sculpture and custom, hand-painted tiles depicting the Missing Man Table. Barnhart-Reese Construction, Inc. donated the cost of the project, estimated by the city at $5,500. Sundays observance is being sponsored by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7907. The guest speaker will be Navy Capt. George Trey Glaze, a chief staff officer at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. Thirteen new tiles will be added to the memorial walls. The program will also include a bagpipe medley by the San Diego Emerald Society and firing of the cannon at the park, 14124 Midland Road. Those attending are invited to a lunch following the ceremony at the VFW post, 12342 Old Pomerado Road. Donations will be accepted. Email: editor@pomeradonews.com Lives forever altered The Poway Interfaith Team (POINT) grieves for the loss of lives and shalom (peace) within the Jewish community of Pittsburgh, and within Jewish communities worldwide. Anti-Semitism is antithetical to our mission of peaceful coexistence and respect. We take pride, as Americans, in our right to assemble peacefully and rejoice in our faith communities, and we cannot accept that the term sanctuary, a synonym for a house of worship, is a misnomer. Congregants of the Tree of Life Synagogue gathered to pray, sing and celebrate a new baby, expecting to conclude their Sabbath services with traditional greetings of Shabbat Shalom! songs of peace, sips of grape juice or wine, sweet challah bread and hugs - not screams, shouts, bullets, blood and tears. Their Shabbat memories, and their very lives, are forever altered. POINT stands for the rights of our Jewish sisters and brothers as we pray together for shalom. Susan L. Lipson POINT board member Poway Save the senior center I was so aggravated by what I learned at the Oct. 2 Poway Senior Center forum that I wrote a letter to the editor to inform more of Poway about what is in the works. Two weekends ago, I started circulating a petition to try to Save the Senior Center. My position is that rather than tearing down two buildings that can be remodeled, the $9.8 million that is available should be used to improve what is already there. Some interesting observations during those weekends: about one-quarter of the people werent home; everyone I did meet was so pleasant. Fewer than 10 people were aware of what the City Council is planning; fewer than five people declined to sign the petition. Comments included: My kids use that auditorium for practice of such things as tai kwon do; the buildings are also used for meetings by organizations such as AA; and one man related that hed watched the buildings going up when he was 12 hes now in his 40s. The most frequent response after I had explained the plan was why? Perhaps the number of seniors in Poway is declining and therefore a smaller facility is more practical? Is the decision a truly wise use of our tax money? Will the two-year disruption of so many activities improve Poway? Thank you to all who agreed to sign the petition and to others who have volunteered to circulate one. Those who are concerned should attend the next forum at the Senior Center on Nov. 14. Judith Nemec Poway Peace and tranquility After watching too many news programs and listening to President Donald Trump spewing vitriol on the campaign trail, I feel so fortunate to be a resident of Rancho Bernardo. I thoroughly enjoy the peace and tranquility of my neighborhood and I also enjoy shopping in Poway. I find these neighborhoods to be friendly, courteous and polite. While all is not perfect, Washington politicians should visit our communities so that they can experience everyday civility. I strongly believe that the trip would be well worth their time. We should seek to continue to set an example for Washington, D.C. Thomas Ross Ferriolo Rancho Bernardo Email: editor@pomeradonews.com The citys latest attempt to comply with state housing law appears to have been rejected by Encinitas voters Tuesday, though not as soundly as the previous proposal was two years ago, unofficial election results indicate. Regardless, Encinitas still lacks a voter-approved, state-mandated housing plan after years of failed attempts and city officials expect to be back in court next week fighting two lawsuits, which seek to force the city to finally comply with state law. Well see what (the judge) says, Mayor Catherine Blakespear said Wednesday morning. We put two years of effort into this plan ... where we go from here I dont know .... The city is not going to be given a pass to comply with state law indefinitely. Encinitas is the only city in San Diego County and one of just a few in the state that doesnt have a current Housing Element -- a state-required document that spells out how a city proposes to accommodate its future housing needs, particularly those of low-income residents. Advertisement The new ballot measure, known as the Measure U plan, sought to bring Encinitas into compliance with state law by up-zoning 15 privately owned properties, so they could accommodate multi-family housing developments. The zoning change would have allowed the owners to exceed city height limits and put 25 to 30 housing units an acre on their properties. Unofficial election results put the Measure U no vote at 52.91 percent. Thats a bit less than the 55.92 percent who opposed the Measure T plan two years ago. However, this drop is likely due to the low-key nature of the opposition campaign this time around and definitely not because the new plan is any better than the old one, Peter Stern, one of the leaders of the opposition said Wednesday as he reviewed the results. I think we probably prevailed because the policy was so bad and people saw through it, he said. It definitely wasnt due to tons of campaign signs being posted around town or mailers from him and his fellow opponents, he added. They had an entirely grassroots campaign this time, Stern said, adding that they made their own campaign signs and didnt send any mailers. He probably did more campaigning than anybody -- he sent out about 3,000 emails, he said. Richard Boger, one of the proponents for the ballot measure, said he was saddened by Tuesdays results. Im disappointed and Im disappointed that more of the public didnt see the value of this and rally behind this, he said. Boger said its hard to compare the new plan and the old one because state requirements changed while the new one was being produced, so different sites had to be included in it. The new plan may not have been perfect, but city officials did what they could within the rules they had to follow, he said. After the citys previous attempt -- the Measure T plan -- failed to win voter approval in 2016, the Building Industry Association of San Diego County and the housing advocacy group San Diego Tenants United filed lawsuits against the city. In April, a Superior Court judge held off on making a ruling in those cases, saying he wanted Encinitas voters to have their say on the new plan in November. However, the judge said, if the measure failed, the plaintiffs will be justified in asking how much time is enough to get the job done. Blakespear said Wednesday that she doesnt think the court will impose a plan on the city, but it could set a timeline to get the job done, say 120 days. If the city doesnt met the deadline, the court could prevent it from issuing building permits for new projects until the state requirement is met. Opponents have noted that no California city has yet faced such a court order, and they say the city simply needs to do a better job of crafting a plan that can meet state requirements while satisfying voters desires. Stern said he wants a plan that guarantees 20 percent of the new housing will be set aside for low-income people, that the proposed housing sites are spread evenly across the city, and that those sites are tenderly placed so as not to exacerbate already challenging traffic situations. For her part, Blakespear said the new plan was the citys best attempt to state standards while trying to accommodate residents concerns about increasing the citys housing density. The new plan had lower building height limits and other accommodations to make it more palatable to residents than the old Measure T plan. I think we pushed the envelope (of the state requirements) as far as possible, she said. 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. Home Just In Pashupati Shamsher says he will make Nepal a Hindu state again Kathmandu, November 8 Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Democratic Chairman Pashupati Shamsher Rana says he will continue his struggle to make Nepal a Hindu state again. Speaking with journalists at a function organised on the occasion of Tihar in Kathmandu on Wednesday evening, Rana said Hinduism was a significant part of Nepals identity, therefore no one should try to get rid of it. The leader said he still had the energy and courage to revive the Hindu state. Meanwhile, Rana criticised the incumbent KP Sharma Oli-led government citing it failed to provide its strength. I dont understand why the government could not do its works. It is mysterious, he said, Oli should be committed to fulfilling his promises. In another context, Rana said the talks being held for the unification of three parties of formerly unified RPP were heading towards the positive result. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/08/2018 -- Contributed by surged prevalence of respiratory disorders and lung disorders such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and bronchitis amongst others, respiratory procedures market in Germany is expected to record new growth ratios. Further, technological advancement in therapeutics and device technology are also potent growth initiators in Germany respiratory procedures market. A new business intelligence report titled, 'Germany Respiratory Procedures Outlook to 2025' included in the vast online catalogue of Market Research Hub (MRH) evaluates ongoing market progresses and their reciprocal implications on holistic growth of respiratory procedures market in Germany. Rising Geriatric Populace Aid Growth Scope of German Respiratory Device Market Stakeholders in respiratory procedures market in Germany are integrating resources to diversify product portfolio in terms of improved diagnosis and treatment procedures to expand geographical reach, thus catering to unmet medical needs in unserved areas. Leading market players in Germany respiratory procedures market are akin on exploiting potent growth drivers such as increased geriatric populace and improved disposable income to develop and commercialize new products. However, lack of knowledge amongst end-users in terms of device use, coupled with escalated pricing are dominant market deterrents in respiratory device procedures in Germany. Request For Sample Report: https://www.marketresearchhub.com/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1925869 As the report progresses further, readers are offered with elaborate market insights on potential market segments besides an executive summary encompassing market trends, drivers, limitations, and potent opportunities teeming in German respiratory procedures market. The report collates veritable insights on several micro and macro-economic factors that influence growth roadmap in German respiratory procedures market. This section of the report enumerates type as the solo segment operational in Germany respiratory procedures market. Based on type the market is splintered into aerosol mask procedures, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, nasal cannula procedures, non-invasive ventilation mask & circuit procedures, oxygen mask procedures, positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) valve procedures, and resuscitator procedures. Elaborate research elements jotted in this section of the report allow readers to identify the segment associated with revenue maximization besides enriching readers' understanding on the efficacy of market segments in instrumenting growth in Germany respiratory procedures market. Additionally, the report also included thorough research insights on geographical expanse of Germany respiratory procedures market, based on which readers can comprehend the impact of various marketing tactics and tools facilitated by leading market players across regions and their corresponding impact on market growth as well as consumer response. Competition Deep-Dive: Germany Respiratory Procedures Market On the basis of thorough research findings articulated in this report, readers are enabled to evaluate the efficacy of marketing tactics and tools incorporated by leading market players to facilitate desirable consumer response such as their purchase preferences, as well triggering substantial growth in Germany respiratory procedures market. Browse Full Report with TOC- https://www.marketresearchhub.com/report/germany-respiratory-procedures-outlook-to-2025-report.html About Market Research Hub Market Research Hub (MRH) is a next-generation reseller of research reports and analysis. MRH's expansive collection of market research reports has been carefully curated to help key personnel and decision makers across industry verticals to clearly visualize their operating environment and take strategic steps. MRH functions as an integrated platform for the following products and services: Objective and sound market forecasts, qualitative and quantitative analysis, incisive insight into defining industry trends, and market share estimates. Our reputation lies in delivering value and world-class capabilities to our clients. Contact Us 90 State Street, Albany, NY 12207, United States Toll Free : 800-998-4852 (US-Canada) Email : press@marketresearchhub.com Website : https://www.marketresearchhub.com/ Read Industry News at - https://www.industrynewsanalysis.com/ Northbrook, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/08/2018 -- The report "Hub Motor Market by Installation (Front & Rear), Vehicle (E-Bikes, E-Scooters/Mopeds, and E-Motorcycles), Motor (Geared and Gearless), Sales Channel (OE and Aftermarket), Power Output (Below 1000 W, 10003000 W, and Above 3000 W), and Region - Global Forecast to 2025", Global hub motor market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.03% from USD 7.92 billion in 2018 to reach USD 11.17 billion by 2025. Browse 45 market data Tables and 36 Figures spread through 105 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Hub Motor Market " Download PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=62957995 The major factors behind the growth of the hub motor market are improved vehicle performance, powerful acceleration, and high torque. Hub motor helps supply torque to its associated tire and generates more power to improve the efficiency of a vehicle. Electric Bike Segment: Increased power and better vehicle handling is expected to drive the hub motor market The electric bike segment is the largest of all segments of the hub motor market and is expected to witness a significant growth during the forecast period. The market growth of hub motors can be attributed to factors such as high torque, increased power, and better vehicle handling to both new and existing vehicles. This vehicle segment is the most promising market for hub motors as it is the largest in the automotive industry. Rear Hub Motor: Better traction and high flexibility fuels the hub motor market Rear hub motors are predominantly used in the global hub motor market. This type of installation provides powerful acceleration, better traction, and high flexibility. The powerful hub motors are appropriate for rear installation because higher power can be better handled in the rear wheel of the e-bikes. Major electric two wheeler manufacturers prefer installing hub motors in the rear wheel to take advantage of the traction control. Asia Pacific: China is expected to lead the Asia Pacific market The Asia Pacific region is estimated to be the largest hub motor market in 2018. The region comprises some of the fastest developing economies of the world such as China and India. The governments of these developing economies have recognized the growth potential of the electric two wheelers and, hence, have taken several initiatives to attract major OEMs to manufacture electric two wheelers in their domestic markets. For instance, the Government of India announced financial support and a scheme called Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME). Under the scheme, there is subsidy up to INR 22,000 for electric scooters/e-bikes. Government promotions and schemes have led to an increase in sales of electric two wheelers over the years, which caters to the hub motor demand. The major hub motor market players are QS Motor (China), Schaeffler Technologies (Germany), Michelin (France), Jiashan Neopower International Trade (China), and Elaphe (Slovenia). Don't miss out on business opportunities in Hub Motor Market. Speak to our analyst and gain crucial industry insights that will help your business grow. 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 New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/07/2018 -- The latest market intelligence study on Power Over Ethernet (POE) Controllers market applies the best of both primary and secondary research techniques to bring to light the growth rate of the Power Over Ethernet (POE) Controllers market for the forecast period, 2018 - 2025. The comprehensive study covers hard to find facts about the market landscape as well as its growth prospects in the years to come. Most importantly, the research report includes vital statistics about the major vendors occupying a strong foothold in this industry. Besides this, in order to calculate the market share, the study takes a closer look at the selling price of the product across different regions. Request for Sample Copy of Power Over Ethernet (POE) Controllers Market Report@ https://www.marketexpertz.com/sample-enquiry-form/13384 Scope of the Report: The researcher assessing the Power Over Ethernet (POE) Controllers market dive deep to unearth intangible facts related to the key restraints, opportunities, and threats expected to shape the progress of the industry during the forecast period, 2018 - 2025. Significant evaluation of other factors such as demand and supply status, import and export, distribution channel, consumption volume, and production capability play a vital role in offering business owners, stakeholders and field marketing personnel a competitive edge over others operating in the same space. All important data are presented in self-explanatory charts, tables and graphic images that can be incorporated into any business presentation. Understanding the market size The size of the Power Over Ethernet (POE) Controllers market is viewed in terms of the Share of Market, Total Available Market as well as Served Available Market. Not only does the study present the combined revenue for a particular market but also the market size for a specific geographic region. Analysis of percentage or the size of the Total Available Market based on the type of product, technology, regional constraints and others form an important part of the Power Over Ethernet (POE) Controllers report. Market Segment on the basis of manufacturers, the report covers: ON Semiconductor, Akros Silicon, Linear Technology, Texas Instruments, STMicroelectronics, Microsemi Analog Mixed Signal Group, NXP, Maxim Integrated, Micrel, Monolithic Power Systems, Silicon Labs Market Segment On the basis of Application, Report covers: - Industrial Automation - Point of Sale - Retail - Hospitality - IP Security Cameras - Thin Clients/VDI - Building Management - Others Buy Power Over Ethernet (POE) Controllers Market Report @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/checkout-form/13384 The study explores in details about the recent trend fast gaining momentum in the Power Over Ethernet (POE) Controllers industry due to factors including but not limited to growing customer preference and a sudden rise in their spending capacity. Aspects attributed to the gross margin, profit, supply chain management and product value and their considerable impact on the development of the Power Over Ethernet (POE) Controllers market during the forecast period, 2018 - 2025 is carefully scrutinized during the research. The research provides answers to the following key questions: - What is the estimated size of the Power Over Ethernet (POE) Controllers market for the forecast period, 2018 - 2025? What will be the growth rate of the industry during the estimated period? - What are the prominent driving forces likely to impact the progress of the industry across different regions? - Who are the major market players occupying a strong foothold in the Power Over Ethernet (POE) Controllers market? What are the winning strategies adopted by them to stay ahead in the competition? - What are the potential opportunities for the Power Over Ethernet (POE) Controllers market for the forecast period, 2018 - 2025? There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Power Over Ethernet (POE) Controllers market. Chapter 1 covers the Power Over Ethernet (POE) Controllers Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force; Chapter 2 talks about the top manufacturers and analyses their sales, revenue and pricing decisions for the duration 2018 and 2025; Chapter 3 displays the competitive nature of the market by discussing the competition among the top manufacturers. It dissects the market using sales, revenue and market share data for 2018 and 2025; Chapter 4, shows the global market by regions and the proportionate size of each market region based on sales, revenue and market share of Power Over Ethernet (POE) Controllers, for the period 2018- 2025; Continue Read More @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/industry-overview/power-over-ethernet-controllers-market About MarketExpertz Planning to invest in market intelligence products or offerings on the web? Then marketexpertz has just the thing for you - reports from over 500 prominent publishers and updates on our collection daily to empower companies and individuals catch-up with the vital insights on industries operating across different geography, trends, share, size and growth rate. There's more to what we offer to our customers. With marketexpertz you have the choice to tap into the specialized services without any additional charges. Contact Us: John Watson Head of Business Development Market Expertz | Web: www.marketexpertz.com Direct Line: +1-800-819-3052 E-mail: sales@marketexpertz.com News: www.marketexpertz.com/market-news Home Just In Short circuit sparks fire in Bhaktapur during Laxmipuja Kathmandu, November 8 Property worth Rs 1.1 million was reduced to ashes when a residential house caught fire in Lokanthali, Madhyapur Thimi Municipality-1 of Bhaktapur district on Wednesday night. Police say a short circuit from the lights illuminated to celebrate Laxmipuja festival sparked the fire at the house of Bishnu Narsingha Hyaju. The fire had begun from the room rented by Binod Dhungel. Chief of the Metropolitan Police Sector in Sano Thimi, Ramesh Rai, says the short circuit occurred after Dhungel left his room with all the lights switched on. The fire gutted 10 tola gold ornaments, Rs 500,000 cash, two laptops, one desktop, one wooden cupboard and clothes, according to Rai. Firefighters, police and locals contained the fire in next one and half hours. Kathmandu, November 8 Nepals tourism minister says his country will see exciting footfall of at least two million foreign tourists as Nepal will mark the year 2020 as a special campaign to promote tourism. Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari says the number of foreign tourists will go up during the Visit Nepal 2020 campaign. The Minister claims he is committed to developing and expanding the industry as much as possible. Adhikari believes that tourism will help the country in achieving the dream of development and prosperity. Speaking with journalists during a Deusi Bhailo programme in Kathmandu on Wednesday evening, the Nepal Communist Party leader said the government was committed to ending corruption and promoting good governance in the country. He added that Nepal would head towards the era of development under the leadership of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. Ovation returns following its debut Alaska season in 2019 as the first Quantum-class ship on the West Coast and largest cruise ship to sail the Gulf of Alaska. In addition, Serenade of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas join the lineup for the brand's biggest Alaska season ever. Via Hawaii or the Panama Canal/California coast Before arriving to the Last Frontier, Ovation and Radiance will island-hop through Hawaii, while Serenade sails the Panama Canal and California coast. Ovation of the Seas will then depart weekly from Seattle. The ship's North Star viewing capsure gives the highest vantage point on any cruise ship to take in Alaska's mountains and glaciers. Juneau, Skagway, Endicott Arm fjord and Victoria, BC, are on the itinerary. For the first time since 2009, Serenade of the Seas will head west, repositioning from winter in the southern Caribbean to Vancouver, BC. The ship will sail seven-night Inside Passage cruises calling at Ketchikan, Juneau and Icy Strait Point. Radiance of the Seas, which has served Alaska in recent years, will once again operate seven-night cruises between Vancouver and Seward. A veteran in the Gulf of Alaska, the ship will cruise alternating southbound and northbound itineraries. Both Serenade and Radiance offer ocean-facing glass elevators and large walls of glass, affording great views. On the way Serenade of the Seas will reposition from Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles on a 15-night Panama Canal voyage departing May 4, 2020, with stops at Cartagena, Colon, Puntarenas, Puerto Quetzal, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas. On May 19, the ship will sail up the Pacific Coast to Vancouver in seven nights. Both Ovation and Radiance of the Seas will visit Hawaii en route to Alaska. Ovation will embark on its 12-night cruise from Honolulu May 7, 2020, stopping at Lahaina (Maui), Kailua (Oahu) and Kona (Hawaii). Also sailing from Honolulu, departing May 5, Radiance will offer a 10-night itinerary including Lahaina, Kailua, Kona, Hilo (Hawaii) and Nawiliwili (Kauai). A growing focus on clean product imports has driven GAC Brazils further expansion into the northeast of the country. GAC is the worlds leading provider of global Shipping, Logistics and Marine services. The capital of Ceara state as well as a major port city, Fortaleza has been identified as strategic to GACs growth serving the countrys LNG import market in the coming years, said Luciana Laranjeiras, GAC Brazils Commercial Northeast. The new office is located in between GACs existing northeast bases in Sao Luis and Recife, and also covers ship agency operations at the nearby Mururipe and the Pecem port complexes. This is the latest stage of our local strategy in the Brazilian clean products market, covering the major north-east states that import diesel and other clean products. Customers benefit from our local agency service boosted by our Intel assistance including daily port line-ups, commented Rodrigo Kill, GAC Brazils Shipping Manager. GAC now operates in the Brazilian shipping and logistics markets with headquarters in Sao Paulo and 10 other branch offices across the country. GACs continued growth in northeastern Brazil strengthens our commitment to be where our customers need us in South America. The new Fortaleza office will be an important contribution to our global network as well as our local shipping clients, explained Bob Bandos, GAC Group Vice President Americas. In a nutshell, the 2018 elections allowed both sides to claim victory- with outcome generally corresponding with predictions in the weeks prior to the Election. The Republicans, the party of President Trump, lost their majority in the House of Representatives, but with a shift that was subtle and not seismic, while they gained a surprising number of additional seats in the Senate where they already held a slim majority. Media pundits suggest the House controlled by the Democrats, with its members running the relevant committees, might be emboldened to closely scrutinize, and vigorously investigate, the Trump White House. However, with more Republicans in the Senate, the President may have an easier time confirming new Cabinet members, or judges in situations where President Trumps picks require Senate approval. With stormy campaign rancor now in the rear view, the talk has turned to lets reach across the aisle and work together In the days following the election. Looming in this fair weather background speckled with conciliatory clouds, the soon to be Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, has mentioned three priorities for her legislative agenda. They are Congressional ethics, the high cost of prescription drugs, and the I-word - infrastructure. The latter, which encompasses ports and the interface of surface transportation (trucks and trains) with the waterfront, has been a signature issue for Donald Trump. The bi-partisan support for recent legislation authorizing re-investment in the Soo Locks offers a hint of what could happen when Democrats and Republicans work together. Read more: Trump signs billion dollar boost for Great Lakes shipping Among members of Congress, Representative Duncan Hunter, an ardent pro-Trump Republican from the San Diego area, and a great proponent of US maritime activity, easily won re-election. Hunter emerged from the storm clouds of an indictment, for campaign law violations. Up until the time of his indictment, by the Federal judiciary, Hunter had served as Chairman of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Sub-committee, part of the larger Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in the House. His successor, Brian Mast, a Republican from Florida, was re-elected. Farther north in California, John Garamendi, a Democrat from a district near Sacramento, a vocal Jones Act proponent who has floated notions of cargo preference (ie US built vessels) for US exports of LNG, also won re-election. As the Dems assume leadership of House bodies, Garamendi, who last year sponsored a bill to honor merchant mariners from the World War II era, will take the helm of this all important subcommittee. In the Senate, Joe Manchin, Democrat (with sometimes Republican leanings) from West Virginia, a leading coal producing state, won re-election in a close race. Manchins positions on energy are focused on energy independence tied to US production of fossil fuels. The Representative from New Yorks burgeoning Brooklyn waterfront, Congressman Jerry Nadler, a Democrat, will take the helm on the House Judiciary Committee. Nadler - who does serve on the broader House Committee on Transportation, but not on Garamendis sub-committee, has promoted the idea of a cross-harbor tunnel linking Brooklyn to the mega-ship docks in New Jersey, and has successfully lobbied for container terminals in Brooklyn. He will certainly be very busy with the aforementioned scrutiny of all things Trump. Hopefully, in between all the investigations and inquiries, Rep. Nadler, who has been very effective on transport matters, will hear Pelosis I-word entreaties. This year to-date, privately-owned Yangzijiang has won new orders for 28 vessels with a total contract value of $1.2bn, including two 82,000-dwt bulkers, one 83,500-dwt combination carrier and three 2,700-teu containerships. As at 7 November 2018, the shipbuilder has an orderbook worth $4.1bn for 114 vessels, offering a stable revenue stream for at least the next 2.5 years. As we maintain a stable, strong outstanding orderbook, we are managing the shipbuilding facilities carefully to ensure the delivery of quality vessels on or ahead of schedule, said Ren Yuanlin, executive chairman of Yangzijiang. In the third quarter, Singapore-listed Yangzijiang made a profit of RMB778.63m ($112.34m), a decline compared to RMB866m in the previous corresponding period. Revenue for the quarter came up to RMB5.37bn, an increase compared to RMB4.38bn in the same period of last year. The shipbuilding market is still in the recovery phase post the recession experienced in the last few years. Read more: Tough road ahead for Chinese yards: Yangzijiang Read more: Yangzijiang and Mitsui in China joint venture shipbuilding yard Yangzijiang observed that with the growing uncertainties in global shipping volume and economic growth due to the trade tensions between US and China, the pace of new shipbuilding order placement will become less predictable. However, the trades are redistributed among countries rather than disappearing, and the demand for shipping remains intact. In the long run, seaborne trade will remain a dominant part in international trade. The growth of e-commerce, Chinas Belt and Road initiative, and IMO rules and regulations on vessel emission standards are all expected to support the shipbuilding demand for high-tech, environmentally-friendly and energy-efficient vessels. In response, Ren highlighted that the groups recent new shipbuilding joint venture with Mitsui E&S Shipbuilding and Mitsui & Co will bring further growth potential through expansion of customer base and building up LNG-related vessel business. The combined strengths of Yangzijiang and our Japanese partners in shipbuilding, technology and customer network will set the foundation for a strong shipbuilding entity that caters to clients demand for high-tech, green vessels especially in the LNG carrier space, Ren said. Saras will develop infrastructure that will allow ships to dock outside its Sarroch refinery in Sardinia to directly load low sulphur fuels. Today, bunkering is based mainly on blending. In the Mediterranean you have Malta, where people bring different fuels and blend it, Dario Scaffardi, ceo of Saras, told Reuters. With the new (low sulphur) specs, this (blending) will be very difficult to achieve for technical reasons so people like us, who will be able to produce directly the new fuel, will have the competitive advantage, Scaffardi said. With a small investment, we will have bunkering infrastructure and a lightering vessel and start selling locally fuels to expand the market, he said, adding that the plant will initially produce 500,000-600,000 tonnes of ultra-low sulphur fuel oil per year. This is a new line of business and we should be able to adapt to various market needs, he was reported saying. From 1 January 2020, IMO will enforce the use of bunker fuels with a maximum sulphur content of 0.5%, down from the current 3.5%, on a global scale. The Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA) has proposed that fuel being used on ships in the world heritage fjords must have a maximum sulphur content of 0.1%. The authority has also proposed a prohibition against the use of exhaust gas cleaning systems, or scrubbers, including both open, closed and hybrid systems. The government wishes to reduce the emissions and discharges from cruise ships. Stricter requirements for ships in the world heritage fjords would be a step in the right direction, said Ola Elvestuen, minister of climate and environment. FREE DOWNLOAD | 2020 Sulphur Cap: Is the industry ready for the long run? The latest proposals follow an announcement in June this year by NMA calling for a review of new legislation for reduced emissions and discharges in the Nryfjord, Aurlandsfjord, Geirangerfjord, Sunnylvsfjord and Tafjord. The review included, among other things, stricter sulphur requirements for the entire area, stricter requirements for NOx emissions, prohibition against the discharge of sewage, regulations on the use of exhaust gas cleaning systems and requirement for an environmental instruction. Based on the comments received, the NMA is now proposing even stricter requirements in the new legislation. If the new legislation is enforced, ships that currently use heavy fuel oil combined with scrubbers will have to switch to use marine diesel instead when sailing in the world heritage fjords. Read more: Norway seeking zero emissions from shipping Experience shows that todays cleaning systems emit visible smoke emissions, and some systems also generate discharges to sea. Even if the visible smoke is partly water vapour, it has a negative impact on peoples experiences of our world heritage fjords, said Bjrn Pedersen, head of department of legislation and international relations in the NMA. Additionally, NMA wants to prohibit incineration of waste on board ships in the world heritage fjords, which will contribute to reducing the visible smoke emissions. Under the upcoming IMO 2020 regulation and in existing Emissions Control Areas (ECAs), ships burning high-sulphur fuel are permitted to use scrubbers to achieve the 0.5% sulphur content compliant fuel. This article is part of State of Health, a series examining health disparities, how they affect Michigan's children and seniors, and the innovative solutions being developed to address them. It is made possible with funding from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund. Senior citizenhood presents new challenges for everyone, but for Lansing resident Dave Devinney those challenges were almost insurmountable. Devinney has bad teeth. ("If I were a horse you wouldn't get very much money for me," he cracks.) He was shocked when his dentist told him he needed $60,000 to $80,000 worth of dental work done, even with Medicare coverage. "I kept waiting for him to go on, (to) maybe tell me what my other options were or what else was available out there for me, but he had nothing," Devinney says. Through his own research, Devinney eventually found Care Free Medical, a Lansing clinic providing low-cost care to uninsured and financially constrained patients, where he says he got the work done "practically for free." "For us older people, who live on fixed incomes and have health issues that seem to get bigger every day, places like that can literally be a lifesaver," he says. Lansing and many other cities across Michigan are taking steps to better connect older residents like Devinney to infrastructure, policies, and resources that address their unique needs. In 2015 Lansing joined the AARP network of Age-Friendly Communities, which establishes standards for improving older residents' quality of life. Over 300 other American communities have joined the network, including Auburn Hills, East Lansing, Grand Rapids, Highland Park, Lansing, and Southfield in Michigan. Age-friendly communities are becoming increasingly important as lifespans and senior populations have increased, but they also benefit more than just seniors. Karen Kafantaris, associate state director for livable communities at AARP Michigan, says "an age-friendly community is a community for all ages." "Whether you're 8 or 88, it's a place where you can get where you need to go and do what you need to do, a place where you can live your life, no matter how old you are," she says. The long road to age-friendly status Inspired by the World Health Organization's Global Network for Age-Friendly Cities and Communities, AARP has identified eight domains of livability as being critical for all age-friendly communities. They include: outdoor spaces and buildings; public transportation; affordable and accessible housing; opportunities for social participation; opportunities for civic participation and employment; respect and social inclusion; accessible methods of communication and information access; and community and health services. Achieving age-friendliness in all eight domains is a years-long process for most cities. For example, while Lansing joined AARP's age-friendly network in 2015, it's only beginning to implement its age-friendly action plan, developed last year. In all communities the process starts with community conversations, where people of all ages can share what they believe would make their community more age-friendly. When Southfield began its community conversations after joining the AARP's age-friendly community network last year, city staff learned some surprising things about aging Southfield residents' needs. "We discovered that most of the seniors in our community don't have access to cable or internet," says Karen Schrock, chair of the Southfield Commission on Senior Adults. "So the assumptions that are made about how much information is available are incorrect. Online info is no good to someone who can't go online. We need a much more grassroots approach." Attendees at Southfield's community conversations were invited to contribute ideas either in discussion or by writing them down on a sticky note and posting them on a wall. Schrock and her colleagues read and cataloged every suggestion afterwards. "There are so many barriers to healthcare that people encounter," she says. "The catch is listening to what they are. You won't know what people need until you listen." Similar efforts have taken place in Auburn Hills. "In putting together our community conversations, we wanted to hear not just from the current aging population, but also from younger people who would be seniors in the future," says Karen Adcock, Auburn Hills' director of senior services. Healthcare was a priority for Auburn Hills seniors, and it's one of the major issues city staff have worked to address. Adcock says the city has added a wide variety of health-related services including cooking, fitness, and safe driving classes; a tech class that teaches participants how to access their healthcare records; and affordable public transit to and from doctor's visits for seniors. Adcock says the city has tried to prioritize social, mental, and physical health. "If you want a healthy community, you have to make all of those things available, and you have to make sure they're available to people of all ages," she says. Beyond the AARP Other Michigan cities are making strides toward becoming age-friendly outside the AARP's formal structure. Ann Arbor is one such community, with places like the Turner Senior Resource Center (TSRC) contributing to a vital, age-friendly community by offering a variety of health and wellness programs for seniors. Paul Clark leads an enhanced fitness class at Turner Senior Resource Center. "We believe strongly in the fact that social needs and medical needs are all part of the greater whole, that quality of life and wellness are integrated, and social connection is vital to health," says TSRC director Rachel Dewees. "So while people are coming here for specific reasons, the underlying thing that draws everyone is the connections and relationship." Turner Senior Resource Center director Rachel Dewees. Some TSRC clients have even created their own programming. Concerned about the documented links between social isolation and failing health, one TSRC client pitched the idea of a group encouraging better socialization between men. The group, known as the "Wise Guys," has been going strong for four years. Clients' notes on a bulletin board at Turner Senior Resource Center. Other Ann Arbor organizations focus more specifically on seniors' unique medical needs, like the Senior E.R. at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital. Where the usual emergency room experience is loud and chaotic, a senior E.R. focuses on safety and comfort for older adults. The facility offers softer lighting, non-skid floors, hearing assistive devices, reading glasses, pressure-reducing mattresses, and staff trained to connect seniors to appropriate resources in the community. St. Joseph Mercy Health System was the first to create a senior E.R. in Michigan, and it now has five senior E.R.s in the state. However, it isn't the only organization looking to provide Michigan's aging population with a more age-friendly healthcare experience. "We've had hospitals around the state reach out to us because they're interested in starting their own senior E.R.s, or because they want to provide a more age-friendly experience for the fast-growing number of seniors in their communities," says Joanne Grosh, regional director of senior services for St. Joseph. "Sparrow in Lansing is one of a growing number of health care systems that's genuinely interested in providing age-friendly health care access." Whether under the AARP's formalized umbrella or not, providers agree that developing age-friendly communities requires coming together to take a holistic approach to ensuring older residents' wellbeing. "We look at health in a really broad way," Schrock says. "You can't really address health-related issues without also addressing a host of other concerns as well. ... Health means so much more than just the state of your body." Sarah Hillman is the news editor at Capital Gains and has been writing stories about issues that impact people's lives for years. She is also the writer and illustrator of a children's book about leadership qualities. All photos by Doug Coombe. #stepmother Woman arrested on charges of beating stepson to death A woman has been arrested on charges of beating her 3-year-old stepson to death for not listening to her, police said Sunday. The suspect, 33, was arrested without a warrant on ... Metro Detroit is one of three communities across the nation that will be hosting a college fair from the International College Options organization. The college fair is for students interested in not only studying abroad, but attending an international university for a full degree. The International College Options College Fair will be held at Farmington High School on Monday, Nov. 12 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. While pre-registration is encouraged and available online, walk-ups are also welcome. Area high school students, as well as community college transfer students, are invited to attend. The ICO College Fair will gather representatives from 33 universities from around the world to Farmington High School. Students and families will have the opportunity for face-to-face conversations to learn what its like to attend university abroad. "Studying internationally helps make students stand out in the workforce. It shows a real confidence level, sense of ability, and an adventuresome spirit," says Gretchen Parks, Director of College Counselling at the Academy of the Sacred Heart and co-chair of the event. "Students that do this tend to know themselves pretty well and it tells employers that this is someone that is going to be a difference-maker." Just some of the schools participating include John Cabot University Rome, Italy; University of Edinburgh, Scotland; and Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne, Switzerland. ICO College Fairs are held every November to coincide with International Education Week. Three host cities are selected each year. Chicago and Denver join Detroit in this years programming. Detroit last held an ICO College Fair in 2016. "Were really excited to be a part of it," Parks says. "Were thrilled that Detroit was selected as one of the three host cities." Farmington High School is located at 32000 Shiawassee St. in Farmington. Got a development news story to share? Email MJ Galbraith here or send him a tweet @mikegalbraith. Metromode is on tour. Its a listening tour. We're traveling to four cities in Metro Detroit to hear from local entrepreneurs and the folks working to help them succeed. At top of mind: As Midtown and Downtown Detroit boom, what strategies do Metro Detroit's suburban communities have to grow their entrepreneurial ecosystems, both in cooperation with Detroit and independently? Our work, funded by the Davidson Foundation and executed in partnership with Bill Sullivan Enterprises, is all about convening conversations to help us better understand whats working--and what's not--to support small-scale entrepreneurs across some of Metro Detroits larger urban communities. Our tour took us to four communities: Dearborn, Mt. Clemens, Pontiac, and our final stop: Ypsilanti, where we met with 16 placemakers, entrepreneurs and resource providers. We asked them three simple questions: what does entrepreneurship look like in Ypsilanti today, what assets and resources do entrepreneurs use, and where are the opportunities for building a better future? Heres what we learned: Ypsi sees itself as a city on the upswing. The Great Recession was no kinder to Ypsilanti than it was to other communities. But it came on the heels of an earlier downtown in 2002-2003. During this period, thousands of jobs and people left the community, city and township funding were gutted, two school districts were merged, and the local government was nearly placed under state emergency management. Downtown and commercial occupancy rates were as low as 10-15 percent. Today, the city is making a comeback. Events like the Halloween Ypsi-Glo, the Parkridge Summer Fest, DIYpsi Festival, the Farmers Market, and the Black Business Block Party have sparked a creative, community-oriented vibe. New businesses, restaurants coffee shops, a vibrant urban farming movement and more are creating a feeling of hope and excitement in Ypsilanti. That view is shared by entrepreneurs, both new and old, who see the city, with its scrappy, can-do spirit, and relatively affordable real estate as fertile ground for their ventures. More communication and strategy is needed. As with the other cities we met with, a lack of communication and coordination within the entrepreneurial community was noted as a key challenge. Stakeholders felt an absence of connectivity and leadership around entrepreneurship, both in the downtown area and outside of it. A significant amount of churn has taken place within both the city and township of Ypsilanti with respect to leadership and staffing, but stakeholders expressed optimism about the direction local institutions, particularly the DDA, are taking. Still, they noted a high degree of silo-ism and fragmentation among various resource providers; from private real estate agents to city government to the chamber to workforce development agencies. Participants described how informal networks influence what resources people are connected to, and that not all people know how to tap into those resources. The community has some work to do toward building an inclusive entrepreneurial spirit. Business owners, in particular, pointed to a need for leadership, coordination, and communication to connect existing and would-be entrepreneurs to each other and to resource providers. Entrepreneurs need help to navigate the bevy of challenges all new business owners face, including real estate, permits, insurance, taxes, etc. Municipal and regional fragmentation is a challenge. Participants noted municipal and regional fragmentation as significant obstacles to coordinating entrepreneurs with resources. At the local level, the divide between Ypsi city and township creates what several participants noted as needless obstacles in services. The city and township chambers were merged 8 years ago, and the township recently hired its own economic development director. Several people noted a need for closer coordination and sharing of more services to streamline the process for entrepreneurs. Participants would like to see a comprehensive economic development coordinated between the city and township that prioritizes inclusive entrepreneurship as a primary tactic. A similar obstacle was noted with respect to the larger region. For example, micro-loan programs that are available to nearby Wayne County communities are not available to Ypsilanti. Members also felt that regional economic development initiatives, such as the Amercian Center for Mobility, tend to happen without the voice of Ypsi residents and elected officials. Participants wonder how and whether the city and township resources invested into this projected will pay off for the people of Ypsilanti. Proximity to entrepreneurial superstars Ann Arbor and Detroit leaves Ypsi feeling a bit left behind. While being situated right between the entrepreneurial powerhouses of Detroit and Ann Arbor would seem to be a boon, many participants felt overshadowed and a bit neglected by their successful neighbors. Participants noted a feeling of insularity from the larger region that needs to be overcome to connect with opportunity. Ypsi has a scrappy reputation, they noted, something it has had to earn without a local benefactor or philanthropy organization. One bright spot has been the funding arrangement for the Ann Arbor SmartZone, whereby tax captured in Ann Arbor can be spent (with limitations) in Ypsilanti. But in most cases, the lions share of state and regional economic development resources are shuttled to Ypsis bigger neighbors. But Ypsi perseveres. When participants see resources, programs, and entrepreneurs headed for Detroit and Ann Arbor, they feel a tinge of envy, but also a renewed determination to make Ypsi the best it can be with the resources it has at its disposal. GreenSpace Cafe wants more people to enjoy their plant-based vegan fare. Thats why the Ferndale restaurant and craft cocktail bar has expanded their menu to include their take on seemingly more traditional comfort foods and snacks. While GreenSpace staples like the Superfood Salad and Brussels Fattoush remain on the menu, the cafe hopes that more familiar foods will draw in new customers. "Our Monday Slider Fests, Taco Tuesdays and happy hour snacks receive such rave reviews that we decided to add a 'healthier comfort food' section to the menu," says cardiologist Joel Kahn M.D., who co-owns GreenSpace Cafe with his wife Karen and son Daniel. The Kahns opened GreenSpace Cafe in December 2015. A fast-casual iteration, GreenSpace & Go, opened in Royal Oak in 2017. New additions to the menu are many. There are the Loaded Nachos with seitan chorizo and cashew sour cream, a shiitake Bacn Cheezburger, an Al Pastor Cubano with pineapple-marinated jackfruit, and a three-bean Sloppy Joel. An expanded brunch menu includes Avocado Benedict and tofu Huevos Rancheros. Even the deserts are health-conscious, with the Michigan Apple Pie featuring date caramel and the Superman ice cream made from pea milk. There are new dairy-free milkshakes, which include pumpkin spice, chocolate raspberry, and strawberry matcha flavors, to which diners may add alcohol if they choose. "At our core were about healthy, whole, local and delicious. The new comfort foods are geared to those who may be visiting a plant cafe for the first time," says Kahn. "We honor the opportunity to introduce them to tempeh, jackfruit, legumes, and other staples and to show how tasty plant-based eating can be." GreenSpace Cafe is located at 215 W. Nine Mile Rd. in Ferndale, Michigan. Got a development news story to share? Email MJ Galbraith here or send him a tweet @mikegalbraith. A destination attraction on the Kellogg Community College campus will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle Creek branch of the American Association of University Women while also serving as a reminder that there is more to be accomplished for all women.The local AAUW is collaborating with the Battle Creek Community Foundation on the AAUW Battle Creek Legacy Centennial Community Project Fund to cover the cost of a statue that will eventually be placed at the north end of the KCC campus. The piece, which will cost $30,000 to create and install, will be created by Paula Blincoe Collins, a Harper Creek High School graduate who took her first college-level classes at KCC.During the time she was contemplating an image that could embody the mission of AAUW, Blincoe Collins says she also was thinking about the hope and strength the members have given to allow so many young women to think outside the box.The group has given so many the means and opportunity to explore all the possibilities outside of traditions, she says. This vision of a young woman holding a model of the earth aloft came to me as a visual aid -- all paths are possible and need to have thought and education to accomplish the journeyBlincoe Collins says she did a quick sketch, considered other possibilities, but kept finding herself returning to her original concept.Wanting an image that could embody the mission of AAUW, Kay Calley-Martin who is co-chairing the Project Fund with Kathy Shaw, says the sculpture is of a biracial pre-teen female pondering the future.In her outstretched arm, she contemplates a model of planet earth balanced in the palm of her hand. The books she holds in her book bag convey the hope and strength AAUW members have given to so many young women--the value of an education, Shaw says.AAUW is the nations leading voice promoting equity and education for women and girls. Since the founding of the local branch in Battle Creek one hundred years ago, AAUW members have examined and taken positions on the fundamental issues of the day--educational, social, economic, and political.We believe Battle Creek is a wonderful place to live, work, study, play, and raise a family. AAUW is working to improve, expand and reinforce these concepts, Shaw says. In celebration of the 100th year of AAUW of Battle Creek and its years of volunteerism and commitment to the Battle Creek Community, the members of AAUW are striving to leave a gift to our community. This statue will celebrate the development and beautification of Battle Creek's North Side gateway neighborhood.Other projects over the years undertaken by the local AAUW have included its annual Used Book Sale; Scholarships Awards, Candidates Forum; Girls Take Charge, sponsored lectures by Ellen Goodman and Phil Donahue; and in collaboration with the Art Center and Junior League, Art Goes to School.The goal is to have this work completed and installed in the Spring of 2019. Blincoe Collins will be a part of the installation process and will visit with local schools and groups to discuss the work.For more information about the project, click here Southwest Michigan Second Waves On the Ground Battle Creek series amplifies the voices of Battle Creek residents. In coming months, Second Wave journalists will be in Battle Creek neighborhoods to explore topics of importance to residents, business owners, and other members of the community. To reach the editor of this series, Jane Simons, please email her here or contact Second Wave managing editor Kathy Jennings here Jennifer Cole finishes up an order during the lunch rush. A Burmese restaurant in Battle Creeks Washington Heights neighborhood is feeding the soul of an area that has an appetite for growth and positive change.In August, the restaurant, Shwe Mandalay Burmese Cuisine, opened in a 3,300-square-foot building that once housed Tonys Chop Suey at 415 W. Michigan Ave. It was a two-year journey that began when Jennifer Cole, a banker at the time, decided to go all in with a dream that her family had.My brother and his wife and my youngest sister Amanda had this dream that they wanted to pursue and I came into the picture in 2017, she says. I joined the partnership. I was working for the bank in the corporate world and my family needed me because a restaurant is very complex.You can work for someone else or work for yourself with your family helping. I always look out for family first. I decided to take a risk and I joined them.Risk-taking is not new to Cole who fled her native Burma and arrived in Battle Creek in 2001 at the age of 19 with one suitcase and $100. She is one of more than 3,000 Burmese residents who fled their native country to get away from political persecution and human rights violations to settle in Battle Creek. They are part of a movement that began more than 30 years ago when members of the citys First Baptist Church agreed to sponsor the Thawnghmung family, who Cole is related to.I came here as a refugee. The government settled us here and I had family here, so it worked better, Cole says.Like so many refugees, she and her family were searching for a place where they would have better opportunities and a better life. Her father died while Cole was making her way to the United States, but the rest of her family mother, brother, and two sisters now call Battle Creek home.The growth of the communitys Burmese population was the driving force behind the familys decision to open the restaurant. These residents are a part of more than 10 different congregations in the community.There are lots of church events, weddings, and birthday celebrations, and we see that as a need that we could fill, Cole says. There are Burmese residents who want to go out and eat the food they grew up with. We have so many other restaurants like Chinese, Mexican, and Thai, and there was definitely a need for this.She describes Burmese cuisine as being similar to Indian, Chinese, or Thai, food. Servers at Shwe Mandalay are taught to have conversations with their customers to gauge their comfort level with options on the menu, which include noodles and curry dishes.Some people really want to stay in the safe zone and for them we would recommend fried rice or tea leaf salad as a place to start. First, we see what the customers needs are and we go from there, Cole says. Battle Creek is very familiar with our food, as well, and we think Battle Creek is ready.But, Shwe Mandalay is more than a restaurant, says John Hart, Small Business Development director for the City of Battle Creek.Thats a community making an investment in another community and trying to make a difference, Hart says. Were going to build upon their success and try and create something around them. Everyone should be excited that theyve taken that restaurant and reinvigorated it. They will now be a catalyst for other people to make investments.Cole and her family had originally been looking for property to lease along Capital or Columbia avenues to be closer to Burmese residents who live in close proximity to those major corridors. Her husband, Roger, a local Realtor, pointed out that a leasing arrangement would mean they would have to install their own restaurant equipment and there was the potential for a landlord to increase their rent.The family partners next looked for property downtown because of the citys efforts to revitalize that district but werent able to find anything that was available without a lease.They settled on their present location and closed on the purchase in April 2016, because it was within their price range and would not require major investments in necessities such as restaurant equipment.You always hope that someone will take an asset and not just drive it into the ground, or accept it and not put anything in, but use it as an asset and raise the market that its in, Hart says. This is an example of someone taking an initial investment and reinvigorating it and bringing it up. Its showing confidence in the market if someone else is going in.Hart and his team are focusing their small business development efforts on multiple business districts within the community and the health of the business districts and the neighborhoods they are in. The use of strategies designed to create a sense of place, pride and image building, and infrastructure, development, are among the tools being deployed in smaller business districts such as West Michigan Avenue where Shwe Mandalay Burmese Cuisine can be found.Hart says a focus is being placed on efforts to remove blight, pairing developers and real estate holders with small businesses, and working with small businesses on a business model that will sustain their efforts.These businesses are critical to the survival of each other, he says. If we can cure the ills in these districts, business should get better.Cole says she hopes neighborhood residents will feel good about having a fine dining business in Washington Heights that is contributing to the revitalization and bringing in people from communities such as Ann Arbor, Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Kalamazoo.We have a lot of senior citizens dining here which is indication that they feel its a good and safe place to be, Cole says.Hart says he wasnt surprised that Cole and her family wanted to open the restaurant. He says he is working with other potential Burmese business owners.There are multiple business districts within Washington Heights. Were in the process of working with property owners along that West Michigan corridor, Hart says. Were trying to take this approach where were looking at the geography and defining that area thats declaring itself as a district.We want to do it in digestible pieces. The focus of our work is where we think multiple people will be investing over the years.Although Cole says what she has gone through to get to this point has not been a piece of cake, she says the Battle Creek community has been welcoming and she and her family received a lot of support and resources from organizations such as Harts, Generation E and Western Michigan Universitys Small Business Development Center.Like many immigrants, her American Dream included going to college right away and getting a good job. Those dreams took a hiatus after her fathers death put the responsibility for her familys well-being squarely on her shoulders.I knew I would need to adapt and accept the reality that I would have to put that dream on hold, she says.Before leaving Burma, she completed high school. For 10 years after relocating to Battle Creek, she was employed by Denso as a line worker. In 2011, she co-founded the Burma Center with Martha Thawnghmung, a relative who now heads up the center and started attending Kellogg Community College where she earned a two-year degree before going on to earn a Bachelors degree in Business Management from Siena Heights University.She and her husband have been married for three years and met while they were both working at the local manufacturer of automotive air conditioning and engine cooling components and systems. He serves many roles at the restaurant, including handyman and host.About 20 percent of the restaurants business is take-out, with the remainder being dine-in customers.Cole is the head chef and comes in well before the restaurant opens to prep food for the day. Her sister, Amanda Sunthang, serves as CEO and does a little bit of everything, including waiting on and serving customers. Her mother and sister-in-law, Shiang Thuahzathang, are cooks and her brother, Stan Thuahzathang, is the money guy, serving as a silent partner.But, Cole is quick to point out that her family is just one example of what the citys Burmese population is contributing to Battle Creeks culture and economy. She says 99 percent of Burmese work, many of them at companies in Fort Custer Industrial Park, where they are able to make a decent living and become homeowners.Originally from the Albion area, Roger Cole says its common in the Burmese culture to have the whole family involved in a business enterprise even though that might seem a little bit unusal to some Americans.When you run a business this way, its a little bit of a different dynamic, he says. A good part of it is that we all know our strengths and weaknesses. As long as we know how to put the puzzle together. Were a good team.Southwest Michigan Second Waves On the Ground Battle Creek series amplifies the voices of Battle Creek residents. In coming months, Second Wave journalists will be in Battle Creek neighborhoods to explore topics of importance to residents, business owners, and other members of the community. To reach the editor of this series, Jane Simons, please email her here or contact Second Wave managing editor Kathy Jennings here The entire family supports the restaurant: Co-owners, Christen and Lastasha McKinney, daughter Tasheanna, 18, a freshmen at Western Michigan University, and daughter Christen, 4. Peaches and Cream Waffles at Cookie's Five Star Grill features is made from scratch, down to the whipped cream. When Christen McKinney opened Cookies Five Star Grill on Douglas Avenue in 2015, she wanted to serve food that the Northside community loved to eat.I felt like this was the perfect location for me to cook the type of food I was cooking--Southern, Italian, Louisiana. Home cooking, McKinney says. The Northside is predominantly black, and I cook for the neighborhood.And the neighborhood welcomed the restaurant with open arms, McKinney says, remembering the overwhelming crowds at the restaurants grand opening. They gave me the feeling that they loved me in this neighborhood, McKinney says. They got me.But if you want to visit Cookies and you dont know what youre looking for, you might miss the inconspicuous sign located on a small, white building near the corner of North and next to Studio 702.While the outside of Cookies Five Star Grill may be low key, the inside, with its bright red walls and colorful decor, is cheerful and welcoming. Its a place where if you live on the Northside, the staff is likely to know your name, and if youre just visiting, you will be treated with the same kindness and respect as if you lived there.McKinney, who comes from a long line of devoted cooks, always loved to cook herself, but not to the level Im cooking now. I grew up in a house that did a lot of cooking, she says. My grandmother is a big cook. My mother is a big cook. Shes an all-around type chef. Im inspired from my mothers cooking and Cookies is based on all of her recipes.Five Star Grill was added for the humor, McKinney says.Even if youre in a funny spot, you can still serve food that looks great, she says, justifiably proud of her plating skills. For the Maple Pecan Waffle and Chicken, for instance, McKinney drizzles the homemade caramel (her special recipe made with Maple syrup) appetizingly across the waffle.Based on her own specialties and what she thought the neighborhood would like, McKinney developed Cookies menu, a mixture of comfort foods thats proven popular: a little Louisiana in the dirty rice, mixed with some Southern in the waffle and fried chicken wings, and all from scratch, down to the hand-patted burgers (a restaurant rarity) and macaroni (never from the box) for Cookies famous baked Mac & Cheese.But McKinney also wanted to introduce her customers to something new.I threw burgers in there because it was something different, she says. And I introduced people to the waffles and chicken, though thats been around forever in the South.Yelp reviewers rave about the waffle and chicken wings and the perfectly seasoned hand-patted burgers (versus pre-made patties). Its worth noting, Cookies Central Burger (named after Kalamazoo Central High School), a four-cheese stuffed burger topped with ketchup, pickles, onions, and bacon, is the star of the restaurant, McKinney says. It's also the first item listed on the menu.And she chose her menu well, as Cookies has proven to be a popular neighborhood destination and drawn customers from around the area, too.While McKinney is in the kitchen baking batches of beans and cooking pots of rice, her staff, including best friend and business manager Shannon Allen, serve the many customers for the mostly take-out establishment, though the diner sits around 15.In the future, McKinney says shed like to expand the restaurants seating area. And she is also looking to open another Cookies, possibly in Portage, because she says many of her customers travel from there.My favorite part of Cookies is putting the food out, McKinney says. Cooking makes me happy. I love catering to people and pleasing them with food.Southwest Michigan Second Waves On the Ground Northside series amplifies the voices of Northside Neighborhood residents. Over four months, Second Wave journalists will be in the Northside Neighborhood to explore topics of importance to residents, business owners, and other members of the community. To reach the editor of this series, Theresa Coty-ONeil, please email her here or contact Second Wave managing editor Kathy Jennings here Press Release November 8, 2018 ANGARA HAILS 263 LGU AWARDEES OF SEAL OF GOOD LOCAL GOVERNANCE Senator Sonny Angara has lauded the 263 local government units (LGUs) for bagging the highly coveted Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) this year. Out of the total 1,682 LGUs assessed nationwide, 17 provinces, 39 cities, and 207 municipalities were given the seal during the two-day awarding ceremonies on November 6-7 held at the Manila Hotel where Angara served as guest of honor. "Ang seal ay simbolo sa patuloy na nagpupursige ng mga LGU para pagandahin pa lalo ang kanilang pamamalakad at serbisyo sa publiko. By shining a light on what the SGLG awardees have accomplished, we hopefully show others a path to good governance that they can emulate," said Angara, chairman of the Senate local government committee. The DILG has scaled up its overall criteria this year where an LGU has to meet all the requirements provided under seven governance areas: financial administration, disaster preparedness, social protection, peace and order; business-friendliness and competitiveness, environmental management, and tourism, culture and the arts. SGLG recipients are entitled to a cash grant of P3 million for each municipality, P5 million for each city, and P7 million for each province. This year, the top five regions with the most SGLG awardees are the Ilocos Region with 51, followed by Central Luzon (43), and Calabarzon (24), Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (23), and Cagayan Valley (22). Angara has sponsored Senate Bill 1843 institutionalizing the SGLG, an incentive program of the DILG that drives LGUs to reach high standards of governance. The bill already passed third and final reading at the Senate, and Angara is hoping the House of Representatives will also soon approve its own version of the SGLG Act. The Senate bill seeks to add three more governance areas namely education, health, and youth, and to include barangays in the incentive program. According to Angara, the proposed SGLG Act seeks to promote good public administration among LGUs and further improve their delivery of basic services to their constituencies. "This program needs to be institutionalized after having pushed many LGUs to operate more efficiently, more effectively, and with more transparency and accountability," the senator said. Angara said the program helps government "identify the exemplars in our midst." Aside from the proposed SGLG Act, Angara's committee currently tackles several proposals to revisit the 27-year-old Local Government Code, which has remained relatively unchanged since its enactment in 1991. "For growth to be inclusive, we need to capacitate LGUs by giving them more powers and funds to ensure a more efficient, effective and responsive delivery of basic services," the lawmaker said. Sen. Bam joins DA in equipping farmers, fishermen with machinery and vehicles CASIGURAN, Aurora -- Sen. Bam Aquino was invited by the Department of Agriculture (DA) to join the turnover of around P40 million worth of machinery, equipment and vehicles to farmers, fishermen and women's organizations for the improvement of their livelihood. "Malaki ang maitutulong ng mga kagamitang ito para mapalago ang kabuhayan ng mga magsasaka, mangingisda at kababaihan dito sa Casiguran," said Sen. Bam, vice chairman of the Committee on Finance. As vice chairman of the Committee on Finance in the Senate, Sen Aquino included in the 2018 National Budget (General Appropriations Act) P40 million to support livelihood projects for farmers and fisher folks in Casiguran. Sen. Bam witnessed the turnover of machinery and equipment to their respective organizations in Thursday's mass awarding together with Mayor Ricardo Bitong, DA Regional Executive Director Roy Abaya, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Regional Director Lilian Garcia and other local officials. Among those distributed by DA to farmers were two hand tractors with trailers and implements, two rice combine harvesters with heavy duty transport trailers, two floating tillers, two rice/paddy transplanters, four mini-four wheel tractor with heavy duty trailer, five shallow tube wells, one multi-crop thresher and one multi-purpose shredder. Fishermen, for their part, received one commercial fishing vessel, 14 payaw and one 10-wheeler refrigerated van and two light boats, while livestock raisers and indigenous people received 80 cattles. Organic farmers and indigenous people received 72 kilos of vermiworms, two units of vermin beds and multiplier farm with 22 goats, 22 sheep and 17 native pigs. The PIGLASCA Women's Association and Rural Improvement Club received food processing equipment, freezer and refrigerator for food product manufacturing. Sen. Bam hopes this will boost their livelihood amid the high prices of goods, fuel and farm inputs, such as fertilizer. "Sa pag-iikot natin, marami tayong narinig na daing mula sa ating magsasaka't mangingisda tungkol sa mataas na presyo ng fertilizer, na dati'y P800 lang pero ngayon P1,200 na, pati na ng krudo para sa kanilang mga makinarya at bangkang pangisda" said Sen. Bam. Sen. Bam filed Senate Bill No. 1798 or the Bawas Presyo sa Petrolyo Bill last May to remove taxes on petroleum products amid high prices of goods. Sen. Bam's law for free college also eases the financial burden of Filipino families by granting free tuition and miscellaneous fees in public universities and colleges. Press Release November 8, 2018 Binay urges pet food product labelling Existing laws on food safety in the country would no longer be limited to only those being consumed by humans after Sen. Nancy Binay recently moved to have pet food regulated as well by the government. Binay introduced Senate Bill No. 2068 requiring the labelling of pet food products, specifying in the packaging all information on the ingredients and additives especially if such additive is a proven carcinogen or proven to cause detrimental side effects based on standards to be set by the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD). "Pet food is composed of basic nutritional components as well as extra ingredients and additives. The function of additives ranges from preserving the nutritional value of food and its freshness to improving its taste, appearance and smell," the senator said in the explanatory note of her proposed bill titled "An Act Informing the Public About Additives in Pet Food." Binay further noted that preservatives in commercial pet food, if it reached dangerous levels, could cause allergies, skin problems, gastrointestinal problems and may damage major organs like the kidney, liver and brain. "Therefore food safety and awareness is essential in order to keep animals safe from illnesses," she said. "The proposed bill seeks to promote awareness and information for the public regarding the additives in the pet food that they give their pets and possible hazards that they may cause," Binay added. The senator's measure is seen to complement RA 8485 otherwise known as The Animal Welfare Act of 1998. RA 8485 was designed to protect and promote the welfare of all animals in the Philippines by supervising and regulating the establishment and operations of all facilities utilized for breeding, maintaining, keeping, treating or training of all animals either as objects of trade or as household pets. The existing landmark legislation that ensures food safety for humans from the farm to the dinner table, the Food Safety Act of 2013, became effective only three years ago. Press Release November 8, 2018 Drilon condemns killing of human rights lawyer Benjamin Ramos Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon on Thursday condemned the killing of human rights lawyer Benjamin Ramos, an activist lawyer and a founding member of the National Union of People's Lawyer, who was shot dead by motorcycle-riding men late Tuesday. "I condemn in the strongest term the killing of Atty. Ramos. He is a great loss to the legal profession and the Filipino people, especially the oppressed whose rights he had bravely fought for all his life," Drilon said in a statement. "It is very alarming and deplorable. Atty. Ramos' gruesome death and the previous attacks against other lawyers are inevitably sending a frightening signal to the legal profession," Drilon said. Ramos, according to the NUPL, is reportedly the 34th lawyer killed in just two years of the Duterte administration. It was Ramos who courageously took up the case of nine sugar workers who were killed in Negros Occidental province. Earlier, the Senate minority has called for an immediate Senate investigation into the killings of nine sugarcane farmers in Sagay City, Negros Occidental not only to bring to justice the real masterminds but also to address the pitiful plight of ordinary farmers. "That is worrisome. Who is safe now?" asked Drilon, adding that, "if these killings do not stop and the perpetrators are not immediately brought to court, it will be detrimental to the rule of law." Drilon thus called upon the authorities and the Department of Justice to do everything to bring the perpetrators to justice in the swiftest possible time. "It is imperative that a thorough investigation is launched in order to determine the motive behind the killing and identify those responsible for the killing," Drilon said. "We must not let the culture of impunity to continue to prevail over the rule of law and our justice system. We can only do that if these killings are resolved and prevented. The police must have realized this now," Drilon said. Press Release November 8, 2018 Haiyan: An Unforgettable Chapter in My Public Service Career By Senator PANFILO M. LACSON Published in The Manila Times, November 8, 2018 More at: https://pinglacson.net/2018/11/08/haiyan-an-unforgettable-chapter-in-my-public-service-career/ On Nov. 8, 2013, Super Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan), one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded and the strongest typhoon to make landfall in recorded human history, cut a swath of devastation across the central part of the Philippines, killing at least 6,300 people and severely affecting more than 1.4 million families. According to the final report of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the fatalities were from eight regions. Of the fatalities, 5,902 or 93 percent were from Eastern Visayas. The powerful cyclone affected 12,139 villages (barangays) in 44 provinces, 591 towns and 57 cities. It destroyed 550,928 houses and damaged 589,404 others. The Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) conducted by the NDRMMC-Office of the Civil Defense pegged the total damage and losses at PhP132.4 billion. Surprise mission Little did I know then that for many reasons, Haiyan also gave me my hardest task ever - that of harmonizing the assistance from the public and private sectors, both local and international, to provide the much-needed help for those affected by the disaster. On Dec. 10, 2013, then President Benigno Aquino 3rd offered me a job anyone with a heart that bleeds for the less fortunate and the downtrodden would not think even for a second to refuse: the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery (PARR). Memorandum Order No. 62 provided that the PARR would "unify the efforts of government and other agencies involved in the rehabilitation and recovery efforts" for those affected by Haiyan. On the same day I took my oath, I was asked by President Aquino to attend my first Cabinet meeting. What remains vivid on my mind was a back-and-forth discussion between the President and myself in relation to the private sector involvement and participation in the rehabilitation and recovery efforts. I was insisting to tap the private sector, while he was adamantly against it, invoking accountability as a major issue. I countered that big, especially publicly listed firms will not risk their business reputation by abandoning their chosen projects. After the meeting, (Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs) Sec. Ronald Llamas reminded me that nobody argues with the President the way I did in that Cabinet meeting. I said I had to argue my case because I strongly believed that government could not do it alone, and I wanted to succeed in my assigned task. The memorandum order decreed the PARR will act as overall manager and coordinator of rehabilitation, recovery and reconstruction efforts; and engage the assistance of consultants, experts and professional advisers when needed. Unfortunately, in terms of implementation of the rehabilitation and recovery efforts, the order limited the PARR to "proposing funding support" and "oversight" over the government agencies involved in implementation. The nature of the task prompted well-meaning friends to ask me if I felt like a fool in accepting a job without first seeking the commensurate powers and authority from the President, quite similar to the near absolute power and authority of Pak Kuntoro, Indonesia's rehabilitation czar who rebuilt Bandah Aceh from the ruins of the December 2004 tsunami. I remember telling them, if this were a war mission, I would definitely have asked how much logistics and authority I would have at my disposal before accepting - as I did when I was named Chief of the Philippine National Police by then President Joseph Estrada. But such demands became irrelevant, considering it would be for a purely humanitarian cause. As such, I never bothered to ask the President what authority I would be given to get the job done as head of the rehabilitation force. Going to Ground Zero and seeing for myself the survivors' hope that assistance was coming amid all the devastation all the more convinced me to fulfill my mission at PARR. Needless to say, my heart actually bled for those survivors who lost their families and relatives but still managed to smile. They even cheered and waved their hands in enthusiasm upon seeing me, along with Architect Felino 'Jun' Palafox, and newly appointed Undersecretary Danilo Antonio, a private citizen with vast experience in land development, disembark from a helicopter in an isolated rice field in Palo, Leyte, which was my first stop in a series of visits to the Yolanda corridor. Making ends meet What I had was a mandate to develop a rehabilitation plan, without authority to implement or manage funds. Still, just like what a typical Filipino with scarce resources would do, I made ends meet. Among the gaps we had anticipated were the hurdles in the bureaucracy across all government institutions. With that in mind, I immediately called upon the private sector, non-government organizations (NGOs) and civil society organizations, and invited them to become OPARR's Development and Sectoral Sponsors. They responded with genuineness and utmost sincerity. Name the who's who in the corporate world and I recall seeing them there. Technical assistance and support came from NGOs, the private sector, and international organizations such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Japan International Coordinating Agency (JICA), European Union (EU) Commission, the World Bank, and consulting firm McKenzie & Company, to name a few. I recall some friends had expressed their concern and apprehension about accepting the pro bono offer of technical and professional assistance from the McKenzie consulting firm for various reasons. I told them I would take that risk. Succeeding events proved me right - the world's leading consultancy firm stayed with us until my last day in office, seconding to OPARR some of their most talented staff who professionally helped our homegrown talents in many, many ways we could not have imagined. Thus, in compliance with my mandate as PARR, with great help from these NGOs and agencies - and ironically very little, if not negligible support from the national government - we put together and crafted an eight-volume, 8,000-page Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Plan (CRRP) with a P167 billion budgetary requirement, anchored on the principle of "Building Back Better." All this in a record six months. (Even the fund for THE printing of the CRRP, costing P300,000 was provided by the UNDP). Further, again with USAID and UNDP providing the funds, we adopted a web-based aid management information system referred to as the "eMPATHY: e-Management Platform: Accountability and Transparency Hub for Yolanda," which is designed to facilitate monitoring and evaluation of the reconstruction assistance received by the government and the private sector. Finding the need to capacitate the local government units to be self-reliant in addressing their own local needs and priorities during calamities, we enrolled 160 municipal planning officers to take up masteral courses in the Development Academy of the Philippines in Tagaytay City, Cavite. Again, the USAID provided for their tuition fees and other miscellaneous expenses. Amid all these, I kept wondering - where in the world is the national government support? Comprehensive Plan Despite the limitations and difficulties we encountered in vetting and consolidating the Plan, the CRRP was submitted to then President Aquino on Aug. 1, 2014. It consisted of a detailed and elaborate description of the 5 Ws [and 1 H] (who, what, where, when, why and how) in order to accomplish a build-back-better vision for the 171 cities and municipalities in 14 provinces across the six regions devastated by Haiyan/Yolanda. The CRRP detailed institutional arrangements, including public-private partnerships; and cluster structures for infrastructure, social services, resettlement, livelihood and support. It also detailed rehabilitation and recovery plans for local governments. Likewise, it included guidelines for engaging with the non-government sector. But while the CRRP was approved by then President Aquino, it is unfortunate - again - that very little budget support was appropriated to help the typhoon victims in the affected areas. Most of the infrastructure projects such as hospitals, housing units, and school buildings came from donations from the private and business sectors both local and foreign. I relinquished my post as PARR effective Feb. 15, 2015, after having completed my mandate to coordinate rehabilitation and recovery efforts in Yolanda-affected areas. The implementation of the CRRP would best be left to the NDRRMC, though it would be the National Economic and Development Agency that would be given this task as the vice chair of the rehabilitation and recovery thematic area. Were it not for the invaluable help from the non-government sector, the environment at the OPARR would have been a sure formula for failure. Difficult, frustrating, yet satisfying In sum, Haiyan is one chapter in my public service career I will never forget - extremely difficult, many times frustrating, yet satisfying only because I worked with very competent staff and consultants who didn't mind the limitations imposed by our own government in all aspects. If not for the technical support and assistance provided particularly by the USAID, UNDP, JICA and World Bank, I do not know how we could have accomplished our task. Five years after the tragedy wrought by Haiyan, I can only hope that the efforts we started would be sustained, enough to help those affected get back on their feet, and build back better. There have been stories of hope, such as that of Filipino-American sisters, Malaya and Tala David, aged 8 and 10, respectively, who raised $100,000 by making and selling loom bands in the US. The funds they raised were used to build typhoon-resilient classrooms in Tanauan, Leyte. Even the survivors have shown sterling character, such as the mother who joined a cash-for-work program who sent her son to return P1,500 because she was absent for three days DUE TO ILLNESS; or the family of five who returned AN EXCESS OF P3,000 after being mistakenly GIVEN emergency aid of P18,000. Indeed, bad things do happen in the world, such as war, natural disasters and disease. But out of those situations always arise stories of ordinary people, from whom we can learn. If only the government would do its part... Press Release November 8, 2018 Legarda Renews Call to Strengthen Disaster Resilience on 5th Yolanda Anniversary Senator Loren Legarda today renewed her call for communities to heighten resilience to disasters as the nation commemorates today, November 8, the fifth anniversary of Supertyphoon Yolanda. "Long before Yolanda and more so after, I have knocked on the doors of local government units (LGUs) urging them to implement our environmental laws to build resilience and reduce disaster risks. Disaster preparedness is one of the seven core areas of governance in building sustainably progressive and inclusive communities," said Legarda, UNISDR Global Champion for Resilience. The Senator said that there have been improvements through the years, particularly in the issuance of weather advisories and early warnings and enforcement of early evacuation, but more needs to be done. "We need to continuously conduct massive education and information campaign on disaster preparedness so that communities do not remain complacent," Legarda said. "We need to ensure that in rebuilding communities, we are not rebuilding the risks again. We must reduce the risks and not create new risks. If a community is prone to landslides, consult the geohazard map to see where relocation is possible; otherwise, we will continue to incur damages and rebuild again when natural hazards occur. That is certainly not a mark of resilience. In coastal communities, there should be mangrove reforestation because mangroves sequester carbon and are good buffers for storm surge and tsunami," she added. As part of the commemoration of Yolanda, Legarda organized film showing of Taklub in various schools-including the Pis-anan National High School, Sibalom National High School, and Antique National High School-in her home province of Antique. The province is composed of 18 municipalities, 15 of which are coastal, thus, vulnerable to tsunami and storm surge. Taklub, a 2015 Yolanda-inspired advocacy film that Legarda envisioned, was produced by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and directed by internationally acclaimed Filipino director Brillante Ma. Mendoza. It premiered at the 68th Cannes International Film Festival Un Certain Regard category and earned a special commendation from the Festival's Ecumenical Jury. "Yolanda was a tragic example of stronger natural hazards caused by climate change. We should expect more of it, but more important is to be prepared for these extreme weather events. We will only be resilient if we learn the lessons of past disasters and translate these lessons into action," Legarda concluded. Press Release November 8, 2018 Senate minority bloc seeks probe of Sagay 9 massacre Minority senators have called for an immediate Senate investigation into the killings of nine sugarcane farmers in Sagay City, Negros Occidental not only to bring to justice the real masterminds but also to address the pitiful plight of ordinary farmers. In filing Senate Resolution No. 929, they said the massacre of the nine sugarcane farmers, including two minors and four women, should prompt the government to take a hard look at the decades-old failure of the government's agrarian reform program. "The indiscriminate and thoughtless killing of the members of the impoverished and marginalized sectors of the society by those who circumvent the law, such as powerful landowners and local warlords, must be put to an end," the resolution stated. The resolution was filed by Senators Leila M. de Lima, Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aquino, Risa Hontiveros, Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, Antonio "Sonny" Trillanes IV, and Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon. Last October 20, at least nine members of the National Federation of Sugarcane Workers (NFSW) were killed by some 40 unidentified armed men while they were preparing to cultivate land in Hacienda Nene in Barangay Bulanon, Sagay City. Local police authorities have pinpointed a certain Rene Manlangit and Rogelio Arquillo who allegedly recruited the nine sugarcane workers to the NFSW which the Philippine National Police accused of being a "legal front" of the communist rebels. The Armed Forces of the Philippines, however, tagged the killings of the sugarcane workers as part of the supposed communist-led "Red October" plot to oust Duterte from office. Some reports indicate that private armies and paramilitary groups backed by the military and police were purportedly behind the series of intolerable assault and killings against peasant leaders in the Negros Islands. Mr. Duterte has likewise blamed the New People's Army for the massacre of nine farmers even as he warned those Communist-linked farmers against occupying idle lands with a threat that they would be shot at should they resist arrest. Minority senators also pointed out that based on the initial fact-finding mission by human rights and leftist groups claimed that Hacienda Nene lessor Allan Simbingco and other identified landowners related to a big political clan were behind the massacre. "This (killing) is not an isolated case as it only reflects the prevailing situation in many farm lands around the country, necessitating immediate attention of government to address the plight of our Filipino farmers," they said in the resolution. "The death of the farmers should lead to a stronger program to implement social justice measures and protect our impoverished countrymen and women. It should not be used as a political device to impute criminal acts against critics of this administration without any factual basis," they added. According to them, apart from the official investigation and prosecution of the suspected perpetrators, the national government should also look at the implementation of Republic Act No. 6657 or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law. They explained that the effective implementation of the agrarian reform law is a means to undertake the just distribution of all agricultural lands which should be given priority as mandated by the Constitution to promote and protect the rights to own and till lands. "Aside from the pockets of investigations led by various agencies seeking accountability for the lives lost in this eventuality, the government should not only prosecute those responsible to the killings but should probe and swiftly respond to the primal causes of the continued landlessness of many Filipino farmers that shackle them and their families to the chains of poverty and social injustice," they said. The Philippines is considered a largely agrarian country where roughly 32 percent of the country's land area -- or 9.671 million hectares out of a total 30,000,000 hectares -- are agricultural land. Statement of Sen. Francis Pangilinan on the killing of human rights lawyer Ben Ramos Justice for Sagay Massacre lawyer Ben Ramos: Kiko It's appalling when even those who defend the poor and voiceless become victim themselves of the lawlessness under the Duterte administration. We could not help but link his death to his work as human rights lawyer and his involvement in the case of the Sagay Massacre. The minority senators have recently filed a resolution to investigate the killing of the nine farmers. In the hearings, we will certainly look into the death of lawyer Ben Ramos. We also exhort the authorities, particularly the NBI, to thoroughly look into this incident and produce results. We will not allow impunity to reign by letting the perpetrators go unpunished. The killers and their masters should be brought before the bar of justice. The only weapon recovered by early Thursday was a handgun, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said. Officials have not publicly identified the shooter. "It's a horrific scene in there," Dean told reporters. "There's blood everywhere. The suspect is part of that." ...The attacker is a white male who may have used a larger clip for his handgun or was able to reload, according to a person familiar with the matter. Investigators were still working to determine the motive and other details. ...Claire Gietzen told an ABC affiliate that she ran behind the bar when gunshots broke out, but then joined a man who pulled down a ladder leading into the attic. "He motioned for me to follow him. I thought that was the best option at the time," she said. "[We heard] gunshot after gunshot. I heard glass breaking. I heard commotion and screaming. We kept thinking it would stop for a while, that we were okay, and then it would start up again." ...The shooting unfolded just 13 months after 58 people were killed at a country music festival in Las Vegas, when a lone gunman opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Some people who were at Borderline Bar on Wednesday night had also apparently survived the shooting last year in Las Vegas. Chandler Gunn, 23, told the Los Angeles Times that when he heard about the shooting, he called a friend who works at the bar and who was also at Las Vegas festival. "A lot of people in the Route 91 situation go here," Gunn told the newspaper about the tragedy in Las Vegas. "There's people that live a whole lifetime without seeing this, and then there's people that have seen it twice." [Content Note: Gun violence; terrorism.]Last night in Thousand Oaks, California, an armed man went into the Borderline Bar & Grill on "College Country Night" and starting shooting, killing 12 people and injuring about around a dozen more. The gunman was later found dead; it is not known at the time of this writing whether he killed himself or was shot by Ron Helus, a veteran sergeant in the Ventura County Sheriff's Office who was killed while responding to the shooting.Isaac Stanley-Becker, Mark Berman, Lindsey Bever, and Allyson Chiu at the Washington Post report I am just filthy angry that more people are dead and more people are injured and more people are traumatized because of a man with toxic ideas and access to guns.My condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of those who died. My thoughts are also with those who survived, and I hope those who were physically and/or psychologically injured have access to the resources they need to heal.Of course law enforcement are offering the standard line about how this shooting doesn't appear to be connected to terrorism, but I honestly don't even know what the hell that is supposed to mean anymore. This isevery time it happens.Even if the shooter isn't connected to some ideological clusterfuck of vile bigotry (and it's very likely he is), his actions don't exist in a vacuum. He didn't get this idea out of nowhere, and his decision to act on it will have far-reaching ramifications, as people across the country make choices about whether to go out and be part of a public community knowing the risk that their day or night will end with gunfire.If that isn't terrorism, tell me what the fuck it is. A KiwiBuild homebuyer who sells their house without permission from the government within three years of buying it will hand over to the state 30 percent of any capital gain they make on the sale, says Housing Minister Phil Twyford. But there will be a get-out clause for people who have to sell in a difficult situation like a death, illness or relationship break-up. Responding to a Newshub story highlighting the ability to keep any part of the capital gain from such a sale, Twyford said buyers would sign contracts stopping them selling their house within three years "without the express permission of the KiwiBuild Unit". The unit can and would prevent a house sale to enforce the rule, if necessary, he said in emailed comments to BusinessDesk. "If a buyer breaches their contract, and secretly sells their home without the permission of the KiwiBuild Unit, then they will be liable for contractual damages of 30 percent of the capital gain," he said. The money will go to the government. Taking the whole gain would not have been fair, since a secret seller might struggle to buy a new home in a rising housing market if they couldn't keep any of their capital gain. Opposition MPs have leapt on the issue as they seek to discredit the KiwiBuild policy, under which the government aims to build 100,000 affordable homes within 10 years. Twyford was forced last week to defend the fact that people on annual household incomes of as much as $180,000 can buy the homes, after the first KiwiBuild dwelling was sold to an upwardly-mobile, middle class couple. "This isnt what KiwiBuild was originally planned for, and now its even more confusing as to why the scheme is here at all," said the National Party's associate finance spokesman Andrew Bayly. "Minister Twyford hasnt listened to New Zealanders about the types of homes they want and where they want them, so allowing them to sell the property and pocket most of the profit is his solution." Twyford said today that KiwiBuild home buyers will also give the government 30 percent of any rent they receive if they rent the entire property within three years of purchase, unless they have prior consent from KiwiBuild.. "We have done this to make sure KiwiBuild is fair and available for those who need it first homebuyers who want to own their own home," said Twyford. "This will stop anyone looking to quickly flick off KiwiBuild homes for capital gain." However, there needed to be provision for people whose circumstances change through a death, injury, illness or relationship breakdown. "KiwiBuild has the ability to consider circumstances on a case-by-case basis and work compassionately with families. This strikes the right balance between a community that rightly expects KiwiBuild homes will go to those who need them, and the fact that life is complicated and unpredictable," the minister said. A spokeswoman clarified that situations would be judged on a case-by-case basis and that the 30 percent capital gain return would not necessarily be required in all circumstances. (BusinessDesk) Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: 19th November 2021 Morning Report Ryman Healthcare Limited (NZX: RYM) unaudited first half underlying profit of $95.9m Steel & Tube Holdings Limited (NZX: STU) Earnings Guidance 1H FY22 My Food Bag Group Limited (NZX: MFB) achieves record earnings; confirms dividend Turners Automotive Group Limited (NZX: TRA) delivers 24% increase in HY22 earnings AFT Pharmaceuticals Limited (NZX: AFT) reaffirms guidance and progresses growth plan 18th November 2021 Morning Report Blis Technologies Limited (NZX: BLT) Challenging market conditions in US impact half year result EROAD Limited (NZX: ERD) NZ Commerce Commission Clears Coretex Acquisition NZME Limited (NZX: NZM) Digital acceleration delivering on NZME's 2023 strategy A dancer named Saravanan who worked in team Viswasam died because of sudden illness. Saravanan stayed in Hyderabad for the shoot of Viswasam and Ajith was shocked by his sudden demise. The actor took care of the expenses and flew down the body of Saravanan to Chennai. Ajith also participated in the cremation of Saravanan who resides in Saidapet. Fans of Ajith shared this touching story on the internet. From The sets of #Viswasam A Co-Dancer Saravanan Passed away at the hospital.. Later the real life hero known for his magnanimity spent almost 8 Lakhs to arrange for the body to be flown to Chennai where the 42 year old Saravanan was cremated in Saidapet on Sunday afternoon, tweeted the Kanchipuram fan club of Thala Ajith. Australia revamps Pacific strategy as China looms Sydney, Nov 8 (AFP) Nov 08, 2018 With an eye on China's growing role in the Pacific, Australia on Thursday announced Aus$3 billion in financial enticements to boost its presence in the region, accompanied by a series of security and political initiatives. Beijing is piling investment into the Pacific, sending ever more fishing vessels deeper into its waters and reportedly mulling the construction of a military base on Vanuatu. Faced with this increasing Chinese influence, Prime Minister Scott Morrison vowed to take Australia's engagement "to a new level." "We want to work with our Pacific Islands partners to build a Pacific region that is secure strategically, stable economically and sovereign politically," Morrison said as he prepares for a major Asian-Pacific summit in Port Moresby next week. He underscored a series of security, economic and diplomatic initiatives, including the donation of patrol boats and the development of a joint military base in Papua New Guinea. The centerpiece however is cold hard cash -- much sought after by poverty-hit countries in the region -- with Morrison announcing a Aus$2 billion (US$1.5 billion) fund "to significantly boost Australia's support for infrastructure development in Pacific countries and Timor-Leste". He also announced a further Aus$1 billion for export financing to support investments in the region. Morrison's government has been preoccupied by domestic infighting and has diverged politically from Pacific Island nations threatened by rising waters, by questioning climate change. Australia has long been a major political player in much of the south and west Pacific, but has lost ground with China ploughing massive investment into the region as part of its "Belt and Road" initiative. Although the Pacific islands are small in size, and a less vital waterway for trade than the contested South China Sea, their exclusive economic zones make up a massive proportion of the world's maritime assets. And the region has become increasingly important as Beijing has signalled its intent to develop a "Blue Water" navy that can project Chinese power far beyond its coastal waters. The Chinese authorities have also been keen to harness natural resources from hardwood to nickel and have -- with notable success -- tried to entice countries in the region to drop recognition of Taiwan, isolating its cross-strait foe. The number of Chinese fishing vessels operating in the tuna-rich waters of the Pacific has also increased from 244 in 2010 to over 600, according to data from Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission. Without mentioning China by name, Morrison -- whose foreign minister is in Beijing this week -- hailed common values with island nations and said he would expand Australia's diplomatic footprint to "every member country of the Pacific Islands Forum". Australian media reported that Morrison will continue his charm offensive at the Asia-Pacific summit in Port Moresby, where he will host leaders for a barbecue. He will have competition from Xi Jinping, who is also expected to meet a host of regional leaders when he attends the summit. US president Donald Trump will not attend, sending Vice President Mike Pence in his stead. Police detain two students outside Beijing Apple store Beijing, Nov 8 (AFP) Nov 08, 2018 Police detained two students in Beijing on Thursday who were part of a group protesting outside an Apple store about alleged worker exploitation, according to one of the demonstrators. The students were protesting in response to allegations made last month that one of the US company's suppliers was exploiting student workers in southwest China. The two students detained were from Renmin University and Peking University -- two schools that have seen a surge of student-led labour activism this year. One of the other protesters, a 21-year-old from Renmin University, told AFP that a group of police ordered the students to show their IDs shortly after they finished taking photos in front of the Apple store. A total of 10 students participated in the protest. "They said we were disrupting the order, disrupting law and order, and asked to check our IDs," said the student, who requested anonymity. After the protesters initially refused to show their identification cards, the police took two students away, she said. Beijing police did not immediately respond to AFP's request for comment. According to photos shared on Twitter by eyewitness Zhifan Liu, a French freelance journalist based in Beijing, the students were holding signs that said "Protesting illegal student employment at an Apple factory, supporting workers to create their own unions", before police dispersed the protest. The students had planned to take photos and shoot a video to raise awareness around the alleged exploitation of student workers at an Apple Watch factory in Chongqing municipality. According to a report published last month by Hong Kong-based labour rights group Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehaviour (SACOM), students from a vocational school had to work punishing hours at the factory, assembling Apple Watches -- under the guise of "internships" -- or else their graduate degrees would be withheld. The Chongqing factory is operated by Quanta Computer, a Taiwanese electronics manufacturer, and also produces for other brands. Apple has said it is investigating the allegations. An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment on Thursday's protest. Student activists from top Chinese schools are rallying behind labour rights and unions despite crackdowns from universities and the police this year. Many belong to Marxist societies or student groups -- some of which have struggled to register officially with their schools -- as universities try to rein in labour activism. In August, a police raid swept up student activists in Guangdong province, according to the official website of the Jasic Workers Solidarity group. The students were there to support workers from Jasic Technology, a welding machinery company, who were trying to form their own union. According to the Jasic Workers Solidarity group, which the student activists were members of, the police beat students and confiscated their phones during the raid. One Peking University student, Yue Xin, who co-authored a petition demanding details of a sexual abuse case at the school, was detained during the August police sweep and has not been heard from since. ewx/lth/rox QUANTA COMPUTER China leader Xi welcomes Cuban president to Beijing Beijing, Nov 8 (AFP) Nov 08, 2018 Chinese President Xi Jinping met with his Cuban counterpart Miguel Diaz-Canel in Beijing on Thursday as he pledged "continued support" for the fellow Communist regime. Diaz-Canel was on his first visit to Asia since taking over as president in April, becoming the first Cuban leader not to be named Castro since 1959. The visit comes just days after Washington imposed fresh economic restrictions on Cuba. Washington's ties with Havana were fully restored in 2015 after more than half a century of enmity, but have deteriorated since President Donald Trump took office last year. Xi met Diaz-Canel at the colossal Great Hall of the People, where they reviewed Chinese troops in an elaborate welcome ceremony. During their talks, Xi pledged that China would continue to support Cuba where possible, calling it a "great and remarkable country" that had overcome obstacles to chart its own path, reported state broadcaster CCTV. "China will firmly support Cuba in defending national sovereignty and taking a socialist road in line with its national conditions," he said. Xi also invited Cuba to join in his pet project, the Belt and Road Initiative, a globe-spanning trade infrastructure programme. In response, Diaz-Canel said Cuba would take reference from China on developing the domestic economy while renewing its social model. Communist Cuba was the first country in the western hemisphere to recognise Beijing in 1960. Beijing is now Havana's top creditor and among its biggest trading partners. Diaz-Canel, capping a three-day visit, was earlier in Shanghai for a massive import fair with thousands of foreign companies trying to woo Chinese buyers. Prior to travelling to China, he received a hearty reception from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang last Sunday, with the two leaders embracing on the tarmac as Diaz-Canel stepped off the plane. After China, the Cuban president will go on to visit fellow communist countries Vietnam and Laos. Chemical spill leaves 52 ill in east China Beijing, Nov 8 (AFP) Nov 08, 2018 A chemical spill that dumped nearly seven tonnes of toxic waste in the seas off Fujian province in east China has left 52 people ill, local authorities said Thursday. The incident happened in the early hours of Sunday when a tube connecting a transport vessel to the wharf broke, spilling 6.9 tonnes of C9 aromatics into the sea. A product of refining crude oil, C9 is typically used to produce adhesives, printing ink and paint, and is toxic to humans. While the local environment bureau said the waters had been cleaned up by Monday afternoon, a strong smell lingers and local fisherman have complained of dying fishes. Those affected live near the coast and had come into contact with C9, reporting a variety of symptoms ranging from dizziness, nausea, vomiting and breathing difficulties, the Quangang district government said in a statement. Ten people are still in hospital for treatment, including one who contracted pneumonia after falling into the affected waters, the government said. The local environment bureau said that while the waters have been cleaned up, it has brought in experts to test the water and seafood. But many have taken to social media to criticise the local government, whom they accuse of attempting a cover-up and playing down the severity of the incident. Posts of the incident on the Twitter-like Weibo had been rapidly taken down by censors earlier in the week, while the terms "Quangang carbon leak" could not be searched. "Dozens have gone to the hospital for treatment while hundreds more have shown symptoms of discomfort. Yet the government doesn't care about them but rather, is busy suppressing search terms and making up fake air quality reports," one user wrote. "Perhaps they should buy some masks for the villagers cleaning up the toxic waste!" el/fa CORRECTED: Interpol says must accept Chinese boss' resignation Lyon, Nov 8 (AFP) Nov 08, 2018 Interpol must accept the resignation of its Chinese boss, who is detained in China on charges of accepting bribes, the organisation's secretary general said Thursday. Interpol, which coordinates police work across the world, has been "strongly encouraging China to provide us with more details, more information" on what exactly took place when former director Meng Hongwei was reported missing in early October, Juergen Stock told a news conference at Interpol headquarters in Lyon, France. "We have to accept, like we would accept with any other country, that this country (China) is taking sovereign decisions and if that country tells us: 'we have investigations, they are ongoing, and the president has been resigning, he's not a delegate of the country anymore,' then we have to accept," Stock said. Meng, who had travelled back to China, was reported missing by his wife who had stayed at home in the southeastern French city of Lyon. China then informed Interpol that Meng had resigned as the organisation's president, before saying he had been charged with accepting bribes. Stock said he had no further details and could only say that the bribery charges were not linked to Meng's work at Interpol. "There's no reason for me to suspect that anything was forced or wrong" regarding the resignation, Stock said. Meng's successor is to be appointed later this month at Interpol's general assembly in Dubai. The body investigating Meng, China's National Supervisory Commission, can hold suspects for as long as six months without providing access to legal counsel. Page Content Prime Minister Leona Romeo Marlin has taken note of the debate that has spread through the community concerning her statement during the Council of Ministers Press Briefing on Wednesday morning. Through this press release, the Prime Minister aims to clarify the difference between a Public & National holiday. During the Council of Ministers Press Briefing, Prime Minister Romeo Marlin stated the following, I also take this opportunity to clarify that Sint Maarten Day is not a National holiday, thus Monday November 12th will be a regular working day. Sint Maarten Day by law is celebrated only on the date November 11th, unlike other Public holidays, there is no provision for an alternate date if the holiday falls on a weekend. By definition a Public holiday is a holiday that is generally established by law and is usually a non-working day. While a National holiday is a day when a nation or a non-sovereign country celebrates its independence, establishment or an otherwise important occasion. With that being established, Sint Maarten is not an independent nation and thus its holidays are referred to as Public Holidays or in Dutch feestdagen. Therefore, by definition Sint Maarten Day is a Public holiday. It is also worthwhile to note that France and all its Territories including French St. Martin have been celebrating Armistice Day on November 11th since 1918 as a Public holiday. In the early 1950s the local elected officials of both Dutch & French side got together to establish a celebration that acknowledged Christopher Columbus sighting of Sint Maarten on November 11th, thus establishing St. Maarten day as a shared holiday that alternates on both sides. Prime Minister Romeo Marlin also reminds the public that the Sint Maarten flag is celebrated on Sint Maarten Day, so let us hold our flag high and take pride in our country as we celebrate our Sweet Sint Maarten Land System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28: 29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951 /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fdeb8afa0)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdebb04f0)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fdeb8afa0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdebb04f0)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fdebc83c8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdebb04f0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdebb04f0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fde1b5090)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fdebccbc8)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fdebccbc8)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28:
29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951 /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fde688388)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdedc1ee8)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fde688388)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdedc1ee8)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fde697498)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdedc1ee8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdedc1ee8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fde1b5760)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fded1e2e8)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fded1e2e8)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28:
29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951 /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fdf04d570)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdf04d810)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fdf04d570)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdf04d810)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fdeb898c8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdf04d810)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdf04d810)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fde1b5060)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fde998c80)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fde998c80)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 Turkey route This year the Healdsburg Turkey Trot will go through downtown Healdsburg. The race starts at the Healdsburg Running Company on Center Street and ends towards Hudson Street. Google outlines steps to tackle workplace harassment San Francisco, Nov 8 (AFP) Nov 08, 2018 Google on Thursday outlined changes to its handling of sexual misconduct complaints, hoping to calm outrage that triggered a worldwide walkout of workers last week. "We recognize that we have not always gotten everything right in the past and we are sincerely sorry for that," chief executive Sundar Pichai said in a message to employees, a copy of which was shared with AFP. "It's clear we need to make some changes." Arbitration of harassment claims will be optional instead of obligatory, according to Pichai, a move that could end anonymous settlements that fail to identify those accused of harassment. "Google has never required confidentiality in the arbitration process and it still may be the best path for a number of reasons (e.g. personal privacy, predictability of process), but, we recognize that the choice should be up to you," he said in the memo. Pichai promised that Google will be more transparent with how concerns are handled, and provide better support and care to those who raise such issues with the company. Google will provide "more granularity," regarding sexual harassment investigations and their outcomes, according to Pichai. A section of an internal "Investigations Report" will focus on sexual harassment to show numbers of substantiated concerns as well as trends and disciplinary actions, according to the California-based company. He also said Google is consolidating the complaint system and that the process for handling concerns will include providing support people and counselors. Google will update its mandatory sexual harassment training, and require it annually instead of every two years as had been the case. - Less booze - Google is also putting the onus on team leaders to tighten the tap on booze at company events, on or off campus, to curtail the potential for drunken misbehavior. "Harassment is never acceptable and alcohol is never an excuse," Google said in a released action statement. "But, one of the most common factors among the harassment complaints made today at Google is that the perpetrator had been drinking." Google policy already bans excessive consumption of alcohol on the job; while on company business, or at work-related events. Some teams at the company have already instituted two-drink limits at events or use ticket systems, Google said. Google executives overseeing events will be expected to strongly discourage excessive drinking, according to the company, which vowed "onerous actions" if problems persisted. The company also promised to "recommit" to improving workplace diversity through hiring, retention, and career advancement.' - 'Googleplex' walkout - Thousands of Google employees joined a coordinated worldwide walkout a week ago to protest the US tech giant's handling of sexual harassment. A massive turnout at the "Googleplex" in Silicon Valley was the final stage of a global walkout that began in Asia and spread to Google offices in Europe. Some 20,000 Google employees and contractors participated in the protest in 50 cities around the world, according to organizers. Demma Rodriguez, head of equity engineering and a seven-year Google employee, said during the walkout that it was an important part of bringing fairness to the technology colossus. "We have an aspiration to be the best company in the world," Rodriguez said. "But we also have goals as a company and we can't decide we are going to miss those." The protest took shape after Google said it had fired 48 employees in the past two years -- including 13 senior executives -- as a result of allegations of sexual misconduct. Demands posted by organizers included an end to forced arbitration in cases of harassment and discrimination for all current and future employees, along with a right for every Google worker to bring a co-worker, representative, or supporter when filing a harassment claim. Influx of military veterans heads to Washington Washington, Nov 7 (AFP) Nov 07, 2018 Among the winners in America's bitter midterm elections were dozens of military veterans, whose "mission first" mindset could help in a deeply divided Congress where the notion of bipartisanship has all but disappeared. At least 16 "freshmen" veterans were elected for the first time to serve in the House of Representatives, the largest influx of new vets since 2010. Final tallies were still being counted, but at least three of these newcomers are women, meaning seven female vets will now serve in Congress -- the highest number ever. The wins come at a time when the number of former military politicians has plummeted from a high of more than 70 percent in the early 1970s to about 20 percent today, as older lawmakers who served in America's 20th-century conflicts stepped down. "We have just elected to Congress a record number of new Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, while witnessing the largest influx ever of women veterans," said Seth Lynn, founder of the Veterans Campaign organization that encourages vets to seek leadership roles. "What we are seeing today is the torch being passed to the post-9/11 generation of veterans." Ellen Zeng, a spokeswoman for the With Honor political action committee that helps fund veteran candidates, said former military members carry broad appeal in a polarized and divided America. "Veterans pledged an oath to support and defend the constitution," Zeng told AFP. "They know what it means to put their country's interests ahead of their own. When they serve ... it's about mission first, they think that mentality is something they can bring to Congress." With Honor only endorsed candidates who pledged to frequently meet with members of the opposing party and co-sponsor legislation with someone from across the aisle, Zeng added. - Defense expertise - After years of bruising fights in Congress over everything from health care to immigration, the very idea of both parties working together in a meaningful way may seem far fetched. This year's winners include Brian Mast, a former Army bomb technician who lost both legs when he stepped on an explosive device in Afghanistan. Though he is a Republican, he has backed a ban on assault weapons, the sort of political measure that is anathema to many in his party. President Donald Trump has repeatedly accused the Democrats of letting the military atrophy under Barack Obama, and Republicans have painted themselves as the party that supports the military the most. But this year's midterm elections saw a small increase in the numbers of veterans running as Democrats, and the public sees the party's national security credibility growing, said Rebecca Burgess, manager for the Program on American Citizenship at the American Enterprise Institute. "The rising numbers of post 9/11 veterans in Congress is reflective of that and will only increase our perception ... in the public's eye that not all those who enter the military who serve, who come out of the military are Republican," she told AFP. "More or less, those who serve reflect the nation at large." According to Lynn, of Veterans Campaign, at least 78 veterans from both parties were elected, after more than 170 ran. The Democrats gained at least three veterans, while the Republicans lost six. Burgess said veterans typically bring a level of defense expertise that's invaluable for shaping national security policies -- including when to go to war. "They tend to ask more about when and how we use military force," she said. "They tend to conduct more oversight of the (president) and they tend to work to see that troops have the necessary resources and training to operate effectively and successfully." In Texas, voters elected Dan Crenshaw, a Republican former Navy SEAL who lost an eye in a bomb blast in Afghanistan. Voters in New Jersey elected Democrat Mikie Sherrill, a former Navy pilot who will represent a district that had been a Republican stronghold for decades. But Burgess cautioned that candidates should not lean too much on their military experience. Retired fighter pilot Amy McGrath, for instance, lost her Democratic bid to oust House Republican incumbent Andy Barr of Kentucky. McGrath "has a great, great narrative," Burgess said. "However, she was so heavy on her military narrative that it was hard to find what her actual policies were." Toshiba slashes 7,000 jobs, downgrades profit outlook Tokyo, Nov 8 (AFP) Nov 08, 2018 The boss of struggling Toshiba said Thursday he would cut 7,000 jobs over the next five years as the Japanese engineering firm pulled out of foreign investments and downgraded its annual profit forecasts. "Over the next five years, we expect a reduction of 7,000 jobs," many coming from early retirement, CEO Nobuaki Kurumatani told reporters in Tokyo. In addition, efficiency gains from improved IT and the planned retirement of about 3,000 employees every year will contribute to the job cuts, he said. Toshiba also expects to scrap or consolidate some factories and reduce its subsidiaries by 25 percent -- announcing the withdrawal from a US-based liquid natural gas business and the liquidation of NuGen, a nuclear subsidiary in Britain. The former Japanese behemoth is going through a sweeping reform effort to revive itself following its disastrous acquisition of US nuclear energy firm Westinghouse, which racked up billions of dollars in losses before being placed under bankruptcy protection. For the year to March 2019, the firm said it expected a net profit of 920 billion yen ($8.1 billion), down from an earlier projection of 1,070 billion yen. Annual operating profit outlook is now 60 billion yen, down from a previous 70 billion yen forecast, while the sales estimates were kept at 3,600 billion yen. Still, the firm's share price soared, closing up more than 12 percent on the Tokyo stock exchange, mainly due to the announcement of a share buy-back programme. To stay afloat, the cash-strapped group sold its lucrative chip business for $21 billion to K.K. Pangea, a special-purpose company controlled by a consortium led by US investor Bain Capital. The sales of the memory unit continued to boost Toshiba's net profit, although the firm's operations remained under pressure. For the six months to September, the company's net profit stood at 1.08 trillion yen, reversing a net loss of 49.8 billion yen seen a year earlier. But its six-month operating profit fell to 6.98 billion yen, more than 80 percent down from a year ago when the company took emergency cost-cutting steps such as the dramatic reduction of seasonal bonuses to its workers. First-half sales came to 1.78 trillion yen, down 5.1 percent from a year ago. Yemen president names new defence chiefs Aden, Nov 8 (AFP) Nov 08, 2018 The Yemeni president replaced the defence minister and the army chief of staff on Thursday, as government forces press a five-month assault on the rebel-held port of Hodeida, state media said. President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi named Mohammed al-Maqdashi as defence minister to replace Mahmoud al-Subaihi who has been detained by the rebels for years, the government-run Saba news agency reported. Hadi had not replaced the detained minister since 2014, when the rebels overran the capital Sanaa. The naming of a replacement comes days after neutral Oman intervened in an attempt to secure Subaihi's release. Hadi also named Abdullah al-Nakhii as chief of staff. A week of intense fighting for Hodeida has left hundreds of combatants dead as government forces backed by a Saudi-led coalition advance into the rebel-held port city. Hadi last month fired his prime minister on accusations of corruption. He named Moueen Abdulmalik Saeed, a former minister of public works with ties to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as the new head of government. The World Health Organization estimates nearly 10,000 people have been killed since 2015, when Saudi Arabia and its allies intervened after Hadi fled into exile. Human rights groups say the real death toll could be five times as high. Toshiba slashes 7,000 jobs, pulls out of British nuke plant Tokyo, Nov 8 (AFP) Nov 08, 2018 The boss of struggling Toshiba said Thursday he would cut 7,000 jobs over the next five years as the Japanese engineering firm pulled out of foreign investments and downgraded its annual profit forecasts. Toshiba also expects to scrap or consolidate some factories and reduce its subsidiaries by 25 percent -- announcing the withdrawal from a US-based liquid natural gas business and the liquidation of NuGen, a nuclear subsidiary in Britain. "After considering the additional costs entailed in continuing to operate NuGen, Toshiba recognises that the economically rational decision is to withdraw from the UK nuclear power plant construction project and has resolved to take steps to wind up NuGen," the firm said in a statement. A joint venture between Toshiba and France's Engie, the NuGen project in Cumbria in northwest England was to comprise three reactors and was due to start producing energy from 2025. CEO Nobuaki Kurumatani told reporters in Tokyo the decision was reached after "sincere discussions" with the British government. He added that the firm expected to slash 7,000 jobs over the next five years, many coming from early or planned retirement. The former Japanese behemoth is going through a sweeping reform effort to revive itself following its disastrous acquisition of US nuclear energy firm Westinghouse, which racked up billions of dollars in losses before being placed under bankruptcy protection. For the year to March 2019, the firm said it expected a net profit of 920 billion yen ($8.1 billion), down from an earlier projection of 1,070 billion yen. Annual operating profit outlook is now 60 billion yen, down from a previous 70 billion yen forecast, while the sales estimates were kept at 3,600 billion yen. Still, the firm's share price soared, closing up more than 12 percent on the Tokyo stock exchange, mainly due to the announcement of a share buy-back programme. To stay afloat, the cash-strapped group sold its lucrative chip business for $21 billion to K.K. Pangea, a special-purpose company controlled by a consortium led by US investor Bain Capital. The sales of the memory unit continued to boost Toshiba's net profit, although the firm's operations remained under pressure. For the six months to September, the company's net profit stood at 1.08 trillion yen, reversing a net loss of 49.8 billion yen seen a year earlier. But its six-month operating profit fell to 6.98 billion yen, more than 80 percent down from a year ago when the company took emergency cost-cutting steps such as the dramatic reduction of seasonal bonuses to its workers. First-half sales came to 1.78 trillion yen, down 5.1 percent from a year ago. Ex-marine kills 12 in California bar packed with students: police Thousand Oaks, United States, Nov 8 (AFP) Nov 08, 2018 A 28-year-old former Marine opened fire in a California country music bar packed with college students, killing 12 people including a police officer as dozens of terrified youngsters stampeded towards the door, authorities said Thursday. The gunman -- who apparently killed himself -- stepped into the Borderline Bar and Grill around 11:20 pm Wednesday and coolly began shooting, witnesses said, unleashing pandemonium as terrified patrons scrambled to escape. "He had perfect form," bar patron Teylor Whittler told Fox News. "He looked like he knew what he was doing, he had practiced." Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean told a news conference the suspect had been identified as Ian David Long, a veteran of the US Marine Corps. He was found dead at the bar in Thousand Oaks, California, an upscale city northwest of Los Angeles. Dean said authorities so far had no indication of a motive, or of any connection to terrorism. He said the victims were apparently targeted at random. "We believe he shot himself," said Dean, who earlier described it as a "horrific scene." Dean said his department had "several contacts" with Long over the years, for minor incidents including a traffic collision, and in 2015 when he was beaten up at a local bar. In April this year, deputies were called to his house for a disturbance and found him "acting a little irrationally." "They felt he might be suffering from PTSD, the fact he was a veteran and had been in the corps," Dean said. "They called out our crisis intervention team, our mental health specialists who met with him, talked to him, and cleared him." Dean said Long was believed to have been armed with a single handgun when he launched Wednesday's attack. "It appears he walked up to the scene. He shot the security guard that was standing outside. He stepped inside," Dean said. "It appears that he turned to the right and shot several of the other security and employees there, and then began opening fire inside the nightclub." - 'Everyone dove to the floor' - Among those killed in the assault was a three-decade veteran of the sheriff's department, 54-year-old Ron Helus, who was married and had a grown son. "He went in there to save people and made the ultimate sacrifice," Dean said. The other 11 victims have yet to be identified by the authorities. Besides the dead, around a dozen other people were injured. Matt Wennerstron, a 20-year-old college student who regularly attended events at the bar, said the shooter fired a short-barreled pistol that apparently had a 10-15 round magazine. "Then, when (he) started to reload, that's when we got people out of there and I didn't look back," Wennerstron said. He said he and others smashed their way out of the bar onto a balcony and then jumped down to safety. "One bar stool went straight through a window," he told reporters. Jasmin Alexander, who was part of a group of around 15 friends at the bar, said there was chaos and confusion inside when shots first rang out. "It was a normal Wednesday. We were just at the bar, having fun, dancing," she told reporters after escaping. "All of a sudden we heard the 'bang, bang' of the gunshots and it just started going crazy and people were pushing. "We thought it was a joke, we didn't take it seriously at first... because it sounded like firecrackers and everyone just dropped down to the floor." TV footage showed SWAT teams surrounding the bar, with distraught revelers milling around and using their cell phones as lights from police cars flashed. President Donald Trump tweeted that he had "been fully briefed on the terrible shooting," the latest chapter in America's epidemic of gun violence that came just 10 days after a gunman killed 11 worshippers at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. Last year, a country music festival in Las Vegas was the scene of the worst mass shooting in modern US history. A gunman shooting from the 32nd floor of a hotel and casino with high power weapons killed 58 people. Marine veteran kills 12 in California bar packed with students Thousand Oaks, United States, Nov 8 (AFP) Nov 08, 2018 A 28-year-old Marine Corps veteran opened fire in a country music bar packed with college students in California overnight, killing 12 people including a police officer who exchanged shots with the gunman, authorities said Thursday. Terrified patrons scrambled for the exits after the gunman started shooting a handgun in the Borderline Bar and Grill around 11:20 pm on Wednesday before killing himself, they said. "They ran out of the back doors, they broke windows. They went through windows. They hid up in the attic, they hid in the bathroom," Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said. Dean identified the suspect as Ian David Long, a Marine Corps veteran and resident of Thousand Oaks, an upscale city northwest of Los Angeles. According to the Pentagon, Long served in the Marine Corps from August 2008 to March 2013 and was a machine gunner. He attained the rank of corporal and saw combat while deployed in Afghanistan from November 2010 to June 2011. "He had perfect form," bar patron Teylor Whittler told Fox News. "He looked like he knew what he was doing." Long was found dead in an office at the bar by police and is believed to have shot himself, Dean said. Authorities so far had no indication of a motive, or of any connection to terrorism. "We have no idea what the motive was at this time," Dean said. "Obviously he had something going on in his head that caused him to do something like this," he said. "He had some kind of issues." - 'Like hell' - The sheriff said Long drove to the bar and shot an unarmed security guard who was standing outside before opening fire at random inside. Dean described the scene as "like hell." He said his department had "several contacts" with Long over the years, for minor incidents including a traffic collision, and in 2015 when he was beaten up at a local bar. In April this year, deputies were called to his house for a disturbance and found him "acting a little irrationally." "They felt he might be suffering from PTSD, the fact he was a veteran and had been in the corps," Dean said. "They called out our crisis intervention team, our mental health specialists who met with him, talked to him, and cleared him." Dean said Long was armed with a single handgun, a .45 caliber Glock 21, which he purchased legally. Among those killed was a three-decade veteran of the sheriff's department, 54-year-old Sergeant Ron Helus, who was married, had a grown son and was close to retirement. "He went in there to save people and made the ultimate sacrifice," Dean said. He said Helus was on the phone with his wife when he got the report of the shooting and he told her "'Hey, I have to go. I love you. I'll talk to you later.'" Helus and a highway patrol officer exchanged gunfire with Long, he said, and the sergeant was shot "several times." - 'Sounded like firecrackers' - Around 15 people were also injured, the sheriff said, including several who were hurt "jumping out of windows, diving under tables." Matt Wennerstron, a 20-year-old college student, said the shooter apparently had a 10-15 round magazine on his gun. "When (he) started to reload, that's when we got people out of there and I didn't look back," Wennerstron said. He said he and others smashed their way out of the bar onto a balcony and then jumped down to safety. Jasmin Alexander, who was with around 15 friends at the bar, said there was chaos and confusion inside when shots rang out. "We were just at the bar, having fun, dancing," she told reporters. "All of a sudden we heard the 'bang, bang' of the gunshots and it just started going crazy and people were pushing. "We didn't take it seriously at first... because it sounded like firecrackers and everyone just dropped down to the floor." TV footage showed SWAT teams surrounding the bar, with distraught revelers milling around and using their cell phones as lights from police cars flashed. President Donald Trump tweeted that he had "been fully briefed on the terrible shooting," the latest chapter in America's epidemic of gun violence that came just 10 days after a gunman killed 11 worshippers at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. Trump ordered the US flag at the White House and other government buildings to be flown at half-staff. Last year, a country music festival in Las Vegas was the scene of the worst mass shooting in modern US history. A gunman shooting from the 32nd floor of a hotel and casino with high power weapons killed 58 people. Marine combat veteran kills 12 in crowded California bar Thousand Oaks, United States, Nov 8 (AFP) Nov 08, 2018 A 28-year-old US Marine Corps combat veteran opened fire in a crowded country music bar in California, killing 12 people including a police officer who rushed in and exchanged shots with the gunman, authorities said Thursday. Terrified patrons -- many of whom were college students -- scrambled for the exits after the gunman started shooting people with a handgun in the Borderline Bar and Grill at around 11:20 pm on Wednesday. "They ran out of the back doors, they broke windows, they went through windows. They hid up in the attic, they hid in the bathroom," Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said. The assailant, identified as Ian David Long, a troubled former machine gunner who served a tour in Afghanistan, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Dean told reporters that Long shot an unarmed security guard who was standing outside the bar before entering and opening fire at random inside. Twenty-three people were injured -- some from "jumping out of windows, diving under tables," Dean said -- and treated at area hospitals. A year ago, 58 people were shot dead at a country music festival in Las Vegas, the worst mass shooting in modern US history, and several of the patrons in the California bar had also been at the Nevada concert. "I can't believe I'm saying this again," Molly Maurer posted on Facebook. "I'm alive and I'm home safe. According to the Pentagon, Long served in the Marine Corps from August 2008 to March 2013. He attained the rank of corporal and saw combat while deployed in Afghanistan from November 2010 to June 2011. "He had perfect form," bar patron Teylor Whittler told Fox News. "He looked like he knew what he was doing." - 'Like hell' - Police on Thursday were searching Long's house in Newbury Park, near Thousand Oaks, where he reportedly lived with his mother. Long was found dead by police in an office at the bar and is believed to have shot himself, Dean said. Authorities so far had no indication of a motive, or of any connection to terrorism. "We have no idea what the motive was at this time," Dean said. "Obviously he had something going on in his head that caused him to do something like this," he said. "He had some kind of issues." Dean described the scene inside the bar as "like hell." He said his department had "several contacts" with Long over the years, for minor incidents including a traffic collision, and in 2015 when he was beaten up at a local bar. In April this year, deputies were called to his house for a disturbance and found him "acting a little irrationally." "They felt he might be suffering from PTSD, the fact he was a veteran and had been in the corps," Dean said. "They called out our crisis intervention team, our mental health specialists who met with him, talked to him, and cleared him." Dean said Long was armed with a single handgun, a .45 caliber Glock 21, which he purchased legally. - 'Ultimate sacrifice' - Among those killed was a three-decade veteran of the sheriff's department, 54-year-old Sergeant Ron Helus, who was married, had a grown son and was close to retirement. "He went in there to save people and made the ultimate sacrifice," Dean said. He said Helus was on the phone with his wife when he got the report of the shooting and he told her, "'Hey, I have to go. I love you. I'll talk to you later.'" Helus and a highway patrol officer exchanged gunfire with Long, he said, and the sergeant was shot "several times." Matt Wennerstron, a 20-year-old college student, said the shooter apparently had a 10-15 round magazine on his gun. "When (he) started to reload, that's when we got people out of there and I didn't look back," Wennerstron said. He said he and others smashed their way out of the bar onto a balcony and then jumped down to safety. Jasmin Alexander, who was with around 15 friends at the bar, said there was chaos and confusion inside when shots rang out. "We were just at the bar, having fun, dancing," she told reporters. "All of a sudden we heard the 'bang, bang' of the gunshots and it just started going crazy and people were pushing. "We didn't take it seriously at first... because it sounded like firecrackers and everyone just dropped down to the floor." President Donald Trump ordered the US flag at the White House and other government buildings to be flown at half-staff following the shooting, which came just 10 days after a gunman killed 11 worshippers at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. 'Not ready' North Korea delayed talks with US: Haley United Nations, United States, Nov 8 (AFP) Nov 08, 2018 North Korea postponed a planned meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo this week "because they weren't ready," US Ambassador Nikki Haley said Thursday. Pompeo had been scheduled to meet with top North Korean official Kim Yong Chol in New York on Thursday to push for progress on denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, but the meeting was cancelled. "North Korea said they needed to postpone it," Haley told reporters at UN headquarters, adding: "I don't think there was some sort of major issue." "They postponed it because they weren't ready." "We continue to stand ready to talk," she added. The sudden postponement came only two days after the US State Department announced the talks in New York that were also to agree on plans for a second summit between President Donald Trump and leader Kim Jong Un. Haley said she expected the talks to be rescheduled and that plans for the second summit were on track. Trump and Kim held a historic summit in June in Singapore -- the first ever between the two countries -- where they signed a vaguely worded deal on denuclearization. Little progress has been made since then, with the two countries sparring over the exact meaning of the agreement. The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2018 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement After Angela The Beginning of the Post-Merkel Era Angela Merkel's recent announcement that she would step down as the chair of the Christian Democratic Union has opened up a race for power that could define the future of the conservative party and the country. New elections could be next. The flickering lights of a Havdalah candle and 11 memorial candles illuminated the faces of Bnai Amoona congregants and many visitors Saturday night at a Havdalah of Hope service to dispel the darkness of the tragedy in Pittsburgh. Almost 400 people showed up, recited traditional prayers and listened to the music of voices and guitar. Rabbi Carnie Shalom Rose spoke about chesed, or loving kindness, as an appropriate Jewish response to the horrors we have been experiencing in our country. He said it was a part of Abrahams legacy. We in our time would be wise to emulate Abraham as we quest for healing, rapprochement and wholeness, Rose said. The program handed out said: We gather as a community to work towards peace and hope. It was a prayerful gathering of unified voices to share our strength, resilience and hope. ADVERTISEMENT Rabbi Neal Rose read the names of the dead and injured in the shootings at the Tree of Life synagogue. A memorial candle was lit for each of 11 Jews who was murdered. A Holocaust survivor, George Spooner, talked about Nazi anti-Semitism. Those who knew the familiar Jewish melody of Eitz Chayim Hi sang the words of the Tree of Life prayer. Bnai Amoona sponsored Havdalah for Hope in partnership with Cultural Leadership, Interfaith Partnership of Greater St. Louis and other community agencies and schools. The event was part of the wider ShowUpforShabbat weekend. The Havdalah service separates the holy Shabbat from the rest of the week. Rabbi Roxanne Shapiro, representing Interfaith Partnership, said that despite the darkness now there was a light of hope. The strength that we have gathered in the wake of this tragedy comes not only from our fellow Jews, but from the community around us from people of other faiths, from community and school leaders, from our neighbors, said Shapiro. Marla Grossman, a Bnai Amoona member, came to the program with her husband and two of their children. She said she was praying for all the families who lost loved ones in the synagogue shootings. Im glad to bring my family here to reflect, pray and remember, she said. Lisa Greenstein was pleased to see her Chesterfield neighbors, Noor Ahmed and Parveen Ahmed, who wore yellow Anti-Defamation League No Place for Hate stickers. Greenstein was there with her father-in-law, Harvey Greenberg, and sister-in-law, Janet Lutz. Nancy Robinson, of the Church of Latter Day Saints of Jesus Christ and an Interfaith Partnership board member, came to offer support and friendship. A group of Quakers (Friends) and individuals from the Hindu Temple of St. Louis and the Vedanta Society also attended event. After the service, some people made cards to send to first responders in Pittsburgh and to the Pittsburgh congregation. Abigail Bernstein, a Bnai Amoona member and Ladue Horton Watkins High School student, made two cards. On the back of her consoling card to the synagogue, Eileen Schneider Edelman wrote the names of her children who live in Pittsburgh. When gunman Robert Bowers fired on the Tree of Life congregation late last month, he shook the whole tree, from the roots in Pittsburgh to the branches of Jewish communities across the world. At Washington University, Bowers struck close to the rootseveral Wash U. students are members of Tree of Life and residents of Pittsburgh. The campus supported these students in the wake of the tragedy that killed 11 and wounded six people, and stood in solidarity with Pittsburgh. Senior Sophie Abo and graduate student Henry Cohen are practically neighbors of Tree of Life. Sophie went there for many bnai mitzvot, and Cohen is a member of the synagogue. Its very much so a centerpiece of the community, he said of the synagogue. Both Abo and Cohen were deeply affected by the shooting. Cohens father Dr. Jeff Cohen, who is president of Allegheny Health Hospital, treated Bowers at the hospital. One of the only uplifting stories thats come out of this entire thing is that the Jewish hospital president and two Jewish nurses took care of this guy who just shot up the temple I grew up in, said Cohen. ADVERTISEMENT Senior Zach Moskow lost his cousins David and Cecil Rosenthal, two of the 11 Tree of Life congregants murdered that Shabbat morning. His great-aunt Jeanne Rosenthal missed services for the first time in five or six years. Just hours after the shooting, senior Monica Sass began working with Hillel staff members to plan a community gathering for the following day. Sass knew many Tree of Life members from USY, so she wanted to put together USY-esque zmirot (songs) to be sung at the gathering. One hundred students and staff Jewish and non-Jewish filed into Wash U. Hillel Sunday night, Oct. 28, including Lori White, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. During the event, White sang Louis Armstrongs Nobody Knows the Trouble Ive Seen. The singing continued as Sass and first-year student Scott Massey led the emotional group in Hebrew and English songs. The event concluded with the Mourners Kaddish. Reflecting on the event, Sass said: I think it went really well. It feels weird to say it went well. It shouldnt have had to go at all. This was my second time at Hillel and Henrys first time at Hillel, Abo said. Its crazy that it took a mass shooting to bring us there. I found it comforting to be in a group of people who were also grieving and to be surrounded by familiar songs and ideas, she continued. Also, I was really impressed by the presence of non-Jews at the [event]. This violence happens to other communities all the time, and coming out of this is making me a lot more empathetic and aware of whats going on in other communities. Wash U. wanted to do more. Hillel, Chabad, the Center for Diversity and Inclusion and the Interfaith Campus Ministries Association jointly planned a larger community gathering and tree planting event for Wednesday, Oct. 31. Hundreds of Jewish and non-Jewish Wash U. students and staff gathered in the middle of a campus parking lot. Passing cars and students slowed as they looked at the throng and the small oak resting on the side of the road. The lineup of speakers included Wash U. Chancellor Mark Wrighton, Chabads Rabbi Hershey Novack and Hillels Rabbi Jordan Gerson RJ. The speeches centered around the theme of radical love. Baseless love, free love, radical love has the power to build, said RJ. This gathering is an act of radical love. Wrighton, who sent an email to all students the day of the shooting urging campus to stand together against hate, bigotry and prejudice, discussed the significance of planting the tree. This is an extremely difficult time for our country, he said. But what were doing today by gathering in unity is working to make this world a better place. I hope that when we return in 15 years, we see not only a beautiful tree but a beautiful country. Sass found the tree planting to be a powerful message in the wake of the shooting. The act of planting a tree is so beautiful, especially given that it takes so long to bloom, she said. I think it really speaks to the Universitys commitment to remember this and to keep this in mind going forward. After the speeches, students grabbed shovels and blanketed the trees roots with dirt. Yet the campus response to the shooting did not end with last Wednesdays event. Students continued to reflectthrough Facebook posts, through op-eds in Wash U.s campus newspaper Student Life and through Jewish learning initiatives. Though this tree was shaken, it remains strong. Kayla Steinberg, 21, is a junior at Washington University majoring in philosophy-neuroscience-psychology and minoring in writing and Jewish studies. Steinberg writes for the Wash U. newspaper Student Life and Washington University Political Review. She grew up in Bedford, N.H. and is pursuing a career in journalism. With the UK's exit from the European Union fast approaching, Spain's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, had a message of reassurance for British people resident in Spain, especially on the Costa del Sol, on his visit to Malaga last Friday. Borrell, speaking at a conference for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) at the Hotel Miramar, insisted that the Brexit process "will not affect [British residents in Spain] at all" and he called for calm. "We have promised not to allow people to be used as hostages in the negotiations. Spain has made that very clear," he said. The minister also stressed that this was an issue that worked both ways. "The rights of citizens, whether those Britons who live in Spain or Spaniards who live there, are a fundamental part of the Brexit negotiations," he said. He added that those worried by Brexit could "rest assured" that the rights of the "hundreds of thousands of British people in Spain and the tens of thousands of Spaniards in the UK" would be the highest priority. The meeting in Malaga focussed on discussing a common European policy on energy, security and the environment. It brought together 170 specialist delegates and 15 ministers and deputy ministers from different European countries. Cervantes in the Russian Museum collection On display: A collection of 61 pieces including paintings, drawings, etchings and books. Highlights: The painting Don Quijote (1980-1985) by Helium Korzhev and the etchings by Ilya Repin, Konstatin Rudakov and Lev Britanishsky, among others. A small canvas, barely one metre square, serves to condense and distill the whole universe of an artist. Two figures in the foreground, one bathed in red blood and the other dark; one brandishes something, which could be a hammer, and the other holds a knife with a blooded tip. There are blue shadows in the eyes, an animal cut open like a flower and another, greenish in colour, about to be killed. Years later, the artist who did this painting would still recall how his uncle Nej would get up every morning, take the cows to the stable, tie their feet to make it easier to knock them down and, once they were on the ground, cut their throats over a pit. Memory and fiction, reality and fantasy mixed together in images which are often sweet but on occasion surprisingly violent. The little painting called Matadero (1911) by Marc Chagall is one of them, and it now hangs on the walls of the Russian Museum in Malaga. Chagall and his Russian contemporaries On display: Over 50 works, of which a quarter are by Chagall. Curator: Evgenia Petrova. Highlights: By Chagall, Paseo (1917), Judio en rojo (1915), Amantes azules (1914) and Dia de fiesta (1924). Other artists: The exhibition includes works by Nathan Altman, Robert Falk and Vera Pestel, among other artists. The Malaga branch of the Russian Museum has decided to put on three new exhibitions at the same time, with the main one featuring the works of Chagall. The other two are about contemporary Russian art and El Quijote. Three rather different subjects, indeed. In the case of Chagall and his Russian contemporaries, the artists signature appears on barely 25 per cent of the works on display. Also, all the works by Chagall are exhibited together at the end, making it rather difficult to compare the relationships there may have been between the artist and his contemporaries and compatriots. There are, despite this, some promising links with the work of Vera Pestel, such as Interior. Familia a la mesa (1918-19) and Tia Pasha (1919-1920). Marc Chagall is one of the most popular avant-garde artists of the early 20th century, to such an extent that this has been one of the most anxiously awaited exhibitions at the Russian Museum this year. However, the museum aims to highlight the historical and artistic context of artists works and in the case of Chagall, most are early pieces. This can also be a strength of the exhibition, because it places the emphasis on the rarity of some of the works on display. Private collectors As the curator of this exhibition, Evgenia Petrova, explained earlier this week, not only do we display works from our own collection, but also those which are less well-known from private collectors in Russia and Europe. She was referring to some of the pieces by Chagall, which were originally scheduled to be on display at the Russian Museum until November 6 but will now remain there until January 29 next year. Resistance, tradition and opening On display: A look at Russian contemporary art from the past four decades. Curator: Juan Francisco Rueda. Highlights: Sexo en Nueva York (2016) and Vogue (1999) by Igor Baskanov; Encuentro de dos culturas (1987-1994) by Leonid Sokov; Fantasia (1978) by Leonid Purysin; Historia de Anna Petrova by Ilya Kabakov and Salome (2015) by George Pusenkoff. Many of the works which can now be seen at the Russian Museum are therefore not from its own collections, but from private collectors who have loaned them especially for the exhibition in Malaga. These include Alla. Retrato de mujer (1909-1910) and El patio del abuelo (1914), where once again the artist harks back to his roots, and the more notable Dia de fiesta (Rabino con limon) (c. 1924) and Barrendero (c. 1925). Also from a private collection is, Amantes azules (1914), opening the way for the sentimentality of Paseo (1917), with two lovers holding hands and one of them in the clouds, in the literal and metaphoric sense of the expression. Paseo has come from the museum in St. Petersburg, as has Judio en rojo (1915), which Petrova describes as a metaphor for the community to which Chagall belonged. Posted on Wednesday, November 07, 2018 KINGSVILLE (November 7, 2018) Three faculty members from Texas A&M University-Kingsville participated in the Digital Ethnics Studies Forum entitled New Storytellers, held at University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Dr. Alberto Rodriguez, assistant history professor, gave the keynote with Dr. Shearon Roberts, assistant professor of mass communication at Xavier University and Dr. Roopika Risam, assistant professor of English and secondary English education at Salem State University. Texas A&M-Kingsville was among 10 colleges and universities that were invited to select two emerging and innovative scholars to attend the forum. Drs. Aniruddha Mukhopadhyay and Craig Meyer, assistant English professors at A&M-Kingsville, also were chosen as participants in the forum. At the forum, they were part of teams thinking critically about digital ethnic studies and working in groups to develop new digital projects. The theme of the forum centered on thinking about and working toward answering two questionswhat is needed to advance digital ethnic studies and what stories in this field are suited for the digital medium. Participants also took part in a series of workshops where they formed teams to think through new projects and address how digital tools could be best used to tell those stories and engage their audiences. -TAMUK- Historic Eutawville Part 2: Historic Village When I was a child, my parents often took me to Eutawville to visit my great aunt, a grizzled old woman my mother held in great esteem. Momma told me... Historic EutawvillePart 1: Indians & Marions Earliest historical data locates the Cherokees in a vast area of what is now the southeastern United States, with about 200 towns scattered throughout the present states of Alabama, Georgia,... Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, November 8, 2018 10:03 1109 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877b20b58 1 Books Indonesia,writing,literacy,festival,surakarta Free Festival Literasi Gerakan Menulis Buku Indonesia (Indonesia book writing movement literacy festival) was held on Nov. 6 at Graha Saba Convention Center in Surakarta, Central Java, as a way to encourage people to write. Organized by the Gerakan Menulis Buku Indonesia (GMBI) program, the festival was the culmination of a literary events series held by GMBI. It was attended by 850 people, comprising students, teachers and members of writing communities from different provinces. Suryo Handono, head of Gerakan Literasi Nasional, (national literacy movement) which was founded by the Education and Culture Ministry, told kompas.com that the festival aimed to motivate people to write. Read also: Writing by hand improves cognitive abilities, says expert Suryo went on to say that the ministry provided activities to encourage teachers and students to write regularly. This year's event was the festival's second installment, featuring discussion panels and a book launch, among other things. A poetry competition at the festival broke the Indonesian Museum of Records (MURI) record for amassing 19,991 poems. (wir/wng) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Michael Holden (Reuters) London, United Kingdom Thu, November 8, 2018 09:03 1109 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877b17827 2 People prince-charles,Britain,royals,author,Book,Monarchy Free Prince Charles, the "rebel" heir to the British throne, will face a battle to win over Britons and could even put the monarchy at risk if he does not temper his strong views when he eventually becomes king, a royal biographer says. Charles, who turns 70 next week, will be the oldest monarch to be crowned when he finally succeeds his 92-year-old mother Queen Elizabeth. Tom Bower, whose unauthorised Rebel Prince biography of Charles was published earlier this year, said the prince was intelligent, kind and sensitive but also selfish, ungrateful, and a lover of luxury whose stubborn streak could risk the institution itself. "I think Charles will try his hardest to be a good king," Bower, who describes himself as a committed monarchist, told Reuters. "The question will be how he behaves, whether he abandons a lot of the qualities that were shown in the preceding 20, 30 years. "I do believe the queen and (her husband) Prince Philip have been thankful to live so long to prevent their son being the monarch because he would have jeopardized it." Such critical portraits of the prince are not new. Since the public breakdown of his marriage to Princess Diana in the 1990s, his lifestyle and views on issues such as climate change, religion, alternative medicine and architecture have often had unfavorable treatment. "As a teenager, I remember feeling deeply about this appallingly excessive demolition job being done on every aspect of life," Charles said in a written response to Vanity Fair magazine for an interview published this month. "In putting my head above the parapet on all these issues, and trying to remind people of their long-term, timeless relevance to our human experience - never mind trying to do something about them - I found myself in conflict with the conventional outlook which, as I discovered, is not exactly the most pleasant situation to find yourself." Bower, whose biography was based on interviews with 120 people including some who worked closely for the royals, said the prince was committed to issues like the environment but was someone unable to take criticism. "He's very keen to criticize others but cannot tolerate those who challenge him," Bower said. "He's a person who is driven, who undoubtedly wants to do good but doesn't understand that the consequences of a lot of his actions cause a lot of trouble and he doesn't like to be told that he might be doing something wrong." Former aides who have worked closely with Charles say many of the stories in Bower's book are simply not true. The prince himself has dismissed a story that he travels with his own toilet seat. "I can understand why critics will write ... negatively, but all they're doing is taking a facet of him and making it the most negative possible," one former close aide of many years, who described himself as a big fan of Charles, told Reuters. "It's not such a contradiction that people have these polar views of him because somewhere in the middle is the real man." Read also: The man who would be king, eventually: Prince Charles turns 70 Axes to grind Supporters of the prince say his detractors are often those with axes to grind airing exaggerated grievances. "That reflects on Charles for causing those people to have a grievance," Bower said. "You don't find people speaking with grievances against the queen." While the queen was a unifier, he said: "Charles does the opposite. He divides the nation between those who like him and dislike him, he divides his own court, he creates hostility when he be creating harmony and that's his trait." Bower said Charles had rebelled against his parents, saying the demise of his relationship with Diana and the romance with his second wife Camilla was part of that rebellion. "He has a view of the world and he wants to impose his view of that world, so in every way he doesn't want to conform to expectations, so that makes him a rebel," he said. "I think that if he's a rebel king, the monarchy will be in danger and I think that is the great problem we face." Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Kim Arin (The Korea Herald/Asia News Network) Seoul Thu, November 8, 2018 16:08 1109 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877b37d87 2 Entertainment South-Korea,North-Korea,BTS,K-pop,#KPop Free South Korean pop culture is spreading in North Korea amid a surge in mobile phone use, according to Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon. BTS-related content is understood to be circulating among young people in North Korea, the minister said Monday during a plenary session of the National Assemblys Special Committee on Budget and Accounts. Chos remark came as Rep. Yoon Hu-duk of the ruling Democratic Party asked him to corroborate the number of mobile phone subscriptions in North Korea, which Cho confirmed as around 6 million, with each device priced at $100 to $200. Read also: How K-pop has sparked an interest in international politics The proliferation of mobile phone use comes as a surprise in the rigidly censored state, especially considering the average monthly income in the North which stands at around $80. Internet is not open to access and formed rather like a local network (in North Korea.) Despite the restrictive access, it is understood that (BTS-related cultural content) is circulating among North Korean teens, Cho said. According to a National Intelligence report, the number of mobile phones is estimated at around 5.8 million, a representative of the opposition party said, adding that the rapidity with which the number of units is rising is something that even North Korean authorities could not have predicted. The minister went on to explain that the wireless mobile communications technology in North Korea is considered the equivalent of a third-generation network or below. Topics : This article appeared on The Korea Herald newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin David Tweed and Sheridan Prasso (Bloomberg) Thu, November 8, 2018 16:32 1109 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877b3820a 2 Books author,Book,#books,Hong-Kong,festival,Literature,China-Dream,Hong-Kong-International-Literary-Festival,Ma-Jian Free The author of a novel critical of President Xi Jinpings slogan touting the Chinese Dream said he has been barred from speaking at the main venue of the Hong Kong International Literary Festival. The writer, Ma Jian, said he was told that the Tai Kwun arts complex had canceled his two events scheduled for Saturday and organizers were looking for alternative venues. While Ma said he wasnt given any explanation, he has previously complained about censorship of his works, including China Dream, a new book satirizing one of Xis signature campaigns. Just been told that my two events at the Hong Kong International Literary Festival this week can no longer be held at Tai Kwun, the London-based writer said in a tweet Wednesday. An alternative venue will have to be found. No reason has been given to me yet. Ma didnt say who had informed him of the ban, and didnt immediately respond to an email seeking clarification. The author spoke at an event in London on Tuesday and it was unclear whether he was already in Hong Kong. The Tai Kwun -- occupying the the site of a former colonial police barracks and jail -- was renovated by the Hong Kong Jockey Club and the HK$3.8 billion ($485 million) project was completed this year. The club is the citys largest taxpayer and holds a monopoly over local horse racing and gambling and runs charities for the betterment of Hong Kong. Philip Ho, HKJCs head of public affairs, referred inquiries Thursday to Tai Kwun colleagues. The Tai Kwuns media department acknowledged an email seeking comment and said it would respond as soon as possible. The literary festivals organizers didnt immediately respond to emails, but its event page changed to say a venue update was forthcoming. Both events were sold out. Read also: 'Rebel' Prince Charles could put monarchy at risk, author says Clamping down The move comes amid growing concern about efforts to tame dissent in the former British colony. In recent months, Hong Kong authorities have issued an unprecedented ban against a pro-independence party, and took the unusual step of denying a work visa renewal to a Financial Times journalist who presided over a talk by the banned partys leader. Ma said he has been prevented since 2011 from entering mainland China, where his books are banned. He tweeted Nov. 1 that China Dream wouldnt be translated into Chinese in Hong Kong, alleging publishers were too afraid. The reported ban follows the cancellation last weekend of an exhibition featuring an artist critical of China due to what the organizer called threats by Chinese authorities. Hong Kongs No. 2 official, Matthew Cheung, defended Hong Kong this week after some United Nations member countries -- and local civil society organizations, including the citys Foreign Correspondents Club -- alleged Hong Kongs rule of law and its human rights environment were deteriorating. Cheung told the UN Universal Periodic Review in Geneva that such concerns were unwarranted, unfounded, and unsubstantiated, according to media reports. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Paris Thu, November 8, 2018 23:07 1109 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877b406a5 2 Lifestyle Hermes,luxury,China Free French fashion house Hermes reported Wednesday another quarter of brisk sales growth, propelled by red-hot demand in China, where the ultrachic brand expects further growth as it opens stores and rolls out online sales. The company said sales in the third quarter climbed 9.4 percent to 1.46 billion euros ($1.68 billion), racking up higher sales in all the regions where it operates. But it was Asia excluding Japan, which has become the group's biggest source of revenue, that set the pace, with sales jumping 11.8 percent to 519 million euros. The results reassured investors who had worried that trade tensions between Beijing and Washington could hamper sales of Birkin, Kelly and other hot Hermes handbags to eager Chinese customers. "We have not seen any change of rhythm in China for now," executive chairman Axel Dumas said during a conference call. Nonetheless, "we remain vigilant and are not taking anything for granted," he said. Hermes opened a store in Xi'an in September, after openings in Changsha and Hong Kong this year. Read also: Why Birkins are good investments: For divorced women, it can solve financial woes And last month the Hermes.cn site went online, offering internet sales across China. The company has not divulged any specific targets for sales growth this year. But it said in a statement: "In the medium-term, despite growing economic, geopolitical and monetary uncertainties around the world, the group confirms an ambitious goal for revenue growth at constant exchange rates." At constant rates, overall third-quarter sales rose 9.4 percent, softening from the 11.6 percent growth chalked up the previous quarter. But the storied French leather and fashion house is still enjoying one of its most prosperous eras ever, with profit margins reaching a record 34.6 percent last year. It has been bulking up its production capacity, with a new workshop opening in the Franche-Comte region near the French border with Switzerland last April, and two new sites underway near Bordeaux and south of Paris. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Agus Dermawan T. (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, November 8, 2018 09:09 1109 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877b17c75 1 Art & Culture Balai-Kirti-Museum,museums-of-presidents Free There have been six presidents in Indonesias 73-year journey as an independent nation, and museums located in Bogor, West Java, and in Yogyakarta are great starting points to learn about them. The one in Bogor is the Balai Kirti Museum, and it is part of the Bogor Palace compound. Balai Kirti, a three-story glass building, occupies an area of 3,212 square meters. It is situated on the left side of the spacious and grand palace. The Sanskrit word kirti means a room of glory for heroes. Therefore, Balai Kirti is a memorial house in honor of the great services rendered by special heroes, in this case six former Indonesian presidents Sukarno, Soeharto, BJ Habibie, Abdurahman Gus Dur Wahid, Megawati Sukarnoputri and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Apart from the six presidents biographies, which take up most room in the museum, Balai Kirti also depicts the history of Indonesias struggle for independence. The ground floor illustrates the nations journey, from the Youth Pledge of 1928 to the birth of the Pancasila state philosophy and the Preamble of the 1945 Constitution. The same floor also displays a digital map of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI), the official name of Indonesia as a sovereign country. All the exhibits are accentuated by bronze statues of the six presidents with gestures of grandeur created by artist Yusman. The second floor of Balai Kirti presents various presidential memorabilia, such as official suits worn to attend ceremonies and welcome state guests, hats, order of merits, medals of honors, historic photos, caps, shawls and books written by the presidents. On this floor visitors also find replicas of presidential offices, complete with the chairs they sat on as they determined state policies. The walls on the second floor feature videos and interactive digital albums inviting visitors to surf the audio-visual world. Visitors can also read some of the presidents most famous quotes, such as Sukarnos Never ever forget history. The second floor also features a large painting by Jeihan Sukmantoro, outlining the shadows of the six presidents in black and white. Jeihan, known for putting pitch-black eyes on the human characters in his paintings, said the painting was worth Rp 60 billion (US$4 million) and was contributed to the state. Not far from Jeihans painting is a presidential podium for delivering speeches with the Presidential Palace as its backdrop. Here, any visitor can pretend to be a president and deliver speeches. Around 560 kilometers from Bogor is Yogyakarta, the location of the Museum of Indonesian Presidents. This museum, part of the Gedung Agung compound, displays historic photos arranged in esthetic infographics as well as six large biographic paintings of the presidents, the works of realist artists Dede Eri Supria, Melodia, Ivan Hariyanto, Robby Lulianto, Gunawan Hanjaya and Lim Hui Yung. These paintings are the museums main attractions, because the painters used the 3-meter wide canvases to illustrate the peaks of accomplishment of each president while in office. Based on a consensus formulated by several cultural observers, the painters themselves and the ministry/State Secretariat, the statesmen are held in high esteem. First President Sukarno is described as Courageous President and Great Hoister of the National Flag, bearing the symbol of Adipati Karna, a warlord in the Mahabharata epic. Sukarnos successor, Soeharto, who ruled Indonesia for 32 years under his dictatorial New Order regime, is named President of National Economic and Social Development and symbolized by King Ramawijaya of the Ramayana epic. Habibie, who took over the presidency after massive political and economic turmoil forced Soeharto to step down in 1998, is given the title of President of Technology and Democracy, seen as the personification of genius figures in the legendary Buginese book La Galigo. Gus Dur, who was the successor of Habibie and whose presidency was cut short due to a politically motivated impeachment, is identified as President of Pluralism, with King Yudhistira of Mahabharata as his symbol. Megawati, the daughter of Sukarno, who took advantage of the impeachment of Gus Dur, is designated as Guardian of History and Reform, personifying Tribhuwana Tunggadewi, the sovereign queen of the great Majapahit Kingdom from 1328 to 1351, while Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Indonesias first democratically elected president, is introduced as the President of Diplomacy and Post-Disaster Reconstruction, earning him the symbol of Vishnu, the god of three realms, or Tri Loka. These museums remind the public of the fact that paintings are the most essential means of documentation of the national struggle, superior to photography. From the 1940s to 1960s, Sudjojono and peers did it well, said Edi Sunaryo, a postgraduate lecturer at Yogyakartas Indonesian Arts Institute. But in the following period until the 1990s, there was no more such painting portrayal. Only in the 2000s was it revived through the two palaces. That is remarkable. Perhaps, the most disturbing aspect of the museums exposition is that the Indonesian presidents are given the full image of grandeur, invulnerability, flawlessness and benevolent leadership. This way, some of their dark deeds remain concealed, although such historical obscurities have become open secrets. For example, Soeharto indirectly killed at least 3 million people during the communist purge from 1965 to 1968 to become the president, but such horrific atrocities are conveniently overlooked at the museums. Museums can be likened to book covers, and since they say you shouldnt judge a book by its cover, society will scrutinize the museums for their content. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Lisbon Thu, November 8, 2018 20:05 1109 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877b3dbb3 2 Entertainment Netflix,video-streaming,series Free Netflix said Wednesday it will produce more series in Europe in languages other than English following the global success of Spanish crime caper "Money Heist" and German mystery "Dark". "We have seen that shows we have done were able to find gigantic global audiences, where the vast majority of viewing comes from outside the country of origin," Netflix chief product officer Greg Peters told AFP. Ninety percent of viewers of "Dark", a show about missing children, live outside of Germany, Austria and Switzerland, he added in Lisbon at the Web Summit, Europe's largest tech gathering. "Can you think of any German show that has had that much viewing outside" of German-speaking nations, he asked. Peters announced at the event that Netflix was producing two new series in Norway and Spain which will become available in 2020. The US streaming giant has recruited Adam Price, the creator of hit Danish political drama series "Borgen", to produce its first ever Norwegian show "Ragnarok". The series imagines what would happen if a god of Norse was reincarnated as a teenager in today's world. Netflix's new Spanish series, "Alma", is about a young woman who loses his memory following an accident. It will be made by Spanish writer-director Sergio Sanchez, who is behind supernatural thriller "Marrowbone". "We really think there's an opportunity to find stories that haven't been told, outside the US and the UK and we can grow that number by a huge amount," said Peters. Netflix's focus on Europe is not only a strategic choice but also a matter of necessity. The European Union has imposed a quota requiring streaming services to ensure at least 30 percent of their content is local programming. Read also: Netflix to release 3 films in theaters ahead of online debut Netflix in January 2016 launched its service globally, simultaneously bringing its internet streaming TV network to over 130 new countries around the world. Since then it boosted investment in shows deloped outside the United States to lure new customers around the world and managed to turn non-English language shows into hits. Netflix currently produces programmes in over 20 countries, including Brazil, India and South Korea. Shows are dubbed into a range of other languages just as Netflix's English-language shows are, while subtitles are also offered. The company plans to invest more in dubbing, which is key to winning new markets for non-English shows, especially in the United States where people seem to prefer subtitles. Netflix has 137 million subscribers worldwide, making it the world's biggest online subscription video service by far. Company growth in international subscribers jumped by over 40 percent in both 2016 and 2017. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Bambang Muryanto (The Jakarta Post) Yogyakarta Thu, November 8, 2018 11:06 1109 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877b23b54 1 Art & Culture art-exhibition,painting-exhibition Free The Two Sides of the Medal exhibition by Yogyakarta-based artist Mahdi Abdullah highlights dualism in life and the ordeals faced by women of his hometown Aceh during past military operations. A large painting depicts the face of an old Acehnese woman who covers her right eye with her hand, with her left eye reflecting an image of an M16 assault gun. The acrylic painting, titled Testimony by 58-year-old artist Mahdi Abdullah, shows her wrinkles and facial expression in detail so much so that it looks like a photograph. The old lady in the painting, Nyak Aman, a frequent model for Mahdis paintings, radiates peace, even though she lived in a time of violence. The Acehnese women bore witness to the prevailing violence in the province, but I also wish to reveal the widespread violence and terrorism in Java and Sulawesi, Mahdi told The Jakarta Post on Oct. 1. Testimony is one of the 17 works featured in Mahdis solo 19th solo exhibition at the Sangkring Art Project in Yogyakarta, which runs from Oct. 30 to Nov. 13. The exhibition, which depicts the dualistic aspects of human life, is curated by Mahdi himself. Without curators, I convey the whole picture, said Mahdi, who moved to Yogyakarta after a tsunami destroyed his house in Aceh in 2004. In Indonesias art scene, Mahdi is known as a painter who uses realism to expose his anxieties over the social realities he has witnessed, especially related to the life of the so-called common people. The former journalist said not many people paid attention to dualism in life; black and white, heaven and earth, left and right, virtue and evil, visible and invisible. They serve as a sign to remind man of the choices he makes. Mahdis painting titled Tamu (Guest), for instance, highlights the human and animalistic natures of a man. The painting shows a man with a butterfly perching on his finger. Behind him, a creature with a butterfly head and wings rests its right hand on the mans shoulder. I choose butterflies because people here [in Java] believe that when a butterfly enters a house, it means a guest will come, said Mahdi, who studied at the Indonesian Fine Art Academy (ASRI) in Yogyakarta as an audit student. Mahdi criticizes some groups tendency of using religion to oppress women in his painting, Sound Up and Sound Down. Two loudspeakers are seen attached to a tall pole. Behind the speakers, a group of men scream at a veiled woman, who bends down and covers her face. I combine the situation I witnessed in Jakarta, where religious sermons broadcast through speakers disturbs local residents, and that in Aceh, where women become victims, Mahdi added. The painting cleverly depicts the opposing sides of reality. A mosques speaker is intended to convey a message on virtuous deeds, but it instead produces an adverse impact on people because it is too loud. In Aceh, the men preach about religious norms to gain power and oppress women. In the exhibition, Mahdi also includes some works focusing on the violence in Aceh when it endured the governments military operations between 1989 and 1998. Both the Indonesian Military (TNI) and Free Aceh Movement (GAM) committed violence during the period. The dark side of Aceh is depicted in Chronology #15, Open and Shut, Fragrance of a Dream and The Smell of a Face Print, as well as an installation titled Dynamics of Top in Land of War. In the installation, Mahdi presents five tops to symbolize a family of five. The tops are embellished with sketches of the life of the Acehnese people and the violence they face. Rice, spices and paddy are scattered on a table. A motor on the table constantly spins the tops to signify that whatever happens, life keeps moving on. The installation also includes a passage from novel Di Serambi Makkah (In Aceh) by Tasaro. It was heartrending to see old women crying [as] their houses were burned down. Their neighbors didnt dare help for fear of having the same fate. Evacuees did not receive aid for weeks and slept in tents with palm roofs; they cooked just an ounce of rice per family. Crazy! I never imagined that such things could happen in Indonesia, the passage reads. Commenting on the exhibition, Werner Kraus from the Center for Southeast Asian Art said Mahdis creations spoke volumes about his life experiences and place of origin. Mahdi Abdullah [] had more than the ordinary share of disturbing experiences in his early life. After all, he was born and grew up in Aceh during a time of civil strife and natural disaster, Kraus wrote in his essay. According to art writer Anton Larenz, Mahdis excellent realist technique carries a tremendous persuasive power. It is an introspection, an inventory of his thoughts and feelings that he found inside. Sometimes theyre dreamy, poetic, sometimes mirroring fears and terror, leaving the plane of realism and opening almost surrealist dimensions, Larenz said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Thousand Oaks, United States Thu, November 8, 2018 18:07 1109 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877b3a89a 2 World #USA,#shooting,california,shooting,killing,victims,bar Free Twelve people, including a police sergeant, were shot dead in a shooting at a nighttclub close to Los Angeles, police said Thursday. All the victims were killed inside the bar in the suburb of Thousand Oaks late on Wednesday, including the officer who had been called to the scene, Sheriff Geoff Dean told reporters. The gunman was also dead at the scene, Dean added. The bar was hosting a college country music night. The venue was hosting an event for college students and possibly several hundred young people were inside, said Captain Garo Kuredjian of the Ventura County Sheriff's office. He said around 0915 GMT that the shooter was still confined inside the premises, adding he did not know if the shooter had been subdued or shot. Police who responded to reports of a shooting rushed to the scene and engaged the gunman, said Kuredjian. A deputy sheriff is among the 11 people shot. The incident happened at the Borderline Bar and Grill in the town of Thousand Oaks, a quiet, upscale residential suburb of Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Times quoted a law enforcement official as saying at least 30 shots had been fired. An unnamed witness told the newspaper that someone ran into the bar around 11:30 pm and started shooting what looked to be a black pistol. "He shot a lot, at least 30 times. I could still hear gunshots after everyone left," the Times quoted the man as saying. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, November 8, 2018 17:22 1109 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877b392fa 4 Business citilink,Kertajati-Airport,Kualanamu-airport,routes Free Low-cost carrier Citilink Indonesia will start a new route from Kertajati International Airport in Majalengka, West Java, to Kualanamu International Airport in Medan, North Sumatra, on Friday. In addition to becoming an option for inter-city transportation, the opening of the Citilink route is expected to boost tourism in the two cities, said Citilink vice president of corporate social responsibility (CSR) Ranty Astari Rachman in a statement received on Thursday. She said Citilink Indonesia, a subsidiary of flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, believed the opening of the flight that connected the two populous islands, was an opportunity to expand its LCC business. The press release said that the route would be served by an Airbus A320 aircraft with a capacity of up to 180 passengers. The plane is scheduled to take off from Kertajati airport at 8:85 a.m. and arrive at Kualanamu airport at 11:25 a.m. Meanwhile, the flight from Kualanamu airport is scheduled to depart at 5:40 a.m. and arrive at Kertajati airport at 8:05 a.m. West Java airport company PT Bandara Internasional Jawa Barat (BIJB) president director Virda Dimas Ekaputra welcomed the opening of the new route, saying that it was a lucrative flight because of the high demand for air transportation in the area, as Majalengka was surrounded by cities that hosted large industrial areas. He said the company had set a target for 14 direct flights, both domestically and internationally to be opened from Kertajati by the end of this year. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Paul Handley (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States Thu, November 8, 2018 08:08 1109 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877b1545e 2 World #USA,#DonaldTrump,Donald-Trump,fire,Attorney-General,Russia-medlling,probe Free US Attorney General Jeff Sessions was fired by Donald Trump Wednesday after enduring more than a year of bitter criticism from the president over his decision to step aside from the Russia investigation that has dogged the White House. The move cast into doubt the ability of Special Counsel Robert Mueller -- who had until now been insulated from White House interference -- to complete the Russia probe, and drew stern warnings from Democrats for the president to stay clear. Sessions' departure came the day after a midterm vote that saw Republicans lose control of the House of Representatives but boost their Senate majority, and Trump's swift move was seen as a sign of how he confident he was feeling after the polls. In announcing the resignation -- in a tweet thanking him "for his service" -- Trump right away named as acting attorney general Sessions' chief of staff Matthew Whitaker. That set off immediate alarm bells: Whitaker has been overtly critical of the broad scope granted to Mueller's team to probe beyond allegations Trump's campaign colluded with Russia in 2016, into other ties between Trump, his family and aides, and Russia -- an investigation the president calls a "witch hunt". In an op-ed in August last year he publicly urged Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein -- who oversees the probe -- to "limit the scope of his investigation to the four corners of the order appointing him special counsel." As acting attorney general, Whitaker now has the power to wrest oversight away from Rosenstein, and take charge himself. - First casualty after midterms - Senator Mark Warner, senior Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, was among those who sounded a warning to Trump. "No one is above the law and any effort to interfere with the special counsel's investigation would be a gross abuse of power by the president," he said. Democratic Congressman Jerry Nadler, who is expected to take charge of the House Judiciary Committee in the wake of Tuesday's elections, was more direct: "There is no mistaking what this means, and what is at stake: this is a constitutionally perilous moment for our country and for the president." Sessions was the first casualty of a cabinet shakeup that had been expected from Trump following the midterm elections. But his departure had been anticipated since early this year, after he endured withering and repeated criticism from the president over the legally troubled ban on Muslim travelers Trump sought when he came into office, and over the Mueller probe. "At your request, I am submitting my resignation," Sessions said in the first line of a letter addressed to Trump, released by the Department of Justice. - Trump's first backer - Sessions was the first US senator to back Trump's presidential run in 2016, giving the New York real estate billionaire credibility against a broad field of Republican stalwarts. The two were reportedly brought together by a shared wish to crack down on immigration. After taking office in January 2017, the former Alabama prosecutor launched tough law-and order policies and a broad ban on Muslim travelers promised by Trump during the campaign. He was in the vanguard of administration pushes to expand the ranks of federal law enforcement, fill courts with conservative judges, and crack down on Central American gangs like MS-13. But the president was infuriated when in March 2017 Sessions recused himself from the nascent Russia investigation, because of his own Russian contacts during the 2016 campaign. Instead, he gave Rosenstein that authority. When Trump weeks later fired FBI director James Comey in anger at the Russia investigation, Rosenstein stunned the administration by naming Mueller, a former FBI chief, to lead the probe as an independent prosecutor. That structure, with Sessions recused and Rosenstein supervising Mueller, has insulated the investigation from outside interference. Still, Trump has repeatedly accused Mueller of running an illegal investigation staffed by Democrats and threatened to shut it down. - Indictments looming - Matters though were clearly coming to a head after Mueller racked up indictments against 34 people and three companies, in direct and spinoff cases. Eight guilty pleas have resulted, and one jury trial conviction. Most notably, several top Trump aides have agreed to cooperate: former national security advisor Michael Flynn; former campaign chair Paul Manafort; former vice chair Richard Gates; and former Trump Organization vice president Michael Cohen, long Trump's personal fixer. Mueller was expected to unveil in the coming weeks new indictments, possibly against 2016 campaign consultant Roger Stone and Trump's son Donald Jr. Moreover, Mueller's team and the White House have been haggling for months over whether the president himself would answer questions. Mueller is known to be examining whether Trump obstructed justice in firing Comey and other acts. In addition, the White House has shown concern that Mueller is investigating the finances of the Trump Organization and links to Russia. That is where Whitaker could serve the president's interests. In his op-ed last year he declared in particular that Trump family finances fall "completely outside the realm of his 2016 campaign (and) beyond the scope of the appointment of the special counsel." Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Rachmadea Aisyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, November 8 2018 Indonesias top women are set to address digital capability and its required new skill sets in enhancing the role of women in the economy in the first Indonesian Womens Forum (IWF 2018), set to take place on Thursday and Friday. With the theme of Bringing the best of Indonesian women, IWF 2018 is aimed at providing a comprehensive overview of the state of development of business and careers for women, as well as the gender issues that surround them. IWF 2018 chief organizer Petty S. Fatimah said the lack of technology utilization in developing careers or businesses for women was one of the concerns within the environment of working women. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, November 8, 2018 13:44 1109 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877b2b879 1 City explosion,LPG-canisters,Bekasi,injury,damage,houses Free A gas explosion has injured four residents and damaged six houses in the Harapan Baru 2 housing complex in Bekasi, West Java. We suspect that a leak in a 12-kilogram liquefied petroleum gas [LPG] canister in a house was the source, Bekasi Police spokeswoman Comr. Erna Ruswing Andari said after the incident on Thursday, as quoted by tempo.co. The injured victims are the owner of the house, Farel Situmorang, 59, as well as David Situmorang, 29, Eisen Rosafel Panjaitan, 39, and Samsiah, 53. Erna went on to say that the incident had occured after the house owner attempted to turn on the stove at 4 a.m. to boil water, but the stove did not light up. The explosion reportedly occurred when the house owner tried for a second time. Six houses have been damaged in the explosion, including four that were severely damaged. Police have cordoned off the scene for further investigation. (sau) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, November 8, 2018 14:13 1109 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877b2fc18 4 Business trade-agreement,Darmin-nasution,ratification Free The government has decided to ratify seven international trade agreements (PPI) without the approval of the House of Representatives, the senior economy minister said in Jakarta on Wednesday, following a coordination meeting. Coordinating Economic Minister Darmin Nasution said the agreements would be ratified by government regulation. We decided in the coordination meeting that we would ratify the seven international trade agreements according to the trade law. We need to take this decision because of the importance of these trade agreements, Darmin said after chairing the meeting at his Jakarta office as quoted by kompas.com. Darmin said the move was based on Article 84, Paragraph 4 of Law No. 7/2014 on trade, which states: If the House of Representatives has not made a decision within 60 days after an international trade agreement is submitted, the government may make a decision without House approval. The government submitted the draft agreements to the House two months ago, Darmin added, and that he would soon meet with President Joko Widodo to discuss the draft agreements. Darmin said the country could suffer losses if the trade agreements were not ratified. For example, if Indonesia did not ratify the First Protocol to amend AANZFTA, the country would not benefit from the preferential tariffs in the amended agreement. He added that Indonesia would greatly benefit from the AANZFTA, because 73.6 percent of all exports to Australia, worth US$1.76 billion, used the AANZFTA facility. The six other agreements are the Agreement on Trade in Services under the ASEAN-India FTA (AITISA), the Third Protocol to Amend the Agreement on Trade in Goods under ASEAN-Korea FTA (AKFTA), the Protocol to Amend the Framework Agreement under ASEAN-China FTA (ACFTA), the ASEAN Agreement on Medical Device Directive (AMDD), the Protocol to Implement the 9th ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services (AFAS-9), and the Protocol to Amend Indonesia-Pakistan PTA (IP-PTA). (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, November 8 2018 The Jakarta administration has agreed to give Rp 602 billion (US$40 million) to Bekasi in exchange for dumping its garbage at the West Java citys Bantar Gebang dump. Of this amount, Rp 199 billion is to be given to residents living near the dump site as uang bau (stench money), or compensation for the smell emanating from it. The remaining Rp 403 billion is to be distributed as a development grant for the planned Cipendawa and Rawapanjang overpass. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, November 8, 2018 11:28 1109 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877b252db 4 Business Clark-international-airport,Manila,AP-II,tender Free State-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II (AP II) is eyeing to manage the Clark International Airport in Manila part of its plans to expand internationally. We are invited [to take part in a tender] along with AirAsia, AP II finance director Andra Y Agusalam said in Jakarta on Wednesday as quoted by kompas.com. AP II had submitted a document of the tender that was also followed by operators of Zurich International Airport in Switzerland and the Changi International Airport in Singapore, Andra said. He added that AP II president director Muhammad Awaluddin would go to Manila for the tender process. The cost to manage the airport, which was a former United States airbase, is reported to be about Rp 350 billion (US$23.91 million). Our calculation is that 35 percent of the consortium is Rp 350 billion, he added. AP II currently operates dozens of airports in Indonesia, including the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, the largest airport in the country. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jambi Thu, November 8 2018 Excessive damage to Jambis forests as a result of destructive activities like illegal logging and mining, as well as land conversion, is causing routine flooding in the province, environmental group Warsi Indonesian Conservation Community (KKI Warsi) has warned. The latest flooding caused by deforestation occurred in Bungo regency, which experienced the inundation of almost 770 houses inhabited by about 914 families last Saturday. According to the Bungo Disaster Mitigation Agency, 20 families had to leave their homes because of the flooding. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, November 8 2018 Security agencies in Saudi Arabia have questioned Rizieq Shihab, a firebrand cleric who has been in self-exile in the country, over reports about the installation of an Islamist flag at his house in Mecca, the Foreign Ministry has said. Indonesian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Agus Maftuh Abegebriel said he received a report on the detention of the cleric on Monday. Our staff were eventually informed that Mecca Police went to Rizieqs house on Monday morning to investigate the allegation of the installation of a black flag that resembles the flag of Islamist extremist groups on the rear side of his house, Agus said in a statement on Wednesday. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, November 8, 2018 14:29 1109 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877b31136 1 National #Gunandroses-show,Guns-N-Roses,concert,#concert,rock-band,#rockband,#Jokowi,Jokowi Free President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has said that he wants to attend American rock band Guns N Roses "Not in This Lifetime" Jakarta concert, which is set for Thursday at the Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) main stadium. Jokowi, known to be a big fan of the band, added that he would have to decide at the last minute, as he needed to weigh his tight daily schedule against going to the concert. "[My decision] will be made on the spot, which means that I might or might not [attend the concert]," Jokowi told reporters on Thursday, "If I have a little bit of free time, of course I want to watch [Guns N' Roses]." When asked about his favorite songs by the band, Jokowi said it was "Sweet Child O' Mine". The song is considered by many to be one of the band's best hits, ever since Guns N' Roses took the world by storm in the late 1980s. Jokowi has seen the band perform live in Jakarta in 2012, when he was the Jakarta governor. The Guns N' Roses kicks off its "Not in This Lifetime" tour in Asia on Thursday. The tour is expected to be extra special for fans, because lead guitarist Saul Slash Hudson and bassist Duff McKagan are taking the stage with Axl Rose and Dizzy Reed for the first time since 1993's "Use Your Illusion" tour. (ipa) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Kharishar Kahfi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, November 8, 2018 11:07 1109 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877b24081 1 National #KPK,KPK,Eddy-Sindoro,bribery-case,#Bribery-case Free The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has filed an indictment against Lucas, the lawyer of former Lippo Group senior executive Eddy Sindoro, which has revealed a plot to help the businessman hide overseas and avoid arrest for alleged bribery. KPK prosecutors indicted Lucas on Wednesday at the Jakarta Corruption Court for obstructing its investigation into Eddy for alleged bribery in connection with a 2016 Supreme Court case review. According to the indictment, a copy of which The Jakarta Post obtained, Lucas advised Eddy in December 2016 to remain overseas and relinquish his Indonesian citizenship to avoid questioning by the KPK, which had been pursuing the businessman since mid-2016, when the case began to unfold. At his [Lucas'] suggestion, Eddy was assisted by an individual identified as Chua Chwee Chye to obtain a fake Dominican Republic passport, the indictment read, but it did not disclose details on when or where the counterfeit passport was made. On Aug. 5, 2018, Eddy was found to have entered Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from Bangkok, Thailand, on the fake passport. Malaysian authorities captured Eddy on Aug. 7 when he attempted to exit that country on the fake passport, and ordered for him to be deported back to Indonesia by Aug. 29. Lucas, who was aware of the incident in Malaysia, began making plans to help Eddy flee Indonesia immediately upon his arrival after his deportation from Malaysia, the indictment said. Lucas had planned to get Eddy out of Indonesia without passing through immigration at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. The plan included the involvement of several airport and airline staff, including Soekarno-Hatta's Dwi Hendro Wibowo, Air Asia Indonesia duty executive Yulia Shintawati and airport immigration officer Andi Sofyar, all of whom allegedly accepted money from Lucas in exchange for their help. The KPK said that on Aug. 29, Malaysian authorities deported Eddy, who arrived at Soekarno-Hatta where Dwi and Yulia met him on the tarmac. Dwi and Yulia allegedly escorted him immediately to a departure gate to board a Garuda Indonesia flight to Bangkok, bypassing immigration, the indictment said. The KPK named Lucas a suspect in the case on Oct. 1 for obstructing its investigation into Eddy. Eleven days later on Oct. 12, Eddy surrendered to the Indonesian police attache in Singapore, ending his two-year run from the law. The KPK said earlier that Eddy had been hopping from one country to another from 2016 to 2018, and had traveled to Singapore, Bangkok, Malaysia and Myanmar in an alleged attempt to evade justice. During Wednesday's hearing, Lucas told the court that he would lodge a formal objection against the KPK indictment, kompas.com reported. State-owned electronics maker PT LEN Industri president director Zakky Gamal Yasin (right) and operations director Adi Sufiadi Yusuf (second right) exchange views with French military officers about the Starstreak missile on the sidelines of the Indo Defense Expo and Forum in Jakarta on Wednesday. PT LEN has the contract to integrate the air defense missile system in cooperation with British firm Thales Air Defense, a member of the French defense group Thales.(JP/Vellen Augustine)(right) and operations director Adi Sufiadi Yusuf (second right) exchange views with French military officers about the Starstreak missile on the sidelines of the Indo Defense Expo and Forum in Jakarta on Wednesday. PT LEN has the contract to integrate the air defense missile system in cooperation with British firm Thales Air Defense, a member of the French defense group Thales.(JP/Vellen Augustine) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Arya Dipa (The Jakarta Post) Bandung Thu, November 8, 2018 09:35 1109 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877b1fe39 1 Politics Golkar,anna-sophana,Airlangga-Hartarto,Indramayu-West-Java,2019-elections,2019-legislative-election Free The sudden resignation of Indramayu Regent Anna Sophana has brewed controversy in West Java. She was not only considered the matriarch of a political dynasty that has controlled the regency for almost two decades, Anna also made the decision just months before the 2019 general elections, risking isolating her family from politics. The Indramayu Legislative Council (DPRD Indramayu) confirmed on Wednesday her resignation at a plenary meeting - without her presence. The council members read out and then approved her written statement, which has also been submitted to the West Java administration. We will send our confirmation to the Home Ministry and ask for an acting official [to replace her], said council speaker Taufik Hidayat of the Golkar Party. Questions still linger about her decision, which was revealed only through a letter to the West Java administration and the council in late October. She reportedly cited family affairs as the reason behind her decision. Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo said he had also been surprised by the decision. We are sending a team to demand clarity, to know her considerations. She was chosen by the people. She cannot walk away just like that, he said on the sidelines of an event in Jakarta. Indramayu Regent Anna Sophana (Tribunnews.com/-) The 60-year-old regent has recently welcomed her husband, Irianto Yance Syafiuddin, home after being released from two years in prison for corruption. Yance was a Golkar politician who had led Indramayu for 10 years before he was convicted in a graft case related to the land acquisition for a coal-fired power plant in the regency. The couple has three children. Son Daniel Mutaqien is on track to inherit the familys political legacy and is currently serving as a Golkar lawmaker and head of the partys Indramayu chapter. He is looking for another term at the House of Representatives in the 2019 polls. The familys uphill journey in politics began last year when Daniel gained permission from the partys central board, then under graft convict Setya Novanto, to run alongside Ridwan Kamil, then-Bandung mayor who was eyeing the provinces top post. His nomination was challenged by Dedi Mulyadi, current chairman of West Javas Golkar chapter, who was also planning to run. After Setya was arrested in the e-ID corruption case, the second-largest party at the House and also a major supporter of President Joko Jokowi Widodo, withdrew its support of Daniel and instead backed Dedis run with then-deputy governor Dedi Mizwar, who is from the Democratic Party. Vice President Jusuf Kalla, a close friend of Daniels father and who had testified in his defense, criticized Airlangga Hartarto, the new party chairman who replaced Setya, for the decision. Kalla said such changes would damage the partys credibility. Others accused Airlangga of returning the favor from Dedi, who had supported him during the partys chairman election. The industry minister has denied the claims. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo (center), accompanied by Golkar Party politician Ibnu Munzir (left), newly-elected party chairman Airlangga Hartarto (second left) and two other Golkar politicians, Nurdin Halid (second right) and Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita (right), strikes a tifa (traditional Papuan musical instrument) during the opening of the party's extraordinary meeting in Jakarta on Dec. 18, 2017. (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama) Ridwan later won the West Java gubernatorial election alongside Uu Ruzhanul Ulum, former Tasikmalaya regent and a member of the United Development Party (PPP). But the battle is not over for Golkar, which must now compete with other political parties to win the countrys most populous province of 32 million voters. Although both Dedi and Daniel have declared their support for Jokowi, Golkar still has to struggle in the legislative and presidential elections amid waning popularity in the province. A recent survey from the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) showed that the Gerindra Party is the strongest party in West Java with an electability of 20 percent. Jokowis supporters, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and Golkar, earned 17 percent and 11 percent, respectively. Daniel denied rumors of a political motive behind his mothers resignation. He further explained that Anna had to take care of her ailing father and husband. They need her full attention. She made the decision with a heavy heart, he said on his Facebook account. Airlangga said he was also in the dark about her resignation and would summon her for an explanation. Yesterday, it was only revealed that [she wanted] to concentrate on family affairs, he said. The party chairman also plans to summon Deputy Regent Supendi, who is also a party member, who will replace Anna. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, November 8, 2018 09:16 1109 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877b1c84f 1 Business palm-oil,exports,decline,September,Gapki Free Indonesias palm oil exports declined by 3 percent in September to 3.2 million tons from 3.3 million tons in the previous month, the Indonesian Palm Oil Producers Association (Gapki) has said. The decreasing price of crude palm oil [CPO] has failed to attract countries to export more CPO because the prices of other vegetable oils like soybean, rapeseed and sun flower oil have also decreased, Gapki announced in a press statement issued on Wednesday. The price of soybeans had also dropped to its lowest price since 2007, the association said, adding that Brazil, the largest producer of soybeans, had cut its export tax on the commodity, further pushing down the prices of vegetable oil, including CPO. According to Gapki, the situation had sparked an increase of CPO stocks in Indonesia and Malaysia, the first and second largest CPO producing countries, respectively. Throughout September, the export value of CPO and its derivative products, including oleochemical and biodiesel, remained stagnant at 2.99 million tons, compared to the export figure in August. Meanwhile, the export value from January to September was recorded at 22.95 million tons, 1 percent lower than the export value in the corresponding period in 2017, which was at 23.19 million tons. Gapki said India was the largest importing country of Indonesian CPO and its derivative products in September with a total export volume of 779,440 tons, 5 percent lower than its CPO imports in the previous month of 823,340 tons. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Stefanno Reinard Sulaiman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, November 8, 2018 15:55 1109 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877b37860 1 Business pertamina,Bukit-Asam,coal-gasification,Air-Products-Chemicals-Inc Free State-owned energy holding company Pertamina and state-owned coal mining firm PT Bukit Asam (PTBA) have inked a partnership with chemical company Air Products and Chemicals Inc. on coal gasification. Under the agreement, the United States-based company would build a facility to produce coal derivative products, like dimethylether (DME) and synthetic natural gas (SNG) at the Peranap Coal Mine in Riau, which is owned by PTBA. The agreement was signed on Wednesday in Allentown, US, attended by the president directors of the two state-owned enterprises (SOE) and SOE Minister Rini Soemarno. "The downstream development in the mining sector will have a major impact on the Indonesian economy, especially to narrow our current account deficit," she said in a press statement received by the media on Thursday. Pertamina president director Nicke Widyawati said the partnership would help reduce Indonesias dependency on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), noting that 70 percent of nationwide demand for the energy source was currently met through imports. In 2017, Indonesia consumed no less than 7 million tons of LPG. Therefore, the development of coal gasification is a national strategic project," she said. Meanwhile, PTBA president director Arviyan Arifin said the coal gasification facility in Penarap was expected to operate in 2022 with a capacity of 400,000 tons of DME annually and 50 million metric standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) of SNG. Air Products and Chemicals Inc. president and CEO Seifi Ghasemi said his company, a patent holder of coal gasification technology since 2018, was committed to fully supporting Indonesia in producing coal derivatives. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Dubai, United Arab Emirates Thu, November 8, 2018 08:38 1109 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877b1774d 2 World #SaudiArabia,#DeathPenalty,AmnestyInternational,warning,execution,Saudi-Arabia,Shiites Free Amnesty International said on Wednesday it feared 12 minority Shiites in Saudi Arabia faced "imminent" execution after their cases were transferred to a powerful security body that reports directly to the king. The men, sentenced to death in a mass trial in 2016 after being convicted of spying for regional rival Iran, have been handed over to the "Presidency of State Security", which was set up last year by combining all counterterrorism and domestic intelligence services. "The families of the men are terrified by this development and the lack of information provided to them on the status of the cases of their loved ones," said Heba Morayef, Amnesty's Middle East and North Africa director. "Given the secrecy surrounding Saudi Arabia's judicial proceedings, we fear that this development signals the imminent execution of the 12 men." Morayef added that the men were sentenced to death after a "grossly unfair mass trial". Saudi officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Shiite protesters have periodically staged demonstrations in the kingdom's eastern region, complaining of discrimination by the Sunni-dominated government, a charge the authorities deny. The Shiite community is estimated to make up between 10 and 15 percent of the kingdom's population of 32 million, but the government has released no official statistics. The ultra-conservative kingdom has one of the world's highest rates of execution, with suspects convicted of terrorism, homicide, rape, armed robbery and drug trafficking facing the death penalty. The government says the death penalty is an effective deterrent against serious crime. On Monday, the kingdom's rights record came under strong criticism at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in its consulate in Istanbul on October 2. Human rights groups have repeatedly raised concerns about the fairness of trials in the kingdom, an absolute monarchy governed under a strict form of Islamic law. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ida I. Khouw (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, November 8, 2018 16:45 1109 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877b38e94 4 City incident,drown,boy,South-Tangerang,toll-road,project Free A deep pool of water in a recently excavated hole on a toll road project site in South Tangerang claimed the life of a 12-year-old boy named Zen Arif Yuniarto on Wednesday night. The boy's body was recovered from the hole on the Cinere-Serpong Jaya toll road project in Pondok Cabe Udik. Zen was reportedly playing with five friends around the pool at about 5 p.m. Two of them, including Zen, got into trouble while swimming in the deep water, tribunjakarta.com reported on Thursday. A nearby resident only managed to rescue Zens friend. Zens body was found at 8 p.m. after other residents searched the area using flashlights in the rain. One of the rescuers, Ujang, 65, said the pool was about 5 meters deep. I often see [children playing around the pool] and warn them to not swim [there], but they are just children [who ignore warnings] when inspectors of the project are not around, Ujang said. A safety hazard signpost was only installed at the excavation site after the fatal incident, he added. The 10.14-kilometer Cinere-Serpong Jaya toll road is currently under construction. It is expected to open in 2019. (sau) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, November 8, 2018 12:04 1109 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877b26f76 1 News Banyuwangi,#Banyuwangi,tourism,#tourism,Belgium,#Belgium,travel,#travel,tourist-attraction Free Banyuwangi in East Java is known for its natural beauty and cultural attractions. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Indonesian Embassy in Brussels, plans to promote the city in Belgium as well as other European countries. Antara news agency reported that officials from the Indonesian Embassy in Brussels had discussed the tourist marketing plans. We have heard a lot about Banyuwangi tourism [and] its various festivals. I realized that [Banyuwangi tourism] has the potential to be promoted in European countries, particularly Belgium, said Meri Astrid Indriasari, the trade attache of the Indonesian Embassy in Brussels. Meri added that tourist attractions in Banyuwangi included culture and scenery, making it an attractive destination for European tourists. Wahidah Maghriby, the agricultural attache at the Indonesian Embassy in Brussels, added that European tourists had a penchant for art and culture as well as natural beauty, all of which could be found in Banyuwangi. Read also: Interesting places to visit in Banyuwangi Wahidah also mentioned that the Indonesian Embassy was planning to highlight two attractions of Banyuwangi, namely the traditional Gandrung Dance and the Ijen crater. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs chose Brussels as the city was considered a strategic marketing place. The city is the center of the European Union [and serves] as a reference for all European countries. Belgiums gross domestic product (GDP) is very high, and the economy is very good, making it a good target [market], said Wahidah. In addition to its market potential, Belgium frequently hosts the Festival dIndonesia. Moreover, the Indonesian Embassy in Brussels also runs House of Indonesia, a permanent display of Indonesian products, including Banyuwangis products, such as chocolate, coffee, organic produce and fishery products. (jes/wng) labour-intensive make-up ##_ pic.twitter.com/bhi29Iralf (@Saram_Ipnida) October 19, 2018 View this post on Instagram " " " " 2 '' 1 # # A post shared by (@ieodbw294u) on Sep 7, 2018 at 5:58am PDT its hyeon molka hidden afterwards ju However, there is a growing backlash against extreme pressures to look perfect in South Korea. This has started manifesting itself on social media, with women smashing their make-up and cosmetic products.K-Beauty is notorious for beingand expensive. To achieve perfect glass skin and the desired pore-less complexion, you need to invest money in the right products and time into a multi-step regime. And now women are saying theyve had enough. This destruction ofcomes as part of a wider feminist movement which has been nicknamed escape the corset. Women face pressures to look a certain way all over the world, but its intensity does seem to be heightened in South Korea a place where there is such a focus on the aesthetic that youre often asked to include a picture of yourself in job applications.The demands on women to conform to the South Korean ideal of beauty are intense, which perhaps explains why some estimates place it as the plastic surgery capital of the world.Its common to see adverts for plastic surgery clinics all over Seoul some even sporting ominous captions like: Everyone but you has done it. In fact, there is a growing trend of gifting plastic surgery procedures to South Korean students upon their graduation from school. The cosmetics industry is similarly huge, predicted to be the eighth largest market in the world by export.gov and growing at an annual rate of 7.4 between 2012 and 2016.Cha Ji-won is one of the women who has trashed her make-up in protest against these weighty expectations, telling the Guardian she would spend up to 70 a month on cosmetics, and adding: Theres only so much mental energy a person has each day, and I used to spend so much of it worrying about being pretty. Destroying cosmetics isnt the only way women are taking a stand in South Korea, which is experiencing something ofown #MeToo moment. Since public prosecutor Seo Ji-told the world she was groped by a former politician in January, many more women have been coming forward with their own stories. Not only this, but Seoul saw a feminist rally of around 22,000 people in June, protesting the phenomenon of spycamsin places like public bathrooms to take explicit footage of women without their knowledge.However, its apparent theres an uphill battle facing the women of South Korea. Earlier this year, a female news anchor wore her glasses on air and this caused a significant stir online even though male anchors wear specs regularly, its not necessarily seen as the done thing for women. In an interview, the Korean Herald reports Lim Hyeon-as saying: I hope that people wouldnt think that it is uncomfortable to watch a news presenter wearing glasses, just because that presenter is a woman. Chances are, the cosmetic industry wont suffer much from the escape the corset movement. However, its opening up the conversations around the expectations placed on women, and how toxic this need to conform can be. This is only a start, but its an important one for the women of South Korea. Kat Austen seems to be a creative chameleon, ever-adapting to new roles, from scientific labwork to environmental writing to the creation of music. Her early academic career was grounded in chemistry however, after realising that this was not the ideal path for her, she retrained in sculptural work. Her PhD in chemistry and subsequent artistic training now influence her work in tandem. Chemistry remains ever present in Austens life, contributing to the messages she transmits through her performances and installations. Austen's current work is the result of an expedition to the Canadian High Arctic, supported by Friends of Scott Polar Research Institute, One Ocean Expeditions, and Bonhams, and is a feature of the Artist Arctic programme. In addition to this impressive role as an Artist in the Arctic, Austen is also the artist in residence at the Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences, University College London. The title of her recent musical piece, The Matter of the Soul, plays on a variety of concepts. Firstly, Austen says that the word soul indicates the emotional depth of this work. Secondly, the piece considers both metaphorical and physical forms of matter. She explains, the whole piece is about the way that a meta-structure changes when the individuals that comprise the meta-structure change. The progression of the music shows the various phase transitions taking place in the artic, considering the movements of individuals in and out of cultures, and of water molecules moving in and out of ice and seawater. By examining these phase transitions, Austen is interrogating the very notion of changing identity and fluctuating culture. She calls this work her most synthesised and highlights that it is heavily influenced by her work as a chemistry research associate at Cambridge. For the new musical piece, Austen gathered audio from interviews with visitors and residents of the Nunavut region. This work is therefore informed by a variety of perspectives on climate change in the arctic, providing insight into changing identity and culture resulting from global processes.Austen weaves these clips into a narrative which spans three movements in the musical work, as she explained to us: concentration | The Matter of the Soul from Kat Austen on Vimeo Austen hacked scientific instruments to produce the sounds accompanying the interview clips. For instance, she experimented with a conductivity meter which measures salinity (how much dissolved salt there is in a water sample) and was struggling to find a way to produce sound from the instrument. However, after taking water samples at different coordinates, Austen noticed that removing the probe from the water created a subtle change in pitch. I heard a die-off. The numbers being measured descend as you take the probe out it scrolls through the other numbers. It felt like I was listening to the dying of the ice. It was very moving it took me a half-day to recover. We asked Austen about the message she hopes viewers will take away from this work and she replied, its up to them. It probably says different things to different people. Its honestly not a message that can be expressed in words. Its a feeling, its not a cognitive thing, its an experiential thing. Austens work is partially an interrogation of [her]self but also questions what more do we need to know, and how do we need to learn, about climate change. We are bombarded with high levels of factual information about our environmental crises yet we still fail to act accordingly. Austen is questioning the ways in which this information is communicated, creating powerful art pieces to connect with audiences emotionally. Austen is due to perform at more events next year. The sculptural work and installation will be on display at Cambridge soon, and in Berlin next year at two different galleries. For more information, and to hear these pieces of music, visit her website The biggest splash from the 2018 mid-term elections comes from the Democrats regaining control of The House of Representatives. While the GOP maintained control of the Senate, the fact that the left now holds a majority in one side of the legislative branch seems enough to shake things up. But what does that actually mean? While the blue-wave didn't hit like the tsunami that many expected, its effects are still being noticed nationwide. In regards to policy, their control of the house would allow the democrats to restrict any of President Trump's proposed legislation, whether that's tearing Obamacare apart, presenting tax cuts to the upper and middle classes, or even funding the promised US/Mexico wall. Further, a majority control of The House of Representatives gives the Democrats the prerogative to open up investigations that could end up in a world of hurt for the Trump investigations. There are almost immediate expectations for them to open inquiries into the President's tax returns, which have been long sought after by voters, as well as re-opening an investigation into Trump's relationships with Russia leading up to the 2016 election. Representative Adam Schiff (D), the incoming leader of the House Intelligence Committee, has been outspoken about his disappointment in how the GOP conducted an investigation into relationships between Trump and Russia, and he will be taking the reigns. Schiff has commented on his plans to use a list of 70 people and organizations that Democrats claim the GOP had failed to interview as a possible "roadmap" for the investigation. On a similar note, the Democratic led House offers a much needed layer of support for Special Council Robert Mueller's investigation into all things Trump/Russia. Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, who's expected to be the next Speaker of the House, has already pledged to make sure that Mueller's "documentations are preserved", in the scenario that Trump attempts to stifle the investigation. The House of Representatives also carries subpoena power, which acts as another crutch to the investigation, allowing Dems to summon witnesses or even Robert Mueller for public hearings. This could prove crucial if Trump decides to fire the special council, allowing him to serve what many believe would be "smoking gun" evidence to American taxpayers, who have largely funded his investigation. Other notable midterm results... Although the Democratic left didn't sweep the elections like many hoped they would, many argue that they offer signs of a promising future. History was made when Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota won their elections, making them the first two Muslim women to ever hold seats in congress. In her victory speech, Omar further rallied voters, claiming that "here in Minnesota we don't only welcome immigrants, we send them to Washington." Here in Minnesota, we dont only welcome immigrants; we send them to Washington, Ilhan Omar says in her victory speech. pic.twitter.com/s6IxSYXNzp Mukhtar M. Ibrahim (@mukhtaryare) November 7, 2018 New York's Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, also became the youngest woman ever voted to Congress at 29 years old. A rising star among the left, much of Ocasio-Cortez's success comes due to her putting the people she represents before the party she belongs to. Another notable win came from Jared Polis, a Democrat from Colorado who became the nation's first openly gay Governor. While few will argue that America is more divided than ever before, these victories make a bold statement about the path that the American people want their country to travel. Highly contested races... You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Flags are reflected in the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Moving Wall during the closing ceremonies held in North Attleboro in July 2005, the last time the wall was in the Attleboros. 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. MBABANE With about 70 posts vacant for members of councils and committees, some members of the public have become anxious. The committees are appointed by His Majesty King Mswati III after every five-year term. Members of the public have been flooding the Times of Swaziland newroom with calls enquiring if there had been any indication on when the committees, known as emabandla, would be announced. The committees include Liqoqo (the Kings Advisory Council), Ludzidzini Council, Border Restoration Committee and Board of Royal Trustees. The others are the Land Management Board and Regional Administrators (RAs). Even the new parliamentarians have been calling and asking if the list had been released yet. In 2013, the members of the various boards were announced on November 7, and it is highly possible that they would be announced before the end of the week. Sworn The emabandla are appointed by the King after the new Cabinet has been sworn in. Some of the hopefuls have been insistently calling since Cabinet was announced last week Friday. According to the 2013 list, the largest group was Liqoqo, which had 23 members. However, some of its members have passed on. These include the late Prince Logcogco, former Prime Minister Obed Dlamini and Waqunga Dlamini. Some of the Liqoqo members have already been appointed into other positions, and these include Princess Sikhanyiso, who is now the Minister of Information, Communication and Technology and Chief Nzameya Nhlabatsi, who is now a senator. Princess Lindiwe, who is now the Minister of Home Affairs, was also a member of Liqoqo. Meanwhile, two members of the Ludzidzini Council died during their tenure in office, and these were former acting Ludzidzini Governor TV Mtetwa and the late Mavis Shongwe. One member of the outgoing Border Restoration Committee (BRC) Lutfo Dlamini is now Ndzingeni Member of Parliament (MP). Stepped Meanwhile, under the Board of Royal Trustees, former Finance minister Martin Dlamini has stepped down from the position of chairmanship, which is normally held by the Finance Minister. Interestingly, the new Finance minister Neal Rijkenberg was also a member of the Board of Royal Trustees. Another member who passed on was businessman Victor Gamedze. Meanwhile, from the positions of RAs, Shiselweni RA Themba Masuku is now the deputy prime minister, while former Lubombo RA Sylvia Mthethwa is now a senator. MBABANE Yet another journalist has been subject to police interest. Musa Ndlangamandla, a seasoned journalist who was once Chief Editor of the Swazi Observer, was yesterday taken in by THE police and questioned about an article he wrote in 2011. The article was reportedly critical of the State and was viewed by the police as promoting the proscribed entities Umbane and Peoples United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO). Ndlangamandla, who is a former member of Liqoqo, was reportedly subjected to intense questioning by members of the Tingculungculu, a police wing which deals with serious crimes and\or investigations. He was purportedly taken in for questioning by two police officers while in the capital city. News of his detention was the talk of social media following a post by Ndlangamandla on his Facebook page after his release. in the post, he alleged that at the police station he was told that a case against him was being investigated. He alleged that the case was based on his interaction with members of PUDEMO and Umbane and further told that he advertised the two political organisations. They referred to an incident in 2011 where they raided my office at the Swazi Observer where I was Chief Editor, Ndlangamandla alleged. He alleged that he was asked whether he had spoken to political leaders of the countrys opposition groups. He alleged that his response was that he was a journalist and his job was to talk to people and write articles about the truth and anything that was of public interest. He alleged that he told them that in his 20 and some years as a journalist, he will continue to speak to all emaSwati, regardless of their political affiliation. He said he informed the police that he spoke to PUDEMO stalwarts and ultra conservatives. I told them that I find that these people belong to Swaziland and they have a right and a stake in how the country is run. I told them that I believe the country is badly run and that my duty as a journalist is to write about such, reads Ndlangamandlas post in part. He said he told the police that he was openly against bad governance and that he was for political pluralism. He alleged that they informed him that they were preparing a statement to give to the director of public prosecutions (DPP). I told them that my views will not change and my calling as a journalist is that I should publish anything and everything that is of public interest, he said. Instruction Ndlangamandla further disclosed that his friend and colleague Bheki Makhubu stormed the cop shop and told them where to get off, and that what they were doing was wrong. He said Makhubu also asked on whose instruction were they acting, to intimidate, threaten and arrest journalists. In an interview, Ndlangamandla reiterated what he posted on his Facebook page. He narrated that he was later released and told to return to the police station at 9am today. Makhubu, in an interview, said Ndlangamandla had only returned to the country for about six months and he was subjected to such treatment. He raised his concern that hardly weeks after a new government took office, Ndlangamandla was detained. He wondered if this was the new agenda to deal with journalists. Is this how they plan to change the country into a viable economic entity? Makhubu asked. HLATIKHULU Police officers have shot and killed the suspect who murdered a soldier on Tuesday morning. The shooting incident happened at a certain homestead situated around Nkowane, an area located not far away from New Warm in Hlatikhulu, where the 53-year-old soldiers lifeless body was found with a gaping wound to the head. Sathane Hlophe, who had earlier been linked to an attempted theft of chickens and the eventual killing of the soldier, was running away when he got shot on Tuesday evening. Compound Before he met his death, Hlophe had sought refuge in a friends house within the compound where detectives were directed to by the local Nkowane Community Policing forum, following a tip-off. Earlier, the suspect had been spotted by a resident entering the particular homestead. The resident immediately alerted the local community police. Moments later, armed police officers, who had earlier stalled their search for the man because of Tuesday afternoons thunderstorm, descended on the area once again, leading to the dramatic shooting incident. The drama began shortly after 6pm when a contingent of about 10 police officers approached the homestead where the suspect was believed to be hiding. It appears the suspect quickly noted the police presence, as he immediately bolted from the house he was occupying and ran towards nearby bushes. The officers also noted the activity and chased after him. Thereafter, gunshots were heard and moments later the suspect was down and bleeding profusely. A witness recalled he heard about four shots being fired by the police. Later on, he said, he saw the suspect bleeding from around the waist area and the legs. The onlooker said he believes the officers were prompted to open fire repeatedly because the man kept running away. The suspect was widely believed to be armed with a gun he had illegally obtained when he allegedly disarmed the soldier he had killed during the wee hours of the day. However, the onlookers revealed that the fleeing suspect had no gun on him when he was fatally shot by the police. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, confirmed the death of the suspect who was being hunted down by the police. Vilakati explained that the suspect was running away from the police, who thereafter fired warning shots. Regretfully, he got shot and his body was taken to a mortuary, she said. . . . Comment We welcome the big bold stance taken by the Prime Minister, Ambrose Dlamini, to declare war on corruption in this country. This, coming from a man who lives by Godly principles and is without blemish, gives us hope that he will remain true to his word. For many though, these declarations come across as deja vu, simply because for many years we have been fed with rhetoric to end corruption while a systematic paralysis of the Anti-Corruption Commission(ACC) took place behind the scenes. The courts have also rendered the work of the ACC effectively useless. This is not to say the ACC was marvellous in its attempts because it also fell short in dealing with the high profile ringleaders of state looting. Therefore, we are a fed up lot. All we care to see right now is decisive action that speaks much louder than words. The PM could do well to earn our trust by first getting to the bottom of who authorised the construction of the residence of his predecessor, Barnabas Dlamini, without following laid down public tender procedures. This project, which will cost the taxpayer in excess of E10 million, did not only bypass the tender process and violate the Swaziland Public Procurement Agency (SPPRA) regulations, but ended up in the hands of companies that are directly linked to the former PM and his family. The public deserves a full explanation on how such a blatant conflict of interest was also overlooked, especially when politicians are required by law to declare their assets to avoid such occurrences. This case makes a mockery of the taxpayer who has to keep pumping large amounts of money into institutions like SPPRA, whose establishment was necessitated by the flagrant disregard for tender procedures and the looting of state resources. The PM should not try to act tough by starting with the small fish. The real corruption lies with the fat cats, the untouchables and the faceless cabals. The good thing is, he confronts this mafia riding on the backing of the Head of State, who has called for action on the corrupt lot in this country. They must be made to pay back the money before being sent to rot in jail for good. It would be a real shame to lose faith and trust in a man of God who promised much and delivered little. Voters line up to cast their ballots at Henne Auditorium on the University of Pittsburgh at Titusville campus, Tuesday. The midterm election saw a major rise in turnout for Titusville and surrounding areas, rivaling presidential election numbers, according to poll workers. need a lot more info. such as what is the model of walkman? what file types is it playing and what types won't it play? does it play some of one type but not all?? are you trying to play file types the walkman does not know how to use? what media are the files on? bit more info and we can start to see what might be the issue. Within a few days, the Greek island of Antikythera will open its doors again to the local Primary School, which has been closed on the island for nearly 30 years and will welcome three young students. For the first time since 1991 when it closed, the Primary School of Antikythera will reopen with the three students and a teacher who are all very excited to ring that school bell for the first time in so many years, noted Mayor of Kythera, Andreas Harhalakis. A family who lived in Athens with three children, decided to leave the Greek capital and have relocated to the island, explained Mr. Harhalakis, underlining that this is a big deal for Antikythera, who since the 1980s has seen a major decline in population and today the island only has 18 inhabitants, making this a major development. The three children will attend first, third and fifth grades of elementary school and the school are already prepared to serve the needs of its students. The parents only informed the Mayor of their plans in September and the Greek Ministry of Education worked fast to ensure the kids would receive the adequate necessities to attend school. The teacher who has taken the position training has been working for three years on the remote island of Anafi and the Municipality has received a budget of 2019 for a major refurbishment of all the facilities of the school. The Mayor also announced there will be major incentives given to five families to move to Antikythera with job opportunities for them and sponsorship by the National Bank of Greece, with the aim of having these families arrive within the next few years. This is a development that local authorities consider to be especially important, otherwise, they believe the small island of Antikythera is in danger of becoming uninhabited in a few years. The arrival of these five large families and the completion of the overall design, according to the mayor of Kythera, are absolutely essential. If nothing is done, the island will be deserted, five years from now we will close the door to Antikythera, the mayor of Kythera said, as he explained, out of the 18 inhabitants of the small island the fifteen locals are over 70 years old. Read more at greekcitytimes.com RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: AlMare License: CC-BY-SA Greek tourism ministry's aim is to maintain the momentum of Greek tourism and develop it further with products that are linked to education and digital technology, as well as to new packages creating the appropriate framework for new private investments, relevant Minister Elena Kountoura announced in London. In an interview she gave on the sidelines of the 39th World Travel Market (WTM) 2018 Tourism Expo, she forecast that 2019 will be another good year for Greek tourism. "We have achieved a significant increase in tourism. This year will close with a spectacular increase in arrivals and revenues. We want to keep up this momentum and strengthen our tourism with developmental products. This has to do with supporting education, developing digital technology and innovation. We want to establish new terms and dynamic packages that we will promote on the market as a follow-up to our dynamic growth. We will sign better central and more dynamic agreements with tour operators and airlines to boost this momentum. We are creating the framework for the private sector to come and conclude commercial agreements. This is the great innovation we brought to Greece," Kountoura said. "We expected 32 million (arrivals) in 2018, but they will reach 33 million. It is not just about the figures for us, it is also about quality and revenues. We will preserve the balance, the momentum exists, this success can continue," she added. Greeces participation with 70 co-exhibitors in this years World Travel Market (WTM) in London is one of the main poles of attraction for international tourism professionals attending for yet another year while the President of SETE (Greek Tourism Confederation) Yiannis Retsos pointed out that teamwork has kept Greece in the top-10 destinations worldwide. But, he also stressed that overtaxation has been hitting tourism professionals hard. Of course this applies to all sectors of the Greek economy, he added. What I and SETE are really concerned about right now is the infrastructure. The 32 million of visitors are now testing our public infrastructure every day: waste disposal management, power and water supplies, sewage systems, airports, ports. If we want the country to continue being a protagonist we need to invest and improve. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Tourist arrivals from Russia to Athens International Airport "Eleftherios Venizelos" posted a spectacular 47 pct increase in comparison with the same period in 2017 Almost 800,000 Russian tourists visited Greece in the period January-September 2018, according to the website of the "Vestnik ATOP", the Russian union tourist agents. According to Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO) sources in Russia, the number of Russian tourists recorded a marginal increase (0.3 pct) in comparison with the same period in 2017. Nevertheless, tourist arrivals from Russia to Athens International Airport "Eleftherios Venizelos" in particular posted a spectacular 47 pct increase in comparison with the same period in 2017. The rise suggests that the largest percentage of Russian tourists arrive in the Greek capital and from there explore the Attica coast, the island of Evia, the Peloponnese and of course the islands of Cyclades, instead of flying directly to popular islands that host charter flights, explained the head of GNTO's office in Moscow Polykarpos Efstathiou. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Improvements in the areas of solid waste management, urban waste water treatment and protection of the natural environment are currently under review by the European Commission for a report to be published in 2019, in which Spain and Greece have registered the most infringements of Community environmental legislation, according to ANA. Greece has been cited for a total of 24 violations and fined over 100 million euros from 2014 to date while EU presented the following data: - In the field of solid waste management, progress has been made in establishing a strategic framework at national and regional level, managing hazardous waste and reducing the number of illegal landfills. Landfills are the main reason why Greece is fined often, as there are still 57 landfills operating or under restoration. - In the field of urban wastewater treatment, strategic plans have been drawn up by each region, with technical assistance from the EU. However, Greece has been fined for lack of biological treatment in Eastern Attica and Thriasio. - And in the protection of the natural environment, progress includes the adoption of Law 4519/2018 on the management of the Natura Protected Areas, the Life IP 4 Natura project on the natural environment and biodiversity, and the significant expansion of the network Natura 2000 in marine areas. Greece has top performance rates in swimming water quality (97.2% in outstanding quality, 2015 data) and compliance rates for microbiological and chemical parameters for drinking water (99-100%). On the other hand, air quality in Greece continues to be worrying, especially nitrogen dioxide pollution and microparticles. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Photo Source: Visit Greece Wineries across Greece will be open to the public on Sunday from 11:00 to 17:00. Entrance will be free of charge The wineries of the Wine routes of Greece along with hundreds of other European wineries will take part in the European Day of Wine Tourism on Sunday, November 11, according to ANA. The visitors of the Greek wineries will tour the vineyards, meet Greek wine producers, admire the landscape, tour the facilities and taste new and aged wines, as well as learning about the fresh wines of the new harvest that has just completed. European Wine Tourism Day was established in 2009 and is marked every second Sunday of November with the participation of wineries-members of the European Network of Wine Cities (RECEVIN) or wine tourist networks. Read more at thenationalherald.com RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Differences between countries are always the easiest things to point out, yet there are also similarities between two countries unlikely to be compared, such as Canada and Greece. The Canadian edition of greekreporter.com points out there are more commonalities between Canada and Greece than one might first imagine and lists 10 of them: 1. Lets begin with the small things. Language. Yes, thats right. We are talking words here, and, although there are immeasurable differences between Greek and English (or French, for that matter), there are two words that these countries have in common and use frequently: sorry, used the same way in each country); and eh, used in both countries to encourage discussion. 2. Both countries also have very extensive coastlines, and if one ignores the difference in temperature, they actually look pretty similar. 3. Canada and Greece are both members of NATO. 4. A job crisis is another factor these two countries share. Skilled immigrants in Canada tend to struggle to find decent employment. There is also a well-defined line in Greece when it comes to immigrants finding employment. In Greece, the language barrier seems to be the main obstacle, while in Canada, the main issue is the previous work experience in Canada which many employers require. 5. Food is another thing the two countries have in common. Lets face it, Canada has great food (not just because they have a lot of Greeks, but that helps!). Historically, Greek people who have emigrated to Canada have tended to open up restaurants showcasing their national cuisine. Torontos Greek Town is well-known for having one of the most successful and largest Greek fests in the world! 6. Valuing liberty and democracy. These two concepts go hand-in-hand, and just as Greece is the cradle of democracy, Canadians truly value their quality of life and justice. Valuing the civil rights of equality, fairness to all, safety and health for their families is very important to both Greeks and Canadians. 7. According to the Ranking World Military Strength report by Global Firepower, both countries have about the same modern military abilities. This takes into consideration their potential war-making capabilities across land, sea and air, fought with conventional weapons. 8. One commonality we hope you never have to worry about is the equal likelihood of being murdered in either country. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 1.4 in every 100,000 people are murdered annually both Greece and Canada. 9. Greece is a Christian country and the principal religion in Canada is also Christianity. As recently as the 1971 census, almost 90 percent of the Canadian population was Christian. 10. One other thing that these two countries have in common is Greeks! There are more Greek-Canadians than you might realize living in Canada, the majority of them residing in Toronto and Montreal. According to the 2016 census, there were 271,405 Canadians who were Greek by ancestry as well as 62,715 native-born Greeks living in the country. According to Greeks around the Globe, the Greek-Canadian population now totals some 450,000 people. Read more at greekreporter.com RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: Remug License: CC-BY-SA The Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry has signed an agreement with the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry aiming to create investment opportunities for the private sector and promote cooperation. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed at the headquarters of the chamber, which was attended by Ibrahim Al Mahmoud, first deputy chairman of the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Frink Miklosi, first vice-president of the Hungarian Chamber, who is also heading of the visiting delegation, reported Emirates news agency Wam. The delegation includes 20 representatives of 18 major Hungarian companies. The meeting was also attended by Usamah Ibrahim Naffae, Ambassador of Hungary to the UAE, several members of the chambers board of directors, and Abdullah Ghareer Al Qubaisi, Deputy Director-General of the Chamber, as well as several businessmen and businesswomen. The MoU affirms the commitment of both sides to reinforce the economic and commercial cooperation between the UAE and Hungary, through exchanging expertise, promoting commercial relations and discussing investment opportunities, as well as strengthening commercial and investment partnerships in various economic sectors. Al Mahmoud highlighted the importance of developing economic ties between the two countries and reinforcing their commercial cooperation. He added that the UAE has a strategic location, an excellent investment environment, purchasing power, and stable and encouraging markets that attract foreign investments while pointing out that Hungary is the UAE's gateway to Central Europe. Miklosi praised the UAEs overall development and noted that the bilateral ties between the UAE and Hungary have development recently while expressing his countrys hope of attracting international companies and investors from the UAE to invest in Hungary in the near future. He also highlighted the importance of today's meeting to creating opportunities for cooperation between the business communities of both countries. KPMG, a leading provider of audit, tax and advisory services, is celebrating its 50 years of successful operations in Bahrain in a big way. To mark the occasion, a reception was recently organised on the sidelines of KPMGs ongoing Middle East and South Asia (MESA) Partners Conference at the Ritz Carlton Hotel and Spa. The conference gathered senior executives from KPMGs member firms across 20 countries to discuss its regional strategy, said a statement from the company. The reception was attended by government officials and senior executives from the local business community, in addition to the chairman of KPMG International Bill Thomas and delegates from the firms global and regional leadership. Jamal Fakhro, managing partner at KPMG in Bahrain, said: I would like to thank our clients and business partners for joining us in celebrating our presence in the kingdom for 50 years. It has been a journey full of growth and success indeed, and I am very excited about our future as the firm continues to thrive, he added. KPMG in Bahrain was established in 1968 by Jassim M Fakhro and Hussain Kasim, as the first national auditing firm back then. Today, the firm has grown to become one of the largest and most prestigious professional services firms in the country.-TradeArabia News Service Bahrain-based Gulf Aluminum Rolling Mill Company (Garmco), one of the largest downstream aluminium facilities in the Middle East, said its US subsidiary has been granted tariff exemptions to facilitate smooth imports from the kingdom. Garmco USA, which was established in 1996, sells a wide range of premium aluminium flat rolled products, produced by its Bahrain manufacturing plant. An international aluminium rolling mill, Garmco said the innovative application of its aluminium products around the globe cater to diverse sectors such as marine, electronics, architecture and construction and household appliances. Garmcos general manager Mohamed Essa said: "As in the years prior, we remain firmly dedicated towards our primary mission of delivering exceptional quality standards at all times." "Approach that has earned us the global reputation of a valued and responsible importer, a reputation we must maintain by continuing to reliably adhere to the strictest quality standards as always," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Dubai World Central (DWC) welcomed the inaugural flight by Chinese cargo carrier Uni-top Airlines on Tuesday (November 6). Flying in from Kunming, the carrier will operate three flights per week between DWC and Kunming in Chinas Yunnan province. DWC is now home to 21 cargo operators that fly to as many as 46 destinations around the world.- TradeArabia News Service The US Democrats have taken control of the House of Representatives in the mid-term elections, dealing a blow to President Donald Trump. They rode a wave of dissatisfaction with Trump to win the lower chamber of Congress for the first time in eight years. Tuesday's vote was seen as a referendum on a polarising president, even though he is not up for re-election till 2020, reported BBC. The election confirms a historical trend for the party that is not in the White House to make gains in the mid-terms. Democrats converted the energy of the liberal anti-Trump resistance into solid electoral gains in the first nationwide vote since the president swept to power two years ago. In midterm elections two years after he won the White House, Trump and his fellow Republicans expanded their majority in the US Senate following a divisive campaign marked by fierce clashes over race, immigration and other cultural issues, reported Reuters. But with his party losing its majority in the House, the results represented a bitter setback for Trump after a campaign that became a referendum on his leadership. With some races still undecided, Democrats appeared headed to a gain of more than 30 seats, well beyond the 23 they needed to claim their first majority in the 435-member House in eight years. The newly empowered House Democrats will have the ability to investigate Trumps tax returns, possible business conflicts of interest and allegations involving his 2016 campaigns links to Russia. They also could force Trump to scale back his legislative ambitions, possibly dooming his promises to fund a border wall with Mexico, pass a second major tax-cut package or carry out his hardline policies on trade. A simple House majority would be enough to impeach Trump if evidence surfaces that he obstructed justice or that his 2016 campaign colluded with Russia. But Congress could not remove him from office without a conviction by a two-thirds majority in the Republican-controlled Senate. House Democrats could be banking on launching an investigation using the results of US Special Counsel Robert Muellers already 18-month-old probe of allegations of Russian interference on Trumps behalf in the 2016 presidential election. Moscow denies meddling and Trump denies any collusion, said the Reuters report. Thanks to you, tomorrow will be a new day in America, Democratic House leader Nancy Pelosi told cheering Democrats at a Washington victory party, saying House Democrats would be a check on Trump. We will have a responsibility to find our common ground where we can, stand our ground where we cant, Pelosi said. The BBC's US partner network CBS projects the Democrats will win the 23 seats they need to take over the lower chamber of Congress. Americans voted for all 435 seats in the House. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi - who is set to become Speaker, a position she held from 2007 to 2011 - told cheering supporters in Washington: "Thanks to you, tomorrow will be a new day in America." Despite his party losing the House, Trump wrote on Twitter, Tremendous success tonight. President Trump focused on the Senate, and praised himself by quoting a commentator. Theres only been 5 times in the last 105 years that an incumbent President has won seats in the Senate in the off year election. Mr. Trump has magic about him. This guy has magic coming out of his ears. He is an astonishing vote getter & campaigner. The Republicans are.........," said the tweet. Female candidates performed particularly well in an election cycle that had been billed as the Year of the Woman. Two 29-year-old Democrats, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Abby Finkenauer - are due to be the youngest women ever to win House seats. Ilhan OImar and Rashida Tlaib are the first Muslim women and Sharice Davids and Debra Haaland the first Native American women to be elected to Congress. All are Democrats. Despite the tight poll race, most Democratic candidates stayed away from harsh criticism of Trump during the campaigns final stretch, focusing instead on bread-and-butter issues like maintaining insurance protections for people with pre-existing medical conditions and safeguarding the Social Security retirement and Medicare healthcare programs for senior citizens. n the last two decades there have only three election cycles where one party picked up 24 or more seats. Tuesdays gains were the biggest since 2010, when a wave of conservative anger against Democratic President Barack Obama gave Republicans a massive 64-seat pickup. Every seat in the House, 35 seats in the 100-member Senate and 36 of the 50 state governorships were up for grabs. Kuwait-based Jazeera Airways has reported an operating revenue of KD63.7 million ($209 million) during the first the months (9M) of the year, marking a 38.4 per cent growth year-on-year (y-o-y), and welcomed 1.5 million passengers, a rise of 44.5 per cent y-o-y. The companys net profit stood at KD8.5 million for the first nine months of 2018, down 11.2 per cent from the same period of 2017. The airline reported a 76.8 per cent increase in load factor, up from 75.5 per cent 9M 2017. For the third quarter (Q3) of the year, operating revenue was KD29.2 million, up 31.7 per cent from Q3 2017, while net profit was KD7.0 million, down 14.1 per cent from Q3 2017. Jazeera Airways chairman Marwan Boodai said: Operationally, fuel prices continued to increase in Q32018, rising by 35 per cent from Q3 2017, and the competitive landscape remained strong. However, despite these challenges, our investments in expanding our offering and network continued to yield positive results. We ended the third quarter with zero debt. We tapped into a new segment of customers by launching new destinations to the Indian subcontinent, Tbilisi and Madinah, all while enhancing the travel experience through our dedicated terminal at Kuwait International Airport, the first passenger terminal owned by an airline in the Middle East. During the year, Jazeera Airways also took delivery of an A320 and the first A320neo to be delivered in the Middle East. The airline operated in Q3 2018 its first full quarter from its new dedicated terminal, which carried 795,218 passengers since its inauguration. The Duty Free received final permits and started operations in October 2018. The airline also launched the Ride & Fly service enabling passengers to take a shuttle from various locations in Kuwait, register their luggage and check-in on-board the shuttle. On routes serving its new destinations, Jazeera Airways grabbed a 50 per cent market share on Kuwait-Tbilisi, 41 per cent on Kuwait-Lahore, 51 per cent on Kuwait-Ahmedabad, 19 per cent on Kuwait-Mumbai, 32 per cent on Kuwait-Kochi and 8.2 per cent on Kuwait-Madinah. Boodai concluded: In the last quarter of the year, demand is expected to pick up during the end of year seasonal holidays in line with travel trends. Jazeera Airways also prepares to launch a new route ahead of the travel season, serving the Indian capital, New Delhi, while new retails offerings continue to open at our dedicated terminal. Jazeera Airways flies to 26 popular destinations across the Middle East, India and Europe comprising high-demand business, leisure, family and weekend destinations such as Dubai, Bahrain, Beirut, Alexandria, Amman, Istanbul, Sharm El Sheikh, Assiut, Luxor, Mashhad, Sohag, Jeddah, Riyadh, Madinah, Cairo, Al Najaf, Taif, Doha, Kochi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Lahore, Baku and Tbilisi. The airline operates a fleet of Airbus A320s and an Airbus A320neo, the first to be owned and operated in the Middle East. TradeArabia News Service Dubai national carrier Emirates is set for its largest participation yet at this year's Bahrain International Airshow (BIA) to be held from November 14 to 16. This is the first time the airline will showcase its 100th A380, which is emblazoned with the Sheikh Zayed decal as a tribute to the late founding father of the UAE. The aircraft on display will allow both trade visitors and the general public to explore all the features on this latest generation double-decker, including Emirates refreshed OnBoard Lounge, said a statement from Dubai carrier. The Emirates Flight Training Academy, which was inaugurated one year ago at the Dubai Airshow, will also participate at this years event with an Embraer Phenom 100EV jet on display, one of the Academys twin-engine training aircraft. The Academy is a state-of-the-art facility that was developed by Emirates to meet the global aviation industrys requirement for skilled commercial pilots. It provides advanced learning technologies and training aircraft to help training cadets develop and sharpen their flying knowledge and skills. Emirates Executive VP and COO Adel Al Redha said: The Bahrain International Airshow is an important event for the aviation and aerospace community, both regionally and on an international level." "The Emirates A380 and Phenom 100EV being showcased during the Airshow demonstrate our commitment to the Kingdom of Bahrain and highlight Emirates contribution to the growth and development of aviation in the region, he stated. Anticipated to be popular with aviation enthusiasts as well as the general public visiting the Bahrain International Airshow, the Emirates A380 will feature 14 luxurious First Class suites, 76 flatbed seats in Business Class and 429 spacious seats in Economy Class, as well a refreshed Emirates OnBoard Lounge. Since the new OnBoard Lounge went into service in August last year, it has wowed customers with more seating options, mood lighting, modern finishes, and other technological features. Emirates is the largest operator of the A380, flying this popular aircraft to 50 destinations around the world. Recently, the airline launched new scheduled A380 services to Hamburg and Osaka. The airline currently has 105 A380s in service and has a further 57 on order, said the airline. Emirates has been flying to Bahrain since 2000 and serves the Kingdom with four daily flights, and has deployed its iconic A380 to the Kingdom on a number of occasions, it added.-TradeArabia News Service deVere Launches Actively Managed Cryptocurrency Solution A pioneering actively managed cryptocurrency solution has today been launched by one of the worlds largest independent financial advisory organizations. deVere Group has founded the deVere Digital Asset Funds, a suite of digital currency solutions for experienced investors, in association with Dalma Capital Management Limited, a prominent hedge fund manager in the Dubai International Financial Centre. It comes a day after Bitcoin, the worlds original digital currency, and still largest by market capitalization, reached its 10th anniversary. Nigel Green, founder and CEO of deVere Group, comments: Cryptocurrencies are now undeniably part of mainstream finance. Their momentum continues to gain traction as both retail and institutional investors increasingly value the need and demand for digital, global currencies in todays ever-more digitalized and globalized world. The crypto market continues to expand considerably, with mass adoption on the horizon. These actively managed cryptocurrency solutions address growing demand by clients who want the potential associated benefits of exposure to the digital currency sector - which typically include portfolio diversification and decent returns - but with reduced volatility for which the market is known. He continues: The deVere Digital Asset solution will invest in a diversified portfolio of digital assets via algorithmic trading over different platforms including crypto-currency exchanges and OTC markets - as well as arbitrage opportunities. Through a ground-breaking algorithmic system, when the price of one asset, for instance Bitcoin or Ethereum, is greater on one platform than on another, the opportunity is identified to generate profit from the difference of price across platforms. These trades, referred to as arbitrage, allow profits to be generated with little or no directional market risk. Zachary Cefaratti, CEO of Dalma Capital comments: Crypto Asset Markets abound with durable inefficiencies creating opportunities for hedge funds to generate uncorrelated excess returns through systematic relative value arbitrage, momentum trading and mean-reversion strategies. He adds: Crypto Markets have created opportunities that we have not seen in conventional markets for decades. Arbitrage opportunities abound the prices of the top 25 crypto assets vary across over 400 liquidity venues. The ability to trade long and short allows profit opportunities regardless of market direction. Green concludes: Were confident due to our custom-developed platform, which analyses market data and suggests rebalancing thats best suited for the current market, will be a market leading investment solution in the digital currency space. The launch today of the deVere Digital Asset strategies underscores our ongoing commitment to reshaping and redefining the way financial services are delivered through fintech [financial technology], which we believe is a positive force for individuals, businesses and society. For more information on related topics, visit the following channels: Name: Oleksandra Lytvynenko, 41, from Luhansk, Ukraine Job title: Assistant protection officer. Four years with UNHCR, working in conflict-torn eastern Ukraine from the city of Sievierodonetsk. Why did you become an aid worker? When armed conflict broke out in eastern Ukraine in 2014, I had to run for my life. That experience led me to want to help others uprooted by war. Luhansk, the city where I lived, started being shelled that summer and it was not safe. In August, I spent ten nights in my basement. We had no electricity or water, and it was cold so I dressed in warm clothes so I could sleep there. There was no mobile connection so I didnt know what was happening outside. It was frightening. That was why I decided to leave. See also: Life is a daily battle for families in Ukraine conflict zone When I left Luhansk I took one suitcase filled with summer clothes. Many people thought that we would only be leaving for a few weeks. Like a vacation. I cried as I crossed the checkpoint into government-controlled territory. In Svatove [a three-hour drive from the city of Luhansk], I needed a new job so I could earn money and support my parents. I applied for different positions all over Ukraine, but as an internally displaced person (IDP) it was not easy to find a job. Sometimes I visited other displaced people and met UNHCR staff who were helping them. I told them how IDPs lived and what they needed, because I knew what it was like to be displaced. Eventually UNHCR offered me a job. Now I try to tell everyone about my personal experience. I tell them: Please dont give up, try to fight. Oleksandra talking with ECHO and UNHCR staff during a distribution in Kreminna, Luhansk region. UNHCR/Yevgeny Gusev What are the most rewarding/challenging things about your job? At the end of last year a record 68.5 million people worldwide had been forcibly displaced by wars and persecution. This included 40 million IDPs, who remain displaced within the borders of their countries of origin. I am able to use my own experiences as an IDP to help others. For example, I didnt know that when I left my home I would need things like bed linen. After I joined UNHCR, I was able to advise exactly what displaced people needed most. My previous work experience has also been very useful because for UNHCR protection is everything, and I worked for ten years with different social organizations. All of this knowledge I can now apply in my work in UNHCR. See also: Pensioners caught up in Ukraine conflict struggle to survive What was your worst day at work? Every day I hear people have died is the worst. Especially if we have supported them. For example, I recently visited an elderly couple who received winter clothes and cash assistance from UNHCR through our partner Proliska. A few weeks later, Proliska told me the man had died. I felt empty. I visited his wife to show her that shes not alone. It is so hard to speak with people about their loss. The couple were living in a place called Schastiya (happiness) on the contact line. They met as children and hadnt seen each other for 20 years. Then the woman became displaced when the conflict started. It was like Romeo and Juliet. What was your best day at work? I remember one time during my early days of working for UNHCR when our office distributed warm clothes for IDPs. It was the end of October 2014. A young lady with three children approached us towards the end of the distribution. Her children were dressed in light oversized jackets, which did not protect them from the cold weather. It was lucky that we still had some warm jackets to provide for her children. All of us had tears in our eyes at that moment. And I felt happy and satisfied with the job that I was doing, because it was a big help for vulnerable people affected by the conflict. Soon after, the lady became a local volunteer and started helping UNHCR to make distributions like these. It makes me even happier to know that four years after our first meeting, she has a job and is integrating in her new village, while at the beginning of her displacement she had only three jackets for her children. I want to believe things will get better. We will keep trying. At UNHCR, we are optimists! And maybe one day I will go back to my home. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, works in 128 countries helping men, women and children driven from their homes by wars and persecution. Our headquarters are in Geneva, but most of our staff are based in the field, helping refugees. This profile is part of a series highlighting our staff and their work. Somali-born model Kafia Mahdi poses under a Budapest statue for a fashion shoot in this seasons leopard-skin print. At only 19, she seems to have found a glamorous new life in Hungary. However, her journey here was difficult and her success began with small, painful steps in a childrens home. Now a documentary film has been released about Kafias transformation from child refugee to fashion star. Easy Lessons (Konnyu Leckek) by Hungarian director Dorottya Zurbo shows Kafia at school and starting her modelling career. On the surface, all seems well, but her heart is heavy at leaving her mother behind and being uprooted from her culture in Somalia. Working on the film was challenging, Kafia said ahead of the documentarys release in Hungarian cinemas last month. I had to share my full story, my feelings and my deepest thoughts, which I always find hard to express. But after a while, I got to know the crew and that made me comfortable to open up about a lot of things. Kafia grew up in Qoryoley in southern Somalia with her mother, stepfather and six siblings. War was ever-present. Her natural father wanted to marry her off when she was 14, but Kafia dreamt of emancipation and education. In Somalia, the men order us around, she says. You cant say whats on your mind. It was especially hard for her to leave her mother. I was always Mummys girl. To avoid a forced marriage and seeking an education, Kafia left Somalia aged 15. After a hard journey, which took almost a year, Kafia, was stopped as she tried to cross from Serbia to Hungary. I just wanted to be in a safe place. I didnt know where we were, she says. I had no idea what language they (the border guards) were speaking. But I didnt care. I just wanted to be in a safe place. Hungarian authorities separated the refugees, sending older ones to reception centres and the under-aged into care. Kafia went to what had in communist times been a huge orphanage in the town of Fot, near Budapest. I felt pretty bad, she says. There was only one other girl, also from Somalia, and at first we had to share accommodation with the boys. But the social workers were kind and I decided to make an effort. I started to learn Hungarian. When you speak Hungarian, you understand these people. They are straightforward and nice. Kafia Mahdi models a leopard-skin patterned dress for a Hungarian online fashion store. Netta Bajrami From the orphanage, Kafia moved to sheltered housing for troubled teenagers in Budapest. She was the only non-Hungarian in the home. The other girls were screaming and fighting and cutting themselves. I wasnt a naughty girl. What was I doing there? But they accepted me and I got on with my studies. I graduated in all subjects from high school. Kafia has protected status and hopes for Hungarian citizenship. Probably because of her striking appearance, Kafia was stopped several times on the streets of Budapest and offered modelling jobs, but she was wary. She accepted work with an agency recommended by friends and received commissions to model for designers, magazines and hairdressers. "I dont really consider myself a star." The leopard-skin patterned dress she is modelling is for an online fashion store. Among the tourists taking photographs near the statue, Kafia looks professional as she stands against white stone walls and a blue sky. I was always interested in beautiful things, she says. Back in Somalia, I liked the colourful textiles. We wore little scarves that were soft, see-through and elegant. It didnt have to be a heavy burqa. Besides modelling, Kafia earns a living by checking tickets at a cinema and working as a receptionist at a magazine. Aware that modelling will only take her so far, she has started language studies. Kafia spent two years making the film with director Zurbo, who says she is interested in multicultural subjects, questions of identity. The film shows Kafia studying, doing sports, learning to swim, wearing Western clothes and even going ballroom dancing. The story is threaded with monologues in Somali, exposing her homesickness. In the final scene, Kafia wraps herself in a headscarf for a video call with her mother back in Somalia. How can she explain her new lifestyle? Im so afraid, she tells her mother through the film. If you knew what I do, what would you say? Would you despise me? At the premiere, Kafia, chic in a leather skirt and long earrings, accepts congratulations and hugs, but is all too aware of the emotional cost of her success in Europe. She is modest about her achievements. The film has made me more noticeable but I dont really consider myself a star. I hope it will help other refugees by showing them they are capable of doing anything. Najmo sits next to the fireplace in her familys country house. The mountainous landscape just outside the window looks both beautiful and freezing, but its warm indoors. I wish the world was more like my parents and our family, Najmo says. Were not the same colour, were not from the same country, we dont even have the same religion, but were still family and take care of each other and love each other. Najmo was 11 years old when her father died. Somalia was already a very dangerous place to live at the time, and her uncle decided that Najmo should marry her cousin who was three times her age. Najmo refused, but her family forced her to move in with the much older man. One night she decided to flee and jumped on a bus to the capital. I was only 11 years old, but I knew that it was wrong. I was just a child. So I escaped. Najmo was 13 years old when she left Somalia. She was alone and terrified, but she was determined to survive. People were saying: Where are your parents? Why did they let you go? And I said, There is no, my parents let me go. I let myself go. Najmo is now 20 years old and lives in Reykjavik with her foster family, they also have a small country house just outside the city where the family spends their weekends. Photo: UNHCR/Max-Michel Kolijn Najmo at school with her good friend, Haukur. Photo: UNHCR/Max-Michel Kolijn Najmo travelled with strangers across the Sahara in the back of a big truck, where she saw people being crushed to death. The journey through the desert took 28 days. I was just watching the sand and I knew that there was nothing I could do. If the car would break down, none of us would have survived. she recalls. She made her way through Libya and, in a small boat, crossed over the Mediterranean Sea. After three years of travelling and constant fear, somebody offered to help her reach Canada, but authorities in Iceland detained Najmo on her stopover and brought her straight to child services. The first thing they asked me was what I wanted to do, and I immediately said that I want to study. she says. I was 16-years old already and had not been in school since I was 11. I knew that getting an education was the first step for me to start a new life and open doors for my future. Najmo started school and was placed in a foster family from the start. After settling in, and learning some basic Icelandic, she realised that she had an important message that she wanted to share with the world as soon as possible. Somali girls who are not in Somalia have more chance. They have more opportunity to be the women that they can be. I make videos to inspire young people, especially to empower women. I want to show girls that they can aspire to be more. Her foster parents have been supporting her dream, helping her with video equipment, and her new dad Finnbogi, who is interested in photography, helped her set up a little studio in her room with lights and reflectors that they built together. Najmos Facebook and Youtube channels grew, and she now has more than 60 thousand followers. Social media is powerful, I can spread my message all the way to the countryside in Somalia. Someone who is with camels and sheep can just open up their Facebook and watch me and get some ideas. I want to help Somali women and girls. I want to inspire them to study, to stand up for their rights. Najmo speaks about education, female genital mutilation, forced marriage and womens rights. She also speaks about cultural norms, religion, politics and violence against women. And her opinions are not always popular. Many people are angry at me, they write nasty comments because I dont cover my hair, because I have a strong voice. But if everybody stays silent on these things, the bad things will go on. And its on us, the women. We need more women to stand up and speak up. Najmo is now 20 years old and continues to advocate for girls rights; she travels around the world with different organisations and youth groups, and people want to hear her message. Living in safety as a refugee in Iceland allows her to continue to spread her message without risking her life. She targets her messages to girls and women around the world, but also has a specific message for Somali women who live in Europe and other parts of the world. We have more opportunities now; we have to study, we have to work together and stand up together, so that us women one day can return to a Somalia in peace and build up the country together. *** Watch the video about Najmo below. You can change the language of the subtitles by clicking on settings in the right-hand corner. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Director Nadine Labaki and Syrian refugee lead actor Zain Al Rafeea filming Capernaum. Sony Pictures Classics / Fares Sokhon NEW YORK At 12, Syrian refugee Zain Al Rafeaa barely knew how to write his name. He was discovered in the streets of Beirut by Lebanese film director Nadine Labaki, who cast him to star in her new film Capernaum. Today, Zain and his family have been resettled to Norway, where they live in a house overseeing the sea and Zain plays with reindeer in the forest. Until three months ago, Zains life shared similarities to the character he plays in Capernaum, the story an undocumented Lebanese boy fighting to survive poverty and marginalization while helping other displaced people living in the slums of Beirut. He was living below the poverty line, like many other Syrian refugees and Lebanese host communities. The film has been selected as Lebanons entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2019 Academy Awards and received the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. This week UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, co-sponsored a screening of the film in New York City. To be resettled in a third country, and having this kind of life it truly is a new beginning. Shortly after coming back from Cannes, the Al Rafeaa family received an official letter from UNHCR informing them that they were going to be resettled in Norway, a process that started in 2016. They moved to the Nordic country in August 2018. Still sleepy and jet-lagged, Zain now 14 years old explained at the New York screening what a regular day looks like for him today: he and his siblings wake up early in the morning to catch the bus to school, which starts at 8 a.m. See also: Syrian boy takes incredible path from refugee to red carpet To be resettled in a third country, and having this kind of life it truly is a new beginning, said Labaki, the film director, during the screening. If he stayed in the conditions he was in, I think there was a big chance that Zain was going to be facing some kind trouble in life, she added. Zain and his family arrived in Lebanon in 2012, after fleeing war in their home town of Daraa in southern Syria. Living in one of the poorest neighbourhoods of Beirut, Zain could not attend school and was often exposed to drugs and violence. Ninette Kelley, director of UNHCR New York office; Ben Stiller, actor and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador; Zain Al Rafeea, actor and Syrian refugee; and Nadine Labaki, film director, during a screening of Capernaum in New York. StarPix for Sony Pictures Classics / Marion Curtis Lebanon which has a population of four million people is currently hosting one million Syrian refugees. The Syrian refugee crisis in Lebanon is part of our daily lives now, Labaki said. You can imagine how big the responsibility and the burden is for the Lebanese community, which is also facing its own economic problems. Almost nine in 10 of the worlds refugees are hosted in developing countries, where they often live in remote or underserved areas with significant development challenges. In the case of Lebanon, one of the most visible ways this challenge materialized in was the increasing number of children on the streets, both Lebanese and Syrian. They are living parallel lives on the margins of our societies, they become invisible to us, Labaki said about the inspiration to make Capernaum. What happens in their heads when they feel so invisible? How does it feel to be completely invisible in the eyes of society? I wanted to understand. Labaki worked with non-professional actors, four of whom were refugees. They filmed for over six months, so that they could adapt to acting on camera. They are living parallel lives on the margins of our societies, they become invisible to us. During the peak of the Syrian refugee crisis, between 2011 and 2015, Lebanon was taking 10,000 refugees from the neighbouring country per week, Ninette Kelley explained. She was the UNHCR Representative in Lebanon during the crisis and is now the Director of its New York office. We need to help Lebanon manage what is an unprecedented influx of people, said Kelley at the screening. The way we do that is we encourage not just provision of assistance to refugees, but help their school systems, their medical systems; so that we can provide not just support for refugees but also the communities that are helping the refugees. See also: Volker Turk explains the global compact on refugees Resettlement is another solution, but currently only 1 per cent of refugees worldwide have had access to that opportunity. Now [resettlement] is not happening to a great degree but when it happens, you can see how it changed Zains life, Kelley added. Who doesnt want to be part of that story? Labaki highlighted the complete shift resettlement brought to Zains life: I think he truly deserves it. He is a miracle boy. He has so much potential, so much to give, and so much wisdom. In his introduction, actor and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Ben Stiller praised Zains performance: It is really one of the best actors Ive ever seen on film. Its just an amazing performance. Its not a light film, he added. But it illuminates this human story that is going on in the world right now. Labaki, like many others in the theater, wished there could be more happy new beginnings like Zains. Venezuelans cross the Simon Bolivar International Bridge into the border city of Cucuta, Colombia, October 2018. UNHCR/Fabio Cuttica UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and IOM, the UN Migration Agency, announced today that the number of refugees and migrants from Venezuela worldwide has now reached three million. According to data from national immigration authorities and other sources, countries in Latin America and the Caribbean host an estimated 2.4 million refugees and migrants from Venezuela, while other regions account for the rest. "Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have largely maintained a commendable open-door policy to refugees and migrants from Venezuela; however, their reception capacity is severely strained, requiring a more robust and immediate response from the international community if this generosity and solidarity are to continue," said Eduardo Stein, UNHCR-IOM Joint Special Representative for Refugees and Migrants from Venezuela. Colombia has the highest number of refugees and migrants from Venezuela, a total of over one million. It is followed by Peru, with over half a million, Ecuador over 220,000, Argentina 130,000, Chile over 100,000 and Brazil 85,000. In addition to South American countries, countries in Central America and the Caribbean also recorded increasing arrivals of refugees and migrants from Venezuela. Panama, for example, is now hosting 94,000 Venezuelans. With rising numbers, the needs of refugees and migrants from Venezuela and the communities hosting them have also significantly increased. Governments in the region are leading the humanitarian response and coordinating their efforts, including through the Quito process, which has been an important step towards a regional approach to scale up the response and harmonize policies. The second Quito meeting of governments from the region will take place on 22 and 23 November. To support this response, the Regional Inter-Agency Coordination Platform, established in September and composed by 40 partners and participants, including UN Agencies, other international organizations, civil society and faith-based organizations, is strengthening the operational response and is working on a humanitarian Regional Response Plan for Refugees and Migrants from Venezuela (RMRP), to be launched in December. The RMRP will focus on four strategic areas: direct emergency assistance, protection, socio-economic and cultural integration and capacity-building for governments of receiving countries. For more information contact: William Spindler, UNHCR ( [email protected] +507 69290257 or +41 79 2173011) +507 69290257 or +41 79 2173011) Juliana Quintero, IOM ( [email protected] +54 1132488134) For background information please consult the Regional Inter-Agency Coordination Platform website: R4V.info Kolkata, Nov 08 (UNI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday reiterated that demonetisation was a disaster and there was an agenda behind the decision. On the second anniversary of the announcement of demonetisation, Ms Banerjee joined via telephone on a Facebook Live video and said, ' Demonetisation was a disaster and there was an agenda behind the decision. Today is November 8. Two years ago, on this day at 8 PM, the disastrous decision of demonetisation was announced. Demonetisation has proved, over the course of the past two years, to be a complete disaster for the Indian economy. Many people lost their lives, and lakhs lost their jobs. Businesses in both the formal and informal sectors have been devastated. ' ' I always say that I come from the grassroots. My political activism began from student days. I know the pulse of the grassroots. After the announcement of demonetisation, I asked the grassroots people about their reaction. They started crying. The housewives are ones who run the family; they keep their hard-earned savings in the piggy-banks at home. And now, overnight their savings were declared invalid, ' she asserted. ' I met one domestic help that day, who asked me for Rs 200. I asked what will you do with this money. She said, all my savings have been declared invalid. I have no money left to buy grocery items tomorrow. That is when I realised, these are the working class people, who actually matter in running the society. Thats why I decided to go with what the common people are saying, what the daily labourers, the domestic helps are saying. I was then that I realised that this is a big disaster, ' the Chief Minister averred. ' I have said this before and saying it again. Demonetisation was a disaster. November 8th is the darkest day for India. There was an agenda behind the decision of demonetisation. The biggest sufferers because of demonetisation were the agriculture sector, the small businessmen, labourers, the farmers, the unemployed, domestic workers, poor traders and others, ' she iterated. ' Who benefited from this decision? Why was this decision taken? To satisfy whom? I have a suspicion that this decision was taken to satisfy the agenda of a few people. Economy is now totally depressed, business is now totally oppressed and common people are completely suppressed. The value of the rupee is also going down, ' Ms Banerjee stated. MORE UNI SJC Poland yet undecided on closure of railroad checkpoint on Belarus border: Govt 21 Nov 2021 | 10:21 PM Warsaw, Nov 21 (UNI/Sputnik) Poland has not yet made the final decision on whether or not to close the Kuznica railroad checkpoint on the border with Belarus after the expiry of its ultimatum over the ongoing migrant crisis, Polish government spokesman Piotr Muller said on Sunday. see more.. Cyberattack on Iran's Mahan Airlines thwarted: official 21 Nov 2021 | 9:45 PM Tehran, Nov 21 (UNI/Xinhua) A cyberattack on Iran's Mahan Airlines has been repelled, an official of the airline announced on Sunday. see more.. Resolution of public's problems lies in ouster of PTI govt: Bilawal Bhutto 21 Nov 2021 | 8:41 PM Islamabad, Nov 21 (UNI) Pakistan Peoples Party (PPI) chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Sunday slammed Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for the ongoing gas crisis in Pakistan and said the resolution of all problems of the public lies in the ouster of the PTI-led government. see more.. Hong Kong: 29 books on Tiananmen Massacre removed from library 21 Nov 2021 | 8:26 PM Hong Kong City, Nov 21 (UNI) The public libraries in Hong Kong have removed 29 books related to Tiananmen Massacre from their shelves in the past 12 years, a report has revealed. see more.. Cabinet okays tie-up b/w India & Morocco on legal assistance in civil & commercial matters New Delhi, Nov 8 (UNI) The Government on Thursday approved the agreement between Indian and Morocco on mutual legal assistance in civil and commercial matters, the Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said here. This agreement will help in service of summons and other judicial documents or processes, taking of evidence in civil matters, production, identification or examination of documents, recordings, execution of a Letter of Request for taking of evidence in civil matters and recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards. New Delhi, Nov 7 (UNI) Defence Minister Niramal Sitharaman on Wednesday met the army troops posted in the remote forward area of Arunachal Pradesh and celebrated Diwali with the jawans. She distributed sweets and and extended greetings to jawans wishing them happiness and prosperity. Ms Sitharaman praised the commitment of the soldiers towards the country and its people and appreciated their enthusiasm for duty at such areas with difficult geographical conditions. She was accompanied by senior army officials of the region. Ms Sitharaman also visited some forward areas in the region and met armed forces personnel. UNI APS SHK1859 Shillong, Nov 8 (UNI) Well-known Non-Governmental Organisation activist from Meghalaya, Agnes Kharshiing, was attacked by unidentified miscreants on Thursday afternoon in East Jaintia Hills and taken to hospital in a critical condition, police said. Ms Kharshiing heads Civil Society Womens Organisation and had campaigned against the coal mafia in the region. The 1430 hrs attack on the CSWO President was confirmed by the Meghalaya Police. Eyewitnesses stated that she received severe head injuries and was rushed to a nearby Primary Health Centre in critical condition. She was taken to Lalong PHC in an ambulance. Ms Kharshiing had been constantly fighting against the illegal coal syndicate for the past couple of years. She had raised her voice against the rampant coal smuggling in the region. UNI ABI RP1752 Tajikistan: 27 dead in prison riot Dushanbe, Nov 8 (UNI) As many as 25 inmates and two security officers were killed after a riot broke out at a high-security prison in Tajikistan, security sources said on Thursday. The riot started when an inmate, believed to be a member of militant group Islamic State, attacked a guard and seized his assault rifle, an interior ministry official said, QNA reported. The situation was restored hours later with the help of reinforcements, a security official said. Turkey asks US to end involvement with Syrian terror group Ankara, Nov 8 (UNI) Turkey has called on the United States to terminate its engagements with the Democratic Union Party (PYD)/Peoples Protection Units (YPG), the Syrian extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, Partiya Karkeren Kurdistane (PKK). In a statement, Turkish presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin said in a statement that his country's main expectation from the US, which is its NATO ally and strategic partner, is to end its all engagements with PYD/YPG, which is a Syrian branch of a terror group, Qatar News Agency reported. Mr Kalin said that Turkey would never allow a terrorist group's structuring in the east of Euphrates River. United Nations, Nov 8 (UNI) A United Nations human rights expert has implored Bangladesh to shelve rushed plans to repatriate Rohingya refugees back across the border into Myanmars Rakhine State for fear that without safety guarantees from the Burmese Government, persecution and horrific violence could begin all over again. Not only did the Rohingya face horrific violence at the hands of security forces in 2016 and 2017 with no accountability, they have been subjected to decades-long systematic discrimination and persecution in Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar said on Tuesday. After a reported military-led crackdown, widespread killings, rape and village torchings, nearly three-quarters of a million Rohingya fled Myanmar's Rakhine state in August 2017 to settle in crowded refugee camps in neighboring Bangladesh. In December 2017 both Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed on a repatriation plan that would begin the process of returning hundreds from the camps in mid-November. Ms Lee has repeatedly said that any returns before the root causes of the crisis were dealt with was highly premature and unjust. Moreover, she received credible information from refugees in Coxs Bazar expressing their deep fear their names will be on the repatriation list, causing distress and anguish. I have not seen any evidence of the Government of Myanmar taking concrete and visible measures to create an environment where the Rohingya can return to their place of origin and live there safely with their fundamental rights guaranteed, said the Special Rapporteur. Ms Lee reiterated that the refugees must be given the opportunity to participate in the process, as it was their decision alone to return to Myanmar. Any returns under current conditions where there is high risk of persecution, may violate obligations under customary international law to uphold the principle of non-refoulement, she asserted. While the Government of Myanmar has reportedly been developing the Rohingya area, building physical infrastructure to house returnees does not resolve the issues, stressed the Special Rapporteur. Living safely and in a dignified manner includes a right to citizenship, freedom of movement, and access to services, health, education and livelihoods, argued Ms Lee. I urge the Governments of Bangladesh and Myanmar to halt these rushed plans for repatriation, to ensure the protection of the Rohingya refugees and to adhere to their international human rights and refugee law obligations to ensure any returns are safe, sustainable, voluntary and dignified, concluded the Special Rapporteur. UNI XC RSU 1220 GLO.ACT supports workshop on the Validation of the National Policy Framework (NPF) against Trafficking in Persons Pretoria, South Africa - 29 October 2018 - UNODC, under the framework of Global Action against Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants ( GLO.ACT), and in collaboration with the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, convened a workshop on the validation of the National Policy Framework (NPF) against Trafficking in Persons from 29 to 30 October 2018. The National Policy Framework against Trafficking in Persons seeks to ensure all government departments and other engaged actors from civil society are collectively guided in the implementation of anti-trafficking responses. In particular, the NPF intends to support the implementation of thePrevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons, 2013 (Act No. 7 of 2013), herewith the Act, which aims to ensure that the criminal justice system is effective in prosecuting the criminals and protects the victims of trafficking in persons, promoting a cooperative and aligned response among all government departments, as well as with civil society organizations engaged in assisting and supporting trafficked persons. As a strategic planning tool, the national policy framework is also key to secure political and financial support and to ensure rational use of resources and effective responses. Objectives of the workshop were to: Review and ensure that the Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons National Policy Framework (NPF) is in line with international best practices on comprehensive anti-trafficking responses; Review and validate the strategic level of the NPF in line with the legislative framework and the priorities identified in close coordination with NICTIP and all relevant stakeholders Review and validate the Operational level of the NPF in line with the Strategic level, taking into account existing good practices and tools in use by anti-trafficking practitioners/coordination bodies in South Africa; To map priorities and next steps towards the launch of the National Policy Framework against trafficking in persons During the opening ceremony of the workshop, Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Hon. John Jeffrey said, "We believe that our NPF's strategy and action plan should be informed by internationally recognized anti-trafficking guiding principles such as a human rights/victim-centered approach, a multi-disciplinary approach, government ownership, civil society participation, a gender-sensitive approach and overall sustainability". He further said, "The strategy should address the four pillars of anti-trafficking interventions or components, namely prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnership". Speaking about the National Policy Framework validation workshop, Mr. Buti Kulwane, Deputy Director: Victim Empowerment, Department of Social Development said, "The national policy framework against trafficking in persons (TIP) will now drive the implementation of activities in response to TIP as per the plan of action that has been validated". He went on to say that: "The national policy framework will also strengthen a well-coordinated multi stakeholder and victim centred approach to trafficking in persons". Some of the outcomes of the workshop were: The National Policy Framework against trafficking in persons was reviewed and finalized; A decision was further made to take the National Policy Framework to the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development for approval and also to circulate the finalized NPF to the relevant government departments' Director Generals involved in the response to TIP. Workshop participants included the National Inter-Sectorial Committee for Trafficking in Persons (NICTIP), Provincial Trafficking in Persons Task Teams (PTT), Civil Society Organizations. Also taking part were our donor, the European Union, and project-implementing partner IOM. The Global Action to Prevent and Address Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants (GLO.ACT) is a four-year (2015-2019), 11 million joint initiative by the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The project is being implemented in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). GLO.ACT aims to provide assistance to governmental authorities and civil society organizations across 13 strategically selected countries: Belarus, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao PDR, Mali, Morocco, Nepal, Niger, Pakistan, South Africa, Ukraine. GLO.ACT works with the 13 countries to plan and implement strategic national counter-trafficking and counter smuggling efforts through a prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnerships approach. It supports the development of more effective responses to trafficking and smuggling, including providing assistance to victims of trafficking and vulnerable migrants through the strengthening of identification, referral, and direct support mechanisms. For more information, please contact: Banele Kunene, National Project Officer, banele.kunene@un.org Twitter: @glo_act. For information only - not an official document UNIS/OS/505 8 November 2018 PRESS RELEASE UNOOSA signs MoU with Bocconi University to collaborate in research on the space economy VIENNA, 8 November 2018 (UN Information Service) - On 8 November 2018, the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and Bocconi University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate in research activities on topics concerning the economy of space. The signatories agree to support each other in areas of common interest, and express a commitment to working with developing countries interested in entering the space sector as well as with the scientific space community. On Bocconi University's part, the agreement will be implemented through the Space Economy Evolution Lab (SEE) of SDA Bocconi, managed by Andrea Sommariva. The cooperation will give particular attention to integrating space technologies with emerging new technologies, in line with the UN Secretary-General's New Technologies Strategy. The accord is part of broader joint research activities on the theme of space economy, one of the four pillars of the Space2030 Agenda, which outlines the contribution of space to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The collaboration between the two institutions will also include academic courses for training public employees, particularly those in developing countries, provided by SDA Bocconi with the support of UNOOSA. The subjects in these courses will be those within the expertise of SEE Lab and in line with the mandate and ongoing activities of the Office for Outer Space Affairs (including the promotion of scientific subjects and the UNOOSA Space for Women project). The Director of UNOOSA, Simonetta Di Pippo commented: "The space economy is expanding enormously, with the participation of an ever-increasing number of actors. Last year, a record number of satellites were launched, and we expect exponential growth in the coming years. UNOOSA, the only UN body 100% dedicated to space, is the center of gravity of this rapidly evolving sector and works to bring the benefits of space to everyone, everywhere. SDA Bocconi, with the creation of the Space Economy Evolution Lab, is at the forefront of academic research on the economy of space, exploring how to translate the consumption of resources into the creation of value. For UNOOSA, SDA Bocconi is therefore the perfect partner to bring more perspectives into the global conversation on space exploration and analyse the growing economic impact of the sector." "Space offers new opportunities for development", added Andrea Sommariva. "Companies operating in the areas of robotics, artificial intelligence and the 'neural network' are looking at the development opportunities that space can offer to their products and services. So, rather than the space economy, I prefer to talk about economic development deriving from the progress of science and technology. The agreement between UNOOSA and Bocconi University that will be implemented by SEE Lab-SDA Bocconi is framed along these lines. For us, UNOOSA is the ideal partner to explore these issues in terms of research, and to spread the managerial, strategic, economic and financial knowledge of SDA Bocconi to emerging countries interested in entering the space sector." * *** * For more information, please contact: Ottavia Pesce United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) Telephone: (+43 699) 1459 8718 Email: pesce[at]un.org Wyoming Business Tips for Nov. 12-18 A weekly look at issues facing Wyoming business owners and entrepreneurs from the Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network, a collection of business assistance programs at the University of Wyoming. Saturday, Nov. 24, is Small Business Saturday, which is often the biggest shopping day of the year for local retailers and downtown shops. But, really, every day should be small business day. Every dollar spent in a local small business keeps 60 cents circulating in the community, compared to just six cents with a big box retailer. So what can you do to capitalize on Small Business Saturday and keep customers coming back? Offer a Deal Most holiday shoppers are looking for a bargain. Offer a discount on products, or throw in a gift with their purchase to get them through your doors. However, reducing your prices too much can actually discourage shoppers from returning later when the prices arent as low. Leave a Good Impression A 2017 American Express survey found that consumers are willing to spend 17 percent more at businesses that deliver excellent customer service. Make sure the atmosphere of your shop is welcoming and highlights your passion for the products or services you offer. Work with Other Small Businesses If its done the right way, youll find that banding together with other small businesses can be a win-win situation. Work with your local downtown or main street organizations to create incentives for shoppers during the holiday season and throughout the year. The Wyoming SBDC Network can help you put together a balanced and effective promotion for Small Business Saturday. Visit www.wyomingsbdc.org to get in contact with your local adviser for no-cost, confidential assistance. You also can find more information about preparing for Small Business Saturday right now in the blog section of our website. The Wyoming SBDC Network offers business expertise to help Wyoming residents think about, launch, grow, reinvent or exit their business. The Wyoming SBDC Network is hosted by UW with state funds from the Wyoming Business Council and funded, in part, through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. To ask a question, call 1-800-348-5194, email wsbdc@uwyo.edu, or write 1000 E. University Ave., Dept. 3922, Laramie, WY, 82071-3922. Christine Giroux exits the voting booth at Transit Town Hall on Tuesday in Sibley County, Minn. The curtains, an ode the American flag, were sewn by a past election official. Meghan Liddys family started a GoFundMe page, initially intended to defray the cost of getting her home for treatment, but now for the purpose of returning her remains from Ghana. A French investigation judge has just indicted three Syrian personalities, one of which is General Ali Mamlouk on the following charges: complicity in acts of torture; complicity in forced disappearances; and complicity in crimes against humanity, war crimes and delitos of war. This judge has issued international search warrants to prevent the accused from travelling outside Syria. General Mamelouk, Syrias number 2, has recently travelled to Europe, the Persian Gulf, and North Africa to drive negotiations with the United States. The French magistrate used the Cesar Report to lay his foundation. The Cesar Report comprises about 50 000 photographs that the Syrian Arab Army have taken of victims of the jihadists. Yet these photos are presented with aplomb in the West as victims of the Syrian Arab Army. Qatar is covering the costs associated with the Cesar Report. These costs relate to its presentation and publication in the West plus the legal costs. Sheikh Ali Salman, former President of the Al-Wefaq Party, and two of his collaborators, Hassan Sultan and Ali al-Aswad, have been sentenced to prison for life by the Bahrain court. They have been declared guilty of having had contact with the Qatar Regime with a view to toppling the monarchy. The accused are all Shiite Personalities that lead the struggle against the Sunni reigning family of al Khalifa. In 2011, al Khalifa responded to peaceful demonstrations by requesting help from Saudi Arabia. The latter deployed Eagles of Nayef who had delivered a bloody repression. Sheikh Ali Salman is a charismatic personality who asked for the restoration of Parliament (dissolved in 1990), organised massive demonstrations and was forced to exile from 1995 to 2001 first in Emirates and the United Kingdom. He has no ascertained links with Qatar. The Al-Wefaq Party has been banned since 2016 and the three men charged have been imprisoned since. According to Amnesty International, a trial is being staged but justice is not being delivered. Furthermore, the three accused are prisoners of conscience. Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Nov. 08, 2018 | PADUCAH By West Kentucky Star Staff Nov. 08, 2018 | 10:20 AM | PADUCAH Paducah Police Chief Brandon Barnhill, who will be retiring at the end of the year, spoke to West Kentucky Star Monday about his career in law enforcement and his reasons for deciding to move on. "It's been a great career. It's a great opportunity. It is truly a calling to go into public service. I fet like it was the right thing for me at that time, and certainly here 23 years later I have no doubt that it was the right thing." Barnhill said. Barnhill said he's seen a lot since he began his career, but he has always tried to focus on the good things along the way. "I've seen many things that I cared not to see, or didn't think I would have to see when I first got into the job," Barnhill said. "I try to focus more on the opportunities that have been given to me over the 23 years, and to build relationships and help people. It's not uncommon to still be able to go out in the community and get hugs from those that I've been able to make a positive influence on their lives." When asked why he is deciding to end his time with the Paducah Police Department now, Barnhill said it feels like now is the time to make a change, and explore some other opportunities. "I've always been told whenever the timing is right it will feel right, and will essentially smack you in the face. Everything that I've been praying about and talking to the family about is becoming very clear for me. It feels like it is the right time, and there's some opportunities that are out there that I want to explore." He said. Barnhill added that the uncertainty surrounding the state's ailing pension system did play a factor in his decision to retire. "I don't know what the future is for the pension issue, but it is an opportunity where I can move out into the system now and lock in or have some security in what I'm retiring at, and those numbers and the things that are afforded to me now that I don't know that would be there in the future." He said. Barnhill submitted a letter to City Manager Jim Arndt on Oct. 30 saying he will retire on Dec. 31. He has been with the department since 1998. Calvert City Jingle All the Way 5k and Fun Run set for December 4 Email To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required. Your Full Name: (optional) Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required. Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Nov. 07, 2018 | MCCRACKEN COUNTY / CALLOWAY COUNTY By West Kentucky Star Staff Nov. 07, 2018 | 09:52 PM | MCCRACKEN COUNTY / CALLOWAY COUNTY A joint investigation involving the McCracken County Sheriffs Department, the Murray Police Department, the Marshall County Sheriffs Office, and the DEA has led to the arrest of two men on methamphetamine trafficking charges. Monday evening at 630 pm, McCracken County Sheriffs Department drug detectives arrested 46-year-old John Wetherington, of Murray, on the parking lot of a business on Benton Road in McCracken County. A search of his vehicle revealed over one pound of crystal methamphetamine and cash, believed to be proceeds of illegal drug sales. The investigation also showed that Wetherington had obtained the methamphetamine from 29-year-old Kyle Speer, Jr., of Paducah. Speer was arrested following a traffic stop on the parking lot of a McCracken County business John L. Puryear Drive later Monday night. As the investigation continued into the early morning hours of Tuesday, detectives with the Murray Police Department, (assisted by other law enforcement agencies), obtained and executed search warrants at John Wetheringtons residence and business in Murray. During the execution of those search warrants, detectives found several hundred dollars in counterfeit money, electronic storage devices, additional methamphetamine, and assorted drug paraphernalia. Both Wetherington and Speer were arrested and taken to the McCracken County Regional Jail. Wetherington was charged with trafficking in methamphetamine and Speer was charged with complicity to trafficking in methamphetamine. Wetherington was on felony probation for drug charges and Speer was out on bond on methamphetamine trafficking charges. Detectives say that additional charges, and or arrests, are likely. By Bill Hughes Nov. 07, 2018 | 07:57 PM | PADUCAH Paducah's Carson Center has been buzzing with activity, even if you haven't seen any shows over the last week. But Thursday night's show will be the culmination of all the work, as the cast and crew of Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" present their production for one night only before beginning a national tour.The final week before opening night is called technical week because all of the elements of the production - costumes, music, set, makeup, lights and sound - are present during rehearsal for the first time. These teams have been working independently, but now they begin collaborating to familiarize each other with their cues and streamline any problems in anticipation of opening night.This is the first time any touring production has "teched" their show in Paducah.Nancy Gabriel, Vice President and Producer of Work Light Productions, said companies typically choose a smaller city to tech their shows because venue and labor costs are lower, and they get to present the show to that audience. They choose a theatre in a city reasonably close to where the show will begin the tour, so their caravan of six tractor-trailers won't have to drive too far.Based in New Jersey, Gabriel said she has enjoyed her time in Paducah and has been impressed by the beauty of the riverfront. She said the cast enjoyed Kentucky barbecue on Tuesday, and the entire cast has been curious about the flood wall murals, painted by Robert Dafford.Gabriel said, "Some of us are at the Holiday Inn, which is just a walk down the river. I will say that it's just beautiful!" She added, "Yesterday, I took a nice walk and basically read all of the plaques and took my time and felt like I got a real slice of history here. I'm amazed at the flood wall, I'm amazed at the marks of the floods. I can't even imagine how much water could come down this vast expanse to go up to the levels on that wall. We're from the east coast. We don't have anything like this, so it's very different for someone that doesn't come from this area to see that."Lisa Lauck, Marketing Director for the Carson Center, said Paducah benefits from hosting technical week because Paducah could never fill the theatre for a full week of performances, so a show like this would not otherwise come.Plus, Gabriel said the cast and crew are contributing to the local economy - hotels, meals, sightseeing, shopping - and meeting any physical or technical needs that arise related to the show's final preparations.Gabriel said that once they use a venue for technical week, it's always under consideration for a future production, which would provide another unique performance for locals.She said, "We love to establish relationships where we can tech a show, because once we know what the infrastructure is, once we know the theatre, and your theatre was able to accommodate it, which is wonderful. This is a beautiful, beautiful facility, you're very lucky to have it. So, yes, we would come back, I would hope to tech another show in Paducah sometime."Kentucky's Film Credit Tax Program has also provided incentive to Work Light Productions, where they get a tax break on their production costs. The company has previously teched a show in Owensboro, too.There are thirteen people in the crew, four stage managers, twenty-seven in the cast, one tutor for two juvenile actors, and three traveling musicians. But local musicians fill out the rest of the sixteen-piece orchestra.The traveling musicians have rehearsed with 13 local symphony musicians who will play during the local show, and this local recruitment-rehearsal-performance cycle happens at each city on the 7-8 week tour.After visiting Chattanooga this weekend, the tour will spend a full week in Nashville, Tulsa, Atlanta, Denver (two weeks), Orlando and Miami.On Wednesday morning, tickets were still available for the one show in Paducah. Visit the link below for more information.If you can't make the Paducah performance, the dates in Nashville are November 13-18 at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. On the Net: By West Kentucky Star Staff Nov. 07, 2018 | 09:01 PM | GRAVES COUNTY A home invasion early Wednesday morning in Graves County led to four arrests. According to the Graves County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to a home in the 1000 block of Ballard Road around 6:00 am, after a passerby said she heard a woman screaming and then gunshots. Deputies say 43-year-old Edward Ellegood, 45-year-old Tammy Threatt and 38-year-old Daniel Moore, all of Mayfield, had been at a home occupied by 39-year-old Derek Wilson and 30-year-old Heather Hughes earlier in the night. After an argument, Ellegood, Threatt and Moore were reportedly told to leave the home. According to police, a short time later all three returned, and Ellegood and Threatt made unlawful entry into the home. Wilson reportedly grabbed a shotgun and forced the pair outside, and a fight ensued between Wilson and Ellegood. During the fight, Hughes allegedly fired a shot from the shotgun. Deputies said the fight came to an end when Wilson was knocked unconscious. Ellegood, Moore and Threatt got in their vehicle and as they were leaving, Wilson reportedly fired multiple shots at the vehicle, striking it twice near the passenger door. Hughes was arrested and charged with wanton endangerment and tampering with physical evidence. She was lodged in the Graves County Jail. Deputies later found Ellegood, Moore and Threatt at a home on Prittchett Road. Ellegood was arrested on burglary and assault charges. Threatt was arrested on charges of burglary, menacing and probation violation for a felony offense. Both were lodged in the Graves County Jail. Deputies say Wilson was arrested Thursday morning and lodged in the Graves County Jail on assault, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and wanton endangerment. Moore was cited on a criminal trespass charge, and released with a court date. By West Kentucky Star Staff Nov. 08, 2018 | 12:44 PM | GRAVES COUNTY The Graves County School District will celebrate and honor United States military personnel with several Veterans Day programs. Since Nov. 11, this year is a Sunday, some programs are scheduled on Friday, Nov. 9, and others on Monday, Nov. 12. WGCE-TV will televise the 2018 Veterans Day assembly at Graves County High School at 10:15 Friday morning in the Eagles Nest gymnasium. Enhancing this year's program will be participation of the school's orchestra students and Army JROTC. See it locally on cable on WK&T channel 51, Time Warner channel 15, or Zito Media channel 58. WGCE also will stream it live: go to youtube.com and search GCTV Graves County High School. Central Elementary School's program starts at 1:20 p.m. on Friday. Graves County Middle School's program begins at 1:30 p.m. on Friday. Fancy Farm's program starts at 8:45 a.m. on Monday. Wingo's event is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Monday. Lowes and Symsonia's programs begin at 10 a.m. on Monday. Farmington is scheduled for 1:30 later that afternoon. . - RTL, " ", . " . , , , "." , , , ... Witsie fights the stigma of mental illness Merryl Hammond shares her experience of bipolar disorder A wild ride thats how Dr Merryl Hammond (MA 1983, PhD 1989) describes her travels in bipolar country. Having fought her way back to mental health, she has written a memoir, Mad Like Me, hoping to help people who suffer from mental illness and from the stigma so often attached to it. Each year, one in five people will experience a mental illness of some kind, she says, quoting the results of an analysis of 174 surveys across 63 countries. In most cases, symptoms first appear in adolescence or early adulthood, when they may be overlooked as hormonal changes of puberty or be missed because youth move away from home and their new friends and contacts have no prior knowledge or baseline against which to measure abnormal moods or behaviour. Many people both those experiencing the symptoms and their loved ones and contacts choose denial rather than facing up to the uncomfortable reality confronting them. In her own case, mental illness emerged later in life. Menopause and a family drama combined into a perfect storm that triggered bipolar disorder. Ten years ago, I disappeared from the stage of my own life for two full years, from the age of 51 to 53. I was exiled, lost, shocked, confused and ashamed. Why ashamed? Well, even though Id trained as a nurse (at the University of Natal and Unisa) and got my doctorate in community health at Wits, I had internalised all the negative attitudes towards mental illness that existed in the larger society. I secretly felt superior to the psychiatric patients I worked with, and I couldnt wait for my stressful rotations in psychiatric hospitals to be over, so I wouldnt have to examine my thinly concealed prejudices at all. I had no idea that my turn would one day come; that my own brain would misfire and render me absolutely powerless. In depression, Merryl felt hollow and joyless, separated from everyone else and unable to focus. In hypomania, she had endless energy and self-confidence. Nothing seemed impossible. For my poor, exhausted family having to chase after me as I ran down the street at all hours, looking for new adventures this was the ultimate nightmare. They did their best, taking turns to soothe me and rein me in, but eventually they ran out of resources and had to call an ambulance. I was carted off to the psychiatric hospital. When I emerged some weeks later, I was on heavy doses of psychiatric meds. Luckily, my academic training kicked in, and I kept copious notes throughout the hospitalisation and beyond. These became the basis for the detailed recollections I share in my memoir. Now that Ive lived on the other side and fought my way, step by dogged step, back to mental health, I have made it my mission to share my story, and to encourage others to share theirs, so that together we can break the stigma surrounding mental illnesses of all kinds, in all age groups. Learn more: www.merrylhammond.com Merryl lives in Montreal, Canada. She and her husband, Rob Collins, are public health consultants and work to help indigenous communities where smoking is epidemic. Mad Like Me: Travels in Bipolar Country is available from Exclusive Books, The Book Depository and Amazon. China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page Beacon of Light to shine from top of St Giles tower this weekend This article is old - Published: Thursday, Nov 8th, 2018 A Beacon of Light will be lit at the top of St Giles tower this weekend as part of Wrexhams Remembrance Sunday commemorations. Wrexham will taking part in the nationwide event on Sunday November 11, which will see over 1,000 beacons lit throughout the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and UK Overseas Territories. The Beacons symbolise the end to the darkness of war and a return to the light of peace and will pay tribute to the millions killed or wounded in battle, and those on the home front who struggled amidst pain and loss to help ensure freedom survived. The Beacon of Light in Wrexham will be lit at 7pm on the top of St Giles Church Tower, in the town centre and members of the public are warmly invited to attend this event. An Act of Commemoration will be held at 6 pm in St Giles Church which will feature the Rhos Orpheus Choir and an opportunity to join in with music, words and silence to reflect on the events of 100 years ago. Everyone is welcome to attend this service just before the beacon lighting. Missing 15 year old girl from Penycae found safe and well This article is old - Published: Thursday, Nov 8th, 2018 Police have said a 15 year old girl from Penycae who had been missing from home since Tuesday has been found safe and well. North Wales Police tweeted the good news at 2.49am this morning, they thanked the public for their assistance. Water bottle refill scheme to launch in Wrexham with local businesses invited to take part! This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Nov 7th, 2018 Water company Hafren Dyfrdwy is set to launch a new refill scheme in parts of Wales which will see people able to fill up reusable water bottles for free with businesses in Wrexham invited to take part in an action day. The company has teamed up with the Welsh Government and founding organisation City to Sea to rollout the scheme which will increase the availability of quality drinking water when people are out and about. Its first action day, led by a team of volunteers who will be out signing up businesses such as pubs, restaurants and cafes, will take place in Wrexham on Tuesday 13th November. The Refill Scheme allows people to fill up reusable water bottles at businesses which are signed up to the initiative. Businesses simply display the Refill window sticker to let passers-by know they can fill up for free and a smartphone app is also available which maps out Refill station locations. Louise Moir from Hafren Dyfrdwy, said: Its a brilliant milestone to be launching the Refill scheme alongside our partners in Wrexham. As well as making access to tap water easier, Refill is a brilliant way to reduce plastic pollution and cut the amount of bottles ending up in Welsh rivers, canals and landfill sites. We reckon the Refill Scheme will cut plastic bottle use by tens of millions each year across the UK. Our action day in Wrexham is about getting businesses of all sizes involved. We hope as many as possible become Refill stations as they wont only be helping the public stay happy and hydrated, but will also play a role in curbing the number of plastic bottles. Hannah Blythyn, Environment Minister, explains why the Welsh Government are supporting the scheme: Making drinking water more available through the Refill Scheme is a really simple way to cut down on single-use plastics and is much better for the environment. I want Wales to be the worlds first Refill Nation, so its really good to see Wrexham joining the scheme. Natalie Fee, who founded City to Sea in 2015, the organisation which is the driving force behind the Refill Scheme, said: Refill puts the power to stop plastic pollution in peoples hands its a fantastically easy way to reduce your plastic consumption and save money at the same time. Businesses can add themselves to the app too and help create the wave of change needed to keep plastic bottles out of our oceans. The Refill app can be downloaded for free on Google Play or the App Store. In the most contemptuous manner, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has flatly rejected new calls, from the family and supporters of WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange, for his government to secure the basic right of the Australian citizen to return home, free from the threat of extradition to face trumped-up espionage charges in the United States. Both Assanges father, John Shipton, and mother, Christine Assange, have renewed their demands for the Australian government to discharge its responsibilities to their son, who is now in serious ill health and in danger of the Ecuadorian government terminating his political asylum in its London embassy. Julian Assange Morrison made no mention of these pleas when he was asked about Assanges plight on a Gold Coast radio station on Monday. Instead Morrison tried to laugh off a call by actress Pamela Anderson, issued on the Nine Networks 60 Minutes program on Sunday night, for him to defend Assange, return his Australian passport and ensure his free passage home. Asked if he intended to heed Andersons advice, Morrison chuckled loudly before replying: No. He added: Ive had plenty of mates who have asked me if they can be my special envoy to sort the issue out with Pamela Anderson. But putting that to one side, the serious issue is no, our position on that hasnt changed. Leaving aside Morrisons crude innuendo, his remarks constitute the first direct statement by the Liberal-National Coalition government of its unwavering support for the drive by the US administration, assisted by the British government, to get its hands on Assange. Like the Labor government before it, the Coalition government is determined to see Assange locked away for life in the US, or even executed, because his brave and principled work on WikiLeaks over many years has helped expose the war crimes, mass surveillance and anti-democratic machinations committed by the US and its allies. The public response to Morrisons stand, however, pointed to the widespread support for Assange in Australia, as is also the case internationally. 60 Minutes conducted an on-line poll on Morrisons rejection of Andersons request. Referring to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, it asked: Do you think he should be allowed to come home? Of the 5,448 respondents before the poll closed, 91 percent said yes. Reflecting these underlying sentiments, Anderson used the 60 Minutes interview to declare: Scott Morrison, defend your friend and get Julian his passport back and take him back to Australia and be proud of him and throw him a parade when he gets home. Shipton, Assanges father, backed Andersons statement in a letter to the prime minister. Shipton had also written, unsuccessfully, a similar letter to Morrisons predecessor, Malcolm Turnbull before Turnbull was ousted via a backroom Liberal Party coup on August 24. Christine Assange posted a video on Youtube saying her son was in urgent, critical danger, suffering a slow and cruel assassination, with his health seriously deteriorating. His examining doctors have warned that these conditions are life-threatening, she said. Assange said her son was an award-winning journalist, much loved and respected for his courageous exposure of serious high-level crimes, in the public interest, yet he is right now alone, sick and in pain. She emphasised that he had been effectively detained since 2010 without a single charge being laid against him. Christine Assange condemned the latest protocol imposed on the WikiLeaks publisher by Ecuadors government. In essence, the protocol continues an eight-month cut off of all his communications with the outside world unless he agrees to give up his right to make political comments deemed detrimental to Ecuadors foreign relations. Assange said her son was being subjected to silence in solitary confinement, cut off from all contact and being tortured in the heart of London. The modern-day cage for political prisoners is no longer the Tower of London, it is now the Ecuadorian Embassy. Assange explained: For the past six years the UK government has refused his request to access to basic health needs, fresh air, exercise, sunshine for Vitamin D, and access to proper medical and dental care. As a result, his health has seriously deteriorated. She warned that the US government would stop at nothing to incarcerate her son. US Vice President Mike Pence had visited Ecuador to secure a pledge from the countrys president Lenin Moreno, to eject the WikiLeaks founder from the embassy, but Moreno judged the political cost too high, so the new protocol was part of a bid to break her son and force him to leave. Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Jose Valencia underscored that intent this week by again declaring that Julian Assange would face the consequences if he breached the protocol. Valencia falsely declared that the right to political asylum did not include a right to free speech, citing a redundant 1929 convention. At the same time, nervous of the public reaction, he told Ecuadors state-owned Radio Public: Up to now, as far as we know, there is no extradition request from any country. In reality, both the Ecuadorian and British governments continue to refuse to give Assange any guarantee against being extradited to the US. Assange has offered to leave the embassy and be jailed for supposedly breaching bail on a European arrest warrant that was issued over concocted, and later dropped, Swedish sexual misconduct complaintsbut only if he is protected against extradition to the US. The intensification of the US governments pursuit of Assange is being spearheaded by the Democrats and associated media outlets, such as the New York Times, which have sought to link Assange, without the slightest credible evidence, to their Russian interference allegations. As for the Republicans, some have in the past called for the WikiLeaks founder to be assassinated or sent to Guantanamo Bay. In 2012, Assange was forced to turn to Ecuador for asylum because the then Australian Labor government lined up completely behind the Obama administrations efforts to pursue him. Likewise, the Liberal-National government, in office since 2013, has collaborated to the hilt with Washington, refusing to use its diplomatic powers and legal discretion to secure Assanges right to freedom and safe return to Australia. The Socialist Equality Party in Australia organised a powerful protest in Sydney in June, which included well-known journalist John Pilger, to demand that the Australian government intervene. Anxious to maintain Washingtons backing, Prime Minister Turnbull refused to even reply. Now his successor, whose installation US President Donald Trump immediately welcomed, has gone further by publicly declaring that our position on that hasnt changed. This development underlines the necessity for the mobilisation of the working class, as an independent force, in Australia, the US, Britain, Ecuador and internationally to defend the WikiLeaks founder from the attacks of the American state. Assanges fate cannot be left in the hands of capitalist governments. More than ever, the demand must be raised that Julian Assange be afforded his basic democratic rights, and allowed to leave the Ecuadorian embassy, unharmed and unimpeded, and with a guarantee against extradition to the US. The author also recommends: The Sydney rally to defend Julian Assange: An important step forward [18 June 2018] Quebecs new Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQCoalition for Quebecs Future) government has announced that its top priorities, in its first months in office, will be lowering taxes, as part of a drive to promote a more entrepreneurial Quebec, and passing legislation prohibiting teachers and other state employees in positions of authority from wearing religious symbols. Quebec Premier and CAQ founder Francois Legault is cynically promoting the discriminatory ban on religious symbols as the cornerstone of a secular Quebec charter, ostensibly aimed at asserting the religious neutrality of the state and gender equality. Like US President Donald Trump, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Germanys AfD, Italys Lega, and other right-wing populist and ultra-nationalist forces that have recently become politically prominent, the CAQ combines a draconian program of social spending cuts, privatization and deregulation with the promotion of xenophobia and attacks on democratic rights. Its secular charter is a calculated attempt to incite Quebec chauvinism, so as to divide the working class, and divert social anger over mounting economic insecurity and social inequality, including the impact of its own impending austerity measures, into reactionary channels. Legaults proposed ban on religious symbols is part of a broader CAQ agenda that presents immigrants and religious minorities as a threat to Quebec society. During the campaign for the Oct.1 Quebec election, the former Air Transat boss and one-time Parti Quebecois (PQ) cabinet minister steadfastly defended his partys unconstitutional and anti-democratic proposal to deport immigrants who fail either a French-language or a Quebec values test after three years residence in Quebec. The CAQ is also committed to slashing Quebecs annual intake of immigrants by more than 20 percent. Despite complaints from many of its big business supports about a manpower shortage, Quebecs new CAQ government has already initiated discussions with Ottawa on reducing the number of immigrants the province receives in 2019 to 40,000, from the current 52,000. Legault thought it politic to distance himself from a tweet from Marine Le Pen, the leader of Frances far-right National Rally (formerly the National Front), applauding the CAQ election victory. But just days before the Oct. 1 vote, when a CAQ supporter asked him if he would fight the immigrants who are effacing us, Legault exclaimed, Yes, of course thats what we want It is a question of protecting who we are as Quebeckers. The CAQ has yet to flesh out the details of its secular charter. But its proposed ban on wearing religious symbols is a flagrant attack on Quebecs religious minorities and especially Muslim women. Teachers, judges, police officers, crown prosecutors and other state employees in positions of authority will be banned from wearing head coverings such as the Muslim hijab, the Sikh turban, and Jewish kippah, and other religious symbols, such as the kirpan. Under Bill 62, legislation adopted in 2017 by the previous Liberal government, Quebec hospitals, schools, and all other provincial public and para-agencies, including municipal transit systems, are prohibited from providing services to Muslim women who choose to wear the niqab or burqa, except in emergency situations. This law, whose application has been suspended pending the outcome of a court challenge of its constitutionality, was denounced by the CAQ as inadequate. The CAQ says there will a transition period in the application of its ban on religious symbols. Thereafter, those who refuse to comply will be fired or have to transfer to another government job where they are no longer in a position of authority. The new government has also vowed that in the event the courts find its ban unconstitutional it will invoke the reactionary notwithstanding clause, which empowers Canadas federal and provincial governments to deny rights guaranteed under the constitutions Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The CAQs secular charter is entirely hypocritical. Even as it attacks immigrants and religious minorities in the name of secularism, it is defending the ubiquitous presence of Roman Catholic symbols in Quebec institutions on the grounds they constitute part of Quebecs heritage. This includes the crucifix affixed above the Speakers chair in the Quebec National Assembly (parliament) and those found in courthouses across the province. The entire Quebec political establishment is complicit in promoting the reactionary political conceptions that have now found expression in the CAQs chauvinist, anti-democratic policies. In 2007, the Liberal government of Jean Charest set up the Bouchard-Taylor Consultation Commission on Accommodation Practices Related to Cultural Differences, after the ADQ, which merged into the CAQ at its founding in 2011, and the tabloid press had raised a hue and a cry about excessive accommodation and the reputed marginalization of Quebecs majority. Later, as mentioned above, the Liberals pushed through their Bill 62, which specifically targets Muslim women. During the 18 months the PQ held office in 2012-14, it sought to enact a Charter of Quebec Values. The Charters centerpiece was to be a prohibition on Quebecs more than half million public sector workers wearing religious symbols, although there was an explicit exemption for discreet crucifixes. A particularly foul role has been played by Quebec Solidaire (QS), the pseudo-left pro-Quebec independence party. Although the accommodation debate was promoted from the outset by the right and far-right, QS called it legitimate. QS endorsed and continues to endorse the Bouchard-Taylor commissions call for a ban on persons in authority wearing religious head-coverings and other symbols, and it supports the denial of public services to Muslim women who, out of religious conviction, wear the burqa or niqab. The QS has taken to calling itself the real opposition to the CAQ, since winning 10 seats and 16 percent of the vote in the Oct. 1 election But it boycotted the very first demonstration against the new governmenta demonstration held Oct. 6 in opposition to racism and the CAQs anti-immigrant policies, and which was joined by large numbers of immigrant workers, including Muslim women. Manon Masse, Quebec Solidaires parliamentary leader and principal spokeswoman, has repeatedly sought to excuse and downplay the significance of Legaults chauvinist policies. This includes declaring during an election debate exchange with Legault, I believe you when you say you have nothing against immigrants. Ive been around you enough to affirm that. If Quebec Solidaire is so intent on excusing the conduct of Legault and his CAQ, it is because QS wants to obscure the fact that deeply reactionary forcesincluding outright fascist groupsare emerging from the Quebec nationalist movement to which QS belongs. What criticisms QS does make of the CAQs chauvinism are from a nationalist standpoint, that Legault is dividing Quebeckers and weakening Quebec. Never does QS denounce the whipping up of chauvinism as part of the assault on the working class, nor explain that this is a global phenomenon rooted in the crisis of capitalism. In English Canada, sections of the ruling class are similarly promoting anti-immigrant chauvinism, Islamophobia and, particularly in Alberta and New Brunswick, hostility to Quebec and to francophones so as to divide the working class. This is exemplified by Ontario Premier Doug Ford who has sought to scapegoat refugee claimants for a social housing shortage, as he initiates a massive new austerity drive. Ford and Legault, who posture as protagonists of change and ordinary people against the traditional political establishment, both owe their election victories to the trade unions systematic suppression of the class struggle. In Ontario, the unions eagerly supported a Liberal government that slashed social spending, cut taxes for big business, and criminalized worker job action. The Quebec unions, which for decades have supported the pro-austerity PQ, sabotaged and betrayed a series of explosive workers struggles over the past six years, including the mass movement against austerity triggered by the 2012 Quebec student strike and the 2015 public sector workers fight against concessions and budget cuts. Opposition to the attack on the democratic rights of immigrants and religious and other minorities is a critical element in the fight to mobilize the working classFrench, English, immigrant and aboriginalagainst all the parties of the Quebec and Canadian establishment and against the profit system they defend. The author also recommends: Canada to dramatically hike, expedite deportations to secure borders [7 November 2018] Canada: Workers need a socialist program to fight the right-wing populist danger [9 October 2018] Survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire, along with concerned local residents, have demanded answers as to why no action has been taken over soil sample tests showing levels of toxicity in the vicinity of the inferno. The tests, conducted by toxicology expert Professor Anna Stec, indicated potentially carcinogenic chemicals, which could have long-term health consequences. Stec had independently undertaken the tests, responding to concerns of survivors and residents. She compiled the preliminary findings in February and informed Public Health England (PHE), the Department of Health, and Kensington and Chelsea Council, suggesting that people living in the towers vicinity be tested to ascertain any potential health risks. The PHE, however, decided not to act on the findings until Stecs full report is published next year. Stecs findings were finally reported in the Guardian last month. Survivors and residents are rightly outraged at the potential dangers and the continuing inaction and indifference of central and local authorities. To try and contain criticism and allay concerns, the authorities were forced to arrange an emergency meeting open to concerned residents. It was held October 29 in the Hilton Holland Park. Several hundred people attended, and such was the response from residents that the meeting filled a large room and overflow room. A panel of five faced questions from Grenfell support organisations and residents. The five were Yvonne Doyle, PHE regional director for London; John Ashton, interim director of Public Health for Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster; Barry Quirk, chief executive officer at Kensington and Chelsea council; Rupert Lewis, director of the Government Office of Science; and Paul Nathanail, a soil expert at Nottingham University. Although specifically called to discuss the issue of soil toxicity around Grenfell Tower, the meeting provided local residents with a rare opportunity to express their pent-up anxieties, fears and disgust at the way they have been treated and to pose the question of responsibility for what they had undergone. A representative from the Care Parents forum raised concerns about asbestos in the environment following the fire and what plans were in place to safely remove it. Despite assurances from Doyle that the asbestos in the tower either remained in place or would have been burnt up and that only two particles had been found in the course of air monitoring, concerns remained. This was especially so regarding the risk posed to schoolchildren at the Kensington Aldridge academy, which lies in the shadow of the tower. The representative from Care Parents forum raised the issue that the lack of a secure cover enveloping the burnt-out tower meant debris could easily cover the surrounding area. Many residents fear that bags of debris from the tower stored in garages at Hurstway Walk, near the tower, could contain asbestos. Doug Patterson, chief executive at Bromley Council, is acting as manager for the tower and site group charged with the clean-up and future development. He was challenged as to who had given permission to store the debris in the garages, where they have been for 16 months. He told the meeting that the bags were sealed but that he would arrange for their removal. Joe Delaney, for the Grenfell Action Group, who lived in a flat adjacent to Grenfell Tower and who has fought both prior to and after the fire for safe and decent housing, attended the meeting. He raised concerns about the methodology of the air-testing regime employed following the entirely preventable tragedy. He specifically cited from a 2016 report by the American Thoracic Society on the political implications of the 2001 Twin Towers tragedy in New York. This states: We must be realistic in assuming that political leaders in future facing new large-scale disasters may be deterred from prompt action by the prospect of enormous financial costs and other political factors and that a real scientific response will always be needed as a counterweight. To enthusiastic support, Delaney challenged Doyle to show how she had put public safety first, rather than government interests. Asking whether lessons from the Twin Tower collapse and its long-term effects on health had been drawn upon, he pointed out that air-monitoring equipment set up in the immediate area of the New York atrocity had become clogged up because of larger-than-expected particles. Air-monitoring equipment nearest to Grenfell Tower had similarly become blocked and out of commission for some time. When Doyle asserted that this was not the case, she was challenged by a chorus of thats true from some of those in attendance at the meeting. In response, Rupert Lewis of the government science office said experts would be consulted as to the findings of the soil samples. Delaney challenged him as to whether American experts would be brought in, saying to applause: British ones would be considered too close to the government. Natasha Elcock, chair of Grenfell United, demanded the panel give a date on when the soil sampling would start. Can we get commitment that this testing is going to start with immediate effect. We need it to happen yesterday. I need a commitment that it is going to start in the next two weeks. A speaker from the floor questioned why soil sampling had not taken place from the start and why it had not begun when Professor Stec raised her concerns. Another speaker from the floor denounced the efforts of the media and the official government inquiry to scapegoat firefighters for the fire. Earning a round of applause and cheers, she asked: When are we going to get to the truthwhen are people going to be prosecutedwhen are we going to get justicein other words, whose side are you on? Terry Edge introduced himself as a government whistle-blower over the suppression of truth on the toxicity of fires. He explained he had worked for many years with Anna Stec, telling the meeting that she had told him she believed Public Health England was operating a cover-up over this issue. He described the Grenfell fire as the most toxic domestic fire in UK history. The reason being the tower is full of flame-retardant material which when it burns is extremely toxic. Another speaker from the floor called for health screening to start immediately for residents and especially the children. One former local resident reminded the panel that people had perished in the fire, and that residents and survivors had been failed by the council and the tenant management organisation. She said she had to leave the area after the fire because she suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and had succumbed to the Grenfell cough. The author also recommends: UK: Report reveals widespread soil contamination after Grenfell Tower fire [24 October 2018] Europes political and media establishment is responding to the 2018 US midterm elections with calls for a military build-up to confront Washington and for legitimizing far-right politics. It is ever clearer that the breakdown in trans-Atlantic relations following Donald Trumps election and his trade war measures against Germany and China was not a coincidence or a passing blip. European ruling circles are widely interpreting Trumps ability to extend Republican control of the Senate, though he lost control of the House of Representatives to the Democratic Party, as a sign that growing US-European conflicts reflect a deeper crisis than they originally believed. They are calling for their own aggressive military policy in response. Germanys Suddeutsche Zeitung daily wrote, The 2018 congressional elections had a simple role: to determine whether President Donald Trump would be a temporary aberration in US history, or whether there is a more serious problem. The answer is before us, and it is unambiguous: Trump cannot be written off as a historical stupidity. Trump, it added, has awoken a force that is powerful, antidemocratic, and full of hate. Now it is clear that this force is here to stay. In France, Le Parisien wrote that the anti-Trump referendum did not happen, while the right-wing Le Figaro concluded, Tuesdays elections has normalized a presidency that Democrats hoped to disqualify as a historical anomaly. In Britain, even the liberal Guardian, which published a column by Richard Wolffe hailing the elections as a story of suburban white female flight away from Trump and a Democratic triumph meaning that Trumps unchecked hold on power has come to an end, sounded a warning note. In a column titled Dont be fooled. The midterms were not a bad night for Trump, Cas Mudde mourned that in just two years in office, Trump has shaped the Republican party in his image. The Reuters news service spoke of disappointment in European capitals: Although few European politicians said so openly, the hope in Berlin, Paris and Brussels was that US voters would deliver a clear rebuke to Trumps Republicans in the midterms, forcing a change of tack and bolstering hopes of regime change in 2020. But the outcome fell short of the blue wave some had hoped for. Even Democratic victories in the House, Reuters added, might only make US foreign policy more unpredictable and dangerous, given the Democrats aggressive agenda. Against Trump, while House Democrats could push for a tougher approach towards Saudi Arabia and Russia, they are unlikely to move the dial on his biggest agenda items: the trade conflict with China and hardline course with Iran. Such policies are set to intensify geo-strategic and economic conflicts between US and European capitalism. European Union (EU) sanctions imposed on Russia at Washingtons demand are costing Europe tens of billions of euros, and EU and US officials have clashed bitterly over the US scrapping of the 2015 Iranian nuclear accord, forcing European firms to abandon Iran. Trumps 2016 election campaign played a major role in bringing these conflicts into public view, notably when he denounced German auto exports to the United States as bad. Top European officials sounded calls for a military build-up, barely hiding that the target of their political and military collaboration would be their US allies. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas declared, We must find an answer on this side of the Atlantic to the America First slogan. For me and for us, it is clear that it can only be Europe United. On Twitter, Maas warned it would be a mistake to count on a course correction by Donald Trump. We must reassess and realign our relations with the United States. US threats of trade war tariffs targeting European and especially German auto exports are expected to continue unabated after the elections. It will be uncomfortable for Trump but not better for Europe. In trade policy, little will change; many Democrats are rather protectionist, Clemens Fuest, the head of the economic Ifo-Institute in Munich, told Germanys Handelsblatt. Perhaps the most bellicose statement came from French President Emmanuel Macron, who called for building a European army to defend against external powers, including the United States. We Europeans will not be able to protect ourselves if we do not decide to have a real European army, Macron declared in a Europe1 radio interview. Warning of authoritarian powers re-emerging and rearming on Europes borders, he called on Europeans to protect themselves from China, Russia and even the United States. Warnings in official European circles on the militaristic and protectionist policies of both US big business parties show that US-EU conflicts go well beyond Trumps boorish persona. These are conflicts not between individuals, but between US and European capitalism. Bitter inter-imperialist conflicts over markets, profits and strategic advantagerooted in the final analysis in the contradiction between the world economy and the nation-state systemare exploding, after they twice plunged humanity into world war in the 20th century. The criticisms in European ruling circles of Trumps far-right policies, including his threats to have troops massacre immigrants along the US-Mexico border, are deeply hypocritical. The decades-long incitement of anti-immigrant hatreds by the European bourgeoisie is at a fever pitch, as it seeks to re-legitimize European fascism in order to create political conditions to divert hundreds of billions of euros from social spending into the army and the banks. The period when the Berlin-Paris axis could posture as a democratic antipode to Trump is well and truly over. Already, German officials, including Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, have endorsed anti-immigrant neo-Nazi riots in Chemnitz and Dortmund, as factions of the state and media, including a cabal around right-wing extremist professor Jorg Baberowski, try to whitewash Adolf Hitlers record. Yesterday, Macron took a major step in rehabilitating European fascism, by announcing that he would officially extend national honors to French fascist dictator Marshal Philippe Petain during the November 11 centenary of the armistice that ended World War I. Macron hailed Petain, the head of the Nazi-collaborationist Vichy regime that assisted the Nazis in carrying out the Holocaust of European Jewry and the bloody repression of the Resistance, as a great soldier during World War I, even though he made fatal choices during World War II. He added, It is legitimate for us to honor the marshals that led the army to victory, as we do each year. My chief of staff will be present at this ceremony. To make clear his personal sympathy for the historic figurehead of French fascism, Macron added that Petain was a great soldier, that was a reality. Political life like human nature are sometimes more complex than one would like to believe. The force that offers a progressive alternative to this accelerating international disintegration of capitalism is the working class, mobilized on a socialist program. On both sides of the Atlantic, the period since Trumps election has seen not only a hysterical shift towards the far right in official circles, but an upsurge of the class struggle and growing socialist sentiment and revolutionary moods among masses of workers and youth. While polls have found that more American youth want to live under socialism or communism than capitalism, and that over half of European youth want to participate in a mass uprising against the social order, an initial wave of strikes this year has spread across both sides of the Atlantic. Teachers in America and Britain, US hotel workers, rail workers in France and Britain, airline workers at Air France and Ryanair across the European continent, and autoworkers and metalworkers in Germany and across Eastern Europe and Turkey have all mounted major strikes. The critical question emerging from the US midterm elections is the fight to unify these struggles into an international movement for socialism against capitalisms drive to war and police-state rule. Stepping up its online censorship less than a day before polls opened for the 2018 mid-term elections, Facebook announced on Monday the shutdown of 115 social media accounts on its Facebook and Instagram platforms. Nathanial Gleicher, Head of Cybersecurity Policy at Facebook wrote in a newsroom blog post that US law enforcement had contacted us about online activity that they recently discovered and which they believe may be linked to foreign entities. The 30 Facebook and 85 Instagram accounts were blocked, according to Gleicher, because they may be engaged in coordinated inauthentic behavior and some of the accounts appear to be in the French or Russian languages. Acknowledging the threadbare character of the assertions, Gleicher also wrote that Facebook had not even completed an investigation before shutting down the accounts. He added, Once we know moreincluding whether these accounts are linked to the Russia-based Internet Research Agency or other foreign entitieswe will update this post. Meanwhile, Reuters reported on November 2 that Twitter had deleted 10,000 automated accounts in September and October that wrongly appeared to be from Democrats and discouraged people from voting on election day. Admitting the political motivation behind the censorship, the report said that Twitter took that action after the party flagged the misleading tweets to the social media company. Reuters additionally reported that three sources familiar with the Democrats effort confirmed that the request to shut down the accounts came from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), an organization that is devoted to the election of Democrats to the House of Representatives. The DCCC was launched after the 2016 presidential elections in response to the barrage of social media posts indicting presidential candidate Hillary Clinton as a stooge of Wall Street, among other things. Twitter has acknowledged working closely with federal law enforcement, ruling governments around the world and the political parties of the US ruling elite. Del Harvey, Twitters head of Trust and Security, told the New York Times that the company began asking for help in 2016. It began coordinating with Homeland Security and is now in regular contact with the FBI and secretaries of state for various states, as well as Democratic and Republican campaign committees and nonprofits that track misinformation, Ms. Harvey said. The latest censorship measures have been taken for two reasons: (1) to prove to the two-party political establishment that Facebook and Twitter are willing and active participants in the stifling of online speech; and (2) to perfect anti-democratic methods in the era of mass online communications, in cooperation with state institutions, against the growing struggles of the working class and young people. The pre-election day censorship comes on the heels of the October 26 announcement by Facebook that it had removed 82 pages, accounts and groups that originated in Iran for engaging in coordinated inauthentic behavior on its Facebook and Instagram social media platforms. No evidence was presented to substantiate this claim of Iranian influence other than some overlap with the Iranian accounts and Pages we removed in August. As was the case in August, the latest Facebook censorship moves are specifically directed against left-wing and oppositional content on Facebook that is critical of government policies in the US and UK. Under the cover of unprovable claims of inauthentic behavioran Orwellian phrase that purports to identify people and organizations who misrepresent themselves on social mediaFacebook has dropped any reference to fake news and is engaging in outright censorship of free speech. In a Facebook Newsroom post, Gleicher wrote that the shuttered accounts, groups and pages posted about politically charged topics such as race relations, opposition to the President, and immigration. Exposing the preposterous and unsubstantiated claims of Iranian influence, Gleicher added, Its still early days and while we have found no ties to the Iranian government, we cant say for sure who is responsible. Gleicher shared examples of several posts taken down by Facebook. Among them was a meme of Donald Trump that stated a well-known fact: The Worst and Most Hated President in American History! Another contained a widely reported quote by British Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn from December 2015 regarding Trumps anti-Muslim travel ban: The idea that somehow or other you can deal with all the problems in the world by banning a particular religious group from entering the USA is offensive and absurd. As further justification for shutting down the 30 pages, 33 accounts and three groups on Facebook as well as 16 accounts on Instagram, Gleicher incredibly pointed to $100 in social media advertising and seven events which 110 people expressed interest in attending. He added, We cannot confirm whether any of these events actually occurred. The pre-election censorship moves are the result of a collaboration between members of Facebooks election war room, US and UK government officials and law enforcement, the Atlantic Councils Digital Forensic Lab and other unnamed technology companies. Facebook now has more than 20,000 people on its staff working on safety and security issues and has also engaged a frantic implementation of artificial intelligence technologies aimed at scanning and moderating the social media activity of its nearly two billion users. According to a report in the New York Times, Facebook launched an election war room at its Menlo Park, California campus in mid-September supported by 300 employees. The ostensible purpose of the initiative was to root out foreign meddling on its platform in the run up to the midterm US elections. Monitoring political activity on Facebook has become a top priority according to Samidh Chakrabarti, who leads Facebooks elections and civic engagement team. He said, We see this as probably the biggest company-wide reorientation since our shift from desktops to mobile phones. The open censorship of divisive content on Facebook is part of the adoption by the Silicon Valley tech monopolies of a strategic shift away from unmediated free speech on the Internet. As explained in a recently leaked internal Google briefing called The Good Censor, the early utopian period of the Internet has collapsed under the weight of bad behavior and the tech companies are moving away from a commitment to the American tradition that prioritizes free speech for democracy over civility in favor of civility over freedom. This policy shift mirrors the demands by US Congressional figures that the social media monopolies must be placed under government regulation. It also corresponds to the completely false assertion in the capitalist media that the Interneta technology that heralds an era of unprecedented democratic potential and the unification of people around the worldis responsible for the growth of extreme right-wing and fascistic political tendencies worldwide. Meanwhile, the mainstream corporate media has mobilized behind censorship by the social media monopolies. Readers will search in vain for a news report or analysis that does not accept without a shred of criticism the unproven assertions about Iran-backed bad behavior on Facebook and automated accounts on Twitter. This is true of the New York Times as well as major tech publications such as Wired magazine along with the online journals of the pseudo-left such as Jacobin and Socialist Worker. Their complicity and silence on these questions has allowed the far right such as Breitbart and InfoWars to posture as opponents of online censorship and defenders of free speech. The World Socialist Web Site has been in the forefront of the fight against Internet censorship since the summer of 2017 following Googles suppression of results on its search engine directed to our site. We have consistently explained that the fight to defend democratic rights and free speech is bound up with the struggle of the working class against the capitalist system and for socialism. A horrendous picture is emerging of the brutal and barbaric conditions faced by those held in British immigration detention centres. Such conditions have led to approximately two suicide attempts by inmates every day in detention centres, according to a freedom of information (FoI) request seen by the Guardian newspaper. These represent a doubling since 2016. The previous suicide attempt figure in the centres was itself an all-time high, according to official figures. In 2016, there were 393 recorded suicide attempts in detention centresup 11 percent from 2015. Figures published in April by the Independent newspaper showed more than one person a day requiring medical treatment for self-harming in UK detention, with the number of detainees on regular suicide watch also reported to be inexorably rising. But between April and June of this year, there was a 22 percent increase in the number of detainees who made attempts to take their own lives. This information was obtained by the No Deportations rights organisation, via an FoI response from the Home Office. In total, 159 attempts were recorded, more than half of them at just two sites, Colnbrook and Harmondsworth, which are located in the proximity of Heathrow Airport, to aid in the swift removal of detainees out of the country. Suicides in removal centres are kept secret by the Home Office, which is why FoI requests have to be used to reveal deaths, according to former prison ombudsman Stephen Shaw. He was commissioned by the government to carry out a review of the immigration detention system. Shaw has raised concerns that the Home Office does not conform to the practice, followed by the Ministry of Justice, of publishing data on the deaths of immigration detainees. Nevertheless, figures collected by the Inquest rights organisation, whose specialist casework includes deaths in immigration detention centres, suggest there were six deaths in immigration removal centres last year. Four of these were self-inflicted, making it the highest year for suicides on record. Through April 2018, the charitys figures show there have been 35 deaths since 2000, 14 of which were self-inflicted. People who have suffered torture are being held despite Home Office official policy that torture victims should not be detained under usual circumstances. Another FoI response passed to the Guardian revealed that over the past four years, medical professionals made more than 10,000 reports to Home Office officials about detainees believed to have experienced torture before arriving in the UK. If they had not already suffered forms of abuse before arriving in Britain, many suffer it when arriving in detention camps. According to figures released by the Inspector of Prisons, in the year ending December 2016, 28,908 people entered immigration detention. At any time, more than 3,500 people are in immigration detention in the UK. They are held mainly in one of the nine Immigration Removal Centres, three Short Term Holding Facilities, or in prisons. During just one day, October 3, 2016, prisons held 442 people detained under immigration powers. In October, the Guardian reported that from a sample of almost 200 migrants held in British detention centres, at least half were suicidal, victims of torture or seriously ill. In February around 120 detainees at Yarls Wood immigration detention centre in Bedfordshire, England began a hunger strike, protesting the inhumane conditions that dominate Europes largest detention facilities. The mainly women detainees demanded an end to indefinite detention, describing systematic torture by the Home Office and the private security firm, Serco. Yarls Wood is designated a detention or removal centre. To all intents and purposes, however, it operates as a prison, located in the middle of miles of open fields and surrounded by high fences and barbed wire. Those under detention are kept under lock and key, while their appeals for asylum are processed and until they are due for deportation or released. The most recent case of a suicide to be made public was that of Marcin Gwozdzinski, a 28-year-old Polish national immigration detainee. He had been detained for months on end and was increasingly depressed. He killed himself in September 2017, just two days after Harmondsworth detention centre staff determined in a cursory three-minute meeting that his distress was caused by mere toothache. It remains unclear why Gwozdzinski was even being held at the detention centre. According to information from Gwozdzinkis former fellow detainees at Harmondsworth, his mother travelled by bus from Poland to see her son before his life support machine was turned off. Detainees claimed Gwozdzinski had been granted bail two weeks before his death but the Home Office had failed to release him. Fifty-nine detainees at Harmondsworth signed a protest letter after Gwozdzinskis death stating, Its a disgrace that no one has been held accountable for such poor care. We are human beings not animals. Just the day before Gwozdzinski took his own life, the BBC aired a documentary that showed detention centre guards at another British detention facility mistreating vulnerable detainees, including some who were suicidal. In 2015, an undercover film by Channel 4 News provided disturbing evidence of the brutalised atmosphere detainees live under. In relation to 74 incidents of self-harm in 2013 which needed medical treatment, one guard was heard saying callously, Let them slash their wrists. Its attention seeking. Further research conducted by the Guardian and others provides more evidence that, of the 25,000-plus people interned every year, many hundreds, if not thousands, are deeply traumatised. A snapshot survey, taken on August 31 with the help of lawyers and charities that deal with deportation cases, found that almost 56 percent of detainees were either physically or mentally ill, or had suffered torture. The research found that the average detainee had been held four months and that 84 percent of those detained had not been told when they would be deported. Most of those surveyed had lived in the UK for more than five years, with the newspaper reporting that some had lived in the country for over 20 years. The UK has one of the largest immigration detention systems in Europe and is the only country in the region without a statutory time limit on length of detention. There is no statutory limit on immigration detention but the courts have held that detention with a view to removal is lawful only if there is a realistic prospect of this occurring within a reasonable period. Campaigners say this is not closely adhered to. Workers and young people must demand the end to the systematic brutalisation of immigrants and asylum seekers. The Socialist Equality Party demands the immediate closure of all immigration detention centres and upholds the right of all workers and young people to live in the country of their choice, with full citizenship rights and access to welfare, housing, health care and education. About 40 refugee children and their families reportedly have arrived in Australia in recent weeks, after being medically transferred from the tiny Pacific island of Nauru, where successive Australian governments have indefinitely detained asylum seekers. Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton last week indicated that the remaining 27 children on the islandmany of whom have severe mental health problems after years of trauma and detentionwould be evacuated by the end of the year. However, Dutton declared that none of the families would be permitted to stay in Australia. In effect, they may receive limited medical treatment but will be subjected to equally cruel detention onshore until they can be removed from the country, either by resettlement or forced transfer back to the states they fled. Rather than signalling a relaxation of the inhuman incarceration of innocent people, the move is a cynical bid to placate a public outcry over the barbaric treatment of children, while reinforcing the underlying Operation Sovereign Bordersthe use of the military to repel all asylum seekers. The Liberal-National Coalition government is continuing to challenge the right of Australias Federal Court to order such medical evacuations, even in the direst of circumstances, in which children suffer resignation syndrome, refusing to eat. Australias imprisonment of refugees in concentration-style camps, whether offshore or onshore, has provided a precedent for the measures announced last week by US President Donald Trump to arrest and imprison all the desperate asylum seekers who manage to enter the US. This has been a longstanding bipartisan assault on the basic democratic right to flee persecution and seek asylum. * In 1992, the Keating Labor government first introduced the mandatory detention of refugees arriving by boat. * In 2001, the Howard Liberal-National government imposed the Pacific Solution of forcibly transporting asylum seekers to remote islands in former Australian colonieseither Nauru or Papua New Guineas Manus Island. * In 2012, the Gillard Labor government reopened the Pacific camps and vowed that no detainee would ever be allowed to settle in Australiathe policy being enforced by Dutton and the Coalition government today. The current temporary transfers have come after numerous medical professionals, risking possible jail time, exposed the brutal conditions on Nauru. In August, medical staff and social workers blew the whistle on the treatment of detainees, above all the children. They reported widespread instances of abuses, self-harm and high risks of suicide. The Australian government, supported by the Nauruan government of President Baron Waqa, which depends on Australian financial assistance, has made every effort to suppress the revelations, in order to hide the abuses from public scrutiny. Against the backdrop of the 18-member Pacific Island Forum held on Nauru, which concluded on September 5, Waqa made clear that all reports of the treatment inflicted on the detainees would be blocked. A New Zealand reporter who interviewed a refugee was arrested. Backed by the Australian government, Waqas regime blocked the court-ordered medical transfers of numbers of detainees, both during the forum and in the following weeks. The Australian Border Force, a para-military body overseeing the capture and imprisonment of asylum seekers, endorsed the Nauruan governments stand, saying that any criticism of it would affect their working relationship. Undoubtedly with the close collaboration of the Australian authorities, the Waqa government began the deportation of medical professionals who exposed the horrors inflicted on the children. On the October 17, Dr Nicole Montana was deported after allegedly taking a photo of a child, a practice that had been banned in order to censor images that expose the conditions on the island. Montanas deportation came just one week after Medecins Sans Frontieres health workers were forced to leave the island. Naurus government said the charitys essential psychological and psychiatric services were no longer required. Despite decades of anti-refugee rhetoric by the corporate media and both the Coalition and the Labor Party, there is widespread sympathy for asylum seekers. A recent survey conducted by YouGov Galaxy reported that nearly 80 percent of respondents wanted the children off Nauru, while 61 percent of young respondents said the government had a moral obligation to find permanent accommodation for them. Nevertheless, the Coalition and Labor have reiterated their unity, insisting that none of the children ever be permitted to settle in Australia. Last month, in the lead-up to a crucial by-election in the Sydney seat of Wentworth, Prime Minister Scott Morrison canvassed finally accepting a longstanding offer from New Zealand to take 150 refugees, but only on the proviso that legislation in both Australia and New Zealand barred them from ever travelling to Australia. Labors immigration spokesman Shayne Neumann signalled the Labor Partys willingness to support the plan. Last week, however, Home Affairs Minister Dutton ruled out such an arrangement, claiming it would encourage people smugglers to offer voyages to asylum seekers. A similar bill to bar all asylum seekers from entering Australia for life, even as tourists or to visit relatives, was proposed in 2016, but it was eventually dropped amid doubts about its legality. At a speech at the Lowy Institute last month, Labor leader Bill Shorten vowed that Operation Sovereign Borders would be fully resourced under a Labor government. He claimed, however, that stopping the boats was never meant to leave people languishing in indefinite detention. That is a lie. When the Greens-backed Gillard Labor government, in which Shorten was a key minister, reopened the prison camps on Nauru and Manus Island in August 2012, it insisted that lengthy detention was essential to deter refugees. The following year, the Rudd Labor government specifically decreed that no detainee would ever live in Australia, effectively consigning them to indefinite detention. The Greens have indicated their support for a New Zealand resettlement bill and said they would not agree to a lifetime travel ban. While occasionally posturing as refugee advocates, the Greens fundamentally agree with the entire framework of restrictive national borders, and back the mandatory detention of all asylum seekers to vet so-called non-genuine refugees. They call for the closure of the offshore detention facilities, but only to be replaced by UN-run assessment centres in impoverished countries, such as Indonesia. The author also recommends: Trump deploys military to confront immigrant invasion [30 October 2018] At a press conference on Wednesday, following the previous days midterm elections, President Donald Trump launched into a fascistic rant, branding immigrants as invaders and denouncing CNN journalist Jim Acosta as an enemy of the people. While the Democrats were signaling their desire to make an accommodation with the far-right demagogue, Trump made clear that his response to the election would be an even greater promotion of xenophobia and authoritarianism. At the press conference, Acosta challenged Trumps pre-election characterization of the migrant caravan fleeing violence and poverty in Central America as an invasion. Acosta said, As you know, Mr. President, the caravan was not an invasion. Its a group of migrants moving up from Central America towards the border with the US. At that point Trump demanded that Acosta stop talking, but the reporter attempted to continue asking questions. Trump then launched into a tirade, calling Acosta a rude, terrible person. Acosta attempted to ask about Cesar Sayoc, the Trump supporter who mailed pipe bombs to CNN and prominent Democrats. This prompted the president to declare, When you report fake news, which CNN does a lot, you are the enemy of the people. That evening, Acosta was barred from entering the White House grounds and his White House press pass was suspended. When PBSs Yamiche Alcindor, who is Haitian-American, asked Trump about the connection between his self-professed nationalism and the growth of white nationalism, Trump became unhinged. He said, Thats such a racist question. Honestly, I mean, I know you have it written down and youre going to tell me. Let me tell you, thats a racist question. Trumps comments come less than two weeks after far-right extremist Robert Bowers massacred 11 Jewish people at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. Trumps term invasion to describe immigrants was used by Bowers to justify his assault on the synagogue. At the press conference, Trump went on to explain that he anticipates bipartisan support for his anti-immigrant measures. Look, I speak to Democrats all the time, he said. They agree that a wall is necessary. A wall is necessary Many of the people that well be dealing with [i.e., Democrats], you know, in 2006, they approved the wall, essentially. It was a very strong border fence, but it was the same thing. And they all approved it. They all agreed. I have statements from every one of them. Trump is correct that the Democratic Party voted overwhelmingly for the Secure Fences Act of 2006, which militarized the border and paved the way for thousands of deaths among immigrants crossing the border through the desert. The Secure Fences Act passed the Senate 8019, with yes votes from then-senators Obama, Biden, Boxer, Clinton and Sessions, as well as current senator and minority leader Charles Schumer. Later in the day, Trump announced his decision to fire Attorney General Jeff Sessions. The move prompted denunciations by the Democrats in an indication of the right-wing character of the incoming split-power government in Washington. Trump unceremoniously dismissed Sessions before the ink had dried on Tuesdays election results. The vote gave the Democrats control of the House of Representatives, but strengthened the Republican majority in the Senate. Though Sessions firing had been anticipated, Trump reportedly refused to allow him to remain at his post until the end of the week, as the former Alabama senator had requested. Trump has been vocal about his opposition to Sessions 2017 decision to recuse himself from overseeing the Justice Department investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible collusion by the Trump campaign. According to press reports, Trump has called Sessions a traitor, a dumb southerner and mentally retarded. The Democratic Party reacted furiously to news of Sessions dismissal and defended the arch-reactionary, anti-immigrant Christian fundamentalist. The firing of Jeff Sessions will be investigated and people will be held accountable, said Democratic Congressman Jerry Nadler, who will lead the House Judiciary Committee in January when the new Congress is seated. If [Trump] abuses his office in such a fashion, there will be consequences. Democrats are incensed because Trump supporter Matthew Whitaker will now serve as acting attorney general. Since Whitaker has not recused himself from the Russia investigation being conducted by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, he will take over the oversight role presently exercised by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, a trusted ally of the political establishment. Whitaker is on record criticizing the Mueller probe and suggesting that the Justice Department cut off or reduce its funding. Democratic Party-aligned groups such as MoveOn.org have even called for protests across the country, stating that Sessions dismissal and Whitakers appointment cross a red line. The Democratic Party never called for demonstrations against Trumps deployment of troops to the border with a license to shoot unarmed men, women and children, but it is now calling demonstrations to protest the removal of the architect of those policies. Bernie Sanders, who was the cowardly lion when it came to the attacks by Trump and Sessions on the right to asylum and threats to rescind birthright citizenship, was transformed into the Great and Powerful Oz by Sessions dismissal. President Trump must allow Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation to continue unimpeded, Sanders tweeted. Any attempt by the president or the Justice Department to interfere with Muellers probe would be an obstruction of justice and impeachable offense. Senate Minority Leader Schumer made similar remarks at a press conference yesterday. The Democrats have issued no similar statements threatening to use their new majority in the House of Representatives to investigate the decision by Sessions and Trump to pry immigrant children from their parents arms through the Zero Tolerance policy implemented this past spring. Nor is Trump wrong to think that the Democrats will continue to acquiesce to his anti-immigrant measures. At a press conference yesterday, Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi defended her decision to ignore Trumps attacks on immigrants in the run-up to the midterm election. When asked by a reporter whether Pelosi considered it a mistake to stay silent while Trump launched an unprecedented attack on immigrants, the California Democrat replied, No, I do not. She admitted that the Democrats decision to cover over Trumps fascist threats was a deliberate policy. I urged our colleagues not to take the bait, she said, and instead ordered Democrats to stick with the program. She continued, That produced a big victory for us. I have no regret. This support gives the Trump administration the green light to intensify its attacks on immigrants and the democratic rights of the working class. Last night, the Wall Street Journal quietly reported that on Friday Trump will officially announce a blanket ban on the right to asylum for all immigrants who cross the US-Mexico border without documents. Although this would be the most significant attack on the right to asylum in US history, the Journals report passed almost without comment in the rest of the corporate media. This order would result in the deportation of tens or hundreds of thousands of people who face death or persecution in their home countries. The Democratic Party has announced its eagerness to collaborate with the Trump administration. But millions of voters supported the Democrats in Tuesdays elections in the false hope that their vote would translate into opposition to Trump, or to express their opposition to recent right-wing extremist violence, including the Pittsburgh synagogue massacre and the mailing of pipe-bombs to prominent Democrats. Meanwhile, even the Democratic electorate increasingly views the Russia investigation as a distraction. The same CNN exit poll showed that just 41 percent of the electorate views the investigation as mostly justified, compared with 54 percent who view it as politically motivated. This shift undoubtedly played into Trumps decision to quickly remove Sessions, after Trump obtained better-than-expected election results in the Senate. As workers move to the left, the Democrats fight all the more desperately to keep them from breaking free of the straightjacket of the two party system. Their efforts to collaborate with Trump will disillusion millions and pave the way for the explosive development of the class struggle in the weeks and months to come. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - The City of Tallahassee is holding a candlelight vigil this weekend to honor the victims who were killed in a shooting at a local yoga studio last week. Dr. Nancy Van Vessem and Maura Binkley were killed in an attack at Hot Yoga Tallahassee on Thomasville Road on Friday. Five others were injured in the incident. To honor their memory, the city is holding a candlelight vigil at Cascades Park on Sunday, Nov. 11 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - The North Florida Fair opened Thursday night and with hundreds of people attending, there comes a need for safety and security. Protecting the public is at the top of the list for local authorities including the Leon County Sheriff's Office. WTXL spoke with Deputy Dave Teems about LCSO's special plans for this year's fair. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (The News Service of Florida) - Felons will get voting rights automatically restored after serving their sentences, vaping in workplaces will be illegal and greyhound racing will be banned in Florida under a series of constitutional amendments approved Tuesday. More than 64 percent of Florida voters cast ballots in favor of Amendment Four, which is designed to restore voting rights to an estimated 1.4 million felons who have completed their sentences. It would not apply to felons convicted of murder and sex offenses. Florida is one of four states that does not automatically restore voting rights. Mark Schlakman, with the Florida State University Center for the Advancement of Human Rights, supported the measure. It was carrying 64 percent, so its transcended party lines as it should. These issues should not be partisan issues, even though they are often cast as such," said Schlakman. Voters also agreed to pass Amendment 13, which will ban greyhound racing at state pari-mutuels by 2021. Kate MacFall with the Humane Society of the United States said the vote will save the lives of thousands of greyhounds. It phases out an industry that is cruel and inhumane and is already illegal in 40 states. Dogs are dying, one every three days," said MacFall. "They are confined almost 24/7. This was the right thing to do. Also passing was Amendment Nine, which calls for banning offshore oil drilling and banning vaping and the use of electronic cigarettes in workplaces. In all, voters passed 11 of the 12 amendments on the ballot. The only proposed amendment that was short of getting the required 60 percent voter approval was Amendment One, which would increase a homestead property-tax exemption. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) Tijuana Flats is celebrating Veterans Day by giving a free entree to veterans at all locations. Veterans with a valid military ID can visit any Tijuana Flats location for one free entree and fountain drink. The offer includes dine-in and take-out meals but is not valid for orders made online or through Uber Eats. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-07 21:26:58|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close SHANGHAI, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- For those who complain trade with China is done under unfair rules, they may find it difficult to justify their accusations at the first China International Import Expo (CIIE). Conversely, trade with China is fair and reciprocal. Chinese companies shop for billions of dollars in foreign goods at CIIE, the world's first import-themed national-level expo. It underlines China's aspiration of transitioning from selling to the world to buying from the world. The expo also reinforces messages to the world: China is serious about opening up, the doors will open wider, as it is very clear about the type of changes that need to be made. At the opening ceremony, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that in the next 15 years, China's imported goods and services are estimated to exceed 30 trillion U.S. dollars and 10 trillion U.S. dollars, respectively. Piles of import orders at CIIE show China's commitment is not lip service but real deals. Chinese e-commerce giant JD.Com is buying 100 billion yuan (around 14.7 billion U.S. dollars) worth of foreign goods from foreign brands, such as Italian coffee machine maker De'Longhi, Japanese rice cooker firm Tiger, and U.S. hardware behemoth Dell, during the CIIE to satisfy the demand of domestic consumers. After Xi encouraged cross-border trade at the CIIE's opening ceremony, Alibaba Group Holding announced it would list 200 billion U.S. dollars worth of imported goods on its e-commerce platforms from 2019 to 2023. China has already taken concrete measures to further its opening. Starting November 1, China reduced tariffs on 1,585 imported commodities, and in doing so, cut the total tariff level from 9.8 percent in 2017 to 7.5 percent. At the CIIE, China announced plans to make certain volumes of imported goods tariff exempt. At the expo site, supply-demand matchmaking and one-stop services to assist businesses with customs declarations, transportation and exhibitions have been made available. One fact that should not be neglected is that while China holds surplus in goods trade, it runs a deficit in service trade. The Ministry of Commerce (MOC) released a report on the sidelines of the expo showing that China's cumulative service imports are expected to exceed 2.5 trillion U.S. dollars in the next five years. During that period, China will see over 700 billion U.S. dollars of cumulative imports in emerging services, including charges for the use of intellectual property, telecommunications, computer and information services, financial services, and personal cultural and recreational services. This will provide a broader market, more valuable cooperation opportunities and greater benefits to the world. When critics say China's pace to narrow the trade gap with its trading partners is too slow, these orders and huge potentials are resonate evidence to answer the grievances of those critics. "The Chinese economy is a sea, not a pond," Xi said, stressing that storms can overturn a pond but never a sea. Whatever critics say about China's trade practice, China will not close its door to the world and will only become more and more open. Little by little, China's practice will prove that a "winner takes all" approach to trade is unsustainable, and an inclusive and multilateral trading system will deliver mutual benefits and greater prosperity. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 02:28:57|Editor: yan Video Player Close BERLIN, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Several gas stations in Germany had to stop selling gasoline or diesel after running out of gas temporarily, said Stephan Zieger, managing director of the German association of independent gas stations (BFT) on Wednesday in Bonn. According to the German press agency, a spokesman of Germany's largest gas station company Aral stated that supply shortages caused by the continuing low water level of the river Rhine, one of Germany's most important transportation routes, were the reason for numerous empty gas stations. Inland navigation vessels on the Rhine can currently only transport half as much or even less cargo. "Such significant supply bottlenecks did not even occur during the oil crisis in the 1970s," Zieger told Xinhua on Wednesday. According to Zieger, a fire at the oil refinery in the Bavarian city of Vohburg in September further aggravated the supply bottlenecks in southern Germany. "Without the fire in that refinery additional transport capacities would be available," Zieger added. Another reason for fuel shortages was the behavior of drivers, who would refuel earlier than usual because of fearing an empty tank. This would drain gas stations faster and could trigger a domino effect. "If you don't get any gas at the first gas station, you drive on to the next one," said Zieger. "And that gas station will eventually also run out of fuel." Persistent rain and rising water levels would be the only possible short term easing in this regard, Zieger added. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 02:38:59|Editor: yan Video Player Close BERLIN, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- The southern state of Bavaria has the worst traffic situation in Germany and ranks last in the biannual state index for mobility and environment 2018/19, which was published in Berlin on Wednesday. The study, which was commissioned by the German environmental organization BUND, the Pro-Rail Alliance and the German transport safety council (DVR), evaluates five factors regarding traffic: safety, noise reduction, land consumption, climate protection and air quality. According to the study, Bavaria has the highest nitrogen dioxide concentration in its cities. Only the German city-state Hamburg has the same high value with 27 micrograms per cubic meter. "The state government of Bavaria believes that traffic-related environmental problems will solve themselves in the future through modern cars, for example," traffic expert of BUND Arne Fellermann told Xinhua on Wednesday. Fellermann said the climate protection goal of the Bavarian state government would not be very ambitious. Bavaria is the only German state in the study to have once again not published any figures on CO2 emissions caused by traffic in 2017. Until 2020 Bavaria wants to emit less than 6 tons of CO2 per inhabitant per year in total. This figure was already reached in 2007. According to the traffic expert, driving bans are currently the most important measure for citizen protection in regard to high emission levels. "But in many cases they are not the most intelligent solution," explains Fellermann. The introduction of the so-called Blue Badge, which labels vehicles that comply with the latest emissions standards, would be the best solution. First place in the study is taken by Baden-Wuerttemberg, which has the lowest noise pollution in Germany. The state is doing well in terms of traffic safety but performs worse regarding climate protection and air quality. The goal of the German government is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions nationwide by 40 percent compared to 1990. According to the German Environment Agency (UBA), the energy sector, trade and industry have been able to record significant reductions of up to 35 percent in greenhouse gas emissions, whereas transport in Germany emits 4 percent more CO2 in 2018 compared to 1990. Considering the challenges and goals that Germany has set itself, especially in regard to climate protection and the Paris Climate Protection Agreement, there would still be a lot to improve, said traffic expert Fellermann. "BUND is thus calling for even greater efforts to be made by the federal states to improve the quality of life, especially in cities." Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 03:24:10|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close U.S. President Donald Trump attends a press conference at the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on Nov. 7, 2018. U.S. Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he will have lunch with Russian President Vladimir Putin among other leaders during his planned trip to Paris but no meeting was expected. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong) WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he will have lunch with Russian President Vladimir Putin among other leaders during his planned trip to Paris but no meeting was expected. "We will be having a lunch, but I'm sure many people will be there," said Trump at a press conference at the White House when asked if he will meet Putin in Paris, where over 60 leaders were expected to convene on Sunday to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of the World War I. "I don't think we have anything scheduled in Paris," said Trump, explaining that he didn't think there would be time set for any meeting given his short stay there. "We will very shortly meet again at the G20. And that's where we were actually looking forward to meet," Trump added. The Kremlin announced earlier on Wednesday that Putin and Trump will meet at a short working lunch in the Elysee Palace, with longer and more comprehensive talks expected at a summit of the Group of 20 countries at the end of this month in Argentina. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 03:54:16|Editor: yan Video Player Close NAIROBI, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Kenya plans to partner with the private sector in order to construct more affordable houses, an official said on Wednesday. Paul Maringa, principal secretary in the ministry of transport, housing, urban development and infrastructure, told a construction forum in Nairobi that the government wants to make land accessible for the construction of houses using existing law provisions. "One of the options we are exploring is to do a land swap deal with the private sector in order to build affordable houses," Maringa said during the opening ceremony of the International Construction Research Conference and Exhibition. The event that runs until Friday will bring together about 7,000 delegates and 220 companies from 30 countries and showcase the latest technology related to housing. Maringa noted that land is big factor of production in President Uhuru Kenyatta's Big Four Agenda on universal health care, food security, manufacturing and affordable housing. He noted that the value of land in Kenya has been rising unsustainably in the past decade as investors use land for speculative purposes. "Private individuals are holding large tracts of land in the hope that the value of land will rise in future. But this is reducing the amount of land that is available for construction of affordable houses," he added. Maringa said that the government has already put in place fiscal incentives to lure property developers to expand the supply of affordable houses in the country. "Currently more than 70 percent of houses built are targeted at the high and middle income households," he said. The ministry is also keen to reduce the cost of construction of houses through encouraging the industry to adopt low cost technologies. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 04:04:23|Editor: yan Video Player Close VIENNA, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- The panda twins living in Vienna are to be returned to China within one month, and the training for their new journey had already started, the Vienna zoo revealed on Wednesday. Panda twins, Fu Feng and Fu Ban, were born in August 2016. In total, their mother Yang Yang and father Long Hui gave birth to 5 cubs. But their rearing was a sensation -- for the first time a panda mother in captivity raised twins without human help. Yang Yang was already an experienced mother after the rearing of Fu Long, Fu Hu and Fu Bao -- the three male cubs which were all back in their hometown China after two years old. In the field, panda cubs leave their mothers at this age and seek their own territory. Fu Feng and Fu Ban are now in a training process to get used to the transport boxes. The zoo keeper regularly put in bamboo and vegetable pieces in the box, so they could sit down and feel comfortable inside. The boxes will be transported by air to China and a zookeeper will accompany the twins to China and stay there for two weeks to help them settle in their new home. According to the contract with China, the panda cubs should be returned to China after two years old. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 04:09:26|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close Huawei Chairman Liang Hua delivers a speech during Huawei's European Innovation Day in Rome, Italy, Nov. 7, 2018. Information and communications technology (ICT) experts gathered to discuss innovations in the digital world and how they will shape the intelligent society of the future at Huawei's European Innovation Day, held at the Rome Convention Center La Nuvola (The Cloud) on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Chen Zhanjie) ROME, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- European telecommunication companies should work more closely together to boost innovation of 5G, ICT and artificial intelligence, Chinese tech giant Huawei suggested at an event held here on Tuesday. In a keynote speech delivered at the Huawei European Innovation Day held at Rome's prestigious Convention Center La Nuvola, Huawei chairman Liang Hua stressed his company aimed at building stronger partnerships with Europe's telecommunication partners on such path. The Chinese ICT firm has been operating in the continent for over 15 years now. "We are working to build digitalization in Europe, and helping industry prepare for an intelligent world," Liang said. "Huawei will continue to trust in the power of tech innovation, and in the power of openness and collaboration." For example, Huawei recently worked with Telecom Italy in order to launch the first 5G base stations across the country. The event organized by the Chinese ICT giant in Rome was broadcast live on social media, and involved experts, private actors, and public stakeholders in a common discussion on the perspectives of ICT innovation in societies at global level. Key speakers included Turkish professor Erdal Arikan with the Bilkent University in Ankara, and inventor of Polar Code for G5, professor Eric Moulines with the Ecole Polytechnique's Applied Mathematics Center, and Michael Frank, director of Development and Engineering at Leica Camera AG. Addressing the conference, the head of Strategy Innovation and Customer Experience at TIM (Telecom Italy) agreed with Liang on the key role of 5G as a primary tool of development. "The 5G is an important growth factor for Italy, for its industry in terms of increased competitiveness, and for its citizens, who will be able to enjoy the innovative services of the Smart City," Mauro di Mauro said. "With TIM, we want to keep driving the development of ultra-broadband infrastructures, creating value for the country System and for our company, as already proved also with the major investment made for the acquisition of frequencies," di Mauro added. This edition of the European Innovation Day would be followed by Huawei ECO-Connect Europe 2018, taking place at the same Convention Center La Nuvola on Nov. 8-9. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 04:19:29|Editor: mym Video Player Close Thomas Boni Yayi, former president of Benin, speaks during the opening ceremony of the MEDays International Forum in Tangier, Morocco, on Nov. 7, 2018. More than 100 high-level speakers from across the world on Wednesday attended the forum to discuss new geopolitical paradigms. (Xinhua/Aissa) RABAT, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- More than 100 high-level speakers across the world on Wednesday gathered at the MEDays International Forum in the northern Moroccan city of Tangier to discuss new geopolitical paradigms. The four-day forum, under the theme "In the age of disruption: Finding the new paradigms," will hold more than 30 sessions and panels attended by current and former presidents, government officials, policy makers, business leaders and experts. The issues to be discussed include digital acceleration, inter-African integration, Africa's relations with world powers, migration, commercial wars and the return of protectionism. Created in 2008, the forum in Morocco has become one of the main international geo-strategic events in Africa and the Arab World. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 04:44:40|Editor: yan Video Player Close ADEN, Yemen, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- At least eight Yemenis were killed on Wednesday by random shelling by Houthi rebels in two areas of the war-torn Arab country, local sources said. In the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, at least four family members were killed as a result of mortar attacks from Houthis in the district of Tuhyata. "A number of mortar shells landed on the residents' houses in Tuhyata, leaving four family members killed, including a child," a medical source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. Meanwhile, the media center of the pro-government Giants Brigades said fighting is still raging on with Houthi rebels, just a few km from the strategic port city of Hodeidah. Scores of Houthi fighters were killed as a result of the ongoing clashes and intensified airstrikes launched against their sites within the past 24 hours, the media center said in a statement. Elsewhere in Yemen, four people including a woman were killed when Houthis shelled a government-controlled village in the southern province of al-Dhalea hours after their withdrawal, according to local military sources. A day earlier, the government forces backed by armored vehicles managed to recapture a number of villages from the Houthis in al-Dhalea, according to the state-run Saba news. The impoverished Arab country has been locked into a civil war since the Iran-backed Shiite Houthi rebels overran much of the country militarily and seized all northern provinces, including the capital Sanaa, in 2014. Saudi Arabia is leading an Arab military coalition that intervened in Yemen in 2015 to support the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after Houthi rebels forced him into exile. The United Nations has listed Yemen as the country with world's biggest humanitarian crisis, with 7 million Yemenis on the brink of famine and cholera which has caused more than 2,000 deaths. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 04:49:41|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close Experts take part in a group discussion during Huawei's European Innovation Day in Rome, Italy, Nov. 7, 2018. Information and communications technology (ICT) experts gathered to discuss innovations in the digital world and how they will shape the intelligent society of the future at Huawei's European Innovation Day, held at the Rome Convention Center La Nuvola (The Cloud) on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Cheng Tingting) ROME, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Information and communications technology (ICT) experts gathered to discuss innovations in the digital world and how they will shape the intelligent society of the future at Huawei's European Innovation Day, held at the Rome Convention Center La Nuvola (The Cloud) on Wednesday. "Our vision is to bring digital technology to every person, home and organization so that they can fully connect in an intelligent world," Huawei Chairman Liang Hua told participants. "Huawei has been in Europe for 18 years (but) our work in Europe is much more than just business," he explained. "As they say, all roads lead to Rome, and ICT infrastructure is the foundation of those roads in the modern world," said Liang. "Huawei's focus is ICT infrastructure and smart devices, working to build digitalization in Europe and helping industry to prepare for an intelligent world." Liang said that Huawei invests 15-20 billion U.S. dollars a year in research and development (R&D), with 20-30 percent of that amount going to basic research. Without basic research, ICT would not exist today, he pointed out, adding that Huawei has "partnerships with over 120 universities and research institutions in Europe", including Oxford and Cambridge in the UK and Trinity College in Dublin. The focus right now is on artificial intelligence (AI), which some say will be to the digital world what electricity was to the Industrial Revolution, said Liang Hua. Mathematician and computer scientist Eric Moulines, a professor at the cutting-edge Ecole Polytechnique near Paris and a member of the French Academy of Sciences, delved into some of the challenges currently facing researchers in machine learning, one of the applications of AI. "Machines are much less efficient at learning than humans, because they need millions of examples and require massive computational complexity," Moulines explained. The revolution in machine learning, he said, was driven by "a dramatic increase in computing power and a dramatic increase in data sets" that the computer can choose from in order to "learn". "Major drivers such as Huawei, Facebook and Google developed software and libraries that helped develop this sector," said Moulines. He went on to explain that "most machine learning methods in use today are poor at representing uncertainty" and that "we need to make algorithms that are resistant to adversarial attacks", because all it takes is "a small perturbation" in a single pixel of information to make a machine mis-classify "pedestrians" as "an empty road", for example. "I want to make systems which know that they don't know," said Moulines, adding he "started working on this problem 3-4 years ago". The ultimate aim is to "build systems that make rational decisions and incorporate prior knowledge into learning systems -- something we still don't know how to train machines to do," said Moulines. It will be very important to work out these kinks because in the digitalized world of the near future, "cars will have to make decisions", explained Markus Dillinger from the Huawei German Research Center headquartered in Munich, Germany. "Future cars will have growing connectivity demands - from full driver control to fully automated urban driving and, once 5G (fifth-generation) wireless technology becomes available, driverless cars," Dillinger said in a speech about connected and automated mobility (CAM). Future cars will be equipped with computer and radar vision, he explained, but they will require the surrounding infrastructure -- cities, roads and highways -- to be equipped with sensors and 5G sites. The European Union is moving towards the creation of integrated infrastructure that will allow for automated driving across borders. "A pan-European network of 5G corridors is now emerging with hundreds of kilometers of motorways where tests will be conducted up to the stage where a car can operate itself with a driver present under certain conditions (third level of automation)," the European Commission announced in April 2018. The EU has estimated the cost of 34,000 kilometers of digital highway at 5-7 billion euros (5.7-8 billion U.S. dollars), Dillinger explained, adding that the "first commercial 5G cars could be on all public roads by 2026". Other speakers included award-winning Turkish Professor Erdal Arikan, who invented the so-called "polar code" underlying 5G wireless technology. "Polar codes are the end result of more than 20 years of basic research, which began at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)," said Arikan. "But their commercialization in the EU and Turkey were hindered by an interruption in funding in going from basic to applied research." Like its predecessors (1G-4G), 5G will be able to channel voice, video, and data -- but at much faster speeds and while connecting a lot more devices at once, leading to the possibility of smart buildings, cities, and infrastructure, as well as large-scale industrial automation, Arikan explained. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 04:54:45|Editor: yan Video Player Close TRIPOLI, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Wednesday that 124 illegal Somali immigrants were voluntarily repatriated from Libya's capital Tripoli. The repatriation took place as clashes erupted near Tripoli's Mitiga International Airport, the IOM said in a statement. "Late last night, clashes erupted briefly around Mitiga airport, where our team was working to finalize procedures for 124 Somali migrants wishing to return home to Somalia," the statement said. Somali Ambassador to Libya Ali Said Faqi expressed gratitude for the unwavering support Somalia has received from the IOM and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Libya to make the return possible. Libya has become a preferred departure point for illegal immigrants hoping to cross the Mediterranean Sea into Europe because of insecurity and chaos in the North African country following the 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi. Migrant shelters in Libya are crowded with thousands of illegal immigrants who were rescued at sea or arrested by the Libyan security services. The IOM is running a voluntary return program with an aim to arrange the return of illegal immigrants stranded in Libya to their countries of origin. Chairman of the NATO Military Committee Petr Pavel (C) visits the Mihail Kogalnieanu military airbase, 250 km east of Bucharest, Romania, July 13, 2017. (Xinhua/Cristian Cristel) KIEV, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine has become the de-facto eastern flank of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Wednesday, according to the presidential press service. "Without a strong Ukraine, which has turned into the de-facto eastern flank of NATO, there is no talk of a stable Euro-Atlantic space," Poroshenko said at the international high-level conference "The Hybrid War Decade: Lessons Learned to Move Forward Successfully." In 2014, Kiev revoked Ukraine's non-aligned status when pro-West authorities came into power in the country, paving the way for its membership in military blocs. Ukraine has set a 2020 deadline by which it will have come into full compliance with NATO standards across a number of areas, especially in security, defense, justice and anti-corruption. In September this year, the Ukrainian parliament sent a presidential bill to the Constitutional Court on including into the Constitution Ukraine's intention to join NATO. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 05:04:49|Editor: ZD Video Player Close The U.S. Capitol is seen in Washington D.C. Nov. 6, 2018. The U.S. Republican Party on Tuesday managed to maintain a Senate majority in the midterm elections, while the Democrats wrestled the House majority from the Republicans, according to projections of multiple news outlets. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- After midterm elections set up a divided Congress on Tuesday, President Donald Trump claimed the results a "tremendous success" for his Republican Party, while a senior Democratic congresswoman envisioned "a new day in America" onward. The nationwide races, in which Americans chose their representatives in both the upper and lower chambers of the legislature as well as state governors, saw the Republicans consolidate majority in the Senate and the Democrats retake control of the House. The midterm election results will have profound impact on U.S. politics for the next two years. "Tremendous success tonight. Thank you to all!" Trump tweeted on Election Day night, as votes were still being counted. The president continued to refer to the results as "big victory" and "very big win" in several follow-up tweets. That the GOP will fend off Democrats' bid for Senate majority in this election cycle had been well predicted, and the fact that they have extended their on-seat edge in that chamber may imply even more legislative impasse in the years ahead. The Democrats, however, also had reason to celebrate, as they already crossed the 218-seat line to clinch House majority for the first time in eight years. Although ballots counting is still in the process, the Democrats are projected to gain a net win of more than 30 seats in the House, well beyond the 23 threshold needed to flip Republican control. Nancy Pelosi, the House minority leader who soon may be speaker, said when addressing a cheerful crowd that a House led by Democrats will herald "a new day in America." "We have all had enough of division ... The American people want peace. They want results," the congresswoman said, adding that the new majority will defend Medicaid and Medicare - signature programs under former President Barack Obama only to be repealed by the Trump administration. "Voters delivered a resounding verdict against congressional Republicans' attacks on Medicare and Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act and people with pre-existing conditions in districts everywhere in America," she said Wednesday when addressing reporters. Trump struck a much hostile tone concerning some of the thorniest issues that divided U.S. politics, ranging from Democrats' request that Trump reveal his tax returns to the investigation into possible collusion between the Trump presidential campaign and Russia. He lashed out at any Democratic attempt to use the subpoena power they newly retained in the House. "If the Democrats think they are going to waste Taxpayer Money investigating us at the House level, then we will likewise be forced to consider investigating them for all of the leaks of Classified Information, and much else, at the Senate level. Two can play that game!" Trump wrote in a Wednesday morning tweet. Referring to possible stepped-up investigations into his alleged collusion with Russia and obstruction of justice, Trump told reporters at the White House hours later: "If they (the Democrats) do that, then it's just ... a warlike posture." At the same press conference Trump also said he is willing to work across the aisle with the Democrats in the House. "Hopefully, we can all work together next year to continue delivering for the American people, including on economic growth, infrastructure, trade, lowering the cost of prescription drugs." Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 05:50:00|Editor: ZD Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted Wednesday that Attorney General Jeff Sessions' chief of staff, Matthew Whitaker, will be acting attorney general. Sessions announced his resignation in a letter to Trump, saying that the resignation came "at your request." "We are pleased to announce that Matthew G. Whitaker, Chief of Staff to Attorney General Jeff Sessions at the Department of Justice, will become our new Acting Attorney General of the United States," Trump tweeted. "We thank Attorney General Jeff Sessions for his service, and wish him well! A permanent replacement will be nominated at a later date," Trump said in a Twitter post. U.S. media reported that Trump had asked White House Chief of Staff John Kelly to ask Sessions to resign, prompting Sessions to submit the letter. In the letter Sessions said he had been "honored... to implement the law enforcement agenda based on the rule of law that formed a central part" of the Trump campaign for presidency. The move took place shortly after a press conference Trump gave at the White House during which he said Sessions' fate was under consideration. It marked the first cabinet member exit from the Trump administration after the midterm elections, which ended late Tuesday. Trump's decision to remove Sessions attracted criticisms from the Democratic Party. Nancy Pelosi, presumed to become the next speaker of the house, said ousting Sessions can only be read as "another blatant attempt.. to undermine & end Special Counsel Mueller's investigation." Pelosi also called on Whitaker to recuse himself from any involvement in Robert Mueller's investigation. Sessions, a former Senator from Alabama, has been a staunch Trump supporter since early stages of the 2016 presidential campaign, and was one of the first nominated to the Trump cabinet. Sessions' relationship with Trump soured after he recused himself from the investigation into potential coordination between Trump's campaign and Russia, which prompted the appointment of Mueller as special counsel to lead the probe. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 06:05:03|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close by Liang Xizhi LONDON, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- A photo exhibition is being held this week in London's China Exchange, commemorating the 140,000 Chinese workers serving on the European battlefield during the First World War. One hundred years ago, up to 100,000 Chinese workers joined the British ranks in the First World War to provide logistical support. Sent on a gruelling three-month journey to Europe, the bewildered workers were assigned to work digging trenches, building docks, laying tracks, unloading ships and repairing tanks. But their story has been all but wiped from memories of the war. In this centenary year of the war, more and more people in Britain and the European continent are campaigning for their legacy to be remembered. Ma Hui, an official with the Chinese Embassy in the UK, said after viewing the exhibition that the Chinese workers were a part of the history of World War I and they had made an indelible contribution to the early end of this devastating war in human history. "Chinese workers in World War I was part of Chinese-British relations. After the war, their story has been forgotten for decades. In recent years, the contribution of Chinese workers in World War I has begun to be recognized and valued by mainstream British society and people from all over the world. Looking back at this history will help us cherish the peace in today's world," he said. Cheng Ling, an exhibition guest and granddaughter of a Chinese worker from Shandong Province, shared the painful experiences of finding her grandfather's grave in France 90 years after his death. "My grandfather Bi Cuide passed away and I only learned it later. I didn't know it after I discovered my his medal. I started searching through the number on this medal and I did not find where he was buried," she said. Cheng later searched on the Internet and found out the medal was issued by British King George V. She then turned to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and was told that her grandfather was dead in France. In 2008 she went to her grandfather's grave for the first time. "Eleven people from my village went to the war field, 10 returned except my grandfather. My grandfather was killed by a bomb. This medal was brought back by them," she said, stressing that it is important to remember the history and sacrifices of Chinese workers during the WWI. Some of the photos shown on the exhibition were provided by John De Lucy. His grandfather, Lieutenant William James Hawkings, was a British officer in the First World War and was in charge of a Chinese labor force. De Lucy happened to discover a collection of glass slides images which documents the untold lives of Chinese workers who moved over 5,000 miles away from their hometown during the First World War, where they had to dig trenches, unload freight and take munitions to the front. "It was only three years ago when I found the box of his glass slides and you see me there holding one of them from the same day that I heard the night TV program about six graves of Chinese workers. That was the day I opened my cupboard in the dining room, saying I must sort out these photographs of the Chinese Labour Corps," De Lucy said. De Lucy also expressed his admiration for the hardworking Chinese labour during the exhibition, saying that he is honored for having the chance to present these photographs and publish them to let more people know the history. "There's been many comments about what a good contribution they made to the First World War. So I'm very pleased to be able to show the photographs to help people remember what a good contribution they made," he said. "They were so forgotten about, that by publishing the photographs in a book I'm hopeful that people will begin to realize. And this exhibition here (shows) what a good contribution they made to the First World War." Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 06:10:06|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close ZAGREB, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Ivica Todoric, the former owner of Croatia's biggest private company Agrokor, was extradited from Britain on Wednesday night to Croatia and sent to a jail immediately after the plane landed in Zagreb. Todoric was escorted by Croatian police officers to Zagreb on a regular flight, and from the Zagreb airport he was taken to an investigative jail. It is expected that Todoric will soon be questioned before the investigative judge decides whether to extend his imprisonment or to release him. Croatian Justice Minister Drazen Bosnjakovic confirmed that the British authorities had extradited Todoric to Croatia, but refused to talk about the details that preceded the extradition. Investigations against Todoric, his sons Ante and Ivan and 12 former Agrokor managers were initiated on suspicion of corporate crimes. In October 2017, Croatian police arrested former executives of Agrokor, while Todoric managed to escape to London. Todoric was arrested in London exactly one year ago on the basis of the European Arrest Warrant. In proceedings before the London court he objected to the extradition and claimed that the political process had been held against him. He was released after paying 100,000 pounds of bail. The first hearing was held in April in London, and on Oct. 25, the court ruled that Todoric be extradited to Croatia. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 06:25:12|Editor: yan Video Player Close JERUSALEM, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Two Israelis were slightly injured in a Palestinian shooting attack on a bus near a settlement in the Israel-occupied West Bank on Wednesday night, the military said. The incident took place near the Focus Crossing, adjacent to the settlement of Beit El, north of Ramallah City. A live fire was opened at a moving bus, a military spokesperson said in a statement. "Two civilians were struck by fragments and lightly injured before being evacuated for medical treatment," the statement read. The shooter or shooters fled the scene, the spokesperson said, adding that "Israel Defense Forces troops are searching the area." Israel's emergency service said one of the injured is the bus driver, a man in his 30s, and the other is a 35-year-old passenger. The shooting was the latest in a spate of violence in the West Bank. On Tuesday, a Palestinian woman was shot and injured after she attempted to stab with scissors the Israeli border police officers near a petrol station outside the settlements of Alon and Kfar Adumim, northeast of Jerusalem. On Monday, Israeli forces shot and injured a Palestinian man in his alleged stabbing attempt in the settlement of Kiryat Arba, east of Hebron City. The violence comes amid tensions between Israelis and Palestinians in the wake of a diplomatic freeze in the peace process and regular protests in the Gaza Strip against the 12-year Israeli blockade on the coastal enclave. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 06:35:14|Editor: yan Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- The UN Children's Agency (UNICEF) is increasing psychosocial interventions for children in the Mexico migrant march since discovering many of them are finding it difficult to engage in play and other recreation, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guteres. The spokesman told reporters at a regular briefing here UNICEF found "many children traveling with the migrant caravan are showing signs of anguish and psychosocial distress. In certain cases, children are expressing fear of violence or separation from their families, while other children are finding it difficult to engage in play and recreational, organized activities by UNICEF staff." "The agency and its partners are quickly scaling up its support for psychosocial interventions to reach these children in need," he said "Psychosocial support can help lower the impact on children of having to abandon their homes and endure grueling travel conditions." Children traveling with the caravan have been subjected to a range of possible stressors, said UNICEF, headquartered here. The suspected cause includes not only leaving home and their loved ones and playmates behind but "uncertainty about the journey, extreme and sudden changes, loss of routine, physical exhaustion, dehydration and illness," UNICIEF said. "Some children may also have been exposed to traumatic events in their countries of origin such as gang and gender-based violence, or separation from their families," the agency said. "Any of these factors could negatively affect the physical and psychological wellbeing of children, and cause toxic stress if left unaddressed." It said psychosocial support can help lower the impact on children of having to abandon their homes and "enduring grueling travel conditions." UNICEF renewed calls on all governments to "prioritize the best interests of children in the application of immigration laws and procedures, to keep families together, and to find alternatives to immigration detention of children." The UN Refugees Agency (UNHCR) says the caravan of migrants heading from Honduras and Guatemala to the United States -- once described as consisting of more than 7,000 people -- and now in Mexico City numbers about 4,700 people. Officials in Mexico City have provided tents and other shelters, UNHCR said, as more, smaller "caravans" arrive. Some 4,000 asylum petitions are being examined by the Government of Mexico. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 06:40:17|Editor: yan Video Player Close ATHENS, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- The only documented meteorite to have fallen in Greece went on display for the first time at Herakleidon museum here on Wednesday. The Seres meteorite, which is part of the largest meteorite collection at the Natural History Museum (NHM) in Vienna, traveled to Greece 200 years after its fall. "At the occasion of the 200th birthday, we decided to loan the meteorite to the museum here in Herakleidon, and we transferred it from the Natural History Museum Vienna for a few days," curator of the meteorite collection Ludovic Ferriere told Xinhua. "Seres is the only verified meteorite from Greece," Ioannis Baziotis, Assistant Professor of Mineralogy and Petrology at the Agricultural University of Athens stressed. Due to his persistent efforts and in collaboration with the museum, the meteorite, after its long journey returned to Greece to go on public display until Nov. 11. This asteroid piece, weighing 8.5 kilograms, completed its wandering in space in June 1818 when it was trapped in the Earth's gravitational field and fell in northern Greece, near the city of Serres. Exact data about the circumstances of the fall are not known. But, in 1844 the main mass of the meteorite landed in the Natural History Museum in Vienna. According to historical data, the stone was donated by the regional governor of Serres, the Ottoman Yusuf-Pasha to his physician. The physician brought the two fragments to Vienna and gave them to his former teacher, an Austrian chemist and botanist Johann Andreas Ritter von Scherer. On his part, Scherer donated the meteorite to the NHM in Vienna. Most of the samples of the Seres meteorite are in the NHM collection and other collections worldwide. According to Ferriere, Seres meteorite, which is currently under investigation in cooperation with Greek researchers, comes from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. "I like to call them extraordinary because they are like space gemstones. Everything from this meteorite tells us a different story, a different part of the history of the formation of the solar system," Ferriere said. By studying the meteorites, scientists learn details about how our solar system evolved into the Sun and planets of today, and how they could affect our future. So, the scientists opt to uncover more secrets from the existing meteorite collections by implementing new techniques available nowadays, said the curator. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 07:00:22|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close CHICAGO, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) agricultural futures settled lower on Wednesday amid liquidation ahead of USDA's monthly supply and demand report. The most active December corn was down 1 cent, or 0.27 percent, to close at 3.7225 dollars per bushel. December wheat was down 1.75 cents, or 0.34 percent, to settle at 5.1025 dollars. January 2019 soybeans were down 4.75 cents, or 0.54 percent, to settle at 8.795 dollars per bushel. CBOT brokers reported that funds sold 2,000 contracts of wheat, 3,400 contracts of corn, and 3,000 contracts of soybeans. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is to release its November supply and demand report on Thursday. Market watchers said CBOT traders just trimmed recent net long positions ahead of the report, in case the USDA raises stocks of soybeans or other grains. Meanwhile, CBOT wheat futures posted moderate losses following almost 1 percent rise in the previous session amid worries over weak export demand. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 07:10:26|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close HARARE, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- At least 47 people died in a serious accident in Zimbabwe on Wednesday afternoon after two buses collided head-on. Police spokesman Paul Nyathi told Xinhua that the clash happened near Rusape in Manicaland Province, 156 km from the capital Harare. Nyathi said 47 people had been confirmed dead and the cause of the accident had not been established. "We confirm that 47 people have been confirmed dead at the 156 km peg just after the toll gate in Rusape. We are still attending to the accident," he said. Of the 47, 45 are adults and two are children, Nyathi said. The accident involved two buses, which belong to Bolt Cutter and Smart Express, two local long-distance bus companies. Nyathi said police were still attending the accident scene and the death toll might rise. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 07:10:27|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close ROME, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- The results from a series of key elections in the United States could help pave the way to improved economic growth in Italy and other export-dependent countries, analysts said, though it is unlikely to happen in the near term. Elections were held Tuesday for all 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, members of the country's Senate, and governorships. The results were mixed, but a key outcome saw the Democratic Party, which is opposed to U.S. President Donald Trump, win control of the lower house of Congress after an eight-year hiatus. Analysts said that development is likely to create obstacles for Trump's agenda going forward. In the first half of the Trump presidency, that agenda included increased tariffs on goods arriving from abroad. Other potential policies expected to have a major economic impact on the world's biggest economy include tax cuts and withdraws from various trade pacts. "The fact that the opposition party can act as a check on Trump policies could prove to have a positive economic impact for some countries," Marcello Messori, director of the LUISS School of European Political Economy, told Xinhua. Messori said that countries that depend on exports for a significant part of their overall economic output, such as Italy, could benefit if the Trump White House is forced to compromise on policies aimed at curbing U.S. imports. Additionally, Messori said, any U.S. policies that have an impact on strength of the U.S. dollar would have a ripple effect across the 19-nation euro currency zone, which includes Italy. "There's no specific U.S. policy change we can expect at this point," Messori said. "But until now Trump had no significant opposition with (the Republic Party he leads) controlling both houses of Congress. That is no longer the case." According to Mattia Diletti, a political scientist in the Department of Communication and Research at Rome's La Sapienza University, any impact the election results may have on Italy may take a while to reveal itself. "In the near term, I don't think things will change too much," Diletti said in an interview. "There could very well be an impact down the line. But we have to wait to see what that might be." Diletti speculated that one impact could come on the political front. Since the current Italian government was installed on June 1, Trump has met with Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte three separate times. Trump has also expressed support for Italy's hardline policies against would-be asylum seekers -- a stance criticized by most other European countries, and has echoed some of the Conte government's skeptical views toward the European Union (EU). Diletti said that if the shift of the balance of power means the Trump White House will focus more on domestic matters, it could force Italy to take a more conciliatory view toward the EU, its fellow member states, and other nations beyond Europe. "Italy should probably have a more diversified partners than it does," Diletti said. "A change of policy in Washington could make Italy more likely to look beyond the U.S. for international support." Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 07:30:33|Editor: ZD Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Three U.S. federal agencies released a joint proposal on Wednesday to reduce regulatory reporting burden on some small depository institutions in the United States. The proposal was brought out by U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed), U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). The proposal would permit insured depository institutions with total assets of less than 5 billion U.S. dollars that do not engage in certain complex or international activities to file the "most streamlined version of the Call Report," the three agencies said in a joint statement. A "Call Report" is one that must be filed on a quarterly basis, which includes the condition, performance, and risk profile of individual institutions, according to U.S. Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC). According to the agencies, the "most streamlined version of the Call Report" which they mentioned above is the FFIEC 051 Call Report. Until now, FFIEC 051 Call Report is a consolidated report of condition and income for a bank with U.S. offices only and total assets less than 1 billion U.S. dollars, according to FFIEC. The agencies said they are also proposing to reduce by approximately 37 percent the number of existing data items reportable in the FFIEC 051 Call Reports for the first and third calendar quarters. According to the joint release, the Fed and the OCC are also proposing similar reduced reporting for certain uninsured institutions with less than 5 billion dollars in total consolidated assets that meet the same criteria. The agencies also announced their intention to solicit public comments on the new proposal. Comments will be accepted for 60 days after the proposal's publication in the U.S. Federal Register. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 07:35:34|Editor: ZD Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday pledged bipartisanship and unity with the Democratic Party, after losing control of the House of Representatives in the midterm elections. "I would like to see bipartisanship. I'd like to see unity," Trump told a press conference at the White House, "I think we have a very good chance..of seeing that." The remarks, made after the midterm elections wrapped up late Tuesday night, resonated with an earlier message from senior Democratic Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, who is poised to become the next speaker of the House. Trump said both parties can work together on issues including the economy, infrastructure, trade and lowering the cost of prescription drugs. Despite the conciliatory tone, Trump also warned that if the House Democrats launch investigations against his administration, it would result in a gridlocked government. "I keep hearing about investigations," Trump said, "They can play that game, but we can play it better." "All you're going to do is end up in back and forth...and two years is going to go up and we won't have done a thing," Trump said. It is all but certain that Trump and Pelosi's messages of good will be be difficult to follow through in the political landscape that has become ever more so polarized. Soon after Trump's remarks, he announced that Attorney General Jeff Sessions will be stepping down. The move immediately drew rebuke from Pelosi, who said ousting Sessions will undermine the ongoing Russian investigation headed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. "It is impossible to read Attorney General Sessions' firing as anything other than another blatant attempt by @realDonaldTrump to undermine & end Special Counsel Mueller's investigation," Pelosi said on twitter. The Democrats claimed victory in House elections after winning 218 seats in the 435 seat chamber. As the results in about a dozen districts are yet to be determined, it is unclear how many seats the Democrats will ultimately control. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 08:50:45|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close ISLAMABAD, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan and Afghanistan have held talks in Islamabad on Afghan refugees and other Afghan nationals illegally residing in Pakistan, officials said. "Both sides deliberated on the ways to enhance mutual cooperation for a dignified, gradual, time bound and complete return of the Afghan nationals to their country," a statement from the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. It was also decided to observe the agreed timelines and procedures for repatriation of various categories of these persons to Afghanistan, the statement said. Both countries have set up a joint working group on refugees under the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Stability (APAPPS), a joint action plan for cooperation in the key areas of counter-terrorism and reduction of violence, peace and reconciliation, refugees'repatriation and joint economic development. The joint working group works on the principle of direct and regular contact among relevant ministries in both countries, under the umbrella of the politico-diplomatic cooperation. "The two sides agreed to optimally utilize the forum to deepen engagement, communication and understanding for early return and resettlement of Afghan refugees," the statement said. Next meeting of the working group on refugees will be held in the Afghan capital Kabul at a mutually convenient date, the Foreign Ministry said. Pakistan still hosts about 1.4 million registered Afghan refugees who hold the proof of registration (PoR) cards, according to the UN refugee agency. The government has extended their stay until June 30, 2019. Besides the PoR card holders, some 880,000 more were documented earlier this year, who hold the Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC), Afghanistan's Deputy Ambassador Zardasht Shams said. Several thousand undocumented refugees are also living in Pakistan. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 09:25:53|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close TOKYO, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Japan's core private-sector machinery orders dropped in September from a month earlier, the government said in a report on Thursday. According to the Cabinet Office, the orders, excluding those for ships and utilities because of their volatility, fell 18.3 percent in September from the previous month. The orders totaled 802.2 billion yen (7.1 billion U.S. dollars) in the recording month, the government's data showed. The decline in core orders in the recording period comes on the heels of a 6.8-percent increase booked a month earlier. Machinery orders are a key advance indicator for corporate capital spending and the government uses the data to predict the strength of business spending in a six to nine month period ahead. A drop in capital expenditure here can dent the economy as Japanese companies are producing less machinery to meet slowing demands from overseas markets. Such business investment, however, accounts for roughly 15 percent of Japan's gross domestic product. Types of machinery included in the monthly government survey comprise engines and turbines, heavy electrical machinery, electronic and communication equipment, industrial machinery, machine tools, railway rolling stock, road vehicles, aircraft, ships, water crafts, as well as sub types in those categories. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 10:46:18|Editor: mym Video Player Close Jon R. Taylor, professor of political science with the University of St. Thomas, receives an interview in Houston, Texas, the United States, Nov. 7, 2018. Voters' desire for more balanced representation in the Congress has enabled the Democratic Party to gain two seats of the House of Representatives in Texas in the U.S. mid-term elections held on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) by Xinhua writers Liu Yanan, Gao Lu HOUSTON, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Voters' desire for more balanced representation in the Congress has enabled the Democratic Party to gain two seats of the House of Representatives in Texas in the U.S. mid-term election held on Tuesday. Covering western part of Houston and some suburb areas, the 7th District has long been held by Republicans since it was recreated in 1966. The 43-year-old corporate lawyer Lizzie Pannill Fletcher unseated nine-term incumbent John Culberson in Texas' 7th District by 52.35 percent to 47.65 percent, according to data released by Harris County early Wednesday. "The majority of Americans agree on so many things, but we have a deeply divided Congress that won't get to work on solving our problems," said Fletcher citing immigration and gun control as examples. Fletcher said she is willing to work with anybody, who has got a good idea that's going to help solve problems. "We need to be bigger than partisanship, think about the people we represent and put the people first," said Fletcher after declaring her victory Tuesday night. VOTERS EXPECT CHANGE FOR GOOD Some voters in District 7 and District 2 told Xinhua that they want to have some changes in the Congress with political division, immigration, healthcare and jobs in the mid-term election. "I hope my vote at least count for something to make a change. I'm doing that for my community, people who can't vote," said Ms. Silva after casting her ballot at a polling station in District 7 of Texas. Silva, who is in her 20s and now takes care of her baby at home, said that she wanted a positive change for her community, where help is in need. "I voted for either party. I'm not either Republican or Democrat. Just whatever the person does the right job is the person you should vote for," said Ms. Rosales, who voted at a polling station in District 2 accompanied by her husband and her daughter. Once working in the field of finance and having not participated in voting for around eight years, Ms. Rosales said she hoped that she made a good choice for America or for the state of Texas by voting. "I thought it was really important for me to vote this time. I feel like it's an obligation that I have to do that I haven't done in past," she said. "I'm afraid of the situation for this country, especially the Republican Party and the President we have in the White House. I feel like he was doing a lot of bad decisions for the country and I don't think that will be continuing for the future and I wouldn't have a change," said Mr. Winer, who is self-employed in the transportation business. "Healthcare was on my mind," said Ms. Faria, a stay-at-home mother, just recently renewed her Obamacare. Speaking outside a polling station in District 7, Faria said she hoped to continue to get good health care. EXPERTS CONCERNED ABOUT POLITICAL DIVISION Still, experts are more pessimistic about the political and social division. The election of a number of Democratic candidates in Houston sends a message that the Democrats are back since they are out of power in Texas for over 24 years, said Jon R. Taylor, professor of political science with the University of St. Thomas in Houston on Wednesday. What will likely happen from the House of Representatives is a series of investigations from the Russians to President Trump's taxes, according to Taylor. "You will likely see any sort of opposition to Trump's budget, which means he'll have to compromise" Taylor told Xinhua. He said lack of trust toward institutions, the President, the Congress and the courts create instability and we may see more instability in American society. "Donald Trump would face an uphill battle to win reelection. He will do his absolute best to continue to be divisive, to be controversial and to set one group against the other," Taylor said. Compared with the rest of Texas, Houston is more open for different issues due to a huge concentration of universities and colleges, according to Peter Li, associate professor with College of Humanities and Social Sciences under the University of Houston-Downtown. "I'm sure the division of the country will continue and especially, among people in education and in the media. The so-called American elites disagree with Donald Trump and it's largely because of what he stands for and, of course, the way he deals with the society and policy issues," Li told Xinhua on Monday. "The evidence accumulated over the last 20 years indicates that now people themselves are starting to move toward more extreme positions," Michael Hout, professor of sociology with Department of Sociology under New York University. Though around 40 percent Americans see themselves as moderate, but it's no longer the majority, according to Hout. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 11:11:24|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close SYDNEY, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Passengers of Australian airline Qantas were hit by a power outage at New South Wales state's capital Sydney's airport on Thursday morning, causing hour-long delays at the T3 departure terminal, according to local media. Check-in and bag-drop systems were affected, with passenger lines of up to 200 meters long, the Nine News channel reported. By noon, a spokesperson for the airline, which operates the domestic terminal, told local reporters the power was partially restored with technicians on site and flights continuing to operate. Airport authorities said they were investigating the incident. Sydney airport is the country's busiest air hub, handling 43.3 million passengers in 2017 alone, up 3.6 percent year-on-year, according to airport figures. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 11:21:27|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close Former senior U.S. diplomat Christopher Hill receives an exclusive interview with Xinhua in Denver, the United States, Nov. 1, 2018. With cooperation and competition always coexisting in the U.S.-China ties, what the two sides really need is to solve the problems through negotiations and more robust dialogue rather than resort to tariffs, said Christopher Hill. (Xinhua/Guo Yina) By Xinhua writers Liu Chen, Guo Yina WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- With cooperation and competition always coexisting in U.S.-China ties, what the two sides really need is to solve the problems through negotiation and more robust dialogue rather than resort to tariffs, said former senior U.S. diplomat Christopher Hill. "Whether China likes it or whether the United States likes it, we're going to have to be looking at each other for a long, long time," said Hill, who once served as the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs from 2005-2009, in a recent exclusive interview with Xinhua. Washington and Beijing need an "even more robust dialogue" on trade, regional security and many other issues, added Hill, now a professor of diplomacy at Denver University. The veteran diplomat made it clear that he didn't believe the tariffs were a right answer for current U.S.-China problems. "Obviously to me, some of these surpluses are quite understandable given China's stage of economic development, and given the U.S. stage of economic development," the 66-year-old said. He said that tariffs cause far bigger problems than they solve, which is proved by history, facts, and analysis from experts. During the interview, Hill more than once called on the two countries to handle their differences through negotiation and dialogue. "I don't think that (tariff) is a way to deal with problems," he said. "Where I would want to see those problems dealt with is through a negotiated process and a much more robust dialogue between the United States and China." The U.S.-China relationship is a "very important relationship to the United States," noted Hill, who once served as America's leading negotiator in the six-party talks on the Korean peninsula denuclearization. "I think this relationship is too big to fail and I would humbly suggest that we need to find some areas where we can work on things together," he added. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 11:41:29|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close HELSINKI, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Ideas for warding off internal and external threats to the current European Union (EU) were the most debated theme at the convention of European center-right parties that began here Wednesday. The European People's Party (EPP) currently includes 80 parties and partners from 42 countries, and it is the largest group in the EU parliament. At the Helsinki convention, the EPP will elect on Thursday the party's top candidate for the May 2019 European Election. If the EPP maintains its position as the largest group in the European Parliament, the top candidate will lead the European Commission. The two candidates for the position are Manfred Weber from Germany and Alexander Stubb from Finland. Commentators have described Weber ideologically conservative, and Stubb liberal. In a podium debate, Weber said a better connection between Brussels and EU citizens should be formed to create understanding. Stubb said it is no use "blaming people for having voted for populists", but instead politicians should look into the mirror and consider what went wrong in 2008 and 2015. The years referred to the banking crisis and the start of the refugee influx. Local commentators said the debate was not a duel, but almost academic. The differences in the value background of the two were seen as Weber underlined his "Christian democratic" background. His campaign video depicted his love of his home area in Bavaria. Stubb's campaign video focused on his career as prime minister and finance minister and earlier in the European parliament. Currently Stubb is one of the directors of the European Investment Bank. Weber has been mentioned by European media as a likely winner, while Stubb has given his chances as "thirty percent". Petri Raivio, EU correspondent of the Finnish national broadcaster Yle, said Stubb hoped that many would disobey their domestic party guidance and vote for him in the secret ballot. Weber had earlier been unwilling to attend a debate with Stubb, and the discussion was added to the schedule fairly late. The candidacy of Stubb is not a Finnish "national effort". While Stubb has the backing from his old conservative National Coalition Party (NCP), the smaller Finnish Christian Democratic Party is explicitly supporting Weber. Stubb used to endorse the acceptance of same sex marriage in Finland, which was strongly opposed by the Finnish Christian Democrats. According to media reports, Weber has not taken an explicit stand on the marriage issue. PLAN TO OUST HUNGARIAN FIDESZ POSTPONED The EPP delegates on Wednesday approved a resolution about Europe's defense on its values, which was seen as an indirect stand against the policies of Fidesz, the Hungarian member party of the EPP. In the Helsinki resolution, the EPP expresses its commitment to democracy, equality and human rights. Fidesz has been criticized within the EPP for impairing freedom of speech and the position of civic organizations as well as for politically influencing the selection of judges. Finnish conservatives are particularly critical of their Hungarian sister party. Top candidate hopeful Stubb has declared "zero tolerance". Petteri Orpo, chairman of the NCP, said on Wednesday Fidesz is "in the wrong party, if the values are not acceptable to it". Earlier intentions to start a process to oust the Hungarian party did not materialize. Finnish conservatives indicated earlier they would be willing to initiate the process. The start of the process would require a memorandum representing seven parties from five countries. Orpo said such a grouping is "not now actively being gathered". The resolution and recently started dialogue would be enough at this stage. CENTRIST PM MEETS EPP HEADS OF GOV'T Though not part of the EPP convention, Finnish centrist Prime Minister Juha Sipila is scheduled to meet all the seven prime ministers present on Wednesday and Thursday. Sipila described the meetings with the prime ministers as preparation for the Finnish presidency of the EU during the latter half of 2019. At a press conference on Wednesday, Sipila and German Chancellor Angela Merkel underlined the closeness of the aims of Finland and Germany in the EU. After a meeting with Austrian Prime Minister Sebastia Kurz, both Sipila and Kurz denied that there was any "mistrust" between Finland and Austria. Earlier Wednesday, Austrian media reported that the Finnish security police SUPO had this summer excluded the Austrian security organization from the distribution list of a confidential document that had gone to other western European security organizations. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 12:36:40|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close CANBERRA, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Australian charities could be used to fund terrorism, the nation's anti-money laundering regulator warned Thursday. A report released by the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (AUSTRAC) on Wednesday found Australia's non-profit sector was likely to be used to fund terrorism. Chris Collett, deputy chief of AUSTRAC, said there was a high likelihood that Australia's non-profit organizations (NPOs) were being used to launder money before it was sent to terrorist organizations such as Islamic State (IS). "AUSTRAC is concerned about any vulnerability that might lead to exploitation of Australia's financial system by criminals or terrorists," he told News Corp Australia on Thursday. "The cash-intensive nature of the not-for-profit sector creates vulnerabilities. NPOs that send or receive funds from high-risk countries are also vulnerable to money being diverted for terrorism purposes." The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), Australia's largest bank, was hit with 700 million Australian dollars (509 million U.S. dollars) in fines in 2017 after it breached anti-money laundering laws. According to the report, one charity with strong links to a religious organization is under investigation by AUSTRAC after it failed to account for all its funds. The report said most NPOs existed to "support a particular ethnicity or religion" but their funds flowed "to and from a high-risk country." Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 13:06:44|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump will hold a bilateral meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron during his upcoming trip to France this weekend, the White House announced on Wednesday. Trump will join Macron and other world leaders in the ceremonies marking the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War on Nov. 11, according to a White House statement. He will have a meeting with his French counterpart to discuss topics on European security, bilateral economic ties and the situation in the Middle East, the statement said. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will also participate in the Trump's meeting with Macron, State Department spokesperson said in a press release. The White House also confirmed that the Trump-Macron meeting would be the only bilateral meeting that Trump will hold during his France trip, ruling out the possibility of meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who will also attend the commemorating event. Both the U.S. and Russian officials have previously confirmed that a meeting between the two leaders would be held in Paris on the sidelines of World War I commemoration ceremonies. But Trump said on Monday that he would "probably not" meet Putin in Paris. The Kremlin announced earlier on Wednesday that Putin and Trump will meet at a short working lunch in the Elysee Palace, with longer and more comprehensive talks at G20 Summit in Argentina at the end of this month. Amid the ongoing U.S. sanctions on Russia and Washington's recent stance on the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, the relations between Washington and Moscow have been strained recently. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 13:15:22|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close People view the installation called "Beyond the Deepening Shadow: The Tower Remembers" at the Tower of London in London, Britain, on Nov. 7, 2018. This installation is part of a nationwide series of events to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. (Xinhua/Han Yan) Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 13:26:47|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close by Matthew Rusling WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- After a neck-and-neck race, Democrats won control of the House of Representatives on Tuesday night in the mid-term elections, while the Republicans retained the Senate. Now, the stage is set for a knock-down-drag-out fight in Congress between the two parties. DEMOCRATS WON HOUSE Democrats clinched the U.S. House on Tuesday night in a tight race that went right down to the wire. The win will shift the power balance from a Congress that was solely controlled by the Republican Party (GOP) to one controlled by both parties. Democrats gained more than 23 seats they needed to grab control of the House, after sitting on the sidelines since U.S. President Donald Trump took office nearly two years ago. "Tomorrow will be a new day in America," House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, said Tuesday night, during a speech at the Democratic Party headquarters. Americans are divided over Trump. Those who like him tend to love him, and those who don't like him tend to intensely dislike him. This drove the House win of the Democrats, as left-leaning voters were motivated by their dislike for Trump to get out and vote. Brookings Institution senior fellow Darrell West told Xinhua that nearly all Democrats and many independents don't like Trump's "tough stance on immigration, trade, and gender issues." "Democrats won in the House because of discontent over Trump's policies," West said. "(Democrat voters) feel Trump does not represent their political views and he has divided the country," West said. Dan Mahaffee, senior vice president and director of policy at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, told Xinhua that while the Republicans were able to gain some vulnerable Senate seats, "the results in the House demonstrate how much suburbs, educated voters, and women have turned away from President Trump." "Now it'll be up to the president and congressional leaders to see if they can triangulate in a highly polarized era to make some accomplishments possible or dig in for 2020," Mahaffee said. REPUBLICANS RETAIN SENATE While Democrats took control of the House, the Republicans decisively held onto the Senate. Experts said the Senate's victory will ramp up Trump's leverage with the Republicans. Many Senators owe their wins to Trump's constant campaigning for them, as the president headlined over 50 rallies in months leading up to the midterms. West said Republicans did well in the Senate because "only a third of the Senators were up for re-election and many of them were from more conservative states." "So it was a favorable terrain for the GOP and Republicans were able to knock off several Democrats in more conservative states," West said. The GOP Senate win also means that the president can continue to confirm his appointments of conservative federal judges, and his next cabinet re-shuffle will go without any hiccups, as Senate lawmakers will confirm his posts. THE SHOWDOWN TO COME Experts say the Democrats' House win sets the stage for a knock-down-drag-out fight in the Congress amid a deep ideological divide in Washington. There are myriad issues over which Trump and Democrats will butt heads. And the soon-to-be Democrat-controlled House will likely launch investigations into the White House on issues ranging from Trump's tax records to relations with Russia. Gerald E. Connolly, a Democrat representing the state of Virginia, said Wednesday that the country "gave us a mandate to provide some check and balance on the executive," hinting that his party will launch a number of investigations into the White House. "This is not a time for holding back or being less than vigorous," he said as quoted in the Washington Post. That comes on the heels of numerous similar statements from Democrats. Recent weeks have seen House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi vow that investigating the president's tax records would be the "first thing we'd do" if they won the House. Currently, Trump is under an ongoing investigation from Special Council Robert Mueller for allegedly colluding with Russia to clinch the White House. Trump vehemently denied this, calling it a political witch hunt. Thus far, no "smoking gun" has been found. Christopher Galdieri, assistant professor at Saint Anselm College, told Xinhua that Democrats now have subpoena and investigative power after Tuesday night's victory. "Democrats have already announced plans to subpoena Trump's tax returns, and will begin investigating the various scandals in the administration," Galdieri said. West echoed those sentiments, adding that there will be "lots of political divisions over the next two years." "Democrats will use their power in the House to investigate the White House, subpoena witnesses, and demand documents. That will put them in a strong position to ... hold Trump accountable for his policy decisions," West added. There has been much U.S. media speculation over whether the House might move to impeach the president. However, the GOP-led Senate would likely derail any such plans, experts and GOP lawmakers said. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Wednesday said the GOP would thwart any plans to impeach, saying Republicans would frame any such the efforts as "harassment." "So the Democrats in the House will have to decide just how much presidential harassment they think is a good strategy. I'm not so sure it will work for them," McConnell said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 13:31:48|Editor: ZD Video Player Close HANGZHOU, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- The world's first artificial intelligence (AI) news anchor made "his" debut at the ongoing fifth World Internet Conference in east China's Zhejiang Province. The news anchor, based on the latest AI technology, has a male image with a voice, facial expressions and actions of a real person. "He" learns from live broadcasting videos by himself and can read texts as naturally as a professional news anchor. The AI news anchor was jointly developed by Xinhua News Agency, the official state-run media outlet of China, and Chinese search engine company Sogou.com. According to Xinhua, "he" has become a member of its reporting team and can work 24 hours a day on its official website and various social media platforms, reducing news production costs and improving efficiency. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 13:41:50|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian President-elect Jair Bolsonaro on Wednesday announced his plan to remove the Labor Ministry and turn it into a secretariat subordinated to another office. "The Labor Ministry will be incorporated into another ministry," the newly-elected president said, without providing more details. This is the latest among the long list of mergers and eliminations of ministries. So far, Bolsonaro has expressed the desire to remove the current ministries of culture, sports, and labor. He also announced the merger of the ministries of justice and public security, while the combination of the agriculture and the environment ministries was mentioned but later denied. The most radical change, though, was the announcement of the merger of three ministries, finance, planning and budget, as well as industry and foreign trade into the Ministry of Economy. The removal of the Labor Ministry has been rumored since Tuesday. As a response, the Labor Ministry released a statement defending itself. "The Labor Ministry, which has been deeply improved over the past months, is certainly capable of coordinating the productive forces in the best path to be walked by Brazil," said the statement. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 13:46:51|Editor: ZD Video Player Close BEIJING, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- The State Council, China's cabinet, has released a guideline on the patterns of firefighting personnel ranking badges as well as on how to wear them, according to a State Council decree signed by Premier Li Keqiang. The guideline is a supporting policy of the regulation on the ranking system for firefighting personnel that entered into effect on Oct. 27. The guideline stipulates the patterns of badges for firefighting personnel of different rankings, noting such badges are to be worn on the shoulder or collar. The change or removal of a badge shall be conducted by the approval authority, according to the guideline. The guideline comes into force on Nov. 8, 2018. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 13:51:53|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close SYDNEY, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Cave art in the remote mountains of Borneo has revealed them to be among the oldest figurative examples in the world and suggests that one of the most important innovations in human cultural history did not arise in Europe as long believed. Research published on Thursday by academics from Australia's Griffith University (GU), along with colleagues from Indonesia's National Research Center for Archaeology (ARKENAS), and the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), revealed images of animals, human hand stencils, as well as other abstract signs and symbols, to be as old as 40,000 years. To arrive at their results the team conducted Uranium-series dating on overlying calcium carbonate deposits which had formed on the paintings. "The oldest cave art image we dated is a large painting of an unidentified animal, probably a species of wild cattle still found in the jungles of Borneo -- this has a minimum age of around 40,000 years and is now the earliest known figurative artwork," lead author, associate professor Maxime Aubert from GU said. The timeline places the artistic activity at the height of Earth's last ice age, when what is currently the world's third largest island and modern day Borneo, sat on the eastern extremity of a 13,000 km-wide Eurasian landmass, which extended all the way to Europe on the other side. Little is known about who these ice age artists were or what happened to them, although GU archeologist Professor Adam Brumm told Xinhua that their apparent interest in creating permanent images suggests a culture focussed somewhat on the symbolic. "Some of the caves with this ancient art are located in very difficult to reach mountain top settings -- we don't see any evidence that people were actually living in these caves," Brumm said. "For whatever reason they had some sort of symbolic ritual motivation for creating some of this art in these remote places so that informs us a little bit about some of the values and ideas of these people." Previously, Europe was considered the center for cave art development although a number of recent discoveries are challenging those conceptions of prehistory. "It now seems that two early cave art provinces arose at a similar time in remote corners of Paleolithic Eurasia -- one in Europe, and one in Indonesia at the opposite end of this ice age world," Brumm said, noting that there are similarities in the styles from different regions which are difficult to overlook. "A focus on hand stencils and the focus on large naturalistic paintings of certain animal species within the environment, and finding that on essentially opposite sides of the inhabited ice world 40,000 years ago is certainly interesting." Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 14:06:58|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close PUL-E-KHUMRI, Afghanistan, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Afghan forces evicted Taliban fighters from several villages in Dand-e-Ghori area outside Pul-e-Khumri, the capital of northern Baghlan province, provincial police chief Ekramudin Sari said Thursday. "The security forces have recaptured several villages including the main base of Taliban rebels in Dand-e-Ghori area over the past four days, besides killing 16 insurgents and injuring 19 others," Sari told Xinhua. Dand-e-Ghori was captured by Taliban two years ago and since then has been regarded as Taliban stronghold in the northern Baghlan province. The ongoing operations against Taliban outfit in Dand-e-Ghori would last until the area is cleansed of the insurgents, the provincial police chief said. Taliban militants are yet to make comment on the development. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 14:22:02|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close HAVANA, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Cuba has handed over to the U.S. authorities a fugitive wanted for "serious crimes," the government said Wednesday. The fugitive, whose name wasn't released, was wanted by Interpol, the Cuban Foreign Ministry said on its website. "This action is based on Cuba's strict compliance with its international legal obligations and existing bilateral agreements with the United States regarding law enforcement," the ministry said. The fugitive U.S. citizen entered Cuban territory on Oct. 28, added the statement. Law enforcement is the area of bilateral cooperation that has not been hampered by the rollback in U.S.-Cuba ties. The two countries have frequent high-level meetings in Washington as part of their efforts to curb crimes. Bilateral ties were rolled back after U.S. President Donald Trump took office in 2017, reversing his predecessor's push to normalize relations. Last year Trump signed a presidential memorandum toughening U.S. policy towards Cuba, prohibiting U.S. companies from doing business with firms associated with Cuba's military, and restricting U.S. citizens' travel to the Caribbean nation. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 14:27:04|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close MUMBAI, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Almost 400 ground staff of the Air India were on strike Thursday at the Mumbai International Airport terminal over non-payment of Diwali bonus, causing flight delays, local media reported. The staff of the Indian state-owned airline called for a strike on the night of Diwali on Wednesday, the Times of India reported. Air India flights departing from Mumbai were delayed by hours in the wake of the protest. The Ground staff services including ground-handling functions like check-in, loading and unloading of bags, among other things, were handled by the airline's subsidiary Air India Air Transport Services Limited (AIATSL). Several passengers have tweeted their anger against Air India over the delay. "Due to a sudden industrial situation at Mumbai by AIATSL employees, some flights have got delayed. We are assessing the situation and all efforts are being made to minimize delays or disruption," said an Air India spokesperson. There have been no cancellation so far. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 15:32:15|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close MANILA, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has lauded the entry of China Telecommunications Corp., or China Telecom, in his country's telecommunication industry, saying the Philippines stands to benefit from the "good competition" that a Chinese company will bring to the industry. The selection committee of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) on Wednesday declared a consortium between China Telecom, and a Filipino partner Udenna Corp. and its unit Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corp. as the provisional third telco player in the Philippines. Duterte told Xinhua on Wednesday that the entry of China Telecom "will give a good competition" to the two the existing duopoly of Globe Telecom and PLDT in the industry. Duterte said that China "has proved to be of very incredibly high quality of electronics." "In a free enterprise democracy like the Philippines if the other two go into a cartel they can monopolize (the industry) and if they have a monopoly you cannot go to another entity for help (because) they'll always manipulate the prices and the quality remains the same. They won't bother to improve on their capacity or even their viability of their communications because there is no competition," Duterte said. He added, "But if you put China there, which has the money and the state of electronics is good, many will stand to benefit. That is why it is important that you must have a competition." "I'm not saying that the two (existing telco players) are lousy. But there is room for much improvement, and I do not see that here right now in my country," Duterte added. The winning consortium is composed of Dennis Uy's Udenna Corporation based in Davao City and its logistics arm, Chelsea Logistics Holdings, partnered by the state-owned China Telecom, and the Mindanao Islamic Telephone Corporation, Inc. (Mislatel). The Philippine Congress has granted Mislatel a 25-year franchise to operate back in 1998. China Telecom is one of the largest telecommunications providers in China. It is publicly listed in the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the United States' New York Stock Exchange. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 17:07:34|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BRASILIA, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian President-elect Jair Bolsonaro on Wednesday called for unity among different branches of government so that he can govern more effectively. With Supreme Federal Court (STF) President Antonio Dias Toffoli standing by his side, Bolsonaro said the executive, legislative and judicial branches should work together to pass key legislations. "We face great challenges, but with the unity of authorities alongside the people, we have the conditions to find options," said Bolsonaro, who will take office in January. He said that along with lowering the crime rate, the need to pass pension reform to reduce the budget deficit is among those challenges. Toffoli said the president-elect, whose election campaign raised fears that the incoming government might flout the laws to achieve its objectives, would abide by the Constitution. "On behalf of the STF, we are honored by his desire to maintain a dialogue (with the other branches)," Toffoli said. "I am certain that this gesture of respect for the Constitution and the institutions will renew our democracy." The president-elect arrived in Brasilia on Tuesday to visit Congress, where he served for nearly three decades as a conservative legislator, and met with the commanders of the army, navy and air force, and the head of the Superior Court of Justice, Joao Noronha, as well as Toffoli. He also met with outgoing President Michel Temer to officially begin the transition process. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 17:12:37|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close KUNMING, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- A grain of jasmine rice "jumps" to a freighter in Cambodia. It, together with thousands of its companions, will arrive in China in about a week. The jasmine rice from Cambodia sells very well in Yunnan, a border province in southwestern China. As a gateway to South and Southeast Asia, Yunnan is currently building itself into a frontier in China's new round of opening-up and pushing forward the development of international trade. As China transitions to high-quality development and shifts from the world's workshop to the world's market, with the world's biggest middle-income population demanding higher-quality consumer products, the rise of Chinese consumer demand is benefiting the world, definitely also neighboring countries. RICE AND FLOWER Li Li bought a ten-kilo bag of Cambodian jasmine rice last month from the Zhijia convenience store near her house in Kunming, capital of Yunnan, for the third time in about five months. She first learned about this Cambodian premium rice that had won the World's Best Rice award for three consecutive years in June, during the fifth China-South Asia expo held in Kunming. "A Cambodian company made steamed rice and porridge at its booth. It was amazing, smelled wonderful and tasted delicious," Li said. Sold for 118 yuan (17 U.S. dollars) per ten kilos, Cambodian jasmine rice is more expensive than average domestic rice, but Xiao Yu, marketing manager of convenience store Zhijia, is nevertheless confident about it. "Chinese consumers now value quality over price," Xiao said. Since being introduced in 2017, Cambodian jasmine rice has been on Zhijia's Top 5 Best-Selling Rice List every month, though it is only available in less than 20 of a total of about 200 Zhijia convenience stores in Yunnan. Not far from the store near Li's home stands the Kunming International Flora Auction Trading Center in Dounan Village, the largest of its kind in Asia, which is crowded with anxious dealers waiting to sell their carefully planted beauties. Before every dawn, about 10 million radiant China-grown flowers of more than 500 species make their way to over 50 countries and regions, about 30 percent of which are exported to South and Southeast Asia. Cambodian rice and Kunming flowers define China's blooming trade with its neighbors. Statistics from Yunnan customs show that the total export and import volume in the province has increased by more than 200 times over the last 40 years, from 104 million U.S. dollars in 1978 to over 23 billion U.S. dollars in 2017. RAIL AND FLIGHT Imported products were considered luxuries in Yunnan 40 years ago. Finding them was difficult. However, from Sri Lanka's Ceylon tea to India's blue crab, and from Thailand's durian to Myanmar's jade, the "impossible" has become the possible, and is even a daily necessity now, especially thanks to the expansion of international transportation links. Yunnan has already opened air routes from its capital and to major cities in almost all South and Southeast Asian countries, giving ease of way to more imports and exports. "Frequent trade between China and its neighboring countries, especially under the Belt and Road Initiative in recent years, has driven fast growth in Yunnan's international freight volume, which reached more than 57,000 tonnes last year, up over 130 percent year on year," said Gu Min, head of Yunnan Airport Logistics Co. Ltd. From January to November this year, more than 450,000 tonnes of cargo have been transported along the Yunnan-Haiphong railway that connects China and Vietnam, with imports accounting for about 40 percent. To boost regional trade, several rail lines starting in Kunming are also under construction or in the planning process. They are expected to run through Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Malaysia before reaching Singapore, forming eastern, central and western lines of international rail transportation to connect China with Southeast Asian countries. CULTURAL EXCHANGE AND EDUCATION Besides commodities, China's wider opening-up is also facilitating cultural exchanges with its neighbors. In 2015, the first China-India yoga college was established at Yunnan Minzu University, attracting batches of Indian yoga teachers to China, with 38-year-old Subbulakshmi Velusamy being one of them. "Relax your breath and mind. Cross your legs and flex your feet. Don't let your knees be higher than the level of your hips. Bring your hands to your heart. Don't allow your chest to sink," Velusamy says every day, imparting her skills with great enthusiasm while observing and correcting her students after demonstrating movements. Yoga has become immensely popular in China with millions taking to it all over the country. Last year, the China-India yoga college started enrollment for master's courses. It plans to open 50 branches in China with the first being launched in central China's Henan Province in August. Overseas students are messengers of cultural exchange, the number of which in Yunnan had exceeded 18,000 by the end of last year. As a postgraduate majoring in Chinese, 24-year old Patchara Pukchainam came to Yunnan University from Thailand about a year ago. "I will go back to Thailand to teach Chinese after graduation," she said. "Learning Chinese means more opportunities. It's quite easy to find a good job in Thailand if you can speak fluent Chinese." Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 17:22:42|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close LOS ANGELES, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Multiple people have reportedly been wounded in an alleged mass shooting at a bar in Ventura County in Southern California Wednesday night, said authorities said. According to the Ventura County Fire Department, there is an ongoing active shooter incident reported at the bar in the city of Thousand Oaks. "Multiple injuries reported. Details still being determined. Multiple ambulances requested," tweeted the Ventura County Fire Department. Ventura County Sheriff's deputies responded to the incident at about 11:30 p.m. local time (0730 GMT, Thursday). Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 17:37:46|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close NEW DELHI, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Four people including a paramilitary trooper were killed and a few others wounded Thursday after Naxals triggered an improvised explosive device (IED) blast targeting a bus carrying them in central Indian state of Chattisgarh, officials said. The incident occurred at Bacheli in Dantewada, about 383 km south of Raipur, the capital city of Chhattisgarh. "Today Naxals triggered a bus that was carrying paramilitary Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel with an IED blast. We are being told four people - three civilians and one CISF person - were killed in the blast," a local government official said. The deceased civilians include driver and cleaner of the bus. Reports said the bus was used by CISF personnel deployed for election duty in the area. According to officials, the CISF men were reportedly on their way back to their camp after buying vegetables from the market. The is the second Naxalite attack in the area in recent days. Last week, two police personnel and a cameraman of the state-run Doordarshan were killed in an attack at Nilawaya village in the district. Local elections are scheduled to be held in Chhattisgarh next week in two phases on November 12 and November 20. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 18:02:49|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close HANGZHOU, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- The World Internet Conference (WIC), currently being held in eastern China's Zhejiang Province, has unveiled the top 15 of the latest scientific and technological achievements in the global internet industry. Fifteen of about 400 entries from countries including China, the United States, Britain, Germany, France, Russia and Canada were presented during the announcement ceremony on Wednesday. Co-chaired by Whitfield Diffie, winner of the 2015 Turing Award, and Wu Hequan, academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the recommendation committee of over 40 Chinese and foreign technologists started collected submissions in July. Among the final entries are WeChat mini programs of Tencent, the artificial intelligence (AI) processor of Huawei, the intelligent cybersecurity protection system of 360 Group, the automatic driving open-source platform Apollo of Baidu, the smart service of U.S. electric carmaker Tesla, the fully-integrated 5G NR Millimeter Wave (mmWave) & Sub-6 GHz RF Modules of U.S. chip giant Qualcomm, the supET Industrial Internet Platform of Alibaba Cloud and technological support for smart homes from Microsoft and Xiaomi. Pony Ma, chairman and CEO of Tencent Inc., told participants of the conference that WeChat mini programs are small applications that function within the instant messaging platform, freeing users from the trouble of downloading or installing apps. The committee says the technology is an innovative breakthrough in the field of mobile Internet. Currently, more than 1.5 million app developers extract the core functions of their products and build them into mini programs without developing separate programs and terminal adaptations for iOS and Android systems, which "offers a Chinese solution to the global problem of cross-system app development," said Ma. With the capacity to process thousands of pictures in a second, Ascend 310, an AI processor developed by Chinese telecoms equipment giant Huawei, can provide technological support for driverless vehicles and automatic production lines. In October, Huawei and Audi announced their joint innovation in L4 automatic driving, unveiling the new Audi Q7 as a demonstration of this state-of-the-art technology. The total energy consumption of the processor can be reduced to about 200 watts, said Yan Lida, director and president of Huawei's BG enterprise. Meanwhile, Tesla's smart services provide instant solutions for drivers whenever they encounter troubles on their journey, and Qualcomm at the event presented the world's first fully-integrated 5G NR Millimeter Wave & Sub-6 GHz RF Modules for smartphones and other mobile devices. The Qualcomm innovation allows terminal device producers to offer attractive form factors combined with the benefits of extremely high speeds from mmWave 5G NR. The market launch of such devices could be as early as the first half of 2019. The supET Industrial Internet Platform developed by Alibaba Cloud provides manufacturing enterprises with one-stop digital, networked and intelligent services, which further integrates next-generation information technology and real economies. Microsoft also provides a security solution, named "Azure Sphere", to the Internet of Things (IoT). The corporation's executive vice president Harry Shum introduced a futuristic scene where users could receive a message from their smart refrigerator, saying "Hello, your freezer compressor has broken down. You'd better come home tonight, otherwise the food inside may go bad." "As technologies including AI and IoT are spreading widely, the once-a-fantasy ideas can become a reality one day. Nowadays, televisions, light bulbs and alarm clocks all can be controlled by the voice assistant on your phone or an AI loudspeaker," said Lei Jun, founder, chairman and CEO of the Xiaomi Corporation. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 18:02:50|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close TIRIN KOT, Afghanistan, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- At least eight militants have been killed and seven others injured in southern Uruzgan and Zabul provinces over the past 24 hours, an army spokesman in the northern region, captain Ahmad Sadeq Eisa, said on Thursday. The government forces, according to the official, targeted a Taliban hideout outside Tirin Kot, the capital of southern Uruzgan province on Wednesday, killing four insurgents on the spot. Similarly, the government forces pounded Taliban positions in Shajoi district of Zabul province over the past 24 hours, killing four insurgents and injuring seven others, the official said. Taliban militants are yet to make comments. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 18:07:51|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close LOS ANGELES, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- At least "half a dozen" people were injured in a mass shooting at a bar in Ventura County in Southern California Wednesday night, said authorities. "It's still a very active scene," said Ventura County Sheriff's Office Capt. Garo Kuredjian. "I can't confirm whether the shooter is in custody," he said, adding that there were about hundreds of people inside. According to the Ventura County Fire Department, there is an ongoing active shooter incident reported at the bar in the city of Thousand Oaks. "Multiple injuries reported. Details still being determined. Multiple ambulances requested," tweeted the Ventura County Fire Department. Ventura County Sheriff's deputies responded to the incident at about 11:30 p.m. local time (0730 GMT, Thursday). Several ambulances were called to the scene and authorities were urging the public to stay away from the area. At least one officer called to the scene was injured. Officers indicated that approximately 30 shots had been fired and that people were fleeing from the bar, a local news outlet, Ventura County Star, reported. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 18:22:53|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close ISTANBUL, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish Red Crescent Society has recently started to produce tents for around 40,000 refugees as part of a deal signed with the United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Turkish agency said on Thursday. "The production of a total of 8,000 tents which were ordered by the IOM has been launched recently and continues at full pace," Kerem Kinik, the agency's president, told Xinhua. The agency plans to complete the production process at the beginning of next year when its contract with the IOM ends. "Following the delivery of the tents, it would immediately be possible to protect a total of 40,000 people from external conditions," said Kinik. According to Mehmet Eyyup Alper, the agency's accommodation coordinator, new materials are being used in making the tents instead of pure cotton. "The tents consist of two layers," he explained. "To ensure heat isolation and air circulation, we are using polyvinyl chloride material on the roofs and fabric on the walls, while the inner-part materials help to provide a comfortable environment for people." The Turkish aid agency, with a significant international network, is the largest humanitarian organization in Turkey, a country hosting more than 3.5 million refugees on its soil. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 18:27:54|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close NAIROBI, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- East African Community (EAC) member states plan to harmonize their pension regimes in order to promote labor mobility, officials said on Thursday. Nzomo Mutuku, chief executive officer of Kenya's Retirement Benefits Authority (RBA), told Xinhua in Nairobi that currently the six member states of the EAC have different taxation levels for the pensions industry and therefore workers could lose benefits if they move from one partner state to another. "All the partner states are committed to have the same pension standards in order to promote regional integration," Mutuku said. EAC partner states include Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan. The EAC common market protocol was inaugurated in 2010 and calls for free movement of people, labor and capital. The East Africa Pension Supervisors Association has completed a study on pension portability across the trading bloc while another study on tax harmonization will be completed in early 2019. Mutuku said that results of the studies will be presented to the EAC sectoral council for approval before it is presented to the EAC heads of state for endorsement. He said that the pension industry across the regional bloc is at different stages of development. The RBA official noted that all members states have pension systems that cover the public sector but Kenya has the most advanced private sector pension industry. He said that a harmonized pension regime will also include provisions to include the large informal sector who is often excluded from pensions systems. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 18:32:55|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close Syrian refugees are seen upon their arrival from Lebanon to Syria at the Zamarani border crossing in the countryside of Damascus, capital of Syria, on Nov. 8, 2018. Over 100 Syrian refugees returned to their homeland on Thursday from several areas in Lebanon including Aarsal, Nabatieh and Tyre, local media reported. (Xinhua/Ammar Safarjalani) BEIRUT, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Over 100 Syrian refugees returned to their homeland on Thursday from several areas in Lebanon including Aarsal, Nabatieh and Tyre, local media reported. According to the National News Agency, the return of Syrians took place under the supervision of Lebanon's General Security and in the presence of employees from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). "Many of these Syrians went back home on their own expenses, especially as the stability has been witnessed in Syria," said Mustafa Mansour, head of the association of Syrian workers in Lebanon. Lebanon is hosting 976,000 registered Syrian refugees according to the UNHCR, while the government estimates the true number of Syrian refugees in the country at 1.5 million. To secure the return of 890,000 Syrian refugees to their homeland, Russia has drafted a strategy and presented it to the Lebanese authorities. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 18:42:56|Editor: mym Video Player Close CAPE TOWN, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- South African journalist Angela Quintal who was detained by Tanzanian police has been released, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) announced on Thursday. Angela and her Kenyan colleague Muthoki Mumo were detained in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday evening while on a reporting mission for the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an American independent non-profit and non-governmental organization. According to the CPJ, the duo were arrested in their hotel room, had their passports confiscated and then were escorted to an unknown location. The reason for their detention remains unknown. Thami Mseleku, South African High Commissioner to Tazania, reportedly had protested the whole night. Angela and Muthoki are safe and relieved that they are now with High Commissioner Mseleku, DIRCO spokesperson Ndivhuwo Mabaya said. The High Commissioner and his Kenyan diplomats will continue to engage with Tanzanian authorities until their passports are returned and all the facts have been established around their arrest, Mabaya said. "DIRCO will keep South Africans and the media fraternity informed of all developments," Mabaya said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 18:53:01|Editor: mym Video Player Close BEIRUT, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Israeli forces installed on Thursday new monitoring devices and video cameras on the fence on the borders with Lebanon between Adayse hills and Fatima Gate, Elnashra, an online independent newspaper reported. Israeli forces have been inspecting surveillance equipment regularly on the borders with Lebanon. Meanwhile, Israeli warplanes violated Lebanon's airspace the same day above Shabaa farms while conducting exploratory flights above Arqoub and Hasbaya. Lebanese caretaker Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil said earlier that Israel has violated Lebanon's airspace, land and sea more than 1,500 times in the past eight months. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 19:43:14|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close Afghan high school graduate students attend a military academy entry test in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Nov. 8, 2018. More than 2,900 high school graduates attended an exam to get enrollment in Marshal Fahim National Defense University, the prestigious military academy in Afghanistan on Thursday. (Xinhua/Rahmat Alizadah) KABUL, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- More than 2,900 high school graduates attended an exam to get enrollment in Marshal Fahim National Defense University, the prestigious military academy in Afghanistan on Thursday. "More than 2,900 graduates including 52 girls attended the academy entry test here Thursday morning and out of these, 500 will be absorbed to the academy," head of Public Relation Office of the academy Major Juma Gul told Xinhua. Those get enrollment in the academy would be commissioned to the national army after completion of the four-year university term. The students, in addition to receiving military training, would also be taught other subjects including law, human rights, engineering and medical. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 19:48:17|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close LONDON, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Britain's former Brexit Secretary David Davis said on Thursday that members of parliament will probably vote against the prime minister's Brexit deal. Davis, who quit his cabinet role earlier this year over the Brexit plan proposed by Prime Minister Theresa May, said he believed the defeat in the House of Commons would bring about a even better deal between his country and the European Union (EU). Davis told local media that Britain had hundreds of plans ready in case the country leaves the EU without any agreed Brexit deal. The former secretary believed that there might be "some hiccups", but Britain is "a big country" that can look after itself. Britain is due to leave EU on March 29, 2019. Although 95 percent of a Brexit deal is said to be agreed, Britain and the EU have yet to agree on how to guarantee that there will be no return to a visible border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in future. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 19:53:18|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close ADEN, Yemen, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Internationally-backed President Abdu-Rabbu Mansour Hadi appointed on Thursday a new defense minister to lead the country's armed forces. According to state-run Saba news agency, Hadi issued a new presidential decree and appointed Lt. Gen. Mohamed Ali Al-Maqdishi as his new defense minister. The country's armed forces remained without defense minister for more than three years following the detention of the former minister Mahmoud Subaihi in March 2015 by the Houthi rebels near the southern port city of Aden. In Hadi's another presidential decree, Abdullah Salim Nakhi was named as the country's new chief of staff, Saba reported. In addition, Ahmed Salim Rubea was appointed as a new governor of the Aden, which is considered Yemen's temporary capital. The appointment of new military commanders coincided with the ongoing military operations aimed at liberating the strategic port city of Hodeidah and other areas from the control of Houthis. The Houthis aligned with Iran launched a large military campaign and seized the capital Sanaa in late 2014, forcing Yemen's Hadi and his government to flee into Aden. The pro-Houthi forces backed by armored vehicles attacked Aden later and shelled Hadi's Presidential Palace, leading to his exile in neighboring Saudi Arabia. In March 2015, Saudi Arabia led a pan-Arab coalition to intervene militarily and began to pound the Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa, in response to an official public request from Hadi to protect Yemen and roll back Iran's influence. The internal military conflict between the Iran-backed Houthis and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government recently entered its fourth year, aggravating the suffering of Yemenis and deepening the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The ongoing fighting between the two warring rivals with daily Saudi-led airstrikes plunged the most impoverished Arab country in the Middle East into more chaos and violence. Three quarters of the population, or more than 22 million people, urgently require some form of humanitarian help, including 8.4 million people who struggle to find their next meal. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 19:58:19|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close MADRID, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Catalan regional police force (Mossos d'Esquadra) on Thursday confirmed the arrest of a 63-year-old man who was planning to shoot Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez. The Mosso's d'Esquadra reported the arrest in a 'tweet' which reads: "Arrested a man in Terrassa (close to Barcelona) who wanted to kill the prime minister of the Spanish Government. The arrested man, who had an arsenal of weapons at home, is in prison." The arrest took place on Sept. 19 after the Mossos were alerted by the member of a 'Whatsapp' chat group that the detainee had made threats against Sanchez and asked for logistical support for his plan. The arrested man, who also commented that he was willing to "sacrifice himself for Spain," has been in preventive custody since his arrest. He is described as a 63-year-old security guard of a far-right wing ideology and an expert shot. The Spanish media have confirmed that he had 16 firearms, including several high-powered rifles, at his residence. The apparent motive for wanting to kill Sanchez was "vengeance" for the plans of Sanchez's Socialist government to move the body of former Spanish leader, General Francisco Franco from the Valle de los Caidos (Valley of the Fallen) which is north of Madrid. Government sources have stressed to the media that Sanchez "security was never in danger of being in compromised." Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 20:13:24|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close SHANGHAI, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- As buyers or curious visitors, those who have an interest in Japan will not be disappointed at the ongoing China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai. Pay a visit to the booth of Japanese electronics manufacturer Omron Corporation and one can find that in addition to business negotiations and contracts, there is also an opportunity to really flex one's muscles -- by playing a game of ping pong with a robot. People queue eagerly to challenge the ping pong-playing robot, which is equipped with the company's advanced factory automation (FA) and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, enabling the bot to collect sensing data, calculate and make judgements, and control its arm to respond within a very short time. Omron believes that with these technologies, the company will be able to provide solutions to Chinese clients and their needs for intelligent production. The expo presents not only eye-catching blockbusters from world-famous Japanese brands, but also fine crafts and innovative ideas from Japanese small and medium-sized enterprises, which make up the bulk of enterprises in the country. For Ogura Jewel Industry, an enterprise with no more than 200 employees but over 100 years of history and ultra-precision fine processing technologies to produce industrial components that meet individual customers' requirements, attending the expo is not only about touting for business, but also a tentative reach for the Chinese market. "The manufacturing industry in China is developing rapidly, and we believe the need for high-accuracy tools and parts will also grow. That will be exactly what we will specialize in," said Yin Mingshan, chief of the enterprise's sales department. Takumi Okamoto, representative of Yashironi, a Kyoto-based producer of traditional Kyoto silk fabrics, has taken the expo as a chance to promote the time-honored beauty of traditional textile Nishijin-ori among Chinese people, especially the younger generation. Founded in the 18th century, Yashironi was once a producer of kimono textiles for the Japanese imperial family and the shogun military commander. "The techniques of making Japanese silk fabrics come from ancient China, and I also hope to take this chance to have some exchanges with our Chinese peers to improve our skills, so that craftspeople in both countries can better carry forward this precious art," Okamoto said. In addition to industrial products, elements of Japanese popular culture such as anime characters and tourism promotion can also be found at the CIIE. Japan has the largest number of exhibitors attending the expo, with about 450 companies and institutions showcasing their eye-catching products and cutting-edge technologies, according to statistics from the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO). Japanese enterprises have shown great zeal for the CIIE, said Yasuyuki Murahashi, director-general of JETRO's manufacturing industry department, adding that many Japanese exhibitors were introduced to Chinese consumers at the expo for the first time and they are eager to promote their products in China and beyond via the expo. JETRO, a Japanese government-related organization promoting foreign trade and investment, formed a 50-member working team to publicize the world's first import-themed national-level expo among Japanese companies through online campaigns or roadshows in Japanese cities, resulting in the active participation of many Japanese enterprises in the event. "With a large population that is witnessing rapid consumption upgrading, China has huge market potential," said Murahashi. "Japanese firms hope to seize the opportunity of offering high-quality products, technologies and services to Chinese consumers, so as to benefit the development of both countries." Noting that economic and trade cooperation between the two countries has increasingly expanded and deepened, he said the CIIE and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's recent visit to China are expected to inject new impetus into bilateral cooperation. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 20:18:26|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close The U.S. Capitol is seen in Washington D.C. Nov. 6, 2018. The U.S. Republican Party on Tuesday managed to maintain a Senate majority in the midterm elections, while the Democrats wrestled the House majority from the Republicans, according to projections of multiple news outlets. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) by Peter Mertz DENVER, the United States, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- With the elevation of a number of liberal Democrats from the U.S. West in Tuesday's pivotal midterm elections, the White House could face a rocky road in the coming two years. PERSONNEL CHANGE IN CALIFORNIA Political insiders told Xinhua on Wednesday that with the U.S. House of Representatives shifting to Democratic control, California alone will place a number of politicians into key powerful Congressional leadership positions. "(U.S.) Senator Diane Feinstein will probably become chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee or the Senate Intelligence Committee, and Congressman Adam Schiff will replace Devon Nunez as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee investigating Trump," said San Francisco-based political analyst Glenn Nemhauser. The president's biggest future foe is another Californian -- the expected new speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, San Francisco's Nancy Pelosi, also the Democratic leader of the House since 2011. U.S. President Donald Trump called Pelosi on Tuesday night to congratulate her on Democratic control of the House and tweeted that he was confident he would "work with the Democrats." "If he thinks the Democrats will forget his political grandstanding and games, then he must be delusional," said former Washington policy analyst David Richardson. But the president's most pressing problem with the House shift will be that the new chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee will request an examination of Trump's federal tax returns, something the president has refused to disclose. The likely incoming chairman, Massachusetts Democrat Richard Neal, has said he will go after Trump's filings with the Internal Revenue Service. UNEXPECTED "BLUE" STORMS WESTERN STATES "Since Reagan, urban areas have been blue and rural areas have been red. The suburbs have been purple. Last night they became much bluer," Richardson said, pointing to a number of unexpected Democratic victories. In Colorado on Tuesday, Democratic first-term candidate Jason Crow defeated longtime Republican representative Mike Coffman who has represented Colorado's suburban 6th District since 2009. In his concession speech, Coffman said, "I knew that my only hope of winning was to localize the race, and that if the race was nationalized, it would become a referendum on the president," he said. "In this race, it was a referendum on the president." Crow, running on a traditional Democratic platform, beat the Republican by 10 points, and Colorado's new governor, Jared Polis, promised to fight for universal healthcare and renewable energy standards, both stances in diametric opposition to Washington's actions. The president endorsed Polis' opponent, Republican State Treasurer Walker Stapleton, who embraced the administration's antipathy toward so-called sanctuary cities that don't closely cooperate with federal immigration authorities. "Colorado is a swing state that went for (Democratic presidential candidate Hilary) Clinton in 2016 and has seen a massive influx of millennials, and these people want no part of Trump's agenda," said University of Colorado graduate student Walter Newton. And across the West, unexpected Democratic victories showed a mounting resistance toward policies issued from the White House. In U.S. Senate races, Jacky Rosen beat Republican Dean Heller in Nevada, and Montana Democrat Jon Tester, a target of Trump condemnation, also defeated his Republican opponent, Matt Rosendale. In Arizona, another state flooded by millennials in the past decade, as of Wednesday night, the Senate race was too close to call, with Republican Martha McSally leading Democrat Kyrsten Sinema by a razor thin 49.4-48.4 margin. "Arizona is traditionally red, and this election saw (Republican Senator Jeff) Flake's seat up for grabs - Sinema's strong showing shows a Democratic shift, regardless of whether she pulls it off," Phoenix restauranteur Franklin Cardona said Wednesday. WOMEN'S POWER Across the country, staunchly liberal women's groups were celebrating a record number of women elected to Congress in 2018. "This election is a major victory for women, people of color, LGBTQ people and anyone in this country who cares about access to reproductive healthcare," said Deirdre Schifeling, executive director of Planned Parenthood Votes, the political arm of Planned Parenthood, the women's healthcare nonprofit group. "These results show women have had enough," she said in a press conference. Democrats took control of the House after voters turned out in record numbers. Although Republicans retained control of the Senate, with a Democratic House majority, Congress no longer has the votes to defund Planned Parenthood, said Dana Singiser, vice president of public policy and government affairs at Planned Parenthood Action Fund in a statement. "Nationally, I'd have to call the results mixed," said Oregon professor Stewart King, a former U.S. State Department official. "Although Democrats got about 10 million more votes than Republicans." Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 20:43:38|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close LOS ANGELES, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Thirteen people were confirmed dead in a mass shooting Wednesday night in the city of Thousand Oaks in Southern California, including an officer and a gunman, local authorities said. The United States has one of the highest gun-related death tolls in the world due to lax gun control laws, according to a study released in August by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington. The following is a chronology of the bloodiest and most notable mass shootings recorded in the United States in the past decade: -- PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania, Oct. 27, 2018: At least 11 people were killed and six others were injured after a gunman opened fire inside a synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. -- SANTA FE, Texas, May. 18, 2018: Ten people were killed and another ten wounded when a shooter opened fire inside Santa Fe High School in southeast Houston, Texas. -- PARKLAND, Florida, Feb. 14, 2018: A former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, opened fire with an assault-style rifle, killing 17 students and educators. -- SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, Texas, Nov. 5, 2017: A gunman with an AR-15-style rifle barged into the First Baptist Church and killed 26 people, more than half of whom were children. -- LAS VEGAS, Nevada, Oct. 1, 2017: At least 59 people, including the alleged gunman himself, were killed and more than 500 others wounded when the attacker opened fire, sniper-style, on an open-air music festival in Las Vegas. It was the worst mass shooting attack in U.S. history. -- FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida, Jan. 6, 2017: Five people died and six others were injured in the shooting inside the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. The gunman, Esteban Santiago, then laid down his weapons and surrendered to police. -- ORLANDO, Florida, June 12, 2016: A security guard wielding an assault-type rifle and a handgun killed 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando before he was shot dead by police. -- SAN BERNARDINO, California, Dec. 2, 2015: A couple declaring allegiance to the Islamic State killed 14 people and wounded 17 others at a social services center in San Bernardino City, California. Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife Tashfeen Malik were pursued by police and died in the ensuing shootout. -- OREGON, Oct. 2, 2015: A gunman killed nine people at a community college in the state of Oregon before committing suicide after being wounded by police. The gunman, identified by U.S. media as 26-year-old Chris Harper Mercer, opened fire at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, about 290 km south of Portland, Oregon's largest city. -- CHARLESTON, South Carolina, June 17, 2015: A white man opened fire during a prayer meeting inside a historic black church in downtown Charleston, killing nine people in an assault that authorities described as a hate crime. Subsequently, the assailant, Dylann Roof, was sentenced to death in January 2017. -- CHICAGO, May 26, 2015: Twelve people were killed and more than 40 more wounded in shootings in Chicago during Memorial Day. -- WACO, Texas, May 17, 2015: Nine people were killed and several wounded after a shootout between rival biker gangs in Waco, Texas, with more gangs threatening to descend on the town after the violence. -- WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2013: A 34-year-old navy contractor employee opened fire inside the building at the Washington Navy Yard that serves as the headquarters of the Naval Sea System Command, killing 12 people before he was shot dead by police. -- NEWTOWN, Connecticut, Dec. 14, 2012: The Sandy Hook elementary school shooting stunned the nation after a gunman killed 20 children and six adults. The attacker, who killed his mother prior to the rampage, also died in the massacre. -- OAK CREEK, Wisconsin, Aug. 5, 2012: A white supremacist killed six people in a Sikh temple in Oak Creek before he was wounded by police and turned the gun on himself. -- AURORA, Colorado, July 20, 2012: Twelve people were killed and 59 others injured at a Batman movie premier, where a lone, heavily armed gunman burst into a packed theater in a suburb 10 miles (16 km) east of Denver. Local police identified the perpetrator as James Holmes, 24, who was given 12 life sentences for each victim, and an additional 3,318 years for those he tried to kill. -- TUCSON, Arizona, Jan. 9, 2011: A gunman opened fire at a public gathering outside a grocery in Tucson, Arizona, killing six people including a nine-year-old girl and wounding at least 12 others. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot point blank in the head, leaving her critically injured, but she recovered miraculously. The 22-year-old shooter, who was reported to be fixated on Giffords, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2012. -- FORT HOOD, Texas, Nov. 6, 2009: U.S. army psychiatrist Major Nidal Hasan opened fire at a military base in Fort Hood, leaving 13 dead and 42 others wounded. He was sentenced to death in 2013. -- BINGHAMTON, New York, April 4, 2009: A man shot dead 13 people at a civic center in Binghamton, where he had enrolled earlier to study English, before killing himself. -- CARTHAGE, North Carolina, March 30, 2009: A heavily-armed gunman shot dead seven patients and a nurse in a privately-owned nursing home in North Carolina, intending to kill his estranged wife who worked there. He was given multiple sentences, totalling over 179 years. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 20:43:39|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas will pay an official visit to China from next Monday to Tuesday at the invitation of State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying announced Thursday. During the visit, the two foreign ministers will hold the fourth round of China-Germany Strategic Dialogue on Diplomatic and Security Affairs, according to the spokesperson. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 20:53:45|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close DHAKA, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia was shifted back to jail on Thursday after a month of treatment. Prison authorities on Thursday morning transferred the wheelchair-bound Khaleda Zia to the Old Dhaka jailhouse where she also appeared before a court in a graft case. Brigadier General Abdullah Al Harun, director of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), told journalists that she was released from the hospital as the medical board formed for her treatment gave her discharge certificate. He said that her physical condition is now stable. Khaleda Zia was admitted to the hospital in Dhaka on Oct. 6 for treatment following a court directive. Khaleda Zia, also chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), was then taken to the BSMMU from Dhaka Old Central Jail. She has been in jail since February after a court sentenced her over the alleged embezzlement of foreign funds. BNP has been demanding upcoming parliament polls be held under a non-party government and release of Khaleda Zia ahead of the elections slated for December. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 21:08:49|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Ongoing reforms within the Ethiopian Defense Forces structure will include cyber security and space force in the near future, the Ethiopian Prime Minister's Office revealed on Thursday. The Office, in a press statement issued on Thursday following the conclusion of the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's meeting with high-ranking military officials over the past few days, disclosed that a decision to reestablish the Ethiopian naval force has been already made as part of the ongoing reform process. The office also disclosed that the reform is also considering on the establishment of a new entity - Cyber Security and Space Force - under the Ethiopian Defense Forces in the future. "With regard to the legal framework, the revisions made look at including the structure of the Navy within the Defense Force Proclamation, and will in the future include Cyber Security and Space Force considerations," the statement read. According to Ahmed, the reform is being made with due emphasis given to the context of building a modern warfare units, which include land, air, seas, cyber and space. "A Defense Force that can readily meet this context is in the process of being built," the statement quoted Ahmed as saying. Ahmed, who is also the Commander in Chief of the Ethiopian Army, further confirmed that a lot of efforts have been made to ensure clarification of operational guidelines and the realization of a modern defense force, the statement added. "Activities are being undertaken to ensure that the defense force is capable of effectively undertaking its duties and responsibilities through the utilization of modern military equipment," he said. The Ethiopian army, one of the strongest and largest in Africa, currently operates on land and air, as landlocked Ethiopia disbanded its naval force some two decades ago following the separation of Eritrea, which left Ethiopia without access to a major ocean or sea that would host its naval force. In addition to reestablishing a naval force, the East African country now envisaged a cyber and space force to respond to the emerging world military system. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 21:22:01|Editor: mym Video Player Close A fire fighter teaches local residents how to use a fire mask at a community in Deqing County, east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 8, 2018. Fire safety awareness campaigns have been held across China in the run-up to the National Fire Prevention Day on Nov. 9. (Xinhua/Wang Zheng) Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 21:18:51|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close XI'AN, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- A new airport went into operation on Thursday in Yan'an, a tourist city in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. The first flight arrived at the city's Nanniwan Airport around 8:30 a.m. on Thursday. The other airport in the city is out of service. The new airport is located in the southwestern suburb of the city, 13 km away from the city center. The airport has seven gate positions and a 3,000-meter-long runway with a width of 45 meters. The terminal of the airport covers 13,000 square meters. After 11 years of planning, preparation and construction work, builders have overcome a series of difficulties to successfully build the new airport on collapsible loess area. Xue Zhanhai, mayor of Yan'an, said the new airport will help the city further open to the outside world and promote local economic development. Yan'an, a famous revolutionary base that hosted the Communist Party of China (CPC) headquarters and the center of the Chinese Communist revolution from 1935 to 1948, is a hot tourist destination nowadays. "Red tourism" has blossomed in the city, which boasts over 350 sites related to the revolution. "Red tourism", featuring visits to historical sites with a revolutionary legacy, has gained great popularity in China in recent years. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 21:23:52|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close COLOMBO, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- More than 150,000 tourists arrived in Sri Lanka last month, recording a 0.5 percent growth when compared to the same period last year, official statistics from Sri Lanka's Tourism Ministry showed here Thursday. According to the Ministry, the leading five markets were India, China, Britain, Germany and Australia. So far, over 1.8 million tourists have arrived in the island till October this year, with the industry expecting at least 2.5 million tourists by the end of the year. Out of the total number, 228,000 Chinese tourists have visited the country this year, with October alone recording 18,800 Chinese arrivals. With the country currently facing a political crisis, Sri Lanka's new government said this week that the recent travel advisories which had been issued by some foreign governments against visiting Sri Lanka was unnecessary as public life remained largely undisrupted by the ongoing political turbulence and tourism had not been subjected to any inconvenience. The new Foreign Minister, Dr. Sarath Amunugama said the new government was fully committed to safeguarding and improving the tourism industry and new projects would be launched to increase its arrivals. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 21:43:33|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close Experts and scholars specialized in culture and archive view exhibits at a historical archives and documents exhibition on the Silk Road held at the Fujian Provincial Archives in Fuzhou, capital of southeast China's Fujian Province, on Nov. 8, 2018. (Xinhua/Lin Shanchuan) Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 21:43:59|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Despite a Democratic House victory in Tuesday's midterm elections, experts are predicting no significant impact on U.S. foreign policy in the coming years. A Democratic majority in the lower chamber for the first time in eight years would empower Democrats to call hearings and subpoena witnesses, as they chair committees like Foreign Affairs, Armed Services, and Intelligence. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump's administration, feeling this blow, is set to strengthen its grip on the Senate. Experts believe that the House will revisit policies on war-torn Yemen and assertively push for a hardline stance on Riyadh over the Khashoggi case, through tightening U.S. arms sales and limiting supporting operations. They also predict a Democratic to-do list which includes more hearings on defense spending, trade relations, the abandonment of the Iran deal and scrutiny of Trump's relations with Russia. Though the Democrats may assume a bigger role in setting spending policy and writing legislation, experts are doubtful of any dramatic alteration to Trump's foreign policy since cooperation with a Republican-controlled Senate is a must before passing any bills. "They can launch investigations and look into conflicts of interests. They can call for hearings. They can request reports, but I don't see this leading to a different kind of policy," Brett Schaefer, senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, said. Echoing Schaefer's remarks, Foreign Policy magazine senior correspondent, Michael Hirsh said: "In reality, the House of Representatives has much less power over foreign policy than the Senate, which can approve treaties and confirm high officials." Jamie Fly, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund, a public policy think tank, projected difficulties for a Democratic check on the Trump administration's actions despite foreign policy disagreements within Republican ranks. There is also the longtime historical record of the executive's primacy, if not dominance, in U.S. foreign policy, he said. Colin Dueck, Professor at the Virginia-based George Mason University said that looking back, the recent presidents have tended to react to midterm losses with a forceful determination to steer along their settled course, such as that of President George W. Bush in 2006-07 with regard to Iraq and of President Barack Obama in 2010-11 and 2014-15 on Iran. Dueck pointed out that when it comes to American foreign policy, presidents tend to assume remarkable leeway in exercising executive authority regardless of congressional majorities. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 22:04:07|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close Photo taken on Nov. 8, 2018 shows the scene of a bus accident in Rusape, Manicaland Province, Zimbabwe. Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Thursday sent a message of condolences following the death of 47 people in a bus accident along the Harare-Mutare highway on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Shaun Jusa) HARARE, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Thursday sent a message of condolences following the death of 47 people in a bus accident along the Harare-Mutare highway on Wednesday. The president said in view of the magnitude of the loss of human life in one of the worst road accidents in recent months, he had instructed the responsible ministry to take necessary steps to declare the accident a national disaster. He said the death of such a high number of people in a single traffic incident raises serious questions about the behavior on the country's roads. "The use of vehicles that are not roadworthy, or drivers who do not seem to care for passenger safety, amount to a criminal breach of trust between bus operators and the paying commuters who expect and deserve safe transit," the president said. The accident, which also left 70 others injured, occurred when two long-distance buses collided on the busy highway. Road accidents, especially involving public passenger buses and commuter omnibuses, are a common feature in Zimbabwe's dilapidated roads with police attributing most of the accidents to speeding. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 22:09:08|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's visit to Singapore from Nov. 12 to 16 will push forward bilateral ties, advance China-ASEAN cooperation and boost regional economic integration in East Asia, a senior official said Thursday. Assistant Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong told a press briefing that at the invitation of Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Li is scheduled to pay his first official visit to Singapore, attend the 21st China-ASEAN (10+1) leaders' meeting, the 21st ASEAN-China, Japan and Republic of Korea (10+3) leaders' meeting and the 13th East Asia Summit. Singapore, an important neighboring country of China, assumes the ASEAN presidency this year. With frequent high-level exchanges and fruitful cooperation results, China-Singapore ties have maintained a positive momentum at present, Chen said, stressing that Li's upcoming visit to Singapore is of great importance. Li and the Singaporean leaders are expected to speed up the two countries' cooperation on the Belt and Road, innovation and multilateral trade, Chen said. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the China-ASEAN strategic partnership. Noting the rising challenges of protectionism and unilateralism, Chen reiterated China advocates regional cooperation. With over 30 new initiatives scheduled to be proposed, China hopes all sides will safeguard multilateralism, free trade and international rules, so as to contribute to regional economic integration, peace, development and stability, Chen stressed. China has always viewed ASEAN as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy, Chen said, adding that it is hoped the Belt and Road Initiative will be closely aligned with ASEAN's development plans and achieve mutually beneficial results. During the 21st China-ASEAN (10+1) leaders' meeting, China and ASEAN will release a statement on innovation cooperation and set 2019 as China-ASEAN media exchange year, according to Chen. The improvement of China-Japan ties and China-ROK ties this year has provided the three countries with more cooperation opportunities and injected new impetus for the 21st ASEAN-China, Japan and Republic of Korea (10+3) leaders' meeting, Chen said. Regarding the 13th East Asia Summit, Chen said China hopes all sides will strengthen strategic communication, boost pragmatic cooperation, deepen mutual understanding and reach consensus. At the summit, China will announce cooperation programs on such fields as energy, natural resources and geoscience for the purpose of promoting regional peace, development and prosperity. File Photo: A soldier patrols on USS Gerald R. Ford before its commissioning ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, the United States, on July 22, 2017. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu) WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- Despite a Democratic House victory in Tuesday's midterm elections, experts are predicting no significant impact on U.S. foreign policy in the coming years. A Democratic majority in the lower chamber for the first time in eight years would empower Democrats to call hearings and subpoena witnesses, as they chair committees like Foreign Affairs, Armed Services, and Intelligence. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump's administration, feeling this blow, is set to strengthen its grip on the Senate. Experts believe that the House will revisit policies on war-torn Yemen and assertively push for a hardline stance on Riyadh over the Khashoggi case, through tightening U.S. arms sales and limiting supporting operations. They also predict a Democratic to-do list which includes more hearings on defense spending, trade relations, the abandonment of the Iran deal and scrutiny of Trump's relations with Russia. Though the Democrats may assume a bigger role in setting spending policy and writing legislation, experts are doubtful of any dramatic alteration to Trump's foreign policy since cooperation with a Republican-controlled Senate is a must before passing any bills. "They can launch investigations and look into conflicts of interests. They can call for hearings. They can request reports, but I don't see this leading to a different kind of policy," Brett Schaefer, senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, said. Echoing Schaefer's remarks, Foreign Policy magazine senior correspondent, Michael Hirsh said: "In reality, the House of Representatives has much less power over foreign policy than the Senate, which can approve treaties and confirm high officials." Jamie Fly, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund, a public policy think tank, projected difficulties for a Democratic check on the Trump administration's actions despite foreign policy disagreements within Republican ranks. There is also the longtime historical record of the executive's primacy, if not dominance, in U.S. foreign policy, he said. Colin Dueck, Professor at the Virginia-based George Mason University said that looking back, the recent presidents have tended to react to midterm losses with a forceful determination to steer along their settled course, such as that of President George W. Bush in 2006-07 with regard to Iraq and of President Barack Obama in 2010-11 and 2014-15 on Iran. Dueck pointed out that when it comes to American foreign policy, presidents tend to assume remarkable leeway in exercising executive authority regardless of congressional majorities. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 22:44:20|Editor: yan Video Player Close DAMASCUS, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army succeeded Thursday to set free all 19 remaining hostages that were taken into captivity by the Islamic State (IS) in southern Syria, state news agency SANA reported. The Syrian army managed through a "precise and heroic" operation to clash with a group of IS in the town of Hmeimeh in northeast of the city of Palmyra in central Syria and secure 19 children and women who had been captured by IS since July 25, according to the report. After the intense battles, the Syrian forces secured the hostages and killed all IS members, according to SANA. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 22:54:23|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close NAIROBI, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- The China-Kenya Industrial Capacity Cooperation Forum that will take place next week in Nairobi will boost Kenya's manufacturing competitiveness, organizers said on Thursday. Miao Ligang, an official with China International Exhibition Center Group Corporation told journalists in Nairobi that the four-day event which begins on Nov. 14 will provide an opportunity for Kenyan industrialists to learn the latest technology in manufacturing. "Chinese firms are willing to partner with Kenyan colleagues to boost the competitiveness of Kenyan products," Ligang said. So far, 81 enterprises from China have confirmed attendance in the second edition of the expo including 12 top Chinese corporations such as China Telecom, China Unicom and China National Nuclear Corporation. The annual event is sponsored by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, China-Africa Development Fund in collaboration with Kenya's ministry of industry, trade and cooperatives, Kenya Investment Authority, Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Kenya Private Sector Association. Miao added that the event will be the first large-scale event to be held in Africa after the Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in September this year, and will be one of the platforms for China to build a new mechanism for economic and trade cooperation with Africa as well as implement the forum's economic and trade initiatives. He said that the expo is set to provide a unique platform for both governmental and private sectors from the two countries to cooperate in infrastructure, energy, machinery and equipment, agricultural and communication technology as well as transportation and logistics. Last year, the expo attracted about 3,500 visitors from Kenya, Ethiopia, Mozambique and six other countries who were looking for various business opportunities. Miao noted that during the first expo, several business deals were concluded, with its amount hitting about two million U.S. dollars in the area of industrialization and infrastructure development. He revealed that due to rising demand, the expo has increased exhibition space by 30 percent as compared to the previous year. Guo Ce, economic and commercial counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Kenya, said that the forum is an ideal platform to enhance Sino-Kenya bilateral cooperation in the field of trade and investments. He urged Kenya companies to take advantage of the exhibition to enhance their industrial competitiveness. Guo revealed that Chinese firms are eager to partner with local firms to produce goods for the domestic, regional and international markets. Betty Maina, principal secretary in the ministry of industry, trade and cooperation, said that the sectors covered in the expo are within Kenya's Big Four transformational agenda and the expected investments and networks created will go a long way in assisting the country to achieve its development blueprint Vision 2030. Maina said that the exhibition is timely because it comes after the Africa continental free trade area was signed thereby providing more opportunities for intra and inter-regional trade and investment. She added that the government is supporting the expo because it will provide a platform for large and medium-sized local and Chinese corporates looking for new opportunities and partnerships across Africa. The principal secretary said that the event will also enable Kenyan companies source products from China and export locally manufactured goods to China. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 22:54:23|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping (2nd R) and his wife Peng Liyuan (1st R) pose for a group photo with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel (2nd L) and his wife in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 8, 2018. Xi held talks with Miguel Diaz-Canel in Beijing on Thursday. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) BEIJING, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with visiting Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel here on Thursday, calling on the two countries to cherish their traditional friendship and write a new chapter in China-Cuba friendly cooperation. Xi extended welcome for Diaz-Canel's first state visit to China and asked Diaz-Canel to convey his cordial greetings to Raul Castro, first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba. Hailing Cuba as a great country, Xi said it has won the respect of the world by insisting on its own development path despite difficulties and obstacles over the past half a century. As socialist countries, China and Cuba are good friends, comrades and brothers, said Xi, adding this is a proven fact and the relationship has withstood the test of time and international situation changes. "Chinese people will never forget that Cuba, led by Comrade Fidel Castro, was the first nation in the western hemisphere to forge diplomatic ties with China 58 years ago," Xi said, expressing gratitude to the Communist Party of Cuba and Cuban people for their firm support to China in safeguarding sovereignty and developing the country. Xi recalled his two visits to Cuba and in-depth conversations with Fidel Castro, calling on the two countries "to double cherish the friendship forged and cultivated by the older generations of leaders, to inherit and develop it and jointly write a new chapter of bilateral friendly cooperation." Speaking highly of the unswerving determination of the Cuban party, government and people to develop bilateral ties, Xi said both sides need to have an overall plan from a long-term perspective so as to promote the in-depth development of China-Cuba ties. He called on both countries to further consolidate mutual trust and support, conduct win-win cooperation and enhance exchanges on governance. The two countries should continue to support each other on issues concerning core interests and major concerns, said Xi, adding that China firmly backs Cuba on safeguarding its national sovereignty and choosing a socialist path that suits its national situation. China believes that with the strong leadership of Raul Castro, Diaz-Canel and other leaders, Cuba will surely score new achievements, said Xi. He said China appreciates Cuba's contribution to the relations between China and Latin American and Carribean countries and would like to maintain close coordination with Cuba on major international and regional issues. China welcomes Cuba's participation in the Belt and Road construction, said Xi, calling on both sides to enhance cooperation in areas of trade, energy, agriculture, tourism and biopharmaceutical manufacturing. Noting that Diaz-Canel visited the first China International Import Expo held in Shanghai prior to his arrival in Beijing, Xi encourages Cuba to make the best use of the expo to expand exports to China. "China's cooperation with Cuba follows the principle of upholding justice and pursuing shared interests," said Xi, adding that China will "support Cuba in all aspects that we can support." He also called for people-to-people and cultural exchanges so as to boost mutual understanding and friendship between Chinese and Cubans, especially for the young people. Diaz-Canel, who arrived in Shanghai Tuesday to start his three-day state visit, said that Cuba appreciates China's lasting support and the new generation of Cuban leaders will staunchly continue the traditional friendship with China. He said Cuba admires the achievements China has scored and highly agrees with the development ideas put forward at the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. Cuba is willing to learn from China to update its domestic economic and social model and promote the cause of socialist construction, said Diaz-Canel, calling on the two countries to maintain high-level exchanges and political dialogue, strengthen exchanges in trade, education and culture and enhance communication and coordination in international affairs. Prior to the talks, Xi held a welcoming ceremony for Diaz-Canel at the Great Hall of the People. After the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of a series of documents. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 22:59:24|Editor: yan Video Player Close MOSCOW, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- At least 27 people were killed in a shootout during a riot in a high-security prison in north Tajikistan on Wednesday night, RIA Novosti news agency reported Thursday. The riot started on Wednesday night after an inmate believed to be a member of the Islamic State terrorist group seized an assault rifle from one of the guards and attacked the other guards with the help of fellow inmates, according to the report which cited anonymous security sources. A guard, a policeman and 25 inmates were killed in the crossfire before riot police restored order. Six guards were injured and taken to hospital. Tajik authorities have issued no official statement on the incident so far. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 22:59:26|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close A wire sculpture work made by Palestinian artist Mahmoud al-Nabahin is seen at his home in central Gaza Strip al-Bureij refugee camp, on Nov. 6, 2018. (Xinhua/Stringer) GAZA, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Using metal wires, 20-year-old Palestinian Mahmoud al-Nabahin from the Gaza Strip, carves unconventional works called "wire sculpture." It always takes al-Nabahin long hours of work to make the metal wire into variety of forms in his home in al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza Strip. The young man, who studies business administration in a Gaza university, has never participated into training courses anywhere and he is "completely self-taught." "I've seen sculptures made by British artists online and I've learned many techniques from Youtube videos," al-Nabahin told Xinhua. His first piece of work was a small tree made up of copper wires he found at home. The young man, who is the first Palestinian to practice this kind of art, said this art requires much patience and steady nerves. Metal wires are materials that have been employed in this art works, known as wire sculpture. One of the pioneers of this art is the American sculptor Alexander Calder, who has greatly developed wire sculpturing techniques that serve the kinetic perception of sculpture art. Al-Nabahin was encouraged by his father to make his talent in wire sculpture into a stable source of livelihood. With much concentration, al-Nabahin forms figures and animals out of small wires, turning them into fine masterpieces. He uses a range of materials, such as hexagonal mesh, wire links and copper wire. "I recycle things and try to overcome the shortage of some raw materials, form them as in my imagination," al-Nabahin said. Due to lack of financial support, he could hardly find ready-made brass wires in the form of rollers, so he removes copper from inside power cord, which consumes much time and efforts. It takes al-Nabahin one to four days, sometimes longer, to carve a single piece, depending on the details of the work. His sculptures have featured items like famous cartoon characters, animals, trees as well as persons, which requires knowledge of the anatomy of the body of women and men to form detailed pieces of art, said al-Nabahin. Nearly fifty sculptures have been done since the beginning of this year, which cost between 40 and 250 shekels (12 to 70 U.S. dollars) each. Al-Nabahin aspires to makes an international exhibition one day. "Organizing such an exhibition is a dream, but I have more dreams... I want to be the world's best wire sculpture artist," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 23:19:32|Editor: yan Video Player Close ISIOLO, Kenya, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Three Kenyan police reservists were killed in a bandit attack in northern Kenya on Wednesday night, the police said. Rashid Hulbale, Igembe Central divisional police commander, said on Thursday that two other people were left with serious injuries during the incident, which occurred along the border of Igembe Central and Isiolo North regions, and taken to the local hospital. Hulbale said the armed bandits stole three guns but one has been recovered, noting that more security forces have been deployed to flush out the bandits in the area. Residents said the incident happened when the reservists tried to block the bandits from stealing animals from villages in the area. The residents said the bandits escaped without stealing the targeted animals. This is the latest such incident to happen in the region in a series that have seen almost a dozen of people killed and tens of animals stolen. The local police chief said bandits from Turkan reportedly invaded and suddenly attacked and a shootout broke. Cattle rustling incidences are common in the region and it turns bloody whenever security agencies intervene to stop it. Police have in the past reacted with force that also left many bandits killed and other villagers injured. The east African nation is surrounded by neighboring countries that for a long time experienced civil strife which immensely contributed to the influx of the illegal weapons into the hands of gangsters and cattle rustlers. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 23:24:33|Editor: yan Video Player Close BEIRUT, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese President Michel Aoun said Thursday that there is no information of Syrian refugees being persecuted upon their return to Syria, Lebanon's Presidency Website reported. Aoun said that only a small percentage of Syrian refugees in Lebanon have returned to their homeland so far while most of them have stayed either to keep on receiving support from the United Nations or to pursue their work in the country. Aoun's remarks came one week after caretaker Minister of State for Refugee Affairs, Mouin Merehbi, said that about 20 Syrian refugees were killed on their way back to Syria by regime forces. The president said that Lebanon is in a very critical situation today because the social services offered to Syrians are not enough. "We have social problems in schools and hospitals in addition to the high unemployment rate caused by a fierce competition of Syrian labor force in the Lebanese market, not to forget the high rates of crimes committed over Lebanese territory," he said. Lebanon is hosting 976,000 registered Syrian refugees according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, while the government estimates the true number of Syrian refugees in the country at 1.5 million. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 23:34:37|Editor: yan Video Player Close ELDORET, Kenya, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday called for unity in the war against terrorism and urged the country's soldiers to deal with emerging security challenges in the country. Kenyatta urged every Kenyan to work together with the country's security formations to defeat terrorism, radicalization and violent extremism. "We have already anticipated the forces of terrorism, radicalization and violent extremism and indeed we have met them in the field, it remains only to defeat them and secure Kenya and our boarders," he said when he presided over the passing out parade of KDF recruits in Eldoret in northwest Kenya. Kenyatta cited terrorism, radicalisation and violent extremism as some of the security threats that Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) has to protect Kenya against. "That is why our Kenya Defence Forces will continue its operations in AMISOM," he said and lauded efforts by the military to modernize its operations including training to effectively deal with emerging security challenges. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 23:34:40|Editor: yan Video Player Close Police officers secure the road leading to the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman shot people in Thousand Oaks, California, the United State, Nov. 8, 2018. A total of 13 people were confirmed dead in a mass shooting Wednesday night in the city of Thousand Oaks in Southern California, including an officer and a gunman, local authorities said. (Xinhua/Zhao Hanrong) LOS ANGELES, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Thirteen people were confirmed dead in a mass shooting Wednesday night in the city of Thousand Oaks in Southern California, including an officer and a gunman, local authorities said. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean told the press that deputies responded to multiple reports of gunshots fired at Borderline Bar and Grill around 11:30 p.m. local time (0730 GMT, Thursday). Deputy Sgt. Ron Helus went into the bar with another highway patrol officer. Helus was shot several times and later died in hospital, Dean said. At least 11 people were wounded, according to Dean. "It's a horrific scene in there," the sheriff said. "There is blood everywhere." Madison Cummings, an eyewitness at the bar, told Xinhua that the shooter had a beard and short black hair, wore all black and held a black handgun. "At first sight, I thought it was a joke, because the music did not stop. But later I smelled the gun fire, then I knew it's real," she said. "We immediately ducked down, freaking out," she said. As soon as the shooter was outside her eyesight, Cummings got up and went up to the door. She sat in her car parked in front of the bar for 45 minutes until the cops walked her and others to safety. Helus was a 29-year veteran who was set to retire next year. "Ron was a hardworking, dedicated sheriff's sergeant. He was totally committed, he gave his all and tonight, as I told his wife, he died a hero. He went in to save lives, to save other people," Dean said, choking up. Dean said it was not clear whether the gunman killed himself or was killed by officers. The identification of the shooter remains unknown, and it is unclear whether the shooting was terrorism related, he added. President Donald Trump said on Twitter that he has been "fully briefed on the terrible shooting in California." Thousand Oaks ranked third on a list of the safest cities in the United States in 2018, according to the website Niche. The United States has one of the highest gun-related death tolls in the world due to lax gun control laws, according to a study released in August by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington. A series of shootings have occurred in the past weeks. On Friday, a man killed himself after shooting at least five people at a yoga studio in Tallahassee, Florida. On Oct. 29, a student died after being shot at a high school in North Carolina. On Oct. 27, a gunman opened fire inside a synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, killing at least 11 people and injuring six others. The gunman was charged with dozens of counts, including religious hate crimes. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 23:39:41|Editor: yan Video Player Close DOHA, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Qatar supports the call of King Mohammed VI of Morocco for a frank and direct dialogue with Algeria to overcome their differences, the state-run Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported Thursday. Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that Qatar believes that opening channels of dialogue and diplomacy between the two brotherly countries would remove the cloud of disagreement, the QNA reported. "Qatar is very confident of the wisdom of both leaderships, their desire to settle long-standing differences and their keenness to uphold the interests of their peoples," the statement added. In a speech delivered on Tuesday, King Mohammed VI of Morocco expressed his readiness to hold talks with Algeria. The border between Algeria and Morocco has been closed since 1994 following an armed attack on the Atlas Asni Hotel in Marrakech. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 23:44:43|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping (2nd R) and his wife Peng Liyuan (1st R) pose for a group photo with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel (2nd L) and his wife in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 8, 2018. Xi held talks with Miguel Diaz-Canel in Beijing on Thursday. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) BEIJING, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with visiting Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel here on Thursday, calling on the two countries to cherish their traditional friendship and write a new chapter in China-Cuba friendly cooperation. Xi extended welcome for Diaz-Canel's first state visit to China and asked Diaz-Canel to convey his cordial greetings to Raul Castro, first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba. Hailing Cuba as a great country, Xi said it has won the respect of the world by insisting on its own development path despite difficulties and obstacles over the past half a century. As socialist countries, China and Cuba are good friends, comrades and brothers, said Xi, adding this is a proven fact and the relationship has withstood the test of time and international situation changes. "Chinese people will never forget that Cuba, led by Comrade Fidel Castro, was the first nation in the western hemisphere to forge diplomatic ties with China 58 years ago," Xi said, expressing gratitude to the Communist Party of Cuba and Cuban people for their firm support toward China in safeguarding sovereignty and developing the country. Xi recalled his two visits to Cuba and in-depth conversations with Fidel Castro, calling on the two countries "to double cherish the friendship forged and cultivated by the older generations of leaders, inherit and develop it and jointly write a new chapter of bilateral friendly cooperation." Speaking highly of the unswerving determination of the Cuban party, government and people to develop bilateral ties, Xi said both sides need to have an overall plan from a long-term perspective so as to promote the in-depth development of China-Cuba ties. He called on both countries to further consolidate mutual trust and support, conduct win-win cooperation and enhance exchanges on governance. The two countries should continue to support each other on issues concerning core interests and major concerns, said Xi, adding that China firmly backs Cuba on safeguarding its national sovereignty and choosing a socialist path that suits its national situation. China believes that with the strong leadership of Raul Castro, Diaz-Canel and other leaders, Cuba will surely score new achievements, said Xi. He said China appreciates Cuba's contribution to the relations between China, Latin American and Carribean countries and would like to maintain close coordination with Cuba on major international and regional issues. China welcomes Cuba's participation in the Belt and Road construction, said Xi, calling on both sides to enhance cooperation in areas of trade, energy, agriculture, tourism and biopharmaceutical manufacturing. Noting that Diaz-Canel visited the first China International Import Expo held in Shanghai prior to his arrival in Beijing, Xi encourages Cuba to make the best use of the expo to expand exports to China. "China's cooperation with Cuba follows the principle of upholding justice and pursuing shared interests," said Xi, adding that China will "support Cuba in all aspects that we can support." He also called for people-to-people and cultural exchanges so as to boost mutual understanding and friendship between Chinese and Cubans, especially for the young people. Diaz-Canel, who arrived in Shanghai Tuesday to start his three-day state visit, said that Cuba appreciates China's lasting support and the new generation of Cuban leaders will staunchly continue the traditional friendship with China. He said Cuba admires the achievements China has scored and highly agrees with the development ideas put forward at the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. Cuba is willing to learn from China to update its domestic economic and social model and promote the cause of socialist construction, said Diaz-Canel, calling on the two countries to maintain high-level exchanges and political dialogue, strengthen exchanges in trade, education and culture and enhance communication and coordination in international affairs. Prior to the talks, Xi held a welcoming ceremony for Diaz-Canel at the Great Hall of the People. After the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of a series of documents. Earlier on Thursday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with Diaz-Canel. Noting that China always upholds an open attitude and win-win principles to promote cooperation with Cuba, Li said China stands ready to strengthen bilateral cooperation in major areas including new energy, information communication and biological pharmacy. The Chinese government supports its enterprises to invest and develop in Cuba and is willing to import more products with Cuba's unique advantages, Li said, also expressing the willingness to promote knowledge cooperation and development experience communication with Cuba. Li Zhanshu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, also met with Diaz-Canel on the same day, calling for more cooperation between the two countries' legislatures. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 23:44:44|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close Myanmar's Minister of Commerce Than Myint (3rd R), Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Hong Liang (3rd L), Myanmar's Deputy Minister of Planning and Finance and Chairperson of the Management Committee of the Kyaukphyu SEZ U Set Aung (1st R) and President of CITIC Group Chang Zhenming (1st L) attend the signing ceremony in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, on Nov. 8, 2018. Myanmar and China's CITIC Group on Thursday signed a framework agreement on the Kyauk Phyu Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Deep-Sea Port Project. (Xinhua/U Aung) NAY PYI TWA, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar and China's CITIC Group on Thursday signed a framework agreement on the Kyauk Phyu Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Deep-Sea Port Project. The framework agreement was signed by Myanmar's Deputy Minister of Planning and Finance and Chairperson of the Management Committee of the Kyaukphyu SEZ U Set Aung and President of CITIC Group Chang Zhenming. Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Hong Liang, who witnessed the signing ceremony, said the Kyauk Phyu SEZ is important for Myanmar's economic development and its stabilization. The Kyauk Phyu SEZ is part of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor, and the project will benefit the people of Myanmar and promote the China-Myanmar paukphaw (fraternal) friendship, said the Chinese ambassador. For his part, U Set Aung, who also attended the signing ceremony, said the deep-sea port project is an important project in regional connectivity. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 23:49:45|Editor: yan Video Player Close DAMASCUS, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Commanders of the Kurdish-led forces held a meeting with representatives from the U.S. and France in northern Syria to discuss the current Turkish attacks on the Kurdish groups in northeastern Syria. According to Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on Thursday, commanders of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) met with the U.S. and French representatives in the Ayn Issa area in the northwestern countryside of Raqqa province. They discussed the Turkish attacks despite the deployment of U.S. troops between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers in northern Syria. The Britain-based watchdog group said five fighters of the SDF and a child were recently killed as a result of the Turkish targeting of Kurdish-led militia in areas on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River. The Observatory, which says it relies on a network of activists on the ground, said the Turkish side has moved 1,200 local rebels to the Turkish territories to later deploy them near the eastern bank of the Euphrates River. It said Turkey is attempting to put pressure on the U.S. to have its allied Syrian rebels deploy on the line between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. The U.S. has been backing the Kurdish-led SDF for a long time in the battles against the Islamic State (IS), managing to make important achievement in defeating IS in its de facto capital of Raqqa in northern Syria in 2017. The U.S. support continued and the SDF and allied Kurdish forces are now fighting to defeat IS from its last pocket on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour. The SDF had a setback in the first wave of attack that was launched on Sept. 10 and is now amassing more capable forces to have another round of battles against the last IS-controlled areas in the eastern countryside of Deir al-Zour near the Iraqi border. The plan was smoothly moving forward with activists expecting the second wave of attack to be more powerful and to achieve its intended purpose to eliminate IS in the eastern Euphrates. However, Turkey, which has for long been outright about its enmity to the Kurdish forces, said it was ready to launch offensives against the Kurds on the eastern side of the river. The Turkish stance reflects the desire to defeat the Kurdish militia in the eastern Euphrates after they had already pushed them to retreat from the western side of the river in two cross-border operations in 2016 and 2018. The Turkish forces have actually started shelling positions of the Kurdish-led forces in northern Syria, pushing the U.S.-backed SDF to slow down on its second stage of battles against IS. To ease the tension, the U.S. on Friday deployed forces along the line between the two sides of the Euphrates River to contain the situation, according to the Observatory. It's also running joint patrols with Turkey between the Kurdish-led Manbij Military Council and the Turkish-backed rebels in the countryside of the city of Manbij. Manbij, in the northern countryside of Aleppo, is controlled by the Manbij Military Council, which is backed by the Kurdish-led SDF, while the city's countryside is controlled by the rebels allied with Turkey within an umbrella called the Euphrates Shield. The Observatory said the U.S. also deployed on the borderline between Turkey and Syria in the area between the rivers of Euphrates and Tigris. Additionally, U.S. forces also deployed in the Kurdish-controlled city of Ayn Al-Arab, or Kobane, in the northern countryside of Aleppo on the eastern side of Euphrates to prevent any confrontation. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 23:54:46|Editor: yan Video Player Close NAIROBI, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- More than 100 Kenyan university students will on Friday sit for the inaugural national ICT examinations that are part of skills development supported by Chinese telecom technology firm Huawei, the company said on Thursday. Six outstanding performers in the Huawei supported examinations aimed at boosting ICT skills of local youth will later participate in a regional competition that will take place in South Africa. Adam Lane, a public affairs officer of Huawei, said that Kenyan students who participated in the ICT training program are well positioned to compete on the global stage. "Our inaugural class is full of talented students and am confident that as they start their national examinations tomorrow they are well prepared to challenge their competitors from other African countries," said Lane. An estimated 4,000 students drawn from 14 local universities signed up for the Huawei sponsored contest that sought to refine their ICT skills and enhance their employability and self-reliance. The students went through rigorous training and the outstanding 100 were dispatched to a boot camp to benefit from mentorship and networking aimed at imparting them with high end ICT skills. Lane said that success of ICT training program earmarked for the youth hinges on tapping into the passion, creativity, innovation and broad knowledge on contemporary issues among local tutors. "For ICT training to be efficient, the trainers have to be equipped with the knowledge base to be able to successfully produce high quality professionals," said Lane. "It is for this reason that Huawei ICT competition included training of trainers from the 13 universities that serve as Huawei ICT Academy who we are confident will be able to effectively transfer the knowledge to their students," he added. The 2018-2019 edition of Huawei ICT competition for Kenya that was launched in July aimed to equip local youth with knowledge on application of digital tools in their everyday lives. Kenya's six finalists could get an opportunity to travel to China to attend the global finals that involve candidates from more than 50 countries if they emerge successful in the regional contest to be held in South Africa. File Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump (C) speaks during a state arrival ceremony welcoming French President Emmanuel Macron (R) at the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, April 24, 2018. (Xinhua/Yang Chenglin) WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump will hold a bilateral meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron during his upcoming trip to France this weekend, the White House announced on Wednesday. Trump will join Macron and other world leaders in the ceremonies marking the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War on Nov. 11, according to a White House statement. He will have a meeting with his French counterpart to discuss topics on European security, bilateral economic ties and the situation in the Middle East, the statement said. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will also participate in the Trump's meeting with Macron, State Department spokesperson said in a press release. The White House also confirmed that the Trump-Macron meeting would be the only bilateral meeting that Trump will hold during his France trip, ruling out the possibility of meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who will also attend the commemorating event. Both the U.S. and Russian officials have previously confirmed that a meeting between the two leaders would be held in Paris on the sidelines of World War I commemoration ceremonies. But Trump said on Monday that he would "probably not" meet Putin in Paris. The Kremlin announced earlier on Wednesday that Putin and Trump will meet at a short working lunch in the Elysee Palace, with longer and more comprehensive talks at G20 Summit in Argentina at the end of this month. Amid the ongoing U.S. sanctions on Russia and Washington's recent stance on the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, the relations between Washington and Moscow have been strained recently. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 23:59:50|Editor: yan Video Player Close BUDAPEST, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Hungary kicked off on Thursday its national consultations regarding the protection and support of families with children. "Postal service started delivering the questionnaire to Hungarian households who will get them in the next few days," said Katalin Novak, minister of state for family and youth affairs at the Ministry of Human Capacities, quoted by a government website. The questionnaire featured ten yes-no questions, and answers are expected by Dec. 21. The Hungarian government sends out questionnaires to the population for "national consultation" on a regular basis, on subjects such as immigration, which might affect the general public. After winning a third consecutive election in April, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said the first objective of his government would be to stop the country's demographic decline. The population of Hungary, which was close to 12 million in the 70's, dropped under the psychological threshold of 10 million a few years ago, and is still decreasing each year. Before implementing new regulations, the government wants to know Hungarians' stance towards questions such as tax exemptions for mothers with three or more children. The questions relate to the introduction of full-time motherhood for women raising a minimum of four children, the legal protection of grants provided for families raising children, and the provision of support for family members looking after sick children at home, Novak explained. The demographic problem is worsened by the fact that close to half a million Hungarians have left the country to work in Western Europe in pursuit of higher wages. Meanwhile, jobless rate is at a record low of 3.7 percent, and firms complain that it is harder and harder to find workforce. Nonetheless, the Hungarian government does not want to solve the problem with migration as several European countries do. Instead, it chooses to support Hungarian families raise children and young people start their families by adopting measures to promote births and childraising. The questions include for example if young people "should be helped with an interest-free starting loan of up to 5-10 million forints (18,000 to 36,000 U.S. dollars) so that they can start having children earlier if they so wish". One question concerns the possibility of guaranteeing family grants in a law adopted with a two-thirds majority in the Parliament, thus making it remain effective even after an eventual change of government. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-08 23:59:51|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close BEIJING, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- China and Ukraine are looking forward to deepening their cooperation on sectors including agriculture, infrastructure and energy to achieve mutual benefits and win-win outcomes, representatives from the two countries said at an economic and trade forum Thursday. More than 300 representatives from the business communities of China and Ukraine attended the forum jointly hosted by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UCCI), discussing the new opportunities and patterns in bilateral economic and trade cooperation. China's Belt and Road Initiative and win-win strategy of opening-up create great opportunities for China and Ukraine to further deepen their economic and trade cooperation, said Ukrainian First Deputy Prime Minister Stepan Kubiv on the forum. The two countries have tremendous potential in their cooperation on green agriculture, infrastructure, aviation, machinery manufacturing and logistics, Kubiv said. Ukraine is further improving its business environment and building an innovation-driven modern economy to attract more Chinese investors, he said. "Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Ukraine, the two countries have made significant achievements in pragmatic cooperation in various fields," said Gao Yan, chairperson of CCPIT. Ukraine is one of the first countries to support the Belt and Road Initiative, Gao added. UCCI said Ukraine also anticipates cooperation with China under the Belt and Road Initiative in information technology and service sectors. During the forum, CCPIT and UCCI renewed their memorandum of understanding, while companies from the two countries signed cooperation documents. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-09 00:04:55|Editor: yan Video Player Close JUBA, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan's peace monitors on Thursday called on the government to officially lift the state of emergency in some parts of the country to restore political space needed for achieving sustainable peace. Augostino Njoroge, deputy chairperson at the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), said for confidence-building purposes, the government should pave way for the recognition of democratic rights and freedom of speech, including the role of a responsible media. "For confidence-building purposes, we recommend to officially announce the lifting of state of emergency, to ensure that the political space needed for exercising the individual's democratic rights and freedom of speech is in place, and the role of a responsible media is duly recognized," Njoroge said in a statement issued in Juba. Njoroge said the confidence-building measures already initiated by President Salva Kiir should continue to constructively engage all stakeholders and parties to the agreement to ensure inclusivity of the revitalized deal. "Together and in a spirit of unity, the president and the leaders of the opposition should travel throughout the country and advocate for peace and reconciliation to the people of South Sudan," he added. He appealed to regional and international guarantors to fully support the implementation of the agreement through appropriate political and economic support. The state of emergency was declared in the greater Upper Nile region following the outbreak of the conflict in 2013 but later extended to two regions of Bahrl-el-Ghazal and Equatoria after forces loyal to Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar engaged in combat. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-09 00:09:57|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close Bangladesh's Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda announces polls schedule in a televised speech to the nation from Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Nov. 8, 2018. Bangladesh's Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda said Thursday night that the country's 11th parliamentary elections will be held on Dec. 23. (Xinhua/Press Information Department) DHAKA, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh's Chief Election Commissioner (EC) KM Nurul Huda said on Thursday night that the country's 11th general elections will be held on Dec. 23. Huda made the announcement in a televised speech to the nation. According to the schedule, election aspirants will have to submit their nomination papers by Nov. 19. And the last date for withdrawing candidature is fixed on Nov. 29, it said. The announcement came despite the major opposition alliance's plea to delay in declaring the schedule for the 11th parliamentary polls. The Election Commission said it is to hold the national elections as the term of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling Awami League (AL) party will end in January, 2019. AL, which rose to power with a landslide election victory in early 2009 and won its second term in 2014, now eyes for the third consecutive victory. AL is facing challenges from former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allies, which boycotted the 2014 elections. BNP has been demanding parliament polls be held under a non-party government and release of Khaleda Zia who was jailed in February in a graft case. Khaleda Zia's BNP last month forged a new alliance "Jatiya Oikya Front (United National Front)". The newly formed opposition alliance urged the EC to delay in announcing the election schedule as it was waiting for an outcome of the dialogue. On Wednesday, for the second time the alliance leaders held dialogue with Prime Minister Hasina and her party leaders over the general election. The alliance led by Kamal Hossain, a former foreign minister and a prominent lawyer who drafted Bangladesh constitution after the country's independence, has been demanding the upcoming polls be held under a nonpartisan government and the immediate release of all political prisoners including BNP chairperson Zia, who has been in jail since February in a corruption case. The Ruling party said the election will be held under a polls-time government led by Prime Minister Hasina and the issue of Khaleda Zia is a matter of court. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-09 00:09:59|Editor: yan Video Player Close Police officers secure the road leading to the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman shot people in Thousand Oaks, California, the United State, Nov. 8, 2018. A total of 13 people were confirmed dead in a mass shooting Wednesday night in the city of Thousand Oaks in Southern California, including an officer and a gunman, local authorities said. (Xinhua/Zhao Hanrong) LOS ANGELES, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- A mass shooting Wednesday night in the city of Thousand Oaks in Southern California, has left 13 people dead including an officer and a gunman, and at least 11 injured, local authorities said. The gunman was identified as 28-year-old Ian David Long, a former Marine, said Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean. Dean said his department had several contacts with Long over the years, including a call to his home in April when it was believed he may have been suffering from poor mental health. "We believe he shot himself," Dean said. Previously, Dean told the press that deputies responded to multiple reports of gunshots fired at Borderline Bar and Grill around 11:30 p.m. local time (0730 GMT, Thursday). Deputy Sgt. Ron Helus went into the bar with another highway patrol officer. Helus was shot several times in confrontation with the shooter and died in hospital later, Dean said. According to witnesses at the scene, the shooter threw a smoke grenade into the bar before opening fire with a handgun. Madison Cummings, an eyewitness at the bar, told Xinhua that the shooter had a beard and short black hair, wore all black and held a black handgun. "At the first sight, I thought it was a joke, because the music did not stop. But later I smelled the gun fire, then I knew it's real," she said. "We immediately ducked down, freaking out," she said. As soon as the shooter was outside her eyesight, Cummings got up and went up to the door. She sat in her car parked in front of the bar for 45 minutes until the cops walked the patrons to a safe place. Helus was a 29-year veteran who was set to retire next year. "Ron was a hardworking, dedicated sheriff's sergeant. He was totally committed, he gave his all and tonight, as I told his wife, he died a hero. He went in to save lives, to save other people," Dean said, choking up. He said the motive of the shooter remains unknown. The United States has one of the highest gun-related death tolls in the world due to lax gun control laws, according to a study released in August by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington. On Oct. 27, a gunman opened fire inside a synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, killing at least 11 people and injuring six others. The gunman was charged with dozens of counts, including religious hate crimes. A work of wire sculpture made by young palestinian, Mahmoud al-Nabahin, in al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza Strip on Nov. 6, 2018. (Xinhua/Stringer) GAZA, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Using metal wires, 20-year-old Palestinian Mahmoud al-Nabahin from the Gaza Strip, carves unconventional works called "wire sculpture." It always takes al-Nabahin long hours of work to make the metal wire into variety of forms in his home in al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza Strip. Palestinian Mahmoud al-Nabahin works in wire carving, at his home in central Gaza Strip al-Bureij refugee camp, on Nov. 6, 2018. (Xinhua/Stringer) The young man, who studies business administration in a Gaza university, has never participated into training courses anywhere and he is "completely self-taught." "I've seen sculptures made by British artists online and I've learned many techniques from Youtube videos," al-Nabahin told Xinhua. His first piece of work was a small tree made up of copper wires he found at home. A tree of wire sculpture made by young palestinian, Mahmoud al-Nabahin, in al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza Strip on Nov. 6, 2018. (Xinhua/Stringer) The young man, who is the first Palestinian to practice this kind of art, said this art requires much patience and steady nerves. Metal wires are materials that have been employed in this art works, known as wire sculpture. One of the pioneers of this art is the American sculptor Alexander Calder, who has greatly developed wire sculpturing techniques that serve the kinetic perception of sculpture art. Al-Nabahin was encouraged by his father to make his talent in wire sculpture into a stable source of livelihood. Palestinian Mahmoud al-Nabahin works in wire carving, at his home in central Gaza Strip al-Bureij refugee camp, on Nov. 6, 2018. (Xinhua/Stringer) With much concentration, al-Nabahin forms figures and animals out of small wires, turning them into fine masterpieces. He uses a range of materials, such as hexagonal mesh, wire links and copper wire. "I recycle things and try to overcome the shortage of some raw materials, form them as in my imagination," al-Nabahin said. Due to lack of financial support, he could hardly find ready-made brass wires in the form of rollers, so he removes copper from inside power cord, which consumes much time and efforts. It takes al-Nabahin one to four days, sometimes longer, to carve a single piece, depending on the details of the work. His sculptures have featured items like famous cartoon characters, animals, trees as well as persons, which requires knowledge of the anatomy of the body of women and men to form detailed pieces of art, said al-Nabahin. Nearly fifty sculptures have been done since the beginning of this year, which cost between 40 and 250 shekels (12 to 70 U.S. dollars) each. Al-Nabahin aspires to makes an international exhibition one day. "Organizing such an exhibition is a dream, but I have more dreams... I want to be the world's best wire sculpture artist," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-09 00:25:06|Editor: yan Video Player Close GAZA, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- One Palestinian was killed and four others injured Thursday evening by Israeli gunfire east of al-Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza Strip close to the Israeli border. Ashraf al-Qedra, spokesman of the Gaza Health Ministry, told reporters that the Palestinian's body was brought to a local hospital. The victim's identity was not disclosed. Israeli media reported that Israeli soldiers opened fire at a group of Palestinians as they "vandalized" the barbed wire of the border fence. Since the start of the Great March of Return held by the Palestinians on March 30, Palestinian protesters have been approaching the border fence almost daily. Earlier Thursday, the Gaza Health Ministry said in a press statement that since the beginning of the march later March, the Israeli army has so far killed 220 Palestinians and wounded 24,000 others. Egypt and other mediators have been trying to secure a ceasefire deal between Israel and the Islamic Hamas movement that controls the Gaza Strip, in a bid to solve the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the enclave. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-09 00:30:08|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- American and Chinese researchers developed a heat-rejecting film that could reflect 70 percent of the sun's incoming heat in a building's windows. The study published on Thursday in the journal Joule described the material that remained highly transparent below 32 degrees Celsius and could act as an "autonomous system" to reject heat above that temperature. If every exterior-facing window in a building were covered in this film, the building's air conditioning and energy costs could drop by 10 percent, according to researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of Hong Kong. The film is embedded with tiny micro-particles, made from a type of phase-changing material that shrinks when exposed to high temperature, turning into a more translucent or frosted look. It can cool a building while still letting in a good amount of light, offering an affordable and energy-efficient alternative to existing smart window technologies, according to Nicholas Fang, a professor of mechanical engineering at MIT. The researchers created a 12-by-12 inch film-coated window. The window turned frosty in response to heat from a solar simulator. They measured the solar irradiance transmitted through the other side of the window, and found the film was able to reject 70 percent of the heat produced by the lamp. They also lined a small chamber with the film and measured the temperature inside. Without the film, the inner temperature heated to about 39 degrees Celsius, while with the film the inner chamber stayed at a more tolerable 34 degrees. "That's a big difference," said Fang. "You could make a big distinction in comfort." Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-09 00:30:09|Editor: yan Video Player Close SANAA, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- A father and his five children were killed in a Saudi-led airstrike on their home in Yemen's Red Sea port city of Hodeidah on Thursday, according to local sources. The family's house was targeted in the afternoon by the airstrike in Al Tuhayta area, a few miles south of Hodeidah airport. Local residents rushed the family to Zabid hospital in nearby Zabid district, which is situated on the highway leading to the port city. "The mother got some wounds, while her husband and five children died," the doctor told Xinhua by phone who asked not to be named. On Wednesday, the Saudi-led coalition killed six people from two relative families in airstrikes on two houses in Yemen's northwestern province of Hajjah, to the north of Hodeidah, according to the local residents. Saudi Arabia is leading an Arab military coalition that intervened in Yemen in March 2015 to support the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after the Houthi rebels forced him into exile. Iranian-allied Houthis has controlled much of the Yemen's north, including the capital Sanaa, since September 2014. The war has killed more than 10,000 people and displaced nearly three million others, according to UN agencies. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-09 00:30:10|Editor: yan Video Player Close GENEVA, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- United Nations agencies said here Thursday that the number of refugees and migrants from Venezuela worldwide has now reached three million. The UN refugee agency UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) made the statement, citing data from national immigration authorities and other sources. Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean host an estimated 2.4 million refugees and migrants from Venezuela, while other regions account for the rest. Colombia hosts the highest number of Venezuelans, over one million, followed by Peru, with over half a million; Ecuador, over 220,000; Argentina, 130,000; Chile, over 100,000 and Brazil, with 85,000. Panama also has 94,000 Venezuelans. The statement quoted Eduardo Stein, UNHCR-IOM Joint Special Representative for Refugees and Migrants from Venezuela as saying, "Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have largely maintained a commendable open-door policy to refugees and migrants from Venezuela." However, he warned, "their reception capacity is severely strained, requiring a more robust and immediate response from the international community if this generosity and solidarity are to continue." With rising numbers, the needs of refugees and migrants from Venezuela and the communities hosting them have also significantly increased. The UN agencies said governments in the region are leading the humanitarian response and coordinating their efforts, including through the Quito process. This has been an important step towards a regional approach to scale up the response and harmonize policies. The second Quito meeting of governments from the region will take place on Nov. 22 and 23. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-09 00:35:12|Editor: yan Video Player Close BERLIN, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- A German court on Thursday opened a mass trial in 50 cases involving around 30 security guards and staff members of a refugee home in the town Burbach, who are accused of abusing refugees from 2013 until 2014. Refugees in Burbach were allegedly beaten, tormented and imprisoned in a room that was called the "problem room" by the accused staff of the refugee home. Besides security guards, social workers as well as the head of the refugee home were involved in the abusive incidents. In September 2014, a leaked video from the refugee home in question, showing a young man beaten by guards sparked a discussion about the general conditions in refugee homes in Germany. In one of the largest legal cases in post-war Germany, the defendants between the ages of 24 and 63 will have to answer to charges of grievous bodily harm, coercion and deprivation of liberty. After several years of investigation, the court hearings are taking place in an event hall, due to the large crowd of people that is expected to attend. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-09 00:40:14|Editor: yan Video Player Close NEW DELHI, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- India will begin exporting raw sugar to China from early next year, an official statement issued by the Ministry of Commerce said Thursday. A contract for exporting 15,000 tonnes of raw sugar has been entered between the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) and COFCO, a Chinese government run public sector company. Raw sugar is the second product after non-basmati rice that China will import from India. India is in a position to become a regular and dependable exporter of high quality sugar in significant volumes to China, said the statement. A migrant boy on a caravan of mostly Hondurans, moving towards the United States, pulls a carry-on bag alongside the Mexico City-Puebla highway in San Matias Tlalancaleca, Puebla state, Mexico, on Nov. 5, 2018. (Xinhua/AFP) UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- The UN Children's Agency (UNICEF) is increasing psychosocial interventions for children in the Mexico migrant march since discovering many of them are finding it difficult to engage in play and other recreation, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guteres. The spokesman told reporters at a regular briefing here UNICEF found "many children traveling with the migrant caravan are showing signs of anguish and psychosocial distress. In certain cases, children are expressing fear of violence or separation from their families, while other children are finding it difficult to engage in play and recreational, organized activities by UNICEF staff." "The agency and its partners are quickly scaling up its support for psychosocial interventions to reach these children in need," he said "Psychosocial support can help lower the impact on children of having to abandon their homes and endure grueling travel conditions." Children traveling with the caravan have been subjected to a range of possible stressors, said UNICEF, headquartered here. The suspected cause includes not only leaving home and their loved ones and playmates behind but "uncertainty about the journey, extreme and sudden changes, loss of routine, physical exhaustion, dehydration and illness," UNICIEF said. "Some children may also have been exposed to traumatic events in their countries of origin such as gang and gender-based violence, or separation from their families," the agency said. "Any of these factors could negatively affect the physical and psychological wellbeing of children, and cause toxic stress if left unaddressed." It said psychosocial support can help lower the impact on children of having to abandon their homes and "enduring grueling travel conditions." UNICEF renewed calls on all governments to "prioritize the best interests of children in the application of immigration laws and procedures, to keep families together, and to find alternatives to immigration detention of children." The UN Refugees Agency (UNHCR) says the caravan of migrants heading from Honduras and Guatemala to the United States -- once described as consisting of more than 7,000 people -- and now in Mexico City numbers about 4,700 people. Officials in Mexico City have provided tents and other shelters, UNHCR said, as more, smaller "caravans" arrive. Some 4,000 asylum petitions are being examined by the Government of Mexico. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-09 02:25:37|Editor: yan Video Player Close by Alessandra Cardone ROME, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Thursday said the European Union (EU) had no reason to worry and put into question the country's economic forecasts for the next two years. Conte's declaration followed a report by the European Commission earlier in the day, in which it revised downward its forecasts about Italy's growth in 2019 and 2020, projecting a higher deficit than that expected by Rome. "The EU Commission's growth forecasts for the next year underestimate the positive impact of our budget and of our structural reforms," Conte said in an official statement. Conte maintained some planned structural reforms, such as the reform of job centres, a simplification of procurement code, the reform of civil code, and the investment plan, would soon benefit the Italian economy more than what the EU foresaw. "There are no grounds for putting into question the validity and sustainability of our forecasts," the prime minister stated. In its report "Autumn 2018 Economic Forecast", the European Commission said Italy's gross domestic product (GDP) would rise by 1.2 percent in 2019 and 1.3 percent in 2020. Both figures were below the projections of the Italian government, which saw a growth of 1.5 percent and 1.6 percent in 2019 and 2020, respectively. The EU executive body explained its revised forecasts depended on the fact that Italy's 2019 draft budget included measures that would boost public spending. "Envisaged policy measures might prove less effective, having a lower impact on growth," the Commission said. Public spending would "significantly increase" due especially to the planned introduction of a minimum income scheme, higher flexibility for early retirement, and an increase in funds for public investment, according to EU authorities. "Uncertainty about government policies might affect sentiment and domestic demand. Finally, the planned rollback of structural reforms bodes ill for employment and potential growth," the Commission added in the report. Forecasting a slower growth for the country, the EU Commission pushed upwards its projections on the Italian deficit to 2.9 percent of GDP in 2019 and to 3.1 percent in 2020, against 2.4 percent and 2.1 percent projected by Rome. The Commission's latest forecasts were consistent with its overall evaluation of the Italian 2019 draft budget, which was rejected by Brussels in late October for breaking EU fiscal rules that demand from all countries an annual decrease of deficit and public debt. It was the first time ever the European Commission told a member of the euro zone to rewrite its budget plan. Italy would have until Nov. 13 to modify its draft budget, or it may face a harsh EU disciplinary procedure. As already said in latest weeks, Conte on Thursday stated the government had no plans to change its draft, and would rather "go ahead with our estimates." In preparation for an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launch, a missile combat crew commander practices procedures at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, U.S., March 19, 2015. MOSCOW, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. strategy of a limited use of nuclear weapons could cause a global catastrophe and does not guarantee victory in a possible war, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Thursday. "Voices sound louder and louder in the United States, calling for enhancing the role of nuclear weapons and expanding the capabilities of the U.S. nuclear arsenal," Maria Zakharova, spokesperson of Russian Foreign Ministry, said at a news briefing. "The need for such a policy is invariably presented through the prism of a certain mythical Russian threat," she added. Zakharova referred to an article by former U.S. Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary Elbridge Colby in Foreign Affairs magazine, in which he urged the United States to increase its nuclear potential and prepare for limited, effective nuclear operations. Washington has already announced plans to build nuclear warheads and their delivery systems, with some experts claiming the United States and its allies would be able to win a limited nuclear war, Zakharova said. Russia considers such a policy irresponsible and extremely dangerous as Moscow firmly believes that there can be no winners in a nuclear war, she said. To think about a limited nuclear war "is tantamount to playing with the devil," Zakharova said. Members of special operations unit disembark from a helicopter during the Collective Security Treaty Organisation military exercise outside Almaty, Kazakhstan May 22, 2018. (REUTERS PHOTO) MOSCOW, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) issued a declaration on Thursday, vowing to strengthen joint military forces of the Russia-led bloc. "We pay special attention to equipping the collective forces of the CSTO with modern types of weapons and military equipment and increasing the effectiveness of joint operational and combat training," read the declaration published by the Kremlin. It was signed in the Kazakh capital of Astana earlier in the day by Russian President Vladimir Putin and leaders of other CSTO member countries, namely Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Armenia. According to the document, the CSTO leaders intent to increase the volume of mutual supplies of weapons, military and special equipment and provide services in this field. They also aim to establish close cooperation ties between defense enterprises and organizations and expand scientific and technical cooperation. In the declaration, the six Soviet republics said they support efforts and initiatives aimed at ensuring the integrity of multilateral non-proliferation, disarmament and arms control mechanisms. The CSTO leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the principle of equal and indivisible security, saying they are concerned with the U.S. intention to withdraw from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, a landmark arms control deal. "We stand for maintaining the viability of this agreement," they said in the document. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-09 04:36:12|Editor: yan Video Player Close THOUSAND OAKS, the United States, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Local authorities identified 28-year-old Ian David Long as the gunman of a mass shooting Wednesday night in the city of Thousand Oaks in Southern California, which has left 13 people dead including an officer and the gunman. A total of 25 people were injured in the shooting, according to local authorities. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said the gunman was Ian David Long, 28, a Marine Corps veteran, who was described as "acting a little irrationally" when police were called to his home earlier this year to investigate a disturbance. He lived in Newbury Park, near Thousand Oaks. Dean said the gunman was armed with a Glock 21-a brand of .45-caliber handgun. "The weapon was designed in California to hold a magazine of 10 rounds and one in the chamber, but he had an extended magazine on it," Dean said. Sheriff's officials said the shooter fatally shot himself after the massacre. He was found inside an office near the entrance of the venue. In the neighborhood where Long lived, residents said they were well aware of his problems. Richard Berge, 77, was quoted by local media as saying the former Marine had PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and was known to kick in the walls of the home. Long lived with his mother, Berge said. A total of 25 other people were injured in the shooting, including 23 who self-transported themselves to hospitals, and two who were taken by ambulance, according to the Ventura County Fire Department. A procession was held Thursday morning for Deputy Sgt. Ron Helus killed while responding to the mass shooting. Helus' body was transported via motorcade from Los Robles Hospital to the Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office. People stood along the route with grief, paying salute to the officer. Helus was a 29-year veteran who was set to retire next year. He is survived by his wife and son. Ralph Chapman, whose son is a colleague of Helus, told Xinhua his son was among the officers running into the bar to respond to the shooting. Chapman said he was very sad and worried when he heard that one officer was killed at the site, very afraid that it might be his own son. Chapman's son was a member of the motorcade transporting Helus' body on Thursday morning. Chapman said he used to serve at U.S. troops in Vietnam for two years, and he believed PTSD should not account for the mass shooting. Tami Teece, who was a survivor of the mass shooting in Las Vegas last year, which killed 59 people and wounded more than 500, was among the crowd mourning the death of Helarus along the road. She, who also has PTSD, told Xinhua the government should spend more money to set up mental hospitals for veterans to address their psychological problems. The motive of the shooter remains unknown. Authorities said hundreds of people were inside the bar when the gunfire rang out. No other victims have been identified by officials. A family assistance center has been set up at 1375 E. Janss Road in Thousand Oaks. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-09 05:26:27|Editor: yan Video Player Close SKOPJE. Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Licensed taxi vehicles in Macedonia will have yellow tabs in order to be distinguished from the illegal one, officials announced on Thursday. Macedonian Economy Minister Kreshnik Bekteshi and Minister of Internal Affairs Oliver Spasovski held a meeting with representatives of the association of taxi drivers. According to Bekteshi, the new Draft Law on Vehicles foresees that taxis in Macedonia will be labeled with sticky stickers for the level of pollution that it shows and the area where they can move. The aim is to solve the situation on taxi transport by removing illegal taxi drivers and increasing the safety of citizens and traffic participants. With the new bill, the adhesive put on the inside car glass when registering, which cost one euro, will be abolished. "By failing to take appropriate measures in recent years, a situation has arisen in the country where illegal taxi drivers have more advantages than those with permits," Spasovski said. "That was the reason why in most of the cities in Macedonia there was an increase in the number of illegal taxi drivers on account of the legal ones who pay all the contributions," Spasovski said. Spasovski added that "together with the Association of taxi drivers we took measures for greater control in the part of the inspection investigation that can be done by the police." Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-09 05:46:31|Editor: yan Video Player Close LONDON, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Big Ben, one of the world's most famous bells, is to ring out Sunday to mark the end of the centenary of World War One. The UK Parliament authorities said Thursday that, despite ongoing essential conservation works, the Elizabeth Tower's world famous Great Bell, better known as Big Ben, will strike on Sunday to commemorate those that died in the two world wars and later conflicts. At precisely 11:00 GMT, Big Ben will sound 11 times, with a strike rate of 4.5 seconds, replicating the usual strike rate of the Great Clock. At 12:30, Big Ben will strike a further 11 times, joining bells across Britain and worldwide to commemorate the centenary of the Armistice, marking the end of the war in 1918. That forms part of as a British government program for bells across the country to ring out in thanksgiving for the end of the war one hundred years ago. A spokesperson at the Houses of Parliament said only Big Ben itself will strike, not the quarter bells which usually produce the 16 musical notes of the Westminster Chimes. The Elizabeth Tower, one of London's most photographed attractions, is currently undergoing a complex program of conservation works to safeguard the 159-year-old iconic clock for generations to come. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-09 05:51:33|Editor: yan Video Player Close LONDON, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- The heir to the British throne, Prince Charles, has said in a birthday interview he won't be a meddling king when he replaces his mom, Queen Elizabeth II. Charles, who as the monarch's eldest son is the Prince of Wales, is about to celebrate his 70th birthday on Nov. 14, and made the comment in a media interview. He has a reputation of making his views known on a range of subjects ranging from architecture, the environment, climate change to natural health remedies such as homeopathy. In a documentary for the BBC, the prince said he will stop speaking out on topics he feels strongly about when he becomes king, adding that "he is not that stupid". Prince Charles said the idea he would continue making interventions as king was nonsense, adding he would have to operate within constitutional parameters. Queen Elizabeth never comments on political matters, though what she says at her regular meetings with serving prime ministers is never reported or publicly disclosed. According to the BBC, in the documentary, Prince Charles was asked about his campaigning, which some people described as "meddling". Documentary film-maker John Bridcut, who followed the prince for 12 months, said Prince Charles "bridled a bit" at the use of the word "meddling" and instead preferred to think of his interventions as "motivating". The heir to the throne said: "If it's meddling to worry about the inner cities as I did 40 years ago, then if that's meddling I'm proud of it." He added the roles of Prince of Wales and king were completely separate. There is media speculation in Britain that at some time in the next year or so Queen Elizabeth, 93 next birthday, will retire from public duty, with her son taking over as Prince Region. That would give him all of the powers of a monarch, but not the title of king while his mom is still alive. The Queen's husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, has already retired from public life. Royal watchers say Queen Elizabeth will never abdicate, and would retain the title of Queen should she hand over to Charles. Bridcut told the BBC: "People who think he's hanging around, longing to be king, are very mistaken. It's not something he's dying to assume because inevitably it will only arise after the death of his mother." As the Queen reduces her workload, more of her official duties are being carried out by her grandchildren and their wives, William and Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and newly-weds Harry and U.S. actress Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-09 06:11:37|Editor: yan Video Player Close LISBON, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa made an appeal on Thursday for the digital revolution to counter the wave of intolerance and fight for peace and freedom, as the four-day Web Summit closed. "The digital revolution has to be for dialogue, for peace. I know it is difficult, because this wave that goes through the world will last four, six, eight years, but it is the opposite of the digital revolution, its meaning," Rebelo de Sousa said in the closing speech. The president called on all participants to "fight for values, for freedom, for multilateralism, not for unilateralism and for peace to counter the wave that crosses the world. "This is the message that must be spread throughout the world," he added. This year's edition of the Web Summit, the third in Lisbon, brought together 69,304 participants from 159 countries, over 1,200 speakers, over 1,500 investors and 2,600 journalists. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, European Union Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager and former British prime minister Tony Blair were present at the summit. Web Summit, originally held in Dublin, Ireland, was moved to Lisbon in 2016. The summit has generated 500 million euros (568 million U.S. dollars) economic benefit for the country since then. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-09 06:21:38|Editor: yan Video Player Close SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Google CEO Sundar Pichai said Thursday that the company has worked out a new comprehensive policy to address diversity and sexual harassment that became a great concern of Google employees. In an email to Google workers, Pichai admitted that Google has "not always gotten everything right in the past," for which he felt "sincerely" sorry and vowed to make some changes. Pichai's disclosure came after over 20,000 Google employees worldwide walked out last week in protest of sexual harassment at the company and its improper handling of sexual misbehavior allegations against top executives. Google "will provide more transparency on how we handle concerns. We'll give better support and care to the people who raise them," said the Google CEO. He said Google will take more powerful steps to address sexual harassment, including making arbitration optional for individual sexual harassment and sexual assault claims. "We're revamping the way we handle and look into your concerns ... we will update and expand our mandatory sexual harassment training," he said. "We will double down on our commitment to be a representative, equitable, and respectful workplace," Pichai promised. The new policy changes unveiled by Google have virtually met most of the requirements by Google protesters, except the one that demanded a place for an employee representative on the company's board. Organizers of last week's massive protests called for more transparency in handling sexual harassment, employee empowerment, and inequality over pay and work opportunities. The global walkout spread to many countries in Europe, North America and Asia, including Britain, Singapore, Japan, Germany, and Google's headquarters in Mountain View in northern California. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-09 06:21:38|Editor: yan Video Player Close THOUSAND OAKS, the United States, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- A former Marine opened fire in a crowded bar popular with college students in the U.S. state of California, killing 12 people including a sheriff's deputy, police said on Thursday, in the latest mass shooting that shocked the country. Local authorities identified 28-year-old Ian David Long as the gunman of the mass shooting Wednesday night in Thousand Oaks, a suburb about 64 km northwest of Los Angeles, which also left 25 people injured. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said Long, a Marine Corps veteran, apparently fired at random with a .45-caliber Glock handgun with an extra-capacity magazine inside the Borderline Bar and Grill at about 11:30 p.m. local time on Wednesday. "The weapon was designed in California to hold a magazine of 10 rounds and one in the chamber, but he had an extended magazine on it," Dean said. The motive of the shooter was so far unclear, he told a news conference on Thursday morning. Dean described Long as "acting a little irrationally" when police were called to his home earlier this year to investigate a disturbance. He lived in Newbury Park, near Thousand Oaks. Garo Kuredjia, captain of Ventura County Sheriff office, told Xinhua that deputies responded shortly after they received calls about the shooting at the bar. The first responding deputy was Sergent Ron Helus, who was killed in confrontation with the shooter. "When he got to the scene, he saw two California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers outside with a victim that came out of the bar," Kuredjia said. Helus and CHP officers heard gunshots after they arrived, and entered the bar in order to neutralize that threat, Kuredjia said. When Helus went in, he was unfortunately shot for multiple times. He was later transported to a local hospital. Unfortunately there are other 11 victims who were also shot dead, Kuredjia said. The shooter died of self-inflicted gunshot wound, he said. In the neighborhood where Long lived, residents said they were well aware of his problems. Richard Berge, 77, was quoted by local media as saying the former Marine had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and was known to kick in the walls of the home. Kuredjia told Xinhua he could not confirm the shooter's PTSD, and did not know what his medical or mental status was. "I can assume he has some sort of mental issue, because no normal person would commit such an outrageous act and murder innocent people," Kuredjia said. A total of 25 other people were injured in the shooting, including 23 who self-transported themselves to hospitals, and two who were taken by ambulance, according to the Ventura County Fire Department. A procession was held Thursday morning for Deputy Sgt. Helus, a 29-year veteran who was set to retire next year. He is survived by his wife and son. His body was transported via motorcade from Los Robles Hospital to the Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office. People stood along the route with grief, paying salute to the officer. Ralph Chapman, whose son is a colleague of Helus, told Xinhua that his son was among the officers running into the bar to respond to the shooting. Chapman said he was very sad and worried when he heard that one officer was killed at the site, very afraid that it might be his own son. Chapman's son was a member of the motorcade transporting Helus' body on Thursday morning. Chapman said he has served at U.S. troops in Vietnam for two years, and that he believed PTSD should not account for the mass shooting. Tami Teece, who was a survivor of the mass shooting in Las Vegas last year, which killed 59 people and wounded more than 500, was among the crowd mourning the death of Helus along the road. She, who also has PTSD, told Xinhua that the government should spend more money setting up mental hospitals for veterans to address their psychological problems. Authorities said hundreds of people were inside the bar when the gunfire rang out. A family assistance center has been set up at 1375 E. Janss Road in Thousand Oaks. The bar shooting was the latest mass killing in the United States, which with more than 300 million guns scattered nationwide, has long been plagued by gun violence. Less than two weeks ago, 11 worshippers were killed by a gunman at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-09 06:26:39|Editor: yan Video Player Close By Kostas Zaligkas ATHENS, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has said that his country will hold the parliamentary elections in October 2019 and the ruling coalition of the Radical Left, commonly known as Syriza, will win. Syriza will also win the European parliamentary elections in May 2019, Tsipras said in an interview with local ALPHA television channel which was broadcast on Thursday evening. He also expressed his certainty that the Prespes Agreement, aimed to resolve the name issue regarding the use of the term Macedonia, will be ratified in the Greek Parliament. "Everyone down to the last citizen understands that, in spite of the difficulties, in spite of the problems, this agreement is beneficial for the country and especially for northern Greece and Thessaloniki," he said. "We want Thessaloniki to be the economic center of the Balkans, but we can't do that by turning our back to our neighbors," Tsipras noted. He referred also to the proposed deal that the Greek government discussed with the Church of Greece this week in order to remove around 10,000 clergies from the state payroll and to resolve a long-standing property dispute. "It is a historic step that resolves a pending issue going back decades," he said. He stressed that since the Orthodox Church priests will be removed from the state's salary rolls, 10,000 new jobs will be created immediately. The Budapest Advent and Christmas Fair on Vorosmarty Square ranked as one of the top 10 most beautiful markets in Europe. This year, new programs have been added to ensure continued success for the event, including an array of thematically exhibited culinary and gastronomical foods through gastro-themed weeks and open kitchens, awaiting you. Culinary demonstrations and tastings will be held here, in the heart of Budapest, where you can get to know Hungarys food and wine regions all in one place! The Budapest Advent and Christmas Fair will feature more than 100 artisans and their beautiful crafts at Vorosmarty square. To participate in such a large-scale event, artisans are carefully handpicked and must adhere to the strict rules and regulations of the fair by exhibiting handmade items of the highest quality. More than half of the vendors are members of the Hungarian Artisan Association. Close to 20 professions can be found at the fair, including guests from here at home and bordering countries, a clear expression of the diversity and high quality of the artisans present at the event. The fair season: 9 November 2018 1 January 2019 Handicraft fair: 9 November 29 December 2018 Eateries: 9 November 2018 1 January 2019 Opening hours for craftspeople Sunday through Thursday: 10:00 a.m. 8:00 p.m. Friday Saturday: 10:00 a.m. 9:00 p.m. On 24 December: 10:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. On 25 and 26 December: noon 6:00 p.m. on 29 December: 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Opening hours for eateries: Sunday through Thursday: 10:00 a.m. 9:00 p.m. Friday Saturday: 10:00 a.m. 10:00 p.m. On 24 December: 10:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. On 25 and 26 December: 10:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m. On 31 December: 10:00 a.m. 4:00 a.m. Stage programmes: Until 28 December 2018 on weekdays 5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m. on Fridays 5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays 11:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m /for children programs/ 5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., 7:30 p.m. on Sundays 11:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m /for children programs/ 5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m. Advent on Sundays 4:00 p.m. 6 December 2018: 4:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m is the arrival of the Finnish Santa Claus, Joulopukki. 24-26 December 2018 there is no stage production. Playhouse (folk art, e.g. making straw figures, door decorations, Advent wreaths, ginger bread, etc.) a free program. 3 December 2018 23 December 2018 Every day: 10:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m.; 2:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. More: Budapest Info The opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) will propose amending the Penal Code in order to declare what it called the distribution of fake news by government agencies from public monies a punishable act. Citing research launched in 2016 by the University of Oxford, parliamentary spokesman Zsolt Greczy said that ever since 2010 the Hungarian government has been intentionally spreading lies and fake news to discredit opposition politicians and make Hungarians believe that the country needs to be protected and can only be protected by ruling Fidesz. The details of the proposal will be finalised in the near future, he said. The universitys research project, covered by a news portal on Tuesday, focuses on how governments and politicians are manipulating public opinion around the world by through the public media. In response to a question, Greczy said DK plans to run independently in next years European Parliamentary elections. He said that before the municipal elections, also scheduled for next year, the opposition parties should agree on a joint candidate in Budapest who could defeat Mayor Istvan Tarlos and seek ways of cooperation in all localities. Photo: MTI Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjen and Szilard Nemeth, a lawmaker of ruling Fidesz, proposed to parliament that 2019 be declared a memorial year of Hungarian Prince Francis II Rakoczi. Rakoczi (1676-1735), a ruling prince of Transylvania, led an uprising against the Habsburg Empire between 1703 and 1711. At the peak of their power, the rebels controlled most of the Hungarian kingdom. Although the rebellion was ultimately stifled and Rakoczi forced into exile, their fight put an end to imperial attempts to fully assimilate Hungary into the empire. The memorial year will mark the 315th anniversary of Rakoczis installation as the ruling prince of Transylvania. Under the proposal, the prince and his fight of freedom will be commemorated with a series of events, celebrations and publications. MTI Photo: Mathe Zoltan Hungarian Speaker of Parliament Laszlo Kover discussed strengthening bilateral ties with senior officials in Bogota. Hungary aims to boost diplomatic, economic, cultural and educational cooperation with South American countries, and sees Colombia as an important partner in that process, Kovers press office said. Relations between Colombia and Hungary are a pillar of Hungarys trade policy of opening to the south, Kover said, noting that the countrys exports to Latin America grew by 34% in 2017. Hungary plans to double the number of government grants offered to Colombian students at Hungarian universities to forty, he said. Enrique Macias Tovar, the leader of Columbias congress and senate, agreed with Kover on the importance of strong bilateral ties in education. Cooperation between the countries parliaments may be broadened to include tackling global challenges such as climate change, migration and the war on drugs, he added. Kover also met Deputy President Marta Lucia Ramirez and Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo. Talks covered Colombias peace process concluding the civil war and the handling of the crisis caused by the arrival of over one million Venezuelan migrants into the country. Trujillo asked Hungary to support efforts to handle the crisis in international forums such as the UN and the EU, and thanked Hungary for its humanitarian support, the speakers press office said. Kover is heading a parliamentary delegation to Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. MTI Photo: Gov't Press Office Coun Perez reiterates warning to barangay leaders involved in drugs 07 Aug 2017 Hits:37 Comments(0) Liga ng mga Barangay President, Councilor Jerry Perez yesterday reiterated his warning to all barangay officials from using or selling drugs. Perez said he is closely monitoring the activities of all the barangay officials and vowed sanctions against erring leaders. Aqui gane na mio barangay ya quita ya iyo na puesto cunel dos barangay leaders quien mas temprano ya sale positivo na... BURLINGAME, Calif., Nov. 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AeroCentury Corp. (the Company) (NYSE American: ACY), an independent aircraft leasing company, today reported a third quarter net loss of $4.5 million, or $(3.16) per share, compared to a net loss of $81,000, or $(0.06) per share, for the second quarter of 2018 and net income of $0.4 million, or $0.27 per share, for the third quarter of 2017. The results announced are for the period ended September 30, 2018, and therefore, do not reflect the combined operations of the Company and its newly acquired subsidiary, JetFleet Holding Corp., which was acquired on October 1, 2018. In the first nine months of 2018, the Company reported a net loss of $4.2 million, or $(3.00) per share, compared to net income of $1.4 million, or $0.95 per share, in the first nine months of 2017. The first nine months of 2018 included $1.6 million of other income resulting from payments received from a lessee of three aircraft that were returned to the Company during 2017. The Company is accounting for the payments from this lessee as they are received, and they are recorded in other income. The third quarter and first nine months of 2018 also included $2.4 million of losses related to the sale of two off-lease turboprop aircraft, as well as impairment provisions totaling $2.7 million on four other off-lease turboprop aircraft that have been identified for sale. 2018 has been an exciting year of transition for AeroCentury. We completed the acquisition of our management company and its parent, JetFleet Holding Corp., and, management and the portfolio were unified under the AeroCentury umbrella, as of October 1, 2018, said Michael Magnusson, AeroCenturys President. We continue to execute our strategy to modernize the fleet, selling two more of our older turboprop assets. This strategy is designed to make the portfolio a more favorable platform for future growth in 2019 and beyond. These sales, however, came at a time when values of older turboprops had begun a dramatic decline, as both the Dash 8 and Saab aircraft values are beginning to reflect an increased supply, combined with slow demand for those older aircraft types. The Dash 8 market was especially hard hit, as approximately thirty used Dash 8 aircraft entered the market in the last year. As a result of this decline in values, the Company realized a loss on the sale of those older aircraft, and the lower market values also caused the Company to record an impairment provision in the third quarter with respect to the four remaining older aircraft in its portfolio. Despite the difficult quarter, we remain committed to our portfolio modernization program, which we believe has resulted in a significant positive transformation in our fleet. Mr. Magnusson continued, Currently, the weighted age of our portfolio is just 11 years old, and the average aircraft unit value is now double what it was ten years ago. We intend to continue to look for sale opportunities for our older turboprop aircraft, as we continue to seek newer aircraft types for acquisition, including Bombardier Q400s and CRJs, ATRs, and Embraer jets. Third Quarter Highlights EBITDA 1 was $0.1 million compared to $5.4 million in the preceding quarter and $6.0 million a year ago; was $0.1 million compared to $5.4 million in the preceding quarter and $6.0 million a year ago; Operating lease revenue was $7.2 million up from $6.8 million in the preceding quarter; Book value per share of $30.44 as of September 30, 2018, up from $29.19 a year ago; 93% portfolio utilization improved during the quarter compared to 91% in the second quarter of 2018; $39.2 million was available under the existing credit facility as of September 30, 2018. Third Quarter 2018 Comparative Data: Average portfolio utilization was 93% during the third quarter of 2018, compared with 91% in the preceding quarter. The increase was a result of the acquisition of two aircraft during the second quarter. Average portfolio usage was the same during the third quarters of 2018 and 2017, as a result of the net effect of the second quarter 2018 acquisitions, asset sales during late 2017 and 2018 and the return of several aircraft at lease end in 2017. Total revenue and other income decreased 36% to $5.1 million for the third quarter of 2018, compared to $7.8 million in the preceding quarter, and decreased 39% from $8.3 million in the third quarter a year ago. The decreases were primarily a result of losses associated with the sale of two aircraft during the third quarter of 2018, as well as decreased operating lease revenues and decreased maintenance reserves revenues. Operating lease revenues increased 5% to $7.2 million in the third quarter of 2018 from $6.8 million in the preceding quarter and decreased 5% from $7.6 million in the year-ago quarter. The period-to-period changes reflect assets sales during late 2017 and the return of several aircraft at lease end in 2017, as well as the positive effect of two assets purchased during the second quarter of 2018. The Company recorded no maintenance reserve revenue in the second or third quarters of 2018 and $0.3 million in the third quarter of 2017. During the third quarter of 2018, the Company recognized $2.4 million in losses from disposal of assets, compared to $18,100 in gains in the preceding quarter and $3,500 in gains in the third quarter of 2017. Total expenses increased 37% to $10.8 million from $7.9 million in the preceding quarter and increased 41% from $7.6 million in the year-ago quarter. The increases were primarily due to impairment provisions recorded during the third quarter of 2018, as well as higher interest and maintenance costs in the third quarter of 2018. AeroCenturys portfolio currently consists of seventeen aircraft and one engine that are held for lease and six aircraft that are held under sales-type or direct finance leases. The Company also has six turboprop aircraft that are held for sale, two of which are being sold in parts. The Company's portfolio consists of ten different aircraft types. The current customer base comprises eleven customers operating in nine countries. The following table shows the status of the Company's portfolio of aircraft and engines held for lease as of September 30, 2018, December 31, 2017, and September 30, 2017. AIRCRAFT AND ENGINES HELD FOR LEASE September 30, 2018 % of net book value December 31, 2017 % of net book value September 30, 2017 % of net book value Turboprop aircraft: On lease 4 18 % 2 4 % 4 11 % Off lease2 - - % 8 13 % 6 6 % Total turboprop aircraft 4 18 % 10 17 % 10 17 % Regional jet aircraft: On lease 13 81 % 13 82 % 15 81 % Off lease - - % - - % - - % Total regional jet aircraft 13 81 % 13 82 % 15 81 % Engines: On lease 1 1 % 1 1 % - - % Off lease3 - - % - - % 2 2 % Total engines 1 1 % 1 1 % 2 2 % About AeroCentury: AeroCentury is an independent global aircraft operating lessor and finance company specializing in leasing regional jet and turboprop aircraft and related engines. The Company's aircraft and engines are leased to regional airlines and commercial users worldwide. This press release contains forward-looking statements within the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements in this press release other than statements that are purely historical are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation, statements regarding (a) the Companys commitment to its portfolio modernization, (b) the Companys intent to look for sale opportunities for its older turboprop aircraft, and (c) the Companys intent to seek newer aircraft types for acquisition, including Bombardier Q400s, ATRs, Embraer jets, and Bombardier CRJ aircraft. The Company's beliefs, expectations, forecasts, objectives and strategies for the future are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results contemplated by the forward-looking statements, including but not limited to (a) the ability of the Company to dispose of older aircraft and acquire newer aircraft, in each case when desired and on attractive terms, and (b) the availability of financing when desired and on attractive terms, which could include debt or equity financing, in order to acquire new aircraft. The forward-looking statements in this press release and the Company's future results of operations are subject to additional risks and uncertainties set forth under the heading "Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of OperationsFactors that May Affect Future Results and Liquidity" in documents filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company's quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and the Company's latest annual report on Form 10-K, and are based on information available to the Company as of the date hereof and speak only as of such date. The Company does not intend, and assumes no obligation, to update any forward-looking statements made in this press release. For these reasons, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Selected Financial Information (in thousands, except share and per share data) (Unaudited) For the Three Months Ended For the Nine Months Ended September 30, June 30, September 30, September 30, September 30, 2018 2018 2017 2018 2017 Operating lease revenue $ 7,173 $ 6,824 $ 7,569 $ 20,460 $ 21,996 Maintenance reserves revenue4 - - 350 - 1,036 Finance lease revenue 262 361 416 1,002 1,173 (Loss)/gain on disposal of assets (2,384 ) 18 3 (2,375 ) (130 ) Gain on sales-type finance leases - - - - 297 Other income 1 581 1 1,633 2 5,052 7,784 8,339 20,720 24,374 Depreciation 3,328 3,150 3,159 9,421 9,038 Interest 2,467 2,365 2,143 7,087 5,496 Management fees 1,534 1,502 1,584 4,483 4,589 Provision for impairment 2,673 298 69 2,971 523 Maintenance costs 245 69 169 405 830 Professional fees and other 521 478 521 1,676 1,622 10,768 7,862 7,645 26,043 22,098 (Loss)/income before income taxes (5,716 ) (78 ) 694 (5,323 ) 2,276 Income tax (benefit)/provision (1,232 ) 3 309 (1,075 ) 894 Net (loss)/income $ (4,484 ) $ (81 ) $ 385 $ (4,248 ) $ 1,382 (Loss)/earnings per share: Basic $ (3.16 ) $ (0.06 ) $ 0.27 $ (3.00 ) $ 0.95 Diluted $ (3.16 ) $ (0.06 ) $ 0.27 $ (3.00 ) $ 0.95 Shares used in per share computations: Basic 1,416,699 1,416,699 1,416,699 1,416,699 1,460,555 Diluted 1,416,699 1,416,699 1,416,699 1,416,699 1,460,555 September 30, June 30, December 31, September 30, 2018 2018 2017 2017 Total assets $ 227,951 $ 245,237 $ 236,410 $ 247,755 Total liabilities $ 184,832 $ 197,634 $ 189,043 $ 206,406 Shareholders' equity $ 43,119 $ 47,603 $ 47,367 $ 41,349 Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures To supplement the Companys financial information presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP), this press release includes the non-GAAP financial measure of EBITDA. The Company defines EBITDA as net (loss)/income, plus depreciation expense, plus interest expense and plus/(minus) income tax (benefit)/provision. The table below provides a reconciliation of this non-GAAP financial measure to its most directly comparable financial measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP. This non-GAAP financial measure should not be considered as an alternative to GAAP measures such as net income or any other measure of financial performance calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP. Rather, the Company presents this measure as supplemental information because it believes it provides meaningful additional information about the Companys performance for the following reasons: (1) this measure allows for greater transparency with respect to key metrics used by management, as management uses this measure to assess the Companys operating performance and for financial and operational decision-making; (2) this measure excludes the impact of items management believes are not directly attributable to the Companys core operating performance and may obscure trends in the business; and (3) this measure may be used by institutional investors and the analyst community to help analyze the Companys business. The Companys non-GAAP financial measures may not be comparable to similarly-titled measures of other companies because they may not calculate such measures in the same manner as the Company does. For the Three Months Ended September 30, June 30, September 30, 2018 2018 2017 Reconciliation of Net (loss)/income to EBITDA: Net (loss)/income $ (4,484 ) $ (81 ) $ 385 Depreciation 3,328 3,150 3,159 Interest 2,467 2,365 2,143 Income tax (benefit)/provision (1,232 ) 3 309 EBITDA: 79 5,437 5,996 1 EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure. See below for its method of calculation and reconciliation to its most directly comparable GAAP measure, as well as other information about the use of non-GAAP measures generally, at the end of this press release. 2 Information as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2017 includes four turboprop aircraft that were reclassified to assets held for sale on September 30, 2018. 3 Information as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2017 includes one engine that had previously been installed on an aircraft that is now being sold in parts. 4 Maintenance reserves revenue is dependent upon the amount of reserves retained upon lease terminations. Toni Perazzo Chief Financial Officer (650) 340-1888 Stiri pe aceeasi tema - The boards of directors of pre-university education units issue the decision on how to resume courses, informing the county school inspectorates / Bucharest Municipality School Inspectorate (ISMB), provides for the joint order of the interim ministers of Education and Health. According to - Duminica, la Filarmonica Pitesti. Concertmaestrul Madalin Sandu, solistul serii. Filarmonica Pitesti organizeaza duminica, 7 noiembrie, de la ora 19.00, in Sala Simfonia a Centrului Multifunctional, un nou concert simfonic. Alaturi de orchestra simfonica a institutiei, dirijata de Jeon Gae Jun, participa, - Romania's National COVID-19 Vaccination Coordination Committee (CNCAV) reported on Wednesday that in the last 24 hours a record number of 150,935 doses of Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines have been administered in the last 24 hours, 111,556 first doses, 11,607 - second - Romania nu poate fi competitiva in Europa in ceea ce priveste transportul feroviar de marfa, in conditiile in care viteza medie este de circa 18 km pe ora, a declarat Adrian Sandu, secretarul general al Asociatiei Constructorilor de Automobile din Romania (ACAROM), intr-o conferinta de specialitate. - The annual inflation rate is likely to increase much more pronounced over the short time horizon than anticipated in the August forecast, which indicated a peak of 5.6 pct in December 2021, according to the minutes of the monetary policy meeting of the Board of Directors of the National Bank of Romania - Aproape doi ani au trecut de cand Andreea Balan si George Burcea au decis de comun acord sa divorteze. Acum, actorul in varsta de 33 de ani face declaratii despre separarea legala de cantareata. A dat de inteles ca procesul a luat sfarsit, ca divortul de la tribunal s-a incheiat. Intr-un interviu pentru - Un incendiu de amploare a izbucnit duminica dupa-amiaza in Hipodromul din Craiova situat in Parcul Nicolae Romanescu, unde ard aproximativ 5 ha de vegetatie uscata, informeaza ISU Dolj. Pentru stingerea incendiului, 20 de pompieri de la ISU Dolj actioneaza cu autospeciale cu apa si spuma, insa interventia - Etapa a 7-a din Liga 1 la fotbal ofera vineri, cu incepere de la ora 21:00, un duel interesant intre doi antrenori din generatii diferite, nasul Gica Hagi il provoaca pe finul sau, Adrian Mutu.Oltenii au pierdut luni cu CS Mioveni, 0-1, esec venit dupa un 0-0 trist cu Chindia Targoviste. Coronavirusul romanesc: O nimica toata Sub 2.000 de cazuri noi si 121 de decese sunt anuntate in bilantul provizoriu de coronavirus de duminica. 16 dintre acestea sunt anterioare. Conform datelor existente duminica la CNCCI, in intervalul de 24 de ore, au fost inregistrate 1.936 cazuri de persoane pozitive cu SARS-COV-2. Cel mai probabil s-au efectuat putine [citeste mai departe] Stiri pe aceeasi tema - The incidence rate of COVID-19 calculated at 14 days is, on Friday, in Bucharest, 15.25 cases per thousand inhabitants, according to the website of the Public Health Directorate (DSP), agerpres reports. This is the seventh consecutive day in which the infection rate decreases in Bucharest, the highest - The Strategic Communication Group (GCS) informed, on Friday, that in the past 24 hours 12,474 cases of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 were recorded and 481 deaths, one of which occurred before the reference interval. "According to the existing data at the CNCCI level, on October 29, 2021, at 10.00 - The exhibition "Epidemics in the history of Romanian Principalities. Documentary evidence", mounted by the National Archives of Romania, will open, from Thursday, October 27, until Sunday, November 7, in the Lapidarium hall of the National History Museum of Romania. According to a press release - Bucharest Gaming Week 2021, the largest video games event in Romania, starts on Monday, and for a week gaming enthusiasts will be able to participate online or offline in the most interesting events that aim to highlight the impact the video games have in art, education and society. According - Annual inflation in Romania rose to 6.3% in September 2021, from 5.3% in August, as prices for non-food goods rose by 8.71%, by 4.26% for food, and by 3.75% for services, according to data published on Tuesday by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). According to INS, consumer prices - Romania's trade balance deficit (FOB / CIF) amounted to 14.602 billion euros in the first eight months of the year, up 3.087 billion euros from the same period last year, show the data of the National Institute of Statistics (INS), published on Monday. According to official statistics, between - Eleven ICU beds for COVID-19 patients, other than those reserved especially for people with certain medical conditions that are confirmed with SARS-CoV-2, are free nationally,the Strategic Communication Group (GCS) announced on Saturday. According to the cited source, there are no free beds - Ludovic Orban, presedintele PNL, sustine ca a avut o intelegere cu premierul Florin Citu, insa acesta a incalcat-o si a decis sa devina contracandidatul sau. Potrivit intelegerii, Ludovic Orban ar fi urmat sa ramana liderul PNL, iar Florin Citu premier si apoi guvernator al BNR, la incheierea mandatului English Danish Company announcement no. 10 2018/19 Allerd, 8 November 2018 Interim report H1 2018/19 (1 April 30 September 2018) Guidance upgrade: Stable earnings and record growth in online sales Matas made strong headway in implementing its new strategy in the second quarter of financial year 2018/19 and delivered record growth in online sales and stable earnings in the face of lower revenue. As a consequence, we raise our EBITDA margin before special items guidance for full-year 2018/19 from above 14.5 to above 15. The profit performance is improving. Revenue for the first half of the year was almost unchanged at DKK 1,621.0 million compared with DKK 1,620.7 million in the year-earlier period, while operating profit (EBITDA before special items) was up to DKK 246.9 million from DKK 244.0 million in the first half of last year. In the second quarter alone, sales fell by 1.6% relative to last year, due primarily to fewer trading days and a reshuffle of campaign activity. On the other hand, earnings increased, with operating profit (EBITDA before special items) growing to DKK 108.6 million from DKK 107.5 million last year. Q2 sales were down a notch, but as earnings were a thought better, were delivering a stable profit performance for the second quarter running, even though competition is tougher than ever. Overall, this means that we can keep up the high pace of development and at the same time lift our full-year earnings guidance, said Gregers Wedell-Wedellsborg, CEO. The digital transformation continued at full speed with online sales surging by 61%. Matas also announced the acquisition of Firtal Group, the owner of, e.g., helsebixen.dk. The transaction was approved by the Danish Competition and Consumer Authority on 5 November 2018. The second quarter also saw the opening of two Matas Natur concept stores and additions to the natural range on matas.dk, aimed at reinforcing the Groups green market position. Our digital growth is accelerating. Our same-day delivery initiative has been well received by customers, and were delivering the highest growth rate since matas.dk was launched, said Gregers Wedell-Wedellsborg, CEO. Q2 2018/19 highlights Guidance for the EBITDA margin before special items is upgraded from above 14.5% to above 15% for financial year 2018/19. The work to implement the new strategy, Renewing Matas, progressed according to plan, and a range of measures aimed at lifting customer engagement, growing revenue and securing earnings were launched and implemented in the second quarter. Q2 2018/19 revenue came to DKK 777.2 million, down 1.6% on the DKK 789.9 million reported for Q2 2017/18 (restated, see note 1). Underlying like-for-like sales, i.e. sales in stores operated by the Group in both Q2 2018/19 and Q2 2017/18, were down by 1.9% in Q2 2018/19. Management estimates that the negative calendar effect reduced underlying revenue growth by approximately 0.6 of a percentage point. The High-End Beauty and Material segments reported higher sales, while sales in the remaining shops fell slightly back. The average basket size grew by 2.8% to DKK 154, while the number of transactions was down by 2.3% from 5.1 million in Q2 2017/18 to 5.0 million in Q2 2018/19. Online sales were up by 61% over the year-earlier period. More than half of all webshop orders in the second quarter were picked up at a Matas store. The High-End Beauty and Material segments performed as expected, growing sales by 1.5% and 4.5%, respectively. Mass Beauty sales disappointed despite the positive effects of higher sun screen sales. Overall Mass Beauty sales were down by 2.6% due to increasing competition from supermarkets, among others. Q2 2018/19 gross profit was DKK 349.0 million, taking the gross margin to 44.9%, a 1.3 percentage point increase from 43.6% in Q2 2017/18. Total costs increased by DKK 0.5 million relative to the year-earlier period. Other external costs were up by DKK 16.1 million. Costs were mainly driven upwards by non-recurring costs of DKK 9.5 million relating primarily to the acquisition of Firtal Group ApS and strategy implementation. Staff costs were reduced by DKK 15.6 million relative to the same period of last year, when staff costs were impacted by non-recurring costs of DKK 12.0 million relating to the change of CEO. Q2 2018/19 EBITDA came to DKK 99.1 million, up from DKK 94.8 million in the year-earlier period. The EBITDA margin was 12.8%, 0.7 of a percentage point higher than in Q2 2017/18. The higher EBITDA margin was attributable mainly to an improved contribution ratio compared with the same quarter of last year and a weaker negative impact from special items. EBITDA before special items came to DKK 108.6 million, up 1.0% on the DKK 107.5 million reported in the year-earlier period. Supported by the higher gross margin, the EBITDA margin before special items rose to 14.0% from 13.6% in Q2 2017/18. Q2 profit after tax was DKK 36.6 million, and Adjusted profit after tax net of amortisation not related to software and exceptional items was DKK 61.0 million, compared with DKK 40.3 million and DKK 65.3 million, respectively, in Q2 2017/18. The effective tax rate was 28.1% in Q2 2018/19, equivalent to a tax expense of DKK 14.3 million. The effective tax rate was inflated by the non-deductible transaction costs incurred in the second quarter in connection with the acquisition of Firtal Group ApS. Cash generated from operations fell by DKK 7.6 million in Q2 2018/19 to DKK 46.6 million. Impacted by significantly higher investment activity and a slightly reduced cash flow from operating activities, the free cash flow was an inflow of DKK 5.8 million against an inflow of DKK 25.3 million in Q2 2017/18. Gross debt stood at DKK 1,691.4 million at 30 September 2018. Net interest-bearing debt was DKK 1,636.5 million at 30 September 2018, equivalent to 2.9x LTM EBITDA before special items as compared with 2.8x at the end of Q2 2017/18. H1 2018/19 highlights Management presented the Groups updated strategy going forward to 2023, Renewing Matas, at its capital markets day on 30 May 2018, which was held in connection with the presentation of the Groups financial statements for financial year 2017/18. The work to implement the strategy is progressing according to plan, and a range of measures aimed at lifting customer engagement, growing revenue and securing earnings were launched in the first six months of the financial year. H1 2018/19 revenue was DKK 1,621.0 million, almost unchanged from the DKK 1,620.7 million reported in H1 2017/18 (restated, see note 1). Underlying like-for-like revenue was down by 0.3%. H1 online sales were up by 55% over the year-earlier period. H1 2018/19 gross profit came to DKK 730.7 million for a gross margin of 45.1%, a 0.4 percentage point increase from 44.6% in H1 2017/18. H1 2018/19 EBITDA came to DKK 232.4 million for an EBITDA margin of 14.3%, in line with the margin reported for H1 2017/18. H1 2018/19 EBITDA before special items came to DKK 246.9 million for an EBITDA margin of 15.2% against 15.1% for H1 2017/18. H1 profit after tax was DKK 107.4 million, and Adjusted profit after tax net of amortisation not related to software and exceptional items was DKK 150.7 million, compared with DKK 114.4 million and DKK 154.2 million, respectively, in H1 2017/18. Cash generated from operations grew to DKK 151.9 million in H1 2018/19 from DKK 130.9 million in H1 2017/18. The free cash flow was an inflow of DKK 78.7 million against an inflow of DKK 58.6 million in H1 2017/18. Outlook The Groups financial guidance for financial year 2018/19 is unchanged on three points compared with the guidance announced in company announcement no. 5 2018/19 concerning Matass acquisition of Firtal Group ApS. Our guidance for the EBITDA margin before special items has been revised from above 14.5% to above 15%. Our total guidance is as follows: Underlying revenue unchanged relative to 2017/18 (like-for-like growth in the -1% to 1% range) (unchanged) An EBITDA margin before special items above 15% (revised) CAPEX between DKK 110 million and DKK 130 million (unchanged) Total investments (CAPEX and other investments) between DKK 240 million and DKK 260 million (unchanged) Our financial guidance for 2018/19 is based on assumptions of slightly growing consumer spending, a continuing decline in physical store footfall and persistently intensive competition in the health, beauty and personal care market. Our guidance includes costs for implementing Matass growth strategy. The 2018/19 financial year contains an extra trading day compared with FY 2017/18, which is expected to have a slightly positive effect on revenue. Firtal Group ApS will be recognised in the financial statements as from closing, which is expected to take place in mid- November 2018. Conference call Matas will host a conference call for investors and analysts on Thursday, 8 November 2018 at 09:15 a.m. The conference call and the presentation can be accessed on our investor website: www.investor.en.matas.dk. Conference call access numbers for investors and analysts: DK +45 35 15 80 49 UK: +44 (0)330 336 9125 US: +1 929-477-0448 Event code: 6218306 Link to webcast: https://edge.media-server.com/m6/p/tu5xmv6n Contacts Gregers Wedell-Wedellsborg CEO, tel +45 48 16 55 55 Anders T. Skole-Srensen CFO, tel +45 48 16 55 55 Elisabeth Toftmann Klintholm Head of Investor Relations & Corp. Affairs, tel +45 48 16 55 55 Klaus Fridorf Head of Communication, tel +45 61 20 19 97 Forward-looking statements This interim report contains statements relating to the future, including statements regarding the Matas Group's future operating results, financial position, cash flows, business strategy and future targets. Such statements are based on managements reasonable expectations and forecasts at the time of release of the interim report. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and a number of other factors, many of which are beyond the Matas Group's control. This may have the effect that actual results may differ significantly from the expectations expressed in the interim report. Without being exhaustive, such factors include general economic and commercial factors, including market and competitive conditions, supplier issues and financial and regulatory issues. Attachment Former Vice President Joe Biden has become a full-blown meme once again, thanks to a fateful photo taken at a Wilmington polling place on Election Day on Tuesday. Fans can thank CNN reporter Arlette Saenz, who captured Biden entering a Wilmington polling place to vote in a series of Twitter posts on Tuesday, USA Today reports. One photo showed the former Delaware Senator exiting a voting booth with his arms spread wide after casting his ballot, which seemed normal enough at the time. The photo was later edited to depict Biden as characters like Batman and Dracula, as well as to show him in precarious situations, like skydiving or using a Porta Potty. The meme-ing reportedly began after a use posted Saenz's photo to a Reddit thread, which started a Photoshop contest. This, however, is not the first time Biden has been meme-ified. Previously, the Internet made of meme of Bidens time in the White House, with supporters creating a series of images depicting an unusual, fictional friendship with President Obama. The Onion also turned Biden into a comedic character with its hillbilly-soaked Diamond Joe take on the Scrantonians stay in Washington. As The Hill reports, Biden turned his attention to a potential future Presidential run after voting on Tuesday. Despite considering the idea in the past, Biden said, he has not yet made a decision about campaigning in 2020. I dont know and I still dont know, Biden said in Wilmington on Tuesday. I wouldnt announce it if I were going to run that early. It would be too early to get started. Demonstrating soundproofed phone rooms at 3675 Market St. in the new University City Science Center labs is Sarah Morin, General Manager, CIC Philadelphia and Head of North American Centers for CIC, the Massachusetts firm that is leasing labs and offices to dozens of biotech startups Read more The first tenants have moved into the new University City Science Center lab spaces at 3675 Market St., on the edge of the former University City High School complex, where developers hope success will spawn additional construction and what amounts to a new city center for medical tech companies. There's still plenty of room. Managers are trying to lure a Fortune 500-sized tenant with ties to the big neighboring medical-research institutions for a big block of space in the building's upper floors, says Steve Zarrilli, the former Safeguard Scientifics chief who now runs the Science Center. Maybe someone like Johnson & Johnson, whom Penn scientists are urging to upgrade its new JPOD meeting center into a full-fledged JLABS research-and-start-up center? Or Novartis, sponsor of Penn scientists' pioneering Kymriah T-cell cancer therapy start-up and other genomics efforts. Or maybe Regenxbio, Biogen, Genentech, or other bioscience companies that have shared Penn patents. If Zarrilli and other insiders know which company has the inside lane for the space, they weren't telling me on a walk-through earlier this week, in advance of the grand opening with Mayor Kenney and other celebrities on Friday. The space, replacing older labs at 3711 Market St. and 3624 Market St., is run by the Massachusetts-based Cambridge Innovation Center, which has similar sites in cities across the U.S.; this location is CIC Philadelphia. The lab operator, BioLabs, is also based in the Boston area. The center announced CIC would open the Philly center earlier this year, with memberships at $2,500 a month, about four times what the simpler labs charged a sign of rising demand as made-in-West Philly gene therapies attract investors from China, Boston, and Silicon Valley, as well as $50 million earmarked for faculty start-ups in April by Penn's Board of Trustees. CIC, which also has sites in St. Louis, Miami, and the Netherlands, is headed by Tim Rowe, partner in the Cambridge, Mass., and Reston, Va., venture capital firm New Atlantic Ventures. BioLabs is headed by Johannes Fruehauf, partner in BioInnovation Capital, of Boston. CIC says there are 30 smaller tenants already signed up, including Panorama Medicine, which moved here from a WeWork location. Its Ph.D. founders, Mingfu Zhu, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia genomics professor Yi Xing (formerly of UCLA), and Douglas Black promise to "leverage their expertise in computing to accelerate drug discoveries using genomics." Others include Backstage Capital, Brazen Philly, and Stimulus, which promote women and other nontraditional entrepreneurs. The higher rates are a sign of rising demand for high-quality lab space by hopeful start-ups connected to CHOP, Drexel, and the Wistar Institute. Indeed, CIC's new open-plan labs resemble the entire floors of cooperative space in Wistar's gleaming facilities on Spruce Street four blocks to the south. As with residential gentrification, the upgraded labs, services, and prices have the side effect of squeezing out humbler entrepreneurs. Brianna Wronko, a 2017 Penn grad whose nine-person start-up was among 19 companies forced to leave the old Science Center labs, said she's since located temporary space at Thomas Jefferson University. Zarrilli says there's a "collective effort among Philadelphia institutions" to work with the city and arrange more space for these very-early-stage scientists. Niall Murphy, who tended bar seemingly forever at Fergie's in Center City (10 years), has gone solo, taking over an old Kensington deli and, over the course of more than a year, converting it into a neighborhood bar. Sutton's opens Nov. 9 at 1706 N. Fifth St., two doors from St. Benjamin Brewing Co. Kensington's industrial past figures into the look (old maps, exposed brick, zinc bar), as well as the name. The Suttons co-owned Franklin Iron Works, at Front Street and Girard Avenue. "I want to tell the story of the neighorhood," says Murphy, a native of the Irish town of Carlow, south of Dublin. He's been in the States for 18 years. Chef Katie Murphy, last at Girard, offers a simple menu of house-made soft pretzels, fried pickles, tots, crispy curry cauliflower, poutine, mac and cheese, crispy quinoa salad, a Cobb salad, rye pierogies, and fish and chips. Her vegetarian/vegan selections include a pulled port sandwich. Yes, port, as in portabella. Full bar includes 12 draft lines 10 beer, a cocktail, and a wine. Hours are 4 p.m. to closing daily. Pittsburgh Police direct traffic as their vehicles close the street adjacent to the Tree of Life Synagogue on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, as a curbside Shabbat morning service is held on the street corner in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh. The service honored the 11 people killed by a gunman, Oct 27, 2018 while worshiping at the Tree of Life Synagogue. Read more The social-media platform favored by Robert Bowers, accused in the Tree of Life synagogue massacre, is the subject of a civil investigation by the office of Attorney General Josh Shapiro, according to a subpoena made public on Twitter late Wednesday. The subpoena to Epik.com, a Seattle firm and Gab.com's new web hosting and domain registration provider, demands documents describing Epik's relationship with the social-media site. It also seeks any complaints Epik has received about Gab. The subpoena indicates that it is part of "an ongoing civil investigation," and is signed by Timothy R. Murphy, a deputy attorney general. It does not mention Bowers. "The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General has issued a subpoena," office spokesperson Joe Grace confirmed in an email. "We cannot comment further on an ongoing investigation." Bowers, 46, of the Pittsburgh suburb of Baldwin, is charged with 44 federal counts in the attack, which authorities have designated a hate crime, as well as 36 counts in the state court system, including 11 homicides and ethnic intimidation, stemming from the Oct. 27 massacre. During October, according to archives posts on Gab, someone who appears to be Bowers was posting and reposting anti-Semitic and anti-immigrant messages. Little more than a week before the massacre, he began posting on the "mass migration" of immigrants and refugees. At around the same time, he zoomed in on HIAS, formerly the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, which helps refugees of all faiths to settle in the United States, after they are vetted and approved by federal authorities. HIAS's local partners include one of the Tree of Life congregations. Referring to HIAS, he posted: "You like to bring in hostile invaders to dwell among us?" And finally, just before the attack, he posted: "HIAS likes to bring invaders in that kill our people. I can't sit by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics. I'm going in." Gab was launched in August 2016 by Andrew Torba and Ekrem Buyukkaya, a resident of Turkey, in response to what they called Twitter's policy of "banning outspoken conservatives" or "compromising" their communications. "Gab very, very quickly became a haven for far-right extremism, white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and so forth," said Peter Simi, an associate professor of sociology at Chapman University in Orange, Calif., and author of the forthcoming book American Swastika: Inside the White Power Movement's Hidden Spaces of Hate. Gab was largely offline during the week immediately after the shooting, when several vendors stopped doing business with it. It came back online on Nov. 4, when Seattle-based Epik.com agreed to host it. In a release explaining Epik's decision to back Gab, Epik's chief executive wrote that Gab has "a duty to monitor and lightly curate, keeping content within the bounds of the law." Torba, Gab's CEO, meanwhile, has been posting messages of tolerance and the hashtag #NoMoreHateOnGab writing that "it's absolutely imperative that we have diversity and love on our platform." The Archdiocese of Philadelphia is launching a sexual abuse victims compensation fund that will be administered by Kenneth Feinberg and his firm. Shown is the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Center City. Read more Amid a renewed furor over the Catholic Church's handling of clergy sex abuse, several of Pennsylvania's Catholic dioceses, including Philadelphia, announced plans Thursday to launch programs to financially compensate victims whose claims are too old to be taken to court. Though many details on the so-called reconciliation and reparation funds remained hazy including just how much money is up for grabs statewide and where it would come from victims and their advocates warily welcomed the idea. Some whose claims have long been barred from courtrooms by civil statutes of limitations found hope in the prospect of finally receiving compensation for abuse they endured decades ago. Others viewed the bishops' motives more cynically, describing the move as an effort to deflate ongoing debate in Harrisburg over opening a temporary window for older abuse victims to sue a move that has inflicted a torrent of lawsuits on dioceses in other states and even driven some into bankruptcy. "If I do something wrong, I don't make my own punishment up," said Martha McHale, a clergy sex-abuse victim from Reading, adding: "Neither should they." Still, Archbishop Charles J. Chaput described the church's financial commitment in his city as "significant." "Money can't buy back a wounded person's wholeness," Chaput said in a statement. "But what compensation can do is acknowledge the evil done and meaningfully assist survivors as they work to find greater peace in their lives." Church officials in Pittsburgh, Allentown, Harrisburg, Greensburg, and Scranton also unveiled similar funds Thursday. A spokesperson for the Diocese of Erie said Bishop Lawrence Persico planned to open a compensation program there, too, though the details were not ready for public disclosure. (The Altoona-Johnstown Diocese did not announce any plans for such a fund and instead issued a news release touting money they had already spent on things like therapy for sex-abuse victims over the last two decades.) "The survivors' compensation program we are working to establish will be designed to create the best opportunity for recovery and healing to survivors," Bishop David Zubik, of Pittsburgh, said. "They continue to suffer as a result of their abuse and this program will help to provide for their ongoing needs." >>> READ MORE: Failure at the top: America's Catholic bishops vowed to remove abusive priests; they failed to police themselves In launching the new funds, Pennsylvania's bishops appear to have modeled their efforts on similar funds in five New York dioceses that have paid out more than $200 million over the last two years to more than 1,000 victims with an average payout of $200,000. As in New York, many of the Pennsylvania dioceses tapped renowned mediator Kenneth R. Feinberg, who served as special master for the 9/11 victims' compensation fund and who oversaw Pennsylvania State University's efforts to settle with victims of former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky. Feinberg and his business manager, Camille S. Biros, will review claims and independently decide how much money the victims should receive, they said Wednesday. In Philadelphia, their work will be overseen by an independent committee whose members include former U.S. Senate Majority Leader George J. Mitchell; Kelley Hodge, former Philadelphia district attorney; and Lawrence F. Stengel, former chief judge for the U.S. Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. "The dioceses cannot appeal or challenge our rulings on eligibility or amounts of compensation," Feinberg said. The announcements came just five days before the nation's Catholic bishops are set to convene in Baltimore after a fraught year that once again has plunged the U.S. hierarchy into a crisis over their handling of sex-abuse cases in the church. The last four months alone have seen the toppling of top church leaders like Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington and his successor, Donald Wuerl, as well as a scathing grand jury report in Pennsylvania that accused bishops in six of the state's eight dioceses of participating in decades of cover-up and inaction. That August report fueled new momentum behind a hotly debated measure that the church has been fighting for years: a bill that would create a two-year reprieve in the civil statute of limitations so that older victims can sue for decades-old abuse. Despite a House vote endorsing such a plan, state senators left the Capitol last month without a final vote on the legislation. Still, advocates including state Attorney General Josh Shapiro have vowed to continue their push. Many viewed the announcement of church-backed compensation funds Thursday as a way to preemptively stanch debate before lawmakers reconvene early next year. Victims who accept payments from the funds will have to give up their right to sue if the state legislature temporarily lifts the statute of limitations. "It's a brilliant political move by the bishops," said Benjamin D. Andreozzi, a lawyer who represents several Pennsylvania clergy sex-abuse victims and who dealt with similar funds on behalf of clients in New York. "This is exactly what happened in New York. The dioceses there probably resolved 90 percent of their outstanding civil claims for pennies on the dollar." Marci Hamilton, a lawyer and sex-abuse victim advocate, said that while the funds have helped some of the victims who don't relish the prospect of drawn-out court battles with no certain outcome, they also do a disservice to the wider public since church records detailing cover-ups by the hierarchy that have regularly emerged in sex-abuse litigation over the last two decades would not have to be shared with victims in cases settled by the funds. "They are good for a certain class of survivors," she said. "But many victims need their day in court. The best possible world is that the victims get to choose." Feinberg, though, described the victim compensation funds as more cost-effective and quicker to generate results for victims than protracted litigation. For example, it took more than three years to reach a settlement in the 2015 Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis bankruptcy. By contrast, the Archdiocese of New York announced its compensation fund in October 2016 and distributed $40 million to 189 victims over the next year in the program's first phase, which was for victims who had already reported their abuse to the church. A second phase was for victims who came forward after the program was started. It's not clear if Philadelphia or the other participating dioceses will have two phases or how long the window to file claims will be open. "We are still working out the final details," Biros said. In Philadelphia, Biros said that awards from its new "Independent Reconciliation and Reparations Program" will depend on the age of the child, the nature of the abuse and how long it went on, whether it was a recidivist priest, and other factors. And while a spokesperson would not estimate the number of claims the archdiocese expects to receive, the program will launch with an unspecified amount of cash on hand that will have to be supplemented by borrowing and the sale of archdiocesan properties. It remained unclear Thursday whether the archdiocese's insurers would contribute to the cost of the fund's payouts. "The compensation program requires substantial fiscal commitment over time," Chaput said in his statement Thursday. "It will impact the church and her ministries in a serious way, but this will not deter the archdiocese or the program from proceeding." Staff writer Harold Brubaker contributed to this article. The Philadelphia Contemporary was responsible for the lighted see-saws installed at the Cherry Street Pier for its opening. Now the arts organization wants to build its own museum in West Philadelphia in partnership with Drexel University. Read more The Philadelphia Contemporary may be the most successful museum you've never visited. Last spring, it drew crowds to the mansion on Lemon Hill with Jane Irish's history-subverting Antipodes. Some 5,000 people a day lined up last month to take turns on the lighted seesaw sculptures that the Contemporary installed for the opening of the Cherry Street Pier. The arts organization boasts a spoken-word curator on its staff. Philadelphia Contemporary has managed to maintain that rich program of exhibits and performances despite having no physical museum and no address. Since its founding in 2016, director Harry Philbrick has run the operation out of cafes, changing locations to fit his meeting schedule and mood. At a time when the range of what constitutes fine art is in constant flux, there's nothing unusual about a museum without walls. The approach stems from the belief that art can happen anywhere, boundaries are arbitrary, and culture should be accessible to all. The Contemporary earned its stripes by collaborating with other arts groups and organizing community-based pop-ups. But the wandering life can get tiresome. Last week the Philadelphia Contemporary announced what many had long expected: It plans to finally settle down in a new building in West Philadelphia. The bigger news was that it has named an architect to design the space. And not just any architect. After a rigorous jury process, the Contemporary selected Johnston Marklee of Los Angeles, a boutique firm that is winning rave reviews for Houston's new Menil Drawing Center, the very embodiment of a traditional, bespoke museum. There is just one hitch: The Contemporary does not have a site for the project, or the money to start construction. All that will come soon, Philbrick assured me. While he wouldn't disclose the details, it's an open secret among Philadelphia's chatty art community that Drexel University is partnering with the Contemporary's new museum and that the building will be located in nearby Mantua or Powelton, if not on the university campus itself. Several moneyed backers and foundations are supporting the project, including Michael C. Foreman, who is chairman of FS Investments and a Drexel board member. Given all that, it's highly probable that Philadelphia could soon see new art museum. A new venue, designed by a boundary-pushing architecture firm, would be a thrilling addition to Philadelphia. But the project has some local arts administrators scratching their heads. Does Philadelphia really need another building for contemporary art? Depending on your definition of contemporary art, at least five groups currently maintain a physical presence in the city, including Penn's Institute of Contemporary Art, a mere two blocks from Drexel's campus. The Fabric Workshop, Fringe Arts and Vox Populi all have their own spaces, while Temple Contemporary is housed inside the Tyler School of Art. In recent years, both the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts have embraced edgy, socially conscious art and programming to attract a younger audience and serve the African American, Latino, Asian and queer communities. A few arts organizations have been moving in the opposite direction, toward decentralization and collaboration, by divesting themselves of their real estate. The Painted Bride, whose programming often veers into contemporary art territory, has put its mosaic-covered arts center in Old City up for sale. Ironically, the Bride's new strategy sounds a lot like what the Philadelphia Contemporary does now, organizing art events and collaborating with other venues. The Bride's decision has been met with extreme resistance, in part because of its storied past and its role as a community anchor. Because so much of contemporary art is conceptual and transient, property ownership can be a burden that distracts arts groups from their main mission. "If I could give up my space, I would," one arts administrator confided in an interview. "You're always feeding the monster." Costs can eat into the budget for art projects. "Do you put $50 million into bricks and mortar or innovative programming?" another administrator wondered. But Philbrick, who spent five years running PAFA's museum, is convinced the advantages of a physical presence outweigh the downsides. "There's still a gap in the cultural ecosystem here," he argues. While the ICA has 10,000 square feet of gallery space at 36th and Sansom, its mind-set "is rooted in Penn's academic world," Philbrick said. By being embedded in a West Philadelphia neighborhood, he said, the Contemporary will have the opportunity to collaborate with local residents to create new art. "We want to make our building truly inviting and accessible." The plan calls for a street-facing cafe or restaurant, as well as a performance space that residents could use. Interestingly, the ICA's director, Amy Sadao, said she welcomes the Contemporary as a neighbor. "If you create the right relationships," a new arts venue "just increases capacity for everyone," she said. "I don't believe in the pie as a model." While some arts administrators see fixed space as an albatross, others in Philadelphia have long dreamed of a museum focused solely on exhibiting large-scale contemporary sculpture, video, and painting. The former PECO generating station at Penn Treaty Park and the District Health Center at Broad and Pine have both been suggested as possible locations. The Contemporary chose West Philadelphia, Philbrick said, because it wants to attract people who would never think of climbing the Art Museum's grand steps. Simply by the nature of a West Philadelphia location and the realities of fund-raising in Philadelphia, the museum's design will almost certainly have to lean toward the rough, rather than the polished. Philbrick wants the building to be able to take a beating. Johnston Marklee has worked mainly on more high-end projects. The firm, which is run by the husband-and-wife team of Sharon Johnston and Mark Lee, started out designing elegant homes for well-heeled artists before winning institutional commissions. But it recently took on more low-budget projects at UCLA and the University of Chicago. Philadelphia's MGA Partners, which is also known for its fine work, will serve as Johnston Marklee's local partner. "This is going to be a lot different than working in L.A.," Johnston told me. "We envision a building that is more participatory, where artists might be making things." That doesn't mean that the Contemporary won't be involved in presenting more traditional painting and sculpture exhibits. The new museum will include a 2,500-square-foot, climate-controlled gallery space, as well as multipurpose rooms that can accommodate a Richard Serra-size sculpture or a dance performance with equal ease. Altogether the plan calls for 14,500 square feet of gallery space in a 45,000-square-foot building. The climate-controlled space would be half the size of the Barnes Foundation's special exhibition gallery. But with all that, Philbrick insists, there will still be no private offices. Bucks County Democrat Tina Davis stands with former U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy in a Levittown restaurant, telling supporters that her bid for Republican incumbent Tommy Tomlinson's Pa. Senate seat was too close to call on Wednesday morning, Nov. 7, 2018. Read more It was around 11:45 on election night when perhaps the most dramatic moment of the midterms in Pennsylvania went down in a Levittown strip mall. A Democrat named Tina Davis was holed up inside a fluorescent-lit campaign office as her nightlong lead over a 28-year veteran Republican state lawmaker vanished. This happened at the same time that, a mile up the road at a Sheraton hotel, fellow Democrat Scott Wallace was conceding defeat to Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick. A $28 million race for a single congressional seat ended in defeat for Democrats in Bucks County. And Davis' bid to win a state Senate seat from an entrenched Republican entered electoral limbo. The midterms played out like trench warfare between Republicans and Democrats in Bucks County, an outlier among the blue Philly metro area, where getting an inch is not gotten very easily. While liberals elsewhere were rejoicing over victories Wednesday morning, Bucks was just wiping the sweat off from a tug-of-war between voters from both parties. Turnout was high across the board. Republicans more easily backed Democrats Gov. Wolf and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, but clung to their GOP congressman and were picky about splitting their ticket further down the ballot. "These are tough, tough fights," Fitzpatrick told jubilant supporters even as Republicans nationally lost control of the House. "These elections in these districts are tough." I wasn't with Fitzpatrick or with Wallace on Tuesday night. But I had given it a shot. I had swung through Wallace's election party, only to be immediately unimpressed. The energy level among the crowd was low for a guy running as a Democrat in these red-meat midterms. It was almost as though Wallace were an out-of-state candidate who had simply dropped a bag of money onto Bucks and hoped it would make him a Lipton-Cup-O-Soup Democratic victor. Oh. Wait. Scratch "almost as though" from that last sentence. It was an odd scene given that, for several hours Tuesday afternoon, I had followed down-ballot Democrat Davis as she checked in on eight polling places in Bristol, Bensalem, Trevose, and Middletown Township. These are places where Democrats vote Republican unless they really like the message or the person. Turnout was high even in wards that contained about even numbers of registered Republicans and Democrats. At one, turnout was nearly 70 percent well beyond numbers they'd seen during the Trump-Clinton presidential contest in 2016. There were hardly any Wallace signs anywhere on the streets. There were no poll workers for him at voting sites. His campaign didn't think either was a priority, I later found out. This reminded me of the wet-blanket Hillary Clinton vibe I felt in 2016 during a roll through Easton. So at 10:30 p.m., seeing that the vote count in Davis' race was tightening, I bailed on Wallace. Down the road I went, to a plate-glass storefront wallpapered in campaign signs. Inside, I saw Davis and her people huddled as voting returns came in. Davis has survived eight years in the overwhelmingly Republican and male-dominated state House of Representatives. She co-founded Emerge Pennsylvania, a group that in recent months has trained many of the newcomer women candidates who, angered by Trump's presidency, ran for or won state elected office posts just this week. And yet, when she decided to run for Republican Sen. Tommy Tomlinson's seat, she couldn't get support from certain out-of-state groups looking to spend in Pennsylvania. They didn't want to back a woman in her 50s, only women 40 and under the kind of women Davis had been working to recruit into the political system through Emerge. "I'm friends with all these girls," Davis had told me earlier in the day, betraying no bitterness if she harbored any. Davis won her House seat on Tuesday night. But by midnight her campaign against Tomlinson seemed to fall short. "It is razor thin," Patrick Murphy, a Democrat who once held the Fitzpatrick congressional seat, announced as he and Davis met supporters inside an Italian restaurant near her office. "It is too close to call." Davis was down 100 votes. 54,319 for Tommy; 54,219 for Tina. "This is the hardest thing I've ever done in my life," Davis told the group, "besides having kids." Everyone laughed. Then, Davis cried. Tomlinson, whom I recently urged voters to reject on the basis that his Republican leaders in Harrisburg had voted against victims of clergy sexual abuse, declared victory on Facebook Wednesday. Not so fast, Tommy. The Davis campaign is lawyering up and will be at the board of elections on Friday when the county certifies the vote results. Then again next week, when county officials tackle provisional, military, and overseas ballots. Things will be complicated. In other words, things will be classic Bucks. Susan Russell, the new ACCT Philly executive director, bonds with Bobby at the animal shelter in Feltonville last week. Read more Susan Russell has a ready laugh, calm confidence, and a light accent of her native Canada. (Her father was a Mountie.) She's been a U.S. citizen for about a decade, and just moved to Philly from Chicago to become executive director of the Animal Care and Control Team, the city's animal shelter, known as ACCT Philly. After her first week on the job, we spoke at the shelter at 111 W. Hunting Park Ave. Her laudable goal is to drive the Philadelphia shelter to "no kill" status, "which I know is important to the city," she said. "No kill" means that every healthy, adoptable animal gets a home. She arrived in Philly where she said she's planning to run up the "Rocky steps" amid some controversy: Her predecessor, the authoritarian Vincent Medley, was quietly ushered out in April after running the sometimes-troubled shelter for 2 years. Russell, a lawyer with marketing skills, was executive director of the Chicago animal shelter for a little more than two years until Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel fired her from the $130,000 post in July. She was accused of "warehousing" dogs in a way that made dangerous dogs more dangerous, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Russell denied it in a brief interview with the Chicago Tribune, which quoted some of her supporters in the animal welfare community. One supporter is longtime Chicago pet columnist and radio host Steve Dale, who reported on her discharge, saying politics was involved. "I've never seen such an outpouring of support," as she received, Dale told me. Philly knew of the Chicago controversy, said Deputy Managing Director Joanna Otero-Cruz, who chairs the ACCT Philly board. Russell was selected from about 40 candidates for the $125,000 job because she "understands the complexities of operating such a large organization," said Otero-Cruz. "Transparency is a core value," said Russell, but she is secretive about her personal life. She declined to give her age, discuss her marriage, or provide a detailed resume. "You have to remember, she was beat up by some of the media" in Chicago, Dale told me. Chicago's live-release rate was around 70 percent when Russell was hired and had zoomed to 90 percent by the time she was fired. The live-release rate is the percentage of animals that exit the shelter alive. I started writing about our animal shelter in 2004, when it was called PACCA the Philadelphia Animal Care and Control Association. The live-release rate then was around 20 percent and conditions were terrible. After I wrote a Daily News expose of PACCA on Oct. 28, 2004, headlined "The Cruel Cages," City Council held hearings, and PACCA was dismantled. The PSPCA took over the animal-care contract for a few years, then bowed out in 2012 when the independent ACCT Philly was created. ACCT Philly's live-release rate for dogs in September, the latest month available, was 83 percent. Russell's goal is to achieve and sustain a 90 percent live-release rate, which is considered "no kill," a long-held dream of local animal advocates. (A 100 percent rate is not possible. Some animals can't be saved due to bad temperament or illness.) One of my sources at ACCT told me Russell is a hit with the staff. "She walks dogs every day and helps volunteers with handing out treats and Kongs at the end of the day," he said. Other executive directors had not done that. One of Philly's challenges is a surplus of dogs that we call pit-bull mixes, which Russell calls "dogs of a certain look, beautiful medium- and large-size dogs with floppy heads and great smiles." They are wrongly stereotyped as dangerous and difficult to adopt out. Russell doesn't use the term pit bull, preferring to call them, with a wink, "purebred Philly" dogs. While the "no kill" goal is tantalizingly close, sometimes the last mile of a race can be the hardest. Is Russell worried? "I don't worry," she said. "I get up every day and I give the day all I have to give it, and at the end of the day I grab a leash and I go and talk to my therapy dog." Which would be "purebred Philly," of course. At least the timing is exquisite. Former President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, are coming to Philadelphia on Sunday night to receive the National Constitution Center's much-ballyhooed Liberty Medal, which is supposed to be earmarked for leaders "who have strived to secure the blessings of liberty to people around the globe." This Veterans Day also marks the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I the massive and utterly pointless global conflagration that killed tens of millions and alienated an entire generation for reasons that historians are still struggling to explain a century later. The immoral similarities between "The War to End All Wars" and George W. Bush's 2003 lie-and-propaganda-laden push to bring the "blessings of liberty" to Iraq at the tip of a Tomahawk missile are almost beyond parody. In announcing in July that the Bushes would be receiving the same Liberty Medal that's been draped around actual freedom fighters like Nelson Mandela, Malala Yousafzai, and Rep. John Lewis, the Constitution Center cited the couple's work with returning soldiers through George W. Bush's Military Service Initiative, which helps them cope with "the invisible wounds" of a disastrous war of choice that was launched by the 43rd president; his No. 2, Dick Cheney; and their posse. Helping our veterans is a very good thing, and, yeah, it's a better way for the ex-president to spend his retirement years than devoting every waking moment to lucrative speeches on the hedge-fund-billionaire rubber-chicken circuit. But let's be honest: W.'s post-presidential good deeds are a kind of a mandatory community-service sentence after an administration that was essentially a criminal enterprise that caused America's standing in the world to plummet (not for the last time, unfortunately). It's a pretty safe bet that no one on the Constitution Center's panel that selected the Bushes for the now-tarnished Liberty Medal consulted with the Iraq-born novelist Sinan Antoon, who wrote in the New York Times in March that "Fifteen Years Ago, America Destroyed My Country" and noted that estimates of as many as one million dead mean the war "is often spoken of in the United States as a 'blunder,' or even a 'colossal mistake,' " but, he writes, "It was a crime." Nor did the panel likely investigate the "blessings" that America under Bush's leadership bestowed upon Lakhdar Boumediene, a Bosnian national scooped up in 2001 by U.S. intelligence on baseless allegations and flown to the U.S. prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, where during nine years of imprisonment he said he was kept awake for days at a time, forced into uncomfortably painful positions, and brutally force-fed during a hunger strike. "These are things I do not want to write about," he wrote. "I want only to forget." Apparently America only wants to forget the Bush years as well. (The Iraqi Antoon complained of our "mostly amnesiac citizenry" after watching Bush do a happy dance with liberal TV host Ellen DeGeneres.) The very different kind of awfulness of Donald Trump's presidency and the arrival of a new generation of voters make it important now to do something that wouldn't have been necessary just a decade ago to remind everybody how the George W. Bush presidency wasn't just flawed but a moral low point in American history. Leading a nation whose citizens felt a mix of unbridled patriotism and raw fear after 9/11, Bush, Cheney, and their crowd abused those sentiments to gin up fervor for a war against a country that had zero connection to the 2001 attacks. Not unlike World War I, Americans have never been given an understandable rationale for a war that had something to do with Machiavellian machinations in a region rich with oil an abstract exercise of American power that killed more then 4,000 very real Americans on top of those hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, many of them innocent women and children. We do know this: To make their splendid little war happen, Bush and his minions lied again and again about "ticking time bombs" that had been unplugged years earlier, about weapons of mass destruction that did not exist, and about ties between Iraq's Saddam Hussein and Al-Qaeda that never were. The Iraq war has destabilized the Middle East to this day and paved the way for the rise of a new anti-American group called ISIS that remains a murderous scourge. And it made the world safe for oil, right at the moment when the planet's survival depends on moving away from fossil fuels. The Iraq war alone should be disqualifying, but there's so much more to this sordid story. Team Bush also manipulated the post-9/11 mood to bring back waterboarding and other forms of torture that are clearly illegal, thanks to a 1988 treaty enacted and praised by conservative icon Ronald Reagan. Detainees who were mostly innocent rounded up by bounty hunters seeking easy cash were both abused and held for years without charges at the Guantanamo prison camp, in a stunning betrayal of American values, while others were whisked to CIA black sites around the world or tortured at notorious prisons like Afghanistan's Bagram or Iraq's Abu Ghraib. The Bush administration also shredded the Fourth Amendment with its large-scale illegal wiretapping and surveillance of everyday Americans which makes Sunday's celebration of all things Bush by a center that honors the U.S. Constitution all the more bizarre. Of course, some of Bush's unpopularity when he left the White House in January 2009 was the result of things the inadequate response to Hurricane Katrina, the 2008 economic collapse that merely made W. a very bad president. But what happened in Iraq, Guantanamo, and Abu Ghraib made him a very bad person. The sad truth is that George W., Laura, their kids, and the next 20 generations of Bushes can (and should) help veterans find jobs or cope with post-traumatic stress disorder, but it won't bring back the dead from Mosul or the hollers of West Virginia, nor can it expunge the crimes that were committed during those years. Writing Bush's name alongside the Dalai Lama, Lech Walesa, and Thurgood Marshall on the roll of Liberty Medal winners is an embarrassment to Philadelphia. And the National Constitution Center which told me that its head, Jeffrey Rosen, was too busy traveling for an interview and steered me to its materials touting the Bushes' award should be ashamed. But the Constitution Center's action is merely the exclamation point on this much broader amnesia, a dangerous blind spot in the American soul. What are we to make at the explosion of nostalgia for the once deeply unpopular 43rd president at a time when a majority of Americans are so disgusted by the antics of the 45th president? Donald Trump's narcissistic embrace of racism, crudeness, and blatant lying is too easy to brand as un-American and "not who we are." But George W. Bush's militarism, empire-building, and hypocrisy in pursuit of those goals was maybe a little too American an inevitable tragedy in a country that is not very exceptional, with dark places we'd rather not confront in the mirror. The reason you see Democrats like former vice president and 2020 White House aspirant Joe Biden who'll be handing the Bushes their medals on Sunday aiding in the restoration of W.'s reputation is because too many of us so desperately cling to notions that American Exceptionalism makes it impossible to have a criminally bad president and that a few acts of elite humanitarianism can bring redemption for a "colossal mistake" that was actually a war crime. Until Donald Trump took a sledgehammer to our state of denial. What we need to understand is that America's failure in not confronting the massive sins of the Bush years powerful proof that there is zero accountability for elites in this country is exactly what created the climate for Trump's warped presidency. A medal for George W. Bush means that nothing matters anymore and that's a recipe for American autocracy. That a place calling itself the National Constitution Center rewards and enables all of this is infuriating. Company Announcement ISS A/S (ISS.CO, ISS DC, ISSDY), a leading global provider of facility services, has scheduled the release of its financial results and its Annual General Meeting on the following dates in 2019: 22 February 2019 Annual Report 2018 10 April 2019 Annual General Meeting 8 May 2019 Interim Report for Q1 2019 15 August 2019 Interim Report for Q2 2019 7 November 2019 Interim Report for Q3 2019 Any shareholder who has a proposal concerning specific business to be transacted at the Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 10 April 2019 must submit such proposal(s) to the Board of Directors secretariat so that these are received no later than Tuesday 26 February 2018. Proposals must be sent by letter to ISS A/S, Board of Directors secretariat, att.: Corporate Secretary Tamilla Vahman, Buddingevej 197, DK-2860 Sborg, Denmark, or by email to legal@group.issworld.com . For investor enquiries Martin Kjr Hansen, Head of Group Investor Relations, +45 3817 6431 Louisa Grue Baruch, Senior Investor Relations Manager, +45 3817 6338 For media enquiries Rajiv Arvind, Senior Communications Manager, +45 38 17 62 11 About ISS The ISS Group was founded in Copenhagen in 1901 and has grown to become one of the world's leading Facility Services companies. ISS offers a wide range of services such as: Cleaning, Catering, Security, property and Support Services as well as Facility Management. Global revenue amounted to DKK 80 billion in 2017 and ISS has more than 482,000 employees and activities in more than 70 countries across Europe, Asia, North America, Latin America and Pacific, serving thousands of both public and private sector customers. For more information on the ISS Group, visit www.issworld.com. ISS A/S, ISIN DK0060542181, ISIN US4651472056 ISS Global A/S, ISIN XS1145526585, ISIN XS1330300341, ISIN XS1145526825 Attachment A Philadelphia Orchestra internal investigation into sexual misconduct claims against conductor Charles Dutoit during his time with the orchestra has found them to be credible, while an investigation commissioned by the Montreal Symphony Orchestra into allegations of sexual harassment by Dutoit during his time there as principal conductor has ended after being unable to confirm the claims. Dutoit, 82, was accused of various forms of sexual misconduct in Philadelphia and elsewhere in Associated Press articles last December and January. The Swiss-born conductor with deep Philadelphia ties responded at the time by saying that the allegations "have absolutely no basis in truth." After sexual misconduct complaints about Dutoit surfaced in Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Orchestra launched an investigation, and on Thursday an orchestra spokesperson said that "our internal investigation found reports to be credible." Asked to say how many claims there were and whether the findings resulted in any action from the orchestra, Ashley Berke said the orchestra would not be commenting further on the matter, but added: "As per our previous statements, the Philadelphia Orchestra Association does not tolerate harassment of any kind and is committed to providing a safe, supportive, and respectful work environment." Although Dutoit was never music director in Philadelphia, he had a long and fruitful relationship with the Philadelphia Orchestra, performing 650 concerts with the orchestra in the years following his 1980 debut. He was artistic director of the orchestra's season at the Mann Center each summer from 1990 to 1999. He held the same title for 21 years at the orchestra's annual residency in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. He assumed an interim leadership role from 2008 to 2012 as the orchestra's chief conductor before the beginning of Yannick Nezet-Seguin's tenure as music director. Dutoit on Thursday did not immediately respond to email requests for comment. The Montreal Symphony said that although the procedure it employed "was rigorous and conformed to best practices in cases of internal inquiries into sexual harassment, the process did not yield sufficient information in relation to allegations of sexual harassment," according to a statement first published on the blog Slipped Disc. "In light of the independent expert's work, the two plaintiffs did not wish to follow up on their grievances and did not consider it opportune to provide formal declarations with respect to these allegations. As a result, the process of inquiry concluded in mid-October." Relations between Dutoit and the Montreal Symphony soured in 2002 when he resigned his post there, although he returned in 2016 as a guest. Reached Thursday, following news of the Philadelphia Orchestra's finding, a spokesperson for the Montreal Symphony said that the orchestra "no longer has any professional or contractual relationship with Mr. Dutoit and harbours no plans whatsoever to invite him to conduct." The Philadelphia Orchestra in December severed its relationship with Dutoit and revoked his "conductor laureate" title. Dutoit was recently named principal guest conductor of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, effective this season. Lemon Hill, if it's known in Philadelphia, is not known as a symbol of imperial colonialism tinged with traces of racism and violence. Situated on the bluff overlooking the Schuylkill, Boathouse Row, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, it is perhaps most famous as the historic Fairmount Park mansion restored from dilapidation by legendary museum director Fiske Kimball, who lived in the house for nearly 30 years. Since Kimball exited the restored city-owned house in 1955, this architectural wonder has been managed by the Colonial Dames of America and is still seen as one of the finest examples of Federalist architecture to be found anywhere. It is a certified national and local landmark. For painter Jane Irish, Lemon Hill's beauty is undeniable. That's one of the reasons she agreed to mount a total-house installation there at the behest of Philadelphia Contemporary, an organization that collaborates on bringing visual and spoken art, and performances of different kinds to the city. Irish's Lemon Hill project, called Antipodes, can be viewed beginning Friday, with an official opening Sunday. It will run through June 3. At the same time, Locks Gallery on Washington Square has mounted a companion exhibition, Jane Irish: Architectures of Resistance, which runs through May 25. The project, in Philadelphia Contemporary's grand tradition, is in partnership with the city's Parks & Recreation Department, the Fairmount Park Conservancy, and the Friends of Lemon Hill. At Lemon Hill, upstairs, downstairs, and ceilings will be covered by Irish's loose and sumptuously painted, tapestry-like muslin canvases, explorations of seemingly endless colonial exploitation and imperial domination punctuated by the beauty of place and the beauty of things made and traded. At the crest of the house, where visitors ascend from what will be a dark, cave-like first floor, Irish offers a lemony hope, a kind of oracular Philadelphia epiphany that says: This can end. There is a future. There is a way out. "You walk from the colonialism of downstairs to upstairs," Irish said recently. "There's like the freedom of a new possible future." The upstairs walls, bright yellow, offer images of Philadelphia resistance, mostly focused on the protests of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War, which mounted a 1970 march from Morristown, N.J., to what was then Valley Forge State Park. At Valley Forge, the vets broke plastic M16s to pieces in a cathartic rejection of war and its instruments. Irish, 62, was not present at the Valley Forge encampment, but it has captured her imagination, serving as a synecdoche for resistance to the Vietnam War and other perceived wrongs and injustices down to the present day. When Irish started painting the muslin panels that will eventually cover the walls and ceilings of Lemon Hill, she was not that familiar with the particulars of the house's history. The land was owned by Robert Morris, mostly known as the financier of the American Revolution, a man not unknown to dabble in the slave trade. Alas, Morris fell into debt and merchant Henry Pratt bought 43 acres the Morris land and designed and built the graceful mansion, which has great oval rooms atop each other on the first and second floors. Pratt was involved in the China trade and may have been involved in a variation of the triangle trade that led to enslavement of Africans and their shipment to the West Indies. Irish says that Nato Thompson, who joined Philadelphia Contemporary late last fall as artistic director, pushed her to explore Lemon Hill in the work. "I was already into the project," Irish recalled. "I'd painted a lot of the overdoors and overmantels based on my ideas of trade and commerce and interiors and history and the Age of Exploration. [Thompson] came on and he challenged me about Lemon Hill. So I definitely got interested in Henry Pratt and the idea of the China trade and everything, and maybe human trade." Irish began to consider the fact that Pratt had built a "show place" overlooking the river, a place he never lived in but utilized to woo potential partners and customers. Lemon Hill was, she said, "a place where decisions were made possibly. How to participate globally. The piece became stronger because of that, I think." One other major element informed Irish's thinking about the project: Edgar Allan Poe's prose poem, Eureka, which fascinates her by offering up an American myth of creation. When she first read it, Irish thought, "Wow! This is it! This is the coolest thing because it's American. It's a whole new story. I realized he also lived here [in Philadelphia] for eight years." Poe's ideas and descriptions of the expanding and collapsing universe have shaped Irish's sense of worldly dialectics a world suggested by her bipolar ceramic sculptures, and, ultimately her creation of a grotto-like Lemon Hill first floor, a yellowy second floor, and a cathartic second-floor ceiling. "Jane being Jane, all sorts of connections began to arise in the work," said Philadelphia Contemporary's founding director Harry Philbrick. "The idea started with more formal and aesthetic considerations" but quickly moved into the political and historical, he added. As work progressed, both Irish and Philbrick realized Lemon Hill's stacked oval rooms were very much like the dualities expressed in her ceramic "antipodes" the sculptural objects that will be placed around the rooms. "These are almost like a guide into the big expanses," she said, hefting a large antipode with references to the Indian Ocean and trade painted into the glaze. "The concept is a new future. When you walk in, I wanted it to be more like the Renaissance, dark and like a grotto. And upstairs I wanted it to be like a freedom of a new future, which is kind of like Eureka ends. It's like this ecstatic vision of the future, which is crazy for Poe. "Hopefully, the audience will see these small [ceramic] pieces and realize the whole thing is like the cosmos you're in." Having seen two exhibitions of James Allen's collected photographs of lynchings both of them in New York, in 2000 I braced myself for "The Legacy of Lynching: Confronting Racial Terror in America," at Haverford College's Cantor Fitzgerald Gallery. The horrific images I saw 18 years ago are permanently seared into my mind. I was curious how this new exhibition of works by prominent contemporary artists would treat such an appallingly inhumane period in American history and its reverberations today. The first thing to know is that "The Legacy of Lynching," which originated at the Brooklyn Museum and which was coordinated in collaboration with the Equal Justice Initiative and supported by Google, contains no photographs of lynchings. It's disturbing in a more nuanced way. Video interviews with the descendants of those who were lynched expose the terror passed down over generations in black American families. The subjects describe the terrible details of their ancestors' murders as if they happened yesterday. The past is brought to life as well, in written materials dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, among them newspaper accounts of lynchings and letters and pamphlets protesting them. We're reminded that the "Great Migration" was as much a flight from lynch mobs and other open hostility as it was about economic opportunity. The contemporary artworks by Josh Begley, Alexandra Bell, Sonya Clark, Ken Gonzales-Day, Ayana V. Jackson, Titus Kaphar, Glenn Ligon, Lorna Simpson, and Hank Willis Thomas are haunting, too, though more oblique. Police brutality and the news media are front and center. Alexandra Bell takes the news media to task in her poster-scale photocopies of a New York Times article about the death of Michael Brown, an unarmed teenager killed by a police officer. Bell changed the headline from "A Teenager Who Was Grappling With Problems and Promise" to "A Teenager With Promise," and made redactions to the article's text to call out racial bias. Hank Willis Thomas' quilt Bars, presented on stretchers like a painting, is fashioned from decommissioned prison uniforms. The terror of the past is unexpectedly evoked by Ayana V. Jackson's staged photographs of herself, a black woman, in a tight-bodiced Victorian dress, blindfolded and striking theatrical poses of shock and alarm as though performing the commands of a 19th-century photographer. Through Dec. 16 at Cantor Fitzgerald Gallery, Haverford College, 370 Lancaster Ave., Haverford, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays (Wednesdays to 8 p.m.), noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. 610-896-1287 or haverford.edu/exhibits. Disquiet time Harrison Doyle is an artist and writer, and when he pairs his images with his words, the effect is sincere and endearing. Doyle's first one-person exhibition, at Works on Paper, showcases his paintings of disquieting Philadelphia scenes, rendered on found metal signs and covered with a sheet of inked and etched glass. His printed lithograph musings are mounted next to the works. In Photographs and Memories, a young man edges his way alongside a building at night like a cat burglar, perilously high up, judging from the street below him, which looks to me like Sansom or Juniper. Its accompanying words: "I'm sorry." My favorite, Nianque, also a nocturnal scene, shows a red fox seated on a stone wall. Behind it is a view of the Schuylkill, illuminated by street lights. Doyle writes: "We were blinded. We grappled our way up mountains and stumbled through valleys. Our eyes began to adjust. Sweet little heartbreaker, you were patiently waiting for us; encouraging us to continue forward." Through Nov. 15 at Works on Paper, 1611 Walnut St., 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. 215-988-9999 or worksonpaper.biz. Studies in geometry Tiger Strikes Asteroid's "Geometry" group show brings together works by Nancy Baker, Julia Bland, Lindsey Landfried, Kayla Mattes, Alex Paik, and Caroline Santa, all of whom follow their own personal, idiosyncratic paths to a geometric destination. The standouts here: Mattes' handwoven Fieldwork and Blender, Santa's gouache paintings, and Paik's delicate, sprawling cut-paper construction Partial Equilateral Triangle (Diamond). Through Dec. 8 at Tiger Strikes Asteroid, 1400 N. American St., noon to 4 p.m. Friday, 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday. 484-469-0319 or tigerstrikesasteroid.com. After five years on the air under its current branding, radio station 101.1 More FM has gone back to its former name, B101, but little else about the station will change, a spokesperson said. The station, WBEB, changed its name to More FM in Dec. 2013. The B101 name debuted in 1993. Prior to that, it was known as EAZY 101 and WDVR. Despite the change, a spokesperson said, the station will not change its on-air presentation, personality lineup, or content strategy. The rebranding was instead a "natural choice that honors the station as one of the most beloved and recognized in broadcast history." The station is regularly among the top-ranked stations in the Philadelphia market, Nielsen records indicate. The move comes following Entercom's purchase of B101 back in July, when former owner Jerry Lee Radio LLC sold the station for $57.5 million. As part of that deal, Entercom sold county-music station 92.5 WXTU to Beasley Media Group in a deal that was reportedly worth $38 million. The sale closed in late September, with former B101 general manager Blaise Howard returning to the station as general sales manager. "During its storied history, B101 was the most aggressively marketed radio station in the country," a statement from WBEB read. "Our plan is to continue investing in Philadelphia's most-listened-to radio station." As part of the rebranding, B101 has also debuted a new, redesigned logo that pays homage to the station's former bee-centric theme. It is not clear, however, if Buzzby, B101's former mascot, will also make a return. As Howard told the Daily News back in 2013, he actually retired down in Boca. "It'll be a hard sell to get him to come back to the Northeast in the middle of winter, but stay tuned," a spokesperson said. In The Miseducation of Cameron Post, a young lesbian is forced into gay conversion therapy, an experience that for her is mostly a question of endurance. She's not in doubt about her sexuality, she's not religious, and she bides her time until she can strike out on her own. Peripheral characters have different stories I was particularly struck by a young man raised in a religious home who felt same-sex attraction, regarded it as sinful, wanted the "therapy" to work, and who was consequently in a heartrending war with himself. I remember thinking that I'd like to see an entire movie about that character, and now here it is: Boy Erased, based on the memoir (the names have been changed) of Jared (Lucas Hedges), who was raised in Arkansas by an evangelical pastor father, Marshall (Russell Crowe), and devout mother, Nancy (Nicole Kidman). Jared knows he's attracted to men, and knows that this is unacceptable to the parents he has been raised to honor, to the faith in which they've raised him. Naturally he's a jumble of conflicting impulses and feelings, framed by writer-director Joel Edgerton with a time-fractured narrative that shows Jared in high school, in college, and during his stint in a religious-based conversion-therapy camp. The structure is lucid and effective. It's puts us in Jared's conflicted state of mind, so we feel how desperately he wants to be "normal," to live a devout life, to be attracted to the young woman who's attracted to him, to be the man his father so clearly wants him to be. Hedges is an efficient, expressive actor, and has the knack for conveying complex information with a look or a gesture, as he does here, suggesting the turmoil within his character on the night when his parents assign him to undergo therapy. We see his desire for some sort of resolution to his predicament, and also his understandable fear of what might be in store. The experience is indeed clarifying, if not in the way his parents had hoped. Jared quickly sees that the therapists are of dubious training and suspect qualifications (the process is banned in 14 states), and also that gay Christian teens like himself are a profit center. Counselors invariably suggest more extensive and more expensive treatment. Jared's Christian upbringing echoes through the story in unexpected ways. When a counselor (Edgerton) tells Jared that he must be honest because God knows what is in his heart, we see how profoundly ironic this statement must sound to a gay man raised as a person of faith (this circles back to Jared's opening observation that in a way, he thanks God for sending him to conversion therapy). Certainly the line resonates with Jared, who by now has concluded that the enterprise is immoral, and futile. And cruel physical abuse is added to the list of the routine psychological hazing that occurs. Counselors insist not only that same-sex attraction is a choice, they insist that it arises from deep-seated psychological wounds rooted in family dysfunction. In a striking scene, Jared is pushed to facilitate a "cure" by denouncing his own father. He refuses to relinquish love for the man who does not return that love unreservedly, a man who might also recognize the foundation underneath this act of moral courage, since he helped put it there. MOVIES Boy Erased The Outlaw King picks up Scotland where Braveheart left off, and though we get more history, it arrives without the same visceral impact. Apologies to William Wallace, last seen meeting an unpleasant fate at the end of Mel Gibson's rousing and Oscar-winning account of the Scots rebellion captured by the English, and drawn and quartered. One of his appendages makes a brief appearance at the outset of The Outlaw King (in theaters and streaming on Netflix on Friday), paraded through the streets of a village as English soldiers do a kind of 13th-century end-zone dance. A bitter mob of Scots riot in protest. Among them Robert the Bruce (Chris Pine), a Wallace sympathizer and potential heir to Scotland's unoccupied throne, who has made a reluctant peace with Britain's King Edward I (Stephan Dillane), but who is moved by this display of brutality to reconsider his pledge of obedience. What follows is his attempt to muster various Scots clan leaders, dispirited by years of war and long-standing mistrust of each other, into a cohesive force capable of driving the English out of Scotland. Director David MacKenzie's movie (he paired with Pine on Hell Or High Water) is short on the politics of coalition building and long on action, and while that's a good cinematic strategy, his efforts here are undercut by the strange kind of torpor evident in the performance of Pine, a good actor who is strangely subdued in this picture. He looks a bit lost under his gnarly beard all hair and eyes, like a circa-1300 version of Gritty and certainly does not register strongly as an individual capable lighting a fire of rebellion in his countrymen. Certainly he's a less galvanizing figure than Wallace, presented by Gibson in Braveheart as a starkly defined righteous avenger, righter of wrongs, defender of the oppressed. History paints Robert the Bruce as a more enigmatic figure. There was the time, for instance, that he killed John Comyn, his unarmed rival, for power by stabbing him in a church under the pretense of parlay (accounts vary, but this is the version of history presented in Outlaw King). Robert also blunders on the battlefield. He gets ambushed by the English on the eve of the Battle of Methven, and is almost literally caught with his pants down at the moment of the surprise attack, he's finally getting somewhere with his wife Elizabeth de Burgh (Florence Pugh), a sort of peace offering given to him earlier by King Edward. Robert is lustily preoccupied when the British pounce, and though this would seem to violate a time-honored adage of combat no Saxon before a fight Elizabeth was actually Irish, and the daughter of the Earl of Ulster. Robert's relationship with Elizabeth is actually one of the film's better features it is here that Pine's low-key charisma is put to its best use, and his chemistry with Pugh is useful in establishing the emotional foundation of their resilient marriage, which held together during the times of defeat, separation, and victory. The movie is unsuccessful at locating similar energy and chemistry in the relationships between Robert and his allies and rivals, which are complex in the movie's pared-down version of history. All is sorted out at the Battle of Loudoun Hill, where the Scots defeat their enemies by luring the English into a bog that hobbles their cavalry. Graphic slaughter ensues. The centerpiece of this sequence is Scots warrior James Douglas (Aaron Taylor Johnson), author of many fatal swipes of the sword. Screaming maniacally and covered in blood, he gives the movie its defining image. Pine, up to his chain mail in mud, just looks tired. MOVIES The Outlaw King Journalist Marie Colvin was killed in what can best be called the line of duty in Syria in 2012, minutes after informing the world that the Syrian government, contrary to its claims, was killing its own people, and not terrorists. A Private War, the story of Colvin's career and her calling, starts on the eve of her death, then backtracks, presenting a collage assembled from pieces of her adult life, designed to give us a vivid notion her hectic, peripatetic existence traveling to Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, seeking and finding the most untenable pockets within the world's most dangerous places. As we see, Colvin (Rosamund Pike) is embedded in Sri Lanka when she's wounded, causing her to lose an eye she hence wore an eye patch that served as a kind of calling card, announcing where she'd been and where she was willing to go. The injury is a serious handicap for a Colvin, who needed to move in physical space like an athlete, but it in no way diminished her desire to continue her job. Desire, or compulsion? The film wonders. Pike smokes a cigarette in just about every scene, which we take as a symbol of a fatal addiction (tobacco is the only commodity exists in places where there is no food or water). The danger and its consequences are clear Colvin is a regular eyewitness to grisly death, and lives with intrusive memory of those horrors. Director Matthew Heineman (Cartel Land) mingles these flashbacks with his chopped up but never incoherent narrative. Colvin is ultimately treated for PTSD when her former soldier photographer (Jamie Dornan) diagnoses the condition, and encourages her to seek help. It's treatment happily paid for by her employer, the Times of London. There, concerned colleagues discourage her from returning to war zones, even as they realize she is not to be persuaded. Pike captures Colvin's complexity she takes deadly risks but does not have a death wish, she tells story not because it is noble but because it is necessary. And she perseveres because she's better and braver than the average reporter, and so she gets things that others don't. Pike plays Colvin as selfless, but also a woman who would have pitched a drink in your face for calling her that. The movie takes Colvin's cue. At no point is her personal drama bigger than the suffering of the people on whom she is reporting, and the concluding events in Syria are particularly well-handled and tactful. Yet we are also watching a portrait of a person, and it is here that the feels weaker. Important relations with husbands and lovers (Greg Wise, Stanley Tucci) and friends (Nikki Amuka-Bird) don't stay on screen long enough to have any emotional substance (it's telling that a scene of Colvin interviewing Muammar Gaddafi, lasting just a minute, registers as the movie's most intimate). Also there are perhaps too few moments when we get glimpses of the mordant humor and bone deep toughness that made Colvin such a dynamic figure to those who knew her, fell for her, worked with her, respected her. Still, Heineman chooses to end the movie in a way that reflects Colvin's priorities among victims of war who are abandoned, but thanks to her work, not ignored. MOVIES A Private War This Weeks Contributing Schools: Wissahickon Awbury Our three students at Wissahickon Awbury were very excited to make the Week 5 meal. They are all fans of tacos, and with so much to prepare, volunteer Janie Glatt was rotating slicing, dicing, cutting, and squeezing duties non-stop. Kendall Jones, Saige Frazier, and Egypt Scott are very helpful to each other. They make sure each step gets finished so we can stay in the right time frame and keep moving. And, although cleaning up is not their favorite part of the cooking experience, they willingly do it so they are ready for their next assignment. Egypt Scott wanted to slice the onion, and when she was almost finished, exclaimed that she didn't cry. Progress! Each student took a turn at squishing the marinade and steak mixture, sauteing the vegetables, and getting the toppings into bowls and onto our table. Responses were mixed. Kendall Jones didn't like it all that much but really liked making the sour cream from Greek Yogurt and lime juice. Saige Frazier thought it was good enough to make for Week 8, and Egypt Scott liked it the most, giving it an "infinity out of 10" rating. All three agreed if they made it again they would add more seasoning, like Mrs. Dash's, taco sauce, or dill. Janie Glatt, Mary Beth Von Triestem Back to Top Loesche School Halloween did not stop our future chefs this week. We had all six students show up as well as Barbara Krumbhaar, our sub for Jane Pupis. Hopefully the excitement is for the Lime-marinated Steak Tacos. Madina Azamjon and Marjona Asrova never tasted tacos before. Juan Rivera wasn't so crazy about beef. Dominic Bondarenko doesn't like green peppers. Fred Moore was very hungry and wanted to get started. We reviewed the marinade and watched as Mrs. Munafo cut up the long hot green pepper, very carefully. Before some of the students had experienced getting onion juice on their hands and then touching their eyes. Everybody began chopping and dicing the ingredients for the marinade. Fred and Dominic did a great job slicing the steak into strips. "I only like the red peppers," said Dominic. "Me too," cried Mrs. Munafo, "and that's why I brought this (holding a red pepper). With six people, we quickly cut up all of the veggies and Nigina and Juan went to the stove with Miss Barbara to saute them. Madina enjoyed crumbling the queso fresco cheese and everyone got a taste. "It's tasty," said Marjona. Our avocado was still not quite ripe but Nigina and Juan sliced it up. We had separate bowls for the greek yogurt, the limes and the chopped cilantro. As a healthy Halloween treat, we had apple slices with peanut butter. "Can I eat the apples now?" cried Fred. They were for after the tacos. Everyone got to make their own using the corn and flour tortillas we had. They all got eaten but, as Juan said, "the flour tortillas were easier to fold." Some loved the meat, others loved the cheese, and still others just enjoyed making their own tacos. There were no leftovers, even with the apples as a treat, but we did manage to scrape together one taco for Fred to take home. When his dad entered, Mrs. Munafo told him, "Fred sure can eat!" His dad replied, "Oh yeah, he's always eating at home." Susan Munafo Back to Top McClure Elementary This week the students loved what they had make to eat. We had many compliments from the various staff members who said that it smelled delicious. The girls really enjoyed everything that they had did this week. They are thinking that this may be the meal that they would like to make for the final meal. They thought that it had a lot of flavor, they really did not care for the cilantro, but they were all willing to try it. Wendy Vandenberg Back to Top Bayard Taylor Elementary The day after Halloween, our Bayard Taylor chefs were bursting at the seams with energy. It could have been a candy buzz, but we'd like to think it was excitement about making Lime-Marinated Steak Tacos. They'd been looking forward to it all semester. This was a volunteers' dream meal, one that every kid wanted to take home to share with their grandmothers, parents and siblings. "This is the best we have made so far!" exclaimed Angel Ezell Sanchez. "The spice really got me!" added his twin brother Angel Luis. Our chefs didn't mind that there was a lot of preparation, first making the marinade, and then cooking and assembling. Aliani Cabrera and Gabriel Rodriguez jumped right in to chop the onions and peppers, and then dissolved in laughter as each got onion tears, after vowing they would not. They and their classmates loved the spices and juices that went into the marinade cumin, garlic, cilantro, lime and jalapenos. "This smells soooo good," enthused Aliani, as Gabriel offered the mixing bowl for everyone to sniff. Everyone had fun "smushing" the steak together with the marinade, and each had to have a turn. It goes without saying that there was no shortage of volunteers to cook the steak and vegetables in the skillet. As the meal simmered, our chefs worked the remaining limes for the lime crema and wedges and competed for the right to suck the last juice from each lime rind. Then it was time to assemble a challenge since everyone seemed to want to mix everything at once. After we got them into an assembly line, things moved more smoothly, though, as they spooned each ingredient into the taco shell. They were not disappointed. "It was not spicy, but had a little tang," Aliani said. "I liked the spicy," Gabriel added. "I want to take some to my grand-mom." Nancy Smith and Peter Landry Back to Top Hunter Elementary The students at Hunter Elementary School unanimously proclaimed the steak marinated tacos to be their favorite recipe so far! The food not only tasted yummy, it was fun to prepare. This recipe had the most steps as compared to the others. Samira said, "Even though there were lots of parts to the recipe, it didn't seem to take long because it was fun to make." The girls enjoyed all of the flavors and ingredients in this meal, especially the cilantro. Aneijha appeared to be pro at chopping the cilantro and making the crema. The only complaint was not enough spice. Genesis wrote in her journal, " I wish it had more spice in it!" Others agreed with her. The students may not always like vegetables but they enjoy lots of flavor! Angela Burke and Cindy DePasquale Back to Top Robert B. Pollock School The girls have been looking forward to this recipe since day one! They were eager to dive right in and get started! They split up and worked on mixing the marinade and cutting the meat. They enjoyed learning about new ingredients and what it means to "marinate" meat. Viktoriia commented on the stickiness of the garlic while Hailey learned how to chop and use cilantro. Both Patricia and Alina did a great job preparing the meat by cleaning it and chopping it for our tacos! The girls had a great job decorating their tacos and as we sat around to eat we discussed different things we could add. Alina said, "Wwe could use tomatoes!" while Patricia suggested salsa. They all loved the lime yogurt and connected it to sour cream! Kristen Smith Back to Top Gesu School Gesu School Student Chefs Sanaa Burton, Simran Singh, and Desiree White agreed that they were very glad to have meat as part of the menu this week. We discussed the fact that we did cook turkey for a previous recipe; they acknowledged that it was protein but said it wasn't the same as using steak which they all felt was real meat. They also were glad not to have "too many veggies" but there was much drama about chopping onions. It made for watery eyes, taking turns, and looking for strategies to help avoid runny noses and eyes. Ms Pickett, Ms Mooney and Ms O'Neill loved the smell of cilantro but the girls did not. They thought it smelled funky. We learned to keep the handle of a skillet away from an open flame and to turn it towards the stove rather than pointing out where someone could walk into it. We learned to spell yogurt two ways (with or without an "h"), tortilla,and avocado. Sanaa said she liked that we are cooking foods from different cultures instead of just familiar foods. Simran organized the clean up effort she said she washed the dishes last week so Desiree could have a turn this week while the others dried and put away. We had a good time and Sanaa announced that she lives for Tuesdays, Desiree said her favorite part is working together and Simran is so very glad she joined because she loves to cook and because she's getting to know two of her classmates better! Margaret O'Neill Back to Top Comly Elementary Hours before the bewitching hour on Halloween, our mini chefs are busy chopping, dicing and marinating. Everyone was assigned a part in making the marinade. Ivan Zheng finely chopped the cilantro, Winni Zheng sliced the beef into finger length stripes, Stella Chau massacred the garlic and Ava Stuchko juiced the limes. They all knew to "beware of the jalapeno". No one jumped in to dice it. Finally, Ava S and Stella Chau acquiesced and donned the gloves and took on the task. The slippery avocado almost got away from Ava Stuchko and Stella Chau, but they managed to hold on to it. Taking out the pit proved to be another adventure. The aroma of sauteing onions and peppers, as Winni kept a watch over the skillet, brought everyone to the stove with wide eyes. Time to break up the queso fresco. Ava Stuchko exclaimed, "this cheese is so soft." The mini chefs prepared their tacos with gusto. Stella says, " We all love tacos!". The silence from everyone only confirmed it- Lime Marinated Steak Tacos- a hit! Cindy O'Donnell, Lorrie Craley Back to Top Wiggins School "Many hands make light work," Ethan Santiago recalled from the morning's lesson on adages and proverbs. He was describing the teamwork employed in preparing the highly-anticipated steak tacos. This was voted the favorite recipe so far, with the lime crema getting credit for adding another layer of flavor to the tacos. We may see this dish on the final menu! Susan Lore, Annamiek Van Laar, Edith Bobb Back to Top Sacred Heart Sacred Heart students Janiyah Kellum, Rahsaan Jones, Ha Nguyen and Reggie Hernandez were all thrilled to see some of their favorite foods on the work surface when they entered class this week. Who doesn't love steak, cheese and tortillas?! They got to chopping veggies, slicing the meat and shredding the cheese very quickly. Although some of the students had tasted guacamole, a whole avocado was a new ingredient for them and Reggie particularly enjoyed slicing it. Everyone agreed that their favorite part was the meat. Said Ha, "I can really taste the lime (marinade). It helps to balance the dish and make it lighter." Susan Harris, Lisa Hendrickson Back to Top St. Augustine Academy The steak tacos had "lots of flavor" they all agreed. Brynn Mitchell exclaimed "this recipe has all the vibes peppers for spring." "Steak for summer," added Brianna Arroyo. "Avocado for fall," was Peyton Gooden's response. "Onion for winter," was Keymoni Thornton's final addition. Cheryl Pfeiffer and Welcome Furber Back to Top Visitation BVM School The class worked energetically to prepare this week's recipe. The right sequencing of steps and correctly-timed cooking were the challenges. As predicted last class, Lime-Marinated Steak Taco was a winner! Our taco-loving group found this new twist on this American favorite delicious. Several tasty flavors were introduced with the trimmings of avocado, fresh cilantro, queso fresco cheese and lime crema. Perhaps this dish will be served at the graduation dinner? Maria Brown Back to Top LaSalle Academy We had a smaller group this week and when they heard what we were making, they were pretty excited! Zamir Castro and Alex Rosa were in charge of marinating the steak while the girls were in charge of chopping peppers and onions and manning the stove. It wasn't long before the onion tears were running down Allison Kelso's face. Just as Alex was about to shake the bag with the marinated steak in it, I told him to make sure it was closed tight. Too late; strips of steak came flying out but luckily, none landed on the floor! They are already talking about making this for their families. Maureen Barrett and Mariann Owens Back to Top Lewis Elkin School Week 5- Lime marinated steak tacos was the unanimous class pleaser. Every week, after preparing, eating and cleaning up our chefs are asked to write down in their journal their thoughts and reactions to the recipe. This was Leah Rodriguez's written entry. Five star meal said, Nathan Cuevas. Preparing homemade lime crema with yogurt, a generous squeeze of lime and cilantro was the surprise touch to make the steak taco taste like no other taco the students had tasted before. The class also questioned where does the steak comes from? Adrian Gonzalez and Samuel Sanlate said "cow meat." They were correct. Something most people don't think about. The origin of the protein on your plate. Working with jalapenos was the class challenge. To prevent our budding chefs from the burning, stinging and eye tearing effect of the little green pepper we talked about not touching your eyes while working with jalapenos. And, to wash your hands when the slicing and chopping was complete. Success on all ends this week at Lewis Elkin Elementary. Bette Begleiter and Amy Steinberg Back to Top Philadelphia Montessori Back to Top Garth Ehrlich, a virologist at Drexel University College of Medicine, catalogs the various pathogens in the brain as part of an effort to explore what role germs might play in the development of Alzheimer's disease. Read more A small group of scientists, including some in Philadelphia, have been bucking the research establishment for years by arguing that microbes might trigger the deadly form of dementia in older people. They contend that their ideas deserve more respect and money now that years of attempts to attack Alzheimer's disease by focusing research and medications on its hallmark signs in the brain clumps of amyloid called plaques and misshapen tangles of tau have so far failed to produce a good treatment. "It does not appear that therapeutics based on tau and amyloid are going to work," said Brian Balin, a neuropathologist who directs the Center for Chronic Disorders of Aging at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, and has been studying the role of the Chlamydia pneumoniae bacteria in Alzheimer's since 1998. "Is this really the problem? It's more of an end result, many of us think." Balin organized the first scientific meeting on the pathogen hypothesis theory of Alzheimer's in Philadelphia in October 2014. There were eight speakers. The follow-up meeting, which posited that Alzheimer's is a "chronic inflammatory disorder," was held this October in Switzerland and drew 24 speakers. Balin was also among more than 30 scientists who signed an editorial in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease in 2016 calling for more research into the connection between infection and Alzheimer's. It is not clear, they said, whether plaques and tangles are causes or consequences of disease. There was evidence that the process may start with various viruses and bacteria. Some microbes, they said, may remain latent in the body for years. Asked if the group's ideas are getting more respect, Balin replied with a laugh, "I don't know if it's better accepted. We don't have people railing against it." New work is indeed bolstering the idea that microbes could play a role in starting the cascade of brain changes that lead to cognitive decline. A recent Mount Sinai and Arizona State University study, for example, found that the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease contained more of two types of herpes viruses HHV-6 and HHV-7 than the brains of people without dementia. Harvard University researchers have found evidence, in lab studies and mice, that amyloid clumps are part of the body's innate, or most primitive, immune system. In earlier studies, Balin found chlamydia disproportionately in brains of Alzheimer's patients. Other studies implicate the herpes virus that causes cold sores. (Sexually transmitted forms of chlamydia and herpes are not suspects.) Judith Miklossy, director of the Prevention Alzheimer International Foundation and International Alzheimer Research Center in Switzerland, says the pathology in brains of people with late-stage syphilis is virtually indistinguishable from that in Alzheimer's. She has also found Borellia burgdorferi, which causes Lyme disease, in the brains of Alzheimer's patients and was able to induce Alzheimer's pathology with it in cell culture. Infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is known to increase the risk for dementia, even when it's suppressed by medications. Is there a link? Thats still a big maybe Other experts caution that the science is not yet strong enough to prove germs are the cause or, more likely, one of the causes of dementia. And because several of the germs found more frequently in the brains of people with Alzheimer's are ubiquitous, scientists suspect that if they are involved, they are likely part of a complex interplay of genes, age, inflammation, environmental exposures, head trauma, and metabolic factors. "It is clear that there are more and more data being accumulated that point to a connection of some kind between viral sequences and Alzheimer's in the brain," said Richard Hodes, director of the National Institute on Aging. He added, however, that a correlation between the presence of microbes in the brain and Alzheimer's pathology does not prove one causes the other. Eliezer Masliah, director of the NIA's division of neuroscience, said the agency is funding research into potential treatments from "multiple directions." It has targeted funding for how the body's microbiome affects the nervous system and why people with HIV are at higher risk for dementia. Hodes said the NIA will consider whether to make research on germs and Alzheimer's a higher priority during the next round of funding. Private funders intrigued by the infectious-disease hypothesis have already stepped in. In 2017, Leslie Norins, a doctor who became a medical publisher, offered a $1 million prize to anyone who can identify an Alzheimer's germ. He's also supporting the Infectious Diseases Society of America with two $50,000 grants to study infection and Alzheimer's. The Cure Alzheimer's Fund is supporting the work of Rudolph Tanzi and Robert Moir, neuroscientists at Harvard and Massachusetts General Hospital, who are studying amyloid's immune properties and how microbes in the gut may affect the brain. "We want that revolutionary mindset," said Meg Smith, the fund's senior vice president for research management. James Truchard, co-founder and chairman of National Instruments, created the Oskar Fischer Project Fischer was a Jewish academic in Prague who described Alzheimer's disease in the same year as Alois Alzheimer, but who died in a concentration camp to support research he finds promising. Truchard's goal is to "cross boundaries." Much of the "tens of millions" he's given to researchers was for studies on how metabolism affects dementia, but he also gave $759,000 to Garth Ehrlich at Drexel University to catalog and analyze pathogens found in brains. John Trojanowski, co-director of the University of Pennsylvania's Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, thinks it is too early to count amyloid and tau out as drug targets. There's a "whole convergence of evidence arguing that these are important in Alzheimer's disease," he said. Early trials of anti-beta-amyloid medications came before imaging techniques allowed researchers to measure Alzheimer's tau and beta-amyloid pathology in living people. Scientists later learned that up to a quarter of trial participants did not actually have beta-amyloid deposition. Current approaches are better targeted and are aimed at people who are in earlier stages of the disease, when there is less brain damage. Fewer drugs that target tau, which correlates better with the degree of dementia than amyloid, have been tested. Studies are also revealing that dementia is a messier, more complicated phenomenon than previously thought. Elderly people with cognitive decline that looks clinically like Alzheimer's often have a combination of vascular damage in the brain plus "misfolded" proteins associated with more than one type of dementia, Trojanowski said. Work at Penn has shown that the form of tau found in Alzheimer's and errant proteins found in other forms of dementia can themselves spread from cell to cell, an infection-like process that may also present targets for medications. (Trojanowski emphasized that Alzheimer's itself is not infectious.) All this means that combating dementia may require more than one medication. "What we need is combination therapy," he said. Harvard's Tanzi and Moir have found that beta amyloid is produced as a response to infection and can protect against it. Plaques can actually entrap microbes. The researchers say that infection proponents and those most interested in amyloid and tau don't have to be in warring camps. "Infection is the prequel to the amyloid hypothesis, not a replacement," said Tanzi, who is also known for identifying three genes involved in early-onset Alzheimer's. Can a single strategy be enough? Tanzi and Moir think plaques may form in response to multiple brain invaders, including particles of air pollution. If too many plaques form and the brain fails to dispose of them properly, that sets a path that leads to the buildup of tangles, triggers inflammation, and causes cells to die, they said. Moir suspects that gut toxins and possibly immune-system dysfunction could also set off the plaques. The pair think that the neuroinflammation, the most damaging part of the disease, takes on a life of its own once the process gets started. That may explain why attacking amyloid hasn't been enough. "It's like thinking you can put out a forest fire by putting out the match," Tanzi said. They are investigating the brain microbiome now to see if any particular microbes, or balance of microbes, is associated with dementia. "Everybody has their favorite," Tanzi said. "We're agnostic." Moir said so far herpes simplex 1 and human herpesvirus 6 stand out as suspected "bad players." They've already found more than 200 bacteria that can make it past the blood-brain barrier in older people that barrier weakens with age and haven't even started on viruses yet. The brains of younger people, Moir said, contained more bacteria associated with low inflammation. Balin's work on Alzheimer's and infection started with finding C. pneumoniae in 90 percent of brains with Alzheimer's pathology and only 5 percent of brains without it. He thinks the bacteria, which can "act like a virus" in cells, is a good suspect because it enters the body through the nose and, from there, can access the parts of the brain where Alzheimer's typically starts. The loss of sense of smell is one of the first symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. For his most recent work, Balin exposed mice to chlamydia and they developed clumps of amyloid beta, a plaque building block. His team has not yet found tau tangles or cognitive changes. Ehrlich's interest in Alzheimer's stems from a conference he attended six years ago about the systemic effects of bacteria involved in periodontal disease, including their presence in the brain. He had long studied how bacteria can form colonies called biofilms, causing chronic inflammation in places like the middle ear while avoiding detection. He helped develop special DNA-based tests that could find the bugs and had identified one culprit in artificial joint loosening as a periodontal organism, Treponema denticola, that, like syphilis and Lyme disease bacteria, is a spirochete. Spirochetes, he said, are partial to skin, joints and the central nervous system and can form biofilms. He suspects that multiple germs could trigger brain inflammation. He has not yet published results of his brain testing. He'll start with bacteria, then move to fungi. Viruses, which are harder to test for, will come later. W. Sue T. Griffin, who studies the molecular biology of Alzheimer's at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, has been studying for years how various stressors epilepsy, HIV, aging, traumatic brain injury can set off a series of immune responses in the brain that lead to the production of extra beta amyloid. She still questions how many microbes can actually make it into the brain, but is intrigued by the pathogen theory. "If the germs are there," she said, "I know exactly what's going to happen. Those immune responses will set off a self-repeating cycle of more and more plaques and nerve cell stress and loss." Tampering with immune response could be risky. Tanzi is developing a therapy that would lower production of beta amyloid but not eliminate it. "It's a balancing act," he said. >>Read more: What diabetes may be doing to your brain Researchers said it may be important to figure out how to strengthen the blood-brain barrier. Perhaps people with genes known to increase the risk for late-onset Alzheimer's, like APOE4, will someday get more aggressive treatment for germs now considered relatively benign. There's some evidence that antiviral medications can reduce risk, another avenue that needs more evidence. For now, though, researchers said the best approach is to engage in behaviors that might reduce inflammation and keep your immune system healthy. You guessed it: Eat healthy, including lots of fiber. Avoid type 2 diabetes. Exercise. 'I Voted Today' stickers in English and Spanish at Camden County Board of Elections in Blackwood November 5, 2018 are ready for the mid-term election on Tuesday. Read more Health care dominated campaign advertising during the midterm election campaigns, popping up in about half of the ads, and exit polls show it was top of mind for voters. More people in the United States than ever before have health insurance, thanks to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). But over the last two years, Republicans, led by President Trump, have dismantled some key parts of the law, such as a rule requiring people to buy insurance or pay a penalty. The latest threat to the ACA is the administration's partial support for a lawsuit by 20 Republican state attorneys general that seeks to toss the law. The administration has said that it doesn't think the whole law should go, but that it won't defend the suit's attempt to eliminate the ACA's rules requiring insurers to guarantee coverage to those with pre-existing conditions which can range from asthma and high blood pressure to cancer. With that backdrop, Democrats campaigned aggressively on health care on protections for pre-existing conditions in particular and intense public interest in the topic in a year when historic voter turnout helped Democrats win enough seats to take control of the U.S. House from Republicans, analysts and election-watchers said. "It's a referendum against the GOP war on health care," said Brad Woodhouse, executive director of Protect Our Care, a pro-ACA organization. Woodhouse spoke to reporters during a call organized by Health Care Voter, a Democratic organization he co-chairs that led an aggressive health-care advertising campaign prior to the election. One of the most hotly contested local races in New Jersey's Third Congressional District hinged on health care. Republican incumbent Tom MacArthur played a leading role in Republican ACA repeal-and-replace legislation, crafting the amendment that made it possible for the bill to pass the House. Democrat Andy Kim, who worked under President Barack Obama, said it was MacArthur's role in the repeal effort that spurred him to challenge the Republican for his seat representing New Jersey's Third District. With a narrow lead from mail-in ballots, Kim claimed victory Wednesday evening, but MacArthur has not conceded, and an official result may not come for days. The victor will join a House in which power is shifting from Republicans to Democrats, while the Senate remains in Republican control. So now what? Voters sent a clear message that they expect to see action from the federal government on health care, and both Republicans and Democrats have vested interests in pursuing legislation on health care. Still, progress won't be easy with a divided Congress. "There is disagreement over the means and ways and how we should ensure people have affordable, accessible coverage," Jeanne Lambrew, a senior fellow with the Century Foundation, a progressive think tank, said during a media call organized by the Center for Health Journalism at the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. With Democrats in control of the House, the ACA will be safe from any repeal/replace legislative efforts, which will give consumers and the health-care industry a level of certainty that's been missing the last two years, said Ben Isgur, who leads consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers' Health Research Institute. House Democrats probably won't be able to redo any of the ACA policies Republicans have already unraveled, but with control of the House, Democrats can block any new GOP attempts to further dismantle the law. That doesn't mean the ACA is safe, though. The Trump administration will continue picking away at key provisions through regulatory actions that don't require legislative approval. Trump's rule allowing short-term plans to cover people for 364 days is an example. (The ACA limited their duration to three months.) The day after the midterm elections, the White House released a new set of proposed regulations related to how the insurance marketplaces operate. Any major policy shifts are off the table with a split Congress, Isgur said. Democratic big ideas like Medicare for all will stay on the shelf for now, as such proposals would never survive in a Republican-led Senate. But bipartisan legislation in health-policy areas where Democrats and Republicans share interests is possible. Health-care costs drug prices in particular could be an opportunity for the two parties to build a "commonsense affordability" legislative package, said Andy Slavitt, who served as acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services under Obama, during a call organized by consumer health advocacy group Families USA. Republicans will want to look at the ACA again, too, said Lanhee Chen, a Republican policy adviser and research fellow with the Hoover Institute, a think tank at Stanford University. They could pursue smaller initiatives, such as measures to ensure stability in the ACA marketplaces after 2019, when Republican legislation to reduce to zero the penalty for not buying insurance takes effect. "They certainly cannot leave health care where it is. Politically, going into 2020, that would be perilous," Chen said during the media call organized by the Center for Health Journalism at USC. With little ACA action expected in Congress, look for moves at the state level, analysts said. States have big opportunities to pursue their own health-policy changes and, potentially, set an example for national change. Many of the policies pursued at the national level were first tested in smaller state markets, Lambrew said. New Jersey is one of just three states, plus Washington, D.C., to establish its own requirement that people buy health insurance or pay a tax penalty, but other states could follow. States could also experiment with their own ways to control drug prices and ease the financial strain of health-care costs. Others will be taking action on Medicaid expansion following the election. Ballot measures to expand Medicaid succeeded in three solidly Republican states Nevada, Idaho, and Utah. And Republican-led measures to restrict access to Medicaid, such as work requirements, will almost certainly be abandoned in Kansas and Wisconsin, where Democrats won gubernatorial races. Looking ahead, analysts said they expect health care to continue to play an important role in the elections, potentially being a major dividing point between Republicans and Democrats and even among candidates of the same party in the 2020 campaigns. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Netcoins Holdings Inc. (NETC or the "Company") (CSE: NETC) (OTC: GARLF) (WKN: 1WJ) is pleased to announce that it has completed over CAD $2 million in transactions in 24 hours from European customers. Hitting $2 million in daily transactions, via Europe, is another significant milestone for the Netcoins business as we continue to attract global customers and sell into multiple continents at once. In July 2018, Netcoins completed its first $1 million day and then first $2 million day in Canada. Netcoins then accomplished a $4 million day in September, again in Canada, while continuing to expand services into the US and globally, including Europe. This new single day record for European transactions highlights the success of the ongoing expansion of our coin offerings and crypto relationships which are boosting our ability to drive transactional revenues. Our global crypto relationships continue to pay off. The increase in institutional involvement within the crypto space continues to drive larger transactions creating volume and revenues for Netcoins, says Netcoins CEO, Mark Binns. Once again our public, audited and transparent business model is lending trust to every deal we process. About the Company The Company is in the business of developing software to make the purchase and sale of cryptocurrency easily accessible to the mass consumer and investor through brokerage services. Netcoins enables crypto transactions via 171,000+ retail locations globally and an Over-The-Counter (OTC) trading desk. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mark Binns Mark Binns CEO and Director For Investor Relations Inquiries please contact Netcoins at 778.785.1175 or email ir@gonetcoins.com. The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This information release contains certain forward-looking information. Such information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by statements herein, and therefore these statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. All forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to it as well as other factors. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Due to risks and uncertainties, including the risks and uncertainties identified by the Company in its public securities filings, actual events may differ materially from current expectations. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The popularity of yoga is booming in the United States among children. More than 8 percent of youngsters ages 4 to 17 or 4.9 million practiced yoga last year, up from about 3 percent in 2012, according to federal survey data published Thursday. That's a lot of child's poses. The report from the National Center for Health Statistics doesn't distinguish between kids who tried yoga just once in the previous 12 months and those who turned into yogis. Nor does it explain why they're practicing the ancient discipline of exercise, breathing, and meditation. But the upward trend fits with a complementary Center for Health Statistics report that found the percentage of adults who did yoga during the previous year jumped from 10 percent in 2012 to 14 percent in 2017. "We didn't ask why or how or where," said coauthor Lindsey I. Black, an epidemiologist with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "But we do have anecdotal evidence that children are exposed to yoga in schools, gyms, studios, and through apps and the internet." Virginia Caton, owner of Downward Dog Dance, Yoga & Wellness studio in Richmond, Va., can attest to that, having seen steady growth in the number of schools and preschools that hire her to offer classes. "Principals are seeing that the after-school programs they had before aren't working," Caton said. "They're looking for something that will calm the kids down. Of course, no child is going to do an hour-long vinyasa class; it's not like an adult yoga class. We integrate movement, sound, and dance." Studio 34 on Baltimore Avenue in West Philadelphia does occasional introductory yoga classes for high school students. On Thursday, a group of 12th graders was signed up to learn how to use yoga to release stress before a test, said studio co-owner and instructor Adrienne Dolberry. "We don't have an established class, but we do special requests," she said. "We set up the mats, blankets, and blocks, and walk them through a very beginner-friendly class." The federal health survey is conducted face-to-face in the homes of a representative sample of citizens. Parents or other guardians supply the information on children. The 2012 questionnaire tried to delve into the costs and potential benefits of using a long list of complementary health approaches with children not only yoga, but also qigong, tai chi, massage, acupuncture, biofeedback, Ayurveda, craniosacral therapy, Pilates, and more. Most of these were so unpopular that they were dropped from the 2015 questionnaire, Black said. No surprise, the survey found yoga usage varies by sex: More than one in 10 girls practiced it, compared with one in 20 boys. Surprisingly, age didn't make much difference: 8 percent of kids ages 12 to 17 did yoga, compared to 8.7 percent of those ages 4 to 11. The survey also found about 3.4 percent of children saw a chiropractor last year, virtually unchanged over the last five years. The percentage who meditated grew, from about 3 percent to more than 8 percent, but mediation was defined so broadly that it could reflect kids saying the "om" mantra during yoga. Wong Kim Ark, the son of Chinese parents in San Francisco, was determined by the Supreme Court to be a citizen by virtue of being born in the United States Read more When he arrived in San Francisco Bay, returning from China aboard the steamship Coptic in August 1895, Wong Kim Ark could not have imagined the legal fracas that awaited him. Nor could he have foreseen that, more than a century later, it would be his Supreme Court case that would refute President Trump's assertion that as chief executive, he can and will eliminate birthright citizenship with a stroke of his pen. Amid the nasty national debate over who should be allowed to enter the United States or stay here, about who is an American and who should be denied the rights of citizenship, the saga of a forgotten Chinese cook, born on American soil to immigrant parents, demands attention. "The case set a bright-line rule: When you're born here, you're part of us," said Philadelphia immigration attorney William Stock, a former national president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, who taught law at Villanova University. Today, the president disparages Mexican immigrants as criminals, drug dealers, and rapists. When the Supreme Court affirmed Wong's citizenship in 1898, Chinese immigrants were hated and vilified, particularly in the West, where laborers had been drawn by the California gold rush. The 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act remained in force, banning immigration from China amid a perceived "invasion" of unskilled, job-stealing newcomers. "Wong Kim Ark is a case known well by law students, and students of constitutional law, but nobody expected him to be a national name in 2018," said Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, and a professor at the George Washington University Law School. "Until recently, you didn't have any serious questioning of the idea that everyone born in the United States was a birthright citizen." Now, that has changed. In an interview released last week, President Trump told Axios news website he would issue an executive order ending citizenship for babies born in the U.S. to non-citizens and undocumented immigrants. "It was always told to me that you needed a constitutional amendment. Guess what? You don't," Trump said. Wong was born in San Francisco at 751 Sacramento St., the son of Wong Si Ping, a merchant. In 1890, both parents returned to China. Wong, about 21 at the time, visited China the same year. He returned to the U.S. in July, permitted entry on the sole grounds that he was a native-born American citizen. Four years later in November 1894, at about 25, Wong again traveled to China. The photo attached to a departure affidavit shows a young man in traditional Chinese garb, his hair shaved in front and woven in the back into the long queue typically worn by men during the time of the Qing Dynasty. When Wong returned to the U.S. in August 1895, he was denied entry. Customs officials ruled that he was not a citizen, and furthermore, that he could be immediately deported under the Exclusion Act. Chinese benevolent associations worked to get him a lawyer. In court, the government argued that despite Wong's California birth, he, like his parents, was a subject of the emperor. And that because Wong was Chinese, he was specifically banned by the Exclusion Act. The Supreme Court disagreed, ruling by 6-2 that Wong's birth on American soil made him a citizen under the 14th Amendment. That his parents were not citizens, and in fact were subjects of the Chinese emperor, mattered not, the court said in U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark. "To hold that the 14th Amendment of the Constitution excludes from citizenship the children, born in the United States, of citizens or subjects of other countries," the court wrote, "would be to deny citizenship to thousands of persons of English, Scotch, Irish, German, or other European parentage who have always been considered and treated as citizens of the United States." Many people didn't like the decision. The San Francisco Chronicle erupted. If Chinese could become American citizens, the newspaper asked in an editorial, who was next? Indians? Japanese? The best course, the Chronicle wrote, would be to amend the Constitution so only white and black people could be citizens. The 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, states, "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside." Most scholars, liberal and conservative, agree it would take a constitutional amendment to deny automatic citizenship to children born here to undocumented immigrant parents. But NumbersUSA and other groups that favor reduced immigration argue that the 14th Amendment has been misinterpreted and that it was intended to provide citizenship for newly freed slaves. Opponents claim a particular clause "subject to the jurisdiction thereof" excludes the children of undocumented immigrants, because the parents are not legally in the U.S. James Ho, a conservative, Trump-appointed federal appeals court judge, declared that argument empty in a lengthy 2006 analysis of the 14th Amendment. Being subject to U.S. jurisdiction simply means being subject to government authority, that people must obey the laws or face penalty or punishment regardless of immigration status. Birthright citizenship, Ho wrote, is "protected no less for children of undocumented persons than for descendants of Mayflower passengers." What became of Wong? He had four sons, and grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, some of whom still live in the San Francisco area. Immigration records show that in 1926, three decades after his Supreme Court case, Wong was still in San Francisco on Sacramento Street, living a few doors from where he was born. That year, at age 57, he testified at an immigration hearing on whether his youngest son, Wong Yook Jim, should be permitted to enter the U.S. from China. The panel chairman moved that Wong Yook Jim should be admitted as the son of a native-born American. The vote was unanimous. People comfort each other as they stand near the scene Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Thousand Oaks, Calif. where a gunman opened fire Wednesday inside a country dance bar crowded with hundreds of people on "College Night." Read more A 28-year-old Marine Corps veteran armed with a semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine killed at least 12 people, including a sheriff's officer, and injured more than 20 others at a bar in Southern California late Wednesday night before apparently committing suicide, according to officials. According to police, the gunman burst into the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, Calif., during "College Night" at the western-themed dance bar northwest of Los Angeles and opened fire. Sgt. Ron Helus, a 29-year veteran of the Ventura County Sheriff's Department, was wounded while responding to 911 calls reporting the shooting and died later at the hospital, officials said. The gunman, identified as Ian David Long, 28, apparently killed himself, said Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean. Long, a Marine Corps veteran, was armed a legally purchased Glock .45-caliber pistol that had an illicit extended magazine that held more than the 10 rounds permitted in California. Dean said deputies visited Long's house in April in response to a disturbance and found him acting irrationally. A mental health expert examined Long but determined that his condition did not rise to the level of an involuntary commitment to a hospital, Dean said. "It's a horrific scene in there, there is blood everywhere and the suspect is part of that, and I didn't want to get that close and disturb the scene and possibly disturb the investigation," Dean said earlier. He said Helus "died a hero. He went in to save lives." Among the people at the bar when the gunman opened fire were survivors of a 2017 mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas, several friends told the Los Angeles Times. "There's people that live a whole lifetime without seeing this, and then there's people that have seen it twice," Chandler Gunn, whose friends were at the bar at the time of the shooting, told the Times. >> READ MORE: Strict state gun laws save lives of children and teens, Stanford study finds The deadly mass shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill comes less than two weeks after a gunman killed 11 Jewish congregants at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh on Oct. 27. "The largest mass shooting in this country in 12 days. Let that sink in," CNN anchor John Berman said Thursday morning. Here's the latest of what we know: Multiple students from Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif. were at the bar when the gunman opened fire, according to the school. Witnesses reported that the gunman apparently threw smoke bombs at the start of his attack shortly after 11 p.m. Wednesday (2 a.m. Thursday Philadelphia time). The FBI and the ATF have joined the investigation. Officials said there was no immediate indication that the shooting was terrorism-related, and that no assault weapon had been found at the bar. President Trump has been briefed on the shooting. Omar Harrison was convicted Monday of sex assault of an underage girl. Read more A former school administrator was convicted of statutory sexual assault involving a 14-year-old girl while he worked at a Mastery charter school in West Philadelphia, Delaware County District Attorney Katayoun M. Copeland said Wednesday. Omar Harrison, 43, of Elkins Park, was the dean of students at Mastery Charter School at Harrity, a K-8 charter at 5601 Christian St., in June 2017 when he took the girl to the Econo Lodge in Tinicum Township and committed the assault. The victim had been an eighth-grade student during the previous school year. Harrison was arrested shortly after the girl's mother went to the school and confronted him about what had happened. A Delaware County jury on Monday also found Harrison guilty of two counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child less than 16 years of age, institutional sexual assault, and related offenses. He is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 5. Voters sign in to vote at Trinity Episcopal Church in Ambler. Read more On a positively dismal Election Day morning, poll workers arrived at 6:30 at a Knights of Columbus hall in the heart of Bucks County to find 60 people already waiting to vote. Hours later at a Center City building where he works, Dennis Oczkowski, 67, marveled at the throng of voters at a Broad Street polling place. "I've never seen anything like this before," he said. "I think a lot of people have a lot to say in this election." On both sides of the river, where hotly contested congressional races were viewed as pivotal to the future of which party would control the U.S. House, turnout was reported unusually brisk for a midterm election. Voters showed up early and they kept on coming, as persistent as the rain. Official turnout figures won't be available for several days, but the long lines, comments from veteran poll observers, and available preliminary figures all suggested that a dramatic bump in turnout numbers, compared with those of the 2014 midterm elections. In Philadelphia and the neighboring four Pennsylvania counties, turnout was near 60 percent, compared with 43 percent in 2014 a 17 percentage point jump. "By 10 a.m., we had more votes than the entire primary day last June," said a veteran poll worker in Lacey Township, Ocean County, where Republican U.S. Rep. Tom MacArthur was in a toss-up race with Democrat Andy Kim, whose supporters had knocked on 17,000 doors to exhort voters. To the west, in Cherry Hill, at the Trinity Presbyterian Church polling site, more than 300 had voted as of 11 a.m. Four years ago, only 200 showed up the entire day, according to a poll worker. Unusually high numbers of voters also were reported in Lindenwold. As of 9:30 p.m., an estimated 136,257 votes were cast in Camden County, or 42 percent of registered voters, compared with 116,403, or 32 percent in 2014. Across the river in Montgomery County, 367,959 votes were counted on Tuesday, a 65 percent turnout, compared with 47 percent in 2014. Turnout also was strong throughout Philadelphia. According to projections from the website Sixty-Six Wards, 555,305 people voted across Philadelphia, a 52 percent turnout, compared with 381,503, or 37 percent, in 2014. In the morning, the line to vote at Queen Village's St. Stanislaus Church snaked through the parking lot and up Fitzwater Street. "Jeez, did Trump do all this?" said Larry Sechuk, 60, an administrator for an international retail company, waiting in line to vote. "I've been here 21 years," he said "I've always walked right in." It was unclear precisely how attitudes toward President Trump had motivated midterm voters. The president, who did far better than expected in Bucks County in 2016, helping him to carry Pennsylvania, has energized supporters and opponents this year. Trump was a factor albeit indirectly in two races considered pivotal. In Bucks, U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a Republican who held off a challenge from Democrat Scott Wallace, tried to distance himself from Trump. In New Jersey, MacArthur cast himself as an independent, although he has been allied with the president. In interviews Tuesday, several voters invoked Trump's name. "I really am not happy with the way the Trump administration is running things," said Doug Carmody, 35, of Newtown, Bucks County. Jane Meredith, 78, who voted for Fitzpatrick, said she was satisfied with the status quo. "We like what's going on, and we want to keep it that way," she said. At that Knights of Columbus site in Middletown Township, in the Fitzpatrick-Wallace battleground, Republican committee person Carl Salega said he had seen a fresh crop of first-time and young voters. Salega said he believes the turnout at the Middletown location might even eclipse the record set in the 2016 presidential election. "It's been going ridiculously well," said Salega, 64. By mid-afternoon in Langhorne, at Maple Point Middle School, which hosts three precincts, nearly half of the 4,300 registered voters had already cast ballots. As in all congressional races in Pennsylvania, Fitzpatrick and Wallace were competing for a seat in a newly redrawn district. The state Supreme Court ordered the districts reconfigured this year, finding that the old map had been gerrymandered to favor Republicans. Democrats flipped several seats in Pennsylvania in their quest to gain a House majority. Whatever was motivating voters, rains that continued into the evening weren't deterring them. Political observers (not to mention editors) have held for years that rain holds down turnout; however, an Inquirer and Daily News analysis of elections dating to 1960 found no evidence that weather had any impact. "There is not a scintilla of real evidence that weather affects the outcome," said G. Terry Madonna, the venerable Franklin and Marshall College political observer. In any event, evidently get-out-the vote efforts had some impact, and they continued into the night. "You have one thing to do between now and 8 o'clock," former Gov. Ed Rendell told South Philadelphians, his voice booming from a megaphone atop a nondescript white vehicle. "Vote." Staff writers Rita Giordano, Jonathan Lai, Diane Mastrull, Erin McCarthy, Tommy Rowan, and Vinny Vella contributed to this article. In this Sept. 21, 2018 photo, Pennsylvania congressional candidates, from left, Chrissy Houlahan, Mary Gay Scanlon, state Rep. Madeleine Dean and Susan Wild, take part in a campaign rally in Philadelphia. Each of the Democratic candidates won their elections on Nov. 6 and are set to become the first women from Pennsylvania to serve full terms in Congress since 2014. They all were backed by gun-control groups. Read more After Pittsburgh and Parkland, Las Vegas and Sutherland Springs, gun control supporters approached Tuesday's midterm election with what they said was more momentum than ever, expecting national frustration with mass shootings to help buoy some candidates to victory. And on Wednesday, their optimism appeared to be largely affirmed, with victories by gun-control candidates in many of the congressional and gubernatorial races that supporters viewed as referendums on the issue, in states including Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Nevada. But gun-rights supporters touted their own successes, including two U.S. Senate contests and state-level elections in Arkansas, Idaho, and Oklahoma. The changing tides of the divisive midterm were enough to bring "a gun-sense majority elected to the U.S. House," said Brynne Craig, political director of Everytown for Gun Safety. That majority is largely aligned with the new Democratic House majority, but gun-control advocates said predictions, based on polling, ad spending, and activism, that gun control would motivate voters were proved correct Tuesday. According to one exit poll by NBC News, most voters said they supported stricter gun laws, with one in 10 naming it as the country's most important issue. Some key races in Pennsylvania: Several candidates backed by gun-control groups won congressional elections, including Democrats Chrissy Houlahan in the Sixth District, Susan Wild in the Seventh, and Conor Lamb in the 17th. Houlahan and Lamb, both veterans, had strong backing from the groups and from VoteVets, which teamed up with former Rep. Gabby Giffords' organization to promote "gun sense" candidates. Democrats Madeleine Dean in the Fourth and Mary Gay Scanlon in the Fifth also won. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a key Republican ally of gun-control advocates, won re-election in the First District. He was one of the few Republicans to receive endorsements from organizations such as Giffords' group and Everytown. Rep. Scott Perry, a Republican and a staunch gun-rights supporter, won his Dauphin County reelection against Democrat George Scott, a gun-control advocate. Some key races nationwide: A major victory for gun-control advocates was the win by Democrat Jennifer Wexton in Virginia's 10th District. Wexton toppled Rep. Barbara Comstock, a Republican backed by the NRA. Democrat Lucy McBath, whose teenage son was fatally shot in 2012, ran for Congress in Georgia's Sixth District in a bid to reduce gun violence. She declared victory Wednesday afternoon with a slim lead over Rep. Karen Handel, but the race has not been called. Washington state widely approved a ballot initiative set to make firearm laws there some of the strictest in the country. It was the only state with a firearms-regulation measure on the ballot. In Nevada, Democrat Steve Sisolak claimed the governorship, succeeding pro-gun-rights Gov. Brian Sandoval, in a state that had the biggest mass shooting in modern U.S. history just over a year ago. The NRA made gains as the Republicans maintained control of the Senate, with major wins for Marsha Blackburn in Tennessee and Josh Hawley in Missouri. In Kentucky, Rep. Andy Barr, a Republican with an A-rating by the NRA, kept his seat, fending off veteran Amy McGrath, who had generated buzz from gun-control groups and other progressive organizations. Whats next Now, supporters of gun control hope to pass a background-check bill in the House in 2019, which Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the House minority leader, had said would be a top priority if Democrats took the House. "What we now know for sure is this: The intensity gap on guns has closed. Americans voting with gun violence in mind are voting for gun safety," said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action, the grassroots arm of Everytown. "The 2018 election outcomes have marked a new world order. Lawmakers will have to start proving that they're acting to stop gun violence in order to keep their jobs." Gun-rights supporters, meanwhile, will seek to block votes on bills they view as threatening their freedom or the gun industry. "You are the most powerful force in American politics, and we will never stop fighting against the anti-gun elitists bent on destroying our Second Amendment freedoms," the NRA tweeted to its members early Wednesday morning. Gun-control advocates have a list of proposals they'd like Congress to vote on in the next session measures that the GOP leadership has blocked. Proponents hope a passage of a background-check bill in the House would put significant pressure on the Senate to vote, although that remains unlikely in the Republican-controlled chamber. Advocates say they also plan to focus on state legislatures, where they hope to pass bills such as one approved last month in Pennsylvania imposing gun restrictions on domestic abusers. "2018 was, among other things, the year of gun safety," said John Feinblatt, Everytown's president. HARRISBURG Five years after the U.S. Department of Justice investigated the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections for its treatment of inmates with serious mental illness and found that punitive treatment and unconstitutional use of solitary confinement at the now-closed Cresson state prison had contributed to three prisoner suicides the top psychologist manager at that prison, James Harrington, is still on the department payroll. In fact, he's been promoted. He's one of four regional psychologist managers statewide, overseeing staff at several prisons at a salary of $101,575 per year. "Mr. Harrington was one of our strongest licensed psychologist managers," Corrections Secretary John Wetzel said Thursday in explaining the promotion. Now, prosecutors for the Pennsylvania Department of State want to revoke Harrington's license to practice psychology and extract significant civil penalties. In two weeks of hearings that concluded Thursday, they sought to prove to the state Board of Psychology that Harrington provided negligent, incompetent, inadequate, or unprofessional care. The probe, launched in response to the 2013 Department of Justice findings, focused on the cases of five inmates housed from 2010 to 2013 at Cresson, in Cambria County. Prosecutors allege that Harrington failed to investigate reports of an inmate with serious mental-health needs drinking out of a toilet, and that he allowed staff to force the inmate to sing "I'm a Little Teapot." They also say he failed to report serious abuses, and retaliated against his staff if they made such reports. Harrington's lawyer, Allan Tepper, said in closing arguments that "there are real questions of credibility" around the witnesses who reported those incidents. (He declined to comment on the case outside of proceedings or to make Harrington available.) Harrington, not the Department of Corrections, was the subject of this investigation but it comes at a time when mental-health treatment continues to be a pressing challenge for the department. The department undertook numerous reforms following the Justice Department report and a legal settlement. Those reforms included an agreement to stop housing inmates with serious mental illness in restricted housing and instead create new mental health treatment units. The number of suicides in state prisons this year, 14, matches last year's total, which was the highest in two decades. Meanwhile, the number of attempted suicides recorded within state prisons has more than doubled since 2014. >>READ MORE: Why are so many Pa. prison inmates committing suicide? That coincides with a dramatic increase in the number of inmates classified as seriously mentally ill. Today, one in three state prisoners is on the mental health roster, according to the Corrections Department. One in 11 is considered seriously mentally ill. A spokesperson said in a statement in September that the Corrections Department is closely monitoring care and undertaking quarterly and annual reviews of every state correctional institution, and has hired new psychology staff, including seven new licensed psychologist managers. It also added one more regional licensed psychologist manager, the same position Harrington holds. Other improvements have included undertaking clinical reviews of serious suicide attempts and suicides, and distributing updated suicide prevention recommendations to all state prisons. Prosecutor Heather McCarthy, however, put the responsibility squarely on Harrington: "He found himself within a broken system and his actions within that system, or his inactions, became ethical failures." She said he failed to meet his professional obligations while failing to prevent violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act and the Eighth Amendment's requirement for humane conditions of confinement. In some cases, she said, records show he denied therapy even as patients deteriorated. One prisoner, described in filings as C.B., was referred by a psychiatrist who described his history of self-harm with the notation: "Please see regularly." According to the prosecution, Harrington denied the referral and prescribed only "routine contact," up until the man attempted suicide in July 2011. Another, J.M., repeatedly announced his plan to kill himself, but was never seen by Harrington; after just two months at Cresson he took his own life in May 2011. Just beforehand, according to McCarthy, psychology staff noted that J.M., who had been aggressive and depressed, was suddenly upbeat a mood shift that's an indicator for suicide. According to prosecutors, Harrington wrote in the incident report that J.M.'s death was not foreseeable or preventable. Then there was T.P., the prisoner at the center of what became known at the hearing as "the teapot incident." According to McCarthy, T.P later attempted suicide. "He deteriorated to the point of having virtually no ability to lift himself up or to talk. Pennsylvanians deserve better," McCarthy said. Wetzel, in his testimony Thursday, cast doubt on some of the claims. He said he personally investigated the "teapot incident," which he said had concerned him deeply. "It's ridiculous," he added. "It's embarrassing." But he came away with the understanding that Harrington had not been responsible. He added that at the time, care for prisoners on the mental health roster was not always prioritized. "At that time, in the department, security trumped everything," he said. "That was a weakness in the system." For now, Harrington remains in his role at the department. Both sides will submit post-hearing briefings over the next several months before the board comes to a decision. In addition to the suspension of his license, Harrington could face tens of thousands of dollars in civil penalties. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, pictured in 2017, is reportedly under consideration to be attorney general. Read more President Trump is considering former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie as a possible pick to replace Jeff Sessions as attorney general, according to CNN. Christie has been in the mix for a number of administration jobs since Trump was elected, and has said he's declined several offers from the president. Bill Palatucci, a longtime adviser to Christie, said Thursday that Christie "doesn't seek the position but would consider if asked." He added that Christie doesn't expect to be asked. Palatucci said that Christie went to the White House on Thursday on a previously scheduled trip to discuss prison reform. The Washington Post reported Wednesday that Christie has talked with Trump about the job. Christie endorsed Trump in February 2016, shortly after the governor dropped out of the Republican presidential primary, and was tapped to lead the transition team when Trump won the GOP nomination. Christie was fired from the post after Trump was elected, and was replaced by Vice President-elect Mike Pence. Christie has described Trump as a longtime friend. He was U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey from 2002 to 2008 under President George W. Bush and developed a reputation as a crusader against public corruption en route to the governor's office. He completed his second term as governor in January 2017. As U.S. attorney, Christie oversaw the prosecution of real estate executive Charles Kushner father of Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner who pleaded guilty to charges of tax evasion, campaign finance violations, and witness tampering. Jared Kushner has reportedly buried the hatchet over the matter. A Trump administration official told CNN that Kushner and Christie have a good relationship and have been working on prison reform for months. Christie has defended special counsel Robert Mueller amid Trump's attacks on the Russia investigation. In May, speaking at the University of Chicago, Christie said he had told Trump "many times that there's no way to make an investigation like this shorter, but there's lot of ways to make it longer, and he's executed on a number of those ways to make it longer." Democrat Lucy McBath (right), seen here standing with Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams and former President Barack Obama, was won a major upset in a solidly-Republican House district in Georgia. Read more Georgia Republican Rep. Karen Handel has conceded to Democratic challenger Lucy McBath in a highly watched contest in the state's Sixth Congressional District. The win is a major upset win for Democrats in a solidly conservative district that's been held by Republicans since Newt Gingrich was first elected to Congress in 1979. Handel won the seat last year in a special election after Tom Price left Congress to join the Trump administration as secretary of Health and Human Services. "After carefully reviewing all of the election results, it is clear that I came up a bit short on Tuesday," Handel wrote on Twitter. McBath, a former flight attendant turned gun-control spokeswoman, decided to run for the seat after her son, Jordan Davis, was killed at a Florida gas station in 2012 by a white man who said he shot at the car Davis was sitting in after arguing with the teens over loud music. "I'm sure you'll continue to see more parents like myself who are losing their children standing up," McBath, a first-time candidate, told ABC News. "It's just going to happen." Elsewhere in Georgia, the explosive gubernatorial race between Republican Brian Kemp and Democrat Stacey Abrams remains undecided. Kemp currently leads by nearly 63,000 votes with 100 percent of precincts reporting, but Abrams has refused to concede. "Our opponent has had his office declare himself the victor and we do not accept that," the Abrams campaign told reporters Wednesday night. "They are trying to force an outcome without proof and expecting everyone to go along with it," Abrams hopes that once provisional and overseas ballots are counted, she will gain enough votes to push Kemp below the 50-percent threshold, which would trigger a run-off election. But experts say Kemp's lead is large enough that that outcome appears unlikely. >> READ MORE: National election results: Republican who made sexist comments loses to a woman >> READ MORE: Election 2018 takeaways: A realignment, a split, and messages for 2020 There are two high-profile Senate races that also remain undecided as of Thursday morning. In Arizona, Republican Rep. Martha McSally narrowly leads Democrat Rep. Kyrsten Sinema by about 17,000 votes. But the Arizona Republic estimates that nearly 650,000 votes remain uncounted statewide, including upward of 600,000 in two counties that traditionally lean Democratic. The latest update on the vote count is expected tonight at 5 p.m. local time (7 p.m. Eastern). In Florida, Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson has closed the gap with Republican Gov. Rick Scott, and the two are separated by less than half of a percentage point, which would trigger an automatic recount. Democrats have now successfully flipped 29 seats in the House, winning 223 compared to the 197 seats won by Republicans, according to the Associated Press. Fifteen House races remain uncalled, and several of those are in California, which is traditionally slow to count mail ballots. Closer to home, Democratic challenger Andy Kim has claimed victory in New Jersey's Third Congressional District, but GOP incumbent Rep. Tom MacArthur has not conceded. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, left, celebrates being re-elected with his brother, former Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick at the Bucks County GOP watch party in Doylestown, Pa., on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. Fitzpatrick defeated Democratic challenger Scott Wallace. Read more Earlier this year, Ed Rendell had doubts about multimillionaire philanthropist Scott Wallace's campaign for the U.S. House. Pennsylvania's former Democratic governor believed that Wallace's primary opponent, a Navy veteran and woman, stood a better chance of unseating Republican incumbent Brian Fitzpatrick in the general election. So Rendell donated to Rachel Reddick and helped raise money for her. It didn't work. After pouring $2 million of his own into the race, Wallace won the Democratic nomination for Bucks County's First District. On Tuesday, Fitzpatrick defied the Democratic tide that swept through most of the Philadelphia suburbs, defeating Wallace in a district that Hillary Clinton had carried by two percentage points in 2016. One major reason Fitzpatrick prevailed, political observers said, is that Democrats chose a weak nominee. "Mr. Wallace is a good guy, but he was a flawed candidate," Rendell said. At the same time, analysts said, Fitzpatrick distanced himself from President Trump and carved out an identity as a centrist. "He won in a district where Trump's numbers are probably not all that good," said John Brabender, a Republican consultant. "Why? Because people saw him as being very independent and having accomplishments. They weren't going to penalize him based on their feelings for the president where they saw an exception." Wallace's loss helped Republicans limit Democratic pickups in Pennsylvania to three seats in a year in which they were aiming to capture four or five. Wallace wasn't available for comment Wednesday. On Tuesday night, after his loss became clear, he said: "I think the voters decided they want to stick with something that feels a little safer and hopefully centrist, and maybe they see some hope there." Strikingly, Wallace lost by the same amount fewer than three percentage points as George Scott, a Democrat who challenged Republican incumbent Rep. Scott Perry in a central Pennsylvania district President Trump won by nine percentage points. His defeat also took place a year after Democrats made historic gains in municipal races in Bucks County, and in a district where Trump's approval rating was underwater. Gov. Wolf and Sen. Bob Casey, both Democrats, won Bucks County by large margins: 18 and 14 percentage points, respectively. Observers pointed to several factors that hurt Wallace's standing among area voters, who have a history of splitting their tickets. Though he was born in Bucks County, Wallace had until recently lived in Washington and South Africa, making it easy to mark him as a "carpetbagger." He inherited his wealth his grandfather's seed company was bought by DuPont Co. for $10 billion and Fitzpatrick criticized him for lamenting the deluge of "corporate money" in politics while self-funding his own campaign to the tune of at least $8 million. Wallace reportedly said "f" in a synagogue, another moment that damaged him in what former Republican Rep. Charlie Dent called a generally "atrocious political environment" for suburban Republicans. Advertisements tying Wallace to cop-killer Mumia Abu-Jamal, which some likened to the infamously racist Willie Horton ad, also hurt him, political insiders said. Yet Rendell said the "most devastating" moment in Wallace's campaign was when audio emerged of him allegedly saying that "dogs are smarter than police officers." In response, Wallace's team called the clip a "smear" that relied "on 12 seconds of audio from an unidentified source, time, date, and place." "I thought it was an even race until that," Rendell said. Political observers said it's also possible that, while Fitzpatrick distanced himself from Trump, the president's talk of a caravan of Latin American migrants, as well as the nomination hearings for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, energized some GOP voters in his district. Fitzpatrick's primary opponent, a pro-Trump Republican, received one-third of the vote in the spring. Wallace sought to tie Fitzpatrick to Trump, noting that he supported the GOP's tax cuts and voted with Trump 84 percent of the time, according to the website FiveThirtyEight. But Fitzpatrick was able to develop a moderate brand by siding with Democrats on key issues, analysts said: He voted against repealing the Affordable Care Act and opposed Trump's executive order banning citizens of several Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. Fitzpatrick also won the support of a number of groups that usually ally with Democrats, including powerful labor unions and gun-control organizations, and received the endorsements of news outlets including the Inquirer. That solidified his image as a centrist, and Phil Glover, district council vice president of the American Federation of Government Employees union, said the group helped get out the vote for the Republican. Fitzpatrick's model was similar to the one Sen. Pat Toomey, the Pennsylvania Republican, used to win support in the city's moderate suburbs in 2016. The senator, too, highlighted his endorsement by gun-control organizations. The fact that Fitzpatrick's brother and predecessor is former Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick also provided a boost, observers said. So did at least $8 million that outside pro-Fitzpatrick groups spent on the race. Wallace won a smaller percentage of the vote than Clinton did in such areas as Doylestown Township, Middletown Township, and New Britain. Dave Wasserman, U.S. House editor of the nonpartisan elections analyst Cook Political Report, said Wallace was perhaps the "worst" Democratic contender in the election cycle. Staff writers Laura McCrystal, Nathaniel Lash, and Jonathan Tamari contributed to this article. English Norwegian Norwegian Finans Holding ASA has today received a request from a foreign shareholder holding more than 5% of the shares in the company for an extraordinary general meeting for the purpose of considering a proposal to redomicile all of the banking operations outside of Norway. The board of directors will go through the request in consultation with its advisors and the said shareholder and will keep the market informed of any further decisions made by the board of directors based on the request. For further information, please contact CFO Pal Svenkerud; phone: + 47 93403904 or Head of Communications and Public Affairs, Kai-Morten Terning, phone: +47 905 31 898. This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to the Norwegian Securities Trading Act section 5 12. There are times when Melissa A. Fabello hears the word feminism, and it doesn't mean much of anything. "It's not about women to me," the writer-researcher-activist said, sitting the other day in a cafe on East Passyunk. "Like, it is. But it's also about all the things. If we're not taking down every single system of oppression, we're leaving women behind. So what is the point of feminism without anti-racist work, or fat acceptance, or disability justice?" Fabello, 33, best known for her writings and editing on the website Everyday Feminism (monthly visitors: 4.5 million-plus), was wearing a pink "feminist" pin on the lapel of her light-blue denim jacket that's what started this line of conversation. She began blogging about her own eating disorder recovery roughly a decade ago, and has developed a powerful, eloquent voice on body image and beauty culture. Her recently completed doctoral dissertation elevates that work unquestionably she studied 20 anorexia survivors to see how their experience overlaps with feelings of touch deprivation, which can alter how one experiences sensuality. Fabello uses the phrase "skin hunger. " These days she can be found managing freelance work and reading in the Point Breeze apartment she shares with a partner and two cats. She's working through a 100-book challenge; so far she's completed 91. A recent read: a science-fiction novel called An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, about a woman in her early 20s who quickly becomes internet famous then "struggles with being a person and a brand at the same time." Fabello can relate. Her career, while shifting, places her in some delicate positions. Her all-inclusive approach, and its distance from mainstream feminism, suggests an appreciation of intersectional feminism essentially, a black woman's framework that she doesn't feel comfortable claiming. She has often directed her writing toward women like herself thin women, white women to explain privileges that they experience. After college at Boston University, the Massachusetts native taught high school in Atlanta, which she thought was her calling. But in her early 20s, she developed an eating disorder after dating a man who would berate her for being heavy. She was thin. She gained an inclination toward feminist readings and considered starting a blog on queerness. Writing came naturally, she said, a "typical, sort of cusp-millennial situation." When teaching, she would often think how her students would rather discuss sex than Shakespeare. She wound up in Widener University's human sexuality program for her Ph.D. Sandra Kim, the founder of Everyday Feminism, brought Fabello on as a writer in 2012 when the site was just months old, then promoted her to a full-time editing position the next year. Fabello was an amazing writer from the beginning, Kim said. The analytic mind, warm heart, and teacher's voice were all in concert, Kim said. Everyday Feminism got going at a time when feminist sites saw substantial growths in audience. Rosemary Clark-Parsons, a Penn postdoctoral fellow and researcher of feminist media, dates the first wave of feminist blogs to the early 2000s. In the following decade, she says, marketing campaigns and high-profile celebs embraced feminism, and the cause "started having a media moment." Intersectionality is, of course, not new. Legal theorist Kimberle Crenshaw coined the phrase in 1989 when writing about the overlapping identities of women of color. But for its rise in currency in the last decade, Clark-Parsons credits feminist bloggers and social media personalities. Kim observed as Fabello went through a process of figuring out her place in anti-oppression work. How could Fabello "hold space" as a bisexual eating-disorder survivor, while acknowledging that the beauty culture she dissects still favors women like her. She is not disabled, or fat, or trans, or experiencing poverty, and her looks don't fall outside of the bounds of Eurocentric standards. "I think her story of grappling with it is the story," said Kim. "Both holding herself up to her values and wanting to move in alignment with her own values." In 2016, Fabello blogged about her own failings in the body-acceptance movement: "Does that mean that we, as thin people, can never talk about the fat on our bodies and how we're brainwashed to hate it? No. But it does mean that we have to remember that this spoon-fed guilt and shame is a symptom of a larger fatphobic culture, wherein people who are actually fat (not people who "feel" fat) receive the brunt of the oppression." That struck a chord with Gina Susanna, a body-acceptance advocate based in Chicago. She posted those paragraphs on her Instagram feed. The activists connected and struck up a friendship. "That's one of the things that Melissa helped me learn, how to be critical of a system without centering myself," said Susanna. Fabello balanced her workload at Everyday Feminism with her Widener work. She had noticed that medical research described survivors' avoidance or immaturity around sex. "To me what that says is you need sex therapy," she said. "But how can you think about that and not ask if they like to be hugged? If they like to be cuddled?" Her findings show that touch is different for women with anorexia. Many survey takers crave touch, but only in specific contests. Roughly a quarter of women said they respond to it negatively. She left Everyday Feminism in 2017. The juggle had left her feeling out of her mind at times, but now that she's no longer an editor there and she's defended her dissertation, she's been sorting through what will come next. She went on a social media break recently partly because of the harassment she's experienced online, something that is common among women activist writers. About every three months, she takes efforts to make sure her personal information isn't trackable. But it's not just the trolling or the threats. There are also reader expectations to contend with. Fabello's inbox attracts a following that wants more, whether its clarification or counsel. There was a time, Fabello recalled, when a woman messaged her for help after bingeing and purging "for the first time." Urszula Pruchniewska, a doctoral researcher in media and communications at Temple, has observed that women working online often find themselves undertaking what she calls invisible labor. Social norms that demand women to be warm and caring cross over into digital spaces. To promote their work, women online might be straddling a line between assertiveness and the humility still expected of women. The break, which Fabello interrupted recently to promote a freelancing workshop at Widener next week, is indefinite. Not worrying about reader concerns has been good for her. "The revolution doesn't die because you took a break," she said. "It'll still be there. Unfortunately." This morning we're tracking news of a mass shooting at a Southern California bar overnight. Officials say at least 12 people were killed, including a law enforcement officer, after a lone gunman opened fire in the western themed bar in Thousand Oaks. The gunman also is dead. This is still a developing story and you can check Philly.com throughout the day for updates. Take care of yourselves and each other today, folks. Reading this online? Sign up here to get this newsletter delivered to your inbox every morning. Aubrey Nagle (@aubsn, morningnewsletter@philly.com) READ MORE: California bar mass shooting: The latest A gunman opened fire at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California Wednesday night killing at least 12 people, including a sheriff's deputy responding to 911 calls about the shooting. The gunman was found dead inside the bar.A dozen others are also reported wounded. Reports say the country dance bar was packed with hundreds of people for "college night." The gunman has not yet been identified. READ MORE: Jeff Sessions pushed out after a year of attacks from Trump Attorney General Jeff Sessions submitted a resignation letter at President Trump's request Wednesday after more than a year of personal attacks from Trump. Trump has inserted Matthew Whitaker, a Republican Party loyalist and until now Sessions' chief of staff, in his place. Whitaker now has authority to oversee the remainder of special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, an investigation he has previously spoken publicly about stymying. Questions remain about Philadelphia native Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein's future. Rosenstein had been overseeing the special counsel's work and leaders on both sides of the aisle are concerned about what these developments mean for the probe. READ MORE: Election 2018 takeaways: A realignment, a split, and messages for 2020 If lines at the polls were longer than you remember, you have a good memory: despite the rain, turnout was brisk all over the Philly region. What have we learned from the results so far? The backlash to President Trump is real, but his messages still resonate in some key areas, writes reporter Jonathan Tamari. It looks like gun control really did motivate voters and contributed to victories in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Nevada. And Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick defied a local blue wave in Bucks thanks to centrist messaging and a week opponent. In the meantime, Democrat Andy Kim has claimed victory over incumbent Republican Rep. Tom MacArthur New Jersey's Third District. MacArthur, however, has not conceded. What you need to know today Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly Looks like it was a successful trip, @mariengb44! Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and we'll pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout out! Thats Interesting Opinions "Yet the shift to a Democratic majority in the House gives Democrats control of key foreign policy committees, along with the power to hold investigations Dr. Paul A. Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at CHOP, was recently confronted anti-vaccine activists at an event for his new book. Now, he writes, he wishes he had responded differently. In light of the Harvard affirmative action lawsuit which wrapped up last week, University of Pennsylvania professor Jonathan Zimmerman asks, why do we provide affirmative action for athletes? What were reading Your Daily Dose of | Buck Buck Do you remember "buck buck, "deadbox," or "kick to wickie?" Trace the history of Philly's old street games and you'll find a story of the city itself. Dubuque, Iowa: One of the many stops along James Piltchs 9,000-mile trip across the country. He visited 25 states and asked 200 Americans: What does it mean to be a good citizen? Read more The violence of the last week and the ending of the contentious midterm elections are further proof that America has become a political tinderbox one in which roughly half of Democrats and Republicans alike report they are afraid of the other political party. With 77 percent of voters also telling exit polls on Tuesday that the country is becoming increasingly divided, Americans will have to do something we seem quite unwilling to do: Talk openly with the other side. Last year, I departed my sheltered Bryn Mawr home in my old Honda CRV in an effort to find out whether Americans have truly nothing in common and whether it's impossible to engage with people across the aisle. I drove more than 9,000 miles and interviewed more than 200 Americans in 25 states. I spent time on a military base and an indigenous reservation, in small red towns and large blue cities, and asked people everywhere: What does it mean to be a good citizen? My conversations and time outside of the Philadelphia bubble dispelled my and many others' notion that Americans of different political leanings do not share anything in their vision for the country. In fact, Americans from both parties believe in four civic ideals that are fundamental to our country and that, as a result, can be meaningful conversation starters for those who want to reach out to members of the other party. Respect: People want to feel respected. Idil Ozer, a Turkish American immigrant who worked in politics when I spoke with her in Washington, D.C., went to work in Democratic politics because she believes women are not respected enough in conversation or in policy. Meanwhile, Terri Stine, a self-described Christian woman who owns a Christian candle shop in Waukesha, Wis., said that she believed showing respect through listening is the essential job of a good citizen. She told her prayer group after President Trump won: "Democrats are upset, they're angry. We have to take that seriously. We can't be judging them or saying, ha-ha we won. We need to sit down and talk with them and ask, 'Why are you upset?' " Community: In the midst of a time where it feels as if the country is polarized beyond repair, publications such as the New York Times and the Atlantic have profiled thriving American communities, and my interviews captured that phenomenon, too. Taj Suleyman, a Sudanese refugee who now lives in Dubuque, Iowa, said that the people around him allowed him to thrive in the United States: "I think that I learned what it means to be an American from the people in Salt Lake. Yes, I was on government programs. But what made a difference was the community. The people who helped with my language and taught me to navigate the system were amazing. There was a sense of belonging because of the people around me." Others I spoke with put their commitment to community into action. Chris Wood, a military veteran in Daleville, Ala., hosts a free Thanksgiving dinner every year at his BBQ shop for those who cannot afford their own Thanksgiving. He started the dinner because he was concerned that people around him were hungry and alone on a day when people should share in joy and reflection together. Freedom: Mentioned in more than 60 percent of my conversations, freedom was the idea my interviewees held most dear. The stereotype is that conservatives love freedom, but when asked what was special about living in America, a close to equal proportion of self-identified Democrats mentioned freedom as the most integral part of American life. Citizens especially noted the freedom to be themselves as why they love this country. Jin Park, an undocumented immigrant and immigrant-rights activist who graduated from Harvard last fall, told me: "This idea of self-determination, that you're the one who determines your destiny. That's unique to America!" Stan Hubbard, the CEO of Reelz TV, echoed Jin, saying that the freedom to pursue "happiness as one sees fit" sets the United States apart from other nations. "The Melting Pot": The term itself has been and remains a contentious one but roughly 50 interviewees mentioned it or a concept like it. Unique to America, people told me, is that it doesn't matter where people come from or what their education level is. People who believe in this country and build their lives here are as American as anyone born in the country. Notably, in what may surprise liberal readers, many of the conservatives I spoke with felt this way. John Meiser, a Trump voter in Mishawaka, Ind., noted the country must go one step further to live up to this ideal. To be a country where anyone is truly welcome, he said, Americans must reckon with the historical and continued persecution of non-white, non-Protestant Americans. Not everyone agreed on the exact details of these ideas. The areas of greatest contention were whether and how Americans should explicitly show respect to the government and how much assimilation citizens should expect of immigrants. These disagreements aside, spending time with people far different from myself showed me that citizens of communities like Philadelphia's can and should take it upon themselves to begin a new conversation, one that focuses on the ideals that unite us and rebuilds trust among one another and a belief in democracy in the process. We don't agree on everything but we do agree on enough that we can work together to start to heal our civic culture and our country. James Piltch is a graduate of the Shipley School in Bryn Mawr. He now works as a research assistant at the Harvard Kennedy School. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, left, celebrates his re-election with his brother, former congressman Mike Fitzpatrick at the Bucks County GOP watch party in Doylestown, Par Read more The biggest upside of Tuesday's Election Day is that 113 million people voted a record for midterms. It's clear to me that this turnout was fueled by President Trump. My first observation, however, is that the ghost of the Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court hearings hung over many of the Senate races and, as a result, all the Democrats in red states who voted against confirming Kavanaugh lost their races. West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin won by only 3 percentage points. Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey endorsed the idea on my radio show on Wednesday that Manchin might have lost if he did not vote to confirm Kavanaugh. Toomey and I also talked about the role of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in determining many House races in Pennsylvania, He and I both believe that that the court overstepped its constitutional role by usurping the legislature in drawing district boundaries. We both thought that Pennsylvania Republicans should hold impeachment hearings on this, and that if they do not, this court will move next to set educational funding rates at the state level for the Pennsylvania public schools. As far as the local battle between Democratic and Republican legislators, it's clear that this midterm election strengthened Democrats in the Philadelphia suburbs. Democrats have successfully taken over and solidified their hold over Montgomery County. They have made Chester County essentially a purple county and even made major inroads in Delaware County. However, they are still being held off in Bucks County. Pat Poprik, head of Bucks County Republicans, joined my show to talk about an open letter she sent out, noting a clear choice for voters in Bucks County. The essence of the letter said that a vote for Democratic candidates was a vote to bring Philadelphia values and policies to the suburbs. She referenced Philadelphia policies such as higher taxes, sanctuary cities, and supervised injection sites. Poprik even worked Mumia Abu Jamal into the conversation, given that some organizations that had been funded by Democratic congressional candidate Scott Wallace were huge supporters and advocates for Abu Jamal. I endorse this strategy. The story of the Philadelphia suburbs to me is one of people who left Philadelphia because of chaotic progressive policies that result in high crime, bad schools and dysfunctional government. These refugees to the suburbs, however, want to replicate the same policies in the surrounding counties. Over time, they will erode the quality of life of suburbia. I'm glad that Poprik and her party were able to make their case and maintain the seat of Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick. Wallace was a guy who parachuted into Bucks with big bucks to spend. Though he did enliven the campaign by dropping an f-bomb during a debate in a synagogue. Across the river, voters did not reject a much more inappropriate figure than Wallace. Voters rejected moderate Republican Bob Hugin, deciding instead on Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez. This, even though New Jersey's leading news organization, NJ.com, told readers in its endorsement of his candidacy to "choke it down" and vote for Menendez. Even for New Jersey, this was hard to accept. What all this means going forward is that we will see in Washington a lot of gridlock. I think House Democrats will launch a huge number of investigations and will move for impeachment of Trump. I think, however, they will overplay their hand, and this will aid his re-election. As far as the Senate is concerned, the gains Republicans made allowed Trump to move swiftly to remove Jeff Sessions as attorney general. Trump might feel he has greatly increased his chances of getting a replacement candidate of his choice confirmed by the Senate. This new Senate will also be very important in the confirmation of judges at all levels. Finally, I was glad to see that during this cycle that no one in Philadelphia was triggered by the sight of Bibles in any polling places. In the May primaries, social media was aflame with reports of Bibles on tables near voting machines. There really was nothing biblical during this election season, but our civic life was restored by more people voting. Teacher-turned-talk show host Dom Giordano is heard 9 a.m. to noon weekdays on WPHT (1210-AM). Contact him at www.domgiordano.com On Twitter at @DomShow1210 When the president announced he was sending the U.S. military to help secure our southern border, he received bipartisan praise from members of Congress. The Washington Post reported that the move was seen as "smart politics." The year was 2011, and the president was Barack Obama. The National Guard troops Obama sent to the border as part of "Operation Phalanx" helped apprehend nearly 18,000 illegal immigrants and seized more than 56,000 pounds of illegal drugs. He was not the only president to deploy troops to the southern border. In 2006, President George W. Bush launched "Operation Jump Start," in which National Guard troops assisted in 176,000 immigrant apprehensions, as well as the seizure of almost $900 million in illegal drugs. Before that, in 1994, President Bill Clinton launched "Operation Gatekeeper," deploying military personnel to help regain "control" of the San Diego-Tijuana border. Before that, in 1989, President George H.W. Bush established Joint Task Force Six, deploying the U.S. military to the southwest border region. But now, when President Trump announces that he is doing precisely what four of his Republican and Democratic predecessors did sending troops to help secure the southern border the liberal outrage machines crank into action, as 108 House Democrats sent a letter to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis declaring "this effort is nothing short of a militarization of the southern border to score political points and stoke misleading fears among Americans regarding immigrants." Funny, they didn't say that about Obama, Clinton, or either Bush. Trump's critics say pointing out this history is simply "whataboutism." Sorry, if there was not so much rank hypocrisy among those castigating Trump, there would be no need to say "what about?" Similarly, when Trump's critics declare he is an anti-Semite because he criticizes liberal billionaire financier George Soros (who happens to be Jewish), it is perfectly legitimate to point out that they had no problem with Democrats' attacks on GOP financier Sheldon Adelson (who also happens to be Jewish). Bernie Sanders castigated "billionaires like Sheldon Adelson buying elections," and Elizabeth Warren declared "Sheldon Adelson can't buy us off." Are they anti-Semites? How about when Obama and Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid castigated conservative billionaire financiers the Koch brothers? Reid referred to them as "shadowy" and called their political contributions "un-American." Can you imagine if Trump said that about Soros? Why is Soros immune to criticism because he is Jewish, but the Kochs are fair game because they are not? And it is perfectly fair to point out that these critics were silent a few weeks ago when Clinton shared a stage with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, who has declared "Hitler was a very great man," and warned Jews, "Don't you forget, when it's God who puts you in the ovens, it's forever!," and most recently compared Jews to "termites." Some even defended Clinton by saying he was simply attending Aretha Franklin's funeral and could not control the guest list. Would Trump's critics have had the same reaction if Trump had attended a funeral where he shared the stage with David Duke? And where was the outrage when Obama took a smiling photograph with Farrakhan, reportedly joking that "He is much better-looking than I am"? Democrats have no problem attending and supporting the Women's March, whose leaders include Linda Sarsour, who declared American Muslims should not "humanize" Israelis, and Tamika Mallory, who has called Farrakhan "the GOAT" (Greatest of All Time). Yet they have the temerity to accuse Trump of anti-Semitism. The list of liberal hypocrisies goes on. Pointing these things out does not absolve Trump of anything. We can debate whether sending troops to the border is the right thing to do. And the fact that Democrats condone anti-Semites in their own ranks does not release Trump from his responsibility to condemn the bigots in the alt-right. But if Trump's critics want to be taken seriously, they might want to show some intellectual consistency and hold their own side to the same high moral standards they demand of the president. Otherwise, Americans may get the impression that they are simply using accusations of racism and anti-Semitism as a weapon to silence their political opponents. Marc Thiessen writes a twice-weekly column for The Post on foreign and domestic policy and contributes to the PostPartisan blog. He is a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and the former chief speechwriter for President George W. Bush. @marcthiessen October marked the second anniversary of the tragic death of 17-year-old David Hess, who was killed during an assault by staff in his bedroom at the now-closed Wordsworth residential treatment facility. Two years later, we continue to uncover examples of abuse, isolation, and substandard education in facilities that are supposed to provide treatment and supervision to youth involved in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Rather than provide trauma-informed care, institutional placements too often provide what one youth glibly referred to as "trauma-inducing care." >> READ MORE: Death, rapes, and broken bones at Philly's only residential treatment center for troubled youth This summer, a staff member at Glen Mills Schools violently assaulted a child. In the presence of other youth, the staff member slapped the seated child in the head, lifted him up over his chair, threw him to the ground, and punched him. As many as 30 other youth watched, sitting motionless and seemingly unaffected, as though this kind of treatment is commonplace. Other staff members dragged the child away from the group into a different room, where a counselor grabbed his face and continued to punch him. >> READ MORE: 'I can't breathe': Probe underway at Glen Mills after staffer attacks boy The severity of this incident rightly led Philadelphia Department of Human Services to stop sending children to the facility. The two staffers who punched the child were fired and now face criminal charges. Notably, Glen Mills only documented the first part of the assault in an incident report, and the facility opposed the child's defense attorneys' request for the video footage. This lack of transparency is deeply alarming. Without better access to information about what happens inside facilities, we cannot ensure that tragedies like David Hess' death are not repeated. Abuses like those uncovered at Wordsworth and Glen Mills cannot be attributed to individual bad actors. National studies have shown that abuse and maltreatment are endemic in large, institutional facilities. The model of removing kids from their communities for "treatment" or "rehabilitation" is inherently flawed, as it separates youth from their support networks and replaces individualized, community-based services with a one-size-fits-all institutional approach. This flawed model is also steeped in a history of racist policies and practices, the effects of which continue to this day. In 2015, a black youth in Pennsylvania was 10 times more likely than a white youth to be committed to a juvenile justice institution. Girls and LGBT and gender-nonconforming youth, who already experience abuse and discrimination in the community, face further trauma in institutional placements. Yet Pennsylvania does not even keep data on committed LGBT and gender-nonconforming youth, except in limited circumstances. The Vera Institute of Justice is partnering with Philadelphia to undo this harmful reliance on institutional placement with the goal to end incarceration of girls and LGBT and gender-nonconforming youth. While rates of institutional placements through both the dependency and delinquency systems are steadily declining, Philadelphia still sends too many young people to facilities each year. Teens in foster care are routinely placed in institutional settings, often due to a lack of family-based alternatives. Across the state, more than a third of the youth placed in institutions through the juvenile justice system are there for minor probation violations or status offenses noncriminal acts, such as truancy or running away. Youth on probation can end up in places like Glen Mills or in facilities across the state for reasons as simple as skipping class. The School District of Philadelphia is required to pay for the education of youth in placement, even if it is poor quality and if credits earned are not accepted toward a diploma. For kids, testing positive for marijuana could mean getting sent to placement. Yet, in adult court, prosecutors are declining to prosecute marijuana purchases and are using discretion to withhold positive marijuana screens in violation of probation hearings. This month marks a new milestone: the first meeting of the citywide Youth Residential Placement Task Force, charged with identifying ways to safely reduce the number of Philadelphia youth in institutional placements. Philadelphia City Council established the task force after a May hearing featuring powerful testimony from youth about their experiences in placement, which included beatings, strip searches, mistreatment, and substandard education. The task force includes major city stakeholders: the Department of Human Services, the Defender Association of Philadelphia, the Office of the District Attorney, Community Behavioral Health, the School District of Philadelphia, the Managing Director's Office of Philadelphia, as well as child and family advocates and most importantly young people and family members who have experienced the effects of institutional placements. We are hopeful that, through the work of the task force, Philadelphia will become a model for ending dehumanizing conditions of confinement by investing in community-based alternatives to institutional placements. Providing treatment and services to young people in their homes and neighborhoods will foster safer and stronger communities, produce better outcomes for youth, and help ensure that atrocities like those that occurred at Wordsworth and Glen Mills never happen again. Karen U. Lindell is a senior attorney at Juvenile Law Center. Leola Hardy is chief of the Juvenile Unit at the Defender Association of Philadelphia. Washington: At least 12 people, including a police officer, were killed after a gunman forced his way into a popular bar in the US state of California and opened fire on people there. Confirming the deaths, CNN quoted Sheriff Geoff Dean telling reporters that at least 12 people, including a police officer, were killed by a gunman who stormed the Borderline Bar & Grill bar and opened fire on people on Wednesday night The suspected gunman was also found dead at the scene later, taking the death toll to 13, he added. #UPDATE: Sheriff says 13 are dead including gunman, sheriff's sergeant after shooting at Southern California bar, reports The Associated Press ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2018 The bar, which is close to Los Angeles, was hosting an event for college students and possibly several hundred young people were inside, Captain Garo Kuredjian of the Ventura County Sheriff's office initially said. Several people were reportedly injured in the shooting at the bar which is in the Thousand Oaks, California. Police officers responded to the incident at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks at about 11.30 PM on Wednesday (0730 GMT Thursday). The authorities later said the shooter was dead inside the venue and there were at least 200 people inside the bar attending a college country music night at the time of the incident, media reports say. Officers said approximately 30 shots were fired, Ventura County Star reported. Witnesses described a scene of panic in the bar when the gunman started firing. Some said they used chairs to break windows to escape while others sheltered inside toilets. According to reports, the suspect may have used smoke grenades and at least one gun during the attack. "A gentleman, who walked in through the front door, shot the girl that was right behind the counter," said Holden Harrah, who witnessed the shooting. According to CNN, Thousand Oaks Mayor Andy Fox was informed of the shooting at the Borderline Bar & Grill around midnight, after which the law enforcement agencies responded quickly. "Its my understanding they went in and neutralized the shooter (and) they identified a number of causalities. I dont know the condition of the victims but my understanding is there are a number (of) wounded included a local deputy all of the victims have been transported to hospitals," Fox told CNN. He reminded that Thousand Oaks "is considered one of the safest cities in the country, but this kind of incident can happen anytime, anywhere." The dead gunman suspected of killing 12 people in the California bar was a decorated Marine Corp machine gunner deployed in Afghanistan who had several prior brushes with law enforcement, police and Marine officials said on Thursday. Ian David Long was 28 years old and lived in Newbury Park, a prosperous suburb of Californian bungalows and tidy front lawns, about 4 miles (6.4 km) from the Borderline Bar & Grill where the shooting took place. Long joined the Marines in 2008 and rose to the rank of corporal before leaving active service in 2013, Joseph Butterfield, a Marine spokesman, wrote in an email. He served in the war in Afghanistan for seven months beginning in late 2010, the Marine Corp said, and was awarded multiple ribbons, commendations and medals. (With Agency inputs) Dhaka: Bangladesh authorities on Thursday sent former prime minister Khaleda Zia back to jail after a month of treatment in a hospital here, an official said. Zia, 73, was sent as the specialised state-run hospital certified her fitness to serve the 10-year prison term after she was admitted to the hospital on October 6 following a High Court order. "She was sent to the jail after a medical examination of her health by doctors," home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told PTI as the ex-premier was taken back to the old premises of Dhaka Central Jail where Zia is the lone inmate. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) hospital's director Brigadier General Abdullah Al Harun said the ex-premier was released after a medical board formed for her treatment issued her discharge certificate. But BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir alleged Zia was taken to prison "illegally" adding "doctors did not release her rather this was all the doing of the hospital's director". Zia, was serving 10 years of prison term in two graft cases at the correction centre until she was admitted to the BSMMU hospital for treatment due to different ailments. She was taken to hospital last month when her condition deteriorated. Her doctors say Zia cannot use her left hand because of severe arthritis. She is diabetic and also has problems with her neck and shoulder. On return to the prison, Zia was produced before a makeshift special court inside the complex as a hearing was underway on a third corruption charge involving a foreign energy giant. "Zia said she is still sick and yet the government produced her before the court," a counsel of the ex-premier said. The court is trying her and 10 others for contracting out a major exploration deal to Canadian company Niko abusing her power in exchange of kickbacks uring her tenure as the prime minister in 2001-2006. The development came a day after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina concluded on Wednesday a two-round crucial dialogue with opposition platform National Unity Front (NUF) ahead of the upcoming general elections expected by next month. The dialogue visibly failed to break an impasse on the polls time government system but the ruling party said talks could continue despite the end of the dialogue process. Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party boycotted the 2014 vote in which Hasina returned to power but is expected to contest the election this year. The BJP on Thursday released its third list of 32 candidates for the upcoming Madhya Pradesh assembly elections. Polls to the 230-member MP Assembly house will be held on November 28 while the results will be announced on December 11. BJP releases the third list of candidates for #MadhyaPradeshElections2018 pic.twitter.com/ZLN6IayfUz ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2018 The party has fielded national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya`s son Akash Vijayvargiya from the Indore-3 constituency and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Babulal Gaur`s daughter-in-law Krishna Gour from Govindpura constituency. The list includes six Scheduled Castes, two Scheduled Tribes and five women. Among others are Shivmangal Singh Tomar, Rakesh Choudhary, Rajni Prajapati, Anil Jain, Lakhan Patel, Shiv Bahadur Chandel, Moti Kashyap, Babulal Verma, and Malini Gour. Earlier, the BJP had released two lists of 177 and 17 candidates respectively for the assembly polls, fielding Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan from Budhni seat. The Congress had on Wednesday released its fourth list of 29 candidates for the upcoming Madhya Pradesh assembly elections. The grand old party had earlier announced three lists of 155, 16 and 13 candidates respectively for the 230-member MP Assembly. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan's brother-in-law Sanjay Singh will contest from Waraseoni on a Congress ticket. Raipur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi will arrive in Chhattisgarh on Friday to campaign for the first phase of the Assembly elections in the state. PM Modi will address a rally in Bastar district's headquarters, Jagdalpur, while the Congress chief will tour the state for two days during which he will address five rallies and hold a roadshow in Chief Minister Raman Singh's constituency, Rajnandgaon. The Prime Minister is scheduled to arrive at Raipur airport at 11:20 AM on Friday and then take a helicopter to Jagdalpur. Following the rally, he will leave for Raipur at 2 PM and then return to Delhi, a state BJP spokesperson said Thursday. "This will be the PM's first election rally for the state Assembly polls. It will add power to the party's campaign," the spokesperson added. Rahul on Friday will address his first rally in Pakhanjore town of Kanker district at noon, followed by public meetings in Rajnandgaon district's Khairgarh and Dongargarh towns, and a roadshow in Rajnandgaon, said the head of Congress state communication wing, Shailesh Nitin Trivedi. He will put up at Rajnandgaon for the night and on Saturday, will address rallies in Charama (Kanker district) and Kondagaon, Trivedi said, adding that the Congress chief would also chair a meeting of party workers in Jagdalpur. Raman Singh is also scheduled to hold a roadshow in Rajnandgaon on Friday evening. He is pitted against the Congress's Karuna Shukla, niece of late prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The campaigning for the first phase will end Saturday. In the first phase on November 12, 18 seats in the eight Naxal-affected districts will go to polls. Of these, 12 are Scheduled Tribe seats while one is a Scheduled Caste-reserved seat. The ruling BJP had lost 12 of the 18 seats in the 2013 Assembly polls. The remaining 72 constituencies will witness polling on November 20 and counting of votes will be held on December 11. A total of1,291 candidates are in the fray for the two-phased state polls. In the 2013 Assemblypolls, the BJP had won 49 seats, Congress 39, BSP 1 and Independent 1 in the 90-member House. Washington, DC, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) with support provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has created and launched the Asthma Symptoms, Treatment, Health Management and Activities (ASTHMA) Care for Adults program to help patients manage asthma and improve their health. The program covers a full range of topics someone with asthma needs to know. Asthma is a life-threatening disease. Each year we lose over 3,000 people to it. Whether they are newly diagnosed or have had asthma for some time, some may need help making sense of it all. The ASTHMA Care program is available as a self-paced online course for patients and their caregivers. The content is presented in different formats such as videos, animations, handouts and more. AAFA President and CEO, Kenneth Mendez, states Knowing how to manage asthma is important for better health, quality of life and in extreme cases avoiding hospitalization and even death. Patients can reduce missed work and school days. They can do more of the activities they enjoy. ASTHMA Care has seven lessons on asthma management. It covers topics such as: Asthma basics Asthma action plans Controlling triggers at home and work Knowing if your asthma is not well-controlled Working with doctors, caregivers and employers Properly using asthma medicines Knowing what to do in an emergency Mendez concludes We are thankful to CDC for supporting this much needed resource for our community. ASTHMA Care for Adults is a valuable tool to help save lives and improve quality of life. The ASTHMA Care for Adults course can be found at www.aafa.org/asthmacare. About ASTHMA Care This program is produced by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America with support provided under a cooperative agreement (1 UE1 EH001308) with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Environmental Health, Atlanta, Georgia. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About AAFA Celebrating 65 years of service, AAFA is the oldest and largest non-profit patient organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with asthma, allergies and related conditions through research, education, advocacy and support. AAFA provides practical information and community-based services through its digital communities and network of chapters and support groups. Through its Kids with Food Allergies division, AAFA offers the most extensive online support community for families of children with food allergies. AAFA also helps consumers identify products suitable for those with asthma and allergies through the asthma & allergy friendly Certification Program. For more information, visit www.aafa.org . ### New Delhi: The Army is set to formally induct on Friday K9 Vajra and M777 Howitzer guns at a ceremony to be attended by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at Deolali artillery centre in Maharashtra, a Defence spokesperson said on Thursday. The Army will be getting 100 K9 and 145 M777 guns in all over the next two years at a total cost of Rs 4,366 crore and Rs 5,000 crore respectively, Ministry spokesperson Colonel Aman Anand said. The tracked, self-propelled K9 Vajra, with a maximum range of 28-38 km, is capable of firing three rounds in 30 seconds in the `burst` mode, 15 rounds in three minutes in the `intense` mode and 60 rounds in 60 minutes in the `sustained` mode. The first batch of 10 K9 guns will be delivered this month, the next batch of 40 guns will be delivered in November next year, and the last batch of 50 guns in November 2020, the official said. The 155 mm gun is also capable of direct firing with a range of one kilometre. The Army would be having five regiments of K9 and the first regiment is expected to be equipped by July 2019, he said. The Army is also going to raise seven regiments of M777 howitzers. Four of these guns have already been delivered while five guns will be delivered every month for the next 24 month starting August 2019. The first regiment will complete by October next year. The gun, having a range of 30 km, can be moved to the desired location using helicopters and service aircraft. A Composite Gun Tractor to tow 130 MM and 155 MM artillery guns will also be inducted at the same ceremony, Colonel Anand said. It is fitted with a crane that can handle ammunition weighing two tonnes. The maximum speed of the vehicle without a tow is 80 km per hour and 50 km per hour with a gun attached to it. NEW DELHI: Days after they were sent on forced leave by the Central government over alleged infighting in the central probe agency, its Director Alok Verma and his deputy Rakesh Asthana met Central Vigilance Commissioner KV Chowdary on Thursday. During their meeting with the CVC, the two top top-ranking CBI officials CBI Chief Alok Verma and Special Director Rakes h Asthana - reportedly gave their views on an ongoing probe into corruption charges against them. According to sources, both Verma and Asthana reached the Central Vigilance Commission office around 1 PM and stayed there for about an hour. They met Chowdary and Vigilance Commissioner Sharad Kumar, news agency PTI quoted officials as saying, without citing any other details. On October 26, the Supreme Court had asked the Central Vigilance Commission to complete within two weeks its inquiry into allegations against Verma levelled by Asthana. Former SC judge AK Patnaik was asked to oversee the CVC inquiry. The Centre and the CBI need to submit their findings in the matter in 10 days to the CVC, said the three-judge bench comprising of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justices SK Kaul and KM Joseph. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi posted the next date of hearing on November 12. Verma's lawyer Fali Nariman had argued that the 'order passed by the CVC and the Union Government to send his client on leave was without any authority under the law.' The SC then issued notices to the Central Vigilance Commission and the Centre, asking them for their replies in the matter. The Opposition hailed the SC order. The top court passed the order while responding to Verma's plea who had sought an urgent hearing after being sent on leave after his feud with CBI second-in-command Rakesh Asthana went public. Asthana too moved the Supreme Court over the enforced leave. In an unprecedented development, the Prime Minister-led Appointments Committee sent the top three CBI bosses - Director Alok Verma, Special Director Rakesh Asthana and Additional Director AK Sharma - on leave. It also appointed M Nageshwar Rao as the interim head of the investigative agency. Immediately after taking the mantle, Rao sent transferred top CBI officers investigating sensitive cases. Verma later approached the Supreme Court challenging the decision. The feud between Verma and Asthana had escalated after both accused each other or bribery and hampering probes. Last week, an FIR against Asthana and Deputy Superintendent of Police Devender Kumar was registered in an alleged bribery case. The FIR was lodged on a written complaint of Satish Babu Sana on October 15. It alleged that Kumar, the investigating officer in a case, was repeatedly calling him to the CBI office to harass and compel him to pay a bribe of Rs 5 crore for giving him a clean chit. He also falsified official records. Kumar is currently in the CBI custody. Asthana and Kumar both challenged their FIR in the Delhi High Court, which on Tuesday ordered CBI to maintain status quo on the criminal proceedings against Asthana. The Opposition came down heavily on the internal tussle at the CBI, holding the Narendra Modi government responsible for the entire mess and denting the central probe agency's credibility. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi also raked up the Rafale probe angle behind the Centre's action against Verma. (Wih Agency Inputs ) New Delhi: A thick blanket of smog engulfed the national capital on Thursday morning with the air quality deteriorating to the "hazardous" category, a day after Delhiites celebrated Diwali with firecrackers despite the Supreme Court deadline. The Air Quality Index (AQI) at Anand Vihar was recorded at 999, the area around the US Embassy and Chanakyapuri at 459, and the area around Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium was recorded at 999, which fell under the hazardous category. #Delhi's Anand Vihar at 999, area around US Embassy, Chanakyapuri at 459 & area around Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium at 999, all under 'Hazardous' category in Air Quality Index (AQI) pic.twitter.com/QX7z5UYOl9 ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2018 Thick layer of smog engulfs Delhi; visuals from near Akshardham Temple. pic.twitter.com/K02CO18o5r ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2018 Thick layer of smog blankets South Block in #Delhi pic.twitter.com/FebOKFIhgf ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2018 Earlier on Wednesday night, the air quality had deteriorated to the "very poor" category as Delhiites continued to burst firecrackers long after the deadline set by the apex court, the authorities said. The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 302 at 11 pm, which fell in the very poor category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The air quality started deteriorating rapidly from 7 pm. The AQI was 281 at 7 pm. It rose to 291 at 8 pm and further deteriorated to 294 at 9 pm and 296 at 10 pm, according to the CPCB. The Supreme Court had allowed bursting of firecrackers from 8 pm to 10 pm only on Diwali and other festivals. It had also allowed manufacture and sale of only "green crackers", which have a low light and sound emission and less harmful chemicals. The court had asked the police to ensure that banned firecrackers were not sold and said in case of any violation, the station house officer (SHO) of the police station concerned would be held personally liable and it would amount to committing contempt of the court. But despite the apex court order, there were reports of its violation from many areas long after 10 pm. Several areas showed a spike in the air pollution. Areas like Anand Vihar, ITO and Jahangirpuri recorded very high pollution levels. Violations of the Supreme Court order were reported from Mayur Vihar Extension, Lajpat Nagar, Lutyens Delhi, IP extension, Dwarka, Noida Sector 78 among other places. The police admitted that there were violations, adding that they would take serious legal action against those violating the apex court order. The online indicators of the pollution monitoring stations in the city indicated "poor" and "very poor" air quality as the volume of ultra-fine particulates PM2.5 and PM10, which enter the respiratory system and manage to reach the bloodstream, sharply rose from around 8 pm. According to the CPCB data, the 24-hour rolling average of PM2.5 and PM10 were 164 and 294 micrograms per cubic metre respectively. The SAFAR forecast "bad" air quality Thursday even though partially toxic crackers were burst as compared to 2017. It also said the pollution levels would peak between 11 am and 3 am Wednesday and Thursday. The situation was similar, if not worse, in the neighbouring areas of Delhi such as Gurugram, Noida and Ghaziabad, where crackers were burst as usual, raising question marks on the efficacy of the administration in enforcing the apex court's ban. A "very poor" AQI essentially means that people may suffer from respiratory illnesses on a prolonged exposure to such air. If the air quality dips further, the AQI will turn "severe", which may trouble even those with sound health conditions and seriously affect those with ailments. As many as 209 calls were received by the Delhi Fire Services on Diwali, including one related to a huge fire in a factory at Bawana, officials said. Of these, 89 calls were related to fire incidents at garbage and dumpyards, while the rest were related to fire incidents involving electric wires, at factories and residential areas, a senior Delhi Fire Services officer said. The officials said the number of calls related to firecrackers was comparatively low, but there was no decline in the number of calls related to fire incidents. The Centre, in collaboration with the Delhi government, has launched a 10-day "Clean Air Campaign" from November 1 to 10 to monitor and report polluting activities as well as to ensure quick action. About 52 teams deployed under the campaign had visited different parts of Delhi and the adjacent towns of Faridabad, Gurugram, Ghaziabad and Noida. The teams were led by the sub-divisional magistrates of the respective areas and comprise senior officials of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), representatives of the CPCB, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC). NEW DELHI: Close to 50 lakh kilogrammes of firecrackers were burst in Delhi on Diwali despite a Supreme Court directive limiting the bursting of crackers to only two hours, according to a report by a research group. That is the same amount of firecrackers burst last year. It equates to 1,50,000 kg of mass of PM2.5 (particles in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres). Reacting to the report by Urban Emissions, Ritwick Dutta, environment lawyer, said the violation is not unexpected. "One cannot expect an overnight change in people's behaviour because of a court order. But at least there is a recognition by the court of the harmful consequences of crackers and the gradual realisation by the public that using crackers is not acceptable any more," he said. Partly as a result of smoke from crackers, the overall air quality index (AQI) in Delhi jumped to 642, which falls in the "severe-plus emergency" category, according to the data by Centre-run SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research). Delhi's air quality is expected to remain "severe" over the next two days as the smoke emitted by firecrackers has slowed down the process of pollutant dispersion, a report by a government-run agency said Thursday. In a gross violation of a Supreme Court order, people in several cities burst firecrackers before and after the specified time period. Loud bangs rent the air in New Delhi. Over 7,900 kg of illegal firecrackers, including over 2,500 kg on Diwali, have been seized from various parts of the national capital since the Supreme Court ordered a ban on the sale of old crackers, the Delhi Police said on Thursday. A total of 113 cases have been registered and 124 people arrested for violating the apex court's October 23 order, they said. According to police, over 2,500 kg of illegal firecrackers were seized from various parts of the city on Diwali and 87 people arrested in connection with 72 cases registered in this regard. "Delhi Police has seized 2,776 kg of illegal firecrackers from across Delhi on Diwali. Eighty-seven people have been arrested and 72 cases were registered in connection with the illegal sale of firecrackers," a senior police officer said. Out of the 72 cases, eight cases were registered in southwest Delhi and 208 kg of firecrackers were seized. Three cases were registered in east Delhi and 165 kg of firecrackers were seized. In the northeast, five cases were registered and 214.3 kg of firecrackers were seized while seven cases were filed in Shahdara and 176 kg of firecrackers were seized, the officer said. In central Delhi, six cases were reported and three cases were registered in the north district of Delhi, he said. According to police, eight cases were registered and 112 kg of firecrackers were seized from the northwest district. Four cases were filed in Rohini and subsequently, 794.5 kg of firecrackers were seized. In the south district, four cases were filed and 100 kg of illegal firecrackers were seized, the senior officer said. Similarly, in southeast district, 10 cases were registered and 278 kg of firecrackers were seized. In west Delhi, four cases were registered and 100 kg of illegal firecrackers were seized, he said. Six cases were registered in outer Delhi and 212 kg of illegal firecrackers were registered. In Dwarka, 13 cases were registered and 417.6 kg of firecrackers were seized, police said. Violations were also reported in Mumbai, Kolkata, Jaipur and other major cities. The father of the man, who killed tigress Avni in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra, has threatened to sue Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi. Claiming that his son, Shahfat Ali Khan, killed the tigress in self-defence, he accused the Union minister of making baseless allegations. My son killed Avni tigress in self-defence as attempt to tranquillise failed and tigress was going to attack. We are going to take legal opinion and we are thinking of suing Minister Maneka Gandhi for making baseless allegations against us, father of the shooter told news agency ANI. Shahfat Ali Khan also came out in his defence, asserting that he has never killed any animal without proper government order. Slamming Maneka Gandhi without naming her, Khan said, People sitting in AC rooms and levelling allegations against us is not right. There is no FIR in any police station or any case in court against me. Till now I havent killed any animal without proper government order. This comes days after Maneka Gandhi criticised the Maharashtra government over the killing of the tigress, terming it as a case of brutal murder. She had also demanded that Maharashtra Minister of Finance and Planning - Forests, Sudhir Mungantiwar, should be asked to step down. Tigress #Avni could have been saved if Maharashtra forest minister Sudhir Mungantiwar had been little more patient, sensitive and persistent. Request you to fix responsibility of killing&consider removing the minister from his post, the Union minister had said. On Sunday, in a series of tweets, she had accused Mungantiwar of giving orders for the killing despite several requests from many stakeholders. The Maharashtra minister had hit back at Maneka, even as he justified the killing of the tigress, who is suspected to have killed at least 14 people in the past two years. Mungantiwar had said that though he considered the life of the tigress important, he also felt that human life was no less important. If party chief and Maharashtra CM think that I am a burden then they can remove me. This can't be decided by Maneka Ji (Gandhi) and, moreover, she is not authorised to do so...She (Maneka Gandhi) should work against malnutrition and child deaths, rather than seeking someone's resignation. I also think tigers are important but I feel human life is equally important. Don't know what she doesn't understand, he had said. It seems that changing names of towns and cities is the latest tool of political parties to woo voters. Just days after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath changed the names of Allahabad and Faizabad district to Prayag Raj and Ayodhya, respectively, the Shiv Sena has reiterated its demand for change of names of two towns in Maharashtra. The Shiv Sena, which is a troubled ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has renewed its demand for changing the name of Aurangabad to Sambhaji Nagar and that of Osmanabad to Dharashiv. The party has claimed that it has been its long-standing demand. The demand for renaming of Aurangabad and Osmanabad to Sambhaji Nagar and Dharashiv, respectively, is not new with Shiv Sena, Shiv Sena leader Manisha Kayande told news agency ANI. She further accused the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) of not accepting Shiv Senas demand because of its votebank politics. This is our long-standing demand and this has been raised several times. But Congress and NCP opposed it to appease the Muslim voters, she said. This comes just days after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath declared during Deepotsav 2018 programme in Ayodhya that Faizabad district would henceforth be named after the holy town, which is the birthplace of lord Ram. Meanwhile, there are also reports of Gujarat government planning to change the name of Ahmedabad to Karnavati. Speaking to mediapersons during an event in Gandhinagar, Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel said that the government could go for the move provided it gets the required support to clear the legal hurdles. KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Thursday dismissed a bail plea by a man who was arrested last month, saying protests against the entry of women to the Sabarimala temple dedicated to Lord Ayyappa were unacceptable. "The protests at Sabarimala are not acceptable as it is against the verdict of the Supreme Court," a Kerala High Court bench said, rejecting the request for bail by Kochi resident Govind Madhusudhan. 'Protest in Sabarimala Temple is against the SC's verdict. The strike there is not justifiable', said Kerala High Court while rejecting bail plea of a native of Thrippunithura, who was one of the protesters stopping women devotees from entering in Sabarimala Temple&later arrested ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2018 "If the bail application is considered, it will send wrong signals and similar incidents will recur again," the court said. Madhusudhan was arrested at the temple town during protests against the top court order allowing the entry of women in the age group of 10 to 50, effectively opening up the shrine to all women. The police have arrested over 3,500 people and registered close to 540 cases. Around 100 people are still in judicial custody. The protesters last month prevented 12 women from entering the temple. Similar protests were seen when the temple opened for a day on November 5 when three women were forced to return without offering prayers. Meanwhile, the BJP on Thursday embarked on a Rath Yatra to "protect" the traditions and rituals of the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa at Sabarimala, which recently witnessed violent protests against the entry of women of menstruating age group. The main Opposition Congress is also launching a series of yatras from Kasaragod, Alapuzha, Thiruvananthapuram, Thodupuzha and Palakkad to protect the faith, fight communalism and explain to the people the "politicisation" of the Sabarimala issue by the CPI(M) and saffron parties. Speaking at the inaugural function of the 'Sabarimala Samrakshana Yatra', former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa sought the immediate intervention of the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government to end tensions at the hill shrine. The Kerala government should "apply its mind" and show seriousness to end the impasse at Sabarimala, he said. "We are not against the SC verdict. But sentiments of the people should be respected by one and all," he said, holding the ruling LDF and Congress-led opposition UDF responsible for the present impasse. The Karnataka Opposition leader later flagged off the rath yatra being led jointly by BJP state President, PS Sreedharan Pillai and Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) President Tushar Vellapally, from Madhur Siddhi Vinayaka temple here. The Rath Yatra will conclude at Erumeli near Sabarimala on November 13, when the Supreme Court is to consider the review petitions against its September 28 verdict permitting women of all age groups to offer prayers at the Lord Ayyappa shrine. Meanwhile, Kerala PCC Working President, K Sudhakaran will take out a rally from Kasaragod this evening which will be inaugurated by senior Congress leader, MM Hassan. Various Congress leaders will also be leading rallies from different districts in the coming days which will all culminate at Pathanamthitta, where the Sabarimala shrine is located, on November 15. During the yatra, Congress will inform the people how the Sabarimala issue was "politicised" by the ruling CPI(M) and BJP, KPCC President Mullapally Ramachandran said. BJP-RSS and various other Hindu outfits have been on the warpath against the Left government's decision to implement the apex court verdict. The main opposition Congress has also made it clear that they were with the devotees. The Ayyappa temple opened on Monday for the second time in three weeks for a two-day "Sree Chitira Atta Thirunal" special puja amid unprecedented security over apprehension of protests by those opposing the Supreme Court order, allowing women of menstrual age. Tension had prevailed at the temple Tuesday as nearly 200 frenzied devotees tried to prevent a woman pilgrim, whom they suspected to be of menstrual age, from entering, prompting police to register cases against 200 persons. (With PTI Inputs) New Delhi: Telecom operators, including Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea Ltd, have informed the telecom department about their readiness to conduct proof of concept for the new 'alternate digital KYC process' at two locations, as stipulated. The Department of Telecom (DoT) has also issued the details of the procedure and modalities to be followed by telecom operators for issuing new mobile connections using the alternate digital KYC process. According to a DoT circular dated November 6, Bharti Airtel has ensured "readiness to conduct PoC (proof of concept)" in Delhi and Meerut, while Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has identified two locations in Telangana for the same. "The proof of concept of the....Alternate digital KYC process is to be done at two locations (rural and urban) by each licencee," DoT said. Reliance Jio Infocomm has ensured its readiness to conduct PoC at two locations in Navi Mumbai, while Vodafone Idea Ltd has listed Delhi and Baramati in Pune District, according to the DoT. Other operators like Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) and Tata Teleservices have also identified locations for the POC. As per the alternate digital KYC process proposed by the telecom industry for issuing new mobile connections, the customer acquisition form is to be embedded with live photograph of subscriber along with original proof of identification (PoI) and proof of address (PoA) document -- digitising the end-to-end process for on-boarding of new mobile subscribers by making it completely paperless. Spelling out the nuances of the alternate digital KYC procedure to be followed by telecom service providers, DoT said only two mobile connections will be provided per day per PoI, PoA document to a customer by the operator using the alternate digital KYC process. "... Digital KYC process is an alternative process to the existing process of issuance of mobile connections to subscribers and shall also be applicable for outstation and foreign customers," DoT said. It said that additional safeguards in the prevailing guidelines regarding outstation and foreign customers will also be followed in the new digital KYC process. The Supreme Court in September restricted the use of Aadhaar authentication by private entities in the absence of a legal provision. On October 26, the telecom department asked operators to stop using Aadhaar for electronic verification of existing mobile phone customers as well as for issuing new connections to comply with order of the apex court. Aadhaar-issuing body Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has, however, has clarified that service providers can use offline verification tools like eAadhaar and QR (Quick Response) code that leverage the unique identifier without authentication or any access to biometrics. WASHINGTON: US Attorney General Jeff Sessions was fired on Wednesday after receiving unrelenting criticism from President Donald Trump for recusing himself from an investigation into Russia`s role in the 2016 presidential race. In a step that could have implications for the investigation led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, Trump replaced Sessions with Matthew Whitaker, who will be acting attorney general. He had been Sessions` chief of staff. The top Democrat in the U.S. Senate immediately called on Whitaker to recuse himself from the Mueller probe. Given his previous comments advocating defunding and imposing limitations on the Mueller investigation, Mr. Whitaker should recuse himself from its oversight for the duration of his time as acting attorney general, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement. In an opinion piece for CNN that appeared on Aug. 6, 2017, while he was a commentator for the network, Whitaker, a former U.S. attorney, said Mueller would be crossing a line if he investigated the Trump family`s finances. The piece was titled: Muellers investigation of Trump is going too far. Trump`s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani told Reuters on Tuesday that he assumed Sessions` departure was "not going to affect" the Mueller investigation. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who is supervising the Russia investigation and has also faced criticism from Trump, was seen by Reuters entering the White House on Wednesday afternoon. A spokesman for the special counsels office declined to comment on Sessions resignation and what it means for Muellers probe. Trump announced Sessions` departure on Twitter and thanked him for his service. Sessions said in a letter to Trump that he had resigned at the president`s request. Sessions` exit had been widely expected to come soon after Tuesday`s congressional elections, in which Republicans retained their majority in the Senate but lost control of the House of Representatives. Never in modern history has a president attacked a Cabinet member as frequently and harshly in public as Trump did Sessions, 71, who had been one of the first members of Congress to back his presidential campaign in 2015. Democratic Representative Jerrold Nadler, expected to chair the House Judiciary Committee starting in January, demanded answers in a tweet about Trump`s reasons for firing Sessions. "Why is the President making this change and who has authority over Special Counsel Muellers investigation? We will be holding people accountable," Nadler asked on Twitter. Mueller`s probe, operating under the auspices of the Justice Department, already has yielded criminal charges against several Trump associates and has clouded his presidency for many months. Republicans had repeatedly urged Trump not to oust Sessions, a former conservative Republican senator from Alabama, before the elections lest it create political fallout. They had also argued that Sessions should be allowed a graceful exit after he doggedly carried out Trump`s agenda on illegal immigration and other administration priorities. RECUSAL OVER RUSSIA Trump was only a few weeks into his presidency in March 2017 when Sessions upset him. Rejecting White House entreaties not to do so, Sessions stepped aside from overseeing the FBI`s probe of potential collusion between the Trump presidential campaign and Moscow. Sessions cited news reports of previously undisclosed meetings he had with Russia`s ambassador to Washington as his reason for recusal. Rosenstein took over supervision of the Russia investigation and appointed Mueller in May 2017 as the Justice Department`s special counsel to take over the FBI`s Russia probe after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey. A permanent replacement for Sessions must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate, which Trump`s Republicans will continue to control as a result of Tuesday`s midterm elections. Mueller is pursuing an investigation into whether Trump`s campaign colluded with Russia, whether Trump unlawfully tried to obstruct the probe, and possible financial misconduct by Trump`s family and associates. Mueller has brought charges against Trump`s former campaign chairman and other campaign figures, as well as against 25 Russians and three firms accused of meddling in the campaign to help Trump win. Trump has denied his campaign colluded with Russia. Trump publicly seethed over Sessions` recusal and said he regretted appointing him. On Twitter, he blasted Sessions as "VERY weak" and urged him to stop the Russia investigation. In July 2017, he told the New York Times that if he had known Sessions would recuse himself, he never would have appointed him attorney general. Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward wrote in his book "Fear" that Trump, talking to a White House secretary, disparaged Sessions as "mentally retarded" and a "dumb Southerner" while mocking his accent. There were news reports in the weeks after Mueller`s appointment that Sessions had offered to resign. Sessions usually remained quiet on Trump`s criticism, but defended himself in February 2018 after a Trump tweet criticizing his job performance by saying he would perform his duties "with integrity and honour." RESPONDING TO TRUMP In August, Sessions punched back harder after Trump said in a Fox News interview that Sessions "never took control of the Justice Department." Sessions issued a statement saying he "took control of the Department of Justice the day I was sworn in" and vowed not to allow it to be "improperly influenced by political considerations." As for his own involvement with Russia, Sessions was questioned in January by Mueller`s team and has offered shifting public accounts. He has said nothing improper transpired in his meetings during the campaign with Ambassador Sergei Kislyak. In congressional testimony in November, he said he now recalled a meeting during the 2016 campaign in which a campaign adviser, with Trump present, offered to use connections with Moscow to arrange a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Frontier Corps of Balochistan, a part of the federal paramilitary forces of Pakistan, has alleged that enemies of the country have plans to increase the level of violence in the province. According to Pakistan-based Dawn News, the Inspector General of the Balochistan Frontier Corps, Major General Nadeem Anjum, told a senate panel that the move by the enemies was aimed at compelling United Nations intervention to declare Balochistan an independent state. While speaking about the issue before the panel, the Inspector General alleged that though a lot of developmental works was being carried out by Pakistani authorities in Balochistan, the foreign media use Bollywood and Hollywood movies and claim it (terrorism) is going on in Balochistan. Equating the situation with that in countries like Libya and Yemen, the Inspector General alleged that efforts were being made to create unrest across Balochistan, pointing that earlier there was disturbance in just parts of the province. The chairman of Senate panel, Rehman Malik, used the opportunity to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India over the issue. According to Malik, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and Afghan intelligence agency were carrying out terrorist activities in Balochistan, said the Dawn News reports. Malik further alleged that Prime Minister Modi had himself admitted to the involvement of Indian government in Balochistan. The report further said that taking cognisance of the issue raised by the Frontier Corps, the Senate panel called for strengthening the force by hiking its budget allocation and providing it with modern gadgets and helicopter. The development comes just months after protests were held by Baloch activists outside the United Nations, demanding freedom for Balochistan. On the sidelines of the 37th Human Rights Council of the UN, the activists demanded freedom from state-sponsored atrocities. It was reported that Baloch men, women and children from all walks of life had joined the protest march from Rive to the UN office. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BBX Capital Corporation (NYSE: BBX, OTCQX: BBXTB) (BBX Capital or the Company) announced today that it will participate in the SunTrust Robinson Humphrey 2018 Lodging, Gaming & Leisure Summit in Boston, Massachusetts on Thursday, November 29, 2018. The conference will be held at the Langham Hotel located at 250 Franklin Street, Boston, MA 02110. Leo Hinkley, Managing Director and Investor Relations Officer of BBX Capital, will represent the Company by hosting one-on-one and small group meetings with participating investors from around the country. Investors interested in attending the summit should contact their SunTrust Robinson Humphrey representative and/or visit the on-line registration link: https://suntrust.dealogic.com/clientportal/Conferences/Agenda/List/54?menuItemId=2. Alternatively, please contact Robin Mann at robin.mann@SunTrust.com or 212-303-0078. About BBX Capital Corporation: BBX Capital Corporation (NYSE: BBX) (OTCQX: BBXTB) is a Florida-based diversified holding company whose activities include its 90 percent ownership interest in Bluegreen Vacations Corporation (NYSE: BXG) as well as its real estate and middle market divisions. For additional information, please visit www.BBXCapital.com . About Bluegreen Vacations Corporation: Bluegreen Vacations Corporation (NYSE: BXG) is a leading vacation ownership company that markets and sells vacation ownership interests (VOIs) and manages resorts in top leisure and urban destinations. The Bluegreen Vacation Club is a flexible, points-based, deeded vacation ownership plan with approximately 216,000 owners, 69 Club and Club Associate Resorts and access to more than 11,100 other hotels and resorts through partnerships and exchange networks as of September 30, 2018. Bluegreen Vacations also offers a portfolio of comprehensive, fee-based resort management, financial, and sales and marketing services, to or on behalf of third parties. Bluegreen is 90% owned by BBX Capital Corporation (NYSE: BBX) (OTCQX: BBXTB), a diversified holding company. For further information, visit www.BluegreenVacations.com . BBX Capital Corporation Investor Relations Contact: Leo Hinkley, Managing Director, Investor Relations Officer 954-940-5300, Email: LHinkley@BBXCapital.com ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: A Pakistani Christian woman has been freed from prison a week after the Supreme Court overturned her conviction and death sentence for blasphemy against Islam, and she is now at a secure location for fear of attacks on her, officials said on Thursday. The release of Asia Bibi, a mother of five, prompted immediate anger from a hard-line Islamist party that has threatened to paralyse daily life countrywide with street protests if her acquittal is not reversed. Bibi, 53, was convicted of blasphemy in 2010 over allegations she made derogatory remarks about Islam after neighbours objected to her drinking water from their glass because she was not Muslim. She always denied having committed blasphemy. The case has outraged Christians worldwide, and Pope Francis met with Bibi`s family earlier this year, saying he prayed for her. Italy said on Tuesday it will try to help Bibi, who is Catholic, to leave Pakistan. Insulting Islam`s Prophet Mohammad carries a mandatory death penalty in Pakistan, which is about 95 percent Muslim and has among the harshest blasphemy laws in the world. Minority Christians make up about 2 percent of the population. Three security officials told Reuters early on Thursday that Bibi had been released from a prison in Multan, a city in southern Punjab province. She was flown to the airport near the capital, Islamabad, but was in protective custody because of threats to her life, said the three officials, speaking on condition of anonymity. Bibi`s lawyer, who has fled Pakistan and this week sought asylum in the Netherlands, confirmed she was no longer in prison. "All I can tell you is that she has been released," lawyer Saif-ul-Mulook told Reuters by phone from the Netherlands. A spokesman for the hard-line Tehreek-e-Labaik (TLP) party, which took to the streets after the Supreme Court ruling, said her release violated a deal with the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan to end the protests. "The TLP activists are agitated as the government has breached the agreement with our party. The rulers have showed their dishonesty," party spokesman Ejaz Ashrafi told Reuters. The government deal last week promised not to block a petition for the Supreme Court to review Bibi`s acquittal in light of Islamic sharia law, the TLP said. It also said the government promised to work to ensure Bibi could not leave the country. If Pakistan`s government allows Bibi to leave, it could face more paralysing protests from the TLP and other Islamist parties. From New Mexico`s Debra Haaland, who became one of the first two indigenous women elected to the US Congress to New York`s Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who at 29 became the youngest woman elected to the chamber, American political candidate notched several precedents in this week`s elections. The following are details on some of the firsts marked during the The following are details on some of the firsts marked during the 2018 midterm elections: First Native American woman in Congress: Two Native American women elected will become the first indigenous people seated in Congress - Sharice Davids in Kansas and Haaland in New Mexico. Youngest woman elected to Congress: After defeating a long-time incumbent in a Democratic primary, Ocasio-Cortez, became the youngest woman elected to Congress. The title was previously held by Representative Elise Stefanik, a Republican who was first elected at the age of 30 in 2014. William Charles Cole Claiborne was the youngest member elected to the House at age 22 in 1797. He was seated despite not meeting the constitutional age requirement of 25 years. First female Muslim members of Congress: There are two women who won seats to become the first female Muslim members of Congress - Rashida Tlaib in Michigan and Ilhan Omar in Minnesota. Omar will also be the first member of Congress to wear a hijab or head scarf, which she does as a Muslim. She is also the first Somali-American elected to Congress. Tlaib is the first Palestinian-American elected to Congress. State`s first female governor: Two women became the first in their respective states to be elected governor. Democrat Janet Mills won the Maine gubernatorial race and Republican Kristi Noem secured victory to be next governor in South Dakota. First consecutive female state governors: New Mexico`s Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, will replace outgoing Republican Governor Susana Martinez, becoming the first time a state has elected two women in a row to the governor`s office. First gay male governor: Colorado`s Jared Polis already notched a first when he was elected to the U.S. House as the first openly gay non-incumbent elected to Congress. With a win in Colorado, he will now become the country`s first openly gay man to win a gubernatorial election. First Korean-American woman elected to Congress: Republican Young Kim of California won a close race that secures her place as the first Korean-American woman elected as U.S. representative. First black woman from New England in Congress: Democrats Jahana Hayes of Connecticut and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts will share the precedent as the first black women elected to the U.S. Congress from New England. First Hispanic woman to Congress from Texas: There are two women in Texas whose victories will make them the first Hispanic women from the Lone Star state to go to Congress. Democrats Veronica Escobar and Sylvia Garcia both secured election victories. The results of the elections are of particular importance for Ukraine since the redistribution of seats in the Congress might affect the US foreign policy Open source On November 6, US midterm elections were held; the date also marked two years since Donald Trump and his team won the presidential race. This year, elections were held in 36 of 50 states and in 3 overseas territories. However, an intrigue is surrounding the midterm elections to the US Congress. US citizens elect 435 congressmen from the House of Representatives and 35 (of the 100) senators. According to the US law, senators stay in office for 6 years, and elections for representatives are held in every even-numbered year. Interim elections are crucial for the administration of US President Donald Trump, since their outcome influences whether Republicans will be able to maintain a majority in the Congress. To form a majority in the US House of Representatives, it is necessary to control 218 seats. These elections are a kind of strength test for the Trump team, a litmus test that demonstrates the level of support for the Make America Great Again program among the US citizens. The results of the elections are of particular importance for Ukraine since the redistribution of seats in Congress might affect the US foreign policy. Test for Trumps team Regardless of the American presidents party affiliation, his political force often lost seats in the Congress after the midterm elections. Such a fate was shared by the Democrats and Republicans during the rule of Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Lyndon Johnson, Ronald Reagan, and Harry Truman. At the beginning of Trumps presidential term in 2017, 35% of Americans approved his course, on the eve of the midterm elections to Congress there were 42% of his supporters. For comparison, on the eve of elections to the House of Representatives in 2006, the ratings of ex-President George W. Bush were 37%. Then the Republicans lost 30 seats, and the majority occurred in the hands of the Democrats. In the elections to the Senate, the struggle will be held mainly for the places occupied by the Democrats (26 out of 35 seats), and this fact plays into the hands of the Republicans. Ten seats belong to the Democratic senators from the states where Trump won the presidential election. One of the most prominent candidates running for this election is a Florida senator candidate, current governor Rick Scott. They are long-time friends with Donald Trump. Scott is one of the few Republicans who supported his candidacy in the 2016 presidential election. Before his political career, he was involved in the healthcare business. As governor, Scott legalized the use of medical marijuana, supported tightening of migration policies (although he did not agree with the family separation policy), opposed the Medicaid program for poor Americans. His opponent is the incumbent Democratic senator and former NASA astronaut pilot Bill Nelson, known for claiming in August 2018 that the Russian special services were trying to intervene in the mid-term elections in Florida. The situation in Arizona seems to be tense. Republican senator Jeff Flake refused to participate in the elections this year because he opposes the Trump presidency and does not rule out his participation in the 2020 presidential campaign. Republican Martha Maxalli competes for the Republican senator post. She did not support the candidacy of Trump in the presidential election of 2016, and in July 2018, she urged the president to toughen his position on Russia. There are problematic issues that can play a cruel joke on the Republican candidates in the congressional elections. Many Americans do not support Trumps decision to spend large sums of money from the state budget on building a barrier wall on the border with Mexico, imposing high duties on products of Chinese companies that supplied cheap goods to America, cutting back on Medicaid preferential medical programs. Some Americans were confused by the message of Special Prosecutor Muller to complete the investigation of Russia's intervention in mid-November and the reluctance to share preliminary results before the mid-term elections. Corruption scandals involving Republican congressmen Chris Collins and Duncan Hunter had a negative impact on the Republicans' reputation. Trump spoke about the threat of the Russian intervention before the midterm elections to bolster the position of his party, saying that the Russian Federation would benefit if the Democrats won, and that there is no president who would adhere to a tougher stance towards Russia than he would. Last week, the American president announced the US withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty of 1987. He is trying to rally the Republican Party electorate around the Russian threat, dragging undecided citizens onto its side. It is unlikely that the nature of US foreign policy will change if the Republicans win the midterm elections to Congress. They will continue to adhere to isolationism in the UN and other organizations, to cut the funding for international initiatives. US relations with the European Union and China will continue to deteriorate, since the United States do not force out their producers from the American market, so they will introduce new high import duties. In the Middle East, the United States will continue to rely on strengthening relations with Israel, thus opposing the alliance of Russia, Iran, and Syria, as well as Erdogan's Turkey. Republicans will continue to put pressure on Russia and a number of other countries with the help of sanctions. After the November elections, US lawmakers can work out the issue of introducing new restrictive measures against the energy sector of the Russian Federation and in relation to its sovereign debt (formally, creditors cannot force the government to fulfill its obligations in case of problems with the debt repayment). Since April 2018, foreign lenders have withdrawn $ 7.5 billion from the sovereign debt market of the Russian Federation (that is, even before the introduction of any restrictive measures). The Congress will restore economic sanctions against Iran to force the ayatollah regime to abandon the development of ballistic missiles. The US will continue to impose restrictive measures against the customers of modern Russian weapons, as it has already happened in China. 'The Democrats won control of the House of Representatives and, with it, the ability to check President Trumps power. Republicans, however, performed strongly among the group of Senate seats up that were on the ballot, and expanded their majority in the chamber," Vox outlet wrote. Implications for Ukraine Under either outcome of the midterm elections in the United States, Ukrainian politicians should show restraint and take a wait-and-see position not to repeat the situation of the 2016 presidential election. Then, Kyiv have openly supported Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, so it quickly bred discontent of the Republicans. As it turned out, the Republicans and Trump act tougher and more decisively towards Russia, they introduce new sanctions more quickly. It was the Republicans who for the first time delivered a lethal weapon to Ukraine. Taking into account these considerations, the dominance of the Republicans in the US foreign policy is preferable to Ukraine. However, this does not mean that the position of the US Congress will change on the Ukrainian issue if the Democrats occupy the majority of seats. Now anti-Russian sanctions are supported by representatives of both parties. The leader of the democratic minority in the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, criticized Trump in early 2018 for hesitating to impose sanctions against the Russian Federation for interfering in the American elections. Democrats have learned a lesson from Obamas mistakes and the failure of the reset policy against Russia. If we recall Clintons election campaign, one of the key provisions was tightening of pressure against Russia to force the Kremlin to return the annexed Crimea to Ukraine and withdraw the troops from Donbas. Democratic Senators candidate Beto ORourke believes that the US needs to restrain Russia's aggression more actively. It makes no sense for the Democrats to soften or lift the anti-Russian sanctions, otherwise all of their arguments about Russia's interference in the 2016 American election will be lost. There is no point in 'rebooting 2.0.' Read the original text at 112.ua. The occupiers used 82mm mortars, infantry fighting vehicles, and anti-aircraft mount near Pavlopil Open source Russian occupation forces violated ceasefire regime seven times in the Joint Forces Operation zone (JFO) over November 7. As a result of the hostilities, one Ukrainian serviceman received injuries. The press office of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) headquarters reported this on Facebook. During the following day, the Russian occupation forces violated ceasefire regime seven times. Yet, the enemy used weapons prohibited by the Minsk Agreements, the HQ reported. The rival performed aimed fire from grenade launchers of different systems, heavy machine guns, and small arms. The occupiers used 82mm mortars, infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), and ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft mount near Pavlopil. Moreover, the Russian occupation forces shelled the positions of the Joint Forces Operation in the areas of settlements Vilny, Zaitseve, Pisky, Krasnohorivka, and Hnutove. The defensive units have used the available forces and means to stabilize the situation when accomplishing the tasks, however, they are ready for more active measures. As it was reported earlier, during the last day, November 6, ten hostile attacks against the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Donbas were recorded, one Ukrainian serviceman was injured. Representative of the LGBT community and a billionaire will rule the particular states as winners of the local elections Jared Polis, newly elected Governor of Colorado Voice of America Two Americans of Ukrainian origin won in the gubernatorial elections, the Voice of America reports. 'On November 6, a 43-year-old member of the Democratic party Jared Polis won the gubernatorial elections in Colorado. He is also an open representative of the LGBT community,' the message says. Since 2009, Polis represented Colorado in the House of Representatives in the Senate. Before that, he was famous as an entrepreneur and philanthropist. He and his lover are bringing up two kids. 'A millionaire, representative of the Democratic Party who comes from a family of the Ukrainian migrants Jay Robert Pritzker becomes a newly elected Governor of Illinois,' the same message says. Jay Robert Pritzker, an American billionaire, who was elected Governor of Illinois Voice of America Pritzker is one of 11 billionaires of the Pritzkers, whose fortune is worth $33,5 billion. 'I come from the Ukrainian Jewish people and I am proud to work with the local community who survived in the Holocaust,' he says. Earlier, on November 6, midterm elections to the Congress were held in the U.S. The Democratic Party received the majority of seats in the House of Representatives. Yet, the Republicans have consolidated the majority in the Senate, which President Trump called a 'tremendous success'. The House of Representatives is responsible for the adoption of new laws, which influence the U.S. external policy, in particular. The Senate deals with the staff appointments and controls the White House. The deal was made in Rotterdam; the cargo should reach Ukraine by the end of the month Open source A batch of South African coal should reach Ukraine by late November. The respective deal was made in Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, as Ukraine's state-run DTEK company ordered 80,000 tons. DTEK is responsible for Kryvorizka thermal power plant's constant operation; the plant is a part of the Ukrainian energy system. As of Thursday noon, Kryvorizka TPP works as scheduled, with two power units online; there's 102,000 tons of coal in the stocks. DTEK notes it currently implements the program aimed at reducing the addiction to import coal supplies. Specifically, anthracite-driven power units are being switched to Ukraine-produced coal; it already let the company reduce the current need for the import anthracite by 700 tons. It is known that Ukraine's law enforcers check the information about Russia's export activity concerning the Donbas-mined coal stocks to Turkey. Pavlo Klimkin, Foreign Minister of Ukraine said that at a briefing after the security forum in Lviv, western Ukraine. 'We have information about the Russian side's manipulation with the coal from the occupied territories that they mix with the Russian coal so that we cannot find it out using a chemical check. Then, the coal comes to Turkey. The investigation is underway. By the way, we have reasons to suspect that the same kind of coal reached Poland. It's not so easy to detect, but we've got to do it step by step so that there are no manipulations like this one', he said. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expressed protest due to the extension of arrest to Ukrainian political prisoner Pavlo Gryb, who was detained by Russian intelligence during Ukrainians trip to Belarus, he was accused of preparation of the terrorist attack. Ukraine's MFA Press Secretary Mariana Betsa reported this on Twitter. Farce in the case of Gryb is continuing. Today, his arrest in Russia was illegally extended until April 2019. We express our protest to the Russian Federation and demand release, Betsa claimed. As it was reported earlier, the court prolonged the arrest of the Ukrainian political prisoner Pavlo Gryb. The consideration of the case is scheduled for November 15. Earlier, his father Ihor Gryb claimed that Pavlo was being psychologically pressured in the penitentiary facility. As is known, Pavlo suffers from portal hypertension. This is why he needs special medicine on the daily basis. The Ukrainian side had repeatedly asked the Russian authorities to allow that. The Russian Federation responded that the Ukranian had no health issues. 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). Open source The U.S. is to impose additional sanctions against Russia due to the use of the chemical weapon. Deputy Press Secretary of State Department Robert Palladino stated that at a briefing. Yet, Washington still has to diligently estimate the effect of these sanctions on the national security, as Voice of America reported. 'We have done everything required by the law we have informed the CongressAs the process develops, we will be meeting the requirements of the law,' Palladino noted. He did not specify the exact time of imposition of new sanctions. According to him, it is a 'long process'; he added that the U.S. wanted to impose sanctions 'in full accordance with the law'. The U.S. reasoned the sanctions by the fact that Russia does not observe the provisions of the 1991 American law on prohibition of the use of the chemical and biological weapons. It is supposed that the sanctions might come into force on November 27. Open source About 200 Ukrainian tourists, the clients of Join Up tour operator are stuck at the airport of Egypt and cannot depart from Sharm El Sheikh as Hromadske reported. According to Oleksandr, one of the tourists, their flight is scheduled on November 7, at 7.10 p.m. but representatives of the transport carrier Yanair claimed that a fight occurred on board of the plane and there will be no flight. 'We were settled at the bed hotel, so-called 'flophouse', and today (November 8, - 112 International) they said that we will head to Ukraine,' Oleksandr said. According to him, the tourists were taken to the airport but not sent to Ukraine. 'They wanted to settle us at the 'flophouse' again but people protested and said they would not go there. First, the representatives of the transporter Yanair and representatives of tour operator Join Up threatened to call the police, and then, they promised us a normal hotel. Now we are heading there,' he noted. Join Up Company confirmed that the tourists did not leave Egypt. 'The tourists were provided with the settlement at the hotel, of course, at the expense of the company. Some of the tourists will depart at 7 p.m. and the rest at 9.40 p.m,' Join Up reported. The press service of the tour operator noted that it did not receive any complaints from the tourists about the hotel. Concerning the reasons of the delay, Join Up claimed that it is not within their competence and people should appeal to the transporter. In September 2018, 150 Ukrainian tourists could not fly back to Kyiv from Hurghada, Egypt. BAY 2092 flight of Bravo Airways airline company delayed. Besides, earlier this year, Ukrainian tourists got stuck in the Italian city of Rimini, as they expect their flight home to Odesa. Join UP tourist company reported that, noting that the flight ANR5992 of YanAir company was supposed to take place on August 1, but was delayed for August 3 for technical reasons. The first stage of the reconstruction to start in November The Kerch Polytechnic College, where a school shooting and bomb attack occurred, will be repaired in 2019, as TASS reported citing so-called "Education Minister" of Crimea Natalia Goncharova. "There will be two stages. The first one is the reconstruction works. It is planned to finish it until the end of the year. From the next year, the major repair of the whole college will take place," she claimed. It is planned that the works within the first stage of the reconstruction of the building to begin on November 17. Despite the restoration of the destroyed constructions, it is planned to extend the educational space. "Development Minister" of occupied peninsula Sergey Kononov also reported that the windows of the damaged campus are being altered. As we reported, an explosion thundered at a college in Kerch, the town in Russian-occupied Crimea. The number of the victims reached 21. Russia's Investigative Committee opened a criminal proceeding due to Crimean blast upon the article on the terrorist action; however, later it was reclassified to the mass murder. A crime was committed by an 18-year-old student of the college, later he shot himself. The so-called Head of Crimea Sergei Aksyonov stated that the Kerch shooter had support in preparing the terrorist attack in the college on October 17. Related video: NEW YORK, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ITG (NYSE: ITG), a leading agency broker and financial technology provider, today announced that October 2018 U.S. trading volume was 3.7 billion shares and average daily volume (ADV) was 160 million shares, compared to 2.7 billion shares and ADV of 144 million shares in September 2018 and 2.8 billion shares and ADV of 126 million shares in October 2017. There were 23 trading days in October 2018, 19 trading days in September 2018 and 22 trading days in October 2017. ITG U.S. Trading Activity In addition to overall U.S. trading volumes, ITG also provides a monthly summary of average daily volume (double-counted) and average trade size for the POSIT crossing network and POSIT Alert. # of Trade Days Total U.S. Volume Average U.S. Daily Volume Average POSIT Daily Volume Average POSIT Trade Size Average POSIT Alert Daily Volume Average POSIT Alert TradeSize Avg. POSIT Alert Trade Size Ex- Algos* October 2018 23 3,680,562,929 160,024,475 65,006,148 289 17,009,548 11,607 34,017 YTD 2018 211 28,566,059,603 135,384,169 50,647,452 285 14,271,386 14,929 35,209 *Excluding shares crossed through POSIT Alert from ITG algorithms Average U.S. revenue per share in October 2018 was approximately 4% lower than the average in the third quarter of 2018. International Trading Activity The average daily trading commissions in October 2018 in ITGs Canadian, European and Asia Pacific businesses were up approximately 17% in U.S. dollar terms on a combined basis as compared to the third quarter of 2018 and were up approximately 15% as compared to October 2017. On a blended international basis, there were approximately 23 trading days in October 2018 and 22 days in October 2017. POSIT Alert set new monthly records for both global value crossed and European value crossed in October 2018. Commenting on the strong trading activity, ITG President and Chief Executive Officer, Frank Troise, said, Our performance in October, including a new global Alert record and a return to profitability in the U.S. business, demonstrates the momentum of our franchise and our commitment to helping institutional clients achieve best execution. These statistics are preliminary and may be revised in subsequent updates and public filings. Volume statistics are posted on the investor relations section of ITGs website, investor.itg.com and are available via a downloadable spreadsheet file. ITG Dividend Policy Separately, ITG announced today that it intends to continue payment of its regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.07 per share prior to the acquisition of the firm by Virtu Financial Inc., which is expected to close in the first half of 2019. About ITG Investment Technology Group (NYSE: ITG) is a global financial technology company that helps leading brokers and asset managers improve returns for investors around the world. We empower traders to reduce the end-to-end cost of implementing investments via liquidity, execution, analytics and workflow technology solutions. ITG has offices in Asia Pacific, Europe and North America and offers execution services in more than 50 countries. Please visit www.itg.com for more information. ITG Investor/Media Contact: J.T. Farley (212) 444-6259 corpcomm@itg.com A group of 20 perpetrators was prevented from smuggling a batch of cigarettes across the Romanian border A group of smugglers used force against the patrol of Ukrainian border guard. The incident occurred in Chernivtsi region, southwestern Ukraine near the border with Romania. According to the State Border Guard, the border guard unit was on duty, when they spotted about 20 people carrying some goods to Romania. As the malefactors were detained, the latter resisted, inflicted injuries on the border guards and tried escaping. The reinforcements arrived, and then the law enforcers found four boxes with cigarettes left by the smugglers. The police were informed; the investigation is underway. Earlier, Officers of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Prosecutor General's Office blocked the export of smuggled amber with over one ton of weight from Zakarpattia region to the European countries. The press office of the SBU reported that. Law enforcement officers found a local resident with illegally extracted sunstone in a van at Luzhnyky customs post. The stuff was placed in a trunk compartment and was packed into travel bags. Operational services established that one of the customs officers facilitated the smuggling of the amber across the state border of Ukraine, the SBU reported. The malefactor used the international courier delivery to send the components used in the military and civilian aviation Aircraft components, boxed SBU Ukraine's SBU, the state security service detained a resident of Zaporizhya city, southeastern Ukraine; he tried to send the components used in the military and civilian aviation to Eastern Asia. The incident took place in Zaporizhya on Thursday, November 8. According to the SBU press centre, the man used the international courier delivery service to send the package. However, it was seized by the SBU after it reached the mail service. It appeared that the man had no license from Ukraine's State Service for Export Control. The criminal case was opened on the attempt of smuggling. As we reported, a group of smugglers used force against the patrol of Ukrainian border guard. The incident occurred in Chernivtsi region, southwestern Ukraine near the border with Romania. According to the State Border Guard, the border guard unit was on duty, when they spotted about 20 people carrying some goods to Romania. As the malefactors were detained, the latter resisted, inflicted injuries on the border guards and tried escaping. 19 U.S. states have recognized the man-made disatser as the genocide of Ukrainians so far The American state of Virginia recognized Holodomor of 1932-1933 the genocide of the Ukrainian nation, as the press office of Ukraines Embassy in the U.S. reported. 'Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and his totalitarian regime committed an act of genocide through the implementation of an engineered famine by confiscating the land, grain, and animals from the Ukrainian people,' the message says. The document also establishes honoring of the 85th anniversary of Holodomor in the state. The United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations adopted a resolution, in which Holodomor of 1932-1933 is recognized a genocide of the Ukrainian nation. Last month, a memorial of victims of the 1933 Holodomor in Ukraine appeared in Toronto. 'For many years, while the memory of Holodomor was concealed, Canada's Ukrainian community has been keeping it and managed to get it back to Ukraine. It is an extremely important contribution, and I'm especially thankful to the elderly members of our community who kept this memory,' Canada's Foreign Minister Christine Freeland said. The shift spotted a drone in the evening of November 7; the man who guided the drone was detained A drone flight was observed not far from the military unit building in Bakhmut city, Donetsk region. The mobile group of the military unit detained a man who was driving it and passed him to the officers of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) from the Joint Forces Operation. The press service of the Defense Ministry of Ukraine reported this on Thursday evening. The shift spotted a drone about 8 p.m. on November 7, and a mobile group was sent to the possible place of the drone's launch. 'During the tracking operation, we succeeded to detain a man in a car; he was driving the drone. Two drones, a laptop and devices for driving drones were found in the car. The suspect, the car and technical means were passed to the officers of the SBU from the Joint Forces Operation,' the message said. The Defense Ministry reminds that the drones spotted above the military units and locations of the military departments, the bases, depots and arsenals - or at least near them - will be downed without warning; the people involved in such incidents will be detained and held responsible in accordance with the legislation of Ukraine. On November 5, Ukrainian military reported second unauthorized flight of a drone near its ammo depot over the last 48 hours. Earlier, the operation of the unmanned aerial vehicle was recorded in a restricted area over one of the arsenals of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as the press office of the Ministry of Defense reported. It is added that the administration of the facility has reinforced the duty shifts of the security of the arsenal, mobile patrols thoroughly examined the territory adjacent to the military unit. The so-called 'election' organized by the pro-Russian militants will take place on November 11 The so-called 'election' in Donbas, which should be held by the pro-Russian militants of 'Luhansk People's Republic' (LPR) and 'Donetsk People's Republic' (DPR) on November 11 means the red light to the whole negotiating process on the settlement of Donbas situation. Yevhen Marchuk, the representative of Ukraine at the security group at Trilateral Contact Group in Minsk made such statement as 112 Ukraine reported. Marchuk predicts that a number of statements will be made, first of all, by Germany and France until the date of the election, November 11, including a joint one. 'And I know that the phone talks with Vladimir Putin should take place. But Russia clearly states that 'we do not hold it, we support it,' Marchuk claimed. 'Then a very important question will be raised; how will we solve this issue? Today, there is no clear answer. We need a greater vision, including from Ukraine. But it is clear that it is a big question mark and red light to the negotiating process,' he said. Marchuk also reported that the next session of the Trilateral Contact Group in Minsk would take place on November 20. Earlier, Russian militants announced that the local election would be held on the territory of 'people's republics' in Donbas on November 11, 2018. This is due to the assassination of Aleksandr Zakharchenko, former leader of 'Donetsk People's Republic.' Russian delegation in Minsk talks group said it was ready to recognize the outcome of the election. Ukraine's Poroshenko stated that the 'elections' would have no legal consequences and would not be recognized by the international community. Besides, Poroshenko emphasized that holding the 'elections' in occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions might cause a new wave of sanctions against Russia. On November 6, Iryna Gerashchenko, First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, reported that the Russian delegation officially claimed the recognition of the elections in occupied Donbas during the negotiation of Minsk Trilateral Contact Group. Related video: The woman was buried in a sector for the participants of the Anti-terrorist operation Kherson Daily Funeral of Kateryna Handziuk, Ukraine's civil activist, November 7, 2018 Kherson Daily Funeral of Kateryna Handziuk, Ukraine's civil activist, November 7, 2018 Kherson Daily Funeral of Kateryna Handziuk, Ukraine's civil activist, November 7, 2018 Kherson Daily Funeral of Kateryna Handziuk, Ukraine's civil activist, November 7, 2018 Advisor of Kharkiv Mayor Kateryna Handziuk was buried today in Heolohiv, Kherson region, as Kherson Daily reports. The public activist passed away at the age of 34 because of injuries sustained during the attack this summer. Handziuk was buried in a sector for the participants of the Anti-terrorist operation. Some of the people, who came to pay last tribute to Handziuk, lighted the flares. Before that, a mourning ceremony for Handziuk was held in Kherson Youth Palace. The civil activist and counselor to Kherson city mayor, a devoted fighter against corruption in the government, Handziuk suffered an acid attack in July when a man poured some sulfuric acid on her head and neck. The woman sustained heavy burns, with almost 40 percent of the skin taking damage; she survived the initial assault but died at a hospital on November 4, due to multi-organ failure and consequences of severe burns. The law enforcers immediately started an investigation. Five suspects in the attack were detained; all but one pleaded guilty, facing from 10 to 15 years in prison. The remaining suspect refuses to reveal the name of the assassin's paymaster and thus might face the life sentence. Related video: He reported on the situation in Donbas, Crimea and Sea of Azov The President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko delivered a speech at the Summit of the European People's Party (EPP) in Helsinki. The Presidents Administration reported that on Thursday morning. 'Ukraine is an outpost within the counterwork of the Russian hybrid aggression, the main challenge for the European security and stability,' the head of the state said. The President stressed that it was important to preserve and enhance sanctions against Russia. Poroshenko urged the international society to condemn the fake Kremlin-organized elections on November 11 in Donbas. He also mentioned the necessity to increase an international pressure on the Russian side to release Ukrainian political prisoners. In addition, during his working visit to Finland, Poroshenko and his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto discussed the steps that should be taken to free the Ukrainians illegally convicted in Russia. Ukraine news on 112.international Ukraine and EU signed a memorandum on the provision of the tranche in the sum of 1 billion in September Ukraine will quickly implement all commitments within the agreement with the EU on the fourth program of the macro-financial aid to Ukraine in the sum of 1 billion. The confirmation of the European Commission is expected, the presidential press service reports. Petro Poroshenko, the President of Ukraine negotiated with Valdis Dombrovskis, the European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs and the Euro, Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union. Thhe sides discussed the fulfillment of the conditions of the macro-financial aid to Ukraine during the meeting in Helsinki. 'During a meeting, it was noted that Ukraine will implement the undertaken commitments within the mentioned agreements as soon as possible. It also finished the implementation of all six conditions for the receiving of the first aid tranche ( 500 million) and the positive estimation of the European Commission is expected,' the message said. On September 14, Ukraine and the European Union have signed the memorandum on the provision of the macro-financial aid for 1 billion. In the frameworks of these agreements, the tranches on macro-financial aid would be equally divided fin two parts, 500 million Euros each. At the same time, it is expected that the first part of the tranche would come to Ukraine this autumn after the completion of inner procedures regarding the document coming into force and fulfillment of the requirements by Ukraine. The second tranche will be provided in spring 2019 when the EU assesses the fulfillment of the requirements on reforms in certain spheres of the state policy by Ukraine. As it was reported earlier, Ukraines National Bank expects another tranche from the International Monetary Fund within EFF program till the end of autumn. In early summer, Yakiv Smolii, the NBU Head predicted that Ukraine can receive the fifth tranche from the IMF till autumn. According to Yevhen Marchuk, the representative of Ukraine in the Trilateral Contact Group, such proposals come not from individuals Yevgen Marchuk, the representative of Ukraine in the Trilateral Contact Group, on air of 112 Ukraine 112 Agency Yevhen Marchuk, the representative of Ukraine in a security subgroup of the Trilateral Contact Group in Minsk told about certain unofficial proposals to settle the Donbas conflict. In a statement to the journalists broadcasted by 112 Ukraine, he said that one of the ways to solve the conflict in Donbas is Ukraines official refusal from Crimea. 'I participate in two more international platforms on Donbas. During coffee breaks, they say that if Ukraine officially refuses, not refuses from but removes the Crimean problem, it might be a serious platform for solving the Donbas issues. So, refuse from Crimea, and then we canthey say its not a final decision. And I mean, those are not individuals,' he explained. Marchuk did not specify who proposed this. It should be noted that it is not the first time that such proposals come. On February 19, 2017, The New York Times wrote that Andriy Artemenko, Ukrainian peoples deputy from the Radical Party developed a concept of conclusion of peace between Ukraine and Russia and lifting anti-Russian sanctions. Allegedly, it was passed to Michael Flynn, the-then advisor of the U.S. President Donald Trump. According to the newspaper, the plan provided a withdrawal of Russias troops from eastern Ukraine and conduction of all-Ukrainian referendum to bring up a question of Russias 'renting' of Crimea for 50 or 100 years. Artemenko stated that the group of MPs from different parliamentary groups, including the opposition developed the plan. He denied the fact that his concept had ideas of 'renting' the peninsula. On May 16, the Verkkhovna Rada of Ukraine supported the decree No. 6445 on the dismissal of Andriy Artemenko. 244 lawmakers voted for the decision. Shortly before that, the President Poroshenko signed a decree on termination of Artemenkos citizenship. The Ukrainian peoples deputy has been in the U.S. all this time. Related video: The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade informs that in eight months of 2018, trade between Ukraine and China increased by 21% and made around $6 billion Ukraine wants free trade with China, the press office of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine reported. Stepan Kubiv, First Vice Prime Minister and the Minister of Economic Development and Trade, offered to start bilateral consultations during his visit to Beijing at the meeting with Liu He, the Vice Premier of Chinas State Council. 'In a couple of years, Ukraine has expanded its network of preferential regimes of trade. We have a new agreement on free trade with Canada; we have conducted talks on free trade with Israel; we are negotiating with Turkey. These agreements are effective. Therefore, I suggest to start Ukrainian-Chinese consultations on the creation of free trade zone between the countries,' Kubiv stressed. The Ministry of Economic Development and Trade informs that over eight months of 2018, trade between Ukraine and China increased by 21% and made around $6 billion. It was also reported that the amount of trade does not comply with the existing capacity. Kubiv thinks that in the next five years, the trade can be increased to $20 billion per year. Over the years of independence, Ukraine has concluded almost twenty agreements on free trade with some 45 countries. Now, the negotiations on the free trade zone with Israel are on a final stage. The Chinese economy is on the second place in the world after the U.S. for nominal GDP and the first one for GDP at purchasing power. Chinas GDP rose by 6,5% in the third quarter of 2018, which was under the expectations due to trade wars with the U.S. Such GDP growth in China is the lowest since 2009. Company to Webcast Presentation Live at 8:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday, November 13th SWINDON, United Kingdom, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sensata Technologies (NYSE: ST) today announced that Martha Sullivan, President and CEO, will present at the 2018 RBC Capital Markets Technology, Internet, Media and Telecommunications Conference to be held at the InterContinental New York Barclay in New York City on Tuesday, November 13th at 8:00 a.m. ET. A live audio webcast of the presentation will be available on the Company's investor relations website at: http://investors.sensata.com. About Sensata Technologies Sensata Technologies is one of the worlds leading suppliers of sensing, electrical protection, control and power management solutions with operations and business centers in 11 countries. Sensatas products improve safety, efficiency and comfort for millions of people every day in automotive, appliance, aircraft, industrial, military, heavy vehicle, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, data, telecommunications, recreational vehicle, and marine applications. For more information, please visit Sensatas website at www.sensata.com . Investor Contact: Open source The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine supported draft decision #8602 on the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the forcible eviction of Ukrainians from Poland, particularly from the areas of Lemkivshchyna, Nadsyannia, Chelm Land, Podlachia, Lyubachivsk and Western Boikivshchyna in 1944-1951 on the state level. 'The process of the deportation in 1944-1951 took place in the form of military operations against the civilians; it included grave violations of the rights and liberties of a human and a citizens, total ban for the return to the native lands, seizure of the property, restriction of the political, social, economic and cultural rights that led to the destruction of the Ukrainian cultural and historical heritage, put the ethnographic groups of the Ukrainian nation under the destructive threat,' the decision said. To honor the memory of the victims of the forcible deportation, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine decided to mark the anniversary of the forcible eviction of Ukrainians from Poland, particularly from Lemkivshchyna, Nadsyannia, Chelm Land, Podlachia, Lyubachivsk and Western Boikivshchyna in 1944-1951 at the state level on September 8, 2019. The president of Ukraine was recommended to announce 2019 the Year of commemoration of Ukrainians deported from Poland. The government was recommended to create the organizational committee during a month, work out and approve the events plan. The Education Ministry was recommended to hold the events at the schools and studying of the proper historical events. The State Committee for TV and radio broadcasting should broadcast thematic programs and provide the coverage of the events of the honoring of the memory of Ukrainian victims of the forcible deportation in the mass media. This decision comes into force from the day of its adoption. The law on the Institute of National Remembrance that extends the authorities of the establishment in the investigation of the crimes committed against the Poles was adopted by both chambers of the Polish Parliament on February 1. Polish leader Andrzej Duda signed the bill with amendments to the law about the Institute of the National Memory in Poland on February 6. Thursday 8 The Cry (Sundance Now streaming anytime) Jenna Coleman (Clara Oswald on Doctor Who) stars in this British/Australian mystery series about a young mother who travels with her new husband from Scotland to Australia to fight for custody of her husbands daughter against his Australian ex-wife. While driving out of Melbourne, however, the couples baby son goes missing. In the aftermath of the tragedy, the marriage starts to collapse and her psychological state disintegrates. Tell Me a Story (CBS All Access streaming anytime) Kevin Williamson (he of Dawsons Creek and Scream fame) is the creator of this anthology series which takes classic fairy tales (The Three Little Pigs, Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel) and re-imagines them as dark and twisted psychological thrillers set in modern-day New York. Friday 9 Beat (Amazon streaming anytime) Amazons newest German-made series is a crime drama set in Berlins drug-filled club scene. Saturday 10 Its Christmas, Eve (Hallmark 6pm) The problem with Hallmarks annual blizzard of holiday rom-coms is the no-nonsense, holiday-hating business women at the center of them (in this case, LeAnn Rimes as a budget-trimming school superintendent who returns to her hometown only to suddenly and unexpectedly find love with a passionate music teacher at a cash-strapped school). Its not that theyre stuck repeating the same cliche storyline over and over again. Its that they all have to have ironic holiday names like Joy or Grace or Noel or Candy or Eve. Pretty soon theyre gonna run out. Sunday 11 The E! Peoples Choice Awards 2018 (E! 7pm) The Peoples Choice Awards moves from CBS to its new home on E! Avengers: Infinity War leads the movie category with seven nominations. The Walking Dead heads up TV with eight nominations. Ariana Grande is up for 4 music awards. Sally4Ever (HBO 8:30pm) From the creator of Camping (recently Americanized by HBO, but retaining all of its sadistic, painful humor) comes this uncomfortable British sitcom about a meek office worker (Catherine Shepherd) who, on the eve of being proposed to by her longtime boyfriend, finds herself haplessly sucked into a torrid affair with a manipulative party girl (creator Julia Davis). Monday 12 The Price of Everything (HBO 6pm) This documentary feature examines the role of art and passion in todays money-driven, consumer-based society. Jeff Koons, Gerhard Richter and Njideka Akunyili Crosby are among the artists talking about selling out. Tuesday 13 Leah Remini: Scientology and the AftermathThe Jehovahs Witnesses (A&E 7pm) After a couple seasons deconstructing L. Ron Hubbard and his ilk, former Scientologist Leah Remini turns her attentions to deconstructing another cult-like religion, the Jehovahs Witnesses. Wednesday 14 Origin (YouTube Premium streaming anytime) If youre paying for commercial-free YouTube (formerly known as YouTube Red), at least you get this new sci-fi series staring Natalia Tena (Nymphadora Tonks in the Harry Potter films) and Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films). Its about a group of strangers stranded on a spacecraft bound for a distant world who must work together for their mutual survival. Screencap from Netflix In no way is Samin Nosrats new Netflix miniseries Salt Fat Acid Heat (based on her cookbook of the same name) an overtly political show. Nowhere in the 4 30-minute-long episodes does Nosrat say that she is trying to revolutionize the food world, or even the food TV world. But you wouldnt know that by reading the reviews of her show. In, Jason Parham says that the show spurn[s] the pallid and passe images of [food] shows past, turning away from white domesticity to a broader vision of, while a headline fromboldly calls it Marxist Fantasy Porn. Why such political visions of a show that, at its core, is supposed to be just a how to cook show? Maybe its because each episode takes place in a different country, and people of vastly different cultures, economic classes and genders are granted respect and time in the spotlight. For Fat, Nosrat heads to Italy, where she joins in an olive harvest and makes pesto the traditional way with Lidia, an Italian nonna. When I learned that we were coming to Liguria, Nosrat says, I wanted to make pesto right away because its a beautiful lesson about fats importance. Lidia leads Nosrat and the viewers step-by-step through the traditional Ligurian way of making pesto: with a mortar and pestle, the freshest basil you can find, and lots and lots of cheese. Later, Nosrat tears up as she tastes an aged parmesan at the Red Cow Parmigiano Reggiano factory. Watching some of Nosrats genuine reactions to food throughout the show are among the chief joys in this serieswhen she isnt tearing up, shes laughing a full-body, exuberant laugh that warms the heart. Perhaps the political nature of the show is in Nosrats implicit championing of craftspeople and small-scale, non-industrialized food products. In the Salt episode, for instance, she visits Yasuo Yamamoto, a dedicated craftsman in Japan who makes soy sauce by a two-year process of fermentation in custom-made wood barrels. Yamamotos family has been running this business for 150 years, and Less than one percent of soy sauce production is done this way, he tells her. But this is the traditional Japanese way of making it. When Nosrat tastes Yamamotos soy sauce, freshly pressed from the fermenting beans, we watch her furrow her brow and turn her head slightly: this is unlike anything Ive ever tasted, the gesture says. Maybe viewers are picking up the democratic overtones because Nosrat is so obviously encouraging amateurism and constant learning in the kitchen over culinary school expertise or expensive kitchen gadgetry. Throughout the show, this Chez Panisse-trained master chef is asking questions of the farmers, craftspeople and cooks she encounters: How do you make this? Why use this ingredient and not this one? Why does it taste like that? She is constantly putting herself in situations where she is the student, and we learn through her. In the Acid episode, when she walks through the market with Dona Conchi in the Yucatan, she tastes the passionfruit, sour oranges and sweet lemons from different vendors, puckering and giggling at the surprising flavors. She later learns how to make pavo en escabeche from the older woman, whose simple and sparse kitchen is a reminder that it doesnt take a lot of expensive tools to make delicious food. At the end of every episode of SFAH, Nosrat cooks a big dinner and shares it with several friends in somebodys home. There are intimate shots of her hugging guests as they come in and of dishes being passed around the table. The dishes she cooks for these dinners are never complicated, and she explains in detail how theyre each made in a how-to sequence beforehand. Nosrat doesnt have to say what her politics are, because she is so effectively showing themthe mark of a great storyteller. Build a bigger table, not a higher fence is the saying by which Samin Nosrat does everything, the maxim that infuses every bite of food that she shares with her hosts and guests. As she says in Heat, the final episode, Making good food accessible is really important to me. And any little way that I can do that, from inviting a bunch of friends over for a simple meal to making them help out in the kitchen when they arrive, just helps make it feel like good cooking is in reach for everyone. Newscity Future Hazy For ART Last week the mayor announced that the city's rapid transit project will be put on hold due to the mechanical failure of numerous buses. According to KRQE, the Albuquerque Rapid Transit (ART) project will be grounded until inspectors assess the city's 15 $1.2 million electric buses for equipment malfunctions. During a news conference last week, Mayor Tim Keller told reporters that mechanical problems had been discovered in a number of buses when the city began training bus drivers for the route in September. Director of transit Bernie Toon said bolts would fall off of the buses during operation, and rear doors would open without any action by the driver. It was also found that the center and rear brakes on some of the buses had zero air pressure, and the vehicles were relying on the front brakes alone to stop. The Chinese company that manufactured the buses, BYD (Build Your Dreams), told the Albuquerque Journal that it disagrees with the mayor's assessment, saying its buses are safe and built to strict Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and have passed FMVSS brake testing and all other testing required for revenue service. Keller says the inspection process should take about a month to complete. Depending on the outcome, he said the city might consider working with another bus company. Theres an election going on as I write this. More than a few pundits are calling this election one for the ages. Over at Joe Monahans political blog, one of our states seasoned political writersand apparently an advocate of la neta as regards the ribs at El Modelo and the inevitability of Lujan Grishams ascentwrites that this New Mexico midterm saw 430,000 early voters. This number may presage an outcome of more than 650,000 ballots coming down the pike before the party is over at 7pm tonight. Thats fantastic, but whether or not the results can be framed as a referendum on the Trump administration remains to be seen. Certainly, as of this past weekend, its clear that many governors races across the nation are going to go blue and that the Republicans in the Senate will hold on to their majority. Basically this means the resistance will gain political capital, but that the status quo remains firm. The House of Representatives is another story. While the editorial board here at Weekly Alibi is confident about the outcome in District 1, the battle for hegemony in the south is still a toss-up. If voters are greeted on the morrow with news of Herrells advancement, it should stand to reason that such is the normative result in a region where old-fashioned values and technologies, like those modeled by guv candidate Steve Pearce, still hold sway over visions of a progressive future for all New Mexicans. On a brighter note, even considering the gravity of todays citizen-based decisions, the election is finally at a close. That fact alone will allow this news section to cover some of the other pressing issues affecting this city, county and region. During the past few weeks that Weekly Alibi has been following said election, a number of corollary issues have presented themselves as newsworthy. As we advance through what we genuinely hope will be a revisioning of American politics, the following begins to bubble on the civic stove: ART and ART Alibi news correspondent Joshua Lee provides an update this week about the continuously cursed ART project. The deeply disappointing news about the bus lines latest brick wall raises further questions about the projects continuance and completion. Of course we urge the mayor to get the damn thing rolling as soon as possible; failing that, it is time to consider abandoning ART and restoring Central Avenue to some kind of drivable sanity. The move to postpone development of the program until technical issues are resolved also begs the following question: Are traffic ordinances related to the the project still being enforced? From personal experience, it seems that a lot of citizens continue to ignore the ART pavement markings. At a minimum, the city should clarify its position on such matters. County Law Enforcement You may have noticed that Weekly Alibi did not endorse a candidate for BernCo Sheriff this year. Thats because this newspaper continues to have issues with the lapel camera policies of the current office holder, Manuel Gonzales III. Gonzales, according to official sourcesonce again thanks to intrepid Alibi reporter Joshua Leebelieves that dash-mounted cameras provide adequate oversight for his deputies. However the recent repeat incidences of BernCo Sheriff's deputies being involved in crime-related shootings adds to the pressure to add lapel-cameras to the deputies tool-kit. If in fact the shootings are about a rise in crime in the metro area, as Gonzales plainly believes, then isnt it common sense to have as much documentation of this blooming Bernalillo County-bound criminal activity as possible. If deputies are equipped with lapel cameras they become more effective crimestoppers. Their identity as community sentinels should engender respect, should itself lead to a decrease in situations where the BernCo Sherriffs office finds itself engaged in high-speed chases through city streets that result in bullets being exchanged while citizens walk nearby. City Law Enforcement Meanwhile, an email I received today from the administration of Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller invites citizens to participate in a town hall to discuss the APD Transformation. This event will feature Keller, APD Chief Geier, Independent DOJ monitor James Ginger and other agents of the US Department of Justice, meeting at the Convention Center East Complex, Brazos Room 115 to discuss the ongoing effort to transform the department through a variety of means, including the implementation of community policing practices. Interested readers should email APDCompliance@cabq. gov to reserve a spot at the table. The meeting of minds, which is free and open to all citizens, comes at a good time. Recently Keller hired three outside experts to help guide the local police force towards noticeable and sustainable progress. Elizabeth Armijo, from the N.M. State Police was hired to be the new Deputy Chief of Staff and has been tasked with building trust within the Albuquerque community. Former US Attorney Damon Martinez will head up efforts to design and implement department policy. The Real Time Crime Center will get a boost in efficacy thanks to new manager Leonard Nerbetski, who comes to APD from the New Jersey State Police. We honestly hope this new blood will fortify the force and guarantee its fairness and impartial enforcement of the law here in Burque as the city heads for a possibly tumultuous 2020. We Live Here Take out your google or whatever the heck it is you call it and try and find any recent news on the Kirtland Air Force Base fuel spill. Youll be loath to find anything that came out later than the summer that just floated by. But you can guarantee that collection of millions of gallons of high octane jet fuelwhich includes some extra-special petroleum-based poisons like ethylene dibromide, a known carcinogen. Yet, ironically mirroring a report from 2017 in the New Mexico Political Report, public interest seems to have waned. The news website told a story of a lack of local citizen interesta situation that lead the Air Force and the State Environment Department to decide that There isnt enough community interest in the cleanup of the massive Kirtland Air Force Base jet fuel spill to merit the creation of a [local] Restoration Advisory Board. Of course were talking about a substance that is as poisonous as it is persistent. Although the Air Force has engaged heroic efforts to clean up their mess, its still unclear whether the problem is truly being ameliorated, is part of a larger problem having to do with how the military-industrial complex inevitably poisons the communities where it comes to reside or merely an anomaly which will be solved by the same heroic technology which powers our mighty military. Ahem. Homelessness at Home Anyone who hasnt noticed an upsurgeand so is rightly concernedin the number and condition of the homeless or desperately poor population in Albuquerque is blinding themselves to the sad truth that this town and its stewards need to take more effective action to lift other humans out of a perpetual struggle for essential services that many of us take for granted. Without shelter, in the absence of nutritious food, without medical or behavioral health services those afflicted by such dire poverty and privation often turn to substance abuse and property crime to counteract the shame and struggle that go hand in hand with homelessness. Although recent city efforts to contain the problem were advanced by advocates of a Tiny Home Village within the city itself, local neighborhood associations and some merchants have adopted a sad but typical NIMBY response to this credible effort to stem the tide of helplessness and scourge of substance abuse that drive the cycle. Moving forward with community-based, forward-looking and responsibility- engendering projects the provide homes and a path to opportunity for our most dissolute citizens is a first step to bringing other citywide issues under control. This week the city council decided to move forward with HopeWorks, a program that one hopes will be the beginning of a new pitch against homelessness and its roots. Crime in the City About a month ago, the local daily reported that the FBI had documentation that showed crime in Albuquerque on the rise in 2017. New Mexico still has very high rates in such notable fields as the ever-popular property crime and violent crime categories. Looking at the sorts of crimes that afflict Burque, it is interesting to note that at least some of the officer-involved shootings that occurred this year happened after an initial crime, like violent car-jacking or fire-arm-enhanced robbery took place. At least the cops are still swooping on that stuff; Downtown seems less bright, less populatedespecially by monied young folks from the Heights or North Valleybecause of the fear of crime in the city. We earnestly hope a clear and civilized police presence, backed by community involvement and mutual movements forward does the job in restoring El Duques silvery lustre. courtesy of the candidate In an appropriately awesome ending to this years election cycle, it turns out that Democrat Xochitl Torres Small is the winner in District Two, besting Republican rival Yvette Herrell. After more than 8, 000 uncounted absentee votes from Dona Ana County were added to the mix, Torres Small was the clear winner with a total of 99,400 votes compared to Herrells total, 96,712. According to reliable media sources, the New Mexico Secretary of State has confirmed the results of this congressional contest. Torres Smalls victory means that New MExico will have its first all Democratic Congressional delegation since the 2008 election that alswo saw the election of Barack Obama. Potential new immune-oncology therapy uses antibody drug conjugate (ADC) that targets regulatory T cells (Tregs) Highly potent anti-tumor activity of CD25-targeted ADC demonstrated in preclinical solid tumor models both as monotherapy and in combination with a PD-1 inhibitor Company plans to initiate Phase Ib clinical trial to evaluate safety, tolerability and preliminary anti-tumor activity of ADCT-301 (camidanlumab tesirine) in patients with advanced solid tumors LAUSANNE, Switzerland, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ADC Therapeutics, an oncology drug discovery and development company that specializes in the development of proprietary antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), today announced it will present two posters highlighting preclinical data and the Phase Ib clinical trial design for ADCT-301 (camidanlumab tesirine) in advanced solid tumors at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancers (SITC) 33rd Annual Meeting, which is being held November 7-11 in Washington, DC. Jay Feingold, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of Clinical Development at ADC Therapeutics, said, ADCT-301 is already being evaluated in relapsed and refractory Hodgkin lymphoma, and at the 2018 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting we will be updating our abstract data from June, at which time we had an overall response rate of 80.8 percent with a complete response rate of 50 percent in median 6th line patients. Based on the immune-oncology potential ADCT-301 demonstrated in preclinical studies, we are excited to be starting a clinical trial for ADCT-301 in solid tumors to see if we can make an impact and improve patient outcomes in multiple solid tumor cancers. Patrick van Berkel, PhD, Senior Vice President of Research and Development at ADC Therapeutics, said, ADCT-301 targets CD25, which is expressed on Tregs that infiltrate the local tumor environment. In preclinical models, a single dose of the CD25-targeted ADC induced strong and durable anti-tumor activity against established CD25 negative solid tumors with infiltrating Tregs. Moreover, re-challenged mice did not develop new tumors indicating the CD25-targeted ADC was able to induce tumor-specific protective immunity. ADC Therapeutics posters will be located in Poster Hall E in the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The Poster Hall will be open Friday, November 9 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday, November 10 from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. EST. Details of the posters are below. Abstract Poster Number: P11 Title: A CD25 targeted pyrrolobenzodiazepine dimer-based antibody-drug conjugate shows potent anti-tumor activity in pre-clinical models of solid tumors either alone or in combination with a PD-1 inhibitor Presentation Date and Time: Friday, November 9, 12:45-2:15 p.m. and 6:30-8 p.m. EST Presenter: Francesca Zammarchi, PhD, ADC Therapeutics Abstract Poster Number: P316 Title: Phase 1b dose-escalation and dose-expansion study to evaluate safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and antitumor activity of ADCT-301 (camidanlumab tesirine) in patients with advanced solid tumors Presentation Date and Time: Saturday, November 10, 12:20-1:50 p.m. and 7-8:30 p.m. EST Presenter: Francesca Zammarchi, PhD, ADC Therapeutics For more information about the SITC 2018 Annual Meeting, please visit https://www.sitcancer.org/2018/home . About ADCT-301 ADCT-301 (camidanlumab tesirine) is an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) composed of a monoclonal antibody that binds to CD25 (HuMax-TAC, licensed from Genmab A/S), conjugated to the pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) dimer payload tesirine. Once bound to a CD25-expresing cell, ADCT-301 is internalized into the cell where enzymes release the PBD-based warhead. The intra-tumor release of its PBD warhead may cause bystander killing of neighboring tumor cells. In addition, the PBD warhead will trigger immunogenic cell death, which in turn will strengthen the immune response against tumor cells. ADCT-301 is being evaluated in a Phase Ib clinical trial in solid tumors ( NCT03621982 ), as well as ongoing Phase Ia/Ib clinical trials in patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma ( NCT02432235 ). About ADC Therapeutics ADC Therapeutics SA is an oncology drug discovery and development company that specializes in the development of proprietary antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting major hematological malignancies and solid tumors. The Companys ADCs are highly targeted biopharmaceutical drugs that combine monoclonal antibodies specific to surface antigens present on particular tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads via a chemical linker. The Company has multiple PBD-based ADCs in ongoing clinical trials in the USA and Europe, and a deep pipeline of other preclinical ADCs in development. ADCT has world-class partners, including AstraZeneca and its global biologics research and development arm, MedImmune. The Company is based in Lausanne (Biopole), Switzerland and has operations in London, San Francisco and New Jersey. For more information, visit www.adctherapeutics.com . Investors Contact Dr. Chris Martin Chief Executive Officer Chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200 EU Media Contact Alexandre Muller Dynamics Group amu@dynamicsgroup.ch Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231 Scottsdale, AZ, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AgJunction Inc. (TSX: AJX), the Autosteering Company, announced the relocation of its corporate headquarters from Hiawatha, Kansas to Scottsdale, Arizona. The move, effective immediately, is expected to add jobs in engineering, program management, finance and customer support. Upon the sale of the Outback business, that included the Hiawatha facility where our corporate office resided, we decided that Arizona was the right fit for our new corporate headquarters, said Dave Vaughn, AgJunction president and chief executive officer. The decision to select Arizona as AgJunctions new headquarters was based on the successful growth of our technology Center of Excellence in Scottsdale and the states focus on the autonomous and agriculture technology industries. In April, AgJunction created two technology Centers of Excellence, with one based in Scottsdale, AZ, to accelerate innovation in developing low-cost, simple-to-use precision agriculture solutions for all farmers. AgJunction is taking on a technological challenge to reduce cost and complexity of autosteering, the heart of precision agriculture, said Brett McMickell, AgJunction senior vice president of global product development. Arizona provides access to a technology-focused workforce, universities, and an innovative business ecosystem essential for the developing products that all farms can afford and operate. About AgJunction AgJunction Inc., the Autosteering Company is a global leader of advanced guidance and autosteering solutions for precision agriculture applications. Its technologies are critical components in over 30 of the worlds leading precision Ag manufacturers and solution providers and it holds over 130 fundamental steering and machine control patents. AgJunction markets its solutions under leading brand names including Novariant, Wheelman, Whirl and Satloc and is committed to advance its vision by bringing affordable hands-free farming to every farm, regardless of terrain or size. AgJunction has locations in California, Arizona, and Australia, and is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) under the symbol AJX. For more information, please go to AgJunction.com. Attachment Commercial team preparing for potential gene therapy launches BOSTON and LONDON, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Orchard Therapeutics, a leading commercial-stage biotech company dedicated to transforming the lives of patients with rare diseases through innovative gene therapies, today announced two additions to its global commercial leadership team, appointing Robin Kenselaar as senior vice president and general manager, EMEA commercial operations, and Brad Mathis as vice president, U.S. commercial operations. These two key appointments serve to build Orchards initial commercial infrastructure across North America and EMEA prior to the Companys first three potential product launches. Mr. Kenselaar and Mr. Mathis will report to Jason Meyenburg, chief commercial officer. We are thrilled to welcome Robin and Brad to the Orchard team, with their decades of experience and proven success leading international and domestic commercial operations for companies targeting rare diseases, said Jason Meyenburg. With three submissions for product approvals anticipated over the next three years and several additional therapies in development, the recent expansion of our commercial leadership team marks an important milestone as we prepare for the potential launches of these late-stage gene therapies, focusing especially on market access preparations and further development of patient diagnosis pathways. Robin Kenselaar joins Orchard after almost 15 years at Sanofi Genzyme, where he built and led commercial operations throughout Europe for therapies addressing unmet needs such as rare genetic diseases, oncology and immunology. During his tenure at Genzyme, Mr. Kenselaar served in various commercial leadership roles, most recently as head of Europe, and previously held positions as head of the EMEA region, vice president of commercial operations and business unit director, rare diseases. He has demonstrated consistent success working with key stakeholders to secure registration and expedited access to therapy and led the launches for a number of important therapies throughout Europe. Mr. Kenselaar holds a masters of business administration from Nyenrode Business University (Netherlands). Brad Mathis brings extensive global and domestic experience in product commercialization and launches, as well as pharmaceutical sales and marketing, with a focus on rare diseases. Mr. Mathis was most recently vice president, head of U.S. commercial operations at Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc., where he helped to prepare for the launch of a therapeutic for Niemann-Pick Type C (NPC) disease. Prior to Sucampo, he spent a decade with Alexion Pharmaceuticals serving in various global and domestic commercial leadership positions, which culminated in his role as executive director of U.S. sales. He has also held commercial leadership positions at Bristol-Myers Squibb and Biogen. Mr. Mathis holds a bachelors degree in business administration and economics from Texas Tech University. About Orchard Orchard Therapeutics is a fully integrated commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to transforming the lives of patients with serious and life-threatening rare diseases through innovative gene therapies. Orchards portfolio of autologous ex vivo gene therapies includes Strimvelis, the first autologous ex vivo gene therapy approved by the European Medicines Agency for adenosine deaminase severe combined immunodeficiency (ADA-SCID). Additional programs for primary immune deficiencies, neurometabolic disorders and hemoglobinopathies include three advanced registrational studies for ADA-SCID, metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) and Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS), clinical programs for X-linked chronic granulomatous disease (X-CGD) and transfusion dependent beta-thalassemia (TDBT), as well as an extensive preclinical pipeline. Orchard currently has offices in the U.K. and the U.S., including London, San Francisco and Boston. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as anticipates, believes, expects, intends, projects, anticipates, and future or similar expressions that are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include express or implied statements relating to, among other things, Orchards expectations regarding timing of regulatory submissions for approval of its product candidates, the likelihood of approval of such product candidates by the applicable regulatory authorities, and Orchards ability to commercialize such product candidates, if approved, in North America and the EMEA region. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Orchards control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. In particular, the risks and uncertainties include, without limitation: the delay of any of Orchards regulatory submissions, the failure to obtain marketing approval from the applicable regulatory authorities for any of Orchards product candidates, the receipt of restricted marketing approvals, or delays in Orchards ability to commercialize its product candidates, if approved. Orchard undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. For additional disclosure regarding these and other risks faced by Orchard, see the disclosure contained in Orchards public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Contacts Corporate contact Katie Payne Orchard Therapeutics +1 202-669-6786 katie.payne@orchard-tx.com Wawa Thanks Veterans with Free Coffee Offer, Ships 5,000 Care Packages to Troops Serving Abroad, and Presents USO with Proceeds from The Wawa Foundation Customer Donation Summer Campaign WAWA, Pa., Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wawa, Inc., today announced that this Veterans Day, the company will once again offer free coffee of any size to veterans, active military members and their families, all day, with no military ID required. This will take place on Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018, at all of Wawas more than 800 stores throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, DC and Florida. Throughout the day, Wawa expects to give away more than 250,000 cups of coffee, thanking these dedicated men and women and their families for their service. At Wawa supporting our military is part of our DNA and each year, Veterans Day gives us a chance to thank our troops, and, in our own small way, give something back to the dedicated men and women who protect the independence we all celebrate, said Chris Gheysens, Wawas President and CEO. Once again, we plan to honor our military and their families with free coffee on Veterans Day, and also through a massive care package assembly at our Wawa headquarters the Thursday before Veterans Day. Since 2002, weve been providing troops abroad with a taste of home through our coffee care packages, and we are passionate about continuing this tradition for years to come. Operation Taste of Home care packages are an annual tradition organized by Wawa Associates and supported by the USO of Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey (Liberty USO) who together help send more than 5,000 care packages to our troops currently deployed. This Thursday, Nov. 8, Wawa associates will team up with the USO and Army National Guard to assemble more than 5,000 care packages to be sent to our troops abroad. In addition, The Wawa Foundation will present a check to the USO for more than $850,000, all raised through in-store coin and scan campaigns held at every Wawa store during the summer of 2018. The funds go to the local USO Chapters located throughout Wawas operating area. During the past two decades, Wawa has sent hundreds of thousands of cups of coffee and care packages to troops overseas who have written to request it. Partnering with the Liberty USO to formally send care packages to the troops is just one of the many ways Wawa shows support and thanks for the great men and women who serve our country. About Wawa Wawa, Inc., a privately held company, began in 1803 as an iron foundry in New Jersey. Toward the end of the 19th Century, owner George Wood took an interest in dairy farming and the family began a small processing plant in Wawa, PA in 1902. The milk business was a huge success, due to its quality, cleanliness and certified process. As home delivery of milk declined in the early 1960s, Grahame Wood, Georges grandson, opened the first Wawa Food Market in 1964 as an outlet for its dairy products. Today, Wawa is your all day, every day stop for freshly prepared foods, beverages, coffee, fuel services, and surcharge-free ATMs. A chain of more than 800 convenience retail stores (almost 600 offering gasoline), Wawa stores are located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and DC. Wawa stores offer a large fresh food service selection, including Wawa brands such as custom prepared hoagies, freshly-brewed coffee, hot breakfast sandwiches, specialty beverages, and an assortment of soups, sides and snacks. In 2015, Wawa was named Americas Most Beloved Convenience Store by a Market Force study of 7,000 consumers, and in 2018 Wawa ranked #1 in the sandwich category of a Market Force study, making history as the first convenience to earn that honor. In 2017 Wawa was the recipient of a Silver Plate Award in the category of Retail & Specialty Foodservice by the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association during their 63rd Annual Award Event. Wawa was also designated as a 2017 Best Place to Work for LGBT Equality by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. In 2016 and 2017 Wawa was recognized in Forbes as one of Americas Best Large Employers, a survey-based ranking of employers offering the best associate experiences and strongest opportunities. A chain of more than 800 fuel and convenience retail stores (600+ offering gasoline), Wawa stores are located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, D.C. and Florida. The stores offer a large fresh food service selection, including Wawa brands such as award winning built-to-order sandwiches and hoagies, freshly-brewed coffee, hot breakfast sandwiches, built-to-order Specialty Beverages, and an assortment of soups, sides and snacks. Contact: public.relations@wawa.com EDMONTON, Alberta, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Capital Power (TSX: CPX) will be hosting its 10th annual Investor Day event in Toronto. At the event, members of the executive leadership team will provide updates on its business, outlook, and its corporate priorities and financial targets for 2019. Details: Date: December 6, 2018 Time: Registration begins at 8:30 am (ET) with presentations starting at 9:00 am Location: Vantage Venues 150 King Street West, 16th Floor, Toronto Institutional investors and analysts that are interested in attending can register in advance by contacting Debra Heintz at (780) 392-5009 or by email at rsvp@capitalpower.com. A live and archived audio webcast of the event with supporting slides will be available on the companys website at www.capitalpower.com . About Capital Power Capital Power (TSX: CPX) is a growth-oriented North American power producer headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta. The company develops, acquires, owns, and operates power generation facilities using a variety of energy sources. Capital Power owns approximately 4,500 megawatts (MW) of power generation capacity at 24 facilities across North America. Approximately 1,000 MW of owned generation capacity is in advanced development in Alberta, North Dakota, and Illinois. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cypress Development Corp. (TSX-V: CYP ) (OTCQB: CYDVF ) (Frankfurt: C1Z1 ) (Cypress or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a Definitive Agreement with Dajin Resources Corp. (TSX-V: DJI) on Dajins Alkali Spring Valley Lithium Property, in Esmeralda County, Nevada. Under the terms of the agreement, Cypress has the exclusive right and option to acquire a 50% undivided interest in Dajins 145 unpatented mining claims and application for water rights in Alkali Spring Valley by paying to Dajin US$50,000 and issuing 150,000 common shares upon TSX Venture Exchange (Exchange) approval and issuing a further 150,000 shares on the first anniversary of Exchange approval. The Company must incur no less than US$450,000 in exploration expenditures by the second anniversary of Exchange approval. Upon successful completion of the earn-in period a joint venture (JV) will be created. Cypress Development CEO, Dr. Bill Willoughby, commented: Cypress is pleased to enter into this Definitive Agreement and have the opportunity to work with Dajin. Besides exploring for lithium in Alkali Spring Valley, the JV presents potential synergies with Cypress Clayton Valley Lithium Project, particularly with respect to water supply. Cypress recently completed an oversubscribed private placement, which will enable us to complete upcoming milestones for Clayton Valley, including further drilling, metallurgical study, and a pre-feasibility study, as well as pursue exploration and a water rights application for Alkali Spring Valley with Dajin. This agreement is subject to Exchange approval. All shares issued will be subject to a hold period of four months and one day from issuance. About Cypress Development Corp.: Cypress Development Corp. is a publicly traded exploration company focused on developing the Company's 100%-owned Clayton Valley Lithium Project in Nevada. Exploration and development by Cypress has discovered a world-class resource of lithium-bearing claystone adjacent to Albemarle's Silver Peak mine, North America's only lithium brine operation. To find out more about Cypress Development Corp. (TSX-V: CYP ), visit our website at www.cypressdevelopmentcorp.com . CYPRESS DEVELOPMENT CORP. Dr. Bill Willoughby WILLIAM WILLOUGHBY, PhD., PE Chief Executive Officer For further information contact myself or: Don Myers Cypress Development Corp. Director, Corporate Communications Telephone: 604-639-3851 Toll Free: 800-567-8181 Facsimile: 604-687-3119 Email: info@cypressdevelopmentcorp.com NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THE CONTENT OF THIS NEWS RELEASE. TORONTO, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nutritional High International Inc. ("Nutritional High" or the "Company") (CSE: EAT, OTCQB: SPLIF, FRANKFURT: 2NU) wishes to provide comments on the results of the Midterm Elections and key regulatory developments in the US. The Midterms US voters delivered a split verdict in midterm elections for Congress yesterday evening. The Democrats secured a majority in the House of Representatives while Republicans have further expanded their majority in the Senate. Overall, Democrats have surpassed the 218 seats needed for a House majority while the Republicans increased their seats in the Senate with 51 seats out of 100. A Good Result for the Cannabis Sector Senior management at Nutritional High view the results as catalyst for the cannabis sector to reinforce the notion that cannabis in the US has the tipping point on its way to eventual full legal status. Clarity on banking rules, according to Bloomberg, could help to close the valuation gap between US stocks and their Canadian counterparts. On the other hand, pro-cannabis legislation would still have to pass the Senate and the Executive Branch but now with recently embattled Attorney Jeff Sessions resigning under pressure from Trump, it seems the path to legalization just got a little clearer. The STATES Act and Opportunities for Continued Growth With divided congressional power, there will be opportunity for bi-partisanship on a number of issues including the Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States Act, S. 3032 (the "STATES Act"), This long-awaited piece of legislation would protect individuals working in cannabis sectors from federal prosecution. The STATES Act was introduced in June 2018 through bi-partisan efforts initiated by Senator Cory Gardner (Republican from Colorado) together with Senator Elizabeth Warren (Democrat from Massachusetts). Senator Elizabeth Warren won re-election which ensures she will push the change to federal law regarding cannabis. In addition, constituents of Michigan voted to legalize recreational marijuana, making Michigan the first state in the Midwest to do so and the 10th in the US overall demonstrating growing sentiment amongst Americans towards legalization. Voters in Missouri and Utah approved ballot measures legalizing cannabis for medical use, making their states the 31st and 32nd to do so giving confidence to other states to follow suit. However, voters in North Dakota did not pass an initiative to legalize recreational use. The results are largely positive, indicating continuing and growing opportunities the US. "With development and existing presence in our targeted states of CA, NV, CO, OR and WA, we are excited about the regulatory-positive catalysts and looking forward to deepening Nutritional High's presence in these markets and seeking ways to leverage our expertise into the new markets," commented Jim Frazier, CEO of Nutritional High. About Nutritional High International Inc. Nutritional High is focused on developing, manufacturing and distributing products under recognized brands in the cannabis products industry, with a specific focus on edibles and oil extracts for medical and adult recreational use. The Company works exclusively with licensed facilities in jurisdictions where such activity is permitted and regulated by state law. The Company follows a vertically integrated model with a fully developed strategy for acquisitions in extraction, production, sales, and distribution sectors of the cannabis industry. Nutritional High has brought its flagship FLI edibles and extracts product line from production to market through its wholly owned subsidiaries in California and Oregon, as well as Colorado where its FLI products are manufactured by a third-party licensed producer. In California, the Company distributes its products and products manufactured by other leading producers through its wholly owned distributor Calyx Brands Inc. and is entering the Nevada, Washington State and Canadian markets in the near future. For updates on the Companys activities and highlights of the Companys press releases and other media coverage, please follow Nutritional High on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram and Google+ or visit www.nutritionalhigh.com . For further information, please contact: David Posner Co-Chairman of the Board Nutritional High International Inc. 647-985-6727 Email: dposner@nutritionalhigh.com NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR OTC MARKETS GROUP INC., NOR THEIR REGULATIONS SERVICES PROVIDERS HAVE REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. This news release may contain forward-looking statements and information based on current expectations. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. The statements relate to potential market expansion and the use of the proceeds of the Offering. Risks that may have an impact on the ability for these events to be achieved include completion of due diligence, negotiation of definitive agreements and receipt of applicable approvals. Although such statements are based on managements reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be correct. We assume no responsibility to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. The Companys securities have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act), or applicable state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States or U.S. Persons, as such term is defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act, absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in the United States or any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause the Companys actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking information expressed in this press release include, but are not limited to: obtaining and maintaining regulatory approvals including acquiring and renewing U.S. state, local or other licenses, the uncertainty of existing protection from U.S. federal or other prosecution, regulatory or political change such as changes in applicable laws and regulations, including U.S. state-law legalization, market and general economic conditions of the cannabis sector or otherwise. NEW YORK, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via CannabisNewsWire CannabisNewsAudio announces the Audio Press Release (APR) titled As the Cannabis Industry Grows, So Do Challenges of Supply and Distribution, featuring SinglePoint, Inc. (OTCQB: SING). To hear the CannabisNewsAudio version, visit: http://cnw.fm/bP2Yx To read the full editorial, visit: http://cnw.fm/592Xy As a result, SinglePoints products are now part of an industry worth billions of dollars. The global market for legal cannabis was worth $7.7 billion in 2016, and it keeps growing, with analysts predicting a value of $65 billion by 2023. With demand for both cannabis and CBD products rising, but patterns of demand still uncertain, companies are looking for flexible ways to reach their customers. Approaches such as SinglePoints online SingleSeed store offer a way to quickly reach a large number of customers, without the geographical limitations of brick and mortar stores. The company has been negotiating additional distribution contracts, as the industry rushes to catch up with customer demand. About SinglePoint, Inc. SinglePoint, Inc. is a technology and investment company with a focus on acquiring companies that will benefit from the injection of growth capital and technology integration. The company portfolio includes mobile payments, ancillary cannabis services and blockchain solutions. Through acquisitions into horizontal markets, SinglePoint is building its portfolio by acquiring an interest in undervalued companies, thereby providing a rich, diversified holding base. Through SingleSeed, the company is providing products and services to the cannabis industry. For more information, visit the companys website at www.SinglePoint.com About CannabisNewsWire (CNW) CannabisNewsWire (CNW) is a specialized information service that (1) aggregates cannabis news, (2) provides CannabisNewsBreaks that quickly updates investors in the space, (3) enhances corporate press releases, (4) helps companies with distribution and optimization of social media, and (5) delivers comprehensive corporate communication solutions. CNW is uniquely positioned in the cannabis market with a strong team of journalists and writers who can help private and public companies reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public through our ever-growing dissemination network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets. CNW is bringing unparalleled visibility, recognition and content to the cannabis industry. For more information please visit https://www.CannabisNewsWire.com Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer Forward-Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain as they are based on current expectations and assumptions concerning future events or future performance of the company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are only predictions and speak only as of the date hereof. In evaluating such statements, prospective investors should review carefully various risks and uncertainties identified in this release and matters set in the company's SEC filings. These risks and uncertainties could cause the company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. CNW Corporate Communications Contact: CannabisNewsWire (CNW) Denver, Colorado www.CannabisNewsWire.com 303.498.7722 Office Editor@CannabisNewsWire.net Conference call to take place Thursday, November 15, 2018 at 4:30pm E.T. WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kane Biotech Inc. (TSX-V:KNE, OTCQB:KNBIF), (the Corporation or Kane Biotech) is pleased to announce that it will host a conference call on Thursday, November 15, 2018 at 4:30pm E.T. to discuss its financial results for the third quarter 2018, in conjunction with the filing of its Quarterly Financial Statements for the third quarter ended September 30, 2018. Marc Edwards, Chief Executive Officer, and Ray Dupuis, Chief Financial Officer of Kane Biotech, will host the call and provide an update on recent developments and clinical progress. Management will be answering questions live immediately following the earnings announcement part of the call. To participate in the call, please dial +1 877-268-9044 (toll-free) in the U.S. and Canada. The conference ID number is 6370498. Event: Q3 2018 Earnings and Business Update Conference Call Date: Thursday, November 15, 2018 Time: 4:30pm E.T. U.S. & Canada Dial-in: 877-268-9044 (toll free) Conference ID: 6370498 Webcast Link: https://edge.media-server.com/m6/p/otzx7rvv A live audio webcast of the conference call will also be available on the investor relations page of Kane Biotechs corporate website at www.kanebiotech.com . In addition, the recorded conference call can be replayed and will be available for 90 days following the call on Kanes website. About Kane Biotech Kane Biotech is a biotechnology company engaged in the research, development and commercialization of technologies and products that prevent and remove microbial biofilms. The Corporation has a portfolio of biotechnologies, intellectual property (75 patents and patents pending, trade secrets and trademarks) and products developed by the Corporations own biofilm research expertise and acquired from leading research institutions. StrixNB, DispersinB, Aledex, bluestem, AloSera, coactiv+ and Kane are trademarks of Kane Biotech Inc. The Corporation is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "KNE" and on the OTCQB Venture Market under the symbol KNBIF. For more information, please visit www.kanebiotech.com or contact: Ray Dupuis Chief Financial Officer Kane Biotech Inc. +1 (204) 298-2200 ir@kanebiotech.com Tirth Patel Vice President - Investor Relations Edison Advisors +1 (646) 653-7035 tpatel@edisongroup.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information This press release contains certain statements regarding Kane Biotech Inc. that constitute forward-looking information under applicable securities law. These statements reflect managements current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management. Certain material factors or assumptions are applied in making forward-looking statements, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks relating to the Companys: (a) financial condition, including lack of significant revenues to date and reliance on equity and other financing; (b) business, including its early stage of development, government regulation, market acceptance for its products, rapid technological change and dependence on key personnel; (c) intellectual property including the ability of the Company to protect its intellectual property and dependence on its strategic partners; and (d) capital structure, including its lack of dividends on its common shares, volatility of the market price of its common shares and public company costs. Further information about these and other risks and uncertainties can be found in the disclosure documents filed by the Company with applicable securities regulatory authorities, available at www.sedar.com. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. These risks and uncertainties should be considered carefully undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot provide assurance that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement. Oslo, 8 November 2018 The Norwegian Oil Taxation Office (OTO) has today informed the subsidiary North E&P AS (under liquidation) of the final tax settlement for 2017. The settlement consist of an exploration tax refund of NOK 33.5 million, which is based on the exploration expenses for 2017, and an exit tax refund of NOK 199.7 million, which is based on the tax losses carried forward from prior years. The tax losses carried forward are settled as a consequence of the liquidation of the company North E&P. Total cash refund, excluding interest, is in line with expectations and amounts to NOK 233.2 million. North E&P has been notified that the cash refund will be settled on 28th of November. Furthermore, reference is made to Stock Exchange Notice from 24th October 2018 where North Energy ASA (the Company) informs about the notice from OTO regarding a possible change of the tax returns for North E&P from 2014 and 2015. North Energy strongly disputes both the content and the conclusion of the notice. However, the liquidation Board of North E&P will take necessary measures to ensure sufficient financial cover of a potential future tax claim. In Q3 2017, the Board of the Company decided to discontinue the petroleum activity on the Norwegian Continental Shelf and dissolve the subsidiary North E&P AS. In October 2017 there were no activities left in North E&P and the company filed the tax return for 2017 with the Norwegian government. For further information, please contact: Knut Sberg, CEO Mobile: +47 918 00 720 | E-mail: knut.saeberg@northenergy.no LONDON and SAN DIEGO, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ImageWare Systems, Inc. ( OTCQB: IWSY ), a leader in mobile and cloud-based two-factor, multi-factor, and biometric multi-modal authentication and identity management solutions, today announced a distribution and integration partnership with leading global secure cloud provider a24.io. The a24.io Secure Global Cloud spans the network, data centers and equipment installed at client premises - anywhere in the world - to ensure a secure, high performance and supported environment from the edge of your LAN directly into a private / public hybrid cloud. This solution, combined with mission critical application hosting and the ability to access 3rd party cloud applications, makes data transport fast and secure, to give companies a real edge. Customers include Cisco, IBM and Fusion Sports. Terry Warren, CEO of a24.io, stated, Simplifying and securing the authentication process is critical to the success of both on premise and cloud resources. After an extensive search, we chose ImageWare Systems GoVerifyID (GVID) platform to secure the a24.io ecosystem as well as our customers. GVID now allows us the freedom to choose the appropriate authentication method on a per user basis, from two-factor authentication (2FA) through multi-factor authentication (MFA) without any further integration effort needed. If a users access requirements change, we can readily update their profile on the fly to enable or disable the usable authentication methods. This level of security and control is unprecedented in the market today. Were targeting several new market segments, and anticipate first deployments in calendar Q1, concluded Warren. ImageWares Executive Chairman and CEO, Jim Miller , commented, The a24.io partnership marks an important entry into the UK market with a highly regarded organization with a global reach. We are equally enthused to also work with a24.io throughout North America and Asia. The company has aggressive growth plans and we look forward to material revenues beginning in Q1. About a24.io. a24.io is a global cloud computing business that has expanded from its 2006 origins in Tokyo with a commitment to service, accountability and continuous improvement as part of the company DNA. Since 2017 the company has taken intellectual property developed by Advantage24 in Japan and created a UK headquartered business with global network and data center infrastructure across 3 key regions Asia, EMEA and US. a24.io provides network and platform design, security technologies and implementation services. For more information please visit http://a24.io/ . About ImageWare Systems, Inc. ImageWare Systems, Inc. is a leading developer of mobile and cloud-based identity management solutions, providing two-factor, biometric and multi-factor authentication solutions for the enterprise. The company delivers next-generation biometrics as an interactive and scalable cloud-based solution. ImageWare brings together cloud and mobile technology to offer two-factor, biometric, and multi-factor authentication for smartphone users, for the enterprise, and across industries. ImageWares products support multi-modal biometric authentication including, but not limited to, face, voice, fingerprint, iris, palm, and more. All the biometrics can be combined with or used as replacements for authentication and access control tools, including tokens, digital certificates, passwords, and PINS, to provide the ultimate level of assurance, accountability, and ease of use for corporate networks, web applications, mobile devices, and PC desktop environments. ImageWare is headquartered in San Diego, California, with offices in Portland, Oregon; Ottawa, Ontario; Tokyo, Japan; and Mexico City, Mexico. To learn more about ImageWare, visit https://iwsinc.com/ and follow us on Twitter , LinkedIn , YouTube and Facebook . Forward-Looking Statements Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as anticipate, believe, estimate, expect, forecast, intend, may, plan, project, predict, if, should and will and similar expressions as they relate to ImageWare Systems, Inc. are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. ImageWare may from time to time update publicly announced projections, but it is not obligated to do so. Any projections of future results of operations should not be construed in any manner as a guarantee that such results will in fact occur. These projections are subject to change and could differ materially from final reported results. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, see Risk Factors in ImageWares Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 and its other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the dates on which they are made. A24.io Media contacts Simon Lavers 0333 987 4147 pr@a24.io Hamlet, North Carolina, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This evening, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Qualitys Division of Air Quality (DAQ) will hold a public hearing to take comments on the proposed expansion of Envivas pellet mill in Richmond County. This is the first in a series of expansions that Enviva plans to make at their NC facilities. Enviva has applied for a modification to their construction permit at the Hamlet facility to increase production by nearly 100,000 tons of wood pellets annually. This significant expansion would require an additional 2,000 acres of forest per year to be cut down to meet Envivas demand, bringing the facility total to 15,000 acres per year. More than 30 environmental and social justice organizations in the state have signed onto a letter urging DAQ to modify Envivas permit to reduce production levels and require Enviva to install the pollution controls that the community deserves. Enviva has not even finished construction at their Richmond County plant, yet they are already applying to increase production, said Emily Zucchino of Dogwood Alliance. The wood pellet industry has been allowed to grow unchecked in North Carolina. We cannot make that mistake again. Envivas Hamlet facility has a particularly troubling history, with several flawed permits and a denial of the community to participate in a public hearing and comment period during the permitting process for this highly controversial facility. This public hearing represents the first opportunity for North Carolinians to make their voices heard. A recent report by Environmental Integrity Project shows a shocking pattern of air quality violations or noncompliance at the majority of wood pellet facilities across the South, with Envivas North Carolina facilities being the most egregious. The Maryland-based company has attempted to assuage community concerns by including the installation of pollution controls in addition to their proposed expansion. However, emissions testing at Envivas facilities show that the facility would still be emitting above the legal limit, which is why environmental groups and community members are calling on DAQ to require Enviva to reduce production levels. My community does not benefit from the destruction of our forests and the pollution of our people, said Debra David, co-chair of Concerned Citizens of Richmond County. We want economic development solutions that are clean, healthy, and protect the people and the environment. The urgency of the climate crisis, which was underscored by a major international report released in October by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, demands that we dramatically scale up forest protection. Burning trees for electricity is worse for the climate than burning coal, and yet industry is exporting North Carolinas forests and burning their climate and community benefits up in smoke -- at a time when we need forests and wetlands more than ever to protect us from flooding and storms like Hurricane Florence. Recently, Governor Cooper reaffirmed his commitment to the Paris Agreement by signing Executive Order 80, which sets forth aggressive targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and a bold vision for addressing climate change in the state. Increasing forest protection is an essential component of meeting climate goals, and allowing the wood pellet industry to expand in the state stands in direct contradiction with the Governors order. Time and again, Enviva has mislead the public, government, and investors on their emissions and sourcing practices -- repeatedly putting profit over people, continued Zucchino. The companys past actions and missteps make it all the more imperative that they are strongly scrutinized at every step of the way. For more information on the public hearing, visit: https://deq.nc.gov/news/press-releases/2018/10/09/public-hearing-draft-permit-enviva-pellets-hamlet-facility-nov-8 For more on the wood pellet industrys damaging practices, visit: https://stopenviva.com/ # # # Dogwood Alliance mobilizes diverse voices to defend the unique forests and communities of the Southern U.S. from destruction by industrial forestry. Learn more at www.dogwoodalliance.org or on Twitter - @DogwoodAlliance Concerned Citizens of Richmond County, based in Hamlet, NC, is a local environmental justice group that is an advocate for clean air and water in Richmond County. The group is a chapter of the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (BREDL). Learn more here. Attachments 1,500 Additional Miners in place online in latest BlockchainDome MIAMI, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via OTC PR WIRE -- Miami-based United American Corp ("UnitedCorp") (OTC: UAMA) is pleased to announce the completion of its third BlockchainDome and the full commissioning of 1,500 additional miners for a total of 4,000 miners (6.2 megawatts total and additional 7.5 million BTUs of heat) now in service in three BlockchainDomes. As announced on September 19, 2018, pre-installation of 1.5 megawatts to be used for photosynthetic lighting in adjacent greenhouses to be heated by the BlockchainDomes is also complete. UnitedCorp continues to design, develop and implement efficiencies of construction of the BlockchainDomes and provisioning of the dome's servers. This includes even more emphasis on in-house or sub-contracted prefabrication of more of the BlockchainDome components than in previous domes, resulting in lower costs, higher quality and consistency of product and the ability to inventory BlockchainDome components for overall more rapid deployment. A key test for this new BlockchainDome was the deployment of Canaan Avalon 841 miners in the dome versus the Bitmain S9 miners used in previous BlockchainDomes. This required some design changes in the server docking stations given the different design of the Avalon 841. These adaptations were developed rapidly by the company's engineering team and quickly incorporated into the CNC machining process of the relevant docking station components and did not result in any significant delays in deployment. This outcome was important to the Company as it showed that the BlockchainDome can be easily adapted to different server configurations through its flexible manufacturing process and confirmed that once site infrastructure is in place, BlockchainDomes can be deployed in a matter of weeks. "We are very proud of our new BlockchainDome and particularly proud of our BlockchainDome design and implementation team," stated UnitedCorp CEO, Benoit Laliberte. "Since we started our first BlockchainDome in March of this year, we have evolved from using a piecemeal approach to a full 'assembly line' process which includes a flexible manufacturing system for many components. Full commissioning of this dome follows the commissioning of our last dome by only 7 weeks." In addition, UnitedCorp's fourth dome on the current campus is expected to be online within the next two weeks. Preparations are also currently underway for an additional heat campus site. UnitedCorp's technology uses the heat from mining servers to support greenhouse agricultural operations through the BlockchainDome Heat Station system which keeps greenhouses at 20+ Co year-round. This represents a simple design solution compared to various alternatives whereby the cost of generating this heat from a single source is shared between multiple use cases. Commercial greenhouses in cooler climates like in the Province of Quebec typically require a significant amount of thermal energy to supplement daytime solar energy, particularly during the period of September to May, and many older greenhouses utilize inefficient heating systems for this purpose. In addition to heating, the dry heat produced by the BlockchainDome Heat Station is used year-round in positive pressure greenhouses to reduce greenhouse mold and fungus caused by condensation thereby reducing or eliminating the need for chemicals to treat this problem. This creates conditions for a more organic growth environment. UnitedCorp believes this "Heat Campus" approach for heat generation and utilization is the future for agriculture and any other industry that can make use of low-cost heat, with the ultimate goal being to get as close to zero waste as possible. This is not only good economically but allows businesses to "green" their operations by significantly reducing the amount of electricity the combined operations require from the grid. How BlockchainDomes work can be seen at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDmhhaJKHLg About United American Corp Established in 1992, United American Corp is a Florida-based development and management company focusing on telecommunications and information technologies. The company currently holds the rights to manage a portfolio of patents and proprietary technology in telecommunications, social media and Blockchain technology, and owns and operates the BlockchainDomes which are designed to provide heat for agricultural operations using computer equipment in naturally cooled data centers where efficiency and low-cost operations are a priority. The UnitedCorp BlockchainDome was designed to provide heat for agricultural operations using ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit chip) mining operations where efficiency and low-cost operations are a priority. The BlockchainDomes, which utilize a proprietary passive cooling ground-coupled heat-exchanger technology, are particularly suited for situations where rapid cluster deployment is required as they can be erected and commissioned in a matter of weeks rather than up to a year using the traditional "Bricks and Mortar" approach. BlockchainDomes can be configured in a wide range of sizes to service any type of greenhouse operation. This news release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to various risks and uncertainties. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of numerous factors that may be beyond the Company's control. Forward-looking statements are based on the expectations and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made, and the Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances in management's expectations or opinions change. Source: United American Corp Contact: Jenna Trevor-Deutsch Investor Relation investorrelations@unitedcorp.com 604 398 5000 ext: 109 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fa091cfd-cfe7-4745-80b5-fd2ed3bbe8ec New York, NY November 8, 2018, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Foundation Center and the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP) announce the fifth edition of their annual research report, Measuring the State of Disaster Philanthropy 2018: Data to Drive Decisions . The report draws from 12 data sources, including first-time analysis of contributions by non-U.S. donors, public charities, and smaller U.S. foundations. In total, the new report documents $30 billion in private, public, corporate, and individual disaster-related giving to address major disasters and humanitarian crises that affected millions globally in 2016. Key findings for 2016 philanthropic funding reveal: Almost $200 million in funding by global foundations and public charities for disasters and humanitarian crises. Natural disasters accounted for 44 percent of disaster funding. Man-made accidents received 15 percent of disaster funding, with several large grants addressing the Flint, Michigan water crisis. Among disaster assistance strategies, more than 40 percent of dollars were for response and relief; 17 percent went toward reconstruction and recoverymore than half of this was related to the Flint water crisis. This years report also includes a first-ever five-year trends analysis of disaster-related giving by 1,000 of the largest U.S. foundations, which demonstrates that: Funding tends to be episodic and dependent upon the crisis: Funding spiked in 2014 due to large grants for the Ebola outbreak, then declined over the next two years. In 2015, foundations increased funding for complex humanitarian emergencies in response to the Syrian war and the refugee crisis. Natural disasters (59 percent on average) was the largest focus for disaster funders. Response and relief efforts were the most funded assistance strategy across all years, averaging 47 percent of all disaster funding. Although this years report includes additional data from non-U.S. donors, smaller U.S. foundations and public charities, the giving patterns are similar to their larger counterparts in the use of gifts for natural disasters and complex humanitarian crises, said Robert G. Ottenhoff, president and CEO of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy. This is particularly relevant given what weve seen in the 2018 hurricane seasona seemingly briefer focus on giving even amid ever-worsening storms, signaling a greater need to support efforts at planning, preparation, and building stronger, more resilient communities. Ottenhoff and Foundation Center Vice President for Knowledge Services Lawrence T. McGill will discuss key findings of the report Wednesday, November 14, 2018 at 2:00 pm ET/ 1:00 pm CT during a free webinar , Measuring the State of Philanthropy 2018. In addition, they will demonstrate the free data dashboard and mapping platform, available at disasterphilanthropy.foundationcenter.org . Disaster funders will also share their insights. Donors, foundations, corporations, journalists, NGOs, and government agencies are encouraged to join the discussion on how to use data to drive informed and strategic disaster-related giving worldwide. New in 2018 will be Tutorial Tuesdays, a series of YouTube videos to demonstrate how to use the reports tools to make better data-informed disaster giving decisions. This project was made possible by a generous gift from the Irene W. and C.B. Pennington Foundation, with additional funding from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. About Foundation Center Established in 1956, Foundation Center is the leading source of information about philanthropy worldwide. Through data, analysis, and training, it connects people who want to change the world to the resources they need to succeed. Foundation Center maintains the most comprehensive database on U.S. and, increasingly, global grantmakers and their grantsa robust, accessible knowledge bank for the sector. It also operates research, education, and training programs designed to advance knowledge of philanthropy at every level. Thousands of people visit Foundation Center's website each day and are served in its five regional library/learning centers and its network of more than 450 funding information centers located in public libraries, community foundations, and educational institutions nationwide and around the world. For more information, please visit foundationcenter.org , call (212) 620-4230, or tweet us at @fdncenter . About Center for Disaster Philanthropy The Center for Disaster Philanthropys mission is to transform disaster giving by providing timely and thoughtful strategies to increase donors impact during domestic and international disasters. CDP is currently managing $24 million in six Disaster Funds on behalf of corporations, foundations, and individuals. In the face of intensifying natural disasters and worsening humanitarian crises, CDP also works to raise awareness of the urgent need to support the full lifecycle of disasters, from mitigation and preparedness to long-term recovery and resilience, particularly among vulnerable populations. For more information, visit: disasterphilanthropy.org, call (202) 595-1026 or tweet us @funds4disaster. Attachment Houston, TX, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chief Outsiders has earned the No. 34 spot on Consulting Magazines annual list of the nations fastest growing consulting firms its second straight appearance on the list. The firm of more than 60 fractional Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) is one of only 75 companies to have earned the publications 2018 recognition. The Executives-as-a-Service firm, which met the criteria in order to receive the honor, is uniquely positioned as a coast-to-coast team of top level chief marketers who have held a position of VP of marketing or higher. Each expert travels across the country to provide growth-oriented insights to private equity businesses, as well as a range of small- and mid-market enterprises. It is this distinction that provides unique value to more than 700 client companies and one that allows the organization to stand out among other consulting firms. Chief Outsiders Co-Principal Pete Hayes credited the firms rapid rise in 2018 to his part-time executives high client satisfaction rates in a range of industries and segments. Its been another momentous year for Chief Outsiders, not only for our continual success in the Private Equity sector, but for our double digit growth across the board. Soon, well reach 70 part-time executives to meet the demand for our services. In addition to the Consulting magazine award, the firm was also recognized this year by Inc. Magazine as one of the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. for the fifth year in a row. Achieving our second consecutive ranking is an encouraging testament to our tribe of dedicated CMOs, who enjoy making big things happen for their clients and relish in the opportunity to learn from and support one another, Hayes said. 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 Dublin, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Sterilization Equipment Market By Product And Service [Equipment (Moist Heat, Dry Heat, Hydrogen Peroxide, Ethylene Oxide), Consumables (Sterilization Indicators, Sterilant Cassettes), Services (E-Beam, EtO, Gamma)] - Global Forecast To 2023" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global sterilization market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7% from 2018 to reach USD 10.51 billion by 2023, driven by the factors such as increasing volume of surgeries performed globally, growing need to reduce occurrences of HAIs, and focus on reducing the cost of healthcare by minimizing hospital readmissions attributed to HAIs. Furthermore, the technological advancements in the medical device industry and increasing need for advanced sterilization equipment are expected to drive the technological growth of the sterilization equipment market by 2023. The low temperature sterilizers segment dominated the sterilization equipment market. However, the radiation sterilization segment comprising, e-beam and gamma sterilizers is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period, owing to their benefits, such as shorter sterilization cycle time, lower cost of sterilization, and compatibility with majority of the advanced medical devices available in the market. An in-depth analysis of the geographical scenario of the industry provides detailed qualitative and quantitative insights about the five major geographies (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa) along with the coverage of major countries in each region. North America accounted for the largest share of the sterilization technologies market in 2017. However, during the forecast period, the APAC market is expected to register the fastest CAGR. The growth in this geographic market is primarily attributed to the government initiatives to improve healthcare infrastructure in this region, increasing number of hospitals in this region, and rising number of surgeries being performed and thereby growing demand for sterilized instruments. India and China represent the fastest growing markets in this region and globally as well. The major players operating in the sterilization technologies market are Steris, Getinge, Sotera Health, Advanced Sterilization Products, 3M, Belimed, MMM Group, Matachana Group, and Cantel Medical. While there are numerous regional and local players in the sterilization equipment and consumables market, the contract sterilization services market is dominated by Steris and Sotera Health. Some of the other key players in the contract sterilization services market are Cretex Companies, Medistri, COSMED Group, E-BEAM Services, Cantel Medical, Stryker Corporation, and Centurion Medical Products. Key Topics Covered 1. Introduction 1.1. Market Definition 1.2. Market Ecosystem 1.3. Currency and Limitations 1.3.1. Currency 1.3.2. Limitations 1.4. Key Stakeholders 2. Research Methodology 2.1. Research Process 2.1.1. Secondary Research 2.1.2. Primary Research 2.1.3. Market Size Estimation 3. Executive Summary 3.1. Introduction 3.2. Market Dynamics 3.3. Product Segment Analysis 3.4. Regional Analysis 3.5. Competitive Analysis 4. Market Overview 4.1. Overview 4.2. Drivers 4.2.1. Growing Need to Curtail Hospital-Acquired Infections 4.2.2. Growth in the Number of Surgical Procedures 4.2.3. Rising Demand of Sterilization in Food Industry to Prevent Food-Borne Diseases 4.2.4. Increasing Sterilization Demand from Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Industries 4.3. Restraints 4.3.1. Harmful Effects of Ethylene Oxide 4.3.2. Concerns Regarding the Safety of Reprocessed Instruments 4.4. Opportunities 4.4.1. Growing Demand of Sterilization Technologies in Emerging Markets 4.4.2. Rising Demand for E-Beam Sterilization 4.5. Challenges 4.5.1. Growing Adoption of Advanced Medical Instruments Driving Complexity of Sterilization 4.5.2. End-User Noncompliance with Sterilization Standards 5. Sterilization Equipment Market, by Technology 5.1. Overview 5.2. Heat Sterilization Equipment 5.2.1. Moist Heat Sterilizers 5.2.2. Dry Heat Sterilizers 5.3. Low Temperature Sterilization Equipment 5.3.1. Hydrogen Peroxide / Gas Plasma Sterilizers 5.3.2. Ethylene Oxide Sterilizers 5.3.3. Ozone-Based Sterilizers 5.3.4. Formaldehyde Sterilizers 5.3.5. Other Low Temperature Sterilizers 5.4. Radiation Sterilization Equipment 5.5. Filtration Sterilization Equipment 6. Sterilization Consumables Market, by Product 6.1. Overview 6.2. Sterilization Indicators 6.3. Sterilant Cassettes 6.4. Other Sterilization Consumables & Accessories 7. Sterilization Services Market, by Type 7.1. Overview 7.2. Ethylene Oxide Sterilization Services 7.3. Gamma Sterilization Services 7.4. E-Beam Sterilization Services 7.5. Steam Sterilization Services 7.6. Other Sterilization Services 8. Sterilization Technologies Market, by End User 8.1. Overview 8.2. Hospitals and Clinics 8.3. Medical Device Companies 8.4. Food and Beverages Industry 8.5. Pharmaceutical Companies 8.6. Other End Users 9. Sterilization Technologies Market, by Region 9.1. Overview 9.2. North America 9.2.1. U.S. 9.2.2. Canada 9.3. Europe 9.3.1. United Kingdom 9.3.2. Germany 9.3.3. France 9.3.4. Spain 9.3.5. Italy 9.3.6. Rest of Europe 9.4. Asia-Pacific 9.4.1. Japan 9.4.2. China 9.4.3. India 9.4.4. Rest of Asia Pacific 9.5. Latin America 9.6. Middle East & Africa 10. Competitive Outlook 10.1. Competitor Benchmarking 10.2. Market Share Analysis 11. Company Profiles 11.1. Steris Corporation 11.2. 3M Company 11.3. Getinge AB 11.4. MMM Group 11.5. Belimed AG (Subsidiary of Metall Zug Group) 11.6. Matachana Group 11.7. Sotera Health 11.8. Cardinal Health 11.9. Advanced Sterilization Products (J&J) 11.10. Cantel Medical For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/7pbcvw/sterilization?w=12 CALGARY, Alberta, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For the second consecutive year, AltaLink has been awarded the Canadian Electricity Association (CEA) Presidents Award for Safety Excellence. There is nothing more important to AltaLink than the safety of our employees, said Scott Thon, AltaLinks President & CEO, who was on hand to see employees from AltaLinks field operations and safety teams accept the award on behalf of the company. Our team has built a culture on the principle of taking care of each other in the field and in the office. Im incredibly proud of every AltaLinker who has helped to make our company a safe place to work. The CEA hosted its annual Awards Reception in Ottawa on November 7. The award is given to corporate utilities that achieve the top ranking in Total Recordable Injury Frequency (TRIF) among utilities of comparible size in generation, transmission, or distribution operations. AltaLink won the award for transmission companies with 501-1000 full-time employees. Headquartered in Calgary, with offices in Edmonton, Red Deer and Lethbridge, AltaLink is Alberta's largest electricity transmission provider. AltaLink is partnering with its customers to provide innovative solutions to meet the provinces demand for reliable and affordable energy. A wholly-owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Energy, AltaLink is part of a global group of companies delivering energy services to customers worldwide. For more information please contact: Scott Schreiner Vice President, Communications AltaLink Management Ltd. Phone: 403.267.2176 E-mail: Scott.Schreiner@AltaLink.ca Funding will Create, Improve, or Preserve 4,239 Affordable Rental and Homeownership Units ATLANTA, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta (the Bank) announced today that it has awarded $25,592,918 million to assist in the funding of 62 affordable housing projects in 17 states as part of its 2018 Affordable Housing Program (AHP). The projects represent $856,920,540 in total housing development. For every $1 dollar in AHP funding, another $32 dollars of financing was leveraged under the FHLBank Atlanta 2018 AHP. Local for-profit and nonprofit developers, in partnership with FHLBank Atlanta member financial institutions, will use $19.4 million of AHP funds to assist in the acquisition, new construction, rehabilitation, or preservation of 3,166 affordable rental and homeownership units in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. Developers with projects in states outside of the Banks district, including Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas, will receive more than $6.1 million in AHP funding to develop 1,073 housing units. For the complete list of winners, click here . The Affordable Housing Program has had a long track record of success providing access to safe and affordable housing for low- and moderate-income families, said Robert Dozier, FHLBank Atlanta Executive Vice President and Chief Business Officer. It is an effective way for our member financial institutions to partner with developers and community groups to not only provide affordable housing, but to also help create job opportunities and boost economic development in the communities they serve every day. FHLBank Atlanta awards AHP funds annually through a competitive application process. Since 1990, FHLBank Atlanta has awarded more than $760 million in AHP Competitive grants, providing more than 120,000 housing opportunities for moderate, low-, and very low-income households. Applications for the 2019 AHP funding round will be accepted beginning June 2019. Potential applicants must work with an FHLBank Atlanta member financial institution to complete the AHP Competitive program application. A list of member financial institutions is available on the FHLBank Atlanta website at www.fhlbatl.com. FHLBank Atlantas AHP awards range from $57,000 to $500,000 per project and will be made in the following states: State Rental Units Owner Units AHP Funds Total Development Alabama 307 7 $2,065,450 $64,267,531 Florida 242 51 $1,538,000 $43,513,995 Georgia 524 -- $1,928,327 $71,718,846 Maryland 329 -- $1,950,000 $82,365,879 North Carolina 484 -- $3,390,000 $70,812,248 South Carolina 90 -- $500,000 $17,208,346 Virginia 1,117 15 $8,068,741 $282,884,279 Out of District 1,073 -- $6,152,400 $224,149,416 About the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta FHLBank Atlanta offers competitively-priced financing, community development grants, and other banking services to help member financial institutions make affordable home mortgages and provide economic development credit to neighborhoods and communities. The Bank's membersits shareholders and customers-are commercial banks, credit unions, savings institutions, community development financial institutions, and insurance companies located in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. FHLBank Atlanta is one of 11 district banks in the Federal Home Loan Bank System. Since 1990, the FHLBanks have awarded approximately $5.8 billion in Affordable Housing Program funds, assisting more than 865,000 households. For more information, visit our website at www.fhlbatl.com. CONTACT: Peter E. Garuccio Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta pgaruccio@fhlbatl.com 404.888.8143 DALLAS, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As one of the worlds leading corporate champions of womens empowerment and entrepreneurship, Mary Kay Inc. continues its mission of enriching womens lives as a supporter of The Texas Conference for Women. The conference provides motivation, networking, inspiration and skill building for thousands of Texas women each year. The 19th annual Texas Conference for Women will be held November 9, 2018 at the Austin Convention Center in Austin. The highly-sought-after conference brings together approximately 7,500 attendees from across the state of Texas. The 2018 event marks the third time Mary Kay has participated as one of the sponsors of the conference following sponsorships in 2015 and 2016. The non-profit, non-partisan event features inspirational keynote speakers, skill-building breakout sessions and networking opportunities. Our company was built by a woman, for women and our partnership with The Texas Conference for Women is the perfect platform to continue our mission of enriching womens lives, said Sheryl Adkins-Green, Chief Marketing Officer for Mary Kay Inc. In 1963, Mary Kay Ash founded our company in Dallas to create more opportunities for women. For 55 years now, we have empowered millions of women around the world and Mary Kay is proud to help support and inspire women from across our home state of Texas during this encouraging and relevant conference. Mary Kay Inc. will sponsor the Affinity Networking Breakfast and provide three mini-sessions for conference attendees. In partnership with The National Domestic Violence Hotline and loveisrespect, the mini-sessions will include information on Mary Kays Don't Look Away campaign which works to educate the public on recognizing the signs of an abusive relationship, how to take action and to raise awareness of support services. An element of the campaign is Mary Kays lead sponsorship of the loveisrespect text for help service the nations first and only dating abuse text message hotline. By simply sending the text loveis to 22522, young people are instantly connected via text with resources and support. Mary Kay has been a steadfast and committed leader in working to end dating abuse in communities nationwide and our continued partnership allows us to reach thousands of women at The Texas Conference for Women, specifically during the young womens program, said Katie Ray-Jones, CEO of The National Domestic Violence Hotline and a speaker at The Texas Conference for Women. We believe the opportunity to connect with women face-to-face during the conference will make a lasting impact and provide critical information on the importance of healthy dating and relationships. Mary Kay Inc. and The Mary Kay Foundation have long been committed to ending domestic violence and have provided more than $50 million to domestic violence initiatives. Following The Texas Conference for Women, Sheryl Adkins-Green, Chief Marketing Officer for Mary Kay Inc., will speak at a branded online tele-class available on The Texas Conference for Women website within the upcoming year. For more information, please visit https://www.txconferenceforwomen.org/teleclasses/ About Mary Kay At Mary Kay, success lies in our dedication to irresistible products, a rewarding opportunity and positive community impact. For 55 years, Mary Kay has inspired women to achieve their entrepreneurial goals in nearly 40 countries. As a multibillion-dollar company, we offer the latest in cutting-edge skin care, bold color cosmetics and fragrances. Discover more reasons to love Mary Kay at marykay.com. Attachment New study finds that cruise tourism and the 29.6 million passenger and crew onshore visits throughout 36 Caribbean and Latin American destinations directly generated a record $3.36 billion in total expenditures, along with nearly 79,000 jobs paying more than $900 million in wage income, during the last cruise year. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Florida-Caribbean Association (FCCA), the trade group representing the mutual interests of the cruise industry and destinations and stakeholders in the Caribbean and Latin America, is proud to announce that the 2017-2018 cruise year brought record economic contributions to the region, despite the historic hurricane season. According to the study released today by Business Research & Economic Advisors (BREA), Economic Contribution of Cruise Tourism to the Destination Economies, cruise tourism directly generated $3.36 billion in total cruise tourism expendituresmore than six percent higher than the record set by the previous study in 2015along with nearly 79,000 jobs paying more than $900 million in wage income in the 36 participating destinations. We could not be prouder of these results and what they mean for all of our neighbors and partners throughout the Caribbean and Latin America, said Michele Paige, president, FCCA. Beyond showing what cruise tourism brings to these destinations economies, which was crucial in restoring lives and communities following last years historic hurricane season, many of the findings will also serve as the foundation of building further mutual success between cruise lines and destination stakeholders. The study measured direct spending impacts through passenger surveys and crew surveys; cruise line spending for services and provisions; port revenues; and employment generated by cruise ship calls. Measurement of economic impacts was calculated by collecting data from local government agencies, regional development agencies and international economic agencies to evaluate impacts on employment, wages, port fees and taxes. Key findings include: Cruise tourism generated $3.36 billion in expenditures, up 6.3% compared to the last study in 2015 and the previous record. 78,954 jobs were attributable to the industry, up 5.2% compared to the last study, paying a total employee wage income of $902.7 million. Destinations welcomed 25.2 million onshore visits from cruise passengers, with an average spend of $101.52, generating a total of $2.56 billion. Destinations welcomed 4.4 million onshore visits from crew, with an average spend of $60.44, generating a total of $265.7 million. Cruise lines spent $534 million, an average of $14.8 million per destination. The 29.6 million passenger and crew visits represent a 5.2% increase compared to the previous study, and the 32 common destinations in the 2015 and 2018 studies experienced a 6.5% increase in passenger visits. Average per passenger spend increased for 23 of the 32 common destinations, and 12 destinations recorded average spend rates above $100 per passenger (up from nine in 2015). On average, a single transit cruise call with 4,000 passengers and 1,640 crew generates $378,500 in passenger and crew spending alone: $339,500 and $39,000, respectively. The studys measure of cruise tourism expenditures did not include indirect benefits of cruise tourism, including supplies purchased by tour operators, restaurants and port authorities, though the estimates of these expenditures served as the basis for total employment and wage impacts. The study also did not account for other indirect benefits, such as spending from cruise passengers who return as stay-over guests; nor did the study measure other methods of cruise line spending that benefit destinations, including NGO partnerships and marketing. Results were skewed by last years historic hurricane seasonwith destinations like British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, St. Maarten and the United States Virgin Islands seeing declines due to the temporary effects, while still totaling expenditures more than $500 million during the study and now regularly welcoming more than 10,000 cruisers per day due to their remarkable recoveries. Additionally, the temporary impacts led to increases in destinations like Guadeloupe, Martinique and Bonaire. According to the study, all of this showed further proof that the Caribbean cruise industry is strong, and the member destinations, in all their beauty, continue to be both resilient and successful. The studywhich is engaged by the FCCA in partnership with its destination partners every three years as one of many ways to foster the understanding of cruise tourism, its benefits and how to best actualize its potentialwas released at the 25th annual FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show in San Juan, Puerto Rico, further adding to the events focus on maximizing mutual success for all throughout cruise tourism through a series of meetings, workshops and networking opportunities between destination stakeholders and cruise executives to offer insight and develop business and relationships. The full study; its Volume II focusing on both the specific spending within the destinations, along with metrics including passenger satisfaction, time spent ashore and types of shore excursions; and similar studies dating back to 2001 are available at www.F-CCA.com/Research . 36 Participating Destinations with Total Cruise Tourism Expenditures (in $US Millions) Antigua & Barbuda ($77.7); Aruba ($102.7); The Bahamas ($405.8); Barbados ($71.0); Belize ($86.1); Bonaire ($30.2); British Virgin Islands ($12.6); Cayman Islands ($224.5); Colombia ($59.8); Costa Maya, Mexico ($89.5); Costa Rica ($29.2); Cozumel, Mexico ($474.1); Curacao ($71.7); Dominican Republic ($134.7); Ensenada, Mexico ($40.4); Grenada ($19.2); Guadeloupe ($52.9); Guatemala ($11.1); Honduras ($107.4); Jamaica ($244.5); Manzanillo, Mexico ($2.7); Martinique ($38.2); Mazatlan, Mexico ($15.9); Nicaragua ($5.7); Panama ($77.8); Progreso, Mexico ($32.7); Puerto Chiapas, Mexico ($1.6); Puerto Rico ($151.2); Puerto Vallarta, Mexico ($42.5); St. Kitts & Nevis ($149.3); St. Lucia ($59.4); St. Maarten ($143.2); St. Vincent ($16.4); Trinidad ($3.5); Turks and Caicos ($86.5); and the United States Virgin Islands ($184.7). About the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) Created in 1972, the FCCA is a not-for-profit trade organization that provides a forum for discussion on tourism development, ports, safety, security, and other cruise industry issues and builds bilateral relationships with destinations private and public sectors. By fostering an understanding of the cruise industry and its operating practices, the FCCA works with governments, ports and private sector representatives to maximize cruise passenger, crew and cruise line spending, as well as enhance the destination experience and increase the amount of cruise passengers returning as stay-over visitors. For more information, visit F-CCA.com and @FCCAupdates on Facebook and Twitter. Colorado Springs, Colorado, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The 15th Annual World Aquatic Health Conference (WAHC) saw its largest attendance ever this year, attracting nearly 600 aquatic professionals from all over the world to Charleston, South Carolina, and to six WAHCity locations in the U.S. and Canada. Organized by the National Swimming Pool Foundation (NSPF), this diverse gathering provides an opportunity for environmental health officials, facility managers, pool designers, academics, service professionals, and other industry leaders to collaborate across disciplines, promoting the health benefits of aquatic activity and working to safeguard public health. For the first time ever, those unable to attend the main conference in Charleston were able to enjoy WAHCity events. Around 200 attendees posted up at one of six WAHCity locations for a lecture track broadcast directly from the main event in Charleston. With the help of NSPFs partners and sponsorslike the WAHCity: Niagara Falls host Ontario Recreation Facilities Association (ORFA)these broadcasts allowed the conference to greatly expand its reach and extend a vital conversation. WAHCity events were located at Great Wolf Lodge resorts, all of which provided attendees behind-the-scenes tours of their aquatic facilities. Attendees in Charleston also enjoyed an Insiders Tour. A mainstay of the conference, the Insiders Tour gives aquatics professionals a chance to learn about select aquatic facilities and initiatives in the host city. The highlight of this years tour was a presentation from the Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission on their portable pool initiative, which brings both swimming instruction and the pool itself to communities in need. Offering eight tracks related to public and environmental health, air and water quality, recreational water illnesses, new technology, and facility management, this years WAHC presented a wealth of research, as well as an immediate opportunity for participants to engage in discussions with leading professionals. Session topics included interlock safety, national water safety plans, legal issues in aquatics, preventing sexual harassment and predators and facility management and design, and learn to swim initiatives. Dr. James Amburgey, a water filtration researcher at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, was a breakaway hit throughout the conference, bringing humor, candor, and urgency to the broader discussion of water filtration and water quality. Dynamic GENESIS faculty Feras Irikat also proved popular presenting WAHCs new Design & Engineering track. A color psychologist, Irikats sessions on color theory and the art of innovation highlighted the diverse industry concerns that have come to typify the audience that gathers for the WAHC. Kerstin Hewitt, an Environmental Health Specialist in California, clarified just how energizing that diverse audience can be: I always come back with such renewed enthusiasm for the work we and others do in conjunction with recreational water facilities. Attendees from the Environmental Health (EH) sector have a growing presence at the WAHC, making up around 17% of all registrants. This years EH Symposium, the WAHCs annual meeting of EH officials from all over the U.S., was a great success. According to NSPFs Government Affairs Specialist, Susan Wichmann, By far the most valuable aspects of the Symposium were the networking and learning how different jurisdictions handle similar issues. Given the rise in EH official attendance in the last few years, the value of the Symposium is clearsome have even asked to extend the length of the meeting! Emily Tipping, whose annual State of the Industry report for Recreation Management was a frequently cited source this year, had this to say about her experience in Charleston: The best events give you an opportunity to expand your knowledge as well as your network of peers. In both respects, the WAHC exceeded my expectations. The biggest difficulty I had was choosing which sessions to attend, because there were just so many great topics. And the depth and breadth of information covered in the sessions I did attend was outstanding. Whether youre new to aquatics or know the ropes well, I have no doubt youll learn something new and enjoy meeting new peers in the industry at WAHC. The 16th Annual WAHC will be held in Williamsburg, Virginia, October 1618, 2019. Early registration begins in April 2019. Interested presenters and attendees can learn more at thewahc.org. About the World Aquatic Health Conference This leading global aquatic research forum is tailored to inform all individuals and groups associated with aquatics: aquatic facilities and water parks, the pool and spa industry, service providers, consultants, parks & recreation representatives, manufacturers, academia, associations, builders, community organizations, distributors, hotels, government, health and medical, retail, and media. Watch the video. About National Swimming Pool Foundation We believe everything we do helps people live happier and healthier lives. Whether its encouraging more aquatic activity, making pools safer, or keeping pools open, we believe we can make a difference. Founded in 1965 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit and located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, NSPF proceeds go to fund education, research, and to help create swimmers. The NSPF family includes Genesis and the California Pool & Spa Association. Visit nspf.org or call 719-540-9119 to learn more about the NSPF family of products, programs, and services. ### Attachments English French Q3 2018 - Business review Paris, November 8th, 2018 - JCDecaux SA (Euronext Paris: DEC), the number one outdoor advertising company worldwide, published today its revenue for the three months ended September 30th, 2018. THIRD QUARTER 2018: BUSINESS HIGHLIGHTS Key contracts wins France In August, JCDecaux announced that it has won, following a competitive tender, the 10-year advertising street furniture contract for the city of Perpignan (population: 117,000). United Kingdom In September, JCDecaux announced the signature of a 5-year deal with Network Rail that will see the number one outdoor advertising company worldwide deliver an improved station environment with a 100% digital transport environment at Network Rail stations. In September, JCDecaux announced that it has commissioned the globally renowned Zaha Hadid Design to create a landmark advertising structure in London that integrates public art, contemporary design and digital media. Unveiled today, The Kensington provides brands with a unique communications' channel in the capital that combines the latest in digital screen technology with a spectacular, curved double-ribbon stainless steel design. Asia-Pacific In September, JCDecaux announced that its Japanese subsidiary, MCDecaux (85% owned by JCDecaux and 15% by Mitsubishi Corporation) has been awarded a 20-year Tokyo advertising bus shelter contract by Odakyu Bus Corporation. In September, JCDecaux announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary JCDecaux Advertising (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., following a competitive tender, has signed the 10-year advertising contract with Tianjin Metro Resource Investment Co., Ltd., the subsidiary of Tianjin Rail Transit Group. The two parties will establish a joint venture (60% owned by JCDecaux and 40% by the Metro) for the operation and management of advertising on Lines 5 and 6 in Tianjin Metro. Rest of the World In July, JCDecaux announced that JCDecaux Cote d'Ivoire, joint venture jointly owned with Bollore Group has signed a 20-year contract with SOTRA, the Abidjan Transport Company ("Societe des Transports Abidjanais"), for the implementation of a street furniture advertising program (bus shelters and signposts) as well as advertising operations for SOTRA's different transport networks (buses, train stations, bus terminals, and water buses) in the Abidjan district (nearly 5 million inhabitants). In July, JCDecaux announced that JCDecaux Cote d'Ivoire, joint venture jointly owned with Bollore Group has signed a 20-year contract for a street furniture advertising program with Cocody (around 800,000 inhabitants). Acquisitions, divestitures and financial investments Asia-Pacific In August and September, JCDecaux did several press releases regarding APN Outdoor acquisition, of which the decision of the ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) to grant clearance of JCDecaux's acquisition of APN Outdoor, the decision of the Federal Court of Australia approving the dispatch of the scheme booklet to the shareholders and the decision of the Australian Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) indicating that the Commonwealth of Australia has no objection to JCDecaux's acquisition of APN Outdoor. Rest of the World In July, JCDecaux announced that it has acquired 100% of Corameq, a holding company of Eumex, after acquiring the stakes of the two founders and noncontrolling shareholders: Antonio Torres and Carlos de Meer. THIRD QUARTER 2018 AND OUTLOOK Following the adoption of IFRS 11 from January 1st, 2014, the operating data presented below is adjusted to include our prorata share in companies under joint control. Please refer to the paragraph "Adjusted data" on page 3 of this release for the definition of adjusted data and reconciliation with IFRS. The 2017 comparative figures are restated from the retrospective application of IFRS 15 "Revenue from Contracts with Customers", applicable from January 1st, 2018. The application of IFRS 15 leads to the change in presentation of invoices relating to advertising taxes. The impact on previously published Q3 2017 and the first nine months of 2017 figures are +5.1 million and +15.1 million on adjusted revenue, respectively. Adjusted revenue for the third quarter of 2018 increased by +6.2% to 867.7 million compared to 817.1 million in Q3 2017. Excluding the negative impact from foreign exchange variations and the positive impact from changes in perimeter, adjusted organic revenue grew by +7.3%. Adjusted organic advertising revenue, excluding revenue related to sale, rental and maintenance of street furniture and advertising displays, increased by +8.0% in the third quarter of 2018. Q3 adjusted revenue 2018 (m) 2017 (m) Reported growth Organic growth(a) Street Furniture 365.0 362.5 +0.7% +2.3% Transport 384.9 335.3 +14.8% +15.5% Billboard 117.8 119.3 -1.3% -0.5% Total 867.7 817.1 +6.2% +7.3% Excluding acquisitions/divestitures and the impact of foreign exchange 9-month adjusted revenue 2018 (m) 2017 (m) Reported growth Organic growth(a) Street Furniture 1,107.7 1,114.1 -0.6% +2.7% Transport 1,044.3 987.0 +5.8% +9.9% Billboard 359.0 367.4 -2.3% -0.8% Total 2,511.0 2,468.5 +1.7% +5.1% Excluding acquisitions/divestitures and the impact of foreign exchange Please note that the geographic comments hereafter refer to organic revenue growth. STREET FURNITURE Third quarter adjusted revenue increased by +0.7% to 365.0 million (+2.3% on an organic basis). Europe (including France and the UK) was slightly up, negatively affected by the cancellation of the Paris "City Information Panels" interim contract in France. Asia-Pacific was up strongly with a double-digit growth, mainly driven by our new contracts in Australia. North America was up. The Rest of the World was down. Third quarter adjusted organic advertising revenue, excluding revenue related to sale, rental and maintenance of street furniture were up +3.6% compared to the third quarter of 2017. TRANSPORT Third quarter adjusted revenue increased by +14.8% to 384.9 million (+15.5% on an organic basis). Europe (including France and the UK), Asia-Pacific and North America delivered a strong double-digit growth. The Rest of the World showed negative growth. BILLBOARD Third quarter adjusted revenue decreased by -1.3% to 117.8 million (-0.5% on an organic basis). Europe (including France and the UK) was down, affected by the on-going footprint reduction in our UK traditional portfolio, while our UK digital billboard business remained strong and our performance in France was good. The Rest of the World and North America were up. Commenting on the 2018 third quarter revenue, Jean-Charles Decaux, Chairman of the Executive Board and Co-CEO of JCDecaux, said: "Our strong Q3 organic revenue growth rate of +7.3% is our second best quarterly revenue performance since 2011 and reflects both, the strong performance of our Transport advertising business in China, as well the successful on-going digitisation of our prime OOH media assets across all business divisions. Street Furniture's organic revenue growth of +2.3% was mainly driven by a +37.5% digital revenue increase, while analogue revenue continued to be negatively affected by the unexpected cancellation of the Paris "City Information Panels" interim contract in France. Transport's organic revenue growth rate of +15.5% was driven by both, a double-digit revenue growth in China combined with a good sales performance in Europe as well as in North America, and digital growing at +48.6%. Our slight organic revenue decline of -0.5% in our Billboard division was mainly due to the on-going dismantling of traditional billboard panels in the UK while Group digital billboard revenue grew at +29.6% and our performance in France was good. The closing of the APN Outdoor acquisition on October 31st, 2018 is paving the way for JCDecaux to grow its OOH market share close to 40% in Australia which is the world's 7th largest media market with a significant exposure to DOOH (c.50% of outdoor advertising revenue). As far as Q4 2018 is concerned, and bearing in mind the strong Q4 2017 as well as a soft current trading in our metro business in China in Q4 2018, we expect our adjusted organic revenue growth rate to be at around +4% leading to a full year organic revenue growth rate around +4.5%. In a media landscape increasingly fragmented, out-of-home advertising reinforces its attractiveness. With our accelerating exposure to faster-growth markets, our growing premium digital portfolio combined with a new data-led audience targeting platform, our ability to win new contracts and the high quality of our teams across the world, we believe we are well positioned to outperform the advertising market and increase our leadership position in the outdoor advertising industry through profitable market share gains. The strength of our balance sheet is a key competitive advantage that will allow us to pursue further external growth opportunities as they arise and to continue to invest significantly in digital." ADJUSTED DATA Under IFRS 11, applicable from 1st January, 2014, companies under joint control are accounted for using the equity method. However, in order to reflect the business reality of the Group, operating data of the companies under joint control will continue to be proportionately integrated in the operating management reports used to monitor the activity, allocate resources and measure performance. Consequently, pursuant to IFRS 8, Segment Reporting presented in the financial statements complies with the Group's internal information, and the Group's external financial communication therefore relies on this operating financial information. Financial information and comments are therefore based on "adjusted" data, consistent with historical data prior to 2014, which is reconciled with IFRS financial statements. In Q3 2018, the impact of IFRS 11 on adjusted revenue was -108.0 million (-99.9 million in Q3 2017), leaving IFRS revenue at 759.7 million (717.2 million in Q3 2017). For the first nine months of 2018, the impact of IFRS 11 on adjusted revenue was -303.5 million (-300.5 million for the first nine months of 2017), leaving IFRS revenue at 2,207.5 million (2,168.0 million for the first nine months of 2017). ORGANIC GROWTH DEFINITION The Group's organic growth corresponds to the adjusted revenue growth excluding foreign exchange impact and perimeter effect. The reference fiscal year remains unchanged regarding the reported figures, and the organic growth is calculated by converting the revenue of the current fiscal year at the average exchange rates of the previous year and taking into account the perimeter variations prorata temporis, but including revenue variations from the gains of new contracts and the losses of contracts previously held in our portfolio. m Q1 Q2 Q3 9-month 2017 adjusted revenue (a) 762.6 888.8 817.1 2,468.5 2018 IFRS revenue (b) 658.0 789.8 759.7 2,207.5 IFRS 11 impacts (c) 84.5 111.0 108.0 303.5 2018 adjusted revenue (d) = (b) + (c) 742.5 900.8 867.7 2,511.0 Currency impacts (e) 42.1 32.2 10.6 84.9 2018 adjusted revenue at 2017 exchange rates (f) = (d) + (e) 784.6 933.0 878.3 2,595.9 Change in scope (g) (0.3) (0.5) (1.5) (2.3) 2018 adjusted organic revenue (h) = (f) + (g) 784.3 932.5 876.8 2,593.6 Organic growth (i) = (h) / (a) +2.8% +4.9% +7.3% +5.1% m Impact of currency as of September 30th, 2018 USD 14.2 HKD 11.8 BRL 11.3 RMB 9.0 GBP 3.3 Other 35.3 Total 84.9 Average exchange rate 9-month 2018 9-month 2017 USD 0.8374 0.8976 HKD 0.1068 0.1152 BRL 0.2327 0.2829 RMB 0.1286 0.1320 GBP 1.1312 1.1452 Forward looking statements This news release may contain some forward-looking statements. These statements are not undertakings as to the future performance of the Company. Although the Company considers that such statements are based on reasonable expectations and assumptions on the date of publication of this release, they are by their nature subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual performance to differ from those indicated or implied in such statements. These risks and uncertainties include without limitation the risk factors that are described in the annual report registered in France with the French Autorite des Marches Financiers. Investors and holders of shares of the Company may obtain copy of such annual report by contacting the Autorite des Marches Financiers on its website www.amf-france.org or directly on the Company website www.jcdecaux.com. The Company does not have the obligation and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any of the forward-looking statements. FINANCIAL SITUATION The evolution of revenues is the major factor which to impact the operating margin, free cash flow or net debt during Q3 2018. Raising Awareness Among Healthcare Providers Because, When a Clinician Understands Excessive Sweating, It Makes All the Difference CENTER VALLEY, Pa., Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Great hyperhidrosis care requires great partnerships with healthcare providers who understand the serious impacts of excessive sweating. As part of Hyperhidrosis Awareness Month , the International Hyperhidrosis Society is running clinical-facing advertisements and public service announcements in medical professional publications during the month of November. Who will be learning about the importance of quality hyperhidrosis diagnosis and treatment? Pediatricians via the American Academy of Pediatrics AAP News because hyperhidrosis often first manifests with extreme sweating symptoms during childhood or adolescence. via the American Academy of Pediatrics AAP News because hyperhidrosis often first manifests with extreme sweating symptoms during childhood or adolescence. School nurses thanks to the National Association of School Nurses (NASN), and because hyperhidrosis can significantly impact school performance and students self-esteem. thanks to the National Association of School Nurses (NASN), and because hyperhidrosis can significantly impact school performance and students self-esteem. Dermatologists through the American Academy of Dermatologys Derm World because, while hyperhidrosis may originate in the nerves and brain, excessive sweating continues to be frequently treated as a disorder of the skin. through the American Academy of Dermatologys Derm World because, while hyperhidrosis may originate in the nerves and brain, excessive sweating continues to be frequently treated as a disorder of the skin. Dermatology nurses reached by the Journal of the Dermatology Nurses Association because nurses play a key role in documenting symptoms and advocating for effective patient care. reached by the Journal of the Dermatology Nurses Association because nurses play a key role in documenting symptoms and advocating for effective patient care. Nurse practitioners, physician assistants and others through RNsights because a wide range of healthcare providers come into contact, albeit often unwittingly, with hyperhidrosis sufferers and can improve quality of life for these patients if they know how. How can the public help? By telling all the healthcare providers they come in contact with about Hyperhidrosis Awareness Month and the International Hyperhidrosis Society . The International Hyperhidrosis Society thanks all the wonderful clinicians who already stay up-to-date in hyperhidrosis best practices through the Societys HCP website , continuing education , and research library , and who register with IHhS Physician Finder . Additional Hyperhidrosis Awareness Month activities are taking place throughout November. Visit SweatHelp.org and IHhS on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , and YouTube to get involved. Hyperhidrosis Awareness Month is made possible by individual donors and by unrestricted grants from the makers of Certain Dri, from Dermira and from the makers of miraDry . For additional information, contact Christine Fleckenstein at Christine@SweatHelp.org. About Hyperhidrosis & the International Hyperhidrosis Society Hyperhidrosis is a medical condition that affects approximately 4.8% of the population. It results in extreme, uncontrollable sweating and: Is associated with much higher rates of anxiety & depression Has negative quality-of-life impacts equal to or greater than severe acne & psoriasis Increases risk of skin infections by 300% Yet, only 1 in 4 hyperhidrosis sufferers is ever diagnosed, and far fewer are cared for effectively with best practices. El presidente @MartinVizcarraC inauguro el Programa de Induccion para la Transferencia y Buen Inicio de Gestion Municipal de Lima Metropolitana y Callao, encuentro en el que participan alcaldes recien electos y que tiene como fin asegurar la continuidad de proyectos de inversion. pic.twitter.com/slTFLPFhDj "We do not set any conditions for dialogue. Dialogue has been on the table since we took office ," he told the press. The Head of State explained he has already shared his point of view concerning the continuity of Attorney General Pedro Chavarry in his post . As is known, Chavarry has been linked by many to Keiko Fujimori Presidente @MartinVizcarraC: Estamos siguiendo el proceso para la extradicion del ex presidente Toledo, pero debemos respetar los procesos y plazos que existen en paises extranjeros. Antes que deje el cargo de presidente de la Republica, estara en Peru respondiendo a la justicia. YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. 8660 tons of coffee was imported to Armenia from January to September of the current year. The imports of this year are about 1000 tons more than last year, according to the statistical committee of Armenia. The largest amount of coffee was imported from Indonesia 5712 tons. 2353 tons was imported from Vietnam, followed by Russia, Ethiopia and Guatemala. Unlike the imports indicator, coffee exports from Armenia dropped in the reporting period. 696 tons of coffee was exported from Armenia, while in 2017 the indicator was 857 tons. Armenia is exporting coffee to Russia, Georgia and Kazakhstan. In the same period, 222 tons of tea was imported to Armenia, an increase of 13 tons. Tea exports totaled 17 tons against 2017s 10 tons. Tea was mostly imported to Armenia from Russia, Sri Lanka, China, Germany, UAE and other countries. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. At least six people have been killed when a gas generator station exploded in a chemical plant in Xinle, Hebei province, China. Another seven people were injured in the incident, Xinhua reports. The victims have been taken to nearest hospitals. Two of the injured are in critical condition. The cause of the blast is yet to be determined. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. The search operations for the 12-year-old missing child in Vanadzor have resumed Thursday morning, emergency situations ministry spokesperson Satenik Asilyan told ARMENPRESS. Search and rescue operations have resumed since early morning. A 16-men tactical crew has joined the search from the ministry of emergency situations, she said. The 12 year old boy has gone missing in the Armenian town of Vanadzor on November 6, police said. He was last seen at 19:00, November 6. The boy Arthur Martirosyan suffers from autism. According to a description provided by the family, the child was wearing blue jeans, a red jacket and slippers at the time of his disappearance. Anyone having any information about the whereabouts of the missing child is urged to dial 911 immediately. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan Atlanta, Georgia, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ScottMadden, Inc., one of North Americas leading management consulting firms specializing in energy, has released its latest edition of The Energy Industry Update (EIU). This issue of the EIU explores evolving federal policy toward wholesale energy infrastructure development, including emerging issues in power transmission and gas pipeline projects. While there is significant electric transmission infrastructure planned, completing those projects is becoming even more difficult. Gas pipeline projects face opposition as well, as interest in greenhouse gas impacts and resistance to gas as a bridge fuel pose as hurdles to continued development. This Update addresses how utilities are responding to these recent trends. Stakeholders are actively participating at all levels of the regulatory process. Projects are facing increased regulatory, legal, and compliance costs, as well as longer lead times, comments Jennifer Nelson, director at ScottMadden. If you were not able to join our Energy Industry Update webcast, the complimentary recording is now available. Hear what our industry experts have to say about grid modernization, federal policy on wholesale energy infrastructure development, and industry views on efficient electrification in this session replay. You may also hear more of our original analysis in this new video. About ScottMaddens Energy Practice We know energy from the ground up. Since 1983, we have served as energy consultants for hundreds of utilities, large and small, including all top 20 energy utilities. We have helped our clients develop strategies, improve operations, reorganize companies, and implement initiatives. Our broad and deep energy utility expertise is not theoreticalit is experience based. About ScottMadden, Inc. ScottMadden is the management consulting firm that does what it takes to get it done right. Our practice areas include Energy, Clean Tech & Sustainability, Corporate & Shared Services, Grid Transformation, and Rates, Regulation, & Planning. We deliver a broad array of consulting services ranging from strategic planning through implementation across many industries, business units, and functions. To learn more, visit www.scottmadden.com | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn. YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman Tatoyan participated in the conference dedicated to the activity of torture prevention mechanisms in Copenhagen, Denmark, which was organized by the Association for the Prevention of Torture and the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI), the Ombudsmans Office told Armenpress. During the conference the directions for improving the activities of torture prevention mechanisms, as well as the challenges were discussed. The conference participants also discussed the ways on how to improve the activities and contribute to the implementation of proposals made by these mechanisms. During the event Armenias Human Rights Defender introduced the history of his 10-year activity as a torture prevention mechanism, in particularly, highlighting the fundamental changes carried out since 2016. Specific importance was attached to the Armenian Ombudsmans fundamental reforms carried out in the past two years. In this sense, Arman Tatoyans experience was assessed as one of the institutions that carried out the fastest principled reforms across the world. IOI Secretary General Gunther Krauter noted that Armenias Ombudsman is forming an international best practice with his activities. Other officials as well highly valued all the reforms carried out by Tatoyan. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. The Civil Contract party will participate in the early parliamentary elections of Armenia with an alliance with the Mission party, Yelk faction MP Hovik Aghazaryan told Armenpress. There will be no other parties in the alliance. There can be people from different parties who will be included in the list, but there wont be any other party in the bloc, the lawmaker said. Asked whether there will be surprises in the alliance list, the MP said: You will witness interesting solutions, but nothing sensational will happen. The lawmaker also commented on the media reports according to which the son of former member of the Republican Party of Armenia Nahapet Gevorgyan will be nominated by the list of the Civil Contract party. Hovik Aghazaryan said the discussions over pre-election lists are not over yet. Yesterday we had a discussion, they are not over yet, but I havent heard such news. There was no talk about any of the RPA lawmakers during yesterdays discussion. There was a talk about the national minorities who will be included in our list, he said. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. All injured servicemen hospitalized in the Zangezur garrison military hospital after the November 7 military truck crash are in satisfactory state. Six of the injured have sustained fractures, and two of them are expected to be transported to the central military hospital, the defense ministry said. Caretaker defense minister Davit Tonoyan has extended condolences to the families of the four servicemen who were killed in the incident. Tonoyan has said that an internal investigation is underway and preliminary results clearly show that a number of severe violations of technical safety precautions and organization of service are among the causes of the fatal crash. Tonoyan said all those responsible for the deadly incident will be brought to account. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. Acting defense minister of Armenia Davit Tonoyan met with defense minister of Kazakhstan Nurlan Yermekbayev in Astana on November 8 on the sidelines of the joint session of the CSTO council of foreign, defense ministers and the secretaries of the security council, the Armenian defense ministry told Armenpress. During the meeting wide range of issues of bilateral mutual interest were discussed. Both officials highlighted the necessity to expand the cooperation. They also emphasized the high level of cooperation between the two countries in the field of defense, the joint active participation of the divisions of the armed forces in operative and combat preparedness operations both within the CSTO, CIS and the International Army Games. The two officials expressed readiness to continue the contacts in military and military technical cooperation sector. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. According to the governments decision, the Central Electoral Commission (CEC), the Police and justice ministry will receive funds from the reserve fund for the early parliamentary elections which will be held on December 9, Armenpress reports. The respective decision was made during todays Cabinet session. It is proposed to provide 2,707.144 thousand AMD to the Central Electoral Commission, 10 million AMD to the justice ministry and 234,224.8 thousand AMD to the Police for the preparation and holding of the early parliamentary elections, acting justice minister Artak Zeynalyan said during the session. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian government is recommending to shift the Presidents Office back to Baghramyan 26 the building formerly housing the Presidential office and move the Prime Ministers Office to the Government headquarters in the Republic Square, Yerevan. Currently, the Baghramyan 26 building is housing the PMs office while the Presidents Office is located on the Mashtots Avenue. The decision was approved at todays Cabinet meeting. It is unclear what the current building of the presidential office will be used for. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. Armenia is negotiating with Russias energy ministry and Gazprom over the decrease of gas tariff, acting minister of energy infrastructures and natural resources Garegin Baghramyan told reporters after todays Cabinet meeting, Armenpress reports. At the moment the talks are being held over the formation of gas price on the border and the domestic structure. In order not to harm the negotiations process, I dont want to say anything at this moment, the acting minister said. Asked whether the talks are directed for decreasing the gas tariff for the domestic consumer, the acting minister said the negotiations are being held for reducing the price. We are trying to hold productive talks, he said. Asked whether they hold talks with Gazprom, Garegin Baghramyan said talks are being held both with Gazprom and the Russian energy ministry. The talks aim at decreasing the tariff. If we have positive results, we will have a decrease as well, the acting minister noted. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. A 43-year-old stateless thief-in-law wanted by France has been arrested in Yerevan on November 6 by officers of the general department of criminal intelligence of Armenian police. Merab Kalashov is wanted by French law enforcement agencies since 2015 for conspiracy to commit a crime, money laundering and organized crime activities. The man does not have citizenship of any country. Police has contacted the Armenian general prosecution and Interpol on his arrest. This phenomenon, known as thief-in-law, emerged in the infamous Soviet gulags and became a prison culture in most of post-Soviet states. Thief-in-law is a specifically granted formal status of a professional criminal who enjoys an elite position within the organized crime environment and employs informal authority over its lower-status members. Criminals are crowned as thieves-in-law by senior members of the organized crime syndicates for many years of contributions to the criminal business or long record behind bars. Thieves-in-law are known for their distinctive tattoos and code of conduct. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. Armenias deputy defense minister Gabriel Balayan denies the Azerbaijani claims according to which Azerbaijan proposed Armenia to carry out exchange of prisoners of war (POW), reports Armenpress. After todays Cabinet meeting, the deputy defense minister told reporters that this is an absolute lie. Before I left the ministry, in other words, at 10:20, there was no such a proposal. According to the procedure, we receive such proposals mainly through the channels of the Red Cross, he said. Balayan added that he cannot understand what the talk is about, given the fact that there are no POWs both in Armenia and Artsakh. We are working quite openly. If there was such an initiative by their side, I suppose that the Red Cross, which perfectly knows the situation, understands very well that it is their domestic statement, or maybe it is directed for some foreign stakeholders, which doesnt have any grounds, the deputy minister said. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. Yelk faction MP Edmon Marukyan will lead the proportional list of Lusavor Hayastan (Bright Armenia) party in the upcoming early election of parliament, the party said. The snap polls will take place December 9. Armenias Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan resigned on October 16 to trigger the process of disbanding the parliament. Pashinyan took office after massive protests in April forced president-turned PM Serzh Sargsyan to resign. But Sargsyans Republican Party (HHK) still has most seats in the 105-seat parliament. Since taking office, Nikol Pashinyan has numerously said that the incumbent parliament doesnt represent the people and that early elections should take place as soon as possible. In accordance to the Constitution, when a Prime Minister resigns the parliament must elect a new PM within two weeks. Lawmakers deliberately failed to elect a new PM as a formality in order to pave the way for dissolution. The last round took place on November 1 and the parliament was dissolved by virtue of law. Later on the same day, President Armen Sarkissian signed an order on dissolving the parliament and calling early elections on December 9. The parliament will function until the new parliament is elected. The government is formally a caretaker government until a new government is formed after the election. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan ATLANTA, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GeoVax Labs, Inc. (OTCQB: GOVX), a biotechnology company developing human vaccines using its novel viral vector platform technology, announced its financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2018, and provided an update on its research and development programs. David Dodd, GeoVax President and CEO, commented, Reviewing the accomplishments of the GeoVax team so far during 2018, I am pleased with the progress we are making and the ongoing addition of world-class academic, government, and corporate collaborators. We are honored and humbled that our accomplishments were recognized through our selection for the 2018 'Best Biotech' Vaccine Industry Excellence Award, and a finalist for the 'Best Prophylactic Vaccine' for our Zika vaccine candidate at the 2018 World Vaccine Congress in Washington DC, as well as a finalist for 2018 Pipelines of Promise at the Buzz of BIO in Boston. We are honored by this recognition by industry peers of our continued progress in applying our expertise and technology to advance highly promising vaccines for the benefit of people worldwide. Mr. Dodd concluded, I am happy to provide this update and look forward to sharing additional news with you in the coming months. Highlights for 2018 include: Lassa Fever Vaccine. In September the U.S. Department of Defense awarded us a $2.4 million grant to support our Lassa Fever vaccine program. This followed a Fast-Track Phase I/II SBIR grant award in April from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with an anticipated total project budget of up to $1.9 million. Both awards are funding separate but complementary approaches to our Lassa vaccine development. Zika Vaccine. In May we received $300,000 for the second year of the NIH SBIR grant award to advance preclinical testing of our Zika vaccine in non-human primates in preparation for human clinical trials. HIV Program. Our collaboration with AGT (American Gene Technologies International, Inc.), for use of our vaccine in combination with AGT gene therapy for development of a functional cure for HIV, is on track to enter a Phase 1 trial sponsored by AGT. AGT anticipates starting the trial during the first quarter of 2019. In October, positive results from the HVTN 114, phase 1 trial of our preventive HIV vaccine, were presented at the HIVR4P conference in Madrid. The clinical trial program for our preventive HIV vaccine continues to be supported by the NIH and the HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) with the next study expected to commence by mid-2019; in August, a trial number (HVTN 132) was assigned, and the final protocol is currently going through the approval process. Oncology Program. We began a collaboration with Vaxeal Holding SA, expanding our cancer vaccine program to include the design, construction, characterization and animal testing of vaccine candidates using our MVA-VLP vaccine platform with Vaxeals proprietary designed genetic sequences. This project is complementary to our ongoing collaboration with ViaMune, Inc. for co-developing cancer immunotherapies. In parallel, we are collaborating with the University of Pittsburgh and their Distinguished Professor, Dr. Olja Finn, using combined technologies for abnormal MUC1-expressing tumors. Hepatitis B Program. In early 2018, we began a collaboration with CaroGen Corporation for the development of a combination immunotherapy treatment for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. This project includes testing our MVA-VLP-HBV vaccine candidate in combination with CaroGens HBV Virus-like Vesicles (VLVs) vaccine candidate in prophylactic and therapeutic animal models of HBV infection. Data is also being compiled for GeoVaxs own HBV vaccine design being tested in animal models at Georgia State University. HPV Program. In August we began a collaboration with Dr. Rafi Ahmed, at the Emory University Vaccine Center, for development of a therapeutic vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, with a specific focus on HPV-positive head and neck cancers. Ebola Vaccine. We published excellent results from a rigorous preclinical study of our Ebola vaccine in the peer-reviewed open access Nature journals Scientific Reports. In this study, we demonstrated for the first time, that a single-dose of an MVA-Ebola vaccine provided full protection to rhesus macaques challenged with a lethal dose of live Ebola virus. The article can be viewed at www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-19041-y . Malaria Vaccine. We continued work on our malaria vaccine program in collaboration with the Burnet Institute in Australia with very encouraging preclinical proof of concept immunogenicity data. Presentations at Scientific Conferences and Awards. We continued to attend and present at various domestic and international scientific conferences. These venues provide valuable networking opportunities to bring our technologies to the attention of the broader scientific community and to potential collaborators and industrial partners. During the World Vaccine Congress, we were proud to have our work recognized by our peers through winning the Best Biotech Vaccine Industry Excellence (VIE) Award. We were also a finalist for the Best Prophylactic Vaccine VIE Award for our Zika vaccine. Furthermore, during the BIO International Convention, we were a finalist for the Pipelines of Promise award. Financial Review GeoVax reported a net loss of $666,893 (less than $0.01 per share) for the three months ended September 30, 2018, compared to $588,757 ($0.01 per share) for the same period in 2017. For the nine months ended September 30, 2018, the Companys net loss was $1,925,749 ($0.01 per share) as compared to $1,653,979 ($0.03 per share) in 2017. The Company reported grant and collaboration revenues of $349,344 and $663,908 for the three-month and nine-month periods of 2018, respectively, as compared to $247,997 and $895,866 for the comparable periods of 2017. As of September 30, 2018, there is $2,873,542 in approved grant funds remaining and available for use. Research and development (R&D) expenses were $557,696 and $1,416,892 for the three-month and nine- month periods of 2018, respectively, as compared to $498,200 and $1,568,093 for the comparable periods of 2017. R&D expenses include reimbursable costs funded by government grants, so much of the variance between the periods relates to the timing of external expenditures associated with the grants. General and administrative (G&A) expenses were $458,974 and $1,175,399 for the three-month and nine-month periods of 2018, respectively, as compared to $340,143 and $985,001 for the comparable periods of 2017. The increase in G&A expense from 2017 to 2018 is mostly attributable to stock-based compensation expense associated with common stock issued for investment banking advisory fees. GeoVax reported cash balances of $511,242 at September 30, 2018, as compared to $312,727 at December 31, 2017. Summarized financial information is attached. Further information concerning the Companys financial position and results of operations are included in its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. About GeoVax GeoVax Labs, Inc., is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing human vaccines against infectious diseases using its MVA-VLP vaccine platform. GeoVax was the winner of the 2018 Best Biotech Vaccine Industry Excellence Awards, a finalist for the 2018 Best Prophylactic Vaccine Award for its Zika vaccine at the World Vaccine Congress, as well as a finalist for Pipelines of Promise at Buzz of BIO 2018. The Companys development programs are focused on vaccines against HIV, Zika, hemorrhagic fever viruses (Ebola, Sudan, Marburg, Lassa) and malaria. GeoVax also is evaluating the use of its MVA-VLP platform in cancer immunotherapy, and for therapeutic use in chronic Hepatitis B infections. GeoVaxs vaccine platform supports in vivo production of non-infectious VLPs from the cells of the very person receiving the vaccine. The production of VLPs in the person being vaccinated mimics virus production in a natural infection, stimulating both the humoral and cellular arms of the immune system to recognize, prevent, and control the target infection. For more information, visit www.geovax.com . Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this document are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may differ materially from those included in these statements due to a variety of factors, including whether: GeoVax can develop and manufacture its vaccines with the desired characteristics in a timely manner, GeoVax's vaccines will be safe for human use, GeoVax's vaccines will effectively prevent targeted infections in humans, GeoVaxs vaccines will receive regulatory approvals necessary to be licensed and marketed, GeoVax raises required capital to complete vaccine development, there is development of competitive products that may be more effective or easier to use than GeoVax's products, GeoVax will be able to enter into favorable manufacturing and distribution agreements, and other factors, over which GeoVax has no control. GeoVax assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements and does not intend to do so. More information about these factors is contained in GeoVax's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including those set forth at "Risk Factors" in GeoVax's Form 10-K. Contact: GeoVax Labs, Inc. investor@geovax.com 678-384-7220 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/geovax-inc-/ Twitter: @Geovax_News FINANCIAL TABLES FOLLOW GEOVAX LABS, INC. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations Information (amounts in thousands, except per share data) Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended September 30, September 30, 2018 2017 2018 2017 Grant and collaboration revenue $ 349 $ 248 $ 664 $ 896 Operating expenses: Research and development 557 498 1,417 1,568 General and administrative 459 340 1,175 985 1,016 838 2,592 2,553 Loss from operations (667 ) (590 ) (1,928 ) (1,657 ) Other income (expense), net - 1 2 3 Net loss $ (667 ) $ (589 ) $ (1,926 ) $ (1,654 ) Loss per common share $ (0.00 ) $ (0.01 ) $ (0.01 ) $ (0.03 ) YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. Deputy Speaker of Parliament, spokesperson of the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) Eduard Sharmazanov has decided to go online and create a Facebook account. Sharmazanov turned 43 years old today and he made a video address to everyone who congratulated him on his birthday. Thanks for the birthday greetings. My friends are conveying congrats to me from Facebook. Unfortunately I dont have a Facebook account yet. Your congratulations and good wishes made me seriously consider signing up in social networks. Well meet soon on Facebook. Thanks to each and every one of you, God bless your families, God bless the Armenian people. I wish you a thousand-fold of whatever you wish me and my family. Let Christian love, hope and faith be with each of you. Everything will be all-right, Sharmazanov said. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. The session of the CSTO Collective Security Council has kicked off in Astana on November 8, Kaztag news agency reported. The session is also attended by acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan. The session was opened by President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev. During the session we will listen to the report of the CSTO Secretariat, the results of Kazakhstans 2018 chairmanship in the CSTO will be summed up, the contemporary issues on ensuring collective security in our countries will be discussed. The Kyrgyz side will present its chairmanship priorities in the CSTO, the Kazakh President said. The first part of the session will be held in a narrow format, then will continue in an extended format. After the session the Kazakh President and acting CSTO Secretary General Valery Semerikov are expected to hold a press conference. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. Deputy healthcare minister of Armenia Arsen Davtyan and acting director of the Office of Healthcare Programs Hayk Sayadyan under the ministry are on an official visit to South Korea. On the sidelines of an Asian Development Bank seminar, an official meeting took place today with officials of the healthcare ministry led by Deputy minister Kang Dotae, the healthcare ministry said. This meeting can be considered as the historic launch of relations with Armenias healthcare ministry, the South Korean official said. Cooperation agreements in various sectors were reached at the meeting. Investment opportunities were also discussed. This is the first official meeting of the healthcare ministries of the two countries in the history of modern Armenia. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker FM Zohrab Mnatsakanyan participated November 8 in the joint session of the foreign ministerial council, defense ministerial council and security council secretary committee of the Collective Security Treaty Organization in Astana, Kazakhstan, the foreign ministry said. The agenda of the session included cooperation within the framework of the CSTO, and issues relating to foreign policy combination of member states in international arenas, as well as regional and international security issues. The latest developments in Afghanistan, Syria and Middle East were addressed. In his remarks, Armenias caretaker foreign minister thanked his Kazakh counterpart for the successful chairmanship in the CSTO and expressed Armenias support to Kyrgyzstans upcoming chairmanship priorities on increasing effectiveness of the organization and deepening cooperation. Speaking about the agenda issues, Mnatsakanyan reiterated Armenias determination to continue steps on strengthening efforts in enhancing defense potential of CSTO member states and combating modern challenges and threats. Mnatsakanyan said that Armenia attaches great importance to the significance of joint and comprehensive efforts in countering extremism and international terrorism. He highlighted the threats associated with the return of militants who have taken part in armed conflicts as part of terror organization to their countries of origin. It was noted that this issue is a serious challenge for international security. Mnatsakanyan expressed concern over the ongoing situation in the Middle East and namely in Syria, as well as the challenges facing ethnic and religious minorities in the region as a result of terrorist activities. He attached importance to the steps on increasing the CSTO peacekeeping potential and strengthening cooperation with the UN. Speaking about the NK conflict, Mnatsakanyan noted that the new government of Armenia has numerously reiterated its commitment to the exclusively peaceful solution of the conflict under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship. He highlighted the Pashinyan-Aliyev meeting in Tajikistan and noted that during the meeting agreements were able to be reached which will contribute to the formation of an appropriate environment for a peaceful process, if implemented. He stressed that the issues of security and status of Artsakh remain among Armenias priorities, and stressed the significance of Artsakhs involvement in the negotiations process. Mnatsakanyan attached importance to the refusal of belligerent rhetoric, noting that it leads to increased hostility and atmosphere of distrust in the region. He noted that the arms race is topical and very concerning, and it doesnt contribute to settlement. Several decisions were signed at the session, and the documents of the upcoming Collective Security Council session were approved. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. In accordance to the 2018 training plan of the Armenian Armed Forces, military computer experts from all units of the armed forces, including from the communications detachment, educational facilities, commissariats etc, underwent a training course November 6-8. The purpose of the training was to perfect the practical skills of computer experts in the military, the defense ministry said. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. Armenias Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe Paruyr Hovhannisyan and President of the CoE Congress of Local and Regional Authorities Anders Knape on November 7 opened the exhibition dedicated to Yerevans 2800th anniversary on the sidelines of the Congress session at the CoE headquarters, the Armenian foreign ministry told Armenpress. During the event Paruyr Hovhannisyan delivered remarks, stating: Its impossible not to love Yerevan, its unique atmosphere and the people who created it, its evenings of classical music and jazz, in the complete harmony with the contemporary buildings constructed with modern Armenian architecture heritage solutions. And our todays exhibition is one of the manifestations of that love towards Yerevan. Summing up his remarks, Hovhannisyan expressed support to the CoE Congress reforms and stated that it should serve an example for the CoE remaining bodies. In his remarks Anders Knape said although Yerevan celebrates 2800th anniversary, its a young and vibrant city. He stated that they followed the recent velvet revolution in Armenia with a great interest and plan to develop the close cooperation with Armenia. The opening of the exhibition was followed by an official reception. The event has been organized by Armenias permanent representation to the CoE, the ministry of territorial administration and development and Armenias delegation to the CoE Congress of Local and Regional Authorities. It was attended by Ambassadors to the CoE, diplomats, CoE secretariat officials, as well as members of the Congress. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. Gazprom Armenia will finalize its position on reducing or raising gas price tariff after negotiations with the Russian side. The company does not want to reduce the price at the expense of decaying its infrastructures, ARMENPRESS reports CEO of Gazprom Armenia Hrant Tadevosyan told the reporters about this at the National Assembly. I cannot say if the tariff will be raised or reduced yet, since discussions are still underway. The tariff depends on the price of the import and the margin. Both of them are discussed, Tadevosyan said. The CEO of Gazprom Armenia Company ruled out the possibility of any misuse of sums for internal needs. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. No decision has been made over the new Secretary-General of the CSTO, Valery Semerikov will continue to remain the acting Secretary General of the organization, ARMENPRESS reports, citing TASS, Secretary of the Russian Federation Security Council Nikolai Patrushev told the reporters. Spokesperson for Russian President Dmitry Peskov informed that the leaders of the CSTO member states will make a decision over the secretary general in St. Petersburg on December 6. The issue of the CSTO Secretary-General was discussed for quite a lot of time. The sides agreed to make a final decision in St. Petersburg on December 6. The acting Secretary-General will remain in his place until December 6, Peskov said. Yuri Khachaturov was relived from the post of CSTO Secretary-General on November 2. After charges were pressed against him over March 1 case, the Armenian side applied to the CSTO to start the process of replacing him. He is charged with overthrowing the constitutional order of Armenia in 2008. Khachaturov does not pledge guilty. Yuri Khachaturov had assumed the post of CSTO Secretary-General on May 2, 2017. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. Acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan participated in CSTO Collective Security Council session in Astana, attended also by the heads of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. A narrow format session with the participation of Heads of State took place first, followed by an expanded format session, ARMENPRESS was informed from the official website of the Prime Minister of Armenia. The members of the Collective Security Council discussed issues referring to international and regional security, as well as partnership between the CSTO member states in the sidelines of the organization and the international arena. Given that the Republic of Kirgizstan has assumed the presidency over the CSTO for the period of 2018-2019, President of Kyrgyzstan Sooronbay Jeenbekov presented the priorities of his country during the presidency over the CSTO. A number of documents were signed during the summit. The issue of the appointment of a new Secretary-General of the CSTO was also touched upon at the meeting. The sides agreed to continue discussions on December 6 in St. Petersburg. At the same time, works will be done to elaborate relevant norms regulating the issues related to the early termination of the powers of the Secretary-General. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. Armenian-American reality TV superstar Kim Kardashian and her hip hop star husband Kanye West are planning to adopt a baby boy from Armenia, a source told Heat magazine as reported by Mirror. "They've been in contact with an orphanage in Armenia that they visited three years ago, and they are planning a trip over there in the next few weeks," a source told Heat magazine. "[Her late father] Robert's family was Armenian, so it feels totally natural. Kim doted on her dad and would love a little boy who reminds her of him." Kim is the daughter of Robert Kardashian, the late Armenian-American attorney and businessman. And, according to the source, Kim and Kanye have already picked out a name. "They have already decided to give the name Sam, after Kim's great-great grandfather Saghatel Kardaschoff, who changed his name to Sam Kardashian when he arrived in the US," the source added, according to Mirror. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan BELLEVUE, Wash., Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Trilogy International Partners Inc. (the Company) (TSX: TRL), an international wireless, fixed, and broadband telecommunications operator, announced today that Anthony Lacavera has resigned from the Companys board of directors in order to concentrate on several entrepreneurial ventures in which he is engaged. To fill the vacancy created by Mr. Lacaveras departure, the Companys board has appointed Alan D. Horn as a director. John W. Stanton, Chairman of the Company, said, On behalf of the board and management, we thank Tony for his excellent contributions to Trilogy International. Tony has a deep reservoir of knowledge of technical and industry issues and brought a creative approach to challenges facing our company. Regarding Alan Horns appointment, Mr. Stanton added, Alan has had a long and highly successful career with Rogers Communications Inc., having served as its CFO, interim CEO, and chairman of its board of directors. He will bring additional depth to our boards understanding of the telecommunications industry and the capital markets. Alan Horn said, I look forward to working with John and the Trilogy board in helping the company achieve its strategic vision for growth as a dynamic telecom challenger in international markets. Mr. Horn is President and Chief Executive Officer of Rogers Telecommunications Limited and certain private companies that control Rogers Communications Inc. He served as Chair of Rogers Communications Inc. from March 2006 to December 2017. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant and Chartered Accountant. About Trilogy International Partners Inc. Trilogy International Partners Inc. (TSX: TRL) is the parent company of Trilogy International Partners LLC, a wireless telecommunications operator formed by wireless industry veterans John Stanton, Theresa Gillespie and Brad Horwitz. Its founders have an exceptional track record of successfully buying, building, launching and operating communication businesses in 15 international markets and the United States. The Company currently provides wireless and fixed communications services through its operating subsidiaries in New Zealand and Bolivia. Its head office is located at 155 108th Avenue NE, Suite 400, Bellevue, Washington, 98004 USA. For more information, visit www.trilogy-international.com . FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Trilogy International Partners Inc. Ann Saxton Vice President, Investor Relations & Corporate Development (425) 458-5900 YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. The USA supports the efforts aimed at establishment of trust between Armenia and Azerbaijan and expansion of dialogue, ARMENPRESS reports Acting Deputy Chief of U.S. Mission to OSCE Gregory Macris said during the session of the OSCE Permeant Council. The United States welcomes the Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group, together with the Chairmanships Personal Representative, to the Permanent Council. As a Co-Chair country, the United States reiterates our strong support for your work, and we appreciate your steadfast engagement with the sides to advance a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. We thank all of you, including the head of the High Level Planning Group, for your astute reports and updates. The United States is encouraged by recent constructive contacts by the sides at the levels of heads of state and foreign ministers. These contacts appear to be paying direct and positive dividends. All three Co-Chairs and the CiOs Personal Representative reported today a decrease in violence along the Line of Contact and in conflict-affected areas over the past two months. The sides should seize the opportunity this opening presents and find ways to move the settlement process forward. The Co-Chairs suggested a number of actions the sides can take to further reduce tensions and improve communication. The United States supports these recommendations. Likewise, the United States supports measures to reduce tensions along the Line of Contact such as expanding the monitoring capacity of the CiOs Personal Representative and establishing an investigative mechanism. The United States believes that a meeting between the Foreign Ministers can bring renewed impetus to the discussions on the implementation of these measures. Mr. Chair, this conflict has gone on far too long. It is time for the sides to refrain from mutual accusations and recriminations and prepare their populations for peace. The United States supports confidence-building measures and increased dialogue between Armenians and Azerbaijanis that can stabilize the security situation and create a more constructive atmosphere for negotiations. Those participating in dialogue must be able to do so freely, without fear of harassment or recrimination when they return home. We attach great importance to resolving conflicts in the OSCE area, including the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with the strong engagement of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs. That is why the United States has sent high-level envoys such as National Security Advisor John Bolton and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State George Kent to Armenia and Azerbaijan in recent weeks. Ambassador Kasprzyk, we welcome your assessment of the situation on the ground, and the efforts of your team to promote transparency and confidence among the sides. This work is indispensable and has our full support. We appreciate your close collaboration with the Italian Chair in supporting the Co-Chairs mediation efforts and stabilizing the situation on the ground. The United States shares the view that there can be no military solution to this conflict. The status quo is unacceptable. The United States is committed to working with the sides to find a lasting and peaceful resolution, one based on the principles shared by participating States of non-use of force, territorial integrity, and equal rights and self-determination of peoples, as embraced in the Helsinki Final Act. Thank you, Mr. Chair, Gregory Macris said in his speech. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan The governments policy to crackdown on the informal economy is a classic example of this as it directly affects the only source of livelihood for the majority of the jobless poor. While poverty has been largely associated with the imbalances in the economy; it can also be induced by short-sighted government policies. However, critics argue that poverty measurement should not only be confined to the standard $US1.90 a day imposed by World Bank but should also include health indicators, education levels and standard of living . PORT MORESBY With recent figures showing that poverty reduction is decelerating globally, a recent World Bank report urges governments around the world not to slack off in their efforts to combat it. The implementation of anti-informal economy policies have seen widespread harassment and beatings of vendors coupled with a substantial loss of business. The loss of business means families are deprived of income to meet household needs and improve their wellbeing. Consequently, it takes a toll on people and induces them into poverty. At a time when prices of basic goods and services are rising and formal sector job opportunities are declining, suppression of the informal economy can drive many families into destitution. The ramifications are huge for Papua New Guinea which is estimated to have 85% of its total population engaged in the informal economy. That said, the government has introduced some reforms into its informal economy. The national informal economy policy of 2011-15 and its accompanying law (Informal Sector Development & Control Act of 2004) are landmark achievements that aim to nurture the positive aspects of the informal economy whilst tackling its problems. Sadly though, the government has not been able to achieve this fine balance, opting instead to focus on curtailing the informal economys growth. This approach has been very unpopular among the general public and informal economy participants and it has been responsible for deaths and violence. As a result, implementation remains a challenge for the government. Globally the importance of the informal economy as a safety net for the unemployed is recognised as critical, since the formal sector is unable to provide sufficient jobs to the economy. In PNG, recent findings indicate that the informal economy is growing faster than the formal sector. This is an interesting phenomenon when one considers the fact it occurred at a time (now behind us) when the country experienced historic uninterrupted economic growth fuelled by the boom in the extractive sector. The implication is that, if the government continues to take a hardline stance towards the informal economy, many Papua New Guineans will not escape poverty in their lifetime. So, unfortunately, the government of PNG continues to pauperise the informal economy despite its championing of important reforms in the informal economy. This is contradictory and counter-productive, since it endangers the survival of many Papua New Guinean households and is a major barrier to their flight out of poverty. As a result, PNGs informal economy is under-developed and requires a lot of nurturing to expand its scope beyond the traditional agriculture sector and the betel nut trade. PNG needs many innovative informal economic enterprises to flourish in the manufacturing, retailing, construction and technical sectors. A diverse informal economy can translate into a diverse formal sector which can assist the country to be less dependent on the extractive sector. \ More importantly, a diversified and productive informal economy can distribute windfall gains to the masses from large impact projects like PNG LNG. Given that the formal and informal economies are interdependent, the government must recognise that they are both important in addressing poverty. In short, the informal economy in a country like PNG is too big to fail. However, the flip side is that it is constantly under so much duress it is unable to perform an important function. Perhaps this explains the paradox of why PNG is so rich and yet so poor, with the majority of its citizens still living in poverty. Thirty-five Yemeni and international NGOs called Wednesday for an "immediate cessation of hostilities" in Yemen, where they warned 14 million people were now "on the brink of famine". The joint appeal was signed by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Action Against Hunger, CARE International, Oxfam, Doctors of the World, and Yemeni organisations, according to a statement. "With 14 million men, women and children on the brink of famine -- half the country's population -- there has never been a more urgent time to act," the statement said. It called on governments to "secure an immediate cessation of hostilities" and "suspend the supply of arms at risk of being used in Yemen". The most impoverished country in the Arab world, Yemen has been gripped by war since 2015, when a regional military coalition led by Saudi Arabia joined the government's fight against Huthi rebels. "The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is manmade and a direct consequence of the warring parties' severe restrictions on access to food, fuel, medical imports and humanitarian aid," the statement added. "The collapse of the Yemeni rial and the non-payment of public sector workers is adding to the catastrophe. "We call on governments to redouble their efforts to guarantee unimpeded access to essential items... including through the lifeline port of Hodeidah, where civilians have been caught in renewed fighting over the past few days." Pro-government forces pressed even closer Wednesday to the heart of Hodeida, the Red Sea city controlled by Huthi rebels and under blockade by Saudi Arabia and its allies. International aid groups have appealed to both the rebels and the alliance to allow civilians to escape the densely-populated city of 600,000 people. Nearly 10,000 Yemenis have been killed in the conflict since 2015, according to the World Health Organization. A newborn baby girl suffering from severe malnutrition at a hospital in Yemen's northwestern Hajjah province Map of food insecurity in Yemen. The hooded man who opened fire at a country music bar in Southern California, killing 12 people and sending hundreds fleeing in panic before apparently taking his own life, has been identified as a Marine combat veteran. The gunman was tall and wore all black with his face partly covered, witnesses told TV stations. He first shot a security guard standing outside the Thousand Oaks bar, then went in and opened fire on staff members and patrons, a sheriff said. The suspect in the Thousand Oaks nightclub shooting has been identified as Ian David Long, a veteran who neighbours said had PTSD. Source: Facebook Screaming in fear, patrons rushed for the exits, ducked under tables and hurled barstools to smash second-floor windows and jump to safety as gunfire erupted at the Borderline Bar & Grill, a hangout popular with students from nearby California Lutheran University. Police say the shooter, 28-year-old Ian David Long, a former machine gunner and veteran of the war in Afghanistan was interviewed by police at his home last spring after an episode of agitated behavior that they were told might be post-traumatic stress disorder. His motive behind the attack on Wednesday night was under investigation, authorities said. The dead included 11 people inside the bar and a veteran sheriffs sergeant who was the first officer inside the door, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said. Witness Sarah Rose DeSon told ABCs Good Morning America how she dropped to the floor as the gunman stormed the bar. People cry as a police motorcade escorts the body of slain Sergeant Ron Helus from hospital n Thousand Oaks, California after a gunman opened fire. Source: AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill A friend yelled, Everybody down! We were hiding behind tables trying to keep ourselves covered, she said. Shooter was carrying an illegal weapon Long was armed with a Glock 21, a .45-caliber designed to hold 10 rounds plus one in the chamber, according to the sheriff. But it had an extended magazine one capable of holding more ammunition that is illegal in California, Sheriff Dean said. The killer also deployed a smoke device, a law enforcement official said. The official was not authorised to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Authorities undertook a search of Longs home in Newbury Park, about 8 kilometres from the Borderline bar, for clues to what set him off, but they have yet to find anything. Story continues Grieving people are led into the Thousand Oaks Teen Center where families have gathered after the deadly shooting. Source: AP Photo/Richard Vogel Shooter was a former Marine who served in Afghanistan Long was in the Marines from 2008 to 2013, rose to the rank of corporal and served in Afghanistan in 2010-11, the military said. Authorities said he had no criminal record, but Sheriff Dean said officers were called to his home in April, when deputies found him angry and acting irrationally. The sheriff said officers were told he might have PTSD because of his military service. A mental health specialist met with him and didnt feel he needed to be hospitalised. Tom Hanson, 70, who lives next door to Long and his mother, said Wednesday that he called the police about six months ago when he heard heavy-duty banging and shouting coming from the Longs home. I was concerned because I knew he had been in the military, he said. Hanson said the sheriffs deputy who arrived took his information, but he never learned more about what happened and hadnt spoken to Long since then. He said he was dumbfounded by the bloodshed. Officers around a police SUV in the vicinity of a shooting in Thousand Oaks, California, early Thursday morning local time. Source: AP Thousand Oaks community distraught over shooting tragedy Anxious family members gathered at a teen centre in town to await word on the fate of loved ones who had gone to the club. Jason Coffman received confirmation that his son Cody, 22, who was about to join the Army, was dead. Coffman broke down as he told reporters how his last words to his son were not to drink and drive and that he loved him. Oh, Cody, I love you, son, Mr Coffman sobbed. People comfort each other as they stand near the scene in Thousand Oaks, California, where a gunman opened fire. Source: AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill The bloodshed was the latest in what seems to be a never-ending string of mass shootings that are happening with terrifying frequency across the United States. It was the nations deadliest such attack since 17 students and teachers were killed at a Parkland, Florida, high school nine months ago. It also came less than two weeks after a gunman massacred 11 people at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. President Donald Trump praised police for their great bravery in the California attack and said, God bless all of the victims and families of the victims. He ordered flags flown at half-staff in honor of the victims. College night bar shooting an attack on our community The Borderline, which includes a large dance hall along with several smaller areas for eating and drinking, was holding its regular College Country Nights when the attack took place. Nick Steinwender, Cal Lutheran student body president, told KTLA-TV he immediately started receiving messages about the shooting, and he and his roommate went to the scene to offer rides back to campus or moral support. Its going to be a very somber day, Mr Steinwender said. I know we dont have all the details in yet, but you know, it just feels like its an attack on our community. You know, I think its going to be something that were going to have to come together and move past. As tourism and business leaders gather for crisis meetings over the Whitsundays shark attacks, a North Queensland MP is calling for the animals to be culled. Federal MP Keith Pitt says the shark population is out of control but opponents say education is the answer. Its been a tragic two months in the Whitsundays with three attacks, one death and growing concern. Now law-makers have their sights set on sharks. The shark numbers are completely out of control, MP Pitt, who lives 800km south of the Whitsundays, said while revealing his solution to the states shark crisis. Federal MP Keith Pitt has called for sharks to be culled in the Whitsundays. Source: 7News The time for talk has finished, this is a problem which has been building for years. I dont see any reason why we cant get some positive out of what is an absolutely tragic story and the loss of another Australian life. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said suggestions were welcome on how to address the issue. Keith is the local member. As a local member I would expect him to be expressing his views on how he thought this issue should be managed, Mr Morrison said. Dr Daniel Christidis is the third shark attack victim in the area in recent weeks. While the previous two survived, he died from his injuries. Source: 7News The state government has rejected the idea of a cull, but will be open to other suggestions at a shark summit in Airlie Beach on Friday. Why does the Whitsundays not have a shark control program? Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington asked on Thursday. Yet Tourist Minister Kate Jones was defiant over the governments protocol. What the tourism industry does not want is knee-jerk reactions, she said. The goal for Queensland is to find a way to manage the predator problem in a region where ongoing attacks would have devastating impacts. A brief cull in September killed six sharks in the area. Source: 7News We just hope we can keep inspiring people to visit one of the best destinations in the world, Tourism Whitsundays CEO Natassia Wheeler said. It remains to be seen what, if any, measures come as a result of the shark summit. The local Chamber of Commerce is concerned the government may place more regulations on the charter yacht industry and, in their words, kill the freedom and magic of skippering your own boat around the waters. Story continues For now, boats and people continue to leave for the Whitsundays with awareness as their best defence. Fridays meeting is expected to provide a commitment to conduct research into the shark population in the Whitsundays and how to increase awareness. It will be a mainly closed-door meeting between invited local tourism operators, local government and marine experts. The meeting is not open to the public, which has upset some locals who have a lot to say during a difficult time for the region. Chile's military on Wednesday returned to their home country a first group of destitute Haitian migrants as part of a broader repatriation plan. The 184 migrants that landed in Port-au-Prince expressed satisfaction in being back on their island though they knew conditions had not improved. "We cannot find work in Chile," said a young woman as she disembarked from the plane, having spent two years in the South American country. "The living conditions are worse than in Haiti," she added. A thousand Haitians have enrolled in the plan by Chilean government, which provides them with a military plane for the return trip. Only 70,000 of the 200,000 Haitians currently living in Chile hold papers entitling them to stay in Chile indefinitely. But the future of those who have decided to return is just as uncertain. Economic indicators have dropped in the last 20 months in Haiti, the poorest nation in the Americas. The first migrants returning from Chile were almost left to their own devices on Wednesday night at the Port-au-Prince airport. Haitian Ministers of Social Affairs and Haitians living abroad, who came to greet them, tried in vain to reassure them. Pierre Garot Nere, executive director of the Collective of Organizations for the Defense of the Rights of Migrants and Returnees, slammed what he called the lack of planning by Haitian authorities to receive these migrants. "This is a total disappointment. There was no planning to welcome home these Haitians who have had trouble" abroad, he said. He also said that many of these Haitians had been victims in Chile, one of Latin America's wealthiest countries, of "exclusion" and "racism." Haitians arrive home after tough time trying to live and work in Chile 5G Americas Report Reveals Potential of URLLC BELLEVUE, Wash., Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 5G will enable new services and applications requiring lower latency, better reliability, massive connection density and improved energy efficiency making our connected lives and industries faster, smoother and more efficient. 5G networks are being architected to support the service category of URLLC (Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication). A variety of advanced services for latency sensitive connected devices will be supported by URLLC to enable wide-ranging applications like factory automation, autonomous driving, industrial internet and smart grid. 5G Americas, the industry trade association and voice of 5G and LTE for the Americas, today announced the publication of New Services & Applications With 5G Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communication which details the principles of achieving URLLC, explains the need for a new approach and highlights key requirements of URLLC services with an emphasis on technical challenges and solutions. With the wide range of unique 5G services, the context of communication will expand to vehicles, high-speed trains, drones and industrial robots with the change agent being URLLC. With such advancement, mission-critical applications have stringent communication performance and reliability requirements, said Chris Pearson, President, 5G Americas. To support such complex communication, low latency is seen as a crucial ingredient with URLLC as a key enabler in this new age of connectivity. The 5G Americas report describes upcoming use cases of URLLC in smart transportation, industry automation and tele-surgery, and presents the latency and reliability requirements for these applications. The white paper also identifies possible latency bottlenecks in current cellular networks as well as future 5G networks and lays out the necessary implementation blocks for achieving end-to-end latency reduction required to support mission-critical applications. In addition , New Services & Applications With 5G Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communication summarizes the recent performance evaluation results of the basic designs and implementation of the 5G physical layer, multiple access layers and air interface blocks essential to reducing latency and achieving the desired reliability. It also discusses other potential latency reduction measures including Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC). Although the first commercial 5G deployments are focused on enhanced mobile broadband use cases, the future of 5G will include ultra-high reliability and/or low-latency features. We are living in a time where mobile and vertical industries are undergoing a rapid transformation boosted through critical communication capabilities, noted Rao Yallapragada, Director of Advanced Technologies, Intel, and co-leader of the 5G Americas URLLC white paper team. URLLC will unleash an array of innovative applications and digitize a legion of verticals touching each aspect of human lives. New Services & Applications With 5G Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communication was written by members of 5G Americas and is available for free download on the 5G Americas website. Rao Yallapragada from Intel and Jing Jiang of Qualcomm led the white paper working group with support from 5G Americas Board of Governors members who participated in the development of the white paper. About 5G Americas: The Voice of 5G and LTE for the Americas 5G Americas is an industry trade organization composed of leading telecommunications service providers and manufacturers. The organization's mission is to advocate for and foster the advancement and full capabilities of LTE wireless technologies and their evolution to 5G, throughout the ecosystem's networks, services, applications and wirelessly connected devices in the Americas. 5G Americas is invested in developing a connected wireless community while leading 5G development for all the Americas. 5G Americas is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington. More information is available at www.5gamericas.org or Twitter @5GAmericas. 5G Americas' Board of Governors members include: AT&T, Cable & Wireless, Cisco, CommScope, Ericsson, Intel, Kathrein, Mavenir, Nokia, Qualcomm Incorporated, Samsung, Shaw Communications Inc., Sprint, T-Mobile US, Inc., Telefonica and WOM. This is the heart-stopping moment a young girl plays with a doll on the ledge of an unsecured fifth floor high-rise apartment. Onlookers filmed the dangerous play from a hospital in front of the building in Chile. According to Manuel, an eyewitness who was in the hospital with his son waiting to see a doctor, the girl was playing on the ledge outside a fifth-floor window, about 12 metres from the ground. This is the heart-stopping moment a young girl plays with a doll on the fifth floor ledge of an apartment block in Chile. Source: CEN The ledge was not walled and did not have a rail, and the youngster was occasionally leaning over the edge with her doll. Footage shows the girl playing on the precarious ledge at Renaca, in the coastal resort of Vina del Mar, in the central region of Valparaiso. At one point she dangled her leg over the edge before eventually crawling back through the window where she came from. A hospital doctor attending Manuels son saw the alarming scene and immediately called the police. At one point she dangled her leg over the edge before eventually crawling back through the window where she came from. Source: CEN There were people with the girl [inside the property] including her mum, but she was apparently talking on the phone, Manuel said. He added that he believed the girl has Down syndrome. It is unclear how long the young girl was playing on the ledge, but Manuel saw her for several minutes. It was not clear whether local authorities are investigating the incident. CEN A Hong Kong arts centre hosting the city's high-profile literary festival has cancelled appearances by exiled Chinese writer Ma Jian, the author said Thursday, as Beijing tightens its grip on the semi-autonomous city. It is the latest blow to freedom of speech in Hong Kong as concerns grow that liberties are under serious threat from an assertive China. Ma, who now lives in London, writes dark and satirical works depicting life in China and his books are banned on the mainland. He was due to promote his latest novel "China Dream" later this week, a title that plays on Chinese President Xi Jinping's rhetoric of national rejuvenation and is described by publisher Penguin as "a biting satire of totalitarianism". The author announced on Twitter that his two speaking events had been cancelled by Tai Kwun arts centre, where the festival is held, not by festival organisers who he said were trying to find an alternative venue. "Just been told that my two events at the Hong Kong International Literary Festival this week can no longer be held at Tai Kwun, where all the other events are taking place. An alternative venue will have to be found. No reason has been given to me yet," he said in his tweet. Hong Kong's government says it wants to turn the city into an arts and culture hub, with Tai Kwun the result of a multi-million-dollar renovation of a colonial-era prison and police station, led by the government and the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Tai Kwun and the Hong Kong International Literary Festival were unable to immediately comment. Hong Kong has rights unseen on the mainland, protected by an agreement made before the city was handed back to China by Britain in 1997, but there are fears they are being steadily eroded. A highly anticipated art show by Chinese political cartoonist Badiucao was cancelled last week with Hong Kong organisers citing safety concerns due to "threats made by Chinese authorities relating to the artist". Hong Kong authorities also faced a major backlash when they denied a visa without explanation last month to a Financial Times journalist who had chaired a press club talk by a Hong Kong independence activist. The Hong Kong literary festival attracts leading authors from around the world and this year features Scottish novelist Irvine Welsh and bestselling American author Cheryl Strayed. Hong Kong's Tai Kwun arts centre has cancelled appearances by dissident Chinese writer Ma Jian, the author said. Kosovo and Serbia's presidents met Thursday under EU auspices to resume dialogue aimed at normalising relations, amid increasing tensions between former foes. EU's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini was meeting with Kosovo president Hashim Thaci and his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic, her spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic tweeted. This was their first meeting since July 18, after a scheduled meeting in September between the two presidents fell apart at the last minute due to ongoing tensions. In 2008, a decade after the 1998-1999 war between Serbia's forces and pro-independence ethnic Albanian guerrillas, Kosovo broke away from Serbia. Serbia refuses to recognise Kosovo's independence, although more than 100 countries, including the United States and most EU member states, have done so. "In today's meeting we will reconfirm Kosovo's full commitment to achieve a legally binding comprehensive agreement with Serbia," Thaci tweeted ahead of the meeting. Vucic said he had no big expectations of a breakthrough but said it was necessary to talk, Serbia's national broadcaster RTS reported, ahead of the meeting. After the meeting, that lasted less then an hour, Mogherini said it was "decided to remain in constant contact in the coming days to assess the follow up of today's meeting". She urged both sides "to refrain from words, actions and measures that are contrary to the spirit of normalisation," according to a statement released by the EU's foreign policy service after the meeting. "The European Union expects Serbia and Kosovo to swiftly deliver on their commitment to the dialogue given the direct link between comprehensive normalisation of relations between them and the concrete prospects for their EU aspirations," Mogherini said. Both sides need to reach a binding agreement on their ties to make progress towards EU membership. The talks resumed two days after Kosovo raised taxes on Serbian goods by 10 percent on Tuesday, saying the move was in retaliation for Belgrade's efforts to thwart recognition of its former province. Belgrade is also upset with Pristina's recent decision to form its own army, despite fierce opposition from the ethnic Serb minority and from Serbia. Kosovo's security is currently ensured by NATO-led KFOR troops. In addition, the diplomatic deadlock garnered attention over the summer when officials on both sides discussed the possibility of border changes as part of deal to reset ties. Local media speculated that a Serb-dominated part of Kosovo could be traded for a mostly Albanian region of southern Serbia. Rights groups have strongly condemned the proposal, warning that redrawing the map could have a dangerous domino effect in the fractured region. However, some US and European officials have hinted they might accept such a deal. Earlier this week, Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said his country "will support any deal that will be reached between Belgrade and Pristina. "I assume that the EU will also support it, even if the deal includes a land exchange or border correction deal" between Kosovo and Serbia, Kurz added during a visit to Pristina. Kosovo broke away from Serbia in 2008; Serbia refuses to recognise Kosovo's independence, although more than 100 countries, including the United States and most of EU member states, have done so Chimo Osman's children stopped going to school after Turkish shelling struck his home in northeastern Syria, where Kurdish residents fear another military onslaught is imminent. In recent days, cross-border Turkish artillery fire has targeted positions held by the People's Protection Units (YPG), the main Kurdish militia in Syria. Ankara sees the de-facto autonomous rule set up by Syrian Kurds as an encouragement to the separatists of the Turkey-based Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has close ties to the YPG. The village of Ashma is nestled in olive groves in the region of Kobane and directly looks out onto the Turkish flags and wire fencing that mark the demarcation line. The streets of this village and others along the border are empty: "We can't even venture on the roof anymore," said Osman. "We don't leave the house, the kids are scared," said the 38-year-old, standing on the steps leading to his front door, with his five children huddled around him. Nobody can predict when the Turkish forces stationed on the other side of the border will open fire, he said. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on October 30 that plans for an assault were complete and vowed to "destroy" the YPG, which he considers a terrorist organisation. One salvo punched a large hole in the second floor of Osman's house and several other homes in the village were damaged by Turkish fire. Five YPG fighters and a child have been killed in Turkish shelling that has in recent days mostly targeted Kurdish positions in the Kobane and Tal Abyad areas, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor. - 'Injustice' - The YPG is the backbone of an outfit known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, which is the US-led coalition's main local ally in its battle against the Islamic State group. To protest against the Turkish attacks, SDF forces late last month announced they were suspending their involvement in military operations against one of the very last jihadist pockets in eastern Syria. The move was aimed at obtaining guarantees from their US sponsors that Turkey would not seek to move in across the border as they did in the Kurdish-dominated enclave of Afrin earlier this year. According to the Britain-based Observatory, more than 330 Kurdish fighters have already perished in the course of the latest offensive against IS. Many fighters waging this deadly battle on jihadists in their remote desert hideouts feel they would rather die protecting their ancestral land from Turkey. In Kobane cemetery, hundreds of people attended the funeral Tuesday of an SDF fighter who became the latest casualty of the jihadists' bloody last stand in the Hajin region. Women wept over the coffin as patriotic songs were blared on speakers and local officials gave speeches condemning the Turkish bombardment. "The Turkish state is hostile to the Kurds and we have to right to respond to any attack," Esmat Sheikh Hassan, a Kobane military official, told AFP at the funeral. "They don't differentiate between soldiers and civilians. They strike inhabited villages," he said, replying to Ankara's claims its forces only strike military targets. Hamo Masibkeradi, one of the residents who came to attend the funeral, points to the rows of marble tombstones that mark the graves of fighters who died fighting against IS. "These martyrs fell for humanity. The international community should help us," he said. "Erdogan wants to wipe us out. The US cannot allow this injustice." Chimo Osman, 38, stands with children in the village of Ashma, near Syria's border with Turkey, on November 8, 2018 Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters attend the funeral of a fellow fighter in Kobane on November 6, 2018 Turkish flags fly at a military post just across the border from the Syrian village of Ashma on November 8, 2018, close to where cross-border Turkish artillery fire has targeted Kurdish militia positions A man sits near the Free Woman statue in the Kurdish city of Kobane in northern Syria on November 8, 2018 A landlord evicting a tenant from a home in the US has discovered three extra guests hiding in the property. One uninvited guest was found sitting in the homes hot tub a large alligator measuring almost two metres in length. The tenant described the 68 kilogram reptile as gentle as a puppy after animal control workers were called to the property on Wednesday. The workers also found two boa constrictors in the Missouri home. A specialist was called in to remove the alligator, The Kansas City Star reported. No one was injured. The landlord found the alligator in the hot tub. Source: AP The tenant, Sean Casey, said hed owned the alligator for four years and named it Catfish. He called the reptile a big cuddly lizard. A spokesman for the citys Neighbourhood and Housing Services Department says Kansas City doesnt allow homeowners to have alligators. Catfish will be temporarily housed at the Monkey Island Rescue and Sanctuary in nearby area, Greenwood. The snakes were taken to an animal shelter. Associated Press A 28-year-old US Marine Corps combat veteran opened fire in a crowded country music bar in California, killing 12 people including a police officer who rushed in and exchanged shots with the gunman, authorities said Thursday. Terrified patrons -- many of whom were college students -- scrambled for the exits after the gunman started shooting people with a handgun in the Borderline Bar and Grill at around 11:20 pm on Wednesday. "They ran out of the back doors, they broke windows, they went through windows. They hid up in the attic, they hid in the bathroom," Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said. The assailant, identified as Ian David Long, a troubled former machine gunner who served a tour in Afghanistan, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Dean told reporters that Long shot an unarmed security guard who was standing outside the bar before entering and opening fire at random inside. Twenty-three people were injured -- some from "jumping out of windows, diving under tables," Dean said -- and treated at area hospitals. A year ago, 58 people were shot dead at a country music festival in Las Vegas, the worst mass shooting in modern US history, and several of the patrons in the California bar had also been at the Nevada concert. "I can't believe I'm saying this again," Molly Maurer posted on Facebook. "I'm alive and I'm home safe. According to the Pentagon, Long served in the Marine Corps from August 2008 to March 2013. He attained the rank of corporal and saw combat while deployed in Afghanistan from November 2010 to June 2011. "He had perfect form," bar patron Teylor Whittler told Fox News. "He looked like he knew what he was doing." - 'Like hell' - Police on Thursday were searching Long's house in Newbury Park, near Thousand Oaks, where he reportedly lived with his mother. Long was found dead by police in an office at the bar and is believed to have shot himself, Dean said. Authorities so far had no indication of a motive, or of any connection to terrorism. "We have no idea what the motive was at this time," Dean said. "Obviously he had something going on in his head that caused him to do something like this," he said. "He had some kind of issues." Dean described the scene inside the bar as "like hell." He said his department had "several contacts" with Long over the years, for minor incidents including a traffic collision, and in 2015 when he was beaten up at a local bar. In April this year, deputies were called to his house for a disturbance and found him "acting a little irrationally." "They felt he might be suffering from PTSD, the fact he was a veteran and had been in the corps," Dean said. "They called out our crisis intervention team, our mental health specialists who met with him, talked to him, and cleared him." Dean said Long was armed with a single handgun, a .45 caliber Glock 21, which he purchased legally. - 'Ultimate sacrifice' - Among those killed was a three-decade veteran of the sheriff's department, 54-year-old Sergeant Ron Helus, who was married, had a grown son and was close to retirement. "He went in there to save people and made the ultimate sacrifice," Dean said. He said Helus was on the phone with his wife when he got the report of the shooting and he told her, "'Hey, I have to go. I love you. I'll talk to you later.'" Helus and a highway patrol officer exchanged gunfire with Long, he said, and the sergeant was shot "several times." Matt Wennerstrom, a 20-year-old college student, said the shooter apparently had a 10-15 round magazine on his gun. "When (he) started to reload, that's when we got people out of there and I didn't look back," Wennerstrom said. He said he and others smashed their way out of the bar onto a balcony and then jumped down to safety. Jasmin Alexander, who was with around 15 friends at the bar, said there was chaos and confusion inside when shots rang out. "We were just at the bar, having fun, dancing," she told reporters. "All of a sudden we heard the 'bang, bang' of the gunshots and it just started going crazy and people were pushing. "We didn't take it seriously at first... because it sounded like firecrackers and everyone just dropped down to the floor." President Donald Trump ordered the US flag at the White House and other government buildings to be flown at half-staff following the shooting, which came just 10 days after a gunman killed 11 worshippers at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. Firefighters salute as a motorcade passes by transporting the body of Sergeant Ron Helus, killed in a shooting at a country bar in Thousand Oaks, California A police car outside a country music bar in Thousand Oaks, California, where a gunman shot dead 12 people before killing himself Friends hug outside Los Robles Medical Center in Thousands Oaks, California, paying tribute to a police officer killed at the Borderline Bar and Grill Police and FBI agents outside the home of Ian David Long, identified as the gunman A witness talks to reporters outside the bar, which was packed with students on a "college night" Map of California locating shooting at a bar in Thousand Oaks At least 2.3 million people have fled Venezuela's economic and political crisis since 2015, the UN said Thursday, warning that host countries' capacity to shelter them was now "severely strained". The UN agencies for refugees and migration said that more than three million Venezuelans now live abroad. "Most of these people have left since 2015," UN refugee agency spokesman William Spindler told AFP. He said "at least 2.3 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants" had left the country since its crisis escalated three years ago, but he stressed that many people leave through "irregular" routes, and "the real figure could be higher". That marks a jump of 400,000 people since the last tally by the UNHCR on October 1, although Spindler stressed that some of the change could reflect data adjustments. Spindler said surveys of exiled Venezuelans indicated that the exodus was prompted by a variety of reasons linked to their country's economic collapse, including insecurity and violence as well as chronic shortages of food and medicines. Data from national immigration authorities and other sources show that Latin American and Caribbean countries host around 2.4 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants, according to the joint statement from UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration. "Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have largely maintained a commendable open-door policy to refugees and migrants from Venezuela," Eduardo Stein, UNHCR-IOM Joint Special Representative for Refugees and Migrants from Venezuela, said in the statement. "However, their reception capacity is severely strained, requiring a more robust and immediate response from the international community if this generosity and solidarity are to continue," he added. Colombia has seen the biggest influx and is currently hosting more than one million refugees and migrants from Venezuela, the statement said. It is followed by Peru, with more than half a million, Ecuador more than 220,000, Argentina 130,000, Chile more than 100,000 and Brazil 85,000, it said. Beyond South America, countries in Central America and the Caribbean have also recorded increased arrivals from Venezuela, with Panama for instance now hosting some 94,000 Venezuelans, the UN agencies said. Oil income-dependent Venezuela's economic woes began in 2014 with the crash in the price of crude. President Nicolas Maduro's government has since been slapped with a range of sanctions over its crackdown on the opposition and civil society critics. Colombia has seen the biggest influx and is currently hosting more than one million refugees and migrants from Venezuela, the UNHCR said It is followed by Peru, with more than half a million, Ecuador more than 220,000, Argentina 130,000, Chile more than 100,000 and Brazil 85,000, it said. Around 20 prisoners and two guards were killed in clashes at a maximum security prison in Tajikistan's northern city of Khujand, two security sources told AFP on Thursday. The prison in Tajikistan's second-largest city is home to prisoners serving long sentences for serious crimes including extremism and murder. One of the sources said that "around 20 prisoners" died in clashes that also claimed the lives of two guards. The second source confirmed the number of victims and said a further six guards had been injured. The ex-Soviet country's government has yet to confirm the prison riot or the deaths. "A riot involving dozens of prisoners occurred Wednesday night and continued into Thursday," one of the security sources told AFP, requesting anonymity. Another source said the riot had begun when prisoners seized "cutting objects" from a workshop in the prison. The prison in Khujand, located some 300 kilometres (186 miles) to the north of the capital Dushanbe, has seen prison breaks in the past. In 2016, a guard and a prisoner were killed after three inmates initiated a jailbreak. At the time the interior ministry said the prisoners had "planned to join the ranks of ISIS." Map of Tajikistan locating prison riot in Khujand Washington, D.C., Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Give an Hour, a national nonprofit founded in 2005 to provide free mental health care to those in need, is opening its network of mental health professionals to the first responders, individuals, and community members affected by the mass shooting in Thousand Oaks, California, at the Borderline Bar & Grill on Wednesday, November 7, 2018. The news of this type of tragic mass shooting often brings with it a sense of hopelessness, said Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen, Founder and President of Give an Hour. But we must never give up hope and we must always step forward to support those who are suffering. For those whose lives have been forever changed because of this senseless act, Give an Hour providers can provide pro bono mental health support to help those in need. For those in the mental health community in California and across the country - who want to assist those affected, we welcome you to join us. The Give an Hour network of 7,000 mental health providers has donated more than 265,000 hours of free care valued at more than $26.5 million since its founding. Give an Hour providers offer immediate and long-term mental health and emotional support to those in need. Founded to serve those who serve us in the military, Give an Hour has grown with the support of generous Americans and can now open its network of providers to those affected by national tragedies and man-made traumas from the Parkland shootings, to hurricanes and wildfires, to family separations, and now to the attack in Thousand Oaks. Give an Hour has the capacity to help those experiencing trauma, loss, grief, and anxiety through its national network of volunteer mental health providers who are eager to do their part. If you have been affected by the shooting in Thousand Oaks and need emotional support, please visit: giveanhour.org. By harnessing the skills and generosity of professionals across our nation and around the world, Give an Hour offers those who provide care the opportunity to give. If you are a licensed mental health professional interested in joining Give an Hour to provide support and care to those in need, please visit: https://giveanhour.org/give-help/licensed-provider-information/. ### About Give an Hour: Founded by Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen, a psychologist in the Washington, D.C., area, Give an Hours mission is to develop networks of skill-based volunteer professionals capable of responding to both acute and chronic conditions prevalent within society. Since 2005, the nonprofit organization has provided free mental health services to U.S. service members, veterans, and their families. In 2015, Give an Hour expanded efforts to address the mental health needs of other populations including at-risk teens, survivors of gun violence, victims of human trafficking and those affected by natural and man-made disasters. In addition, Give an Hour is now working internationally to provide information and services to address the needs of those who are in emotional pain around the world. Through the generosity, compassion, and expertise of Give an Hours skilled volunteers, we are able to increase the likelihood that those in need receive the support and care they deserve. Thus far, the U.S. network of nearly 7,000 licensed mental health professionals has provided more than 265,000 hours of care and support to those in need. Learn more at www.giveanhour.org. About the Campaign to Change Direction: The Campaign to Change Direction, a public health initiative focused on changing the culture of mental health, encourages everyone to care for their mental well-being just as they do their physical well-being. The campaign is led by Give an Hour, a US-based nonprofit organization providing free mental health services to those in need including our military and veteran community. Change Direction addresses common barriers to understanding mental health and raises awareness about Five Signs of Emotional Suffering that may indicate someone is in emotional pain and needs help: change in personality, agitation, withdrawal, a decline in personal care, and hopelessness. Over 600 partner organizations are using their unique skills and opportunities to spread awareness. Organizations and individuals who are interested in learning more or making a pledge can visit www.changedirection.org. Attachments A gunman killed 12 people, including a police officer, when he opened fire in a country music bar packed with college students in California, officials and witnesses said Thursday. Police said the gunman was found dead inside the bar on the outskirts of Los Angeles although it was not immediately clear if he was killed by officers or shot himself. Speaking at press conference in the early hours of Thursday, a sheriff said that around a dozen other people had been injured. He said the motive of the shooting and the identity of the shooter were not known. Thirteen people have died, including the gunman and a police officer, in a mass shooting at a California bar. Source: AAP It was the second mass shooting in America in less than two weeks. Witnesses said that the gunman, who was wearing a black trench coat, threw several smoke grenades inside the Borderline Bar and Grill before he started he shooting at around 11:20pm on Wednesday night local time. Its a horrific scene in there. There is blood everywhere, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean told reporters. Officers around a police SUV in the vicinity of a shooting in Thousand Oaks, California, early Thursday morning local time. Source: AP We have no idea if there is a terrorism link to this or not. As you know, these are ongoing investigations and that information will come out as soon as we are able to determine exactly who the suspect was and what motive he might have had for this horrific event. Nothing has led me to believe or the FBI there is a terrorism link here. We certainly will look at that option. Dean said that the dead police officer, who was named as Ron Helus and had been on the force for 29 years, was among the first on the scene. Police officer Ron Helus died trying to save others in the California mass shooting. Source: Evening Standard They found 11 victims that had been killed, said Dean of the first response unit before detailing that the death of Helus brought the toll to 12, not including the gunman. The venue in the quiet, upscale Thousand Oaks suburb had been hosting an event for college students, with possibly several hundred young people in attendance, Captain Garo Kuredjian of the Ventura County Sheriffs office said earlier. Matt Wennerstron, a 20-year-old college student and regular at the bar, said the shooter fired a short-barrelled pistol that apparently had a 10-15 round magazine. Story continues It was just semi-automatic, as many shots as he could pull, and then when it started to reload thats when we got people out of there and I didnt look back. Police vehicles block an intersection in the vicinity of a mass shooting in Thousand Oaks, California. Source: AP He said he and others smashed their way out of the bar onto a balcony and then jumped down to safety. One bar stool and straight through a window, he told reporters. TV footage showed SWAT teams surrounding the bar, with distraught revellers milling around and using their phones as lights from police cars flashed. Holden Harrah, a young man who saw the incident, cried as he told CNN that a place where he goes every week to have fun with friends had been a scene of carnage. A gentleman walked in the front door and shot the girl that was behind the counter. I dont know if she is alive, he said. In this image made from aerial video, police vehicles line a road in the vicinity of a mass shooting in Thousand Oaks, California. Source: KABC via AP He shot a lot, at least 30 times The Los Angeles Times quoted a law enforcement official as saying at least 30 shots had been fired. An unnamed witness told the newspaper that someone ran into the bar around 11:30pm local time and started shooting what looked to be a black pistol. He shot a lot, at least 30 times. I could still hear gunshots after everyone left, the Times quoted the man as saying. It was the latest chapter in Americas epidemic of gun violence. A potential witness talks to a member of the FBI after a mass shooting in California. Source: Yahoo News UK Only 10 days ago a gunman killed 11 worshippers at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. That shooting was politically sensitive: the suspect, Robert Bowers, who said he wanted to kill Jews, argued that a Jewish advocacy group had been aiding a Central American migrant caravan denounced repeatedly by President Donald Trump in the run-up to Tuesdays midterm election. Last year a country music festival called Route 91 in Las Vegas was the scene of the worst mass shooting in modern US history. A gunman shooting from the 32 floor of a hotel and casino with high power weapons killed 58 people. Carl Edgar, a 24-year-old regular at the Thousand Oaks club, said he was in the bar with about 20 friends and had not been able to reach some of them since the shooting. They may have turned their phones off, he said. A lot of my friends survived Route 91, he told the Times. If they survived that, they will survive this. A morning commute from hell might incorporate a mixture of unfortunate occurrences including delayed public transport, bad weather and rude passengers. But not many could envisage the traumatic experience one man in Japan endured after he was wiped clean off his feet by a rampaging wild boar. The boar charges at the man, wiping him clean off his feet. Source: Twitter/ Koki915N Dramatic footage shared to Twitter earlier this week shows the rogue animal charging around the streets of Nishi Ward on Kyushu Island on October 27. As the boar becomes enclosed in a fenced area, it rushes back to the street and rams into the 48-year-old man in a suit at about 7am as he makes his way to the local train station. Falling to the floor, the man is then set upon by the boar which latches on to his briefcase before he manages to escape when passing motorists manage to scare off the animal with their car horns. The man tussled with the boar until it fled after being scared off by passing motorists. Source: Twitter/ Koki915N The man was taken to hospital after suffering a gash on his leg which required 13 stitches, Japanese news site SoraNews24 reported. The boar was later located near the train station by local hunters who killed the animal. Yet not all morning commutes involving animals end badly after a Queensland man was spotted riding a cow in bizarre scenes last month. The outgoing commander of US forces in South Korea on Thursday urged Seoul and Washington to maintain their alliance as differences mount in their approach to the nuclear-armed North. The US played a key role in defending the South after the North invaded in 1950, triggering the Korean War, and even now stations 28,500 troops in the country, a treaty ally, to protect it from its neighbour. US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un traded personal insults and threats of war last year, only for fears of conflict to be replaced by a rapid diplomatic rapprochement. But as progress has slowed in recent months there has been a growing uneasiness between the allies, with the US firm on sanctions against Pyongyang while Seoul is seeking to relax measures on its neighbour. "In this place we have never succeeded by going alone," General Vincent Brooks said in his last act as the commander of US Forces Korea, the UN Command and the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command. "Our fears and our concerns should rise if we become inclined to go our own way." On the campaign trail US President Donald Trump raised doubts about the continued presence of US troops in South Korea. This week the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff said the US would need to make "some changes to the military posture on the peninsula" over time if talks with Pyongyang progress. Over the 65 years of the alliance, Brooks told a change-of-command ceremony at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, "we grew stronger under the tests and strains that confronted us, contrary to the predictions of cracks and fissures". "Let this be a lesson to all in the alliance," he added. Brooks, who took up his post in April 2016, has described his time in the South as "a rollercoaster ride". He previously said he was given no prior indication that Trump, after his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June, would announce the cancellation of "very provocative" and expensive joint military drills with the South. The allies have since suspended most of their major joint exercises, including the Ulchi Freedom Guardian in August and the Vigilant Ace air force training initially slated for next month. His successor General Robert B. Abrams told his Senate confirmation hearing there "was certainly a degradation in the readiness of the force, for the combined forces" as a result of the pause in drills. At Thursday's ceremony Abrams -- whose father was a former Army Chief of Staff for whom the M1 Abrams tank is named -- vowed to continue Washington's "ironclad relationship" with Seoul. The military would maintain its capability so "we cannot only deter but defeat external threats if we are called to do so", he said. US General Vincent Brooks, who took up his post in April 2016, described his time in South Korea as 'a rollercoaster ride' This week the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff said the US would need to make "some changes to the military posture on the peninsula" over time if talks with Pyongyang progress Incoming commander General Robert B. Abrams has vowed to continue Washington's 'ironclad relationship' with Seoul On the campaign trail US President Donald Trump raised doubts about the continued presence of US troops in South Korea A Pakistani Christian woman who spent eight years on death row for blasphemy has been freed from jail after an acquittal that triggered Islamist protests, but is still in Pakistan, officials said Thursday amid appeals for her to be offered asylum. Asia Bibi's conviction was overturned by the country's highest court last Wednesday, but she remained in prison as the government negotiated with hardliners who blockaded major cities and demanded her immediate execution. Thousands of supporters of Islamist parties took to the streets of Karachi Thursday to protest Bibi's acquittal and call for her beheading. "We can sacrifice our lives but can never compromise on the honour of the prophet," said a speaker at the protest. The demonstration comes hours after Bibi was flown from the central city of Multan where she was in custody to a "safe" place elsewhere in Pakistan. "She has been freed," her lawyer Saif-ul-Mulook said in a text message to AFP. "I have been told that she is on a plane but nobody knows where she will land." Following protests at last week's ruling, the government agreed in a deal with Islamists to impose a travel ban on Bibi, and not to challenge a review of the Supreme Court's ruling. One of the most vocal groups in the protests -- the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) -- called for "mutiny" against the army's top brass and the assassination of the top court's justices. Following Bibi's release, the TLP vowed to return to the streets if she was allowed to leave the country. "If the promise is broken and she is sent abroad, then Allah willing, a movement will start and it will be decisive," said TLP leader Afzal Qadri, after an earlier message from the group accused the government of reneging on the agreement. Foreign ministry spokesman Muhammad Faisal on Thursday denied media reports that Bibi had left the country, telling AFP: "She is in Pakistan". Intelligence sources also told AFP that she had not left the country. An order for her release arrived Wednesday at the jail in Multan where she was held, a prison official told AFP. "Asia Bibi has left the prison and has been transferred to a safe place!" tweeted Antonio Tajani, president of the European Parliament. Another civil aviation official, in Multan, said a small plane arrived in the city with "a few foreigners and some Pakistanis" on board to fetch Bibi. Her case has underscored deep divisions between traditionalists and modernisers in the devoutly Muslim country. The conviction stemmed from a 2009 incident when Bibi was asked to fetch water while out working in the fields. Muslim women labourers objected to her touching the water bowl as a non-Muslim, and a fight reportedly erupted. A local imam then claimed Bibi insulted the Prophet Mohammed. Bibi has consistently denied the charges, and her prosecution rallied international rights groups, politicians and religious figures. Pope Benedict XVI called for her release in 2010, while his successor, Pope Francis, met her daughter in 2015. - Incendiary charge - Bibi's husband Ashiq Masih has appealed for Britain or the United States to grant the family asylum and several governments including those of Italy and France have offered to help. Her lawyer fled to the Netherlands on Saturday under threat to his life. Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini tweeted: "I will do everything humanly possible to guarantee this young woman's future." Blasphemy is an incendiary charge in Muslim-majority Pakistan, where even unsubstantiated allegations of insulting Islam can result in death at the hands of mobs. Mere calls to reform the law have provoked violence, most notably the assassination of Salmaan Taseer, the governor of Pakistan's Punjab province, by his own bodyguard in Islamabad in 2011. Taseer had called for Bibi's release, and his son Shahbaz tweeted "Pakistan Zindabad" ("Long live Pakistan") following last week's ruling. Thousands of Islamist hardliners poured onto the streets in protest after Supreme Court judges overturned Bibi's conviction last Wednesday. Demonstrations broke out in major cities across the country in the wake of the ruling, with club-wielding protesters blocking Islamabad's main highway and barricading roads in Karachi and Lahore. One resident in Multan, Rizwan Khan, told AFP that Bibi would not be safe wherever she went, while another, Qari Muneer, said the decision should be reversed and called for her to receive "strict punishment". Asia Bibi's conviction was overturned by Pakistan's Supreme Court but Islamists have taken to the streets in protest Pakistani lawyer Saif-ul-Mulook said Asia Bibi has been freed and taken from prison by plane Pakistani police stand guard at the gates of the central jail where Asia Bibi was held in Multan Supporters of Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan, a hardline religious political party, block the road during a protest against the court decision to overturn the blasphemy conviction of Christian woman Asia Bibi, in Karachi Thousands of Islamist hardliners poured onto the streets of Pakistan in protest after Supreme Court judges overturned Asia Bibi's conviction Two Asian women won Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Press Freedom Awards on Thursday for their bravery in holding governments to account in the face of persistent threats. Indian freelance reporter Swati Chaturvedi and Filipina social media campaigner Inday Espina-Varona were honoured at the RSF annual awards, being staged in London for the first time. Maltese journalist Matthew Caruana Galizia, who has carried on the work of his mother Daphne, murdered for exposing corruption on the Mediterranean island, was also honoured at the ceremony at the Getty Images Gallery. Established in 1985 to defend and promote press freedom, Paris-based RSF has been presenting its yearly awards since 1992. Previous winners include the late Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, imprisoned Saudi blogger Raif Badawi and the Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet. Chaturvedi won the Prize for Courage, awarded for journalism in a hostile environment. She has faced online harassment campaigns after exposing what she calls a "troll army" operating for the governing Bharatiya Janata Party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "I get a dozen death threats every day and around 15 to 20 rape threats," she told AFP. "The whole idea of a democracy is that you are allowed to have a dissenting view. "Unfortunately, the way politics has panned out across the world, journalists are really under threat. "It is sad that you are called courageous just for doing your job." - Sexist attacks - Veteran journalist Espina-Varona founded a social media women's rights campaign in response to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's comments on women. "After a particularly hard-hitting column, I find 50 to 80 private messages calling me a liar, an ugly woman, and mostly these are sexist attacks," she told AFP. "The slurs don't really bother me but the threats that say 'we know where you live, we'll see if you are as brave as you think' -- that bothers me because it also happens to other journalists." She won the Prize for Independence, awarded to reporters for resisting pressure in carrying out their work. "Independence is very important for citizen journalism. I teach young people to be critical minded and I hope this award will inspire them," she said. Some 63 journalists, 11 citizen journalists and four media assistants have been killed so far in 2018, RSF said, including Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. A total of 55 journalists were killed in the whole of 2017. Caruana Galizia won the Prize for Impact, awarded for work that has led to an increase in awareness of journalistic freedom. His mother, Malta's pioneering anti-corruption blogger, was assassinated in a car bomb attack in October 2017. - 'Fight for the right thing' - "It's a recognition that what we're fighting for is right," he said of the award. "It's about continuing to fight for the right thing: justice for my mother and for her stories. Everything else will follow. "Hope is a word for people who have already given up." He said Malta could and should become a functional European Union democracy that did not have to rely on investigative journalism as the last remaining line of defence. However, "its toxicity will spread" throughout the EU if partners including Britain and France did not join the fight. Daphne Caruana Galizia's murder remains unresolved. Ninety percent of violent crimes against journalists go unpunished, said RSF. Afghanistan is currently the world's deadliest country for journalists, with 14 killed this year. "The alarming number of deaths is a reminder of the urgent need to provide journalists with more protection," said RSF secretary-general Christophe Deloire. Some 168 journalists, 150 citizen journalists and 19 media assistants are in jail, the organisation said. RSF's 2018 World Press Freedom Index ranks the worst five countries for journalists as China, Syria, Turkmenistan, Eritrea and North Korea, which came last at 180th. Some 63 journalists, 11 citizen journalists and four media assistants have been killed so far in 2018, including Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi, according to RSF South Korea has earmarked more than $260 million to build new railways and roads in the North, an official said Thursday, as Seoul pushes ahead with cross-border projects despite international sanctions on Pyongyang. The figure comes as Seoul and Washington follow increasingly divergent approaches to Pyongyang, with the South pursuing engagement while the US insists pressure on it should be maintained until it denuclearises. South Korean President Moon Jae-in offered to help upgrade the North's outdated rail and road infrastructure and connect it with the South's in meetings this year with the North's leader Kim Jong Un. Seoul plans to spend about 295.1 billion won ($264 million) on the schemes next year, an official at Seoul's unification ministry told reporters, with most of it -- 186.4 billion won -- given freely and 108.7 billion won in loans. "It is an estimate for now... we will continue efforts, including policy coordination with the US, to carry out the projects agreed between the two Koreas without a hitch," said the official who declined to be named. Security allies Seoul and Washington agreed last week to set up a new working group to co-ordinate policy amid growing concerns in the US over Moon's approach. The official's comments came as a Southern lawmaker accused Seoul of ignoring UN sanctions on the North. "The US maintains the position that it would maintain maximum pressure until the North produces visible progress on denuclearisation and so does the international community including the EU," Chung Byoung-gug told the JoongAng Ilbo newspaper. "The budget allocation by our government may make it look like our government is undermining international coordination on sanctions on the North," he was quoted as saying. The isolated, impoverished North is under multiple sets of sanctions imposed over past nuclear and missile tests staged in violation of UN resolutions. Lifting the measures -- which bans much of its trade including coal exports -- is a key demand of Pyongyang's in its ongoing denuclearisation talks with the US. Kim and Donald Trump held a historic summit in June in Singapore and signed a vaguely worded deal on denuclearisation, but little progress has been made since then, with the two countries sparring over the exact meaning of the agreement. Planned talks between US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and one of Kim's right-hand men, Kim Yong Chol, were also delayed this week. Moon -- a dove who advocates dialogue with the North to push it towards denuclearisation -- has met Kim three times so far this year and another summit is being planned in Seoul. South Korean President Moon Jae-in (L) advocates talking to the North's leader Kim Jong Un to push him to denuclearise Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen vowed Thursday that the island would not "concede one step" in defending itself as she inaugurated two frigates bought from the United States aimed at boosting Taipei's naval capabilities against China. Rival China has upped military drills including a live fire exercise in the Taiwan Strait in April, declaring its willingness to confront the island's "independence forces". Beijing still claims self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary, even though the two sides have been ruled separately since 1949 after a civil war. China has also been incensed by recent warming ties between Washington and Taipei, including the US State Department's approval of a preliminary licence to sell submarine technology to the island. The two Perry-class guided missile frigates were officially commissioned in a ceremony at Zuoying base in southern Kaohsiung city. "We want to send a clear and firm message from Taiwanese people to the international community that we will not concede one step in defending... Taiwan and protecting our free and democratic way of life," Tsai said after inspecting the ships. China's "military actions in the region not only attempt to weaken Taiwan's sovereignty but will also damage regional peace and stability," Tsai warned. She vowed to continue enhancing the navy's capabilities as part of the military's goal to maintain what it calls "solid defence and multi-layered deterrence" to guard the island. Navy chief of staff Vice Admiral Lee Chung-hsiao had said previously the warships' anti-submarine capabilities are more advanced than the island's existing eight Cheng Kung-class frigates and could have "deterrent effects" against China's submarines. The US de facto embassy in Taipei, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), said the sale would "improve Taiwan's capability in current and future defensive efforts" as well as stability in the region. The ships will be deployed to patrol the Taiwan Strait, the narrow waterway that separates the island and China, according to the navy. Beijing has stepped up diplomatic and military pressure on Taiwan since Tsai took office two years ago, as her government refuses to acknowledge that Taiwan is part of "one China", unlike the government of her Beijing-friendly predecessor. In September, Washington irked Beijing when it announced plans to sell Taiwan $330 million in spare parts for several aircraft. Washington remains Taipei's most powerful unofficial ally and its main arms supplier despite switching diplomatic recognition to Beijing in 1979. Built in the 1980s, the two frigates were originally named USS Taylor and USS Gary and were part of a $1.8 billion US arms deal to Taiwan announced in 2015 under the administration of US president Barack Obama. They have been renamed Ming Chuan and Feng Chia. According to Taiwan's navy, the warships have "high mobility, high sea resistance and low noise" and are fitted with the SQR-19 sonar system currently used by US navy. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen vowed that Taiwan would not 'concede one step' in defending itself as she inaugurated two frigates bought from the United States. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen vowed to continue enhancing the navy's capabilities. Tools will be available in early December and provided at no cost for a limited time to members of The IT Nation ORLANDO, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ConnectWise is providing a cybersecurity risk assessment tool and a vulnerability scanner free of charge for three months to members of the IT Nation, according to Arnie Bellini, the companys CEO. ConnectWise is a software company that connects technology teams to the solutions, services and resources necessary for success. Bellini shared the news during his keynote address at IT Nation Connect , the companys premier thought leadership conference for IT business owners. He said the coming cybersecurity tools will provide a means for technology solution providers (TSPs) to quickly evaluate a companys ability to combat a variety of malicious cyber threats. The idea is simple: We want every member of The IT Nation to be able to understand where they and their customers stand in terms of cybersecurity, Bellini said. Our partners are responsible for the security and technology footprints of hundreds of thousands of companies, and we want to help them be successful. These tools will give our partners additional opportunities to position themselves as trusted and valued strategic advisors to their clients in an ecosystem where security risks continue to exponentially grow. ConnectWise has partnered with Sienna Group, a leading data-centric managed security services provider, to offer the Cybersecurity Risk Assessment Tool to their partners. The two companies also collaborated on the development of the agent-based vulnerability scanner, which will identify and catalog weaknesses across IP addresses. Bellini said that the tools align with the Cybersecurity Framework prepared by the National Institute of Standards and Technology , which provides a way for organizations, including small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs), to assess security risks and provide guidelines for protecting, detecting and responding to cyber threats. These new tools will analyze the critical controls as defined by the Cybersecurity Framework, provide a risk score, indicate areas of strengths and weaknesses, and provide remediation options conveyed in a language that can be easily relayed to the end user. Members of the IT Nation are invited to join an online training event on Dec. 6 when Bellini and John Ford, CEO of Sienna Group, provide best practices about how to set appropriate expectations with customers on where customer cybersecurity liability falls, what to do in the event of a breach, and the role the TSP can and should play. In todays world, TSPs should be proactively working with their customers to instill a high level of security confidence. These tools are a great first step to help customers better understand how the software will make them safer against all types of security threats, Bellini said. Wade Kilgore, Vice President of Technical Operations for Axxys Technologies, said hes looking forward to taking advantage of the Cybersecurity Risk Assessment Tool and the vulnerability scanner. More and more, our clients are turning to us for advice and solutions that will help protect them from cyberattacks. Being able to deliver the right security defenses must start with a thorough assessment, and the vulnerability scanner will allow us to ensure that they understand the risks and what needs to be done to mitigate those risks. The new tools from ConnectWise will make it possible for us to accomplish this first critical step in an inexpensive and timely manner, and will go a long way toward strengthening our relationships with our clients, he said. To register for educational webinar on December 6, visit ConnectWise.com/ProtectYourHouse . Follow ConnectWise LinkedIn ConnectWise Blog Twitter Facebook YouTube About ConnectWise ConnectWise is a software company that connects technology teams to the solutions, services and resources necessary for success. Our award-winning business management platform automates the full lifecycle of technology service delivery, from sales and service to project tracking and back-office functions, for more than 24,000 partners in more than 65 countries. We believe in an open ecosystem, the power of choice and providing a single pane of glass view. With more than 35 years of experience, ConnectWise delivers the software solutions and the support that companies want at each step of their business journey. For more information, visit www.ConnectWise.com. Press Contacts Diane Rose for ConnectWise diane@dkrcomms.com Brittan Collett BCollett@ConnectWise.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bce7c1a5-6c48-4bf7-a175-13d9e4346ccd A car bomb killed three people in Iraq's Mosul on Thursday, medical and security officials said, the first such attack since jihadists were ousted from the city last year. The Islamic State group, which once controlled a cross-border "caliphate" home to millions of people, lost control of Mosul and the rest of its urban strongholds in 2017 but it has continued to wage guerilla-style attacks across Iraq. On Thursday, a car bomb went off around dinner time at a restaurant in the war-ravaged west of Iraq's second city. "A terrorist attack via car bomb hit near a restaurant in western Mosul," Iraq's security services said in a statement distributed to media. The blast killed three people and wounded 12 others, a security official told AFP. A medical source confirmed the toll. Neither could say whether the victims were civilians or combatants, but witnesses in Mosul said the restaurant is known to be frequented by security personnel. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast. IS overran Mosul in 2014, transforming the northern city into its de facto Iraqi capital until government forces recaptured it in July 2017. Months later, the Iraqi government declared it had fully defeated IS. But the group still carries out bloody hit-and-run attacks against civilian and government infrastructure, mostly in the rugged mountain terrain of the north and in desert areas along the western border with Syria. Mosul, seen here on on November 7, 2018, was devastated by Iraqi forces' months-long battle to oust the Islamic State group after three years of jihadist rule In his first press conference since Republicans lost control of the House of Representatives, President Trump clashed with what he called a hostile media, including a heated back and forth with CNN reporter Jim Acosta. Acosta began by challenging Trumps assertion that a caravan of Central American migrants making its way on foot through Mexico to the US border represented an invasion. I consider it to be an invasion, Trump responded. Acosta accused the president of attempting to frighten voters ahead of the midterms with ads depicting the migrant caravan as invaders. I think you should let me run the country. You run CNN, and if you did it well, your ratings would be much better, Trump scolded Acosta. President Trump speaks during a news conference in the East Room of the White House on Wednesday. (Photo: AP/Evan Vucci) Acosta then attempted to ask a follow-up question, only to be told by the president, Thats enough. Acosta persisted. Trump repeated, Thats enough! and attempted to call on another reporter, all the while becoming more impatient. Mr. President, I have one other question on the Russia investigation. Are you concerned that you may have- Trump interrupted Acosta. Im not concerned about anything with the Russian investigation because its a hoax. Thats enough. Put down the mic, he said, stepping away from the podium in apparent frustration. I tell you what, CNN should be ashamed of itself having you working for them, he said. You are are a rude, terrible person. You shouldnt be working for CNN. Youre a very rude person. The way you treat Sarah Huckabee is horrible, and the way you treat other people are horrible. You shouldnt treat people that way. A White House staff member steps in to try to take the microphone away from Acosta. Image: AP Wednesdays event, which began with the president framing Tuesdays election results as a victory for himself and the Republican party, was Trumps first planned, open-ended press conference at the White House since February 2017, and only the second since he took office. When Trump moved on to NBCs Peter Alexander, the reporter defended Acosta, calling the presidents description of him unfair. Story continues Well, Im not a big fan of yours either, Trump quipped, adding, You arent the best. That brought Acosta to his feet again. Trump told Acosta to sit down and demanded someone take away his microphone. Image: AFP Just sit down, please, Trump told Acosta, who asked the president off mic about his description of the media as the enemy of the people. Well, when you report fake news no, when you report fake news, which CNN does a lot you are the enemy of the people, a fuming Trump said before wandering away from the podium again. As more clashes with reporters followed, Trump, exasperated but energised, summed up what is sure to be repeated at the rallies where chants of CNN sucks! have become a favorite chorus. Its such a hostile media. Its so sad, Trump said. President Donald Trump was accused Thursday of pushing America toward a constitutional crisis after his firing of the attorney general cast doubt over the future of an explosive probe into election collusion with Russian agents. Trump emerged from Tuesday's midterm elections promising a new era of cooperation, but suspicions that he is trying to kill the Russia probe and an extraordinary intensification of his war with journalists has thrown Washington into turmoil. The investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller's into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow during the 2016 election has been hanging over Trump throughout his turbulent presidency. Trump has continuously threatened that he has the power to shut down what he calls "a witch hunt" and on Wednesday he took the first potential step when he replaced his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, with loyalist Matthew Whitaker. The switch, announced abruptly in a Trump tweet, provoked consternation across Washington, where politicians from both sides of the aisle have long warned that political interference in Mueller's work cannot be tolerated. Democrats, who won the lower house of Congress in Tuesday's midterm elections, now see Trump as close to crossing that line with the ultimate goal of covering up alleged crimes. "The rule of law is disappearing before our eyes," tweeted Sally Yates, a deputy attorney general under Trump's predecessor Barack Obama and briefly in the top job under Trump before he sacked her. "He wants a political crony to protect him from the investigation of his own campaign," she said. Neal Katyal and George Conway, two prominent Washington lawyers, wrote in The New York Times that Trump was already breaking the law by appointing Whitaker without Senate confirmation. The rushed appointment "is unconstitutional. It's illegal. And it means that anything Mr Whitaker does, or tries to do, in that position is invalid," they argued. - Live TV row - In cities nationwide protestors took to the streets urging Congress to protect Mueller's probe. "Matthew Whitaker has criticized Robert Mueller's investigation again and again," said Noah Bookbinder at a park near the White House, where some 500 demonstrators had gathered as part of the "Nobody Is Above The Law" protests. "He's called it a lynch mob," said Bookbinder, head of the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics, a Washington group. "He said it should be shut down." "Congress has to step in, and protect this investigation." Trump said Wednesday that the midterms, where Democrats won the House of Representatives and Republicans held the Senate, meant both sides would have to learn bipartisanship. But if anything, the election aftermath has featured even hotter controversy than before, whether over Mueller or Trump's other favorite bugbear -- the media. At a press conference Wednesday, Trump branded CNN reporter Jim Acosta an "enemy of the people" when he posed questions, including about the Russia probe, and refused to give up the mic. The row, carried live on national TV networks, was followed by Trump issuing angry put-downs to several other reporters. Shortly after, the White House took the extremely rare measure of revoking Acosta's press pass. On Thursday, the Acosta incident entered even more bizarre territory when the White House was accused of tweeting a video doctored to make the reporter appear more aggressive in fending off the female press aide who tried to remove his mic. Answering allegations Thursday that the White House had used a clip edited by a notorious right-wing conspiracy theorist, Trump spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said: "We stand by our statement." - Call to 'stop him' - Spats between Trump and journalists can sometimes seem circus-like, but critics say the president's hot temper illustrates his deeper disdain for Washington norms -- and allegedly for the rule of law. Those concerns are now focused on the future of the Mueller probe, which began as a look into alleged links with Russians seeking to disrupt the election and expanded into an investigation of billionaire Trump's murky finances, including his business ties to Russia. As Mueller has gotten closer to the heart of the Trump family's closely guarded financial secrets, the president has become more enraged. Whitaker now becomes Mueller's new boss and will likely be sympathetic towards Trump. Sessions had recused himself from the investigation, because of his own contacts with Russians during the 2016 campaign, instead handing responsibility for Mueller to his deputy Rod Rosenstein. Trump responded by repeatedly seeking to publicly humiliate Sessions. Whitaker has made no public comment since being named, but is reported in US media to have made clear he will not recuse himself. In the past, he has shown distinct skepticism about the probe, calling for its scope to be curtailed. In 2017 he even used Trump's words, warning against Mueller engaging in a "witch hunt." He also called the appointment of Mueller as special counsel -- a position meant to be safe from political influence -- "ridiculous." In the House of Representatives, the senior Democrat on the Intelligence Committee -- which Democrats will control from January -- sounded the alarm. "If the president seeks to interfere in the impartial administration of justice, the Congress must stop him," Adam Schiff said. Republicans, with a handful of exceptions, have so far remained silent. The White House suspended the press pass of CNN reporter Jim Acosta, who regularly spars with Donald Trump and his spokeswoman and on Wednesday was branded an "enemy of the people" by Trump Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced he was resigning at President Donald Trump's request US President Donald Trump is set to snub a peace conference organised by French President Emmanuel Macron this weekend as part of World War I commemorations in Paris, organisers said Thursday. Trump is due in the French capital along with around 70 other leaders for a ceremony on the Champs-Elysees on Sunday morning to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the war. Many of the invitees, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Germany's Angela Merkel, are then expected to attend the opening of the inaugural Paris Peace Forum, which Macron will host. Ending uncertainty about whether the US leader would participate, chief organiser Justin Vaisse confirmed to AFP on Thursday that Trump did not plan to attend. In an interview earlier this week, Vaisse had played down the importance of his presence and said the Forum was part of Macron's efforts to organise a "fightback" against the threat of rising nationalism. "The aim of the forum is to show that there are lots of forces in the international system -- states, NGOs, foundations, intellectuals, companies -- who believe we need a world of rules, an open world and a multilateral world," he said. "This world needs to meet up and defend itself," he said. "It doesn't matter if those who don't believe in multilateralism aren't there." Macron has been an outspoken critic of Trump's "America First" policies and of his decisions to pull out of international agreements such as the Paris climate accord, the Iran nuclear deal and most recently a nuclear arms treaty. While the two leaders struck up a warm relationship initially, particularly during Trump's first visit to Paris as president in July 2017, their ties have cooled recently amid a growing list of disagreements, diplomats say. Trump and Macron are to hold talks Saturday at the Elysee Palace, the French president's official residence, French officials said. - 'Contrary to his agenda - Macron, a pro-EU centrist elected last year, has used the WWI commemorations to issue a series of warnings about the rise of nationalism across the world -- embodied by Trump -- and has likened it to "leprosy". "I am struck by similarities between the times we live in and those of between the two world wars," he told a French newspaper earlier this month. The 40-year-old hopes the three-day forum will become an annual gathering of political leaders and civil society groups to discuss democracy -- along the same lines as the Davos meeting in Switzerland, which is devoted to economics. It will be opened on Sunday afternoon by Macron, who will then symbolically hand the floor to German leader Merkel and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres who are set to deliver the opening addresses. "The Forum will send the message: this is not only about commemorations. This is about learning the lessons of the past and preparing for the future," said former French ambassador Michel Duclos from the Paris-based Montaigne Institute think-tank. With its workshops and roundtable discussions devoted to global governance, climate change or internet regulation, it is not hard to see why Trump, who has consistently attacked international institutions, decided to skip it. "It's completely contrary to his agenda," said Jeremy Shapiro, research director at the European Council on Foreign Relations think-tank, told AFP. "And he doesn't like conferences." Shapiro, who will moderate a discussion on philanthropy at the Forum, said he expected the mood to be downbeat following recent electoral developments that have seen Brazil turn to a far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro. "My mood is pretty grim," he said, adding that part of the problem was that Macron and Merkel, the biggest counterforces internationally to right-wing nationalism, were both weakened figures. "Macron has fallen in the polls and doesn't look quite as shiny and new as he did a year ago," Shapiro said. "Obviously Merkel has had similar problems, but at a different point in her political career." The German chancellor has been weakened by her announcement last month that she would not seek re-election and would relinquish her role as head of her centre-right CDU party after 18 years. The Forum "is obviously pushing against the tide and it's all the more admirable for that," he added. Ties between French President Emmanuel Macron (L) and his US counterpart Donald Trump have cooled recently amid a growing list of disagreements A scientist has revealed a common mistake people inadvertently make with out of date medication. Dr Erinn Richmond, a freshwater ecologist with the Monash Water Studies Centre told Yahoo7 that people flushing medication down the toilet could be affecting the health of the iconic platypus. A study released in Nature Communications on Wednesday found over 69 different pharmaceuticals in the tissues of aquatic insects in six streams near Melbourne. It found that platypuses, which consume these insects, could be consuming over half a human dose of antidepressants a day. A lot of people dont even realise that this is a problem, Dr Richmond said. Whenever we take, for example, a Panadol, that whole amount of that drug might not always be used within our system. We excrete whats left in our urine and it ends up in our wastewater treatment facilities. Medications can flow into waterways through sewage. Source: Getty (file pic) The dangers of flushing tablets down the toilet Dr Richmond said people should refrain from flushing unused medication down the toilet, as this can go into waterways. What we can be mindful of in the home is just how we dispose of our leftover medication, or the ones that are past their use-by dates, she said. A lot of people might flush these down the toilet, but thats not the way to go. Dr Richmond provided tips on how to properly get rid of out of date and unused medication. The best way is to take them to your pharmacist and they can then dispose of them safely, Dr Richmond said. If people live in more rural areas, or if their home has a septic tank or septic system. Maintain that system to make sure theres no leaks. The study found platypuses could be ingesting over 69 different pharmaceuticals. Source: Getty (file pic) Study finds platypuses ingesting antidepressants The study looked at six streams near Melbourne and examined the tissues of aquatic insects and riparian spiders. What we found was that wastewater is a primary source of pharmaceutical contamination in streams, Dr Richmond said. We were able to detect up to 69 different pharmaceuticals within these insects. Story continues Researchers found that platypuses, who feast on aquatic insects, could be consuming over half a human dose of antidepressants daily. What were actually finding is that platypuses were essentially consuming various portions of human doses, Dr Richmond said. By eating these insects, they were essentially exposed to over 50 per cent of a human dose of antidepressants. The question that everyone asks is are these platypuses much happier? And unfortunately, we dont know the answer to that. Presently, it is not known how these human drugs affect platypuses. However, a Swedish study found that some fish exposed to antidepressants acted more boldly. An Azerbaijani woman who spent 16 million at London's up-market Harrods department store and was the first to be targeted by new British legislation on "unexplained wealth" was freed on bail Thursday as she fights an extradition request by Baku. Zamira Hajiyeva, who was arrested last week in London, faces two charges of embezzlement in Azerbaijan. She was held in custody after Baku appealed against a magistrate's court decision granting her 500,000 ($655,000/573,000 euro) bail, arguing she was a flight risk. But judge Jeremy Baker at London's High Court ruled there were not "substantial grounds" to believe she would leave the country. He ordered her release but imposed a curfew under which she will not be allowed to leave her luxury home in southwest London between 9 pm and 6 am. Hajiyeva, who was not in court, must also report to a central London police station every day, has surrendered her passport and is banned from travelling outside London's M25 ring road. Hajiyev's husband Jahangir was jailed in 2016 for embezzling money from the International Bank of Azerbaijan, where he was chairman. Separately, she is under scrutiny by Britain's National Crime Agency, who issued a so-called Unexplained Wealth Order (UWO) demanding that she explain where she got the 11.5 million to pay for her property in Knightsbridge. The court issuing the order also heard that she had spent more than 16 million at Harrods over a 10-year period. UWOs were incorporated into British law in January 2018 as part of the fight against money laundering. People who fail to account for the sources of their funds are liable to have assets seized. Baku appealed a court decision granting bail to Hajiyeva, arguing she was a flight risk A woman has made a shocking discovery in a seemingly ordinary piece of chicken purchased at the supermarket. Nadia Petersen, a New Zealand woman, claims that she was grilling a piece of boneless chicken when she found a rusty nail in the meat. She said that she bought the boneless chicken thigh at a branch of the Kiwi supermarket, Countdown. Check your boneless chicken thighs from Countdown (Regent Whangarei), she wrote. Just about chomped on a rusty nail. Ms Petersen uploaded a photograph of the rusty nail and a piece of grilled chicken to Facebook on Wednesday. Nadia Petersen posted images of the rusty nail and chicken to Facebook on Wednesday. Source: Facebook/Nadia Petersen I picked it up and I held it and stared at it for a couple seconds in disbelief, then I ran outside and spat my food out then washed my mouth out, Ms Petersen told local outlet TVNZ. I rung the hospital first who took my details and passed me on to the poisons centre to make sure I wasnt going to get sick from ingesting chicken with rust in it. Ms Petersens mother called Countdown Regent, who rang her back to offer a refund and 200 in-store loyalty card points, the outlet reported. The supermarket chain is currently investigating the incident. Weve been in the touch with the customer and shell be bringing the nail in for us to investigate further, a Countdown spokesperson told Yahoo7. Nadia Petersen alleges that she found a rusty nail in her chicken. Source: Facebook/Nadia Petersen Food safety is our utmost priority and we have a really thorough process to ensure we investigate any complaints properly. We have a range of safety precautions and measures in place which can include metal detectors at points in the process and full traceability on all fresh meat. Our investigations are already underway and once the nail arrives well be able to further analyse this. Yahoo7 has reached out to Ms Petersen for comment. AUBURN Dr. C. Beth Gero said that after speaking to nine Auburn High School classes about vaping and electronic cigarettes Wednesday, she is more convinced than ever that it is an epidemic in the United States. Gero spoke to a group of about 20 people at the Auburn High School library Wednesday night for a seminar on common vaping and and tobacco products; how common they are and the health risks related to smoking and vaping. The seminar was sponsored by the Cayuga County Health Department and the Cayuga Community Health Network and was meant to educate parents and other community members. Gero spoke to high school students about the impact of such products on the brain and other consequences during physical education classes. She was to talk to more classes Thursday. Before the seminar, Gero, a tobacco program consultant for hospitals and other healthcare organizations in central New York, said some students openly admitted to vaping when she spoke to them. She said those conversations enforced to her how common it is. "The biggest takeaway today was it is huge, larger than I ever thought it was," Gero said. Vaping refers to inhaling and exhaling vapor made by an electronic cigarette or similar device that heats a substance such as nicotine without smoke or tar. E-cigarettes are a vaping device. Gero singled out the e-cigarette brand JUUL as being extremely popular among users. She noted JUUL devices look like flash drives and can be be extremely easy to conceal. A single JUUL cartridge is about the equivalent of a pack of cigarettes, she said, noting that JUUL became more common in 2017. Gero said she wanted to dispel the myth that vaping is a safer alternative to smoking. E-cigarettes can contain elements that can impede brain development, she said. She noted vaping liquids have additives that can create carcinogenic compounds when heated. While she noted many high school students vape, she said education for middle school students is especially important in order to try to reach them at a younger age. High school principal Brian Morgan, who introduced the seminar, later said it is critical to educate students about vaping. He said it is important to try to appeal to students and to connect them to the health department or others who who can help them stop if they've started. 'School is a microcosm of what happens in a community, so we know that is an issue, in the community, in the county, all across the state and the country so we want to try and help students, educate them before they really get started in doing something like this," Morgan said. "In order to change behavior, you have to educate." Staff writer Kelly Rocheleau can be reached at (315) 282-2243 or kelly.rocheleau@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @KellyRocheleau. Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Before he left the United States in 1988, William Higgins ran a successful store on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles called Drakes. Everybody always said, Where did that name come from? Well, thats because the male goose is called a Drake, and male geese have a reputation for being gaywe inherited the name and we kept it. That business propelled him to the second stage of his career. Soon after leaving America, he embarked on a world tour, visiting Australia, Hong Kong, Thailand, India, Spain and Portugal. He finally settled in Amsterdam, where he opened a Drakes. But he suddenly found it more difficult to keep his filmmaking career flourishing. It was really, really difficult to get models because of the social welfare system in Holland. Models would say to me, Why should I put my ass up on the video cassette when the government gives me 1,200 guilders a month for nothing? Good point. But he tried. On about his third trip to East Berlin, he took his video camera with him (along with the friend who had got me run out of America). I saw some very handsome Russian soldiers in East Berlin, and I thought, Well, Im going to photograph them and use them as the B-roll for a movie. And I was almost immediately arrested by the Stasi, the East German secret police. And of course, they thought I was spying, and I didnt dare tell them what the real purpose of taking the pictures was, Higgins recalls. So I erase the film, and the Stasi guys yells, Hand me the camera! He rolled it back and looked at it to be sure that it was erased. If it hadnt been erased, I think I would have still been in an East German jail by the time the Wall came down. He never had enough footage to complete that film. I couldnt find any models that were worth shooting. I did find one German model and we made a film with him, and he came up and pretended to be in love with meand he stole all the video cassettes back. But thats another story that Id just as soon not go into. So Higgins busied himself with running the shop and other thingshis filmmaking hiatus growing to about eight years. I go back to Amsterdam, and I decided No more communism! So the Wall comes down, and two guys come up from Czechoslovakia and they start working in the Why Not Bar as escorts. One of them now has a very successful and famous business in Prague, and he told me, You need to go down to Prague. And I said, Listen, I had enough with communism with the Stasi in East Germany, Im not going to any of those communist or former communist countries. Forget about it! But his friend insisted, and Higgins relented. He headed to Prague along with a Russian man (who was working for him at Drakes) as his interpreter. Nobody spoke Czech, but all of the Czechs spoke Russian. Bad ideathey could all understand him, but they hated him because he was a Russian. They crossed the border from Dresden and drove down through Terezin, where Higgins spotted a hitchhiking solder from Slovakia that he decided to pick up. He got in the car, and I said to my interpreter, Ask him if hell have sex with me for 60 D-Mark. He said, What?! You cant ask somebody if theyll have sex with you for 60 D-Mark! the director recalls. I said, Just ask him. So he turned around to him and said, Will you have sex with him for 60 D-Mark? And the kid says, Yup! Well, that was the beginning of my love affair with Czechoslovakia. Higgins made frequent visits, eventually moving there in 1992. A New Life Soon after settling in his new home, Higgins got Drakes of Prague open. I never decided to leave (filmmaking). It was just that I was opening the stores in Amsterdam, and then I was opening the stores in Prague. But he soon had a change in priorities. I knew there was all of this talent here, so I decided to get back into filmmaking. I dont know how we did it, but we hooked up with this English production crew with Bel Ami and we started shooting films that way. And Dirk Yates with All Worlds Video wanted to hire me to make films for him. At the time, he had sold Catalina and couldnt use the name William Higgins, so he started making films under the name Wim Hofand made quite a few films for Yates and All Worlds. Through a technicality, I got the name William Higgins back and the previous guy got the catalog of the old films, so I switched back to making films. But I never really quit; it was just a matter of I cant find good enough models. Well, when I got to Czechoslovakia, I did. He recalls his first comeback film fondly. It was Andels Story, and it was really a lot of fun to makeand we made it all with soldiers. At that time, they had the draft in Czechoslovakia and the guys got paid something like 300 crowns a month, and they were desperate for money. So Andel was a very good-looking guy and he brought in all of his very good-looking friends, and he made that film with us. Films like Impromptus, the Prague Buddies series and The Jan Dvorak Story soon followed. I was making these films in Prague, and there were a lot of other people who would come over and make films there, and they would say to me, You should have seen the 1990s! There was so much money then, theres not as nearly as much money now. And I said, Honey, you should have been there for the 80s when we would ship 15,000 films out the door wholesale at $35 each. Changing Times Higgins says there was already saturation in the market, and the money to be made was declining. He decided there was huge potential with the internet, so he started EuroMilitary.com, which later morphed into WilliamHiggins.com. I thought, I ought to get a leg up on the internet before anybody else does. And I did, he said. And I remember when my later distributor said to me and in front of everybody, Oh, Bill thinks the internet is more important than DVDs, I cant believe that! Well of course the internet destroyed VHS and destroyed DVD, and eventuallyI have to be very sincere about itthe internet has destroyed the internet, because of the 21 words in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act that really allow piracy to a great extent. So thats how I morphed into the internet. I really have to say I could see VHS and DVD dying. Higgins says he noticed a real decline of the porn business in 2007: I have been in this business a long time, and every time a recession has come along in the porn business, I have seen my feet knocked out from under me. And thats of course what happened. Higgins notes that before the big recession from around 2007-10, he could so some things that arent as easy nowlike shooting twins. They want a lot of money to appear before the camera. But you can say, Okay, I can spend a lot of money because Ill make it back in selling the DVDs over a period of years. Well now, there is no DVD, so when you put something out on the internet, its pirated that very day. Ive decided that the internet is kind of like episodic sitcoms on mainstream television. You show it, it hits the air and its dead. And I really think that thats what it is. You get your money in the first showing on the internet, and you have no residual incomeso theres no investing a lot of money on special projects and special models because youre going to get the same amount of money from them as anybody else. And back in those days, every one of the other studios would have an ego movie that they would go and shoot in Greece or South Africa, and spend about $150,000 on them. And they would come back, and that would be their big DVD release for the year. I never did thatnever. And thats all gone. Starting in 2007, Higgins and his business manager started to cut expenses by about two-thirds, which was very painful to do, because a lot of the people had been working with us for quite a long time. So now we have a very efficient crew and we have a budget. We never bust the budget. Pavel will bust the budget a little bit if you get a really exceptional modelhe will give him a few hundred bucks more than the run-of-the-mill model. But thats the most we bust the budget. And I would say over time, he has worked the company back up to a make-a-living profit. You cant make a fortune at it anymore, but Im very grateful to be in that position because I continue to be able to do what I want to do. But ego really has to go out the window. Higgins admits he didnt realize how good he had it when he started. It was really in the infancy, and I didnt realize it at the timebut 40 years ago was really the gold rush, especially when VHS came along. And now, you really have to run a very efficient operation to stay in businessI met a German guy the other day who started seven years ago, and with a little bit of investment, he makes a fairly good living at it, but nothing like 40 years ago. Nonetheless, he doesnt miss anything from the Golden Age. I love working in Prague. The richer the country gets, we still get the same amount and the same quality of models that we did 30 years ago when I started here, so I dont miss it. I love what Im doing, I love the advances in technology, I love gadgets, Higgins says. I just still love tinkering around, getting in and finding out how something works. And if I find some kind of better lights or camera to use, Im the first to recommend it. I will tell you this though: Remember the boom in 3D a few years back? Pavel and my chief IT came to me and said, Weve got us all switched to 3D. And I said, Nobecause 3D is a fad and it will die just like all the other fads. And they said, Well, Bel Ami is shooting a 3D movie. And I said, Well you come to me when Bel Ami shoots its second 3D movie, which has never happenedfast forward a few years later, Pavel came to me and he said, I dont think porn looks very good when its shot in 3D. I always like to win an argument like that. Another thing hes opposed to? Stories in porn. To be frank about it, Im opposed to any story at all nowadays. We did the stories back in the beginning because you had to have a lot of story if you got up in front of a jury to say, This is art, its not pornography. And I think that sort of caught onbut nobody believes that, he says. I love (interviews) because its true. They dont make it up, they just tell the real thing. Higgins also says its easier to shoot in the Czech Republic because its a lot cheaper to do business there. When I left America, the AIDS crisis had just hit. So with the model situation, you had a firehose and then somebody turned it offand it was drip, drip, drip from 1986 on. I think things have come back in the USA, but I still think it must be more and more expensive to shoot there because theres no citywith the possible exception of San Franciscowhere you can get all of the models. So studios like Corbin Fisher and Sean Cody, theyre flying the models in from hither, thither and yon. They put them up in hotels, they wine and dine them, they shoot them and then they send them back from wherever they come from. That is very expensive. In the Czech Republic, the director says that the biggest traveling expense to bring in a model is about 1,000 crowns (koruna), or about $45 U.S. dollars. They shoot the scene and then they get on the bus or train and go back home at night. lf they have a scene the next day, they sleep on the couch in the studio. So that just makes it a whole lot less expensive. I think were not paying the same as the U.S., but were paying comparable to the U.S. for the models. Its much easier to shoot porn nowadays; Im not going to say exactly how, but you can figure that out. But I would never go back and try and start doing porn in the USA again. And another thing is, the biggest studios, I watch some of their stuff very carefully, and I notice that the quality of the models goes down, and it hasnt happened hereI think in the Czech Republic, it has become more or less acceptable to do porn. There are still horror storieslike some customers find out (a models) Facebook page, then they find out the name of their girlfriend, and the girlfriend finds out that theyre been doing gay porn and its a big dramabut that doesnt happen that often. Higgins shares that he doesnt do much of the actual filming very often anymore. I have cut down the amount of work I do considerably because Ive had some health problems, particularly with walking. I had to have a knee replacement, so its very hard for me to stand there with a camera for five hoursor especially to kneel down on the floor with a camerawhich I didnt have any problem with before. The walking is a very big problem with me; its caused me to cut down my work by quite a lot. I still do what I want to do, and I let the guys do the rest. That isnt helped by the fact that the most frequently used studio is up a hill and four flights of stairs. And also, in that same studio, one of our staff members committed suicide about six years agowhich doesnt bother the Czechs at all, but it bothers me a lot. So I dont get to film many projects. I usually get there when we have guests. What I do is I look at the rushes and I write notes. I have a very good cameraman, and hes very interested in learning and he absorbs everything I say. And also, the models love himhes very easy to work with, so Im very happy with what hes doing. Higgins doesnt have plans to move; he lives above the offices and next door to his studios. I can still make it up and down that one flight of stairs. I told my business partner a while back, I ought to buy a little place in a village. And he says, You know Bill, you wanted to buy a little place in the village when you could get around. When you cant get around, you want a place in the city where the hospital, the supermarket and all of the restaurants you want to go to are just down the street. I said, Youve got it there. So I plan to stay in Prague. Last Man Standing? Forty years ago, William Higgins didnt grasp the magnitude of what he was doing. I didnt understand it. I certainly had no idea that it would grow to the dimensions that it has. I went to one GayVN Awards in Los Angelesone of the few they actually had for just the gay sideand there were 4,000 people there, he recalls. I was already over here, but I went back to be inducted into the GayVN Hall of Fame, and there must have been hundreds and hundreds of directors and producers and everybody working in the industry. When I started, there were, I dont know, four or five people in L.A., five people in San Francisco, maybe four people in New Yorkand all working part time except for the people in San Francisco. Who ever knew that it would grow any bigger? But trust me, those days in the 1980s were the big profit days. We didnt realize it, but it turned out that way. Even after leaving the States and starting anew Europe, Higgins kept his name alive on his original labelCatalina, which was eventually acquired by Channel 1 Releasing. In 2016, C1R released Uncut and Raw, the directors first new Catalina title in two decades. Later that year, C1R also started to release Higgins' Catalina classics in a multipart anthology. C1R continues to release new content under the Catalina Video/William Higgins Bareback label, including recent release Raw Exams. I've always gotten along quite well with the guys at Channel 1. I sold Catalina years ago. At some point, they bought Catalina from the person who bought it from me. I had nothing to do with that transaction. Paladin got quite upset when I made a twins movie in which the twins actually had sex with each otherquite upset. So, I contacted Channel 1 to see if they would release the movie. They did. Later, they contacted me about releasing future William Higgins titles. It's worked out well for both of us (I hope). And in an age when directors and performers come and go, Higgins is one of the very few who has maintained relevance over decades. I think theres an arc to everybodys career. My name is still known and I get contacted by many traveling firemen who happens to be in Prague, so I dont think Ill be forgotten for a long time, he says. Actually, what I most proud of is being one of the last men standing. I dont know virtually anybody else whos still around when I was around back then, maybe Joe Gage. But he had been out of the business for 20 years and he came back; who knows if hes still working. And I had been working more or less for the whole 40 years in the business, and I am very proud of that. What I really am hoping to be the capping of my career is to be the last man standing. I hope to continue until I drop. For Part 1 of the interview, click here. Dennis Hof, who died last month at the age of 72, was laid to rest on Monday at Happy Homestead Cemetery in South Lake Tahoe, Californiabut that didnt stop Nevada Republicans from electing the deceased, self-described pimp to the state assembly on Tuesday. Attaching his nascent political career to Donald Trumps political coattails and even branding himself The Trump for Pahrump, after the Nevada town he called home, the flamboyant Hof won the Republican primary to fill Nevadas Assembly District 36 seat in June, ousting a three-term incumbent. In the solidly red district, Hof was expected to win easily against Democrat Leisa Romanov, a local elementary school teacher, in Tuesdays general election. But then, on October 16, during his 72nd birthday party, he was found dead at his beloved Love Ranch brothel by his friend, the longtime porn performer Ron Jeremy. But according to his campaign manager, by passing away, Hof may have given his campaign a boost. There are a lot of Republicans who were uncomfortable voting for Dennis because of the nature of his business, and they now know that he is not the one who will be serving, Chuck Muth said before the election. They will feel much more comfortable casting the ballot for him knowing there will be another Republican to replace him. Under Nevada state election law, candidates who die after qualifying to be placed on the ballot must remain on the ballot, but if a deceased candidate wins an election, the state party to which he belonged selects a replacement to serve in office. The late Hof won the seat by a margin of more than 7,000 votes in the small, largely rural district. Republican voters, according to responses solicited by The Pahrump Valley Times, simply did not want a Democrat to represent them under any circumstances, with one telling the paper, a dead Republican beats a female Democrat any day. His death made him a better candidate, said another GOP voter. I no longer had to wonder if he was really a Republican and my dislike for him personally was no longer a factor. After a festive memorial service on Saturday at a Carson City casino with 500 people packing the service, Hof was buried Monday in a small, private ceremony attended by just 15 mourners. Daniel Dacumos / Wikimedia Commons LAS VEGAS, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Flint Michigans premier property management company, Gebrael Management has teamed up with Nationwide Property Partners Inc., a subsidiary of Bakken Water Transfer Services Inc. (OTC:BWTX), to bring an inside look to investors and real estate fanatics around the world. The shows perfect narrative of the investment, and management side of rental properties, brings a tasteful and comical look as the city of Flint makes a booming comeback. We are so excited to share our story through the great city of Flint, stated Craig Dondero, CEO of Nationwide Property Partners. Its not everyday a tenant moves out and leaves their pet pig in a house, but then again its not everyday you can buy houses for twenty-five thousand dollars either. The show aims to show the great resolve of Flint residents and the progress being made by the city to restore its beauty. For a first look behind the scenes, you can follow the show on twitter www.twitter.com/justrentingshow or on you tube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnhc5ulxFuw About Gebrael Management Gebrael Management is committed to providing quality homes, apartments, and commercial locations at affordable prices throughout the state of Michigan. Along with being a full service real estate brokerage, the company specializes in residential and commercial property management. www.miforrent.com/ About Nationwide Property Partners Inc. Through its other wholly-owned subsidiary, Nationwide Property Partners, Inc., Bakken Water Transfer Services purchases and rents residential real estate. Bakken Water Transfer Services Inc. common stock trades on the OTC Pink marketplace under the ticker symbol BWTX. Safe Harbor Notice Certain statements contained herein are "forward-looking statements" (as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Bakken Water Transfer Services, Inc. cautions that statements made in this news release constitute forward-looking statements and makes no guarantee of future performance. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management at the time statements are made. These statements may address issues that involve significant risks, uncertainties, estimates and assumptions made by management. Actual results could differ materially from current projections or implied results. Bakken Water Transfer Services, Inc. undertakes no obligation to revise these statements following the date of this news release. Phone: 702-904-0475 Email: jack@bakkenwatertransfer.com After a federal judge threw out Stormy Daniels defamation lawsuit against Donald Trump last month, ordering the AVN Hall of Famer to cover Trumps legal costs in defending the claim, Trump seized on the judges decision, as AVN.com reported, slapping Daniels with a bill for a whopping $342,000. In court documents filed on Tuesday, Daniels and her lawyer Michael Avenatti slammed Trumps claim that he racked up more than $300,000 in lawyers fees as exaggerated, and called Trumps claim that he paid lawyers for working nearly 510 hoursthe equivalent of more than 63 eight-hour working dayson the defamation case astonishing and wasteful, according to a report by the political news site The Blast. The defamation suit stemmed from a single Twitter posting by Trump back in April, in which he termed Daniels claim that she was physically threatened by a man invoking Trumps name a con job. But Trump claimed to have hired six lawyers to defend him in the case, two of them charging $750 per hour, and four others billing at a $550 per hour rate. These rates are not reasonable under the circumstances, Daniels and Avenatti responded in their court filing, accusing Trumps lawyers of an inflated approach to billing. Specifically, the Daniels court documents asks why Trump needed his lawyers to put in 70 hours writing a single, five-page document, and another stunning 143 hours penning a routine motion to move the case from New York to Los Angeles. Avenatti said in the filing that he was able to prepare his own court filings in far less time that Trumps attorneys claim to have spent on their legal duties. Trumps lawyers claimed that the intense media attention paid to Daniels and Avenatti caused them to spend extra time on the case, but in their reply, Daniels and Avenatti scoffed at that claim as well. Trumps attorneys point to nothing suggesting they had to spend additional time making any media appearances or speaking with members of the media, or that they had to spend more time on their briefs because of the media attention the case garnered, they said in the court brief. That the litigation captured some public interest does not render the defamation claim itself more complex or exceptional. Daniels said in the court filing that she is willing to pay no more than $25,000 to reimburse Trumps legal fees. Photo By Gary / Wikimedia Commons LOS ANGELESPerfect Fit Brand is back with their latest gift to men, The Perfect Fit Male Masturbator. There are two models, one with with grips (handles) and one without, both made from Perfect Fit Brands proprietary, super silky feeling SilaSkin. We named it so because we feel that this innovative new toy truly does fit perfectly, said inventor and Perfect Fit Brand CEO Steve Callow. This unique masturbator features our proven ribs and nubs design from our Fat Boy line, but with a larger opening and thicker wall construction to provide a wonderful feeling of tightness without needing to be squeezed with your hand. The model with grips is a fat round cylinder that has been molded to include handles on both sides of the toy to insure a controlled gripperfect for times when the lube gets on the outside of the toy. The model without handles is an octagonally shaped cylinder. The Perfect Fit Male Masturbators are textured with a graphic chevron pattern to allow for a better grip; giant chevrons on the round handled version, smaller chevrons on each of the eight sides of the octagonal version. Now available to ship and in stores, the Perfect Fit Male Masturbator was unveiled by brand ambassador Wellington Nacimiento at special promotion with Mr. S. Leather Debuted during Folsom Street Fair 2018. Eager customers snapped up the toy, with one even doing a demo right there on the shop floor. Sex Expo attendees hearing about the Male Masturbator a few weeks later at Sex Expo in Brooklyn were equally excited. To order, contact your distributor or Perfect Fit Brand at [email protected]. LOS ANGELESRock Candy Toys has ramped up in-store retail programs in an effort to support brick and mortar stores with more in-depth product training and fun candy themed events. Rock Candy is teaming up with retailers around the country, including Deja Vu Love Boutiques in Las Vegas and Bakersfield, to provide product education for consumer-driven couples events. With candy being such a big part of the every holiday, Rock Candy is a has been a welcome natural at store events nationwide, said Casey Murphy, who is heading up the nationwide promotions for the company. The stores and customers really respond to the fun candy theme at the events. The newest retail location that Rock Candy will be supporting is Exotic Video Superstore in Humble Texas. The annual Ladies Night event is expected to draw 250 women from the Houston area. To kick off the holiday season, Rock Candy is directing its focus to bolstering its selection of dynamic merchandising pieces for any retail store environment. Merchandising kits include full-sized wall graphics, hanging signs, and the award-nominated Candy Shop point-of-purchase display. There is nothing more valuable to us than creating long lasting relationships with our retailers and distributors, Rock Candy CEO David Joesph said. We developed the Rock Candy line with our team with intention of creating an experience much like the Disneyland effect. The sugar on top of our efforts to create uniquely designed products is our unmatched approach to retail merchandising. We are thrilled to re-invent the retail atmosphere around the globe, he added. To request retailer support, email [email protected]. For more information on Rock Candy retail events, visit the Rock Candy Blog Sweet Times. Suffolk-based Pump Street Bakery and Pump Street Chocolate are to return to London for their second pop-up shop. To celebrate the launch of Pump Street Chocolates new tinned bakery range, the bakery and chocolatier is opening a pop-up shop at 67 Redchurch Street, Shoreditch next Tuesday (13 November). The tinned bakery range includes tins of Chocolate Pastillesfor baking, naturally pressed drinking chocolate, Madagascan and Ecuadorian single-origin cocoa nibs,and pure cocoa powder. Pump Street Chocolate said the ingredients used in each product were single farm, fully traceable and made from the bean by its team in Suffolk. The tins will be available to purchase at the pop-up, alongside new chocolates, baking ingredients, breads, pastries and panettone. The pop-up shop will be open from 13 to 18 November. Chinese street cafe Bun House is to open its second site in the heart of Londons Chinatown. Real estate company Shaftesbury revealed that Bun House had signed for a 1,300 sq ft site on Lisle Street, where it is due to open in February 2019 to coincide with Chinese New Year celebrations. The second, larger site for Bun House will span two floors and have space for up to 72 covers. Bun House said it would continue its focus on traditional Cantonese steamed buns, with two new additions to the menu: beef brisket and a brioche-style pineapple bun. It added that a small hatch serving traditional street food-style snacks, such as curried fish balls and cheung fun, will be unique to the Chinatown London location, paying homage to Hong Kongs dai pai dong food stalls. We are delighted to welcome [founders] Z He and Alex Pefflys Bun House to Lisle Street in Chinatown London. Their signature steamed bao include both hot and savoury traditional Cantonese flavours and also cult favourite sweet custard fillings, making them an exciting new addition to Londons leading destination for East Asian cuisine, said Julia Wilkinson, head of group restaurant strategy at Shaftesbury. Z and Alexs design backgrounds will also add a fresh creative aesthetic to Lisle Street and a new twist to the evolving voyage of discovery in Chinatown London, where East meets West. Steamed buns have been at the forefront of the speciality market of late, with supermarkets such as Waitrose creating shelf space for the product, and Tesco creating a listing for School of Woks Bao Bun kit. British Baker subscribers can read our report on the rise in popularity of ethnic breads, including steamed buns, here. CLEARWATER, Fla., Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- An internet news search under humanitarian crisis nets more than four and a half million hits. Thousands of minutes of TV news and thousands of column inches of print media are dedicated to war, famine and violence. But what is at the base of these crises? And what can an individual do about it? These questions are addressed at weekly seminars held at the United for Human Rights Center, located at 29 N. Fort Harrison Ave. in Clearwater, is hosting a series of free weekly seminars. The seminars are held each Wednesday at 7:30pm. The program is based on the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The United Nations put together a list of the basic, fundamental human rights that all people should expect to have, said Cristian Vargas, the Executive Director of United for Human Rights Florida. These rights include the right to life, the right to food and shelter, the right to an education and the right to live without torture. When people dont know their rights and, just as importantly, dont know that others have those exact same rights, abuses occur. United for Human Rights Florida Chapter utilizes the Universal Declaration as part of its educational programs and consistently works with some 60 civil and human rights groups to raise awareness of modern-day slavery. Over the past year, United for Human Rights has helped educate more than 50,000 people on their human rights in the Clearwater and Tampa areas. United for Human Rights and its programs are based on principles expressed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, who in 1969 observed, "Human rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream." The Church of Scientology sponsors this human rights education and public information campaign. For more information about the seminars, or to book a seminar for your group, please call 727-467-6960. ABOUT UNITED FOR HUMAN RIGHTS: United for Human Rights is a non-profit, non-religious, educational program dedicated to teaching the community their human rights, specifically the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to inspire them to become advocates for peace and tolerance. The United for Human Rights Florida team hosts a variety of events to combat all forms of human rights violations, and provides free educational material and seminars to educators and activists. To learn more, please go to www.humanrights.com Sanna Heden, United for Human Rights 33 N. Fort Harrison Ave. Clearwater, FL 33755 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ec109e33-c4ed-4446-8870-9bebff491932 More than 2 million voters cast one-stop early voting and absentee ballots during an 18-day period ending Saturday, astonishing political observers. They are watching whether that enthusiasm spills over to the traditional election day Tuesday, Nov. 6.The high level of turnout may not reflect which party is likely to win. Even polling offers little clarity.said David McLennan, a Meredith College political science professor, and director of the Meredith Poll.Conventional wisdom holds that early gaps in polls narrow as election day nears. Yet national polls released Monday showed Democrats leading on generic ballots anywhere from a decisive 13-point advantage to a 3-point edge that reflects the margin of error, McLennan said.McLennan said.Voting started at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, and polls close at 7 p.m.Voters will elect candidates to the U.S. House of Representatives, and General Assembly, judges, and district attorneys. They will decide six constitutional amendments, a host of local referenda, and pick winners in school board, sheriff, soil and water conservation district, county commission, county clerk, and register of deeds races. For the first time North Carolina voters will have the option to cast ballots for Constitution Party and Green Party non-presidential candidates.in which the party that holds the White House loses seats, McLennan said. Democrats might pick up congressional seats nationally, and state legislative seats in North Carolina, but there could be some Republican victories in districts where Democrats appeared to be favored.In isolation, Democratic strongholds in Wake and Mecklenburg counties might suggest a blue wave election, but that likely will be tempered by Republican wins in rural districts, he said.McLennan does not expect final turnout will surpass past election records.Nearly 30 percent of the registered electorate already cast ballots, leading McLennan to project overall turnout will reach the mid- to high-40 percent range of registered voters, exceeding the average of midterm vote totals over the past 20 years. Perhaps 20 percent of registered voters could go to the polls Tuesday. But threats of bad weather could change that.of voters braving the elements to vote Tuesday, McLennan said. Some voters in hurricane-ravaged parts of the state who otherwise would have voted might also stay home.this election, said Michael Bitzer, chairman of the Catawba College Department of Politics. Early voting turnout was 79 percent higher than the 2014 midterm election.Bitzer said.He thinks final voter performance will fall between average midterm elections and presidential election years.Bitzer's 2018 early voting analysis showed registered Democrats achieved 67 percent of their 2016 presidential year early votes, and were 56 percent ahead of their 2014 numbers. Republicans netted 62 percent of their 2016 early vote totals, and exceeded their 2014 tally by 65 percent. Unaffiliated voters recorded 68 percent of their 2016 early vote numbers, and were 130 percent above 2014 figures.Bitzer said.Millennials (22-37 years of age) represent 27 percent of registered voters, but just 14 percent of early turnout. Generation X (38-53) represents 26 percent of registered voters but 23 percent of turnout. Baby Boomers (54-73) make up 31 percent of registered voters, but overperformed at 45 percent of early vote totals. And the Greatest Generation (74-plus) are 10 percent of registered voters, but cast 14 percent of early votes.Both Bitzer and McLennan think trend lines show the convenience of early voting is de-emphasizing election day turnouts.Critics of early voting say voters who don't wait until election day lose the option to change their mind when last-minute surprises about a candidate erupt. Bitzer said early voters tend to be hard-core partisans, and they would still vote for their party's candidates regardless if negative news broke late in the election cycle.Although the political parties hailed having candidates in nearly every legislative race this year, "I haven't seen any wild swings one way or the other" attributed to having fewer uncontested races on the ballot, Bitzer said.If there is a theme to this year's election, it's President Donald Trump.Bitzer said.Positive campaign strategies have been dwarfed this year by sharper rhetoric, Bitzer said. A three-judge Superior Court panel agreed with the NAACP and other plaintiffs that the General Assembly violated the state constitution's prohibition on changing legislative district boundaries in the middle of a decade.In a ruling in NAACP v. Lewis released Friday, Nov. 2, the panel directed the General Assembly to fix the impermissible defects in the Wake County map by the end of the next legislative session, or by July 1, whichever is earlier, for use in the 2020 election cycle.said Allison Riggs, senior voting rights attorney for the Southern Coalition for Social Justice who argued the case for the plaintiffs.Riggs said in the written statement provided to Carolina Journal.Bradford M. Berry, NAACP General Counsel, said in a written statement provided to CJ."Legislative leadership will review the court ruling in the next few weeks and decide the next steps. Obviously, I disagree with the decision and believe it will create voter uncertainty and confusion," Rep. David Lewis, R-Harnett, said in a written statement to CJ. He is senior chairman of the House Select Committee on Redistricting, and is named as lead defendant in the case.This case has its roots in the Covington v. North Carolina federal lawsuit. A panel of judges found 28 legislative districts unconstitutional because they were drawn with too much emphasis on race. In its efforts to comply with the court order, the Republican-led General Assembly changed all 11 Wake County House districts, even though only Districts 33 and 38 were cited by the Covington court.The N.C. NAACP, League of Women Voters of North Carolina, Democracy North Carolina, the AFL-CIO-related North Carolina A. Philip Randolph Institute, and a number of individuals sued, claiming the map changes were excessive, especially regarding Wake County House Districts 36, 37, 40, and 41. Those districts are represented, respectively, by Republicans Nelson Dollar, and John Adcock, and Democrats Joe John, and Gale Adcock.Arguments on the case were heard Sept. 29 by Superior Court Judges Paul Ridgeway (Wake County), Alma Hinton (Halifax County), and Joseph Crosswhite (Alexander and Iredell).The case is complicated. Lawyers sparred in court over esoteric redistricting criteria and methods; prior court rulings and ongoing, related cases; state laws and state constitutional provisions; the appropriate hierarchy when federal and state laws clash; and whether the state court even has jurisdiction to rule against the legislative maps.Legislative defendants argued shifting voters around to meet the federal court order on Districts 33 and 38 created ripple effects requiring alterations to Districts 36, 37, 40, and 41.The plaintiffs claimed that was a bright-line violation of state law barring mid-decade changes to legislative districts except by court order. Those changes must await the next decennial census, they argued.Judges agreed with the plaintiffs. In Friday's decision, they said remapping House Districts 36, 37, 40, and 41 Tom Campbell Bill Friday was right. Friday, the founding president of the 16 campus University of North Carolina System, fought with then-Governor Bob Scott in 1971 over the creation of the new system.Friday recounted the fight in 2010, in an interview with me in front of an audience for NC SPIN's 600th show. Scott advocated for a 32-member governing board with strong centralized power. Friday agreed the board should have central power but insisted that existing university trustees and campuses have say-so as to how the board was constituted. Governor Scott, determined to have his way, gave the legislature a plum by telling them they could appoint the new 32-member board if they would pass his plan.Friday strongly opposed it, but this was one battle he lost. In 1971, and again in 2010, he was adamant this structure had huge disadvantages. He believed the legislature didn't have the necessary expertise to appoint the board, that just gaining enough votes from the house or senate didn't give anyone the qualifications needed to make policy decisions for a statewide university system and that the temptation of injecting politics into university policymaking was too great and certain to occur.Friday's prescient forecast has become reality. What we are now witnessing is embarrassing, distracting from the goals of our system and further proof that North Carolina's governance of all levels of public education needs fixing.Margaret Spellings was hired after a newly reconstituted Board of Governors (BOG) surreptitiously fired Tom Ross as President, saying there was no problem with Ross' performance, they just wanted a change. In other words, the firing was political. The search for a new president was equally controversial. Spellings, who had been George Bush's Secretary of Education, came to Chapel Hill amidst this controversy. Legislative leaders didn't want her and the BOG, which has increasingly become a rubber stamp for the legislature, often exceeds its mandate of setting policy by attempting to run the system.As relationships grew more tense it was speculated Spellings would fulfill her five-year contract, then leave. The breaking point may have come in September, when Spellings and then-Board of Governors chair Lou Bissette wrote a letter to Governor Cooper, asking the state's help with increased security because of a potentially dangerous confrontation at a protest planned for Silent Sam the next night. The letter further suggested that Cooper convene the NC Historical Commission to determine the future of the statue, as prescribed by law. 15 of the 28 members of the BOG lashed out in criticizing her. Subsequent events proved Spellings' concerns were justified.Margaret Spellings just couldn't take it any longer and looked for an escape, applying to become president of the University of Texas. When she didn't get that appointment, she decided enough was enough and resigned. BOG member Steve Long summed up the situation,President Spellings clearly articulated the goals for our universities and took positive steps to lower costs for a college education. She has done a commendable job. Margaret Spellings deserved better. So did Tom Ross. And so do the people of North Carolina. Should Beaufort County elected officials demand that every alleged incident of Child Rape be investigated in Beaufort County? Yes, without fail, irrespective of the parties involved; this heinous crime must be investigated, and the truth be known, and responsible parties prosecuted. Former Anchor Hocking Executive Returns to Drive Focus on Investment, Heightened Customer Service and Strategic Growth COLUMBUS, Ohio, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Housewares industry veteran Mark Eichhorn has joined The Oneida Group as the companys new CEO as the global leader in tabletop and kitchen solutions continues to chart a positive course forward, buoyed by a committed ownership group. Having previously served as President and CEO of The Oneida Groups core business, Anchor Hocking, from 1994-1999 and its predecessor company, EveryWare Global, Inc., from 2004-2012, Eichhorn has returned to accelerate the companys focus on innovation, operations, customer service and strategic growth. The news comes on the heels of the closing of a $50 million capital raise backed by the companys largest stockholder, Centre Lane Partners. Mark is uniquely qualified to lead Oneida forward, bringing in-depth knowledge of the company, deep understanding of the housewares industry and a successful track record working with customers, suppliers, employees and other stakeholders, said Mayank Singh, a member of The Oneida Groups Board of Directors. He has hit the ground running, already building on the positive momentum growing across each of our business segments, and we are delighted to welcome him back. With a strengthening financial position, we will have a tremendous opportunity to make significant growth-oriented investments in operations that will expand our production capacity and enable the company to increase product innovation, development and marketing, said Eichhorn. At the same time, we are heightening our focus on customer service, working to enhance our relationships with suppliers and other stakeholders and supporting our outstanding team of dedicated associates. My previous roles with Anchor Hocking, EveryWare Global and The Oneida Groups Board have afforded me valuable insights about the company, particularly related to the considerable challenges it has overcome during the last few years, he added. That broad-based perspective has contributed to the increasing optimism and excitement were enjoying as we look ahead, with an engaged and committed organization and ownership group and a focused growth strategy designed to play to our strengths in glass tableware. The Company announced recently that the flagship Oneida retail flatware business would return to The Oneida Group, ending a licensing arrangement that existed since 2009, and that it will be returning to the International Home & Housewares Show in 2019. We see tremendous potential to leverage the iconic Oneida and Anchor Hocking brands to attract a new generation of consumers, with forward-looking designs and innovation that drive category growth for our customers, Eichhorn added. In addition to his earlier tenure with The Oneida Group Board and as President and CEO of Anchor Hocking, Eichhorn has held other leadership positions with Anchor Hocking, Newell Rubbermaid and Rubbermaid Home Products. Most recently, he served as CEO of Hollander Sleep Products and prior to that, President and CEO of Columbian Home Products. For more information, or to learn more about The Oneida Group, please visit, www.theoneidagroup.com. About The Oneida Group Driven by devotion to design, The Oneida Group (formerly EveryWare Global) is recognized for providing quality tabletop and kitchen solutions through its consumer, foodservice, and specialty channels. The companys global platform allows it to market and distribute internationally its total portfolio of products including bakeware, beverageware, serveware, storageware, flatware, dinnerware, crystal, buffetware and hollowware; premium spirit bottles; cookware; gadgets; candle and floral glass containers; and other kitchen products, all under a broad collection of widely-recognized brands, including Oneida, Anchor Hocking, SantAndrea, Buffalo, Delco, Fire-King, Noritake and Buffet Euro. Anchor Hocking, LLC and Oneida Ltd. are subsidiaries of The Oneida Group. Additional information can be found at www.theoneidagroup.com, www.anchorhocking.com, www.anchorhockingbottles.com, www.oneida.com, and www.foodservice.oneida.com. Media Contact: Hannah Arnold LAK Public Relations, Inc. 212-329-1417 harnold@lakpr.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6ea7defd-70ce-41ca-aaef-8b26534af3e8 TORONTO, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Datametrex AI Limited ( Datametrex) (TSXV: DM, FSE: D4G) is pleased to announce that the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) has granted its final approval for the listing of the common shares of Graph Blockchain Inc. (the Company), the resulting issuer of the reverse takeover transaction (the RTO) between Graph Blockchain Limited ( Graph), an associate company of Datametrex, and Reg Technologies Inc. The Company will commence trading under the symbol GBLC on November 9, 2018. Graph has made a number of big strides in under a year and getting listed earmarks a great day for our company. The entire team is thoroughly excited to see the company begin trading tomorrow, and as Ive said number of times, this is just the first step of adding value to our shareholders. We have delivered what we committed to so far, and the trajectory we expect by executing on our plan is really the most exciting part of this, says Peter Kim, CEO of the Company. We are very proud of the Graph team and the tremendous job they have done to date, and we are extremely confident that they will continue their high level of execution in the business operations, which will translate into continued success and value add to the shareholders of Graph and Datametrex, says Andrew Ryu, Chairman and CEO of Datametrex. Listing Statement The Company has prepared a listing statement in connection with the RTO (the Listing Statement) that provides a detailed description of the RTO and the business of the Company. The Listing Statement will be filed and made available under the Companys profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. About Graph Blockchain Inc. The Company develops leading-edge private blockchain business intelligence and data management solutions. The Companys powerfully unique solution has translated into a high growth trajectory, with the company securing multiple prototype development contracts with multi-national conglomerates, and the opportunity to sell across client subsidiaries as a full enterprise product. About Datametrex AI Limited Datametrex AI Limited is a technology focused company with exposure to four exciting verticals. Big Data, collecting data from retail point of sales environments. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning through its wholly owned subsidiary, Nexalogy (www.nexalogy.com). Implementing Blockchain technology for secure Data Transfers through its joint venture company, Graph Blockchain (www.graphblockchain.com). Industrial scale Cryptocurrency Mining through its wholly owned subsidiary, Ronin Blockchain Corp (www.roninblockchain.com). Additional information on Datametrex is available at: www.datametrex.com To stay informed about Datametrex, please join our Investor Group on 8020 Connect. Click here for all upcoming news releases, articles comments and questions. For further information, please contact: Peter Kim CEO Graph Blockchain Inc. Phone: (416) 482-3282 ext. 228 Email: pkim@graphblockchain.com Jeffrey Stevens President & COO Datametrex AI Limited Phone: (647) 400-8494 Email: jstevens@datametrex.com Forward Looking Statements: The information in this press release includes certain information and statements about management's view of future events, expectations, plans and prospects that constitute forward looking statements. =. These statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties.,. Although the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on currently available information, the same may prove to be incorrect, and the forward looking statements in this press release are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in forward looking statements are reasonable, no assurance can be given that the expectations of any forward looking statements will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward looking statements or otherwise. At least 13 are dead after a gunman opened fire at a crowded bar in Thousand Oaks, California. The dead include the shooter and a Sheriff's sergeant who tried to stop him. A man, identified by authorities as Ian David Long, 29, entered the Borderline Bar and Grill at 11.20pm, threw smoke grenades into the crowd, then fired dozens of rounds into it, eyewitnesses say. Long was reportedly dressed entirely in black and wearing a mask. Authorities do not know what his motive was, but Ventury County Sheriff Geoff Dean told reporters that he has "no reason to beleive there was a link to terrorism" and that the only weapon recovered was a "modified" .45 Glock handgun. The sergeant killed in the attack was a 29-year veteran about to retire, according to wire reports. Thousand Oaks is an upscale LA exurb listed as one of the safest places to live in America. The Borderline Bar & Grill is described by Google as "a lively spot with Western decor & dancing" hosting country and salsa theme nights. Pepperdine University in nearby Malibu reports that some of its students were there attending a "student night" event. Updated at 10 a.m. with the shooters' name and weapon. ABC News says Long was a USMC veteran. When Disney's Captain Marvel put out a PSA encouraging their fans to vote, they also, unwittingly, encouraged people to call a sex hotline. In their get-out the-vote ad, Captain Marvel lead Brie Larson is standing in a phone booth surrounded by Rock the Vote posters. "CAPTAIN MARVOTE IS A BAD PUN BUT NOW THAT I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE VOTE TOMORROW," she says in a tweet. CAPTAIN MARVOTE IS A BAD PUN BUT NOW THAT I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE VOTE TOMORROW pic.twitter.com/ZhXk5Qzkt5 Brie Larson (@brielarson) November 5, 2018 But along with her encouraging words is a phone number displayed on the booth's telephone, a number which was obviously photoshopped by the folks on the Captain Marvel promotional team. Obvious because the number 1-800-654-2192 was an ABC number ("It used to appear in shows like The Suite Life of Zac and Cody, and if you called it, you got an automated message from the network," according to Daily Dot). And ABC is a subsidiary of Disney, who distributes Captain Marvel. Of course some Marvel fans were intrigued by the number and gave it a call, but rather than connecting to a superhero, they were greeted by a recording that says: "Welcome to America's hottest talk line. Guys, hot ladies are waiting to talk to youpress 1 now. Ladies, to talk to interesting and exciting guys, free, press 2 to connect free now." Either ABC is looking for new ways to turn a profit, or they dumped the number but forgot to delete it from their phone book. I still have Indian dust on my shoes from the city of Bangalore, where I spent almost a week at the international literary festival. I was mind-boggled at the scale of this national Indian event: literature, politics, activism, feminism. There was music and even street art, but what a crowd. Sixteen thousand highly literate participants, roaming from one outdoor stage to another, and engaged with every atom of their souls. Literary culture persists in this part of the world, where people still believe that leafing through books is a transformative spiritual experience that can change the world. Authors of the first world, beset with Internet and economic crisis, often seem like plastic vanity-toys kept past their sell-by date, but maybe what they lack most keenly is a creative readership. As a passionate reader, I often claim it is more difficult to read a book well than it is to to write one. As a less passionate writer, I know that even one ideal reader is enough to motivate a decent book. The beautiful literary carnival held on the broad, leafy grounds of one of Bangalore's finest hotels, an oasis of glamor and privilege contrasted with the crooked streets of Bangalore where the sacred cows, pariah dogs and torrents of honking traffic live with a passion for survival. This was not my first visit to India, so I was ready for the epic scale of grandeur and abject poverty, but it was still a culture shock. The jet-set's digitized skyscrapers tower like phantoms over vast bazaars seething with a seize-the-day human vitality. It's reflected in Indian literature, where the English language, global yet somehow frail, towers over sixteen vernacular publishing scenes. In the Bangalore festival, professional writers traded erudite quips in English because thats how one gets it done, but they were singing in the English-speaking choir, and they knew it. The seething, vibrant life in those modern Indian streets, half chopped coconuts and half cellphone components, is never taught at Oxford. All over the world we women haunt conflict zones, and India, which is vast, has plenty of them. The gunfire tends to sound the same but the conclusions are different. The national patriot woman works to support her brave men at war; the peace activist withdraws support from men who aren't brave enough to refuse the uniform and leave the slaughterhouse. There is one common ground, though: whether life is called "peace" or "war," the women always struggle in a trench. The ongoing #metoo scandal in India is briskly spreading all over the country through social media. It started with celebrities actresses and directors, but spread through media centers, universities, publishing, wherever women get sexually harassed by wealthy and powerful men, which is to say, all over the place. It's evidence that complaints of Western feminism have a universality, and wherever women don't speak up about the suffering of women, it's not because the oppressions aren't noticed; it's because the complaints are repressed. It's taboo to speak up, and even a small distance in cultural mores can make the speakable unspeakable. Women are keenly attuned to what can be said in what conditions. At the festival, one female mystery writer complained that she simply can't bear to read a "classic English whodunnit novel" which is set in Scotland. All those careful cultural assumptions about who gets battered to death by the butler with the fire iron, they are fine in a homey English county but just don't work in distant Glasgow, which seems as incongruous as Bangalore, almost. This may be indeed be a literary problem, but it doesn't explain why crime and detective fiction thrives inside India for Indians, because it does. At the festival, a female science fiction writer complained: why must I be targeted as a woman when I write fiction about science? I may be a biological woman, but why should that restrict what I can write? I remembered that as a young writer, and as a young woman, I shared her frustration, but I gave it up as soon as I realized that my writing didn't emerge from some gender-neutral science laboratory. When women were not on the page, it was an absence. My favorite writers of novels missed the women's perspective. My own life experience was visibly missing from classical novels. The women characters were lame, my world was not that world of canonic literary classics, I was invisible there, and not withstanding the fact that literature was my safe place, and a source of worldly education, I was miserable. I had no power, I had no words. My experience and wisdom had not been captured in those novels I read. It was in my body, as in every other living woman through history, outside of genre, in a gender gap. As a woman without a fatherland and without a mother language, my own literature had to be born ante literam. The luxury of writing without a gender also has a gender, it is male "mainstream." But the stream is not the ocean, and dams can break. In Bangalore I did a "book signing" without books! My books have never been in print in India, but I do have website with many of my books online, and an old fashioned pen in my hand. A handshake, a signature, and a hug for a book from a website address! It was fair barter. Bangalore has many temples, small and big, fancy and clean, awkward and trashy. The whole city conveys the impression of a temple on the move. The pavements are broken by banyan roots, the skies are speckled with vultures, the soil is overrun by small but aggressive striped squirrels, so watch your step! The traffic is Los Angeles times ten, with no lane or crossing discipline. Pedestrians including the numerous cows and dogs simply amble through the noisy torrent of motor-rickshaws, endless scooters, bikes ringing, cars honking, trucks blasting. Traffic policemen occasionally shake-down the worst offenders, who can either appear in court or else cough up half the cash on the spot, for cop's pocket. Somehow the whizzing vehicles respectfully avoid killing elderly women and small children. In the old summer palace of the Sultan Tipu, a historic structure which in Italy would be guarded relentlessly with video cams, the local people sat on the gleaming wooden stairs, meditating, solemn. A little girl danced as endlessly as an extra in a Bollywood movie, gently applauded by her neighbors. It is a densely crowded, communal life in India. Most every task that might be done by one person in the West is parceled out among three or four people, then performed for an audience. In a coffee shop I simply asked for a cold soda. The waiter conveyed the request to the boss; the owner gave the waiter a key to the refrigerator; another waiter opened the fridge, yet another retrieved the bottle and, finally, my original waiter, with a flourish, brought it to me, opened it and carefully poured it out for me. Then I drank it in a rather showy fashion, because, after all that fuss, I felt obliged. People want to listen and to serve: in my hotel the Don't Disturb sign is replaced by the written board: Please let us clean the room soon, our pleasure is to serve you. As a writer, as an activist, I confess I feel much the same. I feel edified and cleansed after being in Bangalore. In India, people check on your condition all the time, emotionally and materially. Then they certify your stay with a nice red stamp, ink in your passport, or henna on your body. Chris Christie's not my first choice to watch being dragged naked and whimpering to the White House lectern and then chained to a ring on it, but beggars can't be choosers. Former Gov. Chris Christie is being considered to replace Jeff Sessions as attorney general, according to a CBS News report that cited "two sources familiar with the matter." Christie is among several candidates reportedly on the list of those being considered after Sessions, who had a tortured relationship with President Donald Trump, was forced out Wednesday as the nation's chief law enforcement officer. NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NOVA LEAP HEALTH CORP. (TSXV: NLH) ("Nova Leap" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it will be presenting at the Inaugural RAI$E Quebec Small-Cap Investing Conference in Quebec City, PQ on November 23, 2018. Nova Leap, which reports all amounts in United States dollars, unless otherwise specified, plans to present information on the following: Financial highlights for the quarter ended June 30, 2018, as reported on August 23, 2018, included the following: Q2-2018 Q1-2018 % Change Revenue $2,425,066 $1,265,021 + 91.7 % Gross Margin $786,321 $444,544 + 76.9 % Net loss $171,463 $438,742 - 60.9 % Total one-time or non-cash items included in net loss comprised of the following: $135,364 $255,688 -47.0 % Acquisition related expenses $41,255 $171,412 - 75.9 % Amortization $151,514 $63,616 + 138.2 % Stock-based compensation $26,567 $81,580 - 67.4 % Foreign exchange gain ($83,972 ) ($60,920 ) + 37.8 % Annual recurring revenue run rate (defined below) $11,400,000 $7,600,000 + 50.0 % General outlook for the home health care industry, one of the fastest growing industries in Canada and the United States; How the Company has attracted, acquired and successfully integrated seven home care companies with operations in Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Nova Scotia in less than 14 months while ensuring both the U.S. and Canadian operating segments are profitable; The anticipated financial and operational impact of the acquisition of Comprehensive Home Care in Massachusetts announced on October 1, 2018; The anticipated financial and operational impact of the acquisition of Living at Home SeniorCare in New Hampshire announced on October 22, 2018; Management also plans to present 2018 Q3 results which are expected to be released pre-market on November 23, 2018. Nova Leaps updated Corporate Presentation can be found at https://novaleaphealth.com/corporate-presentation/ . While in Quebec City, Nova Leap Management will be meeting with new potential investors as it looks to broaden the Companys investor base as part of the Companys ongoing market awareness strategy. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to sell any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act), or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. About Nova Leap The Home Care Providers industry is one of the fastest growing healthcare industries in Canada and the United States. Home care saves patients billions of dollars every year by treating them in their own homes instead of in hospitals. An aging population, the prevalence of chronic disease, growing physician acceptance of home care, medical advancements and a movement toward cost-efficient treatment options from public and private payers have all fostered industry growth. Nova Leap is focused on a highly fragmented market of small privately-held companies providing patients one on one care in their homes, facilities or hospice. Nova Leap's post-acquisition organic growth strategy is to increase annual revenue per location through a combination of increased employee investment, including training, focused sales and marketing efforts, billing rate increases, expansion of geographical coverage, and improved referral sources. About RAI$E Quebec Small-Cap Investing Conference RAI$E Quebec is a conference connecting small-cap companies with funds, finance professionals and investors on September 23 at the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac Hotel in Quebec City, Quebec. The conference is in association with MI3 Communications Financiers. FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION: Certain information in this press release may contain forward-looking statements, such as statements regarding future expansions and cost savings, the Companys expected 2018 revenue run rate and plans regarding future acquisitions and financings. This information is based on current expectations and assumptions, including assumptions concerning the Companys ability to integrate its acquired businesses and maintain previously achieved service hour and revenue levels, that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. Risks that could cause results to differ from those stated in the forward-looking statements in this release include regulatory changes affecting the home care industry, unexpected increases in operating costs and competition from other service providers. All forward-looking statements, including any financial outlook or future-oriented financial information, contained in this press release are made as of the date of this release and included for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward looking-statements unless and until required by securities laws applicable to the Company. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in the Company's filings with the Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com . CAUTIONARY STATEMENT: Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. - The EFF's spokesperson, Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, said the report on the VBS looting contains too much fiction - He added that it seems the law is quick to take down black people when they have done wrong, but others are allowed to fail Ndlozi stated that he is not "persuaded" by the VBS report PAY ATTENTION: Click See First under the Following tab to see Briefly.co.za News on your News Feed! Mbuyiseni Ndlozi of the EFF has addressed the report on the looting of VBS Mutual Bank and says it's too fictional. Ndlozi also hinted that the bank is singled out because it is black-owned. The report, written by Terry Motau, South African Reserve Bank deputy governor Kuben Naidoo, and Werksmans Attorneys, implicated the EFF Deputy President, Floyd Shivambu, in wrongdoing. According to a report by News24, Ndlozi outright rubbished the report. PAY ATTENTION: Save mobile data with FreeBasics: Briefly is now available on the app Briefly.co.za reported earlier that Shivambu denies the allegations and says he has no dealings with the bank. He added that the South African Reserve Bank had ulterior motives in dragging the EFF into the bank's scandal. Naidoo stated that it does not matter who you are, "if you loot a bank, we are going to come for you,". Ndlozi said he is not persuaded by the report. I think it makes a very difficult read for a legal document. At times there is too much fiction. Ndlozi went on to say that the law acts swiftly on black people, where others are allowed to fail. If black people have been found to fail, you bury them. Ndlozi is very outspoken about this but some people may see at nothing more than him supporting his superiors. READ ALSO: The People's Bae takes shots at Gigaba, but he fires back 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 Among the crazy political fist fights, name calling and chaos, South Africa largely missed the news that an international 'most wanted' criminal was seeking refuge right here in sunny Mzansi. 'Nogal' in the posh suburb of Sandton too. But why do they choose South Africa? PAY ATTENTION: Click See First under the Following tab to see Briefly.co.za News on your News Feed! Earlier this week, the SAPS barged into the Sandton flat where they took Danish national, Anna Britta Nielsen, 64, into custody. Nielsen had been on Denmark's most wanted criminal list and was in the process of negotiating to hand herself over to the police. However, when she didn't, the police stepped in. A simple change of hair colour and a little weight loss went a long way for Nielsen, who was unrecognisable. Why is Nielsen a wanted criminal in Denmark? Nielsen and Jimmy Hayat, her son, are wanted for R247 million fraud. According to a News24 report, Nielsen was a staff member at the Danish Ministry for Social Affairs for more than four decades. Nielsen stands accused of transferring state funds, meant for the country's most vulnerable, to her own account between 2002 and this year. PAY ATTENTION: Save mobile data with FreeBasics: Briefly is now available on the app Hayat, who was caught by SAPS while trying to leave South Africa via OR International Airport, was found in possession of R5000 cash, as well as two diamonds in his bag. Cops also found R600k in Nielsen's possession when they arrested her. How did the pair land up in South Africa? About six weeks ago, Danish authorities found out about the massive fraud. However, the pair spent a lovely four weeks in South Africa before Mzansi's own authorities were alerted to their presence here. According to Bheki Cele, SA's Police Minister, local authorities were notified about the pair being in South Africe just two weeks ago. Why is it not making news headlines in South Africa? Did it not make major news headlines in South Africa because as South Africans, were just so desensitized to fraud and corruption? Or is there just so much else happening? In Denmark, the fraud case has been major news. For the Danes, a crime of this nature is not common place, whereas in SA, we're struggling to keep up with who has been implicated now. Even our own police officers are appearing in court on corruption charges. Senior officers, which include Gauteng's provincial commissioner, have appeared in court on carges of corruption. How does Nielsen's case compare to South Africa's cases of corruption? For the Danish, Nielsen's case is the symbol of a decline in confidence in trusted organisations, writes columist, Mandy Wiener. In South Africa, the same rings true for how citizens are losing confidence in organisations that are supposed to uphold law and order. Why did they choose South Africa as their safe haven? While the police acted quickly in arresting the pair, the question on everyone's lips now is why Nielsen and Hayat chose Mzansi as their hiding spot. Briefly.co.za gathered that sources close to the case said Nielsen visited South Africa shortly after her husband died. It's believed she fell in love with South Africa. Since her first visit, Nielsen purchased a number of properties here. However, the are other reasons why the world's most wanted criminals choose South Africa as their hiding spots. Here, they can live normal lives, go undetected, give themselves new names and live comfortably... without local police even batting an eye. Bulgarian Vili Georgiev - convicted murderer In a column written on News24, Wiener writes about Vili Georgiev, a Bulgarian man who was convicted of murdering a pharmacy student in a nightclub attack in Sophia. Georgiev was arrested in the Eastern Cape. But only after he was on the run for fourt years. The Hawks finally arrested him in Amsterdamhoek. In 2014, Georgiev absconded when he was set to start his 18-year jail term for the student's murder. In Bulgaria, every news outlet reported on Georgiev, which also sparked mass protests. Despite being a convicted killer, Georgiev was granted bail in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate's Court. It was reported he was given bail, because his extradition is underway. Radovan Krejcir and his cronies Let's not forget Czech fugitive, Radovan Krejcir, who has called SA home for several decades. While Krejcir didn't try to fly under the radar, many other criminals he knew were flying seemingly under SA authorities' radars. Jan Charvat, Krejcir's countryman, was on the Czech Republic's most wanted list. But, SA authorities only found out who Charvat was when he was killed during an explosion at Krejcir's Money Point offices. Serbian Dobrosov Gavric, aka the 'Arkan Slayer Probably one of the most surprising cases was that of Dobrosov Gavric, a Serbian who was also known as the 'Arkan Slayer.' Gavric had official South African identity documents, under the fake name Sasha Kovacevic. With his fake ID and fake name, Gavric bought properties, businesses and lived in Johannesburg and Cape Town. He was only identified as being Gavric when he was driving security boss, Cyril Beeka, during his assassination in 2011 and was wounded in the process. READ ALSO: Snake pastor pulls another stunt as he serves congregants champagne Serbians, Milan 'Miki' Duricic and Darko Kulic Duricic and Kulic had ties to organised crime and a history in paramilitary organisations, writes Wiener. Both were shot in apparent hits in Johannesburg. Duricic, along with Gavric, was wanted in Serbia for the murder of Serbian warlord, Zeljko 'Arkan' Razatovic 18 years ago. In July, Darko Kulic, an alleged mobster, was murdered. It's believed he fought in the Serbian Guard. Wiener also reports he served 12 years behind bars for killing a rival mobster. He then fled to South Africa. Experts believe there are several reasons why SA is a prime spot for criminals Experts suggest criminals choose Mzansi as their preferred destination because: 1. Because of our high standard of living; 2. Advance banking and business systems; 3. Coupled with the ineffectiveness of law enforcement and its susceptibility to corruption. Bheki Cele tells international criminals SA is closed for their type of 'business' After Nielsen and Hayat's arrest, minister Bheki Cele said he hoped their arrests would serve as a warning to others wanted to use South Africa to get away from the law. Cele said arrests like these serve as a warning to others who commit crimes and look for refuge in South Africa: "South Africa is not a safe haven for criminals.". Enjoyed reading our story? Download BRIEFLY's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major South African news! Source: Briefly.co.za News / National by Staff reporter Former Information Communication Technology minister Supa Mandiwanzira, who is facing charges of criminal abuse of office, was yesterday granted $2 000 by chief magistrate Mishrod Guvamombe.As part of his bail conditions, Mandiwanzira, who was represented by Selby Hwacha and Brian Hungwe, was ordered to surrender his passport, title deeds of a property valued at $100 000, to reside at the given address and to report twice a week at Borrowdale Police Station.He was also ordered not to interfere with State witnesses who include former NetOne directors and board members Ozias Bvute, Sam Kundishona, Reward Kangai, Brian Mutandiro and Alex Marufu.The State alleges that on June 26, 2013, former NetOne chief executive officer Kangai and a Chinese company Huawei Technologies entered into a contract for the supply of network expansion and modernisation equipment to the tune of $218 954 843.After signing the contract, NetOne secured a loan with China Exim Bank through the Finance ministry represented by Patrick Chinamasa. It is alleged on January 19, 2015, Megawatt Energy, a South African company owned by Lui Xiadong wrote to Mandiwanzira, seeking a meeting with the minister. Mandiwanzira agreed to engage Megawatt supposedly on a pro-bono basis.Megawatt, it is alleged, jointly owned a property in Johannesburg with Mandiwanzira's company Blue Nightingale. Mandiwanzira engaged Megawatt without going to tender and in the absence of a contract, according to the State case.Mandiwanzira convened a meeting and directed Marufu and Kangai to pay $4 million to Megawatt, but the State-owned mobile phone operator refused as there was no contract. In the second count, Mandiwanzira allegedly brought Tawanda Chinembiri, who was employed at AB Communications, as head of finance and business development as his personal assistant.It is alleged on February 3, 2016, Mandiwanzira appointed Chinembiri to be the ministry's representative to sit on both Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority and Universal Services Fund board meetings. Chinembiri allegedly went on to receive $35 000 in board allowances. News / National by Mandla Ndlovu Opposition Movement for Democratic Change has issued a condolence message to the victims of the bus crash that occurred on Tuesday evening.Forty seven people, 45 adults and two children, were killed, while 70 others were injured when two buses collided head-on at the 166 kilometre peg along the Harare-Mutare Highway.In a statement issued by the MDC Spokesperson Jacob Mapfume the party said, "The President Adv. Nelson Chamisa and the entire MDC family joins the nation in mourning 47 compatriots who died in the Rusape bus accident."Their passing is untimely, the loss of life is sad, painful and leaves life-long negative impact not only for the families but the Zimbabwean community."We share the pain of the families of the deceased. We therefore express our condolences. Our thoughts and prayers are with these families. We recommit the party to contributing to the fight against road carnage."May their families find comfort in these trying times. May their souls rest in eternal peace."Police Spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said The accident occurred at the 166km peg on the Harare Mutare Road, just after the Rusape tollgate drifting towards Harare."The accident involved a Bolt Cutter bus that was heading towards Mutare which collided with a Smart Express bus which was going to Harare. Police are still attending the accident scene."Makoni district administrator and chairman of the district Civil Protection Unit (CPU) Mr Darlington Museka said Rusape General Hospital mortuary was overwhelmed and they had engaged Nyaradzo Funeral Services for assistance.District medical officer Dr Tendai Nyafesu said the general hospital mortuary had capacity for 16 bodies, but can be stretched to accommodate 36. News / National by Mandla Ndlovu South Africa has come under fire over the Grand Inga Dam, a mammoth hydroelectric project, on the Congo River in the western Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).International Rivers, an NGO dedicated to the global struggle to protect rivers and the rights of communities that depend on them, has appealed to the Southern Africa Permanent People's Tribunal seeking to oppose the implementation of the project which is set to commence next year.The Southern Africa Permanent People's Tribunal will meet in Newtown, Johannesburg on Friday 9 November to hear cases of environmental and human rights violations, including arguments against the Inga 3 hydroelectric project in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).Community representatives from the DRC will be present at the Tribunal and will outline the disastrous human, social and environmental consequences should the project go ahead. This will include the displacement of more than 30 000 people in the DRC as well as threats to the region's biodiversity as a result of the destruction of aquatic plant and animal species of the Congo River.The planned Inga 3 project is the result of a Treaty signed between the South African and DRC governments in 2014.South Africa is a key partner, having pledged repeatedly to buy the excess electricity produced by the dam. The government signed the Grand Inga Hydropower Project Treaty, which commits South Africa to buying 2 500 megawatts (MW) of electricity if the Inga 3 Dam actually gets up and running. As the department of energy told Parliament in 2016, according to the parliamentary monitoring group: Without South Africa, the project would not go ahead.South Africa s military is also understood to be uneasy about the Inga plan. Having critical energy infrastructure outside a country s borders is a national security problem. To get power from Inga 3, power lines will have to span thousands of kilometres, which is likely to traverse the DRC, Zambia and Zimbabwe.Complicating things even further is the likely effect of climate change and shifting rainfall patterns all hydropower projects are dependent on a steady flow of water. But the Congo River basin has had three decades of declining rainfall. Research based on satellite photographs of the region shows that the vegetation is steadily becoming less green, indicating lower rainfall and higher temperatures. The basin is also shared by six countries, each with their own plans for using the water. Opinion / Columnist The immediate past government of Robert Mugabe assembled a National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) mandated to investigate and make recommendations on past injustices in Zimbabwe. The need to set up this Commission was necessitated by the disquiet brewed by the post independence violence whose saddle were the Matabeleland and Midlands provinces.Sporadic violence sparked by armed militia broke after mainly Zipra combatants refused to accept the end of the war and the instruction that all former fighters in the war were to be demobilised and surrender arms of war to the winning government led by Zanu which had won the watershed election of February 1980.Refusal by the Zipra combatants to be demobilised was also influenced by their lack of acceptance of loss of the election.It ought be hastily indicated that Zipra was the Zapu military wing led by Joshua Nkomo. Its activities were epicentred in Matabeleland and their influence stretched into North Western Zimbabwe where they made a useful retreat into Zambia which had gained independence a decade earlier. Zapu therefore exploited the war from Zambia, forking in and out of Zimbabwe as necessity and convenience dictated. Because of this, a huge majority of the party's support base was Matabeleland and isolated pockets of the Midlands. This meant that the party's support base was demographically inferior to its major competitor, Zanu. Meanwhile Zanu penetrated the country from Mozambique which shares the longest border with Zimbabwe with contact with four provinces.Considering that Zapu felt that they were victims of the disturbances, they cried loudest and continue doing so today. This is despite that violence broke out following their refusal to accept the end of the war. No Government can sit on its laurels knowing the existence of armed militia within its borders.Countries with a legend of armed civil conflict are home to uncontrolled armed bandits outside government barracks. Such an arrangement cannot sustain continued peace and domestic security.According to eyewitnesses interviewed by Zenzele Ndebele in his documentary Gukurahundi Genocide 36 years later, villagers in Matabeleland were also at the receiving end of the former Zipra combatants who harassed, tortured, raped and killed demanding reconnaissance information on the government forces pursuing them.The irony of the 'dissidents' behaviour is they were attacking the population whose political rights they were claiming to protect when they refused to hand in weapons and give sole rights to managing arms to a recognized government. These dissidents also took their violence to other provinces far away from Matabeleland. The name Gwesela is synonymous with the word dissident in every of Zimbabwe's 60 districts because he roamed in every village in Zimbabwe before he was put down by the national army. It becomes evident that the dissidents were seeking to make the country ungovernable and destabilize the Government of the day.The noise surrounding the Gukurahundi problem lies in one group attempting to claim exclusive victim rights ahead of others. Secondly, the same group is not appreciating Government sincerity on its clear intention to investigate and bring closure to the dark era.Thirdly, Gukurahundists want to frame the 1980s as the only period in Zimbabwe when there was tribal attrition.If history is to be read well, it is a well known fact that there was inter tribal conflict which carried injustices never corrected to date.The very land now claimed to be Matabeleland today was once Mashonaland under the Changamire Dynasty. The Ndebeles were retreating from a pursuing Tshaka Zulu army following misunderstandings between Tshaka and Mzilikazi at Durban over spoils of war. After crossing the Limpopo, the war weary but experienced Ndebele Force overran Mashonaland tribes, raiding cattle, grain, women and able bodied young men. Often times, the raiding party could raid a whole kingdom and assimilate it into the raiding nation's ranks. These surrogate Ndebeles make the bulk of what are identified as Ndebeles in Zimbabwe today.The Ndebele raids impoverished their victim tribes in both human and material resources. Because then there was no internationalism of African affairs, all these injustices are not on the past injustices diary.This article is not seeking to justify Gukurahundi, neither is it calling for reparations of the Mzilikazi and Lobengula menaces. If anything, the frequent raids infused Ndebele blood into Mashonaland and vice versa. Today, there is hardly any pure Ndebele nor Shona. All raided Shona girls and women were quickly turned into wives and mothers.Yours truly is a hybrid of this Ndebele-Shona interaction. My great grandfather was raided during his teens at Chirumhanzu where he was made a slave boy before being allotted into the Ndebele regiment. His good service and loyalty in servitude earned him freedom plus a Ndebele girl to become wife. Today, my aunts and uncles speak good Ndebele earned from their father born of a Ndebele mother. The Ndebele grandmother died in Mashonaland in the 1960s speaking a variegated language fused with intertwining Shona and Ndebele sentences.So should I celebrate and take sides when I see a fight between the two tribes? Neither do my children and the children of their children's children have any moral ground to take sides because we all have Tshaka Zulu and Changamire's blood running in us. We are cousins sharing direct DNA from our respective ancestors. Tribal fault lines today are never natural but social constructs of people oblivious of the dangers of homophobia. Some of the loudest tribalists are themselves descendants of tribes that were raided and conscripted into a tribe they are bidding for against their original kinsmen.So, all the loud talk of inter-tribe hostility must be allowed to die a natural death. We are one people. If anything, tribalism is a catalyst of neo-colonialism's divide and rule strategy. Our yesteryear colonisers also have tribes. Only that they do not talk about them because such talk does not improve a nation's Gross Domestic Product. Let the NPRC do its job unhindered. Picketing on its doors or inboxes reduces its pace and space of doing business. The new administration of Emmerson Mnangagwa in its wisdom saw the value of the peace body and the need to maintain it so as to bring closure to all past injustices in order to build a pedestal for sustainable peace today and into the future. Peace begins with you. Opinion / Columnist There are quite a number of factors that affect service delivery in most towns and cities. Mostly, service delivery is as a result of poor management, corruption and misplaced priorities by local municipalities and this has been negatively affecting economic growth of local towns and cities.For a long time, the MDC led councils have failed dismally in handling public funds. Local authorities get their revenue from payments for service delivered charges to residents. From these collections, local authorities are legally obliged by the Urban Councils Act chapter 29; 15 second schedule section 198 paragraph 17, to provide services such as water, sewerage, drainage, street lighting and fire services among others to the community.In order to meet quality service delivery commitments, local authorities need to seize the opportunities that are available to them and overcome revenue collection challenges. It is imperative to assess the effectiveness of revenue collection and match it against service delivery in every town and city to promote the proper use of revenue collected by these councillors.Recently, the MDC led Gweru city council management exposed their misplaced priorities when they put forward a 2019 budget submission where they are planning to purchase all-terrain 44 vehicles for top officials and a posh Mercedes Benz for their mayor Josiah Makombe which are worth about $660 000.Local authorities are a crucial part of the economy and their proper functioning has a great impact on a nation's economy and the living standards of the people. In the past few months, there was a cholera outbreak in most parts of Harare where a number of people lost their precious lives. This outbreak was attributed mostly to poor service delivery in Harare by the city fathers which include failing to provide adequate clean water as well as failing to frequently collect garbage.City councils should therefore make sure that people in their areas have at least the basic services they need. These services have a direct and immediate effect on the people's quality of life in communities. It is worthy to note that poor services can also make it difficult to attract businesses or investors to an area and will also limit job opportunities for residents.Recently speaking at the Public Sector Audit Conference in Harare, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said in the second republic, the Government will not tolerate siphoning of public funds for nefarious and selfish gains. The President said it was disheartening that Government was losing large amounts of money due to fraud. President Mnangagwa said those public officials who would be found on the wrong side of the law shall also face the full wrath of the law.City councils should take a leaf from Government on how it handled the issue of purchasing vehicles for ministers and legislators. Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Professor Mthuli Ncube said Government suspended the purchase of these vehicles and channelled some of the funds towards the containment of the cholera outbreak. The Government's decision was positive and welcomed by many citizens.In that regard, spending public funds obliges Government or any public office to make choices on priorities, through a regular budgetary cycle of planning, negotiation and implementation.Thus, local municipalities should maximise the effectiveness of public revenue collections through securing the greatest value from the spending decisions, avoiding waste, fraud and corruption.All local municipalities should be concerned about the people's safety and healthy first at the expense of purchasing luxurious vehicles.In the past most MDC councillors were fingered in underhand deals which compromised service delivery and in some cases government had to intervene to rescue the situation, for instance the current project to resurface badly damaged roads due to unrepaired potholes.Continuous leadership of local authorities by MDC councillors is stifling development. In actual fact, their leadership has proved to be disastrous. At least 150 Canadian Union of Postal Workers members took to the picket line on Wednesday in Fredericton as the union continues to fight for a new contract with Canada Post. George Nickerson, the president of the CUPW Fredericton-Oromocto local, said it was Fredericton's turn to participate following rotating strikes in Moncton and Saint John. CBC Canada Post employees in seven New Brunswick communities are off the job on Wednesday morning. This is a part of a rotating strike strategy by the CUPW, who have been without contracts for almost a year. Canada Post announced the strike overnight and communities and regions affected include: Fredericton Acadie Bathurst Campbellton Edmundston Miramichi St. Stephen Woodstock This means there will be no delivery service, mail or parcel pickup in those areas. Nickerson said he believes the strike in these areas will only last a day but could be up to three days like in Moncton. Moncton and Saint John, the only two locations not on the picket line today, were on strike over the weekend, Nickerson said. He said Saint John is sending a few people to Fredericton to show support. This is the second time in almost two weeks that Canada Post employees have gone on strike in New Brunswick. At the end of October, employees in Saint John were also part of the rotating strike across Canada. The strike has shut down Canada Post operations in more than 100 communities across the country since Oct. 22. The union, which has more than 50,000 members across the country, is pushing for improved job security, an end to forced overtime and better health and safety measures. Nickerson said the safety for postal workers is the most important thing for him when it comes to issues on the bargaining table. "We're getting injured," he said. "It's a dangerous job we're doing here these days." Canada Post said in a statement it remains committed to the bargaining process. "The corporation has made significant offers to CUPW that include increased wages, job security, and improved benefits, and it has not asked for any concessions in return," the Crown corporation said in a statement. "We value the relationship with the union and have been able to find common ground on some issues." Negotiations between the union and the government started in November 2017, while mediated talks started in January. A meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a senior North Korean envoy has been delayed, throwing stalemated diplomacy over the North's nuclear weapons into further uncertainty. The State Department said in a short statement Wednesday the officials would meet later "when our respective schedules permit." It offered no reason, and North Korea's propaganda services have not mentioned the meeting. After last year's fears of war, North Korea and the United States are trying to revive stalled diplomacy meant to rid the North of its nuclear weapons. There was much talk of the possibility of success following a meeting in June between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, but in the months since there has been little to quiet skeptics who believe the North will never give up weapons it has described as necessary to counter a hostile Washington. Pompeo was supposed to travel to New York on Thursday to meet with his North Korean counterpart, Kim Yong-chol. The U.S. State Department earlier said the top U.S. envoy for North Korea, Stephen Biegun, was to join Pompeo and Kim to discuss how to get to what it calls "achieving the final, fully verified denuclearization" of North Korea. South Korea vague but optimistic South Korean presidential spokesperson Kim Eui-kyeom said later Wednesday that his government doesn't believe U.S.-North Korea negotiations have completely broken down or "lost their momentum" because of the postponement. Seoul's Foreign Ministry also expressed hope that the U.S. and North Korea can quickly reschedule a high-level meeting. South Korea's presidential Blue House said the United States had informed it of the talks' postponement in advance. But the Blue House would not reveal the reason for the postponement, referring questions to the State Department. Andrew Harnik/Associated Press News of the postponement came after North Korea's Foreign Ministry criticized the U.S. on Friday for its continued support of sanctions and hinted it may resume nuclear development. Story continues In a statement, North Korea warned it could bring back Kim Jong-un's "byongjin" policy of simultaneously advancing its nuclear arsenal and its economic development if the United States doesn't change its stance. The North stopped short of threatening to abandon nuclear negotiations with Washington. Koh Yu-hwan, a North Korea expert at Seoul's Dongguk University and a policy adviser to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, said a high-level meeting between the U.S. and North Korea immediately after the U.S. midterm elections was never realistic, especially when the North was in no mood to make any concrete concessions. Trump's engagement with North Korea in recent months was apparently timed to the midterms, but he will no longer agree to major meetings if there are no realistic expectations of progress in nuclear diplomacy, Koh said. Bethesda, MD, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This week, the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the U.S. government's principal agency for cancer research, announced funding for new adult and pediatric brain cancer research projects. The funding, totaling $4 million, was driven by the leadership of the NCI and concerted advocacy efforts of the U.S. brain tumor community, led by the Eliminate Cancer Initiative (ECI), the National Brain Tumor Society (NBTS), and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation (PBTF). The funding stems from recommendations made by a diverse group of stakeholders, including researchers and patients, who participated in the inaugural U.S. Brain Cancer Mission Roundtable meeting in May 2018. The Eliminate Cancer Initiative has been championing collaborative initiatives focused on cancer prevention, as well as the discovery and development of innovative cancer treatments. Since its inception in 2017, ECI is proud to have supported Brain Cancer Missions in the US, UK, Australia and China, said Karen Smith, ECIs CEO. This generous funding kicks off our efforts in the US to bring relevant groups together with an unwavering focus on defying the odds and making cancer a treatable, non-fatal disease for the next generation. The two community-driven projects that received the combined $4 million in NCI funding with each receiving $1 million per year for two years are: GBM CARE (Cellular Analysis of Resistance and Evolution) This project will use single-cell sequencing analysis to provide in-depth understanding of the genomic, epigenomic, and immunological characteristics of individual adult glioblastoma tumors. This information, combined with clinical data sets from across a large consortium of U.S. research institutions, will provide unprecedented insights into the biology of GBM and reveal new potential treatment targets. (Cellular Analysis of Resistance and Evolution) This project will use single-cell sequencing analysis to provide in-depth understanding of the genomic, epigenomic, and immunological characteristics of individual adult glioblastoma tumors. This information, combined with clinical data sets from across a large consortium of U.S. research institutions, will provide unprecedented insights into the biology of GBM and reveal new potential treatment targets. Project HOPE (High-Grade Glioma-Omics in Pediatric and AYA) This project will also use single-cell sequencing approaches designed to capture critical information on tumor cell types and the tumor microenvironment that are missed by traditional sequencing techniques. This information will generate new discoveries about tumor growth and progression and will ultimately inform the development of more effective treatments for pediatric and young adult patients. Both efforts will be managed out of nine cancer centers throughout the U.S. that will share technical infrastructure and resources. Critically, these institutions will, in turn, engage in data sharing and multi-institutional teamwork across multiple other research centers in the U.S. to drive new discoveries for brain tumor patients. GBM Care and Project Hope are positioned to confront the complexity and treatment resistance challenges brain tumors present, which is necessary to improve the survival rates of glioblastoma and pediatric brain tumor patients. said David Arons, Chief Executive Officer, National Brain Tumor Society. In light of the recent Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer, the NCI clearly recognizes that the current status quo in glioblastoma and pediatric brain tumors is unacceptable, and that new efforts such as these are vital to finding better treatments. We thank the NCI for responding to the concerns of patient advocates and the U.S. Brain Cancer Roundtable recommendations that called for using state-of-the-art sequencing approaches. Malignant brain tumors, commonly referred to simply as brain cancer, intersect three challenging disease areas cancer, neurological disease, and rare disease. Malignant brain tumors can be devastating diseases because they are both a threat to life and sense of self. The five- and ten-year survival rates for all brain tumors are 33% and 13.5%. In adult glioblastoma (GBM), there is a much shorter five-year relative survival rate of 4.7%. In pediatrics, brain tumors are now the leading cause of cancer death in children and adolescents (ages 0-19), and sadly, those with high-grade gliomas, including diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), have the worst median survival at less than 14 months. There is currently no universally accepted standard of care for DIPG. Collaborating to fund and advocate for brain tumor research is the only way we will truly defeat this devastating disease, said Dr. Joanne Salcido, Vice President of Research and Advocacy, Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. The clinically relevant analyses at the single-cell level of Project HOPE parallel the brain tumor communitys end goals for precision medicine at the individual patient level. The results of this groundbreaking endeavor will set up the research community as a whole for greater and more rapid success in translating discoveries into curative treatment options for children and adolescents with brain tumors. Participating in the GBM CARE project will be researchers from Columbia University; Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Duke Cancer Institute; Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center; The Jackson Laboratory; Mayo Clinic; Massachusetts General Hospital; MD Anderson Cancer Center; Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; Northwestern University; University of Alabama, Birmingham; University of California, Los Angeles; University of California, San Diego; and the University of California, San Francisco. The Project HOPE project will include investigators from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh; Children's National Health System; Childrens Hospital Los Angeles; Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center; Dana-Farber/Boston Childrens Hospital; Emory University School of Medicine and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta; The Jackson Laboratory; Johns Hopkins Hospital and Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center; Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago; Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medical Center; Seattle Children's Hospital; Stanford University; Texas Children's Hospital; University of California, San Diego and Rady Childrens Hospital; and the University of California, San Francisco. About Eliminate Cancer Initiative In May 2017, Australias leading philanthropists, Andrew and Nicola Forrest donated $75 million to be applied as seed capital to the Eliminate Cancer Initiative (ECI), an organization that will encourage the global cancer research community to coordinate and collaborate on research to find novel therapies and cures to cancer. ECIs mission is to make cancer non-fatal so that eventually it has minimal impact on life or life style for the next generation. ECIs flagship projects include tobacco prevention, innovative clinical trials, and the Universal Cancer Databank. ECI wants to (i) eliminate suffering by putting patients and families first, (ii) eliminate silos by developing a sincere culture of collaboration, (iii) eliminate competition by crossing traditional boundaries, and (iv) eliminate fear and skepticism by building trust. Visit www.eliminatecancer.org to learn more. About National Brain Tumor Society National Brain Tumor Society (NBTS) is the largest nonprofit organization in the U.S. dedicated to the brain tumor community. We are fiercely committed to finding better treatments and driving rapid progress toward a cure for brain tumors. We drive a multi-faceted and thoughtful approach to aggressively influence and fund strategic research, as well as advocate for public policy changes, in order to achieve the greatest impact, results, and progress for brain tumor patients. Money raised by the generous gifts from our supporters have funded groundbreaking discoveries, programs, clinical trials, and policy initiatives. Visit www.braintumor.org to learn more. About Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation As the world's leading nonprofit dedicated to children and teens with brain tumors, the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundations mission is to care for families along their journey, cure all childhood brain tumors, and help survivors and families thrive. Since 1991, we have funded more than $30 million in scientific discovery to increase survivorship, improve quality of life, and ultimately eliminate pediatric brain tumors. We also provide emotional, informational, and logistical support to help families navigate their journey, including the Starfolio Resource Notebook for the newly diagnosed, emergency financial assistance Butterfly Fund, and award-winning Imaginary Friend Society. Our signature Ride for Kids, Starry Night, and Vs. Cancer events rally supporters across the country, and regional chapters provide critical on-the-ground support to families. Visit www.curethekids.org/mission to learn more. -30- 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. . ..Algemeiner..07 November '18..Thethis week features a long and admiring obituary of a British feminist poet named Judith Kazantzis. She died on September 18, the Times reports.Its not immediately clear why Kazantzis is significant enough a figure to rate even a belated obituary attention from the, which, after all, cant be bothered to run full news obituaries of significant American Jewish communal figures such as Shoshana Cardin. A search of theonline archives discloses that no book written by Kazantzis was ever reviewed by the. Nor does she appear to have ever written for the paper or been quoted by it. The same search discloses that she was mentioned in the papers news columns only twice, in passing, in half a sentence of a profile of her sister that appeared in 1984, and very briefly in a 2002 obituary of her mother.Theobituary is glowingly positive, calling the poets work intelligent but not didactic, powerful but not polemic. It could be witty, with traces of sarcasm.What accounts for theposthumous discovery of and love letter to this poet? The giveaway comes toward the end: CBI member, Akzo Nobel has made public its intention to expand its presence in Mainland China through acquisitions off the back of rising sales. Sales in China - which is the companys largest single market - rose to $1.7 billion in 2017. This growth has been attributed to a rise in demand from Chinese millennials for paints and home decoration products. According to Akzo Nobels China President, Lin Liangqi, the company is performing well because sales of new homes have slowed in China [making it] the right time for [Akzo Nobel] to adjust their strategies in the big market. Millennials refer to those aged 24 to 38 years old and make up a market of 400 million consumers. As the cost of real-estate has risen over the last year, so has the demand for re-painting. As a result, the average household in China has begun to fall more in line with those in Western markets, choosing to repaint their homes every 3 years, compared to at least every 8 years in China. Akzo Nobel is having particular success in China with its two brands, Dulux and Nippon Paint. Both owned by Akzo Nobel, they are the two best-selling foreign paint brands in China. According to the China National Coatings Industry Association, Chinas home repainting market could see annual sales of more than $14.5 billion in the next couple of years. With a wider range of colours and reputation for ecologically friendly products, Dulux (owned by Akzo Nobel) is well positioned to profit against domestic competition and brands which carry poor reputations following a series of scandals involving paints containing carcinogens and giving off poisonous fumes. Akzo Nobels sales in China accounted for 12.3% of the companys global sales. The company operates 15 factories in the Mainland and employs roughly 6,000 workers. Please read more here. Just prior to the 2018 IPCPR Trade Show, Mel Shah and Bombay Tobak announced their third line known as MQBA. Bombay Tobak had great success in the past four years in developing its two prior brands: MBombay and Gaaja. MQBA was an ambitious project being taken on. First up, MQBA would be a line that would feature tobaccos from a single farm. Its the location of the farm that is most interesting as Bombay Tobak has leased a farm in Ventana, Ecuador; which makes the MQBA an Ecuadorian puro something not commonly seen in the industry. With the MQBA set to hit the retail shelves, we had an opportunity to smoke the MQBA in the Nikka (Lonsdale) size. Bombay Tobak has positioned MQBA as a part of its Vintage Reserve series. The Vintage Reserve Series started late in 2015 and it is a series that focuses on aged tobaccos in the blend. The first installment of the series was under the MBombay brand with the MBombay KeSara Vintage Reserve Nikka. This was followed up a year later with the MBombay Vintage Reserve Lancero 1973. With the MQBA line focusing on aged tobaccos as well, it made sense to make MQBA an extension of the Vintage Reserve Series. In the case of MQBA, it is using tobaccos from the 2009 crop from the farm in Ventana. Without further ado, lets break down the MQBA Nikka and see what this cigar brings to the table. SPECIFICATIONS Blend and Origin As mentioned, the MQBA line consists of 100% Ecuadorian tobacco from Ventana, Ecuador. Consistent with the other brands by Bombay Tobak cigars, it is produced at the Tabacos de Costa Rica factory in Costa Rica. Wrapper: Ecuadorian Binder: Ecuadorian Filler: Ecuadorian Country of Origin: Costa Rica Factory: Tabacos de Costa Rica Vitolas Offered The MQBA is available in four lines with each blend optimized to the vitola. The cigars are presented in 24-count boxes. They will also be available in gift packs. The Diadem will be in three-count gift packs while the other sizes are available in four-count gift packs. Nikka: 6 1/2 x 42 Torpedo: 6 x 52 Toro: 6 x 52 Diadem: 7 x 56 Appearance The Ecuadorian wrapper of the MQBA Nikka was a touch darker than a traditional Connecticut Shade wrapper as it had a near caramel color to it. The surface of the wrapper contained some oil on it. While there were some thin visible veins and thin visible wrappers, this was also a relatively smooth wrapper. The MQBA Nikka also contained a closed footer. There are two bands on the MQBA Diadem. Each is white with a white-gold font. The center of the primary band contains an image of a peacock on an ovular background. A dotted pattern surrounds the image. To the far right is the text MBOMBAY. A secondary band rests just below the primary band. It is also white with white-gold font. The text Vintage Reserve is in cursive font. There is a white gold pinstripe above and below. PERFORMANCE Pre-Light Draw A straight cut was used to remove the cap of the MQBA Nikka. It was then on to the pre-light draw phase. The cold draw delivered a mix of cream. butter, and cedar. While it seemed like a simple flavor profile, this was an excellent dry draw. At this point, it was time to light up the MQBA Nikka and see what the smoking phase would have in store. Tasting Notes The MQBA Nikka started out with a mix of cream, cedar, hay, and black pepper. Early on the cream and cedar notes moved into the forefront. While the cream and cedar alternated in intensity, the cream had more of the edge during the first third. Meanwhile, the hay and black pepper settled in the background. During the early stages, a sweet tea note also emerged in the background. On the retro-hale, there was an additional layer of cedar present. During the second third of the MQBA Nikka, the sweet tea notes took on an herbal quality. These tea notes increased in intensity while the cream present in the forefront decreased. By the midway point, the herbal sweet tea notes joined the cedar in the forefront. Meanwhile, the cream notes settled in the background along with the black pepper. The last third saw the cedar and herbal tea notes in the forefront. Some of the sweetness present with the tea subsided. In the background, there were still some notes of hay and black pepper. The cream notes significantly decreased, but didnt totally dissipate. This is the way the MQBA Nikka came to a close. The resulting nub was firm to the touch and cool in temperature. Burn Overall the burn performed excellently. This is a cigar that had no problem maintaining a straight burn path. While there is a slight bit of waviness on the burn line in the photo below, this was more of the exception than the norm as this cigar maintained a straight burn line for most of the cigar experience. The resulting ash was light gray and was definitely skewed toward the firm side. Meanwhile, the burn rate and burn temperature were both ideal. Draw The draw of the MQBA Nikka was outstanding. This cigar had a touch of resistance which is something that I like. Sometimes a little resistance on a thin ring gauge can impede the cigar experience in terms of deriving flavor, but there was no such problem here. Strength and Body One thing I was a little surprised about is that the MQBA Nikka seemed to have a little more in the way of strength and body than the larger ring MQBA Diadem. At the same time, this was not a bad thing and in the end, it worked out quite well for the blend. I found the MQBA Nikka to have medium strength and the level remained pretty constant from start to finish. The flavors started out medium-bodied, but linearly increased throughout the smoking experience. Just past the midway point, the flavors crossed the medium to full-bodied threshold. While the body continued to build up in the second half, it was at a much slower rate. In terms of strength versus body, I found the body had the edge throughout the smoking experience. OVERALL ASSESSMENT Final Thoughts Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to smoke a pre-release of the Diadem size of the MQBA, and was quite impressed with that cigar. The good news is the Nikka was equally impressive and it proves to me that an Ecuadorian puro can really work. While they have common characteristics, the Diadem and Nikka each tells its own story. I liked the additional boldness that the Nikka brought to the table and it excelled in the most important category flavor. While its a little bolder than the Diadem, its still a cigar that the novice and experienced cigar enthusiast can enjoy. As for myself, not only is this cigar box worthy, but its worthy of going up against Chuck Norris for. Summary Key Flavors: Cream, Cedar, Herbal Tea, Black Pepper, Hay Burn: Excellent Draw: Excellent Complexity: Medium Strength: Medium Body: Medium (1st Half), Medium to Full (2nd Half) Finish: Excellent Rating Value: Fight Chuck Norris for Them Score: 93 References News: Bombay Tobak to Launch MQBA at 2018 IPCPR Price: $12.00 Source: Bombay Tobak Brand Reference: Bombay Tobak Photo Credits: Cigar Coop AIM Hosts Seminar at Soldadura de Mexico Published: 08 November 2018 by Mike Buetow by Mike Buetow November 6th, 2018 Cd. Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico AIM Solder, a leading global manufacturer of solder assembly materials for the electronics industry, was pleased to host a technical seminar for its customers at AIM Soldadura de Mexico on October 25th, 2018. AIM Soldadura de Mexico is one of the largest and most prestigious solder manufacturers in Mexico. In the companys state-of-the-art applications lab, Manuel Munguia, Senior Technical Support Engineer, gave a number of demonstrations on topics such as profiling, sampling a solder pot and measuring flux applications. While highlighting the benefits and implications of finer mesh solder powder on critical aspects of solder paste performance, attendees also got a better understanding of key variables. This included powder size, effect of room-temperature storage, pause time and PCB feature types. With AIMs continued success in Mexico throughout the last 20 years, our commitment to train and support our employees and customers is ever-growing. These technical seminars, hosted in our facilities, are an integral part of this process. About Manuel Munguia Manuel Munguia is a Certified IPC Specialist with over fifteen years of experience in the solder assembly materials industry, four of which came from his former position with AIM as a Technical Applications Engineer. In his current role as Senior Technical Support Engineer, Manuel is responsible for supporting key corporate accounts in Mexico, Central and South America. About AIM Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, AIM Solder is a leading global manufacturer of assembly materials for the electronics industry with manufacturing, distribution and support facilities located throughout the world. AIM produces advanced solder products such as solder paste, liquid flux, cored wire, bar solder, epoxies, lead-free and halogen-free solder products, and specialty alloys such as indium and gold for a broad range of industries. A recipient of many prestigious SMT industry awards, AIM is strongly committed to innovative research and development of product and process improvement as well as providing customers with superior technical support, service and training. For more information about AIM, visit www.aimsolder.com. Upcoming Events: November 14-15, 2018 - SMTA Guadalajara Guadalajara, Mexico November 15, 2018 SMT Assembly Technology Seminar Shanghai, China November 28, 2018 SMTA Silicon Valley San Jose, CA Leader in Industrial Computing Solutions Unveils Latest Series of Servers Optimized for Deep-Learning IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Advantech , a leading provider of advanced hardware for global IoT and automation, will exhibit its new line of high-powered scalable NVIDIA GPU servers, the SKY-6000 series, at the 2018 Supercomputing Conference (SC18) in Dallas, TX. The new SKY-6000 series servers sit at the forefront of advancement in utility for deep learning in artificial intelligence applications. While typical servers are only able to support 3 or 4 GPUs, the servers in the SKY-6000 line can support up to 10, yielding a vast increase in power and capability. All SKY-6000 model variants are validated to the new NVIDIA Tesla V100 Tensor Core GPU, the most advanced data center GPU ever built to accelerate AI, HPC and graphics. The servers are backed by Advantechs singular commitment to value and service, including long-life support, revision control and the ability to customize products, a level of service and support unique in the field. The annual Supercomputing Conference is an excellent and unique forum for us to demonstrate the capabilities of the new SKY-6000 servers, which we think represent the very best, said James Yung, Advantech Product Manager. We are eager for the chance to show off the full range of SKY-6000 capabilities, optimized with the top processing hardware from our valued partner, NVIDIA , to professionals in the fields of AI and supercomputing. The SKY-6100 is a 1U rackmount server that offers dual Intel Xeon scalable processors, up to 512GB DDR4 2666 MHz ECC-REG type memory, IPMI Function remote management support, expandable card decks, and 1200W 1+1 redundant power supply with 80 PLUS Platinum level certification. The SKY-6200, Advantechs 2U rackmount, includes all of the features of the 6100, but with memory expansion up to 768GB and enhanced card deck options, while the 4U model, the SKY-6400, offers DDR4 REG 2666/2400/2133/1866 MHz DIMM memory up to 384GB in addition to the comprehensive features of the other models. The versions described above support 5, 4 and 4 GPUs, respectively. The SC18 conference, which takes place November 11-16 at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in Dallas, TX, is a premier international showcase for advancements in the field of high-performance computing. Advantechs products will be available for demonstration at booth #3855 For more information, visit SC18 . ABOUT ADVANTECH: Advantech is the global leader of embedded, industrial, IoT and automation solution platforms. The 35-year-old, billion-dollar business is ranked a top 100 Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) company, with over 1,000 products and more than 8,000 employees working in 92 major cities worldwide. Advantech is renowned for developing and manufacturing high-quality, high-performance hardware and software computing components as well as complete platformsfocused on its vision of enabling an intelligent planet ( www.Advantech.com ). Advantech is a subsidiary of Advantech Co., Ltd (TAIDEX:2395). CONTACT: Leslie Licano, Beyond Fifteen Communications Leslie@beyondfifteen.com | 949-733-8679 WEDNESDAY, Nov. 7, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Untreatable, antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea has become a chilling prospect in the United States, raising concerns that people might someday have to live with the sexually transmitted bacteria. But now there's reason for hope. A newly developed antibiotic pill has proven effective against gonorrhea in early clinical trials. Zoliflodacin proved effective in treating gonorrhea infections of the urinary and genital tracts and rectum, researchers say. "Gonorrhea has become resistant to every antibiotic that has ever been used for it, so right now we're down to our last class of antibiotics that can be used," said lead researcher Dr. Stephanie Taylor, an infectious disease specialist in New Orleans. "This is very, very encouraging as a potential new antibiotic," added Taylor, medical director of the Louisiana State University-CrescentCare Sexual Health Center. The study results are published in the Nov. 8 New England Journal of Medicine. Gonorrhea rates have risen dramatically in recent years in the United States. More than 555,600 cases were reported nationally in 2017, an 18 percent increase over the previous year, said Dr. Susan Blank, assistant commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. And between 2013 and 2017, gonorrhea rates increased 67 percent. "It's a swiftly increasing infection in the United States," Blank said. "We are seeing some pretty steep increases. It's rarely fatal, but it can really profoundly impact quality of life." Currently, people with gonorrhea are treated with an injection of ceftriaxone, the only antibiotic still effective against the bacteria, Taylor said. "We know gonorrhea has an incredible capacity to develop resistance to antibiotics," Blank said. "Where we are right now, untreatable gonorrhea is a real possibility." Untreated gonorrhea can cause sterility in people, as well as pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy and destructive arthritis, Blank said. Babies exposed to gonorrhea by infected mothers can be stricken blind. "Gonorrhea also facilitates significantly the transmission of HIV infection between sex partners," said Blank, who wrote an editorial accompanying the new trial results. In this clinical trial with 141 participants, zoliflodacin proved nearly as effective as ceftriaxone. Zoliflodacin cured 96 percent of genital and urinary tract infections and 100 percent of rectal infections, compared with ceftriaxone's 100 percent effectiveness, the researchers reported. The new antibiotic struggled against gonorrhea infections in the throat, with a higher 3-gram dose clearing only 82 percent of infections compared with 100 percent effectiveness from ceftriaxone. "That historically has been the way gonorrhea of the throat has reacted," Taylor said. "It's always been difficult to treat." The most common side effects were gastrointestinal, and none required patients to go off the new medication, Taylor said. One limitation was that only 12 women participated in the trial. This was the second of three clinical trials needed for U.S. approval of zoliflodacin. Phase 3 trials will start next year, Taylor said. If those trials go well, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration would have data on hand to evaluate and approve the antibiotic by 2020. The agency already has granted the antibiotic a "fast track" designation. Although the development of zoliflodacin is encouraging, more antibiotics must be developed to keep countering gonorrhea and other antibiotic-resistant germs, Taylor and Blank said. "Even if this antibiotic were perfect, we know gonorrhea will outsmart it," Blank said. "We need things in the back pocket. We don't know how quickly it will outsmart it." Doctors and public health officials also must continue efforts to detect and treat gonorrhea, Blank said. People who are sexually active need to use condoms to prevent transmission of gonorrhea, which disproportionately spreads among blacks, Hispanics and Native Americans, she noted. "Controlling gonorrhea in a population requires a whole bunch of connected activities," Blank said. The clinical trial was funded in part by zoliflodacin's co-developer Entasis Therapeutics, a spinoff of AstraZeneca. More information The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about gonorrhea. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram Abidjan, November 8, 2018Authorities in Cameroon should immediately release and drop all charges against Mimi Mefo, the head of English news and a presenter for the privately owned Equinoxe television and radio station, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Mefo, who also runs Mimi Mefo Info, her own news website, was arrested and taken to the central New Bell prison in Douala yesterday, where she remains after having been summoned to appear before the national gendarmerie, Mefos lawyer Tamfu Richard told CPJ. Mefo was questioned for several hours, charged with publishing and propagating information that infringes on the territorial integrity of the Republic of Cameroon, and scheduled to appear before a military tribunal on November 12, according to Richard. Prior to her arrest, Mefo told CPJ that the summons was no surprise, as she had received several threats for her reporting on unrest in the western, Anglophone regions of Cameroon. Cameroon cannot be allowed to suppress coverage of unrest in its western, Anglophone regions by detaining journalists like Mimi Mefo. She must be released immediately, said CPJ Deputy Executive Director Robert Mahoney. The charge of publishing information that infringes on territorial integrity is a laughable smokescreen for censorship, plain and simple. Late last month, Cameroonian authorities arrested Michel Biem Tong, editor of the privately owned Hurinews website. He has yet to be freed or charged, according to CPJ research. EDITORS NOTE: The text has been modified in the third paragraph to update Mahoneys quote. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram New York, November 8, 2018The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on authorities in the Libyan city of Ajilat to end their persecution of freelance journalist Mukhtar al-Halak, who is due in court on November 12 on charges of criminal defamation and publishing state security secrets. Members of the security directorate in the western city of Ajilat arrested al-Halak on October 11, after lodging a defamation complaint against the journalist, the Libyan Center for Freedom of the Press and the Libyan Journalists Independent Syndicate told CPJ. The complaint relates to al-Halaks coverage of allegations of government corruption, Reda al-Hani, co-founder of the Libyan Journalists Independent Syndicate, told CPJ. The security directorate is backed by Libyas Government of National Accord (GNA), the U.N.-recognized government that controls the western region of Libya, and operates under the Ministry of Interior. Al-Halak told CPJ on November 7 that the directorate accused him of defamation over an article he wrote on Facebook about the disappearance of vehicles the directorate received from the Ministry of Interior. He said the directorate also accused him of publishing state secrets after the journalist posted an image of a telegram between Libyan security forces who were anticipating an Islamic State attack on a petroleum complex. If convicted, al-Halak faces a maximum sentence of one year in prison, Ameen Ahmed, a member of the Libyan Center for Freedom of the Press, told CPJ. Authorities in Ajilat should immediately cease their persecution of freelance journalist Mukhtar al-Halak and drop all charges against him, said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Sherif Mansour in Washington, D.C. Taking legal action against a journalist who reported on issues of national importance is an unacceptable response, in this case from a government backed by the U.N. Al-Halak told CPJ he was arrested at the security directorates office after being invited to cover a meeting there. The journalist said that the officers verbally abused him while he was being questioned. While detained in an Ajilat police station, al-Halak took pictures of the squalid conditions, which were shared by Libyan Facebook users. Authorities detained al-Halak until October 22, when he was released on bail of 300 Libyan dinars (US$218), according to the Libyan Center for Freedom of the Press. When contacted by CPJ through Facebook, Ajilats security directorate said it could not comment on the case via electronic correspondence and said it could provide comment only in person at its offices. Al-Halak works as a freelance journalist, providing photography and video footage for various Libyan news outlets, al-Hani told CPJ. He was a photographer for Alassema TV in Ajilat, until the channel stopped broadcasting in 2014. Al-Halak also reports on corruption, Ahmed, from the Libyan Center for Freedom of the Press, told CPJ. The journalist posted most of his reports and commentary on a private Facebook profile. In Ajilat, Facebook users often re-posted local news reports from al-Halaks profile. Authorities have previously harassed the journalist. Al-Hani said that the Ajilat Education Office submitted two defamation complaints against him on February 27, 2017 over his coverage of a teachers strike and reporting on alleged corruption by the Education Office. The journalist told CPJ the complaints were withdrawn after documents proving the Education Offices corruption emerged. Soprano, Ice cream and Security Tokens - Exploring New Crypto Trends As the Initial Coin Offering (ICO) hype is waning, more projects are exploring the idea of Security Token Offerings (STOs). Source: iStock/subjug With a [coin offering] thats clearly a security (like a stock or bond), every business with a new idea can tap into the growing pool of liquidity provided by crypto markets. If youre running a small company, you just sell a part of the company through a token offering. That offering can come with the promise of dividends, voting rights for token-holders and, most important, accountability to investors, according to Juan Villaverde, an econometrician and mathematician, team lead at Weiss Ratings, a veteran firm dedicated to analyzing investments. Therefore, even traditional businesses have launched STOs. Now, a Lithuanian ice cream shop chain called Soprano is dipping into the world of STOs as a means to raise capital to finance their expansion into Europe. They have already been operating in Lithuania for 18 years, and now they have just concluded their first investing round, led by Antanas Guoga, Member of European Parliament, a serial entrepreneur, investor, and backer of Cryptonews.com, and local entrepreneur Vytenis Maziulis, both bringing equal investment. The network, comprised of seven shops operating in Vilnius, Kaunas and Klaipeda is soon starting its second funding round, which will be done in the form of an STO. The business currently has 46 employees and EUR 1-2 million turnover, and is looking to expand into Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Germany and other countries. Cryptonews.com talked to Antanas Guoga about what the next steps are. Please tell us more about the second round of investing. This is the one thats going to be an STO? Yes, its going to be a European STO, so we can be sure its legal. Were looking to raise EUR 5 to 8 million, but most likely just EUR 5 million, because thats all we need. We already have all the technology, we have a great ice cream brand and we plan to expand all over the world. Its a really profitable business, and we plan to do this similar to paying royalties. Its very simple: people will get a percentage of sales, we planned around 2%. If you have the token, you get the royalty paid directly to you. When is this all taking place? Well have something online within the next 30 days. If people want to be on a list, they can send us an email. In short - its going on right now. Everyone can participate, right? Its not going to be a private sale? Yes, thats the plan. Will you mandate any advisers or consultants for the STO? Were not planning it, but were open to everybody. Its more of a trial - we have a lot of demand from private investors that we set a good example for the industry, show that we can deliver a regular return to investors. At the moment, were not really looking. If someone comes and says, You know, I love ice cream and I want to participate, then were open. But were not actively looking for advisers. Why choose STO as a means to raise capital? I'm a big believer in the industry and I really want to bring great projects that people from all over the world can invest into and can participate in. It is really cool to put some real businesses on the blockchain and deliver it to people through royalty fees. You can even pay people daily, or however frequently you like. The smart contract allows you to just pay the dividend and it comes directly. The business is thriving, so it can afford the payroll for people who have contributed to it. Antanas Guoga So it is a royalty, not a dividend? Yes, its a royalty. I think that by European laws, EUR 5 - 8 million can be enough for established businesses to get extra capital and pay a royalty, so people have a real asset to hold. Its also really reasonable to pay them - imagine getting royalties on Tesla, or whatever it is that people are making and need a bit of capital to take the business further. And the participants will be getting 2%? Yes, at the moment. Its not finalized, but thats our main idea. If we sell an ice cream for three euros, thats six cents going towards the people holding tokens. Its very easy, very transparent and very simplified. How do you plan to spend the raised capital? It's purely going into expansion. We want to be able to show the books and show how the business is going. Using blockchain and cryptocurrencies brings that to the next level. Of course, you can also reward people for using an app and making purchases, you can give them Soprano tokens, include traceability into everything they buy etc. People can scan the barcode and trace their product. On top of that, they can automatically get credited with some Soprano coins. And I think Soprano can be a huge brand. You and Maziulis have already invested in this business. How much did you pay and what stake did you acquire? Around EUR 500,000. We basically now own the whole business, and we just closed the deal. The previous owners are staying on board for some of that. Where are you guys expanding? Were going all over the world. Well be using a franchise model to open our own stores, to become recognized. Soprano is actually a dominant brand here already. Anyone who wants to be part of the Soprano chain can apply for a license? Send us an e-mail if youre interested! If youd like to invest or advise, let us know, or become the first with franchise rights for the blockchain ice cream. Its really easy to set up. What about revenue this year compared to last year? Revenue grew by about 30%, because the summer in Europe lasted much longer and was much stronger than usual. Obviously, ice cream is a seasonal business. However, were expanding into Soprano coffee too, to enter the coffee market on the blockchain as well. Its going to be really exciting without risking a lot of money. Its going to be a lot of fun to take on the biggest brands in the world using cryptocurrency and the blockchain. Whats the forecast for 2019? Do you expect more growth? I do think well get more growth due to the publicity, as top portals in Lithuania are writing about us. So, just from Lithuania, its still a huge amount of growth that can generate serious cash flow and profit on a monthly basis. How much can each participant invest? Can I just go out, give you EUR 5 million and be the only one? No, no. We will obviously have a cap. We want people from all over the world to participate. I guess were talking about contributions of EUR 500 or similar, that would be ideal. Those EUR 500 might be worth a fortune in seven years or so. Obviously, theres no guarantee, but we really want the industry to have great projects that can deliver real money, so others can see the business grow and learn from it. So when is this all taking place? Well have something online within the next 30 days. If people want to be on a list, they can send us an email. Were open to both that and any advisers. In short - its going on right now. Do you have any STO plans regarding other businesses youve invested in? We do! I think well bring them in one by one, see how the legalities function. Obviously, theres a lot of markets with much stricter regulations. But it really seems to be making progress now, and I think STOs are the future, they can even empower venture capitalists to invest. The beauty of STOs is that they have liquidity - your money is not locked for any amount of time, you have a contract and you can trade straight away. I think thats the future of the financing world. There are still a lot of hurdles, especially legally, about which markets you can target. Still, Europe is definitely the jurisdiction for STOs, because we dont have the draconian security laws that America has. America will be off the books, as theyre very difficult and expensive to do. On the legal side, whats the biggest roadblock to STOs? The biggest roadblock is that a lot of markets are closed. You have to look at each jurisdiction one by one to figure out the laws. Still, a lot of markets are already open for STOs. Its just that many countries dont have the security laws necessary. You want markets that are easier to target - and thats another beauty of blockchain, you can save money on expensive lawyers and get funds to entrepreneurs, and people trust you. This way, we can deliver more projects that can change the world and have people participate in them. When you have royalties, that changes the game. Youre making everything fair for the contributors and investors. New York, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Weyland Tech Inc. (OTCQX: WEYL) (Weyland or the Company) announced today that the distribution of its direct holdings in Weyland AtoZPay Indonesia (WAI) will be completed with a distribution of WAI shares on November 30, 2018 as previously announced. AtoZPay was at no time consolidated into Company financial statements, and hence the distribution will have no effect on the Company's core business. Post distribution the company retains an option for 31% of AtoZPay which can be acquired by the Company at its discretion for nominal exercise price. CEO Brent Suen explained, "We believe the spin-off best served existing and future shareholders. As an independent company, AtoZPay will be free to enter the capital markets to unlock value for its shareholders. At the same time we continue to be supportive of AtoZPay as Weyland's option can generate tremendous value for our shareholders. With the successful spin out of AtoZPay we are continuing to develop similar opportunities in other markets such as Myanmar, with a population of 53 million people and a median age of 28 years old. Additionally, the smartphone penetration rate is estimated at 70% while the unbanked (people without bank accounts) population stands at around 70% as well we firmly believe that an opportunity exists for a similar market entry of an eWallet like AtoZPay to become a viable product. We expect to follow a similar path of sponsoring local partners, funding initial traction and potentially spinning out independent entities while retaining ownership stakes for Weyland shareholders to take advantage of future growth. Along with this strategy, with the conclusion of the AtoZPay spinoff we will focus on our rapidly expanding core business." The Company also intends to provide an update showing improved guidance on its core business following the release of its September 30, 2018 10Q in the coming days. About Weyland Tech Inc. Weyland Tech is a global provider of mobile business applications. Its CreateApp platform offers a mobile presence to businesses in emerging markets, with partnerships on 3 continents and growing. This DIY mobile application platform, offered in 14 languages with over 35 integrated modules, enables small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) to create native mobile applications (apps) for Apples iOS and Google Android without technical knowledge or background, empowering SMBs to increase sales, reach more customers and promote their products and services in an easy, affordable and efficient manner. In May 2018, the Company expanded its portfolio to fintech applications with the launch of its AtozPay mobile payments platform. The mobile wallet launched in the worlds 4th most populous country, Indonesia, and is already experiencing rapid growth in transactions taking place on the platform. Follow Weyland Tech online at: Weyland Tech Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/weylandtech) Weyland Tech Twitter Feed (https://twitter.com/weylandtechinc) Weyland Tech LinkedIn Page (https://linkedin.com/company/weylandtech) Brent Suen, CEO Public Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/BrentSuenWEYL) Brent Suen, CEO Public Twitter Feed (https://www.twitter.com/BrentSuenWEYL) Safe Harbor Statement This release contains certain forward-looking statements relating to the business of the Company. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included herein are forward-looking statements including statements regarding: the continued growth of the e-commerce segment and the ability of the Company to continue its expansion into that segment; the ability of the Company to attract customers and partners and generate revenues; the ability of the Company to successfully execute its business plan; the business strategy, plans, and objectives of the Company; and any other statements of non-historical information. These forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as believes, expects or similar expressions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they do involve assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, and these expectations may prove to be incorrect. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release. The Companys actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those discussed in the Companys periodic reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on its website (http://www.sec.gov). All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Other than as required under the securities laws, the Company does not assume any duty to update these forward-looking statements. United States has exempted India from imposition of certain sanctions for development of strategically-located Chabahar port in Iran, along with construction of railway line connecting it with landlocked Afghanistan. The decision comes after US imposed toughest ever sanctions on Iran under Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act, 2012. Key Facts The exemptions to India are with respect to development of Chabahar port, construction of associated railway and for shipment of non-sanctionable goods through port for Afghanistans use, as well as the countrys continued imports of Iranian petroleum products. This exception relates to reconstruction assistance and economic development for Afghanistan. These activities are vital for ongoing support of Afghanistans growth and humanitarian relief. It is also part US President Donald Trumps South Asia strategy which underscores USs ongoing support of Afghanistans economic growth and development as well as close partnership with India. This strategy states that India has major role in bringing peace and development in Afghanistan. Background US has imposed toughest ever sanctions on defiant Iran aimed at altering the Iranian regimes behaviour. The sanctions cover Irans banking and energy sectors and reinstate penalties for countries and companies in Europe, Asia and elsewhere that do not halt Iranian oil imports. However, eight countries India, China, Italy, Greece, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Turkey were temporarily allowed to continue buying Iranian oil as they showed significant reduction in oil purchase from Iran. New figures from British electrical power company Drax Group has revealed that renewable energy capacity has for the first time overtaken fossil fuel capacity in Great Britain, with 42 GW worth of capacity now feeding into the grid.A combination of retiring fossil fuel generating capacity and increasing renewable energy capacity including capacity from wind, solar, biomass, hydro, and other renewables helped renewables finally take the mantle away from fossil fuels. In total, renewable energy now boasts 42 GW worth of capacity while fossil fuels can only claim 40.6 GW.Specifically, a third of all fossil fuel generating capacity has been retired over the last five years, while renewable energy capacity has tripled. Further, wind farms now provide the largest share of renewable energy capacity on the system, boasting over 20 GW including 45% of the world's offshore wind capacity while solar came in second with 13 GW, and biomass in third with 3.2 GW.Drax highlighted the important role that biomass played in tipping the balance from fossil fuels to renewable energy, following the conversion of two coal projects to biomass being completed during the third quarter one at at Lynemouth in Northumberland and Drax Power Station's Unit 4 conversion in Yorkshire adding a total of 1 GW.'Phasing out fossil fuels has become an economic imperative as well as an environmental one, as clean technologies such as new onshore wind and solar are cheaper than gas or coal,' said RenewableUK's Head of External Affairs Luke Clark.'Any Government around the world which is serious about putting consumers first and tackling climate change will understand the logic of prioritising renewables. In the UK, wind is leading the way, generating half our country's renewable power. Offshore wind alone is set to generate one-third of our electricity by 2030, forming the backbone of our new clean energy system.'It's worth noting, however, that balancing the British power system has contributed to other factors pushing up the country's power prices (which also include Brexit and currency devaluation). Specifically, balancing the power system added 6% to wholesale prices as the day-to-day costs of running transmission systems were increased to 3.8 million per day during the third quarter of 2018.'The cost of balancing the system has doubled in the last four years,' explained Dr Iain Staffell from Imperial. 'The amount of flexible generation on the system is a key driver. Balancing costs rise when the output from flexible generators such as gas, coal, biomass and hydro, falls below 10 GW.'Having a 'brittle' power system with limited flexibility will be more expensive to control. More flexible generation, storage and demand-side response will be critical in minimising system costs in the future.''More renewables are crucial for reducing carbon emissions and helping us to meet our climate targets but flexible, lower carbon generation, is also clearly vital for controlling the costs of maintaining a stable, low carbon power system,' added Andy Koss, Drax Power CEO.'The IPCC's report recognised that in order to meet our climate change targets, up to 85% of global power generation needs to come from renewables by 2050. This means the remainder will have to be provided by flexible sources, which can support the system and help to keep costs down such as biomass, hydro, pumped storage as well as high efficiency gas.' SUV: G9 5 200km , Tamil Nadu: Centre stalls Tamil Nadus plan to build training walls at Pulicat November 08,2018 | Source: The Hindu The governments plan to construct training walls to lend stability to the mouth of the Pulicat lake for free flow of vessels has run into trouble. The proposal was dropped at a meeting of the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Ministry of Environment and Forests related to the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) last month. According to the minutes of the meeting, the committee observed that the project, in all likelihood, might alter the entire flow of the lake. The ecological consequence of opening the mouth could lead to massive sea water ingression changing the nature of the lake a national as well as internationally significant wetland. According to the ?27 crore proposal, the length of north training wall would be 160 m and the south training wall 150 m. The depth would be 4.5 m. It would require capital dredging and also construction of two short groynes. The objective was to provide access to vessels of fishermen to engage in traditional fishing in all seasons. It was also meant to increase fishing activity in the lake and support fishermens livelihood. Lot at stake As the project area falls in CRZ I and IV as per the demarcation map, the EAC discussed the proposal. The committee was informed that the proposal was in the B category, to be dealt with by State Environment Impact Assessment Authority but since SEIAA of Tamil Nadu was not in existence, the Centre had taken it up. The committee was also informed by one of the members that there was an unresolved dispute between Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu with the South Zone Council of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The committee observed that since capital dredging was involved, the project required environmental clearance under EIA Notification, 2006, in addition to CRZ clearance. Goa: Formalin issue, Goa bans fish from coastal Karnataka November 08,2018 | Source: Daiji World Everyday 15 to 20 trucks carrying six to seven tonnes of fish in each of them were going to Goa from the coastal district. However, from the past one week, this business in deep trouble as Goa has banned the import of fish from other states including Karnataka due to the issue of Formalin lacing in the fish. The government of Goa has made it mandatory for out of state fish to be certified as Formalin free by the food department. In addition, the trucks that transport the fish need to be insulated to prevent the water from seeping onto the road. Though the fish merchants had asked sufficient time to implement these rules, the government of Goa has suddenly stopped the entry of outstation fish and is holding all the trucks near Majali check post. This sudden ban on the entry of fish of Karnataka into Goa has battered the already struggling fish industry of coastal Karnataka. The price of fish has gone down considerably due to excess supply of fish in the market. Giving his opinion on the situation, Satish Kunder, president of Malpe Fishermen Association said, "We have checked the fish at Malpe for the use of Formalin. In the beginning, we did receive fish laced with Formalin that was supplied from Tamil Nadu. However, due to continuous monitoring, the Formalin lacing is completely stopped. Due to the sudden and unexpected decision of the government of Goa, coastal fishermen have incurred losses to the tune of crores of rupees. The fishermen, who had a tough time during the rainy season due to storm and ban on fishing have received one more severe jolt due to the banning of outstation fish by the Goa government." MONTREAL, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HPQ Silicon Resources Inc (HPQ) (TSX Venture:HPQ) (FRANKFURT:UGE) (OTC PINK:URAGF) announces that it has observed significant and unusual trading in its common stock in recent days. Management wishes to confirm that the Companys management is unaware of any material change in the Companys operations that would account for this activity. Management knows of no reason that would give rise to such unusual trading and has no significant information to disclose which could lead to such activity. We wish to reassure all of our stakeholders, and market participants, that the fundamentals of HPQ, in terms of activities previously reported on, as well as the progress being made thereon, are not only sound but are moving forward as expected said Bernard Tourillon, President and CEO of HPQ Silicon. As such, we wish to provide the following Company snapshot. PUREVAP Gen2: Yield testing phase completed Awaiting final analysis results and report Additional testing before Gen3 is operational mid-2019 possible PUREVAP Gen3 Pilot Plant: Equipment assembly on schedule Plant build-up on schedule Permitting received for pilot plant operations Patent applications progressing as expected HPQ Pilot Plant program still fully funded: IQ $1,800,000, 5% and 5 years unsecure convertible debenture closed in August 2018 not affected by government changes in Quebec $1,950,000 equity investment done at 100% premium to yesterday close not affected by recent market variation $1,500,000 equity line of credit for potential project cost overrun not affected by recent market variation HPQ still owns > 500,000 shares of PyroGenesis (PYR: TSX-V) HPQ - Beauce Gold Field Spin out: Spin out on schedule to be completed BGF Placer to Hard Rock potential well received Demand for PP Financing strong, institutional participation, closing soon Date of record will be established after financing closes Investors selling before record date not entitled to receive BGF shares As per plan of arrangement the HPQ ratio 4.80%, represent an 8% dividend yield based on yesterday close. (100,000 HPQ = 4,800 new shares of BGF) HPQ lead technical partner and largest individual shareholder commented: From a technical perspective we cannot understand the recent decline in the value of the stock of HPQ, said Peter Pascali CEO of PyroGenesis Inc. I just want to confirm that should we see that there is no commercial outcome possible we would not continue pursuing this project. It would not make any sense. We have limited resources and as such we must not only dedicate this scarce commodity to profitable projects but to projects that have a future revenue stream. The longer we are on this project, the more we are de-risking it. With our recent investment in HPQ and the Quebec Governments support I cannot for the life of me understand the recent decline in the stock. You can rest assured it is not from any undisclosed technical failure. Additional information on the Company is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. About HPQ Silicon HPQ Silicon Resources Inc. is a TSX-V listed resource company planning to become a vertically integrated and diversified High Purity, Solar Grade Silicon Metal (SoG Si) producer and a manufacturer of multi and monocrystalline solar cells of the P and N types, required for production of high performance photovoltaic conversion. HPQs goal is to develop, in collaboration with industry leaders, PyroGenesis (TSX-V: PYR) and Apollon Solar, that are experts in their fields of interest, the innovative PUREVAPTM Quartz Reduction Reactors (QRR), a truly 2.0 Carbothermic process (patent pending), which will permit the transformation and purification of quartz (SiO 2 ) into high purity silicon metal (Si) in one step and reduce by a factor of at least two-thirds (2/3) the costs associated with the transformation of quartz (SiO 2 ) into SoG Si. The pilot plant equipment that will validate the commercial potential of the process is on schedule to start mid-2019. Disclaimers: 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 Company'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 Company with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in the Company's on-going filings with the securities regulatory authorities, which filings can be found at www.sedar.com. Actual results, events, and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Company 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 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 Bernard J. Tourillon, Chairman, President and CEO HPQ Tel (514) 907-1011 Patrick Levasseur, COO HPQ, President and CEO BGF Tel: (514) 262-9239 www.HPQSilicon.com Shares outstanding: 222,284,053 Bangladesh: Rivers in Lalmonirhat drying up by S Dilip Roy November 08,2018 | Source: The Daily Star Many fishermen in the district are changing their ancestral profession because they are not able to continue doing it as all the small rivers and beels in the district have dried up, and the major rivers Teesta and Dharla are following. They are taking up jobs of rickshaw pulling, farm labourers or day labourers and other menial work for earning their livelihood. Ranjit Chandra Das, 52, a fisherman of Dowani village in Hatibandha upazila, said they became jobless from the second week of October this year as all the 16 small rivers, 45 beels and other water bodies dried up early, but they had caught fish from these water bodies till December last year. We are also not getting fish in two major rivers as they are also nearly dried up, he said, adding that their boats are lying idle. It is a bad time for us as we are without income and we have no alternative to earn a livelihood except catching fish, said fisherman Nur Islam, 58, of the same village. There was low rainfall this year so local water bodies did not get enough water and dried up early, he added. Ruhidas Chandra Das, 45, a fisherman of Kulaghat village in Sadar upazila, said the small river Ratnai is their source of earning, but it dried up early this year, as a result they are facing job crisis. Some of us are now buying fish from fish farmers and selling them in the local market, but the earning is insufficient to maintain my family, he said. Fisherman Nabin Chandra Das, 50, of the same village, said he has started driving rental battery-run rickshaw in the town. I invested Tk one lakh for buying nets this year, but I did not earn even 50 percent of the investment, he added. Delowar Rahman, 45, a fisherman of Sarpukur village in Aditmari upazila, said he is going to change his profession from fishing because it is a bad time for fishermen as the small rivers, beels and other water bodies are dried up. It is now rare to get river fish in the local markets, he added. Now we have no chance to continue our ancestral job of fishing as rivers and all other water bodies are without water, said Narayan Chandra Das, 67, a fisherman at Majhipara of Kaliganj upzaila. I have already changed my profession, and am working as farm labourer, he said. District Fisheries Officer Rezaul Karim said there are 5,350 fishermen families in the district, adding that most of them are dependent on fishing from boats in the water bodies, while the others are engaged in farming fish in the ponds. Fishermen get lease of government water bodies, but almost all of those are dried up, he said. Some listed fishermen are under the government's safety net programme, and they are given support, he added. Sri Lanka: Two boats from Sri Lanka intercepted in waters of Seychelles for illegal fishing November 08,2018 | Source: Seychelles News Agency The captain of a Sri Lankan-flagged vessel appeared in court Tuesday after being arrested for allegedly fishing illegally in the waters of Seychelles, while a second captain is being investigated after two boats were intercepted by the Seychelles Coast Guard. The announcement of the interception of two foreign fishing vessels by the Seychelles Coast Guard (SCG) was made by the Seychelles Peoples Defence Forces on Friday. The two Sri Lankan-flagged vessels were first spotted by local fishermen around 90 nautical miles south-east of Mahe, the main island. The two vessels were intercepted by the Seychelles Coast Guards patrol ship Topaz and patrol boat La Fleche. The vessels were handed over to the Seychelles Fisheries Authority and the police upon arrival in Port Victoria on November 2. According to the Seychelles Fisheries Authority (SFA), the captain of one of the vessels appeared in court on Tuesday and will remain in custody until November 19. The authorities are still investigating to see if there is enough evidence for a case against the captain of the other Sri Lankan-flagged vessel. The Seychelles Fisheries Authority is assisting the police in gathering evidence as to the species and amount of fish found onboard the two vessels. If confirmed the case would be the third incidence of illegal fishing by Sri Lankan-flagged vessels in the waters of Seychelles this year. The Sri Lankan news channel ITN News reported in May that a fine of 20.5 million rupees ($1.5 million) had been imposed on a group of Sri Lankan fishermen for violating Seychelles maritime borders. The Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Seychelles was quoted as saying that their boats have also has been confiscated by the Courts. In July, another Sri Lankan-flagged vessel was spotted by Seychelles Coast Guard patrol ship Andromache north-west of the main island of Mahe during a routine patrol. A Coast Guard team was subsequently sent on board the suspected vessel to conduct an inspection, during which evidence relating to illegal fishing was observed. Seychelles has a vast Exclusive Economic Zone of 1.4 million square kilometres, which presents a challenge when it comes to the monitoring of illegal fishing, which adds pressure on the available resources. Fishing is the second top contributor to the economy of Seychelles, a group of 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean. WELD COUNTY, Colo. -- A plea deal will spare the life of Chris Watts but the Weld County district attorney took jabs at the governor as he explained the decision Tuesday. Watts pleaded guilty Tuesday to killing his pregnant wife, Shanann, and their two daughters this past August. Members of Shanann's family were in the courtroom when the plea was entered. Watts pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree murder victim under 12 in a position of trust, one count of first-degree unlawful termination of a pregnancy, and three counts of tampering with a deceased human body, according to Colorado court records and documents. Five of those counts made him eligible for the death penalty. Weld County DA Michael Rourke said he spent time with Shanann's family at their home in North Carolina and during that time explained what a death penalty case could mean. "So when the question was asked to me by their family, what is the realistic outcome of this particular case as it relates to the death penalty the best I could tell them is I dont know," said Rourke. He went on to say that asking for the death penalty could subject the family to years of appeals and hearings. "We have a governor who has refused to make a decision as it relates to Nathan Dunlap. I explained that to the Rzucek family and, obviously, that gives them some pause," said Rourke. Dunlap was sentenced to death in 1996 after killing four employees at a Chuck E. Cheese and is still on death row. Denver7 asked Governor John Hickenlooper about Dunlap's case and the criticism directed at him by Rourke. "So its not a deterrent, it costs a fortune and prolongs the suffering of the families," said Governor Hickenlooper. He said the comments from the DA amounted to nothing more than politics. "The bottom line is when I came in I was for the death penalty like a lot of people but when I got the facts and you see how unfair it is, it depends on which DA you get and whether they want to spend all that money. Its very expensive, it costs baseline $15 million dollars once you get through the appeals to go through a death penalty case," said Hickenlooper. | 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 Balinese royalty Lindy Klim throws her support behind the Bali Nine drug traffickers serving life without parole... as Renae Lawrence prepares to return home after 13 years A member of the Balinese royal family has expressed sympathy for the forgotten Bali Nine drug traffickers serving life sentences in Indonesian prisons. Lindy Rama-Ellis, formerly known by her married name Lindy Klim, told Daily Mail Australia that several of the convicted heroin smugglers had 'really changed their lives' following their arrests more than 13 years ago, yet there are still no signs of mercy from the country's government. The 40-year-old model and fashion designer is the daughter of the late Prince of Denpasar, Anak Agung Oka Rama, and his Australian wife. In addition to her royal status, she has close links to Australia due to her marriage to former Olympian Michael Klim, which ended in 2016. 'I don't really get into this kind of thing, I try to stay out of it, but I do feel really sad for these people [the Bali Nine],' Lindy said while attending the Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse on Tuesday afternoon. 'I feel like a lot of them have really changed their lives and I know they've got an art gallery within the prison [for prisoner art programs] and I think that they're doing really great things,' she added. 'And now they're even earning money for the first time and the prison has never done that. My heart does go out to them.' Lindy admitted that the life sentences were 'absolutely' devastating for the Bali Nine and their families. However, she warned 'that's the unfortunate thing if you're involved in drugs in Bali', which has some of the strictest drug laws in the world. Five Australians - Si Yi Chen, Martin Stephens, Michael Czugaj, Scott Rush, and Matthew Norman - are currently serving life without the possibility of parole after being arrested at Denpasar airport in April 2005 for attempting to smuggle more than 8kg of heroin from Bali to Sydney. The two ringleaders, Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan, were executed by firing squad in 2015 and fellow syndicate member Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen died of cancer in prison earlier this year. The only member of the Bali Nine with a release date is drug courier Renae Lawrence, whose initial life sentence was commuted to 20 years' imprisonment on appeal. She is expected to leave Bangli Prison and return to Australia later this month after serving more than 13 years behind bars. Lawrence herself has acknowledged the leniency of her sentence compared to her fellow drug traffickers serving life terms for the same crime. The 41-year-old former panel beater told News Corp in August: 'What about the others? Only I will be free. The others aren't free.' It is believed the Indonesian judges took a sympathetic view of her because she was more cooperative during her trial while the others refused to answer questions. Recently there has been a renewed push to commute the life sentences of the remaining Bali Nine members - especially Matthew Norman and Si Yi Chen, who are currently residing at Kerobokan Prison. While behind bars, the two men have established various rehabilitative programs, including English lessons, silversmithing, art and computer classes, and T-shirt printing. They have also been commended for their good behaviour by prison authorities. Kerobokan Prison governor Tonny Nainggolan has previously said that he wanted their sentences reduced. 'As prison governor, in my opinion, both of them deserve to get remissions to change their sentence,' he told the Courier Mail on Indonesian Independence Day earlier this year. 'Since I have been here for one year and seven months I have proposed for their remission twice, to change the sentence from life to 20 years' imprisonment,' he added. The youngest member of the Bali Nine, Norman was just 18 when he was arrested in a Kuta hotel room with 334g of heroin in a planned raid by Bali police, shortly after four drug-carrying mules and ringleader Andrew Chan were apprehended at Denpasar airport. He has spent almost his entire adult life in prison. Chen, who is the only child of hard-working Chinese immigrants, was arrested in the same hotel raid alongside Nguyen and Sukumaran. He was 20 years old at the time. Meanwhile, Rush and Czugaj - two wayward 19-year-olds from Brisbane - were among those arrested at the airport with heroin strapped to their bodies and concealed under baggy Hawaiian T-shirts and shorts. Stephens and Lawrence, masquerading as a couple on holiday, were also arrested carrying large quantities of the drug while waiting for their flight. Chan (who wasn't carrying drugs) was apprehended after already boarding the plane. Police and customs officers knew the Bali Nine were planning to leave the country thanks to a detailed tip off from the AFP, which had been tracking the syndicate's movements in Australia for months. The AFP asked their Indonesian counterparts to keep the group under surveillance in Bali, but did not explicitly ask for them to be arrested. However, it is inconceivable that local police would have allowed the drugs to run to Australia if they suspected a major importation was taking place. The AFP's involvement in the case, which culminated in the executions of Chan and Sukumaran in 2015, has been controversial, with some even suggesting the officers responsible have 'blood on their hands'. Meanwhile, Lindy has previously said she feels quite detached from the world of Balinese royalty due to her upbringing in Tasmania, Australia. 'I usually don't tell local Balinese my real name as I don't think I deserve the respect as I didn't grow up in Bali and I don't even speak the language fluently,' she told My Empirical Life in April. BALI 9: TIMELINE OF KEY EVENTS OCTOBER 2004 - Several members of the Bali Nine carry out a successful drug run from Indonesia to Australia. A second attempt is made in December before being aborted due to lack of funds. EARLY 2005: The AFP have the drug syndicate under surveillance in Australia in the lead up to their ill-fated trip. APRIL 3-8: Unaware their movements are being tracked by the AFP, the Bali Nine - Myuran Sukumaran, Andrew Chan, Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, Scott Rush, Michael Czugaj, Si Yi Chen, Matthew Norman, Martin Stephens and Renae Lawrence - travel to Indonesia. APRIL 8 and 12: The AFP alerts Indonesian police to the Bali Nine's plans in two letters. The letters reveal information about the traffickers - including photos, passport numbers and what hotels they'd booked - as well as the proposed method of exportation. The letters are written in Indonesian and signed by Paul Hunniford, the AFP's liaison officer in Bali. APRIL 17: After receiving a bulk of heroin imported by a Thai prostitute named Cherry Likit Bannakorn, the Bali Nine attempt to leave for Australia. Four syndicate members - Rush, Czugaj, Lawrence and Stephens - are busted at the airport carrying drugs on their bodies, while ringleader Chan is arrested on the plane.The remaining four - Sukumaran, Chen, Norman and Nguyen - are caught with drugs at the Melasti Hotel in Kuta shortly afterwards. FEBRUARY 2006: The Bali Nine are convicted and sentenced at Denpasar District Court after a highly-publicised trial. All are found guilty, with Chan and Sukumaran being sentenced to death. The rest get life sentences. APRIL 2006: Twelve months after her arrest, Lawrence successfully appeals her life sentence, which is commuted to 20 years' imprisonment. 2010: Around this time, the ringleaders begin to transform their lives behind bars, with Chan embracing his newfound Christian faith and Sukumaran learning to paint and leading art classes. DECEMBER 2014: Despite pleas from the Australian government, Indonesia decides to proceed with the executions. APRIL 29 2015: Chan and Sukumaran are executed by firing squad at Nusakambangan prison MAY 9 2018: Nguyen dies of cancer in prison NOVEMBER 2018: Lawrence is expected to be released from prison. Norman, Chen, Stephens, Rush and Czugaj remain on life sentences with no possibility of parole unless their punishment is commuted. | 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 Four Tennessee death row inmates are opting for a firing squad rather than lethal injection or the electric chair, The Tennessean reported, citing their lawyers. The lawsuit followed the Nov. 1 execution of 63-year-old Edmund Zagorski by electric chair. Zagorski was sentenced to death in 1984 for killing two men during an April 1983 drug deal. Tennessee had granted Zagorskis decision to choose the electric chair after the U.S. Supreme Court denied his appeal. The four inmates -- David Earl Miller, Todd Sutton, Terry Lynn King, and Stephen Michael West -- were each convicted and sentenced prior to 1999, Nashville's WKRN reported. The inmates lawsuit argues that Tennessees electric chair "is sure or very likely to inflict a gruesome and torturous death." The firing squad significantly reduces a substantial risk of unnecessary and severe pain when compared, with lethal injections, the suit says. The suit says the state possesses the necessary resources for carrying out a firing squad. It suggests Big Buck Shooting Range, located at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution, because it can easily accommodate what little equipment is required for an execution by firing squad. Should the court rule against death by firing squad, the lawsuit suggests orally administered drugs, as an alternative. Three states Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Utah have authorized firing squads, but use lethal injection as a primary method, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. Tennessee, like other death penalty states, is legally allowed to carry out executions through "any constitutional method" if a court determines lethal injection or the electric chair is unconstitutional, according to The Tennessean. | 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 Folded in two it appeared to resemble a thick phone, but Samsung did not give media or developers a chance to touch or see the device up close. Samsung Electronics Co Ltd unveiled its much-anticipated foldable phone in San Francisco on Wednesday, urging Android developers to start writing apps for it. Samsung needs to get the foldable phone right to reverse steep declines in profit for its mobile division and restore some of the cachet its brand has lost to Apple Inc. Foldable phones promise the screen of a small tablet in a pocket-sized device. Justin Denison, senior vice president of Samsung Electronics Americas Mobile Product Strategy and Marketing, showed a prototype with a screen he said measured 7.3 inches diagonally. Folded in two it appeared to resemble a thick phone, but Samsung did not give media or developers a chance to touch or see the device up close. Dave Burke, vice president of engineering for Googles Android software platform, told a Google conference in California that Samsung planned to introduce a new Android-based device early next year. We expect to see foldable products from several Android manufacturers, he said. Samsung said it would be ready for mass production in the coming months. Analyst Bob ODonnell with Technalysis Research said that while the bendable screen provided a wow factor, shoppers may not like the thickness of the folded phone or its price tag. Theyll have to prove that its more than just a gimmick, said ODonnell. But its smart to open it up to developers early to do different types of experiences. Maribel Lopez, an analyst at Lopez Research, said that the product would likely be relatively expensive in the near term. Were talking about brand new materials that have been made for this and also a new manufacturing process, said Lopez. The South Korean tech company is among a handful of developers working on foldable phones. Chinas Huawei Technologies Co Ltd has said it is planning to launch a 5G smartphone with a foldable screen in mid-2019. Samsung and Huawei, however, have been beaten to the market by Royole, a Chinese display making start-up, which last week unveiled a foldable Android phone with a 7.8 inch screen, priced from around USD 1,300. Royole said it would start filling orders in late December. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Smithfield Joins UPPA to Host Appreciation Luncheon for Veterans, Their Families and Caregivers SALT LAKE CITY, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Smithfield Foods, Inc. is pleased to announce its facility in Salt Lake City donated 500 pounds of protein to the Salt Lake City Veterans Administration. Smithfields protein donation was used in a luncheon hosted with the Utah Pork Producers Association , at the Veterans Multipurpose Center in Salt Lake City. Smithfields generous donation and active role in the veteran community demonstrates the companys commitment to those who have served our country, said Allison Fiscus, executive director of promotions and communications for the Utah Pork Producers Association. Its a great honor to stand alongside Smithfield to serve our veterans and their loved ones with a delicious meal and display our respect for all they have sacrificed for our country. The event was made possible by Smithfield Foods and the Utah Pork Producers Association. The hosts served more than 1,200 veterans, their family members, and Veterans Administration staff during the luncheon. "Every year we look forward to this event and the opportunity to return a service to our veterans in the best way we know how, said Bill Synowicki, plant manager of the Salt Lake City facility for Smithfield Foods. Our veterans deserve this wholesome meal, and more, for all they have done for us and our nation. Smithfield has a long history of supporting veterans and military families through volunteerism, food and charitable donations, and partnerships. In 2016, Smithfield introduced two new veterans' initiatives Operation 4000! and Smithfield Salutes. Through Operation 4000!, Smithfield is working to employ 4,000 veterans10 percent of its U.S. workforceby 2020. Smithfield Salutes is an employee engagement program that helps veterans working at Smithfield in their transition to civilian life. To learn more about Smithfields support of veterans, visit smithfieldfoods.com/veterans . About Smithfield Foods Smithfield Foods is a $15 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield, Eckrich, Nathans Famous, Farmland, Armour, Farmer John, Kretschmar, John Morrell, Cooks, Gwaltney, Carando, Margherita, Curlys, Healthy Ones, Morliny, Krakus, and Berlinki. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com , and connect with us on Facebook , Twitter and LinkedIn . Contact: Lisa Martin Smithfield Foods, Inc. (757) 365-1980 lvmartin@smithfield.com Allison Fiscus Utah Pork Producers Association (801) 712-2164 pork4you@hotmail.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4eef8789-b9b8-4702-9b04-e049a1ce82ab Over 31,000 bank card numbers allegedly belonging to retail giant Mobile World's customers were leaked online. The data was leaked on Tuesday and Wednesday on RaidForums, an online forum with over 90,000 members specializing in uploading and selling database leaks. Earlier, data on 160 million Zing ID accounts were also leaked on this forum. In the first batch of data reportedly leaked on the forum Tuesday, a file containing 5.4 million email addresses was supposedly that of Mobile World's customers. This was followed by another file containing over 61,000 email addresses allegedly belonging to the company's employees. On Wednesday morning, an excel file containing information on over 31,000 card transactions was uploaded. The information included card numbers with 6 middle digits hidden as well as the time, branch and amount paid in each transaction, all of which took place between June 29 and July 18, 2016. Another file leaked Wednesday evening contained full card numbers of some of Mobile World's customers, prompting experts to suggest that the hacker might have the full card numbers of all 31,000 bank cards partially leaked in the previous file. Not us In an official announcement issued on Wednesday evening, Mobile World asserted that its system had not been hacked and that the company did not store customers' card numbers and transaction times, so it was impossible for such information to be leaked from its system. "When customers buy and swipe their cards at our shops, the POS card readers that read the customers' card information belong to the bank. This essentially means it's the bank that reads customers' cards and transfers the data to their system. Mobile World does not interfere with this process and is not allowed to store any customer information. "When customers pay online, the information would jump to a third-party payment gateway, so Mobile World's website cannot store customer information either," a company statement said. However, upon checking the leaked files, at least two people from Ho Chi Minh City found their bank card information among the data leaked. They said theyd been Mobile World customers for the past two years. Dozens of people have also found their email addresses among the 5.4 million leaked email addresses. "I was surprised to see my card number in the list leaked on the internet," a Mobile World customer said, adding that they had asked the bank to temporarily lock the card for safety. Vo Do Thang, director of the Athena network security center, suggested that the hacker might possess even more information and was leaking them "one step at a time." "Bank card numbers are particularly sensitive data related to financial issues so users need to check for themselves and protect their own assets," he said. Mobile World has said the company would work with customers to verify and assist them if they discover their card information among the leaked data. Vietnam has climbed four places to 19th in the list of best countries for expats to work and live, an HSBC survey found. With an average annual income of $90,408, nine out of 10 expats said in Vietnam they are as happy as or happier than at home, according to the 11th annual Expat Explorer issued by HSBC on Wednesday. Foreigners enjoy working in Vietnam for many benefits: 55 percent of respondents said they take more holidays, 41 percent live in a better home and 39 percent have more household staff compared to their home country. Fifty-seven percent said their employment contracts include an annual allowance to fly home or to another place, higher than the global average of 17 percent. Forty-two percent get an accommodation allowance while the global average is 18 percent, and 73 percent receive health and medical allowances compared to 43 percent elsewhere. Vietnam ranks first in the world with 72 percent saying moving to Vietnam helps them save more and 72 percent also saying they have more disposable income than they did in their home country. Both are higher than the global average: 52 percent for savings and 56 percent for disposable income. There are also some downsides for foreigners living in the country, respondents said. While more than half of expats across the world said they enjoy the better overall quality of life, only four out of ten foreigners in Vietnam said so. Organizing finances is difficult for expats, with only 27 percent of foreigners saying it is easy to open a bank account, buy insurance or pay taxes, while the global average is 43 percent. Just more than a third had no difficulty in experiencing healthcare services, but this figure is 46 percent globally. Raising a child in Vietnam poses challenges, with just 18 percent saying the quality of child care is better than in their home country, compared to the global average of 38 percent. Forty-seven said Vietnam is a good place for expats who want to progress their career, while the global average is 56 percent. There are financial issues that concern expats in Vietnam, with 37 percent being worried about restrictions on moving money out of the country and 22 percent each concerned about less favorable exchange rates and job security. Sabbir Ahmed, head of retail banking and wealth management at HSBC Vietnam, said: "The survey shows Vietnam is a promising host country for expats who are seeking both opportunities and challenges to boost and develop their careers. "We expect Vietnam to improve several areas to enhance the experience of expats and their families by developing further the environment, educational programs and financial services." The ranking listed Singapore as the best place in the world for expats for the fourth year in a row, followed by New Zealand, Germany, Canada, and Bahrain. The survey polled 22,318 people from 163 countries and territories through an online questionnaire. Delray Beach, Florida, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IRIS, transforming documents to knowledge with OCR software and style-driven scanners, is empowering realtors with the solutions they need to succeed. IRIScan Anywhere, IRIScanBook 5, IRIScan Pro 5 and IRIScan Mouse Wifi are all designed to transform documents to knowledge, to keep realtors organized and equip from wherever they may be. From residential houses and conference calls in cars, to vacant locations and commercial property, realtors are always working on the go. And in this dynamic, faced-paced environment, having the right information available at the right time can be a challenge. IRIS style-driven scanners with OCR software empowers realtors with tools they need to succeed. These small, portable devices transforms precious papers into digital format, for easy organization and limitless access to information. Business card alert! IRIScan Anywhere is a small and portable device that papers pass through and are immediately scanned. The powerful OCR software transforms documents and digitalizes business cards so that this precious information is easily saved and stored. And in an industry based on contacts and who you know, what is better than a full rolodex? An online database of organized contacts that can never go missing! Back it up! Information access! IRIScan Book 5 is a created to do just that scan anything, anytime. This device passes over documents, eliminating the need to separate pages from a book or magazine to have them pass through a scanner. Articles, legal documents and even visuals are immediately scanned. These documents can then be saved on the cloud or on an external hard-drive, to ensure the most important information is always accessible, anywhere, anytime. Create a paperless, mindful workspace! One of the hazards of working on location is staying organized. It is no secret that any work space can collect a lot of stuff. IRIScan Pro 5 is the fastest scanner on the market and can handle 23 pages in just one minute. Compact and easy to use, IRIScan Pro 5 takes little space on the desk. The solution can include intelligent IRISmart Invoice, to capture and classify invoices, or IRISmart File, to name and classify electronic and paper documents. With contracts, legal documents, invoices, and anything else stored online, creating a mindful work space free of clutter is easy. Scan when you can! Anyone who sits behind a computer to scroll around can immediately up their game with the IRIScan Mouse. The device looks and feels like a regular mouse, and also operates as a small, portable, fast and fluid 300 dpi resolution scanner! One button activates the scanner and users simply swipe the mouse over a paper document and watch the text and images instantly appear on their computer screen. The mouse works on any size and in any format, so it is equally suited to scanning maps, blueprints, and magazine articles. Scans can be saved to the Cloud, and shared to social media in just one click! Come and meet the IRIS team at the National Real Estate Conference in Boston! About IRIS: IRIS (Canon Group) is a leader in Information Management and offers a full range of innovative technology solutions, products and services. For 30 years, the IRIS experts have successfully supported customers around the world and helped them to overcome their main business challenges by using solutions for Digitization and Capture, GED and Knowledge Management and Digital Transformation. IRIS helps its clients by providing consulting services, research and development expertise and technology. The company is headquartered in Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium) and serves more than 30 million consumers. These include public organizations (Ministries, European Union), international companies, local businesses and SOHO users. As a technology company, IRIS has built a vast ecosystem of innovation, technology. www.irislink.com IRIS on LinkedIn : IRIS Portable Scanners & Conversion Software IRIS on Twitter : @IRIS_OCR IRIS on Facebook : IRIS, A Canon Company Attachment Vietnamese shoppers are shopping less frequently at traditional wet markets. Photo by Shutterstock/Denis Rozan While traditional markets still dominate Vietnamese shopping, convenience stores are becoming more popular. A report released Wednesday said Vietnamese shoppers have made 4.5 trips a month to convenience stores this year, three times that of 2010. Prepared by market research firm Nielsen Vietnam, the report also said that visits to grocery stores increased from 8.81 trips in 2010 to 9.47 trips this year. Titled "Nielsens Shopper Trend," the report found personal care/drug stores now have a visit rate of 1.22 trips a month, compared to 0.76 percent in 2010. Vietnamese now go to minimarts two times a month, while in 2010, the visit rate was zero. The abundance of modern shopping places has contributed to this increase. Since 2012, the number of convenience stores has nearly quadrupled, the report said. Minimarts comprised the most store openings in first nine months of 2018, and the health/beauty and modern drug stores have also expanded quickly, doubling in the past two years. Although traditional trade still dominates in Vietnam, the report showed that visits to wet markets have declined. An average Vietnamese shopper now takes 18.86 trips a month to traditional markets, 25 percent less than eight years ago. Shopping at supermarkets have also dropped from 3.26 trips to 2.45 trips in the same period. The busy life is the reason that Vietnamese shopping habits are changing, said Gaurang Kotak, Nielsen Vietnam Head of Consumer Insights. "When urban shoppers have less time, work in crowded cities, face traffic congestion and live further away from their workplace, they need convenient solutions and products which can help make their life easier," he said. Convenient stores and minimarts allow Vietnamese to manage cash flow by spending smaller amounts more often, reducing the amount of perishables that are thrown away, Kotak added. The increasing number of customers has seen modern trade channels recorded doubt-digit growths. Nielsen data shows that sales revenue of modern trade channels in urban areas grew 11.3 percent year-on-year in the second quarter, outperforming traditional trade which was up just 1.6 percent. Kotak added that Vietnamese people now go to modern stores more often because they are more concerned about their well-being. "Health and wellness is a top-of-mind priority for consumers in Vietnam. Today's shoppers find high-quality products or trusted brands in these stores." As modern trade retailers continue to expand and invest in improving their stores to attract more shoppers, this channels growth is set to accelerate further, the report said. Diep Vuong, the latest winner of the Global Citizen Award instituted by Henley & Partners. Photo courtesy of Pacific Links Foundation Diep Vuong, a former refugee who returned to Vietnam to fight human trafficking, is Global Citizen of the Year. "Every time there was an opportunity for us to find a way to escape, we tried to take advantage of it. The third time we tried, however, the owners hacked off one girl's head and made us stay in the room with the bloody corpse all night. After that incident, no one dared to try to escape anymore... "Every time we tried to escape, we got caught and were beaten, had cigarettes burned onto our skin, and were tattooed with the owner's code on our hands. "I was a prostitute for almost a year before the Chinese police raided and dismantled the establishment, rescued us from prostitution, and repatriated us back home." A 2016 blog entry by a 16-year-old girl now recuperating and rebuilding her life at the Pacific Link Foundations Lao Cai Compassion House bespeaks of the horrors Vietnamese human trafficking victims often suffer. Diep Vuong, a Vietnamese refugee who fled to the U.S. many years ago, returned to Vietnam and set up the foundation to assist such victims and has worked for many years to prevent the blight of human trafficking and mitigate its impacts. She has been chosen as the Global Citizen of the Year 2018. Vuong was honored with the award at a gala dinner in Dubai on Tuesday. The award is given by the Henley & Partners Group, a global citizenship and residence advisory firm headquartered in London. Founded in 2001, Pacific Links Foundation has now become a prominent anti-human trafficking organization in Southeast Asia. It combines preventive and protective measures, provides education and training and lays particular emphasis on education. The foundation also partners with multinational corporations to fight forced labor and reduce trafficking risks in their own supply chain. "Human trafficking is the major issue of our time, representing the ugly side of globalization," said Vuong. "It is all-pervasive and yet largely ignored. The more we recognize the painful realities of our world, the more effective we can be in addressing and correcting them." $150 billion dollar industry Human trafficking is a colossal industry with annual revenues of $150 billion that affects over 40 million women, children, and men, coercing them to forced labor and sexual exploitation. Citizens of the Asia Pacific region have twice the chance of becoming enslaved compared to a developed country, according to a report by the International Labor Organization. Vietnam, in particular, is a major source of cross-border sex and labor trafficking. According to the Pacific Links Foundation, 60 percent of all traffickers arrested in Vietnam are former victims. According to Mimi Vu from Pacific Links Foundation, a Vietnamese woman would be sold over Chinese border for VND1 million ($45). Christian Kalin, chairman of Henley & Partners, said Vuong was being conferred with the Global Citizen Award "in recognition of her courageous, decades-long international campaigning for the rights of those enslaved by human trafficking, as well as her grassroots work in protecting those rescued from such enslavement." Previous winners include humanitarian Dr. Imtiaz Sooliman from South Africa who founded Africas largest disaster relief organization, the Gift of the Givers Foundation and Switzerland-based Monique Morrow, President and Co-Founder of The Humanized Internet, which uses new technologies to defend the rights of vulnerable people. Turning the tide In her acceptance speech, Vuong highlighted the story of another human trafficking victim, Sao, who was kidnapped from Vietnams northern highlands and sold into China as a wife at age 15. "She was forced to have a child with a man twice her age who after she had given birth was going to sell her to another family. She managed to escape back to Vietnam, but sadly, had to leave her child behind," she said. She said Sao grew more confident and renewed her dream of becoming a doctor while staying with Pacific Links. After three years, she graduated among the top in her class and is currently enrolled in a medical college in Saigon. Sao dreams of one day opening a clinic to help others and especially to help girls like herself, Vuong said. "Human trafficking has become a global epidemic, yet the people who abhor it and want it to end far outnumber those perpetuating it. Let us find each other and work together to turn the tide." Water levels at many reservoirs in Da Nang and its central region neighbors have dropped significantly from last year. Photo by VnExpress/Nguyen Dong Its the flooding season, but central Vietnam has been longing for rains for the past three months. The normal rainy season in the central region lasts from August to November, and seasonal flooding is a regular occurrence. This year, however, the amount of rainfall has fallen to record lows. Operators of A Vuong, Dak Mi and Song Tranh hydropower projects in Quang Nam Province told the Tuoi Tre newspaper that the water level in their reservoirs has never been this low in the middle of the rainy season. The levels at Dak Mi and Song Tranh are at 240 meters and 150 meters approximately. In the Song Tranh reservoir, the water level was 165-172 meters last year. In the Central Highlands Province of Dak Lak, farmers have been waiting for rain for months. Nearly 2,300 hectares (6,680 acres) of the summer-autumn crop, mostly paddy, in the province has already died and many more fields now have no way to fight drought because water levels in streams and reservoirs are very low, according to Dai Doan Ket newspaper. Farmers in Dak Lak told the newspaper that they have never experienced such a serious lack of water in the middle of the rainy season. The drought began in August and their paddy fields have dried up, they said. The lack of fresh water has affected other places in the central region differently. Many people in the coastal city of Da Nang had no access to tap water on Monday because salt intrusion had disrupted water supply from the Da Nang Water Supply Joint Stock Company (Dawaco). The Da Nang Peoples Committee said the weather this year has been unpredictable and that this should have been the flooding season now, but salt intrusion in the city was still "complicated." Dawaco on Tuesday has called on its customers to save water due to a serious supply shortage. Since August, the company has had to ask for water supply from nearby hydroelectric power plants in an effort to push away the salt intrusion. Ngo Xuan The, deputy CEO of A Vuong Hydropower Joint Stock Company in the city, told Tuoi Tre that the amount of water in the projects reservoir has dropped to 40-47 million cubic meters compared to nearly 170 million cubic meters last year. This will have serious impact on not only the operation of the dam but daily activities of locals and what happens next could be very "serious," he said. The Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control of Thua Thien-Hue Province said most reservoirs there are either empty or have only 20-50 percent of water left. The amount of rainfall so far has been 40-50 percent of last year, it said. Yet another South Korean boss leaves Vietnamese workers in the lurch Hundreds of workers at Texwell Vina Company in Dong Nai Province go on strike on National Highway 1K to demand their pay in February this year. Photo by VnExpress/Phuoc Tuan 40 unpaid workers in Dong Nai are the latest victims of South Korean bosses who flee Vietnam for good. Kim Dae Gun, South Korean director of the Cho Won Textile Company in the southern Dong Nai Province, went abroad on a business trip with his compatriot manager on October 22. They have not returned yet. Many workers of the company have tried to contact the director in vain, and filed a complaint with provincial authorities, media reports said. Initial investigations show that the workers havent received their salaries for the past two months. How much the company owes its employees in total is not yet known. According to the Dong Nai Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, the company still owes VND120 million ($5,150) in social insurance contributions and VND23 billion to local banks. Police are investigating the incident, which is only the latest of many such that have occurred in the country. Earlier this year, more than 1,900 workers at Texwell Vina Company in the province were left jobless after their South Korean director and 11 managers left Vietnam, owing them VND31 billion ($1.37 million) in salaries and social insurance contributions. The crisis made headlines after the workers gathered outside the factory for days to demand their pay. Yet another South Korean boss leaves Vietnamese workers in the lurch Vietnamese workers abandoned following disappearance of South Korean boss The protest prompted authorities to fork out VND7 billion ($308,000) to help the workers celebrate the Lunar New Year in mid-February. In January, more than 600 workers at a garment firm in the neighboring Saigon staged a strike for more than a week to demand their wages after their South Korean employer disappeared. Vietnams economy grew by 6.8 percent in 2017, the highest rate in a decade, but not all its workers are having a good time. The country raised its minimum wage by 6.5 percent from mid-2018 to VND3.98 million ($170). Vietnam General Confederation of Labor earlier this year published a study on minimum wage and cost of living after surveying over 3,000 laborers in 150 different businesses in the country. 26.5 percent said they were "barely getting by," while 12.5 percent said their incomes were not enough to support their families, and have to work overtime or extra jobs to make ends meet. For 40 years, a bicycle mechanic devoted himself to his family, but his eyes never wavered from a law degree. It has been quite warm in Phu Yen Province in central Vietnam. In a small house in the provinces Tuy Hoa City, Hoang Tien Mai repairs a bicycle with great care. In the front yard of his house, many bikes are lined up, awaiting their turns to be fixed. Opposite a tea table in the "garage," a blackboard leans against the wall. This place also serves as a space for Mai to study. At 70, very few people expected this elderly bike repairer would go on to get a Bachelors Degree in Laws from the Hue University. On October 25, however, the veteran donned his graduation gown and tassel and proudly held his degree in his hands. Mai received his bachelor's degree in law this October. Photo courtesy of Hoang Tien Mai In 1971, Mai passed the high school graduation exam in Binh Dinh Province, and enrolled in Saigon Law University. However, family problems stopped his academic advance. He longed to continue his college studies, but once he got married, it seemed an even less feasible task. As the main breadwinner of the family, he tried several jobs to make ends meet before opening a bike repair shop. "At the time, demand for bicycles was high, so I earned enough to sustain my family," said Mai. In 1991, Mai tried to register for a college law course, but he was not qualified. "I was so sad, but I could not do anything. I just bought some reference books to read," Mai recalled. Mai repaired bicycles during the day and read books at night. He used the blackboard to note down the key points, so he can look at them to revise even as he worked. "I am old, I often forget some parts I have read," he said. Back to school Twenty-three years after his last effort to attend college, when his children had grown up and life got easier, Mai was thrilled to learn that Hue University had opened a distance learning course in law, in collaboration with the Phu Yen Continuing Education Center. He rearranged his old files and successfully enrolled in the course this time. "Fortunately, my wife and children supported my studies." Returning to school after decades, it was not easy for Mai. His handwriting was sketchy. He tried his best to stay focused during the lectures and take detailed notes to review at home. He repaired bikes with fail, and attended classes without fail. His earnings were used to pay tuition, so that he would not have to depend on his children. Mai repairs bikes to pay his tuition fees. Photo by VnExpress/Thien Ly When his wife, Trinh Thi Ly, was told of his decision to study laws, she was a bit worried, but decided to support him. "Sometimes when he sleeps, he would dream and talk about law in class, maybe he was feeling stressed," she said with a smile. Nguyen Thi Bich Tram, Mai's classmate, said that at first, students mistook him as father of a student. When they found that he was eager to learn, they were filled with admiration. And when he received his bachelor's degree, the admiration increased manifold, Tram said. Now that he has got his degree, the old man has bigger plans. He wants to study more and become a real lawyer. "Then when people around here need consultation on legal issues, I will advise them." Two Vietnam resorts rank among worlds best U.S. luxury and lifestyle travel magazine Conde Nast Traveler has published a list of the top 50 resorts, and it features two from Vietnam. At number 15 is one of the countrys top resorts, the InterContinential Danang Sun Peninsula, in the central city of Da Nang. The magazine wrote: "Though just 30 minutes from the Danang airport, InterContinentals flagship Vietnam property feels much farther away from the real world. "Scattered from the lush hills of the Son Tra Peninsula nature reserve down to the sandy shores of the East Sea, the resortwhich opened in 2012has become one of the top picks in the country for relaxing getaways." The tariff here ranges from $400 to $3,000 for a night. InterContinential Danang Sun Peninsula ranks 15th in Conde Nast Travelers list of worlds best resorts. Photo courtesy of InterContinential. At number 17 is a property in Phu Quoc, JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort & Spa. It is located on a beach named Khem and has 244 rooms and villas with sea views and private pools. Prices start at $280. Phu Quoc is Vietnam's largest island in the southern province of Kien Giang. JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort & Spa ranks 17th in the list. Photo courtesy of JW Marriott. Topping the list is a resort in Indonesia, Viceroy Bali, followed by Viceroy Los Cabos in Mexico and Naladhu Private Island in the Maldives. Vietnam has become an increasingly attractive destination for foreign tourists. More than 11.6 million foreigners arrived in Vietnam in the first nine months of this year, a 22.9 percent year-on-year increase. Last year's foreign arrivals is 12.9 million, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism. As North Korea ponders economic reform, its top diplomat to visit Vietnam North Korea's Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho arrives for the Asean Regional Forum Retreat Session in Singapore August 4, 2018. Photo by Reuters/Edgar Su North Koreas foreign minister, Ri Yong Ho, will visit Vietnam this month to learn about its model of economic reform, sources and the media said Wednesday. Ri will visit the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, for three days from November 27 to inspect industrial zones and interview economic experts, a diplomatic source with direct knowledge of the trip told Reuters. South Koreas Yonhap news agency, citing unidentified sources, also reported that Ri would make the three-day trip at that time. Vietnams foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. South Koreas foreign ministry said it was not aware of Ris visit. After years of self-imposed isolation, and sanctions for its development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, North Korea has this year been trying to build its foreign contacts. Its leader, Kim Jong Un, has spoken of his hopes for reform of North Koreas economy and has looked to examples in the region. Kim met South Korean President Moon Jae-in three times this year. In their talks, Kim repeatedly cited Vietnams successes, South Korean media reported. Kim also help a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore in June, when he was cited by North Korean media as expressing his admiration for Singapores economic development. U.S. officials have said Vietnams socialist market economy could be an example for North Korea. Yonhap said Ri had told the Vietnamese government that North Korea hoped to learn from Vietnams model of development. This week Kim hosted President Miguel Diaz-Canel of Cuba, another country under U.S. sanctions, during a lavish visit in Pyongyang, where the two leaders vowed to boost their cooperation. Production has not just risen in the United States, but also in many other countries, including Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Brazil. Oil prices were stable on November 8, pressured as the United States became the world's top crude producer after its output hit all-time highs, but supported as China remained on track to register another year of record imports. Front-month Brent crude oil futures were at $72 a barrel at 0554 GMT, down 7 cents from their last close, Reuters said. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $61.72 per barrel, up 5 cents from their previous settlement. Weighing on prices was record U.S. crude production, which hit 11.6 million barrels per day (bpd) in the week ending November 2, according to Energy Information Administration (EIA) data released on Wednesday. That's a threefold increase from the U.S. low reached a decade ago, and a 22.2 percent rise just this year. It makes the United States the world's biggest producer of crude. More U.S. oil will likely come. The EIA expects output to break through 12 million bpd by mid-2019, largely thanks to a surge in shale oil production. Meanwhile, U.S. crude inventories rose by 5.8 million barrels in the week ending November 2, to 431.79 million barrels, the EIA said. Crude stocks moved back above their five-year average levels in October. Production has not just risen in the United States, but also in many other countries, including Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Brazil, stoking producer concerns of a return of oversupply that depressed oil prices between 2014 and 2017. Read alsoReuters: Oil dips amid well-supplied market, Iran sanction waivers "Producers are concerned about the potential oversupply ... after EIA reported that crude inventories rose by 5.8 million barrels," said Stephen Innes, head of trading for Asia-Pacific at futures brokerage Oanda in Singapore. With output overall rising, supply is ample despite the Iran sanctions now in place, prompting rumblings within the Middle East dominated Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) that renewed supply cuts may be needed next year to prevent a glut. "OPEC and Russia may use cuts to support $70 per barrel," said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank. Countering concerns of a renewed glut were record Chinese crude imports. "Producers are concerned about the potential oversupply ... after EIA reported that crude inventories rose by 5.8 million barrels," said Stephen Innes, head of trading for Asia-Pacific at futures brokerage Oanda in Singapore. With output overall rising, supply is ample despite the Iran sanctions now in place, prompting rumblings within the Middle East dominated Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) that renewed supply cuts may be needed next year to prevent a glut. "OPEC and Russia may use cuts to support $70 per barrel," said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank. Countering concerns of a renewed glut were record Chinese crude imports. Roshen sweets reportedly sold in occupied Ukraine could have been smuggled Corporation The corporation says it does not sell confectionery in the Russian-occupied territories. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter Gas giant Naftogaz set to recover US$237.3 mln in compensation from government The claims are justified by the fact that the Cabinet of Ministers by its inaction failed to identify the sources of financing and the procedure for determining the compensation for gas supplied to the entities of natural gas market. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter Kyiv court frees ex-CEO of Ukrainian agro holding extradited from Switzerland to Ukraine Guta was released on his personal recognizance. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter Serbia allows imports of Ukrainian eggs Earlier, Ukraine obtained from Serbia in 2016 a license for exporting poultry meat. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter Irvine, California, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pacific Dental Services (PDS), a dental support organization (DSO) that provides business and administrative services for dental offices, has announced it will launch Epic, the most widely-used comprehensive health records system. All organizations using Epic can easily exchange patient data for improved patient care. PDS-supported dentists and specialists will have the ability to coordinate care with other clinicians who serve their patients and their families, closing care gaps and reducing duplication. As the leader in interoperability, Epic will enable PDS to easily exchange data for improved continuity of care across the country. Oral healthcare is a critical component of overall health and this investment will enable PDS-supported clinicians and their patients to more fully participate in the promise of a seamless, comprehensive healthcare system focused on whole body health, said Stephen E. Thorne, IV, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at PDS. Epic is used by a majority of U.S. News and World Reports top-ranked hospitals and medical schools, which are working collaboratively every day to improve patient care, innovate healthcare delivery and achieve financial health. Poor oral health has been linked to cardiovascular disease, pregnancy and birth defects, and diabetes. Through the use of Care Everywhere, dentists across the country will have real-time access to important clinical information, said Alan Hutchison, VP of Population Health at Epic. As the first DSO to join Epics One Virtual System Worldwide, Pacific Dental Services is uniquely positioned to improve oral systemic health for the populations they serve. This is a very exciting collaboration with what we believe will be the best dental practice management system in the industry, bringing closer the complete longitudinal patient record and highlighting more clearly than ever the Mouth-Body Connection, said David Baker, SVP, Chief Information Officer at PDS. Epic will also provide benefits to patients and their caregivers by allowing them to chronicle their healthcare journey using the MyChart patient portal. MyChart gives patients, and their designated caregivers, secure digital access to their health information, enabling them to communicate with providers, schedule appointments, and pay bills online. PDS continuously raises the bar in the support of owner dentists to create a culture of Clinicians Leading Clinicians in Clinical Excellence. PDS, which has landed on the Inc. 5000 an impressive 13 times, demonstrates its commitment to competitive growth in the oral healthcare industry. Implementation of the Epic system is expected to be completed in 2020. About Pacific Dental Services Founded in 1994, Pacific Dental Services (PDS) is one of the countrys leading dental support organizations, providing supported autonomy that enables dentists to concentrate on clinical excellence and the highest levels of cost-effective comprehensive patient care. PDS originated the Private Practice+ model to enable dentists to focus on their passion: serving patients. PDS also pioneered the concept of Modern Dentistry so that dentists are equipped to combine advances in the latest technology with the best operational practices and procedures, highly skilled support staff and a commitment to ongoing training and education. PDS continues to grow, with over 650 supported dental offices across the United States and plans to expand into several new markets. PDS-supported dentists aim to be the provider of choice in all the markets they serve and to develop Patients for Life. For more information, visit us at http://www.pacificdentalservices.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PacificDentalServices/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/293541/life/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/pacificdental YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/PacificDentalTV Statement nn the ongoing Aggression by Azerbaijan against the Republic of Armenia "We condemn any attempts at borderisation, as observed since the incursion of Azerbaijani troops into Armenian territory on 12 May" Joint statement The United States is deeply concerned about reports of intensive fighting today between Armenia and Azerbaijan.ANTONY J. BLINKEN Statement of the MFA of Armenia Ookla has awarded Ucom with The fastest fixedline network in Armenia award UCOM keeps on supporting the 42 YEREVAN programming school Recognizing the One-Year Anniversary of the Ceasefire Declaration Between Armenia and Azerbaijan They should not be positioned near civilian communities neither in Armenia nor in Artsakh Humanitarian and human rights protection needed following the 2020 outbreak of hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh Galaxy Group of Companies expands its activities in Belarus: a new TIME and Pandora store launched I think its a good moment to invest in Armenia. Head of Markets at Symbiotics Vincent Lehner Ameriabank has Raised USD 17.5M Tier 2 Capital UNIGHT TO UNITE. UCOM CELEBRATED ITS REBIRTH Ameriabank and HSBC Armenia to provide their customers access to each others ATMs without additional fees Ameriabank. 62.5% Growth in Taxes YOY Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans have provided 300 million AMD to overcome the infertility in Armenia Google Ad UCOM has officially launched the sale of IPHONE 13 Six servicemen were wounded by the attack of the Azerbaijani armed forces in Artsakh, two of them in critical condition S&P Improved the Outlook on Ameriabank to Positive Ararat Mirzoyan to visit to Minsk Foreign Minister of India visits the Memorial of Armenian Genocide 1217 new cases Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group At UCOM only: Tv sets at 10% discount + 1 month free UMIX package + 4k tv channel Ameriabanks Special Offer for New Clients of Hrazdan Branch "Fall forward": Gurgen Khachatryan, the Co-Founder of the Galaxy Group of Companies, addressed a message to young people in Armenia UCOM hosted interns of Russian CBOSS corporation for a month The 20-episode Bloody bet thriller to be broadcast on Ucom's Armenia Premium TV channel Tailors of Police uniforms do not receive 8-month salary (video) Employees of "Continentex" sewing factory demand their salaries of 8 months. Factory employee Gohar Tamamyan mentioned that the factory has been closed for 5 years. "Nobody cares about us. We wrote a letter to both the government and the police. There is no one to deal with our problem. We only want our salary. We are not solicited to hire a lawyer to protect our interests." Gohar Tamamyan mentioned that they are unaware of why the factory was closed. It is known that former police chief Vova Gasparyan is behind all of that. "In 1995, we were working there, sewing the uniforms of the police." The factory was a state institution, it belonged to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Now the police uniforms sew the Kanaker sewing factory, which is private. Employees have also appealed to the new government, but the response has further aggravated them. "We were told that they are not eligible to pay salaries. Well, so who is eligible for that?" The factory staff also appealed to the police to meet with the police head, but they have not yet reached their turn. Zohrab Mnatsakanyan participates in session of Collective Security Treaty Organization Caretaker FM Zohrab Mnatsakanyan participated November 8 in the joint session of the foreign ministerial council, defense ministerial council and security council secretary committee of the Collective Security Treaty Organization in Astana, Kazakhstan, the foreign ministry said. The agenda of the session included cooperation within the framework of the CSTO, and issues relating to foreign policy combination of member states in international arenas, as well as regional and international security issues. The latest developments in Afghanistan, Syria and Middle East were addressed. In his remarks, Armenias caretaker foreign minister thanked his Kazakh counterpart for the successful chairmanship in the CSTO and expressed Armenias support to Kyrgyzstans upcoming chairmanship priorities on increasing effectiveness of the organization and deepening cooperation. Speaking about the agenda issues, Mnatsakanyan reiterated Armenias determination to continue steps on strengthening efforts in enhancing defense potential of CSTO member states and combating modern challenges and threats. Mnatsakanyan said that Armenia attaches great importance to the significance of joint and comprehensive efforts in countering extremism and international terrorism. He highlighted the threats associated with the return of militants who have taken part in armed conflicts as part of terror organization to their countries of origin. It was noted that this issue is a serious challenge for international security. Mnatsakanyan expressed concern over the ongoing situation in the Middle East and namely in Syria, as well as the challenges facing ethnic and religious minorities in the region as a result of terrorist activities. He attached importance to the steps on increasing the CSTO peacekeeping potential and strengthening cooperation with the UN. Speaking about the NK conflict, Mnatsakanyan noted that the new government of Armenia has numerously reiterated its commitment to the exclusively peaceful solution of the conflict under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship. He highlighted the Pashinyan-Aliyev meeting in Tajikistan and noted that during the meeting agreements were able to be reached which will contribute to the formation of an appropriate environment for a peaceful process, if implemented. He stressed that the issues of security and status of Artsakh remain among Armenias priorities, and stressed the significance of Artsakhs involvement in the negotiations process. Mnatsakanyan attached importance to the refusal of belligerent rhetoric, noting that it leads to increased hostility and atmosphere of distrust in the region. He noted that the arms race is topical and very concerning, and it doesnt contribute to settlement. Several decisions were signed at the session, and the documents of the upcoming Collective Security Council session were approved. Statement nn the ongoing Aggression by Azerbaijan against the Republic of Armenia "We condemn any attempts at borderisation, as observed since the incursion of Azerbaijani troops into Armenian territory on 12 May" Joint statement The United States is deeply concerned about reports of intensive fighting today between Armenia and Azerbaijan.ANTONY J. BLINKEN Statement of the MFA of Armenia Google Ad Ookla has awarded Ucom with The fastest fixedline network in Armenia award UCOM keeps on supporting the 42 YEREVAN programming school Recognizing the One-Year Anniversary of the Ceasefire Declaration Between Armenia and Azerbaijan They should not be positioned near civilian communities neither in Armenia nor in Artsakh Humanitarian and human rights protection needed following the 2020 outbreak of hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh Galaxy Group of Companies expands its activities in Belarus: a new TIME and Pandora store launched I think its a good moment to invest in Armenia. Head of Markets at Symbiotics Vincent Lehner Ameriabank has Raised USD 17.5M Tier 2 Capital UNIGHT TO UNITE. UCOM CELEBRATED ITS REBIRTH Ameriabank and HSBC Armenia to provide their customers access to each others ATMs without additional fees Ameriabank. 62.5% Growth in Taxes YOY Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans have provided 300 million AMD to overcome the infertility in Armenia Google Ad UCOM has officially launched the sale of IPHONE 13 Six servicemen were wounded by the attack of the Azerbaijani armed forces in Artsakh, two of them in critical condition S&P Improved the Outlook on Ameriabank to Positive Ararat Mirzoyan to visit to Minsk Foreign Minister of India visits the Memorial of Armenian Genocide 1217 new cases Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group At UCOM only: Tv sets at 10% discount + 1 month free UMIX package + 4k tv channel Ameriabanks Special Offer for New Clients of Hrazdan Branch "Fall forward": Gurgen Khachatryan, the Co-Founder of the Galaxy Group of Companies, addressed a message to young people in Armenia UCOM hosted interns of Russian CBOSS corporation for a month The 20-episode Bloody bet thriller to be broadcast on Ucom's Armenia Premium TV channel The Supreme Court of Ukraine has turned down a counterclaim of PJSC Ukrtransnafta against a ruling of Kyiv's court of appeals dated April 12, 2018, which upheld the ruling of the international arbitration court of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry dated September 1, 2017, which ruled to collect $7.857 million from Ukrtransnafta in favor of CJSC Belarusian Oil Company (BelOil) in the litigation over pumping of oil via the Yuzhny-Brody-Mozyr pipelines. "The court of lower instance has rightly concluded that statements of Ukrtransnafta that the international arbitration court of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is not authorized to hear the counterclaim of BelOil against Ukrtransnafta to collect the debt in the case opened under the initial claim of Ukrtransnafta against BelOil to collect the debt are groundless," the Supreme Court said in a ruling on October 4. According to the document, the ruling was issued by a panel of judges of the first trial chamber of the Civil Division of the Court of Cassation. As reported, the international arbitration court of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry ruled to collect $24.021 million of compensation from BelOil for the unused volumes of transportation under the "pump or pay" contract condition and $13.878 million of compensation from Ukrtransnafta for the change of the quality of oil. BelOil won the litigation with $7.857 million in its favor. BelOil on February 8, 2018 filed a petition to the Kyiv's court of appeals to receive a permit to execute the ruling of the Belarusian arbitration court. According to an annual report of Ukrtransnafta, the company was waiting the court proceedings will finish by the end of 2018. The company reserved funds of UAH 220.514 million for the execution of the ruling. BelOil in 2011-2012 was supposed to supply at least 8 million tonnes of oil (4 million tonnes per year) of Azeri Light brand at Yuzhny oil terminal for subsequent pumping of this oil to the Mozyr refinery along the Yuzhny-Brody-Mozyr route in the "pump or pay" mode. Of the planned 4 million tonnes in 2011, only 0.9 million tonnes were delivered and pumped. At the same time, the contract of compensation for quality losses was additionally signed, as BelOil supplied Azeri Light to the Yuzhny terminal, while Urals oil was pumped via the oil pipeline to Mozyr, which is a cheaper grade of oil. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ExGen Resources Inc. (TSX.V: EXG; OTC: BXXRF) (ExGen, the Company) is pleased to provide an update in respect of Phoenix Global Mining Ltd.s (Phoenix) exploration and development activities at the Empire Mine Project in Idaho, USA. Further to previous ExGen news releases, ExGen owns 20% and Phoenix owns 80% of Konnex Resources, Inc. (Konnex), which holds the leases and claims to the Empire Mine Project. ExGen further has a 2.5% NSR royalty on the Empire Mine Project and is one of Phoenixs largest shareholders, owning 1,330,000 common shares (4.18% of Phoenix). ExGen is pleased to announce the results from the Companys ongoing surface sampling and drilling programs at the Empire Copper Project in Idaho, USA (the Empire Mine). The results of the 2018 drilling program, to date, were published in September and early October, and can be found under the Companys filings on the SEDAR web site at http://www.sedar.com/. Highlights: Mineralisation now demonstrated along a 3.5 kilometre (km) strike within the expanded 1,837-acre property. The current resource (shallow oxide deposit) exists along a 1km of strike length. Phoenix will now fast track further exploration work alongside completing the Feasibility Study on the current resource. Drilling in and around the current resource returned high grade copper and silver assays, and confirmation of the presence of sulphides Dennis Thomas, CEO of Phoenix, said, The results of the current program suggest we have [an enlarged potential] opportunity along a 3.5km strike. We have only really begun to understand the scale of the opportunity following the mapping, sampling and drilling work outside the [current resource] which has been the focus of our attention to-date. We have always believed that the area had strong potential. We needed to increase the property holdings to incorporate these potential areas which we have now done. We have increased the holding from 813 acres to 1,837 acres. The newly discovered Red Star zone is located 330m north west along strike from the present northern limit of the Empire [current resource] and appears to be a continuation of the Empire [deposits] mineralisation trend which, in turn, continues on into the Horseshoe block of claims towards the old Horseshoe Mine approximately 1.3km along strike from Empire Three reverse circulation (RC) drill holes have already been completed in the Red Star zone. We believe we can add considerable value by continuing exploration along the whole 3,500m zone within the property boundary and investigating the mineralised showings and old workings within this [potentially] vast mineralised system. Finally, the drilling program around the [current resource] at Empire continues to return robust results which will [hopefully] enhance the new resource estimate scheduled for completion in January next year. High-grade copper and silver assays, consistent with results reported in the last two months, provides more evidence of a deeper-rooted, high-grade sulphide system. Assay results for those holes are anticipated in November and early December. We look forward to keeping the market updated on our progress. Mr. Jason Riley, CEO of ExGen commented: We are very pleased with this latest round of assay results from Red Star and now the Horseshoe block that indicate the potential of a larger scale area play at Empire. Additionally, the ongoing infill and stepout drilling continues to deliver impressive grades of copper, which should benefit the current resource update expected in Q1 next year. We eagerly await the next drilling results from Red Star before year end. Red Star Channel Sampling One continuous channel, comprised of 12 1.5m samples, were collected from the exposed outcropping at the Red Star zone. The results of these samples were composited as a single sample. Individual 1.5m samples ranged in grade from 0.15% copper to 1.69% copper and were all included in the grand composite. The channel samples were composited and are presented in the following table. Copper equivalent grades (CuEqu) were calculated based on metal prices as follows copper $6,000/tonne, zinc $2,325/tonne, gold $1,200/oz and silver $14.00/oz. The Red Star zone is 330m outside of the current resource area to the northwest on the edge of the Horseshoe claims Block. Channel % g/t % Sample Length Metres Cu Zn Au Ag CuEqu RED STAR 18.3 0.65 0.12 0.36 16.4 1.09 including 4.6 1.08 0.13 0.03 13.7 1.26 including 1.5 1.69 0.08 0.02 11.0 1.82 Reported lengths are sample lengths, true widths have not been determined Horseshoe Exploration Rock Chip Samples 20 rock chip samples were collected as part of the initial exploration effort on the Horseshoe Claims Block from various outcroppings and exposures with at least some visually identifiable mineralisation. The sampling represents a small portion of the proposed exploration program for the area in 2019. A Notice of Intent (NOI) is currently under review by the US Forest Service for drilling on the Horseshoe claims Block. The Horseshoe Block is comprised of 944 acres of unpatented claims contiguous to the Empire property and staked by Phoenix in 2017 and 2018. The historic Horseshoe Mine is located approximately 1,000m north of Red Star and approximately 1,300m north-northwest of the Empires North Pit. Horseshoe Rock Chip Samples Sample % g/t Number Cu Zn Pb Au Ag W 458503 0.02 5.83 20.00 0.18 580.00 5 458504 0.01 0.05 0.04 0.02 2.90 50 458505 0.00 0.17 2.01 0.03 15.20 5 458506 0.00 0.04 0.04 0.01 1.30 5 458507 0.01 0.11 2.71 0.02 25.70 10 458508 0.02 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.80 5 458509 9.19 0.43 0.02 0.50 89.80 30 458510 0.19 1.26 5.08 0.08 84.80 40 458511 1.67 0.61 0.03 0.01 7.80 120 458513 1.95 1.77 0.81 0.48 367.00 40 458514 0.20 1.01 0.01 0.01 2.50 5 458515 0.06 0.03 0.00 0.01 1.60 5 458516 0.13 0.38 0.22 0.05 12.60 5 458517 0.02 0.06 0.27 0.05 30.40 5 458518 0.15 1.11 2.33 0.01 31.70 20 458519 0.47 3.21 3.06 0.01 38.30 30 458520 0.03 0.23 0.06 0.01 2.40 5 458521 2.93 1.41 0.04 0.01 39.40 790 458523 3.83 1.55 0.02 2.02 141.00 220 *Readers are cautioned that rock chip samples are selected samples and are not necessarily representative of the mineralization hosted on the property. DRILLING UPDATE EMPIRE MINE ExGen has completed a total of 8,604m of drilling at Empire. To date this consists of 6,328m of reverse circulation (RC) drilling and 2276m of diamond drilling. Drill samples are being delivered to the ALS Global laboratory in Nevada for assay with a turnaround time of approximately six weeks. The drill hole results received to date from diamond drill holes KXD18-14A through to KXD18-19 and RC holes KX18-48 through to KX18-52 are shown below. The results from the previous ExGen drilling programs in 2017 and the 2018 results for 47 RC holes and 13 diamond drill holes, published in September and October, can be found under the Companys filings on the SEDAR web site at http://www.sedar.com/. The copper equivalent grade (Cu Equ) is calculated based on metal prices as follows copper $6,000/tonne, zinc $2,325/tonne, gold $1,200/oz and silver $14.0/oz. Drill Hole Intersection Metres % g/t % Number From To Interval Cu Zn Au Ag CuEqu Comments KX18-48 39.6 41.1 1.5 0.29 0.04 0.56 18.6 0.85 Infill KX18-51 73.2 74.7 1.5 0.74 1.93 0.06 25.8 1.75 Stepout KX18-52 12.2 18.3 6.1 0.35 0.02 0.02 12.0 0.48 Infill and 103.6 121.9 18.3 1.28 0.10 0.22 18.2 1.62 Stepout including 103.6 108.2 4.6 2.95 0.20 0.70 44.0 3.88 Stepout including 103.6 105.2 1.5 5.54 0.22 1.36 69.6 7.16 Stepout KXD18-14A 25.6 26.8 1.2 0.30 0.03 0.09 26.0 0.59 Infill and 35.7 37.2 1.5 0.25 0.40 0.01 6.4 0.47 Infill and 112.5 113.4 0.9 0.26 0.04 0.01 10.9 0.37 Stepout and 113.4 115.5 2.1 0.58 0.03 0.10 13.8 0.78 Stepout KXD18-15 32.2 32.8 0.5 0.02 1.66 0.19 55.7 1.26 Infill and 105.7 107.5 1.8 0.03 3.78 0.03 71.1 2.10 Infill KXD18-16 0.0 3.7 3.7 0.56 0.19 0.03 3.6 0.69 Infill and 18.9 38.6 19.7 1.10 1.10 0.23 12.0 1.79 Infill including 24.7 27.4 2.7 2.50 0.65 0.20 11.4 2.98 Infill including 30.5 36.9 6.4 1.49 1.30 0.53 17.9 2.52 Infill and 117.0 119.8 2.8 0.54 0.14 0.09 14.2 0.78 Infill and 143.9 145.4 1.5 0.46 0.05 0.04 9.3 0.58 Infill KXD18-17 4.6 6.7 2.1 0.44 0.03 0.03 8.1 0.54 Infill and 10.4 13.4 3.0 1.52 0.04 0.04 12.4 1.67 Infill and 27.5 28.8 1.3 1.91 0.05 0.12 38.4 2.33 Infill and 66.1 69.2 3.0 0.76 0.02 0.25 27.7 1.17 Stepout KXD18-18 6.2 10.7 4.4 1.17 0.02 0.12 52.3 1.70 Infill and 16.0 18.6 2.6 0.56 0.33 0.24 32.8 1.12 Infill and 25.0 26.4 1.4 0.71 0.14 0.32 22.5 1.17 Infill and 41.8 60.7 18.9 1.26 0.15 1.01 12.8 2.14 Stepout including 47.2 55.3 8.1 2.26 0.21 1.98 14.1 3.86 Stepout including 52.3 53.8 1.5 3.94 0.13 2.52 15.8 5.91 Stepout KXD18-19 0.0 4.0 4.0 0.55 0.17 0.47 11.4 1.04 Infill and 52.8 54.4 1.6 1.44 0.18 1.42 17.1 2.65 Stepout Reported lengths are core lengths as true widths have not yet been determined. We anticipate the true width calculations to be available in the coming weeks. QUALITY ASSURANCE AND QUALITY CONTROL PROTOCOLS Copper, zinc and silver were determined by the ICP method. Copper and zinc >1%ICP are assayed using four-acid digestion and silver >100ppm by four acid digestion, whereas gold was determined by a 30gm fire assay followed by atomic absorption. The QP for this news release notes that Phoenix inserts at least 2 blanks, duplicates, or standards for every 20 samples submitted to the ALS assay laboratory in Nevada. Core samples are saw cut in half and stored in a secure facility. RC chips and channel samples are stored in the same secure facility. All samples are delivered to the laboratory under chain of custody protocol and submitted using sub-form sample numbers. Other Results Pending Analysis There are currently 11 RC holes and 7 diamond drill holes awaiting assay results which should be received in November and December and will be reported as soon as possible. The samples are at the ALS assay laboratory in Nevada. These results will be announced following the receipt of assay certificates and QA/QC sign-off. Qualified Person Roger Turner A.C.S.M., M.Sc., M.I.M.M.M., C.Eng., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, and Chief Technical Officer and Director of Phoenix Global Mining, has reviewed and verified the technical mining information provided in this release. Mr. Turner is a graduate mining engineer from the Camborne School of Mines with an MSc in Economic Geology from Leicester University with more than 40 years experience in mine development, construction and operation. SHAREHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS As previously announced, ExGen also became a member of the 8020 Connect Inc., ("8020 Connect"), investor community. We invite all shareholders and stakeholders to join the ExGen Resources Inc. portal on 8020 Connect. Connect here http://bit.ly/8020exgen About ExGen Resources Inc. ExGen, formerly Boxxer Gold Corp, is a project accelerator that seeks to fund exploration and development of our projects through joint ventures and partnership agreements. This approach significantly reduces the technical and financial risks for ExGen, while maintaining the upside exposure to new discoveries and potential cash flow. The company intends to build a diverse portfolio of projects across exploration stages and various commodity groups. ExGen currently has 6 projects in Canada and the US. For more information on ExGen please contact ExGen Resources Inc. Jason Tong Chief Financial Officer Email: jason@catapultgroup.ca Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains certain forward-looking information. All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking information and such information involves various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information in relation to: the Empire Mine Project and the exploration and development of the Empire Mine Project; the earning of the Option by Phoenix and the potential transfer back to ExGen of the Konnex shares; the exploration and development strategy of the Empire Mine Project, including the exploration program, drilling, mine development, completion of a potential feasibility study in compliance with NI 43-101, and the timing for completion of these events; the timing for the completion of exploration drilling and the receipt of exploration information and drill assays; the potential of the underground sulphide mineralization and the potential re-opening of the 700 and 1100 level portals to assist in the analysis of the potential sulphide mineralization. The expanded 3.5 km strike length of the Empire Mine property and the potential for a larger district style opportunity. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. There can be no assurance that the development of the Empire Mine Project will be completed, and if development is completed, that such development will result in a producing mine. In the forward looking information contained in this news release, ExGen has made numerous assumptions, based upon practices and methodologies which are consistent with the mineral industry. In addition, ExGen has assumed: the continued market acceptance of its joint venture partnership model; the ability of ExGen to raise future equity financing, if needed, at prices acceptable to ExGen; ExGen's current and initial understanding and analysis of the Empire Mine Project; the ability of ExGen or third parties to discover viable exploration targets and the results of exploration on the Empire Mine Project; the ability of Phoenix to explore and develop the Empire Mine Project; the cost of exploration, including sampling, drilling and assaying, on the Empire Mine Project, the costs of developing the Empire Mine Project and the costs and the ability of Phoenix to produce a feasibility study in compliance with NI 43-101; the costs and work required to re-open the 700 and 1100 level portals; and ExGen's general and administrative costs remaining sustainable. While, ExGen considers these assumptions to be reasonable, these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies. Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause ExGen's observations, actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. Known risk factors include, among others: there is no certainty that the Option will result in significant or successful exploration of the Empire Mine Project or development of the Empire Mine Project into a producing mine; uncertainties relating to interpretation of drill results and the geology, continuity and grade of mineralization and uncertainty as to the actual results of exploration and development or operational activities; uncertainty as to the availability and terms of future financing; uncertainty as to timely availability of permits and other governmental approvals; ExGen may not be able to comply with its ongoing obligations regarding its properties; the early stage development of ExGen and its projects, and in particular, the Empire Mine Project; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; capital market conditions and market prices for securities, junior market securities and mining exploration company securities; commodity prices, in particular copper, gold, silver, and zinc prices; competition; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; accidents and other risks inherent in the mining industry; lack of insurance; delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals; changes in legislation, including environmental legislation, affecting ExGen; conclusions of economic evaluations; and lack of qualified, skilled labour or loss of key individuals. A description of additional assumptions and risk factors used to develop such forward-looking information that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in ExGen's disclosure documents on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. Although ExGen has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. ExGen does not undertake to update any forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws. First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economic Development and Trade Stepan Kubiv has proposed to Vice-Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China Liu He to commence joint consultations about the possible creation of a free trade area (FTA). "I have offered Vice-Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China Liu He to start joint Ukrainian-Chinese consultations on the prerequisites for creating a Ukraine-China free trade area," he wrote on his Facebook page, following a meeting with Liu He during his working visit to Beijing (China) on Thursday. According to a posting on the website of the Economic Development and Trade Ministry, after a long interruption in the work of the intergovernmental commission on cooperation between Ukraine and China, its activities were resumed, which favored increased trade and cooperation between enterprises of the two countries. "However, this volume of trade does not correspond to the existing potential. In the next five years, we can increase trade turnover to $20 billion a year," the ministry said, citing Kubiv as saying. As reported, trade turnover between Ukraine and China in January-August 2018, compared with the same period last year, grew by 21%, to $5.8 billion. Govt first approves allocation of land parcel in Chornobyl exclusion zone for wind farm The Cabinet of Ministers at a meeting on November 7 permitted Polesky Wind Farm LLC to draw up a land utilization project on several land parcels in Ivavnkivsky district of Kyiv region with a total area of 7 ha for placing, building and operating buildings and facilities of wind farms. "Today, the government gave the green light to the development of wind energy in the Chornobyl zone," Ecology and Natural Resources Minister of Ukraine Ostap Semerak said, commenting on this decision. He said that this is the first permit of this type. The minister recalled that last year the government made a number of important decisions that simplified the procedure for doing business in this territory. "The exclusion zone has a high level of investment attractiveness. This is confirmed by investors from different countries. They are ready to invest funds here," Semerak said. According to him, over two years more than 60 applications for the allocation of land parcels in the exclusion zone for the implementation of renewable energy projects have been received from investors: both domestic companies and companies from Denmark, the United States, China, Germany, France, Japan and Belarus. According to the explanatory note to the resolution available to Interfax-Ukraine, Polesky Wind Park LLC sent the respective application early November 2017. According to the resolution, in the future this land parcel will be leased to the limited liability company for 49 years to build the wind farm. More than 189 tonnes of humanitarian aid from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been sent through the Novotroitske checkpoint to the temporarily occupied territory in Donbas. "Some 14 trucks carrying more than 189 tonnes of humanitarian aid from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Committee of the Red Cross have gone through the Novotroitske checkpoint to the temporarily occupied territory," the press service of the State Border Guards Service of Ukraine said on November 7. Russia-led forces open fire 19 times on Ukrainian troops over last 24 hours, three soldiers wounded Russia-led forces opened fire 19 times on the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, injuring three Ukrainian soldiers, the Joint Forces Operations (JFO) headquarters has said. "Russia-led forces opened fire on the positions of our troops 19 times. At the same time, the enemy used weapons that were banned by the Minsk agreements three times. The enemy fired two 82-mm mortars on the positions of our troops in the areas of Pavlopil and Luhansk, using 120-mm mortars to attack the latter. During fighting, three JFO soldiers were injured," JFO HQ said on Facebook Thursday morning. Illegal armed groups fired on JFO units in the areas of settlements of Stanytsia Luhanska, Svobodny, Luhansk, Zaitseve, Avdiyika, Pisky, Maryinka, Novomykhailivka, Krasnohorivka, Pavlopil, Hnutovo and Lebedynsky. In addition, militants fired from a BMP-1 and ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft guns near Pavlopil. Ukrainian military intelligence said two militants were killed and three wounded. From the beginning of the day, the enemy made one bombardment of our positions - near Crimea. There was fire from 82-mm caliber mortars, grenade launchers and small arms. There were no casualties among the personnel of the combined forces, JFO HQ said. Ukraines Verkhovna Rada has adopted in first reading a bill on the legal status of the adjacent zone of Ukraine. If adopted, the bill would increase almost double the amount of territory Ukraine controls in the Black Sea. Some 238 deputies supported the corresponding bill (No. 8361) at a plenary session of parliament on Thursday. This bill will allow de facto to double the territory under Ukraines control in the Black Sea, said deputy (Petro Poroshenko Bloc faction) Iryna Friz, a co-author of the bill. "The adjacent zone, according to international standards, is neither a zone of jurisdiction nor a zone of sovereignty. The zone is the part of the sea space where any coastal state can exercise limited control using preventive measures or detention [for violations] based on certain rules, she said. According to the bill, the adjacent zone of Ukraine will be the sea area adjacent to the territorial sea of Ukraine and whose outer border is at a distance of 24 nautical miles (they are counted from the same base lines as the territorial sea of Ukraine). The territorial waters of Ukraine are 12 miles. Ukraine in this territory, if the bill is adopted, will exercise control and jurisdiction necessary to prevent violations of customs, fiscal, immigration and health regulations, as well as to punish violation of these rules. The competent state authorities of Ukraine will have the right to stop, inspect, detain and arrest vessels and crew members in the adjacent territory, if there is reason to believe that the vessel is in violation of Ukrainian laws. According to the draft law, if there are sufficient grounds to believe that a foreign ship violated Ukrainian legislation and is attempting to escape, Ukraine authorities will be able to pursue the vessel and detain it. Ships which shutting off the automatic identification system in the adjacent zone, except Ukrainian warships or ships guarding the border, can be stopped and inspected, according to the bill. As noted in the preamble of the document, this draft law complies with the provisions of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. President of the European Council Donald Tusk will pay a visit to Ukraine early next year, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said. "Taking the opportunity, I have invited EU leaders, including Mr. Tusk, to visit Ukraine. My invitation was kindly accepted. And Mr. Tusk will pay a visit [to Ukraine] early next year," Poroshenko told journalists in Helsinki, Finland, on November 8 after the congress of the European People's Party (EPP). Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn will hold meetings with President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman, Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin and Director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine Artem Sytnyk during his visit to Ukraine on November 9. "On November 9, Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn is in Kyiv to take stock of reforms in Ukraine with key actors. The Commissioner will meet with key political authorities of the country including President Poroshenko, Prime Minister Groysman and Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin. Commissioner Hahn will meet with the senior management of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU Chief Artem Sytnyk) to discuss the state of play in the fight against corruption," the EU Commission said in its press release. He will hand over the annual implementation report on the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement to Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman. The document contains an assessment of the progress that Ukraine achieved under the Association Agreement last year. He will also meet with representatives of civil society organizations. Commissioner Hahn will reiterate that attacks against civil society activists are unacceptable and that the perpetrators of this crime and other attacks must be brought to justice. "Underlining the importance of independent media for the democratic development of the country, Commissioner Hahn will also visit the Ukrainian public broadcaster (UA:PBC), where he will discuss with senior management and the supervisory board the impact of its underfunding," it says. In addition, together with the UN coordinator, humanitarian coordinator and Osnat Lubrani, the Permanent Representative of the United Nations Development Program to Ukraine, the European Commissioner will sign an EU-UNDP agreement on EU support for the east of Ukraine (the new EU program with a budget of EUR 50 million). Amnesty International has warned that the executions of 12 Saudi Shi'ite Muslim prisoners could be imminent, after they were sent to a secretive state security body that reports directly to the king. The men, who were sentenced to death in 2016 after being convicted of spying for Iran in a mass trial, have been transferred to the Presidency of State Security, the human rights group said. They could be executed once the king ratifies their sentences. "The families of the men are terrified by this development," Amnesty Middle East Director Heba Morayef said. "Given the secrecy surrounding Saudi Arabia's judicial proceedings, we fear that this development signals the imminent execution of the 12 men." The Saudi government could not be reached for comment on the cases. Riyadh's human rights record has been in the spotlight since the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at its Istanbul Consulate last month. According to Amnesty, the men were sentenced to death after being convicted of spying for Iran in what it said was an unfair mass trial of 32 people arrested across Saudi Arabia in 2013 and 2014. Shi'a have long complained of entrenched discrimination in majority-Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia, a charge the authorities deny, and have periodically staged mass protests in the kingdom's eastern region, where many of them live. In January 2016, the kingdom executed prominent Shi'ite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, one of the most vocal critics of the Al-Saud royal family and a leader in the 2011 Arab Spring protests. The execution led to violent anti-Saudi protests in Iran, which resulted in severance of diplomatic relation between Riyadh and Tehran. An absolute monarchy, Saudi Arabia bans political parties and public forms of protest. Dozens of intellectuals and clerics have been detained since last year in a crackdown on dissent. Women's rights activists also have been arrested despite the kingdom's lifting of a ban on women driving this year. Based on reporting by AFP and Reuters Iranian parliament speaker Ali Larijani once called on Iranian diplomats to be "guerrillas in suits". He borrowed this expression from a former U.S. official and currently a research scholar Richard Nephew, who was involved in developing the first round of U.S. sanctions on Iran in early 2010's. While Nephew described his colleagues, who worked on applying the sanctions "guerrillas in suits," Larijani used the same expression for Iranians who worked hard to lift or circumvent the same sanctions. As the new sanctions came into effect on Monday, a hardliner member of the Iranian parliament, Ahmad Amirabadi Farahni asked, "Who handed this information to the enemy?" He was referring to hundreds of individuals and companies on the U.S. sanctions list. Farahani, who represents the religious city of Qom, called on Iranian intelligence to find out. Meanwhile, he admitted in a tweet that "This list includes almost everyone and every organization that helped Iran to circumvent the previous rounds of sanctions." Another MP, Jalal Mirzai responded that such comments will not help tackle the sanctions. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, opined that the list was prepared based on "blind guesses", since there were a few sanctioned entities that had long ceased to exist. A media advisor to President Hassan Rouhani jumped on this and declared, that blind guesses have misled American officials. But how does the US find access to information about individuals and companies who circumvent the sanctions? Hamid Hosseini, an official at the oil products exporters' association, says part of the information about Iran's oil sales was given away by shipping companies, adding that some prospective buyers were in fact sent by US and Israel to find out about how Iran sells its oil. Hosseini added, sometimes buyers who did not win tender bids to purchase oil from Iran disclosed information about their business rivals. Also, one can guess that Israel has passed on some of the sanctions related information to the U.S. According to Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Israeli industrial intelligence company Black Cube nicknamed as "the private MOSSAD" collected intelligence on the assets, banks and companies linked to those who worked with Iran to circumvent sanctions. According to Haaretz, The Bank of Muscat in the Sultanate of Oman where Iran kept its oil revenue was one the major targets of Black Cube. Meanwhile, former IRGC commander Hossein Alai has said that US and Israel have improved their intelligence collection from Iran as they operate an intelligence organization inside Iran. Reports in previous years said some Iranian intelligence officials were arrested on charges of spying for Israel. Iranian activist Reza Alijani said in an interview with Radio Farda that two officials in charge of the Israel Desk at the Ministry of Intelligence and the IRGC Intelligence Organization were arrested and executed on charges of spying for Israel. In another development, Reza Zarrab, an Iranian businessman who was active in Turkey and later arrested in U.S., is believed to have given away information to U.S. official when he cooperated with prosecutors in New York. At least once, Zarif has implicated the man in tipping off U.S. agents about activities to circumvent sanctions. On the other hand, Iranian intelligence agencies have accused some officials who defected to the West for giving information about how Iran got away with violating US sanctions. At least one member of the Iranian nuclear negotiation team is in jail on charges of giving Iran's banking information to U.S. agents, although the Ministry of Intelligence has rejected the charges brought against the man. In the meantime, Larijani had Richard Nephew's book, The Art of Sanctions; A View from the Field, translated into Persian and handed out to Iranian officials who have later cited the book in their speeches. Larijani may have done this to inform state officials about how the US finds out about methods used to circumvent US sanctions, while state officials shocked by new sanctions are playing a blame game, pointing fingers at each other. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Radio Farda. CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BioLabs, a national network of coworking facilities designed to help science-based startups go further faster on limited capital investment, has appointed Adam Milne to the new role of vice president of operations for BioLabs, effective immediately. With this new role, Adam will oversee network standards and processes so that BioLabs can evolve its value proposition systematically for residents, sponsors, and partners as it continues to pursue rapid growth. Mr. Milne will also serve as the managing director for BioLabs sites at Tufts LaunchPad BioLabs and Ipsen Innovation Center BioLabs. According to BioLabs Cofounder and President Johannes Fruehauf, M.D., Ph.D., Milne brings the ideal combination of background and experience to adapt the BioLabs culture for the next phase of company development. The BioLabs Network has been expanding at a rapid pace across the nation with high demand for our services around the globe. It takes a special kind of leader who can balance the need for a common structure, processes, and operations across all BioLabs network sites while maintaining ample flexibility to meet partner needs and the nuances of each local market. Adam Milne comes to BioLabs after nearly two decades in the life sciences industry, most recently serving as the Centers for Therapeutic Innovation lead at Pfizer (CTI) overseeing operations, finance, and academic partnerships for the research unit and as chief of staff to CTIs chief scientific officer. Milne held key operational roles in Pfizer as it was undergoing sweeping changes with mergers and acquisitions, outsourcing research and early development, and partnering with startups to in-and out-license technologies. Adam is joining BioLabs during an exciting time, continued Fruehauf. He brings a wealth of relevant operational experience, but it is his energy, vision, and focus on team and relationship-building that makes Adam a great fit for the BioLabs leadership team. We could not be more delighted to have him join us. I look forward to working with him so that the pillars that make BioLabs the premier coworking facility for life science entrepreneurs are scalable across the growing national network, yet flexible enough to address site-specific needs. Milne has also served on several not-for-profit boards and is currently chairman of Horizons, a national leader in supporting people with developmental disabilities in all aspects of their lives. It is with great pleasure that I welcome Adam Milne to the BioLabs team, added Susie Harborth, cofounder and chief operating officer of BioLabs. He has the skills and leadership that will help strengthen BioLabs, both at the corporate level as well as at the local sites. He will lead teams that oversee day-to-day operations, while maintaining focus on BioLabs mission to enable early-stage, life science entrepreneurs. Adam will be working closely with me and Johannes as we continue to build out our team and expand services for the benefit of our member companies, sponsors, and stakeholders. Commenting on his decision to join BioLabs, Milne said, A major driver for me is the notion that we must strive to create an ecosystem out of which the most compelling and novel therapeutics can arise. BioLabs has indeed created such a place where both innovation and impact thrive. I am honored to be joining a team led by world-class entrepreneurial thinking mixed with an intrinsic desire to shape the face of healthcare as we know it. Adam Milne will be based out of the Cambridge and Boston, Massachusetts, locations. About BioLabs (www.biolabs.io twitter: @biolabsHQ) A membership-based network of shared laboratory facilities located in key geographies with proven biotech innovation clusters, BioLabs offers beautifully designed coworking environments that pair fully equipped and supported lab, office, and event spaces with relevant programming and unparalleled access to capital and industry partners. These fertile, supportive ecosystems allow young companies to shift their focus from startup operations to experimentation and innovation so they can reach their scientific potential quickly and achieve business success. Companies can start with a single lab bench and scale up as they grow. The expanding BioLabs network now comprises sites in Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts; Durham, North Carolina; San Carlos, San Diego and San Francisco, California; New York City, and Princeton, New Jersey; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and is developing sites with international partners as well. Attachment By RFE/RL Russian and Chinese leaders are lashing out at U.S. sanctions and tariffs that they say are undermining the global trading system built by Washington, and said the measures have served to cement closer economic and political ties between Beijing and Moscow. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in a visit to Beijing on November 7 accused the United States of misusing sanctions to gain an advantage in world trade and to resolve domestic political disputes. "It is obvious that all sorts of sanctions, talks about sanctions against Iran, sanctions against the Russian Federation, restrictions on supplies and duties against the EU, China are made in order to solve domestic political problems," Medvedev said in comments echoed by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. The two premiers said the U.S. trade restrictions have revived "protectionist" sentiments around the world and put a "time bomb" under the World Trade Organization, the global trade arbiter created by the United States and its allies to enforce a system of rules on global trade. "Protectionism and unilateral approaches harm the multilateral trade system, the core of which is the WTO," Li said. Both Russia and China had to struggle to meet the Western trading standards imposed by the WTO, but recently have become among the organization's biggest defenders. Medvedev said Russia will "withstand" the U.S. sanctions imposed over Moscow's aggression in Ukraine and other matters, but he said the sanctions Washington imposed on Iran this week have the potential to seriously damage Iran's economy and cause the break-up of Iran's 2015 nuclear agreement, which Russia, China, and other world powers pledged to honor after the United States abandoned it this year. Washington has reimposed sanctions on Iran despite having "no evidence" Tehran violated the deal, Medvedev claimed, with the result that "what was done with such difficulty may be derailed, because, as far as I understand it, Iran's patience is not endless." Iranian leaders have said they will honor the 2015 deal as long as Iran's economy continues to benefit from the sanctions relief granted by world powers other than the United States, but they have vowed to walk away from the deal if it no longer benefits Iran. Russia and Iran have been among the main targets of U.S. sanctions imposed by Washington since 2014, when the United States first hit Moscow with sanctions over its annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula. Since then, the sanctions have been widened and ratcheted up in response to alleged Russian meddling in U.S. elections as well as its alleged poisoning of Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal in England this year. A round of U.S. sanctions announced against Russia's defense and intelligence sectors this year was also applied to China recently over its purchase of Russian military aircraft. Meanwhile, Washington has also been in an escalating trade battle with China, with the two economic titans imposing tit-for-tat tariffs on each others' exports. One apparently unintended effect of the sanctions and trade wars has been to drive Beijing and Moscow closer together, while forcing Russia to rely more on its own economic resources, the leaders said. To "withstand" the U.S. sanctions, Medvedev said Russia has had to adapt in ways that have benefited the Russian economy, turning to China to expand trade while developing Russia's own industries instead of relying on imports and technology from the West. As a result, China has become Russia's biggest trade partner, he said, and that trade should continue to grow quickly if only because China is the world's biggest energy consumer while Russia is one of the biggest energy producers. Medvedev told reporters that he expects trade between Russia and China to reach $100 billion dollars this year for the first time, and to eventually double to $200 billion. Trade between the countries grew by 30 percent last year to $87 billion, according to Stratfor, a U.S. analytical firm. Li Zhanshu, a top official in China's National People's Congress, echoed Medvedev's comments. While the United States continues to "swing the club of sanctions" around the world, he said it is important for China and Russia to strengthen their cooperation politically and economically. Li said China's goal is to bring relations with Russia "to a higher level through joint efforts." With reporting by dpa and Interfax Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 By Matanat Nasibova - Trend: Close friendly relations have been established between the Vatican and Azerbaijan, and these relations are especially actively developing in the humanitarian sphere, Bishop Vladimir Fekete, apostolic prefect of Azerbaijan, told Trend. He reminded that the government of Azerbaijan within humanitarian cooperation provided assistance to the Vatican in the reconstruction of the ancient catacombs, which shows a high level of friendly relations between the two states. The opening of the Saint Marcellino and Pietros catacombs, the restoration of which started in 2012, took place in the Vatican in February 2016, and the catacombs of St. Sebastian (restoration work began in 2016) in September 2018. "Humanitarian interaction involves a large range of bilateral cooperation between the Vatican and Azerbaijan," he said. "Very ancient documents, letters and materials relating to Azerbaijan have been found in the archives of the Vatican, and the possibility of holding an exhibition in Baku at which these interesting documents may be presented to the Azerbaijani public is being discussed at the level of the governments of the two countries. At the moment, this issue is in the spotlight of the Vatican and Azerbaijan governments." He reminded that the Vatican was among the first states to recognize the independence of Azerbaijan, with which diplomatic relations were established. "From the very beginning, the Holy See - the Vatican and Azerbaijan enjoyed a high level of trusting relationships that continue to this day," he said. "I believe that the agreement on the legal status of the Catholic Church in Azerbaijan signed in 2011 further strengthened these bilateral relations." Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 Trend: Mastercard, technology leader in the global payments launched a new campaign with Sizin Market and Banu supermarkets in Nakhchivan. In the campaign, all cardholders in Azerbaijan can use their Mastercard and Maestro cards to make purchases of 20 AZN or above at Sizin Market and Banu supermarkets to get surprise gifts instantly. Mastercard and Maestro cardholders just need to approach Customer Care desk with their receipts to get one of the selected gift products. The campaign is valid from November 8 till the end of 2018 for all Mastercard or Maestro cardholders, who may benefit from the campaign once a day. We at Mastercard are honored to continue this campaign in Nakhchivan to reinforce our long-term commitment to the Azerbaijan market. To support our Cashless Azerbaijan project implemented together with Central Bank, we constantly organize stimulating campaigns for our cardholders in Azerbaijan. Hence, following the first successful campaign, we have been running in Nakhchivan, we are happy to co-operate with other two big supermarkets in the city and bring here our global vision of a world beyond cash, - noted Erdem Cakar, Country Manager of Mastercard in Azerbaijan. Sizin Market is located at Heydar Aliyev avenue, building 19, Nakhchivan. Banu supermarket is located at Youth campus, block 9. About Mastercard Mastercard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry. Our global payments processing network connects consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. Mastercard products and solutions make everyday commerce activities such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MastercardNews, join the discussion on the Beyond the Transaction Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau. Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 Trend: Co-organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Azerbaijani Embassy in Germany, an opening ceremony of the exhibition and official reception on the 100th anniversary of the proclamation of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic have been held in Berlin, Germany. Participants in the event included executive director of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Anar Alakbarov, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Germany Ramin Hasanov, members of Bundestag, German government officials, heads of diplomatic missions accredited in Germany, and representatives of public and political circles. Prior to the event, the participants viewed the exhibition highlighting the history of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. Addressing the official reception, Ambassador Ramin Hasanov highlighted the activities of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation covering various areas both in Azerbaijan and beyond the borders of the country. Pointing to the Azerbaijan-Germany bilateral relations, the ambassador drew the audiences attention to the fact that German Federal Chancellor Angela Merkels visit to Azerbaijan opened up new opportunities for bringing closer the bilateral relations which are dynamically developing in all areas. Ambassador Hasanov also highlighted bilateral relations between the Azerbaijani and German people spanning 200 years. Providing an insight into the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the ambassador hailed the fact that Germany supports the fair settlement of the dispute based on the principles of international law. In his remarks, member of Bundestag, co-chair of the Germany-South Caucasus parliamentary group Johannes Kars praised the long development path that Azerbaijan has passed over 20 years. On behalf of the parliamentary group he congratulated the people of Azerbaijan on the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. Director for Research and Academic Relations Policy and Cultural Relations Policy at the Federal Foreign Office, Ambassador Heidrun Tempel on behalf of the German government congratulated Azerbaijan on the centenary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. The German diplomat underlined her countrys close cooperation with Azerbaijan in a number of areas, including in cultural and humanitarian ones. Following the speeches, a documentary highlighting the history of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was screened. The event also featured a concert program by the Azerbaijani musicians. Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: Trilateral formats of cooperation with Azerbaijan contribute to the development of the region, the Turkish presidential administration told Trend Nov. 8. It was noted that there are such cooperation formats as Turkey-Georgia-Azerbaijan, Turkey-Iran-Azerbaijan and Turkey-Azerbaijan-Turkmenistan. The formats of cooperation with Azerbaijan are very important, the Turkish presidential administration said. It was also noted that the presence of Azerbaijan in all tripartite formats once again proves the countrys importance not only for Turkey, but also for other countries included in the format. Regarding the importance of Azerbaijan for Turkey, it was noted that Azerbaijan is the most reliable political and economic partner of the country. Relations with Azerbaijan are of strategic importance for Turkey, the presidential administration said. ---- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov.8 Trend: Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov and Foreign Minister of Argentina Jorge Faurie had an exchange of congratulatory letters on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, said a message from Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry. In his letter, Minister Elmar Mammadyarov congratulated his counterpart Jorge Faurie on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Argentina. Elmar Mammadyarov noted that the past two and a half decades have witnessed an ever expanding cooperation between Azerbaijan and Argentina across many areas, particularly bilateral political dialogue, economic and trade ties and cultural exchanges. Minister Elmar Mammadyarov expressed his appreciation for Argentinas sustained support concerning the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno Karabakh conflict within the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of internationally recognized borders of Azerbaijan cemented by the UNSC resolutions 822, 853, 874, 884 of 1993. At the end of his letter Minister Mammadyarov expressed his confidence that both sides will continue to build further on mutual achievements and explore all avenues to fully realize the existing potential for cooperation. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Argentina Jorge Faurie congratulated Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov in his letter on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Argentina. The importance of the Agreement signed in Moscow on November 8, 1993, was mentioned in terms of deepening of relations between the two countries. The letter also highlighted the visit of the Azerbaijani delegation to Argentine to participate at the 4th political consultations between the two countries. At the end, Argentina's Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie expressed his assurance that both sides will spare no efforts to further develop bilateral relations for the sake of the welfare of the two peoples. Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend: There are plans to attract over one million people engaged in informal economic activity in Azerbaijan to paying contributions on compulsory social insurance, Chairman of Azerbaijans parliamentary committee on labor and social protection of the population Hadi Rajabli said at the committees meeting Nov. 8. He noted that in order to reduce informal employment, reduction in the rate of compulsory social insurance for entrepreneurs is expected. Rajabli said that fundamental reforms in the areas of taxation are also expected. The amendments proposed to the tax legislation for 2019 envisage introduction of the differentiation of contributions on compulsory social insurance. Thus, if the employees salary is 200 manats, the social insurance contributions will remain at the current level: the employee pays 3 percent of the salary, and the employer pays 22 percent. If the employees salary exceeds 200 manats, it is proposed to apply another deduction principle: the employee pays 6 manats and 10 percent of the amount exceeding 200 manats, and the employer pays 44 manats and 15 percent of the amount exceeding 200 manats. These changes also affect those working in the private sector and not engaged in the oil and gas sector. At the same time, the Ministry of Taxes will control social security payments and unemployment insurance. (1.7 manats = 1 USD on Nov. 8) Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov.8 Trend: Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Elmar Mamadyarov received the newly appointed Ambassador of the Republic of Austria Bernd Alexander Bayerl, said a message from the ministry. The sides discussed the development prospects of cooperation between the two states and emphasized in this regard the necessity of deepening mutually beneficial relations in economic, transport, energy, agriculture and etc. fields. It was underlined that high level visits between the two states will contribute to further development of bilateral relations. Ambassador Bernd Alexander Bayerl presented copy of his credentials to Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov. Minister wished the newly appointed Austrian Ambassador every success in his diplomatic activities. Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 Trend: The National Disaster Management Agency of Indonesia, on behalf of the country, has expressed gratitude to the leadership and the people of Azerbaijan for the humanitarian assistance, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry told Trend Nov. 8. In accordance with the instruction given by Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev, $50,000 worth humanitarian aid was sent to Indonesia on September 28, 2018, taking into account the magnitude of the consequences of the earthquake on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. By sending humanitarian aid to Indonesia for the second time, Azerbaijan once again expressed solidarity with the Indonesian people, said the ministry. Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 By Jeyhun Alakbarov Trend: The aircraft of Turk Hava Yollar company operating the first flight from the new Istanbul airport has landed at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport. Having departed from Istanbul at 09:30 (GMT + 3), the aircraft landed in Baku at 13:25. Starting from today, one flight from Istanbul Airport to Baku will be carried out daily, the media reported. The opening ceremony of the new airport in Istanbul was held on October 29 and was attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of Turkey Mehmet Cahit Turhan. The Ataturk Airport in Istanbul will end operating flights at 00:00 (GMT +3) on Dec. 31. Beginning from 00:00 (GMT +3) on Dec. 31, all passenger and cargo flights will be operated from the third airport of Istanbul. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dajin Resources Corp. (Dajin) (TSX-V: DJI) (OTCQB: DJI) (Frankfurt: C2U1) is pleased to announce the signing of a Definitive Agreement (Agreement) with Cypress Development Corp. (Cypress) (TSX-V: CYP) (OTCQB: CYDVF) for the exploration and development of Dajins Alkali Spring valley Lithium property located in Esmeralda County, Nevada. The property is located 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) northeast of Cypress Clayton Valley Lithium project in Nevada. Under the terms of the Agreement, Cypress will have the exclusive right and option to acquire a 50% undivided interest in Dajins unpatented placer mining claims and application for water rights in Alkali Spring valley, Esmeralda County, Nevada. Subject to TSX Venture Exchange acceptance, Cypress will allot to Dajin 150,000 common shares of Cypress and pay Dajin USD$50,000. Cypress will have a two-year period to complete its earn-in by issuing an additional 150,000 common shares of Cypress and performing USD$200,000 in exploration expenditures within the first year and USD$250,000 in exploration expenditures during the second year. Upon successful completion of the two year earn-in period a joint venture (JV) will be created. At Alkali Spring valley, Dajin holds 145 unpatented placer mining claims to explore for lithium brines and has applied to the State of Nevada for 1,000 acre-feet of water rights. Dajin and Cypress will work jointly to explore the property for lithium brines and lithium-bearing sediments, and will work to perfect the associated water rights applications. Cypress and Dajin will share proportionally in property development once the terms of the earn-in agreement have been met and the joint venture is created. Dajin President Brian Findlay remarked, We are enthusiastic about entering into this agreement with Cypress. It not only provides Dajin the opportunity to move forward with the Lithium brine exploration program at Alkali Spring valley, but also provides synergies with an exploration company actively developing soft rock Lithium resources in the adjacent Clayton Valley, site of the only Lithium brine production facility in the US. About Dajin: ( www.dajin.ca ) Dajin, is an early stage Lithium exploration company. Through its interest in Dajin Resources S.A. (Dajin S.A.), it holds concessions or concession applications in Jujuy Province, Argentina that were acquired in regions known to contain brines with Lithium, Potassium, and Boron values. These concessions exceed 93,000 hectares (230,000 acres) and are primarily located in the Salinas Grandes and Guayatayoc salt lake basins. During the initial exploration program of a portion of the holdings covering an area of 550 hectares (5.5 km2) in the northwestern corner of the 4,300 hectares (43 km2) San Jose Navidad minas were taken. Lithium brine concentrations ranged from 281 mg/l to 1,353 mg/l, averaging 591 mg/l. Dajin S.A. is partnered with LSC Lithium Corporation who has agreed to spend $2,000,000 to earn a 51% interest in Dajin S.A.s Lithium properties while building a significant presence in Argentina. In Nevada Dajin holds a 100% interest in 403 placer claims covering 7,914 acres (3,202 hectares) in the Teels Marsh valley of Mineral County, Nevada. These claims are known to contain Lithium and Boron values and are adjacent to the birth place of US Borax Corps first borax mine. In addition Dajin has entered into an agreement with Cypress Development Corp whereby Cypress can earn a 50% interest in 145 placer claims covering 2,921 acres (1,182 hectares) in the Alkali Spring valley of Esmeralda County, Nevada, located 10 miles (15 kilometers) northeast of Albemarles Silver Peak Lithium brine operation in Clayton Valley. ON BEHALF OF DAJINS BOARD OF DIRECTORS Brian Findlay President & CEO For further information please contact Dajin: 604-609-6151 or info@dajin.ca The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 By Elvin Mehdiyev - Trend: In 2019, the subsistence minimum in Azerbaijan is proposed to be set at the level of 180 manats, and the need criteria - at the level of 143 manats, the Chairman of the State Statistical Committee Tahir Budagov said Nov. 8 at the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Labor and Social Policy. He said the proposed amount of the subsistence minimum is a figure which corresponds to reality. "I believe that the establishment of a living minimum at this level will contribute to the reduction of poverty rate from 5.4 to 5.1 percent," Budagov said. As for the need criteria, the chairman of the State Statistical Committee noted that it is planned to set this indicator at a level higher than the current years figure. "In 2019, the need criterion for the allocation of targeted social aid is planned to be raised and to be set at the level of 143 manats," Budagov said. Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 Trend: Azerbaijan has proposed China to establish a working group in order to coordinate relations in the field of transport. This issue was discussed at a meeting of Azerbaijans Minister of Economy Shahin Mustafayev with the General Manager of the China Railway Lu Dongfu, the Ministry of Economy said in a statement Nov. 7. Mustafayev noted at the meeting that the high level of political relations between the countries contributes to the expansion of economic cooperation, including the relations in the field of transport and transit. Azerbaijan, the minister added, supports the "One Belt - One Way" strategy of China. "The memorandum of understanding on joint encouragement of the establishment of the Silk Road Economic Belt signed during the state visit of President Ilham Aliyev to China in 2015, plays a significant role in the development of cooperation in the transport and transit sphere. The Trans-Caspian international transport route has great significance for implementation of Chinas "One Belt - One Way" initiative. The use of the potential of this corridor will create favorable conditions for economic cooperation, especially in terms of investments, trade and transit," the minister said. Mustafayev informed the opposite party about the advantages of the Trans-Caspian international transport route. The possibility of holding in Baku an event for promotion of the route with the participation of China, Turkey, Kazakhstan and Georgia was noted. In turn, Lu Dongfu agreed with the proposal to establish a working group to coordinate relations in the field of transport. He stressed that in recent years, Azerbaijan, situated on the Silk Road, has been developing comprehensively. The meeting was also attended by Javid Gurbanov, the Chairman of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC, Rauf Valiyev, the Chairman of Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company, Akram Zeynalli, the Ambassador of Azerbaijan to China, and others. Mustafayev also met with the Vice-President of the Chinese CNEEC (China National Electric Engineering Co. Ltd.) company, Zheng Chengjun. During the meeting, the Chinese side expressed interest in setting up production of bus bar ducts in Azerbaijan. Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 Trend: The 11th Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum has been recently held in Seoul, South Korea, said a message from Uzbek Foreign Ministry. An Uzbek delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Dilshod Akhatov took part in the forum. The Uzbek delegation also consisted of representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources and the State Committee on Ecology and Environmental Protection, UzDaily.uz reported citing the ministry. The forum mainly focused on the development of Koreas multilateral cooperation with Central Asian countries in the field of health care, environmental protection, logistics and transport, as well as efficient use of water resources in the region and measures to save the Aral Sea. As part of the visit to Seoul, the Uzbek delegation also held bilateral meetings and negotiations with the leadership of the Foreign Ministry and the Korea Foundation. Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 By Rashid Shirinov Trend: During the visit of Kazakhstans delegation to China, Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Agriculture Minister Umirzak Shukeyev signed a roadmap with the chairman of Chinas General Administration of Customs. The roadmap includes 20 new agricultural products that Kazakhstan is going to export to China in 2019-2020, Kazakh Agriculture Ministry said in a statement. "To date, 13 protocols on 13 types of goods have already been signed, and three more protocols have been agreed to be signed during the official visit of the prime minister of Kazakhstan to China," the message says. The new 20 protocols of the roadmap include poultry products, horse and pork meat, as well as live cattle for slaughter. The crop products of the roadmap include rapeseed, safflower, buckwheat, peas, chickpeas, sesame, some fruits and vegetables, nuts and pistachios. During the visit, the Kazakh delegation also visited China International Import Expo, which was attended by representatives of more than 130 countries and multinational companies. Bilateral meetings of business circles of China and Kazakhstan with the participation of the leadership of Kazakh Agriculture Ministry, KazAgro JSC and representatives of Kazakh regions administrations were held during the exhibition. The meetings resulted in agreement on consideration of issues of constructing a sugar plant in Kazakhstans Pavlodar region. For this, representatives of three major Chinese companies will visit Kazakhstan in the near future. In addition, a memorandum on the construction of a grain processing and noodle production plant in Astana was signed between Qazaq Capital Partners and Wudeli Flour Group Co. LTD. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @ShirinovRashid Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 Trend: Difficult months are awaiting oil consumers, since the volume of Iranian oil indicated in the US concessions does not meet the demand, Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said, Mehr News Agency reported. In order to reduce pressure on major oil consumers, the US has allowed some countries to purchase Iranian oil at certain level, Zanganeh said. The US had to offer these concessions due to serious oil shortage, as well as the imbalance between demand and supply, Zanganeh added, mentioning that even these concessions will not help meet the demand. On Nov. 5, the US imposed sanctions on Iran. Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 By Rashid Shirinov Trend: Prospects for strengthening cooperation between Kazakhstan and Estonia in the field of digitalization and innovative technologies were discussed at a meeting of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev with Estonian Prime Minister Juri Ratas, the presidents official website said in a statement. Nazarbayev thanked Ratas for his personal participation in the opening ceremony of the Astana Hub international technology park of IT start-ups. The president also stressed the rich experience of Estonia in digital technologies. The head of state also pointed to the need to increase trade relations between the two countries and focused on the priority areas for the development of economic cooperation. Nazarbayev spoke about the infrastructure programs being implemented in Kazakhstan, facilities being built within their framework and the results of projects to increase the transit and transport potential. The president also noted the importance of establishing cooperation in manufacturing, agriculture, pharmaceuticals and other sectors of the economy. Ratas, in turn, noted that the development of Kazakhstan can be evidenced by the infrastructure facilities of Astana. The Estonian PM expressed interest in the implementation of joint projects in the field of digitalization and transport and logistics, as well as in the expansion of investment cooperation. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @ShirinovRashid Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 Trend: The President of South Korea will visit Uzbekistan in 2019, Uzbek media reported citing Director of the Institute of Strategic and Regional Studies (ISRI) under the president of Uzbekistan Vladimir Norov as saying during at international conference Forum Korea-Asia 2018 in Seoul. Norov said, it is planned to discuss the development of bilateral cooperation in the fields of industrial and agricultural production, energy cooperation, development of logistics and infrastructure, interaction in the field of environment and technology, strengthening of international contacts during the "Uzbekistan-Korea: Vision for the Future" workshop in Tashkent on Nov. 29-30. Following the results of the conference, a joint research report on the development of bilateral relations between Uzbekistan and South Korea, as well as specific proposals for the upcoming visit of President Moon Jae-in to Uzbekistan will be prepared. "Uzbekistan, having a geographical advantage, is ready and interested in becoming the center of attraction for South Korean business in entering Afghanistan market and other markets of the former Soviet Union, the Middle East, South and Central Asia," Norov emphasized. Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 Trend: Uzbekistan proposes to discuss the conjugation of the South Korean New Northern Policy strategy, Chinas One Belt - One Way initiative and the EUs strategy to improve the interconnection of Europe and Asia, Podrobno.uz quoted Vladimir Norov, the Director of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies (ISRS) under the President of Uzbekistan, during a speech at the International Forum Korea-Asia 2018 Conference in Seoul. The expert said the access to international seaports is extremely important for Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries. According to estimates by the Boston Consulting Group company, Uzbekistan loses up to 20 percent of GDP due to the geographical isolation of the region, because the transport and transit costs reach 70-80 percent of the value of the exported products. Moreover, the carriers lose up to 40 percent of the time for transportation of goods due to imperfections in customs procedures, Norov said. He also added that Uzbekistan considers the New Northern Policy strategy put forward by South Korea to be very relevant and regards it as an important contribution to the revival of the once existed ancient Great Silk Road under the new modern realities. Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 Trend: Russia and Uzbekistan plan to develop mutual trade and increase trade turnover by $1 billion, Uzbek media reported citing the Federation Council of the Russian Federation. The MPs of both countries discussed bilateral cooperation at the negotiations in the Federation Council. Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko accepted the invitation of her colleagues to visit Tashkent. The visit is expected to take place next year. Last year, Russian-Uzbek mutual trade reached $5 billion. Matviyenko at a meeting with her colleagues noted that Russian business never had such interest in Uzbekistan. One of the important areas of cooperation includes the agro-industrial complex. Uzbekistan supplies vegetables, fruits and seeds to Russia all year round. But, according to senators, the volumes are too small, due to problems in logistics. As a result, the MPs agreed to create a test project and, using the example of several regions of Uzbekistan and Russia, to work on switching to the settlements in national currencies. Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 Trend: Russia must change its foreign policy in the direction of increasing interaction with the countries of Central Asia, the leader of Russia's LDPR faction Vladimir Zhirinovsky said within the hour of statements. He reminded that as early as in 2001, he called for improving relations primarily with the CIS countries, but 17 years had passed since then and the foreign policy still had not changed, Podrobno.uz reported. I agree that it is possible to travel to all countries of the world, to establish relations with all countries, Zhirinovsky said. But the main direction is South-East: Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan. Last week, the LDPR delegation visited Tajikistan. The Russian MPs met with the leadership of the country, the president, the speaker of parliament, the minister of foreign affairs, visited the metallurgical plant, and agricultural enterprises. Zhirinovsky urged to strengthen work in this direction and to ratify in a fast-track manner all agreements with the states of Central Asia. A few days ago, Zhirinovsky visited Bukhara city of Uzbekistan, where he danced with the Uzbek people right in the street and tasted Uzbek cuisine. WASHINGTON, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Walsh Group welcomes Steve Skinner to its professional staff as Vice President and Business Group Leader. Steve will be responsible for pursuing new business, project execution and expanding the companys commercial building construction business across the Washington, D.C. regional market. Steve has spent his entire career establishing relationships and constructing commercial infrastructure across the District and the Mid-Atlantic region, said Michael Whelan, president of The Walsh Group's Building Division. We are thrilled with the addition of Steve to our leadership team; the combination of his passion, reputation, experience and high-energy management style will further expand our brand and strengthen our workforce. Steve brings more than 37 years of professional experience in construction to Walsh. He worked his way up through the ranks, building trust through focus, strategy and success. In his previous role as an Executive Vice President and General Manager at Skanska, Steve provided leadership through short and long-range strategic planning initiatives and promoted a positive work environment that motivated personnel. His extensive portfolio of project experience expands across the private and public sectors and includes commercial, retail, residential, hospitality, healthcare and mixed-use construction. As an executive, Steve still maintains active roles in preconstruction, logistics and constructability reviews and continues this participation throughout the duration of a project. Steve attended Purdue University where he studied building construction and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree. He is an active participant in many industry and charitable organizations, including his role as a board member of the Washington D.C. Board of Trade, participant of the board of governors for the Washington Building Congress, chair and facilitator of Young Leaders Leadership Insights Group and recent past chairman of the Kids Under Construction Board. About The Walsh Group The Walsh Group is a 120-year-old family-owned company providing design, build, finance, operation and activation services throughout the building, transportation and water markets. The Walsh Group operates as Walsh Construction, Archer Western and Walsh Canada across 18 regional offices and is consistently listed among the top U.S. contractors per Engineering News-Record. Connect with The Walsh Group at www.walshgroup.com; Facebook; LinkedIn; Twitter and Instagram. ### Attachment Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 Trend: A delegation of the Dutch company Lely is on a visit in Uzbekistan Nov. 7-9, Uzbek media reported citing the press service of the countrys Foreign Ministry. On Nov. 7, the delegation held talks in the Uzbek Agriculture Ministry, and on Nov. 8, the delegation leaves for the Namangan region, the report said. The company plans to enter the Uzbek market and become a reliable partner of Uzbekistan. A preliminary project, with an estimated cost of 10 million euros, envisages creation of an agriculture cluster with full localization of production in Uzbekistan. The project provides for introduction of advanced Dutch technologies for cultivation, development of animal breeding, manufacture of finished dairy products, waste processing, and storage of agriculture products. The project also envisages an educational component, where scientists of Wageningen University & Research will teach Uzbek farmers modern Dutch technologies. Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 Trend: Azerbaijans second Wine House in China opened in Shanghai this week, Azerbaijans Economy Ministry said in a message Nov. 8. Azerbaijans Wine House located in Shanghai Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone, which is the International Trading Operation Center (ITOC) of Shanghai, will host exhibitions, wholesale and retail sales, as well as product tasting. In Azerbaijans Wine House, there are more than 120 types of grape and fruit wines, other alcohol beverages, fruit distillates produced by Azerbaijani companies. Speaking at an event timed to the opening of Azerbaijans Wine House, Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev noted that the successful development of Azerbaijani-Chinese relations based on mutual respect and friendship is gratifying. He stressed the importance of political will, mutual high-level visits and agreements reached by the heads of two states in strengthening relations between the countries. It was noted that Azerbaijan attaches great importance to the expansion of economic ties with China, as well as to the implementation of mutually beneficial joint projects. Cooperation in the trade sector is one of the important areas of economic cooperation between Azerbaijan and China, Mustafayev said, noting that in 2017, the trade turnover between the two countries increased by 20 percent and China ranks fourth in the foreign trade turnover of Azerbaijan. The countries are carrying out comprehensive measures to further expand trade cooperation, the Trade Representation of Azerbaijan operates in China, a trade delegation was organized to Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Urumqi in order to promote Azerbaijani products and the Made in Azerbaijan brand in China. Besides, Azerbaijans Trade House was opened in Luzhou city, and Azerbaijans Wine House was opened in Urumqi city, products made in Azerbaijan are presented at various international exhibitions in China. The minister said that the export of Azerbaijani wines to China, which are distinguished by their special taste and high quality, will be increased. He noted that Azerbaijani wines received the highest award at the International Wine Challenge in June this year in Shanghai. It was reported that the first Azerbaijans Wine House abroad was opened in September this year in China, Urumqi. Azerbaijans trade houses and wine houses are planned to be created in other regions of China as well. Deputy General Manager of the Shanghai company Shanghai Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone Group Co Ltd. Zhang Hao said in his speech that the Azerbaijani-Chinese relations are successfully developing in various fields. Azerbaijans Wine House opened in Shanghai will not only contribute to the development of trade and economic relations, but will also play a significant role in terms of promoting Azerbaijani products among Chinese buyers, he noted. Then the participants of the event familiarized themselves with Azerbaijans Wine House. Representatives of companies represented in the Wine House informed about wines and other alcoholic beverages. The Azerbaijani delegation also visited the Direct Imported Goods (DIG) sales center. The sale of Azerbaijani wines and other alcoholic beverages has already started in the DIG of the Shanghai ITOC. On the same day, Azerbaijans Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev met with Deputy Head of the administration of the Shanghai ITOC Li Jinsong. At the meeting, the Azerbaijani delegation was informed about the Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone, the single window system created there, services provided in line with the legislation, customs, finance and logistics, residents of the zone, and an exchange of views on Chinas experience in this area was held. Mustafayev informed about the visit of the Azerbaijani delegation to China, product demonstrations in the pavilions of Azerbaijan at the first China International Import Expo, as well as about the Baku International Sea Trade Port, and noted that it is planned to create a free economic zone including the port area. Toshiba will sell its U.S. liquefied natural gas business to Chinese gas producer ENN Energy Holdings by the end of this fiscal year, the Nikkei learned Thursday. The deal is expected to incur a loss of nearly 100 billion yen ($880 million) for Toshiba, Nikkei Asian Review reported. Toshiba announced the sale of the unit on the same day and will disclose the name of the buyer after the transaction is finalized. Earlier estimates put the potential loss to the troubled Japanese electronics maker as high as 1 trillion yen, given volatile LNG prices. Toshiba is trying to turn itself around by jettisoning loss-making businesses. In a rare move for an electronics company, Toshiba in 2013 entered the LNG business in the U.S. state of Texas. The company has a stake in a business that turns U.S. shale gas into LNG. The operation is committed to selling about 2.2 million tons of LNG a year for 20 years, starting in 2019. The value of the sale to the private Chinese gas company has not been disclosed. ENN is a major gas producer and is listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange. In China, the company supplies gas in cities, operates pipelines and engages in gas trading. The company's total annual sales of natural gas, at 19.6 billion cubic meters, are nearly 30% larger than those of the largest Japanese gas company, Tokyo Gas. The Chinese company has greatly expanded its transactions in recent years, signing LNG procurement contracts with other energy companies, such as U.S.-based Chevron and Total of France. ENN's purchase of Toshiba's LNG business in the U.S. appears aimed at diversifying its sources of supply. Around 10 companies, including major U.S. gas producer Tellurian and PetroChina, were thought to have been interested in acquiring the Toshiba asset. Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 By Elnur Baghishov - Trend: By using Monero cryptocurrency, it will be possible to carry out international financial exchange without physically transferring money and even without cooperating with international organizations such as SWIFT, Iranian expert on energy economics Abdol Samad Rahmati said in an interview with ILNA. He said that Venezuela has proposed to use cryptocurrencies and that currency will be secured by oil and gas reserves. He added that Iran ranks second in terms of global gas reserves and fourth in terms of global oil reserves. On the other hand, the increase in price of cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple also attracts attention, he noted. Iran cannot sell its oil directly, as long as the US sanctions continue, because heavy metals in any countrys oil and its properties can be traced, he said. The most important feature of Iranian oil is the high percentage of heavy metals, such as vanadium and nickel, which cannot be changed in any way, he noted. Therefore, one of the ways is to turn oil into petrochemical products, and great steps have been taken in this direction since 2012, he said. We have found good markets in Africa and Europe, he noted. The sale of petrochemical products has increased. More investments need to be made to this industry. We should work even to build oil refineries in other countries and turn oil into petrochemical products there. That is how Saudi Arabia is doing this job now and is building refineries at the countrys own expense, supplies fuel and sells oil products. Rahmati added that presently some countries of the Persian Gulf buy and sell oil through the stock market. It is necessary to use their mechanism and sell oil in the stock exchange, he said. Presently, Iran has an option to benefit from experience of Europe, China, India and perhaps Russia, he said. These countries are facing sanctions. Of course, we shouldnt forget that the Iranian governments portfolio also has good solutions. In my opinion, the government will reveal them in the coming months and offer good solutions to overcome the sanctions. Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 By Azad Hasanli Trend: The Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) project is of particular importance for the European Union (EU), and Azerbaijan, which has a favorable geographical position, can play a connecting role between Europe and Asia, says the article entitled German-Russian energy relations and South Caucasus and published in "Modern Diplomacy" by the Senior Specialist in the Institute of Caucasus Studies at Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences Aliyar Azimov. In his article, Azimov considers the energy cooperation between the Russian Federation and Germany, as well as the cooperation of Azerbaijan with Germany and the EU in the same context. The author of the article noted that the EU strongly corporates with Azerbaijan and gives serious support in order to implement gas projects by Azerbaijan. At the same time, Azerbaijan is the main trade partner of Germany in South Caucasus. In this regard, A.Merkels South Caucasus visit is particularly important in terms of geostrategic energy politics, Azimov noted. Speaking about the EUs strategy to diversify energy supply routes, he stressed the importance of the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) in this regard. "Azerbaijan provides gas to South Europe by TAP project and in future, it is planned to extend SGCs range into most important regions of the EU. The most important nuance here is that, if the Trans-Caspian project [involves gas supplies from Turkmenistan through Azerbaijan to Europe] is to be realized, the Southern Gas Corridor will provide Europe with a much larger amount of energy resources, Azimov wrote. So, while in the aggregate, the SGC will supply 16 billion cubic meters of gas per year to Europe, then the implementation of the Trans-Caspian pipeline project will increase this capacity enormously. The author believes Azerbaijan is important for the EU and Germany due to several reasons. Firstly, Azerbaijans geographically location makes it opening the door between Asia and Europe. Secondly, the EU tries to implement energy strategies on diversification of routes in order to reduce its dependency on Russia. Therefore, the EU and Germany give support to the SGC and TAP in order to ensure its security of supply. Because these projects are the most optimal way to export energy resources of the Caspian region to the European market. Thirdly, if Trans-Caspian is implemented, it will be possible to export natural resources of Iran, Iraq and Turkmenistan by passing through Azerbaijan to Europe. At the same time, the author believes that if Trans-Caspian is implemented it may reduce the influence of Iran and China on this region. In this regard, Russia will be more interested in this project, because in this situation China will need Russia even more. Azimov explains this by saying that Russia is interested in less gas export to China from Turkmenistan and this situation can lead Russia to become the main energy partner of China. From Iran's perspective, Azimov noted, it does not seem realistic that Iran can react against these processes. Because the current political and economic situation in Iran diminished its influence in the region and Iran needs Russias serious support after the sanctions as well. The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the priority energy projects for the European Union and provides for the transportation of 10 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas from the Caspian region through Georgia and Turkey to Europe.. On May 29, Baku hosted the launch ceremony of the first phase of the Southern Gas Corridor project. 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. The next stage is the commissioning of the TANAP gas pipeline, through which gas will flow into Turkey and further to Europe. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @AzadHasanli Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 Trend: Representatives of Uzpromstroybank JSCB and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) held a meeting, during which they discussed the terms of the loan raised for the construction of the head office of the Uzbek bank in the Tashkent City business center, Uzbek media reported. Following the talks, an exclusive agreement was signed between the head of the ICBC delegation and the chairman of Uzpromstroybank to provide a mandate on the construction of the office. Also, during the meeting, issues of cooperation between the banks of the two countries were discussed as part of the implementation of investment projects aimed at expanding the production capacities of Uzbekistans enterprises. In particular, the Chinese side was proposed projects for the production of high-quality rolled metal, expansion of the production capacity of Kuvasoycement JSC and the construction of a cement plant Yaypancement LLC. Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 Trend: Representatives of the Tashkent city administration held a meeting with the international hotel network Best Western and the Emirati company Yuco Alliance, Uzbek media reported. The meeting discussed the prospects of building a three-star hotel in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent. "It is planned that the hotel will offer 120 rooms furnished according to Best Western standards. The total investment will be $5-6 million and financing will be carried out using Yuco Alliance's own funds," the Tashkent city administration said. In this regard, the companies requested the assistance of the city administration in the selection and provision of a suitable site for construction. The Tashkent city administration positively reacted to the plans for the construction of the hotel and will provide assistance. Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 Trend: Prosecutor General of Tajikistan Yusuf Rahmon met in Washington with Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Christopher Wray, Tajik media reported. The meeting discussed cooperation between the General Prosecutors Office of Tajikistan and the FBI in the fight against crime. The sides spoke in favor of jointly fighting transnational crime, international terrorism and extremism, noting the need to harmonize the relevant regulatory documents. The FBI director expressed gratitude to the Tajik side for cooperation in investigation of the terrorist attack on tourists, including US citizens, on July 29 in Tajikistan. The prosecutor general of Tajikistan and the FBI director expressed interest in expanding and strengthening cooperation. Tehran, Iran, Nov.8 Trend: The legal process of executing Iran's notorious gold dealer known as "Sultan of Coin" Vahid Mazloumin has completed. Mazloumin is expected to be executed in less than a month, Gholam Hossein Esmaili, head of Tehran Province's Justice Department told Tasnim news agency. In July Iranian police have arrested Mazloumin who had hoarded two tons of gold coins in order to manipulate the local market. Mazloumin and two other gold dealers were sentenced to death by Iran's Corruption Court. Esmaili did not mention any more details on the exact place and time of the execution, saying it has not been decided yet. Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: The US sanctions complicate but do not block Iran's activity, member of the Iranian Expediency Discernment Council of the System Ahmad Tavakkoli said in an interview with ILNA. He said that although the US tried to block Irans activity, it failed to do that. Tavakkoli added that expenses for providing Iran with consumer goods increase due to sanctions. Iran also had to sell oil at a low price, he added. Commenting on the Guardian Councils rejection of Combating Terrorist Financing (CFT) project, he said that the Guardian Council did not reject the project but returned it for correction. The Guardian Council just says whether the projects are in conformity with Sharia law and the Constitution or not, he said. WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Foundation for Excellence in Education (ExcelinEd) announced that Dr. Howard Fuller, the Founder and Director of the Institute for the Transformation of Learning at Marquette University, will be speaking at the 2018 National Summit on Education Reform on Friday, December 7 in Washington, D.C. ExcelinEds flagship event brings together educators from across the country and internationally to discuss ideas on how to improve education equity for all children. For almost 30 years, Dr. Fuller has worked to rescue Milwaukees poor African-American students in need of good schools and has continued fighting for quality educational opportunity since. Because of the vision and determination of Dr. Fuller and state leaders to create the nations first school voucher program, public and private school choice continues to evolve and impact millions of families across the nation. During his keynote presentation, Dr. Fuller will share his perspective on the past and future of educational freedom in our country and leave attendees inspired to fight to give every childregardless of gender, race or geographythe right to rise. "More than ever, education systems in every state, district and neighborhood need leaders who believe we can do better; who know what it takes to make a difference in schools, in funding formulas and in policies that drive change," Dr. Howard Fuller said. "And most of all, who are willing to look into a communityespecially one filled with black or brown faces or hungry faces or homeless facesand say, 'Every child here deserves access to a quality education.'" In his role as Director of the Institute for the Transformation of Learning at Marquette University, Dr. Fuller has been advocating for support of exemplary education options that transform learning for children. This also empowers families, particularly low-income families, to choose the best options for their children. Immediately before his appointment at Marquette University, Dr. Fuller served as the Superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools June 1991 - June 1995. He became nationally known for his unending support for fundamental educational reform. He has also received numerous awards and recognition over the years, including four Honorary Doctorate Degrees. Read more about what Dr. Fuller is looking forward to at the National Summit on ExcelinEd's blog. During the 2018 National Summit on Education Reform, ExcelinEd and Governor Jeb Bush will host more than 1,000 legislators, state superintendents, policymakers and thought leaders working to build a brighter future for our nations families. The packed two-day event will feature notable keynote speakers and in-depth strategy sessions on evolving laws, new trends, successful policies and the latest innovations that are transforming education for the 21st century. #EIE18 is the only conference of its kind to feature a broad range of quality, innovation and opportunity policies that prioritize student success. Visit the National Summit website for details on this years event. Follow @ExcelinEd on Twitter for the latest news and updates, and use #EIE18 to join the National Summit conversation. Attachment Baku, Azerbaijan, November 8 By Azer Ahmadbayli Trend: Judging by the experience of pre-JCPOA sanctions, the US and its allies failed to completely isolate Iran. A number of states, including China, India, Russia, Turkey, the UAE and some others, took a large niche of the European Union in Iran's foreign trade. Now, despite newly imposed US sanctions, Iran still has a number of windows for inflowing oxygen to its economy, which is struggling to survive. The UAE a country in Irans top trade partners and a major hub for the Iranian goods is one of those windows. The UAE has been one of Iran's most important foreign trade markets in recent decades. During pre-JCPOA sanctions, Emirates became the main transit country for foreign imports to Iran. In 2017, exports and re-exports from the United Arab Emirates to Iran totaled $17 billion. The UAE used to state in the past that it fully supported the policy of the US sanctions against Iran and its commitment to this policy. On Saturday, the UAEs minister of state for foreign affairs, Anwar Gargash, said that Irans aggressive policies were largely responsible for the reimposition of U.S. sanctions on Tehran, Reuters reported. However, despite the harsh criticism of Iran, support for sanctions, territorial dispute between the two countries over the ownership of the three islands in the Persian Gulf, withdrawal of the Ambassador and lowering of the level of diplomatic relations in January 2016, Iran-UAE trade relations remain at a high level. Apart from crude exports, making bulk of the countrys revenues, and which President Donald Trump decided to minimize by any means, Iran sells a range of other, non-oil goods. Last fiscal year (March 21, 2017 - March 20, 2018) Iran's non-oil trade with the UAE reached $ 16.83 billion, which is 21% more than a year earlier, according to the Iranian Customs administration. Iran exported goods worth US $ 6.76 billion to the UAE during this period. The country also imported goods from the Emirates worth $10.06 billion, an increase of 57.1 percent. The export of Iran's non-oil goods has reached $27.229 billion over seven months of this Iranian fiscal year (started March 21, 2018), increasing by 13.35 percent in terms of value compared to the same period of last year, head of Iran's Customs Administration Foroud Asgari has recently said. During the reporting period, Iranian products worth $4.637 billion were exported to United Arab Emirates, whereas imports from UAE accounted for $3.932 billion. However, most of all Washington is beware of Irans use of the UAE financial system for illegal currency transactions by Iran-affiliated money-exchange houses and shell companies, knowing Irans significant presence in the UAE and the role of a money-exchange channel which the Emirates had played during the previous sanctions regime. On May 10, the UAE Cabinet has issued Ministerial Resolution No 24 for 2018, designating nine Iranian entities and individuals on its list of terrorists and terror organizations. They have been designated for procuring and transferring millions in U.S. dollar-denominated bulk cash to Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF) to fund its malign activities and regional proxy groups, while concealing the purpose for which the U.S. dollars were acquired. The designation came following close collaboration between the UAE and the United States, the Gulf media outlets reported. On October 30, days after the visit of U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, the UAE has passed a law to combat money laundering and terrorism financing, Reuters has reported. The law, which is in line with the requirements and recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), recommends the establishment of an independent financial information unit within the central bank to receive and investigate reports of illicit financing activity. The UAE has been tightening its financial regulation to try to close regulatory gaps and overcome a perception that it is a hot spot for illicit money flows owing to its raft of free trade zones and geographic proximity to Iran, according to Reuters. Previous US sanctions imposed this year on Iran have forced a part of Iranian businesses in the UAE to move to other countries, international media outlets notice. However, despite the US pressure, Iran remains optimistic about its trade relations with the UAE. Iran and the United Arab Emirates have an exchange level of nearly $20 billion, which can hardly be replaced, Masoud Daneshmand, head of the Iran-UAE Chamber of commerce has recently told Trend. The US sanctions cannot create a gap in the economic relationship between Iran and the Emirates, he said. "These sanctions are not a new phenomenon, there were similar sanctions against our country during Obama administration, but nothing changed our good business relationship with the UAE. If we look at the Iran customs statistics, the volume of our exchanges is approximately $14 billion, while this amount is $20 billion in the UAE customs, because some goods are not registered in Iran's customs, but it is registered in the UAE. Therefore, Iran and the UAE cannot easily replace this $20 billion, said Daneshmand. According to 2017 statistics, there were nearly 800,000 Iranians in the UAE who played a major role in UAE`s market, he said. People who are already involved in business in UAE know some of the challenges and conflicts which can come into play and are related to the rules and regulations of this country, otherwise many Iranians live in the UAE without any problems. Of course, a few people are exaggerating the issues, said Daneshmand. Judges at the European Unions highest court will hear a case on the Brexit process on Nov. 27, reviewing whether Britain could unilaterally withdraw its decision to leave the EU, the Court of Justice said in a statement on Wednesday, Reuters reported. The case was raised to the Luxembourg justices by a Scottish court, where politicians opposed to Brexit asked for a ruling to clarify the interpretation of Article 50 of the EU treaty, under which London last year gave two years notice of its departure. No other member state has ever left the 60-year-old bloc. Establishing that reversing the Brexit process can be done without the approval of other EU states would, argue those who brought the case, boost their argument that British lawmakers should block the withdrawal before it happens on March 29. It is not clear when the ECJ might rule on the issue, known as the Wightman Case after Andy Wightman, a member of the Scottish parliament from the Green party, who led the action. A court official said that typically, under the courts expedited procedure for urgent matters, a ruling would be made three to six months after such a hearing. However, the ECJ noted in an order last month that there was undeniably a need for an urgent ruling before the British parliament votes on whether or not to accept a treaty with the EU setting out divorce terms. British Prime Minister Theresa May insists that Britain will leave the EU in March. But she faces a battle in parliament to approve any potential treaty, on which negotiations are deadlocked over how to manage the Irish border. In principle, she could seek a parliamentary vote as early as this month. A leaked government memo published by the BBC on Tuesday suggested that the date of the Luxembourg hearing, Nov. 27, could be exactly the day that May asks lawmakers to vote leaving the ECJs opinion in the matter moot. A spokeswoman for Mays government said that it was seeking to appeal the decision by Scotlands Court of Session to go to the ECJ at Britains Supreme Court. It remains a matter of firm policy that we will not be revoking the Article 50 notice, and we will not comment further on ongoing litigation, she added. On Tuesday, the government said it had submitted written observations to the ECJ, restating its position that the court should dismiss the case as it has long refused to rule on hypothetical questions or provide advisory opinions. Article 50 of the EUs Lisbon Treaty sets a two-year limit for a state to negotiate a withdrawal treaty with the EU. That treaty must be approved by a specially calculated majority of the other member states. The article also says the two-year negotiation period can be extended if all other states agree. It does not address the issue of whether the country asking to leave can simply change its mind and retain membership without seeking the approval of the other EU countries. Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 Trend: Italian Economy Minister Giovanni Tria on Thursday condemned latest European Commission economic forecasts for Italy, which were worse than Romes own data, saying the EU analysis was wrong and limited, Reuters reports. The European Commissions forecasts for the Italian deficit are in sharp contrast to those of the Italian government and derive from an inaccurate and incomplete analysis (of the budget), Tria said in a statement. We regret to note this technical slip on the part of the Commission, which will not influence the continuation of constructive dialogue with the Commission, he added. The Commission forecasts said the Italian budget would push the deficit to 2.9 percent of gross domestic product in 2019, rather than 2.4 percent seen by Italy, and to 3.1 percent in 2020, rather than fall to 2.1 as Rome predicted. Tria said the government was committed to respecting 2.4 percent as a top limit for the deficit next year. The Commission said Italian GDP would rise 1.2 percent in 2019, instead of the 1.5 percent seen by Italy and rise 1.3 percent in 2020, rather than the 1.6 projected by Rome. This would leave debt ratios little changed in the next three years, it said. The Commission forecasts underline the view in Brussels, backed last Monday by all euro zone finance ministers, that Italys 2019 budget blatantly breaks European Union fiscal rules, which call for annual reductions in deficit and debt. Ecuador's antinarcotic police seized 589 kilos of cocaine hidden in a container filled with bananas in the western port city of Guayaquil, the Ministry of the Interior said Tuesday, Xinhua reported. The drug worth 36 million U.S. dollars was hidden in 20 suitcases and was headed to Belgium, the ministry said in its Twitter account. So far this year, 9.5 tons of drugs have been seized at the country's maritime ports, it said. According to official data, a total of 119 tons of drugs, primarily cocaine, were seized in 2017. An Ecuadorian judge ruled that the countrys ex-President, Rafael Correa, should stand trial in the high-profile case of kidnapping of his political opponent, ex-lawmaker Fernando Balda, back in 2012, Sputnik reported citing local media. Pablo Romero, the ex-chief of the National Intelligence Directorate (SENAIN), had been ordered to stand trial in the case, too, El Comercio news outlet reported on Wednesday. Correa reacted to the court ruling by calling it a farce. The ex-president also posted on Twitter the front page of El Telegrafo newspaper which allegedly included a title about the court ruling in the case before it was made public. Balda was briefly kidnapped in Bogota where he fled after the Ecuadorian authorities accused him of being involved in the 2010 failed coup against Correa. The Ecuadorian prosecutors charged Correa with involvement in the abduction of Balda in late September. The ex-president, who currently resides in Belgium, has repeatedly denied the charges. Seven people were killed and 30 others injured as 12 cars collided at a busy turnpike near Mexico City, Sputnik reported citing local media. The Impacto news outlet reported that late on Wednesday, a cargo truck crashed into 11 cars at a Mexico City-Toluca highway. Around 20 people remained trapped inside the cars as rescue workers were working to bring them out, the outlet added. The road was blocked as a result of the accident. A Somali lawmaker from a regional parliament was killed on Thursday in a car bombing attack in Hamar-weyne district near Somalia's presidential palace in Mogadishu, according to Xinhua. Hirshabelle Parliament member Abdukadir Osman Abdisalan confirmed to Xinhua by phone that his colleague was killed by a bomb attached under his vehicle. "Abdiweli Mohamed Ibrahim, Hirshabelle member of parliament was killed in the car bomb explosion in Mogadishu this afternoon, he was an old man and he was my friend in the same state parliament," Abdisalan said. Al-Shabab militants claimed the responsibility for the latest attack against the member of the regional parliament, saying said its fighters killed Ibrahim at an area close to the presidential palace in Mogadishu. The attack came as Somali security forces have intensified operations against al-Shabab militants in key areas in the capital in the last two months. Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) intends to sell electric cars for less than 20,000 euros ($22,836) and protect German jobs by converting three factories to make Tesla (TSLA.O) rivals, a source familiar with the plans said, Reuters reported. VW and other carmakers are struggling to adapt quickly enough to stringent rules introduced after the carmaker was found to have cheated diesel emissions tests, with its chief executive Herbert Diess warning last month that Germanys auto industry faces extinction. Plans for VWs electric car, known as MEB entry and with a production volume of 200,000 vehicles, are due to be discussed at a supervisory board meeting on Nov. 16, the source said. Another vehicle, the I.D. Aero, will be built in a plant currently making the VW Passat, a mid-sized sedan, the source said. The Wolfsburg-based carmaker, which declined to comment on the plans, is also expected to discuss far-reaching alliances with battery cell manufacturer SK Innovation (096770.KS) and rival Ford (F.N), the source said. The November 16 strategy meeting will discuss Volkswagens transformation plan to shift from being Europes largest maker of combustion engine vehicles into a mass producer of electric cars, another source familiar with the deliberations said. VWs strategy shift comes as cities start to ban diesel engine vehicles, forcing carmakers to think of new ways to safeguard 600,000 German industrial jobs, of which 436,000 are at car companies and their suppliers. An electric van, the ID Buzz, is due to be built at VWs plant in Hannover, where its T6 Van is made, the source said. To free up production capacity for electric cars in Hannover, VWs transporter vans could be produced at a Ford (F.N) plant in Turkey, if German labor unions, who hold half the seats on VWs board of directors, agree, the source added. Russias Far East has a vast investment potential and is eagerly waiting for South Korean investors, Russian Minister for the Development of the Far East Alexander Kozlov said on Thursday at the first Russian-Korean Forum of Interregional Cooperation, TASS reports. The potential for the development of bilateral cooperation is not being used fully, he said. "We would like to galvanize our cooperation and hope that this forum will help it, considering that the Far East has a vast investment potential," the minister noted. In light of this, he lays hopes on todays meeting, he said, the main task of which is "to search for touchpoints" between Russian and South Korean regions. "Our delegation consists of more than 100 people, including five governors. More than one-third, strictly speaking 37.5%, of the whole Russian-South Korean trade turnover accounts for Russias Far East. The investment portfolio of the Republic of Korea in our region consists of six projects for a total sum of about $50 million," Kozlov stressed. The official part of the Russian-Korean Forum of Interregional Cooperation started on November 8. Nine entities of Russias Far Eastern Federal District and 17 regions of the Republic of Korea are taking part in it. At the event representatives for regional governments, experts and businessmen discuss prospects for developing bilateral economic cooperation. Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: Some 11 people have been detained as part of the operation against terrorists of the "Islamic State" (IS) in Istanbul, Turkey, the Turkish media reported Nov. 8. The operation has been carried out in three districts of Istanbul. Operation is underway to detain two women who managed to escape from the police. On November 5, a major operation was carried out against members of the "Islamic State" in 11 provinces of Turkey. Some 24 people who were engaged in raising funds for terrorists in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Libya were arrested. Also the cash money in the amount of more than $500,000 and more than two million Turkish liras were confiscated during the operation. The names and nationalities of the detainees were not disclosed. Meanwhile, 33 members of IS were detained in Istanbul in July. As part of special operations in May 2018, the Istanbul police detained 51 members of the IS terrorist organization. Syrian citizen Riad Haji Osman, one of the IS executioners, was detained during a special operation in Turkeys Adana Province on April 13. Kifah Bashir Hussein, the so-called minister of health of IS, was detained in Sanliurfa in south-eastern Turkey on Jan. 24. On Jan. 12, the Turkish police detained the so-called minister of agriculture of IS, Tarik Ahmet. In December 2017, a 28-year-old terrorist nicknamed Mahmud, one of the IS executioners, was detained in Turkeys Hatay Province on the border with Syria. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu DAYTONA BEACH, Fla, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Consolidated-Tomoka Land Co. (NYSE American: CTO) (the Company) today announced that the approximately 1,614 acres of land subject to the sales contract (the Minto II Contract) between the Company and Minto Communities (Minto) received the necessary development entitlements from the City of Daytona Beach on Wednesday November 7, 2018. The entitlements allow for Minto to develop 3,250 single-family residential units and approximately 200,000 square feet of commercial space. In addition, the Company and Minto agreed to extend the $26.5 million Minto II Contract to allow for Minto to complete additional due diligence with respect to its anticipated infrastructure costs for the development. The extension allows for the transaction to close during or before the early part of 2019. With the extension of the Minto II Contract the Company expects the total sales value of land transactions closed during the year ended December 31, 2018 will be approximately $50 million and the estimate for earnings per share will be between $5.00 and $5.75 per share, after tax. About Consolidated-Tomoka Land Co. Consolidated-Tomoka Land Co. is a Florida-based publicly traded real estate company, which owns approximately 2.3 million square feet of income properties in diversified markets in the United States, as well as nearly 5,500 acres of land in the Daytona Beach area. Visit our website at www.ctlc.com . We encourage you to review our most recent investor presentations which are available on our website at www.ctlc.com . SAFE HARBOR Certain statements contained in this press release (other than statements of historical fact) are forward-looking statements. Words such as believe, estimate, expect, intend, anticipate, will, could, may, should, plan, potential, predict, forecast, project, and similar expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify certain of such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the dates on which they were made, although not all forward-looking statements contain such words. Although forward-looking statements are made based upon managements expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effect upon the Company, a number of factors could cause the Companys actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Such factors may include the completion of 1031 exchange transactions, the availability of investment properties that meet the Companys investment goals and criteria, the modification of terms of certain land sales agreements, uncertainties associated with obtaining required governmental permits and satisfying other closing conditions for planned acquisitions and sales, as well as the uncertainties and risk factors discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2018, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. There can be no assurance that future developments will be in accordance with managements expectations or that the effect of future developments on the Company will be those anticipated by management. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: The first flight from the new Istanbul Airport to Baku has been carried out, the Turkish media reported Nov. 8. The Istanbul-Baku flight from the Istanbul airport was operated at 09:30 (GMT + 3), the message says. Starting from today, one flight from Istanbul Airport to Baku will be carried out daily, the media reported. The opening ceremony of the new airport in Istanbul was held on October 29 and was attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of Turkey Mehmet Cahit Turhan. The Ataturk Airport in Istanbul will end operating flights at 00:00 (GMT +3) on Dec. 31. Beginning from 00:00 (GMT +3) on Dec. 31, all passenger and cargo flights will be operated from the third airport of Istanbul. The first airport in Turkey was built in 1912 and was used for military purposes. In 1953, Istanbul airport was opened for international flights for the first time, and in 1985 it was renamed in honor of the founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. The official exchange rate for November 8 is 5.3672 TL / USD. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani will visit Ankara Nov. 9, Turkish media reported Nov. 8. During the visit, he will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss international and regional issues, as well as strengthening bilateral relations. Qatar ranks 19th among countries that made direct investments in the Turkish economy. Foreign investments in the Turkish economy amount to $4.108 billion. Qatars investments in the Turkish economy reach $541 million. About 68 percent of foreign direct investments in the Turkish economy account for European countries. Spain ranks first among European countries that made direct investments in the Turkish economy. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Engines for domestic fighter jets (TF-X) will be produced in Turkey, Turkish media reported Nov. 8. In this regard, an agreement was signed between the Turkish company TR Motor and the Secretariat of the Defense Industry of Turkey (SSM). The first domestic fighter jet will be ready by 2023 and it is being developed as part of the governments Vision 2023 plan. From 2011, Turkey has set up the production of mobile outposts that proved useful in fight against the militants of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), and also the Canik TP9 handguns, unmanned ANKA aircraft and other military equipment to strengthen the domestic defense industry. Turkey is also developing a domestic military laser system. Earlier, the trials of the domestically-made long-range surface-to-surface missiles have also been conducted in Turkey. The new rocket, named KAAN, was launched from a firing ground in the province of Sinop in the north of Turkey. The KAAN rocket system, produced by Roketsan, was first demonstrated at the International Defense Industry Fair IDEF 2017 in Istanbul. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu The State Department will need time to complete its consultations with Congress on potential new sanctions against Russia over the poisoning of a former military intelligence officer Sergei Skripal, State Department spokesperson Robert Palladino said in a press briefing on Wednesday, Sputnik reported. "The process takes time and we want to get sanctions right," Palladino told reporters when asked whether there was a timeline for deciding on new sanctions. He added that the United States is carefully considering the impact future sanctions could have on US national security interest. On Tuesday, Palladino said the United States intends to proceed with new sanctions against Russia over the Skripal attack. The United States has accused Russia of involvement in the March 4 nerve agent attack on Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the English town of Salisbury, a claim repeatedly denied by Moscow. On August 24, the United States announced that it was imposing sanctions on Russia under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991. Under the terms of the Act, Russia was given until November 6 to prove it had complied with the strict conditions it imposed, including inspections, or face a new round of even more severe sanctions. The Trump administration on Tuesday informed Congress that Russia had not complied with the conditions, and the State Department said it would proceed with new sanctions. The law allows for the termination of foreign assistance and arms sales, denial of US government credit or other financial assistance, prohibitions on exports and a suspension of diplomatic relations, among other possible measures. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence will visit Japan on Nov. 12 and 13, Japans top government spokesman said on Thursday, Reuters reported. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference that Japan and the U.S. would reconfirm their cooperation over North Korea and other issues during Pences visit, although economic dialogue would not be on the agenda. Pence will be stopping over in Japan during a visit to Asia for an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum being held in Papua New Guinea. U.S. president Donald Trump said that he would have a very strong opinion to offer next week on the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Washington Post reported. Trumps comment came in response to a question during a news conference at which he offered his take on Tuesdays midterm elections. Trump was asked whether he believed Saudi Arabia is guilty of having Khashoggi killed. Trump called Khashoggis death a very sad thing, very terrible thing and said he was consulting with Congress on how to respond. Ill have a much stronger opinion on that subject over the next week, Trump said. Im forming a very strong opinion. Khashoggi, a Saudi who was a contributing columnist for The Washington Post, was killed in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. The government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has tried to prod Saudi leaders to acknowledge what he says is their role in the death. The Saudi government refused to comment for weeks but, in the face of international outrage, finally conceded that Khashoggi was killed in their consulate, even as they blamed it on rogue Saudi agents. Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 Trend: At least 11 people were killed after a gunman fired at a bar packed with college students in southern California, the Ventura County sheriff's office says, Aljazeera reports. Ventura County Sheriff Sergeant Eric Buschow confirmed that gunman was dead inside the Thousand Oaks bar, about 50km west of Los Angeles late on Wednesday. The Sheriff's Office Captain Garo Kuredjian said earlier at a news conference that the sheriff's deputy was also among the injured and has been taken to a hospital. Police had told the Los Angeles Times that at least 30 shots were fired at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks. Al Jazeera's Rob Reynolds, reporting from Washington, DC, said the bar was packed with college students before the gunman forced his way in. "The gunman used an automatic weapon and also threw in some sort of smoke bombs into the crowd in the club," he said. The extent of the victims' injuries has not yet been released. Law enforcement and emergency crews were flooding the scene. An unnamed source told reporters that a victim managed to escape through the window of the bar. "He told us how he broke a couple of windows and him and his friends helped push women out to save them first. His hand was cut up and he has blood on his face. His friend was shot in the shoulder," the witness said. Authorities urged the public to avoid the area. Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 Trend: A woman from Azerbaijan whose fortune has been targeted by British authorities under anti-corruption laws has been freed on bail while she battles extradition, Usnews reports. Zamira Hajiyeva is the first person to be subject to an Unexplained Wealth Order, a measure aimed at curbing London's status as a haven for ill-gotten gains. The orders allow authorities to seize assets from people suspected of corruption until the owners account for how they were acquired. Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 8 Trend: A Ventura County sheriffs deputy is among those killed in the Borderline Bar & Grill shooting, CNN reports. Sgt. Ron Helus had been on the force for 29 years and was one of the first officers on the scene in response to 911 calls of shots fired. He was looking to retire in the "next year or so," Sheriff Geoff Dean told reporters. The sergeant died in hospital, Dean added. "Ron was a hardworking dedicated sheriff's sergeant. He was totally committed, he gave his all and tonight, as I told his wife, he died a hero; he went into save lives, to save other people," Dean said, his voice breaking with emotion. KYODO NEWS - Nov 8, 2018 - 08:51 | All, World President Donald Trump accused Japan on Wednesday of treating the United States unfairly on trade, claiming that Japan exports cars with low tariffs but does not take American cars. Speaking at a news conference a day after the Republican Party lost control of the House of Representatives in the midterm elections, Trump also said he will hold a second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un early next year. [Getty/Kyodo] While calling Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe "one of the people I'm closest with," Trump said, "I tell him all the time that Japan doesn't treat the United States fairly on trade." "They send in millions of cars at a very low tax. They don't take our cars," he said. Trump criticized Japan's trade surplus with the United States, adding, "But don't feel lonely because you aren't the only one." The administration is expected to push Japan for increased market access for automobiles and agriculture when the two governments start negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement as early as in mid-January. Trump, meanwhile, said the administration is "in no rush" over denuclearization negotiations with North Korea, in comments hours after the cancellation of a meeting scheduled for Thursday in New York between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his counterpart Kim Yong Chol. Washington will not lift sanctions unless Pyongyang takes responsive measures, the president said. With a divided Congress set to convene in January, Trump expressed eagerness to cooperate with the Democratic Party in advancing issues for Americans such as the economy, infrastructure, health care and drug prices. "Hopefully we can all work together next year to continue delivering for the American people, including on economic growth, infrastructure, trade, lowering the cost of prescription drugs," he said. "These are some of the things that the Democrats do want to work on, and I really believe we'll be able to do that." Trump repeated his support for an additional 10 percent tax cut for middle-income people, but also showed a flexible stance given that the GOP no longer controls both chambers of Congress. "If the Democrats come up with an idea for tax cut, I would absolutely pursue something, even if it means some adjustment," he said. "But I would love to see a tax cut for the middle class." In Tuesday's elections, widely seen as a referendum on Trump's first two years in office, the Republican Party ceded control of the lower chamber but retained its majority in the Senate. With 218 seats needed for a majority in the 435-member House, Democrats have captured 222 and Republicans 197, with winners undetermined in 16 races, according to Real Clear Politics. English French MONTREAL, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Quebec Precious Metals Corporation (TSX.V: CJC, FSE: YXEN, OTC-BB: CJCFF) (QPM or the Company), the parent company of Matamec Explorations Inc. (Matamec) announces that they have signed an Agreement. Pursuant to this signature, QPM will issue an aggregate of 145,000 common shares in satisfaction of an aggregate of $88,450 of indebtedness at a deemed price of $0.61 per common share, indebtedness is owed to a service provider of Matamec. The Company determined to satisfy the indebtedness, of its subsidiary, with common shares in order to preserve its cash for its existing operations. The shares will be issued upon acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange and approval by the directors of the Company. The common shares issued in satisfaction of the indebtedness will be subject to a four month hold period from the date of issuance. About Quebec Precious Metals Corporation QPM is a new gold explorer with a large land position in the highly-prospective Eeyou Istchee James Bay region, Quebec, near Goldcorp's Eleonore gold mine. QPMs flagship project is the Sakami project with significant grades and well-defined drill-ready targets. QPMs goal is to rapidly explore this project to advance it to the mineral resource estimate stage. For more information please contact: Jean-Francois Meilleur President Tel.: 514 951-2730 jfmeilleur@qpmcorp.ca Paradox Public Relations Tel: 514 341-0408 Normand Champigny Chief Executive Officer Tel.: 514 979-4746 nchampigny@qpmcorp.ca 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. By Tomoyuki Tachikawa, KYODO NEWS - Nov 8, 2018 - 17:31 | World, All China has been fighting a trade war waged by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump with national pride at stake, but it is unclear to what degree the socialist country is serious about changing its economic and market structure. On Monday the country kicked off in the commercial hub of Shanghai its inaugural trade fair dedicated to imports under the prodding of President Xi Jinping, aiming to show Beijing's commitment to promoting free trade in contrast to Washington's focus on invigorating domestic industries. But despite its steadfast rejection of Trump's accusations, China has shown little signs of carrying out fundamental reforms to stem its alleged unfair business practices such as stealing intellectual property and technology from other nations as well as giving opaque benefits to state-owned firms. Unless China makes efforts to resolve these issues, Trump is expected to continue putting pressure on Beijing, leading to a further escalation of the dispute between the governments of the world's two biggest economies, political experts say. Japan, meanwhile, has been trying to bolster economic cooperation with its massive neighbor as the outlook for the world's third-largest economy remains gloomy, with the domestic market continuing to shrink against the backdrop of an aging population. Protectionism will "result in trade stagnation" and "hurt the global economy," Xi said in a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the China International Import Expo, pledging that Beijing will "voluntarily open its markets to the world." While expressing readiness to accelerate free trade talks and deepen cooperation in state-of-the-art technology with other countries, Xi also vowed to implement measures to protect intellectual property rights. Xi appears to believe that if China increases imports and reduces its huge trade surplus with the United States, Trump would "stop bullying" the country, a diplomat from an Asian nation in Beijing said. What Trump really wants to do, however, is make Chinese markets "completely free and open" to U.S. products without anxiety about technology theft, the source said. "He may keep attacking China until it takes concrete steps" to restructure its business system. At their first summit in Florida in April 2017, Xi and Trump agreed to craft a "100-day plan" in a bid to boost U.S. exports to China and address Washington's massive trade deficit with Beijing. In May that year, Xi announced that China would hold the import expo. When Trump visited Beijing in November last year, the two leaders also witnessed the inking of about $250 billion in business deals between U.S. and Chinese companies in areas such as energy, aviation and manufacturing. Despite China's attempt to placate Trump, the United States has imposed higher tariffs on imports from China since earlier this year. In September, Washington invoked tariffs on an additional $200 billion in Chinese imports. With this third round of tariffs, the United States is now taxing around half of the products it imports from China each year. Beijing took retaliatory action, slapping additional tariffs on $60 billion in U.S. imports, which means China has so far levied tariffs on more than 80 percent of all goods from the United States, together with the previous ones. The U.S. tariffs were in response to China's alleged intellectual property and technology theft. "What China should do is to pursue not the quantity of trade but its quality," the diplomat said, adding that whether Xi will promise Trump that China will provide "high-quality" market access for the United States is key to resolving the ongoing trade war. U.S. and Chinese officials have indicated that the two countries have been arranging a meeting between Trump and Xi on the sidelines of a Group of 20 summit in Argentina later this year. As Beijing's tensions with Washington have been intensifying, Tokyo has been watching for an opportunity to expand Japanese business opportunities in China. At the six-day expo in Shanghai, Japan has the largest presence, with nearly 430 firms and economic entities of the nation participating. Sino-Japanese relations have been markedly improving since late last year, while some sensitive political issues including their territorial row in the East China Sea have effectively been shelved. During Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's three-day visit to China in late October, Tokyo and Beijing agreed to proceed with new economic cooperation by changing the dynamics of bilateral ties "from competition to collaboration." Chinese local governments have sent a large number of buyers to Shanghai. Xi's leadership has asked them to actively make contracts with Japanese enterprises, sources close to the matter said. Panasonic Corp. is displaying its refrigerators and beauty appliances at the expo. "Sales of high-end refrigerators are robust," a staff member of the Japanese electronics giant said. Smaller Japanese companies are also exhibiting their products. ARTPLAN Corp., a manufacturer in Shiga Prefecture with 12 employees, has introduced an assistance robot for people in need of nursing care. With the Chinese population rapidly aging, "We hope we can extend our business," the firm said. Around 3,600 companies from more than 170 nations, regions and international groups are taking part in the country's first national-level expo for imports, the Chinese government said. Among them are some 180 U.S. firms such as Google LLC and Microsoft Corp. Based on the IMD warning, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki and Ernakulam districts have been placed under yellow alert on Monday. NEW YORK, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, reminds investors in Jianpu Technology Inc. (Jianpu or the Company) (NYSE:JT) of the December 24, 2018 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company. If you invested in Jianpu American Depository Shares pursuant or traceable to the Companys November 16, 2017 Initial Public Offering (IPO) and would like to discuss your legal rights, click here : www.faruqilaw.com/JT. There is no cost or obligation to you. You can also contact us by calling Richard Gonnello toll free at 877-247-4292 or at 212-983-9330 or by sending an e-mail to rgonnello@faruqilaw.com. CONTACT: FARUQI & FARUQI, LLP 685 Third Avenue, 26th Floor New York, NY 10017 Attn: Richard Gonnello, Esq. rgonnello@faruqilaw.com Telephone: (877) 247-4292 or (212) 983-9330 The lawsuit has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on behalf of all those who purchased Jianpu American Depository Shares pursuant or traceable to the Companys November 16, 2017 IPO. The case, Panther Partners, Inc. v. Jianpu Technology Inc. et al, No. 18-cv-09848 was filed on October 25, 2018. The lawsuit focuses on whether the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by negligently preparing its Registration Statement, which is alleged both to have contained untrue statements of material fact and to have omitted to state other facts necessary to make the statements made therein not misleading. Specifically, on November 21, 2017, just two business days after the Company's IPO, several news sources announced that the Financial Stability and Development Committee (FSDC) issued an urgent notice to provincial governments urging them the suspend regulatory approval of new internet micro loan companies. That day, Reuters issued a news report titled China clamps down on online micro lending; U.S.-listed shares plunge, which described, among other things, an effort by a top-level Chinese government body to suspend regulatory approval for the setting up of new internet micro-lenders. The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not. Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding Jianpus conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others. Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner. CNH Industrial hosted North Dakota State Senator Kelly Armstrong and U.S. Congressman Tom Emmer in Fargo as well as U.S. Congressman Lloyd Smucker in New Holland United States lawmakers held town hall-style discussions with CNH Industrial (NYSE: CNHI /MI: CNHI) employees at its Fargo, North Dakota and New Holland, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. manufacturing sites to examine issues impacting the U.S. manufacturing and agricultural sectors. The town hall discussions included the need for a new United States Farm Bill, along with ideas on how to address the workforce skills gap, U.S. trade, commodity prices and the impact of tariffs on the agricultural and manufacturing industries. CNH Industrial is honored to welcome lawmakers to our plants so that they can see, first hand, the issues facing modern manufacturing, said Aditya Garg, Fargo Plant Manager. We thank our legislators for taking the time to speak directly with our employees and take their perspectives to Washington. Then State Senator, now Congressman-elect Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) and Congressman Tom Emmer (R-MN) visited the Case IH facility in Fargo on Monday, November 5th. In addition to the town hall discussion, the Fargo visit included a plant tour. The 86-acre Fargo facility is an integrated manufacturing facility producing 4WD tractors for Case IH and New Holland Agriculture, and wheel loaders for CASE Construction Equipment and New Holland Construction. The facility features dedicated research and development and product testing facilities and employs 600 people. Exporting worldwide, the Fargo facility manufactures the Companys most powerful tractor ranges, including the renowned Case IH Quadtrac. The New Holland Agriculture facility in New Holland hosted Congressman Lloyd Smucker (R-PA) on the same day. It was a great opportunity to bring together employees from across our New Holland campus to engage directly with our local Member of Congress and talk about what is on their minds, said Tim Smith, New Holland Plant Manager. The New Holland campus sits on 341 acres and employs some 1,000 people, including administrative, technical and harvesting test centers, and a plant that manufactures balers, mowers and other agricultural equipment for both New Holland Agriculture and Case IH. CNH Industrial has 11 manufacturing plants, 12 research and development centers, and a workforce of 9,000 in North America. The Company designs, produces and sells machines for work and is present in all major markets worldwide giving it a unique competitive position. Burr Ridge, November 8, 2018 Attachments TORONTO, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd. (TSX: WDO) (Wesdome or the Company) today announces third quarter (Q3 2018) financial results. All figures are stated in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted. Mr. Duncan Middlemiss, President and CEO, commented, Production in Q3 2018 was positively impacted as the result of mining the first 303 stope in September, where the muck sample head grades averaged 38.5 grams per tonne, gold (g/t). As a result, production of 19,437 ounces at a head grade of 13.3 g/t was above reserve grade of 12.2 g/t at the Eagle River Underground Mine. Accordingly, cash and all-in sustaining costs for the quarter were $815 per ounce (US$624) and $1,160 (US$888) per ounce, respectively, 20% lower than Q3 2017. With the year to date cash costs of $894 (US$695) and all-in sustaining costs of $1,243 (US$965), on a per ounce basis, we expect to end the year with these cost metrics to be below the lowest end of our guidance of $925 (US$720) per ounce on cash costs and $1,350 (US$1,050) per ounce on all-in sustaining costs. We attained the fourth consecutive quarter of free cash flow generation of $2.1 million ($0.02 per share) for the quarter. Eagle River Complex operations continue to fund all exploration, development, administrative expenses, and a $23 million exploration and development program at the Kiena Complex in Val dOr Quebec. Looking ahead to the remainder of 2018, at Eagle River, we are very well positioned to achieve our increased guidance range of 70,000 75,000 ounces (54,371 year to date, Q3 2018), and beat the low end of our cost metrics guidance. At Kiena, we have completed all additional drift development for exploration platforms, and added one more drill for a total of 4 drills underground. One drill is testing the potential up-plunge extension, and one drill will begin shortly testing the flattening of the A Zone at depth. Initial resource calculation on the Kiena Deep A Zone will be released in December as planned. We view this resource statement as a snapshot in time as further step out drilling subsequent to the data collection for the resource estimation has provide evidence of the expansion of the resource. Additionally, the capping factor will be reassessed as the current 34.28 g/t Au is likely inappropriate for the mineralization discovered to date within the A Zone. Key operating and financial highlights in Q3 2018 include: Gold production of 19,795 ounces (ozs) from the Eagle River Complex, a 28% increase over the same period in the previous year (Q3 2017: 15,493 ozs): Eagle River Underground 46,777 tonnes at a head grade of 13.3 g/t for 19,437 ozs produced, a 46% increase over the previous year (Q3 2017: 13,313 ozs). Mishi Open Pit 4,076 tonnes at a head grade of 3.4 g/t for 358 ozs produced (Q3 2017: 2,181 ozs). Revenue of $28.9 million, a 37% increase over the previous year (Q3 2017: $21.2 million). Ounces sold 18,401 at an average sales price of $1,571/oz (Q3 2017: 13,069 ounces at an average price of $1,619/oz). Cash costs 1 of $815/oz or US$624/oz, a 20% decrease over the same period in 2017 (Q3 2017: $1,013/oz or US$809/oz). of $815/oz or US$624/oz, a 20% decrease over the same period in 2017 (Q3 2017: $1,013/oz or US$809/oz). AISC 1 of $1,160/oz or US$888/oz, a 20% decrease over the same period (Q3 2017: $1,446/oz or US$1,154/oz). of $1,160/oz or US$888/oz, a 20% decrease over the same period (Q3 2017: $1,446/oz or US$1,154/oz). Earned mine profit 1 of $13.9 million, a 1.8 times increase over Q3 2017 (Q3 2017 - $7.9 million). of $13.9 million, a 1.8 times increase over Q3 2017 (Q3 2017 - $7.9 million). Operating cash flow of $12.8 million or $0.10 per share 1 , a 3.6 times increase over the previous year (Q3 2017: $3.5 million or $0.03 per share). , a 3.6 times increase over the previous year (Q3 2017: $3.5 million or $0.03 per share). Free cash flow of $2.1 million or $0.02 per share 1 (Q3 2017: outflow of $6.5 million or ($0.05) per share). (Q3 2017: outflow of $6.5 million or ($0.05) per share). Net income of $3.6 million or $0.03 per share (Q3 2017: $0.3 million or nil, on a per share basis). Net income (adjusted) 1 for Q3 2018 was also $3.6 million or $0.03 per share (Q3 2017: $1.9 million or $0.01 per share). for Q3 2018 was also $3.6 million or $0.03 per share (Q3 2017: $1.9 million or $0.01 per share). Cash position of $30.7 million at September 30, 2018. Refer to the Companys Third Quarter 2018 Management Discussion and Analysis, section entitled Non-IFRS Performance Measures for the reconciliation of these non-IFRS measurements to the financial statements. 1 Refer to the Companys Third Quarter 2018 Management Discussion and Analysis, section entitled Non-IFRS Performance Measures for the reconciliation of these non-IFRS measurements to the financial statements. Exploration Highlights for Q3 2018 Eagle River Initial mining of the 300E Zone between the 864 and 844 metre level (m-level) has continued to confirm the continuity of the strong grades and the geometry of the mineralized zone defined by drifts and the encompassing drill holes. The 303E Zone accounts for approximately 19% of the current mineral reserves and will continue to be the focus of mining development in Q4 2018 and into 2019. Mine development is being completed to provide drilling platforms on the 750 and 925 m-levels to further define and explore extensions of the 300E and 7 zones as well as test the potential intersection of the No Name Lake zone with the mine diorite. A 10,000 metre (m) surface drilling program has commenced with 2 drills to identify new zones along strike and to the east of the 7 and 300 zones at upper levels of the mine that would have the potential to positively impact the gold production from the Eagle River underground mine. In addition, a fourth underground drill has been added to test this area at depth. Kiena Drilling of the Kiena Deep - A Zone is ongoing with 4 drill rigs. Recent drilling from the exploration ramp has continued to intersect often multiple high grade lenses comprised of shear zone hosted quartz veins, including 177.3 g/t over 5.1 m core length (6.5 g/t cut, 5.1 m true width) in hole 6321 and 163.8 g/t over 3.0 m core length (13.1 g/t over 2.6 m true width) in hole 6338. Recent drilling continued to extend the zone of mineralization down plunge to the southeast. Following the continued success of the ongoing diamond drill program, the Company extended the current exploration drifts by a total of 450 m. Recent drilling of the A Zone has identified a well-defined, moderate plunge of approximately 45 degrees to the SE to the gold mineralization that occurs predominantly along the basalt chlorite-carbonate schist boundary. It is now understood that the A Zone occurs along a connecting structure between the regional structures hosting the S50 and VC zones, respectively. Recent drilling has now extended the A zone to 600 m down plunge, and based on limited historic drilling, is interpreted to extend an additional 600 m up plunge to intersect the VC zone. This could significantly expand the potential resource base of the A Zone and will be the focus of drilling this year and into 2019. An updated mineral resource estimate is on schedule to be completed in Q4 2018. Technical Disclosure The technical content of this release has been compiled, reviewed and approved by Marc-Andre Pelletier, P. Eng, Chief Operating Officer, and Michael Michaud, P.Geo., Vice President, Exploration of the Company and each a "Qualified Person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101 -Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Cautionary Note to United States Investors Concerning Estimates of Reserves and Resources The mineral reserve and resource estimates reported in this news release were prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101) as required by Canadian securities regulatory authorities. The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) applies different standards in order to classify and report mineralization. This news release uses the terms measured, indicated and inferred mineral resources, as required by NI 43-101. Readers are advised that although such terms are recognized and required by Canadian securities regulations, the SEC does not recognize such terms. Canadian standards differ significantly from the requirements of the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of the mineral deposits in these categories constitute or will ever be converted into mineral reserves. In addition, inferred mineral resources have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource exists, is economically or legally mineable or will ever be upgraded to a higher category of mineral resource. 2018 Third Quarter Financial Results Conference Call: The Companys 2018 Third Quarter Financial Results conference call will take place on November 9, 2018 at 10:00 am. ET. Conference details are found below. North American Toll Free: + 1 (844) 202-7109 International Dial-In Number: +1 (703) 639-1272 Conference ID: 8497324 Webcast link: https://edge.media-server.com/m6/p/35univou A webcast of the earnings call can also be accessed under the News and Events section of the Companys website ( www.wesdome.com ) Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd. Summarized Operating and Financial Data (Unaudited, expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars, except per share and per unit amounts and otherwise indicated) Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended September 30, September 30, 2018 2017 2018 2017 Operating data Milling (tonnes) Eagle River 46,777 44,421 134,635 117,959 Mishi 4,076 38,638 62,155 114,396 Throughput 2 50,854 83,058 196,790 232,355 Head grades (g/t) Eagle River 13.3 9.7 12.2 10.3 Mishi 3.4 2.0 2.3 1.8 Recovery (%) Eagle River 96.9 96.1 96.2 95.9 Mishi 80.9 87.2 82.5 84.9 Production (ounces) Eagle River 19,437 13,313 50,602 37,498 Mishi 358 2,181 3,769 5,687 Total gold produced 2 19,795 15,493 54,371 43,185 Total gold sales (ounces) 18,401 13,069 52,404 38,419 Eagle River Complex (per ounce of gold sold) 1 Average realized price $ 1,571 $ 1,619 $ 1,651 $ 1,656 Cash costs 815 1,013 894 1,137 Cash margin $ 756 $ 606 $ 757 $ 519 All-in Sustaining Costs 1 $ 1,160 $ 1,446 $ 1,243 $ 1,594 Mine operating costs/tonne milled 1 $ 283 $ 182 $ 233 $ 203 Average 1 USD CAD exchange rate 1.307 1.2528 1.2878 1.3091 Cash costs per ounce of gold sold (US$) 1 $ 624 $ 809 $ 695 $ 869 All-in Sustaining Costs (US$) 1 $ 888 $ 1,154 $ 965 $ 1,218 Financial Data Mine profit 1 $ 13,898 $ 7,921 $ 39,629 $ 19,931 Net income $ 3,631 $ 296 $ 12,215 $ 1,854 Net income adjusted 1 $ 3,631 $ 1,883 $ 12,215 $ 3,441 Operating cash flow $ 12,823 $ 3,541 $ 37,668 $ 13,757 Free cash flow $ 2,137 $ (6,517 ) $ 7,315 $ (17,078 ) Per share data Net income $ 0.03 $ 0.00 $ 0.09 $ 0.01 Adjusted net earnings 1 $ 0.03 $ 0.01 $ 0.09 $ 0.03 Operating cash flow $ 0.10 $ 0.03 $ 0.28 $ 0.10 Free cash flow 1 $ 0.02 $ (0.05 ) $ 0.05 $ (0.13 ) Notes Refer to the Companys Third Quarter 2018 Management Discussion and Analysis, section entitled Non-IFRS Performance Measures for the reconciliation of these non-IFRS measurements to the financial statements. Totals for tonnage and gold ounces information may not add due to rounding. Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd. Consolidated Statements of Financial Position (Unaudited) (Expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars) September 30, 2018 December 31, 2017 Assets Current Cash and cash equivalents $ 30,714 $ 22,092 Receivables and prepaids 1,472 3,821 Tax receivable 1,944 1,932 Inventories 7,498 5,314 Total current assets 41,628 33,159 Deferred income tax assets 308 5,450 Mining properties, plant and equipment 85,727 81,375 Exploration properties 75,725 59,929 Total assets $ 203,388 $ 179,913 Liabilities Current Payables and accruals $ 18,533 $ 17,003 Deferred revenue 2,329 - Mining and income taxes payable 1,849 671 Current portion of obligations under finance leases 3,935 2,541 Total current liabilities 26,646 20,215 Obligations under finance leases 4,534 3,983 Deferred mining tax liability 7,001 6,300 Decommissioning provisions 11,505 11,192 Total liabilities 49,686 41,690 Equity Equity attributable to owners of the Company Capital stock 165,660 164,161 Contributed surplus 5,673 3,967 Deficit (17,631 ) (29,905 ) Total equity attributable to owners of the Company 153,702 138,223 Total liabilities and equity $ 203,388 $ 179,913 Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd. Interim Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income (Unaudited) (Expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars except for per share amounts) Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended September 30, September 30, 2018 2017 2018 2017 Revenues $ 28,920 $ 21,165 $ 86,580 $ 64,513 Cost of sales 20,599 15,594 59,768 50,448 Gross profit 8,321 5,571 26,812 14,065 Other expenses Corporate and general 1,429 909 3,922 3,695 Share-based payments 434 572 2,265 2,258 Kiena care and maintenance 353 200 1,130 767 Restructuring costs - 2,159 - 2,159 Write-off of mining equipment - - 290 - 2,216 3,840 7,607 8,879 Operating income 6,105 1,731 19,205 5,186 Interest on long-term debt (68 ) (58 ) (191 ) (402 ) Accretion of decommissioning provisions (105 ) 54 (313 ) (196 ) Interest and other 79 (30 ) 1,228 (63 ) Income before income tax 6,011 1,697 19,929 4,525 Mining and income tax expense Current 663 100 1,871 151 Deferred 1,717 1,301 5,843 2,520 2,380 1,401 7,714 2,671 Net income and total comprehensive income $ 3,631 $ 296 $ 12,215 $ 1,854 Net earnings per share Basic $ 0.03 $ 0.00 $ 0.09 $ 0.01 Diluted $ 0.03 $ 0.00 $ 0.09 $ 0.01 Weighted average number of common shares (000s) Basic 134,754 133,888 134,390 132,527 Diluted 137,836 135,481 135,827 134,830 Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd. Interim Condensed Consolidated Statements of Total Equity (Unaudited) For the nine months ended September 30, 2018 (Expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars) Equity Component Capital Contributed of Convertible Total Stock Surplus Debentures Deficit Equity Balance, December 31,2016 $ 156,402 $ 2,173 $ 932 $ (32,106 ) $ 127,401 Net income for the nine month period ended September 30, 2017 - - - 1,854 1,854 Conversion of convertible debentures 4,912 - (932 ) 932 4,912 Exercise of options 1,915 - - - 1,915 Value attributed to options exercised 932 (932 ) - - - Value attributed to options expired - (40 ) - 40 - Share-based payments - 2,258 - - 2,258 Balance, September 30, 2017 $ 164,161 $ 3,459 $ - $ (29,280 ) $ 138,340 Balance, December 31,2017 $ 164,161 $ 3,967 $ - $ (29,905 ) $ 138,223 Net income for the nine month period ended September 30, 2018 - - - 12,215 12,215 Exercise of options 999 - - - 999 Value attributed to options exercised 500 (500 ) - - - Value attributed to options expired - (59 ) - 59 - Share-based payments - 2,265 - - 2,265 Balance, September 30, 2018 $ 165,660 $ 5,673 $ - $ (17,631 ) $ 153,702 Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd. Interim Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited, expressed in thousands of Canadian dollars) Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended September 30, September 30, 2018 2017 2018 2017 Operating activities Net income $ 3,631 $ 296 $ 12,215 $ 1,854 Depletion and depreciation 5,577 2,350 12,817 6,766 Share-based payments 434 572 2,265 2,258 Decommissioning provisions 105 (54 ) 313 196 Deferred mining and income tax expense 1,717 1,301 5,843 2,520 Interest on long-term debt 68 58 191 409 Accretion of discount on convertible debentures - - - 103 Write-off of mining properties and fixed assets - - 290 - Loss on disposal of equipment - - - 159 11,532 4,523 33,934 14,265 Net changes in non-cash working capital 1,291 (931 ) 4,427 (1,357 ) Mining tax received (paid) - (51 ) (693 ) 849 Net cash from operating activities 12,823 3,541 37,668 13,757 Financing activities Repayment of convertible debentures - - - (2,091 ) Exercise of options 690 55 999 1,915 Repayment of obligations under finance leases (931 ) (820 ) (2,546 ) (2,251 ) Interest paid (68 ) - (191 ) (237 ) Net cash used in financing activities (309 ) (765 ) (1,738 ) (2,664 ) Investing activities Additions to mining properties (4,022 ) (3,894 ) (12,011 ) (11,779 ) Additions to exploration properties (5,733 ) (5,317 ) (15,796 ) (16,958 ) Funds released from restricted cash - - - 6,920 Proceeds on sale of equipment - - - 90 Net changes in non-cash working capital 1,236 368 499 488 Net cash used in investing activities (8,519 ) (8,843 ) (27,308 ) (21,239 ) Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 3,995 (6,067 ) 8,622 (10,146 ) Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 26,719 22,681 22,092 26,760 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 30,714 $ 16,614 $ 30,714 $ 16,614 Cash and cash equivalents consist of: Cash $ 21,633 $ 3,095 $ 21,633 $ 3,095 Term deposits 9,081 13,519 9,081 13,519 $ 30,714 $ 16,614 $ 30,714 $ 16,614 ABOUT WESDOME Wesdome Gold Mines has had over 30 years of continuous gold mining operations in Canada. The Company is 100% Canadian focused with a pipeline of projects in various stages of development. The Eagle River Complex in Wawa, Ontario is currently producing gold from two mines, the Eagle River Underground Mine and the Mishi Open pit, from a central mill. Wesdome is actively exploring its brownfields asset, the Kiena Complex in Val dOr, Quebec. The Kiena Complex is a fully permitted former mine with a 930-metre shaft and 2,000 tonne-per-day mill. The Company has further upside at its Moss Lake gold deposit, located 100 kilometres west of Thunder Bay, Ontario. The Company has approximately 134.9 million shares issued and outstanding and trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol WDO. For further information, please contact: Duncan Middlemiss President and CEO 416-360-3743 ext. 29 dmiddlemiss@wesdome.com or Lindsay Carpenter Dunlop VP Investor Relations 416-360-3743 ext. 25 ldunlop@wesdome.com 220 Bay St., Suite 1200 Toronto, ON, M5J 2W4 Toll Free: 1-866-4-WDO-TSX Phone: 416-360-3743, Fax: 416-360-7620 Website: www.wesdome.com This news release contains forward-looking information which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the future financial or operating performance of the Company and its projects. 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 the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this press release and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results 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. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances, managements estimates or opinions should change, except as required by securities legislation. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company has included in this news release certain non-IFRS performance measures, including, but not limited to, average realized price of gold sold; cash costs per ounce of gold sold; production costs per tonne milled; mine profit (loss); all-in sustaining costs per ounce of gold sold; free cash flow and operating and free cash flow per share; and net income (adjusted) and adjusted net earnings per share. These measures are not defined under IFRS and therefore should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to or more meaningful than, net income or cash flow from operating activities as determined in accordance with IFRS as an indicator of our financial performance or liquidity. The Company believes that, in addition to conventional measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, certain investors use this information to evaluate the Company's performance and ability to generate cash flow. PDF available: http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/49232f76-6eae-4961-94a5-e8e7a32e4314 Vietnam draws up plan on AI research and development VietNamNet Bridge - AI4Life, the first workshop on AI (artificial intelligence) in Vietnam, held in May, and AI4VN, which took place in August, gathered Vietnamese and overseas Vietnamese scientists. The organizer, the Ministry of Science & Technology (MST), vowed to accelerate AI R&D in the 4.0 revolution era. In October, the ministry once again showed its strong determination to develop AI when releasing its AI R&D plan. Chatbots on e-commerce websites or online shops exist on Facebook. But Googles chatbot is different. No one tells the chatbot how it needs to respond to specific questions, but it has to learn itself, based on big data provided to it. This is the result of research of scientists at Google Brain, including Le Viet Quoc, a Vietnamese and panel speaker at AI4VN. The technique used is machine learning, an important field of AI. Over the last two years, a race to develop AI has occurred all over the globe with 20 countries in the EU releasing their strategies on developing AI in both R&D and education. Developed countries have budgeted billions of dollars on strategies with the ambition to lead the world in AI development. AI4Life, the first workshop on AI (artificial intelligence) in Vietnam, held in May, and AI4VN, which took place in August, gathered Vietnamese and overseas Vietnamese scientists. According to Deputy Minister of Science & Technology Bui The Duy, Vietnam needs to focus on some segments in the global value chain, choose the right niche markets and deal with specific problems in Vietnam. With limited financial capability, Vietnamese enterprises should think carefully about what they need and they should not waste time on research that Google, Facebook and Microsoft have done. An AI development program has been drawn up with three major tasks 1) investing in AI research and research infrastructure 2) developing related apps and 3) training a labor force for AI. MST will invest $1-1.5 million on a modern calculation infrastructure system which will be shared by research institutes and universities. It will also build an open data warehouse to serve the research and development of AI, based on the project on the digitalized Vietnamese knowledge system. The participants at AI4life and AI4VN workshops suggested that Vietnam should start with matters related to the socio-economic development, productivity increase, and living standards. Nguyen Xuan Hoai, the founder of AI Academy, believes that Vietnam should prioritize an AI app to solve problems in agriculture (vegetable & fruit exports can bring 50 percent higher value than crude oil). However, scientists warn that Vietnam meet difficulties because of unstandardized data, which is considered an important input material to apply machine learning techniques, or train computers. RELATED NEWS Vietnamese enterprises use AI in manufacturing, farming How is Vietnam preparing for AI in human resources? Nam Mai Robust B2B identity graph addresses industry-wide challenge around access to quality data to connect account information, lead data, and buying intent SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AdRoll Group today announced the acquisition of Growlabs , a two-year old startup with a comprehensive B2B database and suite of lead generation and outbound sales automation technologies. The acquisition of Growlabs will bolster AdRoll Groups identity graph and data capabilities to strengthen B2B offerings. Launched in February of this year, RollWorks , a business unit of AdRoll Group, is focused on providing B2B marketers with an account-based marketing (ABM) solution from account discovery through engagement and measurement. With Growlabs vital B2B database, the company will amplify offerings with the RollWorks business unit. Today, a lack of quality data makes it challenging for B2B marketers to run targeted, coordinated, multi-channel campaigns. Inbound and outbound marketing are often disconnected taking place on two different platforms with different tools and systems, making it difficult to understand the data. Through this acquisition, AdRoll Group will leverage Growlabs data containing 12 million companies and 320 million business identities to enhance its proprietary data graph of more than 1.2 billion digital profiles. The AdRoll Group advanced AI engine will allow marketers to activate this data in coordinated, cross-channel campaigns reaching targets at the right time and place to drive action, while making the most of marketing budgets. This acquisition gives us the ability to enable our customers to leverage the precise data needed to connect with B2B buyers at scale, said Toby Gabriner, CEO of AdRoll Group and President of RollWorks. The customer journey in B2B is incredibly complex. An average B2B deal now requires 6.8 people to sign off before a company makes a purchase. Trying to connect with each of those stakeholders in a way that resonates is a significant undertaking. The capabilities the Growlabs team brings will enable us to provide richer data and actionable insights to our B2B customers, accelerating their revenue growth. Beyond data integration, Growlabs expands the RollWorks offering to multi-channel engagement. This includes the ability to use targeted lead information to find buyers that display high fit and high intent. It also adds the ability to activate ads and sales automation sequences in coordinated ABM campaigns. Once capabilities are integrated, customers will be able to run multi-channel campaigns with messages automatically sequenced and synched with sales stages, boosting conversions and accelerating the sale cycle. Ben Raffi, CEO, Growlabs added, Our mission has always been to help marketers grow fast - a mission we share with AdRoll Group. Together, well accelerate marketers ability to drive revenue. The data and multi-channel capabilities we can offer B2B customers with RollWorks today, and in new product development going forward, will be a game changer for B2B marketers. About AdRoll Group AdRoll Group has been on a mission to accelerate growth for companies, big and small, since 2007. Our technology powers a suite of data-driven marketing and advertising solutions, AdRoll - for ambitious commerce companies and RollWorks - for ambitious B2B companies. AdRoll Group has empowered over 37,000 AdRoll and RollWorks customers worldwide to understand, attract and engage buyers, driving growth for their businesses. AdRoll Group is a privately-held company headquartered in San Francisco, CA. AdRoll Groups solutions honor the best practices for data use and privacy of leading associations including the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) and the Digital Advertising Alliances (DAA) App Choices programs. Learn more about AdRoll Group at adrollgroup.com About Growlabs Growlabs is a startup based in San Francisco that helps B2B companies accelerate growth with efficient prospecting and powerful sales engagement tools. Founded in 2016 by Ben Raffi, Jaclyn Klein, and Safeer Jiwan, Growlabs has built a searchable database of 320 million business contacts across 12 million accounts to help sales teams identify the right leads to target within minutes. Growlabs clients get access to enriched company and contact profiles through the platform and Chrome extension, and have the ability to engage new leads using sales email automation and multi-channel campaigns. Growlabs has 18 employees and has helped 400+ sales teams increase revenue and close more deals. Media Contact Hotwire adrollus@hotwireglobal.com RollWorks is a trademark of AdRoll Group. It began with clinical decision support systems -- software that analyses data to help doctors make decisions to improve patient care -- and robotic surgery where surgeons use machines to tackle highly complex procedures and make them less invasive Artificial intelligence systems simulate human intelligence by learning, reasoning, and self correction. This technology has the potential to be more accurate than doctors at making diagnoses and performing surgical interventions, says Jorg Goldhahn, MD, MAS, deputy head of the Institute for Translational Medicine at ETH Zurich, Switzerland. It has a "near unlimited capacity" for data processing and subsequent learning, and can do this at a speed that humans cannot match. Increasing amounts of health data, from apps, personal monitoring devices, electronic medical records, and social media platforms are being brought together to give machines as much information as possible about people and their diseases. At the same time machines are "reading" and taking account of the rapidly expanding scientific literature. "The notion that today's physicians could approximate this knowledge by keeping abreast of current medical research while maintaining close contacts with their patients is an illusion not least because of the sheer volume of data," says Goldhahn. Machine learning is also not subject to the same level of potential bias seen in human learning that reflects cultural influences and links with particular institutions, for example. While the ability to form relationships with patients is often presented as an argument in favour of human doctors, this may also be their "Achilles heel", Goldhahn points out. Trust is important to patients but machines and systems can be more trustworthy than humans if they can be regarded as unbiased and without conflicts of interest. Furthermore, some patients, particularly younger ones and those with minor conditions, may rate correct diagnosis higher than empathy or continuity of care, he says. "In some very personal situations the services of a robot could help patients avoid feeling shame. The key challenges for today's healthcare systems are rising costs and insufficient numbers of doctors. "Introducing AI-driven systems could be cheaper than hiring and training new staff, Goldhahn says. "They are also universally available, and can even monitor patients remotely."Doctors as we now know them will become obsolete eventually." But Vanessa Rampton at the McGill Institute for Health and Social Policy in Montreal, Canada and Professor Giatgen Spinas at University Hospital in Zurich, Switzerland, maintain that machines will never replace doctors entirely because the interrelational quality of the doctor-patient relationship is vital and cannot be replicated. They agree that machines will increasingly be able to perform tasks that human doctors do today, such as diagnosis and treatment, but say doctors will remain because they are better at dealing with the patient as a whole person. Doctors can relate to the patient as a fellow human being and can gain holistic knowledge of their illness as it relates to the patient's life, they say. A doctor-patient relationship where the doctor thinks laterally and takes into account an individual patient's preferences, values and social circumstances is important for healing, particularly for complex conditions, when there are symptoms with no obvious cause, and if there is a high risk of adverse effects. "Feeling they've been heard by someone who understands the seriousness of the problem and whom they can trust can be crucial for patients," Rampton and Spinas argue. "Computers aren't able to care for patients in the sense of showing devotion or concern for the other as a person, because they are not people and do not care about anything. Sophisticated robots might show empathy as a matter of form, just as humans might behave nicely in social situations yet remain emotionally disengaged because they are only performing a social role." Most importantly there will be no cure for some patients - care will be about helping them have the best quality of life possible with their condition and for the longest time. "Here doctors are irreplaceable," they emphasise. "Robots cannot understand our concern with relating illness to the task of living a life." Regulated and well implemented, machines that learn have the potential to bring huge benefit to patients, but who wants to receive a terminal diagnosis from a robot, ask Michael Mittelman and colleagues in a patient commentary? "Patients need to be cared for by people, especially when we are ill and at our most vulnerable. A machine will never be able to show us true comfort," they say. They acknowledge that AI may have the potential to become a highly useful and innovative aide in healthcare, but they hope there will always be room for humanity - human healthcare professionals. "Ultimately, no one wants to be told he or she is dying by an entity that can have no understanding of what that means. We see AI as the servant rather than the director of our medical care," they conclude. ### Common sight along road sides in south Cameroon and western Gabon, and growing in hard-to-be-missed dense colonies, it remains a mystery how this locally useful new palm species Raphia zamiana (locally known as "Zam") has been missed by botanists until now, with its first collection dating to 2012. The overlooked giant has been recently described in the open access journal PhytoKeys, alongside a shy and rare endemic from the same genus. Curiously, it might have been exactly the large size of Raphia zamiana that has discouraged botanists from collecting and cataloguing this species, according to the multinational team of researchers from the University of Yaounde, Cameroon, National Herbarium of Gabon, Gabon, the Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques - Ville de Geneve, Switzerland, the Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement, IRD, France. While this theory might sound strange at first, it is plausible, given that a single leaf of this large palm can reach up to 21 meters long and forms dense colonies in swampy areas. Large leaves are not uncommon among the representatives of, what is known as the most diverse genus of African palms, Raphia, with one species, R. regalis, having leaves up to 25 meters, a record in the plant kingdom! Newly described and named to science, this species is, just like many other representatives of the genus, well-known and heavily used across its range. Uses, of what is locally known as "Zam" include: timber, locally referred to as "bamboo", used for construction, and fruits - for consumption and medicine. Finally, Zam is also used for wine tapping in certain parts. "It is indeed incredible that such a large and useful palm has remained unknown to science until now," comments author Thomas Couvreur, Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement, IRD, France.. "This curious fact, however, underlines a bigger problem. While biodiversity is being destroyed at unprecedented rates, we still have a lot to discover and describe, even species that are common, well known and useful. This comes as a surprise to many people and underlines how much remains to be discovered in the tropics. Scientifically describing species, especially useful ones, is very important, as it "puts then on the map", which allows them to be studied and managed. In this sense, field work remains key.", concludes Thomas Couvreur. The need to further study and conserve this group of palms is evidenced by a second newly described species in the same PhytoKeys paper. Named after its country of origin, Raphia gabonica, is restricted to only two small populations from central Gabon, where it occurs on hillsides and along small rivers. Right upon description, R. gabonica is already threatened by extinction. It was assigned a preliminary IUCN status of "Endangered", because it is found in small unprotected pockets of forest along roadsides. It is now amongst the five most threatened palm species for the whole of Africa. "Our study shows that, despite their economic and cultural importance across tropical Africa and for Africans, we still know too little about Raphia palms. This is very paradoxal and a gap that we need to fill, quickly" adds University of Yaounde PhD student Suzanne K Mogue. "We hope that our amazing discoveries continue to stimulate further botanical studies and promote conservation efforts across Cameroon, Gabon and central Africa in general," concludes Professor Bonaventure Sonke of the University of Yaounde. ### For more information on Raphia's in Cameroon and Gabon, please see this documentary produced by Joseph Fumtim and Thomas L.P. Couvreur, 28 min. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avSoLIusCCs&t=6s Original Source: Mogue Kamga S, Niangadouma R, Stauffer FW, Sonke B, Couvreur TLP (2018) Two new species of Raphia (Palmae/Arecaceae) from Cameroon and Gabon. PhytoKeys 111: 17-30. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.111.27175 Contacts: Suzanne Kamga Mogue Email: mogueblue@yahoo.com Bonaventure Sonke Email: bsonke_1999@yahoo.com Thomas L.P. Couvreur Email: thomas.couvreur@ird.fr Lawsuit seeks tens of millions in commissions related to billions in annuities COLUMBUS, Ohio, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A Federal class action lawsuit was filed today against Ohio National Financial Services, Inc. ("Ohio National") by Veritas Independent Partners ("Veritas"), an independent broker-dealer based in Conway, Arkansas. The suit is the first to seek class action status for thousands of broker-dealers nationwide who had previously sold annuities for Ohio National and who were informed recently that the company would no longer pay commissions under its selling agreements with the broker-dealers. Veritas, which had sold annuity contracts offered by Ohio National to many of its clients, alleges in the lawsuit that Ohio National decided that it was in its best interest to exit as many existing annuity contracts as possible because they had become unprofitable for the company. However, because many clients decided to continue holding the annuity contracts, Ohio National decided to eliminate paying ongoing commission obligations to the class of broker-dealers who had previously sold the annuity contracts irrespective of the company's existing contractual obligations. The suit alleges that Ohio National held $23.6 billion in annuities under management at the end of 2017 and that thousands of broker-dealers may be owed commissions totaling in the tens of millions of dollars under the contracts that Veritas is seeking to hold Ohio National to for itself and other broker-dealers in the class. The case was filed in the Southern District of Ohio and has been assigned to Judge Michael R. Barrett. Veritas and the putative class of broker-dealers are represented in the case by Murray Murphy Moul + Basil LLP (MMMB), a Columbus, Ohio law firm with extensive experience in complex litigation and securities class actions. MMMB is a member of the Ohio Attorney Generals securities litigation panel and which has advised Ohios pension funds under the administrations of five different Ohio Attorneys General. The firm was most recently successful in helping secure one of the largest insider trading settlements in history, representing Ohio STRS in the $250 million settlement of the case of Basile, et al. v. Valeant Pharmaceutical International, Inc., et al. (C.D. Cal. 2018). Media Contact: Geoffrey J. Moul 614.599.0403 moul@mmmb.com Description Join the Health & Wellness Evolution Increase Your Business Health- Increase Your Bottom Line -Improve productivity -Reduce sick days - Improve Employee Relations and Reduce Stress Join us for a conversation with a panel of experts in Health & Wellness. It all begins with YOU. What is Wellness? MIND-BODY-SPIRIT -Nutrition, Mental Health, Physical Health ABSTRACT Goal: The aim of this work is to study the relationship between the pneumatization of the adjacent structures of sphenoid sinuses and the protrusion of the neurovascular structures in the sinuses. Methods: A review of 225 CT scans skull was done for subjects aged at least 16 years old from November 1st to December 31st 2017. The pneumatization of adjacent structures of sphenoid sinuses and its relation with the protrusion of neurovascular structures surround the sinuses have been investigated. We used Fischer Exact test for comparison. The p value < 0.05 was expressed as significant. Results: Statistically significant associations were found between anterior clinoid process bilateral pneumatization and bilateral protrusion of carotid canal (p < 0.05) and of optic canal (p < 0.001). There were also, statistically significant correlations between bilateral pterygoid process pneumatization and bilateral protrusion of carotid canal and of optic canal (p < 0.001); and between pterygoid process bilateral pneumatization and bilateral protrusion of maxillary and vidian nerves (p < 0.001). An association was also found between bilateral pneumatization of great wings and bilateral protrusion of maxillary nerves (p < 0.001) and of vidian nerves (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Compared to the literature, the prevalence of pneumatization of the adjacent structures of sphenoid sinuses was lower on Beninese than Caucasian and Asian. But there were the same correlations with the protrusion of neurovascular structures. In case of endonasal surgery of the sphenoid sinuses, surgeon should be aware of the high possibility the injury of optic nerves and internal carotid artery. Keywords: Sphenoid, Pneumatization, Neurovascular Structures, Association, Benin 1. Introduction The variability of the anatomy of the sphenoid sinuses is well documented [1] [2] [3] . Sphenoid sinuses are probably the most variably pneumatized structures of the skull [1] [2] [3] . According to anatomic description, the sphenoid sinuses growth will reach their full extension on adolescence [4] [5] . The pneumatization of sphenoid sinuses is variable and ranges from minimal to extensive [4] [5] and it may occasionally extend into the different parts of the sphenoid bone, such as ACP (Anterior Clinoid Processes), lesser and the great wings, and PP (Pterygoid Processes). Sphenoid sinuses are surrounded by vital neurovascular structures, such as the internal carotid artery, opticnerves, maxillary and vidian nerves. The description of these anatomic variants in different populations gives useful information [6] [7] [8] . A previous work has studied the anatomic variants of sphenoidal sinuses and adjacent structures amongst Beninese [9] . However, few articles studied the relationship between pneumatization of adjacent structures of sphenoid sinuses and protrusion of neurovascular structures in black Africans [6] . The current work aimed to study the relationship between bilateral pneumatization of adjacent structures of sphenoid sinuses and bilateral protrusion of surrounding neurovascular structures at the National and University Teaching Hospital Hubert Koutoukou Maga of Cotonou (CNHU-HKM/Cotonou). 2. Methods A retrospective descriptive and analytical study was conducted. Computed Tomography (CT scan) images of the skull of Beninese subjects without obvious anomalies in paranasal sinuses were collected in the Radiology Department of National and Teaching Hospital Hubert Koutoukou Maga of Cotonou from 1st November to 31st December 2017. Included subjects aged at least 16 years. Exhaustive recruitment of all patients was done during the period of study. The subjects were scanned on EMOTION SIEMENS 16-slices CT. CT-scan were systematically reviewed in the bone window and soft tissue window after multiplanar reconstruction. The thickness of the reconstructed image slice was 1 mm. We studied the pneumatization of anterior clinoid processes, of pterygoid processes, of lesser and great wings; the protrusion of carotid canals and of optic canals, the protrusion of maxillary and vidian nerves. The anatomic images were already described in a previous work [9] . Protrusion was defined as the presence of at least one third of the canal circumference into the sinus cavity. Protrusion of the vidian nerves was defined as the presence of air density around the nerves [9] . Data collection was done using a survey form prepared for the circumstance. Data analyses were done by using Epi info software version 3.5.4. A descriptive analysis of the variables was done. Mean age and standard deviation were calculated. For qualitative variables, frequencies and proportions were calculated. The Comparisons of multiple variances were applied with using Fisher Exact test. The p-value < 0.05 was expressed as significant. The risk ratio (RR) was used to measure the association between sphenoid sinuses pneumatization and the protrusion of surrounding neurovascular structures. RR gives an indication of the strength of association. RR is an intuitive way to compare the risks for two groups. Simply divide the cumulative incidence in exposed group by the cumulative incidence in the unexposed group: Risk Ratio = C l e C l u where Cle is the cumulative incidence in the exposed group and Clu the cumulative incidence in the unexposed group. These associations were tested only when both bilateral pneumatization of structures adjacent to sphenoid sinuses and bilateral protrusion of neurovascular structures were present simultaneously. The ethical commission of CNHU-HKM has given his agreement and the data were used in absolute confidentiality. 3. Results 3.1. Description of Anatomic Variants 225 Skull CT-scans were collected. 224 had two sphenoid sinuses and one had a single sphenoid sinus. Their age ranged from 16 to 86 years with mean age of 48.8 years 17.2. There was male predominance 58.7% with a sex-ratio of 1.42. Table 1 represents the detailed data about bony anatomic variations. Pneumatization of lesser and great wings of the sphenoid were observed in 3.3% and Table 1. The prevalence of bony anatomic variations, CNHU-HKM, 2017. 4.6% of patients respectively. Pneumatization of Anterior Clinoid Processes (ACP), and of Pterygoid Processes (PP); were found in 7.1% and 7.3% of patients, respectively. Protrusion of Carotid Canal (CC), and Optic Canal (OC) were found in 48.3% and 13.1% of patients, respectively. The Protrusion of Maxillary and Vidian nerves were found in 18% and 9.5% of the cases, respectively. 3.2. Sphenoid Sinuses Pneumatization and Association with the Protrusion of Surrounding Neurovascular Structures Many protrusion of surrounding neurovascular structures were associated with pneumatization of adjacent structures of sphenoid sinuses. Statistically significant correlations were found between: ACP bilateral pneumatization and bilateral protrusion of carotid canal (p < 0.05), and optic canal (p < 0.001), Table 2. There were also, statistically significant association between bilateral PP pneumatization and bilateral protrusion of CC and of OC (p < 0.001), Table 2. An association was also found between bilateral PP pneumatization and bilateral protrusion of maxillary and vidian nerves (p < 0.001), Table 3. Likewise statistically significant correlations were observed between bilateral pneumatization of great wings and bilateral protrusion of maxillary nerves (p < 0.001) and bilateral protrusion of vidian nerves (p < 0.05), Table 3. Table 2. Relationship between ACP pneumatization and protrusion of CC and of OC and between PP pneumatization and protrusion of CC and of OC, CNHU-HKM, 2017. *RR: relative risk, **IC: confidence interval. Table 3. Relationship between PP pneumatization and protrusion of maxillary and vidian nerves and between Great wings pneumatization and protrusion of maxillary and vidian nerves, CNHU-HKM, 2017. *RR: relative risk, **IC: confidence interval. 4. Discussion The current work aimed to study the relationship between pneumatization of adjacent structures of sphenoid sinuses and protrusion of neurovascular structures on Beninese. 4.1. Prevalence of Pneumatization of Adjacent Structures of Sphenoid Sinuses Pneumatization of the sphenoid can extend in all its components, like the great and lesser wings, PP, and ACP [10] [11] . These extensions of sinuses bring them in close relations to vessels and nerves of the skull base such as internal carotid artery, optic nerves, maxillary and vidian nerves. The relations of sphenoid sinuses with the structures around are close when sinusesare well pneumatized [10] [12] [13] . When this happens, the surrounding vessels and nerves are seen in sinuses cavity (protrusion) as irregularities or ridges [14] . In this study, the rate of the pneumatization of the adjacent structures of the sphenoid was lower than the rate according to the literature. In our series, pneumatization of PP was 7.3% versus 15.5% - 43.6% [12] [13] [14] [15] , pneumatization of ACP was 7.1% versus 11% - 29% [12] [13] [14] [15] and pneumatization of great wings was 4.6% versus 20% according to Hewaidi and Omani [16] . 4.2. Prevalence of Protrusion of Neurovascular Structures Prevalences of the protrusion of surrounding neurovascular structures observed in our study were comparable with the rate seen in other studies. In our series, protrusion of CC was 48.3% versus 34% - 93%, protrusion of OC was 13.1% versus 4% - 37.5%, protrusion of vidian nerves was 9.5% versus 7.5% - 13.3% [12] [13] [14] [15] and protrusion of maxillary nerves was 18% versus 24.3 % according to Hewaidi and Omani [16] . 4.3. Associations between Pneumatization and Protrusion In the current study, there were statistically significant association between the pneumatization of ACP and protrusion of OC (p < 0.001). Hewaidi and Omani [16] , Kazkayasi et al. [17] , Sirikci et al. [18] , and Rahmati et al. [14] had reported the same association between ACP pneumatization and protrusion of OC. But these studies did not give the level of risk of protrusion of CO in case of ACP pneumatization. This risk was 15 times higher in our study. Therefore, in the presence of a bilateral pneumatization of ACP, it is necessary to fear a lesion of the optic nerves during an endonasal surgery. There were also statistically significant correlations between the pneumatization of ACP and protrusion of CC (p < 0.05). Protrusion of CC was found to increase as ACP pneumatization increased in three studies [13] [19] [20] . Similarly, our study showed that the pneumatization of ACP and of PP double the risk to see protrusion of CC. This findings means that an inattention in case of endonasal surgery when bilateral pneumatization of both ACP and PP exist, may result in injury of internal carotid artery in its intrasinusal tract. Such an injury usually leads to bad outcome. According to our results, there were 7 times higher risk to seeprotrusion of both maxillary and vidian nerves when the PP pneumatization exist. This association between PP pneumatization and protrusion of maxillary and vidian nerves had already pointed out by Hewaidi and Omani [16] , by Rahmati et al. [14] and Kazkayasi et al. [17] without give clearly the level of the association. As Hewaidi and Omani [16] , we had found a relationship between the pneumatization of great wing and the protrusion of maxillary nerves (p < 0.001). But the correlations between pneumatization of PP and protrusion of OC, and between pneumatization of great wing of sphenoid and vidian nerve were not seen in other studies. Despite the relatively low pneumatization rate of adjacent structures within the study population, the prevalence of protrusion of neurovascular structures were consistent with that found in other studies. Correlations between the pneumatization of adjacent structures and the protrusion of neurovascular structures found in our studies have been corroborated by other studies. 4.4. Limitation of the Study The retrospective characteristic of the study, the number of cases and the absence of additional readers to compare the results of the first reading are limits to this study. 5. Conclusion The prevalence of pneumatization of the adjacent structures of sphenoid sinus was lower on Beninese than Caucasian or Asian population compared to literature. But there were the same correlations between the pneumatisation of the adjacent structures and the protrusion of surrounding neurovascular structures of sphenoid sinuses amongst Beninese. According to our results, the risk of blindness and hemorrhages seems to be clearly higher among the Beninese, in case of endonasal surgery of the sphenoid sinuses. Thus, the results of this study call our surgeons to more use CT scan before surgery on sphenoid sinuses. Authors Contributions Akanni D conceived the study. de Souza C collected the data. Akanni D and de Souza C analyzed the data. Akanni drafted the manuscript. All authors approved the final version of the article. Conflicts of Interest The authors have no conflict of interest to declare. Cite this paper Akanni, D., de Souza, C.O., de Tove, K.-M.S., Nzi, K.P., Yekpe, P., Biaou, O. and Boco, V. (2018) Sphenoid Sinuses Pneumatization and Association with the Protrusion of Surrounding Neurovascular Structures amongst Beninese. Open Journal of Radiology, 8, 209-216. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojrad.2018.84024 References Stacey Abrams, Democratic candidate for Georgia governor. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) Stacey Abrams, Democratic candidate for Georgia governor. (Photo: John Bazemore/AP) Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams campaign said Wednesday that with less than 16,000 ballots needed to force a runoff with her Republican opponent, Secretary of State Brian Kemp, her path to collect every outstanding vote could include litigation. Abrams campaign manager Lauren Groh-Wargo joined with Dara Lindenbaum, senior counsel at Washingtons Sander Reiff Lamb Rosenstein & Birkenstock, to announce that the campaign estimated that at least 15,000 paper absentee ballots remained uncounted. They said those ballots were cast primarily in Gwinnett and Clarke counties, which is home of the University of Georgia. Groh-Wargo also said that potentially thousands more provisional ballots have been castand have not yet been converted to regular ballots or talliedbecause of a spate of problems associated with the states antiquated and often dysfunctional electronic voting equipment. We anticipated problems, she said. We have attempted to be prepared. We have been running a large, voter protection and legal operation that is now activating to ensure we fight for every vote. On Tuesday, she said lawyers were successfully deployed to court to extend hours at several precincts in Gwinnett and Fulton counties where malfunctioning voting equipment stymied voters for hours. Kemp told supporters at his election party Tuesday night that "the math is on our side to win this election" but stopped short of claiming victory, according to the Associated Press. His campaign counsel, Vincent Russo, could not be reached Wednesday. At 4:50 p.m. Wednesday, the Associated Press reported that Kemp had declared victory. Kemp needs 50 percent plus one of the certified vote to avoid a runoff. At about 3 p.m. Wednesday, the secretary of state's website listed Kemp with 1,972,278 votes (50.35 percent) to Abrams 1,907,965 votes (48.71 percent). Libertarian Ted Metz had 37,056 votes. Around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Kemp's Secretary of State office issued a release stating, "Clarke, Fulton, Hall, and Gwinnett counties completed tabulation of their remaining absentee ballots. Less than 3,000 non-provisional votes remain state-wide. Cobb and Chatham are expected to complete tabulation today." "County officials have reported less than 22,000 provisional ballots cast state-wide," the release stated. Groh-Wargo acknowledged the campaign doesnt know the full story with regard to outstanding, uncounted absentee ballots and provisional ballots in Georgias 159 counties. We have no perfect data here, so we are at a disadvantage, she said. While some county election officials have cooperated with the campaign in providing that information, others have not been as forthcoming, she added. Lindenbaum said that, in DeKalb County, the county attorney informed her he has no idea how to get provisional ballot numbers because they have never mattered before. Groh-Wargo also said that malfunctioning machinery and inadequate numbers of voting machines in some precincts led to long lines and caused many voters to cast an untold number of provisional paper ballots. Even Kemp had trouble casting his electronic ballot Tuesday, according to local news reports. The Republican gubernatorial candidates voter card registered as invalid when he inserted it. He returned the card to a poll worker and was supplied with a second, working card that allowed him to cast his ballot. Groh-Wargo also raised questions about mail-in absentee ballots intended for Dougherty Countys election registrar. She said they may have not arrived by Election Day because the countys mail is being routed through Tallahassee in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. While Dougherty County is inland from the Gulf of Mexico, the storm remained a Category 2 storm when it blew through the county, leaving significant damage in its wake. Groh-Wargo said the state Democratic Party chairman sent a letter to Gov. Nathan Deal asking him to extend the time frame for mail-in absentee ballots to be accepted and counted until Friday in Dougherty and 38 other South Georgia counties where Deal declared a state of emergency because of the hurricane. By Wednesday morning, the party had received no response, she said. Groh-Wargo laid responsibility for the states aging voting equipment squarely at Kemps feet, claiming the secretary of state kept very old machines running on very old software. Georgias electronic voting system was purchased in 2002. The Microsoft 2000 software that powers the individual machines and servers that tally the votes expired in 2013. What we saw over the course of the early vote was nothing short of stunning, she said. Women with children in tow waited as long as three hours to vote, she said. When the polls opened at 7 a.m., They were lining up in the cold and the dark and the rain to cast ballots. Machines were breaking down. Counties didnt have adequate paper ballots for those who wanted to cast provisional ballots. Kemp repeatedly has insisted he is just doing his job and has blamed outside agitators for attacking him. He also called suggestions that he could potentially manipulate the electoral process outrageous. The Abrams campaigns emphasis on locating and verifying absentee and provisional ballots follows multiple lawsuits pending against Kemp and two of the states largest election boards, in Fulton and Gwinnett counties. Kemp has ignored repeated calls by Democrats and Abrams campaign for him to step down as the states chief election officer because he is running for office. Last week, two federal judges issued separate temporary restraining orders involving absentee ballot rejections and one concerning more than 3,000 voter registrations, many filed by newly minted U.S. citizens, that Kemps office had placed in limbo after flagging them as possible noncitizens because their names did not appear either in the states driver's license database or the federal Social Security Administration database. One order directed Kemp to instruct county election boards that absentee ballots could no longer be summarily rejected because a voters signature on a ballot did not exactly match one already on file without notifying voters and giving them a chance to verify their identity. The second order said that voters whose registrations flagged them as noncitizens must be allowed to vote as long as they could verify their citizenship at the polls. Nearly 50,000 other registrants whose registrations were also placed on hold because names and other personal information were not an exact match to other databases were told they could vote as long as they could show proof of their identity at the polls. Kemp also is a defendant in a suit brought last year by Georgia voters and the nonprofit Coalition for Good Governance that sought to force the state to abandon its electronic voting system and return to paper ballots before Nov. 6. Judge Amy Totenberg of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia denied the motion because there was too little time to implement such a massive change before early voting began in October. But she warned the current system poses a concrete risk of alteration of ballot counts that could affect the vote. Late Tuesday afternoon, two nonprofit organizationsCommon Cause of Georgia and Protect Democracyalong with several Georgia voters sought two new, separate temporary restraining orders against Kemp. The Common Cause case, assigned to Totenberg, asked for a court order to ensure that outstanding provisional ballots are properly counted. The second suit, assigned to District Judge William Billy Ray, seeks to bar Kemp from continuing to exercise the powers of his office with regard to all election issues, including vote counting, certification of the election results or overseeing any runoff or recount procedures. On Tuesday, a spokeswoman for the secretary of state's office, Candice Broce, called the TRO petition a twelfth-hour stunt. (Bloomberg) -- Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. is looking beyond borders to turn its annual Singles Day shopping celebration into a global phenomenon. This Sunday, the Chinese internet giant is including sales from Lazada, the online shopping mall it controls. Southeast Asia biggest web retailer is becoming a key part of Alibabas plan to fuel growth, on top of the companys efforts to move into shopping malls, convenience stores and food delivery. The challenge for billionaire Jack Mas online empire is to break another sales transaction record after a decade of exceeding prior results. With a brewing trade war, a cooling economy and rising competition from smaller platforms such as JD.com Inc. and Pinduoduo Inc., Alibaba is seeking to add new growth engines. The retail celebration on Nov. 11 dedicated to the nations unattached has become an important bellwether not just for the company, but also the worlds No. 2 economy. Alibaba President Michael Evans said he was "not too concerned" about the U.S.-China trade fracas dampening Singles Day sales. "11/11 is not an event that relies exclusively on any one market," Evans told Bloomberg TV in an interview Friday. "We will be working with over 200 countries and regions as part of this enormous event and so we dont expect any one area to have a huge amount of influence, other than China of course." On the Chinese economy, Evans said theres "some uncertainty about what will happen going forward," while noting growth in the country is still running at about 6.5 percent a year. Alibaba has seen softer demand for big-ticket items, such as washing machines, televisions and automobiles, Evans said. But other sectors, like cosmetics, food, fashion and apparel, are still seeing strong growth. The company is focusing on the 300 million Chinese people who are expected to enter the ranks of the middle class over the next five years, Evans said. Singles Day has now become a stage for Alibaba to showcase its capabilities across all its platforms, Daniel Zhang, chief executive officer, said at an October news conference in Beijing. Hes taking over after Ma steps down as executive chairman next year.Read more on how Singles Day became the biggest shopping spree ever. Story continues It was Zhang who came up with the idea of turning Singles Day into a shopfest a decade ago. Now that this years one-day bazaar will be Mas last as chairman, Zhang will need to prove he can carry on the legacy. We think 1 billion packages will become a daily event in the future, he said. More than half a billion people are projected to visit Alibabas websites in search of Dyson hair dyers, infant formula and Gucci bags. Alibaba has been able to post breakneck growth for almost a decade, including a 39 percent jump in sales last year to 168 billion yuan ($24.2 billion). Still, theres some uncertainty this year, due to a slowing economy, real estate deflation and trade tensions with the U.S. that could impact on Chinese consumption. The weaker economy and rising household debt have, to some extent, dampened consumers confidence in China. Online retail sales growth slowed to 24 percent, down 12 percentage points in the second quarter, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Policy makers have made a slew of changes, including reductions in income tax and tariffs on goods. That indicates spending may pick up in coming months; the earliest proof could come from data during Singles Day. Last week, Alibaba reported quarterly profit and sales well above analysts estimates, while trimming its prediction for full-year sales by as much as 6 percent, with Ma warning that the economic conflict between the worlds two largest economies could last 20 years. To fuel growth, Alibaba is expanding its playbook. Ele.me, the startup it took control of this year, will provide delivery services for select Starbucks stores across 11 cities in China. Rural Taobao will offer coupons for goods across 800 counties, and Lazada will roll out promotions across six Southeast Asian countries including Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. Although its been three years since Ma said he wants to make Singles Day a global shopping event, that hasnt happened yet. International expansion will be a key part of Zhangs plan to keep breaking sales records. Last year, Russia, Hong Kong and the U.S. were the top three regions outside of mainland China to buy goods during the annual event. Popular items purchased overseas included mobile phones, wool coats and knitted sweaters, according to the company. At the same time, Alibabas efforts to push into the U.S. are sputtering. It discarded a pledge to create a million jobs in the country, lost its top U.S. dealmaker and jettisoned plans for affiliate Alipay to acquire MoneyGram. U.S. President Donald Trump said in October that he plans to withdraw from a 192-nation treaty that gives Chinese companies discounted shipping rates for small packages sent to American consumers, making it harder to push into the market. Southeast Asia will give the clearest indication of Alibabas ability to go international. With Singapore-based Lazada now fully under its wing, the region remains one of the companys relative bright spots. The slump in Chinas advertising sector is also hurting Alibaba. A significant chunk of revenue comes from merchants spending money across the e-commerce giants platforms to lure customers. That item, which falls under the category customer management revenue, rose 26 percent in the latest quarter, compared with 35 percent in the prior period. The macro slowdown has affected advertisers sales performances and thus their online ad spending budgets, Ella Ji, an analyst at China Renaissance, wrote in a report. (Updates with comments from Alibaba president in fourth paragraph.) --With assistance from Yinan Zhao, Olivia Carville and Selina Wang. To contact the reporter on this story: Lulu Yilun Chen in Hong Kong at ychen447@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Robert Fenner at rfenner@bloomberg.net, Reed Stevenson For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2018 Bloomberg L.P. FILE PHOTO: The logo of Amazon is seen at the company logistics centre in Boves, France, August 8, 2018. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol/File photo By Jeffrey Dastin and David Shepardson (Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc is planning to split its second headquarters evenly between two cities, people familiar with the matter said Monday, in a twist to a more than year-long contest that has drawn overtures from locales across North America. Dallas, Long Island City in New York and Arlington near Washington, D.C. are all among the finalists with which Amazon is holding advanced talks, one of the people said on condition of anonymity. The person would not confirm which two are expected to win or if any others remain in the running. Amazon declined to comment on the news, first reported by the Wall Street Journal. The world's largest online retailer sparked a bidding frenzy in September 2017 when it announced it would invest over $5 billion to create an "HQ2" in addition to its home base in Seattle and hire up to 50,000 people. One of the major reasons for the decision was for Amazon, which has satellite operations around the world, to recruit top talent. Offering a choice of head offices could help it win new workers in a battle with Alphabet Inc's Google and others, with which Amazon competes in areas such as cloud computing and voice-controlled technology. "Amazon is going where it wont have to jostle with Google and Facebook as much as it would in San Francisco or it does in Seattle," said Alex Snyder, analyst at CenterSquare Investment Management near Philadelphia. The HQ2 split also could help Amazon ease the same degree of congestion and jump in costs of living that led to unrest in Seattle. An affordable housing crisis there prompted the city council to adopt a head tax on businesses in May, which Amazon helped overturn in a subsequent city council vote. It was unclear what incentive packages were offered to Amazon. New Jersey early in the contest proposed $7 billion in potential credits against state and city taxes if Amazon located in Newark and stuck to hiring commitments. Story continues On Monday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said the state was in talks with Amazon. "We have a great incentive package," which was not "crazy" like other states' offers, he said, according to audio from WCBS 880 Radio. "Ill change my name to Amazon Cuomo if thats what it takes," he said. (Reporting by Jeffrey Dastin in San Francisco, David Shepardson in Washington; Additional reporting by Herb Lash in New York and Arjun Panchadar in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel and Lisa Shumaker) Amazon Go Has a Real Rival in Japan and Its Stock is Soaring (Bloomberg) -- Amazon.com Inc. is betting that stores of the future wont have any clerks or registers. A company in Japan thinks it can get there first. Signpost Corp., which has a staff of about 100, has already deployed its technology in a kiosk on the platform of a train station in Tokyo. Its an ideal testing ground: a small space no bigger than a bedroom with dedicated entry and exit points, and commuters in a hurry. The shares of Signpost, which is planning to unveil a product deal with a major retail chain by the end of this year, climbed 9.3 percent to 5,460 yen at the close on Thursday, a record since the companys market debut a year ago. Cameras and artificial-intelligence software track merchandise and purchases. Founder Yasushi Kambara calls it the Super Wonder Register, and says the system can be installed in any store. Investors are impressed. Shares of Signpost, which went public last year, have jumped more than 50 percent since it unveiled the store in early October. The seamless shopping experience is almost identical to that at Amazon Go, the web retailers cashierless pilot store at its Seattle headquarters. There are already automated highway tolls and turnstiles at train stations, Kambara said. In the same way, we want to automate store registers. Thats my dream. At stake is a smart-store market thats projected to process more than $78 billion in annual transactions by 2022, according to Juniper Research. Amazon Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos is also wagering that seamless shopping is the future of retail. The e-commerce company is said to be planning to open as many as 3,000 Amazon Go outlets in the next few years. A spokeswoman for Amazon declined to comment on Signposts new store. Signpost will begin selling its product to Japanese and overseas convenience stores, supermarkets and train station kiosks next year. Kambara says it will cost a retailer about 100 million yen ($880,000) to install the Super Wonder Register system in a supermarket of about 500 square meters (5,400 sq. ft.). He predicts that Signpost will install 30,000 systems in Japan by February 2021, including the Wonder Register, a simpler checkout terminal that identifies products using cameras. Including sales overseas, we will be higher than our target, Kambara said. Story continues From Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. to Tencent Holdings Ltd. and fledgling outfit BingoBox, Chinese companies are experimenting with their own smart stores. Tencent opened a 300 square meter We Life outlet this year, while Alibaba set up a cashierless cafe in its hometown of Hangzhou. In Japan, Signpost may see some early competition: San Francisco-based startup Standard Cognition is planning to roll out its camera-based automatic checkout technology with the goal of being in 3,000 retail locations by 2020. The U.S. startup has a deal with the Japanese suburban drugstore chain Yakuodo Co. Ltd., and plans on partnering with existing retail businesses in the country. Other large convenience store and supermarket operators have also approached Standard Cognition. Japans retail market is potentially an exciting market for automated checkouts; for example, there are more than 55,000 convenience offering snacks, drinks and packaged food, as well as banking and delivery services. They often struggle to find clerks, and have increasingly hired non-Japanese to stock shelves and ring up purchases. Tomoaki Kawasaki, an analyst at Iwai Cosmo Securities Co., said Signpost is probably the only company besides Amazon that can provide the know-how. The labor shortage will also spur adoption, he said. Theyre very fast at developing this technology, Kawasaki said. So far, Signpost is winning over customers like Chiaki Chushi, who recently picked up a drink at the Akabane station kiosk. The store stocks items such as rice crackers, bottles of green tea and other sundries. With the same electronic payment card used for rail fares, shoppers tap in when they enter the store. At the exit, they stand in a highlighted area and can check their purchases on a screen before tapping out. It was really smooth, Chushi said. Kambara, 52, started his company a decade ago after working at Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc.s tech department. Signposts main business is consulting, but the goal from the beginning was to develop a cashierless register, he said. After years of experimenting with putting sensors inside shopping carts, engineers switched to machine learning to build their image-recognition system. Signposts stock is up more than ninefold since its initial public offering a year ago, giving it a valuation of about $400 million. While the Super Wonder Register is losing money and makes up less than 7 percent of revenue, it will be profitable next year and become the main business by 2021, Kambara said. The key will be getting retailers to understand the benefits of the technology, he said. Amazon wont share their Go technology with others, Kambara said. Theyre going to try and kill off existing retail stores, so we want to give retail shops the weapons they need to fight back. (Updates shares in third paragraph.) --With assistance from Kurumi Mori and Lisa Du. To contact the reporters on this story: Yuji Nakamura in Tokyo at ynakamura56@bloomberg.net;Yuki Furukawa in Tokyo at yfurukawa13@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Robert Fenner at rfenner@bloomberg.net, Reed Stevenson For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2018 Bloomberg L.P. Photo credit: Xinhua News Agency - Getty Images From Popular Mechanics Most of the planets spacefaring countries have set up a semi-permanent habitat in the International Space Station, but China is insistent on doing its own thing. China's Tiangong project is a work in progress, with the first iteration, a prototype called Tiangong-1, that spectacularly fell to Earth after Chinas space agency lost control of it. The second iteration, Tiangong-2, is still a work in progress. A small section of the station is already in orbit, and a pair of astronauts visited in 2016, but right now it isnt designed for long-term habitability and has sat unoccupied for two years. However, Chinas space agency unveiled the new core module for the station at an airshow this week, indicating that it plans to do a lot more with the station in the future. At Airshow China, the China National Space Administration unveiled a replica of Tiangongs core module, which measures 55 feet long. Thats significantly smaller than the core section of the ISS, but the additional size does mean Tiangong-2 can support up to three astronauts. China expects to finish construction of the station in 2022, and will maintain Tiangong for at least a decade. After the ISS is decommissioned-likely in 2024, although theres also a chance that private companies could take over maintenance for a few years after that-Tiangong will be the only space station in orbit. China has said it plans to let space agencies from other governments use the station for experiments. Source: AFP ('You Might Also Like',) Clarkson Fisher Federal District Courthouse, Trenton, New Jersey (Photo: Carmen Natale/ALM) Clarkson Fisher Federal District Courthouse, Trenton, New Jersey (Photo: Carmen Natale/ALM) A century-old law barring banks from making contributions to candidates in local and state elections is being challenged by the New Jersey Bankers Association. The bankers filed suit Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, seeking a declaration that the ban on campaign contributions by banks is unconstitutional, and asking for an order enjoining enforcement. The lawsuit claims banks' First Amendment rights are violated by the inability to make campaign contributions. Banks are banned from making contributions of any kind or amount to, or in support of, political parties or candidates for any state or local office under the New Jersey statute, the lawsuit says. But nonbank corporations are not subject to any such prohibition, with a few exceptions, according to the plaintiff. The restraint on banks' political expression does not support any important state interest, and the U.S. Supreme Court has held in its 2010 decision, Citizens United v. FEC, that independent expenditures, regardless of source, do not corrupt or give rise to the appearance of corruption, according to the suit. The New Jersey Bankers Association, which represents 88 banking institutions with headquarters or operations in the state, wants to contribute to political campaigns for state and local office and to political parties, according to the suit. The association also seeks to make independent expenditures in support of candidates for state and local offices, including advertising in media outlets and mailing political materials to voters. New Jersey's ban on political contributions by banks was first enacted in 1911 as part of the Corrupt Practices Act, which was described in a press account from the New York Daily Tribune at the time as one of the most stringent laws in any state, the plaintiff claims. The restrictions on contributions by banks, codified at N.J.S.A. 19:34-45, also prohibit contributions and expenditures by any insurance, railroad, street railway, telephone, telegraph, gas, electric light, heat or power, and canal or aqueduct company, as well as any company that has the right to condemn land. "A ban on these industries' political speech targeted the biggest corporations at the time the statute was enacted in 1911, where wealth was most heavily aggregated," the suit said. The New Jersey law appears to single out political activity by banks. The New Jersey Bankers Association said it knows of no other states that permit corporations to make campaign contributions as a general matter but completely restrict banks from doing so. New Jersey's statute resembles a Montana law that the U.S. Supreme Court struck down in a 2012, American Tradition Partnership v. Bullock, according to the Bankers Association suit. In addition, the suit claims New Jersey law is unconstitutional because it does not further a sufficiently important state interest and because it is not closely drawn to avoid unnecessary infringement of associational freedom. The history of the statute shows it was not enacted to combat "this for that" corruption but to limit the effects of large aggregations of wealth by corporations and to reduce the ability of targeted corporations to influence, gain access to or earn the gratitude of elected officials. However, the state's interest in limiting the effects of aggregations of wealth is no longer a legitimate interest, as the Supreme Court held in Citizens United, the Bankers Association said. The statute was enacted during Woodrow Wilson's term as governor, which was marked by a major drive to reform corruption, said Micah Rasmussen, director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University in Lawrenceville. The nation needs a better scheme for regulating campaign finance, said Rasmussen. But "there's no good way in our current system of campaign finance of keeping money out," he said. "Money always finds a way in. If you can't give directly, you give to a PAC that supports the candidate, you give to a county organization," said Rasmussen, who said it seemed "counterintuitive" for one industry to be singled out for special treatment. Rasmussen said an argument can be made that the most the state can do with campaign contributions is ensure transparency by making details of contributions available to the public while permitting corporations to express their views with the use of contributions. The Bankers Association is represented by Lawrence Lustberg and John Haggerty of Gibbons in Newark and David Blatt, Rachel Rodman and Benjamin Moskowitz of Williams & Connolly in Washington, D.C. Lustberg said he could not comment without checking if he was authorized to speak. The attorney general's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. BOSTON, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CyberX , the IIoT and industrial control system (ICS) security company, today announced its industrial cybersecurity platform was used by NIST to recommend new ways of securing manufacturing industrial control systems. Developed by NISTs National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE), a newly released report shows how technologies like CyberX enable manufacturing organizations to reduce the risk of disruptive cyberattacks like NotPetya and WannaCry, enable faster incident response and shorter downtimes, and deliver real-time visibility and monitoring of ICS assets and networks. CyberX uses agentless Network Traffic Analysis (NTA) with patented self-learning to continuously monitor ICS network traffic for anomalies without impacting performance. Alerts are forwarded to standard SIEMs for investigation by the corporate SOC. NIST specifically tested detection of zero-day threats that would not normally be detected by traditional security tools like IDS/IPS systems that rely on predefined signatures. Examples of anomalies detected by CyberX and documented in the NIST report include: Unauthorized devices attached to the ICS network Unauthorized remote access to the ICS network Network scans using ICS protocols, indicating potential cyber reconnaissance activities Unauthorized PLC logic downloads and file transfers between ICS devices Communication using undefined function codes in ICS protocols, which may indicate attempts to exploit known vulnerabilities in ICS devices The report was the product of a close collaboration between the NCCoE, CyberX, and other technology providers such as OSIsoft. It presents detailed findings and a reference architecture that organizations can use for their own environments. Mapping to NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) The NIST report documents the use of behavioral anomaly detection (BAD) in two distinct environments: a robotics-based manufacturing system, and a process control system similar to those used in chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing. In addition, the report maps the security characteristics of BAD to the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) , a practical standard for operationalizing controls based on business objectives. The NCCoE encourages readers to submit feedback on the draft report and will accept public comments through December 6, 2018. The NCCoE is a collaborative hub where industry organizations, government agencies, and academic institutions work together to address businesses most pressing cybersecurity issues. The NCCoE applies standards and best practices to develop modular, easily adaptable example cybersecurity solutions using commercially available technology. Certain commercial entities, equipment, products, or materials may be identified in order to describe an experimental procedure or concept adequately. Such identification is not intended to imply recommendation or endorsement by NIST or NCCoE, nor is it intended to imply that the entities, equipment, products, or materials are necessarily the best available for the purpose. About CyberX CyberX delivers the only industrial cybersecurity platform built by blue-team military cyber-experts with nation-state expertise defending critical infrastructure. That difference is the foundation for the most widely-deployed platform for continuously reducing ICS risk and preventing costly production outages, safety failures, and environmental incidents. Notable CyberX customers include 2 of the top 5 US energy providers; a top 5 US chemical company; a top 5 global pharmaceutical company; and national electric and gas utilities across Europe and Asia-Pacific. Strategic partners include industry leaders such as Palo Alto Networks, IBM Security, Splunk, Optiv Security, DXC Technologies, and Deutsche-Telekom/T-Systems. For more information visit CyberX-Labs.com or follow @CyberX_Labs . Billionaire Marc Benioff asks Elon Musk to dig tunnels in San Francisco: 'Sure, we can do it' Salesforce CRM CEO and billionaire Marc Benioff is working to solve the homeless problem in San Francisco , and he wants to improve the city's transportation system too. To do it, Benioff asked Tesla TSLA and SpaceX boss Elon Musk for help from his infrastructure building business, The Boring Company. Benioff tweeted the request on Tuesday, saying San Francisco will need rapid transportation from downtown to surrounding suburbs and other cities, including Los Angeles. Elon @elonmusk can you & @boringcompany help us in San Francisco? We will have a cool new transit center soon, but we need rapid transportation from Downtown to the Ocean, Marin Country, East Bay, San Jose, & LA. Bullet train too far away! Can you do it? Musk responded: "Sure, we can do it." Sure, we can do it The Boring Company is currently digging a test tunnel that could eventually lead to a network of tunnels in Los Angeles (likely for mass transit, pedestrians, cyclists and cars, Musk has said) in order to ease traffic. The first 2-mile test tunnel in Hawthorne, California, where Tesla and SpaceX have offices, cost $10 million per mile to build and is set to have an opening party Dec. 10, according to Musk . The Boring Company does not have any projects "in progress" in the San Francisco area, a spokesperson tells CNBC Make It . But it would "be excited to develop fast, sustainable and affordable public transportation options for San Francisco," the company spokesperson says. On Nov. 3, Musk tweeted a video showing The Boring Company's progress. Walked full length of Boring Co tunnel under LA tonight. Disturbingly long. On track for opening party Dec 10. Will be very one-dimensional. Video of the tunnel Though Musk often features his tunneling venture and the associated branded paraphernalia he's sold on his Twitter account, he has said the majority of his time is spent working on Tesla and SpaceX. "The Boring Company, to be clear, it's like literally 2 percent of my time. It's probably 20 percent of my tweets, but tweets do not correlate to actual time spent. I sort of just have fun with The Boring Company," said Musk at the South by Southwest tech conference in Austin, Texas, in March. Story continues Musk would actually have preferred that another entrepreneur take on tunneling. "It's not because of some epiphany that I had one day driving on the 405," he says, referring to a famously congested highway in Los Angeles. "That's how it gets translated somehow. I was talking about tunnels for years and years, for probably five years or four years at least. "Whenever I would give a talk and people would ask me about what opportunities do you see in the world, I would say, 'Tunnels. Can someone please build tunnels?'" Musk said at SXSW. "So after four or five years of begging people to build tunnels and still no tunnels, I was like, 'Okay, I am going to build a tunnel.' Like maybe I am missing something here, so I was basically talking people's ears off about tunnels for several years and then said, 'Well, let's find out what it takes to build a tunnel.' And so, yeah, I started digging a tunnel." A representative from Salesforce had no additional comment on Benioff's tweet. This story has been updated to include a response from The Boring Company. See also: Elon Musk announces a big change to his tunneling venture: It will 'prioritize pedestrians and cyclists over cars' Talk about customer serviceElon Musk responds to Tesla drivers' super specific questions on Twitter Elon Musk remembers the SpaceX of 10 years ago: 'We couldn't even reach orbit with little Falcon 1' Like this story? Subscribe to CNBC Make It on YouTube! More From CNBC Home prices are ballooning in Boulder, Colo., and the issues facing the idyllic city at the foot of the Rockies could serve as a warning to the rest of the country. We are in the middle of a full-fledged housing crisis, Boulder City Councilwoman Jill Adler Grano tells Yahoo Finance. The average single-family home price in our community just tipped over $1 million. Its almost impossible to find anything attached or detached for under $600,000 now. About 52% of our community rents, and of our renter population a majority of them are paying more than 50% of their income on housing. Boulders home prices are staggering compared to the national average $377,200 as of September, according to the Census but the affordability issue at the core of the citys housing crisis is taking root across the country as well. Its not just a Boulder problem, says Adam Swetlik, a member of the Boulder Housing Advisory Board and part of PLAN Boulder, a citizen advocacy group. People just get pushed out the more inequality grows. For Google employee Meredith Williams, who moved with her family to Boulder last year after living in Boston and the Bay Area, the escalations in the local market are cause for concern. Coming from the East Coast and coming from the Bay Area, the living is easy, Williams says. I left the Bay Area and I left Palo Alto and I left all of that because it was expensive, because it was difficult, because people werent engaged. So I want to make sure that Boulder doesnt become Bay Area East. Williams move to join her companys local office was part of a larger wave that the city has been encouraging. Boulder is sort of a tech hub, definitely not as big a Silicon Valley but very big for startups, very big for companies that want to provide an awesome, awesome environment for their employees to live and work, Swetlik says. When you have all this demand and you cant really build supply very quickly because of the regulations, the prices just increase and increase and increase. Those regulations include Boulders aggressive zoning rules, which limit the number of units on a property and the number of unrelated people that can live together, among other things which means theres less real estate available for young single professionals to double or triple up with roommates to save money on housing. Eighty-three percent of our residentially zoned land in Boulder is zoned low-density, and within our low-density zones we have some of the strictest rules in the entire country, Grano says. Story continues Williams is especially cognizant of what she and her fellow tech company workers represent and how their presence may be contributing to the current crisis. Bottom line for us, the housing market going up is an advantage, but thats also somewhat conflicting because thats a signifier of it becoming less and less affordable for other people, and thats not actually what we want and how we want to live in this community, she says. How do I mitigate the fact that me and my compatriots are contributing to this housing boom that is pushing out a lot of the original people that made the town so great? She isnt the only one concerned about addressing the rising affordability crisis. This is going to get worse before it gets better, and its going to take compromise and everyone giving a little bit to come up with a solution that we need to address it, Grano says. If we can start to address this on the national level, I think we can have more solutions, more funding and greater national awareness of this issue and it can stop being such an isolated city-by-city issue. Yahoo Finance visited Boulder for HuffPosts Listen to America town hall series installment on housing affordability and to talk to residents and local officials about the issues posed by a market that serves as a snapshot of whats happening across the country. Watch the full HuffPost Listen to America town hall for To Develop Or Preserve: A Conversation About Affordable Housing In Boulder, CO. Grano is optimistic about that national conversation moving forward, given recent developments beyond the Boulder County borders. One of the things that Im excited about right now is that the Democratic Party is starting to pick up on the housing crisis as a platform, and I see that in California, Grano says. And also Sen. Elizabeth Warren recently introduced a bill to help encourage new housing and also to reduce rents, but whats happened so far is its really been a city-by-city problem. Follow Ned Ehrbar on Twitter. WATCH MORE This story was originally published on November 7, 2018. (Adds details on BRF earnings) By Ana Mano SAO PAULO, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Brazilian food processor BRF SA posted a wider-than-expected quarterly loss on Thursday as trade embargoes, a drop in sales volumes and higher feed prices weighed on management's efforts to turn the company around. In its second quarter after a corporate restructuring following a string of bad financial and operating results, BRF said it lost 812 million reais ($218 million). That was almost double the average loss of 443 million reais forecast by analysts, according to IBES data from Refinitiv. A decrease of roughly 3 percent in total sales volumes was partly compensated by price adjustments which helped the company keep net revenue roughly flat at 8.76 billion reais, BRF said. BRF, the world's largest chicken exporter, said the average price of whole chicken in Brazil rose about 10 percent from last year as the market tightened in the face of higher grain costs. BRF also cited one-off events including a truckers strike in May and trade bans as contributing to the price spike. The trade embargoes, introduced after Europe found gaps in Brazil's food inspection procedures, more than halved direct BRF poultry sales to Europe and Eurasia, which totaled 8,000 tonnes last quarter compared with 17,000 tonnes a year ago. A Russian trade ban on Brazilian pork exports also hammered BRF's business there. The company's direct pork exports to Europe and Eurasia tumbled to 1,000 tonnes from 28,000 tonnes, the filing showed. BRF's international pork sales last quarter fell 37 percent to 31,000 tonnes and international poultry sales fell 8 percent to 181,000 tonnes. Regarding the sale of assets located in Argentina, Europe and Thailand, BRF said it had started to receive non-binding proposals. It has so far disposed of non-operating assets worth 210 million reais to cut debt as part of its turnaround plan. BRF maintained the target of reducing indebtedness at a ratio of 4.35 times adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), a measure of operating profit. (Reporting by Ana Mano; Editing by Mark Potter and Chizu Nomiyama) California voters on Tuesday rejected a controversial ballot measure that would have expanded local government authority to enact rent-control laws on residential property, according to an NBC News projection. More than $100 million was spent on the measure known as Proposition 10, with opponents outspending backers of the measure. The real estate industry, including major landlords operating in California such as Blackstone, led the fight against the proposition. California voters on Tuesday rejected a controversial ballot measure known as Proposition 10 that would have expanded local government authority to enact rent-control laws on residential property, according to an NBC News projection. Opponents of Proposition 10 claimed that the measure would worsen the state's chronic housing crisis and lead to more than 500 local rental boards setting just how much homeowners could charge to rent out their home. More than $100 million was spent on the fight over Proposition 10, with opponents spending more than $76 million and backers shelling out about $26.2 million, according to state campaign finance records. The real estate industry, including major landlords operating in California, led the fight against the measure by donating significant amounts of money. A PAC affiliated with the California Association of Realtors contributed about $8 million to fight the ballot measure while more than $5 million apiece came from New York-based real estate private equity firm Blackstone Property Partners, Chicago-based apartment real estate investment trust Equity Residential, and Essex Property Trust, a California-based real estate investment trust. The proponents of Proposition 10 received most of their money from Los Angeles-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation, a nonprofit organization which donated about $23.2 million. Michael Weinstein, president of the foundation, helped lead the effort to get the voter measure on the November ballot. Story continues The ballot measure sought to repeal California's Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act, a state law enacted in 1995 that weakened municipal rent control ordinances. The law specifically applied to rental control on single-family homes as well as on all housing built after Feb. 1, 1995. California's renters typically pay 50 percent more for housing than renters living in other states, according to an analysis by the state's nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office. It also found that rents in some parts of the state are more than double the national average. Sen. Bernie Sanders, the liberal Vermont independent and a potential 2020 presidential candidate, supported the ballot measure. He argued that local governments should have the right to set rents to ease the affordable housing crunch and protect tenants against huge rent increases. More From CNBC As many companies explore the potential of cannabis-infused beverages, Province Brands of Canada is going in a different direction and developing a beer brewed entirely from cannabis. Province announced Wednesday that it will release Cambridge Bay Imperial Pilsner, the world's first hemp-brewed beer, in the first half of 2019. The company has signed a term sheet with Yukon Brewing to distribute the beer in the territory that bears the brewery's name ahead of a countrywide release. Nonalcoholic Beers With THC Also Planned The Cambridge Bay Imperial Pilsner is made using a mash comprised of stalks, stems and roots of hemp plants that are fermented with hops and yeast. The beer is 7-percent alcohol by volume, but does not contain many cannabinoids. Province also said it's working on a flagship line of products that includes non-alcoholic, THC-infused beers. The brewing process for them, including mashing and fermenting marijuana biomass, is the same. Cannabis Beverages, Edibles Remain Illegal In Canada Even though Canada legalized pot Oct. 17, cannabis-based edibles and beverages are still illegal for at least a year. Yet companies like the Province Brands of Canada are in full development mode as they move forward with new products to satisfy the market. "The world may still have to wait for Canada to legalize marijuana edibles and beverages, but consumers shouldn't have to wait to taste the phenomenal flavor of the world's first beer brewed from hemp in place of barley," Province Brands co-founder and CEO Dooma Wendschuh said in a statement. Related links: The Latest In Cannabis-Infused Beverages: Marijuana Gin, Champagne And Rose MediPharm Labs Hits 331-Pound Cannabis Extraction Milestone Photo courtesy of Province Brands. See more from Benzinga 2018 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. It's an important victory for Democrats, who are hoping to flip the House of Representatives blue. Heading into the election, independent pollsters favored Crow, who vowed to be a check on President Donald Trump. The district swung to Trump's 2016 rival Hillary Clinton by nearly 10 points that year. Democrat Jason Crow will defeat Republican Rep. Mike Coffman in Colorado's 6th Congressional District, NBC News projects. It's an important victory for Democrats, who are hoping to flip the House of Representatives blue. Heading into the election, independent pollsters favored Crow, who vowed to be a check on President Donald Trump. The district swung to Trump's 2016 rival Hillary Clinton by nearly 10 points that year. The race pit two Army veterans against each other in what became a fierce battle, with the two accusing one another of lying. National politics crept in, with Coffman accusing Crow of being beholden to the Democrats who flooded his campaign with money. Crow accused Coffman of failing to stick up to Trump. Ultimately, Crow said the race was a referendum on the president. "Make no mistake what this is about and what is at stake for America," Crow said at a debate last month, according to The Denver Post. "We are at a crossroads in our country." More From CNBC Trucks transport containers next to a container ship at a port in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, China October 31, 2018. Picture taken October 31, 2018. REUTERS/Stringer By David Lawder WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The new Democrat majority in the U.S. House of Representatives is likely to back President Donald Trump's trade war with China and could even egg him on, but will offer tougher scrutiny of his negotiations with allies, trade experts and lawmakers say. Trump has imposed tariffs on $250 billion of Chinese goods to pressure Beijing to stop intellectual property theft and forced technology transfers, improve market access for U.S. firms and cut its high-tech industrial subsidy program - major shifts away from China's state-led economic model. Democrats, the traditional party of trade unions, largely support such moves, especially for their hoped-for effect on helping American workers. "I think Trump has a free hand to pursue his aggressive approach. If anything, the Blue Wave (of Democrats) will be as hawkish, if not more hawkish, than Trump on China," Gary Hufbauer, a senior fellow and trade expert at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said. Beijing has retaliated by largely cutting off purchases of U.S. soybeans and imposing its own tariffs on farm products, steps that some experts had believed could hurt farm state Republicans in Tuesday's congressional elections. China was the biggest buyer of U.S. soybeans before the trade war. But the tariffs were at best a minor issue in most races, even in hard-hit states such as North Dakota, Indiana and Missouri, which voted in Republican senators, strengthening Trump's hand in the chamber. Scott Kennedy, head of China studies at the Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said there is growing bipartisan concern in Washington about increasing state control of China's economy, military activity in the South China Sea and security issues surrounding Chinese technology companies. "President Trump has paid no political price for taking a tough line on China," he said. "I still see the short term-political and long-term strategic signals on China still pointing in the same direction." Story continues House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, who made a pitch to return as speaker on Wednesday, has applauded Trump's initial round of tariffs on China as a "leverage point" to negotiate fairer trade for U.S. products in the country. "The United States must take strong, smart and strategic action against China's brazenly unfair trade policies," Pelosi said in March. Those Democrats who may be upset that Trump's tariffs on Chinese goods and steel and aluminum will raise business costs and prices also face a practical problem in that they have little legislative means to stop them, since they are the result of executive orders, which do not need Congressional approval. Trump has signaled in the past week that he believes a deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping is achievable. The two are due to meet on the sidelines of the G20 leaders' summit at the end of November. If things do not go well, he has threatened to impose tariffs on about $267 billion worth of remaining Chinese imports to the United States. Currently, 10 percent tariffs on $200 billion of products are scheduled to rise to 25 percent on Jan. 1, 2019. "House Democrats are the most protectionist group in Congress," said Derek Scissors, a China scholar at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington. If Trump makes a deal that fails to achieve significant changes to China's practices, "they'll jump all over him," he said. Representative Richard Neal, the expected new Democratic chairman of the tax-and-trade focused House Ways and Means Committee, sees China as a "big challenge" that both parties and multiple administrations have tried to tackle, a Democratic aide to the panel told Reuters. China too appears to have few illusions that the election results will earn it a reprieve from the Trump administration. "Particularly on trade, both (U.S.) parties agree. So, it will have little impact," said Wu Baiyi, the director of the Institute of American Studies at the state-run Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The Global Times, a nationalist Chinese tabloid, said in an editorial late on Wednesday that the Republicans' loss of the House "will hardly have any direct bearing on Trump's China policy". "China doesn't need to be deluded by a perceived change in U.S. politics. We should just go about our own business," the paper said. CANADA, MEXICO A DIFFERENT STORY The bipartisan unity is less secure when it comes to trade talks with allies, however, and the new Democrat majority could make it more difficult to win congressional approval for a revamp of the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico. Neal and Representative Bill Pascrell, who is set to chair the Ways and Means trade subcommittee, are promising to haul Trump's top trade lieutenants into hearings not only to explain their strategy on China but also on future trade negotiations with the European Union, Japan and Britain. In a letter to fellow Democrats on Wednesday, Pascrell said that Republicans had refused to bring administration witnesses into hearings on tariffs or NAFTA negotiations. "Without hesitation, I would hold regular meetings and public hearings with members of this administration to impose transparency and assert Congress' constitutional role in setting trade policy," Pascrell said. The recent deal to change the terms of NAFTA is expected to be submitted to Congress for approval in the spring of 2019. The Ways and Means aide said Neal will insist on ensuring that new labor and environmental standards included in the revamped deal can be adequately enforced. Labor and environmental groups have criticized the provisions as weak. If Democrats hold out for changes, it may force a reopening of negotiations, analysts and lobbyists said. Democrats forced a similar rethink of the first version of the U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement in 2007 that took nearly three years to complete. Emily Davis, a spokeswoman for the office of U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, said the agency was "very confident" that Congress will approve the current deal because of the benefits to U.S. workers and businesses. "From the beginning, Ambassador Lighthizer has worked closely with Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate on the renegotiation of this agreement," Davis said. (Reporting by David Lawder in WASHINGTON and Michael Martina in BEIJING; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall and Neil Fullick) Democrats are projected to win control of the House, according to NBC News. It will give the party a check on President Trump and the GOP's economic policy. The apparent triumph comes even as Republicans were projected to keep the Senate, according to NBC. Democrats will win control of the House, a triumph that gives the party real levers of power to check President Donald Trump and Senate Republicans, NBC News projects. The party leveraged voter enthusiasm and staggering fundraising to a projected net gain of the 23 GOP-held seats needed to take a majority in the chamber. The victory will put Democrats in control of the House for the first time since 2010 and likely return House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to the office of speaker. Watch: Democrats will win the House. Here's how it could impact Trump's economy The victory came even as Republicans were projected to keep control of the Senate , according to NBC. The election landscape diverged as Democrats defended several Senate seats in deep red territory. Democrats picked up House districts in states such as Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Michigan and Kansas on their way to a projected majority. "Tomorrow will be a new day in America," Pelosi said in a speech declaring victory late Tuesday night. " ... Today is more than about Democrats and Republicans. It's about restoring the Constitution's checks and balances to the Trump administration." Despite his party's expected loss of House control, Trump tweeted late Tuesday touting what he called "tremendous success" in the elections. He added: "Thank you to all!" Trump tweet The expensive and bitter midterm victory will have widespread implications for Trump and the lawmakers in his Republican Party. Democrats will now have the ability to launch investigations into the president and his Cabinet members. They appear poised to go after the president's elusive tax returns. They also could pass legislation aimed at protecting special counsel Robert Mueller's probe. Story continues The party will also have the ability to check the GOP on economic issues such as taxes and health care. But the shift in power also opens the door to cooperation on reducing drug prices or improving infrastructure, the latter of which may prove as difficult as it has so far in the Trump administration. Pelosi identified both issues as priorities in her speech Tuesday night. It remains to be seen whether Democratic leaders push for Trump's impeachment which they avoided as they tried not to fuel Republican enthusiasm during the midterms. It could depend on what Mueller's Russia probe, or the Democrats' own investigations, uncover. Pelosi, for her part, touted national unity on Tuesday. "A Democratic Congress will work for solutions that bring us together. Because we have all had enough of division. Because we have all had enough of division," she said. Democrats' actions while in control of the House will help to shape how voters across the country view the president and whether they will support him in his re-election bid a mere two years away. Trump and the GOP tried to stop a Democratic takeover of the House by tying candidates across the country to Pelosi. They also warned of the party's potential attempts to pursue single-payer health care and stoked fears about illegal immigration in the election's final stretch. In key swing districts from Pennsylvania to Kansas and California, Democrats tried to keep the focus on health-care policy and the social safety net. They warned about Republican attempts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, and the potential to cause people with pre-existing conditions to lose insurance coverage. They also took every opportunity to stir concerns about Republicans using their tax cuts passed last year as justification to trim funds from Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. A record flow of cash from both individuals and outside political action committees helped Democrats to spread their message. Small donors fueled a fundraising advantage for Democratic campaigns in most battleground House districts, forcing national GOP organizations to spend heavily to keep up. Overall spending in the midterms was projected to reach $5.2 billion, about $1 billion more than any previous midterm, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Pelosi spelled out her plans for a Democratic majority well before Tuesday's vote. She identified potential proposals to reduce corruption and money in politics, cut drug prices, strengthen gun background checks and pass legal protections for young immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children. It is unclear how much of that agenda they can accomplish with Trump in office. More From CNBC DISH Network (DISH) Q3 Earnings Beat, Subscriber Loss Rises DISH Network (DISH) lost 367K subscribers in the third quarter. The number was higher than 192K subscribers lost in the previous quarter and 220K in the year-ago quarter. DISH Network DISH reported third-quarter 2018 earnings of 82 cents per share that comfortably surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 67 cents. The figure jumped 43.9% from the year-ago quarter. However, revenues slumped 5.3% year over year to $3.395 billion. The figure beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.391 billion. Pay-TV Subscriber Loss Continues DISH exited the reported quarter with 10.286 million DISH TV subscribers and 2.370 million Sling TV subscribers. Total Pay-TV subscribers were 12.656 million in the United States, down from 12.997 million in the previous quarter and 13.203 million a year ago. Net Pay-TV subscribers declined approximately 341K. The number was much higher than 151K subscribers lost in the previous quarter. The company had added 16K subscribers in the year-ago quarter. Moreover, the company lost 367K net DISH TV subscribers in the quarter. The number was higher than 192K subscribers lost in the previous quarter and 220K in the year-ago quarter. Sling TV subscribers increased 26K. However, the number is much lower than 41K added in the previous quarter. The company attributed the slowdown in subscriber addition to intensifying competition from the likes of Netflix NFLX, Hulu, HBO, Amazon AMZN and other digital media providers. DISH Network Corporation Price DISH Network Corporation Price | DISH Network Corporation Quote Pay-TV average revenue per user (ARPU) was $86.29, better than $85.54 reported in the previous quarter but lower than $87.23 in the year-ago quarter. DISH TV's average monthly subscriber churn rate was 2.11%, worse than 1.46% reported in the previous quarter and 1.82% in the year-ago quarter. Churn rate was negatively impacted by Univisions removal of certain of its channels from the companys programming line-up. Segment Details Subscriber-related revenues (98.7% of revenues) declined 5.7% from the year-ago quarter to $3.349 billion. Pay-TV video and related revenues fell 4.9% to $3.288 billion. Broadband revenues plunged 33.9% year over year to $60.6 million. Equipment sales and other revenues surged 41.3% to $45.8 million. The United States contributed 99.6% of revenues, declining 5.4% year over year to $3.380 billion. Canada and Mexico contributed the rest of the revenues, surging 25.2% from the year-ago quarter to $14.7 million. Operating Details In the third quarter, subscriber-related expenses declined 5.1% year over year to $2.123 billion. However, as percentage of revenues, subscriber-related expenses increased 10 basis points (bps) on a year-over-year basis to 62.6%. Total subscriber acquisition costs (SACs) plunged 41.4% from the year-ago quarter to $186.9 million. As percentage of revenues, SACs declined 340 bps to 5.5%. DISH TV SAC was $721 down from $750 reported in the year-ago quarter. EBITDA increased 9.1% year over year to $742.6 million. Operating income surged 25.3% year over year to $562.7 million. Operating margin expanded 400 bps to 16.6% in the reported quarter. Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider Currently, DISH carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Comcast CMCSA, with a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), is a stock worth considering in the same sector. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Long-term earnings growth rate for Comcast is currently pegged at 12.5%. Story continues Will You Make a Fortune on the Shift to Electric Cars? Here's another stock idea to consider. Much like petroleum 150 years ago, lithium power may soon shake the world, creating millionaires and reshaping geo-politics. Soon electric vehicles (EVs) may be cheaper than gas guzzlers. Some are already reaching 265 miles on a single charge. With battery prices plummeting and charging stations set to multiply, one company stands out as the #1 stock to buy according to Zacks research. It's not the one you think. See This Ticker Free >> 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 Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) : Free Stock Analysis Report DISH Network Corporation (DISH) : Free Stock Analysis Report Comcast Corporation (CMCSA) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Starkey Hearing Technologies is pleased to be a CES 2019 Innovation Award Honoree for its revolutionary Livio AI hearing aid. The CES Innovation Awards celebrate outstanding product design and engineering in brand-new consumer technology products. Livio AI joins an elite group of innovative consumer products to receive this prestigious honor. Its cutting-edge technology was recognized in the Awards Accessibility category, which is dedicated to products and services with innovative features that improve accessibility for seniors and persons with disabilities. The announcement was made today during CES Unveiled New York, an invite-only tech event bringing together top media, exhibitors and industry leaders for a sneak peek of the products and trends expected at CES 2019, which will run January 8-11, 2019 in Las Vegas, NV. Starkey Hearing Technologies is driven by the vision, hear better, live better, said Starkey President Brandon Sawalich. Livio AI is the best-sounding hearing aid weve ever made. By pairing this innovative technology with integrated sensors and artificial intelligence, weve transformed the hearing aid into a revolutionary, multi-use device. Allowing people to track their brain and body health is truly helping people live better lives. The Consumer Technology Association uses an independent, three-member panel that judges products on engineering, design, intended function and user value. This is the fourth time Starkey Hearing Technologies has been named a CES Honoree. Livio AI interfaces with a brand-new mobile app Thrive Hearing and three new wireless accessories the Starkey Hearing Technologies TV, the Remote and the Remote Microphone +. With the Remote Microphone +, Livio AI is also the first hearing aid to feature Amazon Alexa connectivity. Hearing Reality technology reduces noisy environments by 50 percent, significantly reduces listening effort and enhances speech clarity, while artificial intelligence optimizes the hearing experience. Artificial intelligence is disrupting the world. Starkey Hearing Technologies is the company bringing it into the hearing industry, said Achin Bhowmik Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer. Starkey has done for hearing aids what Apple did for phones. Before Apple, the phone was only used to make calls. Now your phone is a camera, GPS and a tool to browse the internet. Livio AI is no longer just an incredible hearing aid. Its a multi-functional device that tracks brain and body health, offers real-time language translation and soon will even detect falls. This is a new era for the hearing industry. This cutting-edge technology allows people to take a more proactive and personal approach to addressing their hearing losses. Livio AI is available in the United States and Canada and expanding to more than 20 countries in 2019. About Starkey Hearing Technologies Starkey Hearing Technologies is a privately held, global hearing technology company headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Founded by Bill Austin in 1967, Starkey is known for its innovative design, development and distribution of comprehensive digital hearing systems. Led today by President Brandon Sawalich, Starkey is the only American-owned and operated provider of hearing technologies. The company has more than 5,000 employees, operates 24 facilities and does business in more than 100 markets worldwide. For more information, visit www.starkey.com . About CES: CES is the world's gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. It has served as the proving ground for innovators and breakthrough technologies for 50 years the global stage where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace. As the largest hands-on event of its kind, CES features all aspects of the industry. Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)TM, it attracts the world's business leaders and pioneering thinkers. Check out CES video highlights. Follow CES online at CES.tech and on social. About Consumer Technology Association: Consumer Technology Association (CTA) is the trade association representing the $377 billion U.S. consumer technology industry, which supports more than 15 million U.S. jobs. More than 2,200 companies 80 percent are small businesses and startups; others are among the worlds best-known brands enjoy the benefits of CTA membership including policy advocacy, market research, technical education, industry promotion, standards development and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CTA also owns and produces CES the worlds gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. Profits from CES are reinvested into CTAs industry services. ### Attachment Franco-Nevada (FNV) Q3 Earnings and Revenues Beat Estimates Backed by continued strong performance so far in the year, Franco-Nevada (FNV) expects higher revenues from its oil & gas assets for 2018. Franco-Nevada Corporation FNV delivered net earnings of $54.6 million or 29 cents per share for third-quarter 2018, ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 26 cents per share. The company reported net earnings of $55.3 million or 30 cents in the prior-year quarter. The company generated revenues of $171 million in the third quarter, declining 0.5% from the year-ago quarter. The figure beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $164 million. In the reported quarter, 82.1% of the revenues were sourced from precious metals (64.8% gold, 12.0% silver and 5.3% platinum group metals). The company sold 120,021 Gold Equivalent Ounces in the quarter, down 3% from 123,787 Gold Equivalent Ounces in the prior-year quarter. Franco-Nevada Corporation Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Franco-Nevada Corporation Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Franco-Nevada Corporation price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Franco-Nevada Corporation Quote In the reported quarter, adjusted EBITDA was $135 million, up 0.4% from $134 million a year ago. Prices At third-quarter end, the average gold price was at $1,218 per ounce, approximately 5% lower than the year-ago quarter. Silver prices averaged $14.99 per ounce in the third quarter, decreasing 11% year over year. Platinum fell 15% year over year to $814 per ounce while palladium prices increased 6% year over year to $953 per ounce. Financial Position Franco-Nevadas cash and cash equivalents fell to $77 million as of Sep 30, 2018, down substantially from $511 million as of Dec 31, 2017. The company recorded operating cash flow of $377 million for the nine-month period ended Sep 30, 2018 compared with $362 million in the prior-year comparable period. On Oct 23, 2018, Franco-Nevada contributed $214.8 million to close its previously announced transaction with Continental Resources, Inc. to acquire mineral rights in the SCOOP and STACK plays of Oklahoma. Franco-Nevada has also committed, subject to satisfaction of agreed upon development limits, to spend up to $300 million over the next three years to acquire additional mineral rights through a newly-formed company. Story continues Franco-Nevadas board of directors declared a quarterly dividend of 24 cents per share. The dividend will be paid on Dec 20, 2018 to shareholders of record on Dec 6, 2018. 2018 Guidance for Oil & Gas Assets Hiked The company now anticipates revenues between $75 million and $85 million from its oil & gas assets for 2018, up from its previous guidance of $65 million to $75 million to reflect the continued strong performance of the oil & gas assets. The company expects the WTI oil price will average $65 per barrel for the balance of the year. Subsequent to third-quarter end, Franco-Nevada made the final installment on the $1 billion funding commitment for the Cobre Panama project. Revenues are anticipated to increase by more than 30% once the Cobre Panama project ramps-up towards full production over the next two years. In 2019, Candelaria is expected to return to normal operations. Additionally, the continued development of its U.S. oil & gas assets will drive more than 30% increase in revenue and EBITDA, going forward. The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). The shares of Franco-Nevada have plunged 22% over the past year, against the industrys decline of 18%. Stocks to Consider A few better-ranked stocks in the basic materials space are CF Industries Holdings, Inc. CF, KMG Chemicals, Inc. KMG and The Mosaic Company MOS. CF Industries has an expected long-term earnings growth rate of 6% and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). The companys shares have gained 32% in the past year. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. KMG Chemicals has an expected long-term earnings growth rate of 28.5% and a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Its shares have risen 47% in the past year. Mosaic has an expected long-term earnings growth rate of 7% and a Zacks Rank #2. The companys shares have rallied 62% over a years time. Looking for Stocks with Skyrocketing Upside? Zacks has just released a Special Report on the booming investment opportunities of legal marijuana. Ignited by new referendums and legislation, this industry is expected to blast from an already robust $6.7 billion to $20.2 billion in 2021. Early investors stand to make a killing, but you have to be ready to act and know just where to look. See the pot trades we're targeting>> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report KMG Chemicals, Inc. (KMG) : Free Stock Analysis Report CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) : Free Stock Analysis Report The Mosaic Company (MOS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Franco-Nevada Corporation (FNV) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. FILE PHOTO - Switzerland's national flag flies under the logo of Swiss bank UBS in Zurich, Switzerland April 24, 2017. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann PARIS (Reuters) - French prosecutors argued in a Paris court on Thursday for Swiss bank UBS AG (UBSG.S) to be fined 3.7 billion euros for helping wealthy French people evade taxes. After a seven-year investigation and aborted settlement negotiations, UBS faces accusations of laundering the proceeds of tax fraud and illegally soliciting clients in France. "Tax evasion is nothing more than theft against the community," prosecutor Eric Russo told the court. Serge Roque, the trial's other prosecutor, added: "UBS has deliberately held, handled and managed accounts for people who were evading taxes." Under French law, those convicted of money laundering can be ordered to pay a fine worth half the amount laundered. The prosecution estimates UBS's customers hid several billion euros from the French tax authorities. On Wednesday, the lawyer representing the French government asked to be awarded 1.6 billion euros in damages. UBS has denied wrongdoing. In a statement it said the trial's conclusions were "erroneous" and contested the amount of the fines. "The PNF (National Financial Prosecutor's Office) has not provided details of the irrational way these amounts were calculated. The requested fine for UBS AG results from a simplistic approach taking into account the full amount paid by French taxpayers to normalize their situation," it said. The prosecution also called for suspended jail sentences ranging from six months to 24 months for six UBS executives and former executives, as well as fines ranging from 50,000 euros to 500,000 euros. (Reporting by Emmanuel Jarry and Inti Landauro; Editing by Richard Balmforth) By John Geddie SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Chief Executive David Solomon said on Wednesday he felt "horrible" that two former employees "blatantly broke the law" in their dealings with Malaysian state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad. U.S. prosecutors filed criminal charges against the two former Goldman bankers and a Malaysian financier linked to the alleged theft of billions of dollars from the fund. An investigation into where 1MDB's money went became the largest carried out by the Department of Justice under its anti-kleptocracy program, and the scandal was a major reason why Malaysian voters rejected Najib Razak, their prime minister for nearly a decade, in an election earlier this year. "It is obviously very distressing to see two former Goldman Sachs employees went so blatantly around our policies and so blatantly broke the law," Solomon said in an interview with Bloomberg TV in Singapore. "I feel horrible about the fact that people who worked at Goldman Sachs, and it doesn't matter whether it's a partner or it's an entry level employee, would go around our policies and break the law," Solomon said. U.S. prosecutors announced last week that Tim Leissner, former partner for Goldman Sachs in Asia, had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder money and conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and agreed to forfeit $43.7 million. Roger Ng, the other charged former Goldman banker, was arrested in Malaysia and is expected to be extradited. Reuters was not immediately able to contact Ng's lawyer on Wednesday. His lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment after U.S. prosecutors unveiled the charges last Thursday. Goldman has also placed its former co-head of Asia investment banking, Andrea Vella, on leave over his role in the firm's involvement with the case, pending a review of allegations, according to a person familiar with the decision. The Wall Street bank said in a securities filing on Friday that it may also face penalties from dealings with 1MDB. Story continues Asked if he could provide assurances that neither he, former CEO Lloyd Blankfein or any of the senior management team suspected illegality or compliance breaches in dealings with 1MDB, Solomon said: "We take compliance and control in our firm extremely seriously, we always have...We are going to continue to cooperate with the authorities and there's a process in place and that process will proceed." According to prosecutors, the investment bank generated about $600 million in fees for its work with 1MDB, which included three bond offerings in 2012 and 2013 that raised $6.5 billion. Leissner, Ng and others received large bonuses in connection with that revenue. Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng told Reuters in June that the government will be looking at the possibility of seeking claims from Goldman Sachs. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said Malaysia will look into why Goldman was paid around $600 million in fees, an amount that critics say exceeds normal levels. Goldman has maintained that the outsized fees related to the additional risks it took on it bought the un-rated bonds while it sought investors and, in the case of the 2013 deal which raised $2.7 billion, 1MDB wanted the funds in a hurry for a planned investment. The new Malaysian government has barred Najib and his wife from leaving the country, and the former premier faces multiple charges of corruption, money laundering and abuse of power, though he has consistently denied any wrongdoing related to 1MDB. In another interview with Bloomberg on Tuesday, Malaysia's Prime Minister-in-waiting Anwar Ibrahim said it would be "inexcusable" if Goldman Sachs was complicit in the scandal. (Additional reporting by Fathin Ungku, and A. Ananthalakshmi in KUALA LUMPUR; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore) Netflix has set its sights on India as it ramps up its Asian expansion strategy. The media streaming company aims to add 100 million subscribers in the South Asian country over the coming years. To bulk out its regional audience, Netflix plans to create 100 locally produced projects. Netflix NFLX is on a mission to expand its audience across Asia, and the country set to account for the bulk of that growth is India not China. Asia's young and increasingly digital population presents an "incredible opportunity" to ramp up the company's international subscribers, Netflix's chief content officer Ted Sarandos told CNBC on Thursday. The subscription in Asia has already surpassed the 58 million in the U.S. All in, the company has 137 million subscribers globally. "We're in our early, early days here in Asia," Sarandos told CNBC's Akiko Fujita . But he said the company has "very specific initiatives" for each of the territories within the region. Chief among those will be India , Sarandos said. Over the next few years, Netflix hopes to leverage off the country's proven appetite for video streaming and add 100 million subscribers in India alone. "If you think about the opportunity, there's about 450 million internet users in India and about half of them are watching video on YouTube and services like that, which makes for a very interesting, addressable market," said Sarandos. In targeting India, Netflix will come up against the likes of Amazon AMZN and Hotstar, which have both seen success in the country with their modestly-priced media streaming models. To manage that, Sarandos said the company is looking at testing a variety of pricing models to position itself against competitors, both in India and elsewhere. But he also said the focus will be on adding more locally produced original content that resonates with audiences both domestically and internationally. Netflix plans to produce 100 original projects within the region over the coming years. Story continues "The exciting part about that is that we're able to come in and produce locally, using local story-tellers, and tell those stories on a grand scale because we can find a global audience," he said. Sarandos added that there's "no real target" in terms of the regions those projects will come from. However, he noted that the company does not plan to use such means to enter the China market in the near future. "In general, I would say Netflix operating in China is a little way off," said Sarandos. Netflix has had some success in the country via a licensing agreement with iQiyi, a video streaming subsidiary of Chinese internet company Baidu, but the firm has not launched independent operations there. "China's tough for a Western media company to operate in and we've not been very active in the market at all with the exception of licensing some of our shows into the market. And that's going to be our strategy for a little while," Sarandos explained. More From CNBC Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp (Photo: John Disney/ ALM) Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp says he is resigning as Georgia's secretary of state. Attorney Russ Willard with the state attorney general's office announced the resignation in federal court Thursday morning. Willard said Kemp delivered a letter of resignation to Gov. Nathan Deal on Thursday morning, and it is effective at 11:59 a.m. The state said Kemp will not perform any election-related duties Thursday. The hearing before Judge Billy Ray of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia concerns a suit brought by five voters late Tuesday afternoon asking for Kemp to be blocked from involvement in presiding over an election in which he is a participant. The suit cited Kemps decision to open an investigation of the state Democratic Party based on what it calls an unfounded accusation and post notice of the allegation on his official state website while promoting it via his political campaign as a reason a temporary restraining order was needed. Allowing one of the candidates to not just preside over their own election but misuse their office to give them an unfair advantage is just anti-democratic and unlawful, Atlanta attorney Bryan Sells, who represents the plaintiffs, said Tuesday. Kemp's spokeswoman at the Secretary of State's office said Tuesday, This twelfth-hour stunt will not distract us from fulfilling our responsibilities and working with county officials to ensure a secure, accessible, and fair election for all eligible Georgians. The Secretary of States office does not count votes; counties do, Broce said. The Secretary of States office does not re-count votes; counties do. The Daily Report added staff reporting to this article. * Deal worth C$1.6 bln expected to close in H1 2019 * Food group Kraft to use proceeds to cut debt * Parmalat and owner Lactalis reinforce N. America presence (Adds background and statement from Parmalat owner Lactalis) Nov 6 (Reuters) - Kraft Heinz Co has agreed to sell its Canadian natural cheese business to Parmalat SpA in a C$1.62 billion ($1.23 billion) deal that will help Kraft trim its debt and extend the North American footprint of Parmalat owner Lactalis. The deal comes a month after the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) was signed, under which Canada partially opened its protected domestic market to the United States. The cheese business being sold by Kraft, which includes brands like Cracker Barrel, P'tit Quebec and aMOOza, generated about C$560 million in net sales in 2017, Kraft and Parmalat said in statements on Tuesday. The transaction followed a competitive bidding process, Parmalat said. Under the deal, expected to close in the first half of 2019, Kraft will sell its production facility in Ingleside, Ontario and transfer 400 employees to Parmalat. The U.S. food group will continue to own and market other cheese products, including Philadelphia, Cheez Whiz and Kraft Singles, which are processed in Quebec. Kraft, which like other consumer goods firms has been struggling with rising costs for raw materials and transportation, expects to use proceeds from the deal to pay down debt, which amounted to nearly $31 billion as of Sept. 29. RBC Capital Markets served as exclusive financial adviser to Kraft Heinz Canada, while Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP served as legal advisers. Parmalat said the activity will reinforce its century-old Canadian business that already comprises 3,000 employees and 16 dairy processing plants, helping to secure jobs and farm revenue. The revised North American trade deal has irked Canadian farmers who see a threat to the country's supply management system, but the agreement may bring limited gains for U.S. producers. Parmalat's acquisition in Canada marks a further addition to the North American footprint of France's Lactalis, the world's largest dairy firm that controls nearly 90 percent of Parmalat. Story continues The deal would reinforce its presence "in the strategic market for cheese with high added value in Canada," Lactalis said in a separate statement on Wednesday. Lactalis has in the past year struck deals to acquire U.S. organic yoghurt brand Stonyfield, previously owned by fellow French group Danone, and agreed to buy siggi's, a U.S.-based maker of Icelandic yoghurt. In another overseas acquisition, Lactalis last month agreed to buy the infant formula business of Aspen Pharmacare, in a move to revive its baby milk after a health scandal in its home market. A salmonella outbreak at its sole infant formula production site in northwest France last year caused dozens of babies to fall sick and led to a global product recall. Natural cheeses can include unripened cheeses such as cottage cheese, soft cheese such as Camembert or hard cheeses such as Cheddar. Processed cheese is made by pasteurising, emulsifying, and blending natural cheese. Several varieties of natural cheeses may be mixed, and powdered milk, whey, cream or butter, and water may be added, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. ($1 = 1.3126 Canadian dollars) (Reporting by Sonam Rai in Bengaluru; additional reporting by Gus Trompiz in Paris; Editing by Bernard Orr, Shounak Dasgupta and Adrian Croft) Ventura County authorities confirm the dead includes Deputy Sheriff Ron Helus, a 29-year veteran who was looking to retire next year. They say the shooter, identified by sources as 29-year-old Ian Long, is also dead. The motive for the latest shooting massacre is not known. A gunman opened fire at a bar in Thousand Oaks, California, killing at least 12 people during a college night celebration, including a deputy sheriff who was planning to retire next year. The gunman, identified by sources as 29-year-old Ian Long, is also dead, authorities said. Police were called to the Borderline Bar & Grill in the Ventura County suburb, 40 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, late Wednesday Pacific time. "It's a horrific scene in there," Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean told a news conference in the parking lot of the Borderline Bar & Grill. "There's blood everywhere." The massacre was the latest mass shooting in the United States and came less than two weeks after a gunman killed 11 people at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. Dean said multiple 911 calls were received at 11:20 p.m. of shots being fired. "Approximately three minutes later, a highway patrol officer and a deputy made entry. Upon going through ... (the) sheriff''s sergeant was shot multiple times with gunfire," he said. The motive for the latest mass shooting was not known. The gunman at the country dance bar was tall and wearing all black with a hood over his head and his face partly covered, witnesses told TV stations at the scene. He first fired on a person working the door, then appeared to open fire at random at the people inside, they said. Sarah Rose DeSon told ABC's "Good Morning America" that she saw the shooter draw his gun. "I dropped to the floor," she said. "A friend yelled `Everybody down!' We were hiding behind tables trying to keep ourselves covered." The 12 dead included Deputy Sheriff Ron Helus, a 29-year veteran of the agency who was looking to retire next year, Dean said, choking back tears while talking about his longtime friend. Story continues "Ron was a hardworking, dedicated sheriff's sergeant who was totally committed," Dean said, "and tonight, as I told his wife, he died a hero because he went in to save lives." President Donald Trump tweeted on Thursday that he has been "fully briefed" about the latest massacre. Tweet 1 Tweet 2 The shooting took place during Borderline's college night, and hundreds of people were believed to be inside. A number of universities have issued statements about the shooting. "The University has received reports that several Pepperdine students were at Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks this evening when a gunman reportedly entered the location and began shooting," Pepperdine University said. "At this time, the University is working to identify and provide support to those students." The Associated Students of CLU Government, a student organization that serves as the united voice of the student body of California Lutheran University, took to Facebook to show solidarity to the those affected by the shooting. "Our hearts go out to all who were affected tonight by the shooting at Borderline. We are here for you in this tragic time, whatever the need may be. Stay safe," the Facebook post read. Social media was flooded with reports and reactions as the shooting played out. A local media reporter Jeremy Childs tweeted photos and videos from the incident. Tweet Tweet CNBC's Jeff Daniels , Marty Steinberg and The Associated Press contributed to this article. More From CNBC To access the newsletter, click on the link: http://share.thomsonreuters.com/assets/newsletters/morning_News_Call/MNCGeneric_CA_11082018.pdf You can read Morning News Call Canada via TOPNEWS Canada page. If you would like to receive this newsletter through your email, please register at: https://forms.thomsonreuters.com/MorningNewsCall/ ECONOMIC EVENTS 0815 House starts, annualized for Oct: Expected 200,000; Prior 188,700 0830 new housing price index for Sep: Expected 0.1 pct; Prior 0.0 pct COMPANIES REPORTING RESULTS November 08: Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp (AQN). Expected Q3 earnings of 11 cents per share ARC Resources Ltd (ARX). Expected Q3 earnings of 21 Canadian cents per share Bombardier Inc (BBDb). Expected Q3 earnings of 2 cents per share Brookfield Asset Management Inc (BAMa). Expected Q3 earnings of 7 cents per share Canadian Tire Corporation Ltd (CTCa). Expected Q3 earnings of C$2.85 per share CI Financial Corp (CIX). Expected Q3 earnings of 59 Canadian cents per share Emera Inc (EMA). Expected Q3 earnings of 70 Canadian cents per share Hydro One Ltd (H). Expected Q3 earnings of 34 Canadian cents per share Inter Pipeline Ltd (IPL). Expected Q3 earnings of 39 Canadian cents per share Magna International Inc (MG). Expected Q3 earnings of $1.51 per share Power Corporation of Canada (POW). Expected Q3 earnings of 77 Canadian cents per share Power Financial Corp (PWF). Expected Q3 earnings of 82 Canadian cents per share Profound Medical Corp (PRN). Expected Q3 loss of 4 Canadian cents per share Quebecor Inc (QBRb). Expected Q3 earnings of 51 Canadian cents per share Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Inc (RBA). Expected Q3 earnings of 17 cents per share Stantec Inc (STN). Expected Q3 earnings of 55 Canadian cents per share Telus Corp (T). Expected Q3 earnings of 72 Canadian cents per share TMX Group Ltd (X). Expected Q3 earnings of C$1.25 per share November 09: Boralex Inc (BLX). Expected Q3 loss of 28 Canadian cents per share Enerplus Corp (ERF). Expected Q3 earnings of 80 Canadian cents per share CORPORATE EVENTS 08:00 Bombardier Inc (BBDb.TO). Q3 earnings conference call 08:00 Hydro One Ltd (H.TO). Q3 earnings conference call 08:00 Kinross Gold Corp (K.TO). Q3 earnings conference call 08:00 Magna International Inc (MG.TO). Q3 earnings conference call 08:00 Manulife Financial Corp (MFC.TO). Q3 earnings conference call 09:00 CI Financial Corp (CIX.TO). Q3 earnings conference call 09:00 Russel Metals Inc (RUS.TO). Q3 earnings conference call 09:00 Stantec Inc (STN.TO). Q3 earnings conference call 09:30 Telus Corp (T.TO). Q3 earnings conference call 10:00 Cott Corp (BCB.TO). Q3 earnings conference call 10:00 Frontera Energy Corp (FEC.TO). Q3 earnings conference call 10:00 Sun Life Financial Inc (SLF.TO). Q3 earnings conference call 10:00 Tricon Capital Group Inc (TCN.TO). Q3 earnings conference call 10:30 Superior Plus Corp (SPB.TO). Q3 earnings conference call 11:00 Brookfield Asset Management Inc (BAMa.TO). Q3 earnings conference call 11:00 Pason Systems Inc (PSI.TO). Q3 earnings conference call 11:00 Peyto Exploration & Development Corp (PEY.TO). Q3 earnings conference call 11:00 Quebecor Inc (QBRb.TO). Q3 earnings conference call 11:00 Tourmaline Oil Corp (TOU.TO). Q3 earnings conference call 13:00 Canadian Tire Corporation Ltd (CTCa.TO). Q3 earnings conference call 16:00 WSP Global Inc (WSP.TO). Q3 earnings conference call EX-DIVIDENDS Canadian Utilities Ltd (CU). Amount C$0.39 CU Inc (CIU_p). Amount C$0.28 Genworth MI Canada Inc (MIC). Amount C$0.51 Pivot Technology Solutions Inc (PTG). Amount C$0.04 For Morning News Call U.S. -- a preview of market-moving news for the trading day: - type US/MNC in a news browser if you are an Eikon user, or type RT/US/MNC in a news browser if you are a Thomson One user For The Day Ahead -- a recap of the day's events and preview of the next trading day: - type DAY/US in a news browser if you are an Eikon user or type RT/DAY/US in a news browser if you are a Thomson One user For an index of our newsletters click on NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lumina Gold Corp. (TSXV: LUM) (OTC: LMGDF) (the Company or Lumina) is pleased to announce that as a result of positive institutional and retail demand for its previously announced financing (please refer to the Companys November 5, 2018 press release), the Company has filed and received a receipt for an amended preliminary short form prospectus in connection with a proposed upsized offering of up to 19,320,000 common shares (Shares) at a price of C$0.56 per Share, for total gross proceeds of approximately C$10.8 million (the Upsized Offering). The Upsized Offering will be conducted on a commercially reasonable efforts agency basis and is led by Haywood Securities Inc., on behalf of a syndicate of agents. In addition, the concurrent non-brokered private placement has also been upsized to up to 16,400,000 Shares, on the same terms as the Upsized Offering, for total gross proceeds of approximately C$9.2 million with certain investors (the Private Placement). The net proceeds from the Upsized Offering and the Private Placement will be used to fund infill and step-out, geotechnical, hydrology and metallurgical drilling; environmental, permitting and social programs; updating the resource estimate for the Companys Cangrejos Gold-Copper project; and for working capital and general corporate purposes. Closing of the Upsized Offering and the Private Placement is expected to occur on or about November 27, 2018 (the Closing Date) and is subject to certain customary conditions, including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals and acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange. The Shares issuable under the Upsized Offering will be offered by way of a short form prospectus filed in the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario pursuant to National Instrument 44-101 Short Form Prospectus Distributions, and elsewhere on a private placement basis. The Shares purchased pursuant to the Private Placement will be subject to a statutory hold period in Canada of four months plus one day from the closing of the Private Placement. The securities to be offered pursuant to the Upsized Offering have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act) or any applicable U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or any applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Certain directors, officers and other insiders of Lumina may acquire securities under the Upsized Offering and Private Placement. Any such participation would be considered to be a related party transaction as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Securityholders in Special Transactions (MI 61-101). The transaction will be exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 as neither the fair market value of any shares issued to or the consideration paid by such persons will exceed 25% of Luminas market capitalization. About Lumina Gold Lumina Gold Corp. (TSXV: LUM) is a Vancouver, Canada based precious and base metals exploration and development company focused on the Cangrejos Gold-Copper project located in El Oro Province, southwest Ecuador. Lumina has an experienced management team with a successful track record of advancing and monetizing exploration projects. Further details are available on the Companys website at https://luminagold.com/. LUMINA GOLD CORP. For further information contact: Signed: Marshall Koval Scott Hicks shicks@luminagold.com Marshall Koval, President & CEO, Director T: +1 604 646 1890 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information Certain statements and information herein, including all statements that are not historical facts, contain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking statements or information include but are not limited to statements or information with respect to: the size of the Upsized Offering, the size of the Private Placement, use of net proceeds of the Upsized Offering and Private Placement, the participation of insiders, the anticipated Closing Date and other terms of the Upsized Offering and the receipt of regulatory approvals for the Upsized Offering. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements or information can be identified by the use of words such as will or variations of that word and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results will, could or are intended to be taken, occur or be achieved. With respect to forward-looking statements and information contained herein, the Company has made numerous assumptions including among other things, assumptions about general business and economic conditions, the prices of gold and copper, TSX Venture Exchange approval of the Upsized Offering and anticipated costs and expenditures. The foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive. Although management of the Company believes that the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such statements or information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that a forward-looking statement or information herein will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking statements and information by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the Companys actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. These factors include, but are not limited to: risks associated with the business of the Company; business and economic conditions in the mining industry generally; the supply and demand for labour and other project inputs; changes in commodity prices; changes in interest and currency exchange rates; risks relating to inaccurate geological and engineering assumptions (including with respect to the tonnage, grade and recoverability of reserves and resources); risks relating to unanticipated operational difficulties (including failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications or expectations, cost escalation, unavailability of materials and equipment, government action or delays in the receipt of government approvals, industrial disturbances or other job action, and unanticipated events related to health, safety and environmental matters); risks relating to adverse weather conditions; political risk and social unrest; changes in general economic conditions or conditions in the financial markets; and other risk factors as detailed from time to time in the Companys continuous disclosure documents filed with Canadian securities administrators. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. MANILA, Nov 7 (Reuters) - The Philippines is ready with two joint oil and gas exploration agreements to be signed with China, its energy minister said on Wednesday, and reiterated his position calling for the lifting of the ban on drilling works in a disputed area in South China Sea. Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi made the statement ahead of the scheduled visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to the Philippines later this month as the two countries seek to strengthen economic ties. One of the deals involves an exploration project between state-owned Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) and Chinese state-owned CNOOC Ltd, located off Calamian in southwestern Palawan province, Cusi said in a news briefing. Cusi was referring to Service Contract 57 covering an oil and gas prospect awarded to PNOC's exploration unit, which picked CNOOC as a partner. He did not give details about the other agreement, but said Service Contract 72, an exploration permit held by the Philippines' PXP Energy Corp for Reed Bank, a disputed South China Sea area, is not one of the two. China claims almost the entire South China Sea, believed to be rich in energy reserves and marine resources. Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan also have claims. "Definitely not SC 72," Cusi said. PXP has had talks with CNOOC for joint exploration and development for the Sampaguita natural gas prospect at Reed Bank, before the DOE suspended drilling works there in late 2014 due to the territorial dispute. Although he refrained from giving details about issues to be discussed with Xi during the visit, Cusi reiterated his call for the lifting of the Reed Bank exploration ban. "The issue of the lifting is being taken care of by the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) because of the diplomatic issue," Cusi said. "As far as the DOE is concerned, so that we can resume exploration, we need to lift that moratorium." (Reporting by Enrico dela Cruz; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier) Pichai makes case for potential move into China by saying Google already censors info elsewhere In a New York Times interview, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said when the company follow's Europe's "right to be forgotten" laws, "we are censoring search results because we're complying with the law." Google faced internal and public backlash earlier this year when the Intercept reported the company was working on a censored version of its search engine in China. Europe's "right to be forgotten" laws generally focus on the right to request a company delete personal data in some circumstances, while the Chinese government is known to censor factual historical information. Google GOOGL CEO Sundar Pichai offered a new justification for the company's exploration of a censored version of its search engine for people in China: it already censors information elsewhere. In a New York Times interview published Thursday, Pichai compared Europe's "right to be forgotten laws" to censorship when asked about launching a search product in China. "One of the things that's not well understood, I think, is that we operate in many countries where there is censorship. When we follow 'right to be forgotten' laws, we are censoring search results because we're complying with the law," Pichai told the Times. Google has been grappling with how it could reach China's 800 million Internet users since it withdrew its service in 2010 amid censorship and security concerns. Earlier this year, Google faced backlash both internally and from the public when the Intercept reported its apparent plans to build a censored version of its search engine in China. Europe's "right to be forgotten" laws are distinct in important ways from censorship of information by the Chinese government. While "right to be forgotten" laws mainly center on the right of individuals to request personal data be deleted from the internet or search results, the Chinese government has been found to suppress factual information that would not be subject to the "right to be forgotten" laws. Story continues Through tight control over its media and internet access, China has created the "Great Firewall" that prevents people living there from accessing certain websites or searching some historical events , like the protests at Tiananmen Square in 1989. The "right to be forgotten" came from a 2014 case decided against Google by the European Court of Justice. The case centered around a Spanish man who wanted Google to remove an old newspaper article about a real estate auction the government ordered to recover his social security debts. The court decided that Google had to remove the article from its index even though the newspaper could keep it on its site. Now, the "right to be forgotten" is codified in the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which went into effect earlier this year. Under this part of the regulation, EU citizens have the right to request that internet businesses delete certain personal data under some circumstances . Pichai told the Times he's not convinced a move into China is a top priority. "I'm committed to serving users in China," he said. "Whatever form it takes, I actually don't know the answer. It's not even clear to me that search in China is the product we need to do today." A Google spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. More From CNBC New Hampshire's Republican Gov. Chris Sununu will win re-election, NBC News projected. Sununu defeated Democrat Molly Kelly, who emerged as a serious threat to the incumbent in the campaign's final days. Kelly, a former state senator, ran on a liberal platform, while Sununu has called himself a supporter of President Donald Trump. New Hampshire's Republican Gov. Chris Sununu will win re-election, NBC News projected, fending off Democrat Molly Kelly, who emerged as a serious threat to the incumbent in the campaign's final days. Sununu had narrowly defeated Colin Van Ostern in the 2016 contest that sent him to the governor's mansion. But the incumbent, whose father John Sununu also served as governor, was strongly favored to win this year. While polls of the race routinely put Sununu ahead of Kelly by double digits, the gap between the two narrowed as the election neared. On the eve of the vote, a University of New Hampshire poll found that an 11-point gap favoring Sununu in October had evaporated in just one month. Kelly, a former state senator, ran on a liberal platform promising to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, slap new regulations on business to protect workers, and reinstate net neutrality. Sununu, on the other hand, has called himself a supporter of President Donald Trump although he has criticized Trump as governor of a state that narrowly voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016. Democrats are eager to seize back as much power as possible after that election, when Republicans took control of the White House, both houses of Congress and the majority of governors. Many of the gubernatorial elections were viewed as proxies for voters' feelings about Trump, whose polarizing brand of politics appeared to galvanize turnout on both sides of the aisle compared with previous election cycles. New Hampshire and Vermont are the only two states where governors face re-election every two years. Vermont's governor, Republican Phil Scott, was also elected in 2016 and is defending his seat against Democrat Christine Hallquist. Story continues More From CNBC Republican Ron DeSantis is the apparent winner of the Florida governor race, beating Andrew Gillum Outspoken pro-Trump Republican Ron DeSantis is the apparent victor in the race for Florida's governor, triumphing over Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum in one of the mostly closely watched state elections in the country, NBC News projects. The former congressman came from behind to defeat his Democratic challenger in a race that drew frequent commentary from PresidentTrump. Trump endorsed DeSantis and rallied for him in the state, while disparaging Gillum as a "thief." Gillum, a liberal Democrat buffeted by endorsements from former President Barack Obama and Sen. Bernie Sanders, was narrowly favored by virtually all public polling ahead of Election Day. Outspoken pro-Trump Republican Ron DeSantis is the apparent victor in the race for Florida's governor, triumphing over Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum in one of the mostly closely watched state elections in the country, NBC News projects. Gillum conceded the race. DeSantis, a former congressman, came from behind to defeat his Democratic challenger in a race that drew frequent commentary from President Donald Trump. Trump endorsed DeSantis and rallied for him in the state, while disparaging Gillum as a "thief." Gillum, a liberal Democrat buffeted by endorsements from former President Barack Obama and Sen. Bernie Sanders, was narrowly favored by virtually all public polling ahead of Election Day. But that proved not to be enough, as a number of controversies that DeSantis amplified in the race's final weeks apparently closed the gap. An ongoing FBI probe into potential public corruption in Tallahassee ensnared Gillum in controversy despite his repeated claims that law enforcement told him he was not under investigation. The matter escalated last month after the release of text messages that raised questions about some of Gillum's previous explanations related to the investigation. At the forefront of the contest was race. Throughout the campaign, Gillum, who is black, accused DeSantis of making remarks designed to curry favor with white supremacists. Story continues The day after Gillum won the Democratic primary, DeSantis said in a television interview that voters should not elect Gillum and "monkey this up." In the following months, racist robocalls funded by a white supremacist group circulated calling Gillum a "negro" and a "monkey." DeSantis has said that his remarks were innocuous, and he denied responsibility for incendiary statements made by outside groups. DeSantis admitted to being ill-prepared to discuss race in an election of national import, having formerly represented a district with few minorities. Watch: Florida restores voting rights to more than 1 million former felons Nonetheless, at a debate last month, Gillum delivered a line that is likely to stick with DeSantis as he heads to the Governor's Mansion. "Now, I'm not calling Mr. DeSantis a racist," Gillum said. "I'm simply saying the racists believe he's a racist." DeSantis will succeed the term-limited Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican who ran for U.S. Senate against Democrat Bill Nelson. This is breaking news. Check back for updates. More From CNBC South Korea Cryptocurrency The Korean Bar Association has called on the government to establish a legal framework for the cryptocurrency and blockchain sector. In a news conference at the Korean parliament on Thursday, the Korean Bar Association publicly urged the government to develop laws designed to protect investors whilst encouraging the domestic blockchain industry. In quotes reported by Reuters, Bar Association president Kim Hyun said today: We urge the government to break away from negative perceptions and hesitation, and draw up bills to help develop the blockchain industry and prevent side effects involving cryptocurrencies. The notable lobbying effort by the Bar Association, a member body of all local lawyers in South Korea, comes at a time when the government pointedly excluded the domestic blockchain industry crypto exchanges included from the recognized list of certified venture firms in the country. In a parliamentary meeting in October, the chairman of South Koreas Financial Services Commission (FSC) stressed the regulator is sticking to its decision of outlawing initial coin offerings (ICOs) in the country. The continued stance is despite an ongoing legislative effort by South Korean lawmakers pushing for the ban to be overturned with clear guidelines for ICOs as a regulated financing method for companies and startups. Domestic cryptocurrency trading in South Korea remains among the most active markets in the world and is home the likes of Bithumb of Upbit both top 10 exchanges by trading volume. Last week, FSC commissioner Choi Jong-Ku reaffirmed that cryptocurrency exchanges complying with know your customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) norms will face no hurdles in gaining banking services in the country. Featured image from Shutterstock. The post South Korean Lawyers Lobby for Cryptocurrency, Investor Protection Laws appeared first on CCN. Australia Australias economy is still booming, but politics is a cause for concern Political infighting could harm the economy, says Edward McBride . THE LAST time Australia suffered a recession, the Soviet Union still existed and the internet did not. An American-led force had just liberated Kuwait, and almost half the worlds current population had not yet been born. Unlike most of its region, Australia was left unscathed by the Asian crash of 1997. Unlike most of the developed world, it shrugged off the global financial crisis, and unlike most commodity-exporting countries, it weathered the resources bust, too. No other rich country has ever managed to grow so steadily for so long (see chart 1). By that measure, at least, Australia boasts the worlds most successful economy. Admittedly, as Guy Debelle of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA, the central bank) points out, this title rests on the statistical definition of a recession as two consecutive quarters of decline. Had the 0.5% shrinkage of the fourth quarter of 2008 been spread across half a year, he notes, there would be no record. Yet by other measures, Australias economic performance is more remarkable still. Whereas many other rich countries have seen wages stagnate for decades, Australias have grown strongly, albeit less steadily in recent years (see chart 2). In other words, a problem that has agitated policymakersand votersaround the world, and has been blamed for all manner of political upheaval, from European populism to the election of Donald Trump, scarcely exists in Australia. And that is not the only way in which Australia stands out from its peers. At a time when governments around the world are souring on immigration, and even seeking to send some foreigners home, Australia has been admitting as many as 190,000 newcomers a yearnearly three times as many, relative to population, as America. Over 28% of the population was born in another country, far more than in other rich countries. Half of all living Australians were born abroad or are the child of someone who was. In part, this tolerance for outsiders may be a reflection of another remarkable feature of Australian society: the solvency of its welfare state. Complaints about foreign spongers are rare. Public debt amounts to just 41% of GDP (see chart 3)one of the lowest levels in the rich world. That, in turn, is a function not just of Australias enviable record in terms of growth, but also of a history of shrewd policymaking. Nearly 30 years ago, the government of the day overhauled the pension system. Since then workers have been obliged to save for their retirement through private investment funds. The modest public pension covers only those without adequate savings. Australias health-care system is also a public-private hybrid. The government provides coverage for all, by paying clinics and hospitals a set fee for every procedure they perform. Those who want more than the most basic service must pay a premium. The government encourages people to take out insurance to cover the gap between the reimbursement it provides practitioners and the rates most of them charge the public. As with pensions, everyone gets looked after, but the government bears only a relatively small proportion of the costan arrangement that remains a distant dream in most rich countries. Not all is perfect, of course. A common concern is that the economy relies too heavily on China, which is the biggest buyer of Australian minerals, the biggest source of tourists and foreign students, even the biggest consumer of Australian wine. People worry that if the Chinese economy falters, it will drag Australias down with it. Another fear, somewhat at odds with the first, is that China might try to use its economic power to blackmail Australia into weakening its alliance with America. There are glaring domestic problems, too. The appalling circumstances of many Aboriginals are a national embarrassment, and the failure to answer their political grievances compounds the rancour. Even more alarmingly, global warming is making an already gruelling climate harsher. Rainfall, never reliable, is scarcer and more erratic in many farming regions. Over the past two years unusually hot water has killed a third of the coral on the Great Barrier Reef, one of the countrys greatest natural treasures. In theory both the governing Liberal-National coalition (which is right-of-centre) and the main opposition, the left-leaning Labor Party, are committed to cutting emissions of greenhouse gases. But in practice climate change has been the subject of a never-ending political knife-fight, in which any government that attempts to enact meaningful curbs is so pilloried that it either loses the next election or is toppled by a rebellion among its own MPs. Some see the failure to settle on a coherent climate policy as a symptom of a deeper political malaise. Australia used to have long-lived governments. Between 1983 and 2007, just three prime ministers held office (Bob Hawke and Paul Keating of Labor, and John Howard of the Liberals). Yet, since then, the job has changed hands six times. A full term is only three years, but the last time a prime minister survived in office for a whole one was 2004-07. The assassins are usually not voters, but fellow MPs who dispatch their leader in hope of a boost in the polls. As part of the research for this special report, your correspondent interviewed Malcolm Turnbull, the prime minister at the time, who insisted his position was secure. He had been sacked by his fellow Liberals before the interview could be written up. The changes of PM have come so often that Madame Tussauds, a wax museum, has officially given up trying to make statues of the incumbent, who will inevitably have left office before a likeness is ready. The constant revolution is not just fodder for comedians; it also makes consistent policymaking much harder. For those who consider Australias unequalled economic performance the result, at least in part, of far-sighted decisions made 30 years ago, the current choppy politics seem like a harbinger of decline. This special report will try to explain Australias enviable record, and ask how long its good fortune can last. Is it adopting the reforms needed to keep the economy bounding ahead? Will it have to choose between China and America? Is the current generation of politicians up to the job? Is Australia, in short, as lucky a country as its nickname suggests, or is its current streak coming to an end? (Adds details, background) By Patricia Zengerle and Lesley Wroughton WASHINGTON, Nov 6 (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department said on Tuesday it would impose additional sanctions on Russia after Moscow failed to give reasonable assurances it would not use chemical weapons after a nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy in England. The department in August had threatened Russia with added sanctions after 90 days unless it complied with the 1991 Chemical and Biological Weapons and Warfare Elimination Act. Under the law, Russia had to end the use of the nerve agent Novichok, which was used in the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in March, commit to not using chemical weapons against its own people, and allow on-site inspections by agencies like the United Nations. "Today, the department informed Congress we could not certify that the Russian Federation met the conditions," U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement. "We intend to proceed in accordance with the terms of the CBW Act, which directs the implementation of additional sanctions," she added. Skripal, a former colonel in Russia's GRU military intelligence service, and his 33-year-old daughter, Yulia, were found slumped unconscious on a bench in the southern English city of Salisbury in March after a liquid form of Novichok was applied to his home's front door. Both survived the attack. European countries and the United States expelled 100 Russian diplomats after the attack, in the strongest action by President Donald Trump against Russia since he came to office. Moscow has repeatedly denied any involvement in the attack. An initial round of sanctions in August related to the Skripal poisoning targeted Russian national-security controlled goods. The second round of sanctions would be "more draconian," the State Department said at the time. The State Department did not say when the next batch of sanctions against Russia would be issued. Story continues Republican House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce said he was not surprised that Russia had not complied with the chemical weapons law and pressed the administration to move on the next round of penalties. "No one should be surprised that (Russian President) Vladimir Putin refuses to swear off future use of weapons-grade nerve agents," Royce said. "It is unacceptable that the administration lacks a plan or even a timeline - for action on the second round of mandatory sanctions required by U.S. law," he added. A Kremlin spokesman said on Tuesday that Putin and Trump will meet briefly in Paris next week, and U.S. officials said such a meeting was likely. (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton and Patricia Zengerle; editing by Richard Chang and G Crosse) The logo of Swiss bank UBS is seen in Zurich, Switzerland October 25, 2018. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann By Karen Freifeld and Michael Shields NEW YORK/ZURICH (Reuters) - The U.S. government on Thursday filed a civil fraud lawsuit accusing UBS Group AG , Switzerland's largest bank, of defrauding investors in its sale of residential mortgage-backed securities leading up to the 2008 global financial crisis. UBS was accused of misleading investors about the quality of billions of dollars of subprime and other risky mortgage loans backing 40 securities offerings, the Department of Justice said. The lawsuit was filed after UBS rejected the government's proposal that it pay nearly $2 billion to settle, according to a person familiar with the talks who was not authorized to speak publicly about them. UBS declined to comment on the lawsuit or the negotiations. It had said before the lawsuit was filed that it would contest the government's claims. A Justice Department spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the negotiations. UBS' case is one of the last addressing alleged misconduct in the pooling and sale by large banks of mortgage securities that were a major cause of the financial crisis. The Justice Department had previously settled similar claims against Bank of America Corp , Barclays Plc , Citigroup Inc , Credit Suisse Group AG , Deutsche Bank AG , Goldman Sachs Group Inc , JPMorgan Chase & Co and Morgan Stanley . It was not immediately clear how much UBS had set aside for a potential settlement, though analysts said they believed more than half of the 1.2 billion Swiss francs ($1.20 billion) the bank set aside for so-called non-core legal risks concerned the U.S. case. UBS shares closed up 1.3 percent in European trading on Thursday. (Additional reporting by Angelika Gruber in Zurich and Jonathan Stempel in New York; editing by Jane Merriman and Dan Grebler) By Allison Lampert and Stella Qiu MONTREAL/ZHUHAI, China, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Chinese companies and individuals are selling more used private planes than in previous years as economic growth slows in China, and U.S. buyers are snapping up hard-to-find models, according to interviews with business jet analysts, dealers and consultants. "Luxuries like private jets are often the first things to be parted with as the companies can no longer afford or justify them," said James Coak, vice president of international business development for Titan Aviation. So far this year, 15 of 268 business jets operating, based or registered in China have been sold outside of the country, compared with an annual average of 10 from 2014 to 2017, according to FlightAscend Consultancy data. Total used sales from China are expected to reach about 20 this year, FlightAscend senior valuations analyst Daniel Hall said. Half of this year's sales so far have landed in the United States, Hall said, where a sluggish business jet market in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis is turning around partly due to more favorable U.S. tax laws for corporate aircraft ownership. The uptick in U.S. demand has coincided with a decline in business optimism by private jet operators, owners and financiers in China, according to a survey by Hong Kong-based business aviation specialist Asian Sky Group. "My email is full of advertisements from brokers or inquiries from owners every day with aircraft for sale," Jackie Wu, president of Hong Kong-based private jet consultancy JetSolution Aviation Group, said in an email. Wu has seen a near-23 percent rise in sales from Greater China year-to-date, compared with the year-ago period, she said. The biennial Airshow China, the country's largest, runs this week in the coastal city of Zhuhai, where Gulfstream and other planemakers are looking to sell new jets. Among pre-owned Chinese planes recently sold, according to FlightAscend, are younger Gulfstream models such as the popular large-cabin G550, which can fly nonstop from Shanghai to Los Angeles. Reuters could not determine the identity of the sellers or buyers. Story continues Only 5 percent of the G550's worldwide fleet of 556 aircraft is for sale, according to data from Asian Sky Group. Typically, 6 to 9 percent of some 21,284 business jets worldwide can be found on the secondhand market, where dealers say the supply of pre-owned planes overall is shrinking, helping to prop up values. Reuters could not determine prices for second-hand G550s, but according to industry data cited by JetSolution, the market price for a 10-year-old Gulfstream G450 is around $11 million compared with a $38.9 million list price in 2008. According to FlightGlobal Values Analyzer data, business jets have lost an average of 7.1 percent in market value over the year. By contrast, business jets depreciated 11.6 percent from 2016 to 2017. Last month, Reuters reported that cash-strapped Chinese conglomerate HNA Group Co Ltd was selling its corporate "Dream Jet" sporting a "seven-star" hotel-style cabin. (Reporting by Allison Lampert in Montreal, Stella Qiu in Zhuhai and Jamie Freed in Singapore; additional reporting by Eric M. Johnson in Seattle; Editing by Tracy Rucinski and Richard Chang) U.S. Supreme Court. Photo: Mike Scarcella / NLJ With nearly $315 million in damages at stake, the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday appeared divided over whether injured sailors and families of the 2000 USS Cole bombing gave proper notice of their lawsuit to the Republic of Sudan eight years ago. The justices heard hourlong arguments in Republic of Sudan v. Harrison, stemming from a default judgment won by the Cole plaintiffs who claimed Sudan provided material support to al-Qaida and Osama bin Laden. The terrorist attack in Yemen killed 17 sailors and injured 39 others. But during arguments, the justices struggled with an arcane issue that could force the Cole familiesif they loseto restart their long and difficult litigation under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, or FSIA. Did they comply with the act by mailing notice of their complaint to Sudan's embassy in the United States? Or were they required by the act and international law to send it to the foreign affairs minister's address in Sudan? Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. told White & Case partner Christopher Curran, representing Sudan, that his "first instinct" if he wanted to mail something to the head or cabinet member of a foreign country, would be delivering it to the embassy. "I mean, the idea of mailing it to the foreign minister in some country and assuming it's going to get there in any reasonable time, I think you're much moremuch more likely to reach them through the embassy," Roberts said. The key provision in the FSIA does not say to mail notice "at his own office," Justice Elena Kagan told Curran. "And in the absence of that kind of language, there seems something special about the embassy situation. That's just everybody understands that embassies are supposed to be the point of contact if you want to do anything with respect to a foreign government." But Curran countered that embassies exist to serve diplomatic functions, "not to be a catch-all recipient for service of process or other things being sent to the foreign state." He argued that the plain meaning of the service provisionthat the mailing be dispatched to a specific personrequires that the mailing bear the address of that person. "When Congress intended there to be an intermediary between the sender and the ultimate recipient, it said so," said Curran, adding that Congress did so in another provision of the act, but not in the provision at issue in the high court. Curran also argued that service on an embassy violates the Vienna Convention of Diplomatic Relations, which provides that the premises of the embassy or mission is "inviolable." Curran received an argument boost from Assistant to the Solicitor General Erica Ross. Williams & Connolly partner Kannon Shanmugam, representing the Cole families, told the justices that Sudan was trying to reverse a $300 million judgment based on "an unstated procedural requirement." There is no requirement in the FSIA notice provision that the mailing be sent to the home country, he said. Story continues Kannon Shanmugam, with Williams & Connolly, chatting before the start of Allison Jones Rushings confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee to be U.S. circuit judge for the Fourth Circuit, on Oct. 17, 2018. Justice Sonia Sotomayor said the foreign minister is not physically at the embassy except for occasional visits. "It seems a natural understanding under most due process concerns that you serve the person where you're likely to find them," she said. The United States and 22 other countries do not accept service on their embassies, said Justice Stephen Breyer. "And to turn over to these countries, often very small, often without adequate legal advice, something that departs from a simple legal rule that everyone of them has followed in one form or another in the past is something that makes me nervous," he said. Shanmugam told Breyer there are steps a country can take: It does not have to accept service and can return the service packet immediately, and a country can object to any default judgment. He also said the justices could distinguish embassies from consulates and U.N. missions on the ground that embassies perform a unique function. "The reason that we attempted service at the embassy was for the simple reason that, in 2004, Sudan was at the tail end of its Civil War and it was very hard even to find someone who would deliver a package to Khartoum with the requisite return receipt," Shanmugam said. "And so this case really illustrates why this policy makes sense." "What would be the consequences in this particular case if you had to go back and if we were to rule against you and you succeed in achieving service under another provision of FSIA?" asked Justice Samuel Alito Jr. "Would Sudan appear?" The case would have to start over, replied Shanmugam, and that would be particularly inequitable. The statute, he said, does not have the notice requirement sought by Sudan and Sudan had actual notice of the litigation. "We're talking about an objection that was raised at the very last minute in response to turnover orders. And that would be the height of unfairness to the Cole victims." Read more: DC Circuit Vacancy Buzz Ramps Up After Kavanaugh's Elevation SCOTUS Advocates Grumble at Proposed Rules to Shorten Filings Williams & Connolly Partner, Up for 4th Circuit, Discloses $650K Income Liberal Justices Push Back on Pro-Arbitration Arguments Appellate Hot List 2018: Williams & Connolly AMSTERDAM, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Veon, the telecommunications company formerly known as VimpelCom, said on Thursday its third-quarter core earnings fell nearly 19 percent from a year earlier due to currency fluctuations in its core markets. Earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) declined $194 million to $848 million, while revenue dropped 5.7 percent $2.3 billion, Veon said in a statement. The fall was "largely due to currency headwinds amounting to $289 million in Russia, Pakistan and Uzbekistan," it added. The mobile phone operator tried in recent years to reinvent itself as a new high-tech player, in hopes of making money from apps and service commissions instead of classic voice and data subscriptions. But this year it reshuffled management and sold its 50 percent stake in the Italian Wind Tre joint venture with CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd, the business that was leading the strategy change. In the third quarter, sales fell in Russia, Algeria, Bangladesh and Uzbekistan, while rising in Pakistan and Ukraine. (Reporting by Anthony Deutsch; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu) BlackRock is the latest financial institution to be investigated in Germany over so-called cum-ex transactions. Photo: Daniel Acker/Getty Images When BlackRock (BLK) offices were raided in Munich this week, it became the latest global financial institution to become ensnared in a long-running German investigation into shady tax practices that are estimated to have cost the German government and taxpayers more than 5bn (4.4bn, $5.7bn). Spains Santander (SAN.MC) and Germanys Deutsche Bank (DBK.DE, DB) are also under investigation in relation to the scheme. All three banks told Yahoo Finance UK that they were cooperating with German authorities, who have been investigating this issue since 2013. Deutsche Bank specified that it didnt actively participate in the market, but was involved with some transactions on behalf of its clients. Heres what you need to know: Whats the problem? Authorities say companies took advantage of a tax loophole in Germany by using a sneaky practice known as cum-ex to enrich themselves and take money from the state. Financial institutions allegedly conducted a series of trades with one another in dividend-paying shares, and the trading was timed in a way that multiple institutions were later able to apply for tax refunds linked to the dividends. In theory, each tax refund should have only been claimed by a single party, not multiple institutions. The government had a loss in revenue because they had to refund taxes multiple times when the tax was only paid once, explained Sonja Klein, a Frankfurt-based lawyer and tax advisor at the international law firm, Baker McKenzie. Klein said this technically wasnt illegal at the time, but it took advantage of a weakness in the system. The law had not been properly drafted, she said. The BlackRock transactions under investigation in Germany took place between 2007 and 2011. What kind of penalties could be expected? If companies were found to have taken part in criminal activity through these trades and transactions, they could be ordered to repay any tax gains they made to the state, along with interest, said Klein. Story continues Prison sentences for individuals could also be a possibility, she said. What happens next? Germanys finance minister Olaf Scholz tweeted this week that countries across the European Union should cooperate to prevent new attempts to cheat Europes tax rules. He said the German Ministry of Finance would be vigilant in monitoring for shady cum-ex transactions and similar schemes. Denmark is also investigating similar transactions, with authorities saying they lost about $2 billion in relation to these tax practices. Authorities have subpoenaed more than 420 companies and people, freezing hundreds of millions of euros of assets around the globe. With files from Reuters Summary Indias internal pressures and geographic isolation have long kept its government focused primarily on the affairs of the subcontinent. But fearing encirclement by Chinas expanding military presence, and depending more and more on vital economic lifelines through hotly contested waters, New Delhi is expanding Indias defense presence across the Indo-Pacific. From the shores of southeastern Africa to the mouth of the Malacca Strait and, increasingly, into East and Southeast Asia, India is wooing strategically located states and winning access to foreign ports and military bases, while building up naval and air infrastructure to leverage the geographic advantages its own remote territories provide. This Deep Dive surveys the strategic logic, advantages and limitations of Indias expanding military footprint in each corner of the Indian Ocean basin. It also looks at how a greater Indian presence might bolster the emerging multinational effort to contain Chinas advance. Ultimately, it concludes that while India lacks Beijings deep pockets and the pace and scale of Chinas military buildup, it has geography and ample international support working in its favor. Why India Is Pushing Outward For a country with more than 4,500 miles (7,200 kilometers) of coastline, India has never been particularly ambitious in the maritime sphere. This is largely because its never had much reason to look beyond the subcontinent at all. Geographically, India is protected by the near-impenetrable Himalayas to its north, unforgiving tropical terrain to its east and deserts to the west, and buffered by the vast waters of the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the open ocean. Any outside power attempting to threaten the heartland would have to arrive either overland, through the Hindu Kush and Indus valley, or by sea. Either way it would confront Indias demographic immensity, which makes direct subjugation by force nearly impossible. That outside powers have dominated the subcontinent is a result mainly of its internal fractiousness. Its primary occupiers the Moguls from the 11th century to the 18th century and the Europeans beginning shortly thereafter succeeded because they managed to turn India against itself, deftly exploiting the competition among various factions and power centers to cultivate coalitions of collaborators who would support their largely commercial aims. (click to enlarge) With that history in mind, India has generally focused inward since its independence. Its viability as a modern nation-state has hinged on its governments abilities to manage internal divisions. External geopolitics, with the exceptions of the periodic blowups with Pakistan and occasional border clashes with China, took a back seat to more immediate concerns. But the demands of this endeavor are changing, along with Indias broader strategic environment. To fuel growth and development, Indias economic interests have expanded far beyond the subcontinent. The country has well over a billion mouths to feed, and sustaining the level of economic growth and modernization necessary to support this population has given India a voracious appetite for commodity imports such as energy. Last year, around 47 percent of the total energy India consumed came from imports, including more than 80 percent of its oil needs. As a result, the country has been quickly expanding its naval presence around critical chokepoints near the Arabian Peninsula and Horn of Africa waters known to be teeming with pirates, rebels and explosive risks rooted in Middle Eastern rivalries. Around 40 percent of Indias trade passes through the similarly turbulent waters of the Malacca Strait. (click to enlarge) (click to enlarge) At the same time, the interests of other emerging powers have also expanded. In fact, the foremost driver of Indias expansion is Chinas growing presence in the Indian Ocean. Neither India nor China has much interest in duking it out for supremacy in the Indo-Pacific. Chinas core strategic concern is the series of maritime chokepoints to its east and south that an outside naval power could use to sever its access to critical sea lines of communication. Indias core strategic concern is its internal incoherence and the hostile nuclear power across its western border. The problem is that as China moves to address its primary strategic concerns to its east, secondary issues to its southwest are becoming more important, making India, largely unwittingly, more of a potential threat, and vice versa. China needs to find ways to bypass chokepoints in the East and South China seas, meaning it needs to build deep-water ports, pipelines and rail lines in Indias backyard. And to prepare for a potential conflict that blocks its maritime chokepoints, it also needs to develop naval forces to keep its backup outlets open and counter enemy forces coming from the west an effort that will require a network of bases and logistics facilities on Indias periphery to support them. Were skeptical about Chinas prospects for success in building out this String of Pearls and in developing into a naval power capable of dominating distant waters. But theres little reason to doubt Chinas intentions to try. For India, the reason for Beijings strategic fears is meaningless, as is the reality that China is still too weak to project substantial power into the Indian Ocean. Whatever Chinas intentions, India feels encircled by a country with a seemingly insatiable appetite for power one that happens to be arming New Delhis most dangerous rival and intent on building a blue-water navy, putting it at an intolerable risk of a two-front war. And so, as Chinas defense footprint expands into the Indian Ocean basin, India is urgently trying to expand its own presence, both in its immediate periphery and in Chinas front yard. This is particularly important since Indias naval modernization lags considerably behind Chinas rapidly developing maritime capabilities . India is beginning to invest heavily in maritime power projection assets, including a new fleet of nuclear submarines and its first indigenously built aircraft carrier, as well as a growing arsenal of anti-ship missiles, maritime surveillance planes and anti-submarine warfare aircraft. Its also considered to have inherited ample operational expertise from the British. Even if India has little hope of checking Chinese operations across the vast Indian Ocean, it does have some options to confront China where its most vulnerable. An Expanding Sphere of Influence Indias expansion is still very much a work in progress. To date, it has a single overseas military base in Tajikistan which is useful for containing Pakistan and keeping an eye on Chinas expanding footprint in the Himalayas but irrelevant in the maritime realm. It is aiming, however, to develop several other naval and air bases across the Indo-Pacific. Perhaps more important, its deepening ties with numerous other regional states that are similarly concerned about Chinas rise. These partnerships could give India access to a network of existing bases operated by a range of outside Powers. (click to enlarge) Southeast Asia The strategic reality of Indias budding naval rivalry with China is most apparent in Southeast Asia. In the unlikely event that major maritime hostilities were to erupt between them, the rapidly growing Peoples Liberation Army Navy would vastly outgun India. But that would matter only if the conflict were to take place one-on-one in open waters. It wouldnt. India has an inherent advantage over China one that countries like Japan and the U.S. have as well: China depends entirely on sea lanes that pass through bottlenecks such as the Malacca, Sunda and Lombok straits. Indias main strategic task is to be in position to help block Chinese ships at these chokepoints should a conflict with China break out. It, by contrast, doesnt have any such chokepoints in its immediate periphery. And the chokepoints that could threaten important sea lanes on which India relies those around the Arabian Peninsula are also critical to other major powers and far from Chinese shores. Indias advantage in this regard is most apparent in the Andaman and Nicobar islands. Located directly south of Myanmar in the Andaman Sea, the 527-island archipelago, which India controls, serves as the gateway to the Malacca Strait. India, naturally, has been scrambling to build out its military infrastructure there. Currently, the islands host a number of reconnaissance aircraft and sub hunters critical for monitoring Chinese activities in the waters but only one infantry brigade and a small force of patrol vessels. Plans call for a dramatic expansion to accommodate a division-level force and several warships, and in May India announced that it would station a fighter squadron on the islands for the first time since World War II. The Andaman and Nicobar islands also facilitate stronger military ties with Southeast Asian states. In May, Indonesia tentatively agreed to give Indian warships access to a port on the nearby Indonesian island of Sabang, just north of Sumatra, and potentially to others on the Sunda and Lombok straits. An Indian warship made its first visit to the port at Sabang, which India is expected to help expand, a month later. New Delhi is keen to gain a toehold on the other end of the Malacca Strait as well. Last year, it inked a deal with Singapore allowing for temporary deployments to and mutual logistics support at each others naval facilities, including Singapores all-important Changi Naval Base, which currently hosts rotational U.S. warship deployments. (India is reportedly working on a similar agreement with Japan.) Indias defense presence is extending even into the South China Sea. In 2016, it signed a deal with Vietnam to set up a satellite tracking and imaging station in the southern part of that country, giving both parties much-needed eyes on the South China Sea, including areas where India has secured oil concessions from Vietnam. (India has similar stations in Brunei and Indonesia.) Vietnam also offered New Delhi exclusive naval access to the port of Nha Trang, not far from Chinas critical sub hub at Hainan, in 2011, illustrating Hanois interest in encouraging outside powers to jump into the South China Sea fray. The Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa As noted earlier, Indias ambitions would stall out without access to steady flows of imported oil and other critical commodities. For that reason, India has devoted much of its attention to potential chokepoints at the mouths of the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. That a military footprint in this region serves its interests in keeping tabs on China and, to a lesser extent, Pakistan is an added bonus. So too is the favor that India will gain with stronger naval powers like the U.S. by demonstrating its ability to contribute to a common cause. Of particular note is Indias burgeoning military partnership with Oman, which sits south of the ever-tenuous Strait of Hormuz. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed an agreement in February granting his countrys naval vessels access to the port of Duqm and giving Indian aircraft access to several Omani air bases. In addition, India operates a signals intelligence station in the city of Ras al Hadd, in northeastern Oman. The Middle East and the Horn of Africa are also where Indias recent logistics cooperation agreements with France and the United States are most likely to come in handy. The deal with France, reached in March, is expected to give the Indian navy access to facilities in Djibouti (home to Chinas first overseas military base) and Abu Dhabi. The U.S. deal may provide India access to any number of U.S. bases across the region. Despite its growing partnership with the U.S., India has been keen to expand into Iran, too. An Indian firm, for example, is developing a deep-water port in the Iranian town of Chabahar. Theres nothing yet to suggest that India will ever have naval access to the port, but the possibility cannot be ruled out. The port would certainly be valuable to several of its strategic aims. Its located just 215 miles from the deep-water port China is building in Gwadar, Pakistan, where at least a limited Chinese naval presence is likely in the future . And its even closer to the Pakistani port town of Jiwani, which China is eyeing for a full-fledged naval and air base. At a minimum, Chabahar will enable India to route commodity imports from Afghanistan away from Pakistan. Southern Indian Ocean Indias priorities in the stretch of water between it and southeastern Africa are similar to its interests around the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa: ensuring the free flow of maritime traffic through turbulent waters and countering Chinese encirclement. To those ends, India has often been willing to flex its muscles to ensure that the tiny archipelagic nations in the area stay firmly in its orbit when outside powers start poking around in the region. In 1983, for example, India was ready to mount a naval operation to stop a coup attempt from ousting the prime minister of Mauritius. It pulled the trigger in the Seychelles three years later, sending a warship to foil a coup against another allied leader. And in 1988, India once more dispatched commandos and naval ships to stop a coup, this time in the Maldives. It was a Chinese naval deployment around the Maldives that is believed to have deterred India from intervening there again last spring when the countrys president, supported by China, imposed a state of emergency and arrested several opposition leaders, including the former president whom India rescued in 1988. Chinas newfound interest in these states and the largesse it has flaunted to secure political influence in their capitals is posing a fresh challenge to Indias sphere of influence while complicating New Delhis defense ambitions. In the Seychelles, for example, India struck an agreement in 2015 for the joint development of Assumption Island, including the construction of an airstrip and a jetty. The deal has since become mired in domestic political opposition and concern about jeopardizing the flow of Chinese aid and investment. In January, India conceded to a revised, watered-down deal with strict stipulations, such as a clause precluding India from using the island during wartime. And even these changes have not been enough to secure ratification in the Seychelles parliament. Indias experience in Mauritius has been similar. As with the Seychelles, New Delhi closed an infrastructure agreement in 2015 that was seen as a precursor to a potential Indian military base on the islands of Agalega. Chinese money has since come pouring into Mauritius including $700 million for a special economic zone possibly stalling momentum toward an expanded Indian military presence. In the Maldives, meanwhile, the China-backed government in June declined to renew an agreement allowing a small Indian military presence on the archipelago and joint maritime patrols. (The government was voted out of office last month, and the Indian military contingent reportedly has yet to leave the Maldives.) China, too, is learning firsthand the difficulties of navigating domestic political complications and sovereignty concerns in its Belt and Road Initiative projects. Nevertheless, India is already operating a coastal surveillance radar station in Mauritius, as well as one in Madagascar. It may also gain entry to the naval base on the French island of Reunion, between Mauritius and Madagascar, thanks to its new logistics exchange agreement with Paris. Furthermore, just northeast of Mauritius is the British-owned Diego Garcia atoll, home to the largest U.S. military base in the Indian Ocean, which India may soon have access to under its recent deals with Washington. Strategic Implications Taken as a whole, Indias expansion highlights both its enduring limitations and its value as a partner for other powers. The country is still struggling to win the necessary support of regional states to build out its own network of bases. Like China, India is finding that small countries tend to be quite adept at playing competition between larger rivals to their benefit and extraordinarily averse to the risks of getting caught in the crossfire of a conflict between great powers. But New Delhi does not have pockets deep enough to easily lock down political support for a substantial military presence across its periphery, nor does it have the military power to make it clear that an Indian security presence is the best and only option for states in the region. Then again, India also doesnt have to carry the burden of its defense imperatives alone, unlike China. It merely needs to prove itself valuable to outside powers the U.S. and its allies in particular and to smaller, strategically located states that are wary of Chinas rise. These countries have ample interest in giving India the access to bases it needs to play its role, meaning India doesnt have to build a network of facilities from scratch, an immense undertaking. This goal, in part, drives Indias contributions to securing sea lanes around the Arabian Peninsula, and it would also drive the countrys willingness to join multinational operations around chokepoints in Southeast Asia should push come to shove with China. India is not preparing for an inevitable war with China. Of course, New Delhi wants to be ready for that and all possibilities. But like its partners in the Quad security alliance Japan, Australia and the United States Indias overriding goal is to make it exceedingly unwise for China to ever try to start a war in the first place. Japan, India and Australia have ample overlapping interests and little reason to be suspicious of one anothers long-term intentions. Theyre separated by several thousand miles, though, and their respective naval buildups have focused on developing the capabilities to address threats in largely discrete spheres. Left to their own devices, each would be overly dependent on the U.S. to counter a challenge from China directly on its behalf. Given the possibility that the U.S. might be tied down elsewhere, or simply be disinclined to make a costly intervention in regional affairs, there is a risk that China could one day see an opening to exploit the gaps in Australias, Japans and Indias respective capabilities and reach, and that it would try to address its own geographic vulnerabilities by force. Thats why each country is moving to put the pieces in place for a lasting containment structure in advance the geography of which could make it vastly greater than the sum of its parts. A Fortune 500 company wants to build two warehouse-distribution centers near the Colorado Springs Airport employing a significant number of people, according to documents included in the agenda for Tuesdays Colorado Springs City Council meeting. The Colorado Springs Airport wants to sell 88 acres in its business park to an unidentified Fortune 500 corporation for a pair of warehouse-distribution facilities, according to a resolution on the councils agenda. The resolution doesnt identify the company, and city officials declined Thursday to comment, citing a nondisclosure agreement with the company. The vote comes just days after online retail giant Amazon opened a temporary delivery station that employs 300 in a large tent just north of Milton E. Proby Parkway near the airports rental car hub. The company began training workers at the station Wednesday and will ramp up operations throughout the holiday season, said Amanda Ip, an Amazon spokeswoman in Seattle. The vacant land is divided into 18- and 70-acre parcels in the southwest corner of the business park along Powers Boulevard south of Milton E Proby Parkway. A presentation included with the documents lists the 18-acre parcel as Project Jungle, earmarked for a local warehouse distribution facility, while the 70-acre parcel is listed as Project Rodeo, envisioned as another warehouse distribution facility. The presentation says the projects will result in significant job creation and will become an anchor user of Peak Innovation Park (the airports business park), among other economic impacts listed. Bob Cope, the citys economic development officer, declined to comment Thursday on the proposed sale of property in the business park, citing a confidentiality agreement with the buyer. The citys Airport Advisory Commission asked the council late last month to declare the two parcels and five smaller parcels as surplus city property for the two projects. It also wanted to designate five directors of the newly created Peak Metropolitan District as the logical potential purchaser for each parcel, as required under the citys code and regulations. The proposed council resolution in the agenda says development of the planned warehouse distribution facility enhances the probability of attracting increased air-cargo services at the Airport, and therefore selling the Property to the Purchaser, in particular, creates a strong synergy with the Airport. The transaction must be made at fair market value and an appraisal is in process, according to the resolution. The deal also must be approved by the Federal Aviation Administration, which verbally agreed the intended use would be compatible with the Airport after a meeting about the transaction, the resolution says. The city wants to form the metropolitan district to issue up to $200 million in bonds to build streets, utilities and other public improvements in the 1,547-acre business park, as well as approximately 1,000 acres of undeveloped land adjacent to the airports two longest runways. Plans for the business park call for the creation of up to three special districts. Amazon opened the temporary station at the airport as the final step in delivering merchandise to customers through either companies or individuals under contract to make deliveries for Amazon, said Ip, the Amazon spokeswoman. The station employs part- and full-time seasonal and permanent workers, she said. We are excited to be in Colorado and Colorado Springs. Our goal is get merchandise to customers faster. So when we are looking at demand, it really is about where our customers are. Craig Anderson, a veteran commercial real estate broker with NAI Highland in Colorado Springs, said last month he didnt know details of Amazons plans for the city, but speculated that the tent would allow the company to launch operations in the Springs while it builds a permanent distribution center nearby. Ip declined to comment on any Amazon connection to the two airport parcels. Amazon employs more than 2,000 in the Denver area. Operations include a sorting center near Denver International Airport, a distribution center in Thornton, another delivery station in Aurora, an engineering operation in Boulder focused on digital advertising and cloud computing, and a retail store at Park Meadows mall. Denver also is among 20 finalists for the online retailing giants second headquarters. Contact Wayne Heilman 636-0234 Facebook www.facebook.com/wayne.heilman An El Paso County Court judge who was slapped with a scathing job review in this years Blue Book will soon be out of a job. Voters on Tuesday ousted Judge Christopher Acker by a six-point margin, casting 86,268 votes against keeping him for another four-year term compared to 76,113 votes in support of his retention. Ackers term will expire Jan. 7, said Jon Sarche, a spokesman for the Colorado Judicial Branch. A search for his replacement will begin once election results are certified. Ackers ouster came three months after a Colorado Commission on Judicial Performance panel issued a rare failing grade to Acker, concluding in a 4-1 vote that he does not meet performance standards. In a harsh assessment printed in this years voters guide, which went out to all registered voters in El Paso and Teller counties, the nonpartisan panel knocked Acker over complaints he is biased in favor of prosecutors, rude to people who appear before him and formulaic in his approach to justice. The panel based its critiques on surveys from attorneys, court staff and members of the public, as well from in-court observations, a review of written opinions and a personal interview with the judge. In a 100-word response, Acker defended his standing as a law and order judge who incarcerates dangerous drivers, punishes probation violators and holds to the letter of the law. Acker did not respond to a message on his voice mail requesting comment. Three other El Paso County Court judges and eight 4th Judicial District judges were retained Tuesday after earning positive reviews. Only two other El Paso County judges have received negative job reviews since the judicial review system was created in 1988, and both were retained by voters despite a Do not retain recommendation printed in the Blue Book. This year, at the direction of the state Legislature, the commission dropped the Retain/Do not retain language and instead presented its assessments without a recommendation to voters keeping the focus on whether judges met or failed to meet performance standards. That change appeared to resonate with voters, said Kent Wagner, the executive director on the state Office of Judicial Performance Evaluation. Of the 128 judges up for review this year, two received failing grades, and both were voted out, according to preliminary results. Eighteenth Judicial District Judge Phillip L. Douglass was the other judge ousted from office Tuesday after a negative review. We had comments from some folks saying they didnt like that we were telling them how to vote, Wagner said. Each judicial district is assigned a performance review board, generally with 10 members, consisting of four attorneys and six nonattorneys. Members are appointed by the chief justice of the Colorado Supreme Court, the governor, the speaker of the House and the president of the Senate. Since 1990 the year of Colorados first judicial retention election a total of 14 judges have been removed by voters, Wagner. Ten of them received negative job reviews, and the remaining four were voted out despite a positive recommendation. This years election which set a new record for midterm voters saw high interest in the commissions work, along with confidence in their findings. The state website that carries judicial evaluations received roughly 2 million visits between October and November, double the number from a comparable period in 2016. The fiery confirmation hearings of now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh likely stoked some of the interest, Wagner said, spawning questions from the public about how judges are selected in Colorado and how they are retained. Killer Politicians Jeffrey D. Sachs Americans are rightly horrified at Jamal Khashoggis brutal murder, yet most fail to recognize that their own leaders' murderous ways may be little different than those who ordered Khashoggis death. The pervasiveness of state-sponsored killings is no excuse for treating murder as acceptable, ever. NEW YORK Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest? asked Henry II as he instigated the murder of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, in 1170. Down through the ages, presidents and princes around the world have been murderers and accessories to murder, as the great Harvard sociologist Pitirim Sorokin and Walter Lunden documented in statistical detail in their masterwork Power and Morality. One of their main findings was that the behavior of ruling groups tends to be more criminal and amoral than that of the people over whom they rule. What rulers crave most is deniability. But with the murder of the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi by his own government, the poisoning of former Russian spies living in the United Kingdom, and whispers that the head of Interpol, Meng Hongwei, may have been executed in China, the curtain has been slipping more than usual of late. In Riyadh, Moscow, and even Beijing, the political class is scrambling to cover up its lethal ways. But no one should feel self-righteous here. American presidents have a long history of murder, something unlikely to trouble the current incumbent, Donald Trump, whose favorite predecessor, Andrew Jackson, was a cold-blooded murderer, slaveowner, and ethnic cleanser of native Americans. For Harry Truman, the atomic bombing of Hiroshima spared him the likely high cost of invading Japan. But the second atomic bombing, of Nagasaki, was utterly indefensible and took place through sheer bureaucratic momentum: the bombing apparently occurred without Trumans explicit order. Since 1947, the deniability of presidential murder has been facilitated by the CIA, which has served as a secret army (and sometime death squad) for American presidents. The CIA has been a party to murders and mayhem in all parts of the world, with almost no oversight or accountability for its countless assassinations. It is possible, though not definitively proved, that the CIA even assassinated UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold. The CIA has only been held to public account on one occasion: the 1975 US Senate hearings led by Frank Church. Since then, the CIA has continued its violent and, yes, murderous ways, without any accountability for it or for the presidents who authorized its actions. Many mass killings by presidents have involved the conventional military. Lyndon Johnson escalated US military intervention in Vietnam on the pretext of a North Vietnamese attack in the Gulf of Tonkin that never happened. Richard Nixon went further: by carpet-bombing Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, he sought to instill in the Soviet Union the fear that he was an irrational leader capable of anything. (Nixons willingness to implement his madman theory is perhaps the self-fulfilling proof of his madness.) In the end, the Johnson-Nixon American war in Indochina cost millions of innocent lives. There was never a true accounting, and perhaps the opposite: plenty of precedents for later mass killings by US forces. The mass killings in Iraq under George W. Bush are of course better known, because the US-led war there was made for TV. A supposedly civilized country engaged in shock and awe to overthrow another countrys government on utterly false pretenses. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians died as a result. Barack Obama was widely attacked by the right for being too soft, yet he, too, notched up quite a death toll. His administration repeatedly approved drone attacks that killed not only terrorists, but also innocents and US citizens who opposed Americas bloody wars in Muslim countries. He signed the presidential finding authorizing the CIA to cooperate with Saudi Arabia in overthrowing the Syrian government. That covert operation (hardly discussed in the polite pages of the New York Times) led to an ongoing civil war that has resulted in hundreds of thousands of civilian deaths and millions displaced from their homes. He used NATO airstrikes to overthrow Libyas Muammar el-Qaddafi, resulting in a failed state and ongoing violence. Under Trump, the US has abetted Saudi Arabias mass murder (including of children) in Yemen by selling it bombs and advanced weapons with almost no awareness, oversight, or accountability by the Congress or the public. Murder committed out of view of the media is almost no longer murder at all. When the curtain slips, as with the Khashoggi killing, we briefly see the world as it is. A Washington Post columnist is lured to a brutal death and dismembered by Americas close ally. The American-Israeli-Saudi big lie that Iran is at the center of global terrorism, a claim refuted by the data, is briefly threatened by the embarrassing disclosure of Khashoggis grisly end. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who ostensibly ordered the operation, is put in charge of the investigation of the case; the Saudis duly cashier a few senior officials; and Trump, a master of non-stop lies, parrots official Saudi tall tales about a rogue operation. A few government and business leaders have postponed visits to Saudi Arabia. The list of announced withdrawals from a glitzy investment conference is a whos who of Americas military-industrial complex: top Wall Street bankers, CEOs of major media companies, and senior officials of military contractors, such as Airbuss defense chief. The US prides itself on being a constitutional democracy, yet when it comes to foreign policy, the president is little different from a despot. Trump has just announced the US withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Force Treaty without so much as a mention to Congress. Political scientists should test the following hypothesis: countries led by presidents (as in the US) and non-constitutional monarchs (as in Saudi Arabia), rather than by parliaments and prime ministers, are especially vulnerable to murderous politics. Parliaments provide no guarantees of restraint, but one-man rule in foreign policy, as in the US and Saudi Arabia, almost guarantees massive bloodletting. Americans are rightly horrified by Khashoggis murder. But their own governments murderous ways may be little different. The pervasiveness of state-sponsored killings is no excuse for treating murder as acceptable, ever. It is instead a rationale for subjecting power to strict constitutional constraints and especially to international law, including the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This is our only true hope for survival and safety in a world where the casual resort to violence can easily be the end of all of us. Jeffrey D. Sachs, Professor of Sustainable Development andProfessor of Health Policy and Management at Columbia University,is Director of Columbias Center for Sustainable Development andof the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. His books include The End of Poverty, Common Wealth, The Age of Sustainable Development, Building the New American Economy, and most recently, A New Foreign Policy: Beyond American Exceptionalism. As we approach the winter months when driving is often more of a challenge, Colorado Springs drivers really need a reality check and a reminde English French Dutch Kinepolis Group opens new Landmark cinema in Fort McMurray, Canada November 8, 2018 Landmark Cinemas, subsidiary of Kinepolis Group NV, announces the grand opening of its new luxury recliner seating movie-going experience in Fort McMurray, at The Commons at Eagle Ridge, on November 9, 2018. The brand new eight-screen cinema replaces the existing six-screen Landmark cinema downtown. All eight of the new theatres auditoriums feature Landmarks new luxury recliner power seating (880 seats in total) in a full-stadium configuration. This new premium movie-going experience features motorized, fully reclining seats with extended footrest to provide each guest with a significant increase in personal space and a relaxing, disruption-free movie experience. We are incredibly excited to introduce the recliner movie-going experience to the residents of Fort McMurray, said Eddy Duquenne, CEO of Kinepolis Group, as it truly changes how people enjoy their night out at the movies. The community has served Landmark well in its downtown location over the past eleven years, and we are excited to welcome everyone to enjoy this new world-class movie-going experience at the Commons at Eagle Ridge. We are excited about Landmark Cinemas opening at Eagle Ridge, stated Cole Harris, President and COO of Centron and owner of The Commons development. This opening is an important milestone in realizing our vision of providing residents of Fort McMurray, and the surrounding regions, with over 250,000 square feet of retail amenities including restaurants, retail outlets and services. Kinepolis Group acquired Landmark Cinemas, Canadas second largest movie theatre group, in December 2017. Landmark currently operates 45 cinemas in Central and Western Canada, totaling 319 screens and more than 57,000 seats. Contact Kinepolis Press Office +32 (0)9 241 00 16 pressoffice@kinepolis.com About Kinepolis Kinepolis Group NV was formed in 1997 as a result of the merger of two family-run cinema groups and was listed on the stock exchange in 1998. Kinepolis offers an innovative cinema concept which serves as a pioneering model within the industry. In addition to its cinema business, the Group is also active in film distribution, event organization, screen publicity and property management. In Europe, Kinepolis Group NV has 52 cinemas spread across Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Poland. Since the acquisition of the Canadian movie theatre group 'Landmark Cinemas' in December 2017, Kinepolis also operates 45 cinemas in Canada. OTTAWA, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Orezone Gold Corporation (TSXV: ORE) (Orezone or the Company) is pleased to provide a development update on its 90%-owned Bombore Gold Project including key additions to its project development team in Burkina Faso. The Company has recently completed the recruitment of a project leadership team consisting of senior mining professionals with track records of success in West Africa. We are delighted to have assembled an exceptional team to continue the advancement of Bombore into the next stage of development. Orezone is advancing the project with commencement of detailed engineering, early-stage construction activities including upgrades to the camp and surrounding infrastructure, along with progress on its Resettlement Action Plan (RAP). We believe with the team that is now in place, the Company is well positioned to construct Bombore into one of the next operating gold mines in Burkina Faso with commercial production expected to commence by the end of 2020, said Patrick Downey, President and CEO. Key Project Appointments The Company has appointed Andre Baya as General Manager and Jason Snow as Project Manager to its Bombore management committee. They will lead the projects execution and operational readiness efforts. Andre Baya, General Manager Mr. Baya is a seasoned mining executive who oversaw the successful financing, construction and commissioning of the Yaramoko gold mine in Burkina Faso as General Manager from between 2014 to 2017. He has spent over 20 years in senior managerial roles and has led four mining projects in three African countries over the past decade. His previous experience in Burkina Faso will prove invaluable to the Company. Jason Snow, Project Manager Mr. Snow has over 25 years of experience in the construction industry, mainly in foreign jurisdictions in West Africa and the Middle East. He is proficient in handling all aspects of construction activities for a greenfield mining project and most recently, spent three years as the Construction Superintendent for the Fekola gold mine in Mali prior to joining Orezone. Other New Hires The Company has also bolstered the managerial talent in supporting departments through the recruitment of senior department heads in the areas of engineering, finance, health and safety, and environment. These individuals have many years of relevant and recent experience in the construction and operation of similar mining operations located in Burkina Faso. Bombore Development Update Since completion of the updated Bombore definitive feasibility study (2018 DFS) in July 2018, the Company has advanced on several fronts in the on-going development of the Bombore project. Engineering and Mine Design The Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) has commenced under the overall management of Lycopodium Minerals Canada Ltd. Further to the Companys press release of July 9, 2018 wherein the Company identified several ongoing enhancement opportunities, the key opportunities below are now being incorporated or rapidly advanced to a decision stage. The process plant and mine design will be based on a nominal throughput of 5.2 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) as opposed to the 4.5 Mtpa used in the 2018 DFS. This plant expansion will allow immediate feed of material that was originally to be stockpiled for later processing during the mine life. More importantly, this expanded throughput capacity will provide flexibility for possible future feed of oxide material from the Restricted Zones which are now well-advanced in the permitting process, and also allow room for addition of higher-grade sulphide material in the future. This increased throughput will immediately improve overall annual LOM production. The Company is also currently completing a detailed review with its consultants on the potential to mine select zones of higher-grade Measured and Indicated (M&I) sulphide resources located at P17S as well as immediately below existing oxide reserves. The 2018 DFS was based entirely on mining oxides and as such, these M&I sulphide resources are not yet included in the Companys current mineral reserve estimate for Bombore. The evaluation of this higher-grade sulphide enhancement opportunity would not impact the project development timeline established in the 2018 DFS. The higher-grade sulphide material would only be accessed starting in Year 3 of the current mining schedule when the oxide operation is well established. With the addition of a separate small crushing and grinding circuit, these sulphides could potentially be part of an incremental higher-grade feed to the existing oxide CIL circuit without the need to expand the oxide plant or upgrade infrastructure. Significant historical testwork has already been completed on this sulphide material including pit wall geotechnical work and metallurgical testwork. The Company is currently anticipating to proceed with a more detailed evaluation of this separate incremental sulphide grinding circuit and further details will be provided once completed and available. RAP The Company continues to make progress on Phase 1 of the RAP. Contracts have been awarded to select contractors experienced in RAP projects in Burkina Faso and construction is planned to commence later in Q4-2018 which remains within the original schedule. The local communities continue to be overwhelmingly supportive of the project and are actively involved in the RAP process with several of the local population, who were recently trained as artisans as part of the projects CSR programs, being hired for the construction of the villages and associated infrastructure. Early Works Early works for the main plant water supply system are also in progress with construction activities planned for late Q1-2019, including works associated with the river crossings and main water diversion weir systems. Once Phase 1 RAP is completed in Q2-2019, the main project earthworks will commence. Qualified Persons Tim Miller, SME and COO, Pascal Marquis, Geo and SVP and Patrick Downey, P.Eng and CEO of Orezone, are Qualified Persons under National Instrument 43-101 and have reviewed and approved the information in this release. Orezone has also prepared and filed a current technical report on the Bombore Project titled NI 43-101 Technical Report Feasibility Study of the Bombore Gold Project Burkina Faso with a date of 23 August 2018, and which is available at www.sedar.com and at www.orezone.com . The technical report includes relevant information regarding the effective dates and the assumptions, parameters and methods of the mineral resource and reserve estimates at the Bombore Project, as well as information regarding data verification, and other matters relevant to the scientific and technical disclosure contained in this news release. Readers should also refer to the annual information form of Orezone for the year ended December 31, 2017 and other continuous disclosure documents filed by Orezone since January 1, 2018 available at www.sedar.com, for this detailed information, which is subject to the qualifications and notes set forth therein. About Orezone Gold Corporation Orezone is a Canadian company with a successful gold discovery track record and recent mine development experience in Burkina Faso, West Africa. The Company owns a 90% interest in Bombore, a fully permitted, low cost development stage gold project in Burkina Faso, situated 85 km east of the capital city of Ouagadougou, adjacent to an international highway. For further information please contact Orezone at +1 (613) 241-3699 or visit the Companys website at www.orezone.com . Orezone Gold Corporation Patrick Downey President and Chief Executive Officer Tel: 1 778 945 8977 / Toll Free: 1 888 673 0663 FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: This news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information are frequently characterized by words such as plan, expect, project, intend, believe, anticipate, estimate, potential, possible and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions may, will, could, or should occur. This news release includes certain forward-looking statements. These include statements regarding, among others, construction of Bombore into an operating gold mine with commencement of commercial production by the end of Q4-2020, realization of project enhancement opportunities including expansion of plant processing capacity to 5.2Mtpa, successful permitting of the Restricted Zone oxides, and the potential of processing higher grade sulphide material as supplemental feed into the 2018 DFS oxide mine plan and the associated plant improvements required. In addition, forward-looking statements include the anticipated start of RAP construction later in Q4-2018, start of early works on the projects water supply system and river crossings in Q1-2019, and the commencement of main earthwork in Q2-2019. All such forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by management and qualified persons in light of their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors management and the qualified persons believe are appropriate in the circumstances. Readers are cautioned that actual results may vary from those presented. In addition, all forward-looking information and statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, use of assumptions that may not prove to be correct, unexpected changes in laws, rules or regulations, or their enforcement by applicable authorities; the failure of parties to contracts to perform as agreed; social or labour unrest; changes in commodity prices; unexpected failure or inadequacy of infrastructure, the possibility of project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses, accidents and equipment breakdowns, political risk, unanticipated changes in key management personnel and general economic, market or business conditions, the failure of exploration programs, including drilling programs, to deliver anticipated results and the failure of ongoing and uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, and other factors described in the Companys most recent annual information form and management discussion and analysis filed on SEDAR on www.sedar.com. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. This news release also contains references to estimates of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves. The estimation of Mineral Resources is inherently uncertain and involves subjective judgments about many relevant factors. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The accuracy of any such estimates is a function of the quantity and quality of available data, and of the assumptions made and judgments used in engineering and geological interpretation, which may prove to be unreliable and depend, to a certain extent, upon the analysis of drilling results and statistical inferences that may ultimately prove to be inaccurate. Mineral Resource estimates may have to be re-estimated based on, among other things: (i) fluctuations in the price of gold; (ii) results of drilling; (iii) results of metallurgical testing, process and other studies; (iv) changes to proposed mine plans; (v) the evaluation of mine plans subsequent to the date of any estimates; and (vi) the possible failure to receive required permits, approvals and licenses. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes are reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Subject to applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this news release. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zum, the leading provider of safe and reliable student transportation for families and school districts, announced today that Michael Brown, Ubers former Regional General Manager for Asia, has joined the company as Senior Vice President of Operations. Brown is an experienced leader with significant expertise in managing the complexity of operations at transportation and technology companies, including driving strategic planning, delivering operational results, executing launches and strategic partnerships, and leading market development. During his tenure as head of operations for APAC, Michael built Ubers presence in the region, delivering billions in revenue during his four years at the helm, and growing a skeleton team of two to over 1,500 employees. Prior to Uber, Brown held a variety of roles within the technology industry, including running Corporate Development at Twitter and Facebook. Brown's work brought important products and technologies into the portfolios of both companies. "Michaels impressive background in management consulting, corporate development and operations gives him a very unique perspective on the market opportunity for Zum, said Ritu Narayan, CEO and Founder of Zum. " Most importantly, Michael shares Zums mission of enhancing child transportation, safely and effectively, for families and schools. We could not have found a better partner than Michael to lead our operations, and we believe that his skills and expertise will complement that of other company leaders as we bring Zums service offerings nationally. Zum has developed an ingenious way to save parents time and schools money through its innovative technology, route optimization expertise and highly vetted drivers, said Brown. Im delighted to join such an innovative, mission-driven company, and look forward to helping shape the companys operations as we enter this new phase of growth. Brown will be responsible for driver recruitment, trip quality and safety standards and national expansion efforts, among other business needs. About Zum Zum is the leading provider of safe, efficient and reliable child transportation for schools and parents. Zum is committed to saving schools money and parents time by providing flexible ride options, through highly vetted drivers. Since its inception, Zum has provided over 3.5 million miles of safe and reliable rides and helped parents save over 200,000 hours - and counting. Founded by Ritu Narayan, Vivek Garg, and Abhishek Garg, Zum is backed by leading venture capital firms including Sequoia Capital, Spark Capital, Ulu Ventures and Angelpad. The company is headquartered in Redwood City, Calif. For more information or to book a ride, visit www.ridezum.com . ALACHUA, Fla., Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CTD Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: CTDH), a clinical stage biotechnology company that develops cyclodextrin-based products for the treatment of disease with unmet medical need, today announced its newest partner in support of its US clinical program, Synteract. Synteract is a full-service Clinical Research Organization which has an existing relationship with CTD in support of its Phase I/II clinical trial at sites in Israel and Sweden. Synteract will support CTDs Extension Protocol, An Open-Label Extension Study of the Long-Term Safety and Efficacy of Intravenous Trappsol Cyclo (HPBCD) in Patients with Niemann-Pick Disease Type C (NPC-1), in the United States. Synteract is a world-class company with broad expertise in the management and conduct of clinical trials, said N. Scott Fine, CTDs Chairman and CEO. Their skills will bolster our ability to continue to provide Trappsol Cyclo to individuals suffering from NPC after they complete our US Phase 1 trial. We are deeply committed to the NPC families and the NPC community. CTDs Extension Protocol for the Phase I trial was approved by FDA in April 2018. The Protocol allows for eligible subjects who have completed the Phase I trial in the US to continue to receive intravenous administration of CTDs Trappsol Cyclo, the companys proprietary formulation of hydroxypropyl beta cyclodextrin, until market registration. Participants will be permitted to receive intravenous dosing in the home setting or in the hospital setting. The two clinical sites now participating the Phase I trial are also expected to participate in the Extension Protocol: UCSF Childrens Hospital Oakland, led by Caroline Hastings, MD, and Morristown Medical Center of the Atlantic Health System, led by Darius Adams, MD. Synteract is now a critical part of CTDs overall clinical program in the United States, said Sharon H. Hrynkow, PhD, CTDs Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs. As we continue to advance our formal clinical trials, the information gathered via this extension protocol will be useful to the FDA and to regulatory authorities in Europe and Israel as we seek market registration for Trappsol Cyclo. More information on CTDs Phase I trial is available in a video recording of a webinar held October 16, 2018 and available at www.ctd-holdings.com . On October 3, 2018 CTD published a press release, HERE , outlining top-line data from both of its intravenous Trappsol Cyclo clinical trials now underway in the US, United Kingdom, Sweden and Israel. About CTD Holdings: CTD Holdings, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company that develops cyclodextrin-based products for the treatment of disease. The companys Trappsol Cyclo, an orphan drug designated product in the United States and Europe, is used to treat Niemann-Pick Disease Type C, a rare and fatal genetic disease, on a compassionate use basis as well as in two ongoing formal clinical trials (Clinical Trials.gov NCT02939547 and NCT02912793). Additional indications for the active ingredient in Trappsol Cyclo are in development. For additional information, visit the companys website: www.ctd-holdings.com About Synteract: Synteract is an innovative, full-service CRO, with employees across 21 countries, supporting biotech and pharma companies across all phases of drug development to help bring new medicines to market. Synteract offers a notable depth of therapeutic expertise in oncology, dermatology, and neuro degenerative indications, as well as rare and orphan and pediatrics. For more information visit: www.synteract.com Safe Harbor Statement: This press release contains forward-looking statements about the companys current expectations about future results, performance, prospects and opportunities. Statements that are not historical facts, such as anticipates, believes and expects or similar expressions, are forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results in future periods to differ materially from what is expressed in, or implied by, these statements. The factors which may influence the companys future performance include the companys ability to obtain additional capital to expand operations as planned, success in achieving regulatory approval for clinical protocols, enrollment of adequate numbers of patients in clinical trials, unforeseen difficulties in showing efficacy of the companys biopharmaceutical products, success in attracting additional customers and profitable contracts, and regulatory risks associated with producing pharmaceutical grade and food products. These and other risk factors are described from time to time in the companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, the companys reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q. Unless required by law, the company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements as a result of new information or future events. Investor/Media Contact: Sitrick and Company Wendy Tanaka (415) 369-8447 wtanaka@sitrick.com Thomas Mulligan (212) 573-6100, Ext. 395 tmulligan@sitrick.com 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. Photo by Bruce Rushton A new owner is running a landmark Springfield building.After a two-year battle for control of Wyndham Springfield City Centre, downtown Springfields tallest structure, owner Robert Egizii in September turned over the keys to U.S. Bank and an outfit called LNR Partners, LLC., the banks special servicer, as per Sangamon County Circuit Court records.It was a foreclosure sparked in 2015, when the hotel owned by Egizii and the late Denny Polk (who died in 2016) changed brands from Hilton to Wyndham, contrary to terms of a mortgage that came with a $15 million balloon payment due in the spring of 2017. The bank and its loan servicing entity foreclosed in 2016, asking that the hotel be put into receivership on the grounds that the switch in brands without permission from the lender violated loan terms. The foreclosure lawsuit came two months after a preemptory shot from Egizii, whose partnership sued U.S. Bank, asking a judge to declare that there had been no loan default after all, every required payment had been made in full and on time.That changed.Egizii hasnt paid the bank a nickel since the balloon payment came due last year, after Sangamon County Circuit Court Judge John Madonia rejected a 2016 request that a receiver be appointed. Egizii had been optimistic, telling me two years ago that he was positive hed be able to refinance so the lawyers would go away. He appeared to have a sympathetic judge.Back then, Madonia said that he wasnt convinced that the bank could win. Additionally, the court finds defendant has demonstrated good cause to deny the appointment of a receiver based upon the current operation of the hotel under defendants management combined with the potential negative impact that the appointment of a receiver could have on the operation of the hotel as a continued Wyndham franchise, the judge decreed in the summer of 2016. In short, the hotel appeared to be functioning, and, at that point, Egizii was current on his payments.Behind the scenes, Egizii says, he and his lender were clashing over improvements to the hotel. Before the switch to Wyndham, Hilton was demanding $20 million in upgrades, according to Egizii, who says he favored a $5 million plan, known in the hotel industry as a property improvement plan, or PIP. That wasnt good enough for the bank and its loan servicer, Egizii says. They stopped agreeing to the $5 million PIP, Egizii says. They wanted a Hilton PIP.The hotel has been an economic engine. In a 2017 filing in the foreclosure matter, Egiziis lawyers wrote that monthly gross revenue averaged more than $900,000 and that the hotel employed 256 people. Turning the hotel over to a receiver, Egiziis lawyers said then, would interfere with negotiations to expand a Starbucks operation on the hotels ground floor as well as impacting renovations to the parking garage that the hotels owner leases to the City of Springfield.When the fight reheated last year following failure to refinance and make the balloon payment, Egiziis lawyers warned that jobs would be lost if a receiver was appointed. Egizii also said that hotel revenues had been severely impacted due to the court fight. Who would book a wedding, convention, family reunion, etc., in a hotel that might not exist on the day of the event? attorneys for Egizii wrote in a motion objecting to the banks renewed call for receivership.Phooey, retorted the banks lawyers, who last year labeled the plea to maintain the status quo an unfounded emotional appeal. Crescent Hotels and Resorts, the Virginia-based company that now runs the downtown Wyndham, has a business relationship with the hotel chain, the banks lawyers wrote in the 2017 motion to establish Crescent as receiver, and no hotel under Crescent management had ever lost a national brand. According to the 2017 filing, Crescent intended to continue operating the hotel as a Wyndham franchise, and thats what has happened since Egizii in September settled the case by turning the property over to the bank and its loan servicer.Crescent executives could not be reached for comment, nor could LNR representatives. According to Crescents website, the company manages 86 hotels and eight restaurants in the United States and Canada.The hotel has a fair market value of $11.5 million, according to Sangamon County property records, and generates more than $320,000 in annual property taxes. Egizii calculates his equity in the hotel totaled $4 million. But you cant turn equity into cash, he says. The hotel, he says, hadnt made a profit in the past three or four years. I would say it just broke even, he said. While the court fight is over, neither side won, Egizzi says.All we did was, we made a deal we walked and they took over, he says. They didnt do very well, and I didnt either.Thats just the way it is.Contact Bruce Rushton at brushton@illinoistimes.com. Due to the apparent disregard for civility in discourse in our country recently, as well as more mood and behavior problems in students, heightened anxiety in minority students and a trend suggesting extremist groups are trying to recruit youth, exploring the effects of hate speech appears to be in order. Hate speech is defined as speech directed against an individual or group based on an arbitrary feature that is easily identifiable and stigmatizing, and leads to incitement. Hate speech illustrations involve dehumanization. Examples include metaphors of Jews as cockroaches in Nazi Germany and Tutsis as cockroaches in Rwanda, blacks as three-fifths of a person in the U.S. Constitution, Iraqi prisoners portrayed as dogs by their torturers and, more recently, people seeking refuge in the U.S. being referred to as animals. Hate speech increases prejudice. Researchers have demonstrated that overhearing ethnic slurs and exposure to homophobic epithets increases dehumanization and physical distancing from target individuals. Furthermore, people who frequently encounter examples of hate speech are less inclined to perceive hate speech as offensive and abusive. Hate speech affects brain processes. Neuroscience research suggests that dehumanization has a dampening effect on neural mechanisms of pain empathy. Neural empathic mechanisms activate without our conscious awareness, suggesting that implicit bias occurs, not because of what we believe to be human, but what our non-conscious neural circuitry has been conditioned to most strongly associate with human traits. In other words, our brains make automatic associations that are negative and dehumanized, even if we do not consciously want to make these associations, based on frequent exposure to hate speech. In addition, the more exposure we have to hate speech, the more desensitized we become, which has been measured at a basic physiological level. Hate speech causes harm. Hate speech leads to consequential harm, which persuades hearers to believe negative stereotypes and engage in harmful conduct while normalizing discrimination, and constitutive harm, which involves indirect effects related to power imbalances. The pathway to extremism starts with frustration, then involves engaging in hate speech with others, and eventually viewing violence as necessary before carrying out acts of violence or destruction for the benefit of an extremist group.Countering hate speech. We can ensure social media regulations are being followed. For example, YouTubes terms of service states, We encourage free speech and defend everyones right to express unpopular points of view. But we do not permit hate speech: speech which attacks or demeans a group based on race or ethnic origin, religion, disability, gender, age, veteran status and sexual orientation/gender identity.We can also access resources such as the Anti-Defamation League, Women, Action, and the Media (WAM!), Online Hate Prevention Institute, the Sentinel Project (for genocide prevention), and Tell MAMA (Measuring Anti-Muslim Attacks). Education and promotion of respectful conduct can be facilitated by training sessions for bloggers, journalists and activists run by the No Hate Speech movement, as well as teaching materials and lesson plans developed by MediaSmarts. The Anti-Defamation League provides materials for assembly programs to address bullying and prejudice with the StepUp! Program, as well as provides a series of training programs for educators and providers regarding understanding and addressing cyberbullying.Addressing hate speech with counterspeech (refuting hate speech through thoughtful, true and fact-bound arguments) has been found to influence a specific social media audience in the opposite direction of extreme opinions, especially of undecided individuals. The Anti-Defamation League recommends when responding to bigoted words, to 1) think, 2) act and 3) maintain dignity. Specifically, doing an emotional check-in is helpful after ensuring your safety, as well as addressing your concerns, engaging in respectful dialogue, and holding others accountable by letting them know that their words are not acceptable.Words matter. Words affect how we think, how we feel, and how we act. With the wisdom of my grandmother, If you cant say something nice, dont say anything, or simply be kind. Surrounding ourselves with less caustic language is engaging in self-care. Just as hate speech conditions our brains, kindness is contagious. We can do better. References Murrow, G.B. & Murrow, R. (2015). A hypothetical neurological association between dehumanization and human rights abuses. Journal of Law and the Biosciences, 2 (2), 336-364. Soral, W., Bilewicz, M. & Winiewski, M. (2016). Exposure to hate speech increases prejudice through desensitization. Aggressive Behavior, (44), 136-146. Sulkowski, M.L. & Picciolini, C (2018, Sept.). The path into and out of violent extremism Part I: How youth become radicalized into violent extremism. Communique, 47(1), 17-19. Resources Anti-Defamation League www.adl.org Women, Action, and the Media (WAM!) www.Womenactionmedia.org Online Hate Prevention Institute www.Ohpi.org.au The Sentinel Project www.Thesentinelproject.org Graphic by Joseph Copley Most allegations are never proven, but accusations of sex between inmates and staff keep coming at Logan Correctional Center in Lincoln, the states largest womens prison. Kaylia Fannin, left, and Ryan Motley, a former Logan guard, are both serving time after authorities determined the two had sexual contact in the states largest womens prison. Sex between inmates and staff is illegal under the law, prisoners cannot consent to sex with employees, and custodial sexual misconduct is a felony punishable by between two and five years in prison. But court records and investigative files show that employees arent always charged with crimes, even when allegations are substantiated. Indeed, a former sergeant who left the Department of Corrections after the department found that hed had sexual contact with a Logan inmate is back on the state payroll.If ever there was a solid case against an Illinois prison employee for having illegal sexual relations with a convict, it came in 2014.Late that year, the spouse of Michael Allsup, a Logan guard, told Illinois Department of Corrections investigators that her husband hadnt been himself lately. Hed been texting a lot and not allowing anyone to see the messages, particularly after he returned from Texas, where he had said that he was testing for a job with the Dallas Police Department. Phone records revealed hundreds of calls and texts between Allsup and Madeline Martinez, who was paroled after serving three years of a six-year sentence for home invasion. She had a previous conviction for robbery.Corrections officials launched an investigation, but waited nearly five months before speaking with Martinez, when she came back to Illinois with Allsup from Texas, where the couple was living. She was pregnant and engaged to Allsup, who refused to answer questions without an attorney present. I resigned, so I dont know what the issue is, he told an internal affairs investigator.Martinez told investigators that she hadnt had sex with Allsup while in prison, but she did the day after her parole on Oct. 22, 2014. Under the law, however, it is a felony for any employee of the state prison system to have sexual contact with a person in the custody of the Department of Corrections, and that includes both inmates and parolees outside prison walls.Allsup appeared to meet the standard. While still employed as a prison guard, he informed his daughter, via text message, that Martinez was expecting:You are having a baby? Like seriouslyYes I amYou swearYesOmg u r dumbWhy you say that?Because you are 45 and you have three kids that you up and left here to have one with someone elseWhen his wife spoke with corrections officials a week later, Allsup repeatedly tried contacting a lieutenant at Logan. This lieutenant toldAllsup that he was a pile of shit for just up and moving out on his wife and not showing up for work, the lieutenant wrote in a report documenting a conversation with Allsup the day his wife spoke with investigators. A week later, the same lieutenant reported receiving several texts and calls from Allsup after that first call, even though the lieutenant said that hed told the correctional officer not to contact him. I never thought my buddy would stab me in the back, Allsup wrote in one text message. Rat. The next day, he sent another message: What happened to u having my back? he wrote the following day.Four days later, Allsup resigned, effective Christmas Day in 2016, saying in his resignation letter that hed moved to Texas, where hed gotten a law enforcement job (the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, which licenses cops in the Lone Star State, says that it has no record of Allsup attending a police academy or being employed as a police officer). While working as a guard and engaged in a sexual relationship with Martinez, Allsup also was employed as a part-time police officer in Chenoa and Colfax, small towns about 90 miles northwest of Springfield, according to state prison files.The Department of Corrections forwarded internal affairs files on Allsup to the Logan County states attorneys office, which filed no charges. No charges against Allsup have been filed in Cook County, where Martinez told corrections investigators that she had sex with him while on parole. Corrections department files sent to the states attorneys office show no indication that corrections officials called police, despite evidence of criminal conduct by Allsup.In the three-year span between 2013, when Logan Correctional Center was converted from a mens lockup into a womens prison, and 2017, three prison employees were charged with custodial sexual misconduct. Since then, five guards and other employees at Logan in less than two years have been charged with sexual misconduct for allegedly having sexual contact with inmates. In addition, a former inmate, using a pseudonym, sued Richard Macleod, a prison counselor, last summer, claiming that he had sex with her before her release from prison in July. Macleod has not been charged with a crime and remains a corrections employee.Department of Corrections officials declined interview requests. Others on the front lines, from inmate advocates to Logan County states attorney Jonathan Wright, say they can only guess why the number of cases has gone up during the past two years.I dont have any one answer, and I dont know that anyone does, in terms of noting that uptick, says Jennifer Volen-Katz, executive director of the John Howard Association in Chicago, a prison reform group that monitors and reports on conditions inside Illinois prisons. It strikes me that one of the things that may be happening is the women who live in Logan may feel more comfortable coming forward.Wright theorizes that the Prison Rape Elimination Act, a federal law aimed at preventing sexual assaults behind bars, has contributed to the recent rise in reports from inmates who might once have been reticent. The law has been on the books since 2003, with standards designed to prevent and detect assaults released in 2012. In addition to mandating zero tolerance approaches to sexual abuse in prisons, the standards require that inmates know how to report sexual abuse and be given multiple avenues to make reports, including to outside entities and anonymously, if they choose. The standards also prohibit retaliation for making reports or for cooperating with investigations. Federal auditors who visited Logan in 2016 determined that the prison met standards. Since standards were released six years ago, allegations of sexual misconduct by employees of prisons and jails nationwide have skyrocketed, increasing by nearly 200 percent between 2011 and 2015, according to a Department of Justice report issued in July. Federal data shows that eight percent of 36,578 allegations made between 2012 and 2015 were substantiated, with 10 percent of investigations pending. The most recent federal report does not differentiate between mens and womens prisons, but rates of sexual misconduct by staff were slightly higher in mens facilities than lockups for women, according to a prior report published in 2013. In reports to the federal government, Illinois prison officials disclosed 67 sexual misconduct allegations involving Logan staff between 2015 and 2017, with five cases substantiated in those three years and an equal number described as pending, according to the state Department of Corrections website. According to the most recent report, there were 189 allegations of sexual misconduct by staff last year in the states 31 prisons. None were substantiated. Some former inmates say that sexual misconduct by employees at Logan has been an open secret. In a Jane Doe lawsuit filed in September, a former inmate says that Milo Ziemer, a former electrician at Logan, forced her to perform sexual acts and that the prisons maintenance department was rife with custodial sexual misconduct, with employees routinely swapping contraband for sex. These allegations were well-known to inmates and staff at Logan, yet nothing was done for months, if not years, attorneys write in the lawsuit that also names former warden Margaret Burke, two guards and a supervisor in the prisons internal affairs department as defendants. Charged late last year, Ziemer is facing five counts of custodial sexual misconduct involving two inmates. The plaintiff in the Jane Doe lawsuit says that Ziemer and other employees in the maintenance department selected which inmates would be their assistants, the building had no cameras and office doors could be locked from the inside. The plaintiff says that Ziemer and another employee warned her to stay quiet after Illinois State Police shut down the maintenance department in the summer of 2017 and conducted an investigation. Its see no evil, hear no evil kind of look the other way, says Louis Meyer, Jane Does lawyer. Rumors were circulating, and I dont think enough was done to investigate it. Most of the time, unless theres smoking-gun evidence, they say We cant prove it or disprove it. In another case, a sergeant at Logan wasnt charged with a crime after corrections investigators determined that he had engaged in sexual relations with an inmate. The 2014 investigation centered on notes allegedly passed between Sgt. Anthony Stapleton and Tina Lamonica, who was serving time for involuntary manslaughter. I have fallen head over heals (sic) for you, Tina, read one letter that an Illinois State Police handwriting expert concluded was authored by Stapleton. My oh my. I cant get enough of you. The expert found similarities between Stapletons writing and handwriting in eight other love letters found in Lamonicas cell, but the expert reported that she could not make a definitive match without seeing more samples of the sergeants handwriting. Stapletons girlfriend, a Logan guard, gave investigators a letter in Lamonicas handwriting that she said shed found at the sergeants house. During an initial interview with investigators, Stapleton denied the letter came from his house, and he also denied writing notes to Lamonica. He insisted hed done nothing wrong. Lamonica, however, said that she and Stapleton had been writing sexually graphic letters to each other and that she had hugged and kissed the sergeant and rubbed against him while clothed. She said that she had exposed herself to Stapleton, but denied having sex with the sergeant. A polygraph examination showed that she was deceptive when she denied engaging in oral sex with Stapleton, who refused to answer questions after being read his rights and told that the interview would be part of a criminal investigation. Beyond getting help from the state police handwriting expert, there is no indication in files provided by the Logan County states attorneys office that corrections officials called police to assist in the investigation, which was handled by the departments internal affairs division. Stapleton did not react well to the probe, according to files. The sergeants girlfriend reported that he threatened to kill an internal affairs investigator. A lieutenant assigned to internal affairs at Logan reported receiving a profanity-laced text message from Stapleton during the investigation: (Y)ou let me shake your fucking hand the other day and then treated me like a fucking prick! Ive known you since you were a kid! I hope your career is worth fucking with your friends. Bad feelings played out in public, according to investigative files, when Stapleton confronted an internal affairs investigator and his wife in a Sherman restaurant. The investigator told Sherman police that bystanders restrained the sergeant; the restaurant owner said that he resolved the issue by speaking with the sergeant. In addition to concluding that Stapleton had engaged in sexual misconduct, the department determined that the sergeant had provided false information to investigators and threatened employees assigned to internal affairs. Corrections officials also determined that Lamonica, Stapletons alleged prison paramour, had violated prison rules by engaging in sexual misconduct and had also violated rules on contraband she told internal affairs that she was in love with Stapleton and that the sergeant had brought her toothpaste and an eyelash curler that werent allowed. Lamonica is no longer in prison, but has violated parole terms and is listed as an absconder on the corrections departments website. Stapletons employment with the Department of Corrections ended in 2014, but his past didnt prevent him from getting a job less than three years later with the secretary of states office, where he is paid $54,600 a year to work as a security guard. Im surprised but not shocked, says Megan Groves, communications director for the Uptown Peoples Law Center, a Chicago nonprofit that advocates for prisoner rights. As a general rule, people are not suffering serious consequences for this type of behavior. Dave Druker, spokesman for Secretary of State Jesse White, said that the secretary of states office wasnt aware that the Department of Corrections had substantiated sexual misconduct charges against Stapleton until Illinois Times asked why he was hired last year. We had talked with the Department of Corrections they told us that he had resigned, Druker said. We had done a criminal background check and didnt find anything. Druker said the office now will make further inquiries into Stapleton. Of course, well look into it, Druker said. Open secrets Whether criminal charges are filed doesnt always matter in civil court, where Meyer in 2016 won a $1.5 million federal jury verdict for Ashley Robinson, who claimed that she was raped by Timothy Ware, a guard, while she was incarcerated in the states womens lockup in Decatur. Ware wasnt charged with raping Robinson, but he was prosecuted and found guilty of official misconduct for contacting parolees. It turned out he was getting cell numbers of girls about to parole and trying to hook up with them while they were on parole, recalls Meyer, who is handling the civil case against Ziemer, the former Logan electrician who is now facing criminal charges. Ware, not the state, is liable for the award in Robinsons civil lawsuit. He got 30 days in jail and probation for his misconduct convictions. In Logan County, punishment for the four prison employees found guilty of sexual misconduct since 2014 has ranged from 30 months of probation to prison time. Ryan Motley, a former guard who pleaded guilty in February got, by far, the longest sentence for having sexual contact with an inmate, but his five-year term for custodial sexual misconduct wasnt as long as the five years plus six months he received for smuggling Xanax and Klonopin into prison for Kaylia Fannin, who drew a four-year sentence for possessing 10 pills that Motley brought her. Logan Correctional Center in Lincoln, the states largest womens prison. Motley and Fannin got busted shortly before her release in 2016, when the guard was spotted passing something to her. In addition to pills, a search of Fannins cell turned up love letters authored by both her and Motley, books in which Fannin had written I love Ryan and a calendar memorializing dates that the guard had brought drugs to her and how many pills hed delivered.Drugs werent the only gifts that Fannin expected from Motley. She asked him for lip balm, soda, pens and, according to state police files, a bottle of Polo Black cologne so she could settle a debt with another inmate. Amazon offers 1.3-ounce bottles of Polo Black for $55, significantly more than a tube of A Scent Of Gratitude, the only authorized fragrance at Logan, sells for at the prison commissary. Rules on colognes and perfumes are so strict in Illinois prisons that letters scented with fragrances arent allowed. Its not clear how an inmate could wear pricey cologne without guards noticing.Fannin told investigators that sexual contact between her and Motley was limited to kissing and groping, and that it happened just once, when the guard got into bed with her while a cellmate was present. Youre the police, you can do anything you want, Fannin told the guard, according to the cellmate.The relationship lasted less than four months, according to investigative files. By the time the two were caught, both inmates and guards suspected that something was up. Inmates told state police that Fannin referred to Motley as her boyfriend. One inmate said that she would profess her feelings for him by yelling Hi Ryan, I miss you baby from her cell she once yelled that he was a stupid bitch, recalled another inmate, who concluded Motley and Fannin were having a lovers quarrel, according to police reports.Twice, Motley filed incident reports, telling his superiors that Fannin was paying him undue amounts of attention. He told a different story in a love letter that investigators found in Fannins cell: You literally consume my mind, the guard wrote after going into detail what he would like to do with Fannin after she was released.He got his chance. After being interviewed by state police, Fannin was paroled as scheduled, 10 days after drugs and love letters were found in her cell. Motleys estranged wife told police that he abandoned his family the day that Fannin was released. On her Facebook page, Fannin posted photos of her and Motley embracing and kissing, including one in which the former inmate is wearing only underwear. Motleys spouse told police that her husband had been telling her that he didnt want to go to jail, that he feared losing his job and that he didnt want her to speak with police.The illicit affair didnt last. Three months after Fannin was released, Motley was jailed after being charged with custodial sexual misconduct and bringing drugs into Logan. Fannin was charged with possession drugs in prison on the same day. Shes due for parole in July. Motley is scheduled for release next October. As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ Monday's bombshell revelation that Amazon might be ready to split its new second headquarters in two and locate one half in Long Island City, initially reported in the Wall Street Journal but later repeated by the Times, let loose a flood of speculation about what it would mean for New Yorkers to have a bunch of Jeff Bezos's best and brightest as new neighbors. First, though, there a number of questions that still need to be answered about the potential Amazon Cuomoland which, let's remember, is still just something two unnamed sources have alleged far more than those addressed in Wednesday's Times summary. Running down the known unknowns: What will New York City really be getting in terms of new jobs? All of the reporting about HQ2 has projected 50,000 new jobs. If Amazon splits its new headquarters into HQ2.1 and HQ2.2, presumably each would get somewhere in the neighborhood of 25,000 new jobs. Even for a city with more than 4.4 million jobs currently, that's still more than chicken feed. New jobs, though, are not the same as new open jobs. Tim Bartik, an economist at the Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, has estimated that in a low-unemployment environment such as we have today, as few as one in five new hires could ultimately end up helping to employ non-working New Yorkers. (That's not the same as only 20% of new hires being from New York if Amazon hires a Google engineer who lives in the city, then Google backfills with someone from California, that's still no net decrease in local unemployment, and a net increase in the number of people looking for New York apartments.) And while the underpaid workers who actually ship out your Amazon packages may be recruited locally, the company's headquarters employees are more likely to be high-end workers like coders, who are typically recruited from across the country, if not around the globe. "If Amazon is hiring a lot of software engineers, how many unemployed software engineers are there in the New York area?" asks Bartik. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that FoxConn, in the wake of getting nearly $5 billion in subsidies to open a facility in Wisconsin, is considering bringing in engineers from China to staff it because the local labor market is too tight. And then, too, that 50,000-job number is more hope than promise. Amazon has said it plans to "grow this second headquarters to include as many as 50,000 high-paying jobs" eventually, over as many as 17 years. While the company's workforce has been surging, consider that seventeen years ago, Fortune's top ten U.S. businesses included IBM and Enron. Not that Amazon is likely to disappear or shrink dramatically anytime soon, but projecting job figures nearly two decades out is an exercise in futility and that's even assuming that the robots haven't taken over by then. The preferred solution in development incentive deals would be to include "clawbacks" penalties that Amazon would have to pay if it pulled a bait-and-switch with its job numbers. Even if it agreed to clawbacks, though, they haven't always worked out that well in practice: In 2006, for example, Met Life got $27 million in city subsidies to relocate 1,750 workers from Manhattan to Long Island City; when it failed to do so, the city absolved the company of $19 million in clawback fines, and restructured the deal to reduce Met Lifes job requirements. How much will we be paying for this? The whole point of Amazon's cross-country contest to be the company's next host was to get localities competing on who would throw the most public cash at the company as an "incentive." But while we know some of the figures that are being thrown around $7 billion in tax breaks from New Jersey, $8.5 billion in tax expenditures and infrastructure money from Maryland New York city and state officials haven't said anything specific about what they've offered to drop in Jeff Bezos's tip jar. It's probably unreasonable to assume that a winning New York bid had to be over $8.5 billion after all, there are plenty of reasons to want to be in New York over Maryland. But to even be considered, Cuomo and de Blasio almost certainly must have come up with something valued in the billions speculation has ranged from tax credits via the governor's Excelsior Jobs program to direct grants from the Cuomo-controlled Empire State Development Corporation. Mayoral spokesperson Jane Meyer tells Gothamist the city has not offered any discretionary tax incentives to Amazon; De Blasio has previously said he could provide incentives available to any company, but hasnt detailed what subsidies those would include. Neither the mayor's nor the governor's office would comment on whether any incentive package could be scaled back if Amazon cuts the number of jobs slated for a new Queens location. Finally, there's the danger that once Amazon had multiple headquarters, it could start using the threat of relocating workers to extract more subsidies from one city or another. It's already done so with Seattle over a new corporate tax on large employers, which the Seattle city council repealed rather than face an exodus of Amazon jobs. Where are all these Amazon workers going to live? In case you haven't noticed, New York is a bit of a housing crunch, so finding room for 25,000 new residents would be no laughing matter. Since Amazon headquarters employees, unlike its warehouse workers, tend to earn high salaries, it's likely that they'd end up pricing existing residents out of LIC and neighborhoods easily accessible from there, which could mean jump-starting gentrification in places like Jackson Heights, Corona, or even Maspeth and Middle Village. On the bright side, it's entirely possible that those workers, if they arrive at all, won't all arrive until 2035, by which point maybe the new Democratically-controlled state legislature will have finally approved restoring full rent protections. Or Long Island City will be underwater, one of those two. The mayor and the governor at San Gennaro in 2014 (Governor's Office / Flickr) Amazon would almost certainly want to build its own buildings in Long Island City, which is currently under consideration for a rezoning that would allow for more high-rise construction. In addition, two specific projects, a mixed-use development at Anable Basin on land owned by the plastics company Plaxall and a complex by developers TF Cornerstone on a nearby waterfront site on city-owned land, are seeking spot rezonings that would allow them to build before any broader zoning revisions. In either case, though, a full build-out could take decades, and rezoning approvals could take a couple of years as they wend their way through the ULURP land-use process. One option would be for the Empire State Development Corporation to take over the land and exempt it from city zoning regulations Cuomo has vowed that "I will personally get involved in facilitating [Amazon's] construction and their approval process" but even that could take some time, as we saw in the years-long Atlantic Yards court battle. Does this mean the BQX streetcar will now get built? There's been much speculation that Amazon's arrival could give new life to de Blasio's stalled streetcar project, which would provide a new transit route to the company's Long Island City waterfront doorstep. (So long as commuters were coming from the Williamsburg or Red Hook waterfronts, at least.) Much of that looks to have been prompted by the developer-funded advocacy group Friends of the BQX, which rushed out a statement that only a streetcar could allow an Amazon headquarters to "reach its full potential." The holdup with the BQX, though, was never that city officials couldn't come up with a rationale for building it; it was that the project had a multi-billion-dollar budget hole, one that Amazon isn't going to be in a position to help fill. It's always possible that the state could throw a couple of billion dollars toward BQX as part of its Amazon subsidy package, but that would mean Cuomo and de Blasio sitting down together to help each other, and also would mean Amazon accepting a streetcar to Williamsburg as a major perk in lieu of cold cash neither of which seems very likely. But can the subways handle another 25,000 commuters traveling to Long Island City each morning without more trains? Maybe, probably? Though the Times has wrung its hands that 25,000 new workers would overwhelm subway system capacity, this is a hard question to answer definitively, says Gothamist contributor and Signal Problems transit newsletter author Aaron Gordon, because the MTA doesn't release its figures for ridership by line. (It did provide numbers for trains affected by the L train shutdown, though, so we know such figures exist, even if they're not considered fit for public consumption.) Regardless, we do know from independent research by the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council that the trains feeding Long Island City are at below capacity right now during rush hour, at least where "capacity" is defined as "the number of people currently being squeezed onto the L and 4/5 trains." Add in that many Amazon employees will be reverse commuters headed from Manhattan into Queens, say, while most rush-hour passengers are taking the opposite route and it's probably safe to say that subway capacity isn't the biggest concern here. So long as Amazon waits for the L train shutdown to be over before moving in, anyway, because that's gonna suck for everyone. Is this really even happening? For all the news coverage, our only source that Amazon is coming to Queens at all is two unnamed sources the company has remained tight-lipped about its decision, or even when it will be announced. Could the leaks be intentional trial balloons to test out local response to Amazon's arrival? Will negotiations, over both subsidies and job figures, continue even after the verdict is reached? So very, very many questions. UPDATE: State Senator Michael Gianaris, whose district covers Long Island City, Astoria, Sunnyside, and parts of Ridgewood, contacted Gothamist just after this story was published to say that he'd like to see less focus on "how much can we do for Amazon," and more on "what they are going to do to make the neighborhood they want to join better." The central problem, he says, is that the secrecy the deal has been negotiated under has left residents and legislators alike in the dark. "Part of the problem is how precious little information we have about what's being negotiated," Gianaris says. "People are alarmed. Long Island City is already stretched to its limits. And they're very scared about what it would mean to change the entire identity of this neighborhood by dropping this massive development right in the middle of their already gentrifying community." Join us for a screening of 82 Names: Syria, Please Dont Forget Us, a documentary film that traces the journey of Mansour Omari, a survivor of torture and imprisonment in Syria. As Omari seeks to rebuild his life in exile and visits sites in Germany that memorialize the victims of the Holocaust, he reflects on how to bring attention to the brutal regime he escaped - and counter extremist ideology in the future. 82 Names is a powerful story of how one man risked his life to document atrocity crimes and bring that evidence to the world. 82 Names: Syria Please Dont Forget Us Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan 334 Amsterdam Avenue at 76th Street New York, NY 10023 Wednesday, November 14 at 7 p.m. Co-produced with Maziar Bahari. A discussion will follow the screening. Speakers Rafif Joejati, Co-Founder and Director, FREE-Syria He is a retired teacher who represents teachers in the Razavi Khorasan province in north-eastern Iran. He had participated in the nationwide teachers strike that the Coordinating Council of Teachers Syndicates urged people to join. The teachers have been calling for reforms in the Iranian education system. The Iranian regime is putting the labour unions under increased scrutiny and the teachers unions are heavily monitored. Several arrests have been made and some representatives remain in jail. Khastars wife Sediqhe Malekifar said that her husband went missing from the familys nearby farm. She grew worried when she could not get hold of him by telephone and called local authorities to see if they were aware of any incidents. The following day she was called by someone claiming to be affiliated to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). She was told that her husband has been taken to the Ebene Sina Hospital in Mashhad to be treated for a mental illness. After hearing this news she was very concerned because her husband was in fine health and had shown no signs of any mental problems. On arriving at the hospital to see her husband, she was told that security agents were not letting anyone near Khastar. Khastar was found more than two weeks ago and has been held in the psychiatric ward against his will. No-one has claimed responsibility for Khastars abduction. The IRGC has said that it is not behind the incident, as has the Intelligence Ministry and the Justice Department. The staff at the hospital have not been able to provide any information either. Malekifar said that the only possible reason for her husbands treatment is because of his activist activities. She said that at the beginning of the year her husband called Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei a dictator in an op-ed for a pro-union group that is based abroad called Iran Kargar. It has been reported that Khastar has had medication enforced upon him. It is required by law in Iran for each individual to consent to treatment for mental health issues. The only exception is if a judicial body or the National Medical Board has had consent taken away from them. Consent can be removed if the relevant authority judges consider that the individual is mentally incapable of making decisions about their health and treatment. The Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) in New York has said: Iranian law gives security forces and the judiciary the upper hand in all legal cases involving activists and other individuals targeted by Irans security establishment. It is also not known whether Khastar has been given access to a lawyer. This is just another example of the mistreatment of political and human rights activists in the country. For such an event to be shrouded in mystery is not out of the ordinary. It is also a clear sign that the regime feels threatened by the widespread discontent. The two men have been identified as Youniss Bahaoddini and Dariush Ebrahimian Bilandi. They have been accused of planning and carrying out a scheme that has seen them pocket 150 trillion rials or around $36 million USD from the Iranian banking and economic network. The judiciarys Mizan news website reported that the Special Court for Combatting Economic Corruption issued the verdict. Another Iranian, Mohammad Bahaoddini, has been sentenced to ten years in prison and Davood Katebi was sentenced to seven years. Three other individuals Iman Pahlavani, Morteza Katebinejad and Reza Nader were each given a five-year sentence. The Iranian economy has been suffering for a long time and the people of Iran have been calling the regime out on its mismanagement of resources. The economic situation is set to get worse now that all the U.S. sanctions are in place. Earlier this year, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the United States would be exiting the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JPCOA). He said that crippling economic sanctions would be re-imposed and said that his administration would be applying a maximum pressure campaign with the aim of cutting the regime off from the funds that allow it to support terrorist militias and proxy groups across the region. Iran Regimes leader Ali Khamenei said not long after the United States announced its exit from the deal that the Iranian regime would set up special courts that would deal efficiently with financial crimes and punish those that disrupt economic security. Khamenei gave these special courts the authority to make their verdicts final and legally binding, with the exception of the death penalty. Many have said that it goes against the countrys constitution to make any verdict final. However, it would not be the first time in the countrys recent history that individuals are denied the right to appeal. Even though Khamenei has said that the special courts cannot make a final and binding decision with regards to the death penalty, several have already been handed out. The Islamic Republics Supreme Court has already upheld the death penalty for Wahid Mazloomin and Mohammad Esmaeil Qassemi. Ever since President Trump announced that the U.S. would be exiting the deal, the countrys national currency plummeted and many international companies pulled out of their business dealings with the country. As usual the Iranian regime tried to pin the blame on others, shirking responsibility and saying that there is a foreign conspiracy. However, the people are very well aware that most of the problems are down to the regimes mismanagement and the billions it spends on its foreign adventures. There is a lot more to be done than arresting and imprisoning people for economic crimes. The regime needs to look a little closer to home. The Regime cant stop talking about the MEK For decades, the Regime has painted the MEK as an inconsequential group with little support domestically or internationally. This was a lie and the mullahs know it. Why else would they spend so much time and money to discredit the MEK in the international press or slaughter them in the 1988 massacre of political prisoners or kill MEK dissidents across the world? But now, as anti-regime protests grow in size and strength, despite the ever-present repression from the Iranian Regime, it is harder for the Regime to discount the MEK. Even top-ranking mullahs and the state-run media are attempting to find out how the MEK and their resistance units in Iran work, in order to try and stop the uprising that will bring the downfall of the Regime. One pro-regime writer in an opinion piece in September, rightly identifies the MEK as the main threat to the Regime, even more so than Israel, the US, and Europe, and advised that the Regime focus all their attention on the MEK. He wrote: Of course, they remain our enemies but can the US truly overthrow the Islamic Republic? How about Israel? Certainly not. So, a realistic outlook demands that we determine as a first step that the main enemy is not a foreign force but an internal one. Why do the MEK pose such a threat to the Regime; more so than the US military? Simply because they want to overthrow the regime and have the capability to do so, as noted by the author. By comparison, monarchists, Marxists, and other anti-regime groups in Iran lack this power. The MEK responded to this article with this comment: This latest piece of state media is just another example of the fear that is emanating from the regime loyal forces and an admittance to the influence the MEK has on the youth. The MEKs resistance units have organized and mobilized the people, and the people have made their voices heard. The corrupt regime is falling, and a democratic alternative is here to replace it. This report is yet more evidence that the Regime is scared of the MEK, along with the repeated admissions from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei that the MEK meets both requirements for the overthrow of the regime. In fact, the Regime planned multiple terrorist attacks against the MEK across Europe and the US this year in order to scare the MEK into stepping back, but the attacks were thankfully folded and the MEK refused to back down. Over 700 Iranian individuals and entities have been sanctioned in an attempt by the US to hamper the economy and force the regime to come back to the negotiating table. They will also target US and foreign companies who do business with them. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said: Our ultimate aim is to compel Iran to permanently abandon its well-documented outlaw activities and behave like a normal country. Of course, the National Iranian American Council claimed that the sanctions would harm the Iranian people and sow the seeds for a disastrous war. NIAC President Jamal Abdis comments about this ignore that the mullahs have destroyed Irans economy, plunging much of the population into poverty and causing widespread protests, and that the mullahs are hellbent on war and destruction in the Middle East. Abdi has also ignored the fact that the US is trying to limit the disruption to the Iranian people, by offering temporary sanctions waivers to eight countries and providing exemptions for food, medicine, and other humanitarian goods. But the simple truth is that the NIAC dont have any other recourse, other than to predict war and claim that the Iranian people will be hurt. How else could they get people of their side? Michael Tomlinson wrote: The NIAC has also been silent on more recent attempts by the Iranian regime to carry out terrorist attacks and assassinations of Iranian dissidents in Europe as seen in a foiled bombing attempt outside of Paris over the summer and murder plan disrupted by Denmark. Game of Thrones Over the weekend, Donald Trump trolled the Iranian regime with a Game of Thrones meme, reading Sanctions Are Coming, and the Iran lobbys response was predictable. They criticised Trump, his cabinet, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and, most of all, the tweet. Why? Probably because they have no legitimate complaint about the sanctions. The NIAC then tried its hand at trolling; referring to Trump as a White Walker, while General Qasem Soleimani, the leader of Irans infamous Quds Forces, tweeted his own GoT reference, noting that he would Stand Against [Trump]. Of course, NIAC founder Trita Parsi was there to predict an actual war from a flame war, tweeting that these tweets show that we are moving towards a military confrontation. Does he think that war is declared via memes? Maybe the Iran lobby and the Regime should binge-watch GoT and leave politics to the adults. New York's former attorney general Eric Schneiderman, who resigned in disgrace earlier this year after four women accused him of choking and hitting them, will not face criminal charges for his alleged abuse. On Thursday, prosecutors in Long Island announced that they had concluded a six-month investigation into Schneiderman, and would not pursue charges despite credible evidence against him. "I believe the women who shared their experiences with our investigation team," wrote Nassau County district attorney Madeline Singas, who had been tasked with the inquiry by Governor Andrew Cuomo. "However, legal impediments, including statutes of limitations, preclude criminal prosecution." Schneiderman resigned this past May, hours after allegations from four women were published in the New Yorker. The allegations portrayed the 63-year-old attorney general as a violent, emotionally abusive drunk, who would slap and choke his partners without warning, mock their appearances, and threaten to kill them. As part of her announcement, Singas urged legislators to "fill a gap" in New York state law, which precludes prosecutors from bringing charges against a person who abuses a victim without causing them obvious physical injuries. 5/ "Physical injury means "impairment of physical condition or substantial pain," and requires proof of more than mere bruises, bumps, abrasions, or superficial cuts." Daniel R. Alonso (@DanielRAlonso) November 8, 2018 The former attorney general faced a range of possible charges, including misdemeanor assault in the third degree and criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation, according to former federal and state prosecutor Daniel Alonso. He might have also been guilty of a harassment violation, which has a statute of limitations of one year. Following his resignation, Schneiderman maintained that he did not participate in non-consensual sexual activity or violencea claim disputed by the two women named in the story, Michelle Manning Barish and Tanya Selvaratnam. In one instance, Barish recalled to the New Yorker: "[h]e just slapped me, open handed and with great force, across the face, landing the blow directly onto my ear...He then used his body weight to hold me down, and he began to choke me. The choking was very hard. It was really bad. I kicked. In every fibre, I felt I was being beaten by a man." In a statement released on Thursday morning, Schneiderman apologized for his conduct, saying he was in rehab and "making amends to those I have harmed. "I recognize that District Attorney Singas' decision not to prosecute does not mean I have done nothing wrong. I accept full responsibility for my conduct in my relationships with my accusers, and for the impact it had on them," the statement read. "I apologize for any and all pain that I have caused, and I apologize to the people of the State of New York for disappointing them after they put their trust in me." Donald Trump kicked off the post-midterms era of his presidency on Wednesday by firing Attorney General Jeff Sessions, as part of a not-at-all disguised attempt to quash the ongoing investigation into the Trump campaign by special counsel Robert Mueller. Among his other qualifications for the job, interim replacement Matt Whitaker has said that the probe has "gone too far," and could be easily obstructed if only the Justice Department were controlled by a partisan loyalist willing to choke funds and seal records at the president's direction. With that now the case, Democrats and other proponents of basic norms and laws are sounding the emergency alarm bells. On Thursday morning, New York Congressman Jerry Nadlerwho will come January chair the House Judiciary Committeedescribed the situation as a "constitutionally perilous moment for our country," and promised consequences if Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein were to be taken off the investigation. And it appears that has happened with Whitaker's appointmenta Justice Department spokesperson confirmed yesterday that "the Acting Attorney General is in charge of all matters under the purview of the Department of Justice." [Emphasis added.] Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein has also sent letters to top officials in the Trump administration demanding the preservation of all documents and materials related to the special counsel. I cannot believe I'm going to have to march in anger at the fact that racist woodsprite Jeff Sessions lost his job, but here we are. Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) November 7, 2018 Thousands of protesters are expected to rally in Times Square at 5 p.m. on Thursday, as part of a rapid response demonstration against President Trump's interference. Protest organizersa coalition that includes MoveOn, Rise and Resist, and PEN Americawill demand that the House Judiciary Committee immediately begin hearings into the president for obstruction, and that the Senate establish a "Watergate-type Select Committee" to investigate Trump's ties with Russia. "The timing here is not a coincidence, said Shannon Stagman, a member of Empire State Indivisible. Donald Trump acted while we were still embroiled in midterm elections because he wanted to catch us off guard. But were always ready to rise up and defend the rule of law." The activists will march down 7th Avenue toward Union Square, where there will be speakers and music from 6:45 p.m. until 8 p.m. Additional protests are in the works for Bayside and Far Rockawaymore info here. - Actor Carlo Aquino posted a special greeting for Angelica Panganibans birthday - He made use of their precious bonding moments to come up with a video greeting - The post attracted a lot of reactions from netizens PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed Kapamilya actor Carlo Aquino decided to use the social media to greet his ex-girlfriend Angelica Panganiban on her birthday. KAMI learned that the promising actor used less words but sweet photos of them in making the special video birthday greeting. The pictures seen in the colorful video were evidently some of their precious bonding moments as they were also spotted smiling and doing several hand gestures. Carlo hinted on his Instagram post that his life becomes more vibrant because of the girl that she was with in the compiled photos. Bigyang kulay ang buhay #Meow, he wrote. The birthday greeting, which now has more than 350 thousand views, attracted a lot of reactions from netizens. Here are a few: Mas magiging makulay pa yan kung magkatuluyan kau ni momsh. Get to know each other more, until you realized that you are really the one that will join together. Nag iipon sila ng pics para sa kasal nila. lol may bagong photo album na itatabi. Alagaan mo talaga si angge dad kasi sya ang patunay na nagmamahal sayo wag mu nang pakawalan. Hindi lang LUMIWANAG ang dating blurred, ngaun may KULAY pa. 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! Here is the video: In a previous article by , the Kapamilya heartthrob frankly differentiated his feeling for Angelica before and in the present. Born on September 3, 1985, Carlo is a Filipino celebrity who began his career as a child actor and starred in classic movies including Magic Temple and Ibong Adarna. His relationship with Angelica before lasted for six years. POPULAR: Read more news about Carlo Aquino! Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! Many of you had asked us to shoot The Nun prank and we did it! So, today we are proud to present you an extraordinary lady, Scary Nun! In this episode, she is going to roam the streets of the Philippines and scare innocent people to death! (Laughs evilly) on HumanMeter! Source: Kami.com.ph It will focus on technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain and the Internet of Things. The city of Kyiv, Ukraine, is partnering with cloud software platform company, Pareteum Corporation, to bring Kyiv's smart city accelerator to Silicon Valley in cooperation with Pareteum strategic partner, wireless technology firm iPass. The accelerator will provide start-up teams and developers of innovative civic products with access to infrastructure, data, systems and other resources of Kyiv, which has a population of four million, SmartCitiesWorld wrote. Read alsoMayor Klitschko, German ATENE KOM sign MoC to further implement Kyiv Smart City projects The accelerator will focus on artificial intelligence, blockchain and the internet of things, and the team in Kyiv will support scaling the best and the most innovative technology solutions with the assistance of social-impact funding. Successful technology pilots with the city will result in opportunities for startups and developers to sell the solution to other cities. "Leveraging smart software solutions to increase global connectivity is what drives us at Pareteum," said Hal Turner, executive chairman and principal executive officer of Pareteum. "We appreciate the city of Kyiv being our initial global partner for smart cities solutions and believe that together we can make a tremendous impact." "Kyiv addresses global civic challenges by taking the Kyiv smart city programme to the next level," continued Vitaliy Klitschko, mayor of the city. Pareteum and Kyiv will hold an innovation summit in Silicon Valley on November 15, 2018 at the iPass headquarters in Redwood Shores, California. Civic leaders from Ukraine will participate in this summit on the use of technology to address civic problems. "We believe technology can play a powerful role in addressing civic issues of all kinds, and we are delighted to support Pareteum by hosting the Kyiv Smart City innovation summit," added Gary Griffiths, president and CEO of iPass. Actress Lynn Whitfield On Having Faith During Difficult Times The Oprah Winfrey Network announced it has renewed the family drama series Greenleaf for its fourth season. The show continues to thrive with groundbreaking storylines and dynamic characters. One of those characters revealed a softer side this season. Lady Mae, played by Emmy-winner Lynn Whitfield, offered audiences a deeper explanation behind her motives. Whitfield spoke to the Los Angeles Sentinel Newspaper about her career, divorce and what everyone should expect this season. LOS ANGELES SENTINEL NEWSPAPER: Thanks for speaking with us. What has been your favorite moment throughout filming? LYNN WHITFIELD: I think it was the first or second episode. I was nervous because of the dialogue. I didnt know if it would be okay. The director told me I just had to go for it. I had to feel her soul and her pain. I mean she has been with this man for 40 years! It was my duty to embrace all of that. I just went for it and allowed my mind to take it away. I turned around and there was an entire standing ovation from the crew. ADVERTISEMENT LAS: How did that moment make you feel? WHITFIELD: It was this whole family moment really. I went to that deeper place. It was less poise and just pure pain. It was the beginning of where Lady Maes emotional life would begin. LAS: Why do you feel that Lady Mae resonates with so many women? WHITFIELD: You never really know if your character will resonate, but that was the plan. Here is a woman who is wrapped up tight, has the perfect life, and created this safe space in church. She loves being in control. In this season, you see all of that crumble. Little by little everything is escaping her. The walls are closing in. She didnt create this space. The only thing she could do is lean on God. Ive seen it in so many women. The life you create for yourself is not working and God says no. Its a humbling experience! LAS: Speaking of being humbled, what keeps you grounded? WHITFIELD: Exactly what needs to be keeping Lady Mae grounded. Ive personally been through a divorce. When I won an Emmy, which was a goal Id been working years for, was covered with disappointment. There was nothing for me to do but to allow God to takeover. Call 2 Worship November 8 Carson Community Deliverance Center Church holds a Womens Prayer Service on Nov. 10, at 10 a.m., at 555 E. 220th St., in Carson. The public is invited to attend for worship and prayer. For information, call (310) 835-7905. ADVERTISEMENT Regina Napper Honors Committee and New Generation Christian Community Fellowship, in collaboration with 30+ mayors, sponsor the 2018 Making a Difference Awards on Nov. 10, at 11 a.m., at Faithful Central Bible Church, 400 W. Florence Ave., in Inglewood. Several unsung heroes will be recognized for their exemplary service to those in need. To learn more, call (323) 763-0146. Walker Temple AME Church plans a Veterans Day Service on Nov. 11, at 11 a.m., at 2525 Trinity Ave., in Los Angeles, said Pastor Marvin McKenzie. Active and former military of all branches of service will be honored and are invited to attend. A reception will follow the worship. For details, call (213) 747-7454. Road 2 Damascus Church celebrates their 5th anniversary on Nov. 11, at 3 p.m., at 16425 Ishida Ave., in Carson, said Pastor Ron Thomas. Pastor Ray Harmon of City Church in Plano, Texas will be the guest preacher. Crenshaw United Methodist Church hosts 2018 Homecoming All In Part Deux A Motown Affair on Nov. 17, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., at 3740 Don Felipe dr., in Los Angeles, said Pastor Royce Porter. The event includes catered soul food and desserts and a salute to the churchs 2018 community trailblazer. The donation is $35 for adults, $20 for youth and free for children. Call (323) 291-0141 for details. Brookins-Kirkland AME Church plans Thanksgiving Day Worship on Nov. 22, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., at 3719 W. Slauson Ave., in Los Angeles, said Pastor Mary S. Minor. The public is invited to enjoy praise songs and testimonies. For information, call (323) 296-5610. Covered California 2019 Enrollment Event takes place Nov. 26, at 6 p.m., at Vermont Slauson Economic Development Corporation, 1130 W. Slauson Ave., in Los Angeles. A certified agent will explain medical and dental insurance plans for individuals and businesses. To register, call Leslie Elliott at (323) 789-4515. ADVERTISEMENT Westwood Presbyterian Church presents a Messiah Sing-Along on Nov. 30, at 8 p.m., at 10822 Wilshire Blvd., in Los Angeles. George Frideric Handels Messiah, will be performed. The audience will join the Westwood Master Choir, six vocal soloists and the Westwood Chamber Symphony in the traditional Messiah Sing-Along. Performers include organist Dr. Namhee Han, soprano Christina Borgioli, soprano Devon Davidson, mezzo soprano Nandani Maria Sinha, tenor Scott Noonan, tenor Will North and bass Matthew Lewis. Dan Redfeld will direct the concert. The donation is $10 for adults. For information, email [email protected]. Silver Lining of Hope Crusade holds its 9th annual Prayer and Encouragement Service on Dec. 7, at 7 p.m., at Mount Olive Second Missionary Baptist Church, 9401 Zamora Ave., in Los Angeles, said the Rev. Dr. Winford Bell, organizer. The service will uplift victims of violent crime. Pastor Ronald Bolden of Greater Mount Zion Church will speak. Charlamagne Tha God: Anxiety Playing Tricks On Me Standing on the streets in South Carolina, a young timid boy sold drugs to make ends meet. He witnessed murders, ran from police, and physically fought for survival. He eventually goes on to become one of the most successful radio personalities in the country. Charlamagne Tha God had the external success but was fighting battles internally. He spoke all about his mental health in his new book Shook One: Anxiety Playing Tricks On Me. Charlamagne, whose real name is Lenard McKelvey, book tour made a stop in Los Angeles at The Groves Barnes & Nobles. The event, hosted by E! News correspondent Zuri Hall, highlighted the various mental health topics explained in his book. Before the event, Charlamagne spoke to the Los Angeles Sentinel Newspaper about his reasoning behind developing a book on mental health. ADVERTISEMENT I had no idea that it was a mental health issue. I thought anxiety and PTSD were just things that happen. These were all based out of circumstances I experienced, said Charlamagne. His personal circumstances spiraled out of control once the panic attacks started. In the book, the radio host describes the physical sensations that drove him to seek help. The help he needed was something he never considered until his wife persuaded him. She told me to find a therapist, said Charlamagne. We in the black community think going to a therapist is a taboo subject. But why are you working on all other aspects of your health and not your mental health? Imagine if you had a messy closet. A therapist job is to help you clean out all the junk youve accumulated over the years. Thats what has helped me. Shook One: Anxiety Playing Tricks on Me not only includes Charlamagne personal mental health history but also gives insights to clinical diagnoses. Every chapter includes a clinical analysis behind the stories shared. The perspective that I wanted to be immortalized was a black man sharing all my experiences for the past 40 years and another brother, Dr. Ish Major, coming in giving that expert analysis and clinical correlation to my experiences. After a public firing from his radio job with host Wendy Williams, Charlamagne eventually found his way to a new radio show called The Breakfast Club. Since then, The Breakfast Club accumulates millions of listeners and online views. As his success grew on social media, so did backlash from listeners. ADVERTISEMENT Social media is creating an unattainable picture of perfection. In social media you only see everybodys highlight reel. You never see the background. People are afraid to talk like how Im talking because they fear the backlash. He briefly stopped before continuing. If I was a fourteen year old growing up in this era and had to continue to try to be perfect, I would just kill myself as soon as I make a mistake said Charlamagne. Though the book shares the reality of dealing with anxiety, Charlamagne acknowledges positive ways to deal with daily stress. He says he never reaches for his phone in the morning. Why would I expose myself to such negativity early in the morning? I read my daily affirmations and positive quotes. If Im driving, Ill listen to nineties R&B or Oprahs Super Soul Conversations. I dont want any negativity to rot my brain, Charlamagne explained. Shook One: Anxiety Playing Tricks On Me is available online and any retailer bookstores. Dems Dominate The U.S. House of Representatives With A Blue Wave, But Republicans Still Control the Senate On Tuesday, November 6, voters headed to their local polling places to elect their U.S. House representatives and Senate leaders during the long a waited 2018 mid-term elections. Not only was Tuesdays election a reflection of President Donald Trumps first two years in office, but it also served as an opportunity for the Democrats to gain political control over the House and the Senate. Prior to the election, the Democrats held 193 seats in the House according to MSNBC, while the Republicans held 235 seats. In order for the Democrats to sweep the House with a blue wave, they needed to flip 23 seats while defending their current ones. Before the mid-term elections, the Democrats held 49 seats in the Senate while the Republicans held 51 seats. In order to take control over the Senate, the Democrats needed to flip two seats all while keeping the current seats they previously held. ADVERTISEMENT As of press time, the 2018 mid-term election came to a close with a blue wave sweep over the U.S. House of Representatives with the Republicans keeping control over the Senate. Here is a breakdown of how election night unfolded. The Senate On the East Coast, the Democrats faced a tough battle for re-election in Florida, Indiana and West Virginia. All three states are known as red states. As of press time, Republican Mike Braun won the Indiana Senate seat against Democrat Joe Donnelly with 53.6 percent of the votes. In West Virginia, Democrat Joe Manchin won the Senate seat against his opponent Republican Patrick Morrisey. Finally, in the state of Florida, Republican Rick Scott won 50.4 percent of the votes against Democratic Bill Nelson who held 49.6 percent of the votes. In the Mississippi race for Senate, Democratic Mike Espy ran against Republicans Cindy Hyde-Smith and Chris McDaniel and Democratic Tobey Bartee. Epsy received 40.6 percent of the votes, Hyde-Smith received 41.5 percent of the votes, McDaniel received 16.4 percent, and Bartee received 1.5 percent of the votes. Both Hyde-Smith and Epsy will advance to the November 27 runoff in the Mississippi Senate race. Overall, the Senate race came to a close (as of press time) with the Republicans holding 51 seats with six pickups and Democrats holding 43 seats. The battle for Senate control ended with Republicans taking 50 seats and Democrats taking 40 seats. The House According to CNN, In the House of Representatives, the Democrats led the race and came out victoriously. As of press time, the Democrats gained 25 seats and the Republicans lost 25 seats. Currently Democrats hold 179 seats while Republicans hold 169 seats. ADVERTISEMENT The Governors Race Democrats were paying special attention to candidates Andrew Gillum and Stacey Abrams. Andrew Gillum- In Floridas Democratic primary, Gillum won and became the frontrunner. During the mid-term election, Gillum who held 48.9 percent of the votes loss to Republican candidate Ron DeSantis who held 49.9 percent of the votes. Gillum would have been the states first African American governor if he won the election. However, he still made history as he is the first African American gubernatorial candidate in the state of Florida. Stacey Abrams-In Georgia, the race for governor was on between former state legislator Abrams, who was fighting to become the first Black female governor and Republican candidate and Secretary of State Brian Kemp. The race ended with Kemp taking 53.2 percent of the votes and Abrams taking 45.8 percent of the votes. Both Florida and Georgia were major losses for the Democratic Party. Although the Democrats were unable to flip all of the 23 seats needed to control the Senate, this was still a historic election which led to a diverse group of candidates being elected nationwide. Democrat Jared Polis won Colorado governor and is the first openly gay person elected as governor. New Mexico elected their first Native American female congressmember Debra Haaland. In Kansas, Sharice Davids was elected as the first Native American female congressmember. Lastly, Massachusettss elected Ayanna Pressley to the 7th congressional district. Pressley ran unopposed and is the first Black congresswoman of her state! First AME L.A. Hosts 3rd Annual College and Career Fair Twelfth grade Dorsey High School student Kory Laflora knows he wants to obtain a chemical engineering degree and thinks he may want to attend a historically Black college. To help him decide on a school, the 17-year-old recently joined more than 750 students in grades eight through 12 from 15 Los Angeles area schools at the First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles (FAME) 3rd Annual Hoops and Options College and Career Fair. Its a wealth of information to help the kids decide, said Georgia Smith, Lafloras mother, who accompanied him to the fair for support. Hopefully, it helps him decide where to go. The half-day event, held on the church campus, commenced with uplifting speeches including one from Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Austin Beutner, who encouraged students to use the affair as an opportunity to ask questions and make good choices. ADVERTISEMENT Now you have to own this decision like youve never owned anything in your life and you have to do the work going in, said Beutner. Were here to serve you in that decision. Were here to support you to make it happen. Other speakers included FAME Pastor J. Edgar Boyd and FAME Minister of Youth David D. Price, a Harvard University alum, who urged the youth to keep striving for their goals even when it becomes challenging. Its our responsibility to assist our students in making informed decisions about their future by sharing with them the multitude of options available to them, said Boyd. Through educational empowerment, we can help build strong families, the backbone of sustainable communities. The 50 vendors included representatives from various colleges as well as civic and law enforcement agencies, who provided information about career opportunities, college admissions, programs and scholarships. Additionally, a series of workshops offered guidance to students and parents on topics such as financing college, conversing with law enforcement officers and goal setting among others. The annual event is organized by FAMEs Commission on Scholarship, Education and Training. Chaired by Paula DuBois, Ed.D., and co-chaired by Sue Beidleman, the ministry was established to expand the awareness of college, vocational and career options for students in grades 8 and beyond, through a series of academically-based, culturally-relevant programs, focused on academic training, career development and scholarship sourcing. Weve set the groundwork over the previous two years, said DuBois. Our hard work has paid off. ADVERTISEMENT At many of the booths, students were allowed to complete and submit college applications. Benedict College, a historically Black college in Columbia, South Carolina, interviewed and admitted 26 students on the day of the event. Among the prizes awarded to attendees were two $500 book scholarships, courtesy of the I Can Afford College program. L.A. Metro was the prime sponsor. Uno Munro and L.A. City Councilmembers Herb Wesson and Marqueece Harris Dawson provided in-kind donations. First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles (FAME) (www.famechurch.org) is the oldest church founded by African Americans in the city of Los Angeles. Mrs. Biddy Mason, a former slave, received the vision from God to establish a church that would minister to the mind, body and soul of all who would join that small band of believers. The vision, nearly 146 years ago, has grown to what is now a congregation with several dozen ministries reaching people throughout the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Additionally, FAME Assistance Corporation, organized after the 1992 rebellion, continues to provide housing and much-needed services to community residents. Ford, GM and Toyota Rank Highest on Automotive Diversity Scorecard Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co. and Toyota Motor North America ranked high on the Rainbow Push Coalition 2018 automotive diversity scorecard. The annual ranking serves to hold automakers accountable and make minority representation in the automotive industry more than a trendy talking point, according to the organization, headed by the Rev. Jesse Jackson. The scorecard reveals the findings from a survey completed by the top 12 automotive manufacturers and grades them in six different categories including employment, advertising, marketing, dealership, procurement and philanthropy. ADVERTISEMENT The qualitative instrument is a color-coded system of red (least favorable), yellow, and green (most favorable). Rainbow Push released the rankings on Friday, Nov. 2 as part of the 19th Annual Rainbow PUSH/CEF Global Automotive Summit held in Detroit. Ford, GM and Toyota each reflected best practices in ethnic diversity in employment, marketing and philanthropy. While lagging slightly behind Ford and Toyotas rankings for diversity in advertising and procurement, GM demonstrated best practices for diversity among dealers, according to the scorecard. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles ranked in the middle among 12 automakers. Volkswagen and BMW were at the bottom of the list for diversity across the company. We will continue our collective work with automakers that desire internal and external culture changes that embrace diversity. When we do that everyone wins, Jackson said. While Ford and Toyota have done a lot to demonstrate best practices, GM has worked directly with the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) the trade organization that represents 220 African American-owned newspapers and media companies around the country to head a program that helps young aspiring journalists. ADVERTISEMENT The automaker and the NNPA provide HBCU students an exciting opportunity to Discover the Unexpected (DTU) about themselves, their communities and everyday people making a real difference in a fellowship program. Each student receives a $10,000 scholarship for an 8-week journalism journey focused on sharing inspirational stories in the African American community. DTU Fellowship candidates are HBCU students with an interest in journalism who are up for a road trip driven by hands-on experience, exciting challenges and discovering inspirational stories from African-American communities, according to officials at GM and the NNPA. This year, using NNPAs professional resources and the all-new 2018 Chevrolet Equinoxs innovative technology, DTU Fellows are sharing stories that shatter perceptions, jump-start their journalism careers and encourage all to Discover the Unexpected. Each team of DTU Fellows travel to two cities to work with two different NNPA newspapers with the use of the all-new 2018 Chevrolet Equinox and its innovative technology. During the Automotive Summit, Jackson also announced a new collaboration between Rainbow Push and Wayne County Community College to train students to work on the new technology automakers are preparing to deploy in the near future. Its not about grease anymore, Jackson said. Its about high-tech. The program, which Jackson did not offer many details on, would target 1,000 students through a specialized, two-year program at the college. The curriculum would be designed by Silicon Valley-based African-American technology professionals. Jackson said details would be offered on the program in about a month. Meanwhile, BMWs top leader in North America met this week with Jackson to discuss the German automakers efforts to promote diversity in its ranks. However, the civil rights leader has encouraged people to stop buying BMWs until the company reveals more about current efforts to diversify its management. Eleven percent of BMWs sold in the United States, Jackson said, are purchased by black Americans. Five of 340 BMW dealerships nationwide are black-owned, BMW confirmed. They once had 12 dealerships. Theyve gone backwards, Jackson said. Grambling State Approved to Offer Cybersecurity Degree Grambling State University has been approved to offer the states first Bachelor of Science degree in cybersecurity. The University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors provided their approval and support for the universitys program, according to a news release. The next step in the process is approval from the Louisiana Board of Regents. Students will be eligible to begin enrolling in the program in fall 2019. With the vision of your team and the support of this Board, we are confident Grambling is prepared to educate cybersecurity professionals the market is demanding, said Board Chair Al Perkins. These graduates will be equipped with highly sought-after skills to protect us as technology becomes more prevalent in our daily lives. ADVERTISEMENT Grambling State faculty member, researcher and a member of the Louisiana Cybersecurity Commission Yenumula B. Reddy, Ph.D., has been spearheading the new programs development. We are excited about the work of Dr. Reddy and his team, said Grambling State President Rick Gallot. Their continuous innovation in research and the classroom are paving the way for this program. We are excited for the impact their leadership and our system-level support will have on our state and economy. The news comes on the heels of an October report issued by the University of Louisiana System that said Grambling State University has doubled its fiscal health score since FY 2016, increasing from a 1.30 to a 2.60 as of the most recent report. The fiscal health score, developed by the Louisiana Board of Regents, measures overall organizational health, factoring in important components including debt, revenue, and ability to operate. Its been a team-wide effort, Gallot said. As a part of our commitment to innovation, weve engaged new talent and alumni from across the U.S. who not only understand our charge but offer us expert perspectives and thought leadership. Leading the Universitys fiscal health initiatives team is Martin Lemelle, Jr. the Universitys Chief Operating Officer and Interim Vice-President of Finance. The initiative also includes team members who offer experience from higher education, Silicon Valley, and public accountancy. ADVERTISEMENT Were an example of whats possible when we partner, said Lemelle. The key to our successes has been a university-wide combination of collaboration and commitment. Weve seen innovative ideas from every area, from our controllers office to our academic units. The outputs of these collaborative teams are having a direct impact on the institutions bottom-line. Some of those outputs include: $1.2 million in annual savings through participating in the Department of Educations Historically Black College and University Capital Financing Program; Overall expense reduction of more than $6 million; A 320 percent annual increase in grants from federal and state government initiatives; and Realizing new revenue opportunities that include an increase in third-party commissions and its Look for the Label program which focuses on increasing licensing royalties. Grambling State University is experiencing a renaissance. Its vastly improved fiscal health is yet another indication of the effective leadership and hard work occurring at all levels of the institution, University of Louisiana System President Jim Henderson said. From its enrollment numbers to its operations, its exciting to see the rapid and significant advancement of this historic institution. Kawaida and the Current Crisis: A Philosophy of Life, Love and Struggle Part II. To say that Kawaida is a philosophy of life, love and struggle is not to suggest that love and struggle are the only areas of life with which Kawaida concerns itself. As a philosophy of life in its comprehensive sense, Kawaida concerns itself with every area and aspect of life, especially questions of life in the seven fundamental areas of culture: history, religion (spirituality and ethics); social organization; political organization; economic organization; creative production; and ethos (the collective self-consciousness developed as a people as a result of thought and practice in the other areas of culture). But in times of crisis like these, it is useful to focus on foundational principles and practices which anchor and inform all others. Clearly, the foundational and overarching concern and commitment of Kawaida is lifehuman and other life and all that is related to the respect, preservation, protection, development and flourishing of it. And likewise, it is concerned with and opposed to all that would threaten, diminish, abuse or destroy life. But to talk of human life and make it real is to talk of actual people. For history and current reality have shown that an oppressor can claim respect for life as a universal abstract, but hate, enslave, dispossess, terrorize and murder, singularly and in mass, actual living humans of various kinds and cultures. ADVERTISEMENT What I want to do here is to try to weave an interrelated and seamless conception of life, love and struggle as they relate to us as African people in the context of oppression and resistance in this critical moment in our history. For Kawaida understands life as a sacred good, grounded and made most meaningful in relationships. It sees love as the most anchoring, strengthening and enriching character of relationships. And it sees struggle to bring, increase and sustain good in our lives, loves and the world as a defining feature of our becoming and being human in the most dignity-affirming, life-enhancing and world-preserving ways. In a philosophy of life, there are always key concepts, principles and practices, views and values and, of necessity, corresponding practices to make the views and values a living reality and part of a vital and viable tradition. As we say in Kawaida, in the final analysis, practice proves and makes possible everything. Given not only the centrality and sacredness of life and the current and ongoing threat to Black lives and Black people in virtually every existing social space, the focus on life and respect of it in the most comprehensive way becomes essential, indispensable and compelling. Certainly, the oppressor has chosen the way of death for us and the world in the system of oppression and exploitation that he has imposed. But as we have said so many times, the oppressor cannot and must not be our teacher. Indeed, all our sacred texts teach us we must choose life, not death, and that this means accepting the serious responsibility of living life well and constantly striving and struggling to create conditions in our community, society and the world in which we and others can live, love and create freely. As a communitarian philosophy, Kawaida understands life as a relational reality, especially in the context of family and community, but also the world. We come into being in relationship and responsibility, and we establish and develop our identity, meaning and measure in this context. It is as community, as a people, that we receive as a cultural legacy our identity, purpose and direction. In a word, we are who we are and who we become or ought to become in relation with others, especially in our circles of significant others. This is the meaning of John Mbitis often-quoted positing of the African concept of human existence and essence, I am because we are, and because we are, therefore I am. And its found also in the Zulu concept of Ubuntu or what it means to be humanngingumuntu ngabantuI am a human being through other human beings, a person through other people. Our duty, then, is to build, strengthen and constantly expand those relations on every level in principled, purposeful and caring ways, in a word, in the ethical, effective and expansive ways required of us as African people. At the core of Kawaidas philosophy of life, love and struggle are the Nguzo Saba (The Seven Principles), a Black value system that we understand as the moral minimum set of values Black people need in order to rescue and reconstruct our history and humanity and shape them in our own image and interests, in a word, to free ourselves and be ourselves in ever flourishing ways. These principles are Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith). In conscientious and righteous practice of these principles, we, of necessity, begin with the pursuit and practice of Umoja, unity, a principled and purposeful togetherness in life, love and struggle in our families and local and national communities, as well as the world African community. This principle urges us also to build and strengthen quality male/female relations; intergenerational unity, engagement, and transfers of knowledge, experience and relational networks; to form and reinforce alliances and coalitions of common ground, respect, reciprocity and mutual benefit; and to courageously stand in active solidarity with the oppressed and struggling peoples of the world. ADVERTISEMENT Also, we must practice self-determination, Kujichagulia, with the understanding that we are our own liberators, lifters-up of our own light, coming to the table and battlefield, not culturally naked and in need, but fully clothed in the ancient and ongoing richness and resourcefulness of our own culture. And we must live, love and struggle with the certain knowledge that there is no people more sacred than our own, no history more worthy of being taught or told, and no culture a more valid or valuable way of being human in the world. Moreover, in the spirit of Ujima, we must work together tirelessly to build the good world and forge the good future we want and deserve. And let us hold fast to the principle of Ujamaa that we must share work and wealth and ensure all have a life of dignity and decency and an equitable share of the goods of the world without undermining its well-being. Our overarching purpose, Nia, the Odu Ifa tells us, is to constantly bring good in the world and not let any good be lostno good be lost in our families and friendships, and our relationships of all kinds; and no good be lost that would threaten or undermine the well-being of the world and all in it. And let us, in the spirit and practice of creativity, Kuumba, do always as much as we can in the way we can in order to leave our community and by extension, the world, more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it. Finally, let us dare to practice Imani, the faith of our ancestors, a steadfast faith in the good that compels us to constantly pursue it; and an unfailing faith in our people, Black people, African people. And let this faith express itself as love of them in real, radical and revolutionary ways, ways that translate as ongoing striving and struggling with them to create the life conditions for and the reality of their happiness, well-being, constant development and flourishing in the world. Dr. Maulana Karenga, Professor and Chair of Africana Studies, California State University-Long Beach; Executive Director, African American Cultural Center (Us); Creator of Kwanzaa; and author of Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture and Essays on Struggle: Position and Analysis, www.AfricanAmericanCulturalCenter-LA.org; www.OfficialKwanzaaWebsite.org; www.MaulanaKarenga.org. L.A. Council Seeks Solutions To Waze Traffic On Side Streets With mobile traffic applications such as Waze causing a dangerous flood of traffic to be funneled onto tiny side streets, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a proposal today that will develop ways to curb the apps from diverting drivers off of major thoroughfares. There are tremendous advantages to apps like Waze, said Councilman Paul Krekorian, who introduced the motion seeking the solution. They can make driving more efficient, but with every technological advance, any consequences that arise must be taken into account. With this vote, the city will have the go ahead to start a dialogue with these tech companies to see if they will work more closely with us to reduce the impact their apps are having on small residential streets and increase the level of traffic safety in our neighborhoods. ADVERTISEMENT At a meeting in October, the Transportation Committee discussed the matter with Los Angeles Department of Transportation staff and recommended that the council designate LADOT as the lead agency to negotiate a data sharing agreement with navigation application companies to explore what solutions to the issues can be negotiated. Krekorian introduced a similar motion in 2015 that asked Waze to partner with the city and alleviate traffic on residential streets, but he said Waze ignored the request. Waze has not responded to previous attempts to comment on the motion. The real-world neighborhood impacts of sending distracted, stressed and/or lost drivers down unfamiliar streets remain, Krekorians new motion says. And while there are certainly other factors that contribute to the overwhelming amount of traffic in narrow, neighborhood feeder streets, map app makers like Google, Apple and Waze have shown little interest in helping neighborhoods reduce the hazards on their streets. Krekorian is not the only council member to raise issues about Waze and safety. Councilman David Ryu sent a letter in April to the City Attorneys Office asking for a review of possible legal action against Waze for causing traffic problems During a series of wildfires in December 2017, navigation apps like Waze and Google Maps were guiding drivers into evacuation areas and caused congestion where officials were ordering streets closed, according to a motion introduced that month by Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Koretz that is still under consideration. ADVERTISEMENT Koretzs motion would direct the fire department and Department of Transportation to report on efforts to coordinate with navigation app developers to prevent their apps from directing drivers into evacuated areas. LAX Marks Milestone at New International Concourse with Topping Out Ceremony Twenty months after breaking ground for the Midfield Satellite Concourse (MSC) at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Mayor Eric Garcetti and Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) officials gathered for a topping out ceremony at the 12-gate addition to the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT). Today is more than a construction milestone its an expression of L.A.s openness to the world, and our connection to people from everywhere in it, said Mayor Eric Garcetti. The Midfield Satellite Concourse has created good, middle-class jobs for Angelenos and will strengthen L.A.s global connections when its doors open at LAX. At this mornings event, Mayor Garcetti and other VIPs signed a ceremonial beam that was hoisted and placed near the top of the future ramp tower. The beam also bears the signatures of others who have had a hand in designing and constructing the new facility. LAX is quickly becoming the world-class airport that Angelenos demand and deserve, said Councilmember Mike Bonin. I am especially excited that the Midfield Satellite Concourse will incorporate a number of sustainability features, such as using passive daylight lighting for the interior spaces, water saving plumbing fixtures and a cool roof that reduces heat absorption. These eco-friendly features will go a long way to minimizing the environmental impact of this needed new facility, and will further LAWAs commitment to make LAX a world-class airport that is also a first-class neighbor. ADVERTISEMENT The $2 billion project, which includes the new concourse and an expansion of the baggage handling system, is expected to be completed in mid-2020. With its soaring roof, open space and ample natural light, the architecture complements the award-winning Bradley Terminal, which underwent a major transformation and opened to guests five years ago. This new international concourse will help us realize two of the goals in our strategic plan: delivering facilities and guest services that are exceptional, and using new technology and innovations to keep our airport safe and secure, said Sean Burton, president, Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners (BOAC). By reducing our need for the remote gates to the west, the experience for our guests will be greatly enhanced. Our guests will enjoy our most technologically advanced experience, with more than a dozen interactive displays and enhanced cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. This concourse will be an experience expected in Los Angeles, the best of what our city has to offer, said Deborah Flint, Chief Executive Officer, LAWA. In addition to LA-centric food, retail and art, thousands of local workers, including our HireLAX graduates, are helping build this citys future right here at LAX. The 750,000-square-foot concourse will be connected to TBIT by two tunnels, one for passengers and another to deliver utilities and services. The 1,000-foot passenger tunnel will feature moving walkways and will be accessible from a new Gateway being added to TBIT that includes elevators and escalators. The concourse will also include a bus port, allowing passengers to be driven across the airfield after clearing security in another terminal. The MSC will be equipped to handle both domestic and international flights, with sterile walkways leading to the passenger tunnel and a dedicated route to customs. The new concourses roof emulates an ocean swell, complementing the architectural design of the TBIT roof, which represents a wave breaking onto the shore. The interior of the new concourse is organized into a series of neighborhoods, which includes three to four aircraft gates, a restroom core, and retail and concession spaces. The interior finishes and colors were selected to reflect its location and are based on the urban fabric of Los Angeles. A rotating series of lively and innovative art exhibitions that reflect Los Angeles creative spirit will be seen throughout the concourse. With a focus on creating an exceptional guest experience, the building will feature biometric boarding gates, a variety of seating types, two nursing rooms, play areas for children, a service-animal relief area and additional space for airline club lounges. The new concourse was designed with sustainability in mind, and with the directive to achieve LEED Silver and CAL Green Tier 1 certifications. Sustainable ideas include use of daylight for interior illumination; energy and water conservation; reducing the effect of heat generated by building roofs and pavement; and use of recycled materials. The project also includes over 1.5 million square feet of new aircraft apron and taxiways/taxilanes, as well as underground utility improvements. Also included is an expansion in baggage-handling capacity to meet the needs of the additional gates. While construction will shift from outside of the building to inside of it in 2019, an Airport Operational Readiness team is already creating plans for training the hundreds of airport and stakeholder employees who will work in the new facility in 2020. Luwanda Jenkins Named First Black Director of Executive Alliance Luwanda Jenkins is transferring years of civic service for the State of Maryland to a new role in advancing womens leadership. Jenkins, the first Black Executive Director for the Executive Alliance, comes to her work with years of statewide policy experience, as a former Lieutenant Gubernatorial candidate and senior staffer during the Schaffer, Glendening and OMalley administrations. The research that our organization has done affirms that when women have a seat at the table in leadership roles, organizations perform better, Jenkins said. As the first African American Executive Director for the Executive Alliance, in a state with a Black population close to 30 percent, Jenkins says she understands the work needed to advance women of color to leadership roles throughout Maryland. ADVERTISEMENT We know that where women of color are concerned, Jenkins said. We still need to gain greater diversity to assure that women of color are part of the equation as well, Jenkins said. We need to do more to ensure that women of color have a place at corporate boards and other boards of influence, whether they be school boards across the state of Maryland, or other regulatory boards that make decisions about the day-to-day lives of Marylanders, she continued. The Executive Alliance was founded in 1993, by a group of professional women, including founding member and AFRO Publisher, Frances Murphy Draper, to promote womens advancement in professional and executive roles in Maryland. Originally named, Network 2000, the organization changed its name to the Executive Alliance in 2016 in recognition of an expansion in advocacy, education and mentorship of women in corporate and civic board leadership across the State. Jenkins has also taken on a role to support The Elijah Cummings Youth Program, a leadership development program focusing on youth in Marylands 7th congressional district. I am excited about the opportunity to connect with young people and their families across the district to advance this important leadership program one that prepares our young people with a global experience to become 21st century leaders with an international perspective, Jenkins said. All programming, including a trip to Israel for Elijah Cummings Youth Program participants, is done collaboratively between Congressman Cummings and the Baltimore Jewish Council. ADVERTISEMENT This is an exciting time, said Jenkins. The Executive Alliance and The Elijah Cummings Youth program are incredible vehicles to support advancement for women and youth of color. These programs are what our future will look like, she said. Nijla Mumin brings faith and film together in Jinn Nijla Mumin is a young Black woman who embraces the Islamic faith and is also a film and television director which in Hollywood makes her rare and that should not be the case. There is a serious lack of opportunity for Black women filmmakers and despite best efforts and well-crafted press releases on the subject (usually generated during Black History Month), there is very little permanent and positive change. Its not that Hollywood doesnt do their annual dog and pony show on the subject. They do, they absolutely do. In fact, every year the industry turns in their annual reports on their progress in the areas of diversity and inclusion, and each year the DGA (Directors Guild of America) and WGA (Writers Guild of America) continue to have very low scorecards. ADVERTISEMENT How is that possible, you ask, when women control over $20 trillion in worldwide spending, and yet they are paid less for the same work and denied opportunities that are given to White males? The answer is sobering because they can and they do it because they can. And yet, all these murky facts did not stop writer-director Nijla Mumin from making her debut featureJinnan Orion Classics release which will screen in select cities on November 15 and on VOD and Digital HD November 16. Perhaps it is the sheer difficulty of trying to live her dreams that ultimately inspires the Oakland based filmmaker. Nijla Mumin is well trained, a graduate of UC Berkeley, she attended Howard Universitys MFA film program and was a 2013 dual-degree graduate of CalArts MFA programs in film directing and creative writing. After a series of her short films caught industry attention, she went on to receive support from virtually every independent film support organization out there, including the Sundance Institute and IFP, the San Francisco Film Society, Film Independent and the Islamic Scholarship Fund. An impressive start, but financiallytruthfullythat barely moves the needle. To get Jinn made, Mumin left New York and moved back to L.A. and then the financing for the film fell through. But that didnt deter her from ultimately raising the money and learning an important lesson about how Hollywood really works. Jinn is loosely based on Mumins life. The award-winning indie film follows 17-year old Summer (Zoe Renee), a carefree Black girl, whose world is turned upside down when her mother, a popular meteorologist named Jade Jennings (Simone Missick), abruptly converts to Islam and becomes a different person, prompting Summer to reevaluate her identity. The advice thats usually imparted to young storytellers from seasoned veterans is to write what you know and for Mumin, that advice proved fruitful. Jinn received a Special Jury Recognition for Writing at SXSW, high praise for the newcomer. ADVERTISEMENT Ive always been interested in pulling images from daily life to understand how individual moments can reveal a statement about humanity, Mumin said. Life hits us all like an unexpected thunderstorm and for Mumin, her childhood shifted when her parents divorced, forcing her to split her time with each parent. With her father, who is a Muslim, she became immersed in his environment and therein lies the heart of Jinn. I enjoyed going to the masjid and being around different Muslim people, she shares. Then I went into the public school system, where I was exposed to pop culture, sexuality, and a lot of friends who werent Muslim. The splintering of her childhood is evident in how she crafted the main character, Summer. Her film feels authentic because it comes from her heart and her memories. My mom, who is not a practicing Muslim, says Mumin. In fact, she encouraged me to be free. So, my scripts and films usually center on Black women and girls straddling dual worlds and at major turning points related to sexuality, family, identity or death. The coming of age elements in Jinn will help audiences make another important connection because there is a sweet romance too, between Summer and Muslim classmate Tahir (Kelvin Harrison, Jr.), which possesses such down-home realness you feel like you know both of the young lovers and fear that their innocence will be their undoing. And yet, they both give the audience a feeling of hope an invigorating and frightening emotion, for our Black community. Im convinced that Mumin is a warrior and maybe part Jinn, a question her main character repeatedly asks herself. Its the fearless nature of one determined to follow their bliss that has helped Mumin reap the benefits of her convictions. She recently collaborated for the filming of an episode of the popular drama Queen Sugar, with the all-female directorial team of Ava DuVernay. Magical powers bestowed by a mystical Jinn or the product of pure Black Girl magic, whos to say, but whats for certain is the Jinn was breathed into existence by storyteller Nijla Mumin. In trying to get my film [Jinn] made, [I] heard a lot of no thank you with a question about who is really your audience, but I know that theres a mainstream narrative about Islam in the media in this country, states Mumin, and with this film Im trying to get away from that and show what it means to be curious or fascinated, or to question your identity. Jinn plays in select theaters on November 15 and will be available on VOD and Digital HD November 16, 2018. An Orion Classics release. Directed and written by Nijla Mumin and starring Zoe Renee, Simone Missick, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Dorian Missick With Hisham Tawfiq and Kelly Jenrette YOUTUBE TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvYQYmg3_CU&feature=youtu.be Oscar Buzz Accompanies Release of If Beale Street Could Talk Oscar discussions for If Beale Street Could Talk began in earnest after several screenings, including at a special premiere screening at New Yorks famed Apollo Theater. [The movie] is a timeless work of Black Love set in Harlem, said Kamilah Forbes, the Apollo Theaters executive producer. Forbes called the film an important work in the community. Written and directed by Barry Jenkins, based on the classic novel by James Baldwin, If Beale Street Could Talk, tells the story of Tish, a newly-engaged Harlem woman who races against the clock to prove her lovers innocence while carrying their first-born child to term. ADVERTISEMENT Producers of the Annapurna Pictures release call the movie a celebration of love told through the story of a young couple, their families and their lives, trying to bring about justice through love, for love and the promise of the American dream. Others simply call If Beale Street a Harlem love story that unfolds on the big screen, in the neighborhood that is home to its characters. The movie stars KiKi Layne, Stephan James and Colman Domingo; with memorable roles also portrayed by Teyonah Parris, Michael Beach, Dave Franco, and Regina King, among others. Its scheduled to open nationwide on Nov. 30. I saw Beale Street as part of the NMAAHC African American Film Festival, April Reign, a noted Washington, D.C.-based speaker and consultant. Barry Jenkins has a way of showing us and our love that Ive never experienced before on film. Go see Beale Street Reviewers have already earmarked If Beale Street for an Oscar. Critics at Vulture wrote, Rarely has a filmmakers devotion to his material been more clear. Beale Street translates much of Baldwins prose to voice-over, and it holds his characters in adoring close-up; theres not a filmmaker working today whos as good at shooting faces as Jenkins is. ADVERTISEMENT But where Baldwin went for kitchen-sink realism, this film turns Tish and Fonnys story into a romantic epic that seeks to capture all of Harlem in its lush, warm gaze. From the fantastic cinematography, to the impeccably re-created period details, to the nearly all-black cast, I dont think Ive seen a movie that looked and felt quite like Beale Street. Goldderby.com wondered, Can Brian Tyree Henry win an Oscar in 12 minutes? Henry appears in a pivotal segment of If Beale Street as Daniel Carty, an old friend of Fonny Hunt who recounts a harrowing experience. Goldderby.com critics noted that Stephan James will be campaigning for recognition as a lead actor, which opens the door for Henry in the Best Supporting Actor race, and while you might think a shorter performance is at a disadvantage at the Oscars, tell that to Beatrice Straight, who made history by winning Best Supporting Actress for Network in 1976 and Judi Dench, who won Best Supporting Actress for Shakespeare in Love, in 1998 despite just an eight-minute performance. Forbes Magazine critics also fed into the Oscar buzz, opining that Jenkins could win Best Director in a new review this week. Regina King, who plays Tishs mother Sharon Rivers in the movie, said the film helps further humanize black people and black love. I want people to see us as human beings, she said on the Red Carpet of the NMAAHC African American Film Festival. Even though we are all humans, I think a lot of times people see black first and dont see everything that exists. I want them to see love first, King said. She continued: Everyone that I know that has seen the movie, black or white or whatever, thats what theyre getting from it. They felt like they left with a hug, a different understanding of black culture this gives probably one of the most honest presentations of black families in a long, long time. To watch the trailer of If Beale Street Could Talk, visit: http://annapurna.pictures/films/if-beale-street-could-talk Pan-African Studies at Cal State LA celebrates 50 years Ceremony honors Black leaders and their contributions to the community Pan-African Studies commemorated 50 years at Cal State LA with a ceremony honoring Black leaders and community members. More than 200 faculty, staff, students and supporters gathered in the Golden Eagle Ballroom on Oct. 29 for the Department of Pan-African Studies 5th Annual Black Community Honors Dinner, an evening that looked back on the departments history and recognized the contributions of individuals who have committed their lives to the liberation and empowerment of the Black community. This moment affords us an opportunity to vision the world we want to live innot simply reform what is, but vision and build what we want it to be, said Melina Abdullah, professor and chair of the Department of Pan-African Studies at Cal State LA. Think about what were celebrating tonight50 years of Pan-African Studies. ADVERTISEMENT The event marked the launch of a yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary. Pan-African Studies is the second Black Studies department in the nation, founded amid the social and political turmoil of the late 1960s. The Cal State LA Black Student Union, which was pushing for more Black students and faculty members, helped lead the effort to establish a Black Studies program in 1967. It became a department in 1969. Two of the Black Student Unions earliest members attended the nights event: Hiram Channell, who now works in admissions at Cal State LA, and Ayuko Babu, who is executive director and a founder of the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles. As a student, Babu helped found the Department of Pan-African Studies. Pan-African Studies is part of the Black Studies discipline, which includes academic programs that examine the history, culture, politics, economics and worldviews of people of African descent. The first Black Studies department and first and only College of Ethnic Studies were founded at San Francisco State University in 1968. The establishment followed a five-month student strike, the longest campus strike in United States history, and was led by the Black Student Union and a coalition of student groups. Representatives from across the California State University system came together prior to the dinner at Cal State LAs Downtown facility for a daylong conference marking 50 years of ethnic studies at the CSU and looking ahead to the future of the field. ADVERTISEMENT The nights honorees were U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee, who represents the 13th Congressional District in the Bay Area; Cal State LA Pan-African Studies alumnus Akinyele Umoja, chair of African American Studies at Georgia State University; Teri Williams, president and chief operating officer of OneUnited Bank, the largest Black-owned bank in the nation; and Nana Lawson Bush V, professor of education and Pan-African Studies at Cal State LA and a traditional African priest. I visit many, many colleges and universities around the country and I get a chance to meet professors and heads of departments and students, and I just have to say that this is number one if you ask of me, said Lee, who received the Black Community Honors 2018 Peace and Justice Award. What a moment this isin the middle of all that I am doingto be here with you to be revived and rejuvenated and inspired and motivated to keep fighting the good fight. With a week until the Nov. 6 midterm election, Lee emphasized the importance of voter participation. Voting is but one vehicle to our liberation, one path to it, but its an important one, Lee said. Pan-African Studies is housed in the College of Natural and Social Sciences, which is headed by Dean Pamela Scott-Johnson. Cal State LA Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Lynn Mahoney delivered the university welcome, reflecting on the history of the late 1960s and similarities with the present day. As we navigate whats left of 2018, I am blessed to work at a place where its almost an antidote to the national news, Mahoney said. As the national news is unrelentingly negative, here every day I see signs of that hope, I see signs of solidarity, and I see signs of resistance. Our commitment to and our legacy of educational equity is still very much alive. Abdullah, who introduced the nights honorees, also recounted her experience taking Black Studies courses while attending Berkeley High School in the Bay Area and the profound impact it had on her life. It planted seeds in me, Abdullah said. So for me, the work that we do in Pan-African Studies is definitely about the subject matter, but more than that its about the pedagogy and the epistemologyits about the way that we teach and the way that we do our work in communities. Racisms Ongoing Devastating Impact Racism is as real as ever and Black lives have always mattered. However, most people, including many Blacks, deny or minimize the devastating effect of racism and tend to act as though somehow, Black lives are less valuable, even less sacred than White lives. The Black Lives Matter movement has the potential for strengthening sustainable unified Black leadership which would distinguish it from the many failed attempts to build a Black united front since the civil rights era. Hopefully, it will succeed, but remaining unapologetically Black is a daunting challenge and time will tell. This column, (November 20, 2008) shortly after President Barack Obamas election, dealt with the implications of racisms broad tentacles and his reluctance to even use the words Black or African American for fear of alienating his supporters, and White voters. That column is revisited today to re-emphasize racisms continuing significance. Readers should also take note of President Obamas later more honest and straightforward statements regarding the need to deal with race-based inequities that still plague Black Americans: The problem is not defining racism but doing something about it; its pernicious tentacles still infect all of our lives. And even though contemporary scholars like Michael Eric Dyson and Cornel West address the magnitude of racisms negative byproducts, they too are unavoidably and snarled in its jaundiced web. ADVERTISEMENT Barack Obamas campaign and aftermath of the election further attest to racisms deep roots. His steadfast avoidance of the words Black and African American for example, was politically correct and obviously intended not to alienate either his supporters or potential white voters. Remember, not once during their respective speeches at the Democratic National Convention did either Barack or Michelle utter those two words. (McCains many racial innuendoes were especially evident when he pitched to Joe the plumbers.) Post-election vandalism in South Torrance, an L.A. suburb, was a blatant manifestation of continuing racism: homes with Obama lawn signs and cars with his stickers were painted with nigger, Hitler, and Go back to Africa. After the election, George W. Bushs top advisor, Carl Rove, and Bill Cosbys pal, Alvin Poussaint, agreed that the Cosby Show about an upwardly mobile Black family had succeeded in changing racial attitudes enough to make Obamas candidacy possible. Really? Obama lost votes because of his race, but this was offset somewhat by the landmark financial meltdown that caused many white voters to reluctantly switch towards the end of the campaign. The popular vote was extremely close and, arguably, but for the meltdown, McCain might have won the election. Many Republican voters abandoned McCain because, like countless others, they were hurting financially and came to see McCain as an extension of Bushs failed policies and his election probably would not benefit them. This column regularly addresses the harms of institutional racism and bemoans the fact that many Blacks tend to deny or minimize its existence. Such thinking is a convoluted, self-fulfilling prophecy that reinforces practices and conditions inimical to their own best interests. Effective leadership is crucial if Blacks are to challenge the status quo. Even more important, both poorer and middle-class Blacks must regain hope and mutual respect, and bring their collective strength to bear by demanding new political and economic solutions. This means actually holding elected officials and other Black leadership accountable. But first, ordinary people must be sufficiently dissatisfied to behave differently, willing to assume risks and take action likely to result in real change. As Cornel West intones, Blacks must shed the twin burden of victimization and futile dependence on others. Transformative behavior also requires a reaffirmation of racial pride. ADVERTISEMENT Racisms crippling impact on the minds of children is rarely discussed. Yet, solely based on color, Black children suffer conditioned inferiority. Tragically, coupled with urban blight and gross systemic neglect their plight has become a sad, unattended norm. Schools, especially, do a serious disservice to these children by failing to properly deal with their special needs, even though they occupy the lowest levels of academic achievement. This requires additional not fewer resources. Blacks should take note of recent, highly organized large white demonstrations where the demonstrators felt they were wronged and did something about it. The last time Blacks acted that way with sustained unity was during the 1960s. The point is, unified action is indispensable for advancing successful Black-oriented group agendas. Barack Obamas momentous victory did not mean the Calvary had arrived, Blacks would be his top priority, or that his presidency would positively impact them in the near term. Despite an almost iconic affinity with Obama, in order to get and keep his attention, Blacks, like all other special interest groups, needed to give him cogent proposals and recommendations, and hold him accountable for responding. This was a change made more difficult because of the paucity of unapologetic Black oriented endeavors in recent decades. Tackling racism and race-based issues is especially difficult for Blacks, because many have internalized values that are not in their best interests and are reluctant to challenge the system. Of course, our resources are scarce and we still have relatively meager political clout. But remember, we are a proud people with unsurpassed pride, resilience and defiance. The price of servitude has always been unacceptable. For Blacks, whether racism is indelible depends not only on Whites, but in equal measure, on us. With renewed strength and determination, we will again determine our own destiny. Ridley-Thomas Leads Groundbreaking on New MLK Medical Building L.A. County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas led the groundbreaking ceremony for the newest addition to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Medical Campus in Willowbrook: a medical office building that will increase access to healthcare in South Los Angeles by creating more space for physicians to care for patients. Scheduled to open in 2020, the MLK Community Health Medical Office Building will provide primary care for the local community, as well as valuable services to treat chronic conditions. Outpatient services will include dialysis, wound care, and imaging. There will also be an ambulatory surgery center, a retail pharmacy, and a space for community health education. The 52,000-sq. ft. MLK Community Health Medical Office Building will be the new home of the MLK ADVERTISEMENT Community Medical Group, which recruits doctors from prestigious medical centers across the nation who have a desire to serve in a safety-net community. When you talk about best practices in community health, the evidence is overwhelming that access to primary care is a critical piece of the puzzle,said Ridley-Thomas, the driving force behind the medical campus. With the creation of the MLK Medical Group and this medical office building, we are creating an essential link between hospital patients and ongoing care following discharge. The MLK Community Health Medical Office Building represents a fulfillment of our promise to this community, MLK Community Hospital CEO Dr. Elaine Batchlor said.This moment is about more than a buildingits a milestone for improving health in South LA. Dr. Jorge Reyno, MLK Community Hospital vice president of Population Health, is one of the doctors looking forward to having an office at the new building. It will serve as a hub to improve outcomes, and an important bridge between inpatient and outpatient care, supporting our work in care management, and helping us achieve our goals for patient and community wellness,he said. ADVERTISEMENT Several members of the community expressed their enthusiasm for the project, including Sweet Alice Harris, Arna Fulcher of the Empowerment Congress, and Arturo Ibarra of the Watts/Century Latino Organization. Developed in partnership with Trammell Crow Company, the project is expected to create 200 construction jobs. It is only the latest addition to the still-expanding MLK Medical Campus, which besides the MLK Community Hospital and MLK Outpatient Center, also includes the MLK Center for Public Health, the MLK Mental Health Urgent Care Center, and MLK Recuperative Care Center. Taste of Soul Recognizes Vendors and Partners The 13th annual Taste of Soul once again proved why its the #1 family festival in Southern California featuring some of the best vendors around. On Thursday, November 1, vendors were invited to the second annual Taste of Soul Vendor & Partner Appreciation Reception at the Museum of African American Art on the 3rd Floor of Macys in the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza. Sponsored and hosted by City National Bank, the reception was held to celebrate the amazing collaboration of food and non-food vendors and partners who make Taste of Soul an economic empowerment engine that over 350,000 people attend annually on Crenshaw Blvd. Food and beverages were served by Hawkins Catering and music was provided by DJ JiJi Sweet. Monique Jones Colon, owner of Sarili Ko Oasis, which is Tagalog for Take Time To Love Yourself. Sarili Ko Oasis sells organic sugar scrubs, salt scrubs, body butters and oils. This was her second year being a part of Taste of Soul and she spoke a little about Taste of Soul. ADVERTISEMENT It was very profitable for us and I am so grateful to Taste of Soul [who] gave us this opportunity to make our business known within the community, said Colon. Weve got reoccurring customers and new people that we were able to touch in our community. When asked about the vendor appreciation reception, Colon stated, I appreciate it. It lets me know that its not just one waypaying it forward, you are reciprocating the love and were family and Im just grateful to be a part of it. As a vendor, it lets you know that you are appreciated, said Lanier Edwards, owner of Heavenly Delights Gourmet Cobblers. He has been with Taste of Soul for 9 years and stated that each year, hes been too busy baking cobblers to really take in the family festival but is grateful for it. Its a phenomenal event, said Edwards. The only thing is, I wish it would be two days instead of one day. Marion Singleton of Child Evangelism Fellowship was also happy to attend the vendor appreciation reception. They are a ministry that reaches out to children and teaches them core values based on the Bible. This was her second year at Taste of Soul and she spoke about her experience this year. It was absolutely fantasticno problems, 350,000 people? No problems, exclaimed Singleton. Thats Jesus! It was a beautiful day, beautiful event and everyone was just so happy and blessed to be together. A lot of times, people say that Black people cant come togetherTaste of Soul is proving that to be a falsehood, we can. ADVERTISEMENT Karen A. Clark is the senior vice president and multi-cultural strategies manager of City National Bank Crenshaw Branch and she spoke about the evening and her love of the community. I just love the vendor appreciation reception because I think the vendors do so much work for the Taste of Soul, said Clark. I just think sometimes people take them for grantedpeople forget the real people behind the booths. I think this is a great event. Clark also shared her feelings about City National Bank being located on Crenshaw Blvd and how they look forward to serving the people in the community. We love being a part of the community, its been a win-win for the community and City National Bank, said Clark. I am so proud in my company to be able to talk about the Crenshaw Branch and what were doing here and the clients that we haveand the community itself. When we decided to open the [Crenshaw] Branch, I said we are putting a historic bank in a historic community. Its a 70-year-old bank with a very, very proud tradition and this is a historic community with a very, very proud tradition. City National Bank is known to many as the bank to the stars and Black folks are starsso we brought the bank of the starts to some very special stars. We have 90 colleagues that live in the Crenshaw District, so we are very proud to be here. Its like being home for us. The feeling of family at Taste of Soul is real and it only gets better each year, said Pamela Bakewell, COO of Taste of Soul/Bakewell Media. The spirit of love and respect along Crenshaw Boulevard and the support for our vendors & small businesses makes Taste of Soul the economic engine that impacts our community far beyond the day of the family festival. We love our vendors and appreciate the professionalism they bring to Taste of Soul. Patricias Unique Boutique offers custom bling apparel and t-shirts. Owner April Burnett stated it was her second year attending Taste of Soul and added, it was amazing, we had an incredible time. As for the vendor appreciation reception, Burnett replied, top notch, one-hundred percent, top notch. I wasnt expecting this when I came, said Keith Tate about the vendor appreciation reception. Ive been to appreciation [events] before and they just come and thank everybody for being there and then you go home but this was great being able to hear about other vendors [and] what the Sentinel is doing in the community. Im excited about being able to get the online subscriptions to the Sentinel. This was Tates first Taste of Soul and vendor appreciation reception representing Transamerica Financial Advisors, Inc. It was unbelievable, said Tate about Taste of Soul. It was just the most incredible event that Ive ever donejust to be out there with the community and the families, to be able to interact with them in all different ways. It was awesome. Special thanks to the Museum of African American Art and board of directors member, Berlinda Fontenot-Jamerson for hosting the event. A special thanks also to food vendor, Hawkins Catering and DJ JiJi Sweet, who kept the music playing all evening. Thank you. Three Misconceptions About the Black Vote Black people do vote. Lets stop perpetuating the myth that Black people dont vote. Besides, emphasizing negative behavior will not yield positive results. Positive language reinforces positive behavior. While statistics related to health and wealth routinely place Blacks as dead last, when it comes to voting, this is not the case. Black voter turnout is higher than any other minority group, but Black people still have room to increase their civic participation. In criticism of the Black vote, American norms must be taken into context. There are a couple factors that are characteristically American. ADVERTISEMENT Of the developed, democratic nations the U.S. ranks in the bottom 20 percent for voter participation. To publicly chastise African-Americans for low voter turnout is to diminish their acculturation into American society, perpetuating the very disproportionate affliction voting claims to diminish. Furthermore, reduced voter turnout between elections is also an American norm. Historically, midterm elections experience a steep decline in citizen engagement. For example, in 2012, with the first Black president up for re-election, Black voter turnout rose to an impressive 66.6 percent,surpassing the voter turnout of Whites by 1.3 percent. In the 2010 congressional elections, 43.5 percent of Black people voted, compared to 48.6 percent of their White counterparts. In the 2014 congressional elections 39.7 percent of Black people voted, compared to 45.8 percent of their White counterparts. So, other than the presidential elections of 2008 and 2012, when a Black candidate was on the ballot, the White/Black voter gap averages about 5 points, improving drastically from the 11-point gap a decade ago. In fact, Black, White, and Hispanic voter participation has fallen slightly, in every election cycle since 2008, except for the increase for Black people in 2012. Black people have been reducing the White/Black voting gap since the election of the nations first Black president, with less than 6 points to go. A persistent voting gap exists between education levels. This gap is larger than the Black/White voting gap and increasing. Therefore, criticism of Black voter turnout that does not include increased access to high-quality equitable education is misguided to say the least. Demanding people vote without addressing inequities that disenfranchise them consents to the American myth of pulling yourself up by your bootstraps. ADVERTISEMENT A democracy requires informed voters. Education is responsible for producing informed productive citizens. Therefore, a 26-point achievement gap in both reading and math between White and Black students must be given equal attention as a 5-point voting gap. Millennials will soon be the nations largest electorate. They could also become the largest voting bloc, impacting the decisions they care about most, if they increase their voter turnout. To characterize low Black voter turn-out as laziness or ignorance of the process is to reduce our humanity, suggesting us incapable of rationale thought and ignoring valid feelings of apathy towards a system that continues to disappoint. While getting out the vote, it is imperative that the frustrations of a generation are acknowledged. Millennials came of age with a Black president, they were politically ignited by the racist repercussions of that presidency and police killing of unarmed Black children, and they are armed with a century of similar examples of backlash to Black progress. Their voices must be heard if we are to create a more perfect union. Data collected from https://thedataweb.rm.census.gov Lynette Monroe is a graduate student at Howard University. Her research area is public policy as it relates to education and conflict. You can follow her on Twitter @_monroedoctrine. African Americans Win Throughout California Dems took over the House but not the Senate, California has a new governor, and as of press time, Marshall Tuck narrowly leads Tony Thurmond for the Superintendent of Public Instruction race by a margin of 50.7 percent to 49.3 percent, a margin of 87,502 votes. All precincts have reported but there are still an estimated 4 million that have yet to be counted. The remaining ballots are dropped off mail on Election Day, as well as provisional ballots, or persons that registered to vote on Tuesday. Highlights of the countrys midterm election November 6. Across the country, Democrats grabbed enough seats to take over the house, giving them veto abilities that could block some of Trumps plans like the U.S./ Mexico border wall and the undoing of Obamacare. Locally, voters said no to Prop 10, which would repeal current rent control laws, as well as a fuel tax that helps maintain infrastructure. Meanwhile, Alex Padilla remains secretary of the Golden State, Diane Feinstein still represents California in the Senate, and Maxine Waters will continue to represent the states 43rd district in the House. Gavin Newsom overtook Republican John Cox in the race for Californias next governor and Thurmond said he wanted to get rid of the Betsy DeVos education agenda. During his campaign, Thurmond was endorsed by various teachers unions and all five 2108 teachers of the year. ADVERTISEMENT Californias educators want leadership to fully fund and protect public education, he said. Californians voted yes on Prop 1, which would distribute housing assistance bonds to various projects for veterans. They voted yes, to allowing the state to use funds from a 2004 tax increase via Prop 63, to expand mental health services for the homeless. They also voted yes for bonds to fund Childrens Hospital construction, and to changing the daylight savings time period. Voters said no to repeal of a 12 cents a gallon tax on gasoline, creating a public bank in California and regulating dialysis charges. They said no to a repeal of rental control laws that dont allow local governments to regulate rent on private residences. For her part, Congresswoman Waters, leading a largely African American and Latino district, predicted that a Democratic takeover of the House would represent hope for her constituents. If we take back the House, I think six members of the Congressional Black Caucus will be the chairs of the biggest committees of the U.S. Congress, she said in an earlier interview with the Sentinel. We can propose legislation, we can do investigations, we can use our subpoena power. It will be very powerful. And then, of course, if they arent willing to impeach, we certainly will be in good position to get rid of the president in 2020. This year, Waters and some of her fellow Democrats were the targets of a series of mail bomb threats, from a suspect who has since been apprehended. She attributed the violence to an atmosphere of divisiveness and hostility that the current president has created. ADVERTISEMENT Ive gotten bomb threats for almost the entire time that this president has been in office because I was able to discern who he was, what he cared about and how he defined himself in the campaign, Waters explained. And so, I started out early saying, this man is dangerous. This man should not be president of the United States. And I started warning my colleagues that he needed to be impeached. And so, the backlash started on me early. I told my family, and we all agree, that we must be wise and sensible but we must not be frightened to the point where we cant live our lives and do our work in a way thats satisfying to us. Im not frightened at all. Im cautious, Im careful and Im not irresponsible. We have certain security at certain times and in certain ways For his gubernatorial victory, Newsom had this to say. Voters of California elected me as their next governor. I am so, so grateful. Other victories include: Holly Mitchell: won 100% of the vote for State Senate Chris Holden: State Assembly 41st District Reginald Jones Sawyer: 59th Assembly District Mike Gipson: 64th Assembly District Autumn Burke: 62nd Assembly District Nanette Barragan: 44th Assembly District Sydney Kamlager: 54th Assembly District Editors note: The story was updated. U.S. Virgin Islands Tourism Department Appoints Joe Boschulte The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism is deepening its working relations with the cruise industry by appointing an industry specialist to bolster the work of the Ports of the Virgin Islands, an alliance between the Virgin Islands Port Authority, The West Indian Company Limited and the Department of Tourism. Commissioner of Tourism Beverly Nicholson-Doty said the engagement of Joe Boschulte will help the Territory to achieve operational improvements to the cruise ship sector as well as economic benefits to the community. Boschulte comes to the tourism department with consulting experience in improving organizational performance, growth and improvement. ADVERTISEMENT He formerly served as president and CEO of The West Indian Company Limited, one of the busiest cruise ship ports and retail centers in the Caribbean. I look forward to the opportunity to work with the team to build the Ports of the Virgin Islands brand, said Boschulte. As we embark on a new cruise season, the horizon is bright for record cruise passenger growth in the Territory for the next decade. Commissioner Nicholson-Doty said Boschulte brings a wealth of knowledge about ports and port operations as well as public-private partnerships. His career has included service with the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority, Government Employees Retirement System, Public Services Commission and the University of the Virgin Islands. We look forward to the expertise and experience Mr. Boschulte will bring to our team as we seek to continuously improve and enhance the Territorys critical relationship with our cruise line partners, said the Commissioner. One of the first orders of business for Boschulte, will be to meet with cruise executives at next weeks 25th annual Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) Cruise Conference & Trade Show. The event takes place in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from November 5-9, 2018. Thursday, November 8, 2018 Abdi Latif Dahir on Quartz reports on an amazing Election 2018 story. Somali, Muslim, refugee, woman: Ilhan Omar made history in all those categories last night as voters backed her bid to the US Congress. The 36-year-old Democrat candidate was resoundingly elected with over 78% of the vote in Minnesotas 5th congressional district, joining the surge of fresh new candidates who helped the Democrats take back the House. Her Republican opponent Jennifer Zielinski got only 22% of the vote. Her election was among many firsts in the high-stakes midterm polls, including the victory of an openly gay governor in Colorado, and the first Native American women elected to Congress from Kansas and New Mexico. Born in Somalia, Ilhan fled war with her family and grew up partly in Dadaab, one of the worlds largest refugee camps located in Kenya. She moved to the US with her family in 1995, aged 14. In 2016, she became the first Somali-American woman elected to state legislature in the US. The mother of three then decided to run for Congress this year after Keith Ellison, an African-American Muslim and deputy chair of the Democratic National Committee, vacated the seat to run for attorney general in Minnesota. And in New Hampshire, Democrat Safiya Wazir is the first refugee ever elected to New Hampshire's House of Representatives. Her family fled Afghanistan and the Taliban 21 years ago, and spent 10 years in a refugee camp before coming to the United States. KJ https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/immigration/2018/11/somali-refugee-elected-to-congress.html A gunman opened fire at a crowded bar in Southern California Wednesday night, killing 12 people and wounding many others. The Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks is popular among local college students. It was holding its weekly country music and dance night at the time of the shooting. Police have identified the suspected killer as 28-year-old Ian David Long, a former Marine. He was found dead in the office of the Borderline, after reportedly having shot himself. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean told reporters Thursday that Long had served in Afghanistan. Dean said Long reportedly used a handgun in the attack. The gun had a special device that permitted it to hold more bullets than usual. The device is illegal in California. There was no known motive for the shooting, Dean said. He added, Obviously he had something going on in his head that would cause him to do something like this. It is the latest mass killing in the United States, and comes less than two weeks after 11 people were killed in a shooting at a Jewish religious center. It also marks the deadliest mass shooting in the country since 17 people were killed earlier this year at a high school in Parkland, Florida. The Borderline Bar is popular with students of California Lutheran University, Pepperdine University and other area schools. Nineteen-year-old Cole Knapp was inside Borderline at the time of the shooting. He told the Reuters news agency that he saw the shooter enter the bar and stop at the counter. Then, Knapp said, he heard gunfire and saw a young woman at the counter shot repeatedly. Knapp said, It took a couple of seconds for people to realize what was going on and once that happened it was just utter chaos." Seargent Ron Helus of Ventura County Sheriff's Office was the first law enforcement official to arrive at the Borderline Wednesday night. He was shot inside and later died at a hospital. Dean said he believed about 150 to 200 people were inside the bar at the time of the shooting. It could have been much, much worse, he said. Dean told reporters that officers went to the home of the suspected shooter about six months ago. Neighbor Tom Hanson had called the police with concerns about Longs behavior. Hanson told the Associated Press he had heard shouting and loud noises coming from the Longs home. He said, I was concerned because I knew he had been in the military. Mental health specialists talked with Long and found that no special action was necessary. Long had no criminal record. President Donald Trump ordered flags to be flown at half-staff at public buildings and other areas Thursday. On Twitter, he praised police and other law enforcement for their great bravery. He also wrote, God bless all of the victims and families of the victims. U.S. Representative Jerry Nadler is the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee. He said lawmakers would seek to pass gun control legislation when the House meets in January with a Democratic majority. He wrote on Twitter, We must find a way to stop the senseless and many times preventable killings that are robbing our country of innocent lives. Thousand Oaks is a wealthy area about 60 kilometers northwest of Los Angeles. The website Niche named it the third-safest city in the United States in 2018. Dean told reporters Thursday, Ive learned it doesnt matter what community youre in.It doesnt matter how safe your community is. It can happen anywhere. Im Caty Weaver. Ashley Thompson adapted this story based on articles by Reuters and the Associated Press. Caty Weaver was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story bar - n. a building or room where alcoholic drinks and sometimes food are served marine - n. a member of the U.S. Marine Corps (Marine Corps: the part of the U.S. military that consists of soldiers who serve at sea and also on land) motive - n. a reason for doing something counter - n. a piece of furniture with a flat surface that workers and customers stand on opposite sides of when doing business in a store, restaurant, etc. utter - adj. complete and total chaos - n. complete confusion and disorder : a state in which behavior and events are not controlled by anything half-staff - n. the position in the middle of a mast or pole The Roman Catholic Church on the American island of Guam is officially declaring financial failure, or bankruptcy. The move means the Church can avoid trial in more than 20 child sex abuse legal actions against its clergy. Now, the two sides can seek settlements. Archbishop Michael Byrnes made the announcement. He said that cost of the discussions between the Church and victims that began in September caused the bankruptcy. "This path will bring the greatest measure of justice to the greatest number of victims," Byrnes said. "That's the heart of what we're doing." Byrnes said the bankruptcy will provide "finality for victim survivors that they've been heard and understood." Lawyer Leander James represents the reported victims. He said the decision will help settle more than 180 claims of abuse. "We welcome the announcement," James said in a statement. "Bankruptcy provides the only realistic path to settlement of pending and future claims." James says the bankruptcy will create a time limit for victims to take legal action. Lawyer Anthony Perez is also representing victims. He says the bankruptcy does not mean the Roman Catholic Church in Guam will close. Instead, Perez said, the local offices can reorganize and remain operational after settlements are completed and the bankruptcy case is closed. Earlier this year, the Roman Catholic Church removed from office the suspended leader of its Guam headquarters and ordered him to stay out of Guam. The Church found him guilty of charges connected to its own sex abuse trial. The Church did not say what Archbishop Anthony Apuron was found guilty of nor has Guams government charged him with any crime. Apuron is 72 years old. Pope Francis named a temporary administrator for Guam in 2016 after some people said Apuron had sexually abused them as children. Apuron denied the accusations. Similar accusations against other clergy followed. The local Church faces more than $115 million worth of legal actions. Church lawyer Keith Talbot says two Guam cases have been settled. Some Catholics on Guam said they were not surprised by the bankruptcy announcement. "I knew it was going to happen," said 68-year-old Judith Salas. "Eventually they would have to pay." Im Susan Shand. Reuters reported this story. Susan Shand this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story bankruptcy n. a condition of financial failure caused by not having the money that you need to pay your debts settlement n. an amount of money that someone receives as part of such an agreement pending - adj. something coming in the near future alter n. a platform or table used as a center of worship in Christian ceremonies and services United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions has resigned. Sessions announced his resignation in a letter to President Donald Trump on Wednesday. He wrote, At your request, I am submitting my resignation. Trump announced on Twitter that Sessions chief of staff, Matthew Whitaker, a former United States attorney from Iowa will become acting attorney general. Trump thanked Sessions for his service and said a permanent replacement will be nominated at a later date. The resignation brings to an end a difficult relationship between the two men. Trump strongly criticized Sessions decision to step aside from the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Sessions did so after it was reported that he met with Russian officials before the election. Sessions had also served on Trumps election campaign team. Sessions admission angered Trump who said he never would have nominated the former Alabama senator if he knew he would have stepped aside. Sessions decided to step aside in March of 2017 and left Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein in charge of the investigation. Rosenstein then appointed special counsel Robert Mueller who has investigated a wide number of possible crimes including failure to pay taxes and lying to investigators. Trump has criticized the investigation as a witch hunt. What will happen to Mueller investigation? The Justice Department did not announce a departure for Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. However, spokeswoman Sarah Flores said Whitaker would be in charge of all matters under the purview of the Department of Justice. Whitaker once discussed a situation in which Trump could fire Sessions and then appoint an acting attorney general. The appointee could then reduce funding for Muellers investigation. Whitaker told CNN in July 2017, So I could see a scenario where Jeff Sessions is replaced with a recess appointment and that attorney general doesnt fire Bob Mueller, but he just reduces his budget to so low that his investigation grinds to almost a halt. Whitaker also wrote, Mueller has come up to a red line in the Russia 2016 election-meddling investigation that he is dangerously close to crossing. Senator Mark Warner is the ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee. Warner wrote on Twitter, Given Mr. Whitakers public comments on the Special Counsels investigation and the Presidents obvious self-interest in appointing him to the Acting AG role, Mr. Whitaker should recuse himself. He added, While the President may have the authority to replace the Attorney General, this must not be the first step in an attempt to impede, obstruct or end the Mueller investigation. Several Republican Party lawmakers had warned Trump not to dismiss Sessions. However, support for the attorney general seemed to decrease over this year. Sessions served for 20 years in the U.S. Senate before taking the office of the nations top law enforcement official. Im Pete Musto. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English based on AP and additional reports. Hai Do was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story purview n. an area within which someone has influence scenario n. a description of what could possibly happen grind n. to stop working or moving forward authority n. the power to give orders or make decisions impede v. to slow movement or progress We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. More than 100 women were elected to United States legislative office in mid-term elections Tuesday. A record number will serve in the new Congress. The results came almost two years after women marched in Washington and cities across the country to oppose the inauguration of President Donald Trump. The Associated Press reported that a record 237 women ran for the House of Representatives this year. As of Wednesday, at least 100 won their House races, easily beating the old record of 84. The number of female winners is expected to grow, as results had not been called for more than ten races with women candidates. Most of the women who won were Democrats who helped the party capture a majority in the House. Christopher Borick is director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion. He says the role women played in this election lived up to expectations. Borick said, "We are seeing a vast increase in the percentage of women that will be within the House of Representatives. I'll give you an example in Pennsylvania, which is kind of, one of the most striking scenes. Before this election we had zero, not one member of an 18-seat congressional delegation that was a woman. Tonight, just in suburban Philadelphia, in the Lehigh Valley where I'm speaking from, four women won in a really tight area." Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib from Michigan became the first two Muslim women to win election to Congress. Other winners Tuesday included Sharice Davids from Kansas, one of the first two Native American woman elected to Congress, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. Texas is set to send its first Hispanic women to Congress, as Democrats Veronica Escobar and Sylvia Garcia both won their races. Ayanna Pressley became the first black woman elected to Congress from Massachusetts. She talked about the historic nature of the election. Pressley said, Now, listen, I know for a fact none of us ran to make history, we ran to make change. However, the historical significance of this evening is not lost on me. There was also an historic gender gap that showed women more supportive of Democrats than Republicans. VoteCast reported that more women voted for Democratic candidates than men. About 6 in 10 voted for the Democrat in the race, compared with 4 in 10 for the Republican candidate. Men were more evenly divided in their vote. Another record in the Senate Women also reached a record number in the United States Senate. The Associated Press reported 24 women were set to serve in the Senate starting in January, one more than before. The decisive record-breaker came from the Republican Party. U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn defeated the states former Governor, Democrat Phil Bredesen. Blackburn will become the first woman to represent Tennessee in the Senate. Blackburn said in her victory speech, Now you dont have to worry if you are going to call me congressman or congresswoman or congress lady. Now, senator will do. Several women Democrats captured governorships currently held by Republicans, including Laura Kelly in Kansas and Gretchen Whitmer in Michigan. Im Ashley Thompson. Hai Do adapted this story for Learning English based on reports from VOA News and the Associated Press. Caty Weaver was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story The memory of a beloved pet inspires one couple's fight against injustice. Samsung is one of the only big name phone makers that has so far resisted the urge to release a smartphone with a camera cut-out in the display. But eventually the notch comes for us all. While there was no notch to be seen in the Infinity Flex Display foldable phone prototype Samsung showed off during the keynote for the Samsung Developer Conference, Android Police notes the company also took a moment to show a few designs its considering for other upcoming phones. Three have camera cut-outs. Its possible Samsung could eventually take a different approach toward delivering a bezel-free smartphone. At least one display the company revealed doesnt seem to have a notch at all so maybe the company is considering a pop-out camera or a slider. Or maybe the company is waiting until it can find a way to hide a camera underneath the phones cover glass. Anyway, heres a roundup of recent tech news from around the web. You can keep up on the latest headlines by following Liliputing on Twitter, Google+ and Facebook. Share this article: Share this: Facebook Twitter Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Email Xiaomi is already one of the worlds top phone makers in terms of shipment volume, despite not having any official presence in the Unite States. But Xiaomi sells an awful lot of phones in China, India, and other markets including Singapore, Malaysia, and Brazil. In the past year the company has opened stores in Europe including locations in Spain, France, and Italy. And now Xiaomi is also entering the UK market. During todays launch announcement, the company focused heavily on the recently launched Mi 8 Pro, which is now available in the UK for 500. But a bunch of lower-cost phones are also heading to the UK. Heres a run-down: Xiaomi M A2 for 260 Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite for 250 Pocophone F1 for 330 Xiaomi Mi 8 for 460 Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro for 500 The Mi 8 Pro is clearly the most impressive of the bunch, with a 6.2 inch 1080p AMOLED display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, 12MP dual rear cameras, a 20MP front-facing camera and an infrared camera for face unlock, along with a pressure-sensitive in-display fingerprint sensor. Other features include 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, a USB Type-C port, a 3,000 mAh battery and support for Qualcomm Quick Charge 4+. The availability of the Pocophone F1 may be just as exciting for some users though it has an LCD display rather than AMOLED, and a less impressive camera setup. Its one of the lowest-priced phones to feature a Snapdragon 845 processor, and other specs dont look bad either the Pocophone F1 has a 6.2 inch 1080p display, 6GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and a 4,000 mAh battery. It also has a 3.5mm headphone jack, a USB Type-C port, and an microSD card slot. The Redmi 6A budget phone will also be available in the UK exclusively from wireless carrier 3, which will offer the Redmi 6A in a 500 bundle deal that also includes the Xiaomi Mi Band 3 activity tracker. Theres still no word on if or when Xiaomi plans to enter the US market. Share this article: Share this: Facebook Twitter Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Email Hi Meredith, I have been in a relationship with my boyfriend for three years. We have had a fantastic relationship; it's fun and playful and more loving than I could have ever imagined. We never had any issues with trust until recently. He (soberly) told me that he kissed a girl the previous night while he was intoxicated at the bar. This girl is his co-worker. He was immediately very regretful and embarrassed and says he is not interested in this person at all. He told me that he got attention from her (on top of being hammered) and took advantage of a situation, immediately regretting it. I then pressed with questions: Do you love me? Do you want me? Are you ready to commit to this? And as the questioning went on (and believe me, it went on for hours and hours), he mentally spiraled. He said he knows he loves me and wants me and wants to fix this, but is scared because he does not know why he would allow himself to do what he did in the first place. He said he needed time to think about the situation and figure out if he was able to commit to us, regardless of the fact that we have been together for so long and never once faced "commitment issues." Fast forward one week and he comes back around saying that the distance has been miserable, he misses/loves me, and knows I am the love of his life. He cried and I cried, and he claims that he now knows he is all in and ready to commit to us, and wishes this never happened in the first place. He knows that I do not trust him, but he wants to work to build that trust back. My question here is: He is a nurse and recently went to a different unit of the hospital where he now works with this co-worker. I am not sure I can handle knowing he works with this person every day, regardless of his claim that he has absolutely no interest in her. Do I tell him to move back to his old position? He has vocalized all of these feelings, but I feel that actions speak louder than words. Do I appreciate that he told me he did it in the first place? Or distrust the fact that he got scared and went MIA for a week? Help This week, Bunge Loders Croklaan revealed it is on track to further bolster its European footprint with a new facility. Also, Rijk Zwaan began construction on a high... Read More The New Macau Association (ANM) said at a press conference yesterday that proposed wire-tapping legislation should require the Court of Final Appeal (TUI) to regularly publish orders of interception of communication granted by all levels of Macau courts. During the open consultation period, the authorities have strongly reacted against the call for transparency in the future use of powers under the proposed communication interception law. Concepts such as civil law tradition and the particularities of the common law tradition were repeatedly invoked to argue against mechanisms for public oversight, ANM said at a press conference yesterday. The New Macau Association urges the Macau authorities not to deviate from its usual interpretation of the principle of judiciary secrecy in criminal proceedings. It is an established practice of the police authorities to announce the numbers of opened criminal cases and named suspects, ANM continued. The availability of these numbers concerning ongoing investigations was by no means considered a violation of judiciary secrecy; so would the number of interception measures. The ANM also called attention to a statement published by the Judiciary Police on October 7, questioning the veracity of interception orders that the government has released to the public. The New Macau Association would like to remind government officials that they are not in a position to advise the public on what data might [or might] not be useful in monitoring their exercise of power, said ANM. More importantly, the officials should change their adversarial attitude toward public oversight. The ANM reiterated that new powers to intercept communications may not be granted to the police authorities, unless measures to guarantee transparency are put in place, in particular, regular publication of numbers of approved orders. The above was from a written statement delivered to Secretary for Security Wong Sio Chak yesterday afternoon. It [the public consultation] is not at the final stage, but somehow the Secretary for Security adopted some public opinions [during the consultation]; I hope that this piece of opinion will be automatically adopted by the Secretary for Security, said ANM representative and lawmaker Sulu Sou. Macau residents should be aware of the trend of the expansion of powers of the branches under the leadership of Wong Sio Chak, he warned, adding that he does not rule out organizing social activities to express these opinions. The Australian government yesterday warned it intends to block a Hong Kong and Chinese consortiums 13 billion Australian dollar (USD9 billion) takeover bid for an energy infrastructure company because it conflicts with Australias national interest. The CK Consortium needed approval of Australias Foreign Investment Review Board to take over APA Group, which owns more than 43,700 kilometers (27,100 miles) of gas pipeline in Australia. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said he had told the consortium of his preliminary view that the takeover was not in Australias interests. In practice, the decision to block the sale is final. I have formed this view on the grounds that it would result in an undue concentration of foreign ownership by a single company group in our most significant gas transmission business, Frydenberg said in a statement. The Foreign Investment Review Board was unable to reach a unanimous recommendation, expressing concerns about the national interest implications of such a dominant foreign player in the gas and electricity sectors over the longer term, Frydenberg said. Peter Jennings, executive director of the government-established Australian Strategic Policy Institute think tank, had been advocating for weeks for the government to veto the sale on national security grounds. My sense is that if the FIRB and the treasurer are taking national security considerations seriously into account, they should say no to this particular proposed takeover, Jennings said in September. The consortium is led by Hong Kong-registered Cheung Kong Infrastructure Group, better known as CKI. CKI and Chinese state-owned State Grid Corp. were in 2016 blocked on classified national security grounds from leasing for 99 years a 50.4 percent stake in Ausgrid, a Sydney electricity grid, for more than AUD10 billion. That decision was made by Prime Minister Scott Morrison when he was treasurer. While reasons were not detailed, there was speculation that the consortium was blocked because Ausgrid included an electricity node that was connected to the secretive joint U.S.-Australian intelligence facility at Pine Gap in central Australia. Jennings said the finding that the sale of APA to Chinese interests was not in Australians interest was a no-brainer. If the takeover proceeded, wed have about 70 percent or more of electricity and gas infrastructure would be owned by either CKI, a Hong Kong company, or State Grid, a Chinese state-owned entity, Jennings said. I just think thats a risk that no country would really find acceptable, he added. In 2016, Chinas state-run Xinhua News Agency criticized Australia for rejecting the Ausgrid bid along with Britains recent move to delay a decision on a new nuclear power plant backed by Chinese investment. The agency said that although Chinas dramatic development, huge population and unique culture may cause concern for some countries, it could also result in China-phobia. The Chinese Embassy noted this was the second time in 2016 that the government has decided not to back applications by Chinese bidders to invest in Australia. Morrison had earlier blocked a Chinese-led consortium Dakang Australia Holdings from buying an 80 percent stake in Australias largest private landholding, S. Kidman & Co. Ltd. The embassy said the two decisions showed a clear protectionist tendency and would have serious impact on the enthusiasm of Chinese firms which want to come and invest in Australia. The embassy did not immediately respond on Wednesday for a request for comment on the governments latest decision. In 2015, President Barack Obama raised questions with then Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull after Australia allowed a Chinese company, Landbridge, to secure a 99-year lease over the strategically important Port of Darwin, which has become a U.S. Marines training hub in northern Australia. Turnbull said Australian defense and security officials determined the AUD506 million deal did not threaten national interests. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, that fair trade watchdog, approved the APA deal in September on condition that the consortium reduced its gas market dominance in Western Australian state by selling some of its pipelines there. The bid was made in June. Rod McGuirk, Canberra, AP A Chinese state-owned company says it is developing a stealth combat drone in the latest sign of the countrys growing aerospace prowess. The CH-7 unmanned aerial vehicle also underscores Chinas growing competitiveness in the expanding global market for drones. China has won sales in the Middle East and elsewhere by offering drones at lower prices and without the political conditions attached by the U.S. The CH-7s chief designer Shi Wen says the aircraft can fly long hours, scout and strike the target when necessary. Very soon, I believe, in the next one to two years, [we] can see the CH-7 flying in the blue skies, gradually being a practical and usable product in the future, Shi told The Associated Press. Shi said manufacturer Chinese Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation plans to test fly the drone next year and begin mass production by 2022. He said the drone will likely be sold abroad but had no information on potential clients. A model of the aircraft is being displayed at this weeks Zhuhai air show in southern China, a biannual event that showcases Chinas latest advancements in military and civilian aviation. With a wingspan of 22 meters (72 feet) and a length of 10 meters (33 feet), the swept-wing CH-7 is the size of a combat aircraft and its single engine can propel it at roughly the speed of a commercial jet airliner. The U.S., Russia and France are also developing stealth drones, while Israel has long been a leader in the UAV field. However, low prices and a willingness to transfer technology have endowed China with a strong position, in the UAV market, said Phil Finnegan, director of corporate analysis at the Teal Group Corp. in Fairfax, Virginia. The U.S. has been extremely cautious about selling its higher- end unmanned system, even to NATO member states, opening up an opportunity to China in the export market, said Justin Bronk, an export on such technologies at the Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security Studies in London. It would represent an area of Chinese arms export offerings which no other country offers, Bronk said. Alongside its development of stealth fighters and commercial passenger jets, China has advanced rapidly in the development of UAVs, which have a relatively lower technological entry cost. Sales have also been boosted by the fact that China is not a signatory to the Missile Technology Control Regime that restricts exports of missiles and other unmanned weapons systems. The numbers of drone programs unveiled in China in recent years has been dizzying, said Sam Roggeveen, director of the international security program at Australias Lowy Institute. While the CH-7s ultimate effectiveness remains to be determined, if exported, it would mark another step-change for China, which has traditionally not offered its cutting-edge technology to foreign customers, Roggeveen said. Across the Middle East, countries locked out of purchasing U.S.-made drones due to rules over excessive civilian casualties are being wooed by Chinese arms dealers, now the worlds main distributor of armed drones. The sales are helping expand Chinese influence across a region crucial to American security interests and bolstering Beijings ambitions to lead in high-tech arms sales. While the U.S. still holds a technology advantage, China wins on price. The fact it is willing to sell the CH-7 abroad could indicate the technology is less than cutting edge, given Chinas desire to guard its technological edge in such areas, said Ron Huisken, a regional security expert at Australian National University. Chinas exports also underscore the growing pervasiveness of drones in modern warfare, even without strong international agreements on where and how they can be used. One wonders what nasty surprises are in store as countries more casual about how they use drones and less strict about training standards get their hands on them, said Huisken. Also appearing again at this years Zhuhai show was Chinas homebuilt J-20 stealth fighter, which outwardly resembles the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor in service with the U.S. military. It was joined by the Chinese J-10B fighter with vectoring thrust, featuring an engine equipped with a hinged nozzle. Vectoring thrust technology allows planes to direct their propulsion, giving it more flexibility in maneuvering, and the substation of Chinese-made WS-10 engines for those imported from Russia appears to mark a new milestone for the domestic defense industry. The jet fighters on display thrilled spectators. For many, the performances demonstrated Chinas burgeoning aerospace industry and growing confidence in its technology. I think it is pretty awesome, said Xie Dongni, a marketer for an information technology company. I might not a plane specialist, but I can feel the way China is changing. It is getting stronger slowly, its international status is growing higher and higher. Dake Kang And Christopher Bodeen, Zhuhai, AP The President of the Portuguese Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, will be visiting China and Macau in the first quarter of 2019, sources told the Times. The visit to China will follow Chinese President Xi Jinpings own visit to Lisbon, Portugal, on December 4 and 5. During a recent stay in Macau, Portuguese Foreign Affairs Minister Augusto Santos Silva said that the President of the Portuguese Republic would return the favor soon. Contacted yesterday by the Times, Paulo Magalhaes, the press adviser of the Portuguese head of State, said that no precise date has been set yet for the visit of the President of the Republic to China. Chinese ambassador praises Macaus platform role The Chinese Ambassador to Portugal, Cai Run, has praised Macaus function as a platform on which China and Portugal can connect. During a meeting with a delegation of business associations and young entrepreneurs from Macau, the ambassador said Macaus unique status can provide a good foundation for the development of Sino-Portuguese relations. Next year will mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Portugal. Cai expressed his hope that Macau can utilize its status as a bridge between the two countries and help Portugal play a more active role in Chinas state strategy. Chinese authorities arrested Lai Xiaomin, who once oversaw more than USD280 billion in assets in his role as chairman of China Huarong Asset Management Co. Lai was expelled from the Chinese Communist Party last month after being placed under investigation for graft in April. Huarong, the biggest of Chinas four state-run bad-loan managers which rose to prominence through debt-fueled expansion, has lost 60 percent of its market value this year. President Xi Jinping has pushed an anti-corruption campaign that has nabbed more than 1.5 million Communist Party cadres. The effort has recently reached into corporate boardrooms to help halt the debt-fueled expansion of Chinas biggest businesses, and financial regulators have also highlighted their determination to stamp out wrongdoing in the capital markets. The Communist Partys disciplinary committee said last month that Lai violated the central governments financial policy and blindly pushed forward an expansion that deviated from the bad-debt managers main business. Representatives for Huarong did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Lai also took bribes and squandered state assets, according to the committee. Investigators found 270 million yuan ($39 million) of cash stashed at one of Lais properties, and 300 million yuan of deposits at the bank account owned by Lais mother, Caixin reported earlier this year. Huarong withdrew plans for a listing in China in September after reporting a 95 percent plunge in first- half profit. S&P Global Ratings downgraded the firm to BBB+ from A- in August. David Webb, the Hong Kong-based activist investor, last month published a list of 26 stocks not to own due to links with Huarong. The list centered around Beijing-based Huarong and China Minsheng Banking Corp., two companies that helped finance a complex web of dealings in 24 other publicly-traded firms, Webb wrote. Bloomberg The Democratic victory in the U.S. House of Representatives could echo from Moscow to Beijing to Riyadh, with empowered Democrats now able to launch new investigations into President Donald Trumps international business empire and his political dealings with other nations. Overturning control of the House in Tuesdays midterm elections has given the Democrats a new weapon to wield against Trump: the subpoena. The Democratic leaders of many House committees will have subpoena powers enabling them to obtain documents, emails and testimony. The White House would likely fight many such requests in court, but the subpoenas reach could extend far beyond Washington. That means Democrats could look into such issues as the 18 trademarks that China has granted in recent months to companies linked to Trump and his daughter Ivanka and whether they were conflicts of interest. China says it handles all trademark applications equally, but House committees could probe whether Beijing can exploit the Trump familys substantial intellectual property holdings in China to its political or diplomatic advantage. Yesterday, China would not comment directly on the U.S. election results. Its their domestic affair. I dont want to comment on that, otherwise I will run the risk of being accused of interfering in their midterm election, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters. Regardless of the result [] we believe the two governments and the two peoples all want to maintain the sound and steady development of bilateral relations because we believe it is in the best interests of the international community, Hua said. For Moscow, the Democratic victory means a probable reopening of the congressional investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election. The Republican-led Intelligence Committee closed its probe into Russian meddling, saying it had found no evidence of collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign. Democrats, though, have long said that the Republicans ignored many key facts and witnesses. A congressional probe would be more public than special counsel Robert Muellers current investigation into Russian election interference and wouldnt run the risk of being shut down by Trump. Russian President Vladimir Putin denies any involvement in Trumps election victory, but he may quietly favor a renewed investigation, seeing them as a way to sow chaos and division in Americas bitterly divided political arena. What he would not favor, though, would be investigations or sanctions that would further damage the well-connected Russian oligarchs believed to have helped fund the U.S. election meddling efforts. The Kremlin shrugged off the midterm election results and concerns that a Democratic-controlled House would increase the pressure on Russia. Itd be hard to make [the relationship] even worse, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters yesterday. A meeting between Trump and Putin planned for this weekend in France on the sidelines of World War I commemorations has been scrapped. Then theres Saudi Arabia, and the relationship between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner. The ties between the two men, who are said to communicate frequently, could come under increased scrutiny by Democrats. The U.S. and Saudi Arabia have long been key allies, and Trump made the country his first stop abroad as president. But the crown prince has lost supporters in Congress since the Oct. 2 killing of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and a critic of the crown prince, inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. The slaying was allegedly carried out by agents close to the prince. The fallout for Saudi Arabia from the U.S. election could be immense, with Democrats possibly trying to block major arms sales to Saudi Arabia and curtail U.S. support for Saudi Arabias war in Yemen, which the prince launched as defense minister in 2015. The conflict has become widely unpopular with some members of Congress and aid agencies say it has created the worlds largest humanitarian catastrophe, with millions facing starvation amid a Saudi blockade of the Arab worlds poorest country. The U.S. assists the Saudi-led coalition with in-air refueling and intelligence on targets, and supplies the kingdom with fighter jets and bombs used in the war. Theres so much to the Trump administration that could be investigated, its an unprecedented situation of major business entanglements around the world linked to the U.S. president, said Dana Allin, senior fellow with the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Its very difficult to rule out the idea that foreign policy decisions are not being kept separate from business interests. But more investigations, Republicans note, could also blow back against the Democrats for the 2020 U.S. election. Many Trump supporters already believe investigations into him have gone too far, and a string of new subpoenas could end up alienating voters. Thats what happened in the 1998 midterm vote, when Republican impeachment proceedings against then-President Bill Clinton ended up energizing his fellow Democrats, allowing them to take additional House seats. Trump, meanwhile, warned Democrats against using their new majority in the House of Representatives to investigate his administration. He said in a tweet yesterday that if they do, the Republican-controlled Senate may investigate Democrats.Tim Sullivan & Angela Charlton, AP The Kremlin says it hopes that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will visit Russia next year. Russian President Vladimir Putins foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov, said yesterday that I hope the visit could be possible next year. The announcement contrasted with earlier Kremlin statements that Kim was expected to visit Russia this fall. Last month, the Kremlin said Putin had extended an invitation to Kim to visit Russia and that Moscow was working on the details of where and when that meeting could happen. North Korea entered talks with the U.S. and South Korea earlier this year, saying its willing to negotiate away its advancing nuclear arsenal. Nuclear diplomacy later stalled because of suspicions over how sincere North Korea is about its disarmament pledge. AP Republicans retained Senate control after ousting Democratic incumbents in Indiana, North Dakota and Missouri, delivering a victory to President Donald Trump by preserving the chamber as a showplace for his conservative priorities for two more years. To seal the win, the GOP drew backing from hard-right voters in rural, deep-red states, where Trumps nativist, racially tinged rhetoric and insult-laden discourse were as stirring for some conservatives as they were infuriating to liberals elsewhere. Donald Trump went out and worked his tail off, Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., who heads the Senate GOPs campaign committee, said in an interview. He cited Trump rallies that drew thousands in crucial states during the campaigns closing weeks and added, The president was THE factor. The significance of the Republican victory in the Senate, which the party has dominated for the past four years, was magnified because Democrats wrested House control from the GOP. Thats a sure-fire formula for two years of legislative gridlock and positioning for the 2020 presidential and congressional elections. Nevada Sen. Dean Heller, the only GOP incumbent seeking re-election in a state Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton won in 2016, became the only Republican senator to lose. First-term Democratic Rep. Jacky Rosen ousted him, attacking him for backing last years Republican effort to repeal President Barack Obamas health care law. Republicans retained Senate seats in the South, Midwest and West and ensured at least a 51-49 majority, equal to their current margin. With three races unresolved early Wednesday, Republicans stood a chance of expanding their majority with wins possible in Florida, Arizona and Montana. They paved their path to victory by defeating Democrats Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Missouris Claire McCaskill. They kept competitive seats in Texas, where Sen. Ted Cruz fended off Rep. Beto ORourke, the well-financed liberal darling, and Tennessee, where Rep. Marsha Blackburn prevailed. Trump called Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to congratulate him on the historic Senate gains, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said. It was just the second midterm election in over three decades when the party holding the White House gained seats. The Republican Senate win was especially significant because that chamber confirms nominations, including for Supreme Court justices and federal judges, a top GOP priority. The GOP agenda includes tax and spending cuts, trade, immigration restrictions and curbs on Obamas health care law. Short of compromises, perhaps on infrastructure, its initiatives will go nowhere in the House. Even passing many bills will be difficult for the Senate. The GOP will fall short of the 60 votes needed to break Democratic filibusters, procedural delays that kill legislation. Though Republicans entered the night commanding the Senate only narrowly, a crucial piece of math worked for them: Democrats and their two independent allies defended 26 seats, Republicans just nine. Senate Democrats faced the most difficult political map in 60 years, said Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., chairman of Senate Democrats political arm. He lauded his party for winning at least half the 10 seats they were defending in states Trump carried and preventing Republicans from capturing a filibuster-proof majority. Blackburn, a conservative and ardent Trump backer, defeated former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen, 74. Bredesen had promised a bipartisan approach if elected. Heitkamp lost to GOP Rep. Kevin Cramer, whom Trump persuaded to seek the Senate seat. McCaskill was denied a third term by Josh Hawley, 38, Missouris hard-right attorney general, who called McCaskill too liberal for the state. Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin was re-elected in West Virginia, which Trump captured by 42 percentage points. Democratic incumbents prevailed in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, which Trump carried narrowly. Tuesdays midterms were among the most bitter in years, with Trump stoking conservatives fears of caravans of immigrants traversing Mexico and inaccurately painting Democrats as broadly striving to bring socialism to the U.S. He acknowledged the contest would be a referendum on his presidency. Democrats hoped their supporters would surge to the polls. Fueling their intensity were Trumps anti-immigration stances, his efforts to dismantle health care protections enacted under Obama and the #MeToo movements fury over sexual harassment. Ever since President Trump has been in office, it has just been not the country that I am used to or that I thought I would be in, said Sarah Roth, 22, a Democratic voter from Minnetonka, Minnesota. And so this really was my opportunity to help this country in changing who is making the decisions. AP VoteCast, a national survey of the electorate conducted by The Associated Press, highlighted Trumps impact. Nearly 4 in 10 said they were casting ballots to express opposition to him, while just 1 in 4 said their vote was an expression of support. AP Since establishing itself in Macao more than a decade ago, Sands China Ltd. has been taking the lead in responsible gaming efforts through both its own initiatives and through its support of the governments annual Responsible Gambling Promotions. Problem gambling has not often been a major part of the communitys conversation, but awareness of the topic has grown significantly through the implementation of strong programmes, which Sands China fully support. To date, the company remains committed to the well-being of its guests and recognises the importance of responsible gaming to the Macau community. Sands China seeks to foster responsible gaming behaviour and to continue to strengthen the awareness of problem gambling among its team members and guests. In 2004, when Sands Macao kicked off operations, Sands China was the first gaming operator to launch a self-exclusion programme. It was also a pioneer in establishing a comprehensive responsible gaming programme in 2007, with the goals of contributing to the ongoing development of the local community, bearing corporate responsibility in addressing social issues, and developing an environment and a culture of responsible gaming in the region. The company has achieved a series of milestones since 2004, initiating various projects and programmes, and has cooperated with the Macao government to carry out a series of responsible gaming promotion activities. Besides the addition of responsible gaming signs and leaflets in its gaming areas, Sands China actively cooperated with the government in 2017 to add responsible gaming messages on ATMs as screensavers. Moreover, Sands China is the first company to have taken the initiative to place responsible gaming messages in its properties smoking rooms. Sands Chinas latest initiative, Project Protect, comes by way of parent company Las Vegas Sands Corp. The project is a comprehensive global initiative to advance performance in responsible gaming, anti-money laundering and the prevention of human trafficking. Project Protect coalesces Las Vegas Sands efforts around policy and procedural enhancements in each of the three aforementioned core areas. It introduces comprehensive team-member training to build lasting solutions that meet and exceed government regulations and standard industry performance. Las Vegas Sands has always been a leader in responsible gaming initiatives, and Sands China has likewise always prioritised such efforts. In particular, the company has put policies and procedures in place to safeguard its team members, whom it sees as valuable partners in running its integrated resorts. Sands China has always placed importance on being a socially responsible integrated resort developer, said Winnie Wong, the companys vice president of corporate communications and community affairs. One major part of that awareness is a focus on responsible gaming for our team members, our visitors, and the Macao community. As a company, we are proud of our initiatives in promoting responsible gaming, and we are pleased to continue supporting the Macao governments Responsible Gambling Promotions. Recently, a group of nearly 100 Sands China team members attended the companys annual Responsible Gaming Ambassador training. The advanced course in responsible gaming enhances team members knowledge of problem gambling and awareness of the importance of responsible gaming. The elite programme is part of the companys ongoing commitment to responsible gaming in Macau, and is the only one in the city done in coordination with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). It is the sixth consecutive year the company has offered the advanced training, which supplements the company-wide responsible gaming training received by each of Sands Chinas more than 28,000 team members. Currently, the company has nearly 600 Responsible Gaming Ambassadors who are ready and equipped to provide appropriate responses and assistance to patrons exhibiting signs of problem gambling, and who can initiate conversation using crisis management and intervention skills. The Responsible Gaming Ambassador programme is delivered by world-renowned responsible gaming expert Professor Bo J. Bernhard, executive director of the UNLV International Gaming Institute, who shares his academic insights on responsible gaming knowledge and experience from the United States with team members. Each year we incorporate the latest scientific findings into the educational components as well as the training piece that shows employees how they can interact best on the floor, said Professor Bernhard. We take pride in incorporating leadership development education not just conventional problem gambling education into our programme. To this end, it is important to emphasise to team members that learning about problem gambling helps make them leaders across the industry with one of the issues that is the most significant that faces the industry globally, the expert added. Alongside the professor are the senior counsellors from the Sheng Kung Hui Gambling Counseling and Family Wellness Centre, who enhance the practical elements of team members responsible gaming knowledge and skills in areas such as crisis management and intervention. The participants work with role-playing scenarios and learn more about the gaming counselling service provided by Sheng Kung Hui supporting the governments efforts to further promote the 24-hour counselling hotline. Besides recruiting teams from table games, security and human resources to attend the training, Sands China has extended the invitation to more departments this year, including slots, marketing, and corporate communications, in order to spread the responsible gaming message and counselling skills to more team members. Meanwhile, as part of Sands Chinas internal Responsible Gaming 2018 campaign, which began in October and last until December, the Sheng Kung Hui Macau Social Services Coordination Office, YMCA Macau, Associacao de Juventude Voluntaria de Macau (AJVM) and the Gaming Employees Home held roadshows last month at Sands Macao, The Venetian Macao, Sands Cotai Central and The Parisian Macao. The promotion seeks to foster responsible gaming behaviour and the continued strengthening of team members awareness of problem gambling. Sands Chinas Responsible Gaming 2018 initiative also included a donation of a total of MOP 450,000 to three local responsible gaming centres on October 29 to support responsible gaming efforts: YMCA Macau, the Sheng Kung Hui Macau Social Services Coordination Office, and the Macau Industrial Evangelistic Fellowship. The donations have been an annual practice since 2008. The Macao governments annual Responsible Gambling Promotions campaign is organized by the MSAR Social Welfare Bureau, the MSAR Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ), and the University of Macau. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the government initiative. This article is sponsored by Sands China Ltd. Jewish students in Berlin yesterday marked the 80th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass, when Nazis terrorized Jews throughout Germany and Austria. Some 30 students from the Jewish Traditional School lit candles and recited prayers at their school as Rabbi Yehuda Teichtal urged them to jointly overcome Germanys past by building a secure future for Jews in the country. This is the city where the Holocaust was planned and executed from, said Teichtal, a community rabbi and the head of the Jewish outreach group Chabad in the German capital. Eighty years ago this week, on Nov. 9, 1938, the Nazis killed at least 91 people, burned down hundreds of synagogues, vandalized and looted 7,500 Jewish businesses, and arrested up to 30,000 Jewish men, many of whom were taken away to concentration camps. Voters in the Republic of Ireland have chosen their first female president. Unofficial returns suggest that Mary Robinson, who is standing as an independent, took nearly 40% of the vote in the first round. Irelands system of proportional representation means the result will not be confirmed until tomorrow. But Mrs Robinsons performance in the first round means it is now impossible for anybody else to win. Senior sources in the camp of her main opponent, former deputy prime minister, Brian Lenihan, have already conceded victory to Mrs Robinson. It is the first time in 70 years that a presidential candidate put up by Mr Lenihans party, Fianna Fail, has been defeated. Mrs Robinson, a Dublin barrister, is considered radical by Irish terms. A civil and human rights lawyer, she has campaigned for the liberalisation of laws prohibiting divorce and abortion for more than 20 years. However, she not only won the support of women countrywide but also polled well in traditionally conservative rural areas. The mother-of-three has been a member of the Irish Senate for more than 20 years. She twice ran unsuccessfully for parliament as a Labour candidate. But five years ago she resigned from the Irish Labour party over the Anglo-Irish agreement because she felt unionists in Northern Ireland had not been consulted. Courtesy BBC News In context Mary Robinson helped transform the role of Irish president from a largely ceremonial position to one of influence. She resigned a few months before end of her term in 1997 to become the United Nations Commissioner on Human Rights Her forthright style and uncompromising criticism of some countries human rights records angered governments around the world. She made enemies in the United States after with her outspoken criticism of the detention of al-Qaeda suspects at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. In March 2002 Mrs Robinson announced she would not be seeking a second term in the UN post. Vietnam and the United States said yesterday they have finished the cleanup of dioxin contamination at Danang airport caused by the transport and storage of the herbicide Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. The 30 hectares of land cleansed of the toxic chemical were handed over to Vietnam at a ceremony. Vice Defense Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh praised the U.S. governments involvement in the cleanup. It is proof that we are opening a future of good cooperation between the governments of Vietnam and the United States, Vinh said. Today marks the day that Danang airport is no longer known as a dioxin hotspot, the day that Danang people can be assured that their health will not be destroyed by chemicals left over from the war. Large amounts of Agent Orange, which contains dioxin, were stored at Danang airport during the war and sprayed by U.S. forces to defoliate the countryside and deny communist fighters jungle cover. Vietnamese still suffer from the effects of the spraying. U.S. Ambassador Daniel Kritenbrink called the joint cleanup a significant milestone in the expanding partnership between the two countries. This project truly is a hallmark of our countries shared vision to be honest about the past, deal responsibly with remaining legacy issues and turn a point of contention into one of collaboration, he said. Kritenbrink said working together on the issues of the past builds strategic trust and enables us to further strengthen our forward-looking partnership that advances shared interests and strong people-to-people ties. Between 1962 and 1971, the U.S. military sprayed roughly 11 million gallons of Agent Orange across large swaths of southern Vietnam. Dioxin stays in the soil and in the sediment at the bottom of lakes and rivers for generations. It can enter the food supply through the fat of fish and other animals. Vietnam says as many as 4 million of its citizens were exposed to the herbicide and as many as 3 million have suffered illnesses caused by it including the children of people who were exposed during the war. The U.S. government says the actual number of people affected is much lower and that Vietnamese are too quick to blame Agent Orange for birth defects that can be caused by malnutrition or other factors. Last month, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis visited Bien Hoa air base north of Ho Chi Minh City, the former Saigon, another dioxin hotspot. The U.S. Agency for International Development will soon begin a soil restoration project at the base that is estimated to take several years and cost USD390 million. AP MALAYSIA Leading politician Anwar Ibrahim (pictured) said that fugitive tycoon Jho Low accused of ransacking a state investment fund will be given a fair trial, while hinting that more former officials could be tried on corruption charges. MYANMAR Facebook is admitting that it didnt do enough to prevent its services from being used to incite violence and spread hate in Myanmar. JAPAN A medical university that acknowledged systematically discriminating against female applicants announced yesterday plans to accept more than 60 who were unfairly rejected over the past two years. AUSTRALIA The government yesterday warned it intends to block a Hong Kong and Chinese consortiums 13 billion Australian dollar (USD9 billion) takeover bid for an energy infrastructure company because it conflicts with Australias national interest. PAKISTAN The army says an officer died while trying to defuse a roadside bomb found during a sweep in the countrys northwestern tribal regions bordering Afghanistan. CAMEROON The 79 school children kidnapped by unidentified gunmen from a school in Cameroon have been released, but two of the three staff members abducted are still being held, said a church official. POLAND The mayor of Warsaw banned a march that radical Polish nationalists planned to hold to coincide with the centennial of Polish independence, saying yesterday she made the decision to curb aggressive nationalism. GREECEs left-led government and the countrys powerful Orthodox Church have struck a tentative deal to end decades of discord over of large tracts of real estate both claim as their own. FRANCE Marseille firefighters say the death toll has risen to six in the collapse of two dilapidated apartment buildings in the southern French city with the discoveries of two mens bodies Yesterday. US A Bangladeshi immigrant was convicted of setting off a pipe bomb in New York Citys busiest subway station, disputing in court that he was supporting the Islamic State group and saying he was instead motivated by anger at President Donald Trump. MEXICO Thousands of Central American migrants will take at least a couple of days to rest in a Mexico City stadium as they debate whether to accept offers to stay in Mexico or continue their trek to the U.S. border. Penn Nursing's Kathryn H. Bowles, PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI, Professor of Nursing, the van Ameringen Chair in Nursing Excellence, and a member of the NewCourtland Center for Transitions and Health Credit: Penn Nursing In an effort to lessen readmission risk after discharge and achieve the best possible outcomes for patients, hospital-based clinicians are more intentionally planning discharge of those who require post-acute care (PAC). Yet, although hospital clinicians strive to effectively refer patients who require PAC, their discharge-planning processes often vary greatly and typically are not evidence-based. To optimize PAC decision-making, a team led by the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing (Penn Nursing) developed, validated, and tested a two-step clinical decision support (CDS) algorithm called Discharge Referral Expert System for Care Transitions (DIRECT). The DIRECT CDS helps clinicians identify patients most in need of PAC and suggests whether skilled home care or facility level care is best. An article in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association (JAMDA) explains how the DIRECT CDS was evaluated in two hospitals and its promising effects on PAC referrals and improved patient outcomes. The researchers developed the DIRECT CDS using values of structured patient data drawn from the electronic health record and knowledge elicitation from clinical experts as they reviewed de-identified case studies of actual patients. The team then conducted a four-month control phase of study without CDS with more than 3,000 patients aged 55 and older who were admitted and discharged alive, followed by a six-month intervention phase of study when clinicians received the DIRECT CDS advice for more than 5,000 patients. They compared readmission rates between the two phases after controlling for differences in patient characteristics. "While the proportion of patients referred to PAC between the two phases did not change significantly, the algorithm may have identified those patients most in need, resulting in significantly lower inpatient readmission rates for same day, 7-, 14- and 30-day intervals," explained Kathryn H. Bowles, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, FACMI, Professor of Nursing, the van Ameringen Chair in Nursing Excellence, and a member of the NewCourtland Center for Transitions and Health. Bowles is the Principal Investigator and lead author of the JAMDA article "A Decision Support Algorithm for Referrals to Post-Acute Care." "Health care providers are increasingly pressured by policies and initiatives to decrease health care utilization and contain costs. Policy requirements and bundled payment programs seeking the least costly site of care may limit options and result in patients not getting the optimal level of PAC needed to prevent poor discharge outcomes," said Bowles. "We developed DIRECT to improve the patient-centered discharge process using an evidence-based, objective tool." During the test of the DIRECT CDS algorithm, it proved valuable in providing advice on whom to refer and the level of care. It also showed case managers the important patient characteristics that led to that advice such as fall risk, unmet caregiver needs, who declined in activities of daily living function and in which activity. "The DIRECT CDS indicates potential as a useful tool to optimize PAC decision-making and improve patient outcomes. It may also identify patients who need PAC but are unable to receive it because of policy or insurance barriers. Future studies examining the outcomes of these patients may have policy implications," said Bowles. Explore further Cross-continuum communication beneficial after discharge A GP has joined forces with his dad to invent a new online mind-mapping tool for doctors that aims to help GPs speed up cancer diagnosis. Dr. Ben Noble, a GP at the Woodbrook practice in Loughborough and one of Cancer Research UK's 16 GP Leads across the country, teamed up with his dad Patrick Noble, a retired computer programmer, to develop the intuitive new diagnostic aid. The innovative 'Cancer Maps' were developed to help make it easier for GPs to navigate the cancer recognition and referral guidelines published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in 2015. Dr. Noble's brainchild has so impressed the medical community that it has been endorsed by NICE and the Royal College of GPs and will soon be rolled out across the UK. It will also be used to help train GPs and other health professionals through Gateway C, an online cancer education platform for primary care. The 'Cancer Maps' were piloted by 37 GPs from different regions, mainly in Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire. The Cancer Maps consist of three different, brightly coloured maps covering different organs of the body. The interactive tool is intended largely for use by GPs as an aid during consultations. If the doctor suspects cancer, the patient's age, sex and symptoms are keyed in and areas of the maps will light up, flagging potential routes for action. Results can be clearly seen by both doctor and patient alike, reassuring patients that the right steps are being taken. Credit: Cancer Research UK As well as highlighting when a referral ought to be made for example for a chest X-ray, a scan or for an urgent referral for suspected cancer the user can also click on the relevant pathway for more detailed information about the NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) guidelines. Over half (53 percent) of the GPs who tested the pilot Cancer Maps said using the tool during consultations prompted them to refer a patient for further investigation when they otherwise might not have done. Feedback also showed the great majority of the GPs (94 percent) indicated they would recommend the tool to other healthcare professionals, and 9 out of 10 GPs said they felt more confident about making cancer referrals. Dr. Noble said: "I've always used mind maps to help me make sense of lots of data it's a habit I got into at medical school. Cancer diagnosis and referral is complex and requires GPs to keep abreast of a great deal of information as well as the appropriate NICE guidance. I realised it lent itself perfectly to mind-mapping. "It started as something to help me in my role as Cancer Research UK's GP Lead for Leicestershire, but I soon realised it had further potential. I needed someone with a lot of technical know-how to help me design it, and my Dad was the obvious choice. I have the medical knowledge and he has the IT expertise, so together we were a perfect pair! "I'm delighted the maps have had such a positive response from other professionals. A highlight for me came when a very respected colleague told me he kept the Cancer Maps open on his computer all the time. And 100 percent of patients who used the tool alongside their GPs have also given it the thumbs up." Dr. Richard Roope, Cancer Research UK's senior clinical adviser, said: "Dr. Ben Noble's Cancer 'Mindmap' is an innovative tool, to help doctors understand and apply the NICE guidance on recognising and referring cases of suspected cancer. It's proving to be very popular with doctors of all levels of experience and in helping GPs to quickly appraise the best course of action for their patients, it's another item in the toolkit for supporting earlier diagnosis of cancer." Explore further New guidance aims to improve cancer diagnosis The Chobe River flood plain system, like others in Africa, experiences annual floods that are highly variable, both seasonally and from year to year. Credit: Virginia Tech Diarrheal disease, a preventable and treatable illness, remains the second-leading cause of death in children under the age of 5 and a persistent public health threat in sub-Saharan Africa. Researchers have now uncovered how surface water dynamics may increase the vulnerability of dependent populations to diarrheal disease and climate change. Kathleen Alexander, professor of wildlife in Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources and Environment, in collaboration with Alexandra Heaney and Jeffrey Shaman, both of Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, has been conducting research on the influence of flood pulse dynamics on diarrheal disease along the Chobe River flood plain system in northern Botswana. The results of their study, funded by the National Science Foundation, were published in PLOS Medicine. Alexander's research is focused on communities reliant on surface water in the Chobe River flood plain system. This river system, like others in Africa, experiences annual floods that are highly variable, both seasonally and from year to year. Alexander and her team wanted to know if surface water dynamics were contributing to diarrheal disease outbreaks and how climate change, predicted to increase flooding and hydrological variability, might increase the vulnerability of local human populations to diarrheal disease. Despite the presence of centralized water treatment infrastructure, outbreaks of diarrheal disease continue to occur in a quasi-regular pattern in the region. "It was a fundamental question for me," Alexander said. "These places are doing everything right, but local populations are still impacted by diarrheal disease. Why does the infrastructure fail to protect these communities, and what can we do to improve public health now and under future environmental conditions?" In partnership with the government of Botswana, the researchers evaluated outbreak patterns across eight villages and towns along the Chobe River, utilizing decades of data from 10 government health facilities. They evaluated these data in conjunction with detailed hydrometeorological conditions, including bimonthly water quality studies that spanned nearly a decade. They discovered that increases in diarrheal disease cases were closely tied to periods of rainfall, flood recession, and changes in surface water quality, with a 1 meter drop in river height in the dry season associated with a staggering 16.7 percent increase in diarrheal disease in children under 5. A significant finding was that various age groups were affected differently by season, with children aged 1 to 4 experiencing more illnesses in the wet season with rainfall events, whereas older children and adults reported more diarrhea in the dry season during periods of flood recession. Diarrhea type also varied significantly by season. "What this tells us is that environmental conditions drive diarrheal diseasenot just the number of diarrhea cases and timing of outbreaks but also who is affected and what type of diarrhea might occur," said Alexander, who is also affiliated with Virginia Tech's Fralin Life Science Institute. Adults and children were equally affected, suggesting that in high HIV burden populations such as those in northern Botswana, an expansion of diarrheal disease surveillance and intervention strategies may be needed to engage other at-risk sectors of the population beyond the under-5 age class. While flooding of a region is often associated with disease outbreaks in other systems, it was the draining of water from the flood plains that was most closely tied to diarrheal disease and degraded water quality in this study. "This research shows the complex relationships among people, wildlife, and the water cycle in regions with pronounced wet and dry seasons," said Richard Yuretich, a director of the National Science Foundation's Dynamics of Coupled Natural and Human Systems program, which funded the research. "The pattern of disease associated with changes in the volume and quality of water can help in designing water-treatment systems that are responsive to the natural ebb and flow of the environment." The researchers hypothesize that extreme variability in surface water conditions associated with annual rainfall and flood dynamics may compromise water treatment facilities that require removal of sediments and solids to be effective. "These highly variable surface water dynamics are difficult to manage in many water treatment plants, potentially increasing waterborne disease risk in dependent populations," Alexander said. In southern Africa, climate change is predicted to intensify hydrological variability and the frequency of extreme events such as drought and floods, suggesting that dependent populations will be more vulnerable to waterborne disease. "There is an urgent need to evaluate water infrastructure and ensure these systems are able to handle rapid shifts in surface water quality," Alexander said. Alexander emphasized that the complex dynamics influencing diarrheal disease underscore the need for inclusion of research dimensions not usually considered in the field of public health. "A single scale of study is often inadequate to understanding today's complex problems," she noted. "Public health research must look beyond the patient, engaging multiscale and multidisciplinary approaches that span the human-environmental interface." Alexander, a wildlife veterinarian, disease ecologist, and co-founder of the Center for Conservation of African Resources: Animals, Communities, and Land Use (CARACAL) in Botswana, directs her research program at exploring and understanding the factors that influence the emergence and persistence of novel and re-emerging diseases at the human-wildlife-environment interface. Explore further Understanding water's role in antibiotic resistance emergence and dissemination in Africa Bone marrow aspiration: Leishmaniasis (Leishmania sp.) in liver transplant recipient. Credit: Paulo Henrique Orlandi Mourao, CC BY-SA 3.0 Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a life-threatening disease transmitted by the bite of a sand fly. Between 3,700 to 7,400 people in Ethiopia are infected annually, particularly in the northern, agricultural regions with favorable climate and environment to sand fly vectors. A study published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases by Rebecca Coulborn from Epicentre, France, and colleagues suggests that transitory populations in Ethiopia may be particularly vulnerable to acquisition of and death from VL infections. Without treatment, VL is nearly always fatal and may increase risk of transmission to others. Using qualitative methods, researchers endeavored to learn more about mobile workers' exposure to VL and obstacles to diagnosis and treatment. A sample of mobile workers, VL patients, community leaders and healthcare workers participated in focus groups and in-depth interviews to discuss VL in mobile worker populations, including questions regarding disease risk and healthcare access. The authors found that mobile workers faced exposure to sand flies, due to sleeping outside and inconsistent use of protective clothing and bed netting in VL endemic areas. Once infected with VL, symptoms could be misdiagnosed or undetected due to a lack of diagnostic test kits available in rural health centers. Although the research sample comprised only 137 participants, it is the first of its kind in Ethiopia. The researchers suggest their results may lead to interventions tailored to the particular healthcare needs of mobile populations and others at risk for VL: "Our results may offer strategies allowing for earlier diagnoses and better prognoses for VL patients." Explore further Treating dogs with insecticide reduces leishmaniasis transmission in human populations More information: Coulborn RM, Gebrehiwot TG, Schneider M, Gerstl S, Adera C, et al. (2018) Barriers to access to visceral leishmaniasis diagnosis and care among seasonal mobile workers in Western Tigray, Northern Ethiopia: A qualitative study. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 12(11): e0006778. Journal information: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Coulborn RM, Gebrehiwot TG, Schneider M, Gerstl S, Adera C, et al. (2018) Barriers to access to visceral leishmaniasis diagnosis and care among seasonal mobile workers in Western Tigray, Northern Ethiopia: A qualitative study.12(11): e0006778. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0006778 Human skin structure. Credit: Wikipedia University of Toronto researchers are planning to give burn victims live stem cells from their own burned skin in an effort to speed up recovery and increase their chances of surviving fires and industrial accidents. And they're preparing to begin human trials by early 2019. Saeid Amini-Nik and Marc Jeschke, researchers at the Faculty of Medicine, were the first to find live stem cells in the discarded dermis layer of the skin of burn victims, and to apply these cells for faster skin regrowth in animal models. They published their results in eBioMedicine. Currently, physicians remove burned skin and discard it. They add a collagen dressing to the burned site, and hope the new skin regrows before the patient gets a fatal infection a process that can take months. "With cells added to the collagen, we expect the process of healing would be very fast possibly days instead of weeks or months," says Amini-Nik, an assistant professor in the department of laboratory medicine and pathobiology. "For burn patients, time is very important: With the open wound and the need to change dressings, their chance of infection is high, and sometimes they die of sepsis. "Much faster healing would be a major step forward." Scientists have long attempted to use stem cells for burn healing, but always using cells from other people's organs, such as umbilical cords. Rejection rates are high. Surgically removing undamaged skin or bone marrow stem cells is tough because the people most in danger of dying from their wounds are those who have burns covering more than half of their bodies, and are already at great risk of infection. Until now, almost nobody thought of looking for viable cells in the burned skin itself, which is normally considered medical waste. When the U of T researchers began looking in the first pieces of discarded skin, they hoped to find even one living cell. They were exhilarated by the discovery of thousands of cells in some cases up to one million cells. Next came the preclinical trial, in which they found that human stem cells added to the animals' collagen dressing hastened skin regrowth by 30 per cent. There were no problems with rejection, and the cells harvested from the collagen-rich dermal layer seemed to create more natural skin. With human trials, they hope for even higher regrowth, since they will be using human cells on people. "Because we're using actual skin stem cells, and not from some other part of the body, we believe the quality of the skin will be better," says Amini-Nik, who conducted the study at the Sunnybrook Research Institute where Jeschke is a principal clinical researcher. He is also a professor in the Faculty of Medicine. "You want skin that stretches normally. In burn patients skin gets scarred and they have trouble moving joints because skin is not elastic. "We also believe this will be better for quality of life: Itching and inability to sweat are big problems for burn patients. We believe if we use the stem cells from the very same organ, we'll grow better skin." Using a patient's own stem cells also won't raise ethical issues, he says. "Our goal is no death, no scar, and no pain," adds Jeschke. "With this approach we come closer to no death and no scar." Explore further Study uses bone marrow stem cells to regenerate skin More information: Saeid Amini-Nik et al. Stem cells derived from burned skin - The future of burn care, EBioMedicine (2018). Journal information: EBioMedicine Saeid Amini-Nik et al. Stem cells derived from burned skin - The future of burn care,(2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2018.10.014 Design Review: Key-Value Storage We propose the standardization of a simple key-value storage capability, based on LMDB, that is fast, compact, multi-process-capable, and equally usable from JS, Java, Rust, Swift, and C++. Document status 2018-03-20: review concluded; see notes here. 2018-03-05: wrapped up a concrete proposal. 2018-02-22: lots of input from gcp. Added section about content process use. Added analysis of SQLite. 2018-02-21: positive feedback from mak; no document comments yet. 2018-02-13: input from the Firefox team, inc. Florian and Felipe. 2018-02-12: restructured open questions, which was becoming huge thanks to answers! 2018-02-09: added extensive notes around NFS shares and locking (thanks Mossop and mkaply). Discussion with Mossop re management of change and versioning. 2018-02-07: consulted njn. 2018-02-06: suggestions from nanj and snorp applied. 2018-02-04: suggestions from Myk applied. Appendix A added. Sent to snorp and nanj. 2018-02-02: rough draft Roles Reviewer : dtownsend : dtownsend Chair : jwalker : jwalker Proposer: rnewman, Browser Architecture Summary There is no one-size-fits-all solution for storage. The best we can do to minimize engineering complexity is to cluster the varied requirements of various consumers around particular points in the solution space, reducing our large number of unmaintained ad hoc solutions into a smaller number of supported pieces of infrastructure. The exploration effort thats now underway as a result of 2017s Sync & Storage Roadmap Review primarily addresses one such point: the capabilities required for structured, evolving, reusable, long-lived, syncable user data data around which Firefox user-facing features are built. The subject of this document is the polar opposite of that point: data that is unstructured or primitive, non-evolving (or at least with no advances on the current state of the art for managing change), special-purpose, and with no particular storage-level effort expended on reliable sync, if it syncs at all. Components that store this kind of data often have a different set of required capabilities: a need for very fast reads, reads and writes from multiple processes, synchronous reads, control over filesystem impact, etc. Examples of data like this are configuration data, certificate revocation lists, session storage, visited link caches, and simple extension storage. The existing implementations of these features, if they exist, tend to use whats available flat text files, JSON files, Kinto, IndexedDB, libpref, or non-persisted in-process data structures repopulated via IPC or messaging1. In doing so they tend to work around missing capabilities in, and necessary limitations of, those tools. Some of these tools are hard to access from different languages, and most are next to impossible to use correctly in an embedding context2. Brief We propose buying, not building, the core of such a solution, and wrapping it in idiomatic libraries that we can use on all platforms. We propose that LMDB is a suitable core (see Appendix A for options considered): it is compact (32KB of object code), well-tested, professionally maintained, reliable, portable, scales well, and is exceptionally fast for our kinds of load. We have engineers at Mozilla with prior experience with LMDB, and their feedback is entirely positive. This key-value storage system can be targeted at a number of new consumers that might otherwise need to roll their own storage, or (ab)use preferences: HSTS etc. download storage. (Waiting on survey from mgoodwin.) Devtools UI configuration. A partner-acceptable data storage and configuration approach for GeckoView and other embedding projects. (More detailed conversations need to happen around this.) New mobile applications. and potentially displace or support a number of existing solutions: The atypical application consumers of preferences. These consumers dont use defaults, and dont use prefs overlaying capabilities, but do want a simple API, fast (possibly synchronous) reads, ACID, and richer types (e.g., non-stringified timestamps). They currently use libpref because it was the most suitable option at the time they were built. Cross-process preferences usage, which currently uses command-line arguments and IPC to replicate data between processes. Note that doing so would require filesystem access from each process, which might make it unsuitable for the content process; see below. Limited-size flat file systems like autofill, login manager, etc. XUL Storage Session store? It should provide a sensible, scalable, and efficient default choice for consumers that now use hand-rolled key-value systems. The core wrapping library provides safety (both padding LMDBs sharp-edged API and also protecting against system limitations like NFS locking), improves developer ergonomics (e.g., tracking value types, seamlessly resizing databases, even automatic sharding), and consolidates best practices (e.g., asynchronous reads and writes, versioning). Idiomatic per-environment APIs can then take care of platform integration on top of a shared representation, managing things like string conversions, Future / Promise / Deferred , etc. We expect the resulting APIs to be simpler (and more opinionated) than LMDBs, and for ongoing maintenance of language wrappers to be relatively cheap. We have recent and relevant experience with Rust wrappers for C++, Swift, and Java, so were not too worried about this. Explicit non-goals for this proposal are: Displacing SQLite for relational consumers, consumers that require full-text search, or very large databases. Implementing synchronization within the data store itself. Its likely that some consumers will replicate data in, and its possible that some consumers will build syncing on top, just as we do for prefs today, but unlike with our other efforts were not trying here to make syncing a supported part of the storage system itself. Implementing the full set of capabilities of libpref (e.g., distribution configuration) within the storage system itself 3 . . Addressing storage of data that must be human-editable at rest without specialized tooling. Not-yet or never goals for this proposal are: Standardization via a standards body as a web API. Encryption (though there might be touch points with Lockboxs secure device storage concept). Content process use Particular thanks to Randell and gcp for this input. One appealing aspect of LMDB is its relative ease of use from multiple processes, above and beyond its basic capabilities as yet-another-fast-key-value-store. We expect to have multiple non-content processes in Firefox that could use this capability. We also expect to have lots potentially dozens or hundreds of content processes. Naturally its not desirable from a security perspective to allow arbitrary reads and writes, and arbitrary filesystem access, from content processes. There is a tension between performance, reducing memory usage, etc. and reduced attack surface we can have a locked-down content process, or efficient sharing, but not both. LMDB uses mmap, which requires some amount of filesystem access. It requires write access to the database lock file for coordination. In ordinary use, the memory-mapped region is read-only, with only the lock file requiring writes. There are several possibilities for use from the content process. Full read-write via mmap. This would require whitelisting and careful auditing, and is still a concern. Read-only access via mmap, either by whitelisting the lock file for writes, or building our own non-filesystem locking (e.g., using shmem). Writes from content would have to be asynchronous over IPC. Its possible that well build our own lock manager anyway in order to achieve robustness in the face of NFS mounts, so this might be cheap and relatively safe when considering amortized costs. Read-only in-memory use by modifying LMDB to be able to use anonymous mmap. In theory we can then flush to disk for persistence. This would essentially be a standardized atomic key-value interface on top of shared memory. Dont use LMDB from the content process: use IPC to access storage in another process. This is what we do now, if you ignore the storage technology on the other end. We do not propose solving this up-front: the worst-case scenario is no different to what we do now, but with the benefit of easier coordination between non-content processes, and its possible to make different choices in the future. Open and partially answered questions 32-bit systems 32-bit systems have limited address space for memory-mapped files. Will this restriction bite us? How large can we make data stores without running into these issues? LMDB files maximum size is specified at opening time. Address space usage is dictated by this maximum size. 64-bit users make up at least 80% of our hardware report (we under-count). On Android we dont yet ship ARM 64 , but intend to do so this year. Preliminary survey of crashstats suggests that well be totally fine for reasonable (< 1MB or < 256KB) database volumes. oom-small is about 4% of our crash rate. Most of those are genuine memory pressure: 2GB or 4GB devices with 75%+ memory usage. Quite a few of the reports are nonsense failure to allocate 8 bytes with gigs of free RAM and VM. If I search for oom, <4GB total virtual memory, memory usage <80%, and < 30 seconds uptime that is, a startup OOM where we shouldnt actually have run out of memory we get about 350 oom-small crashes per week across Firefox 58-60. 10% of those are Android, and the rest are Windows. At those rates, typical LMDB usage should be lost in the noise. It might even reduce OOMs: the entire mmapped file occupies address space, but the actual resident set will be less than snarfing an entire JSON file into memory and causing an oom-large in the JS engine or in file-writers like ChunkedJSONWriteFunc , both of which appear in crash-stats. Windows support How well does LMDB work on Windows? About 85% of our desktop users are on Windows. Reading suggests that as of 2016, LMDB should work just fine, even using sparse files correctly, but we should experimentally verify. Android support How well does LMDB work on our supported Android versions? Remote filesystem support LMDBs documentation recommends not using it on network filesystems4. The principal obstacle is the lack of advisory locking. We already have some accommodations for SQLite on NFS. Its possible that we could apply the same. Depending on exactly which issues occur locking, syncing, or other we might need to find a variety of approaches; the ultimate workaround is to put a working copy of each LMDB file in temporary storage, and use the atomic snapshot feature to copy them back to the profile in the background at some point before crash/quit. Some notes: Being careful LMDB has a number of straightforward restrictions: no multiple opens from a single process, no multiple top-level transactions open at the same time within a single thread5, careful handling of locks when processes crash, the need to clean up stale readers if they crash. Will these restrictions be onerous? Current work suggests that a layer or two of Rust helps a lot with the sharp edges. Defaults What kinds of file sizes and defaults give reasonable behavior on our supported platforms? How changeable are these later? LMDB requires some amount of tuning and specifying limits (e.g., maximum number of open named databases in an environment). Binary storage How can we protect ourselves against variations in platform/runtime encoding issues? Endianness, string encoding, Rust repr? Initial exploratory work used bincode for this, but we need to validate. Resilience to corruption What level of external corruption (e.g., disk issues) or internal corruption (e.g., writing malformed data) do we need to handle? We are very careful about things like session storage (R: how careful? Do we handle a failure to parse due to corrupt JSON? Do we handle a failure to parse the compressed file due to corruption?), but many of our existing stores either fail to init, breaking the browser, or discard the corrupt file. Do we need to do better? Is LMDB more or less prone to issues? Are customers who need recoverability from corruption adequately served by other points in the solution space, or by features of this one (e.g., LMDBs ability to take consistent live backups)? LMDBs live backup seems like it could be used to build a sensible backup/migration strategy, but it would be good if we could understand to what extent we consider the requirement important before investing effort into building capabilities. Even if we have some potential consumers, maybe those arent the first ones. Observers/change notifications What approaches to observers/notifications make sense? We dont get this out of the box for most stores, particularly not cross-process; were breaking new ground. We can learn some lessons from observer and preference change notifications in Firefox. Performance Does a memory-mapped solution give us: Acceptable startup time compared to prefs or flat files? Acceptable shutdown time? (It should: LMDB is crash-safe.) A reduction in the number of fsyncs compared to, e.g., JSONFile ? Can LMDB beat IPC-coordinated shmem or flat file solutions for for inter-process data sharing? Shipping vehicle(s) It makes sense to have at least one target consumer in mind when building out a capability. We have lots of options; which ones will have the biggest potential upside, the lowest risk, and offer the best learning opportunities? Cross-process, cross-language use examples How a Java app and GeckoView might collaborate on the visited link set or configuration data Chrome shares its visited link set between the main process and content process via a complicated shared memory scheme: the main process constructs chunks and coordinates handoff to content processes via IPC. In Firefox for Android we use JNI to allow the Gecko main thread to read from and add to a Java-side data structure that serves a similar purpose. GeckoView will, eventually, distinguish between the application process (started by Android, runs the enclosing Java application) and Geckos main process. These two processes will communicate via Binder. In contrast to Fennec, application data including history data wont be in the same process as the Gecko main process. Sharing persistent data in this situation is well-suited to LMDB: the same LMDB database could be opened from both the application (Java) process and the Gecko main process. The two processes would have a shared understanding of the data format used and the file path and settings required. Given those things, the application could add and remove entries from the database, and the Gecko main process could read (and, indeed, write) without additional coordination. Planning Executing on this proposal consists of five overlapping phases. Evaluation. Given the set of open questions, research, measure (either through prototypes or through probes in Firefox itself), or write code in order to answer the question. In particular, the following: Windows support. Android support. NFS. Design. Its likely that some kind of profile-linked manager will be needed to control access to storage. An API needs to be defined and documented. Design and evaluation are intertwined. Productization. Produce and document: A core library (using the stable Rust wrapper for safety and ergonomics). Build integration with mozilla-central and Gecko, and an idiomatic interface that can be consumed by C++ code. and chrome JS code. A Swift wrapper around our core Rust library. A Java library that allows for independent use of that library, and shared data use with Gecko. Baseline performance tests to make sure we stay fast. Leverage. Use these libraries in consumers, migrating older systems as appropriate. We propose the following as the initial set of consumers, depending on staffing: XULStore (existing). Addresses a concern raised by the XUL replacement work. Replaces a JS XPCOM component thats in the hot path for window creation. Stores a manageable amount of data. Search service cache ( search.json.lz4 ). Binary data storage: opportunity for size wins. The component currently compresses to halve disk usage but 80% of that space usage is base64 and percent-encoded image data! Read asynchronously as the first thing the component does, so a good perf challenge. Its a cache: no need to address migration, and rollback is easy. Opportunity to rework how the component manages state (e.g., no need to read the descriptions of each engine during init). Devtools configuration (new). Meets an unmet need, and involves figuring out content process communication. Security storage (new/replacement). We currently store some certificate data (revocations, whitelists, HSTS, etc.) in a mixture of Kinto (for delivery) and plain-text files. This data needs a mixture of synchronous and asynchronous access. Infrequently updated. Can be repopulated from the server if necessary. Blob storage. Two interesting needs: ideally this data is shared between profiles (no sense in having it copied), and usable on Android, iOS, and from C++, Rust (soon), and JS in Gecko. A new Android capability to support new Fennec and GeckoView work. Exercises another platform, and explores how the system meets the needs of a diverse set of developers. Analysis of other consumers, existing and nascent. There are dozens of stores in Firefox on each platform. Some of these will be better suited to this kind of key-value store than their existing storage system (and some will be better suited to other capabilities that were building). Still others will not be worth the effort to port. Assess each consumer along axes: size, complexity, risk, technical debt, cross-platform costs and potential value. This will inform subsequent porting efforts. We have begun building a simple production-quality Rust wrapper to implement storage of typed values and to begin to impose an opinionated and safe interface. This can be used for evaluation and as a testbed for design, ultimately being stabilized and productized. : In this set I include the preferences that we currently pass to content processes via command-line arguments (early prefs) and IPC messages (late prefs). : For example, Firefox for Android still uses the SQLite login manager storage, because it needs concurrent access from Java and Gecko; flat files dont make that easy. : Its possible that a key-value storage system could be used as the backend for libpref, just as we currently use prefs.js. Randell reports that each content process uses approximately 350KB to keep copies of preferences; thats likely to be reduced in a shared memory system. : Do not use LMDB databases on remote filesystems, even between processes on the same host. This breaks flock() on some OSes, possibly memory map sync, and certainly sync between programs on different hosts. http://www.lmdb.tech/doc/ : Unless MDB_NOTLS is specified, tying transactions to the transaction object instead of to the thread. Defaults and Being careful! Appendix A: survey of key-value stores IndexedDB A web-standard storage abstraction layer. In Chrome, uses LevelDB for storage. In Firefox, currently backed by SQLite. Both use remoting for multi-process access. Only accessible from JS. SQLite Well-tested and already ships in Firefox. Crypto available via SQLCipher. In-memory (non-persistent) storage is easy. Built-in VACUUM is more convenient than compaction in LMDB. Disk sizes are approximately equivalent to LMDB. Known good behavior on 32-bit platforms. WAL versus COW writes, and database opens after crashes, are less predictable due to WAL checkpointing. Reads likely to be on the order of microseconds, not nanoseconds; not suitable to back a synchronous API. Reader concurrency not quite as good as LMDB. SQLite will have a higher baseline of memory usage: real allocated memory per connection, not mapped virtual memory. Benchmarking shows SQLite to perform relatively poorly on KV workloads when compared to LMDB. In sequential reads on published benchmarks LMDB has 47x throughput (I measured 80x for string keys). In random reads LMDB has 9x throughput. Sequential writes, 8x; random writes 5.7x. Batching makes writes significantly faster for LMDB thanks to amortized cost of COW, and reading sequential keys is very fast. Using SQLite instead of a specialized key-value store would trade performance (particularly read performance) for existing deployment experience. SQLite is the only real contender for delivering this capability in Firefox. It is conceivable that we could use the same opinionated interface to front both SQLite and LMDB. There is negligible increase in object size to ship both, because LMDB is so small. My own runs of benchmarks, adjusting the SQLite schema and using WAL, with key times highlighted in bold: String keys: SQLite: readrandom : 8.110 micros/op 123310 ops/sec; (1000000 of 1000000 found) **readseq : 2.586 micros/op 386687 ops/sec; 36.9 MB/s** readreverse : 2.580 micros/op 387580 ops/sec; 37.0 MB/s fillrandsync : 82.125 micros/op 12176 ops/sec; 1.3 MB/s (1000 ops) fillrandom : 24.933 micros/op 40107 ops/sec; 4.4 MB/s **fillrandbatch : 16.004 micros/op 62483 ops/sec; 6.9 MB/s** fillseqsync : 31.004 micros/op 32253 ops/sec; 3.6 MB/s (1000 ops) fillseq : 12.433 micros/op 80430 ops/sec; 8.9 MB/s fillseqbatch : 2.108 micros/op 474321 ops/sec; 52.5 MB/s overwrite : 36.793 micros/op 27179 ops/sec; 3.0 MB/s LMDB: readrandom : 1.070 micros/op 934143 ops/sec; (1000000 of 1000000 found) **readseq : 0.032 micros/op 31309684 ops/sec; 3463.7 MB/s** readreverse : 0.023 micros/op 42877969 ops/sec; 4743.4 MB/s fillrandsync : 166.412 micros/op 6009 ops/sec; 0.7 MB/s (1000 ops) fillrandom : 5.176 micros/op 193206 ops/sec; 21.4 MB/s Integer keys (faster reads, slightly smaller file): SQLite: readrandom : 4.258 micros/op 234843 ops/sec; (1000000 of 1000000 found) readseq : 0.281 micros/op 3560505 ops/sec; 339.6 MB/s readreverse : 0.261 micros/op 3826081 ops/sec; 364.9 MB/s LMDB: readrandom : 0.548 micros/op 1825317 ops/sec; (1000000 of 1000000 found) readseq : 0.028 micros/op 35937612 ops/sec; 3701.5 MB/s readreverse : 0.019 micros/op 53358945 ops/sec; 5495.8 MB/s fillseqsync : 165.802 micros/op 6031 ops/sec; 0.7 MB/s (1000 ops) fillseq : 3.360 micros/op 297576 ops/sec; 32.9 MB/s fillseqbatch : 0.504 micros/op 1983717 ops/sec; 219.5 MB/s overwrite : 5.099 micros/op 196105 ops/sec; 21.7 MB/s LevelDB Google-sourced. Implemented in Go. Not lightweight (306KB macOS release dylib). Non-ACID, no transactions: only read-snapshots and atomic batch writes. Poor reputation for data loss and consistency bugs. Writes are automatically compressed, spending CPU to get reasonable writes. Coarse-grained locking. LSM trees are write-optimized. Not multiprocess. Windows support is second-class, and iOS regressions occur. LSM tree LevelDB-alikes derivatives (RocksDB (Facebook), HyperLevelDB, Bashos LevelDB fork etc.) Dgraphs summary: LSM tree based stores provide high write performance by sequentially writing key-value pairs in memory in the foreground, and then arranging them in multi-tiered levels on disk in the background. This approach is not without tradeoffs though. Values are written multiple times when arranging them in the tree (known as write amplification) and a single read might need to read multiple levels in the LSM tree before finding a value (known as read amplification). These various libraries all aim to be faster or more scalable than LevelDB, typically by improving thread parallelism or altering how compaction works (e.g., RocksDB doesnt use level-based compaction). All are targeted at server workloads. Bolt A Go implementation of LMDB. B+tree. Not multiprocess. MDBM A memory-mapped hash/cache (it would be a stretch to call it persistent) implemented in C, with C++ and Perl bindings. Loses data by default (manual sync), not resistant to power loss/crash, vulnerable to data corruption. No transactions. Keys arent sorted, so no range queries or cursors. Building your own persistent storage/log is recommended. https://github.com/yahoo/mdbm https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8732891 Kyoto Cabinet Reportedly very slow. Not multiprocess. BerkeleyDB Very long pedigree. For our purposes, essentially obsoleted in every way by LMDB. LMDB A distillation of experience with BerkeleyDB and use in OpenLDAP. Implemented in C. Dgraph gives an excellent brief summary: LMDB provides a key-value stored using B+ trees. It has ACID semantics and support for transactions. It does not do any background work and has a crash resilient design that uses MVCC instead of locking. This means readers operate on an isolated snapshot of the database and dont block. The codebase is quite small and portable, so LMDB runs across multiple platforms including Android, BSD, and Solaris. This talk by Howard Chu at Databaseology 2015 goes into much more details about LMDBs design. It is generally understood that B+ tree based stores are ideal for workloads which are read intensive. Read-optimized, very lightweight (32KB), predictable performance. Copy-on-write mmap B+tree. Zero-copy reads. Handles larger values better than log-based approaches, with less write amplification. Database sizes are limited by address space (~128TB on 64-bit machines). Single-writer multiple-reader (linear scaling in readers, and total throughput reportedly better with serialized writes). nanjs experience: Some less well-known merits of LMDB: You can get a quite good performance out of the box, without any fuss or configuration like RocksDB. Its cursor iterator is awesome, very powerful and flexible. It also supports integer key and value, dup keys, and whole bunch of other nice value types. You can have multiple sub-dbs in a single database, each of them could be of different type (integer key, dup key etc.) Weve never run into a single case of database corruption before, even for those traffic (both write and read) intensive applications. See more in this OSDI paper: Torturing Databases for Fun and Profit Some lessons weve learnt: You will need to choose a maximum database size upon its creation. Since LMDB uses MVCC and shadow paging to implement ACID, long running read transactions would increase the page usage quickly, potentially fill up the mmap, and the write transaction will abort and leave the database in an unwritable state until page reclaiming is performed. Resizing the database on the fly is feasible, although it needs certain amount of cooperation between readers and writers. LMDB by default has a maximum key size set as 512 bytes, there is a compile time configuration to change it, though a larger key may have performance impact too. Random write is just OK, unlike other log-based data stores. Lack of built-in compression usually leads to a higher disk usage. Fully relying on OSs page management may block the way of certain optimization. Some database maintenances are still needed, LMDB provides various APIs (e.g mdb_reader_check) to clean up zombie readers (due to the improper transaction termination) so that the unused pages could be reclaimed. No downtime needed though, could be done in the background. The code base of LMDB is not very readable ;), at least comparing to SQLite. Howard Chu usually is quite responsive on bugs and feature requests, also he is a quite opinionated guy, you can see his comments on HN :) https://banksco.de/p/lmdb-the-leveldb-killer.html https://symas.com/is-lmdb-a-leveldb-killer/ ActorDB Distributed SQL database. https://github.com/biokoda/actordb Built on top of SQLite and LMDB: it replaces SQLites pager with LMDB, and hooks into SQLites WAL for Raft-based replication between actors. Developed for applications such as file syncing. nanjs observations: Let me share some observations on this project here. Disclaimer, Ive never used it before, all my understanding on it is from following blog posts and skimming its source code. http://blog.biokoda.com/post/112206754025/why-we-built-actordb http://blog.biokoda.com/post/133121776825/actordb-how-and-why-we-run-sqlite-on-top-of-lmdb Whats ActorDB In short, the ActorDB team wants to build a file synchronisation solution anyone could install and use. The best way we can describe ActorDB is that it is an ideal server-side database for apps. Think of running a large mail service, dropbox, evernote, etc. They all require server side storage for user data, but the vast majority of queries to the database is within a specific user The author believes that a distributed SQL database is the best storage solution to this. Features Server side storage with SQL including transaction support (unlike KV store or document store) No single point of failure (user data is replicated among multiple nodes by Raft) Horizontally scalable (each user has its own database, so they call that ActorDB) Other Observations In the early versions, they use SQLite as both the SQL engine and the storage engine, and hack SQLites WAL to implement Raft. According to the second article, although they manage to combine all the WALs into a single one, it is not ideal since every user has a separate SQLite base file. Then, they choose LMDB as the storage engine to mitigate the drawback above. They again hack the SQLites WAL module so that it completely bypasses the SQLites b-tree based storage layer, instead stores the actual data (i.e. pages) and Raft logs on LMDB. They find LMDB is perfect engine for their use case, since LMDB supports duplicate keys with sorted value (i.e. dupsort key) as well as multiple sub-dbs within a single database. Other components are written in Erlang. Also worth pointing out that the server application, the SQL engine, and the storage engine are tightly coupled with each other in this project. To my understanding, there is no clear boundaries between subsystems. This makes ActorDB hard to extend and evolve. Due to its design, i.e. one db for each user, certain SQL features are not supported, like cross user table joins, ATTACH database etc. Although its unclear how exactly ActorDB works out in production, and some other limitations in its design & implementation. I think it still provides us with some interesting points for further investigation, such as, the approach of integration LMDB with SQLite. Introduction of WAL replication via Raft. Questions for the review: Lincoln, NE One of the three suspects arrested in connection to the homicide of a Lincoln man has been extradited back to Nebraska. According to court documents, James Howard, 28, was booked into Lancaster County jail on Monday for accessory to a Class 1 Felony. Howard was arrested in Leon County, Texas on Oct. 26 in connection to the killing of Stacy Talbot, 42 on Oct. 18. He appeared in court on Tuesday afternoon, and had his bond set at 10 percent of $100,000. Howard was appointed a public defender, and will appear in court for a docket call on Nov. 27 at 10 a.m. Members of the Criminal Investigations and Narcotics Units of the Lincoln Police Department had obtained a warrant for Accessory to a Class I Felony for Howard. A total of three people have been arrested in the case. In addition to the arrest of Howard, Police said Jesse Wilson, 32, and Sherry Thomas, 34, were found and arrested in Clovis, New Mexico. Investigators had obtained a felony arrest warrant for theft for Wilson, and Thomas had an active arrest warrant for attempt of a Class IV felony that was not a part of the on-going investigation into Talbot's death, police said. On October 18, officers were called to the area of 14th and Judson at about 8:30 p.m. on a report of a man who jumped from a moving vehicle. When officers arrived, they found Talbot laying on 14th Street with a gunshot wound to his chest. A witness told police he was traveling northbound in the area as the car Talbot was in headed south, and heard a loud bang that sounded like a blown tire shortly after the vehicle passed him, and he then turned around to check on Talbot, who was at that point lying in the street. CPR was performed and he was taken to the hospital, but he died at 9:16 p.m. According to court documents, investigators with the Lincoln and Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force had contacted Talbot at a residence near N. 14th and Manatt streets, which is less than a quarter-mile from where Talbot's body was found, a few days earlier. The documents say investigators knew the residents and associates were heavily involved in the use and sale of narcotics. Investigators went back to the residence on Oct. 18 and made contact with the driver of a vehicle that was leaving the driveway. The driver showed police text messages received from Talbot shortly before his death, one of which said, "I need help now these people wont stop to let me out". Court documents say that message was sent just two minutes before witnesses called police. An earlier message had indicated Talbot had been with Jesse Wilson and Sherry Thomas. Police were able to identify the third person Talbot was with as James Howard by talking to other associates of Talbot and through surveillance video and documents from a pawn shop where Howard had purchased a .38 caliber handgun the day before Talbot was killed. Bank Zero recently announced that it had begun trials in preparation for the launch of its commercial banking service in mid-2019. This alpha testing phase involves a small group of users who will put the banks live systems and processes through their paces. Bank Zero will be completely app-driven, and promises to offer clients lower fees, richer functionality, transparency, and better control. The bank will not have branches, and customers can use ATMs locally and internationally to access cash. The signup process for Bank Zero will also be completely electronic to make it easy for new clients to open an account. Banking should be free Bank Zero has the backing of former FNB CEO Michael Jordaan, who said the problem they want to solve is high bank fees in South Africa. Speaking to the SABC, Jordaan said that just like WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, banking should be free to users. While Bank Zero did not announce what its fees will be yet, Jordaan said there is a hint in its name as to what consumers can expect. Next-generation card Bank Zero has further partnered with Mastercard to develop a new generation of card to deliver cutting-edge security and other unique features. Jordaan said Bank Zeros new generation EMV (Europay Mastercard Visa) smart card will have lots of new functionality which will be revealed at launch. EMV is a global payment standard for cards equipped with computer chips and the technology used to authenticate chip-card transactions. Jordaan would not divulge exactly what consumers can expect from the new Bank Zero card, but did said it will be similar to the improvements which WhatsApp offer over SMS. We have some nice surprises up our sleeve with the card, but it is unfortunately just too early to reveal them now, he said. Excellent security Because Bank Zero is a smartphone-based platform, Jordaan said they made certain that the system is very secure and protected against hackers. We have a very secure solution which is encrypted from the server all the way to a clients smartphone, said Jordaan. Bank Zero is also going to use biometric features and location-based services on smartphones to add an additional layer of security. It will be one of the most secure banks that has been launched not only in South Africa but in the world, said Jordaan. Michael Jordaan interview Now read: Bank Zero will be cheaper and more powerful than your current bank Telkom has signed an extensive roaming agreement with Vodacom to roam on its 2G, 3G, and 4G networks in South Africa. Shareholders are advised that Vodacom South Africa and Telkom have concluded a long-term, multi-billion-rand agreement whereby Telkom will obtain roaming and facilities leasing services from Vodacom, said Vodacom. The terms of the agreement will allow Telkom customers to roam on Vodacoms 2G, 3G, and 4G networks with full effect from June 2019. This will include seamless handover technology. The deal follows Cell C signing a new roaming deal with MTN in May to roam on its 3G and 4G networks. Cell C previously only roamed on Vodacoms network, and did not receive seamless handover technology. With the implementation of the new deal, Cell Cs 4G population coverage will increase from 33% to 80%, via the MTN network, and it will receive seamless handover technology. Vodacom told MyBroadband its current roaming agreement with Cell C to use its 2G and 3G networks in certain areas remains in place for at least another two years. Telkom-MTN deal ending Telkom stated that as a result of the new roaming agreement with Vodacom which will start on 1 December 2018 its roaming deal with MTN will expire in June 2019. Telkom will conduct a phased transition from the current roaming agreement, which will be concluded by the end of the contract period, said Telkom. Vodacom CEO Shameel Joosub said the company was extremely pleased with Telkom working with Vodacom on the agreement. By switching its roaming agreement to Vodacom, Telkom will have access to South Africas best network with the countrys widest population coverage, said Joosub. This partnership between the countrys fastest growing networks will also result in reduced network deployment costs for Telkom and cost savings for Vodacom, ultimately contributing to the reduction of data prices in South Africa. Telkom CEO Sipho Maseko said the seamless handover and 4G technology are new additions to Telkoms roaming agreement which will improve the customer experience on the Telkom network. E-levy is not the best of ... Alaina Housley, a 2018 Vintage High graduate, is among the dead after a shooting late Wednesday night at a western bar in Southern California that left at least 13 people dead, including the gunman, relatives reported. Housley, 18, was confirmed to be among the Thousand Oaks shooting victims after statements from Pepperdine University, where she was a freshman, and a spokeswoman for her celebrity aunt and uncle, Tamera Mowry-Housley and Adam Housley, spoke to Yahoo! News. Our hearts are broken, the couple said in a statement. Alaina was an incredible young woman with so much life ahead of her and we are devastated that her life was cut short in this manner. Yountville and its Chamber of Commerce were scheduled to hold a candlelight vigil in Housleys honor in front of the Yountville Community Center at 6 p.m. Thursday. Vintage High also planned a 7 p.m. vigil on its soccer field. The shooting occurred at Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, a popular Western bar that attracts country music and line dancing lovers from neighboring cities and counties. The venue is widely known for its weekly dance lessons and College Country Night, but draws patrons of all ages. Housley, the daughter of Hannah and Arik Housley of Napa, attended Vintage High, Silverado Middle and Vichy Elementary schools. She moved to Malibu to attend Pepperdine and planned to major in English literature, according to one of her social media posts. The Housley family has a strong Napa Valley presence. Housleys mother, Hannah, is Vintage Highs activities director and a history teacher. Her father, Arik, owns Ranch Market in Napa, Ranch Market Too in Yountville and co-owns Il Posto Trattoria in Napa. Both her parents attended Pepperdine. Housleys younger brother is a Vintage High freshman. Current students of Vintage High reached Thursday said Housley was well-known on campus. She treated others well, was quick to help colleagues and cared about her school. When Vintage High principal Sarah OConnor thinks of Housley, she remembers the time Housley planned to have all the schools violinists herself included surprised her mother with a happy birthday song. Housley was confident in herself, mature for her age, brought out the best in her peers, and was an exceptional athlete, scholar and student leader, OConnor said at a Thursday afternoon press conference on campus. The campus community is shaken and in shock, she said. Alaina Housley is exactly the kind of young person that we would want our kids to be, OConnor said. I think thats what makes this tragedy truly a tragedy. Housleys death was a huge loss for Napa schools, which she attended from kindergarten to high school, said Rosanna Mucetti, superintendent of the Napa Valley Unified School District. Students gathered in the library Thursday to meet with counselors who are always on hand for students in the event of a tragedy, Mucetti said. The district will take things one day at a time in determining how long extra support staff is needed on campus, she said. Were a very tight-knit community, Mucetti said. Were going to be feeling this throughout the Napa community. Tributes began to pour in Thursday afternoon from apparent strangers on social media. Arik Housley posted a photo on Facebook Thursday morning, stating that he was heading to Los Angeles to see what was the latest with his daughter. That post garnered thousands of comments, shares and reactions within hours. A school district spokesperson confirmed that campuses that Housley attended have counseling available to students. Most resources, including Napa police chaplains, will be at Vintage High, where Housley graduated last year. Students will have space to meet together, with support personnel, on campus, according to the district. Housley was an exceptional student leader, athlete, musician and scholar, said district spokesperson Elizabeth Emmett. Just an outstanding person, she said. President Donald Trump tweeted about the shooting Thursday morning, saying police showed great bravery in their response. A sheriffs Deputy, Sgt. Ron Helus, was killed by gunfire inside the club. God bless all of the victims and families of the victims, he wrote. Thank you to [sic] Law Enforcement. Governor-elect Gavin Newsom ordered flags at state buildings be flown at half-staff following last nights shooting. Napa Congressman Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, also chimed in with a Thursday statement, calling upon the new Congress to pass legislation to prevent gun violence. Yet again, a nation stands horrified at a mass shooting, Thompson said in a press release. People trying to enjoy a night of music and friendship were gunned down and a Sheriffs Sergeant lost his life trying to keep his community safe. Collabria Care in Napa invited the community to participate in its grief support program Thursday afternoon at 414 S. Jefferson St., Napa.The gunman, Ian David Long, a 28-year-old U.S. Marine Corps veteran who is thought to have killed himself, reportedly shot a security guard outside, then made his way inside. Officers arrived on the scene 2 to 3 minutes after the first call to law enforcement, according to CNN. Register intern Rachel Hall contributed to this report. 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 Washington-based Tax Foundation is an impeccable source of accurate information about state and local taxation, albeit one with a decidedly conservative tilt. It was a little odd, therefore, that Jerry Brown, the Democratic governor of one of the nations highest-taxing states, just received one of the Tax Foundations annual awards for outstanding achievement in state tax reform. The organizations honorees are mostly Republicans, but it cites Brown for colorful vetoes of targeted tax breaks which have helped California maintain some semblance of a broad tax base and improved its fiscal position. Governor Brown consistently vetoed popular proposed tax breaks, saying legislators should instead work through the annual budget process and balance those wants with other priorities. California has more work to do on fiscal solvency and tax climate, but Governor Browns demand for thoughtfulness and process in creating new tax breaks should be emulated by his successors. The award is fairly well deserved, as far as it goes. Brown did persuade the Legislature to eliminate an enterprise zone tax break for business that never came close to living up to its promise, but survived for several decades despite that deficiency. And he did resist most of the Legislatures perpetual proposals to punch new loopholes in the states already riddled taxation systems. However, he also championed the expansion of a welfare-for-the-wealthy tax break for California film producers who promised to shoot their creations in the state, rather than take advantage of tax breaks in other states and nations. It had been launched by Browns predecessor, actor-turned-politician Arnold Schwarzenegger, reflecting the thrall that envelops California politicians when it comes to Hollywood, even though movie and television production is a tiny factor in the states $2.6 trillion a year economy. We find that about one-third of the film and television projects receiving incentives under this program would probably have been made in California anyway, the Legislatures budget analyst, Mac Taylor, said in one of his offices periodic critiques of the loophole. Moreover, notwithstanding his elimination of enterprise zones, Brown has been missing-in-action on comprehensive reform of Californias dangerously imbalanced and outdated tax systems. Schwarzenegger, at least, took a stab at reform. He and legislative leaders appointed a blue-ribbon commission, headed by businessman Gerry Parsky, to study the systems and suggest how they could be improved, particularly how the volatility in revenues could be reduced. That volatility has meant state and local budgets go through periodic boom-and-bust cycles. Although rent by internal conflict, the commission did finally recommend reducing the states dependence on personal income taxes and recasting the sales tax in a way to extend it to services. Its report was quickly filed away without action. And while Brown has acknowledged the need for reform to create more revenue stability, he has also studiously refused to champion it. Implicitly, hes shied away from reform because it would be extraordinarily difficult, drawing flak from powerful economic interests, with no guarantee of success. Most of those honored by the Tax Foundation this year, including Democrats such as Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo, did take a big-picture approach, while Brown played small ball. Brown, therefore, will bequeath to his successor a tax system that at best makes little sense in the 21st century and at worst could trigger a future fiscal meltdown. CALmatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how Californias state Capitol works and why it matters. For more stories by Dan Walters, go to calmatters.org/commentary. With much anticipation, a number of us gathered at Clo du Val Winery for two exciting reasons: the premier of the Somm 3 documentary directed by Jason Wise and the unveiling of the Hirondelle House venue that hosted us for the night. The film completed the trilogy of movies that encompass the world of wine, more specifically the sommelier world. In the first movie, Jason followed the struggle of a group of students of wine in their attempt to achieve the Master Sommelier award for the Court of Master Sommeliers. The second film took a different approach, covering multiple aspects of wine-making from the ground up and bringing a number of renowned personalities in the realm. In this third film, Wise successfully enlisted three of the most influential personalities in the world of wine: Jancis Robinson, Master of Wine and prolific writer; Steven Spurrier, a wine renegade responsible greatly for putting Napa Valley wines in the eyes of the world on his famous 1976 Tasting in Paris; Fred Dame, Master Sommelier, mentor to thousands and face of the Court of Master Sommeliers in the United States. In the third documentary, the blind-tasting theme becomes the centerpiece. One of the film highlights is when a bottle of the celebrated 1972 Clo du Val Cabernet Sauvignon is located and secured by Dlynn Proctor (Somm Films/Fantesca Vineyards) and Armen Kachaturian (Clo du Val) to relieve the historical 1976 appearance. It only made sense that the world premier of this film was at Clo du Val. The winery sits on the east side of Silverado Trail in the Stags Leap AVA. It was founded in 1972 by John and Henrietta Goelet, who enlisted Bernard Portet, a French-trained winemaker to carry out their wines. Today, its led by a team of seasoned professionals. Ted Henry, alongside Chilean-born assistant winemaker Mabel Ojeda, are in charge of winemaking, and the operations are overseen with expertise and charisma of President Steve Tambourelli and wine professional Jon-Mark Chappellet. For the renovation of the Hirondelle House, the team reached out to California architect Michael Guthrie, whose recent projects include Coqueta Restaurant in San Francisco, the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Pahlmeyer in Napa. There is a cozy and elegant feel as you enter the room. The interior walls and ceiling are made from reclaimed Clo du Val French oak barrels, which tie in the soul of the winery with a textural tone. The interior, in the hands of Erin Martin design, is enticing and welcoming with big wood blocks, large leather chairs and a variety of succulents. Giant sliding glass doors retract to allow an outdoor feel, and a view of the majestic Mayacamas Range across the valley. The new Hirondelle House includes a private tasting room with a modern Napaesque feel with exposed concrete walls, large sphere lighting and inviting dark leather chairs, which complement the wine lineup. The winery has undergone a rebranding, or spritz, in the last few years, from a few touches in the packaging in charge of label artist Michael McDermott to a major rethink of production that included cutting back on production to deliver the best Clo du Val can offer. The current line up focuses on Cabernet Sauvignon from the Estate vineyards that include Hirondelle in Stags Leap District and RiverBend and State Lane Vineyard in Yountville. Rounding out the portfolio are a couple Estate Pinot Noirs from Carneros, a Carneros Merlot, a State Alana Sauvignon Blanc and a Carneros Pinot Noir Rose. Clos du Val is worth a drive upvalley. You can pick up a bottle of wine to enjoy with Somm 3. Eduardo can be reached at eduardo@sakedrinker.com. The Los Angeles City Council on Monday sent the text of a resolution marking the 30th anniversary of the Artsakh Liberation Movement to the Artsakh Foreign Ministry. The measure was introduced by Councilmember Paul Krekorian and was approved unanimously on September 7. The independence of Artsakh is an inspiration to us all, said Los Angeles City Councilmember Paul Krekorian. It couldnt have happened without a strong and democratic liberation movement that stood up for sovereignty and against tyranny. I am proud to lead the City of Los Angeles in recognizing the 30th anniversary of the Artsakh liberation movement and look forward to the time when the international community fully recognizes the Republic of Artsakh as the bastion of freedom it is today. Below is the text of the resolution. WHEREAS, the City of Los Angeles is proud to recognize the 30th anniversary of the Artsakh liberation movement; and WHEREAS, 30 years ago, in February 1988, the people of Artsakh raised their voices for self-determination, liberation and democracy in the face of tyranny; and WHEREAS, from Stepanakert to Yerevan, they rallied for freedom and sovereignty against intolerance and foreign rule; and WHEREAS, the Republic of Artsakh declared its independence through a referendum held on December 10,1991,which was overwhelmingly approved by the people; and WHEREAS, through the course of the last three decades, the people of the Republic of Artsakh have shown tenacity and perseverance in the face of war, massacres, economic deprivation and other tremendous hardships; and WHEREAS, the Republic of Artsakh has stayed true and faithful to its citizens by remaining independent, while working to bring change and stability to the Caucasus region, and by holding free and fair elections and referendum that have been recognized as a model for the region; and WHEREAS, through the official action of the City Council on September 10th,2013, the City of Los Angeles recognized the sovereignty of the Republic of Artsakh, and called upon the United States government and the international community to do so as well: NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that by the adoption of this resolution, the City of Los Angeles honors the Republic of Artsakh and its citizens on the 30th anniversary of the founding of the ARTSAKH LIBERATION MOVEMENT, and recognizes the sacrifices, commitment and steadfastness shown by the people of the Republic of Artsakh in the face of extreme adversity, and declares December 10,1991 to be Artsakh Day in the City of Los Angeles; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Los Angeles extends its best wishes to the Republic of Artsakh and its citizens for peace, prosperity and continued success, and calls upon the international community to give full recognition of the Republic of Artsakh as a free, independent, and sovereign state. Japan concerned over joint air patrols of Russia and China near country's borders In Mexico, 600 migrants were found in two trucks Commander of Russian airbase in Armenia: Ready to perform tasks as intended US is going to build a nuclear power plant on the moon Biden's son helps Chinese company buy mine in Africa China lowers level of diplomatic relations with Lithuania Russia and US confirm their intentions to send joint mission to Venus Putin and Pashinyan discuss situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and measures to stabilize it Honored Art Worker of Armenia, composer Ruben Altunyan passes away 492 new cases of coronavirus confirmed in Armenia Armenian Foreign Minister and Otto Luchterhandt discuss Nagorno-Karabakh settlement Armenian contract soldier dies amid violation of rules for handling weapons Man, 29, jumps from Yerevan bridge Armenia MFA confirms PM Pashinyan's readiness to meet with Azerbaijans Aliyev on December 15 Quake shakes coast of Vanuatu State minister: Nationwide quarantine, specific restrictions planned to be imposed in Karabakh Artsakh President convenes National Security Service consultation Opposition MP: Armenia FM stated that Turkey has proposed new precondition: corridor Armenia military expert: US Embassy warns its citizens to avoid Karahunj-Davit Bek, Kapan-Chakaten road sections Armenia opposition MP: Air carrier operating flights from Syunik Province cannot have any security guarantees Singapore is good example for Armenia, says President Sarkissian Iran seizes foreign ship in Persian Gulf 2 Azerbaijanis injured in anti-tank mine explosion at Karabakh conflict zone US, Turkey presidential advisors discuss situation in South Caucasus Synopsys boss pays tribute to Armenian Genocide victims Russia peacekeepers escort 15 convoys to, from Artsakh in one week Catholicos Karekin II to Patriarch Kirill: We appreciate your warm attitude towards Armenian Church, people China fines Alibaba for violating antitrust law 36 new cases of coronavirus reported in Karabakh UK Premier Johnson considering boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics Artsakh President visits Askeran city, meets with regional capitals youth President to Russia Patriarch: Armenian people highly value your efforts aimed at achieving peace in our region 870 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia 8 injured in tragic accident on Yerevan-Gyumri motorway are discharged from hospital China, Russia, US agree to promote political dialogue on Iran Azerbaijan mother, son commit suicide on same day One pedestrian dies on the spot, other hospitalized after hit by car in Armenia village area US beauty consultant is accused of killing woman by injecting silicone into her butt Brazil Amazon deforestation reaches highest level in 15 years Newspaper: Armenia soldiers are prohibited from filming episodes from their service, posting them on internet Newspaper: Armenia opposition is forming large-scale resistance network Armenia President visits National University of Singapore Gia, wanted by French law-enforcement authorities, found at Armenia's Bagratashen checkpoint Leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia agree to meet in Brussels European Council: Pashinyan and Aliyev agreed to establish direct communication line at level of defense ministers Armenia's Representative to OSCE speaks about Azerbaijan's recent attack at Permanent Council's session Armenia serviceman Meruzhan Harutyunyan, killed in Syunik Province, was buried at Yerablur Military Pantheon Armenian News-NEWS.am's special report: Drive from Kapan to Tchakatashen is 150 km instead of previous 8 km 3 Armenian servicemen killed during Nov. 16 Azerbaijani attack posthumously awarded presidential medals Left-wing trade unions hold protest against Turkey's Erdogan in Izmir Armenia FM presents situation following Azerbaijani attack during meeting with Lithuanian Seimas Vice-President Armenia delegation covers Azerbaijan's Nov. 16 attack during online meeting of CSTO PA Permanent Commissions Armenia PM receives delegation led by Vice President of Lithuanian Seimas Lavrov, Cavusoglu discuss bilateral ties and regional issues Karabakh: Azerbaijani side, in Shushi, transfers bodies of 3 Armenian soldiers killed on Nov. 16 NEWS.am daily digest: 19.11.21 Armenian Embassy in Russia: Armenia citizens - mother and child - evacuated from Afghanistan Georgia refuses to be a part of '3+3' format with regard to South Caucasus The occupied Hadrut of our days (PHOTOS) Arabologist: Photo of map of Turkic world shown by Erdogan and Bahceli is simply a gift for Armenian diplomacy Situation is tense in Armenia's Kasakh, residents protesting against acting village head (LIVE) Opposition With Honor legislature faction MP: No one knows if Armenia petitioned to Russia for military assistance Armenia opposition MP: There is a threat that Baku will always get what it wants through use of force Lavrov is certain that the Russia-Armenia-Azerbaijan summit will take place Ann Linde: OSCE working very closely with Russia to resolve Karabakh conflict Karabakh FM congratulates newly appointed Abkhazia counterpart Dollar relatively stable in Armenia Armenia parliament majority members do not deny possibility of exchange of territories with Azerbaijan Armenia ruling party MP: Public and competent authorities need to know circumstances behind captures of soldiers Armenia ruling party MP assures that situation on the border is currently stable Armenia ruling party MP: Confidentiality of process of preparing for demarcation is strictly necessary Armenia PM: Citizens of EEU countries will be able to receive loans in all territories of member states Armenian serviceman, 19, dies in Georgia's Akhalkalaki Armenia legislature majority faction lawmaker: Russia military intervention is not end in itself High commissioner: Diaspora is considering ways to help hundreds of Ethiopia Armenians Opposition With Honor parliament faction: Armenia authorities trying to push territorial losses issue to backburner Legislature majority faction MP: Armenia authorities do not make any demands on Russia Opposition Armenia Faction in parliament: Authorities are unable to distinguish between priority and secondary issues 3 more die of coronavirus in Artsakh Bruno Retailleau: France must support Armenia more firmly against aggressions by Azerbaijan Armenia parliament majority faction: Border delimitation preparation process will start from point zero PM: Armenia exports to other EEU countries increased by 27.8% Armenias Pashinyan: Azerbaijan provocations are aimed at disrupting arrangements reached by trilateral statements California Armenian couple accused of fraud flee leaving their 3 children behind 799 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Katherine Clark: Azerbaijan must acknowledge and respect Armenian sovereignty Eurasian Intergovernmental Council enlarged meeting underway in Yerevan Russia peacekeepers patrol along Karabakh border delimitation line MOD: According to current data Armenia has 6 military casualties as result of Tuesdays attack by Azerbaijan Turkish Islamic preachers organization denies reports of his death Newspaper: What happened to missing Armenia soldiers during recent hostilities? Armenia MOD dismisses reports about not allowing officers with higher rank than major to go up to combat positions US virtually completes development of new tactical nuclear gravity bomb B61-12 Newspaper: Officers with higher rank than major not allowed to combat positions during recent hostilities in Syunik Opposition MP: Granting corridor to Azerbaijan through Syunik Province will be gravest crime against Armenia US Department of State representative says why Azerbaijan is not invited to Summit for Democracy Armenian human rights activists to submit letters to ECHR regarding soldiers captured and considered missing Armenia FM stresses importance of addressable response to Azerbaijan's actions during talk with Greek counterpart Ex-ruling party official: Armenia authorities found reason for MOD's resignation after his visit to Karabakh Republican Party of Armenia spokesperson: Nikol Pashinyan gave a confessional testimony in parliament yesterday Canadian portal publishes list of countries with strongest Air Force on Earth Japan concerned over joint air patrols of Russia and China near country's borders In Mexico, 600 migrants were found in two trucks Commander of Russian airbase in Armenia: Ready to perform tasks as intended US is going to build a nuclear power plant on the moon Biden's son helps Chinese company buy mine in Africa China lowers level of diplomatic relations with Lithuania Russia and US confirm their intentions to send joint mission to Venus Putin and Pashinyan discuss situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and measures to stabilize it Honored Art Worker of Armenia, composer Ruben Altunyan passes away 492 new cases of coronavirus confirmed in Armenia Armenian Foreign Minister and Otto Luchterhandt discuss Nagorno-Karabakh settlement Armenian contract soldier dies amid violation of rules for handling weapons Man, 29, jumps from Yerevan bridge Armenia MFA confirms PM Pashinyan's readiness to meet with Azerbaijans Aliyev on December 15 Quake shakes coast of Vanuatu State minister: Nationwide quarantine, specific restrictions planned to be imposed in Karabakh Artsakh President convenes National Security Service consultation Opposition MP: Armenia FM stated that Turkey has proposed new precondition: corridor Armenia military expert: US Embassy warns its citizens to avoid Karahunj-Davit Bek, Kapan-Chakaten road sections Armenia opposition MP: Air carrier operating flights from Syunik Province cannot have any security guarantees Singapore is good example for Armenia, says President Sarkissian Iran seizes foreign ship in Persian Gulf 2 Azerbaijanis injured in anti-tank mine explosion at Karabakh conflict zone US, Turkey presidential advisors discuss situation in South Caucasus Synopsys boss pays tribute to Armenian Genocide victims Russia peacekeepers escort 15 convoys to, from Artsakh in one week Catholicos Karekin II to Patriarch Kirill: We appreciate your warm attitude towards Armenian Church, people China fines Alibaba for violating antitrust law 36 new cases of coronavirus reported in Karabakh UK Premier Johnson considering boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics Artsakh President visits Askeran city, meets with regional capitals youth President to Russia Patriarch: Armenian people highly value your efforts aimed at achieving peace in our region 870 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia 8 injured in tragic accident on Yerevan-Gyumri motorway are discharged from hospital China, Russia, US agree to promote political dialogue on Iran Azerbaijan mother, son commit suicide on same day One pedestrian dies on the spot, other hospitalized after hit by car in Armenia village area US beauty consultant is accused of killing woman by injecting silicone into her butt Brazil Amazon deforestation reaches highest level in 15 years Newspaper: Armenia soldiers are prohibited from filming episodes from their service, posting them on internet Newspaper: Armenia opposition is forming large-scale resistance network Armenia President visits National University of Singapore Gia, wanted by French law-enforcement authorities, found at Armenia's Bagratashen checkpoint Leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia agree to meet in Brussels European Council: Pashinyan and Aliyev agreed to establish direct communication line at level of defense ministers Armenia's Representative to OSCE speaks about Azerbaijan's recent attack at Permanent Council's session Armenia serviceman Meruzhan Harutyunyan, killed in Syunik Province, was buried at Yerablur Military Pantheon Armenian News-NEWS.am's special report: Drive from Kapan to Tchakatashen is 150 km instead of previous 8 km 3 Armenian servicemen killed during Nov. 16 Azerbaijani attack posthumously awarded presidential medals Left-wing trade unions hold protest against Turkey's Erdogan in Izmir Armenia FM presents situation following Azerbaijani attack during meeting with Lithuanian Seimas Vice-President Armenia delegation covers Azerbaijan's Nov. 16 attack during online meeting of CSTO PA Permanent Commissions Armenia PM receives delegation led by Vice President of Lithuanian Seimas Lavrov, Cavusoglu discuss bilateral ties and regional issues Karabakh: Azerbaijani side, in Shushi, transfers bodies of 3 Armenian soldiers killed on Nov. 16 NEWS.am daily digest: 19.11.21 Armenian Embassy in Russia: Armenia citizens - mother and child - evacuated from Afghanistan Georgia refuses to be a part of '3+3' format with regard to South Caucasus The occupied Hadrut of our days (PHOTOS) Arabologist: Photo of map of Turkic world shown by Erdogan and Bahceli is simply a gift for Armenian diplomacy Situation is tense in Armenia's Kasakh, residents protesting against acting village head (LIVE) Opposition With Honor legislature faction MP: No one knows if Armenia petitioned to Russia for military assistance Armenia opposition MP: There is a threat that Baku will always get what it wants through use of force Lavrov is certain that the Russia-Armenia-Azerbaijan summit will take place Ann Linde: OSCE working very closely with Russia to resolve Karabakh conflict Karabakh FM congratulates newly appointed Abkhazia counterpart Dollar relatively stable in Armenia Armenia parliament majority members do not deny possibility of exchange of territories with Azerbaijan Armenia ruling party MP: Public and competent authorities need to know circumstances behind captures of soldiers Armenia ruling party MP assures that situation on the border is currently stable Armenia ruling party MP: Confidentiality of process of preparing for demarcation is strictly necessary Armenia PM: Citizens of EEU countries will be able to receive loans in all territories of member states Armenian serviceman, 19, dies in Georgia's Akhalkalaki Armenia legislature majority faction lawmaker: Russia military intervention is not end in itself High commissioner: Diaspora is considering ways to help hundreds of Ethiopia Armenians Opposition With Honor parliament faction: Armenia authorities trying to push territorial losses issue to backburner Legislature majority faction MP: Armenia authorities do not make any demands on Russia Opposition Armenia Faction in parliament: Authorities are unable to distinguish between priority and secondary issues 3 more die of coronavirus in Artsakh Bruno Retailleau: France must support Armenia more firmly against aggressions by Azerbaijan Armenia parliament majority faction: Border delimitation preparation process will start from point zero PM: Armenia exports to other EEU countries increased by 27.8% Armenias Pashinyan: Azerbaijan provocations are aimed at disrupting arrangements reached by trilateral statements California Armenian couple accused of fraud flee leaving their 3 children behind 799 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Katherine Clark: Azerbaijan must acknowledge and respect Armenian sovereignty Eurasian Intergovernmental Council enlarged meeting underway in Yerevan Russia peacekeepers patrol along Karabakh border delimitation line MOD: According to current data Armenia has 6 military casualties as result of Tuesdays attack by Azerbaijan Turkish Islamic preachers organization denies reports of his death Newspaper: What happened to missing Armenia soldiers during recent hostilities? Armenia MOD dismisses reports about not allowing officers with higher rank than major to go up to combat positions US virtually completes development of new tactical nuclear gravity bomb B61-12 Newspaper: Officers with higher rank than major not allowed to combat positions during recent hostilities in Syunik Opposition MP: Granting corridor to Azerbaijan through Syunik Province will be gravest crime against Armenia US Department of State representative says why Azerbaijan is not invited to Summit for Democracy Armenian human rights activists to submit letters to ECHR regarding soldiers captured and considered missing Armenia FM stresses importance of addressable response to Azerbaijan's actions during talk with Greek counterpart Ex-ruling party official: Armenia authorities found reason for MOD's resignation after his visit to Karabakh Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. YEREVAN. The Iranian gas has to be at least ten percent cheaper than the Russian gas so that it would be beneficial for the Armenian side to purchase it, Director General of Gazprom-Armenia CJSC Grant Tadevosyan said during the meeting of commission dealing with gas prices. According to Tadevosyan, the Iranian gas calorific value per thousand cubic meters is 7,900 kilocalories, while the same value of the Russian gas it is not less than 8,200. That is, when it is burned, more heat is generated. Therefore, if Russian gas costs $ 150 per thousand cubic meters, Iranian gas, with other things being equal, should cost $ 135 for it to be profitable, he said. At the same time, he added that this issue, in principle, is the subject of negotiations of the governments. According to the Armenian-Russian agreements, the basis calorific value off Russian gas should be 7,900 kilocalories per thousand cubic meters. At the same time, if the calorific value is higher, an additional factor will have to be added to the existing tariff. However, for Armenia this rule is temporarily not valid until the end of 2018 only. The Armenian government is negotiating with the Russian colleagues over the price of gas after 2018. Armenia's acting FM Zohrab Mnatsakanyan participated November 8 in the joint session of the foreign ministerial council, defense ministerial council and security council secretary committee of the Collective Security Treaty Organization in Astana, Kazakhstan, the foreign ministry said. The agenda of the session included cooperation within the framework of the CSTO, and issues relating to foreign policy combination of member states in international arenas, as well as regional and international security issues. The latest developments in Afghanistan, Syria and Middle East were addressed. In his remarks, Armenias caretaker foreign minister thanked his Kazakh counterpart for the successful chairmanship in the CSTO and expressed Armenias support to Kyrgyzstans upcoming chairmanship priorities on increasing effectiveness of the organization and deepening cooperation. Speaking about the agenda issues, Mnatsakanyan reiterated Armenias determination to continue steps on strengthening efforts in enhancing defense potential of CSTO member states and combating modern challenges and threats. Mnatsakanyan said that Armenia attaches great importance to the significance of joint and comprehensive efforts in countering extremism and international terrorism. He highlighted the threats associated with the return of militants who have taken part in armed conflicts as part of terror organization to their countries of origin. It was noted that this issue is a serious challenge for international security. Mnatsakanyan expressed concern over the ongoing situation in the Middle East and namely in Syria, as well as the challenges facing ethnic and religious minorities in the region as a result of terrorist activities. He attached importance to the steps on increasing the CSTO peacekeeping potential and strengthening cooperation with the UN. Speaking about the NK conflict, Mnatsakanyan noted that the new government of Armenia has numerously reiterated its commitment to the exclusively peaceful solution of the conflict under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship. He highlighted the Pashinyan-Aliyev meeting in Tajikistan and noted that during the meeting agreements were able to be reached which will contribute to the formation of an appropriate environment for a peaceful process, if implemented. He stressed that the issues of security and status of Artsakh remain among Armenias priorities, and stressed the significance of Artsakhs involvement in the negotiations process. Mnatsakanyan attached importance to the refusal of belligerent rhetoric, noting that it leads to increased hostility and atmosphere of distrust in the region. He noted that the arms race is topical and very concerning, and it doesnt contribute to settlement. Several decisions were signed at the session, and the documents of the upcoming Collective Security Council session were approved. Israeli police say they are in possession of sufficient evidence for the attorney general to bring bribery charges against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's personal lawyer following a graft probe into the regime's purchase of German submarines under a lucrative deal, Press TV reported. In a statement issued on Thursday at the end of the long-running investigation, police said there is proof that David Shimron, Netanyahu's cousin and his family lawyer, "committed bribery offences and money laundering" in connection with the purchase of German submarines, recommending this indictment. Along with Shimron, police added, Netanyahu's ex-bureau chief, David Sharan, former navy chief, Eliezer Marom, and two other ex-navy generals should also be indicted on similar bribery counts in the same case, better known as the submarine affair or Case 3000. Case 3000 deals with Israel's $2-billion purchase of Dolphin-class nuclear-arms-capable submarines from German shipbuilding company ThyssenKrupp. Shimron represented the German firm in the sale inside the occupied territories and is believed to have used his influence on Netanyahu to promote the deal in exchange for a hefty cut of it. The police probe found he had received a total of 270,000 shekels "in fact for opening doors and influencing public officials to" facilitate the inking of the deal and promote the personal gains of Michael Ganor, a former ThyssenKrupp representative in Israel. Ganor has turned state's evidence in the case. The Israeli premier himself is not a suspect in Case 3000, but he stands accused of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in two separate corruption cases, which have rattled his administration and brought Netanyahu under much scrutiny. The investigation's results will now be submitted to the attorney general for a decision whether the suspects should be charged. Story Highlights 15% of the world's adults would like to migrate if they could 33% of adults in Central American countries would like to migrate 16% in Central America would like to move to the U.S. WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The several thousand Central American asylum seekers and migrants who are slowly making their way toward the U.S. border may be unusual because of the size of their group, but their desire to come to the U.S. is not. They actually represent a relatively small fragment of a much larger group of people in their own region -- and around the world -- who say they would like to move to the U.S. if they could. In Gallup's most recent global estimate, between 2015 and 2017, 15% of the world's adults -- more than 750 million people -- said they would like to move to another country permanently if they could. In Central America, this percentage is one in three (33%), or about 10 million adults. Three percent of the world's adults -- or nearly 160 million people -- say they would like to move to the U.S. This includes 16% of adults from Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, Panama and Costa Rica, which translates into nearly 5 million people. Desire to Migrate, With U.S. as a Desired Destination Among adults aged 15 and older Desire to migrate Would like to move to U.S. % of adults % of adults World 15 3 Central America* 33 16 *Includes Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama Gallup World Poll, based on aggregated data from surveys conducted 2015-2017 But unlike the caravan of Central American migrants who are currently on the move, most people who desire to migrate will never try to make their way to the U.S. Desire remains only that. Gallup typically finds that the percentage of those who have plans to move is substantially lower than the percentage who would like to move, and even fewer are actively making preparations to do so. Central America is no different in this regard. For example, in Honduras, whose residents make up a large percentage of the migrant caravan, about half of adults (47%) say they would like to move to another country permanently if they could, but about 9% are planning to move in the next year -- and 2% are actively preparing to do so. Implications The caravan of asylum seekers and migrants is currently weighing whether it will remain in Mexico or push on to the U.S. Those who decide to push on speaks to the risks migrants are willing to take -- and also the strong draw that the U.S. continues to be for millions. For the past decade, Gallup's global studies have shown that the U.S., more so than any other country, has been the top desired destination for people who say they would like to move. Central Americans are no exception. People in this region who would like to move -- if they could -- say they would like to move to the U.S. more than any other place in the world. However, this desire to move to the U.S. started to show signs of waning in Central America in 2017, and it seems to have persisted in a number of countries so far in 2018. This could possibly reflect changes in the climate toward migrants in the U.S. under the Trump administration -- but it is still too early to tell, and Gallup will continue to monitor it. For complete methodology and specific survey dates, please review Gallup's Country Data Set details. Learn more about how the Gallup World Poll works. JNIM Official for Mali's Macina Region Incites Fula in West Africa to Take Up arms Storey honored as Lincoln Academy student laureate by Hannah Erickson CARBONDALE, Ill. According to her professors, Andrea Storey does not have an off button. Her unquenchable drive and passion are the key things that landed her a spot as winner of the 2018 Lincoln Academy of Illinois student laureate award for Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Storey, a senior from Elk Grove, Illinois is pursuing a double major in Spanish education in the College of Education and Human Services, and linguistics, with a concentration in English as a second language, in the College of Liberal Arts. She first came to campus in 2015 after receiving SIUs most prestigious award; the Chancellors Scholarship. She currently holds a 3.93 GPA and serves as a leader in student life on campus while also working multiple jobs and expanding herself through travel and volunteerism. In recognition of her excellent academic and extra-curricular success, she will receive the Abraham Lincoln Civic Engagement Award at the 44th annual Student Laureate Convocation Nov. 17 in the Old State Capital in Springfield. Award recognizes student leaders in Illinois Each four-year university in Illinois nominates one outstanding senior student for the prestigious award, along with one student representing all of the community colleges. From SIU, each college nominated one individual for evaluation by the faculty in the honors program, with Storey eventually chosen as the university wide representative. After having Storey in two classes, Katherine Martin, assistant professor of linguistics at SIU, knew something was different about the high-achieving senior. She is very impressive in the amount of stuff she has done and the quality she has done it with, Martin said. Ive had her in two different classes, and she is just an outstanding student. The combination of Storeys academic excellence, along with her wide service to the community, made her a perfect fit for the esteemed award, Martin explained. Its a state wide award honoring students who follow in the footsteps of Lincoln, in terms of engagement and excellence, Martin said. The award comes with a medallion, certificate of achievement and a monetary award. For Storey, the recognition was both a surprise and an honor. I just felt really honored that they chose me out of all the seniors, Storey said. The award is all about service, and the recognition is something Storey does not take for granted. I was hoping that because of what I was doing, other people were able to either benefit from it or have an easier time, Storey said. I speak two languages, but I cant think of any words. It felt very humbling. Global experience Storey is a native English speaker, but is also proficient in Spanish. Her love for languages first began when she took a high school trip to Spain. Since then she has greatly expanded her global perspective by spending another summer studying in Spain and traveling to another 20 countries examining cultures and absorbing knowledge. In order to teach it (Spanish) the best, it is only fair for me to experience it myself, Storey said. Some of her unique experiences include teaching English in Fiji while building schools for children, teaching English to Chinese-speaking truck drivers in Chicago, translating a blog based in Spain and volunteering as a bilingual instruction aid at Lewis School in Carbondale. She has gone above and beyond to get a range of different experiences and learn everything she can to be a good educator and be an advocate for language minority students and their families, Martin said. After graduating in May, Storey hopes to go on to teach high school Spanish and someday work on curriculum reform as an advocate for language minority and bilingual students. Illinois is in the top five of states with the largest non-English speaking population, so there is a huge need for well-trained teachers who know about language acquisition and are high quality teachers, Martin said. And that is what she wants to go on and do. (Bloomberg) -- Ever since Chinese President Xi Jinping marked the opening of the first World Internet Conference in 2014, it was meant to usher in a new era of digital openness and project China as a champion of global cyber-governance. The forums mastermind -- then-cyberspace czar Lu Wei -- began aggressively courting U.S. technology giants, leading delegations of the Chinese industrys brightest around Silicon Valley. In 2017, Apple Inc. Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook and Alphabet Inc.s Google CEO Sundar Pichai headlined the event in the town of Wuzhen. Those promises are now starting to lie fallow. Chinas internet is more censored than ever, Silicon Valleys attempts to break into the Chinese market remain stymied, and Lu languishes in prison, awaiting trial over allegations of corruption. This years forum kicked off in Wuzhen on Wednesday, two days after Xi made opening remarks to his new pet conference -- the China International Import Expo in Shanghai. Delegates trudged through Wuzhen drizzle only to hear a subordinate -- a member of the countrys powerful Politburo -- deliver Xis remarks on his behalf, repeating the exhortations of years past. It was left to the events de facto headliner, Tencent Holdings Ltd.s Ma Huateng, to champion Chinas vision -- defending the countrys right to influence the direction of the internet as it grows into its role as a true technology power. Xi wasnt the only leader who stayed away. Richard Liu, the founder of JD.com Inc., was absent from this years event after appearing in 2017. The head of Chinas second-largest e-commerce company is the subject of a rape investigation in the U.S. Meanwhile traditional headliner Jack Ma, chairman of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and Chinas richest man, was a notable absence from the first days program with no public speaking events. Amid a trade war between the U.S. and China, American technology giants -- no longer courted with the assiduousness of Lus era and struggling with issues of their own -- were largely absent. While Google sent its CEO last year, the search giant was represented by regional head Karim Temsamani and the company said he wouldnt be speaking. Story continues Therell be unforeseen and unprecedented challenges and issues as the global digital economy unfolds, Ma told delegates. China will fulfill our dream of becoming an internet and technology power. While Beijing still craves a role in dictating the direction of the global tech industry, many of its trendsetters -- including Tencents Ma -- are struggling with the unpredictability of Xis tightening control. Among the more visible victims of Beijings intensifying grip is Tencent, which hasnt had a game approved for money-making in months. Its shed more than $200 billion of market value since the government launched a campaign against addiction and myopia among children this year. This years conference appeared to have back-pedaled from the governments original ambition: Fostering a Davos-like gathering of global tech minds. There wasnt a list of expected guests posted to its website as the opening ceremony got under way, unlike years past. The highest-profile government figure on display Wednesday was former Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz. Staff outnumbered delegates and media. At the end of the day, security is still the key concern of the Chinese government agenda, said Kitty Fok, managing director of market research firm IDC China. Im not seeing the government opening up the internet here. Whatever was mentioned three years ago, Im not seeing any improvement in censorship, she said, adding that the lower executive turnout could be linked to trade tensions rather than internet crackdowns. Thats not to say Silicon Valley isnt gently probing ways into the worlds largest internet and mobile arena -- take Google and its Dragonfly censored-search experiment. Facebook continues to float trial balloons. But a degree of promise fatigue is setting in. Countries should deepen practical cooperation, take common progress as the driving force and win-win results as the goal, and blaze a trail of mutual trust and governance to make the community of common destiny more vibrant, Xi said in his remarks, as delivered by Politburo member Huang Kunming. Thats a far cry from the vision touted by Lu and his newly-created Cyberspace Administration of China when they kicked off the first conference four years ago. (Updates with absence of JD.com CEO in sixth paragrpah.) To contact Bloomberg News staff for this story: David Ramli in Beijing at dramli1@bloomberg.net;Dandan Li in Beijing at dli395@bloomberg.net;Edwin Chan in Hong Kong at echan273@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Brendan Scott at bscott66@bloomberg.net, ;Robert Fenner at rfenner@bloomberg.net, Karen Leigh For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2018 Bloomberg L.P. Leading equine vets have explained why The Cliffsofmoher had to be euthanised on the track after the Melbourne Cup. The Melbourne Cup was again been marred by the death of a horse on Tuesday, this time the Irish-trained The Cliffsofmoher. SCARY SCENES: The second nasty incident that rocked Cup day The Aidan OBrien-trained horse suffered a fractured shoulder during Tuesdays race and had to be euthanised, Racing Victorias executive general manager integrity services, Jamie Stier, said in a statement. The horse received immediate veterinary care, however it was unable to be saved due to the nature of the injury sustained, he said. Equine Veterinarians Australia spokesman Ian Fulton has since explained why it had to happen so quickly after the mishap. Ryan Moore riding The Cliffsofmoher (L) drops back in the field after he injury. (Photo by Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images) When the limb is very obviously broken you can tell with the leg and its very easy to come to the decision that its what we call a catastrophic unrepairable fracture, Dr Fulton told News Corp. But the decision has to be made very quickly because if the horse has sustained an unrepairable fracture its vital that horse is not allowed to suffer. The decision is made very quickly but also with a lot of experience. Dr Fulton said the shoulder was an area that vets simply couldnt repair. In recent decades weve become very good at fixing lower limb fractures from the knee or the hock down so many horses can be salvaged but these fractures that occur at the top of the limb, the weight of the horse and the fact they cant survive to stand on three legs, means some of these fractures are simply unrepairable. The Cliffsofmoher couldnt be saved. Image: Getty Dr Lester Walters from the Eagle Farm Equine Consultancy Services and Veterinary Hospital also said the fracture would have been irreparable. If that happens you just cannot repair them, you really put the animal through a lot of pain and misery with no resolve, he said. The shoulder is a particularly difficult one, as is the elbow, because its hard to stabilise them and a big horse most of those horses in the Melbourne Cup would be average 550kg is well over the mark for contemplating a successful recovery,. Story continues Id say if the vet has made that call, hes made a call that would be extremely beneficial to the horse. Celebrity vet Chris Brown said if a stress fracture was already there, the bone would have exploded. Multiple, misshapen bone fragments are then left behind, he said. Fragments that then cant be pinned or plated back into place. Ryan Moore checks Cliffsofmoher after the mishap. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images) The other issue is rest. Unlike a dog or cat, horses struggle to cope on three legs while one is mending. Nor can they lie down or be suspended on slings. That big body of theirs becomes susceptible to circulation problems and pressure sores if theyre doing anything but standing on all four legs with their weight evenly supported. Fourth time in six years Animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has called for an investigation into the death, which it described as the most recent victim of the cruel annual spectacle. It is the fourth time in the past six years that the Cup has been shrouded by the death of horses. French-trained horse Verema had to be put down after an injury suffered in the 2013 Cup. A year later pre-race favourite Admire Ratki died after collapsing from heart failure in the stalls minutes after the race. Ryan Moore walks back to mounting yard. (Photo by Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images) In the same 2014 race, import Araldo had to be euthanised because of an injury suffered when he was returning to scale. Araldo placed seventh but was spooked by a flag in the crowd on the way back to weigh in, kicking out and breaking a rear leg on a fence. In 2015 crowd favourite and three-time Cup runner up Red Cadeaux had to be euthanised two-and-a-half weeks after the Cup as a result of complications from an injury suffered in that years race. Considering Australians hate cruelty to animals, commemorating a day on which horses routinely die in the Melbourne Cup is fundamentally un-Australian, a PETA spokesman said. Stier said the injury to The Cliffsofmoher was an unfortunate incident that happened infrequently, as Victoria had one of the best safety records in world racing. Our sympathies are extended to Coolmore and the Williams family, the owners of The Cliffsofmoher, jockey Ryan Moore, trainer Aidan OBrien and his staff who cared for the horse and are greatly saddened by their loss. with AAP While there were many thrilling, historic wins for progressive women and women of color in particular in the 2018 midterms, as well as data showing that some white women are peeling away from Trump, white women overall rendered more disappointment.https://t.co/Qz2xbmDeHu Vogue Magazine (@voguemagazine) November 8, 2018 Reply Thread Link I've been seeing an influx of tweets by white women going "Why are you picking on US? Remember that white men are the REAL enemy!" Rebecca.........plz. Reply Parent Thread Link no one's stopping her from trying to persuade all the white men she knows to be better Reply Parent Thread Link Why are they the way they are? Reply Parent Thread Link When they finally wake up to the fact that men dont give a shit about us and whiteness will only get them so far Reply Parent Thread Link would a basic, pinterest loving #bossbabe white woman candidate motivate them? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link As always. Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah but every other oppressed minority should've showed up MORE!!! It's their faults!!!1 Reply Parent Thread Link ofc Reply Parent Thread Link As a white woman....I know I a lot of shitty white women who continue to disappoint us all. Reply Parent Thread Link You got: Quotation marks You are a stickler for the facts, and you like to be set apart from everyone else. https://www.buzzfeed.com/guillermodelpalacio/more-of-a-semicolon-personally?origin=nofil : Quotation marks You are a stickler for the facts, and you like to be set apart from everyone else. Reply Thread Link You got: A hashtag You mean different things to different people, plus you're always reinventing yourself! Reply Parent Thread Link You got: A hashtag You mean different things to different people, plus you're always reinventing yourself! Reply Parent Thread Link An ellipsis You love adding a little drama wherever you go! Reply Parent Thread Link Op I always feel like I get the same results as you lol. Reply Parent Thread Link You got: A semicolon You're a master multi-tasker and have a thing for dramatic pauses. My fave Reply Parent Thread Link You got: A period You're direct and to-the-point, but also a little closed off. This is scarily accurate, lmao. Reply Parent Thread Link You got: A semicolon You're a master multi-tasker and have a thing for dramatic pauses. Reply Parent Thread Link You got: The @ sign You love keeping things short and simple. Reply Parent Thread Link You got: A period You're direct and to-the-point, but also a little closed off. Reply Parent Thread Link I hate this. Reply Parent Thread Link jfc Reply Parent Thread Link love is insanity. lol Reply Parent Thread Link fuck's sake Reply Parent Thread Link I'm constantly amazed by the shit people will defend. This is so blatant and yet... Reply Parent Thread Link revolting Reply Parent Thread Link ~you didnt see what you saw with your own eyes~. The cult of Trump will believe the doctored video too Reply Parent Thread Link I know this is whataboutism, but if Obama was doing this my ass would be out there protesting. The amount of Americans who are clamoring for fascism honestly scares the hell out of me. Reply Parent Thread Link Powerful conservative leaders from across the country are suddenly united against Justin Trudeaus carbon tax plan. And theyre spoiling for a fight. Meet the resistance. Read the full story by @InklessPW: https://t.co/XeO3T69ggP pic.twitter.com/6ncZD0biTJ Maclean's Magazine (@macleans) November 7, 2018 fellow canadians, i'm repulsed by this cover Reply Thread Link I saw this yesterday and almost puked. The resistance to what? Common sense? Decency? A functioning Democracy? Reply Parent Thread Link I honestly can't believe they published that. It's appalling. Fuck Maclean's. Reply Parent Thread Link Should be titled "these assholes" Reply Parent Thread Link I'm so disgusted by this. Fuck Macleans. And fuck Doug Ford. I've said it before and I'll say it again, he can follow his brother straight to hell. Reply Parent Thread Link Using the term "The Resistance" is one fucking choice, Maclean's. Reply Parent Thread Link lmfao so fugly and useless Reply Parent Thread Link Ugh fuck Macleans. Every time I see fords face I want to hurl Reply Parent Thread Link That is a cover of pure evil. Reply Parent Thread Link wooooooowwwww Reply Parent Thread Link IDK if EDM is your thing, but I always find it my favourite thing to listen to when I was running. It pumped me up. Reply Parent Thread Link LOL Reply Parent Thread Link I just finished The Hour and I can't believe this incredible show got cancelled after only two seasons. I have to watch everything Ben Whishaw's ever done, he's amazing. Reply Thread Link to this day i'm still mad @ the beeb for that Reply Parent Thread Link When I got my wisdom teeth I felt so much sympathy for screaming babies. Reply Parent Thread Link It took two years for one of my wisdom teeth to drop. Every few months it would break through the gun a bit (crooked, as well) and bleed for a few days. Not to mention, since it was crooked, I almost always had a sore on my cheek from biting it. Wisdom teeth are the worst. Reply Parent Thread Link I'm so fucking sad today. Day 2 on new meds. Reply Thread Link I completed these stretces this morning and I feel so relaxed Also got my Massive Attack tickets!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited omg! Reply Thread Link love her yoga videos Reply Parent Thread Link TY for this! I'm gonna do this later. Reply Parent Thread Link stretching is the best omg Reply Parent Thread Link I finally get to go home today. I'm so excited. And tired. I miss my bed lol Reply Thread Link maybe its because I work in news but I find the Acosta banning and reposting of doctored footage much more concerning than the Jeff sessions firing and whats going to happen to the mueller investigation Reply Thread Link Fox News is essentially that and I get that journalists want access so they can truthfully relay whats going on but they deny it and lie anyway, I wish theyd all boycott and refuse to give attention to him (which is what he WANTS) until Acosta gets his press credentials back. He wants to be on tv. He complains about being treated unfairly but if no one showed up and no one aired his garbage hed have a fit. Reply Parent Thread Link The doctored footage is from an InfoWars account, no less. Edited at 2018-11-08 06:17 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link people aren't paying enough attention to the seriousness of what the white house did and is doing. we've literally reached the point of "don't believe what you see with your own eyes" there is nothing good that comes after that. nothing. Reply Parent Thread Link It's ALL really fucking concerning Reply Parent Thread Link i just KNEW shit would ramp up after the democrats win on Tuesday. I KNEW IT. IT'S GONNA GET WORSE. Reply Parent Thread Link I thought I saw Nicholas Hoult at an airport yesterday but Google says he's 6'3 and his look alike def wasn't 6'3. Reply Thread Link Tbf, the internet is not always accurate re: actor height, and actors almost always look smaller in person. But yeah, if the dude was like 5'6", it probably wasn't him. Reply Parent Thread Link Can confirm that he is remarkably tall (I'm 5'8", but when I saw him @ the Days of Future Past premiere I just ). But yes, the Internet def lies, lol. Reply Parent Thread Link It may be a very poor idea in the era of Gertrude and her Red Cup but after applying three times over like two years I may have a real position at Starbucks. Hopefully part time because I know that others may need the hours more. I just want some money to save. Reply Thread Link Chinese refiners have been buying a lot of Canadian crude oil in the last couple of months, taking advantage of the massive discount of Western Canadian Select to West Texas Intermediate. The purchases have given troubled Canadian drillers hope for the future that even without the Trans Mountain expansion their crude could expand on Asian markets. China purchased 1.58 million barrels of heavy Canadian crude oil for loading in September, up by nearly 50 percent compared to the 1.05 million barrels it imported from Canada in April, Bloomberg reported last month, quoting data by cargo-tracking and intelligence company Kpler. Last month, Chinese refiners continued buying Canadian crude, with tanker loadings bound for China reaching 3.76 million barrels since the start of September, Bloomberg ship-tracking data reveals. Now, this is not a whole lot of oil. If it were a million barrels daily, then we could probably speak of a seismic shift in the export markets of Canadian crude, a shift that would make it more competitive by introducing another buyer besides U.S. refiners. Even at the current level, though, the Chine refiners intake of Canadian crude indicates a change might be coming. Yet this change will only come if Chinese refiners can offer Canadian producers good prices that beat the prices that the U.S. West Coast refiners are prepared to offer. We have yet to see how this plays out because the past two months were refinery maintenance season in the United States, and a lot of refineries have yet to ramp up to full production. This means that they have yet to ramp up their purchases of heavy Canadian crude that they need to make fuels. And this means the Chinese buyers have yet to face the competition of the U.S. refiners. Related: U.S. Oil Production Is Set To Soar Past 12 Million Bpd Chances are they will face it with a smile because the huge discount of Western Canadian Select to WTI is not the only reason for this shift. The other reason has to do with supply. Chinas two other main sources of heavy crudeAustralia and Venezuelaare both going through a production decline, albeit for different reasons. So, Chinese refiners simply dont have much of a choice when it comes to sourcing the heavy crude blends that they need. When one supplier cannot deliver, you turn to whoever can. This potentially huge market is what motivated the expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline that turned into a bone of contention between neighbors British Columbia and Alberta. However, there is little chance the expansion will begin anytime soon, what with all the opposition and legal challenges from environmentalists and First Nations. Alberta is not giving up the fight, but its not making a lot of progress either. Yet if Chinese refiners continue to buy Canadian crude even without the cheaper pipeline channel, it would significantly brighten the prospects of Canadas oil industry. The problem is, if does not mean will. One additional reason for the surge in Chinese buying of Canadian crude this fall was the peak of construction season, hence an increased asphalt demand, hence greater heavy crude demand. As construction season reaches its end, this particular demand will decline with it. Yet if the price of Canadian heavy remains attractive even after U.S. refineries ramp up, Chinese companies may well continue to buy now that theyve got a taste of it. Especially since Venezuelan production is still declining. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: An Aframax oil tanker traveling under a Maltese flag has collided with a Norwegian frigate in the North Sea, Norwegian media have reported, with the frigate in danger of sinking. All crew have been evacuated from the warship. There were 23 people on board of the Sola tanker. Most of them have been evacuated as well, save for a crew to make sure that the oil does not leak. According to Rystad Energy, ''The frigate Helge Ingstad sustained severe damage in the collision, which occurred only about 15 minutes after the tanker TS Sola, carrying approximately 600,000 barrels of oil, set sail under tow from Equinors Sture terminal. The frigate moved to an inshore location and was listing heavily at 11:30am, amidst emergency efforts to prevent the vessel from sinking''. One Norwegian news outlet reports that according to tracking data, the frigates geolocation system was turned off at the time of the collision, noting, however, that the armed forces of Norway have neither confirmed nor denied that. Efforts are being made now to prevent the warship, Helge Ingstad from sinking. According to reports from the rescue crews, seven people have been lightly injured in the collision, and there has been no oil spilled from the tanker, which suffered a lot less damage than the frigate, which was returning from a NATO military drill. The collision, the cause of which remains unclear as of yet, happened in the early hours of Thursday off Norways west coast. The tanker had left a nearby oil shipments terminal operated by Equinor carrying a cargo of North Sea crude oil. The Sture terminal, Reuters reports in its latest update of the accident, will be shut down as a precaution. Related: Irans Ghost Tankers Are Slipping Through The Cracks The Sture terminal serves as a collection hub for crude from several Norwegian offshore fields, including Oseberg, Grane, Svalin, Edvard Grieg, and Ivar Aasen. Its unclear how long the Sture terminal will remain closed. Meanwhile, production has been shut down at the Ivar Aasen field, Aker BP, which operates the field, told Reuters. An unnamed source familiar with the situation separately said production had also been shut down at Edvard Grieg. The crude from these and the other fields that feed into Sture comes via pipelines. According to Rystad, some 365,000 bpd of oil will be shut-in for about five to seven days. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The U.S. sanctions on Iran are not biting yet, as global oil markets are well supplied. In the coming weeks, Iranian crude volumes should show a decline. At the same time, the success of Trumps sanctions relies for a large part on the compliance of international buyers and the position taken by leading OPEC members. The three leading NOPEC countries have indicated that they are able and willing to open their taps to supply for possible gaps in volumes worldwide. Combined with increased U.S. production, this should dampen price increases. Stability is key for most it seems, but that may not always be the case. Iraq, OPECs 2nd largest producer indicates that it wants to supply Asias main oil consumer China with 60 percent more crude in 2019. Alaa Al Yasiri, director general of Iraqs Oil Marketing Company SOMO, stated that Baghdad is ready and willing to ship around 1.45 million bpd to China in 2019 - 550,000 bpd more than in 2018. In addition to its 10 current clients in China, including Chinaoil and Unipec, SOMO signed an oil trading venture with Zhenhua Oil, based in Tianjin. The new venture has set a target of 160,000 bpd, to be provided to small independent refiners and large petrochemical plants in China. Iraqs new strategy is to tap into growing Asian demand. Part of the new Iraqi supplies could even come via the Turkish port of Ceyhan. SOMOs statements followed statements made by Iraqs new oil minister Thamer Ghadhban, who stated that current oil prices are fair. Ghadhban also indicated that Iraq will supply additional volumes if the market needs them. The Iraqi official also reiterated that there is not yet a need for a change to the current OPEC-Russia market strategy. By 2022 Iraq aims to have a production capacity of around 7 million bpd, in contrast to its current 5 million bpd. A more aggressive Iraqi oil (and gas) sector will have an immense impact on global markets. However, as has been seen the last years, plans and strategies in Iraq can struggle due to political infighting. At the time of writing the country still does not have a new government in place. Related: Oil Looks Set For A Rapid Bounce The optimism of recent weeks and the progress made by the coalition set up by Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdis government has been tempered. Iraqi Shia power broker Moqtada Al Sadr, the leader of the Sairoon Coalition, has imposed a veto on the candidate of the Binaa Coalition for the post of interior minister, Faleh al-Fayyad. At the same time, Al Sadr refused to give the education portfolio to the Arab Project, which is led by Khamis al-Khanjar. Due to the veto, the parliamentary vote on eight ministers in the new government is postponed. Since the Iraqi elections, religious, ethnic and power politics have delayed or outright prevented any real decision-making. Taking this situation into account, all official government statements made at present should be taken with a grain of salt. The same counts for statements made by the Iraqi PM Adil Abdul-Mahdi that Iraq is not part of the recent iteration of sanctions the U.S. has imposed on Iran. The latter, when looking at the current political and security power set up within Iraq, is not true. Abdul-Mahdis statement that Baghdads views on the Iran sanctions are in line with Russia, China or Europe, are incorrect to say the least. Iraq is part of the sanctions, as a vast amount of power players, militias and companies currently deciding Iraqs future are directly linked to Iran. As the second set of U.S. sanctions targeting Irans energy, financial, and shipping sectors took effect on November 5, Iraqs links to Iranian entities and the financial system also came under scrutiny. The fact that Iraq has not received any waivers, should be seen as a reflection of this. Even though some Washington sources claimed that Iraq has been given a special waiver, no such official statements have been given by U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo. Kurdish media now claims that a waiver has been given to allow Iraq to pay for Iranian electricity imports. Related: UAE Announces Major Oil & Gas Discoveries Baghdads close links to and even direct involvement with Iran has been a major source of concern for the West. When considering U.S. sanctions on Iran, the main concern at present for the U.S. is that Baghdad will assist Iran in exporting crude oil via Iraqi channels. In this way, Tehran still could access international oil markets and receive hard currency. The Iraqi PM has reiterated when asked about these issues that his government is prioritizing its national interests, while supporting its sovereignty. The latter, according to U.S. and Arab sources, means that Baghdad is still open for cooperation with Iran, as long as it does not lead to hefty fines or other measures by the U.S. Statements by Iraqi officials that Baghdad is not going to take should also be taken with a pinch of salt. Current political and military influence of Iranian militias, proxies and the IRGC in Iraq will not be mitigated by U.S. pressure. Tehran will not allow any increased influence inside of Iraq that stands contrary to Iranian policy. For Tehran, Iraq is one of the only open roads to global markets. Looking at the current Iraqi government set up, and the positions taken by Muqtada Al Sadr and others, Iran still has a friend. For Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the position currently taken by Baghdad is not a very promising one. While NOPEC may be considering production cuts in 2019, Iraq is openly planning to increase its overall production substantially. A split in OPEC, which was already hinted at when Iran called for an end to the JMCC, could occur very soon. Irans hold on Baghdad is still underestimated. If Baghdad and Tehran, supported by other hardliners, are willing to confront the Saudi-block in OPEC in December, a bush-fire could begin. At present, discontent is hidden under the surface, waiting for some additional oxygen to heat up global oil markets. By Cyril Widdershoven for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Democrats were big winners on Tuesday, reclaiming the U.S. House of Representatives and winning a handful of state legislatures and governors mansions. But the oil and gas industry was also victorious, beating back a handful of closely-watched ballot initiatives with a tidal wave of cash. The two most significant voter initiatives were in Colorado and Washington State. In Colorado, voters rejected a proposal that would have increased the setback distances for oil and gas drilling operations to 2,500 feet, up from the current 500 feet. The industry warned that the regulation presented an existential threat to drilling in Colorado, potentially putting about 85 percent of acreage off limits to drilling. Supporters of the setback distances cited air and water pollution, as well as the safety hazards of living so close to drilling operations. In the end, spending on advertising and campaign messaging was lopsided, and the industry made sure that its position won out with a more than 30:1 spending advantage. Buried beneath that wave of cash, supporters of the setback initiative didnt really stand much of a chance. In Washington, the narrative is much the same. Voters were given the chance to vote on a carbon tax that would escalate gradually over time, with the proceeds to be used for clean energy initiatives. Again, the oil and gas industry ensured its defeat with heavy spending. BP and Chevron led the way, funneling money into the state. Both initiatives were handily defeated. Notably, however, Colorado voters also rejected a separate initiative that would have compensated landowners if their property values were negatively affected by state regulations. The measure would have made it prohibitively expensive for the state to pass regulations that hamper oil and gas drilling. Voters rejected the measure, but since they also rejected the proposal to increase setback distances, the result is somewhat of a wash for oil and gas drillers. Related: U.S. Oil Production Is Set To Soar Past 12 Million Bpd To be sure, however, that is very welcome from the perspective of shale drillers, many of whom saw their share prices hit in recent weeks due to the fact that greater setback distances would have put some of their oil and gas reserves off limits. News of the defeated setback measure sent the share prices of Colorado drillers soaring. Anadarko Petroleum and Noble Energy were up more than 5 percent on Wednesday. Some other clean energy initiatives went down in defeat. In Arizona, voters rejected a proposal that would mandate utilities generate 50 percent of their electricity from clean energy by 2050, but the measure was crushed by a 70 to 30 margin. The vote was largely a battle between billionaire green energy advocate Tom Steyer and the Arizona Public Service Company, the states largest utility. However, Steyer had more luck in Nevada, which is further along in its clean energy transition. As Vox notes, the state already has Teslas gigafactory, and Las Vegas, the states largest city, already buys 100 percent of its electricity from renewables. The initiative that passed on Tuesday requires the states utilities to generate 50 percent of their electricity from renewables by 2030. In fact, beneath the headlines of the losses in Colorado and Washington, clean energy advocates still notched a few notable wins. California voters rejected an initiative that would have repealed the states recently passed tax hike on gasoline. The 12-cent-per-gallon tax on gasoline and the 20-cent-per-gallon tax on diesel would have been repealed. The rejection leaves those taxes in place, and they should generate some $5 billion in revenue over the next decade, which will be used for public transit and road maintenance. Florida voters passed a ban on offshore drilling. The measure is practically symbolic, since it would only apply to state waters within three miles of the coast. Drilling tends to occur in federal waters, which are farther away from the shore. In any event, the federal government will still decide whether or not to allow drilling near Florida for now, federal waters near Florida remains off limits, as they have for a long time. In Portland, Oregon, voters passed a Clean Energy Initiative, which implements a 1 percent tax on big businesses in the city, with the revenues to be used for energy efficiency, clean energy and job training for low income communities. Related: The Clock Is Ticking For Chinas Oil Independence Of course, the larger headlines focused on the Democratic Partys takeover of the U.S. House of Representatives. Rightly so. In the majority, the Democrats now control the chambers committees, arming them with subpoena power and the power to launch investigations into the Trump administration. Democrats have indicated they could begin to probe the legality of the deregulation effort spearheaded by Trumps EPA and Department of Interior, including the watering down of methane emissions on oil and gas and the lease sales of public lands. Such probes would likely focus on the communications and possible coordination between the industry and the government. Overall, the energy industry won quite a few significant battles, and only lost some minor ones. But, the flip side is that the industry was playing defense on just about all of these fights. They won handily, but only the victory only maintains the status quo. Meanwhile, the Democratic takeover of the House means that friendly legislation at the federal level is unlikely, and some scrutiny on the industry could return. By Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Anadarko Petroleum Corporation is selling for US$4.015 billion basically all of its remaining midstream assets to Western Gas Partners, a master limited partnership formed by Anadarko a decade ago to own, develop, and operate midstream assets. Anadarko will receive US$2.0075 billion of the transaction proceeds in cash, while the remainder to be paid in new Western Gas equity, Anadarko said in a statement on Thursday. Anadarkos remaining midstream assets subject to the sale are largely associated with Anadarkos two key U.S. onshore oil plays in the Delaware and DJ basins. The acquired assets include DBM Oil Services, APC Water Holdings, the Bone Spring Gas Plant, and the MiVida Gas Plant in the Delaware Basin of West Texas. In the DJ Basin in Colorado, the partnership is buying Anadarkos 100-percent interest in both the DJ Basin Oil System and the Wattenberg Plant. Anadarko is also selling its equity stakes in the Saddlehorn Pipeline, the Panola Pipeline, and the Wamsutter Pipeline. The sale is expected to close in the first quarter of 2019, and is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. Related: The Achilles Heel Of Electric Vehicles The midstream asset sale supports our durable strategy of returning value to Anadarkos shareholders, as we expect to continue prioritizing the use of cash and free cash flow to repurchase shares, reduce debt, and increase the dividend over time, Anadarkos president and CEO Al Walker said. Following the deal announcement, Anadarko (NYSE:APC) shares were up 2.25 percent at 10:01 a.m. EST on Thursday. On Wednesday, Anadarkos stock jumped 6 percent after voters in Colorado rejected a ballot initiative to increase the setback distance for drilling, in a big win for Colorado-exposed oil firms such as Anadarko. We appreciate the passionate efforts of our employees and many others who shared information to help bring Coloradans together to defeat this extreme measure, Anadarkos Al Walker said in a statement following the Colorado ballot. We recognize the defeat of Proposition 112 is not a lasting referendum, and we will work with the newly elected officials and those continuing in office to find a better equilibrium to reduce the concerns associated with the rapidly growing population and oil and gas activity in Colorado. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Australias Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said on Wednesday that he had advised a Hong Kong-based consortium that its US$9.4 billion (AUS$13 billion) takeover bid for APA Group, the largest Australian gas pipeline firm, would be contrary to Australias national interest. I have formed this view on the grounds that it would result in an undue concentration of foreign ownership by a single company group in our most significant gas transmission business. I intend to make a final decision under the formal process within two weeks, Frydenberg said in a media statement. APA Group is the largest gas transmission system owner in Australia, owning 15,000 km (9,320 miles) of pipelines representing 56 percent of Australias gas pipeline transmission system. It also supplies gas for part of all mainland capital cities consumption, gas-fired electricity generation assets, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports. Earlier this year, APA received an unsolicited proposal from a consortium led by CK Infrastructure Holdings Limited (CKI)part of the conglomerate of Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shingand granted due diligence. The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) said in September that it would not oppose the proposed acquisition, but on the condition that the buyer sell some assets in Western Australia, where it is already present, so as not to distort competition. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said today that he had formed his preliminary view taking into account analyses in close consultation with the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) and the Critical Infrastructure Centre (CIC). My preliminary view reflects the size and significance of APA Group. It is about the extent to which the proposal is consistent with Australias national interest. The application of our foreign investment policy, expressed through my preliminary view, is not discriminatory against any investor or country, Frydenberg said. My preliminary view is not an adverse reflection on CK Group or the individual companies. CK Group companies are already a substantial investor in Australias gas and electricity sectors and a significant provider of infrastructure services that millions of Australians rely upon. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Gabon has launched a new offshore exploration licensing round for 34 oil and gas blocks and plans to soon enact new legislation that would scrap the 35-percent corporate tax on energy companies, Gabons Oil Minister Pascal Ambouroue said at an oil conference on Wednesday. OPEC member Gabon, a country on Africas West Coast, wants to attract more investors to its oil and gas industry and is currently overhauling its energy legislation to replace the 2014 petroleum code. Gabon is a small crude oil produceronly neighboring Equatorial Guinea pumps less oil than Gabon within OPEC. Gabons crude oil production has averaged around 187,000 bpd so far this year, according to OPECs secondary sources. Gabons new law would set a minimum royalty rate of 7 percent for conventional offshore oil and of 4 percent for gas. For deepwater and ultra-deep waters, the royalty rates would be 5 percent for oil and 2 percent for gas, according to Bernardin Assoumou, the director general of hydrocarbons. The new hydrocarbon code is adopted for oil price fluctuations, gives flexibility to different plays and field sizes ... and the objective is to attract international oil companies, Reuters quoted Assoumou as saying. According to the oil minister, Gabons new petroleum code will likely become law by the end of December. Marginal fields development by small independents sustain production now and production will decline below 150,000 barrels a day if nothing is done, oil minister Assoumou said at the Africa Oil Week conference in South Africa. Africa is currently enjoying a revival of offshore and onshore drilling, with oil and gas rigs in the continent at a three-year high, according to Baker Hughes. U.S. supermajor Exxon is also betting on western and southern Africa to explore for the next big find, with stakes in oil and gas prospects in Ghana, Mauritania, Namibia, and South Africa. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Toshiba has decided to liquidate a nuclear power subsidiary in charge of a power plant project in the UK as well as its U.S. LNG operations, the company said in a statement, citing its inability to continue operating the business and its failure to find buyers for it. Toshiba will also liquidate another nuclear subsidiary in the UK, Advance Energy UK Limited. The loss that the company will book from the wind-ups will come in at US$130 million (15 billion yen) and will be booked in its 2018/19 results. In LNG, Toshiba will sell a contract to buy 2.2 million tons annually of LNG from the Freeport terminal in Texas, Reuters reports. The Japanese conglomerate will transfer to the buyer the US$7-billion contract and pay them US$821 million. The name of the buyer, however, remained a secret. Earlier this year, Toshiba sold its U.S. nuclear power business, Westinghouse, for US$4.6 billion to a group of investment companies led by Brookfield Asset Management. The deal puts an end to a major headache for the Japanese conglomerate, which last year warned that it might have trouble surviving if it didnt find a buyer for the nuclear power plant constructor, which it acquired in 2006 for US$5 billion. Plagued by project delays and cost overruns that came up to US$6 billion for two large-scale projects in the United States, Westinghouse filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last March. The business had by that time generated US$6.3 billion in writedowns for the parent company that resulted in Toshiba reporting a net loss of US$9.1 billion for 2016. Shareholders have been growing increasingly impatient with Toshiba, especially since 2015, when the company was hit by an accounting scandal. Judging by the reaction of its stock to the liquidation and sale announcements, they welcomed the moves: Reuters reports Toshibas shares gained 13.7 percent after the announcement, climbing close to a two-year high. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: CEBU Archbishop Jose Palma has urged the faithful to pray for the blessings they received in 2018 and for President Rodrigo Duterte.He appealed to the public not to cheer on the chief executives unflattering PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, November 8, denied any role in the killing of human rights lawyer Benjamin Ramos, one of the lawyers who provided assistance to the families of nine sugarcane farm workers who were killed in Sagay City, Negros Occidental in October. "In the process of killing people and including 'yung abogado nila, kami pa ang pagbibintangan, ang gobyerno . What the f****** s***? Why would I kill a lawyer na baka small time?" the President said. (In the process of killing people and including the communists' lawyer, they're blaming us, the government. What the f****** s***? Why would I kill a lawyer who perhaps is a small time?) "Why would I assassinate him? For what? Whether you have a lawyer or not, you cannot occupy somebody else's land by force and intimidation. I will not allow it. That's anarchy," he added. Although he did not mention names, the President was apparently talking about Ramos because he was talking about the Sagay massacre when he made these remarks. Ramos was gunned down by unidentified assailants in Negros Occidental on Tuesday night, November 6. The slain farm workers were members of the left-leaning National Federation of Sugarcane Workers (NFSW). They were occupying an idle portion of a sugarcane farm under the "Bungkalan" campaign when they were shot. On Wednesday, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said it was "reckless, irresponsible, and baseless" for critics to blame Duterte for the killing of Ramos. (SunStar Philippines) PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, November 8, visited Boracay to lead the ceremonial distribution of Certficates of Land Ownership Award to 484 agrarian reform beneficiaries.A total of 623 land ownership PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, November 8, visited Boracay to lead the ceremonial distribution of Certficates of Land Ownership Award to 484 agrarian reform beneficiaries. A total of 623 land ownership certificates were granted to 484 recipients, including indigenous peoples, for 274 hectares of land on Boracay Island. In his speech, Duterte said the distribution of land ownership certificates brought him "great joy." He assured that land beneficiaries would receive "greater access" to government's support services to help them become "more productive." "Today, we acknowledge our farmers' important role in nation-building as they work tirelessly to ensure food security across the country. I assure you that this administration will continue to protect and uphold your right to own, control, secure, cultivate lands, and reap the benefits of the agricultural lands you till," the President said. "I have directed all government agencies to work towards agricultural productivity and environmental integrity to the policies and program that will cascade to the countrymen. We must ensure that no one will be left behind in our quest for development that is inclusive and sustainable," he added. Duterte also urged the agrarian reform beneficiaries to help the government build a "brighter and more progressive future" for the nation. It was the first time that Duterte flew to Boracay since the world-famous resort island was reopened to tourists last October 26. On April 26, Duterte ordered the temporary closure of the island to pave the way for the six-month rehabilitation and recovery of Boracay. Duterte skipped Boracay's reopening on October 26 as he wanted to avoid fanfare over the island's rehabilitation. (SunStar Philippines) PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte advised the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Tuesday, November 6, to "stop speculating" on the value of the illegal drugs that may have been kept inside PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte advised the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Tuesday, November 6, to "stop speculating" on the value of the illegal drugs that may have been kept inside four empty magnetic lifters discovered in Cavite in August. Duterte said the PDEA "wrongly assumed" that the amount of missing shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) from the empty magnetic lifters may have reached one ton with an estimated value of P11 billion, nearly double the initial P6.8-billion estimate. "They are assuming na puno. 'Yun ang ano ng PDEA because assuming that that lifters there puno, that's why they pegged it at [P11 billion]. Hindi man," the President said during the lecture on militarization and drugs. (They are assuming that the empty magnetic lifters were full. That's the assumption of the PDEA. That's why they pegged it at [P11 billion]. No, it's not.) "They wrongly assumed na puno 'yon (those were full). Kaya (So) from P6 million, they increased the [estimate]. That cannot stand in court. Sabihin mo (You said) how much? Why did you assume that is one what? The price of [it is P11] billion?" he added. To recall, Duterte said on August 14 that it was "pure speculation" on the part of the PDEA that the empty lifters had contained an estimated P6.8 billion worth of shabu and that the illegal substance may already be circulating on the streets. On October 25, PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino said the four empty magnetic lifters may have contained a total of 1.618 tons of shabu with an estimated market value of P11 billion. While he believed it could be "good" to reveal the PDEA'S findings, Duterte told the agency not to further speculate as it may impart the "wrong information" to the public. "Well, anyway then you fueled the suspicion of the public. It could be good to expose it. Of course, I would insist on that," Duterte said. "Pero iyong (But) next time, you stop from speculating because you feed to the public a wrong information thereby at a certain point." The shabu haul that allegedly slipped past the Bureau of Customs had prompted Duterte to transfer former Customs commissioner Isidro Lapena to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. Lapena initially denied that the magnetic lifters contained shabu. He, however, later on admitted that it may have contained the illegal substance, but that the value could not have reached the PDEA estimate of P11 billion. (SunStar Philippines) Having crushed the Tamil Tigers' rebellion, ex-president and skilled political operator Mahinda Rajapakse is nothing short of a messiah for many Sri Lankans. But ahead of his possible second coming, others are full of dread. The moustachioed and charismatic Rajapakse came roaring back into national life last month when he was appointed prime minister, triggering a constitutional crisis as the sacked incumbent refused to budge. As president for a decade until 2015, Rajapakse is hero to the island's Sinhalese majority for ending a 37-year civil war by crushing the bloody guerrilla campaign for a separate state. "We are grateful to him for ending the war so that we can live without the fear of bombs going off in Colombo," said Nimali Fernando, a resident of the commercial capital. "You are the father of our nation," wrote Shehan Udayanga, one of 1.3 million followers of Rajapakse, 72, on Facebook. "People are with you," wrote Buddhist monk Dhammika Krathota. But allegations that at least 40,000 ethnic Tamils were massacred triggered international outrage and also hatred among Tamils, who make up around 11 percent of the 21-million population. So Rajapakse's possible makes many Tamils sick to the stomach. At a Hindu temple in Colombo, Tamil devotees celebrating the Hindu festival of Diwali this week -- the Sinhalese are Buddhist -- were too scared to even talk about it, fearing reprisals if they do. But off camera, a Tamil business executive from the eastern district of Batticaloa said he feared the return of "white vans", a reference to a culture of abductions under Rajapakse. "We are very afraid that Mahinda will return," he said, asking not to be named. A Tamil journalist, also preferring to stay anonymous, said he feared freedom of movement would be restricted again. Tamil lawmaker Dharmalingam Sithadthan told AFP his constituents in the community's heartland of Jaffna remember all too well the repression they suffered. "There is concern that his return will be bad for them," Sithadthan said. The International Crisis Group warned that the situation for Tamils will worsen under Rajapakse. "Tamil activists and journalists, who already face intense police and military surveillance, as well as threats of violence, will be at risk of increased harassment or worse," ICG said in a report. "So too will critics of the Rajapakse family and dissenters throughout the country." - Golden charm - Rajapakse projects himself as a son of the soil committed to conservative Buddhist values and shunning Western culture, always in traditional Sinhalese national dress -- a white sarong, a long white shirt -- with a trademark maroon shawl. As a strong believer in astrology, he wears gem-studded rings, bracelets and blessed strands of thread. Instead of a mobile phone he always holds a golden good-luck charm -- all making him a hit with the Sinhalese. The prospect of a comeback by Rajapakse, who is also accused of using his time in power to line his and his family's pockets while saddling Sri Lanka with Chinese debt, is a remarkable turn of events. His political career seemed in ruins three years ago after a shock defeat to Maithripala Sirisena in presidential elections as Tamil and Muslim voters turned away. The two men remained sworn enemies until two weeks ago when Sirisena dramatically sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and appointed Rajapakse in his place, plunging Sri Lanka into crisis. Rajapakse is yet to prove his majority in parliament, which Sirisena shut for 20 days to prevent Wickremesinghe from challenging his sacking and proving he still enjoyed a majority. As both sides wait for parliament to reopen on November 14, Rajapakse has wasted little time, calling a rally of tens of thousands of supporters and cutting taxes on fuel and other staples. "Mahinda (Rajapakse) is the most charismatic leader since independence," said a former aide Kusal Perera. "He appeals to the Sinhala-Buddhist psyche like no other." - Bugged phones - Tamils are not the only ones worried. During Rajapakse's decade in power, at least 17 journalists and media workers were killed -- no one was ever prosecuted during his tenure. Now many independent journalists have switched to speaking only on secure internet-based communications apps such as WhatsApp and Viber, fearing that phone surveillance had resumed. "Journalists no longer discuss sensitive subjects on normal mobile phones," an editor of a national daily said. "There is unease, a fear that we are going back to the bad old days." According to Reporters without Borders (RSF), Rajapakse supporters stormed state-owned media institutions shortly after his appointment last month, roughing up ministers and journalists who then had to be rescued by police commandos. The Paris-based RSF said this recalls the darkest hours of Rajapakse's presidency. "The violence with which Mahinda Rajapakse's bully boys took over the state media is absolutely unacceptable," RSF's Daniel Bastard said in a statement. FILE PHOTO: (L-R) President Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping | PCOO MANILA, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte is set to meet with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping when the latter visits the country this month. According to Foreign Affairs Secretary Teddy Locsin, the two leaders will discuss the Philippines participation in Chinas Belt and Road Initiative and a memorandum of understanding will be signed during Xis visit. Locsin added in a message that this is Xis priority because the Philippines is the only ASEAN country that has yet to join the initiative aimed at linking Southeast Asia and South Pacific through massive infrastructure projects with multi-billion dollar fund earmarked by the Asian power. The Chinese president is expected to visit the country this month after the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders meeting in Papua New Guinea. The DFA secretary, meanwhile, denied earlier reports that a deal on joint oil and energy exploration in disputed territories in the West Philippine Sea will be signed between the Philippines and China during Xis visit. This is because the proposed deal is still being studied according to Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, and the president has yet to approve the bid to explore the Service Contract No. 57 situated west of Calamian Islands in northwest Palawan. Cusi also clarified that the said area is not included in the hotly contested parts of the West Philippine Sea. Service Contract No. 57 and this is an issue of farming-in for a company to be because that service contract is owned by PNOC-EC and then needed the partner to pursue further exploration and exploitation if when the time comes. So they have been looking for partners and one partner that they have shown that interest is the CNOOC. So, for them to farm-in because it has been farming-in is not allowed, said Department of Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi. Both Cusi and Locsin admit they have no idea whether Duterte and Xi will discuss the proposed joint oil exploration deal in the West Philippine Sea during their meeting. Rosalie Coz | UNTV News & Rescue The post Locsin: PH, China to discuss Belt and Road Initiative during Xis visit appeared first on UNTV News. (L-R) Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. and Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda MANILA, Philippines The governments of the Philippines and Japan signed on Wednesday (November 7) the Exchange of Notes on the Grant Aid of Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) UH-1H Parts and Maintenance Equipment to the Philippine Air Force (PAF); and on the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3) Rehabilitation. Representing both governments in the signing held at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) were Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. and Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda. The Grant Aid on UH-1H parts and maintenance equipment to the Philippine Air Force (PAF), involves 10.68 billion (P5 billion) worth of spare parts and maintenance equipment of UH-1H helicopters which are useful in PAFs activities related to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, transport, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Meanwhile, the MRT-3 rehabilitation project involves the complete rehabilitation of MRT-3, the general overhaul of MRT-3s entire fleet of 72 Light Rail Vehicles (LRVs), and day-to-day maintenance, The rehabilitation works are expected to be completed in the first 26 months, and the general overhaul to be completed on the 43rd month. Secretary Locsin noted how Japan has supported development projects in the Philippines particularly through economic and development assistance as well as in enhancing our defense and security capabilities. It is help that has no agenda but friendship, decency, and a deep and abiding regard, as much for the safety and wellbeing of neighbors, as for oneself. The Exchange of Notes, according to Locsin, affirms this ever-growing, mutually beneficial and gratifying relationship between our two countries and our two peoples. For his part, Ambassador Haneda reiterated Japans commitment to the Philippines saying we do not only mark our commitments on paper, we also pledge our all-out efforts in bringing these projects into successful completion. Marje Pelayo (with reports from JL Asayo) The post PH, Japan sign exchange of notes to enhance defense, transport capabilities appeared first on UNTV News. MANILA, Philippines The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has named Udenna and China Telecom Consortium group as the countrys provisional third telecommunications player on Wednesday (November 7). The group of Davao businessman Dennis Uys Udenna Corporation and its foreign partner China Telecom was provisionally selected to fill the third slot after the NTC evaluated their documents as complete and satisfactory. The agency used in the selection process the highest committed level of service through a point system scheme with criteria including population coverage, internet speed and capital investment for five years. Prior to the announcement, only three out of ten original groups who bought documents pushed through with the bidding. But two telcos were disqualified at Wednesdays opening and evaluation of selection documents at the NTC. Sear Telecom was excluded because the committee found that their letter of credit was missing while the PT&T failed to secure a certificate of technical capability. In the process, there were less transparency during the proceedings so I was hoping that there would have been more transparency in terms of being able to raise your concerns as the bids are being open, said Benjamin Henares, PT&Ts authorized representative. In response to PT&Ts complaint, NTC Commissioner Ed Barrios said the company refused to receive the letter which was also e-mailed to them. Sear Telecom, on the other hand, plans to lodge a complaint against Udenna corporation for their alleged illegal use of franchise. They are using the congressional franchise of Mislatel, and Mislatel as it happens has a contract with Digifil which is a member of our consortium and the contract prohibits Mislatel from allowing somebody else to use its permit and license and franchise, argued Sear Telecon Representative Raoul Creencia. The two telcos can still appeal the decision by filing a motion for reconsideration in court within three days. Mon Jocson The post Udenna-China telecom named provisional third telco player appeared first on UNTV News. Measuring Amazon tree growth in forest plot, Peru (2009) Credit: Roel Brienen, University of Leeds A team of more than 100 scientists has assessed the impact of global warming on thousands of tree species across the Amazon to discover the winners and losers from 30 years of climate change. Their analysis found the effects of climate change are altering the rainforest's composition of tree species but not quickly enough to keep up with the changing environment. The team, led by University of Leeds in collaboration with more than 30 institutions around the world, used long-term records from more than a hundred plots as part of the Amazon Forest Inventory Network (RAINFOR) to track the lives of individual trees across the Amazon region. Their results found that since the 1980s, the effects of global environmental changestronger droughts, increased temperatures and higher levels of carbon dioxide in the atmospherehas slowly impacted specific tree species' growth and mortality. In particular, the study found the most moisture-loving tree species are dying more frequently than other species and those suited to drier climates were unable to replace them. Lead author Dr. Adriane Esquivel Muelbert, from the School of Geography at Leeds, said: "The ecosystem's response is lagging behind the rate of climate change. The data showed us that the droughts that hit the Amazon basin in the last decades had serious consequences for the make-up of the forest, with higher mortality in tree species most vulnerable to droughts and not enough compensatory growth in species better equipped to survive drier conditions." Dying forest in Central Amazon, Brazil, 2016 Credit: Adriane Esquivel Muelbert, University of Leeds The team also found that bigger treespredominantly canopy species in the upper levels of the forestsare outcompeting smaller plants. The team's observations confirms the belief that canopy species would be climate change "winners" as they benefit from increased carbon dioxide, which can allow them to grow more quickly. This further suggests that higher carbon dioxide concentrations also have a direct impact on rainforest composition and forest dynamicsthe way forests grow, die and change. In addition, the study shows that pioneer treestrees that quickly spring up and grow in gaps left behind when trees dieare benefiting from the acceleration of forest dynamics. Study co-author Oliver Phillips, Professor of Tropical Ecology at Leeds and founder of the RAINFOR network said: "The increase in some pioneer trees, such as the extremely fast growing Cecropia, is consistent with the observed changes in forest dynamics, which may also ultimately be driven by increased carbon dioxide levels." Measuring big trees in Central Amazon, Brazil, 2016 Credit: Adriane Esquivel Muelbert, University of Leeds Co-author Dr. Kyle Dexter, from the University of Edinburgh, said: "The impact of climate change on forest communities has important consequences for rain forest biodiversity. The species most vulnerable to droughts are doubly at risk, as they are typically the ones restricted to fewer locations in the heart of the Amazon, which make them more likely to be extinct if this process continues. "Our findings highlight the need for strict measures to protect existing intact rainforests. Deforestation for agriculture and livestock is known to intensify the droughts in this region, which is exacerbating the effects already being caused by global climate change." The paper Compositional response of Amazon forests to climate change is published in Global Change Biology 8 November 2018. Explore further Drought stalls tree growth and shuts down Amazon carbon sink, researchers find More information: Compositional response of Amazon forests to climate change, Global Change Biology, DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14413 Journal information: Global Change Biology Compositional response of Amazon forests to climate change, The exterior of the rock shelter site of Lapa do Santo in Brazil. Credit: Andre Strauss An international team of researchers has revealed unexpected details about the peopling of Central and South America by studying the first high-quality ancient DNA data from those regions. The findings include two previously unknown genetic exchanges between North and South America, one of which represents a continent-wide population turnover. The results suggest that the people who spread the Clovis culture, the first widespread archaeological culture of North America, had a major demographic impact further south than previously appreciated. The authors analyzed genome-wide data from 49 individuals from Central and South America, some as old as 11,000 years. Previously, the only genomes that had been reported from this region and that provided sufficient quality data to analyze were less than 1,000 years old. By comparing ancient and modern genomes from the Americas and other parts of the globe, the researchers were able to obtain qualitatively new insights into the early history of Central and South America. Published in the journal Cell, the study was led by researchers at Harvard Medical School; the Howard Hughes Medical Institute; the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History; the University of California, Santa Cruz; Pennsylvania State University; the University of New Mexico; the University of Sao Paulo and other institutions in Argentina, Australia, Belize, Brazil, Chile, the European Union, Peru and the United States. The researchers obtained official permits to excavate and conduct analysis on ancient human remains and consulted with local governmental agencies and indigenous communities. Clovis link in the oldest Central and South Americans A distinctive DNA type associated with the Clovis culture was found in Chile, Brazil and Belize 11,000 to 9,000 years ago. "A key discovery was that a Clovis culture-associated individual from North America dating to around 12,800 years ago shares distinctive ancestry with the oldest Chilean, Brazilian and Belizean individuals," said co-lead author Cosimo Posth of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History. "This supports the hypothesis that the expansion of people who spread the Clovis culture in North America also reached Central and South America." However, the Clovis culture-associated lineage is missing in present-day South Americans and in ancient samples that are less than 9,000 years old. "This is our second key discovery," said co-senior author David Reich, professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator. "We have shown that there was a continent-wide population replacement that began at least 9,000 years ago." After the population replacement, there was striking genetic continuity between ancient individuals dating to up to 9,000 years ago and modern people from multiple South American regions. This contrasts with West Eurasia and Africa, where there are few places with such long-standing continuity. This visual abstract depicts the findings of Posth et al., who conducted a large-scale analysis of ancient genomes from Central and South America yields insights into the peopling of the Americas, including four southward migration events and notable population continuity in much of South America after arrival. Credit: Posth et al./Cell California Channel Island-associated ancestry in the Andes The second previously unknown spread of people revealed itself in an analysis showing that ancient Californians from the Channel Islands have a distinctive shared ancestry with groups that became widespread in the southern Peruvian Andes by at least 4,200 years ago. The researchers say this is unlikely to reflect population spread specifically from the Channel Islands into South America. Instead, they hypothesize that the connection between these regions is the result of expansions of people that occurred thousands of years earlier, and that such ancestry became more widespread in the Andes after subsequent events within South America. "It could be that this ancestry arrived in South America thousands of years before and we simply don't have earlier individuals showing it," said Nathan Nakatsuka, a research assistant in the Reich lab at Harvard Medical School and co-lead author of the study. "There is archaeological evidence that the population in the Central Andes area greatly expanded after around 5,000 years ago. Spreads of particular subgroups during these events may be why we detect this ancestry afterward." The promise of ancient DNA research in the Americas The researchers emphasize that their study gives only a glimpse of the discoveries that may come through future work. To learn about the initial movements of people into Central and South America, they say, it would be necessary to obtain ancient DNA from individuals dating to before 11,000 years ago. Even for the period between 11,000 and 3,000 years ago that this study focused on, the picture is far from complete. "We lacked ancient data from Amazonia, northern South America and the Caribbean, and thus cannot determine how individuals in these regions relate to the ones we analyzed," said Reich. "Filling in these gaps should be a priority for future work." "We are excited about the potential of research in this area," said co-senior author Johannes Krause of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History. "With future regionally-focused studies with large sample sizes, we could realize the potential of ancient DNA to reveal how the human diversity of this region came to be the way it is today." More information: Cell, Posth et al.: "Reconstructing the Deep Population History of Central and South America" www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(18)31380-1 Journal information: Cell Cell, Posth et al.: "Reconstructing the Deep Population History of Central and South America" DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.10.027 The research team developed this map that reveals the Magellanic Clouds have had repeated interactions with each other over billions of years. Credit: Dougal Mackey, ANU Astronomers have witnessed, in the finest detail yet, a brutal David-vs-Goliath fight between two nearby galaxies that are tearing chunks from each other and flinging them into the gaseous Magellanic Stream, a cosmic river of blood encircling our Milky Way. The new study led by ANU investigated the violent stoush between the Large and Small Magellanic Cloudsdwarf galaxies on the Milky Way's periphery that are visible at night with the naked eye from the southern hemisphere. Lead researcher Dr. Dougal Mackey from ANU said the team created an ultra-faint map of stars in the outer edges of the Clouds using the Dark Energy Camera on the 4m Blanco telescope in Chile and revealed the Clouds have had repeated interactions with each other over billions of years. "This fight is a lot like the one that David and Goliath could have had if the little guy didn't have such good luck with his sling shot," said Dr. Mackey from the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics at ANU. "The Large Magellanic Cloud is really beating up its smaller companionthe outer parts of the Small Cloud are strongly elongated both towards and away from the Large Cloud." The distribution of stars with different ages in the Small Cloud indicates possible unpleasant encounters with the Large Cloud stretching back several billion years. "The Large Cloud has definitely not come away unscathed from these brawls, as the side closest to the Small Magellanic Cloud is heavily warped and pruned, and other parts of its outskirts show major distortions." Dr. Mackey said the results provided further evidence that the nasty and continuous conflicts between the two Clouds had created the Magellanic Stream. "The Clouds will eventually be completely consumed by the Milky Way, but we would like to know how long they have left, and what sort of impact they will make before their ultimate destruction," he said. "We also revealed, in the best detail so far, young stars forming in Magellanic Stream between the Cloudsthis part of the Stream is known as the Magellanic Bridge." Dr. Mackey said the team also discovered a previously unknown tiny galaxy, called Hydrus I, sitting in between the two Clouds. "This galaxy is part of a class known as ultra-faint dwarfs, the existence of which was only discovered about 10 years ago. These are extremely low-brightness dwarf galaxies, but they still have lots of dark matter," he said. There is broad scientific consensus that dark mattermatter that scientists cannot seeis widely present in the Universe and helps explain how galaxies hold together rather than fly apart as they spin. "Hydrus I is likely to be a satellite of either Cloud or both that has fallen into the Milky Way together with its larger companions," Dr. Mackey said. Astronomers from the United Kingdom and United States supported the study, which is published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters. Explore further Magellanic clouds duo may have been a trio More information: Dougal Mackey et al. Substructures and Tidal Distortions in the Magellanic Stellar Periphery, The Astrophysical Journal (2018). Journal information: Astrophysical Journal Letters , Astrophysical Journal Dougal Mackey et al. Substructures and Tidal Distortions in the Magellanic Stellar Periphery,(2018). DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/aac175 The philosopher Rene Descartes believed that the only difference between a mechanical animal and a real animal was the degree of complexity: the biological organism is more complicated, but otherwise they are the same. Credit: Shutterstock Scientists are increasingly interested in the prospect of solving a range of fundamental problems facing our civilisation by designing and reconstructing organisms. We seek and expect to meet challenges in domains such as medicine, food, and energy by investing in research and development of biotechnology. For example, researchers at the Center for Synthetic Biology at the University of Copenhagen are constructing photosynthetic organisms for use in cancer treatment. Scientists and science communicators often rely on machine metaphors to communicate scientific results: Genomes are said to be blueprints, brains are computers, and cells are little factories consisting of molecular machines. A project at University of Copenhagen, for which I am principle investigator, is examining the philosophical aspects of the use of machine metaphors in biological research, research communication, and their influence on bioethical debates. We are currently editing a book, which investigates the problems arising from appealing to machine metaphors in the life sciences, science communication, and bioethics. One of the disciplines that we consider is synthetic biology. Synthetic biology: The systematisation of life Synthetic biology is a good example of a research area that focuses on constructing living systems, which can contribute to the production of valuable medicine or green energy. One of the central ideas driving synthetic biology is to make it possible to construct living beings, such as microorganisms or plants, using engineering methods. In particular, synthetic biologists are aiming to transfer the rational design principles known from the production of mechanical and electronic machines to biology. A mechanical watch, a car, or a computer consists of many different standard components, which can be combined into more complex devices and subsystems, performing a particular function. These subsystems can in turn be combined to make a machine, for example, a machine that measures time. Synthetic biologists are working to develop biological standard parts with specific functions that can be used to construct organisms. This would help to produce medicine in a reliable way at a commercially viable scale. It is tempting to see the application of engineering methods to design and construct biological systems, as a modern version of the mechanical biology of the French philosopher Rene Descartes in his thesis of organisms as machines. In Descartes' time the first half of the 17th century it had become common to display complex machines around Europe. Descartes' put forward the claim that living bodies (animals and the body of humans) are not only comparable to, but in fact are (albeit extremely complex) machines created by "divine design." Thus, for Descartes there was essentially no fundamental difference between a naturally evolved duck and a man-made mechanical duck, merely a difference in the degree of their mechanical complexity. Critics of synthetic biology's vision of rational design and construction of "living machines" put forward the claim that it is based on Descartes' mechanical biology, which they think is mistaken. It might be useful to draw analogies between organisms and machines as part of biological research. But organisms and man-made machines are fundamentally different. Why organisms aren't machines One of the most basic objections to the identification of organisms and machines is that their behaviour cannot be reduced to the activities and relations of their parts. In contrast to a mechanical watch, whose activity is fully determined "from the bottom up" by the activities and organisation of its parts, organisms influence the activities of their parts. For example, your muscles start to grow if you start to exercise. Moreover, the parts of a watch exist before the watch does. It is not the watch itself that builds its own parts. In contrast, organisms are self-producing in the sense that it is the organism itself that builds and maintains its parts. If synthetic biology assumes Descartes' mechanical biology, then it might be headed to a dead end. So, is synthetic biology driven by an assumption of Cartesian mechanical biology? Does the vision of the rational design and construction of organisms rely on a literal and not merely metaphorical understanding of the idea that organisms are machines? The Synthetic Biologists' Reply Take a closer look at the attempt by synthetic biologists to apply engineering methods to living systems, and it transpires that they are painfully aware of the fundamental differences between organisms and machines. One of the main motivations behind developing tools and techniques for building living organisms is that it is extremely difficult to fully understand how even the simplest forms of life operate. Life as we know it is the result of evolution by natural selection. As such, natural organisms are more like the products of a tinkerer than the results of a master engineer's rational design. Thus, if we are to solve pressing problems such as the production of valuable medicine or biofuels using biotechnology it is tempting to focus on developing predictable and reliable synthetic organisms as an alternative to devoting a lot of person power to work on naturally evolved organisms. That is, I suggest, what drives synthetic biologists to apply rational design methods to biological matter not that they think that living organisms and mechanical clocks are deep down the same thing. Are synthetic biology solutions feasible? Is it even possible to build new forms of life? Descartes was sceptical, and thought it would require divine skills to construct something as complex as a living machine. Among synthetic biologists, there is also widespread recognition that the production of complex synthetic organisms "from scratch" is not around the corner. When scientists produce substances for use in cancer treatments they do not build a new plant. Rather they try to combine the building blocks of extant plants with synthetic parts and devices. The result is not a wholly rationally designed organism, but an organism that contains manmade parts and modules, which enables it to perform a specific desired function in a reliable way. Thus, in a sense, you could say that organisms produced using synthetic biology will be more machine-like than naturally evolved organisms. Explore further Biological signalling processes in intelligent materials This story is republished courtesy of ScienceNordic, the trusted source for English-language science news from the Nordic countries. Read the original story here. Xiaomi hopes to move into the US market soon China's Xiaomi unveiled the Mi 8 Pro smartphone in London Thursday, making a UK debut as the tech giant ramps up its European presence before an expected American launch next month. Xiaomi, which is looking to gain ground on rivals Apple, Huawei and Samsung, revealed the flagship product at a launch event at the Barbican Centre. The Mi 8 Pro will go on sale in Britain on Friday, the group announced, marking the first time that the device has been available outside China. The phone, which retails from 499.99 ($657, 573 euros), uses Google's Android operating system and has a fingerprint sensor in its 6.2-inch screen. It will be available from various outlets including operator Three Mobile. Xiaomi also announced it will open an official Mi Store on November 18 at London's Westfield shopping centre in White City, having opened in Paris earlier this year. 'Milestone product' "Mi 8 Pro is a milestone product and that's why we think it is perfect here today at a global debut here in London," said Donovan Sing, director of product management. He added: "We are going to be bringing Mi 8 here to the UK market." The group will also sell other hi-tech gadgets, including a fitness-tracking band and an electric scooter. The entrepreneur behind Xiaomi, Lei Jun, describes the business he has built as a "new species" of company with a "triathlon" business model combining hardware, internet and e-commerce services. Xiaomi is the world's fourth-largest smartphone vendor Products range from home gadgets like smart air purifiers to non-tech items such as pillows and ballpoint pens. Smart phones have remained at its core since its 2010 founding in ZhongguancunChina's Silicon Valley and sales have skyrocketed, making Xiaomi the world's fourth-largest smartphone vendor at the end of last year, according to International Data Corp. As some European consumers have pulled back from expensive outlays for an iPhone or Samsung, Xiaomi's more affordable product has proved a hit in countries like France, Italy and Spain. "Europe is our next focus," Lei Jun told investors this summer, noting the company's explosive growth in the region had already made Xiaomi the number four smartphone seller in western Europe. International sales now bring in more than one-third of the company's revenue. In India, Xiaomi has cornered roughly 30 percent of the market, although growing pains there show how it can be difficult for Chinese companies to expand abroad. Its phone chargers initially faced a relatively high defect rate because of India's power supply problems and required a redesign to increase voltage. Scepticism Xiaomi should avoid such issues in the United Kingdom, but could encounter scepticism over its Chinese origins and concerns over data security. Even after its Chinese competitor Huawei built a cyber security centre for UK officials to review its code, controversy about the company's operations and potential national security threats has continued. Still, unlike Huawei, Xiaomi was not founded by a veteran of China's armed forces and sells handsets instead of telecom infrastructure so there may be less cause for concern. Explore further Shares in China's Xiaomi dip on Hong Kong debut 2018 AFP To protect itself from a devastating flood, Boston was considering building a massive sea wall, cutting north to south through nearly four miles of Boston Harbor, taking $11 billion and at least 30 years to build. But a new plan unveiled in October represents a 180-degree turn: Instead of fighting to keep the water out, the city is letting it come in. Boston Mayor Martin Walsh, a Democrat, announced the city would be scrapping the idea of a sea wall in favor of, among other things, a system of waterfront parks and elevation of some flood-prone areas. The city will add 67 new acres of green space along the water and restore 122 tidal acres. The idea is to give people access to the shoreline when the weather is nice, but when the parks get floodedwell, it's not that big of a deal. As climate change forces cities to grapple with rising sea levels and increasingly powerful storms, coastal cities must prepare for a heightened likelihood of flooding, whether tidal flooding from rising sea levels or a hurricane that could dump inches of rain in a short period of time. For the last hundred years, protecting neighborhoods has often meant relying on sea wallslarge, concrete barriers designed to withstand strong waves and rising waters. Beyond not being particularly attractive, they are expensive, can cause erosion and harm marine life. City planners now say they are increasingly turning to methods aligned with the Dutch concept of "living with water." Instead of resisting water, cities are channeling it to where they want it to go. Boston's reimagined waterfront would be designed to handle at least 21 inches of sea level rise, which the city anticipates by 2050. "Besides taking decades to complete, a barrier would bring its own set of serious ecological issues," Walsh recently told a crowd at the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce. "Shoreline projects are more feasible and more effective ways to increase our city's resilience. ... This is our vision of a resilient Boston. It's a system not of barricades but of beachesand parks and trails and open spaces." To be sure, cities on coasts from Florida to Hawaii are continuing to repair sea walls and build new ones as climate disasters loom. In areas that have long been heavily reliant on such walls, it can be difficult to change course, particularly when industry relies on being able to navigate nearby waters. But planners are working to incorporate strategies called "soft solutions" in contrast to harder infrastructure like sea walls. Similar projects are being planned across the Hampton Roads area in Virginia, home to Norfolk and Virginia Beach, which is one of the nation's most at-risk areas for flooding. Tide gauges there show the water level is 14 inches higher than it was in 1930. Downtown Norfolk is protected by a sea wall that was built in the 1960s for $5 million but now protects about $800 million worth of infrastructure. The Army Corps of Engineers and the city are assessing plans to replace or reinforce that wall. The city also is developing plans for a series of parks and wetlands in other portions of the city. "It's a new movement," said Michelle Covi, an assistant professor of ocean, earth and atmospheric sciences at Old Dominion University, in Norfolk, who helped develop plans in the Hampton Roads area. "Even in the Army Corps of Engineers, they've accepted this as a way to protect valuable infrastructure but also allow us to have a connection with the water." Kyle Spencer, the deputy resilience officer for Norfolk, said the city hopes to create more parks outside its urban core that are protected with earthen berms that can be raised by adding dirt and can serve as walking and bike paths along the water. Wetlands can be created to help protect those berms, and the city plans to also set up oyster colonies to help keep the water clean and protect the vegetation behind them. In Boston, the city proposes elevating areas along 47 miles of shoreline, such as Charlestown's Main Street and downtown's Harborwalk. The city also distributed drawings showing berms and terraced walls leading down to the waterfront. The city's shift away from a big sea wall was sparked in large part by research at the Sustainable Solutions Lab at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. The aptly named "Feasibility of Harbor-wide Barrier Systems" report laid out the time and expense of a wallalong with a host of navigational and environmental issues. "We found that, dollar for dollar, we could have the same amount of protection for much less cost, and in doing so also invest in our neighborhoods and have more green space," said Rebecca Herst, director of the lab. She described the parks as a twin solutionthose along the shore can rebound quickly if flooded, while further inland, having less concrete and more permeable surfaces can help absorb water. Such solutions may be far cheaper than sea walls, but they still will be expensive. Walsh said the city will devote 10 percent of its capital budget to climate change projects, about $16 million a year. The consensus among supporters of the plan is that it won't be enough. The city also is seeking federal money and is in the early stages of determining the private sector's role. Walsh made the announcement at a chamber of commerce meeting, because he wants to bring the business community on board. While local environmental groups lauded the plan, the Charles River Watershed Association said it didn't go far enough, and that developers should face stronger building requirements and even restrictions on where they can build. Sea walls still may be necessary in some circumstances. The Army Corps of Engineers recently unveiled options for protecting New York Harbor from flooding and storms like Hurricane Sandy, which caused massive damage in 2012. One of the proposals calls for a 5-mile sea wall from Sandy Hook in New Jersey to Breezy Point in New York. The scope of that sea wall would be far beyond anything either state has evaluated previously, and the proposal would include smaller barriers and levees to help connect the system that would run the length of the outer harbor. Alternatives include a smaller series of inner harbor gates or six small barriers with lots of levies. One option proposes no barriers, just nature-based solutions along the shorelines. Some environmentalists and officials who help areas prepare for climate change have already expressed concern about the early proposals. The Natural Resources Defense Council said offshore storm surge barriers would "strangle the life" out of the area's waterways. Beth Gibbons, executive director of the American Society of Adaptation Professionals, said cities in the region have turned to greener solutions after Hurricane Sandy, and pointed to Governor's Island which, remodeled to include a larger park, will return to its geological purpose as a barrier island. She cautioned that adding a sea wall, while protective in some areas, could lead to problems in others. "When you put up a sea wall, there's an end," she said. "We've seen time and again that water will find its path. If you put up a sea wall, you will likely be making choices about who is protected and who is not. You're picking winners and losers, and that has to be done with a lot of care." Once a sea wall is in place, it can be difficult to pursue other options. "It's part of our legacy," said James Murley, the chief resilience officer for Miami-Dade County. Canals with cement walls weren't viewed as drainage but as an amenity to connect homeowners to waterfront recreation. Across South Florida, local governments are looking to maintain existing sea walls while expanding green infrastructure where it makes sense. Other cities are making similar calculations. Hawaii recently approved a new sea wall on Maui for the first time in almost a decade. Oceanfront condo owners whose property would be protected supported the wall, while environmentalists sued to stop it. Elsewhere in the state, the government will be paying to repair crumbling sea walls. The state initially fought having to take over the costs of fixing a wall near Honolulu, but Hawaii's Supreme Court ruled the government would be responsible because the wall has become a beach access point. The legislature will still be responsible for doling out funds to repair sea walls. In Norfolk, Spencer said the city is debating whether to add height to its existing sea wall or replace it. City officials in San Francisco will ask voters to approve a $425 million bond issue to upgrade its hundred-year-old sea wall. But the city also has some projects in the works to protect shorelines, such as planting oyster and eelgrass beds at least 150 meters offshore. Skip Stiles, director of Norfolk-based Wetlands Watch, which promotes nature-based solutions to sea level rise, said the city is too developed and too dependent on Navy activities to abandon sea walls in favor of greener solutions. "Some places are going to need a big structure," he said. "The end of a naval airstrip is going to need a big structure. You can't tie a tanker to a wetland." Explore further In first, US capital may employ levee against Hurricane Florence 2018 Stateline.org Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Common ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, is common in North America and is spreading in Europe. The plant releases a fine pollen in late summer and fall that causes allergy symptoms in people with hay fever. Credit: Andreas Rockstein/Flickr New research from the University of Washington and the University of MassachusettsAmherst looks at how the most common cause of sneezing and sniffling in North America is likely to shift under climate change. A recent study published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE finds that common ragweed will expand its range northward as the climate warms, reaching places including New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, while retreating from some current hot spots. "It was surprising that nobody had looked at ragweed distributions in the U.S.: As climate conditions are changing, where will it spread to in the future?" said corresponding author Michael Case, who did the work as a postdoctoral researcher in the UW School of Environmental and Forest Sciences. Ragweed is a native North American plant that thrives in open areas, moving quickly into disturbed areas. It produces copious fine-powder pollen from August to November, causing sneezing, runny noses, irritated eyes, itchy throats and headaches for people with hay fever. Several studies of ragweed's future geographic distribution have been done in Europe, where people are concerned because this invasive species is expanding its range. This is the first study to consider future ragweed distribution in the United States. Case's previous research looks at how climate change may influence the distribution of various species, mainly native trees in the Pacific Northwest. Co-lead author Kristina Stinson, an assistant professor of plant ecology at UMass Amherst, is an expert on ragweed, including mapping allergy hot spots in New England. By the 2050s, under a high-emissions scenario the bright blue areas will be newly populated with ragweed according to most climate models, and orange areas will have significantly less ragweed according to most climate models. Lighter blue shows that some of the 13 climate models predict expansion, while brown shows that some of the models predict a contraction. Gray is where ragweed is not present, and black indicates no change. Credit: Michael Case/University of Washington "One reason we chose to study ragweed is because of its human health implications. Ragweed pollen is the primary allergen culprit for hay fever symptoms in summer and fall in North America, so it affects a lot of people," Stinson said. For the new study, the two authors built a machine learning model using Maxent software that takes some 726 observations of common ragweed in the eastern U.S., drawn from an international biodiversity database, then combines those with climate information to identify conditions that allow the plant to thrive. Researchers next ran the model into the future using temperature and precipitation output from 13 global climate models under two different pathways for future greenhouse gas emissions. The results show that roughly 35 years from now, ragweed is projected to expand northward into places where it has not been documented, including upstate New York, including the Albany area, New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont. While that news may be ominous, knowing the plant is coming may help those communities prepare. "Weed control boards, for example, might include ragweed on their list to keep an eye out and monitor for," Case said. "Historically they might not have been looking for ragweed, but our study suggests maybe they should start looking for it." The study drew on more than 700 documented observations of common ragweed in the eastern US. Credit: M. Case and K. Stinson/PLOS ONE The study only covers the region east of the Mississippi River because that's where there were enough ragweed observations to run the model. The plant is commonly found in Illinois, Florida and the eastern seaboard from Washington, D.C. to Rhode Island. It is possible that ragweed would also expand its range westward or north into Canada, Case said, but those areas were outside the scope of the study. The study also finds regions where ragweed is prevalent today but will decline substantially in the future, including the southern Appalachian Mountains, central Florida and northeastern Virginia. And knowing that, too, might be useful. "As the climate becomes less suitable, there may be opportunities to try and displace ragweed. Maybe that is the silver liningthat there are some opportunities for those communities to actually get some headway on mitigating or even eradicating this species," Case said. Models show an overall surge in ragweed in the eastern U.S. by the 2050s followed by a slight overall contraction from the 2050s to the 2070s, as temperature and precipitation become more variable. "It is kind of an interesting case study of climate change effects: It's not all bad, it's not all good," Case said. "We don't have a lot of models like this that tell us where individual species may go under different scenarios," Stinson said. "Ecologists are working on doing this type of study for more species, but there are not always enough data points from around the world; individual species data are rare. But ragweed happens to be quite abundant, which made this study feasible." Explore further Hay fever from ragweed pollen could double due to climate change More information: Michael J. Case et al, Climate change impacts on the distribution of the allergenic plant, common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) in the eastern United States, PLOS ONE (2018). Journal information: PLoS ONE Michael J. Case et al, Climate change impacts on the distribution of the allergenic plant, common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) in the eastern United States,(2018). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205677 Skulls and other human remains from P.W. Lund's Collection from Lagoa Santa, Brazil kept in the Natural History Museum of Denmark. Credit: Natural History Museum of Denmark A legal battle over a 10,600 year old ancient skeletoncalled the 'Spirit Cave Mummy' - has ended after advanced DNA sequencing found it was related to a Native American tribe. The revelation has been published in Science today as part of a wide ranging international study that genetically analysed the DNA of a series of famous and controversial ancient remains across North and South America including Spirit Cave, the Lovelock skeletons, the Lagoa Santa remains, an Inca mummy, and the oldest remains in Chilean Patagonia. The study also looked at the second oldest human remains from Trail Creek Cave in Alaskaa 9,000 year old milk tooth from a young girl. Scientists sequenced 15 ancient genomes spanning from Alaska to Patagonia and were able to track the movements of the first humans as they spread across the Americas at "astonishing" speed during the Ice Age, and also how they interacted with each other in the following millennia. The team of academics not only discovered that the Spirit Cave remainsthe world's oldest natural mummywas a Native American but they were able to dismiss a longstanding theory that a group called Paleoamericans existed in North America before Native Americans. The ground-breaking research also discovered clues of a puzzling Australasian genetic signal in the 10,400 year old Lagoa Santa remains from Brazil revealing a previously unknown group of early South Americansbut the Australasian link left no genetic trace in North America. It was described by one of the scientists as 'extraordinary evidence of an extraordinary chapter in human history'. Professor Eske Willerslev, who holds positions both at St John's College, University of Cambridge, and the University of Copenhagen, and led the study, said: "Spirit Cave and Lagoa Santa were very controversial because they were identified as so-called 'Paleoamericans' based on craniometryit was determined that the shape of their skulls was different to current day Native Americans. Our study proves that Spirit Cave and Lagoa Santa were actually genetically closer to contemporary Native Americans than to any other ancient or contemporary group sequenced to date." The Lagoa Santa remains were retrieved by Danish explorer Peter W. Lund in the 19th century and his work led to this 'Paleoamerican hypothesis' based on cranial morphology that theorised the famous group of skeletons could not be Native Americans. But this new study disproves that theory and the findings were launched under embargo by Professor Willerslev with representatives from the Brazilian National Museum in Rio on Tuesday, November 6 2018. He added: "Looking at the bumps and shapes of a head does not help you understand the true genetic ancestry of a populationwe have proved that you can have people who look very different but are closely related." The scientific and cultural significance of the Spirit Cave remains, which were found in 1940 in a small rocky alcove in the Great Basin Desert, was not properly understood for 50 years. The preserved remains of the man in his forties were initially believed to be between 1,500 and 2000 years old, but during the 1990s new textile and hair testing dated the skeleton at 10,600 years old. The Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe, a group of Native Americans based in Nevada near Spirit Cave, claimed cultural affiliation with the skeleton and requested immediate repatriation of the remains under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. The request was refused because the ancestry was disputed, the tribe sued the federal government and the lawsuit pitted tribal leaders against anthropologists, who argued the remains provided invaluable insights into North America's earliest inhabitants and should continue to be displayed in a museum. The deadlock continued for 20 years until the tribe agreed that Professor Willerslev could carry out genome sequencing on DNA extracted from the Spirit Cave for the first time. Professor Willerslev said: "I assured the tribe that my group would not do the DNA testing unless they gave permission and it was agreed that if Spirit Cave was genetically a Native American the mummy would be repatriated to the tribe." The team painstakingly extracted DNA from the petrus bone from the inside of the skull proving that the skeleton was an ancestor of present day Native Americans. Spirit Cave was returned to the tribe in 2016 and there was a private reburial ceremony earlier this year that Professor Willerslev attended and details have just been released. The geneticist explained: "What became very clear to me was that this was a deeply emotional and deeply cultural event. The tribe have real feelings for Spirit Cave, which as a European it can be hard to understand but for us it would very much be like burying our mother, father, sister or brother. "We can all imagine what it would be like if our father or mother was put in an exhibition and they had that same feeling for Spirit Cave. It has been a privilege to work with them." Professor Eske Willerslev with Donna and Joey, two members of the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone tribe. Credit: Linus Mrk, Magus Film The tribe were kept informed throughout the two year project and two members visited the lab in Copenhagen to meet the scientists and they were present when all of the DNA sampling was taken. A statement from the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe, said: "The Tribe has had a lot of experience with members of the scientific community, mostly negative. However, there are a handful of scientists that seemed to understand the Tribe's perspective and Eske Willerslev was one of them. "He took the time to acquaint himself with the Tribe, kept us well-informed of the process, and was available to answer our questions. His new study confirms what we have always known from our oral tradition and other evidencethat the man taken from his final resting place in Spirit Cave is our Native American ancestor." The genome of the Spirit Cave skeleton has wider significance because it not only settled the legal and cultural dispute between the tribe and the Government, it also helped reveal how ancient humans moved and settled across the Americas. The scientists were able to track the movement of populations from Alaska to as far south as Patagonia. They often separated from each other and took their chances travelling in small pockets of isolated groups. Dr. David Meltzer, from the Department of Anthropology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, said: "A striking thing about the analysis of Spirit Cave and Lagoa Santa is their close genetic similarity which implies their ancestral population travelled through the continent at astonishing speed. That's something we've suspected due to the archaeological findings, but it's fascinating to have it confirmed by the genetics. These findings imply that the first peoples were highly skilled at moving rapidly across an utterly unfamiliar and empty landscape. They had a whole continent to themselves and they were travelling great distances at breath-taking speed." The study also revealed surprising traces of Australasian ancestry in ancient South American Native Americans but no Australasian genetic link was found in North American Native Americans. Dr. Victor Moreno-Mayar, from the Centre for GeoGenetics, University of Copenhagen and first author of the study, said: "We discovered the Australasian signal was absent in Native Americans prior to the Spirit Cave and Lagoa Santa population split which means groups carrying this genetic signal were either already present in South America when Native Americans reached the region, or Australasian groups arrived later. That this signal has not been previously documented in North America implies that an earlier group possessing it had disappeared or a later arriving group passed through North America without leaving any genetic trace." Dr. Peter de Barros Damgaard, from the Centre for GeoGenetics, University of Copenhagen, explained why scientists remain puzzled but optimistic about the Australasian ancestry signal in South America. He explained: "If we assume that the migratory route that brought this Australasian ancestry to South America went through North America, either the carriers of the genetic signal came in as a structured population and went straight to South America where they later mixed with new incoming groups, or they entered later. At the moment we cannot resolve which of these might be correct, leaving us facing extraordinary evidence of an extraordinary chapter in human history! But we will solve this puzzle." The population history during the millennia that followed initial settlement was far more complex than previously thought. The peopling of the Americas had been simplified as a series of north to south population splits with little to no interaction between groups after their establishment. The new genomic analysis presented in the study has shown that around 8,000 years ago, Native Americans were on the move again, but this time from Mesoamerica into both North and South America. Researchers found traces of this movement in the genomes of all present-day indigenous populations in South America for which genomic data is available to date. Dr. Moreno-Mayar added: "The older genomes in our study not only taught us about the first inhabitants in South America, but also served as a baseline for identifying a second stream of genetic ancestry, which arrived from Mesoamerica in recent millennia and that is not evident from the archaeological record. These Mesoamerican peoples mixed with the descendants of the earliest South Americans and gave rise to most contemporary groups in the region." Explore further Direct genetic evidence of founding population reveals story of first Native Americans More information: J.V. Moreno-Mayar el al., "Early human dispersals within the Americas," Science (2018). Journal information: Science J.V. Moreno-Mayar el al., "Early human dispersals within the Americas,"(2018). science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi 1126/science.aav2621 View of the recording unit on top of the hawk. The unit is custom made and includes a high-definition camera and ultrasonic recording microphone. Credit: Laura Kloepper Active sensors are incorporated into a number of technologies, such as meteorology devices and self-driving cars, and use the echo from sound, radio or light waves to locate objects. But despite nearly a century of development, these active sensing technologies still fail to replicate the performance of sonars (sound waves) used in the biological world by dolphins and bats for echolocation. To find ways to improve man-made active sensing, scientists worldwide study the sonar systems of bats and dolphins. During the Acoustical Society of America's 176th Meeting, held in conjunction with the Canadian Acoustical Association's 2018 Acoustics Week, Nov. 5-9, at the Victoria Conference Centre in Victoria, Canada, Laura Kloepper, assistant professor at Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana, will compare bat and dolphin sonar systems, describing her work on how the two animals cope with acoustic interference. She'll use her findings to argue why bats have the superior system. "I'm on Team Bat," said Kloepper. "But I'm going to be presenting dolphin work to argue why bats are better." She hopes her talk sparks a healthy debate between researchers of both animals. Kloepper's talk is part of a special session devoted to bat and dolphin sonar systems. Several of the speakers in the session will appear in a press conference devoted to the subject. Overcoming Interference, Bat and Dolphin Style Scientists have long been puzzled by how groups of bats and groups of dolphins distinguish their individual echoes from others within their colony or pod. Laboratory studies have suggested a number of potential bat strategies to overcome this acoustic interference or jamming. "I'm going to be presenting the first study looking at how dolphins might be changing their signals to avoid jamming, or if they are even subject to any sort of acoustic jamming," said Kloepper. Image of a hawk flying through the stream of bats during emergence. Credit: Acoustical Society of America (ASA) Kloepper introduced dolphin clicking through a specialized setup of speakers and microphones at U.S. Naval facilities, to interfere with the echolocation of a single dolphin performing a behavioral task. "We were excited to see that when playing this stimulus we see a response," said Kloepper. "But they don't have the same level of control of their call as bats do." She thinks that this difference in control is related to the level of complexity in the sounds the animals use to echolocate. "The probability of overlapping one call with another dolphin isn't high, because the clicks are so short, therefore dolphins don't really have a need to change to avoid any sort of acoustic interference," said Kloepper. "Bats, on other hand, have calls that are much longer in duration, so have a higher probability of overlapping with other bats when they are flying in the same airspace." In her bat studies, Kloepper mounted cameras and microphones onto various mobile platforms, including a hawk trained to fly through, what she describes as "this incredible dark river of bats in the sky"the bat swarm. These studies and others have revealed that a number of bat species alter how the pitch changes over call duration; these bat species are referred to as frequency-modulating. "They have the ability to be really flexible with their echolocation, which is how they can overcome this jamming," said Kloepper. Kloepper's team is comparing videoed behavior of bats with acoustic detail to answer questions such as what sounds are produced by bats in different positions in the swarm. They've managed to acquire some group behavioral information, but the challenge now is to address individual level detail. "We're currently developing new electronic hardware to go on our drone and hawk that will allow us to really home in on which bat is making which call when it's in the middle of this massive group," said Kloepper. As for dolphins, Kloepper wants to expand their pilot study. "We want to find out how they respond if we give even more interferencewill they be able to echolocate?" Explore further Moths survive bat predation through acoustic camouflage fur More information: "Flexibility means adaptability: Bats adapt to jamming scenarios better than dolphins," by Laura Kloepper will take place Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2:40 p.m. in the SHAUGHNESSY (FE) room of the Victoria Conference Center in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada Provided by Acoustical Society of America (ASA) Zhiyao (Yao) Lu leads a USC Dornsife startup that has developed a technology designed to turn vegetable oil into renewable fuels and biodegradable plastic. Credit: Rhonda Hillberry Greenhouse gases and plastic waste are the targets of a USC Dornsife chemistry startup. Postdoctoral scholar and Catapower Inc. director Zhiyao (Yao) Lu describes the company's technology as a molecular robot that turns vegetable oil into renewable fuels and biodegradable plastic. "We started as a team of scientists tackling two of the world's most prominent environmental challengesthe relentless rise of greenhouse gases and the conglomeration of plastic waste in the oceans," Lu said, referring to well-documented plastic patches the size of Australia now floating in the Pacific Ocean. Approaching the problem as a chemist, he wanted to tackle both problems at once. Catapower's momentum was underscored in March when Lu's presentation earned the top 2018 USC Wrigley Sustainability Prize of $7,000. The annual competition promotes business concepts that help the environment. In weeks leading up to the competition, students drafted business plans and honed their pitches while assigned mentors helped them turn their ideas into action. Lu was one of seven finalists to present his research to a panel of leading technology and science experts at the Ronald Tutor Campus Center. On the heels of that success, Catapower was selected for the National Science Foundation Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program to learn how to run a startup, including customer acquisition, incorporation, licensing and fundraising. USC is home to the Southern California I-Corps hub, one of eight centers nation-wide, jointly administered by the California Institute of Technology and UCLA. The program aims to foster nationwide innovation by encouraging the translation of ideas and research beyond the laboratory for social and economic impact. Turning cooking oil into fuel Catapower intends to upgrade cooking oil from commercial and household fryers into biodiesel and lactic acid. Biodiesel is an environmentally friendly, low-carbon fuel, but its widespread use in heavy equipment, airplanes, trucks and power generators has been stymied by its high cost of production. The new technology overcomes the cost obstacle affordably and sustainably, Lu said. And any type of vegetable oil can be used for the upgrading process. "So now we have a process that makes two valuable products and no waste," he said. The second product line harnesses the polymer form of lactic acid, a biodegradable plastic widely used in disposables and biodegradable medical devices. The salts of lactic acid are used as environmentally benign antimicrobial agents in a range of products from food to cosmetics and are valuable commodity chemicals. Renewable fuels: Moving from the lab to something larger As part of the intensive I-Corps program, Lu hit the road in August with his business partner and adviser, Professor of Chemistry Travis Williams, to talk with potential customers, partners and investors. Funding would enable Catapower to grow from lab and test-tube stage to something much larger. The founders said the company is in negotiations for large contracts to deploy its technology at refinery scale in 2019. Although it might seem like things are happening quickly, Lu pointed out that he and other USC Dornsife chemistry students have been working diligently for more than five years to get this far. "After developing and testing many generations of different catalysts, we finally arrived at this onea molecular machine," said Lu, formally the company's chief technology officer. "It works millions of times with high precision, very selectively converting the glycerol waste into lactate while producing biodiesel." Williams, who encouraged Lu to tackle the commercialization challenge on top of his postdoctoral responsibilities, serves as academic adviser, co-founder and technical adviser for the company. Several students in Williams' lab, including Ivan Demianets, Valeriy Cherepakhin and Talya Kapenstein, have also participated. The Williams lab is working with the USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies, which operates on Santa Catalina Island and the University Park campus, to create a demonstration project that provides practical and educational benefits. "From our perspective, being able to refine biodiesel here on an island saves us the trouble of figuring how to get rid of used cooking oil and also reduces the amount of diesel fuel we need to bring onto the island," said John Heidelberg, associate professor of biological sciences at USC Dornsife and associate director of the USC Wrigley Institute. Addressing a bigger problem Lu, who grew up in northwestern China, studied pharmaceutical sciences in college before coming to USC Dornsife to earn his Ph.D. in chemistry. "I've always wanted to make contributions to society by improving people's quality of life and thought I'd work in developing new medications that could help hundreds of thousands of people." As time passed, he saw the challenge in a different light. "I thought, why are so many people getting sick?" he said. "We are polluting the environment, which is harming people's health. I realized there is a much bigger problem, the environmental deterioration that threatens the sustainable future of our society." Explore further From lotion to ocean liner A 37-year survey of Florida monarch populations showed a steep decline, likely due to shrinking milkweed habitat and a boost in glyphosate use. Florida's spring breeding monarchs replenish populations in the northern US. Credit: Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace A 37-year survey of monarch populations in North Central Florida shows that caterpillars and butterflies have been declining since 1985 and have dropped by 80 percent since 2005. This decrease parallels monarchs' dwindling numbers in their overwintering grounds in Mexico, said study co-author Jaret Daniels, program director and associate curator of the Florida Museum of Natural History's McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity. "It's alarming in a number of different ways," said Daniels, who is also an associate professor in the University of Florida's department of entomology and nematology. "This study shows the tight connection between monarchs and milkweed and highlights very dramatic losses in abundance in Florida that further confirm the monarch is declining." While the drivers of the decline are not clear, the researchers said shrinking native milkweed populations and a boost in glyphosate use in the Midwest are part of the problem. Glyphosate, an herbicide often applied to agricultural fields to eliminate weeds, is lethal to milkweed, the monarchs' host plant. Less milkweed means less habitat for monarchs, said study co-author Ernest Williams, professor emeritus of biology at Hamilton College in New York. "A broad pattern is that 95 percent of corn and soybean products grown in the U.S. are Roundup Ready crops that resist glyphosate," Williams said. "That has a national impact. What's really needed are patches of native vegetation and nectar sources without pesticides. It's not just for monarchs but all pollinators." In the longest location-based monarch monitoring effort to date, a multi-institute team led by world-renowned monarch expert Lincoln Brower, who died earlier this year, closely followed spring monarch numbers in an herbicide-free cattle pasture in Cross Creek, about 20 miles southeast of Gainesville. The team examined milkweed plants for caterpillars and captured adult butterflies for 37 years, a period spanning more than 140 generations of monarchs. They found that monarchs' springtime departure from Mexico is timed to coincide with optimal growth of milkweed in the southeastern U.S. While adult monarch butterflies can feed from a variety of plants, their young depend on milkweed as their sole source of nutrition, storing up the plant's toxins to ward off predators. Monarchs lay hundreds of eggs on milkweed over their brief lifetimes, but just over 2 percent of eggs survive to become fully grown caterpillars. If monarchs get to their breeding grounds too early, they run the risk of their host plants being killed by froststoo late and the plants may not be able to support their young. To maximize their offspring's chances of survival, the butterflies must time their arrival in the U.S. within a three-week window, Daniels said, an impressive feat for insects with lifespans between six and eight weeks. This delicate matchup could be disrupted by climate change, which can skew plants' springtime schedules. "Since it's such tight timing, it would be devastating to the monarch," he said. Florida is an important stopover for monarchs returning north from Mexico, as spring breeding in southern states leads to the butterflies' recolonization of the upper U.S. and Canada. Monarchs rely on Florida for its abundance of milkweed and warm climate to lay the eggs that will help replenish the eastern population in the U.S., Daniels said. "Florida is kind of a staging ground for the recolonization of much of the East Coast," he said. "If these populations are low, then the northern populations are going to be at a similar abundance level." But although monarchs are a well-studied species, consistent long-term studies of changes in their spring breeding are rare, Williams said. The dramatic decrease in Florida's spring breeding monarch populations parallels dwindling numbers at the butterflies' overwintering grounds in Mexico. Credit: Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace "Long-term studies like this are important because they point to larger trends," he said. "Before 2005, there was more fluctuation in the data. Since 2005, the rate of decline has been steady." Daniels said that increasing pesticide-free native milkweed populations in Florida yards and on roadsides is a step in the right direction to prevent monarchs from requiring protection under the Endangered Species Act. But, he emphasized, not any milkweed will do. Asclepias curassavica, or tropical milkweed, is a commercialized, non-native tropical species that has become popular with growers because of its color and year-round vegetation. But tropical milkweed can become an "ecological trap" for monarchs, coaxing them into breeding in unusual areas during the winter monthsareas far enough north of Mexico to remain prone to freeze events throughout the winter and early spring, Daniels said. Prolonged breeding can also lead to an increase in a protozoan parasite that infects monarchs. "It's not a hard-and-fast rule of not using that plant, but we want to be cautious about potential implications," Daniels said. "It's invariably better to use natives across the board." Florida is home to about 21 native species of milkweed. Daniels recommends either Asclepias incarnata, also called swamp milkweed, or Asclepias tuberosa, commonly known as butterflyweed. Asclepias humistrata, or pinewoods milkweed, is also common throughout northern Florida and essential to monarch recolonization. "It's not as simple as saying, 'we plant milkweed and the monarch will be saved,'" he said. "We should think of this as an ecological issue. There are a lot of complexities to any organism and any system." Daniels said the team will continue monitoring monarch populations in Florida. He highlighted the willingness of Cross Creek property owners to give the research team access to the pastures each spring for 37 years as a key factor in the study's success. "It shows the importance of the public and private relationship when it comes to research," he said. "They've been fantastic collaborators." The study's lead author, Brower, died shortly before its publication. A lifelong butterfly expert, Brower was instrumental in finding monarch overwintering colonies in Mexico, the researchers said. This is his final publication. "He really was the grand old man of monarchs," said Williams. "Nobody has done more for monarchs." Williams said Brower had a knack for bringing people together and worked with more than 160 collaborators throughout his career. According to his obituary in The New York Times, Brower began studying monarchs in the 1950s and made his first trip to the fir forests in Mexico where the butterflies spend the winter in 1977. In the 1980s, Brower worked with the Mexican government to protect these forests from deforestation. "The best thing we can do is to continue his mission and continue to study and work to conserve the monarch," Daniels said. "I think he would be proud of that mission." Explore further First monarch butterflies arrive at Mexico wintering area More information: Lincoln P. Brower et al, A long-term survey of spring monarch butterflies in north-central Florida, Journal of Natural History (2018). Journal information: Journal of Natural History Lincoln P. Brower et al, A long-term survey of spring monarch butterflies in north-central Florida,(2018). DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2018.1510057 J50, or Scarlet, a southern resident killer whale in the Salish Sea, keeps up with her family in August 2018. Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries In 2018, the southern resident killer whale population in the Pacific Northwest's Salish Sea was at its lowest ever. The world watched in September as an orca named Scarlet, or J50, wasted away and died, leaving just 74 of her kind left. Some wondered if this was "What extinction looks like." Meanwhile, endangered mountain gorillas in Africa hit a milestone in the opposite direction. Their population climbed to more than 1,000the highest in nearly a century. Building on work begun by primatologist Dian Fossey of Gorillas in the Mist fame, Gorilla Doctors, a program led by the University of California, Davis, has been providing personalized veterinary care to these animals in the wild since the late 2000s. The gorillas have their own long-term health records, and the international team of veterinarians that observe and treat them know each one as they would their own family members and friendsdown to the individual. Wildlife veterinarians from UC Davis' SeaDoc Society and partnering organizations are just beginning to take that individualized-care approach with the ailing orcas. The pod of whales has not produced offspring in three years, and many of its female members are approaching the end of their reproductive years. "Mountain gorillas are the only great ape whose numbers in the wild are increasing," said Kirsten Gilardi, director of the Gorilla Doctors and founding director of the SeaDoc Society, which are both part of the Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. "Veterinary care is one key reason they have rebounded. It's not a huge leap to say that if we have the opportunity to care for killer whales that we can observe, a similar approach could contribute to that population's sustainability." Not so wildly different Mountain gorillas and killer whales have more in common than one might think. They both carry individualized, identifying characteristics. For the mountain gorillas, it's a unique set of nose wrinkles. For the whales, no two have the same saddle patch, a white patch at the base of the dorsal fin. Scarlet's mom, Slick (J16), breaches while her son, Mike (J26) swims nearby. Credit: Katy Foster/NOAA Fisheries Both species are highly intelligent, and live in close-knit, socially complex family groups. Their species ranges cut across borders, so their conservation involves multiple nations. The gorillas live in the Virunga Conservation Range, which spans Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda. The orcas are residents of the Salish Sea, which straddles the U.S./Canadian border and includes Puget Sound and the waters east of Vancouver Island. Both are charismatic animals beloved by the general public. In the Salish Sea, the orcas are literal residents of the area, and many people there view them as fellow neighbors. Coast Salish tribes and First Nations revere and maintain a strong ancestral connection with them. "If people didn't love these whales and know them as individuals, there would be no political backing for this work," said SeaDoc Science Director Joe Gaydos. In Africa, love for the gorillas extends to a strong ecotourism industry. Gorilla tourism revenue helps the governments of Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo protect the gorillas' critical habitat in the form of national parks. While personalized veterinary care is a key factor in their comeback, Gilardi said it is her strong opinion that "gorilla tourism revenue has absolutely saved them from extinction." But beyond the physical, there are big differences, too. For starters, they face different threats. For gorillas, it has been war, poaching, snares and habitat loss. For the whales, it's a lack of salmon, underwater noise from boats, toxins, disease and a changing, warming ocean that may exacerbate those problems. There are no quick, singular fixes. Baby Twitabweho of the Muhoza group in Rwandas Volcanoes National Park. Credit: Gorilla Doctors Decades of work ahead When Gaydos visited Rwanda last spring, he was struck by how advanced Gorilla Doctors is compared to where SeaDoc Society is in its care of southern resident killer whales. "They are decades of work ahead of us, with multiple veterinarians working in one region under one organization for many years," Gaydos said. "For those of us working to help the orcas, we're working from the edge of our desks because it's important, but nobody is really assigned to do this." Gorilla Doctors officially formed in 2009 when the nonprofit Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project teamed up with UC Davis' Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center. But the mountain gorillas have been receiving personalized veterinary care since 1986, after Fossey hired Jim Foster to become the first "Gorilla Doctor." The orca work is a U.S.-Canadian effort with many contributing organizations, including UC Davis' SeaDoc Society, NOAA Fisheries, Vancouver Aquarium, Center for Whale Research, SeaWorld, the Whale Sanctuary Project and others. (Learn more at Gaydos' blog post, "What We Learned from J50.") Moving forward SeaDoc Society began designing a health-record database for southern resident killer whales in 2016, when there were 84 whales. A cloud-based system that allows them to easily share those records among other veterinarians and biologists is still under development. Since 2016, a group of whale experts has been discussing how to intervene for a sick or stranded southern resident killer whale should the need arise. This past summer, Scarlet became the first free-ranging whale to receive veterinary intervention in the form of antibiotics, tissue sampling and other efforts. Her struggle followed the also well-followed tragedy of J35, or Tahlequah, who carried her dead calf for 17 days. The cause of Scarlet's sickness was never identified. But she taught the team a lot about questions to consider and the diagnostic tools, equipment and coordination needed for future veterinary interventions, which are expected. "What J50 did was move us years ahead with what we've been talking about for two years," Gaydos said. "I totally believe we can help these whales. I think we don't know how much we can help until we start pushing the envelope." Explore further Experts weigh next steps, possible capture to save ill orca Researchers show that berkelium and californium, two more elements in the actinide series (elements 89 to 103), have a surprisingly stable +5 oxidation state. The colorful central images illustrate the electron density between oxygen and the actinide in three different bonding symmetries. Credit: US Department of Energy Actinides, a series of 15 radioactive elements, are vital to medicine, energy, and national defense. Scientists examined two exceedingly rare actinides, berkelium and californium. These elements are at the extreme end of what is possible to synthesize in more-than-atom amounts for chemical study. These elements are only available in tiniest amounts. The scientists showed that the elements can lose electrons to bond like lighter actinides. Specifically, they found the +5 oxidation state is much more stable than expected, and similar to the stability found for lighter actinides. Due to the difficulty in studying these radioactive and rare elements, most of which have only been studied since the Manhattan Project, there is much to learn. Fundamental knowledge about the most basic, yet unknown, chemistry of the actinides, such as knowing better how two more actinides, berkelium and californium, form bonds at high oxidation states, could benefit environmental cleanup at nuclear production sites. Such knowledge could also aid in developing new nuclear fuels and their reprocessing. Further, this work resolves a longstanding uncertainty about actinides. When forming bonds with oxygen or participating in reactions involving oxygen atom transfer, the early actinide elements, protactinium through curium, can attain the +5 oxidation state when bonded to two oxygen atoms. Scientists wanted to know if this oxidation state is important in bonding for berkelium and californium (the next two actinides in the series after plutonium, americium, and curium). The team synthesized positively charged berkelium and californium molecules that contain oxygen atoms within a mass spectrometer. They created these molecules, BkO 2 + and CfO 2 +, by transferring to the actinide monoxide cations a second oxygen atom from the common gas nitrogen dioxide. The team's high-level electronic structure calculations showed that the produced molecules are linear, a significant characteristic of positively charged pentavalent dioxide ions of the actinides. The dissociation energies to break the actinide-oxygen bonds, which are at least 73 kcal/mol, are surprisingly high. These first pentavalent berkelium and californium species reveal that the +5 oxidation state is possible farther into the actinide series than previously recognized, which is key to understanding the essential nature and chemistry of these elements. More information: Phuong D. Dau et al. Remarkably High Stability of Late Actinide Dioxide Cations: Extending Chemistry to Pentavalent Berkelium and Californium, Chemistry - A European Journal (2017). Journal information: Chemistry A European Journal Phuong D. Dau et al. Remarkably High Stability of Late Actinide Dioxide Cations: Extending Chemistry to Pentavalent Berkelium and Californium,(2017). DOI: 10.1002/chem.201704193 The Antarctic ice sheet. Credit: Stephen Hudson / Wikipedia AWI researchers recently assessed subglacial lakes detected by satellite, and found very little water. But if that's the case, what is the source of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet's massive ice streams? In the course of an extensive Antarctic expedition, researchers from the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) investigated several lakes beneath Recovery Glacier that had been previously detected by satellite remote sensing. The experts found very few substantial bodies of water, which is a surprising result: up to that point, the scientific community had assumed that overflowing lakes below the East Antarctic Ice Sheet were the reason that ice masses began sliding and forming ice streams to begin with. This new study has just been released in the Journal of Geophysical Research. Recovery Glacier, located in the Coats Land region of Antarctica, has always been a slumbering giant, transporting ice from the high plateau of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet down toward the Weddell Sea at a snail's pace of only 10 to 400 metres per year. Its drainage area stretches nearly 1000 kilometres inland from the Filchner Ice Shelf on the coast, and is nearly three times the size of Germany. These two aspects could make the glacier into a potential threat, in the event that climate change accelerates its tempo some time in the future. According to forecasts, if this comes to pass, Recovery may also be the stream through which East Antarctica loses the most ice. A global sea-level rise would be the direct result. Yet, even after an expedition by glaciologists from the Alfred Wegener Institute, the reason why the ice masses of Recovery Glacier are in motion is no clearer than before. The research community had previously assumed that meltwater lakes below the East Antarctic Ice Sheet were the cause, the idea being that said lakes occasionally overflow their banks, creating a lubricating film on which the ice above can slide, like when a car begins to aquaplane. This was especially believed to hold true for those regions of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet in which gravity alone isn't sufficient for the ice to flow that fast; this also includes Recovery Glacier's region of origin. "From satellite imagery of the glacier we can see, especially in the upper drainage basin, several flat, uniform areas on the surface. We had previously assumed that there were giant lakes below them that initiated the ice stream. Without these lakes, it was believed, streams like the Recovery Ice Stream could never form," says Prof. Angelika Humbert, first author of the new study and head of the AWI's Glaciology section. Humbert and her colleagues can now disprove this hypothesis. In an extensive expedition during the Antarctic summer of 2013/14, the AWI experts used radar to survey Recovery Glacier from on board the research aeroplane Polar 6. The data collected provides an indication as to whether the ground below the ice stream is wet or dry. According to Humbert, "Before our expedition, the form of Recovery Glacier and the characteristics of the underlying rock were largely unknown. Thanks to our data, we can now fill in some of the blank spots on the map of Antarctica." However, when it comes to large lakesthey had expected to find ones as large as Lake Constancethe scientists came up empty-handed, even though they analysed the radar data for every known lake criterion. "To be on the safe side, we also used satellite data and double-checked the previously detected changes in elevation, which are an indicator of flooding lakes. Though we can reproduce the findings of our colleagues, and can certainly understand why they expected to find lakes there, we simply weren't able to confirm the presence of water at the respective locations," Humbert adds. Thanks to Russian and British research projects at Lake Vostok and Lake Ellsworth, we know that there certainly are subglacial lakes in the Antarctic. "These lakes are accumulations of meltwater, which is created when subterranean heat begins melting the ice from below. Over thousands of years, the water slowly gathers in these depressions," explains AWI glaciologist and co-author Dr. Thomas Kleiner. Unfortunately, thanks to their latest findings, the AWI researchers now have more questions than answers on the role of subglacial lakes. "Our new results show that flooding lakes can't be the critical mechanism for the formation of an ice stream," says Angelika Humbert. "At the same time, we've now identified certain weaknesses in our radar-based techniques, which raises the question as to whether they're truly the best way to detect subglacial lakes. Since surface and elevation analyses have proven unsuitable, if we truly want to understand what sets ice streams in motion, the only remaining option is seismic measurements." Seismic studies can't be conducted from on board aircraft, and land expeditions to regions as remote as Recovery Glacier are far more involved than the already-difficult aerial campaigns. Nevertheless, the AWI researchers plan to launch a follow-up expedition: in the Antarctic summer of 2020/21, they intend to take another look below the ice of Recovery Glacier by recording a seismic traverse. At the same time, one of the AWI's research aeroplanes will use the institute's new ultra-wideband ice radar to scan the glacier. Taken together, the two approaches will hopefully shed new light on what makes the ice of Recovery Glacier begin sliding in its region of origin. Insights into the mechanisms responsible for this and other ice streams are urgently needed, as they can be incorporated into ice and climate models to enhance their forecasting accuracy. Explore further Lakes beneath Antarctic ice sheets found to initiate and sustain flow of ice to ocean More information: Angelika Humbert et al, Missing Evidence of Widespread Subglacial Lakes at Recovery Glacier, Antarctica, Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface (2018). Journal information: Journal of Geophysical Research Angelika Humbert et al, Missing Evidence of Widespread Subglacial Lakes at Recovery Glacier, Antarctica,(2018). DOI: 10.1029/2017JF004591 Shallow cumulus clouds gather over the Southern Great Plains atmospheric observatory. Five Doppler lidars (see blue circles) are now in place at SGP. Vogelmann and his team are taking advantage of them. Graphic is courtesy of Vogelmann. Credit: US Department of Energy Cumulus clouds, low and rain-free, get their name from the Latin word for "heap." With flat bases and puffy upper surfaces, such clouds appear to bubble into the sky, turning grey at the bottom and brilliant white at the top. How these clouds form is of great interest to scientists. They reflect a lot of sunlight and play an important role in how heat and water vapor are distributed in the lower atmosphere, impacting surface temperature, and soil moisture. These clouds and others are formed when heat and moisture rise from the Earth's surface into the cooler atmosphere. Updrafts are the engine of this movement, along with the downward and mixing motion created by competing downdrafts. "Shallow cumulus clouds are the visual manifestation of the updrafts," explains Pavlos Kollias, an atmospheric scientist at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) on Long Island, New York. (He also has a joint appointment at nearby Stony Brook University.) Early studies of how such clouds work used profiling cloud radars. These instruments, typically deployed at ground sites, take rapid high-resolution measurements of conditions (including wind velocity) in a narrow column right above the radar. Kollias recalled his graduate studies in shallow cumulus at the University of Miami with mentor Bruce Albrecht. "Back then," he says, "using a profiling radar was all we could hope for." Today, cloud-profiling instrumentation is prominently sited at the Southern Great Plains (SGP) atmospheric observatory, operated by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility. Pinning down vertical velocity Kollias is part of a BNL-based team that is expanding the instruments used by including Doppler lidar to improve the evaluation of models. This leads to better estimates of the magnitude and range of cloud-forming updrafts and downdrafts at and below cloud base. The vertical velocity at cloud base, he says, "is a very important parameter" for understanding the evolution of the atmosphere's boundary layer and cloud life cycles. More accurately representing vertical velocity and its interaction with clouds would improve the predictive accuracy of earth system models. "The cloud base is where clouds are generated and a lot of energy goes into it," says his colleague, Satoshi Endo, a scientific associate at BNL whose expertise is high-resolution modeling, cloud physics, and boundary-layer meteorology. That makes "cloud base vertical velocity an essential property for understanding the formation and development of clouds," he adds. "It also quantifies the exchange of air between the boundary layer and the atmosphere above, and represents vertical transport by clouds." Yet models and observations often do not agree on the vertical velocity at cloud base. The BNL researchers think improving the modeling of the shell at the edge of these clouds could at least partly explain why observations and models vary. Adding Doppler lidar Kollias and colleagues at BNL and elsewhere are bringing Doppler lidars into the measurement and model-evaluation scheme. They think its measurement strengths could help close the gap between models and observations in characterizing the cloud base. The primary team is a cross-disciplinary group of observationalists and modelers. Endo and Damao Zhang, a research associate who studies cloud physical properties and specializes in retrieval algorithms, are doing the heavy lifting. Rounding out the main team with Kollias is BNL's Andrew Vogelmann, the project's principal investigator. Doppler lidar is a remote-sensing technology similar to radar that sends a laser pulse into the air and looks to see what light is scattered back by small particles. This information is then used analytically to see if the particles are moving towards or away from the device, among other details. Unlike radar, Doppler lidar can "see" winds when there are no clouds; it senses how aerosols scatter and interprets those signals. And unlike radar, lidar is also not confused by atmospheric biota (chiefly insects). Bringing in concentrated Doppler lidar data became possible two years ago. That's when ARM added a network of four lidars in a ring around one already running at SGP's Central Facility. The lidar network is arrayed in the northwest, northeast, southwest, and southeast corners of an area 90 kilometers (56 miles) in diameter. Herding cloud 'cattle' The BNL team's efforts are part DOE's Climate Model Development and Validation (CMDV) "Coupling Mechanistically the Convective Motions and Cloud Macrophysics in a Climate Model" (CM4) project. Shallow cumulus clouds gather over the Southern Great Plains atmospheric observatory. Credit: US Department of Energy The objective of CM4 is to dramatically improve the representation of shallow convection through advanced observational analyses of shallow cumulus. CM4 is developing advanced methods for modeling parameterization. Team lead for CMDV-CM4 is David Romps at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). His co-investigators are from BNL (including Kollias, Vogelmann, and meteorologist Michael Jensen), along with collaborators from the University of Washington and the University of Texas, Austin. The project, supported by DOE's Atmospheric System Research program, was officially launched in 2016. It uses a new suite of instruments in the search for insights into low-cloud behavior. That suite now includes SGP's enhanced array of Doppler lidars. The target of the improved representation is DOE's Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM), which emphasizes modeling the full earth system with an eye to exploiting DOE's next-generation exascale computing. Representing convective motion in models is difficult because updrafts and downdrafts are complex turbulent eddies that bubble up and down. Think of turbulent clouds forming upward as a "herd of cattle heading in the same direction," says Vogelmann, "though each cow might be moving slightly differently than the others." Vogelmann and his team are grappling with how to represent cloud-base vertical velocity by evaluating the difference between observations and simulations. Doppler lidar sited at SGP gave Vogelmann and the other researchers one way to rope data on that turbulent herd of cattle busy forming clouds. From there, the BNL team formulated an expanded strategy for assessing models by adding in the newly available archive of ARM routine large-eddy simulations (LES) that are designed to complement ARM observations. The simulation library, based on daily routine measurements at SGP, is called LASSO, which stands for LES ARM Symbiotic Simulation and Observation workflow. LASSO makes 3-D modeled cloud fields, statistics, and model inputs easily accessible, allowing researchers to test models by using statistical approaches beyond single cases. Its routine model simulations capture the activity of shallow cumulus clouds in LES conditions at SGPthe kind of robust, observation-based simulations modelers need. The data are packaged in data bundles from a library of cloudy days carefully chosen by LASSO administrators. LASSO also makes getting this data convenient. "That's not trivial," says Vogelmann, since it takes so much time to assemble a similar data bundle for a single day, much less a series of days. "There's a lot of stuff going on in the background." He is co-principal investigator on the LASSO project, joined by William Gustafson of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Using LASSO data bundles beats setting up a model based on "just a cool-looking day" that may not represent the sky environment well in a model, says Vogelmann. "You need to drive the model with a realistic atmosphere." Lidar-LASSO synergy Vogelmann and the others had a glimmer of what they might do a year ago. It has gradually come into focus since then during a few public talks, starting with one last fall at the American Geophysical Union meeting. Most recently, they presented a talk at the July American Meteorological Society Cloud Physics meeting. There is no paper yet, says Vogelmann (one is in the works), but the response to the talks from the modeling community has been good so far. That includes interest in what he calls the "amazingly robust" results and how well "the environment is put into the model." Based on the five Doppler lidars, the researchers set out to observe statistics of cloud-base vertical velocity at SGP and to test LES using LASSO. They used SGP lidar observations from May to September 2016 and 2017, identified fair-weather shallow cumuli, and both observed and simulated cloud-base vertical velocity. Their LASSO simulations drew on a series of 2016 cases run with the community Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model within a 14.5-kilometer domain of sky. Additional work ahead includes checking vertical velocity observations from aircraft research campaigns and testing interactive land-surface models. "We have invested a lot of time understanding and analyzing the observations," says Kollias, summing up. "The ongoing effort is by no means discouraging. It is all we hoped for." Explore further Modeled clouds in the tropics get a reality check Credit: RUB, Marquard An international team of researchers has transferred certain structural characteristics of natural enzymes, which ensure particularly high catalytic activity, to metallic nanoparticles. The desired chemical reaction thus did not take place at the particle surface as usual, but in channels inside the metal particles and with three times higher catalytic activity. A team from the University of New South Wales, Australia, and Ruhr-Universitat Bochum, Germany, reported on these nanozymes in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, published online on 23 September 2018. In the case of enzymes, the active centres, where the chemical reaction takes place, are located inside. The reacting substances have to pass through a channel from the surrounding solution to the active centre, where the spatial structure provides particularly favourable reaction conditions. "It is assumed, for example, that a locally altered pH value prevails in the channels and that the electronic environment in the active centres is also responsible for the efficiency of natural enzymes," says Professor Wolfgang Schuhmann, head of the Bochum Center for Electrochemical Sciences. Channels produced in nickel-platinum particles In order to artificially imitate the enzyme structures, the researchers produced particles of nickel and platinum about ten nanometres in diameter. They then removed the nickel by means of chemical etching, whereby channels were formed. In the final step, they deactivated the active centres on the particle surface. "This enabled us to ensure that only the active centres in the channels participated in the reaction," explains Patrick Wilde, a doctoral candidate at the Center for Electrochemical Sciences. The researchers compared the catalytic activity of the particles produced in this way with the activity of conventional particles with active centres on the surface. For the test, the team used the oxygen reduction reaction, which, among other things, forms the basis of the operation of fuel cells. Active centres at the end of the channels catalysed the reaction three times more efficiently than active centres on the particle surface. "The results show the enormous potential of nanozymes," sums up Dr. Corina Andronescu, a group leader at the Center for Electrochemical Sciences. The researchers now want to extend the concept to other reactions, such as electrocatalytic CO2 reduction, and investigate the principles of increased activity in more detail. "We would like to be able to imitate the way enzymes work even better in the future," adds Schuhmann. "Ultimately, we hope that the concept will contribute to industrial applications in order to make energy conversion processes more efficient using electricity generated from renewable sources." Explore further Robust and inexpensive catalysts for hydrogen production More information: Tania M. Benedetti et al. Electrocatalytic Nanoparticles That Mimic the Three-Dimensional Geometric Architecture of Enzymes: Nanozymes, Journal of the American Chemical Society (2018). Journal information: Journal of the American Chemical Society Tania M. Benedetti et al. Electrocatalytic Nanoparticles That Mimic the Three-Dimensional Geometric Architecture of Enzymes: Nanozymes,(2018). DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b08664 Archive November 2021 (2) October 2021 (4) August 2021 (1) July 2021 (2) June 2021 (1) May 2021 (2) April 2021 (3) March 2021 (4) February 2021 (4) January 2021 (4) December 2020 (4) November 2020 (4) October 2020 (7) September 2020 (7) August 2020 (8) July 2020 (8) June 2020 (6) May 2020 (5) April 2020 (8) March 2020 (9) February 2020 (5) January 2020 (6) December 2019 (5) November 2019 (5) October 2019 (7) September 2019 (4) August 2019 (5) July 2019 (3) June 2019 (4) May 2019 (5) April 2019 (6) March 2019 (2) February 2019 (4) January 2019 (4) December 2018 (4) November 2018 (8) October 2018 (6) September 2018 (1) August 2018 (3) July 2018 (4) June 2018 (4) May 2018 (5) April 2018 (5) March 2018 (2) February 2018 (7) January 2018 (7) December 2017 (8) November 2017 (5) October 2017 (9) September 2017 (5) August 2017 (9) July 2017 (9) June 2017 (10) May 2017 (6) April 2017 (6) March 2017 (7) February 2017 (8) January 2017 (8) December 2016 (7) November 2016 (10) October 2016 (12) September 2016 (14) August 2016 (14) July 2016 (12) June 2016 (14) May 2016 (10) April 2016 (12) March 2016 (14) February 2016 (13) January 2016 (13) December 2015 (8) November 2015 (13) October 2015 (16) September 2015 (10) August 2015 (10) July 2015 (14) June 2015 (14) May 2015 (15) April 2015 (17) March 2015 (17) February 2015 (16) January 2015 (15) December 2014 (13) November 2014 (12) October 2014 (12) September 2014 (9) August 2014 (8) July 2014 (11) June 2014 (12) May 2014 (13) April 2014 (11) March 2014 (11) February 2014 (11) January 2014 (14) December 2013 (15) November 2013 (11) October 2013 (19) September 2013 (10) August 2013 (13) July 2013 (12) June 2013 (13) May 2013 (13) April 2013 (17) March 2013 (15) February 2013 (15) January 2013 (17) December 2012 (15) November 2012 (13) October 2012 (17) September 2012 (16) August 2012 (19) July 2012 (15) June 2012 (19) May 2012 (19) April 2012 (19) March 2012 (21) February 2012 (15) January 2012 (17) December 2011 (17) November 2011 (17) October 2011 (19) September 2011 (17) August 2011 (17) July 2011 (18) June 2011 (19) May 2011 (13) April 2011 (11) March 2011 (14) February 2011 (10) January 2011 (10) December 2010 (7) November 2010 (11) October 2010 (10) September 2010 (13) August 2010 (13) July 2010 (10) June 2010 (15) May 2010 (12) April 2010 (12) March 2010 (9) February 2010 (11) January 2010 (11) December 2009 (11) November 2009 (13) October 2009 (13) September 2009 (13) August 2009 (12) July 2009 (15) June 2009 (14) May 2009 (14) April 2009 (15) March 2009 (10) February 2009 (9) January 2009 (11) December 2008 (11) November 2008 (10) October 2008 (10) September 2008 (12) August 2008 (11) July 2008 (11) June 2008 (11) May 2008 (9) April 2008 (11) March 2008 (17) February 2008 (13) January 2008 (14) December 2007 (12) November 2007 (10) October 2007 (15) September 2007 (11) August 2007 (11) July 2007 (12) June 2007 (10) May 2007 (15) April 2007 (6) Researchers from the University of Portsmouth have devised a new method to rank hotels more accurately. The new method will help hotel operators to maximise their revenue by providing more information on the areas that customers care about. Customers also benefit from a more accurate and trusted rating of a hotel's performance. Online customer reviews have become increasingly important for people when booking hotel rooms. Online review platforms typically provide an overall rating by combining customer ratings of several individual criteria and then computing an average of these scores. The way they aggregate individual ratings into the overall rating is very simplistic, some platforms just do an arithmetic average of individual ratings. The problem is that it provides an equal weighting to each individual criteria and doesn't differentiate between important and non-important hotel characteristics. Also a hotel could compensate a low score in one aspect with a high score in another. The new model relaxes some of the assumptions made by this average approach and reflects a customer's decision process more accurately by providing different weighting to attributes that are more important to customers. The results found the roles of staff and location as the most important criteria for hotels to maximise their revenue. The higher up the rankings a hotel appears, the more bookings they get and in turn, increase their revenue. The findings also showed that, contrary to previous research, location is not particularly key when it comes to ranking a hotel's performance. This could be because customers already know the location of a hotel when booking so their evaluation might refer to more intangible aspects of the location, such as street noise, that are more difficult to assess prior to booking. Co-author of the study Dr. Marta Nieto-Garcia, Lecturer in the Marketing and Sales Subject Group at the University of Portsmouth, said: "Our new model is an innovative approach that prioritises attributes and overcomes the simplistic use of an overall average. "From a managerial perspective, this approach helps operators to better understand the attributes that play a leading role in terms of revenue maximisation. Improving those aspects that are important to customers will be bene?cial to hotels as long as the improvements are cost-e?cient. For instance, improving facilities, which appears to be essential for increasing revenue, might be costlier than improving cleanliness. After considering which dimensions customers rank higher, each hotel should conduct careful cost bene?t evaluations to decide on which attributes it should invest resources and how best those attributes could be improved. "For customers' benefit, the model is ?exible in that it updates based on new customers' evaluations and hotel performance data. This means that they can rank hotels based on a more accurate overall rating, which results in more informed decisions." The researchers combined two independent data sources, online ratings from Booking.com (overall and individual ratings against six criteriacleanliness, comfort, facilities, location, staff and value for money) and RevPAR (revenue per available room) data from the global data company STR. Data was taken from 709 hotels across 14 European cities. They then used Preference Ranking Organisation METHod for Enrichment of Evaluations (PROMETHEE), a multi-criteria decision analysis system that identifies the pros and the cons of several criteria and provides a ranking of them. This revealed significant correlation between ratings and RevPAR in cleanliness, comfort, facilities, location, staff, with facilities the most significant, followed by staff. Dr. Nieto-Garcia said: "Individual ratings re?ect the attributes that customers consider relevant for their hotel choice. Through the use of our new model it is possible to o?er a more accurate overall rating that accounts for the importance of the single individual attributes. This would result in more informed decision for customers and improved RevPAR for hotels." The study, co-authored by Marta Nieto-Garcia, Giampaolo Viglia and Alessio Ishizaka from the Faculty of Business and Law at the University of Portsmouth, is published in the International Journal of Hospitality Management. It also involved Giuliano Resce from the Universita degli Studi Roma in Italy and Nicoletta Occhiocupo from the IQS School of Management in Spain. Dr. Nieto-Garcia said: "However, we recognise that the study looked at just one platform (Booking.com) and could be expanded to validate the findings across different platforms (such as Tripadvisor). Also, the results are from European cities only and collected at a single point in time, so we could look whether this is relevant to other continents as well as enrich the current contributions with longitudinal data." More information: Marta Nieto-Garcia et al, The dimensions of hotel customer ratings that boost RevPAR, International Journal of Hospitality Management (2018). Marta Nieto-Garcia et al, The dimensions of hotel customer ratings that boost RevPAR,(2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2018.09.002 Credit: Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology The development of self-propelled micro- and nanomachines able to emulate the intricate inner workings of the human body and/or the natural environment has captured the imagination of an ever expanding research community since the turn of the millennium. It is envisioned that these devices will play an important role in nanomedicine and environmental remediation. One of the main challenges faced by scientists lies in the quest for efficient ways to power these machines without drawing on external sources. Studies over the last decade or so have produced sample batches of motors able to capture, transport and deliver loads, or sense and neutralise chemical or biochemical pollutants, among many other tasks. However, the understanding of the precise mechanisms causing these actions is limited. The issue is how to study the physiochemical reactions and other phenomena that occur in an object that is zigzagging everywhere through an aquatic medium. The first micromotor engineered back in 2004 was dubbed a "swimmer." But if you hold a swimmer in place, the same characteristics that would otherwise cause it to move through the fluid will cause the fluid to move through it, turning it into a pump. The observations of such "micropumps" can then be extrapolated to gain a better understanding of micromotors. From this starting point, researchers of the ICN2 Force Probe Microscopy and Surface Nanoengineering Group led by Dr. Jordi Fraxedas have developed a set of techniques that provide deeper analysis of the key parameters influencing this behaviour. With the additional support of Prof. Dr. David Reguera of the University of Barcelona and Dr. Borja Sepulveda Martinez of the ICN2 Magnetic Nanostructures Group, they look at how the complex interplay of surface chemistry, chemical gradients, and electric and fluid fields is translated into motion, and how the knowledge gleaned can be used to tune the behaviour of future micromotors. Described in their paper "Unravelling the Operational Mechanisms of Chemically Propelled Motors with Micropumps," published this September in Accounts of Chemical Research, they report surface chemistry, zeta potential and surface roughness to be important factors in controlling the direction and strength of motion of different types of micromotors. Lead author Dr. Maria Jose Esplandiu explains how these findings are important not only to harnessing the full potential of micro- and nanomotor technologies, but also to understanding nature: "Like many living organisms, micromotors are known to exhibit collective behaviour, meaning they work together in coordination, saving energy and performing tasks more efficiently." Geese flying in a V formation, swarm intelligence in ants and bees, and cell responses to infection or injury all respond to this principle, operating in what are known as active matter systems. As yet, these systems are poorly understood from a scientific perspective. Artificial micromachines can potentially shed some light: "By characterising and isolating what parameters translate into what mechanical effect at the level of the individual micromotor, we can predict and control the behaviour of a batch of micromotors and set them on the path of a particular collective behaviour. This may offer insights into these processes in living organisms." In their paper, the team takes a combined experimental and theoretical approach to the analysis of two types of pumpsbimetallic, and metal and semiconductingpresenting unambiguous data on the operational mechanisms of these chemically propelled motors. Explore further Micromotors are powered by bacteria, controlled by light More information: Maria Jose Esplandiu et al. Unraveling the Operational Mechanisms of Chemically Propelled Motors with Micropumps, Accounts of Chemical Research (2018). Journal information: Accounts of Chemical Research Maria Jose Esplandiu et al. Unraveling the Operational Mechanisms of Chemically Propelled Motors with Micropumps,(2018). DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.8b00241 (Left to right) Rick Honaker, a professor and chair of mining engineering, talks with Assistant Research Professor Wencai Zhang, doctoral student Alind Chandra and postdoc Honghu Tang. Credit: University of Kentucky Americans use rare earth elements (REEs) every daywithout knowing it. In fact, they are crucial to society. Rick Honaker, professor of mining engineering at the University of Kentucky, knows all about these fascinating elements and the modern electronics they make possible. REEs are a series of 17 chemical elements found in the Earth's crust. "On a periodic table, they are typically the lanthanide series, which is the horizontal row at the bottom of the periodic table, plus scandium and yttrium. All of those elements are extremely important for everyday applications," Honaker said. For example, europium is a color-producing phosphor used in video screens, including computer monitors and plasma TVs. Neodymium is a powerful magnet used in smartphones, televisions, lasers, rechargeable batteries and hard drives. Due to their unique chemical properties, REEs are essential components of technologies spanning a range of applications, such as communication systems, transportation, health care and national defense. Demand for REEs has risen steadily. Worldwide, electric vehicle production is expected to grow to 30 million cars annually by 2025. "There's about five kilograms of rare earths in every electric vehicle, and we expect electric vehicle production is going to exponentially increase, almost doubling the amount of rare earths that we produce today." Credit: UK Research Communications The problem? Approximately 90 percent of the world's REEs are currently produced and manufactured in China. Now, is the time for the U.S. to find an economically feasible solution. That's where Honaker comes in. In 2017, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) selected Honaker's pilot-scale project to move onto a second phase of research in an effort to recover these elements from coal and coal byproducts. The Department of Energy (DOE) invested $6 million in the project and partners contributed an additional $1.5 million over two and a half years for a total of $7.5 million. Honaker recently launched a pilot-scale processing plant aimed at recovering REEs from coal and its byproducts in Webster County. "We'll start off producing a concentrate mix, and we've been successful in the labin a continuous formactually producing a 99-percent pure rare earth product. So, we'll be doing that, but we'll also be taking that one step further and actually producing rare earth concentrates." Honaker supervised the construction crew that built this pilot plant to extract rare earth elements from coal. Credit: University of Kentucky If successful, the process would provide a domestic source of REEs. You might be asking, why is Kentucky leading this endeavor? One of the largest sources of rare earth elements in the United States is the Fire Clay coal seam in Eastern Kentucky. "Since coal is a major economic source in parts of our state, providing a means of recovering an important byproduct adds economic strength and viability to the coal industries," Honaker continued. "So, that's why Kentucky is interested in developing this, as well as the fact that the Commonwealth is a pretty large manufacturing state." Honaker has no doubts they will be able to achieve recovery. So, when asked what the most challenging part of this research will be, he replied, "Economics. Trying to be able to produce it even as a byproduct, and to be economical doing it, is probably our most significant challenge." Overall, Honaker remains optimistic, because he has an incredible team of researchers and students behind him. "The training opportunities that we have are tremendous, and that brings a lot of satisfaction, because that's really what we're here forto educate and to develop technology. I mean, how many times do you have an opportunity, as a student, both as undergraduate and graduate, to be involved in such a meaningful project?" Institutions and investigators involved in the project include, Josh Werner and Wencai Zhang (University of Kentucky); Roe-Hoan Yoon, Gerald Luttrell and Aaron Noble (Virginia Tech); and Qingqing Huang (West Virginia University). The project is scheduled to be complete in March 2020. Until then, Honaker and his team will be "very busy." Explore further Researchers produce high grade rare earth concentrate from coal source Credit: Wake Forest University Small-scale gold mining has destroyed more than 170,000 acres of primary rainforest in the Peruvian Amazon in the past five years, according to a new analysis by scientists at Wake Forest University's Center for Amazonian Scientific Innovation (CINCIA). That's an area larger than San Francisco and 30 percent more than previously reported. "The scale of the deforestation is really shocking," said Luis Fernandez, executive director of CINCIA and research associate professor in the department of biology. The scientists at CINCIA, based in the Madre de Dios region of Peru, have developed a new data fusion method to identify areas destroyed by this small- or artisanal-scale mining. Combining existing CLASlite forest monitoring technology and Global Forest Change data sets on forest loss, this new deforestation detection tool is 20-25 percent more accurate than those used previously. Both CLASlite and the Global Forest map use different kinds of information from light waves to show changes in the landscape. "Combining the two methods gives us really good information about the specific kind of deforestation we're looking for," said Miles Silman, associate director of science for CINCIA and director of Wake Forest's Center for Energy, Environment, and Sustainability (CEES). Silman has researched biodiversity and ecology in the Western Amazon and Andes for more than 25 years. Credit: Wake Forest University Artisanal-scale gold mining has been hard to detect because its aftereffects can masquerade as natural wetlands from a satellite view. But the damage is extensive. Small crews of artisanal miners don't expect to hit the mother lode. Rather, miners set out to collect the flakes of gold in rainforest. "We're not talking about huge gold veins here," Fernandez said. "But there's enough gold in the landscape to make a great deal of money in a struggling economy. You just have to destroy an immense amount of land to get it." To get the gold, they strip the land of trees or suck up river sediment, and then use toxic mercury to tease the precious metal out of the dirt. The results are environmentally catastrophic. Artisanal-scale gold mining took root in the Peruvian Amazon in the early 2000s, coinciding with construction of a new modern highway connecting Peru and Brazil. The Interoceanic Highway made Peru's once remote rainforest and protected lands accessible to anyone. Where it used to take two weeks by all-terrain vehicle to travel from Cuzco to Puerto Maldonado, the capital of Madre de Dios, during the rainy season, it now takes only six hours aboard an air-conditioned luxury bus. Because artisanal-scale gold mining requires no heavy machinery and thus involves minimal outlay, it has provided a revolving-door opportunity for poor workers from the Andean highlands to seek their fortune in Madre de Dios. When they return home, they leave a patchwork of mercury-polluted ponds and sand dunes, the landscape denuded of trees and most other vegetation. CINCIA has partnered with Peru's Ministry of the Environment to try to understand how the new tool developed by its scientists can be used to identify deforestation caused by artisanal-scale gold mining and take effective action to curb the damage. "We want to integrate high-quality scientific research into the processes the government is using for environmental conservation in Madre de Dios," Fernandez said. CINCIA scientists also are studying native species that can be used for post-mining reforestation. The 115-acre experiment at CINCIA's headquarters is the largest in the Americas. Explore further Scientists study mercury poisoning in Peruvian forest on pope's itinerary Credit: CC0 Public Domain How predictable is evolution? The answer has long been debated by biologists grappling with the extent to which history affects the repeatability of evolution. A review published in the Nov. 9 issue of Science explores the complexity of evolution's predictability in extraordinary detail. In it, researchers at Kenyon College, Michigan State University and Washington University in St. Louis closely examine evidence from a number of empirical studies of evolutionary repeatability and contingency in an effort to fully interrogate ideas about contingency's role in evolution. The question of evolution's predictability was notably raised by the late paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould, who advocated the view that evolution is contingent and unrepeatable in his 1989 book Wonderful Life. "Replay the tape a million times ... and I doubt that anything like Homo sapiens would ever evolve again," Gould mused, noting that being able to "replay the tape" and give history a do-over would be impossible. Yet since the publication of Wonderful Life, many evolutionary biologists have taken up this challenge and conducted their own versions of Gould's experiment, albeit on smaller scales. In doing so, they have reached different conclusions about the interplay between randomness of mutations, chance historical events, and directionality imparted by natural selection. "How history plays out isn't really predictable. Historical outcomes are contingent on long chains of events loaded with tiny little details. A dropped packet of cigars wrapped with the Confederate army's marching orders was found by a Union soldier, which led to the Battle of Antietam, which led to Lincoln announcing the Emancipation Proclamation. What if those cigars hadn't been dropped, or if they hadn't been found by a Union soldier? Evolution is similar, in that it plays out over vast periods of time with long, unique chains of events involving a lot of chance. Unlike history, though, evolution has the deterministic force of natural selection, but that determinism is always in tension with the chanciness. How does that tension affect what evolves? Which is more important: contingency on details of history, or determinism?" said Zachary Blount, a senior research associate at MSU and visiting assistant professor of biology at Kenyon College who served as lead author of the review. Blount was joined in his work by Richard Lenski, the Hannah Distinguished Professor of Microbial Ecology at MSU, and Jonathan Losos, the William H. Danforth Distinguished University Professor at Washington University in St. Louis. "The idea of replaying life's tapehaving a fresh startis something almost everyone has thought about at some point in their own lives. It's also something that has long interested biologists, but on the grand scale of the history of life on Earth," Lenski said. "Since Gould introduced the metaphor of replaying life's tape, many studies have tried to characterize the repeatability of evolution. What our review shows is that there's no easy answer: Sometimes evolution produces strikingly similar solutions, and other times evolving lineages take very different paths even under the same circumstances. I think that's part of the fascination and beauty of evolution, that it produces both the expected and unexpected, perhaps like in our individual lives, but on a vastly larger scale." Gould's thought experiment still stimulates robust debate, in part due to inconsistencies Gould introduced in how he described his replay metaphor, as well as confusion around the concept of contingency. Gould often conflated two common meanings of "contingency": as dependence on something else, and as a chance event. "There are multiple, different literatures on Gould's idea, and these literatures are not talking to each other," Losos said. "There are microbial evolution studies. There are all the studies of convergent evolution, or lack of convergent evolution. And there's also a philosophical literature on what Gould meant when he said, 'replay the tape.' That is, more generally, when you talk about the role of contingencywhich is the term Gould usedwhat does that actually mean?" Their review of existing empirical studies focused on primarily on three types of "replay studies": laboratory evolution experiments with fast-evolving organisms; experiments carried out in nature; and natural experiments that compare lineages that evolved under similar conditions. The comprehensive analysis revealed a complex picture of evolutionary change in which both contingency and determinism are evident. Blount, Lenski and Losos examined a number of different types of laboratory experiments, including parallel replay experiments, in which identical populations of an organism are separately evolved under identical conditions, and analytic replay experiments, in which specimens are frozen from a parallel replay experiment and then resurrected and re-evolved from different points in time. This review included study of the long-term evolution experiment with Escherichia coli (LTEE), started by Lenski in 1988. The LTEE has followed 12 populations of E. coli, founded from a single clone, for more than 70,000 generations. Samples of each population were frozen every 500 generations, allowing researchers to directly compare the evolving bacteria with their ancestors. Blount, Lenski and Losos also examined experiments that attempt to replicate evolution in natural settings. Only a few such experiments exist to date, and their review of these experiments indicated a high degree of repeatability in evolutionary responses to different historical conditions. Their review of comparative studies of "natural experiments" further illuminated evidence of evolution's predictability. Similar features can independently evolve in multiple speciesfor example, anole lizards of the Caribbean, which separately evolved traits such as the length of their legs and tails to ease their life in their specific habitats. Yet convergence in evolution does not always occur, as their review shows; contingency can play a strong role in divergent evolution of various traits. "What we clearly see is that both convergence and lack of convergence occur a lot in the natural world," Losos said. "It's not useful just to keep adding to the two lists. The real question that people are now turning to is: Why does convergence occur sometimes and not others? That is where research is now headed. That's the question we need to focus on." Explore further Biologist's new book details a new era in the study of evolution Low-cost pioneer Ryanair reached a labour agreement with German cabin crew after a series of strikes earlier this year disrupted services Ryanair has forged a preliminary labour agreement with German cabin crews, the low cost airline said Thursday, after strikes over employment contracts caused widespread disruption earlier this year. The accord with union Verdi "will lead to pay improvements and other benefits for our German based cabin crew, subject to them voting in favour of this agreement over the coming week," Ryanair head of personnel Eddie Wilson said in a statement. The deal, which is now subject to a cabin crew ballot, does not cover pilot crew who are represented by cockpit union VC. German cabin crew were among those who took part in a pan-Europe walkout in Septemberseeking higher wages and an end to the practice whereby staff work under mostly Irish contracts, not those of the country they reside in. After crew staged strikes in Germany, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain labour organisers claimed to have grounded more than 190 flights. "After a year of negotiations, Verdi sees this agreement as a step towards improving the working conditions of employees and their wages," said a Verdi spokeswoman. She indicated that the union still finds aspects of the Dublin-headquartered airline's position "problematic" but said that members' decision to accept or rebuff the agreement would be taken after 13 November. On Thursday, Ryanair also announced Italian staff had voted 88 percent in favour of an agreement with the three main cabin crew unions in that country. "These are further concrete signs of the substantial progress Ryanair is making in concluding agreements with our people and their unions in many different EU countries," Wilson added in the statement. This summer strikes by cockpit and cabin crew in Italy, as well as Belgium, Ireland, Portugal and Spain disrupted 600 scheduled flights and plunged 100,000 travellers into chaos. In October Ryanair cut its annual profits forecast by 12 percent owing to the cancellations. Ryanair lowered its estimate for annual profits after tax to 1.10-1.20 billion euros ($1.27-$1.39 billion) from a range of 1.25-1.35 billion euros for the coming financial year concluding next March. Strike action has also caused turbulence among high-level staff at the firm. During the company's annual general meeting in September governance was called into question by shareholders. Ryanair recognised cabin crew unions for the first time in June. The move was taken after the firm was forced to cancel 20,000 flights between September 2017 and March 2018 owing to pilot shortages and pay concerns. Explore further Ryanair says cancelling 190 flights over Friday strike 2018 AFP Credit: CC0 Public Domain UO geologist Greg Retallack has dirt on his handsand at 3.7 billion years old, it might be some of the oldest dirt on Earth. Found in a metamorphic rock formation in southwestern Greenland, the soil in question was exposed beneath a retreating ice cap and spotted during a helicopter survey by study co-author Nora Noffke. A sedimentologist at Old Dominion University, Noffke noticed certain soil-like characteristics in the exposed rock, including mudcracks and sand crystals. She returned to the U.S. with samples in tow and teamed with Retallack, director of fossil collections at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History and an expert in fossil soils, to test the samples in the laboratory. As the authors reported in a study published recently in the journal Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, a series of geochemical and microscopic tests identified the sample as a likely paleosol: an ancient soil that formed as physical, chemical or biological processes altered it from its parent rock. Retallack said that the paleosol provides a glimpse into landscapes and climates early in the planet's history. "This soil profile is exceptional in giving us a view of conditions on land much earlier than was available before," Retallack said. "The Earth would have been uninhabitable by humans or other animals, because the minerals in the soil show that there was very little oxygen in the air. Weathering back then was also odd, because it was more like acid-sulfate weathering of desert crusts than modern weathering by rain and plants. Such acid sulfate paleosols have also been found on Mars, where they are also about 3.7 billion years old." The authors also found signs that living organisms may have inhabited the soil, making it some of the earliest evidence of life on land. "The characteristic isotopic ratios of carbon throughout the paleosol are tantalizing indications of life on land much further back in time than previously thought," Retallack said. "Although the origin of life has been envisaged in warm little ponds or scalding hot submarine springs, this discovery encourages those who think that life originated in soil." Thin sections of the rock have been archived as specimens in the museum's Condon Collection of Fossils, and Retallack and Noffke are planning additional investigations to find out more about the organic compounds in the rock. Explore further Team says life in Earth's soils may be older than believed More information: Gregory J. Retallack et al. Are there ancient soils in the 3.7 Ga Isua Greenstone Belt, Greenland?, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology (2018). Journal information: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology Gregory J. Retallack et al. Are there ancient soils in the 3.7 Ga Isua Greenstone Belt, Greenland?,(2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.palaeo.2018.10.005 Graphic showing sequences for peptide clusters. Credit: University of California San Diego Since the time of ancient Egypt, humans have been making and breaking secret codes to retain and gain critical information. Human life itself is based upon a genetic code of DNA or RNA sequences which cells read and translate into proteinsthe building blocks of life. Recent scientific discoveries have revealed the body's mechanisms for transcribing DNA regulated by the "histone code"different chemical marks on the tails of histone proteins, which are macromolecules within cell nuclei responsible for packaging and structuring DNA. After eight years of study, a team of researchers from the University of California San Diego and Johns Hopkins University published new findings about how to read the body's histone code in the Nov. 7 issue of Science Advances. The findings answer a key question in the dynamic research area of epigeneticsadding chemical tags to DNA and histone proteins to alter cell functions without changing DNA sequence. Understanding the fundamental principles of how epigenetic information is transduced in the cell eventually could lead to developing new drugs for fighting diseases like cancer. In the research article titled "Deciphering and engineering chromodomain-methyllysine peptide recognition," UC San Diego Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Wei Wang, postdoctoral scholars and his colleagues in the Departments of Pharmacology, Bioengineering, and Cellular and Molecular Medicine, as well as scientists at Johns Hopkins, provide a mechanistic explanation of how combinations of histone modifications could be read by certain proteins"reader proteins"leading to changes of gene expression and interpretation of information coded in the DNA genome. Chromodomain-peptide binding intensities on the microarray (shown as z scores; red, binding; green, nonbinding). Credit: University of California San Diego "We developed a model to understand how reader proteins see through different combinations of histone modifications, which interpret and transduce the information encoded in tagging histone proteins without changing the DNA sequence," said Wang. Applying a metaphor of makeup, Wang explained that if a person makes up his or her face, the makeup might change how the person looks, but he or she can still be identified as the same person. In the body, histone modifications can produce various combinations, like a person's makeup, that can change the chemical properties of the histone proteins. But Wang and colleagues found that reader proteins recognize those same chemical properties, even if they resulted from different combinations of histone modifications. According to Wang, because the number of possible combinations of different chemical tags is huge, the histone code has not been well defined. The new findings, however, suggest a way to define the histone code, a computational model depicting the chemical properties of histone proteins. It is like seeing through a person's makeup and revealing the person's true identity. "Based on the computational model, we are able to engineer the reader proteins to alter or enhance their binding to particular histone modifications," explained Wang. "If reader proteins with certain mutations are generated, we can use them as imaging probes to monitor the dynamics of histone modifications in live cells. This is something that cannot be done using antibodies." Explore further Energetic gene switch More information: Ryan Hard et al. Deciphering and engineering chromodomain-methyllysine peptide recognition, Science Advances (2018). Journal information: Science Advances Ryan Hard et al. Deciphering and engineering chromodomain-methyllysine peptide recognition,(2018). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aau1447 Sprint users looking for a little holiday cheer are getting some small, but nice gifts Tuesday: more hotspot data and access to a faster 4G LTE network, if you have a more recent phone. Users of Sprint's "Unlimited Plus" and "Unlimited Freedom" will now have 50GB of full-speed 4G LTE data per month, up from 15GB for Plus and 10GB for Freedom. Users of the company's pricier "Unlimited Premium" plan will see their hotspot data rise to 100GB from 50GB. The increased capability comes as Sprint turns on its faster, 4G LTE Advanced network nationwide. The company says the new network will deliver upload and download speeds up to twice as fast as its current 4G LTE network, assuming you have the right phone. Those with older unlimited plans, such as the company's "Everything Data" unlimited plan that didn't have mobile hotspot, will soon be able to utilize the 50GB of hotspot data as well. The increased hotspot data is available for Plus and Premium users Tuesday with "Freedom," and "Everything Data" users able to take advantage Friday. There is no cost to get the new hotspot data, and for Unlimited Plus and Premium users, Sprint will simply add the feature automatically. Those on some of the company's other, older unlimited plans may need to log into their accounts on Sprint's website to add the feature. Users of the company's cheaper "Unlimited Basic" or the promotional $15 per month "Unlimited Kickstart" plan won't be able to get the increased hotspot capacity. "With the launch of LTE Advanced, we wanted to send a strong message that we are very confident in the capacity of our network," Roger Sole, Sprint's chief marketing officer, told USA TODAY. "It's not the service that most customers use all the time, but its value" has increased among Sprint's customers as "kind of a lifeline for high-speed connectivity on the go." Most new "flagship" phones that Sprint sells are compatible with the faster network, including Apple's iPhone XS and XS Max; Samsung's Galaxy S9, S9 and Note 9 and LG's V30+, G7 ThinQ and V40 ThinQ. The company will have identifiers in its stores and online to let people know they are buying one of the devices able to tap into the faster network. Gearing up for 5G, and its first 5G phone Sprint's network update comes as all four major wireless carriers gear up for a big 5G push heading into 2019. Verizon has already launched its first version of 5G, known as "fixed 5G" that is designed to replace traditional home broadband, in four U.S. cities. AT&T plans to launch its 5G network for mobile devices later this year while T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon all plan to launch similar mobile 5G networks in 2019. Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile have all already launched their own LTE Advanced networks, with AT&T even calling its network "5G Evolution." As with its competitors, the jump to LTE Advanced and its associated technologies complement Sprint's work toward 5G. John Saw, Sprint's chief technology officer, said having the LTE Advanced backbone coupled with other 4G network improvements that the company is still making, such as the implementation of a technology known as "massive MIMO," will allow Sprint to better prepare itself for 5G, regardless of whether or not its pending merger with T-Mobile reaches approval. "It will be faster, simply because we're killing two birds with one stone," Saw says, crediting the "massive MIMO" deployment for helping with this process. "When I build these MIMO sites today, I'm actually building for 5G as well," continues Saw, explaining that once the 5G software is available it will be easier for Sprint to enable across its network since the hardware is currently being put into place as part of the company's 4G LTE enhancements. There is still no timeline for when Sprint will turn on its 5G network in its nine initial launch cities. The company will, however, have its first 5G mobile device ready for purchase around March 2019, Sole told USA TODAY. Sprint previously announced it was working with LG on its first 5G phone for the first half of 2019. "We hope to be the first ones to have a true, mobile 5G handset (available in) March of next year," says Sole, noting that unlike AT&T it will not be calling its LTE Advanced network and devices "5G." "Until then, we're going to call the things what they are." 2018 USA Today Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Ninety-five percent of the corals were bleached in November 2015, but still alive when the WHOI team visited Jarvis during the peak of the 2015-16 El Nino. Credit: Thomas M. DeCarlo, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution As climate change causes ocean temperatures to rise, coral reefs worldwide are experiencing mass bleaching events and die-offs. For many, this is their first encounter with extreme heat. However for some reefs in the central Pacific, heatwaves caused by El Nino are a way of life. Exactly how these reefs deal with repeated episodes of extreme heat has been unclear. A new study from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), has uncovered the history of bleaching on a reef in the epicenter of El Nino, revealing how some corals have been able to return after facing extreme conditions. The study was published Nov. 8, 2018, in the journal Communications Biology. "These huge marine heatwaves, which are being exacerbated by global warming, are equivalent to an atomic bomb in terms of impact on coral reefsthey kill millions of corals across huge areas of ocean in a very short time" says WHOI scientist Anne Cohen, who was principal investigator on the work. "We've seen this play out now globally for the past 30-40 years, and bleaching events have become more frequent and more severe." When water temperatures rise even slightly, symbiotic algae that live inside the cells of the live coral start to create toxic substances and are ejected by the corals. The algae normally provide the corals with food and energy, as well as their bright colors. Without them, the corals appear to be "bleached" white, then starve and die. In their study, Cohen's team traveled to Jarvis Island, a tiny, unpopulated coral reef island 1,400 miles south of Hawaii, to study the effects of extreme climate on the corals there. Because Jarvis is both remote and part of a marine protected area, it has been home to stunningly rich coral reefsbut with its location in the middle of the Pacific, it also experiences more extreme heat waves caused by periodic El Nino events than coral reefs elsewhere. "The fact that it's placed right at the equator in the central Pacific puts it at epicenter of El Nino dynamics." says NOAA researcher Hannah Barkley, who was a graduate student and later a postdoctoral fellow in Cohen's lab at the time of the study, and is the paper's lead author. "It's subject to incredible variability and extremes in temperature.". Because there is no observational record of bleaching on the reef at Jarvis before 2015, Cohen and Barkley turned to massive old corals that had lived on the reef for more than 100 years. They took core samples from the corals, creating a sort of skeletal biopsy that records the history of the reef. After running the cores through a CT scanner, they found for the first time evidence of multiple bleaching events preserved in the physical structure of the reef. The longest cores revealed bleaching as far back as 1912. "We found that when the reef bleaches, these big old corals lay down "stress bands," or a dense layer of calcium carbonate, the bonelike material that make up the structure of corals. Those bands appear clearly in the CT scan, and correspond with historical heat waves," says Cohen. The memory of past bleaching events on Jarvis is locked into these coralsthey can tell us what has been going even though we weren't there to see it for ourselves." Jarvis has experienced above-average temperatures every four to seven years, going back decades or even centuries. The team discovered that with each heat wave, the reef experienced severe bleaching, yet seems to have bounced back fairly quickly each time. Based on their samples, the group thinks that one major reason for the reef's recovery is the currents nearby. The topography of the ocean floor, combined with the force of trade winds on the surface, brings cold, nutrient-rich water up from the deep. That upwelling feeds a dense array of fish and other aquatic life around the reef, which in turn eat away grassy algae that compete with the corals. In the process, they leave room for new, young coral polyps to eventually settle. "These reefs are resilient, having bleached and recovered many times, " says Dan Thornhill, program director in the National Science Foundation's Division of Ocean Sciences, which funded the research. "But the 2015-2016 bleaching event was particularly severe, so the island is providing us with new insights into how some of the world's most resilient corals are faring in the face of severe bleaching stress." Understanding how coral reefs like Jarvis are able to recover after extensive bleaching will be essential for understanding how other reef ecosystems may grow back in the future, says Barkley. But the 2015 Super El Nino caused Jarvis to heat up more than it ever did before, and the bleaching that ensued was the worst on record. 95 percent of island's corals died. "The big question for us is whether the reef can bounce back at all this time," says Barkley. "Even reefs like Jarvis that have regrown in the past have a threshold beyond which they may not recover. What happens over next few years will really help us understand severe bleaching." Still, she's guardedly optimistic. "It's easy to look at a place like Jarvis after the 2015 bleaching event and feel depressed. But the historical record we got from our core samples says we're not beyond hope. Jarvis is just one example: even though we are seeing signs of accelerated bleaching and mortality worldwide, we have a narrow window to address the effects of climate change on corals. Some reefs may be able to persist through huge stress events." "The initial signs of recovery are there," says Cohen. "Now we wait, watch and learn." Explore further Study tracks severe bleaching events on a Pacific coral reef over the past century An image of Spikeling, a 25 piece of electronic equipment developed at the University of Sussex to aid teaching about neurons in the brain. Credit: University of Sussex Scientists at the University of Sussex have developed a piece of hardware to demonstrate how our brains function, as part of a growing range of equipment which uses DIY and 3-D printable models to open up access to science education. Professor of Neuroscience, Tom Baden, has been working with colleagues to build Spikeling; a piece of electronic kit which behaves similarly to neurons in the brain. Understanding how neurons encode and compute information is a central part of neuroscience but until now, opportunities for hands-on experience has been scarce. But for just 25, Professor Baden may have found a way to make the process of learning neuroscience much more interactive. Spikeling simulates how nerve cells in the brain compute information, with receptors that react to external stimuli like light. Students can then follow the activity of the brain cells and their underlying mechanisms live on a computer screen. Multiple Spikelings can be linked together to form a network, showing how brain neurons interconnect; allowing scientists to demonstrate the behaviour behind every day actions like walking. Professor Baden said: "Spikeling is a useful piece of kit for anyone teaching neuroscience because it allows us to demonstrate how neurons work in a more interactive way." Prof Tom Baden, Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Sussex (centre), has developed a 25 electronic aid to help understand how neurons work. Credit: University of Sussex Professor Baden and his team hope that Spikeling will become a useful teaching tool in neuroscience and the kit is already being put into practice, with the teaching of third year Neuroscience students at the University of Sussex, and at a summer school in Nigeria in 2017 where scientists were also taught how to build the hardware from scratch. Spikeling is the latest in a line of equipment developed by Professor Baden, who also recently developed designs for a 3-D printable microscope called FlyPi, which can be set up with a basic unit for 100 Euros (compared to commercial microscopes costing thousands of dollars) and a pipette. All have been made available openly with the design for Spikeling published on open access journal PLOS Biology. Professor Baden explained: "With all parts being cheap, and design files being free and open, we hope that like any open Hardware design, Spikeling can be a starting point for others to change or extend it to their requirements, and reshare their improved design with the community." This is sharing of design files is a growing trend with hundreds of designs from the global community constantly collected on the PLOS Open Hardware toolkit, co-moderated by Professor Baden. The overall aim for Baden's lab, is to level the playing field in global science where equipment is otherwise expensive. The University of Sussex have developed a 25 piece of electronic equipment to help aid learning about how neurons operate in the brain. Credit: University of Sussex Andre Maia Chagas, a Research Technician in the lab, recently wrote an article advocating the need for open scientific hardware. Also published in PLOS Biology, the article was a response to a piece by American neuroscientist Eve Marder which questioned whether researchers in less wealth institutions may be left behind as the equipment needed to perform scientific research becomes ever more expensive. Professor Baden said: "By making access to scientific and teaching equipment free and open, researchers and educators can take the future into their own hands. In time, we hope that this type of work will contribute to level the playing field across the globe, such that ideas, not funding can be the primary driver for success and new insights". Explore further Making lab equipment on the cheap More information: Tom Baden et al, Spikeling: A low-cost hardware implementation of a spiking neuron for neuroscience teaching and outreach, PLOS Biology (2018). Tom Baden et al, Spikeling: A low-cost hardware implementation of a spiking neuron for neuroscience teaching and outreach,(2018). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2006760 See more designs on the PLOS Open Hardware toolkit on channels.plos.org/open-source-toolkit Journal information: PLoS Biology A forest fire works it way through a wooded area in Saskatchewan in May 2018. High-income nations have benefitted enormously from fossil fuels and the wealthy should now foot the bill to combat climate change. Credit: Joanne Francis/Unsplash The costs of climate change are mounting. A wealth tax would provide funds to address both the climate crisis and poverty. Carbon prices implemented by Canada's federal and provincial governments will end the free disposal of harmful emissions in the future. High-emission products will become relatively more expensive, which will shift consumption and investment patterns. The federal government's plan returns the collected revenue to Canadians. Therefore, it does not provide funds to address the rising costs of climate change, such as British Columbia's two consecutive summers of costly, record-breaking forest fires. Although wildfires are the culmination of many factors, the number of fires in Canada has doubled in the past 50 years, a change that scientists attribute to human-caused climate change. Such events are also predicted by climate models. In 1997, the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) identified worsening forest fires as one consequence of climate change for Canada. Other predicted effects included water quality decline and the displacement of communities by rising sea levels. The IPCC recognizes that the effects of climate will not be evenly distributed. Poor populations will be hardest hit. Perversely, many vulnerable regions produced few emissions, which is why some are calling for "climate reparations." As a wealthy, high-emissions nation, Canada has a responsibility to assist those who can least afford the impacts of climate change. A wealth tax would provide funds to help those negatively affected here and abroad. Part of all wealth is due to free emissions It is necessary to distinguish between income and wealth. In economic terms, income is a flow, wealth is a stock. Income is literally the money coming in. Wealth is net savings. The pair are obviously related. People with higher incomes can save more, accumulating more wealth. And returns on invested savings are a component of income. There is a well-established link between income and emissions. The highest-income countries have the the highest per-capita emissions. The highest-income members of high-income countries are responsible for the most emissions. Because data on wealth is more sparse, the relationship between emissions and wealth is less clear. Climate change and wealth are both tied to more than 250 years of fossil fuel use. Harnessing energy from fossil fuels was key to the Industrial Revolution, which triggered a dramatic increase in both emissions and wealth. Coal-fired steam engines made possible unthinkable scales of production. This bred innovations, further increasing the scale and multiplying the variety of products. Great Britain led the way, combining resources from overseas colonies with its new productivity, dramatically increasing the nation's wealth. A coal-fired steam engine train is seen in Scotland. Credit: Keith Bremner/Unsplash The relationship between emissions and wealth is not one-to-one, but they are positively linked and have grown together. For more than two centuries, industry has freely dumped emissions into the atmosphere. If it had to pay, profits would have been lower and owners would have accumulated less wealth. The wealth generated since the start of the Industrial Revolution has spread beyond the factory owners and their descendants, although wealth tends to concentrate within families. However, even when emissions-tainted wealth departs from the inheritance trajectory, it does not lose its ill-gotten origins. A portion of all wealth exists only because of centuries of emissions freely dumped into the atmosphere. Growth is unsustainable Economist Thomas Piketty helped bring the issue of economic inequality back into the public consciousness. He advocates a wealth tax as part of the solution to address inequality. Opponents of wealth redistribution instead argue for growth, claiming that it will "lift all boats." The work of Piketty, and others, shows that in recent decades, growth has not benefited everyone. A study from Swiss bank UBS finds the wealth of the world's billionaires increased by 19 per cent in 2017. Worse yet, recent studies have proven that economic growth requires unsustainable resource use. If we must move to a post-growth economy, then poverty reduction can only be achieved through redistribution. Billions could be raised In 2016, Canada's national wealth was $10.3 trillion. A wealth tax of one-half of one per cent would raise $51.5 billion. If we restricted the tax to the richest 20 per cent, who hold 67 per cent of Canada's wealth, we would still raise $34.6 billion. The billions collected could be used to fund research and development of low-emission technology, build renewable energy sources, develop resilient infrastructure, improve disaster response capabilities and make climate reparations. Present-day wealth distribution is an effective measure of benefit from past emissions. The wealthier you are, the more responsibility you bear for climate change. Some people are already experiencing acute costs associated with climate change. On the one hand, we have wealth held by those who benefited from emissions. On the other hand, we have people bearing the costs of climate change. A wealth tax would put a price on past emissions and could be used to mitigate the negative effects of poverty, including vulnerability to climate change. Explore further Effects of dementia on family wealth may contribute to economic disparities This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Digital pathology Credit: Alex Williams, University of Leeds Greg Clark, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), announced the investment today (Tuesday), as part of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund. The University of Leeds and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust welcomed the announcement of national funding which will allow the creation of a digital pathology clinical network and research programme. The successful partnership bid led by the University of Leeds and Leeds Teaching Hospitals embraces a network of nine NHS hospitals, seven universities and ten industry-leading medical technology companies, called the Northern Pathology Imaging Co-operative (NPIC). The investment of 10.1m from UK Research and Innovation is boosted by an initial investment of 7m from the companies involved in the programme. The consortium is now set to become a globally-leading centre for applying artificial intelligence (AI) research to cancer diagnosis. Sir Alan Langlands, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leeds, said: "Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is a global leader in the area of digital pathology for cancer diagnosis, thanks to the close links with academic researchers. We are now expanding this digitisation across the north through this exciting partnership between universities, the NHS and industry. Researcher working in digital pathology at Leeds Teaching Hospitals Credit: Leica Biosystems "Going forward, new technologies such as artificial intelligence have the potential to transform how we diagnose cancer and other diseases, and the University is making great advances in this area." Dr. Yvette Oade, Chief Medical Officer at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "This is a really exciting step for patients because computers using artificial intelligence can be trained to recognise the patterns of disease. Machines will support clinically trained pathologists to diagnose cancer faster, better and at lower cost. "We can also explore how to use digital pathology as part of precision medicine to ensure patients receive treatments tailored to their disease. This is a huge opportunity for Yorkshire to lead in this new area and further enhance our position as a hub for medical technology." NPIC will put new digital pathology scanners into a network of northern NHS hospitals, including all of the hospitals across West Yorkshire and Harrogate, to gather digital pathology images for training AI systems. This will generate about 760,000 images per year, about 1.2 Petabytes of data. The project also aims to develop more integrated ways of working across regional clinical pathology services. Clinicians will then work with industry and academic researchers to make new AI systems capable of analysing digital pathology images leading to better diagnoses for diseases like cancer. Pathologist looks at digital slides on a big screen. Credit: Section of Pathology and Tumour Biology, University of Leeds The work will stimulate AI research locally in academic and business sectors, creating jobs and supporting economic growth across the Leeds City Region. Professor Sir Mark Walport, Chief Executive of UK Research and Innovation, said: "Early diagnosis of illness can greatly increase the chances of successful treatment and save lives. "The centres announced today bring together the teams that will develop artificial intelligence tools that can analyse medical images varying from x-rays to microscopic sections from tissue biopsies. Artificial intelligence has the potential to revolutionise the speed and accuracy of medical diagnosis." Dr. Darren Treanor, a Pathologist at the University of Leeds and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, is leading the project. Speaking at the Alan Turing Institute today (Tuesday), he said: "Digital pathology is a technology with a huge potential to improve healthcare. "This new northern co-operative will allow us to use digital pathology to help patients across the region, and provide a platform on which we will develop artificial intelligence tools for pathology diagnosis to be used around the world." A key part of the project is to consider the ethics of data sharing to ensure NPIC partners abide by the highest professional standards when images are utilised for research purposes. NPIC will engage patients and the public in a programme of work about the use of anonymised images for AI research. It will also inform the development of a 'national pathology exchange' - software that allows images to be shared between NHS sites nationally so that patients can benefit from second opinions from anywhere in the UK. Provided by University of Leeds Refreshing will be one word you might use to describe this week. Jupiter, the planet that brings opportunity and blessings of all sorts, will make a move from the sign of Scorpio to Sagittarius. This jovial planet makes its way into a new sign about once a year, so all the good Scorpio people have been having their salad days. Jupiter will be in its home sign from now until December 2019, so now, all happy-go-lucky Sadge folks will share their good fortune with the rest of us. This change will simply make it easier for most of the human population to feel good. Although it wont happen until next week, Mercury Retrograde might begin to show its ominous presence now. Its good to have advance notice that during the time the planet of communication appears to move in reverse, we wont have total access to the energies which allow us to communicate, get electronics to work, or move from one place to the other. This week, then, is the perfect time to get the cars and computers checked and backed up, and make any travel plans that could be otherwise rained upon by Mercurys backward gait. Other patterns of note include a romantic moment on Friday when Venus and Mars do a delightful dance together, and the sun moving to tap on Plutos power on Sunday. These will, respectively, contrive a weekend thats good for developing and deepening all our relationships. The days that follow will be busy and fulfilling, with lots of great moments to enjoy! Jupiter makes its shift of signs on Thursday, and interestingly enough, the moon will make the same shift in signs on the same day. By the time the moon reaches Jupiter at 2:06 p.m., the transformation will be complete, and most people will notice a change in their outlook. Lets just say the Thursday is a good time to do anything that will be made better by people being in a good mood. Friday will set up a stupendous start to the weekend, as the Sagittarius moon encourages celebration and Venus and Mars create harmony in all relationships. Set up some time for romance, if you wish, or seek out a group that could allow you to develop some fresh friendships. Saturdays planetary interplay will allow the party to continue, and apart from a short void-of-course period between 10:35 and 10:55 p.m., just about any plan you make to enjoy yourself should play out without a hitch. The Capricorn moon will button down most peoples demeanor by Sunday, but the sun and Pluto indicate the possibility for favorable developments, especially if you want to deepen your understanding of a loved ones point of view. This serious frame of mind will continue to dominate on Monday, and you can use it to accomplish some daunting tasks. It will be possible to amass and execute a huge cache of organizational skills. Tuesday morning will start out innocently enough, but a void of course period between 10:13 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. could be tricky. The Aquarius moon will take over after that, cooling down peoples emotions and encouraging a greater consciousness of whats good for everyone involved in any given situation. Interactions with Jupiter and Mercury on Tuesday and Wednesday will make it an excellent time to present your concerns to a group or organize a collection of people that ordinarily would put you through an exercise akin to herding cats. Next week: The words will be slightly frustrating as Mercury begins its retrograde period. Yes, you can transfer your domain to any registrar or hosting company once you have purchased it. Since domain transfers are a manual process, it can take up to 5 days to transfer the domain. Domains purchased with payment plans are not eligible to transfer until all payments have been made. Please remember that our 30-day money back guarantee is void once a domain has been transferred. For transfer instructions to GoDaddy, please click here. Salesforces chief executive, Marc Benioff asked in a tweet Elon Musk to dig a tunnel under San Francisco, days after the Tesla CEO, who is also head of The Boring Company, tweeted the tunnel under Los Angeles had been completed and will launch officially next month. Would this turn into another actual business deal that started on Twitter, like Teslas energy storage project in Australia, which became reality after a direct exchange between Musk and Australias Prime Minister last year, remains to be seen but Musk has been vocal about the benefits of tunnel transport as a way of alleviating traffic jams in some of the worlds business cities. The pilot tunnel in L.A. is disturbingly long, according to another tweet by Musk, at 2 miles. Its construction started last year and now the tunnel extends from the headquarters of SpaceX in Hawthorne to a suburb of Los Angeles. It will, according to plans laid out in late 2017, be part of a network of tunnels, with one central artery and several branches into different parts of the city. The artery will be 40 miles long. Cars will descend into the tunnel in elevators and will then be put on electric sleds and move at speeds of 150 mph. The tunnels will also feature mass transit pods. The pods, according to a simulation video on The Boring Companys website, will move at speeds of 124 mph. An interesting fact about the pilot tunnel is that it starts from a building rather than a specially designated location. The Boring Companys website explains that The purpose is to demonstrate that a lift can be built in very small footprints and within existing buildings, whether they are houses, office buildings, or retail parking lots. Looking forward, one could have a lift in the basement of every office building, allowing extremely convenient commutes. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Safehaven.com: [BLANTYRE CITY, MALAWI] The Zambian government has launched a training programme to prepare health professionals in border regions recognise, treat and prevent potential Ebola outbreaks. The programme focuses on regions close to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where Ebola is currently raging. As of 2 October, this latest outbreak has caused 106 deaths, out of 162 confirmed cases, according to the World Health Organization. The Zambian programme is meant to create rapid responses on the ground in case the virus is transferred into the country by travellers or refugees from the DRCs ongoing conflict. Victor Mukonka, the director of the Zambia National Public Health Institute, said building capacity was critical to ensure quick action in case of a health emergency. We do not want a repeat of the tragedy that hit the Western part of our continent in 2014. Victor Mukonka, Zambia National Public Health Institute We do not want a repeat of the tragedy that hit the Western part of our continent in 2014, he said. Having trained rapid response teams at all levels assures capacity for any community, and we encourage all states to take up this strategy.. In September, Zambias ministry of health trained 216 health workers in the North-Western and Copperbelt provinces. Another 86 were trained in the Northern and Luapula provinces in August, the ministry said. The training programme focuses on doctors and nurses, but also includes environmental and public health officers, pharmacists and laboratory staff. However, to truly get a grip on the Ebola menace, both countries need to strengthen surveillance and collaboration, especially of cross-border movement, said Nathan Bakyaita, Zambias WHO representative, in a statement from the WHOs Africa branch. The DRC is one of the poorest countries in the world , and suffers from ongoing internal conflicts that periodically flare into regional wars. The UN estimates that around 800,000 people have fled the violence, of which around 50,000 have escaped to Zambia. The ZNPHIs training programme will provide healthcare workers with information on how to communicate risk, how to collect and transport specimens, health surveillance and strategies to prevent infection. According to Ante Mutati, a provincial surveillance officer for Luapula and a training participant, the frontline healthcare workers are meant to educate other team members on how to tackle Ebola outbreaks. Mukonka, the ZNPHIs director, also called for more collaboration , saying African countries should team up to fight the preventable scourge. It is important that Africa takes ownership and leads in addressing matters of health and other determinants affecting the continent, he told SciDev.Net. This piece was produced by SciDev.Nets Sub-Saharan Africa English desk. " " Paleo-Indians were the earliest known settlers of the Americas. The specifics of Paleo-Indian migration to and throughout the Americas are being reconsidered after analysis of DNA from Central and South America reveals two unknown migrations. Wikimedia Commons/Painting by Heinrich Harder When you talk about Americans moving south, the first thing that often comes to mind are the throngs of retirees who grab their sunscreen and bolt for Florida every winter. The massive movement of older folks to the Sunshine State has certainly helped shape the Florida economy, but it's by no means the first example of humans headed for a clean break in warmer climes. In fact, researchers have recently uncovered two migrations from North America to South America dating back some 10,000 years. Central and South Americans largely draw their ancestry from a combination of three streams of migrations to the regions from North America. That includes two previously unknown movements, according to a research team led by anthropologists at Harvard. Advertisement One of those migrations came from the Clovis culture, a prehistoric Paleo-Indian group named after the tools its people carried, and one some believe were the first to inhabit the New World. The Clovis people spread their wings a lot farther south than had previously been believed, moving into Peru and Brazil, according to the new findings. The other group came from Alaska, and perhaps crossed the Bering Strait from Russia. The researchers used ancient DNA data from 49 people who lived in Central and South America over a span of some 10,000 years to find shared ancestry with skeletal remains previously uncovered in North America. The findings offer some insight into the indigenous history of Central and South America. They also seem to raise more questions than answers. The data shows that the Clovis people were "replaced" by another lineage some 9,000 years ago. What we don't know is why they disappeared. " " DNA from Central and South America yields insights into two previously unknown southward human migrations. Posth et al./Cell Now that's interesting Humans began migrating as early as 350,000 years ago in Southern Africa. Security researchers revealed in a recent paper that over the past years, China Telecom used BGP hijacking to misdirect Internet traffic through China. Security researchers Chris C. Demchak and Yuval Shavitt revealed in a recent paper that over the past years, China Telecom has been misdirecting Internet traffic through China. China Telecom was a brand of the state-owned China Telecommunications Corporation, but after marketization of the enterprise spin off the brand and operating companies as a separate group. China Telecom is currently present in North American networks with 10 points-of-presence (PoPs) (eight in the United States and two in Canada), spanning major exchange points. The two researchers pointed out that the telco company leverages the PoPs to hijack traffic through China, it has happened several times over the past years, According to the experts, the activity went unnoticeable for a long time, but to better understand how it is possible to hijack the traffic lets reads this excerpt from the paper: Within the BGP forwarding tables, administrators of each AS announce to their AS neighbors the IP address blocks that their AS owns, whether to be used as a destination or a convenient transit node. states the paper. Errors can occur given the complexity of configuring BGP, and these possible errors offer covert actors a number of hijack opportunities. If network AS1 mistakenly announces through its BGP that it owns an IP block that actually is owned by network AS2, traffic from a portion of the Internet destined for AS2 will actually be routed to and through AS1. If the erroneous announcement was maliciously arranged, then a BGP hijack has occurred. On April 8th, 2010 China Telecom hijacked 15% of the Internet traffic for 18 minutes, experts speculate it was a large-scale experiment for controlling the traffic flows. The incident also affected US government (.gov) and military (.mil) websites. Many other similar cases were reported by the experts over the years, in December 2017, traffic for Google, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, and other tech giants routed through Russia, also in this case experts speculated it was an intentional BGP Hijacking. According to the research paper, China Telecom used numerous PoPs to hijack domestic US and crossUS traffic redirecting the flow to China over days, weeks, and months. The patterns of traffic revealed in traceroute research suggest repetitive IP hijack attacks committed by China Telecom. continues the research. While one may argue such attacks can always be explained by normal BGP behavior, these in particular suggest malicious intent, precisely because of their unusual transit characteristics namely the lengthened routes and the abnormal durations, In February 2016, another attack hijacked traffic from Canada to Korean Government websites to China in what is defined as a perfect scenario of long-term cyber espionage. Starting from February 2016 and for about 6 months, routes from Canada to Korean government sites were hijacked by China Telecom and routed through China. Figure 2a shows the shortest and normal route: Canada-US-Korea. continues the report. As shown in figure 2b, however, the hijacked route started at the China Telecom PoP in Toronto, the traffic was then forwarded inside the Chinese network to their PoP on the US West Coast, from there to China, and finally to delivery in Korea. A similar attack occurred on October 2016, when traffic from several locations in the USA to a large Anglo-American bank headquarters in Milan, Italy was hijacked by China Telecom to China. Another incident has happened on December 9, 2015, when traffic to Verizon APAC was hijacked through China Telecom. In response to the incident two of the major carriers of the affected routes implemented filters to refuse Verizon routes from China Telecom. The security experts described many other BGP hijacking attacks involving China Telecom, further info is reported in the research paper. Security experts are pushing to adopt solutions to protect BGP, Cloudflare for example, sustains that Resource Public Key Infrastructure (RPKI) could secure BGP routing. Pierluigi Paganini ( Security Affairs BGP hijacking, China Telecom) Share this... Linkedin Share this: Twitter Print LinkedIn Facebook More Tumblr Pocket Share On SCOTUS relisting packet of cases dealing with application of Hurst v. Florida to past cases | Main | Interesting talk of prison reform amidst talk of Chris Christie as possible Attorney General replacement November 8, 2018 Brennan Center wasting no time advocating for sentencing reforms after election and ouster of AG Jeff Sessions The folks over at the Brennan Center already have two short pieces up making the case for Congress to move forward with federal sentencing reforms and for the Senate Judiciary Committee to seek to ensure the next Attorney General cares about criminal justice reform. Here are links to the pieces with some excerpts: "Sentencing Reform Should Be a Top Post-Election Priority for Congress" As Congress prepares to enter a lame-duck session following yesterdays midterm elections, it has a rare opportunity to pass bipartisan legislation that will help reform our criminal justice system and end mass incarceration. And sentencing reform must be included in any meaningful effort to reduce the number of people entering the federal prison system.... Criminal justice reform is a rare point of bipartisan consensus in todays polarized climate. In fact, 71 percent of Americans surveyed including a majority of Trump voters agree that its important to reduce the countrys prison population. And theres substantial support from key members of Congress both Republican and Democrat for comprehensive reform. In fact, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has signaled he would call a vote after the midterm election if more than 60 senators support the bill. With that momentum, one of Congresss first agenda items for this years lame-duck session should be to pass legislation that will help reduce mass incarceration. And any successful effort will start with sentencing reform. "With Sessions Gone, the GOP Can Show It Cares About Criminal Justice Reform" Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is a reliable and trusted ally for criminal justice reform advocates, both right and left. So when President Trump nominated Jeff Sessions to lead the Justice Department, it came as something of a surprise that Grassley, as chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, cleared the deck for him, ensuring a quick and easy Senate confirmation. If Grassley later came to regret that and theres reason to believe he did today offers a chance to correct it. Against the backdrop of our looming, slow-burning constitutional crisis, Grassley can and should make support for criminal justice reform a litmus test for the next attorney general. He has that power. Now is the time to use it.... [I]f Trump is serious about criminal justice reform, he should simply refuse to nominate someone who doesnt support sentencing reform. And whether or not he follows through, Grassley should refuse to confirm anyone who will oppose or sabotage similar reform efforts. Realistically, though, the best chance for guaranteeing a supportive attorney general rests with Grassley and other supporters of criminal justice reform on the Judiciary Committee, like Mike Lee (R-Utah), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and even, sometimes, Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). By demanding an attorney general who will back their words with action and faithfully implement rather than sabotage any reform package they pass Grassley and his committee could effect a major reset, giving the country a chance to move on from at least one aspect of the last two years. November 8, 2018 at 08:53 AM | Permalink Comments Yeah, one hurdle down, more to com... Posted by: MidWestGuy | Nov 8, 2018 6:51:30 PM After reading the first sentence about Sen. Grassley I think the folks at the Brennan Center have a feeble grip on reality. Posted by: John Neff | Nov 8, 2018 10:11:26 PM Post a comment By Alex Dobuzinskis THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (Reuters) - A former U.S. Marine combat veteran opened fire in a Los Angeles area bar and dance hall filled with college students, killing 12 people in a mass shooting that stunned a Southern California community with a reputation for safety. The gunman, identified by police as 28-year-old Ian David Long, was found dead of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound following the Wednesday night massacre at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, a suburb 40 miles (64 km) northwest of Los Angeles, law enforcement officials said. Paul Delacourt, assistant director in charge of the Los Angeles FBI, told a news conference that it was too early to speculate on the gunman's motives but that he appeared to have acted alone. "We will be sure to paint a picture of the state of mind of the subject and do our best to identify a motivation," Delacourt said, adding that the FBI would investigate any possible "radicalisation" or links to militant groups. Long opened fire seemingly at random inside the Western-themed bar at about 11:30 p.m. PST (0730 GMT Thursday), using a .45 calibre Glock handgun equipped with a high-capacity magazine, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said. Long was in the Marine Corps from 2008 to 2013, reaching the rank of corporal and serving as a machine gunner in Afghanistan. The sheriff said it was possible that Long had suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. "Obviously he had something going on in his head that would cause him to do something like this," Dean said. Dean told reporters that in April officers had gone to Long's home in nearby Newbury Park, about 4 miles (6 km) from the bar to answer a disturbance call and found him agitated. Mental health specialists talked with Long and determined that no further action was necessary. Dean said he had been told that 150 to 200 people were in the Borderline at the time. "It could have been much, much worse." Story continues Asked what the scene inside the bar was like, Dean said, "Like ... hell." Earlier he had described it as "a horrific scene in there. There is blood everywhere and the suspect is part of that." Dean estimated 10 to 15 people, including one with a gunshot wound, had gone to hospitals. SECURITY GUARD, SHERIFF'S DEPUTY SHOT The massacre was the latest mass killing in the United States and was sure to revive the debate on gun control. After a man fatally shot 11 worshippers at a Pittsburgh synagogue last month, U.S. President Donald Trump said their deaths could have been prevented if there had been an armed guard inside the temple. Long shot an unarmed security guard outside the bar before going inside, where he shot more security staff, CNN reported. Ventura County Sheriff's Office Sergeant Ron Helus, a 29-year veteran with a wife and son, was shot and killed inside. Trump ordered flags to be flown at half-staff at public buildings and grounds. The Borderline is popular with students and on Wednesday night had hosted College Country Night. California Lutheran University, about 5 miles from the bar, cancelled classes on Thursday. Pepperdine University, about 20 miles away, planned a prayer service. Bar patron Cole Knapp, 19, told Reuters he saw the gunman walk in and stop at the counter as if to pay a cover charge. Then Knapp heard gunfire and saw a young woman at the counter shot repeatedly. "It took a couple of seconds for people to realise what was going on and once that happened it was just utter chaos," he said. Knapp said he helped people hide behind a pool table and then fled outside, alerting people on an outdoor smoking patio. Knapp said he and a friend helped carry a gunshot victim to an ambulance. Thousand Oaks, with a population of about 127,000, is a leafy, sprawling suburb named the third safest city in the United States for 2018 by the Niche research company. "I've learned it doesn't matter what community you're in," Dean told reporters when asked if he was surprised this happened in Thousand Oaks. "It doesnt matter how safe your community is. It can happen anywhere." The names of the victims were not immediately made public and people gathered at a nearby teen centre waiting to learn the fate of loved ones. Jason Coffman, wept as he told reporters that his son, Cody, 22, was among the dead. "Only him and I know how I love, how much I miss him," he said. "Oh, son, I love you so much." Actress Tamera Mowry-Housley confirmed in a statement to ABC News that her niece, Alaina, was killed at the bar. Among those outside the hospital was Ellen Rivera, who said she had survived the October 2017 slaughter of 58 people at an outdoor concert in Las Vegas - the worst mass shooting in U.S. history. (Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis; Additional reporting by Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles, Bernie Woodall in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Rich McKay in Atlanta, Doina Chiacu in Washington, D.C. and Gina Cherelus and Gabriella Borter in New York; Writing by Bill Trott and Dan Whitcomb; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Grant McCool) To the casual observer, the attendance by an eight-year-old American boy at a yearly conference for one of Chinas biggest internet companies last week might have been an unlikely sight. That child was viral internet star Gavin Thomas, known in China as fake smile boy. Images of him smirking at the camera first as a toddler, then as a youngster looking confused or showing his trademark uncomfortable smile have floated around the internet for years, becoming a staple on social media like Twitter and Reddit. But after Chinese social media users started making their own memes from Gavins photos posted on Instagram a few years ago, his popularity exploded. Chinese millennials falling out of cars in search of internet fame Coogie,an 18-year-old from Shanghai, has been following Gavins Instagram account for years. Afterwards, I noticed a lot of people in China would use screenshots from his videos to make memes or short clips, she said. They were so cute and funny, and his memes became really popular. In China, many of the memes relate to awkward situations encountered in everyday life. Some catchphrases: Ill just sit there quietly watching you be fake, school makes me happy and alone, weak and helpless. Tencent, who invited Gavin to its annual conference recently, even launched a sticker pack of Gavins facial expressions on Chinas most widely used messaging app. Gavin can also be seen on a variety of mugs, posters and clothing hawked on Chinese e-commerce sites. All this shows how an easily recognisable Western meme has broken through language and cultural barriers to appeal to users halfway across the world, in a notoriously closed internet environment. We discovered Gavins face being used on T-shirts being sold in China around the beginning of the year, his manager, Byron Ashley, told the South China Morning Post. And that to us was the first indicator that we needed to start building a presence for him in China. Story continues Gavins first Weibo account was set up in July, and now boasts more than 1.8 million followers who eagerly comment on updates from his daily life such as photos and live-streams. The boy first made the journey to China from his native Minnesota in August to meet fans and tour some of the countrys major attractions. He absolutely loved the pandas in Chengdu, said Ashley, who promised that Gavin would be back soon. Gavins success was helped in no small part by his uncle, the internet celebrity Nick Mastodon, who first started posting funny videos of the child at the age of two on the now-defunct video platform Vine. Now, more and more Chinese fans are jumping on his bandwagon. Because hes cute! said Leya, a 20-year-old from Chengdu when asked why she is a big fan of Gavin. Who could not like such a cute young boy? Leya, who prefers not to use her real name, first found out about Gavin through Chinese memes. She then started following him on Instagram and watching videos of him, to get a sense of his daily life. Its because hes so young but so funny, Coogie agreed. This article The American fake smile boy China genuinely loves first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. Bangladesh will hold a national election on December 23 despite bitter wrangling between the government and opposition, authorities announced Thursday. Chief Election Commissioner Nurul Huda said in a nationally broadcast speech that all preparations have been made for "fair" polls. The opposition has expressed fears that the election will not be democratic and has threatened protests. Detained opposition leader Khaleda Zia was sent sent back to jail a few hours before the announcement, after a month of treatment in hospital. Zia will almost certainly be banned from contesting the election as she has been jailed for corruption and has virtually no time to appeal. Her Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) boycotted the last election in 2014 over fears it would be rigged. The BNP and its allies have not yet said whether they will take part in the December poll. Huda said nominations had to be submitted by November 19 and called on all political parties to take part. He promised "a level playing field" for all contenders and said the army would be deployed to maintain order on polling day. The ruling Awami League and its main ally Jatiya Party welcomed the announcement, saying they were "happy" with the voting date. The BNP and its allies have held talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on their election demands which included releasing the party leader but Hasina rejected the move. Hasina also turned down the opposition request to dissolve parliament and let a neutral caretaker government assume office ahead of the election. Bangladesh's coast guard rescued 33 Rohingya and detained six alleged human traffickers from a fishing trawler headed for Malaysia in the Bay of Bengal, an official said Wednesday. The rescued included 14 men, 10 women and nine children who had been living in refugee camps in the southeastern Bangladesh district of Cox's Bazar, according to Fayezul Islam Mondol, coast guard commander in the southeastern coastal town of Teknaf. "We have captured six traffickers as well. All of them are Bangladeshis," he told AFP. Some 720,000 refugees of the persecuted Myanmar minority have taken shelter in Bangladesh camps since August last year. They fled what the UN has described as ethnic cleansing in Buddhist-majority Myanmar's western Rakhine state, and have joined some 300,000 refugees already living in camps in Cox's Bazar. People smugglers in recent years have sent tens of thousands of Rohingya from the Bangladesh camps to Malaysia, before Bangladesh launched a crackdown in 2015 after Thai authorities discovered mass graves and boats overcrowded with thousands of migrants drifted at sea. Mondol said the Rohingya rescued Wednesday had boarded a dilapidated fishing trawler on an uncertain "sea voyage to Malaysia". The boat was intercepted Wednesday evening by a coast guard boat near Saint Martin's Island, the last territory of Bangladesh, situated only a few kilometres (miles) away from Myanmar's Anauk Myinhlut coastline. One of the arrested traffickers, Abdus Shukur, 55, told AFP that the fishing trawler had been due to transfer the Rohingya to a bigger Malaysia-bound ship moored neared the island in the Bay of Bengal. "We were forced by an influential local to take these (Rohingya) people on the fishing boat. We were instructed to board them on an awaiting ship near Saint Martin's," Shukur said. Authorities in Bangladesh worry many refugees may once again risk travelling to South-East Asia by boat, a route previously popular among Rohingya seeking economic opportunities outside the grim and crowded camps. Most voyages take place between November and March when seas are most calm. A local government official said with the approach of winter, traffickers were now trying to lure Rohingya again to the dangerous boat journeys. "The sea is getting calm and there are high demand among the refugees to travel to Malaysia," Teknaf mayor Abdullah Monir said. "The traffickers are therefore taking the opportunity to float their boats again," he said. On Tuesday, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) detained 14 Rohingya on Teknaf coast who had allegedly been cheated by human traffickers. Local BGB spokesman Major Shariful Islam said they paid nearly $120 each to a fellow refugee in Kutupalong, the largest Rohingya refugee settlement, to be sent to Malaysia. "But the man sent them to a brief boat journey and later dropped them off Teknaf coast after three days," Islam said. Bangladeshi authorities were set to announce later Thursday a date for general elections despite the opposition crying foul and threatening protests. Chief election commissioner Nurul Huda will address the nation live at 7:00 pm (1300 GMT) to announce the date, spokesman S.M. Asaduzzaman told AFP. The vote in the South Asian country of 165 million people is likely to be held in late December although the opposition wants it pushed back to March. The opposition also wants parliament to be dissolved first and for a neutral caretaker government to take office, but Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has rejected the demands. The opposition, including the main Bangladesh Nationalist Party, fears the election will be rigged if Hasina remains in power while the vote is held. The BNP boycotted the last elections in 2014 over fears its would be rigged by Hasina. A majority of parliamentary seats were then won by Hasina'a party unopposed. The boycott triggered widespread violence across the Muslim majority country, leaving dozens of people dead and hundreds of voting booths vandalised. The ruling Awami League party and main opposition alliance, the Jatiya Oikya Front, held two rounds of discussions at Hasina's residence in the past week. But they appeared to end in failure with the deputy leader of the ruling party Obaidul Quader telling reporters that dissolving parliament was unconstitutional. "There is no scope to go beyond the constitution. We've conveyed that clearly," he said. The opposition would not say that the talks had ended in failure but they stressed their struggle would continue. They also want the election commission to defer its announcement. "We are still in movement," opposition spokesman Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said. They have threatened street protests and marches in major cities and in front of the commission. The 2014 violence prompted a massive crackdown by Hasina's government, which arrested thousands of BNP officials and confined BNP leader Khaleda Zia at her home for weeks. In recent months, the BNP's strength was further weakened after Zia was convicted and sentenced to 10 and seven years in jail in two separate cases of corruption. Her eldest son and heir apparent Tarique Rahman, who lives in exile in London, was also sentenced to life in prison over a 2004 grenade attack targetting Hasina. Analysts say despite the rejection of its key demand by Hasina and amid mounting fears of a rigged polls, BNP has no choice but to participate in the election. A no-show could result in cancellation of its party registration, they say. Former Brazil president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will be questioned next week in relation to another Operation Car Wash case in which he is accused of corruption and money laundering. The 73-year-old is already serving a 12-year prison sentence for accepting a bribe in a separate case related to the ongoing and wide-ranging Car Wash investigation into graft. Questioning Lula, currently incarcerated in Curitiba in the south of Brazil, will be judge Gabriela Hardt, who has taken over the Car Wash investigation from the man who jailed the ex-president, Sergio Moro, recently named Justice Minister by president-elect Jair Bolsonaro. That appointment was controversial as left-wing icon Lula's incarceration prevented him from running in a presidential election he was widely expected to win, having led polls with more than twice the number of vote intentions as his nearest challenger, Bolsonaro. Lula's lawyers have asked for his release and the suspension of the charges against him, accusing Moro of bias. "Lula is the victim of a judicial witch-hunt unleashed by an agent wearing a judge's gown ... who sought to cancel his freedom and rights," said the lawyers. Moro replied to that on Tuesday in a press conference insisting that Lula "was convicted and jailed because he committed a crime and not because of the elections." In this latest case against Lula, he is to answer questions about refurbishments to a farm believed to belong to him in Atibaia, Sao Paulo state, and paid for by major construction companies between 2010 and 2014 in exchange for big Petrobras contracts. Lula's defense insists the property doesn't belong to him and has accused authorities of harassment. Hardt has this week been questioning businessman Marcelo Odebrecht, the former CEO of the Odebrecht construction giant, who has struck a plea bargain with investigators to testify against others in return for a reduced sentence. In December, Marcelo Odebrecht was released into house arrest at his luxury Sao Paulo home just two-and-a-half years into a 10-year sentence that had already been reduced from 19 years. He claims that the farm refurbishments were directly connected to Lula. The head of the Workers Party has been behind bars since April 7 for having accepted a seaside apartment in return for his mediation in contracts with state oil giant Petrobras. On top of these two cases, he is implicated in four more but insists he is innocent of all accusations and has denounced the charges as political persecution. Dozens of public officials have been caught up in the Odebrecht corruption scandal, including incumbent President Michel Temer, while the construction company has agreed to pay 2.7 billion reis ($700 million) to the Brazilian government as punishment for bribing officials in order to win public works contracts. The European Commission on Wednesday urged backers of an EU-wide tax on high-tech giants to keep pushing the proposal, which has stalled due to opposition from Ireland and Nordic countries. France, backed by EU-presidency holder Austria, has been urging European Union partners to impose a new tax to ensure that global tech platforms like Facebook and Google pay their fair share. Paris argues the measure would be a vote-winning accomplishment for mainstream EU politicians before the European Parliament elections next May, in which anti-Brussels populists could do well. "When it comes to taxation you need to push to make it happen. For me personally it's a very important proposal," European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager told a news conference at the Web Summit, a annual teach gathering, in Lisbon. "I do hope that the Austrians will keep the pressure to make this happen," she said. Digital firms pay on average just 9 percent in "effective taxation", compared to an average of 23 percent for other firms, Europe's antitrust chief said. "When in a technological revolution, if it's not to be a wild west, you must be willing to regulate it," said Vestager. The French government had wanted a tax proposal by the end of the year but on Tuesday Paris agreed to put off its implementation until 2020 to give more time to get opponents on side. European tax rules require unanimous backing by all European Union members. Ireland, which hosts the European headquarters of several US tech giants, leads a small group of otherwise mostly Nordic countries that argue the tax will also punish European companies and stoke Washington's anger. China has called for the 16 nations involved in talks on an Asian free-trade deal to reach an agreement as soon as possible, ahead of a regional summit next week. Assistant Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong also said the Beijing-led Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) would make a significant contribution to integration and free trade in the region, during a press briefing in Beijing on Thursday. RCEP is currently the largest scale trade negotiations in the Asia-Pacific, Chen said. The Chinese believe that under the current situation, concluding the negotiations and reaching an agreement as soon as possible will be conducive to deepening regional integration, addressing the challenge of unilateralism and protectionism, and will be significant in creating an open, inclusive and rules-based global trade mechanism. Chen added that China also wanted to speed up negotiations on a code of conduct in the South China Sea, after Beijing and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) members in August agreed on a single draft negotiating text that will serve as the basis for adopting the code. Asean leaders will gather for a summit in Singapore next week. The deepening trade war with the United States has given Beijing renewed urgency to push forward negotiations on RCEP a deal that has been in the works for five years and brings together the 10 Asean nations along with China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The assistant foreign ministers call comes after China on Monday reached an agreement with Singapore to upgrade their free-trade pact. RCEP has long been seen as a rival to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) that was led by the US before President Donald Trump decided to withdraw from the trade deal in 2017. After the US exit, it was watered down and renamed the Comprehensive Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) by the 11 remaining members and will take effect on December 30. Story continues Su Hao, a professor in diplomacy at the China Foreign Affairs University in Beijing, said that with China and the US locked in a trade war and the CPTPP about to kick in, there was new impetus to reach agreement on RCEP. But Beijing has struggled to close the deal, as India continues to resist pressure to make a more ambitious commitment to lower its tariffs on imported goods, according to regional trade officials. Other countries have, meanwhile, stopped short of offering to open up their service sectors and committing to rules allowing the free movement of professionals in the region that India has been seeking, Bloomberg reported. It is difficult because India is still in the process of restructuring its industries which may pose a challenge when it is integrating into the regional economy, Su said. The negotiations are also likely to be complicated by potential changes of government in some of the member countries such as Australia, India and Indonesia that have elections coming up next year. This article China calls for agreement on Asian free-trade deal as soon as possible first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. FILE PHOTO: President Rodrigo Duterte | PVI/Cerilo Ebrano MANILA, Philippines Malacanang welcomed the entry of Mislatel Consortium as the provisional telecommunications player of the country. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said that the public have long waited for a reliable, efficient, and inexpensive telecommunications service. He said that the strong political will of President Rodrigo Duterte paved the way for the entry of a new major telco player that is expected to provide a genuine competition and effective service for the Filipino people. UNTV News & Rescue The post Dutertes strong political will paved the way for third telcos entry Palace appeared first on UNTV News. Plus, learn how an early risk set Goxip on a path towards growth and expansion They say you never forget your first. For myself, and a growing Hong Kong e-commerce platform named Goxip, this could not be more true. My first article for e27 was a feature about the photo-recognition fashion app. For Goxip, my article was the first time they had been featured in the media. In the startup world, the only constant is change, but going through the day-to-day it can be hard to notice the differences. Its like raising a child, the parents typically dont see how much a kid has grown over 6 months, but their friends do. After three years, and US$8 million of funding, Goxip is a vastly different company than it was in 2015 albeit with its core still intact. It still is attached to its fashion-first consumers, but the snap-and-match product is now secondary. It is now a search engine. Goxip has around 500 merchants and over 6 millions items on its list. Juliette Gimenez, the Co-founder and CEO of Goxip, said this decision came down to data, and moving the focus away from vanity metrics. We got a lot of users downloading our app and views were actually really nice. However, what we didnt achieve was the monetisation part, she said. In the early days of Goxip, it was built like Instagram, where people would see an outfit and decide it looked nice. But the problem was, if someone wanted to make a purchase, they still needed to move onto a search engine. Goxip decided to become that search engine. We started picking up a lot of orders with this change. We facilitated even more [revenue] because we figured out there was an advertising strategy as well, she said. To be clear, the photo-matching product still exists, but it is now a secondary feature, a decision Gimenez said was difficult to make. We had a strong debate within the development team. Because that put our core product into a secondary feature. But the team also decided to move forward with this, she said. Story continues We were finger crossing and holding hands, hoping that it worked, and thank god it did. The next adaptations In late October, Goxip raised US$1.4 million from Convoy, a Hong Kong-based financial services conglomerate. The money is meant to build out a Goxip payment system, which Gimenez called a gamechanger. The logic goes as such: Most offline stores offer installment payments for items like televisions, refrigerators or other appliances. However, these days, big-ticket items for households are often Chanel bags or dresses from Gucci. Yet, for online shops, they rarely offer an installment plan, so people have to take a large chunk out of their monthly budget to buy the goods. This makes it less likely for them to actually complete the transaction. Over the next six to twelve months, Goxip will be developing an in-house payment solution that will allow people to choose installment options. Importantly, it is not relegated to Goxip. If I sign up for the Goxip online credit card, I can use it on Lazada, Amazon or any e-commerce website. I will still get offered installment options and the merchants will still see the full sale in their accounts. Also Read: Taiwans KKday raises Series B+ from LINE Ventures, Alibaba to expand globally The other major product update from Goxip is an initiative called RewardSnap, which helps influencers more conveniently monetise their profiles. Essentially, if a person is wearing an article of clothing that is sold on Goxip, they can post it on their profile and get a commission of the sales. The goal is to help influencers make money on their daily instagram posts and not just the branded campaigns. Conversions is about ROI, nobody cares about likes as long as it drives sales. The tools we have not only allow influencers make money, the brands can track which influencers can sell goods, said Gimenez. Raising from High Net Worth Individuals The interesting quirk about Goxip is that the company has not raised much money from VCs. They grabbed some seed funding from Ardent Capital, but their major funding was co-led by a Chinese startup named Meitu and Chryseis Tan, the daughter of the Malaysian businessman Vincent Tan (whos estimated net worth is US$820 million). That investment also saw participation from a Macau-based HNWI named Sabrina Ho and Iman Allana, who is in a similar position in India. It can be difficult to break in but if an entrepreneur can raise from HNWIs, there are some unique benefits. The network is obvious, and most of these people have either gotten rich in the world of business, or their parents have. This means they have a personal playbook they can tap into, and, according to Gimenez, are understanding of the difficulties of being and entrepreneur. On a personal note, I get a lot of support of them because I am very comfortable sharing the hardships that I have. They really get it. They offer me a lot of help instead of just pushing me on one KPI that I didnt meet on time, she said. In the Asian startup scene, its rare to meet a company that has raised from mostly corporates and individuals, and seeing how the relationship is different from that of a VC is a unique perspective on alternative funding routes. Moving into Thailand Goxip moved into Thailand about three months ago, its first foray outside of Hong Kong and Macau. For myself, I wondered why Goxip chose this route instead of China, which is right across the border and is a gigantic market. I think first of all, an entrepreneur needs to go into a market that you know well. So in the past I have worked in the e-commerce scene in Thailand, said Gimenez. Also Read: Grab raises US$50M from KASIKORNBANK to bring GrabPay to Thailand She saw a mature e-commerce industry, but one that is largely dominated by one-stop-shop platforms. In the fashion world, this created an issue where people were seeing their expensive dresses being advertised next to diapers and skincare products. According to Gimenez, this is why Instagram took off as a commerce platform. It allowed people to show off their outfits and how it can be mixed-and-matched. Instagram, however, does not have a very effective payments tool or backend management software. I think this is a market we can expand into, and then fine-tune to fit local needs, said Gimenez. Moving forward, Goxip is soft-looking at expanding into South Korea or the Middle East. Three years is eons in the startup world and for most entrepreneurs it is like riding a roller coaster and for a startup reporter, it is fun to see how tall the kid has become in the last few years. The post With fresh funding, Hong Kongs Goxip readies itself for major fintech play appeared first on e27. Reuben Lai, senior managing director, Grab Financial (left) shaking hands with Patchara Samalapa, President, Kasikornbank. (Photo: Grab) Grab announced a partnership with Thailands Kasikornbank (KBank) to offer its mobile wallet and other other financial services by early next year. KBank has also made a US$50 million (S$68.5 million) strategic investment in Grab as part of the ride-hailing firms ongoing fundraising round that includes Toyota Motor Corp, Microsoft Corp, Booking Holdings and Hyundai Motor Group. This partnership makes Grab Financial the first mobile payments platform to launch e-money-licensed payments services across ASEAN-6 and underlines the strength of our partnership-based strategy, Reuben Lai, senior managing director at Grab Financial, said. Grab launched its fintech platform Grab Financial in March with Japans Credit Saison. A co-branded mobile payment application GrabPay by KBank will be available in the Grab app by early 2019, the companies said in a joint statement Thursday (8 November). The mobile wallet will allow Grab customers to pay for transport and delivery services, transfer funds, purchase products and services online, and make QR-code payments in restaurants and shops across Thailand. Through Thailands national e-payments scheme called PromptPay, all three million QR-enabled merchants in the country will be able to accept GrabPay by KBank. Features from KBanks PLUS app and the Grab app will be integrated across both platforms, the statement said. KBank and Grab will also work together to jointly offer products, including loans to help merchants grow their business and access to Grab for Business to improve corporate transport expense management, as well as increase brand awareness and engagement through Grabs advertising solution. Yesterday Grab announced Hyundai and Kia teamed up to invest an additional US$250 million into the company, bringing funds raised to US$2.7 billion. The companies also formed a partnership to pilot electrical vehicle programmes throughout Southeast Asia. Related stories: Hyundai reinvests another US$250 mil in Grab Uber exits SE Asia in new retreat from global markets Grab, Uber fined over $13m after Singapore concludes their merger was anti-competitive KBank will launch a co-branded GrabPay mobile wallet Southeast Asia ride-hailing giant Grab has raised US$50 million from major Thai banking group KASIKORNBANK (KBank) the first international investment by the bank. The deal marks a strategic partnership that will see Grab Financial bring its mobile payment platform GrabPay to Thailand. KBank will launch a co-branded mobile wallet GrabPay by KBank within the Grab app. Anyone who uses GrabPay in Thailand will be able to shop online, transfer funds to each other and pay for services through the app. Also, thanks to Thailands national e-payments scheme, PromptPay, all QR-enabled merchants in Thailand will be able to accept GrabPay by KBank upon activation. The co-branded wallet is expected to be launched in early 2019. KBanks K PLUS app and the Grab app will also be integrated across both apps starting in 2019. KBank and Grab will also work together to jointly offer products to their customer base. These include KBanks bank loans for merchants, corporate transport expense management tool Grab for Business, as well as Grabs advertising solution. Also Read: Taiwans KKday raises Series B+ from LINE Ventures, Alibaba to expand globally KASIKORNBANK has bold ambitions of becoming the digital bank of choice in the region. We look forward to developing innovative financial products together, which will put KBank in a position to tap into the rapidly growing digital economy across the region, said Patchara Samalapa, President of KASIKORNBANK, in a press statement. Grabs deal with KBank is the latest in the companys aggressive expansion strategy which it started this year to be Southeast Asias first truly cross-border mobile wallet. Through partnerships with Maybank, OVO, Moca and Bangko Sentral Ng Pilipinas, the GrabPay wallet became available in Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines, respectively. Last month, Grab also inked a major deal with Mastercard to launch virtual and physical prepaid cards, allowing users to make purchases at any POS terminal in the world that accepts Mastercard payments. Story continues We approach the challenge of cashless payments from a consumer perspective. Users dont want a separate e-wallet for every type of purchase. By opening up our platform to leading financial institutions, we ensure our users can go beyond the Grab platform and pay for all types of services, from streetside stalls to e-commerce, online services and financial services increasingly as well, said Reuben Lai, Senior Managing Director, Grab Financial, in a press statement. Just yesterday, Grab clinched US$250 million from South Korean automotive company Hyundai. The company has been on a fundraising spree this year, raising capital from corporations including Toyota Motor Corporation, Microsoft Corp., Booking Holdings, and Oppenheimer Funds. Grab is said to be targetting a US$3 billion fundraising goal for 2018. Image Credit: Grab The post Grab raises US$50M from KASIKORNBANK to bring GrabPay to Thailand appeared first on e27. A young Hong Kong designer on Thursday admitted that he took part in the Mong Kok riot two years ago, during which he burned cardboard and hurled bottles, a rubbish bin and a potted plant at police. Yuen Chi-kui, 28, pleaded guilty to two counts of rioting and one of arson on his first day of trial with Hong Kong independence activist Edward Leung Tin-kei, 26, technician Vincent Lam Ngo-hin, 23, delivery worker Yung Wai-yip, 34, and Lee Nok-man, 21, who is unemployed. His four co-defendants have denied seven charges of rioting, assaulting police, unlawful assembly and incitement to unlawful assembly. The unrest escalated in the busy commercial area in Kowloon as crowds gathered to protest a crackdown on illegal street food hawkers. Rioting in Hong Kong is punishable by 10 years in jail. Mr Justice Albert Wong Sung-hau will sentence Yuen at the end of his co-defendants 70-day trial. The High Court heard the case centred on a public assembly at Portland Street in Mong Kok on Lunar New Year on February 8, 2016, during which police issued repeated warnings for the crowds to return to the pavement, but to no avail. Among them stood Yuen, who was caught on camera on 14 occasions, dressed in an all-black outfit with a matching backpack and a white face mask. Prosecutor Eric Kwok Tung-ming SC said Yuen was first spotted at the back of a white van parked at Portland Street just before 1am on February 9, holding a white metallic rod. He was next seen hurling a water bottle at a police cordon in a stand-off at the junction of Portland Street and Shantung Street. With a shield in his hand, Yuen kicked a rubbish bin towards the cordon and hurled a potted plant at the officers. Minutes later, he answered localist Ray Wong Toi-yeungs call to charge at the cordon and repeatedly jabbed his rod in the officers direction. He also taunted police while wielding a bamboo stick. At least three officers were injured in the confrontation. Story continues The police cordon at Shantung Street eventually collapsed at 4.12am after protesters threw a large number of hard objects, including bricks. But the officers retreat did not stop the attack. Yuen was seen throwing a silver metallic bottle at officers at about 4.15am. He also erected a barricade using various items. At 7.15am, he joined 50 protesters at another barricade near Sai Yee Street and twice added cardboard to a pile of burning rubbish in the middle of the road. CCTV footage showed Yuen eventually returned home at Po Tat Estate in Sau Mau Ping at 9.24am wearing the same clothes as shown in the videos. Police arrested him on February 27, 2016. Meanwhile, Yung faces the bulk of the charges. He denied four counts of riot, and one each of assaulting police, unlawful assembly and incitement to unlawful assembly. The remaining defendants Leung, Lam and Lee pleaded not guilty to a joint count of rioting that allegedly took place at Portland Street. Their trial continues. This article Guilty plea from Hong Kong designer who burned cardboard, hurled bottles in Mong Kok riot first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. Hong Kong refused entry to a senior Financial Times journalist Thursday hours after an arts centre hosting the city's high-profile literary festival cancelled appearances by exiled Chinese writer Ma Jian, as Beijing tightens its grip. Asia news editor Victor Mallet had already had his work visa renewal denied last month and had left semi-autonomous Hong Kong, but the British national was barred by immigration Thursday when he tried to come back in as a visitor, according to a report in the FT. The Hong Kong government did not give an explanation for his original visa denial but it is widely believed the decision was linked to Mallet's chairing of a press club talk by a Hong Kong independence activist. The decision to effectively blacklist Mallet prompted a backlash against an unprecedented challenge to freedom of the press in the city. The FT said Mallet had been turned away Thursday after several hours of questioning by immigration officers. British citizens are usually allowed into Hong Kong without a visa and are permitted to stay for 180 days under immigration rules. It came on the same day the Tai Kwun arts centre, a major new cultural hub in Hong Kong, pulled talks by dissident author Ma, with venue director Timothy Calnin saying it did not want to become "a platform to promote the political interests of any individual". Ma responded on Twitter saying he was a "novelist not an activist" and was simply attending the festival to discuss his new work. He is due to land in Hong Kong Friday afternoon and expressed concern he would be refused entry to the city but said he was still determined to try. Hong Kong International Literary Festival said late Thursday it had found a new venue for the talks, the Annex event and exhibition space in the Central district of Hong Kong island, adding that it "stands by the principles of free speech and cultural expression". Ma, who now lives in London, writes dark and satirical works depicting life in China and his books are banned on the mainland. He is due to promote his latest novel "China Dream" at festival events Saturday, a title that plays on Chinese President Xi Jinping's rhetoric of national rejuvenation and is described by publisher Penguin as "a biting satire of totalitarianism". Ma said it was Tai Kwun, not the festival, that had pulled his events. Rights group Amnesty International said Tai Kwun's cancellation was more evidence that freedom of expression in Hong Kong was "under attack". Tai Kwun is the result of a multi-million-dollar renovation of a colonial-era prison and police station, led by the government and the Hong Kong Jockey Club. - Arts under attack - Hong Kong has rights unseen on the mainland, protected by an agreement made before the city was handed back to China by Britain in 1997, but there are fears they are being steadily eroded. A highly anticipated art show by Chinese political cartoonist Badiucao was cancelled last week with Hong Kong organisers citing safety concerns due to "threats made by Chinese authorities relating to the artist". The city's publishing sector has taken a hit since five booksellers known for printing gossipy titles about China's leaders disappeared in 2015 and resurfaced in custody on the mainland. Since then some of Hong Kong's bookshops selling works banned in China have closed, and chain stores have removed the titles from their shelves. Ma Jian said on Twitter last week that for the first time he had been unable to find a Hong Kong publisher for the Chinese language version of his new book. In neighbouring Macau, also a semi-autonomous part of China, three writers including bestselling "Wild Swans" author Jung Chang -- who has been highly critical of China's political system -- stayed away from the city's literary festival in March after authorities there said they were likely to be barred. The Hong Kong literary festival attracts leading authors from around the world and this year features Scottish novelist Irvine Welsh and bestselling American author Cheryl Strayed. Interpol must accept the resignation of its Chinese boss, who is detained in China on charges of accepting bribes, the organisation's secretary general said Thursday. Interpol, which coordinates police work across the world, has been "strongly encouraging China to provide us with more details, more information" on what exactly took place when former director Meng Hongwei was reported missing in early October, Juergen Stock told a news conference at Interpol headquarters in Lyon, France. "We have to accept, like we would accept with any other country, that this country (China) is taking sovereign decisions and if that country tells us: 'we have investigations, they are ongoing, and the president has been resigning, he's not a delegate of the country anymore,' then we have to accept," Stock said. Meng, who had travelled back to China, was reported missing by his wife who had stayed at home in the southeastern French city of Lyon. China then informed Interpol that Meng had resigned as the organisation's president, before saying he had been charged with accepting bribes. Stock said he had no further details and could only say that the bribery charges were not linked to Meng's work at Interpol. "There's no reason for me to suspect that anything was forced or wrong" regarding the resignation, Stock said. Meng's successor is to be appointed later this month at Interpol's general assembly in Dubai. The body investigating Meng, China's National Supervisory Commission, can hold suspects for as long as six months without providing access to legal counsel. The head of Libya's UN-backed government, Fayez al-Sarraj, urged the international community on Thursday to find a "common vision" for the chaos-hit North African nation, ahead of crisis talks in Sicily next week. In an exclusive interview with AFP at his unity government's headquarters in Tripoli, Sarraj hit out at "negative interventions by some countries" in Libya, without naming them. Libya has been beset by violence since dictator Moamer Kadhafi was ousted and killed in a NATO-backed uprising in 2011, with rival groups vying for territory and oil wealth. Many Libyans put the country's crisis down to rivalries between foreign governments -- Western as well as Arab -- who they say pursue their own narrow agendas by supporting one group against another. Sarraj "saluted" France for organising a conference in Paris in May that brought together the four main protagonists in Libyan politics, including himself. He said he regretted that decisions taken at the conference, including a commitment to hold elections on December 10, had not been respected. Sarraj's Government of National Accord (GNA) was set up under a 2015 UN-brokered deal, but a rival administration based in the country's east refuses to recognise its authority. He criticised the rival parliament based in the east, saying it had failed to respect its commitment to carry out the preparations needed for elections. - 'Wishful thinking' - When asked about the timing of elections, Sarraj said "any mention of a date ... without putting in place a constitutional framework is a form of wishful thinking". The timetable divides the major powers. While France has pushed for the December date, Libya's former colonial ruler Italy, Russia and the United States have all opposed this. "It is necessary to unify the international position with regard to Libya," Sarraj said, calling for a "common vision" for its future. He said Italy and France should overcome their differences "so that there are no points of contention" between them. The populist government that came to power in Rome in June has been openly critical of the French role in Libya, saying it was at least partly to blame for the current chaos. UN envoy Ghassan Salame set out a new elections timetable in a videoconference with the Security Council from Tripoli on Thursday. He said a national conference in the first weeks of 2019 would pave the way for the electoral process to begin in the spring. Proposals for a platform for ordinary Libyans to chart out the political future, short-circuiting the country's bickering leaders, have been under discussion since last year. They had been delayed because of repeated flare-ups of fighting between the country's rival armed groups. Sarraj's biggest challenge has been tackling the insecurity, particularly in the capital, where militias still hold sway more than seven years after Kadhafi's overthrow. Between late August and late September, fighting in and around Tripoli between rival groups from the capital and other part of western Libya killed at least 117 people and wounded more than 400. Under pressure from the UN mission, the GNA announced new "security arrangements", which have yet to come into place visibly. "We are starting to implement this plan, but it requires international support and the engagement of all (Libyan) parties." The security plan aims to replace the militias with "regular army and police units", Sarraj told AFP. But he said some militias had "played a positive role in contributing to securing the capital and other cities, and in the fight against terrorism". "Putting all these factions in the same box" represents an injustice to some young Libyans, who could integrate successfully into the security forces, he said. The Guardian Azeem Rafiqs account and its reception point to the struggles of a community shaped by colonialism and exploitation An employee from Pakistan in a spinning mill in Bradford, West Yorkshire, circa 1950 Photograph: Central Press/Getty Images In the days since Azeem Rafiq gave evidence recounting the racism he faced within the Yorkshire County Cricket Club, people of colour across Britain have been moved to share their own accounts. But there is something distinct about Rafiqs testimony, which re Ministry of Education headquarters (PHOTO: Getty Images) The Ministry of Education (MOE) has announced on Wednesday (7 November) changes to the Direct School Admission (DSA) scheme as well as the university admission scoring system, in order to encourage students to explore different pathways in nurturing their potential talents. Online DSA application It has simplified the DSA application process from next year. All schools offering Secondary 1 places through DSA will use a centralised portal where students can apply online for multiple schools. Since the application is free of charge, this removes a financial barrier to students with talent and potential. Also, as the students school-based achievements will be shared automatically with the schools they apply to, it also removes the need for students to submit testimonials, certificates or transcripts. Each applicant can choose up to three schools and three talent areas in their DSA application. They can visit the schools website or their open houses to find out more about their programmes. O-Level weightage dropped for polytechnic applicants As for the university admission scoring system, the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) will be dropping the 20 per cent weightage on GCE O-Level results for polytechnic graduate applicants. Instead, the applicants will be assessed primarily on their Grade Point Average (GPA). This change will come into effect in 2020, and MOE believes that it will better recognise late-bloomers and those who have done well in polytechnics, as well as support the more diverse profile of polytechnic upgraders today. Students can still submit their O-Level results which are relevant to the course of study as additional information in their application. When the change is implemented in 2020, all six autonomous universities in Singapore NUS, NTU, Singapore Management University, Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore University of Technology and Design, and Singapore University of Social Sciences will not put compulsory weightage on O-Level results when evaluating polytechnic applicants. Story continues Other Singapore stories: No more exams for P1, P2 students from 2019: Ministry of Education More field trips in store for PAP Community Foundation kids Road closures, extra security at Suntec for Asean Summit A Pakistani Christian woman who spent eight years on death row for blasphemy has been freed from jail after an acquittal that triggered Islamist protests, but is still in Pakistan, officials said Thursday amid appeals for her to be offered asylum. Asia Bibi's conviction was overturned by the country's highest court last Wednesday, but she remained in prison as the government negotiated with hardliners who blockaded major cities and demanded her immediate execution. Thousands of supporters of Islamist parties took to the streets of Karachi Thursday to protest Bibi's acquittal and call for her beheading. "We can sacrifice our lives but can never compromise on the honour of the prophet," said a speaker at the protest. The demonstration comes hours after Bibi was flown from the central city of Multan where she was in custody to a "safe" place elsewhere in Pakistan. "She has been freed," her lawyer Saif-ul-Mulook said in a text message to AFP. "I have been told that she is on a plane but nobody knows where she will land." Following protests at last week's ruling, the government agreed in a deal with Islamists to impose a travel ban on Bibi, and not to challenge a review of the Supreme Court's ruling. One of the most vocal groups in the protests -- the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) -- called for "mutiny" against the army's top brass and the assassination of the top court's justices. Following Bibi's release, the TLP vowed to return to the streets if she was allowed to leave the country. "If the promise is broken and she is sent abroad, then Allah willing, a movement will start and it will be decisive," said TLP leader Afzal Qadri, after an earlier message from the group accused the government of reneging on the agreement. Foreign ministry spokesman Muhammad Faisal on Thursday denied media reports that Bibi had left the country, telling AFP: "She is in Pakistan". Intelligence sources also told AFP that she had not left the country. An order for her release arrived Wednesday at the jail in Multan where she was held, a prison official told AFP. "Asia Bibi has left the prison and has been transferred to a safe place!" tweeted Antonio Tajani, president of the European Parliament. Another civil aviation official, in Multan, said a small plane arrived in the city with "a few foreigners and some Pakistanis" on board to fetch Bibi. Her case has underscored deep divisions between traditionalists and modernisers in the devoutly Muslim country. The conviction stemmed from a 2009 incident when Bibi was asked to fetch water while out working in the fields. Muslim women labourers objected to her touching the water bowl as a non-Muslim, and a fight reportedly erupted. A local imam then claimed Bibi insulted the Prophet Mohammed. Bibi has consistently denied the charges, and her prosecution rallied international rights groups, politicians and religious figures. Pope Benedict XVI called for her release in 2010, while his successor, Pope Francis, met her daughter in 2015. - Incendiary charge - Bibi's husband Ashiq Masih has appealed for Britain or the United States to grant the family asylum and several governments including those of Italy and France have offered to help. Her lawyer fled to the Netherlands on Saturday under threat to his life. Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini tweeted: "I will do everything humanly possible to guarantee this young woman's future." Blasphemy is an incendiary charge in Muslim-majority Pakistan, where even unsubstantiated allegations of insulting Islam can result in death at the hands of mobs. Mere calls to reform the law have provoked violence, most notably the assassination of Salmaan Taseer, the governor of Pakistan's Punjab province, by his own bodyguard in Islamabad in 2011. Taseer had called for Bibi's release, and his son Shahbaz tweeted "Pakistan Zindabad" ("Long live Pakistan") following last week's ruling. Thousands of Islamist hardliners poured onto the streets in protest after Supreme Court judges overturned Bibi's conviction last Wednesday. Demonstrations broke out in major cities across the country in the wake of the ruling, with club-wielding protesters blocking Islamabad's main highway and barricading roads in Karachi and Lahore. One resident in Multan, Rizwan Khan, told AFP that Bibi would not be safe wherever she went, while another, Qari Muneer, said the decision should be reversed and called for her to receive "strict punishment". A Palestinian was killed by Israeli fire during clashes along the border of the Gaza Strip on Thursday, the health ministry in the coastal enclave said. Israel's military said soldiers opened fire after "several suspects were spotted approaching the security fence in the southern Gaza Strip and attempting to sabotage it." A Gaza health ministry spokesman said the man was shot by Israeli forces during clashes east of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza. He was identified as Mohammed Abu Sharbeen, 20, from the southern Gaza city of Rafah. At least 220 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since major protests backed by Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas began in March. The majority have been shot during protests and clashes, but others have died in tank fire or air strikes. One Israeli soldier was killed by a Palestinian sniper. Israel says its actions are necessary to defend the border and stop infiltrations and attacks, which it accuses Hamas of seeking to orchestrate. The often violent demonstrations usually peak on Fridays, but last week's was the calmest in months, amid talk of a truce deal between Hamas and Israel. Such a deal would see the protests end in exchange for an easing of Israel's blockade of the coastal enclave. Poland's president and prime minister on Wednesday called a march in Warsaw to mark the country's independence day centenary this weekend, hours after the capital's mayor banned one planned by far-right groups for the occasion. Those groups have vowed to appeal the ban in court and to go ahead with their march on Sunday regardless. The developments reflect the chaos surrounding independence day preparations by the EU country's right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) government, just days ahead of Poland's centenary coinciding with the World War I armistice. "It was decided that... there will be a joint white-red march that will be an event organised by the state," presidential spokesman Blazej Spychalski told reporters in Warsaw. White and red are Poland's national colours. "We invite all Poles to take part," he added. The announcement came following hastily called talks between President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. EU President and former Polish prime minister Donald Tusk -- a critic of the PiS government -- will nevertheless attend official ceremonies Sunday in Warsaw led by Duda, an ally of the government. - 'Aggressive nationalism' - Warsaw Mayor Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, an ally of Tusk, on Wednesday banned the centenary march by far-right groups, insisting it was inappropriate and unsafe. Last year's event drew international outrage after some of its participants shouted racist and anti-immigrant slogans. Their annual march is organised in part by the National Radical Camp (ONR), a group with roots stretching back to an anti-semitic pre-World War II movement. Gronkiewicz-Waltz told reporters in Warsaw she had not received assurances from the PiS government regarding a police presence to guarantee the event's security. "Warsaw has suffered enough due to aggressive nationalism" she added, referring to Nazi Germany's attacks that nearly wiped Warsaw off the map during World War II. "This should not be the way to mark one century of the independence of the Polish state, hence my decision to ban the march," Gronkiewicz-Waltz said. The organisers have 24 hours to appeal the ban in court but spokesman Mateusz Marzoch vowed to defy the ban "regardless", labelling the mayor's words "reprehensible, shameful and... arrogant". - Tensions with EU - Before the ban, organisers said they had expected between 100,000 and 250,000 participants after last year's march drew around 60,000. While many participants denied sympathy for extreme right groups, the event also drew representatives of far-right parties from Britain, Hungary, Italy and Slovakia. Duda and PiS leaders pulled out of the march last week after officials failed to convince its organisers to carry only Polish flags this year in a bid to avoid racist overtones. Since winning office in 2015, the PiS government has put Poland on a collision course with the European Union. It has introduced a string of controversial judicial reforms that Brussels has warned pose a threat to judicial independence, the rule of law and ultimately to democracy. Hes better known for speaking the Queens English but the Prince of Wales on Wednesday turned to pidgin as he visited Nigerias commercial capital. How you dey? (How are you?) he asked assembled dignitaries, including former heads of state, presidential candidates, leading politicians, and stars from the world of fashion, music and the arts. Queen Elizabeth IIs eldest son and heir, who turns 70 this month and winds up a tour of The Gambia, Ghana and Nigeria on Thursday, said he was pleased to be back in Lasgidi (Lagos). I find it hard to believe that nearly 30 years have passed since I first came to this city, he added in a speech at the British Deputy High Commissioners residence. As they say, God don butta my bread (God has blessed me), he said, praising the city for its dynamism and energy. Lagos -- home to more than 20 million people and driver of the economy of Africas most populous nation -- is a hub of innovation and industry. Charles, whose Princes Trust has helped launch the careers of hundreds of thousands of young entrepreneurs, said both shared the same spirit of imagination and ingenuity. If life dey show you pepper, make pepper soup, he said, which roughly translates to life is what you make it. The company claims to have curated over US$100 million in deals to date (L-R) Kelvin Lee CEO, Khai Lin Sng, CFO, Benjamin Twoon, COO Singapore fintech startup Fundnel has officially launched its private investment marketplace in Malaysia, where it has already been given the green light to become a Recognised Market Operator by the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC). Fundnel Malaysia will enable many domestic small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to seek alternative channels for fresh capital, just by using a single platform. To start raising funds, a company must first fill up an online deal application on the platform, which will be screened and assessed by the Fundnel team, comprising of analysts, investment and marketing executives. Each company is assessed using 130 data points, although, they variate between each market to factor in their nuances. For example, the market risk factors in India are different from that of Singapore. Fundnel claims that its stringent vetting process resulted in less than 10 per cent of fundraising applications being accepted. Once a company is approved, the Fundnel team will help them prepare the necessary financial documents and strategy to launch a successful campaign. The published deal will be seen by the platforms over 10,000 investors, who are made up of institutional and accredited investors. Fundraisers can use price discovery to compare offers and find out which of them best suits their stage of growth or other strategic requirements. Companies can raise funds via a variety of instruments including equity crowdfunding, convertibles, bonds/debt structures and revenue sharing. Also Read: Counterfeit goods are a half trillion dollar industry, and heres how QR codes and digital assets can help solve the problem of fakes The global economy is increasingly being shaped by SMEs, who often face challenges obtaining growth capital, said Kelvin Lee, CEO and co-founder of Fundnel. Crossing the borders is a big stride towards our goal of creating access to capital for everyday companies. Story continues Fundnels entry into Malaysia is a testament to the countrys attractiveness as an investment destination and we are excited to welcome the regions largest private investment platform into our market, said Norhizam Abdul Kadir, Vice President of Growth Ecosystem Development of Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC). SMEs form a fast-growing economic group in Malaysia. In 2017, it contributed to 37.1 per cent of the countrys GDP, up from 36.6 per cent in the year before. Despite this, it is reported that the governments funding schemes are underutilised due to complex application processes or insufficient loan amounts allocated. Against this backdrop, its easy to see why Fundnel is well-placed to fill this gap. MisterTyre, an on-demand mobile car care services, will be among the first companies to be launched on Fundnel Malaysia. It intends to use the capital to launch its affiliate program across Malaysia and to initiate licensing of its SAAS automotive solution in the United States. To date, Fundnel said it has facilitated 25 deals for businesses across the region, with a total deal origination value of over US$100 million. Among the notable regional companies who have raised money on the platform include Vickers Ventures Partners, who used it to raise part of their fifth fund. Outside of Asia, Elon Musks revolutionary space rocket company, SpaceX, has also leveraged it to raise capital. Besides Singapore and Malaysia, Fundnel is also present in Indonesia, Brunei, India and Australia. Image Credit: Fundnel The post Singapores Fundnel launches private investment marketplace in Malaysia appeared first on e27. Taiwans navy has commissioned two former US Perry-class guided missile frigates to boost the self-ruled islands anti-submarine defences, with the islands president vowing not to back down in the face of growing military threats from Beijing. The two frigates, PFG-1112 Ming Chuan and PFG-1115 Feng Chia, commissioned by President Tsai Ing-wen on Thursday, are equipped with the American-made SQR-19 sonar system, giving them a far superior anti-submarine performance than the navys existing eight Chengkung-class frigates built by Taiwan, according to naval officers. The frigates are also equipped with the MK13 guided missile launch system, designed to fire RGM-84 Harpoon Block II missiles as an anti-ship defence the first such firing system used by any naval vessels and capable of attacking coastal and bayside targets, they said. Through the commission of Ming Chuan and Feng Chia, we want to send a clear message to the world that we are not only devoted to strengthening our armaments but are determined to safeguard the Republic of China in Taiwan as well as our free and democratic way of life, Tsai, commander-in-chief of the Taiwanese forces, said during a commissioning ceremony at the naval port of Zuoying in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan. Beijing dissatisfied as US backs Taiwan and scrutiny of foreign firms We will not retreat an inch, she said, referring to growing military intimidation from the mainland. Beijing, which considers Taiwan a wayward province to be reunited with the mainland by force if necessary, has staged a series of war games around Taiwan to step up its military pressure against the island since Tsai, of the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party, became president in 2016 and refused to accept the one-China principle. It has also suspended talks and exchanges with the island and has poached five of Taipeis allies in the past two years to try to force Tsai to accept that principle, which Beijing considers a prerequisite for the two sides to resume relations. The principle is an understanding that there is only one China, but each side has its own interpretation of what constitutes China. Story continues Tsai said the commissioning of the two vessels was just another move to uphold the islands determination to safeguard itself against the mainlands repeated attempts to weaken the islands sovereignty and sabotage regional stability and peace. She said the island would make further efforts to boost its defences at a time when the mainland is using not only military threats but also less conventional means such as spreading disinformation and using social media networks to try to attack her government and the islands industries. Built in the 1980s and named USS Taylor and USS Gary when they were in the US Navy, the highly mobile frigates equipped with the SQQ-89 undersea warfare combat system were sold to Taiwan for US$190 million in 2015. According to the Taiwan navys chief of staff, Vice-Admiral Lee Chung-hsiao, the ships SQR-19 sonar system reduces noise efficiently, enabling more accurate location of enemy submarines. The US weapons Taiwan wants to bolster its defences Delivered to Taiwan in May last year, the two vessels, which have gone through weapons fitting and testing in the past year or so, are among the many military purchases it has made from the United States in line with the Taiwan Relations Act, instituted by the US in 1979 to ensure proper defence for the island after Washington switched diplomatic recognition to Beijing from Taipei. Despite repeated protests by the mainland, US-Taiwan military ties have become ever closer as Beijing and Washington have become locked in a series of heated disputes over trade and diplomatic issues including the mainlands military expansion in the Indo-Pacific region. The American Institute in Taiwan, the US de facto embassy, said the US sent representatives to Thursdays ceremony. It said the frigates entry into service would improve the islands capability in current and future defensive efforts as well as contribute to political stability, military balance and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific region, in line with US strategy there. This article We wont retreat an inch: Taiwan enlists US-made submarine hunters to repel Beijing threats first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. Top Hong Kong policeman gives thumbs up to officer who shot man in MTR station One of Hong Kongs top policemen gave a literal thumbs up to one of his officers the day after she opened fire on a knife-wielding man in an MTR station, despite calls for an investigation into her decision to shoot in such a crowded place. Photos circulated among officers after the director of operations, Chris Tang Ping-keung, tipped to be the next police chief, visited the officer, surnamed Yuen, and three colleagues at the Police Tactical Unit Kowloon West operational base in Shek Kip Mei at noon on Thursday. A police spokesman said the gesture signified support for the officers involved as they endured tremendous pressure after the incident, and did not mean management was taking a side on the issue. It is necessary for the senior officer to cheer the group up and boost morale as they have gone through such a dangerous episode, the spokesman said. One must shoulder huge pressure after firing rounds while on duty. Tang and the four officers, who were involved in the fracas in Sham Shui Po MTR station on Wednesday, gave a thumbs up in the picture. At about 7.40am that day, Yuen and her partner picked up a 55-year-old builder, surnamed Chow, as he appeared suspicious. During questioning, the officers said, Chow took a 15cm cutter from his backpack. Chow waved the weapon and repeatedly tried to attack the duo, despite a verbal warning, police said. Yuen, a six-year veteran, shot him in the abdomen. Police to investigate reports of mainland tour agents operating illegally On Thursday morning, investigators revisited the MTR station to look for witnesses. Chow remained in critical condition after two rounds of surgery. Lawmakers across the political spectrum had questioned whether it was appropriate to fire a gun in an MTR station. They urged a thorough and transparent investigation. The force said in a statement on Wednesday night that initial investigation had cleared Yuen of any breach of guidelines. The officer acted in accordance with the guideline and the circumstance. She made a correct decision to prevent serious bodily harm and had eased a violent crime, the statement read. Story continues Tang is to receive a report on the event within 48 hours of the incident. According to the Police General Orders, officers are allowed to fire under three circumstances: to protect anyone, including themselves, from death or serious injury; to bring about the arrest of a person who has just committed a serious or violent crime; or to quell a riot or insurrection. This article Top Hong Kong policeman gives thumbs up to officer who shot man in MTR station first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. American wine traders and Chinese importers have little to cheer in Hong Kong at one of the worlds largest industry shows as the China-US trade war sour consumers appetites. Some mainland buyers who are regulars at the four-day International Wine and Spirits Fair, balked at the tit-for-tat tariffs, of 25 per cent, which Beijing imposed on American goods, including wine, as of September. American wine exporters, mainly those from California, were hit not only by the tariffs but the lingering weaknesses in yuan against the US dollar. Jeffrey Williamson, director of the government-backed California State Trade Expansion Program, said on Thursday that US wine exports to China were expected to drop 10 per cent next year if the trade war endures. Forward looking is a bit murky, he said in an interview. It is really a tough market but it is too big to ignore. He did not think the outcome of the midterm elections on Tuesday would sway US President Donald Trumps hardline policy on China. There is no pressure at all for President Trump to do anything different to China with the midterm election outcome as Democrats took over the House of Representatives, he said. Those bigger factors are how Trump and his party maintain their position of power and how [Chinese] President Xi [Jinping] maintains his power, and having a good economy will help these things. Blasting China for dragging its feet on opening up more for foreign investors, Trump has launched a series of punitive tariffs on over a total of US$250 billion worth of Chinese goods since March. China has hit back with reciprocal tariffs on American imports. For example, Beijing imposed an extra 15 per cent tariff on American wine in September, which took the total to 25 per cent. According to the Wine Institute, an advocacy group based in San Francisco, 90 per cent of US wine exports were from California. Exports to Hong Kong jumped 15 per cent to US$119 million last year, which accounted for about 8 per cent of the total of US$1.5 billion. Exports to China rose 6 per cent to US$77 million. Story continues Dwight Bonewell, director and winemaker of Grand Napa Vineyards in Californias Napa Valley, said some of his clients in China have stopped sourcing American wine until the tariffs are lifted. The vineyard, which has been selling red and white wine in China for the past decade, was offering existing stock in its warehouses in Guangzhou and Shanghai, he said. This inventory will be depleted by the Lunar New Year, he said. One saving grace is the US market is very strong now. A bottle of Grand Napa Vineyards red or white wine, which costs between US$50 (345 yuan or HK$389) and US$150, is subject to a total levy of 80 per cent including tariffs, a value-added tax and an excise tax. To add salt to the wound, yuan has depreciated about 8.8 per cent against the US dollar since March. There is no way we can pass the tariffs to shoppers Dennis, Chinese wine importer A Guangzhou-based wine wholesaler who called himself Dennis, and who is a customer of Grand Napa Vineyards, said he stopped sourcing American wine after the tariffs took effect in September. There is no way we can pass the tariffs to shoppers, he said, adding that he switched to selling Italian and French wine. Xu Zhiqiang, a co-owner of wine importer Shaoguan Lian Yang Trading Co., said American wine was too expensive to source now and he instead switched to Australian and Chilean imports. Chinas economy has slowed down a lot and the governments anticorruption campaign had an impact as well; the number of wine hampers we sold during the last Mid-Autumn Festival dropped 50 per cent, he said. He added that Australian wine carries a tax of about 38 per cent and Chilean wine about 32 per cent, which makes them comparatively more receptive to the mass market. Still, there is a newcomer who wants to break into the mainland market despite the trade war. Grant Yeargain, director of sales and guest experiences of Hong Kong-owned Hestan Vineyards in California, said it wanted to test the waters of the China market. But he conceded that it is not an ideal time. This article Trade war tariffs sour Chinese appetite for US wines at Hong Kong industry fair first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. The United Nations on Wednesday welcomed a Syrian regime plan to allow Palestinians back home to the ravaged Damascus suburb of Yarmuk after expelling jihadists. Tens of thousands of pre-war residents have been unable to return to the large Palestinian refugee camp in the south of the capital since regime forces ousted the Islamic State group in May. On Tuesday, deputy foreign minister Faisal al-Meqdad said Damascus had created a "plan for the return of all refugees to the camp", though he did not give a date. The UN agency for Palestinians refugees, UNRWA, on Wednesday applauded the decision. "UNRWA welcomes the decision by the Syrian government to allow Palestine refugees to return to their homes in Yarmuk camp," spokesman Chris Gunness said. Some 160,000 Palestinians lived in Yarmuk before the start of Syria's seven-year conflict. After years of devastating fighting, siege and bombardment, much of the district has been reduced to a sea of grey rubble and mangled steel, though main roads have been cleared of debris. Only a few dozen families now live amid its bombed-out buildings. UNRWA has 23 premises there including 16 schools, all of which have been damaged. It has faced a funding crisis since August when the United States, its largest single donor, announced it would end its US$350 million a year funding. "We call on the international community to provide support for UNRWA to allow the agency to provide core services, including health services and education, to Palestine refugees who return to Yarmuk," Gunness said. "The camp is largely destroyed and there is a need for the municipality to restore basic infrastructure, including water, electricity and sewage," he said. Set up in 1957 after the creation of the state of Israel, Yarmuk evolved from a camp of tents into a bustling neighbourhood that was home to Syrians as well as Palestinian refugees. "Yarmuk was home to almost 30 percent of the Palestine refugee population in Syria before they were displaced," Gunness said. Many of Yarmuk's residents fled after rebels overran the neighbourhood in 2012, leaving those who remained to face severe food shortages under a years-long regime siege, and then jihadists. The Palestinian Liberation Organization has funded rubble clearing, but rebuilding awaits a green light from Damascus. Syria's war has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions more since starting in 2011. The UN Security Council is weighing a plan that would see UN peacekeepers in the Central African Republic offer support to newly-trained national troops as they deploy across the strife-scarred country. A French-drafted resolution would authorize the MINUSCA mission to "provide limited logistical support" for troops that have been trained by the European Union, according to the text seen by AFP on Wednesday. The proposal is raising eyebrows, in particular from the United States, which is seeking to streamline peacekeeping operations to reduce costs and make them more effective, diplomats said. The council will vote on the draft resolution next week. The European Union has trained more than 3,000 men and women to serve in the Central African Armed Forces while Russia and France have provided them with weapons and other military equipment, with UN approval. The train-and-equip program is intended to help the Central African Republic recover from the bloodletting that exploded in 2013 after the ouster of leader Francois Bozize, a Christian, by mainly Muslim Seleka rebels. The current president, Faustin-Archange Touadera, controls only a fraction of the country, most of which is overrun by militants who claim to protect either the Christian or Muslim communities. The council will vote on backing the "rapid extension of state authority over the entire territory" by supporting the deployment of the vetted and trained troops in areas outside of Bangui. The draft resolution also takes aim at recent Russian efforts to broker peace deals in CAR by specifying that an African-led initiative is "the only framework" for a solution. Working with Sudan, Russia in August convened talks in Khartoum of Central African militias who signed a preliminary agreement, drawing criticism from France of unhelpful meddling. To step up diplomatic efforts, the United Nations and the African Union plan to appoint a joint special envoy while UN envoy Parfait Onanga-Anyanga will become part of the AU panel leading the peace effort. The draft resolution extends the MINUSCA mission until November 2019 and maintains a ceiling of 11,650 military personnel. Last year, the council added 900 extra troops to the mission as violence raged on. MINUSCA is the UN's fourth largest mission, after the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Mali. New Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki will depart for a series of meetings in the United States on Monday apparently confident he can persuade politicians and government officials to abandon plans to relocate US troops and equipment to an expanded military base on the north-east coast of his prefecture. Analysts said officials in Washington would listen politely to the governor elected in a landslide vote in September that he insists reflects the opposition to the US military presence and then largely ignore him. Geopolitical concerns in northeast Asia, revolving around an increasingly expansionist China and the regime in North Korea that remains deeply unpredictable, make the US military presence in Okinawa too important to the governments in both Washington and Tokyo. About half the 54,000 US troops in Japan are based in Okinawa, which is also home to the largest US Air Force base in the region. Tokyo and Washington have agreed to close the US Marine Corps Futenma Air Station, in a heavily populated area in the central part of Okinawa Island, and move tens of thousands of personnel and their equipment to Camp Schwab, a Marine Corps base in the more remote northeast of the island where work is under way to reclaim an offshore area for new runways and associated facilities. The US presence in Okinawa has been unpopular since the end of the second world war, when local residents land was expropriated for military facilities and has remained in US hands since. The military is also blamed for noise, pollution and damage to the environment, while criminal acts by members of the military invariably make the headlines particularly cases such as murder or sex crimes. The best outcome Tamaki might secure, the analysts said, would be a commitment from the US and the central government in Tokyo to shift some of the US military personnel to other parts of Japan or some of the outlying islands of Okinawa Prefecture. The governor will be aware, however, the residents who elected him will be disappointed in any deal that does not reduce the number of US troops in the prefecture. Story continues He has very little in the way of leverage, particularly as Tokyo is becoming more proactive Stephen Nagy, International Christian University The governor was nevertheless optimistic ahead of his departure, telling the South China Morning Post he had been elected by the highest number of votes ever in an election for the governorship of Okinawa. He said he would explain the current state of the burden imposed by the bases, the historical background of the construction of military bases in Okinawa and ask for understanding and cooperation in resolving this problem when he met members of the US Congress and the government. Tamaki was in Tokyo immediately before his departure for the US and held talks with Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga. The central government agreed to open talks with the prefecture in the search for common ground on the relocation of the functions of Futenma. Those talks will go ahead but it is considered extremely unlikely Tokyo will give ground. An official from the division that handles US military issues at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: We are going ahead with a consolidation plan that is based on the understanding that Futenma will be returned no later than 2022. Construction at Henoko [Camp Schwab] is going on at the moment and it is not possible to say at the moment when that will be finished but under the agreement between the governments of Japan and the United States, that will be completed no later than 2022. Stephen Nagy, a senior associate professor of politics at Tokyos International Christian University, said Tamaki had few reasons to be optimistic before he flies to New York, where he is due to give a lecture ahead of his meetings in Washington. He has very little in the way of leverage, particularly as Tokyo is becoming more proactive in the region in terms of its security relationship with the US because of the rise of China, Nagy said. He was elected on a platform of trying to stop the bases but Governor Tamaki is not a typical politician as he comes from a bicultural and bilingual background, which will perhaps give him some political capital in Washington. But the US is taking a stronger approach to China on security and the challenges are only deepening. And Okinawa is one of Washingtons key security assets in the region. The role of Okinawa is critical and that is not diminishing but increasing. Neither Tokyo nor Washington will be willing to compromise on the security that relies on the military presence on Okinawa, Nagy said, although they may agree to minor changes that in no way compromise security. Tokyo could agree to make some adjustments but they are going to make sure that there is no impact on national security and make it clear that nothing can be done instantly, he said. Despite the stalling tactics of the prefectural government over the last decade designed to delay or halt entirely the transfer to Camp Schwab, it is clear Tokyo holds the whip hand and is pushing ahead with construction of the new runways off the existing base, much to the displeasure of local residents and environmental groups. Prime Minister Shinzo Abes government may make some minor concessions to Tamaki but it cannot be seen to capitulate to the governor, Nagy agreed. Okinawas only hope is that Tokyo shows a degree of pragmatism in dealing with the people of the prefecture and gives ground in some small way. Whatever it cedes will not, however, appease most islanders who consider themselves exploited ever since the independent Ryukyu kingdom was subsumed into the Japanese nation in 1879. This article As US frets over China and North Korea, Okinawa looks stuck with its military base first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. More from South China Morning Post: Singapores Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Brussels in October 2018. (Reuters/Piroschka van de Wouw) A general election next year is possible, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong told Bloomberg Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait in an interview at the New Economy Forum in Singapore. The PM said: Its always possible. There are many reasons to bring elections forward, so well see. The last general election in Singapore was held on 11 September, 2015, months after the death of founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. Polls must be held by early 2021. Singapore celebrates its bicentennial next year the 200th year since Stamford Raffles arrival Based on what PM Lee said, do you think its likely that Singapore will hold a general election in 2019? Have your say in our poll and leave a comment below. Related story: Possible for general elections to be held in 2019: PM Lee Dear Prudence, My wife has a serious medical condition that will eventually take her life. In addition to the stress of being a caregiver for her and our child and working full time, I also find myself increasingly lonely. She may live for years with this condition, though not fully as herself. Already I am more a caregiver than a husband. Sex ended a year and a half ago. I find myself wanting to be with someone but fearing it may never happen. I didnt date that much before we married, and even if I could give myself permission to be with someone while she is still alive, it would get complicated with family and friends who would see it as not honoring our vows. Im currently middle-aged, but I may be old by the time my wife dies. Am I doomed to years essentially alone with no prospects of sex or companionship? Lonely Caregiver Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I cant promise you that you would have sexual prospects even if you did give yourself permission to date. The constraints of knowing your friends and family might be on the alert and consider it infidelity are serious ones, especially if you live in a relatively small town with little room for privacy. But you have more options than trying to date in secret or resigning yourself to isolation and full-time caregiving, and you can absolutely seek out companions, support, and friendship as you care for your wife and child. Organizations such as the Family Caregiver Alliance offer in-person support groups. The AARP offers resources, both online and in-person, for caregivers struggling to balance their own lives and looking for others going through the same. The most important thing for you to do, I think, is to develop a long-term caregiving plan that builds in rest and time off for you, so that you dont reach total burnout and feel like your only option to preserve your own health and sanity is to run for the hills. Ask for help, both from professional organizations and your own friends. Talk to other family caregivers about their experiencesyou may find you experience tremendous relief simply from talking to someone else whos going through the same thing. But thats going to be the most meaningful next step, rather than trying to clandestinely arrange a date while worrying about your family finding out. Advertisement Dear Prudence, Our parents died when my sister was 18. I am eight years older than her and took up a parental role. I am tired of it. My sister has failed to graduate college, find a permanent job, or bother to think of anyone but herself for the past five years. Over the last three months, my sister has called me crying that her roommates have stiffed her on rent and she is going to be evicted. I finally got fed up and tracked down the roommates and contacted them. My sister was lying to meher roommates had been paying rent and sent me bank statements to prove it. She spent the money on concerts. I confronted my sister and told her she was a liar and a thief and I was glad our parents were dead rather than see what she has become. She called me a bitch. We havent spoken since. Now she is calling me again for money, crying she is going to be homeless. It is true this time because one of the roommates gave me a heads up they are leaving the apartment. I dont feel guilty, and then I feel guilty about not feeling guilty. I am tired. My sister is 22. I dont know what to do, but this has to stop. Can you help me? Sister, Not Mother Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can, and should, find ways to set limits with your sister without resorting to throwing your parents death in her face, which is both desirable and (relatively) easily achievable. Thats something you are, and ought to be, responsible for. But youre not responsible for bailing your sister out of an easily foreseeable crisis. Leases end, roommates move out, and your sister sounds like a pretty resourceful person (at least when it comes to avoiding doing things she doesnt want to do). You can apologize for bringing up your parents death while also holding firm to your commitment not to lend her any more money. It doesnt sound like your sister has meaningfully changed her relationship to work or money in the past few months, so any money you gave her would likely vanish in a short amount of time and be followed by another demand. But if the conversation deteriorates and you find yourself frustrated to the point where youre tempted to again say something cruel and borderline unforgivable, just cut it short: I dont think its going to help the situation if we keep trading insults. Im not giving you any more money. If you want to talk again about any other topic, Im around. Advertisement How to Get Advice From Prudie: Send questions for publication to prudence@slate.com. (Questions may be edited.) Join the live chat every Monday at noon. Submit your questions and comments here before or during the live discussion. Call the voicemail of the Dear Prudence podcast at 401-371-DEAR (3327) to hear your question answered on a future episode of the show. Dear Prudence, My husband and I are unsure if we want children. If we do (and it is a big if), it is still several years away. It feels like all my friends are currently having children, and it is impacting our social life quite a bit. While I am happy to do kid-friendly items every once in a while, I prefer to keep my outings adults-only. How do I deal with this moving forward? Do I just need to find a whole new group of friends who are childless until we start our own family? I admit that now Ive seen how much my friends have to give up to have families, I am not sure I want to. No Time for Toddlers Advertisement Advertisement Its true that having children is a pretty time- and energy-intensive enterprise, especially when theyre young, and if you and your husband are on the fence about having them yourselves, you should pay very careful attention to your own doubts and err on the side of caution. But if you care about your friends with kids, you should at least try to find a compromise. That might mean having slightly fewer adults-only outings than you might like. But if these are meaningful friendships you want to preserve, then its worth making it through those baby-and-toddler years. You can also, of course, make time for new, childless or child-free friends, but that doesnt mean you have to abandon the old ones in order to do it. If you ditch all of your friends with kids for childless ones now and then decide to have kids a few years down the road, youre going to find yourself in much the same predicament, but reversed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Get Slate in Your Inbox Sign up for the Dear Prudence mailing list to receive notifications of new columns and chats 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. Dear Prudence, My in-laws have become obsessed with conspiracy theories, almost all of which are rooted in anti-Semitic paranoia. Despite being the kind of progressives who traveled to New York to canvass for Cynthia Nixon, both of them have internalized all the dog-whistle boogeymen about international bankers, globalists, and especially the Rothschilds. They deny they are actually anti-Semitic and, I think, sincerely believe their own rationalizations. But they definitely believe dark forces are conspiringand those dark forces almost always have a Jewish name. My wife recognizes her parents views are problematic but struggles with how to respond to it. Her brother and sister (and their spouses) dont share our concern and are in denial about their otherwise tolerant parents abhorrent beliefs. About three years ago, when my small business did some work for a much larger company owned by a locally prominent civic leader, my father-in-law explained to me during a family dinner that my client was definitely Mossad because he was Jewish and traveled a lot for business. Its an absurd and offensive assertion, and I was doubly upset because it was personal. I lost my temper. My mother-in-law accused me of bullying them over their beliefs and started to cry at the dinner table. My siblings-in-law wanted me to apologize and be open-minded and more respectful to all beliefs. I refused. Since then, my in-laws and I have settled into an uneasy peace where they limit their baiting to subtle, passive-aggressive asides (Its just suspicious that Christine Blasey Fords allegations came through Sen. Feinsteins office.) that I choose to ignore even if it means leaving the room to avoid the conversation. That has avoided further blowups. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the Pittsburgh shooting, I dont know if I can, or should, continue to hold my tongue. I realize my wife is in a no-win situation, and I dont want her to feel like she needs to choose between her husband and her parents. At the same time, our son will be 6 years old next monthold enough to understand what grown-ups are talking about. He shouldnt be exposed to anti-Semitic bigotry, and he shouldnt be led to think that such beliefs are normal or OK. Id like my brothers- and sisters-in-law to join us in the united front that conspiracy-theory fever dreams are forbidden topics at family events, but as I say, they refuse to acknowledge the problem. Do you have any suggestions or strategies for convincing my siblings-in-law that this needs to happen? Accidental Anti-Semites Advertisement If your in-laws version of subtle anti-Semitic asides includes claiming that Fords sexual assault claim against Brett Kavanaugh was a Jewish conspiracy, then I shudder to think what their nonsubtle attacks look like. Weaponizing the language of tolerance and bullying in order to keep you from objecting to assertions like This man travels a lot and is Jewish, so he must be a Mossad agent is manipulative, dark, and deeply disturbing. This is not a whimsical peccadillo to be written off against the backdrop of an otherwise progressive outlook. This is anti-Semitism at its most virulent and dehumanizing, and youre right to want to oppose it clearly, in addition to not wanting to expose your child to it. Id like to offer an important point of clarification, however: Your wife is not in a no-win situation; she is in a difficult situation. Opposing anti-Semitism, even if it comes from ones own parents, and even if it fractures the family relationship, is not a loss. It would be a good, true, and courageous act. But you need to think a little bigger. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Avoiding blowups is an insufficient goal. Saying, Lets get all the kids in the family to agree that Mom and Dad should be quiet about their anti-Semitism at the dinner table is an insufficient response. You and your wife need to make it clear both to her parents and her siblings that these conspiracy theories are baseless, bigoted, and lead to violenceas weve all-too-recently seenand that you will no longer countenance them. If that means leaving the dinner table entirely, or even permanently, then thats what you need to do. Whether her siblings join you or not, whether her parents listen or not, you need to do the right thing and call out anti-Semitism for what it is: a dangerous and hateful prejudice. Advertisement Dear Prudence Uncensored Unless you start Logans Running your friend group, it seems like doing some expectation management is a good call. Daniel Mallory Ortberg and Nicole Cliffe discuss a letter in this weeks Dear Prudence Uncensoredonly for Slate Plus members. Dear Prudence, My stepfather physically and sexually abused me from age 11 until I was 14. I escaped to live with my father after confessing to my mother. She refused to believe me and called me a little slut. The night before I left, I begged my 12-year-old sister to come with me. She refused to leave our mother. I ended up losing contact with both my mother and sister after I left. After a decade, my sister contacted me out of the blue to rage at me. According to her, as soon as I left, my stepfather turned his attentions on her. This is my fault. I abandoned her. She is still is in contact with our mother and stepfather. I am having nightmares over this. I cant sleep or eat and cant tell anyone in my life. Our biological father was not a good man, but I had a roof over my head and food in my mouth. I was able to get into college and get a good job. I dont know what to do. I am drowning in guilt. How do I do this? What do I do? I feel so helpless. Abuse Aftereffects Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That sounds unimaginably painful. The only person responsible for abusing you and your sister is your stepfather. You were a 14-year-old with few options and no allies who was trying to save your own life. You were failed not only by the man who abused you but your own mother, who blamed you for your abuse. If your sister is still in touch with your stepfather and mother, it may be that she feels like she cant hold them accountable for their own actions. You live farther away and are less likely to retaliate. Shes lashing out at the nearest safe target. Knowing that might not make it feel any easier, but its true nonetheless. Advertisement You dont have to do anything right now. I dont think its a good idea to try to reason with your sister, who seems to be unable to hear truth because of the amount of pain that shes in (not to mention the toll it would take on you to try to get her to listen). I hope there is at least one person in your life you can talk to about this. If there isnt, I hope you can find a therapist, because you shouldnt have to deal with the resurgence of years of trauma and betrayal by yourself. If you cant for whatever reason, you can always call the National Sexual Assault Hotline. Right now your only job is to take care of yourself, because its unbearably painful to deal with this form of survivors guilt. You did not do anything wrong by getting away, by going to college, by building a healthy and stable life for yourself. There is nothing you could have done differently as a 14-year-old victim of abuse who was neither believed nor helped by the adults in your life. Be as kind to yourself as you possibly can and hope that someday your sister is able to do the same. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dear Prudence, Im a junior in college, and Ive just lost all of my friends. Last year Evan, part of my former friend group, asked me out. I said no, and he became increasingly mean. He cursed at me because I cooked our friends dinner one night and used onions, which he hates (I knew he hated them, but I spaced out and forgot). Another night we all went out to dinner, and Evan was short on cash, so I spotted him. When I asked him to pay my back in front of our friends, he cursed at me for embarrassing him. Our friends (four other men and women) would admit in private that Evan was out of line, but they never interfered. They hoped wed work things out between the two of us. I explained to them how badly Evan scared me when he flipped out and asked them to stand up to him when he lost his temper. For reasons Im not sure Ill ever understand, they wouldnt. I walked away from those friendships. Im starting to make new friends, but I feel like I stick out like a sore thumb. Im not a transfer student, so I should have good friends by now. I dont know how to explain what happened to new friends. Im also not sure what to tell mutual friends who ask me why I dont hang out with Evan and our gang anymoreor even worse, dont know Im not friends with them anymore. Do I owe anyone answers? And what do I say if people ask? No Good Answer Advertisement Advertisement Good for you for walking away from that creep Evan and his cowardly band of enablers. I hope the new friends you make can cobble together something resembling a spine. My guess is that unless your college is very small, no one is going to ask you too many questions about why you seem to have so much free time as a junior. Its not that unusual in college for people to drift from one social circle to the next, or even to find themselves with a completely new group of friends halfway through, so I dont think your sudden freedom will raise any eyebrows. If people mistakenly assume youre still close with your former friends, you can either correct them without going into detailActually, I dont see them much anymoreor, if you trust them, say something like, Were not friends. Evan asked me out and wouldnt take no for an answer. He later screamed at me in front of other people, and the rest of them werent willing to stand up for me. But you certainly dont owe anyone answers. If youd rather keep the details to yourself, you arent under any obligation to share your story even if someone asks. Good luck making better friends than the kind you used to have. Classic Prudie My partner and I, who are in a gay relationship, are close friends with a lesbian couple. Mary and Jean desperately want a baby, and after some discussion my partner decided to donate his sperm. Mary and Jane have now asked whether Jane can conceive a baby with my partner the old-fashioned way. My partner and Jane used to date in their 20s, so it wont be anything new. I totally trust my partner, but this is just too much for me. Am I being too old-fashioned? This piece is part of the Radical issue, a special package from Outward, Slates home for coverage of LGBTQ life, thought, and culture. Read more here. My early misgivings about Grindr, the famed gay hookup app, first hardened into antipathy back in 2014, when the app underwent a major design overhaul and the apps founder and CEO, an Israeli-American named Joel Simkhai, sat down for an interview with the New York Times. The design overhaul, among a variety of other interface tweaks, dramatically altered the layout of a users main profile screen. Whereas a profile had previously offered space for a pithy comment to contextualize a photograph, almost all text was suddenly banished. Other users now had to manually swipe up for further information: age, height, sense of humor, and signs of intelligence (in 250 characters). This change put the emphasis wholly on aesthetics; you could now only speak if granted permission, with a flick of the finger. The app, already more a sexual video game than facilitator of meaningful social connections, had undergone a self-transformation into the digital equivalent of a swimsuit competition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Simkhai was sitting in his 15,911-square-foot compound when Guy Trebay interviewed him for the New York Times. (Styles section, of course; the house was a white cube, the panorama of Los Angeles was commanding.) This interview did not exactly assuage my concerns about the redesign. Reflecting on the upgrade, Simkhai acknowledged that Grindr is very, very visual, and that he was not really a big believer in words. Then he lobbed what sounded like a hand grenade: Grindr made me get fit and go to the gym more, get better abs. People criticize it for being superficial, but I didnt invent that in human nature. What Grindr does is makes you raise your game. The app had undergone a self-transformation into the digital equivalent of a swimsuit competition. What Grindr does, Simkhai was saying, is put the onus on an individual to be acceptably attractive. If other users did not accept youif they were rude, shaming, offensive, or even discriminatory on the basis of something like racethen perhaps you had just not raised your game high enough to compete in the lineup of this competition. Advertisement Jump-cut to last year: Kunlun Group Limited, a Chinese gaming company, acquired full ownership of Grindr. In January of this year, Simkhai stepped down as CEO. And in September, something notable happened in the form of a company attitude adjustment. Advertisement Called Kindr, the initiativeessentially an update to the apps Community Guidelinesdebuted alongside the tagline, Its time to play nice. Grindr would no longer tolerate toxic behavior, the Kindr press release announced, including sexual racism, transphobia, fat-shaming, and other forms of discrimination. Making comments such as No rice, Youre too cute to be trans, and People like you are the reason Ebola exists, might now land users with a permanent ban. To help explain exactly what this meant and why it was an important change, Grindr also released a multipart video series (which is excellent) showing the kinds of people who have experienced online discrimination and having them spell things out, like a Greek chorus. For example: If youre saying something online that you wouldnt say in person, youre kind of just being a coward about it. Advertisement Advertisement One of the most conspicuous (and contoured) faces in these videos is the Vixen, most recently seen on Season 10 of RuPauls Drag Race. When I reached her at home in Chicago to ask why she got involved in the campaign, she told me, Grindr is where I met my boyfriend, so I definitely had a personal interest. For years, Vixen has struggled over how to navigate conversations on the app. How, as a hardworking drag queen taking part in a gay sexual culture that can sometimes abhor femininity, do you say to a stranger: Come over, but the house is covered in glitter? The threat of an aggressive response has been ever-present. Advertisement But what Grindr now does, the Kindr initiative is saying, is put the onus on the queer community to treat individuals with respect. You, the individual, can be yourself, whoever that may be, abs or no abs. It is everybody else who needs to raise their game. Advertisement The significance of this turnaround should not be underestimated. When Kindr first came out, I cried, said Sinakhone Keodara, the founder of an Asian television streaming service who, this past July, threatened to mount a class-action lawsuit against Grindr for racial discrimination. Discrimination hurts, Keodara told me. Kindness is healing. The campaign felt to him like the company was finally saying: Were listening. But it is only a beginning. Keodara believes that the Kindr initiative risks amounting to little more than damage control and a PR stunt unless further changes soon follow. As it stands, the new Community Guidelines include a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination, harassment, and abusive behavior. But discrimination, harassment, and abusive behavior must be referred to a moderation team before any action is taken, meaning somebody still has to endure it in the first place. This is a far cry from the kind of system currently employed by a company like Ubisoft, where an automated scan detects toxic language in one of its popular multiplayer games and then, as soon as an abuser has finished typing, immediately bans them for increasing lengths of time the more often they do it. Keodara wants Grindr to implement a similar strategy. He also wants the company to remove its controversial ethnicity filter, whereby users can cleanse the app of entire categories of people. A recent study out of Cornell found that dating apps that allow users to filter by race only reinforce pernicious racial divisions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When I watched the Kindr videos on YouTube, I noticed a recurring argument in the comment sections underneath: namely, that all this talk of inclusivity is trying to stop people from having a preference, and that preference is somehow different from racism and discrimination. Such an argument, it seems to me, willfully ignores two important points. First, preference is not innate; beyond the basics of sexgay, straight, bipreference is conditioned by a society that is itself racist, fat-shaming, and discriminatory in all kinds of ways, including against people who are HIV-positive, with specific standards of beauty one cannot help but internalize. So-called preference, in other words, is at least partially learned, and it is worth reflecting on whether that education might have been a bad one. Advertisement Second, preference, regardless of its source, is no excuse for blithely treading on the feelings of others in the pursuit of getting off. There are ways to indicate a lack of interest while still being respectful: thanks, but no thanks, for example, or simply saying nothing at all. Grindr has been around for nearly 10 years, so a whole generation has now been affected by it. The rise of platforms like Grindr has been akin to the discovery of a new worlda kind of digital Wild West, where base impulses have been given free rein. But perhaps that era is coming to an end, and Kindr Grindr is an early sign of a shift toward civility in the queer community. As the Vixen told me, Kindness is not new, but were introducing a new normal, where were not OK with prejudices. Given how toxic some online conduct has become, there is nothing more radicaland welcome, for many usersthan plain common decency. Read all of Outwards special issue on Radicalism. And queer your ears with a special radical-themed episode of the Outward podcast. This post is part of Outward, Slates home for coverage of LGBTQ life, thought, and culture. Read more here. Nine years ago, President Barack Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009 into law. This legislation was a watershed moment for the LGBTQ community, officially expanding federal law to make it a federal crime to assault an individual because of her actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The legislation commemorated the vicious 1998 murders of Byrd and Shepardone based on race and the other on sexual orientation. But chances are youve only heard of the latter. Advertisement During the summer of 98, Byrd was leaving his parents house and accepted a ride from three white men: Shawn Allen Berry, Lawrence Russell Brewer, and John William King. He never made it home. Instead, these three white supremacists drove 49-year-old Byrd to a deserted area and repeatedly beat him. They then wrapped Byrd around his ankles and dragged him down an asphalt road for over 3 miles. By all accounts, Byrd managed to stay conscious while being dragged until his head and right arm were severed by a culvert. Byrds headless torso was dumped off alongside a road in Jasper, Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The murders of Byrd and Shepard rightfully brought national and international attention to the lack of hate crime legislation at local, state, and federal levels. Civil rights organizations and community responses helped create a necessary call to action about the marginalization and violence against LGBTQ people or black people. But that call rarely, if ever, considered the intersectional nature of identity, the fact that some of us are black and queer. And that oversight has profound consequences for people like me. Advertisement Twenty years out from these murders, as society continuously centers the horrid death of a white gay man and rarely offers anything about Byrd, a black man killed by white supremacists, Im forced me to wonder, If I am killed, what part of me (if any) will be centered? Contrary to mainstream depictions of black LGBTQ people (if were ever depicted at all), our identities are not distinct. Our full lives have value and must always be celebrated. We dont have to strip ourselves of our black identities or our queer identities to be remembered. Yet society attempts to reduce us to one or the other in how we live and in how we die. The Shepard-Byrd Act doesnt consider how a person experiences violence based on intersectional identities. At many points in my life, I can count the number of times a person has asked me if I was more discriminated against because of my being black or queer. I always hesitate to answer because I dont have a running tally of how many times someone has overtly or covertly referred to me as a nigger or faggot. What I do know, however, is those questions attempt to limit my body and how society views mea black queer man who has experienced double discrimination, and whom society always attacks because of both. According to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, of the total number of homicides against LGBTQ people in 2017, 60 percent were black while 23 percent of victims were white. Considering multiple identities such as race, sexual orientation, and gender identity, it should come as no surprise that black LGBTQ people experience higher rates of violence than their white counterparts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The murders of Byrd and Shepard are what happen in a country with pervasive anti-blackness and homophobia. While its true that neither death should have occurred, we only forget oneByrd becomes invisible in present conversations around hate crimes or violent acts against black people in the face of a white death (LGBTQ or not). This is true despite rates of violence holding steady for black LGBTQ people, in particular black transgender women. Additionally, according to a recent study by the Center for the Study of Hate & Extremism at California State UniversitySan Bernardino, hate crimes in the nations 10 largest cities increased by 12 percent last year, reaching the highest level in more than a decade. Advertisement The study highlights much of what we know: Identity-based violence is a major problem in this country. But like the Shepard-Byrd Act, the study doesnt consider how a person experiences violence based on intersectional identities. In its methodology, it instead forces a choice between why an individual may have been harmed by assuming a person can only experience a hate crime based on race or sexuality, not both. Despite legal protections offered through the Shepard-Byrd Act, hate crimes are nearly impossible to prosecute and LGBTQ peopleparticularly black transgender women and black gender-nonconforming gay menare victimized, persecuted, and murdered at alarming rates. Advertisement Giovanni Melton, 14, was murdered by his father last year for being gay. Id rather have a dead son than a gay son were reportedly the parting words offered by Meltons father. Melton lived at the intersection of blackness and queerness, and his young body paid the ultimate price. And black gay boys arent the only ones experiencing violence either. Vontashia Bell, 18, was found on the street early one morning in August and pronounced dead at a local hospital. Many organizations, including Louisiana Trans Advocates, have called her death a hate crime. These are only a few examples of disturbing national trends. Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Department of Justice recently announced a new hate crimes website that is designed to be a central resource for victims, law enforcement officials, advocacy groups, and others. Thats a valuable move considering what has occurred in the past several weeksthe Kroger shooting, bombs being mailed to progressive leaders, Morgan Kendall (the white law student at North Carolina Central University School of Law, an HBCU, saying Niggers and Wish I could take credit for bombs being mailed), and the deadly shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburghbut more has to be done to stem the tide of crimes perpetrated against black LGBTQ people specifically. Many of us have more than enough lived experience to see how violently were treated while living. Though the passage of the Shepard-Byrd Act was indeed monumental for some of the LGBTQ community, it hasnt been a saving grace for us all. The Shepard-Byrd Act brought more attention to violence against LGBTQ individuals and created federal protections for the transgender community. But, in a country hellbent on emboldening white supremacy, homophobia, transphobia, and misogyny, black queer bodies like mine remain unsafe. This post was published in partnership with Wirecutter, the site devoted to finding the best gear and gadgets. Every product is independently selected by the Wirecutter team. We update links when possible, but note that deals may expire and prices are subject to change. If you buy something through our links, Slate and Wirecutter may earn an affiliate commission. After close to 78 hours of research and testing over the past four years, we still believe that the Zojirushi SM-SA48 Stainless Steel Mug is the best travel mug for keeping your drinks hot, preventing leaks, and accompanying you on any commute. In our latest round of testing, the Zojirushi kept liquids significantly hotter than any other mug we tried, even after 8 hours in the harsh environment of a freezerand thats important if you want to enjoy your drink for longer. Our pick: The Zojirushi SM-SA Stainless Steel Mug is an exceptional vacuum insulated travel mug that keeps beverages hot for hours, even in cold environments. It has a well-designed exterior, an easy-to-clean nonstick Teflon interior, and a foolproof lid locking mechanism thats you can operate with one hand. The mug is lightweight and slim, but that means it may not fit snugly in some cup holders. The Zojirushi is also on the pricey end for a mug, but after years of long-term testing, its the mug we trust most not to spill in your bag, and its hard to put a price on that. (Actually, that would be about the price of a new bag, laptop, phone, and whatever else happened to be in there at the time.) Its available in both 12- (SM-SA36) and 20-ounce (SM-SA60) versions as well as the 16-ounce size (SM-SA48) we tested. Zojirushis newer SM-SC mug is exactly the same as the SM-SA, but in different colors. Also great: Contigo Autoseal Transit Mug This is a very different mug from the Zojirushi SM-SA, but it offers several features we like $21 from Amazon The Contigo Autoseal Transit Mug is a very different mug from the Zojirushi SM-SA, but it offers several features we like. The lid has fewer parts, is easier to clean, and prevents spills with its Autoseal button, which you have to hold down to keep the sipping port open. Plus, the flat lid wont bump your nose or get in your line of sight while youre drinking like the Zojirushis flip-top lid can. Although the Transit doesnt keep drinks nearly as hot as the Zojirushi over a long period of time, some people might prefer this (weve heard complaints of the Zojirushi keeping drinks too hot in the past). The Transit is a little wider than the SM-SA, good if you want your mug to fit more snugly in a car cup holder or use devices like an Aeropress, pour-over dripper, or tea steeper directly with the mug, but this means its heavier and bulkier, too. Budget pick: Contigo SnapSeal Byron Travel Mug At half the price of most mugs we tested, the Contigo SnapSeal Byron Mug is a great budget option if you dont plan to throw around your mug. $12 from Amazon Contigos SnapSeal Byron Travel Mug is a basic mug that passed our leak tests, is easy to drink from and clean, and is wide enough to fit snugly in car cup holders. We like that its simple to use (one pop-top button lets you sip from the mug) and is easy to clean. Like the Transit, it also has a rubberized grip, so its easier to hold onto. It will keep drinks warm for hours at room temperature, although not as piping hot as our top pick (it did just as well as the Transit in our heat tests). Wed be nervous to toss this mug into a bag since the tab on the lid doesnt lock as securely as our other picks, but its a fine mug if you wont throw it around as much. Also great: OXO Good Grips Water Bottle Cleaning Set The OXO bottle-cleaning set has a skinny straw brush and a looped detail-cleaning brush, which are all you need to keep your travel mug squeaky clean. $10 from Amazon And lets not forget that these things need cleaning every once in awhile. Thats why we also have a bottle-brush recommendation for when you need to clean out the gunk. Why you should trust us Over the past four years, weve spent 60 hours researching travel mugs to keep this guide current. For this update, I (Anna Perling) spent 10 hours researching and comparing mugs from 12 different brands and four major retailers, and 18 hours testing 13 finalists against our top picks. I also took a trip to Target to see how the mugs felt in real life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I spoke to two engineers about mug design, Dr. Hongbin (Bill) Ma, director of the Center of Thermal Management at the University of Missouri and owner of ThermAvant Technologies, and Dr. Michael Dickey, a professor of chemical and environmental engineering at North Carolina State University. To learn about ideal coffee and tea drinking temperatures and how these beverages break down over time, I emailed Rachel Sandstrom Morrison, a digital editor at Fresh Cup magazine. Rachel also reached out to Michael Wise, the director of coffee at Dapper & Wise and a licensed Q grader (basically, a coffee sommelier) to find out how long coffee will really stay good in a travel mug. Who this is for Travel mugs, as their name implies, are for people who want to take beverages on the go. In addition to being portable, travel mugs also retain hot or cold temperatures for several hours so you can enjoy your coffee, tea, or cocoa over time. Compared to paper or styrofoam to-go cups or open ceramic mugs, a good travel mug will offer better insulation and also safeguard against leaks or spills. If you commute, work or travel outside, or simply want to savor drinks for longer, a travel mug is for you. Advertisement You can also save money and reduce your environmental impact, by taking a drink in a travel mug versus buying one on the go. According to a 2012 report, the average American spends $1,092 a year on coffee. And according to a 2014 CNN report, over 50 billion paper cups are thrown away every year (many paper cups are lined with plastic, making them unrecyclable). A travel mug offers green solutions to both problems. Tumblers, thermoses, and insulated bottles So what about tumblers, thermoses, and insulated water bottles, all close cousins to the travel mug? Tumblers have sipping ports that dont seal as tightly or securely as travel mugs and have wider mouths so you can add ice cubes; many also have straws for sipping cold beverages. You can check out our guide to tumblers if these kinds of cups are what youre looking for. As for thermoses, most lack the slim size and lid design features that make travel mugs portable and convenient. With a thermos, instead of popping open a lid to take a sip, youll need to unscrew the cap and pour liquid into an open cup to drink. (Try doing that while driving. Actually, please dont.) And insulated water bottles are geared towards keeping drinks cold, and dont have sipping ports like travel mugs (instead, they often have screw-top lids that require two hands, or sport caps that arent great for hot drinks). How we picked Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For our 2017 update, we combed the internet to look for any new editorial pieces published since our last guide. Cooks Illustrated (subscription required) has a review from 2014 that we considered, as does Outside Online. We also looked at reviews from Your Best Digs and Good Housekeeping, and read through hundreds of comments on our existing mug, water bottle, and tumbler reviews. We compared the top 40 bestsellers from Amazon, Target, Walmart, Costco, and REI, and reviewed the mugs we dismissed in 2016 to see if any had been updated or discontinued. Then we ventured to Target to see how some of the mugs actually felt in our hands. Based on our expert interviews and research, we looked for mugs that met the following criteria: Advertisement Vacuum-insulated: All of the mugs we considered are double-walled and vacuum-insulated. Dr. Michael Dickey, professor of chemical engineering at North Carolina State University, explained that vacuum insulated mugs provide the best heat retention: Heat is transferred via conduction. Think about heat transferring from your hand to surface. But if theres a gap in between, like a vacuum, heat doesnt transfer as fast. There are very few atoms at all to conduct heat in a vacuum, which is why it works particularly well as insulation. Advertisement Heat retention: A mug should retain a drinks hot or cold temperature for as long as its specs advertise, and we looked for mugs with the longest heat and cold retention times. Both engineers we spoke to noted that the majority of heat loss occurs through the lid, and that mugs with wider lids are likelier to lose heat faster. Because of this, we gave preference to mugs without wide, open mouth drinking ports. But since some people prefer to drink from a wider sipping port, which feels more like a ceramic mug, we did include a few wide-mouth mugs in our tests. Advertisement Advertisement Stainless steel: Most travel mugs are made from either glass, ceramic, plastic, or stainless steel. We prefer stainless steel because its more durable than glass or ceramic, and retains heat better than plastic. Its also the best material for vacuum insulation (and therefore heat retention). When you look at various other guides that have been written on the subject, including an extensive heat-retention test performed by Tested, the mugs that rise to the top are always double-walled, vacuum-insulated, and stainless steel. Occasionally, travel mugs come with a stainless steel exterior and a ceramic or glass interior. Thats likely because some people think that stainless steel affects the taste of beverages, but theres no scientific evidence to prove this phenomenon. The problem with glass or ceramic interiors is that they can break easily. Plus, a growing number of mugs lined with stainless steel now come with electro-polished interiors, which makes the steel less likely to retain strange odors and flavors. Our pick has a non-stick, Teflon inner coating, so its a breeze to rinse out. Advertisement Advertisement Leakproof and spillproof: When you put a mug into a bag or cup holder, its lid shouldnt leak. The best mugs have two sealing mechanisms: the first covers the sipping port and the second locks the lid into to place to prevent it from being jostled open. With some mugs, you have to hold down a button to open the sipping port for drinking, so it seals automatically when you let go. This auto-sealing mechanism prevents spills if you knock over your mug. Easy to use: A travel mug should be easy to use. This may sound silly, but a few of the mugs we considered are harder to operate than others. If youre going to be using your mug while driving or biking (not that we recommend doing so), youll definitely need at least one hand free, and probably both eyes. A good mug should be easy to both open and close, as well as to lock and unlock, with one hand. The lid shouldnt completely block your vision while driving, or hit your nose when drinking, and it should be easy to disassemble for cleaning. Advertisement Advertisement Handle-free: We decided not to test mugs with handles for several reasons. First, theyre unnecessary: With a vacuum-insulated mug, you dont need to worry about burning your hand on the mugs body. Handles add additional heft and weight to a bag or backpack, and may also prevent a mug from fitting into a cup holder. Advertisement Advertisement Size: Some people prefer wider mugs that wont rattle in cupholders, while others like slimmer mugs that take up less space in backpacks or bags. We prefer lighter mugs because theyre easier to carry, and we looked for mugs that would fit in cup holders while still being easy enough to hold in one hand. We also took into account how versatile mugs were for preparing beverages and whether they accommodated pour-over drippers, Aeropresses, our favorite tea steeper, or single-cup brewing devices like Keurig machines. We opted to test mugs with a 16-ounce capacity, which was the median size for most mugs we considered (one exception that we tested only came in an 18-ounce size). Advertisement Durability: A mug shouldnt dent or break when dropped from a reasonable height or start leaking afterwards. Nor should its paint or coating wear away after cleaning per the manufacturers instructions. We eliminated mugs with poor reviews that complained of leaking, paint chipping, or dents. How we tested Advertisement Advertisement When designing tests for this update, I considered the everyday wear and tear that a travel mug might go through in a variety of real-world scenarios: on bike commutes, cars, trains, fishing boats, and beyond. I tested mugs for leaks, dropped them, measured how long they could keep drinks warm in a cold environment. I also hand washed them, took apart their lids, and tested them in cup holders and with a various brewing devices. Advertisement First, I did an overnight leak test. I filled each of the travel mugs with water and several drops of green food dye, laid them down on a bed of paper towels and tarp on my kitchen floor (sorry, roommate), and left them overnight. I disqualified any mug with a green stain on the paper towel underneath in the morning. Advertisement To see if mugs would leak when jostled in a bag, I did a shake test. I wrapped mugs, still full of water and green food dye, in a paper towel and then put them in a plastic bag. I put the plastic bag in a backpack, and then, channeling my high-school Jazzercise days, pumped some tunes and did 30 jumping jacks, ran around for 30 seconds, and then shook the bag by hand for 30 seconds (I would not recommend doing this after eating breakfast, should you conduct your own mug testing). Then I filled all mugs to capacity with water, went to my apartments parking lot, and dropped each mug three times from a height of 4 feet. I eliminated any mugs that broke or leaked upon impact. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Next, I investigated how well each travel mug could maintain the heat of the liquid inside. According to both 2012 US Barista Champion Katie Carguilo and the Specialty Coffee Association of America, the ideal brewing temperature for coffee (and black tea) is about 200 F, and the best temperature to drink is at roughly 145 F to 155 F. Using those temperatures as a benchmark, I put each mugs insulation to test in a cold, harsh environment: my freezer.1 I filled each mug with water at 200 F, put them in the freezer, and checked the temperature of the water every hour for eight hours. With the top performers, I repeated this test at room temperature. Advertisement I also hand washed all mugs, reading their manuals to learn how to take apart and reassemble their sometimes-tricky lids. To see how versatile mug sizes were, I tried putting the mugs in a bike cup holder and in the cup holders of a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. I tried putting a pour-over dripper and an Aeropress on each mug, and measured each opening to see whether our favorite tea steeper would fit. I also asked several Wirecutter staffers to measure the height of their Keurigs to get an idea whether mugs would fit under a single-serve coffee maker. Most reported 6-7.5 inches of clearance after removing a bottom platform. Our pick: Zojirushi SM-SA The Zojirushi SM-SA is the absolute best travel mug for keeping drinks hot for long periods of time. It features impressive thermal-retention abilities, and has a thoroughly leak-proof, locking lid. Compared to similar Zojirushi mugs, the SM-SA is a bit slimmer and lighter, and more comfortable to drink out of. This mug comes in 12-, 16-, and 20-ounce sizes (the SM-SA36, SM-SA48, and SM-SA60 respectively). After spending close to 78 hours on research and testing and considering more than 98 travel mugs over four years, we have no doubt that this is the best travel mug you can get. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The SM-SA has sturdy, leakproof seals and a simple locking mechanism that we trust to keep our belongings dry. Just close the lid, switch the lock into position, and youre guaranteed that the top wont pop open when you dont want it to. Although other mugs, such as the Contigo Autoseal Transit and the Avex ReCharge, seal automatically to prevent spills, we found them more difficult to use one-handed since youll need to hold down a button to drink. Advertisement Zojirushis stainless steel mugs have continued to dominate the competition in our heat-retention tests. After 8 hours in the freezer, the water inside the SM-SA was 142Fa decrease of 58 degrees. At room temperature, the mug performed even better, with water measuring 188F after 1 hour, and 165F after 8 hours. That means youre getting drinkable, hot, 140-degree-plus coffee eight hours after brewing, even when stored in a freezing cold environment. (If youre opening the mug more frequently than once an hour, however, it might cool a bit faster.) Advertisement The other Zojirushi mugs we tested, the SM-KHE (the older version of this mug) and the SM-LA (a wide-mouthed option with a screw-off lid) kept liquids just as warm as the SM-SA over the course of 8 hours in the freezer. These mugs are also well constructed, but we prefer the SM-SA over the rest of the Zojirushi mugs for its lighter weight and simpler lid, which has fewer pieces to clean. The flip-top lid on the SM-SA is also more compact than the the one on the SM-KHE, so it obscures your view a bit less. But if you prefer a different Zojirushi, we think theyre all fine choices; we also break down whats different about all of Zojirushis mugs in our competition section. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zojirushi recommends rinsing its mugs immediately after use and hand-washing them. Its easy enough to clean the SM-SA using some soap and occasionally a bottle brush when necessary. You can completely disassemble the plastic lid to clean out any smells or gunk that might get lodged in hard-to-reach places, although the small plastic parts can be difficult to get on and off the lid. The nonstick interior also helps to prevent odors and stains, but the mugs instructions warn against using milk or fruit juices in the mug. The nonstick coating is made from fluoropolymers of the sort used in Teflonwhich are not harmful to people, even if ingested.2 If you prefer drinking from a vessel that doesnt have a nonstick coating, you might prefer the SM-KHE, which has an electro-polished stainless steel interior. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The SM-SA is durable. It did develop a few scuffs after our drop tests, but not any more than the other mugs we tried (some of which dented, chipped, and scuffed far worse). Zojirushi backs the vacuum insulation of its stainless steel mugs with a five-year limited warranty, and on the off-chance that the lid breaks or wears out, Zojirushi sells all the individual replacement parts online. Advertisement The SM-SA also has an attractive design thats minimalist yet eye-catching in its simplicity. It comes in black, cinnamon gold, red, and pearl pink; the identical SM-SC comes in slate gray, turquoise, and coral. Long-term test notes The Zojirushi travel mug might be the single product that the most Wirecutter staffers own and use on a daily basisits been a pick through many iterations of this guide, and has proved itself repeatedly. Its been praised for still working well after years of use, as well as surviving drops onto cement (once from a third floor balcony) without more than a dent. Multiple Wirecutter folks have also reported successfully using the Zojirushi to bring chilled wine or other alcoholic beverages to events in parks and other public placesthough we couldnt possibly condone such behavior. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The primary criticism that we have for it is that it sometimes keeps things unusably hotand that if you put it through the dishwasher rather than hand-washing it, the paint can flake (but it remains a good mug). What about cold drinks? Although we didnt place much emphasis on keeping cold liquids cold for this guidecheck out our water bottle guide for whats best in that regardwe have historically found that the Zojirushi SM-SA retains cold better than all of the other mugs in our testing lineup. Advertisement Over a period of eight hours in our previous tests, this mug allowed our icy-cold 33 F water to warm up by only 4 degrees, while the other mugs in our test group allowed the temperature to rise considerably more over that time. So if youre looking for a dual-use container that can preserve both hot and cold well, the SM-SA can hold its ownespecially since its available in a larger, 20-ounce capacity. Just be aware that its narrow opening is less than ideal when youre trying to quench your thirst after cresting a tall hill. Flaws but not dealbreakers Our only major complaint about the Zojirushi SM-SA is that sometimes its toogood at insulating. Weve found that if we make a fresh pot of coffee and pour it directly into the travel mug, the liquid ends up staying scalding hot for hours, and weve heard feedback about this from readers as well. To prevent this from happening, you can let your beverage cool a little before closing the lid. Advertisement Advertisement We also reached out to some coffee experts to learn whether its a good idea to actually keep coffee in a mug for 8 hours. Coffee roaster and licensed coffee grader Michael Ryan told us: Coffee that is kept hot is still subject to a breakdown in flavor. When kept in a sealed, insulated carafe where evaporation and heat loss are minimal, coffee still tastes terrible after a while. He explained that this happens because coffees acids break down over time and cause bitterness. So, know that your coffee might not taste as great after a long period of time even if it is still warm. Another small complaint is that this mug is a bit skinnier than your typical travel mug, which means it may not fit snugly in a car cup holder or bike water-bottle cage. The SM-SAs narrow width also means you cant use an Aeropress, pour-over dripper, or tea steeper with it, and its too tall to fit under a single-cup brewer like a Keurig. If you prefer a travel mug with a larger circumference, check out our also great and budget picks. Advertisement Advertisement While the SM-SA is leakproof, it isnt spill-proof like our runner-up; theres no automatic seal to prevent water from gushing out if you knock the mug over while the lids open. Advertisement Advertisement Finally, at around $25 for the 16-ounce size, the SM-SA is on the higher end of the price range for a travel mug. But we think its worth the extra dollars over the competition because of its superior construction and performance. Long-term test notes Many Wirecutter staffers own the SM-SA, and we havent heard any major complaints from anyone about the mug since we named it a pick. Although cleaning in the dishwasher is not advisable, and Zojirushi specifies hand-washing (see the Care and maintenance section below), this mug has survived several accidental trips through the dishwasher without any noticeable decrease in performance. It has also traveled in many crowded bags, backpacks, and purses without any leaks, and survived the occasional fall. Also great: Contigo Autoseal Transit Mug Contigo Autoseal Transit Mug This is a very different mug from the Zojirushi SM-SA, but it offers several features we like $21 from Amazon If you want a mug that will fit more snugly in a cup holder and is easier to clean, get the Contigo Autoseal Transit Mug. The Transit will keep drinks warm for hours, but not as hot as the Zojirushi. To prevent spills, the Transit has a push-button (the Autoseal) which you have to hold down to drink, plus a cap that rotates to cover the sipping port. While it passed our leak test, it doesnt have an actual lock to secure the lid cover like the Zojirushi does. The Transit may fit more securely in car cup holders since its wider than the SM-SA. It can also accommodate Aeropresses, single pour-over drippers, and the medium size of our favorite tea steeper, although its too tall to fit under most single-cup brewing machines. We think the Autoseal is easier to use than our previous runner-up, the Contigo West Loop, and like that it has an added barrier over the sipping port to keep out dirt and help prevent leaking. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Transit wont keep your beverages hot for as long as our top pick, but that might be a plus for some people who think the Zojirushi keeps drinks too hot. In our room temperature tests, the Transits contents measured 171 F after 1 hour, and 114 F after 8. Thats 51 degrees colder than the water in the Zojirushi after 8 hours. But while 115 F isnt piping hot, its still drinkable. In the freezer tests, however, the Transit cooled faster. After an hour, the contents of the Transit dropped to 158 F. Thats 26 degrees lower than the temperature of our main pick. In its eighth hour of freezer testing, the water inside the Transit measured a lukewarm 80 F. But if you drink your beverages quickly or dont want to wait for them to cool down before sealing your mug, the Transit may be a better option for you. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the Transit, youll need to hold down a button to keep the sipping port open and drink from the mugs. Other mugs like the Contigo West Loop (our former runner-up), Avex ReCharge, OXO Good Grips, and Camelbak Forge had a similar button, but I found the Transits horizontal push-button easier to press and hold than other buttons, which required more pressure. The push-button interface is slightly harder to operate than just flicking the switch on the Zojirushi, and may be frustrating to some who dont want to have to push before taking every sip. But it does mean you cant accidentally spill anything, since the mug closes automatically. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Transit also has a twisting lid that covers the sipping port, while the similar West Loop only uses a pop tab to open the sipping port. The Transits twist top is a little more difficult to open one-handed but protects the sipping port from gunk or germs and also offers a first line of defense against any leaks. In both our shake test and overnight leak test, the Transit didnt leak a drop. Advertisement The Transit held up fairly well during our drop tests, but scuffed on its plastic lid and rubberized bottom. Contigo does offer a limited lifetime warranty, and sells replacement lids, should something happen to your mug. Some other reviewers mention that the lid has hard-to-reach nooks and crannies, but it has fewer pieces than the Zojirushi, and is overall easier to take apart. You can soak the lid in soapy water as well to thoroughly clean it. If you care about colors, the Transit comes in a few fun combinations: white with either mint green or periwinkle accents, matte black, or a brushed stainless steel. It only comes in a 16-ounce size. Budget pick: Contigo SnapSeal Byron Mug Contigo SnapSeal Byron Travel Mug At half the price of most mugs we tested, the Contigo SnapSeal Byron Mug is a great budget option if you dont plan to throw around your mug. $12 from Amazon Although the Contigo SnapSeal Byron Mug isnt as hardy or leakproof as our top pick, its a wide, easy-to-hold mug that will work fine if you use it more gently. The Byron only has one sealing mechanisma tab that you push to open the sipping portwhich is easy to use, but doesnt lock closed like the lids on our other picks. The Byron also didnt keep drinks nearly as hot as the Zojirushi SM-SA. But if you wont be throwing your mug in a messenger bag or slowly sipping your drink all day, we like the Byron as a budget option. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In our tests, the Byron performed on par with the rest of the Contigo mugs we tested. In the freezer, 200-degree water cooled to 153 F after 1 hour, and 78 F after 8. At room temperature, water in the Byron was 172 F after 1 hour and 115 F after 8. Thats about the same heat retention as the Contigo Transit, our also great pick. Advertisement The Byrons SnapSeal lid is easy to use: you simply press down on a tab at the top of the lid to open the sipping port. Although the Byron passed both of our leak tests and is supposed to be leakproof, we would be concerned about putting the mug in a bag with our valuables, because the tab doesnt lock closed, and a stray bump could nudge the SnapSeal lid open. Our top picks, on the other hand, have two lines of defense against water coming out and anything else getting in: the Zojirushi has a lid that closes over the sipping port and locks, and the Transit has a cover that slides over the sipping port and an automatic seal to prevent spills. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Byrons lid is one of the easiest to clean from the mugs we tested, because its only one piece. I found that the lid itself, however, is more difficult to screw on and off than the lid on the Transit, but this is a minor issue. The Byron did dent more than the Transit in our drop tests, but again, the asphalt dented or scuffed all of the mugs. We also saw some Amazon reviewers noting that the mug dented, and the grippy rubber middle was slightly off-kilter, but the Byron still has high ratings overall. Contigo offers a limited lifetime warranty (which doesnt cover drops) and sells replacement lids if yours wears out. Like the Transit, the Byron is wider than the Zojirushi SM-SA, and has a rubbery middle for easy gripping. The Byron is compatible with pour-over drippers, the medium size of our tea steeper pick, and Aeropresses. At 7.2 inches tall, it will likely fit under a single-serve coffee maker, but you should measure to make sure this mug will work with your machine. In the 16-ounce version, the Byron comes in a silver and pink color. It also comes in a 20-ounce size in jade, blue, and pink, and in a 24-ounce size in blue and matte black. Care and maintenance Also great: OXO Good Grips Water Bottle Cleaning Set The OXO bottle-cleaning set has a skinny straw brush and a looped detail-cleaning brush, which are all you need to keep your travel mug squeaky clean. $10 from Amazon You should check a mugs manual to see if it is dishwasher-safe. According to a Zojirushi representative, dishwashers can damage a mugs vacuum seal, which can potentially degrade the mugs ability to retain heat over time. Dishwashers can also scratch or wear away a mugs finish. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When youre hand-washing your mug, most of the time dish soap and water will do the trick. Regardless of the mug design, you may need a few sizes of bottle brushes to clean in and around the lid mechanism, the spout, and deep into the vacuum bottle itself. If your mug comes with silicone seals, like the ones on our Zojirushi pick, youll likely notice that over time theyll take on the smells of what you drink from your mug. To remove the stink from your seals, you can bury them in fresh baking soda for two days. Zojirushi also recommends checking the rings once a year to make sure theyre still sealing your mug. Advertisement We found that the best bottle-cleaning set out there is the OXO Good Grips Water Bottle Cleaning Set. It comes with a large bottle brush, a skinny straw brush, and a looped detail-cleaning brush, all kept together by a handy ring so you wont lose any of the parts. The set is dishwasher safe, and it barely has any one-star reviews on Amazon, so its a pretty good bet for anyone looking to get gunk out of their hard-to-clean items. The competition Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Again, well mention that the Zojirushi SM-SC is identical to the SM-SA; the SM-SC just comes in newer, different colors including turquoise, coral, and slate gray. The Amazon link for both of the SM-SA and SM-SC is the same. If you cant find the Zojirushi SM-SA, or if you prefer to drink from a mug that has an electro-polished stainless steel interior instead of a non-stick coating, get the Zojirushi SM-KHE. The KHE was our original pick for this guide. It costs about the same as the SM-SA and will keep your drinks just as hot. However, it weighs a little more than our main pick, has a bulkier lid thats not as pleasant to drink from, and only comes in a 12- or 16-ounce size, whereas the SM-SA also comes in a 20-ounce size. We also considered several other Zojirushi models for this update, after going through every offering on the companys site to compare them. Heres a breakdown: Zojirushi SM-LA48: This is a wide-mouth, screw-top mug; you cant open the lid one-handed. While it performed well in our temperature tests, coming in just one degree cooler than our top pick, we dismissed the SM-LA since its more difficult to drink from. Advertisement Advertisement Zojirushi SM-YAE Travel Mug: This 16-ounce mug costs a little more than our main pick and runner-up. It comes with an electro-polished interior, like the Zojirushi SM-KHE, with a shape thats stouter than other Zojirushi mugs and short enough to fit under the spout of a single-cup brewing machine. Its insulating performance is worse than that of our pick, however: After 8 hours, the water temperature had dropped to 100 F, ending up 42 degrees cooler than our main pick. Advertisement Zojirushi SM-SHE: We were reluctant to test this mug due to persistent stock issues and the fact that it comes in only 16- and 20-ounce sizes and two colors (orange and black). Zojirushi sent us one to try out anyway, but it broke during our drop test. After having many Zojirushi mugs survive multiple years of drops, we think this was an anomaly, but decided to dismiss the SM-SHE for all the aforementioned reasons. Zojirushi SM-KC: This mug has the same body as the KHE, but comes with a nonstick interior instead of a stainless steel one. Since we previously dismissed the KHE, we opted not to test the KC. Advertisement Zojirushi SM-PB: This mug only comes in 10- and 11- ounce versions. Zojirushi SM-JHE: We opted not to test this mug with a wide-mouth, screw-off lid in favor of the SM-LA, which comes in more size options. Zojirushi Stainless Mug with Tea Leaf Filter SM-JTE: The SM-JTE comes with a tea filter, but only in 11- and 16-ounce versions. Zojirushi SM-JD: Since this mug had a screw-off lid, we dismissed it in favor of the SM-LA. Zojirushi SM-EC: This mug only comes in 10- and 11-ounce sizes. The Tiger MMJ-A048 mug looks and feels similar to the Zojirushi mugs, and we wanted to see how they compared in our tests. The MMJ has a similar pop-top lid and locking mechanism to our pick, but its more difficult to take apart to clean. The Tiger mug also didnt do as well in our temperature tests, and its contents were 10 degrees cooler than those of our top pick after 8 hours. At the time of writing, the Tiger was also about $5 more expensive than our pick. Advertisement The Contigo Autoseal West Loop Travel Mug was our previous runner-up, and it has a tab similar to the Contigo Byron that you press to open the sipping port. Like the Contigo Transit, it also has a button you need to push before drinking. The West Loop didnt hold up as well in our drop tests as the Transit, and we found its vertical push-button harder to use than the one on the Transit. Advertisement Advertisement We decided to retest the OXO Good Grips Double Wall Travel Mug, which has been updated since our previous version of this guide. The OXO comes in 18- and 22-ounce versions, giving it a larger capacity than most of the mugs we tested. This makes it more unwieldy to hold, however, and the mug doesnt have a locking mechanism to prevent leaks like our picks. Contigos Thermalock TwistSeal Eclipse Travel Mug uses a twist top to cover the sipping port and prevent leaks. Although it held up well in our leak and drop tests, it only has one leak-proofing mechanism, unlike our picks. After reading Your Best Digss review on travel mugs, which names the Camelbak Forge as their winner, we retested this mug. We found it awkward to use and drink from; it uses a push-button mechanism thats stiff, and has a very small sipping port. You can pop the lever to widen the sipping port, but this is also challenging to figure out. The Forge isnt an easy mug to use, especially before coffee. We retested the Thermos Commuter Bottle based on good user reviews, but still found its secondary locking mechanism, a metal loop fitting over the front of the lid, to be finicky to use. The Commuter Bottle leaked during our shake tests, and the latching device that secures the lid broke during our drop tests. Advertisement Advertisement We wanted to test the Thermos Stainless King mug based on its positive reviews, but the Stainless King leaked in our overnight tests, our bag tests, and upon impact during our drop tests. Based on a reader comment, we called in the Avex ReCharge AutoSeal Tumbler but found it difficult to use due to a tiny metal bar that locks and unlocks the mug for drinking. This mug also fared the worst in our temperature tests, coming in at 44 F after 8 hours. We considered testing the Joeveo Temperfect mug, which purportedly uses a special insulating material to capture excess heat energy and then release it over time, keeping your beverage at an optimal drinking temperature. But its expensive: $40 at the time of writing, with a newer version that costs $280 (wow). We opted to test the Byron over other budget mugs from Ozark Trail and Mossy Oak because these mugs were explicitly not leak proof, or had more complaints of leaking. Previously dismissed The Klean Kanteen Insulated Wide was our top insulated water bottle pick for most of 2016 and early 2017, and was a runner-up in this guide. Originally this bottle had a cafe-style lid that tended to leak, disqualifying it as a travel thermos. Klean Kanteen updated the lid in 2016, but in testing for our guide to water bottles, we found that the lid occasionally leaks if left overnight and can also limit the flow of your drink. Advertisement Advertisement The Timolino Icon Vacuum Travel Tumbler (PCT-46KM) is the Consumer Reports top pick from 2014, and we tested it in 2015. Its a 16-ounce tumbler-style travel mug with a flip-up lid and an electro-polished interior. We liked the look and feel of the Icon, but every time we flipped the lid open to drink from it, a small amount of liquid splashed out of the opening and off the spouts rubber stopper. Plus, it failed to keep beverages as hot as any of our picks in previous tests. Advertisement We love the look of the 16-ounce Stanley Classic One-Hand Vacuum Mug, which we tested in 2015. It resembles an old-school vacuum bottle but has a modern button-activated lid that makes it easy to drink from one-handed. But it was unable to keep beverages as hot as our main pick did, and we saw multiple complaints about the button failing. We previously tested the Thermos Vacuum Insulated Travel Mug (with tea hook). While we liked the look of it, the heat retention was just so-so and we found the tea hook to be unnecessary. This Thermos mug also has a push-button interface: You press the button on top when you want to drink and press again to seal it when youre done. But it can be confusing to determine whether the button is in the up or down position just by looking at it, so you may find yourself pressing it multiple times to figure out whether its open or closed. Advertisement Bodum makes a combination French press and travel mug that sounds appealing: You can literally brew your coffee inside the mug as you take it with you. In reality, though, the process is not much different from brewing the coffee first and pouring it into the mugin fact, it might be worse, because the Bodum will keep your coffee grounds in contact with the hot water for much longer, making the drink more bitter and acidic. We got some requests to look at the Hydro Flask, so we did. This model is not as good as the other mugs we saw, let alone our top pick. It maintains heat at a drinkable level for only a handful of hours (four or less), and the drinking lid cant lock, so its at risk of flipping open, potentially spilling everywherea fact that the companys own website points out. Footnotes 1. The instructions for the Avex or Contigo mugs say not to freeze them (which I learned, of course, after freezing them). But I reached out to both companies and learned that this is because liquids can expand in the freezer and cause the mug to explode; freezing wont affect insulation. Jump back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2. Teflon, aka PTFE, aka polytetrafluoroethylene, is what makes some cups and pans nonstick. PTFE is inert, stable up to 500 F, and if you ingest any, it will pass through your body intact. PFOA, perfluorooctanoic acid, is a compound that companies used to use to make PTFE. Its a carcinogen and has been in the news lately because its a persistent environmental pollutant and can causebirth defects in people who drink contaminated water. DuPont, the company that makes Teflon, stopped using PFOA for nonstick pans in 2012, and several companies stopped producing PFOA for any purpose at the end of 2015. Even if you have an older Teflon pan or cup, the amount of PFOA that might come out is vanishingly small and is not a danger. Jump back. Sources 1. Dr. Hongbin Bill Ma, director,, Center of Thermal Management at the University of Missouri, phone interview, September 22, 2017 2. Dr. Michael Dickey,, professor of chemical engineering at North Carolina State University, phone interview, September 26, 2017 3. Rachel Sandstrom Morrison, digital editor of Fresh Cup Magazine, email interview, September 28, 2017 4. Michael Ryan, Director of Coffee and Licensed Q Grader, Dapper & Wise Roasters, email interview, September 28, 2017 5. Amy Barnum, Zojirushi, phone interview, September 25, 2017 Read the original article on The Best Travel Mug. Much of the attention around the appointment of Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker has involved how he might try to undermine Robert Muellers special counsel investigation. Thats understandable. But attention should also be focused on how, quite recently, Matthew Whitaker was involved in hyping alleged innovations in hot tub design for a super, super shady company that recently got shut down by the federal government. And here is future United States Attorney General Matthew Whitaker promoting advances in hot tub design for scammers World Patent Marketing: pic.twitter.com/M9i2u2l4ww Jon Swaine (@jonswaine) November 7, 2018 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Miami New Times has more details: Whitaker, at some point after he served as a U.S. attorney in Iowa but before he got hired by the Trump administration, was involved with a Miami-based company called World Patent Marketing. World Patent Marketing claimed to customers that, for a price, it would evaluate and help produce new inventions. Whitaker, as you can see above, was supposedly one of the people who did the evaluation of, I guess, hot tubs and other invention stuff. The catch, as alleged by the Federal Trade Commission, was that World Patent Marketing took a lot of money from a lot of people (for such products as a $995-to-$1,295 Global Invention Royalty Analysis ) without ever actually helping them patent or sell any products. (Among the problems identified by the feds: The companys patent applications werent drafted by patent attorneys. Doh!) Advertisement In a 2014 press release touting the extension of his membership on the World Patent Marketing Advisory Board, Whitaker described the company as a first class organization and praised its commitment to behaving ethically. In May, a federal judge ruled that World Patent Marketing owed $26 million in damages for what the FTC described as systematically deceptive practices that defrauded some customers of their life savings. The judge also ordered that WPMs founder be permanently restrained and enjoined from advertising, marketing, promoting, or offering for sale, or assisting in the advertising, marketing, promoting, or offering for sale of any Invention Promotion Service. Advertisement The May federal ruling further enjoins officers, agents, and employees of WPM from suppressing the availability of truthful negative comments or reviews through any means, including threats, intimidation, non-disparagement clauses, and suppression of online content. In one 2015 email uncovered by the New Times, Whitaker accused an individual whod criticized WPMs practices of possible blackmail and extortion and told him that there would be serious civil and criminal consequences if he continued to criticize the company online or filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. (Whitaker does not appear to have commented publicly on his affiliation with World Patent Marketing since it was sued by the FTC. He has not been accused personally of any civil or criminal misconduct regarding his work for the company.) Also, this, from an earlier New Times expose, is just a tremendous combination of words: Most inventors found the company through its website, which listed prominent board members such as former U.S. Attorney Matthew G. Whitaker and world karate champion Moti Horenstein. When you cant trust a Florida-based bullshit service endorsed by world karate champion Moti Horenstein, who is there left to trust??? Twelve people were killed by a gunman at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, on Wednesday night. (The gunman was reportedly found dead at the scene.) Before the attack, the bar was hosting a country music night targeted at local college students, and both the Los Angeles Times and New York Times report that some of the individuals present had also been at the Route 91 country music festival in Las Vegas where 58 people were killed in October 2017. Advertisement From the L.A. Times description of the account given by a 23-year-old man who lives near the site of Wednesdays attack: He rushed to the bar and called a friend who works there, who was also at the Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas last year when a gunman opened fire, killing 58 people and wounding hundreds. His friend told him that some type of tear gas was thrown into the bar. She saw smoke and heard gunshots and ran out the back toward nearby apartments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot of people in the Route 91 situation go here, the same man said. The NYT reports similarly that some of the same people who emerged from the bar, the Borderline Bar & Grill, described having survived the shooting on the Las Vegas Strip. Advertisement This is not the first time such a thing has happened. A woman from California who survived the Las Vegas attack had been driving to her job in San Bernardino, California, when the mass shooting at that citys Inland Regional Center began in December 2015. One of the victims of the 2012 mass shooting in Aurora, Colorado, had been at the site of a mass shooting in Toronto only a month before. According to the Gun Violence Archive, Wednesdays incident is the 307th in the United States this year in which at least four people have been shot. As the midterm campaigns came to a close, President Trump made a gambit: If he appealed to white racial resentmentif he fanned the flames of racial fear and panicperhaps he could stanch GOP bleeding and prevent a Republican wipeout. At rallies, he warned of immigrant crime and disorder. On Twitter, he portrayed a caravan of Central American migrants as a destructive army of potential terrorists. Concluding this effort, his presidential campaign released one of the most flagrantly racist (and starkly dishonest) political ads in recent memory, painting all Hispanic immigrants as murderers and potential murderers. Advertisement I thought this was a risky play. Yes, Trump used racist appeals in his 2016 presidential campaign, but they were tied to his interventionist economic message of entitlements, health care, and infrastructure. As president, Trump hasnt delivered on that full promise. Hes followed through on the racist appeals with punitive immigration and criminal justice policy, but hes rejected a more liberal approach to the economy, instead embracing Republican orthodoxy with steep tax cuts and a yearlong effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act. It was unclear, from my view, if he could generate similar turnout without a heterodox pitch on the economy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The results from Tuesday suggest that his strategy might have been an effective one, even if it promises to destroy the countrys social cohesion. Democrats won the House of Representatives, yes, but results in the Senateand in several races for governorshow how Trumps gambit paid off. After weeks of relentless demagoguery from the president, the Trump coalition was on war footing, ready to counter an energized Democratic base. Unsurprisingly, President Trump is treating Tuesday as vindication of his race-baiting and a victory for the Republican Party. Theres truth in that analysis. Against a diverse class of Democrats promising economic security, Trump and the GOP fielded a largely white and male phalanx of candidates offering cultural dominance, and in critical places, it worked. Advertisement Trumps strategy supercharged the underlying realignment of the electorate that weve been watching since 2016. Urban and suburban voters revolted, producing the Democratic majority in the House and governorships in several states where their turnout can determine outcomes. Rural and exurban whites also turned out, deepening the red color of many of the states Trump won in 2016. The results from Tuesday suggest that his strategy might have been an effective one, even if it promises to destroy the countrys social cohesion. Theres an exception to this dynamic: the Midwest. In Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin, Democrats recovered lost ground thanks to both turnout and persuasion. Candidates there mobilized suburban and urban voters and recouped enough losses with working-class whites to secure wins in critical Senate and gubernatorial races. Advertisement You can point to several factors that made the difference for Democrats in those states versus places like Missouri or Florida, where Sen. Claire McCaskill and gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum lost their races. Midwestern campaigns capitalized on still-existing labor infrastructure to mobilize union members and bring them back into the Democratic fold. College-educated voters are numerous enough in several of these states to make a key difference, and the president is deeply unpopular with them. And then theres the provisional nature of white working-class Trump support, which likely swung thanks to the tangible promises of support and benefits that the president reneged on. Advertisement Advertisement The suburban collapse and Midwestern regression tell an important story: that Trump can only count on his base, which hasnt expanded beyond its narrow demographic confines. But narrow isnt the same as small. The presidents racial demagoguery laid the path for several Republican candidates. Republican Ron DeSantis worked hard to tie Gillum, his black opponent, to crime and disorder, and he won the Florida governorship. Indicted congressman Duncan Hunter of California ran a viciously Islamophobic campaign against Ammar Campa-Najjar, an American-born Christian, and won.* Georgia Republican Brian Kemp accused his black opponent, Stacey Abrams, of ties to black radicals and warned of subversion should she win the governors mansion, and its likely to have worked for him, too. Advertisement Advertisement The problem for Democrats remains the same: Donald Trumps coalition of rural and exurban whites is large and geographically well-distributed. This has given Republicans an advantage in the Senate, which the party shored up, and it gives Trump a similar advantage in the Electoral College. Plot Tuesdays statewide results onto a map of the 2020 election andwith Ohio and Florida under his columnTrump is just a stones throw from winning re-election. Make no mistake, Democrats won a victory in the midterm elections. Their newfound House majority represents a substantial majority of Americans who want a significant check on the president. And in building that majority, theyve increased their gains with college-educated voters and shown how diverse candidates can prevail (or come close) in majority-white electorates. And if the Senate map shows a way forward for the presidents re-election campaign, the House mapand the wide national Democratic majoritysuggests Democrats have a real path to unseating Trump in two years. Advertisement But Tuesday makes equally clear the Democratic Party must find a response to the presidents political racism. Stoking white fear and resentment works well enough to energize a powerful electoral coalition and secure critical victories, and unless Democrats can push back effectively, they may find themselves losing to Trump for a second time come November 2020. How they do that is an open question, but the success of candidates of colorand the near success of Andrew Gillum in Florida and Stacey Abrams in Georgiasuggests that a direct confrontation with the politics of race and division is possibly the only way forward. Brian Kemp has declared victory over Stacey Abrams in the Georgia governors race and will step down as secretary of state while he starts the transition process. The votes are not there for her, Kemp said, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. I respect the hard-fought race she ran. But we won the race and were moving forward. Abrams has hinted to her supporters that she would not concede and instead wait to see if the final tally would show Kemps proportion of votes dipping below 50 percent, at which point there would be a runoff on Dec. 4. Advertisement We are going to make sure that every vote is countedbecause in a civilized nation, the machinery of democracy should work everywhere for everyone, Abrams said Wednesday, according to the Washington Post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The numbers are daunting for her. Kemp currently has 50.3 percent of the vote, which exceeds the 50 percent mark by 13,000 votes. Abrams down by around 63,000 votes, claiming 1,910,390 compared with Kemps 1,973,099. The secretary of states office said Wednesday that there were less than 22,000 provisional ballots cast state-wide, and that it was still on track to certify election results by Wednesday after verifying provision ballots by Tuesday. The Abrams campaign has hinted that mail-in ballots yet to be counted could push her total up and Kemps majority down. Advertisement The race, and especially the actual casting of ballots, was very closely watched, as Kemp has been accused for years of trying to suppress and discourage Democratic and especially African-American voting in Georgia. Meanwhile, Kemp accused the Georgia Democratic Party, without evidence, of trying to hack into the voter registration system just days before the election. He made a similar accusations against the Department of Homeland Security in 2016. A group called Protect Democracy sued Kemp on election night to prevent him from presiding over the counting or certification of votes.* The Post reported that more than 1,800 machines sat idle in storage in three of the states largest and most heavily Democratic counties, and that the ratio of machines to registered voters was lower than it had been in 2014, possibly leading to delays in voting. The machines were being held in storage because they were evidence in a lawsuit filed against the state last year by voting rights activists demanding the use of paper ballots instead of touch screens. Attorney General Jeff Sessions resigned on Wednesday at the request of Donald Trump. He served a little less than two years as the head of the Department of Justice. During that time, Sessions used his immense power to make America a crueler, more brutal place. He was one of the most sadistic and unscrupulous attorneys general in American history. At the Department of Justice, Sessions enforced the law in a manner that harmed racial minorities, immigrants, and LGBTQ people. He rolled back Obama-era drug sentencing reforms in an effort to keep nonviolent offenders locked away for longer. He reversed a policy that limited the DOJs use of private prisons. He undermined consent decrees with law enforcement agencies that had a history of misconduct and killed a program that helped local agencies bring their policing in line with constitutional requirements. And he lobbied against bipartisan sentencing reform, falsely claiming that such legislation would benefit a highly dangerous cohort of criminals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sessions attack on immigrants was equally ruthless. He compelled immigration judges to order the deportation of more unauthorized immigrants and punished them when they did not. He barred most victims of domestic violence from seeking asylum in the United States, deporting survivors back to their persecutors. He attempted to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, subjecting hundreds of thousands of young immigrants to deportation but was too inept to do so lawfully. He tried to prevent states and cities from protecting immigrants within their borders. And he implemented the zero tolerance family separation policy, imprisoning thousands of individuals at the border for the misdemeanor of unlawful entry, then seizing their children and locking them in cages. (Hundreds of these kids are still separated from their parents.) Advertisement Meanwhile, Sessions mobilized the DOJs attorneys to torture immigrant minors in other ways. He fought in court to keep undocumented teenagers pregnant against their will, defending the Trump administrations decision to block their access to abortion. His Justice Department made the astonishing claim that the federal government could decide that forced birth was in the best interest of children. It also revealed these minors pregnancies to family members who threatened to abuse them. And when the American Civil Liberties Union defeated this position in court, his DOJ launched a failed legal assault on individual ACLU lawyers for daring to defend their clients. Advertisement As he oversaw family separation, forced birth, and mass incarceration, Sessions found time to degrade LGBTQ Americans and their families. He issued a memo alleging that federal civil rights laws do not protect transgender employees, a position the Justice Department recently reiterated to the Supreme Court. He also argued that these civil rights laws do not protect gay people. His DOJ defended Trumps ban on open transgender military service by claiming that trans people are disordered deviants. Under his leadership, the DOJ also asked the Supreme Court to rule that many businesses have a First Amendment right to turn away same-sex couples. (Sessions gave a speech to the anti-LGBTQ group that brought that case to SCOTUS, thanking them for their important work on behalf of religious liberty.) Advertisement Advertisement The guiding principle of Sessions career is animus toward people who are unlike him. While serving in the Senate, he voted against the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act because it expressly protected LGBTQ women. He opposed immigration reform, including relief for young people brought to America by their parents as children. He voted against the repeal of Dont Ask, Dont Tell. He voted against a federal hate crime bill protecting gay people. Before that, as Alabama attorney general, he tried to prevent LGBTQ students from meeting at a public university. But as U.S. attorney general, he positioned himself as an impassioned defender of campus free speech. While Sessions doesnt identify as a white nationalist, his agenda as attorney general abetted the cause of white nationalism. His policies were designed to make the country more white by keeping out Hispanics and locking up blacks. His tenure will remain a permanent stain on the Department of Justice. Thousands of people were brutalized by his bigotry, and our country will not soon recover from the malice he unleashed. His successor could be even worse. Is this the massacre? On Tuesday, Democrats won a sweeping victory in the House of Representatives that will give them oversight and subpoena power to investigate potential abuses of power by President Donald Trump and his campaigns possible role in Russias 2016 election interference. On Wednesday, Trump fired his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, and replaced him on an acting basis with Matthew G. Whitaker, Sessions now ex-chief of staff at the Justice Department who has suggested that Robert Muellers special counsel investigation was becoming a witch hunt. Advertisement With meaningful congressional oversight of Trumps treatment of the DOJ just months away, the president seems to have wasted no time in installing the type of loyalist he consistently said he wished Sessions had been. Whitaker has tweeted skeptically of the investigation, written an op-ed arguing that it had begun to exceed its mandate, and described on CNN a scenario whereby the investigation could be ground to almost a halt through crafty backstage maneuvers. He will now reportedly take charge of the Mueller probe that he views so skeptically. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are many reasons to be concerned about how Whitaker will approach his task. Whitaker hasnt just been deeply critical of the Mueller probe, he has even gone so far as to describe a playbook for how the president could quietly sabotage it. Advertisement During an appearance on CNN last year, he predicted that the president would attempt to do something a bit more stage crafty than the blunt instrument of firing the attorney general in an effort to obstruct the Mueller probe. That crafty idea? Slashing Muellers budget. I could see a scenario where Jeff Sessions is replaced, Whitaker said, and that [new] attorney general doesnt fire Bob Mueller, but he just reduces his budget so low that his investigation grinds to absolute, almost a halt. Such an approach would be in line with Whitakers other public statements that his new subordinate, Mueller, was overstepping his investigative authority. In 2017, Whitaker wrote a CNN editorial titled Muellers investigation of Trump is going too far. (That same year, he tweeted a Philadelphia Inquirer column titled Note to Trumps lawyer: Do not cooperate with Mueller lynch mob, with the note Worth a read.) Advertisement The upshot of Whitakers CNN column was that Muellers investigation would be crossing into witch hunt territory if Rosenstein gave the special counsel latitude to investigate both Trumps and his businesses finances. Advertisement He wrote: It does not take a lawyer or even a former federal prosecutor like myself to conclude that investigating Donald Trumps finances or his familys finances falls completely outside of the realm of his 2016 campaign and allegations that the campaign coordinated with the Russian government or anyone else. That goes beyond the scope of the appointment of the special counsel. Whitakers argument rested on the notion that the special counsels initial public mandate limited the scope of the inquiry to coordination and links between Trumps campaign and Russia. He contended that if Mueller were to investigate Trumps finances without a broadened scope in his appointment, then this would raise serious concerns that the special counsels investigation was a mere witch hunt. Advertisement Advertisement Former federal prosecutor and Impeachable Offenses? author Frank Bowman described the column as frontrunning the Republicans inevitable assault on Mueller. Bowman told Slate that even if Trumps finances were not covered by the initial mandate, the special counsel would have a responsibility to investigate them if he found evidence of financial crimes. Mueller could either do so directly or hand that part of the probe to the relevant U.S. attorneys office, according to Bowman: Advertisement Assume that Muellers review of financial documents showed that Trump or the Trump Org had significant financial ties with Russian oligarchs connected to the Kremlin generally or Putin particularly. Given Muellers charge, of course he should follow up on that to see if there is a link between the money and the electoral contacts. If he finds no link to electoral meddling, but does find evidence of other crime, then his options are to request expansion of his remit or to refer what he has to a [U.S. Attorneys Office] with jurisdiction. Advertisement [I]n no case is the answer that Mueller should just shut his eyes and bury the information, Bowman said. Thats not the way this works. Its also worth pointing out that, in addition to having authority over Mueller, Whitaker will now be in charge of federal prosecutors across the United States, including, as the New York Times Maggie Haberman and Katie Brenner reported last month, those investigating Trumps former personal lawyer, Michael D. Cohen, the Trump Organization and the business run by the father of [Trump son-in-law Jared] Kushner. All of this would seem to give Whitaker broad power to grind any investigation into the president, his family, or his allies to a halt. Advertisement Advertisement For these reasons, a number of prominent figures have already called on Whitaker to recuse himself from the Mueller probe, including incoming House Judiciary chairman Jerrold Nadler and former CIA director John Brennan. The same advisory attorneys that guided Sessions to recuse from the Russia investigation should have the opportunity to offer Whitaker the same guidance, but given Trumps response to Sessions recusalmonths and months of abuse leading to a forced resignationit seems unlikely that the next attorney general will voluntarily follow Sessions path. Aside from Nadlers gavel, which is still months away, perhaps the biggest saving grace for Muellers probe at the moment comes from the notion that he has likely prepared for such an eventuality. National security journalist Marcy Wheeler suggested on Wednesday that such a contingency plan was in place, as did former lead Enron prosecutor Samuel W. Buell. Nothing thats happening today vis-a-vis DOJ is unexpected, Buell told Slate. So whatever Mueller has, we should expect that he has it extremely teed up as of today. One of the recurring questions in the run-up to Tuesdays elections was whether Hispanic voters would finally emerge as a factor to be reckoned with in American political life, given their tendency to underperform. Despite accounting for 12 percent of the American electorate and growing, the more than 29 million eligible Latino voters in the United States show up at the polls less than any other demographic. Their turnout during midterms has been particularly dismal. In 2014, a mere 27 percent showed up at the polls (imagine 18 million people choosing to sit out a national election for absolutely no reason at all and you get the idea). Numbers havent been much better for presidential cycles: In 2016, more than 47 percent of eligible Hispanics chose to vote, a dozen points below black turnout. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, these figures are from before Donald Trump was elected president on an openly nativist message. Since then, Trump has targeted the undocumented and low-skilled immigrants that have deep ties to the countrys Hispanic community. The presidents relentless attacks have made longtime observers of Hispanic voters wonder whether Trump will be the catalyst to shake Hispanics from their slumber. Would Latino turnout finally improve for local, congressional, and state elections? And would Hispanics turn this years elections into a resounding disavowal of Trump and those who have enabled the presidents divisive rhetoric and punitive arrogance towards immigrants? After the midterms, the answers to these questions suggest renewed hope for the future of Hispanic political engagement but also offer a frustrating account of discord and fragmentation for those of us who, perhaps naively, expect Latinos to react to Trumps unprecedented confrontation with the community with some sense of electoral cohesion. Advertisement Before Tuesday, studies showed rising Hispanic engagement with the midterms. Even though the final numbers wont be known for a while, Hispanic turnout seems to have grown substantially. Exit polls have offered better overall turnout numbers, especially compared with the 2014 abyss. There was an exponential increase in the number of absentee ballots requested by Latinos in Florida, Texas, and even California. According to polling organization Latino Decisions, an impressive number of counties in Texas at least doubled previous turnouts among Hispanics, helping Beto ORourke along the way. Donde votar, Spanish for where to vote, led Googles trending searches on Election Day. Hispanic voters have not decided to reject Trump in any disciplined, uniform manner, the way that, say, black women have. It is fair to say, then, that barring a surprise when final numbers become available, Hispanics did indeed take part in larger numbers during this years midtermsgood news for a community used to the opposite. Advertisement How they voted is another matter. Advertisement After the 2016 election, Latino pollsters and scholars engaged in a heated argument over whether it was possible that 29 percent of Hispanic voters had favored Donald Trump, improving on Mitt Romneys numbers from 2012 by a couple of percentage points. Skeptics argued that it was hardly believable that Trump could earn such a share of a constituency he had belittled constantly throughout the presidential campaign. Tuesdays results should help settle the debate, at least with regards to the appeal of Republican candidates among a considerable swath of the Hispanic electorate. While exit polls showed other demographics overwhelmingly rejecting the party in power, Latinos seemed to be noticeably, if not quite evenly, split. CNNs exit poll identified 29 percent of Latinos as Republican voters in its nationwide survey. Thirty-five percent seem to have chosen Ted Cruz over Beto ORourke, while 44 percent appear to have voted for the Republican candidate for governor in Florida, Ron DeSantis, a controversial immigration hard-liner and one of Trumps darlings. Even in Nevada, with its remarkable Hispanic electoral machinery that traditionally favors Democrats, 30 percent seem to have voted for Republican Dean Heller. Advertisement Advertisement These numbers dont mean that the Democratic Party is in danger of losing support among Hispanic voters. On the contrary: According to exit polls, young Hispanics seemed to favor Democratic candidates in larger numbers than old Hispanics. But it certainly means that Hispanic voters have not decided to reject Trump in any disciplined, uniform manner, the way that, say, black women have. And that, quite frankly, is a mystery all its own. A few hours after the election, University of Southern California professor Roberto Suro, whom I recently interviewed for Slates Trumpcast, offered a succinct yet powerful observation on Twitter. Latinos were the targets of a relentless, vicious, racist attack by a sitting president the likes of which we have not seen directed at any demographic group sincewhen? Is there any precedent? Suro wrote. What would have been a proportional response? Given the provocation, youd think the response would be obvious. Advertisement Advertisement Suro has a point. However some optimistic pollsters and scholars wish to spin it, Hispanic voters still havent reached their full potential and, most of all, have yet to decide to send a clear, unequivocal message to those in power who have repeatedly harassed the community with almost complete impunity. The Republican Partys actions against the Hispanic community have not yet been met by an equal and opposite reaction. This is a moral failure. The fact that so many still chose to grant their vote to some of Trumps most dedicated enablers defies comprehension. Or perhaps, in the end, Hispanics really have less in common with each other than many of us believe. This piece was originally published on Just Security, an online forum for analysis of U.S. national security law and policy. The acting attorney general, Matthew Whitaker, is in a position to seriously undermine the Russia investigation. He could potentially take several steps behind closed doors without the public being able to know in a timely manner. Other steps would be immediately visible. In the final analysis, the principal constraints on the acting attorney general if he is considering ways to undercut the investigation are the degree to which he is concerned about the personal repercussions of violating the most fundamental norms of his profession, as well as the longer-term damage to the institutions of justice and any political blowback from Congress or the public. Advertisement Some individuals may risk those consequences, and even delight in thumbing a nose at Congress on the belief that they serve a more noble cause or in the firm knowledge that, as a legal matter, they can get away with it. It is useful to think about the architects of the torture memos, and their contemptuous attitudes when they were hauled before Congress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What the acting attorney general could not count on is any general acceptance that broad decisions to kill the investigation were taken in the interests of justice or that more piecemeal adverse actions against Robert Mueller were taken in good faith application of the existing regulations. Thats because Mueller appears to have operated in a very careful manner in carrying out the investigation, and overruling his actions would very likely demonstrate the acting attorney general is not faithfully applying internal Department of Justice rules. Advertisement In the event the acting attorney general embarks on a course of interfering with Muellers probe, there seem to be two wild-card remedies: 1) impeachment and congressional removal of the acting attorney general (which would require a supermajority of the Senate) and 2) criminal indictment of the acting attorney general for obstruction of justice. Nobody should hold their breath for either of those sanctions, even if the case merited them. However, short of these unlikely scenarios, Congress as a body and individual members of Congress have the power to bring pressure to bear on both the president and DOJ to insist that Mueller be left alone to do his work. So what exactly could an acting attorney general do to kill or slowly deprive the Russia investigation of oxygen? Advertisement Advertisement As a threshold matter, it is important to understand that many discussions of what the acting attorney general can do operate on the assumption that the basic legal and regulatory framework upon which Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein has been conducting business would remain in place. In particular, commentators point to the special counsel regulations and how they define the conditions under which Mueller can be fired, the timing and basis for Mueller to report to the attorney general, the conditions under which the attorney general can countermand a decision of the special counsel, and so forth. But the attorney general retains the power to do away with that underlying framework. Advertisement First, the acting attorney general can revoke the regulations themselves without advance public notice. As a federal court explained in an August 2018 decision, the Acting Attorney General retains the power to rescind or revise the Special Counsel regulations at will, and any purported limits on the power to remove or countermand persist only with the acquiescence of the Acting Attorney General (our emphasis added). The court also stated that the acting attorney general could revoke the regulations without going through a transparent rule-making processsuch as public notice and comment or the 30-day delay rulebecause the appointment of a special counsel, as a matter of agency management and personnel, fits an exception in which those requirements do not apply. Advertisement Advertisement Second, the acting attorney general could potentially keep the special counsel regulations in place but revoke or amend their application to Mueller. The application of those regulations to Mueller are arguably at the discretion of the acting attorney general. In the order establishing Muellers position, then-acting Attorney General Rosenstein stated that these regulations would apply, but the new acting attorney general could revise the original order. As Marty Lederman has carefully explained: I believe it would not be necessary for the Acting AG to rescind the regulations themselves, because technically Mueller was not appointed pursuant to those regulations: Rosenstein appointed him to continue a counterintelligence investigation, which goes beyond the regulations own grounds for appointment, and thus (I think) Mueller is subject to the regulations independence and removal protections only by virtue of paragraph (d) of Rosensteins appointment memorandum itself. Advertisement Third, an acting attorney general might purport to interpret the Rosenstein order to apply the special counsel regulations to Muellers duties but not to the duties and obligations of the attorney general. The order states: Sections 600.4 through 600.10 of Title 28 of the Code of Federal Regulations are applicable to the Special Counsel. According to this reading, the order does not state that the regulations are applicable to the attorney general. We believe this would be an implausible reading of the order, though. The sections of the code are designed to protect the independence of the special counsel and only have meaning in the way they describe the relationship between the special counsel and the attorney general. Stating that these sections are applicable to the special counsel is stating that they apply in full to this investigation. Whats more, one of the sections (600.9 on Notification and reports by the Attorney General) applies only to the attorney generals duties and is included in the order. In short, if the acting attorney general no longer wanted the regulations to apply to his office, he would need to exercise one of the first two options: revoke the regulations themselves or revoke/amend Rosensteins order applying the regulations to special counsel Muellers investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If Whitaker adheres to the special counsel regulations, how might he find ways to interfere with, constrain, or even block Muellers investigation? The regulations grant the special counsel the full power and independent authority to exercise all investigative and prosecutorial functions of any United States Attorney. In turn, the Justice Manual, which sets forth Department of Justice policy, delegates broad authority to U.S. attorneys: The United States Attorney, within his/her district, has plenary authority with regard to federal criminal matters. This authority is exercised under the supervision and direction of the Attorney General and his/her delegates. The statutory duty to prosecute for all offenses against the United States (28 U.S.C. 547) carries with it the authority necessary to perform this duty. The USA is invested by statute and delegation from the Attorney General with the broadest discretion in the exercise of such authority. The authority, discretionary power, and responsibilities of the United States Attorney with relation to criminal matters encompass without limitation by enumeration the following: A. Investigating suspected or alleged offenses against the United States, see JM 9-2.010; B. Causing investigations to be conducted by the appropriate federal law enforcement agencies, see JM 9-2.010; C. Declining prosecution, see JM 9-2.020; D. Authorizing prosecution, see JM 9-2.030; E. Determining the manner of prosecuting and deciding trial related questions; F. Recommending whether to appeal or not to appeal from an adverse ruling or decision, see JM 9-2.170; G. Dismissing prosecutions, see JM 9-2.050; and H. Handling civil matters related thereto which are under the supervision of the Criminal Division Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nonetheless, the regulations allow two ways for the acting attorney general to involve himself in a special counsel investigation such as Muellers. First, 600.7 requires the special counsel to comply with the rules, regulations, procedures, practices and policies of the Department of Justice. Pursuant to this requirement, it is conceivable that the acting attorney general could withhold his approval for any prosecutorial action that requires his express authorization. However, the Justice Manual identifies relatively few prosecutorial actions that require the attorney generals approval. The decision to seek the death penalty is one. In Muellers investigations and prosecutions, there are no obvious anticipated steps that would require the express approval of the attorney general. Advertisement Second, 600.7 of the special counsel regulations says that the Attorney General may request that the Special Counsel provide an explanation for any investigative or prosecutorial step, and may after review conclude that the action is so inappropriate or unwarranted under established Departmental practices that it should not be pursued. It is through this provision that the acting attorney general might seek to make the most mischief. Advertisement The acting attorney general could insist that Mueller keep him abreast of all investigative and prosecutorial steps in the ongoing probe and could simply decide that particular steps were inappropriate or unwarranted under established Department practices and block them. Such steps could include decisions to interview witnesses, subpoena documents or witnesses to the grand jury, seek search warrants, or pursue charges. In theory at least, the acting attorney general could review and stop any or every investigative or prosecutorial step that Mueller hoped to pursue. Department of Justice policies afford broad discretion to prosecutors, and the acting attorney general could claim that Muellers proposed actions represented an inappropriate exercise of discretion. For example, the Principles of Federal Prosecution, set out in the Justice Manual, specify that prosecutors should commence prosecutions where there is sufficient evidence of a federal crime unless the prosecution would serve no substantial federal interest (JM 9-27.220). Whitaker could simply assert that the Mueller investigation, or large swaths of it pertaining to Trump campaign associates, no longer served a substantial federal interest and stop all further activity within that part of the investigation. The acting attorney generals decision would be formally unreviewableno court, for instance, would have the power to assess the validity of his decision. Advertisement Advertisement The acting attorney general could take such bold steps, but only through a transparently bad faith interpretation of the law. Thats because the special counsel regulations permit the attorney general to block actions of the special counsel only upon a finding that such actions are inappropriate or unwarranted under established Departmental practices. That is not a claim that the acting attorney general will easily make about any of Muellers proposed steps. Justice Department policy and practice is broad and permissive in terms of what it allows U.S. attorneys to do in pursuing investigations and criminal cases. While it seeks to guide the exercise of discretion by prosecutors, it does not generally limit with bright lines the lawful investigative and prosecutorial authorities of those prosecutors. The steps that Mueller has taken to date that have become public are all well within the heartland of actions that federal prosecutors take across U.S. attorneys offices every day and could under no circumstances be described as inappropriate or unwarranted. There is no reason to imagine that it will be otherwise going forward. And regarding the federal interest served by the investigation, Mueller and others could point to the extensive definition of federal interest provided in the Justice Manual and the ways that his investigation meets it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Further, the regulations require that the attorney general report to the chairman and ranking minority member of the Senate and House Judiciary Committees any decisions to block an investigative or prosecutorial step by the special counsel. It is true that the attorney general need not provide this report until the end of the special counsels investigation (and it would be left to the acting attorney general to interpret what is meant by conclusion of the Special Counsels investigation). However, if the acting attorney general acts in such a way to effectively shut down the investigation, Mueller might bring his inquiry to a definitive close sooner rather than later, triggering the acting attorney generals obligation to report to Congress about his decisions to override actions of the special counsel. That would not be a pretty moment, for any decision that the acting attorney general made that Muellers investigation was inappropriate or unwarranted would be exposed for what it was: an abusive and partisan effort to shut down the investigation. Advertisement Muellers decision to bring the investigation to a quick close is exactly what an unscrupulous acting attorney general may want. Whats more, the option of bringing the investigation to a close is a nuclear one, and Mueller may not be willing to take it in the face of even serious intrusions on the investigation. Advertisement The acting attorney general could take other steps to undermine the investigation. He could, perhaps by existing formal or informal rules, inform the White House of matters internal to the investigation. The Watergate special prosecutor had multiple meetings and conversations with the White House in which he revealed information hed discovered, but for good reasons in his push-and-pull negotiations with President Nixon. It is hard to police when an acting attorney general might do the samesharing vital internal information about the investigationbut for ill reasons. As Asha Rangappa wrote, a less scrupulous DAG [than Rosenstein] could even leak Muellers plans to the White House or others. Another measure that an acting attorney general could pursue is to revise, to a greater or lesser degree, the more specific memorandum detailing different lines of Muellers investigation. Some parts of that previously secret memorandum were disclosed during the Paul Manafort trial, but other parts remain classified. The memorandum is an internal document issued from the desk of Rod Rosenstein, and the acting attorney general could therefore see fit to alter it behind closed doors. With the incoming Congress, the American public would likely at some point be informed of these activities by the acting attorney general. Mueller, for example, could testify, and he would be an enormously powerful witness. But there is no reason for members of Congress to wait until thenthat is, until its too late. It is important for members of Congress not only to talk about what they will demand of a new nominee for the office. They must also focus on the work of the acting attorney general in the meantime, spelling out the dire consequences for Trumps presidency if steps are taken to get in the way of Mueller doing his job. More From Just Security: Why the First Amendment Does Not Protect Trump Campaign Collusion With WikiLeaks and Russia Trump Admin Says Its Open to Suggestions to Prevent Far-Right Violence. Here Are a Few. Democrats had a good, if not exactly great, night on the federal stage on Tuesday, winning the two dozen seats they needed to retake the House with room to spare, and limiting their losses in the Senate, where they faced a historically brutal midterm map. It wasnt the stunning rebuke to Donald Trump that the left so desperately wanted, but it will give the party real, actionable power in Washington for the first time since he took office. The story at the state level, however, involves far fewer caveats: Democrats unquestionably had a great night, one where they gained far more than they lost. Advertisement As I explained in the run up to Election Day, the state landscape can defy simple summation. The difference between Democrats winning 22 House seats and winning 23, for instance, was the difference between spending the next two years in the minority and spending it with the speakers gavel in hand. But there just isnt that kind of national tipping point at the state level. No aggregate outcomesuch as either party winning a majority of gubernatorial seats or claiming a majority of state legislative chamberscan have a greater effect than the sum of its parts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That said, Democrats now have far more parts to count than they did before the midterms. The party flipped a total of seven governors seats from red to blueIllinois, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, and Wisconsinwith things still too close to call in Georgia, where Republican Brian Kemp holds a narrow lead on Stacy Abrams and the prospect of a recount looms. Meanwhile, Republicans lone gubernatorial pickup wasnt even at the Democrats direct expense: Mike Dunleavy will replace Alaska Gov. Bill Walker, an independent who dropped his re-election bid shortly before Election Day. Even assuming Georgia stays red, Democrats will have winnowed the GOPs advantage in the gubernatorial department from 3316 to 2723, the closest the margin has been since the GOP picked up a half dozen seats and a 2920 advantage following the 2010 midterms. And bonus: All seven of Democratic pickups will play a role in redrawing their states congressional maps following the 2020 census. Advertisement Not everything went Democrats way, of course. They came up short in a trio of swing-state gubernatorial contests theyd have loved to win ahead of 2020: Ohio, Iowa, and Florida, a victory in the last of which would have also cemented Andrew Gillums status as rising star in the party. But dulling the sting of those defeats were cathartic wins in Wisconsinwhere Tony Evers unseated Gov. Scott Walker, who has been labors white whale for the better part of a decadeand in Kansaswhere Laura Kelly defeated Kris Kobach, aka the nations most notorious vote thief. Advertisement Democratic gains extended further down the ballot. According to Governing magazines count, the party picked up a total of seven legislative chambers: both the House and Senate in New Hampshire, the Connecticut Senate, the Colorado Senate, the Maine Senate, the Minnesota House, and the New York Senate, which Republicans currently control thanks to a rogue Democrat who caucuses with them. Meanwhile, the GOPs only chance at flipping a chamber is the Alaska House, which Democrats currently control with a bipartisan coalition of their own and that remains too close to call. Advertisement Advertisement Things look even brighter for Democrats if you zoom in a little further. Also per Governing, they will now have supermajorities in both chambers in Oregon, as well as in the Delaware House, the Illinois House, and the Nevada Assembly. Meanwhile, they will end GOP supermajorities in the Michigan Senate, the Pennsylvania Senate, and both chambers in North Carolina. Democratic gains wont be enough to give the party control of most of the nations legislative chambersthe GOP entered the night holding roughly two-thirds of thembut they dont need that to get things done. Democrats will now have complete control of Maines Legislature and its governorship, for instance, which will let them move forward with the Medicaid expansion that term-limited GOP Gov. Paul LePage had been blocking. Or consider New York, where Democrats new trifecta could allow them to press forward with criminal justice reform. Federal elections are always going to get top billing, but Tuesdays state results are yet one more reminder that the bottom half of the ballot can matter as much as the top. If you, like me, are a pessimist, you may be startled by the extent to which Tuesdays election felt improbably hopeful. I expected the far-right takeover to accelerate, as often happens when you concentrate wealth with the rich and leave people to squabble in a state of artificial scarcity. Desperation and anxiety can intensify reactionary feelings, and our country has pingponged through a series of backlashes that seem to have political bankruptcy as their endpoint: Kavanaugh felt like a backlash to #MeToo, #MeToo gained momentum partly as a backlash to Trump, who was for different reasons a backlash to Obama, who was himself partly a backlash to Bush. Advertisement This is all to say that I did not expect to feel hopeful on election night. We are not living through a moment known for its encouraging surprises. It was as astonishing as it was overdue, therefore, that Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, two Muslim women, got elected to Congress. (Even one would have been a first.) Similarlyat a moment when the GOP has been openly disenfranchising Native votersit was jarring in the best way to watch Deb Haaland and Sharice Davids, both Native American women, be elected to Congress. (Even one would have been a first.) Texas is sending two Latina womenVeronica Escobar and Sylvia Garciato represent the state in Washington, D.C. Even one would have been a first! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After a dispiriting few hours, the unlikely wins just kept on coming: Jahana Hayes will become the first black woman from Connecticut to be elected to the House of Representatives. Ayanna Pressley will be the first black woman to represent Massachusetts in the House. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will be the youngest woman to serve in Congress. Maine got its first female governor. Over 100 women have been voted into the House, including Iowas very first (two!) female representatives. Nevada will become the first state Legislature in American history to have more female than male representatives. Also, the first openly gay man has been elected governor (Colorados Jared Polis), and Kim Davisthe Kentucky clerk who broke the law by refusing to issue same-sex marriage licenseshas been voted out. Advertisement These are clear and surprising signs of health in a country poisonednot just by a presidents homegrown racism, misogyny, and Islamophobiabut by its own radically destabilized concept of itself. While the wealthiest Americans thrive, a hefty percentage of the rest have grown crabbed with anxiety and grabby with greed. Perhaps because they cant quite afford health care, or children, or homessome have concluded that they also cannot afford kindness, or equal rights, or principles. Or in some cases, democracy. Advertisement Its no secret that the far-right has worked to exacerbate these tendencies; Trump and Fox News aim to terrify viewers on a nightly basis with scary stories and invented threats. It has frequently worked. And yet: Having done his best to reshape America using scare tactics in order to create parallel universesone of which lives in constant fear of nonexistent crime wavesNewt Gingrich may now watch his old seat be taken by Lucy McBath, a powerhouse and activist whose son, Jordan Davis, was shot and killed by a white man for the crime of refusing to turn down his music. That means a woman whose suffering and loss is real (not imagined, or theoretical, or TV propaganda) might, pending a recount, have won a Georgia district that even more moderate Democrat Jon Ossoff couldnt quite clinch. Thats pretty amazing. Advertisement Advertisement On the issues, we now seem to be a little less afraid of our fellow humans than some might like us to be. So is the fact that Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA operative, defeated Republican incumbent Rep. Dave Brat, who wasnt just a member of the House Freedom Caucus but the guy who famously defeated GOP House Majority Leader Eric Cantor four years ago in what was then seen as a GOP shift to the right. Dana Rohrabacher, a pro-Russia Republican who liked to boast about arm-wrestling Putin, lost to Harley Rouda, a former Republican who switched parties, announcing that Trump had changed things for him and enough was enough. Scott Walker has been voted out as governor of Wisconsin. Staten Island, New York, of all places, has gone Democratic, replacing Rep. Dan Donovan with Max Rose. And Democrat Laura Kelly handily defeated Kris KobachTrumps voter fraud boogeymanfor governor of Kansas. Advertisement Advertisement On the issues, we now seem to be a little less afraid of our fellow humans than some might like us to be. Massachusetts voted to protect trans rights. Voting rights have been restored to felons in Florida. Michigan voted against gerrymandering, and for automatic voter registration and protection for overseas and military voters. Raleigh, North Carolina voted out one of the countrys most ICE-friendly sheriffs. Minnesotas Hennepin County voted in Dave Hutchinsona gay, progressive veteran police officerto replace anti-immigration Sheriff Rich Stanek, who won three earlier elections. Oregon defeated an anti-immigrant ballot measure. Idaho, Utah, and Nebraska voted to expand Medicaid. Texas, that red-state bulwark, may not have seen an ORourke victory, but it saw 12 (Twelve!) Democratic pickups in the statehouse. Advertisement The Democrat losses were less surprising: The Senate, save for Jacky Rosens win over Nevadas Dean Heller, whod never lost an election prior to Tuesday night, got even more Republican. Three states passed laws that effectively reduce women to fetus-carriers without rights. Montana Rep. Greg Gianfortewho attacked a reporter when he was asked about his position on health carehas won re-election. So has New York Rep. Chris Collins, who is under indictment, and California Rep. Duncan Hunter who (also while under indictment) falsely called Ammar Campa-Najjar, his Christian opponent, a radical Muslim. The bad news is that racism may have helped him and others, like Andy Kims opponent Tom MacArthur in New Jersey. The good news is that the racist attacks didnt work every time. Incumbent Rep. John Fasos efforts to paint his opponent Antonio Delgado, in New Yorks 19th, as a scary big-city rapper failed, and Delgado will become the first nonwhite representative in his districts history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The breakout stars of this election cycle didnt make it in quite the way many expected them to: While Ocasio-Cortez won, Wisconsins mustachioed Randy Bryce, who hoped to replace Paul Ryan, lost. So did Andrew Gillum, Beto ORourke, and (pending a possible recount) Stacey Abramsdespite extraordinary endorsements and impressive fundraising. Their losses are heavy and the impact real, even if the odds were admittedly against them. But that cant overshadow the 100-plus candidates who did extraordinarily well this year. If anything, it behooves us not to get so enamored with specific underdog stories: Many of the winners here won despite a striking lack of national attention. Former Navy pilot and federal prosecutor Mikie Sherrill won in New Jerseys 11th District, a Republican stronghold for two decades. Letitia James became the first black person to be elected attorney general in New Yorkas well as the first black woman to be elected to statewide office. Lauren Underwood, a nurse whose key issue in her Illinois race was health care, defeated Republican incumbent Rep. Randy Hultgren (whod won in 2016 by 19 percentage points!). And in a stunning upset in Oklahoma, Democrat Kendra Horn managed to defeat Rep. Steve Russell despite a 93.4 percent chance (per FiveThirtyEight) that hed keep his seat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All the talk of blue and red waves is entertaining but not especially illuminating. Better than the emergence of breakout Democratic stars is the fact that participation was higher across the country, and that our profiles for what leadership looks like seem to be undergoing a profound change. The Democratic Party is vibrant with engagement and grit and even, improbably, hope. The calls for equality and justice are peppered by an unexpected willingness to fight for them. Its telling, too, that Democratic candidatesparticularly women and people of colorran differently than they have before; rather than treat the things that set them apart as obstacles that needed to be neutralized, they used their stories, their experience, and their particularities to make their cases to the electorate. Advertisement Advertisement It behooves us not to get so enamored with specific underdog stories: Many of the winners won despite a striking lack of national attention. And in a startling number of cases, it worked! Democrats sense of what leaders look and act like seems to be in radical flux. Strength doesnt have to mean male, and leaders dont necessarily have to be white guys in suits. Thats an exciting change, and its deeper than it looks: Americans are much better at paying lip-service to equality than they are at implementing it on a case-by-case basis. The fact that so many voted for candidates who dont reflect the exhausted stereotype of American leadership reflects a pretty radical expansion of our ability to imagine a better, richer, truly diverse country. Advertisement The left isnt a monolith, of course. You could see some clashes between old and new factions in action on Tuesday night: While Rep. Nancy Pelosi extolled the bipartisan marketplace of ideaseasily the strangest takeaway for a victor to broadcast on a pretty historic nightStacey Abrams rose to the tenor of the moment. In our Georgia, no one is unseen, no one is unheard, and no one is uninspired, she said, adding that hard work is in our bones and that democracy only works if you work for it. Her message was empathetic and clear, but it was also uncompromising: There would be no concession to an opponent who did everything in his power to suppress minority votes until every single vote was counted. Her message was optimistic. It was appropriate. But it contained a firm and unapologetic challenge. Advertisement Seen from a distance and through this particular lens, the Republican Party isnt exactly a picture of health. Among their wins are two members of Congress who are under indictment, a white supremacist, and a literal corpse. As victories go, these are brittle and musty. That makes no difference at all in the short term, of course. So much damage has been doneto the Supreme Court, to American institutions, and to the American publicthat it would be reckless to downplay even the most tattered and snaggletoothed win. There is such a thing, however, as long-term health. This was a hard-won battle, and both sides turned out to fight. Both fought well enough. But while one side bubbled with signs of vitalityfeaturing a hopeful, expansive vision with messaging that hit quintessentially American notes about things like integrity, justice, relief, and hopethe other hunkered down in its bunker, so frothy and fearful of its neighbors that it ended up voting for the criminal and the dead. At her press conference one day after winning back control of the House of Representatives, Democratic Party leader Nancy Pelosi laid on the bipartisan appeals a little thick. She spoke of her chummy conversations with President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell about getting a bipartisan infrastructure bill done, and how she and House Speaker Paul Ryan, two peas in a pod, discussed how it is to win, and how it is not to win. She mentioned that she worked well with President George W. Bush after Democrats took control of Congress in 2006. She quoted Ronald Reagan. Advertisement The one thing she didnt want to discuss at length, and refused to take more than a couple of questions on, was her own grip on power. When asked if she was confident that she would be the next speaker, she simply said, Yes, I am. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats not the same thing as having the speakership votes locked down. Nancy Pelosi has some work to do. Though many of the most vociferously anti-Pelosi Democratic candidates didnt win their racessensibly enough, since the redder the district, the more anti-Pelosi the candidateabout a dozen of the new winners said enough on the campaign trail to give themselves re-election headaches if they ultimately support her for speaker. Advertisement Some were more definitive than others. Pennsylvania Rep. Conor Lamb, who began the trend of candidates rejecting Pelosi during his early 2018 special election win and maintained that posture in his campaign for a full term in a new district, has stated explicitly that he will not support her on the floor, as have incoming members Jason Crow of Colorado and Abigail Spanberger of Virginia. Others who have gone on the record calling for new leadership, if not quite promising their firstborns that they would never support Pelosi, include Mikie Sherrill and Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, Anthony Brindisi and Max Rose of New York, Haley Stevens and Elissa Slotkin in Michigan, Dean Phillips in Minnesota, Joe Cunningham in South Carolina, and Jahana Hayes in Connecticut. Advertisement Advertisement Another dozen or so incumbent Democrats have been seeking to oust Pelosi too. This group includes Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan, who unsuccessfully challenged her for minority leader in 2016, New York Reps. Kathleen Rice and Brian Higgins, Colorado Rep. Ed Perlmutter, Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge, Texas Rep. Filemon Vela, Oregon Rep. Kurt Schrader, and some others. And then theres Tennessee Rep. Jim Cooper, who may not be an active plotter but never votes for Pelosi on the floor. When the dust settles, the Democrats will have roughly a dozen-vote majoritythough that could increase as votes continue trickling inwith about two dozen opposed to Pelosi serving as speaker. She needs a simple majority to win. That math doesnt add up in her favor. Advertisement Advertisement But shell figure it out. This is not just me peddling the old Nancy Pelosi controls all narrative. It simply would not make sense for the experienced Democratic leader who orchestrated (and paid for) a disciplined, health carefocused, and successful pickup of some 35 seats and the House majority to not become speaker. Her efforts have already begun. In a letter to all members and members-elect Wednesday night, Pelosi respectfully asked for their speakership votes with confidence and humility. She said that she plans to speak with each member individually to gather the best ideas on how to strengthen the institution we serve and to honor our responsibilities under Article I. Advertisement And, of course, to see what members need for their votes. In some cases these could be district-specific requests. If a new member represents a district with a strong military presence, say, Pelosi could offer a seat on the House Armed Services Committee. She also has control over placement on various commissions and could offer to pay campaign debts. Advertisement There are also rule changes to bargain. As the Hill reported on Tuesday, one group of 14 Democrats vowed to withhold its speakership votes unless Pelosi agrees to a package of rule changes that includes giving fast-track consideration to any bill with widespread support, making it easier to add amendments to legislation and making it harder for a small group of rebellious lawmakers to oust the Speaker. Leadership might like some of those changes (the last one) more than others (ceding control over the amendment process, even if leaders say theyd like for it to be more open). But its a negotiation. It would not make sense for the experienced Democratic leader who orchestrated (and paid for) a successful pickup of the House majority to not become speaker. Pelosi can also rationally hope that the generic calls from candidates for new leadership could be satisfied through the competitive down-ticket leadership races. There are already serious races for the No. 4, 5, and 6 spotsassistant Democratic leader, caucus chairman, and vice caucus chairmanthat will determine the next generation of House Democratic leadership when the Pelosi-Hoyer-Clyburn regime leaves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And when will that be? All three of those leaders, sensing the impatience underneath them, have talked more over the last year about their intentions to serve as transitional or bridge leaders for the next generation. Pelosi doesnt want to make herself a lame duck by announcing when that transition will take place, so dont expect her to say in two years. But she may have to find a way to clarify this. If Pelosi still doesnt have the votes, she could try to persuade a few House members to vote present during the floor vote. This would lower the threshold of a House majority from 218. Its doubtful that, say, you could get 20 Democrats to do thisespecially among new members, who dont want to look like complete chickenshits right out of the gatebut some of the safer members who just happen to despise Pelosi might be convinced for the right price. Expect her to come up with the right combination. It wont be nearly as hard as, say, whipping a majority to vote for the Affordable Care Act in 2010. And to some of those members who might think, right now, that theres no way they could ever vote for Nancy Pelosi? Enjoy your one-on-one meetings. Before winning a historic election Tuesday night that catapulted her to national attention, Minnesota Democrat Ilhan Omar had to fend off an allegation of anti-Semitism based on a 2012 tweet in which she accused Israel of having hypnotized the world and accused it of evil doings. Omar defended the tweet this year by saying, Drawing attention to the apartheid Israeli regime is far from hating Jews. Omar is one of several candidates who won on Tuesday despite having criticized Israel in terms not usually heard in mainstream U.S. political discourse. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, who along with Omar will be one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress, lost her endorsement from the liberal pro-Israel, pro-peace lobbying group J Street in August after it became clear she did not support a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine. (She has also promised to work to cut U.S. military aid to Israel.) And New Yorks Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez decried the killing of Palestinian protesters by Israeli armed forces as a massacre in May, then stumbled when pressed to explain her position in a PBS interview, saying she was not an expert on geopolitics on this issue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Candidates like Omar, Tlaib, and Ocasio-Cortezyoung women of color who ran and won as staunch progressives or even socialistsare being held up as personifications of the future of the Democratic base. That may also be true when it comes to the Democratic Partys slowly shifting stance on Israel, a shift that is likely to create some tension when the incoming class of progressives meets the more moderate old-timers on the Hill. A Pew poll released in January found that the share of Democrats sympathizing with Israel more than the Palestinians has fallen from 38 percent to 27 percent since 2001. Republicans have become significantly more supportive of Israel over the same period. An Economist/YouGov poll last month found that, as Haaretz put it, American support for Israel is directly co-related to gender, age, economic status and political outlook. It is strongest among older, well-to-do, conservative white men and weakest among young, liberal, minorities and women. Only 25 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds see Israel as an ally, just 29 percent of women, and only 19 percent of African Americans. Advertisement Left-wing criticism of Israel is nothing new, but its mostly remained outside of the halls of power. This new generation of candidates could bring the views long expressed in activist communitiesand reflected in those pollsto Capitol Hill in a way we havent previously seen. A related shift that is moving this process along: Over the period that included Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus clashes with President Barack Obama over the Iran nuclear deal and Trumps move of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, Israel has become an increasingly partisan rather than religious or cultural issue for Americans. The increasing identification of Israel as a Republican rather than Jewish issue has opened some space for mainstream liberal Democrats to be a little more critical, and left-wing ones to be a lot more critical. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This trend in the polls and the positions of elected officials has not, it should be noted, alienated Jewish Democrats. Despite Donald Trumps warm embrace of Netanyahus government and increasingly bold criticism of the Jewish state from some candidates on the left, Jews voted for the Democrats in higher numbers than any other religious group Tuesday night. But if the Democratic base, including many of the young Jews who are part of it, are increasingly comfortable criticizing Israel, thats certainly not yet the case with the partys senior leaders on foreign policy issues. Rep. Eliot Engel, who after last night is in line to take over the chairmanship of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, supported Trumps Jerusalem move and opposed the Iran deal under Obama. Same goes for Engels counterpart on the Senate committee, just re-elected Robert Menendez of New Jersey, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. A clash between an incoming generation of progressives and their more conservative leaders seems inevitable. A gunman killed 12 people in a crowd dancing at a bar popular with college students in Thousand Oaks, California. Police reported Wednesday that the gunman was found dead at the scene. They have identified the suspected shooter as 28-year-old Ian David Long, a former Marine who once had police called to his home because he was acting irate and irrationally, according to the Associated Press. According to the Los Angeles Times, the gunman began firing a handgun at the front of the Western-style Borderline Bar & Grill at around 11:20 Pacific Time on Wednesday night. Witnesses described the gunman as a tall white man clothed in all black, and they said it appeared he used smoke bombs to create more confusion. At least 10 others are thought to be injured as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time, people were line dancing during College Country Night at the bar. Several colleges, including Pepperdine University, California Lutheran University, and Moorpark College, are within driving distance of the bar. Pepperdine confirmed that some of its students were at the bar, according to CNN. Authorities have said there were more than 100 people inside the bar at the time of the shooting. Witnesses described to reporters a frantic scene in which people used chairs to break windows and escape, while others hid in bathrooms and an attic. Six minutes after the gunman began firing, a sheriffs sergeant and a highway patrol officer arrived and were met with gunfire. Ventura County Sheriffs Department Sgt. Ron Helus, who was planning to retire next year after 29 years on the job, was shot several times and died early Thursday morning, according to police. It wasnt immediately clear how the suspected gunman died. Advertisement According to the LA Times, some of the people at the club Wednesday night were survivors of the mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas last year that left 58 dead. That massacre, the deadliest in modern U.S. history, occurred just over a year ago. The FBIs Joint Terrorism Task Force was dispatched to the scene, along with representatives from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. Authorities are investigating to learn the gunmans identity and motive. This post has been updated with additional information about the suspected gunman as it has become available. As more information emerges about Ian David Long, the 28-year-old alleged gunman who killed 12 at a crowded country bar in Thousand Oaks, California, on Wednesday night, people who knew him have proposed different explanations for when Long became someone capable of committing mass murder. Police said Long had a history that suggested mental health issues. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said Thursday that his department had been called to Longs home in April. Deputies found him acting irate and irrationally, according to the Associated Press. A mental health crisis team was then dispatched to Longs home but concluded he did not need to be taken into custody, Dean said. The other incident in which Long came in contact with the Ventura County Sheriffs Department listed Long as the victim of assault at a bar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to CNN, some of his college friends at California State UniversityNorthridge, where he enrolled using the GI Bill and studied athletic training until he left in 2016, said he did not seem to be a violent man. But according to the Los Angeles Times, some of Longs former roommates described him as a quiet person who kept to himself and adhered to routines. One described how he would listen to electronic dance music and dubstep in the sweltering heat, dancing alone. Another roommate said that he had occasionally used the mood-altering drug MDMA and that he took painkillers after a motorcycle accident in 2015 left him with injuries to his hand. According to the roommate, for nine months after the accident, Long mostly stayed in his room, as the accident caused him to have surgeries and left him unable to work. The roommate said Longs personality changed after the motorcycle accident, making him more isolated. Advertisement Others theorized that his experience in the Marine Corps left him with PTSD, which also changed his personality. Long served from 200813, according to the AP. During that time, he served one combat tour in Afghanistan, from November 2010 to June 2011. He served as a machine-gunner and earned several awards, reaching the rank of corporal in 2011. According to the New York Times, several members of his former battalion debated whether his problems were rooted in trauma from the military or if they ran back further. Advertisement According to CNN, a pastor who served with Long in Afghanistan said Longs battalion was sent to Afghanistan at a time of intense fighting, but he warned that PTSD does not make a person homicidal, and Longs behavior should not be blamed on his trauma. Advertisement A high school track coach of Longs in Newbury Park, California, where he grew up, agreed that his behavior had nothing to do with PTSD. According to CBS Los Angeles, the coach said Long assaulted her when he was a senior in high school. The coach, Dominique Colell, said that one day at practice during an argument over a lost cellphone he started screaming at her and grabbing her. He groped my stomach, she told the station. He groped my butt. I pushed him off me and said after that, Youre off the team. Colell said she was persuaded by other coaches and school officials not to report Long. Advertisement More information about Long emerged on Thursday and Friday after the shooting. CNN reported Thursday that authorities have found a Facebook post they believe the shooter wrote around the time of the attack. In the post, the writer says: I hope people call me insane wouldnt that just be a big ball of irony? Yeah.. Im insane, but the only thing you people do after these shootings is hopes and prayers.. or keep you in my thoughts every time and wonder why these keep happening Advertisement Advertisement More biographical information also surfaced. During his Marine Corps service, Long married in 2009 in Honolulu but separated from his wife in 2011, then dissolved the marriage in 2013, according to CNN. He then attended college, and he left after he realized it wasnt the job for me, as he wrote online at the time. He also attended the College of the Canyons for two spring semesters. After he left his home in Reseda while attending college, he moved in with his mother. A neighbor told CNN that Longs mother lived in fear of what her son might do but did not worry about her own safety. He was still living with her at the time of the shooting. Advertisement Reporters also learned more information about Longs history with Borderline Bar & Grill, the site of the shooting. One roommate said Long occasionally went to Borderline but that he didnt care much for the bar, as he wasnt a country guy, according to the Times. But according to CNN, another one of Longs friends said Long really liked it and would drag [her] there. The unnamed friend told CNN that Long had found a community at the bar of the kinds of people who would line dance while wearing cowboy boots and hats in the middle of the suburbs. Advertisement Advertisement Long was reported to have arrived at the Western-themed Borderline bar and started firing into the crowd at around 11:20 p.m. local time Wednesday. He reportedly shot employees at the front of the bar before setting off a smoke bomb and firing into the crowd. He is believed to have killed himself, police said. Advertisement According to CNN, he had entered the bar wearing black and glasses, and he was carrying a Glock .45-caliber handgun with an extended magazine that allowed him to fire more rounds than the gun normally allows. According to BuzzFeed News, even though he obtained the gun legally, the high-capacity magazine he used would have been illegal under California lawif the National Rifle Association and other gun advocates had not used a lawsuit to block the law from being implemented. Witnesses described the gunman as a tall white man. Authorities have not yet identified a possible motive. On Wednesday, for more than an hour, President Trump stood before the press fielding questions about the midterm elections and his plans for the next two years. A normal president might have lamented his partys loss of the House, acknowledged the humbling message from voters, and thanked Republican politicians who lost their jobs on Tuesday. But not Trump. He dismissed the publics rebuke, stabbed his allies in the back, and threatened to escalate a legal and political war with Congress. Heres what he said. Advertisement 1. Screw Republicans, its all about me. In his opening remarks, Trump boasted, We saw the candidates that I supported achieve tremendous success last night. This was a prepared talking point, and Trump made sure to include the key words: that I supported. He went on to trash, by name, Republican candidates who had avoided him during the campaign. They did very poorly, Trump gloated. I feel just fine about it. Carlos Cubela. [Trump mispronounced Curbelos name.] Mike Coffman. Too bad, Mike. Mia Love gave me no love, and she lost. Too bad. Sorry about that, Mia. Later, Trump bragged that he had forced out Republican Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona, creating an open seat. I retired him. Im very proud of it, said the president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Halfway through the press conference, a reporter told Trump, Last night was not an absolute victory for you. This was a laughably generous description, given the loss of the House. Instead, Trump protested that it wasnt generous enough. I thought it was a very close to complete victory, he declared. Instead of thanking Republicans who had helped him on the trail, Trump complained that unlike Democrats, I only had me, I didnt have anybody else. He told the press that his takeaway from the election was his own popularity: Thats what I learned, [that] I was very well-received by this great country. He also claimed that he created the greatest economic success in the history of our country, that he was responsible for the falling price of oilThats because of meand that I am a great moral leader. Advertisement 2. If the House investigates me, I wont cooperate on legislation. You cant do them simultaneously, Trump insisted, referring to investigation and legislation. If theyre doing that, were not doing the other. Specifically, he warned that if the House subpoenas his tax returns, hell launch counterinvestigationsand in that case, government comes to a halt. A reporter asked, Can you compartmentalize that and still continue to work with [Democrats] for the benefit of the rest of the country? Trump replied: No. No. He went on to explain how, having orchestrated this gridlock, he would blame Democrats for it: Being in the majority, Im just gonna blame them. You understand, Im gonna blame them. Theyre the majority. Honestly, it makes it much simpler for me. Advertisement Advertisement 3. I can shut down the Russia investigation. I could fire everybody right now, Trump said of special counsel Robert Muellers investigation. It should have never been started, because there was no crime. I could end it right now. I could say that investigation is over. He claimed that everyone involved in the investigation had disqualifying conflicts of interest: They all have conflicts over there that are beyond anything that anybodys ever seen. He specifically cited two conflicts he has previously attributed to Mueller: a friendship with former FBI Director James Comey, and a job interview that Mueller once had for Comeys job. Later in the afternoon, Trump extracted a resignation letter from Attorney General Jeff Sessions, throwing the investigations future into doubt. Advertisement Advertisement 4. I wont release my tax returns because the public wouldnt understand them. People dont understand tax returns, said Trump, explaining why he would refuse a subpoena from the House. For good measure, he repeated the insult three times. 5. Russias seizure of Crimea is President Obamas fault, not Vladimir Putins fault. Trump boasted that when he met with Putin last year, they discussed the fact that President Obama allowed a very large part of Ukraine to be taken. This assertion produced the following exchange with a reporter: Advertisement Q: That was President Putin who annexed Crimea, sir. Trump: That was President Obamas regime. That was during President Obama, right? That was not during me. Q: It was President Putin, sir, who did the annexation. Trump: No, no. It was President Obama that allowed it to happen. Advertisement Later, Trump detoured from a rant about media bias to claim that if Obamas administration had been allowed to continue into this year, You would have had negative 4.2, instead of positive 4.2 percent growth. 6. I have a secret plan to solve the abortion fight. A reporter asked Trump how he would push forward your pro-life agenda in a Democratic House. I wont be able to explain that to you, Trump replied, hinting that his plan was over the reporters head. But there is a solution. I think I have that solution. And nobody else does. 7. Its racist to ask about racism. A black reporter noted that at recent campaign rallies, Trump had declared himself a nationalist. Some people saw that as emboldening white nationalists, the reporter observed. Trump interrupted her: I dont know why youd say that. Thats such a racist question. The reporter tried to finish her question, but Trump shot her down. Thats such a racist question, he said. Thats a racist question. Trumps performance was nutty, incoherent, self-absorbed, and full of lies. In short, it was a lot like his other public appearances. But there was one difference: This time, he was speaking a day after voters attempted, through a massive purge of House Republicans, to send him and his party a message. Clearly, hes not getting the message. The people and their representatives will have to speak louder. To listen to this episode of Trumpcast, use the player below: Get More Trumpcast Slate Plus members get extended, ad-free versions of our podcastsand much more. Sign up today. Join Slate Plus Subscribe to Trumpcast Copy this link and add it in your podcast app. copy link copied! For detailed instructions, see our Slate Plus podcasts page. Listen to Trumpcast via Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Play. Virginia Heffernan talks voter suppression in the 2018 midterm elections with Ari Berman, senior reporter at Mother Jones covering voting rights and author of Give Us the Ballot: The Modern Struggle for Voting Rights in America. Also, the significance of Kris Kobachs defeat and Florida returning voting rights to ex-felons. Further Reading: Tuesday Was a Huge Night for Expanding Voting Rights The Man Behind Trumps Voter-Fraud Obsession Follow Trumpcast on Twitter: @realtrumpcast Podcast production by Melissa Kaplan with help from Shirley Chan and A.C. Valdez. 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. Democrats ran all sorts of different campaigns and won (or lost) in all sorts of different ways. Is there a lesson they could take from the midterms to carry into the next election? Plus, how did racism figure into the Florida and Georgia governors races? Jamelle Bouie joins the show to nurse our election hangover. Well be piloting What Next in public for the next several weeks. Tell us what you think: whatnext@slate.com. Follow us on Instagram for updates on the show, our weekend reading lists, and occasional posts about pita chips. Podcast production by Mary Wilson and Jayson De Leon. Engineering by Terence Bernardo. BREAKING: White House aide grabs and tries to physically remove a microphone from CNN Correspondent Jim Acosta during a contentious exchange with President Trump at a news conference. pic.twitter.com/fFm7wclFw2 NBC News (@NBCNews) November 7, 2018 After a heated exchange during President Trumps post-midterm press conference, the White House, in an extraordinary move, revoked CNN reporter Jim Acostas press credentials Wednesday night. Acosta tweaked Trump, when he questioned the presidents characterization of the caravan of migrants during the campaign as an invasion. Trump sparred with the generally punchy reporter briefly, getting in a dig about CNNs ratings, before trying to move on. During the exchange, Acosta rebuffed an attempt by a press aide to take his mic, saying excuse me maam, while moving on to another question about the Russia investigation. Thats enough. Thats enough. Put down the mic, Trump responded. Ill tell you what, CNN should be ashamed of itself having you working for them. You are a rude, terrible person. You shouldnt be working for CNN. The way you treat Sarah Huckabee is horrible. And the way you treat other people is horrible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Later on Wednesday, in response, the White House yanked Acostas press credential, referred to as a hard pass. Ive just been denied entrance to the WH. Secret Service just informed me I cannot enter the WH grounds for my 8pm hit Jim Acosta (@Acosta) November 8, 2018 Advertisement Acosta took a video of the interaction where he was suddenly denied entry back onto the White House grounds. The US Secret Service just asked for my credential to enter the WH. As I told the officer, I dont blame him. I know hes just doing his job. (Sorry this video is not rightside up) pic.twitter.com/juQeuj3B9R Jim Acosta (@Acosta) November 8, 2018 Advertisement The White House issued a statement that emphasized Acostas placing his hands on the press aide, who was apparently an intern. That is a gross overstatement of the interaction. Here is a video of the interaction for the world to see: pic.twitter.com/us8u5TWzDz CNN Communications (@CNNPR) November 8, 2018 Advertisement Advertisement Sarah Sanders issued this statement: President Trump believes in a free press and expects and welcomes tough questions of him and his Administration. We will, however, never tolerate a reporter placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern... Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) November 8, 2018 Advertisement Contrary to CNNs assertions there is no greater demonstration of the Presidents support for a free press than the event he held today. Only they would attack the President for not supporting a free press in the midst of him taking 68 questions from 35 different reporters... Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) November 8, 2018 Advertisement As a result of todays incident, the White House is suspending the hard pass of the reporter involved until further notice. Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) November 8, 2018 Advertisement CNN pushed back against the White House and its description of events: Advertisement It seems unlikely the move is a permanent one, if only because Trump needs CNN in the room in order to speak to his base. The network is basically a Swiss Army knifelike proxy for anything and everything Trump wants to rail against on a given day. Without Acosta or CNN or the White House press corps hounding Trump, its harder to play to the conservative sense of grievance that their guy isnt getting treated fairly. In the short term, the move was more performative than anything really; a chance for the Trump White House to look tough for a base that prizes toughnessreal or imaginedabove all else, and whose machismo took a hit last night. A day after the midterms, the stakes of the Trump presidency were again on display Wednesday, as Patrick Casey, the leader of the white nationalist neo-Nazi group Identity Evropa visited the White House. Casey posted pictures on Twitter of the South Lawn of the White House along with the caption Evropa has landed at the White House! Its unclear the nature and extent of the visit, but the area Casey is accessing is pretty clearly outside the bounds of what would be a normal White House tour. For access to the working parts of the White House, visitors must be accompanied by a staff member. Casey posed for photographs outside the South Portico of the White House and in front of the Oval Office from South Lawn Road. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Evropa has landed at the White House! pic.twitter.com/nlExBhNP4V Patrick Casey (@PatrickCaseyUSA) November 7, 2018 Identity Evropa is an attempt at rebranding far-right white nationalism as a more benign identity-focused organization promoting European identity. Under Caseys leadership, the Southern Poverty Law Center notes, the group has moved into more mainstream conservative spaces, like the 2018 Conservative Political Action Conference. A sympathetic White House couldnt hurt. Members, like Casey, consider themselves identitarians, which like the alt-right is a sanitized description of white nationalism. Some in the organization, however, were involved in the organization of the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville last year, though Identity Evropa has attempted to distance itself from the rally and the negative fallout. Advertisement Advertisement We dont believe America needs to be 100.00 percent white, but we do think that America isnt going to be America if there isnt a European-America super-majority, Casey said in an interview in January. So when it comes to policies and so forth were concerned with reversing these trends. We want to end immigration for the time being. And in the future we would like to have immigration policies that favor high-skilled immigrants from, you know, Europe, Canada, Australia and so forth. And we also do want to have programs of re-migration wherein people who feel more of a connection to another part of the world, another race, another culture, even another religion in the case of Islam can return to their native homelands essentially. Ever since Donald Trump won 53 percent of white womens votes in the 2016 election, a predictable back-and-forth plays out in progressive circles when exit polls trickle in from right-leaning states and districts. Analysts and activists tweet out the numbers, remarking that white women supported the Republican candidate over the Democratic one. Progressive white women compose apologetic, self-flagellating tweets, beseech one another to do better, and promise to get their fellow white women in line. Another election rolls around, and it happens again. Advertisement This time, the numbers came from CNNs midterm election exit polls for high-profile races in Florida, Texas, and Georgia. While exit poll data is notoriously unreliable, CNNs numbers showed that white women supported the white Republicans over the Democrats in all three of these races. They went 51 percent for Rep. Ron DeSantis over black Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum for the Florida governorship. They went 59 percent for Sen. Ted Cruz over Beto ORourke in the Senate race in Texas. And white women in Georgia backed Brian Kemp over Stacey Abrams, who would have been the countrys first black female governor, with a whopping 75 percent of their votethe highest of any demographic group tracked by CNN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All three of these races were extremely close. (Depending on how absentee ballots turn out in Georgia, Abrams and Kemp might still be headed for a runoff.) If white women had backed the Democratic candidates instead, the South would be welcoming two black governors and sending a sexy alt-rocker to the Senate. But it should come as no surprise when white women in reddish states and districts vote Republican. In their efforts to name a plague in American society thats gone unnoticed by white people for far too longwhite women trading gender solidarity for racial powerprogressives are eliding important nuances that political organizers cant afford to ignore. When Trump won 53 percent of white women in 2016, it was read as stark evidence that white women identify more with their raceand the subjugation of other racesthan their gender, and with good reason: The election couldnt have presented a clearer choice between a laughably unqualified, unrepentantly racist, alleged repeat sexual abuser and a woman. The 2018 races in Florida, Texas, and Georgia didnt offer such an obviously gendered decision. A woman only ran in one of them, and none of the three Republican men have been accused of multiple sexual assaults, as Trump has. There are also key differences between the Florida, Texas, and Georgia races. DeSantis eagerly courted white nationalists on his way to the governors office and embraced the worst parts of Trumpism throughout his campaign against the charismatic Gillum. Kemp, Georgias secretary of state, purged more than 10 percent of the states voter rolls over the past two years and tried to tie Abrams to the New Black Panther Party with a tweeted photo of black-clad black men wielding assault rifles and an Abrams lawn sign. Cruz, meanwhile, is plenty racist, but no more so than any other Republican in national office, though who knows how he might have attacked a nonwhite opponent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not clear that white women who voted for Cruz or DeSantis were choosing race over gender, because plenty of women already see the gendered issues in play (say, abortion rights) through a conservative lens. A woman who thinks abortion victimizes mothers (Im not saying thats right, Im just saying it happens!) might have been choosing race and gender when she voted for one of the white men on the ballot. In that case, progressives shouldnt call out white women for abandoning solidarity with women of color: They should call them out for being Republicans. In Georgia, where the GOP claims slightly less of the population than the Democratic Party, about 59 percent of white people identify as Republicans. These white Republicansand quite a few white people who dont identify as Republicanslove Trump. According to exit polls, about 7 in 10 white women voted for both Trump in 2016 and current Republican Gov. Nathan Deal in 2014. When Trump endorsed Kemp in the Republican gubernatorial primary earlier this year, the polling numbers of his closest competitor immediately fell. To win the Georgia election, one political scientist opined before Election Day, Abrams would have had to do better with white female voters than any other Democrat has in the past. Per exit polls, 97 percent of Democratic women voted for Abrams, while 97 percent of Republican women said they voted for Kemp. Independents of both genders swung Abrams way by a total margin of 10 percentage points, but it wasnt enough to put her over the top. Advertisement Advertisement Deeper in the crosstabs, a more specific picture of the white female Kemp supporter emerges. Among white women with college degrees, 57 percent went for Kemp, 6 percentage points less than went for Trump in 2016. (White college-educated men were 60 percent for Kemp, 76 percent for Trump.) Among non-college-educated white women, 83 percent voted Kemp2 percentage points more than their male counterparts. Two years earlier, only 78 percent of this white lady demographic voted for Trump, suggesting that the racist fearmongering that has animated both Trumps tenure and Kemps campaign may have worked better on non-college-educated white women than on their college-educated counterparts. Advertisement Since the mid-2000s, college-educated white women have increasingly moved left. Another data point to consider here: Abrams performed 9 percentage points better43 percent compared to 34 percentamong college-educated white women than Hillary Clinton did in 2016. This isnt to say that white college-educated women arent motivated by racism, or that they didnt hate the idea of a single black woman with college debt winning the governors seat over a man who reminds them of their husbands and brothers and sons. Many are, and many did. But when Democrats look for lessons to glean from the Abrams campaign, white women in the South are too irredeemably racist to vote for Democrats shouldnt be one of them. Certain groups of white women are more likely to resist appeals to racial animusand to be motivated by a strong progressive message like Abramsthan others. Targeted outreach to those communities could help the next Stacey Abramsor Abrams herself, when she runs againespecially since its going to take a lot longer than a couple of election cycles for all the progressive white women on Twitter to conduct anti-racism trainings for the right-leaning whites in their lives. Advertisement Advertisement Religion is another important factor in white womens support for Trump and his cohort. White born-again and evangelical Christians went 88 percent for Kemp on Tuesday5 percentage points less than went for Trump in 2016, but still a significant slice of the electorate. There has been a more-or-less steady increase in white evangelicals affiliation with GOP since the 1990s; now, nearly 80 percent say theyre Republican or lean Republican. White women in evangelical circles are concerned about abortion and embedded in communities that prize patriarchal authority and adherence to gender norms. In their worlds, associating with feminist movements and causes does not confer benefits. When their votes for Trump outpaced non-evangelical Trump support by a margin of about 30 percentage points, they werent selling out the sisterhood, as some mused at the time, so much as they were revealing that there was no such sisterhood to begin with. Advertisement Advertisement That point was driven home by writer Mikki Kendall on Wednesday. The reason the focus is on white women is because they demand sisterhood and solidarity and stab WOC and their communities in the back. Repeatedly, she tweeted. A huge amount of visible Trump-era organizing has sought to unite women by their gender alone. But the potential power of such a movementhalf the countrys population!also explains why American women will never move en masse to the Democratic Party, no matter how many entreaties progressives make to the self-interests of white women who dont want to be paid crap wages, get denied health insurance because of previous C-sections, or be blamed for their own rapes. Social clubs, churches, and entire neighborhoods have been built around loyalty to conservative ideals. Being a woman in the age of Trump is not enough of a pain to get many members of these social structures to full-on abandon their communities in favor of, say, the intersectional feminism of the Womens March. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The good news is that some combination of progressive organizing and the Republican Partys strengthening association with white nationalists and woman-abusers seems to be getting through to the white women who are still persuadable. Since 2014, and even more so since 2016, theres been an increase in white women voting for Democrats. For the first time in a long time, on Tuesday, they voted equally for each party. And since the mid-2000s, college-educated white women have increasingly moved left: Sixty percent currently identify as Democratic or Democratic-leaning, compared to around 48 percent in 2004. In some ways, it doesnt make sense to think of women as a voting bloc, since theyre members of every geographic community and racial, ethnic, religious, and educational sub-demographic. When one party is as extreme in its rhetoric and policies on race and gender as the GOP is, women vote less as one bloc and more as two highly polarized ones. Yes, Trumps election has been followed by enormous women-led protests, a surge of new female candidates, and a leftward political shift among white women as a whole. But todays GOP has captivated certain segments of women as much as its alienated others. A radical Republican Party wont unite women. It will divide them, just like it divides everyone else. On Facebook, right-wing hoaxes about the migrant caravan, racist dog whistles about a black gubernatorial candidate, and false flag conspiracy theories about the pipe bomber spread like fire. On Twitter, videos falsely claiming to show rigged voting machines in Ohio racked up thousands of retweets. Twitter appears to have played a role in radicalizing the mail bomb suspect; Gab fueled the hate of the synagogue mass shooter. Memes hatched on Reddit fledged into GOP campaign slogans. On Election Day, the most-shared news stories on Facebook sprang from outlets that were either explicitly partisan (Daily Caller, Ben Shapiro), unjournalistic (Unilad), or both (Bernie Sanders, Rush Limbaugh). Advertisement At first grimace, the role of social media in the 2018 U.S. midterm elections looked a lot like the role it played in the 2016, when the hijacking of tech platforms by foreign agents and domestic opportunists became one of the major subplots of Donald Trumps victory and sparked a series of high-profile congressional inquiries. Despite all of the backlash, all the scrutiny, all the promises made by the likes of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey to do better, the boogeymen that reared their head then are still snarling today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats dispiriting, because the tech companies had two years to prepare, and untold resources at their disposal. Facebook even had a well-staffed election war room tasked with finding and addressing the very kinds of hoaxes that continued to crop up throughout the election cycle. If they havent fixed things by now, well: When will they? Advertisement The answer is probably never. And yet the situation is not quite as hopeless as that makes it sound, because the big internet platforms have made demonstrable progress on nearly every front. Consider: Disclosures by Facebook make clear that Russian agents are still using the social network to try and meddle in U.S. elections, but Facebook and U.S. authorities are learning how to catch them. On election eve, the company blocked more than 100 Facebook and Instagram accounts, acting on a tip from law enforcement. Facebook said Tuesday night that they were responding to concerns of a link to Russias pesky Internet Research Agency. And earlier this year, both Facebook and Twitter introduced advertising transparency measures designed to prevent foreign actors from buying U.S. political ads. Advertisement Evidence suggests that while misinformation has continued to flourish on social media, Facebooks efforts have made a significant dent in its prevalence. Three independent analyses published in recent months found that content from dubious news sources has sharply declined on Facebook since mid-2017. (Twitter, which has not explicitly targeted misinformation, has seen the opposite effect.) Advertisement Anecdotes indicate that while bots and trolls continue to permeate Twitter, the platform has made it harder to create and maintain them. NBC News Ben Collins, who gained entrance to a private strategy chat among far-right trolls, found them complaining that Twitters new policies had thwarted some of their efforts to create fake accounts and execute coordinated disinformation campaigns. In September and October, Twitter took down some 10,000 accounts that were engaged in voter suppression, many of them posing as Democrats and dispensing disinformation to members of that party. Advertisement Advertisement While hate speech and harassment remain common on numerous social networks, from Twitter to YouTube to Reddit, virtually every online platform has begun to crack down on the vilest of them, if only when compelled by public pressure. Milo Yiannapoulos and the neo-Nazi Daily Stormer were early test cases; the deplatforming of Infowars Alex Jones by everyone from Facebook to Spotify to Apple Podcasts marked an inflection point. When it emerged that Gab had helped incubate the Pittsburgh synagogue shooter, major tech companies refused to work with the site at all, temporarily taking it down. In other words, when you look at the broader picture, social media in 2018 starts to look significantly different than it did in 2016and the comparison is mostly favorable. Advertisement Advertisement Thats not to say Facebook and its ilk deserve three cheers and a round of drinks for securing their platforms and saving democracy. Theyre guilty of constructing platforms whose very structure lends itself to exploitation by hoaxsters, manipulators, extremists, and propagandists. As the sociologist and writer Zeynep Tufekci has argued, its precisely those characteristics that make social networks such effective vehicles for advertising. My Slate colleague April Glaser made a similar point in the context of Georgia gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemps viral smear of his opponent, Stacey Abrams, tying her to the New Black Panther Party. That should help to explain why even the earnest and expensive efforts that Facebook and others have undertaken since 2016 have succeeded only in narrowing the flood of lies and incitements, not stemming it. A network built on encouraging people to spontaneously broadcast anything that strikes their fancy, and amplifies those messages based on their propensity to spark gut reactions in others, cant fully root out sensationalism or misinformation without undermining its own core business. Even if it could, the bulk of the damage is often done by the time human content moderators take action. Advertisement Advertisement That said, they could be doing much better. If a small team at the New York Times, headed by tech reporter Kevin Roose and aided by the papers readers, could turn up example after example of viral posts that appeared to blatantly violate Facebooks policies, surely Facebook with its ungodly fortune could build a better war room. And it must. Social networks didnt invent misinformation, obviously, but theyve fanned it to unacceptable levels with their engagement-based algorithms and their assault on traditional media norms and business models. It took sustained pressure from Congress, media, and users to get them to acknowledge the problem, and it will take more of the same to hold them responsible for it in the years and elections to come. Advertisement Advertisement At this point, however, even Facebook admits that the problem isnt going away. Its possible to pick out specific examples of things we miss, a company official said in a statement, responding to a question about the posts flagged by Roose and others. But what were particularly interested in is the overall amount of misinformation on Facebook, and whether thats trending down. Elsewhere, CEO Mark Zuckerberg has compared its efforts to stop election meddling to an arms race, which is hardly reassuring. We may not yet know the full extent to which online misinformation and meddling marred these midterms. Remember, it wasnt until September 2017 that Facebook first disclosed that Russian operatives had bought U.S. political ads on its network. The heightened awareness of the problem this year is progress in itself. Progress is not the same as a solution. Barring a seismic upheaval in the industry, however, progress is all we can hope for from Silicon Valley when it comes to stemming a tide of propaganda that shows no sign of abating on its own. Listen to this weeks episode of Slates If Then podcast for a tech reporters roundtable on misinformation in the 2018 midterms. Google announced Thursday that it will end its forced arbitration policy for sexual misconduct claims and update its reporting mechanisms and mandatory trainings for sexual harassment. The move comes two weeks after the New York Times published an investigation into the companys lucrative payouts and discretion for executives who have been credibly accused of misconduct. For example, the Times reported that Google gave Android software creator Andy Rubin $90 million and a public statement of gratitude when he left over accusations of coercing an employee to perform sexual acts. Advertisement The revelations led to 20,000 employees walking out in protest as well as intense public scrutiny on the company. We recognize that we have not always gotten everything right in the past and we are sincerely sorry for that, CEO Sundar Pichai wrote in a blog post on the policy reforms. Its clear we need to make some changes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Employment contracts at Google have previously included a clause mandating that workers must handle all complaints against the company in private arbitration hearings, rather than open court. Critics contend that this process often allows companies to keep serious grievances hidden. In May, Uber and Lyft also withdrew their forced arbitration requirements for employees, drivers, and riders who have sexual violence claims. However, Google, Uber, and Lyfts new policies apparently only apply to individual sexual assault and harassment claims, which leaves the door open for the companies to pursue forced arbitration if handling class-action lawsuits. Advertisement Ending forced arbitration was one demand that Google employees had given to management during the protest last week. Googles vice presidents reportedly met on Wednesday to review the list, which also included demands for equality in compensation and opportunities, a chief diversity officer who would report directly to Pichai, an employee representative on the companys board, and standardized procedures worldwide for reporting sexual harassment. Google executives are holding a town hall with employees on Thursday to discuss the demands. Beyond the reforms, the New York Times investigation and subsequent uproar also led to the departure of Richard DeVaul, a former executive at the companys secretive development and research spinoff Google X. The Times reported that DeVaul had told a job applicant that he was in a polyamorous relationship with his wife. The applicant said DeVaul later requested that she take off her shirt and offered a back rub when she met with him at Burning Man. This story was originally published by HuffPost and has been republished here with permission from Climate Desk. The Democratic Partys nascent Green New Deal wing took shape Tuesday night as a series of progressive climate hawks notched historic, if expected, victories, tempering a night of stinging state-level losses for the fight to curb global warming. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 29, handily won New Yorks 14th District and will become the youngest woman elected to Congress. Ilhan Omar surged ahead in Minnesotas 5th District, and Rashida Tlaib, facing no Republican challengers, sailed to victory in Michigans 13th District. They became the first two Muslim women ever elected to Congress. In the one competitive race of the bunch, Antonio Delgado, 41, overcame Republican Rep. John Fasos racist smears in New Yorks upstate 19th District. Advertisement Their victories establish the first contingent of Democrats calling for a radical federal spending plan to rapidly wean the United States off fossil fuels and prepare the nation for climate change, which looks increasingly likely to cause cataclysmic damage in the coming years. Dubbed the Green New Deal, the vague set of policy proposals hark back to the Depression-era spending programs that built many of the countrys infrastructure landmarks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bloc is smaller than it could have been. Randy Bryce, the union worker turned progressive folk hero who ran to fill House Speaker Paul Ryans seat in Wisconsin, lost to Republican Bryan Steil on Tuesday. Kevin de Leon, the California state senator whose historic 100 percent renewable electricity bill passed earlier this year, failed to unseat Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein. Andrew Gillum, the progressive darling and the only major gubernatorial candidate to call for a Green New Deal, lost to Republican Ron DeSantis. Advertisement Climate scientists say the elections shift a bitter debate over climate change to the direction of policy that could actually make a difference. But the most alarming results came when voters in two Western states rejected ballot measures that would have rocked the fossil fuel industry. In Washington, Initiative 1631a ballot measure to enact a $15 per-metric-ton carbon fee, the revenues of which would have gone to public transit, solar- and wind-power plants, and energy-efficiency retrofitsfailed by double digits. It would have been the nations first carbon tax. Coloradans, meanwhile, overwhelmingly voted down Proposition 112, a measure that would have made about 85 percent of nonfederal land in the Centennial State off limits to oil and gas drilling. The fossil fuel industry spent upward of $73 million funding campaigns to reject the initiatives. Advertisement Supporters of a Green New Deal are gaining power in the very election thats bleeding the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus. The 90-member clubderided as peacocks by critics who say it serves only to launder the reputations of members who consistently vote against climate policieslost several members, including Florida Rep. Carlos Curbelo, the groups GOP founder. Advertisement Curbelos loss dashes hopes that Republicans might rally around a carbon-pricing scheme, the sort of baseline climate policy both Democrats and conservative economists support. And though it seems unlikely four left-leaning Democrats can make a serious push for a Green New Deal, climate scientists say their elections finally shift a bitter debate over climate change to the direction of policy that could actually make a difference. Advertisement This is the sort of bold and audacious thinking that we need when it comes to confronting the ever-pressing challenge of averting catastrophic climate change, Michael Mann, a climate scientist at Penn State University, said in an email Tuesday night. The midterm elections come a month after the United Nations warned that keeping global warming within 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit requires halving the worlds emissions over the next 12 years. The chances of achieving those cuts seem slim. President Donald Trump is aggressively bolstering fossil fuel production while gutting greenhouse gas regulations. Brazils incoming president, Jair Bolsonaro, is a right-wing demagogue who vowed to speed up deforestation in the Amazon and follow Trumps lead in withdrawing South Americas biggest country from the Paris climate accords. China, the worlds top emitter, is forging ahead with coal plants it promised to cancel. Breaking News: Shooting at Borderline Bar in Thousand Oaks, California 08 November 2018 A gunman killed 12 people, including a sheriff's deputy, late Wednesday night when he opened fire on revelers in the Borderline Bar and Grill, a popular venue with college students for dancing in the suburb of Thousand Oaks, California. Here's what we know, according to various news reports: The gunman was identified as Ian David Long, a 28-year-old veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps who had previous run-ins with the law. The gunman was dressed in black and wearing glasses. He walked up to the Borderline Bar & Grill and shot a security guard standing outside. He then entered the bar, turned right and shot other security guards and employees. Sgt. Ron Helus was shot several times and killed during an exchange of gunfire with the gunman. Helus and a California Highway Patrol officer were the first to arrive at the bar and went inside just before 11:30 p.m. PT. The gunman was armed with a Glock .45 handgun, purchased legally, and some type of smoke device. The gun usually holds 10 rounds, but the gunman used an extended magazine in this shooting. The shooter's motive is unclear, as is any possible connection between Long and the Borderline bar. Police had several contacts with Long previously. In April, officers responded to a disturbance at Long's home. Long was somewhat irate and acting irrationally. A mental health specialist met with him and ultimately decided not to detain him. The gunman was on active duty with the Marine Corps from August 2008 to March 2013. It was the fourth shooting in the United States in two weeks. The attacks include the death of two women at a yoga class in Tallahassee, Florida, and two shoppers gunned down in the parking lot and inside a Kroger in Jefferson, Kentucky. Twelve days ago, a gunman killed 11 worshippers at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. President Trump on Thursday ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in remembrance of the 12 people. Recent ASIS resources on Soft Targets: Soft Targets, Hard Challenges Soft Targets Q. and A. Harden Soft Targets with PSIM Lessons in Violence Prevention We use third-party advertising companies to serve ads when you visit our website. These companies may use information (not including your name, address, email address, or telephone number) about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies , click here. The first Slovak astronomical clock has undergone renovation. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled More information about travelling in Slovakia Please see our Please see our Spectacular Slovakia travel guide The astronomical clock in Stara Bystrica has seven new statues depicting the Slovak apostles made by painter Viliam Loviska and his wife, sculptor Marcela Loviskova. The statues were created to replace the wooden statues made by Peter Kunik from Tvrdosin and were funded thanks to EU money. Thanks to those finances, we were also able to reconstruct the space behind the clock and make the machine room accessible to the public, said Jan Podmanicky, mayor of Stara Bystrica, for TASR, adding that in the last nine years about 400,000 visitors came to look at the clock. We placed the statues on the outer balcony corridor at the exit from the machine room of the astronomical clock where visitors can see them, explained Podmanicky, as quoted by TASR. The statues figure the Saints whose fates were linked with Slovakia: St. Constantine, St. Methodius, St. Andrej-Svorad, St.Benedict, St. Gorazd, St. Bystrik and St. Vojtech. A person can be inspired in painting and sculpture by the spirit, something invisible that is inside, and is expressed via the hands, said Loviska, as quoted by the TASR newswire. The creation of the new saints was very much a family affair. Their daughter Lea Loviskova also contributed. She came up with the idea of putting the faces of living people onto the saints. There are 14 personalities in the seven sculptures who will remain secret, Loviska said. The Slovak astronomical clock was unveiled on July 18, 2009, as part of the reconstruction of the square in 2004. The aim of the village was to renew the central zone with an united architectonical character. The author of the concept is architect Ivan Jarina. The composition of the astronomical clock on the building of the local community centre represents the seated Madona, the Virgin Mary of the Seven Sorrows, patron saint of Slovakia. Six bronze sculptures are located in niches: Prince Pribina, King Svatopluk, Anton Bernolak, Ludovit Stur, Milan Rastislav Stefanik and Andrej Hlinka. The heart of the astronomical clock is composed of an astrolabe a clock face depicting astronomical data. IPI representatives honoured the memory of Jan Kuciak. News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Markus Spillmann is the IPI Executive Board chair. He was editor-in-chief of the Neue Zurcher Zeitung (NZZ) and a member of the management board of the NZZ Media Group from 2006-14. (Source: SME) Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Markus Spillmann is the IPI Executive Board chair, who together with other representatives of this organization visited the memorial of Jan Kuciak and Martina Kusnirova in Bratislava on Friday November 2. This murder is a demonstration that the fight against journalists has already crossed the line and now it is the publics turn to make it clear that people will not tolerate such crimes, according to Spillmann. TSS: What is your impression of the media situation in Slovakia? Markus Spillmann (MS): The overall situation is not that dramatic as it is in other countries in the region. That doesnt mean that this situation is good. Even in Slovakia we see oligarchs taking over news outlets, the consequent pressure against journalists and their ongoing harassment. Read also: Read also: Smother impunity before it can breathe Read more Of course, there is also the murder of Jan Kuciak and Martina Kusnirova, clearly related to Jan Kuciaks work. He was not murdered because he was wealthy or something like that. He was killed because he was a critical journalist. This was a dramatic moment not only for Slovakia but also for the rest of Europe. The death of journalists in western democracies like Slovakia and Malta was very shocking. We spend the most on meat, statistics show. News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled The average Slovak spent 864 last year to purchase food and non-alcoholic beverages. Of this sum, 784 was spent on food, while the remaining 80 went to the beverages. The lowest sum was paid by the inhabitants of the Presov Region, while the most was spent by people in the Trencin Region, the TASR newswire reported. The purchase of food comprised more than one-fifth of total consumer expenses that amounted to 3,856, said Eva Sadovska, analyst with the Slovak Farmers Cooperative, as quoted by TASR. We spend the most on meat Statistics suggest that Slovaks spend the most on meat (212), followed by milk, cheese and eggs (146), and bread and cereals (141). The amount we spent on sweets equalled the sum for fruit: about 60 per capita, Sadovska said, as quoted by TASR. From non-alcoholic beverages, we spent 47 on cold drinks (mineral water, non-alcoholic drinks and juices) and 33 on hot drinks (coffee, tea and cocoa). The shopping preferences of Slovaks change based on the type of household they are living in. The shopping cart of pensioners is different from the one of working parents with three children. Moreover, an employed person picks different goods than an unemployed one. In households with unemployed family members, one spent only 525 on average on food last year. On the other hand, in households with employed family members, one spent 826 in average. Data concerning pensioners came as a surprise, as they spent up to 1,055 a year per capita, Sadovska added, as quoted by TASR Regions also post differences The Statistics Office indicates that inhabitants of the Trencin Region spend the most on food: up to 963. They are followed by people living in the Trnava Region (925) and the Zilina Region (902). The inhabitants of the Bratislava Region surprisingly came fourth, spending only 890. On the other hand, people living in the Presov Region pay the least for food: only 723 a year, the analyst said. While an inhabitant of the regional capital spends 935 a year to purchase food and non-alcoholic beverages, an inhabitant of a different town spends 891 on an annual purchase, Sadovska added, as quoted by TASR. A person coming from the countryside spends 809. Queen Elisabeth II appreciates the hundred-year-old Slovak poetry, since still topical today. News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled This piece has been replaced with a story written by the Spectators staff. In the story we incorrectly stated that the current English translation is the very first translation of the Bloody Sonnets in English. We apologise for the inconvenience this may have caused. Queen Elisabeth II appreciated the strong humane message sent out by the anti-war work of one of Slovakias most celebrated poets, Pavol Orsagh Hviezdoslav. Even though the Bloody Sonnets were first published in 1919, they are still topical. The Queen received a special edition of the book, which was recently published in English for the first time , as a gift from the Slovak Embassy in London. The collection of 32 sonnets belongs among the most prominent poetic works of Slovak literature with an anti-war theme. Slovak literature has been virtually unknown in the UK until recently, according to Julia Sherwood, a translator of Slovak origin who has been living in London for years. That situation has begun to change and some contemporary writers, in particular, are now at least available in English, if not yet all that widely known, she told The Slovak Spectator. A long way to translation Hviezdoslav stands among the most important Slovak literary figures. He was a poet, dramatist and translator, as well as one of the main creators of Slovak literary realism and the main representative of Parnassianism in Slovakia. He wrote The Bloody Sonnets as a response to the initial news about WWI. He expressed his pain and outrage at the moral decay of humans, who begin war conflicts and cause pain and suffering. He also thinks of ways of stopping the war conflict and what would happen after it is over. The book was first published in 1919, and since then has been translated into several languages. Slovak NGO wants to draw attention to the criminalisation of the homeless in Hungary. News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled As part of the public solidarity action organised by Bratislavas non-governmental organisation Proti prudu, the publisher of the Nota Bene street papers, several people slept on the public segmented benches in Safarikovo Square in Bratislava using specially designed mattresses on November 7. With this act, the organisation expressed its deep concerns about the criminalisation of homeless people in Hungary. At the same time, it wanted to call on Slovak politicians to prevent repression and to search for solidarity and a real solution to homelessness. In Slovakia we have noticed local politicians during their campaigns, declaring that homeless people should be expelled from city centres, said Sandra Pazman Tordova, the organiser of this public solidarity campaign. Some politicians have even promised their voters that they will push through measures similar to those in Hungary. Pazman Tordova does not believe that repression is a solution. We want to invite politicians to seek a real solution to homelessness, she added, suggesting that building affordable housing would offer people a chance to end their homelessness. More affordable housing options for vulnerable low-income groups such as the elderly, the disabled and the homeless mean less people ending up on the streets and on the benches under our windows. The situation of the homeless is unpleasant The inspiration for the benches came from an art piece entitled Archisuit by the US artist Sarah Ross from the Los Angeles art community that commented on the hostile architecture of the city. Read also: Read also: Bratislava officially has 2,000 homeless, estimated number is more than double Read more Homeless people in Slovakia have limited access to shelters. In Bratislava, there are only 250 beds in the 24-hour shelters. At least 2,064 homeless people live in Bratislava, as the first official count of the homeless showed but NGOs estimate there are at least 4,000 homeless people in the city. Half of the homeless counted in Bratislava suffer this situation long-term and have been homeless for more than six years. Fourteen Slovak NGOs working with the homeless have prepared a written Declaration to express solidarity with Hungarian homeless people, to prevent repression and encourage a search for a real solution to homelessness. The declaration has been signed by 577 people so far. The German Supreme Court dismissed the original arbitration decision against Slovakia concerning the ban on health-insurance companies profits. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Slovakia has definitely won its legal dispute with the Dutch company Achmea B. V., the shareholder of the private health insurer, Union, concerning the ban on health-insurance companies profits. This was the verdict issued by the German Supreme Court which turned down the original ruling of the arbitration court. As a result, Slovakia does not have to pay damage compensation of around 22 million to Achmea, the Finance Ministry informed. What is the case about? Achmea B. V. sued Slovakia in October 2008, demanding the country pay 22 million as a result of the so-called ban on health-insurance companies profits during the first government of Prime Minister Robert Fico in 2007. According to the company, the ban was at odds with their bilateral investment agreement, the TASR newswire reported. Read also: Read also: Slovakia payment to Dutch company overturned Read more The arbitration court issued a verdict in December 2012, stating that the Slovak Republic violated its international contract, but Slovakia appealed this with the Higher Land Court in Frankfurt. After it refused the appeal, the country turned to the German Supreme Court. Apart from Achmea B. V., the Austrian EURAM Bank AG and Dutch HICEE B.V. also asked for compensation from Slovakia. However, the country also won in these cases. Moreover, when Achmea B. V. contested the Slovak intention to introduce the system of a single, state-owned health insurer, the country won the international investment arbitration proceeding as well, TASR reported. Lecturers are calling for the creation of an independent commission to investigate Dankos degree. News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled The doctoral dissertation authored by Speaker of Parliament Andrej Danko (SNS) was finally made public on November 8 at 14:00. It can be read in the library of the Matej Bel University (UMB) in Banska Bystrica. The reporters of the Dennik N daily, which was the first to question the validity of Dankos Doctor of Law (JUDr) degree, were the only ones to take a closer look at the paper. They went through all 72 pages of the dissertation and found that it is almost identical with another thesis. The paper in question was written by Daniel Pisak, who currently works as a lawyer in Bratislava. He defended it in Banska Bystrica in 2001, one year after Danko. This dissertation is not accessible to the public, Dennik N wrote. UMB conceals identity of examiners It is not clear whether Pisak copied Dankos thesis or if they possibly both copied another doctoral dissertation, written and defended by Emilia Shakkour at the Comenius University in Bratislava in 1999. Her thesis bears the same name and has the same content, however, it has gone missing. Read also: Read also: Danko pledged to make his dissertation public Read more Moreover, it is not clear which lecturers from UMB decided that Dankos and Pisaks theses were acceptable and allowed their degrees to be awarded. The university has also kept secret the identity of who examined Danko and who the opponents were, Dennik N reported. At the time Danko received his JUDr degree, the dean of UMBs Law Faculty was Pavel Kandrac, a close co-worker of Vladimir Meciar. He later became an ombudsman and is now retired. Lecturers want an independent commission Read also: Read also: Why is an 18-year-old doctoral dissertation causing an uproar among the public? Read more Meanwhile, lecturers from UMB, who criticised Dankos decision to conceal his thesis, have called for the creation of an independent commission that would investigate his degree. People from other schools not just from UMB should be members of the commission to avoid doubts about objectivity, said lecturer Martin Dvojcos from the UMBs Faculty of Arts and one of the initiators of the protest statement, as quoted by Dennik N. If the universitys management does not create the commission, the protesters will require it via the academic senate, he added. The apparatus that is proving the efficacy of a double-layered rooftop panel. The top layer uses the standard semiconductor materials that go into energy-harvesting solar cells, the novel materials on the bottom layer perform the cooling task. Credit: Linda Cicero, Stanford News Scientists at Stanford University have demonstrated for the first time that heat from the sun and coldness from outer space can be collected simultaneously with a single device. Their research, published November 8 in the journal Joule, suggests that devices for harvesting solar and space energy will not compete for land space and can actually help each other function more efficiently. Renewable energy is increasingly popular as an economical and efficient alternative to fossil fuels, with solar energy topping charts as the worldwide favorite. But there is another powerful energy source overhead that can perform just the opposite functionouter space. "It is widely recognized that the sun is a perfect heat source nature offers human beings on Earth," says Zhen Chen, the first author of the study, who is a former postdoctoral research associate at Stanford in the group of Shanhui Fan and is currently a professor at the Southeast University of China. "It is less widely recognized that nature also offers human beings outer space as a perfect heat sink." Objects give off heat as infrared radiationa form of light invisible to the human eye. Most of this radiation is reflected back to Earth by particles in the atmosphere, but some of it escapes into space, allowing surfaces that emit enough radiation within the infrared range to drop below the temperature of their surroundings. Radiative cooling technology reflects copious amounts of infrared light, providing an air conditioning alternative that doesn't emit greenhouse gases. It may also help improve solar cell efficiency, which decreases the hotter solar cells becomeif only the two technologies can coexist peacefully on one rooftop. Stanford Professor Shanhui Fan (left) and postdoctoral scholar Zhen Chen examining the world's first dual-purpose solar array. The prototype technology is designed to capture energy from the sun and cool buildings at the same time. Credit: Linda Cicero, Stanford News Chen and his colleagues developed a device combining radiative cooling with solar absorption technology. The device consists of a germanium solar absorber on top of a radiative cooler with silicon nitride, silicon, and aluminum layers enclosed in a vacuum to minimize unwanted heat loss. Both the solar absorber and the atmosphere are transparent in the mid-infrared range of 8-13 microns, offering a channel for infrared radiation from the radiative cooler to pass through to outer space. The team demonstrated that the combined device can simultaneously provide 24?C in solar heating and 29?C in radiative cooling, with the solar absorber improving the radiative cooler's performance by blocking heat from the sun. "On a rooftop, we imagine a photovoltaic cell can supply electricity while the radiative cooler can cool down the house on hot summer days," says Chen. While this technology appears promising, Chen believes there is still plenty of work to do before it can be scaled up for commercial use. While the vacuum enveloping the device could be scaled up with relative ease, the infrared-transparent window made from zinc selenide is still too costly, and the solar absorber and radiative cooler could be designed from cheaper high-performing materials as well. Chen thinks it is also important to test the use of photovoltaic cells in the place of a solar absorberan idea which has yet to be demonstrated. But in spite of all these practical challenges, the team believes this research demonstrates that renewable energy has even more rooftop potential than previously thought. "I think this technology could potentially revolutionize the current solar cell technology," says Chen. "If our concept is demonstrated and scaled up, the future solar cell will have two functions in one: electricity and cooling." Explore further Engineers invent transparent coating that cools solar cells to boost efficiency After Pittsburgh attack, course offers gun training against shooters in synagogues By Catherine Bennett. November 5th, 2018 Hundreds of Jewish people in the United States have rushed to undertake training to learn how to shoot, after an attack on a synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on October 27 that killed 11 people. A private company offering "Israeli tactical shooting techniques" has been inundated with hundreds of requests in the days following the shooting and has offered training in how to respond to an active shooter in a synagogue. However, other parts of the Jewish community think that guns should not be brought into places of worship. "There is no question that Jews are under threat in America. Would you say to soldiers on the front line, 'just lay down your guns and let the enemy kill you?' No. So Jews need to be armed," said Yonatan Stern, the founder of Cherev Gidon Israeli Tactical Training Academy, which offers classes in Pennsylvania and Arizona. Stern, a former officer of the Israel Defense Forces, created the academy six years ago, predicting, he says, that there would be attacks on the Jewish community in the United States. The shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh was the deadliest attack on Jews in America's history. Stern says that his organisation has received more requests for training from Jews in the days since the attack than in the entire time the academy has been running. ....... There is little doubt that the awful events of October 27 must have been, to some degree at least, a major wake-up call when it comes to protecting places of worship. There will still be those on the left who will decry any mention of people being armed but the truth of the matter is plain because "when seconds count" is undeniable when it comes to a chance for survival. It's to be hoped this can be a growing trend. Back to Top 27 people injured in Dang jeep accident As many as 27 people were injured, five of them seriously, when a jeep they were travelling in met with an accident at Tulasipur of Dang on Thursday. The jeep was carrying a team of Deusi-Bhailo cultural revellers, police said. Animals cause 116 road accidents in 3 years Stray animals were behind a total of 116 road accidents across the country from the fiscal year 2015-16 till October of this year, according to a Nepal Police data. 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. Law Ministry informs all ministries to review Acts, submit by Wednesday Following the delay by different ministries in ascertaining the laws that contradict the spirit of the constitution, the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs has informed them to review the existing Acts and report it by Wednesday. Baines suffered a stomach ailment Wednesday, 7 November, 2018 Leighton Baines was named on the teamsheet to start the friendly on Tuesday night against Gor Mahia but he failed to appear at kick-off and his place was taken by Beni Baningime. Baines suffered a minor stomach ailment and was left out as a precautionary measure. Baines should be available to be part of the Everton squad for Sunday's trip to Chelsea despite pulling out of the Blues' SportPesa trophy match against the Kenyan Champions, just before kick-off. He trained today and is in line to travel to Stamford Bridge, where he scored a famous 119th-minute equaliser in a 2011 FA Cup tie that Everton then won on penalties. About these ads Mountain Shadows in Wayanad is just the place for a dreamy vacation What would you do if your flight will take off very soon and you still have no visa approval letter in hand? Change the flight, or go back to the Vietnam Embassy to ask for the help? It is too expensive and even not possible! Luckily, Vietnam visa on arrival can be arranged in 1 working hour that will save your trip. (TRAVPR.COM) VIETNAM - October 17th, 2018 - Normally, Vietnam visa on arrival or e-visa can be arranged within 2 3 working days at lower cost. However, due to some reasons the travelers may not have their visa ready for boarding the flight. They perhaps forget to apply for a visa in advance, or they can not receive e-visa by the time of departure. In this case, visa on arrival is the most effective way to obtain visa to Vietnam at the last minutes. The visa approval letter can be arranged within 1 working day, 4 hours, 2 working hours, or even 1 hour. At weekend, visa approval letter will be delivered twice: at noon (11:00 12:00) and afternoon (16:00 17:00) depending on the time visa request and payment received. Who need urgent visa for Vietnam? All the travelers will need a visa to Vietnam except the visa exemption national. People will need urgent visa in following cases: Those who forget to apply for Vietnam visa; Those who have to take part in urgent business in Vietnam that could not be foreseen; Those who have a problem with e-visa delivery; Those who travel Vietnam to help their family members in emergency or; Those who need to attend the funeral of their relatives in Vietnam; How long does it take to complete an urgent visa? Visa on arrival can be arranged within: + 1 working day (visa approval letter sent once a day): If visa request and payment done before 9:00, the visa approval letter will be ready by 18:00 same day. 1 day service application process: Select Apply online - Apply visa on arrival - Select Urgent service (1 working day) in processing time option - Complete the form and submit. + 4 working hours (visa approval letter sent twice a day): if visa request and payment done before 9:00, the visa approval letter will be delivered by 12:15 at noon (session 1) and; if visa request and payment done before 13:30, the visa approval letter will be sent at 18:00 same day (session 2). 4 hours service application process: Select Apply online - Apply visa on arrival - Select Super urgent service (4 working hours) in processing time option - Complete the form and submit. + 2 working hours (visa approval letter sent 4 times a day): if visa request and payment completed before 7:30, visa approval letter will be delivered by 9:30 (session 1). If the request and payment done before 10:00, the visa approval letter delivered by 12:15 at noon (session 2). In the afternoon, it will be delivered by 15:00 and 18:00 depending on the time of request and payment completion (session 3 and 4). 2 hours service application process: Select Apply online - Apply visa on arrival - Select Emergency service (2 working hours) in processing time option Complete the form and submit. Learn more how Vietnam visa on arrival work? Note: Time frame mentioned above is Vietnam time GMT+7; Visa request and payment received after 17:00 will be processed by next day; Only visa on arrival is available for urgent visa processing. What if your flight is on weekend or Vietnam national holidays? We are able to process your visa request at weekend or public holiday. Just remember to select the overtime processing mode when you make a visa application during these days. The visa application process during weekend or public holiday should be: Select Apply online Apply visa on arrival Select Overtime service in processing time option Complete the form and submit. You can also contact us through our hotline number/ whatsapp +84-912-685-141 for further instruction. Note: Be kindly noted that the service fee at weekend may higher than the normal service fee and vary from case by case. It will be informed when you contact us. There are some national holidays that you should know to avoid last minute visa application: 1. New Year Holiday: on 1st January 2. Lunar New Year (Tet Holiday): start from the last day of the last lunar month until the 4th day of the first lunar month; 3. Ancestor Hung King Commemoration: on the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month; 4. Reunification Day: on 30th April 5. International Labor Day: on 1st May 6. Independence Day: on 2nd September. Can I apply for urgent e-visa? No, e-visa is available for normal processing only. After you complete the e-visa application and make payment, please wait 3 5 working days for visa delivery. ### Leopard attacks on children increase in Arghakhanchi On Saturday evening, four-year-old Aryan Ghimire was out in his front yard playing with his mother when suddenly a leopard jumped out from a bush and dragged him into a nearby forest. Let them in Active representation of women in bureaucracy cannot be ignored anymore Vietnam plans to lift some limits on the foreign ownership of listed companies, the countrys stock market regulator said on Wednesday, in a move analysts said could boost overseas interest in one of Asias fastest-growing economies. A draft securities law presented by Vietnams finance ministry at a forum held in Hanoi on Wednesday would broadly remove the existing 49 percent foreign ownership cap on most local companies. We expect the new law to encourage the development of the market in a faster, stronger and more sustainable manner, deputy finance minister Huynh Quang Hai said at the forum. The draft law is expected to be submitted to lawmakers for approval next year and would take effect in January 2020. A government decree issued in 2015 had already removed the foreign ownership limit on some companies, but only a handful of firms, including Vietnams largest dairy company Vinamilk, raised limits after the decree was issued. Foreign ownership caps on companies operating in sensitive and important sectors such as security, defence, telecommunication and insurance, will be kept at 49 percent, according to Nguyen Quang Viet, an official in the State Securities Commissions legal department. The limit for banks will remain at 30 percent, he added. But the new law would remove the limit on companies operating in many of more than 200 of the conditional sectors, said Viet, who added that it would pave the way for more foreign investment in the market. In Vietnam, conditional sectors refers to industries subject to additional regulations which would override the limits set out by the securities law. Can Van Luc, a government economic advisor, said the government would consider raising limits on the foreign ownership of banks on a case-by-case basis. Vietnams stock market was Asias top performer last year, growing 48 percent, backed by strong exports growth and robust foreign investment inflows. The Finance Ministry said in a statement last month the new law would also pave the way for several local companies to be included in the MSCI emerging markets index. In July, there were more than 1,500 companies listed on local stock markets in Vietnam, with a total market capitalisation of 3,881 trillion dong ($166.4 billion), accounting for 77.5 percent of the gross domestic product, according to data from the Finance Ministry. Foreign investor holdings stood at $34.2 billion in the same period, the ministry said. ($1 = 23,324 dong) Your browser does not support the audio element. The Gioi Di Dong (Mobile World), one of Vietnams leading mobile retail chains, has asserted that news of its website being compromised and its customer data being leaked is fake, adding that the companys operations remain safe and it is going about business as usual. On Wednesday, many Facebook users and various technology online forums spread news that the The Gioi Di Dong website had been hacked and millions of its customers private data, including payment card information, had been leaked. The data breach was first reported by RaidForums, a message board known for database leaks, giveaways, 4chan raids, twitch raids, prank calls and community banter. An anonymous user named Erwincho posted two new threads to the site with links to three attached files that it claimed were a database dump, belonging to one of Vietnams largest resellers Mobile World JSC (best known for their brand Thegioididong.com). A screen capture of the The Gioi Di Dong data dump thread on November 7, 2018 According to news site Zing.vn, the first file, named Email_Filtered1.txt, contained the personal data of millions of The Gioi Di Dong customers. The second file TGDD-Internal.txt included 61,000 email addresses ending with @thegioididong.com, suggesting that they belong to the retailers employees. The final file, report_demo.xlsx, is said to have included bankcard information and transactions made by 5.4 million customers at The Gioi Di Dong stores since 2016. However, six of each cards numbers were covered and there is no evidence that any of the information is actually real. This is just the basic data, the full version will contain more information. Follow up, Erwincho commented below the thread. The alleged list of The Gioi Di Dong customer data Addressing this scandal, The Gioi Di Dongs public relations manager Dang Thanh Phong affirmed to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that all the information is false. Our system is safe, operating normally, and not affected, Phong asserted. Phong also said that The Gioi Di Dong is following up on the issue. Meanwhile, some members at the RaidForums have threatened to continue exposing data collected in the The Gio Di Dong breach. As of 3:00 pm Wednesday, the aforementioned lists were taken down from RaidForums. Some Vietnamese Internet users said that they were able to download the email list leaked on RaidForums and find their own email addresses. Addressing this issue, a The Gioi Di Dong representative asserted that those email addresses did not come from our system. Hackers might have obtained the addresses from other online sources and claimed that they belong to The Gioi Di Dong Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Editors note: Terry F. Buss, PhD, is a professor emeritus and fellow at the U.S. National Academy of Public Administration. Yesterday, Americans sent mixed signals in midterm elections about President Donald Trumps performance over his two years in office. Congressional House of Representatives flipped from control of Trumps Republican Party to the Democrats. The Senate remained in control of the Republicans. What does this portend for Trumps agenda over the next two years? Four things: (1) a win in appointing federal judges despite Democrat opposition; (2) substantial gridlock in passing any Trump or Democratic legislation through Congress; (3) near total obstruction of Trumps ability to govern; and (4) efforts by Trump to bypass Congress, and increase his executive powers, perhaps illegally. Judicial appointments, including those on the Supreme Court, by Trump are much more likely to prevail in defending challenges to his authority or decisions by Democrats and advocacy groups. The Senate must concur on Trump judicial appointments, and it has more than enough Republican support to prevail. Under President Barack Obama, Democrats controlled the courts, protecting his policies from being overturned. Trump, using the Republican Senate judiciously, has effectively begun to replace Democrat judges with Republic-leaning ones. Legislation originating in the Democrat House will be blocked in the Republican Senate, and Republican legislation will be obstructed in turn. Trumps Congress, controlled by Republicans, was the least productive in US history. Congress is likely to show meagre results, having been unable to compromise during 8 years under Obama and 2 years under Trump. It is easier to block opponents, but nearly impossible to compromise. Many Democrats ran in the midterms on issues like free health care, university education, and housing, and other far-left issues. No Republican could ever agree to these. To make matters worse, numerous Congressional Democrats are now aggressively running for president to replace Trump in 2020 elections. They are using Congress as a media platform for their campaigns. Congress has turned into a media show rather than a legislative body. The Democrat House has the power, and inclination, to obstruct decisions, authorities and policies pursued by Trump to thwart him in running government. Democrats have announced their intent to launch criminal investigations, aggressively monitor the administration, and ultimately impeach Trump for criminal behavior. The Republican Senate can protect Trump on impeachment, but not much else. Democrats want to divert Trumps attention from governing. House Democrats will try to rebuild Obamas failing national health care program, their partys major midterm issue. They have failed over the past decade and will not likely succeed. Democrats will reverse Trumps income tax cuts. They will not use these taxes to reduce the $21 trillion debt, but add to it. There may be no way to stop them. Democrats also will try to remove national border control to flood the country with illegal immigrants under open borders. They will also impede Trumps efforts to curb illegal immigration. For Republicans, illegal immigrants are Democrat voters. But, Trump has veto powers over Democrat efforts to enact legislation. It requires a two-third vote of both Houses to overturn a Trump veto, something that rarely succeeds in history. Obama faced the same gridlock when Republicans regained control of Congress. Obama, in response, began making decisions, many illegal or unconstitutional, to bypass Congress. Obama acted dubiously in committing to the Paris Climate change treaty, Iran nuclear weapons treaty, and immigration policies. Using Obamas approach, Trump easily reversed these policies: they did not have the force of law. Trump has shown no restraint in using his authority. Trump has considerable powers in international affairs including trade and national security. Congress will have difficulty stopping Trump from abandoning trade agreements, like the Trans Pacific Partnership free trade agreement, especially important to Vietnam and SE Asia. Trump can unilaterally impose economic sanctions on countries as evidenced by his recent actions against Iran, North Korea and Russia. Trump can commit US troops to combat as he did in Syria and the Middle East. Trump has free reign over relations with other countries: he is exercising it on China. The midterms produced results that will further divide America along ideological, racial, gender, immigration status, age and patriotism. Division is extreme, much of it centered not only on Trump policies, but on his dysfunctional behavior; and Democrats have swung to the extreme left. Everything has become politicized in a zero-sum game. Compromise will be more elusive than ever. Unfortunately, American governance will become more unstable and gridlocked, not a good thing in a chaotic, dangerous global environment. Equally problematic is that the US economy is the strongest in the world, but widespread discord will make it difficult to exploit opportunities presented. A new president to replace Trump (or Trump himself) in 2020 will face an unprecedented mess. Regardless, America will face critical critical governance issues for years to come. Your browser does not support the audio element. A man from a poor family in northern Vietnam decided to forgo surgery and give the chance to his younger brother, though doctors considered the older siblings disease more serious. Hoang Dinh Hanh, 29, and Hoang Dinh Hien, 23, both suffer from ankylosing spondylitis, a type of arthritis which hobbles their walk and causes pain as it stiffens the joints surrounding the groin. Their mother, Bui Thi Dao, has been trying to find a cure for her two boys since their diseases first took hold. Dozens of trips to hospitals and physicians in and around their hometown in Thai Binh Province, about 100 kilometers from Hanoi, yielded no results. The older sibling, Hanh, is literate but cannot attend school while his younger brother Hien is temporarily deferring his education at a medical vocational college. Hoang Dinh Hien with his mother at a hospital in northern Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre Dao shared that she used to take Hien to and from high school by bicycle each day, traveling over seven kilometers, rain or shine. Doctors at a major hospital in Hanoi recommended surgery on Hanhs pelvis a few months ago, but he chose not to show up for the procedure. A short time later, Hien went into a four-day coma and had to be taken to the same infirmary where doctors suggested he undergo hip-joint-replacement surgery. Daos husband, a farmer, warned her that the family would not be able to afford any medical expenses exceeding VND20 million ($860), a sum too small to cover surgeries for both children. Hoang Dinh Hoanh is cared for by his mother at a hospital in northern Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre Seeing that the family did not have enough money for both operations, Hanh called doctors to tell them only his younger brother would undergo the medical procedure, but the doctors warned him that his disease was actually more serious as it was causing inflammation in his spinal joints. With donations from the public, the younger brothers surgery was carried out in October and he now plants to reenroll in school. Hanh is still waiting on a miracle to come up with enough money for his own surgery. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A dioxin remediation project at an airport in the central city of Da Nang has been completed following six years of joint efforts by Vietnam and the United States. Vietnams Ministry of National Defense and the U.S. Embassy in the Southeast Asian country organized a ceremony at Da Nang International Airport on Wednesday to mark the completion of the project. The Vietnamese defense ministry initiated the project in August 2012 with coordination and funding worth $110 million from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Following the dioxin removal process, a total of 33 hectares of land is now able to be used for the expansion of the Da Nang airport. Vietnamese and U.S. representatives pose for a photo during the ceremony. Photo: Tuoi Tre The piece of land plays a significant role in the socio-economic development of the city and the central region in general, Colonel General Nguyen Chi Vinh, Deputy Minister of National Defense, said at the ceremony. Col. Gen. Vinh expressed his hope that there will be more joint projects between the two nations aimed at dealing with war consequences in 2019. U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel J. Kritenbrink considered the completion an important milestone in the relationship of the two nations governments, which will result in a cleaner, safer environment for the people of Da Nang. The land plot where the dioxin remediation project is carried out. Photo: Tuoi Tre Over these past six years, we have worked as a team with the Ministry of National Defense to make the city of Da Nang and Vietnam safer. And we are now ready to continue this collaboration at Bien Hoa, the ambassador said. The Bien Hoa Airbase area, located in the namesake city in the southern province of Dong Nai, is the largest remaining hotspot of dioxin contamination in Vietnam. The environmental remediation project in Bien Hoa is expected to cost $390 million. Dioxin is a highly toxic chemical compound which is known to cause serious problems with reproduction, development, and the immune system. A great deal of scientific research also links the chemical to hormone disruption and cancer. The U.S. military sprayed a large amount of the chemical compound in Vietnam in wartime. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! PM Olis ill health defers official work Prime Minister KP Sharma Olis ill health and treatment in hospital has postponed several meetings, Cabinet meetings, policies, programmes and almost three dozen projects he was to inaugurate and lay foundation stone. Check out todays leading news stories: Society -- A Vietnamese businessman has pointed out the chronic cumbersome bureaucracy that Vietnamese companies have faced in obtaining legal documents in a letter sent to Vietnams State President Nguyen Phu Trong. -- The United States Agency for International Development and Vietnams Ministry of Defense have completed a $110 million six-year project of cleaning up a 33-hectare piece of land contaminated with Agent Orange, a defoliant the U.S. military sprayed over forests during the war in Vietnam. Business -- A water utilities company in Vietnams central metropolis of Da Nang said it will provide running water to certain families for some hours and to others at a different time if freshwater shortage becomes more serious. Central Vietnam is being hit by an unusual drought. -- Vietnamese Saigontourist Transport Corporation was found to have leased a building it rents from the government to a Japanese national in what is considered as a shady contract that the companys stakeholders believe to be illegal and prejudicial to the their interests. -- Office rental in Vietnam ranks second among Southeast Asian countries, only after that of Singapore, according to WeWork, an American company that provides shared workspaces and corporate services, which said this suggested a growing rental demand in Vietnam. -- Results from a recent survey of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) show that the average yearly salary of Vietnam-based foreign experts stood at $90,408, a year-on-year increase of $2,000. Around 72 percent of them accumulated greater savings and gained better income than they did at home, the survey said. -- The State Bank of Vietnam has required domestic banking institutions to provide account services to would-be customers who have visual impairment. -- A hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, where back alleys are numerous, is piloting the plan of having its doctors and nurses give medical care to patients in emergency on motorcycles, blazing a trail in realizing such ideas nationwide. -- The Vietnam Automobile Transportation Association has asked taxi drivers not to go on a strike against Grab, in the wake of a strike on Sunday, where multiple cabbies in the central city of Da Nang refused to serve customers as a way to protest against the ride-hailing service. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Your browser does not support the audio element. Margaux Veldeman, a Vietnamese adoptee living in Belgium, wrote a letter to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper to express her wish of finding her biological family in Vietnam. Veldemans letter came after the newspaper launched the second phase of its Helping Vietnamese Adoptees Trace Their Roots program, an initiative held in collaboration with the U.S.-based charity Kids Without Borders to help Vietnamese children who were adoptees in countries around the world find their biological parents. The first phase of the program, launched in July this year, saw its first successful case in which Vietnamese-French Amandine Durand found her biological family in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau. That has given a hope to other Vietnamese adoptees around the world," said Son Michael Pham, chairman of Kids Without Borders. Below is the story of Margaux Veldeman, with some editing for cohesion, clarity, and concision: My name is Margaux, I live in Belgium and my Vietnamese name is Luu Thi Kim Xuan. My biological mother gave me life on May 22, 1997 at a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, and then I was put up for adoption. After that, I was placed at the Go Vap orphanage [in the city]. Margaux Veldeman in a childhood photo she provided Tuoi Tre According to papers, my biological mothers name is Luu Thi Kim Cuc. She was 21 years old when she had to make this decision, a decision I will never question. Its her choice and, from my point of view, the best option if she thought she would not be able to take care of me as well as she might have wished. In June that year, my [Belgian] parents learnt that they were finally going to adopt a child after long years of expectations. They began to fill out the considerable number of adoption documents and came to see me in Vietnam that August and September. On September 27, 1997, we flew together to Belgium, the country where I have always lived. I grew up in a family that gave me a lot of love and all I needed. Despite some dead ends and the fact that my parents finally split up, I never felt like I missed out on anything. I also have two brothers and a sister who are their biological children and we were always treated equally. Im thus the only one with my own unique story. I feel a little bit different but Im proud of it. Since the very beginning, I always had a great relationship with my mom. She was always by my side. She always talks to me and is always helpful when Im asking questions. Lucky for me because behind my joyful, curious, and spontaneous self, Im kind of a sensitive and emotional girl. I have to admit that Ive been frustrated many times because there are certain questions Im just not able to find the answers to. Thats the reason why I will never give up my search, even if its sometimes difficult and even though I often think its a waste of time. Margaux Veldeman in a childhood photo she provided Tuoi Tre I wonder what my biological mothers] life looks like and if shes okay. Id really love to thank her for what she did, because giving birth to a child and then giving her to adoption when conditions were difficult (which was probably the case) represent a real act of love from a mother to her baby. I dont know how I would react if Im able to meet her someday. My [Belgian] mom has the typical Italian look due to her origin and my dad has fair hair, white skin and blue eyes. I know its silly but it will be really strange for me. I havent had the chance to go back to Vietnam yet, but a trip is planned for next winter. Im looking forward to going. Id really love to discover my native country and return to the place where I spent the first months of my life and try and involve myself in some projects there. I have a lot of ambitions. Margaux Veldeman in a photo she provided Tuoi Tre Finally, I would like to tell you, mom, that Im sure of one thing: your hope was worth it. I dont blame you for what you did and I never will. A part of me really hopes that besides the education my [Belgian] parents gave me and the values they tried to instill in me, I have inherited a little from your personality and just look a bit like the woman you are. This year, I will be the same age as you when you decided to abandon your child, crossing your fingers that she would live a better life. This is indeed the case. I have a great life and Im infinitely thankful to you for it. I can now see it from your perspective and understand. If one day you find this text, I hope that you could understand me too, and that we will meet each other. I remain hopeful. Margaux Veldeman Four houses were destroyed in a fire that erupted near a signature floating market in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam on Thursday. The fire broke out around noon, close to the Cai Rang Floating Market in Le Binh Ward, Cai Rang District, Can Tho City. Reports said that local residents heard a loud explosion at the time, followed by a fierce blaze at a wooden house near the floating market. The locals then tried to put out the fire before calling firefighters for help. But the flames were fanned by strong wind so other wooden houses in the proximity were quickly burned down as well. Can Tho firefighting police dispatched tens of fire trucks, speedboats, and many officers to contain the fire. Firefighters contain the fire near the Cai Rang Floating Market in Can Tho, Vietnam, November 8, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre Smoke was seen billowing hundreds of meters into the sky while the conflagration occupied a large section near the Cai Rang Floating Market. Those living around the area rushed to evacuate their houses whereas nearby boat and floating fish farm owners also joined the evacuation. Four houses were gutted but no human casualties have been reported. Police are working out the cause of the blaze. The Cai Rang Floating Market is a must-visit in Can Tho, the capital of the Mekong Delta. The market opens from 8:00 am to 9:00 am every day, when hundreds of boats gather to vend agro-products, according to the website of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism. Vendors hang their wares on a long bamboo stick before their boats so that customers can see what they are selling and choose from them. Sometimes, buyers have to catch products thrown by sellers from their boats. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Your browser does not support the audio element. Hundreds of people have been pushing their vehicles the wrong way on the sidewalk along a street in Hanoi to avoid severe congestion during rush hours, raising concern over the unreasonable traffic planning and management in the area. A video of an endless line of drivers pushing their motorbikes along the promenade of To Huu Street, in the opposite direction of the traffic flow, has been going viral on social media over the last few days. According to the observation of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters, up to hundreds of commuters can be seen walking their vehicles this way at the location in order to travel from To Huu Street to Trung Van Street during rush hours. Commuters said they have to pass a 400-meter section on To Huu to reach the allowed location to make a U-turn to enter Trung Van. However, as it takes as long as 20 minutes to complete such a short journey due to congestion, the best solution is to travel the wrong way on To Huu to reach an alley that also leads to Trung Van. As riding motorcycles on the sidewalk is against regulations, these commuters have come up with the idea of walking their vehicles as it helps them avoid both the traffic jams and hefty fines from traffic police officers. An expert on traffic regulations stated that traffic police are indeed unable to fine these commuters if they are not actually riding the vehicles. Source: Facebook Major Nguyen Duc Thang, chief of the traffic police team in charge of managing the area, also confirmed the situation to Tuoi Tre, stating that it happens on a daily basis. We have fined some people who rode their motorbikes on the promenade. However, we have no legal basis to penalize those who push their vehicles, Maj. Thang elaborated. While many believed it is unacceptable for the commuters to take advantage of the legal loophole, others expressed their understanding and attributed the problem to unreasonable traffic management along the street. According to Sinh, a local resident, To Huu Street is often susceptible to gridlock due to the large number of vehicles, especially during rush hours in the morning and evening. Those who can no longer stand the traffic jams are forced to break the rules and travel the wrong way on the sidewalk. As narrow as it is, To Huu has to dedicate exclusive lanes in both directions to the citys BRT (bus rapid transit) services, which only exacerbate the congestion. Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Manh Hung, deputy head of the Hanoi traffic police unit, said that the agency will work with the municipal Department of Transport to rearrange traffic flow on To Huu Street to cope with the issue. Meanwhile, the Tuoi Tre reporters have been unable to reach deputy director of the Hanoi transport department Ngo Manh Tuan, either personally or via phone calls, for comment, as the official appeared to be busy most of the time. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! BBC has dropped a trailer for Death and Nightingales starring Jamie Dornan and Matthew Rhys. Based on Eugene McCabes modern Irish classic, it is described as a riveting story of love, betrayal, deception and revenge, set in the beautiful haunting countryside of Fermanagh in 1885. A place where neighbours observe each other and inform, a world of spies, confessions and double dealing, where a pervading sense of beauty is shot through with menace and impending doom. Australian broadcast details are yet to be announced. Set over a desperately tense 24-hour period, its Beth Winters (Ann Skelly) 23rd birthday the day she has decided to join the charming Liam Ward (Jamie Dornan) and escape from her limited life and difficult and complex relationship with her Protestant landowner stepfather Billy (Matthew Rhys). As decades of pain and betrayal finally build to a devastating climax, Death And Nightingales is a powerful and gripping drama that follows a woman struggling to control her own destiny and will illuminate tensions that tear both families and nations apart. Netflix has announced two new European dramas, following a recent law passed by the European Parliament that all video on demand services including Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube & Facebook must all offer 30% Euro-made content within 2 years. Norwegian original Ragnarok is described as a coming-of-age drama rooted in Norse mythology from writer Adam Price (Borgen, Ride Upon the Storm) and SAM Productions, a Danish screenwriter-based production company. It will be shot in Norway and Denmark. Spanish series Alma is a young adult supernatural drama written by Sergio G. Sanchez (Marrowbone, The Orphanage), and produced by Belen Atienza (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Marrowbone), Sandra Hermida (Arde Madrid, Marrowbone) and Jesus de la Vega (Intruders, Hierro). Both titles will enter production in 2019 and launch globally on Netflix in 2020. Netflix has its first Polish original series 1983 launching globally on 30 November and is second German original series Dogs of Berlin launching on 7 December. Greg Peters, Netflix Chief Product Officer, said, Great stories can come from anywhere, and they can travel everywhere, as long as we use technology to get the right story in front of the right person, and make it a great experience. BREAKING: White House aide grabs and tries to physically remove a microphone from CNN Correspondent Jim Acosta during a contentious exchange with President Trump at a news conference. pic.twitter.com/Ml1OvlXpa9 MSNBC (@MSNBC) November 7, 2018 CNN journalist Jim Acosta has been banned from entering the White House following a volatile press conference in which President Trump referred to him as a rude, terrible person. The incident follows Acosta attempting to ask Trumps characterisation of a migrant caravan of some 4,000 immigrants walking through Mexico to claim asylum in the US. After Acosta challenged Trumps use of the word invasion an aide attempted to remove his microphone. Later Acosta tweeted that he was prevented from re-entering the White House by Secret Service. Ive just been denied entrance to the WH. Secret Service just informed me I cannot enter the WH grounds for my 8pm hit Jim Acosta (@Acosta) November 8, 2018 White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed they suspended Acostas pass until further notice. In a statement, she said President Trump believes in a free press and expects and welcomes tough questions of him and his Administration. We will, however, never tolerate a reporter placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern. This conduct is absolutely unacceptable. It is also completely disrespectful to the reporters colleagues not to allow them an opportunity to ask a question. President Trump has given the press more access than any President in history. Contrary to CNNs assertions, there is no greater demonstration of the Presidents support for a free press than the event he held today. In a statement, CNN said that Acostas credentials were pulled in retaliation for his challenging questions at todays press conference. They said that Sanders accusations against Acosta were fraudulent, and an incident that never happened. This unprecedented decision is a threat to our democracy and the country deserves better. Jim Acosta has our full support, CNN said. The White House Correspondents Association has called the White Houses reaction out of line to the purported offense and urged that Acostas press pass be restored. WHCA statement on White House decision on credentials. pic.twitter.com/bukK7CGu2G WHCA (@whca) November 8, 2018 Source: Variety, NBC, Washington Post Ranipokhari reconstruction work to be delayed further The reconstruction of the Balgopaleshwar Temple situated at the premises of Rani Pokhari has been mired in controversy one more time, In England: Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, in Germany: Eintracht Frankfurt from the Bundesliga, and now in Denmark: defending champions FC Midtjylland, are the latest unique marketing platform for eToro. eToro provides and commodities. The brand is well recognized and represented in more than 140 countries worldwide. We are very happy to proudly present eToro as a new partner in our club. We are a good match because both eToro and FC Midtjylland are companies who excel at disrupting their respective industries, says Jacob Jorgensen, commercial director at FC Midtjylland. The partnership between eToro and FC Midtjylland brings together two innovative businesses with aligned philosophies. Both companies lead their fields by leveraging data and analysis, and eToro has been impressed with how FC Midtjylland can bring new expertise to an old school sport. Jacob Jorgensen adds: eToro was attracted to us because of we, just like eToro, go for top performance and top results every day. We are sure that FC Midtjylland can help eToro achieve its objective of taking its brand awareness to the next level here, boosting eToros growth in the Danish market. Yael Moscovich, Nordics Regional Manager at eToro comments: We are very pleased and excited to partner with FC Midtjylland. This deal follows partnerships in Germany and the UK as part of our ongoing efforts to raise awareness of eToro. eToros vision is to open the global markets for everyone to trade and invest in a simple and transparent way. Our platform gives investors of all types access to the assets they want today from commodities and stocks, through to crypto assets. They also benefit from being part of a global community of more than 10 million registered users who share their investment strategies and insights and anyone can follow the approaches of those who have been the most successful. Story continues About eToro eToro empowers people to invest on their own terms. The platform enables people to invest in the assets they want, from crypto assets to stocks and commodities. eToro is a global community of more than ten million registered users who share their investment strategies and anyone can follow the approaches of those who have been the most successful. Users can easily buy, hold and sell assets, monitor their portfolio in real time, and transact whenever they want. eToro is regulated in Europe by Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority. This article was originally posted on FX Empire More From FXEMPIRE: ECB chief Mario Draghi spoke to Irish lawmakers on Thursday. Pic: Reuters The European Commission on Thursday warned that the sustainability of Irelands corporate tax revenue was one of the main risks to the countrys fiscal outlook. In 2017, Ireland collected a record 51bn (44bn) in taxes, but the country is increasingly reliant on taxes paid by a few large multinational companies. Corporate taxes comprised some 16% of 51bn. The commission also pointed to over-spending within the countrys health sector. In its recently announced budget, the Irish government committed to spending an additional 1bn on health in 2019. The warning came as the commission upgraded forecasts for Irish economic growth on Thursday, even as it downgraded its overall forecasts for the 19-member eurozone. The countrys GDP will grow by 7.8% in 2018, and 4.5% in 2019, it said. The commission had previously predicted 5.6% growth in 2018 and 4% in 2019. ECB warns Ireland to rebuild fiscal buffers Meanwhile, ECB chief Mario Draghi told Irish lawmakers that Ireland should rebuild its fiscal buffers to ensure that it is prepared for future risks. Build fiscal buffers, rebuild fiscal buffers because things are going well, so its the right time to do so, Draghi said. He also warned Ireland to prepare for all Brexit outcomes, including a no-deal scenario. While the direct trade effects of a hard Brexit would be limited for the euro area as a whole, Ireland is more exposed due to its very close trade relations with the United Kingdom, he said. FILE PHOTO: The logo of Swiss bank UBS is seen in Zurich, Switzerland October 25, 2018. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo By Emmanuel Jarry and Inti Landauro PARIS (Reuters) - French prosecutors argued in a Paris court on Thursday for Swiss bank UBS AG to be fined 3.7 billion euros (3.22 billion pounds) for helping wealthy French people evade taxes. After a seven-year investigation and aborted settlement negotiations, UBS faces accusations of laundering the proceeds of tax fraud and illegally soliciting clients in France. "Tax evasion is nothing more than theft against the community," prosecutor Eric Russo told the court. Serge Roque, the trial's other prosecutor, added: "UBS has deliberately held, handled and managed accounts for people who were evading taxes." Under French law, those convicted of money laundering can be ordered to pay a fine worth half the amount laundered. The prosecution estimates UBS's customers hid several billion euros from the French tax authorities. On Wednesday, the lawyer representing the French government asked to be awarded 1.6 billion euros in damages. UBS has denied wrongdoing. In a statement it said the trial's conclusions were "erroneous" and contested the amount of the fines. "The PNF (National Financial Prosecutor's Office) has not provided details of the irrational way these amounts were calculated. The requested fine for UBS AG results from a simplistic approach taking into account the full amount paid by French taxpayers to normalise their situation," it said. The prosecution also called for suspended jail sentences ranging from six months to 24 months for six UBS executives and former executives, as well as fines ranging from 50,000 euros to 500,000 euros. (Reporting by Emmanuel Jarry and Inti Landauro; Editing by Richard Balmforth) GABORONE (Reuters) - Around 400 buffaloes drowned after stampeding into the Chobe River along the border between Botswana and Namibia, possibly while running away from lions, the tourism ministry said. The Chobe River flows along the northeastern border of the Chobe National Park, known for the large breeding herds of elephants, giraffe, sable and African buffalo, which make it a major tourist attraction in Southern Africa. Initial investigations Botswana and Namibia suggest that an exceptionally large buffalo herd was grazing in Namibia before they stampeded into the Chobe River. The buffalo trampled on each other and fell into the river from its steep banks, the ministry said in a statement. "The cause of the stampede is still uncertain and under investigation. However, initial indications are that they were being chased by a pride of lions," Botswana's Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism said. "This is not an unusual occurrence as mass drownings have occurred before in the Chobe River notably off Sedudu Island." (Editing by James Macharia, Larry King) Activists posing as a collective of Russian GRU agents placed a series of adverts, and urged a Muller-style investigation into the EU referendum. An anonymous group of activists has erected billboards across London celebrating the Brexit collaboration between Russia and the UK. The group, calling itself Proud Bear, claims to be a collective of Russia GRU agents but evidence points to a band of British volunteers and satirists calling for an official investigation into Russias influence on the EU Referendum. Lets celebrate a red, white and blue Brexit, reads one poster in Stoke Newington, north London, accompanied by a picture of a winking Vladimir Putin waving a Russian flag. Another poster, in Bethnal Green, east London, proclaims Thank you! Boris, picturing the former foreign secretary and leader of the Vote Leave campaign group Boris Johnson waving Russian flags. #PROUDBEAR officers from POSTER SPETSNAZ division deployed ACROSS London to start celebration of #Brexit COLLABORATION. People of UNITED BRITAIN, many more for you to find! pic.twitter.com/yqpz687QIx Proud Bear (@Pr0ud_Bear) November 8, 2018 The Proud Bear posters, and Twitter account associated with the campaign, encourage viewers to visit a website where the group hopes to raise 55,000 for an advert on the 40-metre-wide LED screen at London Waterloo train station. One man, who took photographs of the billboard in Stoke Newington, said he thought they were hilarious. Given that the whole world is falling apart, it doesnt seem too far-fetched that Russian interference could have had something to do with it, he told the Press Association. Story continues Stuff like this is good. People need to see more of it and call people out, he added. Tens of thousands of Twitter accounts are understood to have tweeted pro-Brexit messages in the build up to the EU Referendum in 2016, but the impact of the messages has not been accurately assessed. But hidden in the websites source code is a message, written in Russian, which reveals the true sentiment behind the posters. Theresa May prefers to promote Brexits ridiculous plan instead of stopping for a moment and truly investigating the question of whether Russias influence was really decisive in the vote. The UK immediately needs a Muller-style investigation into Russian intervention in the Brexit campaign, reads part of the script when translated into English. A Cabinet Office spokesman said: We have not seen evidence of successful interference in UK democratic processes. Mr Johnson declined to comment. You may have seen these #proudbear posters have popped up around London today. But hidden in the source code of the website is a message calling for a 'Muller-style' investigation into the EU Referendum. pic.twitter.com/Grw2F1Y21S Alastair Reid (@ajreid) November 8, 2018 Organisers said the hostile message in the website source code is CIA website hacking, responding to a request for comment from the Press Association via a Ukrainian mobile phone number. The groups webmaster, Mikhael Klikov, has been sent on a forever holiday in Siberia for allowing the mistake, they added. More than 20,000 workers would have been employed building the power station. Plans to build a new nuclear power station in the UK, creating over 20,000 jobs, have collapsed after Toshiba said it was pulling out of the project. The Japanese engineering giant is to wind up its NuGen business, which was going to build three reactors at Moorside in Cumbria, enough to generate 7% of the UKs energy needs. More than 20,000 workers would have been employed to build the 15 billion plant, close to the Sellafield complex, and 1,000 people would have been employed once electricity was generated from 2024. Unions and the Labour Party attacked the Government for not intervening to ensure the project went ahead, but anti-nuclear campaigners welcomed the decision, saying it proved nuclear power was not economically viable. Toshiba said in a statement: After considering the additional costs entailed in continuing to operate NuGen, Toshiba recognises that the economically rational decision is to withdraw from the UK nuclear power plant construction project, and has resolved to take steps to wind up NuGen. NuGen said the announcement came after 18 months of negotiations with a range of potential new owners. The announcement continued: Unfortunately, it has not been possible to successfully conclude those negotiations. NuGen has retained a team to support the implementation of a winding-up process and will work with Toshiba and its other stakeholders. Whilst NuGen will not be taking the project forward, the Moorside site in Cumbria remains a site designated by Government for nuclear new build, and it is now for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority as the owner of the site and the Government to determine its future. Justin Bowden, national officer of the GMB union, said: The British Government has blood on its hands as the final sad but predictable nail is banged into the coffin of Toshibas jinxed jaunt into nuclear power. Relying in this way on foreign companies for our countrys essential energy needs was always irresponsible. Story continues In the wreckage that passes for a joined-up UK energy policy, the question now is whether Government has finally learned the mistakes of Moorside? A Business Department spokesman said: We understand that Toshiba have faced a difficult decision in ending their involvement in new nuclear projects outside of Japan in light of their well-known financial challenges. All proposed new nuclear projects in the UK are led by private sector developers, and while the Government has engaged regularly with the companies involved, this is entirely a commercial decision for Toshiba. Nuclear has an important role to play as part of the UKs diverse energy mix as we transition to a low-carbon economy, but in each case projects must provide value for money for consumers and taxpayers. This Government remains committed to new nuclear through the Industrial Strategy Nuclear Sector Deal as well as consenting the first new nuclear power station in a generation at Hinkley Point C. Greenpeace UK executive director John Sauven said: The end of the Moorside plan represents a failure of the Governments nuclear gamble. Their flawed approach to making our economy low carbon has dashed the hopes of prospective workers and businesses in Cumbria that should have been centred around renewable technologies. The Government now needs to rapidly deploy renewable energy to fill the gap. That means restarting onshore wind, a new deal for expanding solar power, and upping ambition on more offshore wind. Reports this morning that Toshiba has decided to wind up NuGen and the Moorside project are deeply worrying for staff working on the project | Government action needed to secure new nuclear, skills in the industry and our future secure, low carbon electricity supply @FernsSue pic.twitter.com/0EjZqLMHhJ Prospect Union (@ProspectUnion) November 8, 2018 Sue Ferns, senior deputy general secretary of Prospect union, said: This is devastating news for Cumbria and the wider energy sector. The nuclear industry and wider supply chain currently employ thousands of people in the North West of England. The long-term future of this could be on the line if we cant move forward with building Moorside. Rebecca Long Bailey, shadow business secretary, said: Todays announcement by Toshiba is hugely concerning for the future of the sector and the thousands of jobs it would bring to Cumbria. Unfortunately, its not surprising given the Governments long indecision and refusal to step in. Unite union official Ritchie James said: Todays news is a cruel blow to the prospects for the North West economy and the future of thousands of highly-skilled jobs in construction and operations, once it was up and running. Sara Medi Jones, acting general secretary of CND, said: Nuclear energy isnt just dirty and dangerous, this announcement shows once again its not economically viable. Nuclear proponents will say the Government should have done more to save the Moorside plant, but this is an industry that already relies on enormous state subsidies at taxpayers expense. FILE PHOTO: Croatian businessman Ivica Todoric emerges from the Royal Courts of Justice with one of his legal team, Cherie Booth, after the court ruled on his extradition, in London FILE PHOTO: Croatian businessman Ivica Todoric emerges from the Royal Courts of Justice with one of his legal team, Cherie Booth, after the court ruled on his extradition, in London, Britain, October 25, 2018. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls/File Photo ZAGREB (Reuters) - Britain on Wednesday extradited to Croatia Ivica Todoric, the founder of beleaguered food producer and retailer Agrokor [AGROK.UL], to face allegations of fraud totalling tens of millions of euros, Croatian TV news channel N1 reported. A regular flight from London carrying Todoric under police escort landed at Zagreb airport, N1 said. Todoric and 14 other people, including former top managers in Agrokor, are being investigated for their role in the debt and liquidity crisis at the company, which is the largest employer in the Balkans. Todoric denies any wrongdoing. (The story was refiled to correct the word order in the third paragraph) (Reporting by Igor Ilic; Editing by Kirsten Donovan) FILE PHOTO: Chile's Interior Minister Chadwick answers a question during a news conference at the Presidential Palace after a meeting with the National Security Council in Santiago FILE PHOTO: Chile's Interior Minister Andres Chadwick answers a question during a news conference at the Presidential Palace after a meeting with the National Security Council in Santiago, January 20, 2014. REUTERS/Ivan Alvarado/File Photo By Aislinn Laing (Reuters) - Chile's interior minister criticized French authorities on Wednesday for offering asylum to a former Chilean leftist rebel, calling it a "mistake" to link a murder he committed to politics under the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. Andres Chadwick said convicted murderer Ricardo Palma Salamanca should be returned to Chile, adding there was "no link" between his April 1991 killing of Senator Jaime Guzman, a former Pinochet confidant, and the dictatorship that ended in 1990. "Both the crimes perpetrated by Ricardo Palma Salamanca and his trial and conviction took place once democratic order had been re-established in Chile," Chadwick said. "We are talking about serious terrorist attacks that took place in a democratic era." French foreign ministry spokesman Olivier Gauvin said on Tuesday that France's Office for the Protection of Refugees had last week offered asylum to Palma Salamanca after considering the political situation in Chile at the time Guzman was killed. "The case of Ricardo Palma Salamanca relates to the history of Chile under the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet," Galvin said. The murder occurred when Pinochet, who led a bloody 1973 coup against the leftist government of Salvador Allende, had stepped down following a popular plebiscite. He remained head of the armed forces, however. Guzman, the army general's former adviser, founded the far-right Independent Democratic Union (UDI) and remained an influential figure. He acted as mentor to several senior figures in government today, including Chadwick. The UDI remains one of four parties in the present ruling coalition. Palma Salamanca escaped from a Chilean maximum security prison by helicopter in 1996 and lived under an assumed name in Mexico. He was arrested by Interpol in Paris in February. Chilean political leaders of all stripes have called for his return, but some Chileans have appealed to the French government to shelter him. Story continues Palma Salamanca's lawyers have argued that he only confessed to killing Guzman under torture. In a statement carried by Chilean media on Monday, Palma Salamanca celebrated "the right to breathe easy after more than 26 years of persecution" and praised France for "keeping alive the memory of a past we never want to live again." An extradition request sent by the Chilean Supreme Court for Palma Salamanca will be the subject of a French court hearing set for Dec. 12. Chile and France do not have an extradition treaty and French law stipulates that no extradition can take place "when the crime has a political aspect or the request is made for political purposes." (Reporting by Aislinn Laing; Additional reporting by Julie Carriat in Paris; Editing by Tom Brown) Sheriff says 12 killed in shooting spree in California bar A gunman opened fire in a crowded Southern California bar popular with college students, killing 12 people, including a sheriffs deputy, police said on Thursday. Mr Draghi added that the ECB will stand behind Ireland and back the country as Brexit takes effect. European Central Bank (ECB) boss Mario Draghi has warned the Irish government to prepare for all possible Brexit outcomes, including a no-deal scenario. Speaking at the Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform Committee in Dublin, the European financial boss said that Ireland is more exposed to direct trade effects of a hard Brexit than other EU countries because of its close trading relationship with the United Kingdom. Mr Draghi added that the ECB will stand behind Ireland and back the country as Brexit takes effect. Mario Draghi's exchange of views at the Irish parliament, with the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach will be streamed live from 16:15 CET today https://t.co/RhBm3asfK1 pic.twitter.com/edw9rSAuJk European Central Bank (@ecb) November 8, 2018 The impact on the Irish economy is both direct through trade and indirect through financial channels, he said. We also see limited overall risks to the euro area financial stability. Without sufficient mitigating action, however, a cliff-edge Brexit could have an adverse impact in certain areas of centrally cleared derivatives markets. Sources of risk from outside the EU have grown since May. A stronger US dollar and heightened trade tensions triggered renewed stress in a number of emerging market economies. He said that ways of taking mitigating action against Brexit will only become clear once the ECB knows the outcome of a deal, but said he has advised businesses to take precautions. Things can be managed, however if the private sector were to decide there is going to be a cliff-edge or an unmanaged process, then the private sector behaviours could be a source of instability and that is something we have to monitor very closely. Story continues I think the most likely thing is gradual transition, which will allow all parties to negotiate in the best possible way. He went on to say that while the Irish economy is strong, there are risks of it overheating. Mr Draghi said that Irelands recovery from the financial crisis has been impressive and the countrys economy has seen a particularly strong expansion in recent years. Ireland is now growing at the fastest pace of any euro area country, he added. Unemployment has been falling too and now stands well below the euro area average. This is all the more impressive given the severe crisis Ireland went through and the legacies it is dealing with, including high private debt and arrears. Committee chairman John McGuinness, however, said that the devastation caused by the financial crash has been absolutely horrific and still continues today. It is wrong to say we are experiencing a recovery, certain parts are but vast amounts of people are still caught in courts and their homes are being taken from them, he added. People are being threatened because of what happened in the past and the system is ignoring them. They do not experience the recovery as much as the EU would tell them and the banks here are a disgrace. Mr Draghi also stated that while the financial stability environment remains favourable, it has become challenging in the last number of months. He continued: The results of the European stress test published last Friday show that euro area banks are increasingly resilient to financial shocks. This also reflects the continuing economic expansion, which has strengthened private and public balance sheets alike. Still, there are risks. These include liquidity risks in the non-bank financial sector that could be transmitted to the broader financial system. Developments in this area should be closely monitored, and the regulatory and supervisory framework for non-banks needs to be strengthened. Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty raised Irelands housing and homeless crisis with Mr Draghi. Mr Pearse said: Not everything is going great in Ireland, the GDP figures are going well, recovery is going well, but Michael [surname not given] was the 27th person to die on our streets in our capital city in the last 16 months hes homeless. Theres 4,000 children who wont have a home and will sleep in emergency accommodation and wake up on Christmas Day so not everything is going well. The X-59 QueSST seeks to revolutionise supersonic flight by making it quieter. (NASA) NASA is testing a high-speed aircraft technology which could reignite the era of supersonic travel by travelling faster than the speed of sound with no sonic boom. The planned jet, X-59, could fly from London to New York in just three hours. This week, NASA is testing the technology over the Texas Gulf Coast promising that the sonic thump will be no louder than a car door closing. Two FA-18 jets climbed to 55,000 feet and dived to replicate the sonic thump. The X-59 QueSST seeks to revolutionize supersonic flight by making it quieter. Jerry Barker, 46, said, I just heard one, right at eleven oclock. Very small, two tiny bumps. MORE: Dutch pensioner, 69, starts legal battle to lower his age so he can get more dates on Tinder MORE: Jeremy Corbyn is the most popular politician among UK women but men prefer Boris Johnson The Quiet Supersonic Technology (QueSST) design could hit supersonic speeds over land without people on the ground hearing a sonic boom. It could also fly from London to New York in just three hours paving the way for a new era of supersonic travel. NASA expects the QueSST X-plane to pave the way for supersonic flight over land in the not too distant future. By Dan Whitcomb (Reuters) - U.S. efforts to legalize recreational marijuana use saw mixed results on Tuesday, as voters in Michigan approved a measure legalizing the drug while North Dakotans looked set to block it. Michigan became the 10th U.S. state to legalize recreational pot use, according to CNN and advocates. Its proposal also levies a 10 percent sales tax on pot sales. North Dakota's Measure 3, which would have made it legal for anyone over the age of 21 to use the drug, was losing by a margin of 60 percent to 40 percent with 357 out of 424 precincts reporting, according to the secretary of state's website. State laws allowing recreational use of marijuana have spread across the United States since Colorado voters approved one in 2012. Before Tuesday's vote 20 of the 50 states allow it for medical use. Marijuana remains illegal under U.S. federal law, which has presented roadblocks to businesses. Canada last month became the first industrialized country to legalize recreational cannabis. "Marijuana has now been legalized for adult use in one out of every five states, so I think it's safe to say federal laws are in need of an update," said Matthew Schweich, deputy director of the Marijuana Policy Project advocacy group. North Dakotans passed an initiative allowing the use of medical marijuana in 2016 but the state has been slow to approve dispensaries. Medical marijuana has been legal in Michigan since voters approved its use in a 2008 ballot initiative. In Missouri, a state constitutional amendment that would legalize the use of medical cannabis was leading 61 percent to 38 percent in early returns, according to the secretary of state's office. Utah also has a medical marijuana measure on the ballot, which was leading in early returns. Utah's medical marijuana legalization measure, which would allow privately owned dispensaries to sell cannabis, saw support drop in polls after state lawmakers said they had reached a compromise plan to instead allow patients to obtain cannabis from county health departments or a handful of state-approved pharmacies. Story continues Governor Gary Herbert has said he would call a special legislative session to take up that proposed law later this month. Missouri voters were confronted with three choices for permitting the use of medical marijuana - two that amended the state constitution and one that would do so by creating a new statute. (Reporting by Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles; Editing by Scott Malone and Bill Trott) See Also: Benefits of group singing to mood and muscle control match those of medication, scientists claim. People suffering from Parkinsons disease can sing themselves better, research suggests. A pilot study found that singing therapy led to fewer involuntary movements, improvements in mood, and less stress. Researchers warned that the early findings should be treated with caution, but said the benefits to patients matched those from taking medication. Dr Elizabeth Stegemoller, from Iowa State University in the US, said: We see the improvement every week when they leave singing group. Its almost like they have a little pep in their step. We know theyre feeling better and their mood is elevated. Some of the symptoms that are improving, such as finger tapping and the gait, dont always readily respond to medication, but with singing theyre improving. Parkinsons disease causes progressive loss of motor control, leading to uncontrollable shaking, rigidity, slow movement and difficulty walking. Thinking and behavioural problems may also occur. Each year, around 145,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with Parkinsons. The disease is linked to insufficient levels of the brain chemical dopamine, but its causes are still poorly understood. Genetic and environmental factors are both thought to play a role. Dr Stegemollers team studied 17 Parkinsons patients enrolled into a therapeutic singing group. Measurements were taken of participants heart rate, blood pressure and levels of cortisol stress hormone. All three readings were reduced by singing, but not by an amount that reached statistical significance. The researchers are looking at the possible effects of singing on inflammation, neuroplasticity the ability of the brain to rewire itself to compensate for injury or disease and blood levels of the bonding hormone oxytocin. Dr Elizabeth Shirtcliff, also from Iowa State, said: Part of the reason cortisol is going down could be because the singing participants feel positive and less stress in the act of singing with others in the group. This suggests we can look at the bonding hormone oxytocin. Story continues Were also looking at heart rate and heart rate variability, which can tell us how calm and physiologically relaxed the individual is after singing. Previous work by the same team found that singing can improve respiratory control and swallowing ability in Parkinsons patients. The research was presented at the Society for Neuroscience 2018 meeting in San Diego. By Joyce Lee SEOUL (Reuters) - Japan should avoid aggravating historical tensions in a diplomatic row over South Koreans forced to work for Japanese firms during World War Two, South Korea's foreign ministry has warned. South Korea's top court ruled last month that Japan's Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp must compensate four South Koreans for their forced labor during the war, which Japan has denounced as "unthinkable." The binding court verdict is straining relations between the neighbors and could affect their bilateral efforts to rein in North Korea's nuclear program, analysts say. Japan and South Korea share a bitter history that includes Japan's 1910-45 colonization of the Korean peninsula and the use of comfort women, Japan's euphemism for girls and women, many of them Korean, forced to work in its wartime brothels. Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Kono said in a Bloomberg interview on Sunday that "it would be difficult for any country to do anything with the South Korean government" if a court can reverse Seoul's agreements made under international law. Kono's remarks threatened to add fuel to the controversy, South Korea's foreign ministry said late on Tuesday. "South Korea is very concerned that Japan's leaders in positions of responsibility are disregarding the root cause of the issue...and continue to make comments that rouse our public's emotions," the ministry said in a statement. "The Japanese government must be clearly aware that excessive political emphasis on the present case will be of no help to the future-oriented relationship between South Korea and Japan," the ministry added. The row was triggered by a Supreme Court ruling that Nippon Steel pay 100 million won ($87,700) to each of the four steel workers who sought compensation and unpaid wages, saying that their rights to reparation was not terminated by a 1965 treaty. Story continues On Tuesday, Kono repeated Japan's stance that the issue had been resolved "completely and finally" by the 1965 agreement, and that it was up to the South Korean side to respond to the matter of any further compensation. South Korea's national security adviser Chung Eui-yong said on Tuesday that "if the Japanese government keeps on giving an unyielding response, our government cannot refrain from responding in kind." A South Korean appeals court is set to rule on a similar case of compensation claims against Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in December. (Reporting by Joyce Lee in SEOUL; Additioanl reporting by Linda Sieg in TOKYO; editing by Darren Schuettler) See Also: By Andrew Chung WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Supreme Court justices appeared divided on Wednesday as they weighed an effort by Sudan, backed by the U.S. government, to avoid paying $314.7 million (239.5 million) in damages to American sailors injured in a 2000 deadly bombing of the Navy destroyer USS Cole by the al Qaeda militant group. The justices heard oral arguments in Sudan's appeal of a 2015 lower court ruling that allowed the sailors to collect the damages. The dispute centres on Sudan's contention that it was not properly notified of the lawsuit when the claims were delivered in 2010 to its embassy in Washington rather than to its minister of foreign affairs in the Sudanese capital Khartoum, as required by U.S. and international law. The administration of President Donald Trump agreed with Sudan, saying the case could impact how the U.S. government is treated by foreign courts since the United States rejects judicial notices delivered to its embassies. Some justices appeared sensitive to the government's arguments. Trump's newest appointee to the court, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, suggested that a lawyer for the sailors, Kannon Shanmugam, was downplaying the problem despite a major international treaty on diplomatic relations. "The United States and all the countries in the Vienna Convention all seem to say, actually, it is a big deal," Kavanaugh said. Justice Stephen Breyer, a liberal, said a suit might better reach the proper authorities if sent to a foreign ministry abroad. Some other members of the court appeared to back the sailors. Chief Justice John Roberts said it might be more "convenient" to receive a notice at an embassy. The case follows the injury of 15 sailors in the Oct. 12, 2000 attack, after which they and three of their spouses sued Sudan in 2010, accusing it of providing material support to help al Qaeda carry out the bombing. Sudan denies the allegation. The attack killed 17 sailors and wounded dozens in the southern Yemeni port of Aden. Story continues In 2012, a federal judge in Washington issued a default judgement of $314.7 million against Sudan, which did not appear in court to defend itself. A separate judge in New York later ordered certain banks to turn over assets they had held for Sudan to partially satisfy the judgement. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York upheld those orders in 2015, rejecting Sudan's argument that the lawsuit had not been properly initiated according to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, a U.S. law governing when foreign governments may be sued in American courts. (The story was refiled to make clear the lawsuit was brought by the 15 sailors and three of their spouses in paragraph nine) (Reporting by Andrew Chung; Editing by Bernadette Baum) A 10-year-old boy who weighed just 10kg (22lbs) has died in Yemen with the country on the brink of famine. UNICEF confirmed the young child called Adam had died less than 24 hours after Sky News published an article about his plight. He had been too weak to get out of his hospital bed by himself when aid workers came to his bedside last week. They reported that he was crying and found it difficult to breathe, with his tiny chest heaving with the effort. Adam was one of 400,000 children in Yemen suffering from severe acute malnutrition. Lying in hospital in the city of Hodeida before his death, he should have been able to focus on his recovery. But as fighting in the Yemeni port city continues - with almost 100 airstrikes falling on it this weekend alone - the conflict moves closer and closer to Al Thawra hospital. UNICEF executive director Henrietta Fore said the fighting is now "dangerously close" and is "putting the lives of 59 children, including 25 in the intensive care unit, at imminent risk of death". Heavy bombing and gunfire could be heard from Adam's hospital bed. Juliette Touma, chief of communications for UNICEF's Middle East and North Africa region, travelled to Yemen between 29 October and 3 November. She has spent 16 years working in the region but said meeting Adam would never leave her. "Adam was not able to utter a word," she told Sky News. "All he did was to cry in pain without tears but making the sound of pain." Geert Cappelaere, regional director of Unicef Middle East and North Africa office, also met Adam before the child's death on Saturday. Paying tribute to the youngster, he said: "Rest in peace Adam. "Adam was very sick and he also had severe malnutrition. Al Thawra hospital... where Adam died is now in the line of fire. "Adam is one of 400,000 severely malnourished children in Yemen. They - like Adam - might also die, any minute. May his soul rest in peace." Story continues During Ms Touma's most recent trip, she was most struck by the extent children are suffering in the region. Half of Yemeni children under the age of five are chronically malnourished. Some 30,000 Yemeni children die every year with malnutrition as one of the most important underlying causes. Locals worry constantly about money and being unable to buy food, Ms Touma said. "Poverty is very visible, people are just exhausted," she said. Civil servants, including doctors and teachers, have not been paid for more than two years and the devaluation of the currency means that despite food being on sale in markets most families cannot afford to buy it. Adam, who also had a brain condition and shared his ward with other severely malnourished children, was unable to access health care until his family were able to save up to afford the transport to take him there. Ms Touma believes if it was not for the intervention of organisations like her own "the situation is likely to have been even worse, much worse". She added: ""It is literally lifesaving for many, many children." Fighting in the port city risks cutting off the vital line organisations like UNICEF use to get nutrition, medicine and vaccines to those living there. "It's critical that the port continues to function," she said, adding: "It's a life-line for Yemen." News of Adam's death comes as a group of 14 international non-governmental organisations, including Save the Children, Care and Action Against Hungry, signed a joint statement saying "as an urgent priority, civilians and children in particular in and around Hodeidah must be protected from the direct and indirect impact of the fighting." They call for urgent peace talks led by the UN special envoy and for the UN security council to adopt an "unequivocal resolution" to stop the violence. Ms Touma said the only way to save the citizens of Yemen is for fighting to end. She said UNICEF "welcomes the generosity from governments and individuals, including in the United Kingdom" and that it enables organisations like her own to deliver aid and training to the war-torn country. "However, generosity alone is not enough and is a band-aid," she explained. "What is needed right now - today, not tomorrow - is for those fighting on the ground and those who have influence over them to reach an agreement to end the conflict in Yemen." Saudi Arabia and allies have been fighting in Yemen for more than three years against Iran-backed Houthis rebels, who control much of northern Yemen including the capital Sanaa and drove a Saudi-backed government into exile in 2014. The UK and US have been criticised for providing logistical and military support to the Saudi-led coalition. On Tuesday, Mr Hunt used some of his strongest language yet to put pressure on the Saudi-led coalition. "For too long in the Yemen conflict, both sides have believed a military solution is possible, with catastrophic consequences for the people," he said in a statement. "Now for the first time there appears to be a window in which both sides can be encouraged to come to the table, stop the killing and find a political solution - that is the only long-term way out of disaster." Yemen has become the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with more than 22.2 million people in need of assistance. Pro-government forces advance towards the port of Hodeida - AFP Houthi rebel fighters have taken up positions on the roof of one of Hodeidahs main civilian hospitals, Amnesty has warned, as fighting in the crucial Yemeni port city intensified despite calls for a ceasefire. The human rights group warned that civilians inside the May 22 hospital were at of risk of being hit by a Saudi-led coalition airstrike after Houthi militiamen set up a position on the roof. This is a stomach-churning development that could have devastating consequences for the hospitals medical workers and dozens of civilian patients, including many children, Amnesty said in statement. The group warned that while the Houthis use of the hospital for military purposes was a violation of international law, it was not a justification for coalition forces to strike the hospital. Anyone attacking a hospital under these conditions risks responsibility for war crimes. Fighting in Hodeidah has intensified in the last week as Yemeni government forces and their Saudi and UAE allies try to wrest control of the city from the Houthi rebels, who are backed by Iran. Dozens of civilians and combatants have been killed as coalition forces pound the city with airstrikes and push through its streets as part of a renewed offensive that began over the weekend. Horrifying images of malnourished children have alerted the world to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen Credit: AP/Hani Mohammed The intensified attack came despite a US call for a ceasefire in Yemen within 30 days, followed swiftly by UN-brokered peace talks in Sweden. The offensive by the Saudi-led coalition offensive appears to be an effort to improve the Yemeni governments standing on the battlefield so it will be in a stronger position during eventual negotiations with the Houthis. Both sides have expressed willingness to engage in talks but so far there has been no let up in the fighting. Previous rounds of peace talks have all collapsed. The port city of Hodeidah is the main lifeline for food and humanitarian aid for civilians in Houthi-controlled territory in the north of Yemen. Story continues Human rights groups have warned that fighting around the port threatens to plunge the rest of the country into even deeper misery. A man inspects damage after a Saudi-led air strike in Sanaa, the Yemeni capital Credit: Hani Mohammed/AP Most of the population of Hodeidah has fled the fighting but around 300,000 people are believed to still be inside the city. Around 14 million people - half of Yemens population - are on the brink of famine, according to the UN. More than 100 children are estimated to be dying each day as a result of disease and malnutrition. Official estimates say that around 10,000 people have been killed since the war broke out in 2015 but the real casualty figures are believed to be higher. The vast majority of civilian casualties have been caused by the Saudi-led bombing campaign, which is supported by the US and UK. Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, the Yemeni president backed by Saudi Arabia and the West, announced on Thursday that he was appointing a new defence minister and army chief of staff. The e-commerce market in Nepal is worth $25 million: Daraz Nepal Daraz is set to launch its first ever 11.11 shopping festival in Nepal on November 11. The event, introduced by its parent company and e-commerce giant Alibaba a decade ago, is now the worlds biggest sale day. The Georgia World War I Centennial Commission has been busy preparing to mark a century since the war's end. Dr. Billy Wells, senior vice president for leadership and global engagement at the University of North Georgia (UNG), serves as the commission chairman. Retired Lt. Col. Keith Antonia, UNG's associate vice president for military programs, is a commission associate. Wells, a retired Army colonel, will be the keynote speaker on the war's impact at an 11 a.m. Nov. 11 event at the Atlanta History Center to mark Armistice Day. He plans to talk about the cost of the war, the dramatic changes it brought to American society, its impact on future military affairs, the changes it led to in America's foreign relations and policy, and the hard lessons the U.S. and Europe learned on how to end a conflict. The Georgia group is joining the national World War I Centennial Commission to encourage Americans to ring bells 21 times at five-second intervals at 11 a.m. Nov. 11 to mark 100 years since the war's end. UNG's Price Memorial Hall bell on the Dahlonega Campus will ring 21 times at 11 a.m. Nov. 11 before reverting back to its normal hourly tolling schedule. Gov. Nathan Deal plans to sign a proclamation for the Bells of Peace ringing. Anyone who wants to be part of the commemoration wherever they are can download the Bells of Peace app. Dr. Virginia Dilkes has served on the advisory board for the state World War I Centennial Commission and as a volunteer for the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission. On Nov. 11, Dilkes will lay a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery on the grave of four-star Gen. Courtney Hodges, a UNG alumnus who earned the Distinguished Service Cross during the war. A major commission effort involved updating the record of soldiers killed in the war to include African-Americans who were previously not listed in the Georgia State Memorial Book. Now, 1,228 blacks are listed. Wells said former state librarian Dr. Lamar Veatch's "tireless work researching Georgia WWI memorials as well as poorly documented African-American casualties corrected a major gap in Georgia history, leaving a significant archival legacy for the state." With support from the UNG Foundation, the group has raised money for a statue honoring Eugene Bullard, the first African-American fighter pilot, who flew for the French in World War I. The statue will be placed at the Museum of Aviation next to Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins, Georgia. The commission has also planted red poppies along U.S. 78 in Walton County to honor Moina Michael, who developed the idea of using red poppies to support veterans of World War I, and ultimately of all wars. The University of Georgia's Dr. Thomas H. Jackson Jr., executive director of the commission, praised Wells' work with the group. "He's singularly knowledgeable and qualified about military history," Jackson said. "And it's been great working with him on this important project." Wells was grateful to contribute. "Being the elected chair has been both an honor and a challenge," Wells said. "I attribute the success of this endeavor to all the other commissioners, as well as Dr. Tom Jackson, our executive director along with our 'ad hoc' staff and volunteers." For more information, visit the Georgia World War I Commission website. [November 07, 2018] Vonage to Present at the Needham Networking, Communications & Security Conference HOLMDEL, N.J., Nov. 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Vonage Holdings Corp. (NYSE: VG), a business cloud communications leader, today announced that management is scheduled to present at the Needham Networking, Communications & Security Conference in New York. The presentation will begin at 12:10 p.m. ET on Tuesday, November 13, 2018. A live webcast of the event will be available on Vonage's Investor Relations website. A replay will be available shortly after the live webcast. About Vonage Vonage (NYSE:VG) is redefining business communications. True to our roots as a tecnology disruptor, we've embraced technology to transform how companies communicate to create better business outcomes. Our unique cloud communications platform brings together a robust unified communications solution with the agility of embedded communications APIs. This powerful combination enables businesses to collaborate more productively and engage their customers more effectively across messaging, chat, social media, video and voice. The Company also provides a robust suite of feature-rich residential communication solutions. Vonage Holdings Corp. is headquartered in Holmdel, New Jersey, with offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, and Israel. Vonage is a registered trademark of Vonage Marketing LLC, owned by Vonage America Inc. For more information, visit www.vonage.com. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vonage-to-present-at-the-needham-networking-communications--security-conference-300746018.html SOURCE Vonage Thanks for visiting ! The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Thank you for your support! Rhode Island has an astounding 400 miles of Atlantic coastline and boasts the sailing capital of the world, Newport. You'll find Gilded Age Mansions like The Breakers, The Elms, Marble House where Alva Vanderbilt once held women's rights rallies, and several other grand estates. In Providence, RI you can take advantage of a full roster of theatrical performances in the city's downtown arts and entertainment district. Certain attractions may be temporarily closed or require advance reservations. Some restaurants are currently offering pickup only. Hours/availability may have changed. 1. Cliff Walk Courtesy of Chee-Onn Leong - Fotolia.com The Cliff Walk was designated a National Recreation Trail in 1975, the first in New England. This unique 3.5-mile walk combines the stunning natural beauty of the Newport shoreline with its premier architectural history in the National Historic District. Guests will be delighted by the geology, wildflowers, and birds while walking from smooth paved pathways to rugged and rough terrain along the shore. One minute visitors will be passing through manicured lawns on private property, and the next they'll be scrambling across sandy boulders or staring into a 70-foot drop. The stunning views coupled with the mixture of history and nature make this a top attraction in Newport. 117 Memorial Boulevard, Newport, RI, Phone: 401-845-5300 2. Beavertail Lighthouse Museum Courtesy of sb good win - Fotolia.com The Beavertail Lighthouse Museum is the third oldest lighthouse in North America, sitting on the southernmost point of Jamestown, Rhode Island. This historic lighthouse boasts a museum that offers a collection of artifacts and informational material on the lighthouse itself, Narragansett Bay's maritime science, technology, and art pieces depicting the culture of the community. In addition to the museum, guests can climb the tower via 49 steps up a spiral staircase and a 7-foot ladder that opens onto the observation catwalk. The reward is an epic view of the bay and skyline. There is a museum gift shop and also open space at adjacent Beavertail State Park. PO Box 83, Jamestown, RI, Phone: 401-423-3270 You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Rhode Island" Back to Top 3. Rhode Island Attractions: RISD Museum RISD Museum The RISD (Rhode Island School of Design) Museum is housed in five buildings on the historic East Side of Providence. They've created a space where culturally diverse designs and artwork from ancient times to the present are maintained, exhibited, and interpreted. They house nearly 100,000 art pieces covering seven departments that include Asian art; ancient art; contemporary art; costume and textiles; painting and sculpture; prints, drawings, and photographs; and decorative arts and design. Visitors can explore the galleries using their cell phones to tune in to the museum channel and listen to artists, designers, scholars, and students talking about exhibits and objects. 20 North Main Street, Providence, RI, Phone: 401-709-8402 You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Rhode Island" Back to Top 4. Things to Do in Rhode Island: The Elms Courtesy of Ritu Jethani - Fotolia.com The Elms became a National Historic Landmark in 1996 after having been occupied from the late 1800s to the mid-1960s by the Berwind family. Used as a summer home, Mr. Berwind commissioned architect Horace Trumbauer to construct it, drawing inspiration from the mid-18th century French Chateau d'Asnieres. The stately home was completed in 1901 and featured interior designs and furnishings by Paris designers Allard and Sons. It became the backdrop to Berwind's accumulation of 18th century oriental jades and French and Venetian paintings. Guests can see this lovely home, artifact collections, and intricate Classic Revival gardens by joining one of the hourly Servant Life tours or audio tours. 367 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI, Phone: 401-847-1000 You are reading "Fun Things to Do in Rhode Island this Weekend with Friends" Back to Top or More places to see near me today, what to do, weekend trips 5. Rhode Island points of interest: Marble House Courtesy of demerzel 21 - Fotolia.com The Marble House was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2006 after changing hands from Alva Vanderbilt to Fredrick H. Prince in 1932, and then to the Preservation Society in 1963. Designed by architect Richard Hunt and modeled after the Petit Trianon at Versailles, it was a gift to Alva Vanderbilt from her husband. The home served as an architectural and social landmark, becoming the first home to begin transforming the Newport neighborhood of summer homes into an opulent vacation resort area for the elite. Years later, Alva Vanderbilt had a seaside tea house built on the property where she held women's rights rallies. Audio tours are available. 596 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI, Phone: 401-847-1000 You are reading "What to Do in Rhode Island this Weekend" Back to Top or Restaurants near me, stuff to do near me 6. The Breakers Courtesy of jerdad - Fotolia.com The Breakers is a National Historic Landmark comprised of a 70-room Italian Renaissance-style palazzo, stable, and carriage house. Originally a premier summer cottage purchased by the esteemed Vanderbilt family in the late 19th century, a fire burned its wood-framed structure to the ground. This allowed for the construction of the grand estate, inspired by the Genoa palaces of the 16th century, to be created. Open to the public since 1948, guests can tour the impressive grounds where one-of-a-kind sculptures by Karl Bitter and pristine architecture by Ogden Codman are eloquently featured. Beneath the Breakers tours are offered every half hour, where guests learn of the rich history the Vanderbilts brought to steamships and railroads. 44 Ochre Point Avenue, Newport, RI, Phone: 401-847-1000 You are reading "Top Romantic Tourist Attractions in Rhode Island" Back to Top or More must do for couples, what to do near me, places to visit this weekend 7. Martha's Vineyard Fast Ferry Courtesy of Brian - Fotolia.com When traveling to Martha's Vineyard, there is no faster way to get there than with Martha's Vineyard Fast Ferry, which travels between Quonset Point, RI, and Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard. Known for being the most opulent fast ferry on the island, it's a great alternative to Cape Cod traffic. The new Ava Pearl fast ferry allows guests to relax in the business class-designed interior featuring plush Beurteaux seating and flat-screen satellite televisions. The high-tech ride control system is world class, allowing for a smooth ride. Riders can choose to cross in the upscale air-conditioned interior or on the beautiful sundeck. 1347 Roger Williams Way, North Kingstown, RI, Phone: 401-295-4040 You are reading "What is There to Do with Kids in Rhode Island" Back to Top or More tourism, attractions for couples, food, things to see near me today 8. Rhode Island Attractions: Providence Performing Arts Center Courtesy of mountaira - Fotolia.com The Providence Performing Arts Center is a world-class venue in the heart of the arts and entertainment district of Providence, Rhode Island. Open since 1928 under the name Loew's State Movie Palace, it has long been considered the Jewel of Weybosset Street. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and voted one of the world's top venues by Pollstar, it is the second biggest theatre of its kind in New England, boasting a full roster of contemporary and theatrical performances annually. Visitors will love the many world-renowned productions throughout the year, such as The King and I produced by Rodgers & Hammerstein. 220 Weybosset Street, Providence, RI, Phone: 401-421-2787 9. Things to Do in Rhode Island: Rough Point Courtesy of spiritofamerica - Fotolia.com Rough Point is the shoreline estate of Doris Duke - heiress, art collector, and philanthropist. The estate remains exactly as she left it, with stunning French furniture, opulent European art on the walls, Flemish tapestries, and her collection of Chinese porcelains. When its season opens in April each year, guests are welcomed on guided tours of the house and on self-guided exploration of the exquisite grounds and gardens. Exhibitions change annually, including the 2016 Waterscapes exhibition prominently displaying Doris Duke's collection of Shangri La art pieces, and the 2017 Nature Tamed exhibition, visualized in garden, landscape, and estate collections. 680 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI, Phone: 401-847-8344 "Best Things to Do in Rhode Island for Locals & Tourists - Restaurants, Hotels" Back to Top or Beautiful places near me, what to do, restaurants for breakfast, travel guide, nearest beach 10. Things to Do in RI Today: Fort Adams State Park Courtesy of Tomtsya - Fotolia.com Fort Adams State Park is the biggest and most intricate complex coastal fortification in the nation, built between 1824 and 1874 in Newport, Rhode Island. This fortress, surrounded by Narragansett Bay, was active during World War II; it was able to mount over 400 cannons and house just under 2,500 troops. Now inactive, guests are welcome to tour the grand facility on hour-long guided walks from the top of its massive walls to the depths of its underground tunnels. Visitors can also experience a sunset walk around the perimeter of the state park. The 2.5-mile jaunt offers exemplary views. 90 Fort Adams Drive, Fort Adams State Park, Newport, RI, Phone: 401-841-0707 11. Things to Do in Rhode Island: Roger Williams Park Zoo Courtesy of matheus - Fotolia.com The Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence is one of the oldest zoos in the nation; it spreads across a stunning 40-acre park. Visitors have a chance to watch and interact with various animals from all over the world. The North America exhibit features swimming harbor seals, majestic bald eagles, and grazing bison. The World of Adaptations exhibit features the best of Australia, including laughing kookaburra, hopping kangaroos, gregarious gibbons, and many others. Guests will delight in the only rainforest in the state at Tropical America, and take a walk through time with Marco Polo's Adventure Trek, among other wild experiences. 1000 Elmwood Avenue, Providence, RI, Phone: 401-785-3510 "New cool stuff to do in Rhode Island" Back to Top or Romantic Getaways, Wedding Ideas close to me this weekend, honeymoon, anniversary Ideas, fun places near me 12. What to Do in Rhode Island: Rosecliff Mansion Courtesy of demerzel 21 - Fotolia.com The Rosecliiff Mansion was commissioned by Theresa Fair Oelrichs, a Nevada silver heiress in 1899. Modeled after the Grand Trianon - the garden oasis of French kings at Versailles - and designed by architect Stanford White, it was completed in 1902. Throughout the years, Mrs. Oelrichs hosted lavish parties, including her famed fairytale dinner with special guest magician, Harry Houdini. The mansion was eventually gifted to the Preservation Society by subsequent owners Mr. and Mrs. J. Edgar Monroe, complete with furnishings and an endowment, in 1971. It's currently open to the public for tours and private events and features annual exhibits. 548 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI, Phone: 401-847-1000 Next read: RI wedding venues 13. Rhode Island Attractions: Southeast Lighthouse Courtesy of RbbrDckyBK - Fotolia.com The Southeast Lighthouse sits atop the Mohegan Bluffs, which rise precipitously to a height of almost 200 feet above sea level and span nearly 3 miles of the southern shore known as Block Island. The original lighthouse and attached keeper's dwelling was built in 1829. The design is notable for its Victorian and Gothic Revival influences with the use of red brick on a foundation of granite blocks. The lighthouse is available for guests to explore seasonally, arriving by ferry, private boat, or via an aircraft. Guided tours are available per request at the quaint shop at the tower's base. 122 Mohegan Trail, Block Island, RI, Phone: 401-466-5009 14. Rhode Island points of interest: National Museum of American Illustration National Museum of American Illustration The National Museum of American Illustration (NMAI) is housed on 3 acres of land in Vernon Court, an 18th century inspired French chateau. The museum was founded in 1998 by Laurence and Judy Cutler as a place for their collection of mostly Golden Age American Illustration art to reside. Their collection also features an array of illustration art from all periods, talents, and styles. The NMAI is committed to restoring, preserving, researching, exhibiting, and interpreting original illustration artworks, which include several notable pieces from illustrators/artists like Violet Oakley, Norman Rockwell, Howard Pyle, and others. Guided tours are available on Friday afternoons all year round. 492 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI, Phone: 401-851-8949 15. Things to Do in Rhode Island: Bowen's Wharf Bowen's Wharf Bowen's Wharf is one of the premier natural harbors in New England - a year-round destination that has a little something for everyone. Visitors will feel as though they've been transported to a different era with the brick walkways, granite docks, and 18th-century commercial buildings from the thriving seaport's beginnings. Known as the anchor of Newport, businesses on the wharf trade with countries from all over the world providing excellent shopping and dining opportunities. Guests to the wharf can engage in various activities from harbor cruises, sunset sails, and parasailing to boutique shopping, wine tasting, and gallery hopping. 13 Bowen's Wharf, Newport, RI, Phone: 401-849-2243 You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Rhode Island" Back to Top or Amazing things to do around me & More pictures of fun cheap vacation spots 16. Block Island Ferry Block Island Ferry The Block Island Ferry has its home base in Point Judith, RI, offering traditional and high-speed ferry services from Narragansett to Block Island as well as seasonal rides from Newport, RI, and Fall River, MA to the island. Guests who opt for the traditional ride will enjoy a leisurely glide across the water enjoying serene views on a 55-minute voyage. For go-getters, it's all about the high-speed ferry; at 30 minutes, it's the fastest trip from the mainland to the island. Guests may also book the ferry for private charters to Block Island, where the famous Southeast Lighthouse awaits their arrival. 304 Great Island Road, Narragansett, RI, Phone: 401-783-7996 17. International Tennis Hall of Fame International Tennis Hall of Fame The International Tennis Hall of Fame (ITHF) is committed to the preservation of the game of tennis and the celebration of the sport's greats, as reflected in the museum and historic grounds. ITHF resides within the Newport Casino, a National Historic Landmark and social club that opened in 1880 for Newport's summer elite. Its museum displays roughly 2,000 artifacts of the ITHF's impressive collection of over 25,000 objects, publications, videos, and photographs. Museum guests will be captivated by interactive experiences with exhibits and learn about the history and evolution of tennis over time with comprehensive narratives. 194 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI, Phone: 401-849-3990 You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Rhode Island" Back to Top or More weekend getaways, what to do near me, must see attractions, stuff to do near me 18. Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum The Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum is a summer estate that sits on 33 acres of land with majestic views of Narragansett Bay. This nationally significant estate is supremely important to American history as it features one of the only authentic, matured examples of the Country Place Era. Blithewold consists of 45 preserved rooms with family heirlooms, a greenhouse, and an array of beautiful gardens surrounding the property. Each garden has a specific personality, be it mysterious, poetic, practical, or exotic. Inside the estate, guests will note several collections and exhibits that display late 19th and early 20th-century New England culture. 101 Ferry Road, Bristol, RI, Phone: 401-253-2707 19. One Way Gallery One Way Gallery It is a surprise to many visitors to find edgy, thought-provoking modern art in a quaint seaside town where charming seascapes are much more expected. Large One Way Gallery in downtown Narragansett offers a space for local and regional emerging and younger artists. On the gallery walls there are graffiti, cartoons, artwork with pop cultural influence, works commenting on pressing current issues, as well as abstract art and art with a touch of irreverence. Every summer in July, One Way Gallery hosts the Summer Salon, presenting works of art by about 30 national and local artists. The show is the gallerys main event and attracts the attention of art lovers and art critics from all over the country. 140 Boon St, Narragansett, RI 02882, Phone: 401-792-8800 You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Rhode Island" Back to Top or Getting married, lunch near me, romantic things to do, places around me 20. Rhode Island points of interest: Biomes Marine Biology Center Biomes Marine Biology Center The Biomes Marine Biology Center (BMBC) is the most hands-on aquarium in New England and the only private marine education facility in the area. Since opening in 1989, BMBC has been committed to offering interactive marine biology programs to their community featuring marine animals straight from their local waters, the Atlantic Ocean, and Narragansett Bay. It takes guests roughly 2 hours to check out all the exhibits, which include species native to their waters and a few exotics who made their way to New England. On the weekends, visitors can check out feedings for some species, from tortoises to stingrays. 6640 Post Road, North Kingstown, RI, Phone: 401-885-4690 21. Newport Vineyards Courtesy of Arena Creative - Fotolia.com Newport Vineyards has been bringing a Napa Valley experience to Rhode Island since 1977 from its original location on a hillside overlooking Rhode Island Sound. Committed to both creating fine wines and lovingly preserving the agricultural land, Newport Vineyards offers guests an exceptional experience. This now 60-acre vineyard thrives on Aquidneck Island and provides visitors with a chance to tour the impressive grounds while sipping one-of-a-kind wines. Guests can get a behind-the-scenes look at the process of winemaking, enjoy a 30-minute outdoor vineyard tour, and end the excursion in the tasting room or outdoor patio for a few samples of local wines. 909 East Main Road, Middletown, RI, Phone: 401-848-5161 22. Wright's Dairy Farm & Bakery Wright's Dairy Farm & Bakery Wright's Dairy Farm and Bakery has been in the dairy business for more than 100 years, and they are committed to providing quality dairy products to their consumers. Guests can experience an up-close and personal view of cows getting milked every afternoon from 3 pm to 5 pm. Following the milking, they can head over to the bakery for fresh dairy milk and pastries. It only takes 24 hours to get the milk from cow to bottle, which results in a slightly sweeter taste than mass-produced, non-local milk. Bonus - it will last longer in the refrigerator, too! Guests can also purchase sweet treats and blocks of cheese from the onsite bakery. 200 Woonsocket Hill Road, North Smithfield, RI, Phone: 401-767-3014 You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Rhode Island" Back to Top or More romantic weekend getaways, more places of interest in, wedding venues near me, time zone, what to do 23. Fun Things to Do in Rhode Island: La Gondola La Gondola La Gondola provides guests with a completely unique way of exploring the renaissance city of Providence. Whether they are looking for a romantic excursion for two or a fun night out for a group of friends, La Gondola has the evening covered. They feature six tour packages that include excursions like Viaggio dei Sogni, a basic 40-minute trip along the Providence and Woonasquatucket Rivers. Guests pass by historical landmarks and glide under stone bridges while eating handmade Italian wine biscuits, sipping wine, and listening to authentic Italian music. Packages like the Viaggio dei AcquaFuoco (WaterFire), take guests out during the famous WaterFire lighting in the square. One Citizens Plaza, Providence, RI, Phone: 401-421-8877 24. Experience Rhode Island Tours Experience Rhode Island Tours Experience Rhode Island Tours is a family-owned and operated business started by two local brothers who wanted to show visitors everything there is to know about the Ocean State. They offer a wide variety of tour packages, including historically themed tours like Rhode Island and the American Revolution and Roger Williams: His Life and Legacy. Rhode Island living tours provide visitors with a look back through history at what life was like in specific areas of the state, like their Country Rhode Island and Life on the Bay tours. They also offer one-of-a-kind excursions, such as the Blackstone River Valley - America's most unique national park. 1 Sabin Street, Providence, RI, Phone: 401-866-0733 25. John Brown House Museum John Brown House Museum The John Brown House Museum allows guests to take a step back in time to the 18th century, when the post-Revolutionary War United States was progressing. The house was originally built in 1788 by wealthy businessman and slave trader John Brown. He was one of the most influential men in the state and enjoyed great wealth and political clout. Visitors will learn about Rhode Island's role in U.S. history through some of the nation's most controversial topics of the times - slavery, the American Revolution, and trade with China. Both docent-led and audio self-guided audio tours are available Tuesdays through Fridays. 52 Power Street, Providence, RI, Phone: 401-273-7507 25 Best Things to Do in Rhode Island More ideas: What to Do in Rhode Island: WaterFire Providence WaterFire Providence is a living, breathing work of art in the form of fire. Located in the capital city of Rhode Island, it comprises 100 flaming braziers floating on water installed across the three rivers of downtown Providence. The visual spectacle releases an aromatic wood smoke scent into Waterplace Park, accompanied by music, while casting the park and bridges in ethereal light. The artistic display has drawn in more than ten million visitors to date, who delight in walking along the arched bridges watching the fire tenders passing the flame through torch lit boats gliding down the river, and basking in the sweet sounds of music from around the world. 100 Canal Walk, Waterplace Park, Providence, RI, Phone: 401-273-1155 You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Rhode Island " Back to Top Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute scientists have shown that mutations in specific genes that destroy motor neurons and thereby cause the devastating effects of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis also known as ALS or Lou Gehrigs disease also attack sensory neurons. The discovery appearing in the Thursday, Nov. 8, Scientific Reports indicates that studying sensory neurons could provide new mechanistic insights to prevent, slow, or even reverse ALS. Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute (VTCRI) scientists examined sensory neurons in cell cultures and in mice with ALS-causing mutant genes. They found that sensory neurons axons exhibit similar pathological changes found in motor neurons afflicted with ALS. Similar to motor neurons, ALS-inducing factors first affect the ending of sensory neuron axons, the site where they form synapses with other cells, and then the rest of the axon falls apart, said Gregorio Valdez, an associate professor with the VTCRI and a faculty member in the Department of Biological Sciences in the College of Science at Virginia Tech. Because sensory neurons are relatively easy to work with in a dish, in stark contrast to motor neurons, they are an attractive neuronal population for discovering and testing molecules to treat ALS. ALS has no cure, and most individuals with the disease die within three to five years from when symptoms first appear, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Were closer to understanding where the problem starts within a given cell, and especially neurons, in ALS, Valdez said. However, we need to understand the reason such cells succumb to ALS-inducing factors. It is also important to develop and optimize assays to test molecules with the potential of preventing neurons from giving into ALS-inducing factors. Our findings show that sensory neurons could serve both purposes. In practice, motor neurons and sensory neurons work together. Sensory neurons constantly relay information, directly and indirectly, to motor neurons. This information could be about temperature, touch, and the contractile status of skeletal muscles. In essence, we now have a high-content and high-throughput assay using sensory neurons in a dish to look for molecules that could prevent ALS-related pathology, Valdez said. Valdez is the senior and corresponding author of the study. First author is Sydney Vaughn, a student in the translational biology, medicine, and health graduate program at Virginia Tech and a research associate in the Valdez lab. Other authors on the study include Natalia Sutherland, a first-year student in the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine; Sihui Zhang, formerly a postdoctoral associate in the Valdez lab; and two members of the ALS Therapy Development Institute Chief Scientific Officer Fernando Vieira and senior scientist Theo Hatzipetros. Through the Beyond Boundaries visioning process, Virginia Tech President Tim Sands challenged the university community to imagine the higher education landscape a generation or two into the future. Following that effort, and as the university is engaged in a strategic planning process, the 2018 Campus Master Plan approved by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors on Monday will guide current and future campus leaders as they imagine and develop the Blacksburg campus and the universitys 11 agricultural research and Extension centers through 2047. The campus master plan is not a blueprint for future development, rather it is a flexible, adaptable, and evolutionary document that will help university leadership make good decisions in the future, said Vice President for Operations Sherwood Wilson. The plan sets forth principles for smart growth while preserving and enhancing the unique character of the main campus. The campus master plan, Wilson said, includes a deep analysis of supporting infrastructure, such as transportation, accessibility, utilities, and stormwater, as well as university assets that exist beyond Montgomery County. The campus master plan informs growth, but it is not a capital outlay plan, said Charles T. Hill, chair of the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors Buildings and Grounds Committee and retired SunTrust Bank executive. The campus master plan provides key principles and, in some cases, broad recommendations for making decisions about particular building siting, design, and anticipated infrastructure needs. Virginia Tech already has robust processes in place to support the identification, prioritization, funding, planning, and approval of individual infrastructure and construction projects. These processes engage a broad range of community members and may involve years of work. Each project begins with a specific program or unit identifying a teaching, research, or support need and continues through Board of Visitors approvals for funding, design, and construction. Over the past 20 years, facilities on the Blacksburg campus have grown by 4.6 million gross-square-feet, and the university anticipates an additional 7 million gross-square-feet in facilities growth over the next 30 years. The development of the 2018 Campus Master Plan began more than two years ago and was guided by the two campus master plan committees, which included students, faculty, staff, alumni, Town of Blacksburg officials, and members of the universitys Board of Visitors. Input and feedback from university and community members were collected throughout the process through nearly 200 presentations and town hall-style meetings. This campus master plan is unprecedented for Virginia Tech in its depth and breadth, said Liza Morris, interim assistant vice president for planning and university architect. It begins to imagine ideas, including total campus accessibility, sustainability, mixed and flexible use teaching and research environments, collaboration hubs, and intersections of campus and town. 1. Yes. Nonprofit youth organizations are underfunded in the city. Its a good decision. 2. Yes. In conjunction with city-run programs, it will provide needed opportunities. 3. No. The money should be used to benefit all residents, not just the citys youth. 4. No. The funds should be invested in the area where the project is being developed.. 5. Unsure. Its hard to say whether its an appropriate use of the money. Vote View Results Cryptocurrency millionaire Jeffrey Berns plans to build a new blockchain campus in Northern Nevada desert, creating a high-tech community center based on blockchain technology. And, the first images have been revealed for a smart city campus that will be developed by Los Angeles-based firms Tom Wiscombe Architecture and Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects. Berns, who owns the cryptocurrency company Blockchains L.L.C, purchased more than 67,000 acres of land in Northern Nevada to design a new kind of business and residential community campus, by paying $170 million for the land, according to the New York Times. Called Innovation Park, the project will be developed as a smart city with decentralized blockchain underlying all infrastructure. Among other projects, the city will include a highly secured, high-tech Blockchains Campus that joins blockchain technology with artificial intelligence (AI), 3D printing and nanotechnology; residential units that will provide a new living environment to thousands; and various financial, business and retail concepts that will take advantage of emerging technologies. In the first step, the architects will construct an 1,000 acre campus that will accomodate startups and high-tech companies working on applications such as AI and 3D printing to help bring about the high-tech city. The aim of the project to showcase how business development, residential living and commerce can flourish alongside world changing technologies. "Efficiency, sustainability, transparency and provenance will not be compromised, but guaranteed," said the architects. By using multiple innovative technologies, those implementations will change the way its residents interact on a daily basis and blockchain technology and will be at the center of it all keeping systems honest, fair and democratic. In this general masterplan, Tom Wiscombe Architecture and Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects will assist in the vision of this environment and the architectural possibilities unleashed with the integration of this paradigm shifting technology. "To support innovation and collaboration on this scale, new building typologies have been developed to support communication and creativity, such as massive workplace/manufacturing hybrids, where inventions are prototyped and where they are conceived," said Tom Wiscombe Architecture. The team will design large interior civic-scale spaces and shaded green courtyards serving as community areas for meeting, learning, and possibly the next disruptive idea. Autonomous vehicles, rather than simply moving between buildings, will also provide circulation inside and through vast buildings. "For those who will call this smart city home, the integration of these advanced technologies will provide tangible improvements to the human experience," added the team. "When planning for vehicles that are autonomous and 100% electric, the living environment and pedestrian experience can be made human-centric (safe, quiet, clean) rather than car-centric." The new campus will allow individuals, couples and families to thrive, providing a range of housing opportunities from single family on the hillside, to communal living with shared amenities in larger multi-family / mixed use buildings below. Civic centers, schools, and commercial areas are woven throughout, creating density, walkability and above all, community. With the concept of regenerative design at its core, the city will be grounded within its high desert home. Energy will be provided by renewable sources such as next generation solar and wind. Water, the most precious resource, will be recycled and reclaimed to get the most from every drop. The buildings will seek to integrate within this landscape, connecting inhabitants to the environment and to the desert sublime. All images courtesy of Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects & Tom Wiscombe Architecture > via Blockchains L.L.C & Tom Wiscombe Architecture & Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects John Horgan in Scientific American: I dont really have heroes, but if I did, Noam Chomsky would be at the top of my list. Who else has achieved such lofty scientific and moral standing? Linus Pauling, perhaps, and Einstein. Chomskys arguments about the roots of language, which he first set forth in the late 1950s, triggered a revolution in our modern understanding of the mind. Since the 1960s, when he protested the Vietnam War, Chomsky has also been a ferocious political critic, denouncing abuses of power wherever he sees them. Chomsky, who turns 90 on December 7, remains busy. He spent last month in Brazil speaking out against far-right politician Jair Bolsonaro, and he recently discussed the migrant caravan on the show Democracy Now. Chomsky, whom I first interviewed in 1990 (see my profile here), has had an enormous influence on my scientific and political views. His statement that we may always learn more about human life and human personality from novels than from scientific psychology could serve as an epigraph for my new book Mind-Body Problems (available for free here). Below he responds to my emailed questions with characteristic clarity and force. John Horgan Do you ever chill out? Would rather skip personal matters. Your ideas about language have evolved over the decades. In what ways, if any, have they remained the same? Some of the earliest assumptions, then tentative and only partially formed, have proven quite robust, among them that the human language capacity is a species property in a double sense: virtually uniform among humans apart from serious pathology, and unique to humans in its essential properties. More here. Marina Benjamin at the TLS: When Burne-Jones painted his Briar Rose cycle, grown women who had too much to say and to do were being forcibly put to bed. They were diagnosed as hysterics, depressives and neurasthenics, whose delicate nerves were no match for their mental gymnastics, and given a prescription of hardcore rest. Many of these women were insomniac. Some had eating disorders; others were suicidal. To a woman (almost) they balked at the societal restrictions that corralled them into being mothers and homemakers and disallowed anything else. Nervous conditions, sleeplessness, self-starvation (that is, disappearing before you are made to disappear), this was their protest. The writer Charlotte Perkins Gilman described how at Silas Weir Mitchells Philadelphia clinic, in the spring of 1887, she was put to bed and kept there. Mitchell was the physician who devised the infamous rest cure, after working with soldiers who had emerged from the Civil War afflicted with wounded nerves. more here. Philip Manow at Eurozine: Disregarding the substance of populism and focusing exclusively on its exclusionary rhetoric may succeed in protecting the definition of populism from everyday polemic, however it also allows one to ignore the political issues, in other words what populists are actually saying and why. This, at least, is compatible with the prevailing view that populist positions are so obviously irrational that there is no point in bothering to discuss them anyway. However, this is nothing but the abjuration of the pluralist claim bandied about to characterise populism in the first place. In particular, it enables avoidance of basic questions of redistribution and scarcity, such as that of the losers of cosmopolitan humanitarianism: a question that the (German) middle class no longer likes to talk about, because it hardly comes into contact with them. more here. En espanol | In the beginning, it didnt seem all that worrisome. Doris Conlys 89-year-old mother, Yolanda, woke up on a Friday and didnt feel very well, though she wasnt in pain nothing that set off any alarms. Two days later, she couldnt walk to the car to drive to her doctor, so she was taken to a hospital by ambulance. That Friday, just a week after her initial symptoms, she died from sepsis brought on by a bladder infection. Thats how fast it happened, recalls Conly. My mom was an older woman, but she was in good health, very independent, and saw her doctor for regular checkups. We were in shock. Sepsis is a complication that happens when your body tries to fight off an infection, be it pneumonia, a urinary tract infection or something like a gastrointestinal infection. The immune system goes into overdrive, releasing chemicals into the bloodstream to fight the infection. That causes a kind of chain reaction, causing dangerous inflammation throughout the entire body. Things get out of whack and you end up with something more serious than the infection itself, says Anthony Fiore, M.D., chief of epidemiology research and innovations at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Left untreated, sepsis can lead to septic shock, with a drastic drop in blood pressure that can cause heart or respiratory failure, stroke and organ failure. Sepsis is sneaky and also deadly. The numbers are eye-opening: According to the CDC, about 1.7 million Americans get sepsis every year, and 270,000 will die from the illness; thats one person every two minutes. One-third of those who die in a hospital have sepsis. Whats more, says Chirag Choudhary, a critical care physician at Cleveland Clinic and cochair of the medical centers enterprise sepsis steering committee, Many of those who survive a sepsis hospitalization are left with a decreased quality of life, with life-changing effects, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic pain and fatigue, organ dysfunction, amputations, and cognitive and functional impairments. They are also more likely to end up back in the hospital and to have to rely on caregivers. Serious stuff, to be sure. Yet public awareness of sepsis is low. A 2018 Sepsis Alliance Awareness Survey found that 35 percent of Americans had not heard of sepsis, and the signs and symptoms are not well known outside of health care settings. Consider this your primer to a potentially life-threatening condition. Age matters Anyone can get sepsis, at any age, but older people are most at risk. People over age 65 make up nearly 60 percent of sepsis cases. In fact, sepsis appears to be the most common reason older adults are admitted to an intensive care unit. As we age, our immune system becomes less effective at fighting infections, says Choudhary. And with every infection comes a risk of developing sepsis. Also, individuals over age 65 are more susceptible to chronic illnesses, which increase the odds of sepsis-triggering infections the most common being pneumonia, followed by UTIs. As people age, they may develop cancer, diabetes, kidney disease, heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, says Choudhary. Its not unusual to see an elderly person with two or more chronic diseases taking medications to treat these conditions that further suppress the immune system. Whats more, infections can be hard to identify in older people, making it a challenge to get a prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment. For example, fever, the most common sign of sepsis, is absent in approximately 30 to 50 percent of older adults with infections. Another sign of sepsis, mental status, may go unnoticed if a medical team or caregivers arent familiar with a patients mental status prior to admission. If a patient comes in confused, with just a little bit of a fever, its important to know if that person was playing bridge the day before or if they have already been displaying signs of dementia, says Fiore. That can be hard to determine, especially if someone arrives in an ambulance, without accompanying family. UTIs can also be tricky. The usual symptoms of a urinary tract infection are burning, frequency, urgency or pain. But in older individuals, according to Choudhary, the first sign of a UTI may be a change in mental status. They may become confused or disoriented, so the infection could be present and left untreated for a long time before it is noticed. Beware the breeding grounds According to the CDC, most cases of sepsis start outside a health care setting, but bedridden patients particularly those being treated in an intensive care unit or in nursing homes can be particularly vulnerable. A recent federal report found that care related to sepsis was the most common reason given for transfers of nursing home residents to hospitals, and noted that such cases ended in death much more often than hospitalizations for other conditions. In Illinois, about 6,000 nursing home residents a year who were hospitalized had sepsis, and 1 in 5 didnt survive, according to an analysis by Definitive Healthcare, a private health care data firm. There are many infections and antibiotic-resistant infections in these settings and transmission from patient to patient and from health care providers occurs, says Choudhary. Research has shown that poor hygiene say, a lack of handwashing or improper handwashing is the No. 1 cause of people hospital-acquired infection. Health care providers not wearing gloves when providing care and not changing gloves between patients also puts patients at increased risk. Other culprits: pressure sores and exposure to invasive devices, such as catheters and breathing tubes, both a breeding ground for germs and bacteria. The high rate of sepsis among the older population has consequences for the health care system and is expecting to worsen with an aging population. A CDC evaluation found that 7 in 10 patients with sepsis had recently used health care services or had chronic conditions requiring frequent care. According to a 2016 study from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality that analyzed billings from 2013, sepsis is responsible for nearly $24 billion in annual costs, making it the most expensive condition to treat in the U.S. health care system. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) today announced the shutdown of an international real-estate scam that has cost hundreds of consumers more than $100 million dollars the largest-ever scam of its kind that the agency has targeted. The so-called Sanctuary Belize scam promised Americans a hassle-free path to retirement in paradise. Instead, a network of international scammers allegedly collected millions of dollars as consumers invested their retirement savings in a sham luxury development on the southern coast of Belize. According to the agency, the scam targeted small-business owners at or near retirement age, who were persuaded to invest in plots of land that cost between $100,000 to $500,000. Promotional pitches promised a no-debt business model, quick construction and a significant return on investment. Instead, of the more than 1,000 lots sold, fewer than 10 percent have completed homes, said James Kohm, associate director of the FTCs Division of Enforcement. According to Kohm, buyers regularly lost their entire investment or were forced to sell their properties back to the scammers at a loss. He added that promised amenities, such as an airport, hospital and golf course, will never materialize. En espanol | Another 300,000 Americans many of them over age 50 will soon be eligible for Medicaid because voters in Idaho, Nebraska and Utah decided to extend the health care program for low-income people. The passage of ballot measures in those states, brings to 37 the number of states, including the District of Columbia, that have expanded the Medicaid program since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) created the opportunity to offer more people coverage. Medicaid is funded by the federal government and states. The success of the three ballot measures is a recognition that Medicaid plays an important role in our society for those who are in need and that its an issue that has changed a great deal over the past five or six years from a political standpoint, says John Hishta, AARP senior vice president for campaigns. I think the voters have led the way in some of these states. In Montana voters rejected a measure that would have increased tobacco taxes by $2 on a pack of cigarettes and taxed other tobacco products to pay for the states share of Medicaid expansion, veterans mental health, and home- and community-based services. About 129,000 low-income residents could lose their Medicaid eligibility next year if the state Legislature fails to act. Tuesdays election results in three other states could have implications for their Medicaid programs, too. In Maine, Democratic Gov.-elect Janet Mills supports expanding Medicaid. Although the states voters decided in 2017 to expand the program, the current governor, Republican Paul LePage, has refused to implement the expansion. During her campaign, Mills promised to follow through with the extension. In Kansas, Gov.-elect Laura Kelly, also a Democrat, said during her campaign that she would push for legislation to expand Medicaid during her first year in office. In 2017 the Republican-controlled Kansas House of Representatives and Senate passed legislation to extend Medicaid, but Gov. Sam Brownback vetoed it. The Legislature was unable to override his veto. And in Wisconsin, Governor-elect Tony Evers supports expanding Medicaid, which would provide coverage to at least an additional 80,000 people. Expanding Medicaid is especially important, Hista says, because it gives an opportunity for those between the ages of 50 and 64 who are in need but who dont have access to Medicare to get health coverage. Most of them work but dont have access to health insurance. Copyright 2018 Albuquerque Journal A day after winning a decisive victory to be New Mexicos next governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham got to work laying the foundation for her administration. The Democratic governor-elect announced that former longtime U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman will serve as chairman of her transition team, a job that will involve helping shape policy and identifying possible Cabinet picks. At a Wednesday news conference in Albuquerque, Lujan Grisham told reporters she had made no job offers and would consider holdovers from outgoing Gov. Susana Martinezs administration if they share her goals. We really want to send a message that we want the best and the brightest to engage with us so we can make those decisions, Lujan Grisham said. After defeating Republican Steve Pearce in the general election Tuesday, Lujan Grisham will take office on New Years Day less than two months from now and will have to move quickly to assemble a Cabinet and prepare a budget plan. A 60-day legislative session will start Jan. 15. The three-term congresswoman said she received a congratulatory phone call late Tuesday from Martinez, a Republican who was barred from seeking a third consecutive term in office and will step down at years end. Lujan Grisham described the phone call as a productive conversation and said Martinez pledged to help make the transition a smooth one. The two also plan to meet in the coming days. She made it clear that whatever we need for a successful transition we could count on her administration to (provide), Lujan Grisham said. New Mexico is making history with two women elected as governor back to back and Im looking forward to that meeting and that cooperation. She also said Martinez administration officials would have the opportunity to apply for jobs under her regime Lujan Grisham already has a transition website but said appointees would have to share similar views on alternative energy, changes to New Mexicos public education system and more. There is something to be said for productive continuity, said the governor-elect, who was previously a Cabinet secretary herself under three governors before being elected to Congress. However, Lujan Grisham also said she was concerned about high employee vacancy rates in several New Mexico state agencies, including the Children, Youth and Families Department and the Human Services Department. Those positions will hold a priority for our administration, she said. For her part, Martinez told the Journal in a statement that she was proud to be preparing to hand over the reins of state government at a time of unprecedented projected incoming revenue due primarily to record-high oil production levels and dropping unemployment rates. As I told the Governor-elect last night, I sincerely want her to succeed and I encourage all New Mexicans to come together and support the Governor-elect, as her success will be New Mexicos success, Martinez said. Meanwhile, Lujan Grishams decision to tap Bingaman as her transition team chairman came as somewhat of a surprise, because Bingaman did not have a role in her campaign for governor. A former New Mexico attorney general who did not seek re-election to the U.S. Senate in 2012 after 30 years in Washington, D.C., Bingaman touted Lujan Grishams plan to meet with legislative leaders from both political parties in the coming weeks. I think inviting both the Republican and Democratic legislators to come together and talk about what the agenda is going to be for the next four years is a clear sign of how Lujan Grisham plans to governor, Bingaman told reporters. The only other announced member of Lujan Grishams transition team is Dominic Gabello, who was her campaign manager during the election cycle and will direct transition efforts. About 30 students protested outside Cibola High School Wednesday morning in response to incidents at the school last week that resulted in a teacher being put on paid leave. The We Stand with Cibola High Indigenous Students rally was in response to the blatant cultural assault of Indigenous Cibola High School Students, protest organizers wrote online. Albuquerque Public Schools would only previously confirm a teacher allegedly made a culturally insensitive remark to one student and cut another students hair in what was described by the district as a Halloween stunt. On Wednesday, APS would not comment on the protest but said the investigation into the teacher is ongoing. Melissa Tso, a community organizer for Native American advocacy group The Red Nation, attended the protest a the West Side school early Wednesday morning. She told the Journal she believes a Native American female student had her hair cut by the teacher and another Native American student was the center of what APS called a culturally insensitive remark. Protesters held signs that read My hair is my prayer, My hair is my knowledge, and We stay strong cuz we keep our braids long. The demonstration lasted about an hour before school started. SANTA FE A Santa Fe District Court judge ruled that a man who recently had his murder charge dropped due to speedy trial delays by prosecutors cannot leave the state while his case is considered by the Court of Appeals. On Wednesday Judge T. Glenn Ellington released Robert Mondrian-Powell, who was accused of killing Elvira Segura in September 2016, on his own recognizance but ordered that he not leave the state. In June Ellington ordered the murder case against Mondrian-Powell be dropped due to prosecution delays. The state has appealed that decision. Prosecutor Martin Maxwell asked Ellington to keep Mondrian-Powell in New Mexico because he believes hes a flight risk. Mondrian-Powell, whos been out of jail since the case was dropped, was not summoned to court Wednesday. Mondrain-Powell was charged for allegedly shooting Segura in the neck in the fall of 2016 at Seguras Nambe home. Election Day is behind us, which means we no longer have to suffer through the endless television commercials and countless mailers dripping with nasty political attacks. But it also means weve got a new governor about to take the reins of our state, and several other elected officials who will take office or begin new terms Jan. 1. We congratulate Gov.-elect Michelle Lujan Grisham and all the other victors and offer our thanks to all who put themselves out there so voters could have a choice in who represents them at the county level, in the Roundhouse and in Congress. And kudos to the hundreds of thousands of voters who cast ballots and the army of poll workers who safeguarded the process. In Bernalillo County alone, 61 percent of registered voters made their voices heard, a remarkable turnout, particularly in a non-presidential election year. Whether the candidates you rooted for won or lost, we can all celebrate that we had our say and our democracy is alive and well. Thats not to say there werent glitches. The outcome of the 2nd Congressional District race between Republican Yvette Herrell and Democrat Xochitl Torres Small was still up in the air Wednesday evening, as Dona Ana County elections officials processed some 8,000 ballots that werent counted Tuesday night. That issue aside, the rest of New Mexicos Election Day appeared to go off without much of a hitch. It was a particularly good day for Democrats, who swept the statewide races, expanded their majority in the state House and prevailed in contested judicial and Bernalillo County races. Among those re-elected were Attorney General Hector Balderas, Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver and State Treasurer Tim Eichenberg. Brian Colon was elected state auditor, while Stephanie Garcia Richard prevailed in the land commissioner race. At the national level, Democrats took control of the U.S. House, although the Senate remains in Republican hands. New Mexico re-elected U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich and U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, both Democrats. Deb Haaland, also a Democrat, was elected to Congress and will be one of the first Native American women to hold the position. Of course, the biggest race on the ballot for most New Mexicans was the gubernatorial contest between Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, and Steve Pearce, a Republican. Lujan Grishams message and energy resonated with voters, and its easy to see why. She has pledged to bring different groups to the table to come up with solutions for pressing problems and to get buy-in for her initiatives. That consensus-building style is desperately needed in Santa Fe and will be useful in bringing about reasonable, moderate decisions to help move our state forward. Impressively, just hours after her win she announced former Sen. Jeff Bingaman as transition chair. To everyone elected, we wish you luck, because the future of our state truly depends on you. Oil and gas revenues are at an all-time high, resulting in a budget surplus currently estimated at $1.2 billion, although that figure could grow substantially. That surplus has created a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our state to begin addressing the many issues it faces, from crumbling infrastructure to poor national rankings in too many areas. Lujan Grisham and state lawmakers owe it to their constituents to seize this opportunity to truly move our state forward with metrics that ensure returns on investment while keeping at the forefront that this is one-time money that should rarely be used for recurring expenses. They must also keep the states fiscal health for future generations in mind. So lets celebrate the victories, set aside the animosity and get to work on addressing our states many challenges. Theres plenty of work to go around, and New Mexicos future depends on it being done well. This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers. Copyright 2018 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE The neighborhoods closest to the Sandia Mountains in Albuquerque are often the kinds of places in which Republicans run up victories of 10 percentages points or more. But the blue wave in New Mexico washed away those margins Tuesday as voters rejected Republican incumbents and favored Democratic candidates repeatedly, even in the traditionally conservative Northeast Heights and foothills. Albuquerque once a battleground for swing voters was at the center of Tuesdays shake-up in state politics, when Duke City voters helped deliver victories to Democrats in every statewide race and handed them enormous gains in the state House. Experts in polling and political science say its part of a long-term trend: Albuquerque is, indeed, performing more and more like urban areas in other parts of the country, they say, with increasing support for Democrats. But that doesnt mean New Mexicos largest city will keep Republicans out of statewide offices forever, they say. The Democrats performed better than their wildest dreams in the Legislature, by flipping those far Northeast Heights seats, Brian Sanderoff, president of Research & Polling Inc., said. Will the pendulum swing back when the circumstances are right? Of course. Timothy Krebs, a University of New Mexico professor who studies urban politics, said that across the country, urban areas are trending more blue and rural areas more red a kind of sorting of the population. Nationally, Krebs said, there is some evidence that where people choose to live reflects their general outlook on politics. They want to live by people who are like-minded, who are similar. The results in Tuesdays election were stark. Seven of Albuquerques seats in the state House flipped from Republican to Democratic control, according to unofficial results. The outcomes could change as recounts and canvassing move forward before the results are certified. But it looks like Albuquerques delegation to the state House may move from a 12-8 split favoring Democrats in recent sessions to 19-1 next year, with Republican Rep. Bill Rehm the lone Albuquerque Republican in the House. Women also made gains. They made up half of Albuquerques delegation in the most recent session but are in position to hold 13 of the 20 city-based seats next year. In statewide races, Democrat Stephanie Garcia Richard became the first woman to win the State Land Office. Melanie Stansbury, a Democrat who defeated Republican Rep. Jimmie Hall in Albuquerque, said she worked hard to focus on what the community members said they wanted, not necessarily politics, as she knocked on thousands of doors. I think people were just really hungry to have someone listen and engage, she said. Ryan Cangiolosi, chairman of the state Republican Party, said the Democratic gains arent a permanent shift in state politics. The political environment is highly volatile, he said. Just four years ago, Republicans won a majority in the state House and re-elected Republican Gov. Susana Martinez by 14 percentage points. This year, turnout was high on both sides, Cangiolosi said, but Democrats were helped by the national environment, as the party that controls the White House tends to lose seats in midterm elections. Republican candidates saw their raw vote totals go up this year in a variety of races just not enough to keep pace with the increased participation by Democrats, he said. Across the country, we saw Democratic enthusiasm was through the roof in urban areas, Cangiolosi said, and the Albuquerque area was no exception. Democrats are in line to pick up eight seats in the state House, according to unofficial returns. Democrats held a 38-32 majority in recent sessions, so they could move to a 46-24 split. But there are also two races that are within the margin for an automatic recount: Republican Rep. Jim Dines of Albuquerque trailed his Democratic challenger, Abbas Akhil, by about 80 votes, or less than 1 percentage point. Democratic Rep. George Dodge of Santa Rosa trailed his Republican opponent, Martin Zamora of Clovis, by 28 votes, or about half of 1 percentage point. Voters on the Navajo Nation overwhelmingly supported Vice President Jonathan Nez and his running mate, Myron Lizer, for the tribal presidency and vice presidency. Nez and Lizer had a two to one margin over former president Joe Shirley Jr. and his running mate, Buu Nygren, according to unofficial results reported by chapter precincts to the Navajo Election Administration. It feels great. I see that the Navajo people have spoken overwhelmingly for change, and thats what this campaign is all about, Nez said. I think after tonight, I ask for all of us to come back together as one Navajo family and start tackling the issues that we heard throughout the Navajo Nation. The mood at the party for the Shirley-Nygren campaign at Nakai Hall began as celebratory, then turned somber as the unofficial results were reported. What can I say the numbers are what they are, Shirley said. Im sorry the numbers arent the other way. But I feel like we didnt lose. We gave it a good shot. It is what it is. Earlier Tuesday, voter turnout at the Shiprock Chapter remained steady as chapter members, like others in the 110 chapters on the Navajo Nation, cast ballots to decide the presidential race and other offices. While chapter members voted in the chapter house, others visited campaign stands for Nez and Shirley, and for Eugenia Charles-Newton and Vern R. Lee, both of whom are candidates to represent Shiprock on the Navajo Nation Council. Voters doubled the number of women on the Court of Appeals in Tuesdays midterm, creating the courts first female majority. Democrats Briana Zamora, Kristina Bogardus, Jacqueline Medina and Megan Duffy unseated four Republican incumbent judges appointed in recent years by Gov. Susana Martinez, according to unofficial election results. Not only are we having the first female majority on the court, but its, I think, one of the strongest, if not the strongest, female majorities on any court in the country right now, Duffy said. We are now a court of eight out of ten women, and I dont know that theres any other court that looks like that. Unofficial results show each woman leading by between 8 and 15 percentage points. Tim Krebs, a political science professor at the University of New Mexico, called the gender shift symbolically important. This is very interesting because it is now so over representative of women, where all of our other institutions, despite last nights female surge were still not going to be at parity, Krebs said. But its unclear what, if any, effect a predominately female Court of Appeals may have on the state. In terms of decisions and court rulings, my guess is that theres not going to be much thats going to reflect the gender shift, Krebs said. To think otherwise would suggest that female judges are going to look at the law, and the facts and the process in ways that are fundamentally different than male judges. In an interview Wednesday, Bogardus also said shes not sure what a woman majority means for policy or the culture of the court. I see my fellow colleagues as attorneys and peers, and so, Im not sure what to say in terms of what it means for the court policy wise, she said. Everybody has a diverse set of experiences. I think everyone is committed to just doing their absolute best. Duffy said she thinks more women on the court sends a message to the community that anyone is welcome in these positions. Throughout history we have had courts and governments that are primarily composed of men, she said. And this is the first year in my lifetime that Im seeing large numbers of women running for office. And that national climate may have had an impact on the groups election. Krebs said the Court of Appeals victories are likely attributable to New Mexicos left-leaning voter base heading to the polls in a year when record numbers of women ran and won across the country. I hate to use this expression, but sort of that year of the woman effect probably played a role here as well, Krebs said. Its unlikely results would have been much different had male Democrats sought the positions, he said. Party label matters in the down ballot races where voters receive less information about individual candidates ahead of the election. Democrat Michael Vigil, a longtime Court of Appeals judge, won a seat on the state Supreme Court, beating out the Republican incumbent, which means the new governor will have the chance to appoint his replacement. MOORPARK, Calif. Ron Helus was among the first law enforcement officers to arrive at the Borderline Bar in Thousand Oaks shortly after 11:20 p.m. He ran through the front door and was shot multiple times by the gunman, Sheriff Geoff Dean said. Before the gunshots shouted into the night, before he pushed through that barroom door, before the bullets struck and his body crumpled, Sgt. Ron Helus was on the phone with his wife. I gotta go handle a call. I love you. Ill talk to you later. The words had been uttered countless times by the Ventura County Sheriffs veteran who was on the brink of retirement. He had worn a badge for 29 years the span of his marriage, and one year longer than the life of the gunman who would take it all away. Helus, 54, had a reputation as an easygoing, lighthearted officer, always up for small talk. Patrons at the Starbucks where he grabbed his morning coffee knew his smile. Regulars at his gym in Camarillo recalled how he struck up conversations about current events. On Thursday, his usual elliptical machine was kept off-limits and displayed his photo. In his Moorpark neighborhood where he gave out his phone number and urged people to call if there was trouble even if it was the middle of the night Helus was remembered for his generosity and welcoming personality. The neighborhood is pretty quiet because of him, said Zac Hernandez, 56, who has lived across from the Heluses for more than two decades. Im going to miss him terribly. I really cant believe hes gone. When he joined the Sheriffs department, Helus quickly established himself as a leader. With a knack for investigations, he worked narcotics, was on the SWAT team for many years, and was a firearms instructor. He was an unbelievable man, Sheriffs Capt. Garo Kuredjian said. He was a lifetime learner, a trainer, a mentor, a leader. He was a cops cop. But there were two things he placed before his job: his wife Karen, and his son, Jordan, 24. Even though he was a police officer he still made sure he was at every step of Jordans life, said friend Sheila Karn, 47. On Facebook, Helus mentioned his son often, calling him the best son in the world, and a fine young man with incredible character. He made every effort to attend school events, even field trips across the country. Friend Tamara Rossie-Molina asked Helus if he would be willing to serve as a mentor for her son, who wasnt speaking with his father much after his parents divorced. I talked to Ron, seeing if he could kind of be there in my sons life. And he absolutely did, said Rossie-Molina, 55. He would talk to him at all the football games and ask him what he was doing, checking in. He was a stand-up guy who you could count on, she said. When he said something it meant something. Helus was a Notre Dame football fan and a workout fanatic, often at the gym or learning karate. He once showed up to work with a black eye that he said he had gotten at the dojo and laughed at the ribbing from his colleagues. He loved laboring over barbecue ribs and tri-tip and was also an avid fisherman, specifically interested in freshwater trout. He took great pleasure in camping trips to Mammoth Mountain with his son. He liked the solitude of remote areas, of getting away from law enforcement and work it was his refuge from everyday life, said Steve Capuano, a friend and retired sergeant. (EDITORS: BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM) Helus had his eye on life beyond the department and had recently started his own business in firearms training. Two years ago, he earned his masters degree in administrative leadership online from the University of Oklahoma. Friends said his wife proudly talked about Helus accomplishing this while holding down a full-time job. He was a shining star student, one of the best and most responsible Ive ever had, said Martha Banz, one of his professors and the interim dean of the schools extended campus. Banz recalled one of Helus favorite quotes: Live your life so that the fear of death never enters your heart. (END OPTIONAL TRIM) Helus had responded Wednesday to Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks immediately after the 911 call came in at 11:20 p.m. Gunshots were fired from inside the dance hall. Helus went in through the front door. A California Highway Patrol officer eventually pulled Helus out of the line of fire. The sergeant died at Los Robles Regional Medical Center. Twelve others were killed, including the gunman. The procession that carried Helus body in a black Cadillac hearse to the medical examiners office later that morning was held to the soundtrack of helicopters and deputies motorcycles. Officers saluted. Onlookers placed hands over hearts. Sheriff Dean called Helus a dear friend known for holding meticulous briefings and trainings so that officers stayed safe. He praised Helus actions. Our officers know, when you get to a scene, and theres two of you, or even just one of you, and theres shooting going on, you go in, Dean said. Colleagues who woke to reports of Helus death passed the news around in shock. He was so absolutely proficient if theres anyone that could have survived the encounter last night, it would have been Ron, Capuano said, stopping himself as he tripped on the words and cried. The same thought struck Sheriffs Sgt. Eric Buschow who started with the department around the same time as Helus. Buschow called Helus an instinctive cop. Hes a tactician, so I have no doubt he employed the best tactics possible. Unfortunately in a chaotic situation like that, youve just got to go in. And he did. What else do you call that, he said, but heroic? 2018 Los Angeles Times Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. - PHOTOS (for help with images, contact 312-222-4194):CALIF-BARSHOOTING By Shamim Natebwa. Government has been asked to invest more in oral health, research and move away from the provision of tooth extraction services to restoring hopes and smiles of the public. This message from the Uganda Dental Association ahead of their fourth AGM Scientific conference and exhibition for this year that kicks off today to 10th this month at the Grand Imperial Hotel under the theme Dentistry;Past,Present and Future. According to Doctor Ayub Twaha the president Uganda Dental Association, despite the fact that, dental conditions such as gum diseases and tooth decay are most common health common conditions worldwide, the attention given is minimal which poses a challenge in achieving optimal dental health. PHOENIX Grand Canyon Education Inc. (LOPE) on Thursday reported third-quarter net income of $33.8 million. On a per-share basis, the Phoenix-based company said it had net income of 70 cents. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs, came to $1.06 per share. The results beat Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $1 per share. The for-profit education company posted revenue of $155.5 million in the period, also topping Street forecasts. Three analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $153.4 million. For the current quarter ending in December, Grand Canyon Education said it expects revenue in the range of $175 million. The company expects full-year earnings to be $4.59 per share, with revenue expected to be $843 million. Grand Canyon Education shares have climbed 44 percent since the beginning of the year. In the final minutes of trading on Thursday, shares hit $129.35, a climb of 43 percent in the last 12 months. _____ This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on LOPE at https://www.zacks.com/ap/LOPE On the East Coast, West Coast and in heartland states between them, LGBT candidates scored a raft of notable midterm election victories winning two governorships, at least nine seats in Congress, and their first-ever legislative seats in Indiana, Kansas and Nebraska. The head of the LGBTQ Victory Fund, which recruits and assists LGBT candidates, said many of the winners in Tuesdays elections were motivated by concerns over the Trump administrations rollback of protections for transgender people. Weve worked hard to achieve the rights we have today, said the funds CEO, former Houston Mayor Annise Parker. But we realize were still in a vulnerable position in many places. From Parkers perspective, the highlights were many. In Colorado, U.S. Rep. Jared Polis became the first openly gay man elected as a governor of any state. In Wisconsin, Tammy Baldwin who in 2012 became the first openly gay person to win a U.S. Senate seat easily won re-election despite being targeted by outside conservative groups that spent millions attacking her. In races for the U.S. house, a record eight LGBT candidates won seats for the Democrats. Four incumbents Mark Takano of California, Sean Patrick Maloney of New York, David Cicilline of Rhode Island and Mark Pocan of Wisconsin will be joined in January by newcomers Katie Hill of California, Sharice Davids of Kansas, Angie Craig of Minnesota and Chris Pappas of New Hampshire. For two other LGBT candidates, their races were too close to call U.S. Rep. Kyrsten Sinemas bid for a U.S. Senate seat in Arizona and Gina Ortiz Jones race for a U.S. House seat in Texas. Hill, Davids and Craig were among a batch of Democratic winners who flipped control of GOP-held House seats, overcoming initial skepticism that LGBT candidates were not best-suited for that challenge. We saw LGBTQ candidates talk openly about their lives to a degree unseen in past elections and it resonated with voters, Parker said. In Minnesota, Craig featured her wife and their sons in TV ads en route to winning a rematch against GOP Rep. Jason Lewis in the Twin Cities suburban 2nd District. What I say is my wife and I have four sons, just like any other politician would, Craig said during the campaign. Itd be cool to be the first openly gay member of Congress from Minnesota, but thats not why Im running. In Kansas 3rd District, near Kansas City, Davids unseated four-term GOP incumbent Kevin Yoder. Being lesbian was only one aspect of an eye-catching biography shes also Native American, a lawyer, a former White House fellow, and a past competitor in mixed martial arts. From the beginning, this campaign has been built on bringing new leaders to the table, and new voices to the table, she said in her victory speech. In New Hampshire, Pappas did not stress his LGBT status during the campaign, but reacted with passion during a debate when his GOP rival, Eddie Edwards, questioned why Pappas had been photographed wearing a Resist T-shirt. The photo you are referring to is a rainbow shirt I wore at a gay pride event, Pappas said. I am proud of who I am and I am proud to stand up against hate, bigotry and intolerance. In Colorado, which was beset by gay-rights controversies in the past, Polis successful campaign for governor was striking in that his LGBT status never became a campaign issue. We went from a state where our elected officials struggled to provide even basic rights to same-sex couples to a state where a gay man ran for governor and his sexual orientation wasnt discussed as a political liability, The Denver Post wrote in an editorial. Kayla DeShon, an independent voter from the Denver suburb of Highlands Ranch, said she voted for Polis because of his stance on health care. I did not know he is gay. I found out afterward it was an added bonus, said DeShon, 29. And I do think that it doesnt matter. Polis will join Oregons Kate Brown as the only LGBT governors. Brown, who identifies as bisexual, narrowly won re-election over Republican Knute Buehler. In state legislative races, the Victory Fund projects that about 130 LGBT candidates will win seats all but two of them Democrats. That would be up from 121 LGBT legislators heading into the election, according to the fund. Winning a state Senate seat in Utah was Derek Kitchen, a city councilor in Salt Lake City who rose to prominence when his lawsuit overturned Utahs ban on gay marriage several years ago. Voters in Omaha elected an openly bisexual candidate, Megan Hunt, to the Nebraska Senate. In New Hampshire, two transgender women, Gerri Cannon and Lisa Bunker, won seats in the state House of Representatives. A third transgender woman, Brianna Titone, was locked in a too-close-to-call race for the Colorado House. Unofficial near-complete returns showed Titone with a 12-vote lead after more than 47,000 votes were cast. Among LGBT victors elsewhere was Dana Nessel, elected as Michigans attorney general. Nessel made headlines as co-counsel in the historic lawsuit that led to same-sex marriage in Michigan. She said the outgoing GOP attorney general, Bill Schuette, made a mockery of state government by bringing social scientists to court to denigrate the parenting skills of same-sex couples. There are LGBTQ people clamoring for representation and tired of the office of attorney general using them as a punching bag, Nessel said during the campaign. In Massachusetts, voters soundly defeated an attempted repeal of a 2016 state law extending nondiscrimination protections to transgender people in the use of restrooms and other public accommodations. The outcome was hailed by Parker, who was mayor of Houston in 2015 when a trans-inclusive civil-rights ordinance was repealed in a referendum. Opponents of the ordinance played upon public fears with the slogan, No Men in Womens Bathrooms. Parker said Massachusetts voters, having lived with the state law for two years, didnt buy such rhetoric. They realized it was completely inane fear, she said. ___ Associated Press writer James Anderson in Denver contributed to this report. __ Follow David Crary at https://twitter.com/CraryAP Copyright 2018 Albuquerque Journal Editors note: This story has been updated to clarify the makeup of the workforce at the plant. Hundreds of Honeywell Aerospace employees in Albuquerque could lose their jobs after a decision by the company to move its local operations to other U.S. plants. The company told employees at its 500,000-square-foot plant on Thursday that all Albuquerque-based aerospace work would be relocated to Honeywell sites in Arizona, Florida and Puerto Rico over the next year. Honeywell has decided to move manufacturing and engineering operations from Albuquerque to other U.S. facilities by the end of next year, the company said in a statement emailed to the Journal. This is not a decision we made lightly as we realize this, unfortunately, affects valued employees. Honeywell did not disclose how many people work at the plant at 9201 San Mateo NE, which has operated in Albuquerques north I-25 industrial corridor since the 1980s. Some employees said the workforce totals up to 500, including those working for Bendix King, a subsidiary that does not appear to be affected. Were encouraging employees to apply for other Honeywell positions, in some cases offering relocation, the company said in its statement. Eligible employees will be offered severance and outplacement assistance. The city, as well, said it will work to help employees who lose their jobs. Were going to do everything we can to support impacted families and keep them here in Albuquerque as the company transitions over the next year, Mayor Tim Keller said in a statement sent to the Journal. Ive tasked our Economic Development Department to make it a top priority to reach out to our partners in the tech industry to look for ways to connect workers with opportunities. Economic Development Department Director Synthia Jaramillo said in a statement that the city would work with the states universities and national labs to find placements for laid-off employees in public and private technology jobs here. Were currently experiencing a 10-year high in job growth, and a number of local tech companies are expanding, Jaramillo said. Honeywell is a global engineering firm with $40.5 billion in revenue in 2017. It designs and manufactures high-tech products for a range of industries, including aerospace, energy, safety, security and more. The Honeywell Aerospace division is one of the worlds oldest and largest suppliers in the aviation industry, responsible for inventing such fundamental products as autopilot and traffic avoidance controls. The Albuquerque operation is focused primarily on military and government contracts, which the company believes can be managed more efficiently by integrating those activities into plants in other states. That includes moving much of the divisions equipment in Albuquerque to Honeywell facilities in Arizona. Its unclear how many local workers will actually be offered jobs at other Honeywell sites or how many would be willing to relocate. Workers leaving the Honeywell plant Thursday afternoon were reluctant to speak with a Journal reporter. The company told employees that some would be offered jobs elsewhere, but some said they were reluctant to move their families out of Albuquerque. A significant number of workers employed by subsidiary Bendix King, which makes avionics products for the commercial aviation industry at Honeywells Albuquerque plant, will remain in their jobs here. Those subsidiary operations are not affected by the shutdown of the Honeywell Aerospace division. Bendix King moved its operations from Kansas to Albuquerque in 2012. At the time, it said it expected to employ about 140 people in Albuquerque. Another company division, Honeywell Federal Manufacturing and Technologies, also employs about 200 people at a facility near the Albuquerque International Sunport that is unaffected by the relocation of Honeywell Aerospace operations. That division manages research projects for the National Nuclear Security Administration and the U.S. Department of Energy. Honeywell International also continues to manage Sandia National Laboratories after winning the NNSA contract to operate the facility in 2016. WARC, the global marketing intelligence service, has released its second MENA Strategy Report, examining trends in marketing strategy in the Middle East and North Africa, with lessons drawn from an analysis of the entries to the WARC Prize for MENA Strategy 2018. Lucy Aitken, Managing Editor, Case Studies, WARC, commented, Based on an in-depth analysis of the results of this years WARC Prize for MENA Strategy, we are able to put the thinking behind the campaigns into context to establish how the best strategic ideas are responding to consumer needs and growing brands in the Middle East and North Africa. WARCs MENA Strategy Report 2018 highlights the following key insights and marketing trends in the region: Disruption drives growth in MENA This years winners demonstrated breakthrough thinking in sectors that are ripe for disruption. Whether it was Grand Prix-winning auto brand Nissan developing a new unit of measurement that was relevant to the region or a food brand encouraging families to be more conscious of waste around Ramadan, the campaigns that were successful showed how changing the conversation can be a powerful strategic statement. Jury member Remie Abdo, Director of Strategic Planning, TBWARAAD Dubai, said, Digging deep to find the real problem leads to more innovative work for brands, work that can radically change the conversation around a particular subject. Rethinking gender equality It is impossible to ignore gender equality as an issue among the winners of this years MENA Prize. While many campaigns have aimed to show their support for women,what was different about campaigns such as Nissans #SheDrives and Pucks Cook with Her, was how they also targeted men, encouraging them to take an active role in progress and equality. Mona Elsayed, Regional Planning Director, J. Walter Thompson Gulf and member of the jury, observed, Gender equality has made great strides in MENAs marketing, but there is scope to be even more progressive. Powerful local insights unlock brand growth Winning campaigns from local brands showed the power and significance of local insights leading to a strong strategic idea. Two campaigns from Lebanon demonstrated this: one understood and empathised with the countrys slow internet connection, while another tapped into the national pride felt by Lebanese living overseas. Laura Chaibi, Head of Market Intelligence and Syndicate Digital Data, MBC, and member of the judging panel, commented, The ability to tap into and question, challenge or harness our own societies assumptions and then use that to act as a bridge into the hearts and minds of consumers is not new. However, the extent to which global brands are going local to gain market share is new in this region. Everyday influencers that facilitate business transformation While the true value of influencers continues to be widely debated across the industry, this years winning entries offered some tangible examples of how influencers can be invaluable in brands quest for transformation. EG Banks The Chronicles of Oufa radically altered how young Egyptians perceived the financial services brand, identifying with the infantilised Oufa. Meanwhile, STCs House WiFis were relatable characters that got Saudi mothers on side with the telcos broadband offering. These everyday influencers are playing an important role at a time of rapid change in the region. Summing up, juror Matt Butterworth, Regional Managing Director (MENA), MullenLowe, said, Many successful campaigns in this years Prize had in mind a greater good and leveraged influencers to help communicate that message. The WARC Prize for MENA Strategy is an annual free-to-enter awards, recognising the best strategic thinking from the regions marketing industry that has driven results in MENA. By Ritah Kemigisa. The opposition Forum for Democratic change has scoffed at the latest initiative by government to fight corruption. Cabinet recently approved the zero tolerance to corruption policy 2018 which among other things seeks to guide and coordinate government response towards incidences of corruption and also restore public sector ethics. Now speaking to kfm, the FDC deputy secretary General Harold Kaija says no law in the current regime can fight corruption since most of its leaders are corrupt. Kaija says corruption can only be wiped out if the country gets a new set of leaders. However the state minister for ethics and integrity Fr Simon Lokodo early this week said with more funding to anti-corruption agencies, the vice will be fully eradicated. UK adspend rose 6.4% year-on-year to reach 5.6bn in Q2 2018 - the 20th consecutive quarter of market growth. Coupled with an overall adspend rise of 7.2% year-on-year during the first half of 2018, to a total of 11.4bn, this was both the strongest second quarter and first half since 2014. This record investment, highlighted in Advertising Association/WARC Expenditure Report data, published today, means full-year outlooks for 2018 and 2019 have been upgraded to +6.3% and +4.9% respectively. This would lead to a projected adspend total of over 23.5bn for 2018. Overall market growth is being driven by increased spend on online advertising. Internet advertising - inclusive of online revenues for newsbrands, magazine brands, broadcaster video-on-demand and radio station websites - continues to grow at a rapid rate and consequently full-year projection figures have been upgraded by three and a half points to 13.3% growth this year. This would result in over 13bn being spent on online advertising in the UK this year. Data show that mobile accounted for over half of search spend for the first time in the second quarter. Further, display formats are also growing strongly - online video attracted half a billion pounds during the three months to end-June. The TV market grew ahead of expectations in the second quarter of 2018, with total spend rising 1.9% to 1.2bn. Spot advertising - 89% of the total - rose for the third consecutive quarter, and the 1.4% growth rate was ahead of forecast. The figures come as the UK Government seeks to come to an agreement with EU on Brexit and are based on a positive outcome to negotiations, as is sought by both sides. Minister for Digital and the Creative Industries Margot James said: "It's fantastic to see our world leading advertising sector continuing to flourish. The industry makes a huge contribution to the UK economy, and its international reputation for creative excellence is playing a vital role in helping to bang the drum for Britain abroad." Stephen Woodford, Chief Executive at the Advertising Association commented: "Spend on advertising is showing real strength and resilience especially at a time of some uncertainty for UK business. We know advertising has a positive effect on the economy, with 1 spent generating 6 for UK GDP, so it is encouraging to see the strongest Q2 and H1 results since 2014. "While we welcome these figures, we are also conscious that our upgraded predictions for 2018 and 2019 depend on getting the right deal from Brexit negotiations and clarity on what the future will look like. "We must also ensure that the unique features that have made the UK the global hub for our industry, such as access to the best and brightest creative talent from across the world, are prioritised as we leave the EU." James McDonald, Data Editor at WARC said: "Growth in online advertising spend continues to exceed our expectations, resulting in the fifth upgrade to our forecasts in as many quarters. Barring any major shock to the system, this trend should continue to play out over the years ahead, lifting total market value in tow." Right jab, left hook and a round kick, the opponent is knocked out. But the match does not stop until knockout; you either live or die! &flix, the all new destination for the most-awaited Hollywood hits, brings to you another Flix First Premiere as it is ready to telecast Kickboxer Retaliation for the first time on Indian television, this Sunday, November 11 at 9PM. Directed by Dimitri Logothetis, the film stars a dream cast ensemble featuring superstars like Jean Claude Van Damme who plays the role of Master Durand, Alain Moussi who plays the lead character as Kurt Sloane, Mike Tyson who guides Kurt and a cameo by Ronaldinho who plays himself. Given that Kurts previous trip to Thailand was a disaster, he vows to never go to back to Thailand. On his way to achieving glory and winning the MMA title, he finds himself sedated and forced back into Thailand, this time in prison. Kurt is forced to have an underground death battle to gain his freedom and a reward of one million dollars. Mongkut, the who is 68 400 lbs and has enhanced his capabilities with drug usage, is waiting eagerly to fight Kurt. To Kurts horror, after his refusal, a bounty is on his head inside prison, leaving him with no option but to face Mongkut. Kurt accepts the challenge and trains under the legends, Master Durand and Briggs (Mike Tyson). There is blood, there is pain, there is excitement and of course, there is the ultimate fight of death. Join in for the fight night at Flix First Premiere arena for Kickboxer Retaliation on Sunday, November 11 at 9 PM only on &flix SD and HD! As in many other developed countries, government, not industry, compensates families in the event of vaccine injury. Thus GSKs apparent lack of concern for the vaccines adverse effects is notable and perhaps not surprising. In the final assessment, the report states that [t]he benefit/risk profile of Infanrix hexa continues to be favourable, despite GSKs acknowledgement that the vaccine causes side effects including anaemia haemolytic autoimmune,thrombocytopenia, thrombocytopenic purpura, autoimmune thrombocytopenia, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, haemolytic anemia, cyanosis, injection site nodule, abcess and injection site abscess, Kawasakis disease, important neurological events (including encephalitis and encephalopathy), Henoch-Schonlein purpura, petechiae, purpura, haematochezia, allergic reactions (including anaphylactic and anaphylactoid reactions), and death (see page 9). Presiding Judge Nicola Di Leo considered another piece of damning evidence: a 1271-page confidential GlaxoSmithKline report (now available on the Internet ). This industry document provided ample evidence of adverse events from the vaccine, including five known cases of autism resulting from the vaccines administration during its clinical trials (see table at page 626, excerpt below). Based on expert medical testimony, the court concluded that the child more likely than not suffered autism and brain damage because of the neurotoxic mercury, aluminum and his particular susceptibility from a genetic mutation. The Court also noted that Infanrix Hexa contained thimerosal, now banned in Italy because of its neurotoxicity, in concentrations greatly exceeding the maximum recommended levels for infants weighing only a few kilograms. Like the U.S., Italy has a national vaccine injury compensation program to give some financial support to those people who are injured by compulsory and recommended vaccinations. The Italian infant plaintiff received three doses of GlaxoSmithKlines Infanrix Hexa, a hexavalent vaccine administered in the first year of life. These doses occurred from March to October 2006. The vaccine is to protect children from polio, diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis B, pertussis and Haemophilus influenza type B. In addition to these antigens, however, the vaccine then contained thimerosal, the mercury-containing preservative, aluminum, an adjuvant, as well as other toxic ingredients. The child regressed into autism shortly after receiving the three doses. When the parents presented their claim for compensation first to the Ministry of Health, as they were required to do, the Ministry rejected it. Therefore, the family sued the Ministry in a court of general jurisdiction, an option which does not exist in the same form in the U.S. On September 23, 2014, an Italian court in Milan award compensation to a boy for vaccine-induced autism. (See the Italian document here.) A childhood vaccine against six childhood diseases caused the boys permanent autism and brain damage. While the Italian press has devoted considerable attention to this decision and its public health implications, the U.S. press has been silent. The Milan decision is sober, informed and well-reasoned. The Ministry of Health has stated that it has appealed the Courts decision, but that appeal will likely take several years, and its outcome is uncertain. Rimini: 2012 Two years earlier, on May 23, 2012, Judge Lucio Ardigo of an Italian court in Rimini presided over a similar judgment, finding that a different vaccine, the Measles-Mumps-Rubella vaccine (MMR), had caused a childs autism. (See: Italian MMR Remini decision 2012) As in the Milan case, the Ministry of Healths compensation program had denied compensation to the family, yet after a presentation of medical evidence, a court granted compensation. There, too, the Italian press covered the story; the U.S. press did not. In that case, a 15-month old boy received his MMR vaccine on March 26, 2004. He then immediately developed bowel and eating problems and received an autism diagnosis with cognitive delay within a year. The court found that the boy had been damaged by irreversible complications due to vaccination (with trivalent MMR). The decision flew in the face of the conventional mainstream medical wisdom that an MMR-autism link has been debunked. *** Both these Italian court decisions break new ground in the roiling debate over vaccines and autism. These courts, like all courts, are intended to function as impartial, unbiased decision makers. The courts decisions are striking because they not only find a vaccine-autism causal link, but they also overrule the decisions of Italys Ministry of Health. And taken together, the court decisions found that both the MMR and a hexavalent thimerosal- and aluminum-containing vaccine can trigger autism. These court decisions flatly contradict the decisions from the so-called U.S. vaccine court, the Court of Federal Claims Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. There, from 2007 to 2010, in the Omnibus Autism Proceeding, three decision makers, called Special Masters, found that vaccines did not cause autism in any of the six test cases, and one Special Master even went so far as to compare the theory of vaccine-induced autism to Lewis Carrolls Alice in Wonderland. The Italian court decisions contrast starkly with these U.S. cases based on similar claims. How do we reconcile the difference between the U.S. and Italian decisions in similar cases? Whats different about Italy? Well, there may be many differences, but a critical one is that in the U.S., if someone loses in the government vaccine injury compensation program, she cannot sue the government in civil court; she can sue only the manufacturer. In the U.S., her family would have to shoulder legal fees in a David and Goliath mismatch, pitting a global pharmaceutical behemoth against a family likely already suffering financially from serious health costs. Furthermore, since 2011, the U.S. Supreme Court has foreclosed potential cases and class action lawsuits to contest unreasonably dangerous vaccine designs, such as the use of thimerosal as a preservative or the simultaneous administration of multiple live viruses, such as the MMR. Since the Supreme Courts 2011 Bruesewitz v. Wyeth decision, no court in the U.S. can entertain vaccine design defect claims, the most likely legal actions to aggregate plaintiffs in similar circumstances against large, pharmaceutical defendants. Unlike American victims of vaccine injury, the Italian plaintiffs didnt have to sue GSK; they sued the Ministry of Health. In both the Milan and Rimini decisions, the plaintiffs won compensation based on findings that vaccines caused autism. One might say that these cases achieved nothing more than a small payout for injured children. But arguably the families, lawyers and medical experts behind these cases achieved far more. They took the issue of vaccine-induced autism to impartial courts, and they got clear a clear judicial answer based on the evidence: vaccines cause autism. Are court decisions science? Of course not. There is a desperate need for more science on autism and the role that vaccines play, flimsy industry, medical and government retorts to the contrary notwithstanding. But in the current absence of the necessary science on vaccines and autism, decisions of impartial judicial tribunals, based on extensive evidence and testimony, may be some of the best sources of information and insight we have. Mary S. Holland is a Research Scholar at the NYU School of Law and chairs the advisory board of the non-profit organization Health Choice. Dear AoA Readers, I wanted to share the video link and transcript for the vaccine-related presentation I gave in Utah this past Friday titled, "Why Is This Legal?" A big shout out to symposium organizer, Kristen Chevrier. She and her Your Health Freedom team planned an informative 2-day event featuring a wonderful and well-spoken array of speakers, for whom video links will soon be available at Your Health Freedom . As always, I am hoping my presentation will open eyes and ears to the terrible truth about vaccines. Please share...together, we might just save a child and their family from a lifetime of needless suffering. Thank you, Laura Hayes Why Is This Legal? by Laura Hayes, delivered on 11-2-18 in Utah This evening, I am going to be speaking to you about vaccines, specifically, their inexcusable lack of safety, the toxic and hazardous ingredients contained in them that have no business being injected into any human, and the catastrophic results we continue to witness due to their use. In the time I have, I will only be able to scratch the surface of the harm that vaccines cause, both to the individual recipient, and to subsequent generations, if the recipient is still able to reproduce. I wont have time to delve into the lack of efficacy or necessity for vaccines, but suffice it to say that their failure rate is high, their efficacy is based on measures which are unproven and unreliable, and injecting poisons, toxins, neurotoxins, carcinogens, immune- and nervous-system destroyers, endocrine disruptors, ingredients that have never been clinically approved, and unknown ingredients that are not required to be disclosed, is in no way health-inducing or protective, for any one, at any age. As I like to say, one does not need to be a PhD in biology or chemistry, or an MD, or even academically astute to understand that the practice of vaccination is not founded on any valid science. Common sense, basic science, and parental instincts are more than enough to discern the truth about vaccines. Now, lets launch into the topic of vaccine safety, an oxymoron if ever there was one. Not too long ago, in a vaccine-related forum to which I belong, someone proposed that we launch a meme campaign titled, Why Is This Legal?. It was in response to yet another teenager becoming paralyzed after receiving Merck's Gardasil vaccine. I find why is this legal to be a compelling question to ask with regard to vaccines, our nations vaccine program, and vaccine mandates. My hope today is to stimulate thinking, questioning, researching, and analyzing, resulting in drawing your own conclusions versus relying on those of the self-proclaimed experts. With regard to the question why is this legal, we are going to cover a number of pertinent questions specific to vaccines: Hopefully, I have stimulated some serious questioning about vaccines, and the legality and ethics of them. For those new to questioning what they have been told about vaccines, you might be asking yourselves questions such as: Without vaccines, how do we protect our children? First, I would refer you back to the list of questions just posedhow is any of what we just covered protective for children? We must remember that we have been very purposefully and strategically taught, by those who profit from vaccines, be it directly or indirectly, to fear the infections for which there is a vaccine. And just because an infection might be somewhat frightening does not mean the vaccine for it is safe, effective, or needed, nor does it mean the vaccine for it has been properly studied or ethically approved. It is important to note, despite current teachings, that health does not come through a needle, pill, or spray. If you review the span of history, it can be gleaned that vibrant health and longevity come through sanitary living conditions, sound nutrition, clean, untainted water, regular exercise and movement, proper rest, avoidance of toxins and poisons (not the injecting of them), proper supervision of children, safe living conditions, a loving family and supportive social circle, faith, purpose, wise choices, and yes, the occasional infection. Like our other bodily systems, including our brain and our muscles, our immune system becomes stronger and more efficient when challenged, naturally, not via manmade, artificial, toxic means. Nature includes many remedies when infections are encountered. Such centuries-old, common-sense, risk-free natural remedies are rarely taught, but are regularly scoffed at in todays world where pharmaceutical products are pushed at every turn as being the best and only answer. In todays world, we must question consensus, and seek out information that is not provided by highly-profitable corporations who are creating and controlling the health care narrative. And that narrative is about their wealth, not our health. As a matter of fact, their bottom line does best when each of us is somewhere between sick and dead for as long as possible. Lifetime customers is what they are after, and that first vaccine leads to the first antibiotic, which is followed by the next set of vaccines which leads to the next antibiotic or two, which is followed by more vaccines which then lead to more pharmaceuticals, invasive medical procedures such as the insertion of ear tubes, appointments with specialists, and on and on it goes. In todays medical-and-pharmaceutical-crazed world, we protect our children best when we protect them from iatrogenic harm, which means harm caused by doctors, nurses, and medical treatments and procedures. To confirm this, ask the millions of parents who dutifully took their children to well baby appointments, the code name for vaccination appointments, never to have their child be well again. Why would doctors do something that would harm us and our children? This is a common question with a number of answers. First, the majority of doctors knows only that which they have been taught. Medical school curriculums are provided courtesy of pharmaceutical companies in large part. Medical students are taught which drug to prescribe for which symptom. When asked what they are taught about nutrition, the answer is little to nothing. When asked what they are taught about vaccines, they mention a 2-hour course on how and where to inject multiple syringes into the 4 limbs of a tiny baby, and that they are to follow without question the CDCs recommendations for vaccinations. Once in practice, doctors receive their vaccine information from pharmaceutical reps, who give only glowing reviews of the products they have been hired to push. Typically, doctors do not take the time to read vaccine package inserts, which are damning in and of themselves, yet which often do not tell the entire sinister story. If they read about vaccines at all, it is most often industry and government propaganda, touting the safety, efficacy, and necessity of vaccines, while completely ignoring vaccine failures, dangers, ingredients, injury and death reports, fraud, whistleblower testimony, and the corruption that exists from manufacture to mandate and beyond. Furthermore, doctors are monetarily compensated for high rates of vaccine uptake, and penalized in various ways for the opposite. Speaking out against vaccines in any way, shape, or form results in being Wakefielded, something the vast majority of doctors chooses to forego. What about those, including doctors, who state that there is a safe way to vaccinate children, be it a delayed schedule, skipping one or two of them until they are older, or giving only 1 vaccine at a time (remember, many are multivalent, and necessitate giving a minimum of 3 at once)? I say, beware of such dangerous and unfounded advice. Think of all the facts we have covered tonight: not one vaccine has been studied properly or been approved ethically; each contains a heinous cocktail of toxic and hazardous ingredients; and each has the potential to gravely harm, permanently disable, make chronically ill, and kill, and those risks are greatly multiplied when they are given together, which is how they are most often administered. Here is a vivid analogy for you. If a parent were beating their child 7 times per week and was convinced to reduce the beatings to 3 times per week, that sounds safer in theory, but it is in theory only. Since any of the beatings could be fatal, or cause profound injury or permanent disability, a reduction in frequency and/or spreading out of the beatings is still not safe, or advisable. Just as there is no safe beating of a child, or safe schedule for beating a child, there is no safe vaccine, or safe schedule for vaccinating a child. We cannot, and should not, defend that which is indefensible, and that includes the barbaric and reprehensible practice of vaccination. My bumper sticker messages to leave you with tonight are: Why is this legal? and Vaccine-free is the way to be! Thank you. Post-script: To watch and/or read my previous WAPF presentation, an 80-min. comprehensive overview of many vaccine-related issues, click here. To read, watch, or listen to more by me, go to the home page of ageofautism.com and click on the Special Reports tab at the top of the page, or simply click here. Would you like to receive breaking news notifications from The Post and Courier? Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop. Breaking News Columbia Breaking News Greenville Breaking News Myrtle Beach Breaking News Aiken Breaking News N Augusta Breaking News Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time. Success! Please click the 'Allow' button in the 'Show Notifcations' alert in your browser if one is available. Thank you for signing up! Please enable notifications in your browser and reload the page. Layoff notices have been issued at the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility project, according to a person familiar with the matter as well as communication obtained by the Aiken Standard. Project management delivered the first round of Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification act notices on Thursday, Nov. 8, according to internal bulletins issued by David Del Vecchio, the MOX Services president. The process, contacting the batch of employees affected, took hours. Energy Secretary Rick Perry, NNSA chief attended White House MOX meeting Both U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry and National Nuclear Security Administration chief Lisa Gordon-Hagerty attended and participated in a "I understand completely that this is a very stressful time for everyone," one of Del Vecchio's messages reads, "and ask that you please remain focused on your safety and your assigned work." It is not immediately clear how many workers the imperiled project employs roughly 1,700 people were set to receive WARN notices on Thursday. One MOX worker, who the Aiken Standard has been in contact with, described the Thursday morning scene at MOX as "depressing." "People are just sitting around waiting to see if they get a notice today or not," the person said. "It's like a messed up lottery." According to Del Vecchio's initial message, a second communication would be sent out when everyone in the first layoff round had been notified. That communication, also obtained by the Aiken Standard, was pushed out around 4 p.m. The WARN act is a labor law that requires major employers to notify staff of mass layoffs or plant closures ahead of time. The WARN act affords workers 60 day's notice. Del Vecchio, in a prior employee-bound message, has said MOX layoffs would come in waves. The subsequent schedule, though, is unclear. Del Vecchio has also said those laid off in the first round will not leave the project until after Jan. 1, 2019. The project president on Thursday said the employee exit process will happen "during days 61 through 74." That process includes securing one's last paycheck and turning in one's badge. MOX Services is the prime contractor for the MOX project, an effectively dead and incomplete nuclear venture at the Savannah River Site. MOX, once complete, was designed to turn weapons-grade plutonium into fuel for commercial reactors. Federal appeals court upholds plutonium removal order from 2017 A federal appeals court has affirmed a lower court's injunction requiring the U.S. Department of Energy to remove weapons-grade plutonium from After months of trying, and an intricate legal back-and-forth, the National Nuclear Security Administration executed MOX contract termination on Oct. 10. U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry has repeatedly expressed his contempt for the project it's over budget, behind schedule, and there's a better, cheaper alternative, he's said. Meanwhile, the NNSA and the U.S. Department of Defense want to turn MOX into a plutonium pit production hub. The NNSA-DOD joint wish was made in May. Plutonium pits are nuclear weapon cores. The NNSA and the DOD want to produce them at SRS and at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. It will take about one year of work to fully mothball MOX, according to a NNSA statement of work, an official document that lays out expected closure timelines. The Aiken Standard obtained that document, which was attached to the NNSA's MOX termination notice, last month. Questions posed to the NNSA about the layoffs were redirected to project contractors. By Samuel Ssebuliba. Members of Parliament are proposing introduction of a clause in the National environment bill 2017 that is under debate to regulate activities of churches at night. According to the minister for Karamoja John Byabagambi, many people are making excessive noise at night in the guise of praying, thereby inconveniencing others. He says even though freedom of worship is guaranteed by the constitution of Uganda, it should not in convince others, proposing harsh punishments to be prescribed in the bill. This however attracted serious objection from the Dokolo woman Member of Parliament Cecila Ogwal who said this should only apply to bars and dancing halls. This bill which seeks to repeal the old national environment law is to be debated further today. Just a day after Democrats took control of the US House of Representative, Saudi Arabia inked a deal Wednesday with Spanish shipbuilder Navantia to jointly build five corvettes for the Saudi navy. Riyadh has also made a $1 billion bid to partner with South African state-owned defense group Denel to grow its domestic defense industry, Reuters reported today. The developments are the latest signs that Riyadh could look elsewhere for military equipment if Congress continues to hold up US weapons sales over the Saudi-led coalitions war in Yemen and the slaying of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Why it matters: The top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, has been holding up sales of precision-guided munitions to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates since June. Enter Spain, which has backstopped Riyadhs bomb supplies for the Yemen conflict by greenlighting the sale of 400 of the munitions in September. But its not clear that Spain can backfill all of the US weapons that Congress is holding up. A $7 billion US sale sent to Capitol Hill for approval in May would provide 120,000 laser-guided bombs to Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Meanwhile, the Saudis are on a mission to localize half of their military spending by 2030. The proposed partnership with South Africas Denel would include the acquisition of a minority stake in German defense contractor Rheinmetall, which designs armored fighting vehicles and howitzers that could be deployed to Yemen. (Riyadh is already a leading customer for the companys services). The view from Washington: Speaking at the Middle East Institute conference in Washington today, David Hale, the State Departments number-three official, re-upped US calls for a cease-fire in Yemen. Coalition airstrikes must cease in all populated areas of Yemen, Hale said. If the conflict continues, he added, it could be one of the worlds worst instances of famine. Other experts at the conference said the Pentagon might decide to use its leverage to stop coalition bombing in the conflict, including holding up US technical support and spare parts for the F-15s that the coalition uses to bomb Houthi targets. The Yemen war is incredibly, incredibly frustrating, said Jeffrey Feltman, a former top official at the State Department and the UN. At some point, if youre in a hole, stop digging. This war needs to stop, and the US has the power. Whats next: As the Donald Trump administration presses for a cease-fire in Yemen, fighting over the port of Hodeidah continues to rage, with the Saudi-led coalition capturing a major road into the city and dozens of fighters dying in clashes. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and the UAE remain on a 180-day deadline for the State Department to certify that the Arab coalition has reduced civilian harm in the Yemen conflict, a congressionally mandated condition for US support. Know more: Look for greater regional fallout from Spains decision to provide arms to Saudi Arabia, including on US plans for an Arab NATO that have been stalled over the Qatar crisis. -Jack Detsch US secondary sanctions to limit Irans oil and petroleum products exports went into effect Nov. 5. However, the threat of sanctions had already reduced the actual volume of exports in the past months to an extent that Irans crude oil and gas liquids exports had fallen from their peak of 2.7 million barrels per day (mbpd) in May to some 2.2 mbpd in October. While the United States has retreated from its original goal of reducing Irans oil exports to zero by issuing some waivers to countries importing Iranian oil, it is clear that Iran wont manage to return to its peak level of exports as long as US sanctions remain in place. In order to develop alternative channels for monetizing Irans oil, Iranian authorities have activated an old plan to market some of their export potential through the Iran Energy Exchange (IRENEX) which was established in 2012 as a regulated exchange for trading of energy-related products and securities. Up until last week, IRENEX had mainly been an exchange for the trading of petroleum and petrochemical products (not crude oil), gas liquids and electricity. The initial plan to market crude oil through IRENEX had emerged during the last phase of harsh external sanctions on Iran from 2011 to 2013, but it did not materialize due to the controversies related to such deals being a channel to offer rent to selected networks and a platform for corruption. Nonetheless, after long debates, the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) offered on Oct. 28 its first consignment of crude oil on IRENEX. The actual utilization of IRENEX for trading in crude oil emerged after the government insisted that only private sector entities would be allowed as buyers. The question is whether this new channel will lead to a positive dynamism in terms of opportunities for the countrys private sector as well as its impact on increased oil exports out of the country. When one looks at the prerequisites of the NIOC in engaging private sector buyers of its crude over IRENEX, it becomes clear that the list is a nonstarter. One key prerequisite is that the buyer either owns a refinery or has a direct contract with a refinery to process the oil. As current US sanctions target buyers of Iranian oil, how can one expect that some refineries would engage the countrys private sector as opposed to the NIOC itself? The only justifiable reason could be price, but it is more likely that the NIOC would itself offer a lower price to its direct buyers rather than go through the more complicated process of selling via the mentioned exchange. So far, the plan has experienced a slow start. In fact, of the first 1 million barrels offered by the NIOC on day one of trading, only 280,000 barrels were purchased. This fact indicates that the economic players were not fully equipped to engage in this new opportunity. Lack of transparency about the buyers of crude on IRENEX complicates any attempts to identify whether the real private sector is engaged in these contracts or whether semi-state entities are benefiting from this opportunity. After public opinion pressure, the authorities only introduced the three brokerage firms that processed the transactions and did not disclose which entities were behind the orders. To underline the upside, one should consider that the NIOC had offered its crude at a starting price of $79.10 but sold the mentioned volume at $74.85 a barrel. Another incentive in the process is the fact that the NIOC only requires a 20% down payment in rial to book a trade. In other words, Iranian and foreign intermediaries that may purchase crude on IRENEX will be able to secure their commodity, sell it on the international market and then pay the bulk of the price to the NIOC or its brokers. At the same time, the average private sector company in the country may not be in a position to afford the 20% down payment especially considering the limitations of the private sector to access banking facilities for such transactions. From the NIOCs perspective, the lower price is not an issue especially as a number of discounts have been planned to incentivize buyers of Iranian crude in light of US sanctions. Also, the fact that there will effectively be a delayed payment does not cause a problem, as such payment terms can also be arranged with other buyers of Iranian oil. The real risk to the NIOC and Iranian authorities will be corrupt deals the way they took place during the last phase of harsh sanctions on Irans oil exports. In fact, one key accusation against imprisoned businessman Babak Zanjani is based on the fact that he owed the NIOC $2.7 billion for oil that he had received and not paid for. An additional layer of corruption may creep in on the foreign end of the transaction, i.e., an international trade being behind the Iranian buyer on the exchange, despite all protocols to make sure that actual refinery owners will buy the commodity. This mentioned experience explains the hesitation of the Ministry of Petroleum to pave the way for similar corrupt dealings. In fact, Petroleum Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh was opposed to operationalizing crude oil transactions on IRENEX as early as the end of October. He had opined that many ambiguities had to be ironed out and that the process may take at least six more months. As such, the trading of crude oil on IRENEX is squeezed by a hesitant Ministry of Petroleum and an Iranian private sector that will face difficulties to fulfill the prerequisites, mobilize the needed funds and manage the international transactions. On the other side, the plan is promoted by a long host of semi-state entities that are financially and operationally in a position to engage in such trades. Nonetheless, there is potential to use the new facility to boost the Iranian economy at the current juncture. Some useful ideas have been presented by Mohammadreza Pourebrahimi, head of the economic commission in the Iranian parliament. In a letter to the petroleum minister published Oct. 29, Pourebrahimi proposed six steps to utilize IRENEX more efficiently. His suggestions included the drafting of a timeline on what volumes would be offered through IRENEX, empowerment of domestic petrochemical plants and refineries to purchase the commodity on the exchange, the introduction of new investment tools such as futures and options, and others. In fact, from a macroeconomic perspective, the best utility of IRENEX would be to boost domestic capacities. The economy as a whole and also the Ministry of Petroleum would benefit from allowing domestic refineries and petrochemical plants to work on increasing their efficiency, then utilizing the energy exchange to purchase additional crude and gas liquids to boost their production and exports. This would only materialize if these entities are allowed to maintain their excess hard currency income from their exports. It remains to be seen how this new chapter in Iran will evolve, but no matter how IRENEX will be utilized, the first rule will have to be transparency about the transactions. Unfortunately, as long as there is no transparency on the crude oil deals, there will be rent-seeking, embezzlements and corrupt dealings. This will, in turn, undermine the Iranian economy and not be of help to the country in undoing the damage done by US sanctions. By Ssebuliba Samuel. As part of corporate social responsibility MTN Foundation has today delivered more relief items to people of Buduuda. Eerier MTN contributed to the Uganda Red Cross drive to raise Shs1.2bn to help these people, as well as contributing Shs 50m to the cause. According Bryan Mbasa, the MTN Foundation Manager,most of people affected by the landslides have lost almost everything and thus its important they get extra assistance. He said that staff members launched an internal campaign, dubbed #StandWithBududa where they collected an assortment of clothing and other non-food items towards the welfare of the affected persons. Approximately over 139 households were affected after their houses were washed away and others severely damaged after River Suume burst its bankskilling over 46 people In these tense times, when Israeli reality appears to be dividing and separating its citizens and residents, the city of Haifa continues to foster an identity of tolerance and values of coexistence. This was how the Jewish-Arab Beit Hagefen Cultural Center described the Haifa Story Festival, a beacon of coexistence among the Mediterranean coastal citys mixed population. The eighth edition of the festival, held on Nov. 1-5, was themed identity activism in Haifa. It was open to all and free of charge, featuring such diverse activities as a tour of Haifas gay community, a screening of the film A Trumpet in the Wadi, which deals with Arab-Jewish relations (after Sami Michaels novel), and a session on Ethiopian cuisine. Other performances and lectures dealt with identity on a more political level, such as the lecture titled Whos Afraid of Palestinian Identity? The festivals promotional material stated clearly that it was being funded by the Ministry for the Development of the Negev and Galilee and was intended for residents of Haifas disadvantaged and peripheral communities. Apart from the Ministry of Culture, various other ministries provide funding for culture and arts events relevant to the ministries focus. The commitment to fund the Haifa Story Festival, as well as its nature and diverse programs, were agreed on months in advance. However, on the day before the opening, the ministry informed festival organizers and the Haifa municipality that it was withdrawing its support. Haaretz reported that officials cited the fact that the festival was open to all and not just to residents of peripheral neighborhoods. The organizers decided not to protest the decision publicly and to hold the festival as planned. A knowledgeable source told Haaretz that the ministrys decision stemmed from political considerations. What is sad in this case is that extremists in Israeli society have managed to influence the thinking and decisions of government ministries in a way that is not on point, the source said. A source at Beit Hagefen told Al-monitor that the budget was pulled out of political reasons. He insisted that the Ministry of Development was well-aware of the details of the festival, including the entry parameters, especially since the festival has been running in the same format for several years. The festival managers received no request for further information and no demand to change the entry procedures. "The festival was intended for the public at large; no one checked if the guests were from the peripheral neighborhoods or not. It would have been unfeasible. The entry issue was just an excuse for pulling the funding," the source said on condition of anonymity. The minister for the development of the Negev and Galilee is the chair of the ultra-Orthodox Shas Party, Aryeh Deri, who also serves as the minister of interior. One can safely assume that Deri was not troubled by the planned Ethiopian cuisine festival event nor by the screening of the documentary Pray the Devil Back to Hell, about a Liberian womens peace movement. What set him off were the events dealing with Palestinian identity. The lecture on Whos Afraid of Palestinian Identity? was clearly an explosion waiting to happen in the week when the Knesset approved the first reading of the "Loyalty in Culture law and Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked demanded that Deputy Attorney General Dina Zilber be fired over her outspoken opposition to the law. The contentious law now seems to be spreading to other government offices, inspired by Shakeds colleague Regev, who authored it. This will make it hard for any event to receive government funding unless it conforms to official right-wing policy. Absent such funding, many cultural institutions are at risk of collapse. In other words, unless they pledge allegiance to the government, the government will not pledge funding. In Israel, with its relatively small culture market, survival hinges on government funds. A cursory reading of the proposed law makes it sound logical: The government will not finance institutions or events that declare Independence Day as a Palestinian day of mourning (marking Palestinian "Nakba Day"), damage or dishonor the symbols of the state, negate Israels existence as a Jewish and democratic state, or incite to acts of terror, violence and racism. However, all these conditions are subject to broad political interpretation. For example, Regev obliges all Israeli theaters to stage their productions in West Bank settlements, just as they do all over Israel. A theater or actor who refuses to perform in the settlement towns of Ariel or Kiryat Arba, for example, will be blacklisted and defunded although they are not inciting to violence, not negating the existence of the state nor defiling its symbols. Anyone refusing to accept the views of the settlers and their right-wing patrons, and insisting instead that West Bank territories are occupied Palestinian lands, will not be eligible for government budgets. The Haifa Story Festival proves that even when there is no specific clause in the law that allows defunding, a technical excuse can always be found. In this case, the Ministry for the Development of the Negev and Galilee latched on to the fact that the festival was billed as open to all and not just to residents of peripheral neighborhoods. The festival managers explained that it was technically impossible to check every person for his exact address, but the ministry ignored this explanation. The Ministry of Culture came up with a technical excuse, too, when it suspended the funding of the Arabic-language theater Al-Midan in Haifa in 2015 over the staging of the play "A Parallel Time," which is inspired by the story of Palestinian assailant Walid Daka. Regev ordered the budget suspended, and the theaters resulting financial crisis meant it could no longer stage new plays and had to cut back its performances. In February 2018, the ministry announced it was pulling its support for Al-Midan because it had staged very few plays, effectively sentencing the theater to closure. The persecution of artists and cultural institutions in recent years has led theater managements to censor themselves to avoid risking their funding. Plays of a critical, political nature have bowed out. In 1970, Cameri Theater staged Queen of the Bathtub by playwright Hanoch Levin, a highly controversial play sharply critical of Israels euphoria over the Six-Day War. These days it would probably not be willing to stage a play about the right-wings euphoria over its political and ideological achievements. The current repertoire of Israels two largest theaters, Cameri and Habima, is unlikely to anger anyone in the Ministry of Culture or in any other government ministry. The theaters will not risk alienating audiences either, some of whom may boycott them for taking a stand deemed immoral or anti-Israel. The two theaters are staging musicals and classical plays, such as Whos Afraid of Virginian Wolf or Othello anything that does not run the risk of annoying anyone. This month, the Beit Lessin Theater is staging "Oslo," which has received critical Broadway acclaim. It deals with the behind-the-scenes negotiations on the 1993 Israeli-Palestinian Oslo peace agreements considered by the political right an act of treason by Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin who signed them. It would come as no surprise if the Ministry of Culture were to suddenly find a technical reason to pull funding for the institution lest it expose Israeli theater lovers to the idea that there was once hope for peace. At the Nov. 6 session of the Knessets Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Shuli Mualem of HaBayit HaYehudi asked Shin Bet chief Nadav Argaman about his views on the death penalty for convicted terrorists. Argaman responded, as he has in the past, by saying that he unequivocally opposes capital punishment because it is not effective in fighting terrorism. Argaman's position is unlikely to change HaBayit HaYehudis recent decision to support a death penalty bill that Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman has been promoting for the past three years. The decision by the party's leader, Naftali Bennett, to back the flagship legislative initiative of his biggest rival is undoubtedly a feather in the defense ministers cap. Israeli law allows military tribunals to impose the death penalty by a unanimous decision, but such a ruling has never been handed down. Libermans draft law stipulates that a simple majority of judges would suffice. Sharon Gal, a Knesset member for Libermans Yisrael Beitenu, first proposed the amendment in 2015, right after elections held in March that year. Four months later, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly instructed his Likud ministers to oppose the measure. At Libermans insistence when he joined the Netanyahu government in May 2016, the coalition agreement between his party and the Likud stipulated that the government would promote the amendment. Given various security agencies' assessment that the death penalty could foment Palestinian violence, and opposition by Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, Netanyahu did not rush to legislate Yisrael Beitenus law. On Jan. 3 of this year, Yisrael Beitenu requested a government discussion on the death penalty bill, with a view to pushing it forward. When Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz of the Likud said he would not support the bill, Liberman shouted angrily, Everyone is committed to the coalition agreement, and banged on the table with such force that Netanyahu remarked, You almost broke the table. Liberman stormed out of the meeting. More than being concerned about the collapse of the table around which the Cabinet convenes, Netanyahu was worried about the possible collapse of the government. Therefore, that same evening, the Knesset preliminarily approved the amendment by a narrow majority of 52-49. Netanyahu himself caved, as he always does when he sees one of his ministers outflanking him on the right and fears being portrayed as weak on the scourge of rampant terrorism. He voted in favor of the amendment, explaining from the Knesset podium, Under radical circumstances, simple logic is involved. Those who slay and laugh will not get to spend the rest of their lives behind a prison wall, but will be executed. Nonetheless, he continued, there was no need to rush, stating, No one here is reckless. We can keep considering with time. Netanyahu was already planning his next move: impeding the passage of the bill through the various Knesset committees tasked with preparing it for final approval. Indeed, when the amendment became bogged down in the Knessets Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, Liberman was asked why he was promoting legislation opposed by the defense chiefs under his authority. The defense minister had a simple explanation, saying, I greatly appreciate all the heads of the security services the Shin Bet, Israel Police, and so on. He added, however, On the one hand, they have said on numerous occasions that destroying the homes of terrorists is a deterrence, and on the other hand, they claim the death penalty is not. That logic eludes me. Nonetheless, the law went nowhere for almost 11 months. Israels various defense agencies have been busy this year with other challenges: the violent Palestinian protests along the Gaza border fence, the evolving cease-fire arrangement with Hamas, Russias involvement in Syria and the illusory calm on the West Bank that could erupt in violence at any moment. Liberman has not forgetten and has not given in. Elections are now on the horizon, for sometime in 2019, and when the competition for voters on the right heats up, Liberman will be held to account for his achievements and the extent to which he kept his electoral promises. How would it look to his voters if he fails to push through the crown jewel of his 2015 election campaign? At a Nov. 4 meeting of coalition leaders, Liberman finally got his way, when Netanyahu gave him the go-ahead for his bill, and HaBayit HaYehudi announced its backing. How did all the objections by Netanyahu and others fall by the wayside? The answer lies in the likelihood of early elections. With that in mind, Netanyahu was quick to get on the same page as Liberman, and Bennett, for his part, knew that he would be unable to adequately explain to his voters why he was blocking legislation facilitating the death penalty for terrorists. Israel's politicians, as it turns out, do not have much time for the views of Shin Bet experts. At this point, its all about politics. On Nov. 5, Liberman tweeted in excitement, After more than three years of stubborn struggle, on Wednesday, the death penalty for terrorists bill will finally be brought before the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee and then approved for the first reading in the Knesset plenum. We will not give up, and we will not stop until we complete the mission. Argaman, when addressing that same Knesset committee, had told lawmakers that the relative calm in the West Bank was illusory. Over the past year, he said, security authorities have thwarted 480 planned terror attacks against Israelis and detained 590 lone terrorists and 219 members of Hamas terror cells. With the situation so volatile, the last thing Israel needs is legislation that would spark an explosion. The current government, however, puts considerations of political survival above the expert opinions of the countrys security agencies. A Jerusalem family that holds the keys to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is resisting community and political pressure to relinquish them. Adeeb Joudeh al-Husseini, who says his family was granted the keys in the 12th century, told Al-Monitor there is no reason he should give them up. The key holder says his family's custodianship dates back to the time of Saladin, the Muslim leader who liberated Jerusalem. Reuters ran a long article late in 2017 explaining that the key was given to the Joudeh family after the city was liberated from the Crusaders in 1187. Another of the citys oldest Muslim families, the Nusseibehs, was entrusted with the duty of opening and closing the church doors, a task they perform to this day. But if local Palestinian politicians have their way, the keys will be stripped from Adeeb and given to another member of the Joudeh family. Minister of Jerusalem Affairs in the Palestinian government Adnan Husseini told Al-Monitor that considering problems involving Adeeb's home, it would be best if the symbolic keys to the church were no longer with him. What happened with his family home can't be ignored, he said. Adeeb, whose family home in the Old City of Jerusalem ended up in the hands of the extremist Jewish organization Ateret Cohanim on Oct. 3, told Al-Monitor that he should not be blamed for it. Adeeb, 55, said he was honored to have received the keys from previous generations of his family and would never give them up. My father had the keys and his father before him, and I will gladly turn over the keys to my oldest son in due time, as has been the tradition in our family. But at the same time, Adeeb is adamant about his innocence of the accusations leveled against him, saying, I sold our family home to a respected Palestinian businessman who was recommended by officials from the Palestinian Authority and local leaders. Records do in fact show that the house was sold to a Palestinian banker named Khaled Attari who has since disappeared, but it is unclear how the house ended up in the hands of the extremist Jewish group. Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah has set up a committee to look into what happened. Hanna Issa, the head of the Islamic-Christian Commission in Support of Jerusalem and Holy Sites, told Al-Monitor that he would prefer if the keys of the holy church were transferred to another member of the Joudeh family but he doesnt agree to any change in the status quo, in which the current understandings of who owns or administers these holy sites continue as they have been for decades. Amira Hanania, who is the director general of the Palestinian government's Higher Committee for Church Affairs, told Al-Monitor that the issue of transferring Palestinian homes to settlers is very worrisome. While we dont want to change the status quo regarding holy places in Jerusalem, we can't sit idle as these issues happen in the Old City. The public is very angry about what happened to the Joudeh home. A petition signed by 15 members of the Joudeh tribe Oct. 28 called for the transfer of the keys to another member, Loai Said Joudeh. But Adeeb's brother Sari Joudeh, a systems analyst working in Qatar, said that the petition comes from a Jaffa-based family who has the same name but is not related to his. Speaking to Al-Monitor by phone, Sari explained that his family comes from the Ghadieh tribe of Joudehs. The Joudeh Ghadieh family supports Adeeb and we will not accept any change to who possesses the keys to the church. Sari added that the other family has coveted the historic key for years and is using the current circumstances to try to get possession of it. But we have documents and fermans [an Ottoman term for official edicts] that prove that our particular family is the proud owners of the key which we have the honor to keep. Historians have made much of the fact that a Muslim family has the keys to the Christian church and see the situation as reflective of the churches' trust in their fellow Jerusalem Muslims. Palestinians praised Adeeb when, in December 2017, he refused to open the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem for US Vice President Mike Pence after the United States moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The current controversy over the key to the Christian church betrays the lack of political leadership in Jerusalem and the absence of a real Palestinian strategy for the holy city that Palestinians want to become their capital. Israeli apathy and the absence of any executive power on the ground have left the 330,000 Palestinians in this important holy city political orphans without any unifying leadership. MOSCOW Russias envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentiev, accompanied by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin and senior officials from the Russian Defense Ministry, met in Damascus with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Nov. 6. The Russian Foreign Ministry reported there was a comprehensive exchange of views on the current situation in Syria. The focus was the Russian-Turkish memorandum on Idlib signed in Sochi on Sept. 17; the formation of the Constitutional Committee; Syrias post-war restoration; and the creation of conditions for the return of refugees. The Russians also briefed Syria on the results of the Oct. 27 meeting in Istanbul between the presidents of Turkey, Russia, Germany and France. The Russian emissaries arrived in Syria from Tehran, where they were hosted by the secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani. The Russian envoy and Shamkhani discussed political resolutions to the Syrian conflict. Shamkhani praised the trilateral cooperation between Russia, Iran and Syria, stressing it had become a leading factor in giving the upper hand to the Syrian army against terrorism. The agenda the Russians discussed in Tehran and Damascus is fully reflective of the directions Moscow is currently prioritizing in Syria. First, as the Syria settlement awaits a new UN envoy Norwegian diplomat Geir Pedersen, who is currently his country's ambassador to China Russia is making sure its own initiatives are well sealed and recognized by other major regional players before UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura steps down at the end of November. Russia is thus pressing Assad to speed up the formation of the Constitutional Committee part of the mission of the high-level delegation in Damascus. Meanwhile, in Moscow, Deputy Foreign Ministers Mikhail Bogdanov and Sergey Ryabkov have engaged in a frenzy of diplomatic activity, meeting with ambassadors of virtually all Middle Eastern countries over the last four days. In one day, Bogdanov hosted Saudi Ambassador to Russia Raed bin Khaled Qarmali and Syrian Ambassador Riyad Haddad, whereas Ryabkov met with Iranian Ambassador Mehdi Sanaei. The next day, Bogdanov discussed Syria and Gulf affairs with UAE Foreign Minister Anwar Gargash. Second, Vladimir Putins embrace of the four-party talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel made many in Moscow believe that Russia now seeks to merge the two formats of the Astana group and the two leading European nations from the so-called small group. Russia has been skeptical of the group formed earlier this year by the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan, believing the group was arranged primarily to torpedo the efforts of the Astana trio (Russia, Turkey and Iran). Now that any meaningful progress within the small group is stalled from Russia's perspective with its participants seeking other venues to strengthen their own positions in the Syrian political settlement, and the United States lacking any clear set of objectives that could genuinely unite other members, Moscow believes the conditions are ripe to engage the Europeans who are open to such engagement, albeit each for their own reasons. The West seeks to drive wedges at every possible level between us and Tehran and Turkey, the Russian diplomat argued. This arrangement [the small group] was created to disrupt our own activities, to intercept the political agenda," a senior Russian diplomat working on the Middle East told Al-Monitor, speaking not for attribution. "But they neither had a constructive agenda themselves nor significant influence on the ground [in Syria] to be able to push their decisions on us. Its OK, they needed almost a year to understand it. Now all but the United States and the UK come around to work with us, we are open. Although Iran is absent from the Istanbul quartet, Russia sees it as an important puzzle piece for a Syria settlement and thus briefs both Tehran and Damascus on the consultations within the group, which Moscow, too, considers to be a step into linking the Astana format with the Istanbul group. The Astana trio was critical in shifting the balance of forces in Assads favor, but now that the conflict has moved to the political realm, a broader coalition with Europeans is needed, both for the sake of the process' legitimacy and for financial reasons. German companies are eyeing possible contracts in Syrias restoration, partially helping to alleviate Russias own concerns for finding the money for reconstruction. The West seeks to drive wedges at every possible level between us and Tehran and Turkey, the Russian diplomat argued. They take every opportunity at any venue to speculate about 'bitter differences' we have with Iranians in Syria. We do have some disagreements, of course, we know them very well, Iranians do too, they are not easy counter-partners and Im sure they think of us the same way. But over the course of the years we are in Syria weve learned to work these differences in a mutually acceptable way and we both know there are many out there who seek to derail it, seeing our joint successes in Syria, he said. Russias full-fledged diplomatic engagement comes as Moscow reinforces its military posture on Syrian shores. On Nov. 5, Russia sent a new frigate, carrying long-range Kalibr cruise missiles, to the Mediterranean. The vessel will be acting in the standing naval force of the Russian fleet in the Mediterranean, read the Russian Defense Ministry statement. Its not clear whether the move will have an immediate operational effect, but in the past, Russia fired this type of missile from Mediterranean-based submarines and frigates stationed to support Syrian army offensives against militants. Earlier in May, President Putin stated that cruise-missile-carrying vessels would be on permanent standby in Mediterranean waters to counter the terrorist threat in Syria, so the move may be meant as a general deterrent against a potential foreign strike. The results of the US midterm elections that flipped the House of Representatives to the Democrats have been largely interpreted in Russia as having a negative effect for the state of affairs with Washington. Moscow deems the possibility of new sanctions coming from Congress as high and expects more checks on the Donald Trump administration's dealings with the Kremlin, including in areas that could have been explored for cooperation, such as Syria. Putin and Trump are set to meet Nov. 11 on the margins of the Paris event commemorating the centenary of the end of WWI, but the hopes that the meetings can bear constructive practical outcomes are more modest today than they were before the encounters the two presidents had in Germany, Vietnam and the summit in Finland. Hence, for now, Moscow believes that staying its own course is a more reasonable path in this regard. ALEPPO, Syria Syrian regime artillery shelled the Jarjinaz village in Idlibs eastern countryside Nov. 2, killing eight civilians. The regime forces targeted Jarjinaz with more than 50 shells during the Friday prayers. Turkey and Russia had concluded an agreement on Sept. 17 to establish a buffer zone between the armed opposition regions and the regime-controlled areas in Idlib. According to this agreement that entered into force Oct. 15, this zone would run 15 to 20 kilometers deep and would be free of heavy weapons, including artilleries, tanks and rocket launchers. Yet Syrian regime forces and allied militias continue to shell armed opposition areas with cannons and rifles in Idlib province, Hamas northern countryside, Aleppos western countryside and Turkmen Mountain in the Latakia countryside. The Free Syrian Army (FSA) responded by targeting regime locations in east Idlib Nov. 2. The Turkish-Russian agreement also calls for a halt of military operations and shelling across Idlib, Hamas northern countryside, Aleppos western countryside and the Turkmen Mountain in Latakia countryside. But the opposition accuses regime forces and their allied militias of continuing to breach the agreement. Mostafa Bakkour, a military leader in Al-Aza Army which is an affiliate of the FSA told Al-Monitor, The regimes violations are almost daily, and the shelling is ongoing on towns and villages in the opposition-held territories using missiles and tanks. The regime militias are trying to foil the agreement. The National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces condemned the shelling on Jarjinaz despite the Russian-Turkish agreement to halt the aggression. In a statement the coalition published on its official website Nov. 2, it said, The regime forces shelling of Idlib is a crime and a blatant violation of the Security Council resolutions, the International Humanitarian Law and the Geneva Convention, which incriminates targeting civilians. The attacks are a serious violation of the buffer zone agreement in Idlib. The coalition underlined in its statement the importance of the Idlib agreement and stressed the need to respect it and protect it from the regimes attempts to violate and foil it. The coalition also blamed Russia for the repeated shelling on the areas included in the agreement. Naji Mustafa, who is based in Idlib and is the spokesperson for the FSA-affiliated National Liberation Front, told Al-Monitor, The regimes militias did not stop targeting our areas in Idlib and the opposition-held surroundings. They carry out daily shelling with heavy artillery and machine guns, and they try to obstruct efforts to maintain the truce and implement the buffer zone agreement. FSA factions are responding by firing machine guns because heavy weapons were removed from the 15- to 20-kilometer-deep buffer zone under the Russian-Turkish agreement. Mustafa added, The FSAs heavy weapons were removed before the scheduled time on Oct. 15. All FSA positions remained in place in Idlibs surroundings [in the 15- to 20-kilometer-deep buffer zone]. We only removed the heavy weapons like mortars, tanks, missiles and artilleries. In a press conference Oct. 31, spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Defense Igor Konashenkov said that the Idlib agreement to establish a buffer zone is being implemented. He indicated that a total of 2,450 militants and 206 pieces of military equipment have been removed from the demilitarized zone. Konashenkov added that the delay in establishing a buffer zone that was supposed to be implemented Oct. 15 is due to Turkeys failure to comply with all of its liabilities. But, he added, Turkey has taken considerable efforts to this end. Under the Russian-Turkish Idlib buffer zone agreement, Turkey has to keep militant groups away from the demilitarized zone. This still has not happened. Turkey is exerting huge efforts to convince these groups to leave the area. The main militant groups that have to retreat from the buffer zone include Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, formerly Jabhat al-Nusra) and the Guardians of Religion Organization, which is affiliated with al-Qaeda. But these militants have yet to retreat. On Oct. 31, militants toured the buffer zone in Latakias northern countryside for the first time since the agreement was signed. These included Abu Malek al-Talli, one of HTS' leaders, and Chechen militants. The tour seemed to be an act of defiance of Turkey, which wanted them to withdraw as soon as possible. The HTS attacked a regime position Nov. 1 and killed 10 regime fighters in the buffer zone near the town of Abu al-Dhour in east Idlib. On Oct. 27, the HTS conducted high-level military maneuvers in the south of Idlib, after the buffer zone was established. An elite force affiliated with the HTS carried out the maneuvers, and militants used both heavy and light weapons. An opposition military source in Idlib told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity for security reasons, If the militant groups do not retreat from the demilitarized zone completely in the next two weeks, the FSA factions and the Turkish army will have no choice but to fight them and force them to leave to ensure the implementation of the Russian-Turkish agreement provisions. The source added, The provision of the agreement requiring the retreat of militant groups from the demilitarized area in Idlib is hard to implement quickly. If they insist on staying, the repercussions will be dire. The FSA factions might wage a battle against them that will not be easy. The FSA and the Turkish government are still hoping these groups will retreat peacefully. Dismantling them will be done at a later stage. Tensions are rising quickly in the eastern Mediterranean over sharing hydrocarbon reserves in the area. The latest developments signal increasing volatility. On Nov. 4, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called certain foreign oil companies "bandits of the sea" and warned them against conducting exploration activities near Cyprus. Turkey controls the northern third of the divided island. Meanwhile, Cyprus and the United States on Nov. 6 signed an agreement to reinforce bilateral security relations. In an article I penned near the end of 2017, I forecasted that the tensions between Turkey and the anti-Turkish bloc of Greece, Israel, Egypt and Cyprus were likely to escalate and the issue would become militarized. In another article, I drew attention to growing military moves in the region. The feud has been brewing for years and now is threatening to boil over, especially as some governments in the area have declared their own overlapping exclusive economic zones (EEZs). On Oct. 17, Turkey issued an advisory to ships in the area that it would be conducting seismic surveys in the eastern Mediterranean beginning the next day and running through Feb. 1. Indeed, on Oct. 18, military tension over control of economic interests there grew as the Turkish seismic survey drilling ship Barbaros started searching for oil and gas. The ship was exploring areas Ankara has licensed to Turkish Petroleum (TPAO) just north of Cyprus' self-claimed drilling areas. That same day, according to Ankara, a Greek frigate tried to block the Turkish vessel, but was prevented from doing so by its Turkish navy escort. We will never tolerate new harassment. We have [taken] all kinds of measures. I want everyone to know that we will not tolerate a fait accompli of any sort on this subject, Turkish Minister of Defense Hulusi Akar said Oct. 24. He also threatened military action if Greece acts on plans to extend its territorial waters in the Aegean. Turkish government spokesman Omer Celik conveyed a similar message Oct. 31, one day after the Turkish drilling ship Fatih, named after the conqueror of Constantinople (or modern-day Istanbul), began drilling at the Alanya-1 borehole, 100 kilometers (60 miles) off Antalya. The ship will be survey drilling for 150 days until early April under the protection of a navy assault boat and a submarine. Two Norwegian offshore supply ships also are accompanying the Fatihs first survey. Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Donmez noted that other shallow drilling work with the Fatih vessel is planned northwest of Cyprus in November, adding that Turkey is about to buy a second drilling ship to ramp up exploration. Meanwhile, Egyptian, Greek and Greek Cypriot leaders had met Oct. 10 to discuss EEZs in the area of the eastern Mediterranean near the Greek island of Crete. The leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to explore gas reserves off the coast of Cyprus. On Oct. 20, former Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias (who resigned Oct. 17) declared Greece is ready to expand its territorial waters from 6 nautical miles to 12 in the Ionian Sea, extending Greeces sovereignty westward. Kotzias also revealed that the ministry is preparing to extend Greeces sovereignty to 12 nautical miles around Crete. This statement angered Ankara. Turkey thinks Greeces effort to extend its territorial waters around Crete is actually a move to shift the territorial waters problem of the Aegean Sea. If the rivalry over sharing hydrocarbon reserves continues, it could spill over to territorial waters and sovereignty issues, which would only escalate tensions. The eastern Mediterranean has become an international problem. Turkish media reported Oct. 28 that Turkish F-16s challenged British war planes that were conducting reconnaissance close to the Barbaros ship. Cypus has issued exploration permits to French energy giant Total SA, Italy's Eni SpA, ExxonMobil and American Noble Inc. Charles Ellinas, CEO of energy consultancy EC Natural Hydrocarbons Co. Ltd. in Nicosia, Cyprus, announced that US-based ExxonMobil will start drilling this month in block 10. An ExxonMobil-leased drilling vessel is expected to arrive Nov. 12 in Cyprus, according to the Greek Reporter. Negotiations are about to conclude on the natural gas pipeline known as EastMed, a project favored by the EU as a way to diversify its energy resources. The on- and offshore pipeline will transport gas from the eastern Mediterranean to Greece, via Cyprus and Crete. Via other pipelines, gas would be moved to Italy and other countries in southeastern Europe. The participation of Eni and Total strengthened predictions that natural gas produced from Israels Tamar and Leviathan fields, Egypts Zohr and southern Cyprus' Aphrodite could become an alternative natural gas supply source for the EU. These countries are cooperating on energy. The core problem here is that Turkey hasn't participated in this cooperation, as Ankara disagrees with the EEZs Cyprus claims. Although Ankara isn't part of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the convention calls for determining the limits of EEZs of countries in the eastern Mediterranean based on the principle of sovereignty. Turkey doesn't accept agreements that Cyprus has made with Egypt, Lebanon and Israel to delineate the EEZs, as Ankara says they would infringe on its rights. Some experts feel Turkey should have declared EEZs rather than trying to develop a position based on the continental shelf. However, there is a growing opinion in Ankara that Turkey should declare an EEZ in 2019 and defend its sovereign rights in the eastern Mediterranean more robustly. In conclusion, the remainder of 2018 could be interesting, considering the pace of unfolding events and escalating militarization. The grim fact everyone should bear in mind is: We are at the threshold of an era when commanders from Turkey, Greece and Cyprus must keep their cool when confronted with the risk of military engagement. That's much more vital than diplomatic efforts in Ankara, Athens and Nicosia. On Nov. 10 Turkey will observe the 80th anniversary of the death of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the modern Turkish Republic. Yet on that same date his latest successor, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, will be paying a visit to Paris for the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. A century ago, Ataturk an Ottoman Empire war hero and respected general was preoccupied with a retreat from a region he commanded in northern Syria. Now the longest-serving Turkish leader, Erdogan, has been invited by French President Emmanuel Macron to attend a Nov. 11 celebration marking the end of a war where the Ottoman Empire was on the losing side. In a sense, Macron is returning the invitation of Erdogan for the Syria summit held last month that gathered German, Russian and French leaders the big guys in Istanbul. A century ago, Ataturk was in Aleppo, commanding an army, and 100 years later, the big guys met in Istanbul to decide on the fate of Aleppos environs. The 100th anniversary of the end of World War I may help Erdogan enhance his image as one of the big guys of international politics. He also announced that he will be meeting Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Paris. This is another clue that Erdogan is playing big and that he is one of the very few people in the international game who has leverage with the leaders of both the United States and Russia. His relations with Washington are better than they have been for some time. Turkey has surprisingly become one of the eight countries exempted from the American oil sanctions against Iran. What makes Turkey privileged is that it is the only country among the eight on the oil waiver list that is Irans immediate neighbor. Nothing can illustrate better how relations between Erdogan and Trump have warmed up than this exemption. Erdogan even went as far as to say publicly that the American president promised to instruct his people to review the case of a Turkish bank that is expected to be fined by US Treasury over the Iran sanctions scam. Apart from the release of American pastor Andrew Brunson, Erdogans rapprochement with Trump interestingly has not been a result of a sort of give-and-take between the two. Erdogan has given almost nothing to Trump for securing such preferential treatment from him. On the contrary, he cornered Trumps favorite Middle East policy card, Saudi Arabia. Columnist Jamal Khashogggi's murder came as a blessing for Erdogan. He transformed it into effective leverage that he could play against Washington and Riyadh simultaneously. He has played it very successfully, and now is on his way to Paris to collect its remaining dividends. On the Khashoggi affair, Erdogan improved his image to the extent of writing an op-ed piece as if he had been championing freedom of the press for years. The Washington Post could not help but publish an editorial that started with the following: Demanding a full accounting for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the consulate of Saudi Arabia in Istanbul has earned President Recep Tayyip Erdogan a modicum of praise for moral clarity. The Turkish president could strengthen his credibility by applying the same principles to his own rule. Mr. Erdogan is rightly outraged by Mr. Khashoggis murder. Now he should do the right thing for his own domain: Free the journalists, scholars and civil servants, and begin to restore Turkeys once-vibrant democracy and free press, the editorial concluded. But why would he do that? This would weaken his stranglehold on power. Why would he do what the editorial asked if he could earn a modicum of praise for moral clarity without taking such action? Erdogan is a clever political operator and at the moment what he cares is the new good climate with Trump. He is very well aware that Trump does not care about restoring Turkeys once-vibrant democracy and free press or the release of more than 100 journalists from jail. In his talk with Trump, it is almost certain that Erdogan will bring up the issue of the eastern Euphrates, where the American military cooperates with the Syrian offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Erdogan, emboldened with the dazzling diplomatic show in Istanbul, spelled out Turkeys intention to eradicate the presence of the Kurdish allies of the United States in the eastern Euphrates and Turkish artillery began to pound the Kurdish targets. Erdogan went as far as to imply that Turkey will move militarily to the towns such as Tell Abyad and Kobani. After the Turkish artillery bombardment, the Americans started joint patrols with elements of the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units along the Turkey-Syria frontier to deter Turkey from creating a potential bone of contention between the two NATO allies. It remains to be seen how Trump will react to Erdogans possible demands involving the eastern Euphrates. It appears that Turkish objectives are irreconcilable with those of the Syrian Kurds and the United States, unless the latter decides on a sell-out of the Kurds. History has a record on this that Erdogan should well know. On Nov. 6, the US Embassy in Ankara issued a statement from Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Palmer after he met with a number of Turkish officials and business figures. The United States values its counterterrorism cooperation with our NATO Ally Turkey. As part of my visit, I am pleased to announce that the U.S. Department of States Rewards for Justice program is targeting three senior members of the terrorist organization Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), the statement said. The Department has authorized rewards for information leading to the identification or location of the senior PKK members: Murat Karayilan (up to USD $5 million), Cemil Bayik (up to USD $4 million), and Duran Kalkan (up to USD $3 million). With such gifts from his NATO ally, would Erdogan, in Paris, take a step back from the finalized purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense system that irritated the alliance? In Paris, he will also meet his partner in Syria, Putin, with whom he is cooperating in a satisfying way west of Euphrates, principally in Afrin and above all in Idlib. Erdogan plays big with Trump and Putin, he projects Turkey (and himself) as more than a regional power and portrays Ankara as a party in the grand bargain on Syria on an equal footing with his American and Russian counterparts. Whether he wins or loses big is of secondary importance at the moment. He plays big. That is important, and that brings its dividends. DIYARBAKIR, Turkey Nine Kurdish parties in Turkey have joined forces in a fresh drive to fight for more language rights and shield Kurdish from what they see as the creeping danger of assimilation and oblivion. The initiative aims to revive the Kurds decades-long efforts to use their language freely, especially in education. The struggle has been in a lull since settlement talks between Ankara and the Kurds collapsed in 2015. The breakup of the peace process reignited clashes between the security forces and armed Kurdish militants, followed by a ferocious clampdown on Kurdish political quarters that saw the seizure of Kurdish-run local administrations and the arrest of dozens of senior Kurdish politicians, including parliament members. On Oct. 28, the Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), the main pro-Kurdish political movement in Turkey, and eight other parties established the Kurdish Language Protection and Development Platform to press ahead with language demands and encourage Kurds to use their mother tongue more. The other co-founders included the Democratic Regions Party, the Freedom and Socialism Party, the Kurdistan Democratic Party-Bakur, the Kurdistan Democratic Party-Turkey, the Kurdistan Socialist Party (PSK), the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), the People and Freedom Party and the Azadi Movement. Speaking to Al-Monitor, PSK Deputy Chair Bayram Bozyel argued the Kurdish language faces extinction in Turkey. With all its means, Turkey is pursuing a policy to assimilate [Kurds] and wipe out the Kurdish language, Bozyel said. To fend off this threat, nine Kurdish parties came together and decided to work jointly to sound the alarm and raise awareness. Language has always been a pivotal theme in the Kurdish struggle for rights and freedoms in Turkey. The restrictions date back to the early years of the modern Turkish republic in the 1930s, when a campaign called Citizen, Speak Turkish! pressured minorities to speak the official language and Kurds faced fines for speaking their mother tongue in public. In 1958, Kurdish writer Musa Anter created a furor when he published text in Kurdish the lyrics of a folk song in a local newspaper in Diyarbakir, the largest city of the Kurdish-majority southeast. In 1977, the first Kurdish-language newspaper, Roja Welat, began publication, but was soon shuttered by the martial rule in the country. De facto restrictions on the Kurdish language and even Kurdish music continued for years before a ban was put into effect after the 1980 military coup. The 1983 law prohibited the expression, dissemination and publication of thoughts in languages other than the first official languages of states recognized by the Turkish state. The ban was abolished in 1991 thanks to efforts by then-premier Turgut Ozal, but restrictions continued on the ground. The biggest gains for the Kurds came in the 2000s, when Ankara initiated democratic reforms to support its bid to join the European Union. The government created a Kurdish-language TV channel and introduced elective courses in Kurdish in public schools. The use of Kurdish proliferated, but the authorities often remained vindictive. In 2009, for instance, Kurdish mayors were sued for printing festival invitations in Kurdish, with the official accusation being that the invitations contained letters such as W, X and Q that do not exist in the Turkish alphabet. Kurdish politicians had run-ins with the judiciary for using Kurdish in election campaigns, and the Diyarbakir Bar Association for printing day planners in Kurdish. Since the collapse of the settlement talks, language restrictions have made a comeback. And with the Kurdish political movement largely paralyzed, the issue has remained in the shadow of the crackdown. According to Bozyel, the new platform has three main objectives. The first is to encourage Kurds to use the language more. Kurdish is spoken almost exclusively in rural areas, but in urban centers, Turkish is the dominant language in the street and many young Kurds remain disconnected from their mother tongue. How can we, Kurds, protect our language? How to use it more in daily life? This is our first goal and we need to show a strong will here, Bozyel said. Second, a language cannot be protected only through usage in daily life. Assimilation cannot be stopped unless it becomes an official language and an education and market language, he said. It could become official with Turkeys permission; hence Turkey and the government are a party to this problem. We want Kurdish to become a language of education in Turkey and the Kurdish regions, along with Turkish, to be taught from primary school to university and be an official language. The third objective has an international aspect. Referring to Turkeys EU accession bid and membership in UN institutions, Bozyel said the platform would seek international support to put pressure on Ankara. Even if Kurdish cannot become an official or education language at a stroke, the aim is to popularize its usage, he added. Bozyel said the platform would organize a workshop Nov. 10 to outline a road map of its activities. Vahit Aba, a senior PAK member, grumbled that Turkish dominates the public space in predominantly Kurdish cities. Its as if speaking Turkish is normal and speaking Kurdish is abnormal in shops, at markets and in the street, he told Al-Monitor. Someone had to step in. This is a duty not only for political parties but for everyone. We decided to organize a workshop with academics, linguists and psychologists that is, people who are knowledgable on how language affects society. The real work will kick off after the workshop, Aba said, noting they would discuss what to ask from the Kurds, what the state and international organizations should do and what a path toward the ultimate goal of making Kurdish an official language looks like. The initiative received a message of support from Selahattin Demirtas, arguably the most popular Kurdish politician in Turkey today, who has been behind bars for two years. In a letter from prison, Demirtas lent support to any effort for the free, unimpeded use of Kurdish in all spheres of life, including education, the economy and social and political realms. He noted that he himself was continuing to study Kurmanji, the main Kurdish dialect in Turkey, in prison. Ordinary Kurds have met the initiative with remarkable excitement. Sivan Vural, a shopkeeper in Diyarbakir, hailed the platform as a very important step in terms of Kurdish unity in the political and social fields. He voiced hope that the spirit of unity would extend to local elections in March and lead to an electoral alliance. The drive's results are hard to predict. The initiative presents an opportunity to Ankara to respond positively and thaw the ice with the Kurds, but the states traditional impulse of rejection could equally prevail. Up and down the ballot on Tuesday, there were few competitive races for legislative seats in Alabama. Most Alabama Republicans won their races by double-digits, when they had an opponent at all. In the few blue districts the Black Belt, Birmingham, Montgomery Democrats went mostly uncontested or enjoyed victories as lopsided as their Republican counterparts elsewhere around the state. None of that surprises. But in three of the closest state senate races, voters passed over Democrats for Republican candidates with a host of issues: an incumbent whos been arrested for domestic violence, a party-switching career politician, and a doctor who once tried to torpedo a state law named for a patient who died in his care. There may be something to be learned from the states few competitive districts. Because in the end, the closest races may say more about how gerrymandered Alabama has become than the easy wins ever could. Senate District 27: Lee, Russell & Tallapoosa Counties Incumbent Sen. Tom Whatley spent just shy of $1 million this year an extraordinary sum for a race against a political newcomer and relative unknown, real estate agent Nancy Carlton Bendinger. Bendingers campaign spent about $33,000. Whatley, R-Auburn, won reelection on Tuesday 59 percent of the vote. Its a steep decline from four years ago, when he defeated Democrat Haylee Moss by a 31-point margin. Whatley is from a prominent Lee County family. His father, Charles Whatley, is a former Democratic state legislator. But the district is changing. It covers parts of Lee, Russell and Tallapoosa Counties, an area thats experienced rapid growth over the past decade. Lee County, home of Auburn University, is now the second-fastest growing county in the state. And Lee County went blue last year, choosing Doug Jones over Roy Moore in the Senate special election, 57-41. Russell County, home of Phenix City, went for Jones 65-35. Whatley has sponsored some popular legislation during his tenure. Hes probably best known as a co-sponsor of last years bill that ensures insurance coverage for families with children who have autism. But Whatley has experienced scandal in his personal life, perhaps helping explain the close race against a political newcomer. In 2014 he was arrested on a misdemeanor domestic violence charge, a month after being reelected to his second term. An Auburn police officer witnessed Whatley grab the arm of his then-fiancee and shove her down onto the brick steps and concrete porch of his house. She later issued a statement through Whatleys attorney that said the matter was a misunderstanding, and charges were dropped. The two are no longer together; in October, Whatley announced his engagement to recent Auburn graduate Lauren Cross. Whatley was also the target of adult website allegations in 2011. An anonymous packet containing information tying him to the explicit website AdultFriendFinder was sent to several state legislators. Senate District 2: Madison & Limestone Counties Fewer than 500 votes separated eventual victor Tom Butler, now a Republican, from Democrat Amy Wasyluka in the race for an open seat in Senate District 2, according to the unofficial count from the Alabama Secretary of State. The district is mostly white and comprises affluent suburbs of Madison and exurbs of metro Huntsville. It straddles parts of Limestone and Madison Counties, the third- and fourth-fastest growing counties in Alabama, respectively. The district is growing in large part thanks to transplants, many from outside the South, who relocate to work in the aerospace and defense industries surrounding Redstone Arsenal. The demographics of the region may tilt the odds away from longtime legislators like Butler. But he used to be a Democrat. Butler represented the Madison-Limestone area in Montgomery for 28 years as first a state representative and later as state senator. But after he lost reelection in 2010, he tried to switch parties and run for a seat on the county commission. The Madison County Republican Party wouldnt have it. The partys executive committee initially blocked him from a GOP nomination, but eventually relented. Wasyluka, a Madison attorney, is a political newcomer who ran on a slogan of People Over Party. Shes a cancer survivor and young mother who made healthcare access a pillar of her platform. Next door in Senate District 7, which includes the City of Huntsville, Republican attorney Sam Givhan won a closer-than-expected race against Democrat Deborah Barros, 55-45. Senate District 6: Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence & Marion Counties The race in Senate District 6 was expected to be one of the closest in the state even before Election Day, and did not disappoint. Incumbent Sen. Larry Stutts, R-Tuscumbia, eked out a win against Rep. Johnny Mack Morrow with fewer than 1,000 votes separating them. Weeks before the election, one GOP strategist said of the race, If there is a chance for a Democrat to take over a Republican seat, this is it. The district, which spreads across several counties in the Shoals area of Northwest Alabama, is full of white working-class communities that have in recent years resisted the red wave sweeping the rest of the state. Its a place where a Democrat like Morrow is still widely popular. But in this district, at least, the competitive race may have more to do with individuals than demographics. Morrow is a Democrat and former community college professor whos fought to arm teachers. Stutts is a Republican and obstetrician/gynecologist who was quickly embroiled in a controversy of his own making his first year in the State House. Stutts seemed vulnerable this year; so much so that Morrow gave up the State House seat hed held since 1990 to run against him. The two marched into November with nearly identical war chests, raising around $275,000 each in cash contributions this year. But In his first year in office, Stutts angered some constituents and other lawmakers when he introduced a bill that would have repealed a state law requiring insurers to cover hospital stays for new mothers at least 48 hours after delivering babies. What Stutts didnt disclose to the public or the bills co-sponsors was that the law he wanted to repeal was named for his patient, Rose Church, who had died in his care. Churchs husband had also sued Stutts for malpractice after her death. Stutts later withdrew the bill and denied it had any connection to Church or her death. Already a regular target for jokes during late night talk show monologues, Jeff Sessions was once again on the receiving end of punchlines delivered by Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel and other comedians after his resignation as Attorney General on Wednesday. Stephen Colbert showed a photo of a frowning Session and said it depicts him on his happiest day on the job. Colbert said this news wasnt a huge shock and called Sessions' recusal from the Russia investigation the only thing thats good that hes ever done. Colbert bid farewell to Sessions by taking out a Keebler elf cookie and holding it up for a close-up to say goodbye, in its own way. I humbly request my severance pay in sweet tea and Confederate dollars," he said. "Please feed me to the seagulls on the banks of Mobile Bay. Jimmy Kimmel focused on the report that Trump had Chief of Staff Gen. John Kelly fire Sessions instead of doing it himself. The president was unhappy with Sessions for recusing himself in the Russian investigation. And you know how it goes. You recuse, you lose. Right, Jeff? Seth Meyers monologue also mentioned Sessions. Wow, you know it was a rough election for Republicans when even the ones who werent running are losing their seats, Meyers said during this monologue. Meyers then made a crack about Sessions' height. Attorney General Jeff Sessions stepped down today, he said. Apparently, hes been on a stool this whole time. Meyers also said Sessions was obviously fired because the language in his resignation letter, which said he was resigning at Trumps request. Thats like saying youre breaking up with someone because you dont like the way they threw you out of the house. Jimmy Fallon also jumped in, with more elf jokes. It makes sense that hes leaving now. Santa needs him to start making toys at the North Pole, he said. He wants to step down and spend more time with his brothers Crackle and Pop. James Corden even joined the party on his Late Late Show. It looks like another Confederate monument got taken down today," he says. Jeff Sessions is leaving some very, very tiny shoes to fill. Samantha Bee let Sessions have it on her show Full Frontal. He wanted to leave to spend more time doing what he loves most: Racism," she said. Jeff Sessions has already packed up all his things into a thimble and hitched a ride on a bluebird back to the statue of Jefferson Davis where he makes his nest. And of course Trevor Noah delivered his two cents on The Daily Show. Noah played footage of networks breaking the news that Trump fired Sessions. Thats not fair to President Trump. He didnt fire Jeff Session. He just said Rumpelstiltskin, and then the curse was broken. Thats how it works. By Ritah Kemigisa. A new Twaweza report on education and schooling in Uganda released today has revealed that paying excessive financial contributions both in Primary and secondary schools is the biggest challenge faced by parents In the country . Releasing the report, the lead researcher Marrie Nanyanzi said much as 70% of the parents take their children to UPE schools , close to 80% of them continue paying more money to schools inform of extra tuition, food, construction work and support for volunteer teachers. Nanyanzi however says despite this challenge majority of the parents do not speak out or report to any one for fear of the repercussion on their children while those who do limited or no response is given. She meanwhile says the distance to schools and teacher absenteeism is also cited by parents as the key challenge they are facing when taking their children to school. She is now calling for more engagements between schools and parents if they are to improve their working relationship which in the end leads to a better education system. The report titled Preparing the Next Generation, Ugandas Opinions and experiences on education was carried in the months of September and October this year from over 1800 respondents in the country. Alabamas largest church has been clearing land for a new campus in Fultondale. The Church of the Highlands owns 60 acres in Fultondale on Lowery Parkway and plans to build along Interstate 65 about six miles north of the I-59/I-65 interchange. The project was delayed last year when Fultondale rejected a re-zoning request. But the church and the city struck a deal earlier this year in which the church agreed to give up half the land for commercial development, allowing the city to have tax-paying businesses locate there. The church campus will be on a 30-acre plot; the church will transfer the rest to the Commercial Development Authority of the City of Fultondale, according to an agreement reached earlier this year. They plan to build, Fultondale Mayor Jim Lowery said. They havent got their building permit yet. The other 30 acres on the interstate side will be commercial. The zoning rejection last year was never about Fultondale not wanting the church to locate there, but about potential lost tax revenue, Lowery said. Its a good piece of property for commercial development, Lowery said. The agreement allows the church to build, while helping the city maintain its tax base, he said. If the church had kept all the property, there would be no property taxes paid on it since churches are tax-exempt. The deal meets the needs of the city and the church, he said. Theyre here, Lowery said. Theyre clearing land. Theyre building a new road in there. The church received a special exemption use from the citys Board of Zoning Adjustment. They were granted a variance, Lowery said. Its going to be mixed-use. The remainder is going to be commercial. They worked it out with the board. It would meet citys needs and churchs needs. Church of the Highlands Pastor Chris Hodges met with Mayor Lowery last year. The Church of the Highlands had bought 30 acres for about $1.5 million in the city's commercial district and had another 30 acres donated. The church currently has a Fultondale-area branch location that meets at Tarrant High School off Black Creek Road. It previously met at Fultondale Elementary School. The Church of the Highlands began in February 2001 with Hodges as founding pastor and met in the fine arts auditorium at Mountain Brook High School. In 2007, the church opened its $15 million main campus with a 2,400-seat sanctuary on Grants Mill Road near Interstate 459. With sermons by Hodges beamed via internet to 16 branch locations, the church has attendance of more than 40,000 per week, making it the largest church in Alabama and one of the largest churches in America. Almost two-thirds of the Alabama voters who cast ballots in the election on Tuesday did so with a straight-ticket vote. The secretary of states office says that 1.1 million of the 1.7 million ballots cast were straight-ticket ballots, where a voter can choose all the candidates in one party with a single mark. Thats 65 percent. Thats a sharp increase in straight-ticket voting from the last two general elections with a race for governor on the ballot. In 2010, 48 percent of voters cast a straight-ticket ballot, while 49.5 percent did so in 2014. The practice was popular with both major parties in those years and was even more so this year. According to the secretary of state, 661,898 Republicans voted a straight-ticket ballot on Tuesday. For Democrats, there were 460,408 straight-ticket voters. Also, 135 voters cast a straight-ticket vote for the Libertarian Party. Secretary of State John Merrill said the numbers demonstrate a deepening partisan divide. He said he was surprised that the proportion of straight-ticket voters grew as much as it did. I think people are becoming more polarized in their opinions and how the parties represent them, said Merrill, a Republican who was elected to a second term on Tuesday. And I think theyre demonstrating their strong ties to those philosophies based on that party affiliation. Alabama is one of eight states that still allows straight-ticket voting, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The others are Indiana, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas and Utah. Texas will eliminate straight-ticket voting after the 2020 election. But Republican and Democratic leaders in Alabama have said there dont see an interest in eliminating the popular practice in this state. Updated at 7:35 p.m. to add quote from John Merrill. A photo showing a smiling former death row inmate with a #VOTED sticker on his forehead has captured the social media spotlight. Anthony Ray Hinton spent 28 years on Alabamas death row before his release in 2015. The group that helped free him, Equal Justice Initiative, tweeted the picture with the message, For 30 years, Mr. Hinton was stripped of all his rights while he sat on Alabama death row for a crime he didnt commit. Today, he arrived at the polls at 7am and exercised his right to vote. The post has been retweeted and liked thousands of times. Equal Justice Initiative spokeswoman Tania Cordes said Hinton was first in line at his polling place, arriving before the doors opened Tuesday. She said he wore the sticker on his forehead so no one would miss it. Hinton was released after new ballistics tests contradicted the only evidence against him. The Republican caucus of the Alabama Senate has reelected Sen. Greg Reed, R-Jasper, as Senate majority leader. The caucus, which holds 27 of the 35 Senate seats, made the decision at a meeting on Wednesday. Reed has served in the Senate since 2010. The caucus named him majority leader in 2014. Reed won reelection to his Senate seat this year without opposition in either party. In a statement, Reed said he was deeply humbled by the trust of his colleagues. Republicans have controlled the Legislature since 2010 and added to their numbers on Tuesday, picking up one seat in the Senate and five in the House of Representatives. Reed said the outcome was an endorsement of Republican leadership and said the caucus would work to improve schools and promote economic prosperity across the state. These numbers may surprise you. Walt Maddox got 20,000 more votes than Doug Jones. Jones became Alabamas junior Senator in 2017, beating Republican Roy Moore by less than 2 percent. Maddox also earned more votes than Republican Bob Riley during his successful 2002 gubernatorial campaign. Yet Maddox lost his gubernatorial bid this week by 20 points. In raw numbers, Democratic Chief Justice Candidate Bob Vance netted more votes than any statewide Democrat in 20 years other than... Bob Vance, who narrowly lost to Roy Moore during a presidential election cycle in 2012. And Attorney General candidate Joseph Siegelman earned just fewer votes than his father, Don Siegelman, who eked out a win over Fob James, becoming the states last Democratic governor. Democrats had more legislative candidates on the ballot in 2018 than in 2014. The end result? Democrats lost five seats in the House and one seat in the Senate, continuing a steady downward decline that began in 1986 and accelerated in 2010. Two things happened on Tuesday: Democratic voter turnout surged and, yet, Democrats were still beaten by incredibly wide margins. The closest result was Siegelmans race against Republican Steve Marshall and Siegelman still lost by 17 points. So what went wrong for Alabamas Democratic Party and where do they go from here? In part, no Democratic wave can match the Republican surge thats been building in Alabama since 2008. This week Kay Ivey became the first governor in state history to earn more than one million votes. Nearly as many people voted straight-ticket Republican as voted for Maddox. But Democratic party leaders, campaign strategists and activists pointed to a few other pressing reasons for their Tuesday failures: conservative enthusiasm driven by ballot initiatives, a lack of party infrastructure and leadership, and national narratives and partisan gerrymandering. The Red Sea House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels, D-Huntsville, said it wasnt the quality of Alabamas Democratic candidates that led to their defeat at the polls. Instead, the party didnt anticipate the enthusiastic turnout for two amendments on the ballot, one protecting the rights of the unborn and one authorizing schools and other public spaces to display the Ten Commandments. Those amendments were strategically done, said Daniels in an interview with AL.com. Think about Roy Moores politics and the people he brings out with him. Those voters have traditionally only come out for Roy Moore and while Roy Moore wasnt on the ballot, he was there in the form of those two amendments. That brings an unexpected base of support. Nancy Worley, Chair of the Alabama Democratic Party, argues President Donald Trump may have also been a contributing factor. There were some controversial issues that preceded this election, Worley told AL.com. Trump coming into the South and frightening people over a caravan of immigrants. You put all that together and it didnt spell victory for the state. Beginning with President Richard Nixons Southern Strategy in the 1970s and the popularity of Ronald Reagan in the 1980s, Alabama has steadily transitioned from a one-party Democratic stronghold to a one-party Republican stronghold. Democrats have lost eight of the last nine gubernatorial elections. But following the 2008 election of Barack Obama and the emergence of the Tea Party movement, Republican turnout in the state had a notable spike in 2010. That year, Robert Bentley received 140,000 more votes than Bob Riley had in 2006. That conservative surge was driven in part by a campaign strategy coordinated by Republican Mike Hubbard who would become Speaker of the House before being convicted on felony ethics violation charges to finally switch legislative control from Democrats to the Republicans. Turnout has always been higher during presidential cycles, but Republican enthusiasm spiked again to new levels in 2016 with the election of Donald Trump, who received more Alabama votes than any candidate in history: 1,318,255. Most of those voters showed up again for Kay Ivey. Despite a relative spike in Democratic enthusiasm, the state party had no answer for the steady surge in Republican voting and election infrastructure. Crumbling infrastructure After dominating state politics for a century following Reconstruction, Alabama Democratic Party infrastructure is virtually nonexistent. There are now just eight Democrats in the State Senate and 28 in the House. Last year, the Democrats scored their first statewide victory since 2006 when Doug Jones defeated Roy Moore, the states most polarizing politician in a special election to fill the senate seat vacated by Jeff Sessions. Now, the states most prominent Democrat is holding his party leaders accountable. Earlier this year, he publicly clashed with Worley and Joe Reed, chair of the Alabama Democratic Conference, in an effort to instate new party leadership. And in the wake of Tuesdays losses, he doubled down. We have to have new leadership in the Alabama Democratic Party. There is no support, no infrastructure and no leadership that has the vision to move the state forward. We know that change doesnt happen overnightand theres a long road to the next election, said Jones in a statement to AL.com. It was a sentiment echoed by this years Democratic candidates for Congress. Each cycle, the Alabama Democratic Conference collects money from each Democratic candidate in exchange for get-out-the-vote efforts. Some candidates arent sure theyre getting their moneys worth. Martha Gravlee is a campaign strategist who has worked for Republicans and Democrats. In 2018, she managed Lee Aumans District 4 campaign. She said the state party lacks staff, a communications strategy, research capabilities and fundraising. The state party has virtually no social media presence and Worley does not currently operate a personal Twitter account, in contrast to ALGOP Chair Terry Lathan who is very active. And, of course, President Trump has demonstrated the power of social media in election. Democrats in Alabama are eager and clearly able to build a bench, but until the state party starts to meet them halfway, it just isnt enough, said Gravlee. In her concession speech, Mallory Hagan, the Democratic partys candidate for the congressional seat in District 3, blasted her partys leaders. There are people who are in control of the Democratic Party who say they are fighting for you, who say they are standing up for you, who say they care about you and your communities. And yet, they s--- on Democratic candidates left and right, said Hagan. They take from us. They demean us. They condescend to us as we run. ALABAMA ELECTION 2018: #Must_Watch speech as candidate Malory Hagan describes her frustration with Alabamas Democratic Party after her loss to Republican incumbent Rep. Mike Rogers for the U.S House District 3 seat. Its obvious Hagan isnt leaving the political world anytime soon as she promised her supporters at her watch party to continue to fight for them. Posted by Elizabeth White WRBL on Tuesday, November 6, 2018 Worley said the state party has hired a new employee to focus on coordinating with county party leaders. She also suggested that young, inexperienced candidates may be partially responsible for the partys defeat but expressed hope that theyd run again in future cycles. Minority Leader Daniels also criticized the state party. There was no building. You dont have the staff members in the off years to start building toward the election cycle. Theres not a great volunteer base in these areas to help support the different campaigns. Those structures are not in place in key areas. There is no presence, said Daniels. When you dont have that local infrastructure to help support it. Its very difficult. Without party support, Daniels and others are taking mobilization efforts into their own hands. After becoming Minority Leader in 2017, Daniels launched the Alabama Democratic Victory Fund, a PAC designed to train and mobilize Democratic legislative candidates. Since February 2018, theyve held weekly training sessions for legislators and candidates. One of the states other more prominent Democrats, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodin, launched a similar PAC earlier this year. Next Generation Alabama provided resources like Woodfins voter files, text messaging services, and volunteers to Jefferson County Democratic candidates. By targeting voters who showed up to vote for Woodfin, local Democrats were able to turn out more straight ticket Democratic voters. Subsequently, the Party swept the countywide races in one of the few blue counties in Alabama. Jarrod Loadholt, a political advisor to Woodfins PAC, pointed to Georgia for an example of the role these PACs can play in building out election infrastructure. Stacey Abrams, Georgias Democratic gubernatorial nominee, is locked in a race thats too close to call against Republican Brian Kemp. Ten years ago she launched the New Georgia Project and started building progressive voter rolls and volunteer databases statewide. Theres a reason theyre still counting votes in Georgia while were licking our wounds in Alabama, said Loadholt. Abrams spent a decade with the New Georgia Project for her candidacy to even be viable. Democrats are looking for a star to come in and save the day and [assume] infrastructure will magically develop around themThe work of building the infrastructure to win elections in the South as Democrats, cant just fall on the state party. It is a shared responsibility. If Woodfin wants to make a difference in Birmingham, hes going to need to flip some legislative seats. He said theres a coalition of young, diverse Democrats eager to knock on doors and turn out votes but that it will take time to build that base. Right now voter enthusiasm is not translating into electoral victories, though the gaps are narrowing in the states suburbs and metro areas. There are also issue advocacy organizations that have played a role in mobilizing grassroots support. Woke Vote garnered attention for its role in mobilizing black voters for Doug Jones. Equality Alabama and the Human Rights Campaign mobilize the states LGBT voters. Another organization, Hometown Action is focusing on progressive causes in rural Alabama. KC Vick, a community organizer for Hometown Action, said they arent deterred by Democratic losses on Tuesday. Im optimistic about Hometown Action and other frontline groups building collective power to take back our state and build communities where we can all thrive. We do that work every day. Not only in an election year, said Vick. Advocacy groups and PACs will play a role in shaping the future of Democratic elections, but Gravlee is skeptical that they can replace the action of a viable party. We should welcome organizations that do that, said Gravlee. Having Democrats helping Democrats is wonderful but its a supplement to the work the state party needs to do. Only a state party has the fundraising capability that the Alabama Democratic Party has and refuses to use. Gravlee then outlined the consequences of the state party sitting on its hands. By refusing to engage in this election, minus a last-minute ad buy, the state party ensured that a Republican supermajority will draw the districts in 2021 and theyll be signed into law by a Republican governor who campaigned on confederate monuments and not much else, she said. By not doing anything, the Democratic Party has thrown up their hands and welcomed a generation of Republican supermajority in the state and thats really unfortunate. Updated at 9:45 a.m. to reflect that Bob Vance received more votes in 2012 than in 2018. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is being considered as the replacement for ousted Attorney General Jeff Sessions, according to reports. Christie served as U.S. Attorney in New Jersey from 2002 to 2008 and governor of the state from 2010 to 2018. Citing sources close the matter, CBS said the president is considering Christie, a former Republican presidential candidate turned Trump backer. No decisions have been made, the sources stress, and other names are on the short-list to lead the Justice Department. Among the reported candidates are former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliana, outgoing Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and former Attorney General William Barr, who served under President George H.W. Bush. Sessions, a former Alabama Senator, submitted his resignation yesterday at the request of the president. His departure comes after a tumultuous tenure under harsh presidential criticism related to Sessions recusing himself from the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Concern is spreading in aerospace circles over the defeat of a powerful NASA congressional supporter in Tuesdays election. The possible fallout has expanded from the initial worry about Rep. John Culbersons favorite mission to questions about the Space Launch System (SLS) NASA is developing in numerous states including Alabama. Culberson, who represents the Houston area including NASAs Johnson Space Center, was defeated Tuesday by Democratic challenger Lizzie Pannill Fletcher. One ad produced by a political action committee supporting Fletecher poked fun at Culbersons favorite project, the Europa mission to one of Jupiters moons thought a possible candidate for life. John Culbersons ideas are out of this world, the ad said. He wants NASA to search for aliens on Europa. Europa is covered with ice, but scientists think there is an ocean under it. Those conditions might support some form of life. The Houston Chronicle had a story Wednesday that said, Culbersons ouster could spell big problems for NASAs Orion program, experts say. In a similar report Thursday, the Atlantic magazine called Culbersons defeat perhaps the most significant loss to NASA in the midterm elections. Culberson chairs the House appropriations subcommittee that funds NASA. Hes supported the SLS program being managed at Huntsvilles Marshall Space Flight Center and the James Webb Space Telescope, both of which are behind schedule and in need of more funding. Balancing the concern is the fact that NASA has many supporters in Washington, including President Trump and Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby, who chairs the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee. Other Alabama delegation members, including Republican Reps. Mo Brooks of Huntsville and Robert Aderholt of Haleyville, hold seats on committees with NASA influence. U.S. Sen. Doug Jones is asking President Donald Trump to request approval for Individual Assistant grants for Alabamians impacted by Hurricane Michael. Jones office said a Major Disaster Declaration was approved earlier this week, but it only provided Public Assistance (PA) grants. PA funds can be used by local governments and community organizations, but not for individuals. The Alabama Emergency Management Agency has requested the IA grants and provided additional evidence to show certain Alabama counties qualify for IA assistance. The people of Alabama are grateful for the Public Assistance grants approved in the Major Disaster Declaration dated November 5, 2018, but more relief is clearly needed, Jones wrote in his letter to Trump. I am aware that a determination as to the availability of Individual Assistance (IA) grants is still under review, and I urge you to approve IA grants as soon as possible. The effects of Hurricane Michael have been devastating to our state, and without individual federal assistance, many areas may never fully recover. Individuals in several neighboring counties in Georgia and Florida received IA grantswhich Jones says Alabama residents need too. The people and the State of Alabama are resilient, but as in Georgia and Florida, the recovery efforts in this case require resources beyond their reserves, Jones said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has not yet approved the State of Alabamas application for an agricultural disaster declaration, which Senator Jones supported in a recent letter to USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue. Read Jones full letter to President Trump below: As he resigned under pressure Wednesday as attorney general, former Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions praised employees of the U.S. Department of Justice and touted some of the DOJs achievements during his tenure. The 1 page letter Sessions wrote to employees was reported Thursday in a tweet by Buzzfeed reporter Dominic Holden. JUST IN Jeff Sessions sweet farewell email to his 115,000 staffers at DOJ. "What Im proud of is you." pic.twitter.com/Mb67eFhbis Dominic Holden (@dominicholden) November 8, 2018 To have led a department like this goes beyond anything I ever would have thought possible, Sessions wrote in the letter. If you had told me when I was starting out as a young assistant United States attorney that I would ever serve as attorney general, I dont think I would have believed you. Sessions began his career as an assistant U.S. attorney in Mobile in 1975. He was confirmed as attorney general in 2017 after being nominated by President Trump, the candidate Sessions actively campaigned for while still serving as a U.S. Senator from Alabama. Trump demanded Sessions resignation on Wednesday, ending a stormy tenure as AG marred by repeated public criticism by Trump spurred by Sessions decision to recuse himself from the DOJ investigation into Russian influence in the 2016 presidential election. But what I am proud of is not a title or a job, Sessions wrote. What I am proud of is this department the 115,000 people who work together to pursue our goals. What I am proud of is you. Sessions then listed some DOJ achievements he oversaw. When I took office as attorney general, I stated our goals are to reduce violent crime, reduce homicides, reduce opioid prescriptions and to reduce overdose deaths, Sessions wrote. There are signs we are already achieving all four of those goals. We have also broken department records for violent crime, firearm and illegal immigration prosecutions. We have increased drug and white collar prosecutions. We have reached an amazing level of productivity and sophistication. Sessions closed the letter with a message of encouragement. No matter what your role at the department and no matter what your task, I hope that you will remember that you are helping us in our mission to protect the American people and the rights we hold dear. I am grateful to have served with people of your caliber and may God bless you and your families in all you do. Keep improving, getting better and more productive. He then signed it: Jefferson B. Sessions III. A Franklin County man charged with capital murder in the death of his girlfriends young daughter was convicted on two lesser charges Wednesday, officials said. After a three-week trial and two days and two hours of deliberation, a Franklin County jury convicted Shannon Dale Gargis of manslaughter and aggravated child abuse, said his attorney, Rebecca Thomason. Its not ideal but its very good. We believe in our client and we believe in our clients story. I still consider this a win, Thomason told AL.com over the phone Wednesday. Gargis was accused of grabbing 22-month-old Serenity Irene Renfroe by the throat and throwing her against a couch, causing blunt force trauma to her head. The alleged incident happened while Gargis girlfriend, Hailey Renfroe, was at work. Franklin County officials responded to the couples home on Railslitter Road in Phil Campbell around 3 a.m. March 22, 2016. Renfroe told officials the girl was fine when she left her with Gargis to go to work, but found her dead on the loveseat when she returned home. During the trial, Gargis admitted that after Serenity had spilled a bowl of cereal he tossed her onto the love seat, the TimesDaily reported. The defense claims he woke up to find the child dead in the early hours of March 22. Serenity had dozens of bruises on her body when she was found dead, officials said. Renfroe was charged with aggravated child abuse and first-degree hindering prosecution. Court records show in July 2017, she pleaded guilty to the hindering prosecution charge. The aggravated child abuse charged was dropped as part of her plea deal and a lack of evidence, according to court records. Gargis faces up to 20 years in prison for each charge. Had he been convicted of capital murder, he would have faced life in prison without parole or the death penalty. A bond hearing will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday. A sentencing date has not been set. District Attorney Joey Rushing did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday evening. By Ruth Anderah. Makerere Universitys Stella Nyanzi has dragged the University to High Court in Kampala for refusing to re-instate and promote her as a senior researcher. Through her lawyers of Center for Legal Aid, Dr Stella says last month the Universitys staff tribunal lifted her suspension and ordered that she be re-instated, promoted and paid her accumulated emoluments but the university has ignored it. Nyanzi wants Court orders compelling the University to reinstate and pay her emoluments for the period she has been out of office. The documents before Court show that the tribunal ordered the university to pay Dr Nyanzi emoluments within ten working days from 2 October this month the date of the ruling. She contends that the university has deliberately and continuously refused to implement the orders of the tribunal concerning her status and privileges. Dr Stella says failure to reinstate her and pay her due emoluments has caused irreparable damage to her and her family through impairment of personal and vocational growth; disruption of her family welfare and violation of her fundamental rights among others. She states that she needs her job back because she has to take care of her 3 kids and also pay her legal representatives. A student has been arrested for threatening a shooting at a Jackson County school, authorities said. Joseph Berg is held in the Jackson County jail. Joseph Berg, 18, is held in the Jackson County jail without bail. Hes charged with making a terrorist threat, which is a Class C felony, records show. Berg, a Pisgah High School student, was arrested on campus Wednesday, said Rocky Harnen, Jackson Countys chief deputy. A student reported to school officials that Berg made comments about killing people on campus, Harnen said. A school resource officer began looking into the case, and the sheriffs office dispatched an investigator. Harnen said once the investigators corroborated the alleged comment, Berg was arrested. Although investigators havent found evidence that Berg intended to carry out a school shooting, Harnen said, the county has a zero-tolerance policy on threats. After the massacre at a Florida high school, where 17 people were gunned down this year, Jackson County authorities met with students and parents to announce the policy. Madison County prosecutors dont plan to seek the death penalty in the case of Kason Grady, a local man charged in the robbery and killing of Raemon Ross. Gradys capital murder case is being sent to a grand jury for consideration of indictment following a preliminary hearing in Madison County District Court today. Judge Patty Demos ruled prosecutors have probable cause for the charge against Grady, a 28-year-old from Madison. Ross, 34, was fatally shot during a home invasion the night of Jan. 28. It happened at Spring Branch Apartments on Binford Drive. Along with Grady, three other men are charged with capital murder. Welton Brown has been indicted on a capital murder charge. Like Grady, Fotino Davis and Charles Mosby are awaiting indictment. Ross was home with his girlfriend and three children when he answered a knock at the door and two armed men came inside, according to police. Ross suffered a single gunshot wound that went through his arm and into his chest, Huntsville police investigator Julian Johnson testified at a previous court hearing. Ross was declared dead at Huntsville Hospital. Video footage from inside the apartment shows Mosby and Davis enter with their guns drawn as soon as Ross opens the door, Johnson testified. Its unclear which man fired at Ross. Only one shell casing was found just inside the door of the apartment, the investigator said under oath. Before the killing, Mosby and his girlfriend rode from New Orleans to Huntsville with Davis and Brown, Johnson testified. Once they got to Huntsville in Browns car the suspects dropped off Mosbys girlfriend at a relatives home and picked up Grady, before carrying out the killing, Johnson testified. A grand jury will be tasked with deciding whether prosecutors have enough evidence for the capital murder charges against Grady, Mosby and Davis. Gradys lawyers Chad Morgan and Larry Marsili today asked whether prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty. Assistant District Attorney Melvin Lockett said they dont plan to ask for capital punishment if Grady is convicted. Grady faces life in prison without the possibility of parole. The judge is expected to issue an order setting bail for Grady, who has been held without bond. A multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 59/20 Thursday morning sent five people to the hospital and snarled traffic. The crash happened before 10 a.m. in the southbound lanes near Arkdelphia Road. Two vehicles overturned, authorities said, and one of them ended up in a ditch. Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service Battalion Chief Sebastian Carrillo said one of the victims suffered serious injuries. The other four transported had minor injuries. All southbound lanes were blocked for about one hour but have reopened. Jay E. Town is one five U.S. attorneys chosen to serve on a Justice Departments initiative that will pursue high-priority Chinese economic espionage and trade secret cases. The announcement was made Thursday by U.S. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Demers. The other federal prosecutors named to the China Initiative are from Massachusetts, California, New York and Texas. The group will work with other DOJ leaders, senior FBI officials, and Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division, Brian Benczkowski. Authorities said the initiative reflects DOJs priority of countering Chinese national security threats and reinforces President Trumps overall national security strategy. It is an honor and a privilege to join my colleagues in the FBI and Department of Justice to expose any threats to our national security posed by the theft of American innovation, American technology, and American intelligence. I look forward to the leadership of Assistant Attorney General John Demers, Town said. The Department of Justice remains on the front lines of these threats to our national security. U.S. companies, many of them with a footprint here in the Northern District of Alabama, spend billions developing intellectual property, trade secrets, and other proprietary information only to see it infringed upon by foreign bad actors. Whether state secrets or trade secrets, the China Initiative will offer profound resolve to those inimical threats posed to our sovereignty, by China. These are the named goals of the China Initiative: Identify priority trade secret theft cases, ensure that investigations are adequately resourced; and work to bring them to fruition in a timely manner and according to the facts and applicable law; Develop an enforcement strategy concerning non-traditional collectors (e.g., researchers in labs, universities, and the defense industrial base) that are being coopted into transferring technology contrary to U.S. interests; Educate colleges and universities about potential threats to academic freedom and open discourse from influence efforts on campus; Apply the Foreign Agents Registration Act to unregistered agents seeking to advance Chinas political agenda, bringing enforcement actions when appropriate; Equip the nations U.S. Attorneys with intelligence and materials they can use to raise awareness of these threats within their Districts and support their outreach efforts; Implement the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act (FIRMA) for DOJ (including by working with Treasury to develop regulations under the statute and prepare for increased workflow); Identify opportunities to better address supply chain threats, especially ones impacting the telecommunications sector, prior to the transition to 5G networks; Identify Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) cases involving Chinese companies that compete with American businesses; Increase efforts to improve Chinese responses to requests under the Mutual Legal Assistance Agreement (MLAA) with the United States; and Evaluate whether additional legislative and administrative authorities are required to protect our national assets from foreign economic aggression. China wants the fruits of Americas brainpower to harvest the seeds of its planned economic dominance, Demers said. Preventing this from happening will take all of us, here at the Justice Department, across the U.S. government, and within the private sector. We will confront Chinas malign behaviors and encourage them to conduct themselves as they aspire to be: one of the worlds leading nations. A new restaurant serving upscale American fare is now open in Birminghams Lakeview District. The Refinery, owned by John D. Conner and Heath Bostick, opened this week at 728 29th Street South in the space formerly occupied by Cashios Meatball Market, which closed nearly a year ago. We are thrilled to bring such a unique experience to the Lakeview area. The area has been so welcoming to our previous ventures these past 12 years, and we know this is a perfect location to bring The Refinery, Conner and Bostick said in an emailed statement. We hope this next step continues to provide the people of Birmingham with flavorful dining and an upscale bar atmosphere. Conner and Bostick are both seasoned veterans of the Birmingham food and bar scene. Conner owns Sidebar, also in Lakeview, and Bostick was a managing partner at Tin Roof Lakeview. The Refinery offers a full lunch and dinner menu and signature cocktails. The menu includes such delectable items as lobster corn dogs and Conecuh sausage, lamb kabob and baked mac and cheese. Conner and Bostick describe The Refinery as its name implies as a more sophisticated nightlife venture that they hope will set them apart from other restaurants and bars in Lakeview. The decor was inspired by a New York speakeasy. The deep interior colors combined with Sylacauga White Marble give the bar a medieval-modern look, they said. For more information, visit The Refinerys Facebook page. This is an opinion cartoon. Blue Wave? Pffft. The Democrats took the House, but there was no across-the-board win for the blue team. Red Tsunami? Hardly. Outside of the politics-as-usual Alabama red state mudslide, the rest of the country was a swirl in tight races and conflicting color. The Pink Wave is the story of these midterm elections. A record number of women are headed to Congress. Others, including Alabama's own Kay Ivey - won (or are in contention for) governorships. 119 women have won so far. In Alabama, there were many impressive first-time female candidates engaged in the political process. It's a challenge for a fresh voice to be heard in today's disorienting din of political nonsense and stuck-in-our-ways straight-ticket voting. But please, don't lose heart. Don't give up. We live in a weird, disturbing reality TV dystopian world. America needs your energized, empowered voices to rise up, speak up and make some sense of this mess. Bring it on, ladies. Check out more cartoons by JD Crowe A convicted serial bank robber who is on the run after cutting off his electronic monitoring device while on probation from federal prison is now wanted in a Wednesday bank holdup in Montgomery, and an October heist in Hoover. Myron William Ernst, a 60-year-old South Carolina man, has been identified as the suspect in robbery at Regions Bank on Atlanta Highway. According to Montgomery police, the suspect entered the bank about 11 a.m., produced a threatening note demanding money and then fled on foot. Central Alabama Crime Stoppers identified the suspect as Ernst and said he was last seen wearing a red shirt and blue jeans. He was also identified Wednesday as the suspect in the Oct. 22 holdup at Regions Bank on Montgomery Highway in Hoover. The Hoover holdup happened at 11:18 a.m. that Monday. Hoover police Capt. Gregg Rector said police officers arrived at the bank within two minutes of the Hoover 911 Center receiving the alarm, but the suspect had already fled. Police said the white male now identified as Ernst - presented a note to the teller, demanding money. He implied that he had a gun, though one was not displayed. He took an undetermined amount of cash and was last seen on foot walking southbound. A warrant for his arrested charging him with first-degree robbery was issued Oct. 23 and police and federal authorities have been searching for him since then. "Mr. Ernst is a serial bank robber and were aware of his other crimes in Florida, and then again today in Montgomery,'' Rector said. We believe the appropriate agencies are looking for him and that his days on the run are numbered at this point. Ernst was released from federal prison in August after pleading guilty in 2010 to robbing six banks, including heists in Charleston, Orange Park, Fla., Huntsville and Montgomery, Mobile and Panama City. Since then, according to court records and authorities, Ernst is believed to have picked up where he left off after heading to the big house eight years ago. In addition to being accused in the Montgomery robbery, Ernst also is sought in an Oct. 12 bank robbery in Polk County, Fla., an Oct. 9 holdup in Clay County, Fla., and at least one more. Ernst was not wearing any disguise and doesnt appear to have done so in any of his previous holdups. The Clay County, Fla. robbery happened about 9:30 a.m. Oct. 9 at Bank of America in Orange Park, a suburb of Jacksonsville the same bank he robbed 10 years ago. He fled in a vehicle. Clay County sheriffs officials said they worked with other law enforcement agencies to quickly identify and issue a warrant for Ernst. They cautioned the public that he might be armed and warned anyone who saw him no to approach him. The Polk County Sheriffs Office says Ernst robbed the TD Bank in Lakeland at 12:54 p.m. that Friday, Oct. 12, approaching a teller and passing her a note that demanded money and implied he was armed. Again, he fled with an undisclosed amount of cash. In that crime, Ernst was seen getting into a charcoal gray Ford F-150 truck, last seen leaving the north exit of the shopping plaza, and then heading south on US 98. The truck was possibly occupied by a female. He was wearing a green shirt that read "Levi Strauss & Co" on it, blue jeans, and sneakers. Though serious about finding Ernst, Polk County officials had a little fun with it on their Facebook page. This is what they posted: Myron Ernst! You're the next contestant on "Not In My County" with your host, Sheriff Grady Judd! Yesterday, Myron did what Myron does - he robbed a bank. It was the second bank he robbed this week - he robbed one in Clay County on Tues 10/9, and then one here in Polk on Fri 10/12. Both agencies posted pics of him on our FB pages, and our fans did not disappoint - they let us know "right quick" who Myron was. Our people got with their people, and before you know it, we got a whole lot more info about good ole Myron. And a warrant. That's like your magic ticket straight to jail - do not pass go, do not collect $200. Turns out, Myron also cut off his GPS ankle monitor before heading down here to the Sunshine State (he probably didn't want that awkward ankle tan). You guessed it, he's on federal probation for..........bank robberies! And that charcoal gray Ford F-150 he's riding around it? Yeah, that's stolen. You're probably saying, of course it is! Did we mention the feebies are also looking for him? This sure is a #CrazyCriminalStory. Do you know where Myron Ernst is? He's 60 years old, gray hair, gray mustache, not wearing a GPS monitor on his ankle, riding in a truck like he stole it - cuz he did. Ernst in 2010 pleaded guilty to holding up six banks. All of them, including the July 31, 2008, holdup of a Regions Bank on Airport Boulevard in Mobile, were transferred to the federal court in Charleston, S.C., where he was arrested in August 2008. He was identified after FBI agents found his fingerprints on a stickup note left during a Regions Bank robbery in Charleston. South Carolina federal Judge P. Michael Duffy sentenced Ernst to 11 years and 5 months in prison and ordered him to make $11,000 in restitution. Ernst was released from federal prison on Aug. 10,2018, but still was on a three-year probation and was only allowed to leave his home between the hours of 4:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. for the purpose of going to work. According to federal court records, Ernst was living in South Carolina and, as part of his probation, working at Origin Point Brands, a manufacturer and distributor of steel and aluminum. His electronic monitoring device showed he left his home between Sept. 22 and Sept. 26, however his probation officer learned he had been fired from his job on Sept. 21. Additionally, records state, the device monitoring center on Sept. 26 notified the probation office of a strap tamper at 10:17 a.m. that day. Authorities conducted a home visit to the Inn Towne Suites where Ernst was living and learned the motel staff had found the electronic monitoring device in an elevator. In late September, federal authorities in South Carolina filed a motion to revoke Ernsts probation and issued a warrant for his arrest. Anyone with information on Ernsts whereabouts is asked to call 911 or Central Alabama Crime Stoppers at 334-215- STOP, Crime Stoppers website at www.215stop.com or on Central Alabama Crime Stoppers Facebook page. Aid projects are not uncommon in Bangladesh, where the war of liberation unleashed a sense of entrepreneurship. In a rural part of Moulvibazar in Bangladeshs northeast, a wooden boat crosses the narrow and shallow water, even in the midst of the monsoon. As it reaches the other side, the passengers get off and start unloading cardboard boxes. Its medicine, 35 boxes in all. I hope it will be enough. We only had two days to collect money this time, and this is what we managed to get, said Marzia Prova, a university student from Dhaka, as she takes a box and starts walking up from the riverbed. The others, all young, mostly students, do the same. It was early morning when they arrived with an overnight bus from the capital to do something Prova has done several times before: set up a makeshift medical camp. We came to Moulvibazar today because there was a flood last week, and I heard that families needed help, says Prova. They soon approach a small village, where a man unlocks the heavy padlock on a house. Inside, they set up tables. Two for the doctors and medical students in the group, one for the others to hand out medication. The grounds outside fill up with people: fathers with their children in hand, elderly men and women. Two young people from the village come to join, and start noting down names on a waitlist. We have a lot of enthusiasm in the young generation. Thats why we do this, we want to use it in a good way, says Jannatul Ferdouse, one of the students from Dhaka. Volunteer projects like this are not uncommon in Bangladesh, a small and densely populated country. Volunteers unloading boxes of medicine from a small boat crossing the river to get to the village [Jenny Gustafsson/Al Jazeera] Bangladesh emerged as an independent nation in 1971, after a war to end the union with Pakistan. A year earlier, the deadliest cyclone on record had hit the region; soon after the war, a devastating famine. Located right on a large delta, Bangladesh is a prone spot for natural disasters a challenge for its 160 million people, but also a reason to support one another. There is definitely something about the ecology and environment, the history of the country, that has brought about this kind of civil mobilisation, says David Lewis, a professor at London School of Economics (LSE). According to Rounaq Jahan, a leading Bangladeshi intellectual, most of the key NGOs are led by people who were involved in the liberation war. The war had an impact on people, he said. It weakened old social norms, taught people to do things on their own. It unleashed a sense of entrepreneurship. Microcredit pioneer Grameen Bank, of Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus, is among the humanitarian entrepreneurial organisations making small loans to the impoverished without requiring collateral. Development heavyweight BRAC is another. Founded in 1972 by Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, a Shell executive who left his job in London to return and build the post-war capacity of women in his native region of Sylhet, BRAC has become the largest NGO in Bangladesh and the world. Despite this, Bangladeshs NGOs are lesser known than their Western counterparts. I do think it should be more of an example. But it is not, probably because people dont know about Bangladesh, and the country finds it difficult to promote itself on a global scale, said LSEs Lewis, citing the South Asian countrys humanitarian work towards Rohingya refugees as an example. From single teaching room to school foundation Individuals like Prova, the Dhaka university student, have a more limited scope, but do make an impact. Besides organising support for rural families, Prova also runs a project to set up emergency pad corners in schools across the country, with affordable sanitary pads for girls. With the help of students and friends in different cities, she manages this initiative in schools in eight of Bangladeshs districts. But my plan is to spread them to all 64 districts. Menstrual hygiene is such a taboo in the countryside, she says. Marzia Prova, a student from Dhaka, runs several social and volunteer projects in Bangladesh, including campaigns to provide medicine in rural areas and give girls access to sanitary pads [Jenny Gustafsson/Al Jazeera] In Dhakas low-income area of Rayer Bazar, in 2007, student Korvi Rakshand began teaching children of rickshaw drivers, day labourers and domestic workers, who had no access to education, from one single classroom. The simple classroom turned into a school, and then a foundation, JAAGO, which now runs 12 schools across the country. I remember when we asked our first students about their dreams and one of them said, I want to be a rickshaw puller, just like my dad, says Rakshand. Now, he is in the batch of first graduates from our school, and just started college. That child was Lenin Ahmed 11 years older today. He has come to the Rayer Bazar school with two other students, Siam Hossain and Sufian Sabbiar. It was Hossains father who rented out that first room to Rakshand, and the family still lives on the bottom floor. My mother was part of it too, she was the one who talked to people in the community, convincing them of the importance of education. She said, I have three kids, so there are already three students, says Hossain. The school corridor leads to an open courtyard at the back, with trees planted by the children and murals painted on the walls. A new extension building has been built. We can see the difference now between us and our old friends who did not get a chance to go to school. They all work as drivers and rickshaw pullers, or hawkers in the street, says Sabbiar. Lifesaving aid Between 20 and 35 percent of the population is estimated to receive services from an NGO, mainly from one of the big actors. The government knows that they need us. Tuberculosis vaccine, for instance, could never have been delivered without BRAC, and education could not have been safeguarded. The government knows this, says Afsan Chowdhury, a journalist and historian who worked with BRAC for several years. Political mobilisation on the other hand, is less tolerated. The most recent example is the student-led movement for road safety this summer, triggered by an accident with a speeding bus killing two schoolchildren. Police and pro-government groups met protesters with violence, and the prolific photographer Shahidul Alam was arrested after commenting on the events in an interview. A man walks past a mosaic in Dhaka depicting the liberation war [Jenny Gustafsson/Al Jazeera] Back in Moulvibazar village, the afternoon has turned late and the heat started to diminish. The crowds outside are almost gone, save a few parents and children still waiting for their turn. Students and doctors at the tables inside have hardly moved an inch since the morning. But thats fine. We are medical students, so this is only a good experience for us, says Meril Afroz Jebin. A woman with thin arms and a stubborn cough sits next to her. Since the flooding, the woman says, the cough refuses to go away. Jebin writes down cough syrup and nutrition supplements on a note, then sends her to Prova who sits surrounded by empty boxes. We only have vitamins for children left now, Prova says. So we are giving supplements for kids to the adults too, just telling them to double the dose. For next time, we know that we have to bring more. Mosul, Iraq During the nine-month battle to retake Iraqs Mosul from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) fighters, 54,000 houses were destroyed in and around the city. Since July last year, when victory was declared in Mosul, the city has witnessed numerous reconstruction projects run by government organisations and NGOs. The vast majority of these projects are taking place in the old city of Mosul, focussing mostly on cleaning the streets, helping rebuild schools and basic infrastructures, such as water supply and electricity network. A fund of $400m was established in 2015 to help Iraqs reconstruction. However, the city received only $252,000 in 2017 and in 2018, the Governor of Nineveh Governorate, Nofal Hammadi, claimed to have received nothing from the fund, Mosuls municipality chief Abdelsattar al-Hibbu told Reuters news agency earlier this year. Furthermore, Hammadi told Al Jazeera last month that no budget was allocated to rebuild private housing in Mosul. In the overwhelming majority of cases, civilians whose homes have been flattened are indeed forced to fend off for themselves. Ahmed Al Ebadi, a west Mosul resident, requested financial compensation from the court earlier this year. I received nothing for the damage caused by the Iraqi army, said Ebadi. Prior to ISIL, Mosuls predominantly Sunni population felt marginalised by Baghdads central government for years. Now, many are forced into debt as they have to borrow money to rebuild their houses. I am a poor man, I cant afford to pay $25,000 to rebuild my house, said Mohammed Hazim Abbas, a resident of west Mosul. For many Mosulians, a house is seen as a first step towards rebuilding their family life, which too got devastated by the war against ISIL. There are some dates that are forever etched in the minds of Muslim Americans dates that live more in infamy or misery, marking moments of unprecedented scapegoating or fear, anxiety and the collective bracing of backlash. 9/11 and 11/9 rush to mind, numbers that memorialise two days when everything changed for Muslim Americans the terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, DC and the election of an orange-skinned man who rode on a wave of Islamophobia all the way into the White House. Now, 11/6 not only stands apart from those dates, but directly counters the evils and ills they directed at 8 million Muslims that call the United States home. On November 6, 2018, two Muslim American women officially made history. Ilhan Omar, a Democrat out of Minnesota, soundly defeated her Republican opponent to claim a US Congressional seat. Two states over to the east, Rashida Tlaib overwhelmed two contestants in Michigans 13th congressional district to claim her place in Washington, DC. Two Muslim women are headed to US Congress, a place they have never been a part of. And in the aftermath of their historic wins, the collective prayer of Please dont be Muslim that follows every terror attack was replaced with Im so proud to be Muslim, uttered by Muslims across the US. Two Muslim American women, one a daughter of a Palestinian refugee and the other a refugee herself, made history by becoming the first Muslim American congresswomen in American history. Their transformative feat cannot be timed any better, converging with a moment when Islamophobia has never been more intense in Washington, and the collective morale of Muslim Americans in dire need of a glimpse of hope. {articleGUID} Their stories are equally profound, and a direct blow to the white supremacist vision summoned to the fore by Trump and the legion of candidates that followed his lead. Tlaib grew up in Southwest Detroit, a predominantly Latinx and Black community sprinkled with Arab families, like her own, who embraced the blue-collar culture of the city. Omar found safe haven from her countrys civil war as a refugee in Kenya, ultimately settling in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1995, which eventually became the home of the most populous and thriving Somali community in the United States. From the Middle East to the Midwest and from the Horn of Africa to Little Mogadishu, Tlaib and Omar grew up in cities that simultaneously represent the American heartland and Muslim America. Tlaibs Detroit is widely regarded as an Arab and Muslim American capital, with towns like Dearborn and Hamtramck boasting minarets in their skylines and established and immigrant Muslim communities on the ground. Omars Minneapolis is a vivid and lurid ballad of Muslim life, replete with Somali sisters and brothers working in the airport, a string of exclusively Somali malls standing alongside American strip malls, and the routine perils of FBI surveillance converging with the mundane routine of everyday life. 11/6 has become a landmark date because of who Tlaib and Omar are, not what they became with their victories. They are both archetypes of the communities they hail from, and the quintessentially Arab and Muslim, and Somali and Muslim, narratives integral to the stories of Detroit and the Twin Cities. Seconds after declaring victory in her hotly contested primary, Tlaibs mother draped her in the Palestinian flag as she thanked her grandparents in the West Bank, surrounded by a diverse sea of supporters, including myself, in Detroits Northwest side. Tlaib was, at once, unapologetically Palestinian and Muslim, wed with that quintessentially Detroit drive that motivated her to knock on thousands of doors seeking support during her campaign and ultimately knock down a wall in Washington, DC that made her the first Palestinian and Muslim congresswoman in American history. {articleGUID} Omar, the first Somali congresswoman in a state home to approximately 100,000 of her countrymen and women, braved freezing, xenophobic and unprecedented terrain to join Tlaib. Were going to Washington everyone! she proclaimed, surrounded by a community of Somali immigrants, who travelled the same path that she did, and their children who are now inspired to follow in her footsteps. Omar, a progressive supporter of single-payer healthcare, tighter gun restrictions and more expansive immigration policies, harmonises the liberal leanings of her city with the aspirations of her Somali Muslim base. And like Tlaib, she was able to form a supremely diverse coalition of supporters that included everybody from white college students to the LGBTQ community, from conservative Muslims to Black Lives Matter activists. While their religious identities will draw them immediate press and praise and invite backlash and bigotry, their substance and what they symbolise is what sets them apart. In an era where identity is flattened, and stripped from the entire anatomy of the story, Tlaibs and Omars faith will monopolise the headlines. But the faith their communities had in them, and their rooted love for community and clear progressive agendas, is what delivered them to Washington, and into the history books. This, in large part, is why 11/6 will forever stand as a landmark date for Muslim Americans, today and moving forward. Tlaib and Omars trailblazing victories help reclaim some of the hope lost with the election of Trump on 11/9, and seventeen years after 9/11, retrenches some of the darkness still looming above Detroit, Minneapolis and Muslim communities beyond and in between. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. The November 6 midterm election was a very good one for the Democrats. Next year they will have far more power in US politics, and the Republicans far less. The way Democrats won, and the Republicans lost, should worry President Donald Trump for it suggests he is going to have a hard time getting re-elected in 2020. There are two main reasons why: The margin of victory In what was a very high turnout election, Democrats beat the Republicans by 7.1 points in the popular vote. In 2016, Hillary Clintons margin was just 2 percentage points. So this was a five-point decline from what was already a low 2016 number. It was on par with other recent midterm wave elections which had margins of 7.1 for the Republicans in 1994; 8.0 for the Democrats in 2006; 7.2 in 2010 and 5.7 in 2014 for the Republicans. And it was enough to give the Democrats the House of Representatives, win seven governorships, and pick up 330 state legislative seats. Even in the Senate where Democrats lost ground, they won the popular vote in those races by 15 points (they got 57 percent of the popular vote; the Republicans just 42 percent). In the exit polls taken on November 7, Trumps approval rating was 44 favourable, 55 unfavourable. This is consistent with the voting results showing him and his party losing ground since 2016. The reason this matters, is that if Trump is any lower than he was in 2016 and he looks to be between 2 and 5 points lower he will not get re-elected. The GOP lost ground in critical 2020 battlegrounds Democrats had strong nights in both the Midwest/Rustbelt region and in the Southwest part of the US, the regions of the country which will decide the 2020 presidential election. In the Rustbelt/Midwest Democrats won Senate races in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin by large margins; and also won governors races in and Michigan and Minnesota by very large margins. Democrats will pick up between seven to nine House seats in this region, and while they came up short in the Iowa governors race, they now control three of the four House seats there. As this was the region that was seen as one which gave Trump the presidency, the deep rejection of the GOP there has to be seen as a dangerous development for the president. The Southwest, on the other hand, has never been friendly territory for Trump. The three states which saw the biggest movement towards the Democrats in 2016 were California, Texas and Arizona. On the night of November 7, we saw Beto ORourke make a statewide race in Texas competitive for the first time in decades. The Arizona Senate race is too close to call and Democrats won all the important races in Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada. Dems are on track to gain 11 House seats in these states including California, a state where the GOP didnt even have a Senate candidate on the statewide ballot this year. All of this adds up to a night of dangerous erosion for the Republican Party in the region of the United States with the two biggest states, California and Texas. Over the last two years there was always this sense that while the presidents thunderous championing of white nationalism and anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies was hurting him in the heavily Mexican-American parts of the southwestern US, it was the key to unlock the Rustbelt and Midwest the part of the country seen as the one which gave him the presidency. Given the really bad night the GOP had in the northern part of the US, that no longer appears to be true, which is a highly problematic development for him and his party. He may have used the migrant caravan in the final days to win in very red and rural places like Indiana, Missouri and Tennessee but in the states which matter for him to get re-elected next year, there is far more evidence that his attacking immigrants has done far more to hurt his re-election chances. So yes, during his post-midterms press conference on November 7, Trump tried to claim that the 2018 election was a good one for him. But in reality, it wasnt it was a bad loss, a repudiation; the real weakness evident in the two parts of the country where he needs to win to get re-elected suggests Trump will just be a weakened president over the next two years. Today, his chances for re-election look much more difficult than they did just a few months ago. Editors note: A previous version of this article wrongly listed Wyoming as a state where the Democrats won a Senate seat, instead of Wisconsin. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. The failure of the West to take a firm stand on repression in the UAE has precipitated Hedges detention. Matthew Hedges, a British doctoral student at the University of Durham researching the United Arab Emiratess response to the Arab Spring, was arrested at Dubai airport on May 5. He had just wrapped up a research trip focusing on the UAEs security policies and was about to head home. The arrest was kept out of the public eye until last month due to a recommendation from the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to Hedges wife, Daniela Tejada, to stay silent. Despite the FCOs advice and concerns about mistreatment in prison that could result from going public, Tejada exposed the details surrounding the arrest of Matthew Hedges to the British press on October 11. Days later, Hedges was charged with espionage by the UAE authorities and was ordered to remain in custody until November 21, when evidence relating to his case would be re-examined. Matthew Hedges was subsequently released on bail, but remains under constant surveillance and can be ordered to return to prison at any time. Although the revelation of Hedges arrest has provoked reactions of shock and alarm among the British academic community, for seasoned watchers of UAEs political trajectory, it was a tragic inevitability. The chain of events that enabled this travesty began with the UAEs reaction to the outbreak of mass protests in Tunisia in December 2010. Reaction to the Arab Spring While much of the Arab world rejoiced in the historic wave of political change that swept across the region in the first months of 2011, the political leadership of the UAE viewed the Arab Spring with alarm and suspicion. UAE officials saw the fall of Tunisian President Zine Abedine Ben Ali on January 14 and the demise of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak less than a month later, as a threat to the absolute monarchy in their own country and a gateway for the unchecked expansion of Muslim Brotherhood influence across the Middle East. The elections of Muslim Brotherhood governments in Tunisia in October 2011 and Egypt in January 2012 further fuelled those fears. To stop protests from spreading into the UAE, authorities increased pressure on the few political activists in the country. After 132 Emiratis signed a petition in March 2011 requesting all UAE citizens gain the right to vote, the UAE authorities swiftly arrested human rights activist Ahmed Mansour and leading Emirati economist Nasser bin Ghaith, who supported the petition. Along with three other activists, they have been charged with publicly insulting top officials in the UAE and conspiring against the safety and security of the state in association with foreign powers. These arrests were followed by the detention of 54 Emirati political and human rights activists in 2012 on charges of threatening state security and undermining public order. The perceived effectiveness of these detentions in deterring Arab Spring-style unrest in the UAE caused Abu Dhabis policy of viewing political criticism as an anti-state activity and punishing any demand for rights with detention to become institutionalised. In 2012, the UAE passed a repressive cybercrime law that effectively closed off the countrys only remaining forum for free speech. The laws vaguely worded provisions provided a legal basis to prosecute and jail people who use information technology to, among other things, criticize senior officials, argue for political reform, or organize unlicensed demonstrations. It is within this repressive climate that Matthew Hedges embarked on researching UAEs involvement in Yemen, among other sensitive issues, which led to his unfortunate detention. Sanctioning the UAE Although the drivers of the UAEs turn towards escalated repression were born within the countrys stifling political system, the international communitys reluctance to call out the UAE for its human rights abuses indirectly contributed to the arrest of Hedges. While other authoritarian countries, like Iran and Russia, have been chastised for their repressive policies, the UAE has been awarded a prized seat on the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council and lucrative foreign investment contracts. The enabling attitude of Western democracies towards the UAEs repression caused Emirati officials to believe that arresting Hedges would not trigger a major international backlash. Given this risk calculation, it is possible that the UAE arrested Hedges to use him as a bargaining chip in its diplomacy with Britain. A prominent Washington, DC-based expert on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) recently told me that the UAE could have arrested Hedges to pressure the British government to label the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation, and extradite Emirati dissidents living on British soil. While this theory is difficult to verify, the United Kingdoms long-standing refusal to stand up to the UAE over its arrests of British tourists could have convinced Emirati officials that Britain would make concessions to avoid a confrontation over Hedges. In order to prevent further tragedies of this kind, Britain and other Western democracies need to take a firm stand against the UAEs arrest of the British researcher. Much like the United States punished Turkey for its detention of Pastor Andrew Brunson, Britain should consider enacting targeted sanctions against UAE officials that are directly involved in repressing dissent and place arms contracts that support the UAEs military intervention in Yemen under review. These actions could inspire a chorus of similar responses from European countries and give the United States no choice but to pressure the UAE over Hedges continued detention. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. Thirty people die in two mass shootings within hours, shocking the country and prompting calls for tighter gun control. At least 22 people were killed after a man armed with an assault rifle opened fire in a packed Walmart store in El Paso, Texas on Saturday the seventh deadliest mass shooting in modern US history. Hours later, a gunman dressed in body armour opened fire in a downtown district of Dayton, Ohio on Sunday, killing nine people and wounding at least 26 others. God bless the people of El Paso Texas. God bless the people of Dayton, Ohio, US President Donald Trump tweeted on Sunday. Six of the 10 deadliest massacres in the United States have taken place in the last five years. Heres a look at the deadliest mass shootings in the US over the last 35 years: Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas (2017): 58 killed Attacker Stephen Paddock opened fire on the crowd of concertgoers at a country music festival at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, killing 58 people and injuring hundreds more. Pulse nightclub, Orlando (2016): 49 killed A heavily armed man killed 49 people inside a gay nightclub in the city of Orlando on June 12, 2016. The attacker, US citizen Omar Mateen, was killed in a gun battle with police. He had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group, which later claimed responsibility for the attack. Virginia Tech University, Virginia (2007): 32 killed A 23-year-old student, South Korean national Seung-Hui Cho, went on a rampage at Virginia Tech University in April 2007, killing 27 students and five teachers before committing suicide. Sutherland Springs church, Texas (2017): 26 killed A gunman opened fire on a Sunday morning church service in the small rural town of Sutherland Springs, Texas, killing at least 26 people and injuring 20 others. The youngest person killed was 17 months old. Sandy Hook, Connecticut (2012): 26 killed A 20-year-old American citizen, Adam Lanza, killed his mother in December 2012 before shooting and killing 20 children aged between 6 and 7, and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. He later committed suicide. Texas restaurant (1991): 23 killed In October 1991, 35-year-old George Hennard, a US citizen, shot dead 22 people in a restaurant in the town of Killeen before shooting himself. The 23rd victim succumbed to her wounds three days after the shooting. Walmart store, El Paso (2019): 22 killed A man armed with an assault rifle opened fire at a packed shopping area in El Paso, in the US state of Texas, killing at least 20 people and wounding 26 others. McDonalds, San Ysidro (1984): 21 killed In July 1984, 41-year-old James Huberty, shot dead 21 people and wounder 19 others in a mass shooting at McDonalds restaurant in San Ysidro. Florida high school (2018): 17 killed A former student opened fire on Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in southeastern Florida , killing at least 17 and injuring more than a dozen others. San Bernardino (2015): 14 killed A newlywed couple US citizen Rizwan Farook and his Pakistani wife Tashfeen Malik, who was a permanent resident stormed an office party at a social services centre in San Bernardino, California in December 2015, killing 14 people and injuring 22 others. The couple were shot dead by police. Fort Hood military base (2009): 13 killed In November 2009, US Army psychiatrist Nidal Hasan opened fire at his military base in Killeen, killing 13 people and injuring 42 others. New York immigrant centre (2009): 13 killed A Vietnamese immigrant, Jiverly Antares Wong, shot and killed 13 people at a civic centre in the city of Binghamton in April 2009, before killing himself. Columbine High (1999) : 13 killed Two American teenage boys Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold shot and killed 12 classmates and a teacher, before killing themselves at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, in April 1999. Virginia Beach, Virginia (2019): 12 killed At least 12 people were killed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in May 2019 when a gunman opened fired at a municipal centre, sending employees scrambling for cover before police and shot and killed him, authorities said. Navy Yard headquarters (2013): 12 killed Former serviceman Aaron Alexis, a US citizen, shot randomly at workers at the Washington Navy Yard headquarters in September 2013, killing 12 people before he was shot dead by police. Aurora, Colorado (2012): 12 killed James Holmes, a US citizen born in California, wearing body armour, stormed a cinema showing a late-night premiere of a Batman film in Aurora, Colorado in July 2012, opening fire and releasing tear gas. Twelve people were killed and 70 others wounded. Holmes was sentenced to life in prison. California bar (2018): 12 killed A 28-year-old US Marine Corps combat veteran opened fire in a crowded country music bar in California, killing 12 people in November 2018. The assailant, a troubled former machine gunner who served a tour in Afghanistan, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Synagogue in Pittsburgh (2018): 11 killed A 46-year-old gunman burst into the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, during Shabbat services, killing eleven people in October 2018. He reportedly yelled All Jews must die! during the attack. He was indicted on 29 counts, some of which carry the death penalty. High School in Santa Fe (2018): 10 killed A 17-year-old student armed with a shotgun and a revolver opened fire just as classes started at his school in Santa Fe, Texas, in May 2018. He killed 10 people, including eight students. The student, who authorities say used weapons legally owned by his father, was taken into custody on murder charges. Oregon District of Dayton, Ohio (2019): 9 killed Health experts warn that research does not back up the argument that mass shootings are a mental health problem. After Devin Patrick Kelley allegedly entered a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas last Sunday and shot dead 26 people, the conversation, prompted by politicians, immediately turned to mental health. The horrific shooting represents a mental health problem at the highest level, US President Donald Trump declared on Twitter, adding in a press conference that the attack isnt a gun situation. Trumps argument was bolstered when it was revealed that Kelley, 25, had suffered from mental disorders and had escaped a psychiatric hospital more than five years ago. He was sent to the facility after being charged in a military court with assaulting his wife and fracturing his infant stepsons skull, according to documents obtained by local news channel KPRC. Despite the revelations about Kelleys mental health, and the fact that the majority of Americans (63%) believe mass shootings in the US have more to do with mental health problems than gun control laws, health professionals warn that people should not draw a connection between mass shootings and mental illness. This is all a red herring, Liza Gold, a forensic psychiatrist at Georgetown University of Medicine and editor of the book, Gun Violence and Mental Illness said. The vast majority of mass shootings are not committed by the diagnosable mentally ill, no matter what politicians try to suggest, Gold said. Our country is in a state of denial about the real nature of gun violence and what we can do to decrease mortality. Only about three to five percent of violent acts in the US are committed by individuals who have been diagnosed with a mental illness, and the percentage of crimes they commit with a gun are lower than the national average for persons not diagnosed with mental illness, according to findings published in the American Journal of Psychiatry in 2015. Studies have also found that the mentally ill are no more likely to become violent than a person without an illness, and that only one percent of violent acts committed by psychiatric patients involved killing a target. If we were able to magically cure schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression, that would be wonderful, but overall violence would go down by only about four percent, according to Jeffrey Swanson, a professor in psychiatry and behavioural sciences at the Duke University School of Medicine, told ProPublica in 2014. The National Rifle Association (NRA), the most powerful gun lobby in the US, has capitalised on the public perception of the mentally ill. {articleGUID} Following a mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada in early October that left 58 dead and more than 500 injured, NRA Vice President and CEO Wayne LaPierre also pointed to mental health. I mean, the outrage theyre trying to stir against the NRA, they ought to be stirring against the mental health system, which has completely collapsed, he told CBS at the time. Investigators have yet to reveal whether alleged Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock had a diagnosed mental illness. Accessibility is the real problem Michael Stone, a forensic psychiatrist at the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons and author of The Anatomy of Evil, has created a database of 350 mass murderers dating back over a century. While Stone has found that around 20 percent of mass murderers have been severely mentally ill, he told Al Jazeera that the real problem is accessibility to guns. {articleGUID} In the Texas shooting, Kelley bought the firearms he allegedly used through a federally licensed firearms dealer, where the seller is legally required to conduct a background check through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). His name was able to clear the system because the US Air Force admitted they failed to report Kelleys domestic violence convictions to the FBI a conviction that, according to federal law, bars an individual from buying a firearm. Researchers say, however, that even if Kelleys history had been reported to the FBI, he would have still had a way around the system as not all legal firearm purchases in the US require a seller to conduct a background check, fill out a form, or even show ID. Currently, US federal law only mandates background checks from firearm retailers with a federal license to sell. For private sales that involve a seller without a federal license, including those at gun shows, only 19 out of 50 US states mandate a background check or a license or permit to buy a firearm. Texas is not one of them. According to a 2010 Department of Justice report, individuals prohibited by law from possessing guns can easily obtain them from private sellers and do so without any federal records of the transactions. Gun control advocates highlight this loophole, and push for a federal mandating of background checks for all firearm purchases, private, unlicensed or otherwise, an idea commonly known as universal background checks. Do they work? Millions of background checks have been denied, which suggests they work, said Eric Ruben, an adjunct professor at the NYU School of Law and fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice whose work focuses on weapons law and the Second Amendment. {articleGUID} Of course, they are not everything but they likely increase the cost of guns on the black market, which is a good thing. And they are the best way Ive heard to enforce the gun prohibitions that are central to current gun regulation in America. While the NRA has argued that proposals such as these would deprive individuals of due process of the law, Ruben disagrees. Such policies are perfectly consistent with the Second Amendment. In fact, I know of no case in which background checks have been challenged successfully, Ruben told Al Jazeera, adding that background checks only help to implement bans that themselves are widely viewed as constitutional. Inherent contradictions Despite the NRAs efforts to lobby against expanding gun laws, studies from both the Pew Research Center and the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research have found that the majority of Americans (77 percent to 85 percent, respectively) support background checks for private sales along with other gun-control measures. {articleGUID} But were left with a very politically challenging situation here, Stone said. The NRA argues that mental illness, not guns or background checks, should be the focus of any policy to address high-profile shootings. But health experts point out that the organisation is also against expanding NICS to include psychiatrists diagnosis, a doctors referral, or the option of a law enforcement officer or seeking mental health treatment. Including these individuals would be overreaching and doing so would actually discourage troubled people from getting the help they need, according to the NRAs website. Analysts and researchers also highlight that while politicians are quick to blame mental health for mass shootings, Trump and other pro-gun politicians have not said they will increase funding for healthcare providers or mental health research. {articleGUID} In his first months in office, Trump repealed a regulation, implemented by the previous administration, that banned gun sales to individuals with certain mental health diagnoses, including those receiving Social Security checks for mental illnesses. There is so much inherent contradiction from all these people that it really boggles the mind, Georgetown Universitys Gold said. Mass shootings attract wide attention, but once you yell mental illness, no one even wants to consider evidence-based, sensible gun reform that could actually make a difference without infringing on gun rights, she added. The NRA has been very successful in creating a learned helplessness and denial that benefits them and not anyone else. Pyongyang has complained that Washington hasnt made concessions in return for its moves towards denuclearisation. US President Donald Trump said he expects to meet again with North Koreas leader Kim Jong Un early next year. The announcement on Wednesday came after a meeting between US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and North Korean officials supposed to have taken place this week was rescheduled. Pompeo had been due to hold talks in New York on Thursday with senior North Korean official Kim Yong-Chol aimed at paving the way for a second Kim-Trump summit and at making progress on denuclearisation. The State Department said the meeting had been postponed but gave no reason, raising concerns talks aimed at persuading North Korea to give up its nuclear arms could break down. The State Department said the talks would be rescheduled when our respective schedules permit. Trump told a White House news conference the change was because of trips that are being made, but did not elaborate on these. We are going to make it another day, he said. But were very happy with how its going with North Korea. We think its going fine. Were in no rush. Trump said he still expected to hold a second summit with Kim. Sometime next year, I would say. Sometime early next year, he said. Sanctions on Kim pledged to work towards denuclearisation at an unprecedented first meeting with Trump in Singapore but negotiations have made little headway since, with North Korea falling short of US demands for irreversible moves to abandon a weapons program that potentially threatens the United States. Pyongyang has complained that Washington has not made concessions in return for the moves it has taken and last Friday warned it could resume development of its nuclear programme if the US did not drop its sanctions campaign. The Trump administration has said that sanctions will not be lifted until North Korea gives up its weapons. The sanctions are on Id love to take the sanctions off, but they [North Korea] have to be responsive, too, Trump said on Wednesday. South Korea, which has worked to encourage US-North Korea dialogue, sought to play down the talks delay. South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said on Thursday the North had suggested a postponement. The North side said both of our schedules are busy, so lets postpone, Kang said, according to what she was told by the United States. At least 14 soldiers killed in the latest Taliban group attack as the Afghan forces reel from renewed violence. At least 14 Afghan army soldiers were killed in Takhar province after midnight on Thursday in the latest attack by Taliban armed group, which has killed or wounded dozens of security forces this week. Six soldiers are missing and 16 others wounded in the attack on military base in Khawja Ghar district, provincial council member Mohammad Azam Afzali told Al Jazeera. {articleGUID} In the neighbouring Kunduz province, at least seven army soldiers were killed and several others were wounded on Wednesday, Afzali added. Also on Thursday, Taliban attacked and overran two checkposts in Ghaznis Jaghori district, killing several local police forces, as fighting continued. Jaghori resident Asad Arman told DPA news agency that army commandos had reached the district by helicopter early Thursday, forcing the fighters to retreat. Jaghori, a predominantly Hazara Shia dominated district, is one of the safest in the province, which has come under Taliban attacks following the armed groups assault on neighbouring Uruzgan province. On Sunday, at least 13 policemen were killed in Khogyani district after Taliban fighters attacked their checkpost, according to Ghazni governor spokesman Arif Noori. Taliban fighters have ramped up attacks on Afghan security forces and government facilities in recent months, leaving troops thinly stretched throughout the country. A US watchdog agency said last week that the Afghan government was struggling to recover control of districts lost to the Taliban while casualties among security forces had reached record levels. The government had control or influence over 65 percent of the population but only 55.5 percent of Afghanistans 407 districts, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction said in a report. The latest phase of Afghanistans decades-old war began in 2001, when the US-led troops overthrew the Taliban government in the wake of the September 11 attacks on the United States. Moscow peace talks Amid escalation of violence across the country, Russia is facilitating a peace conference on Friday attended by officials from the High Peace Council (HPC) and members of the Taliban group based in Doha, Qatar. The HPC established by the Afghan government told local media that the meeting is aimed at brokering talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban. Russia invited 12 countries and the Taliban, but the United States and the US-backed Afghan government have stayed away from the peace talks. Representatives from Iran, China, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan are expected to attend, officials said. Diplomatic engagement between the Taliban and the US gained momentum last month after the US special envoy for peace in Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, met Taliban leaders in Qatar. Officials say the election will be held even as the main opposition leader remains imprisoned. Authorities in Bangladesh have said they will hold a free and fair national election on December 23 despite bitter wrangling between the government and the opposition. Bangladeshs Election Commission announced on Thursday that the election will take place despite the imprisonment of the leader of the main opposition party and the banning of its chief partner, Jamaat-e-Islami. A favourable situation prevails in the country to hold a free and fair election, Chief Election Commissioner Nurul Huda said in an address aired by state-run television and radio stations. Huda said he hoped all parties will participate in the election, in which Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is seeking re-election. The opposition has expressed fears that the election will not be democratic and has threatened protests. Hasinas archrival and opposition leader Khaleda Zia, who is in jail on corruption charges, is likely to be banned from contesting. The Election Commission announced that the candidates must file nominations by November 19, leaving Zia virtually no time to appeal. Opposition in disarray On Wednesday, the ruling Awami League party rejected an opposition demand for a caretaker government ahead of the election, saying it was unconstitutional. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) says a caretaker government is essential for free and fair polls. It is still not clear whether the BNP would contest the election. The party boycotted the 2014 polls, which were marred by deadly violence and labelled by international observers as flawed. The BNP alleges over 500 of its supporters have been killed and nearly 750 abducted by the police and thrown in jails since 2014. {articleGUID} In recent months, the BNPs strength was further weakened after Zia was convicted and sentenced to seven and 10 years in jail in two separate cases of corruption. Her eldest son and heir apparent, Tarique Rahman, who lives in exile in London, was also sentenced to life in prison over a 2004 grenade attack targeting Hasina. It will be Bangladeshs 11th general election since it gained independence from Pakistan through a bloody war in 1971. Authoritarian rule Hasinas government has earned global plaudits for letting in hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees who fled persecution in Myanmar. However, critics have decried her increasingly authoritarian rule, the governments handling of student protests this year and its crackdown on free speech. Civil society groups and activists have criticised the countrys new Digital Security Act and a new broadcast law that is under consideration, warning such regulations may affect a fair election. How David Handley changed the face of Australias Bondi beach Al Jazeera spoke to David Handley the founder of Bondis Sculpture by the Sea. The Sculpture by the Sea exhibition in Sydney and Perth is Australias largest annual outdoor sculpture exhibition. Houthi rebels incur higher death toll with 47 fighters killed as the battle for the strategic port city rages on. Dozens of combatants were killed as pro-government forces closed in on rebel forces in the heart of the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah on Thursday, hospital sources said. Medics at hospitals inside the city reported 47 rebels had been killed in overnight ground fighting and air raids by a Saudi-UAE coalition supporting the government. Sources at hospitals in government-held areas on the outskirts said 11 soldiers had also been killed. Aid agencies have long warned that fighting in Hodeidah risks escalating the dire humanitarian crisis in Yemen, where about half the population some 14 million people could soon be on the verge of famine. The Red Sea port city is the entry point for some 70 percent of the countrys commercial imports and a vast portion of the UN-supervised humanitarian aid. Separately, rights group Amnesty International warned against Houthi rebels taking up positions on a hospital rooftop in Hodeidah. The rights monitor fears that the rebels, accused of ties to Iran, might try to use health facilities and patients as human shields to ward off coalition air attacks. Amnestys Samah Hadid says the Houthi presence on the hospital rooftop violates international humanitarian law, but this violation does not make the hospital and the patients and medical staff lawful targets for the coalition. Humanitarian crisis A military coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE intervened in 2015 after Houthi rebels dislodged the internationally recognised government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. Yemen is now home to the worlds worst humanitarian crisis, which has killed at least 10,000 people since 2015, according to the UN. The death toll, however, has not been updated in years and is likely to be much higher. The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, an independent watchdog, recently said around 56,000 Yemenis had been killed in the violence. UNICEF warned on Tuesday that the battle for Hodeidah placed the lives of 59 children, including 25 in the intensive care unit, at imminent risk of death. The International Committee of the Red Cross on Wednesday appealed for warring parties to spare civilians and civilian infrastructure including ambulances, hospitals, electricity and water plants. Meanwhile, on Thursday, Hadi appointed Mohammed al-Maqdishi as new defence minister and Abdullah Al-Nakhi as new army chief of staff, according to the official SABA news agency. Maqdishis predecessor, Mahmoud al-Subaihi, has been held by the Houthis since 2014 when the latter seized control of the capital Sanaa. The bar in Thousand Oaks, California was packed with college students when the gunman opened fire. A gunman killed at least 12 people late on Wednesday after opening fire on a bar packed with college students in southern California, according to the Ventura County Sheriffs office. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said on Thursday that more then a dozen other people were wounded following the incident at Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, about 50km west of Los Angeles. Its a horrific scene in there. There is blood everywhere, Dean said. The gunman, who police identified as 28-year-old Ian David Long, died inside the bar. Dean said Long was armed with a Glock 21, a .45-caliber handgun designed to hold 10 rounds plus one in the chamber. But the sheriff added the gun had an extended magazine that is illegal in California. The sheriff said he does not know how many rounds that magazine can hold. There were also reports that the gunman used smoke bombs before opening fire. The bars website says it hosts College Country Night every Wednesday. Police said hundreds were inside when the shooting occurred. Among the dead is Sergeant Ron Helus, who was with the force for 29 years. Ron was a hardworking, dedicated sheriffs sergeant. He was totally committed. He gave his all and tonight, as I told his wife, he died a hero. He went in to save lives, to save other people, Dean said. According to police, at least one person who survived the shooting suffered a gunshot wound. Others were injured from jumping out windows and diving under tables. People comfort each other as they stand near the scene in Thousand Oaks, California [Mark J. Terrill/AP Photo] Long list of mass shootings The shooting is the latest in a long list of mass shootings in the US. Three of the deadliest mass shootings in US modern history have occurred since October 2017. In February, a gunman killed 17 people most of whom were students at a high school in Florida. In November 2017, a man entered a church in rural Texas and killed 26 people. And in October 2017, a man shot hundreds of people attending a country music concert in Las Vegas from the window of a hotel, killing 58 people and injuring more than 500 others. The string of shootings has reignited the debate over gun control, with young people taking the lead. Earlier this year, hundreds of students, teachers and their supporters marched in large cities in the US against gun violence and called on politicians to take more action on gun control. Colombo, Sri Lanka In the labyrinth corridors of power in Colombo, politicians loyal to two rival prime ministers have been fighting tooth and nail to muster enough votes to prove a majority when the countrys suspended parliament meets next week. But on the streets of the Sri Lankan capital, home to almost one million people, the countrys protracted power struggle feels all too distant. All these politicians are crooks. All of them, AK Piyadasa, an 83-year-old merchant, said matter-of-factly. Theres no one to help us. Its a sentiment that reverberates throughout Colombo from the busy Pettah market, where AK Piyadasa sells plastic combs and strainers on a street corner, through the bustling middle-class neighbourhood of Wellawatta, to the quiet leafy suburb of Rajagiriya. The chorus of despair everything is expensive, my life hasnt improved at all, politicians dont care about us seems to prevail across this multi-ethnic seaside city, where residents have been brought to their knees after years of high taxes, stagnant wages and a falling currency. Grievances over the stuttering economy and the countrys direction have gained new impetus over the past two weeks following President Maithripala Sirisenas decision to abruptly fire Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and replace him with Mahinda Rajapaksa, a controversial former president accused of corruption and grave human rights abuses. The shock moves, which included a presidential order to suspend parliamentary proceedings, have plunged Sri Lanka into constitutional chaos. According to legal experts, the president has the authority to appoint the prime minister, but does not have the power to sack the incumbent. Since being fired, Wickremesinghe has remained holed up in the prime ministerial residence while also demanding a parliamentary vote to prove his majority. Amid mounting pressure, Sirisena, who denies acting unconstitutionally, recalled parliament on November 14, when Wickremesinghes supporters are hoping to table a no-confidence motion against Rajapaksa. With both Wickremesinghe and Rajapaksa claiming to be the countrys rightful prime minister, the turmoil risks straining a struggling economy already at its lowest level in 16 years as well as threatening major development projects and scaring off tourists amid warnings of violence. Useless It wasnt supposed to be like this. Back in 2015, Sirisena and Wickremesinghe joined forces in a bid to defeat Rajapaksa, who was seeking an unprecedented third five-year term after ending a decades-long bloody war against Tamil separatists. The pairs promises of economic reforms, accountability for alleged war crimes and a crackdown on corruption struck a chord with voters weary of alleged nepotism, corruption scandals and rights violations by Rajapaksas government. Soon after taking office as president, Sirisena appointed Wickremesinghe as prime minister. But the euphoria of their unexpected election win gradually gave way to disillusionment as the two leaders began to clash over day-to-day administration and economic reform. The new government, saddled by huge amounts of debt incurred by the Rajapaksa administration to fund an infrastructure boom, made a series of unpopular decisions, including leasing for 99-years a critical port in the countrys south to a Chinese company, hiking fuel prices, cutting fertiliser subsidies, and raising taxes. As the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe infighting grew and the economy slowed down, investigations into human rights abuses and corruption also stalled. At the same time, Wickremesinghe became mired in a corruption scandal in which a central bank governor he appointed was accused of manipulating bond auctions, causing millions of dollars in losses to the state. Meanwhile, rubbish piled up on the streets of Colombo, while the waterways that crisscross the city clogged up with waste, and residents of suburbs complained of poor street lighting and uncut grass. Wickremesinghe is useless. No one has benefitted from him, said 25-year-old Pradeep Udaykumar, who barely makes ends meet by selling mobile phone batteries in Pettah. {articleGUID} Nearby, a 40-year-old sunglasses vendor, W Ravindran, said: No one cares about the poor. Politicians they make deals and they look after themselves. Its us who suffer. A 60-year-old woman selling lottery tickets echoed the same sentiment. The only way out, she said, was a general election. That way, everyone has a say. Go to the people That call for new polls seems to be on everyones lips in Colombo, partly because of a widespread belief that those already elected will not act in the public interest. The disenchantment has only grown in recent days over allegations that legislators have been taking millions of dollars in bribes to switch support, as well as long-standing grievances over the electorates effect on the political process. Go to the people, urged a Muslim man. Let the people decide, said a Tamil woman. We need change, added a 21-year-old female university student. Thats also a message Rajapaksa has been eager to trumpet. His Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna trounced Wickremesinghes United National Party (UNP) in local council elections earlier this year, and observers say his party is likely to come out on top if snap elections are held. Thats partly because Rajapaksa, 72, continues to command huge support among Sri Lankas Sinhalese majority, who make up about 75 percent of the population. For many of them, the former president is a hero. At a rally in Colombo on Monday, Upali Wijeykoon, a former soldier and the sole survivor of a mine explosion in 1992, said Rajapaksa saved Sri Lanka by ending the war, which according to the United Nations claimed more than 100,000 lives over three decades. Upali, 58, travelled more than eight hours from his village in the countrys central highlands to attend the mass rally, which organisers said gathered more than 100,000 people despite heavy rains. I lost both my legs. I love my country and I have done whatever I can to safeguard our sovereignty, Upali said over the din of patriotic songs and chants. Blasting Wickremesinghe for selling national assets to foreign countries, the former soldier said the governments decision to cut fertiliser subsidies has destroyed the agricultural sector in his home town of Horowpathana, where farming was the main source of income. A supporter celebrates Rajapaksas recent appointment [Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters] Return of fear But on the opposite side, particularly among members of the countrys Tamil and Muslim minorities, the fear that Rajapaksa will roll back freedoms and democratic gains made under Wickremesinghe is more than real. Under Mahinda Rajapaksa people saw development. They had money. But under Ranil Wickremesinghe, I feel safer, said Giyas Deen, a 52-year-old imam from the city of Galle in the countrys south. Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims, we can all live together now. Deen, a father of two, said Rajapaksa had empowered Buddhist nationalists who believe Sri Lanka is for Buddhists only, adding he now feared a resurgence of anti-Muslim violence such as the 2014 clashes between Buddhists and Muslims in the town of Aluthgama, in which at least four people were killed and more than a dozen Muslim houses were torched to the ground. There are more concerns. The ex-presidents critics are particularly worried about the result of ongoing investigations into corruption allegations against members of his family, including his own brother over the massive losses incurred by the national carrier during Rajapaksas time in office. Media taken hostage Amid the growing uncertainty, several journalists working for Sri Lankas public media company say they are thinking of quitting their jobs because of increased government censorship. We have been taken hostage, said one young female journalist at Lakehouse, a colonial-era building housing the company. Everything we write has to be approved by government supporters. That editorial shift has been evident on the articles published in the companys English newspapers. Since Rajapaksas appointment, the front pages of the relatively independent Daily News and the Sunday Observer have been full of flattering articles that push the governments lines on the transfer of power and the recall of parliament. Its sickening, said the Lakehouse journalist. The attempt by the new government to influence public debate is also omnipresent on Colombos streets lampposts, traffic lights and city walls are all covered with posters showing a smiling Rajapaksa and featuring words of gratitude for Sirisena and his brave decision. Its a message, however, that is still met with resistance ahead of the crucial parliamentary vote. Shala Amarasinghe, 23, said it was this exact fear of renewed government control that prompted her to join hundreds of activists on Sunday protesting what they called the unconstitutional transfer of power. Amarasinghe said it was her first time at a demonstration. Im here because if they can change the prime minister in such an arbitrary manner overnight, they can do anything they want, she said. And that scares me. Former Madagascar president Hery Rajaonarimampianina has alleged many voting irregularities in this weeks election, raising fears of protests and a disputed result. In a statement on Thursday, Rajaonarimampianina said a number of anomalies have been detected, including an invalid electoral register, intimidation [and] the presence of pre-ticked ballots. All indications are that the votes of the Madagascan people have been stolen, Rajaonarimampianina, who held office from 2014 to September 2018, said. We will not let the people be robbed of their vote, he added. As of the latest count, Rajaonarimampianina had won about three percent of the vote based on results from nearly 300 of Madagascars 24,852 polling stations. Election frontrunners and fellow former presidents Andry Rajoelina and Marc Ravalomanana, meanwhile, had about 45 percent and 40 percent of support respectively. Provisional results are expected by November 20 which must then be confirmed by the High Constitutional Court by November 28. If none of the three-dozen hopefuls wins more than 50 percent of the votes, a runoff between the two best performers will be held on December 19. The new president will serve a five-year term beginning in January 2019. Election officer, Ernest Razafindraibe, told Reuters news agency that turnout on Wednesday, a vote considered to be an acid test of the impoverished islands democratic credentials, was about 45 percent. Nearly 10 million people were eligible to take part in the ballot. Allegations of irregularities Al Jazeeras Fahmida Miller, reporting from capital Antananarivo, said Rajaonarimampianina had yet to substantiate his allegations regarding possible irregularities. {articleGUID} He is warning people to be vigilant and cautious of the preliminary results and complaining about the late arrival of electoral material and equipment, Miller said. [But] they [his team] have not provided any evidence regarding some of his claims, including about ballots already being marked, she added. The former leaders claims came after a number of the less-fancied candidates expressed concern prior to the election over alleged irregularities in the voters roll. They also demanded that the poll be delayed, which was turned down. History of upheaval The apparent disagreements over the validity of Wednesdays vote marked the latest instance of political upheaval on the Indian Ocean island the worlds fourth-largest and home to about 25 million people since it became independent from France in 1960. It has struggled to overcome political divisions after a disputed 2001 election that sparked clashes and a 2009 coup. Earlier this year, attempts by then president Rajaonarimampianina to change the countrys electoral laws backfired and sparked nearly three months of bitter protests. Political opponents claimed the proposed changes were aimed at barring their candidates from taking part in Wednesdays poll. Following the demonstrations, in June, the Constitutional Court ordered the 60-year-old to form a government of national unity with a consensus prime minister in order to avert a full-blown crisis. Two months later, on September 7, Rajaonarimampianina resigned from office to compete in Wednesdays election. The Madagascar head of state must step down 60 days prior to a presidential poll if he or she wishes to compete in the ballot, according to the countrys constitution. Committee to Protect Journalists staffers were on a reporting mission when they were detained in Dar-es-Salaam. Two press freedom advocates taken from their hotel in Tanzania by security officers have been released, a South African government official said on Thursday. There were concerns after it emerged that South African journalist Angela Quintal, Africa programme coordinator for press freedom group the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and her Kenyan colleague Muthoki Mumo had been detained by authorities on Wednesday evening without explanation. However, on Thursday morning, Ndhivo Mabaya, spokesman for South Africas foreign ministry, told AFP that they were both released. Mabaya said their release came after a lot of calls but neither of the women had been given back their passport. We need to understand the circumstances (we) must get all the facts in order to engage the Tanzanian authorities, Mabaya said. He added that both women were currently at the South African embassy in Tanzanias economic capital Dar-es-Salaam. CPJ said that Quintal, a former editor of South Africas Mail & Guardian newspaper, and Mumo were legally in Tanzania on a reporting mission when they were detained. Officers who identified themselves as working with the Tanzanian immigration authority detained Quintal and Mumo in their hotel room in Dar-es-Salaam, CPJ said in a statement. The officials searched the pairs belongings and would not return their passports when asked. Quintal and Mumo were then escorted from the hotel and taken to an unknown location. Soon after their detention, an uncharacteristic tweet was sent from Quintals Twitter account reading God is great we are released going back to our hotel raising fears that someone had accessed her electronic devices. The tweet by @angelaquintal was not sent by her, wrote Quintals niece Genevieve Quintal, also a journalist. This shows someone is using her account. https://twitter.com/NicDawes/status/1060280291712032768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Crackdown on independent media Both Quintal and Mumos social media accounts have since been deactivated. Rights groups and media advocates have expressed concerns about the freedom of expression in the country. Since his election three years ago, Tanzanias President John Magufuli has cracked down on independent media, closing down critical newspapers, while rights groups have protested against the imposition of restrictive laws on freedom of expression. Reporters Without Borders, a pressure group, ranked Tanzania 93rd out of 180 countries worldwide in its 2018 World Press Freedom Index, down 10 places from the previous year. Other freedoms are also under pressure, with a powerful Dar-es-Salaam official last week announcing an anti-gay witch-hunt to track down people suspected of engaging in homosexuality, which is illegal in Tanzania under British colonial-era laws. Earlier in 2018, the Tanzanian government had approved a new law regulating online content. The new regulation gives the government the right to revoke the permit if a website publishes content that leads to public disorder and threatens national security. Recently, Nanjala Nyabola, a political scientist, also raised alarm over the passage of an amendment to Tanzanias national statistics law, imposing criminal penalties for anyone who publishes information that challenges the governments statistics. All of these rules are part of a growing network of invasive, dehumanising legislation, Nyabola warned. On October 31, Zitto Kabwe, a leader of the ACT opposition movement, was detained for questioning following a press conference in which he accused the police of killing dozens of residents of Kigoma, where he is a legislator, during an operation to address illegal grazing. The third such attack in two weeks comes a day before Prime Minister Modi addresses an election rally in the state. Raipur, Chhattisgarh Suspected Maoist rebels in India have killed five people, including a paramilitary soldier, in a restive central Indian state that goes to polls this month. Police said two Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) soldiers were also wounded when an explosive device tore through a CISF bus near Bacheli in Chhattisgarhs Dantewada district on Thursday. It was the third such attack in two weeks and came a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses an election rally in the state. In the previous two attacks, four paramilitary soldiers, two policemen and one television cameraman were killed. Maoists had already put an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) along the road to target the bus in which they were travelling. The two injured soldiers are in critical condition, senior police officer Sundar Raj P told Al Jazeera. Chhattisgarh has been governed by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for 15 years. {articleGUID} State Chief Minister Raman Singh, who is seeking a fourth term, said the attack was aimed at disrupting the elections. The attack was planned to influence the election, but the people of Chhattisgarh will give a strong reply, he told Al Jazeera. Maoism in the state is taking its last breath, and just to show their presence, they are conducting such attacks. Elections begin next week The Chhattisgarh legislative polls will be held in two phases on November 12 and November 20. Eighteen constituencies in the state fall in districts where Maoist rebels are most active. It was the third such attack in Chhattisgarh in two weeks [Alok Putul/Al Jazeera] The Maoist rebels, who say they are fighting for the rights of landless labourers and poor farmers, have urged voters to boycott the polls. Kawasi Lakhma, a Congress legislator from the region who is seeking re-election, told Al Jazeera that tribal people are affected the most by the cycle of violence in one of the most impoverished regions of India. The terror of such events spreads quickly. It is beyond our understanding what the tribals should do. On one hand, the police is killing them [for being suspected Maoists]. On the other hand, the Maoists are killing the tribals, said Lakhma. He said it was ridiculous to think that people will vote without any fear in such a situation in a very difficult time. A recent request by Chhattisgarh officials to scrap the use of indelible ink on voters fingers was turned down by the federal election commission in the capital, New Delhi. However, senior police officer, DM Awasthi, who handles the anti-Maoist operation in the state, assured voters that security would be safeguarded. Adequate security forces have been deployed for election. People should not be intimidated at all, he said. The Maoists are believed to be present in at least 20 states across India but are most active in remote parts of Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand and Maharashtra, where much of the population remains mired in poverty and lacks access to critical services. The four-decades-old rebellion is believed to have cost thousands of lives, including a large number of security forces. The government has called the Maoists Indias biggest internal security threat. Critics, however, say the governments attempts to end the revolt through a no-holds-barred military offensive are doomed to fail. German ship with more than 900 Jews fleeing the horrors of Nazi persecution was turned away in 1939. Canadas Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has formally apologised for his countrys refusal to provide shelter to a ship carrying more than 900 Jewish refugees almost 80 years ago. In May 1939, German ocean liner MS St Louis left Hamburg with more than 900 Jews fleeing the horrors of Nazi persecution in search of a safe haven for themselves and their families. When Cuba, the United States and Canada turned the ship away, it returned to Europe where several countries took the refugees in and, according to historians and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), 255 of them were later killed in World War II, most of them in concentration camps. We apologise to the 907 German Jews on board the St Louis as well as their families, Trudeau said in a parliamentary sitting on Wednesday. We are sorry for the callousness of Canadas response. We are sorry for not apologising sooner. While decades have passed since we turned our backs on Jewish refugees, time has by no means absolved Canada of its guilt or lessened the weight or our shame. The apology came following the October 27 Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, where 11 people were killed, including a Canadian woman. Unwelcome and uncomfortable Trudeau admitted that Jewish Canadians are understandably feeling unwelcome and uncomfortable and shared that 17 percent of all Canadian hate crimes target Jewish people and discrimination and violence against Jewish people in Canada and around the world continues at an alarming rate. And I pledge to you all now, we will do more, he said. Shimon Koffler Fogel, head of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), applauded Trudeaus historic apology and his pledge to expand security measures for Jewish institutions. Acknowledging moments in our history when Canada failed our ideals will help us remain vigilant in upholding those values today, CIJA said in a press release. Trudeau, a Liberal, has made a number of apologies for Canadas historical failings. Last week the prime minister visited hundreds of indigenous people in British Columbia to apologise for the hanging of six chiefs 150 years ago. Change of plan for peace talks timing amid renewed Hodeidah offensive, spokesperson for UNs Yemen envoy says. The United Nations envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, is no longer aiming to convene the countrys warring parties for peace talks this month and will instead try to bring them together by the end of the year, according to a UN spokesperson. Addressing reporters on Thursday, UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said Griffiths goal was to hold consultations before the end of the year. There [are] always different challenges to bringing the parties together, Haq said. What were trying to do is clear up any issues so that we can get a successful round of talks as soon as possible. Griffiths, who is due to brief the Security Council on November 16, is trying to salvage the peace talks that collapsed in September. He said in a statement last week that he hoped to bring the parties to the negotiating table within a month. Years of war The conflict in Yemen, the Arab worlds poorest country and home to an estimated 28 million people, began with the 2014 takeover of the capital, Sanaa, by Houthi rebels, who toppled the internationally recognised government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. Concerned by the rise of Houthis, believed to be backed by Iran, a US-backed Saudi-UAE military coalition intervened in 2015 with a massive air campaign aimed at reinstalling Hadis government. According to the UN, at least 10,000 people have been killed since the coalition entered the conflict. The death toll has not been updated in years, however, and is likely to be far higher. Last week, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres demanded an immediate halt to the fighting, warning that the country stands on a precipice and could face the worlds worst famine for decades if violence continues unabated. About 22 million Yemenis are in need of humanitarian assistance, according to the UN. Fragile peace efforts International powers including the US and Britain have also stepped up calls for an end to the nearly four-year war in recent weeks. The calls came after an earlier attempt to hold peace talks in the Swiss city of Geneva in September was abandoned when Houthi representatives refused to attend, saying the UN had failed to meet the groups pre-summit demands. Following the collapse of the talks, which would have been the first of their kind in nearly two years, the coalition announced it was relaunching an assault on Houthi-held Hodeidah, a strategically important Red Sea port city. On Thursday, dozens of combatants were killed as pro-government forces closed in on rebel forces in the heart of Hodeidah, hospital sources said. Medics at hospitals inside the city reported 47 rebels had been killed in overnight ground fighting and air raids by a Saudi-UAE coalition supporting the government. Sources at hospitals in government-held areas on the outskirts said 11 soldiers had also been killed. Aid agencies have long warned that fighting in Hodeidah, the entry point for the bulk of Yemens commercial imports and aid supplies, risks escalating the countrys dire humanitarian crisis. Some Gulf countries may seek to test the commitment of Kuwaits new leadership to speak up for Gulf Cooperation Council. My dreams were built on the foundations of my grandmothers life. They were not her dreams for herself but for us. Dan Bongino recently conducted a fascinating interview with George Papadopoulos. The most convenient way to digest the interview is at Jeff Carlson's blog, which has a link to the interview on Bongino's radio show as well as a full transcript of the interview. What emerges from the interview is, in my view, convincing evidence that Papadopoulos was, in Chuck Ross's words, the target of an "FBI sting." Actually, that characterization doesn't even go far enough. What seems clear at this point is that the FBI -- representing the US Government and as an agency of the Department of Justice -- targeted Papadopoulos and attempted to manipulate him into appearing to be a vehicle for Russian influence in the Trump campaign. The FBI had no reason to believe that Papadopoulos had any connections to Russian officials before they targeted him. The fact is, Papadopoulos's academic background and previous experience was in what could be broadly termed "Eastern Mediterranean" politics -- Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Israel. Moreover, in his published writings he actually evinced a degree of hostility to Russian influence in that region. When the FBI's attempt at framing Papadopoulos in this manner predictably fell flat, Papadopoulos was indicted on trumped up "false statements to the FBI" charges stemming from a harmless misstatement -- not a lie. The entire interview is well worth listening to -- to capture Papadopoulos' personality -- and also worth reading closely for the details that emerge. Chuck Ross's digest is also useful as a summary. Bongino's tone is remarkable. He's well prepared for the interview and, as he goes into the details of how Papadopoulos was groomed to be a fall guy in the FBI's war against Trump, his tone is incredulous to the point of hilarity at times -- the FBI's setup is that transparent. Bongino has difficulty throughout in restraining himself from exclaiming at Papadopoulos' only too obvious naivete. For his part, Papadopoulos is naturally reluctant to portray himself as a complete dupe, but even he at a certain point ends up quoting his wife, who exclaimed to him: "What on earth are you pleading guilty for, when this guy [Mifsud] is obviously setting you up?" Rather than attempt an exhaustive analysis of the many intriguing threads of information that can be found in the interview, what I'd like to focus on are two particular themes in Papadopoulos's narrative: 1) That he was the subject of a FISA, and 2) that his conversations with FBI intelligence assets such as Halper, Downer, and Mifsud were "recorded." Let's take Papadopoulos's FISA assertion first. There are two striking aspects to the FISA assertion. The first is Papadopoulos's claim that the FISA had nothing to do with the Russia Hoax -- recall that Papadopoulos had no Russian connections except those that were manufactured by FBI and British intelligence operatives -- but instead had to do with his undoubted contacts with Israel. The second aspect is that Papadopoulos claims to have been informed about this FISA by MSM sources. Here's what Papadopoulos said in the interview: Bongino: Do you think there was a FISA warrant on you? Papadopoulos: I do. I think there was a FISA warrant on me and probably I think the FISA had to do with my work in the energy business and in Israel in particular. ... I had these contacts and just to be frank when the FBI came to my house in January for the first time, they were questioning me about my ties to Israel. And then all of a sudden, when we go into all these other issues about hacked emails, Russia, theres a lot more to my story than most people could possibly even imagine. Bongino: You may have been on the radar prior [to Trumps foreign policy team announcement]. Papadopoulos: Thats absolutely right. I was on the target of some intelligence group and they definitely knew who I was. And just to make it clear to everyone listening, when I met with Mifsud, when I met with Alexander Downer, and when I met with Stefan Halper, do you know what these people all had in common? They all wanted to talk about my business in the Middle East. And what I was doing regarding advising American Oil companies, etc, etc. Its public knowledge now that Stefan Halper, himself, paid me $3,000 to write a report about my expertise in the energy business. So, obviously, I had a target on me for that. ... And thats why I think there was a FISA. Recent information Ive understood is leading me to believe that even more so. Bongino: If theres another FISA out there on you, this would be earth-shattering information. Papadopoulos: Well, let me make something even more clear that supports my contention of this FISA allegation Im making. In April of 2017, before everyone probably listening to your show even heard the name Papadopoulos. This is April of 2017, before I was arrested, I had, lets say, two representatives from, one, the most powerful newspaper in our country and another representative from the largest network tv channel in our country reach out to me on back-to-back days a couple days after Jim Wolf was leaking information to Ali Watkins of the New York Times about a FISA. They both reached out to me in April of 2017 and told me we have information that you had a FISA on you. (snip) When they told me this, I laughed it off. I hadnt been arrested. I hadnt been embroiled in what I guess Im in now. So, I was wondering to myself, how could I have a FISA on me when I dont know any Russians. I dont know any Russian government officials. What could that possibly be. After that, thats when this weird guy gives me the $10,000 a lot of strange things happen after I was told that. On the face of it, Papadopoulos's assertions regarding FBI interest in his Israeli connections make perfect sense, but may not bear the interpretation that Papadopoulos is offering. Here's why. The shadowy Israeli, Charles Tawil -- who gave Papadopoulos $10K to take back to the US and be met at the airport by FBI agents -- is known from Wikileaks to be a US intelligence asset. As a dual Israeli-US citizen, it's a good bet that Israeli intelligence was aware of Tawil's relationship with the US. What this looks like, therefore, is a joint operation -- an Israeli assist to the FBI in an operation in which the Israelis probably had little interest beyond maintaining good relations with their US counterparts. Overall, it looks like a classic attempt to get a target jammed up in order to coerce him into serving as an asset. Of course, that doesn't mean that the FBI didn't have a FISA on Papadopoulos. As we've already noted, unlike Carter Page, Papadopoulos had no Russian connections to hang a Russia Hoax FISA on, but it's entirely possible that his contacts in the murky politics of the Levant could have been leveraged to obtain a FISA warrant. Obviously, these are areas that will simply remain in the realm of speculation for the indefinite future, but one thing seems abundantly clear: the various FBI assets who contacted Papadopoulos may have begun by talking him up regarding his Middle East interests, but they all attempted to shift his focus to Russia and the US election -- despite his lack of connections in that regard. As far as the election and the Trump campaign went, Papadopoulos would, therefore, have been more of a target of opportunity for the FBI. True, he had no Russian connections, but on the other hand he had been taken on by the Trump campaign, he was already in contact with FBI assets, and he was, above all, very naive. In that light, consider Papadopoulos' story about being contacted by two major media sources who told him that there was a FISA on him. We can pose two related questions, assuming for our purposes that there actually was a FISA on Papadopoulos. First, would the FBI have hinted to major media contacts that there was a FISA on Papadopoulos? From all we've seen in the Russia Hoax thus far, the answer can only be: unequivocally, yes. However, if the FISA was not actually related to anything to do with Russia, would the FBI have felt obliged to point that out to their media contacts? I think the question answers itself. The Russia Hoax narrative was out there, Papadopoulos had been sucked into making various suggestions about contacting Russian officials, and there you have it. Everyone would naturally assume that the FISA was Russia-related -- and that would have been precisely what the FBI wanted to accomplish with their leak. But what about Papadopoulos's repeated assertions that he believes his contacts with the various operatives -- Halper, Mifsud, Downer -- were all recorded? How does that fit in? First of all we need to be clear that, assuming that there were indeed recordings made of these contacts with Papadopoulos, that has nothing to do with FISA. Those types of recordings are known as "consensual monitoring," meaning that one of the parties -- not the target -- consented to the recording. What is presupposed is that some sort of investigation has already been initiated. It could be either a Preliminary Investigation or a Full Investigation, but there has to be an open investigation. I am personally inclined to believe that such recordings did take place. I am further inclined to believe that, if there was already an open investigation that had been used to obtain a FISA on Papadopoulos regarding his Middle East ventures, then the consensual monitoring of his contacts abroad with FBI assets would have been piggybacked off the already opened investigation. This would certainly explain the regular trips that top level FBI Counterintelligence officials -- Bill Priestap and Peter Strzok -- were making to London at the same time that Papadopoulos was being groomed by FBI assets there. Now, here I think we've finally arrived at the point where we can understand what a threat Papadopoulos may pose to the entire Russian Hoax: FBI, DoJ, and Team Mueller at the Special Counsel office. To understand this it's necessary to recall the fundamental structuring of FBI investigations, which I laid out in A Guide To Spygate, Informants, FISA. The important thing to keep in mind is simply this: When we speak about consensual monitoring or about FISA, we're really speaking about investigative techniques. Many of the articles that are written about the Russia Hoax tend to get involved in the investigative techniques and lose sight of the fact that any use of these techniques presupposes the existence of an investigation -- Preliminary or Full -- that has been previously authorized based on very specific criteria. No doubt a fraud was perpetrated on the FISA Court in the case of the Carter Page FISA, but that never could have happened unless a previous fraud had already been perpetrated: the opening of a Full Investigation on Carter Page which was simply baseless. That first fraud is the one that will, in my opinion, prove to be fundamental to any prosecution in the Russia Hoax. The FISA fraud -- the misuse of a technique -- might be argued away on a number of grounds: bad judgment, officials got carried away by the danger of Russian "meddling," etc. It will be much harder to argue away the actual opening of a Full Investigation on Carter Page. And it will be much harder to argue all that away if it can be shown that the Carter Page case was part of a larger conspiracy. That's where the framing of George Papadopoulos comes in. The FISA on Papadopoulos (again, we assume ...) may or may not have been warranted. We have no way of being sure of that, from our distance. However, when viewed in connection with the baseless investigation of Carter Page, the efforts by the FBI, through their assets, to manipulate Papadopoulos into playing a role for which he had no background, but which would lend at least the appearance of verisimilitude to the whole Russia Hoax narrative, in my opinion offers powerful evidence that a broader criminal conspiracy was at work. The goal of that conspiracy -- involving at a minimum the FBI and the DoJ -- was to direct through fraudulent means, misusing the investigative powers of the Federal Government, the results of a US Presidential Election. This is the field of battle that will, I hope, open up after the Midterm Elections. In closing, I can't urge strongly enough the importance of reading and pondering over the transcript of the Papadopoulos interview. As further reference I've appended a series of tweets that Papadopoulos wrote on the days preceding and following that interview, but they don't substitute for the whole interview. George Papadopoulos @GeorgePapa19 The entire Russia collusion investigation began because Joseph Mifsud (the professor) was a supposed Russian agent who told me that the Russians have Clintons emails. Now, Mifsuds lawyer says he was working for Comeys FBI to fabricate collusion and sabotage Trump. Truth! 1:46 PM - Oct 31, 2018 George Papadopoulos @GeorgePapa19 The entrapment below is probably just one of only a dozen reasons Comey was fired and his deputies are currently either under investigation, demoted or fired themselves. Director Wray looks like a true leader and a man of honor. This would have never happened under his watch. 2:24 PM - Oct 31, 2018 George Papadopoulos @GeorgePapa19 Hons: @RepMarkMeadows and @RepRatcliffe I am more than happy to deliver the $10,000 in cash I received, as part of what I believe was a sting operation to frame me in summer 2017,to your committee to examine for marked bills. This is in the interest of me being fully transparent. 2:55 PM - Oct 31, 2018 George Papadopoulos @GeorgePapa19 Hons: @RepRatcliffe and @RepMarkMeadows the $10,000 has been safety stored away after the likely asset trying to set me up did not want to take their money back after I told them to retrieve it. Am sure we can get the bills to the committee for examination to see who was behindit 4:42 PM - Oct 31, 2018 George Papadopoulos @GeorgePapa19 The reason my wife has been harassed for a year was because she has known ALL ALONG that Mifsud was connected to the socialists in Europe, Clintons and western intelligence circles. Elements of the government have been trying to silence her since summer 2017. Gonna keep fighting 7:08 PM - Oct 31, 2018 George Papadopoulos @GeorgePapa19 When FISA is unredacted after the midterms, a whole new chapter in this saga is about to open. Look out for key characters: Alexander Downer, GCHQ, And a FISA on me being revealed. 10:09 PM - Oct 31, 2018 George Papadopoulos @GeorgePapa19 My biggest regret is not having spoken up even sooner. Am making sure I get as much of the truth out there before the midterms. Everything I have stated for the last two months is backed by incontrovertible evidence. Nothing can be debunked. 8:03 AM - Nov 1, 2018 George Papadopoulos @GeorgePapa19 If my sources were correct in April 2017, largest channel on network tv and one of the two most powerful newspapers in America, and I had a FISA on me; if that country is named, it will rock one of the most important alliances the US has because of Obama DOJ misconduct. No Russia 8:29 AM - Nov 1, 2018 George Papadopoulos @GeorgePapa19 I was a businessman in Israel and Cyprus. Nothing to do with Russia. If there was a FISA on me as very credible sources told me in April 2017, I was being spied on for my work in that part of the world. That is the real scandal. 9:16 AM - Nov 1, 2018 George Papadopoulos @GeorgePapa19 Make sure you get out and vote, America. Our future depends on it. Congress needs to remain red to uncover more and more of the corruption of the Obama administration. FISA abuse will never come out if the republicans lose the house. #VoteRedSaveAmerica2018 6:22 PM - Nov 1, 2018 George Papadopoulos @GeorgePapa19 I was patient zero of Russia gate, now this patient is telling you all that spygate is more real than ever, and has always been the real narrative. Apologies for not being able to scream it out loud months before. Vote red. 7:16 PM - Nov 1, 2018 George Papadopoulos @GeorgePapa19 I implore everyone to listen to my interview with @dbongino last night. Its important to clarify exactly what was happening in 2016 and after, how we found ourselves in this position, and why its imperative we all vote RED next week. 2:00 PM - Nov 3, 2018 George Papadopoulos @GeorgePapa19 My offer still stands for a public testimony on the hill. 8:32 PM - Nov 3, 2018 George Papadopoulos @GeorgePapa19 If the $10,000 is traced to the Obama DOJ/administration, then we have a massive can of worms that just opened. I will make sure congress has the opportunity to review for marked bills and investigate who authorized an entrapment operation against an American citizen. 12:04 AM - Nov 4, 2018 Image credit: Marco Verch The reason we're having to put up with all this business about anchor babies and birthright citizenship is because of the Supreme Court's Dred Scott vs. Sandford Decision of 1857. It's a classic case study in the Law of Unintended Consequences. A brief summary: Dred Scott was a Missouri slave who had permitted a lawsuit for his freedom to be filed on his behalf, on the grounds that his master (a U.S. Army doctor) had taken him along with him for three years in Fort Armstrong, Illinois (near Rock Island), and later on to Fort Snelling in Wisconsin Territory (now in Minnesota). Scott was retained as a slave in both places, in violation respectively of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 (for Illinois) and the Missouri Compromise (for Fort Snelling). After Scott's master left Fort Snelling for Louisiana, he left Scott behind in Fort Snelling and hired him out as a slave laborer, also in violation of the Missouri Compromise. Along the way, they also had had to pass through the Territory and later the State of Iowa. Dred Scott contended that since slavery was illegal in these places, he ought to have been freed then and there, but better late than never -- he wanted his freedom and ought to have it. His suit was complicated by the fact that he had actually resided in a free state and a free territory and had not filed for his freedom at those times, nor had he been seized as contraband by a sheriff in Iowa or Illinois or Wisconsin Territory. Instead, he had waited to file his suit until he was back in Missouri, which was "Slave Country." It could have been a simple case of property rights: Was Dred Scott a legally owned piece of property where he was now residing (Missouri)? Yes or no? The Supreme Court could have reasoned something like this: It's like the man who legally owns a case of whiskey in a "wet" state. He transports it across a "dry" State, where it is subject to confiscation without compensation, because possession of whiskey is illegal there. However, the "dry" State fails to do this, perhaps because it fails to detect the hooch. When the whiskey's owner enters another "wet" state with his hooch, the whiskey is legal property all over again, and the "dry" State has no claim on it. Same with Dred Scott. The court could have made its decision on the narrowest grounds: property possession. They could have found that that since Scott was legally a slave where he was now, the fact that he had been on free soil no more emancipates him than the fact that the whiskey that had been in a "dry" state enables the "dry" state to seize it after it has left its borders. Indeed, Chief Justice Roger Taney, in his decision consigning Dred Scott to remain a slave, even wrote that "...the negro might justly and lawfully be reduced to slavery for his benefit. He was bought and sold, and treated as an ordinary article of merchandise and traffic [emphasis added], wherever a profit could be made by it." If Taney had stopped there, Dred Scott might today be nothing more than a historical footnote. Instead, the court, in a decision authored by Taney himself, invented a line of legal reasoning of breathtaking complexity, in order to resolve what could have been a simple case of property possession. In order to show that Dred Scott needed to remain a slave, Taney invented a line of reasoning that overturned the Northwest Ordinance and found the Missouri Compromise to be "unconstitutional," and ruled that the Congress had no constitutional authority to outlaw slavery in the territories. To top it off, Taney also opined that since Dred Scott was black, he wasn't even a citizen anyway, even though he had been born here, and that as a black man he had "no rights that a white man is bound to respect." None of this was necessary in order to determine Scott's legal status as property or not property. All of this went way beyond what was a simple case of property possession. Any time a court invokes reasoning beyond the minimum necessary to decide the legal question facing it along its narrowest scope, that is called obiter dictum. The Dred Scott case was the worst case of obiter dictum in the history of jurisprudence. None of Taney's sophistries -- which is what they were -- were needed to decide what should have been a simple property case. Instead, this Southern sympathizer was so incensed by abolitionism and "northern aggressors," he wanted to craft an opinion that would enshrine slavery forever, by taking it out of the realm of politics and making it "settled law," like Roe v. Wade. Instead, he so enraged the country -- on both sides -- that the Civil War broke out four years later. Just to show just how outrageous a decision the Dred Scott case was, it was only the second time in the country's history that any court ever ruled an Act of Congress to be unconstitutional -- the first instance being the Marbury vs. Madison decision itself. This was the case in which Chief Justice John Marshall invented the extra-constitutional doctrine of judicial review. It didn't end there, either. After the Civil War, despite emancipation and the ratification of the 13th Amendment (which outlawed slavery), Dred Scott remained the law of the land. Blacks might no longer have been slaves, but in accordance with Taney's decision they still weren't citizens, either. They still "had no rights that a white man is bound to respect." Their lot may actually have been even worse than that of blacks in pre-Mandela South Africa. Obviously, this could not be allowed to stand. A 14th Amendment was necessary in order to annul the Dred Scott decision and kill it off once and for all. So the Congress enacted the Fourteenth Amendment to ensure that everyone born here and who had a right to be here was a citizen, and the country quickly ratified it. However, Dred Scott continued to live on. As the late, great editor of Analog Science Fiction Magazine, John W. Campbell, wrote in one of his editorials, "You can't do just one thing." This may be the wisest thing ever said outside the Bible. It particularly applies to the Dred Scott case, because all that Taney had to do was find that Scott was legally a slave where he now was, and that was that. Instead, he decided that he just had to enshrine slavery forever. Thanks to Roger Taney's outrageous obiter dictum, we got a Civil War and a Fourteenth Amendment that would never have been ratified if not for the Dred Scott decision. But, in Hegelian fashion, the antithesis to Dred Scott was likewise flawed. The framers of the 14th Amendment didn't foresee that someone, in some future time, might abuse the 14th Amendment to permit the modern-day absurdities of birthright citizenship and birth tourism. Perhaps, if the 14th Amendment had been better crafted, we might not he having to endure its abuses today. Instead we got, 150 years later after Roger Taney's opinion, anchor babies and birthright citizenship for babies who had no business being born here. Talk about unintended consequences! Thanks for nothing, Roger. CNN host Don Lemon got into hot water lately for making the seemingly contradictory statement So we have to stop demonizing people and realize the biggest terror threat in this country is white men, most of them radicalized to the right, and we have to start doing something about them. Instead of walking this extremist rhetoric and hate speech back, Lemon doubled down about how home-grown terror and right-wing extremists were the biggest threat to America. There is, of course, no question that there is a danger from rightwing extremists. In the wake of the mail bombs and horrifying anti-Semitic attack on the Tree of Life Synagogue no one denies that. However, many on the left are simply trying to paint anyone to the right of Paul Ryan as a potential terrorist. Howard Dean, for example, stated that the online Twitter-competitor Gab should be tried for being an accomplice to murder because the Tree of Life shooter had an account there. Lemon used two flawed studies to bolster his claims, both of which dont even show what he says they show. The first, by the ADL, claimed that between 2007 and 2016 there were 372 people killed from domestic terrorists. The breakdown of the perpetrators ideology was as follows: Islamic Extremists: 24% Left-Wing Extremists: 2% Right-Wing Extremists: 74% Before we analyze this study, we should note that both the left and the right make way too much out of terrorism. Yes, they are big stories that grab a lot of attention. But according to this, there were 37 people killed each year in the United States from domestic terrorist attacks. In contrast, approximately 150 to 200 Americans die from peanuts each year. (The same could be said for mass shootings in general. Mother Jones notes there were 860 killings in 105 mass shootings between 1982 and 2018; in other words, there were 23.9 deaths per year from mass shootings.) The next problem is that Lemon doesnt appear to know what per capita means. Muslims make up 1.1% of the American population; meaning that even if these statistics were correct, Islamic extremism would be overrepresented by over 2000%! (Although, again, the number of deaths by Islamic terrorist attacks in the United States since 9/11 is still a low number.) But the statistics are not correct and the ADL has even refused to release the source data. How do I know they are not correct? Well, if only 2% of 372 killings were from left-wing extremists, that would mean there were only six or seven killed by left-wing extremists between 2007 and 2016. Well, lets count: In 2016, Micah Xavier Johnson killed five police officers in Dallas as a politically-motivated act of retribution against the police. In 2016, Gavin Long killed three police officers in Baton Rouge. Also in 2016, Frederick Scott killed six white men in Kansas City to satiate his delusions of a race-war and desire to kill all white people Well, theres 14 right there from 2016 alone. And for 2017, we could add Emmanuel Samson, who shot up a church in Tennessee to avenge the killings by Dylan Roof. He murdered one and injured seven more before being stopped by an usher with a gun. And of course, we cant forget James Hodgkinson, who shot congressman Steve Scalise and tried to kill multiple Republican congressmen and senators. Hodgkinson, I should note, had an active account on Facebook and was radicalized by the likes of Rachel Maddow. I have heard no calls to prosecute Mark Zuckerberg or Rachel Maddow. The other report Lemon cites is from the GAO that, according to Lemon, notes that the vast majority of deadly attacks in this country from 2001 to 2016 were carried out by far-right violent extremists. (I assume he means between September 12th, 2001 and 2016, of course.) It concluded that far-right plots and attacks outnumber Islamist incidents by almost 2 to 1. Again Don, what does per capita mean? There are certainly some legitimate cases of right-wing extremists in this report, but other murders recorded as terrorist attacks appear to be pushing it. Here are a few examples: White supremacist and associate killed a child molester White supremacist murdered his stepfather to gain street cred White supremacist murdered a convicted sex offender Prison gang white supremacists murdered another inmate for not objecting to having an African American cellmate Even the GAO report shows that more people were killed by Jihadist attacks than right-wing ones (119 to 106). But then the report goes on to produce this spectacular falsehood: There were no attacks since 1990 by persons associated with extreme leftist ideologies that resulted in fatalities to non-perpetrators. At the absolute minimum, the families of five dead police officers in Dallas would beg to differ. Overcounting right-wing terrorist attacks while not mentioning left-wing ones seems to be par for the course these days. For example, the Southern Poverty Law Center released a report stating that The Alt Right is Killing People. The report lists a smorgasbord of mass shooters, few of whom were clearly Alt Right other than Dylan Roof. Elliot Rodgers was certainly a misogynist, but he didnt appear particularly concerned about racial purity. For example, the SPLC counts Jeremy Joseph Christian, who stabbed to death two men after they intervened while he was harassing a Muslim woman. The problem with the SPLCs analysis is that Christian hated all religions and was a Bernie Sanders supporter -- i.e. a left-wing terrorist, if anything. They also count Chris Harper-Mercer, who killed nine people in Oregon. Mercer supposedly had white supremacist leanings despite being mixed race. Yet his hate was primarily directed at Christians. He asked those who were Christians to stand up and then went down the line shooting each of them. Anti-Christian terrorism is left-wing terrorism if anything, so Mercer doesnt fit. Jared Loughner, who killed six people and shot congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in 2011, listed Ayn Rand and George Orwell novels along with Mein Kampf and The Communist Manifesto amongst his favorite books -- a communist, Nazi libertarian terrorist or something. Devin Kelly, who killed 26 people in Texas, hated religion in general and Christianity in particular. Yet, despite shooting up a church and being a militant atheist, the authorities said an argument with his mother-in-law was what led him to shoot up a church that his mother-in-law was not even attending. Historically speaking, terrorism was much more associated with the left than any other political or religious movement. In Russia, for example, between the failed revolution of 1905 and the October Revolution of 1917, some estimates go as high as 17,000 people being killed by left-wing terrorism! Prior to the onset of Islamic terrorism, a 2001 report from the Department of Energy found that, From an international perspective, of the 13,858 people who died between 1988 and 1998 in attacks committed by the 10 most active terrorist groups in the world, 74 percent were killed by leftist organizations. And this terrorism made its way to the United States with all sorts of organizations like the Weather Underground or the Symbionese Liberation Army. As retired FBI agent Mark Noel observed, People have completely forgotten that in 1972 we had over nineteen hundred domestic bombings in the United States. I should also point out that President William McKinley was assassinated by a left-wing anarchist and President John F. Kennedy was assassinated by a communist. Today we have the low-level hum of constant, not-as-of-yet fatal terrorism from the likes of Antifa as they attack random Trump supporters, or #NeverTrumpers, or a Bernie Sanders supporter who dared to carry the American flag or veterans in wheelchairs. Don Lemon and others on the left want to paint political extremism as a product of the right and only the right. This is completely false and will likely be used to justify more censorship of libertarian and conservative speech while simultaneously further radicalizing the far left. While it is critical for conservatives to call out extremism within its own ranks, it is just as important not to let the Left successfully promote this false narrative. I once worked for a brilliant man who ran a successful company. He was frugal, took prudent risks, and was generous to his employees, whom he credited with his success. I learned much from him. But, every once in a while, this man would make a decision that was so unsound that it baffled me and my coworkers. At first, I mistakenly thought that the seemingly foolish action was a stroke of genius. I thought that he would later be vindicated, and that I would, yet once again, be amazed by his acumen. It was otherwise. However superior his intellect was to mine, no amount of genius can outsmart common sense. When this man was wrong, he was very wrong, and no amount of discussion could persuade him otherwise. He once stopped doing business with a particular vendor, (Vendor A) because the vendor charged extra for same-day delivery. That made sense, but not when the vendor (Vendor B) he replaced him with charged even more. I asked him why Vendor B was a better choice, and the reply was, Vendor A charges too much. Yes sir, I said, but Vendor B charges even more. The boss got into a bit of huff, and retorted, but Vendor A charges too much. It was a blind spot, which led to circular arguments that I could soon see were futile. So it is with the American electorate. Some people for whom I care very deeply oppose Republican allies of Donald Trump, even though they express strong agreement with Trumps policies. My friends want lower taxes, but will vote for politicians who promise to raise taxes. When this dissonance is brought to their attention, their response always begins with, Yes, but . . . The rest is always bafflingly irrelevant. It took me many years to settle in to this fact of life. Good people who mean well can pave the road to Hell. What can we do? I simply let them know that I disagree, but not to press the issue to the point of severing the relationship. If all I can do is to keep the door open, that is better than burning the bridges forever. There is always time for that later. In rare cases, I have seen such friends gradually change their mind. They always seemed to do it on their own, giving me no credit for having influenced them -- which is well and fine with me. It does not happen often enough, but even the rare event is encouraging. But in most cases, the irrationality is baked in, and short of a grand epiphany, will never resolve into common sense. Then there is the very troubling circumstance of people who favor policies that are outright evil. Some of them actually believe that Kermit Gosnell, the notorious murderer of born-alive babies in his abortion clinic, should have been acquitted. Some will vote for politicians they admit they know to be corrupt. Others assert that MS13 gangsters are benign. Some are so filled with hate and rage that their only political argument is to scream, Nazi! at anyone who in the slightest measure does not toe their party line -- a phenomenon which is among the most under-reported events among the news media. Such people pose a real danger to the nation, as much so as did the Nazi brownshirts in 1930s Germany. There is a certain point beyond which their growing numbers can overwhelm those who practice common sense. Because of irrational voters, we now face the fait accompli of an impending Democrat takeover of the House of Representatives. This might well turn out to be disastrous, unless a degree of common sense is adopted by the least radical of the Democrats. That is very unlikely among the more radical leftists. However, there is a glimmer of hope, albeit a small one, that the newly elected Democrat representatives from the so-called Trump districts, will recognize that they won their seats by posing as moderates, and will keep them only by governing as such. If they can be persuaded to resist the worst tendencies of the Maxine Waters brigade, they might just -- improbably -- vote against their elders on a few key issues. Freedom is fragile, but free people are resilient. Republicans should be quite pleased with the results of the midterm elections. Despite the ominous predictions of an incoming Democratic "blue wave," Republicans around the country did well. To the dismay of many Democrats, the supposed wave was nothing more than a "hiccup," as Republicans gained seats in the Senate, held on to some important governors' seats, and lost far fewer seats in the House than is historically the case for the party in power. If this election was a referendum on President Trump, the results point to one conclusion: the American public still supports President Trump, and the "Trump effect" is strong and can significantly impact an election. Historically, the party in power has lost seats in the House. History tells us that the president's party almost always loses House seats, which has happened in 35 out of the 38 midterm elections (92 percent) since the end of the Civil War. In the Senate, the pattern is not quite as strong. Since 1913, when the 17th Amendment was adopted and the direct election of Senators began, the president's party has lost seats in 19 out of 26 elections (73 percent). On Tuesday, Republicans continued this trend. However, the losses were not nearly as bad as expected, given that 38 House Republicans announced that they were retiring after this year, thereby creating vacancies that Democrats could exploit. While the Democratic pickups in the House gave them control of the chamber, it was narrow in scope when compared to past results. According to a recent article in The American Spectator: In 2010, the Republicans gained 63 House seats the biggest House pick-up since 1948 and the biggest midterm pick-up since 1938 and six U.S. Senate seats. The GOP even ended up controlling 26 state legislatures and 29 governorships. In the 2014 Obama midterms, the Republicans somehow found thirteen more House seats to net, and they gained nine more Senate seats, retaking the Senate and scoring the largest midterm Senate pick-up in 56 years. They also grew to 31 governorships while controlling 68 state legislative chambers. Similarly, the 1994 Clinton midterms saw Republicans gain 54 House seats, eight Senate seats, and ten governorships. With the large number of House seats up for grabs, the fact that Republicans mitigated their losses should be viewed with optimism. The Democrats did not experience a "blue wave" in the House. Rather, despite the media's relentless and false attacks on the president and the large sums of money that Democrats poured into the different races around the country, Democrats only made moderate gains (there are still some outstanding races). These gains would have likely been much higher had the American public turned on President Trump. Obviously, based on the results, this has not happened. Along these same lines, and thanks to the "Trump effect," Republicans gained several important Senate seats in Indiana, Missouri, North Dakota, and Florida. (Florida is heading to a recount because of the close margin.) Interestingly, the Democrats who lost (or who are behind) in these states voted against Judge Kavanaugh, a Trump appointee. According to a recent article in the USA Today, "Trump's late-season blitz of campaigning appeared to help. He made two stops each in Florida, Indiana and Missouri, and one each in Montana, Tennessee, Ohio and West Virginia. Only the last two states re-elected Democrats, with Montana's race still to be decided." Republicans should not underestimate the importance of maintaining control of the Senate. The gains (and continued control of the Senate) are vital and allow President Trump to, among other things, continue to shape the direction of the judiciary (with conservative judges) and to thwart any unsubstantiated and politicized impeachment proceedings Democrats might initiate against the president. Republicans should view the results of the midterms with optimism. Despite the consistent and vile attacks by many media outlets, celebrities, and Democrats, Republicans suffered only moderate losses in the House, gained seats in the Senate, and maintained control of the Senate. More importantly, the American public sent a message that, while they might not always like the president's demeanor, they appreciate many of his accomplishments. (Republicans need to address health care, which hurt them on Tuesday.) If the midterms were a referendum on the president, he passed with flying colors. As Dov Fischer wisely and accurately stated: Trump risked everything and put his name brand on the line in Missouri (Hawley won), Indiana (Braun won), and Florida (DeSantis and Scott won). That took guts, strength, fierce determination. And this is the man whom the Democrats and their Left media stooges accuse of being an Alzheimer's patient, ready for the 25th Amendment. As the country saw while watching the President deliver one 75-minute power-packed speech after another, for days and weeks during the last month of the campaign, all the slanderous CNN talk about his mental capacities reflected the three different kinds of lies at which the Left Media excel: (i) lies, (ii) damned lies, and (iii) more damned lies. As Americans actually saw and heard the President for themselves, they grasped that the Left Media really does proliferate Fake News and truly are the enemy of the people, lying to a nation about the mental health of a leader with great acumen who adroitly bears great responsibilities. With the midterms behind them, President Trump and all Republicans should feel very optimistic and begin to turn their attention to 2020. Mr. Hakim is a writer 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: @Elad3599 1. The countrys demographic changes favor Democrats. The groups which are growing in size, blacks, Hispanics, Asians, all vote overwhelmingly for Democrats. College educated whites are also growing, though not as quickly in number or percentage of the total voting population. They also increasingly favor Democrats, especially women. Non-college educated whites are as Republican as they have ever been, though the size and share of the total voting population represented by this group is declining. Trumps appeals on certain issues strike gold with the last group, but drive away some college educated voters, who normally are Republican. This trend will continue, and suggest that long-term, the Republicans will have to increase their vote share among minority groups, or win back some of the college educated whites to remain a competitive national party. 2. Florida was a pleasant surprise for Republicans last night. The closeness of the Senate and Governors races was not a surprise (except to the many pollsters who had Democrats leading in both races by 5-7 points). Rick Scott always wins, and always by 1 point or less. Quinnipiac and CNN were among the polling firms who had the worst record this year, in Florida and elsewhere. The most important result in Florida Tuesday night may have been the referendum on allowing felons to vote. The referendum surpassed the 60% barrier, and so by 2020, another 1.4 million more Floridians will be eligible to vote. About a third of the number are African Americans, who vote abut 90% for Democrats. Felons have a very low participation rate where they are allowed to vote (10-15%), but in Florida, a small boost for one party can be enough to swing the state. It is hard to see Trump winning in 2020 without carrying Florida again. George W bush would never have won Florida in 2000 if felons had been able to vote. 3. Pending the outcome in Arizona, Republicans will have 53 or 54 Senate seats, assuming the Mississippi runoff holds to form. This will be a big advantage for the president as far as judicial and executive branch appointments. If there is another Supreme Court opening, Democrats and their allies will not have the same ability to pressure the Republican duo of Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski to drive GOP numbers below 50 votes. For the record, Collins announcement of support for Judge Kavanaugh was a first-rate act of statesmanship. 4. America is changing demographically, and so are individual states. Two heavily Hispanic states have moved away from Republicans in 2016 and again in 2018: Arizona and Texas. If Texas becomes a dogfight every 4 years, like Florida, the GOP is in big trouble. On the other hand, some states are becoming more Republican -- West Virginia, Missouri, Iowa, Ohio. Joe Manchin survived , winning by 3%, and only after voting for Judge Kavanaugh. Had Republicans nominated Evan Jenkins as their candidate, Manchin would likely have lost regardless of the Kavanaugh vote. In Ohio, Sherrod Brown survived primarily because his strongest potential opponent, Josh Mandel, withdrew for family reasons. 5. Dianne Feinstein, Chick Schumer and the Democrat rejectionists on the Senate Judiciary Committee, likely were responsible for at least two GOP Senate wins, in Indiana and Missouri, and likely aided Marsha Blackburn in Tennessee. Democrats were preening for the cameras for their 2020 test drive, but also seemed to believe they could defeat Kavanaugh with their fake sleaze stories from 30-plus years back. As a result, they needed every Democrat to vote no, and Heitkamp, Donnelly and McCaskill were not free to maybe save their seats by voting yes. Manchin, of course, only announced his vote after it was clear Republicans had he bare minimum to confirm Judge Kavanugh. 6. There were dozens of very close House races. Democrats could have won 20 seats, or 50, had most of the races gone one way or the other. In the end, the close races pretty much split down the middle. Democrats were successful for several major reasons: Pent up emotion by the resistance to punish President Trump resulted in high turnout from those most obsessed with Trump Derangement syndrome. Democrats nominated many good candidates, including veterans, to challenge some Republicans in moderate districts. The flakes who won on the Democratic side, were in districts where Democrat always win. Democrats had much more money in several dozen of the close races. It is very unusual for challengers to out-raise incumbents or the incumbent party where there was an open seat. You also do not hear many Democrats complaining about big money in politics these days when more than a quarter billion in campaign cash came from the likes of Tom Steyer, George Soros, and Michael Bloomberg, plus the Hollywood "thought leaders. Democrats vastly expanded the competitive playing field, and Republicans were not prepared in many cases to face the challenge until it was too late.. Democrats targeted 70-80 seats and won about half of them. Democrats proved that it is far easier to campaign against what the other Party did or tried to do on healthcare, than it is to defend what you did or tried to do. Republicans did not try to eliminate protections for those with pre-existing conditions, but after a billion dollars in ads saying that they were in fact proposing to do this, many believed it. Republicans had no clear coherent message. The economy is roaring with the highest growth rates in many years, and the tax cuts Congress passed, and the deregulatory effort, had a lot to do with it. But the GOP did a poor job after the tax bill was passed promoting its benefits, and Trump largely ignored the issue to focus on immigration- popular with his base, but not an issue gets moderates or swing voters to move towards the Republicans. 7. The next cycle of redistricting will allow Democrats to jigger districts in several states where they had no role in redistricting after the 2010 census. Winning control of 7 or 8 state legislative branches, plus the governor pickups , and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court-ordered redistricting, means Democrats will be in better shape when the next census redistricting process begins. Expect more court challenges in states where the GOP still has a redistricting advantage. Eventually the Supreme Court may have to decide whether redistricting which favors a winning political party is OK. Graphic: Pixabay Everyone knows that House Democrats have blood in their eyes and hate in their hearts as they ascend (or descend) into their majority status. But many are wondering exactly how all that pent-up rage and hysteria will manifest itself when they begin to govern. Possible incoming speaker Nancy Pelosi used the "bi" word in her election night press conference. No, she wasn't talking about LGBTQ issues. She proclaimed a new era of "bi-partisanship" in the House. How long do you think this will last? I give it about 24 hours. As Pelosi got busy trying to soothe the hurt feelings of Republicans (while planning their destruction), incoming Judiciary Chairman Rep. Jerold Nadler had a slightly different agenda to tout. It seems that the rabidly partisan Mr. Nadler has got it in his head that the radical leftists who are now driving the agenda of the Democratic party expect him to exact a measure of revenge on his GOP tormentors - specifically Donald Trump and the new Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. The Federalist: Nadler was headed to DC for a two-day planning session with his staff and Judiciary Committee staff. Weve got to figure out what were doing, he explained in a phone call with a friend. Nadler requested that the friends name be concealed on the grounds he is a private citizen. The two discussed two routes for investigating new Supreme Court Justice Kavanaugh. The first is to go after the FBI for how they handled the investigation into unsubstantiated claims he sexually assaulted women. They didnt even do a half-ass job, he said. They didnt interview 30 witnesses who said Interview me! Ive got a lot to say!' he said, while mimicking people waving their hands to be called on. His other plan is to go after Kavanaugh because theres a real indication that Kavanaugh committed perjury. He claimed that The Atlantic published an article about the allegations of a third woman. Then he claimed that when Kavanaugh was asked at a committee hearing under oath when he first heard of the subject, he said, When Id heard of the Atlantic article. But there is an email chain apparently dating from well before that from him about How can we deal with this?' Nadler told the caller. Nadler was apparently discussing a slightly different claim, since debunked, which is that Kavanaugh perjured himself when he denied hearing of The New Yorkers disputed allegation involving Deborah Ramirez until the story came out. Considering that The New Yorker included a denial from Kavanaugh in its own controversial story, and was asking him about it right before publication, and he acknowledged all that in his Senate testimony, its unclear how fruitful such a perjury claim would be. Since at least two of the "witnesses" Nadler says were begging to be interviewed by the FBI are proven liars, you have to wonder about the credibility of the other 28 people who couldn't wait to smear the incoming judge. Of course, wanting revenge on the mild mannered judge is only a small part of his agenda. His real target is the president of the United States and he is promising to find something - anything - to impeach Donald Trump with. Nadler said Russia investigations would be under a broad umbrella of holding Trump accountable, since its a more palatable argument than impeachment, that they would be going all-in, and much of what they get to would be depending on what [special counsel Robert] Mueller finds. Still, he said the Judiciary Committee would only be in a supportive role to Rep. Adam Schiff and the Intelligence Committee, which has a way ahead start on that. Still, he said Judiciary will have a role in the Russia investigations. A publicity-hungry congressman taking a back seat to another committee in the drive to impeach Trump? That'll be the day. Nadler and his fellow Judiciary Committee Democrats won't be able to help themselves. An impeachment inquiry by the committee would get TV ratings beyond belief and no congressman - Republican or Democratic - would be able to resist that. Nadler is pointing the way for the Democratic party to set a record for the shortest period one party is in control of the House in history. It's really easy. All they have to do is, a) investigate; b) impeach; and c) repeat. Impeach Kavanagh, impeach Trump, and maybe impeach Gorsuch, the new attorney general, and a few other Trump administration officials. Nadler will take the old saw about the Democrats' strategy - "We will tax and tax and spend and spend and elect and elect" - and replace it with investigate and impeach. Is that really the way to a permanent House majority? Nadler may be forgetting that he could impeach everyone plus a ham sandwich and it wouldn't matter because there is a Republican Senate. With 66 Senators needed to convict anyone, including Trump, the chance of success for Democrats are about as high as Jim Acosta getting to ask Trump another question at a press conference. Nadler is a born loser. His strategy will result in a Republican victory in 2020 and a loss of the Democratic majority. But at least the hysterical radicals he answers to will be pleased when their lust for Republican blood is sated. Jeff Sessions is not a bad guy. It's just that he is not nor was he prepared to be an executive. He stumbled out of the gate and did not have the balance to recover. There are few people whose signature skills are as a legislator who are prepared to be an executive. Jeff Sessions, a good and noble and accomplished person in his own right, is a tragic example. Who can but honor his willingness to be a very early and very credible champion of the candidacy of President Donald D. Trump? Who was not exceedingly pleased to see him forego his Senate seat and serve as the Attorney General of the United States? Early on a Distinguished Eagle Scout, a student body president in college, a private attorney and a captain in the Army Reserve, a United States Attorney. President Reagan nominated him to be a United States District Judge, a nomination that failed a Senate vote. The lengthy and controversial machinations of the nomination are detailed in Wikipedia. Piggy backing off of disparaging ad hominem by Senator Edward Kennedy, he became Attorney General of Alabama for two years. A large part of this career was as U.S. Senator from 1997-2017. All of which led to his becoming a supporter of Donald Trump, a staple at Trump campaign rallies, and being ultimately confirmed 52-47 as Attorney General of the United States in February of 2017. He began his tenure at the Department of Justice supported by his president, President Trump, and the enthusiastic approbation of the whole of Trump's legion. It envisioned a Department of Justice in the hands, finally, of a stallwart and skilled warrior willing and able to undo the corruption of the previous administration and its attorney general. The President and Republican voters could not have been happier. It lasted about twenty minutes. Along came the wolf in the fable: the inexperience of a legislator in an executive position. Attorney General Sessions recused himself from the Russia investigation and put the authority of it into the hands of an underling, Assistant Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Whether he did so mistakenly, or that he was unknowingly in over his head, or for whatever reason, it would be unfair to say that he did so out of lack of character, out of conspiracy, or of malice. But it would be fair to say that he struck a dagger into the heart of the President whom he had helped advance, and who had advanced him in turn; a wound that took months to take its toll on both of them. Sessions shakes hands with his interim successor, Matthew Whitaker, leaving the Department of Justice yesterday CNN screen grab via YouTube The world is replete with men who have reached a position above their ken, and the world of America has its share, living and dead. But in the case of Jeff Sessions the wolf visited a good man; a man of character and integrity; but a man nevertheless with a certain weakness. He, and the country, will survive it. The 2018 midterm elections, viewed in terms of future politics, were a clear victory for the Republican Party and President Trump. That fact is obscured by the single accomplishment of Democrats: recapturing the House of Representatives. The margin of that majority is tiny, and the freshman Democrats in that chamber were elected from districts largely gerrymandered by Republican state legislatures to elect Republicans. They won their elections during a midterm, in which the party out of power traditionally has an advantage. That means that if 2020 is a Republican year, then these freshmen House Democrats, who will have no seniority and no campaign war chest, in an unfavorably drawn district, will have a hard time holding their seats. Moreover, because Democrats now have a share of power, they will own responsibility in voters' eyes for problems the nation faces in 2020. Will 2020 be a Republican year? President Trump will be doubtless seeking re-election with a united Republican Party behind him. Democrats, however, are likely to have some battle for the nomination, which will divide the party and cause fractures that will linger after the nominee is chosen. All the potential Democrat nominees so far are aging leftists, including a number of fairly stupid old feminists. Virtually all come from safe Democrat states, and most have been in politics for a long time. They are all, in short, utterly predictable and pathetically boring. Trump, in contrast, is anything but boring. In the last century, only three presidents seeking re-election have lost: Hoover in 1928, Carter in 1980, and Bush in 1992. Seven presidents in the last century have won re-election: FDR in 1936, Eisenhower in 1956, Nixon in 1972, Reagan in 1988, Clinton in 1996, Bush in 2004, and Obama in 2012. Moreover, each of the seven presidents re-elected won by wider margins than when he was first elected. The bottom line is that Republicans at this point are favored to both hold the White House and recapture the House of Representatives in 2020. What about the Senate, governorships, and state legislatures the other three majority-elective offices in our federal system? The Senate elections in 2014, which comprised the Senate class facing voters in 2020, favored Republicans. There were 21 Republicans elected in 2014, and with the exception of Susan Collins in Maine, all these 21 Republicans came from conservative Republican states in the South, Midwest, and Rocky Mountains regions. Only 11 Democrats won Senate elections in 2014, but all except Warner in Virginia and Sheehan in New Hampshire came from leftist Democrat states. Republicans will almost certainly hold the Senate in 2020. There is a permanent structural advantage, and as of two years ago, 47 of the 50 states had more conservatives than liberals. This conservative majority is a resilient political fact that the left has not been able to wish away. Republicans did suffer losses in governorships and state legislatures in 2018, but the Republican dominance in state governments was overwhelming. Democrats controlled both houses of state legislatures in only 14 states, while Republicans controlled both houses of state legislatures in 32 states (really 33, because Nebraska is technically "nonpartisan"). Today, Republicans control 30 state legislatures, while Democrats control 18. Worse, for Democrats, is the fact that the seats in the lower chambers of state legislatures, whose members are elected every two years, which were won in 2018, are from state legislative districts gerrymandered by Republicans, so these districts, like congressional districts, will face rough going in the 2020 election cycle. Moreover, the state legislatures elected in 2020 will draw congressional and state legislative districts for the next ten years. If Republicans increase or even just hold their majorities in state legislatures in 2020, which is likely if President Trump provides a modest Republican breeze, then Democrats will be locked into a decade of Republican control of the House of Representatives and state legislatures. Gubernatorial elections also favored Democrats but left Republicans with a majority of governorships. Few governors are elected during the presidential election cycle, and those few elected in 2020 actually present more opportunities for Republican gains than Democrat gains. The 2018 midterm looks, superficially, like a split decision, but that assumes that the two political parties were evenly matched going into the election. In fact, these were elections Democrats desperately needed to win decisively, with anything less a critical defeat. Strategically, 2018 may well turn out to be a watershed election in American political history and the beginning of the end of the old Democratic Party. An avalanche of words. A repetitive flow. It happens every time there is a Jewish tragedy. We Jews are being told what lessons to extract, how to react, what to think, and whom to blame. If we dare not follow the wisdom of the "pundits," well, we have only ourselves to blame. In the early 20th century, the Nazis were experts at it. They excelled in developing theories blaming Jewish victims for their own victimization and getting everyone else to believe it. Their results were devastating to the Jewish people even before the Holocaust. Sadly, there are other propaganda experts. In our time, just as in ancient times, there was never a shortage of cynics willing to exploit the Jewish people and our tragedies for their own purposes. You don't need to delve too deeply into the annals of history to find countless other examples of clerics or political leaders whipping up anti-Semitic violence and then inventing reasons to blame the victims for their suffering. It's right there for those who care to look and listen. It's happening again now, in the aftermath of the Pittsburgh tragedy. The new bogeyman is President Trump. We are encouraged to believe he is to blame for the rise in anti-Semitism in America. He is guilty for fueling the hatred that led to Saturday's massacre in Pittsburgh, and he is responsible for everything that occurred - except perhaps for actually pulling the trigger. I'm sorry, pundits the history of my people, and my own personal experiences, say otherwise. Anti-Semitism has been around as long as the Jewish people have been around and will, unfortunately, probably be around for as long as we Jews exist. Growing up as a visibly Jewish child in Brooklyn during the Nixon, Ford, and Carter administrations, I was often spat upon while walking to school. I had stones thrown at me and was physically and verbally assaulted many, many times. My experiences, sorry to say, were not at all different from those of my siblings and of my friends. When Bill Clinton was president and I, as an adult, served as rabbi of the only orthodox synagogue in Dayton, Ohio, I was often awakened in the morning by a telephone call proclaiming, "Heil Hitler," and I was subjected to death threats by Aryan Nation members. I won't ever forget the man who stopped his blue pickup long enough to throw a full can of Sprite at my 11-year-old son's head as we strolled to synagogue in Atlanta on a Friday night during George Bush's tenure. During President Obama's term in office, while I taught Jewish subjects on college campuses, anti-Semitic incidents and threats to Jews skyrocketed. I saw and heard many of them firsthand. Yet we are led to believe that before Trump became president, none of this ever happened. Before President Trump took office, apparently, America was a happy, tolerant place where hatred and evil would never dare tread. Sorry again. My eyes, ears, and all my Jewish senses tell me different. President Trump has gone farther to combat anti-Semitism than any political leader of his stature in America and probably the world. He elevated his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, a visibly observant and proud Jew, to one of the most important advisory roles any observant Jew has ever enjoyed. His daughter Ivanka openly embraced the Jewish religion and was clearly supported in her decision by her proud father and the Trump family. Such "nuances" don't go unnoticed by the white supremacists of America. Richard Bower said as much on his Facebook page in his condemnation of President Trump. He complained about Trump's love and respect for the Jewish people and was upset that Jews are in his family. I have no doubt that he is joined by many people of his ilk in his disgust with, and hatred of, our president. Yet somehow, we Jews, along with all of America, are expected to believe that to American Nazis, President Trump is a hero and a role model. We are supposed to ignore the fact that the president denounced racism in the strongest possible terms. We are given to believe that by condemning hate, the president is encouraging haters to hate even more. I'm sorry once more, dear pundits I just can't fall for it. You tried your best, but my personal experiences and the experiences of my people tell this American Jew otherwise. Rabbi Moshe B. Parnes is an ordained orthodox rabbi. He is the director of the Hollywood Community Kollel, a non-profit organization serving South Florida dedicated to the study and dissemination of Jewish law, history, philosophy, and values. He previously held pulpits in Dayton, Ohio and Sandy Springs, Ga. He lives with his wife and children in Hollywood, Fla. He can be reached at rabbimp@hollywoodkollel.org or 404-409-8293. The Netherlands has a problem with prisons and prisoners, just like any other country. But while the rest of the world is struggling with overcrowding, the Netherlands is struggling to fill its prisons. Indeed, the country is actually running out of people to lock up, such that the government has been forced to close prisons throughout the country because they have been sitting empty. Crime rates in the Netherlands are falling spectacularly for the past two decades, thanks to the countrys wholesome approach to law enforcement that prefers rehabilitation to incarceration. The Dutch have a deeply ingrained pragmatism when it comes to regulating law and order, Rene van Swaaningen, a professor of criminology at Erasmus School of Law in Rotterdam told The New York Times. Prisons are very expensive. Unlike the United States, where people tend to focus on the moral arguments for imprisonment, the Netherlands is more focused on what works and what is effective. The front facade of Het Arresthuis jail, which now houses a hotel. In the Dutch service we look at the individual," explains Jan Roelof van der Spoel, the deputy governor of Norgerhaven, a high-security prison in the Netherlands. If somebody has a drug problem we treat their addiction, if they are aggressive we provide anger management, if they have got money problems we give them debt counselling. So we try to remove whatever it was that caused the crime. The inmate himself or herself must be willing to change but our method has been very effective. Over the last 10 years, our work has improved more and more. Norgerhaven, a prison in the northern Netherlands, has plenty of open space with oak trees, picnic tables and volleyball nets. Prisoners can raise chicken and grow vegetables. The ability to exercise in the open and the fresh air reduces stress levels for both inmates and staff. Detainees are allowed to walk unaccompanied to the library, to the clinic or to the canteen and this autonomy helps them to adapt to normal life after their sentence. Meals are prepared by the inmates themselves in the kitchen where they regularly handle knives, although these knives are chained to the worktop so they cant take them. Learning to cook is another way the prison helps offenders to get back on track after their release. Related: Bastoy, The Nicest Prison in The World Fewer than ten percent inmates return to prison after their release. In comparison, in England and Wales, and in the United States, roughly half of those serving short sentences are back in prison within two years, and the figure is often higher for young adults. Because of falling crime rates, prison population has halved during the past decade, which means plenty of empty cells. Additionally, Dutch judges often sentence offenders to alternatives such as community service orders, fines and electronic tagging, so fewer offenders are being jailed. Only those who are considered too dangerous to release, or those vulnerable who need help are incarcerated. The grounds of Norgerhaven. Common room where inmates relax at Norgerhaven A selection of magazines in the reading room at Norgerhaven. In 2015, the Netherlands leased some of their vacant cells to Norway and to Belgium. Some 250 prisoners from Norway were imported into empty cells at the Norgerhaven prison. Since 2013, the Netherlands have closed 19 prisons and more are slated to close in the coming years. Some of the closed prisons have been transformed into housing for asylum seekers, and some renovated into apartments and hotels. The Het Arresthuis jail in Roermond was opened in 1863, and after nearly 150 years of use, it was closed in 2007. Four years later, it opened as a hotel with 40 rooms, out of the original 105 prisoner cells, and suits that open out to a lounge in the old prison hallway. Its four most expensive suites are named the The Lawyer, The Judge, The Governor and The Jailer. The Het Arresthuis jail, now a hotel. The Bijlmerbajes prison complex in Amsterdam is also being renovated into a lush, green, eco-friendly neighborhood with 1350 residential units. The prison, consisting of six tall towers, was closed in 2016. The Netherlands relaxed attitude to the prison system is shared by many Nordic countries like Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Norway, where the focus is on rehabilitation, normalization and dignity. Our role is not to punish. The punishment is the prison sentence: they have been deprived of their freedom. The punishment is that they are with us, the director-general of Swedens prison and probation service told The Guardian. Like the Netherlands, Swedens crime rates are falling too, and in four years between 2010 and 2014, the country closed 56 prisons. The Bijlmerbajes prison complex in Amsterdam. Photo credit: Aerovista Luchtfotografie / Shutterstock.com Artist view of Bijlmerbajes will look like after renovation. Artist view of Bijlmerbajes will look like after renovation. Google has announced a new partnership with Sephora, where users of smart displays like the Google Home Hub will be able to bring up makeup tutorials while they are doing their makeup in the morning. Makeup tutorials are pretty popular on YouTube, in fact there are some YouTubers who make a living on making makeup tutorials and there are over 81 million how-to related beauty searches that happened on YouTube in the past year. Sephora is one of those that makes some really incredible, and highly detailed how-to videos on YouTube. That ranges from makeup tips, hair tips and even skincare tips. So Google decided to work with Sephora so that it could help make these tutorials easier to use while you are doing your makeup in the morning. Instead of getting makeup all over your phone or tablet, you can now ask Google to start playing a how-to video on the Google Home Hub, and since the Home Hub does have a display, you can actually see the video while you are doing your makeup. This makes it a great reason to put the Home Hub in your bathroom. To get started with Sephora and Google Home Hub, all you need to say is Hey Google, play contouring videos by Sephora. Of course, you can ask Google to play different videos from Sephora as well. You can also use your voice to pause the video, or skip ahead to a specific part of the video. Or even go back, in case you missed a step and need to go back. This is all done hands-free, which should make it much easier to use these how-to videos while you are doing your makeup in the morning. There are some other Sephora-related commands that you can give Google, like Hey Google, play get ready with me eyebrow tutorial by Sephora. or show me foundation tips videos from Sephora, or show me bold lip color videos by Sephora. And there are a ton more out there that you can use as well. Background: Now that Google has its own smart display in the Google Home Hub, it has been working on partnering with other companies to make the smart display even more useful than it already was. Sephora is just the latest partner for Google to use with the Home Hub. While you can ask your Google Home speaker to play these Sephora videos, it will only play on a TV or another display, and its pretty likely that you dont have a TV in your bathroom. But something like the Home Hub can fit into your bathroom quite nicely, and since it doesnt have a camera, you dont need to worry about Google recording you while you are in the bathroom, which is also a good thing here. The Google Home Hub is a great smart display to pick up since it is only $149, and it has a 7-inch display, so its large enough to watch videos, but not so large that it is in the way sitting on your sink or whatever, in the bathroom. It can also play music for you while you are in the shower, which is something that everyone is going to love. Advertisement The main objective for Google here is for you to use the Assistant more and more. Using the Google Assistant for everything throughout the day is the ultimate goal for Google. As that is where Google (and other tech companies) believe that the world is headed these days. And being able to use the Google Assistant for everyday things like bringing up makeup tutorials from Sephora is a great step towards that goal. The Google Assistant and Home Hub can already do so much, like bring up tutorials from other YouTubers as well, seeing as Google is only using YouTube to bring up these videos, and the commands are the same as bringing up videos from another creator on YouTube. So if you arent a Sephora fan, and would rather get makeup tutorials from another YouTuber, you can still do that. Impact: To celebrate this new partnership between Google and Sephora, there will be a special Dream Vanity experience at ten Sephora stores across the country. This experience has the Google Home Hub there for you to use to find the makeup tutorial you want, and there is also some makeup there, with a mirror to check yourself out. There is also a pamphlet there to let you know more about this partnership between the two companies. The Sephora stores that will have this Dream Vanity experience on display include: Prudential Center in Boston, Michigan Avenue in Chicago, North Park in Dallas, Century City and Hollywood & Highland in Los Angeles, 34th Street and Union Square in New York City, South Coast Plaza in Orange County, Powell Street in San Francisco, or Valley Fair in San Jose. On top of having that Dream Vanity experience available, Sephora is also going to be selling Google Home Hub in those stores listed above, as well as on their website. The Google Home Hub comes in four colors: chalk, charcoal, aqua and sand, so you can pick up the color that fits your setup the best. Though, remember that the color only affects the backside of the Home Hub. The front is all white with the display. The only colored part is the back of the display and the speaker that is back there. The Google Home Hub is a 7-inch smart display, that can be used for virtually everything that a Google Home can be used for, but it has more visuals, which people may like a bit more than a regular smart speaker. Especially when asking for things like how the weather is and so forth. The Google Home Hub is one of a handful of smart displays available now. Google and Sephora did not mention whether this feature will work on all of the smart displays with Google Assistant included, but it should. As mentioned already, Google is simply pulling these videos from YouTube, so theres really nothing special here, other than using Sephoras name. Smartphones have managed to become an integral part of our lives, its a device that you always have on you, a device which you use as your camera, which provides you with news, a device which lets you stay in touch with your loved ones, and so on. Choosing the right smartphone is not an easy task, thats for sure, as there are tons of them out there, but each of them has its advantages and disadvantages, so it all depends on what youre looking for in a smartphone. If you check out our holiday gift guide list down below, you will notice that weve categorized our recommendations, each of these phones is best at something, and no matter what youre looking for, chances are youll find it here presuming youre looking for the best of the best, of course. Prices below are subject to change. This post will be updated regularly to ensure the most up-to-date pricing, but during the holidays, there will be flash sales and price drops so keep that in mind. Best All-Around Smartphone the one that has it all, for the most part Advertisement The Samsung Galaxy Note9 is one of the most expensive mainstream smartphones out there, but its also one that has the most to offer, arguably, of course. The Galaxy Note9 has one of the best displays in the market, if not the best, and its quite large at 6.4 inches, so its perfect for media consumption. The Galaxy Note9 is made out of metal and glass, and it has a slightly curved on its display, so it looks quite sleek on the outside, while its quite powerful on the inside, boasting the Snapdragon 845 SoC (in the US), 6GB / 8GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage. The phone is also IP68 certified for water and dust resistance, which will give you a piece of mind in a rain or if you drop the phone in a puddle, and on top of all that, the Galaxy Note9 also comes with an extremely capable cameras, that goes for both its rear-facing cameras, and a front-facing unit. To top it all off, Samsung has also included an extremely capable stylus in this phone, the S Pen stylus, which now has Bluetooth functionality, and it adds quite a few additional functions to the table, it can now only serve you as a remote shutter for the camera, but it can interact with the phone in a number of other ways. Galaxy Note 9 - Amazon - $898.88 Advertisement Best Value For Money & Best Performance best flagship experience for under $600 OnePlus 6T is the latest and greatest smartphone that OnePlus has to offer, and it once again offers a lot for the asking price. If youre looking to get the flagship experience, but your budget is under $600, the OnePlus 6T is definitely worth checking out. This smartphone not only offers a really sleek metal + glass build, and a huge 6.39-inch fullHD+ OLED display, but it also has a really high screen-to-body ratio. The OnePlus 6T comes with a tiny display notch, and it is fueled by the most powerful processor that Qualcomm has to offer at the moment. The device comes in both 6GB and 8GB RAM variants, and all that in combination with OnePlus optimized, stock-inspired software, called OxygenOS, the OnePlus 6T is one of the fastest phones out there when it comes to day-to-day use. The device comes with the same camera sensors as its predecessor, but OnePlus boosted the quality of images this phone can shoot via software, so its not lacking in that department either, and on top of everything, it has a 3,700mAh battery on the inside. Advertisement OnePlus 6T - T-Mobile - $580 OnePlus 6T - OnePlus - $549 Best Flagship Experience On A Tight Budget if you have less than $400 to spend Advertisement The Poco F1 comes from a company called Pocophone, which is essentially Xiaomis sub-brand. The Poco F1 packs in great specs at its price range, theres not a phone out there that comes close to it at that price tag. The Poco F1 is fueled by the Snapdragon 845 64-bit octa-core processor, equips 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. The device also features a 6.18-inch fullHD+ display, which is quite solid, even though its not an OLED panel. On the back of the device, you will find 12 and 5-megapixel cameras which are actually quite capable, and also perform better than youd expect considering the price tag of this smartphone. Poco F1 - Amazon - $353.99 Advertisement Best Battery the road warrior If you simply love physical keyboards, and the feedback they offer, there are not many Android-running choices out there, and most of them come from BlackBerry. The BlackBerry KEY 2 is currently the most powerful smartphone that the company is selling, and it does come with a really capable physical keyboard. This keyboard is touch sensitive, its great or typing, and it allows you to utilize a ton of shortcuts, you can basically assign a new shortcut for every key on the keyboard. On top of all that, a fingerprint scanner is built into the space bar on the keyboard. The BlackBerry KEY 2 is easily recognizable in the public, and its battery life is also quite good. Advertisement BlackBerry KEY2 - Amazon - $614.99 Best Compact Flagship if you need a compact monster Advertisement The Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact is one of the very few smartphones that are tiny, and yet offer flagship-grade specs and performance. This smartphone comes with a 5-inch fullHD+ display, and it is fueled by the most powerful processor Qualcomm has to offer. The device is IP68-certified for water and dust resistance, while it comes with stereo speakers, on top of everything. The Xperia XZ2 Compact has the same main camera sensor as the Xperia XZ2 and XZ3, and its capable of delivering great pictures. The phone also boasts a 2,870mAh battery, which may not seem like a great deal compared to most other flagships out there, but considering the size of the display here, that battery is able to provide more than enough juice for the Xperia XZ2 Compact. Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact - Amazon - $499.99 Best Camera Smartphone if you need a great camera smartphone on auto settings Samsungs Galaxy Note 9 debuted with a fantastic feature set, but the most recent update improved the already excellent camera, and makes it the most well-rounded camera on the market right now. Samsungs auto mode takes the best shot almost every single time, no matter the light, and they not only offer ultra smooth video recording at 4K 60FPS, but feature some of the best audio recording capabilities in the business. This, coupled with our award of best overall phone, means the Note 9 is the beast youre looking for if you want the best everyday experience, giving both a superb and easy to use auto mode, all while offering an exuberant amount of additional features and modes. Galaxy Note 9 - Amazon - $898.99 Best Low-Light Camera Smartphone for the night owls The Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL are the latest smartphones from Google, and are first in line to receive new versions of Android, straight from the company, while on top of that, these smartphones exhibit hyper-real results when using that new Night Sight mode in the camera. Both devices are running a stock version of Android, so if thats your thing, and you like what it delivers, it doesnt get any cleaner than this. On top of everything, both devices offer the same camera setup, and despite the fact they have a single camera on the back, that camera is able to pull in more light and detail in darkly lit scenes thanks to Googles software. The two devices may be a bit uninspired when it comes to the design, especially the Pixel 3 XL, but they do have a lot to offer overall. Google Pixel 3 - Verizon - $799.99 Google Pixel 3 XL - Verizon - $929.99 Best Audio Smartphone if audio is everything to you The LG V40 ThinQ has its shortcoming, thats true, but if youre looking for a great audio smartphone, the LG V40 ThinQ is hard to beat. This smartphone comes with a Quad DAC for audio, while it also offers stereo speakers. No matter if youre looking for a capable audio smartphone for all to listen to (speakers), or something that youll enjoy by using headphones, this is a good choice. The device does come with a 3.5mm headphone jack, and thanks to its Quad DAC, and LGs optimizations, its a great audio smartphone. The device has been tuned by Meridian Audio, while DTS:X surround sound is a part of the package, not to mention that it has an active noise cancellation microphone as well. The device is capable of 24-bit/48kHz audio recording, and 32-bit/192kHz audio output. LG V40 ThinQ bundle - Amazon - $999.99 Smartphone With Best Speakers if youre looking for the best speakers around The HTC U12+ is not exactly as popular as HTC had hoped, but the companys flagship has its upsides, quite a few of them, in fact. The phones most notable feature are probably its speakers. the HTC BoomBox speakers are great thanks to the hardware itself and the general BoomSound setup that the company has going on. These are the companys loudest speakers yet, and theyre actually really good and bassy in general. On top of having great speakers, the HTC U12+ is also quite a powerful smartphone, with the Snapdragon 845, 6GB of RAM and either 64GB or 128GB of storage, not to mention that its really good looking as well. HTC U12+ - Amazon - $799.99 Best Gaming Smartphone if youre a mobile gamer There are several really powerful gaming smartphone out there these days, but the ASUS ROG Phone is definitely worth singling out. The ASUS ROG Phone is easily recognizable in the public, while it comes with two Type-C USB ports, which allows you to either plug in your cable on the bottom, or on the side of the device, so that your gaming is not affected by an awkward grip. This phone comes with per-app settings for the best gaming experience possible, while its display has a 90Hz refresh rate. Qualcomms Snapdragon 845 SoC is included here, and you can set its clock speed per-game, so you can go as high as 3GHz, in which case the phones water cooling will definitely come in handy. The phones LED light strip (ROGs logo) on the back can be customized, and you will have quite a few gaming accessories on your disposal should you get this smartphone. ASUS ROG Phone - Amazon - $899.99 Best Designed Smartphone if youre all about the design The Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ are still considered to be the best-designed smartphones around, despite the fact that some phones sport considerably less bezel. The Galaxy S9 and S9+, as a whole, cater to both consumers who want smaller and larger devices, while neither of these phones have a display notch. Neither of these phones have a sliding camera mechanism, or a pop-up camera mechanism at all, while youre also getting a curved display on both devices which looks really nice, on top of being amongst the best in the business. It is also worth saying that the Galaxy S9 and S9+ look the same, save for their rear-facing camera setups, as the Galaxy S9+ has one extra camera back there. Samsung Galaxy S9 - Amazon - $603.44 Samsung Galaxy S9+ - Amazon - $642.71 Best For Durability if you like phones that feel really sturdy in the hand The Razer Phone 2 is a gaming smartphone, and its great at that, but its also a great phone if you like industrial design, and that hefty feel in the hand. The Razer Phone 2s bezels are thicker than on most modern flagships, not to mention that the phone is made out of metal, while most other combine metal with glass. The Razer Phone 2 also doesnt sport curved front or back, while the same can be said for the corners of the smartphone, which makes it even larger than it seems. If you like your phone to feel like a tank, while you also want a flagship at the same time, the Razer Phone 2 is the way to go. Razer Phone 2 - Amazon - $699.99 Best Smartphone With Camera Sliding Mechanism if youre adamant to get that truly bezel-free look The Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 is the latest flagship from Xiaomi, and it features a camera sliding mechanism, though it has somewhat different implementation compared to the OPPO Find X. The Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 does not have a motorized setup, and in this case, its front-facing cameras are hidden away only. You will need to slide the phones front side down with your thumb in order to reveal the phones front-facing cameras, similar to some sliding phones back in the day, but in the other direction, basically. The Mi MIX 3 is made out of metal and ceramic, while it comes with the Snapdragon 845 SoC, 6.39-inch fullHD+ AMOLED display, and 6GB / 8GB of RAM. Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 (6GB RAM) - GearBest - $559.99 Best Smartphone With A Motorized Sliding Camera Mechanism if youre looking for the most futuristic smartphone out there The OPPO Find X is OPPOs flagship, and a smartphone that comes with a motorized sliding camera mechanism. All the cameras on this smartphone are hidden away until you fire up the camera application, after which they will automatically appear. Because of this, the OPPO Find X has a really high screen-to-body ratio, and the cleanest design, as its cameras are not visible at all. The phone is made out of metal and glass, while it sports a really tiny chin below the display. The phones display is curved on the sides, and the device is fueled by the Snapdragon 845, while it comes with 8GB of RAM, and a 6.42-inch fullHD+ display. OPPO Find X - Amazon - $779 LG has patented some new smartphone designs in order to keep up with the competition. If you take a look at the provided images, you will notice that the company actually patented two different designs, and each of those two designs have camera holes in different places on the display (top left, top center, and top right). Both of these designed have been submitted in the companys home country, South Korea, at the KIPO (Korean Intellectual Property Office) by LG Display. Patents themselves were published on October 24 and November 2, and as you can see, these two designs are somewhat different, but both look quite similar from the front. Both devices sport what is essentially a bezel-less design, but they do have a camera hole in the display. You will notice that the camera hole looks the same on both phones, it has an oval shape to it, which is a bit different than other designs that weve seen, and that well talk about a bit later. So why is this camera hole oval? Well, either LG plans to include two front-facing cameras in this phone, or perhaps its reserved for both a front-facing camera and an earpiece, which is a possibility, as it will give LG more room above the display to trim down those bezels. The first design shows off a phone with a flat display, and a regular body shape. The general shape of the phone reminds us of the LG G6, but the bezels on the front are basically non-existent. If this design becomes a reality, the phones sides will be curved, but the phone will be easy to grip, as the curved frame will be the same on the front and the back. Now, the second design, pictured on the right in the image above, comes with a slightly curved display on the right side, while the device itself is considerably thinner on the right side, compared to the left. This is a rather odd design, and it could indicate that the company is getting ready to implement some software features that will be activated on the right side of the display. The moment we noticed this design Samsungs Galaxy Note Edge handset came to mind, as one side of its display was curved as well, though the back was the same on both sides, unlike on the phone that LG patented. Background: Samsung had already teased its smartphone with a camera hole, the Galaxy A8s, while the company also announced that notches will become a thing when it comes to its smartphones, that announcement happened yesterday. In any case, Samsung is not the only company that is planning to release a smartphone with a camera hole on the display, the OPPO R19 actually surfaced with such a design first, and was also followed by the ASUS ZenFone 6. All in all, quite a few smartphones with display camera holes are expected to become a reality in 2019, and LG is keeping up with these new designs, while the company will also bring something new to the table, by the looks of it. Advertisement Impact: Implementing camera holes in displays gives OEMs more space above the display to ditch bezels. That, in the end, may allow OEMs to create fully bezel-less smartphones, or at least the next best thing. Not everyone will like the in-display camera holes, though, as some people do think that notches are less of an evil than a dot right in the middle of the display, but to each its own, opinions differ. LG is also expected to introduce its very own foldable smartphone next year, quite possibly as early as January, as the company is rumored to do it at CES 2019, so it will be interesting to compare Samsungs and LGs offerings once both become available. No fewer than ten new devices are now officially supported by Googles mobile AR platform and developer tools, collectively known as ARCore, based on recently spotted changes to the ARCore Supported Devices page. That means those handsets are now certified by Google as having cameras, motion sensors, processors, and design architecture thats suitable to provide users with a smooth experience in apps built on the platform. Four of the newly listed handsets are Huawei-made, including that companys Honor 8X, Honor View 10 Lite, Mate 20X, and Porsche Design Mate 20 RS. Support is also now official for SM-J739 models of Samsungs Galaxy J7 (2017) and Galaxy J7 Pro, in addition to Sonys Xperia XZ3 and the recently launched Xiaomi Mi Mix 3. Finally, a new HMD Global-built handset listed under the model designation Nokia 8.1. Background: Several of the devices certified with support for ARCore are relatively unsurprising to see on the list, given how new they are and the recent trends from the OEMs themselves with regard to releasing compatible handsets. Bearing that in mind, the new Nokia-branded smartphone is an oddity since that device hasnt been seen in recent leaks or rumors and has not been announced or even made official. Following HMD Globals naming conventions for Nokia phones, the Nokia 8.1 is most likely a followup to the Nokia 8. That was the brands $700 5.3-inch flagship, announced for 2018 near the end of 2017. The original Nokia 8 was driven by a Snapdragon 835 SoC backed by 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. That shipped running Android 7.1 via a 2560 x 1440 resolution panel and powered by a 3,090mAh battery. Setting that unexpected inclusion on the list aside, there arent many changes being brought to the updated ARCore application itself. For clarity, thats the app that underpins ARCore experiences on Android and other mobile platforms, allowing developers to build consistent experiences across an increasing number of smartphones. Beyond that, it is not only required to run augmented reality applications built using the ARCore platforms APIs and tools but also enhances some games that have incorporated its features, such as Pokemon Go. That means the handsets that are certified will almost certainly provide a better experience for users in even some of the most widespread applications compared to unsupported devices. In total, the changelog for the most recently updated software shows two improvements that arent necessarily exciting but which should at least deliver an even better experience for users than before. Namely, that includes unspecified improvements to both performance and battery efficiency, as well as a reduction to the amount of on-device memory required by the app. Advertisement Impact: Following the addition of the new handsets, Android users who happen to own any of those handsets, or any of the others listed at the official ARCore Supported Devices page should be able to download the tool in and to run ARCore-based applications. As always, those devices shipped to the China region wont be able to directly access the tool due to restrictions on Google-made applications. However, those can still be downloaded directly from the Xiaomi apps store and Huawei Apps Gallery on those companies respective devices. The Nokia 9 is HMD Globals upcoming flagship, if rumors are to be believed, and a new piece of information has just surfaced online. The device was spotted in the metadata of the FIH update server. The source claims that the Nokia 9 PureView is mentioned, and that the device runs on Android 9 Pie. On top of that, the phone is running November Android security patch, but it is worth noting that this is a Chinese model of the device, and this is in no way the final version of the handset. Thats not all, though, the source also claims to know the codename of the HMD Globals upcoming flagship, and its Olympic, thats what the phone is called internally, at least allegedly. In order to prove that fact, the source did provide a screenshot of the metadata, where the Olympic codename is mentioned, and you can check out that screenshot below this article. So, why Olympic? Well, theres actually a reason behind it, at least we do think there is. The symbol for Olympic (games) has five rings, while the Nokia 9 PureView is expected to sport five cameras on the back, and those camera cutouts are referred to as rings. That is more or less all the info that the source shared regarding the device, but plenty more info actually surfaced in the last couple of days, and well talk more about that down below. Background: Two days ago, the Nokia 9 appeared in a number of renders, and a 360-degree video. That information more or less showed off the design of the device, and it seems like those are CAD-based renders. The source has some credibility on the matter, so its possible that the shown device is real, and that could be the final design of the Nokia 9 PureView, or whatever HMD Global ends up calling the device. That leak revealed that the phone will have seven rings on the back, but only five of them will be used for cameras. The sixth ring will host an LED flash, while the seventh is reserved for some type of a dual sensor which will measure the proximity of objects, or something of the sort, at least allegedly. That leak also revealed that the phone will be made out of metal and glass, and that it will ship with a curved back. A 3.5mm headphone jack will not be included in the package, and the leak confirms that the phone will sport some bezel above and below the display. Nokias logo will be included both on the back of the device, and above its display, if the leak is accurate. Another piece of info surfaced yesterday, actually, as it reported that the Nokia 9 PureView will launch prior to the Mobile World Congress 2019. If that rumor is to be believed, the Nokia 9 PureView may actually arrive as soon as January. HMD Globals plan was to reveal the phone during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, but it seems like the companys plans changed, at least according to the rumored info. This means that the company will either announce it during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, or it will host a separate event sometime in January. Thats not the whole story, though, as the Nokia 9 was expected to launch months ago, but it got delayed for some reason. The companys Chief Product Officer, Juho Sarvikas, was the main man behind the decision, according to reports, as he did not think that the phone is ready to be launched. That decision actually managed to anger some of HMD Globals employees, or at least thats what reports have been stating, as those employees think that HMD Global missed its mark with the Nokia 9 launch, and lost some ground along the way, as it did not offer its horse for the race, to compete with other OEMs, at least not in time. Advertisement HMD Global had actually acquired PureView usage rights from Microsoft a couple of months ago, and that could be one of the reasons why the phone got postponed. The Nokia 9 got postponed prior to the news that HMD Global acquired PureView right, so the company may have opted to wait with the Nokia 9 launch in order to implement PureView tech in the device. The state of PureView technology is a mystery at the moment, as we did not hear about it for years. The Nokia 808 was quite a compelling camera phone back in the day, best one out there, but that was years ago, and it will be interesting to see whether the technology itself progressed or not. The Nokia 9 PureView is expected to ship with flagship specifications, including at least 6GB of RAM, large display, and a large battery as well. It remains to be seen what processor will HMD Global utilize, though, and that will depend on when the phone becomes official, more on that down below. Impact: If the Nokia 9 PureView arrives in January or February next year, it should include the next-gen flagship processor from Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 8150 or 855, depending on which name Qualcomm opts for. That processor will probably get announced before the end of this year, and it will start popping up in phones in February probably. If HMD Global announces the Nokia 9 PureView in January with the Snapdragon 845, it will certainly appeal to consumers less, as the next-gen chip will be included in all flagships after it. HMD Global did something similar this year, though, when the company announced the Nokia 8 Sirocco with the Snapdragon 835 processor, when its competition used the Snapdragon 845 already. That move did not favor HMD Global in any way, so the company probably learned from its past mistakes, and will wait to use the next-gen flagship SoC offering in the Nokia 9 PureView, but we cannot know for sure, of course, as nothing has been confirmed by HMD Global just yet, and all we can do is wait and see what will happen in the end. Samsungs new mobile interface, One UI, will not be coming to the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8, it seems. Samsung spokesperson actually confirmed this news to Toms Guide, the companys spokesperson actually said that the UI will not be available on the Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+, or the Galaxy Note 8, that probably also means that other older phones will not be getting the update either. This is actually quite odd, and it raises a number of questions in the process. Samsung confirmed a while back that Android 9 Pie will be coming to the Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+, and Galaxy Note 8, but it seems like the only iteration of Samsungs software that will run Android 9 Pie will be One UI, does that mean Samsung backtracked on its information and will not be providing Android 9 Pie update for the Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+, and Galaxy Note 8 at all? Well, it sure seems like it, at least at this point. Samsung Experience 9.0 was based on Android 8.0 Oreo, while Samsung Experience 9.5 was based on Android 8.1 Oreo, while One UI seems to be ready to replace Samsung Experience altogether, which effectively means that the Android 9 Pie will probably not arrive to the Galaxy S8 series, and the Galaxy Note 8 at all. Background: One UI is Samsungs all-new Android-based software, as the company is looking to rebrand Samsung Experience UX. One UI was announced yesterday during the Samsung Developer Conference, and that was only one of the announcements that the company made, as Samsung also talked about its foldable smartphone, while it showed off a prototype device as well, a phone with a large display which you can fold, and at that point a smaller display on the outside will activate. Were not here to talk about foldable phones, though, but Samsung new UI and its devices. One UI, on its own, builds on Samsung Experience UX (at least partially), as this is basically a much cleaner version of Samsung Experience UX, with a number of improvements / changes, its not a small change at all. One UI will keep the most relevant content on the bottom of the display, as the company is calling this part of the display Interaction Area, while the top part of the display is referred to as Viewing Area. That somewhat makes sense considering how tall phones are these days, as the interaction area will be used for interacting with the phone, as its name says, while the top part will focus on the info that it has to show you, like your messages. Samsung actually said that One UI was made to reduce clutter and distractions, so that the user can focus on navigating its smartphone, and enjoy doing it. One UI removes actions and features from the display that are not essential for what youre doing at the moment, so its dynamic. Lets take One UIs dialer as an example, as it removes the contact search bar one you start typing a number, and ti will simply show you contacts that match. The company had also announced that a system-wide dark mode will be available in One UI as well, and a ton of icons have been redesigned, the same goes for other UI elements. All in all, One UI is adapted to large smartphones, while its focus lies in simplicity, and ease of use. One UI will be based on Android 9 Pie, as already mentioned, and it will start rolling out to the Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+, and Galaxy Note9 handsets in January next year. Advertisement Impact: The Samsung Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+ and Galaxy Note 8 were all launched in 2017, and not releasing Android 9 Pie for those three smartphones would be quite surprising, and quite a mistake by Samsung. There is absolutely no reason to doubt Toms Guide report, and what Samsungs Spokesperson said, but if that is the case, will Samsung actually release Samsung Experience 10 after all, in order to cater to older smartphones, and push out Android 9 Pie their way? That seems quite unlikely considering One UI is coming in January, but it is an option. Not updating flagship devices that are less than two years old is not something that is recommended, especially not when it comes to a company which is usually quite slow when it comes to updating their devices, and under fire by consumers regarding all that. It is possible that the companys spokesperson made a mistake while giving out his response to Toms Guide, and if thats the case, Samsung will surely correct it in the near future, but it sure managed to create a lot of confusion, and quite probably worry some Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+, and Galaxy Note9 users. One UI, on the other hand, seems like a positive step back. Samsung seems to have focused on what matters, and that it cleaning up its UI. It is true that todays smartphones are quite large, and due to tall display aspect ratios, theyre also quite tall, so having a UI that will move most actions to the bottom part of the display seems like a good move. A system-wide dark mode is also a positive step back, as it is available in a number of skins out there, and even Google released it with Android 9 Pie, even though Googles iteration needs some work still, its not exactly consistent. It will be interesting to see Samsungs new user interface in action, and it will also be interesting to see if the company did anything about background processes on its phones, as that is one of the main complaints when it comes to Samsungs skins. The company has a number of additional processes running in the background, which is why its skin is considered to be one of the heavier ones in the business. Samsung did not refer to any of that yesterday, so it remains to be seen if any actions were taken to declutter that part as well. One UI was one of the main announcements yesterday, as the companys demo foldable phone surely took the spotlight. An idea that you can fold your smartphone and put it in your pocket, and then unfold it when you need a large display seems quite appealing, but it needs to be implemented properly. The demo device that Samsung has shown is not only quite thick and bulky, but it also took a while to show the outer display when folded, not to mention that its bezels were extremely thick. This is only a demo device, and stuff like that should not be of any concern just yet, as it remains to be seen what will the final product look like. The company is expected to announce its foldable smartphone in early 2019, quite probably during CES or MWC. Samsung is looking to push its Bixby AI platform to a more directly competitive position by opening it up to third-party developers and on third-party devices, according to executive Eui-Suk Chung. Speaking at this years Samsung Developer Conference (SDC) 2018 event in San Francisco, the executive began by highlighting the fact that Bixby serves as the singular focal point for the companys AI efforts and the fact that Samsung sells around 500 million devices every year. The company plans to take advantage of that by including Bixby on all of its own handsets and devices ranging from televisions to washing machines by the year 2020. Thats in addition to promised investments of as much as $22 billion in the technology and plans to hire more than 1,000 AI experts over the time period. However, it also wants the wider development community to be involved, creating an environment that doesnt require users to know how to use Bixby, instead focusing on letting users interact on the basis of what they want to do. To that end, the company is introducing a suite of developer tools that are said to be identical to those used by Samsungs own development teams and is opening up the service in a total of five new languages. Those include German, French, Italian, English (UK), and Spanish and will be introduced over the coming months. Moreover, the company plans to launch Bixby Marketplace, which will serve as a channel for third-party developers to market their services. Background: Bixby has been on the market since 2017, making it a relative newcomer with respect for the AI digital assistant and smart home hub sector of the industry. It also hasnt been the most highly-lauded of that grouping either, with numerous complaints surfacing over the years relating to the technology. For clarity, most of those have centered around the companys decision to include the feature behind dedicated hardware buttons that cant be remapped or disabled. However, that highlights the fact that for many users, although subjective, Bixby traditionally hasnt stacked up to competing platforms. However, that has been changing over the past several months and with improvements launched alongside Samsungs latest flagship devices. Advertisement Among the more recent improvements made to the platform is the companys decision to allow support for third-party applications on mobile devices. That change was revealed in September and, once implemented, means that users will be able to access the apps they have installed through Bixby rather than having to type, tap, or swipe to get to those. In fact, the newly highlighted developer tools, including an application programming interface (API) and full-fledged software development kit (SDK), were implicated at the time, indicating that those are all a part of the same expansion. Impact: Samsung says its underlying goal is to ensure that Bixby will fundamentally change how users interact with technology and enable a scalable and complete AI ecosystem. However, the biggest impact of this years SDC announcements may be the growth of Bixby into a complete AI thats able to more readily compete with current leaders in the market such as Google Assistant or Amazons Alexa. Although it is getting a late start on that front, Samsungs reach in the consumer marketplace for electronics should go a long way toward accomplishing that goal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MguV4zQc3L0&feature=youtu.be Samsung has substantial plans for the future of both its own AI and the use of the technology worldwide but that needs to be approached with a sense of purpose and ethical responsibility, according to Samsung Electronics President Young Sohn. Speaking for an interview with Business Insider, following a keynote speech on the topic at Web Summit 2018, the executive expressed excitement at how far the level of interconnectivity between people and devices has already come. There are 340 trillion-trillion-trillion IP addresses already in use around the world with most of those tied into mobile devices and similar technologies, Mr. Young Sohn said, and those are collecting an increasing amount of information. For Samsung, the hope is that trend will eventually lead to veritable biodata banks that contain information pertaining to details of individuals lives from genomes to phenomes. More succinctly, the company hopes that analysis and collection of data ranging from user traits such as eye color or demographics to genetic information and less obvious patterns in behavior and preferences. That data will be useful under a wide number of circumstances from diagnosing and treating health conditions to making better-personalized recommendations and more, the executive says, allowing AI to truly augment users lives for the better. However, Mr. Young Sohn also admits that there are legitimate concerns surrounding that vision for the future. Primarily, the risks associated with storing that much data and utilizing AI to analyze it can be linked back to privacy and security. As the executive points out, for comparison, Samsung devices typically only store user data on their handset but the future hes talking about requires much higher levels of connection and accessibility. In short, it will need to exist on a global scale. Bearing that in mind, there is also a need to approach the technology from an ethically-away perspective. Referred by the source to Chinese policies and systems currently in place that tracks and limits citizens based on their credit score and debt, Samsungs President indicated that it will ultimately be up to private companies and technologists to review how AI and data storage are used. Those involved in building out solutions within those fields, he continued, need to be mindful that the technology can be abused and appropriately careful. Background: Mr. Young Sohns sentiments are complemented by the companys ambitions as expressed at this years Samsung Developer Conference (SDC) 2018, currently taking place in San Francisco. The company announced at the event that its own AI innovations, encompassed under the umbrella of incoming changes to Bixby, are now set to be taken to an entirely new level. Specifically, the company has officially unveiled a new suite of developer tools and opened up the platform for use in third-party devices and by third-party developers. Thats in addition to its promise to include Bixby in each of its products by the year 2020 and expansions planned for the same timeframe with regard to its own AI teams. In total, the Korean tech giant has said it will be hiring no fewer than 1,000 AI experts by that year and that it will invest $22 billion to fund research and development. By taking advantage of its more than 500 million products sold annually and those developed by other manufacturers, Samsung hopes to surpass the comparatively limited scope of Amazons Alexa or Google Assistant to begin pushing towards its envisioned AI-powered future. Advertisement Impact: For the time being, the advantages of bringing together AI and big data collection highlighted by Samsungs President and CSO arent likely to materialize in real-world usage anytime soon. In effect, the systems needed to accomplish those goals are still too fragmented and still very much in their infancy. Thats in spite of the potential brought about by several relatively big breakthroughs in the industry over the past couple of years, such as Googles continued pursuit of AI as a viable approach to cancer detection and disease prediction. Its also in spite of persistent calls from industry leaders to unify at least some of the technology under interoperability-enabling standards, including Samsungs own efforts on that front. Having said that, Mr. Young Sohns statements appear to indicate that Samsung is not taking those risks lightly, at very least. Samsung, today at its developer conference in San Francisco, showed off its first foldable display that is part of a functional smartphone. It is being called Infinity Flex. That is the name of the screen, not the actual phone. The phone appears to still be in a pretty big case, one that would hide the design and such (which is quite common with these smartphones before release), and Samsung says that it will be available very soon. The Infinity Edge looks like a pretty small phone taking us back to the flip phone days then when you open it, the phone becomes more of a tablet. Though, it is more of a square tablet, in what might be a 4:3 aspect ratio. We were only able to see it in an executives hand at SDC 2018, and it did look like a really small tablet, but it is actually a 7.3-inch tablet. But of course, this is likely still a prototype. During the keynote, Samsung said that when they were working on this foldable display, they had to rethink the anatomy of a smartphone. That included the internals as well as the glass that is on top of the display the main layer that you interact with. That is solid glass, and to make that foldable, well it would take some engineering prowess. That is because glass is inflexible. So instead, Samsung had to invent a new protective layer, which was an advanced polymer that was flexible and tough. The other big thing that Samsung had to deal with was that displays were all static before foldable phones. Meaning that the elements of the display did not move, but with a foldable phone, it needs to be able to move. The Infinity Flex display was designed to be folded and unfolded repeatedly without damaging the display. This is due to Samsung using Foldable Adhesive. Samsung had to also make this display thinner than any other mobile display it had ever made, so that it could be foldable. Samsung reduced the thickness of the polarizer, which is used to reduce glare so you can see the display. Samsung says that this is only the beginning though, as it is planning to make rollable and stretchable displays as well. The Infinity Flex actually has two displays. There is the display inside that is folded, and then there is a smaller four inch display on the outside that you will use when the phone is folded. That can run apps like a normal smartphone. Now when you unfold the smartphone, you get a 7.3-inch display that can run up to three apps at once. Taking multi-window to a new dimension. Of course, that is to help it take advantage of the added screen real estate here. App continuity will also work on this screen. So whatever app is open on the main screen, once you unfold the phone, itll be open there as well. Its a simple feature when you think about it but one that is really needed when you are dealing with multiple screens on the same phone. The Infinity Flex is not available yet, but Samsung says that it will be able to mass produce it in the coming months. So it will likely be ready in the first half of 2019. Advertisement Background: Samsung has been working on foldable displays for quite a few years. The company first showed off flexible and foldable displays back at CES 2014. Now those were just displays, not attached to any sort of phone at all. It was a concept and a good way for Samsung to show off the future, something that would come nearly five years later. That led to Samsung doing the Galaxy Round, which was a flexible smartphone that only launched in South Korea. And that eventually led to Samsung working on curved displays, which is now the new normal on all of their smartphones. All of their flagship devices now have curved displays, on both sides. That has led to where we are today, with Samsung announcing a foldable display smartphone. Though the device isnt quite ready yet, and wont be for a few months, it is still an engineering feat, and its going to get people talking. Impact: Foldable smartphones are really nothing new at this point. Weve seen them from other companies, and no one really has a fully functional foldable smartphone that you can go out and buy today. But that will change pretty soon. Samsung being one of the first to release a foldable smartphone is not a surprise in the least. This is because Samsung is one of the leaders when it comes to displays. So being able to not only create this display but also do research and development on a foldable display, as well as the components inside, goes a long way towards making it a reality. As Samsung said on stage today, the company had to do a lot of things different with this smartphone, so that the display could fold. That included making the display thinner, using different material on top of the display so that this form factor could work. Of course, since Samsung had to do all of this to make this foldable smartphone work, it is going to charge quite a bit more for this smartphone. Now Samsung has not yet said when it will be available, where or how much. But there was a report rather recently out of the Korea Times (which is usually on point when it comes to leaks and rumors about Samsung and LG) that the phone would cost over $1800 USD. That is not a huge surprise, considering smartphones are already crossing that one grand mark, and with all of the new technology here, its going to cost a pretty penny. Samsung is still expecting to have it in mass production in the next few months, so it could be landing on retailer shelves in the first half of next year, and perhaps even having a big announcement at CES in January. Samsung has now announced a new Android-based user experience which buyers of its smartphones in the future can expect to see shipped with their new phones. One UI, as its now officially called, is designed to be a refinement to the current Samsung user experience and comes with a specific focus on making it easier to use phones that are equipped with a larger display something Samsung has become known for of late with more than just its Galaxy Note line having arrived with displays that have increased beyond the 6-inch marker. While the finer details on One UI are still pretty light, Samsung has explained the interface comes with an emphasis on the bottom portion of the display. Thats when it comes to the interactive elements of the interface as what Samsung is describing here is a design which utilizes the top portion of the display to show elements, while the bottom portion is primarily where the user interacts to navigate and control what is shown in the upper portion of the display. The company has provided a number of images to highlight this point more succinctly. For example, when using a messaging app, message contents appear at the top of the screen while the message list (and therefore the ability to select which one to read) all appear at the bottom. In another example, when in the alarm settings portion of the stock clock app, the current alarm details are shown in the top portion while the various selectable options are located much further down the screen. Beyond this being a design thats aimed at catering to larger displays, Samsung also argues the new UI makes it more natural and comfortable for one-handed use in general. The new interface is due to begin rolling out to compatible devices early next year. Theres also a number of other design changes that seem to be in effect, such as a greater emphasis on rounded elements and a new system-wide dark mode for a better viewing experience in darker environments or late at night, as well as a number of redesigned icons in general. All of which are further designed to increase the usability of the interface on a larger display, while also ensuring the experience is cleaner and more minimalist than it ever has been before on a Samsung device. In other words, the most decluttered Samsung user experience on Android to date. Advertisement Background: Samsung has endured a mixed history when it comes to its skinned version of Android with many still viewing the experience as a heavy one compared to that offered by Google on its Pixel phones, and even some third-party options like those from OnePlus that run on the companys OxygenOS. Whats more, Samsung seems to have in the past been stuck in a state of flux when it comes to deciding on, and sticking with the experiences branding. For example, while most Samsung device owners in the past will be well-versed in the ways of TouchWiz, Samsung reinvented and rebranded its interface as the Samsung Experience UI which first became available in late 2016 in a beta form for owners of devices from the companys Galaxy S7 and S8 lines. Now, it would seem the Samsung Experience UI in the process of being replaced by the all-new One UI. Whether this latest branding exercise will help to further rid the companys image of a heavy software experience remains to be seen, although Samsung is convinced the new interface is far more intuitive and future-proof. Which is a point to note as the announcement on UI came during the Samsung Developer Conference 2018 keynote presentation where Samsung also showed off its new Infinity Flex display technology that the company expects to power its upcoming line of flexible devices. A point which is relevant here as during the announcement Samsung confirmed its Infinity Flex and its One UI solutions are designed to go hand-in-hand to provide users with a mobile experience and the ability to do things they couldnt do with an ordinary smartphone. Samsung expanded on this point by stating the new combination of hardware and software means users now have the best of both worlds where a smartphone can expand to offer a larger display surface area, while still making use of a software design that optimizes the interface for one-handed usage, and more similar to that experienced on a much smaller display. Impact: Of course, this new interface does only matter for consumers who buy and use Samsung devices as One UI will not be found on devices outside of Samsungs circle. For those users who have stuck with the brand, however, it would seem as though this is a fairly big change in design which will inevitably result in a big change to the way those users interact with their devices this is in effect the actual purpose of the redesign and as a result, those users will need to get used to the new One UI and soon. As it seems evident Samsung plans to make this the default experience on its devices going forward. Advertisement In addition to announcing the new UI as the future direction for the company, its also expected Samsung will make the UI available to owners of select existing Samsung devices. Speaking of which, not only did Samsung indicate that a general rollout of the new interface is due to commence via software updates starting in early 2019, but prior to that the company will be opening up a beta program that will let some users test out the new look and feel prior to the main software deployment. On this point, the beta program is due to open up later this month and will initially only be available to owners of the Galaxy Note9 or a Galaxy S9 model. It also should be expected the beta program will initially only be available in select regions, starting with the US, Germany and South Korea with other countries expected to be added at a later date. Popular creative photography service and application company VSCO has now revealed a new partnership with Samsung through the companys Made For Samsung program in conjunction with this years Samsung Developer Conference in San Francisco. The partnership sets VSCO as the programs official photo editing partner and the announcement is accompanied by the release of an exclusive version of the VSCO application. Created via a collaboration between the two companies and only accessible through the Samsung Galaxy Apps Store, VSCO for Samsung is available for free starting today for Samsung device owners. The app includes four exclusive presets meant to highlight and take advantage of the top-of-the-line camera hardware and optimizations found in the Korean tech giants smartphones. Collectively referred to as the Day to Night collection, each is also explicitly designed to enhance the quality of images snapped during specific times of the day. Dawn (SM1), for example, helps bring out the soft tones and improve contrast in photos taken during the morning hours while Evening (SM3) highlights textures and colors that are amplified during the golden hour just before the sun sets completely. Midday (SM2) and Nighttime (SM4) on the other hand, similarly serve times of day associated with their names. The former of those brings out primary colors and saturates photos more brightly adding a hint of warmth and the latter emphasizes contrasting colors and helps retain details. Background: VSCO has been available on Android since way back in 2013 and, far from being a simple image filtering tool, is often lauded as one of the best all-around photography tools available for the platform. Although the free-to-use app and service center around providing users with a way to create great photos and view those taken by others, it also features educational content to lead users through the creative process and improve their overall skills. Those aspects of the business, in combination with its ad-free nature and the creation of add-ons for major players in the photo editing space such as Adobe, have propelled VSCO to become very popular with the next-generation of mobile photographers. Specifically, the company reports that more than 70-percent of its users are under 25-years-old. Advertisement That popularity has almost certainly played a role in Samsungs decision to partner with VSCO. Given the current downtrend in mobile shipments and Samsungs somewhat tenuous position at the top of the rankings for that, partnering with a service thats widely recognized among younger demographics serves to further elevate Samsungs own brand-recognition. Moreover, most of Samsungs own losses on that front to competitors such as Huawei and other Chinese OEMs mostly due to low pricing and challenges in the mid-range and budget categories. Including the new VSCO features under a new partnership on all of its Galaxy-branded handsets means that users wont necessarily need to buy the latest flagship handsets to take better photos and with unique adjustments that cant be had elsewhere. Impact: Taken with consideration for Samsungs partnership with Epic Games on its Fortnite release for Android, the new partnership appears to be indicative of Samsungs strategies going forward. Namely, the smartphone manufacturer seems to be bringing services and exclusive features such as those listed above in order to highlight either more individual or widespread features of its handsets. With Fortnite, Samsung was eager to show off how powerful the underlying hardware of its latest flagships is, appealing more directly to a gaming-specific audience. With VSCO, it is taking a different route and appealing more broadly to growing trends in mobile photography and looking to give its devices across the board more of an edge in terms of consumer appeal. Posted on: November 8, 2018 11:36 AM Asia Bibi, the Pakistani Christian Mother who has been held in solitary confinement since 2010 as she faced the death penalty following a false blasphemy allegation, has finally been released, her family and lawyer have confirmed. Asia Bibis conviction was overturned by the countrys Supreme Court on 31 October; but the verdict was met with violent protests in a number of cities throughout the country, and a government agreement to support a challenge to the Supreme Court judgment. The radical group Tehreek-e-Labaik is bringing the review petition. It is also seeking to place Bibi on the countrys Exit Control List, which would block her from leaving Pakistan. Earlier today (Thursday) it was reported that she had left the country following her release but this has now been denied. The British-Pakistani Christian Association, which has been supporting her family and campaigning for her release, says that speculation about her current whereabouts could be dangerous. Asia Bibi has been set free from her long-term home under captivity at Multan Jail and we confirmed this with media after news from her family, BPCAs Chairman, Wilson Chowdhry, said. BPCA will not be confirming any more details to media groups until given the express permission of the family. In a statement, the group said that Chowdhry had spoken to Bibis family early this morning, and they expressed that is of the utmost importance that there be no further speculation on her whereabouts reported by either concerned groups or international media. They added: Asia Bibi, her family and guardians all still face a real and present danger of being killed. The group said that news reports continue to abound claiming that she will be going to one country or another, has left for parts unknown and even commenting on where she may be going and what her supposed travel itinerary is; which hardly seems advisable given the heightened concern for her safety and clear petition to put her on the exit list. The fact is that anything could happen. Bibis lawyer, Saiful Malook, has faced death threats and has left the country. He is currently in the Netherlands where he is seeking asylum. He confirmed Bibis release earlier today. He reportedly said that Bibi had left Pakistan. But the countrys foreign ministry said later that she is still in Pakistan. The countrys information minister, Fawad Hussein, said that the case was highly sensitive and criticised journalists, saying that they had been extremely irresponsible for reporting the news without official confirmation. Extremists continue to protest the acquittal and some have threatened to assassinate the Supreme Court judges who made the decision to acquit Bibi. Tehreek-e-Labaik spokesman Ejaz Ashrafi told the Reuters news agency that the decision to release her today was a breach of the governments agreement that stopped the protests. Username: Password: or Register Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread Thread Rating: 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Page: 1 2 5 Million Children in Yemen LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 430394 11-08-2018 04:32 AM Post: #16 RE: 5 Million Children in Yemen Advertisement 10 Then I looked, and behold, xon the expanse that was over the heads of the cherubim there appeared above them something ylike a sapphire,1 in appearance like a throne. 2 And he said to zthe man clothed in linen, Go in among athe whirling wheels underneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with bburning coals from between the cherubim, and cscatter them over the city. And he went in dbefore my eyes. 3 Now the cherubim were standing eon the south side of the house, when the man went in, and fa cloud filled gthe inner court. 4 And hthe glory of the Lord iwent up from the cherub to the threshold of the house, and the house fwas filled with the cloud, and the court was filled with jthe brightness of the glory of the Lord. 5 And kthe sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard as far as the outer court, klike the voice of God Almighty when he speaks. 6 And when he commanded lthe man clothed in linen, mTake fire from between nthe whirling wheels, from between the cherubim, he went in and stood beside a wheel. 7 And a cherub stretched out his hand from between the cherubim to the fire that was between the cherubim, and took some of it and put it into the hands of the man clothed in linen, who took it and went out. 8 The cherubim appeared to have othe form of a human hand under their wings. 9 pAnd I looked, and behold, there were four wheels beside the cherubim, one beside each cherub, and qthe appearance of the wheels was rlike sparkling sberyl. 10 And as for their appearance, the four had the same likeness, as if a wheel were within a wheel. 11 tWhen they went, they went in any of their four directions2 uwithout turning as they went, vbut in whatever direction the front wheel3 faced, the others followed without turning as they went. 12 wAnd their whole body, their rims, and their spokes, their wings,4 and the wheels were full of eyes all aroundthe wheels that the four of them had. 13 As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing nthe whirling wheels. 14 xAnd every one had four faces: ythe first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was za human face, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle. 15 aAnd the cherubim mounted up. These were bthe living creatures that I saw by cthe Chebar canal. 16 dAnd when the cherubim went, the wheels went beside them. And dwhen the cherubim lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the wheels did not turn from beside them. 17 eWhen they stood still, these stood still, and when they mounted up, these mounted up with them, for the spirit of the living creatures5 was in them. 18 fThen gthe glory of the Lord went out from the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim. 19 hAnd the cherubim lifted up their wings and mounted up from the earth ibefore my eyes as they went out, with the wheels beside them. And they stood at the entrance of the jeast gate of the house of the Lord, and kthe glory of the God of Israel was over them. 20 lThese were the living creatures that I saw munderneath the God of Israel by nthe Chebar canal; and I knew that they were cherubim. 21 oEach had four faces, and each four wings, and underneath their wings pthe likeness of human hands. 22 qAnd as for the likeness of their faces, they were the same faces whose appearance I had seen by the Chebar canal. rEach one of them went straight forward. The Glory of the Lord Leaves the Temple10 Then I looked, and behold, xon the expanse that was over the heads of the cherubim there appeared above them something ylike a sapphire,1 in appearance like a throne. 2 And he said to zthe man clothed in linen, Go in among athe whirling wheels underneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with bburning coals from between the cherubim, and cscatter them over the city.And he went in dbefore my eyes. 3 Now the cherubim were standing eon the south side of the house, when the man went in, and fa cloud filled gthe inner court. 4 And hthe glory of the Lord iwent up from the cherub to the threshold of the house, and the house fwas filled with the cloud, and the court was filled with jthe brightness of the glory of the Lord. 5 And kthe sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard as far as the outer court, klike the voice of God Almighty when he speaks.6 And when he commanded lthe man clothed in linen, mTake fire from between nthe whirling wheels, from between the cherubim, he went in and stood beside a wheel. 7 And a cherub stretched out his hand from between the cherubim to the fire that was between the cherubim, and took some of it and put it into the hands of the man clothed in linen, who took it and went out. 8 The cherubim appeared to have othe form of a human hand under their wings.9 pAnd I looked, and behold, there were four wheels beside the cherubim, one beside each cherub, and qthe appearance of the wheels was rlike sparkling sberyl. 10 And as for their appearance, the four had the same likeness, as if a wheel were within a wheel. 11 tWhen they went, they went in any of their four directions2 uwithout turning as they went, vbut in whatever direction the front wheel3 faced, the others followed without turning as they went. 12 wAnd their whole body, their rims, and their spokes, their wings,4 and the wheels were full of eyes all aroundthe wheels that the four of them had. 13 As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing nthe whirling wheels. 14 xAnd every one had four faces: ythe first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was za human face, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.15 aAnd the cherubim mounted up. These were bthe living creatures that I saw by cthe Chebar canal. 16 dAnd when the cherubim went, the wheels went beside them. And dwhen the cherubim lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the wheels did not turn from beside them. 17 eWhen they stood still, these stood still, and when they mounted up, these mounted up with them, for the spirit of the living creatures5 was in them.18 fThen gthe glory of the Lord went out from the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim. 19 hAnd the cherubim lifted up their wings and mounted up from the earth ibefore my eyes as they went out, with the wheels beside them. And they stood at the entrance of the jeast gate of the house of the Lord, and kthe glory of the God of Israel was over them.20 lThese were the living creatures that I saw munderneath the God of Israel by nthe Chebar canal; and I knew that they were cherubim. 21 oEach had four faces, and each four wings, and underneath their wings pthe likeness of human hands. 22 qAnd as for the likeness of their faces, they were the same faces whose appearance I had seen by the Chebar canal. rEach one of them went straight forward. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 430394 11-08-2018 04:36 AM Post: #17 RE: 5 Million Children in Yemen Blessings to those who are doing his Commandments; their authority shall be over The Tree of Life, and they shall enter The City by the gates. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 430394 11-08-2018 04:36 AM Post: #18 RE: 5 Million Children in Yemen Lawsuits among Believers 2Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! 4So if you need to settle everyday matters, do you appoint as judges those of no standing in the church? LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 471164 11-08-2018 04:40 AM Post: #19 RE: 5 Million Children in Yemen LoP Guest Wrote: (11-08-2018 04:30 AM) Thing you can do; fast and pray pray fast pray fast and pray for the children fast pray for the children They need food. We need to apply pressure on the Trump administration, to send food aid. This shouldn't of happened in the first place. They need food. We need to apply pressure on the Trump administration, to send food aid. This shouldn't of happened in the first place. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 430394 11-08-2018 04:42 AM Post: #20 RE: 5 Million Children in Yemen I am witnessing. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 430394 11-08-2018 04:44 AM Post: #21 RE: 5 Million Children in Yemen LoP Guest Wrote: (11-08-2018 04:40 AM) LoP Guest Wrote: (11-08-2018 04:30 AM) Thing you can do; fast and pray pray fast pray fast and pray for the children fast pray for the children They need food. We need to apply pressure on the Trump administration, to send food aid. This shouldn't of happened in the first place. Let me explain to you how the spirit world works. Because looks....technically no one is explaining to people in churches as they should perhaps they have lost their ways...whatever the case may be you need to pray for them and from your heart and fast not for them but for you they will pray for your soul when they take their place at Gods altar they will pass you by when they judge the world Let me explain to you how the spirit world works.Because looks....technically no one is explaining to people in churches as they shouldperhaps they have lost their ways...whatever the case may beyou need to pray for them and from your heart and fastnot for them but for youthey will pray for your soul when they take their place at Gods altarthey will pass you by when they judge the world LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 430394 11-08-2018 04:47 AM Post: #22 RE: 5 Million Children in Yemen LoP Guest Wrote: (11-08-2018 04:44 AM) LoP Guest Wrote: (11-08-2018 04:40 AM) They need food. We need to apply pressure on the Trump administration, to send food aid. This shouldn't of happened in the first place. Let me explain to you how the spirit world works. Because looks....technically no one is explaining to people in churches as they should perhaps they have lost their ways...whatever the case may be you need to pray for them and from your heart and fast not for them but for you they will pray for your soul when they take their place at Gods altar they will pass you by when they judge the world this is real this will happen I promise you you see this world the dark side has produced? their fake political systems? it's a sham . its a joke its illusion the real world is the Gods kingdom..dont care your religion your race your creed your sexual orientation what God looks at is your heart and your capacity to love and help others if there is a fault in you...it will be overlooked what you can change change what you cant ask for assistance the children in yemen...can you go and feed them and give them water? I dont know...dont know your bank account or who you are...but if you can not then pray fast and pray and do so from the heart look at them as your own children this is realthis will happenI promise youyou see this world the dark side has produced?their fake political systems?it's a sham . its a joke its illusionthe real world is the Gods kingdom..dont care your religion your race your creed your sexual orientationwhat God looks at is your heart and your capacity to love and help othersif there is a fault in you...it will be overlookedwhat you can change changewhat you cant ask for assistancethe children in yemen...can you go and feed them and give them water?I dont know...dont know your bank account or who you are...but if you can notthen prayfast and pray and do so from the heartlook at them as your own children LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 430394 11-08-2018 04:49 AM Post: #23 RE: 5 Million Children in Yemen if you do evil things stop if you can not stop ask for assistance if even then its hard start helping others and in time you will be healed helping others heals our own souls just as much as it helps others if its done from the heart LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 430394 11-08-2018 04:50 AM Post: #24 RE: 5 Million Children in Yemen Ask God for guidance now is the time this is the time for prophecy prophecy is being fulfilled we are witnessing I am witnessing be a witness and a doer life continues after this one and it is far better and greater than anyone can imagine live life here but help others...love others give and stop judging other people and start helping fasting and prayer are important develop a relationship with God with Jesus and move on LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 430394 11-08-2018 04:52 AM Post: #25 RE: 5 Million Children in Yemen you see the little ones that are starving in Yemen? the little ones around the world being killed in wars and used those are the ones that will judge the world they will judge it justly LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 430394 11-08-2018 05:01 AM Post: #26 RE: 5 Million Children in Yemen Learn how to pray and listen for Gods answers....they can come through others...through things you read or a song...or a dream. Now is the time to learn how to listen. we need spiritual warriors our weapon is prayer our shield is faith and our mantle is Gods love LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 430394 11-08-2018 05:02 AM Post: #27 RE: 5 Million Children in Yemen and I truly am very broken hearted very hurt by the pain and suffering these children are facing the dark side has clouded the minds of leaders our fight is not against one another it is against the forces of evil it is against the dark side spiritual war Travel assistant lop guest User ID: 418982 11-08-2018 05:24 AM Post: #28 RE: 5 Million Children in Yemen Children or adults we all have the same value. Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread Philosopher and professor at the University of GironaHow is it possible that a citizen of Spain, convicted by Madrids Audiencia Nacional, spends six and a half years in prison and now, when the European Court of Human Rights has decided that his fundamental right to a fair trial was violated, nothing happens? How come the victim of this State abuse is not compensated, the penalty of disqualification isn't immediately suspended, and all the judges who participated in this farce are not removed from the judicial system? [Basque leader] Arnaldo Otegi spent six and a half years in jail because, as has been shown, he received an unfair trial. How is it possible, a few days after the Supreme Court ruled that banks had to pay the mortgage tax, that the same Supreme Court, due to pressure from the banking and financial oligarchy in Spain, reversed its decision and now states that no, it's okay, the borrowers have to pay after all? Who are the 15 judges who voted in favor of this clearly unfair outrage that goes against the principle of equity, and which forces differential responsibility? And especially in a case, like this one, which should benefit the weakest not the strongest, and instead of benefiting them, it leaves them, by action of the court, punished, unprotected, and helpless? How is it possible that Judge Llarena and the Supreme Court judges continue to hold seven politicians (all elected representatives) and two civic leaders in pre-trial imprisonment in four cases, for over one year! even though multiple European courts, including those in Germany, Belgium, Scotland, and Switzerland, could not find any trace of the very serious crimes of which they stand accused? How is it possible for a cause to be maintained when it is clearly a persecution, objectively verifiable, against political dissidents? Who protects the victims of judges' actions, when these, instead of dispensing justice, are paradoxically the cause of an injustice arising from their decisions? Mustn't the judicial system be the guarantor of respect for the fundamental rights and freedoms of the people? What diabolic logic rules in a state where those responsible for imparting justice are responsible for such manifest injustices? When courts of law are not fair, as Judith Shklar reminded us in 'The faces of injustice', the obligation of politics is to amend them, so that they do not cause unnecessary and cruel damage, and to prevent them from generating injustice instead of justice We are not naive: we have known, at least since Karl Marx's "Grundrisse" (1858), that concepts such as 'justice' or 'law' are simple "forms of consciousness" that correspond to the interests of the ruling classes at one specific time and, therefore, are basically at the service of maintaining and preserving the status quo. Actually, as Bertolt Brecht rightly argued, "many judges are absolutely incorruptible: nobody can make them give a fair verdict", as the judges do not concern themselves with administering justice, as we could naively think, but they merely apply the law, which is not exactly the same. And yet, although it is clear that justice is not in the hands of judges, prosecutors, and courts, although they repeatedly claim this to be true, it is legitimate to ask what to do when their decisions are manifestly unfair, even if they are supported not only by the law but also by an interpretation of the law that is contrary to the spirit of the law and to the aspiration for justice that should rule in the judicial system. Gerard David, in an extraordinary painting kept in the Groeningemuseum in Bruges, entitled 'The Judgment of Cambises' (from 1498!), responds to this in a frightening way because of its brutality, despite being very consistent with the rigor of a era that tried to institute a secular justice to prevent the arbitrariness of the courts. You can see, on a wooden table in a public square, a judge who has issued an unfair sentence: he is tied up with ropes, and some executioners, carrying out the sentence, start to remove from the living man, with the help of knives, the skin of his chest, legs, and arms. The painting with the flaying of the corrupt judge was for many years in the boardroom of the City Council where magistrates were in charge of the communal administration of justice, reminding them, of course, by somewhat expeditious means, the need to be 'just' and to act according to the aspiration for justice which their positions required. The Spanish judicial system, as is obvious, does not stem from this rigorous Nordic tradition. But the question, five centuries later, remains the same: who protects the victims of legal abuse, if not the State? John Rawls, in his now classic Theory of Justice, pointed out: "Justice is the first virtue of social institutions, as truth is in systems of thought. A theory, however attractive, eloquent and concise, should be rejected or revised if it is not true. Likewise laws and institutions no matter how efficient and well-arranged must be reformed or abolished if they are unjust. When courts of law are not fair, as Judith Shklar reminded us in 'The faces of injustice', the obligation of politics is to amend them, so that they do not cause unnecessary and cruel damage, and to prevent them from generating injustice instead of justice. And when politics, or the form it takes in government or the State does not do so, then they must be reminded, as Aristotle argued and it was not a threat, but a verified statement that the perception of repeated injustice stimulates, very justly, revolutions. Lunaticoutpost.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program , anaffiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.Amazon, the Amazon logo, MYHABIT, and the MYHABIT logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.Don't be a pest to the forum.No profanity in thread-titles or usernamesNo excessive profanity in postsNo Racism, Antisemitism + HateNo calls for violence against anyone..This website exists for fun and discussion only. The reader is responsible for discerning the validity, factuality or implications of information posted here, be it fictional or based on real events. The content of posts on this site, including but not limited to links to other web sites, are the expressed opinion of the original poster and are in no way representative of or endorsed by the owners or administration of this website. The posts on this website are the opinion of the specific author and are not statements of advice, opinion, or factual information on behalf of the owner or administration of LunaticOutPost.Com. The owners or administration of this website can't be hold responsible for content hosted on sites that posters link to in; including, but not limited to, posts, signatures, private messages and such. This site may contain content not suitable for minors and if you feel you might be offended by such content, you should log off immediately.This site may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Users may make such material available in an effort to advance awareness and understanding of issues relating to civil rights, economics, individual rights, international affairs, liberty, science & technology, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material. The material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.In accordance with industry accepted best practices we ask that users limit their copy / paste of copyrighted material to the relevant portions of the article you wish to discuss (no more than 50% of the source material) provide a link back to the original articleIf you are a legal copyright holder or a designated agent for such and you believe a post on this website falls outside the boundaries of "Fair Use" and legitimately infringes on yours or your clients copyright please contact [email protected] This website is owned by :Marco ZwaneveldDrijfriemstraat 522516 XR The HagueNetherlands.I will not rent, sell, share or otherwise disclose your personal information to any third party.We might contact you from time to time regarding your purchases or the services (like forums and announcement lists) you have subscribed to.Some of the 3rd party advertisers on lunaticoutpost.com may use cookiesto track peformance and/or to serve relevant ads.If you wish to read more and/or opt out of such cookies, please visit: http://www.networkadvertising.org/choices/ The artistic director of the Gogol Centre theatre said he did not understand the meaning of the prosecutions indictment, which he compared to a broken printer that repeats absurd claims over and over. Last week, Serebrennikov was nominated in three different categories for Russias prestigious Golden Mask theatre award, and his staging of Mozarts Cosi fan tutte, which he directed remotely while under house arrest, opened in Zurich. Do it yourself if you can We accept in principle that private equity can deliver (somewhat) excess returns over most other asset classes. But there are a lot of qualifications attached to that, and most of them are very relevant to whether and how pension funds should invest in private equity. How Cholula Hot Sauce Is Made See How Peppers Are Transformed Into Your Favorite Hot Sauce Hot sauce is a staple in any kitchen. Scrambled eggs, cold pizza, salad, wings, tacos you name it, hot sauce makes it taste better. But there is one particular type that is deeply rooted in authentic Mexican flavor: Cholula Hot Sauce. Cholula was inspired by a generations-old recipe that was originally prepared for the Jose Cuervo family, famous for their Tequila. Even the sauces name has a deep Mexican heritage because it is named after a 2,500 year-old city located in the central state of Puebla. Its the oldest inhabited city in North America, where they handcraft a mix of Mexicos finest peppers and spices to begin the makings of their signature sauce. [Cholula original] is the heart and soul of the brand, and this is a recipe that has never been changed, says Sharon Nevins, director of brand marketing at Cholula Food Company. [It] has been in the family and the company all of the years. A Rich Tradition Through those years, the same iconic woman La Chila has been featured on the label of their bottles. Shes dressed in white, standing in a yellow brick traditional kitchen ready to use the peppers and vegetables set before her. Cholula According to legend, La Chila was from Puebla, Mexico, and her grandmother taught her how to cook traditional recipes, many of which included the essential ingredient of Mexican peppers. Those most commonly used were habanero, arbol, piquin and/or jalapeno with habanero being the hottest. Through her cooking lessons, La Chila became very passionate about peppers, and started to find new and creative ways to incorporate them into traditional dishes, including some that are still served today. Cholula is made with a blend of 80 percent arbol and 20 percent piquin peppers, two peppers that take up to seven months to go from seed to plant, then another three to four months to harvest. In other words, it takes at least 11 months total to grow a usable pepper. Theyre a delicate plant with special requirements, Padilla says. Euna Park Arbol peppers have a balanced heat with a natural, grassy flavor. Piquin peppers, on the other hand, are rich and have a citrusy zest flavor to them. No need to be intimidated by the sauce, though. Cholula hot sauce rating is 1,000 Scoville units, which is a scale that measures the hotness of a chili pepper. For reference, bell peppers are between zero and 100, while jalapenos are between 2,500 to 5,000. The carolina reaper is currently the hottest pepper in the world, with a rating of around 1.6 million aka, youd lose your tongue biting into it. An Authentic Recipe Starting with how they handle the seeds, Cholula hot sauce production is an homage to native techniques perfected over generations. Generation to generation, they collect the chili, removed the seeds, then classified the seeds, Padilla says. Seeds are organized by their heat, flavor and robustness, which helps growers ensure that theyre only using the best first-grade seeds for the sauce. Euna Park In order to retain the authenticity of both the land and the recipe, all peppers in the sauce are sourced in the Americas, with nearly 90 percent originating in Jalisco. The countrysides mild climate makes it ideal for growing peppers, which grow at around 1,500 to 1,700 feet above sea level through Mexicos countryside, scattered in small fields. When you have these small fields, you can have better results, says Miguel Padilla, the operations manager at the Cholula production facility SANE. The water used for the plants is also free of heavy metals and sourced from local wells in the fields that were used generations ago as well. Euna Park Before the sauce is bottled, it goes through a meticulous process. The best arbol and piquin peppers are hand-picked, carefully washed to retain quality and flavor, then laid out in the natural sun no artificial heat and lighting needed. There, they are under constant supervision during a three-day drying process. Then they are sent to the facility to be ground into a paste and later put through a mixer for consistency and to blend additional spices. The sauce is eventually bottled, topped with a locally made wooden cap, labeled, and shipped out all over the world. Every month the facility produces nearly nine million bottles of hot sauce. Yes, nine million! Behind the Scenes in the Cholula Factory Walk into the factory and you can see how technology has helped to keep the original recipe alive. After the peppers are grown and harvested with some serious TLC, they are processed in the factory in giant stainless steel bins. Euna Park Factory workers wear surgical masks and hair nets, and those in the pepper washing and soaking station wear white coverall suits, rainboots, and sometimes gas masks. Without those masks, anyone who couldnt handle spice would find it difficult to withstand the humidity and spice in the air. Cholula Located in downtown Tequila of Jalisco, restaurant Fonda Cholula was named in honor of La Chila and authentic Mexican cuisine. And they serve a menu of you guessed it traditional foods complemented by Cholula hot sauce. Every year, thousands of tourists visit the restaurant to get a taste of dishes inspired by the beloved abuelita figure that started it all. There are six different flavors of Cholula sauce, ensuring that anyone can add a hint of authentic Mexican flavor to their meals. While Cholula original is based on the generations-old original recipe, the newest additions like sweet habanero come from the same recipe but with added flavor dimensions. If you want more lime, theres Chili Lime. For a more smoky flavor, Chipotle. If you cant handle that much spice, go for the Chili Garlic. No matter what you use your hot sauce for, with Cholula, youre guaranteed an authentic Mexican flavor. GlobalX has made it easier for Chinese investors to buy Australian property with the launch of its verification of identity (VOI) services in China. The legal technology company said that IDSecures bilingual verification agents, who are based in Beijings China World Trade Centre, will provide a complete verification service to boost the efficiency of land and property transactions in Australia. The launch is an industry first that helps Australian legal practitioners with quicker and easier verification of China-based clients, said Peter Maloney, GlobalX chief executive. Registrations are now open for the Contract Law Masterclass Sydney reserve your seat at the best available rate with Australasian Lawyers Super Saver offer. The one-day masterclass will provide delegates with great insight into some of the most complex areas of contract law, with topics including the new ipso facto rules, enforceability of click-wrap and browse wrap agreements, the risks and opportunities of blockchain and smart contracts, as well as an Australian Consumer Law update. See what is on the agenda here. Book and pay by 30 November to save $300 on passes with the Super Saver offer. For the best rate, take advantage of our Team Pass offer and bring four of your team for the price of three. Helix said: Edit - title should read "from the Philippines" My fiancee is wanting to visit Aus again in March next year. She was successful in getting a single entry visa last year, we are hopeful that this time we can obtain a multiple entry. There are two questions that would now relate to me, which didn't really apply so much last time. One is around contacts she has in Australia. This would of course be me. It also lists any financial support she would receive in Australia, and we intend to list me as she would be staying at my mums house with me for a while. By listing me, is there any evidence I would need to provide as well in her application? Also, an agent informed us that there isn't any requirement to show that you have money, this surprised me a little and I am wondering if it is true? Perhaps listing me down negates this? Regards, Simon Click to expand... My Filipino partner has just arrived in Australia with a 3 months Tourist visa and we are intending to apply for a Partner visa while she is onshore.Our Australian agent in the Philippines requested a statement of income from me to go with a letter of invitation from me saying that I would pay all her expenses. I supplied an itinerary of what she would do while here and it included meeting my family and general tourist things and also enhancing our relationship.I am not sure if the statement of income was required or if my agent even supplied it to Immigration, but my partner had no problem getting a multi-visit visa even though she has no job to return to and owns no property in Phils.She had a bit of a hard time when leaving Philippines, and was questioned heavily, so be prepared for that in Manila airport.I was the only person named by her as being in Australia.On arrival in Australia she was given an easy entry, merely asked if I was Australian and if she was staying for 3 months then returning and allowed entry. She had all of her documents to hand if needed but wasn't asked for them here, only in Manila. It was uploaded on Facebook on the Yorkshire Uncovered page and, while most commenters agree that its not long enough to show whos at fault, some were quick to bash the driver for assaulting the kid. You can see the video in full at the bottom of the page.When the bystander starts filming, the altercation is already underway. As a matter of fact, it seems that the teenager has stepped off the bus and the driver is aggressively in his face, telling him hes about to f***ing smash your face in. The man also calls the teen a toerag and fat boy, because the teen had called him a p***k.The teen is also heard asking the driver how old he is, because hes picking a fight with a 15-year-old. The last thing he says is that hes about to call the police, to which the driver responds that hes only doing his job.While its clear that the driver assaulted the teen, the video doesnt show what the youngster did to prompt such a violent reaction, many commenters point out. Being 15 is no longer a guarantee of non-violent behavior, so it could be that the teen and his mates had caused some serious trouble, to get the driver this riled up.On the other hand, a teen who claims to be the victim is saying on Facebook that there is no other side to the story, The Sun reports. He alleges that he got on the bus but his pass no longer worked, so he offered to show the driver the receipt for it, to prove that it was still valid. The driver didnt believe him, so the teen told him hed wait for the next bus.Thats when the driver called him a fat boy for the first time, the teen claims. In retaliation, he called him a p***k, and the rest is shown in the video.I'm a big lad for my age which shows I could've kicked off which I didn't so before you all jump to conclusions saying I shouldn't of got cheeky there's full story, the teen says. I ain't a cheeky kid I have manners and respect for people who have the same towards me respect works both ways.The driver is now under investigation and could lose his job.Please note that the footage below contains language that might offend. kWh The Jaguar I-Pace and Kia e-Niro tied for the second place in the ranking with 253 miles, but most surprisingly, the South Korean crossover shares most of its underpinnings with the Hyundai. On fourth place, Tesla made a lasting impression with the British publication thanks to 204 miles from the Model S 75D, the entry-level option of the range.Lo and behold, the Kona Electric comes back into focus on fifth place, this time around with the 39-battery option. In this configuration, the front-wheel-drive model couldnt manage more than 158 miles in the real world, which isnt too bad if you take pricing into consideration. More to the point, Hyundai wants 29,495 for the Kona Electric SE.The best-selling electric vehicle in Europe ranked sixth, with the Renault Zoe R110 capable of offering 146 miles of range according to the What Car? testing procedure. Last, but certainly not least, the previous holder of the title managed 128 miles instead of 168 as Nissan promises under the World Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure. At the end of the day, however, the Leaf remains one of the most versatile vehicles in the segment, and theres a 60-kWh battery option in the pipeline for the 2019 model year.American and German automakers arent featured in the ranking, but the next editions of the Real Range test could yield surprising results. Volkswagen and Ford are in talks about sharing the MEB vehicle architecture of the I.D. Neo electric hatchback, and dont forget that Porsche is also working around the clock to put the Taycan into production.The most surprising absentee, however, is the Vauxhall Ampera-e, a.k.a. Opel Ampera-e in the rest of Europe and Chevrolet Bolt in the United States of America. Come 2020, the American-developed model will be replaced by the e-Corsa, which will adopt the e-CMP vehicle architecture from Peugeot. In the DS 3 Crossback E-Tense , the powertrain offers up to 300 kilometers (186 miles) of range. The range starts with the GA4, and it's a Toyota Corolla Altis fighter for the price of a Vios. The entry-level model is the GA4 1.5 M/T. As the variant's name suggests, it has a 1.5-liter engine making 113 PS and 150 Nm of torque. It is then mated to a five-speed manual transmission. It packs a host of safety equipment too with stability control standard. 2018 may have been a trying time for the motoring industry, but that hasn't stopped GAC Motors from making their debut in the Philippines. Under Legado Motors, GAC aims to bring luxury cars to the masses with the launch of five cars. The local GAC lineup consists of two sedans, two SUVs, and one van. Moving up the range is the GA4 1.3 A/T. While the engine may be smaller, it is aided by a turbocharger and, as a result, the six-speed automatic GA4 makes 136 PS and 202 Nm of torque. It gets a sunroof as standard, as well as automatic climate control, and power seats for the driver. For those interested in a bigger sedan, there's the GA8, and that too has two variants available. These are the GE and the GL. Both are powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter mill with 197 PS and 300 Nm of torque. At over five meters long, the GA8 is longer than usual mid-size sedans such as the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. The top-spec GL model also comes with a 360-degree camera, along with a triple-zone climate control system, and a host of airbags. On to the SUVs and it starts with the GS4 crossover. Aimed at the C-segment crossover class, it wades into the arena with a turbocharged 1.5-liter engine making 151 PS and 235 Nm of torque. It is front-wheel drive only but is supplemented by having stability control as standard. Like the GA4 and GA8, it is equipped with a sunroof, as well as a power-adjustable seat for the driver. As for their largest SUV, there's the GS8. GAC dubs it as their flagship SUV and it too is powered by the same turbocharged 2.0-liter mill in the GA8 sedan. It offers seating for seven and is available with either two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. It also gets some of the kit from the GA8 sedan such as large touchscreen, triple-zone climate control and power seats. Last but not least is the GM8, the company's luxury van. It offers room for seven with captain seats for the middle row. It comes with Ottoman chairs with leg rests which also packs a built-in massage function. Both sliding doors are automatic, and so is the tailgate. It is also the third GAC vehicle to have the turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, sharing the same motor as the GS8 and GA8. Legado Motors is spearheaded by Ilocos Sur politician and businessman Luis 'Chavit' Singson, who presides as the company's Chairman and president. The Chinese brand's arrival was done in grand fashion with the President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Roa Duterte, personally welcoming the brand to the country. "It is indeed an honor to welcome GAC Motor to the Philippines. On behalf of the Filipino people, Id like to thank you for your confidence in investing and expanding your business here in this country," said Duterte. - Prices for the GAC Motor's local range is as follows: GA4 1.5 M/T Php 788,000 GA4 1.3T A/T Php 988,000 GA8 GE Php 1,988,000 GA8 GL Php 2,288,000 GS4 1.5T Php 1,188,000 GS8 4x2 GE Php 1,880,000 GS8 4x4 GL Php 2,388,000 GM8 2.0T Php 2,880,000 Three hundred people from across the European general aviation community attended the 2018 European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Annual Safety Conference in Vienna, Austria, earlier this week. During the two-day event, the agency reviewed progress and set out its future commitments for the GA Roadmap, an initiative launched in 2014 that EASA says aims to provide innovative, better, cheaper and safer General Aviation (GA) in Europe. In addition, the agency explored plans and ideas on how to foster the development of more affordable, yet modern aircraft. According to EASA, the conference is one of the ways it seeks to engage with the industry on the evolution of GA during a time of rapid technological advancement. An array of European GA manufacturers, developers of hybrid and solar-powered aircraft, UAV and air taxi companies, and cost-sharing platformsas well as GA associations and policy representativesparticipated in the conferences panels and seminars. Topics under discussion ranged from of how to share available airspace to how startup aviation businesses can be encouraged to improve aviation safety. The keynote speaker for the event was Andr Borschberg, who is the world record holder for the highest altitude solar-powered flight and for the longest solo flight in an airplane of any kind. EASAs Executive Director Patrick Ky closed the conference on Wednesday, showing appreciation for the truly collaborative spirit of all stakeholders. Bombardier has achieved FAA approval of its Global 7500 jet, the company announced on Wednesday. The long-range business jet, the biggest in Bombardiers business-jet fleet, can fly up to 7,700 nautical miles, enabling nonstop flights from New York to Hong Kong, or Singapore to San Francisco. The flight deck is equipped with fly-by-wire technology, flight envelope protections, synthetic and enhanced vision systems and a layout intended to maximize ergonomic comfort for the crew. It flies at speeds up to Mach 0.925. First deliveries are expected by the end of the year. The jets roomy interior is the biggest of any purpose-built business jet (excluding revamped airliners), equipped with a full galley that can serve up to 19 passengers, a full lay-flat crew-rest area, extra-large windows, ergonomic passenger seats, a lounge area and a private bedroom suite. The jet was certified by Transport Canada last month. AVwebseditorial director, Paul Bertorelli, took a tour of the cabin at last years NBAA Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition, in Las Vegas. (The jet was known as the 7000 before it was renamed the 7500, to reflect its confirmed range of 7,700 NM.) Clickherefor the video tour. Have you ever sold an airplane? If so, you know it is a remarkably loose transaction. In the days before the internet, you got hold of the carbonless three-part form, wrote down a precious few details including the names of the buyer and seller, the buyers address, and the selling price (or $1.00 and OVC, which everyone knows means other valuable considerations). The seller signs it, and off it goes to the FAA via U.S. mail. Today its more sophisticated. Instead of driving or flying to your favorite FSDO to pick up those fancy carbonless forms, you can now download AC Form 8050-2 as a fillable PDF. Using your fillable PDF viewer/editor, you type in everything but your signature, print it, and send a signed original to the FAA. (Snail-mail, of course.) The buyer keeps a copy in the airplane while he or she waits for the final paperwork. Sometime before the turn of the century, I cut a deal with a close friend of mine that would give him ownership of an airplane Id been flying for a few years. We agreed it was worth about $40,000. Zip, zap, paperwork done. Sold. A couple of months later, he asked to meet for lunch at a local airport, and at the end of lunch, pulled out a fresh 8050-2 and asked me to sign it, as he lost the original document. I asked why the sale wasnt already recorded, and he said something about how forgetful he is, and that hed take care of it immediately. Some months went by, and then I received a certified letter from some attorney in Texas. I was being sued for verbal breach of contract on the sale of my airplane. The letter claimed that my agent (my friend) had misrepresented the condition of the airplane, which, after the sale, now needed $20,000 in repairs to the tail feathers. So, I contacted another aviation friend, with whom I had been doing business. He was both a CPA and an attorney. He said hed get me representation in Texas, as he was not licensed to practice there. He did so and kept me updated over the following months as to how things were proceeding. During a final lunch meeting, he briefed me on the status of the case, and all seemed to be on track. It looked like an open and shut case to him. After all, I had never spoken to the buyer, nor had any other contact with him. I had not used an agent, and if the buyer did not have a prepurchase inspection done, tough luck. He then showed me a copy of a check hed written and sent to my attorney in Texas. It was for $10,000, and he stated he felt that would cover the entire cost of legal work down south. I asked why he sent that check, and he explained that he trusted me, and knew that Id reimburse him for the amount of the check and that he was not going to charge me for his own efforts in the case. More months passed. I got another certified letter, from my attorney in Texas. He demanded full payment of the $10,000 retainer he required when he accepted my case. I explained that my friend showed me a copy of the check he had written to the Texas attorneys firm. But he explained that he had not heard from my lawyer in months, and that he never received a check from him. So now I finally had a conversation with my Texas attorney. (Ill call him Tex.) Although at first, he was ready to sue me, he slowly realized I had been scammed. He then explained the grisly details. First of all, the only name on the bill of sale was mine. The airplane was never registered to my friend. There was no paper trail leading to anyone but me. Duh. Now I was catching on. True, I should have demanded he put his name on the Bill of Sale. But just as true, anyone who would do what he did would have had no qualms about forging my signature. Tex explained that there existed a warrant for my arrest in the state of Texas. A judge had already awarded the buyer with a $20,000 judgment. Although I insisted I could not possibly have breached a verbal contract with a guy I never spoke to, his response was, I can appeal it if you want, but Mr. Parnau, youre in Wisconsin. This is Texas. Things are different in Texas. There was another irritating complication. Tex explained that I was exposed in Texas only because my company (a software company) had done business in Texas. I asked how anyone can prove that, and he asked how I could prove it had not. He again reminded me that he was speaking Texas, and I was speaking Cheesehead. I wrote a check that covered the buyers claim ($20,000). I wrote a check to my lone-star lawyer for $10,000. And of course, I had already written a check to my con-man attorney for $10,000. Ah, the irony. I was out $40,000 an amount which matched the entire value of the airplane. And now, I would need a YAT (Yet Another Attorney) to see if I had any chance of recovering the $10K stolen by the thief who put me on the wanted list in Texas. Before I continue, theres a bit of background to the above events: The attorney who scammed me had, over several months, met with me, plus another attorney, and an investor. He claimed he had purchased a French patent for a device that would be marketed to municipalities across the U.S. I wont go into details, he needed my expertise because it involved software. When he showed up an hour late for one of our meetings, he announced that had just returned from Europe, and would present an even better opportunity that had worldwide potential. This all smelled, and we (the potential investors) talked on our own, and agreed it was all as a confidence scam. After settling things with Tex and Texas, I met privately with my YAT. I related all of the details as to how I was ripped off. He was quite fired up and said hed see what he could do, no charge. I must say, at this point I was quite suspicious of dealing with someone who offered to do something for nothin. But I hoped he was as angry at the con-man as I was. Alas, after months of trying to track down the villain, we couldnt find him. Maybe he had moved? Been shot? But we did learn this: He was not an attorney. He was not a CPA. And his wife couldnt find him either. It looked like the end of the story. But Although it would probably add to my financial losses, the cost of a private investigator would not make things much worse. I hired one. Somehow, this guy sniffed out where the scammer lived, what he did most days and how to run into him. One mid-summer day, the PI approached him in a parking lot, and said, Hey, excuse me, but arent you the famous pilot-attorney John Doe? (Name changed to protect the guilty.) Why yes, I am! Flattery! How clever. The papers were served. Of course, that merely means you have the right to demand the money. It doesnt mean youre gonna get it. But My YAT, nice as he seemed, was capable of bulldog mode. I dont know exactly how he pulled it off, but he received a check from the bad boy, and he promptly turned it over to me. We stayed in touch for years after our experience with Mr. Lying (J.D., CPA, SOB) and his scams. We actually became friends. Not friends like those mentioned above. Actual friends. Now please, dont lecture me. I know I was stupid. I was nave. It was all preventable, by me and only me. It was all entirely my fault, I know. But maybe, just maybe, someone will read this and have an OMG reaction, and learn a thing or two that they, too, should have already known: Trust, but verify. Ronald Reagan, translating the Russian proverb, Doveryai, no proveryai. P.S. Although this happened long ago, I have occasionally checked the courts in Wisconsin and nearby states, tracking the status of the friend I sold the airplane to, and that of the attorney who was not an attorney. Neither has done well. I was pleased to learn that the non-attorney developed a long rap sheet over the years and was eventually convicted of perpetrating multiple scams. I presume he is in a cell somewhere, and I hope hes someones property. A high-profile, science-based environmental nonprofit is calling for financially struggling nuclear power plants to remain open, citing their benefits to tackling climate change. Why it matters: In a new report, the Union of Concerned Scientists is joining a growing number of environmental leaders to back existing nuclear power because of climate reasons, despite continued concerns about the technologys safety and radioactive waste. The increased support could help keep open some power plants. Were in a place right now from a climate perspective we have to make some hard choices. We need every low-carbon source of power we can get. Steve Clemmer, co-author and director of energy research and analysis at UCS The big picture: Nuclear power provides 20% of Americas electricity, but 53% of our carbon-free electricity. A seminal United Nations report released last month said nuclear power was a key part of sufficiently addressing climate change. Cheap natural gas and subsidized renewable energy over the last decade have financially squeezed many U.S. nuclear power plants. The details: The UCS report finds that more than one-third of Americas nuclear plants will or could be shuttered within the next decade, before their government licenses require, and that they would be replaced by natural gas or coal. The intrigue: Environmental groups are increasingly debating to what degree they should vocally support keeping existing reactors that are operating safely but are financially struggling. UCS, while never officially taking an anti-nuclear power stance, has been one of the most vocal critics of the industry about safety. While Clemmer says this isnt a shift in his groups position, it is a change to become more vocal. It could prompt scrutiny across other environmental groups. "This is a group that has very strong skepticism of nuclear in its DNA," said Jeff Navin, former top official in President Obamas Energy Department and now a consultant on energy issues. "Its really going to force additional conversations among some other groups." Whats next: The UCS report recommends a national price on carbon dioxide emissions or a standard mandating low-carbon electricity, but Congress is unlikely to substantively consider either any time soon. A trio of states Illinois, New York and New Jersey have adopted policies that temporarily subsidize financially struggling nuclear power plants alongside incentives for renewables. UCS calls for any additional policies, which Ohio and Pennsylvania may consider, to include provisions that ensure safety and need for the support. Go deeper: The lefts nuclear problem Editor's note: This piece was corrected to show nuclear provided 53% of U.S. carbon-free electricity in 2017 (not roughly 60%, which was the 2016 figure). A three-judge federal court panel on Wednesday unanimously struck down a Maryland congressional map as unconstitutional and ordered political leaders to draw a new one for the 2020 election. Why it matters: The judges decided in favor of Republicans, who brought the suit and argued that the Democratic-controlled state legislature had intentionally designed the 6th Congressional District map to their benefit. Following the 2010 Census, when lawmakers crafted a new congressional map, they included parts of the heavily Democratic Montgomery County, costing a Republican incumbent his seat. The details: Officials have until next spring to submit a new redistricting plan, otherwise, the courts order will establish a commission that will create a map of its own. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court heard arguments on the case, which sought to halt to this years midterm elections as Republicans argued the map was unfair. However, the high court punted the case back to the lower court for further preceding. The justices said that it was too late to redraw the map and questioned why the plaintiffs had waited six years to file their claim. Read more: These midterm victories will expand voting rights, curb gerrymandering The office of Georgia Secretary of State and gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp posted an Excel file Wednesday containing personal information about voters who mailed in absentee ballots, including addresses, names, and whether they are elderly or disabled. The file is publicly accessible for download. Why it matters: People trust the government to restrict access to this information, but it didn't in this case. Secretaries of state are not restricted from divulging this information (with the exception of giving it to commercial entities), but making it readily available online makes it much easier for anyone not just those approved by a secretary of state's office to access this personal, sensitive information. To be sure: What Kemp's office did is different from a group that sold personal voter information on dark web channels last month. That information was, for the most part, publicly available beforehand, but the nefarious outcome in that case was that the group was seeking to sell the data. In the wake of Attorney General Jeff Sessions' resignation, which was requested by President Trump, Democrats are calling for acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker to recuse himself from the Russia investigation, while Republicans are praising Sessions for serving his country "admirably." Why it matters: The pushback from Washington officials is building because of Whitaker's unfavorable position on the Mueller investigation. He has previously said the investigation is "going too far" and has referred to it as a "witch hunt." What they're saying: In the past week, North Korea made two moves that undermined nuclear negotiations with the United States. On Friday, the regime vowed it could resume building up nuclear forces. And this week, Korean negotiators reportedly didnt get on their plane to meet with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in New York, furthering a trend of ignoring U.S. diplomats just under the president. Why it matters: If talks fail now, Pyongyang will have weathered some economic pressure, but also enjoyed a year of producing missiles and nuclear warheads, collecting praise from the U.S. president, and building new diplomatic ties with Moscow and Beijing. Missiles that have been flown only once would likely be tested fully, while South Koreas successful arms-control process would stagger on without an allied partner. A shift in tactics is needed to prevent collapse and break the impasse. Negotiating limits on the North Korean arsenal may not lead directly to complete disarmament, but it could reduce the threat to U.S. and allied territory: Codifying the nuclear and missile test freeze as well as disabling or dismantling the large new reactor at Yongbyon could together limit the regimes ability to design, produce and support more threatening weapons. as well as disabling or dismantling the large new reactor at Yongbyon could together limit the regimes ability to design, produce and support more threatening weapons. Limiting conventional arms on the peninsula could reduce the risk of war and build momentum toward deeper agreements, as Seouls efforts have proven. could reduce the risk of war and build momentum toward deeper agreements, as Seouls efforts have proven. Negotiators must present a plan for phased sanctions relief and other incentives. Insisting that real incentives wait until after complete disarmament is effectively standing in the way of a whole range of advantageous agreements. To accomplish these goals and prevent future snubs, the president would have to start credibly delegating authority to his diplomats, which he has never fully done. The bottom line: Seeking achievable limits in exchange for real incentives is the last chance to limit North Koreas nuclear arsenal. Now, its also the only chance to keep the talks from complete collapse. Adam Mount is a senior fellow and director of the Defense Posture Project at the Federation of American Scientists. Venezuela says it's sending more troops to its border with Colombia after an attack over the weekend left 3 Venezuelan soldiers dead and 10 wounded. The big picture: The recent incident highlights the instability in the frontier between the two countries, where Colombian guerrilla groups like the ELN which Colombia says was responsible for the attack have long operated. Sebastiana Barraez, a Venezuelan journalist who has reported on the situation for nearly two decades, says Venezuela's socialist government has had a mutually beneficial relationship with the rebel groups dating back to Hugo Chavez's time in office but things are now getting tense. According to Barraez, economic alliances have allowed for the enrichment of Venezuelan military and government officials, and the rebel groups. She says the groups have long done the "dirty work" for the regime, which would get a cut of the revenues from extortion and drug trafficking. But the dynamic seems to be changing. The ELN has pushed into Venezuelan territory, including in gold mining areas. That led to a clash over the summer in which a Venezuelan Army lieutenant was killed. Gold is of particular importance to Venezuela now as its oil revenues dry up. Marshall Billingslea, the U.S. Treasurys assistant secretary for terrorist financing, said at a Brookings Institution event last week that the regime is trading gold illegally to gain much-needed cash. What to watch: Venezuela has not accused the ELN of killing its soldiers, or taken a public position about the group's presence in Venezuelan territory. But the Venezuelan military could still decide to increase the pressure, Barraez says. Go deeper: Map of where Colombian rebel groups are operating. Former Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Secretary-General Yuri Khachaturov, who was recalled from the senior post by Armenia after being accused of overthrowing the countrys constitutional order in 2008 post-election events, returned home on November 4, Khachaturovs lawyer Mihran Poghosian told RFE/RLs Armenian Service today. He returned on November 4 after the official decision on his dismissal was published, he said, adding that before that the former Moscow-based official went to his native town in Georgia to visit his mothers grave. Khachaturov was formally charged in late July as part of the ongoing investigation into the March 1-2, 2008 post-election crackdown on the opposition. The 66-year-old colonel-general who was deputy defense minister at that time is accused of using the army to quell protests that followed a disputed presidential election. Ten people, including two security personnel, were killed in the events. Investigations into those deadly events were reopened after the change of government in May. Armenias new Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, who came to power on the wave of anti-government protests, said that revealing the circumstances of the crime was one of the priorities of his administration. Also in July, former President Robert Kocharian was also charged with overthrowing Armenias constitutional order by ordering the use of the army for the violent repression of the protests. Unlike Kocharian, who was briefly arrested, Khachaturov, who served as CSTO secretary-general since May 2017, was granted bail and went back to Moscow to continue his duties. Armenia, however, initiated a formal process of his recalling, which was completed on November 2. The issue of the appointment of the next CSTO secretary-general was due to be discussed at the Russian-led security groupings summit held in Astana, Kazakhstan, on November 8. Prior to the summit several senior Armenian officials spoke in favor of Armenias retaining the rotating post until 2020. Armenias Ministry of Foreign Affairs neither confirmed, nor denied that other options may also be considered. The Armenian government is negotiating with the Russian Ministry of Energy and Gazprom the possibility of reducing the price of natural gas supplied to Armenia, according to a minister. Negotiations are underway now over the formation of the gas price both at the border and within the internal structure, said acting Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Garegin Baghramian at a briefing with reporters on Thursday. Naturally, the negotiations are being conducted towards the reduction [of the price], the official said, without revealing other details. In order to avoid some influences on the negotiation process, I think we should wait for a little longer for the negotiations to be completed. Then we will publish the details, he added. Gazprom sells natural gas to its Armenia-based subsidiary at a price of $150 per thousand cubic meters. The subsidiary, which owns Armenias gas distribution network, then sells it to consumers in Armenia at a price of about $284, according to the current dollar exchange rate. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian reportedly discussed the price of natural gas supplied to Armenia during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow in September. An Armenian parliament committee recently initiated discussions on how justified the current natural gas and electricity tariffs in the country are. Leaders of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) met in Astana, Kazakhstan, on Thursday to discuss some of the pressing issues of the Russian-led security grouping, including the appointment of a new secretary-general after Armenia recalled its representative. Earlier this month, the CSTO confirmed the dismissal of Yuri Khachaturov from the senior post held by an Armenian representative as part of the rotation principle. Khachaturov was appointed to the post in May 2017, but after the change of government in Yerevan he was charged as part of a reopened investigation into post-election violence in 2008 during which the colonel-general served as Armenias deputy defense minister. Khachaturov was formally charged in late July with overthrowing Armenias constitutional order by using the army for the violent repression of the opposition-led protests in which eight demonstrators and two police officers were killed. After coming to power on the wave of anti-government protests in May, Armenias new Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said that revealing the circumstances of the killings would be one of the priorities of his administration. As part of the investigation former President Robert Kocharian was also charged with overthrowing Armenias constitutional. Unlike Kocharian, who spent more than two weeks in custody in July-August, Khachaturov was granted bail and went back to Moscow to continue his duties as CSTO secretary-general. Armenia, however, initiated a formal process of recalling him from the post, which was completed on November 2. Prior to the summit in Kazakhstan several senior Armenian officials spoke in favor of Armenias retaining the post until 2020. Armenias Ministry of Foreign Affairs, however, did not deny that other options might also be considered. On November 7, Russian news agency TASS quoted Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov as saying that three options were being considered at the moment. Among them he mentioned Armenias retention of the post, the rotation of the post to Belarus, which is next in line alphabetically, and placing the interim secretary-general in charge until Minks takes over in two years. A press release issued by the office of Armenias acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, who attended the CSTO summit on November 8, said that the issue of the appointment of a new CSTO secretary-general was also addressed during the meeting. The sides agreed to continue discussions on the issue during a meeting in St. Petersburg on December 6. At the same time, work will be undertaken to elaborate relevant norms regulating the issues related to the early termination of powers of the secretary-general, it said. According to the official report, at the summit the leaders of the CSTO member states, including Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan, met in a narrow format before continuing talks in an extended session. They, in particular, discussed issues of international and regional security, cooperation between CSTO member states within the organization and in the international arena. The summit adopted a number of documents, including the final declaration of the CSTO Collective Security Council and a joint statement on mutually agreed measures in relation to persons who participated in armed conflicts as part of international terrorist organizations. The Heads of State adopted decisions of the Collective Security Council aimed at improving the CSTOs crisis response, countering illegal migration, developing a coordinated information policy, organization of collective forces and specification of their composition, and confirming the candidacy of the Chairman of the Interstate Commission for Military-Economic Cooperation, the official report said. By Sara Israfilbayova A delegation led by Azerbaijani Agriculture Minister Inam Karimov took part at the 5th meeting of the Joint Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria in Sofia. Addressing the event, Bulgarian Energy Minister Temenuzhka Petkova briefed on the agenda of the meeting. The Bulgarian minister noted that the Bulgarian-Azerbaijani relations reached the level of strategic partnership. She stressed that Bulgaria supports the territorial integrity, sovereignty and immunity of the internationally recognized borders of Azerbaijan and spoke about the possibilities of developing mutually beneficial Azerbaijani-Bulgarian cooperation in the field of energy. Touching upon cooperation in the energy sector, Petkova said that it is an important part of the economic ties between the two countries. She underlined the importance of the Southern Gas Corridor initiated and implemented by Azerbaijan for ensuring European energy security. The importance of transporting Azerbaijani gas to Europe within the framework of this project and in this context, providing Bulgaria with natural gas via the Greek-Bulgarian gas pipeline was emphasized. In turn, Karimov pointed out that both countries closely cooperate within the framework of international organizations, Bulgaria constantly supports the fair position of Azerbaijan, based on the norms of international law, in the settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. During the meeting it was noted that numerous documents have been signed between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria in various fields, including in the economic sphere, and there has been a positive trend in the trade turnover. In addition, it was noted that there are great opportunities for expanding trade and investment cooperation. Then, there was another meeting between Inam Karimov and Temenuzhka Petkova. Speaking about the economic importance of infrastructure projects such as the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway and the Baku International Sea Trade Port, implemented as part of the economic reforms carried out by the head of state, Inam Karimov expressed the possibility of cooperation with Bulgaria within these projects. Bulgaria recognized the independence of Azerbaijan on January 14, 1992 and the diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on June 5, 1992. Both countries are members of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC). The trade turnover between Bulgaria and Azerbaijan reached $37.43 million in 2017, $37.3 million of which fell on imports from this country, according to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee. --- Sara Israfilbayova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Sara_999Is Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Narmina Mammadova The first flight from the new Istanbul Airport in Baku was successfully made, Turkish media reported on November 8. It is reported that the flight Istanbul-Baku from the Istanbul airport was carried out at 09:30 (GMT + 4). According to the media, from today one flight from Istanbul Airport to Baku will be operated daily. The opening ceremony of a new airport was held in Istanbul on October 29. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Transport and Infrastructure Minister of Turkey Mehmet Cahit Turhan took part in this ceremony. All flights will stop at Ataturk Airport in Istanbul on December 31, 2018 at 00:00 (GMT + 4). Starting from December 31, from 00:00 (GMT + 4), all passenger and cargo flights will be carried out from the third airport in Istanbul. The third airport of Istanbul was built in the area of Lake Terkos in the northern part of the city. The tender for the construction of the airport was won by a consortium of companies Limak-Kolin-Cengiz-MaPa-Kalyon. The construction of the airport cost 10 billion Turkish liras, the Air Transport Department of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of Turkey told Trend earlier. The following Turkish banks were allocated for its construction: Ziraat Bank - 1.54 billion euros, Halkbank and Vakfbank - one billion euros each, Denizbank - 500 million euros, Garanti and Finansbank - 300 million euros each. The first airport in Turkey was built in 1912 and was used for military purposes. In 1953, Istanbuls airport was first opened for international flights, and in 1985 it was renamed in honor of the founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport is one of the six international airports serving Azerbaijan. Formerly, it was called Bina International Airport by the name of a suburb in Baku. On 10 March 2004, the airport was renamed for the former president Heydar Aliyev, the third President of Azerbaijan. The airport is located 20 kilometers northeast of Baku, connected to the city by a modern highway, which was put into operation in 2008. It is the busiest airport in Azerbaijan and of the Caucasus. The airport serves as the home base for flag carrier Azerbaijan Airlines and its subsidiary Buta Airways as well as freight carrier Silk Way Airlines. Two passenger terminals (International Terminal 1 and Domestic Terminal 2) and two cargo terminals operate at Heydar Aliyev International Airport. The old terminal built in Soviet times, was entirely demolished and replaced by the new Terminal 1. The four-level engineering concept was developed in July 2010 by Arup company, with a tricorn shape and semi transparent roof. The total area is 65,000 square meters. The interior, designed by Turkish company AUTOBAN, has a series of oak-veneer 'cocoons'. Heydar Aliyev International Airport, located in Baku, Azerbaijan, is among 14 most beautiful airports in the world, according to the rating made by Curbed, an American real-estate blog network. Located in the capital of Azerbaijan, the Heydar Aliyev International Airport terminal features giant wooden cocoons designed by Turkish architecture studio Autoban, said Curbed. Light streams in through the concave external glass walls, and each cocoon houses cafes, bars, stores, and amenities, like a childrens play area. Diamond patterns on the atrium floors mimic the wooden shingles of the cocoon. The airport can handle more than 5 million passengers each year. The Heydar Aliyev International Airport of the Azerbaijani capital has been listed among the top three unusual airports in the world, according to a Hi-Tech. The publication notes that the main airport of Azerbaijan, which is one of the largest in the CIS, due to its unusual shape, is often compared to a bird with its wings spread. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend There are plans to attract over one million people engaged in informal economic activity in Azerbaijan to paying contributions on compulsory social insurance, Chairman of Azerbaijans parliamentary committee on labor and social protection of the population Hadi Rajabli said at the committees meeting Nov. 8. He noted that in order to reduce informal employment, reduction in the rate of compulsory social insurance for entrepreneurs is expected. Rajabli said that fundamental reforms in the areas of taxation are also expected. The amendments proposed to the tax legislation for 2019 envisage introduction of the differentiation of contributions on compulsory social insurance. Thus, if the employees salary is 200 manats, the social insurance contributions will remain at the current level: the employee pays 3 percent of the salary, and the employer pays 22 percent. If the employees salary exceeds 200 manats, it is proposed to apply another deduction principle: the employee pays 6 manats and 10 percent of the amount exceeding 200 manats, and the employer pays 44 manats and 15 percent of the amount exceeding 200 manats. These changes also affect those working in the private sector and not engaged in the oil and gas sector. At the same time, the Ministry of Taxes will control social security payments and unemployment insurance. (1.7 manats = 1 USD on Nov. 8) --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Azerbaijani insurance company Qala Insurance plans to open several representative offices in the economic zones of Azerbaijan in 2019, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Qala Insurance Taleh Yunsurov said on Nov. 8. Yunsurov said that in 2018 representative offices were opened in Lankaran, Ganja, Sumgait, Tovuz and a representative office is also expected to open in Imishli. "Qala Insurance has been integrating into the market under a new brand for three years. In accordance with the development strategy, a program is planned to promote the brand in all economic zones of Azerbaijan," Yunsurov added. Earlier, Qala Insurance (formerly known as Chartis Azerbaijan) was a subsidiary of American International Group Inc. (AIG Inc.). In September 2015, the Azerbaijani reinsurance company AzRe bought out Chartis Azerbaijan for 6.5 million manats. (1 USD = 1.7 AZN on Nov. 8) --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend In 2019, the subsistence minimum in Azerbaijan is proposed to be set at the level of 180 manats, and the need criteria - at the level of 143 manats, the Chairman of the State Statistical Committee Tahir Budagov said Nov. 8 at the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Labor and Social Policy. He said the proposed amount of the subsistence minimum is a figure which corresponds to reality. "I believe that the establishment of a living minimum at this level will contribute to the reduction of poverty rate from 5.4 to 5.1 percent," Budagov said. As for the need criteria, the chairman of the State Statistical Committee noted that it is planned to set this indicator at a level higher than the current years figure. "In 2019, the need criterion for the allocation of targeted social aid is planned to be raised and to be set at the level of 143 manats," Budagov said. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Abdul Kerimkhanov The new leadership of Armenia has no choice, but to liberate Azerbaijani lands from occupation, said MP Tahir Rzayev. The deputy noted that the head of the Azerbaijani state in his speeches repeatedly called on Armenia to observe the norms of international law. Rzayev considers that Armenian authorities must abandon the occupation policy, execute the decisions of international organizations and withdraw their troops from Azerbaijani lands. "The Armenian authorities must understand that Nagorno-Karabakh is originally Azerbaijani land and the Azerbaijani people will never accept the occupation. Even a tiny part of Azerbaijani lands cannot remain under occupation. The goal of President Ilham Aliyev is to solve this problem peacefully. Therefore, the head of state urged the current leadership of Armenia not to repeat the mistakes of the former authorities," he said. The MP stressed that the new authorities of Armenia should understand that the Azerbaijani army is capable of liberating its lands from occupation at any moment. "It is regrettable that the current leadership of Armenia adheres to the path of the previous government, is following the path of the gangster regime, not wanting to abandon its aggressive policy," Rzayev said. After the recent statements of the President of Azerbaijan made during the trip to Agdam region, official Yerevan should seriously think, he concluded. 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. As a result of Armenia's armed invasion into Azerbaijan's legal territory, the two neighboring countries have remained locked in a bitter territorial dispute over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which Armenia-backed separatists seized from Azerbaijan in a bloody war in the early 1990s. 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. Despite Baku's best efforts, peace in the occupied lands remains a mirage in the distance as Armenia refuses to comply with international law. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has signed an order approving funds for the construction of a new school in Basgal settlement in Ismayilli. Under the presidential order, one million manats will be allocated to the Ministry of Education for the construction of the 432-seat school in the settlement. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Sara Israfilbayova The trilateral formats of cooperation with Azerbaijan contribute to the development of the region. The Turkish presidential administration told Trend that there are such cooperation formats as Turkey-Georgia-Azerbaijan, Turkey-Iran-Azerbaijan and Turkey-Azerbaijan-Turkmenistan. The formats of cooperation with Azerbaijan are very important, the Turkish presidential administration noted. It was also noted that the presence of Azerbaijan in all tripartite formats once again proves the countrys importance not only for Turkey, but also for other countries included in the format. Regarding the importance of Azerbaijan for Turkey, it was noted that Azerbaijan is the most reliable political and economic partner of the country. Relations with Azerbaijan are of strategic importance for Turkey, the presidential administration said. Azerbaijan and Turkey enjoy strong and developing economic ties, especially in terms of huge energy projects on the transportation of Azerbaijans oil and gas resources to the European and world markets through the Turkish territory. The cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey in all spheres, including political, economic, energy, transport, trade, regional security, military and other spheres is at the highest level. Today, about 3.400 Turkish companies operate in Azerbaijan and more than 2,300 Azerbaijani companies operate in Turkey. These companies invest a large amount of money into the economies of both countries. According to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan, the trade turnover with Turkey in 2017 was $2.64 billion, $1.37 billion of which was for export to that country. The trade turnover between the two countries in 2017 grew by 14.8 percent. In the first quarter of the current year, the Azerbaijani-Turkish trade turnover amounted to $573.1 million (an increase of 3.7 percent over the year). --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Abdul Kerimkhanov Attempts of Armenia to find loopholes for a breakthrough from isolation, in which it found itself due to unwillingness to liberate the occupied lands of Azerbaijan and restore regional stability, look funny. Armenian Deputy Minister Ara Nazaryan declared in parliament that Black Sea partners will help Armenia open new transport routes, in connection with which Yerevan is negotiating with Georgia, Bulgaria and Greece. Thus, the country allegedly intends to break the blockade imposed by Turkey and Azerbaijan. However, it is only about the intensification of the Armenian business in the Black Sea ports and the transit of goods through Armenia from Iran to Europe. Armenia is not going to build new corridors and expand infrastructure. The country simply has no money for it. As for the Black Sea partners of Armenia, they are clearly not eager to spend money on such hazy projects. It becomes clear that Armenia should not hope that with the help of BSEC it will be possible to ensure economic development and solve all political issues. Moreover, the BSEC participants clearly demonstrate dissatisfaction with the policy pursued by the Armenian authorities. Armenia faced a diplomatic failure during the meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC) in Kyiv in November 2017. At the time, PABSEC adopted a declaration dedicated to the 25th anniversary of its creation. This declaration includes an amendment proposed by the Ukrainian delegation on the need to promote the restoration of the territorial integrity of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation states. This amendment has caused a really hysteria in Yerevan. In protest against the unfavourable amendments, the delegation of Armenia left the assembly hall. But most importantly, Yerevan declared that it turns out that the delegates from Armenia were not invited to discuss these amendments. So, for isolated Armenia, there was no choice but to just silently swallow an offence. The Black Sea Economic Cooperation as an interstate association was established in 1992 at the Istanbul Summit of Heads and Governments of the Black Sea region states. BSEC is a regional international organization focusing on multilateral political and economic initiatives aimed at fostering cooperation, peace, stability and prosperity in the Black Sea region. BSEC Headquarters is located in Istanbul (Turkey). With the entry into force of its Charter on May 1, 1999, BSEC acquired international legal identity and was transformed into a full-fledged regional economic organization: Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation. With the accession of Serbia (then Serbia and Montenegro) in April 2004, the Organizations Member States increased to twelve. An important aspect of the activities of BSEC is the development of SME and entrepreneurship in the member countries. It currently includes 12 countries, namely Albania, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine and Armenia. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Are you lost in the wild? Sorry, but the page you're looking for has not been found Try checking the URL for errors, goto home or try to search below. Dubai-based Lloyds Energy submitted a letter of interest to state-run Philippine National Oil Co. to participate in the selection of the agencys joint-venture partner to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the Batangas liquefied natural gas hub. Lloyds Energy also purchased eligibility requirements and confirmed the attendance of its representatives to the pre-eligibility conference set by PNOC on Nov. 16. PNOC recently launched the solicited, competitive tender to select its joint venture partner to develop the LNG project in Batangas. Lloyds Energy, along with China Kaicheng Energy Ltd., has a proposal for the development and construction of an integrated LNG hub. PNOC is one of the three companies shortlisted by the Department of Energy to build and operate the first liquefied natural gas import terminal. Lloyds Energys earlier expressed interest to pursue several major projects with PNOC to enhance and strengthen their relations through the establishment of joint venture agreements and maximize the potential of their expertise and capabilities to develop the LNG industry in the Philippines. Aside from the LNG Project, Lloyds Energy intends to pursue other projects with the PNOC particularly in the development of LNG facilities, oil reserves and the training of Filipino manpower for work in LNG industries in the Philippines and overseas, the company said. Officials of Lloyds Energy including chief operating officer David Howe and executive director Brett Wight met with PNOC president and chief executive Reuben Lista to express Lloyds Energys interest in pursuing the projects.We believe in the vision of the PNOC under the leadership of president Lista to invest not only in the development and construction of LNG facilities but also in the training of Filipino workers to improve their skills and abilities and contribute in the growth of the LNG industry in the Philippines, said Wight. Lloyds Energy also met with Energy Department officials recently to discuss their proposal for the development of an integrated LNG hub. The development of the LNG hub in the Philippines is a major achievement that would ensure the countrys gas supply and address the demand for increased energy given the high growth economy, Howe said earlier. Lloyds Energy is a Dubai-based company established in 2013 with the strategic aim of delivering LNG to the global market. It has grown rapidly by establishing strong international alliances with LNG companies, off-takers and major engineering groups specializing in LNG. It has a team of experts with extensive experience and credentials in the gas and oil business. Lloyds Energy continues to expand its activities in the LNG supply chain sector through broad and innovative service offerings. By Trend The President of South Korea will visit Uzbekistan in 2019, Uzbek media reported citing Director of the Institute of Strategic and Regional Studies (ISRI) under the president of Uzbekistan Vladimir Norov as saying during at international conference Forum Korea-Asia 2018 in Seoul. Norov said, it is planned to discuss the development of bilateral cooperation in the fields of industrial and agricultural production, energy cooperation, development of logistics and infrastructure, interaction in the field of environment and technology, strengthening of international contacts during the "Uzbekistan-Korea: Vision for the Future" workshop in Tashkent on Nov. 29-30. Following the results of the conference, a joint research report on the development of bilateral relations between Uzbekistan and South Korea, as well as specific proposals for the upcoming visit of President Moon Jae-in to Uzbekistan will be prepared. "Uzbekistan, having a geographical advantage, is ready and interested in becoming the center of attraction for South Korean business in entering Afghanistan market and other markets of the former Soviet Union, the Middle East, South and Central Asia," Norov emphasized. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Prospects for strengthening cooperation between Kazakhstan and Estonia in the field of digitalization and innovative technologies were discussed at a meeting of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev with Estonian Prime Minister Juri Ratas, the presidents official website said in a statement. Nazarbayev thanked Ratas for his personal participation in the opening ceremony of the Astana Hub international technology park of IT start-ups. The president also stressed the rich experience of Estonia in digital technologies. The head of state also pointed to the need to increase trade relations between the two countries and focused on the priority areas for the development of economic cooperation. Nazarbayev spoke about the infrastructure programs being implemented in Kazakhstan, facilities being built within their framework and the results of projects to increase the transit and transport potential. The president also noted the importance of establishing cooperation in manufacturing, agriculture, pharmaceuticals and other sectors of the economy. Ratas, in turn, noted that the development of Kazakhstan can be evidenced by the infrastructure facilities of Astana. The Estonian PM expressed interest in the implementation of joint projects in the field of digitalization and transport and logistics, as well as in the expansion of investment cooperation. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend As a result of a major accident involving a truck of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia, four conscripts were killed, Armenian media reported on Nov. 7. The accident occurred around noon in Goris, a town in Armenia's south, reports said. The victims are Hayrapet Nairyan, Hrant Gasparyan, Edgar Hunanyan and Davit Melkonyan. All four soldiers were born in 1998. Other servicemen also got injured and were taken to the hospitals of Goris and Sisian. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Uzbekistan proposes to discuss the conjugation of the South Korean New Northern Policy strategy, Chinas One Belt - One Way initiative and the EUs strategy to improve the interconnection of Europe and Asia, Podrobno.uz quoted Vladimir Norov, the Director of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies (ISRS) under the President of Uzbekistan, during a speech at the International Forum Korea-Asia 2018 Conference in Seoul. The expert said the access to international seaports is extremely important for Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries. According to estimates by the Boston Consulting Group company, Uzbekistan loses up to 20 percent of GDP due to the geographical isolation of the region, because the transport and transit costs reach 70-80 percent of the value of the exported products. Moreover, the carriers lose up to 40 percent of the time for transportation of goods due to imperfections in customs procedures, Norov said. He also added that Uzbekistan considers the New Northern Policy strategy put forward by South Korea to be very relevant and regards it as an important contribution to the revival of the once existed ancient Great Silk Road under the new modern realities. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Turkey and Turkmenistan will discuss regional issues during Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglus two-day-visit to Ashgabat on Nov. 8, the Turkish Foreign Ministry told Trend. "During the visit Cavusoglu will meet with Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov and discuss the development of bilateral relations," the ministry said. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Representatives of Uzpromstroybank JSCB and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) held a meeting, during which they discussed the terms of the loan raised for the construction of the head office of the Uzbek bank in the Tashkent City business center, Uzbek media reported. Following the talks, an exclusive agreement was signed between the head of the ICBC delegation and the chairman of Uzpromstroybank to provide a mandate on the construction of the office. Also, during the meeting, issues of cooperation between the banks of the two countries were discussed as part of the implementation of investment projects aimed at expanding the production capacities of Uzbekistans enterprises. In particular, the Chinese side was proposed projects for the production of high-quality rolled metal, expansion of the production capacity of Kuvasoycement JSC and the construction of a cement plant Yaypancement LLC. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Laman Ismayilova If you're planning a trip to the Land of Fire, Lankaran is obviously one of the most beautiful country's regions. A wonderful climate and spectacular natural landscapes are the hallmarks of this subtropical country's region. Lankaran is the land of mountains, forests, citrus fruits and tea plantations. A festival of goods titled "Tea, brown rice and citrus fruits" is will be held in country`s southern region for the second time. The festival, organized by Lankaran Executive Power will take place in the Heydar Aliyev memorial park on November 10, Sputnik Azerbaijan reported. Citrus fruits, tea and brown rice will be showcased at the pavilions in the park. Local businesses, farms, tourist facilities in the pavilions will be laid tea tables with natural tea and sweets. In addition, talented chefs will present more than 50 types of pilaf, levengi and much more. The festival will feature musical numbers of amateur ensembles, numbers with the participation of young people and athletes will be shown. The festival will end with a gala concert and fireworks. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office General Manager Alexander Balutan has expressed its support in House Bill 5026, which aims to eradicate illegal numbers games in the country. Introduced by Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, House Bill No. 5026 declares PCSOs Philippine lotto and Small Town Lottery the solely recognized legal numbers game and is currently undergoing deliberations at the House Committee on Games and Amusements. If the bill turns into law, it will be a big boost against our fight against all illegal numbers games such as jueteng, masiao, last two-digits, and the likes, according to Balutan. Jueteng and other illegal numbers games are sources of funds that politicians use to buy votes and money for their campaign sorties and they are using dummies to operate this kind of illegal number games, revealed Balutan. PCSO has a list of names of local chief executives abetting various sorts of illegal number games ranging from jueteng, masiao or the last two-digits numbers games. Let us support STL and stop illegal numbers games that are affecting PCSOs legal and charitable games, Balutan said. Balutan, however, admits that it is difficult to eradicate the illegal numbers game because it has become widespread in Central Luzon to Southern Luzon provinces, including Bicol; while masiao and the last two-digit games are rampant in the Visayas and Mindanao regions. Meanwhile, Suarez said that, nationalizing the STL alone will generate around 800,000 jobs nationwide. This will benefit people who may be under-qualified in other jobs due to educational attainment, health conditions, or previous record of drug use. Additionally, this will also prevent unemployed people to resort to criminal acts just to feed their families. At present, there are 82 STL operating agents nationwide with the termination of five Authorized Agents Corporations recently.From January to September 2018, STL has contributed P19.79 billion to the coffers of the state-operated charity office. Institutionalizing the STL will bring in more income for the government while simultaneously providing gainful employment to many Filipinos, especially those who live below poverty line, said Balutan. As I have mentioned before, STL is transparent and regulated by the government. Therefore, patrons of this numbers game are assured of a fair-and-square chance of winning, he added. The nationwide implementation of STL will lead to the realization of its full economic potential and benefits. In June 2018, STL already contributed P2 million to the charity fund. The STL program has already raised P9.7 billion as revenue from January to May 2018, which makes STL a significant and efficient source of revenue for the government, according to Suarez. While STL is still gaining foothold in most provinces where illegal numbers games are rampant, Suarez said that the PCSO should increase its efforts in the expansion of this program. Last year, President Duterte issued Executive Order No. 13 which orders law enforcement agencies to intensify the campaign against illegal gambling. It is through STL that the people are assured of a transparent and fair game while government earns revenues for its medical and charitable programs. It is a win-win for all, but it is game over for illegal gamblers and operators, Suarez said. (You can do it. Dont stop. Dont be nervous. Ill take care of everything. Just continue the fight). Thus said President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to former MMDA OIC chairman and General Manager Tim Orbos whom he assured of his full support in the latters bid for a seat in the House of Representatives. With these words, Orbos said he is more inspired and determined to face the challenges in his political career. Orbos recently filed his candidacy in the first district of Pangasinan accompanied by four Pangasinan governors - incumbent Gov. Amado Pogi Espino III, former Governors Rafael M. Colet, Oscar Orbos and Amado T. Espino Jr. The commitment for public service runs in the family. Orbos, 53, is the younger brother of former executive secretary and Transportation Secretary Oscar Orbos who also served as governor and first district representative of Pangasinan. Tim Orbos was a member of the Duterte Cabinet then serving as Officer in Charge of the MMDA then later as undersecretary in the Department of Transportation.His first assignment in the Duterte administration was as OIC chairman and General Manager of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority. He also served under two Philippine presidents: First as undersecretary in the Office of the President under President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and as assistant secretary in the Office of the President and MMDA assistant general manager under President Benigno Aquino III. He was also chairman, vice chairman and member of the board in several entities such as the Metro Manila Council, Regional Development Council, Metro Manila Disaster Risk Management Council, Light Rail Transit Authority, Climate Change Commission, and NEDA, among others. Orbos earned his undergraduate degree from the Ateneo de Manila University and pursued post graduate studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Georgetown University in the U.S. A recipient of various commendations and citations from various local and international organizations, Orbos is highly qualified to represent the first district of Pangasinan following on the accomplishments of his brother. Dutertes confidence on the younger Orbos capabilities inspired the latter to present himself to the constituents of the province as an alternative candidate. You can reach Sam Morgen at 661-395-7415 or smorgen@bakersfield.com. You may also follow him on Twitter @smorgenTBC. Philippine Airlines is suspending more than 120 flights from Nov. 15 to 20 following the governments appeal to carriers to reduce the number of flights at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in line with the transition phase leading to an enhanced air navigational system. Philippine Airlines is heeding the call by cancelling several flights within the month of November, said PAL corporate communications head and spokesperson Ma. Cielo Villaluna. At least 60 domestic flights and 68 international flights will be affected by the said cancellation. Among the domestic flights affected are to and from Bacolod, Iloilo, Dumaguete, Cagayan de Oro, Dipolog, Tacloban, Puerto Princesa, Laoag, Kalibo, Tagbilaran, Davao, Cotabato, and General Santos. The international flights affected are to and from Hong Kong, Dubai, Pudong, Narita, Singapore, Dammam, Bangkok, Jakarta, Riyadh, Melbourne, Fukuoka, Denpasar, Doha, and Xiamen. Villaluna said affected passengers who have provided their email addresses when they booked their original flights will receive notifications of the cancellation. We are advising affected passengers to rebook their flights within thirty days from original travel date; rebooking fees will be waived. Other options available are rerouting and refunding, she added. On Thursday, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines officials said a number of domestic and international flights at the NAIA were canceled by airlines in response to the governments call to reduce the number of flights.CAAP chief information officer and spokesperson Eric Apolonio said the request was addressed to all airlines and will be affecting arriving flights from Nov.15 to 20. The flight reduction has been coordinated amongst Philippine-based airlines and the Airport Coordination Australia (ACA). It is the airlines discretion as to which flights to cancel, said Apolonio. The NAIA, the countrys premier gateway, currently caters to 40 flights each hour. With the reduction of flights, at least four arrival flights will be canceled per hour. Apolonio said the reduction of flights was decided as a safety measure as the old Manila ACC radar, which has a limited capacity, undergoes a transition phase to the Communications, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) system, which can cover the whole country. The CNS/ATM system is expected to enhance the safety and efficiency of air traffic and airspace management in the country. The CAAP wishes to advise the public that this necessary measure is only temporary and will be effective for a short period to ensure a smooth transition and cut over process from the old radar system to a more enhanced air navigation system, said Apolonio. He added that the new system will provide a safer and more efficient air travel that will ultimately inure to the benefit of all for the flying public. Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista, as well as ex-mayor and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., want the Commission on Audit to explain the basis of its report that Makati City has dislodged Quezon City as the countrys richest locality in 2017. In an interview, city administrator Aldrin Cuna said he would write CoA chairperson Michael Aguinaldo within the week to ask what the basis of the commissions audit finding was. I think it [CoA] has an insufficient basis that Makati City is no. 1. Come to think of it, Quezon City has a P19-billion budget, while Makati has a P15-billion budget only, he told the Manila Standard. It is just okay if Makati has overtaken in terms of infrastructure and removable assets. Our city is so much bigger in land area than Makati, he said. We expect CoAs report to change after I have written the commission, he added. He said the city had other infrastructure projects that had not yet been completed. We will explain that to CoA. As of now, the financial assets of both cities have not yet been taken up, he said. It is understandable why such report showed Makati is the richest when we talk about infrastructure projects, he cited.The Makati City government credited its total assets of P196.57 billion or an increase of over P141 billion in 2017 against its 2016 assets of P54.85 billion to the inclusion of public infrastructure projects in the computation of its 2017 assets. Belmonte, a District 4 representative on his last term, asked: how can that happen? Did Quezon City include that [in its assets]? he questioned. So in other words, that is an unfair comparison. Let me try... I have figured it out that it could be the reason. Ill try to look into it if there is a [uniform] formula. I will talk to CoA. I will ask the chairman if they are using the same criteria. If that is the case, then everyone must use the same criteria, he told the Manila Standard. COAs 2017 audit report posted on its official website said Makati had a total asset of P196,573.76 billion with Quezon City on the second spot with total assets of P68,332.47 billion. In 2016, Quezon City topped the list with total assets of P59.56 billion with Makati City on the second spot with P54.85 billion total assets. The scene in Park Slope, Brooklyn, on the afternoon of March 5 was, as one witness said, like "something you see in a horror movie." A white Volvo sedan sailed through a red light, hitting two mothers who were crossing the street with their young children. It left behind the crushed remnants of a baby stroller and a child's Velcro shoe. Paramedics rushed 1-year-old Joshua Lew and 4-year-old Abigail Blumenstein to the hospital, but it was too late: The children had already died. Their mothers, Lauren Lew and Ruth Ann Blumenstein, were both injured. Blumenstein, a Tony Award-winning Broadway actress who performs under the stage name Ruthie Ann Miles and had jokingly referred to herself as a member of "the Park Slope Stroller Mafia," was seven months pregnant. In May, just before her due date, she lost the unborn child. This week, the death toll continued to grow. The Volvo's driver, Dorothy Bruns, 44, was found dead in her Staten Island home on Tuesday afternoon. While the medical examiner has yet to determine a cause of death, the New York Police Department said that it appeared to be a suicide. Bruns, who was facing a potential 15-year prison sentence, had been found lying on her bed with empty prescription bottles and a note indicating that she felt she could no longer go on living, police told The Washington Post. Bruns had a history of being ticketed for running red lights and speeding in school zones. After the crash, local media outlets reported that she suffered from multiple sclerosis and occasional seizures. In May, she was charged with manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, reckless endangerment, reckless driving, and assault. Prosecutors alleged that a neurologist had previously told Bruns to stay off the road because of her history of seizures, and said that an off-duty police officer had witnessed her "foaming at the mouth" immediately after the crash. "She is the last person that should have been in a car, but . . . she continued to drive, and unfortunately two families lost children because of the defendant's selfishness," Kings County Assistant District Attorney Craig Esswein told a grand jury in May, according to the Brooklyn Paper. Bruns' attorney, on the other hand, contended that her physician had cleared her to return to work, knowing that her job delivering specialty phones to the deaf involved driving. He described the crash as a "horrific accident." Bruns was due back in court on Nov. 20, according to the New York Post . At a June bail hearing, her attorney said that she had been attacked by a mentally ill inmate while incarcerated on Rikers Island. In September, she was released on a $75,000 bond. Her attorney, David Jacobs, told the Brooklyn Paper that he didn't believe her death was related to setbacks in the court case. Unintentionally causing someone else's death can be an isolating and life-altering experience, the New Yorker reported last year. "Accidental killers" - often drivers who inadvertently hit a pedestrian or cyclist - "report experiencing symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder: flashbacks, hallucinations, nightmares, and what's known as 'moral injury,'" writer Alice Gregory noted. But there are virtually no self-help books, support groups or specialized therapists to help them with their memories or their guilt. Local officials categorized Bruns' death as yet another tragedy in the already-devastating saga. "This was an extremely painful case from moment one and I wish none of it had come to pass," New York Mayor Bill de Blasio told reporters at a Wednesday news conference. If March's fatal crash had any positive outcome, it renewed focus on traffic safety as residents immediately rallied to demand safer streets. The week after the crash, de Blasio proposed legislation that would require family members and physicians to inform the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles if they knew someone had a health condition that would prevent them from driving safely. Over the summer, city officials worked to redesign the intersection where the crash took place, and Brad Lander, Park Slope's city councilman, introduced a bill aimed cracking down on drivers with multiple red-light and speed camera violations. "Really saddened by the apparent suicide of Dorothy Bruns," Lander wrote on Twitter on Wednesday. "We need a world with far more room for the kind of accountability that offers change, healing & redemption. Promise to pursue #RecklessDriverAccountabilityAct in that spirit." WASHINGTON - For eight years, Republicans waged a war against Barack Obama's health-care law, holding dozens of repeal votes, filing lawsuits and branding it a dangerous government takeover. On Wednesday, they effectively surrendered. The day after crushing midterm election losses handed Democrats control of the House, GOP leaders signaled they had no appetite to make another go at shredding the signature accomplishment of Obama's presidency anytime soon. "I think it's pretty obvious, the Democratic House is not going to be interested in that," said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who suggested instead that lawmakers address the flaws in the Affordable Care Act "on a bipartisan basis." Beyond the practical barriers, Republicans also offered a political imperative for abandoning the nearly decade-old fight: the defeats they suffered to Democrats who ran hard against their efforts to roll back the law. The GOP faced a moment of reckoning on an issue that helped them ascend to power in 2010 and which some now believe has been part of their downfall. They must chart a path forward amid disagreements within the party about the best strategy. "The Republicans set out to 'repeal and replace' Obamacare but ended up being defined by the Democrats to devastating effect this cycle," said Dan Eberhart, a Republican donor and fundraiser. Democrats took a victory lap Wednesday after seizing control of the House and gaining governorships. They credited their victories to running a disciplined campaign that invested heavily in drawing a contrast with GOP candidates on health care. In television ads, stump speeches and debates, Democrats called out Republicans for trying to undo the ACA. They focused attention on the law's protections for people with preexisting medical conditions and urged voters to envision the consequences of losing those safeguards. "Health care was on the ballot, and health care won," said House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California. Voters most frequently chose health care as their most important issue, exit poll data shows. Meanwhile, three conservative states - Idaho, Nebraska and Utah - approved ballot measures to expand Medicaid under the ACA. Democrats said the success they had campaigning on health care, including in areas that voted for President Donald Trump in 2016, will inform future campaign strategies. Sen. Robert Casey, D-Pa., who won reelection by 12.8 percentage points in a state Trump carried in 2016, said he focused on health care "every single day." The election should serve notice that Democrats benefit from defending the law, he said. "When you don't defend something over a decade, you get your head kicked in, which we did for a lot of years," Casey said. He recalled political consultants advising Democrats in 2012 not to focus on the ACA. A turning point in the debate over health care occurred when Republicans took complete control of the government in 2017. They had used the ACA during the Obama years as a rallying cry for voters to put them in power. Once they had it, they promised, they would use it to take the law apart. They tried and failed, embarking on a contentious effort that collapsed in defeat at the hands of three Republican senators who opposed it. No Democrats supported the plan. The outcome strained relations between Trump and McConnell and marked one of the lowest points of the new Republican government. "We had Obamacare repealed and replaced. Unfortunately, one person changed his mind at the last moment," Trump said Wednesday, as he once again referenced the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. The president sounded bipartisan notes on health care, saying, "We want to do something on health care; they want to do something on health care. There are a lot of great things that we can do together." But it remains to be seen whether cooperation is possible. Last month, McConnell said the failure to repeal the law was "the one disappointment of this Congress from a Republican point of view." In an interview with Reuters, he said, "If we had the votes to completely start over, we'd do it. But that depends on what happens in a couple weeks." While Republicans did poorly in House elections, they performed well in the Senate, where most of the battlegrounds were in states Trump won. Republicans picked up three Democratic-held seats. Democrats flipped only one GOP seat. A pair of too-close-to-call races could add to the totals on each side. McConnell said Wednesday there are "serious problems with Obamacare" that need fixing. But he emphasized that they must be approached in conjunction with Democrats. At the same time, there is pressure in the conservative movement to keep up the fight to take down the law, no matter the difficulty or the political implications. "I think it needs to be repealed," conservative activist Brent Bozell said. "There's a solemn commitment that the Republican Party made with its base, and to end this effort is to betray them." In the House, Republicans will no longer control the agenda, giving them no hope of spearheading a repeal effort. "At this point, any changes are going to have to be incremental and cumulative in a divided government," said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., an ally of House Republican leaders. In addition to assailing Republicans for the 2017 repeal push, Democrats also went after some Senate candidates who signed on to a lawsuit targeting the ACA. It didn't work in Missouri, where Attorney General Josh Hawley, R, ousted Sen. Claire McCaskill, D. But allies of Hawley said there was some nervousness about the attacks near the end of the campaign. The lawsuit he joined has not yet been decided. McConnell accused Democrats of raising the "phony issue of whether or not we were for or against preexisting conditions" protections and added, "I suspect it may have worked some places." "Fortunately, in our races," McConnell said, "even though they tried to define health care on that issue, I think all of our candidates who subsequently won were able to make clear to the voters that they" supported protections. Hawley said he supported protections - but not through the ACA. Both Republicans and Democrats said that over time, and as the ACA has taken root, it has become harder for the GOP to bash it as an unfamiliar or hypothetical initiative. Polling from the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that views of the law have become more favorable in recent years. Facing a possible loss is Rep. Tom MacArthur, R-N.J., author of a House bill's provision that would have weakened the core protection for those with preexisting conditions. He trailed his Democratic rival, Andy Kim, who had widely criticized the incumbent over health care. To some Republicans, the election served as a stark reminder of the new contours of health-care politics, rather than a call to retreat from a partisan showdown. "Republicans who didn't pay attention to the implications of gutting Obamacare walked into the buzz-saw of preexisting conditions, which was a very effective issue for Democrats this year," said Steven Law, a former McConnell chief of staff who runs the Senate Leadership Fund, a conservative group. JAKARTA, Indonesia - Airplane manufacturer Boeing on Wednesday issued a bulletin to airlines worldwide warning of erroneous readings from flight-control software on its planes, after a Lion Air jetliner crashed into the sea soon after takeoff, killing the 189 people on board. Boeing, which is assisting in an investigation into what went wrong in the Oct. 29 crash of one of its new 737 Max 8 jets, said it issued the bulletin as "part of its usual process." The Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday issued an emergency notice to all operators of Boeing 737 Max 8 and 9 planes. It warned airlines that erroneous sensor inputs like the one that came into play in Indonesia "could cause the flight crew to have difficulty controlling the airplane," leading to "possible impact with terrain." Boeing's bulletin was the first indication that an error with the aircraft's systems may have caused problems for the Lion Air flight, which took off from Jakarta. At takeoff, the plane's altitude fluctuated dramatically, and the plane increased in speed before nose-diving into the Java Sea 13 minutes later. Indonesian investigators have recovered the plane's flight data recorder, which showed that the plane's airspeed indicator malfunctioned on its last four flights. "It's a stunning simple but deadly error," said Mary Schiavo, an aviation lawyer and former inspector general of the U.S. Transportation Department. "I can't even recall the number of accidents I've worked where the accident happened the first flight after maintenance. A reported problem, they supposedly fixed it, and then it goes down." Boeing's bulletin said, "The Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee has indicated that Lion Air Flight 610 experienced erroneous input from one of its AOA (Angle of Attack) sensors." A misreading in the sensor can cause a plane to dive suddenly. Indonesian investigators said Wednesday that an AOA sensor on the jet was replaced the day before the doomed flight, on Oct. 28, when a pilot flying the same aircraft on a different route, from Bali to Jakarta, reported problems with it. The pilot on the crashed Lion Air flight had asked shortly after takeoff to return to the airport in Jakarta but lost contact with air traffic controllers afterward. The Angle of Attack sensor, shown to reporters at a press conference in Jakarta on Wednesday, was manufactured by Minnesota-based Rosemount Aerospace Inc. The company did not respond to a request for comment. Schiavo said it's clear from flight-tracking data that the pilots fought to keep the plane up. "The pilots had a battle on their hands for a few minutes," she said. "They couldn't get above 5,000 feet at a time when they should have been over [10,000]. Something happened three to four minutes into the flight. They called to turn back to the airport, but they didn't call mayday, which means they didn't have time. They were fighting something." In Jakarta, investigators showed reporters the AOA sensor that was removed from the aircraft. The small black cylinder contains a sensor that controls the angle between the wing and the air it is moving through. If the angle is too high as a plane climbs, that would cause a stall. The Boeing 737 Max 8 jets are among the manufacturer's newest models and have been snapped up by airliners in booming aviation markets, including Indonesia and India.More than 200 are in service across the world, billed as the most advanced of the popular 737 jets - and capable of flying more than twice as far than the plane that debuted in 1967. Indonesian authorities would provide Boeing with information from the pilot who flew with the problematic sensor so it could be shared with other airlines, said Nurcahyo Utomo, an investigator with the National Transportation Safety Committee. Ony Suryo Wibowo, another investigator, said that it was too early to say what caused the crash. The full investigation could take a year. The two Indonesian airlines that fly the Boeing 737 Max 8 planes, national carrier Garuda and Lion Air, both declined to comment on the bulletin. Indonesian officials say that all 11 such aircraft have been tested and declared safe to fly. The 787 Max 8 is the second Boeing aircraft to experience serious technical problems soon after its introduction, leading some analysts to question whether Boeing may have overlooked quality concerns as it strives to meet rising global demand. Boeing has been working to increase production capacity at the Renton, Wash., factory where 737s are assembled. The FAA grounded Boeing's entire 787 fleet in 2013 after lithium-ion batteries overheated and caught fire. The National Transportation Safety Board later faulted Boeing as well as its battery supplier, GS Yuasa, for its approach to safety and quality control. The Seattle Times reported in August that Boeing's Renton factory has struggled to meet its production targets amid late deliveries from companies manufacturing its components. The company has sought to increase its production from 47 jets per month to 52 per month. On Wednesday, Indonesian officials said the doomed flight would be re-created at Boeing facilities in Seattle to see what role the sensor may have played. Experts have been puzzled about what could have caused the jet to go down in clear skies, unlike other major airplane disasters in which weather or older jets were major factors. The data from the flight recorder and Boeing's statement have provided the first clues, but rescuers are still searching for the device that records voices in the plane's cockpit. That recorder is expected to provide a clearer picture to investigators of the Lion Air flight's final moments. "Boeing has now introduced two aircraft that have had significant problems," said Henry Harteveldt, an analyst with the consultancy Atmosphere Research Group. "What will have to be found is, is Boeing pushing itself too hard? Are the workers moving too fast to meet production deadlines?" Still, Teal Group aerospace analyst Richard Aboulafia said the commercial passengers should not be nervous about getting on a 737 Max 8. "We're going to learn from this just like we learned from the A330," he said, referring to a 2009 incident in which an Airbus A330 crashed off the coast of Brazil with 228 people on board due to electronics failures. "The big picture is the system keeps getting safer and safer, and it's still the safest form of transportation ever designed by humans," he said. --- The Washington Post's Shibani Mahtani in Singapore and Ainur Rohmah in Jakarta and Aaron Gregg in Washington contributed to reporting. WASHINGTON - A Chinese-owned pork producer will sell at least $240,000 worth of ham products to the federal government as part of the Trump administration's farm bailout program, the administration said Wednesday. U.S. pork producer Smithfield, which is owned by the Chinese conglomerate WH Group, will sell 144,000 pounds of ham products to the federal government under the contract. The Agriculture Department is purchasing pork and other commodities from U.S. farmers to help offset the damage from retaliatory tariffs imposed by China this summer. The administration has pitched the relief as a necessary short-term measure to help farmers weather the trade battle. The Agriculture Department announced about $7.5 million worth of awards under the purchase program on Wednesday, according to a notice released by the department's Agricultural Marketing Service, which is administering the purchase program. Smithfield could receive more taxpayer money in subsequent rounds of the purchasing program. The agency said in August that it would buy $1.2 billion of products from farmers, including more than $500 million from pork producers, but the exact timing of those purchases has not been released. The Trump administration has authorized $12 billion in overall spending for the bailout program, including direct cash payments to farmers, particularly soybean producers. The Agriculture Department said last month that Smithfield qualified for the bailout money, noting that the agency would be purchasing only goods produced in the United States. Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, a farmer and member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, has expressed alarm that a Chinese-owned firm could benefit from bailout money intended to help American farmers survive a trade war with China. The awards were made public the day after the midterm elections, timing that some watchdog groups said was no coincidence. "It is highly suspicious that this announcement came a day after the midterm elections," said Tony Corbo, senior lobbyist at Food and Water Watch, which tracks federal agriculture programs. "Congress needs to exercise oversight of this program. This is an example of corporate welfare at its worst." The USDA marketing service said in a statement last month that the products it will buy are "100 [percent] American produced." In a separate statement, the USDA's central communications office said the agency could not control whether federal money given to U.S. subsidiaries would enrich their Chinese owners. "USDA does not have the ability to police whether money will eventually 'filter to the Chinese,' " a USDA spokesman said in an email. "The Department goes to great lengths to ensure we have registered, approved U.S. vendors that work closely with the Agricultural Marketing Service." Smithfield has said it meets the federal government's criteria for the program. Keira Lombardo, senior vice president of corporate affairs at Smithfield, said in an email last month that the company meets the USDA's eligibility standards and that "any approved vendor that can supply the requested product can bid for the contract." Lombardo also said that Smithfield is a U.S.-based company employing thousands of Americans and that its U.S. meat products are made in its nearly 50 domestic facilities. Smaller hog producers have expressed anger over the possibility of money flowing to foreign-owned businesses, noting that the bailout has been billed as a support for domestic firms. But the international reach of companies makes it hard to ensure that federal dollars stay in U.S. hands, regardless of their intended target. The White House created the bailout program unilaterally, without congressional approval, under a rarely used farm program from the Great Depression. Two U.S. senators - Grassley and Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., who narrowly won reelection on Tuesday - have said they will be applying for direct help from the federal government. Baguio Citys ordinance prohibiting the use of profane language may be unconstitutional because it might curtail freedom of speech and expression, Malacanang said Thursday. Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said the ordinance banning profanities in places frequented by the youth, such as schools, business establishments, and computer shops might violate the provision on freedom of speech guaranteed by the 1987 Constitution. Profane words are uttered in a moment of anger, so all of us do it, Panelo said. I have not heard of anyone not cursing when one is angry. I think even cursing is part of freedom of speech for as long as you dont injure the person that is the subject of your curse. Asked if local government units should not issue an ordinance that would curtail freedom of expression, Panelo said yes. Yeah, definitely. It may not pass the constitutional test when it is raised before the courts, he said.Its just an expression. I dont think it is or it should be prohibited. Baguio Citys Anti-Profanity Ordinance prohibits the use of profane words in places frequented by children, high school students and college students in Baguio City. Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan told DZMM that teachers and school guidance counselors were also tasked to point to students caught cursing and summon their parents immediately. As mandated under the ordinance, public spaces occupied by children are also required to put signs stating the ban. Baguio, dubbed as the Summer Capital of the Philippines, is home to over 300,000 people and of whom some are below 30 years old. Funeral services will be held Thursday in Vidor for an Orange native and her new husband who died Sunday in a helicopter crash just hours after their wedding. Will Byler and Bailee Ackerman Byler, both 24, left their reception in the Bell 260B helicopter, which crashed in northwest Uvalde County at about 1:47 a.m. The pilot, identified as 76 year-old Gerald Douglas Lawrence, also died. The newlyweds were en route to a nearby airport where they were supposed to leave for their honeymoon, said Judge Steve Kennedy, Justice of the Peace for Precinct 1 in Uvalde County. The first of two services for the couple will begin today at 2 p.m. at Turning Point Church of Vidor, according to their obituary. A second service will take place Friday in Bellville, followed by a burial in the Byler Family Cemetery at Byler Ranch. This year, Gabriel Royal moved his music from subway platforms to theaters. And while this is a desirable arc for a performing musician, he admits some anxiety. A captive audience is awesome, the cellist says. But now you can hear a pin drop in these places Im playing. So I get anxious before every show. Theres constant self-doubt. But its controllable. I think it should be that way for every artist. A little moment where you stop and have just a moment of doubt. Royal for years played on subway platforms around New York, where he moved from his native Oklahoma. Like other strap hangers, he heard plenty of free music while waiting for trains that didnt agree with him. Royal realized early on he needed to do something different than the average subway busker. The sound he found never tried to rise above the natural din of incoming and outgoing trains as they clacked along their rails. Instead, he relied on his smooth and soulful vocals and the cello, an unorthodox choice for busking. Ive written songs that are specifically for the mood on the platform, he says. The idea is to calm people down. I call them grown-up lullabies. Thats the nice thing about the cello. People just getting off work after eight hours, they want to calm down. They dont want drummers banging away. Its like shut the (expletive) up. Quiet that down. Play to the mood. Royals story plays like a film. After 10 years of busking, his doubts were beginning to shadow his faith. But I really had two things, he says. I gave myself credit because I believed I had a good sound. I knew that attracted some people to me. And I also had desperation. I was desperate. I was working the subway because I needed the money. I wasnt trying to spread love on the subway. I was trying to get $100 for rent or to eat. That was the grind I was on. Royal arrived in New York in his late 20s with a broad musical background. He played keyboards and cello, he did some drumming. He described high school as orchestra to OutKast, a group of kids from orchestra class whod meet after school and jam: jazz, fusion, hip-hop, pop, R&B, hard rock. I loved it all, man, he says. It was never genre specific. It was just about good songs. I never looked at it as cross-pollination or anything. Just good songs. That was Royals approach to playing on the train platforms: The music poured without regard to any sort of style. The sadder songs found him bowing long notes on the cello, while he went pizzicato for pluckier fare. Gabriel Royal When: 8 p.m. Saturday Where: The Grand 1894 Opera House, 2020 Postoffice, Galveston Details: $27-$100; 800-821-1894, thegrand.com See More Collapse Then comes the Hollywood-type break. Royal caught the ear of Brett Paine Murphy, who made professional-quality videos for some of the best buskers he heard in the city free of charge. That clip caught the eye of Beto Landau, a musician in New York from Brazil. Landau was taking classes in hopes of becoming a music agent. He repeatedly reached out to Royal to arrange a meeting. Royal recalls blowing off a meeting with Landau and then ended up in the same bar that day. He called me out on it, and we had a meeting the next day, Royal says. Landau had written a song for him, and that got my attention. Commercial work came in, as did festival appearances in Europe. Then a deal with a record label. It changed my life, man, Royal says. And all this happened in the past year. It sounds like a fairy tale: A kid playing in New York, some big wig wants to sign him, but thats what happened. I found a hungry manager looking for an artist. He was enthusiastic, and he was able to do all the parts of the job that I dont think I couldve done. This year Royal released Miss Once in a Blue Moon, a collection of musically and thematically varied musings on love. Theres some stuff that sounds like Burt Bacharach, he says. And other stuff that sounds like modern trap. A jazzy prelude and some classical sounding things. Royal brings this unique one-man band to the Grand 1894 Opera House Saturday, one of those lovely quiet theaters where one can hear the pin drop. But hes excited about the change in fortune with his venue. Its really a pleasure to not have to worry about not having dinner, he says. To play a gig, get paid and come home without breaking even or worse. This year has been a really good one for me. andrew.dansby@chron.com Obamacare repeal is officially dead. On to the battle over Medicare for All. Tuesday's midterm victories by Democrats mean that Republicans no longer have a path to make major changes to the Affordable Care Act. It also sets up a debate between Democrats' liberal and moderate wings over whether to embrace a broad expansion of insurance to all Americans as they prepare to challenge President Donald Trump for the presidency in 2020. Once considered an outlier position, Medicare for All has gained substantial support among Democrats, thanks to midterm primary victories by progressives who embraced it and took it into the congressional races. In its broadest terms, the proposal would expand benefits in Medicare -- which covers more than 50 million elderly or disabled Americans -- and offer it to working age people. It would be a radical change to U.S. health care, potentially dismantling much of an existing system where people get health benefits through work. It would also shift trillions of dollars that the country currently spends on private insurance. A presidential primary may ratchet up pressure on candidates to move left on health care. In the Senate, 2020 hopefuls including Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Kamala Harris of California and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts have all co-sponsored a Medicare for All bill from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. Another supporter of a public insurance option is Rep. Beto O'Rourke, who lost a challenge Tuesday night to Republican Sen. Ted Cruz in Texas, and who has emerged as one of the Democratic party's young stars. What individual politicians mean by Medicare for All may vary. Some early drafts of the Affordable Care Act included plans for a "public option" -- a government-financed competitor to private insurers. That proposal didn't make it into Obamacare in 2010, but Democrats who want to expand coverage without disrupting employer-based health plans could revive it. As Democrats fight out their future position, health care is likely to remain a line of attack for Republicans as well. Medicare for All has become a top target for Trump and his surrogates, who seem eager to paint it as socialism and a threat to current benefits for seniors. "I think the Republicans are all-in on spending the next two years saying that Medicare-for-All will break Medicare," said Rodney Whitlock, a former health-care adviser to Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, and now a consultant for ML Strategies. An Oct. 10 op-ed in USA Today under Trump's name warned that Democrats "want to outlaw private health care plans." Seema Verma, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, tweeted on Halloween that the scariest costume was a T-shirt that said "MEDICARE FOR ALL." Democrats will have to consider whether they want to embrace that proposal or advocate more moderate, incremental changes. "If this had been a blue wave, we wouldn't be having the conversation," Whitlock said. Other results from Tuesday showed how the politics of health care may be shifting. Three states -- Idaho, Nebraska and Utah -- are projected to have approved Medicaid expansion by ballot initiative, which will expand coverage substantially in those states. One Obamacare wild card is a federal lawsuit in Texas. A federal judge in Fort Worth could rule any day on whether to wipe out Obamacare, including a popular provision requiring insurers to cover pre-existing conditions. It's likely that any decision by the judge would be stayed until a higher court can review it. Republican politicians from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to the incoming Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley have committed to protections for people with pre-existing conditions, one of the most popular elements of the Affordable Care Act. The Trump administration remains responsible for running the law's marketplaces. Executive actions Trump takes may strengthen those markets or, as the president once pledged, make them implode. A Democrat-controlled House is also likely to give scrutiny to any such actions by the administration. A 44-year-old man was arrested Tuesday morning after he allegedly drove his 8-year-old child to school while under the influence, according to information from the Lumberton Police Department. Eric Kroemeke was arrested after officials witnessed him swerving through traffic on his way to an intermediate school in Lumberton to drop his child off. Police pulled him over near East Candlestick where he was arrested, LPD said. In a race closely watched by education activists, Wisconsin education chief Tony Evers ousted Republican Gov. Scott Walker in a state President Donald Trump carried in 2016, a win that activists viewed as evidence of the enduring might of teacher unions. Tuesday's midterm elections were regarded as a test of the strength of educator activism. They followed a landmark Supreme Court decision on unions and walkouts that galvanized teachers. Unprecedented numbers of educators ran for public office this year, and many more volunteered for candidates who pledged to increase education funding. Voters ranked education as one of their top issues in Arizona and Wisconsin. Nationally, education was mentioned in one-third of all television ads in governors' races, according to the Wesleyan Media Project, which tracks campaign ads. Only health care garnered more mentions. But the final grade for teachers - their success as candidates and their ability to influence races - was mixed. After the Supreme Court in June sided with a man challenging unions' ability to collect fees, many anticipated a steep drop-off in union membership and a correlating decline in their political power. Lily Eskelsen Garcia, president of the National Education Association, said she does not have firm membership numbers for her group, the nation's largest union. But the number of members who volunteered on political campaigns through the union more than doubled from 2016, she said, a spike she attributes in part to the teacher movement that clad itself in red and assumed the motto #redfored. "That #redfored wave that started in West Virginia and moved across the country . . . changed the way people talked about public schools," Garcia said, adding that it raised public awareness of the decrepit condition of some classrooms. In deep-red states, Republican governors kept their seats as expected, fending off challenges from Democrats backed by teacher activists. Several teachers energized by walkouts decided to run for office - but many of them, political newcomers, lost. In Oklahoma, the GOP held on to the governor's office despite opposition from teacher activists who had sought salary increases and enhanced investments in classrooms. Several teachers inspired by the walkouts lost bids for statehouse seats. Even if they didn't win seats, teacher activists left a mark on the Oklahoma legislature. In the spring, teachers shut down schools to protest low pay and school funding cuts. They persuaded lawmakers to give them raises and to make a historic investment in public schools - underwritten by a tax on the oil and gas industry. They exacted revenge on Republican lawmakers who dared to oppose them: In primaries and runoff elections leading up to Tuesday, education activists helped unseat eight Republican incumbents who voted against the measure that put more money into schools and raised teacher pay. Some of those vanquished lawmakers will be replaced by Republicans who pledged to side with the teachers in the next funding fight. Alberto Morejon, the middle-school social studies teacher who helped organize the statewide teacher walkout, wrote Tuesday night to a walkout Facebook group that "there is no doubt that the results of tonight's major race was disappointing. However, what we've accomplished overall is nothing short of history. "Many seats in both the House, Senate, and various other positions are now filled with Pro Public Education candidates." Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, R, handily fended off Democratic challenger David Garcia, an education professor favored by many teachers. But voters rejected a measure Ducey championed that would have made nearly every student eligible for private-school vouchers. Voters in several states weighed in on measures that will affect public schools. Coloradans voted down an initiative to tax affluent residents to fund schools. Nearly three-quarters of Alabama voters supported a measure to allow the Ten Commandments to be posted in public places, including at schools. School shooting survivors from Parkland, Florida, who campaigned for stronger gun restrictions, went to bed disheartened as Republican Rick DeSantis, endorsed by the National Rifle Association, narrowly edged out his Democratic challenger in the governor's race. Still, teacher unions and education activists celebrated notable victories. In Kansas, many teachers marked the ascension of Democratic lawmaker Laura Kelly to the governor's office. Kelly had fought to get her colleagues to comply with a state Supreme Court decision to increase school funding, and she campaigned on raising education spending. It appeared to be a winning strategy as she defeated far-right candidate Kris Kobach, whose extremist views cost him the support of Republican colleagues. Democratic teachers and education leaders were heartened by the victory of Jahana Hayes, the 2016 National Teacher of the Year, who is slated to become the first black congresswoman from Connecticut. She faced long odds, first by beating in the primary the candidate endorsed by the Democratic establishment. It was a position she's accustomed to: She was raised in public housing by a mother addicted to drugs, and she became pregnant at 17, eventually making it to college with the help of high school teachers. In her victory speech Tuesday, Hayes evoked the nickname for her hometown of Waterbury, Connecticut, while addressing skeptics who said the former history teacher was not cut out for the job. "Not only am I made for this," Hayes said, "I'm Brass City made for this." - - - The Washington Post's Laura Meckler contributed to this report. Five in 10 Filipinos said they are in favor of theas proposed by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, an independent pollster said Thursday. The latest Social Weather Stations survey found that 51 percent of Filipinos approved of PDEAs proposal for mandatory drug testing for students Grade 4 and up.while the remaining 13 percent were undecided. The newest figure yields a net agreement of 15 percent, which SWS classified as moderately strong. READ: Mandatory dope test on students triggers uproar Net agreement with the proposal was highest in the Visayas at a very strong +47 (69 percent agree, 21 percent disagree, correctly rounded), followed by Mindanao at a moderately strong +25 (51 percent agree, 26 percent disagree), the SWS said. Metro Manila at a moderately strong +17 percent, and Balance Luzon at a neutral -6, the pollster added. the same report, the SWS also found that 76 percent of those polled were satisfied with the administrations continuous crackdown on illegal drugs, while 12 percent were dissatisfied. This is 1 point below the very good +65 in June 2018 and is similar to the very good +64 in March 2018, SWS said. SWS attributed the one-point drop in net satisfaction with the anti-illegal drug campaign in September to the decrease in support in Mindanao and Metro Manila. It added that the net satisfaction in Mindanao remained excellent with +70 percent despite the 14-point plunge from +84 percent in June. In Metro Manila, it dropped from +67 percent in June to +55 percent in September. In Balance Luzon, net satisfaction went up from +58 percent in June to +66 percent in September while the rating in the Visayas remained very good with +58. The pollster also underscored that the net satisfaction with the performance of President Rodrigo Duterte was higher among those satisfied with the campaign against illegal drugs, with a rating of +67 percent, compared to +31 percent, among those undecided about the anti-illegal drug campaign and the neutral -4 among those dissatisfied with the campaign. The Palace said the survey showed what is expected, that a majority of Filipinos support the Presidents war on drugs. That is expected because at the inception the President believes that the majority of the Filipinos are, if not the overwhelming majority, support his drive against drugs and criminality as well as corruption, said Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo in a Palace press briefing Thursday. The survey, conducted from Sept. 15 to 23, used face-to-face interviews among 1,500 adults nationwide. It has sampling error margins of 3 percent for national percentages and 6 percent each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao. The Palace said Thursday the PDEA proposal breaks no laws, and said the drug menace justified mandatory testing in grade schools. I think thats a good idea because at least the parents will know whether or not their children are addicted or being used in the drug industry, he said. He played down the need to amend laws to clear the way for drug testing at such an early stage of schooling.I dont think there is a need for that, because that is for the benefit of the family, I think all parents would welcome that. I will welcome it as a parent, he said. There is a drug menace in this countrythat would be the basis. Parens patriae doctrine is another [which states] that the state is responsible for the safety of the citizens in a country, said Panelo. Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte said illegal drugs have become a national security issue. Panelo said he did not think any parents would oppose the drug tests. PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino said the support of the Palace would be a step forward in Dutertes anti-illegal drugs campaign. PDEA has been pushing for the mandatory and surprise drug testing for all students from Grades 4 to college students as part of the agencys holistic approach to curb illegal drugs to genuinely save our children from the grip of this menace, said Aquino in a statement sent to Palace reporters. Aquino said his desire to conduct mandatory drug test among Grade 4 to college level was the result of anti-drug operations that involved 1,820 minors. The youngest outlaw, according to Aquino, was a 6-year-old drug pusher. This only proves that the prevalence of illegal drugs among students has reached a level of alarm and concern. A serious and immediate response is needed from PDEA and other government agencies, he added. The Department of Education, however, contested the proposal and wanted to keep PDEAs hands away from the children, saying such testing must start on the high school level as putting children in drug tests can destroy a childs life. Under the RA 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, only students from secondary and tertiary schools will, pursuant to the related rules and regulations as contained in the schools student handbook and with notice to the parents, undergo random drug testing. Provided, that all drug testing expenses whether in public or private schools under this section will be borne by the government, the law says. In the Senate, Senator Panfilo Lacson said instead of killing street pushers, police should exhaust efforts to arrest them so they can lead the authorities to big-time suppliers of illegal drugs. Lacson, a former chief of police, offered this formula to anti-drug agencies so they can deal the drug trade a major blow. Dont kill the street pushers; arrest them. Make them lead you to the big-time suppliers, then finish the job by engaging those suppliers in a shootout. Get another street pusher and continue the cycle, Lacson said in a post on his Twitter account on Thursday. When he headed the PNP from 1999 to 2001, Lacson employed a two-pronged strategy against illegal drugs, focusing not only on the demand side but also the supply side. This meant going after not just the pushers on the streets, but also after those supplying the illegal drugs. Earlier, Lacson urged the PDEA and Dangerous Drugs Board to focus their efforts on the so-called big fish. He said that while police are capable of going after street peddlers, the two agencies should concentrate on those at the higher levels. The PDEA is the specialized agency implementing the governments efforts against illegal drugs, while the DDB is the policy-making body. LONDON - Prince Charles has especially strong views on many things: plastic pollution, modern architecture, organic farming, and even the plight of the Patagonian toothfish. But the heir to the British throne insists he will stop meddling in controversial - or even mainstream - issues after he ascends to the throne. "I'm not that stupid," said Charles, Queen Elizabeth II's eldest son, when asked if he would continue to publicly campaign after he becomes king. "I do realize that it is a separate exercise being sovereign. So of course I understand entirely how that should operate." The comments, which come from a one-hour BBC documentary, "Prince, Son And Heir: Charles At 70," mark the first time he has publicly addressed concerns that he could be a meddling monarch. Unlike his inscrutable mother Elizabeth, who can discuss issues like Brexit in neutral tones, Charles has triggered criticism - and praise - for his controversial views. Perhaps most famously, he once called a planned extension at London's National Gallery a "monstrous carbuncle." (The design was later scrapped.) The future king also came scrutiny following the publication of a cache of letters he penned to government ministers - dubbed the "black spider memos" because of Charles' scrawled handwriting - that showed him to be a supporter of a number of causes. "Charles will never be neutral just as he will never be party political," wrote Catherine Mayer in her book, "Charles: The Heart of a King." She continued: "For better or for worse - in my final analysis, more often for better than for worse - the Prince is a man with a mission, a knight on a quest." Charles, who turns 70 next week, is the longest-serving heir apparent in British history. In the BBC documentary, he said that he will operate within "constitutional parameters" when he becomes monarch, which is a "completely different" role to being the Prince of Wales, as the heir in Britain is known. "The idea somehow that I'm going to go on in exactly the same way, if I have to succeed, is complete nonsense because the two - the two situations - are completely different," he said, according to excerpts of the documentary released ahead of its broadcast on Thursday evening. The documentary features interviews with his sons Prince William, who said he would like to see his father spend more time with his grandkids, and Prince Harry, who praised his father for walking Meghan down the aisle when her own father couldn't make the wedding. While Charles said he understood that being king would be different to being heir, he did defend his activism. "If it's meddling to worry about the inner cities as I did 40 years ago," he said, "if that's meddling, I'm very proud of it." Former U.S. Rep. Nick Lampson, who lost his bid for Jefferson County judge by 949 votes, pored over precinct voting numbers Wednesday in search of about what happened in his race with incumbent Jeff Branick. Lampson said he wasnt interested in a recount. We know turnout was good. We succeeded with getting turnout largely where we wanted it, he said. There were just bigger dynamics. He cited larger than just local interest in the race for the countys top seat, pointing to Gov. Greg Abbotts endorsement of Branick and an October GOP rally that brought Fox News personality Sean Hannity and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, to Beaumont. Lampson, whose political career began in 1977 when he was elected Jefferson Countys tax assessor-collector and included two stints in Congress, did not say whether he will seek elected office again. But he insisted that he would continue to be involved in the community. The 73-year-old Beaumont native wasnt the only candidate from cities and counties across Southeast Texas who busied themselves Wednesday tying up loose ends from an Election Night marked by close results. Some began preparing for a runoff, while others decided whether to request a recount. In Groves, which requires candidates to garner more than 50 percent of the vote to win, a runoff election for mayor will be held in 20 to 30 days. In the citys first contested mayoral election in a decade, nine-term incumbent Mayor Brad P. Bailey led his closest challenger, community activist Suzanne Williamson, by just 101 votes in complete but unofficial returns. Kaelan Ramos, 21, claimed a crucial 6 percent of votes. A date for the deciding election had not been set as of Wednesday afternoon, City Clerk Kimbra Lowery said. City Council will meet in special session Nov. 15 to set the date, she said. Groves voters were less divided about whether to oust Councilman Cross Coburn from his Ward 1 seat. Nearly two-thirds of them said the 19-year-old must go, and Lowery said City Council will fill the seat at a future date. The recall effort began after nude screenshot photos of him from a dating app were anonymously mailed to City Hall in February. A Groves resident launched the successful recall petition that led to Tuesdays vote. Two Jefferson County races that were also decided by slim margins are not expected to lead to recounts. Republican Bailey Wingate, who lost to incumbent County Clerk Carolyn Guidry by 1,313 votes, said he doesnt plan to request a recount. In the County Treasurers race, incumbent Tim Funchess lost to Democrat Charlie Hallmark. Funchess said he might have requested a recount if the margin had been closer than the 666 votes registered in the unofficial results. But Funchess said he is not asking for a recount at this time. Bevil Oaks will not have a runoff election for the Ward 1 Council race, even though no candidate secured at least 50 percent of the vote. Tanya Linderman led the four-person contest and will be seated in accordance with local rules. Also Wednesday, Hardin County officials announced results from two late races. Incumbent Melissa Missy Minton, a Republican, beat Thomas Tony Templeton for the Precinct 5 justice of the peace position. Brandon Kunk beat Bendy M. Lee for Kountze ISD Trustee, Place 1. It was the close balloting in his high-profile race for Jefferson County judge that had Lampson wondering if his team got outworked by the other side or if big-name Republican support played the bigger role in Branicks victory. The governors endorsement and the appearance of Hannity and Cruz in the election runup were pretty big guns for a local race, Lampson said. Trying to understand that will give us an indication of what we might do differently in the future, if anything, he said. kaitlin.bain@beaumontenterprise.com phoebe.suy@beaumontenterprise.com Opposition senators on Thursday questioned why there was only one qualified bidder for the entry of a third telecoms operator in the Philippines. They also questioned the expertise of Dennis Uy, the man behind China Telecom, the provisional winning bidder. Why only one qualified bidder? What is Dennis Uys expertise and what does he know about Telcos? the senators belonging to the Minority said in a statement. What qualified it in the first place? Why were the other bidders booted out? What is the track record of the winning bidder in the telecommunications business? Was the governments opening up the bidding to other players just a formality? The senators made their statement even as an opposition lawmaker on Thursday welcomed the governments selection of a third telecommunications player to boost the countrys mobile Internet services. We are counting on the newcomer to compete brutally with the nations two dominant players in delivering faster mobile Internet connection speeds at a lower price, said Makati City Rep. Luis Campos Jr., a deputy minority leader. The senators said the government must be extremely careful because of the legal questions that might be asked, recalling the controversial the China-funded government contracts such as the ZTE NBN deal and the Northrail project that were eventually scrapped due to irregularities. We dont want the China Telecom joint venture to be NBN-ZTE part 2, said Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and Senators Risa Hontiveros, Leila de Lima, Francis Pangilinan and Antonio Trillanes IV.They insisted that the Philippines telecommunications sector needed more industry players for the sake of the tens of millions of Filipino consumers who deserved quality Internet and mobile services. We long for a time when Filipinos would have free access to the Internet, when we could use our mobile phones without experiencing drop calls, when text messages would arrive on time, and when our private data would not be used without our knowledge or consent for commercial and intelligence, the senators said in a statement. Thats why we need to do things right. They said the selection of the joint venture between a Davao-based businessman and the state-owned China Telecom as the provisional new major telecommunications player should be examined carefully. In December 2017, they recalled that Malacanang said it wanted the government to ensure that China Telecom could begin its Philippine operations by the first quarter of 2018. Senator Joel Villanueva expressed hope that the NTC would ensures that the third telecoms player would fulfill its commitment not only to the government but more importantly to the Filipino consumers who deserved the best possible service at the lowest possible cost He also commended the NTC for facilitating encouraging the entry of a new major telecommunications provider. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to dig deeper into the Oct. 20 massacre of nine sugarcane farmers in Sagay City, Negros Occidental last month, after its initial progress report contained nothing about who the killers were. The farmers, members of the National Federation of Sugar Workers, reportedly tried to occupy a part of Hacienda Nene on Oct. 20, and were resting in their makeshift homes when gunmen opened fire and killed them. A human rights lawyer working on their case, Benjamin Ramos, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in the city of Kabankalan, Negros Occidental on Nov. 6. The NBI, which was directed to look into the crime on Oct. 23, had submitted a progress report, but Guevarra said it was basically a narration of what happened before, during, and after the attack, based on the accounts of witnesses. I directed them to investigate more deeply, he added. Police initially blamed communist rebels for the death of the farmers, which included four women and two minors, some of whom were reportedly burned. Survivors denied the suggestion and said the NFSW denied official statements accusing them of being a front for the New Peoples Army. Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon on Thursday condemned the killing of Ramos, an activist lawyer and a founding member of the National Union of Peoples Lawyers. I condemn in the strongest terms the killing of attorney Ramos. He is a great loss to the legal profession and the Filipino people, especially the oppressed whose rights he had bravely fought for all his life, Drilon said in a statement. It is very alarming and deplorable. Attorney Ramos gruesome death and the previous attacks against other lawyers are inevitably sending a frightening signal to the legal profession, Drilon said. Ramos, according to the NUPL, is the 34th lawyer killed in just two years of the Duterte administration. Ramos took up the case of nine sugar workers who were killed in Sagay and was working with the NFSW. Earlier, minority senators called for an immediate Senate investigation into the Sagay massacre. That is worrisome. Who is safe now? said Drilon, who called on the Justice Department to bring the perpetrators to justice swiftly. It is imperative that a thorough investigation is launched in order to determine the motive behind the killing and identify those responsible for the killing, Drilon said.We must not let the culture of impunity to continue to prevail over the rule of law and our justice system. We can only do that if these killings are resolved and prevented. The police must have realized this now, Drilon said. Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said the killing should be investigated and the full force of the law must be enforced. Senate Resolution No. 929, filed by minority Senators Leila de Lima, Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, Risa Hontiveros, Francis Pangilinan, Antonio Trillanes IV and Drilon, said the Sagay massacre should prompt the government to take a hard look at the decades-old failure of the governments agrarian reform program. The resolution noted that indiscriminate killing of the members of the impoverished and marginalized sectors of the society by those who circumvent the law, such as powerful landowners and local warlords, must be put to an end. The Armed Forces of the Philippines has tagged the killings of the sugarcane workers as part of the supposed communist-led Red October plot to oust President Rodrigo Duterte. Other reports, however, said private armies and paramilitary groups backed by the military and police were purportedly behind the series of killings of peasant leaders in the Negros islands. Duterte has also blamed the communists. Minority senators pointed out, however, that based on the initial fact-finding mission by human rights and leftist groups, Hacienda Nene lessor Allan Simbingco and other identified landowners related to a big political clan were behind the massacre. This (killing) is not an isolated case as it only reflects the prevailing situation in many farm lands around the country, necessitating immediate attention of government to address the plight of our Filipino farmers, they said in the resolution. The death of the farmers should lead to a stronger program to implement social justice measures and protect our impoverished countrymen and women. It should not be used as a political device to impute criminal acts against critics of this administration without any factual basis, they added. Amnesty International Philippines also condemned Ramos killing, calling it a new low in the worsening culture of impunity in the Philippines. In a statement, the groups chairman, Ritz Lee Santos III, said the killing was another blow to the governments already dismal human rights reord. When human rights defenders are silenced for good, who else will come to the defense of the growing number of victims of human rights abuses? he said. First Choice Healthcare Solutions posted a loss of $263,587 for the third quarter of 2018. Here's what you should know: 1. The loss was attributed to the company's $230,000 expenditure on exploring strategic initiatives. 2. Total revenue increased 26 percent to $9.7 million in 2018. 3. The company's Melbourne, Fla.-based Crane Creek Surgery Center had a strong quarter, increasing its income to $232,807. 4. The surgery center's procedure volume increased 17.2 percent to 2,795 procedures in 2018. 5. For the full year to date, adjusted EBITDA was up 87 percent to nearly $1.8 million. 6. First Choice President and CEO Chris Romandetti said, "For the third quarter we are pleased to report net patient service revenue of approximately $9.1 million, a 28 percent increase over [the] prior year. We are pleased to report that our ancillary services continue to show strength across the board, with [physical therapy] visits and imaging increasing 63 percent and 69 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, Crane Creek Surgery Center profitability continues to improve as it generated $232,807 from a loss of $184,924 over same period [the] prior quarter." A new Moody's report outlines Envision's strategy after the KKR leveraged buyout, which details the uncertainty around AmSurg, the company's ambulatory division. The report's lead analyst, Jonathan Kanarek, examined Envision as a whole, expecting the company to take a more "targeted approach" to acquisitions in the future, spending around $200 million per year. This is a decrease from previous years; from 2013 to 2017, Envision spent around $1.2 billion on acquisitions annually. Here are five quick thoughts on where AmSurg may be headed: 1. Despite the leveraged buyout, Mr. Kanarek estimated in the report that Envision could sell AmSurg for around $3 billion to $3.5 billion purchase price, based on the assumption that the company owns approximately 51 percent of each ASC in its portfolio. The report estimated AmSurg's sale could reach multiples of 12x to 14x EBITDA and generate proceeds net of minority interest of around $1.5 billion to $1.8 billion. "KKR's proclivity for taking debt-financed dividends suggests by extension that Envision might sell the ASC business if it could dividend a portion of the sale proceeds," according to Mr. Kanarek. 2. Potential buyers include Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare, Dallas-based Tenet and UnitedHealth's OptumHealth, based in Eden Prairie, Minn., all of which already have significant ASC platforms. 3. The report outlined what may happen with the proceeds if Envision decided to sell AmSurg. "If Envision was to sell the ASC business, we believe there would be significant cash leakage because the company does not need to use all proceeds to pay down debt or reinvest in the business," according to Mr. Karanek in the report. 4. If Envision decides to keep AmSurg, it could use the ASCs to "attract new business opportunities," especially for the company's physician staffing business. "We expect ASCs to continue [to] create savings for the U.S. health system, particularly because technical advancements allow for a growing number of procedures to be performed in lower-cost, outpatient settings," according to Mr. Karanek. "Further, by retaining its ASCs, Envision will have a valuable way to attract partnerships with large hospital systems. About 10 percent of the company's ASCs are co-owned by health/hospital systems. Given how attractively other healthcare constituents view ASCs, hospitals may be interested in an ownership stake in some of these ASCs in return for forging a relationship with Envision to provide physician staffing services." 5. AmSurg accounts for around 15 percent of Envision's revenue, and keeping the ASC business would give the company an advantage over the competition. "While we would view the reduction in scale and diversity in the event of an ASC sale as credit negative, Envision would still remain the most diversified physician staffing company," Mr. Karanek said in the report. 6. Envision is on track to reach its $50 million revenue goal by the end of 2019 based on synergies from the AmSurg merger, according to the report. Voters in Fort Worth, Texas, approved an $800 million bond for Fort Worth-based John Peter Smith Hospital, passing it with more than 82 percent of the vote, the Star-Telegram reports. Here are three insights: 1. JPS will put the funding toward an outpatient surgery center, a new behavioral and mental health hospital, four regional medical centers, increased bed space and expanded cancer treatment. 2. The improvements will cost an estimated $1.2 billion. 3. County officials have said they don't intend to utilize the full $800 million. More articles on transactions/valuation: USPI delivers $502M operating revenue in Q3, Tenet's hospital operations disappoint 8 takeaways Montecito Medical acquires 24K-sq.-ft. surgery center, MOB: 3 details Axiom Capital closes $8.2M loan for medical office, surgery center 3 insights New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed a bill into law Nov. 1 that increases Medicaid financial resources for certain hospitals and establishes a hospital fee pilot program. Four things to know: 1. The bill sponsored by New Jersey Sens. Joseph Vitale and Teresa Ruiz, along with New Jersey General Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin establishes a voluntary five-year pilot program. Through the pilot program, eligible counties could implement a fee on currently undefined medical procedures at hospitals in their regions, according to NJ Spotlight. Hospitals in participating counties would then receive revenue back, as New Jersey would use proceeds from the fees to secure additional federal Medicaid money. 2. Counties eligible to participate, based on the law's criteria, are: Atlantic, Passaic, Essex, Hudson, Camden, Middlesex and Mercer. Eligible counties have large proportions of low-income people and hospitals that treat large numbers of Medicaid patients, according to the report. They also have 250,000 or more residents. "While Medicaid is the safety net that prevents low-income New Jerseyans from falling through the cracks, hospitals need to be well-funded and supported to properly deliver expert care to the community they serve," Mr. Vitale told NJ Spotlight. "This pilot program will expand the resources for Medicaid and funnel funds into those facilities that ensure the disadvantaged continue to receive the quality care they need," he said. 3. Money generated through the fees would go to the New Jersey Department of Human Services, which oversees the state's Medicaid program. According to the report, the money would then be available for federal Medicaid matching dollars, and the department would use the new local and federal revenue to increase Medicaid payments to hospitals in participating counties. 4. All plans and plan changes must be approved by CMS. Access the full NJ Spotlight report here. More articles on healthcare finance: 8 key stats on medical bills, healthcare prices and out-of-pocket spending RCM tip of the day: Track denial resolve rate Couple's donation will forgive $250M in medical debt nationwide Port Angeles, Wash.-based Olympic Medical Center will join the American Hospital Association's lawsuit against HHS over the recently announced cuts to Medicare reimbursement rates for off-site clinics, according to the Peninsula Daily News. The medical center will be one four hospitals named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit. The medical center expects its reimbursements to be cut by about $1.7 million next year and to lose about $47 million over 10 years, as a result of the new rates. The AHA asked the medical center to be part of the lawsuit, and Jennifer Burkhardt, the hospital's chief human resources officer, said there is a chance a judge could file an injunction against CMS and delay the cuts until the lawsuit is settled. While the medical center will have to slow expansion and new hiring during the lawsuit, CEO Eric Lewis said he hopes the medical center will not drop services in response to the cuts. "We have decided we really want to maintain all current services in Port Angeles and our Sequim campus," said Mr. Lewis. "Our patients still need us, just as much as before CMS decided to cut us." Voters in Tarrant County approved an $800 million hospital district bond for Fort Worth, Texas-based JPS Health Network. The bond will support various expansion and facility improvement efforts across the district, according to NBC-Dallas Fort Worth. The bond, which does not require a tax increase for residents, will support construction of a new mental health hospital, a main hospital tower, a cancer center, an ambulatory surgical center and four regional medical centers. About 82 percent of residents voted for the hospital district bond, likely to be issued in multiple series over the next few years. There were 1,775 blockchain-related job openings in the U.S. in August, a 300 percent increase from 446 relevant job listings posted during same period last year, according to a recent report from job search website Glassdoor. Glassdoor analyzed the millions of U.S. job listings posted to its website in August for the report, performing a text search of its job listings database for posts containing keywords related to blockchain, bitcoin and cryptocurrency. Glassdoor then used its salary tool to estimate the median base pay for each job. Blockchain describes a decentralized, permanent distributed ledger of online transactions or exchanges. In recent years, industry and government stakeholders have supported efforts to use blockchain to streamline healthcare operations. Unlike a traditional database that is centrally located and maintained by one party, a blockchain record is shared among a network of users. "While the applications of blockchain technology are diverse, most of the recent interest has focused on cryptocurrencies," Glassdoor's report reads. "Cryptocurrencies utilize blockchain to perform transactions without the need of a formal authority (like a central bank), an idea that has appealed to proponents of privacy and democratic technology." Here are the five job titles most frequently seeking blockchain talent, according to the report: 1. Software engineer 2. Analyst relations manager 3. Product manager 4. Front-end engineer 5. Technology architect The median annual salary for blockchain-related job openings was $84,884, according to Glassdoor's analysis, with salaries ranging from $36,046 to $223,667 per year. The $84,884 figure is 61.8 percent more than the overall median annual salary in the U.S., which is $52,461. Glassdoor attributed the high salaries associated with blockchain-related jobs to the "high skill" nature of the positions, along with the high cost of living in cities where the job openings were clustered. "High cost-of-living cities like New York City and San Francisco dominate the blockchain job market and employers there must offer higher salaries in order to attract talent," the report reads. "After accounting for those effects, the high salaries we see for these roles are not unusual. For example, in New York City, the median pay for all software engineers was $104,630 per year in August 2018, essentially equal to the $102,104 median salary we see for blockchain-related jobs of the same occupation and location." To read Glassdoor's report, click here. Washington-A gunman barged into a large, crowded Los Angeles-area country music bar and dance hall and opened fire late Wednesday, wounding at least 11 people, the sheriffs office said. The venue was hosting an event for college students and possibly several hundred young people were inside, said Captain Garo Kuredjian of the Ventura County Sheriffs office. He said around 0915 GMT that the shooter was still confined inside the premises, adding he did not know if the shooter had been subdued or shot. Police who responded to reports of a shooting rushed to the scene and engaged the gunman, said Kuredjian. A deputy sheriff is among the 11 people shot.The incident happened at the Borderline Bar and Grill in the town of Thousand Oaks, a quiet, upscale residential suburb of Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Times quoted a law enforcement official as saying at least 30 shots had been fired. An unnamed witness told the newspaper that someone ran into the bar around 11:30 pm and started shooting what looked to be a black pistol. He shot a lot, at least 30 times. I could still hear gunshots after everyone left, the Times quoted the man as saying. The parent company of CHA Somerville (Mass.) Hospital issued a public apology Nov. 7 for failing to meet its own transparency and accountability standards in the 2016 death of a patient who died feet from Somerville Hospital's emergency room, according to The Boston Globe. Here are four things to know: 1. The Boston Globe Magazine published a story Nov. 3 about the death of Laura Levis, who suffered an asthma attack Sept. 16, 2016. The article, written by Ms. Levis' husband Peter DeMarco, details the hospital's communication errors, overburdened staff and lack of fail-safes that affected first responders and caused Ms. Levis to suffer cardiac arrest just in front of Somerville Hospital's ER. Ms. Levis spent seven days in the hospital's intensive care unit before dying on Sept. 22, 2016, at 34 years old. 2. In a Nov. 7 statement from Cambridge (Mass.) Health Alliance provided to The Boston Globe by Mr. DeMarco, the health system said: "It is impossible to read Mr. DeMarco's story about his wife, Laura Levis, without being concerned about the issues he raises. His heartfelt and comprehensive overview sheds light on many areas where Cambridge Health Alliance and the emergency medical response infrastructure made mistakes and must improve." "It should not have taken an event like this for us to identify and resolve a number of structural, training and communication issues. We have already begun to make the necessary changes," the statement continued. "We could have done better, and we will do better. There are no words to effectively express our sorrow over the loss of Ms. Levis. More importantly, for the role we played in compounding her family's grief, we are deeply sorry." 3. A CHA spokesperson told The Boston Globe in a separate statement Nov. 7 that Somerset Hospital has since improved access to its ER, updated the building's signage and educated staff about "role clarification" between public safety and clinical staff and "the responsibilities for all hospitals in the emergent care of all persons in and around the grounds of a healthcare system." 4. In an interview with the publication Nov. 7, Mr. DeMarco said CHA's apology represented "a positive first step" and that his and Ms. Levis' families "have been waiting over two years to hear them accept even an ounce of responsibility for Laura's death." Mr. DeMarco said he hopes CHA will commit to sharing the lessons from Ms. Levis' death "with as many hospitals as possible across the entire country" to ensure a similar incident "never, ever happens again." To access the full report, click here. On the heels of a lawsuit accusing him of killing his wife, nursing executive William Gamba, DNP, RN, is no longer employed by Twin Cities Community Hospital in Templeton, Calif., according to multiple news reports. Here are eight notes on the story: 1. Mr. Gamba was serving as interim director of emergency services at Twin Cities Community Hospital when he was appointed chief nursing officer in August. He had previous experience as an assistant CNO at Orlando Health in Ocoee, Fla. 2. A civil lawsuit filed Oct. 30 claims Mr. Gamba killed his wife, Blaise Gamba, in 2016 to collect her $1 million life insurance policy and sell her assets, according to The Tribune. The lawsuit was filed by Mr. Gamba's mother-in-law, Nancy Huhta. Mr. Gamba sold their $1.5 million waterfront home in Florida in 2017, according to the Tampa Bay Times. The lawsuit also claims he was quick to take off his wedding ring and to have his ring and his wife's ring appraised after her death. He also allegedly called her job about her final paycheck and life insurance proceeds and sold her car, according to the Times. 3. Krista Deans, a spokesperson for Tenet Healthcare, the parent company of Twin Cities Community Hospital, confirmed to The Tribune that Mr. Gamba was hired in August but is no longer an employee of the health system. She was not able to comment further on his employment. The hospital has removed his name from the website entirely, according to the report. 4. Mr. Gamba's wife died in 2016 after the couple went on a boating trip in Florida. Her death was ruled a drowning and originally reported as a diving accident, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Mr. Gamba also had a medical emergency during the rescue and was unconscious when authorities arrived. 5. The lawsuit claims Mr. Gamba drowned his wife and faked a medical emergency at the scene and again at the hospital to avoid talking to police. It also claims he was "unusually interested" in her organ donation. Her donated organs, which included her lungs, were gone at the time of autopsy. 6. Mr. Gamba denies the allegations in the lawsuit. He says he was unconscious when his wife's organs were donated. 7. The lawsuit also claims Mr. Gamba has been involved in other schemes to earn insurance payouts. It claims he staged two car accidents, set a car and a boat on fire, and threw himself off a gurney in a New York hospital for payouts, according to the Tampa Bay Times. 8. Mr. Gamba's lawyer told the Times his client did not make money from the car and boat incidents and that the hospital incident was related to a worker's compensation claim. More articles on leadership and management: Kaiser Permanente Colorado will lay off 200 employees Amazon will split HQ2 between two cities, report says Western State Hospital workers say they have 'no confidence' in nursing administration A new report claims Tesla's on-site health clinic at its Fremont, Calif. factory routinely denies care to employees and is instead designed to minimize worker injury reports, according to The Mercury News. Here are five things to know: 1. A Nov. 5 report by Reveal, which is affiliated with the Center for Investigative Reporting, cites worker-status reports and current and former Tesla healthcare employees, including individuals associated with Fremont-based Access Omnicare, the healthcare provider that took over Tesla's employee clinics in June, Business Insider reports. 2. The Reveal report claims medical workers at the Tesla factory are not allowed to call 911 without a physician's permission, and that the company routinely calls ride-share providers like Lyft to take employees to the hospital instead of ambulances to decrease costs and avoid having 911 calls from the factory become public record, The Mercury News reports. 3. A Tesla spokesperson forwarded The Mercury News a statement from Basil Besh, MD, a hand surgeon and owner of Access Omnicare. Dr. Besh said, "Any suggestion that myself or any of my medical team at AOC allow external factors to influence our medical care in any way is false and inaccurate." He also pushed back against claims Tesla employees are discouraged from calling 911, stating "all members of my team are empowered to call 911 for any limb or life-threatening condition." 4. In a separate statement to Teslarati, Dr. Besh said he spent "nearly one hour" with a reporter from Reveal explaining Access Omnicare's partnership with the company. "I patiently educated [Reveal reporter] Will Evans on how Tesla allowed me to give the same care to Tesla employees that I do to my private patients including ones who are professional athletes, with the ability to get necessary testing and treatment in a timely manner without being hindered by an often cumbersome California Worker's [sic] Compensation System that sometimes negatively effects [sic] injured workers," Dr. Besh said. "As a physician, my foremost obligation is to perform a careful history and physical examination, order additional tests when clinically indicated, make an accurate diagnosis, and deliver the absolute best care possible. If patients are injured, and continued work presents safety issues for the patient, myself and my fellow physicians prescribe the appropriate work restrictions," he added. 5. Tesla has previously faced scrutiny over the safety and treatment of its workers. The company is also reportedly being sued by injured former workers, including a foreign contractor, The Mercury News reports. Southcoast Health System officials said they are against nurses' unionization efforts at New Bedford, Mass.-based St. Luke's Hospital and have hired a consulting firm to provide information about organizing to workers. On Nov. 2, St. Luke's Hospital nurses delivered a letter about their desire to unionize to the office of Southcoast President and CEO Keith Hovan. Nurses said they wanted hospital administrators to respect their "right to form a union by remaining neutral as nurses prepare to vote in the union election," according to a WBSM report. Mr. Hovan sent a letter to nurses Nov. 6, thanking them for expressing their views and outlining his position on the unionization issue. "I always appreciate any opportunity to better understand the thoughts, views and concerns of our employees here at Southcoast Health," he wrote. However, "I do not believe the unionization of nurses at St. Luke's Hospital is in the best interest of you our respected and valued nurses or our patients. The most effective way to address any challenge rests squarely with our collective ability to communicate and collaborate as a team." St. Luke's Hospital nurses seek to join the Massachusetts Nurses Association and filed notice with the National Labor Relations Board on Nov. 2 to try to have an election, according to the union. The MNA, which cites "inadequate staffing levels" as a key reason for the unionization push, said Southcoast has hired a consultant "with ties to a union-busting firm." Southcoast confirmed it hired the Burke Group, a Malibu, Calif.-based labor relations consulting firm. System spokesperson Patricia Giramma told Becker's of the decision: "Our nurses deserve to have accurate and reliable information before making this important decision. At Southcoast Health, our primary focus is to provide great quality care and service to our patients, not to organize labor. We have engaged the Burke Group to ensure that our nurses have all of the accurate and reliable information available to make an informed decision based on the facts, including what a union can and cannot do for them." If an election is held and nurses vote to join the MNA, the decision would cover about 750 nurses at St. Luke's Hospital. The long-time president and CEO of Our Lady of the Lake Foundation, the fundraising arm that supports Baton Rouge, La.-based Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, was fired after a third-party investigation revealed "a pattern of forgery and embezzlement of funds," according to The Advocate. John Paul Funes, who led several multimillion-dollar fundraising campaigns for the hospital, headed the foundation for more than 10 years. "We are shocked and appalled at what we have learned," Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center said in a statement. "Our Lady of the Lake Foundation is integral to our healing ministry and helped us reach so many important goals that would have been unattainable otherwise." The hospital declined to release additional details pending the criminal investigation, according to the report. "Mr. Funes' actions in no way represent the values and mission of the Our Lady of the Lake and the Foundation, and the hundreds of volunteers and donors who have given so much over the years," the hospital's statement reads. More articles on legal and regulatory issues: FTC: Florida company made $100M selling fake insurance AHA will sue to stop CMS' site-neutral payment policy Judge sets deadline for HHS to clear Medicare appeals backlog The world could prevent 75 percent of deaths linked to antibiotic resistance by spending just $2 per person annually on antibiotic stewardship measures, according to a Nov. 7 report from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. The OECD identified antibiotic resistance as "one of the biggest threats to modern medicine," adding that superbugs could kill 2.4 million people in Europe, North America and Australia over the next three decades. The report also found health complications linked to antibiotic resistance could cost $3.5 billion a year across 33 countries. "A short-term investment to stem the superbug tide would save lives and money in the long run," OECD said in the report. OECD proposed a five-pronged approach to addressing antibiotic resistance that outlines the following initiatives: Promoting better hygiene Ending the over-prescription of antibiotics Quickly testing patients to ensure they receive the right antibiotic for infections Delaying antibiotic prescriptions Initiating mass media campaigns To download the full report, click here. Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston created a predictive modeling system to help inform clinical decisions for sepsis patients in the emergency room. To create the model, researchers compiled medical records for nearly 186,000 patients treated at Massachusetts General's emergency room between 2014-16. Some patients received vasopressors within the first 48 hours of their hospital visit. Researchers reviewed every medical record for patients with likely septic shock to identify the exact time vasopressors were given. Researchers used 70 percent of the records to train the machine learning model, which identified more than two dozen clinical factors, such as blood pressure, total fluid volume administered and respiratory rate, present in the cases. The model works by analyzing these clinical features during set time intervals to look for patterns that indicate whether a patient needs vasopressors. Researchers tested the model using the remaining 30 percent of medical records and found it could correctly predict whether patients would need vasopressors in the next two hours 80 to 90 percent of the time. "It's important to have good discriminating ability between who needs vasopressors and who doesn't [in the ER]," lead author Varesh Prasad, a PhD student in the Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology at Cambridge, said in a press release. "We can predict within a couple of hours if a patient needs vasopressors. If, in that time, patients got three liters of IV fluid, that might be excessive. If we knew in advance those liters weren't going to help anyway, they could have started on vasopressors earlier." The machine learning model is the first system specifically designed to inform sepsis treatment in the emergency room. Researchers said they hope to create additional tools to predict sepsis risk in real-time in the ER. "The idea is to integrate all these tools into one pipeline that will help manage care from when [patients] first come into the ER," Mr. Prasad said. The researchers presented their findings at the American Medical Informatics Association's Annual Symposium in San Francisco this week. Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., on Nov. 5 urged Illinois Public Health Director Nirav Shah, MD, to step down over his response to the Legionnaires' outbreak at the Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy. In their joint call for Dr. Shah's resignation, Mr. Durbin and Ms. Duckworth cited a WBEZ report that claimed Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner's administration failed to properly repair a water system at the veterans' home and then deliberately withheld the information from the public. While Dr. Shah acknowledged the health risks associated with the water system and noted the violations warranted a citation, he did not issue one, according to newly released documents cited by the senators. The Illinois VA facility experienced three separate outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease between 2015 and 2017, causing 64 infections and 13 deaths. In February, the facility confirmed four additional cases. Legionnaires' is a virulent form of pneumonia contracted through the inhalation of water carrying Legionella. In January, the CDC issued a report on the Quincy VA facility's water system. The agency said Legionella bacteria may never be fully eradicated from the facility's water system and warned additional Legionnaires' cases could be inevitable. "There was definitive evidence that a serious public health crisis was underway at the veterans' home in Quincy in 2015, and the Rauner administration and Director Shah chose to sit on their hands as veterans and staff at the home fell victim to these deadly bacteria," Mr. Durbin and Ms. Duckworth said in a press release, adding that Mr. Rauner and his team prioritized public relations over the veterans' safety. "Director Shah's response to this tragedy reflects the height of irresponsibility and negligence, and it's time for him to go," they said. The Illinois attorney general's office launched a criminal probe in October to investigate the administration's response to the outbreaks. The American Nurses Association and the union behind a ballot initiative to implement mandatory nurse-to-patient staffing ratios in Massachusetts are responding to the measure's defeat. Question 1 failed at the polls on Nov. 6, with 70 percent of voters rejecting it, according to preliminary numbers. American Nurses Association President Pamela Cipriano, PhD, RN, said she is pleased with the outcome. "Many factors affect the number of patients for whom each nurse may safely care for it's not just math," she said. "The rigid, one size fits all approach proposed by the ballot initiative failed to acknowledge the complexities of staffing and undermined nurses' professional autonomy and decision-making in determining staffing on their units." "Therefore, we are pleased that the Massachusetts voters soundly rejected Question 1," said Dr. Cipriano. She said the debate over the proposal helped educate consumers about the importance of nurse staffing. Additionally, she said she is certain hospital and nursing leaders in Massachusetts "are ready to work together to identify a constructive path forward to develop shared solutions and accountability to ensure staffing levels meet the needs of patient populations and align with nurses' experience and associated resources. Only when that happens, can victory be declared." Donna KellyWilliams, RN, president of the Massachusetts Nurses Association, expressed disappointment in the Nov. 6 election results. "We know that right now there are nurses caring for too many patients, and those patients are unnecessarily being put in harm's way. And the problem continues to grow every year. The status quo is not a solution here," she said. But she echoed Dr. Cipriano, acknowledging, "This issue is now in the public, finally outside the walls of the hospitals." Access Dr. Cipriano's full statement here and Ms. KellyWilliams' full statement here. A planning application to revamp the dormant Carryduff Shopping Centre has been recommended for approval. Plans were submitted earlier this year and include an extensive refurbishment to the former SuperValu building, three retail units, a restaurant, the retention of two existing units and the construction of 21 new apartments. Submitted by Paddy Kearney of Kilmona Holdings, the project will breathe new life into the shopping centre which lost its last tenant, Keith Kane hairdressers, in 2016. Mr Kane said he felt forced to leave the centre where his salon had been based for almost three decades. At the time a charity coffee shop run by volunteers from three churches occupied a unit. A previous planning application for the centre to be razed and flats to be built on the site was submitted in 2007 and approved in 2012, but was never progressed. Built in the 1980s, Carryduff Shopping Centre struggled from a drop in footfall after which, in 2013, its anchor store SuperValu left. The approval recommendation has been welcomed by councillors in the area. DUP MLA Christopher Stalford said: "This site is of interest for the local people of Carryduff and is essential to the rejuvenation of the town centre. "We know that this site is the location that will provide new jobs for the Carryduff area." And DUP councillor Nathan Anderson said he hoped to see immediate work on the site: "We welcome this approval and hope that building on this site will occur as soon as possible. We all want to see regeneration in Carryduff; local people want to see the heart restored into the town. This new development will hopefully attract further investment and increased footfall." DUP councillor Vasundhara Kamble added: "As someone who used to shop in the centre regularly, it has been very disappointing to see what has become of the site. We all want to see the area improved and the economic hub restored." Independent councillor Geraldine Rice said: "Local residents have been eagerly waiting information regarding the site; today we have an answer. This news will be a relief to many local people." Shanghai (Gasgoo)- GAC Group announced that its sales in October reached 181,601 units with an apparent year-on-year (YoY) growth of 13.24% and the Jan-Oct sales climbed 6.99% from a year ago to 1,757,068 units. GAC Motor attained a YoY growth of 1.58% with its Oct. sales reaching 46,168 units. By the end of October, the automaker has fulfilled 62.97% of the 700,000-unit annual sales target with a total of 440,760 vehicles sold so far this year. The all-new Trumpchi GS5 compact SUV, officially hitting the market on October 31, will supplement the group's deployment in SUV market. Besides, the Trumpchi GM6 MPV will go on sale at the end of the year, which is expected to further boost the sales. GAC Honda's year-to-date (YTD) sales rose 9.42% from the year-ago period to 68,867 units with 79.46% of the 750,000-unit sales goal completed already. According to the sales data from Honda China, the Accord, the Fit and the Vezel were rather popular among consumers with their sales reaching 18,562 units, 11,962 units and 12,548 units respectively in October. Especially, the sales of Accord and the Fit achieved YoY growth up to 34.4% and 29.3%. It is reported that GAC Honda will showcase several EV and PHEV models at the upcoming Auto Guangzhou 2018, including the Crider hybrid and Odyssey hybrid, etc. GAC Toyota saw its Oct. sales soar 67.11% from a year earlier to 55,508 units. A total of 477,362 vehicles were sold from January to October, with 82.30% of the 580,000-unit sales target finished. The eight-generation Camry had an Oct. sales volume of around 14,400 units, somewhat less than that of the previous month. The Oct. sales of the Levin and its hybrid version aggregated 17,700 units with a YoY increase of 15.9%. Besides, the sales of the C-HR SUV and the Highlander reached 4,845 units and 9,935 units respectively last month. GAC Mitsubishi suffered a YoY drop of 4.6% with its sales amounting to 10,506 units in October, the 14th month in a row in which the monthly sales exceeded 10,000 units. The Jan-Oct sales of the hotter-selling Outlander surged 35.1% YoY to 89,744 units. GAC Mitsubishi's R&D center and auto parts industrial park in Changsha started construction in the middle of October, which will substantially improve the car annual capacity and introduce a number of auto parts supporting suppliers for the automaker. A Hong Kong arts center hosting the citys high-profile literary festival has cancelled appearances by exiled Chinese writer Ma Jian as Beijing tightens its grip on the city. The Tai Kwun arts center, a major new cultural hub in Hong Kong, pulled the talks because it did not want to become a platform to promote the political interests of any individual, director Timothy Calnin said in a statement. Rights group Amnesty International said it was more evidence that freedom of expression in Hong Kong was under attack. Critics posting on social media questioned how literature could ever be apolitical and pointed out that other authors hosted by Tai Kwun as part of the festival were discussing political ideas, including the emergence of a #MeToo movement in China. Ma, who now lives in London, writes dark and satirical works depicting life in China and his books are banned on the mainland. He was due to promote his latest novel China Dream later this week, a title that plays on Chinese President Xi Jinpings rhetoric of national rejuvenation and is described by publisher Penguin as a biting satire of totalitarianism. The author announced on Twitter that his two speaking events had been cancelled by Tai Kwun, not by festival organizers. Hong Kong International Literary Festival said it would not speculate on the reasons for the cancellation and was focusing on finding a new venue. Amnestys China researcher Patrick Poon said there was a clear pattern that political debate was increasingly under pressure. Author Jason Ng, president of PEN Hong Kong, a writers NGO which campaigns for freedom of speech, said the cancellation was at the very least an act of self-censorship and an example of the suppression of free expression in Hong Kong.Tai Kwun is the result of a multi-million-dollar renovation of a colonial-era prison and police station, led by the government and the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Art critic John Batten, who advises on visual arts programming at Tai Kwun, said he was concerned it had implications for any event at the center. I strongly believe in freedom of expression at Tai Kwun and will be asking about the details of this cancellation, Batten told AFP. Hong Kong has rights unseen on the mainland, protected by an agreement made before the city was handed back to China by Britain in 1997, but there are fears they are being steadily eroded. A highly anticipated art show by Chinese political cartoonist Badiucao was canceled last week with Hong Kong organizers citing safety concerns due to threats made by Chinese authorities relating to the artist. Hong Kong authorities also faced a major backlash when they denied a visa without explanation last month to a Financial Times journalist who had chaired a press club talk by a Hong Kong independence activist. The citys publishing sector has taken a hit since five booksellers known for printing gossipy titles about Chinas leaders disappeared in 2015 and resurfaced in custody on the mainland. Since then some of Hong Kongs bookshops selling works banned in China have closed and chain stores have removed them from their shelves. Beijings liaison office in Hong Kong has indirect ownership of a local publishing conglomerate that runs more than half the bookshops in the city, according to local media. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex heading to their wedding reception, for which Clare did the catering What does it take to become the world's best female chef? Where did it all begin? Antrim-born Clare Smyth won that coveted title in Bilbao last June. She also became the first woman to hold and retain three Michelin stars when she worked as Gordon Ramsay's Chef Patron in his flagship restaurant, Chelsea, in London. Her own restaurant, Core, in Notting Hill, was awarded two Michelin stars this year. It might surprise you to learn that Smyth left school at the age of 15. Her first part-time job as a 14-year-old in a local hotel was what started her dream of becoming a chef. Here, she watched Michelin-star chefs who'd travelled over from London in action, and she listened, rapt, to their tales of working in top restaurants across the water. That was when the headstrong teenager decided she wanted a piece of the pudding, too. A year later, she left school and went to train in Grayshott Hall in Surrey, an exclusive health farm. By the time she was 17, she was working in Bibendum in London's south Kensington. It didn't have the two Michelin stars it has today, but it was nevertheless one of the best restaurants in the city at the time. In spite of all her culinary training and experience, though, Smyth says it was her upbringing on a farm in Northern Ireland that primed her for long working days in kitchens. "It gave me a good work ethic, being a farmer," she explains. "You work all the time, you don't stop. When you were lambing sheep, you worked all night, and you worked 365 days of the year. That work ethic, I grew up with. Hospitality is difficult for some people, but for me, it wasn't - I was already used to it." For Smyth, there is no work-life balance because her work is her life and she loves what she does. "I've always worked all the time, I never really don't work to be honest... I really love what I do, and it's something that's just very much a part of who I am," she says. Expand Close Clare working in the kitchen / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Clare working in the kitchen From an early age, Smyth saw how animals were butchered for the freezer, and different cuts of meat lent themselves to different cooking styles. Every part of the animal was used - offal and braising cuts included, thus Smyth's culinary education had already begun. "Mum would slow-cook overnight. She was cooking for a family and the people working on the farm, so there had to be a good quantity of it, and it needed to be hearty," she says. Smyth, who lives in London with her husband and west highland terrier, was in Galway recently to discuss "fair trade in the food trade" at the Food On The Edge symposium, but for the moment she has no plans to open a restaurant closer to home. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (L) and US actress Meghan Markle (R) stand together at the altar in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in Windsor, on May 19, 2018 during their wedding ceremony. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / Dominic LipinskiDOMINIC LIPINSKI/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle during their wedding service. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday May 19, 2018. See PA story ROYAL Wedding. Photo credit should read: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire PA Prince Harry places the wedding ring on the finger of Meghan Markle in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle during their wedding service, conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday May 19, 2018. See PA story ROYAL Wedding. Photo credit should read: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire PA Prince Harry places the wedding ring on the finger of Meghan Markle during their wedding service in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday May 19, 2018. See PA story ROYAL Wedding. Photo credit should read: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire PA The Duchess of Cambridge (front) arrives with the bridesmaids at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle for the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday May 19, 2018. See PA story ROYAL Wedding. Photo credit should read: Jane Barlow/PA Wire PA Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (R) removes the veil of US actress Meghan Markle (L) as they stand at the altar together before Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby (C) in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in Windsor, on May 19, 2018 during their wedding ceremony. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / Owen HumphreysOWEN HUMPHREYS/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images WINDSOR, UNITED KINGDOM - MAY 19: Prince Harry looks at his bride, Meghan Markle, as she arrived accompanied by Prince Charles, Prince of Wales during their wedding in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Jonathan Brady - WPA Pool/Getty Images) Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle during their wedding service. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday May 19, 2018. See PA story ROYAL Wedding. Photo credit should read: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire PA US actress Meghan Markle arrives for the wedding ceremony to marry Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in Windsor, on May 19, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / Alastair GrantALASTAIR GRANT/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle during their wedding service. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday May 19, 2018. See PA story ROYAL Wedding. Photo credit should read: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire PA WINDSOR, UNITED KINGDOM - MAY 19: (L-R) Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall take their seats at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle before the wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Jonathan Brady - WPA Pool/Getty Images) Getty Images WINDSOR, UNITED KINGDOM - MAY 19: Prince Harry (right) and his best man, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge take their seats at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle before the wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Jonathan Brady - WPA Pool/Getty Images) Getty Images WINDSOR, UNITED KINGDOM - MAY 19: (L-R) Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank take their seats at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle before the wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Jonathan Brady - WPA Pool/Getty Images) Getty Images WINDSOR, UNITED KINGDOM - MAY 19: Princess Anne, Princess Royal talks to Prince Andrew, Duke of York (back to camera) as she sits alongside Sir Timothy Laurences at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle before the wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Jonathan Brady - WPA Pool/Getty Images) Getty Images WINDSOR, UNITED KINGDOM - MAY 19: (L-R) Princess Beatrice (left), Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank take their seats at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle before the wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Jonathan Brady - WPA Pool/Getty Images) Getty Images WINDSOR, UNITED KINGDOM - MAY 19: Prince Andrew, Duke of York takes his seats at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle before the wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Jonathan Brady - WPA Pool/Getty Images) Getty Images WINDSOR, UNITED KINGDOM - MAY 19: Prince Edward and Sophie the Earl and Countess of Wessex and their children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn take their seats at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle before the wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Jonathan Brady - WPA Pool/Getty Images) Getty Images WINDSOR, UNITED KINGDOM - MAY 19: (L-R) Sophie, Countess of Wessex and Lady Louise Windsor take their seats at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle before the wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Jonathan Brady - WPA Pool/Getty Images) Getty Images WINDSOR, UNITED KINGDOM - MAY 19: Jack Brooksbank and Emilie van Cutsem (centre) take their seats at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle before the wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Jonathan Brady - WPA Pool/Getty Images) Getty Images Meghan Markle in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle during her wedding to Prince Harry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday May 19, 2018. See PA story ROYAL Wedding. Photo credit should read: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire PA Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (C) and US actress Meghan Markle (R) stand together at the altar in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in Windsor, on May 19, 2018 during their wedding ceremony. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / Dominic LipinskiDOMINIC LIPINSKI/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Meghan Markle in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle for her wedding to Prince Harry watched by (middle row from left) Queen Elizabeth II, Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Wessex, Viscount Severn, Countess of Wessex, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, Princess Royal, Sir Tim Laurence, (front row from left) Duke of Cambridge, Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall Duchess of Cambridge, Duke of York. . PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday May 19, 2018. See PA story ROYAL Wedding. Photo credit should read: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire PA WINDSOR, UNITED KINGDOM - MAY 19: Daisy Jenks and Benedict Mulroney take their seats in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle before the wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Dominic Lipinski - WPA Pool/Getty Images) Getty Images Prince Harry's niece and bridesmaid Princess Charlotte arrives for the wedding ceremony of Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and US actress Meghan Markle at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in Windsor, on May 19, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / Chris JacksonCHRIS JACKSON/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (L) and US actress Meghan Markle (R) stand together at the altar in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in Windsor, on May 19, 2018 during their wedding ceremony. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / Dominic LipinskiDOMINIC LIPINSKI/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images Meghan Markle and her bridal walk down the aisle of St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle for her wedding to Prince Harry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday May 19, 2018. See PA story ROYAL Wedding. Photo credit should read: Danny Lawson/PA Wire PA WINDSOR, UNITED KINGDOM - MAY 19: (Left to right, back row)) George Clooney, Amal Clooney, Silver Tree and Abraham Levy take their seats in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle before the wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England. (Photo by Dominic Lipinski - WPA Pool/Getty Images) Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (L) and US actress Meghan Markle (R) stand together at the altar in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in Windsor, on May 19, 2018 during their wedding ceremony. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / Dominic LipinskiDOMINIC LIPINSKI/AFP/Getty Images Her own restaurant in Notting Hill, Core, where 18 chefs send out 120 meals a day, consumes all of her time. "Core was about being a modern British fine-dining restaurant," she says. "British food isn't necessarily fine dining - it's more rustic and it's not necessarily an art form. I really wanted to make British food fine dining. Core is all about the story of the producers and the growers and what we do." Last May, the 40-year-old did the catering for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's evening wedding reception, which she described as an honour. "It was really fantastic being able to work with them. The fairytale story was my lasting memory from the wedding... they were so happy," she says. Smyth seems to take everything in her stride, and admits that though a pressure-cooker stereotype exists around professional kitchens, she doesn't hold any truck with bullies. "Bullies ultimately don't survive in the best kitchens," she says. "I detest bullying, I hate it. I've been cooking for over 20 years and I've never seen people like that succeed. It never took long before they were gone and you had beaten them. All those people just fall by the wayside. Expand Close Clare working in the kitchen / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Clare working in the kitchen "Now I just feel like everyone is a bit more focused on the love of food and what we do. But it wasn't just the hospitality industries, it was all industries at the top level (that experienced bullying)." Ramsay himself adapted a military-style persona for his TV series, Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, in which he was often seen lashing failing restaurant owners with scathing criticism and whipping them back into shape. But Smyth insists he is a consummate professional who offered her solid advice on how to deal with tough personalities, though he did also tell her when he promoted her to chef patron of his flagship Chelsea restaurant, "If you screw up, it's your fault". "One of the things Gordon told me," she says, "was 'don't worry about me, don't worry about other people, focus on yourself, why would I lose my opportunities for them?" Ramsay is "very easy to work with", Smyth stresses, and is a brilliant businessman who has 35 restaurants globally and seven Michelin stars, and whose approach to food is constantly evolving. "There is a TV thing. There's always going to be shouting in kitchens, but it's never bullying," she says. "It's always about the food, it's always for a reason. It was never picking on someone for no reason. I always found Gordon very easy to work with - you know where you stand with him." The pair were so close by the time Smyth left Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in 2016 to open Core that he read her business plan and taste-tested her dishes before she opened its doors. Within a year, it had won two Michelin stars. "It was difficult (telling him that I was leaving his restaurant). He was obviously disappointed but happy at the same time. "He always thought I was going to stay - he'd given me partnership. At all stages, he gave me good feedback." The chef is resolute on the idea that success is not easily won - she was cooking for two-and-a-half decades before she eventually opened her own restaurant. "You've got to learn it from the best chefs in the world," she says. "It's 10 years worth of work and training before you can head up your first kitchen." Judgment has been reserved in a landmark legal challenge to a Northern Ireland woman being prosecuted for buying her schoolgirl daughter abortion pills Judgment has been reserved in a landmark legal challenge to a Northern Ireland woman being prosecuted for buying her schoolgirl daughter abortion pills. Lawyers for the pair, who have both been granted anonymity, claim the decision to pursue charges breaches their human rights. Following a two-day hearing at the High Court in Belfast it was confirmed that a ruling will be delivered at a later stage. Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan said: "We will reserve our decision, but will give it as soon as we can." Unlike other parts of the UK, terminations are only legal in Northern Ireland to protect the pregnant person's life or if there is a risk of serious damage to her wellbeing. The mother at the centre of the case is facing a trial and could be jailed for up to five years if ultimately convicted. In 2013, her daughter, then aged 15, became pregnant during an allegedly physically and verbally abusive relationship. With her daughter feeling vulnerable and unable to travel to England for a termination, the mother purchased abortion pills online. She now faces two charges of unlawfully procuring and supplying drugs with intent to procure a miscarriage, contrary to the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act. The family's legal team claim compelling the girl to continue with a crisis pregnancy would have breached rights to protection from inhuman and degrading treatment. And prosecuting her mother for enabling her to access medication to obtain an abortion also violated those entitlements and rights to privacy and family life, it was contended. Further issues have been raised about the disclosure of information from a GP and child and adolescent mental health services as part of the police investigation and subsequent decision to bring charges. According to counsel for the Public Prosecution Service (PPS), however, the doctor's notes contain disputed "hints" of feeling pressured over taking the medication. Tony McGleenan QC reiterated the PPS stance that the public interest test had been met for prosecuting over use of the type of medication involved. A key question, the barrister argued, centred on whether the girl was beyond the 10-week mark in her pregnancy when the pills were sought. The relevant protocol was filled in by her mother when it should have been completed by her, the court was told. "Only she can answer the key and critical question about her gestation period," Mr McGleenan insisted. He continued: "In this case the critical questions are - is the medication appropriate, and is your pregnancy under 10 weeks? "The information here is very sketchy about that, we don't have definitive dates." Attorney General John Larkin QC argued that the case amounted to a "collateral" challenge to the ongoing criminal proceedings. He said: "The challenge is not merely to the decision to prosecute, it's also in some way founded on the supposed legality of the provisions that are being enforced by the PPS." Bombardier is to evolute its operations in Belfast. Bombardier is reviewing its Belfast operations after it announced it is to cut its global work force by 5,000. On Thursday the business also announced it would sell off two of its businesses in a move to concentrate on its core business. The transport company employs around 70,000 and it's thought around 3,000 of the jobs to be cut are based in Canada. Around 4,000 staff work at the company's Northern Ireland sites. In a statement, the company said: "Following Bombardiers announcement today [Thursday], we will take the necessary time to evaluate what this means for our aerostructures and engineering services business. We will communicate with our employees in more detail over the coming weeks. "We wont speculate on how this global workforce reduction will impact our Belfast site. We will take the necessary time to evaluate what it means for our business." East Belfast MP Gavin Robinson said he would engage with the company's management to discuss any impact on their local operations. Bombardier are a vital part of our local economy and obviously any announcement relating to job cuts will cause concerns. I continually engage with the company and have been encouraged by a renewed sense of dynamism within the Belfast operation," the DUP MP said. "I have been in contact with management in Belfast to discuss any potential for local impact arising from this announcement today and will continue do so over the weeks ahead. In addition to its headquarters in Belfast, where administration, engineering, fuselage and wing production are based, the company has several other facilities. Customer Services, maintenance, repair and overhaul, and composites production, including engine nacelles, are based at Newtownabbey and further composites production takes place in Dunmurry. Sheet-metal component production is based at Newtownards. Bombardier has faced mounting pressure and had been restructuring operations in Belfast and across the world over recent years. Earlier this year it sold part of its C-Series aircraft to Airbus. This came after a long running battle with US authorities and rival Boeing who argued the sale of the aircraft breached competition laws in he States. That came out in favour of Bombardier. A youth group leader jailed for sexually abusing a boy who later died has failed in a bid to overturn his convictions. Colm Joseph Shaw, 55, was challenging a verdict that he subjected the victim to repeated indecent assaults while driving a school bus in Co Armagh. But the Court of Appeal rejected claims that bad character evidence had wrongly featured at his trial. Lord Justice Deeny said: "This court has no doubt about the safety of the verdict." In 2015 Shaw, formerly of Perry Street in Dungannon, Co Tyrone, was found guilty by a jury on counts of indecent assault and gross indecency with a child. He received a five-year sentence, three of which were to be spent in prison and two on probation. The alleged offences were committed against a boy aged between 10 and 13, during a period from 2003 to 2005. He claimed Shaw touched him at least ten times when he sat at the front of a school bus to avoid bullying. Police were alerted years later when the complainant, who had by that stage moved away from the area with his family, told his father about the incidents. However, before the case reached trial the victim died in an accident. A video of his police interview was played to the jury, who also heard details of Shaw's previous conviction for making and possessing indecent images of children. The prosecution also relied on bad character evidence from another alleged victim, referred to as C. He claimed Shaw sexually abused him as a ten-year-old boy while on a weekend trip with a youth club. Defence lawyers argued that the trial judge had wrongly admitted C's allegations, for which Shaw was never convicted, for the purpose of establishing a propensity to sexually abuse young children. They also contended that jurors had been misdirected in how they dealt with the evidence. The court held, however, that the trial judge had taken a cautious approach by directing the jury that C's claims should only play a part in their deliberations if they were satisfied of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Dismissing the appeal, Lord Justice Deeny said: "Despie the death (of the victim), this was a strong prosecution case with supportive evidence from the parents of the complainant and not one but four pieces of bad character evidence of varying weight and importance, some of it cogent similar fact evidence." One of the biggest celebrations of the Indian festival of Diwali will take place in Strabane this weekend thanks to community support. For when Tyrone's Diwali, which is now in its 13th year, was turned down for council funding earlier this year and organisers faced having to shelve the event, local people rallied around and raised the money needed. Event organisers Daljeet Guram and Kamini Rao from the Strabane Ethnic Community Association said that they have been "blown away" by the support that has allowed them to continue with Diwali school workshops, giving children a taste of Indian culture, and events culminating in Saturday's celebration. Diwali, which is considered the 'Indian Christmas', officially fell yesterday and will see Indian families across Northern Ireland exchange gifts, share food, pray and light candles in a celebration to mark the triumph of light over darkness. On Saturday people will descend on Strabane's St Patrick's Hall to celebrate. Daljeet said they had considered pulling the plug on the celebration amid the funding crisis, but that the community stepped in. "I was shocked that we didn't get awarded funding this year," she said. "The festival was getting bigger and bigger every year and more successful and the schoolchildren were getting so much from it, with regards inclusion and diversity. "It took a while for the news to sink in and when it was made public a school contacted me to say they would fundraise for it. "Then more schools said the same and then businesses in the town gave us money. It bolstered us so much, it was amazing." Strabane Chamber of Commerce donated money towards the festival, as did local companies. Daljeet added: "At times like this you are made to feel like you are a part of the community. "When everyone stepped up to help us, it was a great realisation that we are not foreigners here anymore, because we have full support. We do consider ourselves Strabane people." Daljeet says that Diwali is crucial to helping fight back against rising racism in society, something her own children had to face. "It was hugely important for this festival to keep going," she says. "Diwali is special. We are trying to fight racism and fight that at the very root, going into schools and making children aware of our different cultures and how it is OK to be different. "It's about respecting and appreciating someone from a different culture and a different belief. We teach them how it is not negative to have someone different to you in your community. "Whenever we go into schools we are teaching the children of this, then when they go home they speak to their parents. There is a ripple effect that rolls out. It is a beautiful thing and at that age they are very open-minded - their ideas are not rigid." Daljeet said that her own children faced racial abuse as they were growing up. "One of my daughters was taunted so much she was embarrassed to walk out in the street because she was brown-skinned. "She would never walk with me when I had my Indian clothes on, but now, after seeing me develop Diwali and seeing the magic of it, she feels proud because all her friends wanted to wear the beautiful Indian clothes. "They saw that when it came to celebrating, they could wear these elaborate, glamorous costumes and thought that it was a cool culture. "It is important for us to celebrate Indian culture because it makes us feel included and accepted here in the community." Daljeet said that the festivals were a way of tackling the problem of racism in society. She said: "When we do Diwali with the schools, the children don't even realise that they are learning about these things. "Diwali is a fun, vibrant festival, full of colour and glamour. Everyone really loves being part of it." Strabane's Diwali celebrations will take place on Saturday at St Patrick's Hall at 7pm. The postgraduate medical school proposed for Londonderrys Magee College will be delayed to 2020 Sinn Fein MP Elisha McCallion described as "hugely disappointing" the planned medical school for Londonderry will not open next year. The Belfast Telegraph reported last month plans for the campus would have to be shelved due to there being no minister in place in the Department of Health for the project to be signed off. The first intake of 60 students at the Graduate Entry Medical School at Magee Campus had been scheduled for 2019 - but the future of a medical school for the north west any time in the future is now in doubt given the ongoing political impasse. 5million has already been spent on the project. Foyle MP Mrs McCallion said the school was a "crucial project for the city" saying the onus was now on the Department of Health to act. We should be celebrating the really positive news that Magee has signed an agreement with St Georges Medical School in the University of London, another crucial hurdle passed," she said. I have also opened a very positive dialogue with the Irish Government about the contribution they would be willing to make while good work has also been done between Ulster and Queen's to ensure that both universities are complementing each other in relation to the courses offered. So the work continues and progress continues to be made." Mrs McCallion added: The university has done all it can to advance this project and the onus is clearly now on the Department of Health to play its part." SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan said the news was "extremely disappointing and frustrating" but "not at all surprising". "Almost a year ago, I was criticised for pointing out that the progress of the North West Medical School would be hampered by the lack of government here. Sadly, since that time, the DUP and Sinn Fein have failed to form a government and, in my opinion, are failing to make a meaningful effort to do so," he said. In a statement in October, the Department of Health spokesman said: "While officials continue to engage with both universities on medical education matters, it will be for ministers to decide on any business cases submitted in respect of future medical school plans." Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle, vice chancellor Paddy Nixon said up to 5m had already been invested in the school. "We could go at any stage. We are basically at a shovel ready stage," he said. "The only thing that is stopping us from progressing in opening in 2019, 2020 or even 2021 is that simply there is no decision making." He added that the university was "deeply frustrated" and hard work had been done in getting the staff and curriculum in place. Currently, the only medical school in Northern Ireland is located at Queen's University in Belfast. Northern Ireland has been without a power-sharing Executive since January 2017, when former Sinn Fein deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness resigned over the mishandling of the RHI scheme. Ireland has warned against assuming a breakthrough on the Brexit border row is imminent. Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney said that even if the UK Cabinet agrees exit plans in the coming days, the rest of the European Union must also back them. Senior ministers were invited to review the text of the withdrawal agreement that has so far been secured in negotiations with Brussels, and are poised to meet as soon as a deal is ready to be signed off. But Mr Coveney told the Irish Canada Business Association conference in Dublin: I would urge caution that an imminent breakthrough is not necessarily to be taken for granted, not by a long shot. Repeatedly people seem to make the same mistake over and over again, assuming that if the British Cabinet agrees something, well, then thats it then, everything is agreed. This is a negotiation and needs to be an agreement of course between the British Government, but also with the European Union and the 27 countries that are represented by Michel Barnier and his negotiating team. So while of course we want progress to be made and we want it to be made as quickly as possible because time is moving on, I would urge caution that people dont get carried away on the back of rumour in the coming days. Theresa May last month told MPs that 95% of the deal had been agreed, although the key sticking point of the backstop to prevent a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland remained unresolved. The Prime Ministers plan would see the whole UK effectively agree to remain in the customs union to help avoid a hard border with Ireland as a backstop if no other arrangement can be found. Brexiteer MPs, including Environment Secretary Michael Gove, have called on Mrs May to release full legal advice setting out how the arrangement could be ended to avoid it becoming a permanent settlement. Former Brexit secretary David Davis said the full government legal advice on Brexit must be published and insisted how the UK could exit from the customs union must be pinned down before MPs and peers vote on the deal. Leaving without an agreement would mean some hiccups in the first year, but the UK would have all the rights and controls over our own destiny, he added. Conservative Dominic Grieve has written to Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill calling for government documents explaining any final withdrawal agreement to the public to include a full comparison with the status quo as well as with a no deal scenario. The former attorney general, who backs the Peoples Vote campaign for a fresh referendum, said: It is of course entirely right that the Cabinet Office seeks to explain the full implications of any deal to the British public. However, it is of concern that the Cabinet Office seems to be under instruction to keep from the public and from Parliament any ability to make a comparison between the deal and the arrangements we already have inside the European Union. It is of the utmost importance that Parliament and the public can compare any arrangement the Prime Minister agrees, against the benefits of European Union membership and make clear the impact that the deal proposed would have on every single area of the economy, public services, finances, security and opportunity. In Helsinki today. Good to meet w/ Prime Minister @juhasipila and the @FinGovernment. Clear that more work is needed in #Brexit negotiations. We remain determined to reach a deal. pic.twitter.com/Nssi7uGuIg Michel Barnier (@MichelBarnier) November 7, 2018 Michel Barnier, the EUs chief Brexit negotiator, meanwhile, has warned of the need to fight against forces seeking to demolish the European project, saying: There is now a Farage in every country. Speaking to a conference of the centre-right European Peoples Party (EPP) in Finland, Mr Barnier said: The European project is fragile, it is under threat, it is perishable and at the same time it is vital. The head of the Civil Service has confirmed draft legislation for compensation for the survivors of institutional abuse has been completed. There have been growing calls for Secretary of State Karen Bradley to implement the recommendations of the Historical Institutional Abuse (HIA) Inquiry. Chairman Sir Anthony Hart's report concluded there should be a public apology to those who suffered physical, emotional and sexual abuse between 1922 to 1995, and compensation ranging from 7,500 to 100,000. Campaign groups and Sir Anthony Hart have made repeated pleas to politicians to act on his recommendations and to provide the financial, social and educational support as a matter of urgency. Northern Ireland political parties also called for the measures to be adopted with concerns many of those entitled to recompense have already died. However, Mrs Bradley and her predecessor James Brokenshire have resisted making a move, instead saying it is a matter for the Stormont institutions. Civil Service head, David Sterling has now said draft legislation is completed and a consultation will be launched on Monday, November 19. It comes after legislation was passed at Westminster giving Northern Ireland civil servants more decision-making powers. The DUP yesterday demanded that the Prime Minister publish legal advice on Brexit and the Irish border. Theresa May is under intense pressure to publish the advice behind her Brexit plan as Labour, Tory Eurosceptics and the DUP - whose 10 MPs prop up the Prime Minister's administration in the Commons - lined up against her yesterday. Read More Legal advice is usually confidential, but DUP chief whip Sir Jeffrey Donaldson told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that if the House of Commons was going to have a meaningful vote on the deal then people should "know what that advice is". Sir Jeffrey denied he did not trust the Government, but said: "I think it's in the public interest we understand fully what's happening here. "It's because it affects the whole UK therefore it shouldn't just be the DUP that sees this advice, or the Government. "If the House of Commons is going to have a meaningful vote on a deal, upon which this legal advice is very, very important, then I think people are entitled to know what that advice is." Brexiteers, including Environment Secretary Michael Gove, want to see the full legal advice setting out how any customs arrangement to avoid a hard border could be ended to avoid it becoming a permanent settlement. For Labour, shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said it was "essential" that MPs should be able to see the advice drawn up by Attorney General Geoffrey Cox. Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesman Tom Brake said refusal to publish the advice "raises serious questions about what Tory ministers are trying to hide". In a development that will cause concern in Downing Street, a Tory European Research Group (ERG) source indicated its MPs "would be up for sharing the Attorney General's wisdom" if Labour forced a Commons vote on the issue. Pressure over the legal advice mounted as Cabinet ministers were invited to review the text of the withdrawal agreement which has so far been secured in negotiations with Brussels. The Prime Minister told MPs last month that 95% of the deal had been agreed, although the key sticking point of the backstop to prevent a hard Irish border remained unresolved. A Downing Street source said: "That is just where we are so far. It does not imply that a deal has been done." The development will do little to dampen speculation among Tory Eurosceptics that a deal is close to being signed off. Last night, Jacob Rees-Mogg raised concerns over Mrs May's Cabinet being "bounced" into Brexit decisions, as he indicated "many dozens" of Tory MPs could oppose the Government's deal. The senior Tory MP, who chairs the Eurosceptic ERG, said he would vote against an extension of the customs union with the EU, adding he believed it would not be delivering on the party's 2017 election pledge. Mr Rees-Mogg also said legal advice behind the Government's Brexit plan should "certainly be made available to Cabinet ministers" to ensure they know what they are signing up to, adding he is more concerned over whether the deal is good or bad rather than all MPs seeing such advice. He went on to say: "So this is a secondary issue but cabinet government is very important and there is a concern that the Cabinet is not being fully involved in this, it's getting information at a late stage, there is an appearance of it being bounced, you hear of ministers getting 45 minutes to read crucial documents before Cabinet meetings; this is not a serious constitutional approach." Meanwhile, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar cast doubt over a special summit of EU leaders taking place later this month to sign off on a withdrawal agreement. He said: "I do think with every day that passes the possibility of having a special summit in November become less likely." He added that a scheduled meeting of leaders in mid-December would still be a workable deadline, but after that the no-deal scenario becomes very real. Northern Irelands Auditor General Kieran Donnelly has voiced concerns about how the Social Investment Fund was administered. (PA/NI Audit Office) Concerns have been expressed by Northern Irelands Auditor General over the governance of a fund set up by Stormont to help disadvantaged areas. The Social Investment Fund, administered by the Executive Office, allocated millions of pounds to disadvantaged areas in the region. It has awarded 79 million to 68 projects across Northern Ireland since it was set up in 2012. The money was initially intended to be spent in the three years to March 2015, but many projects have been delayed and the SIF delivery period has been extended to 2019-20. The budget for the fund has been increased by more than 13 million. A report by Auditor General Kieran Donnelly found the scheme did not operate transparently. The report found that the Executive Office does not hold a clear audit trail in relation to the awarding of public money from the fund. It identifies a number of serious concerns in the initial stages of the scheme, including conflicts of interest which it found were not always appropriately dealt with. The report also found that documentation around project selection and prioritisation was poor. It highlighted one of the projects, an SIF-funded redevelopment of a derelict site on Bryson Street in east Belfast, which is now costing the public purse in rent. The fund provided 1 million, with the site owner, charity Landmark East, contributing 200,000. The GPs who operate from the site entered into a 25-year lease with Landmark East, at an annual rental of 90,000. The Health and Social Care Board has agreed to fund the annual lease costs. The report found the project does not represent value for money. The public purse has paid 1 million to construct an asset which it is now also renting at a cost of 90,000 per annum. This equates to a total cost of 2.25 million over the life of the lease. In our view, this does not represent value for money, the report said. However the report acknowledges that once projects became established, governance improved. The guidance produced by the department was inadequate, there was little evidence that procedures were followed, and a number of conflicts werent declared. This is very concerningKieran Donnelly It concludes by urging that lessons are learned and improvements made when similar public spending schemes are developed. The report makes seven recommendations including the Executive Office holding a clear audit trail, to justify why decisions were made and demonstrate that assessment processes have been applied fairly, consistently and transparently. Mr Donnelly said the findings over the governance of the scheme are very concerning. The importance of good administration and ensuring conflicts of interest are adequately handled should be well understood in the public sector, he said. But in the case of SIF, the guidance produced by the department was inadequate, there was little evidence that procedures were followed, and a number of conflicts werent declared. This is very concerning. Evidence from my audit work across the public sector suggests there is a role for additional expertise to support good governance and maintain high standards. Whilst audit plays a valuable role in identifying lessons to be learnt once schemes are operational, issues of propriety and conflicts of interest must be fully and properly explored when schemes such as SIF are being designed. The Social Investment Fund hit the headlines in 2016 in a row over an alleged UDA bosss role as a chief executive of a charity awarded a contract to manage 1.7 million from the fund. The Executive Office recognises that there were shortcomings in the early stages of SIF and welcomes the acknowledgement by NIAO that once projects became established, governance improvedExecutive Office Convicted armed robber Dee Stitt, who denies being a UDA chief, faced down calls for his resignation after a newspaper interview in which he launched a foul-mouthed tirade against the Government and claimed his flute band in North Down provided homeland security. Mr Stitt stood down as chief executive of Charter NI in September. He said his decisions was due to the impact on his family of media coverage. A spokesman for The Executive Office said the department accepts all the recommendations in the report, The Executive Office recognises that there were shortcomings in the early stages of SIF and welcomes the acknowledgement by NIAO that once projects became established, governance improved, the spokesperson said. The report also identifies completed projects where outcomes to date are promising and value for money is likely to be achieved. SIF is a fund of 80 million which will deliver 68 projects up to 2020. To date, SIF revenue projects have improved the lives of almost 24,000 participants through employment, early intervention and education initiatives. In addition, 22 capital projects have been completed and a further 27 are in progress. These capital projects will deliver improvements to 115 premises, providing enhanced community facilities in the most deprived neighbourhoods across Northern Ireland. TokyoAs make-up artist Kodo Nishimura sashays into a room in Tokyo balanced on pin-thin heels, he could hardly look less like a practicing Buddhist monk. Immaculately made-up, sporting smoky eyeshadow, false lashes and winged eyeliner, he changes outfits three times during a presentation to starry-eyed fans. But at the Tokyo temple where his father is head monk and he assists in rituals, he appears transformed. His face is bare, and he wears the plain robes of a Buddhist cleric. It might seem like an unusual double act, but that doesn't bother 29-year-old Nishimura. "This is who I am," he said. "I am not going to try to be something else." Nishimura is primarily a make-up artist, beautifying clients ranging from popstars to pageant contestants. He spends most of the year in the United States, where he first openly indulged a passion for make-up that he kept secret as a child in Japan, hiding in the bathroom to experiment. "I would open my mum's Chanel eyeshadow palette and I would try to put it on my face. But I looked crazy, I looked like a clown," he laughs. Studying in the US, he found things were different. He discovered drag queens working at make-up stores who were happy to answer his questions. At 18, he made his first purchase: Mascara and eyeliner. An internship with a make-up artist led to a job. Back home, his parents surprised him by being supportive of his career choice.But he felt that something was missing. He had grown up in a Buddhist temple, playing behind its elaborate golden altar and knew one day he would have to decide whether to follow in his father's footsteps. "I wanted to know the occupation, what we do, enough to make the decision." So at 24, he enrolled in a training program in his Buddhist Pure Land sect. It involved five sessions, each several weeks long, spread over a period of around two years. Homesick for Japan, he was excited at first, but his enthusiasm quickly faded. "The moment the doors shut, the trainers started screaming," he said. "I was like 'oh my God, what did I sign up for?"But he persevered, returning to the United States between courses, only to have a crisis of confidence near the end. In New York, he wore make-up and jewelry, worked as a make-up artist and was open about his attraction to men. Would all that "offend the community of Buddhist monks?" he wondered. "Is it going to degrade the value of other monks?" But a senior monk brushed aside his concerns, pointing out that Japanese monks often wear non-religious clothing outside the temple and have second jobs. And he was uninterested in his sexuality. "That was like a liberation for me," Nishimura said. "That's when I felt: 'now I can be myself and be a monk as well.'"He acknowledges that his work as a make-up artist, with its focus on outward appearance, might seem at odds with a religion that prioritizes the inner self. "I think in Buddhism the core message is to feel happiness, feel balanced within our hearts and to share the happiness," he said. Feeling beautiful, he believes, makes people "more generous, more attentive to helping others." Nishimura returns to Japan twice a year, helping his father at religious events like funerals. For now he can balance his two lives, but eventually he will have to decide whether to inherit his father's temple a prospect he admits doesn't appeal at the moment. "I don't think that being in this temple is the best way necessarily to help more people. Make-up and heels (are)... like a bridge for me to spread my thoughts to others." He has also become an advocate for LGBT rights, and has a sideline teaching transgender women make-up tricks to amplify their feminine features. "He helps you look your best with the facial features you already have... [and] encourages transgender people to accept the way we are," said Mio Aoki, a 27-year-old transgender woman who lined up early for a front-row seat at Nishimura's make-up demonstration. "There are many make-up artists who teach people make-up, but I think there's no one like Kodo." A Co Donegal man who is wanted by prosecutors in Northern Ireland over the 1972 murders of two soldiers has been granted bail in a Dublin court ahead of a formal extradition hearing. John Downey, 66, whose prosecution for the IRAs Hyde Park bombing collapsed in controversy four years ago, has been released from Cloverhill prison in the city after bail of 35,000 euro was approved by judge Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly. Downey was detained in Co Donegal on Monday on a European Arrest Warrant. The Northern Ireland Public Prosecution Service initiated extradition proceedings after determining it had sufficient evidence to charge him with the murders of Lance Corporal Alfred Johnston, 32, and Private James Eames, 33, in a car bomb attack in Enniskillen. Expand Close The scene following an IRA car bomb blast in Hyde Park (PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The scene following an IRA car bomb blast in Hyde Park (PA) An extradition hearing is due to take place in two weeks. In 2013, Downey was charged with murdering four Royal Household Cavalrymen in an IRA bomb in Londons Hyde Park in 1982. He stood trial at the Old Bailey, but the case dramatically collapsed after it was revealed he had received a written assurance from former prime minister Tony Blairs government that he was not actively wanted by the authorities. Explaining the rationale for granting bail on Thursday morning, the judge highlighted that Downey had been on bail during court proceedings in England and had abided by all conditions. Ms Justice Donnelly also noted Downey appeared to have some health issues, and had lived in the Irish Republic for more than 30 years. On a previous occasion, he faced charges in a court in England and was released on bail during these matters and abided by the conditions, she said. Downey is on a State pension, however Ms Justice Donnelly said she did not know whether it was contributory or not. I have no idea what he has been working at, the judge added. I am told that he is living at a substantial property, and for some reason he transferred the house out of his name to his wife last year. The judge added that it was a concern to the court that his wife and two adult children were able to raise a cash sum of 5,000 euro (4,400). She added that she is left in a situation where I have to take a view that Downey has access through his acquaintances to a greater level of surety. The judge granted bail on Thursday morning conditional on Downey providing evidence that the financial bail guarantee could be covered. She sat again after lunch when the sureties were approved. A friend of Downeys agreed to provide surety of 30,000 euro (26,000) while Downey is to lodge his own bond of 5,000 euro. He was ordered to abide by a number of bail conditions including signing on every day at a garda station, residing at his own house, providing his mobile number to gardai and attending the High Court when ordered to do so. The Sinn Fein member, wearing a red jumper and checked shirt, remained impassive during the court proceedings. His defence barrister Tony McGillicuddy had earlier told the judge that Downey has had a commitment of working in a positive manner in the Irish peace process since the early 1990s, and had carried out functions in that regard with a number of agencies. Mr McGillicuddy said that he engaged positively in meetings around the peace process and has a strong commitment to it over the last 20 years. The two Ulster Defence Regiment soldiers died when an IRA bomb exploded in a car they were checking on Irvinestown Road, Cherrymount, Enniskillen, on August 25 1972. Downeys prosecution for the Hyde Park bombing collapsed when it emerged he had received a UK government letter issued under the terms of the controversial On The Runs (OTRs) scheme. In 2014, trial judge Mr Justice Sweeney ruled that Downeys arrest at Gatwick Airport, as he transited the UK on the way to a holiday, represented an abuse of process and he put a stay on any future prosecution in relation to the Hyde Park case. The episode sparked a government inquiry into the OTR scheme. Downey has always denied any involvement in the Hyde Park attack. A man caught up in the Enniskillen bomb 31 years ago has said the lack of action from the Government over securing compensation for IRA victims drove him to the brink of suicide. Joe Holbeach was standing close to the Cenotaph in the Co Fermanagh town on Remembrance Sunday, November 8, 1987 when the IRA bomb exploded. Eleven people died and many others were injured. Now 69 and living in Lurgan, he suffers from health issues as a result of the bombing, including severe anxiety and depression, alcoholism, and has also attempted suicide. Mr Holbeach said he still has nightmares and his struggle for justice only worsens them, though says he is "grateful for his life". UK banks hold an estimated 12bn of Libyan funds after the UN ordered that they be frozen in 2011 to prevent their theft or misuse during the war that toppled Colonel Gaddafi. Libyan Semtex was used in the Enniskillen bomb. Mr Holbeach said he lives in hope that those frozen assets will one day be released to compensate UK victims of IRA terror, and said that though it may be too late for some who have already died, there are many more who deserve justice. "The lack of action from the British Government - Blair, Brown, Cameron and now May - it drove me to try and take my life," he said. The bomb was 31 years ago, but for Mr Holbeach it still feels like yesterday. "It felt like meteorites flying in space all around me. All I could think was: 'I'm gonna die'," he said. "Everything just went dark and silent for a few minutes. I saw light and I went to it and all I saw was just debris and bodies everywhere." To date he has received no more than 500 in compensation for his suffering. He now works closely with the Docklands Victims' Association (DVA), which is campaigning to release the Libyan funds to compensation UK victims of terrorism sponsored by Gaddafi. "We've been campaigning for justice for too long. It's all I ever wanted - justice," said Mr Holbeach. "How many people have to say they suffer from PTSD or commit suicide for someone help us get justice? "We have been ignored for too long. I lost my wife, I lost a lot of sleep, I never really recovered. I have my life, thank God, that's all I really have, to be honest." DVA president Jonathan Ganesh was seriously injured in the IRA London Docklands bomb in 1996. He has now written the United Nations seeking support for the campaign. "On behalf of all the victims of the Troubles, we have asked the UN to immediately intervene in assisting the victims of Gaddafi sponsored terrorism in mainland GB, the Republic of Ireland and NI by releasing a percentage of Gaddafi's assets being held in the UK to his victims, many of whom are still suffering with severe physical and mental health conditions," Mr Ganesh said. Mr Ganesh has also been critical of the DUP for what he said are broken promises over the release of the frozen assets. "We have the DUP in a position where they are supporting the Tory Government, but as far as we can see they are not doing anything to help the process despite promises over the last number of years," he said. "The Enniskillen bomb was one of the worst atrocities in Northern Ireland's history and it was right on the doorstep of Arlene Foster, yet her party is dragging its heels about any attempt to release the funds for people who need their support. "These people and their relatives are still suffering and many have taken their own lives over the last few years." But Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP rejected those claims. "We can't accept that criticism," he said. "This is international law we're dealing with and the assets belong to the Libyan people. It requires international agreement. "The DUP are not and never were in a position to promise the funds would be released. "But we will be meeting with Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt at Westminster to press that the UK releases the compensation funds initially then seeks to recover them from Libya." Meanwhile, Ulster Unionist peer Lord Empey has been pushing a Bill through Parliament in an attempt to release the assets. Mr Ganesh said: "We have seen victims receive compensation and justice in America, Canada and France, yet in the UK we are still dragging our heels. "This Bill has brought the issue to the fore again and we're thankful for that, and I will be urging MPs to support it. "People like Joe Holbeach have been left in a terrible situation. I'm in no doubt the UK Government could do more to help these people, and the truth of why they're not will eventually come out." There is considerable resistance in Libya to any use of the funds to compensate people in the UK. Instead, they say, the money belongs to the Libyan people and should be used to regenerate their country. But Lord Empey said: "I fully accept that the money is primarily for the Libyan people. But I'm equally clear that they have a moral responsibility under international law to acknowledge that their former head of state harmed many people in this country through support for the IRA, via Semtex in particular." A man allegedly chased his ex-partner with a hatchet and hammer before setting her bed on fire while she was in it, the High Court heard today. The woman claims she was shut into the bedroom at the house in Co Tyrone, where her screams woke a child in the next room. Her 31-year-old former boyfriend is charged with arson endangering life, false imprisonment and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The man, who cannot be identified, also faces a further 28 counts, including sexual assault, exposure, theft, criminal damage and possession of an offensive weapon. The alleged offences, which are all denied, were committed between February and May this year. Prosecutors mounted an appeal after a district judge in Omagh granted bail to the man earlier this week. He was arrested after his ex-girlfriend, a mother of two, claimed her bed had been set alight with her in it, the court heard. Crown lawyer Conor Maguire said police were called to her home on May 18 and told the accused had been abusive, belittling her and calling her names. The woman alleged he had struck her a number of times with a closed fist. "She said she asked him to leave but he refused, he picked up a hatchet and hammer and chased her upstairs," Mr Maguire contended. "The injured party went in her bedroom where he set the bed on fire and then pulled the door shut with the injured party in the room. She had to stamp on the fire to put it out, according to the prosecution. Mr Maguire claimed: "The injured party's five-year-old daughter heard her mother screaming and woke at that stage." The court was told that the accused also allegedly "used knives" during the time they were in a relationship. Defence counsel Michael Boyd confirmed his client "strongly" rejects all the allegations against him. "He has made the case that this lady is either telling lies or, on other occasions, grossly exaggerating things that have taken place between the two of them." Mr Boyd pointed to separate allegations she made which were found to be baseless. "There's a real question mark hanging over this lady's credibility," he argued. Adjourning the appeal, Mrs Justice Keegan said it was to allow further interviews and for the prosecution to provide a timeframe on progressing the case. The accused will remain in custody until the hearing resumes in two weeks time. Patients in the Republic seeking treatment in Northern Ireland may be prevented from accessing procedures here after Brexit, it has been warned. And in the last three years 607 patients in Northern Ireland have applied for treatment elsewhere in Europe - which could now end. Some 4,462 applications have been approved in the Republic under two EU schemes to access UK healthcare services over the same period, according to figures obtained by The Detail investigative website. Of these, 2,453 were for treatment in Northern Ireland, resulting in 37.9m worth of treatments under both the Cross Border Healthcare Directive and Treatment Abroad Scheme, known as S2 here. Treatments included procedures relating to orthopaedics, gynaecology and oncology. Nearly nine out of every 10 applications for treatment in other EU member states from the Republic, which has private costs attached to its public healthcare, between 2015 to 2017 were for treatment here, England and Scotland. One chief executive of a south Belfast private clinic, which accepts patients from the Republic, warned that if no Brexit deal about the schemes is struck, access may stop. Mark Regan, of Kingsbridge Private Hospital, said consultations peaked last month, with patients coming in fairly equal numbers from all over the Republic. "The numbers don't really get across the personal impact that Brexit could have... if the right deal isn't struck," he said. He added this could have an adverse medical impact on some patients forced to travel to the mainland EU. "Many of the Royal Colleges now recommend patients not to fly for six weeks or more after joint replacement surgery as it increases the risks of getting deep vein thrombosis," he told The Detail. "If, post-Brexit, Irish patients can't come to Belfast, then this will place them in a compromising position of needing to fly home from mainland Europe with these risks in mind." Meanwhile, Northern Ireland patients, who have access to free healthcare under the NHS, received 1.7m worth of healthcare as part of the Cross Border Healthcare Directive in the Republic. The Department of Health has confirmed that only the Treatment Abroad Scheme/S2 initiative - and not the cross-border scheme - has been included in the UK's negotiations with the EU. However, terms of the deal have yet to be finalised. Police are investigating possible paramilitary involvement after officers were pelted with bricks, bottle and fireworks in Larne. Officers in the Co Antrim town were attacked by as many as 40 yobs with their faces covered. The incident started in the Linn Road and Antiville Road areas of the town, and saw wheelie bins set alight, bricks thrown, and the fire service called to stop a gorse fire breaking out. Police have said they will investigate whether there was possible paramilitary involvement in the incident. Responding at around 10.45pm, police found wheelie bins set on fire and being used as a burning barricade on Linn Road. Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) was called to extinguish the fire. A crowd of between 30 and 40 individuals with their faces covered gathered close to the community centre, throwing bricks, bottles and fireworks at police patrols in the area. A petrol bomb thrown failed to ignite. Superintendent Darrin Jones said: Police also had to intervene during this violence and extinguish a fire that was started in an area of gorse and threatened to spread to a nearby wooded area. At one point, a police Land Rover positioned itself to be the focus of incoming missiles - in order to protect other vehicles belonging to members of the public which were unable to turn and leave the area. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Police at the scene of overnight disturbances in the Linn road area of Larne on November 8th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Police at the scene of overnight disturbances in the Linn road area of Larne on November 8th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Police at the scene of overnight disturbances in the Linn road area of Larne on November 8th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Police at the scene of overnight disturbances in the Linn road area of Larne on November 8th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Police at the scene of overnight disturbances in the Linn road area of Larne on November 8th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Police at the scene of overnight disturbances in the Linn road area of Larne on November 8th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Police at the scene of overnight disturbances in the Linn road area of Larne on November 8th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Police at the scene of overnight disturbances in the Linn road area of Larne on November 8th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Police at the scene of overnight disturbances in the Linn road area of Larne on November 8th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Police at the scene of overnight disturbances in the Linn road area of Larne on November 8th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) During the course of the evening, at least four vehicles were driven at speed around the area. Police restored order and the area was quiet by 12.45am." Police later recovered three claw hammers in the area as well as a stockpile of bricks, which were being used as weapons. This was a reckless and totally unacceptable night of violence that posed serious danger to members of the public, police officers and indeed those who were taking part in it," Superintendent Jones said. I would urge the community in Larne to reject these people who last night caused such fear and distress to local residents, as well as recking and terrorising the area they live in. And I would also call on people of influence in the area to intervene. I need to stress that while officers are dealing with this kind of criminal behaviour they are unable to provide other vital policing services to the community in order to keep them safe. "I want to reassure the people of Larne that we are taking what happened last night very seriously and are committed to bringing those responsible before the courts. We are pursuing a number of lines of enquiry - including that there was paramilitary involvement in last nights incidents." Anyone with information about Wednesday night's incident is asked to contact police on the non-emergency number 101. Alternatively information can be given to independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Group in Ku Klux Klan outfits outside the Islamic Centre in Newtownards Police have arrested two men in connection with a probe into a group of people dressed up as Ku Klux Klan members in Newtownards around Halloween. A group of people dressed up as members of the hate group on Saturday October 27 and posted for photos outside the Islamic Centre in the area. A 33-year-old and 36-year-old have been arrested in connection with the incident. Police conducted a number of planned searches at addresses in the Newtownards area on Thursday morning. A number of items were seized and have been taken away for further examination. The 33-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of displaying written material to stir up hatred or arouse fear, and on suspicion of possession of a Class C controlled drug. The 36-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of displaying written material to stir up hatred or arouse fear. Both men have since been released on bail pending further enquiries. The DUP has defended the Social Investment Fund (SIF) after the controversial scheme was compared to the botched Renewable Heat Incentive. Alliances Chris Lyttle, who referred the SIF to the Audit Office, called for an independent inquiry to be commissioned immediately to address the issues raised in todays report. Read More He said: Whilst some organisations may be delivering good outcomes on several projects, SIF has been characterised by a lack of transparency and delivery since its inception. The decision of the DUP and Sinn Fein to dispense with proper public procedures for the appointment of steering groups and lead partners is another governance failure by these two parties. Read More The management structure, in addition to the lack of minutes and accountability around the entire scheme, are just some of the many reasons Alliance brought an Assembly motion expressing deep concern around the formation, implementation and operation of SIF, while calling for an independent review of the entire process. However, it was defeated by a combination of DUP and Sinn Fein votes. These fundamental issues are why there should be an independent inquiry commissioned into SIF and its operation immediately, so the lessons which this report outlines can be learned and we can ensure there is no repeat of the vast sums of public money being spent without proper accountability. Read More SDLP deputy leader Nichola Mallon MLA said the findings bore a striking resemblance to revelations from the RHI Inquiry. The report is further evidence of the appalling type of government the DUP and Sinn Fein were running in partnership she said. It is a damning report on how the SIF scheme was devised and operated, she added. Ulster Unionist MLA Mike Nesbitt accused the DUP and Sinn Fein of taking a good idea and mangling it. Read More He said: The NI Audit Office report is damning in its own right, but in the context of what we have heard from the RHI Inquiry, yet more proof that the 10 years the DUP and SF ran devolution from Stormont Castle was a wasted decade for our people. For anyone thinking RHI was a blip, this report shows the failings are systemic. However, the DUPs Emma Little Pengelly MP said all decision-making on the projects happened at an arms length basis with maximum flexibility given to the local steering groups. The Social Investment Fund represented an innovative approach to tackling issues within communities where previous attempts had failed to deliver outcomes. The programme has benefitted so many communities in some of the most deprived neighbourhoods right across Northern Ireland and many thousands of peoples lives have been improved by it. SIF was designed to be flexible, with a community-up approach allowing communities to identify where needs lay. The aim was to provide maximum flexibility to enable and empower communities to identify problems and solutions. This was an innovative, co-design approach. In adopting a new approach some challenges and early issues arose and the report identifies how many of these were recognised at any early stage and action taken. Whilst there were some issues around local steering group approach given the maximum flexibility context given to them by the Department, I welcome there is absolutely nothing to substantiate politically motivated allegations which had been levelled against the scheme. Sinn Fein MLA Raymond McCartney said that the report had flagged up a number of weaknesses in regard to processes, governance and transparency in the SIF scheme. He added: Those lessons must be learned and applied to any future schemes. The Social Investment approach was based on a progressive ethos, seeking to empower local communities and include them in the decision making process. The Auditor and Comptroller General identifies a number of projects that are likely to have a positive impact. Sinn Feins focus will continue to be on tackling disadvantage and deprivation. A critical report by the Northern Ireland Audit Office has slammed "significant failings" in a 93m fund set up to support projects tackling deprivation. The report, published today by Comptroller and Auditor General Kieran Donnelly, identifies "a number of serious concerns" in the initial stages of the Social Investment Fund (SIF) - including "conflicts of interest which were not always appropriately dealt with". It also highlights "significant failings in the governance framework" underpinning the initiative. Read More And it has revealed that the Executive Office "does not hold a clear audit trail in relation to the award of public funding". Agreed by in March 2011, the multi-million-pound scheme administered by the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister (now the Executive Office) aimed to make life better for those living in targeted areas by reducing poverty, unemployment and physical deterioration. But critics at the time described the money as a "tribal carve-up" of public money into "slush funds" for DUP and Sinn Fein pet projects. Its original 80m budget, designed to deliver projects between 2012 and 2015, was increased to 93m in 2016 and was extended to run until 2019-20. As of March 31, 2018, SIF had spent 48m. So far over 79m has been allocated to 68 projects. Some 49 of these were capital projects that will make improvements to 115 buildings, and 19 were revenue projects. A total of 31 projects have been completed. Read More The SIF initiative divided Northern Ireland into nine investment zones, each with a steering group of volunteers who selected the projects to be allocated funding. In a statement the NIAO raised concerns over poor documentation in relation to project selection and prioritisation, claiming that the scheme "did not operate transparently". While the NIAO acknowledged that governance improved once projects became established, it deemed it "critical that lessons are learnt and improvements are made when similar public spending schemes are being developed". Mr Donnelly said: "The importance of good administration and ensuring conflicts of interest are adequately handled should be well understood in the public sector. "But in the case of SIF, the guidance produced by the department was inadequate, there was little evidence that procedures were followed, and a number of conflicts weren't declared. This is very concerning. "Evidence from my audit work across the public sector suggests there is a role for additional expertise to support good governance and maintain high standards. Read More "Whilst audit plays a valuable role in identifying lessons to be learnt once schemes are operational, issues of propriety and conflicts of interest must be fully and properly explored when schemes such as SIF are being designed." Among the cases flagged by the NIAO report is the 1m of public money paid by SIF towards the redevelopment of a building for which another public body, the Health and Social Care Board, is now paying 90,000 in annual rent. With rental payments due to hit 2.25m over the 25-year lease period, the report says that the funding decision "does not represent value for money". In another case, documentation did not exist to justify the decision to award funding to a project that received 870,000. The NIAO report says that it is "too early to conclude whether the programme is achieving value for money" and says it is "important that robust arrangements are put in place for the department to assess value for money at a programme level". The NIAO determined that the processes used to select and prioritise projects "lacked transparency and were inconsistent". Focusing on governance arrangements, the report highlighted that final guidance was only issued to steering groups in December 2012, when they were prioritising projects for area plans. This led to steering groups largely deciding on their own means of operation, creating "inconsistencies in decision-making". Read More The report said that "conflicts of interest were inevitable" due to the design of the SIF, and these were "not adequately handled". However, it said that these "should have been a key consideration" in the scheme's design. Furthermore, it found that the guidance the department produced for steering group members on dealing with conflicts of interest was "inadequate", and revealed that it had uncovered three instances in which steering group members did not declare conflicts of interest. The report detailed how 18 voluntary and community groups which received capital funding from a steering group had a director, trustee or employee who was a member of that group. In total, these bodies received more than 12m of SIF funding. The department is to pay more than 6m in management fees to lead partners, who are responsible for the development, management and administration of 45 of the 68 SIF projects. However, the report highlighted that it is "not possible to confirm that value for money has been achieved" over these fees, as lead partners were appointed by steering groups without an open tender process. It added: "Fees of this nature and magnitude should have been subject to competition." Over 4m in management fees will be paid to 18 voluntary and community groups who have been appointed as lead partners - all of which have a representative on the steering group which appointed them. The NIAO also revealed that it had identified one case in which there was a "potential conflict involving a departmental representative", but said it had been told by the department that its representatives were "not formal members of a steering group and had no role in decision making". Auditors said that the department's failure to require its own staff who attended steering group meetings or who worked on SIF to declare any potential conflicts of interest was an "important omission". Each steering group was supported by a consultant and an observer from the department. The department spent 478,000 on external consultants as part of the area planning process. The report says that the department acknowledged that the initial three-year period in which all SIF expenditure was first intended to be incurred was "extremely ambitious". Nearly half of SIF-funded projects are now operational and the majority have commenced, but five projects have not yet moved to delivery stage. The area to receive the most funding out of the nine SIF zones was west Belfast, where 11.8m was awarded to seven projects. The area to receive the least was east Belfast, where 7.5m was awarded to 11 projects. In the report, the NIAO said that "despite the extensive review and revision of economic appraisals, we have concerns around some projects and the extent to which they represent value for money". It said there was no formal application process for the submission of projects to SIF, and expressed "concerns over the robustness and transparency of project selection and prioritisation". And since the department did not require steering groups to submit scoring matrices alongside area plans, the report revealed that it does not hold a "clear audit trail in relation to the award of public funding". In its recommendations, the NIAO report highlighted that the department is "ultimately accountable for the decisions taken in awarding public funding to projects". It added that project selection decisions should be "clearly documented and the department should ensure that it holds an audit trail of the process" in order to show that assessments were applied "fairly, consistently and transparently". They advocated that "comprehensive guidance" to deal with conflicts of interest should be included in the design of any new funding scheme. The NIAO report added that the department had "limited experience in delivering a programme" of SIF's nature and scale, meaning staff "did not have a sufficient understanding of the complexities involved". This led to the department underestimating the length of time and extent of work required to develop projects into robust proposals that were ready for approval. On one occasion, a claim for 336,000 was processed twice by the department, with the amount offset against future claims rather than being recouped from the lead partner. The report said it was "concerning that the department's internal controls did not prevent duplicate payments and that the 336,000 was not recovered when the error was discovered". The Executive Office said it accepted the NIAO report's recommendations. It said: "The Executive Office accepts all the recommendations in the NIAO report on the Social Investment Fund, in particular those relating to documentation and management of conflicts of interest and a detailed response will be published in due course. "The Executive Office recognises that there were shortcomings in the early stages of SIF and welcomes the acknowledgement by NIAO that once projects became established, governance improved. "The report also identifies completed projects where outcomes to date are promising and value for money is likely to be achieved." It said that SIF had "improved the lives of almost 24,000 participants through employment, early intervention and education initiatives" to date. It added that 22 capital projects had been completed and a further 27 are in progress. It said: "These capital projects will deliver improvements to 115 premises, providing enhanced community facilities in the most deprived neighbourhoods across Northern Ireland." The Social Investment Fund previously hit the headlines in 2016 in a row over an alleged UDA boss's role as a chief executive of a charity awarded a contract to manage 1.7m from the fund. Convicted armed robber Dee Stitt, who denies being a UDA chief, faced down calls for his resignation after a newspaper interview in which he launched a foul-mouthed tirade against the Government and claimed his flute band in north Down provided "homeland security". Stitt stood down as chief executive of Charter NI in September. He said his decision was due to the impact on his family of "negative media attention". Two families had to be kept apart by police in the public gallery of Belfast Crown Court on Thursday after a jury found three cousins guilty of charges arising from murder. Stephen Carson (28) died after he was shot in the head in the downstairs bathroom of his Walmer Street home on the evening of February 25th, 2016. Also present when he was murdered were his fiancee and nine-year old son. Following a month-long trial, two men - cousins Michael 'Spud' Smith (40) and David 'Dee' Smith (34) - were found guilty by a jury of murdering Mr Carson, while Michael Smith was also found guilty of possessing a sawn-off shotgun with intent to commit murder. Both men, who have addresses in Monagh Drive, were handed life sentences following the unanimous verdicts. After asking both men to stand, Judge Geoffrey Miller QC addressed them and said: "You have each been convicted by a jury of the charge of murder, and there is only one sentence this court can pass upon you, and that is one of life imprisonment." Judge Miller told them that following the compilation of several reports, a sentence hearing will take place next month to determine the minimum time they will spend in prison before they are considered eligible for release by the Paroles Commission. Francis Smith - who the jury was ordered to acquit by direction of the judge on the murder charge - was then convicted of four offences arising from Mr Carson's murder. The murder weapon and cartridges were located in a holdall in a bag found in a wardrobe in Francis Smith's flat 25 hours after the fatal shooting. Despite his denials, the 42-year old from Glenmurray Court in Belfast was found guilty of four charges. These charges include assisting offenders by allowing his premises to be used for the storing of firearms and ammunition used in the course of murder, and also possessing both the shotgun and ammunition in suspicious circumstances. Despite pointing out that Francis Smith has been on bail for some time, his barrister was informed by Judge Miller that a custodial sentence was "inevitable", and he was remanded in custody. After the jury of seven men and five women returned their unanimously guilty verdicts, they were thanked by Judge Miller for performing their civil duty in such a dedicated manner. Branding the trial as "lengthy, harrowing and one fraught with a lot of emotion", they were thanked then discharged by the Judge. Before the jury was brought back to court to deliver their verdicts, Judge Miller addressed the families and friends of both Mr Carson, and the Smiths, as they sat in the public gallery divided by police officers. Judge Miller warned that any outbursts would not be tolerated, and would prompt him to clear the court. As the first guilty verdict was passed, Mr Carson's mother and fiancee started to cry. As the rest of the verdicts were passed, there was very little reaction from the public gallery. However, after both the jury and Judge left the court, and as the three Smith cousins were being handcuffed and led from the dock, the families of the deceased and the accused became involved in a heated verbal altercation, and had to be kept apart by police officers. As she was leaving court Mr Carson's mother Bernadette Murphy, who gave evidence in the trial, said she that while she was happy with the verdict, it would not bring her son back. She also said her son was missed every day, and that the pain of his loss got harder every day. Michael, David and Francis Smith were told a sentence hearing will be held on December 20th. "The World Bank surveyed how business is started in Quezon City and how many percent of adult Filipinos have access to credit or loans. The Philippines fared badly in both." Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez and Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez have jointly protested the World Banks downgrading of the Philippines ranking in Ease of Doing Business, the international lenders annual survey that covers 190 countries. In this years study for the 2019 rankings, the Philippines ranks a disappointing 124th, down a crucial 11 rungs from its already disappointing 113thfor 2018. When President Duterte became president, the Philippines was ranked 99th. In two years, the country went down 25 places. Or 25 other countries improved their business rules, procedures, and costs, and the Philippines did not. Yet, 99th was already a bad ranking. A total of 190 countries are studied. One half of that is 95. At 99th, the Philippines was below the global average as an easy place for doing business. Since 2016, our ranking has kept getting worse, which means as the years go on, it keeps getting more difficult to do business in the Philippines. For the Philippine ranking, among ten factors, the World Bank surveyed how business is started in Quezon City and how many percent of adult Filipinos have access to credit or loans. The Philippines fared badly in both. For starting a business, Quezon City ranked 166thamong 190 cities of the world. As a place to get credit, the Philippines ranked 184th, out of 190. This means we are one of the worst places on earth to start a business (in the lowest 15 percent) and to obtain a loan (in the lowest 5 percent). You want to get a loan? You wont get it. Only 2.7 percent of potential borrowers are covered by the credit bureau, which means only three of every 100 could borrow from their bank. In depth of credit information, the Philippines has a grade of 0 (the worst) out of 8 (the best). The best in depth of credit information -- UK and Ecuador: 8. According to the World Bank, a potential software entrepreneur in Canada would take just two procedures, one and a half days and less than one percent of income per capita to start her business in Toronto. First, she would need to file for federal incorporation and provincial registration online via Industry Canadas Electronic Filing Centre; this costs 200 Canadian dollars ($159) and is completed within a day. Second, she would need to register online for value added tax; this costs nothing and is completed within half a day. If the same entrepreneur applied in Quezon City, the business incorporation process would require 13 procedures, take 31 days and cost around 20.3 percent of income per capita. She would need to make 14 different tax and contribution payments and visit multiple agencies in person. Further, the Filipino enterprise would be expected to pay 42.9 percent of its commercial profits in taxes and contributions annually. Cumbersome business regulatory structures such as these constrain the ability of entrepreneurs to transform their ideas into viable businesses, laments the 2018 World Bank study of 190 countries in ease of doing business. Among 190 countries, the best in starting a business is New Zealand. Only one step and you get your permit in half a day. In Quezon City, a permit takes at least 13 steps and 31 days (since there is no work on weekends, 31 days is actually 40 days). The world best in construction permits is 5 steps and 26 days. In the Philippines, a construction permit takes 23 steps and 122 days or at least four months.To get electricity, a Filipino takes four steps, 37 days, and 21.7 percent of his income per capita. It takes 18 days to get electricity in Korea and UAE (the global best). It costs zero in China, Japan, and UAE. To register property, the Filipino must endure nine steps and 35 days and pay 4.3 percent of the value of the property. The global best for registering property: one step (Norway, Portugal, Sweden), one day (New Zealand); and zero cost (Saudi Arabia). EODB matters. When the rules for doing business are easy, red tape-free, graft free and less costly, people with some money want to do business. They create companies, put up projects, employ people. In this country, 99 percent of enterprises are small or medium, with capital of P20 million or less. Investments are about jobs. This country has at least 7 million unemployed or underemployed. To create one job, it takes P2 million. If the government makes it difficult for you to do business, you are better off parking your P2 million in some other place. Explains the World Bank: An economy cannot thrive without a healthy private sector. When local businesses flourish, they create jobs and generate income that can be spent and invested domestically. Any rational government that cares about the economic well-being and advancement of its constituency pays special attention to laws and regulations affecting local small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs). Effective business regulation affords micro and small firms the opportunity to grow, innovate and, when applicable, move from the informal to the formal sector of an economy. One of Rodrigo Dutertes charming qualities as president is that he hates red tape. Indeed, one distinctive quality in his nearly 23 years as mayor of Davao City is the ease with which businessmen could do business in Davao City. Walang red tape. Walang lagay. In June this year, Republic Act (RA) 11032, the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018, was enacted. It would make doing business easier in the country, enthused Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez in a speech then. In his State of the Nation Address July 23, 2018, Duterte likened red tape to stealing money from government. He said: Ease of Doing Business [Act], [applause] which is a significant fight against corruption and improving service delivery. We need to sustain our momentum. And I hereby direct all [local] government unitsmakingand government agencies to faithfully implement this law and simply simplify the process.under my control and supervision.. The relief promised by the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018 (Republic Act 1102) to people who do business with government offices may suffer additional delay, said Raul Palabrica in his Inquirer column Oct. 30, 2018. To-date, President Duterte has not appointed any of the ARTA officials, notes Palabrica. Deadline was Oct. 22, 2018. By the way, have you done business with the Securities and Exchange Commission? People there have not heard of Dutertes dictum of no red tape. It takes eight months to incorporate, which means your capital lies idle in a bank while the SEC takes its time registering your articles of incorporation. You cannot collect because strictly, you are not a legal personality. Unionists have hit out at Sinn Fein's decision not to have its mayors attend Remembrance Sunday events across Northern Ireland. A party spokesman said its representatives wanted to avoid standing alongside uniformed members of the Armed Forces and would not take part in events which "celebrate or attempt to legitimise British imperialism". Sinn Fein mayors, including Belfast's Deirdre Hargey, will also not be laying wreaths in individual one-off ceremonies before the events begin. In previous years Sinn Fein mayors in Belfast such as Mairtin O Muilleoir took part in Armistice Day events but not Remembrance Sunday events. But this year, Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday fall on the same day. This year also marks 100 years since the armistice which ended the First World War at 11am on November 11, 1918. The DUP's East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell, however, called it a "corporate decision to snub Remembrance Sunday". Ulster Unionist MLA and Military Cross recipient Doug Beattie said it was a "petty" move from Sinn Fein who were "hitting back at the establishment" after senior party member John Downey was arrested this week in relation to the 1972 murders of two UDR officers. There are currently two other Sinn Fein mayors in Northern Ireland - chairman of Mid Ulster Council Sean McPeake and Brenda Chivers who is Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Council. In Belfast, deputy Lord Mayor Emmet McDonough-Brown of the Alliance Party confirmed he would deputise for Ms Hargey at Belfast City Hall on Sunday. Earlier this week, High Sheriff Carol Howard (Alliance) represented Belfast City Council during the planting of crosses at City Hall for the Fields of Remembrance event. However, Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O'Neill will represent the party at the Remembrance Day service at St Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin on Sunday. A Sinn Fein spokesman said Ms Hargey had taken part in a number of events around the First World War this year. He also revealed that the party had been in discussions with the Royal British Legion (RBL) in Belfast over "how we can respectfully remember" those who lost their lives in the First World War. In Mid Ulster, the party said Mr McPeake organised a remembrance event in December to bring people together. The spokesman added: "Sinn Fein representatives such as Belfast Mayor Deirdre Hargey have already engaged in a number of events this year including laying a wreath on the Somme anniversary, chairing a special Somme council meeting and speaking at a City Hall event to remember all of those who died in the First World War. "Councillor Sean McPeake as mayor in Mid Ulster has organised a remembrance event in December that brings together people for a 'Day of Reflection'. "Sinn Fein will not participate in British military commemorations or events which celebrate or attempt to legitimise British imperialism." Mr Campbell said this was a "backwards step" which showed Sinn Fein were "retreating to their base". "Their Irish presidential candidate broadcast that she was prepared to wear a poppy yet this co-ordinated announcement shows a corporate decision to snub Remembrance Sunday," he said. He added that soldiers from both sides fought in the conflict and "whatever Sinn Fein's view of our Armed Forces today, they are withholding respect from all those from right across our community who served a century ago". Mr Beattie commented: "I think it's quite clear that Sinn Fein's respect agenda is in absolute shreds. They are saying they're not willing to remember the thousands of Irish men and women on both sides who gave their lives in the Great War. "To come up with some nonsense to say they won't stand beside people in uniform to celebrate imperialism, when they have done it every year before, is absolute rubbish." He added: "Their real issue is that John Downey was arrested and they're feeling wounded because an IRA man was arrested for murder and this is them trying to get back at the establishment." His party colleague, Belfast councillor Sonia Copeland, said: "I think it's very sad, but not surprising. "At the end of the day, if Sinn Fein are taking on the role of first citizen they need to play that role, representing everyone despite their colour, creed or religion." Police came under sustained attack by a crowd described as a criminal gang linked to a loyalist terrorist group in Co Antrim. Members of the public could have been harmed during the incident in Larne on Wednesday night, which saw a burning barricade erected and police officers coming under attack from missiles. Read More It came after activity in the Linn Road area by the Police Service of Northern Irelands Paramilitary Crime Taskforce targeting the south east Antrim Ulster Defence Association (UDA). The taskforce was launched in 2017 to tackle crime by paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland. Mid and East Antrim District Commander Superintendent Darrin Jones described the disorder in Larne as reckless and totally unacceptable. He said members of the public were in put grave danger, and that a police Land Rover at one stage had to act as a buffer between those behind the incident and a number of people in their cars. No injuries have been reported. Supt Jones said police believe a criminal gang linked to the south east Antrim UDA wase behind the incident. Mid & East Antrim District Commander Superintendent Darrin Jones addressing media about disorder in Linn Rd area of Larne last night describing it as reckless & totally unacceptable. pic.twitter.com/uL1vPFl8jx Police Service NI (@PoliceServiceNI) November 8, 2018 He described Linn Road as a quiet residential area. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Police at the scene of overnight disturbances in the Linn road area of Larne on November 8th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Police at the scene of overnight disturbances in the Linn road area of Larne on November 8th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Police at the scene of overnight disturbances in the Linn road area of Larne on November 8th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Police at the scene of overnight disturbances in the Linn road area of Larne on November 8th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Police at the scene of overnight disturbances in the Linn road area of Larne on November 8th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Police at the scene of overnight disturbances in the Linn road area of Larne on November 8th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Police at the scene of overnight disturbances in the Linn road area of Larne on November 8th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Police at the scene of overnight disturbances in the Linn road area of Larne on November 8th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Police at the scene of overnight disturbances in the Linn road area of Larne on November 8th 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) This is why it was so shocking and so reckless, putting peoples lives in danger because people were actually driving into a burning barricade if someone had been seriously hurt last night, the ambulance could not have responded, he said. My assessment is that this incident was orchestrated and carried out by a criminal gang going under the badge of the south east Antrim UDA. We believe this incident followed some proactive activity by the Paramilitary Crime Task Force against some elements of south east Antrim UDA at the weekend. The activity was against criminal elements and we believe members of the south east Antrim UDA. It was targeting all sorts of criminality. Its an ongoing investigation so I cant elaborate, but what I can say is that this incident last night brought wanton destruction to the Linn Road area of Larne it inconvenienced the residents of Larne and it caused terror within the Linn Road area. Supt Jones said his officers came under sustained attack. They were faced with 30-40 masked men who, when police arrived, came under sustained attack from various missiles, bottles, bricks, fireworks and we also believe petrol bombs were thrown, he said. There is a full investigation under way and I would appeal to anyone within the community who has information in relation to this incident to call us. Supt Jones added that a police presence will remain in the area to deter any similar incidents from happening. I can assure the people of Larne that they will see a visible uplift in police resources in the area tonight and for as long as it takes, he said. There will be increased police patrols in the area and the community can be reassured that we will be there to deal with anything that happens. Wheelchair user threatened and told to hand over cash, court heard. A man accused of a "nasty" raid on the home of a wheelchair user must remain in custody, a High Court judge has ruled. Brian O'Hagan, 25, was refused bail amid claims he took part in the burglary in Derry where the victim was knocked over and kicked. Referring to the alleged offence, Lord Justice Treacy said: "Someone prepared to do that to a vulnerable individual, God knows where they would stop." O'Hagan, of Donal Casey Court in the city, denies entering a nearby premises as a trespasser on October 24. A mobile phone, key, key ring and 57.10 in cash were stolen, according to the charge. Three people are suspected of breaking into the flat occupied by a man who uses a wheelchair. He was allegedly threatened and told to hand over money, knocked out of his chair and kicked to the head, a previous court heard. O'Hagan was said to have been arrested after being subsequently located in undergrowth. The court was told when police called the alleged victim's number a phone found in O'Hagan's property rang. Defence counsel Barry Gibson said his client insists he was in the general area of the burglary and found a phone. O'Hagan claims he then went into bushes after becoming scared when an unmarked car approached. During exchanges Lord Justice Treacy remarked: "This is a particularly nasty incident." Denying bail, he added that the "degree of terror and injury inflicted far exceed the value of the goods". Tributes have been paid to an Irish educationalist who was found dead in South Africa. John Curran, 60, from Dublin, was found at his apartment in Cape Town. It is understood he was stabbed. Mr Curran had moved to South Africa several years ago. In Dublin, the Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed it is aware of the matter and is offering consular assistance to Mr Currans family. Mr Curran is a former principal of the Good Shepherd National School in Churchtown and was a founding member of the Irish Principals Primary Network (IPPN). He had recently retired from working in South Africa as a director of education at Mellon Educate charity. It is with a profound sense of shock and sadness that we acknowledge the sudden passing of John Curran, highly esteemed colleague & friend to all in IPPN. A founding member, John served on the IPPN Executive Committee & was PRO for many years: https://t.co/6b6wO8GRtr #edchatie pic.twitter.com/24CkgTj9bv IPPN (@IPPN_Education) November 8, 2018 In a statement, the IPPN said: It is with a profound sense of shock, sadness and disbelief that we acknowledge the sudden passing of John Curran, highly esteemed colleague and friend to all in IPPN. We are numbed and finding it very hard to process the information. John was predeceased by his son Eoin, who died in a tragic sailing accident in 2010, and is survived by Liz and their children Darragh, Triona and Donal, their partners Clodagh, Liam and Beck, his six grandchildren and his sisters Dolores and Paula. Our hearts go out to his family, his very wide circle of friends, his colleagues and all who knew him. Culture Minister Josepha Madigan expressed sadness at the news of Mr Currans death. John was well known in education circles in Dublin Rathdown and served the children of Churchtown well during his many years teaching at Good Shepherd NS, she said. At a national level he was involved in numerous projects with IPPN over the years. I know he was held in high esteem by his former colleagues. His enthusiasm and energy was obvious to all and his legacy in the area of education is a significant one. He will be sadly missed. I am aware that Johns untimely death has come as a great shock to everyone who knew him. An artists impression by NuGen of how the Moorside nuclear plant in Cumbria might have looked (NuGeneration Limited) Plans to build a new nuclear power station in the UK, creating over 20,000 jobs, have collapsed after Toshiba said it was pulling out of the project. The Japanese engineering giant is to wind up its NuGen business, which was going to build three reactors at Moorside in Cumbria, enough to generate 7% of the UKs energy needs. More than 20,000 workers would have been employed to build the 15 billion plant, close to the Sellafield complex, and 1,000 people would have been employed once electricity was generated from 2024. Unions and the Labour Party attacked the Government for not intervening to ensure the project went ahead, but anti-nuclear campaigners welcomed the decision, saying it proved nuclear power was not economically viable. Toshiba said in a statement: After considering the additional costs entailed in continuing to operate NuGen, Toshiba recognises that the economically rational decision is to withdraw from the UK nuclear power plant construction project, and has resolved to take steps to wind up NuGen. Unfortunately, it has not been possible to successfully conclude those negotiationsNuGen NuGen said the announcement came after 18 months of negotiations with a range of potential new owners. The announcement continued: Unfortunately, it has not been possible to successfully conclude those negotiations. NuGen has retained a team to support the implementation of a winding-up process and will work with Toshiba and its other stakeholders. Whilst NuGen will not be taking the project forward, the Moorside site in Cumbria remains a site designated by Government for nuclear new build, and it is now for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority as the owner of the site and the Government to determine its future. Relying in this way on foreign companies for our countrys essential energy needs was always irresponsibleGMB Justin Bowden, national officer of the GMB union, said: The British Government has blood on its hands as the final sad but predictable nail is banged into the coffin of Toshibas jinxed jaunt into nuclear power. Relying in this way on foreign companies for our countrys essential energy needs was always irresponsible. In the wreckage that passes for a joined-up UK energy policy, the question now is whether Government has finally learned the mistakes of Moorside? A Business Department spokesman said: We understand that Toshiba have faced a difficult decision in ending their involvement in new nuclear projects outside of Japan in light of their well-known financial challenges. All proposed new nuclear projects in the UK are led by private sector developers, and while the Government has engaged regularly with the companies involved, this is entirely a commercial decision for Toshiba. Nuclear has an important role to play as part of the UKs diverse energy mix as we transition to a low-carbon economy, but in each case projects must provide value for money for consumers and taxpayers. This Government remains committed to new nuclear through the Industrial Strategy Nuclear Sector Deal as well as consenting the first new nuclear power station in a generation at Hinkley Point C. The end of the Moorside plan represents a failure of the Governments nuclear gambleGreenpeace Greenpeace UK executive director John Sauven said: The end of the Moorside plan represents a failure of the Governments nuclear gamble. Their flawed approach to making our economy low carbon has dashed the hopes of prospective workers and businesses in Cumbria that should have been centred around renewable technologies. The Government now needs to rapidly deploy renewable energy to fill the gap. That means restarting onshore wind, a new deal for expanding solar power, and upping ambition on more offshore wind. Reports this morning that Toshiba has decided to wind up NuGen and the Moorside project are deeply worrying for staff working on the project | Government action needed to secure new nuclear, skills in the industry and our future secure, low carbon electricity supply @FernsSue pic.twitter.com/0EjZqLMHhJ Prospect Union (@ProspectUnion) November 8, 2018 Sue Ferns, senior deputy general secretary of Prospect union, said: This is devastating news for Cumbria and the wider energy sector. The nuclear industry and wider supply chain currently employ thousands of people in the North West of England. The long-term future of this could be on the line if we cant move forward with building Moorside. Rebecca Long Bailey, shadow business secretary, said: Todays announcement by Toshiba is hugely concerning for the future of the sector and the thousands of jobs it would bring to Cumbria. Unfortunately, its not surprising given the Governments long indecision and refusal to step in. Moorside could be a powerhouse for the regional economy ... This is another example of the Governments chaotic attitude to policy-makingRitchie James, Unite Unite union official Ritchie James said: Todays news is a cruel blow to the prospects for the North West economy and the future of thousands of highly-skilled jobs in construction and operations, once it was up and running. Sara Medi Jones, acting general secretary of CND, said: Nuclear energy isnt just dirty and dangerous, this announcement shows once again its not economically viable. Nuclear proponents will say the Government should have done more to save the Moorside plant, but this is an industry that already relies on enormous state subsidies at taxpayers expense. Michel Barnier said he remained determined to see the Brexit process through (Niall Carson/PA) The EUs chief Brexit negotiator has warned of the need to fight political forces which want to demolish Europe, saying that all of the continents countries now have an equivalent of Ukips Nigel Farage. Michel Barnier told a conference of the centre-right European Peoples Party (EPP) in Finland that the EU was in a fragile condition but remained vital to protecting Europes way of life. In a world where by 2050 Germany would be the only European nation able to sit among the G8 group of leading economies in its own right, Mr Barnier said the preservation of the EU was essential to ensure the continents future was not shaped by emerging giants like China. We must stand up for EuropeMichel Barnier Mr Barnier made no predictions about the UKs fortunes following Brexit, but his comment suggests he expects it to slip out of the club of the worlds largest economies over the next three decades. Calling for delegates to stand up for Europe, he said: We need a strong Europe that speaks in one and the same voice. We need an EU that is capable and credible when it comes to security, defence, cyber-security and civil protection. A former vice-president of the EPP and European commissioner, Mr Barnier last month ruled himself out of seeking the partys nomination as lead candidate for next years European Parliament elections, saying that it was not compatible with his role as Brexit negotiator. If chosen as Spitzenkandidat, he would have been in pole position to succeed Jean-Claude Juncker as Commission president. Expand Close EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier addresses the EPP congress in Helsinki (www.epp.eu) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier addresses the EPP congress in Helsinki (www.epp.eu) Addressing the EPP in Helsinki, he said he remained determined to see the Brexit process through: I shall fulfil my Brexit mission to the end. It is my responsibility. Mr Barnier made only passing reference to the Brexit talks, but told EPP delegates: The European project is fragile, it is under threat, it is perishable and at the same time it is vital. And he said: We all have to fight against those who want to demolish Europe with their fear, their populist deceit, their attacks against the European project. There is now a Farage in every country. He said: In 2050, no single European country will sit alone at the table of the G8, except maybe Germany. We must forcefully defend and promote our European model. If we dont write the rules of our game, China will write them for us. We want a Europe that brings opportunities for everyone, a renewed social market economy. He called for the EU to massively invest in the technologies of the future, like artificial intelligence and electric vehicles, to fight climate change by reducing emissions to zero by 2050 and to establish firm protection of external borders against irregular migration. If we want a Europe that is sovereign and close to citizens on what really matters, the time to act is now, said Mr Barnier. We must stand up for Europe. The Duke of Sussex has said he would like to include a symbol of Indias war dead in his Cenotaph wreath, to commemorate their First World War sacrifice but added that it would not please everyone. Harrys comment came as he honoured Britains war dead at a ceremony to open Westminster Abbeys Field of Remembrance, which marks its 90th anniversary this year. On Sunday the duke will join the Prince of Wales, Duke of Cambridge, the Prime Minister, cabinet members and other national figures laying wreaths at the Cenotaph, as the nation falls silent on the 100th anniversary of the end of the war. The duke, a former Army officer, stopped at one of the 370 plots in the shadow of the Abbey, representing regiments, military organisations and other bodies and covered with tiny wooden crosses, to chat to Suraj Samant, 23, from the Hindu Council UK. In India marigolds, rather than poppies, are used to commemorate the countrys war dead, and Mr Samant handed Harry a bloom. Mr Samant, whose plot represented Indias First World War forces, said after their meeting: His elder brother and his father both put a wreath of marigolds down at India Gate at New Delhi to commemorate (Indias fallen) so I thought it was poignant to also offer His Royal Highness a marigold as part of the Indian diasporas centenary commemorations. The Duke of Sussex meets war veterans, members of the Armed Forces and Staffordshire Regiment Association mascot Watchman 6 at the @PoppyFactory #FieldofRemembrance pic.twitter.com/UdpcmiNnEb The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) November 8, 2018 He said 1.3 million Indian servicemen were involved in the First World War, and 74,000 were killed during the conflict. Mr Samant, 23, added: His Royal Highness spoke of the sacrifice, and said his father had expressed that to him in great detail, and to remember that sacrifice, and its very necessary to mark that here. He said hed add a couple of marigolds into his wreath that he puts down at the Cenotaph if he had the choice. I think he recognises that sacrifice himself, its not a small number were talking about. Mr Samant added that Harry said if he made the gesture recognising Indias fallen, it would not please everyone. Harry also met the mascot of the Staffordshire Regiments, Colour Sergeant Watchman V a Staffordshire bull terrier who was with his handler ex-Warrant Officer Class 2 Greg Hedges, 62, from the Staffordshire Regimental Association. The popular mascot is due to retire next year and nearby was his replacement, Private Watchman VI, who is just 15 weeks old and the same breed. Mr Hedges said the two dogs were cousins, adding: Watchman V will have done 77 years service when he retires thats in dog years so weve got a teenager and a pensioner. Speaking about Harrys encounter with the soon-to-be mascot he added: He went down to pat it and it jumped up and he held it by the paw, he got the royal seal of approval I think. During the event Harry left his own miniature cross at the site and the Last Post was sounded by a bugler before a minutes silence was observed. Among those present was Sarah Jones, president of the Royal British Legion Poppy Factory and widow of Falklands hero Lieutenant Colonel Herbert Jones known as H, who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. As he left the grounds of the Abbey Harry shook hands with decorator John Kinsella, 54, who wore a poppy on his hard hat and last month travelled to Belgium with his two brothers to visit the grave of their great grandfather, who was killed just a few weeks before the First World War ended. He said about his great grandfather Thomas Kinsella: He was 100 years dead on the 12th October 1918 and we went to give him the service he didnt have 100 years ago, really. Mr Kinsella, from Islington, London, who was working on a nearby apartment block, said about Harry: Ive met his grandma at St Pauls, I shook his old mans hand at Kennington about four years ago, and now Ive shaken his hand, its a nice touch to end the day my old womans going to laugh her head off. Police are investigating the death of a man in Glasgow (Joe Giddens/PA) Police have launched a murder inquiry after a man died in an extremely violent assault in Glasgow. Owen Hassan, 30, died in hospital shortly after he was found seriously injured in Greenview Street, Shawlands, at about 10.30pm on Wednesday. Detectives said Mr Hassan suffered a violent attack and are trying to establish a motive. Officers have appealed for anyone who was in the area at around 10.20pm on Wednesday to contact them. Expand Close Police are trying to establish a motive for Owen Hassans murder (Police Scotland/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Police are trying to establish a motive for Owen Hassans murder (Police Scotland/PA) Mr Hassan died in the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow shortly after his admission. Detective Inspector Graham MacKellar said: This was an extremely violent assault and at this time we are trying to establish the exact circumstances and motive for such an attack. Officers are currently viewing CCTV and speaking to local people in the area in an attempt to gather more information. I appeal to anyone who was in the vicinity of Greenview Street around 10.20pm last night (Wednesday 7 November) and either witnessed Mr Hassan being assaulted, or perhaps saw anyone acting suspiciously in the area, to come forward. Anyone with information which may assist the investigation to contact police immediately via telephone number 101, quoting incident number 4167 of 7 November 2018. Nicola Sturgeon said her thoughts are with the workers at the closure-threatened Dundee tyre factory (Andrew Milligan/PA) First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said her thoughts are with workers at the closure-threatened Michelin tyre factory in Dundee as she pledged to leave no stone unturned in attempts to secure its future. Speaking at First Ministers Questions, she said: This news this week has clearly been devastating for the 845 workers at Michelin and for their families and the wider community in Dundee. My thoughts are with all of them at this time. Let me be very clear, as Derek Mackay was in this chamber earlier in the week, that we will do everything we can to find a sustainable future for this plant. Our absolute priority is to pursue options for the site to continue with commercial production and we will leave no stone unturned in working with Michelin, with Dundee council and with other partners to secure a positive future for the plant, for its workers and for the wider community. Expand Close First Minister Nicola Sturgeon during First Ministers Questions (Jane Barlow/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp First Minister Nicola Sturgeon during First Ministers Questions (Jane Barlow/PA) She said her government would look at all reasonable suggestions for extra funding and repeated calls for the UK Government to commit an additional 50 million to match the Scottish Governments 200 million contribution to the Tay Cities deal to boost the local economy. Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: Michelin has been a giant presence in the city of Dundee. We need to do everything we can through the Tay City deal and other measures to keep as many jobs in the city as possible. When Michelin pulled out of their Ballymena plant, there was a decent redundancy deal for the workers that paid proper respect to their service workers deserve that. Will the First Minister make sure that any Dundee workers that are made redundant get that Ballymena deal or better? She replied: If redundancies are inevitable here, then we will want to see workers getting the best possible deal and Michelin, as I understand it, have already given commitments that that will be the case, but we dont want, at this stage, to assume that that is an inevitable outcome. At #FMQs @willie_rennie asks about Michelin "This is real peoples lives and real peoples jobs. We need to do everything we can through the Tay Cities deal and other measures to keep as many jobs in the city as possible". Matthew Clark (@MJCFife) November 8, 2018 Michelin bosses have given Finance Secretary Mr Mackay until the end of the month to come up with a plan that could save the site. He will have a further meeting with the tyremaker in the coming weeks to put an alternative proposal to them, following their announcement on Monday of plans to cease operations at the site, which opened in 1972, by mid-2020. The company said the market for premium smaller tyres such as those produced at the Tayside factory has dropped significantly due to an increase in cheap imports from Asia and a shift to larger car tyres. A neighbour described the aftermath of a shooting at a bar in California as like a battlefield as wounded victims staggered to safety, (Richard Vogel/AP) A neighbour described the aftermath of a shooting at a bar in California as like a battlefield as wounded victims fled from a hooded killer armed with smokebombs and a handgun. Police in Thousand Oaks said 12 people were shot dead when Ian David Long, a 28-year-old former US Marine with mental health problems, opened fire inside Borderline Bar and Grill on Wednesday night. Terrified drinkers used bar stools to smash windows as they desperately tried to escape the gunfire at the venue popular with students from nearby California Lutheran University. A sheriffs sergeant is among the dead and Long is believed to have killed himself. The flag of the United States will be flown at half-staff to remember the victims of last night's horrible act of violence in Thousand Oaks, California. https://t.co/WC3pW8uYvx The White House 45 Archived (@WhiteHouse45) November 8, 2018 Sarah Silikula lives minutes away from the bar and first realised something was wrong when she heard screaming. She told the Press Association: A few minutes earlier I noticed the music had stopped but really didnt process that it was a big deal until I heard slight screaming. Its very unusual to hear anything in this neighbourhood after sunset, its a quiet place. So I was about to walk outside when my daughter called and said, dont go outside, lock your house up, theres an active shooter at Borderline. They dont know where he is. I said how do you know where this is at, theres nothing on the news? She said I was supposed to go to Borderline tonight but I didnt go, I stayed home. My friends are there, and I just talked to one of them shes hiding in the bathroom. Mrs Silikula, a mother of eight, then left her house and saw dozens of police cars descending on the bar. The 44-year-old praised their bravery and said officers did not hesitate before rushing inside. Expand Close Mourners embrace outside the Thousand Oaks Teen Centre (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mourners embrace outside the Thousand Oaks Teen Centre (Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP) The injured then started to leave Borderline, desperately staggering to safety. Mrs Silikula said: The kids were running this way, like a tsunami of injured children. It was like a battlefield, you know when you carry soldiers off a battlefield? They were carrying their friends, they had no clothes on and they were missing their shoes and had covered up gunshot wounds with their shirts. You just dont know what to do but comfort them and pull them around. Mrs Silikula spoke to one victim who told her they had been hiding in the bathroom as the sound of gunshots got closer. The door opened as they were cowering in a stall and the barrel of a gun poked through before the police officer holding the weapon entered and guided the young girl to safety. Expand Close Sheriffs Sgt Ron Helus was killed after a gunman opened fire in California (Ventura County Sheriffs Department via AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sheriffs Sgt Ron Helus was killed after a gunman opened fire in California (Ventura County Sheriffs Department via AP) Sheriffs Sergeant Ron Helus arrived at Bordeline around 11.20pm local time and entered the building after hearing gunshots, US police said. He was immediately hit with bullets and later died. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said: He went in there to save people and paid the ultimate price. Mrs Silikula said the neighbourhood was in shock. She added: Its so hard to believe. No-one locks their doors here, people forget to lock their cars all the time. Its just not where anyone expects this is going to happen. Authorities say it is the deadliest mass shooting in the US since 17 teachers and students were gunned down at a Parkland, Florida, high school nine months ago. And it comes less than two weeks after a gunman killed 11 people at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. Mrs Silikula begged Donald Trump to tighten gun laws to prevent further tragedies. She said: A week ago I would say its your business. Everyone has a right to get a gun. But not anymore, now I beg our president to stand up for our children, I challenge him to do it. He stands up to so many other people, he screams and yells to get his point across. I want him to scream and yell for our kids safety so my little kids dont have to worry about this happening to them when they go to school or when they go out. This should never happen again. Mr Trump praised police for their great bravery in the California attack and said, God bless all of the victims and families of the victims. Police constables Laura Sayer and Kenneth MacKenzie have received an award for bravery from Chief Constable Iain Livingstone (Andrew Milligan/PA) Two police officers who were stabbed while attending an incident at a house have been recognised for their outstanding bravery. Constables Laura Sayer and Kenneth MacKenzie were attacked after going to a house in Greenock, Inverclyde, to support colleagues from a partner agency and suffered serious injuries in the incident on June 1. Speaking for the first time, the officers thanked colleagues and the public for their support but said they were only doing what all police officers are trained to do. William Taylor, who appeared in court charged with stabbing the officers, has been detained for mental health treatment. Constable Sayer had six months service at the time of the attack while Pc MacKenzie had been an officer for nine years. They said their recovery has been very difficult at times but they hope to return to work in the near future. The pair, along with seven fellow officers who assisted as the incident unfolded, received bravery awards from Chief Constable Iain Livingstone at a ceremony at the Scottish Police College at Tulliallan, Fife, on Thursday. Cabinet Secretary for Justice, @HumzaYousaf - "what I commend you for is that day in and day out, you are putting yourself in harms way to help others" #PolScotBravery pic.twitter.com/mY2iRzsIjC Police Scotland (@PoliceScotland) November 8, 2018 In a joint statement, the injured officers said: The incident which we and our colleagues faced on June 1 was extremely challenging and not something that we will easily ever forget. We did what all police officers are trained to do and can only thank our colleagues who put themselves in harms way to help prevent what could have been a far more serious incident. Despite the serious injuries we suffered, we both recognise that without the support of fellow officers that day it could have been much worse. They added: The past few months have also been extremely challenging and we have faced a long road to recovery which has, at times, been very difficult. We are very proud to be recognised with this bravery award and to share this moment with the colleagues who helped during the incident. Our recovery is going well and we hope to return to work in the near future. This would not have been possible without the support of Police Scotland and fellow officers. The hundreds of messages of support we received from the public have also been a huge comfort as we recover and we would like to thank everyone for their kind wishes. Expand Close Police constables Laura Sayer and Kenneth MacKenzie received awards from Chief Constable Iain Livingstone (Andrew Milligan/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Police constables Laura Sayer and Kenneth MacKenzie received awards from Chief Constable Iain Livingstone (Andrew Milligan/PA) The pair were among 64 police officers, two special constables, one member of police staff and 14 members of the public honoured at the Police Scotland Bravery and Meritorious Conduct Awards. Among those honoured were Sergeant David Rourke, who rescued an elderly couple from their house in West Linton in the Borders before it was engulfed by 12ft high snow in the Beast from the East storm, and Constable Adam Denny, who arrived at an incident in Auchterarder, Perth and Kinross, where three people had already been stabbed and prevented the attacker from hurting more people in August 2017. Shaun Carroll, a member of the public who rescued a driver from a burning vehicle near Dalkeith, Midlothian, last December, was also among those to receive an award. Chief Constable Iain Livingstone said: The Police Scotland bravery awards provide us with an opportunity to pause, reflect and admire outstanding acts of bravery displayed by members of the public, police officers and staff who put the protection of others before their own safety. These selfless acts of care, courage and professionalism include many instances where immense courage was shown in helping people at their time of greatest need, actions that were often life-changing for all involved. Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said: To start each day without knowing the danger that may arise is not an experience faced by many. The police officers commended today are shining examples of officers who have gone far beyond the call of duty when faced with that risk. The members of the public here who have responded bravely to help fellow citizens are a further representation of the compassion found across Scotland. The Prime Minister will travel to Belgium and France to pay her respects to those who died in the First World War, as the centenary of the Armistice approaches. Theresa May will visit two war cemeteries on Friday, to lay wreaths alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel. She will start the day with a ceremony at the St Symphorien Military Cemetery in Mons. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) There she will lay a wreath at the graves of John Parr, the first UK soldier to be killed in 1914, and the last, George Ellison, who was killed on the Western Front at 9.30am, before the Armistice came into effect at 11am. Then she and Mr Michel will attend a reception where they will meet British and Belgian serving members of the Armed Forces. Afterwards she will travel to France and meet Mr Macron in Albert, the town in the heart of the Somme region which suffered significant bombardment during the conflict. The leaders will hold a private meeting and a working lunch before departing for a wreath-laying ceremony at the nearby Thiepval Memorial. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) The memorial bears the names of more than 72,000 members of the Armed Forces who died in battle, and holds an annual commemoration for the Missing of the Somme. A wreath combining poppies and le bleuet, the two national emblems of remembrance for Britain and France, will be made for the occasion. Mrs May said the visit would be a chance to reflect on the time the countries spent fighting side by side in Europe, but also to look ahead to a shared future, built on peace, prosperity and friendship. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) She added: At St Symphorien I will have the honour of laying a wreath on behalf of a nation at the graves of both John Parr and George Ellison, the first and last UK soldiers to die during the war. That their graves lie opposite each other is a fitting and poignant symbol that brings home the eternal bond between them, and every member of the Armed Forces who gave their lives to protect what we hold so dear. We remember the heroes who lost their lives in the horror of the trenches. As the sun sets on one hundred years of remembrance, we will never forget their sacrifice. Returning to the UK on Saturday, Mrs May will attend the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall. On Remembrance Sunday she will lay a wreath at the Cenotaph and attend the national service to mark the Centenary of the Armistice at Westminster Abbey. A further union has voted to reject a 350 million local government pay deal and move towards strike action. Unison Scotlands local government members voted by 79% in the consultative ballot to reject the pay offer from local government body Cosla. Around two-thirds (67%) were in favour of taking industrial action to pursue the joint trade union pay claim. Last month, Unite local government staff members voted by 73% in a similar ballot to reject the pay deal and, of these, 88% backed industrial action. GMB members have also voted against the deal in a consultative ballot and are now moving to vote on strike action. All three unions recommended members reject the pay offer, arguing council staff are being offered less than teachers, and are calling for pay parity across the local government workforce. Cosla said the offer of a 3% increase for those earning up to 80,000 puts staff on a par with those working in the NHS and other parts of the public sector, and warned any further increase would lead to cuts to jobs and services. Unisons Johanna Baxter said: What this result demonstrates is a real anger and frustration amongst Unison members at the lack of action by Cosla and the Scottish Government to address the serious issue of low pay in local government. Unison will talk to other local government trade unions on Friday to discuss further action and we will inform employers of the ballot results then. As the Scottish Government prepare their budget we will put further pressure on them to make more money available to fund a decent pay rise for local government staff. She said the next step is holding a statutory ballot on industrial action. Cosla resources spokeswoman Gail Macgregor expressed her disappointment at the outcome of the ballot. She said: We value our workforce and our 3% offer matches other offers within the public sector in Scotland. However, whilst disappointed, we as employers look forward to discussing this with Unison at our joint meeting tomorrow. A Scottish Government spokesman said: We value and recognise the contribution of all local authority staff. However, pay for local government employees, other than teachers, is negotiated between the unions and Cosla, and the Scottish Government is not part of that process. MSPs are set to vote to suspend Tory Annie Wells from Holyrood. Ms Wells, the Scottish Conservative equalities spokeswoman, faces being excluded from the Parliament for five days after MSPs on the Standards Committee agreed she had sought political advantage by commenting on a report before it was made public. The ban, if approved, would see her excluded from Holyrood committee meetings and chamber debates for the week beginning Monday November 12. SNP MSP Gail Ross had complained about Ms Wellss actions, with the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee agreeing she had breached the Code of Conduct for MSPs by commenting on the report on prisoner voting ahead of its publication. Ms Wells responded by saying: Numerous media outlets contacted our office seeking comment on a story on the front page of a national newspaper that morning on prisoner voting. So I responded to that, as every MSP would, by issuing a statement to them reiterating my opposition to allowing prisoners voting rights. My response did not contain details of the report that werent already known, nor was I responsible for the original leak of the document to the paper, and we still dont know who was. Scottish Conservative MSP Annie Wells has been suspended from Holyrood. MSPs voted by 84 to 27 for her to be excluded from the Parliament for five days. Ms Wells was deemed to have breached the Code of Conduct for MSPs by commenting on a report on prisoner voting ahead of its publication. It means she will be excluded from Holyrood committee meetings and chamber debates for the week beginning Monday November 12. In moving the motion, SNP MSP Bill Kidd said: The Parliament has made it clear previously that when a committee deems information to be confidential, notably in relation to a committee report, it should remain confidential until any agreed publication date. When an MSP discloses the details of an unpublished committee report, particularly to record dissent, it seriously undermines the impact of the report and is considered deeply disrespectful to fellow committee members and to everyone involved in their enquiry. The complaint itself is regrettable and utterly unhelpful, apart from scoring political pointsMaurice Golden, Scottish Conservative MSP Scottish Conservative MSP Maurice Golden defended Ms Wells and said that although his party accepted she had breached the technical charge, he argued that the sanction handed down was disproportionate to the offence. He said: The process we are involved in is not helping one single person in Scotland, the people we are all here to represent. The complaint itself is regrettable and utterly unhelpful, apart from scoring political points. Annie Wells did not seek or gain anything from the remarks she made. An SNP spokesman responded by saying: These are matters for the Parliament to determine and all MSPs are bound by the same rules. The independent Commissioner for Standards concluded that Annie Wells had breached the Code of Conduct for MSPs and the Standards Committee, which includes two Conservative members, unanimously agreed with the commissioners findings and determined that the breaches justified the imposition of sanctions on Annie Wells. Ahead of the vote, Ms Wells said: Numerous media outlets contacted our office seeking comment on a story on the front page of a national newspaper that morning on prisoner voting. So, I responded to that, as every MSP would, by issuing a statement to them reiterating my opposition to allowing prisoners voting rights. My response did not contain details of the report that werent already known, nor was I responsible for the original leak of the document to the paper, and we still dont know who was. Some of the Prince of Wales private letters to ministers were published in 2015 (PA) The Prince of Wales has suggested he will not meddle in public affairs when he becomes king. Here is a look at some past episodes when there has been criticism over his involvement in public and political issues. Black spider memos In 2015 Charles had to defend his decision to write a series of letters to government ministers, some of which are known as the black spider memos, so-called because of his use of black ink. A long-running legal battle by Guardian newspaper journalist Rob Evans to secure the release of the documents culminated in the UKs highest court ordering the Government to publish them. Publication of private letters can only inhibit his ability to express the concerns and suggestions which have been put to himClarence House in 2015 The letters showed the prince had raised issues with ministers on several occasions between September 2004 and March 2005. He tackled then-prime minister Tony Blair over the lack of resources for the armed forces fighting in Iraq and also wrote to ministers about the benefits of complementary medicine, the need for affordable rural homes and the threat to heritage buildings. Expand Close The opening lines of a letter dated 24/11/2004 written by the Prince of Wales to the then Secretary of State for Education and Skills, Charles Clarke (PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The opening lines of a letter dated 24/11/2004 written by the Prince of Wales to the then Secretary of State for Education and Skills, Charles Clarke (PA) Clarence House said the correspondence showed the range of the Prince of Wales concerns and interests for this country and the wider world. It also defended his decision to write the letters, with a spokesman saying: The publication of private letters can only inhibit his ability to express the concerns and suggestions which have been put to him in the course of his travels and meetings. Sensitive documents In the same year there was controversy when it emerged Charles had been routinely receiving copies of confidential Cabinet papers for more than 20 years. An official document released after a three-year freedom of information battle showed documents of the Cabinet and ministerial committees were being provided to a standard circulation list. As well as the Queen, it included the Prince of Wales, although it was not suggested he had requested access. Heirs to the throne were believed to have been included in the group since the 1930s. The papers, which would include details of ministers discussions on forthcoming legislation, are normally kept secret for at least 20 years. Republic, the campaign group calling for the monarchy to be abolished, urged then-prime minister David Cameron to remove Charles from the list. Architecture Charles has made his views on Britains buildings clear on numerous occasions over the decades, leading to an at-times tense relationship with architects. During an infamous critique of a proposed extension to the National Gallery in 1984, he described the plans as a monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much-loved and elegant friend. The proposals were later changed. Expand Close The extension plan for the National Gallery in London, designed by architect Peter Ahrends (PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The extension plan for the National Gallery in London, designed by architect Peter Ahrends (PA) He has also on occasion criticised the way architecture is taught, saying in 2009 that traditional buildings and projects are looked down on. The same year, he intervened in the redevelopment of Chelsea Barracks in west London, writing to the owners to reconsider their designs. The intervention provoked an angry response from some of the countrys leading architects, who warned he was threatening the democratic process with the destructive comments. Homeopathy The Prince of Wales has long espoused the benefits of homeopathic remedies and complementary medicine and come under fire from some in the medical profession as a result. In a private letter to Mr Blair in 2005 he complained that a European Union directive on herbal medicinal products was having a deleterious effect on the UKs complementary medicine sector by effectively outlawing the use of certain herbal extracts. One of my great ambitions is to make sure more people understand just what remarkable and medicinal properties plants contain out thereThe Prince of Wales in 2001 In 2008 his Duchy Originals firm and British homeopathic manufacturer Nelson launched a range of herbal remedies. The following year the UK medicines regulator told the firm to change the wording of a campaign promoting two products because their claims were misleading. Prince Charles says that, as King, he would have to operate within the constitutional parameters. Pity that he did not feel this obligation as Prince! Edzard Ernst (@EdzardErnst) November 8, 2018 One of Charless foremost critics on the subject, emeritus professor Edzard Ernst, caused uproar in 2011 when he described the prince as a snake oil salesman over an artichoke and dandelion tincture that claimed to detoxify the body. Homeopathic remedies are not widely available on the NHS. A 2010 report by MPs said the remedies perform no better than placebos, while in 2017 NHS England recommended that GPs and other prescribers should stop providing them. The Duke of Cambridge has warned the clock is ticking towards a tipping point when our impact on the environment will be irreversible. Speaking at the Tusk Conservation Awards at Banqueting House in London, William said nature matters to us all and we have an obligation to reduce the extent to which we plunder the planets resources. He highlighted the recent Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change, warning that it was the loudest warning bell yet from the scientific community that we must act now. The duke added: The clock is ticking towards a tipping point when the impact of what we are doing will become dangerously irreversible. We have a responsibility and obligation to the next generation to drastically reduce the extent to which we plunder the worlds natural resources. He also said that reducing illegal poaching required global political leadership. William added: It was great to see so many countries come together to reaffirm their commitments at the Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference here in London last month. But for the tide to really turn on the trade, we require consistent, global political leadership and action. We must fiercely protect the fragile gains we have made. The duke was attending the awards in Whitehall with his wife the Duchess of Cambridge. Expand Close The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attend the Tusk Conservation Awards (Jeff Spicer/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attend the Tusk Conservation Awards (Jeff Spicer/PA) Kate was wearing a teal floor-length Jenny Packham dress with a matching clutch bag. The duke presented the winners of the Tusk award for conservation, the Tusk wildlife ranger award and the Prince William award for conservation in Africa with their awards. He praised the winners and nominees for their hard work and dedication. William added: As ever, I am inspired and humbled by the sheer dedication and commitment that our 2018 nominees have demonstrated. It never ceases to amaze me how they achieve so much against the odds and with so few resources. The charity was set up in 1990 by its current chief executive Charles Mayhew MBE to protect African wildlife against threats including poaching, habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict. The duke became a patron of Tusk in 2005 and has supported the charitys work privately and publicly, including visiting its projects in Namibia and Tanzania on his recent tour of Africa. Mr Mayhew praised William for his unwavering commitment to conservation and said his role was invaluable. Dr Pete Morkel, who was awarded the Prince William award for conservation, joined the other finalists to meet the duke and duchess before the awards ceremony. Congratulations to Pete Morkel who receives The Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa - a lifetime achievement award which commends outstanding dedication and contribution to conservation #TuskAwards #ForAllTheyDo pic.twitter.com/ZTRqAJjwil The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) November 8, 2018 Dr Morkel, from Zimbabwe, is a world-leading wildlife veterinarian who practices across the African continent. He said he had been incredibly impressed with Williams passion for conservation. Dr Morkel added: We first met in Tanzania many years ago and from that moment I have always been incredibly impressed with his attitude and passion for conservation. Many people in Africa have the utmost respect for both William and his brother Harry for their continued efforts. Thank god there are people like them in the world who continue to shine a light on the issues of conservation and the environment around the world. Without them the vital work that is carried out by incredible people in Africa on the ground would not get the help or the respect it deserves. Dr Morkel has been instrumental in some of the most impactful conservation translocations in recent decades, including collaring forest elephant across the Congo Basin, assisting with the translocation of six black rhino from South Africa to Zakouma National Park in Chad, collaring and moving giant sable in Angola and assisting with the translocation of giraffe in Murchison National Park in Uganda. Julius Obwona was presented the Tusk wildlife ranger award for his bravery and dedication to the fight against poaching in Uganda. Julius Obwona receives The Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award from The Duke of Cambridge for his dedication and bravery working as a ranger to protect Africa's increasingly threatened wildlife #TuskAwards #ForAllTheyDo pic.twitter.com/cS0ECOLnHb The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) November 8, 2018 Before being presented with the award by the duke, wildlife ranger Mr Obwona said: Prince William has shown he is a man of honour who is very dedicated to the world of conservation and for that we are very thankful. He shares my views and passion that we must empower the communities to share the burden of protecting our wildlife and our lands. We need to work with the stakeholders and empower the communities. It is often dangerous and we need to educate the people around us and encourage love for our world around us. William also presented Vincent Opyene the Tusk award for conservation for his work changing how Uganda tackles wildlife crime. The Duke with The Tusk Award for Conservation winner Vincent Opyene. The award is given to an emerging leader in conservation in recognition of their contribution to date #TuskAwards #ForAllTheyDo pic.twitter.com/WjdhW53pYi The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) November 8, 2018 Mr Opyene used his field patrol experiences for the Uganda Wildlife Authority and work as a state prosecutor to establish the Natural Resource Conservation Network (NRCN). The NRCN is a partnership between civil society and government to improve how wildlife laws are enforced. Mr Opyene said the duke told all the finalists he appreciated the work they were doing. He added: It gives us a lot of stamina to go back and do better work. The 79 school pupils kidnapped by unidentified gunmen in Cameroon on Sunday night have been released, a church official has said. However, two of the three staff members abducted from the school are still being held, according to Fonki Samuel Forba, moderator of Cameroon's Presbyterian Church. He said the schoolchildren, who were kidnapped on Sunday night from a church school, had been left at a church near Bamenda, the Northwest Region's capital. Mr Forba said the students looked tired and appeared to have suffered during their captivity. He pleaded with the kidnappers to free the staff still being held, and has asked parents and guardians to take their children home. The spokesman added that the Presbyterian boarding school, with 700 students, is being closed because of the security situation. He said: "It is unfortunate we have to close the school and send home 700 children. "Their security is not assured by the state and armed groups constantly attack and kidnap them." Mr Forba added that the school had previously had some students kidnapped, a situation which was resolved when the church paid a ransom of 2.5m francs (about 3,000) to the armed gang. "We can no longer continue," he said. Cameroon's north-west and south-west areas are beset by instability caused by English-speaking separatists. Fighting between the military and separatists increased after the government clamped down on peaceful demonstrations by English-speaking teachers and lawyers protesting what they said was their marginalisation by Cameroon's French-speaking majority. Hundreds have been killed in the past year and the separatists have vowed to destabilise the regions as part of the strategy for creating a breakaway state, which they say will be called Ambazonia. They have attacked civilians who do not support their cause, including teachers who were killed for disobeying orders to keep schools closed. There have been kidnappings at other schools, but the group taken on Sunday was the largest number abducted at one time in Cameroon's Anglophone regions. The separatists have also set fire to at least 100 schools and driven out students and teachers from buildings taken over as training grounds. The Northwest Region's governor Deben Tchoffo said this week that the government is providing adequate security for schools. The governor said: "I must insist that we have taken enough measures to protect schools, but we also need the assistance of all. "People should inform the military whenever they see strange faces in their villages." Tah Pascal, father of one of the kidnapped students, said he does not trust what the governor has said. He said: "How can he always talk of protection and security when our schools are torched every day, our children tortured and their teachers killed. "This is done in spite of the presence of the military." Some of the parents said they were relocating their children to safer areas. President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Florida before the midterm elections (Evan Vucci/AP) This weeks midterm elections offered revealing lessons for both parties as battle lines begin to emerge for the 2020 presidential election. For Democrats, the potential path back to the White House opened somewhat with a string of statewide victories in Rust Belt states that long backed the partys nominees but flipped to President Donald Trump in 2016. But Republicans found strength in critical states that often hold the keys to the presidency. Perhaps no state offered Democrats more hope than Wisconsin, which shocked the party in 2016 by narrowly falling into Mr Trumps column. Were so proud to welcome our newest members from all over the country. Now, lets get to work! House Democrats (@HouseDemocrats) November 7, 2018 Republican Governor Scott Walkers narrow loss in his bid for a third term left Democrats optimistic they could reclaim Wisconsin along with other traditionally blue states that Mr Trump carried, such as Michigan and Pennsylvania. To have Walker lose is a significant turning point that the right candidate in 2020 could win all of these states across the industrial north, Democratic pollster Paul Maslin, who advised Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwins campaign. If they do, Trumps map starts to get more difficult. Still, there are plenty of reason for caution for Democrats. Gains in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania were offset by mixed results in Ohio and Republican dominance in electoral powerhouse Florida. In Ohio, Republicans came out on top in the governors race and a handful of other statewide offices. The Republicans kept their 12-4 majority in the US House delegation. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) Ohio Democrat Representative Tim Ryan, who won another term representing a district that Hillary Clinton won in 2016, called it a really bad election night for Ohio Democrats, but said the party was able to win when they focused on bread-and-butter economic issues, the way he and Senator Sherrod Brown, who also won re-election Tuesday, did. If youre not connecting with the workers, then youre not going to be able to do well, Mr Ryan said in an interview. Trump connected to the workers. If we dont do that, if were continuing to be seen as elite and that people are deplorables if they dont vote for us, were going to have a big problem. It is indeed a good morning for Senate Republicans. @SenateMajLdr Congratulations to the newest Senators-elect. We look forward to working with you during the upcoming Congress. Senate Republicans (@SenateGOP) November 7, 2018 In his victory speech, Mr Brown said his state had provided a blueprint for America in 2020. Republicans, though, pointed to Mr Trumps eight-point victory in Ohio in 2016, and the four campaign visits he made to the state, including a southwest Ohio jaunt three weeks before the election. Mr Trump remains very popular in the region, spanning from the politically swing-voting Hamilton County eastward along a string of Ohio River counties that the president carried by more than 30 percentage points. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) The areas white and vastly rural profile, outside Cincinnati, is part of what is expected to keep Ohio from springing back easily for Democrats, Hamilton County Republican Chairman Alex Triantafilou said. I think southwest Ohio is becoming more reliably red under President Trump, Mr Triantafilou said. Theres definitely a turnout benefit to talking to conservatives the way Trump has. There were also warning signs for Democrats in Florida, a perennial swing state that is increasingly delivering victories however narrow to the Republicans. Republican Ron DeSantis defeated Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, handing Democrats their third consecutive loss for the Florida governors mansion. Adding to their trouble was incumbent Democratic Senator Bill Nelson trailing Republican Rick Scott. One bright note for Democrats in Florida was the passage of Amendment 4, which will restore voting rights to most felons when they complete their sentences and probation, adding 1.4 million possible voters to the rolls. It is unclear how this group of people will affect the 2020 election. Democrats also see bright signs in places like Nevada, once a conservative state that is now more consistently trending blue. Beto ORourkes Democratic campaign for Senate in Texas fell short by less than three percentage points in Texas, a Republican-heavy state that has not elected a Democrat to statewide office since 1994. Expand Close Stacey Abrams ran a competitive campaign for governor in Georgia (John Amis/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Stacey Abrams ran a competitive campaign for governor in Georgia (John Amis/AP) Democrat Stacey Abrams ran a competitive campaign for governor in Georgia, which has not elected a Democrat to the governors mansion since 1998. There are some assumptions about states Democratic presidential candidates will visit that are being truly reconsidered, Democratic strategist Anita Dunn said. Im talking about changing the map. Tensions were already flaring over what type of candidate could capitalise on the emerging 2020 map. Were going to see a huge field, but the big question will be whether they learn lessons from the midterms because I think the electorate was trying to tell us something loudly and clearly, Matt Bennett of Third Way, a centrist think tank, said in an interview. The message they were trying to send us is youve got to beat Trump in the battleground states, and youve got to run on very mainstream, nonextreme Democratic ideals and values. The people that ran that way won in those tough places, Mr Bennett added, and the people who didnt run that way lost almost everywhere. But Adam Green, a co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, said he saw a shifting centre of gravity within the Democratic Party. Thanks to Stacey Abrams, Andrew Gillum and Beto ORourke, places where Democrats have had trouble winning for years became unpredictable toss-ups in large part because of an electorate inspired by never-before-heard bold visions for economic and racial justice, Mr Green said. A Moscow square is being named after Kim Philby (PA) The mayor of Moscow has decreed that a square near the headquarters of Russias foreign intelligence service should be named after British double agent Kim Philby. Sergei Sobyanin signed the order amid tensions between Russia and Britain over the nerve agent poisoning of Russian former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury. Philby joined MI6 in 1940, eventually heading its counter-espionage division and serving as intelligence liaison with the United States. Expand Close Kim Philby is being honoured in Moscow (PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kim Philby is being honoured in Moscow (PA) He resigned in 1951 under suspicion that he had tipped off two other double agents, who fled to Moscow. Philby defected to the Soviet Union in 1963, where he died in 1988. Kim Yong Chols meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has been delayed (Andrew Harnik/AP) South Koreas foreign minister quoted US officials as saying that it was North Korea that cancelled a meeting this week between US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a senior North Korean official on nuclear issues. North Korea sent a notification to Washington to call off the meeting aimed at discussing the Norths denuclearisation and setting up a second summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said on Thursday. Ms Kang provided no reason on why North Korea cancelled the meeting in New York. Ms Kang told politicians she planned to discuss the matter with Mr Pompeo over the phone. Expand Close South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha (Kim Ju-hyung/Yonhap/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha (Kim Ju-hyung/Yonhap/AP) South Koreas presidential office earlier said that the meetings postponement would not affect the momentum of talks between Washington and Pyongyang. We were notified by the United States that North Korea explained that (the meeting) should be postponed because both sides have busy schedules, Ms Kang said. I think it would be excessive to read too much into the postponement of the meeting. Mr Trump told reporters at the White House that the United States is in no rush and that the meeting between Mr Pompeo and his North Korean counterpart Kim Yong Chol would be rescheduled. US State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said the postponement was purely a scheduling issue but refused to elaborate. Expand Close The meeting between Mike Pompeo and his North Korean counterpart Kim Yong Chol will be rescheduled (Andrew Harnik/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The meeting between Mike Pompeo and his North Korean counterpart Kim Yong Chol will be rescheduled (Andrew Harnik/AP) He did not provide a straightforward answer when asked whether a discord over US-led sanctions against the North, which Pyongyang says must be removed before any progress in nuclear talks, has made it more difficult to set up meetings. Timing, timing, Mr Palladino said. This has to do with timing as a matter were talking about scheduling. And Ill leave it at that. Seoul has worked hard to revive nuclear diplomacy between Washington and Pyongyang, which removed war fears among South Koreans following a provocative run in North Korean weapons tests and Mr Trumps threats of military action last year. Mr Kim shifted to diplomacy in 2018, meeting Trump in June between three summits with South Korean President Moon Jae-in. But the North has been playing hardball since the summits, fuelling doubts about whether Mr Kim would ever deal away a nuclear programme he may see as his strongest guarantee of survival. North Koreas Foreign Ministry last week criticised the United States for its continued support of sanctions and hinted it may resume nuclear development if the measures are not lifted. Mr Trump has been showing signs of slowing the pace of his diplomacy with North Korea, seemingly pivoting closer to his partys mainstream on North Korea issues. Mr Trump recently said he will not play a time game with the North over a denuclearisation deal. In this image made from aerial video, officials tend to a person on the ground in the vicinity of a shooting in Thousand Oaks, California, early Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. Authorities say there were multiple injuries _ including one officer _ after a man opened fire in Southern California bar late Wednesday. (KABC via AP) In this image made from aerial video, police move through the vicinity of a shooting in Thousand Oaks, California, early Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. Authorities say there were multiple injuries - including one officer - after a man opened fire in Southern California bar late Wednesday. (KABC via AP) In this image made from aerial video, police move through the vicinity of a shooting in Thousand Oaks, California, early Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. Authorities say there were multiple injuries _ including one officer _ after a man opened fire in Southern California bar late Wednesday. (KABC via AP) In this image made from aerial video, police vehicles line a road in the vicinity of a shooting in Thousand Oaks, California, early Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. Authorities say there were multiple injuries _ including one officer _ after a man opened fire in Southern California bar late Wednesday. (KABC via AP) In this image made from aerial video, police move through the vicinity of a shooting in Thousand Oaks, California, early Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. Authorities say there were multiple injuries - including one officer - after a man opened fire in Southern California bar late Wednesday. (KABC via AP) In this image made from aerial video, police vehicles block an intersection in the vicinity of a shooting in Thousand Oaks, California, early Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. Authorities say there were multiple injuries _ including one officer _ after a man opened fire in Southern California bar late Wednesday. (KABC via AP) In this image made from aerial video, police vehicles line a road in the vicinity of a shooting in Thousand Oaks, California, early Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. Authorities say there were multiple injuries _ including one officer _ after a man opened fire in Southern California bar late Wednesday. (KABC via AP) This image made from aerial video show officers around a Police SUV in the vicinity of a shooting in Thousand Oaks, California, early Thursday (KABC via AP) Thirteen people have died, including a sheriff's sergeant and the gunman, after a shooting inside a crowded Southern California bar. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said sheriff's Sergeant Ron Helus responded to the scene and was shot after he entered the building. He died at a hospital early on Thursday but authorities did not say how the gunman died. Mr Helus was a 29-year veteran of the force with a wife and son and planned to retire in the coming year, said the sheriff, who choked back tears several times as he talked about the sergeant who was also his long-time friend. "Ron was a hardworking, dedicated sheriff's sergeant who was totally committed," Mr Dean said. "And tonight, as I told his wife, he died a hero because he went in to save lives." Mr Dean said around 10 other people were shot and wounded. Ventura County Sheriff's Office Captain Garo Kuredjian said the first reports of shots fired came around 11.20pm local time at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, which is about 40 miles west of Los Angeles. The bar's website said it hosts College Country Night every Wednesday. Police said hundreds were inside when the shooting occurred. Tayler Whitler, 19, said she was inside the bar when a man walked in with his face partly covered by something resembling a ski mask, opened fire on a person working on the door, then began to shoot people at random. "It was really, really, really shocking," she told KABC-TV as she stood with her father in the Borderline car park. "It looked like he knew what he was doing." It has been "quite some time" since there was a shooting of any kind in Thousand Oaks, a city of about 130,000 people around 40 miles west of Los Angeles. Nick Steinwender, student union president at nearby California Lutheran University, rushed to the scene when he heard about a shooting at the bar where he knew friends and fellow students were. "It was chaos, people jumping out of windows, people hopping over gates to get out," Mr Steinwender told KABC. He said he heard from people inside that they were hiding in toilets and the attic of the bar. UK authorities have extradited Ivica Todoric, the founder of a deeply indebted food and retail company, to Croatia. A year after Todoric was detained in London on embezzlement charges, the 67-year-old landed in Zagreb on a commercial flight from London and was escorted by police to a prison in the Croatian capital. Todoric is accused in Croatia of mismanaging the Agrokor company and embezzling millions. He was arrested in the capital a year ago under a European Arrest Warrant, but was set free on a 100,000 bail the same day he was arrested. Expand Close British authorities have extradited Todoric (AP Photo/Darko Bandic) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp British authorities have extradited Todoric (AP Photo/Darko Bandic) He has maintained his innocence, claiming that he was the victim of rampant corruption at the heart of power in his country. A London court rejected his appeal last month and agreed to send him to Croatia. Agrokor is a massive concern whose tentacles stretch throughout the Balkans. It employs 60,000 people and accounts for 15% of Croatias GDP. It has collapsed under the weight of 6 billion euro (5.23 billion) in debt, including a disputed sum owed to two Russian state-run banks, Sberbank and VTB. It was put into state administration a year ago. Agrokor creditors this year approved a settlement deal that includes giving the two banks a stake of over 46% to avoid bankruptcy. It has prompted fears in Croatia that the Kremlin has been strategically trying to increase its political influence in the European Unions newest member through Agrokors troubles. Most people were astonished when they heard some of the evidence given during the RHI Inquiry. Senior civil servants said no notes were taken at meetings with ministers because the dominant parties, the DUP and Sinn Fein, were sensitive to criticism. The competence of civil servants implementing that financial debacle was also brought into question. Devolution, it appeared, was government but not as the public knew it or even would approve. Read More But, as former UUP leader Mike Nesbitt says today as another damning report into another scheme is released, RHI may not have been an exceptional blip in the governance of Northern Ireland, but just another example of strange practice. This time the scheme under the microscope of the Auditor General is the controversial Social Investment Fund, which was given a whopping 92m to administer. The stated aim of the fund was laudable - to help disadvantaged areas. But there was a least one fatal flaw in the scheme that was the brainchild of the Executive Office at Stormont when power-sharing between the DUP and Sinn Fein was working. The Auditor General has found a lack of transparency in the administration of the fund. Astonishingly, there is no audit trail to show how the money was spent, making it incredibly difficult to determine its value in meeting its stated aims. Other problems identified included conflicts of interest in the initial stages of the scheme and documentation around project selection and prioritisation was poor. The award of 1.7m to a charity headed by convicted armed robber Dee Stitt, who has alleged links with the UDA which he denies, caused controversy in 2016 when it was revealed. Obviously there was some public disquiet over this revelation. It beggars belief that 92m of taxpayers' money could be given out without any sure way of tracing how it was going to be spent. Yet again the Auditor General has identified glaring deficiencies in the governance of a public funded scheme. The only glimmer of hope is that governance improved as the project developed but there are fears that faults in the way Northern Ireland was run during devolution were systemic rather than isolated examples. At the very least the recommendations made by the Auditor General on improving governance should be implemented as soon as possible. All seventy-nine children who had been kidnapped in the English-Speaking Northwest region of Cameroon this week had been released according to information minister, Issa Bakary Tchiroma. All 79 students were released, Tchiroma told reporters on Wednesday. Cameroons military said on Monday more than 80 people, mostly children, were kidnapped from a school in the city of Bamenda. According to AFP, a principal and one of the teachers were however still detained by the kidnappers. The liberation of the hostages comes a day after Cameroons nonagenarian President Paul Biya has appealed to young people engaged in separatist activities in the countrys anglophone regions to abandon what he said was a futile adventure. The 85-year-old President made the statement during his swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday for a seventh term after disputed elections and amid mounting unrest in an English-speaking region. In his address before a joint sitting of the legislative chambers and the Constitutional Court, Biya spoke about security, lauding state forces for rooting out insurgents in the countrys Anglophone regions. He called on the separatists to lay down their arms and get back on the right track. I have no doubt whatsoever that the destiny of our compatriots in the North-West and South-West lies within our Republic, he said. Cameroons 22 million people are mainly French-speakers, but around a fifth speak English. K.M. Nural Huda, Bangladeshs chief election commissioner, announces the country will hold its next general election on Dec. 23, during a nationally televised broadcast in Dhaka, Nov. 8, 2018. Bangladeshis will vote in nationwide parliamentary polls on Dec. 23, the Election Commission announced Thursday, while an opposition alliance did not state whether it would compete in the general election. The nationally televised announcement setting the election date in 45 days for 300 seats in parliament came a day after leaders of the ruling bloc headed by the Awami League party held talks with counterparts from the National Unity Front (NUF), a newly formed opposition alliance, for a second time. NUF leaders sought to delay the vote until February or March 2019 and had asked that a neutral caretaker government be appointed during the election cycle. There is a constitutional obligation to hold the 11th parliamentary polls by Jan. 28, 2019, K.M. Nural Huda, the chief election commissioner, told the nation. I request the political parties settle their differences and disagreements, if any, politically. I urge all political parties to contest the polls. Huda said the deadline to file nomination papers would be in 11 days on Nov.19 and a certified list of candidates is to be made public on Nov. 22. As many as 600,000 law enforcement and military personnel will be deployed and 40,000 polling centers will be open on Election Day. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), a leading opposition party and an NUF member, boycotted the last general election held in January 2014 in protest of Awamis refusal to cede the reins of government to a caretaker administration during that years voting season. As a result, BNP holds no seat in the current parliament, which has a friendly 34-member opposition bloc, whose leader is an adviser to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Awami and its allies hold 250 seats, and independent MPs occupy 16 elected seats. Fifty other seats are held by appointed MPs. Also on Thursday, officials announced that BNP leader Khaleda Zia was transferred from a hospital, where she had been undergoing treatment, to her cell at the old Dhaka Central Jail, where she is the lone inmate. The three-time former prime minister has been locked up since Feb. 8, when she was convicted on charges of embezzling money meant for an orphanage established in her name. Last month, she was convicted on a second corruption charge. After her release from the hospital, jail authorities had her appear in a courtroom set up inside the old jail for a hearing on a 2007 corruption complaint linked to a gas exploration contract with a Canadian company, officials said. Khaleda Zia was produced before the court in violation of rules. She is still sick. This is a total violation of rules and her human rights, her attorney, Sanaullah Mia, told BenarNews. Zia supporters have protested the verdicts, claiming they were orchestrated to remove Hasinas chief rival from the political arena. Zias son and heir-apparent, Tarique Rahman, also has been convicted of corruption and lives in self-exile in London. Equal opportunities The Election Commissions goal is to ensure equal opportunities for all political parties, election commissioner Huda said as he urged political parties to treat their rivals with respect. The Awami League and its 13 allies responded positively. The announcement of the schedule allays peoples confusion over holding the next general elections. We welcome the decision, Awami League Joint Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif told reporters. Obaidul Quader, Awamis general secretary, said the party planned to start selling nomination forms to potential candidates on Friday. The Jatiya Party, an Awami ally, echoed its support. At our talks with the Election Commission on Wednesday, the Jatiya Party urged the commission to go ahead with holding the polls in line with the constitution, party leader Mujubul Haque told BenarNews. Meanwhile, officials with the new opposition alliance questioned the announcement. The schedule does not reflect the expectations of the people. It reflected the governments desire to hold another one-sided election, said Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, NUF spokesman and BNP secretary general. He said the BNP would meet with NUF members before announcing whether they would contest the Dec. 23 election, but he did not say when they would announce their decision. The BNP last held power in Bangladesh in 2006. Expert: Poll date could have been set later While the Awami League and its allies favor holding the election within the date specified by the constitution, that has not always been the case, a former election commissioner told BenarNews. In 2006, the then-ruling BNP and its allies extended support to the pro-BNP caretaker government to hold the ninth general elections by late January 2007 in line with the constitution. But the opposition Awami League and its allies demanded shifting the polls, ex-commissioner and retired Brig. Gen. Sakhawat Hossain said. Amid street fights between the BNP and the opposition Awami League, an army-backed caretaker government took charge of the government and delayed the election until December 2008 when the Awami League returned to power. Before the last general election four years ago, the Awami government amended the constitution to remove a clause mandating that a caretaker administration run the country during the national voting cycle. Hossain said the election commission could have delayed the election schedule announcement. They are bound to hold the polls by Jan. 28. The commission has enough time to hold the polls, he said. As the two political fronts have been in negotiations over the polls, the commission could have waited to see whether they reached a compromise. The remains of a building line a street that was damaged in 2017 during fighting between Islamic State militants and U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces in Raqqa, Syria, April 5, 2018. Malaysian and Indonesian officials say they have not heard from the de facto Kurdish government in northern Syria about its claims that it has a large number of Islamic State fighters from those Southeast Asian countries and their families in custody. Counter-terrorist officials from Malaysia and Indonesia said they could not confirm whether citizens of their countries, who had allegedly taken up arms for the Islamic State militant group, were being held by Kurdish rebels following the fall of IS strongholds in Syria and Iraq. It is hard to get the numbers as we do not have access at the moment, Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, the chief of the Malaysian polices counter-terrorist special branch, told BenarNews. We still dont know definitely whether we have citizens held by Kurdish rebel forces, he said Thursday. In Jakarta, the National Counterterrorist Agency (BNPT) had received no information on whether Kurdish authorities were holding IS fighters from Indonesia and their families, according to a deputy for international cooperation at the bureau. We havent seen any report that confirms that, Hamidin, the official who uses only one name, told BenarNews. Meanwhile, an official at the Indonesian foreign ministry, said the government would not allow Indonesian nationals who had taken up arms for IS in the Middle East to be repatriated, despite a recent plea made by the de facto Kurdish administration. It had called on dozens of countries to take back citizens who had become IS fighters and their families who were also in Kurdish custody. What we understand is that we will never bring home those who are fighters because when they fight for ISIS they have made a conscious decision to travel there, Lalu Muhammad Iqbal, the ministrys director for the protection of Indonesians overseas, told BenarNews, using another acronym for IS. If they were fighters, we leave it to local law enforcement authorities to bring them to justice according to local Kurdish laws, he added. British MP Maurice Glasman (left) meets with Kurdish official Abdulkarim Omar in the northern Syrian city of Qamishli, April 4, 2018. [AFP] Some of these fighters are dangerous The officials in Southeast Asia were reacting to comments made by a Kurdish official in a recent interview with BenarNews. The rebels in northern Syria were holding nearly 900 IS fighters, along with 400 to 500 women and more than 1,000 children from 44 countries, who had been rounded up after IS strongholds in the region fell, said Abdulkarim Omar, co-chairman of the Foreign Relations Commission in North Syria. We have always expressed our willingness to hand over the foreign IS fighters to their governments, but unfortunately most countries try to shirk their responsibilities, Omar told BenarNews via email. The number of Indonesian and Malaysian IS fighters, women and children is not little, especially the Indonesians. Our region is unstable. Any chaos may enable IS fighters to flee. Some of those fighters are dangerous and may pose serious threats in Europe and the international community, he said. Women and children in IS families have been steeped in radical ideology and they need rehabilitation, which we cannot secure alone, he warned. Thus, every country should assume its responsibility and work to secure its citizens and prosecute them on its soil. In late September, Omar told journalists that the de facto administration could not hold the captured IS fighters and their families indefinitely, according to a report by Reuters. For us it is a very large number because these Daeshis are dangerous and they committed massacres, and their presence in our detention is an opportunity for the international community to put them on trial, Reuters quoted Omar as saying in referring to IS members. We alone cannot bear this burden, he added then. In his later comments to Benar, Omar said our decision not to try them in our region is firm, and we will use diplomatic means to hand them over to their governments. He declined to give an exact number for Southeast Asian IS fighters and their families in Kurdish custody, citing safety concerns. However, if our efforts do not yield results, then we would take a new position which will be announced at an appropriate time. One option could be to try the IS fighters and send them back to their home countries to serve their sentences, he said. We do not engage with the rebels In Kuala Lumpur, Ayob said the Malaysian government would not negotiate with non-state actors in the Syrian conflict such as the Kurdish rebels. We have to get help from the ICRC, UNHCR or the Syrian government, Ayob told BenarNews, referring to the International Committee of the Red Cross and the U.N.s refugee agency. We do not engage with the rebels. But if the rebels decide to free them, we will get the ICRC to bring them out of Syria and bring them home. Previously, Malaysian officials had said that 102 Malaysian citizens had traveled to Syria to join IS since 2013. In October, Malaysian police revealed that they had succeeded in bringing home a widow and her two children from Syria following the February death of her husband, a Malaysian IS fighter. The widow, given the pseudonym Aisyah, was presented by Ayob and Malaysian police chief Mohamad Fuzi Harun during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur on Oct. 25. She said she had been duped by her late husband into believing that their 2016 trip abroad was to Turkey, before she and her then-only child were smuggled into Syria to join IS. At the time, Fuzi said Turkish authorities aided in efforts to bring them home to Malaysia. He said authorities were looking at four more groups in Syria who had asked for help to come home. After the IS Syrian stronghold of Raqqa fell last year, 18 Indonesians who were found in the area were deported back to their home country, said Lalu, the Indonesian foreign ministry official. After a vetting process by Kurdish forces, eighteen people were deported but they were not fighters mostly women and children, Lalu told Benar. We havent received any direct information from them [Kurdish forces] again, he said. Supporters of arrested Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) consultant Vic Ladlad rally outside the Philippine National Police's Camp Caringal in suburban Quezon city, north of Manila, to demand his freedom, Nov. 8, 2018. Police and military forces arrested a ranking member of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and two of his aides before dawn Thursday, authorities said, amid warnings the insurgents were involved in a plot to topple President Rodrigo Dutertes government. Vicente Ladlad, 68, was arrested along with two of his comrades in suburban Novaliches city, north of Manila, National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde said. Security forces seized weapons from the suspects, including two assault rifles and several hand grenades, Albayalde said. I am pleased to announce the successful result of our continuing anti-criminality operations, particularly in the campaign against loose firearms, National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde said. He said police and members of the army conducted the raid after receiving a tip from concerned citizens about men acting suspiciously. Leadership vacuum Military officials have filed charges against Ladlad and other CPP leaders for their alleged involvement in the killing of CPP members who were suspected of being government spies. The remains of 67 people believed to be former CPP rebels were unearthed in 2006 in the central island of Leyte. Last month, a comrade also charged with the Leyte deaths, Adelberto Silva, was arrested near Manila. I would like to commend the swift response of the authorities and the concerned citizen for the arrest of these notorious personalities, military chief Gen. Carlito Galvez said. The peoples vigilance has been an important aspect of our security operations and has been valuable in the fight against terrorism. He said police and the military will not stop their anti-communist drive and vowed to hit them in all fronts. The apprehension of Ladlad will create a leadership vacuum in their organization which will speed up the process of defeating insurgency in the country, Galvez said. Shortly after assuming office in 2016, President Rodrigo Duterte, a self-described leftist, opened peace talks with the CPP and released dozens of detained insurgent leaders as a goodwill measure. The relationship soured months later when the rebels were accused of continuing their attacks in remote areas of the country despite the peace talks. Duterte subsequently ended the negotiations. Galvez said that since Duterte came to power, 54 prominent communist personalities have been arrested, disrupting the groups chain of command from the CPP leadership to its New Peoples Army (NPA) fronts on the ground. Among those killed was NPA leader Joey Fajardo who died in a shootout east of Manila in March, while the groups finance officer was arrested in June. Last month, a ranking party leader was arrested in a suburban area just south of Manila. The leadership vacuum led the insurgents to fall complacent, causing the stagnation and decline in their major fields of work in launching the armed struggle, Galvez said. Members of the New People's Army, armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, walk past a hammer-and-sickle flag displayed in a village on the southern island of Mindanao, Dec.26, 2014. [AFP] Fabricated The intensified military crackdown came as Duterte announced an alleged plot to oust him by the political opposition and the CPP. He claimed he received a tip from a foreign government but never divulged other details. Meanwhile, CPP founder Jose Maria Sison, said there was no reason to arrest Ladlad. He accused the military and police of planting evidence against him. There is no valid warrant of arrest against him. But in the Duterte scheme, he is likely to be framed-up as a combatant with firearms and explosives planted despite his serious health condition, Sison said. He said that as a rebel negotiator, Ladlad was covered by an earlier agreement that granted him immunity from arrest. But Duterte spokesman Salvador Panelo said that the agreement is operative only if there are peace talks ongoing. But that has been terminated by the proclamation of the president, he said. Secondly, the crime of rebellion is a continuing crime and therefore no warrant of arrest is needed for that. Karl Romano in Dagupan City contributed to this report. A voter casts his ballot at a polling station in Bangkok, when Thailand was still under democratic rule, Feb. 2, 2014. If elections go ahead as planned next year, military-ruled Thailand will be under a new government by June, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said Thursday. He vowed that the general election would push through as planned on Feb. 24, nearly five years after the military seized power. Official results of the election would be announced no later than April 24, followed by a meeting of parliament on May 8 to select the prime minister. According to the constitutional regulations, the election commission suggests preparations for the election date that should be on the last Sunday of February, which is Feb. 24, Wissanu told reporters at Government House in Bangkok. Incumbent Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha was only four months from mandatory retirement from the army when he seized power at the height of street protests against the elected government of Yingluck Shinawatra, on May 22, 2014. Wissanu said the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), as the junta is formally known, would remain in power until the formation of a new cabinet. May 8 is the first meeting date for the national assembly as well as the last day of this cabinet. However, the NCPO will still remain in power until the new cabinet announces its policy in June next year, Wissanu said. The military junta has pushed back dates for elections at least four times. Wissanus announcement on political timelines came a month after Prayuth confirmed Bangkoks plans to hold the election in February during a meeting in Tokyo with Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe. Elections Commission to consider EU request Meanwhile, a top elections official was quoted saying Thursday that the junta would study a European Union request to send a mission to Thailand consisting of more than 200 people to observe the elections. Initially, well stick to what weve always done. If they come to observe constructively, comply with related laws and regulations and do not cause problems in the process, theres no reason to deny their request, said Ittiporn Boonpracong, president of Thailands Election Commission. He told the Bangkok Post that the commission would start considering the request in two weeks, explaining that election authorities were busy redrawing constituencies. Uchane Cheangsan, a political science professor at Walailuck University, said Thais have been anxiously awaiting the elections. The Thai society wants to vote, Uchane told BenarNews. People are tired with Prayuth. Deep down inside, I think people are aware what has happened with the country. They want to have a new government that is not [led by] Prayuth. After taking power, Prayuth dissolved parliament, detained political leaders and imposed a curfew while promising to bring Thailand back to democracy within 18 months. During the past four years, Prayuths government has returned Thailand to relative economic strength, with gross domestic product (GDP) growing to 4 percent and exports at a seven-year high. But a recent Human Rights Watch (HRW) report stated that the junta had repeatedly failed to fulfill pledges made to the U.N. General Assembly to respect human rights and democratic rule. Instead, it said, Prayuth curtailed peoples rights to free speech and peaceful assembly and orchestrated the 2017 Constitution, which will entrench unaccountable and abusive military power. The military-backed constitution, which was adopted through a national referendum in August 2016, contains provisions that allow the military to add 100 seats to the Senate and appoint all its members, HRW said. The military controls 143 out of 250 parliamentary seats, reports said. Under the previous junta after the 2006 coup, the military held 67 of 242 seats. Under Prayuths leadership, Thailand also clamped down on dissent, arresting pro-democracy activists and critics, as well as banning large political gatherings and demonstrations. The junta-backed parliament also passed an array of laws aimed at gagging free speech, rights activists said, in a country that already has Lese-Majeste, a strict anti-royal defamation law that forbids insults to members of the Thai monarchy. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday inked an agreement with organized labor raising the minimum wage in Africas most populous nation. Buhari gave his approval while receiving the report of a Tripartite Committee on the Review of National Minimum Wage at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. To be enacted, the bill needs to be endorsed by the National Assembly. The new minimum wage of 30,000 naira is almost double the now former 18,000 naira. The Nigerian Labor Congress, NLC, Trade Union Congress, TUC, United Labor Congress, ULC, and other labor unions had earlier suspended a planned nationwide strike. The president, who said he was committed to seeing the new wage come into fruition, chronicled all the events leading to the final resolution, saying he was regularly briefed on updates on the negotiations. A comprehensive policy of improved remuneration for workers and public servants in the country was being worked out. Workers would benefit from a genuine pension scheme which would make them better civil servants, he said. While the Senate hailed the Federal Government and Organized Labor for reaching an agreement on a new minimum wage, the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, criticized the Federal Government for waiting to review the minimum wage until Labor proposed industrial action. The upper chamber of the National Assembly urged both parties to respect their agreements. Plus, Bill's Message of the Day, Why is Kamala Harris so Unpopular? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices For Immediate Release, November 8, 2018 Contacts: Laiken Jordahl, (928) 525-4433, ljordahl@biologicaldiversity.org Jonathan Salinas, (956) 739-2705, jonathanlee.salinas@gmail.com Sunday Border-wall Protest Planned Next to Border Patrol HQ in McAllen Groups to Deliver 35,000 Public Comments Against Project MCALLEN, Texas Opponents of President Trumps plan to build a border wall in the Rio Grande Valley will hold a town hall Sunday across the street from the local Border Patrol station. Groups submitted more than 35,000 comments this week to U.S. Customs and Border Protection opposing the border wall. Sundays protest comes after the Trump administration waived 28 laws to speed border-wall construction through protected nature areas, communities, cultural sites and farmlands. Despite pleas from community members, Customs and Border Protection has refused to hold a public meeting to hear from the local community. The town hall is an opportunity for people to speak out against the wall. Trumps officials have refused to meet with community members, so were bringing the people to them, said Laiken Jordahl, borderlands campaigner with the Center for Biological Diversity. A border wall here will be a disaster for people, wildlife and the spectacular Rio Grande Valley. People are furious, and this protest will demonstrate the massive public outcry against this despicable proposal. Well do everything we can to stop it. The U.S. government has flouted the law by waiving protections for Native Americans, border communities and the environment, said Jonathan Salinas, a community member and protest organizer. Well gather in protest Sunday to rebuke the Border Patrols illegal actions and to stand together as communities united against the border wall. What: Town Hall Against the Wall Protest When: 2 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 11 Where: Across the street from the McAllen Border Patrol Station, 3000 W. Military Hwy, McAllen, TX 78503 Who: Community groups, landowners in the path of wall construction, human-rights organizations, local educators and students Background Last month the Trump administration waived dozens of laws that protect clean air and water, public lands and endangered wildlife to speed border-wall construction in the Rio Grande Valley. The Center and other conservation groups have sued the administration challenging the waiver. The proposed levee-style walls will block the natural migration of wildlife and cause dangerous flooding. Existing border walls have been implicated in the deaths of hundreds of Texas tortoises and other animals due to flooding, which is common in the Rio Grande Valley. Dozens of rare wildlife, including the ocelot, jaguarundi and aplomado falcon, make their homes in this region of Texas, as do hundreds of species of migratory birds and butterflies. The area is also within historic jaguar habitat. Beyond jeopardizing wildlife, endangered species and public lands, the U.S.-Mexico border wall is part of a larger strategy of ongoing border militarization that damages human rights, civil liberties, native lands, local businesses and international relations. The border wall impedes the natural migrations of people and wildlife that are essential to healthy diversity. For Immediate Release, November 8, 2018 Contact: Kieran Suckling, (520) 275-5960, ksuckling@biologicaldiversity.org Court Asked to Dismiss Incoherent Bundy Lawsuit to Seize 58 Million Acres of Public Land LAS VEGAS The Center for Biological Diversity today filed a legal motion in Nevada state court to dismiss Cliven Bundys latest lawsuit to seize more than 58 million acres of publicly owned federal lands, including national parks and monuments. His suit seeks to have the lands transferred to the state of Nevada, which never owned them. Bundy has illegally grazed cattle on 800,000 acres of public lands for two decades, racking up over a million dollars in fees and fines and trashing critical wildlife habitat. Its absurd that he thinks a court will endorse that, said Kieran Suckling, the Centers executive director. This case would be laughable if Bundy and his followers werent armed extremists with a violent history. When federal authorities attempted to remove his trespass cows in 2014, Bundy and his sons organized a dangerous armed standoff and intimidated the government into halting the operation. Much of the land Bundy illegally grazes is now protected within Gold Butte National Monument. Bundy claims the U.S. Constitution forbids the federal government from owning large swaths of land for public use. His assertion has been rejected by the Supreme Court and numerous federal courts, including two rulings issued in response to filings by Bundy himself. His current state court case is a futile, rambling effort to reverse the federal courts. Bundy and his fanatical followers are willing to use force to seize public lands that belong to everyone, said Suckling. This is a movement with violent, racist roots that aims to take us back a hundred years. Its got no business in the 21st century. The Centers dismissal request was filed along with a motion to intervene in Bundys case (Case No. A-18-779718-C), which was filed in the 8th Judicial District Court in Clark County. The award winning feature had a special story on- India needs proper BioSuppliers ecosystem. BioSpectrum has recently won recognition in the category of Overseas Media Brand at the Asia Pacific Publishing Awards (APPA) in Singapore for its Special Edition of the Year featuring a special story on- India needs proper BioSuppliers ecosystem. The story was published in the BioSpectrum India edition in September 2017. The coverage had a lead story followed by interviews with President of a leading biosupplier association in India, Heads of the leading global biosupplier companies, an independent survey analysis on what companies expect from suppliers, a column, and profiles of leading suppliers. The award function at One Farrer Hotel held on 8th November 2018 was organized by the Media Publishers Association of Singapore (MPAS). Opposition candidates in the Democratic Republic of Congo are gathering in Switzerland this week to unite behind a candidate for the December 23 presidential polls in the mineral-rich nation. Felix Tshisekedi, the son of DR Congos late veteran opposition figurehead Etienne Tshisekedi, who leads the Union for Democracy and Social Progress, UPDS, has emerged as a leading candidate following the legal exclusion of frontrunners Jean-Pierre Bemba and Moise Katumbi. Kabila selected Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, a former interior minister, in August to represent his ruling coalition, the FCC, in the Dec. 23 vote The Presidential and legislative elections have been postponed in 2016 and 2017. Democratic Republic of Congo has never had a peaceful transition of power. Incumbent President Joseph Kabila inherited the job from his father, Laurent, in 2001. He is accused of corruption, incompetence and human-rights abuses. The constitution required him to step down when his second term ended in 2016, but he stayed on. UN Security Council experts have called for dialogue on the electoral process last month, at the close of a five-day visit to the Central African nation. Lauding the Electoral commission for progress, the UN experts stressed the importance of additional steps to build confidence before the elections. Thermo Scientific Mass Frontier 8.0 software with Thermo Scientific Orbitrap ID-X Tribrid Mass Spectrometer streamlines small-molecule unknown compound identification and structural elucidation Pharmaceutical scientists are now able to overcome challenges associated with the identification and characterization of small molecules and their fragments with Thermo Scientific Mass Frontier 8.0 software, which quickly translates complex data into actionable, sharable knowledge. Brought together by Thermo Fisher Scientifics continuing 20-year collaboration with HighChem, Mass Frontier 8.0 software enables analysts to rapidly deconvolute and search information-rich, MSn mass spectrometric data produced during the identification and structural characterization of small-molecule unknown compounds and their fragments. Thermo Fisher is showcasing its latest chromatography and mass spectrometry solutions at the 12th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS 2018), being held November 47, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, D.C, booth 418. Small-molecule unknown compound identification and analysis using mass spectrometry generates large quantities of complex data, which is labor intensive and time-consuming to process and confidently turn into knowledge, said Iain Mylchreest, vice president, research and development, analytical instruments, Thermo Fisher Scientific. Through its powerful algorithms and fully-curated knowledge databases of spectral and fragmentation data that covers 95% of all published fragmentation pathways, Mass Frontier 8.0 software accelerates small-molecule characterization. We have been using the Mass Frontier software for over 10 years in the UC Davis Fiehn Lab and think every mass spectrometrist should have a copy of Mass Frontier software, said Dr. Tobias Kind, Genome Center, Metabolomics, University of California, Davis. The functionality of mzCloud integration, as well as the look and design, is well-organized and intuitive. The Mass Frontier 8.0 software enables scientists to go from complex data to actionable, sharable insights by: Making unknowns known through searching deconvoluted components against mzCloud , the worlds most comprehensive mass-spectral database through searching deconvoluted components against , the worlds most comprehensive mass-spectral database Providing confidence in data through access to a fragmentation library of more than 52,000 schemes, all of which are curated from peer-reviewed scientific papers through access to a fragmentation library of more than 52,000 schemes, all of which are curated from peer-reviewed scientific papers Building pathways to knowledge with access to the Metabolika biological pathway database , providing 370 curated biochemical pathways with annotated reactions and corresponding metadata for various organisms with access to the , providing 370 curated biochemical pathways with annotated reactions and corresponding metadata for various organisms Constructing, storing and managing spectral libraries using the Data Manager software, providing the ability to share this knowledge across a network or organization In combination with the Thermo Scientific Orbitrap ID-X Tribrid Mass Spectrometer supporting the Thermo Scientific AquireX intelligent MSn data acquisition strategy, Mass Frontier 8.0 software can be used to capture more low-abundance analytes through streamlined data analysis and mass spectral prediction tools. This eliminates the labor-intensive and time-consuming steps analysts face when identifying small-molecules and their respective fragments using traditional solutions, providing greater insights, understanding and confidence when turning data into actionable knowledge. UK team shares drone expertise to help Guatemalans better prepare for volcanic eruptions Image credit: Universities of Birmingham, Bristol and INSIVUMEH A team of scientists and engineers from the Universities of Birmingham and Bristol have returned from Guatemala where they have been teaching local scientists how to use drones to map the Fuego volcano which violently erupted earlier this year. The eruption on June 3 included pyroclastic flows (fast-moving currents of hot gas and volcanic material) which left almost no evacuation time and resulted in the deaths of several hundred people, making it Guatemalas deadliest eruption since 1929. Drones are revolutionising volcanology, provided unprecedented access and data without risking life and limb. Supported by the World Bank and the British Embassy in Guatemala, the team have been assisting volcanologists at Instituto Nacional de Sismologia, Vulcanologia, Meteorologia e Hidrologia (INSIVUMEH), the Guatemalan government agency responsible for monitoring volcanoes. Guatemala has limited resources to monitor its active volcanoes and is reliant on overseas support and collaboration. The local scientists took part in a four-day workshop led by Dr Rick Thomas, from the University of Birminghams School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Science. They were trained in safe flight protocols, data acquisition and image processing using quadcopters and 3D modelling software supplied by Agisoft. Dr Thomas said: Flying commercial quadcopters is generally very easy, but flying them safely, legally and repeatedly for scientific purposes is more challenging. This workshop shared knowledge and practices developed for repeated safe drone flying to enable the regular production of high quality 3D maps in difficult terrain. By building this capacity within INSUVUMEH we hope their scientists will have an improved capability to assess risks for the benefit of the local population. In conjunction with this work, and integrating with the Guatemalan air traffic control (DJAC), the team also flew larger, fixed-wing drones over the summit of Fuego volcano, at a University of Bristol record altitude of 14,500ft above sea level. They imaged the summit and were able to predict when and where the next paroxysmal eruption would occur with considerable accuracy. Chief engineer Dr Thomas Richardson, from the University of Bristols Department of Aerospace Engineering, said: Flying drones at this altitude and remotely is a real challenge and it is incredibly rewarding to help colleagues in Guatemala make observations of the crater that would otherwise not be possible. Funded by CASCADE, an EPSRC Programme grant, the team will be returning to Guatemala early next year to continue their work and have plans for placing sensors on the top of Fuego, multi-vehicle operations and night flights. Dr Matt Watson, from Bristols School of Earth Sciences, added: This is an incredible opportunity to help others in Guatemala, especially after the tragic events of June 3. Collaboration between scientists and engineers makes this possible engineers are capable of realising scientific desires; between us we can take new and exciting observations and measurements to assist with understanding and prediction of volcanic risks. ENDS For more information please contact Beck Lockwood, Communications Manager (Life Sciences) University of Birmingham, tel: +44 (0) 121 414 2772. Out-of-hours enquiries: +44 (0) 7789 921 165. Algerias prosecutors have freed six generals detained on charges of corruption and wrongdoing in the North African nation. The former commander of the National Gendarmerie, Maj. Gen. Manad Nuba, former commander of the 1st Military Region Major General Habib Shantouf, former commander of the second district Major Saeed Bay, former commander of the Fourth Military Region Major General Abdul Razzaq Sharif, and the Director of Finance of the Ministry of Defense Major General Bujmaa Budwar were among those release, according to local media. In Algeria, a martial law amendment allows military suspects to undergo litigation on two phases, just similar to civil courts. The unexpected decision comes a week after the announcement that Algerias frail 81-year-old President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who has been in power since 1999, will stand for a fifth consecutive term in elections next year. The veteran leader has been weak since suffering a stroke in 2013. He has since travelled abroad several times to undergo medical treatment in France and Switzerland. The president has since then made rare public appearances, usually sitting in a wheelchair. Since independence from France in 1962, the army has either directly named the president or played the kingmaker through an authoritarian election, according to experts. PR Newswire LITTLE ROCK, Ark., Nov. 7, 2018 LITTLE ROCK, Ark., Nov. 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ABC Financial Services, LLC (ABC), the leading provider of software and payment processing in the Health and Fitness Industry, announced their Chief Financial Officer, Andrew Landrum, received the CFO of the Year - for a Large Private Company, award today. In its 9th year, the award was created by Arkansas Business to honor outstanding CFO's around the state of Arkansas. Nomination forms were submitted to an independent panel of judges who determined the finalists and winners. As Chief Financial Officer, Andrew Landrum is responsible for all financial and risk management operations, as well as internal and client accounting. Andrew is dedicated to building world-class teams employing industry best practices in Finance and Accounting, and creating win-win partnerships with ABC Financial's valued clients, partners, and vendors. Andrew has 30 years' experience in financial and accounting management at Ernst & Young, LSI Financial Services (now Ally Financial), and Acxiom Corporation. He has been a licensed CPA in the state of Arkansas since 1987. "We are honored to have Andrew as our CFO," stated Corey Benish, President of ABC Financial. "This award recognizes not only Andrew's many contributions to ABC Financial, but is a testament to his thoughtful leadership and steadfast commitment to building great teams throughout his entire career." "We are incredibly proud of Andrew for being acknowledged as the CFO of the year in the Large Private Company category," stated Bob Whisnant, Executive Vice President, ABC Financial. "He has earned this honor with his dedication, commitment, drive, passion, and inspiration to his employees and fellow workers at ABC. He continually praises others around him while refusing to take credit himself. This is why I am so pleased Arkansas Business has seen fit to call out Andrew for a lifetime of achievement." All finalists and winners of each category were honored at a special event November 7, 2018. Also, they were published in a special supplement of Arkansas Business distributed October 29, 2018. About ABC FinancialABC Financial is the nation's leading software and payment processing provider for health and fitness clubs. Its comprehensive offerings include payment processing solutions and advanced health club management tools, such as DataTrak, that allow gym owners and managers to track and manage memberships and member and employee schedules, drive member engagement, and automate payment processing functions. Founded in 1981 by Jim Bottin, ABC Financial's cutting edge technology and top quality customer service are utilized by more than 7,000 health clubs across the United States, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. The company's software has won numerous design and feature awards, such as Club Industry's Best of the Best and IHRSA's Vendor of the Year. In January 2018, ABC Financial was acquired by an affiliate of Thoma Bravo, LLC, a private equity firm based in San Francisco, CA and Chicago, IL CONTACT:Jennifer HutchinsonDirector of Public Relations and Events501-515-5029[email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/andrew-landrum-named-cfo-of-the-year-300746183.html SOURCE ABC Financial Reciba en su email: noticias de ultima hora, analisis tecnicos o el cierre de mercado Email no valido Nombre requerido Recibira las informaciones mas relevantes del dia en tiempo real Que informacion desea recibir? Noticias de Ultima hora Boletin Cierre de Mercado Boletin analisis tecnico Boletin Fundsnews Debe seleccionar un tipo de boletin Acepto la Politica de privacidad Debe aceptar la politica de privacidad Responsable EMPRESAS DEL GRUPO WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Finalidad La remision de informacion, novedades y promociones Establecimiento o mantenimiento de Relaciones Comerciales. Legitimacion Consentimiento del interesado. Interes legitimo en el desarrollo de la relacion comercial Destinatario Empresas del Grupo WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Derechos Acceso, rectificacion, supresion, limitacion, oposicion y portabilidad Informacion adicional Politica de Privacidad de nuestra pagina Web + INFORMACION PR Newswire RICHARDSON, Texas, Nov. 7, 2018 RICHARDSON, Texas, Nov. 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Hunt Companies, Inc. (Hunt), along with the mayor of Richardson, Texas, Richardson City Manager, and Local Artist, Ed Carpenter, recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony to officially commemorate the land where a new Art Park will be located. The park will be adjacent to the new high-rise building, the Mallory, and will include an iconic art piece by Carpenter named "Micro Macro Mojo." The piece is installed at Greenville and Alma and celebrates the history of technology in Richardson. The location was specifically chosen for the unique public art opportunity since it is highly visible, located at the center of the community and Telecom Corridor area and is in close proximity to the Central Trail for pedestrians to enjoy. Hunt deeded the land back to the City and contributed another $200,000 in funding for the landmark art sculpture to enable this Art Park to happen. The Art Park will serve as a gateway to the City of Richardson. "We were honored to play a role in this significant monument which will be the focus for all those who visit Richardson," stated Terence Johnson, Development Manager at Hunt. "This new site will not only serve as a beautiful landscape for visitors and residents to enjoy but will allow local artist, Ed Carpenter, to demonstrate his highly qualified skills." The 70 feet high structure is shaped like a torch, marking the point of entry into Richardson. Its upward reaching gesture is optimistic and expansive, and its stainless steel and laminated glass refined and contemporary. Tapering from 24 feet across at the top to just eight inches wide at the base, the dramatic artwork appears to be balanced like a ballet dancer on one toe. Hunt developed The Mallory with construction led by its affiliate, Moss. Pinnacle, also an affiliate of Hunt, manages the property, which is centrally located in the heart of Richardson's telecom corridor just minutes from UT Dallas. The 281 units are spacious with modern floor plans, luxury finishes, high ceilings, and eco-friendly features. Outdoor amenities include a pet park and dog spa, and rooftop Sky Deck with tropical pool oasis with private poolside cabanas. The property is 97% leased. This public art installation corresponds to the goals set for the City's Public Art Master Plan adopted in 2015. For more information on the sculpture log onto: www.cor.net/our-city/arts-and-culture/micro-macro-mojo. About Hunt Companies Hunt is comprised of a family of companies in the real estate and infrastructure markets. As a private, family-owned company, Hunt develops, invests, manages and finances assets at all stages to derive and deliver value. Founded in 1947, Hunt builds its reputation on integrity and performance. With a focus on excellence in corporate governance, Hunt is committed to a culture of transparency for employees, clients, investors and the communities it serves. Hunt employs over 1,500 direct employees and its broader platform (including affiliates) employs over 6,000 additional employees across the United States and Europe. Learn more at www.huntcompanies.com. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hunt-companies-donates-land-and-200-000-to-city-of-richardson-to-create-a-new-art-park-300746206.html SOURCE Hunt Companies Openness of State Archives in Post-Soviet Countries: IDFI Presented a New Website & Research Findings Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI), with the financial support of the Open Society Institute Budapest Foundation (OSI), presented a new website www.Open-Archives.org for evaluation of the openness of state archives in post-Soviet countries.Giorgi Kldiashvili, Executive Director of IDFI, delivered the welcoming speech. He presented an overview of the achievements and challenges that exist in Georgia with regard to openness of archives and spoke about the new website launched by IDFI.Anton Vacharadze, head of the Archive and Soviet Studies Direction of IDFI, presented the results of the evaluation of the openness and availability of 18 state archives in post-Soviet 10 countries carried out by IDFI and its partners historians and researchers. The study is based on a methodology elaborated by IDFI in cooperation with its partners that consists of 5 components: archival legislation, other legal acts concerning archives, archive services, archive website and the reading room.Two archives have been evaluated in each country, except for Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan: one was the countrys main archive (national or historical), and the other was the archive of a repressive state institution. In Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan the archives of local repressive state institutions were physically unavailable for our researchers, - noted Anton Vacharadze.The results of the evaluation demonstrate that a great deal of change is required to increase the openness of state archives in almost all target countries, including Georgia.All archives that did well in the rating provide a written, legal substantiation for their refusal to grant access to a record.The archives of repressive or former repressive institutions in most target countries lack their own website and a reading room.Only 2 of the 18 archives allow taking photos of archival documents using the researchers own camera in the reading room. Borsa Italiana non ha responsabilita per il contenuto del sito a cui sta per accedere e non ha responsabilita per le informazioni contenute. Accedendo a questo link, Borsa Italiana non intende sollecitare acquisti o offerte in alcun paese da parte di nessuno. Sarai automaticamente diretto al link in cinque secondi. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On November 7, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced the first batch of New Energy Vehicle (NEV) Manufacturers for Public Notice, which lists a total of 27 NEV makers, such as Brilliance Auto, Hafei Automobile, Changan Peugeot Citroen, and Wanxiang Electric Vehicle. The reason why these companies are listed is that they havent produced any NEV or submitted relevant data for at least 12 months. The companies on the list cannot apply for NEV product declaration at the moment. According to certain regulations, all listed companies should pass the departments inspection if they want to produce NEV again. Their qualification to build NEV models will be revoked if they fail to gain verification or go bankrupt. Apart from qualification revocation, those companies tax-free models will also be removed from the tax-free vehicle catalogue. Actually, the initial draft included 30 automakers while GAC Honda, Changan Suzuki and Shandong Lichi submitted data before the publicity end. An official from GAC Honda told GASGOO that since theres a time gap between qualification gaining and production, GAC Honda was thus put on the initial list. 9th meeting of the Belarusian-Hungarian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation 06-11-2018 On November 6, 2018 Minsk hosted the ninth meeting of the Belarusian-Hungarian Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation. The Belarusian delegation was headed by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Oleg Kravchenko, the Hungarian delegation was led by the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Csaba Balogh. Representatives of different ministries, governmental institutions, chambers of commerce, business communities of the two countries took part in the work of the commission. During the meeting, the parties analyzed the results of joint work over the past year in the field of trade, economic and investment cooperation, discussed the prospects and priorities for further development of economic cooperation, including the collaboration in such areas as agriculture, construction, standardization and metrology, education, science and innovation, cooperation between the capitals of the two countries. The parties signed a final Protocol of the meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission and a Plan of Activities for the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding between the national accreditation centers of the two countries. On November 6, 2018, the Belarusian-Hungarian Business Forum was held in the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which gathered more than twenty businessmen from both countries interested in establishing direct contacts. print version Joint Session of the Councils of Foreign Ministers, Ministers of Defense and Secretaries of the Security Councils of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation 08-11-2018 On November 8, 2018 Astana (the Republic of Kazakhstan) hosted Joint Session of the Council of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, the Council of the Ministers of Defense and the Committee of the Secretaries of the Security Councils of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (SCTO). The Ministers of Foreign Affairs, the Ministers of Defence, the Secretaries of the Security Councils of the CSTO Member States, as well as Acting Secretary General of the Organization attended the meeting. In his statement, V.Makei presented the position of Belarus on the main problems of global and regional security, stressed the importance of collective actions aimed at solving the challenges that the Organization faces nowadays, as well as made a number of proposals to improve the foreign policy interaction of the CSTO member states. During the meeting, the parties exchanged views on the current problems of international and regional security and discussed the issues of cooperation both within the Organization and on international arena. The high-profile issues of the Organizations activities during the chairmanship of the Kyrgyz Republic in the CSTO in 2018-2019 were announced The participants of the Joint Session approved a number of documents and submitted them to the consideration of the Heads of Delegations during the CSTO Collective Security Council Summit. print version Sitting alone in his suite at Riverheights Terrace, Al Smith holds onto hope he and his wife of 71 years will soon be reunited. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 8/11/2018 (1109 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us 07112018 Allen Smith visits with his wife Dorothy at Fairview Personal Care Home in Brandon on Wednesday afternoon. Smith comes to visit his wife of 71 years almost every day. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun) Sitting alone in his suite at Riverheights Terrace, Al Smith holds onto hope he and his wife of 71 years will soon be reunited. "Its very frustrating," Smith, 95, said Wednesday. "Its not because we wanted to (be separated). "Its because the system did it." Their troubles began in May, when his 92-year-old wife, Dorothy Smith, broke her hip, requiring hospitalization and rehabilitation. She was placed in Fairview Personal Care Home in August. Smith does not qualify for the same level of care and was denied tenancy because his health remains strong. "Its the Manitoba system, and its not good," said Smith as he rested in his recliner, looking at the bed in the other room he and his wife once shared. Their daughter, Barbara Smith, has been on a crusade to reunite her parents. She has contacted politicians from both sides of the aisle as well as officials from Prairie Mountain Health. Tyndall Park NDP MLA Ted Marcelino raised the issue in Manitoba legislature on Nov. 1, during which he pushed for a review of government policies to ensure loved ones are no longer separated. So far, Smith said these efforts have proven fruitless. "Theres been absolutely no response," Barbara said Wednesday from Arizona. "Its very frustrating," she said, echoing her fathers sentiments. 07112018 Allen Smith visits with his wife Dorothy at Fairview Personal Care Home in Brandon on Wednesday afternoon. Smith comes to visit his wife of 71 years almost every day. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun) Dorothy suffered a stroke in 2009 and is unable to speak. Barbara said her father was reassessed for placement in Fairview, but he is still not eligible. He will have to fall and break a hip or suffer some other serious health issues before he will be considered for a placement, Barbara said bitterly. Provincial legislation does not allow couples to live together in a personal care facility unless their health-care needs are compatible with the space. "Personal care homes are health facilities and intended for those that need it," Health, Seniors and Active Living Minister Cameron Friesen said in an emailed statement Wednesday. "Expanding the criteria to allow healthy people to enter homes alongside their spouses would, in turn, reduce the number of beds for those Manitobans who meet the criteria, have been medically addressed and are awaiting placement in a personal care home," he added. "We certainly sympathize with the plight of this family and have encouraged Prairie Mountain Health officials to assist in finding housing options that would allow this man to remain in relatively close proximity to his wife." Barbara said that isnt good enough for her parents. "They just want to be together," she said. "They dont want to visit." Prairie Mountain Health has refused to comment on individual cases. Rather, representatives said they will continue discussions directly with the family. But the Smiths arent just faced with emotional hardships. There is a financial cost to being separated, Barbara said, adding they are paying more than $5,000 a month between Fairview and Riverheights Terrace. Barbara has started an online petition at change.org in an effort to change provincial legislation and prevent other senior couples from being torn apart. In British Columbia, where she lives, legislation has already been adopted that allows couples to live together if the individual not requiring the care covers the cost of their own meals and does not use the care homes services, Barbara said. The petition now has 26,000 signatures. "It just exploded," Barbara said. The petition can found by searching "Supporting Spouses with Differing Health Needs in Eldercare." "I dont know what else I can do," she said. In the meantime, Smith continues his daily trek to visit Dorothy. "She brightens up when I go to see her," said the retired railway man, who relies on a walker to get around. He still drives, but as the weather turns more wintry, Smith said its becoming more difficult. "I dont like driving in winter conditions," he said, adding while there is a shuttle bus he can take to Fairview, "they go when they go, not when you want to go." Smith sat quietly for a long moment before continuing. "If Id known this was in our future, I would not have stayed in Manitoba." brobertson@brandonsun.com Twitter: @BudRobertson4 Lelectricite est devenue, de nos jours, un besoin dune importance majeure, et cela, dans tous les domaines dactivite. Que ce soit dans les maisons ou [] Facebook has said it is expanding its Irish investment after it acquired a long-term lease on the Bank Centre in Ballsbridge. The 14-acre site is currently occupied by AID. The move will see the social media giant quadruple its floor space and increase capacity for an additional 5,000 jobs. A statement issued by Facebook stressed the importance of Ireland to the company. Gareth Lambe, Head of Facebook Ireland said: Ireland is one of the best places in the world to be a technology company and we're investing here for the long term. "By the end of the year, we'll employ more than 4,000 people across four sites in Ireland working on our family of apps including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Oculus. "This significant investment in a 14-acre campus with capacity for thousands more employees demonstrates our commitment to Ireland, our desire to grow our business here and continue to contribute to the economy." He added: "As the site will be renovated in phases, the move will happen over three years and will see all 2,000 employees, currently based in Grand Canal, in the new campus by 2022. Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys said the move is a "huge vote of confidence in Ireland and our pro-enterprise policies." "The acquisition of this new campus is a landmark day for Facebook, which established its International HQ in Dublin in December 2008 and has expanded significantly in Ireland over the last 3-4 years." She added: "Above all, it is a testament to the calibre of our rich pool of talent, who have contributed so positively to the companys global growth in the last decade. IDA Ireland has welcomed the announcement by the multi-billion dollar company. Martin Shanahan, CEO IDA Ireland said: Today's announcement further deepens its commitment to Ireland, it has become the primary strategic international hub for the company; servicing millions of users across EMEA and the development of its campus in Ireland will provide the company with the potential to expand its operations. We wish Gareth and all the team at Facebook in Ireland every success with their expansion plans. By Joe Dermody An imminent resolution is expected between countries discussing scientific advice to reduce mackerel fishing in the north-east Atlantic by 61% in 2019. Representatives of 11 EU and non-EU fishing countries gathered at the National Seafood Centre in Clonakilty, Co Cork, for three days of talks on total allowable catch levels for the 1bn mackerel industry. The total allowable catch advice has been provided by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, a group which features scientists from each of the 11 countries, and whose role is to propose sustainable fishing guidance based upon their analysis of fish stocks. Whatever the outcome, I can tell you now we wont be happy with it because of the questionable scientific advice. We have already had two flawed pieces of advice on mackerel stocks last year from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, one with a human inputting error and one with a modelling problem, one positive and one negative, said Sean ODonoghue, CEO of Killybegs Fishermens Association. We also had major issues with their advice on Atlanto-Scando herring, in which the stocking levels had to be increased by 53% after the scientific advice was examined. There are ongoing problems with the electronic tagging of mackerel. I am very confident there will be a major review of this advice. Delegates from Ireland, the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands are gathering in Clonakilty. The debate follows two unresolved meetings in London. Officials from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, supported by scientists from the Marine Institute, are also present. There are concerns from the scientific community about the quality of that advice but we need to take full account of all of the available information, the sustainability of the stock and the socio-economic importance of the mackerel fishery to peripheral coastal communities. These negotiations will be very difficult. The proposed 61% cut in the mackerel quota for 2019 would be very significant for our fishing industry along the western seaboard, particularly in Donegal, Galway, Kerry and Cork, said Marine Minister Michael Creed Ireland is committed to the long-term sustainability of this stock and has worked hard to date to get a more graduated response to the scientific advice, taking account of the fact that this will be subject to a full review and quality assurance early in early 2019. Mackerel is concentrated in the waters of the North Eastern Atlantic and is a highly migratory stock, which necessitates negotiations between the fishing countries on how best to manage the shared resource in a sustainable manner.The mackerel fishery is Irelands largest fishery and supports a large fleet in Donegal and along the western seaboard. The fishery also supports factories for onshore processing in Donegal, Galway, Kerry and Cork. Ryanair has signed agreements with cabin crew unions in Italy and Germany over pay increases and benefits. In Germany, the Collective Labour Agreement is subject to a ballot by union members while Italian crew voted by an 88% majority to accept the CLA. By Geoff Percival British pub group JD Wetherspoon is to speed up the expansion of its Irish operations, with two more pubs due to open next year and a fresh search being initiated to identify potential new sites. The group is on site in Co Carlow, where it is investing 3m in redeveloping the old Traders Bar on Tullow Street in the town centre. That pub will be Wetherspoons sixth pub in Ireland and will open next June. Construction work on its seventh pub, on Dublins Camden St, is progressing with that facility due to open at the end of next year. Camden St, which will be a superpub/hotel combination, will be Wetherspoons first city centre opening in Dublin. At an investment cost of around 20m, it will be the groups single largest site investment ever. The pub owner also has two sites, one on Dublins Abbey St, the other in Waterford, with full planning permission, awaiting development. It has given no timeline for the development of those sites, but said both feature in its near-term growth strategy for Ireland. Wetherspoon spokesperson Eddie Gershon said the five pubs that the group already owns and operates in Ireland are trading well. Four are in suburban Dublin and one is in Cork City. The Republic has been really good for Wetherspoon. Weve been in Ireland for four years, people know what we do and like what we offer, he said. Mr Gerhson also said the group is actively looking for more sites here. Earlier this year, Wetherspoon said that it was keen to expand further here as its Irish-based pubs were in average sales per bar outperforming its UK operations. It said it had an open mind on nationwide expansion in Ireland, having previously suggested most expansion here would be Dublin-based. On a wider group basis, Wetherspoon said in its latest trading update that rising wage levels will hit results in its current financial year, which runs to the end of July. The statement sent the budget pubs groups shares spiralling by more than 14% yesterday. The company is run by pro-Brexit businessman Tim Martin. It said it had no immediate plans to recoup the higher costs by raising prices, but would review that position as the year progresses. As has been widely reported, unemployment is at a record low, putting upward pressure on wages. As a result, Wetherspoon is increasing pay of our staff starting from this week, Mr Martin said, without giving a figure for the pay rise. It is difficult to be too precise at this early stage of the current financial year, but we now expect a trading outcome slightly below that achieved in the previous financial year, he said. Wetherspoon, which runs more than 900 pubs in the UK and Ireland, reported a 5.5% rise in comparable sales for the 13 weeks to the end of October, the first quarter of its fiscal year. Total sales rose 6.2%. As well as higher wages, the company has been dealing with a new sugar tax on drinks, in the UK and Ireland, and rent increases and higher power bills in the UK. Wetherspoon started its pubs in 1979. It said it expected to open five to 10 pubs in the UK and Ireland this financial year. Additional reporting Reuters By Ann O'Loughlin An asylum seeker who became pregnant following a relationship with a security guard at a direct provision centre has settled a High Court action over a refusal to register her child's father's surname on the boy's birth certificate. The father's surname has since been registered on the child's birth certificate. The case was initiated earlier this year because An tArd Chlaraitheoir, the Registrar General, refused to register the father's surname after the father refused his consent to that. The mother came here in 2014 having fled her native country in 2010. She had been married but divorced her former husband before coming here. She was for a time in a relationship with the security guard, which ended before the boy was born in 2016, and also had a maintenance order in which the security guard was named as the father of their child. She sought to register her son with his father's name for reasons including she did not want the child to have the surname of her ex-husband as that would not reflect the boy's true origins. The woman claimed, when she attempted to register the surname at the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages on a number of dates in 2016 and 2017, she was informed, unless the father attended in person and consented to the registration, the child would have to use her surname. She then obtained assistance from the Citizen's Information Services. The CIS in July 2017 asked An tArd Chlaraitheoir for details and legislation which requires a father to attend the registry office as the CIA was unable to find it. A representative of An tArd Chlaraitheoir informed the CIS it was unable to cite the relevant legislation. In August 2017, the CIS asked An tArd Chlaraitheoir to exercise its discretion to give the boy his father's surname becasuse of the exceptional circumstances in the case, she claimed. In a reply, An tArd Chlaraitheoir said there was no provision in the Civil Registration Act 2004 to allow the mother register her son's birth using any other surname than her own one. Arising out of the refusal, the woman and her son, represented by Feichin McDonagh SC and Brendan Hennessy BL, instructed by solicitor Eileen McCabe, secured leave from the High Court earlier this year to bring proceedings against An tArd Chlaraitheoir. They sought an order compelling registration of the boy's surname as that of his father's in accordance with the 2004 Act. The woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, claimed the refusal was fundamentally flawed, in excess of the power of An tArd Chlaraitheoir and breached fair procedures. It was also claimed the refusal was irrational, lacked proportionality and irrelevant considerations, namely the father's refusal to consent, were taken into account. The boy had a right to have his surname recorded where there was admissible evidence about the father's identity, it was also claimed. When the matter returned before the High Court this week, Mr Justice Michael McGrath was told the case had been resolved and could be struck out. By Ann O'Loughlin A proceeds of crime hearing over the assets of a convicted drug dealer, including a Cheltenham-winning horse, will resume in January, a High Court judge said today. Ms Justice Carmel Stewart reserved two days in the New Year for the continuation of the Criminal Assets Bureau's application for a declaration that the horse "Labaik", which won 125,000 in the Supreme Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2017, was acquired from the proceeds of crime by its part-owner, John Boylan (32), aka John Power. Mr Boylan, of Forest Hill, Rathcoole, Co Dublin denies the claim. He has brought his own proceedings against CAB saying that after the horse was seized, as part of the CAB process of freezing his assets, it was injured because CAB permitted it to be run in a race which he says has ended its career. CAB disputes that claim. Last July, the court heard Mr Boylan was claiming to be 90% owner of the horse and two other men, who have no involvement in crime, owned the other 10%. A week later, the court heard an associate of Mr Boylan called Anthony O'Sullivan was now claiming to be half owner of Boylan's share. CAB says Mr O'Sullivan is the registered owner of a company, Forest Hill Animal Feeds, which the bureau says was established by Boylan. CAB says Mr O'Sullivan, Ashwood Road, Clondalkin, Dublin, is also involved in crime. The court has also heard that after CAB obtained an interim court order allowing the bureau to hold its seized horse passport, it remained with one of the other two part owners. However, Mr Boylan says CAB, as holders of the passport, gave permission for the horse to run in a race in which it suffered the injury. He is now claiming for losses suffered as a result of that decision. The court heard it had been expected to be sold for between 300,000 and 400,000, having been bought for around st26,000 in 2016. CAB denies this and wants the horse declared the proceeds of crime along with a 2013 Mercedes Benz, bought from the UK for st28,000. CAB says Boylan is the beneficial owner of the car while Boylan has claimed it is owned by his girlfriend Naomi Kinsella, against whom the proceedings are also brought. On Thursday, when the case came back before Ms Justice Stewart, she was told it will take two days to complete and she set a date in January for hearing. Ben O'Floinn SC, for CAB, said the only difficulty with the January date is if the chief bureau officer is unavailable but counsel was granted liberty to apply to the court to change the date necessary. By Ann O'Loughlin A European court judgment has clarified environmental obligation issues raised in a legal challenge over a planned extension of the northern ring road of Kilkenny city. The judgment appears to represent good news for the challengers to the proposed development. The High Court sought a preliminary ruling from the EU Court of Justice because of the Irish court's concerns about the adequacy of a Natura Impact Statement (NIS) and an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) provided by Kilkenny County Council concerning the road development. The CJEU judgment, published this week, said an Appropriate Assessment (AA) of proposed development must dispel "all reasonable scientific doubt" concerning the effects of that proposed development on protected sites. The ruling will now be applied to the case by four residents, Brian Holohan, Richard Guilfoyle, Noric Guilfoyle and Liam Donegan, when it resumes before the High Court on a date to be fixed. The four have challenged An Bord Pleanala's July 2014 grant of consent to Kilkenny County Council for the ring-road extension. The project proposes construction of about 1.5km of single carriageway road and one roundabout, adaptation of a second roundabout, plus a footpath and cycle track along the city side, and various other works. The road crosses two Natura 2000 sites, the River Nore Special Protection Area, designated by Ireland under the Birds Directive, and the River Barrow and River Nore site of community importance (SIC) listed since 2004 under the Habitats Directive. The applicants claim the Board failed to consider the environmental effects of the main alternatives studied and that an appropriate assessment purportedly carried out was deficient. The Board granted consent in July 2014 notwithstanding a report from one of its inspectors stating the EIS and NIS was not adequate and further information was required. The NIS was based on a document drafted by the National Parks and Wildlife Service on conservation objectives. In referring issues to the CJEU, the High Court said the NIS does not fully examine the effect on species other than those for which the River Barrow and River Nore site was listed or address the effects on protected species or habitats to be found outside the boundaries of the sites. The High Court also raised issues about the adequacy of the EIS, including failures to address the effects of the project on all the species identified in the EIS. The issues concerned the interpretation of the Habitats Directive and the EIA Directive. In its ruling, the CJEU said the Habitats Directive means an AA must catalogue all the habitat types and species for which a site is protected. An AA must also identify and examine the implications of the proposed project for the species present on that site, those for which the site had not been listed and those to be found outside the boundaries of the site, provided those implications are liable to affect the conservation objectives of the site. A competent authority can only grant a consent which leaves a developer free to determine parameters relating to the construction phase if that authority is certain the consent establishes conditions "strict enough" to guarantee those parameters will not adversely affect the integrity of the site, it said. The Habitats Directive also requires, when a competent authority rejects findings in a scientific expert opinion recommending that additional information be obtained, the AA must include an "explicit and detailed" statement of reasons "capable of dispelling all scientific doubt" concerning the effects of the work on the site. The CJEU also ruled the EIA Directive obliges a developer to supply information that expressly addresses the significant effects of their project on all specifies identified in the environmental statement supplied. Latest: European Central Bank (ECB) boss Mario Draghi has warned the Government to prepare for all possible Brexit outcomes, including a no-deal scenario. Speaking at the Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform Committee, the European financial boss said that Ireland is more exposed to direct trade effects of a hard Brexit than other EU countries because of its close trading relationship with the United Kingdom. Mr Draghi added that the ECB will stand behind Ireland and back the country as Brexit takes effect. Mario Draghi's exchange of views at the Irish parliament, with the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach will be streamed live from 16:15 CET today https://t.co/RhBm3asfK1 pic.twitter.com/edw9rSAuJk European Central Bank (@ecb) November 8, 2018 The impact on the Irish economy is both direct through trade and indirect through financial channels, he said. We also see limited overall risks to the euro area financial stability. Without sufficient mitigating action, however, a cliff-edge Brexit could have an adverse impact in certain areas of centrally cleared derivatives markets. Sources of risk from outside the EU have grown since May. A stronger US dollar and heightened trade tensions triggered renewed stress in a number of emerging market economies. He said that ways of taking mitigating action against Brexit will only become clear once the ECB knows the outcome of a deal, but said he has advised businesses to take precautions. Things can be managed, however if the private sector were to decide there is going to be a cliff-edge or an unmanaged process, then the private sector behaviours could be a source of instability and that is something we have to monitor very closely. I think the most likely thing is gradual transition, which will allow all parties to negotiate in the best possible way. He went on to say that while the economy is strong, there are risks of it overheating. Mr Draghi said that Irelands recovery from the financial crisis has been impressive and the countrys economy has seen a particularly strong expansion in recent years. Ireland is now growing at the fastest pace of any euro area country, he added. Unemployment has been falling too and now stands well below the euro area average. This is all the more impressive given the severe crisis Ireland went through and the legacies it is dealing with, including high private debt and arrears. Committee chairman John McGuinness, however, said that the devastation caused by the financial crash has been absolutely horrific and still continues today. It is wrong to say we are experiencing a recovery, certain parts are but vast amounts of people are still caught in courts and their homes are being taken from them, he added. People are being threatened because of what happened in the past and the system is ignoring them. They do not experience the recovery as much as the EU would tell them and the banks here are a disgrace. Mr Draghi also stated that while the financial stability environment remains favourable, it has become challenging in the last number of months. He continued: The results of the European stress test published last Friday show that euro area banks are increasingly resilient to financial shocks. This also reflects the continuing economic expansion, which has strengthened private and public balance sheets alike. Still, there are risks. These include liquidity risks in the non-bank financial sector that could be transmitted to the broader financial system. Developments in this area should be closely monitored, and the regulatory and supervisory framework for non-banks needs to be strengthened. Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty raised Irelands housing and homeless crisis with Mr Draghi. Mr Doherty said: Not everything is going great in Ireland, the GDP figures are going well, recovery is going well, but Michael [surname not given] was the 27th person to die on our streets in our capital city in the last 16 months hes homeless. Theres 4,000 children who wont have a home and will sleep in emergency accommodation and wake up on Christmas Day so not everything is going well.- Press Association Original story (4.06pm): ECB chief warns Irish economy most at risk of overheating and Brexit The head of the European Central Bank has warned the Irish economy is most at risk from overheating and Brexit. Mario Draghi is addressing an Oireachtas committee this afternoon and says the overall state of the Irish economy is good, but he noted Ireland is more exposed than most countries to the risk of a hard Brexit. Mr Draghi also said policies need to be put in place to prevent the economy from overheating. "There are two sets of risks. One we have just discussed [Brexit] and the other one is overheating. It wouldn't be the first time," he said. "There are some legacy vulnerabilities, especially the non-performing loans. "So what to do? First of all, rebuild fiscal buffers and now's a good time because things are going well." Digital Desk By Ann O'Loughlin A former Fine Gael town councillor who received the longest prison sentence for corruption ever handed down by the courts here has won a Supreme Court order quashing his conviction. By a four to one majority, the court overturned the conviction of Fred Forsey Junior who was jailed in 2012 for an effective four years over receiving, when he was a member of Dungarvan Town Council in 2006, payments totalling 80,000 from a developer. He has served his sentence. The matter was adjourned for two weeks to allow the DPP decide whether to seek a retrial. The conviction was overturned over a legal error in the approach at Mr Forsey's trial to the onus of proof on a corruption charge as set out in Section 4 of the Prevention of Corruption Acts (POCA), which Acts have since been replaced. The error arose from the jury being told, if they accepted a gift was given corruptly to Mr Forsey, the onus was on him to show, on the balance of probabilities, the money was not given corruptly. Mr Forsey had denied corruption and said the money was a loan. Giving the majority judgment, Ms Justice Iseult O'Malley said, if an accused had to prove innocent receipt of payment on the balance of probabilities, they would have to persuade the jury it was more likely than not they did not receive the money corruptly. Because corrupt receipt is an "essential element" of the offence, that meant the accused would have to disprove that element and affirmatively prove innocence. That was "a clear inroad on the presumption of innocence". The prosecution must prove, beyond reasonable doubt, all of the elements except the corrupt intention and the "overriding consideration" is a jury should not convict if left in doubt as to guilt. Mr Forsey was subjected to a trial process that breached his right to be presumed innocent, she ruled. She noted Mr Justice John McMenamin disagreed because he considered the prosecution case was "overwhelming" and the defence evidence concerning the alleged loan was discredited to the extent no jury could have concluded Mr Forsey was not guilty. An appellate court must be "extremely cautious" taking such an approach for reasons including it is not well placed to assess an individual's testimony and such an approach could be seen as a "general diminution" of the status of the constitutional right to presumption of innocence and a trial in accordance with law. On the facts of this case, it was not appropriate for the court to assume a properly instructed jury might not have found there was reasonable doubt, she said. In his judgment, Mr Justice MacMenamin agreed with the majority's statement of the applicable law but dissagreed the conviction should be quashed because he did not consider any "fundamental injustice" occurred at trial. The existence of a planning regime allowing for "potentially huge windfall" profits by land rezoning creates a risk that financially vulnerable persons with a role in the decision making process will engage in corrupt activities, he said. The constitutional right to private property is "not absolute" and is subject to the requirements of the common good. Whether that right requires the law to permit such huge profits was not an issue in this appeal but formed part of the backdrop of what occurred, he said. The "one simple unavoidable fact" was Mr Forsey did receive 80,000 from Michael Ryan to use his influence as a town councillor to advance a "rezoning" project concerning Mr Ryan's land close to Dungarvan, he said. Mr Forsey had said the payments were a loan but there was no evidence Mr Ryan made any demands for its return or received any repayment and the evidence was the monies were spent on a holiday in Rome, two cars, new furniture, carpets and windows for a house. Mr Forsey, of Coolagh Road, Abbeyside, Dungarvan, was convicted under the POCA in connection with receiving a total 80,000 in 2006 in three separate payments from Michael Ryan, a developer with an interest in a planning permission for development of land at Ballygagin, Co Waterford. He was also accused of behaving corruptly in trying to persuade officials and councillors in Waterford County Council to grant permission for the development, and when that was refused, attempting to alter the zoning of the land. It was further alleged he tried to get Dungarvan UDC, of which he was formerly an elected member, to bring the lands into its control. He denied the charges and claimed the monies were loans. He was convicted at Waterford Circuit Criminal Court and sentenced to six years imprisonment, with the final two suspended. Having obtained newly instructed lawyers, an appeal was lodged in 2014 but was dismissed in 2016 by the Court of Appeal. The Supreme Court agreed to hear a further appeal. A Donegal man facing charges in relation to the killing of two Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) soldiers in Enniskillen in 1972, will be granted bail this afternoon pending an extradition hearing. Northern Irish authorities are seeking the surrender of John Downey (aged 66) to face charges in relation to the 1972 bombing in Enniskillen which killed two British Army Infantrymen. Lance Corporal Alfred Johnston and Private James Eames were killed when a device exploded in a vehicle they were checking on the Irvinestown Road, Cherrymount. Mr Downey was arrested on foot of a European Arrest Warrant at his home address in Ards, Creeslough, Co Donegal, on Monday and brought to the High Court the following day. The warrant was issued by Northern Irish authorities and endorsed by the High Court on Monday morning. Det. Sgt Jim Kirwan, of the Garda Extradition Unit, told Ronan Kennedy BL, for the State, that he arrested Mr Downey on foot of the warrant at his substantial residence on Monday and cautioned him. In reply, Mr Downey told the detective Id say it was the DUP and not the DPP who decided to charge him in relation to the matter, Det. Sgt Kirwan said. High Court judge Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly said today that it was appropriate to grant bail on Mr Downeys own bond of 500 and two independent sureties of 15,000 each. She said 10,000 of each of those two sureties are to be lodged. The matter will be mentioned before the court again this afternoon. Ms Justice Donnelly said she had a concern in relation to Mr Downeys means. While Mr Downey has said he is on a State pension, Ms Justice Donnelly said she had no idea whether it was a contributory pension or a non-contributory pension. Ive no idea what hes been working at, the judge said. She said there was evidence from Det. Sgt Jim Kirwan that Mr Downey resided at a substantial property and for some reason the property was transferred out of his name to his wife last year. Ms Justice Donnelly said a cash sum of 5,000 raised by Mr Downeys wife and two adult children was also a concern to the court. The judge said she had to take the view that Mr Downey had access through his acquaintances to a greater level of surety. She noted that the proposed surety was an accumulation of cash quite distinct from having money in a bank account. Counsel for Mr Downey, Tony McGillicuddy BL, said he could see a substantial point being raised in favour of refusing his clients surrender. Mr McGillicuddy said Section 39 (2) of the European Arrest Warrant Act states that a person shall not be surrendered where he or she has, in accordance with the law of the issuing state, become immune, by virtue of any amnesty or pardon, from prosecution or punishment in the issuing state for the offence specified in the European arrest warrant issued in respect of him or her. Mr Downeys trial in relation to the 1982 London Hyde Park bombing - in which four British soldiers and seven horses were killed - collapsed in February 2014 over a letter sent to him and other alleged republican paramilitaries. The letters, issued by the Tony Blair government, told the republicans they were not wanted for the prosecution of crimes committed during the Troubles. The on-the-run scheme and letters, which fully emerged following the collapse of Mr Downeys 2014 Hyde Park trial, triggered a major political controversy and lead to an inquiry. Mr Downey is the first so-called on-the-run republican to be charged with offences since the scheme was found by a House of Commons Committee to have distorted the process of justice. By Liam Heylin Nine men and three women were sworn in today as a jury to hear the case against a 44-year-old man accused of the murder of 38-year-old Nicola Collins in a flat over a shop in Cork in March 2016. Cathal O'Sullivan was arraigned yesterday at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork and he pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ms Collins. The late Ms Collins was a native of St Brendans Park in Tralee, Co Kerry, but who had been living at Clashduv Road in the Togher area of Cork for a number of years. Nicola Collins Mr O'Sullivan, who is originally from Charleville, Co Cork, pleaded not guilty to a charge of murdering Nicola Collins on March 27, 2016, at a flat at 6A Popham's Road, Farranree, Cork, over the Gala store. The jury was sworn in to hear the murder trial before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon. The trial is scheduled to commence at 11am tomorrow. Asking the jury to return to the court tomorrow, the judge said: There are legal issues in the trial. They have to be discussed. They are going to take some time. I am going to send you away until those legal issues are sorted out. One juror indicated before he was sworn in that he would not be available after November 23. It was decided that he should be sworn in for the case on the basis the trial would be concluded by that date. Ms Justice Creedon told the jury they would be making their decision at the end of the case based on the evidence presented in court and on nothing else and that it would be best not to read any media reports of the case. She said they should not look into matters relating to the case through Google, Facebook or otherwise. Update - 5.28pm: All students in schools affected by structural issues will be able to return to class tomorrow. Tyrrelstown Educate Together National School reopened today with junior classes accommodated on site and seniors off-site. The ground floor of St Luke's National School in Tyrrelstown will reopen from tomorrow after senior students were accommodated in a neighbouring school today. In a statement this evening, Education Minister Joe McHugh acknowledged the logistical challenges for schools that only reopened on the ground floor. He says they will move as quickly as possible to the next phase of structural investigations at the 42 schools and any remediation works required. "I would like to express my sincere thanks to everyone who has worked together to make it possible for all children to return to school by the end of this week. In challenging circumstances, school communities have rallied together with one objective in mind ensuring a safe environment for children to learn," he said. "I would particularly like to acknowledge the role of school principals, staff, Boards of Management and patron bodies who worked tirelessly alongside Department officials through the past two or so weeks. We appreciate the operational and logistical challenges that have arisen for many schools and the commitment of all involved to putting solutions in place. "This has been a particularly disruptive time for parents and guardians I know many have had to arrange childcare or take time off work this week. I would like to thank them for their understanding and for their collaboration with school staff in ensuring that any new arrangements run smoothly. "The reopening of schools this week required a very significant mobilisation from the private sector well beyond the normal call of duty and I have contacted a number of the companies directly to express appreciation for their collaboration. I would also like to acknowledge the support received by the Department from the National Development Finance Agency. "We are conscious that there are particular logistical challenges for those schools in which only the ground floor is reopening this week. An immediate priority is to determine how best we can facilitate the safe and timely opening of the upper floors of those buildings. We will also move as quickly as possible to the next phase of structural investigations at the 42 schools and, following on from this, to implement any remediation works required. "I can assure the school communities involved that no effort will be spared in ensuring these issues are comprehensively and permanently resolved." Update - 11.32am: A group of parents and children at a Dublin School affected by the structural defects controversy are protesting outside the school gates this morning. St Lukes National School in Tyrellstown remains closed, two weeks after structural concerns with the building were raised. Senior pupils at the school were walked to a nearby secondary school for class, while junior students remain at home. Parents protesting outside say they will not be sending their children back. One parent said: "I'm not putting her into a building that's not safe and we haven't been advised that the building is actually safe, so she's actually missing seven days so far and by the looks of it they are still going to miss the rest of the week. Another parent said: "We all went into the school yesterday and it wasn't suitable for any child to go into. They may as well go in with their hard hat and hi-vis jacket. It's not suitable." Parents and children protesting outside St Luke's today. Pic: rollingnews.ie Some parents have started educating their children at home. Clare Fahys two children go to St. Lukes, and she is going to educate her daughter at home. Ms Fahy said: "I'm after asking for the school books and I'm going to teach her at home until the school is open. She's sad that she is not going to school, because she loves going to school. "My other child has gone to Le Cheile, he is after being diagnosed as dyslexic, so I am after getting a report for him. "What are they going to do? What resources will they have for him until that school opens again?. So that's kind of a downfall." In a statement, St Luke's Principal Vivienne Bourke said: "The patron and board of management are now satisfied that the ground floor is structurally sound and have been furnished with a report from Punch Engineering which states that the ground floor is structurally sound. "Taking into account the safety concerns raised by the parents of St Luke's NS this morning, there is a second safety check being conducted by independent consultant of health and safety - Paddy Mac Neill, and the patron and board of management will not be in a position to open the school on the ground floor, or the hall until that safety check has been completed". However, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th-class children can attend classes at Le Cheile Secondary School. Earlier: Dublin school remains closed as work continues on structural defects One of the Dublin schools at the centre of the controversy over structural problems is to remain closed today. The decision not to re-open St Luke's National School in Tyrellstown was made at the request of parents, after an inspection. It was one of the schools constructed by Western Building Systems that needs structural repairs. The nearby Tyrrelstown Educate Together will partially re-open for junior classes, while older pupils at Gaelscoil Eiscir Riada in Lucan will return to their school today. Around 300 pupils will have classes on the ground floor of their school building at Tyrrelstown Educate Together National School, while senior pupils at Gaelscoil Eiscir Riada will be bussed or walked to a nearby secondary school. Lisa OHagan is a parent who visited St Luke's yesterday, and she said: "There are boxes around the windows, so the kids can't really get access to the windows to get them open. "The beams in the ceiling, you could basically see everything." by Eoin Reynolds 087 178 1346 A 70-year-old man told gardai he was the victim of domestic violence and abuse for years from his partner whom he is accused of murdering. Desmond 'Des' Duffy has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Desmond 'Dessie' Sullivan (59) at the home they shared in Somerville Park, Rathmines, Dublin 6 on May 23, 2016. He is on trial at the Central Criminal Court. Detective Inspector Martin O'Neill today told prosecuting counsel Conor Devally SC that he interviewed Mr Duffy at a garda station on May 24, 2016. During those interviews Det Insp O'Neill agreed that Mr Duffy told him he had been in a violent and abusive relationship with the deceased for many years. He said Mr Sullivan was a heavy drinker and cannabis user and had become more psychotic and paranoid over the years. The accused further told gardai that he had previously ended up in A&E after Mr Sullivan threw bleach over him. On other occasions he said Mr Sullivan poured milk over him, hit him with a mug leaving him with a scar on his head, poured a pint over him and, at his brother's funeral, emptied a basket of sausages and chips over his head. Years earlier Mr Duffy said he required stitches after Mr Sullivan attacked him. On the night of May 23, he said, they had been drinking in a local pub and shortly after they arrived home Mr Sullivan started attacking him in the kitchen. Mr Duffy went to bed hoping to avoid a violent episode but, he told gardai, Mr Sullivan pulled the bed clothes off him and started punching him. Mr Duffy said he went to the kitchen to get his jacket as he wanted to leave and stay in a hotel, as he had done on previous occasions. But his jacket was not there and Mr Sullivan told him he had hidden it and began taunting Mr Duffy, saying: "Fuck off and go stay in your hotel." The argument continued for about 40 to 50 minutes with occasional breaks. Mr Sullivan had a can of guinness and rolled a joint over that period. In the kitchen Mr Duffy said the deceased attacked him again and he tried to restrain Mr Sullivan, to prevent him punching, by reaching out his right hand, putting his arm around Mr Sullivan's neck and pushing Mr Sullivan against a wall. Mr Sullivan fell to the ground and stopped moving. Mr Duffy was worried so he called Garda Maurice Ward, a relative of the deceased. Gda Ward has previously told the trial that Mr Sullivan was dead when he arrived at about 10.45pm, about 30 minutes after receiving the call. Gardai asked Mr Duffy if he checked on Mr Sullivan during this time and he said he didn't, that he was in a state of shock. When they asked why he didn't call an ambulance he said he was very drunk, not thinking rationally and didn't think Mr Sullivan was injured. He added: "I certainly didn't think he was dead." Garda Michael Cunningham told Mr Devally that in October 2013 he responded to a report of a domestic dispute at the home of Mr Duffy and Mr Sullivan. Mr Sullivan told him that they were a couple for 35 years, had been in an argument and during that argument Mr Sullivan told him that he threw bleach at Mr Duffy. He further told Gda Cunningham that arguments had become more common in their relationship. Katie Daffy, a neighbour, told defence counsel Caroline Biggs SC that she overheard heated arguments between the two men every two to three months. She said it seemed to her that Mr Sullivan was usually the aggressor but on the night Mr Sullivan died she noted that both men were equally abusive and it sounded like Mr Duffy had "snapped" and argued back. The only words she could make out in the argument were Mr Sullivan saying: "Why would I be angry, why would I be angry." Justice Paul McDermott told the jury of six men and six women that the trial will continue on Monday. By Jessica Magee A pregnant woman, her partner and two young children awoke to find an intruder screaming and banging on their bed with a plank during a profoundly frightening burglary, a court has heard. Kenneth Locke (29), of Ramillies Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, with the final two and a half years suspended. He had pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to burglary with a plank at Cloverhill Rd, Ballyfermot on April 1 this year. The court heard Locke was extremely intoxicated at the time and had taken 30 or 40 Xanax tablets that day. He has 127 previous convictions and committed this offence a little over a month after his release from an eight-year prison sentence with two years suspended for aggravated burglary. Judge Melanie Greally noted from two victim impact reports that it had been a profoundly frightening incident for the family involved. The loss of a sense of security within their own home has been lasting and will be very difficult to restore, she said. The reports were not read out in court. She said the violation of the family home, with a pregnant woman and young children present, and the fact that Locke was armed with a plank, warranted a headline sentence of 10 years. However, she gave Locke credit for his early guilty plea, his young age and his attempts, albeit unsuccessful, to address his drug addiction. Garda Alan Egan told the court it had been an extremely traumatising event for the couple. Banging the plank on baby's cot He said the man had gone to bed at 9.30pm and was woken shortly after 3am by his partner screaming at him to wake up, and a fellow banging on his bed with a plank. The man was screaming continuously, Where's the keys, where's the money?, and broke his plank off the edge of the bed. A second man then came into the room also carrying a plank, and in the other hand, a meat cleaver which the victim recognised as his own as it was missing part of the handle. The victim handed over the keys of a Nissan Micra which he had bought that week for 150. The woman said she heard thumping on the stairs and thought initially that it was her sister coming home, but then saw a head peeping around the bedroom door and the man coming into her room screaming and banging the plank on their baby's cot. She jumped over her partner to grab her daughter out of the cot as she was afraid the child would be injured. The woman said Locke grabbed her and pushed her back, whereupon she told him she was pregnant and to get his hands off her. When the two intruders left the house, the woman and their two children, aged one and two, stayed in the bedroom while the man of the house rang the guards. Locke was arrested nearby shortly afterwards after he incriminated himself by shouting remarks at gardai. Pieter Le Vert BL, defending, said his client was so drunk that he was unfit for interview for six hours. He later told gardai he didn't remember anything about the day and that he was always intoxicated. 40 Xanax a day He said he had drunk a bit of gargle and taken about 30 or 40 Xanax pills as he did every day and the incident was all a blur, however he made a number of slips indicating that he remembered more of the incident than he let on. Mr Le Vert said Locke was one of nine children and that drink and drugs had been a serious problem for him since he was aged 14. These addictions led Locke to extensive criminality and the vast bulk of his 20s was spent in custody. Counsel said Locke was so institutionalised that when he was released from jail he had to take up to 40 Xanax a day simply to leave the house, such were his anxiety levels. The court heard that Locke has been on a waiting list to see a drugs counsellor since he went into custody on April 1. Judge Greally backdated the sentence to take into account time spent in jail. A murder investigation is underway after an Irishman was stabbed to death in South Africa. The discovery was made at his apartment after an associate raised the alarm. John Curran a former Director of Education at Mellon Educate in Cape Town is understood to have been living in an apartment there for the past couple of months. Police in Capetown were called to the apartment after being contacted by a concerned associate. Captain Ezra October confirmed emergency services declared Mr Curran dead at the scene yesterday morning at around 10.30am. He had suffered mutliple stab wounds and a post-mortem is due to be carried out either tomorrow or Monday. Investigators have completed a forensic examination at the scene and are following a number of lines of inquiry including looking at CCTV footage. They also confirmed Mr Curran's mobile phone is missing. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has confirmed its aware of the case and is providing consular assistance to the family of Mr Curran. The President of the Irish Primary Principals Network (IPPN), David Ruddy has spoken movingly of his long-time friend and network co-founder. Mr Ruddy told RTEs News at One that Mr Curran was a visionary who wanted to support primary school principals and deputy principals, which was why he had co-founded the network. Mr Ruddy said: He had an infectious smile, a lovely sense of humour. When Mr Curran retired he became involved in a number of projects, one of which was the Mellon Educate programme, of which he was director of education until recently. He encouraged school principals in Ireland to visit South Africa during the school holidays and to bring with them items that could be used in local schools. Mr Ruddy said: He organised people to recycle items, to redirect surplus items. To bring out suitcases full of library books, IT programmes and to engage with schools. He told of how he had visited Mr Curran in South Africa last year and how Mr Curran had brought the Minister for Education for the Western Cape to the IPPN conference in Ireland earlier this year. He was very much loved and very dynamic. He always wanted to give back. He found his work in South Africa very rewarding and very challenging. He quoted Nelson Mandela who said that education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world. John embodied that. Mr Curran was aware of the dangers of living in Cape Town and advised visitors of the places where they could and could not go. He was very laid back and loved life hugely. He threw himself into projects. Mr Ruddy recalled that in 2010 Mr Currans son Eoin had died in a sailing accident in New York, which had been a huge blow to him, his wife Liz and two other sons and daughter. In recent years he had become a grandfather and that had ignited a spark in him, said Mr Ruddy. He spent 16 years as Principal of Good Shepard NS in Churchtown, Dublin 14, until his early retirement in 2005. Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Josepha Madigan offered her condolences to Mr Currans family. John was well known in education circles in Dublin Rathdown and served the children of Churchtown well during his many years teaching at Good Shepard NS," she said. At a national level he was involved in numerous projects with IPPN over the years. I know he was held in high esteem by his former colleagues. His enthusiasm and energy was obvious to all and his legacy in the area of education is a significant one. He will be sadly missed. I am aware that Johns untimely death has come as a great shock to everyone who knew him. I wish the South African police well in their investigation into his passing. Updated with additional information at 4:27pm. A survey has found that just over half of people believe the Take Back The City housing protests have successfully raised questions about the property sector in Ireland. The homelessness activists occupied empty buildings in Dublin in the past few months and also brought the capital to a standstill in September with a sit-down protest over the housing crisis. Up to 53% of those asked in the survey recently conducted by iReach feel that the housing protest organisation has been successful in raising questions about the Irish property sector, with 62% of respondents in Connacht and Ulster believing in the groups success. However, only 28% of people agree with the occupation of private or public property as a form of demonstration, while 64% of older adults disagree with such occupations as a means of protest. The findings also demonstrate a lack of faith from the public in the Governments approach to the housing and homelessness. 66% of people were not confident that Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphys most recent plan would be a successful mechanism to combat problems in the housing market. Under the proposal set to come into effect next June, landlords will be banned from renting properties on Airbnb in areas of high housing demand. Furthermore, only 10% of respondents answered that the Government is doing sufficient work in ending the housing crisis, with 46% of the population who dont think that housing and homelessness are among the Governments priorities. The most popular potential solution to tackle the housing crisis among all the people surveyed is that of increasing housing supply (68%), with stricter rent controls (52%) also seen as a viable option alongside more co-operation with local authorities (53%). Meanwhile, figures obtained by Fianna Fail South Dublin County Councillor, Charlie OConnor, reveal that there was an increase of over 65% in the number of families that registered as homeless in the 12 months from September 2017 to September this year. During the same period there was an increase of almost 40% in the total number of people registered as homeless across the county. Mr OConnor said: The number of people presenting as homeless and living without stable accommodation is increasing, that is a fact. Its difficult, even close to impossible to see how of this crisis is being addressed by Government when every single piece of hard evidence shows us that the crisis in housing is worsening day by day. Last month, SDCC confirmed to me that there are now over 7,000 people on the social housing waiting list in South Dublin. As the Chief Executive has rightfully stated in his response to my query this week; Housing supply is the key solution but stock is severely limited. How can the demand for housing possibly be met when the scale of development in affordable and public housing thats required is simply not happening? It maddens me that after seven years in Government this crisis is getting worse while knowing how much it is affecting peoples lives and the mental impact it's having on ordinary people. People dying on damp, cold streets in Dublin without shelter cannot be let become a normal aspect of life in Ireland. There tends to be a visible face of homelessness but the reality is that there are even greater numbers relying on others to just about manage to stay off our streets as we head into winter. These are the families that we are bound to know but that are without a home; the 300-odd families in South Dublin that desperately need support from Government to end their struggle as homeless. By Joe Leogue A TD who pleaded guilty to being drunk and abusing Gardai who were investigating a complaint of noise at his home has been given the benefit of the probation act. Sinn Fein TD for Cork East Pat Buckley had last May pleaded guilty at Midleton District Court to a charge of being intoxicated and to using threatening and abusive behaviour to gardai. The incident occurred at Mr Buckey's home during a family event on August 18 2017 when gardai responded to a noise complaint arising from the party. The May sitting of the court had heard Mr Buckley had told the Gardai to fuck off, and had to be restrained by a family member. Mr Buckley, 49, of Holly Ridge, Broomfield West, Midleton, was not in court yesterday but was represented by solicitor Henry McCourt. Mr McCourt told Judge Brian Sheridan that he had indicated in May's hearing that he would apply the probation act in his client's case if Mr Buckley had not come to Garda attention in the intervening period. Inspector Tony O'Sullivan confirmed Mr Buckley had not come to attention since May, and Judge Sheridan applied Section 1.1 of the Probation Act. Mr Buckley had previously apologised for his behaviour following his guilty plea last May. In a statement at the time he said: The head of the British armed forces has said he feels "uncomfortable" at the prospect of being investigated as part of the Troubles probe. General Nick Carter, Chief of the Defence Staff, acknowledged his multiple tours in Northern Ireland but added that it was for politicians to decide what to do with the process examining the region's past. Conservative MPs have led the opposition against British veterans facing potential legal action for events linked to the Troubles. In July, more than 30 of them supported a backbench proposal for a 20-year time limit on reopening cases involving former members of the armed forces who served in Northern Ireland. UK Prime Minister Theresa May has labelled the existing investigation system as "flawed" due to its "disproportionate focus" on former members of the armed forces and police, with a consultation on dealing with legacy issues recently closing. More than 3,500 people were killed as a result of the Troubles. General Carter, in an interview with The House magazine, said: "As a military officer who's done multiple tours in Northern Ireland, I am uncomfortable with the prospect of being investigated. "But this is a political issue and is, therefore, something that the politicians have to deal with. "And of course, it's associated with the peace process. Again, it's a political issue." General Carter also addressed the difficulties experienced by veterans after returning from service, noting: "I feel it myself. "Not a day goes by when I don't think of the 375 people who died under my command in southern Afghanistan in 2010. Not a day goes by. "But I'm fortunate that I've got people I can talk to about it still." PA There are calls for a new fund to help workers impacted by Brexit. SIPTU want trade unions to work together to be Brexit ready to protect members' jobs, wages and terms and conditions. By Ann O'Loughlin A mother of two woman who has breast cancer has launched a High Court action over the care she received at two hospitals. Joan OSullivan who has a mutation gene which means she is at higher risk of cancer has claimed she has suffered an alleged delay in the diagnosis and treatment of her cancer and as a result her life expectancy may have been reduced. The Tipperary woman has sued St James's Hospital, Dublin claiming she suffered an alleged perforation to her bowel during an operation in 2013 which was part of a cancer preventative plan and as a result she has claimed plans for a preventative full mastectomy were derailed. She has also sued the HSE over her care at Cork University Hospital where she claims an 8mm tumour in her right breast was not diagnosed when she had a scan in 2016 and when the tumour was diagnosed 522 days later it was 3cms in size. Joan O'Sullivan, Mr Justice Michael Hanna was told has since had twenty weeks of chemotherapy and has had a right sided mastectomy. Joan O'Sullivan McDonagh Court, Old Road, Cashel, Co Tipperary has sued St James's Hospital claiming in relation to the 2013 procedure that there was an alleged failure to exercise reasonable care and skill and and her bowel was allegedly perforated. She has also sued the HSE claiming there was an alleged failure to identify or to heed adequately or at all a signficiant abornmality in an MRI scan carried out in Cork University Hospital in April 2016 and there was an allegedly delayed diagnosis of triple negative breast cancer in her right breast. Mr Justice Hanna was told that St James's Hospital and the HSE deny the claims but the HSE this week by letter admitted admitted a breach of duty in relation to some of the care afforded at Cork University Hospital. Her counsel Patrick Treacy SC told the court Ms O'Sullivan who has lost members of her extended family to cancer was diagnosed as a carrier of the BRCA1 mutation gene which means the person has a higher risk of ovarian and breast cancer. Counsel said it was decided there would be ongoing monitoring of Ms O'Sullivan at St James's Hospital and a treatment plan was put in place. He said it was decided Ms O'Sullivan would have a procedure as an outpatient on March 6, 2013 to remove her ovaries and Fallopian tubes and a double mastectomy was expected to be carried out in the Autumn of 2013. Counsel said on March 6 "tragically and unfortunately" a simple and profound error was made and it was their case that an alleged perforation of Ms O'Sullivan's bowel took place during the suturing after the laparoscopic procedure. It was their case that the alleged perforation should not have happened and the post op care allegedly fell below the standard of the hospital. Mr Treacy said Ms O'Sullivan was discharged form hospital when she was in significant pain. Days later she was admitted to another hospital feeling unwell and with a raised temperature. She was advised she had sepsis and E coli and she had to have another operation. Mr Treacy said Ms O'Sullivan's plans for a preventative double mastectomy in Autumn 2013 were derailed as the woman was not well, had abdominal pain and she was suffering from post traumatic stress and having flashbacks relating to the March 2013 procedure. On October 19, 2017 she was diagnosed with cancer in the right breast. Counsel said if Ms O'Sullivan had a mastectomy in Autumn 2013, she would never have developed the two lumps in her right breast. Counsel said on April 29, 2016 Ms O'Sullivan had an MRI scan at Cork University Hospital. Counsel said it was their case that on this occasion in which a tumor of 8 mms wide was present in her right breast, but their was no biopsy. When she next had a scan in October 2017 the tumour Mr Treacy said was 3cms in size and it was the worst type of cancer and the most aggressive and most severe. Counsel said it was their case this cancer should have been detected 522 days earlier. The case continues. Republic of Ireland international Stephanie Roche has signed for Italian side Florentia. The 29-year-old had been out of contract since the summer, after breaking her leg while at Sunderland in 2017. The Florence side are currently fifth in the Women's Serie A table. "Finally! It's official, can't wait to get started with this club!" wrote Roche on Twitter. Finally! It's official, can't wait to get started with this club! @cfflorentia https://t.co/QzFL3P6aUP Stephanie Roche (@StephanieRoche9) November 8, 2018 Digital Desk The corporate watchdogs push for Westpac to receive a $58 million penalty for being found to have acted unconscionably when attempting to rig one of Australias most important interest rates has hit a roadblock, with a Federal Court judge calling the regulator's arguments frankly ridiculous. Earlier this year, Justice Jonathan Beach found Westpac had engaged in unconscionable conduct on three days in 2010 in attempting to rig the bank bill swap (BBSW) rate, a key rate used to set interest rates paid by corporate banking customers. ASIC has asked the court to fine Westpac $58 million for rigging the BBSW, while Westpac is arguing it should be fined $3.3 million. Credit:James Alcock The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has asked the court to fine Westpac $58 million for acting unconscionably in attempting to rig the BBSW, while Westpac is arguing it should be fined $3.3 million. Westpac is expected to be ordered by the court to pay ASICs legal costs. ANZ Bank, National Australia Bank and Commonwealth Bank all settled with ASIC, with each bank admitting it had attempted to rig the bank bill swap rate. ANZ and NAB each paid a $50 million settlement, which included a $10 million fine. CBA settled with ASIC for $25 million, which included a $5 million penalty. Only Westpac challenged the allegations of rate-rigging in court. Investors have dumped shares in Australian gas pipeliner APA, wiping more than $1 billion off its market value after the Foreign Investment Review Board rejected a $13 billion takeover of the company overnight. Late on Wednesday, FIRB knocked back Hong Kong-based utility firm CKIs $11-a-share bid for APA, citing national security concerns. The takeover offer came in at a 33 per cent premium to APAs share price - a premium that is now evaporating. Credit:James Davies APA shares started trading on Thursday at $8.46, more than 10 per cent below Wednesday's closing price of $9.51. Its market capitalisation dropped from $11.2 billion on Wednesday to $10.1 billion on Thursday morning. After the early losses, the stock began to regain some ground, recovering to $8.58 by mid-morning. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg rejected CKI's bid for APA on national interest grounds, saying it would put "undue concentration of foreign ownership by a single company group in our most significant gas transmission business". Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev was charged by Monaco prosecutors in relation to a probe into corruption and influence peddling in his long-running dispute with Geneva art dealer Yves Bouvier. Dmitry Rybolovlev with Prince Albert II of Monaco. Credit:AP Rybolovlev and three others were charged Wednesday, prosecutor Sylvie Petit-Lelair said by telephone, adding that she couldn't confirm the exact charges against them. Rybolovlev and the others were released after being detained overnight for questioning, subject to security constraints on their movement, Petit-Leclair said. Herve Temime, a lawyer for Rybolovlev, said in a statement that "we do insist on the fact that at this stage Mr. Rybolovlev is presumed innocent, and that this presumption and the rights attached to it should be strictly respected." On Tuesday, Temime and another lawyer, Thomas Giaccardi, said their client was interrogated based on information retrieved from the phone of a third representative of Rybolovlev, something that's the subject of an appeal in Monaco. The pair also said they plan to lodge a complaint in relation to press leaks of his interrogation session. Network Tens rebrand has triggered a trademark dispute with Fairfax Media, which raised objections that a logo lodged by the free-to-air network for multi-channel 10 Boss looked too similar to the newspaper publishers logo for BOSS magazine. The CBS-owned television broadcaster revealed new branding at its annual upfronts event last week, with a new overall Ten logo launched alongside multichannels 10 Peach and 10 Boss to a crowd of advertisers and brands. Ten chief sales officer Rod Prosser, CEO Paul Anderson, and chief programming officer Beverley McGarvey launched the new brand recently at the broadcaster's upfronts. Credit:Louise Douvis The change of the channels (formerly known as Eleven and One) marks the first major rebrand in over two decades and is part of a broader strategy shift from Ten under its US-owner, with chief executive Paul Anderson hoping to focus specifically on attracting a younger demographic. Ten lodged logos for trade mark with the government on November 2, with the word boss capitalised next to the new Ten logo of the number 10 in a red circle. One of the logos had a solidly coloured in "O", which television-focused website DeciderTV reported was a result of a complaint from Fairfax Media (owner of The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Australian Financial Review). The United States is home to more millionaires than any other country in the world. But whether the country is truly the wealthiest in the world depends on how you measure. Judging by where the greatest number of people are well off, Australia is taking the top spot. A report released by Credit Suisse in October says the US is in the lead when it comes to global wealth. Yet a closer look at the numbers in that report reveals a different story. When it comes to median wealth, Australians are the richest people in the world. Credit:Louie Douvis While its true that wealth in the US is growing faster than anywhere else in the world, its not the richest when you compare the average amount of wealth per adult. That prize goes to Switzerland, as you can see in the map below. Australia is in second place, ahead of the US. The German parent of collapsed food delivery company Foodora Australia is offering to pay back less than half the wages, superannuation and tax bill claimed by creditors including workers and the Tax Office. According to a creditors' report released on Thursday by administrator Worrells, Delivery Hero has proposed a deed of company arrangement under which it will pay $3 million. Foodora riders are owed $5.5 million according to the company's administrators. Credit:Jason South Worrells recommended creditors accept the deed, rather than winding up the company or handing it back to the directors, in part as there were "insufficient realisations to meet all outstanding claims in the company". The administrator estimated workers had been underpaid $5.5 million based on its conclusion "that it is more likely than not that the delivery riders and drivers should have been classified as casual employees instead of contractors". Drain the Pirate City SBS, 8.30pm Port Royal, Jamaica, sounds like the 17-century equivalent of Ibiza: a hard-partying place where its live-for-themoment inhabitants funded their lifestyle through piracy. Drain the Pirate City. Well, perhaps not the piracy bit but the city of 8000 people that was once known as one of the "wickedest places on Earth" certainly got its come-uppance on June 7, 1692, when an earthquake and tsunami destroyed the joint and left the Caribbean pirates either dead or homeless. Using the harassment of a young journalist as a weapon against his political opponent might be the lowest point in the career of Corrections Minister David Elliott. He detonated a bomb in question time on October 18 that was really only ever going to end one way with the political demise of (now former) Labor leader Luke Foley. Luke Foley has resigned as Labor leader, but is threatening legal action over claims he harassed a young female journalist at a 2016 Christmas party. Credit:AAP CBD wonders what Elliott was thinking on Thursday when the news came in just an hour earlier, he'd stood with Premier Gladys Berejiklian at a Hyde Park announcement for veterans. How we wish we could have been a fly on the wall during that conversation, or any really, since Elliott had first raised the issue. Was it premeditated, or off-the-cuff? Twenty-one people have been stabbed, set alight, strangled and bashed to death in domestic and family violence incidents across NSW this year, while police still respond to an average of 400 domestic violence-related call-outs every day. The figures paint a sombre picture in the lead-up to Christmas, a period which has recorded a marked spike every year since at least 1995. Last year, the December rate peaked by more than 40 per cent, compared with that of June. In all, there were 30 deaths in 2017. The state of domestic and family violence in NSW has prompted the launch of the inaugural Australasian Police Domestic Violence Forum in Sydney; a three-day event for police and experts from Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the Netherlands. It will be the first time domestic violence police officers of all ranks have come together from all the Australian states and territories, and New Zealand. "Congrats to the marvellously named Fee Kratovil and Column 8 for creating the only mention on the internet of Carson Sinese (C8)," applauds John Christie of Oatley. "His snorting of sodium or potassium would have been an explosive sight, as any student of chemistry will confirm." The item in the Herald (November 8) about the century-old Moreton Bay fig tree at the edge of Sydney Harbour being 'chopped down' caught the attention of Alan Bell of Bradbury. "When was the last time you saw a tree being 'chopped down anywhere? Most are subject to the ignominy of a chainsaw these days, and the irritating sound of these modern day peace deprivers can be heard constantly during daylight hours along with their comrade the leaf blower." Greg Rutter of Musk (Vic) summed up the general mood regarding the "keep to the left" (C8) rule of days gone by. "I doubt lines down the footpath would help these days. With people fixated on their phones, they would barely see the ground let alone a line painted thereon. Perhaps some enterprising person could develop an app that flashes a big red arrow on the screen indicating they should move left or right to keep on track?" There were days when Paul Hunt of Engadine used to love going to hardware shops. "All the items were described simply: screws, nails, hammers and screwdrivers, just to mention a few. No longer is it such a pleasurable task. Recently I went looking for a door seal, which I found, but was confused when one of its qualities was described as 'good mitigating vibrality'. I left empty-handed and instead went looking for a dictionary." Jenny De Lacey of Greenwell Point noticed "the current Woolworths catalogue is advertising a new brand of probiotic yoghurt. Amongst other attributes, it is 'made from Aussie cows'. I haven't the courage to try it. Can someone else please report on its flavour?" Junior doctors at Brisbane's major public hospitals are experiencing a significant spike in rates of workplace bullying and harassment, according to a new report from the Australian Medical Association Queensland. A statewide survey of 27 per cent of the state's 6000 junior doctors saw 44 per cent of respondents at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital report experiencing bullying and harassment, up 10 per cent from last year. Brisbane's Mater Hospital only dropped in its score card by a small amount. Credit:Google Maps The AMA's Resident Hospital Health Check surveys junior doctors to provide information for their peers on workplace culture. The RBWH is particularly worrying with 44 per cent of junior doctors reporting they had experienced bullying or harassment, a significant increase from 10 per cent last year, AMA Queensland's Bav Manoharan said. Police are investigating the suspicious death of Samuel Riley. Credit:WA Police Homicide squad detectives are still trying to identify a suspect in the suspicious death of 31-year-old West Australian man Sam Riley. Mr Riley's body was found at a home on Carter Street, West Busselton on October 30. Detectives will set up a mobile facility in the shopping centre carpark on the corner of Bussell Highway and Carter Street on Friday in a bid to gather information from the public that may help their investigation. AAP What makes Sarah's case all the more tragic is the fact her and Kate's mum, Trish,died last year after a battle with cancer. She died not knowing what happened to her daughter, or where she was. "When we found out my mum was terminally ill, I thought that may have spurred on someone to finally come forward but again, nothing," Kate said. "Its incredibly difficult for us all left behind. We will never be the same. "I often wonder what our lives wouldve been like if Sarah had never been taken from us, but now our only consolation may be to find out where she rests. "As a parent now, I couldnt imagine losing my son and not knowing what happened to him." A young Sarah on the left with her mum Trish, who has since passed away. Credit:McMahon Family Mobile phone records released during the 2012 inquest found Sarah received four phone calls on her mobile the day she went missing. Of these four calls, one was from a friend, another was from Kate and two were from a man called Donald Victor Morey. More questions than answers Morey, 63, was sentenced to 13 years and four months in jail with no parole over the attempted murder of a Perth sex worker in 2003. Morey attacked the woman shortly after she got into his Holden Commodore station wagon late at night. He drove her to Helena Valley where he tried to put a rope around her neck, but she fought back and escaped. Morey denied the offence but his DNA was found on the woman's hair extensions. There was a one in 10 billion chance the DNA could have been from someone else, court documents from his sentencing in 2005 show. He was found guilty of attempted murder, unlawful assault occasioning bodily harm, deprivation of liberty and making threats. Morey walked free from a WA jail on September 17 after serving his full sentence. He's been released under a Post Sentence Supervision Order (PSSO) by the Prisoners Review Board, meaning he must abide by a range of supervision requirements for two years. According to the board's decision to release Morey on a PSSO, he has "unmet treatment needs" relating to violence and consequential thinking. The board's decision, published online, reads: "You were assessed as requiring an intensive violent offender treatment program and think first program. You refused to participate in the treatment programmes. "The board is of the opinion that a period of community supervision will enable further work to be undertaken ... to address your outstanding treatment needs and reduce the risk of you committing a serious violent offence and the risk that poses to the safety of the community." Court records show Morey appeared in the Armadale Magistrates Court on November 1. He was charged with carrying an article with intent to injure and breaching his PSSO. He pleaded guilty and was fined $2000. Police refused a request from WAtoday to provide further information on these offences. 'The evidence is complex' Morey denies any involvement in Sarah's disappearance, although he has been interviewed several times by detectives. He gave evidence at the 2012 inquest, at which he claimed Sarah was alive and living overseas. But he's also admitted that much of what he has told police over the years was made up. "Quite a lot of things that I said to the police were obviously mumbo jumbo. But as far as Sarah being alive, she is alive," he told the inquest. Mr Hope did not make any adverse findings in relation to Morey in his final coronial report. In this case, the evidence is complex and there are many credibility issues which would need to be resolved in making any such determination, Mr Hope said in the report. Trish McMahon with Sarah in 1999. Credit:McMahon Family Sarah's car and her mobile phone were the only personal items belonging to her which were ever recovered. Her Ford Meteor sedan was found in the carpark of Swan District Hospital in Middle Swan, 12 days after she went missing. Her mobile phone was found on the median strip of the Great Northern Highway. Inquiries with the Australian Taxation Office reveal there had been no activity recorded in relation to her since October 2000. Her bank account has not been touched. A WA Police spokesperson confirmed the cold case homicide squad still had carriage of the investigation. "The recent announcement of a reward for information regarding Ms McMahons disappearance may prove an incentive for people who have previously been reluctant to provide information to now come forward," the spokesman said. "Any information, no matter how insignificant it may seem in isolation, may be crucial to resolving this investigation." Ellie's experience "She was self harming rather badly. She was cutting herself constantly, swallowing things ... it was mainly Panadol overdoses - just supermarket over-the-counter type stuff," Grant said. "She used to overdose on Panadol constantly. Ellie relied on over-the-counter medicine to try and overdose. Credit:Viki Yemettas "You couldn't take your eyes off her. There were a couple of times where she was in hospital and I searched her room and I found about 20 razor blades stuck to bottoms of drawers, and hidden everywhere. She'd hidden them all over her room with sticky tape in very hard to find spots. "There were times where I had to stop her from running in front of cars. I've had to physically restrain her. "Initially when I first brought her across, the psychiatrists were quite good. "They were trying to help her, but she didn't want help. She just wanted to die." It was clear Ellie needed immediate attention, and Grant sought it out for her in WA's mental health system. She would often find herself in hospital emergency departments due to the nature of her self-harming; an area Grant maintains is not suitable for those already in the throes of their mental illness. During Ellie's time in WA, she was formally diagnosed with PTSD and borderline personality disorder. According to Grant, this was when he saw her treatment plan become more confused. "Once you get diagnosed with a personality disorder, they will say this is better off treated in the community," Grant said. Ellie says she was sexually abused for much of her time in Queensland. Credit:John Donegan "But if the person is too unstable to be treated, and they're suicidal, what are you supposed to do? You can't do anything." So Grant was forced to send his daughter back over east where she would have access to one of the country's best mental health facilities. He is separated from his daughter by thousands of kilometres but he said it was worth every moment. "At [Ellie's new facility], they have been treating mood disorders for maybe 20 to 30 years. The difference in the nursing and the psychiatrists was amazing. "They knew what to do, how to treat the patients, they asked the family what triggers your daughter ... they go right through it and they make sure all of the staff know. "There's a huge difference in competency between a hospital like that and the public system. "There's just no competent treatment here. "One of the main problems is that the public system is at least 10 years behind what is happening in psychiatry." Grant's story is not unusual, and National Drug Research Group director doctor Steve Allsop said the WA health system still had a long way to go before it was able to help cases like Ellie's. "Reviews indicate that the main issue is the complexity of the system," Dr Khorshid wrote. Credit:Glenn Hunt "We're well aware that in both centres - in drug treatment and mental health treatment - we're still catching up with what's actually required," he said. "Worldwide as well as locally, we know that a significant proportion of people who are affected by drugs or mental health problems, or co-existing problems - we still need to improve access to treatment." Dr Khorshid wrote for WAtoday last month. He said it wasn't just the barriers that were stopping patients from seeking help, but the 'impossible to navigate' system. "We are rightly encouraging people to speak out and get help for their mental health issues," he said. "But when they do reach out, they learn the WA mental health system is failing. "Patients and families feel they have been set up to fail. They report the current system is not working. Our most vulnerable patients feel traumatised by a system that is hard to get into, impossible to navigate and poorly co-ordinated. Loading "Patients tell stories of endlessly trying to find the right section, organisation or department that will help them with no success. Effectively, the system rejects and abandons patients and families, leaving them shattered. "There are tragic and devastating outcomes." Dr Khorshid said emergency departments were overflowing due to the crushing weight of dual diagnosis patients, and new technology, reform and a review of clinical governance was the only way the system could improve. Dr Allsop said access was one of the crucial barriers the WA health system needed to overcome in order to spur on meaningful reform in the health sector. "I remember in another state, an Aboriginal woman worked on the board of a treatment service," he said. "They had relatively low return rates for a second appointment, so she bought a mini bus. "She made it easier for people to get there. She picked them up and took them home, and she saw her treatment engagement go up dramatically. The ongoing implementation of the Mental Health Act 2014 recognises the need to improve family experiences and the Act sets out a number of rights for families and carers, the Mental Health Commission says. Credit:Glen McCurtayne GPM Loading "I remember when I was working with colleagues at a not-for-profit agency ... instead of closing its doors at 5.30pm it closed at 8.30 to 9pm at night. "Suddenly there were people able to come who otherwise couldn't come because they were working. If you have a service that's not perceived as youth friendly, or women friendly, or a secure place for Aboriginal people - all these things make a difference." Is the system recovering or stalling? The WA Mental Health Commission office acknowledged there was a long way to go. "Although, as with all illnesses, the health sector works to accommodate demand based on those most in need, the commission recognises that there are still long waits in emergency departments for mental health patients which are not the most appropriate clinical care setting for patients in distress," a spokeswoman said. "The commission is continuing to work with the Department of Health, government, and non-government services to progress improvement in how co-occurring mental health and alcohol and other drug issues are addressed. "This includes initiating advice from the Mental Health Network which comprises of clinicians, consumers and carers to help inform mental health policy and reform. Mr Marney said the health sector had made leaps and bounds following the release of the Western Australian Mental Health, Alcohol and Other Drug Services Plan 2015-25 was released. Of the 112 "actions and sub-actions" laid out in the plan, 24 are finished, 74 are on their way and 11 are pending commencement. Unlike many people, Ryan Hubbard feels comfortable admitting there are times in his life when he has been painfully lonely. Loneliness is not unusual, and its not a personal failing, he says. But people often wonder what theyre doing wrong, or why people dont like them. Ryan Hubbard saying being lonely isn't unusual, people just don't like talking about it. Credit:Justin McManus Mr Hubbard has lived in more than a dozen cities and countries, and London a city with a population of 8 million was where he felt most alone. He was working very long hours and was in a relationship with someone who lived three hours away. Travel consumed all his spare time and made it impossible to socialise. "An absolute lifeline": Clare Hanson in her apartment at the Ascot Vale public housing estate, where she has been a tenant for for eight years. Credit:Eddie Jim Just 118 new apartments were added to Victorias pool of public housing last financial year, despite a waiting list topping 82,000 people including 24,000 children data from the Department of Health and Human Services shows. The figures are revealed in an annual departmental report on homelessness. It shows that 96 family units and 22 older persons units were created in the public housing sector. The report also notes that 530 new apartments managed by community housing providers were created in the financial year ending in mid-2017. The numbers make clear the extent of the crisis in providing enough cheap places for Victorias most disadvantaged to live. The McGowan Government faces a year-long parliamentary inquiry into its 'Local Projects, Local Jobs' grant scheme after losing a vote in the state's upper house yesterday. The scheme was a key part of Labor's target-seat election campaigns before the 2017 election and has come under opposition fire when it was revealed the money was spent almost entirely in Labor-held seats. The McGowan Government's "Local Projects, Local Jobs" grants fund will put through the ringer in a parliamentary inquiry after it was revealed it had been spent in Labor electorates. Credit:Dan Peled Opposition government accountability spokesman Tjorn Sibma told Parliament the program had ballooned from $22 million to $40 million since the election "at a time of so-called budget repair". "From my calculation, it is probably equivalent to the savings or the cuts to the education portfolio," he said. Islamabad: A Pakistani Christian woman has been freed from prison a week after the Supreme Court overturned her conviction and death sentence for blasphemy against Islam, and she is now at a secure location for fear of attacks on her, officials said on Thursday. The release of Asia Bibi, a mother of five, prompted immediate anger from a hardline Islamist party that has threatened to paralyse daily life countrywide with street protests if her acquittal is not reversed. Aasia Bibi in 2010. Credit:AP Bibi, 53, was convicted of blasphemy in 2010 over allegations that she made derogatory remarks about Islam after neighbours objected to her drinking water from their glass because she was not Muslim. She has always denied having committed blasphemy. The case has outraged Christians worldwide. Pope Francis met with Bibi's family earlier this year, saying he prayed for her. Italy said on Tuesday it would try to help Bibi, who is Catholic, to leave Pakistan. Delhi: Pollution in the Indian capital rose to a severe level on Thursday after revellers flouted regulations to let off fireworks long into the night to mark the Hindu festival of Diwali. Two federal government pollution indices showed air at very poor and "severe" levels, indicating that prolonged exposure could lead to respiratory illnesses. The indices mostly measure the concentration of tiny poisonous particulate matter, or PM 2.5, particles that are less than 2.5 microns in diameter, which can be carried deep into the lungs. Moscow: One of Russia's best-known contemporary theatre and film directors pleaded not guilty on Wednesday as his fraud trial opened in Moscow. Kirill Serebrennikov's midnight arrest during a movie shoot in August last year sent shockwaves through Russia's art circles and was seen by some as a chilling omen of a return to Soviet-style censorship. Russian theatre and film director Kirill Serebrennikov waits for the start of his court hearing in Moscow. Credit:AP Serebrennikov's work both on stage and on the screen challenged the establishment, its values and lifestyle. But despite that, his productions have enjoyed lavish state funding and his plays are still frequented by top Russian officials. A Moscow court on Wednesday opened the trial against Serebrennikov, three of his associates and an accountant who has pleaded guilty in the case and testified against him. Washington: Democrats critical of President Donald Trump's foreign policy say they plan to use their House majority to take a closer look at his private conversations with world leaders, overseas business entanglements and the purge of diplomats from the State Department. Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, in July. Credit:AP Even before Tuesday's election handed control of the House to Democrats, lawmakers who have been shut out of the debate for two years began compiling an ambitious list of issues they hope to tackle when they take charge. The lengthy lineup reflects two frustrating years for Democrats who have repeatedly sent letters imploring the White House to answer their questions, to no avail. Trump has said he would adopt a "warlike posture" if Democrats on several committees in the House forge ahead with plans to investigate him and his administration. A Democratic aide replied that the Foreign Affairs Committee would do its job and exercise its oversight authority, "one way or another." To a large degree, oversight on foreign policy presents Democrats with as many limitations as responsibilities. The executive branch runs foreign policy, while Congress controls the purse strings. Indicted: Joseph Maldonado-Passage. Credit:Santa Rosa County Jail via AP Oklahoma City: A former Oklahoma zookeeper and candidate for governor, already accused in a murder-for-hire plot, has been indicted on 19 new counts accusing him of killing tigers and selling tiger cubs. A US federal grand jury unsealed the charges against Joseph Maldonado-Passage, who is known as "Joe Exotic" and formerly operated a zoo in Wynnewood, Oklahoma. Maldonado-Passage, 55, ran unsuccessfully for Oklahoma governor as a Libertarian this year. Maldonado-Passage was indicted in September for allegedly trying to hire someone to kill the operator of a Florida-based animal sanctuary. Carole Baskin says she was the target. Latest News Offenders are using payment text fields to harass victims AUSTRAC These treats usually come with multiple low-value transaction amounts Effi launches solution that can get brokers paid their commission on the day of settlement New product can reduce the time it takes for commissions to get paid from 45-60 days to just one Proposed changes to ensure banks have adequate financial resources in the event of failure have been welcomed by groups as a response to the perception that some banks are too big to fail. The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) released a paper proposing changes to the application of the capital adequacy framework for authorised deposit-taking institutions (ADIs). The Australian Governments 2014 Financial System Inquiry (FSI) recommended APRA implement a framework for loss absorbing and recapitalisation capacity in line with emerging international practice. This would be achieved by adjusting, where appropriate, an ADIs Total Capital requirement. The key features of APRAs proposals include: for the four major banks increasing Total Capital requirements by four to five percentage points of risk-weighted assets; and, for other ADIs likely no adjustment, although a small number may be required to maintain additional Total Capital depending on the outcome of resolution planning. The proposed changes are expected to marginally increase each major banks cost of funding, incrementally over four years, by up to five basis points based on current pricing. This is not expected to have an immediate or material effect on lending rates. APRA proposed the increased requirements will take full effect from 2023, following relevant ADIs being notified of adjustments to Total Capital requirements from 2019. APRA Chairman Wayne Byres said one of APRAs core functions as Australias prudential regulator is to plan for, and if required, execute the orderly resolution of the financial institutions it regulates. He said, The resilience of the Australian banking system continues to improve, underpinned by the build-up of capital over the last decade. However, no matter how resilient financial institutions are, the possibility of failure cannot be entirely removed. Therefore, in addition to strengthening the resilience of the financial system, it is prudent to plan for the unlikely event of failure. The events of the global financial crisis demonstrated the impact that failures can have on the broader financial system and the subsequent social and economic consequences. The aim of these proposals and resolution planning more broadly is to ensure that the failure of a financial institutions can be resolved in an orderly fashion, which protects the interests of beneficiaries and minimises disruption to the financial system." The Customer Owned Banking Association (COBA) welcomed the proposals. COBA CEO Michael Lawrence said, The proposed response is better late than never and we note that APRA is proposing to give the major banks until 2023 to implement the measure. APRA estimates the total funding cost impact from increasing major bank capital requirements would not be greater than five basis points in aggregate. Again, this is better than nothing and any move to level the playing field is welcome. The implicit guarantee provided by taxpayers to the major banks gives them an unfair funding cost advantage over their smaller competitors and distorts competition. Reducing unfair advantages for the biggest players in the market is good for competition and a more competitive market will benefit consumers. 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 Coca-Cola Co told Reuters on Thursday, it is working on plans to launch its first energy drinks under the Coke brand name, jumping into a crowded field as it tries to shift away from fizzy sodas. The world's largest beverage maker declined to provide a timeline for the launch of the drinks, which will be called "Coca-Cola Energy" and "Coca-Cola Energy No Sugar." The drinks, whose details have not been released to date, would likely have caffeine from naturally-derived sources and guarana extract, a Coke spokesperson told Reuters. Coke has taken a ... said Thursday its CEO has resigned but will continue in his current capacity till a successor is found. Singh has resigned from his position by communication dated November 8, 2018. The Board of Directors of the company has considered and accepted his resignation, said in a regulatory filing. "At the request of the board, Singh has agreed to continue in his current capacity till such time his succession planning is crystallised," the filing added. The development comes nearly four months after the crisis-hit healthcare chain was acquired by Malaysia's IHH Healthcare, which agreed to invest Rs 40 billion in it by way of preferential allotment of shares. Singh has steered the organisation over the past three and a half years. The company said its board has expressed ''deep appreciation'' for Singh's leadership "in particular, during the past two years of high turbulence, his tenacity and perseverance have been instrumental in keeping the organisation steady through a very challenging period in the company's history". In July this year, IHH Healthcare won the race to take control of cash-strapped Fortis beating rivals TPG-Manipal consortium in final round of bidding. Other suitors, Munjals-Burmans combines, which had earlier become the preferred bidder, and Radiant Life Care had backed out of the final round. Telecom operators, including Bharti Airtel, and Ltd, have informed the telecom department about their readiness to conduct proof of concept for the new 'alternate digital KYC process' at two locations, as stipulated. The Department of Telecom (DoT) has also issued the details of the procedure and modalities to be followed by telecom operators for issuing new mobile connections using the alternate digital KYC process. According to a circular dated November 6, Bharti has ensured "readiness to conduct PoC (proof of concept)" in Delhi and Meerut, while Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has identified two locations in Telangana for the same. "The proof of concept of the....alternate digital KYC process is to be done at two locations (rural and urban) by each licencee," said. Infocomm has ensured its readiness to conduct PoC at two locations in Navi Mumbai, while Ltd has listed Delhi and Baramati in Pune District, according to the Other operators like Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) and Tata Teleservices have also identified locations for the POC. As per the alternate digital KYC process proposed by the telecom industry for issuing new mobile connections, the customer acquisition form is to be embedded with live photograph of subscriber along with original proof of identification (PoI) and proof of address (PoA) document -- digitising the end-to-end process for on-boarding of new mobile subscribers by making it completely paperless. Spelling out the nuances of the alternate digital KYC procedure to be followed by telecom service providers, DoT said only two mobile connections will be provided per day per PoI, PoA document to a customer by the operator using the alternate digital KYC process. ALSO READ: Telcos begin rolling out alternate digital KYC process for new connections "... Digital KYC process is an alternative process to the existing process of issuance of mobile connections to subscribers and shall also be applicable for outstation and foreign customers," DoT said. It said that additional safeguards in the prevailing guidelines regarding outstation and foreign customers will also be followed in the new digital KYC process. The Supreme Court in September restricted the use of Aadhaar authentication by private entities in the absence of a legal provision. On October 26, the telecom department asked operators to stop using Aadhaar for electronic verification of existing mobile phone customers as well as for issuing new connections to comply with order of the apex court. Aadhaar-issuing body Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has, however, has clarified that service providers can use offline verification tools like eAadhaar and QR (Quick Response) code that leverage the unique identifier without authentication or any access to biometrics. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday requested Civil Aviation Minister to expedite the implementation of the second step of the Centre's regional connectivity scheme UDAN-2, aimed at addressing the problem of poor air links to difficult areas across the country. The chief minister made the request in a meeting with the Union minister in New Delhi Thursday, said an official spokesperson. The chief minister also urged the Union minister to start helicopter services to provide air connectivity to some of the difficult areas of tstop-gap as a stop gap arrangement, pending launch of the UDAN-2 project in Himachal Pradesh, the official added. ALSO READ: Govt invites bids from operators for third round of Udan scheme auctions Emphasising that connectivity is a major problem in the state and air connectivity is vital for boosting its tourism, Thakur also asked Prabhu to consider expediting a proposed project for having an international airport at Mandi, the official added. The chief minister also urged the Union minister to get examined the technical feasibility for expansion of the Shimla airstrip to facilitate the landing of bigger aircrafts there. Prabhu assured Thakur of getting conducted the Obstacles Limitation Survey at the earliest for having an international airport at Mandi and asked his ministry officials to examine the feasibility for having stop gap arrangements to provide helicopter service, pending the launch of UDAN-2 project. He also asked the officials to work for the speedy launch of UDAN-2. In Delhi, the chief minister also called on veteran BJP leader LK Advani at his residence to greet him on his 91st birthday and wished him a "happy and long life". When it comes to banking, Canadians tend to reach for the familiar. Loyal to a fault, consumers here look to their primary financial institution for most products, even when they suspect they could get a better deal elsewhere. No surprise then that few have taken notice of the open banking phenomenon sweeping across the globe, particularly in Europe, the U.S. and parts of Asia. What is open banking? Its an emerging model, fashioned by a mix of fintech innovation, changing consumer habits and regulatory forces, in which banks are being pressured to open up their customers data to third parties. This is done by allowing them to access open APIs, which offer a standard way for programmers to work with code they didnt write, so that they can develop new and useful financial products for consumers. Those products, in turn, remove much of the hassle known as friction that comes with signing up new customers, and getting them to complete transactions using data collected by their banks. For the consumers, the appeal is in getting better rates on lending rates and more transparency on financial products. Theres upside for the banks, too, who can remain relevant in a digital environment where they would otherwise risk eventually being disintermediated by fintech upstarts with better offerings and services. But open banking raises concerns about privacy, security and competition policy. So regulators across different jurisdictions are trying to figure out what are the best approaches to balancing innovation with consumer protection. At the moment, the United Kingdom and the EU are leading the way. The EU regulates the sharing of consumers banking account data with third parties through its revised Payment Services Directive' known as PSD2 in force since January. PSD2 forces big banks to open up their data online in a secure, standardized form, to authorized fintech companies. In the UK, regulators imposed open banking in response to PSD2 and a report released by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) which found there wasnt enough competition among big banks for customers business. Its still early days there, and public awareness is still low as the major banks have come under criticism for being slow to embrace open banking reforms. An open banking regime is also scheduled for implementation in Australia next summer. Predictably, its in the more fragmented market in the U.S., where banks number in the thousands, that regulators are taking a more hands-off approach and letting market forces shape the direction of open banking. Canada, with its consolidated market in financial services, is taking a wait-and-see approach. We dont have legislation at this point mandating open banking or providing detail on it, says Ana Badour, a partner at McCarthy Tetrault in Toronto. But the federal government is undergoing a review of open banking to assess its impact on consumers and the risks involved for consumer privacy and data security. There are other ongoing related consultations, including on a new federal oversight framework for retail payment systems. And last year, the Competition Bureau expressed its support for open banking in a market study into innovation in the Canadian fintech sector. According to Badour, we heard echoes of the same argument around the 2016 ruling by the Federal Court of Appeal that upheld an order by the Competition Bureau requiring the Toronto Real Estate Board to remove restrictions on its members access to home sale prices. The concern for now, however, is that the absence of regulations opens the door to dubious activities, such as screen scraping to harvest data from websites, which carry legal and security risks for consumers. There are also questions on the privacy front. What standards should be followed, and who in the supply chain of providers need to follow them? What counts for explicit consent and how must it specify specific uses for particular types of data? The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), in force since May, has addressed this to some extent at least by giving back some control to consumers over how their data is used. Then there is the issue of liability, which require(s) careful consideration, particularly given that open banking involves both very large entities and small start-ups with limited resources, says Badour. What happens if there is a data breach or unauthorized transaction? What if there is an issue with the data being shared? Should there be a requirement that parties participating meet minimum thresholds in terms of insurance or capital requirements?" But legislative changes will take time, says Badour, as weve seen with the modernization of the Canadian payments system. Constitutional issues need to be considered, she says. There are federal and provincial jurisdiction aspects to this. Meanwhile, key players in the Canadian fintech space are showing signs of impatience. We need open banking and something similar to [GDPR], said Paul Desmarais III, the executive chairman of Portag3 Ventures, during his keynote at the Canada FinTech Forum in Montreal last month. Desmarais worries that Canada is falling quite a bit behind other countries by not incentivizing banks to share their payment networks. Until new fintech players can access infrastructure directly rather than via a bank, they will only be able to be as good as their partner who has no real incentive to allow the emerging player to shine, he said. With or without regulations though, industry changes seen elsewhere in fintech are likely to spread quickly to Canada, says Badour. When you have a development that is commercially successful, it tends to filter over to other jurisdictions even if the regulatory framework is not yet well aligned with innovations, she says. Open banking creates the ability to build on top of data and innovate on top of things. Theres a lot that can happen at a very accelerated pace. Canadian consumers will likely find themselves in unfamiliar territory before long. Pakistan on Thursday expressed concern over the recent deployment of India's nuclear submarine INS Arihant, saying there should be no doubt about Islamabad's resolve and capabilities to meet the challenges in the nuclear and conventional realms in South Asia. "This development marks the first actual deployment of ready-to-fire nuclear warheads in South Asia which is a matter of concern not only for the Indian Ocean littoral states but also for the international community at large," Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said. Nuclear-powered submarine successfully completed its first deterrence patrol this week, taking India into a club of a handful of countries which have the capability to design, construct and operate such a submarine or SSBN. The spokesperson said the "bellicose" language employed by the top Indian leadership highlights the threats to strategic stability in South Asia and raises questions about responsible nuclear stewardship in India. He said the increased frequency of missile tests by India, aggressive posturing and deployment of calls for an assessment of the non-proliferation benefits resulting from India's membership of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). The spokesperson said Pakistan is committed to the objective of strategic stability in South Asia and believes that the only way forward for both countries is to agree on measures for nuclear and missile restraint. "At the same time no one should be in doubt about Pakistan's resolve and capabilities to meet the challenges posed by the latest developments both in the nuclear and conventional realms in South Asia," he said. Replying to a question about the follow up of Prime Minister Imran Khan's recent visit to China, Faisal said a high-level Pakistan delegation will have talks with their counterparts in Beijing to sort out technical matters and finalise the modalities for further enhancing the existing bilateral and strategic cooperation between the two countries in diverse fields. On the proposed Afghanistan peace talks in Moscow, he said a Pakistan delegation led by an additional secretary will attend the dialogue. The spokesperson said Taliban leader Mullah Baradar was released to give an impetus to the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan. He said Pakistan has always been emphasising the need for seeking a negotiated settlement on the Afghan issue with the participation of all stakeholders. He said it is a matter of concern that a recent American report points out that the Afghan administration and the foreign forces are losing control over the security situation in the war-torn country. Responding to questions on Christian woman Aasia Bibi who was recently released from jail, Faisal said she is still in Pakistan at a safe location. Mumbai witnessed a noisy Diwali this year despite the Supreme Court putting restrictions on bursting of firecrackers. Some residential areas in the city recorded "high" noise levels Wednesday night against the permissible limits, said environment activist Sumaira Abdulali, the founder of NGO Awaaz Foundation, which has been campaigning for bringing down noise levels. Seven people were detained for allegedly flouting the apex court's guidelines and bursting crackers beyond the permissible time limit, police said Thursday. In gross violation of the apex court's order, people in some parts of the megacity burst firecrackers even after the 10 pm deadline. The Supreme Court had last month permitted sale and manufacture of low emission "green" firecrackers countrywide and fixed a two-hour time period from 8 pm to 10 pm for bursting them on Diwali and other festivals. Abdulali's team conducted noise level tests at several places in the city, including Bandra, Worli, Juhu and Santacruz, on Wednesday night. "At some places, noise up to 114.1 decibels was recorded against the permissible limit of 55 decibels in residential areas," she told PTI. "All I can say is that the Supreme Court's guidelines were flouted, but the state government and its machinery tried their best to check people and adhere to the permissible time limit. Since the last few years, the noise level is coming down," she said. Abdulali said the Awaaz Foundation's report indicates that all firecrackers tested by it are unsafe for human health and that none of them could be classified as 'green'. She reiterated her demand for the state government's intervention to facilitate a proper chemical analysis of firecrackers. The seven people were detained by police at the Marine Drive in south Mumbai Wednesday late night for bursting firecrackers beyond the permissible time limits, senior police inspector Vilas Gangawane said. They were taken to the police station concerned and fined as per provisions of the Bombay Police Act before being let off, he said. Besides, offences were registered against two unidentified persons in suburban Mankhurd for flouting the apex court's directive, another police official said. The Mumbai Police's Twitter handle also saw a flurry of complaints from across the city of violation of the Supreme Court's directives on bursting of firecrackers. The complainants were asked to approach their area police station concerned, an official said. "We have asked all police stations to follow the Supreme Court's guidelines on bursting firecrackers and to ensure action against those violating it," Mumbai Police spokesperson Manjunath Singe said. Mani Kumar Iyer, a resident of suburban Ghatkopar, complained that some people continued bursting crackers even past midnight. "There were no one to check them," he said. Another resident from the area, who burst crackers till around midnight, was pointed out the SC guidelines. However, he said, "I have been doing this (bursting crackers) since I was a child and would keep doing this. Is this a crime?" Santosh Kumar Singh, a resident of the neighbouring Pune district, said had there been an advisory instead of a ban coupled with the state government's positive campaigning, it would have worked better. The state government had earlier issued directives to senior officials to ensure compliance with the Supreme Court's order putting restrictions on sale and bursting of firecrackers. A special court here on Thursday remanded Deepak Kulkarni, an executive working for Bank fraud accused jeweller Mehul Choksi, in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) till November 12. The ED arrested Kulkarni Tuesday at the Kolkata airport after he landed from Hong Kong. The agency is probing money-laundering aspect of the alleged $2 billion fraud at in which Choksi and his diamantaire nephew are the main accused. Both are absconding. Kulkarni was brought to and produced before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court. The ED sought Kulkarni's custody as part of its probe against Choksi and for allegedly cheating to the tune of over Rs 130 billion with involvement of some of the bank employees. The court remanded Kulkarni in the agency's custody till November 12. According to the ED, Kulkarni was linked to overseas businesses of Choksi, and was a director in a Hong Kong-based 'dummy firm' linked to the latter. A day after Diwali, there were searching questions and some anguish too as a hazy morning dawned over the Delhi-NCR region, with many residents voicing their helplessness at the violation of the Supreme Court's 8-10 pm deadline of bursting Delhi recorded its worst air quality of the year on Thursday morning, with the jumping to 574 that falls in the severe-plus emergency category -- meaning that even healthy people may suffer from respiratory illnesses on a prolonged exposure to such air. "Delhi is a gas chamber for TB patients like me. We are caught in a bind. If we escape TB, then we will die of pollution," Hasmukh Rai, a senior citizen of Mayur Vihar. "In this season, when everybody is talking of bringing ordinances on a variety of issues, why can't politicians join hands and bring an ordinance to ban stubble burning?" he asked. South Delhi resident Sagarika Sharma said she had lost her mother to lung cancer last year due to this hazardous "My mother was not a smoker or drinker, but yes, she was guilty of living in Delhi." Sharma wonders how people cannot understand the repercussions of bursting crackers. "I understand they want to celebrate, but at the cost of digging one's own grave!" Even as the police launched a crackdown the violators and made multiple arrests, several people said, for them, Diwali meant bursting "Since childhood, we have been bursting crackers on Diwali. We do not understand green or red crackers. What we know is that it is a symbol of the festival for us and we will continue doing it," said Himanshu Bhalla, a Gurgaon resident. Another resident of Lajpat Nagar, who did not wish to be identified, said the order of the top court came out too late and and she cannot forgo the celebration of the festival over it. Environmental activists said the police needed to be supported by governments to strictly enforce the ban. "The judiciary has given our executive the necessary tools. We request our lawmakers to support our executive and all three arms of our democracy to work together to protect citizens health at this time of health emergency," said Jyoti Pande Lavakare, co-founder, Care for Air NGO. "We would like our leadership and our prime minister to acknowledge this health emergency and encourage implementation of solutions," she added. Ravina Kohli, member of #MyRightToBreathe campaign, said people were in denial of the health impact of burning of their health. "The police could have been helped by the politicians and local authorities for strictly enforcing the order." Reecha Upadhyay, another environmental activist with the Help Delhi Breathe campaign, called for awareness at the ground level over the health hazard caused by firecrackers. Environmental lawyer Ritwick Dutta said the violation of the deadline was not unexpected as one cannot expect an overnight change in people's behaviour because of a court order. Doctors also warned of the ill-effects that the severe air could have on the health of people. "Before Diwali, we have witnessed a rise of 25 per cent in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation and asthma patients, many being new patients, said Arunesh Kumar, senior consultant, pulmonology, of a Gugaon hospital. "It is highly advisable that people should stay indoors, use N-99 masks while venturing out, avoid early-morning and late-evening outdoor activities, prevent children and elderly from going out, follow good hygiene and cleanliness practices, and keep oneself well-hydrated," Kumar added. The on Thursday approved the strategic sale of government stake in of India to a consortium of four ports. The government currently holds 73.44 per cent in of India Ltd (DCIL). " has given in principle approval for strategic disinvestment of 100 per cent Government of India's share in DCIL to consortium of 4 ports, namely Vishakhapatnam Port Trust, Paradeep Port Trust, and Kandla Port Trust," an official tweet said. The approval will further facilitate the linkage of dredging activities with the ports, keeping in view the role of the DCIL in expansion of dredging activity in the country as well as potential diversification of ports into third-party dredging, the tweet said after the meeting of the Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "The co-sharing of facilities between the company as well as ports shall lead to savings for ports. This would further provide opportunities for larger investment in DCIL as integration with ports shall help in effective vertical linkage in the value chain," the tweet added. The government has budgeted to raise Rs 800 billion from PSU disinvestment. So far this financial year, the government has mopped up over Rs 150 billion from The Cabinet Thursday approved filling up of the underground strategic oil storage at Padur in Karnataka by foreign oil companies, who could use it as a storage for trading in the region but will have to part with the oil in case of an emergency in India. India has built 5.33 million tonnes of emergency storage in underground rock caverns in Mangalore and Padur in Karnataka and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. While a third of the Visakhapatnam facility has been hired by Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL), Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (ADNOC) and government of India has filled the storage at Mangalore. The 2.5 million tonnes Padur facility remains empty. The Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the filling of Padur storage by overseas national oil companies, Law and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters here. "The filling of the strategic petroleum reserves (SPR) under public-private-partnership model is being undertaken to reduce budgetary support of government of India," an official statement issued after the meeting said. Padur storage has four compartments of 0.625 million tonnes each. The Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Ltd (ISPRL) has constructed and commissioned underground rock caverns for storage of total 5.33 million tonnes of crude oil at three locations -- Vishakhapatnam (1.33 million tonnes), Mangalore (1.5 million tonnes) and Padur (2.5 million tonnes). The total 5.33 million tonnes capacity under Phase-I of the SPR programme is currently estimated to supply about 9.5 days of India's crude requirement. Prasad said the storing of oil by foreign firms will help save the government Rs 100 billion in filling cost. In the Phase-II, India plans to build an additional 6.5 million tonnes facilities at Chandikhol in Odisha and Padur in Karnataka, which is expected to augment the emergency cover against any supply disruption by another 11.5 days. ALSO READ: India hopes to finalise partners for strategic oil reserves within a year Oil traders and producers could use the Padur storage to stock their oil and sell it to refineries in the region on commercial terms. India, which meets 83 per cent of its oil needs through imports, will have the right of first refusal to buy the crude oil stored the facilities in case of an emergency, he said. Indian refiners maintain 65 days of crude storage, and when added to the storage planned and achieved by ISPRL, takes the Indian crude storage tally to about 87 days. This is very close to the storage of 90 days mandated by IEA for member countries. India will start exporting raw sugar to China from early next year, a move which will help to bridge the widening trade deficit with the neighbouring country, the commerce ministry said on Thursday. "A contract for exporting 15,000 tonnes of raw sugar has been entered to by the Indian Sugar Mills Association and COFCO, a Government of China run public sector company," it said in a statement. It said India plans to export two million tonnes of raw sugar to China beginning next year. "Raw sugar is the second product after non-basmati rice that China will import from India. It is a move to reduce the $60 billion trade deficit that China has with India," the ministry added. India's export to China in 2017-18 amounted to $33 billion, while imports stood at $76.2 billion. India is the largest producer of sugar in the world with 32 million tonnes production in 2018. It produces sugar of all three grades- raw, refined and white. "Indian sugar is also of a high quality and is Dextran free because of the minimum time taken from cut to crush. India is in a position to become a regular and dependable exporter of high quality sugar in significant volumes to China," it added. India on Thursday said that it will attend, albeit at a non-official level, a multilateral meeting in Moscow on the Afghanistan issue on Friday where the will also be present. "We are aware that the Russian Federation is hosting a meeting in Moscow on November 9 on Afghanistan," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in response to queries by the media. "India supports all efforts at peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan that will preserve unity and plurality, and bring security, stability and prosperity to the country," he said. This will be the first time that India will be sharing a talks table with the on the issue of peace and stability in Afghanistan. "India's consistent policy has been that such efforts should be Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled and with participation of the government of Afghanistan," Kumar said. "Our participation at the meeting will be at the non-official level." Sources here said that Amar Sinha, former Secretary in the External Affairs Ministry who also served as India's Ambassador to Afghanistan, and T C A Raghavan, former Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan, will represent New Delhi at the Moscow talks. According to Sputnik agency, Russia sent invitations for what is called the "Moscow Format" talks to Afghanistan, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, the US and the The Indian move came after Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to New Delhi in October for the annual bilateral summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A joint statement issued following the summit said that both India and Russia supported the Afghan government's efforts towards the realization of an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned national peace reconciliation process. New Delhi and Moscow also resolved to launch joint development and capacity building projects in Afghanistan. In a scathing assessment of the exercise, former prime minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday said the "scars and wounds" it caused are getting more visible with time and the decision's second anniversary is a day to remember how "economic misadventures" can roil the nation. The senior Congress leader asked the government to not resort to further unorthodox, short-term economic measures that can cause any more uncertainty in the economy. Describing as an "ill-fated" and "ill-thought" exercise, Singh said in a statement that the havoc it unleashed on the Indian economy and society is now evident to everyone. On November 8, 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a ban on then in use Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 denomination bank notes with immediate effect. "Notebandi impacted every single person, regardless of age, gender, religion, occupation or creed," Singh said. "It is often said that time is a great healer. But unfortunately, in the case of demonetisation, the scars and wounds of are only getting more visible with time," the former prime minister said. Beyond the "steep drop" in headline GDP growth numbers after demonetisation, the deeper ramifications of 'notebandi' are still unravelling, he said. Small and medium businesses that are the cornerstone of India's economy are yet to recover from the demonetisation shock, Singh asserted. "This has had a direct impact on employment as the economy continues to struggle to create enough new jobs for our youth," he said, adding that the financial markets are volatile as the liquidity crisis wrought by demonetisation is taking its eventual toll on infrastructure lenders and non-bank financial services firms. In his strong criticism of demonetisation, he said the full impact of the demonetisation exercise is yet to be understood and experienced. "With a depreciating currency and rising global oil prices, macro-economic headwinds are also starting to blow now. "It is therefore prudent to not resort to further unorthodox, short-term economic measures that can cause any more uncertainty in the economy and financial markets." Singh also urged the government to restore certainty and visibility in economic policies. "Today, is a day to remember how economic misadventures can roil the nation for a long time and understand that economic policy-making should be handled with thought and care," he said. The Congress has announced that it will hold a nationwide protest on Friday to mark the second anniversary of demonetisation. It has also demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should apologise to the people for "ruining and wrecking" the economy. Meanwhile, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee Thursday said that demonetisation was a "disaster" for the country. The chief minister said she had been describing it as a "dark day" since demonetisation was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016. In another development, On the second anniversary of demonetisation, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal Thursday questioned the rationale behind the Modi govt's note ban move and termed it as "a self-inflicted deep wound" on the Indian economy. What's in a name? A lot, if the name to bank upon is Atal Bihari Vajpayee in this assembly constituency of Chhattisgarh where Chief Minister of the BJP is pitted against Congress candidate Karuna Shukla, niece of the late former prime minister. Both the parties are trying their best to garner votes in Vajpayee's name. While the ruling party leaders say the BJP and Vajpayee are "synonymous", Shukla alleged the chief minister was showing his "double standards" by claiming to follow the ideology of the BJP stalwart when the state government was "miles apart" from the former prime minister's teachings. "BJP has changed its 'chaal, charitra aur chehra' (ways, character and face). It is no more a party envisaged by Atal ji and (Lal Krishna) Advani ji and people of the state know this," Shukla told PTI on her campaign trail. "There is no question of denying that I am Atal ji's niece. His teachings and courage are in my blood. I am guided by his principles. People in Rajnandgaon know that I will implement the model of good governance in the corruption-riddled state if the Congress wins the election," said Shukla, a former BJP central office-bearer who quit the party in 2013 after over three decades of association. She joined the Congress in February 2014 and unsuccessfully fought the Lok Sabha elections from the state's Bilaspur seat on the party ticket. As a BJP leader, she had won the Lok Sabha elections from Janjgir in 2004, but lost in 2009 from Korba. The Congress has now fielded her from Rajnandgaon, the chief minister's home turf. " calls me his sister. He claims that he is following the ideology of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. As far as I know this (state) government is miles apart from Atal ji's teaching. It is his (CM's) double standard," Shukla alleged. Both Shukla and Singh are seeking votes in the name of Vajpayee and his good-governance principles. ALSO READ: The curious case of election years and tendu auctions in Chhattisgarh Shukla also accused Singh of ignoring his home constituency, alleging that no development has taken place in the area in the past five years. "It is a sorry state of affairs in Rajnandgaon where people face scarcity of water and access to other necessities. Corruption is rampant in the administration. People will root out this corrupt government this time from the state," she said. She exuded confidence that the Congress will form government in the state after winning the elections. Singh has been the state's chief minister for nearly 15 years with his party managing to keep the Congress away from the government for three consecutive assembly elections. The Congress was in power in the state only during the first assembly, after the state was carved out of Madhya Pradesh. Rejecting Shukla's allegations, the BJP leaders said the people of Rajnandgaon are seeing development done by the chief minister and his government and that the BJP will win the seat with record margin this time. "Karuna ji had left BJP to join Congress. People know this very well. She will not present any challenge for Raman Singh who will win the polls with the record margin of votes, said Sanjay Shrivastava, a senior BJP leader of the state. The BJP has projected the election in Singh's home constituency as a fight between a local and an outsider. Shrivastava said Shukla is an outsider and voters know this. "How can they expect somebody who is not from their area to work from them. People in Rajnandgaon have full faith in Raman Singh and it will be proved after the voting on November 12, Shrivastava said. He said the BJP and Atal ji are synonymous with each other and there is no denying this fact. "BJP is seeking votes by citing its good governance and development model which people of the state have been witnessing. All leaders of the party including Atal Ji and their legacy is certainly part of the part campaign," another senior BJP leader said. The chief minister's son Abhishek Singh is the sitting MP from Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha constituency. The six assembly seats under Rajnandgaon district, including the one from which the chief minister is fighting, will go to polls on November 12. Voting will take place for a total of 18 seats on the date, while the remaining 72 seats will go to polls in the second phase on November 20. The counting for all 90 seats will take place on December 11, along with the same for the four other states -- neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan and Mizoram. ALSO READ: Congress releases final list of 19 candidates for Chhattisgarh polls In the 2013 elections, the BJP lifted 49 seats while the Congress got 39. Singh had defeated his Congress rival in 2013 from nearly 36,000 votes, but some poll pundits attributed his victory to urban areas as they saw the Congress having done better among rural voters. Another key factor in the state elections this time is former chief minister Ajit Jogi's Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC), who has joined hands with Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party. First Jogi was being seen as giving a direct fight to Singh from Rajnandgaon constituency, but later he nominated a a local corporation. Pundits say Jogi himself could have given Singh a good fight given a strong presence of voters from his caste base of Mahars and Satnamis. The Election Commission on Thursday rejected a plea of the BJP to extend the last date of filing nominations for the November 28 assembly polls in Mizoram. The party had moved the plea citing the law and order situation in the northeastern state. In a letter to state BJP chief J V Hluna, the poll panel said his plea has "not been acceded to on account of peace and normalcy in the state today." Friday is the last date of filing nominations. There have been protests demanding the ouster of Mizoram Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) S B Shashank by the NGO Coordination Committee. But the protests were called off on Wednesday after the officer left for Delhi. The NGO Coordination Committee, the apex body of civil societies and students' organisations in the north-eastern state, has been demanding that Shashank be replaced and transferred outside the state. It also demanded that 11,232 Bru voters lodged in six Tripura relief camps be allowed to exercise their franchise at their respective polling stations in Mizoram and not in Tripura as committed by the poll panel in 2014. TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister on Wednesday termed his joining hands with other party leaders an attempt to save the nation and democracy, and accused the BJP-led Central government of "destroying" institutions like the and the Speaking to reporters after meeting Janata Dal (Secular) supremo and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and his son, Karanataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, Naidu said the Central government is using agencies like Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to harass political opponents. The (TDP) chief's meeting with the JD-S leaders came a week after he met President Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on November 1 as part of his effort to unify the Opposition. "We have joined hands to save the nation, to save democracy... All institutions are (being) destroyed. CBI, the premier investigation agency, is in trouble. Even is under threat," he said. The Andhra CM said the government is using the Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax Department for "controlling Opposition" and harassing politicians by "raiding indiscriminately". The day being the second anniversary of demonetisation, Naidu said the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government's policies like have thrown the country's economy into a crisis that the mammoth note-ban exercise led to the devaluation of currency and trouble in the economy. He also accused the government of betrayal and of not coming good on its promises of special status to Andhra Pradesh. He said that it did not even implement the Bifurcation Act -- the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, under which the state of Telangana came into existence after being carved out of Andhra Pradesh. "We discussed the future course of action for forging an alliance ahead of the 2019 general elections," Gowda told reporters after the meeting. The meeting with Naidu was to bring together the "secular forces" in the country, said Kumaraswamy. "Chandrababu Naidu is working hard, as a co-ordinator, to unite the secular parties ahead of the upcoming general elections. We (Naidu and JD-S leadership) share good political arithmetics and have been friends," the Chief Minister added. NDA constituents LJP and RLSP made it clear on Thursday that they want to contest the same number of seats in the next Lok Sabha election as in 2014. A speculation had been rife that the BJP and the JD(U) could field their candidates on 34 out of the total 40 seats in Bihar, leaving the rest for the Lok Janshakti Party and the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party. The BJP had won 22 seats in Bihar in the 2014 election, while Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP had contested on seven and won six. His colleague Upendra Kushwaha's RLSP had contested and won three seats. LJP's Bihar unit chief Pashupati Paras, a state minister, dismissed as "kite-flying" the rumours that his party and the RLSP are likely to make sacrifices in the wake of BJP president Amit Shah and JD(U) supremo and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar agreeing to contest an equal number of seats in the state in the next Lok Sabha election. "No seat-sharing talks will be complete until national presidents of all the four NDA alliance partners BJP, JD(U), LJP and RLSP sit together. That is yet to happen. All that is appearing in the media is hawa hawai (kite flying)", Paras, younger brother of Paswan, said. In reply to a query, he said, "Obviously we would like to contest from at least seven seats. We had won six of the seven from which we had contested last time and lost one by a slender margin of 7,000 votes. "Our graph has not gone down since the last Lok Sabha poll and there is no reason why we should not get our due share." Asked about the agreement Shah and Kumar reached, he said it indicates "nothing". "The 50-50 formula could mean anything. It could even imply that the BJP and the JD(U) would be fighting only 10 each, leaving the remaining 20 for other allies," he added. The RLSP insisted that it would not accept a share of fewer than three seats. Its national general secretary and spokesman Madhaw Anand told PTI, "There is no question of our agreeing to less than three seats. In fact, Kushwaha has conveyed the same to the BJP national secretary general in-charge of Bihar Bhupendra Yadav in person and to Shah over telephone". Kushwaha had met RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav in a Bihar town minutes after Shah and Kumar announced in Delhi that they have reached a seat-sharing arrangement, fuelling speculation of a political realignment in the state. Kushwaha, who shares an uneasy relationship with Kumar, has maintained that he is firmly with the NDA even as Tejashwi Yadav said there was a standing invitation to RLSP to join the opposition Grand Alliance. Relations between Kushwaha and Kumar soured further recently after a remark by the chief minister that speaking about the dispute over seat-sharing with the RLSP was tantamount to lowering the standard of discourse. Kushwaha has taken affront to the remark, claiming that Kumar, who is his erstwhile mentor, had in effect called him a lowly person and had taunted him for having joined hands with the BJP again after having taken umbrage over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's caustic remark about his political DNA during the 2015 assembly election. Low farm incomes and the resultant broader rural distress are "electoral issues" and the upcoming state elections will decide if the ruling has been able to distance from those, says a brokerage report. The state elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, which have around 65 Lok Sabha seats, will also reflect a "mood of the nation" ahead of the next general elections in April-May, Japanese brokerage Nomura said in a report Thursday. "The state elections will also reflect the mood of the nation, and the extent to which the has been able to distance itself from the electoral issues of low farm incomes and broader rural distress," it said. Economic growth has fallen immediately after the in November 2016 and introduction in July 2017, before picking up in the last two quarters. The brokerage said going by opinion polls, the is likely to retain Madhya Pradesh, lose Rajasthan and "remain competitive" in Chhattisgarh. The BJP is the incumbent in all the three states. It said the election results, which will be out on December 11, will be a "mixed bag" for the BJP, but cited historical analysis to suggest that state poll results should not be extrapolated for predicting general election outcomes. In the past, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have voted "overwhelmingly" for the BJP in Lok Sabha elections, but voters in Rajasthan have been less consistent, it said. On the Telangana elections, it said the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti is likely to benefit from calling a flash election and the Congress has a better presence than BJP in the state. A high-level delegation from Pakistan left for China on Thursday to finalise a potential economic package to inject into the cash-strapped country, in a follow-up to Prime Minister Imran Khan's five-day visit to Beijing, the media reported. The delegation included the Secretaries of finance, trade and planning as well as the Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, according to Geo News. The delegation will hold talks with Chinese officials to finalize the relief package following Khan's visit to China last week to seek loans to tide over Pakistan's economic crisis. Discussions will also be held pertaining to Pakistan-made products' access to the Chinese markets, Geo cited sources as saying. Finance Minister Asad Umar earlier this week confirmed that talks were held with China for a relief package during the Prime Minister's visit and that the two sides agreed on continuing discussions in this regard. He said that the talks were not limited to a financial package, but also encompassed long-term partnership and investment with China. Umar said that national security will not be compromised in any deal with the Monetary Fund (IMF) despite the country's economic crisis. The body had earlier said that a bailout deal with Pakistan would require "absolute transparency" of its debts, many of which come from China's landmark Belt and Road Initiative. An IMF delegation is currently in Pakistan for two weeks and Umar said a bailout of at least $5-6 billion would be negotiated. The Minister said that Pakistan was going to friendly countries including Saudi Arabia and China for financial assistance to ensure "that if the IMF presents terms of agreement for a bailout package that are not amenable to us, the country will not have to compromise". Calling the IMF a "lender of the last resort", he added that going to the IMF was not a desirable option. Australia will offer Pacific countries up to $2.18 billion in grants and cheap loans to build infrastructure, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Thursday, as Canberra seeks to counter China's rising influence in the region. Australia and China have been vying for influence in sparsely populated Pacific island countries that control vast swathes of resource-rich oceans. China has spent $1.3 billion on concessional loans and gifts since 2011 to become the Pacific's second-largest donor after Australia, stoking concern in the West that several tiny nations could end up ... Special Counsel Robert Mueller could challenge the appointment of Matt Whitaker as acting attorney general by saying that his predecessor, Jeff Sessions, didnt leave voluntarily but was forced out by the president, a former federal prosecutor said. President Donald Trump promoted Whitaker to run the department after Sessions submitted a resignation letter Wednesday at Trumps request. Although Sessions had recused himself from the probe into Russian interference in the 2016 campaign, Whitaker will now assume oversight of the investigation, a duty that had fallen to ... 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 The message from Representative Kevin McCarthy, the House majority leader, was urgent and unsparing. In a meeting with Republican lawmakers before they left Washington for the August congressional recess, Mr. McCarthy warned that time was running short: Unless they intensified their campaign efforts and forcefully delivered a coherent message, he said, Republicans would suffer grievous losses in November. Instead of arresting their political decline, House Republicans proved unable at every turn to stay ahead of their troubles including many of their own making. By Labor ... Experts in the US have welcomed the Trump administration's decision to exempt India from imposition of certain sanctions for the development of the strategically-located in Iran, along with the construction of the railway line connecting it with Afghanistan. The decision taken on Tuesday by the Trump administration, which a day earlier imposed the toughest ever sanctions on Iran and is very restrictive in giving exemptions, is a seen as a recognition by Washington of India's major role in the development of the port on the Gulf of Oman, which is of immense strategic importance for the reconstruction of war-torn Afghanistan. "This was the right call. India's ability to not just continue its development assistance to Afghanistan but also to scale up, will be vastly enhanced by the development of the Chabahar port," Alyssa Ayres, a senior fellow for India, Pakistan, and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations think-tank, said. Ayres, who had worked in the State Department in the Obama administration, said as Kabul and New Delhi seek ways to increase trade connectivity for Afghan exporters to the enormous Indian market, an overland and sea supply chain will be helpful as everything cannot be exported economically via air freight. "Increasing opportunities for economic activity in Afghanistan will be crucial for the country's stability, and India is the most important in the region to provide that ballast," she said. According to Anish Goel, who was part of the White House's National Security Team during the Obama regime, the exception for the is a reflection of the "competing priorities at play". "As much as the (US) administration wants to squeeze and isolate Iran, it also does not want to do anything to damage or restrict the ongoing efforts in Afghanistan. The port, when finished, will be vital for shipping goods to Afghanistan," he said. "But it is clear that the exception was written to be as narrow as possible and focus only on those activities that will be beneficial to Afghanistan," Goel added. The is considered a gateway to golden opportunities for trade by India, Iran and Afghanistan with central Asian countries besides ramping up trade among the three countries after Pakistan denied transit access to India. The exemption provided to India is a much welcome and necessary step in the right direction, noted Bharath Gopalaswamy, director of the South Asian centre in the think-tank, Atlantic Council. The exemption underscores that the US understands the opportunities that India offers by being an important partner and player in the region, he said, adding, "This was the right step in the right direction." In May 2016, India, Iran and Afghanistan inked a pact which entailed establishment of Transit and Transport Corridor among the three countries using Chabahar Port as one of the regional hubs for sea transportation in Iran, besides multi-modal transport of goods and passengers across the three nations. The port in the Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich nations southern coast is easily accessible from India's western coast and is increasingly seen as a counter to Pakistan's Gwadar Port, which is being developed with Chinese investment and is located at distance of around 80 km from Chabahar. (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.) Britain's former Secretary David Davis on Thursday said that members of Parliament will probably vote against Prime Minister Theresa May's deal. Davis, who quit the Cabinet earlier this year over the plan proposed by May, said he believed the defeat in the House of Commons would bring about an even better deal between his country and the EU, Xinhua agency reported. Davis told local media that Britain had hundreds of plans ready in case the country leaves the EU without any agreed The former secretary believed that there could be "some hiccups", but Britain was "a big country" that can look after itself. Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29, 2019. Although 95 per cent of a is said to be agreed, Britain and the EU have yet to agree on how to guarantee that there will be no return to a visible border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in the future. Pakistani authorities on Thursday rejected as "fake news" reports that a Christian woman who was released from a jail a week after the Supreme Court overturned her conviction and death sentence for blasphemy has left for the Netherlands. Asia Bibi, 47, acquitted in the blasphemy case was released, amid nationwide anger, from the jail in Multan on Wednesday midnight. It was reported in local media that she was taken to Noor Khan Airbase Rawalpindi, from where she would be shifted to the Netherlands. " was released from New Jail for Women Multan (some 350 kilometres from Lahore) on Wednesday midnight. She is taken to Noor Khan Airbase Rawalpindi where a chartered plane will take her to the Netherlands," 24News reported on Thursday. Some other news channels also reported the release of and her departure for the Netherlands. However, Foreign Office spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal dismissed reports that the mother of five had left the country. "There is no truth in reports about Bibi leaving the country it is fake news," he said. "You are aware of the media furore and speculation about having left Pakistan. Let me state clearly that Asia Bibi remains at a safe place in Pakistan. I would also request all of you to verify such news before issuing them, in line with standards of objective, impartial journalism to prevent needless sensationalism and controversy," he said. Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry also rejected the reports about her going out of the country. "It has become a norm to publish fake news for sake of headlines. Asia Bibi case is a sensitive issue, it was extremely irresponsible to publish news of her leaving the country without confirmation. I strongly urge section of media to act responsibly," he said. Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) of Khadim Hussain Rizvi spokesperson Hafiz Shahbaz Attari issued a statement to media saying "the government has released Asia Bibi as the Netherlands ambassador in Islamabad reached Multan jail along with the government officials to ensure her release. She is being transported to the Netherlands." He said a call has been given to the workers who are gathering in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to stop the government to allow Asia to leave the country. The apex court verdict on Bibi prompted immediate anger from an Islamist party that has threatened to paralyse daily life countrywide with street protests if her acquittal is not reversed. A spokesman for the Punjab government, however, refused to comment. "The government cannot give any comment on this matter," a spokesman for the Punjab government told media. On Wednesday, Italy said it would help Bibi leave the country because her life was in danger following charges of blasphemy that put her on death row for eight years. Her husband had also urged the US president, and the UK and Canada premiers to help her leave the country for her life. Bibi's husband Ashiq Masih in a video message had appealed to the world leaders to help Asia leave Pakistan for her safety. "I request President Donald Trump to help us to leave Pakistan and I also request the prime minister of the UK and Canada to help us. Help us in getting freedom," said Masih. In a landmark judgement last week, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar overturned the conviction of Asia Bibi facing execution for blasphemy. Her acquittal triggered street protests by radical Islamists paralysing Pakistan for three days, blocking roads, torching vehicles, damaging public and private properties and attacking policemen for three days. However, hours after the killing of the 'Godfather of Taliban' Maulana Samiul Haq, the TLP Friday announced ending sit-ins across the country following reaching a deal with the government on the issue of acquittal of Bibi. As per the agreement, the government will immediately initiate a process to place the name of Bibi on the no-fly list (exit control list). Bibi was convicted in 2010 after being accused of insulting Islam in a row with her neighbours. She always maintained her innocence but has spent most of the past eight years in solitary confinement Police had arrested over 1,000 workers of the TLP mostly from Punjab province but later released almost all of them on the threat of the radicals that they would block roads if the TLP workers were not released. The boss of struggling said Thursday he would cut 7,000 jobs over the next five years as the Japanese engineering firm pulled out of foreign investments and downgraded its annual profit forecasts. also expects to scrap or consolidate some factories and reduce its subsidiaries by 25 per cent -- announcing the withdrawal from a US-based liquid natural gas business and the liquidation of NuGen, a nuclear subsidiary in Britain. "After considering the additional costs entailed in continuing to operate NuGen, recognises that the economically rational decision is to withdraw from the UK nuclear power plant construction project and has resolved to take steps to wind up NuGen," the firm said in a statement. A joint venture between Toshiba and France's Engie, the NuGen project in Cumbria in northwest England was to comprise three reactors and was due to start producing energy from 2025. CEO Nobuaki Kurumatani told reporters in Tokyo the decision was reached after "sincere discussions" with the British government. He added that the firm expected to slash 7,000 jobs over the next five years, many coming from early or planned retirement. The former Japanese behemoth is going through a sweeping reform effort to revive itself following its disastrous acquisition of US nuclear energy firm Westinghouse, which racked up billions of dollars in losses before being placed under bankruptcy protection. For the year to March 2019, the firm said it expected a net profit of 920 billion yen ($8.1 billion), down from an earlier projection of 1,070 billion yen. Annual operating profit outlook is now 60 billion yen, down from a previous 70 billion yen forecast, while the sales estimates were kept at 3,600 billion yen. Still, the firm's share price soared, closing up more than 12 per cent on the Tokyo stock exchange, mainly due to the announcement of a share buy-back programme. To stay afloat, the cash-strapped group sold its lucrative chip business for $21 billion to K.K. Pangea, a special-purpose company controlled by a consortium led by US investor Bain Capital. The sales of the memory unit continued to boost Toshiba's net profit, although the firm's operations remained under pressure. For the six months to September, the company's net profit stood at 1.08 trillion yen, reversing a net loss of 49.8 billion yen seen a year earlier. But its six-month operating profit fell to 6.98 billion yen, more than 80 per cent down from a year ago when the company took emergency cost-cutting steps such as the dramatic reduction of seasonal bonuses to its workers. First-half sales came to 1.78 trillion yen, down 5.1 per cent from a year ago. The United States is determined to push Iranian oil exports to zero, U.S. Special Representative Brian Hook said on Wednesday, through a 'calibrated' approach using maximum economic pressure without lifting oil prices. The United States resumed sanctions on Iran's oil, shipping and banking industries on Monday after President Donald Trump pulled out of a 2015 nuclear deal earlier this year. It granted temporary exemptions to eight countries allowing them to continue importing Iranian oil, although it said the ultimate goal is to completely halt exports from Iran. Hook ... The good news if you dont like US President Donald Trump: he has less than 24 months remaining in his first term in office. The bad news: he now looks to have a better chance at staying in office until 2025. This years midterm elections broke for Trump much more than expected. The Republicans maintained their control of the Senate, picking up key victories in Indiana, Missouri and North Dakota. And though the Democrats regained control of the House of Representatives, as expected, this is not the counter-revolution they were hoping for. It is not a Trump wave, but it ... The day after his party lost its lock on the US Congress, the US President Donald Trump walked into a White House press conference ready for political combat, name-checking Republicans who he blamed for losing their seats and lashing out at reporters who challenged his assertions. Republicans lost control of the House of Representatives to Democrats, but Trump shrugged that off, casting Tuesdays congressional election results as very close to complete victory for Republicans and saying he could negotiate easier on some issues with Democrats, anyway. Republicans ... Public-sector lender Allahabad Bank on Thursday informed stock exchanges that it had received a communication from the finance ministry stating it was getting a capital infusion to the tune of Rs 30.54 billion. "...the Bank has received a communication from the Government of India, Ministry of Finance, Department of Financial Services regarding fresh capital infusion of Rs 30.54 billion towards contribution of the central government in the preferential allotment of equity shares (Special Securities/Bonds) of the bank during the financial year 2018-19, as the ... 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 At least 13 people were killed, including a policeman, following a shooting inside a crowded California bar on late Wednesday night. The suspected gunman, who was also found dead, was yet to be identified. According to authorities, the policeman who was shot and later succumbed to his injuries has been identified as Ventura County Sheriff Sgt. Ron Helus, who had served the department for 29 years, CNN reported. The first reports of the shots fired came around 11:20 pm on Wednesday, at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, situated about 40 miles west of Los Angeles, CNN quoted Ventura County Sheriff's Office Captain Garo Kuredjian. The authorities further added that the gunman forced his way into the bar and opened fire. Nearly 12 people were also injured in the shooting. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two Israelis suffered mild injuries in a Palestinian shooting attack on a bus near a settlement in West Bank on Wednesday evening. The incident occurred near Focus Crossing, next to Beit El settlement, located north of Ramallah city, Xinhua reported. In a statement, a military spokesperson said that a live fire was opened at a moving bus. "Two civilians were struck by fragments and lightly injured before being evacuated for medical treatment," the statement read. Among the two injured, one was a bus driver in his 30s and the other was a passenger aged 35 years. The spokesperson added that the shooters fled after the attack and the Israeli forces have launched a search operation in the area. Earlier on Tuesday, a Palestinian woman was hurt in a shooting incident after she had attempted to stab the Israeli border police officers with scissors near a petrol station in the northeast of Jerusalem. On Monday, a Palestinian man sustained injuries when he was shot by Israeli forces in a similar attack on them in the settlement of Kiryat Arba, situated east of Hebron city. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) On the second anniversary of the central government's demonetisation drive on Thursday, the Congress party criticised the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Centre's move by calling it a 'black day' for Indian democracy and economy. "The cost and destruction by demonetisation was endured by every citizen of this country other than few crony capitalist friends of Prime Minister Modi. Demonetisation was a black day for our democracy and our economy," read a post on the official Twitter handle of the Congress party. Resonating similar sentiments, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also took to the micro-blogging site and wrote, "#DarkDay Today is the second anniversary of #DeMonetisation disaster. From the moment it was announced I said so. Renowned economists, common people and all experts now all agree." "On November 8, 2016, @narendramodi announced demonetisation alias Notebandi. It was an epic failure. Over 100 people died standing in bank queues. On second Barsi of This TUGLAKI FIRMAN, please observe 2 minutes silence for martyrs of this folly," Congress leader Manish Tewari tweeted. "We of course are not going to do that! For we are civilised. However @narendramodi 730 days later don't you think you should stand up at 8 PM today evening and just apologise to the nation. After all it is but human to err- It is another matter that over 100 people died due to it," read another tweet. The Congress party is expected to observe a 'black day' to mark the second anniversary of demonetisation, according to sources. Last year, too, the Congress and other opposition parties protested at various places across India against the central government's drive. "Two years ago,a disaster struck India's economy. So much so that the PM has now stopped speaking about demonetisation after ruining lives of ordinary citizens. History will remember this day as a black day. When you caste your vote for Lok Sabha-never forget notebandi," tweeted Congress leader Ahmed Patel. On November 8, 2016, the Centre had declared Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes as non-legal and introduced new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes. Since then, various opposition leaders have highly criticised the Centre's move, while the members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies have backed the decision. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The technical team of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Pakistan government held their second round of talks in Islamabad on Thursday. During the deliberations, the IMF delegation was briefed by the power division officials pertaining to the rise in electricity prices. The team, which arrived on November 7 in Islamabad, will hold talks with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for a period of two weeks on a possible bailout package requested by the latter, in a bid to stem the country out from the economic and financial woes, Geo News reported. Information on different sectors of Pakistan's economy was also shared with the IMF delegation during the meeting, as per sources. Talks between the two sides are scheduled to resume on November 12. Despite securing a USD 6 billion bailout package from Saudi Arabia, the Imran Khan-led government had previously requested the IMF for an additional USD 6-7 billion to stave off the economic crisis in the country. Last month, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde had confirmed that Pakistan formally approached the global lender seeking financial assistance to address its economic challenges. Her comments came after she met Pakistan's Finance Minister Asad Umar, Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, Tariq Bajwa and members of their economic team in Indonesia. Lagarde had added that an IMF team would visit Islamabad soon to initiate discussions for a possible economic programme. Pakistan's economy has been in a limbo for a long time. It was already speculated that the government would seek a loan package from the IMF following the general elections which were held on July 25. Earlier in June, Pakistan's the then caretaker Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar had revealed that the government would be seeking financial help from the IMF in order to balance the deficit gap of USD 25 billion and infuse some life into the debt-ridden economy. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least four civilians and one Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel were killed after Naxals triggered a blast in a bus near Bacheli in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district on Thursday, confirmed district Superintendent of Police (SP) Abhishek Pallav. Two CISF personnel who were injured in the encounter have been shifted to a hospital for emergency care. "In the blast, we lost our Head Constable D Mukhopadhyay. Constables Satish Pathare and Vishal Suresh, who were injured in the blast, are admitted in a hospital for treatment. As per report they were not carrying any weapon when the blast hit the bus. As per reports, it was an IED (Improvise Explosive Blast)," DG CISF Rajesh Ranjan told ANI. The attack comes just days ahead of the first phase of voting for the state assembly elections, scheduled for November 12, in which 18 constituencies, mainly in the Naxal-affected areas, will go to polls. Just eight days ago, two Chhattisgarh police personnel and a Doordarshan cameraman were killed in a Naxal attack in Aranpur village of Dantewada district. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) workers on Thursday vandalised posters of 'Sarkar' movie in Coimbatore. They alleged that certain scenes in the movie criticize the previous Tamil Nadu government led by the late J Jayalalithaa. The vandalism by the AIADMK workers also took place in Puducherry on the same day. The AIADMK party leaders and workers protested outside theatres in Madurai and Chennai against Tollywood actor Vijay's movie titled 'Sarkar' which has been running in the cinema halls since its release. The protestors demanded the removal of certain scenes from the movie. The party workers were seen protesting outside Priya Enterplex in Madurai against the film. AIADMK Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) VV Rajan Chellappa told ANI, "We will continue to protest outside theatres till the controversial scenes and dialogues aren't removed. We appeal to exhibitors not to show it." In Chennai, the agitators vandalised posters of the movie outside Kasi theatre. In the pictures, the party workers can be seen tearing up the movie posters outside Kasi theatre, Chennai. Earlier in the day, Tamil Nadu Law minister C.V. Shanmugam condemned Vijay's recent release 'Sarkar' for allegedly attempting to instigate violence in society and also said that it is not less than a terrorist instigating people for violence. The movie, which has successfully minted Rs 100 crores within two days of its opening, is getting a mixed reaction from the public. This is not the first time Vijay's film has attracted controversies and drama for its political content and views. In 2017, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had also raised objections to a section in his movie 'Mersal' for promoting 'misconceptions' about the central government schemes, including Goods and Services Tax (GST), demonetisation and Digital India campaign. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Asia Bibi, the Christian woman who was acquitted by the Pakistan Supreme Court in a blasphemy case last month, has been released from a women's prison in Multan late on Wednesday. Quoting sources, the jail administration had received official documents earlier in regards to her release. Asia was then released after the completion of formalities, Geo News reported. On October 31, mass protests had erupted in various parts of Pakistan after the country's top court announced its verdict acquitting Asia for blasphemy charges. The demonstrations, led by the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and other religious parties, blocked roads and vandalised public and private property. A three-judge special bench headed by Justice Nisar, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel had heard Asia's 2014 appeal against her conviction and death sentence and overturned the ruling in favour of her. Asia was convicted and sentenced to death in 2010 for allegedly insulting Islam during an argument with three Muslim women. Even after rejecting reports of putting Asia on the Exit Control List (ECL), the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government reached an agreement with the TLP for taking legal actions to not allow Asia and her family to leave the country. Following the agreement, the protests were called off. On Monday, around 1,800 people were arrested by law enforcement agencies for indulging in rioting and vandalism. Pakistan's Interior Ministry had said that the demonstrators were booked under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Foreign Office Spokesperson Mohammad Faisal on Thursday clarified that Asiya Bibi, who was acquitted by the Pakistan Supreme Court in a blasphemy case last month, is still in Pakistan. "There is no truth in reports of her leaving the country - it is fake news," Faisal told Dawn News TV. Bibi was released from a women's prison in Multan late on Wednesday after the completion of all formalities by the jail administration, Geo News reported. However, speculations emerged that Bibi had left the country soon after she was released from prison. On October 31, mass protests had erupted in various parts of Pakistan after the country's top court acquitted Asiya of blasphemy charges. A three-judge special bench headed by Justice Nisar, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel had heard Asiya's 2014 appeal against her conviction and death sentence and overturned the ruling in favour of her. Asiya was convicted and sentenced to death in 2010 for allegedly insulting Islam during an argument with three Muslim women. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shiv Sena on Thursday reiterated their demand to change the name of Aurangabad to Sambhaji Nagar and to rename Osmanabad as Dharashiv. "The demand for the renaming of Aurangabad and Osmanabad into Sambaji Nagar and Dharashiv is not new to Shiv Sena. It has been our long-standing demand," Shiv Sena leader Manisha Kayande told ANI, echoing what her colleague Sanjay Raut had said earlier in the day. The Shiv Sena's demand for the name change of the two places in Maharashtra goes back to decades. "It has been raised several times but faced sheer opposition from Congress and NCP because they wanted to appease of Muslims voters," Kayande added. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani also indicated that his government is mulling over to change the name of Gujarat's Ahmedabad to Karnavati after the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government of Uttar Pradesh changed the names of the state's two districts. "We are contemplating changing the name of Ahmedabad to Karnavati, the talks of which have been going on since a long time. Concrete steps will be taken after looking at it from legal and all other angles. We will think about it in the time to come," said Rupani on Thursday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Posting a strong defence of demonetisation on its second anniversary today, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that the note ban had a huge impact in formalising the economy. "As we complete two years of demonetisation today, it has been established that demonetisation, a key step in a chain of important decisions taken by the Government, had a huge impact in formalising the economy," Jaitley wrote in a blog. "The Government first targeted the black money outside India. Asset holders were asked to bring it back on payment of penal tax, on failure to do so they are being prosecuted under the Black Money Act. All such details received have resulted in action against the violators," he added. Jaitley underlined that confiscation of currency was not an objective of demonetisation but getting it into the formal economy and making the holders pay tax was the broader objective. "An ill-informed criticism of the Demonetisation is that almost the entire cash money got deposited in the banks. Confiscation of currency was not an objective of Demonetisation. Getting it into the formal economy and making the holders pay tax was the broader objective. The system required to be shaken in order to make India move from cash to digital transactions. This would obviously have an impact on higher tax revenue and a higher tax base," he said. The Finance Minister said that the impact of demonetisation has been felt on collection of personal income tax. "The impact of demonetisation has been felt on collection of personal income tax. Its collections were higher in Financial Year 2018-19 (till 31-10-2018) compared to the previous year by 20.2%. Even in the corporate tax the collections are 19.5% higher," he added. Stating that demonetisation and implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) curbed cash transactions in a big way, Jaitley informed: "With a visible increase in the digital transactions, formalisation of the economy has led to increase in the tax payer base from 6.4 million in the pre-GST regime to 12 million." He underscored, "In May, 2014, when the present Government was elected the total number of the filers of income tax returns was 3.8 crore. In the first four years of this Government, it has increased to 6.86 crore. Despite an annual income tax relief of Rs. 97,000 crore given to the smaller tax payers and a Rs. 80,000 crore relief given to the GST assesses, tax collections have gone up. Rates of taxes, both direct and indirect have been reduced, but tax collections have gone up," he added. Jaitley further said, "Government has used these resources for better infrastructure creation, social sector and rural India. How else could we visualise villages being connected by road, electricity in every home, 92% coverage for rural sanitation, a successful Awas Yojana, a cooking gas connection. It is the formalisation of the economy which has led to 13 crore entrepreneurs getting Mudra Loans. More formalisation, more revenue, more resources for the poor, better infrastructure, and a better quality of life for our citizens." Earlier in the day, former prime minister Manmohan Singh however asserted that the demonetisation exercise which the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government undertook in 2016 was ill-fated and ill-thought. Underlining that the havoc unleashed on the Indian economy and society due to demonetisation was evident to all stratas of people, he said in a statement: "Today marks the second anniversary of the ill-fated and ill-thought demonetisation exercise that the Narendra Modi government undertook in 2016. The havoc that it unleashed on the Indian economy and society is now evident to everyone. Notebandi impacted every single person, regardless of age, gender, religion, occupation or creed." The former prime minister further emphasised that the scars and wounds of demonetisation are only getting more visible with time. Singh added that the consequences of 'notebandi' are still unraveling. Singh said that small and medium businesses that are the cornerstone of India's economy are yet to recover from the demonetisation shock, adding that the note ban has had a direct impact on employment as the economy continues to struggle to create enough new jobs for the youth. Singh urged the central government to restore certainty and visibility in economic policies. The Congress party is expected to observe a 'black day' today to mark the second anniversary of demonetisation, according to sources. Last year, too, the Congress and other opposition parties protested at various places across the country against the central government's drive. On November 8, 2016, the Centre had declared Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes as non-legal and introduced new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes. Since then, various opposition leaders have highly criticised the Centre's move, while the members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies have backed the decision. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) General Officer Commanding in Chief (GOC) Northern Command, Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh visited the hinterland posts of Kishtwar and Suigarh sector to review the operational preparedness and the prevailing security situation, accompanied by the White Knight Corps Commander, Lieutenant General Paramjit Singh. During the visit, the Army Commander was briefed by the commanders on the ground about the current operational and prevailing hinterland security situation and the preparedness of the formations in dealing with the same. He was also updated by the White Knight Corps Commander on the current internal security situation in the Kishtwar region and measures undertaken by the Army and civil administration for controlling the situation. While interacting with the Civil Administration Officials at Kishtwar, he was briefed on the Internal Security Situation in the region after the killing of Jammu and Kashmir secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party, Anil Parihar and his brother Ajeet Parihar on November 1. Lt. Gen. Singh also expressed his condolences to the bereaved families and lauded the role played by the leaders, locals, and security forces for their efforts to maintain peace in Kishtwar and adjoining areas. He was also briefed on the actions being taken to ensure a robust counter-terrorist grid to maintain peace and stability in the region. The Army Commander also interacted with the soldiers and praised them for their dedication and service. He also reinforced the need to be prepared for effectively meeting emerging security challenges. He exhorted all ranks on the need to remain vigilant to counter the nefarious designs of the inimical and anti- elements. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India on Thursday confirmed that its participation at the crucial meeting initiated by Russia on the conflict with Afghanistan will be at a "non-official level". The meeting is scheduled for November 9. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson, Ravish Kumar said that New Delhi will continue to support all efforts for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. In response to a query regarding India's participation in the meeting, Kumar said, "We are aware that the Russian Federation is hosting a meeting in Moscow on 9 November on Afghanistan. Our participation at the meeting will be at the non-official level." "India supports all efforts at peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan that will preserve unity and plurality, and bring security, stability, and prosperity to the country. India's consistent policy has been that such efforts should be Afghan-led, Afghan-owned, and Afghan-controlled and with the participation of the Government of Afghanistan," he added. Russia has invited 12 countries and the Taliban, who are fighting to re-impose strict Islamic law after their 2001 ouster by U.S.-led troops. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kate Hudson is back to showbiz after giving birth to her first child with boyfriend Danny Fujikawa. The 'Bride Wars' actor joined designer Michael Kors for an event to promote his charity campaign, just over a month after giving birth to her baby girl, US Weekly reported. Hudson looked stunning with blonde hair in a tousled bob, donning a black and blue floral dress. This is the first time the Hollywood actor made a public appearance since she welcomed her daughter, Rani, on October 2. On October 7, the 'Fool's Gold' actor shared an adorable first public photo of her and boyfriend, musician Danny Fujikawa's newborn. Taking to Instagram, the 'Bride Wars' star had posted a picture of her 'rosebud' in which the baby girl can be seen sleeping in a cot, swaddled in a blanket, wearing a baby cap with a ribbon. "Our little rosebud" read the caption. Hudson has two children- Ryder (14) and Bingham (7)- from her previous relationships. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Aanand L Rai's 'Zero' is one of the most anticipated movies of this year and has been creating immense buzz on social media ever since the release of the posters and trailer of the film. Katrina Kaif plays the role of an actor named Babita Kumari who is battling alcoholism in the movie. The 'Phantom' star posted two pictures on her Instagram story from the sets of the flick. In one of the pictures posted by her, choreographer Bosco Martis is instructing her, she has captioned it as, "Zero shoot today with these legends." In another candid photo, the 35-year-old actor is seen getting ready for her shot. The 'Tiger Zinda Hai' actor looks stunning in the recently released trailer of the film and her character looks promising. The trailer was launched in a grand event organised by the makers of the film at Ghanta Ghar in Mumbai on Shah Rukh Khan's 53rd birthday on November 2. The trailer received love and appreciation from B-town celebrities and their fans. It also stars SRK, who plays the role of a vertically challenged man and Anushka Sharma, who features as a struggling scientist and has cerebral palsy. Produced by Gauri Khan, the movie is all set to release on December 21. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Members of European Parliament along with scholars and academics have strongly criticised the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) while discussing the interrelated legal, geo-strategic, economic and environmental impacts at the European Parliament in Brussels on Tuesday. They were speaking at a seminar titled "CPEC - East India Company Mark II?" which was organised by the European Foundation for South Asian Studies (EFSAS) under the aegis of Jonathan Bullock, the Member of European Parliament. Junaid Qureshi, Director of EFSAS chaired the seminar and gave a profound insight on the objectives of EFSAS while also giving an introduction to the topic, especially in regard to CPEC's disastrous effects on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. Geoffrey van Orden, MEP, Chair of the Delegation for Relations with India and Vice-Chair of the Special Committee on Terrorism, analysed whether the building of the multi-billion Economic Corridor throughout Pakistan had parallels with the East India Company and argued that acquiring control of trade, inevitably translates into governmental influence, which is very well the case with CPEC. Geoffrey further discussed the current Sino-Pak stalemate according to which, if the investments on behalf of China towards Pakistan are of such colossal magnitude and respectively the obligations of Pakistan towards China are so unbearably high, Pakistan might find itself in a situation where the only possible solution for overcoming this issue is through its transfer of power, independence and sovereignty to Beijing. Dr. Paul Stott, Lecturer at the University of Leicester and in the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy at SOAS, University of London and EFSAS Research Fellow, focused on the evolution of the United States under President Donald Trump and his approach towards China and Pakistan. He opined that "Pakistan has burnt its bridges with the United States and China is now one of its last options for salvage". While illustrating the current global balance of power, where the US sees China as an economic and military rival, Dr. Stott elaborated that the relationship Washington maintains with Islamabad is determined by the relation it maintains with Beijing, meaning that the US sees Pakistan through the prism of its connection with China. Dr. Matthew McCartney, Director of the South Asia Program and Professor in the Political Economy and Human Development of India at Oxford University, approached the topic of CPEC from an economic perspective. He explained how China and Pakistan have extensive historical connections and that the two countries' relations go back very far while arguing that the development of CPEC is the natural course of action for the two countries and in essence is a connotation of projects that had been previously planned. "The financing of infrastructure by China is more opportunistic for Pakistan since the money from the IMF or the United States would have more stringent conditions and regulations," he claimed. According to his findings, the CPEC is small in terms of proportions by historical standards and most likely will not make a large impact as may have been advertised. He further exhibited how infrastructure usually diminishes the disparity of prices of goods, yet since in Pakistan there already exists a low disparity, transportation and infrastructure are not the aspects which would drive prices in the country. Dr. McCartney stated that CPEC will have little impact on the prosperity of the country and could prove to be negative for Pakistan. Dr. Dorothee Vandamme, Research Associate at the University of Louvain, Centre for the Study of Crises and International Conflicts and the Genesys Network and EFSAS Research Fellow, deliberated upon the role of the Pakistani Military Establishment in CPEC. She explained, "The military establishment in Pakistan has vouched for a more influential and dominant role in the construction of the CPEC and the building of the CPEC has only further reinforced the role of the powerful Army". According to her, this has been displayed via the safeguarding of the CPEC project by armed personnel, providing security for Chinese workers and army personnel and thereby trying to ensure the stability and continuity of the project. According to her data, there have been 15,000 troops dedicated to this division, a number which is expected to rise to 25,000, while China remains Pakistan's largest supplier of arms and continuously keep displaying the pattern of being more inclined towards negotiating with the Pakistani Military rather than with the civil government of Pakistan. Mr. Fernando Burges, Programme Manager at the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO), provided his perspective on the negative repercussion stemming from the construction of the CPEC, which goes through the disputed territory of Gilgit Baltistan, part of the erstwhile Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir over which Pakistan does not have any legal right. Whilst arguing that in this backdrop, the CPEC is illegal, Burges remarked that the indigenous people of Gilgit Baltistan have been stripped away of their natural resources of their land and forced to accept the CPEC project without any compensation in return. He highlighted the fact that those who have opposed the building of the corridor have been subject to violent crackdowns and enforced imprisonment under the pretext of Anti-terrorism laws. Burzine Waghmar, Member of SOAS, University of London, Centre for the Study of Pakistan, Centre for Iranian Studies, and London Middle East Institute and EFSAS Research Fellow began his speech by quoting the American Analyst of Pakistani Studies, Christine Fair, who described the CPEC project as, 'colonising Pakistan to enrich China'. He examined in depth the historical genesis of the erstwhile Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir and the evolution of Sino-Pak relations. Waghmar said that it is necessary for Europe to begin to pay attention to Chinese expansionist designs, since Beijing is drafting its own parallel system of rules that can be seen mainly through its Belt and Road Initiative. Munir Mengal of the Baloch Voice Association discussed the severe negative implications of CPEC on Balochistan and Jamil Maqsood of the United Kashmir People's National Party elaborated upon the human rights violations in Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan due to the construction of this multibillion-dollar project. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Opposition leaders on Thursday slammed Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for changing the name of Faizabad to Ayodhya earlier this week. spokesperson of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Manoj Jha, while speaking to ANI, launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, saying "Mr. Yogi Adityanath can only change the name of places. If he is really serious, he should change the name of oxygen cylinders so that the life of the children can be saved." He further added, "I request the Prime Minister that to send Yogi Adityanath back to the math, as the mandate was not for him to rule in Uttar Pradesh." Meanwhile, BJP leader Subramaniam Swamy said, "Even the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) has confirmed that there were remains of a demolished temple underneath the mosque in Ayodhya. When Guru Nanak went to Ayodhya, he even praised the Ram temple." He further said, "Names of places should be changed. The request to change the name of Ahmedabad is still lying on the table of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. If the date of hearing for my plea is fixed, then Ram temple would be built within a week. There is nothing wrong in having a statue of Ram." Congress leader Manish Tiwari while speaking to ANI said, "If they (BJP leaders) think that they can win elections by just changing names of cities, it is a clear myth. What is needed more is to follow the teachings of Lord Rama than building the Ram temple. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Ministry of Shipping on Thursday announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate the newly constructed Multi-Modal Terminal on River Ganga to the nation, on November 12 in Varanasi. It is the first of the three Multi-Modal Terminals being constructed on the river. The Multi Modal Terminals (MMTs) are built under the government's Jal Marg Vikas project. Apart from the MMTs, two Inter-Modal Terminals are also being constructed on the river. The terminal's construction started in June 2016 and will be ready this month. It is the first modal to be constructed on Waterway -1, at a cost of Rs. 206.84 crores. The terminal has a capacity of 1.26 MPTA, It also has two mobile harbour cranes, shell structure of ancillary building, among several other facilities. The project of the multi-modal terminal and proposed Freight Village at Varanasi are expected to generate 500 direct employment and more than 2000 indirect employment opportunities. The objective is to promote inland waterways as a cheaper and more environment-friendly means of transport, especially for cargo movement. Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is the project Implementing Agency. The Prime Minister will also receive India's first container vessel that sailed from Kolkata on October 30, carrying cargo belonging to PEPSICO (India) from Kolkata to Varanasi. Container movement on an inland waterway in India is being done for the first time post-independence. The IWAI vessel, MV Rabindranath Tagore is transporting 16 containers equivalent to 16 truckloads of food and snacks and is expected to reach Varanasi on November 11. It will make its return journey with fertilizers from IFFCO. In a separate event the same day, Prime Minister will also inaugurate two Highways projects - the Babatpur-Varanasi Airport road and Varanasi Ring Road. In addition to this, he will also inaugurate some sewerage projects in the city and lay the foundation stone for a project under Namami Gange programme of Mission for Clean Ganga. The Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) aims to develop the stretch of River Ganga between Varanasi to Haldi for navigation of large vessels up to 1500-2000 tonnes weight, by maintaining a drought of 2-3 metres in this stretch of the river and setting up other systems required for safe navigation. It is being implemented on the Haldia-Varanasi stretch of National Waterway-1 with the technical assistance and investment support of the World Bank, at an estimated cost of Rs. 5,369.18 crores on a 50:50 sharing basis between Government of India and the World Bank. The project entails construction of three multimodal terminals (Varanasi, Sahibganj and Haldia); two intermodal terminals; five Roll On - Roll Off (Ro-Ro) terminal pairs; new navigation lock at Farakka; assured depth dredging; integrated vessel repair & maintenance facility, Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS), River Information System (RIS), river training & river conservancy works. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress president Rahul Gandhi, on the second anniversary of demonetisation on Thursday, launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi by terming decision as a "planned conspiracy" and "criminal financial scam" allegedly aimed at helping his "suit-booted friends" to "whiten" their black money. In a tweet, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said: "Demonetisation was a planned conspiracy. This scam was a shrewd scheme to whiten the black money of Prime Minister's suit-booted friends. Nothing was innocent in this scandal. Deriving any other meaning to this exercise would be an insult to the nation." Later in a statement, Gandhi said that the day November 8 would forever go down in the history of India as a day of infamy. "India will discover, no matter how the government tries to hide it, that demonetisation wasn't just an ill-conceived and poorly executed economic policy with innocent intent, but a carefully planned, criminal financial scam," he said in a statement, issued by the All India Congress Committee (AICC). "Demonetisation was a tragedy...Demonetisation is unique in the history of our tragedies because it was a self-inflicted, suicidal attack that destroyed millions of lives and ruined thousand of India's small businesses. The worst hits by demonestisation were the poorest of the poor, who were forced to queue for days, to exchange their meagre savings," he added. The Congress chief also claimed that more than a hundred and twenty Indians lost their lives in those queues lined up to exchange the banned notes outside the banks. He added, "Prime Minister Modi's demonetisation cost India over one and a half million jobs and wiped out at least one per cent from our Gross Domestic Product (GDP)." Gandhi scion also intensified his attack on Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley by calling him "incompetent." He said, "On the second anniversary of the Prime Minister's monumental blunder, the Government's spin-doctors, including our incompetent Finance Minister, have the unenviable task of defending an indefensible, criminal policy." A few hours back, the Congress stated that the exercise which the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre undertook in 2016 had tarnished the image of India globally. On November 8, 2016, the Centre had declared Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes as non-legal and introduced new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes. Since then, various opposition parties have been highly critical of the Centre's move, while the members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies have backed the decision. On the second anniversary of demonetisation on Thursday, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley posted a strong defense of demonetisation, saying that the note ban had a huge impact on formalising the Indian economy. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Largest Australian telecommunications company Telstra's Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Robyn Denholm has been appointed as the new Chair of Tesla's board of directors. She will succeed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Elon Musk. Denholm, who has been a board member of the American electric car manufacturer since 2014, will relinquish her role as CFO and Head of Strategy at Telstra at the end of her six-month notice period. "I believe in this company, I believe in its mission and I look forward to helping Elon and the Tesla team achieve sustainable profitability and drive long-term shareholder value," Verge quoted Delholm as saying. Musk showed confidence in Delholm saying, "Robyn has extensive experience in both the tech and auto industries, and she has made significant contributions as a Tesla Board member over the past four years in helping us become a profitable company." Musk, in September, was mandated to step down as a chairman for his controversial tweet in which he claimed to have secured funding to take Tesla private. He was also made to pay a fine of USD 20 million after he lost the ensuing lawsuit battle with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), with the latter terming his claims to be "fake and misleading". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tamil Nadu Law minister C.V. Shanmugam on Thursday condemned Tollywood actor Vijay's recent release 'Sarkar' for allegedly attempting to instigate violence in society and said that it is not less than a terrorist instigating people for violence. "Through this movie, an attempt is made to instigate violence in society. It is not less than a terrorist instigating people for violence. It attempts to pull down a democratically elected government. We will take action against the actor and the team," C.V. Shanmugam said. The movie which has successfully minted 100 crores within two days of opening is getting a mixed reaction from the public. While some are considering the film as one of Vijay's best works, there are a few who think otherwise. This is not the first time Vijay's film has attracted controversies for its political content and views. In 2017, the Bharatiya Janata Party raised objections to a section in his film 'Mersal' for promoting 'misconceptions' about central government schemes, including Goods and Services Tax (GST), demonetisation and Digital India. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday expressed hope that he would meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un "sometime early next year." Addressing a press conference in the White House, Trump said that his administration is ready to lift the sanctions on North Korea, but asserted that Pyongyang has to be "responsive" to Washington. "We are very happy how it's going with North Korea. We think it is going fine. We are in no rush. The sanctions are on. I'd love to take the sanctions off, but they (North Korea) have to be responsive to us. The missiles have stopped and the rockets have stopped. The hostages are home," he elaborated. Talking about his first meeting with Kim at Singapore in June, the US president asserted that the two countries made "more progress" in the last four to five months. "We made more progress in the last four to five months in Singapore, than they made in 70 years. And nobody else could've done what I have done. We are in no rush. I'd like to take the sanctions off. It will happen sometime early next year," Trump added. Last month, Trump had said that he was planning to meet the North Korean leader after the midterm polls. During their unprecedented first meeting, Trump and Kim had signed a joint declaration, wherein the two leaders agreed to work towards achieving "complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula", in exchange of Pyongyang's "security guarantees" from Washington. Commenting on the results of the midterm elections, Trump said, "Last night, the Republican Party defied history to expand our Republican majority. We (beat) expectations in the House." He added that the Republicans had "dramatically outperformed historical precedence," despite what he called a "very dramatic fundraising disadvantage" and "very hostile media coverage, to put it mildly," CNN reported. Giving a stern warning to the Democrats, the US President reminded them of the consequences of focussing on investigating his administration. However, Trump predicted that he would be politically benefitted if the Democrats did spend their time on probing his government's activities. "I think I'm better at that game than they are," he chuckled. Trump lauded lawmakers, who supported his policies and won seats in the midterm polls, while lashing out at others, for backstabbing him. He launched a sharp attack on Mia Love, a Republican from Utah, for "pulling away from him", asserting that this led to her defeat in the elections. "Mia love gave me no love and she lost. Too bad. Sorry about that, Mia," Trump said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The United States Embassy in Moscow will send a representative to a meeting in the city on Afghanistan, State Department spokesperson Robert Palladino said. He added that the agreement was reached following a consensus with the Afghan government, TOLOnews reported. The much-anticipated meeting, organised by Russia, is slated to take place in Moscow on Friday, where deliberations are expected to be held on the peace process in Afghanistan. "The United States believes that all countries should support direct dialogue between the government of Afghanistan and the Taliban to reach an end to the war and we have been clear that no government, including Russia, can be a substitute for the Afghan government in direct negotiations with the Taliban," Palladino said. "In coordination with the Afghan government, the United States embassy in Moscow will send a representative to the working level to observe the discussions and the United States stands ready to work with all interested parties to support and facilitate a peace process," he added. Earlier this week, Afghanistan's foreign ministry had said that the Afghan government would not be sending a delegation to the meeting in Moscow. However, a High Peace Council (HPC) official had said that the delegation would attend the meet in an independent capacity, as per the TOLOnews report. "This time, only a group has been invited, therefore we are not going to participate in it, but our agreement with the Russians is that this meeting should lead to direct talks between us (Afghan government) and the Taliban, if it does not happen like this, then this will reflect the intention of the Taliban and this means they (Taliban) are not prepared for peace," Sibghat Ahmadi, Afghanistan's foreign ministry spokesperson, said. Earlier on Tuesday, the Taliban group had confirmed that they would send a delegation to the meeting in Moscow. Officials of the HPC had stated that a delegation, led by Hajji Deen Mohammad, the deputy head of the peace council would participate in the meeting, but added that no talks would be held with the Taliban. "A delegation from the HPC, under the leadership of the deputy head of the council Hajji Deen Mohammad will attend the Moscow peace meeting on Afghanistan, the main agenda of the meeting will be the start of direct peace negotiations between the Afghan government and the armed Afghan Taliban. This will be assessed at the conference, we hope to convey good news to the people of Afghanistan about direct talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban in the near future," Sayed Ehsan Tahiri, HPC spokesperson said. The meeting was scheduled to be held on September 4 in Moscow. But the Afghan government had backed out from the meet saying that such deliberations should be Afghan-led. In August, the Afghan leadership had announced that the proposed talks on Afghanistan's peace would be co-chaired by Kabul and Moscow. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Chandigarh Police arrested 34 people on Diwali night for violating the Supreme Court orders on the timing for bursting of crackers. "A total of 33 cases were registered under sections 188 IPC (Indian Penal Code) in which a total of 34 people were arrested (for) bursting firecrackers beyond the permissible time limit," a Chandigarh Police spokesman said on Thursday. Five people were also arrested between November 5 and 7 for selling firecrackers without permit or licence, the spokesman added. Bursting of firecrackers was allowed by authorities only from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Diwali night on Wednesday following directions from the Supreme Court. However, many started bursting crackers just after 6 p.m. and many others continued beyond the 10 p.m. deadline. --IANS js/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The All Assam Students' Union (AASU) and 28 other organizations on Thursday staged an agitation in Dispur against the government move to execute the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 in Assam and other parts of the North-East. Hundreds of people drawn from AASU and 28 other outfits took part in a rally organized from Ganeshguri to Dispur in protest against the Bill, saying it will threaten the existence of indigenous people of Assam and northeastern states. "Today we are holding a warning demonstration. We urge the Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal-led Assam government to say an emphatic 'no' to the Bill. If the government goes ahead with it, none sitting in Dispur will be spared," said AASU adviser Samujjal Bhattacharyya while addressing the rally. He said the BJP came to power in Assam riding on promises of change. "Nothing has changed in the last two years. The illegal Bangladeshis are supposed to leave the state, it did not happen. The indigenous people are supposed to get constitutional safeguard, again, nothing happened," he said. AASU President Dipank Kumar Nath said their democratic movement and crusade against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016; the Foreigners (Amendment) Order, 2015; the Passport (Entry into India) Amendment Rules, 2015 and the proposed long-term visas to people from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan would continue. "The Centre is out to insult the Assam Accord by amending the Citizenship Act. We are not going to let that happen. We'll continue our protest till the Centre cancels the Citizenship Bill, 2016. We appeal to all linguistic and ethnic groups of the state to oppose the Bill unitedly," Nath said. --IANS ah/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistani Christian woman can leave the country only if the Supreme Court rejects an appeal challenging her acquittal in a blasphemy case, the government said on Thursday. Bibi, a mother of five, was released on Wednesday night from a prison in Multan, where she spent eight years on death row. She was accused of insulting Prophet Muhammad in 2009 and a court sentenced her to death in 2010. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mohammad Faisal denied rumours that Bibi had left the country after the furore caused by her release. "There is no truth in reports of her leaving the country -- it is fake news," Faisal told Dawn NewsTV. Her acquittal by the apex court on October 31 triggered widespread protests led by the hardline Islamist party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP). "Asia (Bibi) is at a safe place in Pakistan. She is a free citizen now. A writ is undergoing (in the court)," Faisal said. He said Bibi was free to "travel to wherever she wants" after the court's decision on the review petition. "No one will object to it. A free national can go wherever he or she wants to. She is pretty much with Pakistani authorities. The state of Pakistan is there to protect her." Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry called out the "irresponsible" behaviour of certain media outlets for running the news of Bibi leaving the country without "confirmation". "It has become a norm to publish fake news for sake of headlines," Chaudhry said on Twitter. "#AsiaBibi case is sensitive issue. It was extremely irresponsible to publish news of her leaving the country without confirmation. I strongly urge section of media to act responsible." The TLP wants the Supreme Court to review the verdict. The radical group last week forced the government to agree that Bibi would not be allowed to leave Pakistan and that it would not block a review petition. TLP spokesperson Ijaz Ashrafi tweeted that no government department confirmed that Bibi had gone abroad and added that government had assured the party that she would remain in the country until the verdict on the review petition was announced. Bibi's family had asked for help and asylum for security reasons from the UK, Canada, the US and Italy. On Wednesday, Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini announced that his country would help Bibi leave Pakistan. Last weekend, Bibi's lawyer Saif Mulook left Pakistan, fearing for his life after protests against the acquittal paralyzed the country. Pakistan's harsh anti-blasphemy law was established during British colonial rule to avoid religious clashes. But several changes to the law in the 1980s promoted by the then military dictator, General Zia-ul-Haq, led to its abuse. Pakistani Christian woman Asia Bibi, who was released from prison a day earlier after being acquitted of blasphemy charges, has not fled the country, the government said on Thursday. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said that Bibi was still in Pakistan, denying rumours that she had already left after the furore caused by her release on Wednesday night from a prison in Multan, where she spent eight years on death row. Bibi, a mother-of-five, was convicted in 2010 of insulting the Prophet Muhammad during a row with neighbours. Earlier reports said that she left the prison on Wednesday night and was flown to an "unknown destination". Faisal did not provide more details about the woman, whose acquittal on October 31 triggered widespread protests led by the hardline Islamist party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP). "There is no truth in reports of her leaving the country -- it is fake news," Faisal told Dawn NewsTV. Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry called out the "irresponsible" behaviour of certain media outlets for running the news of Bibi leaving the country without "confirmation". "It has become a norm to publish fake news for sake of headlines," Chaudhry said on Twitter. "#AsiaBibi case is sensitive issue. It was extremely irresponsible to publish news of her leaving the country without confirmation. I strongly urge section of media to act responsible." The TLP wants the Supreme Court to review the verdict. The radical group last week forced the government to agree that Bibi would not be allowed to leave Pakistan and that it would not block a review petition. TLP spokesperson Ijaz Ashrafi tweeted that no government department confirmed that Bibi had gone abroad and added that government had assured the party that she would remain in the country until the verdict on the review petition was announced. Several countries have offered asylum to Bibi. On Wednesday, Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini announced that his country would help her leave Pakistan. Last weekend, Bibi's lawyer Saif Mulook left Pakistan, citing threats to his life after protests against the acquittal paralyzed the country. Pakistan's harsh anti-blasphemy law was established during British colonial rule to avoid religious clashes. But several changes to the law in the 1980s promoted by the then military dictator, General Zia-ul-Haq, led to its abuse. --IANS soni/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia was shifted back to jail from hospital on Thursday for a court appearance in a graft case. Prison authorities transferred the wheelchair-bound Khaleda Zia to the Old Dhaka jailhouse where she also appeared before a court in the Niko graft case, bdnews24.com reported. The Anti-Corruption Commission had filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station in 2007, accusing Khaleda and 10 others of abusing power to award a gas exploration and extraction deal to Canadian company Niko during her tenure as the Prime Minister. Brigadier General Abdullah Al Harun, Director of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) -- a government-run medical university cum hospital -- told journalists on Thursday that she was released from hospital as the medical board formed for her treatment gave her a discharge certificate. He said that her physical condition was now stable. Khaleda Zia, also chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), was admitted to the hospital in Dhaka on October 6 for treatment following a court directive. Khaleda was then taken to the BSMMU from Dhaka Old Central Jail. She has been in jail since February after a court sentenced her over the alleged embezzlement of foreign funds. The BNP has been demanding upcoming Parliament polls be held under a non-party government and release of Khaleda Zia ahead of the elections slated for December. --IANS soni/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Thursday said the BJP has gone back to its old theme of Hindutva after failing on all fronts and reiterated that state-wise alliance would be the best way to defeat the saffron party. He also said the Central government no longer talks about "achhe din" and the promise of development lies in a shambles. "There is no talk anymore of development or jobs, or investment or higher incomes or growth. The only talk we hear is about Hindutva agenda." "Soon after his election, the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) appealed to the country to put all divisive and controversial issues under a moratorium for 10 years, and focus on development. The Prime Minister himself has resurrected the divisive and controversial issues," he told reporters here. He also alleged that all others from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), to ministers, to minor functionaries of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are talking and writing about divisive issues. "When they contested elections four-and-half-years ago, they talked about development, jobs and growth. They failed on all three fronts. They achieved nothing either on development, or jobs or growth. They have gone back to their old themes of Hindutva, giant statues, grand temples. It's complete failure of the Modi government," he said. ALSO READ: Political karma comes full circle for BJP as it returns to Hindutva Chidambaram also said that state-wise alliances should be formed in different states to defeat the saffron party. "State-wise alliances will benefit the Congress party. The best way to defeat BJP is to form state-wise alliances. One kind of alliance formed in Karnataka has yielded results," the Congress leader said. When asked about the possibility of an alliance with ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal, he said: "AICC will take the decision... I am not the competent person (to make a comment)." Speaking on the recently concluded by-elections in Karnataka, he said the vote in by-elections was a "big blow" to the BJP as people showed their confidence in the Congress- JD(S) government. "The BJP has not paused to reflect. The BJP and RSS are pressing the accelerator on the Hindutva agenda. The next few weeks will be crucial," he added. The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday released the third list of 32 candidates for Madhya Pradesh with the party deciding to drop 10 sitting MLAs including former Chief Minister Babulal Gaur and its national General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya. As per the list, the party has fielded the daughter-in-law of Babulal Gaur, Krishna Gaur from Govindpura Assembly constituency while Vijayvargiya has been replaced by Usha Thakur, the sitting MLA from Indore-3. Babulal Gaur, a former Home Minister, was forced to resign on the grounds that his age was over 75. He was representing the Govindpura Assembly constituency since 1980 and had threatened the party that if he or his daughter-in-law was not given a ticket, both would contest the polls independently. Vijayvargiya's son Akash Vijayvargiya is set to begin his electoral from Indore-3, the constituency represented by Thakur. Senior Vijayvargiya, a close confidant of BJP Chief Amit Shah, has been more focussed on national especially after the saffron party for the first time formed its government in Haryana. The party's victory in Haryana was credited to Vijayvargiya. The BJP has fielded Ajit Premchandra Borasi, son of former Ujjain MP Prem Chand Guddu from Ghatiya Assembly constituency by denying ticket to its sitting MLA Satish Malviya. Besides Gaur, Vijayvargiya and Malviya, the BJP has also dropped its sitting MLAs Narendra Kushwaha from Bhind, Mukesh Singh Chaturvedi from Mehgaon, Ghanshyam Pironia from Bhander and Govind Singh Patel from Gadarwara among others. With the third list, the BJP has as of now released the names of 225 candidates leaving five seats. The BJP had earlier issued its first list of 176 candidates, while in the second list it announced 17 names. There are 230 seats in Madhya Pradesh, where the saffron party has been in power for three consecutive terms. --IANS bns/mag/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Cabinet chiared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday approved signing and ratifying the extradition agreement between India and Morocco. "The Agreement will be signed during the proposed VIP visit from Morocco from 11-18 November 2018," an official statement said. The agreement will provide a strong legal base for the extradition of fugitive offenders who are accused of economic offences, terrorism and other serious offences in one contracting state and found in another contracting state. This Treaty will also strengthen bilateral relations to deal with criminal elements acting against the national interest of both India and Morocco. The union cabinet also approved the agreement between India and Morocco on mutual legal assistance in civil and commercial matters. The Agreement will be beneficial for the citizens of both the countries. It will also fulfill the desire of both the countries to strengthen the bonds of friendship and fruitful cooperation in the Civil and Commercial matters, which is the spirit, essence and language of the agreement. This agreement between India and Morocco will enhance co-operation in the service of summons, judicial documents, letters of request and the execution of judgments decrees and arbitral awards. India and Morocco have enjoyed cordial and friendly relations and over the years bilateral relations have witnessed significant depth and growth. Both nations are part of the Non-Aligned Movement. --IANS bns/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved the mechanism and procedure for sale of over 6.5 crore "Enemy Shares" lying unutilised since 1968. "The Cabinet has approved the mechanism and procedure for sale of over 6.5 crore enemy shares of 996 companies worth Rs 3,000 crore which have been lying unutilised since 1968," Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told a press conference here. He said that sale proceeds will be used for development and social welfare programmes. According to an official release, a total number of 6,50,75,877 shares in 996 companies of 20,323 shareholders are under the custody of Custodian of Enemy Property of India (CEPI). Of these 996 companies, 588 are functional or active companies, while 139 of these are listed and the remaining being unlisted. The process for selling these shares will be approved by the Alternative Mechanism (AM) under the Chairmanship of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, and comprising Minister of Road Transport and Highway Nitin Gadkari and Home Minister Rajnath Singh. It said that the sale proceeds will be deposited as disinvestment proceeds in the government account maintained by the Finance Ministry. Before initiation of sale of any enemy shares, the CEPI shall certify that their sale 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. The decision will lead to monetisation of enemy shares that have been lying dormant for decades since coming into force of the Enemy Property Act in 1968. Through an amendment in 2017, an enabling legislative provision was created for the disposal of such properties. --IANS aks/bns (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Kerala Police on Thursday registered a case under non-bailable charges against state BJP President P.S. Sreedharan Pillai who has claimed that the Sabarimala issue provides a "golden opportunity" for the BJP to grow in Kerala. The police have registered the case under Section 505 1(b) of the Indian Penal Code which refers to comments that can cause fear or alarm in the public and disturb peace. The police action came after a media professional filed a complaint against Pillai for his inflammatory speech of last week. Pillai said in a speech at a meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha here that he told the Sabarimala temple 'tantri' that it would be best to shut down the hill shrine if any woman in the 10-50 age tried to enter it following a Supreme Court verdict. Pillai also said that the Sabarimala issue provided a "golden opportunity" for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to expand its political footprint. When the case was registered, Pillai, a lawyer, was on a 'rath yatra' that was flagged off from Kasargode and will reach Pathanamtitta district, where the Sabarimala temple is located, on November 13. --IANS sg/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) State-run Allahabad Bank on Thursday said the Centre is infusing Rs 3,054 crore into it during the current fiscal. "The bank has been informed by the government about fresh capital infusion of Rs 3054 crore towards contribution of the Central government in the preferential allotment of equity shares (special securities/bonds) of the bank during the financial year 2018-19, as government's investment," it said. The lender's capital adequacy ratio as per Basel-III stood at 6.88 per cent by end of the first quarter of the current fiscal and the government owned a 71.81 per cent stake in Allahabad Bank at the end of first quarter of FY19. The bank reported a net loss of Rs 1,944.37 crore for the first quarter this fiscal against a net profit of Rs 28.84 crore during the same period last fiscal. Its gross NPAs (non performing assets) as a percentage of total loans stood at 15.97 per cent in the June quarter against 15.96 per cent in the previous quarter, while net NPAs were at 7.32 per cent as against 8.04 per cent. Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had imposed additional restrictions on the Kolkata-headquartered bank under the Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework in May this year. The central bank had asked the lender to restrict expansion of risk-weighted assets (RWA), reduce exposure to high-risk loans and restrict accessing or renewing wholesale deposits. --IANS bdc/ssp/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) CISF Head Constable D. Mukhopadhyay and four civilians were killed on Thursday when Maoists blew up a mini bus in which they were returning to their camp after buying vegetables and groceries in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district, police said. The deadly attack took place four days before the first phase of the Assembly polls in the state. It was also the third Maoist attack in 13 days in Chhattisgarh. Two Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) constables and another civilian suffered injuries in the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast triggered by Maoists around 11.30 a.m. in a hilly area in Bacheli, the police said. Eight people, including five civilians and three CISF personnel, were travelling in the mini bus when it was targeted, said the police. The civilians killed included the bus driver, conductor and cleaner. The bus was acquired from the state administration for election duty. The injured CISF troopers -- Satish Pathare and Pishal Suraske -- were shifted to a hospital. "The morale of the forces will not be affected due to such attacks. The Assembly elections will be conducted peacefully," Inspector General of Police (Bastar) Vivekanand Sinha said. The slain 49-year-old trooper, a resident of West Bengal, was part of a CISF unit that had been deployed in Dantewada area for the first phase of the forthcoming polls in the state, CISF spokesperson Hemendra Singh told IANS. "It was a proper road where such IED explosion had never happened. The bus was completely damaged in the explosion." A Doordarshan cameraman and three Chhattisgarh police personnel were killed in a Maoist ambush, also in Dantewada, on October 30. On October 27, the Maoists fired on a contingent of Central Reserve Police Force in Bijapur district, killing four troopers. The Maoists have asked people to boycott the polls. Dantewada is among the areas going to polls on November 12 in the first phase covering 18 constituencies. The second phase of election is scheduled to be held in the state on November 20. Condemning the attack as a cowardice act of Maoists, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh expressed sadness over the death of CISF trooper and the civilians. "I pay my tributes to them and my feelings are with their bereaved families. I wish for a speedy recovery of the injured. This act of cowardice is a sign of weakening of Maoists," he tweeted. --IANS rak/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A CISF trooper and three civilians were killed when Maoists blew up a vehicle on Thursday in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district, four days before the first phase of Assembly polls in the state, police said. Two Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel and another civilian suffered injuries in the attack that took place around 11.30 a.m. in Bacheli area when a CISF team and some civilians were proceeding for elections duty. It was the third Maoist attack in 13 days in Chhattisgarh. Seven people, including four civilians and three CISF personnel, were travelling in a bus when they were attacked, said the police. The injured CISF troopers have been shifted to hospital. A Doordarshan cameraman and three Chhattisgarh police personnel were killed in a Maoist ambush, also in Dantewada, on October 30. On October 27, the Maoists fired on a contingent of Central Reserve Police Force in Bijapur district, killing four troopers. The Maoists have asked people to boycott the polls. Dantewada is among the areas going to polls on November 12 in the first phase covering 18 constituencies. --IANS rak/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The advice is based on preliminary information gathered in the investigation of a Lion Air flight that crashed in Indonesia last week killing all 189 on board, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters. Boeing said it had issued an "Operations Manual Bulletin" addressing flight crew procedures in cases where there is "erroneous input from an [Angle of Attack] sensor". The latest directive follows advisories issued by USA watchdog Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeing regarding B 737 MAX planes, following the crash of a Lion Air aircraft in Indonesia last month. This measures at what angle an aircraft is flying and air is passing over the wings. If the angle is too extreme it can cause the wings to lose lift and the aircraft to stall. The doomed jet was a Boeing 737-Max 8, one of the world's newest and most advanced commercial passenger planes, and there is still no answer as to what caused the crash. "The draft of what will be conveyed by Boeing this morning has been presented to us", air accident investigator Nurcahyo Utomo said. However, a year ago Boeing had to briefly ground its 737 MAX fleet as discrepancies were found in its engines. Indonesia's transportation safety committee said it had agreed with Boeing on procedures that the airplane manufacturer should distribute globally on how flight crews can deal with the sensor problems. Southwest issued a statement saying it has thoroughly reviewed Boeing's guidance. Boeing's bulletin said it was directing flight crews to existing guidelines. The Indonesian Ministry of Transportation has begun an audit of Lion Air (JT, Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta) and has also started impromptu checks of various other Indonesian carriers following the crash of one of the low-priced carrier's B737-8s on October 29. Chairman Soerjanto Tjahjono said the airspeed indicator and sensor problems are related. If pilots aren't careful, they can cause severe nose-down trim settings that make it impossible to level a plane. Currently, Jet Airways and SpiceJet fly Boeing 737 MAX planes in India. Boeing issued a statement on an update to the 737 MAX flight manual on Tuesday, Nov. 6, a day after investigators discovered JT610's faulty airspeed indicator. The error erroneously tells pilots that there's a stall in airflow, triggering an automated system that points the plane downward in an effort to regain speed. Certainly, Indonesian search and rescue officials had trouble locating the wreck, despite encountering a large amount of wreckage in the four days leading up to the discovery of the fuselage. The Lion Air crash is the worst airline disaster in Indonesia since 1997, when 234 people died on a Garuda flight near Medan. Meanwhile, the search operation to recover the passengers, crew and the airplane's cockpit voice recorder is ongoing. Security forces fired tear gas after being stoned by bands of youths who took to the streets during a cordon and search operation in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, police said. The incident happened when the Rashtriya Rifles, the special operations group (SOG) of the police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) cordoned off Arihal village after learning about the presence of militants. "During the searches, village youths started pelting stones at the security forces who had to fire tear gas," a police officer said. --IANS sq/in/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) undertook a tour of the forward areas in Dau-Delal and Lohit valleys of Aruanachal Pradesh, a defence ministry release said on Thursday. Sitharaman on Wednesday first overflew the forward-most post of Rochcham near India-China border, and Hayuliang. At the forward post, the minister celebrated Diwali, distributed sweets to the troops and wished them happiness. She appreciated the zeal, enthusiasm and dedication of the troops who are stationed in the high mountainous areas to ensure the sanctity of Indian borders. At Hayuliang, the minister also interacted and distributed sweets to local civilians and GREF personnel. Sitharaman was accompanied by Lt. Gen. M.M. Naravana, General Officer Commanding-in-chief Eastern Command and Lt. Gen. Gopal R, General Officer Commanding Spear Corps. Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday called the note ban a "cruel conspiracy" and a "criminal financial scam". "November 8th will forever go down in the history of India, as a day of infamy," said Gandhi, adding that "note ban was a planned and cruel conspiracy. This scam was a scheme to launder black money of the Prime Minister's cronies," he said. The Congress chief said Modi's unilateral announcement two years ago brought the economy to a grinding halt and it didn't even have the "support of his own economic advisors". "Demonetisation was a tragedy. It is unique in the history of our tragedies because it was a self-inflicted, suicidal attack that destroyed millions of lives and ruined thousands of India's small businesses. The worst hit by demonetisation were the poorest of the poor, people who were forced to queue up for days for their meagre savings," he said in a statement. Gandhi reminded that over 120 people "died" in queues, and millions of small and medium businesses were smashed and the entire informal sector "devastated". "From a war against counterfeit currency and terrorism, to permanently removing the scourge of black money; from increasing savings to forcing a shift to digital transactions; not a single stated objective of the government's has been met," he said, adding "all that was accomplished was a disaster". He said demonetisation cost India over one-and-a-half million jobs and wiped out at least 1 per cent from the GDP. "On the second anniversary of the Prime Minister's monumental blunder, the government's spin-doctors, including our incompetent Finance Minister (Arun Jaitley), have the unenviable task of defending an indefensible -- the criminal policy. "India will discover, no matter how the government tries to hide it, that demonetisation wasn't just an ill-conceived and poorly executed economic policy, but a carefully planned, criminal financial scam," he added. --IANS and/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Modi government's "disastrous demonetisation" devastated crores of people dependent on daily cash transactions and helped to convert black money into white, the CPI-M said on Thursday. "On the second anniversary of demonetisation, the Indian economy is yet to recover from the disaster imposed on our economy and the people by Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi," the Communist Party of India-Marxist said in a statement. "All the claims that it would unearth lakhs of crores of rupees of black money and end corruption have proven to be utterly false. "On the contrary, with 99.4 per cent of the banned notes back in the system, it is clear that demonetisation has, in fact, been the avenue to convert black money into white, helping the most corrupt," it said. "On the other hand, crores of people dependent on daily cash transactions have been devastated and more than 35 lakh workers in the unorganized sector lost their livelihood. "Similarly, the SMEs (small and medium enterprises) have suffered a huge loss in revenue. Nor has there been any impact on terrorist activities due to funding crunch as claimed by Modi at that time. "On the contrary, official data reveals that incidents of terrorist attacks have more than doubled," the CPI-M said. The CPI-M also condemns the "shameless defence" being put out by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who is equally responsible for the mess in the Indian economy," the statement said. --IANS mr/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) DTC contractual workers on Thursday, the 18th day of their indefinite protest, appealed to the President of India to either intervene or allow them to commit suicide. "We have been sitting on a strike since October 22 and no authority has come forward to talk to us. Either you intervene in the Delhi government or grant us the permission to commit suicide," said DTC contractual drivers and conductors in a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind. The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) contractual drivers and conductors have been sitting on a strike to push the Delhi government for their demands for equal pay for equal work, job security, hiring back of the terminated contractual employees and a complete ban on privatisation of bus services. "Our demands are very basic, yet no one from the DTC management or the Delhi government has come forward to talk to us. Instead, they terminated jobs of protesting contractual workers," the letter said. --IANS sd/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A week-long photo exhibition on the life of Mahamata Gandhi has been inaugurated in the European Parliament here. The exhibition kicked off on Wednesday and has been organised by British Member of the European Parliament Geoffrey Van Orden, who is President of the European Parliament's delegation for relations with India, in collaboration with the Indian Embassy in Brussels. Van Orden described Mahamata Gandhi as "the most influential figures in international history". "He is a man who turned the politically unimaginable into the politically inevitable," Van Orden said. "To remind the world of the Gandhian ideals of truth and non-violence, the Indian government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched a worldwide two-year celebration of Gandhiji's l5Oth birth anniversary," said Indian Ambassador to the EU, Gaitri Issar Kumar. She said that the year 2018 has been an eventful year in the India-EU calendar. "India and the EU have worked together... to make the world a better place. And what better occasion than an exhibition on Mahatma Gandhi to remind ourselves of the potential of our joint efforts," Kumar said. Christian Leffler, Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service -- the external affairs arm of the European Union -- praised Mahamata Gandhi's leadership and said "he stands out as one of the giants among the leaders of mankind". The event witnessed a musical presentation by famous Belgian composer Hans Vermeersh who delighted the gathering with special Indian compositions. --IANS nawab/soni/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Thursday gave in-principle approval for complete disinvestment in Dredging Corporation of India Ltd (DCIL) to a consortium of four public port trusts. "The government has decided to fully disinvest its 73.44 per cent stake in the company to a consortium of four ports namely Vishakhapatnam Port Trust, Paradeep Port Trust, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and Kandla Port Trust," Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said. The approval will facilitate the linkage of dredging activities with the ports, keeping in view the role of the DCIL in expansion of dredging activity in the country as well as potential scope for diversification of ports into third party dredging, an official statement said. "The co-sharing of facilities between the company as well as ports shall lead to savings for ports," the Finance Ministry said in the statement. The Ministry said the decision will further provide opportunities for larger investment in DCIL as integration with ports shall help in effective vertical linkage in the value chain. DCI, established under the administrative control of the Ministry of Shipping in 1976, is a Mini Ratna public sector unit engaged in dredging Indian and foreign sea ports. --IANS mgu/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Human Rights Watch on Thursday denounced gender discrimination and sexual harassment in China's civil service and called on Beijing to put a stop to both. HRW discovered that in a recently-released list of nearly 10,000 civil service jobs, 19 per cent of the positions specified a preference or requirement for male candidates, while none stated a preference or requirement for females, Efe news reported. "This means that the Chinese government considers there to be many jobs that women cannot do or do as well as a man, but none only women can do," the NGO said in a statement. "Chinese law prohibits gender-based discrimination but discrimination in jobs is widespread in the country," according to the statement. "President Xi Jinping claims to uphold Chinese law but his administration won't even protect women civil servants from outrageous discrimination," said HRW China director Sophie Richardson while calling for an end to the practice. The 2019 National Civil Service Positions List included positions in the government, the Chinese Communist Party and other government-controlled political parties for the next year. This included some of the most competitive jobs in the country according to the HRW, as more than 1.4 million aspirants will compete for 14,500 vacancies with a relatively high salary, job security and health, retirement, housing and other benefits. The job listings often mention "frequent overtime work", "heavy workload" and "frequent travel" as reasons for excluding women, the report said. A position at the Tianjin Bureau of Post Service Management for "supervision and management of the post industry" stated the "need to carry out law enforcement and supervision work, heavy workload, suitable for men", HRW reported. The non-profit said that the Ministry of Public Security advertised 33 positions, out of which 27 were specified as "men only", making it one of the worst violators among central government agencies. The NGO also urged Chinese authorities to carry out "transparent and impartial" investigations into complaints of sexual harassment made by female civil servants and prosecute those found responsible. Some female administrators shared their experiences of being harassed by their superiors on social media and other forums and sought justice. "As China's growing #MeToo movement shows, Chinese women not only face unfair barriers to joining the civil service, but sexual harassment in those jobs," Richardson said. --IANS soni/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Union Cabinet on Thursday signed an agreement with Italy for training and education in the fields of labour and employment. Under the agreement, the two countries will engage in the exchange of training methodologies and trainers between them. In a statement issued by it, the government said that the agreement will "enhance the technical capabilities of developing and organising international training programmes and the evolution of V.V. Giri National Labour Institute (VVGNLI) as a leading training institution in the Asia-Pacific region." The VVGNLI,A located in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, had earlier signed an agreement with the International Training Centre-International Labour Organisation (ITC-ILO), Turin. The two have since collaborated on several similar activities, the government said. -- IANS vn/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ilhan Omar, a Somali refugee, won a House seat in a heavily-Democratic district in the Midwestern state of Minnesota, where she will succeed Keith Ellison, himself the first Muslim elected to Congress. Among those elected was Somali-American, Ilhan Omar, who easily won the election in Minnesota district. In 2016 the one-time refugee became the first Somali-American elected to a state legislature in the US when she won a seat in the Minnesota House from Minneapolis, which has a large Somali community. Omar, a Somali-American was once a refugee, while Tlaib is the first Pakistani-American woman in congress. Cody Fenwick is a reporter and editor. Tlaib, a Democrat from Detroit who is the daughter of Palestinian immigrants, ran unopposed in Michigan's 13th Congressional District to become one of the first Muslim women in Congress as well. Tlaib is also considered a Democratic Socialist. Talking to media outlet, Rashida Tlaib said: "The first thing I think about when somebody says you're going to be the first Muslim is celebrate this moment". After fleeing the country's civil war, she spent four years in a refugee camp before coming to the USA when she was 14. The Democrat lived at the Daad refugee camp in Kenya for four years and could not even speak English at the time she relocated to the US. Some analysts who have closely followed Washington politics say Tuesday night's election outcomes are unsurprising. Tlaib's win comes after the 2016 election of Trump spurred a record number of women to put their names on the ballot. America's first openly gay Governor, Jared Polis was elected to take the helms of Colorado, while Sharice Davids, became both the first Native American congresswoman and the first lesbian congresswoman from Kansas. She has said she would vote to impeach President Donald Trump if given the chance. General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GoC-in-C) Northern Command Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh on Thursday reviewed the security situation and operational preparedness of soldiers in Kishtwar and Suigarh sectors. Defence ministry spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Devender Anand said Gen Ranbir Singh, accompanied by the White Knight Corps Commander, Lieutenant General Paramjit Singh, visited hinterland posts of Kishtwar and Suigarh sector to review the operational preparedness. During the visit to the sectors, the Army Commander was briefed by officers, the spokesman said. He was updated by the White Knight Corps Commander on current internal security situation in the Kishtwar region and measures taken by the Army and the civil administration for controlling the situation. The Army Commander also interacted with Civil Administration Officials at Kishtwar who briefed on the internal security situation in the region, the spokesman said. The Army Commander expressed his condolences to the bereaved families and lauded the role played by the leaders of the region, elders, local populace and joint efforts of all security forces that help in maintaining peace in Kishtwar and adjoining areas, said the spokesman. "The Army Commander was also briefed on the actions being taken to ensure a robust counter-terrorist grid to ensure peace and stability in the region. He also interacted with the soldiers and complimented them for their professionalism, he said. The need to be prepared for effectively meeting emerging security challenges was also reinforced by the Army Commander during his interaction, said the spokesman. --IANS sq/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Microsoft is testing a "to-do" feature on Word that would enable users to come back to a document, view a list of their remaining to-dos, navigate to the right spot and fill-in additional information including images and charts to complete the document without confusion. "The new capabilities to Word would help users create and fill in the placeholders without leaving the flow of their work. They could type 'TODO: finish this section or <>' and Word would recognise and track them as to-dos," Jared Spataro, Corporate Vice President for Microsoft 365, wrote in a blog post on Wednesday. The test functionality, which is first reaching Office Insiders using Mac, would also allow co-workers and friends to complete the tasks mentioned in the to-do list. Users would have to mention them within a placeholder and Word would send them a notification with a deep link to the relevant place in the document so that they are able to insert their contributions which would be added directly into the document, Spataro added. Microsoft plans to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Office to help fill in information in left out placeholders. "In the next few months, Word will use Microsoft Search to suggest content for a to-do like <>. You will be able to pick from the results and insert content from another document with a single click," the post said. Microsoft said it would release the feature on Word for Windows, Mac and web very soon to all Office 365 subscribers. --IANS rp/gb/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Modi government has cravenly accepted the US sanctions on Iran because it is locked into a strategic embrace with Washington, the CPI-M has said. "There was no need for India to cravenly accept the US sanctions on Iran," said an editorial in the CPI-M journal "People's Democracy". "First of all, unlike the earlier UN sanctions, it has been unilaterally imposed by the US. Even its allies UK, France and Germany have refused to accept the sanctions... Russia and China are firmly opposed to the sanctions," it said. If India had wanted, it could have cooperated with all these major countries in order to ensure that its oil trade with Iran and other business investments could be carried on, argued the editorial. "This would have been the way to protect India's national interests. "But India is locked into a strategic embrace with the US due to the Modi government's eagerness to be a subordinate ally. "To defy the US sanctions and preserve its strategic autonomy would require a break from this strategic alliance - something which the Modi regime cannot even contemplate," it said. The Communist Party of India-Marxist said that despite its public posturing, the Modi government had caved in due to threats of US sanctions regarding oil imports from Iran. The US has re-imposed sanctions on Iran from November 5 on its oil trade, shipping and banking. Anyone entering into trade and business activities in these sectors with Iran are also liable to be sanctioned. India is the second largest buyer of oil from Iran after China. At present, Iran is the third largest supplier of oil to India. In the past six months, the US has been negotiating with India to cut oil imports from Iran. The editorial said that India had already made significant cuts in its crude oil imports from Iran. It has dropped from 690,000 barrels per day in May 2018 to around 400,000 barrels per day in August this year. When the US announced its intention to impose sanctions on Iran, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had declared that India would abide only by UN sanctions. "From then, to pleading for a waiver by accepting US terms to reduce oil imports from Iran by a third before sanctions came into place on November 5, reveals a steady succumbing to US pressure," the CPI-M said. --IANS mr/soni (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi and opposition leaders on Thursday greeted veteran BJP leader L.K. Advani on his 91st birthday, with Congress leader Siddaramaiah seeking his "guidance" to protect "our democracy which is in grave danger". Advani's impact on Indian was immense and he built the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and mentored party workers, selflessly and diligently, Modi tweeted. "His ministerial tenures are applauded for futuristic decision making and people-friendly policies. His wisdom is admired across the political spectrum," said Modi, who later called on Advani at his residence here. The former Deputy Prime Minister also received birthday wishes from Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley and Nitin Gadkari, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and former Karnataka Chief Minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah among others. Siddaramaiah tweeted: "Your guidance is required in protecting our democracy which is in grave danger, than in Marg-Darshak Mandal which do not respect your experience and seniority." --IANS spk/mr/soni (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor-filmmaker Andy Serkis' upcoming film "Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle" will get a theatrical release before streaming on Netflix online platform. The streaming platform said it will give the film a limited theatrical release from November 29 in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and London. And "Mowgli" will be screened globally on Netflix from December 7, it was announced by officials here. Netflix bought the film from Warner Bros. in July. The acquisition is believed to be one of Netflix's costliest ever purchases. Warner had planned to release the movie in October. The move is also in line with commitments to give theatrical releases to Alfonso Cuaron's "Roma," the Coen brothers' "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs" and "Bird Box." The film will see Serkis giving a radical spin to the classic Rudyard Kipling novel about a boy raised in the jungle and newcomer Rohan Chand in the title role. In an earlier interview to IANS, actress Freida Pinto, who plays a key role in the movie had said the makers are under pressure to make "Mowgli" acceptable in India with its darker theme. "There's a nice little surprise there for the Indian audience. It is a film that I am very proud of and also because it is a story we all grew up on," Freida said. The movie has voice and motion capture performances from Christian Bale Cate Blanchett, Benedict Cumberbatch, Naomie Harris and Serkis. It tells the story of an Indian boy named Mowgli, wandering in an enchanting Indian forest with an entourage of his animal friends and fighting for survival. Mowgli's adventures have made way for several adaptations like the popular eponymous 1967 animated film or Jon Favreau's re-imagination with the same name. However, Serkis' "Mowgli", starring Rohan Chand, will have shades of grey. "The film is darker, but is still positive. It is just more realistic with humans and a sense of mystery," the film's cinematographer Michael Seresin had told IANS. --IANS sim/rb/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday met Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda in Bengaluru in a bid to unite the opposition parties against the BJP ahead of the 2019 general elections. "The meeting with former Prime Minister Deve Gowda and Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy was an initial exercise to unite the opposition parties," Naidu told reporters after an hour-long meet at Gowda's residence in the city's southwestern suburb. The opposition parties will work together to "save" Indian democracy, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supremo said. "Under the NDA government, all autonomous institutions like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) have been destroyed," he added. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government's policies like demonetisation have thrown the country's economy into a crisis, Naidu claimed. "It is the responsibility of the opposition parties to join hands and save the democracy," he stressed. Naidu's meeting with the JD-S leaders comes a week after he met Congress President Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on November 1 as part of his effort to unify the opposition. "We discussed the future course of action for forging an alliance ahead of the 2019 general elections," Gowda told reporters after the meeting. The meeting with Naidu was to bring together the "secular forces" in the country, said Kumaraswamy. "Chandrababu Naidu is working hard, as a co-ordinator, to unite the secular parties ahead of the upcoming general elections. We (Naidu and JD-S leadership) share good political arithmetics and have been friends," the Chief Minister added. --IANS bha/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) NASA's Ralph, one of the most well-travelled scientific instrument, is set to explore Jupiter's Trojan asteroids aboard the Lucy spacecraft in 2021, the US space agency said. Ralph has made many discoveries since it first launched aboard the New Horizons spacecraft in 2006. Given a name and not an acronym, Ralph enables the study of the composition and atmospheres of celestial objects. In 2021, the Lucy spacecraft will carry a near-twin of Ralph, called L'Ralph ("Lucy Ralph"), to investigate Jupiter's Trojan asteroids, which are remnants from the early days of the solar system, NASA said in a statement on Wednesday. The L'Ralph instrument suite will study this diverse group of bodies. Lucy will fly by six Trojans and one Main Belt asteroid, more than any other previous asteroid mission. L'Ralph will detect the Trojan asteroids' chemical fingerprints, the statement said. L'Ralph allows scientists to interpret data provided by the Sun's reflected light that are the fingerprints of different elements and compounds. These data could provide clues about how organic molecules form in primitive bodies, a process that might also have led to the emergence of life on Earth. L'Ralph needs to have many capabilities in a small, light body structure to keep the spacecraft efficient and the mission productive. Its instrument suite contains the Multi-spectral Visible Imaging Camera (MVIC) and the Linear Etalon Imaging Spectral Array (LEISA), both of which are fed by the same optics, meaning that Ralph can observe both visible and infrared wavelengths. These dual capabilities are what makes Ralph and its cousin L'Ralph so special, according to Dennis Reuter, the instrument principal investigator for L'Ralph. "Most instruments can image visible or infrared wavelengths, but L'Ralph can do both," said Reuter. Compared to the Ralph that flies with New Horizons, Lucy's L'Ralph has enhanced technology. It can detect a broader spectrum of electromagnetic radiation, it has a moving mirror that reflects light into L'Ralph instead of requiring movements of the entire spacecraft. Ralph's infrared detectors are 2,000 pixels square, compared to New Horizons Ralph's 256 by 256, allowing for images with more detail. --IANS rt/mag/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump has said he will have lunch with Russian President Vladimir Putin among other leaders during his planned trip to Paris but no meeting was expected. Trump also revealed that he is likely to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un "early next year". "We will be having a lunch, but I'm sure many people will be there," said Trump on Wednesday at a press conference at the White House when asked if he will meet Putin in Paris, where over 60 leaders were expected to convene on Sunday to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of the World War I, Xinhua reported. "I don't think we have anything scheduled in Paris," said Trump, explaining that he didn't think there would be time set for any meeting given his short stay there. "We will very shortly meet again at the G20. And that's where we were actually looking forward to meet," Trump added. The Kremlin announced earlier on Wednesday that Putin and Trump will meet at a short working lunch in the Elysee Palace, with longer and more comprehensive talks expected at a summit of the Group of 20 countries at the end of this month in Argentina. Trump said that he expected to meet Kim Jong-un again "some time early next year," but insisted that the US is "in no rush" after talks between his top diplomat and a senior North Korean envoy were postponed. "We think it's going fine. We are in no rush," said Trump, commenting on current bilateral negotiations. Trump's remarks came less than a day after the US State Department announced that a scheduled high-level meeting between the two sides has been postponed. The expected Thursday meeting in New York between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Kim Yong Chol, vice chairman of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) Central Committee, "will now take place at a later date," Heather Nauert, the department spokesperson, said in a statement on Wednesday. Pompeo himself revealed in a Sunday interview that he expected some "real progress" in talks with Kim, including "an effort to make sure that the summit between the two leaders can take place." --IANS pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Normalcy was restored in poll-bound Mizoram on Thursday after two days of protests by NGOs and civil society groups demanding the ouster of the incumbent Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) and reinstatement of ousted Principal Secretary (Home). "On the last date of filing of nominations on Friday, the candidates are busy filing their papers in their respective constituencies," an official of the Mizoram Election Department said. Most candidates, including Chief Minister and Congress state party Chief Lal Thanhawla, could not file their nominations on Tuesday and Wednesday as the Mizoram NGO Coordination Committee (MNCC) spearheaded state-wide protests for the sacking of CEO S.B. Shashank after Principal Secretary (Home) Lalnunmawia Chuaungo was removed on an Election Commission order. The official said the MNCC, led by Mizoram's most powerful NGO, Young Mizo Association, temporarily called off their protests late Wednesday evening after Shashank left Aizawl for New Delhi to meet Chief Election Commissioner Om Prakash Rawat and others. "The Election Commission on Wednesday deputed a high-level team led by Deputy Election Commissioner Sudeep Jain to visit Mizoram on Friday to hold talks with all stake-holders," the official added. According to an official of the state election department, the Election Commission last week removed the Principal Secretary (Home) Lalnunmawia Chuaungo from his post for "dereliction of duty and interference in election process". The CEO in his report to the Election Commission reportedly said that Chuaungo was creating obstacles in allowing the Reang tribals, sheltered in Tripura for over 21 years, to vote in the November 28 polls to constitute the 40-member Assembly. The 35,000 Reang tribals, taking shelter in Tripura for over 21 years, have demanded setting up of polling stations in refugee camps so that they could cast their votes. The Reang tribal refugees, comprising 5,907 families, fled Mizoram and have been staying in Tripura's Kanchanpur and Panisagar sub-divisions since October 1997 following ethnic tension after a Mizo forest official was killed. Meanwhile, the MNCC in a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner said that the Election Commission must stick to the written commitment made by the poll panel in April 2014. "The EC had made a written commitment before the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections that a provision would be made to ensure that the Reang tribal refugees, sheltered in Tripura, are able to vote within Mizoram in future polls," said the MNCC letter, which was submitted to the three-member EC team that visited the state on Tuesday and Wednesday and held meetings with the leaders of the MNCC, church bodies, poll officials and civil and police officers to normalise the situation. The three-member EC team comprised Jharkhand CEO L. Khiangte, Election Commission Director Nikhil Kumar and Commission Secretary S.B. Joshi. The Election Commission in a statement on Wednesday said that the Commission expects that keeping with the ethos and tradition of peaceful society in Mizoram, all stakeholders, would sincerely work together so that no such incident recurs in future during the entire election process. --IANS sc/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The second anniversary of on Thursday saw the Congress leading the opposition assault on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "wrecking" the economy with his "reckless" move even as the BJP defended it saying it sought to "formalise the economy". Congress President Rahul Gandhi said the ban on Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes was a "cruel conspiracy" and a "money laundering scheme" meant to help the Prime Minister's cronies. "Prime Minister's monumental blunder, the government's spin doctors, including our incompetent Finance Minister, have the unenviable task of defending an indefensible, criminal policy," he said in a statement. "India will discover, no matter how much the government tries to hide it, that wasn't just an ill-conceived and poorly executed economic policy with 'innocent intent', but a carefully planned, criminal financial scam," he said. In a scathing indictmnet, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the "havoc" unleashed by on the economy and society was evident to everyone and that its "deeper ramifications were still unravelling". Calling the decision "ill-fated and ill-thought", the renowned economist asked the Modi government to refrain from any further unorthodox, short-term economic measures that could further dent the economy and financial markets. "Today is a day to remember how economic misadventures can roil the nation for a long time," he said, asserting that the economy was yet to "recover from the demonetisation shock". Observing that the full impact of the demonetisation was yet to be understood and experienced, Singh urged the government to restore certainty and visibility in economic policies. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal too lashed out at Modi. Trinamool Congress supremo Banerjee accused Modi of cheating the nation and ruining the economy with the "demonetisation scam". "Though the list of financial scams of Modi government is endless, demonetisation was a self inflicted deep wound on Indian economy which even two years later remains a mystery why the country was pushed into such a disaster," said Kejriwal. CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury accused Modi of "single-handedly destroying the economy, lives and livelihoods. "Modi and his minions claimed demonetisation will end black money, finish corruption, terminate terrorism, and bring only digital transactions. Two years later, Modi is silent," he said. DMK President M.K. Stalin and PMK leader S. Ramadoss also flayed the "demonetisation disaster". Amid the opposition's attacks, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley sought to justify demonetisation saying its objective was not confiscation of currency but to move towards a more formal economy that he claimed was paying rich dividends. He said a shake-up was essential to make India move from cash to digital transactions that would have an "impact on higher tax revenue and a higher tax base". Demonetisation was a key step in a chain of important decisions taken by the government to formalise the economy, he said, arguing that it will lead to more revenue and more resources for the poor, better infrastructure and a better quality of life for the citizens. The Congress ridiculed Jaitley for being "an apologist of an arrogant Prime Minister". "The Finance Minister should stay away from defending the decision as he was never consulted before when it was taken. His defences are an insult to the people of the nation who suffered countless miseries," said Congress leader Anand Sharma. A host of Union Ministers including Prakash Javadekar, Dharmendra Pradhan and Radha Mohan Singh hailed Modi for the demonetisation and attacked the opposition for criticising the move. Tamera Mowry is desperately searching for her niece who was at the college bar where a gunman opened fire and brutally killed 12 people. The rampage killed at least 13 people, including a sheriff's sergeant, and injured multiple others. Earlier Thursday, Alaina's roommate posted a message on Twitter, which said that her friends had gone out dancing and, "My suitemate is still missing, she is wearing denim shorts, a blue flannel and sneakers, pls let me know if you know anything", the actress addressed her directly, writing, "Ashely this is her aunt Tamera Mowry Housley. Can you please DM me your information?" Two of her friends were able to escape by jumping through a broken window, they are now being treated at the hospital with severe injuries. According to the Napa Valley Register, Alaina graduated from Vintage High a year ago, before becoming a student at Pepperdine University, where her suitemate had tweeted a photo of her earlier in the day, saying she hadn't come home from the bar. Housley arrived at the Los Robles Regional Medical Center around 3:30 a.m. this morning looking for his niece, 18-year-old Pepperdine freshman Alaina Housley, according to the Los Angeles Times. Housley reportedly was turned away because the hospital was on lockdown. Mowry-Housley replied to the tweet, saying Housley was her niece. Adam told The Times that his gut "is saying she's inside the bar, dead", but he later tweeted that he is "staying positive and praying and hoping and wishing there was more I could do". "I'm hoping I'm wrong", Housley said at the time. He noted that his niece's Apple devices showed the bar's dance floor as her current location. "We love you!", she added along with a sweet snapshot with the missing girl. She knew that her niece was at the bar but hadn't heard from her in hours. "Housley said two of Alaina's suitemates jumped through a broken window to escape and are at a hospital with major glass wounds". US Vice President Mike Pence is set to visit Japan next week and discuss issues related to North Korea with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, it was announced here on Thursday. Pence will stop in Japan on his way to Singapore, where he will participate in a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which will begin on Tuesday, Efe news reported. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga confirmed Pence's visit to Tokyo and his meeting with Abe next Tuesday before the US leader leaves for Singapore on the same day. Suga said that the meeting will be a good opportunity to strengthen bilateral relations on pressing issues like North Korea. The minister did not give details of the topics to be discussed, although Tokyo has been closely following the process of North Korea's denuclearization, an initiative of the US administration led by President Donald Trump. Japan has also sought international support for demanding a resolution of the kidnapping of at least 17 Japanese citizens by North Korean agents between 1977-1983. Pence will arrive in Tokyo days after Washington postponed a meeting between US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a North Korean delegation. The aim of the meeting, scheduled to be held in New York, was to prepare for a second summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, for which the date and venue are yet to be decided. Suga refused to comment on the results of the US mid-term elections and said the US-Japan alliance remained firm. In a press conference on Wednesday, Trump alleged that Japan did not treat the US "fairly" in their trade relations. "They send in millions of cars at a very low tax. They don't take our cars," he said. --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pilgrims who have come for the Goverdhan puja and the special bath on Yam Dwitiya are anguished over the state of the Yamuna river here. The black water and the stink from rotting fish has fouled up the in Mathura that attracts lakhs of people for the festivals after Diwali. The reported discovery of oily waste in Yamuna in Mathura has sent alarm bells ringing as hydro-carbons can prove carcinogenic, according to experts. Activists have raised an accusing finger at the Mathura Oil refinery but the charges are unsubstantiated. In last few days, thousands of fish have been found dead, floating on the surface. The stink from the dead fish has been a cause for concern. Local authorities have now demanded release of water from upstream barrages, to dilute the pollutants. Mathura District Magistrate Sarvagya Ram Mishra said more water would be released and the problem would be addressed for the convenience of pilgrims. After a fairly good monsoon this year, the Yamuna was flowing full to the brim. "But suddenly after four months, the water seems to have disappeared and islands are now popping up. What flows in the name of water is essentially waste, sewer, effluents from industrial towns in Haryana and Delhi. This liquid has killed all aqua life. Even bacteria is finding it difficult to survive," said Jagan Nath Poddar, an activist in Vrindavan. Millions of Sri Krishna bhakts who revere Yamuna as the consort of Krishna are in anguish at the state of a holy river. "(The) Yogi (Adityanath) government has so far done nothing to save the river. (Union Minister) Nitin Gadkiri had promised us a ferry service, motor boats will transport tourists from Delhi to Agra," said a member of River Connect Campaign in Agra. The activists have been agitating since April 2015 through a daily Arti Sabha at the Etmauddaula view point park, demanding a barrage on Yamuna downstream of the Taj Mahal, and release of water from upstream barrages for the safety of Mughal monuments including the Taj Mahal. "The situation is extremely grim," said Shravan Kumar Singh, of the Braj Mandal Heritage Conservation Society. --IANS bk/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Coming down heavily on the Narendra Modi government for making efforts to "capture" the RBI, Congress leader and former Union finance minister P Chidambaram on Thursday said the chain of events could "irretrievably damage" the credibility and reputation of the apex bank. Chidambaram alleged the Modi government demanded Rs 1 lakh crore from the reserves of the RBI in desperation as it wanted money to "step up expenditure in an election year" and found all other "avenues closed". "As things stand today, the government will not be able to meet the fiscal deficit target of 3.3 per cent in 2018-19. Besides, the government wants money to step up expenditure in an election year. "Finding all other avenues closed, in desperation the government demanded Rs 1 lakh crore from the reserves of the RBI. When the RBI governor (Urjit Patel) refused to oblige, the government took the extraordinary and unprecedented step of invoking section 7 of the RBI Act," Chidambaram told mediapersons. "If the governor stands his ground, as our hope is he will, the government is planning to issue a direction to the RBI under section 7 directing the RBI to transfer Rs 1 lakh crore into the government's account. "In that event, the governor has only two options. One, to transfer the money, or two, resign. "In my view, whichever option is taken by the governor, it will irretrievably damage the credibility and reputation of the RBI. It will also mean capture of the RBI by the government. One more crucial institution will fall from grace," he said. Chidambaram said November 19 would be the day of reckoning, as the RBI board is scheduled to meet on that day. He alleged the government has packed the RBI board with its handpicked nominees, and is "making every effort to ram through its proposal" at the board meeting. "The consequences of demonetisation have been catastrophic. ... Let's wait and see, whether there will be another catastrophe on November 19," he said on the second anniversary of the demonetisation exercise carried out by the Modi government. Replying to a query, Chidambaram said if the government followed through on section 7 of the RBI Act, and issued a direction to the RBI, "it will lead to a catastrophe". "This government does not know what catastrophic consequences there will be, if the RBI either defies the government, or the RBI governor resigns. In either event, the consequences will be catastrophic". Chidambaram hoped better sense will prevail between now and Nov 19. "But all the information I am getting is the government is determined through its handpicked nominees to force its decision upon the RBI board," he said. Refering to former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan, Chidambaram said he has pointed out that the RBI board was not like of the board of directors of a company. "RBI is not a company. It is not a board-managed company. The powers of RBI have to be vested in the governor, and the governor has to exercise those powers. THe RBI board is to give advise and guidance. "But if the government converts the RBI into a board or a company, and treat it as a board-managed company, and ram through its decisions through the board, the consequences will be catastrophic. I don't want to spell out the consequences, but it will be truly catastrophic," he added. --IANS bdc-ssp/prs (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.) Spain's Carlos Ribadas stunned eighth seed and local boy Ramit Tandon 7-11, 4-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 in a thrilling five-set squash contest of the $30,000 PSA tournament, the Kolkata International, here on Thursday. Ramit won the first two games with his good shot selection, but in the third game Carlos (World No. 96) came back with full force and started picking all the shots better. Ramit, ranked 68 in the world, was also guilty of making a lot of unforced errors thus losing the next two games. The decider was almost going neck and neck but Carlos started dominating and won the fifth game 11-7. Carlos will meet third seed Youssef Soliman of Egypt on Friday. In other matches, the Egyptian pair of world No. 27 Zahed Salem and world No. 34 Youssef Soliman brushed aside Michael Mccue and Addeen Idrakie with ease while Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu, ranked 59, got the better of Ahmed Hosny 11-1, 12-10, 12-14, 5-11, 11-8. Todd Harrity (World No. 48) of the USA beat Martin Svec of the Czech Republic 11-9, 7-11, 11-2, 11-5. The event is a part of the 225th anniversary celebrations of the club. A total of 24 players will take part in the five-day tourney. The final will be held on November 11. Top seed and world No. 11 Saurav Ghosal is the defending champion of the meet last held in 2015. The 32-year-old beat former World No.1 Marwan ElShorbagy in the final three years back here. --IANS dm/gau/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Meghalaya women's rights activist, Agnes Kharshiing, and her two companions were brutally assaulted in a coal belt area in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district on Thursday. Medical officials at the North East Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health Medical Sciences said that Kharshiing is in a critical condition with cut injuries on her skull bone. Her companion Amita Sangma also suffered severe injuries besides their driver E Kurbah, who is also para legal volunteer. Both are admitted in NEIGRIHMS "A group of 30-40 people, including women who are mostly dealing with coal trade, attacked us at Lum Sohshrew area around the coal depots after Kharshiing went and lodged a complaint at the Lad Rymbai police station on the illegal mining and transportation of coal in the district," Kurbah said. The NGT had ordered an interim ban on "rat-hole" coal mining in Meghalaya from April 17, 2014, after the All Dimasa Students' Union and the Dima Hasao District Committee filed an application before the tribunal alleging that the water of the Kopili river was turning acidic due to coal mining in the Jaintia Hills. "We were waylaid by a three to four vehicles and they later dragged us out of the vehicle. They snatched away our mobile phones. They kicked and punched us and Kharshiing was hit by a log from behind. It was a scary incident. I managed to escape from the scene after pleading with the attackers to leave me alone. I informed police personnel at Lad Jowai," Kurbah said. R Chandranathan, who took over as Meghalaya police chief on Thursday, told IANS that he has directed the local police to register a case and bring the perpetrators to book. "A police officer of the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police will investigate the incident," Chandranathan said. The attack on Kharshiing, who is also the chairperson of Civil Society Women's Organisation, an influential women's group, was the second attack on social activist in East Jaintia Hills district. On March 19 this year, RTI activist, Poipynhun Majaw, who was the president of the Jaintia Youth Federation was attacked and found murdered in Khliehriat, the district headquarters of East Jaintia Hills. Meanwhile, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma strongly condemned the incident of attack on Agnes Kharshiing and her team. "We have issued necessary directions to the police and district administration to investigate the matter and arrest those behind the attack. Civil Society plays an important role in a democratic system as they are instrumental in highlighting the concerns of the people." Sangma said in a statement. "Violence in any form will not be tolerated and the government will take all necessary steps to ensure that those behind the attack are brought to justice," the statement said. --IANS rrk/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court's firecracker ban on Diwali was violated with impunity across Delhi and NCR on Wednesday with people bursting crackers till late into the night leading to a thick haze on Thursday morning and air quality dipping six times from the normal. The police admitted there were violations, and that they would take serious legal action against firecracker sellers. The police said it seized over 1,300 kg of firecrackers during the overnight operation on Diwali across the national capital, arrested over 300 people and registered more than 600 FIRs. The Supreme Court had allowed bursting of firecrackers from 8 pm to 10 pm on Diwali. It had also allowed manufacturing and sale of only "green crackers", which have a low light and sound emission and contain less harmful chemicals. The court had asked the police to ensure that banned firecrackers were not sold and said in case of any violation, the station house officer (SHO) of the police station concerned would be held personally liable. Any violation would amount to committing contempt of court, the apex court had warned. "The Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi and the National Capital Region between 8 and 9 p.m. on Wednesday was recorded around 150-160. It continued to rise and crossed 250 (severe category) by 3 a.m. It crossed 300 (very severe category) by 6 a.m.," an official of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) told IANS. "The AQI index increased because of firecrackers," said the official. The official said the CSE has not taken a firm stand on firecrackers this time. "But we can says the pollution level was 6.5 times higher in Delhi and NCR than the standard (60) category from Diwali night to Thursday morning," said the official. Delhiites continued to burst firecrackers on Diwali long after the 10 p.m. deadline. Despite stringent rules, the people managed to buy firecrackers illegally from the sellers in neighbourhood markets. Violations of the Supreme Court order were reported from IP Extension, Mayur Vihar's Phase-I, II and Extension in east Delhi, Lajpat Nagar in south Delhi, Lutyens Delhi, Dwarka in west Delhi and most of the sectors in Noida. "We received 1,400 PCR (Police Control Room) calls between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning about firecracker bursting. By and large the people did not violate the Supreme Court rules, but there were some incidents. As our police personnel were patrolling the whole night, we booked the violators," Delhi Police spokesperson Madhur Verma said. Over 700 kg of firecrackers were seized from south Delhi, 140 kg from North West Delhi, 200 kg from Dwarka, 278 kg from South East and 72 kg form North Delhi, police said. The Delhi Fire Service (DFS) department said it received 501 calls within 32 hours -- between midnight on Wednesday and 8 a.m. on Thursday. The number of calls was the highest since 2007, the DFS said. The number of calls received by DFS during Diwali was 204 in 2017 and 243 in 2016, 290 in 2015, 211 in 2014, 177 in 2013, 184 in 2012, 206 in 2011, 169 in 2010, 207 in 2009, 158 in 2008 and 184 in 2007. Chief fire officer Atul Garg told IANS the fire-related calls were received from across the national capital and the peak time was from 6 p.m. on Wednesday to 6 a.m. on Thursday. "A total of 223 calls were received during this period," he said. --IANS rak/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Multiple people were injured in a shooting at a local bar in the US state of California on Thursday, authorities said. "Ongoing active shooter incident reported at Borderline in City of Thousand Oaks," the Ventura County Fire Department tweeted. The gunman was still on the loose, reported ABC7 Eyewitness News, which showed images of the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, surrounded by dozens of police vehicles. There were reports of pools of blood in the area and responders attending to one injured person outside the venue. A witness described to ABC7 Eyewitness News hearing at least 12 shots before he escaped out the door, with a security guard down on the floor injured. He said the gunman set off smoke grenades inside before opening fire. Another witness said he saw a security guard being shot as well as a female cashier. --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Telecom service providers have informed the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) about the sites to excercise the Proof of Concept (POC) of the new non-Aadhaar KYC process. Each operator would carry out the process at two sites, as per a DoT notification. The notification dated November 6 said that Bharti Airtel would carry out the process at Delhi and Meerut while Reliance Jio has listed two sites in Mumbai. Vodafone Idea, the newly merged entity would perform the exercise at Delhi and Baramati in Maharastra. The other private player Tata Teleservices has listed two sites in Haryana for the Proof of Concept exercise. Among the public sector players, BSNL would carry out the process at two sites in Telangana, while MTNL has listed Mumbai and Delhi for the same. "Based on the POC results, further directions for any change in the process, if any, will be issued on the subject," the notification said. As per the alternate digital KYC process proposed by the telecom industry, the Customer Appliation Form (CAF) is to be embedded with live photograph of subscriber along with the original proof of indentity (POI) and proof of address (POA) document thereby digitizing the end-to-end process, it said. According to the department, the entire process shall only be used through the authenticated applications hosted by the licensees. DoT further said that "only two mobile conections shall be provided per day per POI/POA document to a customer by a licensee". The proposed process would be applicatble to each connection, it added. The DoT had asked the telecom operators to be ready with the alternate KYC process by November 5, in line with the Supreme Court's verdict on September 26, in which the apex court disallowed private entities from possessing the Aadhaar details of their customers. --IANS rrb/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Oscar-winning actor Eddie Redmayne, whose forthcoming film "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald" courted controversy for allegedly "airbrushing" a key character's sexuality, feels the world is changing for better for the LGBTQ community, but there are some prejudices that still prevail universally. "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald" stirred up a row when director David Yates mentioned that Hogwarts school headmaster Albus Dumbledore's sexuality would "not explicitly" be addressed in the film. It received backlash from the "Harry Potter" fans, saying the makers are trying to "airbrush" his sexuality. Redmayne has now addressed the whole issue, saying the film is not trying to hide anything. "The progress within the LGBTQ community internationally has been at different stages in different countries in different parts of the world," Redmayne said here while addressing the controversy around it. "And there is still quite a lot of prejudice against many people within that community all over the world, in this country and in my country (UK). But that is certainly not for J.K. Rowling," added the actor during a roundtable discussion here while promoting the Warner Bros Pictures project, which will open in India on November 16. Along with exploring a complex storyline and setting pace for the future, Redmayne's film "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald" will also go back in the past to tease Dumbledore's sexuality. The actor, who will be back as magizoologist Newt Scamander in the second part of the franchise, says the film will highlight "extraordinary intimacy" between Dumbledore, essayed by Jude Law, and Gellert Grindelwald. "Rowling has said that Dumbledore is gay and that was controversy because David said that it will not be explicitly shown. You don't see them kiss in the film. But it is very clear that they have... You see extraordinary intimacy and love in a brief moment." "We will see more of their relationship (in the future)," he added. Redmayne, who was applauded from all quarters for telling the story of a Danish painter finding his sexual identity despite the strong social stigma in "The Danish Girl", considers movies to be more than a medium to tell stories. "Film is a way in which stories and people's lives are communicated. I think it is important in that sense because in that people connect with the stories that they wouldn't necessarily connect otherwise." At the moment, Redmayne is excited about "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald", which is the second in the planned five movies spin-off franchise from the "Harry Potter" films. The first part "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" came out in 2016. "The first film was really about finding the character. It was really a specific script (with details) about the way he moved, the way he walked, he wouldn't look people in the eye and some of the things that he said what reminded me of someone with mild Asperger syndrome. "So, I did a little research in that world, but I wasn't told about it. Also the term Asperger was not there in 1920s. The other thing was that I met trackers -- who follow creatures for a living. The way they move and the way they talk, that was kind of interesting." According to Redmayne, who won an Academy Award for his portrayal as Stephen Hawking in "The Theory Of Everything", the amazing thing that Rowling does is that she creates these fantastical worlds and characters "who are always so grounded in real(ity)". The film also features Johnny Depp, Katherine Waterston, Alison Sudol, Dan Fogler, Ezra Miller, Claudia Kim, Zoe Kravitz, Callum Turner, William Nadylam and Brontis Jodorowsky. It will release in India in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. (Sugandha Rawal was in Los Angeles at the invitation of Warner Bros. Pictures. She can be contacted at sugandha.r@ians.in) --IANS sug/rb/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) For example, health officials in Uganda have continuously screened individuals crossing the border from the DRC; however, according to the Ministry of Health, they have now instituted the vaccination of health care workers. It follows the influx of refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo who are fleeing violence. The Ebola virus is highly contagious and causes a range of symptoms including fever, vomiting, diarrhea, generalized pain or malaise and in many cases internal and external bleeding. The minister explained that the vaccine is only available for frontline health workers who are at high risk of contracting EVD as they manage suspected cases. This particular vaccine is now being administered in DRC and is demonstrating positive protective results and potency against the Ebola virus-Zaire type. It is the first time the vaccine has been offered before an Ebola outbreak even starts. The strategy in Uganda involves an experimental vaccine, which officials say will not be given to the public. The individuals in DRC who have been in contact with an Ebola patient have been vaccinated and those in contact with these contacts have also been vaccinated. No cases have been reported in Uganda so far, but health care workers in high-risk districts bordering the Congo are getting vaccinated as a precaution, health officials said. The conflict slows healthcare workers' attempts to fight the virus. It is the tenth outbreak of Ebola in the country, then called Zaire, where the disease was first detected in 1976. An outbreak in the western part of the country was declared over in July, after infecting 53 people and killing 33.Just days later, the current outbreak was discovered across the vast Central African nation, in a region that has been at the heart of multiple conflicts.Maggie FoxMaggie Fox is senior writer for NBC News and TODAY, writing top news and analysis on health policy, science, medical treatments and disease. Uganda was affected before in 2000 and 2001 where the infection killed 261 and infected 574 individuals. "The virus has killed 186 people in the North Kivu and Ituri regions, while 88 others have been cured, " the ministry said on Monday. Once infected only management available is supportive therapy. The vaccine is only used under "compassionate use" although it is not commercially licensed. Film: "Thugs of Hindostan"; Director: Vijay Krishna Acharya; Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Katrina Kaif, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Ronit Roy, Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub, Sharat Saxena and Lloyd Owen; Rating: ***1/2 A straight-laced fiction mounted in a historical set-up, director Vijay Krishna Acharya's "Thugs of Hindostan" is a sprawling, ambitious 164-minute epic action adventure. The story begins Circa 1795 when the British East India Company tries to annex the princely state of Ronakpur. When negotiations fail, they assassinate its ruler Mirza (Ronit Roy) and his son Aslam. Mirza's trusted Lieutenant Khudabaksh Azaad (Amitabh Bachchan) escapes from the British's bullets, taking along with him Mirza's young daughter Zafira. Khudabaksh aka Azaad along with his band of Thugs, give a tough time to the foreigners as they aspire to free the country. Threatened by Azaad's growing popularity, the British engage Firangi Mallah (Aamir Khan), a small-time but ambitious con man, to locate and capture Azaad. Everything about this film is in capital letters preceded by articles; the story befitting the intertextual clash of the good against evil, the mounting on the massive scale and casting of the leads. While the two legendary icons of the Indian screen are pitted against each other, Aamir Khan steals the show with his flamboyance. He is the pulsating heart of the narrative. He brings his character to life with his energetic on-screen presence, priceless expressions on his visage, flawless dancing and agility during the action scenes. While he is charming and convincing as an actor, his lines are bogged down by the superficiality of the character that makes him seem forced and a bit hollow, especially after his repeated cycle of smarts and tactics. Amitabh Bachchan as Khudabaksh, a loyal guard-cum-protector of Zafira, is a character we have seen in some of his earlier films too. Luckily for him, his character stands out due to his sheer personality. Katrina Kaif as Suraiya the dancer, is fabulous. She impresses us with her graceful and elegant dance moves, especially in the song "Suraiya jaan". Fatima Sana Shaikh as the warrior Zafira is impressive. So is Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub, who plays Firangi Mallah's friend Shanichar and Lloyd Owen as John Clive, the head of the British East India Company. They all leave an impact with their acting chops. Visually, the film is magnificently mounted with visual and special effects. Manush Nandan's cinematography captures the era created by Sumit Basu's production design, costumes and locales to perfection. Each frame is a masterpiece, be it the wide angle shots or the close-ups. The live action shots are seamlessly meshed with the computer generated images by editor Ritesh Soni. The action sequences along with the stunts and dances are all astutely choreographed. The songs "Vashmalle", "Suraiya jaan" and "Manzoor-e-Khuda", blend into the narrative flawlessly. While the first half is racy, the second half especially the climax and denouement drags a bit. Overall, this film is worth a watch for Aamir Khan's performance. --IANS troy/rb/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tamil Nadu Law Minister C.V. Shanmugam on Thursday compared the scenes in the actor Vijay-starred movie 'Sarkar' with terrorist activity aimed at instigating violence against the state government. His remarks came even as AIADMK supporters protested outside theatres in Madurai, Coimbatore and in Chennai which screened the movie. Speaking to reporters, Shanmugam -- without naming anyone -- said the movie producer, hero and the theratre owners screening 'Sarkar, would face legal action. Shanmugam was angry as there is a scene in the movie where the hero throws out some of the items given by the state government as freebies and burning them. According to Shanmugam, the actor is instigating violence against the government "under the guise of the movie." While the DMK government headed by M. Karunanidhi in Tamil Nadu gave TV sets free to the poor, the AIADMK headed by J. Jayalalithaa went further and gave fans, mixer-grinder and suchlike gratis to the poor. Shanmugam said he suspects if the actor has links with overseas organisations wanting to throw out a duly elected government in the state. Meanwhile, PMK founder S.Ramadoss wondered whether director A.R. Murugadoss and hero Vijay should not have social responsibility when they speak about political responsibility in the movie. Ramadoss said the movie has scenes in which Vijay was shown smoking. He said while Vijay in the movie fights against bogus voting, "should he not have the social responsibility of not keeping smoking scenes in the movie?" Ramadoss quoted data to say that about 12 lakh people die from smoking in India per year and in Tamil Nadu alone, the figure is about one lakh per year. The PMK leader said in Tamil Nadu boys in the age group 10-17 start smoking and that Vijay's fans also fall under that age group. Ramdoss said Vijay should have propagated the anti-smoking message. --IANS vj/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump has fired Attorney General Jeff Sessions a day after midterms, wrestling back control of the Russia probe by getting rid of the man who supported it, and choosing the one who has said all negative things about the investigation. "At your request I am submitting my resignation," Sessions wrote in a letter to White House chief of staff John Kelly on Wednesday. "We thank Attorney General Jeff Sessions for his service, and wish him well!" tweeted Trump, who has repeatedly criticised his top law enforcement official after he recused himself from the Russia investigation. Trump said Sessions would temporarily be replaced by his chief of staff, Matthew Whitaker, who has slammed the Russia inquiry if not like Trump's 160 times but enough to make the President happy, the CNN reported. On Tuesday after the voters chose a divided government by handing the House majority back to Democrats, the CNN said Trump made his hallmark -- the sort of I-do-what-feels-right-when-it-feels-right" move -- just like it has been over the past three years. And with the firing of Sessions, Trump appeared got back operational control of special counsel Robert Mueller's probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election and the possibility of collusion between Trump's campaign and a foreign power. Whitaker could hold the AG's post for roughly 200 days because he has not been confirmed previously by the Senate. But it is his job in the next 100 days that would be crucial for Trump. The acting AG has already openly criticised the breadth of Mueller's probe and even mused on this chain of events in a 2017 interview with CNN. "I could see a scenario where Jeff Sessions is replaced, it would recess appointment and that attorney general doesn't fire Bob Mueller, but he just reduces his budget to so low that his investigations grinds to almost a halt." Given Whitaker's past comments, Democrats immediately called on him to recuse himself from oversight of the Muller probe. During a press conference on Wednesday, Trump said: "I stay away from it (Russia probe). But you know what I do? I let it just go on. They're wasting a lot of money, but I let it go on, because I don't want to do that. But you're right; I could end it right now. I could say, 'That investigation is over.'" --IANS in/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Chinese home renovation company made its workers drink urine, eat cockroaches and had them whip each other for "underperformance". A video circulated on the Chinese social media has many expressing anger and disgust over the act which occurred in the southwestern province of Guizhou. While two workers were seen holding their nose as they gulped down cups of urine, others lashed each other with belts. This was done in full public view. According to the Global Times, the employees were forced to drink toilet water and eat cockroaches. Some workers had to shave their heads for allegedly not completing the task. --IANS gsh/soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday expressed thanks to the Delhi MLAs for their contribution to the state's Disaster Relief Fund in the wake of floods. In a letter to Speaker Ram Niwas Goel, Vijayan thanked the MLAs for showing empathy towards the flood victims. "I would like to express my gratitude on behalf of the people of Kerala for the contribution of Rs 32,28,000 made by the Members of Delhi Assembly towards the Chief Minister's Disaster Relief Fund. "The extent of compassion and care shown by the government and the people of Delhi in the hour of crisis and calamity is heartening," Vijayan wrote. In August, Kerala witnessed the worst floods in a century. Aam Aadmi Party MLAs had decided to donate a month's salary to the flood-hit state. The Delhi government had also donated Rs 10 crore to flood-ravaged Kerala. --IANS nks/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with visiting Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel here on Thursday, calling on the two countries to cherish and write a new chapter in their traditional friendship. During their talks, Xi pledged that China would continue to support Cuba where possible, calling it a "great and remarkable country" that had overcome obstacles to chart its own path, state broadcaster CCTV reported. The two leaders met at the colossal Great Hall of the People, where they reviewed Chinese troops in a welcome ceremony. Diaz-Canel, who began his three-day visit to China on Tuesday, also held a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang with the aim of consolidating bilateral ties, according to Efe news. Diaz-Canel told Li that he wished for the new generations of Chinese and Cubans to continue to consolidate ties between their countries, according to a tweet by the Cuban Foreign Ministry. Earlier, Diaz-Canel met the chairman of the standing committee of the National People's Congress, Li Zhanshu, and expressed his respect, admiration and love for the people of China. The Cuban leader had also met Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang. In 1960, Cuba became the first Latin American country to establish diplomatic ties with the People's Republic of China, which formally came into being in 1949. China has traditionally supported Cuba in international forums such as the UN, where it has called for the lifting of the US' embargo against the Caribbean country. In 2017, trade between the two nations was valued at around $2 billion. --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Yemen's internationally-backed President Abdu-Rabbu Mansour Hadi on Thursday appointed a new Defence Minister to lead the country's armed forces. According to state-run Saba news agency, Hadi issued a presidential decree and appointed Lt. Gen. Mohamed Ali Al-Maqdishi to the top post. The country's armed forces have remained without a Defence Minister for more than three years following the detention of the former minister Mahmoud Subaihi in March 2015 by the Houthi rebels near the southern port city of Aden. In Hadi's another presidential decree, Abdullah Salim Nakhi was named the country's new Chief of Staff, Saba reported. In addition, Ahmed Salim Rubea was appointed the new Governor of the Aden, which is considered Yemen's temporary capital. The appointment of new military commanders coincided with the ongoing military operations aimed at liberating the strategic port city of Hodeidah and other areas from the control of the Houthis. The Houthis, aligned with Iran, launched a big military campaign and seized the capital Sanaa in late 2014, forcing Hadi and his government to flee to Aden. The pro-Houthi forces backed by armoured vehicles attacked Aden later and shelled Hadi's Presidential Palace, leading to his exile in neighbouring Saudi Arabia. In March 2015, Saudi Arabia led a pan-Arab coalition to intervene militarily and began to pound the Houthi-controlled Sanaa, in response to an official public request from Hadi to protect Yemen and roll back Iran's influence. The internal military conflict between the Iran-backed Houthis and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government entered its fourth year, aggravating the suffering of the Yemenis and deepening the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The ongoing fighting between the two warring rivals with daily Saudi-led airstrikes plunged the most impoverished Arab country in the Middle East into more chaos and violence. Three quarters of the population, or more than 22 million people, urgently require some form of humanitarian help, including 8.4 million people who struggle to find their next meal. --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The tough statement from Jayasuriya came after Sirisena announced on Sunday that parliament would reconvene on November 14, a week later than he had promised. Sirisena said at the rally that he would not be discouraged by resistance in Parliament, civil society and the worldwide community to his actions. Jayasuriya said most members of parliament had called on him not to accept the changes. I wish to emphasize that I am compelled to accept the status that existed previously until such time that the new political alliance prove their majority in Parliament, he added. Wickremesinghe told The Sunday Morning in an exclusive brief interview that he remained confident that he would have the numbers to show in Parliament and remain as Prime Minister. The reconvention of parliament by the president seems to suggest that Rajapaksa has the votes needed to be confirmed in the coming days. On Sunday, Sirisena said parliament would be recalled on November 14. The political developments had no negative impact on tourism, new Foreign Minister Sarath Amunugama said at the press conference. Jayasuriya, however, refused to do so saying he was powerless unless the president consented. Legislators have been switching sides ever since the island nation was plunged into a political and constitutional crisis with Sirisena's move to sack Wickremesinghe last month. They have delayed the date for reconvening parliament so that they could buy over MPs. The Prime Minister was addressing the "Rata Rakina Jana Mahimaya" public protest rally at the Parliament Junction, Battaramulla. Some members of his party have already alleged they were offered portfolios and huge amounts of money to switch allegiances. Political opponents, rights groups and foreign governments including United States have urged Mr Sirisena to summon Parliament immediately and end the crisis. According to latest counts, Wickremesinghe now has 102 MPs from the 225-seat assembly after another defection while Rajapakse and Sirisena also have 102. The prime minister can only be dismissed if the Cabinet of ministers is dismissed, the prime minister resigns or the prime minister ceases to be a member of parliament. He claims to hold a majority in the House but was unable to hold a confidence vote as Sirisena suspended the Parliament. He announced the dismissal on a live television session on October 26, 2018, where he also announced the appointment of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, the man he joined forces with Wickremesinghe to defeat. "I trust you and you can always trust me", Rajapaksa said. Supporters at the rally chanted "Whose power is this?" Sirisena made the decision after his United People's Freedom Alliance pulled out of the national unity government which it had formed with Wickremesinghe's United National Party. The Haryana police arrested 11 alleged gangsters after a brief exchange of fire in Bahalgarh area near here and recovered ten illegal weapons and Rs 10.23 lakh cash from them, an official said Thursday. The police official also seized 82 live cartridges from them, the official said, adding the police had earlier announced a reward of Rs 50,000 each for the arrest of five of them. All the eleven arrested persons together faced about three dozen cases of murder, attempt to murder, loot and kidnapping for ransom, the police said. They said the nabbed "criminal" were identified as as Krishan alias Gatha, Pawan alias Pona, Nitu alias Sita, Dinesh alias Pahalwan, Mahipal alias Malha, Ravinder alias Bori, Amit alias Mota, Pramod alias Pammi, Sunil Punia, Ravinder alias Golu and Pawan. The police had raided the gangsters' hideout on a tip off and ordered them to surrender, but they opened fire on the police team, in which a policeman was injured. The police too fired back injuring two of the "gangsters", they said, adding all the three injured persons were admitted to a nearby hospital, they said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A gunman dressed in black sprayed bullets inside a crowded dance bar popular with college students Wednesday night, killing at least 12 people, including a police officer, in California's Thousand Oaks city in one of the "horrific" mass shooting incidents in the US. The gunman, who also injured nearly a dozen others, was found dead inside the Borderline Bar and Grill on the outskirts of Los Angeles although it was not immediately clear if he was killed by officers or shot himself. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean described the incident as "horrific." "It's a horrific scene in there, there is blood everywhere and the suspect is part of that, and I didn't want to get that close and disturb the scene and possibly disturb the investigation," he said. He said the motive of the shooter - whose identify was not known - is still unclear and investigators had not found any type of assault rifle within the bar. "Right now as far as we know there was only one handgun, but that could certainly change as we do a more thorough search of the building," he said. It was not immediately clear how the suspect died and the identities of the victims were not immediately released. President Donald Trump said that he has been "fully briefed on the terrible shooting in California." "Law Enforcement and First Responders, together with the FBI, are on scene. 13 people, at this time, have been reported dead. Likewise, the shooter is dead, along with the first police officer to enter the bar.... "Great bravery shown by police. California Highway Patrol was on scene within 3 minutes, with first officer to enter shot numerous times. That Sheriff's Sergeant died in the hospital. God bless all of the victims and families of the victims. Thank you to Law Enforcement," Trump said in a series of tweets. The hooded gunman burst into the bar around 11:20 p.m. (local time) dressed entirely in black. Ventura County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Ron Helus and a California Highway Patrol officer entered the bar first and were met with gunfire from the suspect, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing officials. Helus was shot several times and succumbed to his injuries at a hospital. He was planning to retire next year after a 29-year stint with the sheriff's department, Dean said. Helus, who died "a hero", is survived by a son and his wife, whom he called before entering the bar, Dean added. It was the second mass shooting in the US within two weeks. "We have no idea if there is a terrorism link to this or not. As you know, these are ongoing investigations and that information will come out as soon as we are able to determine exactly who the suspect was and what motive he might have had for this horrific event," Dean added. Citing witnesses, the paper said that people ran for cover when shooting started. Some people tried to break windows using chairs to escape the building while some hid in bathrooms. The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force has been rushed to the scene, according to an agency spokeswoman. Representatives from the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives were also dispatched. According to bar's website, Wednesday nights are college-themed nights open to students as young as 18. Quoting witnesses, the paper said the event is popular with Moorpark college students, and the Pepperdine student newspaper tweeted that students from its campus were also inside at the time of the shooting. This is the second time this year Thousand Oaks has seen violence in a crowded area. In March, a man shot and killed his wife before attempting to shoot himself at the Thousand Oaks Mall, the paper added. Last week, a gunman opened fire at a Jewish synagogue in the US city of Pittsburgh, killing 11 people and injuring several others including three policemen, in the deadliest "anti-Semitic attack" in America in years. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thirty-five Yemeni and international NGOs has called for an "immediate cessation of hostilities" in Yemen, where they warned 14 million people were now "on the brink of famine". The joint appeal was signed by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Action Against Hunger, CARE International, Oxfam, Doctors of the World, and Yemeni organisations, according to a statement. "With 14 million men, women and children on the brink of famine -- half the country's population -- there has never been a more urgent time to act," the statement said on Wednesday. It called on governments to "secure an immediate cessation of hostilities" and "suspend the supply of arms at risk of being used in Yemen". The most impoverished country in the Arab world, Yemen has been gripped by war since 2015, when a regional military coalition led by Saudi Arabia joined the government's fight against Huthi rebels. "The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is manmade and a direct consequence of the warring parties' severe restrictions on access to food, fuel, medical imports and humanitarian aid," the statement added. "The collapse of the Yemeni rial and the non-payment of public sector workers is adding to the catastrophe. "We call on governments to redouble their efforts to guarantee unimpeded access to essential items... including through the lifeline port of Hodeidah, where civilians have been caught in renewed fighting over the past few days." Pro-government forces pressed even closer Wednesday to the heart of Hodeida, the Red Sea city controlled by Huthi rebels and under blockade by Saudi Arabia and its allies. International aid groups have appealed to both the rebels and the alliance to allow civilians to escape the densely-populated city of 600,000 people. Nearly 10,000 Yemenis have been killed in the conflict since 2015, according to the World Health Organization. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 19-year-old man was stabbed to death allegedly by his neighbour on Thursday after a scuffle broke out between the two over a petty issue in northwest Delhi's Jahangir Puri, police said. The deceased, Dipak, alias Balli, was a resident of the area and the accused, Yogesh, has been arrested, they said. "When police reached the spot, they learnt that Dipak was stabbed with a knife by his neighbour Yogesh (19). During investigation, police found that a minor scuffle broke out between Dipak and Yogesh last night over a petty issue which was later settled," Deputy Commissioner of Police (northwest) Aslam Khan said. However, at around 11.40 am on Thursday, the accused allegedly attacked the victim and stabbed him in the chest with a knife and fled from the spot, he said. Dipak was rushed to the Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital, where he succumbed to injuries, the officer added. A case was registered, he said, adding that further investigation was underway. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi police has arrested a 23-year-old man for allegedly setting ablaze 18 vehicles in south Delhi's Madangir Village, police said Thursday. The accused was identified as Vijay Shukla and a country-made pistol and some matchboxes were found from his possession, a senior police officer said. In a video of the incident which had gone viral, a man was seen setting fire to the vehicles after opening the fuel pipe of the motorcycles. Petrol overflowed from the tanks of six motorcycles after which they were set on fire by a match stick. The cars parked nearby also caught fire, the officer said. The police rushed to the spot after receiving information of the incident at around 3.05 am Tuesday and doused the flames. A case was registered under relevant sections of the IPC against the man and subsequently, he was arrested, police said. The accused was in an inebriated state when the incident took place, they said, adding that four cars and 14 motorcycles were set ablaze. Among the burnt vehicles, eight two-wheelers and two cars were completely gutted, while six motorcycles and two cars were affected partially. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Twenty-six people were arrested in Chandigarh as revellers in cities across Punjab and Haryana flouted the Supreme Court order that limited the bursting of crackers only between 8 pm and 10 pm on Diwali, police said Thursday. In Ludhiana, one of the most polluted city in the country, 14 cases were registered for flouting the apex court's time frame on bursting crackers. In Chandigarh, altogether 28 cases were registered for violation of the apex court order. The cases were registered under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code for disobedience of an order promulgated by public authorities. The Air Quality Index (AQI) at several places in the two states was recorded as 'poor' and 'very poor' on Thursday morning after Diwali night. The pollution-regulating authorities, however, said the air quality after this Diwali remained better than what it was last year. We have registered 14 cases so far against unknown persons in connection with the violation (of the Supreme Court order), Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner of Police Ashwani Kapoor said Thursday. He said the police had appealed to the people before Diwali to adhere to the apex court's 8-to-10 pm time frame for bursting crackers, adding as soon as the violators are verified, their names will be added in the FIR. The order was flouted at many places in the two states as people started bursting crackers well before 8 pm and continued beyond 10 pm. The pollution level rose at several places in two states on Thursday morning. In Punjab, AQI in the morning was found to be 221 in Ludhiana, 266 in Jalandhar, 221 in Amritsar, 271 in Patiala, 223 in Mandi Gobindgarh and 215 in Khanna. The AQI range between 201 and 300 falls under "poor" category. Before Diwali, the AQI in Punjab hovered around moderate to poor category. In Haryana, the AQI after Diwali reached 300 in Rohtak and 353 in Gurugram which is in 'poor to very poor' category. In Faridabad, the AQI was 401, just touching the 'severe' category. In Chandigarh, the AQI was 155, which is in the 'moderate' category, the officials said. The pollution level was about 25 to 30 per cent less this year if you compare it with the air quality level during the last year's Diwali. This year, the air quality was much better, Punjab Pollution Control Board's Chief Environmental Engineer Karunesh Garg said. The AQI in many parts of Punjab after Diwali normally used to be beyond 300, Garg said, adding that the apex court order has helped a lot in creating awareness about disadvantages of bursting firecrackers. Earlier, people used to start bursting firecrackers a few days before Diwali. But this time, they burst crackers for a limited period, said Garg. This year the traders also bought lesser stock of crackers, fearing a loss if they could not sell it. "This year, the enthusiasm among people about bursting crackers was not that much which used to be there earlier. The traders, therefore, were worried about the sale of crackers," a Ludhiana-based trader said. For Amritsar, Diwali remained a low-key affair in the wake of the tragic train accident which had left about 60 people dead and scores of others injured after a train mowed down revellers watching Dussehra celebrations, traders said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Four civilians and a CISF jawan were killed when suspected Naxals detonated a bus with an improvised explosive device (IED) in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district on Thursday, four days ahead of the first phase of elections in the state, police said. Two personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) were also injured in the explosion, the third Naxal attack in 15 days in the poll-bound state. The attack comes before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled visit on Friday to Jagdalpur district, about 100 km from Dantewada, to campaign for the BJP. The IED explosion took place in a hilly area in Bacheli, about 450 km from here, when the CISF personnel were returning to their camp in Akashnagar after purchasing groceries from the market, Dantewada Superintendent of Police Abhishek Pallava told PTI. The Naxals triggered a powerful IED blast near curve no.6 on the hills, killing a CISF jawan, the bus' driver, conductor, cleaner and another person who is yet to be identified, Pallava said. The private bus, which was targeted, was allotted to the CISF team deployed in the Bailadila mining area of the National Mining Development Corporation in Dantewada for election duty. Reinforcements were rushed to the spot and the injured personnel and bodies of the deceased shifted to a local hospital, Pallava said. Security forces have launched a combing operation in the area to trace the ultras, he added. On October 30, three police personnel and a cameraman of national broadcaster Doordarshan were killed in a Maoist attack in Dantewada's Aranpur area. Before that, on October 27, four Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed and two others injured after Maoists blew up their bulletproof bunker vehicle in Bijapur district. Naxalites have asked voters to boycott the upcoming state Assembly polls, being held over two phases on November 12 and November 20. The first phase is to be held in 18 Naxal affected constituencies of Bastar region, that falls in the southern part of the central Indian state. The remaining 72 constituencies will go to the polls on November 20 and the votes will be counted on December 11. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Noida Police has booked 47 people for bursting firecrackers on Diwali beyond the two-hour time limit prescribed by the Supreme Court, officials said Thursday. Amid concerns about the alarmingly high pollution levels in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR), the apex court had allowed people to burst firecrackers between 8-10 pm on Diwali. "Despite widespread publicity of the Supreme Court's order by the district administration, some people were found violating the orders and a first information report (FIR) has been registered against them under the Indian Penal Code's section 188 (disobedience to an order duly promulgated by public servant)," City Magistrate Shailendra Mishra said in a statement. The maximum number of 19 FIRs was lodged at Sector 20 police station. This was followed by 11 FIRs at Sector 24, 7 at Phase 2, 6 at Sector 49 and 4 at the Expressway police station, he said. Mishra said since the Supreme Court's time limit has expired, people should desist from bursting crackers. He warned that the district administration and the police will ensure strict action against anyone found violating the order. Seven traders were also booked by the police for illegally selling firecrackers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dozens of combatants were killed as pro-government forces closed in on rebel forces in the heart of the Yemeni port city of Hodeida on Thursday, hospital sources said. Medics at hospitals inside the city reported 47 rebels had been killed in overnight ground fighting and air raids by a Saudi-led coalition supporting the government. Sources at hospitals in government-held areas on the outskirts said 11 soldiers had also been killed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Property worth over Rs 1.67 crore was gutted in 70 incidents of fire reported from across Himachal Pradesh on Diwali, an official said on Thursday. A major fire broke out at a Honda agency in Kangra district's Gurkari village after a lit firecracker fell there. Seventy-five two wheelers and other property worth Rs 40 lakh was gutted in the fire, sub-divisional officer, fire department, Dharam Chand Sharma said. Firemen, with the help of locals, doused the blaze in about three hours, he said. Nearly 200 two wheelers did not have a proper shed on top. The firemen successfully saved the remaining 125, he added. Sharma told PTI that 15 incidents of fire were reported from Kangra, the maximum in the state. It was followed by 12 each in Shimla and Solan, 8 in Sirmour, 6 in Una, 5 each in Mandi and Hamirpur, 3 in Bilaspur and 2 in Kullu and Chamba respectively, he said. Property worth Rs. 1,67,48,300 was gutted in the fire incidents, he added. No fire incidents were reported from Kinnaur and Lahaul & Spiti districts, Sharma said. Himachal Pradesh's Chief Fire Officer Jagdish Chander Sharma told PTI that as many as 700 firemen and officials and 107 fire engines were on duty at 22 fire stations and 40 chowkis on Diwali. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sissy Sheridan is on set at a Nickelodeon studio in New York for the filming of her Web series, DIY With Me. In this episode, the Reston, Virginia, 14-year-old teaches viewers how to make a phone-charging wall bed. (Photo from Sissy Sheridan) Reston, Virginia - The 28th annual Reston Holiday Parade returns to Reston Town Center on Nov. 23 (Friday) at 11 a.m., bringing a flurry of festive activities for participants! Sissy Sheridan , a 14-year-old stage and screen actress born and raised in Reston, will act as the events grand marshal, leading the parade in a chauffeur-driven convertible.She is known nationally for her popular childrens series,and she also hosts the Nickelodeon YouTube series DIY with Me , as well as Netflixs, which also stars Emma Stone and Jonah Hill.Until January 2019, Sheridan will appear inat Signature Theatre in Arlington. After the event at around noon, Sheridan will be available for a meet and greet with fans in Fountain Square.USA Today Travel named it one of the best parades in 2016 and 2017. It includes Macys-style balloons, marching bands, dancers, antique cars, characters, as well as Santa and Mrs. Clause in a horse-drawn carriage. More than 1,400 performers are scheduled to participate in the one-hour, half-mile parade along Market Street. This year, the guest emcees are Angie Goff and Doug Kammerer of NBC News4.The complete schedule for the parade and events planned for that day is available online Watch Sissy in Nickelodeon's DIY With Me in the YouTube player below! The AAP Thursday demanded initiation of contempt action against two BJP leaders for their remarks on Supreme Court order on use of green crackers. Senior AAP leaders Atishi Marlena and Raghav Chadha alleged that BJP's Adarsh Nagar MLA O P Sharma termed the apex court order on green crackers as "laughable" and also "provoked" people for its violation. "We urge the Supreme Court to take suo motto cognisance of Sharma's contempt of court and send him behind the bars," Chadha said in a press conference here. They also demanded law enforcement agencies to take action against Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor over his statements on the Supreme Court verdict. "I also burst crackers Wednesday night -- except matters related to faith, I obey law in all matters," Kapoor tweeted in Hindi. His party colleague Sharma said that he has not committed any contempt of court. "I am just asking what is a green cracker and if any license has been given by the government for its sale," Sharma said, claiming that around 40 to 50 people from his constituency were picked up by police for burning non-green crackers. On October 23, the Supreme Court had said that people in the country can burst firecrackers from 8 pm to 10 pm only on Diwali and other festivals and had allowed manufacture and sale of just "green crackers" which have a low light and sound emission and less harmful chemicals. The AAP leaders claimed that their party supported the court order and Delhiites also honoured it as less firecrackers were burst on Diwali this year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The AAP Thursday termed demonetisation a "tragedy" and likened it to the 9/11 terrorist attack on the US, as party chief Arvind Kejriwal questioned the rationale behind suddenly banning a bulk of the currency and claimed it was a "self inflicted deep wound" on the Indian economy. On November 8, 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 denomination bank notes would cease to exist as legal tenders with immediate effect. The withdrawal of the notes led to a liquidity crunch and people stood in serpentine queues outside banks and ATMs to exchange old notes. The opposition parties have criticised the exercise as "ill-advised" and "disastrous" for the country, but the government has said demonetisation helped increase the tax base and allowed greater formalisation of the economy. "Though the list of financial scams of Modi govt is endless, demonetisation was a self inflicted deep wound on Indian economy which even two years later remains a mystery why the country was pushed into such a disaster ?," Kejriwal said on Twitter. AAP's national spokesperson Raghav Chadha said, "Just as 9/11 is remembered as a tragic and immensely sad day in the history of United States, we Indians recall 8/11 as the tragedy that devastated our economy." He dubbed demonetisation the "biggest economic failure" in independent India, claiming it caused 35 lakh job losses while 115 people died in queues who were paid no compensation. Chadha criticised Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah, saying demonetisation "failed" to achieve its stated goals such as unearthing the blackmoney in circulation and checking terrorism. The effects of demonetisation, including its role in culling blackmoney and stemming terrorism and Naxalism as well as its impact on the economy, are being discussed two years on. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said Thursday demonetisation formalised the economy and increased tax base, allowing the government to allocate more resources for the welfare of the poor and infrastructure development. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Adani Gas Limited (AGL) has won 13 geographical areas, including Udupi in Karnataka, in the bidding for city gas distribution (CGD) network to supply piped natural gas and CNG, the company said Thursday. It would supply natural gas to industrial, commercial and domestic customers and CNG to the transport sector, a company release said. Adani Group joint president Kishore Alva, who is heading the company projects in Karnataka, said AGL was one among the successful bidders for 85 geographical areas identified by Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) in 174 districts across 22 states. AGL won the bid for CGD network in 13 geographical areas including Udupi, while the Indian Oil Adani Gas (IOAGPL) won in nine areas, he said. The PNGRB, in collaboration with the state governments, was monitoring the development of CGD networks across the country. The CGD project in Udupi district will completed in eight years, covering piped natural gas (PNG) connections to 1,10,099 households, 11 CNG retail outlets and 569 km-long steel pipeline. The AGL is presently operating CGD networks in Ahmedabad and Vadodara in Gujarat, Faridabad in Haryana and Khurja in Uttar Pradesh covering nearly 3.5 lakh households and CNG to over two lakh vehicles, he said in the release. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As many as 35 persons were arrested from different parts of Ahmedabad city for flouting a Supreme Court order that limited the bursting of firecrackers from 8 pm and 10 pm on Diwali, police said Thursday. These 35 persons were arrested Wednesday night under IPC section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and were granted bail later, an official said. The arrests were made from Vastrapur (3 persons), Vejalpur (2), Paldi (5), Ellisbridge (4), Satellite (2), Anandnagar(4), Sarkhej(8), Shahibaug (4), Bapunagar (2) and Naroda (1). These persons were caught red-handed while bursting firecrackers in violation of the SC order as well as a notification issued by police commissioner A K Singh, the official informed. After the SC order, Singh had issued a notification on November 3 asking people to refrain from bursting firecrackers before 8 pm and after 10 pm on Diwali. "We have arrested three persons bursting firecrackers on the night of Diwali. They were caught red-handed during our patrolling. Since the offence under IPC section 188 is a minor one, they were granted bail from the police station itself," said Vastrapur police inspector M M Jadeja. In some parts of city, police officials, equipped with public address systems, made announcements asking people to adhere to the SC guidelines. "Ahead of Diwali, we visited societies and used loudspeakers to warn people that action will be taken against violators. This made a huge impact, as most people stopped bursting firecrackers after 10 pm," claimed O M Desai, police inspector of Amraiwadi, where no case was registered. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu cannot claim an exclusive right over the use of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's name, former party leader and Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam founder T T V Dhinakaran told the Madras High Court on Thursday. The deputy general secretary of AMMK submitted before Justice K Kalyanasundaram that he cannot be restrained from using the name 'Amma' (as Jayalalithaa was popularly known) or the late leader's photograph on his party's flag. The AIADMK filed the suit in March seeking an injunction restraining the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK), which translates to 'Amma's party for people's development', from using any colour or combinations deceptively similar to its own flag. Also, the suit filed by AIADMK just after Dhinakaran floated his party sought Rs 25 lakh as damage and an injunction against the use of "Amma" and her picture on AMMK's party flag. AMMK's flag features the image of a smiling Jayalalithaa at the centre, with black on top and red below while white is positioned in the middle. AIADMK's flag is black on top and red below with Dravidian icon CN Annadurai's image forming the centre in white. Dhinakaran, locked in a political battle with the ruling establishment which had ousted him last year, contended that there was no possibility of any confusion and no damage or irreparable hardship will be caused to AIADMK by the AMMK's use of the term "Amma" and her pictures on his party flag. On AIADMK's point that no prejudice will be caused to him since AMMK was not a registered political party, Dhinakaran declined to toe the ruling party's line. "The reason why AMMK has not been registered as a political party is that the issue as to which faction represents the real AIADMK is still sub-judice before the Delhi High Court and Supreme Court," he argued. He prayed the court to dismiss the suit. Recording the submissions, Justice Kalyanasundaram adjourned the hearing of the plea by two weeks. AIADMK had alleged that Dhinakaran was trying to appropriate the goodwill and reputation of AIADMK not only by adopting similar colour combination as AIADMK's flag but also by using the term "Amma" in his outfit's name. The name Amma has been in vogue for decades and it has been used by it in its promotional materials, AIADMK had said. The ruling party had also highlighted that for many government welfare schemes the AIADMK regime had used the name Amma and hence Dhinakaran should not be allowed to use it. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The ruling AIADMK is up in arms against Tamil film star Vijay's Diwali release 'Sarkar' for its reported reference to late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, besides the alleged depiction of certain government schemes in bad light. Senior AIADMK ministers demanded that the contentious scenes be deleted, and threatened to initiate legal action if the latter failed to comply. Senior AIADMK leader and Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar wanted to know why certain references deemed to be that to the late Jayalalithaa had found their way into the script. Law Minister C Ve Shanmugham said certain scenes amounted to inciting violence and warned of action. "The scenes relating to burning of government welfare amount to inciting of violence. Whether it is the producer (Sun Pictures) or the actor (Vijay), or theatres-- they will have to face action," he told reporters. Reports suggested that certain scenes show grinder, mixers and fans being put to fire, seen as an obvious reference to the late J Jayalalithaa's flagship schemes of providing these items free of cost, in line with an electoral promise in 2011. AIADMK workers staged a protest outside a theatre in Madurai demanding certain scenes be removed. Jayakumar said it was an attempt at maligning the former party supremo. "Why unnecessarily make such references. It shows vendetta and an attempt at maligning (her)," he said. He also wondered if the filmmakers could have come up with such a flick when Jayalalithaa was alive and said her death has "emboldened" them. "If they (Vijay) had spelt out their policies, ideology and if the movie is reflective of that, it is fine. But in order to project themselves, to trample over others' sentiments and hurting them, that is not acceptable," he said and called for legal action against the crew. Referring to the films of matinee idol and AIADMK founder, the late chief minister MG Ramachandran, Jayakumar said the former's films never carried such content. In an apparent reference to Ramachandran's elevation from a cinema star to a chief minister of the state later, he said "not all can become MGR." Lashing out at Vijay, Information Minister Kadambur C Raju said, "This is not good for a growing actor like Vijay." "The matter has come to the government's notice. We will advise them to remove the scenes. If they do it themselves its fine, otherwise, we will decide the next course of action," he said. 'Sarkar,' produced by Sun Pictures stars Vijay, Keerthi Suresh, Radharavi, Varalakshmi Sarathkumar and is directed by AR Murugadoss and has music by Oscar winner AR Rahman. The film had earlier courted a pre-release controversy over plagiarism. An aspiring filmmaker claimed that the story of the film was his, following which Murugadsoss went in for a compromise with the claimant. Incidentally, Vijay's earlier flick 'Mersal' had the BJP cry foul over certain "incorrect" references to the Goods and Services Tax (GST). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bangladesh authorities on Thursday sent former prime minister Khaleda Zia back to jail after a month of treatment in a hospital here, an official said. Zia, 73, was sent as the specialised state-run hospital certified her fitness to serve the 10-year prison term after she was admitted to the hospital on October 6 following a High Court order. "She was sent to the jail after medical examination of her health by doctors," home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told PTI as the ex-premier was taken back to the old premises of Dhaka Central Jail where Zia is the lone inmate. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) hospital's director Brigadier General Abdullah Al Harun said the ex-premier was released after a medical board formed for her treatment issued her discharge certificate. But BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir alleged Zia was taken to prison "illegally" adding "doctors did not release her rather this was all the doing of the hospital's director". Zia, was serving 10 years of prison term in two graft cases at the correction centre until she was admitted to the BSMMU hospital for treatment due to different ailments. She was taken to hospital last month when her condition deteriorated. Her doctors say Zia cannot use her left hand because of severe arthritis. She is diabetic and also has problems with her neck and shoulder. On return to the prison, Zia was produced before a makeshift special court inside the complex as a hearing was underway on a third corruption charge involving a foreign energy giant. "Zia said she is still sick and yet the government produced her before the court," a counsel of the ex-premier said. The court is trying her and 10 others for contracting out a major exploration deal to Canadian company Niko abusing her power in exchange of kickbacks uring her tenure as the prime minister in 2001-2006. The development came a day after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina concluded on Wednesday a two-round crucial dialogue with opposition platform National Unity Front (NUF) ahead of the upcoming general elections expected by next month. The dialogue visibly failed to break an impasse on the polls time government system but the ruling party said talks could continue despite the end of the dialogue process. Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party boycotted the 2014 vote in which Hasina returned to power but is expected to contest the election this year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Aiming to forge an anti-BJP front ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu Thursday said it was necessary for all opposition parties to come together to save the country and institutions from destruction from the Centre. Naidu alleged that every institution, including CBI and RBI, have been destroyed by the BJP-led NDA government. "It is our responsibility to join hands together to save and protect this great nation and also save democracy and the Constitution," he told reporters after meeting Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and his Karnataka counterpart H D Kumaraswamy. Naidu hinted that the 1996 model of forming the government with Deve Gowda as prime minister with outside support of the Congress, could also be one of the experiments to form the government at the centre. "PM candidate, we will decide. All of us will join together. First our aim is to protect democracy and save nation. What I am saying is, Congress is the main and major party. If you see only one experiment, that is under Deve Gowda's prime ministership. At that time, the Third Front had come to power. "Then we had take support from Congress from outside. That is the only experiment... " he said. Asked whether he is refering to 1996 model of forming government, he said, "I am interested in nation and consensus. Everybody will join together. There is no organisation as of today. I have taken some initiative and I am meeting everybody. After that, we will meet and decide how to go about." Naidu, who had last week met heads of several opposition parties, including Rahul Gandhi, had termed his party's alliance with the Congress a "democratic compulsion" to protect the country. Naidu also said the prime ministerial candidate would be decided at later stage, but at this point of time, it was necessary for all opposition parties to unite together to not only save the country, "but also save institutions from destruction by central government." "It is an initial exercise (of bringing opposition parties together). After that, we will work together," he said. He said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Kumaraswamy were holding rallies in January. "These things are happening. How to work out the unification of the parties and how to go about thereafter, we will all see in course of time," he said. Lambasting the Centre, Naidu alleged that it was using CBI and income tax departments to "control opposition," conducting raids "indiscriminately and harassing politicians, which people have been witnessing even in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu." Such raids also have been conducted recently in Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar besides Gujarat, he alleged. "Even as these raids are taking place, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not making any statements," Naidu said. "Besides, destroying the insititutions, the Indian economy is in doldrums as demonetisation did not have good effect on it," he said. Petrol prices have been increasing day by day and rupee is also depreciating, he added. The TDP broke away from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in March this year. The TDP leader had also held meetings with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) patron Faqooq Abdullah and Samajwadi Party's Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav during the visit to New Delhi last week. In the past, the TDP has been a part of the NDA-I as well as NDA-II dispensations till it exited in March. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amnesty India Thursday demanded an impartial probe after activist Arun Ferreira's claimed he was beaten by a Maharashtra police officer in custody, and asserted the alleged ill-treatment shows how India is becoming a "dangerous place" for human rights defenders. Ferreira, who was arrested in August for alleged Maoist links along with four other prominent activists, told a Pune court on Tuesday he was "hit" by the investigating officer. He said he was "hit" on his face "eight to ten times" by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Shivaji Pawar on November 4 during interrogation. Asmita Basu, programmes director at Amnesty India, said Ferreira's submission is alarming and this raises serious questions about the government's treatment of human rights defenders. "The authorities must conduct a prompt, thorough and impartial investigation into his allegations." Amnesty India claimed Ferreira's lawyer Sidharth Patil spoke to them. The Amnesty statement said Patil told them that Ferreira was admitted to a local hospital soon after the incident and his injuries were recorded in the medical report. "The report has been submitted to the court. Arun is recovering and his family met him in jail yesterday." Amnesty India said in a series of brutal crackdowns on human rights defenders, Maharashtra police on June 6 arrested activists Surendra Gadling, Rona Wilson, Sudhir Dhawale, Shoma Sen, and Mahesh Raut. On August 28, Maharashtra police arrested activists Sudha Bharadwaj, Gautam Navlakha, Vernon Gonsalves, Ferreira, and Varavara Rao from across the country and raided the homes of several others. Authorities have alleged that the 10 human rights defenders and activists had incited Dalits at a public rally on December 31, 2017, leading to violent clashes the next day in which one person died and several were injured. Hundreds of Dalits had gathered in Bhima Koregaon village in Maharashtra on January 1 to commemorate a 200-year-old battle in which Dalit soldiers of the British army defeated the ruling Peshwas. "Reports of Arun Ferreira being beaten in custody are a reminder of how India is fast becoming a dangerous place for those demanding accountability from the state. Amnesty India believes that arrests in relation to the Bhima Koregaon incident, are politically motivated and are aimed at chilling peaceful dissent. "The Indian government seems to have failed in its obligation to protect human rights defenders, and the freedom of expression and assembly," said Basu. The body said ill-treatment and torture in police custody are widespread in India, but are rarely punished. While torture is not recognised as a distinct crime under the Indian law, the Supreme Court has ruled that torture and other ill-treatment violates constitutionally guaranteed rights to life and personal liberty, it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Flouting the Supreme court's order, people continued to burst firecrackers past the permissible time limit, resulting in poor air quality in major cities of Rajasthan on Thursday. As per the Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board data, the PM 2.5 and PM 10 parameters at one centre in Jaipur were 330 and 205 respectively. The condition was no better at the other two centres of the city, with Sethi colony centre witnessing PM 2.5 level at 227 and PM 10 at 194m, while the Shastri Nagar centre recordeing a PM 2.5 of 197 and PM 10 of 145. In Jodhpur, the PM 2.5 and PM 10 were recorded 453 and 430 respectively, followed by 364 and 263 in Kota, 359 and 250 in Ajmer, 357 and 331 in industrial town Bhiwadi, 334 and 278 in Udaipur. The Supreme court in its recent order stated that crackers can be burst from 8-10 pm on Diwali. "We were issued directions to curb noise and air pollution during the Diwali festival. For this, licences were issued to only those sellers having approval from Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation," Assistant District Magistrate Jaipur Dhara Singh Meena said, adding that no complaint was made on this issue. A senior police official said the police received no clear-cut directions from the SC or the state government to take action against those bursting crackers beyond permissible limit. Meanwhile, cracker sales dropped in the state this year as fewer people bought them compared to the past years. "The sale has dropped by almost 20 per cent this year due to the rising awareness among kids and their families. Court directives have also dampened the business," said Suresh Hassani, president of Jaipur Fireworks Dealers Association, adding that people should be equally aware about the pollution caused by rising vehicles, air-conditioners rather than focusing on an one-day festival. Intervention of the court and the administration has evoked mixed reactions in the state. "Diwali is the only time when all relatives meet each other and burst crackers. We burst limited crackers. People are aware now, court and administration should focus on other serious issues prevailing in the society," Ramesh Bhatia from Jaipur said. Another resident, Sonu Thakur, said his family abide by various laws, but cannot compromise on celebration. "We burst cracker for a limited time period. Directions from the court and administration are welcome to raise awareness. People now burst less noisy and polluting crackers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Army's northern command chief Lt. Gen Ranbir Singh celebrated Diwali with troops deployed along the Line of Control (LoC) and lauded their unwavering dedication to duty, selfless devotion and high standard of professionalism. Lt. Gen Singh, accompanied by White Knight Corps Commander Lt. Gen Paramjit Singh, visited forward posts in Poonch sector in Jammu and Kashmir to convey Diwali greetings to the troops on Wednesday, a defence spokesman said. Amid high alert, Army jawans and BSF personnel deployed along the LoC and the International Border (IB) lit up the borderline on Diwali. The Army commander distributed sweets among Army and Border Security Force (BSF) troops and complimented them for their unwavering dedication to duty, selfless devotion and high standard of professionalism. The northern command chief appreciated the high morale of the troops who are away from their near and dear ones. He also complimented soldiers for measures and standard operating procedures instituted by the units and formations in their area of responsibility to minimise the casualties due to ceasefire violations and infiltration bids. The Army commander exhorted all ranks to remain vigilant to counter the nefarious designs of anti-national elements and to ensure a robust counter-infiltration and counter-terrorist grid to enable continued peace and stability in the region. Lt. Gen Y K Joshi, general-officer-commanding of Fire and Fury Corps, interacted with troops deployed in sub-zero temperatures in the rugged and mountainous terrains in Western Ladakh on the Diwali-eve. Indian and Pakistani armies Tuesday exchanged sweets and greetings on the eve of Diwali along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Australia's foreign minister raised China's internment of Uighur minorities in Xinjiang at a meeting with her Chinese counterpart on Thursday as Beijing comes under increasing international scrutiny over its controversial security policy. Marise Payne spoke after meeting with China's chief diplomat Wang Yi on the first visit to Beijing by an Australian foreign minister in nearly three years as both countries pursue a thaw in relations. Earlier this week, Payne said she would register "serious concerns" over the huge facilities in northwestern Xinjiang region, where activists say up to one million Uighurs and other mainly-Muslim minorities are detained in political re-education camps. "We did exchange views on that matter," Payne said at a press conference alongside Wang, but she did not elaborate on what she had told him behind closed doors. It is rare for foreign officials to publicly chastise China over its human rights record during a visit to the country. Wang, who opened his statement by wishing everyone a happy Chinese journalists' day, asked media to view the issue of Xinjiang from the perspective of combating terrorism. "China is firmly against terrorism, and will take strict precautions against the spread of terrorism domestically," Wang said. "This is not only in accord with our own interests but the shared interests of the international community." The United States and other countries called on China to release people held in the centres as the country faced a grilling at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday. The Chinese delegation reiterated Beijing's description of the camps as vocational "training centres" that were built to help people drawn to extremism stay away from terrorism and allow them to be reintegrated into society. Payne visited Beijing for the Fifth Australia-China Foreign and Strategic Dialogue. While China is Australia's largest trading partner, ties between the two governments have been strained in recent years over allegations Beijing was interfering in domestic and using donations to gain access. Australia has also barred Chinese telecom firms Huawei and ZTE from operating the country's new 5G network -- a decision that has infuriated Beijing. On Wednesday, Australia also blocked a bid of more than US$9 billion from Hong Kong giant CK Group for the country's biggest gas pipeline company, saying that it would be against its "national interest." But amid a growing trade spat between the US and China, Payne's visit was an opportunity for Canberra to leverage its economic relationship. Though no deals were announced after Wang and Payne's hours-long meeting, both foreign ministers came out sounding positive, especially on bilateral trade and investment. Payne emphasised Australia's commitment to "deepening" its strategic partnership with China, and said the two countries share many interests and goals, from countering protectionism to addressing climate change. Addressing Australia's $1.5 billion infrastructure fund to support Pacific islands -- seen by some as a counter to Beijing's rising regional influence -- Wang said the two countries were "not competitors" but partners, and said they could combine forces to develop trilateral relations with Pacific islands. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police are interrogating six people suspected of human trafficking after Bangladeshi guards separately rescued nearly 50 Rohingya refugees from boats heading for Malaysia through the Bay of Bengal, an official said Thursday. Pradip Kumar Das, officer-in-charge at Teknaf, said they were questioning the suspects to learn about a network of smugglers who may be luring refugees from sprawling camps ahead of a plan to repatriate them. He said 33 refugees including nine children were rescued from a fishing boat near the Saint Martins Island on Wednesday while another 14 Rohingya were rescued at Shahporir Island a day before. Six suspected Bangladeshi traffickers were also arrested while the rescued refugees were sent back to their camps in the district, he said. Das said they were lured by the traffickers with promises of marriages and jobs in Malaysia. He said the rescued refugees told them they paid money to the traffickers who said they would soon land in Malaysia amid fears that they would have no future in Myanmar's Rakhine state if they are sent back. Bangladesh and Myanmar said recently that the countries want to start repatriation of the refugees in a limited scale from mid-November. Abul Kalam, a senior Bangladeshi repatriation official in Cox's Bazar, told The Associated Press that they were readying to start the repatriation of some 2,660 refugees from 485 families on November 15. But many of the refugees are reluctant to go back, fearing persecution and an uncertain future. More than 700,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar since August last year amid an army-led crackdown. The refugees are seeking UN protection to return home. The UN refugee agency and Bangladesh earlier finalised a memorandum of understanding that said the repatriation process must be "safe, voluntary and dignified ... in line with international standards. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bangladesh will hold the general election on December 23 and for the first time will use electronic voting machines on a limited scale, the electoral body announced on Thursday, amid an impasse between the government and the main opposition alliance over the timing of the polls. "The 11th general election will be held across Bangladesh on December 23," Chief Election Commissioner Nurul Huda said in a nationally televised address. Huda made the announcement hours after his meeting with four election commissioners to finalise the poll date which came amid calls from the newly-floated National Unity Front (NUF) to defer the election schedule while the ruling Awami League urged the commission to stick to its plan. The candidates have to submit their nomination papers between November 9 and November 19. The nomination papers will be scrutinised on November 22. Nearly 104.2 million people, including a little more than 51.6 million women, are registered as voters. They will elect 300 representatives to Parliament through the balloting in about 40,199 polling stations. Huda also announced the plan for the use of electronic voting machines, or on a limited scale. "We believe that if are used, it will improve the quality of the voting process and save time, money and labour," Huda said. Earlier, were partially used in local government elections, BDNews24.com reported. Despite objections from many political parties, the use of EVMs became possible through the amendments to the Representation of the People Order (RPO) last month. The Election Commission plans to use 150,000 EVMs in at least 100 randomly selected constituencies across the country during the vote, the Dhaka Tribune reported. Opposition parties have expressed concern that the polls will not be democratic and have threatened protests. Detained opposition leader and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Khaleda Zia was sent sent back to jail a few hours before the announcement, after a month of treatment in hospital. Zia is unlikely to contest as she has been jailed for corruption and has virtually no time to appeal. Her BNP boycotted the last election in 2014 over fears it would be rigged. The ruling Bangladesh Awami League, headed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, won the election in 2014. Meanwhile, Chief Election Commissioner Huda urged all political parties to take part in the election to continue Bangladesh's "development efforts and put democracy on a stronger footing". As many as 600,000 members of police, BGB, Bangladesh Coast Guard, Ansar and Village Defence Party will be deployed for law enforcement. In addition, the army will be deployed to assist the civil administration. The BJP in Kerala Thursday embarked on a Rath yatra from here to "protect" the traditions and rituals of the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa at Sabarimala, which recently witnessed violent protests against the entry of women of menstruating age group. The main Opposition Congress is also launching a series of yatras from Kasaragod, Alapuzha, Thiruvananthapuram, Thodupuzha and Palakkad to protect the faith, fight communalism and explain to the people the "politicisation" of the Sabarimala issue by the CPI(M) and saffron parties. Speaking at the inaugural function of the 'Sabarimala Samrakshana Yatra', former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa sought the immediate intervention of the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government to end tensions at the hill shrine. The Kerala government should "apply its mind" and show seriousness to end the impasse at Sabarimala, he said. "We are not against the SC verdict. But sentiments of the people should be respected by one and all," he said, holding the ruling LDF and Congress-led opposition UDF responsible for the present impasse. The Karnataka Opposition leader later flagged off the rath yatra being led jointly by BJP state President, P S Sreedharan Pillai and Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) President Tushar Vellapally, from Madhur Siddhi Vinayaka temple here. The Rath Yatra will conclude at Erumeli near Sabarimala on November 13, when the Supreme Court is to consider the review petitions against its September 28 verdict permitting women of all age groups to offer prayers at the Lord Ayyappa shrine. ALSO READ: Sabarimala row: Protest erupts over woman's entry, journalists heckled Meanwhile, Kerala PCC Working President, K Sudhakaran will take out a rally from Kasaragod this evening which will be inaugurated by senior Congress leader, M M Hassan. Various Congress leaders will also be leading rallies from different districts in the coming days which will all culminate at Pathanamthitta, where the Sabarimala shrine is located, on November 15. During the yatra, Congress will inform the people how the Sabarimala issue was "politicised" by the ruling CPI(M) and BJP, KPCC President Mullapally Ramachandran said. BJP-RSS and various other Hindu outfits have been on the warpath against the Left government's decision to implement the apex court verdict. The main opposition Congress has also made it clear that they were with the devotees. The Ayyappa temple opened Monday for the second time in three weeks for a two-day "Sree Chitira Atta Thirunal" special puja amid unprecedented security over apprehension of protests by those opposing the Supreme Court order, allowing women of menstrual age. Tension had prevailed at the temple Tuesday as nearly 200 frenzied devotees tried to prevent a woman pilgrim, whom they suspected to be of menstrual age, from entering, prompting police to register cases against 200 persons. BJP Kerala President P S Sreedharan Pillai was booked on Thursady by the police for his speech in connection with Sabarimala protests on a day when the saffron party launched a "Rath Yatra" for "protecting" the Lord Ayyappa temple's traditions and rituals. The case was registered by police in Kozhikode on a complaint by journalist Shybin alleging that Pillai had instigated activists to protest over entry of menstrual age women into the hill shrine recently, police said. Reacting to it, Pillai, accused the CPI(M) and Congress of 'witch hunting' and trying to 'tarnish' his image. The development came even as the BJP-NDA embarked on a Rath yatra from Kasaragod to "protect" the traditions and rituals of the hill shrine at Sabarimala, which recently witnessed violent protests against the entry of women of in the 10-50 age group. BJP, which has been desperately trying to make its presence felt in the bi-polar political scenario of Kerala, has lent its support to the agitation against the LDF government's decision to implement the Supreme Court order allowing women of all ages to offer prayers at the temple. Pillai and Tushar Vellapally, leader of BDJS, an ally of the NDA in Kerala, are leading the 'Sabarimala Samrakshana Rath Yatra' from Kasaragod to Erumeli, which was flagged off by senior BJP leader and former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa. The Kerala government should "apply its mind" and show seriousness to resolve the impasse at Sabarimala, Yeddyurappa said. "We are not against the SC verdict. But sentiments of the people should be respected by one and all," he said. Police said Pillai has been booked under section 505 (1) (B) of IPC (intent to incite or which is likely to incite persons to commit any offence), a non-cognizable offence, in connection with his November 4 address to BJP Yuva Morcha workers in Kozhikide. TV channels last week aired a video clip in which Pillai had purportedly said the Sabarimala agitations were "planned and orchestrated" by the party as part of its "agenda" and was a "golden opportunity" for the saffron party. He had also said that Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru (Head Priest) of the Lord Ayyappa temple had sought his opinion on closing the sanctum sanctorum to prevent women of menstrual age from entering the shrine when it opened from Oct 17-22, kicking up a huge row. Meanwhile, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the Ayyappa shrine, has sought an explanation from the tantri, but made it clear that the procedure was just a formality as the head priest had already rejected the claim of Pillai. Addressing the workers at Mathur in Kasaragod, Pillai Thursday hit out at the CPI(M), alleging that it was trying to destroy the Sabarimala temple since the past 60 years. The main opposition Congress also launched a yatra from Kasaragod to Pathnamthitta led by its state unit working president K Sudhakaran against the "politicisation" of the Sabarimala issue by the CPI(M) and BJP. Similar yatras will also be taken out by several Congress leaders from Alapuzha, Thiruvananthapuram, Thodupuzha and Palakkad in the coming days which will culminate on November 15 at Pathnamthitta, in which district the shrine is located. Taking a dig, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said some people have started the two yatras. "We do not know where and when the two processions will join together." He asserted that the Left Democratic Front government was totally with the believers. However, it would not tolerate any attempts to create trouble. Kerala has been on a boil after the September 28 Supreme Court verdict permitting women of all age groups into the Sabarimala temple with right wing and Hindu outfits on a warpath over the state government's decision to go ahead and implement the top court verdict. The hill shrine had recently witnessed protests by devotees against the attempt by some young women, including journalists, to enter the temple. The day also saw the Kerala High Court coming down on the recent agitation at Sabarimala. Justice Sunil Thomas termed the violence as "unjustifiable" and agreed with the state's contention that the protests and violence at the hill shrine and its key entry points were against the apex court directives. "Agitations are unjustifiable," the court said while dismissing a bail application filed by Govind Madhusoodan of Thrippunithura, who was arrested in connection with clashes with the police at Nilackal near Pamba when the temple doors were opened for monthly puja last month. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Taking a dig at its ally BJP over the recent debacle in Karnataka bypolls, the Shiv Sena Thursday said the poll outcome indicates that "acche din" (good days) will return for the Congress in 2019, when general elections are due. The Uddhav Thackeray-led party also said the BJP's defeat in a string of Lok Sabha and assembly bypolls in the country would infuse a "fresh lease of life" in the Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. In an editorial laced with sarcasm in the party mouthpiece "Saamana", the Sena also said the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) probably lost in Karnataka for ignoring poll promises like construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya and for "imposing some other agenda". Mocking the BJP, the edit said the party should think why its "losing streak" is continuing unabated even as some "revolutionary changes" are taking place in the country under the BJP-led government by its own admission. In a major setback to the BJP, the JD(S)-Congress coalition candidates Tuesday won four of five constituencies--three Lok Sabha and two assembly seats--that went to polls last week. The defeat was more stinging for the BJP as the party lost its bastion Ballari Lok Sabha seat to the Congress. "The BJP would study and introspect its losses in the bypolls, starting from Uttar Pradesh, in its own way. But, when so much good is happening in the country and revolutionary changes are taking place according to the ruling party, then why its losing streak is not stopping? "The defeat of the BJP (in various bypolls) would give a fresh lease of life to the Congress," the Sena said. The BJP had suffered a stunning electoral upset in the bypolls for Kairana Lok Sabha and Noorpur assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh earlier this year, months after it lost bypolls for Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok sabha seats, also in UP. While Rashtriya Lok Dal's Tabassum Hasan won the Kairana seat, Naeemul Hasan of the Samajwadi Party bagged the Noorpur Assembly seat. The Sena, which is a constituent of the BJP-led coalition governments in Centre and Maharashtra, also questioned why the "jod-tod (make-break) mathematics of the BJP is not working now". The allies of the ruling party must be wondering now about what happened to the 'Modi-wave' prevailing in 2014, it said. The Sena said the BJP's announcement for "Congress-mukt Bharat" seems to have fallen flat on face. "The BJP had spoken about a Congress-free India in 2014 and promised to usher in 'acche din'. However, in a span of just four years, the 'Congress-mukt Bharat' slogan seems to be falling flat. At the same time, the results of Karnataka by-polls indicate that 'Acche din' are returning for the Congress," it said. From clinching 282 seats in 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP has lost 10 seats in the subsequent bypolls, and that the recent poll outcome should ring alarm bells for the party, the edit said. "This (poll) outcome may be the result of the BJP keeping its promises of Ram temple, abolishing article 370 and Uniform Civil Code at the side and imposing some other agenda," the Sena said sarcastically in its edit. The Karnataka BJP had said the Congress and the JD(S) won the elections by "misusing money and power". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Centre on Thursday approved the signing of a pact with Italy for facilitating customised training programmes on labour and employment. "The chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Italy for training and education in the fields of labour and employment," an official statement said. The MoU will facilitate an expansion of the training and education activities to promote decent work through conducting joint training programmes on training methodologies and techniques and developing new training modules for different social partners. Its other focus areas will be organising customised training programmers in different themes on labour and employment, undertaking an evaluation of training methodologies, exchanging of good practices in training programmes, particularly in the context of labour administration, among others. Besides, the pact will help in assisting each other in the delivery and facilitation of the training modules and organising study visits, and exchanging of trainers for sharing of knowledge and information. The major impact of the MoU would be up-gradation of technical capacities of both the institutions in responding to the challenges emanating from transformations in the world of work. It will enhance the technical capabilities of developing and organising international training programmes and the evolution of V V Giri National Labour Institute (VVGNLI) as a leading training institution in the Asia-Pacific region. The MoU will expand its outreach to a wide range of social partners from the entire Asia Pacific Region. The V V Giri National Labour Institute (VVGNLI), NOIDA an autonomous body under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India and the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organisation (ITC-ILO), Turin signed an MoU in 2012 and have collaborated on several activities with mutual sharing of knowledge and experience. The MoU aims to formalise the collaboration between the institutions for continuing the professional collaboration. The International Training Centre (ITC) of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) was established in 1964 in Turin. It has since evolved as the most important focal point for imparting training on different dimensions on labour at the international level. The ITC has a vast reservoir of international expertise on employment, labour, human resource development, and capacity building. One of the major objectives of ITC is to forge partnership with premier institutions engaged in training activities in the field of labour and employment. The Cabinet Thursday approved the signing and ratifying of an extradition agreement between India and Morocco. The decision was taken at the Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The agreement will be signed during a proposed VIP visit from Morocco from November 11-18, an official statement said. The agreement will provide a strong legal base for the extradition of fugitive offenders who are accused of economic offences, terrorism and other serious offences in one state and found in the other state. The Cabinet also approved the agreement between India and Morocco on mutual legal assistance in civil and commercial matters. This agreement between India and Morocco will enhance cooperation in the service of summons, judicial documents, letters of request and the execution of judgments decrees and arbitral awards. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor-director Andy Serkis Thursday said it is impossible to tell the story of "Mowgli", based on Rudyard Kipling's "The Jungle Book", without acknowledging its Indian roots. The story about a mancub raised by a pack of wolves in the forests of India has fascinated generations of children and has often been recreated in pop culture. The version by Serkis, known for his films such as "Lord of the Rings" and "Planet of the Apes" series, is a darker retelling of the classic. "You can't tell the story in our world now without acknowledging that it is born in India and that Rudyard Kipling was from India. He was the child of the British empire and had a particular set of values. "You have to reinterpret those values and underpin the movie. So it very much deals with notion of belonging, tribe and cultures clashing," the director said at Netflix's See What's Next: Asia event here. Starring Indian-American child actor Rohan Chand as Mowgli, the film will start streaming on Netflix from December 7. The film will also have exclusive limited theatrical engagements, starting November 29 in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and London. Serkis said unlike the previous versions of Kipling's book, his take is far "more emotional". "I always wanted to make an emotional version of this story. We have seen many versions of 'The Jungle Book' but this to me, was really about understanding the notions of being an outsider and of belonging. "Kipling was a child when he wrote the book. Hindi was his first language and then he was sent to England against his will. So he understood from a personal space. That's really the core of the story is." The film is darker than the earlier versions of the book, Serkis reiterated. "It is darker than what people had perceived... This is a Mowgli-centric story. There is a big reason why it is called 'Mowgli'. It is a young boy's personal journey and it's really an emotional journey. It's a rite of passage," he said. Serkis revealed that Chand was the third child actor to audition for the title part. "He was the third person and he has actually been in the film called 'Lone Survivor'. I just thought there is something remarkable about him. When I met him on Skype, I told him 'This is all about connections. You are not going to be acting with nobody. You will be acting with the finest kind of talent." Serkis, regarded a legend in acting especially in the Performance Capture area, believes that an actor needs to inhabit the character to do justice to it. "Performance Capturing is not just about actors connecting with their live-action characters but also about actors inhabiting their role of beasts and creatures. You are in the scene together and there is no differentiation... "All you have to do is to believe in the character. It's believing yourself into that being and that's what you do as an actor. Use your imagination. You're not restricted or limited by the colour of your skin or height or size, shape or sex. It allows an actor to become anything," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has apologised in parliament for Canada's refusal to admit Jewish asylum seekers fleeing Nazi Germany just months before the outbreak of World War II. On May 15, 1939 the ocean liner MS St. Louis departed Germany and crossed the Atlantic with 907 German Jews aboard, desperate for refuge from persecution. The passengers were barred from disembarking at Cuba, and then denied entry in the United States and Canada due to the discriminatory immigration policies of the time. Forced to return to Europe, many were sent to concentration camps, and 254 died in the Holocaust. Their emotional journey would later inspire the 1974 book "Voyage of the Damned" and a movie of the same title. "While decades have passed since we turned our backs on Jewish refugees, time has by no means absolved Canada of its guilt or lessened the weight of its shame," Trudeau said in a speech on Wednesday. "Today, I rise in this House to issue a long overdue apology to the Jewish refugees Canada turned away," he said. "We are sorry for the callousness of Canada's response," he said. "We refused to help them when we could have. We contributed to sealing the cruel fates of far too many at places like Auschwitz, Treblinka, and Belzec." Earlier the prime minister sat down in his office with one of the survivors of that tragic voyage, Ana Maria Gordon, and her family to discuss the need to continue fighting anti-Semitism. "We had a tragic reminder just a few weeks ago that we need to continue to work together," Trudeau told reporters, alluding to the massacre of 11 people at a synagogue in the US city of Pittsburgh on October 27. The attack was believed to be the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in recent American history. In Canada, incidents of anti-Semitism -- including harassment, vandalism and violence -- reached a record high in 2017, doubling from the previous year to 1,752, according to the Jewish advocacy organization B'nai B'rith. In parliament, Trudeau called on all Canadians to "stand up against xenophobic and anti-Semitic attitudes that still exist in our communities, in our schools, and in our places of work." "Holocaust deniers still exist. Anti-Semitism is still far too present," he said, adding, "Discrimination and violence against Jewish people in Canada and around the world continues at an alarming rate. Sadly, these evils did not end with the Second World War. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The has refused to disclose records pertaining to dilution of a look out circular against fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya, accused of loan default of over Rs 90 billion, citing ongoing investigation. In response to an application filed by Pune-based Vihar Durve, the agency has cited section 8(1)(h) of the act to deny the information. The section exempts from disclosure the information which would impede the process of investigation or apprehension or prosecution of offenders. The Delhi High Court, however, has clarified that when a public authority invokes this clause, it has to provide detailed reasoning how disclosure will impede the process as disclosure is norm and exemption is an exception. The had issued LOC against Mallya calling for his detention if he intends to leave the country or arrive here from abroad but in a surprise move it was diluted asking the immigration authorities to merely inform the agency in case of his travel. Mallya appeared before the agency for questioning after the dilution and even travelled abroad and returned. However, in March 2016 he left the country for England but did not return since and is contesting a case of extradition there. The then director Anil Sinha was not kept in the loop about the change in the nature of LoC which was done by a SP-ranked officer on the verbal instructions of a joint director officer of the agency, according to government sources. Sinha after coming to know about the change and Mallya's escape had made detailed notings on the file admonishing the officer concerned, they had said. While refusing the information, the CBI has also cited on the exemption given to it from the Act which gives it immunity from any provision of the Act. The exemption, however, does not apply when the information sought pertains to allegations of corruption which was a case against Mallya. A green panel under the union environment ministry has recommended action against Bhubaneshwar Power Pvt Ltd (BPPL) for violating environment clearance (EC) norms with regard to transportation of coal by road, as per an official document. The panel has said that BPPL must immediately stop road transport of coal from Talcher (97km) to its thermal power plant in Cuttack district, Odisha and only do it from the Raja Athagarh rail siding, as has been temporarily permitted till December 2018. Consequently, the panel has also deferred its decision on the company's proposal seeking extension of temporary permission for road transportation "The ministry (of environment) may take a separate call to initiate action against the project proponent (BPPL) on the violation of environment clearance conditions that has already occurred," according to the the minutes of meeting of the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC). The EAC found that the company was sourcing 90 per cent of its coal requirement through spot e-auction. Further, this e-auction coal was being transported by road from Talcher itself (97 km) even without any permission. The reasons cited by the company for transporting coal by road from Talcher were not adequate and the "EC conditions were being violated for at least the past year," it said. Further, the panel found that there was no traffic impact assessment conducted for the route which the company sought for extension of temporary permission for transportation of coal by road. The company has also not provided the concrete timeline to complete the construction of rail route including the coal yard. The company has further mentioned that even though rail route is complete, transportation of coal by roads will continue as coal will also be purchased through e-auction, which will be allowed only if coal is transported through roads. The EAC said that this logic was "untenable". In this backdrop, the panel has also recommended the union environment ministry to inform the Odisha State Pollution Control Board to initiate action against the company regarding violation of the consent to operate the plant. That apart, the EAC said that e-auctioning of coal was allowed to the company by state-run Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) without obtaining permission of e-auction based coal-supply from the Centre. In this regard, the union environment ministry may seek clarification from MCL regarding how e-auctioning to the company was allowed, it added. The EAC also suggested that the ministry should discuss with Coal India Ltd and the Railway Ministry regarding the policy of not making rakes available for transport of coal supplied through e-auctions, and may take a suitable decision to make rail transport possible in the interest of reducing the environmental pollution burden. The BPPL's 135 MW captive thermal power plant in Cuttack district was commissioned in 2016. Its annual coal requirement is 1 million tonnes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : AICC General Secretary, Oommen Chandy, Thursday questioned the BJP's "shrill silence"on the impact of demonetisation and sought an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the pain caused to the common man. The BJP government 'celebrated' the first anniversary of demonetisation as "Anti-Black Money Day" without explaining how it helped the country, he said. However, on the second anniversary Thursday, the saffron party was maintaining a "very shrill silence", Chandy, a former Kerala chief minister, said in a Facebook post titled "Demonetizationan economic disaster!" There is no talk about the "Anti-Black Money Day" or the lives and livelihoods lost in the immediate aftermath of the demonetisation, he said. The Prime Minister neither made himself available to be questioned, nor did he apologise for inflicting so much pain on the common people and severely crippling our economy, especially the small and medium enterprises, the Congress leader added. The Prime Minister must face questions from by the people and explain why the step was taken, Chandy said. "He must show courage and face questions from the opposition parties who represent the people and also from the media, which is the fourth pillar of democracy. He must explain why such a drastic policy was implemented. "And if he cant answer convincingly, he must issue an apology for his mistake, though the lost lives can never be brought back", the former Kerala chief minister said. When the Prime Minister announced demonitisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes on November 8, 2016, it was indeed a "black day" for the Indian economy and not a fight against black money as was claimed, chandy said. Though the demonetisation of 2016 has precedents, including under the British government, none had been as "destructive" as the one executed by the BJP administration, he said adding the caution by opposition parties, including the Congress, which had said it would cripple the economy was brushed aside. The BJP-led government had defended the move, saying it was necessary to wipe out illegal money stashes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China has displayed a host of its latest tactical weapons, including a new intelligence radar, anti-ship missile as well as an unmanned missile boat, at an air show this week in Zhuhai city as it flexed muscles in the disputed South China Sea leading to tension with other nations located on its rim. The exported versions of the 609-intelligence radar and CM 401 anti-ship missile, which are serving in the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in border and coast defence, are on display for the first time at the air show, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported on Thursday. State-run Global Times reported that a Chinese firm has also unveiled its unmanned boat with reconnaissance and attack capabilities, which is the first of its kind in China. The 609-intelligence radar is able to detect long-range early warning of stealth aircraft such as the US F-35, tactical ballistic missiles, and targets close to space, according to its developer, the 14th Institute of the China Electronic Technology Group Corporation (CETC). Hong Kong-based military expert Song Zhongping said that the 609 radar was an important part of China's comprehensive anti-stealth and anti-ballistic missile systems, which could be integrated into the PLA's air and sea combat systems to form a powerful air-to-air and air-to-sea defence network. "The CM-401 system is an anti-ship ballistic missile modified from a tactical missile defence system," Song, a military commentator for Hong Kong's Phoenix Television, told the Post. "It is able to destroy fixed targets on land or moving targets on sea, including medium-to-large warships." The two weapons systems need to operate with the support of many other types of multifunctional radar systems with different altitude and range capabilities, he added. "The PLA is using advanced versions of the 609 radar and CM-401 systems, and most of them were deployed to northeast Asia and the East China Sea, where China is facing threats of nuclear weapons and stealth aircraft," Song said. Guangdong-based Yunzhou Tech, also known as Oceanalpha, developed the missile boat Look Out II. Loaded with four precision missiles that can hit targets 5 kms away, the vessel is also equipped with a radar and electro-optical system enabling it to carry out reconnaissance missions, Global Times reported. The Chinese naval drone, 7.5 metres long and 2.7 metres wide, has a displacement of 3.7 tonnes and can sail at 45 knots at its full speed, it said. Su Zhen, Look Out II project director, told the Global Times at the show on Wednesday that although the vessel was relatively small and its missile could not reach very far, it was fast and stealthy, enabling it to get nearer its target and launch close-quarters strikes. "It is not the Look Out II's goal to sink an enemy vessel on its own," Su said. "As long as we damage the enemy ship's key structure like the command centre, armoury or engine room, it is enough for us to get the upper hand so that we can follow up," he told daily. Su said that an unmanned surface vessel is significantly cost-efficient compared to a traditional naval ship. Because it is unmanned, no operator casualty will occur, Su added. Su said that while the boat can automatically sail the sea and choose optimal routes with artificial intelligence (AI), the use of weapons is still done manually through remote control. China claims sovereignty over all of South China Sea. Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims. China is engaged in hotly contested territorial disputes in both the South China Sea and the East China Sea. Beijing has built up and militarised many of the islands and reefs it controls in the region. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China's exports to the United States and the rest of the world grew more than expected in October, official data showed Thursday, as its traders apparently rushed shipments across the Pacific ahead of higher tariffs. Relations between the world's top two economies have soured sharply this year as US President Donald Trump slapped roughly half of Chinese imports with higher taxes. Top Chinese officials are currently in Washington, with hopes that those talks could pave the way for a breakthrough on trade later this month when Trump meets Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Argentina. Still, in October exporters continued to hurry goods across the Pacific, with China's exports to the US surging 13.2 per cent from the same period last year, according to the data released by China's customs administration. "October's surprisingly strong export performance seems to have been partly due to a continuous front-loading effect and is unlikely to be a long-term trend," said Betty Wang, China economist at ANZ. China's trade surplus with the US fell to USD 31.8 billion in October, from a record USD 34.1 billion in September. October marked the first full month of US tariffs on USD 200 billion of Chinese goods -- but the tax rate is set to jump from 10 per cent to 25 per cent come January. Trump has repeatedly boasted the US could not lose a trade war with China, but Beijing's retaliatory tariffs on American goods have been more damaging so far. China's imports from the US fell 1.8 per cent in October on-year, while its surplus with the US expanded to USD 258 billion for the first 10 months of the year. Analysts estimate the upcoming meeting of the two heads of state will fail to resolve the friction. "We do not expect the sideline meeting of Xi and Trump during the G20 would be positive," said Iris Pang of ING Bank. "We just hope that the meeting won't create further damage to the trade relationship," Pang told Bloomberg China's overall trade -- what it buys and sells with all countries including the US -- logged a USD 34 billion surplus for the month. Exports jumped 15.6 per cent for October on-year, beating the 11.7 per cent forecast by Bloomberg News, while imports rose 21.4 per cent on-year, well above the forecast 14.5 per cent. "While shipments to the US held up well, those to other parts of the world grew even faster," said Louis Kuijs of Oxford Economics. "Global demand may be holding up better than feared, while a weaker Chinese yuan is also helping the country's exporters." Robust imports showed China's economy remained stable despite posting 6.5 per cent GDP growth in the third quarter -- its slowest pace for nine years. Beijing could be pulling up from its campaign to tackle mounting debt which weighed heavily on growth, analysts said. "Robust imports, especially commodities, could be an indication of a rebound in infrastructure investment and a stabilisation of the property market," said ANZ's Wang. Despite the resilient trade data, analysts forecast the US-China feud will hit growth in coming months. "Trade tensions will be a lingering concern for the global economy," Wang said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Growth in Chinese exports to the United States ticked up in October as traders rushed to beat another round of tariff hikes. Exports to the US market rose 13.3 per cent over a year earlier to USD 42.7 billion, up from September's 13 per cent growth, customs data showed Thursday. Imports of American goods rose 8.5 per cent to USD 10.9 billion, decelerating from the previous month's 9 per cent. China's trade surplus with the United States narrowed to USD 31.8 billion from September's record USD 34.1 billion. Traders are rushing to beat a US tariff hike planned for January, ING economists Iris Pang said in a report. Pang said "front-loading behaviour" is likely to continue because this month's planned meeting between Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump in Argentine is unlikely to yield positive results. China's exports to the United States have been unexpectedly resilient since Trump started imposing punitive tariffs goods in July in a fight over Beijing's technology policy. That includes a 10 per cent charge on USD 200 billion of Chinese goods that is due to rise to 25 per cent in January. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Colorado Democrats have flipped control of the state Senate, giving the party a trifecta of Statehouse control with the historic victory of US Rep. Jared Polis as the nation's first openly gay governor and a sweep of top statewide offices. With key wins by five women in toughly contested state Senate races in Denver's suburbs, Tuesday's election will produce a renewed Democratic push to strengthen former President Barack Obama's healthcare law, adopt gun control legislation, increase funding for public education and stress environmental protections. "It's straightforward where I intend to start: Equal pay for equal work. Paid family leave. Closing the wage gap between men and women. It's about equality and an economy that works for everyone," said Rep. Jesse Danielson, who won one of the key Senate races in suburban Jefferson County. Results were still trickling in, but Democrats were poised to take a two-seat majority in the state Senate, erasing a one-vote GOP edge. In the state House, Democrats looked to increase their comfortable majority. Democrats also captured the GOP-held positions of secretary of state, attorney general and state treasurer. National LGBTQ advocates hailed Polis becoming the first openly gay man elected governor in the United States. But issues of sexual preference or gender never became a prominent topic in Polis' campaign against Republican state Treasurer Walker Stapleton despite Colorado's dark past and continuing struggles on the issue. Colorado was dubbed a "hate state" when voters in 1992 approved a ban on laws that protected gays from discrimination. The US Supreme Court later struck it down as unconstitutional. After years of struggle, civil unions were legalized in 2013, and gay marriage in 2014. This year, the US Supreme Court partially upheld the arguments of a Colorado baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple on religious grounds. Jack Phillips, owner of the Masterpiece Cakeshop, has sued the state again for opposing his refusal to bake a cake celebrating a gender transition. On social media, some Colorado residents discussed voting for Polis without knowing he is gay with a partner and two children. "We went from a state where our elected officials struggled to provide even basic rights to same-sex couples to a state where a gay man ran for governor and his sexual orientation wasn't discussed as a political liability," The Denver Post wrote in an editorial late Tuesday. Kayla DeShon, an independent voter from the south Denver suburb of Highlands Ranch, joyfully agreed. The 29-year-old said she voted for Polis because of his commitment to universal health care and defense of insurance coverage of pre-existing conditions. She has an autistic child. "I did not know he is gay. I found out afterward it was an added bonus," DeShon said. "Health care and education are important to me as a mom. And so is climate change. So I made an educated decision. And I do think that it doesn't matter." "We're moving toward a state of equality where people and politicians don't have to state their sexual preference or their gender." More than 2.4 million Colorado residents voted in an election whose top themes included health care policy and President Donald Trump. One in four residents are covered by Medicaid, but those in vast areas of rural Colorado pay some of the nation's highest health insurance premiums and have only one provider. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The first list of Congress candidates for the December 7 Assembly polls in Telangana would be released on November 10, a senior party leader said Thursday. AICC incharge of party affairs in Telangana RC Khuntia told reporters in Delhi that the party has cleared 74 names. There aree 119 ssembly segments. He said the party has decided to leave 25 seats -- 14 to Telugu Desam Party, eight to Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS) and three to CPI. The meeting of the party's election committee would be held on November 11 or 12 to consider the remaining seats, he said. Congress leaders, including its screening committee, have been been working on finalising the names for the assembly polls for the last several days in Delhi. The alliance comprises the Congress, TDP, TJS and CPI. Meanwhile, TDP's Telangana unit president L Ramana and other party leaders met party chief N Chandrababu Naidu in Vijayawada to hold consultations on finalising candidates. Ramana said the candidates would be finalised in the next couple of days. The Gazette notification for the polls would be issued on November 12 and the last date of nominations is November 19, according to the schedule released by the Election Commission. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Communist Party of India Thursday condemned the killing of one of its workers allegedly by goons of rival candidates in poll-bound Chhattisgarh's Sukma district. The party said in a statement that Durva Kalumu was killed when he was returning after campaigning for its Konta assembly candidate Manish Kunjam. However, police in Chhattisgarh had said he was killed by Naxals. The incident took place November 7. Demanding stern steps to curb poll-related violence, it urged the Chhattisgarh government to hold an impartial inquiry into the killing and arrest culprits immediately. It also drew the Election Commission's attention to the violence. Polling in 18 constituencies in eight Naxal-affected districts - Bastar, Kanker, Sukma, Bijapur, Dantewada, Narayanpur, Kondagaon and Rajnandgaon -- will be held on November 12. The remaining 72 constituencies will go to the polls on November 20. Counting of votes will be held on December 11. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi Police rescued two businessmen who were kidnapped on Sunday and also recovered a ransom amount of Rs 25.50 lakh from the accused. The accused, identified as Azim Khan, 31, and Kamran Khan, were arrested. On November 6, the police received a call regarding the kidnapping of the businessmen, a senior police official said Thursday. Immediately, police swung into action and several teams were constituted. A massive search was initiated in the suspected hideouts on the base of technical surveillance and both the kidnapped persons -- natives of Mumbai and Odisha-- were rescued. The accused were arrested and Rs 25.50 lakh was recovered from them, the police official said. During interrogation, the accused disclosed that they met one of the victims at a restaurant at Daryaganj and introduced themselves as businessmen wanting to invest money. The victims got influenced and contacted the accused for a loan of Rs 200 crore, the official said. On November 4, the accused confined them at an unknown location and extorted Rs 26 lakh from them. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court has awarded life imprisonment to two persons for abducting a youth for ransom and strangulating him to death 15 years ago. A bench of justices S Muralidhar and Vinod Goel upheld the verdict of a trial court sentencing Joginder and Vikas Chaudhary to life term, which would mean incarceration till their natural life, and that they would not be entitled to "any parole, remission or any furlough before 30 years of imprisonment" for the offences. The bench, however, acquitted Vikas Sidhu, who was also awarded life term by the trial court, by giving him benefit of doubt. "While the involvement of accused no. 1 (Joginder) and accused no. 2 (Chaudhary) stands conclusively established by the matching of their specimen voices with the questioned voices in the recorded ransom calls, there is no such evidence as far as accused no. 3 (Sidhu) is concerned. "Therefore, he cannot be said to have been part of any criminal conspiracy or even shared a common intention of first abducting the deceased for ransom and then murdering him," the bench said. It said it has been conclusively proved by the prosecution that Joginder and Chaudhary entered into a criminal conspiracy and abducted 20-year-old Parakh Chadha for ransom. They murdered him and concealed the evidence of the crime by burning the body and threw it in a ditch near the Hindon river in Ghaziabad, it said. The high court has also upheld the trial court's order directing Joginder and Chaudhary to pay a compensation of Rs four lakh each to the victim's family. The three men had challenged the trial court's order of November last year. According to the prosecution, on January 18, 2003, the accused persons had conspired and abducted Chadha, a resident of Ashok Vihar in north west Delhi, for a ransom of Rs 35 lakh. They killed him the same night by strangulating him and threw the burnt body in the ditch to screen themselves from prosecution, it said, adding that one of the accused was known to the victim. The accused had denied the incriminating evidence and claimed that they were implicated by the police. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court has directed the North Delhi Municipal Corporation to pay Rs 10 lakh as compensation to the parents of a 13-year-old boy, who was electrocuted in a park after receiving shock from a metallic fencing erected around a high mast pole in 2010. Justice J R Midha directed the municipal body to deposit the amount along with interest with the high court's registrar general within six weeks and listed the matter for December for disbursement of the money to the child's parents. The incident took place on July 12, 2010 when the minor was playing in the park near his residence in Anand Parbat area. A case was lodged and charge sheet was filed against an municipal body official for the alleged offences of causing death by negligence and causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others under the IPC. The child's parents approached the high court seeking compensation for their son's death. They had claimed that the civic body was responsible for maintaining the park and was liable to pay them compensation. Allowing the plea of the parents, the court said North MCD was held primary liable to pay the compensation in the first instance to the family. It said that after depositing the compensation amount, the North MCD would be at liberty to initiate appropriate legal proceedings against the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), BSES Yamuna Power Ltd and or any other agency, in accordance with law. The civic body had said that the accident might have taken place due to the accumulation of rain water in the park and leakage in earthing of the main lines. The civic body had earlier claimed that it was neither the owner nor the custodian of the park or the pole and was not responsible for the maintenance of the pole on the date of the accident on July 12, 2010. It had said that Slum and JJ Department of the MCD was converted to DUSIB with effect from July 1, 2010 and the board was responsible for the maintenance of the pole on the date of the accident. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress Thursday launched a multi-pronged attack on the Modi government over demonetisation, with former prime minister Manmohan Singh saying the "scars and wounds" it caused are getting more visible with time and party chief Rahul Gandhi describing the measure as a carefully planned "criminal financial scam". In a scathing assessment of the demonetisation exercise, Singh said the decision's second anniversary Thursday is a day to remember how "economic misadventures" can roil the nation. In a statement, he asked the government not to resort to further unorthodox, short-term economic measures that can cause any more uncertainty in the economy. Gandhi also came out with a statement sharply criticising demonetisation and describing it as a "tragedy" that destroyed millions of lives. In a tweet, he also alleged that demonetisation was a planned "brutal conspiracy" and a "shrewd scheme" to convert the black money of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "suit-booted friends" to white. "India will discover, no matter how the government tries to hide it, that demonetisation wasn't just an ill-conceived and poorly executed economic policy with 'innocent intent', but a carefully planned, criminal financial scam," Gandhi said in his statement. "The full truth about demonetisation is not out yet. India's people will not rest till it is," he said. Their remarks came after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said demonetisation resulted in formalisation of economy and increased tax base. The BJP Thursday also posed 10 questions to the Congress, asking why its finds merit in protesting every "anti-corruption" measure of the Modi government and accused it of "living in denial" despite a surge in GDP numbers. Senior Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram described demonetisation as the "most ingeniously-designed official money-laundering scheme", because, he said, practically every single currency note was officially exchanged at the bank counters. "Demonetisation did not put an end to fake currency. On the contrary, counterfeiters have successfully counterfeited the new Rs 2,000 and the new Rs 500 notes," he told a press conference in Kolkata. Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala asked why the BJP government did not issue any advertisement or congratulate people on the second anniversary of demonetisation as they had done in the past. He alleged that demonetisation was the "biggest scam" of independent India and that the black money of several people was converted to white through the move. "What did the country get, was black money found, was counterfeit currency recovered, did it stop naxalism and terrorism, instead the Indian economy suffered a loss of Rs 3 lakh crore," he claimed. "Time has come for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take responsibility for this destruction and apologise...Time has come that the scam of notebandi is probed and those guilty are caught. The country will not forget, it remembers and is ready to hit back with the might of its votes," Surjewala said. Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma, at a press conference here, alleged that demonetisation was "a big money laundering project", NPAs have increased sharply, the banking system was struggling, and now the Modi government was bent on "snatching" the contingency reserves of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Sharma announced that the Congress will hold a nationwide protest on Friday to mark the second anniversary of demonetisation. In his statement, former prime minister Singh said: "Notebandi impacted every single person, regardless of age, gender, religion, occupation or creed." "It is often said that time is a great healer. But unfortunately, in the case of demonetisation, the scars and wounds of demonetisation are only getting more visible with time," he said. Beyond the "steep drop" in headline GDP growth numbers after demonetisation, the deeper ramifications of 'notebandi' are still unravelling, Singh said. Gandhi, in his statement, said on the second anniversary of the prime minister's "monumental blunder, the government's spin-doctors, including our incompetent finance minister, have the unenviable task of defending an indefensible, criminal policy". "Demonetisation was a tragedy. India has faced many tragedies in its past. Many a time have envious, external enemies tried to hurt us. But demonetisation is unique in the history of our tragedies because it was a self-inflicted, suicidal attack that destroyed millions of lives and ruined thousands of India's small businesses," he alleged. He claimed that the worst hit by demonetisation were the poorest of the poor, who he said were forced to queue for days to exchange their meagre savings. Modi's demonetisation cost India over one and a half million jobs and wiped out at least 1 per cent from India's GDP, Gandhi alleged. "November 8th will forever go down in the history of India, as a day of infamy. Two years ago, on this day, Prime Minister Modi unleashed the tyranny of demonetisation on the nation. According to Gandhi, over 120 Indians died in those queues, millions of small and medium businesses were "smashed" and the entire informal sector "devastated". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Thursday said resulted in the formalisation of the economy and increased tax base, prompting the government to earmark more resources for the poor and infrastructure development. In a Facebook post on the second anniversary of Demonetisation, Jaitley said in first four years of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, the number of income tax returns filers has gone up to 68.6 million from 38 million in May 2014. By the time the first five years of this government are over, we will be close to doubling the assessee base, he said in the post titled Impact Of Demonetisation". The of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes in November 2016, the minister said, had resulted in more formalisation (of economy), more revenue, more resources for the poor, better infrastructure, and a better quality of life for our citizens. He further said with the implementation of the goods and services tax (GST), it is now becoming increasingly difficult to evade the tax system and the indirect tax to gross domestic product (GDP) ratio has gone up to 5.4 per cent post GST, from 4.4 per cent in 2014-15. Terming the criticism, that almost the entire cash money got deposited in the banks post demonetisation, as ill-informed, Jaitley said confiscation of currency was not an objective of Getting it into the formal economy and making the holders pay tax was the broader objective. The system required to be shaken in order to make India move from cash to digital transactions. This would obviously have an impact on higher tax revenue and a higher tax base, Jaitley said. The government had on November 8, 2016, announced ban on old 500 and 1000 rupee notes, to curb black money in the system. Of the Rs 15.41 trillion worth Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in circulation on November 8, 2016, 99.3 per cent or notes worth Rs 15.31 trillion have returned to the banking system. This means, just Rs 107.2 billion of the junked currency did not return to the banking system. After the note ban, old junked notes, called specified bank notes (SBNs), were allowed to be deposited in banks with unusual deposits coming under income tax scrutiny. Jaitley said demonetisation compelled holders of cash to deposit the same in the banks. The enormity of cash deposited and identified with the owner resulted in suspected 1.74 million account holders from whom the response has been received online through non-invasive method, he said. The violators faced punitive actions. Larger deposits in banks improved lending capacity for the banks. A lot of this money was diverted to mutual funds for further investments. It became a part of he f the formal system, Jaitley added. He said the share of indigenously developed payment system of unified payments interface (UPI) and RuPay card have reached 65 per cent of the payments done through debit and credit cards. Jaitley said in 2017-18, the tax returns filed reached 68.6 million, an increase of 25 per cent over the previous year. This year, as on October 31, 2018, already 59.9 million returns have been filed - which is an increase of 54.33 per cent compared to the previous year till this date. As many as 86.35 lakh new filers were added this year. Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg said demonetisation and GST reflect long-term vision of the government and its ability to undertake massive structural reforms. Tax filers under both direct and indirect taxes are close to getting doubled. Digital payments have risen sharply and become common place. Fake notes are out, Garg tweeted. US President Donald Trump has described the midterm election results as a "tremendous success" even as opposition Democrats wrested the House of Representatives from the ruling Republican party, which managed to retain its majority in the Senate in the highly polarised polls. Trump, who campaigned aggressively in the last several weeks, Wednesday offered an olive branch to Democrats, saying he wanted to work together with the Democratic leadership to continue delivering for the American people, including on economic growth, infrastructure, trade, lowering the cost of prescription drugs. "Last night the Republican Party defied history to expand our Senate majority while significantly beating expectations in the House for the midterm year," Trump told reporters, hours after the Republicans lost control of the House for the first time in eight years. "These are some of the things that the Democrats do want to work on, and I really believe we'll be able to do that. I think we're going to have a lot of reason to do it," he said as he termed the midterm poll results as a "tremendous success". The Democrats now have majority in the 435-member House, while Trump's party has retained majority in the 100-member Senate. The statements from the Democratic party leaders after the results indicated it would make it tough for President Trump, who wants major legislative changes on some of his signature issues including immigration, tax and healthcare reforms. By capturing the House of Representatives, the Democrats may exert a major institutional check on Trump and break the Republican monopoly in Washington. In the House of Representatives, the Democrats seized at least 28 seats from Republican hands - enough for the majority in the 435-membered chamber. In the outgoing House, the Republicans had 235 seats while the Democrats 193. All four incumbent members of the so-called 'Samosa Caucus' -- Raja Krishnamoorthi, Pramila Jayapal, Ro Khanna and Ami Bera -- were re-elected to the House. The new House would come into being next January. However, the ruling Republican Party retained its majority in the 100-member Senate where it currently has a razor thin majority of 51-49 seats. Thirty-five of the 100 Senate seats went to polls. The latest reports put the Republican tally at 51 and Democrats at 46. A record number of close to 100 women, majority of them being Democrats, won seats in the House, a massive victory for female candidates across the political spectrum. At least 28 of them were elected to the House for the first time. The elections also resulted in Rashida Tlaib becoming the first Muslim woman elected to the House of Representatives along with Somali-American Ilhan Omar. Leading from the front, Trump addressed some 30 rallies in last 60 days criscrossing some of the major battleground States. Trump said he achieved this result in spite of a very dramatic fund-raising disadvantage driven by Democrats' wealthy donors and special interests, and very hostile media coverage. "The media coverage set a new record and a new standard," he alleged. "This vigorous campaigning stopped the blue wave that they talked about. I don't know if there ever was such a thing, but could have been. If we didn't do the campaigning, probably, there could have been," he said. Trump said during the first mid-term of his predecessor Barack Obama in 2010, the Democrats lost 63 seats in the House and six Senate seats. By expanding the Senate majority, the voters have also clearly rebuked the Senate Democrats for their handling of the Justice Brett Kavanaugh hearings, Trump said, adding that those Republicans who did not "embrace" his policies lost their elections very badly. Trump also said he was ready for a different approach with the Democrats if they desire to take that path. After their victory Tuesday night, some of the Democrats have been seeking investigations against Trump. "They can play that game, but we can play it better, because we have a thing called the US Senate, and a lot of very questionable things were done, between leaks of classified information and many other elements that should not have taken place," he said. Trump said but it will end up nowhere in the next two years and it would be easy for him to go back to the people during his re-election and blame the Democrats for everything. "I really respected what Nancy (Pelosi) said last night about bipartisanship and getting together. She used the word "uniting" and she used the bipartisanship statement, which is so important because that's what we should be doing," Trump said. Trump said now was the time for members of both parties to join together, put partisanship aside, and keep the American economic miracle going strong. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior Congress leader Ashok Chavan on Thursday described as the "biggest mistake of the Modi government" and claimed that it resulted in the slowdown of the economy and rise in unemployment. None of the objectives of demonetisation, like eradication of black money, removal of fake notes in circulation and breaking the back of Naxal and terror activities, have been achieved, he said on the second anniversary of note ban. On November 8, 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a ban on then in use Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 denomination bank notes with immediate effect. "Not all cash is black and not all black (money) is cash. Ours is a cash economy and receipts are not available for all transactions. It would be foolish to think that auto-rickshaw drivers, vegetable vendors, small shopkeepers and village markets deal in black money," Chavan said in a statement. Stressing the need for an analysis of demonetisation, the former chief minister of Maharashtra sought to know if the Union cabinet, the chief economic adviser, and the cabinet sub-committee were even aware of the decision. "Was there any meeting to discuss this. Are there any minutes of such a meeting? was the biggest mistake of the Modi government," he said. At the government level, there are many stakeholders while taking an important decision - a preliminary study is conducted, report is prepared, there is a discussion on the report and changes if necessary are made. The Opposition parties are also on board and a constitutional protocol is followed, he pointed out. The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) chief also noted that in the last two years, the chief economic adviser and the Niti Ayog vice chairman, who were appointed by the government, have quit. The current developments pertaining to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) are also a cause of concern, said Chavan, who is the Lok Sabha member from Nanded in Maharashtra. There has been a stand-off between the RBI and the Union Finance Ministry over a few policies majorly concerning ways to drive the economic growth. Greeting people on the occasion of Diwali, US President Donald Trump said the festival of lights is a special opportunity to reflect on the bond of friendship between India and the United States. Trump said First Lady Melania joins him in sending their best wishes for a very happy and memorable Diwali. He also recognised the "extraordinary" contributions of Indian-Americans in the development of the United States. "Diwali is a special opportunity to reflect on the bond of friendship between the United States and India," Trump said in a special Diwali message issued on Wednesday. "We recognise the extraordinary contributions of Indian-Americans to the strength and success of our nation. Their achievements in business and industry, public service, education, scientific research, and other fields continue to represent the very best of our American virtues and the spirit of the Diwali season," he said. Asserting that Diwali is a joyous and spiritual time marked by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists, Trump said lighting of lamps on the occasion symbolises the true meaning of Diwali, which is triumph of light over darkness and good over evil. Republican National Committee (RNC) chairperson Ronna McDaniel also greeted people celebrating Diwali. "We wish you and your family and friends a meaningful celebration of the victory of light over darkness. We at the RNC will continue to honour the traditions of diverse communities that enrich and strengthen our country," she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As many as 2,190 cases were filed by police across Tamil Nadu for bursting firecrackers during 'Deepavali' outside the two-hour time slot fixed by the state government as per the Supreme Court order. However, no arrests were made since the offence was bailable in nature, a police official said. The Chennai Corporation Thursday said it removed 95.06 tonnes of cracker waste deploying 19,000 civic personnel. Deepavali was celebrated in the state on Tuesday and the state government had fixed the time for bursting crackers between 6 AM to 7 AM and 7 PM and 8 PM. Among the state's 32 districts, Chennai topped the list in violation of the time limit for bursting crackers with 359 cases followed by Coimbatore 184, Villupuram 160 and Virudhunagar 134. Theni recorded the lowest of five cases. Since the offences were bailable under sections 188 (disobedience to order), 268 (public nuisance) 285 (negligent conduct with respect to fire) and 286 (negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance) of the IPC, no arrests were made, the official told PTI. Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner D Karthikeyan said 95.06 tonnes of cracker waste was collected from 15 zones of the city out of which 58.97 tonnes had been deposited with a hazardous waste facility near here. As many as 19,000 personnel, including contract workers, were deployed to clear the rubbish, he said in a statement. On Wednesday, the police had said that the firecracker cases in Tamil could be "2000 plus," since information was being received from several districts. The police crackdown, however, has drawn flak from opposition parties, which termed the action "ridiculous" and demanded withdrawal of all cases. The state pollution control board has said air pollution levels dipped across the state on deepavali day. Citing data being collated from several parts of the state, an official had Wednesday told PTI that there was a definitive drop in air and noise pollution levels on the day (when compared to previous years) and surveys showed that the parameters conformed to set standards in most regions. In Chennai, the ambient air quality survey showed that pollution this year was much lesser and even almost conformed to the prescribed limits of 100/micrograms as regards PM-10 (Particulate Matter). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) DMK Thursday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the second anniversary of demonetisation alleging it was a "one-man made disaster" for the country with the economy getting hit irreversibly. Ruling AIADMK, however, appeared to be guarded in its reaction, saying the people's verdict on demonetisation would be known only after the next year Lok Sabha elections. With ally Congress alleging note ban as a biggest scam, DMK president M K Stalin in a tweet said: "People were brought on streets with their money declared illegal. "Indians stood in endless lines & many died outside banks, millions of jobs were lost, small industries shut & the economy hit irreversibly. #DestructionByDemonetisation is a one man made disaster for India," Stalin, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Tamil Nadu assembly, tweeted. Senior AIADMK leader and Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar, said whether the people have accepted demonetisation or not will be known only after the Lok Sabha election is held next year. "Be it demonetisation or any other reform, whether such initiatives can be accepted or not lies with the people and only they decide," he told reporters here when asked for his views on demonetisation. Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam leader TTV Dhinakaran claimed that it was "getting proven everyday" that the demonetisation drive was not poised for growth and it affected both the haves and have-nots. Dubbing the note-ban as a failure, he alleged "it was like another atom bomb that pushed the economy to the abyss." General Secretary of Tamil Nadu chapter of Bank Employees Federation of India C P Krishnan alleged that the note ban was a failure and asked the government to "openly accept" it. He demanded the government compensate families for "loss of lives," due to the note-ban. As opposition parties targeted it on the second anniversary of the exercise, the central government has strongly defended its action. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said demonetisation resulted in formalisation of economy and increased tax base, prompting the government to earmark more resources for the poor and infrastructure development. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : BJP MLA from Belthangady Harish Poonja Thursday asked the Dakshina Kannada district deputy commissioner Sasikanth Senthil not to invite him for the birth anniversary celebrations of Tipu Sultan, a ruler of the Mysore Kingdom, on November 10. In a letter to Senthil, a copy of which was released to the press here, Poonja said his name and designation should not be used in the invitations. The MLA said he was writing the letter in the context of the decision of the Karnataka government to celebrate the Tipu Jayanti at the state, district and taluk-levels. Celebrating the jayanti of a ruler who killed many Hindus and Christians during his regime amounted to betrayal of the people of the State, he said in the letter. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : The National Commission for Scheduled Caste has directed the police to file the chargesheet in the case related to recent beheading of a teenage Dalit girl in a village near Athur in Salem district of Tamil Nadu. The commission has taken up the case on its own and sent a notice to the district Collector and police department for follow-up, its vice-chairman L Murugan said Thursday. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function to distribute protective gears to sanitary workers here, he said the commission had directed the police department to file the chargesheet against the 27-year-old man, the accused, and take steps to detain him under the Goondas Act. It had also asked the government to decide on the compensation for the family of the girl, he said. The girl, daughter of a labourer, was beheaded by her neighbour last month after she had rejected his advances. Accused Dinesh Kumar has been arrested and lodged in Salem jail. Compared to Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, the condition of Adi Dravidar hostels was poor in Tamil Nadu and he had written to the government on this, Murugan added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With nearly 2,000 witnesses to be inquired, the final report on the jallikattu violence in 2017 would be submitted in another six to seven months, the one-man commission of retired judge S Rajasekaran, probing into the agitation, said Thursday. In the last phase of the investigation, there were 1,956 witnesses to be heard in Madurai and it would be done next month and the final report was expected to be ready in another six or seven months, he told reporters here. Rajasekaran, who is also heading the panel for inquiring into the poll irregularities in cooperative societies in west zone, said 248 complaints were received from the eight districts of the zone and the panel would sit for three days here and take up 22 cases during the period. After completing Coimbatore, the panel would move to other districts of the zone, he said adding that the probe would be speeded up since the commission was not given extension. The Tamil Nadu government had said a one-man commission would go into the incidents leading to the riots during the pro-jallikattu stir in Chennai and elsewhere in the State in 2017. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bursting of crackers and fireworks for two days on the occasion of Kali puja and Diwali till Wednesday, defying a Supreme Court order, caused the air quality in several parts of the city to dip to "very unhealthy" levels, environmentalists said Thursday. The situation was aggravated by an overcast sky, light rain in some parts of the city and low wind speed, West Bengal Pollution Control Board chairman Kalyan Rudra said. The WBPCB chairman, however, refused to draw any conclusion as to whether there was any improvement or worsening of air pollution during the two days compared to previous years. Asked about the readings at air monitoring stations suggesting very poor air quality, Rudra said, "Our staff will collate all information and analyse. Our monitoring stations will monitor the situation till a week after Diwali and we will chalk out an action plan to combat any situation in future as the Supreme Court order envisaged". "Due to the present weather situation when the sky is overcast and wind speed is low amid light drizzle for past two days, the suspended particles could not move up and hung around in the air," he told PTI. The US Consulate's air quality index, which measured the environmental condition at the upmarket Park Street area in the heart of the city, showed particulate matter (pm) 2.5 count as "very unhealthy" at 211 accepted quality level (AQL) at 11 am Thursday "meaning everyone may experience more serious health effects." Environmentalist Subhas Dutta said authorities should have been more careful in preventing illegal fireworks and crackers from districts which flooded the markets in the city. He called the pollution control board a "toothless tiger" and said it has been unable to enforce the Supreme Court directions. Stating that there are some practical problems involved in enforcing the ban on fire crackers except during the two-hour window from 8 pm, Dutta said, "It is difficult to point out the exact decibel count of a fire cracker that has been burst, to pin point where it has happened and who did it in case it happens in a crowd." However, there has been a palpable reduction in the bursting of fire crackers in the city due to the wide publicity of the apex court's directives and action by police, he said. Police should act more against manufacturers and sellers of banned fire crackers to ensure a better compliance, he said. At least 556 people were arrested in connection with bursting of banned fire crackers and disorderly conduct in the city over the past two days. Till 11 pm Wednesday, police received a total of 50 complaints regarding bursting of fire crackers, an official of Kolkata Police said. The complaints were mainly from the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass, Kasba, Patuli, Thakurpukur in the south and Dum Dum in the northern part of the city, he said. Environmentalist S M Ghosh said the metropolis earned the dubious distinction of being one of the most polluting cities on Diwali night. WBPCB's Rudra said the board will analyse the available data on air quality recorded during the celebration. The PM 2.5 count measured by PCB shot up to 330 at Rabindra Bharati automatic air monitoring station on B T Road in northern part of the city and the count was 373 at Victoria Memorial in central Kolkata at 11 am Thursday. Dutta corroborated Rudra's statement saying, "The high concentration of particulate matter in the air was not solely due to bursting of firecrackers in the evenings of Kali puja and Diwali but due to present weather conditions as well. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Ecuador leader Rafael Correa, who is wanted in his homeland on suspicion of kidnapping, has requested political asylum in Belgium, two well-placed sources said. Correa has lived near Brussels with his family since 2017, and requested asylum on June 25 this year. The request has been under consideration since August by Belgium's CGRA refugee agency, one source told AFP. A left-wing former economist, Correa was president of his Andean nation between 2007 and 2017. On Wednesday, an Ecuadoran judge demanded he return home to face charges related to the 2012 kidnapping of an opponent. Correa insists he is innocent, and on Thursday in an interview with AFP he accused the new authorities in his homeland of "political persecution," and his successor Lenin Moreno of a plot against him. Fearing that he would not be given a fair trial if he return to Ecuador, Correa pre-empted the issuance of an arrest warrant against him by asking for asylum in Belgium, AFP has learned from two sources. One of the sources told AFP that Correa had attended an asylum hearing in late summer. The 55-year-old politician would neither confirm nor deny this. A spokesman for CGRA, Damien Dermaux, said the agency would not comment on individual cases, but said that in Belgium an asylum request is decided on average in about three months, but could take longer. Correa has lived in Belgium, where his wife has citizenship and where he had studied before his political career, since July 2017. He is accused of ordering the 2012 kidnapping in the Colombian capital Bogota of exiled former lawmaker Fernando Balda, who was forced into a car by a gang intending to return him to Ecuador. Colombian police intervened to save him. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday there would be no official homage to Nazi collaborator Philippe Petain as part of World War I ceremonies this week, a day after sparking outrage by saying his inclusion would be "legitimate." "It was never a question of celebrating him individually," Macron said in Maubeuge as he toured WWI sites in northern France this week ahead of the 100th anniversary of the armistice on Sunday. Petain was hailed as a national hero after WWI for leading French forces to victory, but during World War II he became head of the French government which collaborated with occupying German forces and helped deport thousands of Jews to death camps. Macron had indicated Wednesday that Petain would be among the eight army chiefs honoured at the Invalides military museum on Saturday, saying he had earned the nation's gratitude. "He was a great soldier, it's a fact," he said, though he stressed that Petain had made "disastrous choices" during World War II. His comments were denounced by rival politicians and Jewish leaders, and set off a flurry of criticism on Twitter. "The only thing we will remember about Petain is that he was convicted, in the name of the French people, of national indignity during his trial in 1945," Francis Kalifat of the CRIF association of French Jewish groups. Macron said Thursday that it was necessary to make a distinction between Petain's WWI contributions and his crimes of WWII, while criticising what he called a "useless controversy". "We have to recognise the historical truth, but also our duty to remember, and the consequences of the indignity which was established" at Petain's treason trial in 1945, he said. French army officials had announced this week that all eight WWI marshals would be commemorated, with Macron represented by the general who is his top military adviser. However Petain is not among the marshals at the Invalides, having been buried on the Ile d'Yeu off the Atlantic coast. For years French leaders have treaded lightly when dealing with Petain's legacy, which continues to divide the nation decades on. Historians generally consider the marshal a brilliant tactician during World War I, not least for halting the German advance at Verdun in 1916. He also earned soldiers' admiration by advocating strategies which avoided pointless fighting and deaths -- though he nonetheless condoned the execution of attempted deserters. Hailed as a hero after the armistice, Petain would be called on to lead again after Germany invaded in 1940, taking over much of France. But as head of the Vichy regime, he actively collaborated with the Nazi occupiers, pursuing French resistance fighters while enacting second-class status for Jews and helping German soldiers round them up for the death camps. After the war's end he was arrested for treason and given the death sentence, which was commuted to life imprisonment given his age. He died in 1951, aged 95. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Moroccos high-speed train, the first of its kind in Africa, will be inaugurated on Nov.15th in the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron at the invitation of King Mohammed VI, according to Reuters news agency which cited the French Presidency. Some Moroccan local media also reported the news. This landmark project in the Moroccan-French relations will link the Northern city of Tangier to Casablanca in 2h 10min, instead of 4h 45min today. The project, which costs Morocco $2 billion, was financed by numerous partners, including France, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Moroccos TGV is expected to transport six million passengers per year with departures every hour from Casablanca and Tangier, with the aim to achieve an average occupancy rate of 70 pc. The North African kingdom has bought 12 high-speed trains from Frances train manufacturer, Alstom. The trains will operate at 320km/h on the high-speed line to halve the journey time between the cities of Tangier and Casablanca. In the past five years, Moroccos investments in railway sector grew sevenfold, a fact that helped the state-owned railway operator ONCF to upgrade and modernize the countrys rail transport system. The said on Thursday that GST refund of Rs 827 billion to exporters has been cleared as on October 31, which is 93.8 per cent of the total such claims with the tax authorities. In a statement, the ministry said Rs 54 billion worth GST refund is still pending with the government and that is being "expeditiously processed". "As on October 31, 2018, total to the tune of Rs 827 billion have been disposed by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) and the state authorities out of the total refund claims of Rs 881 billion received so far," the ministry said. It added that, the disposal rate of (GST) refunds is 93.8 per cent as on October 31. Giving the refunds' break-up, the ministry further said that Rs 429.35 billion of IGST refunds have been disposed of as on October 31, which is 93.27 per cent of the total such claims. ALSO READ: Vital to maintain GST numbers As much as Rs 30.96 billion worth of IGST refund claims are held up on account of "various deficiencies" which have been communicated to exporters for remedial action. With regard to refund of input tax credit claims, the ministry said of the total claims of Rs 421.45 billion, the pendency as on October 31 stood at Rs 23.05 billion. "Provisional/final order has been issued in case of (ITC) refunds amounting to Rs 346 billion. In claims amounting to Rs 52.39 billion, deficiency memos have been issued by respective GST authorities," the statement said. ALSO READ: Online tax platforms get ready to ride on GST compliance to boost business The ministry said there are concerns that there is a growing pendency of and sought to assure the exporters that there is no let up in the sanction of The pending GST refund claims amounting to Rs 54 billion are being expeditiously processed so as to provide relief to eligible exporters. Refund claims without any deficiency are being cleared expeditiously," it said. Efforts are being made continuously to clear all the pending refund claims, where ever requisite information is provided and found eligible, it said. ALSO READ: Robust GST collections in October raise fiscal deficit concerns "Co-operation of the exporter community is solicited to ensure that they respond to the deficiency memos and errors communicated by Centre and State GST as well as Customs Authorities and also exercise due diligence while filing GSTR 1 and GSTR 3B returns as well as Shipping Bills," the statement added. Gunmen have abducted four Catholic priests in southern Nigeria, a local state official told AFP Wednesday. The kidnapping happened on Tuesday at a border community between Edo and Delta States in the south, said Andrew Aniamaka, a spokesman for Delta State. "They were abducted on their way to Ekpoma, Edo state, from Delta for an event," he added, saying police and local security were hunting for the gunmen. A source at the Warri Catholic diocese in Delta State confirmed the incident, which comes less than three weeks after five Catholic nuns were kidnapped in Delta State. The nuns were released two weeks later, and a suspect was in custody, said Aniamaka. He would not say if a ransom had been paid. Several sources confirm that the nuns had been returning from a burial ceremony in the southeast Nigeria when they were abducted by gunmen who opened fire on their vehicles, injuring two other nuns. In January, Nigeria's bishops denounced a wave of kidnappings for ransom in the country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor-politician Kamal Haasan Thursday flayed the ruling AIADMK for its opposition to Vijay-starrer 'Sarkar', saying a government that cannot accept criticism "will derail." It was also not new for "this government to exert pressure through political conspiracies," against a certified film like 'Sarkar,' the Makkal Needhi Maiam founder said without explicitly referring to any incident. "A government that does not accept criticism will derail. The coterie of political traders will end soon," he said on his Twitter handle. "Good people will soon come to the ruling saddle," he added. The ruling AIADMK is up in arms against the film for its reported reference to former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, besides alleged depiction of certain government schemes in bad light. Haasan has been vocal in his criticism of the AIADMK over issues including corruption. The ruling AIADMK, in turn, has ridiculed him. Haasan had felicitated the crew of Vijay-starrer 'Mersal' last year, following opposition to the film by the BJP's state unit for some "incorrect referrences" to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) rolled out in July 2017. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Panic gripped Amarpur locality in Himachal Pradesh's Sirmaur district on Diwali night when an Army shell landed on the rooftop of a house. The shell landed on the rooftop of the residence of one Durgesh Sharma at around 7 pm, police said. "We got information at around 7.30 pm that an explosive had fallen on the rooftop of a house in Amarpur," Sirmaur Deputy Superintendent of Police (headquarter) Babita Rana said. The shell first fell on the rooftop and damaged the roof. Then it fell near a man in the street, she added. "The shell is from 84 mm rocket launcher bearing Gustaf mark and weighs about two kilograms. It fell in a thickly populated area. Luckily it did not explode. Had it exploded, it would have wreaked havoc in area up to at least 5 kilometers," Rana said. An Army firing range is near the locality where the shell was found. "Prima facie, it seems that the shell fell from an aerial distance of 1,600 meters due to negligence of Army personnel," the DSP said. She said a letter had been sent to the Army authorities. "Usually the Army fires such explosives towards the western side (of the range) during practice. Apparently it fell towards the thickly populated area on the eastern side due to negligence," she added. A case has been registered against unknown persons under Section 336 (endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code, Rana said. The shell will be handed over to the Army on Friday, she said, adding that Army personnel will be included in further investigation of the matter. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Over 250 cases of burn injuries were reported by various hospitals in the national capital this Diwali. The five government hospitals -- Safdarjung, Ram Manohar Lohia (RML), Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB), Deen Dayal Upadhyay (DDU) and Lok Nayak (LN), reported majority of the burn injuries and firecracker-related accidents. The Centre-run Safdarjung hospital, which has largest burns unit in the country, received around 104 cases, including 22 admissions related to major burn injuries, from 9 AM on Wednesday to 9 AM on Thursday. "While 22 patients were admitted, rest were treated as out patients," said Dr Shalabh Kumar, Professor and Consultant, Plastic Surgery Department, Safdarjung Hospital. Of the total 104 patients, 26 were children. At the RML Hospital, located in central Delhi, 25 people came to the casualty wards with burn injuries, out of whom, six patients had to be admitted as they had more than 20 per cent burns, said Dr V K Tiwari, Medical Superintendent of the hospital. The Dr R P Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences at the AIIMS also received patients who had sustained burns in eyes or other ocular injuries during Diwali festivities. Consultant Plastic Surgeon at the Lok Nayak hospital, Dr P S Bhandari, said, "21 persons with burn injuries were attended to at our hospital, out of which five were admitted." "This year we had anticipated that the cases will go down on Diwali as lot of efforts have been made to sensitise the public. But then people started pouring in since last evening and continued till today (Thursday) morning," Bhandari added. Around 35 patients were sent back home after first aid at the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital. The Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital received 45 patients for bodily injuries from fire-related incidents and saw two admissions this Diwali. Most of the burn injuries were mainly related to hands and eyes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Thursday it feared the consequences of a possible "contagion" of Italy's economic woes to European countries with "weaker macroeconomic fundamentals." Noting the "four-year high" in Italian sovereign bond yields, the IMF said "spillovers to other markets have been fairly contained." "But there is appreciable uncertainty, and contagion from future stress could be notable, especially for economies with weaker macroeconomic fundamentals and limited policy buffers," the IMF said in its autumn forecast for Europe. Italy is under massive pressure since the European Commission on October 23 rejected its 2019 budget in a historic move, giving the ruling populist coalition in Rome until November 13 to present changes. Failing that, Brussels could put Italy into something called the "excess deficit procedure", a complicated process that could eventually lead to a fine of 0.2 percent of the country's GDP. The Italian government -- a coalition of the far-right League and the anti-establishment Five Star Movement -- plans to run a public deficit of 2.4 percent of GDP, three times the target of its centre-left predecessor. The coalition's 2019 budget is based on an estimate of annual growth of 1.5 percent -- a figure considered optimistic by the IMF, which has forecast only one percent, and the Commission, which expects 1.2 per cent. Italian leaders insist the low growth rate is all the more reason to kickstart the economy through a spending spree, but Brussels fears the rising deficit could further feed Italy's exploding debt. Italy already owes 2.3 trillion euros ($2.6 trillion), a sum equivalent to 131 per cent of its GDP. Even if Brussels fails to punish Rome, many assume the markets will. Italy, as well as Turkey the IMF noted, "should prioritise measures that reduce fiscal deficits toward their medium-term targets and lower debt. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) / -- The Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) has published the educational agenda and attending international suppliers, media, and buyers for AdventureNEXT India, a regionally specialized adventure travel industry event being held 3-5 December in Madhya Pradesh. Following its winning formula for similar events held in other international destinations, AdventureNEXT India features expert-led presentations, pre-scheduled meetings with potential professional partners, and a chance for international delegates to experience the country's adventure activities. Based on projections of research from 2009 and 2012, the adventure travel industry has grown exponentially from a $263 billion USD sector in 2012 to $683 billion in 2017, and makes up an estimated 30 percent of global tourism spending. This explosive growth signals an opportunity for India to position itself more prominently in the adventure travel spotlight. One of the highlights of the three-day event is Marketplace, a dedicated time for one-on-one meetings facilitating productive partnerships. Nearly 50 global buyers have registered and will connect with attending suppliers to expand their itinerary offerings; more than 20 media will meet regional representatives for story ideas. These foundational relationships between Indian travel companies and international operators and media offer an opportunity to propel adventure travel growth in the region for years to come. The event's theme, Pulse of Tomorrow, reflects the rich array of content for professionals to hone in on their calling and explore future-driven business opportunities. The agenda features topics such as today's adventure traveler, immersive technology, and branding, while region-specific topics include a deep look at guide standards and the economics of wildlife tourism. "I'm so excited at the possibility of bringing our customers to this region of the world," said Eric Aguirre, a buyer attending AdventureNEXT India representing Under30Experiences. "We're hoping that through AdventureNEXT India we'll be able to form the connections necessary to bring our travel community to this culturally rich country." Tourism companies wishing to connect are encouraged to register soon. Since 1990, the ATTA has been the leading voice and partner for the adventure travel industry. More than 1,300 member organizations including tour operators, tourism boards, specialty agents, and media share a vested interest in the sustainable development of adventure tourism. With specialized expertise in research, events, and education the ATTA's business services and events division, Adventure 360, delivers strategic solutions and a robust ecosystem of global events. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/779441/ATTA_India.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/734087/Adventure_Travel_Trade_Association_Logo. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India on Thursday said it will participate in the meeting being hosted by Russia on Afghanistan at a "non-official level" in Moscow where representatives of the Taliban will be present. The Moscow-format meeting on Afghanistan will be held on November 9 and representatives of the Afghan Taliban radical movement will take part in it, the Russian Foreign Ministry had said last week. In response to queries regarding India's participation in the meeting, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, "We are aware that the Russian Federation is hosting a meeting in Moscow on 9 November on Afghanistan." "Our participation at the meeting will be at the non-official level," he said. India supports all efforts at peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan that will preserve unity and plurality, and bring security, stability and prosperity to the country, he said. "India's consistent policy has been that such efforts should be Afghan-led, Afghan-owned, and Afghan-controlled and with participation of the government of Afghanistan," Kumar asserted. According to Russian agency TASS, this is for the second time, Russia is attempting to bring regional powers together while discovering ways for establishing peace in war-torn Afghanistan. The first such meeting, proposed for September 4 of this year, was called off at the last moment after the Afghan government pulled out, describing its involvement in the Moscow meeting as "unnecessary" as the Taliban had "disrespected internationally-sanctioned principles and rejected the message of peace and direct negotiations." According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, invitations to take part in the event had been sent to Afghanistan, India, Iran, China, Pakistan, the US and some other countries. The meeting comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks a host of global issues. After the talks, in a joint statement, the two sides declared their support to the Afghan government's efforts towards the realisation of an Afghan-led, and Afghan-owned national peace reconciliation process. Both sides had called upon the international community to join efforts to thwart any external interference in Afghanistan, to restore its economy, contribute to sustaining peace and security, economic and political development of a stable, secure, united, prosperous and independent Afghanistan. India and Russia had resolved to direct their activities towards launching joint development and capacity building projects in Afghanistan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Moroccan leading independent power producer Nareva and Enel Green Power (EGP), a leader in renewable energy, have signed all financing agreements for the construction in Midelt of the first of the wind farms included in the 850 MW integrated project. The construction of Midelt wind farm, whose capacity amounts to 180 MW, is expected to be completed in 24 months. During its construction, and throughout its operation, the Midelt wind farm is set to contribute to the local economic and social development notably in terms of job creation and use of local services. The 850 MW wind power project has been awarded to a consortium set up by Nareva and EGP. Siemens Wind Power, the Moroccan utility ONEE (Office National de lElectricite et de lEau Potable), the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy (MASEN) and Midelt Wind Farm SA are also involved in this project. The consortium has been awarded the right to develop, design, finance, construct, operate and maintain five wind projects in Morocco to be built in Midelt, Tangier, Jbel Lahdid ,Tiskrad and Boujdour. With this first and important step, Enel Green Power will support Moroccos energy demand and help the country meet its objective to increase power generation from renewables, as announced in its National Energy Strategy, said Antonio Cammisecra, Global Head of Enel Green Power. The 850 MW integrated project will enable Morocco to make significant progress in meeting its energy strategy, said Said El Hadi, CEO of Nareva. We are pleased to support the Moroccan Government in achieving its goal of increasing the share of renewable energy to 52 pc of the countrys installed capacity by 2030, he added. During a meeting held early November in Rabat to follow up the implementation of the renewable energy strategy, King Mohammed VI gave instructions to concerned departments to work in order to exceed this 52% renewable energy target in national electricity mix by 2030. A significant portion of key components of the wind farm, mainly the blades and towers, will be manufactured in Morocco with the support of Siemens Gamesa, the exclusive supplier of wind turbines for the project. Once the Midelt wind farm enters into service, the electricity produced will be sold to ONEE on the basis of a 20-year PPA. The Midelt facility is expected to produce the same amount of energy required to power a city like Agadir, with 500,000 inhabitants, as well as avoiding the annual emission of about 400,000 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere. The total investment in the Midelt wind farm amounts to 230 million and is financed through equity investments from shareholders as well as debt financing from ONEE. The construction of the five plants included in Moroccos wind integrated project will require a total investment of approximately 1 billion. EGP will fund the cost of the project corresponding to its 50% shareholding by a mix of equity and debt provided by international financial institutions. Once completed, the five facilities will contribute to meeting Moroccos growing energy demand and the countrys objective to increase power produced from renewable sources. Renewables currently account for about 32 per cent of Moroccos generation mix and the country aims to increase this share to 42 per cent by 2020 and 52 per cent by 2030. After a decade, India will next year resume exporting raw sugar to China as it eyes overseas markets to shed surplus stocks that have muted prices and created financial distress in mills. India plans to export 2 million tonnes of sugar to China to cut trade deficit with the neighbouring country, a government statement said. "Export of raw sugar from India to China will begin early next year. A contract for exporting 15,000 tonnes of raw sugar has been entered to by the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) and COFCO, a Government of China run public sector company," the commerce ministry said in the statement. India plans to export 2 million tonnes of raw sugar to China beginning from next year, it added. "Raw sugar is the second product after non-basmati rice that China will import from India. It is a move to reduce the USD 60 billion trade deficit that China has with India," the statement said. India's export to China in 2017-18 amounted to USD 33 billion, while imports from China stood at USD 76.2 billion. India produced a record 32.5 million tonnes of sugar in the 2017-18 marketing year and the output is estimated to be around same level or slightly lower in the current marketing year. The annual domestic demand is around 26 million tonnes. The country also has an opening stock of 10 million tonnes at the start of the current marketing year that started last month. To liquidate surplus stock, Indian government has asked sugar mills to mandatory export 5 million tonnes in 2018-19 and is even announced some financial assistance to facilitate outward shipments. The government is also negotiating with many countries, including China and Indonesia, to boost exports. China's sugar production is around 10.5 million tonnes as against its annual demand of 15 million tonnes. The neighbouring country imports sugar to meet its domestic demand as well as to build buffer stocks. It issues quota, twice a year, to traders to import sugar from world market. "Indian sugar is also of a high quality and is Dextran free because of the minimum time taken from cut to crush. India is in a position to become a regular and dependable exporter of high quality sugar in significant volumes to China," the ministry said. To bail out the cash-starved sugar industry, the government had in June announced financial package of Rs 8,500 crore to the sector, mainly to boost ethanol capacity. Later, in September, it approved Rs 5,500 crore package that included production assistance to cane growers and transport subsidy to mills for export up to 5 million tonnes in 2018-19 marketing year. Under its 'comprehensive policy to deal with excess sugar production in the country', the government approved increase in the production assistance paid to growers to Rs 13.88 per quintal for the 2018-19 marketing year from Rs 5.50 per quintal this year in order to offset the cost of sugarcane to sugar mills. With low global prices, it also approved export of 5 million tonnes of sugar under the Minimum Indicative Export Quota (MIEQ) during 2018-19 by compensating expenses towards internal transport, freight, handling and other charges. A transport subsidy of Rs 1,000 per tonne for the mills located within 100 km from ports, Rs 2,500 per tonne for mill located beyond 100 km from the port in coastal states and Rs 3,000 tonnes per tonne for mill located in other than coastal states has been announced. Besides these financial packages, the government has taken other measures in the last one year such as doubling of import duty on sugar to 100 per cent and scrapping of export duty on it. Minimum selling price of the sweetener has been fixed at Rs 29 per kg. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian and Chinese troops met and exchanged greetings on the occasion of Diwali at Wacha in Arunachal Pradeshs Anjaw district and at Bum-La in Tawang district, a defence communiqu informed here on Thursday. The two sides met on Wednesday and exchanged gifts and sweets at Anjaw and the Chinese side included women and children, the communique said. The two sides interacted and exchanged greetings in a cordial atmosphere, a sign of improving military-to-military ties at ground level, it said. The programme at Anjaw was marked by its friendly and cordial atmosphere and cultural programmes were presented by the Indian Army personnel and students of Kibithu Government Middle School, it said. The event was aimed at enhancing the mutual trust and friendship between the two border guarding forces. The Indian Army and Chinas Peoples Liberation Army conducted a ceremonial border personnel meeting to commemorate joint celebrations of Diwali organised by the Indian Army at Bum-La in Tawang district, the communique said. At Tawang the Indian delegation was led by Colonel Prasenjit Kar, while Colonel Yang Zi Ming headed the PLA team. Both sides highlighted the importance of maintaining peace along border areas. The highlight of the border personnel meeting was the colourful and impressive performances by cultural troupes showcasing Real India', it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian Embassy here has cautioned expatriate Indians residing in China to beware of extortionists posing as embassy officials who falsely accuse people of visa violations and demand money as penalties. An urgent notice posted on the embassy's website said it has been brought to the notice of the mission that anonymous calls are being made to Indian nationals and persons of Indian origin here accusing them of committing violations of visa and immigration rules and demanding that they pay penalties. "On this pretext, the caller directs them to deposit money to a particular account. This caller identifies himself to be Anil Sharma, employee of Embassy of India, Beijing," the embassy notice said. It said there is no such employee in the embassy by that name and the mission is not aware of any such individual. "This is possibly the handiwork of extortionists and fraudsters and these calls are made by spoofing the number. The general public are requested to be aware of such hoaxes and immediately inform Parag Singhal, assistant consular," the embassy said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israeli police said Thursday at the conclusion of a long-running corruption probe that there was evidence a lawyer for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu committed crimes. Referring to David Shimron, a relative of Netanyahu and his family lawyer, "there is evidence that he committed bribery offences and money laundering" in connection with Israel's purchase of German submarines, police said in a statement. The statement said a former chief of Netanyahu's office, David Sharan, is also suspected of bribery. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israeli police said Thursday there was evidence to charge a lawyer for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with bribery in a corruption probe, one of several cases that have put the premier's long tenure in office under the spotlight. While Netanyahu was questioned as a witness and not a suspect in the case, the accusations against David Shimron and others in the investigation will only add to pressure the prime minister faces. Besides Shimron, police said the former chief of Netanyahu's office, David Sharan, is also suspected of bribery, as is the former head of the navy, Eliezer Marom. Two other navy ex-generals were named as being suspected of similar offences, as was a former minister, Eliezer Zandberg. Referring to Shimron, Netanyahu's family lawyer who is also a relative of the premier, police said "there is evidence that he committed bribery offences and money laundering". There was however "insufficient evidence" against another Netanyahu lawyer and longtime associate, Yitzhak Molcho. Police issued the statement at the conclusion of the long-running investigation into negotiations for Israel's purchase of submarines and other vessels manufactured by German industrial giant ThyssenKrupp, deals reportedly worth USD 2 billion. The police's findings will now be handed over to the attorney general, who will decide whether the suspects should be charged. Netanyahu had not commented on the police's findings, but his Likud party in a statement referred to the lack of accusations against the prime minister and Molcho. "The left's hopes to link this affair to Prime Minister Netanyahu have crumbled in the face of reality," it said. The probe is one of several that have led to intense scrutiny of Netanyahu. In February, police recommended he be indicted in two graft probes, though the attorney general has yet to decide whether to do so. Allegations against Netanyahu include seeking a secret deal with the publisher of Israel's top-selling newspaper Yediot Aharonot to ensure positive coverage in return for pushing forward a law that would have limited the circulation of a rival. Another case involves suspicions that the prime minister and his family received luxury gifts from wealthy individuals in exchange for financial or personal favours. The gifts allegedly included pricey cigars, jewellery and champagne. The total value of the gifts received is estimated at around one million shekels (USD 270,000), according to police. There is also an ongoing inquiry into the prime minister's ties with local telecoms giant Bezeq and its largest shareholder, Shaul Elovitch, according to Israeli media. Separately, the prime minister's wife Sara Netanyahu went on trial in October for allegedly using state funds to fraudulently pay for hundreds of meals. The case has been adjourned until November 13. Netanyahu has strongly denied all accusations against him and his family, calling them a bid by his political enemies to force him from office. He has been prime minister for a total of more than 12 years, from 1996 to 1999 and again since 2009. He could next year surpass the record set by Israel's founding father David Ben-Gurion, who spent more than 13 years in office. He is not legally required to step down if indicted -- only if he is convicted with all appeals exhausted. In the submarine case, Michael Ganor, ThyssenKrupp's Israel representative at the time of the deal, agreed to turn state's witness. Ganor is to serve a 12-month prison sentence and be fined 10 million shekels (USD 2.7 million) for tax offences as part of the deal, police said. Police allege ex-navy chief Marom and others moved to have Ganor chosen for the position. Marom allegedly received some 600,000 shekels from Ganor under the guise of consulting services, police said. Shimron allegedly promoted the deal between Israel's government and the company "while using his status and closeness to the prime minister and public officials," the statement said. He received 270,000 shekels for opening doors, it said, among other accusations. Sharan is accused of receiving 130,000 shekels through associates while acting in favour of Ganor's interests. Police said "over the years" ThyssenKrupp had provided Israel with five submarines currently in active service. It is not clear if the bribe allegations relate to the purchase of all five. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jawahar Lal Sarin, president of the governing body of Alliance Franaise here, will be conferred with France's highest civilian honour by French Ambassador to India Alexandre Ziegler at an event on Friday. France's highest civilian honour 'Knight of the Legion of Honour' will be bestowed on Sarin in recognition of his outstanding contribution to enhancing Indo-French cultural cooperation and promoting the French language, a French Embassy statement said. The investiture ceremony will be held at the Residence of France and will be attended, among others, by eminent painter Anjolie Ela Menon and renowned art historian and curator Alka Pande. On behalf of the French President, Ziegler will confer the award on Sarin. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will attend a ceremony on Friday to induct new artillery guns and equipment, including K9 Vajra and M777 howitzers, at Deolali artillery centre in Nashik, a ministry spokesperson said. Induction of 100 K9 Vajra at a cost of Rs 43.66 billion is to complete by November 2020. The first batch of 10 guns will be delivered this month, spokesperson Colonel Aman Anand told reporters on Thursday. The next 40 guns will be delivered in November 2019, and another 50 in November 2020, he said. The first regiment of K9 Vajra, first-ever artillery gun manufactured by the Indian private sector, is expected to complete by July 2019. The gun has a maximum range of 28-38 km. It is capable of burst firing three rounds in 30 seconds, an intense firing of 15 rounds in three minutes and sustained firing of 60 rounds in 60 minutes, he said. The Army is also going to raise seven regiments of 145 M777 Five guns each will be delivered to the Army beginning August 2019 and the entire process will complete in the following 24 months. The first regiment will complete by October next year, the spokesperson said. The gun, having a range of 30 km, can be moved to the desired location using helicopters and service aircraft. Compact gun tractor to tow 130 MM and 155 MM artillery guns will also be inducted during the ceremony, the officer said. It is fitted with a crane that can handle ammunition weighing two tons. The maximum speed of the vehicle without a tow is 80 km per hour which comes down to 50 km per hour with a gun attached to it, he added. Kerala Local Administration Minister K T Jaleel, facing charges of nepotism, was shown black flags by IUML activists here Thursday over the issue, police said. The activists of the Muslim League, a partner of the opposition UDF, staged the blackflag demonstration against Jaleel when he was on his way to attend a function at a private college here. They were removed by the police later. The Muslim Youth League had on November 2 alleged Adeeb K T, a cousin of Jaleel, was appointed general manager in Kerala State Minorities Development Finance Corporation, flouting rules, a charge denied by the minister. However, the Managing Director and Chairman of the Corporation A P Abdul Wahab came out in support of the minister, saying Adeep was appointed as only he was qualified. Fresh nepotism charges have also come up against the minister after former Haj Committee members alleged favouritism in appointments at the Karippur Haj House. Senior Congress leaders, including Oommen Chandy and Mullappally Ramachandran, have demanded the minister's resignation. Opposition Congress and the BJP have been organising protests across the state demanding the resignation of Jaleel. However, Jaleel Thursday reiterated that all the allegations against him were baseless. He said the Muslim League was after him since 2006 when he won the assembly seat from Kuttipuram constituency. Jaleel had left the Muslim League and contested the election as an independent candidate with the support of LDF. The Minister also said that he was never asked to provide any explanation by the LDF. Jaleel is the second minister of the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government being caught in nepotism row. In October 2016, just five months after coming to power, then Industries minister E P Jayarajan had to resign on a similar charge. However, Jayarajan was reinstated as a minister in August this year after the vigilance and anti-corruption bureau, which probed the case, absolved him of the charges. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : Days after expressing her wish to learn computers, Kerala's great granny, Karthyayani Amma, who had secured 98 per cent marks in a literacy exam at the age of 96, has got a laptop as gift from the government. Amma was the oldest candidate and top scorer in the 'Aksharalaksham' programme, a flagship initiative of the state-run Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority, with 98 marks out of 100. As a gesture of appreciation for the achievement, state Minister C Raveendranath Wednesday handed over a new laptop to Amma after visiting her at her home in coastal Cheppad village of Alapuzha district. Clad in a traditional Kerala saree, Amma received the Minister, who himself is a retired college professor, with her trademark innocent smile. Asked whether she wanted to learn computers, she was quick to reply: "I will study if I get one." To her amazement, the minister soon gave her the "surprise gift" of the government- a laptop. He also found time to initiate the nonagenarian into the world of computers by helping her to press the keys. Before leaving, the minister extended full support to the further studies of the 'oldest' student of the state, family members said. Proving that age is no barrier for learning, Karthyayani Amma had scored 38 out of 40 in writing, and full marks of 30 each in mathematics and reading in the three-module literacy exam. The proud nonagenarian had also received an 'Aksharalaksham' certificate from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on November 1. Amma, a mother of six children of whom only two are alive, six grandchildren and seven great grandchildren, had said that she wanted to continue with her studies at least up to 10th standard and learn computers. Having cleared the Aksharalaksham exam, she has got direct entry into the 4th grade of the equivalency course of the Literacy Mission. Once she has cleared the six-month 4th grade course, she can join the 7th grade equivalency programme and subsequently the 10th standard course, the Mission officials had said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Kremlin said on Thursday that the Washington investigation into alleged interference by Moscow in the 2016 US election was not Russia's problem, after President Donald Trump sacked Attorney General Jeff Sessions. "This investigation is a headache for our American colleagues, it has nothing to do with us," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists when asked if Session's firing would influence the probe by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Moscow has repeatedly denied accusations it attempted to influence the vote that elevated Trump to the White House. "What Mueller's commission has produced up to now has hardly been able to stand up to serious critical assessment," Peskov added. On Wednesday Sessions became the first casualty of a cabinet shakeup that had been expected from Trump following midterm elections the day before. Trump had repeatedly publicly assailed Sessions for not taking a tougher approach to illegal immigrants. Trump also accused him of protecting Mueller's investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russians -- an investigation that is also examining whether the president himself obstructed justice. Sessions' firing immediately threw into question whether the 18-month-old Mueller probe would be able to continue unimpeded. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Local Problems, Global Tech A gas station attendant fills a car in Harare, Zimbabwe. The country is in the midst of another major fuel shortage. Photo: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images At this rate we may have to park our kombis home because it is now three hours in this queue, says Shingirirai Deza. Deza drives a kombi, one of the minibuses that are a crucial mode of transport in Zimbabwean cities. He adds a comment in the Shona language, which translates to: How does one make an honest living, then? Deza isnt alone in worrying about gas availability. Zimbabweans have been sleeping in long lines, sometimes overnight, for gas and food. The country has faced fuel scarcity before. The high price and limited availability of fuel in Zimbabwe is one reason donkeys continue to be used as a mode of transport for some purposes, like rural mobile libraries. But the situation was aggravated early last month by a new 2 percent tax on electronic transactions. Hit with the extra fee, oil companies slowed their supply into the country, and prices spiked. A few weeks ago, President Emmerson Mnangagwa blamed social media for leading uncertain consumers to hoard gas. Some gas stations have only been accepting cash, although Zimbabwe has long been short of cash especially of U.S. dollars that shore up Zimbabwes economy. Thus, a tax on digital financial transactions hits residents hard. One impact is Zimbabweans crossing into South Africa and Zambia to find gas. Another is the growth of a black market for both fuel and currency. Zimbabwean social scientist Simbarashe Gukurume, now based at the University of Cape Town, told me, Many businesses and fuel dealers therefore buy foreign currency in the black market. This makes fuel expensive and scarce because of high black market exchange rates. The fuel shortages have massive knock-on effects, affecting more than just car owners, Gukurume says. For instance, many people rely on public transport to travel and the costs of transport are skyrocketing and this affects many ordinary Zimbabweans. When it costs more for people to travel generally, that could spill over into other sectors, like the service industry or commodities shipped into the country. Prices on those then end up going up as well. One response to the fuel crisis has been social-media organizing. Since October 6, the hashtag #FindFuelZW has been helping Twitter and Facebook users share information about where to find gas. Rapper and activist Kuda Musasiwa has used WhatsApp and digital payments to distribute his music. Ever social-media-savvy, he created the hashtag to draw attention to #FindFuelZW: Westgate New Total has fuel. Both and queue not crazy ... estimate 30min-45min wait. Harare Drive/Lorraine Drive (Mabelreign) Zuva longish queue, plenty of both Petrol & diesel. 1hr-2hr waiting pic.twitter.com/jBKEq3Z2F9 Kuda Musasiwa (@begottensun) October 6, 2018 I think Technology can help us survive a little better than in 2008. If we crowd source deliveries with a Hashtag, I'm sure by 2mrw we can have a love Google map of deliveries and locations? Reporting shortages is fine, but also take a tweet out if I see anywhere to #FindFuelZw Kuda Musasiwa (@begottensun) October 6, 2018 The hashtag was a proactive way to try get people volunteering information so we could pull and help others find fuel as the situation was dire, says Musasiwa. Similarly, on October 7, a group formed on the messaging app Telegram to alert members to gas stations that actually had gas, including the length of the queue and what payment options were being accepted. The website WeList and its associated Twitter account were then created because similar WhatsApp groups about fuel availability were getting full. WhatsApp, like Facebook, is very popular in Zimbabwe. Seeing the growing demand for a central platform, the software developers at Intelli Africa Solutions created a free chatbot that sends messages about gas availability in Harare, Zimbabwes capital. The start-up is only four months old, and the bot only launched on October 26, but according to its founder, Mudiwa Hambira, it had 9,000 users on the first two days. We developed it because we knew there was a great need, Hambira says. No one actually knows which service stations at a given time have fuel. Data for the bot is collected on the ground. The company has people driving around town to verify gas availability, and some fuel attendants message them as soon as they receive fuel. Hambira sees this particular service as a way to expand familiarity with chatbots in Zimbabwe. A text conversation on WhatsApp between a user and Intelli Africa Solutions chatbot, displaying gas availability at a station in Eastlea, Zimbabwe. Photo: Christine Ro All these uses tap into how social media is being used to respond quickly and informally when the government and private sector cant (or wont). Zimbabweans are also using WhatsApp to find medicine, for instance. Gukurume, who has researched social-media organizing and fuel-based protests in Zimbabwe, explains, While it is true that the majority of social-media consumers and users are young, urban, and educated Zimbabweans, the old and less educated also use and rely on social media to find fuel and other scarce commodities. The current internet and mobile phone penetration is around 70 percent so even the rural, old, and uneducated have started using social media. The old normally get assisted to locate fuel on social media by their grandchildren. But theres still a concern about social media platforms unintentionally excluding those who arent internet-savvy. The fuel crisis is especially disappointing given the optimism that followed Robert Mugabes resignation a year ago. The new government pledged to reduce fuel prices, but for the most part that didnt happen, due partly to corrupt relationships between politicians and fuel companies. The government is also seeking to clamp down on dissenting social media and internet use with its Cybercrime and Cybersecurity Bill. And last year the government created a cybersecurity ministry that appears intent on controlling social media, which attests to the political threat posed by social media. Intelli Africa Solutions is also experimenting with blockchain and, Hambira says, hopefully intending to introduce a local cryptocurrency to help alleviate the cash crisis in the country. Its clear that Zimbabweans will keep looking for ways to circumvent scarcity. Legal experts have differing views on alleged violation of the verdict allowing entry of women of all ages into Sabarimala temple with some suggesting "more patience" and others blaming the Centre for the non-compliance. On September 28, a five-judge constitution bench in a 4:1 verdict paved the way for the entry of women of all ages into the Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala in saying that the prevalent practice of banning women of 10 to 50 years amounted to gender discrimination. The hill-top shrine has witnessed violent protests in support of and against the apex court verdict recently. Senior lawyers and constitutional law experts Rakesh Dwivedi and Rajeev Dhavan were of the view that though the citizenry "by and large" respects apex court verdicts, more patience is needed in implementing the judgements in contentious issues like the Sabarimala case. "Some more patience is required in these matters because people have vested interests. You should give more time than jump to a conclusion that it (verdict) is being violated. It needs more time. It will percolate slowly. The change will be slow in these matters," Dwivedi argued. Echoing similar views, Dhavan said though Sabarimala was a "highly contentious issue", but the apex court verdict should have been respected. Giving an example of a US court verdict, he said, "these things cannot be dealt coercively and the issues have to ring in the minds in the people." On the other hand, senior advocate and Congress Rajya Sabha MP KTS Tulsi blamed the central government for non-implementation of the Sabarimala verdict. "It is a very sad state of affairs that the ruling party itself is organising crowds to oppose the judgement of the This amounts to breakdown of the Constitution. "To my mind, it has never been done so blatantly ...in Delhi, BJP says that it will abide by the verdict and in Kerala, it goes and organises crowds which are opposing the implementation of the judgment. It is a very sad development," Tulsi said. He, however, said some judgments may be "difficult to enforce" keeping in mind the sensibilities of persons involved concerned, but the apex court has triggered a debate for social reforms which was not a small contribution. Another senior advocate Ajit Sinha said that implementing a judgement becomes difficult "when there is a mass movement". "Second, there is laxity on the part of the authorities also. The implementation is something which has to be given effect by people who are at the ground. The Supreme Court has directed but unless the people understand that it is their job to implement it in sustained effort, it can't be," he said. Lawyer Gopal Sankaranarayanan, who had argued for a party supporting the ban, said that the apex court verdict cannot be "followed" as it (judgement) had empowered the tantri (priest) of the temple to open and close the temple gates. "It (verdict) can't be followed. The 'tantri' of the temple is fully entitled for opening and closing of the temple whenever he wants to close it. It is totally left to the temple priest to when he decides to close. So, if a woman is about to enter and he closes it, you cannot stop him. It is technical violation of the order," Sankaranarayanan said. Dwivedi also referred to the belief of common women devotees and said that even if the apex court empowered them, they themselves do not want to go inside the temple. "There were very few journalists and women who were going there... Women of the southern region who belong to the families, who worship Lord Ayyappa, are carrying the same mindset and they don't want to go. "I talked to lady lawyers from the south in the Supreme Court, they said they don't want to go there at all. They said Ayyappa will be angry. That is the mind set. They fear God...," Dwivedi said. The apex court has recently said that it would hear on November 13 petitions challenging its Sabarimala verdict allowing women of all age groups entry into the temple. As the chorus for an early construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya grows ahead of next year's parliamentary election, many residents say the disputed site should be turned into a playground for children, and not politicians. Tired of living under the restive shadow of communalism, Ayodhya residents, be it Vijay Singh or Mohammad Azim, do not want any fresh political trigger for communal disharmony. Vijay Singh, a doctor who lives near the Ram Janmabhoomi, is a devout Hindu but he says he is not in favour of building a temple there if it leads ti acrimony between two communities. Ram Janmabhoomi is the place where, many people believe, Lord Ram The 48-year-old medic says he was present in Ayodhya on the fateful day of December 6, 1992 when Babri Masjid was demolished by right-wing activists and has seen the riots that ensued in the holy city. "People of Ayodhya have lived peacefully and in communal harmony for ages, but politicians stoke the fire to suit their agenda. Even in 1992, so many people had come from outside to bring the structure (mosque) down. It was a very tragic and unfortunate incident that affects Ayodhya till this day," Singh said. Like most of the people in the city, Singh is an avowed devotee of Lord Ram, and the iron gates of his clinic, neighbouring 'Sugriv Kila', displays the chant 'Jai Shri Ram' in Hindi. On way to the Ram Janmabhoomi, underneath a tree, he and his wife run a makeshift counter to offer medical help to devotees. "We all have faith in Lord Ram, and I personally have no issue with a temple being built there, but if it leads to acrimony between two communities, then I am not in favour of it. Instead, I feel, the disputed site should be turned into a playground, where children of all faith can play together," Singh told PTI. The chorus for early construction of the Ram temple at the disputed site has been growing in the party and the Sangh Parivar. Many BJP leaders, including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, have been pitching for speeding the work towards construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh (UP), and some of them, including Union minister Vijay Goel, have suggested taking the ordinance route. Ayodhya native Vivek Tripathi, who worked as a software engineer in several parts of the country as well as abroad, was in town to attend the 'Deepotsav' celebrations with his family. He recalls the horrible memories of 1992 when he was a school kid. "I was living in Bhopal those days, and after the riots broke out in Ayodhya, it affected our city (Bhopal) too as it did in other parts of India. We were present in school when it was shut suddenly, and I had to run back home taking alleys and bylanes, avoiding the route I would generally take as it wasn't safe then," Tripathi told PTI. The software professional, whose last assignment was in Italy, has taken to permaculture farming practice in Himachal Pradesh, said he only understood the scale of the tragedy when "I grew up and read about the case". "I do not understand this temple-mosque rift. Why we are trying to revive an issue that might trigger something unpleasant. Communal harmony is important, and we do not need to build anything there, we can just make it a playground for children and not a playground for politics," Tripathi said. Mohammad Azim, a 46-year-old resident of the city, who also bore the brunt of the 1992 tragedy, said, "Hindus and Muslims have always lived in peace here. They still do," and alleged, "politicians and outside elements, driven by an agenda, try to drive a wedge between the two communities for political gains." Ram Lochan, 45, a tarot card reader who puts up his shop near a tree on way to Ram Janmabhoomi, said, "I want a temple to be built, but a playground for children would also be fine. Ram Lalla, after all is the child avatar of Lord Ram."UP Chief Minister Adityanath visited the Ram Janambhomi on Diwali and offered prayers there. Currently, a statue of Ram Lalla (child avatar of Lord Ram) is kept at the site, which attracts devotees from far and wide, including Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and West Bengal. A multi-layered security guards the heavily fortified zone while shopkeepers nearby sell religious artefact and merchandise, including a CD on 'Ayodhya Darshan' which has clips of the 1992 demolition incident, and a printed collage of photos which depicts an artist's rendition of a 'proposed Ram Temple'. A police official said about 20,000 people visited Ram Janmabhoomi on Diwali, almost double the footfall recorded on regular days. Aravind S and Vasanthi M, a couple from Eluru in Andhra Pradesh's West Godavari district, were among the devotees who visited Ram Janmabhoomi for the first time. "We both feel a Ram temple should be built here, it is the truth and a matter of our faith. But, people should go by the judgment of the Supreme Court," Aravind said. The Supreme Court recently fixed the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute cases for the first week of January next year before an appropriate bench, which will decide the schedule of hearing. As many as 14 appeals have been filed against the 2010 High Court judgement that suggested that the 2.77 acres of disputed land be partitioned equally among three parties the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla. More than 400 buffaloes believed to have been chased by lions drowned in a river in northern Botswana this week, the government said. The mass drowning occurred on Tuesday night in Chobe River on the border with Namibia. Investigations by authorities in both countries "suggest that an exceptionally large buffalo herd was grazing in Namibia when they stampeded into the Chobe River," Botswana's Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism said in a statement late Wednesday. "Initial indications are that they were being chased by a pride of lions," it said. "It is estimated that more than 400 animals drowned due to the massive movement of buffalo trampling, and falling from steep river banks." Buffalo river drownings are not uncommon in the region, but the numbers are usually small. Namibia's Minister Pohamba Shifeta told AFP that the incident was "unfortunate" but due to natural causes. About 1,000 buffalo had struggled to get over a river bank when the stampede started, he said. Three lions were seen in the area. Namibia said the buffalo meat would be donated to the local community and carcasses were being collected. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Bangladeshi national, allegedly staying in the country without valid documents, was arrested along with a couple who had given her shelter here, police said Thursday. The woman was identified as Anju Hasim Bepari alias Anju Hasim Sarkar (20), and the couple as Shirin alias Rani Shariful Ismail Shaikh (23) and Niteen Patil (28), a police official said. They were picked up Wednesday by the Anti-Human Trafficking Cell of the Thane Crime Branch from Tilje village of Manpada in Dombivili here, senior inspector Ravindra Daundkar said. The Bangladeshi national has been charged under relevant sections of the Indian Passport Act and the Foreigners Act, he said. A local court has remanded the three accused to police custody till Friday, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Maharashtra Congress will hold deliberations for three days from November 15 for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. A statement issued by the party informed that state Congress president Ashok Chavan and party general secretary in charge of Maharashtra Mallikarjun Kharge will take stock of the political situation in all 48 Lok Sabha constituencies of the state. The statement added that seats of Marathwada and Western Maharashtra regions will be deliberated upon on the first day, those in Vidarbha and North Maharashtra on the second day and that of Konkan region on the third day. The meet comes days after the Congress and the NCP inched closer to stitching an alliance for next year's Lok Sabha polls, with both parties reaching a consensus on 38 of the 48 seats in Maharashtra. Last week, NCP chief Sharad Pawar had reportedly said in Aurangabad that a consensus has been arrived at for 40 seats. Talking to PTI, a senior Congress leader, who is part of the seat-sharing talks, said consensus has been reached on about 38 seats, while discussions are underway for the other constituencies. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As violations of Supreme Court imposed restrictions on use and sale of firecrackers were reported across states during Diwali, questions cropped up on Thursday over implementing the ban in a short period but legal experts said law enforcement agencies must be made accountable for the breaches that can hurt the ambitious efforts to combat pollution. The experts also said the ban is not unimplementable. In Delhi, a thick haze engulfed the national capital as it recorded its worst air quality of the year the morning after Diwali as the pollution level entered "severe-plus emergency" category or ten times the permissable limit due to rampant bursting of toxic firecrackers in gross violation of a Supreme Court order, authorities said. Experts, both legal and environmental, said though sounds of cracker bursting were heard in breach of the 2-hour time limit between 8 PM to 10 PM on Diwali yesterday, they said the orders were in the right direction for gradual implementation and would set the tone for policy making on the issue of controlling pollution. The experts said the law enforcement agencies have to be made accountable for the non-compliance of the two-hour-long window granted by the apex court on October 23 for bursting of the less polluting green crackers. Senior advocates Rakesh Dwivedi, KTS Tulsi, Rajeev Dhavan, Ajit Sinha and environmentalist and lawyer M C Mehta, advocates Gopal Sankaranarayanan, Aprajita Singh and environmentalist Anumita Roy Chowdhury were unanimous in their view that the apex court has come out with implementable orders and now, it is for the authorities and the citizens to take it forward. There have been criticism from some quarters that it was not practical to implement the order in this festive season. The experts said the apex court direction would eventually lead to ending manufacturing of polluting crackers and that the next Diwali will be less polluting with the only green crackers which have low emission of light, sound and harmful chemicals entering the market. Sankaranarayanan, who has been arguing for the ban of fire crackers, said the order has been largely implemented, barring the national capital where, he alleged the Delhi police failed. "Of course the order has been implemented. The time limit (fixed by the Supreme Court) was largely followed. In Delhi, police decided not to implement it. It is the fault of the Commissioner of Police. Only the Commissioner of Police disobeyed it," he said, citing the order which stated that the SHOs of concerned police stations would be made accountable for the violations, if any. Singh, who has been assisting the apex court as an amicus curiae in the air pollution matters, said even if the "positive" order was not implemented in "totality", it was a "huge step". Dwivedi said authorities will be in a better position next time to prevent bursting of crackers beyond the permissible time limit. His views were shared by Sinha and Dhavan who said the apex court order "did succeed in many areas" and that greater awareness among citizens would lead to more compliance. "The Supreme Court's order could not have been obeyed at the time of festival but it did succeed in many areas...Such magnum orders can only be treated as messages of restraint," Dhavan said. Environmentalist Mehta said the bursting of crackers in Delhi was not due to the failure of the apex court directions but was the "gross failure of the law implementing agencies" as they were not serious in their approach. Roy Chowdhury, who is Executive Director at the Centre for Science and Environment and assisting the top court in various pollution-related matters, said law and rules with regard to crackers are there but it is the time for the citizens to be upfront towards their responsibility. Dwivedi hailed the top court's judgement terming it as a an order in the "right direction" and said, "the only question is that there will be difficulties and unless we cooperate and support the order, it can't be implemented fully." "But it goes a long way to create consciousness among the people regarding pollution caused by bursting of crackers. All this will take time and we should go on pushing the idea because people gradually change themselves. That's the most difficult task, to change the people," the senior lawyer said. He said the court stepped in as the "government was doing nothing" and opined that the apex court could have come out with more clear directions on issues like green crackers. The lawyer also rued the fact that the directions came at the eleventh hour and there was little lack of clarity and hoped that from the next time it will be more clear to the police and the administration in complying with the orders. Dhavan said when the matter was with Justice M B Lokur, he pioneered the idea that obnoxious substances should not be used which led to the concept of green crackers and now the court and authorities should turn to the manufacturers to supply green crackers that might resolve the problem. Sinha, a former High Court judge, said it can't be said that the apex court order was not implemented and the problem is that the sudden bringing about of such direction and then reaching out to the vast population, reaching out to each and every people, is a tedious task which takes time. A police team from Jharkhand arrested a person here on Thursday for allegedly running a human trafficking racket through a couple of NGOs which he operated along with his wife. Rohit Muni, a resident of Kahalgaon sub-division in the district, was arrested by the police team from Simdega in the neighbouring state, Sub Divisional Police Officer Dilnawaz Ahmed said. He said Rohit carried a reward of Rs 10,000 on his head and had been absconding ever since a Simdega court had issued an arrest warrant against him in 2013. His wife Prabha Muni, a resident of Uttarkhand, too carried a reward of Rs 25,000 on her head but she was arrested from Punjabi Bagh locality of Delhi in September this year, the SDPO said. He said the couple ran two NGOs - Sampoorn Gharelu Kaamgaar Sarvekshan Evam Utthan Samiti and Sampoorn Adivasi Sanskritik Utthan Manch - and they have been accused of having "sold" a number of tribal girls from Jharkhand after taking them to metro cities with the promise of getting them "job placements". The SDPO also said the couple was known to have close ties with a number of political leaders and bureaucrats in Jharkhand and Delhi and they were fond of flaunting their photographs with distinguished people on the social media. Rohit has, meanwhile, been taken to Simdega by the police team which obtained a transit remand from a magistrate here. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 59-year-old man has been allegedly stabbed to death by unidentified youths in Jammu, a day before the marriage of his daughter, police said Thursday. Dilip Langar objected to a fight between two groups of men in the parking space of KK Resorts, where several other people were staying for the marriage of Langar's daughter the next day, the police said. Some of them stabbed him and escaped from the spot. Langar was rushed to a hospital, where he was declared brought dead, a police official said. Three persons have been identified and one of them has been arrested, while a hunt to track down two others has been launched, officials said. The two groups went to the resort to have drinks at a bar, the official said. A case has been registered and investigation is on, they added. Relatives and friends of the deceased held a protest in the area demanding punishment for the culprits. "Marriage will be held in the evening at home and just few people, mostly family and close relatives, from both sides will take part in it," a close relative said, adding that Langar's cremation would likely take place the next day. The relatives also blamed the resort management for running the bar within its premises. Several Kashmiri Pandit organisations have condemned the murder and failure of the police to prevent it. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A section of Maratha agitators fighting for the cause of reservation Thursday announced formation of a political outfit that will contest upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra. The new outfit 'Maharashtra Kranti Sena' would be headed by Suresh Patil who claimed to have been working with 'Maratha Akrakshan Sanghrsh Samiti' for the last ten years. Talking to PTI from Satara in western Maharashtra, around 260 kms from here, Patil said he and his supporters took the pledge to form the new party and work for the community at historic Raireshwar temple where Chhatrapati Shivaji had taken the oath to form 'Swarajya' in 17th century. He said Maratha organisations like Sakal Maratha Samaj (SMS) and Maratha Kranti Morcha (MKM) that have been spearheading the agitation for quota in jobs and education, have opposed the new outfit. "But we are not using the word 'Maratha' in the name of our political party. We hope they (SMS and MKM) drop their misgivings about us and join the party," said Patil. He also said Udayanraje Bhosale, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP from Satara and a direct descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji, has extended his support to the Maharashtra Kranti Sena. "We hope Bhosale would contest the Lok Sabha polls on our ticket," said Patil. When contacted, Maratha Kranti Thok Morcha convener Sanjay Sawant accused Patil of forming the party to further his own political motives. Disputing Patil's claim that Bhosale is supporting the new outfit, he said, "We will believe it when we hear from Bhosale himself". "Patil should not take the Maratha community for granted. Our organisation confronted him in Satara today and he decided to change the party's name from 'Maratha Kranti Sena' to 'Maharashtra Kranti Sena', saying his objective is to work for all sections of the society," Sawant claimed. He said the MKM had organised 58 silent marches all over Maharashtra to demand reservation for the community under the OBC (Other Backward Classes) category. Sawant blamed the state government for various divisions in the MKM. "Patil wanted to capitalise the issue as the November 15 deadline given by the state government for taking a decision on the issue of Maratha reservation is nearing," he alleged. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Photo: Courtesy of 2038. Ive got some bad news for everybody, Missy Cummings says. In 2038, you might be able to get groceries delivered to you by a slow speed robot but you are still not going to be able to call a car on your phone, jump in the backseat, and have it take you to Las Vegas. Cummings, the director of the Duke University Humans and Autonomy Laboratory, is not anti-hype just realistic. Driverless cars are still kind of the Wild Wild West of development, she explains. On the latest episode of 2038, Intelligencers podcast about the future, Cummings talked with Max Read and David Wallace-Wells about what we can (and cant) expect from robot-driven vehicles over the next 20 years. So youre saying no flying cars. Well, you know, flying cars are tricky because they are possible. And certainly we have all the technology in place to do that in 2038. You might be able to get in a flying air taxi, potentially one that is also a car in another country. And you will have to have a lot of money. So maybe in China or Dubai youll be able to take these services, but they will not be for the common man. What are the big problems with driverless cars? So, driverless cars are still very, very immature technologies. The fundamental automated technologies that power drones and rail, for example, are quite mature. Weve had for a long time, and we actually know how to implement them, and how to implement them safely. Driverless cars are still kind of the Wild Wild West of development, and researchers are still learning new things about how they reason, how to make sure that theyre not so brittle which means that they break under very unexpected and often very benign circumstances. I mean, this is why Tesla autopilot is so dangerous, even though its a deployed technology: Today, millimeter wave radar at highway speeds cannot detect static obstacles. This is why weve seen some deaths in Teslas, because the radar literally cant see what is very obvious to the human eye. When you hear from super optimists on driverless cars the idea is that theyre going to be flooding Americas highways in the next decade. Is that because those people dont see the problems with the algorithms and the technology that you do? Or is it because they just think that computing power is going to get so much better over that period? I think the answer is both of those things. I think theres a lot of misunderstanding. I think theres a ridiculous amount of technological illiteracy running amok in what would presumably be otherwise smart people even the people who are running these companies themselves. I do a lot of c-suite consulting. And for the most part I have made quite a lot of money and a reputation out of running around and telling CEOs they do not know what theyre talking about, and they need to quit saying things like artificial intelligence and blockchain. So, yeah, I think the main thing is that theres just a gross amount of misunderstanding. Im not totally anti-hype hype is good. This is actually where I think the technological illiteracy is a real problem. You do need some hype to keep excitement and motivation, and keep your stock price moving along. But what worries me is when people cant differentiate. Okay, were going to put some hype out there just to keep investors interested and excited, and we actually know that its hype. But I think whats the problem is happening now is that weve got CEOs very well-known, well-spoken people who are putting this stuff out there and they actually believe it. And its just simply not true. Im interested in why you think were going to see automated cargo plane flights but not automated commercial passenger flights. Oh, heck no. Because you always have drunk passengers, right? Wherever you have groups of people, you need the James T. Kirk to manage those people. So youve got to have somebody in charge, whether its the captain as we know it today, or maybe its the uber-super-stewardess or flight attendant of the future, whos both the captain and a trained U.S. air marshal. And also can get you drinks. When you think life is on the line, theres actually a name to that. Its called Shared Fate. Most people would not fly on a passenger or drone aircraft because they want somebody in the front who shares their own fate. Is traffic going to get better by 2038? In L.A., or anywhere? Look, if we all had our driverless cars, what we would do is have our driverless cars take us to work, drop us off, and then go drive around in circles until its ready to go back again. And then the problem wed create would be so much worse, right? And, you know, urban planners want to say, Oh great that will free up all kinds of parking. Does that mean my car has to go all the way home and sit in the garage? Right. I mean, so, how good is that? Now Ive doubled you know my carbon footprint for my commute to work. So I can see a real dystopian future where we think all these cool technologies are going to amazingly improve our life. And then what we create a monster behind-the-scenes. Thats one extreme. I do think that these traffic jam autopilots if we could get those moving you would be amazed at how much better traffic would flow. I would guess, given some of the simulations that weve done over the years, that if traffic jam pilots became standard on all cars just that act alone would keep traffic congestion from getting as bad as it is right now, so you would see a dramatic improvement. But I think we need to be careful when we start to roll out these technologies that we think through all the ramifications. To hear more, click above to listen to the episode in full. You can subscribe for free wherever you get podcasts. Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy Thursday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for inaugurating the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in Gujarat and said had the nationalist leader been made the prime minister after Independence there would not have been any Kashmir problem. Roy inaugurated a book 'Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel A Statesman Extraordinary' here. Patel's 240 m statue, considered ther tallest in the world and called the Statue of Unity, has been in the centre of controversy since its inauguration by Modi on October 31 this year. "I do not see any problem if a prime minister tries to show his respect and honour to a former deputy prime minister. I think that by inaugurating the tallest statue of Patel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done a commendable job," Roy told newsmen here. "He (Patel) was denied the post of the country's first prime minister and on the persistence of Gandhiji he was made the deputy prime minister. And he was the architect behind several princely states joining India. "But he was not allowed to handle the Kashmir issue because it was looked after by Jawaharlal Nehru. Had Gandhiji anointed Vallabhbhai Patel as the prime minister then there would have been no Kashmir problem," Roy said. Patel (18751950) was the first deputy prime minister of India and had helped in the unification of hundreds of princely states to India. The Meghalaya governor also questioned the then central government's decision to support China's invasion of Tibet and annexing the region to its territory. China had annexed Tibet in 1950-51. The Chinese government is now using the land it had annexed in creating problems for India, Roy said. "If the Indian government had then opposed the Chinese invasion of Tibet and let foreign powers use its land for the same reason then the annexing of Tibet could have been stopped. Tibet could have remained as the buffer state between India and China and today's situation (Chinese intrusion in Arunachal Pradesh) could have not occured," Roy stated. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Meghalaya rights activist Agnes Kharshiing suffered injuries after she was allegedly attacked by a group of people suspected to be belonging to the coal mining mafia in East Jaintia Hills district on Thursday, police said. The activist and her companion had reportedly gone to capture photographs of illegal coal mining in the district and were stopped by the miscreants on their way back, a senior police officer said. Kharshiing, 58, was intercepted and accosted near Tuber Sohshrieh at around 1.30 pm, where she was found in an unconscious state, he said. "Kharshiing was found injured and she was rushed to the civil hospital in West Jaintia Hills district," the officer said. Chief Minister Conrad Sangma condemned the incident and asked police to nab the culprits behind the assault. "We have issued necessary directions to the police and the district administration to investigate the matter and arrest those behind the attack," Sangma said in a statement. He said violence in any form will not be tolerated and the government will take all necessary steps to ensure that those behind the attack are brought to justice. The activist's companion also received injuries in the attack and she is undergoing treatment at the hospital, police said. Kharshiing has been referred to the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences for further treatment, where her condition is being evaluated, the officer said. The opposition Congress has also denounced the incident and urged the administration to strictly deal with those behind the attack. Thursday's incident is the second such attack in the state this year. In March, an RTI activist was found murdered in East Jaintia Hills district. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday accused the Narendra Modi government of trying to capture the Reserve Bank of India to tide over its fiscal crisis, warning that any such move would be catastrophic. "The government stares at a fiscal-deficit crisis. The government wants to step up the expenditure in an election year. Finding all avenues closed, in desperation, the government has demanded Rs 1 lakh crore from the reserves of RBI," the former Union finance minister said at a press conference here. If RBI Governor Urjit Patel stands his ground, the Centre is planning to issue a direction under Section 7 of the RBI Act, 1934, directing the apex bank to transfer Rs 1 lakh crore to the government's account, he claimed. Section 7 of the RBI Act gives special powers to the government to issue directions to the RBI governor on issues of public interest. Chidambaram alleged that the government had packed the central bank's board with handpicked nominees and was making every attempt to push through its proposals at the RBI board meeting on November 19. "If the RBI either defies the government or the RBI governor resigns, in either events, the consequence will be catastrophic," he said. In this situation, the senior Congress leader said, there were only two options for Patel: either resign or transfer the amount to the government. "In my view, whichever option is taken by the governor, it will damage the credibility and image of the RBI. It also means capture of RBI. One more crucial institution will fall from grace," he added. The RBI and the government have not been on the same page on different issues for some months now. The disagreements came out in open when RBI Deputy Governor Viral Acharya, in a hard-hitting speech, said failure to defend the central bank's independence would "incur the wrath of the financial markets". It later emerged that the government had invoked a never-before-used provision of the law -- Section 7 of the RBI Act -- to ease NPA norms so that banks can kickstart lending and support growth, and transfer more dividend to boost liquidity -- issues which the central bank thinks cannot be relented. Without acknowledging that the notices have been sent to the RBI, the Union Finance Ministry had said the "autonomy for the central bank, within the framework of the RBI Act, is an essential and accepted governance requirement. Governments in India have nurtured and respected this". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Moody's Investors Service Thursday placed Bharti Airtel's rating on review for downgrade, following low levels of profitability and expectation of weak cash flow. Moody's has placed on review for downgrade the 'Baa3' issuer and senior unsecured rating of Bharti Airtel and the ratings on the backed senior unsecured notes issued by Bharti's wholly-owned subsidiary, Bharti Airtel International (Netherlands) B V, the US-based agency said in a statement. 'Baa3' is the lowest investment-grade bond ratings, and any downgrade would put the rating in speculative grade. "The review for downgrade is primarily driven by our expectation that Bharti's cash flow generation will remain weak and leverage elevated," Moody's VP and Senior Credit Officer Annalisa DiChiara said. The review also reflects the company's low levels of profitability, particularly from its core Indian mobile operations, negative free cash flow and higher debt levels to fund capital spending, it said. "Because we believe a more rational competitive environment in India's telecommunications market is unlikely over the next 12-18 months, the review also reflects uncertainty as to whether the company's profitability, cash flow situation and debt levels can improve sustainably and materially over the same period," said DiChiara, who is also Moody's lead analyst for Bharti. The review on Bharti's rating will focus on the company's commitments and plans to substantially reduce debt levels significantly over a short period of time; and plans to turnaround the underlying Indian mobile operations. While the majority of the USD 1.25 billion raised from the pre-IPO of its African business will be used to reduce debt, leverage will only improve marginally, Moody's said. At the end of September, Bharti's consolidated net debt rose to Rs 1.13 lakh crore, compared to Rs 1.02 lakh crore for the previous quarter. Moody's views positively management's plans to engage in further capital-raising activities - including asset sales - which aim to reduce debt levels significantly. "However, Bharti is becoming increasingly dependent on a significant turnaround of the underlying Indian operations to ensure a sustainable level of financial health supportive of an investment grade rating," it said. Moody's said the ratings could be downgraded if the company fails to use proceeds received from its recent pre-IPO of its African business or its proposed capital-raising activities for debt reduction. Moreover, any further deterioration in its operating performance, particularly in the Indian mobile segment, such that earnings and cash flows or revenue market share contracts from current levels, would also lead to a downgrade, the agency added. A bruising price war sparked by the entry of richest Indian Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio into the telecom sector with free voice calls and SMS bundled with cheap data has led to pressure on margins of incumbents, which have scrambled to match competition. Bharti Airtel recently reported a drop in consolidated net profit for the tenth straight quarter as losses on mainstay India business widened due to pricing pressure from aggressive competition. Overall, the consolidated net profit of Rs 118.8 crore in July-September represented a drop of about 65 per cent from Rs 343 crore in the year ago period. The loss from India operations (before exceptional items) mounted to Rs 1,646.4 crore in the second quarter of the current fiscal compared to about Rs 940 crore in the preceding three-month period. The company had clocked a net income of Rs 649.4 crore in the July-September quarter of 2017. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior BJP leader and former Union minister Sartaj Singh Thursday wept openly after his name did not figure in the third list of party's candidates for the November 28 Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls. Singh (77) is a two-time MLA from Seoni-Malwa seat in the state's Hoshangabad district. The BJP Thursday released its third list of 32 candidates, leaving only six seats, in the 230-member MP House, for which no names have been declared so far. These are Seoni-Malwa, from which Singh is a sitting MLA, Panna, Lakhnadoun, Bhopal North, Mahidpur and Garoth. Sitting among his supporters, the Sikh leader tried to conceal his tears by covering his face for a few moments. According to a supporter of Singh, the BJP has told the veteran MLA that he would not be nominated from Seoni-Malwa. Singh was earlier dropped as MP PWD minister along with state Home minister Babulal Gaur in June 2016 reportedly due to old age. When contacted, Singh refused to divulge his next move and said that he was deliberating with supporters as well as senior leaders in Itarsi town in Hoshangabad. Asked for a comment on Singh's teary reaction after the announcement of the party's third list, MP BJP spokesperson Anil Soumitra said it was "unbecoming" on the part of the former. "The BJP has valued him immensely. The party has made him Union minister, twice MP Minister, MP and MLA. What more does he want?" Soumitra questioned. "Instead of Vanaprashta (retirement in forest), he wants to stay put in Grihastha (household)," he added. Meanwhile, the Congress took a dig at the BJP and said that the latter had a habit of treating senior leaders in such a manner. MP Congress spokesperson Bhupendra Gupta claimed that the BJP had "no respect" for elders and gave the example of party patriarch LK Advani. Asked whether the Congress was ready to field Singh from Hoshangabad constituency, as it has already announced a candidate from Seoni-Malwa seat, Gupta said such matters were decided by the party's high command. Congress sources, however, said Singh had been offered a ticket by the opposition party to contest from Hoshangabad. The BJP and Congress are yet to declare candidates for six and 17 seats respectively. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior BJP leader and former Union minister Sartaj Singh Thursday switched over to the Congress after his name did not figure in the ruling party's third list for the November 28 Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls. Singh, two-time MLA from Seoni-Malwa who wept openly after the BJP snub, was immediately named as the Congress' nominee for the Hoshangabad Assembly seat in the opposition party's fifth list comprising 16 candidates. Singh holds sway in the Hoshangabad region and had defeated late Congress stalwart Arjun Singh from there in 1998. "I am grateful to the Congress for nominating me from Hoshangabad. I had been with the saffron family for 58 long years. The BJP denied me a ticket. I want to be in the midst of the people so I am contesting elections," Singh told PTI over phone. "I don't want to sit at home and confine myself to counting prayer beads," he added. With the fifth list, released Thursday evening, the Congress has now announced names for 225 seats in the 230-member MP Assembly. The Congress is yet to announce its contestants from Budhni (Sehore), Manpur (Dhar), Indore-2, Indore-5 and Jatara (Tikamgarh) seats. Congress sources said the party is looking for a strong candidate for Budhni to "confine" MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan there. The BJP Thursday released its third list of 32 candidates, leaving only six seats, in the 230-member MP House, for which no names have been declared so far. These are Seoni-Malwa, from which Singh was a sitting MLA, Panna, Lakhnadoun, Bhopal North, Mahidpur and Garoth. Sitting among his supporters earlier Thursday, the Sikh leader tried to conceal his tears by covering his face for a few moments. State BJP spokesperson Anil Soumitra, who had earlier in the day called Singh's teary reaction to his exclusion from the party's list as "unbecoming", later in the evening said the veteran MLA's exit would not harm the BJP. "Will the Congress workers accept him? Is this trend of nursing personal political ambitions right? If he was such a big leader, why he did not run as an Independent candidate," Soumitra said. Earlier in the day, asked for a comment, Soumitra said," The BJP has valued him immensely. The party has made him Union minister, twice MP Minister, MP and MLA. What more does he want? Instead of Vanaprashta (retirement in forest), he wants to stay put in Grihastha (household)." Singh was earlier dropped as MP PWD minister along with state Home minister Babulal Gaur in June 2016 reportedly due to old age. Singh is the third powerful BJP leader to join Congress after Sanjay Sharma and Padma Shukla. Sharma was the sitting BJP MLA from Tendukhenda in Seoni district and has now been given a ticket from there by the Congress. Shukla, who resigned as MP Social Welfare Board chief and quit the BJP, has got the Congress' nomination from Vijayraghavgarh constituency in Katni district. Besides, the Congress has made Sanjay Singh Masani, brother-in-law of MP CM Chouhan, its nominee from Waraseoni assembly seat in Balaghat district, currently represented by BJP's Yogendra Nirmal. A native of Maharashtra, Masani's name figured on the fourth list of 29 candidates released Wednesday by the Congress. Meanwhile, the Congress took a dig at the BJP over Sartaj Singh and said the ruling party had a habit of treating senior leaders in such a manner. MP Congress spokesperson Bhupendra Gupta claimed that the BJP had "no respect" for elders and gave the example of party patriarch LK Advani. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tyre major MRF Thursday posted a 12.29 per cent decline in its profit at Rs 263.04 crore for the quarter ended September 30, 2018, on account of higher expenses. The company had reported a profit of Rs 299.92 crore during the same period of the previous fiscal. Total income rose to Rs 4,004.85 crore for the quarter under review, up 9.41 per cent as compared with Rs 3,660.22 crore in the same period of the previous year, MRF said in a regulatory filing. Total expenses in the second quarter of this fiscal stood at Rs 3,611.19 crore, up 12.17 per cent, as against Rs 3,219.30 crore reported in the corresponding quarter a year ago. The board of directors has also approved the payment of interim dividend of Rs 3 per share for the financial year ending March 31, 2019. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Stepping up his efforts for an anti-BJP front in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, TDP supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu Thursday met his Karnataka counterpart H D Kumaraswamy after which he said a grand alliance of various regional parties would be forged soon in which the Congress will be a "main anchor". Naidu's meeting with the top brass of the JD(S)--Kumaraswamy and his father and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda--came two days after the JD(S)-Congress coalition candidates defeated the BJP 4-1 in three Lok Sabha and two assembly seats in the bypolls. Setting the stage for the revival of an united front against the BJP, Naidu claimed the mood of the nation was against the BJP-led NDA and soon an alliance would be formed with various regional parties. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Naidu said the initial steps for the formation of the alliance was underway and that once the modalities were fixed, programmes would be chalked out later. "I have spoken to Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav. I have met everybody. Tomorrow I am meeting Stalin (DMK president). We will decide how to take forward the alliance with consensus. It is an initial exercise. After that we will work together," he said. Naidu also said the Congress will be a main anchor in any "grand alliance" of opposition parties. "Congress is a major opposition party," he said, pointing out that Deve Gowda became prime minister with support of the Congress from outside in 1996. "... Congress is a main anchor," Naidu added. However, he ducked questions on the alliance's prime ministerial candidate. PM candidate we will be decided later, first we will save the nation, he said. The comments by Naidu came on a day when senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said state-wise alliances would benefit the party and was the best way to defeat the BJP. "The kind of alliance that was formed in Karnataka yielded results. Similar alliances should be formed in different states," Chidambaram told reporters in Kolkata. The electoral sweep by the ruling coalition in Karnataka came as a boost to opposition unity as the bypolls were seen as a barometer of the public mood ahead of the 2019 polls. Gowda said the meeting was called to work out further strategy on forming the alliance and urged like-minded parties to join hands for the elections. "It is the responsibility of all secular parties including Congress to come together to replace NDA govt, he said. Kumaraswamy expressed confidence that the 2019 polls will see a repeat of the 1996 result, when a united opposition had formed the government and Gowda had become the prime minister I think 1996 will be repeated in 2019 elections.," he said, adding Gowda and Naidu are old friends and their arithmetic is good. BJP's estranged ally Shiv Sena, meanwhile, took a dig at its senior coalition partner over the Karnataka result, saying it indicated that "acche din" (good days) will return for the Congress in 2019. The Uddhav Thackeray-led party also said the BJP's defeat in a string of Lok Sabha and assembly bypolls in the country would infuse a "fresh lease of life" in the Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. In an editorial laced with sarcasm in the party mouthpiece "Saamana", the Sena said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) probably lost in Karnataka for ignoring poll promises like construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya and for "imposing some other agenda". Mocking the BJP, the edit said the party should think why its "losing streak" is continuing unabated even as some "revolutionary changes" are taking place in the country under the BJP-led government by its own admission. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu will be on a three-day visit to Paris starting Friday to represent India at the Armistice of World War I centenary commemoration, the Ministry of External Affairs said Thursday. Heads of state or government of over 50 countries and their representatives are expected to participate in the centenary activities, it said. On Sunday, the vice president will attend the ceremony to commemorate the armistice of World War I at Arc de Triomphe, presided over by French President Emmanuel Macron. During the visit, that comes at the invitation of the French government, Naidu will also address the Indian community on Friday and will inaugurate the Indian War Memorial at Villers Guislain on Saturday. "As part of the Armistice Centenary, the French government will also be hosting the Paris Peace Forum, which will take place in Paris from November 11-13. The Forum is envisioned as a recurring, annual event to promote governance solutions in five key areas: Peace and Security, Environment, Development, New Technologies, and Inclusive Economy," the ministry said in a statement. The vice president will speak at a high-level panel discussion titled 'Dialogue of the Continents on Global Governance', it said. He will also hold a number of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Paris Peace Forum, the statement said. India was one of largest contributors of soldiers during World War I. India's participation at the Armistice Centenary ceremony will be a befitting tribute to the sacrifices made by these soldiers, underlining India's historical contribution to global peace and security. The aim of the Paris Peace Forum is to establish a global platform to reaffirm the importance of multilateralism, international cooperation and reform of global governance institutions. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) People watch police responding to the shooting on November 7, 2018. Photo: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images A gunman entered a bar and dance hall in Thousand Oaks, California, late on Wednesday night and fired multiple shots, killing at least 11 patrons and a sheriffs deputy. Police said the gunman was also dead when officers arrived at the scene. Ventura County sheriff Geoff Dean said there are multiple other victims of different levels of injuries. He added that they have no reason to think there was a link to terrorism, but we certainly will look at that option. Its a horrific incident, Dean told reporters. Its part of the horrors that are happening in our country and everywhere, and I think its impossible to put any logic or any sense to the senseless. Captain Garo Kuredjian, a spokesperson for the Ventura County Sheriffs Office, said the shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill started at about 11:20 p.m. The venue, which describes itself as the countys largest country dance hall and live music venue, was hosting a College Country Night. About 100 people were inside at the time. Teylor Whittler described the scene as gunfire erupted. I saw him shoot, she told the New York Times, adding that someone yelled, Everybody get down. People started running to the back door, she said. Someone yelled Get out hes coming, and she fled as the gunman fired another round of shots. A man and his stepfather interviewed by ABC7 Eyewitness News said they heard about a dozen shots before they were able to flee out the front door. He fired the first shot, the stepfather said. And I knew it was real. My son thought it was a joke, so I pulled him down and got some cover. I looked up, and he was moving to the right. He shot the front doorman, who was just a young man. Then he shot the cashier, just a young girl. He said the gunman, who was wearing a hat and a black jacket, then threw a smoke grenade. Eyewitnesses said people used chairs to break the windows and escape. Chandler Gunn, 23, told the San Diego Tribune that when he heard about the shooting he rushed to the bar and called a friend who works at Borderline, who like many of the bars regular patrons was also at the Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas when a gunman killed 58 people and wounded hundreds. A lot of people in the Route 91 situation go here, he said. Theres people that live a whole lifetime without seeing this, and then theres people that have seen it twice. The ruling alliance partner Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) in Nagaland Thursday urged the Centre and the Naga groups to expedite the peace process and find an early solution to the decades-old Naga political issue. The ten-point resolution adopted during the party's third general convention here demanded a negotiated political solution that is democratic, honourable and acceptable to the people to the issue. The convention was significant in that it was the first general meeting of the NDPP since it formed the government with the BJP in the state in March last. The NDPP extended support to the People's Democratic Alliance government in Nagaland to play the role of an active facilitator in the on-going peace process between the Centre and Naga political groups. Iterating support for integration of all continuous Naga areas under a single administrative unit, the NDPP upheld the desire of the Naga people to live together as one family. It called upon all sections of the people to "come together under a spirit of unity, brotherhood and oneness and make efforts towards strengthening of the political dialogue so that all sections contribute towards early realisation of an honourable political solution". Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, NDPP president Chingwang Konyak and Lok Sabha MP Tokheho Yepthomi were among those who attended the NDPP convention. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Rajasthan government has told the Supreme Court that no illegal mining was going on in 115.34 hectares of land in Aravalli area of the state. The chief secretary of Rajasthan has filed an affidavit in the apex court which had on October 23 expressed shock over 31 "vanished" hills or hillocks in Aravalli area and had asked the state government to stop illegal mining in 115.34-hectare area there within 48 hours. "It is stated on affidavit filed by D B Gupta who is chief secretary of the government of Rajasthan that there is no illegal mining going on in respect of 115.34 hectares of land, as mentioned in our order dated October 23, 2018," a bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur noted in its October 29 order. In the affidavit, the chief secretary has also said that approximately 27 per cent ground truthing of the area has been done and serious efforts would be made to complete the entire exercise within a period of three months as per directions of the top court. Ground truthing is an exercise conducted to ascertain the empirical evidence at the actual site. The apex court posted the matter for further hearing after three months. On October 23, the top court had observed that though Rajasthan was earning a royalty of around Rs 5,000 crore from mining activities in Aravalli, it cannot endanger the lives of lakhs of people in Delhi as disappearance of hills there could be one of reasons for rise in pollution level in the national capital region (NCR). The court had also referred to a report of the central empowered committee (CEC) which had said that out of 128 samples taken by the Forest Survey of India (FSI), as many as 31 hills or hillocks have vanished. The state's counsel had then told the apex court that all the government departments concerned in Rajasthan were "on the job" to stop illegal mining. The court is dealing with a matter related to illegal mining activities in the Aravalli range. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) One person was killed and at least 41 others were injured Thursday when the bus they were travelling in fell into a deep gorge at Polian Beet under Haroli police station in Una district of Himachal Pradesh, the police said. All the victims belonged to Hoshiarpur district in Punjab and were returning home after paying obeisance at their ancestors' place Gondpur Banehara in Himachal Pradesh, said Una Superintendent of Police Diwakar Sharma. All victims have been evacuated, he said adding 29 of them were admitted to a hospital in Mahilpur of Hoshiarpur district in Punjab while 12 others were treated at a hospital in Haroli. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The ornaments of two Kali idols of a temple were stolen at Chinpai village of Birbhum district triggering furore among locals who blocked road, the police said. The idols were decorated with gold and silver ornaments on the occasion of Kali puja Tuesday. Those were found missing by the priest this morning, they said. Angry over the theft, hundreds of villagers, including women, sat on the busy national highway. Initially, police tried to disperse the villagers, but failed. Once the officer-in-charge of the local police station reached the spot, he was chased by them. After about two hours, Additional Superintendent of Police Subimal Pal arrived and the blockade was lifted. Superintendent of Police Kunal Agarwal said that the situation was under control. Senior police officers were camping in the spot. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prince Charles, who is known for his candour on environmental and other issues as the heir to the British throne, has promised not to be as outspoken when he becomes king saying he is "not that stupid". The royal, who celebrates his 70th birthday on November 14, spoke at length about how he sees the role of the monarch compared to that of being heir to the throne during a special BBC documentary 'Prince, Son & Heir Charles at 70' to be aired in the UK on Thursday night. Asked if his public campaigning on issues close to his heart will continue when he succeeds his mother Queen Elizabeth II, he said, "No, it won't. I'm not that stupid". "I do realise that it is a separate exercise being sovereign. So, of course, I understand entirely how that should operate," he said. The monarch's role in Britain is expected to be neutral and apolitical, with the royal family expected to refrain from expressing very strong opinions on governmental issues. Prince Charles has become well known over the years for his strong views on issues such as climate change, the environment, architecture and support for young people. Applauded by some for his dedication and campaigning spirit, the royal has been criticised by others for trying to influence government policy. When the prince, who has been the heir to the British throne since the age of four, was asked about his opinion on being seen as a "meddlesome" Prince of Wales, he replied, "Really? You don't say. But I always wonder what meddling is, I mean I always thought it was motivating." He adds, "I've tried to make sure whatever I've done has been non-party political. But I think it's vital to remember there's only room for one sovereign at a time, not two, so you can't be the same as the sovereign if you're the Prince of Wales or the heir". "But the idea somehow that I'm going to go on in exactly the same way if I have to succeed is complete nonsense, because the two, the two situations are completely different. Clearly, I won't be able to do the same things I've done, you know, as heir so of course you operate within the constitutional parameters," he said. The documentary-makers was given exclusive access to Charles and his family, including his sons Princes William and Harry, who pay tribute to their father as a loving and hardworking role model. Harry, the Duke of Sussex, recalls his wedding to Meghan Markle earlier this year when Charles stepped in at the last minute to walk his bride down the aisle after her father could not attend. "I asked him to and I think he knew it was coming and he immediately said 'yes, of course, I'll do whatever Megan needs and I'm here to support you'. "For him that's a fantastic opportunity to step up and be that support, and you know he's our father so of course he's going to be there for us," Harry said. William talks about wanting his father to spend more time with his grandchildren and his wife, Camilla, pays tribute to her husband, saying that she wishes people got to see his light-hearted side. The Duchess of Cornwall said, "He's a very exceptional man. They see him as a very serious person, which he is. But I would like a lot of people to see the lighter side of him. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A high-level Pakistani delegation left for China on Thursday to finalise the quantum of a potential financial aid package for the cash-strapped country, even as a team of officials from the IMF is here for talks on a bailout plan. The government of Prime Minister Imran Khan is facing grave economic challenges as it struggles to avoid a financial crisis and keep the economy afloat. Last month, Saudi Arabia said it would provide Pakistan with a USD 6 billion rescue package, but officials have said it is not enough, and the country still plans to seek a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). On Saturday, China said it will provide the "necessary support" to Pakistan to tide over the present financial crisis after talks between Prime Minister Khan and his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang in Beijing. China has not yet revealed how much it would dole out to its all-weather ally Pakistan to address its financial woes. The Pakistani delegation that left for Beijing includes secretaries of finance, trade and planning, as well as the governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, Geo reported. The delegation will hold talks with Chinese officials to finalise a possible economic package, in a follow-up to Prime Minister Khan's maiden visit to China, it said. Discussions will also be held pertaining to Pakistan-made products' access to the Chinese markets, the report quoted sources as saying. Finance Minister Asad Umar earlier this week confirmed that talks were held with China for a relief package during Khan's visit, and that the two sides agreed on continuing discussions. Umar said that the talks were not limited to a financial package, but also encompassed long-term partnership and investment with China. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying, during a press briefing on Wednesday, reaffirmed that China would provide financial assistance to Pakistan. "China has been providing utmost assistance to Pakistan as its capacity allows. We will continue to offer assistance and support within our capacity to Pakistan for its economic and social development in light of its needs and upon agreement by both sides," Hua said. Finance Minister Umar said Wednesday that Pakistan has averted an immediate balance of payment crisis with the help of China and Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, a delegation of the IMF arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday for talks that would last for two weeks. "In the first phase, IMF's technical team will hold talks with Pakistani officials. Pakistan will inform the money watchdog about the country's economic needs," Geo reported separately. Finance Minister Umar and heads of the Finance Bureau of Revenue and State Bank of Pakistan will attend the meetings, it said. Earlier, IMF spokesperson Gerry Rice said the fund's executive board will be sent for talks on a staff-level agreement. Pakistan had formally approached IMF in October for loans to tide over the financial crisis. Last month, IMF chief Christine Lagarde had said that she met with Umar, SBP Governor Tariq Bajwa and members of their economic team during which Pakistan formally requested for financial assistance. "During the meeting, they requested financial assistance from the IMF to help address Pakistan's economic challenges," Lagarde said in October. Pakistan was facing a USD 12 billion financing gap for the current fiscal year. Pakistan government is keen to minimise the amount borrowed from the IMF by getting loans from "friendly" countries like Saudi Arabia and China as officials here believe that the global lender could attach tough conditions. The talks with Pakistan on what would be the 13th IMF bailout package since the 1980s are scheduled to finish on November 20. Islamabad last received an IMF bailout of USD 6.6 billion in 2013. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A high-level Pakistani delegation left for China on Thursday to finalise the quantum of a potential financial aid package for the cash-strapped country, even as a team of officials from the IMF is here for talks on a possible bailout plan. The government of Prime Minister Imran Khan is facing grave economic challenges as it struggles to avoid a financial crisis and keep the economy afloat. Last month, Saudi Arabia said it would provide Pakistan with a USD 6 billion rescue package, but officials have said it is not enough, and the country still plans to seek a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). On Saturday, China said it will provide the "necessary support" to Pakistan to tide over the present financial crisis after talks between Prime Minister Khan and his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang in Beijing. China has not yet revealed how much it would dole out to its all-weather ally Pakistan to address its financial woes. But Pakistan's Finance Minister Asad Umar has indicted that it would be around USD 6 billion. "We had told you about the USD 12 billion financing gap, of which USD 6 billion has come from Saudi Arabia, and the rest has come from China. So the immediate balance of payment crisis of Pakistan has ended. I want to make that clear in unequivocal terms that we do not have any balance of payment crisis now," Umar said on Tuesday. The Pakistani delegation that left for Beijing includes secretaries of finance, trade and planning, as well as the governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, Geo reported. The delegation will hold talks with Chinese officials to finalise a possible economic package, in a follow-up to Prime Minister Khan's maiden visit to China, it said. Discussions will also be held pertaining to Pakistan-made products' access to the Chinese markets, the report quoted sources as saying. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying, during a press briefing on Wednesday, reaffirmed that China would provide financial assistance to Pakistan. "China has been providing utmost assistance to Pakistan as its capacity allows. We will continue to offer assistance and support within our capacity to Pakistan for its economic and social development in light of its needs and upon agreement by both sides," Hua said. Meanwhile, a delegation of officials from the IMF arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday for talks that would last for two weeks. "In the first phase, IMF's technical team will hold talks with Pakistani officials. Pakistan will inform the money watchdog about the country's economic needs," Geo reported separately. Finance Minister Umar and heads of the Finance Bureau of Revenue and State Bank of Pakistan will attend the meetings, it said. Earlier, IMF spokesperson Gerry Rice said the fund's executive board will be sent for talks on a staff-level agreement. Pakistan had formally approached IMF in October for loans to tide over the financial crisis. Last month, IMF chief Christine Lagarde had said that she met with Umar, SBP Governor Tariq Bajwa and members of their economic team during which Pakistan formally requested for financial assistance. "During the meeting, they requested financial assistance from the IMF to help address Pakistan's economic challenges," Lagarde said in October. Pakistan government is keen to minimise the amount borrowed from the IMF by getting loans from "friendly" countries like Saudi Arabia and China as officials here believe that the global lender could attach tough conditions. The talks with Pakistan on what would be the 13th IMF bailout package since the 1980s are scheduled to finish on November 20. Islamabad last received an IMF bailout of USD 6.6 billion in 2013. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Pakistani soldier was killed in "unprovoked firing" by Indian troops along the Line of Control (LoC), the army said on Thursday. Sepoy Zaheer Ahmed was killed in Thub Sector due to "unprovoked firing by Indian troops," army spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor said in a statement. Pakistan troops "retaliated effectively and engaged enemy's posts involved in unprovoked firing," he added. The fallen soldier belongs to Sultanpur area of Bhimber district in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee on Thursday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should apologise to people as the demonetisation move, undertaken "hurriedly and arbitrarily", failed to eliminate black money. OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik said the announcement to ban high-value currency notes was followed by prolonged cash shortage for weeks, which created significant disruption throughout the economy. "Demonetisation is one of the arbitrary decisions taken by the prime minister. This was aimed to curtail shadow economy .. illegal activity and terrorism. But where is that black money?" he said in a statement issued on the second anniversary of demonetisation. People seeking to change the old currency notes had to stand in long queues and several deaths occurred in different places due to the heavy rush, Patnaik said. "The prime minister must tender an apology to the people for this wrong decision," the OPCC chief said. According to a recent RBI report, nearly 99.3 per cent of the demonetised currency notes came back to the banking system, he said. "This shows that the effort of demonetisation was taken in a hurry and it failed to remove black money from the economy. This move has reduced country's industrial production and GDP growth rate," Patnaik said. Meanwhile, the Assam unit of Congress protested in front of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) building in Guwahati "against the devastating effects of demonitisation in India's economy". The demonstrators tried to break the barricade near the RBI building but were stopped by police. Following this, several state Congress leaders were arrested and later released. Assam Congress Legislature Party leader Debabrata Saikia termed the second anniversary of the note ban as a "black day" in the country, and the move "adversely affected the common people, while strengthening the financial position of capitalists". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Relations with North Korea may not be as fine as Trump thinks. Photo: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images The size of Trumps Senate win did not impress Kim Jong-un. In fact, it appears that while Americans were still voting on Tuesday, Pyongyangs senior negotiator Kim Yong-chol ghosted on the flight he was supposed to take to meet with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in New York. At midnight, the State Department issued a statement saying that the meeting was off, but conversations were ongoing. That didnt stop President Trump from insisting at his postelection press conference on Wednesday that he would meet with his counterpart again in the new year. Were very happy with how its going with North Korea, Trump added. We think its going fine. Observers had already been predicting that U.S.North Korea talks were close to going off track, and Pompeo and Kim Yong-chol would have nothing to offer each other at the New York meeting. The core problem hasnt changed since the TrumpKim Singapore summit in June. Washington wants North Korea to take verifiable steps toward disarmament, with a peace treaty and progress on sanctions removal as rewards. The North wants a peace agreement, sanctions removal, then disarmament and it wants disarmament to be mutual. Given the size of that gap, why is Trump happy? In his own words, The sanctions are on. The missiles have stopped, the rockets have stopped. The hostages are home. Except, while the North has stopped testing missiles, it is still developing them. And as for the sanctions, China and Russia are openly skirting them. South Korea is moving toward its fourth summit meeting with the North this year, and exploring possible cooperation in areas like infrastructure, which would be forbidden under the existing sanctions regime. It seems that Washington has two choices. It can come up with innovations and compromises that would move the stalled negotiations forward, possibly gaining more access to the Norths weapons program, even if comprehensive disarmament remains out of reach. Or it can let the process fail and return to the threats of fire and fury that dominated 2017. But Trump seems to think hes found a third way: that his personal relationship with Kim Jong-un is enough to keep things chill and North Koreas nuclear advances wont come so fast, or be so noticeable, as to cause political turbulence at home. Now that the midterms are over, were all going to find out if hes right. Republicans losing the House puts an effective end to Trumps legislative agenda, and presidents stymied in Congress often turn to foreign affairs as an alternative outlet. For the moment, several nations appear to be ahead of North Korea on the White House fire and fury list. The administrations sanctions are biting Tehran, and hard-liners there will want to respond; as it becomes clearer that Europe cant implement a work-around to let Iran keep the economic benefits from the 2015 nuclear deal, security tensions will likely escalate. Meanwhile, last week National Security Adviser John Bolton gave a fiery speech lumping Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela together as an alleged troika of tyranny threatening U.S. security. Because both Nicaragua and Venezuela are avowedly socialist, and receive economic aid from Cuba, the Trump administration has cast them as a first-tier ideological threat but theyre mainly harming their own citizens. Ninety percent of Venezuelans are now living below the poverty level, and the combination of hunger and political unrest has driven 2.3 million out of the country. Only Syria, Afghanistan, and South Sudan have larger refugee crises. Six months of protests and repression in Nicaragua have left hundreds dead and detained, thousands injured, and the economy in ruins. Boltons speech was read as an effort to spur conservative Cuban-Americans to vote in the midterms, rather than a new policy advance. However, for the past few months the administration has been ratcheting up its rhetoric on Venezuela, and its allegedly conducting secret talks with opposition groups about military intervention. Secretary of Defense Mattis is now at pains to give the impression that he wants the U.S. military to focus on its great power rivals Russia and China and the Pentagon was quick, the day after the election, to announce that it had dropped the name Faithful Patriot for Trumps much-criticized plan to send more troops to the southern border than we currently have in Syria. Several weeks ago, the Washington rumor mill suggested Mattis would be the first out the door after the midterms. But then the counter-rumors began, saying it was all a plot by Bolton and his deputy Mira Ricardel to oust the Defense secretary. Mattis has stopped appearing at the top of rumored Trump hit lists, but that could easily change. With so much on its plate, its no surprise that the Trump administration seems content to let North Korea bump along for the time being. Historically, though, Pyongyang doesnt like to let others dictate the pace of events, and it tends to force the issue when it sees an advantage to doing so. The canceled New York meeting is likely to be one in a series of blips that lead to increasingly unpleasant choices. Prime Minister will inaugurate the newly constructed multi-modal terminal on River Ganga at Varanasi on Monday, the government said. This is the first of the three multi-modal terminals and two Inter-Modal Terminals being constructed on Ganga ( Waterways 1) with a cost of Rs 2.06 billion in the first phase. "The MMTs are being built as part of the Government's Jal Marg Vikas project that aims to develop the stretch of River Ganga between Varanasi to Haldia for navigation of large vessels up to 1,500-2,000 tonnes weight, by maintaining a drought of 2-3 metres in this stretch of the river and setting up other systems required for safe navigation," the Ministry of Shipping said in a statement Thursday. The objective is to promote inland waterways as a cheaper and more environment-friendly means of transport, especially for cargo movement. Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is the project implementing agency for it. ALSO READ: Modi govt to celebrate Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Varanasi on January 21 "The Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) is being implemented on the Haldia-Varanasi stretch of Waterway-1 (NW-1) with the technical assistance and investment support of the World Bank, at an estimated cost of Rs 53.69 billion ($800 million, of which $375 is IBRD loan) on a 50:50 sharing basis between Government of India and the World Bank," the statement said. The project entails construction of 3 multi-modal terminals (Varanasi, Sahibganj and Haldia); 2 intermodal terminals; 5 Roll On - Roll Off (Ro-Ro) terminal pairs; new navigation lock at Farakka; assured depth dredging; integrated vessel repair & maintenance facility, Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS), River Information System (RIS), river training & river conservancy works, it said. The Varanasi multi-modal terminal has a capacity of 1.6 million tonne per annum and the work on this has started on June 2016. Operation, management and further development of the multi-modal terminal is proposed to be entrusted to an operator on PPP model, the statement said adding, selection of the PPP operator through an international competitive bidding is at an advanced stage and expected to be completed by December 2018. The project of the multi-modal terminal and proposed Freight Village at Varanasi are expected to generate 500 direct employment and more than 2,000 indirect employment opportunities, it said. The prime minister will also receive India's first container vessel that sailed from Kolkata on October 30, carrying cargo belonging to PEPSICO (India) at Varanasi. Container movement on an inland waterway in India is being done for the first time post-independence. The IWAI vessel, MV Rabindranath Tagore is transporting 16 containers equivalent to 16 truckloads of food and snacks and is expected to reach Varanasi on 11th November 2018. It will make its return journey with fertilizers from IFFCO. In a separate event the same day, the prime minister will also inaugurate two Highways projects - the Babatpur-Varanasi Airport road and Varanasi Ring Road. In addition to this, he will also inaugurate some sewerage projects in the city and lay the foundation stone for a project under Namami Gange programme of National Mission for Clean Ganga. Central crime branch sleuths Thursday intensified their search for Ballari-based mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy in connection with a money transaction amounting to crores of rupees allegedly linked to a ponzi scheme. The crime branch is also hunting for Reddy's close aide Ali Khan, who allegedly struck a Rs 20-crore deal with Syed Ahmed Fareed of Ambidant Marketing Pvt Ltd, a firm accused of involvement in the ponzi scheme, to bail him out of an Enforcement Directorate investigation. Meanwhile, the Congress in Karnataka too felt the heat as the case came to light. Congress state president Dinesh Gundu Rao and Congress MLA and former minister Ramalinga Reddy had attended the launch of a mobile application by the company. However, Rao and Ramalinga Reddy denied having any links with the firm. Police sources said Reddy's father-in-law Parameshwara Reddy was also summoned by crime branch sleuths to get details about the absconding mining baron. Police questioned Fareed and searched at Reddy's Obalaburam Mining Company. Ali Khan's residence at Ballari was also searched. "Nothing. We are all searching for him (Reddy)," Bengaluru police commissioner T Suneel Kumar told PTI. Fareed, who was arrested earlier, is currently out on bail. Kumar suspected that those who got bail in this case might have alerted Reddy who eventually went into hiding. Searches continued at Reddy's residence in Ballari Thursday which started around 6 am and went on till evening, two days after Reddy's confidante Sriramulu's sister J Shantha, a BJP candidate, lost in the bypoll from Ballari Lok Sabha constituency, considered a stronghold of the Reddy brothers. The Congress won the seat breaking the BJP's grip over Ballari since 2004. Joint Commissioner of Bengaluru Police Alok Kumar told reporters that police did not arrest Reddy during the bypoll as they did not want to give a political hue to the case. Ten days ago, Ramesh, the owner of Raj Mahal Fancy Jewellers at Ballari was arrested, police said. "He was in constant touch with Ali Khan. These people (Reddy) knew well that police would reach them if Rajmahal Jewellers is touched," Alok Kumar said. The police officer said Fareed was summoned and questioned to find out about transactions that took place at various places. "We wanted to find out about some missing links in the case. We are also interrogating all those whom he had given money," Alok Kumar added. Searches were conducted in various towns for those absconding in the case, he said, but did not elaborate. Denying any links with the firm, Congress state president Dinesh Gundu Rao said, "I dont know about the company. They had invited me for the launch of an app. "I did not know what the programme actually was. Apart from that neither I have any relation with that company nor I have any information about them." He sought to know whether attending a function made anyone part of the business of the company. Congress MLA and former minister Ramalinga Reddy too denied having any links with the firm. "When I was a minister, people used to call me for various events. There was this Ambidant company. I had never heard its name previously. I saw them (proprietors) for the first time. It was something related to mobile phone. Once it was launched I never met them again. Had I knew that they cheated people, I wouldnt have gone near them," Ramalinga Reddy said. The Congress MLA said the police have not yet summoned him for questioning but he was ready to face even a CBI probe in this case "as there is nothing to hide or fear." "I only attended an event. What is there to get trapped for it? Currently CCB is inquiring.. Let the CBI investigate it," he said. With the CCB launching search operations for Janardhana Reddy, BJP distanced itself from the mining baron, saying he was not associated with the party anymore. BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa said, "Janardhana Reddy is not associated with the BJP. Other than what I have read in newspapers, I do not have any knowledge about this case. Those who commit wrongs will face consequences as per law. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : A project was being implemented to make children of migrant population enrol themselves in schools and also check the dropout rate among the most backward sections in Ernakulam district of Kerala, Collector of the district K Mohammed Y Safirulla said here Thursday. The project 'Roshni' has support from the district panchayat, department, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, which is a programme aimed at universalisation of elementary education, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), he told PTI. There were around 2,500 migrant children in over 18 schools in the district, and their school dropout rate was high, the Collector said. The pilot project was successfully implemented from October 2017 to February 2018 in four selected schools in which the highest number of migrant children study and it was extended to 14 more schools this academic year, he said. A survey conducted by Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan indicated that over 2,500 migrant children mostly from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, and Nepal had been enrolled in the schools, he said. Also, studies showed that the children were not regular to classes and many of the students dropped out even in the middle of the academic years, the Collector said. Belonging to different linguistic communities and being in a classroom with Malayalam as the instructional language, the children found it difficult to adapt to the environment in schools, he said. To end this problem, the district administration arranged for extra classes in the mornings for about 90 minutes to teach Malayalam, English and Hindi, Safirulla said. Service of educational volunteers proficient in Hindi, Bengali and Odiya was provided to help children communicate easily, he said. Bharat Petroleum Corporation provides financial aid to the project. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Raymond expects around 20 per cent of its textile and apparel retail business in India to come from small towns, where it is opening 'Mini TRS' stores catering to aspirations of the people , a company official said. The company, which has recently achieved the target to open its 200th 'Mini TRS' (The Raymond Shop), has plans to add around 600 more in its network in tier IV, V and VI towns. "For the TRS channel, we see, these stores, Mini TRS which we are opening up, to contribute around 15 to 20 per cent of the revenue," Raymond Director Retail Mohit Dhanjal told PTI. As per its retail strategy, Raymond has identified around 800 small towns having population above 50,000 to sustain a store and tap the potential through Mini TRS. Raymond has a network of around 880 stores including Mini TRS, in which 820 are on franchise model and rest 60 are owned by the company, the Raymond Shop Channel. "In the next 6 months, we plan to open another 100 stores and then to take our total count to 1,000 and after that for next 2-3 years, we would plan to open 100 stores every year," he said. The regular TRS has a spread of over 2,500 sq feet, while Mini TRS format is optimised in around 800 sq feet, he added. All these new stores coming out are on franchise model and the company has brought down the investments for the TRS format stores. According to him, these small towns have "lot of aspiration for branded clothes" besides "growing spending power". Raymond is also working on omni channel retail system by integrating online with offline. It operates around 50 stores in overseas markets as the Middle East, Bangladesh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Gujarat government said Thursday that it was considering renaming Ahmedabad as Karnavati. Speaking to reporters in state capital Gandhinagar, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said the name change could be effected before the Lok Sabha elections. Rupani's statement comes days after the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh announced renaming of Allahabad and Faizabad as Prayagraj and Ayodhya, respectively. "People have been demanding for long that Ahmedabad be renamed as Karnavati. The government is considering this demand. Consultation process has been started (to find out) if legally we can do it. After consultations we will take a concrete step," the chief minister said. Asked if it could happen before Lok Sabha elections or after, he said, "Before the elections." Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel said the name Ahmedabad is a "symbol of slavery" and needs to be changed. "We have started the process of getting legal and other approvals like the nod of the Centre," Patel said. "The name (Ahmedabad) is a symbol of our slavery, while the name Karnavati represents our pride, our self-respect, our culture, our autonomy," he said. On Tuesday, the day Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced renaming of Faizabad as Ayodhya, Patel had said the BJP-ruled Gujarat too can change the name of Ahmedabad to Karnavati "if everything falls in place". Mayor Bijal Patel said she will seek "guidance" from the government before bringing a resolution for renaming the city. "Certainly the demand to change the name of the city is there. But we will take guidance from the state as well as the Central government of the BJP for bringing any such resolution in the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC)," Patel said. As per the AMC website, King Karandev I, a Solanki clan ruler, established the city of Karnavati on the banks of Sabarmati river in 11th century after defeating Bhil King Ashapall. Gujarat was conquered by the Sultanate of Delhi at the end of thirteenth century, and in 1411 Ahmed Shah, who had rebelled against his overlords in Delhi, founded Ahmedabad next to the old city of Ashval or Karnavati, says the website. Emperor Akbar conquered the province of Gujarat in 1573. The Mughal rule ended in 1753 when the armies of Maratha generals -- Raghunath Rao and Damaji Gaeakwad -- took over Ahmedabad. In 1818, the city came under the rule of the British East India Company. The BJP and other saffron outfits have demanded renaming Ahmedabad as Karnavati in the past as well. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistani authorities on Thursday rejected as "fake news" reports that a Christian woman who was released from a jail a week after the Supreme Court overturned her conviction and death sentence for blasphemy has left for the Netherlands. Aasia Bibi, 47, acquitted in the blasphemy case was released, amid nationwide anger, from the jail in Multan on Wednesday midnight. It was reported in local media that she was taken to Noor Khan Airbase Rawalpindi, from where she would be shifted to the Netherlands. "Aasia Bibi was released from New Jail for Women Multan (some 350 kilometers from Lahore) on Wednesday midnight. She is taken to Noor Khan Airbase Rawalpindi where a chartered plane will take her to Netherlands, " 24News reported on Thursday. Some other channels also reported the release of Aasia Bibi and her departure for Netherlands. However, Foreign Office spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal said there was no truth that the mother of five had left the country. "There is no truth in reports about Bibi leaving the country it is fake news," he said. Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry also rejected the reports about her going out of the country. "It has become a norm to publish fake for sake of headlines, #AsiaBibi case is sensitive issue it was extremely irresponsible to publish of her leaving the country without confirmation, I strongly urge section of media to act responsible," he said. Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) of Khadim Hussain Rizvi spokesperson Hafiz Shahbaz Attari issued a statement to media saying "the Imran Khan government has released Aasia Bibi as the Netherlands ambassador in Islamabad reached Multan jail along with the government officials to ensure her release. She is being transported to Netherlands." He said a call has been given to the workers who are gathering in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to stop the government to allow Aasia leave the country. The apex court verdict on Bibi prompted immediate anger from a Islamist party that has threatened to paralyse daily life countrywide with street protests if her acquittal is not reversed. A spokesman for the Punjab government however refused to comment. "The government cannot give any comment on this matter," a spokesman for the Punjab government told media. Earlier, Italy said it would help Bibi leave the country because her life in danger following charges of blasphemy that put her on death row for eight years. Her husband had also urged the US president, and the UK and Canada premiers to help her leave the country for her life. Bibi's husband Ashiq Masih in a video message had appealed to the world leaders to help Aasia leave Pakistan for her safety. "I request President Donald Trump to help us to leave Pakistan and I also request the prime minister of the UK and Canada to help us. Help us in getting freedom," said Masih. In a landmark judgement last week, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar overturned the conviction of Aasia Bibi facing execution for blasphemy. Her acquittal triggered street protests by radical Islamists paralysing Pakistan for three days, blocking roads, torching vehicles, damaging public and private properties and attacking policemen for three days. However, hours after the killing of Godfather of Taliban Maulana Samiul Haq, the TLP Friday announced ending sit-ins across the country following reaching a deal with the government on the issue of acquittal of Bibi. As per the agreement, the government will immediately initiate a process to place the name of Bibi on the no-fly list (exit control list). Bibi was convicted in 2010 after being accused of insulting Islam in a row with her neighbours. She always maintained her innocence, but has spent most of the past eight years in solitary confinement Police had arrested over 1,000 workers of the TLP mostly from Punjab province but later released almost all of them on the threat of the radicals that they would block roads if the TLP workers were not released. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A statue of controversial Israeli Culture Minister Miri Regev was erected secretly in Tel Aviv Thursday in an apparent protest against legislation opponents say will restrict artistic freedom. The larger-than-life statue of Regev in a short-sleeved flowing white dress appeared in the square outside Israel's national theatre, Habimah, with a small sign nearby reading #InTheHeartOfTheNation. The sculpture faced into a huge mirror in what many saw as a reference to the magic looking-glass in the Snow White story. The work, by Israeli artist Itay Zalait, drew the attention of the press and passers-by who came to get a glimpse before its inevitable removal, as it had been set up without a permit. The outspoken Regev has drawn the ire of Israel's cultural establishment with a long series of statements and acts. Most recently she promoted a bill that would cut public subsidies to cultural organisations accused of not showing "loyalty" to the state. Zalait was circumspect on the statue's meaning, even suggesting that rather than a critique of Regev, its name -- "in the heart of the nation" -- could represent the public "consensus" around her. "Others saw it as a reference to her famous saying that the Sudanese are a cancer in the heart of the nation, which represents the discourse we've been exposed to for a few years," he told AFP. Israel's right-wing government has been seeking to expel Sudanese and Eritrean migrants who have arrived in the country illegally. Hani, an art teacher from Tel Aviv, brought her class to see the work as a protest over Regev's "loyalty" legislation -- "something we can't accept since we think that art is art, and art needs freedom." Regev herself thanked Zalait and praised the work for "posing the mirror to the world of Israeli culture", which she accused of being elitist and excluding different voices. "The values of cultural justice are my take on the Snow White story and the timeless question: mirror mirror on the wall, what are the worst wrongdoings of them all?" In 2016, Zalait erected a golden statue of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to spark a debate on freedom of speech. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Sikh organisation on Thursday demanded a high-level probe into various packages announced by successive governments at the Centre for Kashmiri Pandits and alleged that other communities in Jammu and Kashmir have been ignored. "Over the years, it has been observed that the governments in New Delhi have been announcing packages for Kashmiri Pandits and nothing has been done with respect to Muslim and Sikh communities," All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina said in a statement. Sikhs are up against many odds and are facing difficulties with regard to employment, political representation and assistance in business, agriculture and horticulture sectors, he said. Raina said a probe should be carried out into the "undue" packages announced for Kashmiri Pandits over the years by a parliamentary panel or by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court. He said a thorough probe would expose the officials who have been doling out these packages from time to time. "The SRO (sadr-e-riyasat ordinance) 425 issued in October 2017 by the state government to provide jobs, under the Prime Minister's package, to Kashmiri Pandits, who have not migrated from the Valley, is an act of gross discrimination against the Sikh community," Raina alleged. He claimed that the SRO is arbitrary, illegal and an infringement of fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14 and 16 of the Indian Constitution. Right from 1989, the attitude of state and central governments has been apathetic and discriminatory towards the Sikhs, especially those living in the Valley, Raina alleged. He asked the members of the community to wage a battle against the injustices meted out to them by people at the helm of affairs in New Delhi and in Jammu and Kashmir. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sessions. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Jeff Sessions is out. The attorney general resigned on Wednesday afternoon, and President Trump swiftly announced that Sessions would be replaced, at least in the interim, by his chief of staff, Matt Whitaker. Whitaker kept a low profile as a public official; his antipathy for the Mueller investigation is probably his most immediately salient characteristic. I could see a scenario where Jeff Sessions is replaced, it would recess appointment and that attorney general doesnt fire Bob Mueller but he just reduces his budget to so low that his investigations grinds to almost a halt, Whitaker said on CNN in 2017. As the Washington Post noted on Wednesday, its possible that Whitaker only meant to speculate, rather than call for a specific course of action. But theres plenty of evidence to assume he meant to do the latter. Sessions, famously, had displeased his master by recusing himself from the Russia investigation, and for not taking a harder line with Rod Rosensteins oversight of the Mueller investigation. Last July, in an interview with the New York Times, Trump said he never would have appointed Sessions had he known that the attorney general would recuse himself. Trump was also angered by what he saw as Sessionss insufficient enthusiasm for investigating and prosecuting the presidents political opponents. In one of his customary, disjointed Twitter threads, the president railed at Sessions in August. Department of Justice will not be improperly influenced by political considerations. Jeff, this is GREAT, what everyone wants, so look into all of the corruption on the other side including deleted Emails, Comey lies & leaks, Mueller conflicts, McCabe, Strzok, Page, Ohr...... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 24, 2018 ....FISA abuse, Christopher Steele & his phony and corrupt Dossier, the Clinton Foundation, illegal surveillance of Trump Campaign, Russian collusion by Dems - and so much more. Open up the papers & documents without redaction? Come on Jeff, you can do it, the country is waiting! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 24, 2018 Trump, it seems, could wait no longer. In his resignation letter, Sessions states that he has resigned at Trumps request. The timing is suspect. The GOP, after all, just lost control of the House of Representatives, which leaves Democrats in control of the House Oversight Committee. There is a certain grim justice to Sessionss summary dismissal. Of all Trumps Cabinet-level appointees, Sessions often appeared the most ideologically aligned with the president. Sessions, like Trump, is committed to the war on drugs, even if he does not publicly engage in Trumps Duterte-style preference for executing drug dealers. Vox reported in January that Sessions had tasked prosecutors with imposing tougher prison sentences on even low-level drug offenders, remained indefatigably opposed to the legalization of marijuana, and reduced federal oversight of the police, and shifted the DOJs priorities instead to helping police crack down on a mythical wave of violent crime. Sessionss views on race also aligned with those of Trump. The Senate refused to confirm him to a federal judgeship in 1986 after several black officials reported his use of racist language in his role as an Alabama prosecutor. On immigration, too, Sessions and Trump marched in lockstep. Sessions unilaterally ruled that domestic violence and gang violence would no longer be considered grounds for asylum, and, as Adam Serwer wrote for The Atlantic in 2017, praised the Immigration Act of 1924, which forced strict caps on the number of immigrants allowed to enter the U.S. by nationality, and mostly barred immigration from Asian nations, including Japan. The ACLU noted in October that Sessions, in a quiet, if particularly sinister move, systematically upended decades of immigration court practice by holding that immigration judges lack the power to end a case with so-called administrative closure. The practice had allowed immigration judges to use their discretion in removing certain cases from their dockets when, in the words of the ACLU, there was no reason for a case to move forward. With administrative closure off the table, immigration dockets swelled beyond the court systems capacity to address them in a timely manner. If there is an immigration crisis, it has nothing to do with the migrant caravan still hundreds of miles from the American border and is instead a human-rights debacle partly of Sessionss making. But Sessionss alignment with Trumpism was not enough to save his job. Trump values personal loyalty, and clearly considered Sessionss recusal a slight. Ideological loyalty, which Sessions seems to possess in spades, ranks somewhat lower on the presidents list of priorities. This not to suggest that Trump himself lacks ideology but he consistently acts out of self-interest, and thats what cost Sessions his job. Trump is desperate to stop the Mueller investigation, and believes Whitaker, or some other, yet-to-be-announced candidate will act where Sessions did not. Kris Kobach, who just lost his race for Kansas governor and who shares with Trump a prejudice toward immigrants, is a possible replacement. Regardless of who replaces him, Sessionss legacy will continue to shape both the Department of Justice and the Trump administration long after his departure. As attorney general, Sessions helped ratchet the culture war up to new and uniquely repressive levels. Sessions proved particularly hostile to trans rights, by reversing an Obama-era memo that implemented some workplace protections for trans people. His drug policies and immigration policies directly harmed thousands, and the damage he inflicted will not disappear with his departure. And then theres Stephen Miller. Before Miller helped formulate the administrations family separation policy for migrants, before he helped polish the White Houses nationalist rhetoric to a pale sheen, he worked for Sessions. Sessions might be out of government, but his legacy will haunt American politics for a long time. The third edition of Singapore's Hindi theatre festival Dastak, beginning November 15, will showcase 10 different plays, including a satire on the ongoing #MeToo campaign. Titled 'Ek Din Bank Mein', which will be performed by theatre group ANK Theatre, is a dramatisation of an Anton Chekhov's short story. Set in a bank, the story is a comedy of errors, where the protagonist is troubling the bank manager with irrelevant questions and how the bank manager handles the situation. The play takes the campaign to a newer paradigm that is beyond sexual harassment. It is a take on any kind of exploitation that has a repercussion on the system. 'Someone, somewhere will have to pay' is the underlying message of the entire play. Dinesh Thakur adapted Chekhov's story "A Day in the Bank" in Hindi and English. Dastak is seen as an inclusive vehicle that involves non-Indian artistes in the creative process to strengthen the cultural integration between India and Singapore. It is Singapore's only Hindi theatre festival and its third year edition will be held from November 15-18 at Blackbox, Goodman Arts Centre. As part of the festival, there will be 10 short plays directed by 10 different directors with over 70 members of cast and crew, mostly local talents. The festival is supported by National Arts Council Singapore, while Krescendo Communications is the strategic alliance partner and it plans to launch the festival in Asia Pacific region in future. "Dastak's aim is to showcase talent and offer local audiences a variety in theatre. The festival also aims to make the Singapore theatre landscape as diverse as its social fabric," festival director Shalaka Ranadive said. In line with Singapore's multi-racial ethos, the objective of Dastak is to showcase talent via Hindi theatre but not limited to Hindi-speaking audiences. Commenting on the event, Krescendo Founder Ganesh Somwanshi told PTI, "Indians today are global citizens and are coveted in almost every imaginable career across the world. I am sure the Hindi theatre festival will reach new horizons in Asia Pacific region. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Thursday briefed their Cabinet colleagues on the advantages of India achieving a 'nuclear triad' and the signing of a currency swap agreement with Japan, highly-placed sources in the government said. The brief took place here after the Cabinet meeting was over, they said. The ministers, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, were briefed about how significant and advantageous the two issues are for India. The briefing would help ministers put forth the views of the government on the two issues in a comprehensive manner, the sources explained. Marking the country's nuclear triad, Indian nuclear submarine INS Arihant, or the "destroyer of enemies" has successfully completed its first deterrence patrol. Modi had described it as a fitting response to those who indulge in "nuclear blackmail". He had also made it clear that "Our nuclear arsenal are not a part of an aggressive policy, but it is an important means for peace and stability. Peace is our strength, not our weakness. Our nuclear programme must be seen with regard to India's efforts to further world peace and stability." A nuclear triad is a three-pronged military force structure that consists of land-launched nuclear missiles, nuclear-missile-armed submarines and strategic aircraft with nuclear bombs and missiles, according to a definition available on the internet. India and Japan had last month concluded a USD 75 billion bilateral currency swap agreement, a move that will help in bringing greater stability in foreign exchange and capital markets in the country. The agreement will further strengthen and widen the depth and diversity of economic cooperation between the two countries. The swap agreement, a Finance Ministry's release had said, should "aid in bringing greater stability to foreign exchange and capital markets in India... This facility will enable the agreed amount of foreign capital being available to India for use as and when need arises". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Six men, including a person who was carrying a reward of Rs 50,000, were arrested in separate incidents for allegedly supplying drugs in different parts of Delhi, a police officer said Thursday. The accused were identified as Idrish (38), Rizwan Ahmed (32), residents of Kacchi Khajuri in Delhi, Kamal Kant Sharma (35), Mahender alias Baba (45), Parvez Khan (64) and Ram Bharose (58). Police have seized 2.25 kg of charas and 500 gram of heroin worth Rs 1.5 crore along with two motorcycles from their possession, Additional Commissioner of Police (crime) A K Singla said. Based on a tip-off, a team of police officers conducted a raid and Idrish was arrested with 2.25 kg of charas. His vehicle was also impounded. During interrogation, Idrish revealed that he procured charas from Kamal Kant Sharma of Badaun and subsequently, he was also arrested, the officer said. On October 29, Rizwan was nabbed from a bus stand with 500 gram of heroin, Singla said. Rizwan told police that he procured heroin from Ram Bharose in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly city. Later, Bharose was also arrested, the officer said. Parvez Khan, who carried a reward of Rs 50,000, was arrested from Haldwani in Uttarakhand, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) South Korea's foreign minister said Thursday that US. officials told Seoul that it was North Korea that cancelled nuclear talks this week between US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a senior North Korean official. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha provided no reason, aside from "busy schedules," for why North Korea cancelled the meeting set for Thursday in New York that was meant to discuss ridding the North of its nuclear weapons and setting up a second summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. But some analysts say a last-minute cancellation a familiar North Korean tactic could be aimed at pressuring the United States to agree to a quick Trump-Kim summit because the North thinks it can win major concessions from Trump that lower-level US officials might try to block. The US president has recently appeared to be slowing the pace of diplomacy with North Korea amid signs that Kim is lagging behind in his supposed promise to denuclearise. Before this week's cancellation, Trump said he wouldn't play a "time game" with the North over a denuclearisation deal, while his national security director, John Bolton, said a second Kim-Trump summit won't happen until 2019. North Korea has yet to comment on the cancellation. Trump and Kim held a highly choreographed summit in June in Singapore, where they announced aspirational goals for a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula without describing how and when it would occur. But North Korea has since insisted that US-led sanctions against it should be lifted before there will be any progress in nuclear negotiations. This has fuelled doubts about whether Kim will ever deal away a nuclear program he may see as his strongest guarantee of survival. Washington says the sanctions will remain until North Korea takes concrete steps toward irreversibly and verifiably relinquishing its nuclear weapons. Many officials in the US administration want to take time in setting up a summit because they're trying to get something more substantial after widespread criticism that Trump made large concessions to Kim in the first summit without getting much in return, said Park Hyeong-jung, an analyst from the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul. This would require that the US and North Korea hammer out details in lower-level talks about what can be exchanged at the next summit, but the cancellation of the meeting between Pompeo and Kim Yong Chol indicates that the two sides remain far apart, Park said. Foreign Minister Kang told lawmakers she planned to discuss the matter with Pompeo over the phone. South Korea's presidential office earlier said that the meeting's postponement wouldn't affect the momentum of talks between the US and North Korea. "We were notified by the United States that North Korea explained that (the meeting) should be postponed because both sides have busy schedules," Kang said. "I think it would be excessive to read too much into the postponement of the meeting." Trump told reporters at the White House that the United States is "in no rush" and that the meeting between Pompeo and Kim Yong Chol would be rescheduled. US State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said the postponement was "purely a scheduling issue" but refused to elaborate. He did not provide a straightforward answer when asked whether the discord over sanctions has made it more difficult to set up meetings. "Timing, timing," Palladino said. "This has to do with timing as a matter we're talking about scheduling. And I'll leave it at that." Seoul has worked hard to revive nuclear diplomacy between the US and North Korea that has reduced war fears among South Koreans following a provocative run in North Korean weapons tests and Trump's threats of military action last year. Kim Jong Un shifted to diplomacy early this year and has held three summits with South Korean President Moon Jae-in. North Korea's Foreign Ministry last week criticised the United States for its continued support of sanctions and hinted it may resume nuclear development if the measures aren't lifted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior Congress leader on Thursday said state-wise alliances would benefit the party and was the best way to defeat the BJP. Apparently emboldened by the victory of the ruling Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) alliance in the recent Karnataka bypolls, Chidambaram said similar alliances should be formed in other states as well. "The kind of alliance formed in Karnataka, it yielded results. Similar alliances should be formed in different states," he told a press meet at the Congress office. Asked about the party's alliance in West Bengal, the former finance minister avoided a direct reply, saying, "The will take a decision in this regard." Chidambaram also alleged that the has completely failed and the BJP has gone back to its agenda. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Thursday said that steps are being taken to improve the relation between the Indian Army, local administration and the state police. Khandu's comments came in the backdrop of an incident last week when a few soldiers had allegedly vandalised the Bomdila police station and assaulted police personnel and civilians. "A monthly sitting will be held between the Army and the state police for maintaining harmonious relation and to resolve issues, he said while attending the 46th Raising Day of Arunachal Pradesh Police here at Indira Gandhi Park along with Home Minister Kumar Waii, Speaker TN Thongdok and other officials. The chief minister directed the state police head to ensure that all necessary steps are taken so that relations with the armed forces can be maintained. "I am happy to know that the state has been adjudged as the best performing state when it came to securing law and order as per the survey by the Indian Television Channel India Today," he said. He said the credit goes to the Arunachal Police force personnel who have been discharging their duties with utmost dedication and also bringing innovations in serving the people. "This was the result of several police reforms brought by the state government in recent years giving highest priority to securing law and order in the state, Khandu said. To fill critical manpower gaps in state police, the chief minisster said 45 head constable posts for fire department, 32 DSP, 80 Inspector for civil police, 4 posts of Inspector (Telecom) and 3 posts of Inspector radio technicians including 700 new posts for civil police have been created. "For time-bound recruitment process for filling up of around 1,800 personnel of various ranks is underway, he said. Khandu said the state government will leave no stone unturned in modernizing the police force and in giving best facilities to them so that law and order in the state is not compromised. For ensuring safety of women, women police station like the one in Itanagar has been extended to five more districts, Khandu said adding, recently one women police station was inaugurated in East Kameng district. Earlier the chief minister inaugurated the event by unfurling the national flag and releasing balloons in the air. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Syrian state media said Thursday the army has freed all remaining Druze women and children abducted in July from the southern province of Sweida by the Islamic State group. The army "clashed directly with the IS terrorist organisation, which had abducted women and children from the Sweida province", state agency SANA said. Government troops "were able to liberate all the 19 hostages... and kill the terrorist kidnappers", it added. State television broadcast images of veiled women, boys and at least one girl surrounded by men in military uniforms near a white pick-up truck in a desert landscape. It said the images were broadcast from the desert near the ancient city of Palmyra in the centre of the country. IS jihadists abducted around 30 people -- mostly women and children -- from Sweida in late July during the deadliest attack on Syria's Druze community of the seven-year civil war. Nour Radwan, a journalist based in Sweida, confirmed the liberation but said the women and children were freed in a prisoner exchange deal. "The freeing of the remaining hostages came as part of a prisoner swap deal, and today was the second stage of that deal," he told AFP. Two women and four children were released last month in a first step of the same agreement that also saw women and children related to IS fighters freed from regime jails, he said. The Druze community had been hoping for the return of 20 hostages, Radwan said. "IS told the family of one of the female hostages that they had killed her but did not send any proof," he said. "We're waiting for them to arrive in Sweida. If there are 19 of them then it means she really was killed," he said. The jihadists executed a 19-year-old male student among the hostages in August and then a 25-year-old woman in early October. IS said a 65-year-old woman being held by the group also died from illness. Sweida province is the heartland of the country's Druze minority, which made up roughly three percent of Syria's pre-war population -- or around 700,000 people. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan on Thursday said the Afghan Taliban's former deputy chief Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar was released from jail at the request of the US as part of efforts to pursue a political settlement in war-torn Afghanistan. "Baradar was released to provide impetus to the peace and reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan. Pakistan will continue to pursue reconciliatory efforts to expedite and facilitate the process to our fullest ability," said Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal. Baradar's release was facilitated by Pakistan at the US request in order to move forward on the shared objective of pursuing a political settlement in Afghanistan, he said. The Taliban leader was in custody for the last many years after his capture by Pakistani authorities in a search operation. "This decision was taken following the visit of the US Special Envoy on Afghan Reconciliation, Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad to the region and his meetings with Taliban representatives in Doha," Faisal said. In recent months, the Trump administration has increased pressure on Pakistan to limit the freedom of Taliban leaders, forcing them to join Afghan peace talks. Last month, senior American diplomat Khalilzad, tasked with helping find a way to end the war in Afghanistan, met with Taliban representatives in Qatar. Baradar, one of the four top commanders who formed the Afghan Taliban in 1994, was captured by Pakistani security agencies in Karachi in 2010. He was finally released from jail on the solicitation of the government of Qatar, a Pakistani media report said last month. Baradar, who is in his 50s, is believed to be the highest ranking Afghan Taliban prisoner freed so far. He had held several senior positions in Afghanistan's Taliban government before its fall in 2001. He was once considered the most influential Taliban leader after Mullah Muhammad Omar. Born in the southern Afghan province of Uruzgan, Baradar fought in the war to expel Soviet troops from Afghanistan in the 1980s. When the Taliban came to power in 1996, Baradar became deputy defence minister. After the Taliban regime was toppled by US-led forces in 2001, hundreds of Taliban hardliners fled over the border to Pakistan. Baradar was among them. Recently, a high-level delegation from Qatar also visited Islamabad and met the senior Pakistani leadership, the report said. It did not give any details of Baradar's whereabouts after his release. It was also not clear whether he was handed over to Afghanistan or stayed in Pakistan. It was reported a few times that Baradar had been released in Pakistan to negotiate with the Afghan Taliban but he could not be freed due to unacceptable conditions imposed by the Afghanistan government, the report said. Faisal said Pakistan has always been emphasising the need for seeking a negotiated settlement of the Afghan issue with the participation of all stakeholders. Responding to a question about the proposed peace talks in Moscow on Afghan peace efforts, the spokesperson said a Pakistani delegation led by an additional secretary will attend the dialogue. He said a trilateral meeting of Pak-China-Afghan foreign ministers will be held in Kabul. "We expect that the meeting can be a step towards lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan," he said. He also said it was a matter of concern that a recent American report had pointed out that the Afghan administration and foreign military forces are losing control over the security situation in Afghanistan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Taron Egerton has revealed that he would not be a part of the third film in the "Kingsman" franchise. The actor plays a young street ruffian-turned-suave super spy named Eggsy under the aegis of Colin Firth's agent Harry Hart. "I'm not in the next Kingsman movie... I don't know if I'm allowed to tell you... That doesn't mean I won't be a Kingsman ever again. I was with Matthew (Vaughn) as little as a few days ago and spoke to him. "We're very much still in business together, it's just that his next journey in that universe doesn't involve me. Which I think is sacrilegious!" Egerton told Yahoo The third part is officially in works with Matthew Vaughn returning as writer and director of the film. Egerton refused to dish out any details about the direction Vaughn is planning to take Kingsman without Eggsy, but the actor is impressed with the helmer's approach. "I think his idea for the new one is incredibly exciting, and I'm sad that I won't be on that journey with him, but it's not the last you've seen of Eggsy," he said. Fox Studios has set November 8, 2019 as the official release date for the untitled "Kingsman 3". The second part, "Kingsman: The Golden Circle" released last year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tamil Nadu topped the southern states in the number cases filed for violation of Supreme Court's time-limit for bursting of crackers on deepavali day with 2,190 FIRs while none were booked in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, police said. In Telangana, police booked over 75 cases in Hyderabad while in the union territory of Puducherry around 30 cases were registered for violating the two-hour window set by the apex court for bursting crackers. Noise pollution was low in Andhra Pradesh while in Tamil Nadu the air pollution levels dipped across the state on deepavali day, reports from the states said. Tamil Nadu and Puducherry celebrated deepavali on Tuesday while the other southern states on Wednesday. The festival is not celebrated on a largescale in Kerala compared to other states and crackers are burst mainly during "Vishu", the Malayalam new year. Among the state's 32 districts in Tamil Nadu, Chennai topped the list in violations of the time limit for bursting crackers with 359 cases followed by Coimbatore 184, Villupuram 160 and Virudhunagar 134. Theni recorded the lowest of five cases, police said. However, no arrests were made since the offence was bailable in nature, a police official said in Chennai. The Chennai Corporation Thursday said it removed 95.06 tonnes of cracker waste deploying 19,000 civic personnel. The Tamil Nadu pollution control board has said air pollution levels dipped across the state on deepavali day. Citing data being collated from several parts of the state, an official had Wednesday told PTI that there was a definitive drop in air and noise pollution levels on the day (when compared to previous years) and surveys showed that the parameters conformed to set standards in most regions. A report from Amaravati quoting police said 80 per cent of people complied with the apex court directive. More than booking cases, we stressed on creating awareness among people on the Supreme Court directive. All our Commissioners and SPs conducted a campaign ahead of the festival and that yielded results," a police spokesman said. Over 80 per cent people followed the apex courts order while there were sporadic cases of violation, he added. State Pollution Control Board Chairman B A S Prasad said reports on air quality across the state post-Diwali were expected in a day or two. "...sound pollution declined significantly as bursting of crackers also fell for a variety of reasons," he told PTI. Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar Thursday said over 75 cases had been booked against people who violated the Supreme Court order. The Telangana State Pollution Control Board in a statement said the Particle Matter of size less than 2.5 microns ( PM 2.5) has increased by 61 per cent and PM 10 rose by 34 per cent on the festival day compared to normal days. The noise levels increased marginally in residential and sensitive areas while it decreased in industrial areas. The gaseous parameters were within the limits, it said. In Karnataka, though people burst crackers till 12 midnight, police said no cases had been registered. The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board chairman Lakshman told PTI that the board issued directions to various departments concerned about the implementation of the order. The boards teams too ensured that the crackers within the permissible decibel levels were sold. State DGP Neelamani M Raju said by and large the implementation of the court order was "largely successful. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Lucy McBath with former President Barack Obama and Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams. Photo: Jessica McGowan/Getty Images Lucy McBath, whose son Jordan Davis was murdered by a racist motorist in Florida in 2012, declared victory on Wednesday in her bid to unseat Republican incumbent Karen Handel as the representative of Georgias Sixth Congressional District. McBath currently holds a lead of around 3,000 votes well within recount range, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution with 4,700 combined provisional and overseas ballots yet to be counted for Fulton County, part of which is included in the district. I pledge to work hard fighting for every single person and family in this district, McBath said in a statement. Before Handel first won the seat in a tight and historically expensive special election in 2017, it was held for 12 years by Tom Price, who left to begin his brief tenure as President Donald Trumps secretary of Health and Human Services. Perhaps most famously, Georgias Sixth District was represented for two decades by Newt Gingrich, who was elected there in 1978 and engineered the Republican takeover of the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994 before resigning in 1999. The Atlantic described Gingrich in a recent profile as the man who broke politics, due to his then-novel weaponization of wedge issues like abortion to drive extreme partisanship in Congress. His website during his failed 2012 presidential bid trumpeted his A rating from the National Rifle Association. Now, his old seat looks like it will go to a pro-choice black woman Democrat whose claim to national prominence is her gun-control advocacy. McBath, a former Delta Airlines flight attendant, turned to activism after her sons death. Jordan Davis, 17, was parked at a Jacksonville gas station the day after Thanksgiving five years ago when a white man named Michael Dunn began complaining about the loud music Davis and his friends were playing. An argument ensued, and Dunn drew a handgun and fired ten bullets into their vehicle, killing Davis. He was later convicted on three counts of attempted murder and sentenced to life in prison, but won a mistrial on the most serious charge, first-degree murder, due to jurors interpretation of Floridas notorious stand your ground law. I had never really heard of that law other than the Trayvon Martin case, McBath told me in 2015. Most definitely, now that has completely changed. My learning curve has gone straight up. McBath dedicated the next several years of her life to gun-control advocacy, making the Sixth Congressional District an unlikely gambit for her. It has been held by Republicans for 40 years, and Republican presidential candidates John McCain and Mitt Romney each won it by over 18 points in 2008 and 2012, respectively. Trump, however, fared much worse. He edged Hillary Clinton there by less than two points in 2016, exposing what Democrats thought was an opening to capture it. The 2017 election between Handel and Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff proved a demoralizing defeat, but it was close Handel won by less than four points. McBath drew a sharp contrast between herself and her Republican opponent on health care: she supports Medicaid expansion and the Affordable Care Act where Handel opposes both, and abortion rights where Handel voted earlier this year to ban most abortions at 20 weeks. And as with Georgias most-watched election this year the governors contest between Republican secretary of State Brian Kemp and former Georgia House of Representatives minority leader Stacey Abrams race was an unavoidable element. Abramss mobilization of nonwhite voters and the Sixth Congressional Districts shifting demographics played a likely role in McBaths lead. Where it was 72.4 percent white at the time of the 2010 census, the district had dropped to below 68 percent by 2017, with corresponding increases in its Hispanic and Asian populations. McBath herself has not been shy discussing race in the course of her advocacy. There was no doubt this was very racially motivated, McBath said of her sons death in 2015. [Michael Dunn] talks about black prisoners as thugs, and at one point says if we took guns and shot these people down, maybe theyd get the hint and stop acting how they do. We were not surprised or blindsided. But you also learn racism. You have to be taught. At one point, I felt very sorry for him. Hes living in his own hell. Perhaps most remarkably, McBath appears to have flipped a four-decade Republican district while appearing publicly as one of the Mothers of the Movement, a group of black women whose children have been killed by police or vigilante violence. Along with the likes of Sybrina Fulton, the mother of Trayvon Martin, and Lezley McSpadden, the mother of Mike Brown, McBath appeared onstage at the Democratic National Convention in 2016 to endorse Hillary Clinton for president. For Republican voters that backed a racist law and order president, black women whose stories indict the wave he rode to victory seem an unlikely draw. Whether voters embraced that tension, overcame it, or simply forgot about it in Georgias Sixth District is unclear. But one thing is not: McBath appears to have won them over either way. Top industrialists including Mukesh Ambani, N Chandrasekaran, Kumar Mangalam Birla along with 800 other industry leaders are expected to attend the second edition of 'Make In Odisha' conclave begining November 11, official sources said Thursday. Apart from Reliance Industries, Aditya Birla Group and Tata Group, Vedanta Resources chief Anil Agarwal and industry delegation from at least six countries -- South Korea, Japan, Germany, France, Soudi Arabia and UAE -- are expected to attend the state's mega business meet here. Chairman of Mahindra Group Anand Mahindra, chairman of Jindal Steel and Power Limited Naveen Jindal and Adani Group chief Goutam Adani are also expected to be part of the conclave which will conclude on November 15. "Mukesh Ambani will be the star speaker at the Business Leadership Summit to be organiased just after plenary session of the MIO Conclave on November 12. The summit will provide leadership perspective from industry captains to inspire next generation leaders," Odisha's industries minister Ananta Das told reporters here. "Ambassadors of some countries will attend the conclave. Young entrepreneurs from within the state will also attend the event," Das said. The minister said Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will inaugurate the conclave. He had earlier met ambassadors of various countries in New Delhi in connection with the conclave for which Japan is the partner country. "Since Japan is the partner country of the conclave, a dedicated session for Japanese companies has been scheduled on November 12. The companies will showcase various investment opportunities in Odisha's manufacturing sector," Das said. Some of the Japanese companies which have confirmed their particiption include Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Marubeni, JFE Steel, Nissin Foods, Mitsui and Takahata Precision, Das said. Das said all preparations for the successful conduct of Make in Odisha Conclave - 2018 are nearing completion. The expo at this year's event will also be much larger, showcasing manufacturing prowess of the state through use of modern technologies by the companies operating here. Apart from seeking investment from the industries, the prime objective of the conclave is to showcase the potential of the state in different sectors, said industries secretary Sanjeev Chopra adding, the state will showcase possibility of emerging as a manufacturing hub of eastern India. The previous Conclave was held in 2016 where the state had received investment proposals worth Rs 2 lakh crore. "Of the 124 proposals received during the 2016 conclave, 65 per cent are in different stages of implementation," Chopra said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump's post-election news conference at the White House saw him getting involved in angry exchanges with reporters a number of times as he termed one "rude and terrible" person and accused another of asking "racist" questions. During his around one-and-a-half-hour press conference on Wednesday, he walked away from the microphone a few times refusing to take questions from reporters, who, he said, were speaking out of turn. "Very hostile. It is such a hostile media. It's so sad," Trump said. To a CNN reporter's question on a migrant caravan from Central America moving towards the United States, many members of whom were termed "criminals" by Trump, the visibly upset president said, "I think you should let me run the country, you run CNN." When the CNN reporter refused to hand over the microphone to a White House staffer, as Trump had called another journalist to ask question, the president said, "That's enough. Put down the mic." When the reporter asked whether Trump was worried about indictments coming down in this investigation, he said, "I tell you what, CNN should be ashamed of itself having you working for them. You are a rude, terrible person, You shouldn't be working for CNN.""I think, that's unfair," the CNN journalist said. But Trump continued, "You're a very rude person. The way you treat (White House Press Secretary) Sarah Huckabee Sanders is horrible and the way you treat other people are horrible. You shouldn't treat people that way." When an NBC News reporter came to his fellow journalist's defense, the president said, "When you report fake news, which CNN does a lot, you are the enemy of the people." Trump also accused a black reporter of asking a "racist question" after she sought to know him what he thought of some people's opinions that the Republican party supports white nationalists. "I don't believe it...That's such a racist question. Honestly, I know you have it written down, that's a racist question...I don't use racist remarks," he said. Trump got upset when another reporter started asking questions without being called for. He accused another female journalist of rudely interrupting another reporter who was given a chance to ask questions. Later, the CNN, in a statement, said Trump's attack on the press has gone too far. "The President's ongoing attacks on the press has gone too far. They are not only dangerous, they are disturbingly un-American. While President Trump has made it clear he does not respect a free press, he has a sworn obligation to protect it," the CNN said. "A free press is vital to democracy, and we stand behind Jim Acosta and his fellow journalists everywhere," he channel said. (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.) The UK government on Thursday announced plans for a series of statues to go up at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) here to honour the sacrifices made by over 3 million Commonwealth soldiers, sailors, airmen and labour corps who served in World War I, including from India. The campaign, part of an initiative by the armed forces charity 'There But Not There', involves the installation of three six-foot figures of World War I soldiers in the FCO to represent the contribution of Commonwealth servicemen from Asia, Asia, the Caribbean, Australasia and Canada. Among them is Hardutt Singh Malik, the first Indian to fly with the British Royal Flying Corps. "Nearly 2 million Indian servicemen served in the First World WarMalik initially failed to qualify for the Corps but went on to be the sole Indian aviator to emerge alive from the war," the FCO said in a statement. Over 9 million servicemen died in Great War, including nearly 1 million from the Commonwealth, as they helped secure the victory for the Allied Forces Britain, France, Russia, Italy and the US. Among the three symbolic figures at the FCO is that of Ghanaian soldier Alhaji Grunshi, the first soldier in British service to fire a shot in war, and Francis Pegahmagabow, a Canadian expert marksman and scout who was awarded the Military Medal three times. 'There But Not There' - launched in February - is raising money for a range of military and mental health charities and aims to place a representative figure for as many names on local war memorials around the country to mark the centenary commemoration of the end of the 1914-1918 war. "It is fitting that in the centenary year of the First World War we honour the immense contribution of our Commonwealth soldiers. Their bravery was key to securing the Allied victory," said UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt. "These men fought thousands of miles from their homeland, for a country they had never been to, but for a purpose they believed in. This installation will honour their heroism, shine a light on their stories and remind us that in the darkest hour people of all backgrounds can come together for a common cause," he said. Lord Dannatt, patron of 'There But Not There' and former Chief of the General Staff, added, "The First World War had such an impact on towns and villages across the United Kingdom that the contribution of servicemen and women from across the Commonwealth is too often overlooked. Their sacrifice was immeasurable, as was the effect that it had on their own communities". "The Tommies (common term for soldiers in the First World War) in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office stand in recognition of this service as we approach 100 years since the guns fell silent," he said. The FCO's drive is among a series of commemorative events taking place in the lead up to Armistice Day this Sunday, marked on November 11 annually. The chair of the UK House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, Tom Tugendhat MP, will be in New Delhi this weekend to take part in a series of events to commemorate the sacrifice made by the British Indian Army in World War I. Tugendhat, a former soldier who served in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, will be presenting the colonels of 26 Indian regiments that fought in the war with leather-bound copies of their unit's war diaries together with electronic copies. "The Armistice Centenary is an opportunity to remember and renew our friendships with the Commonwealth, especially with India, who courageously stood by Britain and its allies in both world wars," Tugendhat said. He added "Many Indians volunteered in the expectation that one good deed would lead to another that Britain would end the colonial Raj. When those hopes were dashed, India's sacrifice in the war became an awkward and painful subject, which both countries preferred to ignore. Meanwhile, the generation who fought in the war grew old and died, taking their stories with them. And India's immense contribution went largely unrecognised". On Sunday, Tugendhat will pay his respects at the Delhi War Cemetery, where over 1,020 British and Indian casualties of both World Wars are buried. There he will lay a wreath of poppies made from red Khadi, the cotton cloth made popular by Mahatma Gandhi, which the Royal British Legion has chosen this year to recognise India's contribution to World War I. The Conservative Party MP had also convinced Prime Minister Theresa May to wear a Khadi poppy last week. The Poppy Appeal is an annual fundraising campaign for war veterans held in the lead up to Armistice Day on November 11, the date on which the war ended in 1918, and politicians and members of the public across the country wear a cloth-based poppy on their lapels as a sign of respect for the war dead. A Khadi version of the poppy was launched by Indian-origin peer Lord Jitesh Gadhia and the Royal British Legion for the first time this year as an "evocative symbol" of undivided India's contribution to the war effort. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Centre for Law, Economics and Society at University College London (UCL) organised its first-ever South Asian Competition Law Conference this week to promote direct dialogue on the subject in the region, particularly between India and Pakistan. The conference, held at the UCL campus on Tuesday, explored the theme of 'Adoption, Implementation and Impact of the Indian and Pakistani Competition Laws' with leading legal experts from the region deliberating the near-contemporaneous adoption of competition law in both countries. "The developments in the competition regimes of India and Pakistan, whilst important for the two countries also have a considerable impact on the entire South Asian region," UCL's Centre for Law, Economics and Society said in a statement. "As countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka begin to experiment with competition regimes, they are influenced as much by the competition experience of their geographical neighbours as they are by the multilateral aid agencies that often lead the law reform initiatives in the South Asian context, it notes. Organised jointly by Professor Ioannis Lianos and Dr Amber Darr of UCL Laws, the conference brought together a wide range of speakers to stress the importance of direct dialogue regarding competition law in the region. Former members of the Competition Commissions of India (CCI) and Pakistan (CCP), Dr Geeta Gouri and Dr Joseph Wilson respectively, stressed that competition laws must adapt to rapidly expanding digital markets, including companies like Facebook, in order to better address the challenges of the digital age. Former CCI chairperson Dhanendra Kumar, who joined the conference via Skype link, focussed on the enforcement priorities of the CCI. "Several speakers echoed the common call for the laws of both India and Pakistan to adapt to the new globalised world, demonstrating the ever-closer link between the countries," said Dr Darr. "All participants hailed the initiative and expressed the hope that the conference would become a regular feature of the UCL academic calendar," she added. The 2018 conference was organised with the aim of exploring the progress made by India and Pakistan in the first decade of the enforcement of their respective competition laws. It evaluated factors that have aided and impeded Indian and Pakistani competition authorities in the implementation of competition laws; the extent to which the competition laws have been integrated with the legal context of their countries, and the impact of the competition laws on the economic transformation of their respective countries. Competition law is a law that promotes market competition by regulating anti-competitive conduct by companies for the wider benefit of the consumers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amrita Sher-Gil's 'The Little Girl in Blue' that was last seen 80 years ago at her first ever solo show in Lahore in 1937, will go under the hammer at Sotheby's inaugural India sale -- 'Boundless: India' on November 29. The 1934 work, estimated between Rs 10 and 15 crore, is only the third oil painting by the artist ever offered at an auction in India, and the seventh offered anywhere in the world. Painted by Sher-Gil at the age of 21, 'The Little Girl in Blue' is believed to depict Babit, the artist's second cousin and the granddaughter of the eminent politician Sunder Singh. Embodying a bohemian combination of East and West, Sher-Gil's work belonged to no particular school or style of painting, and has been treasured in the same family collection ever since it was acquired eight decades back by Charles Fabri at Faletti's Hotel in Lahore. "For Sotheby's first sale in Mumbai, we were looking for artists that reflected the true spirit of India, and who could better embody this than Amrita Sher-Gil? Honoured as a National Treasure Artist, she holds a special place in the history of Indian art. "The scarcity of her paintings means that very few have been offered at auction in India before. This is a very special moment," Gaurav Bhatia, Managing Director of Sotheby's India, said. The Hungarian-Indian painter forged a revolutionary new path informed by her experiences in Hungary, Paris and India, creating a body of work that was simultaneously aggressively modern and decidedly Indian. At a time when most artists portrayed women as content and compliant, Sher-Gil's treatment of female subjects was singularly unique, revealing their loneliness or silent resolve. Ahead of Sotheby's 'Boundless: India' sale later this month, 'The Little Girl in Blue' will be placed on public display at the Bikaner House (November 17) here, and the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel (November 27-28) in Mumbai. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US Federal Aviation Administration issued an emergency airworthiness directive on how to handle erroneous data from a sensor that investigators believe malfunctioned on a new Boeing jet that plunged into the sea in Indonesia, killing all 189 people on board. The directive gives regulatory weight to Boeing's safety bulletin that it sent to operators of Boeing 737 MAX 8 and MAX 9 planes based on findings from the ongoing Indonesian investigation into the October 29 crash of a Lion Air jet. FAA directives are usually followed by other airline regulators internationally. The FAA said erroneous data from the "angle of attack" sensor, which helps prevent the plane from stalling and diving, could cause flight crew to have difficulty controlling the airplane and lead to "excessive nose-down attitude, significant altitude loss, and possible impact with the terrain". The directive instructs airlines to make specific changes to flight manual procedures for responding to the problem. Boeing's bulletin said it was directing flight crews to existing guidelines. Indonesian investigators on Wednesday said the sensor was replaced on the Lion Air plane the day before its fatal flight and may have compounded other problems with the aircraft. The 2-month-old Boeing 737 MAX 8 crashed into the Java Sea 13 minutes after takeoff from Jakarta. Both that flight and its October 28 flight from Bali to Jakarta had erratic speed and altitude shortly after takeoff. Indonesia's National Transportation Safety Committee earlier this week announced the plane had a malfunctioning airspeed indicator on its last four flights, based on analysis of the flight data recorder. Chairman Soerjanto Tjahjono said the airspeed indicator and sensor problems are related. Lion Air's first two attempts to address the airspeed problem didn't work, and for the jet's second-to-last flight the "angle of attack" sensors were replaced, Tjahjono said. On that October 28 flight, from Bali to Jakarta, the pilot's and copilot's sensors disagreed by about 20 degrees. The plane went into a sudden dive minutes after takeoff, from which the pilots were able to recover. They decided to fly on to Jakarta at a lower-than-normal altitude. On the fatal flight, the plane hit the water at very high speed after the flight crew had been cleared to return to the airport several minutes after takeoff. "The point is that after the AOA (sensor) is replaced, the problem is not solved but the problem might even increase. Is this fatal? NTSC wants to explore this," Tjahjono said. Airline safety experts said pilots are trained to handle a plane safely if those crucial sensors fail and backup systems are generally in place as well. There are audio signals and physical warnings that can alert the pilot to malfunctioning equipment or other dangers, said Todd Curtis, director of the Airsafe.com Foundation. "They should have been completely engaged in what was going on inside that cockpit, and any kind of warning that came up, they would have been wise to pay attention to it," Curtis said. Investigators are likely focused on how a single sensor's failure resulted in a faulty command that didn't take into account information from a second sensor, said John Cox, CEO of Safety Operating Systems. "We don't know what the crew knew and didn't know yet," Cox said. "We will." Indonesia's search and rescue agency has extended the search until Sunday. Body parts are still being recovered and searchers continue to hunt for the cockpit voice recorder. Indonesia's transportation safety committee said it had agreed with Boeing on procedures that the airplane manufacturer should distribute globally on how flight crews can deal with the sensor problems. The flight procedure recommendations to Boeing were based on how the flight crew responded to problems on the Bali-to-Jakarta flight, said investigator Nurcahyo Utomo. Lion Air is one of Indonesia's youngest airlines but has grown rapidly, flying to dozens of domestic and international destinations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A US Marine veteran dressed in black sprayed bullets inside a crowded dance bar popular with college students Wednesday night, killing at least 12 people, including a police officer, in Thousand Oaks city in California, in one of the "horrific" mass shooting incidents in the US. The gunman, who also injured nearly two dozen others, was found dead inside the Borderline Bar and Grill on the outskirts of Los Angeles. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean identified the gunman as 28-year-old Ian David Long, a US Marine Corps veteran, who used a .45 caliber Glock handgun during the shooting. Long, who shot himself, was dead when officers made entry into the bar, Dean said as he described the shooting incident as "horrific." "It's a horrific scene in there, there is blood everywhere and the suspect is part of that," he said. He said the motive of the shooter is still unclear. He was known to authorities for minor crimes. The shooter was on active duty with the US Marine Corps from August 2008 to March 2013, according to Department of Defense records. Authorities had "minor" run-ins with Long in the past, Dean said, citing few incidents. "We have had several contacts with Long over the years, minor events, a traffic collision," Dean said, adding that deputies were called to his house for a disturbance in April this year and "felt he might be suffering from Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)." Twenty-one people wounded in the shooting were treated and released from area hospitals, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office. President Donald Trump said that he has been "fully briefed on the terrible shooting in California." "Law Enforcement and First Responders, together with the FBI, are on scene. 13 people, at this time, have been reported dead. Likewise, the shooter is dead, along with the first police officer to enter the bar.... "Great bravery shown by police. California Highway Patrol was on scene within 3 minutes, with first officer to enter shot numerous times. That Sheriff's Sergeant died in the hospital. God bless all of the victims and families of the victims. Thank you to Law Enforcement," Trump said in a series of tweets. The hooded gunman burst into the bar around 11:20 p.m. (local time) entirely dressed in black. Ventura County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Ron Helus and a California Highway Patrol officer entered the bar first and were met with gunfire from the suspect, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing officials. Helus was shot several times and succumbed to his injuries at a hospital. He was planning to retire next year after a 29-year stint with the sheriff's department, Dean said. Helus, who died "a hero", is survived by a son and his wife, whom he called before entering the bar, Dean added. It was the second mass shooting in the US within two weeks. "We have no idea if there is a terrorism link to this or not. As you know, these are ongoing investigations and that information will come out as soon as we are able to determine exactly who the suspect was and what motive he might have had for this horrific event," Dean added. Citing witnesses, the paper said that people ran for cover when shooting started. Some people tried to break windows using chairs to escape the building while some hid in bathrooms. The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force has been rushed to the scene, according to an agency spokeswoman. Representatives from the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives were also dispatched. According to bar's website, Wednesday nights are college-themed nights open to students as young as 18. Quoting witnesses, the paper said the event is popular with Moorpark college students, and the Pepperdine student newspaper tweeted that students from its campus were also inside at the time of the shooting. "He just pulled out a gun and shot my friend that was working the front desk," 21-year-old Holden Harrah was quoted as saying by the paper. "I heard more gunshots behind me. I was freaking out," said Harrah, who was among the hundreds inside listening to music Wednesday night as a part of the college night event. The suspect is reported to have drove his mother's car to the attack and said nothing upon entering the bar. Authorities are searching his home and the weapon used for the crime. This is the second time this year Thousand Oaks has seen violence in a crowded area. In March, a man shot and killed his wife before attempting to shoot himself at the Thousand Oaks Mall, the paper added. Last week, a gunman opened fire at a Jewish synagogue in the US city of Pittsburgh, killing 11 people and injuring several others including three policemen, in the deadliest "anti-Semitic attack" in America in years. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) About half a million people have died violently in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan due to the US "war on terror" that was launched following the September 11 attacks in 2001, according to a study released Thursday. The report by Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs put the death toll at between 480,000 and 507,000 people -- but said the actual number is likely higher. The new toll "is a more than 110,000 increase over the last count, issued just two years ago in August 2016," Brown said in a statement. "Though the war on terror is often overlooked by the American public, press and lawmakers, the increased body count signals that, far from diminishing, this war remains intense." The death toll includes insurgents, local police and security forces, civilians and US and allied troops. The report's author, Neta Crawford, said many of those reported by US and local forces as militants may actually have been civilians. "We may never know the total direct death toll in these wars," Crawford wrote. "For example, tens of thousands of civilians may have died in retaking Mosul and other cities from ISIS but their bodies have likely not been recovered." The report states that between 182,272 and 204,575 civilians have been killed in Iraq, 38,480 in Afghanistan, and 23,372 in Pakistan. Nearly 7,000 US troops have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. The tally does not include all people who have died indirectly as a result of war, including through a loss of infrastructure or disease. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu Thursday hosted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Diwali lunch. The two leaders discussed matters related to the development of the country during their interaction. "Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met the Vice President over lunch at the Vice President's residence and greeted him on the occasion of Deepawali," the Vice President Secretariat tweeted. It said Naidu shared with the Prime Minister his impression of country's development gleaned from his visits within the country and abroad. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said Thursday that he had nothing to do with the party's decision to field his son Akash Vijayvargiya from Indore-3 Assembly seat. Madhya Pradesh is going to the polls on November 28. Talking to reporters here, Vijayvargiya said, "Perhaps nobody will believe it, but I never asked our president Amit Shah to give ticket to my son. It was the party's decision. I welcome it." In its third list, the ruling BJP nominated 34-year-old Akash from Indore-3 constituency. Vijayvargiya also denied reports that he withdrew his claim for party ticket for his son's sake. "I have responsibilities of the organisation. So I did not show interest in contesting," he said, adding that he would not have been able to do justice to Indore voters as he is operating from Delhi, being the BJP in-charge for West Bengal. Kailash Vijayvargiya has been elected as MLA from Indore district for six times since 1990. He won the last two Assembly elections from Dr Ambedkar Nagar (Mhow). This time, the BJP has fielded Usha Thakur, sitting MLA from Indore-3, from Mhow. Talking about his reported tussle with Indore MP and Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan over ticket distribution, he said, "There is no conflict between us. I can not even think of winning any fight with Taai (as Mahajan is known), because she is our senior leader and we obey her word." According to party sources, Mahajan's son Mandar Mahajan was among the ticket-seekers from Indore. Asked about this, Vijayvargiya said, "As far as I know, Taai (Mahajan) herself had never asked for a ticket for her son. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Trump. Photo: Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images Before the forced resignation of Jeff Sessions as attorney general, it was possible, however optimistically, to dismiss Donald Trumps authoritarianism as mere rhetoric and affect. It is not possible any longer. Sessionss departure, and his replacement with Matt Whitaker, is Trumps plan to corrupt the Department of Justice. It is the most dire threat to the republic since Trumps election itself. If you study literature of democratic backsliding, the frightening conclusion is that nobody has devised a system of laws comprehensive enough to guarantee the survival of a democratic government. Because there is always wiggle room in the execution and enforcement of the law, democracies rely on informal norms. One of those norms is the independence of federal law enforcement, without which, the ruling party could use the law as a weapon against its enemies while shielding itself. Of course, presidents have the leeway to choose their own attorney general. It is mere tradition that dictates that the attorney general, once selected, operate at arms length from the presidents political interests. There is simply no doubt that Trumps entire rationale for firing Sessions is his refusal to quash the Russia investigation, because he has not even bothered to conceal his motive. Trump has repeatedly lambasted Sessions for failing to stop this Rigged Witch Hunt right now. Sessions is an original Trump loyalist, an unusually committed believer in and effective implementer of the presidents ethnonationalist agenda on immigration and crime. Sessionss sole failure (in Trumps eyes) was having to recuse himself from the Russia investigation, and refusing Trumps demands to reverse the decision. Corruption is literally Trumps only motive for turning against him. Whats more, he has frequently expressed the overarching ethos with which the Department should operate. Trump told the New York Times that President Obamas attorney general, Eric Holder, covered up what Trump claims to be multiple serious crimes by Obama and that this is the correct way for him to operate. Holder protected the president, he said. And I have great respect for that, Ill be honest, I have great respect for that. At other times, reaching for a more familiar example, he wished the attorney general would be my Roy Cohn, referring to the architect of Joe McCarthys notorious smears, who went on to mentor Trump. Trump has every reason to believe that he has found his Roy Cohn in Whitaker. The archconservative new acting attorney general has run for office and appears to see his future in Republican politics. As a candidate, he publicly declared that judges should be people of faith who had a biblical view of justice. In practical terms, he has interpreted the biblical view of justice the way most of his fellow Christian conservatives do: a combination of stern, Old Testament punishments meted out to Democrats combined with New Testament forgiveness toward any sin by a Republican. Whitaker has publicly attacked the FBI for failing to indict Hillary Clinton for using a personal email. He defended Donald Trump Jr.s decision to meet with a Russian operative promising dirt on Hillary Clinton. He opposed the appointment of a special counsel to investigate Russian election interference (Hollow calls for independent prosecutors are just craven attempts to score cheap political points and serve the public in no measurable way.) Whitaker has called on Rod Rosenstein to curb Muellers investigation, and specifically declared Trumps finances (which include dealings with Russia) off-limits. He has urged Trumps lawyers not to cooperate with Muellers lynch mob: Worth a read. "Note to Trump's lawyer: Do not cooperate with Mueller lynch mob" https://t.co/a1YY9H94Ma via @phillydotcom Matt Whitaker (@MattWhitaker46) August 7, 2017 And he has publicly mused that a way to curb Muellers power might be to deprive him of resources. I could see a scenario, he said on CNN last year, where Jeff Sessions is replaced, it would recess appointment and that attorney general doesnt fire Bob Mueller but he just reduces his budget to so low that his investigations grinds to almost a halt. More recently, having been installed in the Department of Justice, Whitaker has reportedly operated as a kind of White House spy to keep tabs on officials who might be suspiciously independent of Trump. Trumps Chief of Staff John Kelly has privately described [Whitaker] as the West Wings eyes and ears in a department the president has long considered at war with him, the New York Times reported two months ago. At his press conference this morning, President Trump reveled in the defeat of several Republican House candidates who had declined his embrace. He warned the incoming House Democrats not to investigate him or his administration. He is demonstrating the confidence of a man who believes he can reduce every political question, however indisputably wrong or corrupt his own position, into a partisan conflict. And in such a conflict he has every reason to believe he commands the loyalty of the party base, and his own party will join his side. The federal government has awesome and terrifying legal powers, which have been held in check since Richard Nixon nearly shook them from their moorings. Republicans have ignored every warning sign of Trumps designs on these powers. The one thing we can know for certain is that he will not stop here. In an unprecedented move, the White House has suspended the press credentials of a CNN journalist terming his behaviour as "disgusting and outrageous", hours after he engaged in a heated argument with President Donald Trump during a press conference. Defending it chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta, the CNN said the decision is "a threat to democracy". The White House's move followed a heated exchange between Trump and Acosta who refused the President's orders to sit down and clung to the microphone and persisted with questions about his views on a caravan of Central American migrants making its way to the US border. A visibly angry Trump said "that's enough!" and a White House intern unsuccessfully tried to take the microphone from the CNN journalist. Describing Acosta's behaviour as "disgusting and outrageous", the White House Press Secretary, Sarah Sanders, in a statement on Wednesday said, "As a result of today's incident, the White House is suspending the hard pass of the reporter involved until further notice." Sanders said Trump believes in a free press and expects and welcomes tough questions of him and his Administration. "We will, however, never tolerate a reporter placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern. This conduct is absolutely unacceptable, she said. "It is also completely disrespectful to the reporter's colleagues not to allow them an opportunity to ask a question," she said. Sanders said Trump has given the press more access than any President in history. "Contrary to CNN's assertions, there is no greater demonstration of the President's support for a free press than the event he held today. Only they would attack the President for not being supportive of a free press in the midst of him taking 68 questions from 35 different reporters over the course of an hour and a half including several from the reporter in question," she said. Meanwhile, the CNN said the revocation of Acosta's pass "was done in retaliation for his challenging questions at today's press conference...This unprecedented decision is a threat to our democracy and the country deserves better". Acosta was stopped by the Secret Service from entering the White House at about 7 pm. Former president of the White House Correspondents Association, Jeff Mason, refuted the White House accusation that Acosta placed his hand on a female White House intern. "I was seated next to Acosta at today's press conference and did not witness him placing his hands on the young intern, as the White House alleges," he tweeted. Mason, a Reuters correspondent, also came forward in defence of his CNN colleague. He said Acosta held on to the microphone as the intern reached for it and later posted a few pictures from the press conference to prove his point. Peter Baker from The New York Times, who has been covering the White House for 22 years, said, "This is something I have never seen since I started covering the White House in 1996. Other presidents did not fear tough questioning." The White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) also said such a decision is "unacceptable" and urged the White House that it "immediately reverse its decision". "Journalists may use a range of approaches to carry out their jobs and the WHCA does not police the tone or frequency of the questions its members ask of powerful senior government officials, including the President," WHCA president Olivier Knox said. The White House, meanwhile, said it stands by its decision. "We stand by our decision to revoke this individual's hard pass. We will not tolerate the inappropriate behaviour clearly documented in this video," Sanders said, posting a video of the CNN reporter allegedly placing his hand on a young woman. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Ben HirschlerLONDON (Reuters) - Strong demand for AstraZeneca's new drugs -- especially those for cancer -- drove a return to sales growth in the third quarter and the drugmaker said it anticipated years of sustained improvement and rising profit margins.Product sales in the three months rose 8 percent, or 9 percent in constant currencies, which is the benchmark AstraZeneca uses for measuring the return to growth that it has been promising for 2018.It is the first quarter of sustainable product sales growth since 2014 and shares in the group, which resisted a takeover bid by Pfizer in ... By Melanie BurtonMELBOURNE (Reuters) - Global miner BHP Billiton will meet its iron ore commitments to customers despite a supply disruption after it had to derail a runaway ore train in Western Australia, Chief Executive Andrew Mackenzie said on Thursday.The miner suspended its rail operations after the incident on Monday that wrecked track and left a locomotive and wagons upturned nearly 120 km (75 miles) south of Australia's iron ore export hub of Port Hedland.Asked whether BHP would invoke force majeure, Mackenzie told media after the company's annual general meeting in South Australia ... By Paul SandleLONDON (Reuters) - Burberry's new creative designer has had an "exceptional" response to his debut collection, but it will take time to turn around a business where first-half revenue and operating profit both fell, the luxury brand said on Thursday. Former Givenchy star Riccardo Tisci's first designs for the British label, which included metallic trimmings and corset-like belts on Burberry's trademark trenchcoats, wowed critics and buyers alike when they were shown in September."The initial response from influencers, press, buyers and customers to our new creative vision and ... By Siddharth Cavale and Aishwarya Venugopal(Reuters) - Coca-Cola Co is planning to launch a range of energy drinks for the first time on its own brand name as it intensifies efforts to break away from its traditional fizzy sodas and shift to health-focused trends.The company on Thursday told Reuters it was working on plans to launch new drinks which would be branded "Coca-Cola Energy" and "Coca-Cola Energy No Sugar" and made with naturally-derived caffeine and guarana extract.Coke has previously taken a cautious approach to energy drinks as they are wrought with controversy in both the ... (Corrects China's trade surplus to $34.02 bln in third bullet point from $34.01 bln, after authorities said the full figure, $34.016 bln, was rounded differently in different official documents)By Lusha Zhang and Ryan WooBEIJING (Reuters) - China reported much stronger-than-expected exports for October as shippers rushed goods to the United States, its biggest trading partner, racing to beat higher tariff rates due to kick in at the start of next year. Import growth also defied forecasts for a slowdown, suggesting Beijing's growth-boosting measures to support the cooling economy may be ... (Corrects to say Musk has been on the board since 2004, not 2014, in third paragraph)By Pushkala Aripaka(Reuters) - Tesla Inc said board member Robyn Denholm will replace Elon Musk as its chair, more than a month after the billionaire had to step down as the electric-car maker's chairman as part of a settlement with U.S. regulators.Tesla had until Nov. 13 to name an independent board chairman under its agreement with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which said Musk's tweets about taking the company private were fraudulent and that the billionaire should quit as chairman but could ... By Jan StrupczewskiBRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission forecast on Thursday the Italian economy would grow more slowly in the next two years than Rome thinks, making government budget deficits much higher than assumed by Italy while public debt would be stable rather than decline.Italian benchmark 10-year bond yields jumped on the forecast from 3.385 to 3.413 percent.The forecasts underline the Commission's view, backed last Monday by all euro zone finance ministers, that Italy's 2019 draft budget blatantly breaks European Union fiscal rules, which call for annual reductions in ... By Joe Bavier and Alexander WinningJOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has made a $1 billion bid for a broad partnership with South African state-owned defence group Denel that would include acquisition of a minority stake in a joint venture with Germany's Rheinmetall, a source familiar with the offer said.Currently heavily dependent on imports, Saudi Arabia, the world's third-largest defence spender, is seeking partnerships to develop its own domestic defence industry with the goal of localising half of its military spending by 2030. Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI), the kingdom's ... Alphabet Inc's Google said on Thursday it would change the way it handles sexual harassment claims, a week after 20,000 of its workers around the world walked off their jobs to protest its response to such issues. Arbitration will become optional for individual sexual harassment and sexual assault claims, Google said, enabling lawsuits on those matters. It also said employees who fail to complete mandatory sexual harassment training will be docked in performance reviews. "We recognise that we have not always gotten everything right in the past and we are sincerely ... This was a high-turnout midterm election. But the demographics of those who voted didnt change much. Photo: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images If you heard it once, you probably heard it a hundred times: the 2018 midterm elections, and perhaps all midterm elections, were all about turnout. With the electorate polarized down to its every molecule, the winning equation was simply to identify demographic groups that were in or trending towards ones own side, then nag and scare and excite and anger and knock and drag them to the polls. If base mobilization was in fact all that mattered, then it would be logical to expect that the shape of the 2018 electorate would be dramatically different from that of the 2014 midterms, in which Republicans had a very solid performance, gaining 13 House seats, 9 Senate seats, and 2 governorships. But a comparison of exit polls, the best preliminary indicator we have of the shape of the 2014 and 2018 electorates, doesnt show as much change as you might expect. Yes, the 2018 electorate was much bigger than 2014s: an estimated 114 million people voted this year, as opposed to 83 million four years ago. But the shape of this bigger electorate is familiar. To get one issue out of the way, there were actually two national exit-poll operations this year: on the one hand, the traditional Edison Research surveys done for ABC, CBS, CNN, and NBC. On the other, a new survey was conducted by NORC for AP and Fox News. For purposes of apples-to-apples comparisons of 2014 and 2018, lets focus on the Edison exits. The white makeup of the electorate was 75 percent in 2014 and 72 percent this year, though the modest difference is mostly attributable to demographic change rather than some sort of voter mobilization effort. African-Americans formed 11 percent of the electorate in 2014 and 12 percent in 2018, another modest change. Latinos are a rapidly rising share of the population, so its not too surprising that they grew from 8 percent to 11 percent (they were only 9 percent, by the way, in the NORC exit polls). Looking at the age distribution, did young people turn out in big and atypical numbers in 2018, as some analysts suggested they might? Doesnt look that way. Under-30 voters were 13 percent of the electorate in 2014 and 13 percent of the electorate in 2018. The percentage of voters who were over 65 actually went up a tick, from 22 percent in 2014 to 26 percent in 2018 (the percentage of white voters over 65, that famously conservative demographic, was stable at 22 percent). How about that most notorious category of voter, the non-college educated white voter (a.k.a. the white working-class voter)? Its membership constituted 36 percent of the electorate in 2014 and 41 percent in 2018. Thats not very consistent with a demography-driven Democratic Wave, is it? So is gender turnout a factor? Did women show up in droves to punish Trump and the GOP? Well, yeah, women were up a tick (from 51 percent to 52 percent) as a percentage of the electorate. But white women, supposedly super-mobilized, actually dropped from constituting 38 percent of all voters in 2014 to 37 percent this year. One difference that might look significant is that the percentage of voters identifying as white evangelical or born-again Christian dropped from 26 percent of the electorate to 22 percent. But much of that is simply owing to the general relative decline in the size of the white population, compounded by the erosion of membership that is now hitting conservative Protestant denominations just like their more liberal counterparts. It doesnt mean Republicans didnt do as good a job herding the Evangelical flocks to the polls as they have in the past. So if the electorate isnt all that different in its component parts than it was four years ago, what did change? Its hard to say definitively, since its always possible that one party or the other did better at turning out their particular share of various demographic groups than the other. But it looks like public opinion changed, with or without partisan efforts to sway it. The example that jumps off the page in reading the exits is voters over 65. Republicans won them 57-41 in 2014, but only 50-48 in 2018. Thats about the same margin as in 2006, the last Democratic wave election, before the tea party movement-driven realignment of the electorate made old all but synonymous with Republican. White college graduates shifted from 57-41 Republican in 2014 to 53-45 Democratic this year. By contrast, white voters without a college degree changed marginally, from 64-34 Republican to 61-37. White women didnt trend as massively Democratic in 2018 as some of the anecdotal evidence suggested, but did go from 56-42 Republican to 49-49 this year. The 2014 exits didnt provide a breakdown by race, gender, and education-level, but given the relatively low change in the vote of non-college educated white voters generally, you can figure this years 59-39 Democratic margin among college-educated white women was a pretty big shift. Yes, the exit polls are quite fallible, as the evidence of the undercounting of white non-college educated voters in the 2016 exit polls shows. But if the change of partisan outcome between 2014 and 2018 was strictly a matter of one mobilization machine outperforming another, it would show up pretty dramatically in the numbers. Its not fashionable to say it, but perhaps persuasion by candidates and campaigns had a bit more to do with the Democratic surge in 2018 than we might otherwise suspect. And theres a good chance that objective reality did, as well: the experience of having Donald Trump as president for two years, with a supine Republican Party doing his bidding. Its worth pondering as 2020 approaches. NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India plans to export 2 million tonnes of raw sugar to China from next year, the trade ministry said on Thursday, as part of efforts to trim bulging stocks of the sweetener and bridge a widening trade deficit.Producers' body Indian Sugar Mills Association and China's state trader COFCO have already signed an initial deal for 15,000 tonnes of sugar, the ministry said in a statement.Last month, the ministry said India was keen to sell more rice and sugar to China to help cut the widening trade deficit. (Reporting by Mayank Bhardwaj; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)(This story ... By Sumita LayekBENGALURU (Reuters) - Rice export prices in India recovered this week from their lowest in 21-months on increased rates for local paddy, while trade was muted in Vietnam and Thailand as traders waited for fresh orders from the Philippines.Top exporter India's 5 percent broken parboiled variety was quoted around $362-$369 per tonne this week, versus $361-$367 last week, the lowest since January 2017.Supplies from the new season crop have started but are expensive due to the hike in government-fixed buying prices, said an exporter based at Kakinada in the southern state of Andhra ... JAKARTA (Reuters) - The Indonesian government will push ahead and ratify a trade deal with Pakistan to protect $1.5 billion in annual palm oil exports to the South Asia nation, a cabinet minister said.Indonesia is the world's biggest palm oil producer and although it is the dominant exporter to Pakistan, it has been losing market share to the world's number two producer, Malaysia, according to Abdul Rasheed JanMohammed, chairman of Pakistan Edible Oil Refiners Association.Indonesia's Coordinating Minister of Economics Affairs Darmin Nasution said in a statement late on Wednesday that the ... By Tetsushi KajimotoTOKYO (Reuters) - Half of Japanese companies expect new trade talks with Washington to boost their U.S.-bound exports, a Reuters poll found, despite President Donald Trump's intensifying drive to cut the trade gap between the two major economies.There are, however, concerns among more than half of the respondents that the talks, which Japan and the United States agreed to in September, will lead to higher U.S. tariffs and other restrictions on Japanese exports, the monthly poll showed.Since taking office nearly two years ago, Trump has repeatedly blasted trading partners ... Oil edged lower on Thursday, surrendering early gains, as investors focused on the pace of growth in global crude supply, which is increasing more quickly than many had expected. Chinese data earlier in the day that showed record oil imports in October offered some temporary respite to bearishness that has developed in the past couple of weeks over the expected crude market balance in 2019. Record US crude production and signals from Iraq, Abu Dhabi and Indonesia that output will grow more quickly than expected in 2019 pushed the price of Brent oil to its lowest since mid-August ... By Henning GloysteinSINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices rose on Thursday after record Chinese crude imports eased concerns that a slowdown in the world's No.2 economy could stoke an emerging fuel glut.However, oil markets were held back somewhat after the United States became the world's top crude producer as its output hit record levels.Front-month Brent crude oil futures were at $72.20 a barrel at 0717 GMT, up 13 cents, or 0.2 percent, from their last close.U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $61.83 per barrel, up 16 cents, or 0.3 percent, from their previous ... By Pushkala Aripaka(Reuters) - Tesla Inc director Robyn Denholm, a telecoms executive who has worked for Toyota, has been promoted to chairwoman of the electric car company, tasked with regulating billionaire Elon Musk's regime after months of turbulence which have worried Wall Street. An Australian accountant, Denholm currently works for telecoms firm Telstra and replaces Musk after he was forced to relinquish the role as part of a deal to head off charges of fraud by the Securities and Exchange Commission.The change in structure at the Silicon Valley firm, agreed to by Musk in a September ... (Reuters) - Electric carmaker Tesla Inc said Robyn Denholm, currently CFO at Australian telecoms operator Telstra Corp Ltd, will replace Elon Musk as its chair.Denholm will leave her role as CFO and head of strategy of Telstra once her six-month notice period with the company is complete, Tesla said http://bit.ly/2D92OGf late on Wednesday.Tesla said Denholm will be serving as Tesla chair on a full-time basis.She will temporarily step down as Chair of Tesla's Audit Committee until she leaves Telstra, the company said.Tesla weathered a rocky few months in the wake of Musk's tweets that he had ... Tesla Inc said board member Robyn Denholm will replace Elon Musk as its chair, more than a month after the billionaire had to step down as the electric-car maker's chairman as part of a settlement with U.S. regulators. Tesla had until Nov. 13 to name an independent board chairman under the settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which said Musk's tweets about taking the company private were fraudulent and that the billionaire could retain his role as CEO but should quit as chairman. Musk said in August he was considering taking Tesla private in a $420 ... (Reuters) - The United States on Monday re-imposed sanctions against Iran's oil exports to punish Tehran for its involvement in several Middle Eastern conflicts.Washington had been pushing governments to cut imports of Iranian oil to zero. But, fearing a price spike, it granted Iran's biggest buyers - China, India, South Korea, Japan, Italy, Greece, Taiwan and Turkey - sanctions waivers.That will allow the eight, which account for about 75 percent of all Iran's oil exports, according to trade data, to import at least some oil for another 180 days. Washington and the recipients of the ... Post-midterms, Democrats are reconsidering the electoral map. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images The political realignment of the Donald Trump era the new leftward lean of the suburbs, the deepening red tint of much of rural America gave way this week to the new Democratic House of Representatives, the GOPs stronger hold on the Senate, and a hyperpartisan nation where only one state now has split party control of its legislative chambers. (Hello, Minnesota!) But one of the most significant developments to come out of Tuesdays vote is an apparent reshaping of the presidential electoral map even beyond the one that gave the country Trump as president two years ago. The map, said veteran Democratic strategist Mark Longabaugh, a senior Bernie Sanders advisor in 2016, is definitely changing. The contours could still shift a lot more in the next two years, and the identity of the Democratic nominee will certainly be a factor. But consider the initial playing field from a theoretical Democratic candidates perspective, just like a range of leading party strategists in Washington are doing today as they begin to contemplate the paths to beating Trump to 270 electoral votes. First, the tough news for Democrats: They may now be looking at a 2020 election that begins with Florida and Ohio the two most important battleground states in the last few elections being less in play, with their new Trump-allied governors Ron DeSantis and Mike DeWine in charge. The tentative good news for you: Its now hard to see how Virginia or Colorado, traditional swing states, begin 2020 anywhere but in the blue column, with Nevada leaning that way, too after all three states yet again shifted significantly toward Democrats in both statewide races and at the House and local level. Across the midwest, meanwhile, the Tuesday Trump backlash that saw Democrats win multiple statewide contests in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin two years after going for Trump likely augurs an election cycle where the Rust Belt is central to the discussion in a way it wasnt back in 2016. Iowa now looks less red than Democrats initially feared after the last election, and Minnesota bluer. The mistake we made in 2016 was taking the industrial midwest for granted, and we can go in this time and play hard in Wisconsin, we gotta play hard in Michigan, we gotta play hard in Pennsylvania, said Longabaugh. And thats all before Arizona and Georgia states that have, combined, gone for Democratic presidential nominees just three times since 1992 begin showing up more often on swing-state maps. Even though Republicans seem to have prevailed in both, the razor-thin margin in Arizonas Senate election and Georgias governor race bolstered the argument that local Democratic leaders began making in 2016, when the presidential-level results in both states were closer than in Ohio. Plus, after Beto ORourke came within three points of Ted Cruz, some Democrats are already arguing hard that it would be political malpractice not to pay attention to Texass massive trove of electoral votes. (Had Democrats built real infrastructure in the years and cycles before this one, we could have won a lot of races we fell short in, said Tara McGowan, who runs ACRONYM, an organization focused on building digital groundwork for progressives. If Democrats ignore Texas in 2020 we would run the risk of it slipping entirely back, and a lot of the young and new voters who turned out because of Betos campaign could turn [away]. It would be a total missed opportunity not to focus on it.) Still, the first 2020-focused conclusion plenty of Democrats drew from Tuesday is that the next nominee could easily live and die in the Rust Belt. As Philadelphia-area congressman Brendan Boyle told me Wednesday, Pennsylvania is clearly one of the most important but frankly, Id argue, the single most important state for us if were going to win in 2020. There is no legitimate path to winning the White House if we dont win in Pennsylvania. The three states that shockingly handed the presidency to Trump in 2016 didnt double down on their support of him Tuesday. Far from it: Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin saw the expected surge of suburban white voters and high apparent turnout from people of color, accompanied by what looks like softening of GOP support among the working-class white men who backed Trump by large margins two years earlier. Each state reelected its Democratic senator and put a Democrat in the governors mansion. Democrats also made House gains in both Pennsylvania and Michigan. The partys fear that the region would fully fall for Trump appears overstated, and having gubernatorial control of the states grants Democrats an electoral weapon they were missing in both Wisconsin and Michigan in 2016. Democrats and Republicans alike are approaching the interpretation of Tuesdays results in these states with some caution, of course, remembering Trumps overperformance there last time. The real question regarding 2020 is: Do the results of last night make it harder or easier for Democrats in the states that the president carried narrowly?, warned Republican operative Mike DuHaime. Wisconsin and Michigan flipped parties for governor, and you also saw House gains for Democrats showing negative movement for Trump in at least parts of those states. But he wasnt on the ballot. Things could be different when there is a direct choice between him and a specific Democrat, especially if someone is nominated from the far left. While Democrats were disappointed not to pick up the governors mansion in Iowa, meanwhile, they woke up on Wednesday with control of three of the states four House seats, a gain of two, suggesting Iowans may be more up-for-grabs than feared after 2016s nine-point Trump margin. And while Trump allies eagerly pointed to Minnesota as a pickup opportunity in 2020 after losing by under two points in 2016, the state on Tuesday elected two Democratic senators, a Democratic governor, and even a Democratic attorney general Keith Ellison whos been facing accusations of domestic abuse from an ex-girlfriend. But the two blue-to-red flips in the states House races in largely rural districts were offset by two in the opposite direction in partially suburban ones. Still, much of the Democratic lesson-seeking on Wednesday has been focused, as ever, on Florida and Ohio. Republicans have ample reason to cheer in the former: Bill Nelson, the only Democrat to win a Senate or gubernatorial race in Florida since 1998, appears to have been unseated by Rick Scott, and the GOP will now control not only both of the states Senate seats, but also in the form of Ron Desantis its executive apparatus, which can prove crucial to turnout efforts in a presidential race. Yet Democrats are taking some solace on Wednesday in the close margins of the states Senate and governors races Republicans are ahead in both by less than a point. Not only that, but after the passage of a ballot measure Tuesday, over 1 million voters who couldnt participate due to felony convictions will likely be restored to the rolls, a shift that could reenfranchise more than one in five black Floridians, potentially significantly altering the states electorate. And in Ohio, which some Democrats have started privately writing off altogether at the presidential level, its Senator Sherrod Browns reelection by six points thats now getting the microscopic look from Democrats even as Republicans cheer Mike DeWines victory in the gubernatorial contest in a state Trump won by eight points two years earlier. A place like Ohio feels harder and harder. Sure, Sherrod Browns able to do it, but nobody else, I mean nobody, said Democratic pollster Jef Pollock. Thats gotta be acknowledged. Youngstown area congressman Tim Ryan said Browns race was a road map for Democrats if they want to remain competitive in the region, pointing to the senators close relationship with organized labor and his disciplined message around jobs, wages, and trade rather than any nationalized issues. Going to the mat for peoples economic interests is really important, and the only thing I would add is and I think in a presidential more so than in a Senate race [so is a] big vision for the country. People are still struggling, he told me. So you need to be with them, but you also need to lay out a path forward economically: How are we going to compete against China, other than just throwing tariffs on? We need an elevated message. People are tired of the mud. Brown himself leaned hard into that analysis when he spoke to supporters after his win, in a speech that at times sounded almost like a campaign address itself. You showed the country that progressives can win and win decisively in the heartland. Tonight, Ohio, you showed the country that by putting people first and by honoring the dignity of work, we can carry a state Donald Trump won by ten points, he said. As we celebrate the dignity of work, we unify, we do not divide. Populists are not racists, populists are not anti-Semitic. We do not appeal to some by pushing down others, we do not lie, we do not engage in hate speech. Let our country our nations citizens, our Democratic Party, my fellow elected officials all over the country let them all cast their eyes toward the heartland, to the industrial midwest, to our Great Lakes state, he continued. We will show America how we celebrate organized labor and all workers the waitress in Dayton, the office worker in Toledo, the nurse in Columbus, the mine worker in Coshocton. That is the message coming out of Ohio in 2018, and that is the blueprint for our nation in 2020. The rest of the party was listening. Soon enough well see if it acts on it. By Makiko YamazakiTOKYO (Reuters) - Toshiba Corp announced on Thursday it is shedding assets, cutting jobs and buying back its stock starting this week, sending its shares up 13 percent, as the once-mighty Japanese conglomerate aims to regain investor confidence. The company announced it is liquidating its British nuclear power unit and selling its U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) business to China's ENN Group as part of a new five-year business strategy, which also includes 7,000 job cuts, or 5 percent of its workforce, over five years.Toshiba's shares surged 12.7 percent to close near ... By Karen Freifeld and Michael ShieldsNEW YORK/ZURICH (Reuters) - UBS Group AG, Switzerland's largest bank, faces another potentially costly legal battle as the U.S. Department of Justice draws up civil charges over the sale of mortgage-backed securities in the run-up to the 2008 financial crisis.UBS said on Wednesday it expected to be sued by the Justice Department as early as Thursday. The bank said the claims were not supported by the facts or the law and it would contest any complaint vigorously.Analysts at Zuercher Kantonalbank said it was unclear how long the U.S. legal case might last ... Citizens Commission on Human Rights of Florida Court Finding in Australia Reinforces the Need to Ban ECT in the United States ID: 1543718 International mental health watchdog applauds a Supreme Court decision in Australia that ruled the forcible use of electroshock violates patientsa human rights. (firmenpresse) - The Florida chapter of the international mental health watchdog, [Citizens Commission on Human Rights](https://www.cchrflorida.org/) (CCHR), applauds a recent Supreme Court decision in Victoria, Australia that ruled the forcible use of [electroshock treatment](https://www.cchrflorida.org/cchr-calling-for-ban-on-torturous-electroconvulsive-therapy/) (ECT) violates patients human rights. The case involved two patients who refused ECT, one who she said she was concerned about ECT causing her memory lossa well-known debilitating effect of the procedure that sends up to 460 volts of electricity through the brain. A state psychiatric agency overrode the patients decisions and claimed the woman lacked the capacity to carefully consider ECTs advantages and disadvantages. The Supreme Court judge, Justice Kevin Bell, said the agency had failed to respect the two patients human rights. A person does not lack the capacity to give informed consent simply by making a decision that others consider to be unwise according to their individual values and situation, he stated. [1] Diane Stein, president of CCHR Florida said that while the decision reinforces that electroshock given without consent is a human rights violationa step in the right directionthe entire practice of ECT is a human rights violation and should be banned. She said the Victorian decision highlighted the issue of informed consent rights, but charges that a U.S. review of ECT information provided to patients likely violates these rights and could constitute consumer fraud. ECT Consumer Fraud Investigation Needed CCHRs international headquarters recently conducted an analysis of how ECT is promoted to consumers either on mental health facility websites or in their ECT consent forms. As an advocacy group for mental health consumers, CCHR wants to ensure patients are informed without deception or misrepresentation. A sample of 33 psychiatric facilities in 24 states, including five from Floridatwo owned by for-profit companies, Universal Health Services (UHS) and Hospital Corp of America (HCA)were reviewed for their promotion of ECT. Only one facility in Maine cited a reference in support of its claims; only two facilities informed patients that ECT couldnt cure. Jan Eastgate, international president of CCHR, said, Psychiatrists admit they have no idea how ECT works, which is not made clear in online ECT promotion or consent forms. There are about 100 theories but no facts. We found the claimed theories differed from one facility to the next, making informed consent impossible. The theories documented from the analysis ranged from the grand mal seizure that ECT causes may help the brain rewire itself, which helps relieve symptoms, electrical stimulation of nerve cells within the brain [releases] chemicals that may help restore normal functioning, and the electrical current causes changes in brain chemistry that can rapidly reverse symptoms of certain mental illnesses. Theres not a shred of scientific evidence to support this, Eastgate said. The misinformation given in order to extract a patients consent should be investigated for violating informed consent rights and consumer fraud. UHS has 16 behavioral healthcare facilities in Florida, 2 of which deliver ECT. River Point Behavioral Health in Jacksonville performs 900-1000 ECT treatments a year and claims that electroshock is safe for pregnant women. However, CCHR says that missing from online promotion is that pregnant women receiving ECT can experience adverse events that include miscarriage, premature labor, stillbirth, fetal heart problems and malformations. [2] The adverse effects of ECT that include memory loss, cognitive impairment and brain damage, can prolong the length of a hospital stay, according to a journal study. ECT, therefore, can increase hospital profits and may be an incentive for administering it, Stein says. [3] She said that Florida saw a 60% increase between 2015 and 2016 in the number of Medicaid recipients who were electroshocked. [4] The youngest receiving ECT covered by Medicaid were aged 16-17, while the age group most likely to be shocked were aged 51-60, followed by those aged 31 and 50. She said CCHR Florida is supporting a Florida and nation-wide ban on ECT. More than 50,000 people have already signed the online petition. [Click here to sign.](https://www.change.org/p/ban-electroshock-ect-device-being-used-on-children-the-elderly-and-vulnerable-patients) About CCHR: Initially established by the Church of Scientology and renowned psychiatrist Dr. Thomas Szasz in 1969, CCHRs mission is to eradicate abuses committed under the guise of mental health and enact patient and consumer protections. L. Ron Hubbard, founder of Scientology, first brought psychiatric imprisonment to wide public notice: Thousands and thousands are seized without process of law, every week, over the free world tortured, castrated, killed. All in the name of mental health, he wrote in March 1969. For more information visit, [www.cchrflorida.org](http://www.cchrflorida.org/) Sources: [1] Orders for forced ''shock therapy'' breached human rights of schizophrenia patients, court rules, The Guardian, 1 Nov. 2018, https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/nov/01/shock-therapy-court-upholds-appeal-by-patients-prescribed-ect-against-their-will; Orders for forced ''shock therapy'' breached human rights of schizophrenia patients, court rules,ABC News, 1 Nov. 2018, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-01/human-rights-must-be-upheld-forced-shock-ect-therapy-court-rules/10454750 [2] Kari Ann Leiknes, et al. Electroconvulsive therapy during pregnancy: a systematic review of case studies, Arch Womens Ment Health, epub 24 Nov 2013. [3] Draper B, Luscombe G., Quantification of factors contributing to length of stay in an acute psychogeriatric ward, International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 1998; 13:1-7. [4] Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) Provider Recipient and Payment Information, July1, 2015 - June 30, 2016, Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, Obtained through Freedom of Information Act Request, 2016. Citizens Commission on Human Rights of Florida http://www.cchrflorida.org/ Citizens Commission on Human Rights of Florida http://www.cchrflorida.org/ publicaffairs(at)cchrflorida.org +1-727-442-8820 109 North Fort Harrison Avenue Clearwater United States Juristisches zu dieser Pressemitteilung Weitere Pressemitteilungen von Citizens Commission on Human Rights of Florida Bereitgestellt von Benutzer: alekspressdevDatum: 07.11.2018 - 23:00 UhrSprache: DeutschNews-ID 1543718Anzahl Zeichen: 2527contact information:Contact person: Diane SteinTown:Phone: +1-727-442-8820Kategorie:Typ of Press Release: Unternehmensinformationtype of sending: VerAffentlichungDate of sending: 07/11/2018Anmerkungen:Diese Pressemitteilung wurde bishermal aufgerufen.Die Pressemitteilung mit dem Titel:steht unter der journalistisch-redaktionellen Verantwortung vonBeachten Sie bitte die weiteren Informationen zum Haftungsauschlu (gema TMG - TeleMedianGesetz ) und dem Datenschutz (gema der DSGVO ). Electric car manufacturer Tesla announced that Robyn Denholm, who is an independent director of the company and the chief financial officer (CFO) at Telstra Corp Ltd, would replace Elon Musk as its chairperson. Tesla, in a statement, said Denholm would leave her role as CFO and head of the strategy of Telstra after serving her six-month notice period with the company and would serve as Tesla's chairperson on a full-time basis. She will temporarily step down as chairperson of Tesla's Audit Committee until she leaves Telstra, the company added. Tesla has faced some problems in past months because of Musk's tweets saying that he had secured funding for a deal to take Tesla private. Tesla and Musk settled the matter with the US Securities and Exchange Commission in September after the regulators sued them for fraud. The regulators fined Musk and Tesla with a penalty of $20 million each and asked the billionaire to quit as chairman. The US SEC allowed Musk to continue his role as CEO of Tesla. Denholm in a statement said, "I believe in this company, I believe in its mission, and I look forward to helping Elon, and the Tesla team achieve sustainable profitability and drive long-term shareholder value." Musk stated that "Robyn has extensive experience in both the tech and auto industries, and she has made significant contributions as a Tesla Board member over the past four years in helping us become a profitable company." "I look forward to working even more closely with Robyn as we continue accelerating the advent of sustainable energy," Musk added. Last month, Tesla reported a net profit and positive cash flow of $311.5 million in the September third quarter as its Model 3 sedan's production started to pay off. Tesla, in partnership with Panasonic, is currently the largest electric car battery manufacturer in the world, with over 60 per cent of the global production. While Tesla plans to set up production plants in Europe and China, the company also plans to set up battery manufacturing facilities in every continent to keep the costs in check. Edited by Vivek Punj An unidentified gunman killed 12 people after he opened fire in a crowded bar in southern California on Thursday. The Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks area was packed as it was hosting a weekly 'college night' when the gunman entered and started firing. The dead include 11 people in the bar and a sheriff's sergeant who was the first officer to arrive at the scene, an Associated Press report said. The gunman was also found dead at the scene. Authorities have not been able to establish the cause of his death, or his identity and motive behind the shooting, the report added. The assailant first fired at the person working the door, entered the bar and started shooting random people, the report said. Hundreds of people fled the scene, with some using the bar stools to break the windows to escape. Sheriff's Sergeant Ron Helus and a passing highway patrolman were responding to several 911 distress calls when they arrived at the bar around 11:20 pm local time. They heard gunshots and went inside. Helus received multiple shot wounds as he entered the bar, the AP report said. The highway patrolman accompanying him cleared the area and pulled Helus out to wait for the SWAT team and other officers. By the time officers entered the bar, the shooting had stopped and the gunman was dead on the floor, along with 11 of his victims. Helus later succumbed to his injuries in a hospital. The Borderline Bar and Grill is a popular hangout spot for students of nearby California Lutheran University, the AP report said. It's also close to several other universities including California State University Channel Islands in Camarillo, Pepperdine University in Malibu and Moorpark College in Moorpark. At the time of the incident, the bar was hosting a college night and two-step lessons, the report further added. When the gunman entered the bar, people tried to flee or take cover under the tables. Some used bar stools to break the windows, helping dozens to escape, the report said. The latest massacre has happened less than two weeks after shootout in a Pittsburgh synagogue which claimed 11 lives. Edited by Vivek Punj Manappuram Finance on Wednesday said its board has approved equity infusion of up to Rs 150 crore in its arm Asirvad Micro Finance. "The Board of Directors at their meeting dated November 6, 2018, approved equity infusion up to Rs 150 Cr in its subsidiary Asirvad Micro Finance Ltd(Asirvad)," Manappuram Finance said in a BSE filing. Asirvad Micro Finance has paid up capital of Rs 42.56 crore with a turnover of Rs 437.25 crore (as of March 2018), the filing added. The capital infusion is a related party transaction and will be made at arm's length, it said. Asirvad operates in the microfinance sector. The capital infusion will facilitate in business growth of the subsidiary. Being the largest business, after gold loans, microfinance is strategically important to the company, Manappuram Finance added. The company also said no governmental/regulatory approvals are required for the proposed capital infusion and the time period for the transaction will be five months. Asirvad is an NBFC (non-banking finance company) incorporated on August 29, 2007, with registered office in Chennai. It was set up by its present Managing Director S V Raja Vaidyanathan. In February 2015, Manappuram Finance acquired 85 per cent stake in Asirvad and subsequently increased it to 92.30 per cent. It had Assets under Management (AUM) of Rs 2,728.94 crore as on September 30, 2018. India's cotton textile exports grew by 26 per cent at USD 6,235 million in the first six months ended September 2018, and the on-going trade war between US and China will open up new export opportunities, the Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (Texprocil) said here. The country had exported cotton textiles (raw cotton, yarn, fabrics and made-ups) worth USD 4,917 million in April-September 2017-18, the association said in a statement. However, exports of textiles and clothing declined by 3 per cent with exports of readymade garments registering a steep decline of 16 per cent during H1FY19. India held a special place in the global textile trade as the second largest textile exporter in the world. Today, cotton yarn & fabric exports account for over 23 per cent of India's total textiles and apparel exports. Ujwal Lahoti, chairman of Texprocil, stated that the ongoing trade war between the US and China would possibly open up new opportunities for cotton textile exports from India and we should be ready to explore them. The government was also in the process of putting in place alternative schemes to promote exports which would improve competitiveness, he said. Lahoti welcomed the package for the MSME sector announced by the government. Interest subvention on pre-shipment and post-shipment finance for exports by MSMEs has been increased from 3 per cent to 5 per cent. These measures would provide much-needed support and encouragement to the MSME sector, which contributed significantly to the textiles exports. Under the package, GST- registered MSMEs would get 2 per cent interest rebate on incremental loan up to Rs 1 crore, he added. He also noted that the jump in India's ranking in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business will help boost exports. Lahoti acknowledged that for textiles exporters, remarkable improvements are visible at the ports, customs and regional offices of DGFT EDI systems. Jammu, Nov 6 (PTI)A delegation of the Jammu and Kashmir (J-K) BJP Tuesday met Governor Satya Pal Malik and sought the immediate arrest of those behind the killing of party leader Anil Parihar and his brother. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation impressed upon the Governor that the minorities of the state were being compelled to abandon their homes as part of a "planned conspiracy".This is a very serious matter and the government must restore and maintain the faith of the people in the rule of law, National vice president and J-K in-charge of the BJP Avinash Rai Khanna told reporters here.The delegation urged the Governor to direct the state administration, especially the police, to nab those responsible for the killings soon, while ensuring that such incidents do not repeat in future.They also pressed for providing adequate compensation to the victim's family. Malik was further informed that several key party leaders in Kishtwar should be provided security so that they can serve the people without any fear, Khanna said. Parihar, the state secretary of the BJP in J-K was gunned down along with his brother, Anil by unidentified assailants in Kishtwar on Thursday. "A sort of economic terrorism is being carried out in Kishtwar and other areas of erstwhile Doda district with a planned conspiracy to compel the minorities to abandon their homes," Khanna alleged further. Corroborating Khanna's views, BJP MLA Sat Sharma said the killings were aimed at frightening and demoralising the nationalists in the state and force them to migrate.The fear among minorities has to be removed and an atmosphere of peace and security has to be developed for which the administration has to work relentlessly by nabbing culprits at the earliest, he said. PTI AB RHL By Aditi Khanna London, Nov 7 (PTI) A Bollywood-loving member of the Bahrain royal family is set to fight a nearly USD 42.5-million damages claim brought by an Egyptian businessman when a five-day trial opens in the UK High Court next week.Ahmed Adel Abdallah Ahmed is suing Sheikh Hamad Isa Ali al-Khalifa, a cousin of the King of Bahrain, for allegedly reneging on a verbal agreement dating back to 2015. Under the agreement, Ahmed claims the Sheikh had legally contracted his firm, CBSC Events, to arrange private meetings with as many as 26 famous Bollywood stars on a wish list drawn up by him. However, Sheikh Hamad reportedly went back on the deal after meetings with four Bollywood stars Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Ranveer Singh and Aditya Roy Kapoor in Mumbai and Dubai for which he paid around USD 3 million. In his legal claim for damages due to inconvenience and loss of earnings, Ahmed alleges that the Sheikh breached the terms of their agreement by refusing to pay the sums for additional meetings arranged and that he made excuses not to meet two further stars Akshay Kumar and Aamir Khan."This is an interesting case and involves oral agreements reached in London between two parties from the Middle East, concerning arranging meetings with famous Bollywood stars," said Pavani Reddy, the Managing Partner of Zaiwalla & Co the London-based law firm representing Ahmed in the trial, which is set to open on Monday.Neither party in the case has chosen to present any of the Bollywood stars in question as witnesses because they were not privy to what had been agreed between the Sheikh and the businessman. Sheikh Hamad had an agreement with the Claimant (Ahmed) to arrange the meetings, which Sheikh Hamad later reneged on, resulting in a breach in contract and loss of business for the Claimant, the case notes state.The Sheikh, who, on his own admission had an "unbridled desire and fancy to establish contacts with Bollywood stars", accepts that an agreement was made to arrange meetings. However, disputes the actual terms of the said agreement, Ahmed's lawyers argue.Sheikh Hamad will be represented in the High Court next week by Herbert Smith Freehills law firm after an attempt to move the case to Bahrain had failed last year.In his defence, the Sheikh argues that he pulled out of the deal after Ahmed "started to put unfair pressure" on him, "making unwarranted demands for very large sums of money and seeking to arrange meetings which were not convenient".While oral agreements are enforceable in UK courts, the judge will have to determine whether or not any such agreement was in fact breached. PTI AK RUP RUPRUP Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 6 (PTI) A 32-year-old man was killed after being pushed in front of a moving car allegedly by a senior police officer at Neyyatinkara near here, police said Tuesday.Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) (Neyyatinkara) B Harikumar, who is on the run, has been suspended and a case registered against him under Section 302 of the IPC (murder), they said.The victim, Sanal, sustained severe injuries in the incident and died later at a hospital, officials said.Trouble broke out on Monday night after Harikumar asked Sanal to move his car which he had parked on the side of the road.A scuffle ensued during which the official pushed Sanal in front of a moving car, local residents told television channels.Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said in Kozhikode that the official has been suspended as the complaint was of a serious nature.An assistant superintendent of police (ASP) will probe the case, he said.Harikumar, who was not in uniform, had come to a house in the locality, locals said.A large number of people blocked the road where the incident occurred Monday night and demanded that the police official be immediately arrested. PTI UD APR IJT If you work for Amazon, you may be eating lunch here soon. Photo: Christian Heeb/laif/Redux After playing off hard-luck downtowns against sunbelt suburbs and cities all over the country in pursuit of giant giveaways, Amazon apparently plans to split its second headquarters in two, dropping half on Northern Virginia and the other on Long Island City. To put that another way, after dangling the transformative power of a new corporate behemoth, Amazon chose the two cities where its presence will be noticed least. In New York, especially, the number of tech jobs has been rising in the city for well over a decade, so another 25,000 will just sharpen the curve. Last years opening of the Cornell Tech campus on Roosevelt Island, a quick ferry ride from Long Island City, made the Queens waterfront an obvious candidate for the sectors new home base. As it happens, the neighborhood has an oversupply of new apartments and new office space, with more of both on the way, so Amazon could almost move in tomorrow and let its entire workforce commute on foot. Or, as Angela Merkel keeps telling Germans worried about being overwhelmed by new arrivals: Wir schaffen das. Weve got this. A few consequences are obvious. Long Island City will be awash with tech types who are insufferably young and highly paid. Also with dogs (6,000 of them show up at the Amazon office in Seattle every day). The price of lunch, rent, and laundry will continue to rise. Waterfront parks will get more crowded. Less predictably, a new Amazon campus could also trigger some new transit patterns that exclude Manhattan completely. It might even revive the idea of the Brooklyn-Queens Connector, Mayor Bill de Blasios pet streetcar project, which has been looking more like a fantasy than a plan. If the new Amazonians spread out along the waterfront between Long Island City and Gowanus, the company could kick in some money to help ease their commute. The company has funded public-transit improvements before, though on a completely different scale. In 2012, it shelled out $5.5 million for an extra streetcar to shorten wait times in Seattle, and last summer it spent another $1.5 million to improve bus service. But thats pocket change compared to the BQXs needs. Last September, the de Blasio administration acknowledged that the project, which was originally supposed to pay for itself, could only go forward if the federal government contributed $1 billion to the $2.7 billion budget. That seemed laughably improbable so long as mass-transit- and city-averse Republicans controlled the money faucets. Even with a Democratic House, the prospect of a billion-dollar gift from Washington or Amazon seems like a long shot. So most likely, the second coming of corporate America will get more than it gives. The city and the state can ply Amazon with a still undisclosed cornucopia of tax breaks, baubles, and symbolic tributes, but the companys employees will quietly be absorbed into the citys life, adding to the quotient of dog poop, crowded subway platforms, and silly beverage trends. New Delhi, Nov 6 (PTI) After Australia and the UK, Indian ride-hailing company Ola is now foraying into New Zealand and will offer it's services in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. The company, which started it's international operations earlier this year, in a statement, said customers can book rides within the three major cities and can also be picked up from Auckland and Wellington airports. Entering New Zealand is an important step for Ola, and the ride-sharing industry here. Over recent weeks, we have received enthusiastic feedback from drivers across Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch," Brian Dewil, New Zealand Country Manager for Ola said. Ola's service will include safety features like in-app emergency button that enables customers to instantly share important ride information, such as real-time ride tracking, location co-ordinates and vehicle and driver information. Every vehicle is inspected to ensure it is roadworthy and every driver undertakes a police check, Ola said. Ola operates in seven cities across Australia with over 50,000 drivers registered on the platform and has completed over two million rides, the statement added. PTI SR ANS China on Wednesday once again declined to quantify the financial assistance it is willing to provide to Pakistan after the just-concluded visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to Beijing even as it termed his talks with top Chinese leaders "very successful". Khan visited China from November 2 to 5 during which he held talks with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang for China's help to tide over the serious economic crisis faced by cash-strapped Pakistan which included the balance of payments. During Khan's visit to Saudi Arabia last month, the Gulf Kingdom agreed to provide Pakistan USD 3 billion in the balance of payment support and additionally give oil worth USD 3 billion on deferred payment. Earlier reports from Pakistan said Beijing has committed a similar amount during Khan's visit, but Chinese officials declined to confirm it. Pakistan's Finance Minister Asad Umar who accompanied Khan said on Tuesday that China had promised at the highest level to help through an assistance package to tide over the crisis but did not reveal the amount. A team of Pakistani officials was expected to arrive here on November 9 to finalise the details. Asked for her reaction to Umar's comments and how much China has offered to Pakistan, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said Beijing would provide assistance to the best of its capacity but did not specify the amount. "Pakistan is China's all-weather partner. We enjoy a very good relationship that has been operating at a very high level," she said. "We have been offering our assistance to Pakistan within the best of our capacity. In the future, in the light of Pakistan's need and as per our mutual agreement, we will continue to offer help economically and for the betterment of people's livelihoods," she said. In his comments on Tuesday, Umar said "we had told you about the USD 12 billion financing gap, of which USD 6 billion have come from Saudi Arabia, and the rest has come from China. So the immediate balance of payments crisis of Pakistan has ended. I want to make that clear in unequivocal terms that we do not have any balance of payments crisis now." Before his visit to China, Umar had said that at present Pakistan faced a total of USD 27 billion deficit which included USD nine billion debt repayment this year. Umar's comments of China's assistance came in the backdrop of criticism in the Pakistan media that Khan has returned home empty-handed without securing the firm commitment from Beijing as it remained circumspect due his past criticism of projects of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), an ambitious project of President Xi. Some of his ministers too sounded critical of it. Pakistan has recently approached the International Monetary Fund for a bailout package and wants to minimise its loans with the international lender apprehending stringent financial conditions which included scrutiny of the confidential details of the CPEC. During Khan's visit to China, Pakistan media reported that Beijing had agreed to provide USD 6 billion in aid to the cash-strapped country which included a loan of USD 1.5 billion along with an additional package of USD 3 billion for the CPEC. About the outcome of Khan's visit, Hua said, "we believe his visit is very successful". This being his first trip after he took over as Prime Minister, his talks with President Xi and Premier Li helped to establish a good working relationship, she said. "We believe our ties withstood the test of times in domestic and international changes," she said. Besides agreeing to strengthen the all-weather strategic partnership, both the countries have also agreed to expand the CPEC projects and establish strategic dialogue mechanism between their foreign ministers, she said. As Revenue pushes ahead with plans to modernise Irelands PAYE system early next year, a new survey from online accountancy software firm Big Red Cloud has found that confidence in the benefits of the changes to Irelands small business sector is wavering. The survey asked 100 accountants nationwide their views on the PAYE modernisation project and on how will it likely to impact their small business clients. Findings indicate that 55% of accountants surveyed felt their clients were not prepared at all. The survey found that 39% of accountants expect that smaller businesses will find it hard for the first 12 months but will benefit from the changes in the long run. Seventy four percent plan to open up service offerings to include payroll to more business clients and 40% believe that Revenue could be doing more to help with the preparatory work behind the scenes. Speaking of the findings, CEO of Big Red Cloud, Marc O Dwyer said, "Accountants are the valued and trusted advisors to thousands of small businesses around the country which make them well-placed to provide insightful information on whats going on for these businesses and on how prepared, or otherwise, they are for the January 1st deadline. While it appears that most businesses are not yet ready for these changes, whats more concerning is that 60% of our survey respondents believe that small businesses will, in the main, be disadvantaged by the changes." He added, "The rationale behind changing a system that was first implemented almost 60 years ago is easy to understand the workplace is no longer the same place it was, and as such the processes and procedures associated with it should adapt accordingly. Larger organisations will have to fall in line with the changes, but they will have the resources to do this. Its the smaller businesses often the lifeblood of communities the length and breadth of the country - that may struggle." Source: www.businessworld.ie Ryanair has reached an agreement with German union Verdi relating to pay and conditions for cabin crew that will be put to workers for approval next Tuesday, the Irish budget airline said on Thursday. Ryanair has been hit by a series of strikes across Europe despite bowing to pressure to recognize unions for the first time almost a year ago. The two-year Collective Labour Agreement covers all the airline's cabin crew based in Germany and confirms the application of German labor law and includes pay increases and other benefits, Ryanair said. Verdi, which represents about 1,000 Ryanair cabin crew in Germany, said the agreement would only become final once its members had been able to vote on it. "After nearly a year of negotiation, Verdi sees the preliminary agreement as a step toward improving the working conditions of workers and their salaries," it said in a statement, adding it would comment on details of the agreement once it had been finalized. Ryanair said last month it hoped to reach deals with all of its major unions by Christmas, seeking to end disruptions which have hit its profit and shares. Verdi said it still saw it as problematic that Ryanair does not allow its employees to form works councils and called on lawmakers to introduce new rules for the sector as a whole. The airline also said its Italian cabin crew have voted overwhelmingly to accept a three-year deal reached with their three main cabin crew unions in September. "We are pleased to sign this CLA agreement with Verdi, which will lead to pay improvements and other benefits for our German based cabin crew, subject to them voting in favor of this agreement over the coming week," Ryanair's Chief People Officer, Eddie Wilson, said in a statement. "These are further concrete signs of the substantial progress Ryanair is making in concluding agreements with our people and their unions in many different EU countries." Ryanair has also signed new recognition agreements with cabin crew unions in Greece and Sweden and will start work with these unions on deals to cover cabin crew in those countries. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie The findings of a nationally representative survey recently conducted by iReach highlight the pessimism of Irish people about the current state of housing and homelessness. The results also demonstrate a lack of faith from the public in the Governments approach to the issue. Sixty six percent of people were not confident that Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphys most recent plan would be a successful mechanism to combat problems in the housing market. Under the proposal set to come into effect next June, landlords will be banned from renting properties on Airbnb in areas of high housing demand. Furthermore, only 10% of respondents answered that the Government is doing sufficient work in ending the housing crisis, with 46% of the population who dont think that housing and homelessness are among the Governments priorities. The most popular potential solution to tackle the housing crisis among all tested demographics is that of increasing housing supply building more accommodation (68%), with stricter rent controls (52%) also seen as a viable option alongside more co-operation with local authorities (53%). The report finds that 53% of those asked feel that the Take Back The City housing protest organisation has been successful in raising questions about the Irish property sector. The Connacht/Ulster the region views this question most favourably, with 62% believing in the groups success. Notably, only 28% of people agree with the occupation of private or public property as a form if demonstration, a method used frequently by the organization in recent months. Of older adults, 64% disagree with such occupations as a means of protest. Source: www.businessworld.ie Last night, Dublins South William Street was announced the winner of the Great Street Award during the 2019 Urbanism Awards in London. The street was shortlisted with other streets Argyle Street in Glasgow and Kirkgate in Leeds. South William Street was proposed by the Dublin City Architects office and the application was supported by DublinTown. DublinTown was asked to assist in preparing the application and in making arrangements for the assessment visit. For the application they used their own research, footfall data and analysis. They also worked with the Dublin City Architects to plan the assessment visit. This visit, in September 2018, included guided tours of the street and key buildings, as well as introductions and interviews with a wide range of businesses on the street such as the Powerscourt Centre, the Irish Georgian Society, Grogans Pub, Aspire Digital, Taste Food Co and Platform 61. Speaking last night, DublinTown CEO Richard Guiney said, "We feel that South William Street is a shining example of what can be achieved when businesses work together to achieve a shared vision in cooperation with a supportive City Council. I want to pay special thanks to those businesses who took the time to meet with the assessors during their visit. Their pride and passion for their street was evident to all. We look forward to seeing the area develop further with the planned improvements outlined in the Grafton Area plan." Source: www.businessworld.ie China Telecoms win comes as Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has made strengthening business ties with Beijing his top foreign policy priority. Photo: VCG * Winning consortium is committed to investing $4.9 billion over five years, domestic media reported * The wireless network will be one of the few operated by a Chinese carrier outside its home market A consortium led by the parent of China Telecom has been granted a provisional license to run the Philippines third telecom network, a win analysts said was born from the political advantage of good ties between the two countries. On Wednesday, the National Telecommunications Commission of the Philippines awarded the countrys third wireless carrier license to a consortium called Mislatel, which consists of the state-controlled China Telecommunications Corp., as well as two units controlled by local tycoon Dennis Uy Udenna Corp. and its subsidiary Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corp. Foreign companies that previously expressed interest, including South Koreas KT Corp., Vietnams Viettel and Norways Telenor, had dropped out of the running. Two rival bids from local companies were rejected for being incomplete, Reuters reported. China Telecoms win comes as Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has made strengthening business ties with Beijing his top foreign policy priority. Duterte has repeatedly expressed a desire for a Chinese telecom firm to enter the Southeast Asian country, which is notorious for its poor networks. The network will be one of the few operated by a Chinese carrier outside its home market. China is actively pushing its infrastructure specialists to make such moves under the Belt and Road Initiative, specifically encouraging companies to seek projects in developing markets like the Philippines. The deal was likely politically motivated and supported by the (Chinese) central government as part of the Belt and Road Initiative, said Chris Lane, an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., based in Hong Kong. The Philippines interest in accepting Chinese investment in its sensitive telecom space was first reported last November during a visit to the country by Premier Li Keqiang. It was then that President Rodrigo Duterte invited China to establish a third carrier. The Philippines is already home to incumbent carriers PLDT Inc. and Globe Telecom Inc. Subsequent reports in December cited Duterte as saying that China Telecom, the smallest of Chinas three big state-run carriers, had been selected to explore the project. China Telecom is currently having a preliminary study on the investment opportunity in the Philippines and no concrete plan has been determined yet, China Telecom told Caixin in December. It did not provide any additional information, including a timetable or the potential size or cost of a network it might build. In a statement issued Thursday to Caixin, the Mislatel consortium said its no less grateful to the NTC (National Telecommunications Commission) for carefully reviewing all the entries and presenting a historic opportunity to provide the best telecommunications services that Filipinos have been aspiring for. The consortium said its confident that Udennas supply chain and knowledge of local industries will complement the technology and telecommunications expertise of China Telecom. It added that Chelsea Logistics will be able to speed up the development of the network with its expertise in logistics and distribution. According to local news outlet the Manila Standard, Mislatel is committed to investing 257 billion pesos ($4.9 billion) over five years, with 150 billion pesos to be spent during the networks first year of operation. The group aims to provide internet speeds of up to 27 megabits per second (Mbps) and cover 34% of the population in the first year. It aims for 55 Mbps and 84% coverage in five years. Contact reporter Jason Tan (jasontan@caixin.com) Last autumn and winter, Chinas central government set ambitious targets for transitioning millions of households from using coal for heating to using liquid natural gas (LNG) or electricity instead in 28 cities, including Beijing, Tianjin, and cities in Hebei province and surrounding areas. But the coal-to-gas and coal-to-electric projects left many residents shivering last year due to gas shortages and problems with constructing adequate pipelines and power grids. The high price of the alternative energy sources also drew complaints. In 2018, the push to move away from household use of coal part of Chinas efforts to curb pollution has continued. According to an action plan released by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, a further 3.62 million households in Beijing, Tianjin, and the provinces of Hebei, Shanxi, Shandong, and Henan were required to make the switch by the end of October. Hebei alone aims to complete the change for 1.8 million households this year. Baoding, a city in Hebei about 90 miles southwest of Beijing, aims to transition 250,000 households away from coal, of which 28,000 will change to using electricity for heating, and 222,000 will switch to LNG. The citys southern Qingyuan district is a microcosm of the coal-to-gas and coal-to-electric project. Qingyuan is a traditional agricultural area of 867 square kilometers (335 square miles) and is home to 600,000 people across a number of small villages. Last year, the district completed coal replacements in 53,876 households, and began but did not complete the work in 66,096 households. In early November, Caixin visited several townships in Qingyuan to see the progress of the project. LNG, electricity are not enough to stay warm At the beginning of November, Wuluohou village in Qingyuan had a power outage nearly every day. The power grid was being rebuilt to handle the growing number of residents required to rely on electricity to heat their homes from late October to the end of March. However, in order to complete the switch, Wuluohou villagers must buy their own indoor heating equipment. Most houses in the village are about 120 square meters (1,292 square feet), usually with a courtyard, two bedrooms, a living room and a kitchen. This requires a six-piece heating and cooling machine that costs 2,880 yuan ($416) after a government subsidy a high price for a village with an average monthly income of 5,000 yuan. In Chengzhong village, a resident surnamed Li told Caixin that his family switched to LNG for heating last year. During that winter, the temperature in his house was 14 to 15 degrees Celsius (57 to 59 degrees Fahrenheit), a full 3 degrees Celsius (5.4 degrees Fahrenheit) lower than when they burned coal. They spent 2,258 yuan on LNG over four months. Li told Caixin that with a monthly income of 3,000 yuan, it is just too expensive to use gas for heating. We dont dare raise the temperature. Another villager, surnamed Qi, in Chengzhong told Caixin that his house was 14 or 15 degrees in winter, colder than when they burned coal. However, he added that the switch is good for the air, and we get blue skies and white clouds. Many villagers told Caixin that they had kept their coal stoves, and they are still burning coal this winter, buying 1 metric ton of blue coal, a type of clean coal also known as anthracite, for 900 yuan. There were also many illegal sales of dirtier coal, although the price has risen, from 760 to 780 yuan per metric ton. Simply too expensive The high price of the equipment alone was enough to make villagers despondent, but then came the electricity bills. Previously, the villagers could burn coal 24 hours per day during the winter, spending under 1,000 yuan for an entire winter of warmth. However, a household with a six-piece heater consumes 4.4 kilowatts (kW) of electricity per hour and 106 kW per day. With prices at 0.3 yuan per kilowatt-hour between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. and 0.55 yuan per kilowatt-hour from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., the cost quickly adds up, reaching about 5,400 yuan over four months. With government subsidies covering a maximum of 1,200 yuan, households must pay 4,200 yuan for their electricity in winter double the price of coal, and less effective at keeping houses warm. But beyond complaints that gas is less effective, it is not clear if local governments can afford the subsidies they are offering. Between subsidies for new heating equipment, electricity, and LNG, the district could be expected to pay 70 million yuan to its residents. In 2016, Qingyuan districts fiscal revenue was 1.14 billion yuan. Li and Qi from Chengzhong village have not been reimbursed for their LNG purchases last year. From December to March last year, Li bought LNG three times, a total of 1,415 cubic meters (49,970 cubic feet), of which they used 941 over the four months, costing 2,258 yuan. In theory, Lis gas should be subsidized at a rate of 1 yuan per cubic meter, but he hasnt yet been reimbursed. Qi spent 3,084 yuan on LNG last winter, but also has not received the 1,200-yuan subsidy he expected. In another village in Qingyuan, a man surnamed Hu told Caixin that last year he burned through 5,000 yuan in natural gas to keep warm, over twice the cost of coal. He, too, has not yet received his subsidies, and is worried that another shortage will cause the supply of gas to stop. This year, the demand for gas during the heating season in Hebei is over 10.5 billion cubic meters, 3.4 billion more than last year. It is hoped that the supply this year will be enough to satisfy the growing demand. In July, local newspaper Baoding Daily released a statement from the Central Environment Protection Inspection group reprimanding the city for failing to successfully transfer its residents to electricity and gas. Due to the poor heating effectiveness of electric heaters, many residents in villages and communities that have completed the coal-to-electricity conversion still used coal-fired heating stoves for their heating, it read. The statement ordered Qingyuan to improve its efficiency and find alternative sources of clean energy to ensure heating requirements. Contact reporter Ren Qiuyu (qiuyuren@caixin.com) State-owned energy giants PetroChina Co. Ltd. and China Petroleum and Chemical Corp. (Sinopec) announced in Shanghai this week crude oil supply contracts worth around $40 billion. PetroChina and its subsidiaries announced on the sidelines of the first China International Import Expo on Wednesday that they had signed cooperation deals with 17 international companies including with U.S. company Honeywell International Inc. and state-owned Middle Eastern giants Saudi Arabian Oil Co. (Saudi Aramco) and Kuwait Petroleum Corp. with the total value of the contracts about $29.2 billion. The specific projects and supply volumes involved in the contracts were not made public. However, industry insiders expected the deals with the two Middle Eastern companies to continue at the same levels as in 2018, according to Reuters. Sinopec held its own signing event a day earlier, announcing 17 new contract agreements worth around $11.3 billion with companies also including Saudi Aramco and Kuwait Petroleum for 16 kinds of oil. China overtook the U.S. as the worlds top crude oil importer last year, importing an overage of 8.4 million barrels per day compared to 7.9 million barrels per day for the U.S., according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Its dependence on imported crude oil is set to rise from 65.6% in 2016 to around 80% in 2030, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Despite its growing demand, geopolitical tensions appear to be forcing Chinas oil majors to find new suppliers of crude oil. The U.S. exempted Chinas imports of Iranian oil when it reimposed sanctions on Iran earlier this week, but the threat of sanctions alone has led Chinas imports from Iran to fall from a likely peak of 791,000 barrels per day in August down to an expected 580,000 in November, according to S&P Global Platts. PetroChina and Sinopec recorded strong profit growth in the third quarter of this year as rising global oil prices and strong growing domestic demand contributed toward healthy returns. PetroChina saw a net profit of 21.04 billion yuan ($3.04 billion) and Sinopec 23.6 billion yuan, according to their filings with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Contact reporter Ke Dawei (daweike@caixin.com) Residents of a port city in China are complaining that a recent chemical spill is poisoning their bodies and their fisheries but local governments say water quality is now back to normal. Nearly seven metric tons of C9 aromatic hydrocarbon a substance frequently used as a solvent in paint and rubber products were released into the water early Sunday at a petrochemical terminal in Southeast Chinas Fujian province. At the terminal owned by Fujian Donggang Petrochemical in the city of Quanzhou a pipe reportedly broke while the material was being transferred onto a chemical tanker. By Sunday evening, almost all of the affected water had been cleaned up after an effort involving over 100 vessels and more than 600 people, the local government of Quangang district, Quanzhou, said in a statement. But local residents, especially in Xiaocuo village near the site of the spill, told Caixin the government had not responded appropriately to the incident and that their fishing community faces poisoning and destroyed equipment. Multiple villagers said the government had not warned people to stay away from the water on Sunday, and that local fishermen, instead of professionals, had to clean up the area themselves using government-issued absorbent materials. Previously, after a typhoon, the police and border guards would all send people down to close off the pier, one villager told Caixin. No one would be allowed to enter, and the boats would get pulled up one by one. This time, something so poisonous was spilled, but no measures were taken. Villagers also complained about a strong smell in the air, which was noticed even days after the spill. Today the weather was good and the odor was released under the hot sun. Its awfully smelly, another local told Caixin on Wednesday. He said his father had been admitted to Quangang Hospital on Monday, after he started vomiting and his hands began cramping up and swelling. The doctor said it was gas poisoning, he told Caixin. Other villagers reported similar symptoms, especially among older men working at the areas fisheries. They also reported that plastic equipment at the fisheries had been corroded after the spill. Pictures provided to Caixin on Wednesday showed fishing rafts with plastic undersides that appeared to have partially dissolved. Aromatic hydrocarbons floating on the surface of the sea can break down when exposed to sunlight, releasing toxic pollutants, which can cause vomiting and cramping in humans, Fang Sixin, the chief physician at the Hefei Disease Prevention and Control Center in Anhui province, told Caixin. But Fang said that Xiaocuo residents would need to undergo tests before any cases of poisoning could be confirmed. According to the Quangang district environmental protection bureau, the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the air was at a safe level on Sunday. But, when contacted by Caixin, the bureau refused to disclose the exact location where it had tested the air or its criteria for determining safety levels, saying that because the standard had been met, there was no need to continue testing. Preliminary investigations showed that a connector on the hose used by Fujian Donggang had deteriorated due to age, causing the spill, the bureau said in a statement. Contact reporter Teng Jing Xuan (jingxuanteng@caixin.com) Another top Chinese official called for stepping up credit support for the private sector as Chinas economic expansion slowed to its weakest pace since the financial crisis. Although the private sector accounts for more than 60% of the economy, it receives only 25% of the loans, Guo Shuqing, chairman of the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC), said in an interview published Wednesday in a state-run newspaper. In the long term, banks credit support for private enterprise should match the private sectors share of the national economy, Guo said. Guo suggested a goal that no less than 50% of new corporate loans go to private companies after three years. Under his proposal, at least a third of big banks new corporate loans and at least two-thirds of small and medium-sized banks new corporate loans should go to the private sector, he said. Guo also called for banks to treat state-owned and private enterprises equally and to evaluate enterprises based on their governance, risk control capability, technical development and market demand rather than their ownership and scale. Guo is the latest top government official to address the financing difficulties of private enterprises. The countrys financial authorities have already taken a series of steps to encourage banks to expand loans to the private sector and promote private companies bond issuance. On Tuesday, central bank chief Yi Gang proposed a three-pronged policy portfolio to increase bank loans, debt and equity financing for private firms. Last week, Chinas President Xi Jinping convened a symposium to hear the views of dozens of representatives from the private sector. Xi called financing difficulties, market pressure and transformation urgency the three mountains pressing on private enterprises. He pledged more measures to help cash-starved private businesses, such as tax cuts and bailout funds. The Peoples Bank of China has pumped out a net 2.3 trillion yuan ($332.60 billion) in liquidity this year by cutting banks reserve requirements four times. In addition, the central bank last month announced plans to provide 10 billion yuan to China Bond Insurance Co. as credit support for debt sales by private enterprises. That was on top of measures to add 150 billion yuan of relending and rediscount quotas targeting the financing needs of micro and small businesses, following an earlier 150 billion yuan of similar quotas issued in June. With the chorus of calls for support from top leadership, however, some worry that banks may face rising risks when expanding credit for the private sector. Zeng Gang, a researcher with the China Academy of Social Sciences, said banks still need to weigh their risks comprehensively and identify businesses with long-term development potential in line with the governments economic restructuring policy. Addressing the financing difficulties of private, small and micro enterprises cannot rely on easing risk controls or lowering credit standards, said Wang Zhaoxing, vice chairman of the CBIRC, at a media briefing Tuesday. news, latest-news Alice Fergusons voice softened when she was asked why she volunteers for Safe Shelter ACT "When you see these guys ... they have had a hard life," Ms Ferguson said. "It is a good thing for people to give. It's about sharing and mutual respect." Ms Ferguson - a retired librarian - helped write up Safe Shelter ACT's 2018 report which estimated a 30-bed shelter could meet all of Canberra's needs for overnight emergency shelter. The report also found a doubling of demand for beds as the shelters network started operating seven nights a week in 2018. Safe Shelter ACT is run out of three Canberra churches: St Columba's Uniting Church and the Salvation Army Canberra City Corps in Braddon and All Saints Anglican Church in Ainslie. It offers free overnight emergency shelter for men throughout Canberra's winter. There are at least eight beds available each night with the shelters splitting the open nights between them. But as summer rolls in, Ms Ferguson said the shelter will have to shut its doors as the organisation believes it will be hard to maintain a solid network of volunteers over the holidays. Her report indicated the shelter would need to maintain 85 active volunteers each month to run the service. Ms Ferguson said they were looking to extend their operating season but during summer she said Canberra's homeless had no emergency shelter. Theyve got nowhere to go, she said. The report also shows the stories behind some of the men needing a bed: kicked out of foster homes or unable to connect with refugee support groups and one man even being robbed of his only jacket. Ms Ferguson said one man even travelled from the NSW South Coast; he had been sleeping in his car before he learned about the service. The shelter only had to turn away three men this winter and had to go over capacity at times. The report also said a 15-bed shelter could meet inner-north Canberra's shelter needs, and by that estimate, a 30-bed shelter could meet all of the capital's needs. The shelter network's 2018 season, which runs through Canberra's winter from April to September, saw a doubling in demand from 379 bed nights in 2017 to 743 in 2018. These numbers don't reflect the total number of men using the shelter but the amount of beds used each night during winter. The report showed 21 guests stayed continuously, some for months, blaming government policies, court orders or employment issues. Of the 95 total guests who used Safe Shelter ACT this year, 50 stayed for a few days and never returned. Ms Ferguson said some had needed shelter as they waited for more permanent accommodation while others saw circumstances change or connected with other services. Ms Ferguson said the trick to the shelters network was simplicity and consistency. They provided hot soup, crackers and some tea. Meals mean a whole lot of legislation; theres all sorts of regulations, Ms Ferguson said. The secret is we keep things simple and thats why this works. The shelter trained 164 volunteers to run the shelters in 2018 with 70 of them returning from previous years. The volunteers get a lot out of this, she said. I find it such a huge responsibility. Ms Ferguson said she and the other volunteers got a lot out of it but she remembered a story she head from a priest. The priest had offered his jacket to a man sleeping rough on Marcus Clarke Street but the man turned it down. The priest realised hed only done that to feel good about himself. It shows how important it is for us human beings to understand each others dignity, she said. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/35561501-0df5-4f6f-9ffe-99797473a135/r0_355_6720_4152_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news Canberra's northern suburbs are set to become home to a permanent, world-leading household drone delivery service, Fairfax Media can reveal. Tech company Wing, which is trialling drone deliveries of food and chemist supplies in Tuggeranong, has secured a warehouse in Mitchell as a full-time base for its service. It plans to initially offer deliveries to homes and businesses in nearby Gungahlin, Palmerston, Harrison, Crace and Franklin, with a long-term view of operating flights throughout Canberra, as well as other cities and towns across Australia. Plans for the permanent delivery service - which Wing is spruiking as a world first - come after the ACT Assembly last week agreed to launch an inquiry into the Bonython trial, which has been plagued by community angst over noise, privacy concerns and a perceived lack of government and regulatory oversight. Wing chief executive James Ryan Burgess said the US-based company reviewed a number of potential locations before selecting the warehouse site on Vickers Street, Mitchell. "We decided to invest in our first ever ongoing operation in Canberra because it's a growing, innovative city and Canberrans have a reputation as early adopters of new technology," Mr Burgess said. Mr Burgess said the company had started the process of obtaining approvals from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority to fly in Canberra's northern suburbs. However, an authority spokesman said it had only signalled its "intent" to apply for permission to operate the service. Delivery drones have flown in other parts of the world, but Mr Burgess said Wing's permanent Canberra home would be "the first location of its kind with the world's most advanced drone delivery service". He said residents within the planned delivery range would be consulted in the coming weeks, prior to the commencement of any flights. Businesses in the industrial suburbs had already expressed interest in having their goods delivered via the drones, he said. Mexican food chain Guzman y Gomez, Chemist Warehouse and Bunnings have participated in the trial. "Our long-term location in Mitchell will allow us to work with a lot more local businesses, and we've talked to quite a few that are really excited about the opportunity," Mr Burgess said. Wing, an off-shoot of Google's parent company Alphabet, last year tested the technology in Royalla and Googong, NSW, before launching the Bonython trial in July. It has faced constant opposition from some local residents, who have bombarded the ACT government and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority with complaints about noisy flights and perceived deficiencies in the processes surrounding the approval and regulation of the service. Federal Canberra MP Gai Brodtmann last month called for an independent review of the trial after being swamped with negative feedback, before the ACT Assembly voted on Thursday to establish a parliamentary inquiry into delivery drones. The inquiry will examine the Bonython trial, as well as the possible economic benefits and environmental impacts of household drone deliveries in the territory. Gungahlin Community Council president Peter Elford has met with Wing representatives, who he said were due to speak at next Wednesday's council meeting. Mr Elford said the council currently had no formal position on drone deliveries, but urged Wing to take heed of the lessons from the Bonython trial. A spokesman for Planning Minister Mick Gentleman said all MLAs were advised last week that Wing was seeking a permanent location, which would not be in Bonython. "Although fundamentally the purchase or use of land by Wing is a matter for them as a private business, the ACT government of course welcomes business investment in Canberra. This proposed investment is another sign of confidence in the ACT economy," the spokesman said. "Like all other businesses, in order to operate from any site, Wing would need to meet all the necessary legal and regulatory requirements of the territory and/or Commonwealth." The Bonython trial, to end in February, had been an "opportunity for government, business and the community to learn more about this new technology". "Like any trial, there has been both positive and negative experiences from the community with the service and, following the advice provided to all MLAs, the government understands this has been taken on board by the Wing team," the spokesman said, adding that Wing had delivered more than 2000 packages to hundreds of participants in Bonython and the company was "exploring their drone design with a view to making them quieter." /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/359bd397-bcab-4856-bcf6-1589ba6cefb2/r0_100_2000_1230_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact. Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here. Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing. You are our people. You Care. We Care2. Discussion Maintaining intensively scheduled SIAs with high overall quality indicators has been associated with the trend of decreasing WPV1 cases in Pakistan. At the same time, AFP surveillance and environmental surveillance sampling indicate the persistence of WPV1 transmission in 2018 in three key reservoirs. WPV1 transmission in those reservoirs will not be interrupted without fully addressing low SIA quality and weak routine immunization services in specific Union Councils. Despite advances over previous years, parental refusals of OPV vaccination have increased and pose a substantial challenge to reaching all children in core WPV reservoir areas (4). To address this growing trend, an aggressive communication strategy has been implemented through traditional and social media as well as targeted engagement with communities and their opinion leaders. The main factors contributing to mounting refusals have been the recent rapid spread of misconceptions about overall vaccine safety and efficacy and demand for basic services other than polio vaccination (e.g., clean water, maternal health services, and adult health needs) in marginalized urban communities. Frontline vaccinators are the key to reaching caregivers in households, and with enhanced communications messages, they can better counter these increasing vaccine refusals. Polio eradication partners are working with development agencies to address the demand for basic services in critical areas within the reservoirs. Mass cross-border population movements from Afghanistan and internal migrant populations within Pakistan pose a challenge to vaccinating children. Although progress has been made in identifying and tracking mobile populations at high risk and vaccinating children at permanent transit points on major routes, these strategies can be further enhanced to overcome current challenges (e.g., refusals and failure to address travel in all directions by some teams). In 2018, as of September 18, a total of 13 WPV1 cases have been reported in neighboring Afghanistan. The geographic locations of these cases are in two major cross-border migration areas between Afghanistan and Pakistan, forming corridors into each country: the Northern Corridor includes KP-TD Province in Pakistan, and the Southern Corridor includes Balochistan (5). Genetic sequencing data from environmental isolates indicate that the WPV1 found in Pakistan has also been detected in neighboring provinces in Afghanistan. Genomic sequence analysis of WPV1 isolated from patients with AFP has also shown linked cross-border transmission. For several years, the two countries have been fully synchronizing SIAs and conducting regular bilateral meetings through respective national and provincial Emergency Operation Centers to share data on migrant movements; however, efforts to improve bilateral coordination must be further pursued to ensure optimal vaccination of migrant populations. Ending WPV1 transmission in Pakistan will require continuing overall high-quality SIAs and improving routine immunization services. It will also require assessing and augmenting supplemental and routine vaccination activities in poor-performing Union Councils in each reservoir. HeidelbergCement reports rise in revenues and earnings for 3Q18 ICR Newsroom By 08 November 2018 HeidelbergCement saw a 7.2 per cent rise in revenues to EUR4.943bn in 3Q18 from EUR4.61bn in the year-ago period. EBITDA fell 6.3 per cent to EUR750m in July-September 2018 from EUR800m in July-September 2017 while net profit increased by 12 per cent to EUR580m from EUR518m in the year-ago period. HeidelbergCement reported a five per cent rise in cement and clinker sales to 35.1Mt in the third quarter of 2018 from 33.4Mt in 3Q17. Following adjustment for the disposal of its US white cement business, the deconsolidation of the business in Georgia and the acquisition of Cementir Italia, sales advanced by six per cent, according to the company. While volumes rose above average in emerging countries, harsh weather in Texas, the Midwest and the northeast of the USA impacted on the North American growth rate. Deliveries of aggregates edged up by one per cent to 87.7Mt (previous year: 86.6Mt). With the exception of Africa-Eastern Mediterranean Basin, all group areas recorded increasing volumes. Deliveries of ready-mixed concrete also advanced in all group areas, rising by four per cent to 12.9Mm3 (previous year: 12.4Mm3). Asphalt sales volumes improved by five per cent to 3.4Mt when compared with 3.2Mt in the year-ago period, owing to the positive development of demand in the UK and in California as well as consolidation effects in the northwest of the USA and Australia. Excluding consolidation effects, sales volumes came in slightly above last years level. 9M18 results Group revenues in the first nine months of 2018 edged up by 2.9 per cent YoY to EUR13.375bn from EUR13.004bn in the previous years period. Excluding consolidation and exchange rate effects, the group noted a 7.4 per cent increase in revenues. EBITDA contracted by 7.4 per cent to EUR2.227m in 9M18 from EUR2.405bn in 9M17, primarily due to the negative exchange rate effects of EUR121m and changes to the scope of consolidation of EUR-22m. The company attributes a decline of EUR36m in operational terms mainly to a rise in material costs. The result from current operations fell by 10.6 per cent to EUR1.411bn with exchange rate effects of EUR-86m and changes to the scope of consolidation of EUR-31m as key drivers in this reduction. Profit before tax from continuing operations deteriorated by EUR4m to EUR1.287bn (previous year: EUR1.291bn). Net profit for the period totals EUR1.016bn, up considerably from EUR880m in the 9M17. In terms of its operating regions and its cement business, the Western and Southern Europe Group area reported a 5.6 per cent rise in cement volumes to 23Mt in the first nine months of 2018. The increase is mainly attributable to the newly-included cement activities of Cementir in Italy as well as increased volumes in France and Spain. In Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands and the UK, volumes remained slightly below the year-ago level. In the Northern and Eastern Europe-Central Asia group area cement and clinker deliveries fell 2.7 per cent to 19.3Mt as a result of consolidation. Excluding the effects of deconsolidation in Georgia, sales volumes were up 3.7 per cent. Growth in Swedish and Icelandic volumes did not fully offset losses booked in Norway and Denmark, which resulted in an overall decline of volumes in the northern European countries. Eastern Europe and central Asia also presented a mixed bag. Volumes fell in Bulgaria, Ukraine and Russia, while the market in Romania remained stable. In the Czech Republic and Poland gains were made while in Greece and Kazakhstan deliveries also rose YoY. Cement sales volumes in North America decreased 1.7 per cent YoY to 12.1Mt in the first nine months. Excluding the consolidation effects from the purchase of a cement plant and the sale of the white cement business,s ales volumes exceeded marginally by 0.2 per cent when compared with the year-ago period. High demand on the west coast of Canada drove volumes for the country while a lively construction market, particularly in California, supported the considerable growth in volumes in the region. In the south volumes recovered after an initial drop due to bad weather early in the year but the effects of inclement weather in the winter, spring and September persisted in the 9M18 results. In Asia-Pacific cement and clinker deliveries advanced by 7.8 per cent to 27.3Mt when compared with 25.3Mt in 9M17. Indocement saw its volumes rise by 6.6 per cent while in India infrastructure demand drove a rise in cement and clinker deliveries for the Group. However, pricing pressure in the south persisted. The second quarter saw the signs of a market recovery in Thailand and as a result, by the end of the nine-month period, HeidelbergCement was able to record a slight increase in deliveries. In Bangladesh the group also reported a pleasing increase. Cement and clinker volumes of the Africa-Eastern Mediterranean Basin Group area grew by 6.5 per cent YoY to 14.9Mt. In most countries south of the Sahara, we recorded considerable increases in volumes thanks to lively construction activity. Ghana, Tanzania, and Sierra Leone made particularly strong contributions to this growth in sales volumes. In Ghana, our main market, our deliveries benefited from the strong demand particularly from residential construction. We also recorded pleasing increases in sales volumes in Benin, Liberia, Mozambique, and particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, said HeidelbergCement in a statement. However, deliveries in Togo were modestly down YoY. North African countries also recorded a moderate growth in volumes. The considerable increase in Egypt offset the slight dip in Morocco. Published under Democratic socialism is on the rise in America, inspired by Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential run and recent midterm victories by outspoken advocates such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib. But while the movement emphasizes popular vs. state control, glazing socialist rhetoric with democratic and communitarian vocabulary, how different is the movement from socialist manifestations of the past? What might it portend for the future of the American economy and broader society? In a new report, The Opportunity Costs of Socialism, the Trump administrations Council of Economic Advisors explores these questions, assessing the economic implications and opportunity costs of socialism, whether in its more extreme manifestations (e.g. Venezuela) or softer market-based variations (e.g. Norway, Sanders). When it comes to the latest American variety, the report concludes that, while not as extreme in scope or severity, many of the costs are rather similar to experiments of the past. The historical evidence suggests that the socialist program for the U.S. would make shortages, or otherwise degrade quality, of whatever product or service is put under a public monopoly, the report concludes. The pace of innovation would slow, and living standards generally would be lower. These are the opportunity costs of socialism from a modern American perspective. Led by economist Kevin Hassett, the CEAs supporting analysis includes the following (see the full report for more): A large body of evidence shows how the high tax rates, state monopolies, and centralized control of socialism disincentivize effort and innovation and substantially reduce the quantity and quality of a nations output. This evidence includes before/after estimates of the consequences of nationalizing agriculture, and later privatizing it; commentary and interpretation from survivors of highly socialist policies; before/after estimates of the effects of a socialist takeover of the oil industry; cross-country relationships between economic freedom, GDP per worker, and other macroeconomic variables; comparisons of the rates of return between free and tuition-paid colleges; comparisons of conditional mortality between the U.S. and single-payer countries; and application of a broad body of economic literature on the effects of raising tax rates. Critics of the report, such as Voxs Dylan Matthews, have expressed confusion at the ideological and historical connections it weavesparticularly its discussions of oppressive leaders such as Stalin and Mao within the context of democratic socialism. A major portion of the report is devoted to arguing that collectivized agriculture does not work, Matthews observes, a point readily conceded by just about everybody to the right of Pol Pot. Such statements are meant in playful mockery, of course, but they say more about the blind spots of the American left (and beyond) than they do about the recklessness of the report. The CEA is open and honest about the differences between socialist movements, but its also just as bold about the overlap in ideology and implications. For example, the discussion on collectivized agriculture bears plenty of lessons for our present predicament, just not where Matthews expects. The CEA does not expect that socialist policies would cause food shortages in the United States, because socialists are no longer proposing to nationalize food production, the report concludes. Rather, the historical experience with agriculture is relevant because it involved economic disincentives, central planning, and a state monopoly over a sector that was large when socialism was introducedsimilar to healthcare today. Americas democratic socialists are certainly unique in that they do not reject the market outrightchoosing instead to re-tool and re-brand their preferences for top-down control amid the successes of capitalism. Democratic socialists understand that their collective utopia cannot function without the information and performance generated by private markets, writes Richard Epstein at the Hoover Institution, responding to the report. Bold words notwithstanding, they sense that the abolition of all private property is a step too far. So they try to chip away at this structure in the search of higher equity. Thus, Epstein continues, we find a peculiar variety of soft socialism and market-based collectivism, which is no less authoritarian in its basic conceits and impulses: Elizabeth Warren has a hair-brain scheme to make corporations more accountable by allowing government officials to appoint some fraction of their members, without explaining how any director can simultaneously owe fiduciary dutiesthe highest legal obligation to act in the best interest of a party, and the rule that keeps our corporate law going to parties with adverse interests. Bernie Sanders constantly pushes Medicare for all and free college tuition for all without ever understanding that with a price of zero dollars, supply and demand will be perpetually out of whack. Consumer demand explodes with the promise of free goodies, while the supply of goods and services shrinks given the want of revenue to cover wages and capital expenditures. When public price or wage controls ensure that supply will necessarily outstrip demands, only two responses, in tandem, occur. Queues form and quality declines. In each example, were bound to see those same opportunity costs of slowed innovation and lower living standards. Though they surely wont be equaled by the bitter fruits of pure socialism, they are still significant and sweeping. Further, they sow seeds in the soil of the broader culture with fruits that are sure to endure, which is why wed do well to also consider the human costs that lie behind these sorts of surface-level outcomes and variables. Before and beyond the slow and soft disintegration of wealth and property, innovation and ownership, is at stake? At a deeper human levelat the levels of human creativity, relationship, and creativitywhats at risk with the increasing micro-management of corporate ownership structures and the subsidization and consolidation of industries and workplaces? Even if the market or democracy arent being directly dismantled or entirely snuffed or shut down for the sake of Venezuela-style economic control, the social and relational ripple-effects of interventionist policies will mirror the economic ones. The opportunity costs will be material, but first and foremost because theyre also social and spiritual. Whatever the caseand whatever we think about the definition of socialismdemocratic or populist or market-based or otherwisethis ought to be at the forefront of our consideration: fighting obstacles to authentic individual creativity, free human exchange and relationship, and whatever ideological projects seek to replace them. Image: Gage Skidmore / Bernie Sanders (CC BY-SA 2.0) China to increase its imports from Pakistan: Abdul Razak Dawood ISLAMABAD: China has agreed to increase its imports from Pakistan to $2.2 billion by end of 2018-19 from the existing level of $1.2bn and to $3.2bn by end of next fiscal year, Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce, Industry and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood said on Wednesday. He was addressing a joint press briefing along with Minister for Planning, Development and Reform Khusro Bakhtiar. We wanted China to give Pakistan market access and increase tariff lines with similar conditions that it had offered to Bangladesh and member countries of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), the adviser said. Keeping in view the lengthy process of amending the priority list tariff lines between the two countries, Chinese Premier Li had assured the Pakistani side to enhance its imports from Pakistan immediately, he added. On the occasion, the adviser said that media was misquoting Minister for Finance Asad Umar by reporting that the countrys exports would be doubled within the current year. In fact, the finance minister had said that Pakistans export to China would be doubled by end of current year. Mr Dawood said the government and private sector must identify potential areas including textile, leather, agriculture, surgical goods, and light engineering for enhancing exports to China. The adviser said that unless export culture flourishes in the country, the current account deficit issue cannot be addressed on a permanent basis. We cannot pay debt by borrowing more. The government, he said, was determined to facilitate local industry to enhance exports and to provide proper facilitation at the ports. Mr Dawood underlined the need to develop and promote local industrial sectors on modern lines to produce competitive products. On the occasion, the planning minister said that during the recent visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to China, the two sides signed agreements for cooperation in various sectors including agriculture and elimination of poverty from the country. He said the scope of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) had also been enhanced. Development of the mega-project has now entered into the second phase which is industrial cooperation, he added. The minister said that he would be visiting China in December to attend the annual Joint Coordination Committee on CPEC in Beijing where further breakthrough is expected. Mr Bakhtiar said the previous governments had not paid attention to the development of Gwadar port and city. However this government is giving top priority to the port and citys development, he said. Dr Aafia Siddiqui issue raised with Alice Wells: Shah Mehmood Qureshi Pakistan has raised the issue of Dr Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist and mother of three jailed in the US for almost a decade, with Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Alice Wells who visited Islamabad this week. Government of Pakistan has been raising the issue of Dr Aafia Siddiqui with US authorities regularly. Pakistans CG (consul general) in Houston pays consular visits to Dr Siddiqui periodically to inquire about her wellbeing and conveys her messages to Dr Aafias family if any, the Foreign Office said in a statement. The issue of respecting the human and legal rights of Dr Afia Siddiqui was also raised in a meeting at MoFA with Ambassador Alice Wells on November 6, it said. The US side has promised to look into our request, it added. The statement read that Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi would soon meet the sister of Dr Aafia Siddiqui in Islamabad. Dr Siddiqui has been in prison since 2010 on charges of attempted murder and assault on US military personnel during an interview with US authorities in Ghazni, charges which Siddiqui denies. She was sentenced to 86 years in prison at the Federal Medical Centre, Carswell, Fort Worth in Texas. The development comes after the neuroscientist reportedly penned a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan, requesting him to make efforts for her release. Through a new workforce development initiative, the McMinn County Economic Development Authority is resolving two critical concerns in the region: a dwindling workforce and overwhelming need for qualified workers at local manufacturing facilities. On Wednesday, the authority launched Your Skills. Your Future., a program that will provide training resources to high school graduates seeking careers in local industries including computer electronics and medical technology, among others. Over 34% of McMinn Countys workforce is employed in the manufacturing industry, and the demand for more skilled workers in the region continues to rise. At the same time, there are high school graduates who may not be suited for a four year college experience and are unaware of the available opportunities around them, said Kathy Price, executive director of McMinn County Economic Development Authority. Our goal is to raise awareness and create a pipeline of skilled workers by showing the community that a well-paying career with a successful future is easily attainable. The program was created and first implemented in Bradley County by the Cleveland-Bradley Chamber of Commerce in 2017. It was launched to help local businesses and industries meet ever-increasing demands with high school students and adults who wish to pursue technical training beyond high school without incurring significant student debt. The pilot Your Skills. Your Future. program in Bradley County was a unique collaboration led by business and manufacturing leaders, educators, students and parents, said Gary Farlow, president of the Cleveland-Bradley County Chamber of Commerce. Prior to this initiative, there wasnt a comprehensive workforce development resource like this. McMinn County is the first to adopt our program and we are pleased that there are other communities and organizations around the state that are interested in launching their own Your Skills. Your Future. programs as well. Your Skills. Your Future. is offering a wide range of resources to high school students, parents, adults and job seekers in partnership with Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT), Cleveland State Community College (CSCC), The University of Tennessee Center for Industrial Service (CIS) and the Tennessee Career Center. Our goal is to build a workforce for whatever businesses and industries need. We are very pleased that McMinn County is taking advantage of it. Within the next year, we will expand the program to include resources for those interested in information technology and health care careers. Moving forward, we will do whatever we can to provide any additional support, said Mr. Farlow. I am not in favor of the State of Tennessee spending $276 million to basically rebuild Moccasin Bend Hospital. For many years the thought was to relocate the hospital and expand the Moccasin Park to include this tract of land. Does the hospital really need 105 acres of land to operate? Could the state find another smaller site for the hospital, build a new hospital while continuing ... (click for more) Three key members of the fraud at Pilot Travel Centers against trucking companies on Wednesday got reduced sentences for their help to the government. Brian Mosher, who was given credit for being most helpful to the government, was ordered by Judge Curtis Collier to serve two years in federal prison. John "Stick" Freeman, a leader of the Pilot sales team, and office manager Vicki Borden got 30 months each. Prior to getting reductions for their help, Freeman and Mosher had guideline ranges of 51-63 months and Ms. Borden was at 30-37 months. Prosecutor Trey Hamilton recommended the reductions. Attorneys then asked for variances to further lower the sentences. However, Judge Collier denied the motions. He said, "The message has to be that if you engage in this kind of conduct there are dire consequences." Freeman and Ms. Borden must report on Jan. 7. That is when two former Pilot employees who were convicted after a trial - Scott "Scotter" Wombold and Heather Jones - also were directed to start their sentences. Former Pilot president Mark Hazelwood, who got 12 and a half years in prison after his jury conviction, must report on Nov. 30. Wombold got six years, while Ms. Jones received 33 months after the jury trial. Hazelwood and Wombold are appealing. Mosher was given until Feb. 4 so he can make arrangements for the business. Freeman and Mosher were ordered to pay fines of $100,000 each. Ms. Borden must pay a $75,000 fine. Each also has a $100 assessment. After serving their time, they will be on supervised release for two years. Prosecutor Hamilton called Mosher "one of the government's most important witnesses" in the lengthy trial against Hazelwood, Wombold and Ms. Jones. He added, "His assistance has been extremely significant." Attorney Steven Kowal, of Chicago, said Mosher had built a successful business at his hometown of Bettendorf, Iowa, and was a dedicated member of his church. He said Mosher was guilty of "rationalizing and choosing not to stop it (the fraud)." He said some Mosher friends from Bettendorf had come to support him at the sentencing. Attorney Joseph Costner of Maryville said Ms. Borden "has worked very hard her entire life," while entering the workforce after high school. He said she was not directly involved in the scheme, but did have knowledge of it and went along. He said Ms. Borden, who is 65, has had to deal with helping to raise her grandchild as well as tend to her husband, who had a brain tumor in 2008, then meningitis. He said the husband has to be continually monitored to seek to prevent a recurrence of meningitis. Attorney Costner said Ms. Borden "recognized some things were wrong and she should have called attention to them." He said she "stood ready to testify." Attorneys said the families of the defendants have stood with them following their arrests by the FBI and the subsequent embarrassment. Chattanooga attorney Roger Dickson said Freeman "started his very significant contribution on Day 1. He was a catalyst for three others to come forward and plead guilty." He said Freeman also provided documents "that were very helpful in the prosecution of Mark Hazelwood." Attorney Dickson said because Freeman stood ready to testify that limited the proof from Hazelwood and Wombold. Mosher told the judge, "I am deeply ashamed of defrauding my friends and customers. I have had countless sleepless nights over this." He said he wants to be a positive example for his seven-year-old son going forward. Freeman said, "I fully accept responsibility. I made some terrible mistakes. I chose to be dishonest with certain customers." He said he felt badly about involving co-workers at Pilot in the scheme. He asked Ms. Borden to forgive him, and he asked Judge Collier to consider no prison time for Katy Bibee, who was earlier diagnosed with breast cancer. He said there was ultra-competitiveness from the top at Pilot, and he said, "It was all about being part of the team. I lost sight of the principles I had taught my three sons when I was their coach." Ms. Borden said, "There is no one here to blame for what I did." She said she does worry about her husband's well-being while she is away. It was Mosher who taught a seminar for fellow Pilot employees on how to defraud certain trucking firms at a sales meeting break-out session. And it was Freeman, who hosted a party at his lake house where the group was secretly recorded cheering a racist country song that was being played. The Hamilton County Commission on Wednesday unanimously approved (8-0 vote) the award of $500,000 in federal grant funding to Hamilton Countys Drug Recovery Court. The approval follows the Department of Justices award of over $320 million in grant funding to combat Americas opioid crisis. I am extremely grateful that the Hamilton County Commission and Department of Justice recognized the success of our Criminal Drug Recovery Court over the past 13 years, and has voted to expand this life-changing and cost-saving program, said General Sessions Judge Alex McVeagh, who will lead the expanded Sessions Recovery Court. I am eager to fully implement and expand our Sessions Recovery Court combating the opioid epidemic and helping addicts before they continue to commit crimes, while also vastly reducing costs to Hamilton County associated with incarceration and recidivism. The Department of Justice awarded the unprecedented amount of funding during Octobers National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, with over $80 million specifically awarded to drug recovery courts across the country. Hamilton Countys Recovery Court was the sole jurisdiction in Tennessee to receive this particular grant from the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). Hamilton Countys Drug Recovery Court began in 2005 under the leadership of retired Judge Rebecca Stern and Drug Court Coordinator Dr. Elaine Kelly. Judge Tom Greenholtz took the reins of the Court in 2015, and boasts recidivism rates of only 7% in the years following a participants successful completion of the program. His program currently serves repeat felony non-violent drug offenders. Working with Judges Greenholtz and Stern in Drug Recovery Court over the years has proven that addicts can recover. With judicial supervision, structure and accountability, lives are changing, families are being reunited, and crime in our community is being reduced, said Dr. Kelly. Expanding this program into Sessions Court under the leadership of Judge McVeagh allows us to serve individuals who suffer from addiction before they become repeat felony offenders, as well as their families, and will improve their potential for success in our community. I am personally grateful for the support of the Commissioners, Judge McVeagh and Judge Greenholtz. More information about the Department of Justices recent grant awards and its efforts to combat Americas opioid crisis can be found here. Sometime ago, someone asked a country bumpkin if he had a grudge. Sure do! he replied with pride. Its big nuf fer two cars, cept thats where I keep my four-wheeler and lawn tractor. Garage, grudge. Same thing, right? Unfortunately, no. I like having a garage, especially since I have an aversion to getting into an icy car thats been sitting out in the freezing cold all night. Not my favorite way of chillin out. But having a grudge better yet, nursing one rarely, if ever, has any positive value. Most of us know what it is to hold onto a grudge. Perhaps someone stung us with harsh words, or has treated us disrespectfully. When weve been wronged at work, were tempted to harbor a grudge for the offense. Maybe a neighbor has done or said something particularly annoying, maybe more than once. Why not hold a grudge against them for that? In sports, its common for rival teams to hold grudges against each other, attitudes that foment into hatred and hostility. Even in our churches, individuals or families refuse to speak to one another for some reason. Jesus said, A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so also you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (John 13:34-35). But apparently some people dont think that applies to circumstances that justify mutual antagonism. Thats not to minimize the emotional and relationship impact of being wronged. Wounds inflicted by others, whether by people close to us or strangers, are often slow to heal. Resentment and anger are normal responses to being hurt. However, clinging to a grudge and refusing to release it can do much harm even to ourselves. On his radio program a while ago, Dr. David Jeremiah suggested there are four different things to do with a grudge: Curse it. Rehearse it. Nurse it. Or reverse it. And weve probably done each of these at one time or another. We curse a grudge every time we see the offending party and feel a renewed surge of negative emotions. We rehearse it by reminding ourselves of the harm done, what happened, when it happened and by whom, and how it felt. We nurse it by treating the grudge as some cherished possession, refusing to let it go for fear the wrong wont somehow be avenged. Or we can reverse it, recognizing that hanging onto a grudge typically brings more harm to ourselves than to the one we feel is deserving of our wrath. In presenting His model prayer what we know as the Lords Prayer Jesus instructed us to ask God to forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us (Matthew 6:12). He also said, a few verses later, For if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours (Matthew 6:14-15). When I read those words, I want to respond, But Lord, You dont understand. After what they did (or said) to me, how can I offer forgiveness? Then I remember Jesus on the cross, enduring the most cruel, excruciating form of execution, and yet being able to say of His executioners, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing (Luke 23:34). In harboring ill will toward those who have offended or harmed us, our behavior mirrors theirs. As Dr. Jeremiah said, Our enemy overcomes us when we become like our enemy. But wheres the vengeance, the making amends, if we willfully relinquish our right to harbor what seem to be well-deserved grudges? First of all, God declared, Vengeance is mine (Hebrews 10:30). Before we can utter our collective, Yeah, but, we read about those to whom this admonition was originally addressed: Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions [in heaven] (Hebrews 10:32-34). If anyone had justifiable cause to nurse a grudge, it was those folks. But God insisted He alone had the right to judge, and avenge if necessary. Theres one more reason for being willing to release grudges, even toward those who make no secret of their malice toward us. King Solomon made this startling observation: If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you (Proverbs 25:21-22). Some have said, Dont get mad. Get even. But as followers of Christ, we have a third option: Get free. We dont have to remain in bondage to destructive feelings; we can release them and entrust them to our just and faithful God. - - - - Robert J. Tamasy is a veteran journalist, former newspaper editor and magazine editor. Bob has written hundreds of magazine articles, and authored, co-authored and edited more than 15 books. These include the newly re-published, Business At Its Best, Tufting Legacies, The Heart of Mentoring, and Pursuing Life With a Shepherds Heart. He edits a weekly business meditation, Monday Manna, which is translated into more than 20 languages and distributed via email around the world by CBMC International. To read more of Bob Tamasys writings, you can visit his blog, www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com, or his website (now being completed), www.bobtamasy-readywriterink.com. He can be emailed at btamasy@comcast.net. Fawad Chaudhry paid rich tribute to martyred Captain Zargham Fareed Information Minister: Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry said that Captain Zargham Fareed, who was martyred in Mohmand district, had offered a supreme sacrifice for the defence of motherland and security of its people. The minister paid a rich tribute to the martyred officer and said the brave armed forces of Pakistan were rendering great sacrifices for defending the country and they were pride of the nation. The 25-year old, Captain Zargham Fareed, embraced martyrdom and Sepoy Rehan, another member of the bomb disposal team, was critically injured while neutralising an improvised explosive device (IED) at Mohmad Gat in Mohmand district on Wednesday. The Chief John Ross Chapter, NSDAR and the Charles H. Coolidge Medal of Honor Heritage Center will conduct a wreath ceremony at 3 p.m. on Sunday at the Chattanooga National Cemetery gravesite of Medal of Honor recipient, Ray Duke of Whitwell, Marion County, Tn. Mr. Duke died in service to his nation as a POW during the Korean War on November 11, 1951. His mother received his Medal of Honor on March 19, 1954. The commemoration will follow the annual Veterans Day Ceremony at 2 p.m. at the Chattanooga National Cemetery. Ray Duke served in the United States Army during the Korean War as a Master Sergeant in Company C, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery near Mugok, Korea, on April 26, 1951. Master Sergeant Dukes citation reads, "Duke, a member of Company C, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and outstanding courage above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. Upon learning that several of his men were isolated and heavily engaged in an area yielded by his platoon when ordered to withdraw, he led a small force in a daring assault which recovered the position and the beleaguered men. Another enemy attack in strength resulted in numerous casualties but Sergeant First Class Duke, although wounded by mortar fragments, calmly moved along his platoon line to coordinate fields of fire and to urge his men to hold firm in the bitter encounter. Wounded a second time he received first aid and returned to his position. When the enemy again attacked shortly after dawn, despite his wounds, Mr. Duke repeatedly braved withering fire to insure maximum defense of each position. Threatened with annihilation and with mounting casualties, the platoon was again ordered to withdraw when Mr. Duke was wounded a third time in both legs and was unable to walk. Realizing that he was impeding the progress of two comrades who were carrying him from the hill, he urged them to leave him and seek safety. He was last seen pouring devastating fire into the ranks of the onrushing assailants. The consummate courage, superb leadership, and heroic actions of Sergeant First Class Duke, displayed during intensive action against overwhelming odds, reflect the highest credit upon himself, the infantry, and the U.S. Army". The U. S. government later learned that Mr. Duke had been captured by North Korean troops and confined to a Prisoner of War camp. Refusing to answer questions regarding U.S. troop placements and strength of forces during repeated torture sessions, Mr. Duke was eventually starved to death for his refusal to cooperate. On the 67th anniversary of his death, the general public is encouraged to join in a remembrance of Mr. Dukes valor and his love of nation. This Veterans Day weekend, Georgias Red Cross says they will join the nation in "celebrating all the men and women who have sel?essly served and continue to serve our country." They are also reminding the public that some families will be will be missing service members who are deployed or convalescing in veterans medical facilities, nursing homes and military hospitals during the upcoming holiday season. For the next month, the Red Cross Holidays for Heroes program is a way for the public to send words of inspiration, thanks and encouragement to our military heroes. This marks the twelfth year of the Red Cross Holidays for Heroes program, and its heartfelt purpose never gets old, says Ebony Bradley, director of the Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces program in Georgia. Were inviting all Georgians to give something that truly means something by sharing their appreciation for our military families with words of holiday cheer sent through the Red Cross. Since 2006, with the help of the public, the American Red Cross has collected millions of cards for members of the Armed Forces, veterans and their families during the holiday season. All holiday cards mailed by the public this year will be screened, sorted and distributed by volunteers to military installations, military and VA medical facilities and veteran organizations in Georgia. Holiday Mail for Heroes Guidelines: Holiday cards should be addressed to Dear Service Member, Veteran, or Military Family, because those cards can be shared with anyone in the military community. Avoid buying or making cards with glitter glitter can aggravate health issues for the wounded or ill. Items like letters, photos or gift cards wont make it through the screening and sorting process please dont send anything but the card itself. Please stick to a 2:1 cards per person ratio when submitting your greetings. All cards must be postmarked no later than Friday, Dec. 7. Mail Cards (postage required) to: Holiday for Heroes PO Box 13407 Atlanta, GA 30324. You can also share photos and videos of card-signing efforts or send holiday greetings for troops by using the hashtag #GeorgiaHeroes on your Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts. Questions? Email: GAholidayforheroes@redcross.org. Want to Give More? Ask about the Java for G.I. Campaign this holiday season at GAholidayforheroes@redcross.org. "#GiveWithMeaning and honor friends and family with unique gifts that help our troops at www.redcross.org/gifts. Your donation is a tax-deductible contribution to the Red Cross," officials said. Country music outlaw Kyle Thomas Nunn will be performing along with legendary band Confederate Railroad at Alhambra Shrine Temple in Chattanooga on Saturday, Nov.17, as part of a benefit concert for The Shriners. Review for Kyle Thomas Nunn: Nunn is one of country musics hottest rising stars. He will hit the studio later this year to work on his next album which will feature collaborations with David Allen Coe as well as Confederate Railroad. The artists will cut a new version of the song Still One Outlaw Left, which original appeared on Confederate Railroads 2001 album Unleashed. "Im really excited to get into the studio with these guys, who Ive idolized for so many years and create some really great outlaw country music, said Nunn. I cant wait to share the stage with Confederate Railroad in Chattanooga and better yet, its all for a great cause. For more information, please visit https://kylethomasnunn.com/ Lee Universitys Helen DeVos College of Education honored Helen Anderson Johnson as the recipient of the departments 2018 Distinguished Alumnus Award at a department breakfast during Homecoming. If we could produce 150 teachers per year as carbon copies of Mrs. Helen Johnson, we would change the world, said Jason Robinson, assistant professor of education. Mrs. Johnson graduated from Lee as Miss Lee College in 1961 and was given an assignment from Church of God Missions to teach in the Bahamas that same year. She has since spent over 40 years in education. She has served as a teacher and administrator in Florida and throughout Tennessee and taught many age groups, including kindergarten, middle school, and college. Mrs. Johnson has been named Hamilton County Education Association Secondary Distinguished Teacher of the Year and Stokely Fellow by University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and has received the Ocoee Middle School Teacher of Excellence in Reading Award and the International Reading Associations Tennessee Reading Association Literacy Award. She has also served as President of the Tennessee Reading Association, grant writer for Bradley Schools, and served on the committee for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Mrs. Johnson holds affiliations with multiple educational programs, including Florida Reading Association, Tennessee Reading Association, International Reading Association, Tennessee Education Association, National Education Association, and Delta Kappa Gamma, an international society for key women educators. The example Mrs. Johnson has set for us, along with her professional commitment, makes us all proud to be associated with Lees Helen DeVos College of Education, said Dr. Robinson. p The 2018 Mid-South Super Lawyers and the 2018 Mid-South Rising Stars lists selected 17 attorneys from Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, P.C., a Chattanooga-based law firm.The Chambliss attorneys on the 2018 Mid-South Super Lawyers list received particularly high professional achievement and peer recognition, officials said. Each year, the Super Lawyers research team selects no more than five percent of Tennessee lawyers to receive this honor.The 2018 Mid-South Super Lawyers include: (attorney name,ractice area)T.Maxfield Bahner, Business LitigationSteve D. Barham,Creditor Debtor RightsRichard W. Bethea,Business LitigationMark A. Cunningham,Health CareTimothy M. Gibbons,Construction LitigationDavid J. Hill,Intellectual PropertyRosemarie L. Hill,Employment & LaborAnthony A. Jackson,Media/AdvertisingHugh J. Moore, Jr.,Civil Litigation: DefenseHarold L. North, Jr.,Bankruptcy: ConsumerDana B. Perry, Estate & ProbateMichael N. St. Charles,Real EstateSuper Lawyers is a ranking of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who are recognized highly by their peers for their professional achievement. To qualify as a Super Lawyer, the attorney must go through a multifaceted selection process including independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations.The Super Lawyers research team selects an even more limited group to receive the Rising Stars honor. These attorneys make up only 2.5 percent of lawyers in Tennessee.The 2018 Mid-South Rising Stars include: (attorney name, practice area)Stephen Adams, Intellectual PropertyJustin L. Furrow, Employment & LaborDouglas S. Griswold, Health CareJeffrey W. Maddux, Bankruptcy: BusinessJed Roebuck, Health CareTo qualify for the 2018 Mid-South Rising Stars honor, attorneys must go through the same multifaceted selection process as Super Lawyers. In addition, they are under 40 years old and have practiced law less than 10 years. The Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences will host the Kagura Dance Company from Tono, Japan on Monday, Nov. 12 to celebrate the one year anniversary of Tono and Chattanooga becoming Sister Cities. The traditional dance group dates back 500 years and will present a special performance for the school at 3:15 p.m. in the Creed Bates Auditorium.Over 29-years, a special relationship developed between the people of Tono and the Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences and the Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts in Hamilton County Schools through the student exchange program. The special bond formed from the exchange of students led to the City of Chattanooga and Tono becoming Sister Cities on Sept.15, 2017. A community performance for all Hamilton County citizens will also be held on Monday, Nov. 12 at 6 p.m. at the Bessie Smith Multicultural Center. The two performances by the Kagura Dance Company are Tonos gift to Chattanooga in honor of the one year anniversary.CSAS and CSLA are proud to continue our exchange programs with the people of Tono, Japan, said Jim Boles, principal of CSAS Upper School. We are incredibly excited about this wonderful opportunity.The Hirakura Kagura is a traditional dance born in small villages at the foot of Hayachine mountain near Ohasama town and Tono. Originally, Kagura was born as a shrine ritual, but now it is also performed as an art. The Hirakura Kagura is created by dance and instruments becoming united. There are 15 different schools of Kagura in Tono. Hirakura Kagura started in 1901 and has become the most powerful and distinguished group in Tono. The performing group practices to improve their skills every Saturday and performs 25 times a year for shrine rituals, local festivals, and tourists. One thing that was hard to miss during Prince Harry and Meghan Markles engagement announcement was Meghans beautiful engagement ring. The large diamonds sat perfectly on Meghans hand as she glowed with happiness. How much did Meghan Markles engagement ring cost? Heres what we know about the ring Prince Harry gave her. How Prince Harry proposed to Meghan Markle Prince Harry proposed to Meghan Markle when they were at their cottage. In the couples engagement interview with BBC, they told the interviewer they were just enjoying a typical night at home, roasting chicken. It was] just an amazing surprise; it was so sweet and natural and very romantic. He got on one knee, said Meghan. Meghan Markles engagement ring Prince Harry chose only the finest materials for his bride-to-bes engagement ring. The beautiful piece was crafted by British jewelers Cleave and Company, the jewelers for Queen Elizabeth, reports People. The ring is obviously yellow gold because thats [Meghans] favorite and the main stone itself I sourced from Botswana and the little diamonds on either side are from [Princess Dianas] jewelry collection, to make sure that shes with us on this crazy journey together, Prince Harry said during the couples BBC interview. Its beautiful, and he designed it. Its incredible, added Meghan. Meghans engagement ring caused quite a stir Many were so in love with Meghans ring that a replica was created. So now if you want a ring just like Meghans you can go online and buy one just like it for the low price of $40. The Royal Collection released a ring inspired by the duchess three-stone diamond engagement ring. The replica, which is called the Buckingham Palace Statement Ring, features three stones, similar to Meghans. One thing thats different about this ring is that it doesnt have a gold band like Meghans. If you would like this ring, you might have to look elsewhere. As of this writing, the Buckingham Palace Statement Ring is sold out. How the British royal family feels about wedding rings Among male members of the British royal family, wedding rings arent a big focus. The men choose whether they want to wear a wedding ring while the women typically wear a ring. Prince William received media attention once it was announced he wouldnt be wearing a ring after his marriage to Kate Middleton. A statement was made before the couples wedding that Prince William would rather not wear a wedding ring. There is only going to be one ring, in accordance with the couples wishes, a spokesperson told People magazine in 2011. It was revealed Prince William isnt a fan of jewelry: He doesnt like jewelry, and the Palace issued a statement before their wedding saying so, royal expert Penny Junor told Vogue magazine. How much did Meghan Markles engagement ring cost? Although no one knows the exact cost of Meghan Markles engagement ring, some experts estimate the diamonds are worth more than $350,000 depending on the quality. There is no way for anyone to put a value on the whole ring, Michael Fried, CEO of Diamond Pro, told Money. Having diamonds from the royal collection that Princess Diana wore makes the ring priceless, he continued. Read more: The Sad Reason Meghan Markles Life as a Member of the Royal Family Might Not Be So Great Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Tim Keller on Evangelicals and Politics, Social Justice, How Churches Should Treat Non-Christians 07 November, 2018 by Michael Gryboski , | Timothy Keller spoke with The Christian Post about media perceptions of evangelicals and politics, the debate over whether Christians should support social justice, and what the book of Jonah teaches the Church today about how to treat non-Christians. In The Prodigal Prophet: Jonah and the Mystery of God's Mercy, which was released Oct. 2, Keller, author and founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, examines Jonah's moral messages, especially in regards to how believers should treat those who are of a different race and religion. "God wants us to treat people of different races and faiths in a way that is respectful, loving, generous, and just," wrote Keller in the newly released book. In an Oct. 29 interview with The Christian Post, Keller explained that as a pastor, he has preached on Jonah multiple times over the years, with the application of the message changing from time to time. For example, when he preached about it while serving a church in Virginia decades back, he applied the book to race relations; in 2001 at the Manhattan-based Redeemer Presbyterian, the application came to the issues surrounding 9/11. "Basically, I would preach the book pretty much the same way, but the applications changed over the years because the situation changed," said Keller. CP's interview with Keller focused on multiple topics, including how well American churches are treating those with different religious beliefs, whether "social justice" is compatible with Christian teaching, and his thoughts on the apparent trend of younger evangelicals opting to leave the Republican Party. Below are excerpts from that interview. CP: On multiple occasions in your book, you point out that the pagans acted better than Jonah, showing us that "Christians should be humble and respectful toward those who do not share their faith." How well do you believe American churches do that? Keller: It depends on the church and where they are, but in general not terribly well, I don't think. I think there certainly is in almost all American churches, certainly the evangelical churches, they always express concern for the lost. So they express concern for people of other faiths or no faith. But there are other ways in which the attitudes sometimes are paternalistic. Many, many churches and Christians, when they do evangelize nonbelievers, are harsh and condescending. I have seen it. So I would say, even though Jonah did eventually go to Nineveh, he went to the city to preach there, but he didn't love the city. And he didn't love the people at all, didn't love them or respect them. And clearly, that's one of the messages of the book is that it's not enough just simply to preach at people, you also have to love and respect them, too. So you shouldn't just be preaching at nonbelievers, you should be caring, respecting, and listening to them as well. So yeah, I think that's one of the messages of the book. CP: In your book, you wrote "We deserve the critique of the world if the church does not exhibit visible love in practical deeds." In your opinion, right now where does the current American church most deserve "the critique of the world"? Keller: There's so much emphasis [in the news media] on "all evangelical Christians are backing Donald Trump and the Republicans." And of course the world church, which is largely non-Anglo, non-white, is more politically diverse. You cannot characterize worldwide evangelicalism as simply conservative or liberal. In some ways they're more liberal because there's a lot more poor people, a lot more nonwhite people who care about justice, but at the same time they are very conservative when it comes to sex and gender and things like that. So they're looking at the American church and they are asking questions. They're saying "Why aren't you caring more for the immigrant?" "Why aren't you caring more for the poor?" I think that the media tends to simplify everything, tends to generalize. And so, in some ways I don't think that's completely fair, but it's partly fair. So that the world and the world church are looking at the evangelical church and thinking right now, the American evangelical church has been caring more about its own political power than it does about the outsider, the marginalized. I don't think that's completely fair, because I think there are plenty of churches that are not like that. Plenty. Nevertheless, there's enough that I think there's criticism. Read more about Timothy Keller on The Christian Post. LAHORE, Pakistan, November 8, 2018 (Morning Star News) A Christian mother who spent nine years on death row before being acquitted in Pakistans most high-profile blasphemy case was released from prison late Wednesday night (Nov. 7), sources said. Sources close to the family and government officials confirmed that Aasiya Noreen, better known as Asia Bibi, was released from Multan Central Jail late last night and is in protective custody after authorities received release documents. But they denied reports that she had boarded a plane and left the country. She had remained behind bars despite being acquitted of blasphemy charges by Pakistans Supreme Court on Oct. 31. Earlier reports circulated in local media that Noreen had been flown from Multan International Airport to Noor Khan Airbase in Islamabad on a private aircraft, and that she and her family had then boarded a plane to the Netherlands. An Interior Ministry official initially confirmed that she was en route to the Netherlands, but later the Pakistani Foreign Office rejected as rumors that Noreen had been flown out of Pakistan. There is no truth in reports of her leaving the country it is fake news, Foreign Office spokesman Muhammad Faisal told a press briefing. Faisal reiterated that Noreen was in Pakistan and in a safe place. Aasiya Bibi is a free citizen. After the courts verdict, she can go wherever she wants, Faisal said. There is no restriction on the mobility of a free citizen. He added that only the Interior Ministry or the law could specify if her name could be placed on the no-fly or Exit Control List (ECL) prohibiting her from leaving the country, where Islamic extremists have vowed to kill her. Earlier on Thursday (Nov. 8), Noreens lawyer, Saiful Malook, had told Morning Star News that he had learned that she and her family were being flown out of Pakistan, but a source close to the family denied it. The source told Morning Star News that Noreen, her husband Ashiq and two daughters were in protective custody and would be flown out of the country on Friday (Nov. 9). Theres no truth in reports that Aasiya has been flown out of Pakistan, the source said. I spoke to the family soon after receiving information about her release, and they are very much in the country. However, they will be moving out on Friday. He said he could not reveal where the family would be relocating. Aasiya is well and very happy at being united with her family, he said. She will be expressing her gratitude to the Supreme Court in a video message after leaving Pakistani soil. Malook, her attorney who has fled to the Netherlands for his own protection, told Morning Star News that the Supreme Court would not admit a petition to review her acquittal. Thank God Aasiya is free after nine years of solitary confinement and is now reunited with her family, he said. Junior Minister for Interior Affairs Shehryar Afridi on Wednesday (Nov. 7) told Voice of America that the government would not put Noreens name on the no-fly list unless it were ordered by the Supreme Court. Her release had been put on hold after authorities held talks with leaders of the hard-line Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) who objected to her sentence being overturned and wanted to see her publicly hanged. According to security sources, the government had decided to remove Noreen from prison in order to ensure her safety. They said jail authorities last month arrested two inmates for allegedly conspiring to strangle her. Noreens security was also enhanced after those arrests. Malook said he had been informed about the plot. But this was expected, he told Morning Star News. She had a 50 million-rupee prize on her head, so many people were looking for an opportunity to kill her. But [assuming she leaves the country] I am happy that she wont have to live the rest of her life in fear now. Islamic Extremist Warning In a video statement later in the day (Nov. 7), Pir Afzal Qadri, patron-in-chief of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLYR), the religious movement of TLP, said that the government and intelligence agencies had assured them that Noreen would not be flown out of Pakistan until the Supreme Court decides on the review petition. He warned in a video message circulated on social media that Islamist groups will retaliate if the government renegs on the agreement. The Foreign Offices statement is evidence of their claim, Qadri said. However, if the government tries to cheat us in any way, they should know that we will come out in full force without caring for our lives and the lives of those who are opposed to the prophets honor. The Pakistani government on Nov. 2 had agreed to allow the possibility of a Supreme Court review of the verdict to end three days of violent riots across Pakistan provoked by the hard-line outfit. Soon after a three-judge panel led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar announced on Oct. 31 the acquittal of Noreen, thousands of supporters of the Islamic extremist TLP blocked main roads and highways in several Pakistani cities. Some resorted to vandalism and violence to pressure the government against releasing the Christian mother of two children and stepmother to three. Led by firebrand clerics Qadri and Khadim Hussain Rizvi, the TLP is a staunch supporter of Pakistans widely condemned blasphemy laws and openly justifies violence to safeguard Namoos-e-Risalat, or honor of the prophet (Muhammad). Noreen challenged the Lahore High Courts October 2014 verdict upholding a trial courts November 2010 decision sentencing her to death for allegedly committing blasphemy in 2009. The Supreme Courts Nisar wrote, She has been acquitted. The judgment of high court as well as trial court is reversed. Her conviction is set aside, and she is to be relieved forthwith if not required in other charges. False Accusations Noreen was the first Christian woman sentenced to death under Pakistans blasphemy laws, and only the second (after Ayub Masih, released in 2002) whose blasphemy case has gone to the Supreme Court and won release. She was accused of making three defamatory and sarcastic statements about Muhammad on June 14, 2009 during an argument with three Muslim women while the four of them were picking Falsa berries in a field in Sheikhupura District, Punjab Province. Noreen was asked to fetch water, but the Muslim women objected, saying that as a non-Muslim she was unfit to touch the water bowl. The women later went to a local cleric and accused her of blasphemy against Muhammad. A trial court convicted her for blasphemy in November 2010 and sentenced her to death. A month later, Islamist cleric Maulana Yousaf Qureshi put a $5,000 bounty on her head while the Pakistani state failed to charge him. The Lahore High Court upheld her conviction and confirmed her death sentence in October 2014. She then had challenged the verdict in the Supreme Court, which stayed her execution in July 2015 and admitted her appeal for hearing. The top court had first taken up the appeal in October 2016 but had to adjourn the matter without hearing after one of the judges recused himself from the Supreme Court bench. Two years later, the appeal was heard in October, and the Nisar-led bench initially reserved its verdict before announcing it on Oct. 31. In January 2011, former Punjab Gov. Salman Taseer, who spoke out in support of Noreen, was gunned down in broad daylight in Islamabad. His assassin, Mumtaz Qadri, was executed in 2016 after the court found him guilty of murder. He was hanged in February 2016. The TLP was founded by extremists who believe Qadris hanging was unjustified. Only two months after Taseers killing, the only Christian minister in the federal cabinet, Shahbaz Bhatti, was also gunned down by members of Tehreek-e-Taliban for supporting Noreen and for advocating that Pakistans blasphemy laws be amended. Her case sparked widespread outrage in the international community over the countrys notorious blasphemy laws, but all appeals to abolish the legislation have fallen on deaf ears. Pakistan is ranked fifth on Christian support group Open Doors 2018 World Watch List of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian. 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. Imran Khan ordered forensic audit of ETPB Prime Minister Imran Khan has ordered forensic audit of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB). He issued these directives while presiding over a session here on Wednesday. Federal minister for religious affairs, secretary religious affairs and ETPB secretary were present on the occasion. During the meeting, the prime minister was briefed about the financial irregularities in the organisation. The prime minister expressed concerns over the poor state of affairs at the ETPB and ordered forensic audit of the organisation. The prime minister summoned a report about all the matters related to the organisation, and also decided to form a taskforce. A man dressed in all black walked into a California nightclub on Wednesday, and opened fire killing at least 12 people, including one police officer. According to Fox News, hundreds of people, many of them college students from local universities such as California Lutheran University, Pepperdine University and California State University Channel Islands, were celebrating country night at Borderline Bar & Grill on Thousand Oaks, Calif. Wednesday night when a mysterious man walked into the club and opened fire around 11:20 p.m. without saying a word. Reportedly, deputies responded to the call within minutes. Upon arrival, Sheriff's Sgt. Ron Helus, who was the first to arrive on the scene, heard gunfire and immediately entered the bar with a patrolman. Helus was shot several times by the gunman and was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. Fox News reports that 30 shots were fired, and the gunman used smoke bombs to distract and disorient his victims. On witness, Teylor Whitter recalled the tragic line of evens saying, We all just kind of froze for a split second and then everyone booked it and dove to the floor. She continued, After the first round it was quiet for about five seconds, and then some guys who were next to me on the floor got up and started sprinting toward the back door and yelled at everyone, Get up! Run! Hes coming! According to Whitter, the daughter of a military veteran, the gunman appeared to know what he was doing. Whittler told Fox 7 Friends, While I was inside I would say [I heard]about a good 30 seconds [of gunshots]he had two [magazines] that I know with him. He changed them within about six seconds, which was really fast. She added, As soon as he walked in he had perfect formhe looked like he knew what he was doing. He had practiced, he had been shooting [before]. The gunman was later found dead at the scene. Authorities have not yet confirmed if he was killed by police fire or a self-inflicted gunshot. Photo courtesy: Feliphe Schiarolli/Unsplash The Kentucky county clerk who made news for refusing to sign marriage licenses for same-sex couples lost her county seat to a Democratic challenger this week. Kim Davis, a Republican, lost her reelection bid for the Rowan County clerkship to challenger Elwood Caudill Jr. She lost by about 700 votes, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. In 2015, Davis was jailed for five days after she refused to sign marriage licenses for gay couples. She said she acted under Gods authority when she refused to sign the marriage licenses. She was released from jail and published a book, Under Gods Authority: The Kim Davis Story. Many conservatives, including former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, supported her decision to deny the marriage licenses. This week, however, Davis lost her county seat for a job that pays about $80,000 annually. She was originally elected in 2014 as a Democrat but later switched to Republican. Caudill will now assume the seat. This was his second try at running for the county clerkship. He lost in the primaries to Davis in 2014. I believe that as a community we must continue to work together toward a more prosperous and cohesive Rowan County, Caudill said after his win. Tonight was awesome. Caudill also faced off in the Democratic primaries against David Ermold, one of the men whom Davis had denied a marriage license in 2015. Ermold did not win the Democratic nomination, and he said in a Facebook post earlier this year that Caudill was an anti-gay bigot. Photo courtesy: Getty Images/Ty Wright/Stringer In July 2017, my husband and I lost a son to miscarriage 14 weeks into my pregnancy. Earlier that year, we had experienced a miscarriage at around 6 weeks. Both miscarriages were devastating, but our second loss was different in one respect: This time we had seen a body. My pregnancy complications required frequent sonograms, so by the time we lost our second baby, Id seen him a dozen times. We went from watching the faintest flicker of a heartbeat to seeing arms, legs, hands, feet, and what my favorite doctor referred to as an absolutely perfect little face. For weeks, we prayed and waited. We watched our baby grow, twirl, and, once, even wave. Right before we lost our son, things were looking very hopeful; my body seemed to be getting better. At the 13-week sonogram appointment, my husband saw our son bouncing around and exclaimed (far too loudly for a medical office), Oh my gosh, thats a baby! Then, a week later, we found out our baby had died. I had a high risk of hemorrhage due to complications from my first miscarriage, so doctors strongly advised that I undergo a dilation and curettage, a procedure where the walls of the uterus are scraped to remove the placenta and the fetus. We met with the physician who would perform the task; hot tears filled my eyes as I stammered out the question that was nearest to my broken heart: What will happen to the body? The doctor explained that our discarded tissue would go to genetic testing and pathology, where medical experts would try to pinpoint a reason for the miscarriage. I responded, After that, what happens? Can we have the babys body? The doctor recoiled from my question with a look of confusion and ... 1 You have reached the end of this Article Preview You have reached the end of this Article Preview To continue reading, subscribe now. Subscribers have full digital access. Have something to add about this? See something we missed? Share your feedback here. Some pro-life Democrats insisted that the only way their party would bring a blue wave in the midterms was if it wooed disenchanted Republican votersincluding evangelicalswith candidates who took more moderate positions on abortion. If 2018 was a test of this theory, as reported by Politico, the results are too few and too mixed to assess whether they were right. Barely any pro-life Democratic candidates emerged in this years elections; and in almost every case, they struggled. So the question remains over the future of pro-lifers in the typically pro-choice party. Will Democrats strategically expand to become a big tent on the issue of abortion, or will they double down on a commitment to abortion rights? The issue is particularly apt for evangelicals, who have long considered abortion a political priority. Recent analysis of the 2016 presidential election indicated that a politicians stance on abortion matters more than party for Americans with evangelical beliefs; three-quarters of pro-life evangelicals said theyd be willing to vote for a candidate who was truly pro-life, regardless of political party. While Republicans easily offer voters a more consistent pro-life position and lobby to tighten restrictions on abortion access, Democrats who fall outside the typical pro-choice default of their party tend to brand themselves as pro-life for the whole life, bringing in positions against capital punishment and for poverty relief as wellissues that can appeal to some Christian voters. Michael Wear, who conducted faith outreach for the Obama White House and serves as a Democrats for Life board member, suggested that fellow believers are often more excited at the idea of a pro-life Democrat than the candidates themselves. I want for Christians to be able to affirm what is good and reject what is bad in both parties. Thats the type of conversation I want to see more of in 2018 and going into 2020, he told CT in an interview prior to Election Day. I dont want to hear the rhetoric of we dont have any pro-life Democrats in the party, and then were doing nothing to support them. Two of three senators endorsed by Democrats for Life (who still face criticism from pro-life groups in general) won re-election bids: Joe Manchin in a tight West Virginia race and Bob Casey Jr. in Pennsylvania. But Joe Donnelly, known for his reputation as a conservative Democrat, lost in Indiana after Republican Mike Braun jumped on the incumbents vote against Trump-nominated Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. And the buzz around a handful of fresh pro-life candidates on the left didnt result in victories at the polls, either. The two new congressional challengers backed by Democrats for LifeDawn Barlow, a doctor and a Church of Christ member in Tennessee, and Tim Bjorkman, a judge and Mennonite Church USA Sunday School teacher in South Dakotafailed to beat their Republican opponents. Billie Sutton, the pro-life Democratic cowboy and lifelong Baptist who ran for governor of South Dakota, also lost his race Tuesday, with 47.6 percent of the vote against Republican challenger Kristi Noem, who received 51 percent. It was the closest a Democrat had come to winning a gubernatorial election in the conservative state in more than three decades. Despite both candidates pro-life records in the state legislature, South Dakota Right to Life had endorsed Noem, citing that the 34-year-old Sutton has been gentle in his anti-abortion rhetoric and gentle in some of his votes. Texas gubernatorial candidate Andrew White, a conservative Democrat who ran as personally pro-life, didnt make it to Election Day after losing his runoff in May. Son of the late former Democratic governor Mark White, he was open about his personal view against abortion, which he told CT he attributes to the Holy Spirit changing his heart on the issue, convicting him over the sanctity of life and how there are no accidents. White saw himself as a unifier, hoping to bring pro-life and pro-choice groups together to reduce abortion, but as a Democrat did not have plans to roll back existing access to abortion in the Lone Star State. His position upset potential supporters on both sides: fellow pro-life Christians at his Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) congregation in Houston, who wanted more restrictive policies, and pro-choice lobbyists, who bristled at his suggestion that abortion could be a bad thing and not just a health care decision. The system is built around two extreme philosophies. When you take this moderate view, you make them both angry, White said. He resigned his position as an elder at Christ the King Presbyterian when his campaign stirred controversy among the congregation. His family still attends the church, but it hasnt been the same since, he said. White lived through the negative ramifications, personally and politically, of his unique stance on abortion. Yet, most Americans avoid absolute positions on the issue, saying abortion should be legal in most but not all cases (34%) or illegal in most but not all cases (22%), according to 2018 Pew Research Center polling. Politicians are expected to take more stark views, especially to win over the support of major pro-life or pro-choice backers. As a result, moderate pro-life Democrats have been on the decline for over a decade. [See years of CT headlines declaring pro-life Dems ousted from office and endangered in politics.] The number of Democratic representatives with a perfect rating on the National Right to Life Committees scorecard has dropped from 17 in 2008 to only 2 in 2018. Just a year ago, it looked like some top Democrats were ready to embrace certain pro-life candidates. The party didnt include abortion on a list of midterm focuses and the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) said there was no litmus test on the issue. However, the overall shift in the party has moved toward more intense pro-choice rhetoric and positions. During the 2016 campaign, Hillary Clinton proposed overturning the Hyde Amendments ban on federal funding for abortion. Pro-choice advocates routinely frame abortion as an issue of reproductive health and female autonomy. Confining a position against abortion to a candidates personal belief rather than policy position (as White had done) is the new safe, legal, and rare, according to Wear. Even recognizing complicated feelings on the issue can result in party pushback and contempt, as Missouris Democratic Party leader learned the hard way this year. Even Dan Lipinski, an incumbent representative from Illinois with a pro-life record, faced opposition from fellow Democrats in the primaries, with the DCCC initially declining to endorse him. Lipinski won re-election by a wide margin in the Chicago area district. [P]olarization triumphed. Abortion became a wedge issue for Republicans and, in reality, a litmus test for Democrats, lamented Catholic journalist Peter Steinfels in a column for The Washington Post defending pro-lifers on the left. For the first time in the recent history of the partisan pro-life/pro-choice divide, polls indicate that Democrats are more motivated by the issue of abortion than Republicans. And yet, the liberal voters who support pro-life policies have not disappeared. According to CNN exit polls taken during Tuesdays elections, about 1 in 5 voters who want Roe v. Wade overturned are Democrats. Among Christians who believe abortion should be illegal in all or most cases, about 30 percent lean left politically, according to Pews massive Religious Landscape Study. Overall, the pro-life cause had a strong showing on Tuesday. Susan B. Anthony List president Marjorie Dannenfelser called Election Day a clear victory for the pro-life movement. In states where anti-abortion measures were on the ballot, West Virginia voted to pull Medicaid funding for abortion (while Oregon voted against a similar ban), and Alabama recognized the the sanctity of unborn life and the rights of unborn children in a constitutional amendment. As GetReligion highlighted, pro-life Republicans took over Senate seats that used to be held by Democrats in Indiana, North Dakota, and Missouri, giving the party a pro-life majority in the Senate (no longer dependent on precarious votes from pro-choice moderates Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska). Meanwhile, the countrys biggest pro-choice groups, including Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America, are gearing up to defend state-level abortion protections against the possibility of a post-Roe reality under a Supreme Court with Kavanaugh as an additional conservative justice, The New York Times reported. I remember the first time I touched a dead body. It was at my grandfathers funeral. You know the scene: attendants in boxy black suits, the cloying scent of flowers, tissue boxes, breath mints, dusty funeral parlor furniture. As the sad murmur of relatives droned all around, I stepped up to the coffin and quickly reached in to touch his embalmed hands, folded nicely on his belly. They felt like cold, soft leather. That was when death was still an anomaly to me, an outlier. Now it has become familiar, a recurring pattern in recent weeks and months. For the past several years, Ive served as a pastor in a suburban parish, an evangelical who made his home in a mainline church. I dont run the show, since Im a lay pastor, but Ive been there for most of the funerals. In the past few years weve had almost 40 in our parish. Those are a lot of faces I wont get to see any more on Sunday mornings. Death is no longer a stranger to me; it is a regular part of my life. This has been one of the more difficult parts of being a pastor, seeing people who faithfully served our Lord over decades take ill and start a steep decline. These deaths dont have the shock of tragedy, of teenagers hit by cars or babies born without breath. Still, the dull ache of sorrow is there. It wasnt always this way for me. I grew up in a thriving megachurch (by Canadian standards, anyways), and I took it for granted that slowly and surely our congregation would continue to expand. And it did, all through my teen years. As I looked out over the congregation on Sunday mornings, I could see a diverse group of people from ages 15 to 60. But children were most often annexed to their age-appropriate ministries, seniors were few and far between, and funerals were not a constant. The bulk of our congregants were in the prime of life. Later, when I began my pastoral ministry in a congregation that skewed to those over 65, I became frustrated as our church struggled to thrive. Growth no longer just seemed to happen. And though we saw many young families drawn deeper into the life of Christ, we also lost many veteran saints. I learned to care for the very young as our nursery filled up, and I learned to walk with the aging as they lost the strength to sit in our pews. By embracing death in our churches, we allow our creator to give meaning to our human weakness. Though I looked longingly at congregations that seemed to expand effortlessly, I learned to love the slow work of pastoring a struggling congregation. I took in the beauty of a woman in her 80s dancing with toddlers and singing worship songs. And I remember the 70th wedding anniversary of a couple that faithfully attended worship for just as many years. These quiet miracles dont have the same luster as other vibrant ministries Ive been a part of, but nonetheless, they witness to the patience and love of God. I came to appreciate the church as the body of Christ formed of the whole people of God, from young to oldeven those heading to their graves. Pastoring an Aging Congregation Death does not fall outside the life of Christs Body; it is a threshold through which we all must walk. Recognizing death as part of our common Christian life allows for a more expansive vision of Gods redemption, which begins the day we are conceived and carries us into our dying. Ive come to appreciate my close experiences with death. When I look at large, booming churches or hip, thriving church plants, I wonder if their pastors experience the regular privilege of burying octogenarians. Im glad for these growing churches, insofar as people are having encounters with Christ and his Word. I wish so many of the churches in my denomination would thrive like that. Yet Im learning to appreciate aging congregations like my own in which the whole community of faith mourns with the death of each faithful servant. I recently read Kate Bowlers book, Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies Ive Loved. Bowler was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer at age 35. She was enjoying a vibrant career, academic success, and a wonderful home with her husband and toddler. The news of her cancer seemed to crush all of that. Life had to be put on hold for chemo, rest, and preparation for dying. She writes in her memoir about churches in which blessings come as the direct result of fierce faith. She writes, The prosperity gospel is a theodicy, an explanation for the problem of evil. It is an answer to the questions that take our lives apart. The prosperity gospel looks at the world as it is and promises a solution. It guarantees that faith will always make a way. Bowler writes that she tacitly held to a tamer form of prosperity gospel logic. She expected that, if she followed Jesus, things would go pretty well because God loves her and wants her to have a good life. I often find myself believing the same thing about my church: if we worship Jesus and do his will, he will bless us with new members and increased vitality. Stagnant membership and death in the congregation feel like punishments for lack of faith. But God throws wrenches in the wheels of our theological systems. We get fired. We get divorced. We get sick. We die. Our local congregations lose their liveliness. They suffer from conflicts. They struggle to raise funds. They shrink. Christians believe that death is swallowed up in victory (Isa. 25:8, 1 Cor. 15:54). Our faith is built upon the fact that Christ has died, Christ is risen, and Christ will come again. But our experience of death is not always so straightforward. Our sojourn still leads to our bodies being cremated or placed in a coffin. Helping People Reckon with Death In many churches Ive attended, death was pushed to the margins. It was treated like an interruption to Gods work in the world, not as an instrument by which God draws people more fully into his own life. Im not saying we should love deathafter all, its still the last enemy (1 Cor. 15:26). But part of living as disciples is learning to die well. Ephraim Radner, professor of historical theology at Wycliffe College, writes, To die well is to locate what is good somewhere outside our controlin the God who gives and receives our lives. It is also to allow that alien goodness, the goodness of God's transcendent superintendence over life and its temporal duration, to inform the very meaning of our vulnerability to illness, suffering, and death. In other words, by embracing death in our churches, we allow our creator to give meaning to our human weakness. Stanley Hauerwas notes in God, Medicine, and Suffering that Western culture shifted from preparing Christians to die well in the medieval period to franticly attempting to cure us from death in contemporary society. He writes, We have no communal sense of a good death, and as a result death threatens us, since it represents our absolute loneliness. According to Hauerwas, we need to learn once again how to grapple with our mortality. Stories like Bowlers, then, make me wonder about the kind of church we ought to be. What might it mean to be a church where people regularly come face to face with death? How can we present the gospel in a way that changes hearts, but also ministers to people whose earthly lives will never return to normal? One way in which pastors can deal with death is by talking about it openly in sermons and in conversation. I remember talking with a friend who has since passed away from cancer. He told me that many of the Christians he encountered didnt want him to talk about the possibility of death. They wanted him to stay positive, focusing on things he could do to get better. He knew that he wouldnt, but he felt the pressure to stay positive for the sake of others. When I talked frankly with him about the possibility of death, he seemed to breathe easier. In naming death, he allowed the grace of God to come to him even there. We talk about illness and aging as battles; to die is to lose these battles. But staying alive is a battle we all lose eventuallysome quickly, some slowlyso we might as well invite Gods presence into our dying. In the cross we understand our living and our dying. What better place to learn this than the church? Who better to initiate these conversations than pastors? Sure, I want my church to be dynamic, vibrant, growing; I pray to God for this. But I also want to cultivate a church where people can reckon with death, worshiping a savior who won his victory hanging from nails pinned to a wooden cross. Cole Hartin is the assistant curate at St. Lukes Anglican Church in Saint John, New Brunswick. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Wednesday was Billy Graham's 100th birthday. As most of you know, Billy passed away earlier this year in February. Imagine the party he is having in heaven! I was privileged to know Billy personally here on earth, which was a dream come true on so many levels. As a child, I watched him preach and would think to myself, "That's what I want to be when I grow up!" That's exactly what Billy didhe encouraged people to love Jesus more and to chase after Him with everything they had. He was an incredible man with a passion for the gospel, and that dedication to God's word spilled over into every aspect of his life. He loved the Lord, he loved his family and he loved watching people's lives be transformed by the power of God. As I reflect on his life, I'm reminded of a time back in the early 90s when I was just beginning my ministry. Billy asked me, of all people, to join his board of directors, and even help assist him with his sermons. Yes, I was just as shocked as you are reading this! I worked on messages that he gave at his crusades around the country, and I can't begin to describe to you the immense joy I had in and I can't begin to describe to you the immense joy I had in being a part of that process. It was truly one of the great honors of my life. As amazing and unmatched as Billy's sermons were, the most incredible and intriguing thing about him had to be his humility. Billy didn't think much of himself, but he always thought much of God's word and he took it seriously. He didn't have time to boast or brag. He was too busy studying scripture to worry about getting credit. He was a faithful servant through and through. Years ago, in Portland, Oregon, I had the opportunity to accompany Billy Graham to one of his crusades. On a night that would be a record attendance, I drove over with him to the event. As I recall, Billy's long-time friend T.W. Wilson was driving. I sat in front, and Billy and his son Franklin were in back. When we arrived at the stadium and Billy made his way to the platform, I was struck by the expressions of awe on people's faces. It was as if Moses were passing through their midst. Billy, however, seemed completely unimpressed with all the adulation. He got up and delivered a powerful message, and then, when he was done, we all piled into the car to drive back to the hotel. As a fellow preacher, I felt like I should say something nice about his message that night. So, I turned around in my seat, looked at him in the back seat, and said, "Billy, that was a great message tonight." "It's just Gospel," he replied. I turned back around, thinking to myself, I was just trying to offer him a compliment. Maybe I should say something more specific. I turned to the back seat again and said, "I really liked the part where you said, "He can re-sensitize your conscience." He looked at me and said, "Well, He can." I turned back around a final time and thought, okay, fine, I'm not offering him another compliment! When our lives come to an end, it won't matter what kind of car we drove, how much money we had, or how many promotions we got at work. It won't matter what you received, but rather what you gave away. It's not how many people you knew that's most important, but how many you led to Christ. Let's all evaluate our lives today in Billy's honor. If he was here right now, he wouldn't be worried about getting birthday gifts, he'd just encourage you to share the gift of salvation through Jesus with everyone you meet. Here's to you, Billy. Thank you for paving the way for all of us to pursue Jesus and live lives that matter. We'll carry on your mission to "PREACH CHRIST" until our very last day. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The contentiousness of the recent elections underscores how there are conflicting visions of what our nation should be. Are we a brave new world in a secular mold or are we endowed by our Creator with inalienable rights? Secularists have tried to change America into a godless void. And they have recruited a caricature of our third president to do so. Thomas Jefferson did have some serious doubts that he harbored about core Christian doctrines, privately, near the end of his life. But did he and the other founding fathers intend America to drive God out of the public arena? Mark Beliles, co-organizer of Healing4Charlottesville, is a pastor in Jefferson's hometown, and he and I wrote a book together on the faith (or sometimes, the lack thereof) of Jefferson. Doubting Thomas (2014) makes two points overall: 1) Jefferson was not a lifelong skeptic. 2) Jefferson did not believe in the separation of God and state. In our book, we point out the following facts, which dispel the myth that Jefferson favored America being some sort of godless void. This list compiled by Beliles is abridged and does not include, for example, his references to God in both of his Inaugural Addresses: 1768. Jefferson voted for chaplains to the House of Burgesses (Virginia's legislature). 1774. Jefferson advocated a resolution "Designating a Day of Fasting, Humiliation, and Prayer" that was adopted by the House of Burgesses. 1776. While in the Continental Congress, Jefferson proposed a national seal with a Biblical image "expressive of the divine presence, and...[the] Motto: Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God." 1777. He prepared laws on religion in Virginia "...for Punishing Disturbers of Religious Worship and Sabbath Breakers," and "...for Appointing Days of Public Fasting and Thanksgiving." 1777. He advocated a bill "...for Establishing General Courts" which required oaths and a prayer "so help me God." 1779. As Governor he issued a Proclamation for a Public Day of Thanksgiving and Prayer. 1800. Vice President Jefferson, as leader of the U. S. Senate, approved (at least tacitly) that the Capitol building be used for Christian worship services. He personally attended many times during his years in Washington. 1802 and 1804. As President, he asked for certain evangelical ministers to preach in the Capitol services. 1803. He presented a Treaty with the Kaskaskia and other Indian Tribes, which provided federal funds for the construction of churches and salaries for Catholic priests and missionaries. 1803. He promised the Nuns of the Order of St. Ursula at New Orleans "the patronage of the government it is under. Be assured it will meet all the protection which my office can give it." 1804. He had $300 in federal funds given to help Presbyterian Rev. Gideon Blackburn build a school for the Cherokees in Tennessee. 1804. He signed an act that approved the payment of chaplains for the government. 1806. He "Gave...50 Dollars to the order of Governor Wilkinson or other acting governor of Louisiana for building a church there." 1807. He said an accusation that he "wanted government to be without religion" was "a lie." 1807. He wrote that "the councils of the General Government in their decisions...[were drawn from] the...precepts of the gospel." 1807. He wrote that "liberty to worship our creator...[is] deemed in other countries incompatible with good government, and yet proved by our experience to be its best support." 1808. He signed an Act Appointing a Chaplain to Each Brigade of the Army. 1817. He wrote: "Our right to life, liberty...is not left to the feeble and sophistical investigations of reason, but is impressed on the sense of every man. We do not claim these under the charters of kings or legislators, but under the King of kings." Note: the King of kings refers to Jesus Christ. 1822. He praised the use of the Albemarle County (Virginia) courthouse by churches and personally attended their services. In 1817, Jefferson and the board of Central College (which became the University of Virginia) approved the program for the laying of the cornerstone that included prayer and Scripture reading by Episcopalian Rev. William King. 1818. While Jefferson advocated "no professor of divinity" at the University of Virginia which he founded, he did stipulate that students would learn of "the proofs of the being of a God, the creator, preserver, and supreme ruler of the universe, the author of all the relations of morality." Why would Jefferson want God to be taught in the school he founded? He said that God is the foundation of our liberties. Remove Him, and we end up with chaos (kind of like modern America): "And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the Gift of God?" Jerry Newcombe, D.Min., is an on-air host/senior producer for D. James Kennedy Ministries. He has written/co-written 28 books, e.g., The Unstoppable Jesus Christ, Doubting Thomas (w/ Mark Beliles, on Jefferson), and What If Jesus Had Never Been Born? (w/ D. James Kennedy) & the bestseller, George Washington's Sacred Fire (w/ Peter Lillback) djkm.org @newcombejerry www.jerrynewcombe.com 69-year-old man wants court to change legal age because he identifies as 20 years younger A Dutch man is going to court in a bid to change his legal age because he identifies as 20 years younger. Emile Ratelband, 69, a 'positivity trainer', argues that if people can choose to identify as a different gender, they should also be able to identify as a different age. 'Transgenders can now have their gender changed on their birth certificate, and in the same spirit there should be room for an age change,' he said, according to The Telegraph. Mr Ratelband believes that lowering his legal age will bring him greater dating success on the Tinder app and boost his employment prospects, the BBC reports. He is asking a court in the city of Arnhem to allow him to change his official date of birth from 11 March 1949 to 11 March 1969. 'We live in a time when you can change your name and change your gender. Why can't I decide my own age?' he said. He added, 'When I'm 69, I am limited. If I'm 49, then I can buy a new house, drive a different car. I can take up more work. 'When I'm on Tinder and it says I'm 69, I don't get an answer. When I'm 49, with the face I have, I will be in a luxurious position.' Mr Ratelband launched the legal challenge after his local authority declined his request to amend the age on his official documents. The court in Arnhem is expected to make its decision on the lawsuit within four weeks but according to The Telegraph, a judge has voiced skepticism, arguing that the change would amount to deleting part of his life. 'For whom did your parents care in those years? Who was that little boy back then?,' the judge reportedly asked. Asia Bibi freed from prison following blasphemy acquittal Christian mother Asia Bibi has been freed from prison after Pakistan's Supreme Court acquitted her of blasphemy charges last week. Bibi's release was thrown into question when violent protests by Islamist hardliners brought Pakistan to a standstill, prompting the Pakistani government to agree to court proceedings designed to stop her from leaving the country. However, Voice of the Martyrs said on Wednesday that Asia Bibi was now free and on a plane out of Pakistan, although it did not reveal her destination. 'Praise the Lord for answered prayer!' the organisation said on Twitter. 'Please #PRAY for Christians as they face possible backlash from radical Muslims angry that Asia has been freed & allowed to leave country.' President of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani was among those welcoming the news. '#AsiaBibi has left the prison and has been transferred to a safe place! I thank the Pakistani authorities. I look forward meeting her and her family, in the European Parliament as soon as possible,' he tweeted. Bibi, a mother of five, was sentenced to death for blasphemy in 2010 and spent the next eight years in prison in solitary confinement. The blasphemy charge was sparked by a dispute the previous year with Muslim colleagues on a fruit farm where she worked. The coworkers accused her of insulting Islam after she had offered to share a cup of water with them, which they found offensive because of her Christian faith. The Pakistani Supreme Court ruled last week that there had not been enough evidence to convict Bibi of blasphemy and had ordered her release, immediately prompting calls for asylum from her family and human rights activists who warned she would not be safe in Pakistan. On Wednesday, Tajani had sent a letter to Bibi's husband, Ashiq Masih, promising the European Parliament's help in securing her release from prison. In the letter, Tajani said he had personally contacted the relevant Pakistani authorities to ask them to provide Masih and his wife the necessary travel documents to leave Pakistan. 'The European Parliament is extremely concerned for your safety as well as your family's,' he wrote. 'We have asked the Pakistani authorities to guarantee your safety and of those protecting you. 'The Pakistani authorities must uphold the rule of law and their international human rights commitments.' On Twitter, he added: 'European rules provide protection for those who are threatened because of their faith.' Masih has appealed to the US, Canada, the UK and Italy for asylum. Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini indicated that the country would open its doors to Bibi. He said: 'I want women and children whose lives are at risk to be able to have a secure future, in our country or in other Western countries, so I will do everything humanly possible to guarantee that [for Bibi]. 'It is not permissible that in 2018 someone can risk losing their life for a ... hypothesis of blasphemy.' Call for prayer after gunman kills 12 people in attack on bar in California Christian leaders are calling for prayer after a gunman stormed a student night at a bar in Thousand Oaks, California, on Wednesday night, killing 12 people before turning the gun on himself. The gunman has been identified in media reports as Ian Long, 28, a former Marine who previously served in Afghanistan. Officials said Long carried out the attack in the Borderline Bar and Grill using a legally owned .45 caliber handgun. In April this year, police officers had been called to Long's home in Newbury Park after reports that he had been behaving erratically, but he was cleared by a mental health specialist. The victims of Wednesday's attack included Sgt. Ron Helus, who had served the Ventura County Sheriff's Office for 29 years and was one of the first on the scene during the attack. Pastor and evangelist Greg Laurie said the attack was 'pure evil' as he urged people to pray. 'According to the Bible, there really is a devil, there really is evil, and because of this people can be be motivated to do unimaginable things, like a man walking into a bar and indiscriminately shooting people,' he said. 'This is why America needs to pray. We need to pray for the protection of people wherever they are, synagogues, churches, malls, restaurants and wherever else they congregate.' He praised Sgt Helus as a 'true hero' as he asked for prayers for all of the victims' families. 'Let's all continue to pray for the families of those who were killed. Their lives will be changed forever. They need to turn to the 'God of all comfort' in a time like,' he said. Jentezen Franklin, senior pastor of Free Chapel in Gainesville, Georgia, said: 'Our thoughts and prayers go out to those fighting for their lives and the families of the victims of the senseless violence that took place last night in Thousand Oaks, California. 'There aren't laws that can stop a person committed to hurting other people, but it does add a sense of urgency for reaching all people with the message of hope and life change found in Jesus Christ. 'Please join me in praying for peace and safety in our nation and for these precious families who have lost so much in this tragedy.' Pak enemy through violence want UN to declare Balochistan independent state: IG Balochistan ISLAMABAD: Inspector General of the Balochistan Frontier Corps Maj Gen Nadeem Anjum informed a Senate panel on Wednesday that enemies of Pakistan planned to raise the level of violence in the province to force the United Nations to intervene and declare it an independent state. During a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior, he said that Balochistan had become a battleground for a global game. Things are being manipulated just like in Libya and Yemen. In the past, unrest was created in some areas of Balochistan, but it is the first time that efforts are being made to create unrest across the province. However, our success is that the people are rejecting the conspiracy, he said. While sharing the history of the province before creation of Pakistan, Maj Gen Anjum said the Quaid-i-Azam spoke about the issues of Balochistan, but Britishers told him that Balochistan was an ordinary tehsil of Uttar Pradesh. He said that the FC was ensuring security of all the matters from railway tracks to pilgrims. Earlier, only 15,000 pilgrims travelled through Balochistan, but now around 150,000 pilgrims were using this route. People have rejected the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, Baloch Republican Army, Balochistan Liberation Army, Baloch Liberation Front and Lashkar-i-Balochistan. These organisations have failed to engage or attract youths and the militant Islamic State group does not have its footprint in the province. In just one year weapons worth Rs3 billion have been seized, he said. There are thousands of success stories in Balochistan, but media only shows bomb blasts and terrorism. When people of the province hold rallies in favour of Pakistan, media highlights the stories regarding donkeys. On the other hand, the foreign media use Bollywood and Hollywood movies and claim that it is going on in Balochistan, he claimed. Maj Gen Anjum said that besides maintaining law and order in Balochistan, the FC was running nearly 100 schools from its own resources and providing free healthcare to the people. He said that soldiers were protecting and shielding the national assets just because of their love for the country. The FC has set up 77 schools in Balochistan in which 24,500 students are studying and built 12 hostels for poor children. We have built more than 60 medical centres which treat 260,000 patients annually, he said. Minister of State for Interior Sheheryar Afridi said that practical and collective efforts were needed to be taken to strengthen institutions and law enforcement agencies. The committees chairman, Rehman Malik, said the nation stood by the Pakistan Army in the war against terrorism and anti-state elements. The Indian intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), in collaboration with the Afghan intelligence agency was carrying out terrorist activities in Balochistan, he alleged. He said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had himself admitted to his governments involvement in Balochistan. The committee called for strengthening the FC by increasing its budget and fully equipping it with modern gadgets and a helicopter. Mr Malik asked for a separate housing scheme for the Balochistan FC, particularly for the families of martyrs. Evangelist Billy Graham remembered on 100th birthday The late Billy Graham was being remembered today by his family on what would have been his 100th birthday. The evangelist was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, on 7 November 1918 and spent decades preaching the Gospel around the world. During his lifetime, he would become known as the 'pastor to the presidents' because of his close friendships with many US presidents, starting with Harry Truman who served from 1945 to 1953. Graham passed away just shy of his 100th birthday on 21 February 2018. Leading the tributes on his 100th birthday today was his son Franklin Graham, who heads up the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and its sister organisation Samaritan's Purse. 'One hundred years ago, @BillyGraham was bornNov. 7, 1918. Today we celebrate his full life as a servant of Jesus Christ and his first birthday celebration in heaven,' Franklin wrote on Twitter. Granddaughter Cissie Graham Lynch paid tribute to Graham as a man of humility. 'A word that I use often to describe my grandfather, Billy Graham, is humble,' she said. 'He was simply a servant who was obedient to God's calling on his life and he chose to serve the Lord humbly in all that he did.' A special birthday cake featuring Graham's portrait was made for the occasion by Jack Phillips, of Masterpiece Cakeshop, who successfully fought off a legal challenge after he refused to bake a gay wedding cake. Today were celebrating what wouldve been my father @BillyGraham's 100th birthday. I appreciate Jack Phillips of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Colorado coming to @TheBGLibrary to bake the birthday cake we're serving today. I know that it wouldve meant so much to my father. pic.twitter.com/ce4cvZfdhD Franklin Graham (@Franklin_Graham) November 7, 2018 Coinciding with Graham's 100th birthday was the release of a new biographical film, 'Billy Graham: An Extraordinary Journey', charting his life from farm boy to global evangelist. Pakistan government says Asia Bibi still in the country following release The government of Pakistan has dismissed reports that Asia Bibi has left the country following her release from prison. Bibi, a Christian mother-of-five, was freed from prison after the Supreme Court overturned her death sentence for blasphemy last week. There were numerous reports on Wednesday that she had left the country for an unknown destination. However, the Pakistan Foreign Office has reportedly now come out to say that these reports are not true and that she remains in the country. 'She [Asia Bibi] is in Pakistan,' Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal told reporters at his weekly press briefing. 'She is in a safe location in Pakistan ... There is no truth in reports that Asia Bibi has left the country.' Dr Faisal said she was free to go where she pleased but added, 'A review petition has been filed in the court and the Ministry of Interior can inform regarding whether she can be legally barred from leaving the country.' The move to bar her from leaving the country was part of a deal reached by the government with Islamist political party Tehreek-e-Labbaik to stop nationwide protests calling for the death of Bibi and the judges who acquitted her. Despite the acquittal, she continued to be held in prison as protests against her release brought the country to a standstill. According to Geo TV, she has now been freed from a women's prison in Multan and flown to Islamabad under heavy security where she was able to be reunited with her family at a secure location. Her husband Ashiq Masih has appealed to the UK, US, Canada and Italy for asylum. So far, only Italy has indicated it will grant the family's request. Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said: 'I want women and children whose lives are at risk to be able to have a secure future, in our country or in other Western countries, so I will do everything humanly possible to guarantee that [for Bibi]. 'It is not permissible that in 2018 someone can risk losing their life for a ... hypothesis of blasphemy.' European Parliament President Antonio Tajani has also promised assistance. In a letter to Masih this week, Tajani said he had asked the Pakistani authorities to give Bibi and her family the necessary travel documents to leave Pakistan. 'The European Parliament is extremely concerned for your safety as well as your family's,' he said in the letter to Masih. 'We have asked the Pakistani authorities to guarantee your safety and of those protecting you. 'The Pakistani authorities must uphold the rule of law and their international human rights commitments.' Collecting guide: Spanish colonial art An expert overview of the rich and varied art produced in the New World from the late 15th century until around 1820, with insider tips from leading collectors Carl and Marilynn Thoma and Richard and Roberta Huber What is Spanish colonial art? Spanish colonial art includes paintings, sculptures and decorative objects produced across one and a half continents, from Mexico down to South America, over a period of about 330 years. (Artworks produced in Brazil during this period are referred to as Portuguese colonial art.) All art and objects from this region that precede Christopher Columbuss arrival in the New World in 1492, marking the beginning of the European conquest, are termed pre-Columbian The Spanish colonial period ends around 1820, when Spain began to lose its grip on its colonies in the New World and independence was won by many of todays Latin American nations. What does Spanish colonial art look like? Because of its incredibly broad scope, Spanish colonial art cannot be defined by any one particular style, subject or form. One can find a preponderance of depictions of Virgins and saints, attesting to the spread of Catholicism in the region, but often these come with a distinctly regional flavour. Anonymous (Mexican School, late 17th century), The Birth of the Virgin. Oil and mother of pearl inlay on panel. 18 x 34 in (47.8 x 86.4 cm). Sold for $325,000 in Latin American Art on 13 November 2020 at Christies in New York Guadalupanas, for example, are a purely Mexican invention, combining Catholicism with local lore by showing the Virgin Mary emblazoned on the cloak of Saint Juan Diego, a 16th-century Mexican peasant who is said to have seen the Virgin at the Hill of Tepeyac, a sacred place of worship for the Aztecs (now in Mexico City). Anonymous (Peruvian, 18th century), Virgen de Cocharcas. Oil on canvas. 57 x 48 in (146.1 x 121.9 cm). Sold for $325,000 in Latin American Art on 13 November 2020 at Christies in New York Secular portraits are also popular subjects of the period. The Viceroys essentially the New World royalty and other members of the elite often commissioned portraits that served as a visual declaration of their status and power. Anonymous (Peruvian, mid-18th century), Portrait of a Peruvian Lady with Fan. Oil on canvas. 78 x 55 in (200 x 142 cm). Sold for $162,500 on 20-21 November 2018 at Christies in New York Sculpture and the decorative arts also flourished during this period, ranging from polychrome gilded wooden figures to coqueras elaborately carved wooden boxes used to store the coca leaves that were commonly chewed in mountainous regions of South America. Anonymous (Ecuadorian, 17th century), Virgen de Quito. Painted wood, glass and metal. 13 x 12 x 6 in (34.9 x 30.5 x 16.5 cm). Sold for $50,000 on 20-21 November 2018 at Christies in New York What inspired or influenced Spanish colonial artists? As the renowned collectors of Spanish colonial art Carl and Marilynn Thoma have pointed out, Spanish colonial art is the result of a convergence of Andean [and Mexican] cultures and the Spanish Empire over hundreds of years. The Portuguese and Spanish colonies enjoyed a flourishing trade with Europe, Asia and Africa. These global routes brought prints and paintings from Europe that artists in the New World often used as a point of departure for their own creative innovations. As such Spanish colonial art is an excellent example of early globalisation in art. Lacquerware furniture from Asia also inspired artisans in the colonies, who created new genres of objets dart using mother of pearl. Anonymous (Cuzco School, 18th century), Marriage of the Virgin. Oil on canvas. 27 x 22 in (69.9 x 57.2 cm). Sold for $62,500 in Latin American Art on 13 November 2020 at Christies in New York Who are some of the important Spanish colonial artists? Typically produced by guilds or workshops, Spanish colonial art is often unsigned. Artworks that are signed by one of the identifiable masters of the period often command a premium on the market. Mexican artists Miguel Cabrera (1695-1768), Cristobal de Villalpando (1649-1714), Juan Correa (1646-circa 1716) and Nicolas Enriquez (1704-circa 1790), along with the indigenous Peruvian artist Diego Quispe Tito (1611-1681), are among the most sought-after names in Spanish colonial art. Carl and Marilynn Thoma consider a painting by Diego Quispe Tito to be one of the most prized works in their collection. We were fortunate to be able to acquire a small painting on copper signed by Diego Quispe Tito, a member of the Inca nobility who worked in Cuzco in the late 17th century, says Carl Thoma. Most of Quispe Titos oeuvre was in the parish church of San Sebastian in Cuzco. The church and its contents were destroyed by a terrible fire in 2016, so having a work by the artists hand is particularly poignant. Fray Miguel Herrera (1700-1789), Archangel Michael, painted in 1751. Oil on canvas laid on wood board. 32 x 24 in (81.3 x 62.6 cm). Sold for $52,500 on 20-21 November 2018 at Christies in New York In addition to these individual masters there are also identifiable schools of artists, perhaps the best known being the Cuzco School. Anonymous (Cuzco School, 17th century), Virgin and Christ Child and Saint Joseph and Christ Child. Oil on canvas. 36 x 28 in (93.7 x 71.1 cm) and 37 x 27 in (94 x 70.8 cm). Sold for $75,000 on 20-21 November 2018 at Christies in New York Established in the second half of the 17th century, the Cuzco School comprised indigenous and mestizo artists who looked to European Catholic painting traditions, but whose work is differentiated by the use of bright colours and elaborate gold leaf, and often includes depictions of native flora and fauna. The two paintings above, Virgin and Christ Child and Saint Joseph and Christ Child, are fine examples. What is the state of the market for Spanish colonial art? There has been a recent rise in market demand for Spanish colonial art, both from institutions and private collectors. New exhibitions and curatorships specialising in the field at many of the top museums in the United States have helped to spur this interest. We are very pleased to see how interest has grown, particularly in the last 10 years, say Richard and Roberta Huber, leading collectors of Spanish colonial art. This has been led by important exhibitions in many museums, most recently the terrific Painted in Mexico, which travelled from Fomento Cultural Banamex in Mexico City to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Anonymous (Mexican School, 18th century), Portrait of a Child. Oil on canvas. 26 x 20 in (66 x 52.7 cm). Sold for $27,500 in Latin American Art on 13 November 2020 at Christies in New York Our collection has been exhibited in Philadelphia, San Antonio, Sacramento and Norfolk over the last five years. This has heightened collector interest, and whereas we often used to be the only bidders at auctions of this material, now we have many competing prospective buyers. That has meant higher prices, but ultimately much greater general interest in this vast field. What is the best advice for new collectors of Spanish colonial art? To answer this question, we turned to collectors Carl and Marilynn Thoma, who offered the following: Our collecting has been a source of intellectual pleasure and something akin to a scholarly mission for us over the years. It takes time to research the field properly. Dont make a purchase without doing that crucial legwork first! Sign up today The Online Magazine delivers the best features, videos, and auction news to your inbox every week Subscribe Study the literature, art and history, and make trips to view the original settings some of which are in less travelled regions of South America. You will soon see that there are differences, for instance, between the exuberant style of the High Andes and the more conservative one preferred in coastal Lima. Why collect Spanish colonial art? Collecting is of course a very personal journey. Those who choose to collect Spanish colonial art will probably find it an incredibly fulfilling experience as Richard and Roberta Huber have. In the space of about a month, oil has gone from riding a rocket toward $100 to slumping into a bear market. Futures tumbled 1.6 percent Thursday in New York, extending a decline from its October high to more than 20 percent and adding pressure on OPEC and its allies to cut supply just months after adding barrels. A faster-than-expected inventory buildup dashed speculators hopes that prices could reach $100. U.S. crude production has accelerated to new records, OPEC output is at the highest in years and waivers will allow some Iranian crude to flow to the market despite U.S. sanctions. Sentiment has shifted, said Bart Melek, head of global commodity strategy at TD Securities in Toronto. OPEC has put on more crude than we thought and second of all, these waivers are becoming an impediment to price support. Oils slide from a four-year high has been fueled by concerns that faltering emerging market economies and a U.S.-China trade war will dampen fuel demand as supply grows from multiple directions. Over the past few months, OPEC has ratcheted up production amid calls from U.S. President Donald Trump to offset declines in Iranian shipments. In October, OPECs crude production hit the highest since 2016 and Russia hiked its output to a record of almost 11.41 million barrels a day. West Texas Intermediate crude futures for December delivery sank $1 to settle at $60.67 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, the lowest level since March. Total volume traded was about 37 percent above the 100-day average. It was the ninth straight drop, the longest streak of losses since 2014. WTI is down 21 percent since settling at $76.41 a barrel on Oct. 3, meeting the common definition of a bear market. Oversold Market Technical indicators signal a rebound may come soon, with the 14-day relative strength index below 30, a level suggesting the market is oversold. Brent futures for January settlement slid $1.42 to end the session at $70.65 on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. The global benchmark crude traded at a $9.79 premium to WTI for the same month. With oversupply looming, production cuts might be on the horizon once again. Delegates say OPEC ministers and allies will meet Sunday in Abu Dhabi to discuss scenarios including the option to trim production again next year. To contact the reporter on this story: Jessica Summers in New York at jsummers24@bloomberg.net To contact the editor responsible for this story: David Marino at dmarino4@bloomberg.net 2018 Bloomberg L.P. Thanksgiving Day dinner is a celebration. For the home cook, it can also be a logistical challenge. If you dont feel like cooking or baking, these Houston restaurants will be open and most will be serving traditional holiday fare. We recommend reserving a table soon, as many of them are booking up quickly. La Table: The upstairs dining room will offer a prix fixe menu, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Its $95 for adults, $45 for children ages 5-12. Main course is your choice of oven-roasted organic turkey; pan-seared halibut and beef tenderloin and foie gras. An a la carte menu is available at the more casual cafe downstairs. 1800 Post Oak; 713-439-1000. Rainbow Lodge: Open 11:15 a.m.-7:30 p.m. with a three-course menu ($60 for adults, $45 for kids). Appetizer choices include trio of wild game, smoked duck gumbo or autumn lettuces and gorgonzola salad. Entree options: wild game duo; rainbow trout with lump crab and pecan brown butter; grilled tenderloin filet; or Southern-style roast turkey with traditional sides. For dessert? Warm croissant bread pudding, chocolate bourbon pecan pie and gluten-free lemon ice box pie. 2011 Ella; reservations required, 713-861-8666. B&B Butchers & Restaurant: The steakhouse will be open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. with a prix fixe dinner menu of classic Thanksgiving dishes ($59 per person; $25 for kids 12 and under) as well as regular dinner-menu items. 1814 Washington; reservations required, 713-862-1814. Four Seasons Downtown Houston: Quattro restaurant will be open 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; $110 for adults, $49 for kids. 1300 Lamar; 713-276-4700. Brasserie du Parc: The French restaurant facing Discovery Green will be open noon-7:30 p.m. with a three-course meal for $42 for adults, $20 for kids. First course choices are butternut squash soup, pan-roasted shrimp salad, and brie crostini with shaved pear and pepper honey. Second courses: roasted turkey with traditional sides; seared salmon with ratatouille; braised beef short ribs with pommes mousseline; and fall vegetable risotto. 1440 Lamar; 832-879-2802. Hotel Granduca: Brunch at Ristorante Cavour will feature a buffet, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., with turkey and all the trimmings plus prime beef, seafood, salads, pasta and desserts; $85 for adults, $40 for kids ages 5-12. 1080 Uptown Park Blvd.; for reservations call 713-418-1000. Bosscat Kitchen & Libations: The River Oaks restaurant at will serve dinner noon-7 p.m. with no dress code and a unique pricing structure: $45 for two proteins or $55 for three proteins for adults ($15 for kids 12 and under). The proteins include maple-bourbon brined turkey, brown sugar baked ham and dry-aged roast beef. Served with salad and family-style side dishes. Half-off all wine; $5 Texas draft beer. 4310 Westheimer; 281-501-1187. The Classic: Three-course prix fixe menu, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., for $40 per person. Highlights include squash soup with gluten-free croutons and vegan herb crema; maple-glazed turkey breast (with smoked turkey gravy, whipped potatoes, fall vegetables, challah dressing and cranberry sauce); and dessert (sweet potato layer cake or chocolate cake with fudge pecan icing and vanilla ice cream). 5922 Washington; 713-868-1131. Carmelos Cucina Italiana: Open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. serving a three-course dinner think pumpkin ravioli, roasted turkey with stuffing, bourbon glazed ha with sides and dessert for $45 for adults, $20 for kids 11 and under. Also serving regular dinner menu. 14795 Memorial; 281-531-0696. Main Kitchen: The restaurant in the JW Marriott downtown will serve dinner 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. The a la carte menu includes roasted quail with chestnut puree or green bean salad with crispy pancetta as appetizers; roasted turkey with cornbread stuffing or prime rib with potato puree and Brussels sprouts; a variety of side dishes; and pumpkin pie. 806 Main; jwmarriotthotelhouston.com/houston-thanksgiving-dinner. Perrys Steakhouse & Grille: All local Perrys locations (Houston, Baybrook, Champions, Katy, Sugar Land and The Woodlands) will be open 11 a.m.-9 p.m., offering a three-course traditional dinner for $49.95 (kids plates available for $15). Reservations are limited; perryssteakhouse.com. Bloom & Bee: The plush dining room at the Post Oak Hotel will be open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. serving a menu that includes butternut squash soup, fall salad, Turkey dinner (apple cider-brined turkey roulade, stuffing, sweet potato gratin, green bean casserole) and miniature desserts for $65 per person. Regular dinner menu also available. 1600 W. Loop South; 346-227-5139. Etoile Cuisine et Bar: The French restaurant will be open noon-7:30 p.m. serving a prix fixe menu, $56 for adults, $25 for kids. First course options include mushroom and leek soup, goat cheese salad with beets, and Gulf shrimp with French cocktail sauce. Second courses: roasted turkey with traditional sides; braised beef short ribs; seared salmon with black-eyed pea ragout; and fall vegetable risotto. 1101-11 Uptown Park; 832-668-5808. Brennans of Houston: The iconic Creole restaurant will serve dinner, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. for $62 per person, that includes starter, entree and dessert. First course choices include turtle soup, seafood gumbo, Creole oyster stew, salads, shrimp remoulade, oxtails and dumplings, barbecue shrimp shortcake or roasted duck crepe. Entrees: roasted turkey, crab-stuffed flounder, shrimp and grits, roast duck, wood-grilled steak with oysters and Bearnaise sauce, pork osso buco, quinoa-stuffed mirliton and turducken quail. For dessert? Bananas Foster, pumpkin pie and Creole bread pudding, of course. 3300 Smith; 713-522-9711. Hotel ZaZa: Both Museum District and Memorial City locations will offer Thanksgiving options for lunch and dinner. A la carte choices include butternut squash bisque, baby spinach salad, crab-stuffed mushrooms, and two entrees (a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, $28, and prime rib with scallop potatoes and Brussels sprouts, $38), and pumpkin pie. 5701 Main (713-527-1800) and 9787 Interstate 10 W. (713-986-9800). Westin Houston Memorial City: The hotels 024 Grille will offer brunch, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. with traditional Thanksgiving dinner dishes, carving and fresh seafood stations, breakfast and lunch options and a pastry bar; $55 for adults, $25 for kids under 10. 945 Gessner; reserve via opentable.com/024-grille or call 281-501-4350. Oceanaire Seafood Room: Traditional Thanksgiving menu ($39) will be offered as well as regular menu. 5061 Westheimer; reserve at theoceanaire.com or call 832-487-8862. Mortons The Steakhouse: Houstons two Mortons steakhouses will be open 1-9 p.m. with the standard menu, including Cote de Boeuf. 1001 McKinney (713-659-3700) and 5000 Westheimer (713-629-1946). McCormick & Schmicks: A roasted turkey dinner with classic sides will be available at all three Houston locations, 11 a.m.-10 p.m., for $29.50. 1151-01 Uptown Park (713-840-7900), 1201 Fannin (713-658-8100), 791 Town and Country Blvd. (713-465-3685); mccormickandschmicks.com. Jonathans The Rub: Jonathans new west Memorial location will offer dinner 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Choose a protein deep fried turkey for $45 or beef tenderloin for $65 which comes with green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, sweet potato casserole, cornbread stuffing and a choice of dessert. 12505 Memorial; 713-808-9291. Kirans: The posh Upper Kirby standby will serve Indian-inspired holiday fare in a lavish buffet, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 2925 Richmond; 713-960-8472 or email info@kiranshouston.com. Del Friscos Double Eagle Steak House: The Galleria steakhouse will serve a three-course turkey dinner for $49 per person in addition to an a la carte dinner menu, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. 5061 Westheimer; 713-355-2600. If you prefer ordering your holiday meal or augmenting your dinner table with prepared turkeys, side dishes and desserts, here are some Houston restaurants and bakeries willing to lend you a helping hand if not the entire meal this Thanksgiving. Check out the details in the slideshow above. San Antonio's missions may be some of the city's most-photographed landmarks, with historic value and generations of brides and debutantes who use the settings as backdrops for photos to document their special days. One set, by San Francisco-based photographer, William Trang, was recently showcased by Magnolia Rouge, a New Zealand-based wedding blog and magazine. The photos feature a "newlywed bride" named Meaghann, hair undone and at times barefoot, wandering through Mission Concepcion, which served as the "something old" in the inspirational shoot's "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue," motif, according to the website. Trang told mySA.com that he collaborated with fellow photographer Simon Ly, of Simon Ly Photography, on the concept to use the 17th century mission. "We specifically chose Mission Concepcion because it was so grand and we had learned that it is the best preserved of missions in Texas," he said. RELATED: Photographer captures the reserved beauty of life in San Antonio's flea markets Trang described his style of shooting with medium format film as "more fluid and natural." "I aim to capture real moments, which are more beautiful and more treasured by my couples than manufactured ones," he added. "And it was easy to capture such lovely images in San Antonio, as the city beautifully blends the old and the new." Magnolia Rouge featured the photos after Trang submitted his work. "They are highly selective in what they feature since everything on that site is so beautiful, so I'm honored," he added. Though he is based out of California, Trang's ability to travel throughout the country makes him available for hire by customers in San Antonio. The photographer asked brides interested in working with him to contact him via his website, williamtrang.com, or Instagram, @williamtrangphoto. Madalyn Mendoza is a breaking news and general assignment writer. Read her on our breaking news site, mySA.com and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | mmendoza@mysa.com |@MaddySkye STAMFORD The city is ripping the Band-Aid off on several traffic-inducing projects that could cause a nightmare for motorists downtown and in the South End this weekend. One block of Tresser Boulevard between Washington Boulevard and Atlantic Street will close for demolition crews to take down the old overhead pedestrian bridge between two cylindrical St. Johns towers. There will also be lane closures for a block of Henry Street and Washington Boulevard, south of Interstate 95, for Building and Land Technology to erect a crane to build the new Charter headquarters at the Gateway site. Parts of Bedford, North and Prospect streets will also be closed Sunday for the Veterans Day parade. The pedestrian bridge removal, part of the demolition of the long-vacant tower across from City Hall, will likely be the largest inconvenience. The nearly 700 feet of closed road sees an average of 20,400 vehicles a day, according to the state Department of Transportation. The roadway will be closed from midnight Friday to 5 a.m. Monday, Bureau Chief Jim Travers said. Plan ahead Tresser Boulevard detours Tresser Boulevard eastbound traffic: Left (North) on Washington Boulevard, right (East) on Main Street, right (South) on Atlantic Street and left (East) on Tresser Boulevard. Tresser Boulevard westbound through traffic: Continue West on Broad Street, left (South) on Washington and right (West) on Tresser Boulevard. Tresser Boulevard westbound local traffic: Left (South) on Atlantic Street, right (West) on North State Street, right (North) on Washington Boulevard and left (West) on Tresser Boulevard. Source: City Transportation Bureau See More Collapse In both instances, theyve assured us theyll have it done, Travers said. This will be the biggest time there will be this level of disruption. Travers acknowledged the work will disrupt the normal flow of city life, but said it was better to have it all done in concert than have road closures piecemeal. Travers said police officers will help direct motorists in the area. The overhead bridge slated for demolition has been closed for several years, since one of the St. John towers it connected was vacated and developers began crafting demolition plans. After the bridge is removed, Travers said the developer will take down the street-side retail level now shrouded in plastic. The tower will then be removed with a crane. As part of its agreement with the Zoning Board, the developer is paying for the bridge removal and for new traffic signals at the intersection. The South End lane closures will also be complete by Monday morning. Henry Streets lane closure will be between Atlantic Street and Washington Boulevard, and Washington Boulevards closure is just north of its intersection with Henry Street and up to Station Place. barry.lytton@stamfordadvocate.com; 203-964-2263; @bglytton PTI govt committed to fulfill all promises it made with ppl: Imran Khan ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Wednesday said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf(PTI) government was committed to implement its manifesto and would fulfill all the promises it made with the people. While talking to members of the National Assembly from Swabi, Mardan, Charsaddah, Nowshera and Peshawar districts here at the Prime Ministers Office, Imran Khan said that maintenance of law and order situation and writ of the government was the top priority. He said when the PTI came into power, the country was facing a critical financial crisis and the governments first priority was to approach the friendly countries to stabilize the economy. The prime minister said the government was working on giving required facilities to the export industry to increase countrys exports, besides making efforts to provide health, education and other facilities to the people on priority basis. He told the parliamentarians that five million housing scheme of the government would not only provide housing facilities to the people but also generate huge economic activity in the country and provide job opportunities to the youth.Work is also in progress to provide temporary shelters and two times meal to the poor and destitute in various cities, he said. The prime minister said MNAs of those constituencies where Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) survey had not been conducted should inform the government so that survey about poverty could be conducted in those areas on priority basis. He said presently the country was passing through a critical juncture, but expressed the hope that the people would see a visible change in the next six years. Pakistan has a lot of potential, he said, and added that about 100 million talented youth under the age of 35 years had the ability to change destiny of Pakistan. The prime minister said the ministers had been made responsible about their duties and their performance would be reviewed regularly, adding that the PTI government had set the tradition of reviewing performance of the ministers for the first time.He said the process of accountability would continue despite all hue and cry. The parliamentarians informed the prime minister about problems of their respective constituencies and development projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The prime minister assured them of resolution of problems of their constituencies on priority basis. Separately, while chairing a meeting about poverty alleviation and related reforms, Prime Minister Imran Khan said the PTI government did not want to limit poverty alleviation to the financial assistance alone, but wanted a durable solution of the issue by reforming various sectors and creating job opportunities in the country. STAMFORD With the clock approaching midnight on Election Day, the citys longtime state representative from District 147, William Tong, was behind in his bid to become Connecticuts first Asian-American attorney general. Tongs opponent, Susan Hatfield, a state prosecutor from Pomfret, was ahead by a couple of percentage points. If Hatfield won, she would be the first Republican attorney general since 1959. But things changed early Wednesday, when vote counts started trickling in from Stamford and the states other Democratic cities. Tong took the lead, and beat Hatfield by about 60,000 votes. It was one of the closest attorney general races in memory. Stamford voters played a significant part in Tongs win, and in the victories of the Democrats who took the offices of governor, treasurer, comptroller and secretary of the state. They also helped give Democrats a solid majority in the Senate and boosted their advantage in the House of Representatives. Stamford voted decidedly blue. Numbers from the citys registrars of voters show Stamford voted nearly 2-to-1 for Democrat Ned Lamont, a Greenwich cable TV entrepreneur who defeated Republican business executive Bob Stefanowski for the governors seat. The proportions from Stamford were the same for other Democratic winners Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, Treasurer Shawn Wooden and Comptroller Kevin Lembo. Stamford came out big for the states Democratic incumbents in Washington, casting nearly 30,000 votes for U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy compared with about 12,700 for Republican challenger Matthew Corey and nearly 29,000 votes for U.S. Rep. Jim Himes compared with about 13,600 for Republican Harry Arora. Polling push Like voters across the country, Stamford residents were interested in the election, even though there was no presidential contest this year. The citys voter rolls swelled in the run-up to Tuesday, reaching a record 70,449 registrants as of Election Day, according to information filed with the secretary of the state. The registrars office reports that more than 500 people showed up at City Hall to register to vote on Election Day, another 200 registered online and 60 registered through the Department of Motor Vehicles. Not everyone, though, did so in time to vote. Of the nearly 70,000 residents who registered, the largest number, about 28,600, were Democrats. The second-largest number, 26,200, were unaffiliated voters. Half that, 13,600, were Republicans. More Information STATE SENATE District 27 Carlo Leone (D) 20,915 Jerry Bosak (R) 9,826 Cora Santaguida (G) 373 District 36 Alexandra "Alex" Bergstein (D) 6,968 L. Scott Frantz (R) 4,650 Megan Cassano (G) 72 STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES District 144 Caroline Simmons (D) 7,242 District 145 Patricia Billie Miller (D) 4,580 Fritz Blau (R) 965 District 146 David Michel (D) 5,913 Dan Pannone (R) 2,257 District 147 Matt Blumenthal (D) 5,397 Anzelmo Graziosi (R) 3,521 District 148 Daniel J. Fox (D) 5,013 Philip Balestriere (R) 1,604 District 149 Livvy Floren (R) 2,297 STAMFORD BOARD OF EDUCATION (3 seats: 1 Democratic, 2 at-large) Jackie Pioli (D)* 27,904 David Mannis (D) 25,778 Jon Carlo Gallup (D) 23,378 Michael Schmidt (G) 3,499 Mike Altamura (P)* 5,842 Frank Cerasoli (P)* 4,165 *winners Results in area races See More Collapse Its tough to be a Republican in Stamford. Gerald Bosak Jr., who has been a member of the citys Board of Finance and Board of Education a total of nine years of service ran against longtime Democratic incumbent Carlo Leone for a state Senate seat in District 27. Bosak garnered 9,800 votes to Leones 20,900. Trump effect Bosak, co-owner of one of the citys oldest businesses, Bosak Funeral Home, said he did not get flak on the campaign trail for being a Republican, despite the partisan opinions that polarize the nation, much of it centered on President Donald Trump. Bosak said he thinks its because he knows so many families through his business. But another Stamford resident running for state office for the first time, Republican city Rep. Anzelmo Graziosi said Trump was a factor in his race. Graziosi lost to Democrat newcomer Matt Blumenthal, son of U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, in a race for the District 147 seat in the state House of Representatives. Graziosi earned almost 3,400 votes; Blumenthal got 5,400. Graziosi said Tuesday night that he ran into an anti-Trump sentiment, including from lifelong Republicans who told me they could not vote for a Republican because of the president. But the GOPs plight in the 2018 election is best illustrated by the race for state Senate District 36, which covers Greenwich and a sliver of Stamford. Longtime Republican Sen. Scott Frantz, of Greenwich, was defeated by political newcomer Alexandra Bergstein, a Greenwich Democrat who garnered just under 7,000 votes in Stamford compared to Frantzs 4,650, enabling her to edge the incumbent by 600 votes overall. So it went in state House races down the line: Democrat Patricia Billie Miller defeated Republican Fritz Blau, 4,600 votes to 965, in District 145. Democrat David Michel beat Republican Dan Pannone, 5,900 votes to 2,300, in District 146. Democrat Daniel Fox crushed Republican Philip Balestriere, 5,000 votes to 1,600, in District 148. In District 144, Stamford Republicans did not even put up a candidate. Democratic incumbent state Rep. Caroline Simmons ran unopposed. A bad grade Republicans also fared poorly in the only Stamford race on the ballot the one for three seats on the Board of Education. Part of the reason is that the ballot instructions said to vote for any three of the six candidates listed, without explaining that the board has a minority representation rule that allows no more than six of the nine school board members to be from the same party. So only one of the three Democrats on the ballot could be seated on the board. But the largest numbers of votes went overwhelmingly to the Democrats. Newcomer Jackie Pioli won with almost 28,000 votes. The other two Democrats got the next-highest totals, even though they cant be elected incumbent David Mannis earned nearly 26,000 votes and Jon Carlo Gallup got 23,400. To make things worse, the two incumbent GOP school board candidates, Mike Altamura and Frank Cerasoli, couldnt be listed as Republicans. They had to run as petitioning candidates after the Stamford GOP missed a filing date. Their names appeared far down on the ballot, where some voters may have missed them. Altamura got only 5,800 votes; Cerasoli got barely 4,200. They will remain on the board, but it was by a narrow margin. Altamura said Tuesday night that they were nearly defeated by Green Party candidate Michael Schmidt, who was added to the ballot at the last minute and did not campaign. Schmidt earned 3,500 votes. Stamfords Republican Town Committee dropped the ball, Altamura said, and did not do us justice. Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated 70,000 people voted in Stamford. However, 70,000 Stamford residents registered to vote in Tuesdays election. acarella@stamfordadvocate.com; 203-964-2296. The wind changed again in a stormy oil market as OPEC signaled it will consider a return to cutting output next year, potentially making the second production U-turn this year. Amid a summer of rising prices and unprecedented political pressure from President Donald Trump, Saudi Arabia, Russia and other producers had opened the taps. Now, with the U.S. midterm elections over and crude futures wilting in the face of another historic shale oil surge, the cartel will discuss a change of course this weekend. The message from OPEC looks like: fasten the seat belts, said Bob McNally, president of Rapidan Energy Advisors LLC, a consultant in Washington. The cartel looks sets to put pedal to the metal to boost production, and then immediately slam the brakes pretty hard and talk about cutting supply." ELECTION: Energy companies triumph by defeating carbon, fracking initiatives Ministers from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies will meet in Abu Dhabi on Sunday and discuss scenarios including the possibility of cutting production again next year, according to delegates. Some members are concerned that inventories are rising, they said, asking not to be named because the discussions are private. If the group, led by Saudi Arabia, does ultimately decide fresh cutbacks are necessary, there are a number of challenges. It will need to once again secure the support of rival-turned-partner Russia, which has less need for high oil prices. Theres also the risk of antagonizing Trump, who repeatedly accused the group on Twitter of inflating prices. Another reversal would seem to be a far cry from the usual OPEC mantra of preserving stability and careful market stewardship. Yet it does reflect the level of uncertainty in a market experiencing huge shifts in supply and demand. Earlier in the summer, prices began to surge as the risk of production shortfalls from sanctions on Iran and Venezuelas economic collapse rattled the market. Losses from those two OPEC members threatened the biggest supply disruption since the start of the decade and Brent crude eventually peaked above $86 a barrel last month. RELATED: U.S. crude output at new record with oil at lowest price since March Since then, big things have happened on the other side of the supply equation. OPEC has been in produce as much as you can mode to reassure consumers, according to Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih. The kingdom has lifted output close to record levels, while Libya is pumping the most in five years. Unexpected waivers for buyers of Iranian crude have blunted the impact of U.S. sanctions. Then theres the small matter of American production growing at the fastest rate in a century, just as fuel demand is at risk from the slowdown in emerging economies and the U.S.-China trade war. Crude prices already reflect a much weaker outlook for 2019. Brent for January delivery has retreated about 15 percent from a four-year high reached in early October. Prices jumped 1.3 percent to $73.02 at 1:38 p.m. in London on Wednesday. They will absolutely want to at some point next year try to arrange a reduction in production, said Ed Morse, head of commodities at Citigroup Inc. Everything points to a fairly weak balance: the world economy is decelerating, the China trade tensions are having a visible impact on demand. The meeting this weekend of the Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee, a six-nation body representing the broader 25-country coalition, is intended as just an interim review before all ministers discuss policy next month in Vienna. Still, it could give a strong signal of whats to come. IN CHINA: Welcome to pipelines on wheels as LNG giant turns to trucks Theres a lot to consider before the final decision in December. U.S. sanctions could end up squeezing Iranian output so much that other producers wont need to cut. Although Washington granted some of Irans customers temporary waivers that let them keep buying, the Trump administration has said repeatedly it intends to entirely choke off the countrys energy revenues. Shale has plenty of potential to surprise. In August, the country unexpectedly overtook Russia as the worlds biggest crude producer, with output of 11.3 million barrels a day. The Energy Information Administration just increased its 2019 production forecast by 300,000 barrels a day to 12.06 million. Then there are political considerations. Russia, the most important non-OPEC partner in the coalition, has ramped up output since June to a post-Soviet record and President Vladimir Putin said the country is comfortable with crude prices as low as $65. Saudi Minister Al-Falih discussed the agenda of the Abu Dhabi meeting with his Russian counterpart Alexander Novak by phone on Monday, an official familiar with the matter said, asking not to be identified as the information isnt public yet. While there has been talk in the market that the group should consider renewed output cuts, Russia currently isnt ready for such a decision, the official said. The Saudis may also struggle to persuade the rest of OPEC to back a deal pledging production cuts. Some members, like Iraq, are pressing on with new projects. Others may have grown weary of having their production policy steered by the kingdom. One member of the cartel, which has been cutting production involuntarily due to U.S. sanctions, appeared to welcome the prospect of other nations doing the same. Saudi Arabia and Russia have increased production, and prices have come down $15 a barrel, Hossein Kazempour Ardebili, Irans representative to OPEC, said in an interview. They have over-balanced the market, and have no choice but to cut by about 1 million barrels a day, he said. --With assistance from Elena Mazneva. 2018 Bloomberg L.P. Oil gained after an eight-day losing streak in New York as OPEC was said to consider cutting output again, offsetting concerns that crude is continuing to pile up in the U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures advanced 0.9 percent, having lost 8 percent since Oct. 26. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies may discuss the possibility of cutting production again next year when they meet in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. Meanwhile, government data showed U.S. stockpiles rose by 5.78 million barrels last week, compared with expectations for a 2-million-barrel gain. Oil slumped last month as fears of supply squeeze receded, a prospect further allayed this week as the U.S. permitted eight nations to keep buying some crude from Iran despite a new set of sanctions against the OPEC member. Consultant FGE estimates the waivers will allow Iran to continue shipping 1.2 million to 1.7 million barrels a day, more than previously expected. RELATED: OPEC now talking about moves to support oil prices OPEC and Russia may use cuts to support prices at $70 a barrel, said Ole Sloth Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank A/S in Copenhagen. But the U.S. sanctions waivers could prevent prices from breaking above $80. WTI crude for December delivery traded 54 cents higher at $62.21 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange at 10:07 a.m. in London. The contract fell 0.9 percent to $61.67 on Wednesday. Total volume traded was 9 percent above the 100-day average. Brent futures for January settlement gained 72 cents to $72.79 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. Prices lost 1.5 percent in the previous two sessions. The global benchmark crude traded at a $10.40 premium to WTI for the same month. RELATED: Russian oil may gain a lot by giving a little on OPEC U-turn At a gathering in Abu Dhabi, OPEC and its allies will discuss scenarios including a second production U-turn that would curb output next year, according to delegates. Pressure is likely to decrease from the U.S. to lower prices as the countrys midterm elections are over, Saxo Banks Hansen said. Producers including Saudi Arabia and Russia had opened taps following unprecedented political pressure from President Donald Trump. After meeting with Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak in Moscow, Lukoil PJSC First Vice President Ravil Maganov told reporters that a resumption of cuts cannot be ruled out, but they didnt discuss specific figures. U.S. crude inventories rose last week for a seventh week, the longest stretch of gains since early March, according to Energy Information Administration data. Domestic production surged to a record 11.6 million barrels a day, while stockpiles at the nations storage hub of Cushing, Oklahoma, increased by 2.42 million barrels. 2018 Bloomberg L.P. Russias oil industry is feeling the pressure of a possible return of production caps. In fact, by sacrificing a fraction of output, the companies could see their stocks rise. Fresh output curbs may push crude prices up, benefiting Russian producers just as they did during the cuts that began last year. The Moscow Oil & Gas Index has gained about 40 percent since the initial output pact between OPEC and Russia was reached almost two years ago. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries has signaled it will consider a return to cutting supply next year as oil prices wilt in the face of another surge in U.S. shale production. A new deal would come just as Russias production climbs to a post-Soviet high -- following its June agreement with OPEC to ease supply caps -- and its oil companies generate record cash. RELATED: OPEC now talking about moves to support oil prices History shows that we are able to turn production cuts to our advantage, said Alexander Kornilov, an Aton LLC analyst in Moscow. If we look at how the Russian oil and gas index has moved since 2016 -- when the country first agreed on production cuts with OPEC -- everything becomes clear. Russian oil executives met with Energy Minister Alexander Novak Thursday to share their views as they put together investment plans for next year. It was a surprisingly low-level meeting, with only one chief executive in attendance, and addressed general cooperation with OPEC rather than specific output figures, according to Lukoil PJSC. We havent discussed yet whether further cooperation means output cuts in 2019, Lukoil First Vice President Ravil Maganov said after the meeting in Moscow, adding I cant rule out production curbs. SUPPLIES: U.S. crude output at new record with oil at lowest price since March OPEC and its allies, including Russia, are scheduled to meet for talks this weekend in Abu Dhabi. While Novak and Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih have discussed the agenda, Russia isnt yet ready to take any decision on renewed supply curbs, an official familiar with the matter said. Any OPEC+ agreement that can stabilize crude prices above current levels will benefit Russian oil companies, according to Alexander Losev, chief executive officer of Sputnik Asset Management. Producing less at $80 per barrel is better than producing at current levels and at $70 per barrel, he said. A certain output decline will also help the companies to reduce operating costs and further improve their financials, including free cash flow. ELECTION: Oil triumphs by defeating carbon, fracking initiatives Russian crude production rose to a post-Soviet record of 11.4 million barrels a day in October, driven mainly by state oil giant Rosneft PJSC, which this week said its output might increase by a further 4 percent in 2019. With regard to the extent of any new output caps, I believe they wouldnt be that significant, Raiffeisen Centrobank analyst Andrey Polischuk said, adding that next year would be no worse than 2018. The reality may turn out not so grim for Russian big oil. 2018 Bloomberg L.P. A 16-year-old boy who was driving a four-wheeler was arrested Thursday morning after leading authorities on a chase primarily in the Montgomery County area, including U.S. 69. No injuries were reported in the chase, which began about 9:40 a.m. near Humble High School, according to The Montgomery County Police Reporter. It ended about an hour later, with the highest speed reaching 50 mph. Cody Bahn, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer The harvest is over, wines are fermenting, and thanks is being expressed for a bountiful Harvest. November is the month of feasts and celebrating, with the giving of THANKS for a bountiful year. In Texas, this has been an extraordinarily excellent year for Texas grapes! We have so much to be thankful for such as friends, loved ones, and benevolent actions and gifts from others. We have a formal celebration to give such THANKS called Thanksgiving which is set aside by Presidential decree as the fourth Thursday in November. This year Thanksgiving comes early on Nov. 22 which is a week from this coming Thursday. A day after he made waves by asking a string of juvenile defendants whether they planned to kill anyone before simply releasing them, Judge Glenn Devlin - who lost his bench Tuesday in a Democratic sweep - didn't show up to court. His court coordinator on Thursday wouldn't say where he was, whether it was a planned absence, whether he was on vacation, or when he might be back. "Maybe he is reflecting upon the merits of his new release policy," said Harris County Chief Public Defender Alex Bunin. Meanwhile, the ACLU of Texas is asking the state's judicial commission to look into the jurist's post-election actions. "We call on the Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct to investigate Judge Devlin for violating the canons of judicial conduct," said Sharon Watkins Jones, ACLU of Texas director of political strategies. "It is improper for a judge to make orders motivated by partisan interests or spite as a result of his political loss." READ MORE: Promise not to kill anyone? After losing election, TX judge wholesale releases juvenile defendants The civil rights organization is still considering whether to file its own formal grievance with the state, though the commission declined to say whether Devlin's actions would constitute any violation of judicial canons. The furor kicked off Wednesday morning, when the long-time Republican jurist surprised attorneys on both sides by releasing nearly every defendant who appeared before him. "He was releasing everybody," said public defender Steven Halpert, who watched the string of surprising releases. "Apparently he was saying that's what the voters wanted." Prosecutors pleaded with the judge not to release some of the children, and Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg condemned the seemingly indiscriminate releases. "We oppose the wholesale release of violent offenders at any age," Ogg said Wednesday. "This could endanger the public." In total, the judge let out seven kids - including four charged with aggravated robbery - during detention hearings. By law, youths who are waiting in local lock-ups before their cases are resolved are entitled to detention hearings every 10 working days to decide whether they need to stay behind bars or can safely be released under supervision. It's not abnormal for Devlin to sometimes release juveniles facing serious charges, as long as they've behaved in detention and have adequate supervision in place on the outside, according to Halpert. "He's not one of those that never releases a kid charged with an aggravated robbery," he said. "But nobody has seen this before." The judge reset all of Wednesday's cases to Jan. 4, the first Friday after his successor takes the bench. When attorneys showed up for court Thursday, it wasn't clear what to expect. "I wasn't here yesterday, but I sure wish I was," said one lawyer, who asked not to be named. Ultimately, the judge did not turn up for docket and cases were instead handled by Associate Judge Stephen Newhouse. READ MORE: 2 Harris County judges responsible for 1 in 5 children sent to state juvenile prisons After declining to comment a day earlier, Devlin did not answer his phone when the Chronicle called on Thursday. His Democratic successor, Natalia Oakes, has not responded to requests for comment. The outgoing Republican jurist, who was among the 59 judicial positions swept away by Democrats in Tuesday's election, is one of two juvenile court judges in Harris County whose track records favoring incarceration contributed heavily to doubling the number of kids Harris County sent to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department in recent years, even as those figures fell in the rest of the state. A Houston Chronicle investigation last month found that Devlin and Judge John Phillips accounted for more than one-fifth of all children sent to the state's juvenile prisons last year. The two jurists not only sent more teens to juvenile prison, but they also sent them younger and for less-serious offenses than the county's third juvenile court, where Judge Mike Schneider presides. The father of a child killed in a violent north Houston crash Wednesday is facing a felony murder charge. The father had just picked up his 8-year-old and 5-year-old boys from school when he crashed into two tow trucks at a stop light in the 2400 block of West Mount Houston Road around 1:20 p.m., according to Harris County Sheriff's Office Senior Deputy Thomas Gilliland. Neither boy was in any sort of restraint at the time of the crash, Gilliland said. The force of the crash instantly killed the 8-year-old boy. The father and 5-year-old boy were rushed to area hospitals in critical condition. DEADLY ROADS: Streak of death days on Texas roads reaches 18 years Gilliland said the father, who was not immediately identified, admitted to drinking before the crash. Prosecutors reviewed the case and charged the father with first-degree felony murder. In Texas, a person can be charged with murder if someone dies while they are committing a felony. In this case, deputies believe the father was committing felony DWI, namely DWI with a child, and allegedly caused his son's death. Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message A clinic owner who orchestrated a $5.9 million Medicare fraud with fake tests and an unlicensed doctor was sentenced Wednesday in Houston to serve three years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt handed down the sentence to Joy Aneke, 51, of Katy who was convicted of recruiting Medicare patients and billing them at her clinics for expensive tests that were neither medically necessary or performed. The judge ordered the clinic owner to pay $2.76 million in restitution to the federal health care program. In addition, she was sentenced to three years of supervised release. Hoyt allowed Aneke to remain free on bond until she reports to U.S. Bureau of Prisons authorities. IN 2017: Nurse sentenced to prison for $17.1 million in Medicare fraud Aneke pleaded guilty on May 16 to conspiracy to commit health care fraud at Jadac Unique Health Services, Almeda Physicians Clinic and the home health agency Community Joyful Home Health that operated in Harris and Fort Bend Counties. Two other employees entered identical pleas to conspiracy charges in April, admitting they helped operate the government fraud. Documents indicated the clinic had provided costly exams including allergy tests, complex bladder, anal tests and urinary muscle studies. However, an investigation showed the clinics did not have the equipment to provide such services. Aneke admitted in court she had instructed employees to create fake patient records to increase the reimbursements that Medicare would provide and told her office manager to pay illegal kickbacks to patients through recruiters. She admitted her business had billed Medicare $5,963,675 for diagnostic tests which were never performed or medically necessary. Medicare issued payments of $2,760,646 on the false claims, according to court documents. DOZENS BUSTED: Medicare fraud takedown nets 48 defendants in southeast Texas Teodoro Seminario, 51, an unlicensed Houston doctor working as a medical assistant who was known to patients as Dr. Ted, was sentenced last week to three years on probation and six months of lelectronic ion monitoring. And Maureen Henshall, of Highlands, an office manager patients called Ms. Mo, 62, was also sentenced last week to three years' probation and six months on location monitoring. Henshall previously admitted in court she had falsified patient records at Anekes request and paid recruiters to bring in Medicare patients for fake tests that didnt actually happen. Seminario who acted as the medical professional for the Jadac clinic, examined, assessed and treated patients even though he is not a licensed medical professional in Texas. Nevertheless, Anekes clinic billed for Seminarios services as if he was a licensed professional. gabrielle.banks@chron.com A Houston teen who raped and murdered his girlfriend - and then shared images of her lifeless body with his friends - was sentenced to life in prison this week, according to Harris County District Attorney Kim Oggs office. Jesus Campos Jr. was 15 when he killed 15-year-old Karen Perez on May 27, 2016. He was convicted of capital murder Monday after a six-day trial. Ive tried several capital murder cases, said Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Meriwether in a statement. But the recording of Karen being raped, and pleading for her life before she was so viciously murdered, will stay with me for the rest of my life. Perez, a freshman at South Houston High School, went missing days after her 15th birthday. Volunteers, including Texas EquuSearch, had been searching for her for three days when Campos told his father she is not alive. Campos father took the teen to the Houston Police Department to confess, but during questioning, he denied knowing where his girlfriend was. He told police that he last saw her at a taqueria the day she went missing. SENTENCED: Texas man linked to Baytown double murder gets 45 years in girlfriend's stabbing Three days after Perez went missing, another teenager called Texas EquuSearch and said he was part of a group of teens including Perez and Campos who left school and went to the taco restaurant and then to an abandoned apartment complex. He told authorities that he and two other teens left and went back to school, but Perez and Campos stayed at the apartment. That was the last time he saw her alive. Based on the tip, police found the young girls body. Campos continued to insist he did not know where Perez was, but when investigators searched Camposs cell phone they found images and a recording of the sexual assault and strangulation. During the recording, Perez is heard crying and begging Campos not to kill her: I dont want to die, Jesus. At trial, jurors heard that Campos shared graphic images of Perez after he killed her. The jury found Campos guilty of capital murder in less than an hour. The 18-year-old was automatically sentenced to life in prison, with a possibility of parole after 40 years. From Greg Swank, 12-4-2 You are about to read a list of 45 goals that found their way down the halls of our great Capitol back in 1963. As... Houston firefighters rescued a worker trapped in a collapsed trench Wednesday afternoon. The man, in his 30s, was working about 12 feet below the ground along Cook Road near Corona Lane when a trench he was in collapsed around 1:30 p.m., according to the Houston Fire Department. Heavy rescue specialists and several other firefighters worked for hours to free the worker. #ICYMI: Trapped pony rescued from storm drain in southwest Houston Paramedic professionals were on site giving the man treatment as firefighters manually dig the dirt out from around him. Firefighters say they were unable to use mechanical equipment to dig the man out, fearing the vibration from the equipment could cause another collapse. 3 1 of 3 Fox 26 video Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Fox 26 video Show More Show Less 3 of 3 The extent of his injuries are unclear, but he is conscious, HFD said. Crews with Houston Public Works and the Houston Police Department assisted firefighters in their rescue. Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message A Houston Chronicle story this Thursday morning inaccurately reported that Ian Long, the California mass shooting suspect believed to have killed at least twelve Wednesday night, was previously stationed in Fort Hood, Texas. A Fort Hood spokesperson said Ian Long, an ex-Marine, was never stationed at the Army military post. There was another a person with a similar name and age with an address there . Fort Hood Public Affairs Office confirms this is not the same person believed to be involved in the shooting. The Houston Chronicle apologizes for the inaccurate information. Sixteen months ago, the appointment of Al Espinoza as Pasadenas first Latino police chief was seen as a sign of welcome change in the new administration of Mayor Jeff Wagner. Hopes were high that the appointment of the 37-year veteran would help bridge the gap between city leaders and Pasadenas Latino residents, whom a federal judge found had seen their clout diluted by revisions to the City Council election system. This week, the City Council voted 7-2 to accept Espinozas resignation effective Nov. 30 amid questions about the circumstances of his departure. Two of the councils three Latino members, Sammy Casados and Cody Ray Wheeler, voted against accepting Espinozas letter of resignation at a meeting Tuesday. Casados claimed that Espinoza was being forced out. Im not gonna support this, I want you to stay, Casados told Espinoza, who sat in the front row at the meeting but did not respond to any of the comments. Youve done a great job doing what youve done, Casados said. Matter of fact, crime is down. I dont understand why youre leaving. Its a political thing, he continued. Chief has done nothing wrong and theres no basis for this retirement mans been forced out. Wagner, a retired Houston police officer, banged the gavel and said Casados was out of order. Lets keep personnel information out of this, Wagner said. If you read the mans letter of retirement, youll see why the mans retiring. Casados later told the Houston Chronicle that he received an email from the city's human resources director, Daniel Pennington, hours after the council meeting announcing that Assistant Chief of Police Josh Bruegger would take over as acting chief effective Nov. 7. The mayors office did not respond to repeated requests for comment. When initially contacted, Espinoza did not address Casados assertion that the chief was pressured to leave but shared the letter of retirement he had sent to city staff and council members on Oct. 24. Late Thursday, he responded to a followup email, "Every Police Chief serves at the pleasure of the Mayor," he wrote. His letter provides no reason for the retirement but recounts Espinozas career of almost 39 years with the police department. As I worked myself through the ranks of the Pasadena Police Department, I have always supported unconditionally my fellow officers in the Pasadena Police Department' s mission in keeping our community safe and secure, he wrote. Espinozas letter highlighted programs that he started as chief, including establishing an email notification system to inform council members of incidents occurring in their districts and providing the drug Narcan to all patrol officers for calls on opioid overdoses, a move that he said has saved three lives. He wrote that he also started the Unidos Program of casual meetings among Espinoza, other officers and Spanish-speaking residents to foster positive relationships. According to the citys website, Espinoza was promoted to sergeant in 1983 and assigned to the detective division where he investigated homicides, robberies and property crimes for eight years. He was promoted to lieutenant and supervised various parts of the police department including the police academy and the patrol, criminal investigations and special investigations divisions before becoming chief. Shortly after his election in spring 2017, Wagner announced that Espinoza was his choice to replace retiring Chief Michael Thaler. Earlier that year, a federal judge ruled in a voting rights lawsuit that the city had intentionally violated the rights of Hispanic voters and must revert to a 2013 election map for council seats based on eight single-member districts. Witnesses also testified that the city had systematically neglected the needs of its mostly Latino northside neighborhoods. Chief U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthals ruling forced the city to abandon a system of six single-member and two at-large districts. However, the results were the same in elections that year. Three Latinos were again elected to the seven-member council, and none of three Latino candidates advanced to a runoff election to succeed the term-limited Johnny Isbell as mayor, whom critics had blamed for the inequity and intolerance. Pasadena has a Hispanic population of over 60 percent, according to U.S. Census data from 2017. During Tuesdays meeting, Council members Don Harrison, Felipe Villarreal, Thomas Schoenbein and Bruce Leamon thanked Espinoza for his decades of service and offered congratulations. It was great for the diversity of this city, Harrison said. Wheeler thanked Espinoza, too, but with regrets. Chief, I dont think its right, Wheeler said. Im not gonna support this. Youve been a police officer for six years in Pasadena before I was born. Im not gonna be the one to have you leave. jjones@chron.com Pet-loving folks are invited to grab a leash and head to Fulbrook, a wooded community in Fulshear, for the Furry Friend Festival on Saturday, Nov. 17, from 1 to 4 p.m. The four-legged fundraiser supports Fulshears nonprofit The Petterie, a dog and cat rescue and foster/adoption group. The family-friendly fun is free and open to the public and will be held in the Gazebo park area of Fulbrook at 5530 Fulshear Green (weather permitting). According to long-time Fulshear realtor Gayle Bowen, event host, The Petterie has placed over 52 animals since its beginning 14 months ago and many of those were puppies. The Petterie is a foster-based program relying entirely on donations. Please join us for the festivities but be sure to have your furry friends on leashes. All proceeds from sponsorships, a special raffle and donations help offset the costs of rescuing and providing care for abandoned animals. Attendees at the festival can enjoy a holiday photo with their pet and visit with a special guest, Belle, the Fulshear Police Department K-9, and her handler, Officer Edmonds. Other activities include face painting, a Santa sighting and an assortment of animal-themed games and crafts. Cupcake and a Smile will have cupcakes and pupcakes and Curbside Sliderz will serve hot dogs and sliders. Adults can learn tips from animal experts from Paws to Claws Veterinary Care who are offering discounted microchipping at $10/pet. Nick May of May Day Dog Training will perform obedience training demonstrations. Participants who pre-register on the Gayle Bowen Team RE/MAX and Fulbrook Community Facebook page and check in at the welcome table will be entered into a drawing for a free dozen cupcakes. Raffle tickets will also be available to win a colorful holiday wreath, pet consultations and other surprises. Community partners supporting this event for the rescue and fostering of animals include: Dr. Kristen Slater of Paws to Claws Vet Clinic, Frontier Title, Fulshear Financial LLC, NewFirst National Bank, and Houston Pet Waste. For more information, call the Fulbrook office at 281-346-0027. Imagine performing in front of a large audience at one of the most eminent music venues in the world. Your palms would sweat and your heart would race, and you may just want to retreat from the crowd. Handling nerves is a big part of being a successful musician, and a select few handle the spotlight gracefully. Fourth-grade student Katherine Huang is one of those natural performers. Katherine joined Matthew Loudermilks piano studio at the International Music Academy in January 2018. She made wonderful progress and this fall was selected to represent IMA in their Student Showcase Concert at Carnegie Hall. Katherine travelled to New York and enjoyed performing in one of the most eminent music venues in the world. This experience showed her that her hard work pays off in fun ways, said Kathy Yu Li, Katherines mother. Most young musicians would be nervous for such an experience, but Katherine maintained her composure. I have been to many rehearsals and performances since I started my piano class, she said. I have always seen curtains on stages and performers would come out from behind the curtains. In Carnegie Hall, there were two doors. We come out to the stage from behind one of the doors. I was very calm when I stood behind that door waiting for my turn. I told myself, I am just going to play as how I have been practicing. Katherine remembers the door opening and a bright light shining on the extra-large piano in center stage. Many hours of practice and her sparkling blush dress helped her feel confident. I focused on what my piano teacher, Dr. Matthew Loudermilk, had told me: its my moment, its my stage, she said. I walked up to the piano, hearing applause. I could not see where my mom was, but I knew she was there. After my play, I heard an even bigger applause and Bravo! from people in the crowd. I stood up and turned to bow to the audiences. At that moment, I was so proud of myself. Katherine has attended Fort Bend Christian Academy since first grade. The elementary music program at FBCA involves a weekly 45-minute lesson and practice time. During the first semester, they work on a Christmas mini-musical and during the second semester, they play percussion instruments, learn to play the recorder, study instrument families, composers and music genres. For more information about the lower school music program at Fort Bend Christian Academy, visit www.fortbendchristian.org and schedule a tour. FAIRFAX, Va. - When Maria Valles Vda De Bonilla moved to the United States from El Salvador 16 years ago - at age 90 - there was one thing she requested: To become a citizen. She wanted to be able to vote in the adopted country she loves, something she was never able to do in El Salvador - first because it wasn't legal for women to vote, and later because the polling locations were too far away and the journey was unsafe. Tuesday afternoon, at age 106, Bonilla sat in her wheelchair in a bright sapphire dress in the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Fairfax County, Virginia, and took her oath of citizenship. She waved a tiny American flag and smiled, her eyes moist with tears. "I am so happy, there are no words," said Bonilla, who was surrounded by 18 family members who came to celebrate their "abuelita." Bonilla - who lives in Gainesville, Florida, with her daughter, grandchildren and great-grandchildren - is not registered to vote in Virginia, so she didn't get to cast a ballot vote in the midterm elections after her ceremony. But when you become a citizen at age 106, you're an optimist. "Next time," she said, speaking in Spanish. "God willing." It was a coincidence that the ceremony fell on Election Day, she was part of a routine naturalization ceremony with 12 other people from various countries, including Italy, India, Mexico, Cameroon and Thailand. She's not the oldest person to be naturalized in this country. That honor goes to a Turkish immigrant who at age 117 took the oath in Los Angeles almost 20 years ago. But Bonilla is the oldest in recent memory, said Kimberly Zanotti, director of the Washington Field Office, who has worked at the office for seven years and in the Newark office for 18 years before that. "It's fantastic," Zanotti said. Bonilla was born on March 22, 1912, and lived in rural El Salvador, farming beans, corn, rice and lettuce for most of her life. She had 18 children, said her youngest daughter Bernarda Bonilla, 55. But only eight are still alive. Her husband died many years ago, nobody remembers exactly when, her daughter said. Her oldest child is now 75. Women got the right to vote in El Salvador in 1939 when Bonilla was 27 years old. But she lived far from a polling location for many years and never made the trip. When she got older, she moved to San Salvador, where the streets were too dangerous for her to leave the house and vote, said her granddaughter Diana Cortez. "You can't just walk around, no way," said her granddaughter Diana Cortez, 36. The criminal gang "MS-13 has taken over the country." Freedom is one of the things that delights Bonilla about this country, Cortez said. "She can walk around, go outside day or night, without any fear," said Cortez, who is a manager at a health clinic. "We can't do that in El Salvador because of the crime." Bonilla came to the United States in 2002 to follow her children, who were all living here, and were worried about her living on her own at age 90. She also wanted to spend time with her grandchildren, who were all born here. When she arrived, she immediately fell in love with her new home. But in recent years, her heart has started to give out, Cortez said. In April, she had two heart attacks on the same day and almost died. "She asked God to give her extra time to so this could happen," Cortez said about her citizenship. When they got home from the hospital, Cortez filled out her grandmother's citizenship application and asked for a medical waiver, meaning Bonilla would not have to complete the civics and language exam in order to become naturalized. The waiver was granted last week after she was interviewed by immigration officials who reviewed her paperwork. Because of her health and age, immigration officials decided to have her ceremony quickly. Bonilla was one of 19,000 people naturalized in the Washington Field Office in the past year, and one of about 750,000 naturalized each year across the country. Cortez said her grandmother is honored to be part of that group. She thinks the secret to her grandmother's longevity is a will to live. "She never thought she'd live that long, to be honest," Cortez said. "She doesn't know why God decided to have her here at almost 107. He must have a reason for her to be here. She wants to be here." Then Cortez paused and added another small clue. "But grandma does like her tequila," she said. "We give her a shot sometimes. The doctor says not too much. He also says that she's 106, she can do what she wants." NORWALK Movers shuffled in and out of an apartment in Building 10 of Washington Village Wednesday morning as a group of remaining residents gathered around Mayor Harry Rilling and other city officials in the courtyard nearby . The meeting was called over concerns about the living conditions for the 12 families many of whom are seniors or disabled left in Washington Village as the multiyear redevelopment project reaches phase two and more units are being prepared for tear down. We wish everyone had been out by now, of course. Were trying to move folks out as quickly as we can, as quickly as possible, but we have staff assigned to it and were familiar with each of their cases, Housing Authority Executive Director Adam Bovilsky said, to a group that included Choice Neighborhoods Director Tom Ivers, Common Council member Ernie Dumas, NAACP President and Norwalk Housing Commissioner Brenda Penn-Williams and NAACP First Vice President Andre Williams. The Housing Authority has two real estate agents, two relocation experts and three case managers. They provide referral units to tenants, cover moving expenses and security deposits up to two months and have handed out Section 8 vouchers to families not chosen to move into public housing as decided by a random lottery system, that was meant to be anti-discriminatory, but has drawn criticism. It sounds like the Housing Authority is trying to do everything they can to help. There may be some confusions and I think maybe this meeting will be helpful in kind of moving the process forward, Rilling said. But for some, thats not enough. Maria Flores, whose mother, Candida, still lives in Washington Village, said they were shown two apartments, but that each asked for a $500 holding fee not covered by the Housing Authority that they couldnt afford. In both cases, the landlord went with another tenant. Some tenants at the meeting also complained they had been shown units that couldnt accommodate their needs, or that were structurally unsound or dirty. Mari Mode-Jean who leaned out of her second-story window to take part has lived in Building 9 since 2011 and has an injury to her knee that makes stairs difficult. Shes requested first-floor units, but said shes mostly been shown apartments that are several stories up. In one case, she viewed an apartment that she liked that had an elevator, but it went to another renter. Thats no good, Mode-Jean said, through a thick accent. Im good person, Im supposed to live in something good. Lucy Newtown, a real estate agent whose mother, Lucy Vallere, lives in Building 9 and cant walk, said shes encountered landlords who have denied her mother simply for having a Section 8 voucher. Some landlords, they do find reasons out of accepting Section 8. Ive had people tell me they do not accept it, of course, Newton said. Besides that, either they dont understand the program, or they dont want it because theyve heard negative things about it. Bovilsky clarified that that type of discrimination is technically prohibited by federal law, but it does occur. Rilling instructed anyone who encountered that kind of prejudice to contact the Fair Housing Office. Meanwhile, in recent weeks, the remaining tenants have suffered increasingly deteriorating conditions. As recently as Sunday, the ground in the courtyard was littered with garbage, broken glass and household items a crew came on Tuesday, and will continue to come daily, to remove trash after the city was alerted and residents complained of a rodent problem, broken lights and squatters utilizing vacant apartments under the cover of darkness. They complained that maintenance and garbage collection crews, as well as police, were rarely seen. Bovilsky speculated that non-Washington Village residents aware of its semi-vacant state were coming into the complex to dump large items, and that tenants in a hurry to leave had simply left their belongings in the courtyard. Both Rilling and Bovilsky said they had spoken to Norwalk Police Lt. Terry Blake about increasing patrols in the area. Still, the residents fears of abandonment were only exacerbated by recent notices issued to residents stating they had 90 days to leave. Many, understandably, viewed the letters as eviction notices. If youre still here after the 90 days, no one is getting evicted, Bovilsky clarified. He vowed to increased communication with the tenants, and announced a meeting between residents and the Housing Authority for Thursday, Nov. 15. We really do want you to feel safe and secure and we know we have not done a good enough job of that, especially with the trash, and were going to keep working to improve our service, Bovilsky said. As the meeting dispersed, some in the crowd lingered, including Robin Peterson and Katherine Keels, who have lived in Washington Village for 9 years and 25 years, respectively. Both said they were somewhat satisfied with the meeting. But for both women, facing the housing market with a Section 8 voucher, pressure is mounting. I understand we cant get the best, but we should get something decent, Keels said. The holidays are coming up and we got this on top of our heads, Peterson added. justin.papp@scni.com; @justinjpapp1; 203-842-2586 Our company, located in Belarus, produces and sells europallets for export. We can supply our production to Ireland. Send us your inquiry with acceptable price and terms of delivery notice. 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 MARIETTA, Ga. - Holly Golden Simmel, 55, showed her driver's license to the poll worker and immediately began to worry there might be something wrong; that the election might be fixed; that the Republicans might try to cheat. "Can you point out the poll manager?" she asked the person checking her off the rolls. "Are you having an issue, ma'am?" the poll worker asked. "No," she replied. "I just want to know in case there is a problem." In an elementary school lunchroom about 12 miles away, Matthew Hardwick, 54, was just as skeptical about the sanctity of the nation's ballot box. He pulled his cellphone out of his pocket and snapped a picture of his electronic ballot to ensure he had a record of his votes - all for Republicans - in case someone tried to switch them into votes for Democrats. "I heard about them changing - at some place, somebody voted for something and it changed," he said. "I was like: Mine's not gonna change." Simmel and Hardwick's politics couldn't be more different. Simmel calls President Donald Trump a "truly horrible person" with no "grasp of the law or the constitution." Hardwick gravitates toward the word "awesome" when talking about Trump. He calls him "the boss" and credits him with saving the country. But on Tuesday, they shared a growing fear that the country and its democratic institutions were on the verge of crumbling under the strain of toxic politics. Like millions of Americans who turned out for the midterm elections at near-record levels, they weren't driven primarily by political ideology or policy, but rather a sense of distress; a conviction that the country could quickly change for the worse if they didn't do something to save it. The muddled outcome - with all sides declaring victory - left everyone unsatisfied. Three days before Election Day, Simmel stood in a packed arena in Atlanta and listened as former president Barack Obama warned of Republican efforts to "disenfranchise people and take away their right to vote." "The character of the country is on the ballot," Obama warned. She also had been listening to her friends in the run-up to the midterms as they spoke with increasing alarm about Trump. He was stripping immigrants of their rights, trampling the truth and pushing the country closer and closer to authoritarianism, they said. Their biggest fear was that someday he might refuse to relinquish power. "Trump isn't forever," Simmel told them. "It's going to end." But in her darker moments she worried that if the Democrats didn't take back some power soon, they could be right. Hardwick and his wife, Marissa, by contrast, saw Trump as the antidote to everything that was wrong with their country. Since he declared his candidacy in 2015, they felt, Trump had awakened them to so many dangers - the Deep State, Democrats seizing their guns and, most ominously, a creeping socialism that threatened to bankrupt the economy and shred the Constitution. Ahead of the midterms, they were determined to do all they could to protect all that Trump had done and ensure that Republicans remained in power. Hardwick had been to many Trump rallies - more than he could count - but at his last one Sunday in Macon, he said he had "locked eyes" with Trump just before the president rhapsodized about all that was at stake in the midterms. "This election will decide . . . whether we let the radical Democrats take a giant wrecking ball to our economy and to our future," Trump said. The Democrats, the president insisted, were going to turn Hardwick's home state into a hellscape reminiscent of socialist Venezuela. Simmel and Hardwick, their votes cast, exited their polling sites. Their home in suburban Atlanta's Cobb County had once been a Republican stronghold that sent former House speaker and conservative firebrand Newt Gingrich to Congress. Now it was about as evenly - and bitterly - split as the nation as a whole. Simmel, who was voting at a synagogue, walked past 11 empty chairs adorned with flowers and the names of the worshipers shot to death last month in Pittsburgh. The chairs were for her both a memorial and a reminder of the need to check Trump, a man who she considered an expert at feeding Americans' basest instincts and worst fears. "It breaks your heart," she said, glancing at the names, flowers and empty seats. Hardwick's mood was more buoyant. He texted his wife, who was waving a campaign sign for the Trumplike gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp at a busy intersection a few miles away. The polls showed close races in Georgia and nationwide, just as they had in 2016 when Trump pulled off his stunning upset. Hardwick warned her that the heavy rain was supposed to last all morning. "No stopping for the sign wavers," she texted him. "We are the champion and will win big time tonight." "Right on, honey bunny," he replied. In the early days of Trump's candidacy, the enthusiasm of Hardwick and his wife for Trump was not shared by the leaders of the Cobb County Republican Party, who spurned the reality television star in favor of GOP candidates such as Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Ted Cruz of Texas. But the true believers still found one another. The Hardwicks joined a group of Trump supporters who met once a month for dinner at a Marietta steakhouse - and then at a larger seafood restaurant as the group grew to 200. One member designed posters seeking campaign volunteers; another created hand fans bearing Trump's face. Although the Hardwicks consider themselves Republicans, they both voted for Obama in 2008 because he promised to end the war in Iraq. "The whole thing was predicated on a lie," said Hardwick, who grew up in Northern California and served in the Army for four years. But he soon became disillusioned with Obama. "The way that he would talk about terrorists was that they were victims of their circumstances," Hardwick said of Obama. "Then he started coming after our guns every time there was a shooting." The couple voted reluctantly in 2012 for Mitt Romney. Hardwick - who works as an engineer for a cable company, moonlights for Uber and does stand-up comedy - always thought that it was a "pipe dream" that an outsider businessman like Trump would run for president. Trump's fears for the country, which he catalogued at his big raucous rallies, were their fears. Both Hardwicks, who have concealed-carry permits, thought that the Democrats were intent on rolling back the Second Amendment as part of a plot to seize control of the country. Hardwick, who was homeless for six months about 13 years ago, complained that the poor were too reliant on welfare. So did Trump. His wife, a Filipina immigrant who became a citizen in 1991, feared that illegal immigrants were a financial burden on the country. She had "no sympathy," she said. Both worry that Democrats are trying to turn the United States into a socialist nation. "There's not another America we can go to if we screw this one up," Hardwick, the husband, said. To show their support for Trump in the summer of 2016, the Hardwicks and their ever-growing Trump dinner club decided to build a Trump float for a county parade. The finished product featured the Atlanta skyline, "TRUMP" in red sparkly letters and a gaggle of veterans in Trump T-shirts. "We had artists and welders and all kinds of people who just attacked this project," Hardwick said. They won a prize for best float. On election night in 2016, the Hardwicks were thrilled Trump won, but also a bit chagrined that he lost Cobb County. When Trump picked Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., as his health and human services secretary a few weeks later, leaving an open seat, the Hardwicks had a new cause. Even though they do not live in the district, they aggressively campaigned for the Republican candidate, Karen Handel. On the night she declared victory in a race that drew national attention, Hardwick and his wife stood on the stage behind her. The Trump float was a call to action for a small Facebook group of a few dozen liberal moms, who quickly organized a counter-rally for Hillary Clinton. That event drew about 200 people to a busy Cobb County intersection on a Sunday morning to wave signs, and it drew new moms to the Facebook group. So did Trump's election. By December 2016, what they called the "liberal mommy" group had surged past 1,000 members. A few of those moms split off to start new entities, aimed at organizing Democrats to win the seat created by Price's move. Simmel, who worked part-time as an interior designer, joined two of them - "No Safe Seats" and the "Sixth District Task Force" - as a canvasser. "I wanted to know where the Democrats in my neighborhood live," she recalled. "I wanted to know who is like-minded; who is kind and accepting. I didn't want to hang around with people who are racists." On the Sunday before the midterms, Simmel was still out knocking doors, this time for a new slate of candidates that included two liberal African-American women - gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams and Lucy McBath, who was running for the congressional seat. McBath's son Jordan was fatally shot by a white man following a dispute over his music at Florida gas station; the tragedy transformed the former flight attendant into a gun control activist. One issue that was important to Simmel: Last year, Georgia passed a law that allows students on college campuses to carry guns. Now, Simmel worries that it's no longer safe to send her children, ages 14 and 16, to college in the state. As she made her rounds, Simmel could tell that the election season was putting people on edge. A 31-year-old man on whose door Simmel knocked began berating her for the nonstop campaign messages. He couldn't escape the ads on television. He was getting as many as 10 texts a day. "It's not like they're rounding up the gays and the Jews!" he screamed. "Yet!" Simmel replied as she turned and exited his front landing. On Monday evening after Simmel had knocked her last door, she, Murphy and several other canvassing friends gathered to put campaign signs up at polling sites. They finished their work at about 11 p.m. "I want to win," said Jenny Peterson, 50, who helps run a small financial-planning business. "I just want to win." "Decisively," Simmel said. With less than 10 hours until the polls would open, they agreed that it was essential that Democrats pick up at least 23 seats in the House of Representatives - enough to provide at least one check on Trump, who they all considered to be packing the federal courts, trampling the Constitution and increasingly ruling by executive fiat. "If we win 23, it's a harbinger," Simmel said. "It's a sign that people are coming to their senses." "If we don't, I'm worried that we might not have another election," Peterson said. "I'm usually a sunny, rational person but in this summer I got very dark." The implication was that Trump might seize power. Simmel and her friends were silent. The Hardwicks, who attended a party for Georgia's Republican gubernatorial candidate in Athens, got their first bad news around 11 p.m. Tuesday. "Unfortunately, we're going to lose the House," said Erick Erickson, a conservative commentator who was acting as a sort of master of ceremonies. Before the crowd had a chance to react, he announced that in Florida, the Republican gubernatorial candidate who had read Trump's "The Art of the Deal" to his infant son in a campaign ad had prevailed. The crowd erupted into applause. Hardwick pumped a fist. Erickson moved on to other victories. The Republicans were going to hold the Senate. "MSNBC," Erickson said, "they're beside themselves." Hardwick pulled his wife into a hug: "This is a good evening, honey." In Atlanta at an election party, Simmel and her friends were quietly celebrating the Democratic takeover of the House - the first good political news that they'd received in nearly two years. "We're going to get to see Trump's tax returns," she said, anticipating House efforts to procure the documents the president has refused to release. "Trump's going to have to obey the Constitution." She paused and searched her brain for something more satisfying and settled on the Russia investigation. "Wouldn't it be nice to get an indictment on Wednesday? What have you been working on, Robert Mueller, that you haven't been talking about?" On this night both sides were declaring victory. "Tremendous success tonight," Trump tweeted from the White House. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., declared that "tomorrow will be a new day in America." The night was drawing to a close for Hardwick and his wife. "We're cashing in our chips," Hardwick said at 1 a.m. The couple hugged their friends and retreated to the lobby. Erickson took the stage to announced that Trump had called Pelosi. The crowd booed. In Atlanta, the evening was also wrapping up for Simmel and her friends who were attending McBath's election-night party. Simmel had worked harder for her than any other candidate, and now McBath was trailing by just 149 votes. "All these numbers could be manipulated," Simmel worried. (By Wednesday, she would be leading by nearly 3,000 votes.) "We have to have some faith in order to function," said Elizabeth Murphy, the woman who had organized that first rally for Hillary Clinton in Cobb County and ran the volunteer group that Simmel canvassed through. "Yeah," Simmel agreed, "because it's too hard to bear the thought of it not being real." The midterms battle was almost done, but there was no talk of healing or compromise. The conversation in Cobb County, in Georgia and in Washington was already shifting to the next big fight. NORWALK Private parcels on the west side of the Norwalk River and the citys desire to steer near Route 136 on the east side are among the reasons behind Eversource Energys plan to run two 115-kilovolt electric cables beneath the Visitors Docks at Veterans Memorial Park. One of the requests of us from the city was to land in the park as close to Fort Point Street/Route 136 as possible, and then we would continue underground down Route 136 over to the Fort Point Street Bridge where we would reconnect to the railroad corridor, said Eversource Senior Project Manager Marcia Wellman. We believe that this is the best proposed route, balancing all those different elements that we need to in terms of minimizing community impact, environmental impact, meeting all of our reliability standards, having enough space to construct, like at the police station, for example, or these undeveloped parcels at Water Street, Wellman added. Her comments came during a press briefing at Eversources work center on Tindall Avenue Thursday afternoon. The utility company wants to get word out about a public open house, scheduled for Nov. 13, from 5 to 8 p.m., at Norwalk City Hall, 125 East Ave., on the cable-relocation project. The two cables provide electricity to the Third Taxing District and southwestern Connecticut. Eversource must remove them from the Walk Bridge by 2020 as part of the state Department of Transportations replacement of the bridge. DOT, Eversource and consultants will be at the public information meeting to explain details of the project. The beauty of the open house is that a property owner, whether a homeowner or a business owner, can be face to face with an engineer who is designing the project, said Eversource spokesman Frank J. Poirot. And their questions can be just as specific as that location, like what are you doing with the dirt coming out of the trench, how long are you going to be there, are you working day or are you working night? Wellman said Eversource considered seven relocation routes and arrived at its proposed route after considering electrical reliability, constructability, project costs, and community and environmental impacts. Under the proposed route, the cables would go underground at the Norwalk Police Department headquarters parking lot at 1 Monroe St., run below Elizabeth Street, go under the harbor from 70 and 90 Water St. and emerge at the north end of the visitors docks parking lot. Under the harbor, the cables would be placed 8 feet below the bottom of the pilings of the newly built Visitors Docks at the park. The Norwalk Harbor Commission opposes the route, based upon its placement of cables beneath the newly rebuilt Visitors Docks. Such placement, according to the commission, would leave any future work on the docks subject to Eversource approval. The commission would prefer the cable cross the river south of the docks. According to Eversource, thats not practical given the citys desire to stay near Route 136 on the east while not impeding future use of the undeveloped parcels at 70 and 90 Water St. on the west side of the river. While the cables will be underground, the area above them must be kept open as a permanent easement, according to Wellman. One of the other considerations for the angle of this (below-river) horizontal directional drill is the impact it would have on these currently undeveloped parcels on Water Street, Wellman said. If we were to land further south in (Veterans) Park our footprint on one of these undeveloped parcels would change significantly and what could be built there, post-project, would be significantly different. The permanent easement across the parcels, above which nothing could be built, stands to be approximately 35 feet wide and 100 feet long, according to Eversource. The parcel at 90 Water St. is owned by 90 SONO Landing Associates, LLC, an affiliate of Spinnaker Real Estate Partners. Spinnaker had an approved redevelopment plan for the parcel but the economy got in the way, according to company President Kim Morque. Weve just had interim uses on the site for a number of years, Morque said. The state has indicated what their routing is, but they havent engaged in any discussions with us on what that might involve. Were going to come to the public information session and learn like everyone else what the plans are. Mayor Harry W. Rilling, asked about the proposed cable route, said the city asked Eversource to explore all possibilities. We werent specific (such as) please do it there or please do it there, Rilling said. We wanted minimal disruption to the park, and when they came up with the last iteration regarding being close to the pilings for the new city docks, we said, if thats where they needed to be, they needed to go down as deep as possible so there would be minimal interference. With the fate of Roe v. Wade hanging in the balance, Tuesday night's midterm elections brought high stakes for both sides of the abortion debate. Antiabortion advocates gained clear legislative victories in Alabama and West Virginia, where voters passed constitutional amendments paving the way to ban abortion if the new conservative consensus on the Supreme Court overturns the landmark 1973 ruling that outlawed restrictions on the procedure before the fetus is viable. In West Virginia, voters passed a measure amending the state's constitution to say that "nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or the funding of abortion." It also banned state Medicaid insurance from covering abortion. In Alabama, a ballot measure passed assigning legal rights to fetuses and excluding the right to abortion from the state constitution. Fifty-eight percent of voters in Alabama voted for the ballot measure, and the vote was tighter in West Virginia - about 52 percent to 48 percent in favor. But in Oregon a ballot measure prohibiting the use of public money to fund most abortions was defeated, rejected by 64 percent of voters. And for abortion rights activists, such as Planned Parenthood, these ballot measures were anomalies in an otherwise promising night that brought Democratic wins in gubernatorial and state legislature races across the country. "Far more elected officials today than yesterday are going to be working to protect access to abortion and reproductive health in this country," said Dawn Laguens, the executive vice president and chief experience officer for Planned Parenthood Action Fund. If the clock was ticking toward midnight following Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation, Laguens said, "unequivocally it ticked away from midnight" on Tuesday night. Planned Parenthood counted at least seven state legislative chambers that flipped to Democratic, pro-abortion-rights majorities, in Colorado, Connecticut, Minnesota, Maine, New York and two in New Hampshire. And several key toss-up states elected Democratic governors, dodging Republican candidates who had threatened to restrict access to abortion. Why should we be paying attention to the role of these state-level races in the abortion debate? If the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, state lawmakers and governors could have the power to enact major changes in access to abortion. "For decades, states have been the battleground on abortion rights,"said Emily Nash, a policy analyst at the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive health policy advocacy group. "If the Supreme Court rolls back abortion rights, states will have even more leeway to undermine abortion rights." Abortion rights activists touted wins for Democratic gubernatorial candidates in Kansas, Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota. In Kansas, for example, former governor Sam Brownback had signed into law sharp restrictions on abortion, and Republican candidate Kris Kobach vowed to support a constitutional amendment making clear Kansas does not include the right to an abortion. On Tuesday night, Laura Kelly, a Democrat endorsed by Planned Parenthood, was elected governor. In Wisconsin, where Gov. Scott Walker's cuts to Planned Parenthood funding caused five health centers to close, voters elected Tony Evers as their new governor. Still, antiabortion advocates touted strong wins in the Senate, where three Republican candidates who describe themselves as strong opponents of abortion flipped seats in Missouri, North Dakota and Indiana. According to the National Review, the antiabortion Susan B. Anthony List spent nearly $30 million this season to support antiabortion GOP senators. Talking about abortion more and more explicitly has been a winning strategy for some in the GOP in the past few years, the conservative news site reported this week, despite mainstream GOP advice to stay the course down the middle. Abortion rights advocates say there is evidence this year that religious conservatives are treating the topic of abortion a little more critically in deciding how to vote. The ballot measures in West Virginia and Alabama passed with narrow margins, they said. And some religious voters appear to be weighing abortion against other issues, such as immigration, in determining what qualifies as pro-life, possibly adding to the wins of Democrats to national offices in conservative areas such as Kansas and Oklahoma. "I think the religious community is becoming more sophisticated in the wide range of what it means to be 'for life.' " said Doug Pagitt, a co-founder of the progressive Christian advocacy group Vote Common Good. About a quarter of voters were Catholic, according to network exit polling from CNN. Of that group, the vote was split: 50 percent voted for House Democrats and 49 percent for Republicans. In 2014, they supported Republicans by nine points, 54 percent to 45 percent. Among the 2 percent of voters who are Jewish, 79 percent voted for Democrats compared with 17 percent for Republicans, wider than the 66 percent to 33 percent margin in favor of Democrats in 2014. Using the religiosity metric of worship service attendance, voters who go to services weekly or more supported Republican House candidates 58 percent to 40 percent, the same as 2014. This year saw left-leaning voters, including ones who are religious, pay attention anew to the topic of abortion. A recent Pew Research Center poll said 61 percent of Democrats said abortion was "very important" to their vote this year, up from 38 percent in 2008. Forty-four percent of GOP voters told Pew abortion was "very important." Meanwhile, white evangelicals - who are now the most opposed in the country to abortion access - voted generally as they have in past elections. According to CNN's exit polls, they made up about a quarter of House voters. In those races, they voted for GOP candidates by a margin of 75 to 22 percent. In 2014, they went GOP by a similar 78 to 20 margin. Tim Head, executive director of the Faith & Freedom Coalition, a conservative Christian advocacy group, said the fact that evangelical Christians continue to make up such a big slice of the electorate - 26 percent, as they did in the 2014 midterms, according to CNN exit polls - itself is testimony to the drive to fight abortion because the topic is such a high priority for those voters. There was anecdotal evidence that conservative voters were motivated to come to the polls by the fight over Kavanaugh, he said, which was a dispute largely about abortion. "When you talk the Supreme Court, the number one issue about the Supreme Court for evangelicals is the life question," Head said. "It remains on the boiler at all times." Credit: Danny ClinchMuse will hit the racetrack next year when they perform at the 2018 IndyCar Classic, held March 22-24 at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. The British rockers will take the stage on March 23. Tickets go on sale next Wednesday, November 14 via CircuitoftheAmericas.com. The IndyCar performance will land in the middle of Muse's 2019 U.S. tour behind their new album, Simulation Theory, which arrives this Friday. The tour launches February 22 in Houston. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Despite the negative stereotypes, says Robert Woodberry, missionaries have effectively improved health, education, economic development, and political representation around the worldseemingly more effectively than government aid and secular NGOs: On average, people from countries that had one more Protestant missionary per 10,000 inhabitants 90 years ago currently have 1.5 years more education and 1.3 years more life expectancy. Similarly, for each additional year of Protestant mission activity, countries have $25.72 more GDP per capita on average. Even after rigorous attempts to account for competing explanations, the existence of Protestant missionaries explains about half the variation in democracy and 10 percent of the variation in GDP per capita in non-Western countries. On the negative side, Protestant missions are also associated with ethnic violence. Of course, statistics can be misleading (and I will return to this problem later), but historical evidence enhances the statistics plausibility. Since Protestant missionaries wanted everyone to read the Bible in their own language, they spread mass education and mass printing in languages ordinary people understoodoften against great resistance. In Africa, missionaries provided over 90 percent of formal education prior to independence and printed the first books and newspapers in virtually every African language. Prior to Protestant missions, both secular and religious elites kept books and education in archaic languages ordinary people could not understand, even in countries with ancient written languages like China, Korea, and India. THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - It was college night at a country-music bar in the third-safest city in America. Inside, people were line dancing. Outside, a man in black clothing approached the door. He shot the security guard with a .45-caliber handgun. Then he went inside. In the next few minutes, the gunman - identified by police as 28-year-old Ian David Long - killed 11 other people in the Borderline Bar & Grill, including a sheriff's sergeant who rushed in to stop him. For many of those inside, there was a grim benefit to being young in America during an age of massacres: They knew exactly what this was, and they knew exactly what to do, in the way that past generations knew how to hide from tornadoes or nuclear bombs. "They ran out of back doors, they broke windows, they went through windows, they hid up in the attic, they hid in the bathroom," Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said. "Unfortunately, our young people, people at nightclubs, have learned that this may happen. They think about that." Witnesses said some victims stayed, protecting friends, and in doing so sacrificed their lives. The carnage added Thousand Oaks to the seemingly endless list of American cities that have experienced a mass shooting. The violence came just days after 11 people were gunned down in a Pittsburgh synagogue, months after 17 students and staff were massacred in a Parkland, Florida, high school, and a year after rampages at a Las Vegas country music festival and in a Sutherland Springs, Texas, church took the lives of a combined 84 people. At least one survivor of the Las Vegas shooting was in the bar Wednesday - again trying to enjoy country music while on a night out - his second mass shooting in 13 months. Like in Las Vegas and in Sutherland Springs, the shooter in California died of an apparent suicide before providing any explanation for the attack. At the Borderline on Wednesday, Long was found dead inside an office at the bar. Witnesses said Long did not utter a word to explain why he had chosen this place, this night, these people, this obscene and wasteful end. When asked by a reporter what it looked like inside the venue, Dean responded: "Like hell." On Thursday, police identified the deceased officer as Sgt. Ron Helus, a 29-year veteran of the Ventura force. Family members identified several other victims, many of whom were in their late teens or early 20s. Cody Coffman was 22. His father, Jason Coffman, said Thursday that he had last spoken to his son as the younger man left for the night. "I said, don't drink and drive," Jason Coffman recalled, his voice breaking with emotion. "The last thing I said was, 'Son, I love you.' " Police said that as many as 15 other people were injured in the attack, mostly with cuts from diving under tables. At least one suffered a nonfatal gunshot wound. Police said they weren't sure why the gunman, who lived in nearby Newbury Park, California, was drawn to the bar. Long grew up in the area, played high school varsity baseball, and joined the Marine Corps in 2008, the year he graduated. He served as a machine-gunner in Afghanistan from November 2010 to June 2011 and became a corporal two months later. He left the Marine Corps in 2013, and attended California State University at Northridge between 2013 and 2016 and did not graduate. A former roommate said that Long was quiet and prone to unusual behavior - like dancing alone in his garage to "trance" music, a kind of electronic dance music. In recent years, police said they had "several contacts" with Long, mostly for minor events including traffic accidents. In April, deputies were called to the home Long shared with his mother for a reported disturbance, Dean said. Neighbors described that incident as looking like a standoff, with police cars blocking the street and officers taking cover with rifles. "They went to the house, they talked to him," Dean said. "He was somewhat irate, acting a little irrationally. They called out our crisis intervention team, our mental health specialist, who met with him, talked to him and cleared him." On Wednesday evening, there were at least 100 people inside the Borderline bar - which describes itself as Ventura County's largest country dance hall and live music venue. The city of 130,000, northwest of Los Angeles, was ranked "third safest," based on FBI crime data. Many of the patrons were drawn by the "college country night" promotion. Six off-duty police officers from other agencies were inside, Dean said. It appeared they were there as patrons, not working paid security details. It was 11:20 p.m. Pacific time. Chris Brown's "Turn Up the Music" was blaring on the dance floor. David Anderson, 23, of Newbury Park, had survived the mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival in October 2017 that killed 58 in Las Vegas. After that, when he went out, he liked to keep his eyes on the door. Looking at the door Wednesday, he saw Long enter. "I knew exactly what it was, the moment it was," Anderson said. "He took two to three steps in, and his stance and the way that he was aiming at everyone was very uniform and you could tell he had training," Anderson said. "And basically it was like slow motion. I watched the gun." Anderson estimated that the gunman fired 10 to 15 times. "It was a very stern, straight-faced, focused face," he said. "Didn't say anything." In the bar, people dived for cover, or began to run. "It was sheer panic," said Teylor Whittler, 19, who was inside the venue at the time. "I ran to the side. We all dog-piled on top of each other. I kept getting stomped on. Just trampled." She said she ran to the back door, where people crowded during a pause in the gunfire. "And then, all of a sudden, a couple of guys started running to the back door and said, 'Get up, he's coming.' " Witnesses described the shooter as standing over 6 feet tall and wearing dark clothing. Police said Long had a pistol with an extended magazine, meaning it could hold more ammunition than a standard clip. Some hid under a pool table as the shooter emptied his gun and then paused to reload. Some threw bar stools through a window and escaped. Other survivors credited Cody Coffman with acting heroically, warning others to run. "At first I thought it was robbery," said Sarah Deson, 19. "A smoke bomb then went off and Cody was yelling 'everyone get down.' He then told me to run for he front door because the shooter had moved further into the bar. I ran fast - so fast - all the way across the street to a gas station. Then I heard the second round of shots." Rochelle Hammons, 24, said she heard a volley of shots before she was able to flee. "All of a sudden we heard four shots, you know, 'bang, bang, bang, bang.' Everyone got down on the floor. Everyone ducked and covered each other," she said. "As everyone crouched down on the floor, I figured that my only chance would be to run out to the nearest exit. I saw the nearest exit, and I ran out as fast as I could." From inside her car, she saw a police officer arrive, she said. She rolled down her window and told him there was an active shooter inside. "You've got to hurry, you've got to get in there," she urged him. Nearby, Helus was in his patrol car, talking to his wife, when he got the call. He told her he loved her before hanging up and moving toward the bar. Police said Helus arrived about 11:22 p.m. On the scene, according to radio traffic obtained by the Daily Beast, he reported finding one person down outside. He told the dispatcher he was outside an entrance with two California Highway Patrol officers. "I'm going in," Helus said, according to the radio calls. Inside, the gunman shot Helus several times. "He died a hero," said Dean, the sheriff, with his voice cracking, "because he went in to save lives." - - - Berman and Fahrenthold reported from Washington. The Washington Post's Rob Kuznia and Tony Biasotti in Thousand Oaks, California, and Julie Tate, Alice Crites, Jennifer Jenkins, William Wan, Allyson Chiu, Antonia Noori Farzan, Meagan Flynn, Kyle Swenson, Fred Barbash, Alex Horton, Amar Nadir, Lindsey Bever, Isaac Stanley-Becker and Matt Zapotosky in Washington contributed to this report. --- Video Embed Code Video: The FBI said on Nov. 8 it was looking at evidence and the digital footprint from the gunman who killed a dozen people inside a crowded country-music bar in Thousand Oaks, Calif., a city near Los Angeles.(The Washington Post) Embed code: Video: Twelve people, including a sheriff's deputy, were fatally shot Nov. 7 at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, Calif. The suspected gunman was also found dead.(Allie Caren/The Washington Post) Embed code: WASHINGTON - The Pentagon has directed U.S. military commanders to stop calling the deployment of active-duty troops to the southern border "Operation Faithful Patriot," a name derided by critics as overtly political while President Donald Trump played up the mission in stumping for Republican candidates. The decision was acknowledged Wednesday after the midterm elections, and it was not immediately clear what name the military operation may ultimately take instead. "We are no longer calling it Operation Faithful Patriot," said a Pentagon spokesman, Army Lt. Col. Jamie Davis. "We are referring to it as border support. I have nothing further at this time." A second Pentagon spokesman, Chris Sherwood, said that simply referring to the military operation as "border support" is a "more accurate description" because the Department of Homeland Security is overseeing it. The news was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, which said the directive was issued by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis's office on Election Day. He has sought to shield the military from politics, with mixed results. The operation has come under fire from some retired generals, who say it unnecessarily thrusts the military into politics. Trump sought to characterize migrants traveling north through Mexico from Central America in a "caravan" as an "invasion" of the United States. In reality, the group is believed to consist almost entirely of families who could legally apply for asylum at ports of entry at the border. The operation, announced Oct. 29, is in support of the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection. The Pentagon has sought to stress that it has only a support role, while the president has suggested that the military will face the migrants at the border. Army Col. Rob Manning, a Pentagon spokesman, told reporters Monday that the administration specifically asked for active-duty service members to deploy for the operation. They are limited in what they can do by the Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits federal military from involvement in most domestic law enforcement missions in the United States. About 5,200 active-duty troops were expected to be involved in Faithful Patriot by Monday. The military has deployed the U.S. military to the border before, but not in such large numbers of active-duty troops in a century. More typically, National Guard units, which operate under state authority, are called upon to provide support. The U.S. military has released dozens of photos and videos in recent days of service members on the border, including some Tuesday of Air Force Gen. Terrence O'Shaughnessy, chief of U.S. Northern Command, visiting service members deployed to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base as part of the operation. To date, the Pentagon has not allowed any independent media to cover the operations and provide a fuller account of what is occurring. WASHINGTON - Special counsel Robert Mueller III's team defended the validity of his appointment in court Thursday amid uncertainty about the future of his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Mueller's attorneys were responding to a challenge brought by an associate of Roger Stone, a longtime adviser to President Trump, that questions the constitutionality of Mueller's role - and that could eventually reach the Supreme Court. The hearing, coming a day after Trump ousted Attorney General Jeff Sessions, opened with a judge at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit telling lawyers to make their case as if it were being argued Wednesday morning, before the Justice Department shake-up. Andrew Miller, a former assistant to Stone, appealed after losing his bid to block a grand-jury subpoena from Mueller. Miller was held in contempt, but that ruling is on hold pending the outcome of his appeals case. The special counsel's team has sought to interview a number of Stone associates or have them appear before the grand jury as part of the 18-month-old probe. Government attorney Michael Dreeben provided insight Thursday into how Mueller's team has been operating under the supervision of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. There is day-to-day independence, but the team has to report major developments, he said. Rosenstein can ask for explanations of prosecutorial decisions, and the team needs approval to grant immunity to witnesses, for instance, or to subpoena a member of the media. "He's aware of what we're doing," Dreeben said in court. "It is not the case that the special counsel's office is off wandering in a free-floating environment." Miller's attorney disagreed. He said Mueller was named unlawfully, in violation of the appointments clause of the Constitution, arguing he has broad prosecutorial powers and little oversight. Mueller "lacks significant direction and supervision" and is akin to a U.S. attorney-at-large, Miller attorney Paul Kamenar argued. Miller's appeal is backed by the National Legal and Policy Center, a conservative nonprofit group, and was shaped in part by arguments advanced by law professor Steven Calabresi, co-founder of the Federalist Society. Two district court judges in Washington - one nominated by a Democrat, the other by Trump - have upheld the constitutionality of Mueller's appointment in recent rulings. The hearing Thursday, however, was the first time an appeals court panel - made up of Judges Karen LeCraft Henderson, Judith Rogers and Sri Srinivasan - reviewed the special counsel's authority. Rosenstein appointed Mueller in May 2017, after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey. Rosenstein's involvement came because Sessions had recused himself from matters involving the campaign. The president this week claimed he has the power to immediately cut short the special counsel's investigation but said he wants to "let it go on." "I could fire everybody right now," Trump said at a post-election news conference Wednesday, shortly before Sessions resigned at the president's request and was replaced on an acting basis with Matthew Whitaker. Whitaker will assume authority over the special-counsel probe, a Justice Department official said, and does not intend to recuse himself from overseeing the investigation, according to people close to him. A Russian firm, Concord Management and Consulting, made an argument similar to Miller's on Thursday in an effort to have an indictment of the company issued by the special counsel dismissed. Concord was charged along with 13 Russian nationals and two other companies, accused of orchestrating a social media influence campaign to affect the 2016 election. Concord has pleaded not guilty. The three-judge panel must answer the specific question of whether Mueller is a "principal officer," requiring appointment by the president and Senate confirmation, or an "inferior" one, who can be appointed by the head of a department. Two appeals judges - Srinivasan and Rogers - seemed skeptical of the argument from Concord's attorney that Mueller's appointment required a specific statute passed by Congress. "DOJ hires private attorneys all the time," Rogers said. Srinivasan noted his own appointment as a former deputy solicitor general was not specified in law or approved by the Senate. "Does your position mean the appointment was invalid?" he asked. If the appeals court rules against him, Miller intends to go to the Supreme Court, his attorney, Kamenar, said after court Thursday. The appointments clause generally requires officers to be nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, but it allows for officials deemed "inferior" to be appointed by the heads of departments, the president or a court of law if they are supervised by a principal officer. If Mueller is a "principal" officer, his appointment is invalid because he was tapped by Rosenstein. In a July ruling in Miller's case, Chief U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell wrote that the "scope of the Special Counsel's power falls well within the boundaries the Constitution permits," in part because he is supervised by an official, in this case Rosenstein, "who is himself accountable to the elected President." Miller worked for longtime Trump friend Stone during the 2016 presidential campaign, handling duties such as setting up media interviews. He is one of at least nine of Stone's associates contacted by prosecutors. After Howell's ruling, an opinion in August from U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich, a Trump appointee, also upheld Mueller's appointment. Friedrich rejected a separate challenge from Concord, the Russian company. Stone has repeatedly said he was not in touch with WikiLeaks, which published Democratic emails that prosecutors allege were hacked by Russian operatives and that were published in the final months of the presidential race. - - - The Washington Post's Rosalind S. Helderman contributed to this report. WASHINGTON - A high stakes lawsuit involving victims of the 2000 attack of the USS Cole seemed to divide the Supreme Court Wednesday, as justices struggled with the seemingly innocuous question of whether notice of the suit was sent to the right address. The answer has enormous consequences both for the victims - they won a nearly $315 million default judgment against the Republican of Sudan - and apparently for the U.S. government, which said a ruling against Sudan could harm international relations and endanger the government's legal position in the world. At issue was a directive in the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act that notice of any legal action against a foreign government be "addressed and dispatched" to the head of that country's ministry of foreign affairs. Lawsuits against Sudan for providing material support for the al-Qaida attack were sent to the Sudanese embassy in Washington. But Christopher Curran, a Washington lawyer representing Sudan, told the court that they should have been sent to the foreign minister's office in Khartoum. If Curran is right, the judgments against the country would be vacated. One appeals court has looked at the question and decided mailing a notice to the embassy was fine. Another has sided with Curran. The justices seemed similarly divided. "I have to say . . . that would be my first thought: Why don't I deliver it to the embassy," said Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. "Mailing it to the foreign minister in some country and assuming it's going to get there in any reasonable time, I think you're much more likely to reach them through the embassy." But Curran said the foreign minister does not have an office at the embassy. "So it literally would not be complying with the statutory language to send the mailing to that diplomatic mission," he said. Justice Elena Kagan said there is no language in the statute that says it must be addressed to the foreign minister's office. "Everybody understands that embassies are supposed to be the point of contact if you want to do anything with respect to a foreign government," she said. Justice Samuel Alito Jr. was also a tough questioner. He noted the law was written before the "era of FedEx" and wondered whether it was really so simple to send a package with a "Return Receipt Requested and it comes back from the far reaches of the world?" Curran responded that what is known is that Congress decided not to require that such notices be filed with embassies because countries objected to that. Department of Justice lawyer Erica Ross backed him up, saying service at embassies could violate the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which says that the premises of an embassy be "inviolable." But what practical harm does the U.S. see in mailing notices to an embassy, asked Justice Brett Kavanaugh. "The harm is that the United States has embassies all over the world, obviously, and sort of deputizing each of those to accept service on behalf of the United States is quite problematic," Ross said. The deadly Oct. 12, 2000, attack on the Cole, when it was refueling at a harbor in Yemen, killed 17 American sailors - 15 men and two women - and wounded 42 others. Washington lawyer Kannon Shanmugam represents the families of the dead and those wounded. He said it would be wrong to throw out the judgments they had received because of an "unstated procedural requirement." But he faced hard questions, too. Justice Sonia Sotomayor said the "addressed and dispatched" language implied a sense of urgency to make sure it got to the foreign minister, rather than mailing it to the embassy in the U.S. "We can't ignore that it's not the place where the person usually is," she said. "And that concept, I think, is the essence of due process." Justice Stephen Breyer said research by his clerks showed two dozen countries, like the United States, does not accept legal notice at their embassies. "I could find nothing the other way" that would support Shanmugam's position, he told the lawyer. Kavanaugh was also concerned. "The point you're making is it's not a big deal to allow service at an embassy, even though the United States objects and even though, as Justice Breyer points out, no other country appears to allow that." Alito and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had a practical concern: did the mailing at the embassy actually give Sudan notice of the suit? "Sudan unquestionably had actual notice of the litigation," said Shanmugam, and decided not to show up. It was only after the victims had won a default judgment and were attempting to access Sudanese assets held in New York banks did Sudan file its objections, he said. Curran was circumspect when he was asked. He said there was "nothing in the record" to indicate the Sudanese foreign minister received the notice sent to the embassy, although an employee signed for it. Under further questioning, he acknowledged that Sudan had notice of the suit sometime before the default judgment was filed. If the court rules for Sudan, the judgment for the families is likely thrown out, and the legal process must begin anew. In that case, "Sudan is committed to appearing and defending itself," Curran told Alito. "It believes that the default judgment was ill-founded. It has substantial defenses and it would like to contest the charges." The case is Republic of Sudan v. Harrison. Medicaid caught two big waves in Tuesday's elections after some politically stormy years. First: It appears safe from any further attempts to whittle it down from congressional Republicans. Democrats will now control the House and can halt any future efforts to replace the Affordable Care Act. In their repeal-and-replace bills last year, GOP members had proposed sizable reductions for future Medicaid spending. Second: The program will be expanded next year in three GOP-led states - and possibly two more - that up until now had declined to extend Medicaid coverage to Americans earning up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, as envisioned under the ACA. Voters in Idaho, Utah and Nebraska approved ballot initiatives for Medicaid expansion, making a combined 363,000 more people eligible for the program next year. And Democrats won gubernatorial races in Wisconsin and Kansas, two other Republican-led states that had resisted expansion but now may be more open to it. We should mention another state, too. In Maine, the very first state to approve Medicaid expansion via a ballot question in 2017, Gov.-elect Janet Mills, a Democrat, says carrying it out will be a top priority. Her predecessor, Paul LePage, a Republican, had held up expansion in court, saying it would cost the state too much money. "Citizen power propelled the biggest expansion of Medicaid in heavily Republican states since the early years of the Affordable Care Act, with hundreds of thousands of poor and vulnerable residents standing to gain health coverage as a result of Tuesday's elections," The Washington Post reported. Let's add it all up. With the addition of Idaho, Utah and Nebraska, 36 states and the District are on board with expanded Medicaid. That number could very well climb to 38 states if Kansas and Wisconsin eventually follow suit. All told, about half a million more people could join the massive federal-state health insurance program for the low-income and disabled that covers more than 1 in 5 Americans. To Democrats and supporters of the ACA, that's a huge victory, given the central role Medicaid has played in the Obamacare wars. Vox's Sarah Kliff tweeted Tuesday: ""Hard to overstate how strongly Medicaid won last night, mostly in red states." Jesse Lehrich, communications director of Organizing for Action, tweeted Tuesday: "Idaho, Utah, & Nebraska all expanded Medicaid tonight.300,000 people gain access to health care." Many Republican governors spurned the extra federal expansion dollars provided under the ACA, citing opposition to the health-care law and arguing it would still cost their states too much money. But it appears - at least in the ballot initiative states - that voters didn't quite agree with their political leaders. "This election proves that politicians who fought to repeal the Affordable Care Act got it wrong," Jonathan Schleifer, executive director of the nonprofit Fairness Project, a group that worked to get the initiatives passed, told reporters Wednesday. "Expanding access to health care isn't a blue-state value or a red-state value; it's an American value." Republicans ran straight into that reality when they tried to repeal and replace Obamacare last year, struggling to gin up public support for their House and Senate health-care bills, which would have pared back Medicaid spending. While Republicans like to envision a society in which people don't need to rely on the government for help, it's hard to sell that idea to people who stand to lose such benefits. Now that even more states are jumping onto the Medicaid expansion bandwagon, the ACA will be even more entrenched - further darkening Republicans' chances of ever repealing it. Just 14 states, primarily in the South and Midwest, are holdouts. An estimated 2.2 million people in those states are missing out on Medicaid coverage as a result, according to estimates by the Kaiser Family Foundation. The next step for Idaho, Nebraska and Utah is to submit a state plan amendment to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Once CMS approves these SPAs, typically within a few weeks or months, states can move forward with expanding enrollment. Utah officials are aiming to have the expansion program ready by April 1, the deadline laid out in the ballot initiative itself. It's a big job, considering the state is projected to increase its total Medicaid enrollment by 50 percent. But Utah Medicaid Director Nathan Checketts told me his staff started setting the wheels in motion even before Tuesday's election, when they saw polling on the initiative. "We saw the polling numbers were high, that it looked like it would pass," Checketts said. "So we've been working behind the scenes to be considering what types of system changes might be necessary. We think we can hit those targets, but there is a lot of lead time." WASHINGTON - The Trump administration is considering designating Yemen's Houthi rebels as a terrorist organization, people familiar with the discussions said, as part of a campaign to end that country's civil war and pile pressure on their ally Iran. The terrorist designation, which would inject an unpredictable new element into fragile diplomatic efforts to initiate peace talks, has been discussed periodically since at least 2016, according to several of the individuals. But the matter has received renewed examination in recent months as the White House seeks to stake out a tough stance on Iranian-linked groups across the Middle East, they said. A formal terrorist designation by the State Department could further isolate the rebels, members of a minority Shiite Muslim sect who seized control of Yemen's capital in late 2014, but critics warn that such a move might also worsen already dire humanitarian conditions without pushing the conflict closer to a conclusion. The individuals, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal deliberations, said the administration has considered an array of potential actions against the rebels, including lesser measures to sanction the group, but said no decision has been made. It was not immediately clear how far deliberations about the terror designation, which is made by the State Department, has progressed. The rise of the Houthi movement, which has received military backing from Iran, has sparked an extended military operation by Gulf nations that fear the expansion of Tehran's reach on the Arabian peninsula. Since 2015, jets from a Saudi-led coalition have bombed Houthi-controlled areas while allied ground forces have attacked rebel positions. The war has also drawn the United States into a conflict with few clear American interests, generating criticism from lawmakers who disapprove of U.S. involvement in the war. The Pentagon provides aerial refueling to Gulf planes as they conduct missions over Yemen and shares intelligence with coalition militaries. Opposition has grown in the wake of repeated coalition strikes on Yemeni civilians and the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi monarchy, by a team dispatched from Riyadh. The war has also triggered a massive humanitarian crisis in what was already the poorest country in the Middle East. Last month, the United Nations intensified its warnings about the situation in Yemen, saying that half the population was facing pre-famine conditions. Consideration of new steps to crack down on the Houthis occurs as Western diplomats step up their calls for the group to hold talks with the official Yemeni government, which has international backing but limited influence on the ground. Last week, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged a halt to fighting in Yemen, even as forces backed by the Gulf coalition move closer to a long-awaited assault on the strategic port city of Hodeida, which the Houthis control. Some officials, particularly at the State Department, have resisted moves to designate the Houthis as a terrorist group because they believe it might make it more difficult for U.N. negotiators to get peace discussions off the ground. A designation would be seen as a major escalation of U.S. pressure against the group. U.N. envoy Martin Griffiths is hoping to bring the Yemeni parties together later this month. His last attempt ended in failure earlier this fall after the rebels refused to travel to Europe for a planned meeting unless certain conditions were met. A designation would likely result in the freezing of financial assets of the Houthi movement, which controls government institutions in areas under its control, travel prohibitions and punishments for those believed to providing "material support" to the group. Jason Blazakis, who previously oversaw the State Department office on terrorism designations, said such a move against the Houthis would be mostly symbolic. The rebels do not use the international financial system, and few Houthi figures would be affected by a ban on travel to the United States. The designation would, however, allow the U.S. government to prosecute individuals believed to be aiding the group, said Blazakis, who now is a professor at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. Typically organizations that receive a State Department terrorist groupdesignation have a history of actions seen as threatening U.S. national security. Designated groups include al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), also active in Yemen, and branches of the Islamic State. In October 2016, the U.S. military fired Tomahawk missiles at coastal radar sites in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen after a series of cruise-missile attacks on Navy ships in the area. The Houthis are also blamed for attacks on vessels belonging to the Saudi-led coalition and commercial vessels transiting waters off Yemen. The 2016 attack on U.S. ships prompted a similar discussion within the Obama administration, but officials decided at that time not to pursue the designation. In recent months, Pompeo and national security adviser John Bolton have outlined a more muscular policy on Iran designed to halt its support for proxy groups across the region. This month the administration renewed energy and other sanctions that were lifted under 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, which President Trump pulled out of earlier this year. U.S. officials say Iran has provided advanced military technology to the Houthis but that it has closer ties to other organizations, such as Lebanese Hezbollah. Designation of the Houthis would be welcomed by Saudi Arabia, which took a similar step in 2014. The United States has continued its involvement in the war in Yemen largely because its desire to support Riyadh, a close economic and counterterrorism ally which has been hit repeatedly by Houthi missiles. Aid groups fear a designation could worsen suffering among Yemeni civilians because it could require them to obtain licenses from the U.S. government before they are able to continue their work in Houthi-controlled areas. Already millions of Yemenis are unable to access food and medicine as the conflict stymies trade and creates a spike in preventable diseases. Officials said the administration is also examining other steps, short of a terrorist designation, it could take to sanction the Houthis. In 2015, the Obama administration placed individual sanctions on the group's leader. This spring, the Trump administration sanctioned five Iranians it alleged helped the Houthis acquire or employ ballistic missiles. - - - The Washington Post's Kareem Fahim in Istanbul, and John Hudson, Karen DeYoung and Julie Tate contributed to this report. PARIS - In France, the name Philippe Petain is a synonym for national shame, a stand-in for the darkest chapter in modern French - and even European - history. Petain was the leader of France's Vichy government, the reactionary regime that openly collaborated with Nazi Germany during World War II and participated in the deportation of 76,000 Jews during the Holocaust. In the aftermath of the war, he was tried and convicted of treason. Had it not been for his advanced age (was nearly 90 at the time), he would have been executed. On Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron came under fire for endorsing the idea that France should pay tribute to Petain during a ceremony commemorating the 100th anniversary of the 1918 Armistice that ended World War I. But by the end of the day, amid a torrent of criticism, the Elysee was forced on the defensive, backtracking from the president's words and asserting that Petain would not be honored. Before he became head of the Vichy government, Petain was a military hero from World War I, having made his name at Verdun, the longest battle of the war. More than 300,000 soldiers - French and German alike - died in that battle, one of the bloodiest in the war. "It was never part of the plan to honor Petain," an Elysee source told The Washington Post, noting that Petain will not be included in a Saturday morning ceremony that will honor other World War I heroes. But Macron's words had suggested otherwise, and set off a national firestorm. "He was a great soldier," Macron said. "It's a reality." Petain, Macron had originally suggested, would be recognized along with seven other marshals who led successful military campaigns during the war. Army sources had also told French media that Petain was on the list. "It's legitimate that we pay homage to the marshals who led the army to victory," Macron had told reporters. "Political life, like human nature, is sometimes more complex than we would like to believe," Macron said. "I've always looked the history of our country in the face." Those remarks outraged Jewish groups and a number of historians, who saw the move in keeping with a recent wave of historical revisionism. It also drew coverage from nearly every major French newspaper and elicited widespread condemnation on social media. Among the loudest critics was Macron's predecessor, former president Francois Hollande, who issued a scathing statement on Wednesday night. "History does not isolate a single stage, even a glorious military career," Hollande wrote, in remarks posted on Twitter. "It judges the immense and unworthy responsibility of a marshal who deliberately used his name and prestige as a cover for treason and the collaboration and deportation of thousands of Jews of France." "The only thing I want to remember about Petain is that in 1945 he was an incarnation of national shame, which makes him ineligible for any tribute," said Francis Kalifat, the president of the Representative Council of French Jewish Organizations (CRIF), France's largest Jewish advocacy group, in a statement. Late Wednesday, the Elysee backtracked from the president's initial words in response to the criticism, emphasizing in a slew of social media posts that Petain will not, in fact, be honored in a Saturday ceremony. But the affair, however small, reopened a long-standing debate about the wounds of the past. The Vichy regime is notorious for having pursued, largely independent of German pressure, its own slew of anti-Semitic legislation in keeping with the "National Revolution" it sought to inspire. The "Statut des Juifs," passed in two separate junctures in October 1940 and June 1941, banned Jews from public life and the free professions. Vichy also pursued the agenda of "Aryanization," under which French authorities liquidated Jewish property to enrich the coffers of the state. In general, the memory of World War II ranked for decades among the most explosive topics in French public life. For years, admirers - including former French presidents - left flowers on Petain's grave every year, on the anniversary of the Armistice. That practice came to an abrupt end in 1992, when Francois Mitterrand, a Socialist president who had served in the Vichy administration between 1941 and 1943, succumbed to public pressure. In 1995, President Jacques Chirac ended decades of ambiguity by declaring that Vichy was, in fact, the French state and that the deportation of Jews during the war was France's fault. In recent years, however, there has been an attempt to rehabilitate Petain, mostly on the extreme right. The convicted Holocaust denier and National Front co-founder Jean-Marie Le Pen, for instance, wrote fondly of the wartime leader in a memoir published earlier this year; the right-wing commentator Eric Zemmour did much the same in a book published last month. Petain, Zemmour wrote, was "double-dealing," somehow attempting to rescue the country and French Jews, from behind the scenes. The vast majority of the Jews deported from France never returned. These are no longer fringe opinions: Both Zemmour's book and Le Pen's memoirs were instant bestsellers. For many, the question is whether Macron's since retracted decision would somehow endorse a reconsideration of Petain. When pressed by journalists, the 40-year-old president went on the defensive immediately. "I'm not hiding any page of history," he said. For some historians, however, the problem is the potential effect of Macron's words. "The problem is that the statement comes from the president of the Republic," said Laurent Joly, an expert in the history of Vichy France and the author of a new book on Vichy anti-Semitism. "If the army had sought to commemorate Petain, no one would have reproached them. "But there has been a consensus since 1992. What this does is go back on that consensus. It creates ambiguities," he said. Prosecutors and defense lawyers agree that Bobby Moore is too intellectually disabled to execute - but the state of Texas wants him put to death anyway. A day after Harris County prosecutors made the rare move of siding with a death row inmate in a Supreme Court filing, the Texas Office of the Attorney General took the possibly unprecedented step of asking to take on the case and keep pushing for the death chamber. "The DA, who represents just one of Texas's 254 counties, does not represent the Attorney General's interest," the state's top prosecutor wrote, claiming that the district attorney offered "no analysis" beyond "two conclusory sentences" in her filing a day earlier. The state's 17-page brief represents yet another twist in a groundbreaking case that's already shaken up how Texas determines whether a prisoner is too intellectually disabled to be put to death. READ MORE: Texas court upholds death sentence for Harris County death row inmate Bobby Moore Lawyers for Moore, an attorney general spokesperson and the district attorney's office all did not weigh in on Wednesday's filing. A day earlier, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg offered a short statement pointing to an earlier Supreme Court decision in the case. "We agree with the Supreme Court that the intellectually disabled should not be executed," she said. The convicted killer was one of three men involved in a botched robbery at the Birdsall Super Market, a 1980 slaying in which he fired the shot that killed elderly store clerk James McCarble. That same year, the former carpenter was sentenced to death during his 1980 trial. For more than three decades, Moore fought his appeals, once coming within hours of execution. Then, in 2017, the Supreme Court handed down a groundbreaking decision, in a 5-3 ruling determining that Texas had been, for years, not properly measuring intellectual disability in cases like Moore's. The ruling booted Moore's claims back to a lower court, where prosecutors switched course and asked for a life sentence. But - even though the district attorney's office agreed to the more lenient outcome - the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals didn't, handing down a split decision Moore's lawyers condemned as an "outlier" and "inconsistent" with the higher court. Last month, Moore's legal team appealed that ruling up to the Supreme Court again, asking the justices to yet again examine the state's standards for intellectual disability, but also asking the high court to consider whether an execution should count as unconstitutional if both sides agree that it is. "As far as counsel is aware, this Court never has permitted an execution when both the prosecutor and the defendant agree that the defendant is intellectually disabled and ineligible for execution," defense attorney Cliff Sloan and Pat McCann wrote in their Supreme Court filing. "For good reason." READ MORE: Houston murder takes center stage at U.S. Supreme Court Although the Supreme Court banned states from executing intellectually disabled prisoners more than a decade ago, for years Texas skirted that by relying on an out-dated, nonclinical test to evaluate mental capacity. Named after plaintiff Jose Briseno, the test used seven questions to determine intellectual disability, as outlined in a 2004 ruling that famously referenced "Of Mice and Men" character Lennie as someone most Texans would agree should be exempt from the death penalty. But even though he failed every single grade, did not understand the days of the week by age 13, and fell below the standard for being able to live independently as an adult, under the old standard Moore still didn't qualify as intellectually disabled. The Court of Criminal Appeals twice decided that despite his apparent deficits, he was still fit to execute. Then last year the Supreme Court reversed the first of those two decisions with its groundbreaking 5-3 ruling. The high court's 2017 ruling didn't just impact Moore's case, it also ordered Texas to come up with new standards - something other than the Briseno factors - for determining intellectual disability. The ruling sparked a stream of requests from inmates hoping to get off death row, and two condemned killers won stays this year because of the decision. But even the Supreme Court's decision hasn't been enough to spare Moore - at least not yet. After the high court's decision last year, prosecutors in November 2017 agreed with the defense that a life sentence was appropriate. And still, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals said no. Even though the appeals court came up with a new, clinical standard for measuring intellectual disability, they still found that Moore didn't meet it. So in October, Moore's lawyers filed another appeal in the Supreme Court. On Tuesday, the district attorney's office agreed. "The respondent parts company with the TCCA in its determination that the applicant is not intellectually disabled," the district attorney's office wrote. Citing the Supreme Court's earlier decision, the prosecutors laid out some of the indicators of Moore's disability, and concluded by asking the justices to reverse the Texas appeals court's decision. In its unusual response a day later, the attorney general asked to replace the district attorney on the case and accused the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals of taking on the role of the legislature when it adopted updated, clinical standards for determining mental capacity earlier this year. The state also dinged the county prosecutors for changing their stance on the case. "For one thing, the DA's concession was an abrupt reversal of her office's longstanding position that the same evidentiary record demonstrated that petitioner is not intellectually disabled," the state argued. And, the attorney general wrote, the court requires arguments from two sides in death penalty cases. But when prosecutors agree with the defense, they're not really offering true opposition, the state said. "Petitioner's arguments outlined above should be fully addressed by a true brief in opposition before the Court considers the extraordinary remedy of summary reversal," the attorney general wrote. "If allowed to intervene, the Attorney General will perform that important function for the Court." Former Republican congressman Steve Stockman, a Tea Party stalwart who represented southwest Houston and then East Texas, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison Wednesday for a wide-ranging scheme that included spying on a potential GOP rival and misspending charitable contributions from conservative donors. RELATED: Former U.S. Rep. Steve Stockman convicted in massive fraud scheme A political expert who has monitored Stockman's political trajectory likened the right-wing firebrand's downfall to that of President Richard Nixon, who was also disgraced for spying on opponents and covering up payoffs and other financial misdeeds. Stockman, 61, of Clear Lake, is different, of course, in that he was convicted on April 12 of 23 felony counts for illegally diverting for his own personal use $1.25 million in donations to his federal election campaigns. He has spent the past six months in 12-man cell in a Conroe jail awaiting his sentence. Chief U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal said the ex-lawmaker's sentence should take into account that Stockman hired workers to sneak around and rifle through trash of a perceived opponent from his own party. It was important to consider that Stockman cheated taxpayers and constituents, attempted to cover up his acts to avoid detection and continued to seek the political spotlight all the while, the judge said. "You stole money and used it for personal gain and you used it to violate the public trust," Rosenthal told Stockman, who stood before her in an orange jail uniform and beige rubber clogs that were chained together at the ankles. "You cheated the American taxpayer." MORE: 34 surprising facts revealed during ex-Congressman Steve Stockmans fraud trial In addition to his prison term, the judge ordered him to serve three years of supervised release and repay $1.014 million to foundations run by two deep-pocketed donors. Stockman, who remained silent during his sentencing, smiled and blew a kiss to his wife as a U.S. Marshal led him out through a side door. A prosecutor asked that Stockman be given an enhanced sentence of 14 years on the grounds that he allegedly duped a vulnerable 86-year-old Baltimore philanthropist into giving away hundreds of thousands of dollars. "Mr. Stockman demonstrated that he was not somebody who felt himself bound by the law or by the rules," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Heberle. "He lied over and over and over again to people who were in charge of charitable foundations to get money that could have gone to legitimate charitable causes." Defense lawyer Marlo P. Cadeddu asked for 13 months the average sentence for public corruption. The judge said that term "doesn't come close to capturing this unique violation of the public trust." After sentencing, defense attorney Charles Flood, said his client did not address the judge because the Stockman was afraid he might become too emotional. "Steve remains hopeful," Flood said. "He believes in his innocence and he maintains his faith on appeal." Two former congressional aides Thomas Dodd, 39, of Houston, and Jason Posey, 48, of Tupelo, Miss., pleaded guilty to helping in the fraud and gave key testimony at trial. They are set for sentencing on Dec. 12. Texas's Richard Nixon Stockman rose to prominence in the mid-90s as a U.S. representative for southwest Houston. Almost two decades later, in 2013, he returned to Congress, this time representing a swath of East Texas counties, but cut short that term to launch a failed bid for John Cornyn's seat in the U.S. Senate. Stockman's politics were in line with the Tea Party's conservative libertarian thinking before that party ever existed, according to Brandon Rottinghaus, a political science professor at University of Houston who has studied Texas politics. "Stockman unseated long-serving liberal Congressman Jack Brooks, which was a signal that a new conservative movement was taking hold in Texas," said Rottinghaus. "He was part of a new breed of conservatives that were reshaping Texas and American politics." The UH scholar sees Stockman as "Texas's Richard Nixon" because he siphoned off funds and orchestrated amateur political surveillance. Dolphin watching and Advent books Stockman was arrested in 2017 as he attempted to board a flight to the Middle East in 2017. The federal inquiry followed investigations of Stockman by the Sunlight Foundation and the Houston Chronicle that examined a series of 2013 checks that straw donors made to Stockman's depleted congressional campaign fund. Federal agents had gathered evidence that the ex-representative had committed wire and mail fraud, laundered the illegal proceeds of his crimes, violated federal election law and lied on a tax return. In the trial that followed, prosecutors introduced reams of documents how Stockman attributed donations to two aides and then revised documents to say that the funds had been donated by the aides' parents. The jury also found that Stockman had funneled charitable donations through a series of sham nonprofit organizations and shell bank accounts to spend on an array of personal expenses that included his brother's homemade Advent books and a dolphin-watching trip. One project was an amateur spy operation that trailed a perceived GOP rival, state Rep. James White, R-Hillister, around the statehouse in Austin. White, who was just re-elected to his seat, said Wednesday he found it strange that Stockman would invest in surveillance right after he was sworn in for his second congressional term. "Instead of concentrating on all these other issues we have in the country health care, border security, war in the Middle East his first intuition was his own political survival rather than the survival of ordinary Texans," White said. Schoolchildren, constituents and a federal inmate hoping for best Present at the sentencing was Mark Michalek, a special agent who oversees public corruption investigations in the FBI's Houston office. He said the office has looked into many complex, multijurisdictional schemes by officials who use their positions for personal profit. But he noted that cases like Stockman's don't come to the FBI unless people report fraud. "Preserving the public's trust in government is a responsibility that we don't take lightly," he said, noting that, "we rely heavily on the public's help in investigating these crimes." Stockman's wife Patti sat in court with nearly 20 friends and constituents who came to support her husband. Fifteen supporters and one fellow jail inmate also submitted letters to the judge praising Stockman's good deeds. His wife said she has been overwhelmed by the support, including an email that came Tuesday about a classroom of schoolchildren who were praying for him. Patti Stockman thinks the criminal case was politically motivated. "My husband was a very vocal whistleblower about the corruption of the Obama administration," she said. Gabrielle Banks covers federal court for the Houston Chronicle. Follow her on Twitter and send her tips at gabrielle.banks@chron.com Miriam Arellano doesnt remember the fever that nearly killed her as a baby, or how her father crossed the U.S. border from Mexico in a desperate attempt to save her. His journey took him from a bleak life in Michoacan state to Florida, where a job earning $20 a day laying tile was waiting for him. That trek and her new right to vote were on Arellanos mind Wednesday afternoon as she raised her right hand and swore an oath of allegiance to the United States. I was dying. They were so poor, so they had no way for a visa or anything to come to the United States, Arellano tearfully said. He did what any parent would do to help save his daughter and provide for his family. He came to the states. Arellano, 29, was among 50 others more than a dozen of whom were also from Mexico who packed Houston City Hall to earn their citizenship a day after the election. U.S. District Judge Vanessa Gilmore pointed to the heated midterm, which saw Sen. Ted Cruz narrowly beating Rep. Beto ORourke and Democrats seizing the House, as an example of how to put their citizenship to good use. You missed the opportunity to vote by one day, but you now have the right to vote, Gilmore said to the crowd of new citizens. And if they take exception to their own election officials, Gilmore suggested they try their own hand at politics since they now have the right. After all, for example, former Somali refugee Ilhan Omar was elected Tuesday night in Minnesota and will become one of the first Muslim women to serve in Congress. If there are people who are not doing what theyre supposed to be doing in public office, then you have to step up and be the ones that run, Gilmore said. Texas Tech University graduate Julian Ocana, originally from Medellin, Colombia, wanted the freedom to cast his vote Tuesday, but his citizenship came too late. The candidate I wanted to win here in Texas didnt win, Ocana, referring to ORourkes loss. Im still happy to see the results in and that there can be a possible change in the future Hopefully (Cruz will) do better things for Hispanics. I think Im already expecting more of the same. Ruben Romo came to the U.S. from Mexico as well, but for love. He met his future wife, Alice Romo, at a dance club in Mexico and 13 years ago moved north of the border to be with her. As for casting a ballot, Next time, he said. After being handed her citizenship certificate, Arellano spoke of how her fathers hard-earned cash was sent back to Mexico for her medical treatment. When she was healthy again, she and her mother crossed the Rio Grande in 1990 to join him. Her parents, who live in Dallas, are still seeking their U.S. citizenship. She went on to graduate valedictorian at a Dallas high school before earning a management degree from the University of Texas in Austin. She now works as an IT analyst in Houston. But those nearly three decades as an undocumented migrant weighed on her because of the uncertainty. She often feared she would be deported to a country she hardly knew. It feels surreal because its been several years in the making. I know a lot of people take it for granted, Arellano said. Im going to take this very seriously because its giving other people who dont have the right to voice their opinion through a vote to be able to do that for the future of society. New citizens in the naturalization ceremony came from several countries, including Argentina, Cameroon, Canada, El Salvador, Honduras, Hungary, India, Iran, Nepal, Nigeria, Philippines, Poland, Turkey, Venezuela, Vietnam and the United Kingdom. Republican Robert Hebert, the longtime Fort Bend County judge, was not stunned as he saw the election results roll in Tuesday night showing that he was losing to school board member and Democrat KP George. I wasnt surprised, said Hebert inside his courthouse office Wednesday afternoon. Matter of fact, I made a decision to run because I saw the trend in the county was blue, and I thought my performance might hold that off another four years and help some of the down-ballot judges. Obviously, that didnt work. Hebert, 76, who has served as county judge since 2003, lost by more than 14,000 votes to George. Heberts loss comes as Fort Bend residents voted in Democrats to many county seats. Republican Precinct 4 County Commissioner James Patterson, who has served almost two decades, lost to Democratic challenger Ken R. DeMerchant. The county also elected its first ever African-American district attorney, Brian Middleton, who will be the first Democrat in 26 years to serve as the countys top prosecutor. George, 54, who said he would be the first South Asian county judge for Fort Bend, had an inkling about the results on Tuesday night noting he felt the county was going to lean blue. He serves on the Fort Bend ISD school board and his wife is a Fort Bend ISD teacher. The Sugar Land couple have three children. I grew up in a little village in South India, and I came to this country with very little English and few bucks in my pocket, said George by phone on Wednesday. I was able to come this far in my life simply because I have a desire for public service. Despite the local victories, Elizabeth Pilgrim, who sat outside on the lawn at Sugar Land Town Square on Wednesday, said she was drawn to the race because of Democratic U.S. Rep. Beto O Rourkes run for the U.S. Senate, and congressional Democrat candidate Sri Preston Kulkarni race for the 22nd District. Although both lost their races, Democrats in Fort Bend voted for ORourke over Sen. Ted Cruz. In 2016, Fort Bend County voters also supported Hillary Clinton over President Donald Trump. Pilgrim, whos in her 60s and has lived in Fort Bend since 1981, has watched the countys political views change as it has grown into a diverse hub where various languages are spoken and many minorities call it home. Fort Bend County is made up of more than 764,000 residents----with 35 percent white, 21 percent black, 24 percent Hispanic, and 21 percent Asian and other. Our diversity has enabled us to be broad-minded, said Pilgrim. You choose your candidates based on their experience and based on what you know of them. You choose the best person now. Its no longer a race thing. Its just who you feel is the best candidate that will bring your county or your state forward. Although Hebert, who saw the county through Hurricane Harvey and has been working on recovery efforts ever since, said he felt Fort Bend voters chose party affiliation over candidate. His defeat also comes as Harris County voters elected 27-year-old Lina Hidalgo over longtime Republican Harris County Judge Ed Emmett. Im convinced that it had nothing to do with the quality of my job and nothing to do with my qualifications, said Hebert. It wasnt a race between KP and I. It was a party vote. Thats exactly what took (Ed) Emmett out. It took me out. District Attorney-elect Middleton said he woke up to 108 text messages on Wednesday morning as the news of his victory Tuesday night emerged. He won by more than 19,000 votes over his Republican opponent Cliff Vacek, a former district judge. My sense was always that the (countys) demographics didnt support the election results, said Middleton, who runs his own law firm in southwest Houston. I knew sooner or later that the Democrats would show up and vote. Hebert has seen the countys diversity continue grow throughout the years, but he believes it was President Donald Trumps election that this year ultimately doomed him. I know for a fact that if Hillary Clinton had won the election in 2016 then I wouldve been re-elected because it wouldve been the reverse, said Hebert. The Republicans wouldve been energized and the Democrats wouldve been rather complacent. brooke.lewis@chron.com The Harris County election judge who reportedly made racist comments to a black voter on Tuesday worked county polls for the past five years, an election official confirmed. Juanita Barnes was sent home on Election Day after witnesses said she told a woman who was concerned about voter registration paperwork, "Maybe if I'd worn my blackface makeup today you could comprehend what I'm saying to you." A former San Antonio police officer who is accused of providing a feces sandwich to a homeless man said today that his actions were misconstrued and he never intended to harm the man. Matthew Luckhurst, who was effectively fired in October 2016, is trying to get his job back. At a hearing before an independent arbitrator, Luckhurst said he handed the man a discarded tray of bread and feces so the man could throw it away, not eat it. I never humiliated a homeless person, Luckhurst said. I told him to throw the container away. RELATED: Police: Man exposed himself to two S.A.-area students The testimony today is part of a three-day arbitration that will determine whether Luckhurst can return to the force and get benefits and back pay. On the day of the incident, Luckhurst said his superiors had directed the officers in the downtown bike patrol unit to clear out an encampment of homeless people at Interstate 35 and Houston Street. When Luckhurst and two other officers arrived, most people staying there began to walk away. One remained, Luckhurst said. There was a lot of trash in the area, left from meals that are provided by volunteers. There was also feces on the ground. RELATED: Man accused of taking pictures of women in S.A. dressing room Luckhurst testified that he picked up the feces with a piece of discarded bread as he didnt have any plastic gloves and placed it on a Styrofoam tray. He said he placed it next to the homeless man and told him to throw it away. When questioned by city lawyers, Luckhurst agreed that it would be inappropriate for an officer to provide a feces sandwich to a homeless person. But if your intent was to have them throw it away, I dont think thats inappropriate, Luckhurst added. The proceedings continued today with Police Chief William McManus testifying that he didnt believe Luckhurst was simply asking the person to throw away the tray. Its inhumane, he said. Its certainly not conduct you would expect from a police officer. Emilie Eaton is a criminal justice reporter in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | eeaton@express-news.net | Twitter: @emilieeaton A San Antonio woman was arrested about three months after the 2-year-old she was caring for was found dead with "non-accidental trauma" across his body and methamphetamine in his system, police said. Roxanne Tovar, 30, was taken into custody Tuesday on suspicion of injury to a child by reckless omission, according to jail records. On July 29, Tovar called 911 about Desmond Jimenez, the baby she was taking care of, according to her arrest affidavit. READ ALSO: SAPD: Family argument preceded murder-suicide that left 3 dead on far West Side Officers arrived and found the child unresponsive on the floor of a bedroom. First responders quickly noticed a bruise around his eye and on his body and sores around his mouth. Medics pronounced Desmond dead, according to the affidavit. Tovar told police that Desmond's mother left him in her care April 1 and never returned, according to the affidavit. She also told police that the baby's injuries were caused by his 4-year-old sister, authorities said. Desmond's autopsy revealed multiple bruises and lumps all over his body, injured genitals, sores on his mouth and nose, a tear on the inside of his lips, and broken and bleeding fingernails. READ ALSO: San Antonio man on trial in horrific child sex attack blamed on dogs The Medical Examiner's Office described the injuries as "non-accidental trauma," according to the affidavit. The toxicology report also showed that methamphetamine was in Desmond's system. Detectives interviewed Tovar a second time on Aug. 7. Though she still blamed the injuries on the 4-year-old girl, she "changed the date some injuries occurred and how they occurred," the affidavit stated. She also allegedly admitted Desmond was unresponsive for 20 minutes before she called 911. She said she tried performing CPR on Desmond during that time. Tovar was arrested on a $75,000 bond, jail records showed. Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County. Read him on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | fsabawi@mysa.com|@FaresInSA A group of Apollo-era NASA legends mobile phones set to record rushed to see the pea green Mission Control room consoles being unwrapped Thursday at Ellington Field, eager for a closer look at the restored versions of what had once been their desks. A collective gasp rose up from the group of gray-haired men. Some had tears in their eyes. Others happily pressed buttons and dialed random numbers on the rotary phone pads. Still others simply stood back and marveled at the work of Kansas-based SpaceWorks in restoring the consoles to look just as they did when humans first walked on the moon. At HoustonChronicle.com: Mission Control's first female chief flight director stands as NASA role model and team builder "They look great. They're perfect," said Bob Grilli, who worked in Mission Control during the Apollo years and fondly recalls installing the consoles at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "That was my whole life." SpaceWorks is known for refurbishing space items including the Apollo 13 command module. It is a division of the Cosmosphere space and science education center and began restoring the consoles earlier this year. The effort is part of a project led by Johnson and Space Center Houston, the museum side of Johnson, to restore and renovate historic Mission Control in time for the 50th anniversary of the moon landing on July 20, 1969. The historic room was famously used for the Gemini, Apollo and a handful of space shuttle missions before being decommissioned in the 1990s after the Space Shuttle Discovery spent seven days in space in 1992. Mission Control had fallen into a state of disrepair, and in 2015 the National Park Service designated the National Historic Landmark as "threatened." Ten of the 24 consoles scheduled to be refurbished returned Thursday to Houston aboard NASA's Super Guppy, a massive airplane 111 feet long and 25 feet in diameter used to haul the space agency's flight hardware. Five of the consoles are still in Kansas being worked on and the last nine will be trucked there this weekend. MORE: Mission viewing room to be part of NASA mission control restoration "These consoles will represent the crown jewel and centerpiece of our restoration efforts," said Jim Thornton, Johnson's Apollo Mission Control restoration project manager. SpaceWorks achieved this by interviewing individuals who worked in Mission Control during the Apollo years, as well as examining historical photos and video footage taken in the room, said Jack Graber, Cosmosphere's vice president of exhibits and technology. "It was a lot of research," Graber said. "It took about six to eight months." Judging the Apollo legends' reactions, the work paid off. "They look authentic. It's great to see all these consoles," said Merlin Merritt, who worked in Mission Control during the Apollo-era. "Any important event in history and that certainly was one you gotta remember that for the generations to come." But the consoles aren't the only things being restored: officials are returning the entire room on the Johnson grounds to its 1969 glory. When completed in early July, the public will be able to see the room just as it was on July 24, 1969, down to some of the smallest details. Carpeting, tile, paperwork, coffee cups, ashtrays, and even the wallpaper are in the process of being recreated to make Mission Control look just as if the entire team all went on a restroom break at one time and left the room unattended. Even the Apollo 11 mission clocks will be reactivated. So far, the museum and its partners Johnson is not involved in the fundraising have raised $4.5 million of the $5 million needed to restore the room. Officials are confident they'll reach that goal. "Apollo changed the world. It changed how we saw ourselves in the context of our solar system," said Johnson Director Mark Geyer. "The Apollo program and, more importantly, the men and women who made it happen should be remembered for the historic accomplishments they made." Alex Stuckey writes about NASA and the environment for the Houston Chronicle. You can reach her at alex.stuckey@chron.com or Twitter.com/alexdstuckey. AUSTIN Texas will likely have to give up $33.3 million in federal special education funds after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that the state violated a federal rule. States are prohibited by federal law from reducing funding for special education services. If states decide to reduce funding, the Department of Education reduces the amount of federal aid by the same amount. In 2012, Texas reduced its special education budget by $33 million, so the federal government withheld $33 million as a penalty. The law is designed to prevent states from shifting more of the financial burden of special education to the federal government. Still, Texas fought the Department of Education's decision to withhold the funding, arguing that the costs of providing special education services had gone down, so it allocated less money that year. On HoustonChronicle.com: Read the Houston Chronicles Denied series In a 13-page ruling released Wednesday, a three-judge panel called the state's argument "unpersuasive," and questioned the state's method for allocating special education funding. The federal government has the option to collect the $33 million penalty in one chunk or spread it out over several years. The penalty is about 3 percent of Texas' annual $1 billion federal special education grant, according to TEA officials who said penalty would have minimal impact on special education programs. The Texas Education Agency declined to comment, and it's unclear if the state will appeal the ruling. The Texas Attorney General did not immediately return a request for comment. On HoustonChronicle.com: Feds say Texas must do more to help students needing special education The ruling comes as the state is overhauling its special education system after the U.S. Department of Education determined that state officials illegally set up what amounted to a cap on the number of students receiving special education. While 13 percent of students across the nation are in special education programs, Texas officials pushed school districts to admit no more than 8.5 percent of their students into those programs. A 2016 Houston Chronicle investigation prompted the federal inquiry. While the ruling is unrelated to the cap, special education advocates say its yet another example of the state skirting its obligation to provide special education services to students in need. All states must ensure a minimum level of state aid for special education services and Texas is faced with multiple school years in which it fell short, said Steven Aleman, a policy specialist with Disability Rights Texas. Texas has to get its priorities straight, fix the broken grant allocation system, and put more resources into special education services. I must admit that Tuesdays election was a bit odd for me. For the first time in nearly two decades, I spent it as a spectator rather than a participant. In ordinary times, I would have missed the push and pull, the spirited debates about the size and scope of government. I was content to sit this one out. After all the machinations, the conventional wisdom held. The House will now be under Democratic control while Republicans will maintain the majority in the Senate. We are under divided government again, the type of government that, in my opinion, usually delivers the best results, because it forces the parties to work together. The big question for Republicans is whether we believe in anything that is in any way coherent, beyond the current cult of the presidents personality. What is the Republican Party today, and what kind of party do we want to be in the future? When I think of the generation that is coming of age, I think of my own coming of age, and of the leaders who awakened my civic imagination and inspired me to want to be an active part of the American experiment. Those leaders did that by calling us to be a part of something bigger than ourselves, by projecting a principled and idealistic version of America to the next generation, and, most practically, by believing in something coherent. The transformational conservative politician of the mid-20th century, Barry Goldwater, was a constitutionalist who had a very clear idea of what government is for and what it isnt for where government ended and freedom began. The inspiring conservative politician of my young adulthood, Ronald Reagan, became the global leader he was by standing against the spread of communism just as it was making its last stand. He represented the free world at a critical moment, and his words penetrated into the darkness of totalitarianism. To the unfree world, the United States was the beacon of hope on Earth. The clarion call of conservatism was powerful and purposeful to me as a young man. To be a conservative to be a Republican was to sign on to a movement rich in ideas to build the United States for a new century. What does it mean to be a conservative today? I cant imagine how an 18-year-old first-time voter is supposed to answer that question. Its not fiscal responsibility, not with a projected trillion-dollar deficit. Nor is it pursuing a principled constitutionalists idea of the proper role of government, not when we condone or participate in lock her up chants at political rallies. Its hard to claim to be the beacon of freedom when we follow a man who is in the thrall of authoritarians and shrug when he calls the press enemy of the people, a phrase borrowed from some of the worst despots on Earth. If I were 18 today and had to say what conservatives now believe in, and my only evidence was the campaign now concluded, I would have to say that the conservative party in the United States seems to be the party that scares you into supporting it. I would have to say that it is the party fueled by anger, by racial and cultural resentments, by outlandish conspiracy theories and by what can only be described as an irrational fear of immigrants. I loved Reagan, but never for a moment was I confused about my loyalties, because never for a moment was the conservative movement that he inspired about him. It was about pursuing a cause, as John McCain so effectively articulated, greater than ones self-interest. So, what now for the movement that compelled me into public service? Will we embrace the dystopian view of the country that the president has adopted and double down on the fearmongering or will we salvage our principles, assume a more sane and humane view of our ideological opponents, and assert a more optimistic vision? There is only one real way forward, of course. But it has to start with Republicans believing in something greater than President Donald Trump again. Now is a good time to start. Flake, a Republican, represents Arizona in the U.S. Senate. Special to The Washington Post Few Cabinet members have had as contentious a relationship with the presidents they serve as did Jeff Sessions, attorney general until approximately 13 hours after the last polls closed in the 2018 midterm elections. Sessions endured President Trumps frequent critiques on Twitter and was the target of Trumps frustration both in interviews and in West Wing conversations that were later reported by the media. The primary reason for Trumps irritation was Sessionss decision in March of last year to recuse himself from the Russia investigation. That recusal stemmed from a recommendation by Justice Department attorneys, who noted Sessionss involvement in Trumps 2016 campaign posed a potential conflict with an investigation into that campaign. For Trump, though, the recusal was a betrayal that left him exposed. Trump apparently hoped for an attorney general as loyal to his personal interests as Robert Kennedy was (per Trumps assessment) when he served in his brothers administration. Sessions should have told him he planned to recuse, Trump said on more than one occasion, and then Trump would not have picked him in the first place. Sessionss departure changes that calculus dramatically. It is unclear how close the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election is to being completed, much less the arm of that probe run by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III which is looking at any overlap with Trumps campaign. There are signs it is nearing completion but that could mean we are on the brink of substantial revelations or indictments. For example, in recent weeks, Trumps son Donald Trump Jr. has reportedly told friends he expects to face an indictment. (Experts who spoke with The Washington Post speculated this would explain why Mueller has not yet interviewed Trump Jr.) In other words, there may still be good reason for Trump to want to curtail Muellers work. With Sessions gone, that became much easier in two ways. The first is installing a new attorney general would mean that control of the Mueller probe shifts away from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller under the authority of leading the probe following Sessionss recusal. Appointing a new attorney general is not trivial, since that person would need Senate confirmation to start work. Except that, under the terms of the Vacancies Reform Act of 1998, Trump does not need to have a new attorney general go through that process. Because Sessions technically resigned (at Trumps request), there is no question Trump could use the Act to simply move any other administration official whos already been confirmed by the Senate into Sessionss former position. In other words, Trump could in short order name Energy Secretary Rick Perry as attorney general if he wanted to. There are nearly 400 people who have been Senate confirmed, any of whom could presumably be moved over. He may not need to do that. Trump tweeted news about Sessionss departure, mentioning the acting attorney general would be Matt Whitaker, previously Sessionss chief of staff. As our Aaron Blake noted, Whitaker offered his opinion about the Mueller probe shortly before being hired by Sessions: Broadly echoing Trumps rhetoric about the need to wind down the probe and, perhaps more importantly, defending Trump Jr.s involvement in a meeting with a Kremlin-linked attorney at Trump Tower in June 2016. So what could a new Justice Department head hostile to the investigation do? A lot. Earlier this year, we spoke with Louis Seidman, Carmack Waterhouse professor of constitutional law at Georgetown University, who outlined the ways in which Muellers wings could be clipped. The main leverage that person gains: First and foremost, whoever is the Department of Justice staffer overseeing the probe is granted the power to request that the Special Counsel provide an explanation for any investigative or prosecutorial step, and may after review conclude that the action is so inappropriate or unwarranted under established Departmental practices that it should not be pursued. In other words, if Mueller wants to bring forward a new indictment, the person in charge at DOJ could nix it. They could also go further. Depending on how aggressive this person wanted to be, they could dismiss the criminal cases, they could get rid of the grand jury, Seidman said at the time. In the end, if Trump is determined, the people he appoints could shut [the probe] down. If Mueller wants to indict Trump Jr., he has to ask the Justice Department official overseeing the probe. NBC reports Rosenstein has already agreed to transfer his oversight to Whitaker, meaning Whitaker is now the one who would answer Muellers question. If Whitaker is true to what he wrote before joining the government, he will simply say no - and such an indictment would come to a halt. Marcy Wheeler, a journalist who has been tracking the legal issues involving the Mueller probe, notes that existing, sealed indictments may be out of reach for any Sessions replacement. Bump is a correspondent for The Washington Post based in New York. A flurry of minor roster activity came to an end for the Patriots on Wednesday, with the announced signings of offensive lineman Matt Tobin to their 53-man roster and running back Josh Ferguson to the practice squad. Tobin competed in New England's training camp before receiving his release on Sept. 1, having been edged out in a position battle at backup offensive tackle. Tobin, previously with the Eagles and Seahawks, then signed with San Francisco and was inactive for two games before being let go on Sept. 19. #Patriots sign OL Matt Tobin to the 53-man roster; Sign RB Josh Ferguson to the practice squad: https://t.co/DBO6VrFLmI New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 7, 2018 Ferguson, 25, played for the Colts the last two seasons after making their 53-man roster as an undrafted free agent in 2016. At 5-foot-10, 205 pounds, he's played in 26 career games and rushed for 20 yards while totaling 20 receptions. Ferguson had a brief stint on Houston's practice squad after being released by Indianapolis in mid-September. Earlier this week, New England replaced defensive lineman Geneo Grissom and offensive lineman Cole Croston with safety Obi Melifonwu and linebacker Albert McClellan on Tuesday. Offensive lineman Brian Schwenke also went to injured reserve, which created a spot for Tobin. On Monday, the Pats signed linebacker Ufomba Kamalu to an open spot on their practice squad and released running back Kenneth Farrow to create another one for Ferguson. For much of Election Day, like much of his current term in Congress, Rep. Chris Collins was a hard man to find. Reporters staked out his polling place all day, catching him for a brief interview as he voted. But Collins refused to release information on where he would be as results rolled in, highly unusual for any candidate for office, let alone an incumbent congressman. It wasnt until shortly before his opponent, Grand Island Town Supervisor Nathan McMurray, appeared to concede at his own results party that Collins hastily called together a press conference, to which select media outlets were invited, at the downtown Buffalo office of Big Dog Strategies. I am reelected, Collins said to a gaggle of reporters crowded into an entryway. Thats all that matters and I will represent everyone in the district, Democrats, Republicans and independents with the best constituent service of any member of Congress. Even that may not turn out to be true: About two hours after he had conceded, McMurray released a statement saying that his campaign had examined the numbers and they thought the race was too close to call Collins lead at the time McMurray had conceded was only 1 percent and that the voters must be heard. Collins and McMurray held dueling press conferences Wednesday, with McMurray claiming that absentee and provisional ballots could decide the race and Collins campaign adviser Chris Grant calling on McMurray to accept the unofficial results and move on. McMurray said that there are 18,000 uncounted ballots, more than enough to close the approximately 2,800 vote gap between him and Collins. We are going to fight for every single vote, he said. County election board officials will soon begin counting absentee ballots and reviewing paper ballots from every voting district, a process that is expected to last into December. Collins, who was indicted on insider trading charges in August, repeated the claim that he has had exemplary constituent interactions several times during the election night press conference. But he has been under fire for hiding from constituents for years, refusing to hold open forums at least since the 2016 election, long before his August indictment. He has characterized such meetings as opportunities for hostile operatives from outside the district to cause a spectacle and harass lawmakers, drawing the ire of many constituents who say they have no access to their representative. Some even raised money to put up billboards in an attempt to shame the congressman into holding open meetings instead of the highly orchestrated meetings with handpicked constituents behind closed doors that he has pointed to as a substitute. The Erie County GOPs results party in a downtown hotel a few blocks away, no signs for Collins hung in the banquet hall, a fact that county chair Nick Langworthy attributed to the Collins campaign failing to offer any. While some might have found the candidates absence from his own victory party a disappointment, it was impressive that Collins even managed to stay in the race. Shortly after Collins was indicted, he announced that he was suspending his campaign. Republican leaders scrambled to find a way to replace him on the ballot while potential candidates lined up to be interviewed. A month later Collins resumed his campaign, at the advice of his attorneys, leaving Republican leaders flabbergasted and frustrated. It remains unclear where the relationship with local Republican leaders will go in the future, but the tension was evident in both camps on election night. When Langworthy announced Collins win, he did not utter the congressmans name. We have a Republican congressman from Western New York and we wish him the best, Langworthy said during an extremely brief victory speech. Asked to talk about the implications of the win, Langworthy rushed away from a City & State reporter. Ive got lots of stuff to do, he said. Later, to a gaggle of reporters, Langworthy suggested the Republican strategy of presenting a vote for Collins as a vote for President Donald Trumps agenda regardless of how voters felt about the congressmans legal troubles ultimately worked. Chris Collins voting record is crystal clear to the voters in the district, Langworthy said. They supported that ideology. They looked past his legal situation. To some in the district, the charges seemed to make no difference. Chico Macchioni, a voter in the district, told The Buffalo News the charges didnt mean anything to him. "All politicians are crooks," he said, adding that he would vote for Collins to ensure that his Second Amendment rights were protected. And Collins early support of Trump seemed to buy him some leeway on the indictment as well. "All I have to say is that Collins is for President Trump, and I'm for Trump," Craig Botzenhart told the newspaper in the same article. But the fact that Collins may have lost shows that many of his constituents were not persuaded by that argument. Registered Republicans outnumber Democrats by 40,000 in the district. He won by 35 points in 2016. In a district that would normally show great support of a candidate that has run the table in recent elections, Collins campaign signs were scant. McMurray, who sent a email out at 12:48 a.m. on Wednesday undoing his concession and calling for a recount, seemed to at least partially agree with Langworthys analysis. In a phone interview shortly before calling for a recount, McMurray bemoaned the effectiveness of the Republican strategy to peg him as a far-left liberal. He painted me as someone Im not, McMurray said about Collins. Im really a pragmatist. He knew what he was doing and it was an effective approach. McMurray, whose candidacy seemed hopeless before the indictment, was suddenly thrust onto the national stage after the charges were announced. The Grand Island Town supervisor and attorney, whose hometown falls just outside the district, saw a massive influx of donations after Collins August surprise. In the first two weeks of October, on the heels of several polls that showed the race narrowing to virtually a dead heat, his campaign committee took in almost a quarter million dollars, about 25 percent of his campaign totals. Over that same time period Collins campaign committee saw just $1,754 dollars come in, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Still, McMurray never got full-throated support, figuratively or financially, from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, a factor he says may have helped him avoid what for now is being considered a defeat. We had support, but it came too little, too late, McMurray said. I wish it was different. I wish they saw the potential that we saw, but they didnt. The contest at times took on a nasty tone. McMurray consistently reminded voters of the federal insider trading charges hanging over the congressmans head. However, he never sought to tie Collins, who was the first member of Congress to publicly endorse the president during the primary process, to Trump, which would likely have been a losing tactic in New Yorks reddest congressional district, which stretches across the suburbs and rural areas between Buffalo and Rochester. In fact, McMurray worked to sell himself as a centrist, releasing a video of himself holding a gun he owns and explaining his positions on gun control in an effort to boost his Second Amendment bona fides. He also said that he would not vote for Rep. Nancy Pelosi, a favorite boogeyman for conservatives, to be the Democratic leader in the House of Representatives. Meanwhile, Collins and his allies cast McMurray as a hard-left liberal activist. In one ad, widely decried as racist, McMurray, who studied as a Fulbright scholar and worked as an attorney in South Korea, was shown speaking Korean in video pulled from a goofy campaign spot his camp put together ahead of Trumps North Korea summit. The Collins commercial presented an ominous message with a completely inaccurate translation of McMurrays comments to baselessly accuse McMurray of allying with Asian companies to offshore American jobs. In another Collins ad, images of McMurray are juxtaposed with random videos of people breaking windows and rioting. It remains unclear whether Collins will be able to mend fences with the Erie County GOP leadership. And, if Collins is declared the winner, it is unclear if he will be in a position to run again in 2020. That could again leave Republicans in a tough spot. If he is convicted and expelled from the House during an election year, it might put the district in play again although arguably Republicans would be better-positioned then because they could nominate a scandal-free candidate if the trial plays out quickly and everything is settled before primary voting. For now, Collins is trying to put a friendly face forward, saying several times during his press conference that all is good. He claimed in the gaggle right after McMurray conceded that he was willing to be more open with the media for years he has only spoken to the press through staffers and campaign aides or when confronted in the halls of Congress granting an interview with The Buffalo News Robert McCarthy hours after calling the paper the fake Buffalo News. Emails, social media messages and phone calls to the Collins camp leading up to the election and the morning after from City & State were not returned. For a congressman who has avoided the public and the media for years, it seems hard to believe that he would now, with federal insider trading charges hanging over his head, suddenly become an open book and his behavior on election night suggests that old habits die hard. Correction: This post has been changed to reflect that Collins' election night press gaggle was held in an office suite's entryway, not an apartment building's lobby. Theres a new interview with Google CEO Sundar Pichai in The New York Times, in which he talks about his upbringing in Chennai, Indiawhere he and his siblings all slept on the floor, and he dreamed of one day having a refrigeratorand the challenges he faces as the chief executive officer of one of the internets most powerful companies. Among other things, Pichai says he thinks society is overly optimistic about technology but also hypercritical of it. I think were both over-reliant on technology as a way to solve things [and] over-indexing on technology as a source of all problems too, he says. Many people might agree with that statement, but theres one section of the Pichai interview that is a little harder to swallow: When asked to comment on reports that Google is working on a censored version of its search engine for use in China, something that has caused at least a few Google employees to actually quit working for the web giant, Pichai seems to downplay the criticism. He says he isnt even sure that the search product is even a priority for the company, and adds: One of the things thats not well understood, I think, is that we operate in many countries where there is censorship. When we follow right to be forgotten laws, we are censoring search results because were complying with the law. Im committed to serving users in China. Whatever form it takes, I actually dont know the answer. There is definitely some truth to this point: Google, like every other company, has to obey the laws of the countries in which it operates. So if youre a digital or social platform, you cant allow people to find or spread neo-Nazi content in Germany, because that kind of sentiment is against the law. And if you want to do business in Turkey, you have to be aware that you can be charged with a crime for disparaging Turkey and/or its founder, and that this law can be used to shut down your operations (as it has in the case of YouTube). In the EU, the right to be forgotten allows individuals to argue that search results containing disparaging information about them should be removed. ICYMI: Facebook slammed by UN for role in Myanmar genocide But acceding to Chinese demands for widespread censorship and digital surveillance of its citizens is not the same as complying with the right to be forgotten. When Google removes search results because of the latter, it is only after a specific complaint is made by an individual concerning information related to them, and Google can refuse (at which point the person involved can sue in an attempt to force Google to do it). Sign up for CJR 's daily email When it comes to Chinese censorship, the government removes whatever it wishes, whenever it wishes, and there is no official trace or record of it ever existing. It goes down the memory hole, as George Orwell called it. According to multiple reports, the censored search Google is said to be working oncode-named Dragonflywould blacklist a wide range of banned terms, and would represent a reversal of the companys previous attitude on China. Google initially had a Chinese version of its search engine, but shut it down and left the country in 2010, and Google co-founder Sergey Brin said he felt uncomfortable with Chinese censorship, in part because he grew up in the former Soviet Union. Censorship is only part of the problem. Theres also the kind of surveillance that Google would be enabling. If it were treated like most other Chinese digital services such as WeChat (and theres no reason to think it wouldnt be), Google would have to provide all of the search data and any information on its users. That would allow the government to track and accumulate data on any dissidents searching for forbidden terms, like human rights, or Tiananmen Square. According to a report from The Intercept, the search engine app Google is working on would tie searches to an individuals cellphone number. If Sundar Pichai wants to argue that Google needs to be in China for economic or financial reasons, or even that providing censored search is better than nothing, he is of course free to do that. But dont ask us to buy the argument that working hand in hand with the Chinese government to track its own citizens is somehow ethically the same as removing a few search results after a public court case. Correction: An earlier version of this post said right to be forgotten requests involve a public hearing, but they only do so if Google denies a request and the user in question sues to try to force them to comply. ICYMI: First it was Milo and Alex Jones, now platforms are being de-platformed Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Mathew Ingram is CJRs chief digital writer. Previously, he was a senior writer with Fortune magazine. He has written about the intersection between media and technology since the earliest days of the commercial internet. His writing has been published in the Washington Post and the Financial Times as well as by Reuters and Bloomberg. An Ohio physician and medial professor believes medical cannabis should be used to treat opioid addiction in a state that saw a record number of overdose deaths last year. Dr. F. Stuart Leeds has been preparing data and research to submit to the State Medical Board of Ohio as it considers expanding the current list of conditions for which doctors can recommend medical cannabis. Leeds acknowledges the limited data, but he said some of the most telling research comes from his patients, some of whom are dealing with opioid addiction. Patients have been conducting their own self-experiments on a variety of street drugs for decades, said Leeds, who practices and teaches family medicine at Wright State University outside of Dayton. They know more about what marijuana will do for their chronic pain and addiction problems than we do. Leeds is on the registry of Ohio physicians who can recommend but not prescribe medical marijuana for 21 qualifying medical conditions, such as epilepsy and chronic pain. Opioid use disorder is currently a qualifying condition in three other medical marijuana states: New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Ohios Medical Board is accepting petitions on adding qualifying conditions through the end of the year and will consult with experts before making a decision sometime next year. Cannabis products are expected to become available in Ohio dispensaries in the next few months following delays in rolling out the program. Some experts dont think treating opioid addiction with marijuana is a good idea, including Dr. Mark Hurst, director of the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. Hurst declined to be interviewed by The Associated Press, but he told the Cincinnati Enquirer in August: There is no scientific evidence that marijuana is an effective treatment for opioid addiction. Brad Lander, a clinical psychologist in the department of addiction medicine at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, is also skeptical. He said marijuana impairs judgment, motor control and memory, and is linked to amotivational syndrome, which causes apathy and a decreased interest in activities. Patients smoking marijuana dont have the real motivation to do therapy to maintain long-term recovery or improve their lives, Lander told the AP. Lander does agree with Leeds that there could be a possible short-term use for medical marijuana: easing the harsh withdrawal symptoms from tapering off buprenorphine, an opioid-like drug used by people in recovery to stave off cravings for heroin and prescription painkillers. Lander said he is also open to the possibility of using CBD oil, which contains only tiny amounts of the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana that makes user high if its proven effective in treating addiction. Ohio has had one of the highest per capita overdose deaths rates in the country with opioids largely contributing to more than 4,800 unintentional fatal overdoses last year. Leeds, who will ask the Medical Board to also add anxiety as a qualifying condition, noted that unlike opioids, its virtually impossible to die from a marijuana overdose. In suburban Dayton, John Helpling said he used a variety of prescription pain medications after lower back surgery in 2007 left him with peripheral neuropathy and a burning pain in his foot. The 57-year-old said pain pills pretty much make me feel useless. He began a regimen of CBD oil and marijuana earlier this year and thinks hes on a path to putting his life back in order. He said he stopped taking prescription medications in April and has spoken with his doctor about obtaining legal cannabis products when they become available in Ohio. Im feeling better now, Helpling said. Im feeling more healthy. I feel like I have more purpose. Cannabis products were supposed to become available on Sept. 8, but the date has been pushed back because of delays in the application and certification process for companies seeking to grow, test and sell marijuana products. Helpling said hed prefer buying legal medical marijuana that has been tested for impurities and toxic pesticides, something not guaranteed in marijuana purchased off the street. Leeds acknowledges there is limited data on whether cannabis can help treat opioid addiction and said doctors will have to consider what the lesser evil might be. I think were going to have to approach this with some trepidation, he said. But we cant pretend this drug has no value. Thats clearly a myth. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. By now, many consumers have heard of glyphosate, the active ingredient in the herbicide known as Roundup, and warnings about its presence in many of their favorite foods. From oatmeal to granola bars, ice cream to even orange juice, trace amounts of the chemical can be found throughout your local supermarket. Its the worlds most widely used weedkillera blockbuster for Monsanto Co. since it was introduced in the 1970s. The vast majority of U.S. corn and soybeans have been genetically modified to withstand it, making it a critical component of modern farming. But in 2015, the International Agency for Research on Canceran arm of the World Health Organizationlabeled it a probable carcinogen. Since then, its become a legal headache for Monsanto, and now Bayer AG, which bought the company in June for $66 billion. While regulators including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency say the glyphosate found in food isnt a problem because its at low levels, some scientists contend not enough is known about the effects of eating small amounts of it, especially over long periods of time. It does seem to be in everything, said Cynthia Curl, the co-director of the Center for Excellence in Environmental Health and Safety at Boise State University. We know enough that we should be learning more. Bayer rejects the IARC report and says glyphosate is safe when used as directed. For support, it points to numerous studies as well as regulators including the EPA and the European Food Safety Authority, which have said the weedkiller is unlikely to be a carcinogen. But in a major defeat this week in California state court, a judge upheld a jurys verdict that Roundup contributed to a dying groundskeepers cancer. Working for a school district in California, Lee Johnson had mixed and sprayed hundreds of gallons of the herbicide. Bayer, ordered to pay $78.6 million, said it plans to appealbut an additional 8,700 plaintiffs are waiting in the wings, with lawsuits that one analyst said could mean hundreds of billions of dollars in potential liability. Growing consumer worries about chemical residue are part of a broader clean food movement. Shoppers are increasingly seeking foods in their purest forms, said Darren Seifer, food and beverage industry analyst at NPD Group. Foods labeled organic or all-natural have grown in popularity, and more than half of adults are avoiding artificial ingredients and preservatives. This is especially the case for millennials and Generation Z. Regardless of how the Roundup litigation ends, the food industry is already scrambling to adapt to public awareness of agricultural chemicals in the food supply. New claims are showing up on food labels to satisfy discerning consumers. About one-third of vegetable buyers think pesticide-free is important, according to a Mintel report. One company, Detox Project, is offering glyphosate-residue-free certification for food brands; it said the number of companies asking for its services has soared along with interest in clean food. Some people are concerned with risks, no matter how small, said Michael Hansen, senior staff scientist of the Consumers Union, the advocacy arm of Consumer Reports. The Trump administration, like others before it, has said theres nothing to worry about. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which is testing for glyphosate levels in harvested crops for the first time, released data earlier this month. In milk and eggs, none was detected, according to the agency. In corn and soybean samples that did test positive (many tested negative), the amounts were below minimum levels established by the EPA, the government said. This week, a new study reminded Americans of the presence of the chemical in that quintessential American breakfast drinkorange juiceand the results were arguably good news for the industry. Commissioned by the nutritional awareness advocacy group Moms Across America, it was performed by Health Research Institute Laboratories. The effective glyphosate level found in orange juice ranged from a low of 2.99 parts per billion (for Safeways Signature Farms brand) to 17.16 parts per billion (for Tropicana) at the high end. Results for Minute Maid, Stater Bros. Orange Juice, Floridas Natural and Costcos Kirkland brand all fell somewhere in between. Both ends of the spectrum are lower than last years results, which ranged from 4.33 to 26.05. The EPA guideline for allowable levels of glyphosate in citrus fruit is 500 parts per billion. The Juice Products Association, an industry lobbying group, and Stater Bros., Minute Maid and Costco all emphasized that they adhere to federal and state regulations. Tropicana, Safeway and Floridas Natural didnt respond to requests for comment. The JPA, meanwhile, questioned the validity of the new studys results because the method used (one created by Monsanto) was written for testing milk. As for why the study showed a decrease in the level of glyphosate, no one could say for sure. The amount applied to control weeds in a citrus grove depends on rainfall, temperature and the variety of citrus being grown, among other variables, said Andrew Meadows, director of communications for industry cooperative Florida Citrus Mutual. While he cant explain the results of the study or vouch for their accuracy, he said growers are always looking to reduce their inputs, including pesticides. The state agency in charge of both regulating and marketing Florida citrus said groves are treated judiciously with approved products that have been extensively evaluated for safety by expert groups and government agencies. Of the new study, Bayer toxicologist Bill Reeves said: The numbers may be accurate, but the conclusion that theres something to be concerned about is inaccurate. Reeves, part of the companys regulatory policy and scientific affairs team, points to the EPA guideline for citrus fruit, which is more than 29 times the highest concentration found in the study. Carl Winter, a toxicologist at University of California at Davis, was more blunt. One would need to be exposed to about 250,000 times the highest level of [the orange juice] sampling to pose any initial level of concern, he said, noting that he performed this analysis with a 66-pound child in mind. That in itself is still 100 times less than what causes effects in laboratory animals. But existing research, said Melissa Perry, professor of environmental and occupational health at George Washington University, is limited. This is because there isnt a promising method to measure how much glyphosate is in a human body, said. While the U.S. Centers for Disease Control periodically conducts a national assessment of hundreds of chemicals to see how much is contained in the bodies of average Americans, Perry said glyphosate is notably absent. Companies that say products containing glyphosate are safe cant point to any studies that can measure glyphosate in the body and point to specific health outcomes, she said. Perry is among a group of researchers in Europe and the U.S. working on a study examining the health effects of the chemical at everyday exposure levels. A pilot released earlier this year found adverse health effects in rats when given doses of glyphosate at levels deemed safe by the EPA, including altered sexual development in female rats. In an emailed statement Thursday, Bayer said the effects of glyphosate on reproduction and development are part of the regulatory assessments. The data consistently demonstrate that glyphosate does not harm reproduction and development in humans. For the entire population,the results may be more concerning. Bruce Lee, associate professor of international health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and executive director of the Global Obesity Prevention Center, said there should be more concern from companies and regulators before a chemical is introduced into the marketplacenot afterward. Bayer, when asked what testing of glyphosate took place prior to it being offered for sale, responded that pesticides undergo incredibly comprehensive evaluations by regulatory authorities before they can be sold. In the U.S., the EPA requires all pesticides to undergo more than 100 safety studies before they are approved. Pam Factor-Litvak, a professor of epidemiology at the Columbia University Medical Center, said that a lack of immediately apparent effects from chemical exposure on individuals doesnt end the conversation. A longer timeline and evaluation of effects on the whole population are needed to properly evaluate risks. When you look at the studies of environmental chemicals, you cant think of individual inferences, she said, noting that individual results, for example, can be within a margin of error. But for the entire population, the results may be more concerning. It gives you a larger tail on the harmful end. Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. You might think that when a major hurricane makes landfall in the United States, Zurich North America employees have more important things to do than to peruse Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. For the most part, thats true. But a small team from our Claims department spent some of those crucial hours after Hurricane Michael hit the Florida panhandle scouring the internet for images of damage left behind by the storm. By crowdsourcing readily available social media images from the hardest hit areas, we were able to get a head start on responding to our customers needs. So, even before any claims were reported, we had insight into which customers would likely need help recovering from the storm. Here is how this proactive approach benefits our customers: The sooner we know which customers may have been impacted, the sooner we can marshal the resources needed (adjusters, vendors, etc.) to respond to their claims; Getting claims in the hands of the right adjusters early can expedite the process and create a more efficient claims-handling experience; We are often able to contact customers before theyve even filed claims, which can help them through the claims process and provide peace of mind; The sooner we respond to a claim, the sooner we can provide guidance that can help mitigate losses. The last point is critical, because storm damage that remains unaddressed can lead to more extensive losses. For example, a damaged roof that is not quickly covered with tarps may allow more rain to seep in, and a flooded basement left soaking can lead to mold growth, which can impact the time it takes to get our customers back up and running. So, the sooner Zurich can help its customers recover from storm damages, the sooner they can resume business operations. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reports that 40 percent of small and midsize businesses never reopen following a disaster. A team effort Social media is just one tool in Zurichs catastrophe-response strategy. Before we discovered the power of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other online sources, we routinely called customers who were in the path of the storm. We still do, but often no one is there to answer the phone, because their worksite or home has been badly damaged by the storm and/or business owners are busy making sure their employees are safe. Many havent yet returned to work to assess the damage. We begin the social media image search almost immediately after the storm has passed. Within a day or two, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) provides satellite images of the affected areas. With the help of our colleagues in Underwriting, Predictive Analytics and Risk Engineering, we can overlay the NOAA images and information culled from our social media searches with our customers locations and create a map to guide our response strategy. Hurricane Michael made landfall on Wednesday afternoon. By Thursday night, we had a full report showing fifty of our largest potential exposures for the event and whether any damages were visible, said Catherine Marciniak, AVP Catastrophe Operations. We started mining social media for information about catastrophes after the 2014 Napa Valley earthquake, which was the strongest earthquake to hit the region in 25 years. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) hosts a website called, Did You Feel It?, where thousands of people in the earthquake zone provided their locations and ranked how much the ground shook. We were able to use reports from the USGS site to determine which of our customers were most likely affected by the earthquake. After that experience, we began to look for crowdsourced images following other catastrophes, like hurricanes. We really put this approach to the test in 2017, when three major hurricanesHarvey, Irma and Mariastruck the United States. We continue to refine the strategy with each storm. We understand that the sooner we can respond to our customers needs, the sooner they can get back to business. An employee at a Hawaii Panda Express was taken to the hospital for burn injuries following a suspected gas explosion at the restaurant. Several businesses in the Kona Commons shopping center were evacuated Monday because of the explosion, West Hawaii Today reported . Police arrived at 11:38 a.m. Fire crews were already on scene. An employee told responders she smelled gas after a rice cooker dropped on the floor in the restaurants kitchen area. When she bent down to pick it up, the explosion occurred, burning her hands and arms, Officer Travis Bumgardner said. She was taken to Kona Community Hospital for treatment. Employees and customers were waiting in the parking lot as they watched personnel from the Hawaii Fire and Hawaii Police departments respond to the scene. Restaurant employee Chris Casino said there were two explosions, though he didnt see the actual explosions occur. After the first explosion happened, he grabbed a fire extinguisher and put the flames out. When the second explosion followed, Casino said, he pulled the ansul, which is a chemical used to suppress flames. After that, he said he turned off the main gas line. Chalsey Daog said she was among eight customers at Panda Express at the time of the explosions. The wall was shaking and the ground was shaking, Daog said as she described the explosions. Daog saw the employee who was injured. You could see she was burned everywhere, Daog said. It hit her twice. Daog called 911 and told the injured employee to come to her so she could assist her. For me, my adrenaline hit, she said. I yelled to hit the fire alarm, get the fire extinguisher and evacuate the building. Daog said she took the injured employee to the bathroom to wash her burns with cold water. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. AKRON, Ohio - The International Soap Box Derby has received a $20,000 grant from the Akron Community Foundation's Civic Affairs fund. According to Soap Box Derby President and CEO Mark Gerberich, funds will be used to: Increase participation in Soap Box Derby races. Increase the number of teams competing in the in-school Gravity Racing Challenge for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). Collaborate with community partners and offer opportunities for the underserved children. Provide a better experience for racers and spectators at Derby Downs. The Soap Box Derby offers opportunities for racing and STEM education with the Urban League, Urban Vision, Akron Rotary Camp, the YMCA, the Boys and Girls Clubs, Axess Pointe, Launch Kenmore and other Akron organizations. "The Akron Community Foundation does such tremendous work in Akron, and we are grateful that our organization has gained the confidence to be recognized with this grant," Gerberich said in a news release. "These funds will go a long way in assisting the derby in 2019, with spreading our mission and reaching more underserved youth and working with our partners in the Akron community." Want more Akron news? Sign up for cleveland.com's Rubber City Daily, an email newsletter delivered at 5:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. CLEVELAND, Ohio A Seven Hills man who sued the Cleveland Animal Protective League after authorities took more than 130 cats from his house faces 25 animal cruelty charges. The charges against Dennis Glendenning were filed Oct. 30 in Parma Municipal Court. All of them are second-degree misdemeanors. Glendenning arraignment is scheduled for Nov. 14. Glendenning, who runs Luckys Angels Cat Rescue out of his home on Crossview Road, sued the Cleveland Animal Protective League last month in an attempt to prevent the organization from adopting out or euthanizing the cats seized from his home on Oct. 2, unless he paid $58,950 for the APL to care for them. Glendenning had not been criminally charged when the APL seized the cats. He claimed the APL and others violated his constitutional rights during the search, and that they did not give him proper notice of a hearing in municipal court. In addition to the lawsuit, he asked U.S. District Judge Solomon Oliver for an order to prevent the APL from disposing of the cats. Oliver denied the request. The judge wrote Oct. 26 that if Glendenning is found to be not guilty in his criminal case, the court will be required to order the APL to pay Plaintiff the fair market value of the disposed cats. The lawsuit argued the APL could not seize the cats at time because Glendenning had yet not been criminally charged. Jeff Holland, a prosecutor in Glendennings case, told cleveland.com that the law allows the seizure of animals while an investigation continues. The APL asked Oliver to put the lawsuit on hold while the criminal case proceeds. Oliver has set a telephone conference for Dec. 5. Glendenning lives in a 6,000-square-foot house and said he specializes in rescuing, socializing and adopting out feral cats. The APL seized more than 130 living cats and 22 dead ones, court filings said. A majority of the dead cats were in the garage, as he intended to bury them on his property, according to Glendennings lawsuit. Holland told Oliver on Oct. 19 that the APL euthanized 35 of the seized cats because they were very ill, according to court filings. If you would like to comment on this story, please visit Thursdays crime and courts comments section. THOUSAND OAKS, California At least 12 people were killed, including a sheriffs sergeant, and multiple people wounded in a mass shooting late Wednesday night at bar in Thousand Oaks. Sgt. Eric Buschow from the Ventura County Sheriffs Office tells NBC News the unidentified gunman is dead inside the bar, making it a total of 13 deaths. Its estimated another 10 to 15 people were wounded. Ventura County Sheriffs Department Sgt. Ron Helus, a 29-year veteran, died at a hospital after being shot multiple times by the suspect, authorities say. He died a hero because he went in to save lives, to save other people, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said while choking back tears. KABC Channel 7 reports the shooting occurred at about 11:20 p.m. PST at the Borderline Bar & Grill, a country-western dance bar. Officers could hear shots in the bar when they arrived, authorities say. Ventura County Sheriffs Office Capt. Garo Kuredjian tells the Ventura County Star there were several hundred people in the bar, mostly young people there for College Country Night, at the time of the shooting. Authorities tell the Star approximately 30 shots were fired. He fired the first shot. I knew it was live, a witness tells KABC. "I knew it was real. My son thought it was a joke so I pulled him down and got some cover. I looked up and he was moving to the right. He shot the front doorman, who was just a young man. Then he shot the cashier, just a young girl. Then he started moving to the right. He wasnt looking at us. Then he went into the office, where all the cash and stuff is. He didnt say anything at all. He just started shooting." Kuredjian says the number of victims could increase as the morning progresses. The Star reports that Dean says the gunman was found dead inside by officers, but he did not know how the gunman died. A witness tells KABC that the gunman was armed with a handgun and threw smoke grenades into the bar. Another witness says the weapon had a large magazine and that the suspect was dressed in black clothing and had a black scarf over his face. People were just hitting the deck, people running ... I dont know how we got out the door, I really dont," the witness says. Another witness tells KABC that it was chaos in the bar as people scrambled to get out, many breaking windows with chairs and then jumping out. Several people reportedly hid in the buildings attic and in restrooms, while others ran and hid in the neighborhood surrounding the bar. I didnt really have time to think about what was happening, why this was happening, witness Teylor Whittler tells KABC. I was just like, Get out. Carl Edgar, 24, tells the Los Angeles Times he had about 20 friends in the bar at the time of the shooting and that some are survivors of the mass shooting at a country concert last year in Las Vegas in which 58 people were killed and 851 were injured. As far as I know, all of my friends are OK, safe, Edgar tells The Times. There are a few people we cant get a hold of, but in these situations people usually turn off their phones to be safe so Im not gonna get too worried. A lot of my friends survived Route 91. If they survived that theyll survive this. Thousand Oaks is about 40 miles northwest of Los Angeles. Colleges in the area include California Lutheran University, California State University Channel Islands, Pepperdine University and Moorpark College. UPDATE: Emergency hotline established to help locate people involved in the #BorderlineShooting at (805) 465-6650 https://t.co/3gvXBtsEIT ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) November 8, 2018 To comment on this post, please visit our crime and courts comments page. Regarding James Sabats letter published Nov. 4, A prediction for grandchildrens climate. In his letter to the editor, James Sabat asked: Is there anyone who is willing to bet that my prediction is wrong?" His prediction: Trillions to build sea walls to protect beach properties of energy executives by 2040. Really? Maldives Islands to be completely underwater in 30 years, a 1988 prediction. Fact: Male International airport completed a new runway this year to bring in more tourists. Farmers are harvesting record crops to feed the worlds population, thanks to higher CO2 levels in the air. Extreme weather events, (such as hurricanes, tornadoes), are at record low levels. UN IPCC scientists a decade go stopped saying Global Warming. Why? No global warming was occurring. Now it is call climate change. The climate changes. Thousands of years ago, Cleveland was covered by a glacier. The climate changed. Hundreds of recent articles by scientists document that catastrophic man-made global warming is not happening and will not happen. The only things 100 percent certain regarding man are death and taxes. I will bet you that your prediction is wrong. Ron Masek, Strongsville From April 15 to Oct. 31, 1980, 125,000 Cubans left Cuba for the United States in what became the Mariel Boatlift. In overloaded boats they crossed the 90 miles of the Florida Straits to Key West. Like most immigrants they were seeking freedom and opportunity. They were all considered illegal immigrants. Up to 5,000 Cubans per day arrived at Key West and were vetted, temporarily housed and eventually settled through the combined efforts of many federal agencies including the Coast Guard, Border Patrol, INS and FEMA. During the vetting process approximately 2 percent of them were identified as having serious criminal records and not allowed to settle in this country. In its response to the Mariel Boatlift the United States enjoyed one of its finer hours. Some Americans are now worried about the approximately 4,000 refugees, only 3.2 percent of 125,000, from Central America walking to the southern U.S. border. As it was nearly four decades ago our response to this caravan can be a fine hour for the U.S. or, if our leaders so choose, one of sad embarrassment. Closing our border to them will be an indictment of weakness not of our country, but of our president and his administration. Robert F. Shields, Bay Village CLEVELAND, Ohio - The administrative judge for Cuyahoga Countys Common Pleas Court has accused the County Executive Armond Budishs administration of being indifferent to dangerous conditions in the county jail where six inmates died over three months. Judge John J. Russo states in a letter to Budish written on behalf of the courts 34 judges, that he can no longer rely on the word of jail administrators, who have promised that changes are being made to improve conditions at the jail, and demands that the administration ensure inmates safety. We hope the county is not putting a price on the safety of its citizens, the letter says. Russo provided a copy of the letter to cleveland.com on Thursday. Read Russos full letter below. In his letter, Russo says inmates are denied access to medical and mental health care providers for up to a month, and staff shortages mean that inmates in need of psychiatric and medical care are not identified when they are booked into the jail. Inmates also dont receive medication they need quickly enough, and that leads to inmates suffering from higher rates of psychotic episodes, the letter says. A statement provided to cleveland.com by Budishs chief of staff, Earl Leiken, said the administration will do whatever it can to implement changes recommended by an independent review of the jail, but he did not address specific concerns raised by Russo about conditions inside the jail. Russos letter comes as Budish faces other criticism about jail conditions and the inmate deaths, three of which were ruled as suicides. Built to hold about 1760 people, the jail has been routinely over capacity by hundreds of inmates. Inmates sleep on mats on the floor of crowded pods. Large numbers of inmates are locked in their cells for all but a few hours of the day at times due to staff shortages. And a state inspection found guards failed to do state-required medical screenings within 14 days. The FBI is looking into possible civil rights issues at the jail, sources have told cleveland.com. Budish asked the U.S. Marshals to conduct a review of jail policies and procedures after the sixth inmate died Oct. 2. Cleveland Municipal Court Judge Michael Nelson, former president of the Cleveland NAACP, has said that he would no longer send non-violent offenders from his court to the jail over concern for their health and safety. In his letter, Russo also expresses concerns about the lack of sheriffs deputies or other security personnel available to stand guard and escort inmates to courtrooms. Russo says judges have repeatedly tried to bring their concerns to Budish, but to no avail. I do not believe that you are waiting for a tragic, violent incident, causing death or injury in the Justice Center to take action, the letter states. However, every day that we delay is a cause for concern. A county spokeswoman said Budish was not immediately able to comment on Thursday, so Leiken provided the following statement: County Executive Armond Budish has asked U.S. Marshall Peter Elliott to do a comprehensive and thorough study of conditions in the jail. Elliott has put together a team of highly experienced assessors and we expect a report out on the conditions in the coming days. The report will also include a set of recommendations which we will be reviewing. We will do everything we can to implement the recommended changes. Regarding the staffing levels in the court house, we have a significant level of staffing 30 deputies for 34 judges in addition to protective service officers. During our discussions with Judge Russo, we agreed to work on coordination of staffing according to judges needs. Judges are not on the bench or in court 7 days a week, 8 hours a day and staffing level needs fluctuate from day to day. It is imperative that there is a coordinated way to adjust staffing levels appropriately. Meanwhile, any time there is a unique request that comes through, the Sheriff always responds to these. In fact, Chief of Public Safety, Brandy Carney, Sheriff Cliff Pinkney and Chief George Taylor have been meeting with Judge Russo and others to discuss and resolve these matters. We suggest an independent study be made of security staffing in our court house, factoring in the time that each judge is in session in a court room and in need of deputies for transporting and securing prisoners and for other tasks. We certainly want to insure the appropriate level of security in our court house. The County has a deep concern and commitment to both the safety of our inmates and for the security levels in our courthouse. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio Three people, including an infant, were killed Wednesday night an apparent drive-by shooting, according to reports. The victims were in a car when it was ambushed at an intersection, police tell the Youngstown Vindicator. A 1-year-old child died after being taken to the hospital. A male in his 20s died at the scene and a woman also in her 20s died at the hospital, WKBN Channel 27 reports. Youngstown police have not released further details on the shooting, which remains under investigation, WFMJ Channel 21 reports. To comment on this post, please visit our crime and courts comments page. TROTWOOD, Ohio A 4-year-old girl was wounded Wednesday, struck by gunfire while riding in the back of a vehicle, according to reports. Trotwood Police Chief Erik L. Wilson tells the Dayton Daily News that the girl was in the back of a vehicle driven by her mother at about 6:45 p.m. when another vehicle pulled up and several shots were fired. The girl was hit, so the mother pulled into the parking lot of a McDonalds to get help, according to ABC 22. The girl was taken to Dayton Childrens Hospital and is expected to recover, police say. Any time you have a young child caught up in the middle of something like this, its definitely disconcerting, Wilson tells the Daily News. "... We want to do everything we can to find out who did this and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law. The shooting remains under investigation. To comment on this post, please visit our crime and courts comments page. NEWARK, Ohio Police say a teen shot and killed his 20-year-old fiancee Wednesday and then tried to tell officers that the woman had committed suicide. Kameron Skally, 19, is now facing an aggravated murder charge in the death of Sierra Beal, according to the Columbus Dispatch. Officers responded to an apartment in Newark at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday and found Beal dead of a gunshot wound, 10tv.com reports. Reports say Skally claimed Beal had taken her own life. But detectives say evidence and statements from Skally led to the suspects arrest. Skally is being held in jail in Licking County. The shooting remains under investigation, reports say. To comment on this post, please visit our crime and courts comments page. COLUMBUS, OhioWith the 2018 midterm elections over, Ohio House Republicans are now preparing for a second, perhaps even more contentious vote: picking a House speaker for next session. For months, interim Speaker Ryan Smith and Rep. Larry Householder with help from their respective allies have been maneuvering to get the votes needed to win the job, spending millions to get their favored candidates elected. At stake is one of the most powerful positions in state government, one which holds enormous control over which bills pass the House and which are doomed to fail. Each candidates supporters say they have more votes than their rival, though neither side claims to have the 50-vote majority needed to win in the 99-member House. If neither candidate can secure that majority, the House risks repeating what happened during the interim speakers election earlier this year: an embarrassing weeks-long deadlock during which the House was unable to pass any bills. Who are the two candidates? Smith and Householder are both conservative Republicans who dont differ much ideologically. Rather, this is a battle of personalities. Smith, a tall, boyish-faced financial adviser from Gallia County, is soft-spoken with a slight Southern drawl. Supporters say hes inclusive and a good listener; critics paint him as unprepared and note hes term-limited in 2020. Householder, a burly, self-assertive former speaker from Perry County, is seen by his allies as a leader who can push through a bolder legislative agenda and by his critics as a scandal-prone, power-hungry political mastermind. Who has the most votes? That depends which side you ask. Team Smith believes they have roughly 36 votes to Householders 27 votes or so. The 36 votes theyre counting on include the lawmakers who voted for Smith for interim speaker back in June, plus newly elected House Republicans Reggie Stoltzfus of Stark County and Gayle Manning of North Ridgeville. While Republicans lost four seats in Tuesdays midterms, the silver lining for Smith is that all of those losses involved candidates aligned with Householder. (Householder might lose another supporter in state Rep. Jonathan Dever of Cincinnati, who leads by 303 votes with about 1,500 provisional ballots, as well as outstanding absentees, left to count) Householders side, on the other hand, thinks they have 32 or 33 votes to Smiths 31 or so. That means they believe Smith is counting on the support of several lawmakers who are actually in Householders camp. Neither side, however, would reveal the specific lawmakers they included in their tallies. The Columbus Dispatchs Jim Siegel counts between 22 and 25 Republican votes for Householder, based on the leadership vote in June and reports from Householder supporters No matter whose vote count is correct, its also unclear how either side would get the 50 votes needed to be elected. In past sessions, everyone in the majority caucus united behind the speaker candidate who got the most votes. But during the interim speakers election a few months ago, a higher standard was set: a candidate needed 50 votes from the 65-member GOP caucus to land the job. Now that Republicans only have 62 seats, 50 votes is a threshold so high that it almost invites deadlock. What about the Democrats? During the interim speakers election, almost every Democrat refused to back either Smith or Householder, voting instead for House Minority Leader Fred Strahorn of Dayton. Its too early to tell how many of the 37 incoming House Democrats will stick to that policy again, House Democratic spokesman Jordan Plottner said Wednesday. I think people are still just trying to assess the landscape, he said, noting that House Democrats are considering asking for recounts in as many as three House races that Republicans won by razor-thin margins. One Democrat who has sided with Smith is state Rep. Bernadine Kennedy Kent of Columbus, who has been feuding with Strahorn. What happens now? House speaker votes are traditionally called within a week or so of a general election. Its up to state Rep. Jim Butler, the incoming Dean of the House (and who has received donations from Householders political action committee), to schedule the caucus vote. So far, Butler hasnt set a date or time, according to House GOP spokesman Brad Miller. COLUMBUS, Medical marijuana is not yet for sale, but Ohio is accepting proposals to expand the list of 21 medical conditions that would allow people to legally possess and use it. Thus far, the State Medical Board of Ohio has received seven proposals since opening submissions up Nov. 1, said AJ Groeber, executive director of the State Medical Board of Ohio, during a Thursday meeting with the Ohio Medical Marijuana Advisory Committee. They are: Severe arthritis (two submissions) Liver failure Lots of pain Premenstrual dysphoric disorder Fibromyalgia and neuropathy Interstitial cystitis (inflammation of the bladder) People can learn how to submit a proposed ailment at https://medicalmarijuana.ohio.gov/condition. Petitions will be accepted through Dec. 31. The medical board will decide which conditions to approve later. Some of them -- such as lots of pain -- are currently covered under the current condition of chronic and severe or intractable pain, Groeber said. Ohios medical marijuana program was supposed to be fully operational Sept. 8 but is running behind schedule. Marijuana cultivators could have some product ready next month. But regulators cautioned it would be in small amounts and not available in a lot of varieties. However, more product is expected to be ready by early next year, the Ohio Department of Commerces Mark Hamlin said. The state has granted 10 certificates of operation to growers -- including six large-scale and four smaller cultivators. The certificates allow growing to begin. Hamlin said he expects additional state inspections of cultivation facilities that can lead to more certificates of operation soon. Five testing labs received provisional medical marijuana licenses. The labs are required by law to test a sample of each batch grown for prohibited pesticides or pesticide levels and THC levels. Hamlin said two labs are scheduled tentatively for final inspection, which could lead to a certificate of operation, in mid-December. Fourteen processors, who will turn the cannabis into edibles, oils and vaping oils, also need certificates of operation. The state is working toward another round of processor provisional licenses, he said. Currently, 21 conditions -- such as cancer, Multiple sclerosis and post-traumatic stress disorder -- could qualify an Ohioan to sign up for the patient registry to obtain marijuana. However, the patient registry isnt yet up and running, since state officials are trying to time it to 60 days prior to product being on the shelf. Medical marijuana cards only last for 12 months at a time. We are watching the industry, said Erin Reed of the Ohio Board of Pharmacy, which oversees the patient registry. If it feels like more people are meditating, you're not wrong. Within the past five years, the number of U.S. adults and children practicing the mindfulness exercise has increased significantly, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. The study did not pinpoint reasons driving the trend, but people are searching for ways to de-stress, and brands such as meditation apps Headspace and Calm are helping to bring meditation mainstream. The researchers studied how many people said they used meditation, practiced yoga or visited a chiropractor within the past year in the National Health Interview Survey. Yoga was the most common of the three, with 14.3 percent of adults in 2017 saying they had done it, up from 9.5 percent in 2012. Meditation jumped to a close second, with 14.2 percent of American adults saying they meditated within the past year, a threefold increase from 4.1 percent in 2012, according to a report from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics. Last year, 10.3 percent of adults said they visited a chiropractor, up from 9.1 percent in 2012. More adults are practicing yoga and meditation Source: CDC The authors did not collect any information on what drove the increases. However, two of the authors, Tainya Clark and Lindsey Black, told CNBC it's possibly related to meditation and yoga cellphone apps, as well as companies and schools offering programs for employees and students. "Something really special is happening with our culture at a time when we need it most," said Megan Jones Bell, Headspace's chief science officer. "At a time when mental health problems are on the rise, something that improves focus and compassion is certainly something the world needs more of." Adults between the ages of 18 and 44 were more likely to practice yoga than those who were older, while use of meditation was most common among adults between the ages of 45 and 64, Black and Clark told CNBC. More children are practicing yoga and meditation Source: CDC Among children, practicing yoga increased to 8.4 percent in 2017 from 3.1 percent in 2012. Researchers were surprised to find little variation between kids and teens, Black and Clark said. Use of meditation among adolescents increased to 5.4 percent in 2017 from 0.6 percent in 2012. Some teachers are incorporating meditation and yoga into their lesson plans. Popular meditation apps Headspace and Calm both offer a kid-friendly curriculum. The two companies are also courting employers to give employees subscriptions as a benefit. CORRECTION: This article has been updated to correct the spelling of Megan Jones Bell's name. WATCH: This brainwave-reading headband is designed to help users meditate Australia will create a A$2 billion ($1.46 billion) fund to provide loans to Pacific nations to build infrastructure, Prime Minister Scott Morrison is expected to announce on Thursday, as Canberra seeks to counter China's influence in the region. Australia and China have been vying for influence in sparsely populated Pacific island countries that control vast swathes of resource-rich oceans. China has spent $1.3 billion on confessional loans and gifts since 2011 to become the Pacific's second-largest donor after Australia, stoking concern in the West that several tiny nations could end up overburdened and in debt to Beijing. To counter, Morrison plans to announce that Australia will renew its focus on the Pacific, primarily through a new infrastructure fund. "This $2 billion infrastructure initiative will significantly boost Australia's support for infrastructure development in Pacific countries and Timor Leste," according to a speech Morrison is due to deliver in the state of Queensland and seen by Reuters. "It will invest in essential infrastructure such as telecommunications, energy, transport, water, and it will stretch our aid dollars further." Foreign policy analysts say Australia's new infrastructure fund will test Australia's already cool relations with China, its largest trading partner. "This announcement will be a gauge of whether Australia can improve relations with Beijing while doing things that would have previously annoyed China," said Nick Bisley, professor of international relations at Melbourne's La Trobe University. Ties between the two countries have been strained since Australia accused China of meddling in its domestic affairs late last year. Australia's Foreign Minister Marise Payne will on Thursday meet her Chinese counterpart in Beijing, the first visit by a senior Canberra in two years after bilateral relations soured. Australia has already this year pledged to develop several infrastructure projects in the Pacific but it has been forced to raid its aid budget to fund the projects. In May, Australia said it would spend about A$200 million to develop an undersea internet cables to Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the Solomon Islands amid national security concerns about China's Huawei Technologies. Earlier this month, Australia said it would help PNG develop a naval base, beating out China as a possible partner for the port development. Gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp adjusts his tie before speaking to volunteers and staff at his campaign office as they hold a phone banking event in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Georgia's Republican secretary of state, Brian Kemp, resigned Thursday as his gubernatorial race with Democrat Stacey Abrams remains too close to call. In a statement, the Georgia secretary of state's office said Kemp submitted his resignation effective at 11:59 a.m. Thursday. The Republican was the state's top election official as he ran to become its governor, and stepping down means he would not certify the final vote count despite his ability to influence the election previously. He declared victory Wednesday in his contest with Abrams, which was marked by concerns about Kemp using his current office to suppress votes. Abrams, a former state House minority leader who aims to become the first black woman to serve as a U.S. governor, has not conceded yet. The Republican candidate had won roughly 50.3 percent of the votes counted in the race as of Thursday morning, according to NBC News tallies. The figure is important because, if Kemp secures less than a majority of votes, the contest will go to a runoff. On Thursday, the Georgia Democratic Party called Kemp's "self-coronation" a "legally meaningless political stunt." The party noted that the state had not officially certified votes in the race. Georgia Democrats tweet A lawsuit filed by Georgia voters on Tuesday in a federal court in Atlanta accused Kemp of using "the official powers of his office to interfere in the election to benefit himself and his political party and disadvantage his opponents." In a statement to NBC News on Tuesday night, Kemp spokeswoman Candice Broce called the litigation a "twelfth-hour stunt." The California Energy Commission has voted to approve an $8 million grant for the development of a high-capacity hydrogen fueling station. In a statement Wednesday the Commission said the fueling station, at the Port of Long Beach, would be used to service and promote the expansion of zero-emission fuel cell electric Class 8 drayage trucks. Drayage trucks are used to take freight from ports to warehouses and other locations, the Commission said. The Commission added that the promotion of zero-emission vehicles would help to "reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution at the nation's second busiest container port." The station, according to the Commission, will source its hydrogen "from 100 percent renewable biogas." Hydrogen is becoming an attractive fuel source for many types of transport. A fleet of hydrogen fuel cell buses is currently in operation in the Scottish city of Aberdeen. In September, European railway manufacturer Alstom launched what it says is the world's first hydrogen fuel cell train, which can travel up to 140 kilometers per hour. The European Commission has described hydrogen as an energy carrier with "great potential for clean, efficient power in stationary, portable and transport applications." For its part, the U.S Department of Energy (DOE) states that hydrogen can be utilized in fuel cells to produce power using a chemical reaction instead of combustion. This, the DOE says, means that the only by-products are water and heat. China on Thursday reported exports and imports for the month of October that exceeded forecasts, the country's General Administration of Customs reported. According to Reuters, China recorded a trade surplus of $31.78 billion with the U.S. in October down from a record $34.13 billion in September. The country's cumulative trade surplus with the U.S. in the first 10 months of the year was $258.15 billion, Reuters reported. China's overall trade surplus was $34.01 billion for October, lower than the $35 billion economists had expected. Exports denominated in dollars rose 15.6 percent from a year ago in October, exceeding an expected 11 percent growth economists polled by Reuters had forecast. September exports grew 14.5 percent on-year. Dollar-denominated imports meanwhile rose 21.4 percent from a year ago, topping an expected 14 percent. September imports grew 14.3 percent on-year. Economic data from China is being closely watched amid a bitter trade dispute between the world's two largest economies, with U.S. President Donald Trump taking issue with his country's massive trade deficit against China. Despite escalating trade tensions with the U.S., Chinese data show the economy has largely held up so far. Many economists say the phenomenon is mostly due to exporters benefiting from increased orders before the tariffs hit, but the figures are likely to show stress in the months ahead. Chinese exports are also boosted by robust growth, both globally and in the U.S., said independent economist Andy Xie. Even with heavier U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports, a sharp decline in the Chinese yuan is offsetting most of the impact, Xie told CNBC on Thursday ahead of the trade data release. In fact, domestic factors due to the fallout from over-exuberant property market are the key reasons why China's growth would slow, Xie said. The trade dispute with the U.S. is thus a handy and timely excuse for Beijing to shift the blame of the economic slowdown from the property bubble which would hit government land sales, infrastructure building, property sales and eventually, the macro-economy to Washington, Xie said. "The government would say confidence is the issue and the trade war is the trigger, so that's why we should blame the trade war," Xie said. "It's an excuse to not do anything (to solve the problem, and) rather to frame this as part of the big trade war." Already, China of 6.5 percent in the third quarter of the year its weakest pace since the first quarter of 2009. Even before the escalation in trade tensions with the U.S. this year, Beijing was already trying to manage a slowdown in its economy after three decades of breakneck growth. The trade war with the U.S. is now complicating those efforts, with analysts expecting Beijing to to manage the threats from the bilateral dispute that may derail growth. Markets are now keeping their eyes on a much-touted meeting later this month between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping at the G-20 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Reuters contributed to this report. Qualcomm beat analysts' expectations for fourth-quarter revenue and profit on Wednesday, helped by demand from Chinese smartphone makers targeting emerging markets and a newer licensing model for its wireless technology that has soothed relations with some big customers. Shares of the company rose 1.5 percent in extended trading on Wednesday. Qualcomm is the world's biggest supplier of chips for smartphones but it has been battered by growth slowdown in the industry and a loss of major customer Apple. And while Qualcomm has warned its investors that it expects no revenue from Apple's newest iPhones, Qualcomm has struck deals with Chinese mobile phone makers including Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, and OnePlus, all of which offer lower-cost models in emerging markets like India. The company has also eased its licensing requirements, which helped it retain large customers like Samsung Electronics with new license deals. Excluding items, Qualcomm earned 90 cents per share, beating analysts' estimates of 83 cents, according to IBES data from Refinitiv. Revenue fell to $5.80 billion, but was still above estimates of $5.52 billion. Qualcomm's loss was $493 million, or 35 cents per share, in the quarter ended Sept. 30, compared with a profit of $168 million, or 11 cents per share, a year earlier. The Enel Group has commenced construction of a 220 megawatt solar photovoltaic park in Mexico via its subsidiary, Enel Green Power Mexico. The Magdalena II facility is located in the state of Tlaxcala, the business said in a statement Tuesday. Investment in the construction of the project is expected to be around $165 million. Photovoltaic cells directly convert the light of the sun into electricity. Paolo Romanacci, the head of Enel Green Power Mexico and Central America, described Magdalena II as another step in the company's expansion within the Mexican market. "The company's entry into the state of Tlaxcala, which boasts an abundance of solar resources, confirms our commitment to help Mexico meet its electricity needs by boosting the country's renewable energy mix," Romanacci added. The International Energy Agency (IEA) describes Mexico's market for solar photovoltaic as "nascent" but adds that it is expected to grow rapidly. In 2017, global cumulative solar photovoltaic capacity hit nearly 398 gigawatts and produced more than 460 terawatt hours, according to the IEA. This represents roughly 2 percent of global power output. Magdalena II is slated to commence operations in the second half of 2019 and will produce around 600 gigawatt hours of energy per year. It will prevent the emission of more than 330,000 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually, according to Enel Green Power. Holly Johnson and her husband Greg, founders of the blog Club Thrifty, took their children on a Mediterranean cruise funded, in part, with credit card points earned by paying off their home. "Instead of funneling cash via paper checks or online banking, we charged our mortgage payments to a credit card," Johnson writes in GOBankingRates. And they didn't have to pay any fees or interest on the card, either. By paying off the final $100,000 on their house in Noblesville, Indiana, with their Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite Mastercard, they were able to earn 200,000 points, which were worth $2,000 when used on travel. Then, by using their card to pay for a portion of what it cost to build a new patio and family room, they earned even more points. The average cardholder would have a hard time doing exactly what they did. The Johnsons were able to make use of advantages that aren't available to everyone. Still, thanks to their creativity, the renovated home is now worth $250,000-$300,000 and they own it free and clear. What worked for them Some traditional lenders let you use credit cards to make mortgage payments if you use a third-party service, but that will usually end up costing you money. Plastiq, for instance, allows users to place larger purchases on their cards for a 2.5 percent fee. But the Johnsons found a workaround. Plastiq waives the fee on $1,000 in purchases for every person you refer to the service who makes a qualified payment over $500. "This strategy worked so well for me because I have referred almost 300 people now with my website," Johnson tells CNBC Make It. "At $1,000 in fee-free dollars per referral, that is $300,000 in fee-free payments I have earned." Without your own financial blog, it's not as straightforward to load up on referral bonuses, Johnson admits: "You could try referring people to the service using social media, but I'm not sure how easy it would be." What could work for you It's possible but unlikely that landlords will accept credit cards without tacking on a fee. If you can find one that does, that'll make it easier to load up on rewards. If you're like most renters or homeowners and would have to pay some kind of fee to pay with plastic, the trick is to find a way around it, like the Johnsons did, or to offset it with credit card rewards. But finding a credit card that offers rewards that exceed the cost of fees is rare, too. "Like Holly and her husband, our customers are savvy spenders who use their cards to their advantage whether to better manage cash flow or maximize rewards," Eliot Buchanan, founder and CEO of Plastiq, tells CNBC Make It. "We encourage our customers to use Plastiq in ways that drive value for them, and we love hearing stories about the creative uses that cardholders find for our service." Credit card blogger Keith Rosso bought a $60,000 Tesla with a credit card last year using the Chase Ink Business Preferred. That earned him 3 points per dollar on the purchase, which outweighed Plastiq's 2.5 percent fee. Depending on how he redeemed those rewards, he estimated that they could be worth as much as $5,000. The Ink Business Preferred no longer rewards Plastiq purchases with 3 points per dollar, a representative from Chase tells CNBC Make It, so this particular strategy may no longer be a profitable option. Many cards require you to spend thousands in order to qualify for their sign-up bonuses. If the only way you're going to reach that spending threshold is by making a large purchase through Plastiq, that could help justify the fee, says Johnson. Consider the card she and her husband used: the Barclaycard Arrival Plus. It has a 60,000 point bonus if you manage to spend $5,000 in the first three months of having the card. "If you spent $5,000 on your card paying down your mortgage, you would only pay $125 in fees to earn more then $700 in flexible travel credit," says Johnson. That's $600 for the bonus plus $100 for the 2 points per dollar you'd earn spending $5,000. After deducting the $125 in fees, you'd come out with $575. Barclays did not respond to CNBC's request for comment. Read the fine print Disney's new streaming service will be called Disney+ and launch in late 2019, CEO Bob Iger announced on the company's earnings call Thursday. The company announced in August 2017 it would pull all its movies from Netflix in 2019, and start its own streaming offering for its past titles. Disney also purchased Fox for $71.3 billion in cash and stock, further bolstering its library. The service will also feature new, original shows and movies, including original Marvel and Star Wars series. Marvel fan favorite character Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston, will get an original series on the Disney+ service. A prequel series to Star Wars movie "Rogue One" about the character Cassian Andor, portrayed by Diego Luna, will also call the service home. Other original shows and movies include a rebooted version of The High School Musical franchise. It will also be a hub for animated content, including the next season of "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" and an new original animated series based on Pixar's "Monsters Inc." Exclusive movies include "Noel," a Christmas movie about Santa's daughter played by Anna Kendrick, and "Togo," a movie about the 1925 Nome Serum Run starring William DaFoe. Disney launched a placeholder website for Disney+ that shows off logos of brands like Pixar, National Geographic and Marvel. Disney's other streaming service, sports-centered ESPN+, reached 1 million paid subscribers in just five months. The company reported its fourth-quarter earnings after the bell on Thursday. Shares went up as much as 2 percent after beating earnings and revenue estimates. WATCH: Netflix shares are up 2,400 percent and the rest of the media industry is struggling here's why Teachers and supporters march while holding signs during a strike outside the Jason Lee Middle School in Tacoma, Washington, on Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018. In 2018, an eruption of national teacher strikes shuttered schools in deep-red states across America as educators walked off the job over low budgets and stagnant salaries. Then an unprecedented number of teachers ran for political office, aggressively championing public education reform. But educator activism fell short in Tuesday's elections. "With the upswing in teacher activism, it initially felt like there was this important shift toward education in the election. But, looking at the results, public opinion didn't make a difference in the states where there were teacher strikes," said Michael Hansen, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. Democratic challengers backed by teacher activists failed to unseat Republican governors in Arizona and Oklahoma, while ballot initiatives in Oklahoma and Utah were defeated. Though some key governor's races fell their way, notably in Kansas, education activists say overall the victories were overshadowed by losses. In the Oklahoma race for governor, Republican Kevin Stitt defeated Democrat Drew Edmondson, who promised to raise taxes to increase teacher pay, a plan Stitt rejected. Several teachers who ran for Oklahoma's state house seats also lost. Alberto Morejon, the middle-school social studies teacher who helped organize the statewide teacher walkout in Oklahoma, said "the results of the governor's race was disappointing." But he added, "We've taken a step in the right direction. We're engaged and fighting back." In Arizona, which has some of the lowest school funding in the nation, teachers unions failed to oust Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican who became a foil for activists during the walkouts. He defeated Democratic challenger and education professor David Garcia by a wide margin. During the race, both candidates claimed the mantle of education champion. Manfred Weber, German head of the Christian Democrats in the European Parliament, gestures after being selected head of the executive arm of Europes Christian Democrats during the European People's Party congress in Helsinki, Finland, on Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. German EU lawmaker Manfred Weber won the backing of Europe's centre-right parties on Thursday to stand in the race to become European Commission president next year. Weber beat former Finnish prime minister Alexander Stubb to become the European People's Party's (EPP) top candidate in the European Parliament elections next May, making him frontrunner for the EU's most influential job, the head of the bloc's executive overseeing laws and trade deals. Facebook took down more than 12 million pieces of terrorist content on its social network between April and September, the company disclosed on Thursday. Facebook defines terrorist content as posts that praise, endorse or represent ISIS, al-Qaeda and their affiliate groups. The removal of the terrorist content is part of an on-going effort by Facebook to rid its service of harmful content, which also includes misinformation, propaganda and spam. Facebook said, "We measure how many pieces of content (such as posts, images, videos or comments) we took action on because they went against our standards for terrorist propaganda, specifically related to ISIS, al-Qaeda and their affiliates." The company said it removed 9.4 million pieces of terrorist content during the second quarter and another 3 million posts during the third quarter. By comparison, the company in May announced that it removed 1.9 million posts during the first quarter of 2018. "Terrorists are always looking to circumvent our detection and we need to counter such attacks with improvements in technology, training, and process," the company said in a blog post. "These technologies improve and get better over time, but during their initial implementation such improvements may not function as quickly as they will at maturity." A lot of the material removed was old. But Facebook said it removed 2.2 million brand new terrorist posts in the second quarter and 2.3 million in the third quarter, up from 1.2 million in the first quarter. Facebook explained that it has focused its efforts on removing terrorist content before it is viewed by a wide audience. With that focus in mind, Facebook has reduced the median time between when a user first reports a terrorist post to when Facebook takes it down. That median time was 43 hours in the first quarter, but fell to 22 hours in the second quarter and 18 hours in the third quarter. The company said it has relied on machine learning technology to detect terrorist content. In most cases, that terrorist content is reviewed and removed by trained humans, but the machine learning technology can remove content on its own if its "confidence level is high enough that its 'decision' indicates it will be more accurate than our human reviewers," the company said. The number of "fake news" accounts was significantly higher in this year's midterm elections than in the 2016 presidential election and it's only set to grow by 2020, according to the Democratic National Committee's (DNC) top software engineer. In an interview with CNBC at the Web Summit tech conference in Lisbon, Portugal on Thursday, DNC Chief Technology Officer Raffi Krikorian said his team was in "constant communication" with social media companies during Tuesday's elections to report fake accounts. He said misinformation campaigns are growing in size and sophistication. The DNC is the formal governing body for the U.S. Democratic Party. "Our concern is honestly it's just going to get worse over time unless the platform companies figure out how to control it on their side," Krikorian told CNBC's Karen Tso. Fake news is a term used to describe the modern phenomenon of deliberate falsehoods or fiction masked as news circulating on the internet. Marathon not a sprint Krikorian, a computer scientist who previously held senior positions at Uber and Twitter, acknowledged social media companies like Facebook are taking steps to increase transparency. But he said their business models, driven by revenue and engagement, do not incentivize solutions for fighting fake news, and the problem wouldn't fix itself by the next U.S. presidential election. "I think we're going to need a large push from organizations like ours, from potentially the federal government, to say you actually do need to go work on this problem before '20," he said. The first step, Krikorian said, is recognizing that misinformation is a long-term problem. He said companies operate in election cycles, only beefing up security measures in the final months before voting. "Everyone does a sprint toward election day and then after election day we don't hear about it anymore," he said. Krikorian said social media companies should work to develop algorithms that can detect fake accounts. But until those algorithms are functional, he said, companies should hire more people to monitor and audit content online. He added computer scientists and engineers need to engage with Congress to introduce regulation around fake news. Building up the DNC Google receives an average 1.1 million job applicants annually, according to LinkedIn, and regularly tops lists of today's most attractive employers. Not only do Google employees enjoy perks like espresso bars and dog parks, they also take home hefty salaries. Jobs site Glassdoor compiled a list of the highest-paying positions at the tech company, using salary data and job descriptions taken from the company's job posts on the platform. Glassdoor found that senior vice presidents at Google earn staggering annual salaries anywhere from $661,000 to $710,000. The lowest-paying role on the list, director of marketing, earns an annual salary of $245,000. Take a look at how much top-tier Google employees can potentially take home: Google employees hold signs during a walkout to protest how the tech giant handled sexual misconduct in Mountain View, California, U.S., on Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018. Google CEO Sundar Pichai sent a memo to employees Thursday detailing changes to its sexual harassment and misconduct policies in the wake of massive protests last week. More than 20,000 Google employees walked out of their offices Thursday following a bombshell New York Times report that detailed how the company has shielded executives accused of sexual misconduct, with organizers demanding concrete changes like a new system for reporting abuse and an employee representative on the company's board. "This is an area where we need to continually make progress and are committed to doing so," Pichai wrote in his memo. Google leadership also held a town-hall style meeting with employees following the publication of Pichai's memo on Thursday. While the policy changes Pichai outlined fulfill many of the protesters' requirements, they do not include adding an employee representative to Alphabet's board or elevating the chief diversity officer to report directly to the CEO. Google's plan includes providing more transparency around sexual harassment investigations and outcomes as part of its annual "Investigations Report," revamping its reporting channels for incidents of misconduct, updating and expanding its sexual harassment training and making arbitration optional for sexual harassment claims. Organizers of the protests had specifically demanded Google put an end to its policy of forced arbitration for sexual misconduct allegations a practice that prevents employees from taking cases to court and is generally criticized for suppressing victims' stories. Pichai's memo says that while Google "never required confidentiality," employees with harassment or assault claims can now choose whether or not to go through the arbitration process. Organizers of Google's protests were also deliberate about including contract workers in their original demands. Google said in an additional document detailing changes that it will routinely review contractor and temp worker suppliers to see if they adhere to agreements around the handling of employee complaints. However, the Tech Workers Coalition, which launched a retaliation hotline for Google employees who participated in last week's protest, says that the new policies don't do enough to protect those temp, vendor and contract workers (TVCs). "TVCs didn't receive this email this morning, and have been excluded from the town-hall," a spokesperson said. "This deliberate slight demonstrates the caste-like system deployed by Google, which fails to protect its workers and our colleagues." Bloomberg reported that during the first quarter of the year Alphabet had more TVCs than direct employees (of which it had 85,050 at the time). These workers typically make less, pay more for benefits, and lack the job security of direct employees. The protest's organizers also released a statement saying that while Google made progress towards addressing their demands, they would "not let up" until all of them were met. "We demand a truly equitable culture, and Google leadership can achieve this by putting employee representation on the board and giving full rights and protections to contract workers, our most vulnerable workers, many of whom are Black and Brown women," employee Stephanie Parker said in that statement. Here's Pichai's note in its entirety: Hi everyone, At Google we try hard to build a workplace that supports our employees and empowers them to do their best work. As CEO, I take this responsibility very seriously and I'm committed to making the changes we need to improve. Over the past few weeks Google's leaders and I have heard your feedback and have been moved by the stories you've shared. We recognize that we have not always gotten everything right in the past and we are sincerely sorry for that. It's clear we need to make some changes. Going forward, we will provide more transparency on how we handle concerns. We'll give better support and care to the people who raise them. And we will double down on our commitment to be a representative, equitable, and respectful workplace. Today, we're announcing a comprehensive action plan to make progress. It's detailed hereand I encourage everyone to read it. Here are some of the key changes: We will make arbitration optional for individual sexual harassment and sexual assault claims. Google has never required confidentiality in the arbitration process and arbitration still may be the best path for a number of reasons (e.g. personal privacy) but, we recognize that choice should be up to you. We will provide more granularity around sexual harassment investigations and outcomes at the company as part of our Investigations Report. We're revamping the way we handle and look into your concerns in three ways: We're overhauling our reporting channels by bringing them together on one dedicated site and including live support. We will enhance the processes we use to handle concernsincluding the ability for Googlers to be accompanied by a support person. And we will offer extra care and resources for Googlers during and after the process. This includes extended counseling and career support, We will update and expand our mandatory sexual harassment training. From now on if you don't complete your training, you'll receive a one-rating dock in Perf. We will recommit to our company-wide OKR around diversity, equity and inclusion again in 2019, focused on improving representationthrough hiring, progression and retentionand creating a more inclusive culture for everyone. Our Chief Diversity Officer will continue to provide monthly progress updates to me and my leadership team. I hope you'll take the time to read the full range of actions we're announcing today. Thank you all for the feedback you've shared with us. This is an area where we need to continually make progress and are committed to doing so. We often hear from Googlers that the best part of working here is other Googlers. Even in difficult times, we are encouraged by the commitment of our colleagues to create a better workplace. That's come through very strongly over the past few weeks. -Sundar Google also expanded on Pichai's note with more details about the changes: Tech giant Google is planning to expand its office space in New York City, potentially allowing the company to significantly increase staffing in the city, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. People familiar with the matter told the Journal that Google is nearing a deal to buy or lease a planned 1.3 million-square-foot office building at St. John's Terminal in Manhattan's West Village neighborhood. When completed, that building would give the Alphabet unit space for more than 8,500 staff. Google did not immediately respond to CNBC's emailed request for comment. The WSJ said that Google declined to comment on any talks about the St. John's Terminal property. Additionally, Google is also planning to expand its existing property at Chelsea Market by about 300,000 square feet, the Journal reported. That, along with its announced plans for 250,000 square feet of office space at Pier 57, could provide sufficient office space for more than 3,500 additional workers, the newspaper said. The tech giant bought the Chelsea Market property earlier this year for about $2.4 billion. Read The Wall Street Journal's full report on Google expanding its office space in New York City here. WATCH: How to download everything Google knows about you Katie Hill, Democrat running for California's 25th Congressional district seat in Congress, speaks during the opening of the SCV Democratic Headquarters for 2018 in Newhall, Calif., on Saturday, May 26, 2018. Democrat Katie Hill, a political newcomer, is the apparent winner in her challenge of two-term Rep. Steve Knight in a closely watched race in Southern California's 25th Congressional District, according to NBC News. Hill's apparent victory is another seat gain for Democrats as they look to pad their projected House majority. Hill, a former head of a nonprofit that assists homeless people, crushed Knight in fundraising during the heated campaign by raising nearly $6.3 million, or about three times the amount the incumbent collected. About $3.8 million was raised in the third quarter alone by the Democrat, while Knight's campaign took in less than $460,000 in the period. The 25th District, where Democrats hold a nearly 4-point edge in voter registration, stretches from northern Los Angeles County into a portion of eastern Ventura County. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton carried the working-class district in 2016. During the campaign, Hill took on Knight's record on immigration as well as his support of the GOP tax plan and repeal and replacement of Obamacare. Knight tried to distance himself during the campaign from President Donald Trump, particularly on immigration matters. Hill, who was endorsed over the summer by former President Barack Obama, identifies herself as bisexual and made LGBTQ rights a part of her platform. A gunman opened fire at a bar in Thousand Oaks, California, killing at least 12 people during a college night celebration, including a deputy sheriff who was planning to retire next year. The gunman, identified as 28-year-old Ian Long, is also dead, authorities said. Police were called to the Borderline Bar & Grill in the Ventura County suburb, 40 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, late Wednesday Pacific time. "It's a horrific scene in there," Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean told a news conference in the parking lot of the Borderline Bar & Grill. "There's blood everywhere." The massacre was the latest mass shooting in the United States and came less than two weeks after a gunman killed 11 people at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. Dean said multiple 911 calls were received at 11:20 p.m. of shots being fired. "Approximately three minutes later, a highway patrol officer and a deputy made entry. Upon going through ... (the) sheriff''s sergeant was shot multiple times with gunfire," he said. The motive for the latest mass shooting was not known. The gunman was tall and wearing all black with a hood over his head and his face partly covered, witnesses told TV stations at the scene. He first fired on a person working the door, then appeared to open fire at random at the people inside, they said. Sarah Rose DeSon told ABC's "Good Morning America" that she saw the shooter draw his gun. "I dropped to the floor," she said. "A friend yelled `Everybody down!' We were hiding behind tables trying to keep ourselves covered." The 12 dead included Deputy Sheriff Ron Helus, a 29-year veteran of the agency who was looking to retire next year, Dean said, choking back tears while talking about his longtime friend. A selection of Netflix original content sits displayed in the Netflix app on an Apple iPad tablet device in this arranged photograph in London. Netflix is on a mission to expand its audience across Asia, and the country set to account for the bulk of that growth is India not China. Asia's young and increasingly digital population presents an "incredible opportunity" to ramp up the company's international subscribers, Netflix's chief content officer Ted Sarandos told CNBC on Thursday. The subscription in Asia has already surpassed the 58 million in the U.S. All in, the company has 137 million subscribers globally. "We're in our early, early days here in Asia," Sarandos told CNBC's Akiko Fujita. But he said the company has "very specific initiatives" for each of the territories within the region. Chief among those will be India, Sarandos said. Over the next few years, Netflix hopes to leverage off the country's proven appetite for video streaming and add 100 million subscribers in India alone. "If you think about the opportunity, there's about 450 million internet users in India and about half of them are watching video on YouTube and services like that, which makes for a very interesting, addressable market," said Sarandos. The Norwegian frigate 'KNM Helge Ingstad' takes on water after collision with the tanker Sola TS on November 8, 2018 in the Hjeltefjord near Bergen. A Norwegian warship was heavily damaged in a collision with a Maltese oil tanker in the North Sea off the coast of Norway. According to Norwegian media reports Thursday, the frigate is in danger of sinking after sustaining heavy damage. The oil tanker is reportedly undamaged. Several reports confirmed that all 137 crew on the navy ship were evacuated but seven have been treated for minor injuries. "The armed forces is now reviewing all the means available in the region to assist the KNM Helge Ingstad (the damaged warship)," Lieutenant Colonel Ivar Moen told AFP. According to the website Marine Traffic, the 62,000-ton oil tanker Sola is continuing its route from Norway to a terminal in northeast England. However, one separate media report said that despite suffering only superficial damage, the tanker is now at a standstill and waiting to be towed back into a Norwegian port. Reuters reported that the Equinor Sture oil shipment terminal, from where the oil tanker left, has been closed as a precautionary measure. WATCH: Here's what drives the price of oil U.S. oil prices dropped for a ninth consecutive session on Thursday, falling into a bear market, on further signs of growing supply even as data showed record Chinese oil imports. Crude prices have plunged over the last five weeks, buffeted by October's broader market slump, signs of deteriorating demand and rising output from key producers. The decline continued earlier this week after the Trump administration announced it would issue waivers to eight countries, allowing them to continue importing Iranian crude for the next 180 days. The United States restored sanctions on Iran's energy, banking and shipping industries on Monday. "As a result, oil supplies are going to be higher than the market anticipated," said Andrew Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates. "So it seems to me that the loss of Iranian supplies is only going to be between 1 and 1.2 million barrels per day, and the OPEC and non-OPEC producers have more than made up for that." U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude fell as low as $60.40 a barrel on Thursday, briefly wiping out its gains for the year. The contract settled $1, or 1.6 percent, lower at $60.67. That's down 21 percent from last month's four-year high of $76.90, putting WTI in bear market territory. Brent crude fell $1.33, or 1.9 percent, to $70.74 a barrel at 2:30 p.m. ET. The international benchmark hit a session low of $70.60, tumbling 18.6 percent from its nearly four-year high of $86.74 on Oct. 3. U.S. gasoline futures are also trading in bear market territory, down nearly 28 percent from their 52-week high. Prices fell to a nearly eight-month low on Wednesday after the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported the seventh consecutive weekly increase in U.S. crude stockpiles. U.S. output also hit an all-time high at 11.6 million barrels per day last week, according to preliminary figures released by the EIA. If confirmed during revisions, it would more firmly establish the United States as the world's top oil producer. The EIA forecast this week that U.S. oil production will average 12.1 million bpd in 2019, marking an upward revision from its last projection. The other producers in the top three, Saudi Arabia and Russia, have been dialing up production since June. "All three of them are continuing to pump at record levels, that's been ... part of what's causing oil to move into a bear market," Tamar Essner, director of energy and utilities at Nasdaq Corporate Solutions, told CNBC's "Worldwide Exchange" on Thursday. "I think the market is grappling with some fundamental uncertainties," she said. "We don't know if we are oversupplied or undersupplied." Procter & Gamble is reorganizing the sprawling consumer products company as it looks to simplify operations, the company said Thursday. The announcement comes after activist investor Nelson Peltz joined the board in March following a vigorous proxy battle. Peltz had previously pushed for a simplified structure, saying it would improve accountability, agility and responsiveness to local needs. "This is the most significant organization change we've made in the last 20 years," CEO David Taylor said in a statement. "We will have a more engaged, agile and accountable organization focused on winning with consumers through superiority, fueled by productivity, and operating at the speed of the market." The company announced the news at its annual investor meeting Thursday in Cincinnati. Like all consumer behemoths, the maker of Gillette razors and Pamper's diapers has had to contend with smaller, more nimble rivals like subscription razor club Harry's. Shares of P&G have jumped by more than 29 percent since hitting a 52-week low of $70.73 a share in May, giving it a market value of $227.6 billion. They closed at $91.36 a share Thursday and were about flat in aftermarket trading. As part of P&G's new business structure, the company will now have six sector business units organized by industry. Each business will have a unit "CEO" responsible for running all major decisions, like marketing, costs and supply chain. The units will expand across P&G's largest markets, like the U.S., Canada, China and Japan, which comprise roughly 80 percent of its sales. The remaining markets will have their own business unit. P&G will continue to have a corporate research and development group to create platform technologies for multiple business units. The maker of Tide also said it is expanding the duties of its chief financial officer, Jon Moeller, to include the role of chief operating officer. In Moeller's new position, he will oversee the markets not included within the major six units. P&G last month reported its biggest quarterly sales gain in five years, with a number of brands, including Gillette, delivering strong performance. CNBC's Sara Eisen taped an interview with Taylor that will air at 10 a.m. ET Friday on "Squawk on the Street." WATCH: The US is missing out on the business of black hair - here are the big winners Google CEO Sundar Pichai offered a new justification for the company's exploration of a censored version of its search engine for people in China: it already censors information elsewhere. In a New York Times interview published Thursday, Pichai compared Europe's "right to be forgotten laws" to censorship when asked about launching a search product in China. "One of the things that's not well understood, I think, is that we operate in many countries where there is censorship. When we follow 'right to be forgotten' laws, we are censoring search results because we're complying with the law," Pichai told the Times. Google has been grappling with how it could reach China's 800 million Internet users since it withdrew its service in 2010 amid censorship and security concerns. Earlier this year, Google faced backlash both internally and from the public when the Intercept reported its apparent plans to build a censored version of its search engine in China. Europe's "right to be forgotten" laws are distinct in important ways from censorship of information by the Chinese government. While "right to be forgotten" laws mainly center on the right of individuals to request personal data be deleted from the internet or search results, the Chinese government has been found to suppress factual information that would not be subject to the "right to be forgotten" laws. Through tight control over its media and internet access, China has created the "Great Firewall" that prevents people living there from accessing certain websites or searching some historical events, like the protests at Tiananmen Square in 1989. The "right to be forgotten" came from a 2014 case decided against Google by the European Court of Justice. The case centered around a Spanish man who wanted Google to remove an old newspaper article about a real estate auction the government ordered to recover his social security debts. The court decided that Google had to remove the article from its index even though the newspaper could keep it on its site. Now, the "right to be forgotten" is codified in the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which went into effect earlier this year. Under this part of the regulation, EU citizens have the right to request that internet businesses delete certain personal data under some circumstances. Pichai told the Times he's not convinced that a Chinese search engine would be Google's top priority. "I'm committed to serving users in China," he said. "Whatever form it takes, I actually don't know the answer. It's not even clear to me that search in China is the product we need to do today." A Google spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. Financial technology has reached a tipping point for China's Ping An Technology and future growth in that area is set to be exponential, according to CEO Ericson Chan. Years of investment and research into fintech is paying off, Chan told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Thursday. "I think we are just hitting a tipping point because of all the investments ... and the pie is getting bigger also the growth is not linear, it's going to be exponential," he said. "A lot of the capability that we've built over the years is exciting right now." Ping An Technology is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ping An Group, a major finance conglomerate in China that does business in insurance, banking, investment and technology. Ping An Technology's focus is on applying various technologies in areas such as finance, health care and smart cities. In the first nine months of 2018, the fintech and health tech businesses contributed to about 6.3 percent of Ping An Group's operating profit, up from only 0.9 percent a year ago. Ping An does not break down the numbers individually for financial tech and health tech but it comprises results from subsidiaries including Lufax Holding, Ping An Good Doctor, OneConnect, Ping An Healthcare Technology and Autohome. Both fintech and health care are equally important to Ping An, according to Chan. On Wednesday, Ping An Group said it expects to invest about $15 billion in technology research and development over the next decade to try and consolidate its leadership in the financial services industry. Roku shares fell 22 percent Thursday, their worst drop since the company had its IPO in September 2017, even though the company beat third-quarter earnings estimates on the top and bottom lines. One key metric that fell below expectations was platform revenue, which encompasses streaming advertising. Platform advertising is shaping up to be an increasingly important component of the company's strategy because Roku is in talks with media companies it hopes will bring more content to its app, CNBC reported Wednesday. While Roku reported total revenue of $173.4 million compared with the $169.1 million analysts surveyed by Refinitiv were expecting, platform revenue was $100.1 million for the quarter versus the $103.2 million forecast by StreetAccount and FactSet. Roku has not been able to make as much money per customer as analysts expected, reporting average revenue per user (ARPU) of $17.34, below the $17.44 forecast by StreetAccount. In an interview on CNBC's "Squawk Alley" on Thursday, CEO Anthony Wood touted the effectiveness of the company's platform for advertisers trying to reach viewers in the 18-to-34-year-old demographic. "If you're an advertiser, you're seeing your viewers shift from traditional linear TV to streaming," Wood said. "Ten percent of the people in that key demographic have shifted not just to streaming but to Roku in particular, so if you want to reach them with a video ad, you need to advertise on Roku." He also said streaming ads "are just a fundamentally better advertising unit" than traditional TV ads because advertisers know what they are getting out of their spending. When Roku shows advertisers data on how their ads perform, Wood said, "that helps advertisers have the confidence to increase their budgets." He acknowledged the ad dollars could take a while to catch up to the technology. "When viewers moved to mobile, the ad dollars took a few years to catch up. But they will catch up," Wood said. Analyst notes Thursday morning still indicated confidence in the stock, ranging from neutral to buy ratings. Guggenheim Securities wrote that Roku's "stated initiatives and potential expansion opportunities are under-appreciated," citing its established technology and user base as advantages in the competitive streaming space. D.A. Davidson gave Roku a neutral rating, on the other hand, as the increase in active accounts missed its estimates but still "was more than offset" by increased streaming hours and ARPU that beat its expectations. CNBC's Sara Salinas contributed to this report. TJ Smith fixes an 'I Voted' sticker on his shirt after casting his ballot at a polling station during early voting for the mid-term elections in the Lakeview Terrace neighborhood of Los Angeles, California on November 4, 2018. When it came to tax measures on the ballot, midterm election voters were quick to say, "no." In the last 15 years, voters have approved about half of tax measures on ballots, said Vanessa Williamson, a fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution. This year, there were a lot more "no's" than typical, she said, perhaps due to this particular election's overwhelming controversy and high number of key races. "When in doubt, many people vote 'no,'" she said. Most rejected measures would have increased taxes. Corporations also fought to protect personal interests in some cases, Williamson said. For example, in Washington state, oil and gas companies successfully lobbied to prevent a carbon fee on the ballot from passing. But it's worth noting that even if your state measures failed, experts say that the broader midterm results could influence changes to the federal tax code and other elements of your personal finances. Here's how some of the big tax issues fared, according to the Tax Policy Center, a joint venture of Brookings and the Urban Institute. (The outcome of some measures is still up in the air, as states process mailed ballots and finalize election results.) India beat New Zealand by 73 runs in third T20 to win series 3-0. The Grab logo is displayed on a taxi in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday, March 9, 2018. Thailand's Kasikornbank said Thursday it had invested $50 million in Singapore's Grab, forming a partnership that will help launch the GrabPay electronic wallet in its sixth Southeast Asian market in 2019. Thailand's fourth-largest bank also said the tie-up will allow it to use Grab's data on merchants and drivers to formulate loan products and minimize non-performing loans. "Our co-branded mobile wallet and strategic investment in Grab enables us to bring Grab's scale to our merchant and consumer network in Thailand," Kasikornbank President Patchara Samalapa said in a statement. GrabPay is one aspect of Grab's strategy to transform into a technology firm from being purely a ride-hailing business a business not yet fully regulated in Thailand. The service is accessible via Grab's smartphone application, and in Thailand will be branded "GrabPay by KBank." Patchara also said Grab's app will be integrated with Kasikornbank's K PLUS app, and that the bank will eventually provide loans via apps. "This also advances our ambition to build an Everyday Super App to serve the daily needs of our consumers," Grab Thailand chief Tarin Thaniyavarn said in the statement. GrabPay by KBank will compete with TrueMoney from True Corp as well as Rabbit Line Pay from messaging application LINE - owned by South Korea's Naver - offered in conjunction with local telecommunications firm Advanced Info Service and mass transit firm BTS Group Holdings. Kasikornbank is the latest financial institution to form a partnership with Grab as the tech firm expands in the sector, with other partners including Malayan Banking and Mastercard. The investment, while relatively small, is the first from Southeast Asia's second-largest economy. It is part of a funding round in which Grab has so far raised about $2.7 billion from investors such as Booking Holdings, Microsoft, Toyota and Hyundai, as well as financial institutions including OppenheimerFunds, Goldman Sachs Investment Partners and Citi Ventures. The Satanic Temple is suing Netflix over the use of a Satanic statue used in the production of "The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina". Netflix and Warner Bros. are feeling the wrath of satanists. The Satanic Temple is suing Netflix and Warner Brothers for $150 million, saying the companies infringed on its copyrights, violated its trademark, and caused injury to its business reputation, according to court documents filed on Thursday in a New York district court. At the center of the controversy is Baphomet, described in the court documents as "an androgynous goat-headed deity." A statue of the satanic god surrounded by children is featured in the Netflix series "The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina." However, the lawsuit claims the show's statue is similar to The Satanic Temple's real-life Baphomet monument, which was made famous by an Indiegogo campaign in 2014. Although it was intended to be installed next to the Ten Commandments at the Oklahoma State Capitol, it now resides in Detroit after multiple protests. The Baphomet statue has since become "a central icon that has come to represent us [satanists] as a people," explained The Satanic Temple co-founder Lucien Greaves. "To have that all at once entirely eclipsed by some Netflix show by a production department who did a Google Image Search... A lot of people who haven't heard of us first stand to just recognize that monument as the 'Sabrina' monument, which dilutes and denigrates the entire project," he said. Because the statue is featured prominently in the show, The Satanic Temple claims its members are being associated with the "evil antagonists" depicted in the series. The characters of the show, who worship the "Dark Lord" or Satan, engage in cannibalism, necromancy, murder and torture, among other nefarious activities. The Satanic Temple, on the other hand, "does not promote evil and instead holds to the basic principle that undue suffering is bad, and that which reduces suffering is good," the organization claims. It hails Satan as a "rebel against God's authority, rather than an evil being." The religious group reached out to Netflix and Warner Bros. to remove the depiction when it became aware of the statue in the series, but its request went unanswered. "It does really kind of normalize this notion that the only true meaning of this type of religious identification is one that can be associated with a patriarchal, cannibalistic cult," Greaves said. "We're so inundated with this anti-Satan fiction that a lot of people think its superfluous to pursue to a claim like this at all." Netflix and Warner Bros. declined to comment, citing pending litigation. WATCH: Netflix crushed earnings Watch five experts break down what happens next for the stock The Treasury Department on Thursday announced new sanctions on Russian and Ukrainian entities and several individuals, all connected to Russia's continuing occupation of Crimea, which the United States considers to be illegal. The announcement came just days before President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are both scheduled to attend events in Paris, France on Sunday to commemorate the end of the First World War. It was unclear Thursday whether the two leaders would meet face to face, with the Kremlin saying they would, and the White House denying that any meeting had been scheduled. "The United States is leveraging new authorities to target Russian actors for serious human rights abuses in parts of Ukraine that the United States government has determined are forcibly occupied or otherwise controlled by the Russian government, and other reprehensible acts in furtherance of the Kremlin's malign agenda," said Sigal Mandelker, Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence at the Treasury Department in a statement. Russia announced earlier this year that it would hold elections on Sunday in the two regions of Crimea in annexed from Ukraine in 2014. The U.S. State Department in September condemned the elections, saying in a statement that "genuine elections are inconceivable, and grossly contravene Russias commitments" under international agreements." The entities sanctioned Thursday include two Ukrainians, one Russian and nine entities in Ukraine and Russia, partly for actions related to Moscow's annexation of Crimea. One of the entities sanctioned - the Limited Liability Company Southern Project - was linked to Bank Rossiya and Russian businessman Yuri Kovulchuk. The individuals sanctioned include Andriy Volodymyrovych Sushko, a Russian FSB officer suspected of kidnapping and torturing a Crimean independence activist; Aleksandr Basov, the Deputy Minister of State Security in the Crimean region that Russia has designated the "Luhansk People's Republic;" and Vladimir Nikolaevich Zaritsky, a Russian former military commander who founded UKIP, a limited liability company that was involved in the Russian takeover of three private hotels in Crimea. The entities sanctioned include several LLCs that the U.S. says were used to illegally nationalize, then privatize resorts and hotels in Crimea following the Russian annexation. Four resorts and hotels in the seaside city of Yalta, in Crimea, were also sanctioned: Sanatorium Miskhor; Sanatorium Dyulber; Sanatorium AY-Petri and the Mriya Resort and Spa. Also sanctioned on Thursday was the Ministry of State Security of the so-called Luhansk People's Republic. In a statement Thursday, the State Department said the new sanctions "underscore the United States' steadfast partnership with Ukraine and the European Union in unified opposition to Russia's illegal purported annexation and occupation of Crimea and use of force to control parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Eastern Ukraine." Reuters contributed to this report. WATCH: Former Defense Secretary warns U.S.-Russian relations could descend into nuclear war US President Donald Trump (L) speaks with Governor Chris Christie (R-NJ) after he delivered remarks on combatting drug demand and the opioid crisis on October 26, 2017 in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie visited the White House on Thursday as President Donald Trump considers appointing him as the next attorney general to replace Jeff Sessions. Two sources who spoke with NBC News said Christie, who previously served as the top federal prosecutor for New Jersey, is being eyed as a potential replacement for Sessions. NBC News is aware of other potential candidates and there is no sign that Christie is the front-runner for the job, which Sessions quit Wednesday under pressure from Trump. The president had been angered since early 2017 about Sessions' recusal from an ongoing federal investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, possible collusion by the Trump campaign in that effort, and other issues that have led to guilty pleas from former Trump campaign officials. Sessions' recusal directly led to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller to handle that investigation, which Trump has repeatedly called a "witch hunt." Tweet Christie was at the White House to meet with Trump's son-in-law and senior advisor, Jared Kushner, to discuss prison reform efforts, a White House official told NBC News. The official said there was no meeting scheduled between Trump and Christie but did not rule out the possibility that one would happen. President Donald Trump speaks on immigration in the South Court Auditorium, next to the White House on June 22, 2018 in Washington, DC, next to people holding posters of victims allegedly killed by illegal immigrants. The Trump administration on Thursday unveiled tough new rules on asylum seekers who break border laws, in President Donald Trump's latest hard-line move on immigration policy. The new rule, announced by the Justice Department and Homeland Security, declares that immigrants who illegally cross the border will be stripped of their eligibility to receive asylum in the U.S. The rule is prospective, meaning it does not cover anyone who has entered in the past, senior administration officials said. The new restrictions won't take effect until Trump applies them in a presidential proclamation, which could possibly be issued Friday, a senior administration official said. The action is one of the first taken by Matthew Whitaker in his newly appointed role as acting attorney general. Whitaker, who was Attorney General Jeff Sessions' chief of staff, got the promotion after Trump fired Sessions a day earlier. Whitaker, in a joint statement with Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, said "Our asylum system is overwhelmed with too many meritless asylum claims from aliens who place a tremendous burden on our resources, preventing us from being able to expeditiously grant asylum to those who truly deserve it. Today, we are using the authority granted to us by Congress to bar aliens who violate a Presidential suspension of entry or other restriction from asylum eligibility." Earlier Thursday, NBC News reported that the administration expects to be sued over the new immigration policy. But two senior administration officials told the outlet that they expected the U.S. Supreme Court, emboldened by a 5-4 conservative majority, to ultimately uphold the plan. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, the most recent addition to the high court and Trump's second pick, is expected to side with the four other conservative justices and defer to the president's executive authority, the officials told NBC. The harsher asylum measures come two days after the midterm elections, where Trump made immigration the keystone issue of his appeal for voters to elect Republicans. The GOP lost its majority control of the House to the Democrats in the midterms but gained seats in the Senate, which it already controlled. At rallies, on social media and from the White House, Trump zeroed in on caravans of Central American migrants traveling toward the U.S.-Mexico border to seek asylum, claiming they were an "invasion" of the country. Trump said he was willing to send as many as 15,000 troops to defend the border, even though the caravans remained hundreds of miles away from the U.S. come Election Day. The rule announced Thursday is not the first time the Trump administration has sidestepped Congress to unilaterally shift the nation's immigration policy. In his first days in office, Trump signed an executive order limiting travel to the U.S. from a number of majority Muslim countries. The travel ban was stalled in court for months, but the Supreme Court ultimately upheld a version of the ban in a landmark ruling earlier this year that fell along partisan lines. Over the summer, Sessions implemented his "zero tolerance" policy toward illegal border crossings. The spike in prosecutions also led to the mass separation of families, which set off a wave of bipartisan criticism resulting in Trump effectively nullifying the policy by executive order in June. The president has also used his executive power to hamstring the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, an Obama-era program that allows undocumented immigrants who arrived as young children to remain in the country and obtain work permits. The president's termination of DACA has been blocked by courts in Washington and New York. On Thursday, a federal appeals court weighed in, largely echoing previous court rulings and upholding a nationwide ban on the president's order. That ruling makes it virtually certain that the fate of DACA will be decided by the Supreme Court in the coming months. Read the full release below. The interim final rule can be found here. WASHINGTONActing Attorney General Matthew Whitaker and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen today announced an Interim Final Rule declaring that those aliens who contravene a presidential suspension or limitation on entry into the United States through the southern border with Mexico issued under section 212(f) or 215(a)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) will be rendered ineligible for asylum. The Acting Attorney General and the Secretary issued the following joint statement: "Consistent with our immigration laws, the President has the broad authority to suspend or restrict the entry of aliens into the United States if he determines it to be in the national interest to do so. Today's rule applies this important principle to aliens who violate such a suspension or restriction regarding the southern border imposed by the President by invoking an express authority provided by Congress to restrict eligibility for asylum. Our asylum system is overwhelmed with too many meritless asylum claims from aliens who place a tremendous burden on our resources, preventing us from being able to expeditiously grant asylum to those who truly deserve it. Today, we are using the authority granted to us by Congress to bar aliens who violate a Presidential suspension of entry or other restriction from asylum eligibility." Section 212(f) of the Immigration and INA states that "[w]henever the President finds that the entry of any aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, he may by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants, or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate." Further, Section 215(a) of the INA states that it is "unlawfulfor any alien to depart from or enter or attempt to depart from or enter the United States except under such reasonable rules, regulations, and orders, and subject to such limitations and exceptions as the President may prescribe." In Section 208(d)(5)(B) of the INA, Congress specified that the Attorney General "may provide by regulation for any other conditions or limitations on the consideration of an application for asylum." Today's new rule applies to prospective presidential proclamations, and is not retroactive. Asylum is a discretionary form of relief granted by the Executive Branch on a discretionary basis to those fleeing persecution on the basis of their race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. The rule does not render such aliens ineligible for withholding of removal under the INA or protection from removal under the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. WATCH: Here are the businesses profiting from immigration enforcement Demonstrators hold illuminated signs during a rally supporting the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA), or the Dream Act, outside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., Jan. 18, 2018. A U.S. appeals court in California ruled on Thursday that President Donald Trump's administration must continue a program begun under former President Barack Obama that protects hundreds of thousands of immigrants who were brought into the country illegally as children. The decision by the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals preserves the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program introduced in 2012 that has shielded from deportation a group of immigrants dubbed "Dreamers" and has given them work permits, though not a path to citizenship. Trump has taken a stern stance against illegal immigration. His administration announced plans in September 2017 to phase out DACA, arguing that Obama exceeded his constitutional powers when he bypassed Congress and created the program. DACA offers protections to roughly 700,000 young adults, mostly Hispanics. The three-judge panel rejected the administration's claim that the decision to end DACA was not reviewable by the courts. "And, upon review, we conclude that plaintiffs are likely to succeed on their claim that the rescission of DACA - at least as justified on this record - is arbitrary, capricious, or otherwise not in accordance with law," Judge Kim McLane Wardlaw wrote. The ruling represented another legal defeat for Trump concerning DACA, although he has won court victories on other parts of his tough immigration policies. On Monday, the administration took the unusual step of asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case, which stems from a federal judge's January decision to block Trump from ending DACA, even though the appeals court had yet to rule. Trump said on Wednesday he saw potential to work with Democrats, who won control of the House of Representatives this week, but he would have to see how the Supreme Court rules on the issue. San Francisco-based U.S. District Judge William Alsup decided in January the government must continue processing renewals of existing DACA applications while litigation over the legality of Trump's action is resolved. The administration in February unsuccessfully appealed Alsup's ruling to the Supreme Court. The ruling stems from a lawsuit brought by the University of California, the states of California, Maine, Maryland and Minnesota and others challenging Trump's move to end DACA. Trump's move last year had called for the program to begin winding down this past March. Trump's action sparked an outcry from immigration advocates, business groups, colleges and some religious leaders. There are about 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States, according to the Pew Research Center. Lawsuits both challenging and supporting Trump's decision to end DACA have been working their way through the courts, making it likely the issue will wind up in front of the Supreme Court. The ruling by the 9th Circuit does not impact a nationwide injunction to preserve DACA issued by U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis in Brooklyn in February, which also has been appealed. In addition, a federal judge in Washington in August ordered the administration to fully restore DACA, including taking new applications. That decision was stayed pending appeal. Legislation to extend protections for DACA recipients and provide them a path to citizenship failed in Congress this year. WATCH: Here are the businesses profiting from immigration enforcement Alibaba's cloud computing arm will be its "main business" in the future, CEO Daniel Zhang told CNBC. "We strongly believe that every business in the future will be powered by cloud. We are very happy to build this cloud infrastructure in a new digital era and support all business," Zhang said. "I think cloud will be ... the main business of Alibaba in the future," he added. The Chinese e-commerce giant's cloud business has been growing at a rapid pace, and saw revenue rise to 5.67 billion yuan (about $820 million) in the quarter ended September 30, a 90 percent year-on-year increase. Cloud accounted for 7 percent of total revenue in the quarter versus 5 percent in the same period the year before, highlighting how the business is still small but taking more share. Zhang's interview with CNBC took place before the latest earnings were released and were not in relation to the latest financial numbers. Alibaba CEO Daniel Zhang Yong speaks during the Computing Conference 2018 at Yunqi Cloud Town on September 19, 2018 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province of China. VCG | Getty Images Zhang provided no growth projections nor hard revenue targets for its cloud plans, and he did not mention any global rivals by name. But the cloud business already is dominated by big, established giants including Amazon and Microsoft. Alibaba has been expanding the cloud business into new territories outside China over the past two-and-a-half years. It has opened new data centers across the world, particularly in Asia and Europe. It recently opened a new data center in the U.K., a country where rival Amazon already has a strong presence. "Alibaba is investing at a tremendous rate to build up its cloud services. It has become one of the world's hyperscale cloud players, catching up with Amazon, Microsoft and Google," said Martin Garner, senior vice president at CCS Insight, a U.K.-based analyst firm. "It is building out its geographic footprint around the world, recently opening a data (center) in the UK," he said. "It is also innovating its cloud services portfolio at phenomenal speed, with a strong push recently into Internet of Things." Amazon Web Services, the e-commerce firm's cloud arm, is, however, larger than its Chinese rival. AWS raked in $6.68 billion in sales in the third quarter. Amazon's success may bode well for Alibaba: "At present cloud services in Alibaba are in investment mode, and are not profitable. As their cloud services build scale they have the potential to become a profit powerhouse for the company, just as AWS is at Amazon," Garner said. Alibaba is looking to cloud computing as a way to diversify its business beyond retail much as Amazon did more than a decade ago. Meanwhile, Alibaba is also pushing a strategy it calls "New Retail," which is where it tries to combine its online properties with brick-and-mortar stores. That includes food delivery and also its own logistics network. The company also announced plans earlier this year to design its own artificial intelligence chips. Those are to go into servers that handle huge amounts of data and could help Alibaba as it tries to boost its cloud division. "A chip is the core of the computing power. So if you want to plug AI into the business ... it's all about computing power ... so that's why I think we have to spend time on chips," Zhang told CNBC. WATCH: Now's a good time for us to innovate Lawsuit over confiscation of former FSB officers property reaches Moscow court TASS, Vitaly Nevar 15:33 08/11/2018 MOSCOW, November 8 (RAPSI) A lawsuit filed by the Prosecutor Generals Office seeking to confiscate property of ex-officer of the Federal Security Service (FSB) Dmitry Stenin, a defendant in the high-profile corruption case of colonel Dmitry Zakharchenko, has reached the Gagarinsky District Court of Moscow, the courts press-service has told RAPSI. The lawsuit was registered on November 7. According to the Prosecutor Generals Office, the state is to confiscate 28 real estate objects including houses, land plots, apartments and parking lots in Moscow and Moscow Region as well as 5 valuable automobiles registered in the name of Stenin and his relatives. Prosecutors believe that this property was acquired illegally and its cost estimate 380 million rubles ($5.7 million). Ex-Russian anti-corruption official Dmitry Zakharchenko was arrested on September 8, 2016. During searches at the apartment belonging to his sister law enforcement officers found around 9 billion rubles. He denied any relation to seized funds. Zakharchenko was charged with receiving a 7-million-ruble ($102,000) bribe from an unknown source. He was also charged with abuse of office and hindering the conduct of preliminary investigation. In March, it was revealed that he is charged with two more instances of corruption crimes. Later, a court granted a lawsuit filed by the Prosecutor Generals Office and confiscated money and property belonging to Zakharachenko and his relatives. Overall, the property in this case is evaluated at 9 billion rubles (about $136 million at the current exchange rate), including 27 real estate objects in elite neighborhoods of Moscow, 4 high-priced cars, 8 billion rubles and a gold bar. The ruling came into force in March. Donated menstrual products can be dropped off at the PERIOD club's desk in the Center for Student Involvement, on the second floor of the MU Student Center. The club is also accepting cash and checks payable to "Period @ Mizzou," which can be dropped off at the same location. What even is a menstrual cup? Leona Chalmers was too busy for her period. As an actress during the early 1900s, she was worried every month that she would bleed through her white costume. Tampons weren't in use until the end of the 1920s, so she wore a belt and girdle attached to a long pad. Chalmers' six-day work weeks became the inspiration for the first commercialized menstrual cup, which was patented in 1937. A menstrual cup is a reusable, funnel-shaped cup that internally collects fluid for up to 12 hours. Interested in trying it out? Here are some things to consider: PROS Sustainability: On average, people who menstruate use 11 to 30 tampons each cycle, according to a 2007 study conducted by the Tampon Study Group. A person can go through about 5,000 to 13,000 tampons throughout a menstrual lifetime. The Diva Cup's website suggests replacing a menstrual cup annually, but some websites claim a menstrual cup has a 10-year lifespan. Chemical-free: Sanitary napkin and tampon manufacturers are not required by law to print the chemical list on their packaging, but these products are generally made from rayon and bleached cotton. This can lead to the development of dioxin, which is linked to increased risks of endometriosis, according to Assembly Bill 2820 in the California State Legislature. Menstrual cups are made of hypoallergenic silicone and do not have these chemicals. Budget-friendly: One menstrual cup is about $30, but it has longer lifespan than its disposable counterparts. CONS Maintenance: You must rinse the menstrual cup with clean water in between uses. This is not ideal for public restrooms or for people who do not have access to clean water. Refraining from proper cleaning can result in infection. Learning curve: For beginners, removing a menstrual cup can require more coordination than removing a tampon or sanitary napkin. Finding the perfect fit: Cups come in different sizes based on several factors, such as age, flow intensity and cervix length. Charts online can help first-time menstrual cup buyers find the correct fit, which can seem daunting compared to the one-size-fits-most standard for sanitary napkins and tampons. Types of obituaries The Missourian publishes two types of obituaries family obituaries and life stories. A family obituary is the version submitted by a funeral home or family. Please see the submission form for details on cost and deadlines. Family obituaries A life story is a closer look at a person's life and involves a reporter contacting family and friends. Life stories are based on newsworthiness and consent of the family. Life stories. The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form Yesterday, Microsoft released ADV180028, Guidance for configuring BitLocker to enforce software encryption, in response to a clever crack published on Monday by Carlo Meijer and Bernard van Gastel at Radboud University in the Netherlands (PDF). The paper (marked draft) explains how an attacker can decrypt a hardware-encrypted SSD without knowing the password. Due to a flaw in the way self-encrypting drives are implemented in firmware, a miscreant can get at all of the data on the drive, no key required. Gunter Born reports on his Borncity blog: The security researchers explain that they were able to modify the firmware of the drives in a required way, because they could use a debugging interface to bypass the password validation routine in SSD drives. It does require physical access to a (internal or external) SSD. But the researchers were able to decrypt hardware-encrypted data without a password. The researchers write that they will not release any details in the form of a proof of concept (PoC) for exploit. Microsofts BitLocker feature encrypts all the data on a drive. When you run BitLocker on a Win10 system with a solid state drive that has built-in hardware encryption, BitLocker relies on the self-encrypting drives own capabilities. If the drive doesnt have hardware self-encryption (or you're using Win7 or 8.1), BitLocker implements software encryption, which is less efficient, but still enforces password protection. The hardware-based self-encryption flaw seems to be present on most, if not all, self-encrypting drives. Microsofts solution is to unencrypt any SSD that implements self-encryption, then re-encrypt it with software-based encryption. Performance takes a hit, but data will be protected by software, not hardware. For details on the re-encryption technique, see ADV180028. We are living through one of the longest-running periods of free-flowing funding to many industries such as tech. Moreover, many of the newest companies launching in communications, cybersecurity, AI and other similar spaces are selling their solutions via an indirect channel to businesses. The classic chicken-and-egg problem for startups is getting the channel interested enough to sell their solutions. The channel has enough to sell already and doesnt want to divert resources to something which may not prove an effective ROI. This is where automation comes in. Mindmatrix, one of the leaders in the partner and direct enablement space was a common topic of conversation at this years ITEXPO in Fort Lauderdale, Fl. To learn more, we spoke in an exclusive interview with Harbinder Khera (pictured, left), CEO & Founder who explained the company can enable dealers, distributors and franchisees. There is a partner portal which handles recruiting, training, onboarding, deal registration, MDF, incentive management, asset cobranding and asset distribution. Partner marketing consists of email, social media and content syndication. Partner sales enablement takes knowledge, strategy and assets, enabling partners to sell. There are plug-ins for webmail, sales tracking, a contract module and concierge services. These consist of list scrubbing, newsletter creation and sending among others. By bringing the tools into their environment such as Office 365, partners do not have to login to yet another sales portal. This helps increase adoption. Machine learning tech shares insight with partners in real-time, does opportunity scoring and can tell which marketing works best at what time. It helps to improve close rations, he exclaimed. A new solutions configurator helps partners by solving problems. Also new is a CPQ engine handling pricing and proposals. Blockchain is also on its way to allow partners to share information about each other. Companies are in a mad-dash to lure new channel partners into their mix and the best way to do so is to ensure they are positioned for success. A solution like Mindmatrix partner relationship management is on the leading-edge and is making the commitment to help companies get their products into the hands of partners and to further help them sell these solutions to market. Learn more about IT, PRM, and MSPs at at ITEXPO and MSP Expo, January 29-February 1st, 2019 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Where Doers & Disruptors Find Communications & Technology Solutions State Duma backs ban on online information disclosure for military personnel RIA Novosti, Andrey Stenin 16:03 08/11/2018 MOSCOW, November 8 (RAPSI) The lower house of Russian parliament passed in the first reading on Thursday a bill prohibiting military personnel from disclosing information on themselves and other servicemen in media and on the Internet, a statement published on the State Duma website reads. The bill submitted by the government in September bans servicemen from disclosing information that could reveal their affiliation within military as well as their military service and service of other military personnel. The same restrictions also apply to information on activities of military units and organizations where they serve and their locations with the exceptions of cases stipulated in Russian legislation. Violation of these rules may result in disciplinary punishment or early termination of service in case if a person serves under contract. Provisions of the bill dont apply to retired military servicemen. Ministers demand to see legal advice behind Mays Brexit proposals T Crunch Cabinet meeting delayed over row The Guardian Labour ally with rebels in bid to force publication The Sun DUP demand May publish advice on Irish backstop Daily Telegraph heresa May appears to be edging closer to a Brexit deal after she showed Cabinet ministers a draft of a withdrawal agreement she intends to put to Brussels. Mrs May hopes they will rubber-stamp the proposal at a special Cabinet meeting in the next few days, but her plans have been delayed by ministers demanding to see the full legal advice on which it is based. Michael Gove and other ministers have insisted they cannot make an informed decision without seeing the full legal advice drawn up by Geoffrey Cox, the Attorney General, which underpins the proposal. Ministers were invited to the Cabinet Office on Wednesday to read a copy of the proposed withdrawal agreement, though it does not yet contain final details on how the final deal will avoid a hard border in Northern Ireland. Mrs May had hoped to hold a Cabinet meeting by the end of this week, but Mr Gove is understood to have told the Prime Minister he will refuse to sign up to her proposed deal if she does not let him see Mr Coxs advice. Daily Telegraph More: Rees-Mogg brands customs plan betrayal The Sun May calls Merkel for help securing deal by Christmas Daily Express Prime Minister steps up preparations for a deal FT but is accused of misleading the public The Sun Momentum plotting to force MPs to vote against a deal Daily Mail Brexiteers fear single market by the back door The Times Comment: MPs need information for any vote to be meaningful Jack Simson Caird, Times Red Box What would it take for impartial people to back the deal? Anand Menon, Daily Telegraph >Today: >Yesterday: Graham Gudgin in Comment: Are we inching nearer to an escape from the Northern Ireland backstop? UK boycotts Brussels aid spending Britain has boycotted an EU aid spending plan vote over Brussels Brexit bullying. It accused the European Commission of discriminating against UK based organisations over Brexit, and refused to endorse the billions of pounds of spending. The UK declined to give support for the first time in a vote among the 28 member states on the 25.6billion fund, The Guardian revealed. In a statement it said that it was still waiting for a response to concerns over how projects will be funded after we leave. Earlier this year the Commission said they would terminate clauses with aid providers if there were to be a No Deal Brexit. Several British organisations and charities have already been warned that unless they can commit to securing the gaps in funding if we leave unexpectedly with no arrangement, they shouldnt even apply for funds at all. Ministers said in the statement it was still waiting for a response to the concerns raised at a political level in August, including via secretary of state for international developments letter to the commission of 23 August 2018, on the treatment of UK entities in the tendering process of EU programmes. The Sun Raab floats post-Brexit visa scheme for young EU citizens Daily Telegraph May cancelled national security meetings to focus on Brexit The Sun Cameron fully supports the Prime Minister Daily Express Home Nations: Scottish Parliament backs second referendum Daily Telegraph SNP MSPs split over support for Peoples Vote The Scotsman DUP donations given clean bill of legal health News Letter >Yesterday: Javid calls on police to get knife crime under control The home secretary has increased pressure on the Metropolitan Police to bring the capitals knife crime epidemic under control as charities criticised the governments painfully slow response. Sajid Javid interrupted a trip to the US to call Cressida Dick, the Met commissioner, after yet another week of bloodshed that saw five victims, including three teenagers, stabbed to death. Having reassured her that he stands with her, Mr Javid told Ms Dick: We must step up the police response to get the situation under control. A 17-year-old boy was in a critical condition after a stabbing in West Hampstead, northwest London, on Tuesday. On Monday a 16-year-old boy was stabbed to death in Tulse Hill, south London, in front of his mother, the third teenager to be killed in London since Thursday and the 119th person to be murdered in the capital this year Harman slammed for blaming violent YouTube videos Daily Mail Mr Javid has been in the US on a trip aimed at lobbying social media companies to improve their handling of child sexual abuse and exploitation. He told Ms Dick: Alongside tough law enforcement we will not let up on our work to prevent young people getting drawn into knife crime in the first place. The Times Comment: Blame lies with yobs, not the police or ministers Clare Foges, The Sun Complacent Khan says it could take ten years to fix Stephen Glover, Daily Mail Ellwood says film portrayals are discouraging firms from hiring ex-servicemen Films depicting war veterans are putting off companies from hiring former soldiers over fears they are doolally, a senior Defence minister minister has said. Tobias Ellwood, a defence minister, said there was an untrue and unhelpful belief that those who serve in the armed forces may be damaged. Veterans are frequently depicted as being mentally damaged in films like The Deer Hunter, American Sniper and Taxi Driver. Mr Ellwood, who is in charge of veterans policy, said a recent study by Lord Ashcroft found that nine-tenths of the population think that you might be damaged if you serve Mr Ellwood continued: You could have this attitude where an employer whos not familiar with the Armed Forces, they may say, two people, one has served in the Armed Forces, are they going to go doolally on me? We need to kill that attitude because its decidedly untrue and unhelpful. Were doing a lot of work with employers themselves, with businesses and organisations, so they can see the value of that. Daily Telegraph Remembrance is an act which brings Britain together Nick Timothy, Daily Telegraph Truss vows to block meat tax May urged to stop ministers gagging charity sector The Treasury slammed the door on a new meat tax demanded by doctors and campaigners. Minister Liz Truss dismissed the plans as claptrap and vowed to block the move. Nannying experts have called for a 79 per cent tax on bacon, sausages and ham, but the Tory Cabinet Minister hit out: Bacon is an important contributor to my wellbeing warning on Twitter: hands off. The tax would see a 2.50 packet of sausages almost double to 4.47, and a 1.50 tin of Spam soar to 2.68. Oxford University said: our findings make it clear that the consumption of red and processed meat has a cost, not just to peoples health and to the planet, but also to the healthcare systems and the economy. The Sun The head of a group representing the charity sector has called on Theresa May to stop her ministers using gagging clauses after a Times investigation. Sir Stuart Etherington, chief executive of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), wrote to the prime minister asking her to confirm unambiguously that charities would not be prevented from criticising the government. He said that the use of anti-publicity clauses by ministers should be reviewed in the spirit of open government and indicated that a previous letter he had written on the issue had been ignored for a month by Esther McVey, the work and pensions secretary. Forty charities and more than 300 companies have been banned from publicly criticising ministers, their departments or the prime minister, as part of contracts costing the taxpayer 25 billion. In one deal experts hired to test cladding 12 days after the Grenfell Tower fire were barred from criticising Mrs May or doing anything to embarrass her. It can now be revealed that advisers to the inquiry into the disaster were also barred from criticising her. The Times Tugendhat calls for tax breaks for profit sharing under community Conservatism T he Conservatives need to take inspiration from Greggs to beat Labour at the next election, a rising star Tory MP has said. Tom Tugendhat, tipped as a future leader, hailed the high street bakery for the way its staff were able to share in its profits. Speaking to the Social Market Foundation think tank, he suggested using public money to reward companies who reward their staff like Greggs. Mr Tugendhat said: I like the way its run. The employees of that bakery get a share not just in the profit of their own labour but in the output of the firm as a whole. After six months they get profit share and a chance to take part in a share save scheme that allows them to buy in at a discounted rate. He said tax breaks for profit sharing should be considered by the Government, while commuters could be given a legal say over the running of train services. O Ministers to crack down on tax avoidance on second homes FT utlining a form of Community Conservatism, he said the Tories had to have a more robust response to Jeremy Corbyns plans to nationalise 10 per cent of British industry. Daily Telegraph Comment: One way to fix the Tories youth problem Justine Greening MP, Times Red Box Sir Roger Scruton: If only those trying to damn me by my words had actually read them I have known Orban since the time when I helped him and his colleagues all students to set up alternative educational networks under the communists. It does not follow that I am a supporter of his current policies. I am, astonishing though it may appear, a person of independent views. As for Islamophobia, I deplore the invention of this word, and all that it has meant by way of silencing one side to a much-needed debate. It belongs to the new politics, based in the art of taking offence, among people who could not care less whether real offence has been given. To accuse someone of Islamophobia is like accusing the Labour Party of Conservatophobia, while regarding this new crime as a sign of a deranged and malicious state of mind. Those who wish to know my views on Islam might like to read what I write in The West and the Rest on the Muslim way of life As for the assertion in my lecture in Hungary that Islamic states often fail to be nations, I would say that the facts speak for themselves. Daily Telegraph >Yesterday: William Shawcross in Comment: May and Brokenshire must not let Scruton be hounded from his post Bercow blocks journalists investigating Vaz for bullying claims Journalists will be prevented from investigating bullying claims against Keith Vaz after the Commons Speaker invoked ancient parliamentary rules. John Bercow declared that the same privilege that allows MPs and peers to speak freely in parliament should apply to documentation relating to official trips abroad made by the Labour MP. The exemption to the freedom of information laws that were used cannot be appealed against because it would require a judge to review the decisions of the Commons Speaker, which are themselves covered by privilege. Mr Vaz, 61, was accused this year of having bullied a clerk who believed that he was not following rules on a trip as chairman of the home affairs select committee. Mr Vaz denied the claims. When the BBCs applied under freedom of information laws for papers relating to Mr Vazs trips abroad, Mr Bercow issued his veto. Iranian Twitter trolls backed Corbyn Hannah White, a director at the Institute for Government think tank and a former Commons clerk, said the ruling illustrates just why staff have no confidence in MPs to sort out bullying. The Times Web trolls working for Irans government launched a campaign to get Jeremy Corbyn elected PM, The Sun can reveal. The regime apparently pumped out more than 1,400 messages in support of the hard-left Labour leader. The damning dossier of tweets includes vile claims that the partys anti-Semitism scandal was made up by Israel to smear Mr Corbyn. The Labour leader repeatedly appeared on Irans propaganda news channel before he became party boss. Twitter announced last month that it had deleted 800 accounts which were thought to be fronts for the Iranian government. The Sun can now reveal for the first time that those accounts sent 1,446 messages about Mr Corbyn, in an apparent bid to get Labour elected. The messages praised him for his views on Palestine and sought to play down anti-Semitism in the party. The Sun Trump prepares to run again in 2020 President Trump immediately set his sights on re-election in 2020 yesterday after claiming to have defied history by making gains in US midterm elections even as his party lost control of one chamber of Congress. He asked Mike Pence, the vice-president, to be his running-mate again and Mr Pence agreed during a bombastic and at times bad-tempered press conference performance from a president pumped up by several incredible Senate victories. Mr Trump then sacked Jeff Sessions, the attorney-general, after months of sniping at him, as he began to reshape his cabinet for the second half of his administration. The president put himself at the heart of Republican successes and blamed half a dozen candidates by name for losing because they didnt want the embrace of his personal support. President pushes out Sessions in mid-terms aftermath FT France and Britain strengthen links to hedge against Trump The Guardian America was left exhausted and divided by an election campaign marred by mail-bomb attacks, a mass-shooting of Jewish worshippers in Pittsburgh and aggressive partisan rhetoric from the president. The Times Comment: Americas age of extremes is only going to get worse Gerard Baker, The Times Results offer populist path to 2020 victory for Trump Rob Crilly, Daily Telegraph Brexit must not threaten our crucial alliance George Robertson and Bernard Cazeneuve, The Guardian Editorial: Allies should work with a president who may be around a long time The Times Trumps trap Daily Telegraph >Yesterday: Ben Roback in International: Americas mid-terms. Not so much a blue wave as a blue ripple. News in Brief: If Roger Scruton cant contribute to public life, who can? Owen Polley, CapX Brexit is served and neither option is palatable James Forsyth, The Spectator A Democrat majority in the House suits Trump just fine Gerald Malone, Reaction The Prime Minister must not go for a deal at any cost Owen Paterson MP, Brexit Central The growing power of the YouTube Right Gavin Haynes, UnHerd And finally Prince of Wales promises not to be meddling king T he Prince of Wales will today vow publicly that he will not be a meddling King, as he outlines for the first time his plans for his future as sovereign. The Prince, who has been heir to the throne since the age of four, will pledge that he will not continue his campaigning role when he becomes King, as he moves to reassure the public he fully understands the limitations he will face. Speaking ahead of his 70th birthday, as part of a documentary giving insight into his future, the Prince will spell out for the first time his firm resolve to follow in the footsteps of his mother the Queen to operate within the constitutional parameters of life as monarch. The Prince, who has long faced accusations of meddling in public life on issues from architecture to the environment, will say his lifes work as the Prince of Wales is completely different to the role he will one day accede to It is expected to be the final and only word from the Prince himself about his coming reign. Daily Telegraph Dominic Walsh is a policy analyst for Open Europe. The negotiations on the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement are now entering a critical stage. The overwhelming focus of the negotiators is the Northern Ireland backstop, which has effectively been the sole obstacle to a deal for months. If a compromise cannot be reached, a No Deal Brexit with all the attendant negative consequences for both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland is the most likely outcome. Open Europes new paper, Resetting the Backstop, explores how the impasse over the backstop came about, and considers the possible ways ahead to a deal. We argue that while a strict time-limit would be neither negotiable nor desirable, any backstop arrangement must be temporary a position recently backed by Charlie Falconer, Labours former Lord Chancellor. Recent news reports have also hinted at movement in this direction from the negotiators. While the UK appears to have conceded that the backstop cannot have a strict time-limit, there have also been welcome signs of acceptance from the EU that, in principle at least, the backstop cannot apply in perpetuity. Although some Eurosceptics may wince at the prospect of a customs union-style backstop without a clear end date, a time-limited backstop will not be negotiable with Ireland or the EU, and would add unnecessary pressure to complicated negotiations on the future relationship. However, to square the circle of a backstop which is not time-limited but is still temporary, there needs to be an alternative exit mechanism for the UK. Without this, the UK would be faced with the unpalatable prospect that the EU could keep it trapped within the backstop in effect, unable to leave a customs union (which would include wide-ranging rule-taking) without ceding economic sovereignty over Northern Ireland. Recent reports mention a review mechanism for the backstop. Geoffrey Cox reportedly told the Cabinet on Tuesday that the EUs admittance that the backstop can be temporary and willingness to discuss a review mechanism were major steps forward. He is right, although the devil will be in the detail. In particular, a key bone of contention is who controls such an exit mechanism. Some ministers, understandably concerned that the UK takes back control after Brexit, are reportedly pushing for the UK to be able to trigger any exit mechanism unilaterally. But Ireland, in particular, will likely fear that this would enable a future UK Prime Minister to initiate a chain of events which would lead to a hard border. A mutual review mechanism, perhaps involving independent arbitration, may offer a way forward though it is debatable whether a Ukraine-style mechanism, with its associated role for the European Court of Justice, could really be considered independent. A mutual review mechanism would potentially allow both sides to save face. The UK would be able to say that it has some control over the process, rather than requiring the EUs permission. Ireland, meanwhile, will be able to say that it has avoided a situation in which the UK can unilaterally exit the backstop and trigger a hard border. The presentation may have to be fudged somewhat; it is difficult to see how the border issue can be comprehensively solved before discussions on the future relationship have taken place. But with so little time left, for either side to force the issue now risks triggering No Deal, which would be politically and economically damaging to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland alike to say nothing of the UK as a whole and the rest of the EU. Fundamentally, the backstop can only work as a bridge to the future UK-EU relationship. The EU and Ireland like to refer to it as all-weather, and indeed the December Joint Report says that it must apply in all circumstances. But the idea that a Northern Ireland-only backstop could be practicable or enforceable in the absence of a wider UK-EU deal is implausible as some EU officials have admitted, it cannot be tsunami-proof. Clearly, if there can be no Withdrawal Agreement without a backstop, equally there can be no backstop if there is no Withdrawal Agreement. But even with a Withdrawal Agreement, the two sides could fail to reach a trade agreement during the transition period. The prospect of the UK trading with the EU on WTO terms which would require customs and regulatory checks between the two will therefore remain long after March 2019. Even if this version of No Deal came after the UK had signed up to a Northern Ireland-only backstop, it is unclear how this backstop could really operate in practice if the UK and EU failed to conclude a future partnership. In such a scenario, the EU would no longer have any say over the UKs trade or regulatory policy; how then could it enforce customs or regulatory checks within the UKs sovereign territory? If there were a clearer path to a future relationship which would obviate the need for both East-West and North-South checks in Northern Ireland, the Government could afford to be more relaxed about the backstop. However, the EU has fuelled uncertainty over the future relationship by rejecting the Governments Chequers proposals, offering instead two unacceptable options: a Canada-style FTA for Great Britain (creating a border in the Irish Sea), or a permanent EEA plus customs union relationship (which would arguably not deliver on the referendum result). Given this, there is a risk that a backstop conceived as an all-weather insurance policy becomes a permanent end-state. Once the backstops infeasibility in a No Deal scenario is grasped, the all-weather requirement seems an impossible bar to reach. The UKs bridge conception in which the backstop serves to prevent a hard border until a future relationship serving the same function is in place is far more realistic. However, the backstop cannot be a bridge to nowhere. If negotiations over the future relationship break down, the UK must retain the option for all four nations to leave the backstop as one. Garvan Walshe is a former National and International Security Policy Adviser to the Conservative Party. He runs TRD Policy. All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered to me; and to whomsoever I will give it. There comes a time in every politicians life when they hear these words of temptation, spoken to Jesus by the Devil, as related by the Gospel of St Luke. As in 2015 migrants trudged through Belgrade and Budapest, tracing, by the brute force of geography since it is simply the way to Germany the routes once tramped by Ottoman soldiers; as rumours, fanned by Russian propaganda including fake stories of a girl being raped by a refugee, swirled though social and conventional media; as voters began to drift towards the anti-Muslim Alternativ fur Deutschland, these words could be heard within the Germanys ruling CDU/CSU This is too much. Close the borders. We cant cope. These were the acceptable arguments. Beneath them the unacceptable ones: theyre terrorists, rapists and were losing votes. Tolerance of and exploitation of hate is the last temptation of the Right. Some, like Viktor Orban, give into it completely. Others make excuses. They are merely expressing the legitimate concerns of the left-behind (retweets arent endorsements, you know). Those citizens of nowhere are just bankers and businessmen who dont pay their taxes not members of an ethnic group whose stereotypes include bankers, businessmen and George Soros. Sebastian Kurz in Austria, Laurent Wauquiez in France, Pablo Casado in Spain and Horst Seehofer of Bavaria all gave in. It was a temptation Merkel resisted. Her decision to let in a million refugees in a year was not spontaneous charity. She acted in the circumstances that presented themselves to her. The lesser men who would bring her down had no practical alternative. What would they have done, as Germans: tear up the German constitution, close the borders, detain them, and put them on sealed trains in their tens of thousands and send them where, exactly? But it also shows her limitations. Asking any society to accept a million refugees from an unfamiliar culture is not an act of uncomplicated generosity. It takes courage, hard work, and a considerable amount of money. It needs an active effort to integrate them into their new equal and modern society, considerably different even from Syrias urban centres, and the courage to understand that many will build permanent lives in Germany, as so many Germans built lives in America as they fled persecution before. Germans responded to this need in their millions. Teaching the refugees German, helping them find accommodation, offering them apprenticeships in their companies and refusing to give into prejudice when it turns out that, as with any group of a million people, some of them turn out to be wrong uns. But Merkel was unable to make it into a defining moment for her country. This should be remembered as Germanys finest hour, but on the Right, in particular, it is now frequently called her greatest mistake. Hers is a politics very much in the spirit of Helmut Schmidt: people who have visions should go to the doctor. Asked to share what she thought happiness was, she famously replied well-sealed windows. Though any German visitor wintering in a damp and draughty British house would come round to her point of view, this doesnt quite seem up to the mark. Not for nothing could her 2017 election slogan be freely translated as Sensible policies for a happier Germany. Unable to own her radicalism, she now finds her party losing votes, not only to her right-wing rivals, but in significantly greater numbers to the Green Party: defenders of the policy for which she will always be remembered. The Greens are now second in the polls at 24 per cent to the CDU/CSUs 27 per cent. In the end, the losses were too great. After a recent, heavy setback in Hesse, she announced her intention to stay on as Chancellor, but let go of the party leadership. The Union has consisted of an alliance that might crudely be described an alliance of business-churhgoing-and-national-conservatives. Each faction has a standard bearer: Friedrich Merz, Annegret Kramp Kennenbauer, and Jens Spahn. It finds itself paralysed by the question of whether Germany should become an immigration country. It is the Christians who have organised so much of the assistance to refugees, especially in rural areas, whereas the hard right will never forgive Merkel for letting them in. At their conference in December, CDU delegates will have to decide which wing to sacrifice. Fresh criticism for Bradley over embarrassing meeting with local parties Karen Bradley has had another bad week, with the Northern Irish press excoriating her over an embarrassing meeting with local parties which some present branded a waste of time. The Belfast Telegraph reports that relations between the Secretary of State and local politicians are now worse than ever, something which can only hinder her ongoing bid to get the devolved assembly back on its feet. Last week she challenged them to stop grandstanding and return to government in an op-ed for the paper. There was one small sign of progress when Sinn Fein indicated that they would accept Arlene Foster, the DUP leader, returning as First Minister. Unfortunately, this is not the only time that Bradley has been accused of not spending enough time at important events, having also been criticised for giving an underwhelming speech at an important UK-Irish event before leaving abruptly. In an editorial the Belfast Telegraph drew withering comparisons between her and some of her predecessors, and another writer reports that in this deepening crisis, the Secretary of State is being seen more and more as the problem. But the pain was at least spread around a little this week. Dominic Raab, the Brexit Secretary, has been strongly criticised by Northern Irish business groups for failing to engage with their concerns over our departure from the EU. He has been pressed on why he didnt meet representatives of affected sectors, including manufacturing, freight, retail, and food and drink, on a recent visit. He did however reiterate his commitment that he wouldnt support any deal which undermined the constitutional integrity of the UK although Ben Lowry, writing in the News Letter, is deeply sceptical of that. Scottish Conservatives attack SNP over tax Nicola Sturgeon has refused to pass on the tax cuts announced in the Budget to Scottish taxpayers and the Tories have seized the opportunity to go on the offensive. The Scotsman reports that Jackson Carlaw, who is standing in for Ruth Davidson whilst she is on maternity leave, pressed the First Minister on the fact that Scots now face paying 1,000 extra in income tax every year compared to counterparts in England. He also called Sturgeon out of touch, and credited that with the Conservatives newly-regained strength in what was once the Nationalist heartland of north-eastern Scotland. One of those new MPs, Andrew Bowie, who represents West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, also criticised the devolved administrations high tax approach and was counter-attacked by the SNP for being anti-devolution, according to the Press & Journal. In other Scottish Tory news, the Prime Minister has promised them that the UK will be out of the EUs Common Fisheries Policy by 2020, before the crucial Holyrood elections of 2021. Nationalists call for even war to require devolved consent The devocrat push to reduce the UK to a dysfunctional confederation continued this week when Plaid Cymru called for the Welsh Assembly to be given a veto on the deployment of British troops overseas. Fortunately both the Conservatives and Labour figures pushed back against these proposals, according to the BBC, the latter emphasising how it would complicate some of the defence treaties and alliances the UK is party to. This is one of the first policy stories out of the Welsh nationalists since they elected their new leader, Adam Price, who met with Theresa May in Downing Street last week. Such harder-edged nationalist positions will complicate the hope, nurtured by some Welsh Conservatives, that his leadership might make a Con-Nat pact to oust Labour viable in Cardiff Bay. ITV have also reported on a new Welsh political poll indicating that, in the words of Professor Roger Awan-Scully, the installation of their new leader has not generated any momentum for them at all. It also shows that the Conservatives have sufficiently improved their position relative to 2017 to regain Vale of Clwyd and capture Wrexham from Labour. In other Welsh news, Wales Online has interviewed each of the three candidates Mark Drakeford, Vaughn Gething, and Eluned Morgan vying to succeed Carwyn Jones as Labour leader and First Minister. DUP donation given clean bill of legal health In the aftermath of the EU referendum, the Democratic Unionists came under scrutiny from Remain-leaning outlets (primarily openDemocracy) about a substantial donation they received from a group called the Constitutional Research Council. As well as trying to drum up concern by implying it might have had something to do with the Saudi intelligence services, there was also a slightly absurd effort to persuade people that the DUP even getting involved in mainland campaigning was somehow suspicious. I dealt with the latter argument at the time in a UK-wide referendum there is absolutely no reason for the DUP to confine its efforts to Northern Ireland and this week the Electoral Commission have also ruled that, for all its being dark, the CRCs donation was entirely legal. This comes in the same week that the Information Commissioner dismissed Carole Cadwalladrs long-running conspiracy theory about illegal collusion betweein Vote Leave and Leave.eu via Cambridge Analytica. Think it through. Any Brexit agreement will come with a transition period. During transition, we will remain members, in effect, of the Customs Union. If no free trade deal is agreed when transition ends currently expected to be December 2020 a backstop will kick in. That backstop will keep either Northern Ireland or the entire United Kingdom (let us pass over which for the moment) in a customs union. In effect, it may bind Great Britain as well as the province to much of the Single Market, too. Todays Times says that the EU wants state aid, workers rights and environmental rules to be adhered to, a claim that has previously been reported. All that being so, why would it want the whole UK or Northern Ireland, as the case may be, ever to leave the backstop? It would have achieved an important objective, entirely understandable from its own perspective namely, to ensure that we remain locked in to its economic model. Trade talks would thus stretch on towards the distant horizan after 2020. No wonder the EU wont concede either a time limit or a unilateral escape clause from the backstop (an issue that Dominic Walsh of Open Europe explores on this site this morning). As C.S.Lewis put it in another context: easy in but not easy out, as the lobster said of the lobster pot. This explains why Jacob Rees-Mogg believes that the current fever over who should see the Attorney-Generals legal advice on any Brexit agreement is a side issue. (He set out that view in our Moggcast earlier this week.) It also provides the basis for the ERG declaring that it is opposed to any extension at all of the Customs Union in the wake of the transition period, either de jure or de facto. Some will disagree arguing that a fully-fledged trade deal wont be ready by 2020; that some backstop provision is reasonable, and that weve signed up to it, but that it cant be allowed to last forever. They therefore want that unilateral escape clause, or perhaps a time limit. Which brings us to the contested business of Geoffrey Coxs legal advice. It is astounding in retrospect that some Cabinet Ministers at least saw none in wake of last Decembers joint report, in which the backstop was originally set out. Michael Gove was assured by Downing Street that it didnt commit Northern Ireland to full regulatory alignment. On this basis, it cleared a Sunday Telegraph article by the Environment Secretary arguing precisely that. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me, Gove said recently in Cabinet. He and other members want to see and study the full legal advice in the event of a deal. The DUP, Labour and other opposition parties want Parliament to see it, too. There may be a vote on a Humble Address to that effect next week. David Davis and others want the advice published. The case against publication is that legal advice to the Government must be confidential because, if it is not, those who write it will inevitably tailor their advice, knowing that others than their client will read it. However, such advice has been published previously notoriously in the case of Peter Goldsmiths about the Iraq War, eventually issued in 2005. There is a strong case now for arguing that, given the supreme national importance of Brexit, the full legal advice about any deal should be published before a decision is taken, rather than afterwards. Certainly, it will be very hard to keep such advice out of the hands of MPs as a whole, let alone the relevant Select Committees. But while Downing Street has a case against publishing the full advice, and even against divulging it to Parliament, it has none against letting Cabinet members study it. The advice is advice to the Government not to any single member of it, however senior. The Ministerial Code says that while its conclusions can be presented in summary form, the complete text of the advice must be attached. A senior backbencher told ConservativeHome yesterday that he would expect such a summary to be a political argument for any deal underpinned by legal analysis. Under these circumstances, Geoffrey Cox would as a politician (as we anticipated on Monday) be supporting the proposed deal and, as a lawyer, be setting out its legal meanings and implications. There would be nothing remotely untoward about this. Nor is the Attorney-General the man to bend his reading of the law which would, in any event, be informed by other lawyers in his department, and elsewhere. None the less, the point still stands: Cabinet members would be entitled to see the full advice as well as the summary. The reasons are obvious. Legal advice is seldom unambiguous. Its small print may have big implications. No wonder some Cabinet members want to see the full advice, see it in good time, and be able to study it: the blessed trinity of their demands. And no wonder, in turn, that Number Ten is apparently reluctant to concede this. A question remains about whether only a final deal, signed off by the Prime Minister at a summit, should be subject to full timely study by Cabinet members. The common sense solution, since Downing Street will be looking for their support, is for them also to see legal advice on the Governments proposals, such as those that they are currently being shown. Theresa May is evident desparate to get a move on (though our EU interlocuters are less eager to rush). The Commons is in recess. The Cabinet may be summoned over the weekend. Either way, we are approaching a climacteric. 11/08/2018 Photo (c) Lobro78 - Getty Images Yesterdays midterm elections showed once again that marijuana legalization is one of the few issues where Americans voting for Red or Blue largely agree. In Missouri, 66 percent of voters came out in support of medical marijuana legalization despite opposition from nearly every major physicians group in the state. Under Amendment 2, patients will need a doctors approval to possess medical marijuana. But once they obtain permission, patients or their registered caregivers will be able to grow up to six marijuana plants. The amendment also calls for the creation of legal dispensaries where qualified patients can purchase up to four ounces of cannabis on a monthly basis. Utah voters also supported a ballot proposal to legalize weed, and Utah medical marijuana advocates credit the issue as one of the major factors bringing people to the polls. Voters in the state approved Proposition 2 53-47 percent. Rewriting the laws That doesnt mean residents will have immediate access to medical marijuana. Measures in both states are at the mercy of state lawmakers, who may try to rewrite the laws before they are implemented. Arkansas was the first red state to legalize medical marijuana with a voter-approved state amendment back in 2016, but patients still cant legally access cannabis. A state panel charged with distributing permits to dispensaries and patients has blamed a major backlog for slow implementation. "We hope lawmakers will implement the measure efficiently and effectively to ensure qualified patients can gain access to their medicine as soon as possible," Matthew Schweich, deputy director of the national advocacy group Marijuana Policy Project, told the Kansas City Star in reference to the measure in Missouri. Meanwhile, Michigan voters yesterday went a step further, voting 54-44 to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes. Opponents to the measure claim the fight isnt over and say they plan to challenge the law in the courts. But advocates like the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol say that Michigan voters have resoundingly confirmed their support for legalizing and regulating marijuana." The standards for 5G will be defined in large part by the direct integration of Internet of Things (IoT) and Industrial IoT (IIoT) devices into global networks and devices. Researchers seeking to impact 5G technologies are focused on how to properly introduce this new species of computing into the mobile networking ecosystem. Popular focus on the development of smart manufacturing technologies like cyber-physical systems (CPSs) reveals the energy behind the movement to create wireless standards that conform to the needs of IIoT devices. Cyber-physical developments, which are impacted by wireless connectivity, are an example of a system that will be enhanced by 5G standards and technology. Some of the main challenges these researchers face are related to what defines the internet and makes it so useful and successful: openness, connectivity, and flexibility. Another challenge includes setups in remote locations that require low-energy wireless networking protocols. The following are examples of how researchers are addressing these problems facing IIoT technology, covering how they are enabling strong security in open networks, energy efficient caching, and the accuracy and reliability of portable medical devices. A software-defined network with attribute-based encryption Transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP)-based network infrastructures do not afford security standards appropriate for smart grid technologies, such as those in the medical and energy fields. As a result, researchers from the Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology have created a secure networking scheme to address this problem. Designed around the concept of software-defined networking (SDN), the researchers proposed a communication model specialized for IIoT technologies by enabling efficient packet forwarding using cuckoo filtering. The researchers also outlined an attribute-based encryption scheme enabled by a peer entity authentication protocol, Kerberos, which uses third-party authentication. According to the researchers, the proposed scheme provides better security compared to existing strategies without sacrificing performance. Energy-efficient caching Researchers in China and Portugal collaborated to create a strategy to reduce the energy consumption during network data transfer by creating and optimizing a specialized caching strategy. Led by Peng Duan of Chongqing University, the researchers devised a system that divides cache space in a base station into two parts. One is used to store the prefetched data from the servers ahead of the device request time and the other is reserved to store the temporarily buffering data in the wireless transmission queue at the device request time, the researchers explained in a paper. The team proposed an algorithm for optimally dividing the cache space into these two parts, allowing for a more efficient data transfer while guaranteeing quality of service. Smartphone-powered biosensing dongle A researcher from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China developed a prototype for a portable dongle that measures blood glucose and uric acid levels. The creator of the device, Jinhong Guo, created it to be powered by the users smartphone, which is used to share the measured bioinformatics with the users doctor for health-monitoring purposes. According to Guo, the device is comparable in accuracy and reliability to the current standard for devices that do this kind of health monitoring. The devices main attraction is its portability compared to the current standard, which involves using bulky machines reserved for clinical use only. While IIoT technologies can be applied to many fields, there are various limitations that previous networking protocols do not sufficiently address. Several applications present unique needs regarding security, energy efficiency, portability, and others. These developments are just a few examples of how IIoT technologies are influencing the design of the next generation of mobile communication protocols and the possibilities these standards are creating. Daniel Browning is the business development coordinator at DO Supply Inc. In his spare time, he writes about automation, artificial intelligence, technology, and the IIoT. Edited by Emily Guenther, associate content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media, eguenther@cfemedia.com. MORE ANSWERS KEYWORDS: Internet of Things (IoT), cyber-physical systems (CPSs) Developments in IIoT technologies for applications in IIoT technologies for applications Unique needs for various applications and IIoT devices. Consider this Do you have an application that calls for a unique design in IIoT devices? Defendants in rocket engine stealing case to go on trial 10:59 08/11/2018 MOSCOW, November 8 (RAPSI) A criminal case against five persons charged with embezzling over 160 million rubles (about $2.5 million) during utilization of aircraft missile components has been forwarded to court for hearing, the Investigative Committee of Russia reports Thursday. Executive director of the State scientific and proving ground for aircraft systems Vladimir Niyazov, ex-CEO of Turaevo Machine-building Design Bureau SOYUZ Nikolay Yakovlev, deputy director of the South-Ural Specialized Recovery Center Igor Maloletkin, business manager of the Tactical Missiles Corporation Victor Vagan and one more individual Andrey Sidorov depending on their role in the crime are charged with embezzlement and stealing of arms. According to case papers, between 2010 and 2011, the State scientific and proving ground for aircraft systems was to demount 93 aircraft missiles and transfer their components to the South-Ural Specialized Recovery Center for recovery. Investigators claim that the defendants lifted working engines from these rockets, sold them to Ukraine and submitted forged utilization documents to the Russian Defense Ministry. They caused damage estimated at more than 160 million rubles to the state, the statement reads. Two other defendants were earlier tried separately and received prison terms. We are analyzing the site. Please wait a few seconds.. 100% Website ivipid.com uses latest and advanced technologies like: Boostrap. It is very popular on the web, it's within the 1 million most visited websites of the world at position 130500 by Alexa. It supports HTTPS and GZIP compression. The main html page has a size of 40702 bytes (39.75 kb uncompressed) and 8914 bytes (8.71 kb compressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-10-29, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. CORNWALL, Ontario The Cornwall Community Police Service (CCPS) is requesting the assistance of the public in locating a missing person. Brittany Mussgnug, 29-years-old, was last spoken to by family on Oct. 23, 2018. Police would like to speak with anyone with information concerning Brittany or her whereabouts to verify her wellbeing. She is described as 55 tall, with medium-to-long length red hair and brown eyes. If you have any information that could assist, please contact CCPS dispatch at 613-933-5000 ext. 2418. CORNWALL, Ontario The Cornwall Community Police Service Criminal Investigation Division is requesting the publics assistance regarding an ongoing attempt murder investigation. The incident occurred on Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018, shortly after 1:00 a.m., in the area of Edward St. (between Montreal Rd. and Lennox St.). (Please see media release for Oct. 29, 2018 for more details). Police are asking anyone who may have information concerning this incident to contact Detective Cst. P. Huygen at (613) 933-5000 ext. 2785 or ext. 2404 to leave anonymous information. Russian and Greek ombudsmen sign cooperation treaty RIA Novosti, Aleksey Danichev 14:59 08/11/2018 MOSCOW, November 8 (RAPSI) Russias Commissioner for Human Rights Tatiana Moskalkova and her Greek colleague Andreas Pottakis on Thursday signed a treaty on cooperation, RAPSI reports from the International Conference of Ombudsmen held in Moscow. The agreement would allow the parties to mutually use data banks of each other and directly request provision of assistance to people, bypassing bureaucratic systems, Moskalkova said after the treaty signing. The ombudsmen believe that the agreement will help raise guarantees of the citizens rights to a new level. The Indian Express Past perfect and a future tense Legitimising suspect atraditional knowledgea and passing it off as proven wisdom is perilous. by Rajesh Kochhar | October 31, 2018 The things All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) wishes to formally teach engineering students in the name of ancient Indian scientific achievements is a gross insult to ancient India. Making unsubstantiated claims about the past detracts from the genuine contributions that were actually made, and brings ridicule to an otherwise respected discipline. AICTE is an apex body set up by the HRD ministry for the promotion of quality in technical education. The Delhi centre of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan is offering, through its website, a post-matric course on aessence of Indian knowledge traditiona , and a post-graduate diploma in aIndian knowledge tradition: Scientific and holistica . To serve as a text for these courses, a book titled Bharatiya Vidya Saar has been prepared. AICTE, no doubt guided by HRD ministry, has co-opted this programme and decided to offer a credit course based on the Vidya Saar a meaning that students will be formally examined in it and assigned grades. The proposed textbook is not freely available. Whatever excerpts have been published makes for disturbing reading. Students will be told that aIn Vedic age, aMaharshi Bhardwaj wrote an epic called Yantra Sarvasva and aeronautics is a part of the epic. This was 5,000 years before Wright brothersa invention of the planea Yantra Sarvasva is not available now but out of whatever we know about it, we can believe that planes were a reality in Vedic age.a A number of questions arise immediately. How do we know that Yantra Sarvasva existed? If it discusses aeronautics, what is the actual term used? If the text does not exist anymore, which are the works that have preserved the extracts? Details should be provided so that readers can decide for themselves how much credence is to be placed on such claims. In the same fashion, it is claimed that Maharishi Agastya in Agastya Sanhita talks about the discovery of electricity and invention of batteries. Students should, no doubt, be made aware of ancient Indian science. We cannot, however, ask students to switch off their mental faculties when they are being instructed in the essence of Indian learning, but bring their intellect into full use an hour later when the regular curriculum is taught. In recent years, a flourishing industry has sprung up which takes stray passages from ancient texts and relates them to modern scientific and technological discoveries. In 2002, B G Matapurkar, a surgeon at the Maulana Azad Medical College Delhi, claimed that the Mahabharata description of the Kauravasa birth proved that athey not only knew about test-tube babies and embryo splitting, but also had the technology to grow human foetuses outside the body of a woman a something unknown to modern sciencea . If the learned surgeon had taken the trouble of reading the original description (given in Adi Parva, Chapter 14) he would not have been so rash. Gandhari could not possibly have given natural birth to 100 sons. One is inclined to believe that 100 was not meant as an exact number but as a poetic exaggeration. The Mahabharata tells us that Gandhari was pregnant for two years after which she delivered a piece of flesh which was as hard as iron. It was irrigated with cold water and split into 100 thumb-sized portions. These portions in turn were placed in pitchers filled with ghee which were carefully kept at secret places. After another two years, each pitcher produced a boy. A small piece of the aborted flesh was still left from which, after a month, a daughter was born. Immediately on birth, the first born, later to be known as Duryodhana, started braying like a donkey whereupon, the aothera donkeys, vultures, jackals and crows in the area also joined the chorus. Here is an attempt to take Duryodhanaas villainy back to his birth itself; any resemblance to modern research is purely incidental. It is extraordinary that the creativity and imaginativeness of ancient poets and dramatists should be sacrificed at the altar of modern science. In October 2016, the PM, while inaugurating a hospital in Mumbai, claimed that the Hindu god Ganeshaas having an elephant head showed that plastic [?] surgery began in India. He also speculated that genetic science must have been known in ancient India because the Mahabharata says that Karna was born outside the motheras womb. The Mahabharata also says that virgin Kuntias motherhood was due to her recitation of a mantra and that, fearful of the public opinion, she clandestinely set the newborn afloat in a river. What use is a scientific discovery if it has to be presented as a miracle and hidden from the public at large? More recently, the newly-elected Chief Minister of Tripura concluded that internet existed in the age of Mahabharata, because Sanjaya narrates the happenings in the war-field to Dhritarashtra who is located miles away. Such dubious claims have been made by persons in power or in inaugural addresses, etc. But, alarmingly, the government has now decided to give such claims the legitimacy of a teachable subject, and that too, at the level of professional colleges. By definition, science today is better than science yesterday. It is, therefore, anachronistic to pit one against the other. Production of wealth today depends on modern science. Prosperity in ancient India depended on agriculture and un-organised manufacturing activity a knowledge systems connected with these two spheres were exclusively the domain of farmers and artisans and there was no reason for sacred Sanskrit texts to incorporate this parallel knowledge system into their own. In other words, it makes no sense to look for products of modern technology in ancient sacred texts. AICTE should put its present proposal on hold for the time being. It should ask Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan to heavily annotate its textbook so that a reader can check the veracity of the claims made. The draft text should be uploaded online, and comments invited on its content. The textbook should be finalised in the light of the feedback received. Only then should it be placed in the hands of teachers and students. The proposal, as it stands now, is an insult to human intelligence and aimed at the amoroni-ficationa of the students. Rajesh Kochhar is with the mathematics department, Panjab University. The 2018 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report says most hacks still happen through breaches of web applications. For this reason, testing and securing applications has become a priority for many organizations. That job is made easier by a growing selection of application security tools. Below is a list of some of the best application security tools available, with descriptions of the situations where they can be most effective. To compile this list, we consulted several sources, including: We highlight both commercial and free products. The commercial products very rarely provide list prices are often bundled with other tools from the vendor with volume or longer-term licensing discounts. Some of the free tools, such as Burp Suite, also have fee-based versions that offer more features. Here are our 13 favorites, listed in alphabetical order: Arxan Application Protection This tool can be used for Runtime Applications Self Protection (RASP). Arxan Application Protection shields against reverse engineering and code tampering, particularly useful for mobile apps. Target audience: Experienced developers App focus: RASP Packaging: Mac, Windows, Android, iOS, Linux Pricing: Contact vendor Black Duck from Synopsys Black Duck automates open-source security and license compliance during application development. It can be used to detect, monitor, remediate and manage your entire open-source app portfolio. Synopsys has been buying up other app security vendors such as Coverity and Codenomicon. Gartner MQ Leader Target audience: Open-source developers App focus: Open-source app testing Packaging: SaaS Pricing: Live demo, contact vendor Burp Suite from PortSwigger Burp Suite is one of the more popular penetration testing tools and has been widely extended and enhanced over the years. All the tools share a common framework for handling and displaying HTTP messages, persistence, authentication, proxies, logging and alerting. The paid versions include more automated and manual testing tools and integration with various other frameworks such as Jenkins and with a well-documented REST API. ITCS rank #7 Target audience: Experienced developers App focus: Web app penetration testing and vulnerability scanner Packaging: Mac, Windows, Linux, JAR Pricing: Versions ranging from free to $4,000 per year, with 60-day free trials CA/Veracode App Security Platform Veracode offers a wide range of security testing and threat mitigation techniques, all hosted on a central platform. It is used to find vulnerabilities and assess risks across both development and production situations. The product has been around for many years and has a wide following. It has been used in testing hundreds of thousands of different apps. Veracode also can be used for both the smallest and largest installations with superior ease of use frequently mentioned by its users. ITCS rank #1, Gartner MQ Leader Target audience: Developers App focus: Static and dynamic code scanning Packaging: SaaS Pricing: Contact vendor Checkmarx Checkmarx makes a variety of application testing tools, including static and dynamic code scanning tools and tools used to analyze your open-source content. These tools continuously monitor your apps to detect vulnerabilities. It supports a wide variety of programming languages and has a wide following. The company acquired Codebashing and has integrated it into its software to expand its secure coding training features. ITCS rank #2, Gartner MQ Leader Target audience: Developers App focus: Static and dynamic code scanning, secure code training Packaging: SaaS and on-premises Pricing: Contact vendor, free demo Fortify from MicroFocus Fortify has both SaaS and on-premise versions of its integrated development and testing tool. It offers continuous app monitoring and mobile versions, too. It comes to MicroFocus from the HPE software group and has a long history and large installed base despite the numerous corporate overseers. Fortify can integrate with the Eclipse IDE and Visual Studio as well. ITCS rank #3, Gartner MQ Leader Target audience: Developers App focus: Static and mobile code scanning Packaging: SaaS and on-premises versions Pricing: 15-day free trial, contact vendor IBM Security AppScan IBM has a vast application security software portfolio, including Security AppScan. It comes in three different versions, Source, Standard and Enterprise. The software is notable for being able to import a variety of data formats from manual code reviews, penetration tests and even from competitors software vulnerability scanners. There are also mobile versions for scanning iOS and Android apps. ITCS rank #4, Gartner MQ Leader Target audience: Large enterprises App focus: Application code scanning, including mobile, static and dynamic methods Packaging: SaaS and on-premises Pricing: 30-day free trial, contact vendor Klocwork from Rogue Wave Klocwork offers a variety of features that include static application scanning, continuous code integration and a code architecture visualization tool. It comes with checking tools built-in for various security standards, such as for CERT, CWE and OWASP. It can flag code injections, cross-site scripting, memory leaks and other vulnerable coding practices. ITCS rank #9 Target audience: Developers App focus: Static code analyzer Packaging: SaaS Pricing: Free trial Qualys Web App Scanning Qualys has been in the app protection market for a long time, and Qualys Web App Scanning can find and catalog all your web apps across your enterprise. It performs dynamic scans and can report on malware infections along with how to remediate your code. This product is part of a complete portfolio called Cloud Apps that does billions of annual scans and also includes infrastructure and endpoint security tools. There is wide support for other web app firewalls, too. Free stripped-down versions of these services are available, along with various free tools for checking SSL websites, certificates, and browser configurations. ITCS rank #8 Target audience:Web app developers App focus: Dynamic app scanning Packaging: SaaS Pricing: Free and 30-day free trial, various subscriptions and usage charges Prevoty from Imperva Prevoty is another tool that can be used for Runtime Applications Self Protection (RASP). It shields against reverse engineering and code tampering, particularly useful for mobile apps. Target audience: Developers App focus: RASP Packaging: SaaS Pricing: Contact vendor Selenium Selenium has a suite of tools for automated testing of web applications and how they function across a wide collection of different browser versions. These work with its own integrated development environment for Selenium scripts. It is implemented as a browser extension, and allows you to record, edit, and debug tests, along with recording and playback of its scripts. Selenium has wide third-party support for various plug-ins that detect security issues with mobile and specific web browsers. Target audience: App developers App focus: Web app testing Packaging: Requires its own server and supports a wide variety of programming languages, including C#, Ruby and Python Pricing: Free WebGoat from OWASP WebGoat is a deliberately insecure web application and created by Open Web Applications Security Project (OWASP), which maintains the de facto list of the most critical web vulnerabilities. It is designed as a teaching tool to show you the effect of these common exploits and how you need to avoid them in your own applications. WebGoat offers plenty of coding examples and other tips and is now on its eighth version after being around for more than 15 years. Target audience: Developers App focus: Testing for code injection, cross-site scripting and insecure credentials, among other issues Packaging: JAR file Pricing: Free Zed Attack Proxy from OWASP Zed Attack also comes from OWASP. The tool is the result of the work of a large open-source community and is designed to help you automatically find security vulnerabilities in your web applications while you are building them. Zed Attack sits between your app and a browser and intercepts web traffic and examines it for vulnerabilities. ITCS rank #6 Target audience: Developers, especially beginners App focus: Web apps only Packaging: Windows, Linux, Mac and Docker apps available, requires Java 7+ Pricing: Free Colombo Telegraph, November 4, 2018 aMy country has been betrayed againa aPablo Neruda, Memoirs In his explanation of why he removed Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe from the office of Prime Minister, President Maithripala Sirisena cited policy and personal differences between the two. An analysis of his speech shows that personal reasons are stronger than policy reasons and the personal is very much political. The text of President Sirisenaas address to the nation reminds the citizens of the explanation he offered in the latter part of 2014 as to why he left his former political boss, Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa. There too, the personal was political. In this note, I will try to show how, after October 26, the political is personal and devastatingly personal for me. October 26 was a Friday. Although I am not a superstitious person, I look back at that rainy, gloomy Friday as the day I felt personally betrayed too. I can no longer think of Mr. Maithripala Sirisena as a symbol of political hope for the citizens of this country, and particularly for the younger generation. His actions that Friday marked a shockingly tragic end to the political hope and promise he had epitomized since November 21, 2014. I campaigned actively for the newly formed opposition front, which fielded Mr. Sirisena as its Presidential candidate for the 2015 January election. I did so primarily because of Mr. Sirisena, or Maithri, as we began to call him affectionately. If Ranil were the candidate, I would have just voted for him merely as an act of protest against Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa, but would not have actively campaigned for his victory. It is Maithri who made me active in electoral politics again, against a backdrop of many political disappointments with other leaders, including Chandrika and Ranil. For me voting for Rail was purely instrumentalist. In contrast, campaigning for Maithri was a politico-moral duty. Not only me. A 51.28 percent of Sri Lankan voters found that at last there was now a man they could trust, identify themselves with, and entrust their democratic political destinies. He was actually the last hope of democracy in Sri Lanka, at a time when Sri Lankan politics under the existing regime, was moving in the direction of what we political scientists call ahard authoritarianism.a To stop that nightmarish drift, a regime change was needed. For a regime change, a credible presidential candidate other than Ranil Wickremasinghe was needed. A man or woman who could personify the democratic political hopes of future generations of our citizens, particularly the young ones and first-time voters, needed. The new leader had to be one who had not earlier tasted political power as a government leader, and therefore unsullied by a record of corruption, abuse of power, megalomania and personalized rule, and limitless political ambitions. Mr. Maithripala Sirisena fit the bill. He could turn the tide of political despair and cynicism. Somewhere towards the end of November 2014, two young vegetable sellers in rural Neluwa, Hiniduma, articulated to me in simple language the hope that I too had shared: aWho else can we trust except Maithri?a And Maithri was willing to take tremendous personal risks. His daughter has now narrated in detail all these risks in her glossy political biography of her father. It was the ethicality of candidate Sirisenaas message that had the greatest political aesthetics in 2015. Sri Lanka needed a new leader who valued political morality over ambition and compassion over the ruthlessness of power. It is the political morality of Maithrias slogan yahapalanyathat fired the political imagination of more than half of Sri Lankan voters in 2015. By 2015 I had not ever met Mr. Maithripala Sirisena. I had only seen him once in 2002 at the Shanthi Vihar Restaurant, near University of Colombo. At that time, he was out of power, but still the General Secretary of the SLFP. He was wearing a pair of trousers and a long sleeved, and slightly oversized, white shirt. A former GA of Polonnaruwa, whom I knew, and two others were at the lunch table. When I talked to the former GA across the lunch table, Mr. Sirisena and I only shared mild smiles. My absolute lack of personal acquaintance with Mr. Sirisena did not prevent me from developing a personal admiration for him. In his public persona, I saw him as a mild mannered, gentle, and restrained individual with no ruthless political ambitions. Based on that judgment which now appears to me naive, I reached a political conclusion: To personify the hopes and aspirations of democratic revival in Sri Lanka, we needed a man or woman of gentle and kind disposition with moderate temperament who would not have the inner capacity to become a hardline ruler. Democracy is after all a government by the moderates who would exercise political power, being aware of, and faithful to, its inherent limits. For this essential personal requirement of a democratic politician, Mr. Sirisena was insulted, slighted, and ridiculed by some of his opponents, calling him by abusive nicknames. And all of them have now begun, after October 26, to admire him and see great political virtues in him, of course, for wrong and utterly opportunistic reasons. After he became Sri Lankaas president, I have met Mr. Sirisena probably less than five times. I found him to be a charming and sincere political leader, not corrupted by the pretensions of the Colomboas political elite. My first face ato- face meeting with him rekindled another naAve illusion I had been maintaining: a politician with rural social background and uncorrupted by urban class arrogance and sophistication would be a better democrat. We all knew that President Sirisena and his Prime Minister failed to develop a stable working relationship to lead the government which they jointly formed. We also knew that both leaders were not adequately sensitive to the popular mandate that brought them in to power in 2015. We also learned that our President and Prime Minister were amateurish in their political management of conflicts that occurred within the coalition government. We all were hoping against hope that the two leaders would not damage the process of Sri Lankaas democratic recovery. But, I never expected President Sirisena, amidst all the unpleasant political and personal problems he had with Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, to single handedly reverse Sri Lankaas path to democratic recovery and consolidation. He did so by, as far as I understand the constitution, violating both the letter and spirit of the 19thAmendment of which he was a co-author. To justify that violation, he seems to have got legal advise, among others, from those who were pathologically opposed to the essence and spirit of 19thAmendment. Some others were political sycophants who saw a great chance in a President who has a not-so-strong understanding of the intricacies of constitutional law, in order to promote their own political self-interests. The worst of all is watching how the man who we thought would clean up the countryas corrupt political life, and introduced the word yahapalanaya to our political vocabulary, is now employing political corruption, and corrupting MPs on a massive scale, day in and day out. President Sirisena seems to think that political corruption is a legitimate weapon as long as he uses it. The damage done on October 26 evening and continues to be done thereafter to Sri Lankaas democracy, and the democratic futures of the young generation to which the children and grand children of both President Sirisena and I belong, is a devastating personal setback to me. Now on, recovery of democracy for Sri Lankaas next generation is likely to be preceded by another phase of grave violations, setbacks, violence, resistance, and tragically, bloodbath. Thus, for me, political is the personal too. Attackers could have spied in real time on drone fleets used in critical infrastructure, including both flight path data and real-time video and audio feeds, according to research by Check Point, and confirmed by drone maker DJI in a statement. The security flaw, reported by Check Point in March of this year, has since been patched. Popular among consumer drone enthusiasts, DJI drones are also widely used in industry, manufacturing, agriculture, and critical infrastructure, and among emergency response personnel, including police and fire departments. "The worst thing is that there is an app called FlightHub that is a very sophisticated app, basically an application that provides management capabilities between two drones or hundreds of drones, some running automated missions," Oded Vanunu, head of products vulnerability research at Check Point, tells CSO. "And this is being used by a lot of law enforcement, fire departments, police departments, government facilities, to map their environment." "Users on the DJI FlightHub fleet management system could have had live flight information accessed," DJI wrote in a statement. Drone data syncs unencrypted with DJI's cloud infrastructure, and DJI does not offer cloud storage with user-controlled encryption. The drone maker does offer a local data mode that turns off cloud sync, DJI said. Flaw gave access to DJI app, web store, and cloud server data The researchers at Check Point found a vulnerability in the user authentication process that would have let an attacker hijack user accounts and gain access to DJI's web store, synced cloud server data, and FlightHub. "The vulnerability was accessed through DJI Forum, an online forum DJI runs for discussions about its products," the researchers concluded in their report. "A user who logged into DJI Forum, then clicked a specially planted malicious link, could have had his or her login credentials stolen to allow access to other DJI online assets." The researchers at Check Point were able to hijack user accounts because of a broken authentication process between the DJI user forum, forum.dji.com, and the main authentication server. "The vulnerability resides in the DJI identification process," Check Point reports. "DJI uses a cookie that the attacker can obtain to identify a user and create tokens, or tickets, to access their platforms. Through the use of this cookie, an attacker is able to simply hijack any user's account and take complete control over any of the user's DJI Mobile Apps, Web Account or DJI FlightHub account." A social engineering attack on the DJI forum would have been enough to compromise thousands of drones. The active DJI forum contains hundreds of thousands of drone enthusiast users who will happily click on links, believing them to be safe. "Once we managed to execute the code, we started to review the business logic of the forum," Vanunu says. "It's a very large user community, hundreds of thousands of events every day. It's a very active forum and it's also a form for sharing videos." "Today we know that social engineering is the main attack vector in every space," he adds. "So, this is the perfect ground for a fake user to just put a fake URL. 'I have new parts for DJI Pro available for sale, here's a link.'" Hacking the DJI mobile app took a little bit more work, but eventually that, too, fell. After a fair bit of jujitsu to reverse engineer the mobile app to break DJI's certificate pinning, the researchers were able to man-in-the-middle (MitM) traffic to the DJI server using Burp Suite. DJI trying to move on from past security issues DJI has struggled with security issues of late. Last year the United States Department of Defense told the Army to stop using DJI drones because of security concerns. Cease all use, uninstall all DJI applications, remove all batteries/storage media from devices, and secure equipment for follow on direction, Lt. Gen. Joseph H. Anderson, the Armys deputy chief of staff for plans and operations, wrote in a memo released under FOIA. The memo says this is because of increased awareness of cyber vulnerabilities associated with DJI products. The drone maker also bungled its bug bounty launch, prompting one researcher to walk away from a $30,000 bounty. DJI appears to have learned from that misstep and welcomed the Check Point research. "We applaud the expertise Check Point researchers demonstrated through the responsible disclosure of a potentially critical vulnerability, DJI's Mario Rebello, vice president and country manager, wrote in a statement. This is exactly the reason DJI established our bug bounty program in the first place." At the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, World War I came to an end when Germany signed an armistice agreement with the Allies. To mark this day 101 years ago, towns across Connecticut are observing that. BRIDGEPORT - An area hot dog entrepreneur, accused of embezzling from the Fairfield Beach landmark the Seagrape Cafe, has been ordered to pay the cafes owner nearly $200,000. Following a hearing, Superior Court Judge George Thim ruled that Robert Maneres explanation that he used the money to pay his car loan, health insurance, credit cards and loans did not justify him taking money totaling $190,463.03. We thank Judge Thim for his thorough and well-reasoned decision. We look forward to recouping the misappropriated funds as soon as possible so that the business will be even stronger, said Alexander Schwartz, who had sued Manere on behalf of Peter Collins, the owner of the Seagrape. Beside being a former partner and manager of the Seagrape, Manere owned and operated the Swanky Franks hotdog chain for 18 years and currently owns Dogtown in Milford. His lawyer, Alan Spirer, said he has filed an appeal of Judge Thims ruling with the state Appellate Court. No criminal charges were filed against Manere. Manere and Collins, who graduated from high school together, decided while attending their 13th class reunion to buy the Seagrape, a popular fixture on the beach with locals and college students. In April 2011, they formed the company BAHR LLC with Collins contributing $150,000 and Manere kicking in $20,000 to the venture, according to court records. They agreed that Manere would manage the cafe because Collins was busy at the time running a Manhattan night club. On Oct. 29, 2012, Superstorm Sandy forced the cafe to close for repairs. But despite an agreement, Manere took cash from the business during the recovery period, giving himself a raise in cash and using company funds for personal and family expenses, the lawsuit states. In March 2017, Collins fired Manere as manager and changed the locks on the Seagrape. Collins then took over as the cafes manager, court records state. Manere subsequently sued Collins for breach of contract and Collins sued him. The managerial actions taken by Collins were reasonable in light of Maneres having used BAHR funds to pay personal expenses, the judge ruled. BRIDGEPORT On a campaign swing through the Park City last week and before attending a Democratic fundraiser at Testos Restaurant, some wanted then-gubernatorial candidate Ned Lamont to visit Bassick High School. The 89-year-old school, after all, is looking for the state to foot nearly 80 percent of a $115 million upgrade. Schools Superintendent Aresta Johnson reportedly agreed to a request made by State Rep. Steve Stafstrom, a member of the legislatures bonding committee who has been leading the charge in getting the state to fund the Bassick project. Then a day later, Johnson changed her mind. I opted to reschedule the visit until after the election, Johnson said. The board has a policy that bars employees from engaging in political activities on school premises during school hours. Johnsons about face didnt sit well with Dennis Bradley, a school board member who on Tuesday won the 23rd State Senate seat. Late in the evening on Nov. 1 the day of Lamonts visit to the city Bradley sent an email to Johnson and the rest of the board asking for a discussion and possible action at the boards Nov. 13 business meeting on why Johnson canceled/denied State Representative Stafstrom a tour of Bassick High School last minute when the democratic nominee for Governor, LT. Governor, Mayor and others were scheduled for a tour. By the following Tuesday, Lamont was the governor-elect. On Wednesday, Bradley was still pushing for a board discussion. That better be on the agenda. As per our bylaws, Bradley wrote in an email to the board. Board Chair John Weldon assured him it would be. Weldons reassurance was sought after three other board members Ben Walker, Maria Pereira and Joe Sokolovic wrote that it should be Bradley and Stafstrom who are admonished for suggesting the use of public schools and students as props to further a political agenda. On Thursday, Bradley said the proposed visit by Lamont and others was aimed at helping win money for a new Bassick. In short its not politics its doing the right thing, Bradley said. Thats her job. Now ... we made enemies, Bradley added. In his email, Walker characterized the proposed visit a political side show that would have occurred during school hours and that Johnson had his full support. It is inappropriate for anyone, including a sitting member of the General Assembly, to commandeer the use of school property in search of partisan political advantage, Walter wrote. No superintendent should be subjected to political pressure of this sort. During her recent evaluation, Bradley told Johnson that although the board often plays politics, she shouldnt. Dont pick a side, Bradley said. Be your own side. Stafstrom said he was unaware of the board policy and that his expectation was that any major candidate that had requested to tour would have been given equal access. He said Thursday, that Lamont would be re-invited as his schedule allows. Lamonts camp, on Thursday, said they unaware of the controversy and not bothered by it. Democrat Andrew Gillum was defeated in his bid to become Florida's first black governor Tuesday, but the party flipped at least six governorships after voters rejected some Republican candidates in the Midwest, including in Wisconsin and Kansas. At times choking up during a speech at Florida A&M University, Gillum conceded his race to Republican Ron DeSantis, who is closely associated with President Donald Trump. "I sincerely regret that I couldn't bring it home for you," he told his supporters. Gillum performed relatively well in Florida's cities and suburbs. But DeSantis won massive margins from Florida's rural counties, underscoring the advantage Republicans continue to hold in statewide elections there. "Throughout the campaign, I knew the only thing I could control was how hard I worked," DeSantis said in his victory speech. "And although I was confident in achieving a victory, I was at peace knowing I worked as hard as I possibly could, and I left everything out on the field." Including Florida's, the 36 gubernatorial races on state ballots offered examples of America's cultural and ideological divides under Trump. Democrats flipped the governorships in Wisconsin, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Illinois and New Mexico. The race remained too close to call in Georgia, where Democrat Stacey Abrams was running to become the first African American female governor. In Wisconsin, Democrat Tony Evers bested Gov. Scott Walker, once a Republican star who ran for president in 2016. Walker survived a hard-fought recall vote in 2012, and was reelected in 2014, only to be denied a third term by the state schools superintendent. In recent years, Walker has faced mounting voter concern about the condition of Wisconsin schools, but he also oversaw a robust state economy, including a 3 percent unemployment rate. In Kansas, Democrat Laura Kelly defeated Secretary of State Kris Kobach, another Trump ally who is known for his unapologetic, hard-line views on immigration and who was the face of Trump's anti-voter-fraud panel. "This has been a battle to the finish," Kobach said during his concession speech. "Headwinds all the way for our team. But that's all right. We fought as hard as we could into those headwinds." In Illinois, Democrat J.B. Pritzker easily defeated Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner after one of the nation's most expensive gubernatorial elections. Democrats also won the governorship in Michigan, where Gretchen Whitmer, a former state legislator, defeated Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette to replace term-limited Republican Gov Rick Snyder. New Mexico voters selected Democratic Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham to replace outgoing Republican Gov. Susana Martinez. And in Maine, where Republican Gov. Paul LePage is term-limited, Democratic Attorney General Janet Mills defeated Republican Shawn Moody, a businessman. But Democrats were nervously watching results in several other states. Abrams was trailing in her bid for Georgia's governorship against Secretary of State Brian Kemp, a conservative Republican whose office has been accused of trying to suppress voter turnout. Kemp had a sizeable lead, but some counties had yet to complete counts in the Atlanta metro area. In a speech early Monday morning, Abrams refused to concede the race and said she was prepared to face Kemp in a runoff. "If I wasn't your first choice, or if you didn't make a choice at all, you're going to have a chance to do a do-over," said Abrams, who referenced attacks on voting rights that threatened minority votes in recent weeks. "Some have worked hard to scare us away," she said, "but we see the finish line." Republicans currently hold 33 of the nation's 50 governorships. Of the 36 gubernatorial races on the ballot Tuesday, Republicans were defending 26 of them. The outcomes of those contests will have major implications for Democratic efforts to build a state-level firewall against some of Trump's policies, including his effort to overturn the Affordable Care Act and gut environmental and labor laws. In most states, governors and state legislatures will be drawing new congressional boundaries after the 2020 Census. Several of the most hotly contested gubernatorial races took place in Midwestern states that formed the linchpin of Trump's 2016 victory. Democratic leaders in those states view those contests as a major test of whether the party can win back the white working-class voters who abandoned the party in droves that year. In Pennsylvania, Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf beat Republican Scott Wagner, a former state legislator, in a state Trump carried by 44,000 votes two years ago. In Ohio, Democrat Richard Cordray, a former Obama administration official, lost to Republican Mike DeWine for the seat left open by term-limited Republican Gov. John Kasich. The contest was widely viewed as a dead heat heading into Tuesday as Cordray and DeWine, the attorney general of Ohio, battled over health care, jobs and the state's opioid crisis. In Iowa, Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican, defeated Democrat Fred Hubbell. Iowa has been trending Republican, including supporting Trump by about 10 percentage points in 2016. Hubbell sought to take advantage of voter unease over access to health insurance and the president's trade war with China, which could impact the state's agricultural community. Republicans had additional reasons for optimism on Tuesday. On the East Coast, Republican Govs. Larry Hogan of Maryland, Charlie Baker of Massachusetts and Phil Scott of Vermont, all moderates, won reelection. In New Hampshire, Republican Gov. Chris Sununu defeated his Democratic challenger, Steve Marchand, the former mayor of Portsmouth. Republicans also saw an opportunity to win back the governor's mansion in Connecticut, where incumbent Democrat Dannel P. Malloy decided not to seek a third term. Democrat Ned Lamont and Republican Bob Stefanowski, both businessmen, battled in a race that heavily focused on taxes and the state's projected $2 billion budget deficit. In Oklahoma, Democrat Drew Edmondson lost to Republican businessman Kevin Stitt, who campaigned as a strong supporter of Trump. And in South Dakota, Democrat Billie Sutton - a former rodeo star who was paralyzed in a 2007 riding accident - lost to Republican Rep. Kristi Noem. The Democratic incumbent who seemed most at risk of losing this year was Gov. Kate Brown in Oregon, but she handily beat her opponent, Republican Knute Buehler. The Daily Star, November 07, 2018 Santals demonstrate in Gaibandha yesterday demanding justice for the attack in 2016 that left three people dead. Photo: Star Our Correspondent, Gaibandha Killing, looting and arson attack on Santals in Gobindaganj upazila on November 6 in 2016 has brought shame for the nation. Former adviser to a caretaker government Sultana Kamal said this at a meeting on Gobindaganj Shaheed Minar premises yesterday on the occasion of the second anniversary of the brutal attack. aWe must stand beside the victims, if we think us as human being,a she said. She also demanded justice for the brutal attack. Earlier, hundreds of Santals carrying red flags, placards, banners and festoons brought out a procession demanding justice for the attack and return of their forefathers lands at Sahebganj sugarcane farm belonging to Rangpur Sugar Mills in Gaibandha. Sultana Kamal, united NAP President Panakaj Bhattacharja, former justice Nizamul Huq Nasim and human rights and land rights activist Shamsul Huda joined the procession jointly organised by Bagda Farm Bhumi Uddhar Sangram Committee, Jatiya Adivasi Parishad, Bangladesh Adivasi Union, Adivasi-Bangali Sanghati Parishad and Jano Udyog. The procession was brought out from Santal villages Joypurpara and Madarpur and marched ten kilometers to Shaheed Minar premises. The Santal people at the programme said they are yet to get justice two years into the incident. CPB central leader Mihir Ghosh, Jatiya Adivasi Parishad President Rabindra Soren, Bangali-Adivasi Sanghati Parishad Convener Sirajul Islam Babu and Nari Adivasi leader Pricila Murmu were present. Former adviser to acaretaker government Sultana Kamal at a meeting. Photo: Star Three Santal men were killed and many others injured during an eviction drive at their village at Sahebganj sugarcane farm by local people and police. Over 1500 sheds were torched and households looted during the attack. Speakers said earlier in July 2016, the landless Santals occupied over hundred acres of land at Sahebganj sugarcane farm of Rangpur Sugar Mills in Gaibandha as their forefathers landed properties. Over the issue, a tense situation was created among the local people, the mill authority and police. On November 6, police and mill workers during an eviction drive swooped on the newly erected village of Santal community. Police opened fire, killing three Santal men and leaving many others injured. One Sawpan Murmu filed a case, accusing 33 named people, including local lawmaker Principal Abul Kalam Azad and Sapmara Union Parishad Chairman Shakil Akand Bulbul. Police arrested three people in the case, but they were released on bail. Speakers said police are yet to arrest the main accused and victims were not provided with any compensation or rehabilitation, although two years have passed since the attack. WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump mocked Republicans who spurned his help and lost their races, called a black reporter's question about nationalism "racist," told a different reporter he was a "rude, terrible person" and proclaimed that another questioner was causing "great division." Fresh off losing the Republican majority in the House and now looking ahead to his own reelection, Trump made clear Wednesday during a rambling and contentious news conference at the White House that his caustic brand of put-down politics is here to stay. The session with reporters was traditional only in that recent presidents have also held one on the day after a midterm vote, typically using it as a way to frame the changed legislative dynamics, to spin events a little, or a lot, and express humility about a loss before explaining how they plan to learn from the setback. George W. Bush said Democrats gave him a "thumpin' " in 2006. Barack Obama called his first midterm referendum, in 2010, a "shellacking." Bill Clinton began his news conference before the same East Room tableau after Democrats lost control of the House for the first time in 40 years stating "we are ready to work together to serve all the American people in a nonpartisan manner." Trump took a different approach describing the election results viewed by most as a mixed bag, at best, for Republicans as a total victory. "It was a big day yesterday. Incredible day," he said at the beginning of his remarks. "And last night the Republican Party defied history to expand our Senate majority while significantly beating expectations in the House." For Trump, Wednesday was a blaring siren that he'll continue business as usual, Trump-style, even as he said he would "love to see unity and peace and love and any other word you want to use." The most contentious moments centered on race and questions concerning whether Trump had divided the nation in the final days of the campaign by using language, including about African-American gubernatorial candidates and a group of Central American migrants, that many called offensive. When reporter Yamiche Alcindor of "PBS NewsHour" asked the president whether by identifying as a "nationalist" he also was embracing the label "white nationalist," he shot back "that's such a racist question." "To say that, what you just said, is so insulting to me," Trump responded to Alcindor, who is black. "It's a very terrible thing that you said." Alcindor remained standing and continued asking her question. She later noted on Twitter that her question was "fair & timely" considering the executive director of Identity Evropa, a white nationalist group, posted photos of himself on Twitter visiting the White House grounds. Trump later denied recent accusations from his former lawyer Michael Cohen that he made racist comments in private. "I would never do that, and I don't use racist remarks," he said before saying of the reporter asking the question that "it's people like this that cause division." When April Ryan, an African-American reporter for American Urban Radio, shouted out a question about alleged voter suppression, Trump told her to "Sit down. I didn't call you." He then said threw the question of voter suppression back at reporters. "I'll give you voter suppression. Take a look at the CNN polls, how inaccurate they were. That's called voter suppression," he said. He also engaged in an extended verbal tussle with CNN reporter Jim Acosta over his characterization of a caravan of Central American migrants heading to the United States as a danger and an invasion. The war of words morphed into a physical tug-of-war over a handheld microphone when a White House employee sought to pull the device away from Acosta. It was an attempt to shut down a back and forth that began with the reporter asking Trump whether he had "demonized immigrants in this election." The exchange ended with Trump saying CNN should be "ashamed" to employ Acosta. "You are a rude, terrible person," Trump said. When the next questioner, NBC's Peter Alexander, defended Acosta, Trump informed him: "I'm not a big fan of yours, either." The president spent a good portion of his opening remarks discussing his desire to work with House Democrats and their leader, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., saying "it really could be a beautiful, bipartisan type of situation." Trump was then asked whether he could "compartmentalize" his anger over likely Democratic-led investigations into his administration and still "continue to work with them for the benefit of the rest of the country." "No," Trump replied. "If they do that, then it's just - all it is, is a warlike posture." The president also decided to rub salt in the wounds of members of his party who were defeated Tuesday night, arguing the reason they lost wasn't because of his unpopularity in their districts but because they tried to distance themselves from him and "didn't want the embrace." "You had some that decided to, 'Let's stay away. Let's stay away.' They did very poorly. I'm not sure that I should be happy or sad, but I feel just fine about it," Trump said. He listed the reprobates by name - "too bad, Mike," he said of Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Colo., who was unseated by a Democratic challenger in the kind of moderate suburban districts where Trump is unpopular. "Mia Love gave me no love," he said of Utah Rep. Mia Love who is trailing in a race that has yet to be called. "And she lost. Too bad. Sorry about that, Mia." He then touted how popolur he is with Republican voters. "What we stand for meant a lot to most people, and we've had tremendous support, and tremendous support in the Republican Party, among the biggest support in the history of the party," he continued. "I've actually heard at 93 percent, it's a record, but I won't say that, because who knows? But we've had tremendous support." Bush holds that record - 99 percent. Trump's pique and criticism were too much for Rep. Ryan Costello, R-Pa., one of the House Republicans who chose to retire this year rather than defend an endangered seat. Trump had let fly on those lawmakers, too. Costello tweeted from his personal account as the news conference was going on, defending his colleagues who lost their seats and saying that he was "disgusted" by Trump's performance. "To disagree & separate from POTUS on principle & civility in ur campaign; to lose bc of POTUS & have him piss on u," Costello wrote. "Angers me to my core." But Trump refused to take personal responsibility for any role his inflammatory rhetoric has played in the nation's corrosive public discourse or the losses Republicans suffered in the House. He assigned blame elsewhere. "Hopefully the tone can get a lot better," he said, "and I really believe it begins with the media." --- The Washington Post's Elise Viebeck and Glenn Kessler contributed to this article. This appeared in Thursday's Washington Post. - - - There is a case to be made for tougher sanctions on Iran, such as those imposed Mondayby the Trump administration. Since signing the 2015 accord limiting its nuclear program, Tehran has only stepped up its aggressions. It has supplied missiles to Houthi rebels in Yemen for use against Saudi Arabia, and it has smuggled them into Lebanon and Syria for potential use against Israel. It has been caught twice in four months trying to murder opponents in European countries. President Barack Obama's hopes that the nuclear deal would lead to a moderation of Iran's malign activity were illusory. Now, having withdrawn from that pact - unwisely, in our view - President Donald Trump is betting that the resumption of harsh sanctions will bring the regime of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to heel. While the punishment may be justified, the chance of a sea change in Tehran remains small. The new measures targeting Iranian oil exports, shipping and banks may reduce Tehran's oil exports to about a third of their recent peak of 2.8 million barrels a day, according to analysts. That will considerably dent the government's budget and perhaps tip Iran back into recession. But the embargo is unlikely to be as effective as that which brought Iran to the table for nuclear talks. China, India, Russia and Turkey are among the nations that will continue to buy Iranian oil. Iran may find it harder to find the billions it is spending on supporting Shiite militias across the Middle East. But the Revolutionary Guard Corps is unlikely to retreat from Iraq or the Levant, even if the price is more hardship for an already restless population back home. Senior Trump administration officials clearly hope the renewed economic pressure will trigger a change of regime. But Washington has been waiting in vain for such a counterrevolution since 1979. Whatever rewards come from squeezing the Islamic republic will probably be accompanied by new costs. Iran could resume attacks on U.S. targets in Iraq or in Syria, or challenge the diminished U.S. fleet in the Persian Gulf. It could take steps toward resuming its nuclear program - something that would leave the Trump administration with few options short of military action. If that's the outcome, Trump's decision to pull out of the nuclear deal - which international inspectors say Iran has observed- will have spectacularly backfired. He could have stepped up pressure on Tehran without taking that risk. Trump says he wants to negotiate a new deal with the mullahs covering more than the nuclear program. If he is serious about that, he will have to alter his approach. Tehran will never agree to unilaterally abandon its equities in Iraq or elsewhere in the Middle East. The key to any grand bargain would be finding a peaceful balance of its interests with those of Saudi Arabia and its Sunni allies. That, in return, would require the Trump administration to retreat from its exaggerated embrace of the regime in Riyadh - which, just like that of Iran, needs to have its aggressions placed in check. A day after Connecticut experienced its own blue wave in the midterm elections, Senate and House Democratic leaders said addressing a minimum wage increase, tolls, and paid family medical leave will likely be among the top priorities the majority takes on in the upcoming legislative session. Democrats took 24 seats in the state Senate and 92 in the state House of Representatives on Election Day, giving them overwhelming discretion in setting the general assemblys agenda after struggling to work with a slim majority for the last two years. Their first legislative gains in 10 years broke an 18-18 tie in the Senate and increased their 80-71 advantage in the House. It also came amid Democrat Ned Lamonts clinch of the governorship and decisive wins for the party in all other constitutional offices. Senate President Pro Tem Martin M. Looney, D-New Haven, on Wednesday said the gains in both chambers represented a mandate on the policies enacted by Democrats. We certainly did not envision coming back with 24, Looney said. We thought we had a good chance of coming back with a majority, but 24 is a cornucopia that we didnt foresee. Also Wednesday, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said Republicans badly misjudged the Connecticut electorate by relying heavily on a strategy of campaigning against him while not repudiating the worst elements of President Trumps administration. Besides losing overall numbers in the House and Senate, Republicans also will see their influence diminished at the committee level. Traditionally, most legislative committees have two co-chairs, one from the majority party of each chamber. But for the past two years, with Democrats controlling the House and the Senate deadlocked, each panel featured three chairmen: a House Democrat, a Senate Democrat and a Senate Republican. Starting with the 2019 session and the new Democratic majorities in both chambers, the GOP will lose those chairmen posts and the ability to help set committee agendas and schedule bills for public hearings and votes. And because the entire legislature has been so narrowly divided along partisan lines, so have the committees memberships, leading to frequently deadlocked panels unable to adopt many bills. Looney said advancing paid family medical leave and increasing the states minimum wage will be priorities for Senate Democrats, issues he believes the party will be able to advance. Those are two issues several Democratic candidates campaigned on in the run up to the election, but which have typically been opposed by Republicans. House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz, D-Berlin, said he wants to wait and see what is brought up by his chambers Democratic caucus, but acknowledged the overall majority sets a lot of things in motion for me and there are a lot issues that the caucus talked about individually. Aresimowicz said paid family medical leave was a big issue candidates heard about on the campaign trail. I do want to raise the minimum wage. Im very honest about that, said House Majority Leader Matt Ritter of Harford. Ritter said he would like to do that within a package that repeals the states estate tax. The three Democrats also agreed that tolls will likely be discussed in the upcoming session, voicing support for Lamonts idea to impose tolls on large trucks from out of state. But Aresimowicz and Ritter also stressed that despite their majority, Democrats still plan to work with Republicans in a bipartisan fashion. Aresimowicz said lawmakers need to focus on fixing Connecticuts problems, which can only happen if they work together. Republicans still have good ideas, Ritter said. And my guess is we will continue to pass 90 to 95 percent of things on a bipartisan basis and people are willing to work together. Republicans also lost some veteran leadership on key budget committees. Sen. L. Scott Frantz of Greenwich, a member of the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee for the past eight years and one of its three chairmen for the last two, lost his bid for re-election in the 36th District. Rep. Melissa Ziobron of East Haddam, the top House Republican on the Appropriations Committee for the past four years, was the favorite to become Senate chairwoman of the panel in 2019. Republicans not only failed to win control of the Senate, but Ziobron lost her bid to capture the vacant 33rd Senate District seat. And while legislative leaders looked forward to a new session, Malloy, who is not seeking re-election, looked back Wednesday on a campaign that yielded historic results. Overwhelmingly I believe that our voters choose fairness in the country, Malloy said during a mid-afternoon conversation with reporters in his Capitol office. They chose decency and they chose honesty in the face of some very empty promises, both within our state and within our national politics. The governor said Tuesdays voter turnout, which exceeded levels seen in several decades, an unbelievable accomplishment that was the foundation of so many others. Connecticut elected its first African-American congresswoman in choosing Wolcott Democrat Jahana Hayes to represent the 5th District. More than 100 women were elected to the new Congress nationally and the number of women winning seats in the General Assembly rose from 50 to 61. And, in selecting Stamford Democrat William Tong, Connecticut elected its first Asian-American attorney general. Malloy dug deep into obscure history for one more note: Ned Lamonts election as governor marked the first time since 1877 that Connecticut elected a Democrat to succeed a retiring Democrat as its chief executive. And all of that happened following a campaign during which Republicans and GOP gubernatorial nominee Bob Stefanowski in particular blistered Malloys eight-year tenure with criticism. If people are as unhopeful about Connecticuts future as Republicans say they are, then we should have lost a lot of seats, the governor said. Instead we gained a lot of seats. I think the people of Connecticut are smarter than we sometimes give them credit for. And while Malloy was the GOPs target, Connecticut Democrats took aim at Trump, who also is unpopular in the polls in this state. Having a strategy that were going to run against a guy whos not running for re-election while the other team is running against a guy whos remaining in office, didnt make a whole lot of sense, Malloy said. He added that whichever Republican strategist crafted that plan, should raise their hand so that theyre never hired to do anything again. The governor said he also believes voters were energized in part by the destructive policies and politics of the Trump administration and a Connecticut GOP that didnt speak out against them. If you marginalize gay, lesbian, transgendered, queer people, if you marginalize black and brown people, if you marginalize immigrants, dont be surprised that they react to that, Malloy said. GOP state Chairman J.R. Romano said Malloy was fair game because he was one of the worst governors in Connecticut history. Hey, he doesnt want to admit it, but even Ned Lamont ran against him, said Romano, referring to Lamont television spots that mentioned he challenged Malloy for the 2010 gubernatorial nomination. Digital transformation used to be an IT department strategy focused on process efficiency. Today, that focus is shifting to a more holistic concept of digital transformation centered on the wants, needs and expectations of credit union members. The ability to meet those needs, however, isnt as simple as just investing in a software solution. Is your credit union ready to take on digital transformation? Here are three areas where credit unions are making strategic shifts to affect change in their organizations. From board of directors to board of visionaries According to Alliant Credit Union, a board of directors holds management accountable while overseeing operations and ensuring a companys executives are moving the organization in the right direction. Alliant is one of the nations top 10 largest credit unions, and it has a board of directors that takes its role in setting the organizations strategic vision seriously. Their focus on providing state of the art, digital-based services to their members has driven the organization to eliminate paper processing, partner in the creation of a custom fraud management solution, and utilize intelligent capture and electronic workflow to automate processes. But knowing your credit unions vision should include digital transformation and knowing whether or not youre equipped to move the organization forward on that path are different. If this is a murky area for your credit union, the solution may be having your board assess its own understanding and adoption of technology. With this information in hand, your credit unions board can begin to build out a new model of leadership that weaves digital transformation into every aspect of your business plans. From technology strategy to business strategy Indeed, some credit unions are finding that business strategies can no longer be discussed without considering technology. Florida-based BrightStar Credit Union is one of them. The organization, which was featured in a recent article on BizTech.com, has made a huge push to bring an enhanced mobile experience to its members. With the increasing amount of consumer interactions that take place on mobile devices (Google says customers have double the interactions with brands over mobile devices than all other mediums combined), its not surprising that BrightStar is focusing their new customer experience strategy on mobile. Theres only so many branch locations we can have, BrightStar CIO Matt Meyer told BizTech. Its a challenge to make sure theres always a branch right next to you thats impossible. But with todays technology, I can put that branch right into your hands. Technology strategy? Check. Business strategy? Super check. From piecemeal digitization to digitizing entire customer journeys Digitizing certain processes can help to speed member interactions, but digitizing entire customer journeys is where financial institutions are finding the most value. Whats a customer journey? For a credit union, its really a member journey the path a member goes down from discovering a product or service to actually making a purchase or taking a desired action. Boston Consulting Group recently told The Financial Brand that one large bank redesigned its credit lending journey and cut the timeframe from application to funding in half, shaving 30 percent in costs associated with the process. Another bank tackling the same journey saved $200 million over four years. Those are huge numbers. Ready to redesign all of your customer journeys? Not so fast. Its better to focus on finding the journeys with the most potential for improvement and tackle them one at a time. Why? Discovering the right journeys for digital transformation takes time and resources to dig into customer transaction histories, call center logs and online data to identify those points in the journey that are causing the most pain, explained the Financial Brand article. I think I can, I think I can The credit unions mentioned above have accomplished board members, sophisticated technology-focused business strategies and the solutions needed to create fully digital customer journeys. But they havent always been that way. In fact, prior to their digital transformation efforts, it took two to three weeks for Alliant to process just one invoice and four to five hours to do the monthly fraud reporting. By working with Hyland, an enterprise software provider, Alliant was able to take the focus away from these painstaking manual tasks and put it back on their members. So now is the time for you to shift. Shift away from thinking that digital transformation is too big for your credit union to undertake. Start believing that you can take these big ideas back to your organization and move the needle on digital transformation. Want some help? Learn more about OnBase by Hyland now. The countdown to Thanksgiving has begun. We all look forward to preparing a great meal for friends and family, but the costs in both time and money can be hard to digest. If you are hosting this years feast, here are few ways to keep the financial and emotional stress to a minimum. Make a plan: Decide on your menu early. List all the ingredients you need and start looking for deals. When it comes to food shopping, the earlier the better. Many stores have already started their holiday season specials, so keep an eye out for coupons and discounts. Break up the turkey day shopping list and pick up a few items at a time during your regular supermarket runs. Speaking of turkey, its time to get your pre-orders in. Spare yourself the stress of hunting down a turkey at the last minute by reserving a frozen turkey now. If youre feeding a crowd, dont limit yourself to just your local grocery store. Membership warehouses like Costco, Sams Club and BJs are great places to find deals on bulk wine, beer and other drinks, as well as produce, frozen items and desserts. Buy the right size turkey: According to the Natural Resource Defense Council, about 204 million pounds of turkey, worth a total of $293 million, is tossed in the trash each year. The general rule of thumb to figure out how much turkey you need is 1 to 1 pounds of turkey per person. Dont worry, youll still have leftovers but maybe just 2 days worth instead of weeks. Sharing is caring: Who says you have to do all the cooking? Maybe this is the year you go potluck. As the host, you can provide the main meat dishes like turkey, ham, brisket, lamb or seafood. Then, ask your guests to each bring a side dish, dessert or a bottle of their favorite beverage (with or without alcohol) to complete the spread. But make sure you confirm what each person is bringing or you may end up with five green bean casseroles. Outsource the meal: Do you want to host Thanksgiving dinner but youre not up to cooking this year? Check out mail-order meal kits. Some consider it the best of both worlds. Its still a home cooked meal, but the menu and ingredients are all delivered right to your door. If you prefer to have someone else do all of the cooking, start scoping out local restaurants and grocery stores for Thanksgiving Day catering deals. You will likely spend more money than going the DIY route, but the savings in time and stress may be worth it. I must admit, I was a little apprehensive. Not having been a world traveler prior to my new role at the World Council, the only thing I knew about Kenya was what I read in books and saw on National Geographic. Less than two months in the job and I was about to step off tIhe plane, embarking on my first Field Engagement experience. While I knew it would be impactful, I had no idea it would change my life and reinforce how special the cooperative movement is. The words of Cameron Dickey, President/CEO of Cy-Fair Federal Credit Union summed it up perfectly: We are the torch bearers of the CU movementwe all bear that responsibility, just as Desjardin and Filene did before us. Going on a field engagement, supporting World Council, its not charity. We will learn more than we give, from the international models of our cooperative peers, and this work reflects the BEST qualities of our movement, our legacy, and what makes us different from for-profit institutions. Field Engagements are pre-planned trips, offered by the World Council of Credit Unions to individuals looking to take a deeper, close-up look at the international credit union movement. They are meant to study, serve, and support the work of our international peers, exchanging knowledge, providing solutions, and forging relationships that provide dual benefit, to the visitor and host alike. Like many other immersive programs, a special bond is forged among U.S. and international colleagues and participants. The World Council offers these engagements annually, inviting professionals to join us and see our projects in person, to study the evolution of a credit union movement in a different country and gain a new perspective, a new approach. Quite often, a field engagement is offered as a result in response to a natural disaster that has affected a credit union system. In September, the Dominica system hosted an impromptu field engagement to assess rebuilding credit unions branches and to provide strategic direction with consolidation and ag. lending. The field engagement model can be both structured and nimble to respond to respective credit union system needs. The next evolutionary step in the Field Engagement model is customization. Several credit unions seek to leverage the field engagement experience to give their employees, at all levels of the credit union, a broader, global perspective. Rolling up their sleeves and working side by side with their international peers toward solving a challenge is a priceless exercise, one that cannot be taught by other digital channels. World Council, with its relationships and expertise, can provide this learning experience. From Kenya, I was able to understand how the entire SACCO (a Kenyan credit union) ecosystem works, its unique challenges and the creative strategies to overcome them. I saw a proud, dedicated group of professionals, with integrated diversity at all levels, inclusive of women and youth, and always, putting the members needs first. I got a balanced blend of using my mind and body, engaged in strategic discussions one day, rolling up my sleeves to dig a hole to plant a banana tree the next. As a newbie to the credit union movement, the World Councils field engagement trip gave me the global perspective I needed to compare challenges and solutions created between the U.S. and international movements, and to derive a deeper sense of the World Councils place and purpose between it all. For a deeper dive into how to get started on creating a customized field engagement to grow your credit unions perspective, please reach out to the Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions staff and visit our field engagement page at DoGlobalGood.org/volunteer. China May Be Reading Your Emails A recent academic report claims that China has been routinely and systematically hijacking internet traffic from the United States, Canada, Europe and other countries through security flaws in the deep structure of the internet. To put it simply, somebody in Beijing may be receiving and reading your emails before you do, as well as capturing your passwords and other personal data from websites you visit. Chinas Maxim Leave No Access Point Unexploited: The Hidden Story of China Telecoms BGP Hijacking, by Chris C Demchak of the US Naval War College and Yuval Shavitt of Tel Aviv University. The report alleges that a voluntary US-China 2016 agreement, which aimed to stop military forces from hacking commercial enterprises for economic gain, has appeared to reduce Chinese Internet theft against western targets. However, as the report also notes, Chinas technological development still continues to be dependent on massive expropriation of foreign R&D. An innocuous player As Chinese companies such as Huawei and ZTE are viewed with suspicion in the West, the Chinese government has chosen what the researchers call a seemingly innocuous player to reroute, or hijack, internet traffic. The so-called innocuous player is state-owned China Telecom, a telecoms giant with close to 300,000 employees. To understand how China Telecom has been able to divert internet traffic to China and copy it, as the report claims, it is necessary to delve briefly into the obscure world of the internets foundational infrastructure. Essentially, China Telecom has numerous Points of Presence (PoP) in the US and Europe. Think of a PoP as a delivery system that ensures that packages sent via the internet reach their intended destinations as efficiently as possible. They are delivery services that connect all the smaller networks that comprise the overall internet. The small networks are called autonomous systems and could be anything from banks and tech giants to your local Internet Service Provider. On the other hand, overseas telecoms are barred from operating PoPs in China. The country has just three gateways, in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. This protects Chinas domestic traffic from foreign hijacking. Meanwhile, enter Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), the key Internet routing protocol for connecting the innumerable autonomous systems that comprise the internet. Insecure protocol BGP is a notoriously insecure protocol used to route internet traffic, comments Cory Doctorow, a respected technology pundit. Doctorow continues: By design it is dynamic and responsive, moving traffic away from congested routes and onto those with more capacity: this flexibility can be exploited to force traffic to route through surveillance chokepoints. BGP was developed in 1989 when the internet was generally perceived as an emergent technology bringing the world closer together. It was also the same year that the internet first began to be used in China. In fact, the country did not start to fully implement the internet, and on a negligible scale, until 1994, when China was still widely regarded as a benign backwater. China is rightly no longer regarded as benign or a backwater, and its hijacking activities are difficult to detect. China Telecom has multiple points of presence (PoPs) in North America and Europe and rerouting traffic via ultra-fast fiber-optic cables causes delays to be almost unnoticeable. All the same, the report is not exactly news. BGP exploits are probably more common than is largely realised and are probably used by all state players capable of doing so, notably Russia. But China is regarded as a particularly egregious player. In 2010, for example, the US-China Economic and Security Commission reported to the US Congress on such hijacks in a 300-page report that included information on an incident in which 15% of global Internet traffic suddenly started to pass through Chinese servers en-route to its intended destinations, according to Ars Technica, a technology-focused news website. Malicious Intent This would be less problematic if all internet traffic were highly encrypted. Unfortunately, some of it is not. But as the researchers also note: If diverted and copied for even small amounts of time, even encrypted traffic can be broken. In the meantime, the attacks continue and will likely continue to do so. The researchers describe the hijacks as repetitive, suggesting malicious intent. Events documented by the report include a six-month period from February 2016, when traffic from Canada to South Korea was hijacked by China Telecom and routed through China and a similar incident in which traffic from several locations to the US to a large Anglo-American bank headquarters in Milan, Italy was hijacked by China Telecom to China. If there is any key takeaway from reports such as this, it is that the internet, which has revolutionised modern life, was built on trust. We now live in untrusting times. Asia Times: You Might Also Read: China Compromises Tech Companies With Malicious Microchips Unknown Error An error has occured in loading this page. We have been automatically notified of this error. Please check back later. If you are the administrator of this website please view the error log for more information. Patriot Park memorial receives crucial 6-acre donation David Schmucker donated nearly 7 acres to the park for the centerpiece Gold Star Memorial Plaza. As hundreds of people filed into the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art last weekend, they were met by a three-tier altar, called an ofrenda, covered in purple and orange papel picado, a paper banner with cut-out designs; ceramic calaveras, or skulls; and photos of loved ones. The celebration of life A woman walked into the room leading a procession of dancers and musicians. Her face was painted to resemble traditional Mexican calaveras. Three roses framed her face: one on her forehead and one on each cheek. In some ways she stood out in her bright pink oversized blazer, puffy dress, The Associated Students of the University of Oregon Senate passed a resolution in October opposing Measure 105, which would remove limits on the resources that state and local law enforcement agencies can use for finding and arresting people whose only suspected crime is violating federal immigration law. The resolution contends Governor Kate Brown visited the University of Oregon campus yesterday with senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Representative Peter DeFazio to rally students and encourage them to vote by todays deadline. Dozens of people filled the EMU Amphitheater with campaign signs and the cutouts of Browns face, chanting Kate, What does it mean to make America great again? To answer that question, we must first identify whats so great about the United States. As the midterm elections approach, with voter suppression running rampant across the country, it would be statistically inaccurate to claim that representative democracy makes America great. Emma McIntyre/Getty Images; Tiffany Rose/WireImage.com (inset) nicole-kidman-tom-cruise-children-bella-connor-promos Speaking her truth. Nicole Kidman, who rarely speaks about her adopted children with ex-husband Tom Cruise, opened up about her relationship with them in a new interview. Im very private about that, she told Australias Who magazine on Thursday, November 8, of daughter Isabella, 25, and son Connor, 23. I have to protect all those relationships. I know 150 percent that I would give up my life for my children because its what my purpose is. Kidman, who has had a rocky relationship with her adopted children who lived with their father after the couples 2001 divorce, added that she still loves them unconditionally. Provided by American Media, LLC Nicole Kidman Tom Cruise Estranged Children Bella Connor They are adults. They are able to make their own decisions. They have made choices to be Scientologists and, as a mother, its my job to love them, she explained. And I am an example of that tolerance and thats what I believe that no matter what your child does, the child has love and the child has to know there is available love and Im open here. I think thats so important because if that is taken away from a child, to sever that in any child, in any relationship, in any family I believe its wrong. So thats our job as a parent, to always offer unconditional love. The Boy Erased actress was married to Cruise, 56, from 1990 to 2001. She previously spoke up about Isabella and Connor to Extra in January 2013. I think everybody has their own path and when they find their path, its such relief as a parent, she said at the time. Provided by American Media, LLC Nicole Kidman Tom Cruise Estranged Children Bella Connor Although the Oscar winner still cares about Isabella and Connor, Scientology expert Tony Ortega told Us in October that the siblings are full-fledged Scientologists and very much under the influence and guidance of their father. Kidman went on to marry Keith Urban in 2006 and the couple share daughters Sunday, 10, and Faith, 7. Us has reached out to the Church of Scientology for comment. Related video: Nicole Kidman Says Everything She Does Is 'Motivated' By Her Children (via ETonline) The Seguin Gazette-Enterprise has undergone a number of changes - including name changes - over the more than 100 years it has served the Seguin and Guadalupe County community. In the fall of 1988, the newspaper celebrated its centennial. The first issue of the paper was published in October of 1888 with the history of the Gazette traced back to 1890. Newspapering in Seguin dates back to Sept. 1853, when the community's first newspaper, the Texan Mercury, rolled off the presses. The Mercury later became the Seguin Mercury. By November of 1956, the next Seguin paper, the Seguin Journal made its initial appearance. Sam Houston became a candidate for governor of Texas in 1857. The Journal supported his candidacy while the Mercury supported his opponent, Hardin R. Runnels. Sam Houston spoke in Seguin on July 25 - his remarks and career extolled by the Journal and disparaged by the Mercury. Runnels was elected governor less than a month later. In 1861, the Mercury changed its name to the Southern Confederacy. The first edition of the paper, later to be succeeded by the Western Texian, expounded on the "rising military spirit" already existing in Seguin with the "Guadalupe Regulars" and "Knights of the Golden Cross." The Union Democrat-Extra also appeared in the 1860s. By 1870, the Guadalupe Times made its debut in Seguin. It was succeeded by the Seguin Times. Issues of the Seguin Times tell of the coming of Seguin into the political limelight with the election of John Ireland as governor of Texas in 1882 and the laying of the Seguin Street Railway in 1885. In 1886, the Times was followed by the Seguin Record. A German newspaper, the Waechter had a brief run that same year. It became known as the Seguiner Zeitung. In the later part of 1894, the Seguin Anchor was succeeded by the Seguin Record. The name of the Anchor was changed to the Guadalupe Gazette in 1890. Later came the Seguin Bulletin whose owner purchased the Gazette and the Zeitung, publishing the Guadalupe Gazette-Bulletin, and finally the Seguin Gazette. The Gazette-Enterprise became a daily publication on Sept. 7, 1979 with a merger between The Seguin Gazette and the Seguin Enterprise. The event signaled the end of decades of lively competition between Seguin's two weekly, and later twice-weekly, publications. Long-time publishers of those newspapers were Otha L. Grisham and John C. Taylor. The paper was purchased in 1984 by Houston-based Southern Newspapers Inc. and in 1999 when it, like a number of other newspapers in the state, went from an afternoon paper to a morning edition. It's most recent change came in November 2019, the Seguin Gazette changed its production days from five days a week to two Sundays and Wednesdays. A new television documentary claims to show we have nothing to fear when Prince Charles eventually becomes King. A film crew has followed the Prince for a year, managing to coax a few nuggets from the testy Royal, including the fact he doesnt plan to interfere so much when he finally ascends to the throne. Really? Make no mistake, the Royal family (or The Firm as they call themselves) have an army of well-paid advisors and courtiers who realise a prime time television show is a terrific PR opportunity to promote their brand. As Charles turns 70, its a chance to reassure those who contribute millions every year towards the running costs of the Royals, via taxes they cant opt out of. A film crew has followed the Prince for a year, managing to coax a few nuggets from the testy Royal, including the fact he doesnt plan to interfere so much when he finally ascends to the throne. Really? Films about the British Royal family appear on our television screens with monotonous regularity these days - when it comes to shameless propaganda the coverage seems little different from the promotional bilge pumped out in North Korea about their bizarre and secretive President. Prince Charles will have loathed whole proposition of a birthday fly-on-the-wall film and the resulting intrusion - hes not someone who watches reality television or is familiar with fly on the wall documentaries. But he will have been ordered to co-operate, to ensure the Royal Brand doesnt suffer any further erosion in popularity - especially as many of us cant see why Charles doesnt just bow out and let William take over. Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Prince George of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Queen Elizabeth II stand on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping the Colour in June 2015 When it comes to his huge wealth, Prince Charles likes to say he lives the simple life, wearing ancient overcoats and eating only one or two small meals a day - reinforcing the fabulous fairy story of the frugal royals. His mother is regularly photographed in front of an ancient single bar electric fire, wearing everyday cashmere, and we know she eats her breakfast from a tray of plastic containers. Charles claims he is self-sufficient and that the income from the Duchy of Cornwall provides him with an income - but the running costs of the entire Royal household and the maintenance of their palaces are heavily subsidised by people living in council flats and heavily mortgaged homes. Who is paying for Harry and Meghan to move into a bigger apartment in Kensington Palace, now that a baby is on the way? How did the Crown amass so much property in the first place? They took it from aristocrats and feudal landowners, whose tenants often lived in poverty. The Prince of Wales attends a service of commemoration at the Abuja Memorial, Nigerian National Military Cemetery, in Abuja Nigeria, on the final day of his trip to west Africa with the Duchess of Cornwall today If I sound like a republican, its because I grew up in half a terraced house with an outside toilet - but my working class parents worshipped the Royal family - they provided a beacon of stability, and a sign that Britain was returning to normal after the horrors of World War 2. Even though my dad was a staunch left-winger, he would not have disbanded the Royals. Half a century ago, the Queen spent her time waving, smiling, wearing lovely outfits and not saying anything at all note. All media covereage was utterly reverential, with commentators adopting the bended-knee position of simpering servitude. No wonder I rebelled against the received wisdom that the Royals could do no wrong - in spite of that ludicrous BBC documentary which showed Elizabeth and Philip at Balmoral cooking a barbecue, just like my mum and dad - except theirs was on a vast estate in the Highlands. The Queens PR problems started when her eldest son grew up and started writing hundreds of letters to politicians, trying to get his views across. He told architects he hated modern buildings, insulting them with his antedeluvian taste in fake classical buildings. Charles (and his sister Anne and brother Andrew) all failed at marriage. Charles couldnt even conduct a divorce without the whole country being exposed to his dirty laundry. Throughout all of this, the Queen said nothing. That is a tremendous achievement, and ensured that the monarchy has retained its popularity, along with all the perks. As Charles turns 70, its a chance to reassure those who contribute millions every year towards the running costs of the Royals, via taxes they cant opt out of, writes Janet Street-Porter As she approaches the end of her reign, a crisis looms because most of us have no idea what Charles will be like as King. Thats why Prince Charles has used a documentary to tell us he will not be meddling in politics - but hes not offering to give up his material wealth or his army of servants. There is still a role for a limited Royal family in modern Britain - as a great tourist attraction. They can host foreign dignitaries and promote international relations, lending their support to hundreds of charities and good causes, contributing positively by fundraising. Harry and William have already realised the Royal family needs to be slimmed down, and Harrys child will not necessarily have a title or an official role. Thank goodness change is happening, albeit at a snails pace. Meanwhile, the courtiers and the advisors have one big problem to deal with- the potential disaster of King Charles. Charles is almost two years younger than me, but he seems weighed down by life. In public, he still seems ill at ease, hand in pocket of expensively crafted suit, perfect pocket hankerchief and immaculate cuff links and tie, all chosen (no doubt) by one of his valets. I get up in the morning and put on what I wore the night before, eat the same basic breakfast because it requires no thought. Charles operates in a world of uninmagineable luxury, cossetted and pampered, with special toilet seats, tea bags, and china travelling everywhere he deigns to visit. The documentary reveals he works so hard that he falls asleep at his desk - well, so do most people, its nothing special. Shift workers driving cabs or buses, or working in Amazon warehouses would know that feeling only too well. Next week, Prince Charles will be 70, and his sons say they would like him to spend more time with his grandchildren. William says when hes there, hes brilliant. But we need him there as much as possible. Maybe thats code for - step aside, dad, and let me take over. And who can blame him? Social media has seemingly made it easier to track down second-hand luxury goods without they eye-watering store price, but it's also led to a proliferation of fakes being touted online. And now fashion expert Victoire Boyer Chammard has revealed how spotting fake luxury items can be a challenge even for fashion experts, and says that often using your senses and instinct can be just as important as in-depth knowledge of the brand. The head of authentication for pre-owned fashion marketplace Vestiaire Collective is responsible for a team of specialists who verify the 3000 items added to the site daily. She spoke to the South China Morning Post about the recent fake authentication shops that have recently opened in Hong Kong to further scam customers, but her advice applies to designer shoppers anywhere in the world. Read on to find out howto make sure you don't part with your hard-earned cash for something that's not the real deal. An authentication expert has revealed how to spot a real designer item from a counterfeit, and said that even if it comes with a receipt, dust bag and box, the best trick is to close your eyes and smell the leather to make sure it's real DO A DNA MATCH The first step is to check that the model or product you're being sold even exists. It could come in authentic looking packaging with a barcode on the side of the box, but that doesn't mean it's the real thing. Then you need to check for details that 'correspond with the DNA of the house', according to Victoire. A vintage item might be missing the label, but you can check it's authentic by matching up details such as the buttons, tweed and lining. USE YOUR NOSE Invoices, dust bags and boxes aren't clear indicators of genuine products as clever counterfeiters will be able to replicate or steal these to make an item look authentic. The authenticity expert also claimed closing your eyes to smell materials such as leather can be useful for measuring quality as An authentication expert is the most reliable source when it comes to checking your designer bag, as even boutique assistants may not have the in-depth knowledge to spot a fake. Pictured: A crocodile skin Hermes Birkin BE WARY OF SOMETHING THAT'S TOO PERFECT HOW TO BUY A SECOND HAND HERMES BIRKIN Buy second hand: Check out online auction sites and high end pawnbrokers. Research the market: Look online to see what prices bags are going for at auction. Sometimes people don't realise the value of the bags and will be pricing them at the 1,500 mark. Seek guarantees: It's very hard to spot a fake so make sure you buy from a reputable site and ask for a guarantee in writing from the seller that you will get a full refund if the bag proves not to be genuine. Seek out less popular sizes: The smaller bags are less desirable than the 40cm Birkin at the moment so you may find it easier to get your hands on one. Be prepared to pay the price: Hermes bags hold their value so buying a second hand Birkin might not be any cheaper than purchasing one brand new. Forge contacts: There are no guarantees and it will take time but you can try to build a relationship with staff in store and hope they will let you know when bags are available. Accept imperfections: You may be able to save money by buying a second hand bag in need of repair, but be aware that you could be waiting a year for refurbishments. Advertisement If a luxury item is made by hand, then every piece is unique and will never be completely perfect. For instance, Hermes bags with almost perfect stitching are likely to be counterfeit as the brand avoids using machines in favour of handmade techniques. EXAMINE THE TINY DETAILS If you can, examine details such as zips, engravings and typography of designer bags against items bought directly from the brand. When buying jewellery, use a loope to examine small details If you're buying a Chanel bag, it should come with a sticker with the serial number, but if it's easily removed this is a sign that your purchase is a fake. And if the bag is from before 1984, it won't have a serial number sticker. The chains on Chanel handbags are handmade and should be weighty and sturdy, so a light chain that's been attached with glue is also a sign that your bag isn't the real thing. DON'T ALWAYS TRUST BOUTIQUE STAFF Victoire warns sometimes bringing products directly in to a brand's boutique isn't enough to verify an item. Sales assistants may not have the depth of knowledge to recognise convincing knock-offs, especially if they are new recruits. If in doubt, go to an authenticity expert rather than relying on staff in a boutique. Although summer means days spent at the beach it also leads to makeup melting off in the sweltering heat pretty quickly. Luckily one Queensland woman who is struggling to keep her makeup in place asked for people's tips in a beauty Facebook group. 'How is everyone doing with their everyday makeup in this disgusting humidity?,' she asked. The woman was met with a bevy of tips from others who have managed to make their faces last throughout the day. Scroll down for video Although summer means days spent at the beach it also leads to makeup melting off in the sweltering heat so one Queensland woman asked for people's tips (Pictured: Shani Grimmond) Many of the tips shared by other women included getting something semi-permanent done so that they could wear less products on their face. 'I have just recently had skin needling with semi-permanent BB glow and now I don't wear foundation,' one person said. This treatment gives people the appearance of wearing BB cream for three to five months. It also reduces the appearance of acne, scarring, pigmentation, freckles, redness and evens out skin tone. Many tips women shared were getting something semi-permanent done so that they could wear less products on their face (Pictured: Pia Muehlenbeck) Of course setting sprays were mentioned a variety of times, with All Nighter from Urban Decay ($49) being the most popular (left) and one woman paired this with the Porefessional primer from Benefit (right) 'I'm living for brows and my lash extensions this summer. Seriously mascara is melting off of my eyelids,' another woman said. Of course setting sprays were mentioned a variety of times, with one woman suggesting setting primer with the spray to keep everything in place. Another said that apart from her nose separating in the heat, spraying Urban Decay setting spray every two hours saved her face for a concert. One woman who also used the All Nighter Setting Spray from Urban Decay paired it with the Porefessional primer from Benefit. Another said that apart from her nose separating in the heat, spraying Urban Decay setting spray every two hours saved her face for a concert (Pictured: Chloe Morello) Make up artist Heidi Hamoud's tips 'If you've got normal to dry skin, make sure you moisturise well,' Heidi previously told FEMAIL. 'If you've got oily or combination skin make sure you use a mattifying primer before applying any makeup.' If you don't moisturise properly for your skin type you run the risk of your make up not setting at all. 'All skin types can benefit from using a light pressed powder to set make up and touch up as needed throughout the day,' she added. Advertisement Someone else recommended using Final Seal from Ben Nye as a setting spray. A person who had to wear a full face of makeup and business attire for an interview during humid weather in Sydney said her makeup managed to remain intact and she only had to touch up once with powder. She exfoliated her skin in the morning with the Tatcha Deep Polish and applied water-based moisturiser before putting on her makeup. 'I also use my MUFE Fix + Mist that contains four drops of the Aqua Seal first, apply primer on t-zone (Urban Decay Original Primer Potion - it really works), and then Tatcha Silk Canvas Primer or Smashbox Pore Minimising Primer depending on the mood,' she said. 'Then I lightly powder my t-zone with the Too Faced Peach Perfect Powder before liquid foundation or BB cream. I set my makeup with the same MUFE spray.' Someone else recommended using Final Seal from Ben Nye as a setting spray One woman exfoliated her skin in the morning with the Tatcha Deep Polish (left) and someone else recommended using Final Seal from Ben Nye as a setting spray A woman who said she experiences really hot days in New Zealand said she uses the Maybelline Matte BB Cream and a powder foundation. She then sprays her face with the De-Slick Oil Control Setting Spray from Urban Decay. Another person detailed their entire makeup routine for days where the humidity is almost too much. A woman who said she experiences really hot days in New Zealand said she uses the Maybelline Matte BB Cream and a powder foundation 'My trick is over powdering and instead of focusing on brushing it all off I will just go over with more bronzer and blush on my brush as the powder on the skin will make it hard for contour or blush to grab,' she said. 'Then I just set with setting spray once, apply highlight, bake my problem area (top lip and mouth area in general), dust it off with my highlight brush and then set again.' She warned the group that not every foundation will like this technique and some will look very dry and cakey. She said she didn't care about the potential cakiness as she's noticed that the products tend to warm into her skin and looks more natural within a couple hours. 'Then I look decent most of the day. I sweat a lot on my top lip though so I always carry the IT Cosmetics powder foundation to touch up as my makeup never completely lasts there,' the woman said. 'This is how my makeup looked after a 10 plus hours day a week ago.' A London-based company has rolled out a Friends-inspired turkey mug just in time for Thanksgiving and it may be the perfect pop culture centerpiece for the holidays. The $22.29 turkey-shaped cup by Firebox is an homage to one of the most beloved holiday episodes of the NBC series, 'The One With All The Thanksgivings.' With its yellow sunglasses and removable fez lid, the ceramic mug is the ultimate gift for Friends fans or anyone who can't help but laugh at a turkey wearing shades and a red cap. Pop culture: The London-based company Firebox has debuted a Friends-inspired turkey mug Scene: In the episode 'The One With All The Thanksgivings,' Monica puts a turkey on her head, accessorizes it with sunglasses and a fez, and dances to make amends with Chandler The mug was inspired by the iconic 1998 episode in which the gang shares their stories of their worst Thanksgivings. For Joey, it was when he got his head stuck in Monica's turkey, but later on in the episode, she is the one who ends up wearing a giant bird. In a series of flashbacks exploring Chandler and Monica's relationship, it is revealed that she tried to seduce him as payback for calling her 'fat' the year before. However, her plan went awry, and she accidentally dropped a knife severing his toe. Iconic: With its yellow sunglasses and removable fez lid, the ceramic mug is the ultimate gift for Friends fans Warning: 'Just please dont try to stick your head in it. Its a standard mug size, its not gonna work,' the company says on its website To try and get Chandler to forgive her in the present day, Monica puts a turkey on her head and tops it off with a fez and sunglasses. Although he isn't amused at first, she shimmies until he laughs and accidentally tells her he loves her. 'Finally, a mug to make a man say "Youre so great, I love you!" and then rapidly backtrack,' the company writes in the description of the mug. In addition to making a great present, Firebox insists it is a 'much better apology gift than sticking a real turkey on your head.' And just in case it wasn't clear that the mug is for drinking liquids only, the company issued a warning about any attempts to pull a Monica. 'Just please dont try to stick your head in it. Its a standard mug size, its not gonna work,' the site says. Get ready for the dance of the sugar plum babies. Photographer Karen Marie of Belly Beautiful Portraits has always been a big fan of the Nutcracker, since she first saw it as a little girl. So in honor of the upcoming holiday season, the Roseville, California-based snapper staged an entire Nutcracker-themed photoshoot but starring babies rather than ballerinas. Holiday cuteness! Photographer Karen Marie of Belly Beautiful Portraits has staged a Nutcracker-themed photoshoot with babies The photographer has earned attention for her creative newborn shoots before For this one, she enlisted Valerie Best of Sew Trendy for the costumes She dressed one little girl up as Clara and gave her props, including a nutcracker, a mouse, and a key Karen said she has been a fan of the ballet since seeing it as a little girl She also expressed excitement over the new film, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms Karen Marie said she was inspired by the ballet, but the new film, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, was an added bonus. 'I saw the ballet when I was just a girl and it was the first time I had ever seen such a production,' she said. 'It was magical. I still remember think about how much thought went into every little perfection of that huge performance.' When she enlisted Valerie Best of Sew Trendy for the costumes, they bonded over their excitement for the new movie. 'She created such amazing gowns and costumes,' she said. Another little baby was dressed as a sugar plum fairy surrounded by candy 'The shoot was fun!' she gushed. 'The babies are adorable! She called the ballet 'magical' and looked to recreate that magic with the shoot She posed all three babies together, swaddled, for a group shot For the shoot last week, she dressed newborns up as the nutcracker himself, Clara, and a sugar plum fairy, adding props like mice, a key, and a candy cane. 'The shoot was fun!' she gushed. 'The babies are adorable! Whether it is only one baby or an eight-baby themed shoot, there is no way of really knowing what to expect so my team and I just try to keep everyone patient and see what we can get. 'We always run into prop or baby surprises! Half the fun is improvising to something that will work!' she said. The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, which stars Mackenzie Foy, was released on November 2 and earned just $20 million in North America opening weekend. It came in second behind Bohemian Rhapsody. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference on November 8, 2018 2018/11/08 Good afternoon, friends from the press! November 8 marks the Journalists' Day in China, I wish all Chinese and foreign journalists working and living in China a happy festival! I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your long-standing support for and active participation in the foreign ministry's regular press conferences, and we look forward to continued good and close cooperation with you all! I have two announcements to make today: At the invitation of France, Vice Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee Ji Bingxuan will attend the Paris Peace Forum and related events on behalf of the Chinese side on November 11. At the invitation of State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Minister of Foreign Affairs Heiko Maas of the Federal Republic of Germany will pay an official visit to China from November 12 to 13, during which the two foreign ministers will hold the fourth China-Germany Diplomatic and Security Strategic Dialogue. Q: Could you give us more details on Vice Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee Ji Bingxuan's attendance at the Paris Peace Forum? A: The World War I is a grave disaster in the history of mankind that caused untold sufferings to all countries, including China. During the war, around 150,000 Chinese laborers have left their homeland and travelled to Europe. They have made important contributions to the restoration of peace and post-war reconstruction, of whom over 20,000 even laid down their lives there. The Chinese side attaches importance to and supports the hosting of the Paris Peace Forum in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the end of the World War I. We hope that this event will help the international community review the lessons of history, cherish and uphold the hard-won peace and stay committed to resolving international disputes through dialogue and negotiation as well as multilateralism, strengthen and improve global governance, and safeguard lasting world peace. In Paris, Vice Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee Ji Bingxuan will attend the opening ceremony of the Paris Peace Forum and memorial services for Chinese laborers and meet with French political leaders. Q: According to reports, Foreign Secretary Teodoro Lopez Locsin of the Philippines recently said that China and ASEAN are pushing forward the relevant negotiations on COC with astonishing amity and that there may be differences and and disputes on the South China Sea in the future, but they need not stand in the way of the concerted efforts made by all relevant parties to conduct mutually beneficial cooperation in other areas. What is your comment? A: We have taken note of the positive statements made by Foreign Secretary Teodoro Lopez Locsin. Currently, thanks to the concerted efforts of China and ASEAN countries, including the Philippines, the situation in the South China Sea is stable on the whole. The relevant countries have come back to the right track of properly resolving differences through dialogue and consultation. The consultations on the text of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) have witnessed continuous progress. Last month, a series of the South China Sea-related meetings including the third meeting of the China-Philippines Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea, the 16th Senior Officials' Meeting on the Implementation of the DOC and the 26th Joint Working Group Meeting on the Implementation of the DOC were held successfully. All relevant parties had a thorough exchange of views on managing differences, enhancing cooperation and the text of the COC. China appreciates the positive and constructive attitude the Philippines has showcased in the negotiations. At the end of last month, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited the Philippines and had an in-depth and friendly exchange of views on stepping up maritime cooperation and upholding peace and stability in the South China Sea with Foreign Secretary Locsin and other Philippine leaders and reached many new important consensuses. The peace and stability in the South China Sea serves the common interests and meets the shared aspirations of the regional countries. It is also our shared responsibility to uphold peace and stability there. China will continue to work with the Philippines and other ASEAN countries to actively advance the COC consultations and maritime practical cooperation and consolidate the current sound momentum. Q: According to reports, the El Salvador President said on November 7 that China will give his country financial aids for social and technological projects. Can you confirm that? Doesn't this sound like the "dollar diplomacy" that Taiwan is always accusing the Chinese side of practicing when it tries to win over its "allies"? A: First of all I have to emphasize that China's support and assistance for El Salvador don't bear the slightest resemblance to the so-called "dollar diplomacy" as Taiwan alleged. On November 1, President Xi Jinping held talks with El Salvadoran President Salvador Sanchez Ceren in Beijing. We issued a detailed news release then. President Xi Jinping stressed that the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and El Salvador conforms to the historical trend and is in line with the fundamental and long-term interests of the two countries. China stands ready to work together with El Salvador to steadily and rapidly advance the friendly exchanges and cooperation between the two countries for the benefit of the two peoples. The Chinese side is willing to cooperate with the Salvadoran side in infrastructure and other fields under the principle of government offering guidance, enterprises as the main player, market operation, win-win results and mutual benefit, and support competent Chinese enterprises in investing in El Salvador. The Chinese side is willing to provide support to El Salvador in education, medical care, water supply, disaster prevention, etc. It is also willing to provide more scholarships to El Salvador, strengthen cooperation in human resources training, and list El Salvador as a destination for outbound Chinese tourist groups. The friendly exchanges and cooperation between China and El Salvador are rapidly progressing. As to reports you cited as saying that China will provide financial aids to El Salvador, I want to stress once again that China-El Salvador relations are based on political principles and aimed for common development. In the spirit of friendship between the two countries and South-South cooperation, China is willing to provide assistance for the economic and social development of El Salvador as its capacity allows. The assistance will focus on El Salvador's urgent livelihood needs, such as food and water supply equipment for disaster-stricken areas and learning devices for poor students so as to benefit the society and ordinary people in El Salvador. As Christmas draws near and youngsters are given access to high-tech toys and ever-expanding budgets - many would be forgiven for choosing a luxe gift or two. But this year, excited children are opting for presents more synonymous with the simplicity of their parents' childhood than the complexities of their own. From re-booted Nintendo games consoles, to Tamagotchis and the timeless Barbie Dreamhouse, retro toys are back - and in a big way. The year's top trends centre on unplugged fun according to Ebay, with the website revealing 'toys that encourage imagination, creativity or to simply get outdoors' are top of the crowded Christmas heap. Excited children are opting for presents more synonymous with the simplicity of their parents' childhood than complexities of their own including a Barbie Dreamhouse (pictured) 'This year, we've seen a shift away from screens with kids being encouraged to play in new ways, often involving the rest of the family, and parents couldn't be happier,' said the site's Chief Marketing Officer Julie Nestor. 'What we really love seeing is the resurgence of some retro favourites - from Polly Pocket and Tamagotchi to Betty Spaghetty - allowing big kids to revisit their childhood.' Other favourites include Razor scooters and Ride on Four Wheel Drive cars - set to inspire hours of outdoor fun. The year's top trends centre on unplugged fun according to Ebay , with the website revealing 'toys that encourage imagination, creativity or to simply get outdoors' are top of the crowded Christmas heap 'This year, we've seen a shift away from screens with kids being encouraged to play in new way,' said the site's Chief Marketing Officer Julie Nesto From re-booted Nintendo games consoles, (pictured) to Tamagotchis and the timeless Barbie Dreamhouse, retro toys are back - and in a big way Interactive and furry friends are also among kids' favourites with the explosion in popularity of Fingerlings in 2017 and Pomsies, Poopsie Slime Unicorn and FurReal Ricky also entering the market. In fact, sales of Pomsies soared 600 per cent over the past three months in the lead up to the festive season. All-in family fun is also high on children's Christmas agenda with board games aimed to get the whole clan in on the action. Top 10 toys for kids Monopoly Cheaters Pomsies Ride On Four Wheel Drive Fisher Price Think & Learn Teach 'n Tag Chow Crown Game FurReal Ricky, Trick Lovin Pup LOL Surprise! Bigger Surprise! Poopsie Slime Unicorn Hatchimals Hatchibabies Transformers: Augmented Bee Vision Nerf N-Strike Elite Infinus Advertisement Top 10 toys for big kids Super NES classic Polly Pocket The Original Tamagotchi Barbie Dream House Bop it Cabbage Patch Kids, Barnyard Kids Betty Spaghetty Hot Wheels Monster Jam Tour Favourites Beanie Babies Beyblade Burst Advertisement The trend signifies a move away from screens according to eBay with sales of board and traditional games - including Monopoly - up 147 per cent since 2015. Surprises galore will also be aplenty throughout the silly season with Hatchimals Hatchibabies and LOL Surprise! Bigger Surprise! range dominating much of the market. Movie-influenced gadgets are also on the rise thanks to the unparalleled popularity of franchises such as Transformers Harry Potter spinoff, Fantastic Beasts. Fantastic Beasts-themed buys jumped 1300 per cent during the month of August when filming began. From Polly Pockets, to Tamagotchi, Beyblades and Betty Spaghetty, nostalgic retro toys are coming back for a new generation of kids to enjoy with their parents Far and away the year's biggest trend is throw back domination - including Barbie But far and away the year's biggest trend is throw back domination. From Polly Pockets, to Tamagotchi and Betty Spaghetty, nostalgic retro toys are coming back for a new generation of kids to enjoy with their parents. First launched in the 1980s, Polly Pocket has been rebooted this year, while the Super NES Classic is based on the original 90s console with Super Mario and Donkey Kong among its games. Model and mother Elyse Taylor is used to attending and being well prepared for glamorous events, whether they're parties, Victoria's Secret shows or dinners. But even the stunning blonde couldn't prepare herself for her Oaks Day sartorial disaster, when she broke her fascinator on the way to the races. The 32-year-old, who just spent her birthday in Zion National Park, Utah, spoke to FEMAIL about how she stays balanced during Cup week - and the silly season - and which makeup product she uses to keep shininess at bay. Scroll down for video Model and mother Elyse Taylor is used to sporting barely-there ensembles for Victoria's Secret, but covered up for Oaks Day Wearing a stunning one-sleeved Alex Perry pink gown Elyse glowed at the formal event, despite having no extra jewellery or headwear Wearing a stunning one-sleeved Alex Perry pink gown Elyse glowed at the formal event, despite having no extra jewellery or headwear. 'I broke my fascinator so I'm going without,' she told FEMAIL, admitting that she was relying on her dress to make the statement. The Nude By Nature ambassador said she was looking forward to sipping on some bubbles in the Mumm tent but usually maintains a balance when it comes to event days. The Nude By Nature ambassador said she was looking forward to sipping on some bubbles in the Mumm tent but usually maintains a balance when it comes to event days Elyse has previously spoken about how she struggled to get back into shape following the birth of her daughter Lila in 2014 (pictured in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show left) 'I think during the summer months we've also got to try and stay hydrated as much as possible. I filled up on a breakfast with my dad this morning so I'm ready for the day,' she said. Elyse has previously spoken about how she struggled to get back into shape following the birth of her daughter Lila in 2014, but now maintains a structured routine. 'I really love to work out and I always travel with my gym clothes or a swimsuit and goggles,' she told the Daily Telegraph at the time. 'If I can I work out five or six times a week, it's great for my mind. I usually do an hour of cardio and then 30 minutes of floor work.' In terms of her makeup routine, which always look flawless, she said the humidity had her turning towards a fuller coverage look The model, who was born in the Sydney suburb of Vaucluse, was first discovered as an 18-year-old before being signed to IMG models In terms of her makeup routine, which always look flawless, she said the humidity had her turning towards a fuller coverage look. 'I've always been aware of natural makeup so I try to use it as much as possible. But I think my primer ($29.95) is actually the number one thing I'll put on to make sure my look lasts,' she said. Previously she has spoken about using Nude by Nature Sheer Glow BB cream (priced at $29.95) and Touch of Glow Highlight Sticks (priced at $24.95), 111SKIN sheet masks (priced at $159) and Pantene Pro-V Foam Conditioner Repair and Protect (priced at $8.50). The model, who was born in the Sydney suburb of Vaucluse, was first discovered as an 18-year-old before being signed to IMG models. In the past, she has walked for high-end designers including Dolce & Gabbana, DKNY, Moschino and Betsy Johnson. World renowned beauty brand Morphe has finally made its way to Australia. Founded in Los Angeles in 2008, Morphe is one of the biggest makeup brands in the world and has been endorsed by famous makeup artists including Jaclyn Hill and Jeffree Star. Now, much to the relief of thousands of beauty aficionados, they have partnered with one of Australia's major end-to-end logistics services providers to help expand into the Asia Pacific. Gone are the days when Australians have to wait weeks for products to arrive as world renowned beauty brand Morphe has finally made its way to our doorstep The site has helped Morphe enhance the shopping experience, delivering a local site where customers can get products faster than ever, at a fraction of the price. This means items like the ever-popular 39A Dare to Create Artistry Palette and The Jaclyn Hill Eyeshadow Palette, an internet-breaking collaboration with YouTube sensation Jaclyn Hill, will be easy to purchase. The collaboration with Jaclyn Hill has been one of the most highly anticipated events in the beauty community over the past year. Morphe has made a name for themselves thanks to their partnerships with big names, with their most recent being with 19-year-old makeup artist James Charles. Morphe was founded in Los Angeles in 2008 and its profile has continued to rise as the likes of famous makeup artists Jaclyn Hill and Jeffree Star endorse it They have partnered with one of Australia's major end-to-end logistics services providers, Quantium Solutions, to help expand into the Asia Pacific Morphe's history Morphe was born in 2008 among the artists and influencers of Los Angeles. Finally, a beauty brand for the creators and for those looking for killer makeup without killing their wallet. Our bold roots started with professional-yet-affordable brushes but didn't stop there. Colour was calling so we answered with eyeshadow palettes, lip colours and more. Source: Morphe Advertisement His palette comprises of 39 bold shades that Charles says are intended for minimalist makeup wearers as well as those who prefer more of an experimental glam look. Beauty bloggers love this brand as their eyeshadow palettes come in warm and cool variations with some sets having as many as 35 shades. They range from day to evening colors, natural to dramatic and with matte and shimmery shades. One of their best selling products is the 35R Ready, Set, Gold Eyeshadow Palette which many have labelled as 'amazing'. 'The colors are pigmented and beautiful and they blend very well because the powder is soft and creamy,' one person said. The site has helped Morphe enhance the shopping experience, delivering a local site where customers can get products faster than ever, at a fraction of the price Serving customers through five eCommerce sites and with an ever-growing list of wholesale partners, Morphe has established itself as the go-to for high quality makeup at an accessible price point. In less than two months, Quantium Solutions also drove Morphe's expansion into two other lucrative markets: New Zealand and the Asia Pacific region. The provider has previously enabled some of the world's largest fashion and beauty brands expand their footprint globally. Morphe was founded in Los Angeles in 2008 and its profile has continued to rise as the likes of famous makeup artists Jaclyn Hill and Jeffree Star (pictured) endorse it 'Over the past four years we've seen tremendous growth in our fan base in the greater Asia Pacific region, making it an easy decision to go into these markets next,' Anthony Perdigao, Head of Global Supply Chain and Logistics at Morphe, said. 'Since day one, our goal has been to create high quality products at an affordable price, while creating an incredible experience for our customers,' he added. Per Gustafsson, General Manager at Quantium Solutions, said Australia shows great potential for international brands to grow their presence. 'We have the capabilities to help global players, like Morphe, reach more Australian customers seamlessly and economically,' he said. 'By handling the parcel straight from when the order is made, right down to when it is handed to the customer, Quantium Solutions allows eCommerce businesses to build a strong customer base in the Asia Pacific without a retail store presence.' As makeup artist Kodo Nishimura sashays into a room in Tokyo balanced on pin-thin heels, he could hardly look less like a practicing Buddhist monk. Sporting smoky eyeshadow, false lashes, and winged eyeliner, he changed outfits three times during a presentation to starry-eyed fans. But at the Tokyo temple where his father is head monk and he assists in rituals, Nishimura is unrecognizable. There, he wears no makeup, and he trades his splashy outfits for the plain robes of a Buddhist cleric. Kodo Nishimura is a successful makeup artist who spends most of his time in the United States But he is also a Buddhist monk, and returns regularly to Japan to assist in rituals for holidays and funerals Nishimura is openly gay and sometimes wears makeup himself or dresses in drag He travels the world, gives talks, and helps trans women learn how to use makeup It might seem like an unusual double act, but that doesn't bother 29-year-old Nishimura. 'This is who I am,' he told AFP. 'I am not going to try to be something else.' Nishimura is primarily a makeup artist, beautifying clients ranging from popstars to pageant contestants. He spends most of the year in the United States, which is where he first openly indulged a passion for makeup. When he was living as a child in Japan, he'd keep is curiosity about that world a secret, hiding in the bathroom to experiment. 'I would open my mom's Chanel eyeshadow palette and I would try to put it on my face. But I looked crazy, I looked like a clown,' he said. He acknowledges that his work as a makeup artist might seem at odds with a religion that prioritizes the inner self, but he also says it's important to be true to oneself His parents are supportive of his career, and his monastery where his father is the head monk is OK with it too He grew up in the Buddhist temple where is father is a monk, playing behind its elaborate golden altar Eventually, he'll have to decide whether or not he wants to give up makeup and take over for his dad Studying in the US, he found things were different. He discovered drag queens working at makeup stores who were happy to answer his questions. At 18, he made his first purchase: mascara and eyeliner. Later, an internship with a makeup artist led to a job. Back home, his parents surprised him by being supportive of his career choice. But as he built himself up as a makeup artist, he felt that something was missing. He had grown up in a Buddhist temple, playing behind its elaborate golden altar and knowing one day he would have to decide whether to follow in his father's footsteps. 'I wanted to know the occupation, what we do, enough to make the decision,' he said. So at 24, he enrolled in a training program in his Buddhist Pure Land sect. It involved five sessions, each several weeks long, spread over a period of around two years. Homesick for Japan, he was excited at first, but his enthusiasm quickly faded. A senior monk told him that Japanese monks often wear non-religious clothing outside the temple and have second jobs He happily travels the world doing makeup and returns to Japan twice a year 'The moment the doors shut, the trainers started screaming,' he said. 'I was like "Oh my God, what did I sign up for?"' But he persevered, returning to the United States between courses, only to have a crisis of confidence near the end. In New York, he wore makeup and jewelry, worked as a makeup artist, and was open about his attraction to men. But he wondered if all of that would 'offend the community of Buddhist monks' and 'degrade the value of other monks'. But a senior monk brushed aside his concerns, pointing out that Japanese monks often wear non-religious clothing outside the temple and have second jobs. And he was uninterested in his sexuality. 'That was like a liberation for me,' Nishimura said. 'That's when I felt: "Mow I can be myself and be a monk as well."' 'I think in Buddhism the core message is to feel happiness, feel balanced within our hearts and to share the happiness,' he said Nishimura has worked on several major beauty pageants 'Makeup and heels [are] like a bridge for me to spread my thoughts to others,' he said He acknowledges that his work as a makeup artist, with its focus on outward appearance, might seem at odds with a religion that prioritizes the inner self. 'I think in Buddhism the core message is to feel happiness, feel balanced within our hearts and to share the happiness,' he said. Feeling beautiful, he believes, makes people 'more generous, more attentive to helping others.' Nishimura returns to Japan twice a year, helping his father at religious events like funerals. For now he can balance his two lives, but eventually he will have to decide whether to inherit his father's temple a prospect he admits doesn't appeal at the moment. 'I don't think that being in this temple is the best way necessarily to help more people.' He has also become an advocate for LGBT rights, and has a side gig teaching transgender women makeup tricks to amplify their feminine features 'This is who I am,' he told AFP. 'I am not going to try to be something else' 'Makeup and heels [are] like a bridge for me to spread my thoughts to others,' he said. He has also become an advocate for LGBT rights, and has a side gig teaching transgender women makeup tricks to amplify their feminine features. 'He helps you look your best with the facial features you already have... [and] encourages transgender people to accept the way we are,' said Mio Aoki, a 27-year-old transgender woman who lined up early for a front-row seat at Nishimura's makeup demonstration. 'There are many make-up artists who teach people make-up, but I think there's no one like Kodo.' Boots has become the latest UK retailer to unveil its Christmas advert. The pharmacy chain's festive offering is a tear-jerking take on Robbie Williams' 1998 hit She's the One, following the story of a mother and her teenage daughter named Clare and Molly. It sees the pair locking horns in the run-up to Christmas, before the daughter sees her mum singing carols with her choir - helping her to see her 'for who she really is' and inspiring her to buy her mother a red lipstick for Christmas. In a scene that families up and down the country will relate to, the film begins with Clare attempting to style Molly's hair in an elaborate up-do, and not quite succeeding. In the following scenes, Molly continues to exhibit typical teenage behavior, from stealing her perfume to wearing too much makeup. A single mother and teenage daughter star in Boots' Christmas advert, pictured, a tear-jerking take on Robbie Williams' 1998 hit She's the One, following the story of Clare and Molly It sees Clare patiently tries to guide her through these milestones, with beauty playing a central a role in their relationship. Eventually, Molly finds herself in a Christmas market where she is stunned to see her mum performing in a choir - which includes real Boots employees and London community choirs - singing confidently and looking glamorous. After seeing her mother in a new light - looking 'stunning and strong' - Molly is inspired to buy her a red lipstick for her next performance. The music in the ad is a take on She's The One by Robbie Williams instead the track is called She's Me Mum. Producers said the ad focused on 'the magic of Christmas with the simple joy of exchanging gifts with loved ones, to show you really get them'. Helen Normoyle, marketing director for Boots UK and Ireland, explained: 'Christmas and the festive period is a perfect time to bring together friends and family. Boots' Christmas advert begins with single mum Clare attempting to style Molly's hair in an elaborate up-do, and not quite succeeding, pictured In one scene that families up and down the country will relate to, Molly is seen getting dolled up for a night out, with her mother handing her a pack of face wipes, pictured Clare's choir, pictured, includes real Boots employees and London community choirs - with the single mother singing confidently and looking glamorous Molly finds herself in a Christmas market, and where she is stunned to see her mum performing in a choir, pictured, in Boots' tear-jerking Christmas advert Clare becomes emotional as her wayward teenage daughter buys her a thoughtful gift for Christmas - a red lipstick for her next choir performance 'We wanted to really celebrate this special connection by focusing in on the spirit of beauty gifts showing you really understand your loved ones. 'The story charting the relationship between the mum and daughter was a perfect example of how even when we're close to the ones we love, we can often take their unique traits for granted. 'Working with our own Boots colleagues in the choir and having a fresh take on a well-known song provided a fun and touching way to bring our proposition to life.' The Boots advert comes after a string of major retailers - including Asda, Aldi and Tesco - began the annual battle to win over shoppers. Saint Laurent has released a new line of jewellery that includes a pair of dangly penis earrings and a matching necklace. The aptly named Dangle earrings retail for 215, and are embossed with the name of the fashion house running along the back. The matching golden pendant necklace is selling for 520 and has the iconic logo hanging from the clasp instead. Made of gold brass, the penis jewellery is the latest in a trend which has seen designer brands releasing a number of x-rated items based on genitalia. Anthony Vaccarello is the creative director of Saint Laurent, having taken over from Hedi Slimane, who is now at the helm of Celine. Saint Laurent is selling this penis pendant necklace for 520. It comes with the iconic YSL logo hanging from the clasp The luxury brand are also selling a pair of aptly named dangle penis earrings. The earrings feature the Saint Laurent name on the back Pictured: Kaia Gerber walking the runway for Saint Laurent at Paris Fashion Week in September Twitter users are loving the controversial design, with one asking: 'Were [sic] do i get the ysl penis earrings and necklace i WANT RHEM [sic]. 'Another shared a snap of the earrings with the caption: 'Fashion has gone the right way.' One individual added: '@YSL made some points with these penis earrings.' Unfortunately fans may be left disappointed as neither item is currently available on the website, and only the necklace can be found in UK stores. Fendi made the headlines last month after their 'Touch of Fur' scarf was renamed as 'Vulva Scarf' after Twitter users noticed the item's unlikely resemblance to a vagina. One woman on Twitter posted: 'Is there a woman (or person) alive who wants to walk around with a hairy vagina scarf around their neck?' Despite the horror online, the 750 scarf sold out on the Fendi website after just a few hours. Last month, this 750 Fendi scarf hit the headlines for its resemblance to a vagina Several designers have been selling genital-themed jewellery recently, including this logo-laden penis ear stud by Vivienne Westwood which quickly sold out Brit designer Vivienne Westwood has also jumped on the bandwagon, releasing a logo-laden penis ear stud that sold out on every website it was available on. And last year Tom Ford released a penis necklace that received criticism from the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights. The controversial Catholic League considered the piece offensive as the pendant appeared to be in the shape of a cross. Bill Donahue, the Catholic League's president and CEO said: 'A designer gets a little too cute with my religion at Christmastime, and uses sexual imagery to make a quick buck off of it. 'Sounds like someone who is not exactly Catholic-friendly, and has some sexual hang-ups as well.' A mother-of-four has shared how she breastfed her youngest daughter until she was nine - after the youngster decided she no longer wanted 'mummy milk'. Sharon Spink, from Sherburn-in-Elmet, North Yorkshire says the extended nursing has cemented a lifelong bond between them and her daughter has enjoyed good health because of the milk's nutrients. The schoolgirl decided to stop taking her mother's milk eight weeks ago, a decision that was supported by Sharon. The mother says the road hasn't always been easy, with some people branding her extended breastfeeding as child abuse. Sharon, 50, says she wants to break down the stigma around breastfeeding older children - believing there are many mums out there doing it. Sharon Spink, from North Yorkshire, says breastfeeding her nine-year-old daughter Charlotte has given them a strong bond and Charlotte a healthy start in life The youngster, pictured feeding, decided earlier this year that she no longer wanted what she called 'mummy milk', something which Sharon says is natural but that she'll miss Criticism: Actor Sharon, a trained breastfeeding counsellor, says she's been labelled a peadophile by people who don't agreed with extended nursing Sharon said she was determined to breastfeed Charlotte after struggling to do it with her other three children Kim, 30, Sarah, 28, and Isabel, 12. 'When I came to have Charlotte, I had decided on natural term weaning. 'It's nice for the child to be in control of when they want to wean, rather than forcing the issue. 'She naturally self-weaned earlier this year. It was a gradual process and her choice. 'She was feeding about once a month if she wasn't feeling great or was feeling a bit run down, and was going longer and longer without feeding. 'Now she hasn't done it for about two months. She told me she would stop when she was 10 which will be in April next year but it seems to have come to a natural end earlier, although I would have allowed her to continue for as long as wants to. 'As she's been reducing anyway I don't feel sad about it. If she would have stopped suddenly I think I would have missed it, but it's just nice that it's come to a natural end. 'It's how I envisaged it would end. It was her choice and was done in a very gradual way. Fourth time lucky! The mother-of-four struggled to feed her older children and was delighted when Charlotte latched on to the breast easily Sharon says when Charlotte is older, she hopes she'll remember 'that feeling of comfort and security'. 'We have such a close bond and I'm convinced it's because of breastfeeding her for so long. 'It cemented our bond and I don't think that will change now it's stopped. I think we're closer because of doing it. I haven't had any pangs since she stopped and she still comes for a cuddle. 'With Charlotte it was about the security. Children find a lot of comfort in the breast, and the older they get the more it becomes about comfort rather than nutrition.' What is the NHS advice for breastfeeding mothers? The NHS guidance for getting your baby to latch onto your breast is as follows: Hold your baby close to you with their nose level with the nipple. Wait until your baby opens their mouth really wide with their tongue down. You can encourage them to do this by gently stroking their top lip. Bring your baby on to your breast. Your baby will tilt their head back and come to your breast chin first. Remember to support your baby's neck but not hold the back of their head. They should then be able to take a large mouthful of breast. Your nipple should go towards the roof of their mouth. Advertisement Sharon claims Charlotte is very healthy and rarely gets ill due to breast milk's boost to the immune system. The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding up to six months with continued breastfeeding along with complementary foods up to two years of age or beyond. Sharon, who last year qualified as a breast feeding counsellor, said: 'I breastfed my first two children for a couple of weeks and my daughter Isabel for about six months but I ran into problems and felt like there was a lack of support. 'When Isabel was four months old she lost weight and I had to supplement that with formula. 'I was determined to make it work for Charlotte. 'My initial goal was to get past the six months mark then it became 12 months then two years which is the WHO minimum recommendation. After that it was seeing how far she wanted to go. 'There were times when I wanted to give up especially in the early days of feeding but you think I'm doing this for my child. This is what she wants and I'll carry on because I know it's helping her. 'By four and a half Charlotte was sleeping through the night but she'd still come into the bed and have a feed. 'Sometimes I wouldn't even realise and I'd ask her the next day whether she came in in the night to feed.' Sharon said at the age of five Charlotte was feeding three times a day but this has been gradually reducing over the last four years until she was doing it about once a month. She said she used to feed Charlotte in public places including the hairdressers, supermarket and church but now just does it at home. Sibling jealousy: Sharon says Charlotte's older siblings would occasionally get envious of the time the pair spent together while feeding Sharon said: 'She stopped feeding in public when she was about four or five. 'Charlotte doesn't talk about it at school. It's not something that would come up in conversation with schoolmates. 'The reaction I get from within the breastfeeding community is one of support. There were a lot of positive comments. 'Obviously there have been the negatives - usually from typical keyboard warriors who post their opinion. 'I have been called every name under the sun. I've been told it's child abuse, I've been called a paedophile and told it's wrong and that I'm a freak. 'The first time it upset me because I wasn't used to it but now it's water off a duck's back. 'Charlotte knows it's not true and people I care about know it's not true. 'I explain to her that they are people who do not know her or us or our situation. 'Our family and friends are very supportive. 'I'm sure it's more common that people think but mums are too scared to talk about it and are scared of the backlash from people that don't understand that it's normal. 'I just want to let other mums out there who are wondering 'should I or should I not?' that this is normal and this is what children do. I feel like my body is doing what it's supposed to be doing. It's what breasts are for. We have to support mums. It's about choice. Sharon Spink 'If they feed for as long as they want to they will naturally wean. 'In a lot of countries it's perfectly normal to breastfeed older children and they will do it for a lot longer than we do in the west. 'She's not had an ear infection, cough or cold for a long time but it's hard to say what the long term health benefits will be as I can't turn back the clock and see how it would be had she stopped earlier. 'When compared to my other three children I would say she is healthier and doesn't get as many coughs, colds and tummy aches. 'She's got all her adult teeth. I'd read when they get all their adult teeth they lose the ability to latch on but it seems to be fine. 'For quite a while she fed on the left side and every so often she'd try the other side and say it tastes different. 'I can't express milk anymore, but I still was able to produce it when she fed.' Sharon said Charlotte's dad, CAD manager Paul Spink, 45, is understanding. But she admitted her choice to breastfeed Charlotte may have caused a bit of jealousy with her older sister Isabel. She said: 'He just lets us get on with it although he doesn't really have a choice.' 'Isabel is laid back about it. I think when she was younger it caused problems with jealousy with Charlotte getting more of mummy's time. Mother and daughter have a close bond and Sharon says she hopes her daughter will remember the love and security that the breastfeeding gave her 'We made a point of Charlotte having a feed for half an hour at bedtime then I would sit with Isabel for half an hour. 'There has been the odd time when Isabel said 'can I have a go? I wouldn't know how to do it' and she would pretend to feed. 'I hope that this has helped Charlotte decide if she wants to breastfeed when she's older.' Former jewellery maker Sharon said she feels proud about what her body has achieved. Sharon said: 'It feels empowering doing something like this. 'All four of my children were born by c-section and I felt like my body had failed. I hated feeling like that but it was true. 'I've grown up and learned so much more now. I look back and I've got four healthy children who had they not been born by c-section would not be here today. 'With breastfeeding when it doesn't happen you feel like your body is not working properly. I tried to breastfeed three children and failed and that made me more determined. 'I feel like my body is doing what it's supposed to be doing. It's what breasts are for. We have to support mums. It's about choice.' The Duchess of Sussex has championed several Canadian labels since joining the royal family, and coats from the brand Mackage have been her go-to on some of her most high-profile appearances to date - including her engagement announcement. Now, British fans looking to steal Meghan's style can buy the brand in the UK after it launched a pop-up in Harrods, running until mid-November. However, the Duchess might not be quite to impressed with the pieces on offer, which don't quite fit with the ethical image she likes to champion through her clothing. The new range of coats available at Harrods features a collection of parkas lined and trimmed with real fur. One 1,150 parka for instance in lined with 'genuine rabbit fur' and has a 'genuine fox fur trim to hood'. The Duchess of Sussex chose a Mackage coat for her first official visit to Belfast in March, but will she boycott the brand now that it's selling coats adorned with real fur at Harrods? The 950 Akiva Down Fur-Lined Hooded Coat currently on sale at Harrods features a real fox fur trim and rabbit fur lining The new Mackage range on sale at Harrods features multiple coats that feature real fur trim and linings Meghan has championed Mackage on a number of important occasions, including her highly significant first official royal duty with Harry, days after they announced their engagement. The Duchess wore the $790 CAD (585) Elodie by Mackage navy coat to meet hordes of fans in Nottingham in December 2017, her first official royal engagement on behalf of the royal family. She also donned the Mai waterfall coat, $750 CAD (427), for her first official visit to Northern Ireland with Prince Harry in March 2018, which sold out within an hour. The label later cashed in on its popularity by ramping up the price of the belted number by $40 CAD (23), up to $790 CAD (450). The Duchess of Sussex chose to champion Mackage on her high profile first official engagement with Prince Harry in Nottingham in December 2017, days after announcing they were getting married The use of real fur will surely not sit well with Meghan who is known for wearing brands that support ethical, eco-friendly or sustainable practices. She also likes to wear brands that support charitable endeavours or have a feminist message at heart. During the recent royal tour of Sydney, New Zealand and Oceania, she used her high profile appearances to promote a 'woke' message through her wardrobe. The Veja trainers she wore for a boat trip in Sydney during the Invictus Games were environmentally friendly, made from raw materials sourced from organic farming and ecological agriculture. Meghan's navy dress at the Invictus Games Opening Ceremony was by one of her go-to designers, Stella McCartney, who is famous for her cruelty-free approach to luxury fashion Meghan wore her Rothy's flats - seen on the Duchess on South Melbourne Beach - twice on tour. Vogue has dubbed the pumps, made from recycled plastic bottles, the most 'politically correct shoes on the planet' Outland Denim, the brand behind the 'Harriet' jeans she wore on the same boat trip - and on other occasions over the course of the tour - revealed that the spike in interest in its jeans thanks to the Duchess' support had enabled it to employ a further 15 to 30 seamstresses in its Cambodian production house. Outland trains and employs female victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation in the country. The Rothy's flats Meghan wore twice on tour are made from recycled plastic water bottles that would otherwise have been destined for landfill - and have been dubbed the most 'politically correct shoes on the planet' by Vogue. Even her most high-end items included right-on choices - she wore a navy cocktail dress by Gabriela Hearst in Wellington, a designer who operates on a sustainable, less-is-more ethos. And Meghan's wedding reception dress designer Stella McCartney, who also made the navy dress she wore in Rotorua on the final day of the royal tour, is famous for her cruelty-free approach to luxury fashion. The Prince of Wales paid a poignant tribute to the war dead on the final morning of his west Africa tour. Charles, 69, attended a Service of Remembrance at the Abuja Commonwealth War Graves cemetery on Thursday morning. Dressed in a light linen suit adorned with his military medals, the royal looked sombre as he laid a large poppy wreath at the Abuja Memorial. Charles went solo as he completed a string of engagements on his final day in the Nigerian capital after Camilla flew back to the UK. Last night the heir, who will celebrate his 70th year next week, was wished a happy birthday by British model Naomi Campbell who told him he was young in spirit. Remembering the fallen: The Prince of Wales paid a poignant tribute to the war dead on the final morning of his west Africa tour today, laying a poppy wreath at the war graves in Abuja The function, which was attended by members of Nigerias fashion industry in traditional dress, saw the pair greet each other warmly. The Prince of Wales has cut out a stop of a trip to Nigeria over security concerns, following months of deadly clashes between nomadic herders and farmers in the restive region. He and Camilla arrived in the Nigerian capital Abuja on Tuesday, on the tail end of a west African tour that has included stops in the Gambia and Ghana. They were expected to travel to Nigeria's central city of Jos on Thursday, the last day of their stay, to discuss peace-building and conflict resolution. 'Due to operational constraints beyond our control, we have decided at this time not to include Jos during their royal highnesses' visit to Nigeria,' said a British foreign office spokeswoman on Monday. Poignant: Charles, 69, attended a Service of Remembrance at the Abuja commonwealth war graves cemetery on Thursday morning, on the final day of his west Africa tour Sunny climes: Dressed in a light linen suit adorned with his military medals, the royal looked sombre as he laid a large poppy wreath at the war graves Charles is joined on stage by Nigerian officials. He went solo as he completed a string of engagements on his final day in the Nigerian capital after Camilla flew back to the UK Charles lays a wreath at the war graves in Abuja this morning. Last night the heir, who will celebrate his 70th year next week, was wished a happy birthday by British model Naomi Campbell who told him he was young in spirit Charles and Camilla arrived in the Nigerian capital Abuja on Tuesday, on the tail end of a west African tour that has included stops in the Gambia and Ghana Charles chats to local school children in Abuja. He and Camilla had been expected to travel to Nigeria's central city of Jos on Thursday, the last day of their stay, to discuss peace-building and conflict resolution 'We are delighted to have an exciting programme of activity in Abuja and Lagos which will showcase those issues close to the Prince's and the Duchess's hearts,' she said. 'The decision was taken upon advice from the Nigerian government and others involved in security and operational aspects of the visit.' Jos, the Plateau state capital of about one million people, is nestled in the hills of central Nigeria and has frequently been the scene of violence. Plateau state lies in Nigeria's so-called Middle Belt that separates the predominantly Muslim north from the largely Christian south. It has long been a hotbed of ethnic, sectarian and religious tensions that flare up during election season. Nigerians are set to vote in hotly contested presidential polls in February 2019. Advertisement Crown Princess Mary and Prince Frederik of Denmark have concluded their Italian tour by meeting Pope Francis in Vatican City. Australian-born Mary and her husband held an audience and exchanged gifts with the head of the Catholic Church on Thursday. The couple were in Rome earlier to strengthen the relationship between Denmark and Italy. Scroll down for video Crown Princess Mary and Prince Frederik of Denmark concluded their Italian tour by meeting Pope Francis in the Vatican Australian-born Princess Mary has concluded her three-day tour of Italy with her husband Prince Frederik of Denmark Vatican Secretary of State Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin (right) greets the prince, dressed in a navy suit, and the princess, clad in a sleek black dress and veil with matching heels Pope Francis exchanged gifts with the crown couple, inviting them and their delegation into the Apostolic Palace. Frederik and the Pope were pictured sharing a laugh as they conversed in Italian in front of a private audience. Princess Mary ditched the Nike sneakers she had been pictured wearing earlier for a pair of black heels and matching black dress and veil. She wore black in accordance with dress rules outlined by the Vatican for guests fortunate enough to hold audience with a pontiff. It's recommended that female guests wear black with an accompanying veil or mantilla. Shoulders and the neckline should be covered. For men, previously, a coat with tails was expected. But in recent years, a dark suit coat and plain-coloured tie has become acceptable. Accordingly, the prince donned a navy suit and tie with a pin on his lapel, while the Pope wore traditional white robes. The couple were in Italy to strengthen the country's relationship with Denmark, meeting with politicians and leaders Prefect of the Papal Household, Georg Ganswein (right) greeted the royal couple as they arrived at the Apostolic Palace The couple exchanged gifts with the Pope during a private audience with cardinals and a Danish entourage So far, the Danish royals have been received by the the Italian President Sergio Mattarella, with whom they had lunch at the Palazzo del Quirinale presidential palace. Earlier in their trip, Mary and Frederik attended seminars on health, food and urbanisation. Danish and Italian food artists collaborated to put on a cookie event for the royal couple. After visiting the Vatican, Mary and Frederik saw the Trevi fountain and the iconic Roman aqueducts. Rome holds a special meaning for the couple as it is where Crown Prince Frederik proposed to Mary in 2003. Italy holds a special significance for the royal couple, as it is the country where Prince Frederik proposed in 2003 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. Featuring the queen of daytime TV and a celebrity male model, the Marks & Spencer Christmas advert looks set to be the most star-studded of the festive season. The high street heavyweight today released a first look at its clothes and homeware campaign, becoming the latest retailer to join in the race for customers' attention. Brand ambassador Holly Willoughby, 37, stars in the TV spot, sporting some of the brand's 'must-have' jumpers, skirts and coats as she dazzles her way through a delightful festive season. Meanwhile model David Gandy, 38, swaps his smouldering campaign shoots for a messy kitchen as he dons a pair of marigolds to do the washing up. Adding to the A-list factor, Sir Tom Jones provides the soundtrack for the video with his feel-good track Give A Little Love. Today also saw the launch of the separate M&S food advert - a rather more low-key affair featuring real customers and staff gushing over their favourite festive treats. Scroll down for video Festive fun! Marks & Spencer brand ambassador Holly Willoughby, 37, stars in the first look of the British high street retailer's new Christmas campaign, which will be released next week. In one scene Holly, dressed in M&S clothes, waits at a bu stop with a nurse and life-size fairy Family time: The 60-second TV spot opens with mother-of-three Holly plugging in a set of fairy lights to illuminate a beautifully decorated Christmas tree in a cosy living room Getting stuck in: Model David Gandy, who has had several clothing collections with M&S, dons a pair of marigolds as he plays the role of a son-in-law desperate to impress by doing the washing up. The feel-good campaign is set to Sir Tom Jones' track Give A Little Love The campaign, which will be released in full next Tuesday, focuses on the highlights of a typical Christmas period - from office parties and decorating the tree to buying presents and nights on the sofa watching TV. For the first time, the advert focuses on the retailer's products and festive must-haves, rather than a broader heart-warming story seen in years gone by. The 60-second spot opens with Holly asking, 'What makes Christmas, Christmas?,' before she wriggles under a beautifully decorated Christmas tree to plug in a set of twinkling fairy lights. As the music picks up, the party season gets underway with an attractive model strutting her stuff through a series of soirees while dressed in a trio of outfits from the retailer. Plenty of present ideas: The campaign sees Holly modelling pieces from the retailer's winter collection, including this purple coat. It is part of her role as M&S brand ambassador Cosy and comfortable: Pieces like this tartan skirt and chunky yellow jumper will give customers plenty of inspiration for their Christmas present lists ... And there's a mouth-watering food one, too! Marks & Spencer released its food campaign today as it launches its bid to lure customers with its festive treats. The TV spot features real customers and employees from across the UK who were asked to pick their favourite offering from the retailer's food department. It marks the first unscripted advert in the retailer's history, with producers trusting that their genuine excitement and enthusiasm will resonate with potential customers. The campaign is far more low-key than the clothes and home offering, featuring groups of people sitting on the sofa, interspersed with mouth-watering shots of food. The TV spot features real customers and employees from across the UK who were asked to pick their favourite offering from the retailer's food department A delicious roast turkey is sure to entice customers planning their Christmas lunch Another festive favourite, mince pies, also make an appearance in the campaign Advertisement In a nod to Bridget Jones three friends cuddle up on the sofa in a selection of brightly-coloured jumpers while singing their hearts out to the film's unofficial anthem All By Myself. Elsewhere David Gandy, who has released several clothing collections with M&S, plays the role of the son-in-law desperate to impress as he puts on a pair of rubber gloves and prepares to put himself to good use in the kitchen. The advert also offers three different endings in a bid to keep customers interested in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Feel-good factor: In a nod to Bridget Jones three friends cuddle up on the sofa in a selection of brightly-coloured jumpers while singing to the film's unofficial anthem All By Myself First look: The advert, which will be released in full next week, also offers three different endings in a bid to keep customers interested in the weeks leading up to Christmas Marks & Spencer also released a second campaign focusing on its food section, which sees customers across the UK revealing their favourite festive treats, from Brussels sprouts to Christmas pudding. The brand is the latest in a string of stores to release their festive offerings, with Aldi, Currys PC World and TK Maxx among those who have already launched. Among the big names still to emerge is John Lewis - arguably the biggest release of the festive season. A photograph of Meghan and Eddie Redmayne at Soho House Istanbul has resurfaced online - years before they partied together at the club's Amsterdam launch this autumn. The picture shows the smiling pair with London-based photographer Jason Bailey in Turkey in 2015, a year before the now Duchess of Sussex started dating Prince Harry. Sharing the snap on Twitter, Jason wrote: 'Night in, watching movies and remember fun times with this crew #EddieRedmayne @meghanmarkle #istanbul' Meghan, 37, and Old Etonian Eddie, 36, were reunited this September, when they both attended the star-studded launch of the new Soho House in Istanbul. A photograph of Meghan partying in Istanbul with Eddie Redmayne has resurfaced online. It shows the smiling pair with London-based photographer Jason Bailey (centre) Photographer Jason shared the snap on Twitter in 2015, captioning it 'fun times with this crew'. They are believed to have been in Istanbul for the launch of a new Soho House In the photograph shared by Jason, Meghan is seen wearing jeans and a white T-shirt, with a leather jacket over the top. Meanwhile, Eddie was also dressed down in a denim jacket and navy chinos while at the glitzy event in Istanbul. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were surprise guests at the three-day launch of the new Soho House in Amsterdam in September, where Fantastic Beasts star Eddie was also a guest. Harry and Meghan were said to have spent a long time in conversation with the actor, who was accompanied by wife Hannah Bagshawe, at the launch. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (pictured in Sydney last month) were surprise guests at the three-day launch of the new Soho House in Amsterdam in September Meghan is known to be a big fan of the exclusive private members' club, with the Duchess sharing Instagram snaps of her and Millie Mackintosh at Soho Farmhouse back in 2016 (above), when her romance with Harry was beginning In fact, Eddie has another connection with the royal family, as he was in the same year as Prince William at Eton. A host of other stars also attended the three-day party, including actor Douglas Booth, comedian Michael McIntyre and radio host Nick Grimshaw. Soho House is an exclusive private members' club that charges members 830 a year for admittance to one house and 1,500 for its 'houses' across the world. Both Meghan and Harry are known to be a big fan of the chain, and are understood to have had their first date at Soho House's Dean Street Townhouse in London. Meanwhile, the Duchess of Sussex - who is close friends with owner Markus Anderson - has previously stayed at Soho Farmhouse in the Cotswolds, sharing Instagram snaps of her and Millie Mackintosh there back in 2016, when her romance with Harry was beginning. A blogger has claimed she was denied entry to the Louvre in Paris by a security guard because of her revealing dress. Newsha Syeh, an influencer from Australia, vented her anger to her 230,000 plus followers on Instagram, and said the experience left her 'heartbroken'. Sharing a picture of the low-cut black mesh dress she was wearing when she visited the famous museum during her trip to Paris this week, the 25-year-old wrote: 'Yesterday at the Louvre, I was stopped at the entrance by a guard for my outfit'. There is no set dress code listed on the museum's website, but its visitor regulations state that it is forbidden to 'wear swimsuits or be naked, barefoot or bare-chested'. FEMAIL has contacted Newsha and the Louvre for comment. Newsha Syeh, an influencer from Australia who boasts over 230,000 followers, unleashed a furious tirade on social media after claiming she was refused entry to the Louvre for her outfit The blogger said in her post: 'He made the most disgusted and horrible gestures and facial expressions, swore at me to cover up, with hate filled eyes stopped me entering. 'I was heartbroken, because I though the Louvre enforced this archaic rule. Turns out it does not.' She posted a screen-grab of her Google search for a dress code at the museum, the result of which indicated it doesn't. The text of the article at the top of the search results said: 'There is no Louvre dress code, you can wear for visiting the Louvre what you want. Just have in mind that you are going to walk A LOT. Bring comfortable shoes. Dress in layers, like an onion,' the review read.' Sharing a picture of the black mesh dress she was wearing when she visited the famous museum during her trip to Paris this week, the 25-year-old wrote: 'Yesterday at the Louvre, I was stopped at the entrance by a guard for my outfit'. She continued: 'He made the most disgusted and horrible gestures and facial expressions, swore at me to cover up, with hate filled eyes stopped me entering.' And followers quickly flooded a picture showing her outfit with comments of support and outrage. One wrote: 'Im sorry that happened. I think your outfit is the most beautiful thing. Biggest love.' Another recalled her own experience, claiming: 'When I visited The Louvre with my sister a few years ago we wore winter clothes with boots and we got denied entry by security for being "Under dressed". 'They were so rude about it too and cussed us out until we had no choice but to walk away feeling embarrassed. Your outfit is beautiful.' And one branded the guard's reaction outdated, writing: 'Im speechless about what happened to you at the Louvre, the fact is that there arent rules about what you can wear when you enter in it. 'We are in the 21st century and there are still people that are hostile about what youre wearing and the way you wear it. I dont know what to say, only that Im extremely speechless.' She then took to her Instagram stories to share a google search, which appeared to show the museum does not in fact have a dress code And followers quickly flooded a picture showing her outfit with comments of support and outrage 'We are in the 21st century and there are still people that are hostile about what youre wearing and the way you wear it. I dont know what to say, only that Im extremely speechless,' another said The Louvre is the world's largest art museum and a historic monument in Paris, containing famous pieces including the Mona Lisa. A central landmark of the city, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine and the vastness of the museum means it would reportedly take one hundred days to look at every piece of art for thirty seconds- so visitors are advised to wear comfortable clothing. While the museum's website does not specify a dress code, section 1, article 2 of its visitor regulations states that it is prohibited to 'wear swimsuits, or be naked, bare-chested or barefoot'. A fan recalled her own experience, claiming: 'When I visited The Louvre with my sister a few years ago we wore winter clothes with boots and we got denied entry by security for being "Under dressed". This excerpt from the museum's visitor regulations do state that it is prohibited to 'wear swimsuits, or be naked, bare-chested or barefoot' A three-year-old girl from Tennessee lost her firefighter father earlier this year, but she still took a touching moment to celebrate his birthday. Lawrenceburg, Tennessee firefighter Jason Dickey would have turned 39 on Wednesday, but he was killed on February 12 when a home collapsed during a firefight. His family wouldn't let his birthday go unnoticed, though, and his wife Jennifer shared a heartbreaking but sweet video of their daughter Korbyn singing to him. Three-year-old Korbyn Dickey sings happy birthday to her late father in a touching video The little girl clings to a pillow with his picture on it as she sings to him Lawrenceburg, Tennessee firefighter Jason Dickey would have turned 39 on Wednesday, but he was killed on February 12 when a home collapsed during a firefight In a video Jennifer shared with Fox17 Nashville, Korbyn sits in a bed in a party dress, with a big smile on her face. She wears an enormous red bow on top of her curly yellow hair, and in her arms is a pillow baring her dad's photo. The image, an official firefighter portrait, was silkscreened on. Korbyn begins to sing 'Happy birthday dada,' finishing off the tune by blowing on the pillow as if she is blowing out the candles on a cake. 'Yay!' she says, smiling and clapping, while her mom can be heard laughing from behind the camera. Jennifer and Jason had three other children together: Kensley, Kason, and little Kallon, who was born in March after Jason died. Jason also had a daughter named Kensley (center) and a son named Kason (left) He and his wife were expecting another son, Kallon, who war born a month after he died To celebrate his birthday this week, Jennifer put flowers on his grave, released balloons, and had cake with the kids. After the video was posted online, Jason's old station replied on Twitter. 'There are no words. Embrace your loved ones and never forget the heroes who gave it all protecting us. Great Job,' they wrote. Jason, a firefighter for 11 years, was remembered fondly by those who knew him. At his funeral, Lawrenceburg Mayor Keith Durham said: 'We celebrate the husband that he was, the daddy that he was, the friend that he was, the co-worker that he was. And this day, we celebrate his life. 'All that he's done, all the lifesaving measures he's put in place, he was a hero before Monday night,' he added, according to WHNT19. It recently emerged that he has been working as a host at Scottish hotel Glen Affric Lodge near Loch Ness, belonging to Pippa Middleton's father-in-law. But James Middleton took a break from hosting duties as he attended the twentieth GQ Man Of The Year Awards in Berlin on Thursday. Perhaps in a nod to his new home, the youngest Middleton brother, 31, put on a suave display in tartan trousers as he arrived at the bash. Adding to his stylish ensemble, James opted for a black contrast fabric tuxedo and a crisp shirt, completing the look with a bow tie and a poppy brooch ahead of armistice day. Kate's younger brother James Middleton put on a dapper display as he attended the twentieth GQ Man Of The Year Awards in Berlin on Thursday Wearing a pair of patent brogues and rocking an impressive beard, James posed up a storm for cameras at German opera house Komische Oper. The younger brother of Kate and Pippa Middleton looked in good spirits, despite appearing to sport a small wound on his head. Orlando Bloom and Patrick Dempsey are among the stars named for awards this year. In September it emerged the youngest Middleton is working as a host at Glen Affric Lodge near Loch Ness, owned by David Matthews, father of Pippa's hedge fund manager husband, James. Affric Lodge comes with ample opportunities for outdoor activities, along with personal gamekeepers, world-class cuisine from personal French chefs and a butler service. Perhaps in a nod to his new home in Scotland, the youngest Middleton brother, 31, put on a suave display in tartan pants as he arrived at the bash Adding to his stylish ensemble, James opted for a black contrast fabric tuxedo and a crisp shirt, completing the look with a bow tie and a poppy brooch Adding a pair of patent brogues and rocking an impressive beard, James posed up a storm for cameras at German opera house Komische Oper After splitting from Donna Air in February, James' marshmallow business Boomf has posted losses of 3 million over the past three years. The move north could be permanent as he recently said in a magazine interview, 'the countryside is where I'm happiest and I'll be taking my four dogs to Glen Affric with me.' The new role has seen Middleton posing for publicity pictures, one shows him in tweeds with a deerstalker as he explores the great outdoors. The Matthews family also own the Oetker Collection-managed Eden-Rock St Barths resort. Eden Rock is one of the most exclusive hotels in the world, where everyone from Beyonce to Elton John, Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio has stayed, and demands 25,000 a night for its most expensive suite. It recently emerged that he has been working as a host at Scottish hotel Glen Affric Lodge near Loch Ness, belonging to Pippa Middleton's father-in-law Never mind the mechanics of fitting them all round the dining table. The grandmother who has become the oldest woman in the UK to give birth to quadruplets says she hopes to have them home in time for Christmas. Tracey Britten, whose babies are recovering in hospital after the 'miracle' birth, could be rewarded with a double celebration as their discharge may coincide with her 51st birthday. Mrs Britten became pregnant after spending 7,000 left to her in her mother's will on IVF treatment in Cyprus The new mother wept tears of joy after the quads were delivered last month. She had ignored warnings that the pregnancy was likely to go wrong. Her three girls and one boy were delivered by caesarean during an emergency operation involving 35 medical staff. Mrs Britten became pregnant after spending 7,000 left to her in her mother's will on IVF treatment in Cyprus. She decided to gamble on the procedure as both she and her husband Stephen were 'desperate' for a child, while doctors said she had the physical condition of a 30-year-old. After being discharged last week, Mrs Britten said: 'I only wanted one child and was blessed with four. It's a miracle. I didn't realise we've made history I was told they simply couldn't pull through at my age.' Her three girls and one boy were delivered by caesarean during an emergency operation involving 35 medical staff The quads were born on October 26, only 31 weeks into the pregnancy, after a scan showed one of them was suffering circulatory problems. They are still being tube-fed, having gone into intensive care immediately after their births. They had been expected to be allowed home by their original due date in January. 'It's been a whirlwind and I'm so grateful,' Mrs Britten said. 'One of the quads has had so many tubes around her that I haven't seen her face properly. The babies have not all been together yet, each hooked up to different machines.' But their quick recovery has given the Brittens hope that the babies could be taken back to their three-bedroom house in London by Christmas, or even by Mrs Britten's birthday two weeks before. Mrs Britten said: 'No one guessed how well they'd do, the doctors are so impressed.' The quads were born on October 26, only 31 weeks into the pregnancy, after a scan showed one of them was suffering circulatory problems The former drugs counsellor, who also has a daughter aged 32 and sons aged 31 and 22, was implanted with four embryos at the Kolan British IVF Centre in Cyprus to maximise her chance of conceiving. But she was stunned to be told nine weeks into the pregnancy that she was carrying four babies. Further scans revealed one of the embryos had failed to implant but that another had split in two, creating identical twin girls. Doctors warned Mrs Britten to get rid of two of the foetuses, as it was likely they would be born with serious problems. She agreed to an abortive procedure, but later cancelled this and decided to let 'nature take its course' instead. The grandmother-of-eight said: 'I thought if I could get to 28 to 30 weeks I had a chance. It was inner strength that made it happen. I was determined and my mind was set on nothing else.' The first quad to be born was a girl weighing 2lb 2oz, followed by her 1lb 15oz identical twin one minute later. Within the next few minutes a girl weighing 2lb 7oz and a boy of 3lb 10oz were born. Three of the quads are now breathing independently, with one remaining in intensive care due to digestive issues. Mrs Britten has previously dismissed criticism from those who say her pregnancy is irresponsible. She said prominent older male parents, such as Sir Mick Jagger and Ronnie Wood, are not subjected to the same levels of criticism. A scientist has warned AI will eventually make doctors 'obsolete'. Artificial intelligence has a 'near unlimited capacity' to diagnose diseases and perform surgery more accurately than medics, according to Dr Jorg Goldhahn. Dr Goldhahn, from ETH Zurich, also argues robots may help overcome healthcare funding shortages due to them being cheaper to hire and train than humans. But while Dr Vanessa Rampton acknowledges AI may be a useful aid to medics, she argues it will never completely replace human healthcare. 'Computers aren't able to care for patients in the sense of showing devotion or concern for the other as a person, because they are not people and do not care about anything,' Dr Rampton, from McGill University, said. A scientist has warned AI will eventually make doctors 'obsolete' (stock) In a debate published in The BMJ today, Dr Goldhahn argued AI can process data and assimilate new information at a speed humans simply cannot match. Health data is increasingly relying on everything from apps to electronic medical records and social media to create as clear a picture as possible about a disease and its patients. At the same time, robots are 'reading' this information, as well as keeping on top of ever-expanding health research. 'The notion that today's physicians could approximate this knowledge by keeping abreast of current medical research while maintaining close contacts with their patients is an illusion not least because of the sheer volume of data,' Dr Goldhahn said. Last year, a robot even managed to pass China's national medical exam, exceeding the minimum mark required by 96 points. AI is also not subject to the same bias that comes from cultural influences or links to particular institutions. Although many argue the lack of a personal touch is AI's 'Achilles heel', patients may be reassured by a robot's apparent zero conflicts of interest. Some may even prefer not having to hear tough news from a human. 'In some very personal situations the services of a robot could help patients avoid feeling shame,' Dr Goldhahn said. Evidence also suggests younger patients with minor health complaints simply want an accurate diagnosis and an effective treatment. 'In other words: They may rate correct diagnosis higher than empathy or continuity of care,' Dr Goldhahn said. As well as boosting diagnosis accuracy, AI may also overcome funding challenges facing healthcare. 'Introducing AI-driven systems could be cheaper than hiring and training new staff,' Dr Goldhahn said. 'They are also universally available and can even monitor patients remotely. 'Doctors as we now know them will become obsolete eventually. 'Sooner than we think, human doctors will merely assist AI systems.' HOW ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCES LEARN USING NEURAL NETWORKS AI systems rely on artificial neural networks (ANNs), which try to simulate the way the brain works in order to learn. ANNs can be trained to recognise patterns in information - including speech, text data, or visual images - and are the basis for a large number of the developments in AI over recent years. Conventional AI uses input to 'teach' an algorithm about a particular subject by feeding it massive amounts of information. AI systems rely on artificial neural networks (ANNs), which try to simulate the way the brain works in order to learn. ANNs can be trained to recognise patterns in information - including speech, text data, or visual images Practical applications include Google's language translation services, Facebook's facial recognition software and Snapchat's image altering live filters. The process of inputting this data can be extremely time consuming, and is limited to one type of knowledge. A new breed of ANNs called Adversarial Neural Networks pits the wits of two AI bots against each other, which allows them to learn from each other. This approach is designed to speed up the process of learning, as well as refining the output created by AI systems. Advertisement But Dr Rampton and Professor Giatgen Spinas, from University Hospital in Zurich, argue robots will never completely replace doctors. Medics are able to relate to a person as a whole and take into account their preferences, values and circumstances, which may influence the treatment that suits them best. They are also concerned about how a therapy affects a patient's quality of life, which may be 'irreplaceable' if a disease is terminal. Doctors also provide a listening ear and make a patient feel valued. 'Feeling they've been heard by someone who understands the seriousness of the problem and whom they can trust can be crucial for patients,' Dr Rampton and Professor Spinas said. 'Questions like why me? and why now? matter. 'Sophisticated robots might show empathy as a matter of form, just as humans might behave nicely in social situations yet remain emotionally disengaged because they are only performing a social role.' In a commentary to the debate, patients with everything from epilepsy to Crohn's agreed they cannot see AI changing their relationships with their doctors. 'Imagine a mother and father being told that their three-year-old son will lose his kidneys from a rare disease,' the authors wrote, who included Michael Mittelman, executive director of the American Living Organ Donor Fund. 'Picture the raw emotion on their faces. Now imagine no healthcare professional in the room. 'The only interaction is with an artificial form of intelligence. A machine. It is unthinkable. 'Ultimately, no one wants to be told he or she is dying by an entity that can have no understanding of what that means.' They added: 'We see AI as the servant rather than the director of our medical care.' From a practical perspective, they also worried about medical data shared via AI being breached. 'Patients havent always benefited from the promises of technology,' they wrote. Tens of thousands of people with diabetes are being denied NHS access to a life-changing device which could spell an end to painful finger pricks. A postcode lottery in provision means many people with type 1 diabetes are missing out on the benefits of the FreeStyle Libre gadget, which measures blood sugar levels with the simple swipe of a smartphone. The device - famously used by Theresa May - has been available for GPs to prescribe for last year. But an investigation by the British Medical Journal revealed a quarter of clinical commissioning groups in England are refusing to fund prescriptions for their residents. This leaves people to either pay the 96 a month to receive it privately or miss out on the system. Rosey Edwards, 13, has written to Theresa May appealing for her support in getting the FreeStyle Libre testing system (pictured with her mother, Kirsty Edwards, 44) The device - famously used by Theresa May - has been available for GPs to prescribe for last year, but only 2 per cent of people with type 1 diabetes are currently getting the system on the NHS in England The FreeStyle Libre sensor is a device the size of a 2 coin that measures blood sugar levels with the use of a smartphone Campaigners have calculated only 2 per cent of people with type 1 diabetes - are currently getting the system on the NHS in England, compared to 11 per cent in Scotland, 16 per cent in Wales, and 35 per cent in Northern Ireland. The device, a sensor the size of a 2 coin, automatically reads blood sugar levels from the cells just below the skin and sends it to a smartphone. It means patients no longer have to subject themselves to the frequent and painful finger pricks currently required to monitor glucose levels. Major studies have shown the technology significantly improves the patients health because they have much better information about blood sugar peaks and troughs, and so are better able to manage their condition. Type 1 diabetes affects 400,000 people in Britain, usually first striking in childhood, and everyone with the condition has to constantly monitor their blood sugar levels to check whether they need an insulin injection. The device is thought to be especially useful for parents of children with type 1 diabetes, who are able to collect data from the patch by swiping it with a smartphone, even when their child is asleep. And when they are at school they can monitor it remotely, because if a teacher or nurse swipes the patch the data is automatically sent to their phone. HOW FREESTYLE LIBRE GADGET WORKS The FreeStyle Libre sensor is a device that measures blood sugar levels with the use of a smartphone. It means that patients no longer have to subject themselves to the frequent and painful finger pricks currently required to monitor glucose levels The sensor, the size of a 2 coin, is applied on to the back of the upper arm with a simple, disposable device called an applicator. When the sensor is applied, a thin, flexible and sterile fibre is inserted just under the skin. It is held in place with a small adhesive pad. To obtain a glucose reading, the gadget performs a simple and painless 1-second scan. This scan gives you more information than other methods, with a current glucose reading, the last 8-hours of glucose history, and a trend arrow showing if glucose is going up, down, or changing slowly. The FreeStyle Libre Sensor can be Worn for up to 14 days whilst you shower, bathe, swim or exercise. The FreeStyle Libre Advertisement Campaigner Nick Cahm told The BMJ: Lots of the variation doesnt need to be there. Being a type 1 diabetic is the same whether youre in Birmingham, London, or Northern Ireland. It doesnt seem to be logical. Decisions should be made by a specialist advisory panel. Nikki Joule, policy manager at Diabetes UK, said: This month marks one year since the NHS made Flash glucose monitoring available on prescription for people living with diabetes across the UK. However, as this investigation shows, tens of thousands of people are still being denied access to Flash despite meeting nationally recommended prescribing criteria, purely because of where they live. At least a quarter of CCGs in England are still not recommending flash to patients, which is unacceptable. This unfair postcode lottery is preventing thousands of people living with diabetes from accessing potentially life changing glucose monitoring technology. This cannot continue. Diabetes UK is calling for an end to the postcode lottery. A spokesman for Abbott, which makes the device, said: Our goal is to deliver NHS reimbursement of Abbotts FreeStyle Libre system so that insulin-using people with diabetes can access this life-changing technology. Thanks in part to the tireless support of the diabetes community, including healthcare practitioners across the country, the first year since achieving NHS reimbursement has gone a long way to delivering this. More than 75 per cent of local health economies now make FreeStyle Libre available in their area and we continue to work towards increasing access for insulin-using people with diabetes. Julie Wood, chief executive of NHS Clinical Commissioners, said: Unfortunately the NHS does not have unlimited resources and ensuring patients get the best possible care against a backdrop of spiralling demands, competing priorities and increasing financial pressures is one of the biggest issues CCGs face. A nurse who thought she had a bad winter bug was given just an hour to live on Christmas Day, when her flu turned into deadly sepsis. Jessica Dlugasch, 38, was found hallucinating and shivering on their bedroom floor by her husband, Aaron, on December 25 2016. She was rushed to hospital. Doctors told the mother-of-two she had sepsis - caused by the immune system responding abnormally to an infection - and her the next hour was crucial. Making it through the vital hour, Mrs Dlugasch, of Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania, who spent six days in intensive care before being discharged on New Year's Day, said: 'I am lucky to be alive. She said: 'It was the holidays, and supposed to be a family time to celebrate, but instead I was in the hospital on the brink of death.' Jessica Dlugasch, 38, was told she had one hour to live when it was confirmed she had sepsis on Christmas Day, 2016. Above, with her son, Benjiman Mrs Dlugasch, who works as a nurse, was struck-down with the flu despite being vaccinated against it. Doctors prescribed her medication two days before Christmas. Above, when she was in hospital with sepsis Mrs Dlugasch was sent home on New Years Day after six days in intensive care. Above, with her family, husband Aaron Dlugasch, and two children Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that arises when the body's response to an infection injures its own tissues and organs. It leads to shock, multiple organ failure and, potentially, death especially if not recognised early and treated promptly. Mrs Dlugasch was struck down with flu - despite being vaccinated against it, and was so ill she struggled to even turn her head by December 23, 2016. With a temperature of 39C - two degrees above normal - she was rushed to her local hospital's emergency department, where medics confirmed she had the flu. Prescribed medication, Mrs Dlugasch was sent home, hoping to enjoy Christmas and Hanukkah with her husband, grandmother, and two children, Benjamin, now five, and Aviva, now three. But her condition deteriorated, culminating in her husband discovering her shivering, blue and hallucinating in their bedroom on Christmas morning. 'I was in a really bad way,' she recalled. 'My temperature was 105F (40.5C), compared to a normal temperature of 37C and I felt absolutely awful. 'Lying in bed, Aaron called me an ambulance and I was taken to Capital Health Hospital in Hopewell, New Jersey, where we were living at the time.' Emergency blood tests showed her organs were producing high levels of lactic acid which, according to the Sepsis Alliance, can be an indication of sepsis. Mrs Dlugasch's husband of 12 years was given the earth-shattering news his wife could have just one hour left to live. 'Doctors confirmed I was in septic shock and, because my fever had been so high, they really thought I might die,' she recalled. 'I was given oxygen because the flu had caused a lung to collapse and was pumped with four types of antibiotics, just to get rid of the infection. 'I was in a bad way, hallucinating still and in a lot of pain.' Mrs Dlugasch's husband, Aaron Dlugasch, could only visit his wife of 12 years in hospital with a mask, gown and shoe protectors on, and their children couldn't visit at all 'I felt like I was waiting to die. It was terrifying and lonely': Mrs Dlugasch wants to raise the awareness of sepsis symptoms Put on morphine for her pain, Mrs Dlugasch made it through the crucial hour and stayed in the intensive care unit for six days. According to The UK Sepsis Trust, sepsis can occur in response to any infection or injury, anywhere in the body, including a chest infection causing pneumonia. Symptoms include slurred speech or confusion, extreme shivering or muscle pain, not passing urine, severe breathlessness, feeling as if you will die and having mottled or discoloured skin. Mrs Dlugasch recalled: 'They thought I was so infectious that Aaron could only come in to my private room with a mask, gown and shoe protectors on. This meant our children couldn't visit either, which was just awful.' After regaining her strength, on December 30, Mrs Dlugasch was moved out of intensive care into a less acute ward, where she stayed on New Year's Eve the first she had spent away from Aaron in their then 16-year relationship. Instead, the devoted couple saw in 2017 together, by staying on the phone all night. She added: 'We just kept the phone running all night, even if he or I were sleeping, just so we could be together. ' Then, discharged on New Year's Day, Mrs Dlugasch surprised her children and was overjoyed to be home with her family. Now she wants to raise awareness of sepsis, which kills five people every hour in the UK. She said: 'I want to raise awareness of sepsis and make sure other people recognise the symptoms. 'I was very lucky to make it, but I felt like I was waiting to die. It was terrifying and lonely.' To donate to Mrs Dlugasch's funding page to help with her health costs visit here. A heartbreaking photo of a one-year-old with a rare condition that means he could die every time he falls asleep has helped his parents smash their fundraising target for a bespoke mask to help him breathe during the night. Charlie Wagstaff, from Hampshire, suffers from the genetic syndrome Congenital Central Hypoventilation, which affects just 1,000 people worldwide and 70 in the UK. The condition impacts how the central nervous system controls breathing, forcing the one-year-old to wear a mask attached to a ventilator every time he nods off. But his current mask is stunting the development of his face, leaving him with facial deformities. Charlie's parents have already exceeded their 1,000 target for a trip to Denmark where doctors will develop a bespoke breathing mash that will let his face develop normally. This heartbreaking photo of one-year-old Charlie Wagstaff helped his parents exceed their 1,000 target for the youngster to have treatment in Denmark. Charlie suffers from Congenital Central Hypoventilation, which affects how his breathing is controlled when he is asleep Charlie was only allowed home from hospital four months after he was born, with carers having to watch him every night to monitor his oxygen and carbon dioxide levels CCH means Charlie's central nervous system fails to properly regulate his breathing when he falls asleep. This means he does not respond to increased carbon dioxide levels that would stimulate someone a healthy person to draw in a breath. Ever since he was finally sent home from hospital at four months old, Charlie has had to have his oxygen and carbon dioxide levels closely monitored by carers every night. Landlords Angie Ryan and Steve Pratt, both 55, from Denmead, Hampshire, set up a fundraising page for Charlie's parents, who used to be regulars at their pub Fox and Hounds. On a Justgiving page for Charlie, Ms Ryan wrote: 'We were heartbroken to hear of Charlie's condition and can only imagine the struggles his mum and dad have been through. 'It is so rare that only 1,000 people in the world have been diagnosed with this lifelong and life-threatening condition, which has completely turned his mum and dad's life around. 'Charlie's mask is starting to cause him facial deformities, so any money raised will go towards a bespoke mask which will hopefully allow his face to develop properly. 'They will need to travel to Denmark for the bespoke fitting.' Charlie has to wear a mask attached to a ventilator while he sleeps, however, this is stunting the development of his face and causing him to suffer from facial deformities WHAT IS CONGENITAL CENTRAL HYPOVENTILATION SYNDROME? Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome (CCHS) affects how a patient's central nervous system manages their breathing. Breathing should happen automatically, without a person having to think about when to do it. In CCHS, however, the normal safeguards used by the nervous system to control breathing are impaired. When a person's carbon dioxide levels rise this should stimulate them to breathe. In CCHS, this stimulus does not occur and breathing can stop. Most CCHS patients only experience symptoms while asleep but severe sufferers can also stop breathing when awake. Untreated, CCHS can cause disability and even death. CCHS is rare and affects just 1,000 people worldwide and 70 in the UK. It is caused by a genetic mutation to the nerves that are responsible for sending messages between the brain and the body. Symptoms generally appear soon after birth and can include: Pauses in breathing Breath-holding spells Failure to breathe at all Skin turning blue Twenty per cent of patients also develop Hirschsprungs Disease, which affects the bowel and is related to underdevelopment of the nerves in the gut. It can lead to severe constipation and bowel obstruction. There is no cure. Treatment involves ventilation support to assist breathing. Source: Great Ormond Street Hospital Advertisement Mr Pratt went on to explain the first time he saw Charlie when his parents brought the youngster to the pub. 'He had all these tubes and equipment and they explained he had spent months in hospital' he said. 'I was really upset hearing about what he goes through and wanted to do something. 'I asked if there was anything he needed and his parents said he needs a new mask for breathing at night.' Mr Pratt performs tribute acts and will host a Neil Diamond night at the pub on December 1 to continue to raise funds. 'The community always get involved when we do our events,' he said. 'People are so generous with donating raffle prizes and we have sold nearly every ticket. I think people like seeing the money going to worthy families.' Charlie's parents have raised the money needed for the youngster to have a bespoke breathing mask made in Denmark, which will allow his face to develop normally Measles and rubella vaccination rates have plummeted in Indonesia after Islamic clerics declared the jab is sinful due to it containing pork gelatine. Rates in the Southeast Asian country have dropped from the recommended 95 per cent to as low as just eight per cent in some areas. Health experts fear the world's largest Muslim country may suffer an outbreak of either disease. Rubella can cause birth defects if pregnant women catch the virus, while one in 15 cases of measles can turn life-threatening. Gelatine is added as a stabiliser to many vaccines and medicines to prevent them degrading during transportation. Measles is set to spike in Indonesia after Islamic clerics declared the MR vaccine sinful due to it containing pork gelatine. This has caused vaccination rates against measles and rubella to plummet from the recommended 95 per cent to as low as just eight per cent (stock) Until recently, Indonesia had one of the highest rates of measles in the world, according to the World Health Organization. Although it produced its own jab against the infection as part of its childhood vaccination scheme, administration of the vaccine was patchy. The Southeast Asian country switched to a combined MR jab last year as part of the WHO-led plan to eliminate measles and rubella globally by 2020. Indonesia's ministry of health aimed to play 'catch-up' by vaccinating 67million children aged between nine months and 15 years old against both conditions. The campaign started on the island of Java, where 95 per cent vaccine coverage was achieved, which caused rubella rates to drop by more than 90 per cent. But the roll-out to the rest of the country, scheduled for August or September, was put on hold when the Islamic body Indonesian Ulama Council stated it had not certified the jab as halal. Parents were immediately put off, with just six out of 38 students at a primary school in the province of North Sumatra receiving the MR jab. Some parents even gathered outside the school to ensure their youngsters were not vaccinated, with some claiming their children had to miss out on the jab due to them being 'ill' at home. WHAT IS RUBELLA? AND HOW DOES IT AFFECT PREGNANT WOMEN? Rubella, also known as German measles, is a rare illness that causes a red or pink spotty rash. It usually gets better by itself in around a week. However, it can be serious if a pregnant woman becomes infected. The rash starts behind the ears and spreads to the head, neck and body. Skin may also feel rough or bumpy. Other symptoms can include: Aching fingers, wrists or knees Swollen lymph nodes behind the ears Fever Cough, sneezing and runny nose Headaches Sore throat Sore, red eyes Rubella usually gets better just with rest, plenty of fluids and painkillers, if necessary. The risk of catching it is very rare if a person has had both doses of the MMR vaccine or has had rubella before. MMR is offered to all children in the UK and gives lifelong protection against measles, mumps and rubella. Rubella is very rare in pregnancy but can cause miscarriage or serious birth defects that affect a baby's brain, heart, sight or hearing. The risk is highest if rubella is caught early in pregnancy. There is no risk if a woman gets infected 20 weeks into her pregnancy. Source: NHS Choices Advertisement With parents being put off, Indonesia's health ministry lobbied for the Indonesian Ulama Council to rule 'fatwa' on the vaccine, which would declare it as halal (permissible by Islamic law), last August. Instead, the council declared it haram, or sinful, due to the jab containing gelatin from pigs' skin as a stabiliser. The vaccine also has the pig protein trypsin, which prevents the components of the jab from sticking to its glass container while it is being manufactured. The Indonesian Ulama Council stressed it was not blocking the vaccination campaign, with parents having the choice to vaccinate their children if they wish. A message put out by the body at a public consultation on September 18 read: 'Trusted experts have explained the dangers posed by not being immunized.' But the damage was already done with just 68 per cent of children being vaccinated on islands surrounding Java to date, according to the health ministry. And in Aceh, which is ruled by Islamic law, vaccination rates are just eight per cent. A spokesperson for the WHO's office in the capital Jakarta stated vaccination rates are poor in many countries. Although the fatwa 'has caused some confusion at local levels, it is in fact clear in its directive and ultimately supportive' of vaccination, a spokesperson said. The WHO remains positive about its plans to immunize 95 per cent of children in Indonesia and has extended the deadline to December. Elizabeth Jane Soepardi, an independent public health expert, told Science 'we can't play' with vaccinating children against measles or rubella. Ms Soepardi, who was director of disease surveillance and quarantine at Indonesia's health ministry until January, warned low vaccination rates 'could mean a boomerang for us'. There is no certified halal alternative to the MR vaccine. However, many Muslim clerics argue pork products in jabs are chemically purified, which makes them acceptable under Islamic law. And in 2013, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore declared a rotavirus vaccine, which protects against childhood diarrhoea, halal - despite the use of trypsin. It ruled the enzyme was made pure by dilution and the addition of other pure compounds. Jewish groups have previously said the use of gelatine in medicines does not violate their religious beliefs because it is not ingested. Health experts worry the Muslim country will experience a measles epidemic, with rubella also causing birth defects if pregnant women catch the virus (stock image of measles) WHAT IS MEASLES, WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS AND HOW CAN YOU CATCH IT? Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that spreads easily from an infected person by coughing, sneezing or even just breathing. Symptoms develop between six and 19 days after infection, and include a runny nose, cough, sore eyes, a fever and a rash. The rash appears as red and blotchy marks on the hairline that travel down over several days, turning brown and eventually fading. Some children complain of disliking bright lights or develop white spots with red backgrounds on their tongue. In one in 15 cases, measles can cause life-threatening complications including pneumonia, convulsions and encephalitis. Dr Ava Easton, chief executive of the Encephalitis Society told MailOnline: 'Measles can be very serious. '[It] can cause encephalitis which is inflammation of the brain. 'Encephalitis can result in death or disability.' Treatment focuses on staying hydrated, resting and taking painkillers, if necessary. Measles can be prevented by receiving two vaccinations, the first at 13 months old and the second at three years and four months to five years old. Source: Great Ormond Street Hospital Advertisement If parents still refuse to vaccinate their children, manufacturing a halal jab may be the only option, according to Art Reingold, an epidemiologist at the University of California, Berkeley. Cow gelatine has been suggested as an alternative, however, studies proving its safety and effectiveness may take up to 10 years. In response to the development of halal vaccines, the WHO said: 'WHO works with regulatory authorities and manufacturers to ensure vaccines have the highest standards of safety and efficacy. 'We don't assess vaccines on other criteria.' This comes after vegetarians claimed last month that the use of pork gelatine in vaccines and medicines is putting people off using them. Lynne Elliot, chief executive of the Vegetarian Society, said it was 'disappointing' so many still contain animal ingredients. MMR vaccination rates are currently poor in the UK, which has been blamed on the disgraced gastroenterologist Andrew Wakefield's discredited claims that the jab causes autism and bowel disease. Only 91.9 per cent of children were vaccinated against measles between 2015 and 2016 compared to 94.2 per cent in 2014/2015 and 94.3 per cent in 2013/2014, according to NHS immunisation statistics. Suicides among middle-aged men in Japan spike on Monday mornings, a new study finds. Researchers from Waseda University in Tokyo and Osaka University say the majority of men between ages 40 and 65 take their own lives before they leave for work. The team says this is the first study to deduce that specific times of day correspond with a higher number of suicides. Japan has long battled one of the world's highest suicide rates and economic stagnation that lasted nearly 20 years. The team says it hopes the findings lead to telephone consultation services expanding during early morning hours, when the majority of suicides occur, rather than just in the evening. A new study has found that the majority of Japanese men between ages 40 and 65 take their own lives on Monday mornings before they leave for work (file image) For the study, the team looked at more than 873,000 suicides recorded in the national death registry in Japan between 1974 and 2014. By analyzing the data, researchers found the day and time people committed suicide varied by sex, age and economic conditions. Results showed that men between ages 40 and 65 committed suicide the most between 4am and 7.59am on Mondays, with the peak occurring between 1995 and 2014. Men in that age group were taking their own lives at a higher rate than men and women of other age groups. The period between 1991 and 2010 is known as the Lost Score, referring to a period of economic stagnation in the country after the asset price bubble burst Economic expansion came to a standstill with little-to-no growth, deflation and stock market prices near record-lows. According to a paper from UC Berkeley on the crisis, 13 financial institutions 'went effectively bankrupt' in 1995, which might explain why the spike in suicides started that year. Daytime suicides among men in the 40-to-65 age group were 1.57 times higher than suicides that occurred at night. Additionally, the number of suicides that took place on Mondays was 1.55 higher than the number on Saturdays. The team believes the majority of men among the 40-to-65 group were taking their lives before they left home to go work rather than during their commute. This is because most causes of death were found to be hanging and gas poisoning, which would likely occur in their homes or in their cars. Researchers said that men who were aged 66 and older and women among all age groups mostly committed suicide during the day, with a peak occurring near noon. To drive this number down, the authors recommend more telephone consultation services be offered during early hours in the morning. In Japan, many are only offered in the evening and late at night. The new study comes on the heels of a report from Japan's education ministry on Monday, which found that child suicides in the country hit a 30-year high. Between 2016 and 2017, 250 children between elementary and high school ages took their own lives. Local media reports that many of the children were dealing with stress, bullying and family problems. The number was five more than the previous year and the highest since 1986 when 268 students died. Japan's National Police Agency said that, despite the increase among pupils, the country's overall suicide rate is down to 21,321 in 2017 from a peak of 34,427 in 2003. For confidential help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or click here. For confidential support on suicide matters in the UK, call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here. For confidential support in Australia, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or click here. The mad cow disease case detected on a Scottish farm last month was a one-off, tests have revealed. Out of the five cows analysed on the farm in Lumsden, Aberdeenshire, only one came back as positive for BSE in what is thought to be a 'sporadic' incident. The farmer at the centre of the case confirmed none of the other animals who were slaughtered and then tested had been carrying the deadly disease. Tests cannot be carried out on live animals. Thomas Jackson's Boghead Farm, near Huntly, was placed under quarantine last month when a five-year-old pedigree Aberdeen Angus came back as positive for BSE during routine tests. The mad cow disease case detected on Boghead Farm (pictured), Lumsden, Aberdeenshire, last was month was a one-off, tests have revealed. Out of the five cows analysed, only one came back as positive for BSE in what is thought to be a 'sporadic' incident The disease originally spread in the 1990s when cows were given animal feed made with ground up parts of other dead, infected cows. However, it can also come about from a genetic mutation, with only that animal's offspring then being at risk. Routine testing found a four-year-old cow that died on Boghead Farm on October 2 was infected with made cow disease. All animals over the age of four that die on a farm are routinely tested for BSE. The BSE-positive cow's calf, along with three other 'cohort' cows, were then culled and tested as a precautionary measure. These four animals have now been confirmed as not having BSE, a finding Mr Jackson has welcomed after what he said was a 'very difficult' time. 'As part of the robust surveillance requirements, the cohorts and offspring of the cow found to have BSE were identified and were slaughtered and tested as there is no test that can be carried out on the live animals,' he said. 'As was expected, the tests carried out on these four animals have come back negative for BSE. 'The cow involved seems to have been one of the very few sporadic cases that still happen across the world. Unfortunately it just happened to be ours. 'We have fully cooperated with all the parties involved throughout the investigation. 'We now need to move on from what has been a very difficult time for us and get back to some form of normality.' Last month's case of mad cow disease is first in the UK since it was found in a dead animal in Wales in 2015. The disease wreaked havoc on the UK in the 1990s when entire herds had to be destroyed and Britain was banned from exporting beef to the European Union Mad cow disease infected tens of thousands of cows in the 1990s and led to many being culled (Pictured: a photo from 1996 of cows who were slaughtered because of mad cow disease) Regular testing for bovine spongiform encephalopathy is done to ensure mad cow disease is detected before infected meat can make it near the food chain - all cows over four that die on farms are tested for BSE (Pictured: dead cows on a farm in France during a 1996 outbreak) Mr Jackson previously said he had taken pride in doing everything correctly and it was 'heartbreaking' to be told one of his animals had mad cow disease. 'This has been a very difficult time for myself and my wife and we have found the situation personally devastating,' he said. 'We have built up our closed herd over many years and have always taken great pride in doing all the correct things. 'To find through the surveillance system in place that one of our cows has BSE has been heartbreaking.' This was the first time in a decade mad cow disease was detected in Scotland. An animal died of the disease in Wales in 2015. Prior to this incident, Scotland had been given 'negligible risk' status along with Northern Ireland. It will now rejoin England and Wales in having 'controlled risk' status. Speaking of Boghead Farm's one-off test result, Colin Clark, Gordon MP and a former cattle farmer, said: 'This is excellent news and confirms this was an isolated case. 'It must be a relief to the farmer and to the broader beef industry. 'This case demonstrates the surveillance system is effective and the traceability is the best in the world.' Investigators previously said the case shows the surveillance system is working effectively. This 'isolated' case was identified because of that strict testing system and Food Standards Scotland confirmed there is no risk to human health. People can become terminally ill if they eat beef infected with BSE because it can cause variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease - a degenerative brain disorder (Pictured: ground beef made from infected cattle being moved at RAF Quedgeley in Gloucestershire in 1996) Mad cow disease, which can spread to humans and cause a deadly brain infection, led to the slaughter of all cows over the age of 30 months in 1996 (Pictured: a herd of 124 cows in France being slaughtered in 1996 because one of them had the disease) FATHER OF GIRL WHO DIED FROM MAD COW DISEASE QUESTIONS IF CONTROLS ARE STILL IN PLACE The father of a girl who died from the human form of mad cow disease fears rules introduced to stop its spread may have been relaxed. Roger Tomkins watched as his beloved daughter Clare wasted away from variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), in the late 1990s. Mr Tomkins said he cannot be certain that Britain won't see another outbreak in his lifetime - despite strict controls launched two decades ago. He questioned how a new case has been found if the strict controls, which have a 'significant' cost, were still in place. Roger Tomkins watched as his beloved daughter Clare wasted away from variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), in the late 1990s Mr Tomkins' daughter Clare was in her early 20s and engaged when she began to suffer unusual symptoms. In the space of just six months, she was reduced to a wreck of a human being who could not control her movements (pictured with her partner Andrew) Speaking from his home in the Norfolk Broads, Mr Tomkin said the latest case was 'disturbing to say the least'. He said: 'The BSE Enquiry held at the back end of the 90s - which I did attend - recommended that stricter controls must be put on the meat industry, the animal feed and so on and so forth. 'Having been a member of the CJD support network for many years, we were always encouraged to see that the number of variant CJD cases was reducing. 'However I did hear over the course of time that the cost of the controls was significant and there was suggestion that maybe there were those in the industry that were looking - because it had been successful - to reduce those controls because everything was under control. 'My only comment really is have the controls been relaxed to some extent and has something slipped through the net?' Advertisement More than 70,000 cows were infected with mad cow disease in 1992 and 1993, and the raging crisis in the UK led to the EU banning British beef exports three years later (pictured: cows being slaughtered on a French farm in 1996) Cows exposed to BSE must be slaughtered and disposed of to ensure they never make it near the food chain (pictured: a cow being cremated during the 1996 cull) the Scottish Government today said the offspring of the infected cow in Aberdeenshire will be destroyed Giving cows feed made with ground up parts of other dead, infected cows was banned in 1989 - when the scandal came to light and it became clear it was causing disease. Millions of cattle were culled as a result. However, cow feed can still contain unwanted parts of animals that have eaten potentially contaminated cow-based feed, according to PETA. If passed on to humans when they eat contaminated beef, BSE can cause variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) a fatal, degenerative brain disorder. At the disease's peak in the early 1990s, it was infecting more than 30,000 cows a year but there have been only six cases in the UK since 2012. Around 4.4 million cows were destroyed by being burnt in smoking pyres in the countryside or incinerated and buried in mass graves. The outbreak cost the UK beef industry dearly and strict rules were introduced that meant older cattle could not enter the food chain. THE NUMBER OF MAD COW DISEASE CASES IN THE UK SINCE 1987 including Great Britain, N. Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man and Alderney (Source: World Organisation for Animal Health) Year Total BSE cases in the UK Year Total BSE cases in the UK 1987 and before 446 2002 1,144 1988 2,514 2003 611 1989 7,228 2004 343 1990 14,407 2005 225 1991 25,359 2006 114 1992 37,280 2007 67 1993 35,090 2008 37 1994 24,438 2009 12 1995 14,562 2010 11 1996 8,149 2011 7 1997 4,393 2012 3 1998 3,235 2013 3 1999 2,301 2014 1 2000 1,443 2015 2 2001 1,202 2016 0 A comedian has finally overcome his 40-year 'phobia' of stairs after claiming his fear was so intense he missed out on holidays, skipped school and even put off losing his virginity. Richard Smith, 52, was terrified of heights as a toddler but did not discover he had bathmophobia - the specific fear of stairs - until he was in his mid-forties. For decades the writer, from Boston, Lincolnshire, felt held back by his 'restrictive' condition, which he even hid from his wife Christine. But in 2014 Mr Smith was forced to tackle his phobia head on when he was commissioned to write a book about England's first hot-air balloon rider James Sadler. After being asked to ride in a hot-air balloon as part of his research, Mr Smith finally underwent therapy to overcome his fear, which President Donald Trump is also rumoured to suffer from. Now cured of his phobia, Mr Smith can climb stairs or stand on a balcony with ease. Scroll down for video Richard Smith has finally overcome his 40-year 'phobia' of stairs after claiming his fear was so intense he missed out on holidays, skipped school and even put off losing his virginity Rumours of President Trump suffering from bathmophobia - the specific fear of stairs - emerged after he was photographed holding hands with Prime Minister Theresa May. Sources in Washington DC claimed he has an aversion to slopes and grabbed her hand in fear Mr Smith, who now lives in Oxford, said: 'My phobia of unfamiliar stairs dictated my day-to-day for quite a large portion of my life. It was very restrictive. 'I kept it secret from people because I was too embarrassed about it, there was an overriding sense of shame. 'I was aware it wasn't beneficial to me but I was ashamed of it and reluctant to get help.' Mr Smith believes his fear started when he fell down the stairs at home at just three years old. WHAT IS BATHMOPHOBIA? THE BIZARRE PHOBIA 'THAT AFFECTS PRESIDENT TRUMP' Bathmophobia is the supposed fear of slopes or stairs. It is not an officially recognised condition due to it not featuring in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. This manual is published by the American Psychiatric Association and is used to diagnose psychiatric disorders. Many experts think bathmophobia may be a broader fear of heights. Or it may come about if a person has had a bad experience with stairs, such as falling down them as a child. Rumours of President Trump suffering from bathmophobia first emerged after he was photographed holding hands with Prime Minister Theresa May. Government sources in Washington DC claimed Mr Tump has an aversion to slopes and stairs, and may have grabbed the Prime Minister's hand in fear, BBC reports. Mr Trump also tweeted in 2014: 'The way President Obama runs down the stairs of Air Force 1, hopping & bobbing all the way, is so inelegant and unpresidential. 'Do not fall.' Mr Trump opened up about his fear of germs in his 1997 book The Art of the Comeback where he called hand shaking a 'curse of American society'. Dr Abigael San, a chartered clinical psychologist in north London, said this form of OCD may go hand-in-hand with bathmophobia due to both being a sign of anxiety. Advertisement But it was not until a school trip to a local castle aged eight that he realised just how severe his condition was. 'I had absolutely loved castles, but on this trip I kept trying to walk up the stairs but I just couldn't bring myself to go up,' Mr Smith said. 'I realised I was physically unable to go up the stairs, I couldn't move my feet and became very agitated. I realised then I was terrified of stairs. 'Eventually, a teacher pulled me aside to ask what was wrong and I became very upset and emotional.' While at school, Mr Smith was taunted by other children and frequently skipped lesson that would involve him scaling any heights. 'I couldn't stand on a stool or step ladder or climbing frames,' he said. 'I remember getting out of doing PE when it was going to be gym based on the gym walls. It was very difficult and humiliating for me. 'I was always avoiding things like swimming and jumping, I never did any of that. 'I had safety strategies. If we went to the seaside I wouldn't go and see the view from the clifftops.' Mr Smith even turned down the chance to lose his virginity as a teenager after a girl reportedly tried to lure him up a tower. 'Once when I was 15 a girl told me to follow her up to the top of a water tower. But I couldn't make it up the tower's ladder so nothing happened,' he said. And when he finally struck up a conversation with another girl he fancied, his heart sank when he watched her climb the stairs of the school bus. Even after meeting his now wife, Mr Smith felt unable to be honest with her initially about his condition. But Mr Smith did manage to pluck up the courage to propose to her on a church rooftop while on holiday in the Netherlands. 'When I proposed, I wanted to summon the courage to do it but a passer-by said I looked absolutely terrified,' he said. 'Eventually Catherine worked it out by seeing how much of a mess I was whenever she asked if we could go up high places while on holiday.' Mr Smith was forced to tackle his phobia head on when he was commissioned to write a book about England's first hot-air balloon rider James Sadler. After finally undergoing therapy in his mid-40s, Mr Smith can now climb, or sit by stairs, and stand on a balcony, with ease In 2014, Mr Smith was finally forced to face his extreme fear of stairs and heights after decades of avoiding social events where he may have to climb them. 'I got a commission for work to go up in hot-air balloon so I thought I really had to overcome the fear,' he said. Mr Smith called on experts from around the world to help him face his phobia. 'I'd been to see a clinical psychologist at Oxford University and found that being educated about my phobia helped a lot,' he said. 'A professor from Holland took me up to a tower in Oxford and made me lean over the handrail. That did the trick. I was able to start going up stairs remarkably quickly.' When he eventually got in a hot-air balloon, Mr Smith found the experience 'cathartic'. 'For the first ten minutes I thought it was a dream and didn't want to peer over the basket,' he said. 'I went up a church tower for the first time since I proposed to my wife this year and saw the view. I spent a huge part of my life missing out on views.' Mr Smith is speaking out to urge others with a similar phobia to get help. 'Intervention tends to work, efficiently and relatively quickly,' he said. 'So admit it, reject the shame, suspend your safety strategies and seek some help!' People who live to age 65 are living six years longer than their grandparents did, a new study finds. Researchers from Stanford University in California say they found that the lifespan of those who make it to retirement is increasing by three years every generation. Previous research has suggested that humans are approaching the limit to their longevity. But the team says its findings show that there may be no natural limit to how long humans can live and that the trend of an increasing lifespan is likely to continue. A new study has found that the lifespan of those who live to age 65 is increasing by three years every generation (file image) For the study, the researchers looked at birth and death records in 20 countries from 1960 to 2010 for those who lived to be older than 65. Results showed that lifespan for those above age 65 increased by three years in every 25-year period. This means that, on average, people are likely to live about three years longer than their parents and around six years longer than their grandparents. While there are factors that cause fluctuations in how quickly lifespans increased, including the advent of certain antibiotics and vaccines, the variations averaged out over time. 'The data shows that we can expect longer lives and there's no sign of a slowdown in this trend,' said lead researcher Dr Shripad Tuljapurkar, a professor of biology at Stanford University. 'There's not a limit to life that we can see, so what we can say for sure is that it's not close enough that we can see the effect.' Dr Tuljapurkar says the problem with most longevity studies is that the research focuses on outliers, or people who live longer than everyone else. This includes studies on the so-called 'Blue Zones' - five geographic areas with low rates of chronic disease and home to some of the world's oldest people. However, because few people live that long, data can be misleading and why Dr Tuljapurkar wanted to look at an age that most people live to: 65 years old. 'Our method is novel because it allows us to get rid of the fuzziness,' he said. 'Our focus is on the age range where we have an accurate idea of what's going on.' The team says if we were approaching a limit to human lifespans, the data should plateau. However, old age survival rates continued to increase like 'a traveling wave'. Dr Tuljapurkar admits he was surprised that the average age of death increased at a constant speed. He says that he expected certain lifestyle factors would allow some to live longer than others. 'There used to be so many ads about how people could live longer by, say, eating yogurt,' Dr Tuljapurkar said. Although yogurt may not be the key to a longer life, Dr Tuljapurkar suspected at the beginning of the study that those who are wealthier would live longer. If this was the case, the distribution of the data would widen as rich people lived past age 65 - but the data was consistent over the 50-year study period. Dr Tuljapurkar added, that by the time most people reached age 65, they had overcome many factors that shorten lifespan including violence and early disease. 'As someone who would like to be a one-percenter, but is not, I'm certainly very happy to know that my odds of getting to live longer are just as good as the millionaire down the street,' he said. An article on 1 October about the wedding of Princess Ameera Al-Taweel and Khalifa bin Butti al-Muhairi may have suggested that one of their guests had been robbed whilst staying at the Ritz hotel in Paris. We have since been informed that none of the wedding guests were robbed. We are happy to make this clear and the article has been amended. To report an inaccuracy, please email corrections@mailonline.co.uk. To make a formal complaint under IPSO rules please go to www.mailonline.co.uk/readerseditor where you will find an easy-to-use complaints form. You can also write to Readers Editor, MailOnline, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT or contact IPSO directly at ipso.co.uk BOOK OF THE WEEK RECKONINGS by Mary Fulbrook (OUP 25, 672 pp) With anti-Semitism on the rise, murderously so, there could be no more propitious time for the publication of Reckonings, Mary Fulbrooks monumental account of the attempt to bring the perpetrators of the Holocaust to justice. The British historian has already won acclaim for her earlier work, A Small Town Near Auschwitz: Ordinary Nazis And The Holocaust. This volume deserves prizes, too. As with all detailed work related to the Nazis programme of exterminating the entire European Jewish population, be warned: the depravity described is almost impossible to read. But it is a sense of deep injustice, as well as horror, that will overcome readers of Reckonings: its main theme is how the overwhelming majority of those involved in the murder of an estimated six million men, women and children were either never brought to justice or were dealt with so leniently that it amounted to an insult to the victims. Mary Fulbrook shares accounts from the attempt to bring the perpetrators of the Holocaust to justice in a new book. Pictured: A child walks past a row of bodies at the Bergen- Belsen concentration camp Fulbrook estimates that perhaps 200,000 people, and possibly closer to a million, were at one point or another actively involved in killing Jewish civilians. And the ranks of those who made this possible were far wider. For although the solitary name of Auschwitz has become almost synonymous with the Holocaust, there were around 1,200 sub-camps, spread across the Reich. Yet, out of a total of 172,294 participants prosecuted, only 6,656 were convicted. And the overwhelming majority of those actually found guilty received sentences of less than two years imprisonment. One reason was the astonishing efficiency of the Nazis methods. As Fulbrook observes, the West German courts, originally charged with bringing the perpetrators to justice, needed witnesses but the more perfect the extermination machinery, the less likely the murderers were to be found guilty. For example, there were only two known survivors of the Belzec extermination camp, where an estimated half a million people had been gassed and one of those survivors was killed in suspicious circumstances before he could give evidence. Only one person, Josef Oberhauser, was convicted, in Munich in 1965, in connection with this mass slaughter. Thirteen of the 14 witnesses called were former SS personnel, who, as Fulbrook observes, were hardly likely to want to incriminate their former colleagues and in the process risk incriminating themselves. In general, the West German courts would acquit those who could make a case that they had little choice but to perform their role in the mass murder (though there are no records of anyone who was punished for refusing to participate). Former SS Hauptscharfuhrer Walter Thormeyer, who killed his Jewish mistress in the woods had a 'certain relish' for shooting female Jews. Pictured: Female inmates at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp Perpetrators claims that they had done their best to make the victims final moments more bearable were also treated as a mitigating factor. The 1966 trial of Walter Thormeyer, a former SS Hauptscharfuhrer, provides a grotesque example. His deputy, Rudi Zimmermann, one of the minuscule number to display remorse and who actually turned himself in, told the court that, on the occasion of mass killings: Thormeyer appeared to prefer shooting the female Jews personally . . . with a certain relish. In fact, Thormeyer had a Jewish mistress, but when he feared that this (a crime under Nazi law) would be discovered, he took her for a walk in some woods . . . and shot her in the back of the neck. The judge declared that this was a token of Thormeyers consideration, and the act humane because his mistress had been spared the knowledge that he was going to kill her. Thormeyer was, at the time of his trial, an official in the West German court system and, as Fulbrook observes, one reason for the general lenience of the sentencing (Thormeyer himself got 12 years) was that the entire German legal bureaucracy was riddled with ex-Nazis. Chil Rajchman who was involved in the gassings at Treblinka says the corpses became literally single masses. Pictured: Survivors in Auschwitz concentration camp The idea that the extermination camps were killing Jews humanely, by using gas, rather than bullets, was invariably suggested by those put on trial afterwards, most notably Rudolf Hoess, the commandant of Auschwitz. In his memoir, he wrote how humane this was: I was relieved that we would be spared all these bloodbaths, and that the victims too would be spared suffering until their last moment came. Such concern for the victims! In fact, it was solely out of concern for the killers that mass shootings were supplanted by gassing: the splattering of the brains of women and children was having a deleterious effect on the morale of all but the most depraved German (and, indeed, Austrian) executioners. And it was anything but a humane killing: indeed, the very use of the word in connection with mass extermination is itself repulsive. During one of her thankfully rare accounts of what actually happened, Fulbrook quotes from one involved in the gassings at Treblinka, Chil Rajchman (whose main job was extracting gold fillings from the dead): During their death agonies from asphyxiation the bodies also became swollen, so the corpses form literally a single mass. RECKONINGS by Mary Fulbrook (OUP 25, 672 pp) He observed that there were differences between the bodies recovered from the smaller and larger gas chambers: in the smaller chamber, death took 20 minutes, whereas in the larger chambers, it took three-quarters of an hour. Corpses from the larger chambers were horribly deformed, their faces all black as if burned, the bodies swollen and blue, the teeth so tightly clenched that it was impossible to open them. Which, as Rajchman observed, made his job of pulling out all those gold crowns even more difficult. This is the process whose vast majority of active participants the post-war German courts exonerated on the basis that they were only obeying orders. Yet, as Fulbrook summarises it, obeying orders was only one element. There were also varying combinations of careerism, cowardice, conformity, fear, lust, brutalisation, hopelessness. She adds to that list desire for reward. For yes, there were takings to be had from the desperate Jews, before exterminating them. Obviously, modern-day Germany is not that of the immediate post-war period, when self-preservation and shame combined to hide the truth. Yet, this year, the head of the increasingly popular Alternative fur Deutschland party, Alexander Gauland, declared the crimes of Hitler and the Nazis to be just a speck of bird s**t in over 1,000 years of glorious German history. Mary Fulbrook should send him a copy of her book. BIOGRAPHY SLOWHAND: THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF ERIC CLAPTON by Philip Norman (W&N 25, 448 pp) At the age of nine, Eric Clapton was visited by his mother, Pat. She had given birth to him at 16, the illegitimate result of a one-night stand with a soldier. When he was two, she emigrated to Canada, leaving him with her own mother, Rose. The boy was encouraged to believe that Rose was actually his mother but, gradually, the truth dawned on him. Now Pat was back, with two further children from a new relationship. Young Eric had dreamed of this day. Can I call you Mummy now? he asked. Pat refused, insisting that her son maintained the fiction she was his older sister. Her callousness shocked everyone present. Philip Norman recalls key moments from the life of musician Eric Clapton (Pictured with his mother Patricia) in a new biography That moment explains much of Claptons subsequent life not least his relationships with women. Dumping an early girlfriend made him realise he could hurt them just like his mother had hurt him. He became a compulsive womaniser. A favourite chat-up line after the Cuban missile crisis was: Oh, come on, we could all be blown up tomorrow. Even when he really loved someone, his passion never outlasted the chase. This was even true with Pattie Boyd, the model who inspired Claptons most famous hit, Layla. She once brought a friend back to Hurtwood Edge, their Surrey mansion, only for Clapton to start chatting up the woman. Cant you see Im in love with this girl and Im courting her? he told Boyd. Go away and leave us alone. He had stolen Boyd whose sister Paula he happened to be going out with at the time from his best friend George Harrison, to whom she had been married. The other legacy of Claptons childhood was astonishing selfishness. Spoiled silly by his grandmother, Clapton owned more toys than any other child in the village, but would never let anyone else play with them. And as an adult, he got other people to do everything for him from sacking unwanted band members to taking his driving test. During the three years Clapton lost to heroin addiction, it was his girlfriend Alice Ormsby-Gore (daughter of Lord Harlech) who was dispatched to Soho to conduct his risky drug deals. Meg Patterson, the doctor who cured his addiction, once asked Clapton to make some coffee. The star replied that he didnt know how. Pete Townshend of The Who organised a comeback concert for Eric, coaxing him into performing in an attempt to rescue the guitarist from self-imposed isolation. Eric Clapton (pictured with Pattie Boyd) who was inspired by model Pattie Boyd to write his hit song, Layla, was discovered 45 minutes from death after collapsing on tour in 1981 But Clapton was even late for that three years of junk food had left him so fat, he couldnt fit into his white suit. Everyone was kept waiting while he made Alice let out the trousers. For decades, Clapton enjoyed incredible luck. Touring America with Cream, he was caught in possession of drugs, a charge that has left others unable to obtain visas. But Clapton got off. He spent a tricky weekend in a prison cell with several members of the Black Panthers: As I was wearing pink boots from Mr Gohill in Chelsea and had hair down to my waist, I thought: Im in trouble here but he survived. The excess that killed other musicians failed to claim him. But he pushed it close after collapsing on a U.S. tour in 1981, he was found to be 45 minutes from death. Two bottles of brandy a day (mixed with 7 Up) had resulted in ulcers so large that every remaining date on the tour had to be cancelled. The insurance payout caused Lloyds of London to ring the famous Lutine bell normally reserved for disasters at sea. SLOWHAND: THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF ERIC CLAPTON by Philip Norman (W&N 25, 448 pp) But Claptons luck finally ran out the day in 1991 when a window was left open in the 53rd-floor New York apartment of Lory Del Santo, the mother of his four-year-old son, Conor. The boy came running into the room, jumped on to the low ledge where he normally pressed his nose against the glass and plummeted to his death. Clapton had to identify his sons body in a Manhattan mortuary whose lightbulbs were only 15 watts to minimise the ordeal but then had to do it again (because Conor was to be buried in Surrey) in a British morgue that favoured less sympathetic 100 watt bulbs. After the funeral, his mail included a letter posted a couple of weeks earlier: I LOVE YOU I WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN A KISS LOVE CONOR CLAPTON. Its impossible not to feel sympathy for someone who goes through this. And you have to admire Claptons strength in not heading back to the booze he had finally managed to give up. Such a move, he said, would be a betrayal of his son. But, in the end, youre left with the feeling that the stars defining quality is an unattractive self-centredness. As usual, the masterful biographer Philip Norman has unearthed countless fascinating details. I knew a lot about Eric Clapton, but I didnt know that when he sought anonymity at the Connaught Hotel in London, the West Brom fan checked in as Mr W. B. Albion. Or that during a vodka-soaked stay in Los Angeles, where cars front registration plates can say whatever you choose, he drove around as Captain Smirnoff. Nor did I know that he once took possession of a parrot called Maurice, previously owned by his doting grandmother. Echoing her lifes preoccupation, writes Norman, the bird had only ever been taught to say: Wheres Eric? POPULAR SCIENCE NINE PINTS by Rose George (Portobello 14.99, 378 pp) In ancient Rome, when gladiators were cut down in the arena, epileptics in the crowd rushed to drink the hot blood that flowed from their wounds. It was thought to be a cure for their condition. In the 15th century, a dying pope is said to have downed cupfuls of blood drawn from three young men in a bid to stave off the inevitable. It was unsuccessful. Not only did the pope die, but so did his unwilling blood donors. Drinking it may not cure epilepsy or prolong life, but there is no doubting what a remarkable substance blood is. Rose George shares fascinating facts about blood in a new book (Pictured: The episode The Blood Donor, from Hancocks Half Hour) Its made in the bone marrow, which produces around two million red blood cells every second, and trundles at a sedate pace of two to three miles an hour through a circulatory system of veins, arteries and capillaries about 60,000 miles long (more than twice the circumference of the Earth). Its been divided into four main groups: A, B, AB and O. The Japanese believe blood type indicates personality. As are perfectionists, Os are cautious and ABs complicated. As for Bs, when a Japanese government minister resigned after a scandal in 2011, he offered his blood type as an excuse: My blood type is B which means I can be irritable and impetuous. In Cold War America, blood type was sometimes tattooed on to adults and even children. It was thought the information would come in handy after the bomb dropped. Faint traces of these tattoos can still be seen on some middle-aged Americans. Rose Georges absorbing book is full of such offbeat facts: it is a series of eye-opening excursions into the history and science of blood. She journeys to south Wales to visit the nations only leech production business. In the past, there was almost no disease or condition for which bloodletting was not thought useful almost incredibly, it was even used to treat severe bleeding. The practice had been consigned to history by the early 20th century but, recently, it has been making a comeback. Some plastic surgeons employ leeches in their operations hence the facility in Wales. NINE PINTS by Rose George (Portobello 14.99, 378 pp) Rose George is a regular giver of blood. (Top tip: clench your buttocks during the procedure to keep the blood moving.) She is particularly revealing on the history of voluntary donation today, someone, somewhere in the world will receive a strangers blood every three seconds. In the UK, we transfuse some 2.5 million units of blood a year. It goes to people who have cancer, to women giving birth, to victims of traumatic accidents. A liver transplant patient can use 100 units, the equivalent of several full bodies; a newborn baby can be saved by as little as a teaspoonful. Experiments in transfusion go back a long way. Sir Christopher Wren undertook some in the 17th century, but truly successful transfusions were only possible in the 20th century. As so often, it was war that stimulated medical advances: the modern era of transfusion was launched during World War I. Some contemporary scientists have devoted time to the creation of synthetic blood but, so far, without success. Blood has not yet revealed all its secrets. As Rose George notes at the end of her fascinating book: More wonders will come. I was shocked to find I couldn't vote on the Unilever move abroad because I hold the shares electronically. How do I make sure I can exercise my right to vote the next time one of the companies I have shares in wants to do something like this? Exercising your vote: How do you ensure you get a say in the business of a company you own shares in electronically, rather than on paper? Tanya Jefferies, of This is Money, replies: Many individual Unilever shareholders were upset at the difficulty they faced over voting on the company's plan to move its headquarters from London to Rotterdam in the Netherlands. In the end, the proposal was scrapped before it reached a vote due to opposition from some of the consumer goods giant's big shareholders. But ordinary investors who hold shares 'electronically' - in a nominee account operated by their broker or online platform, instead of on old-fashioned paper certificates - remain unhappy that this might have disenfranchised them if the vote had gone ahead. Top stockbroker The Share Centre even lodged a protest with Business Secretary Greg Clark over the prospect that some shareholders could have been silenced. The furore over Unilever and its eventual climbdown may deter other firms from falling into the same trap when they hold their own high profile votes. In the meantime, we asked an expert from Equiniti, which provides share registration services to many listed companies including top players in the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250, to explain how shareholders can get a vote in future situations like this. Equiniti is not the registrar for Unilever. Mark Taylor: 'Due to the disadvantages of paper certificates, the preferred method of holding shares these days is via a nominee' Mark Taylor, chief customer officer at financial services firm Equiniti, replies: Firstly, it is useful to understand what it means when an investor says they hold shares 'electronically'. Most shares these days are held digitally in what is known as a nominee account. Broadly, this means that the name of an individual does not appear on the share register of a company. Instead the name of the nominee company, which is holding the shares, does. It is the job of the nominee company, typically a stockbroker or online platform, to keep your shares safe and ensure that you receive the rights associated with your shareholding as if you were a shareholder appearing on a register. The nominee company approach is quite common these days. It is a more efficient way of holding shares and ensuring that trades can be settled, usually through a system known as CREST. Why do many people hold shares digitally rather than on paper nowadays? The alternative would be for a shareholder to hold paper certificates and have their name entered onto the company's share register. This approach has a number of drawbacks. Each time the individual sells stock in that company the appropriate level of share certificates needs to be submitted to cover the sale. In addition, if the shareholder elects to re-invest dividends, then each time they will receive a share certificate. Some companies pay dividends quarterly, while others pay twice or only once a year. Over time these share certificates build in number and sometimes shareholders lose them. They can be replaced, but at a cost, which depends on the value of the shares held. Normally, there will be administration fee (the cost of recording the original lost certificate, the issuing of a letter of indemnity and the production of a new certificate) and a countersignature fee (the cost of the insurance to protect the issuer from a misuse of the original certificate). For guidance, Equiniti's administration fee is 42 including VAT for shares worth 100 or above, and nothing for those worth less. Its countersignature fees vary from 23.32 for shares worth between 50 and 1,000, to 675.68 for shares worth between 75,000 and 100,000. It costs nothing for shares worth less than 50. For shares worth 100,000-plus the investor would need to contact Equiniti (or their appropriate registrar) as the cost would be subject to the value of the stock in excess of that. The shareholder can source their own indemnity countersignature from any market provider. Due to the disadvantages of paper certificates, the preferred method of holding shares these days is via a nominee. You can exercise your rights to vote and attend AGMs either way, but because using a nominee means you are not named on the share register the process is different. How do you vote if you hold shares electronically? If a shareholder using a nominee contacts the nominee company then they should be able to vote and receive the annual report and accounts as well as attend an AGM. However, the individual must make this request. It is not automatic. Therefore, each time there is a vote the shareholder would need to make the request. It is a similar situation if they wish to attend an AGM. They need to make contact. Some companies make a nominee account available for their individual shareholders. This is known as a Corporate Sponsored Nominee. The CSN works by removing investors' names from the main register and holding them together with other investors in the nominee company. A separate register of underlying individual investors is maintained behind the scenes by the nominee. Investors will still enjoy the benefits of owning shares, retain the right to receive dividend payments and the company will usually make available financial information and arrange for you to attend and vote on matters put to general meetings of the company. Essentially, a CSN is deemed as an extension to a share register and therefore company communications are automatically sent to somebody that has stock held on their behalf by a CSN. If the company you have a holding in has a CSN, there is a simple form to complete to sign up. There is no charge to transfer shares into a CSN. Once in the CSN there are no ongoing management fees. What happened in the Unilever case? In the case of Unilever, many investors held their shares in nominee accounts, but the company stated that the large brokers would only count as a single shareholder vote, instead of counting the votes of every shareholder in the nominee account. This is not something that happens regularly, and in case of similar votes in the future, investors looking to have their say should understand how their stock in a specific company is held, look out for communications from the company if they are held via a CSN and get in touch with their nominee company if they are held via a nominee account. All Saints Catholic Mission has fed the poor since 1990. While the City of Oakland Park has tried to shut them down for the past eight years. The battle between the church and the city recently escalated when All Saints sued the city on the basis of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. It was a violation of the zoning code to feed people inside his church, said Oakland Park city attorney D.J. Doody. [It] does not allow for the utilization of his property in that fashion. Thats not how many local leaders see it though, including Dean Trantalis, an attorney who is also the openly gay mayor of Fort Lauderdale. The feeding of the homeless is considered a constitutional right, and so I recognize that, Trantalis said. All Saints soup kitchen feeds between 100-200 homeless or poor people a day. Theyve given out more than 1.3 million meals since the program launched. The church is an LGBT-affirming organization, and many of the people they feed are from the LGBT community, church leader Father Bob Caudill said. LGBT youth are 120 percent more likely to be homeless than straight people of their age, and one in five transgender people have experienced homelessness at some point in their lives. One day I remember we had three guys that were in [transition] We have these huge screens that show movies and videos while the people are eating, and the video that came up was these guys dressed as nuns in San Francisco singing Holy Queen They said, oh my gosh, I think were in the right place, he said. Police showed up at the church with a cease and desist order three years ago, in which the government demanded they stop feeding the homeless. Caudill, however, has continued to push forward. I said no, Im not going to stop, do whatever you have to do. I actually thought they were going to arrest me Theyre just fining us $125 a day for the last three years, Caudill said a fine that he hasnt paid a dime of, and doesnt plan to, either. The current lawsuit is at a standstill, however. The court dismissed the case the church brought against the city, so the complaints have been amended. The hearing for this new set will be in November, Caudill said. The case has been taken up by the American Civil Liberties Union, whos siding with the church. I support the efforts of Father Bob, Trantalis said. I think that we need to work together as a community to make sure that we dont ignore our homeless and that we find a place in our lives to ensure their well-being. The soup kitchen does more than provide food for the homeless, Caudill said. They begin to give out meals every day at 2 p.m., and the homeless are then given clothes, shoes, and the opportunity to get their medical prescriptions for free and set up mailboxes. The food is mainly provided by outside sources for no charge the Cheesecake Factory, Longhorn Steakhouse, Red Lobster, Chipotle, Carrabba's, and others. Independent meal preparation service Catered Fit gives them 37 pans of fresh food a week, and Wawa gifts them with 500 sandwiches a week as well. The beautiful thing about this whole thing is I never sought out anything from anyone, it just comes. Even the food, I didnt seek it just came, Caudill said. At least five television news channels have highlighted their case, and even larger churches are pitching in St. Gregorys Episcopal Church in Boca Raton bought them a new refrigerator, and St. Gabriels Catholic Church in Pompano Beach has been doing food and toiletries drives for them. Groups from other religions, such as local Hindu temple Shiva Mandir and Jewish temple Kol Ami Emanu-El, have sent volunteers and resources over to the church as well. Every time [Oakland Park] does something to us it seems that we have a positive reaction doubly, so thats a good thing, Caudill said about the help. But he believes the most important thing is to have a heart for the homeless, who can feel insecure and unloved. Just think about if for some reason you lost your job, or youre in a hard spot, you had no family or friends to loan you money, what would you do? And were here for that reason helping people in the larger sense, its not gays or straights or black or white, or whoever, its just for everyone. And that gets back down to the principle of, you know, God loves everyone equally, and he wants everyone to be happy, and thats what were trying to do, he said. Im just going to keep on doing what I do, and just let it play out as its supposed to. Kind of just put your faith in God and move on. Visit AllSaintsMission.org for more information about the churchs soup kitchen. A man has captured footage of an unexplained and unidentified flying object zooming at high speed through the skies of South Australia. Mark Taylor, 52, of Reynella in the southern suburbs of Adelaide, filmed the mysterious object on his car's dashcam around the corner from his house, in April this year as he and his wife were parked near shops. 'I don't know what it is,' he said. 'It's an object and it's travelling at high speed.' In the first part of the video, Mr Taylor zoomed in on 1080p to film an object moving at high speed from the centre to the top left of the screen, and posted it on Facebook. A second object then appeared and moved around in a bizarre and unnatural fashion before moving out of sight, this can be seen in the wider angle video Mr Taylor shared with Daily Mail Australia. Mr Taylor said it was too fast to be a drone or a bird, and was faster than the domestic planes that regularly pass overhead. The second object that appeared above the shops at Foodland, Old Reynella, caught on dashcam from the carpark. It moved in a bizarre and unnatural way before moving off The clear blue skies above the shopping centre carpark in Reynella, South Australia, where Mark Taylor says he captured the unusual sky activity 'Where I live, the whole area is a flight path for domestic planes,' he said. 'But a normal plane looks like a snail compared.' The footage was captured on a dashcam with a circular polarising filter. Mr Taylor, a care worker, said he caught the rare footage by chance. He had been cleaning his back window the day before and bumped the rear dashcam with his hand, knocking the lens up a notch so it was pointed at the sky. Airservices Australia, which manages Australia's airspace, said they receive queries about unusual lights in the sky occassionally. 'These sightings are easily explained and can be caused by drones, birds or aircraft used for surface mapping,' a spokesperson who declined to be named said. But Mr Taylor said he knows the footage is not of either a reflection or a bird - 'I'm not that stupid,' he said. It's not the first report of unusual activity around South Australia's spooky capital. In 1988 the now-defunct newspaper Daily Mirror reported on the terrifying road trip of the Knowles family, who encountered a large glowing ball that chased them down the Nullarbor Plain for 90 minutes. The original media reports of the Knowles family's ordeal. They claimed they were chased across the Nullarbor before the UFO picked up their car - and time slowed down Faye Knowles and her adult sons Sean, Wayne and Patrick told the Mirror it landed on the roof of their car and lifted them into the air. 'I wound down the window and I felt this thing on the roof... all of this smoke stuff started coming into the car, the car was covered in black stuff,' Faye Knowles told reporters at the time. 'It was a small light and all of a sudden it became big like this, like a big ball. Sean Knowles told the Mirror that his mother screamed, and their voices distorted as though time had slowed down. The family, who were driving from Perth to Melbourne at the time of the encounter, reported the bizarre episode to police in the tiny down of Ceduna. Their car was reportedly dented and had dust over it at the time causing police to take the report seriously. Paranormal investigator Murray Byfield, editor of Unexplained Australia, said 'UFO' does not mean 'alien space craft'. Many people leap to the wrong conclusion as they want to believe Paranormal investigator Murray Byfield, editor of Unexplained Australia, said there is a lot of confusion about the term 'UFO'. 'UFO doesn't mean 'alien space craft',' he said. 'A lot of the time it's mistaken for something normal.' Mr Byfield said people often jump to an X-files conclusion without going to the logical explanation first. 'A lot of people want to believe,' he said. Mr Byfield then described his own brush with unexplained objects in the sky. 'I saw one myself, once, near Williamtown RAAF Base north of Newcastle,' he said. 'It was an overcast day and there were three lights in the sky - out of nowhere. Two were in formation and one dipped down.' 'It's definitely worth looking into further.' He is known around the world as the 'Pianist to the Presidents', thanks to almost 20 years entertaining at the White House. But celebrated musician David Osborne - who has played for six living presidents including the Obama, Bush and Clinton administrations - says he has been frozen out by President Donald Trump and has no idea why. For the last two decades Osborne has been a regular performer at the White House Christmas parties. But last Christmas the phone never rang and he hasn't been invited back this year either. Speaking exclusively to DailyMailTV, Osborne tells of his sadness at being treated so poorly and makes an impassioned plea to President Trump to allow him to continue his legacy. Celebrated pianist David Osborne has been a regular performer at the White House Christmas parties, until last year after being shunned by President Trump The musician, who is known as the 'Pianist to the Presidents', has played for Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and both Bushes Proudly Osborne recalled how President Obama too slid onto his bench next to him in front of the famous one of a kind Steinway piano - commissioned by Franklin Roosevelt Osborne has no clue why Trump is icing him out but he fears 'off hand' comments he made briefly defending his autistic daughter after Trump seemingly mocked a disabled reporter at a rally in 2016, may have upset the president He said: 'It is terrifically sad that I did not perform last year and have not been asked back so far by Mr Trump. 'I felt an emptiness about it. That was our Christmas. Its not unwrapping presents to me, its taking my music and playing it for other people. Not just White House people, but for people they would invite in, people who lived in D.C., staff, friends. It was always a part of our Christmas. 'My wife and all my children have gone one time or another and of course Washington is so beautiful around Christmas time; its the decorations, the weather, the people and the attitude. It was a blast playing for people. 'I loved watching their faces, looking at all the trees in each room and all the decorations and how each First Lady decorated the property. It was always exciting. So not going, it was a huge void last year.' Osborne has no clue why Trump is giving him the cold shoulder but he fears that some 'off hand' comments he made briefly defending his autistic daughter may have upset the president. The musician briefly criticized the POTUS during his 2016 campaign for seemingly mocking New York Times reporter Serge F. Kovaleski, who suffers from the congenital joint contractures of arthrogryposis, at a rally. Osborne quotes on the incident were: 'I havent been able to take it out of my mind. It nailed me to the wall.' Osborne insists the comments were a defensive reaction as his daughter Hannah is autistic, having a sensory processing disorder, and his dad Bud walked with one leg shorter than the other caused by osteomyelitis, a rare bone infection. Osborne admits he regrets his comment becoming public during his interview. 'I thought it was an off-handed comment and have regretted it,' he said. Osborne told DailyMailTV: 'I felt an emptiness about it. That was our Christmas. It was always exciting. So not going, it was a huge void last year' Osborne boasts of a stellar career and has sold more than 16 million records around the world. He has performed for six living Presidents, including President Obama, George W Bush and his father George Bush Senior, Bill Clinton and older presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan Osborne (pictured with Hillary Clinton) impressed Clinton so much with his piano skills that the then POTUS sidled up to him at an event to work on his own ivory tinkling Pictured: Osborne's invitation to play at the White House while Clinton was president in 1999 'On one foot, I regret making the comment, on the other, I felt like it needed to be said, maybe not by me, but my dad was a big part of my life and he always felt inadequate, because of his handicap, and my daughter does the stemming movements, which really hit home with me. The way he (Trump) acted promoted a reaction in me wanting to protect Hannah. 'My dad had osteomyelitis, which he had to have several surgeries, like 60 surgeries, by the time I got out of grade school, that one leg was a foot shorter than the other. 'So I remember kids making fun of my dad in kind of a mocking, bullying way and it bothered me that I felt like that was what he was doing. 'In one sense, I do regret the comments, on the other, I dont. 'I did feel furious at the time, but then he insisted that he wasnt making fun of handicap people.' Osborne has attempted to amend relations with the White House, but the administration refuses to even take his phone calls for a potential reconciliation. Osborne says the snub has 'hit him in the heart' and he's keen to speak with Trump man-to-man to thrash out any 'misunderstanding' and 'discuss the issues like two grown men'. 'My name was brought up by people who know President Trump to perform there,' he said. 'My only guess maybe somebody researched my name and found the article where I mentioned his mocking of the handicapped journalist and then my daughter and my dad too. 'It hit me kind of hard in the heart and then the reporter that wrote the story took that as the title of the story, so I didnt intend for that to happen, but even though that is true, I still would love to play for President Trump. 'I rang the White House visitors and social offices and left messages - kind and positive messages, that I would just like to be asked to play. I left my phone number and I did not receive a call back.' Osborne says the snub has 'hit him in the heart' and he's keen to speak with Trump man-to-man to thrash out any 'misunderstanding' and 'discuss the issues like two grown men' At last year's White House Christmas party, pianist Gathan Graham was invited to perform Osborne added: 'I loved watching their faces, looking at all the trees in each room and all the decorations and how each First Lady decorated the property. It was always exciting. So not going, it was a huge void last year'. Pictured: First Lady Melania Trump walks through Christmas decorations as she tours holiday decorations at the White House last November He added: 'I dont feel entitled to do that [play at the White House]. It just worked out every year, I did one way or another get in there to do it numerous times and to receive nothing back, not even a call, I was disenchanted a little bit. 'I would just love to do it. Im hoping I get asked back.' Osborne says that he is speaking out in the hope his words will be read by Trump. He explained: 'Hopefully we can get the message to him. I think President Trump would like me, my music and its a very positive feel I lend to Christmas and holiday music. 'I play everything and I do insert other tunes as well in the mix of music. I think he would like my playing very much and I think I would like him. I hope I have the chance to do it again. 'I feel Mr Trump and I have things to discuss and the fact that there is things about him I do admire. 'He dresses great, hes in command of what he is doing with emphatic leadership, he doesnt make bones about how he feels.' Osborne boasts of a stellar career and has sold more than 16 million records around the world. He has performed for six living Presidents, including President Obama, George W Bush and his father George Bush Senior, Bill Clinton and older presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. Osborne impressed Clinton so much with his piano skills that the then POTUS sidled up to him at an event to work on his own ivory tinkling. Delighted President Obama too sat beside the musician, who now counts former President Carter as one of his closest friends. The Las Vegas-based star, who performs for guests at the five star Bellagio Hotel every week, insists that he has never had a political agenda. While Osborne never performed for President Carter, 94, at the White House, he has consistently played for him at functions, fundraisers and celebrations for almost 30 years. He has performed at every birthday bash since he turned 64 Osborne said of former President Jimmy Carter: 'I am honored to be his friend, given that when I was a teenager I would walk around the neighborhood pounding his signs into the ground' Pictured: Glowing notes Jimmy Carter has sent Osborne throughout the years Speaking before collecting the Lifetime Achievement Award for Concert Pianist at the Las Vegas Fame Awards, he said: 'I am absolutely not political, having played for all sides. 'I am so proud to be called the Pianist to the Presidents, and I would hate for my tenure to end like this on something which I feel can be resolved. 'I admire Melania a great deal, all her decorations that she did last year. I love the family. I would love to play again at the White House again for President Trump and so if asked, I would gladly return. My music is non-political.' Osborne's long history with the White House stems from him growing close to former President Jimmy Carter through performing at his Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia. He soon became friends with his 'Pianist To The Presidents' predecessor Roger Williams. He recalls: 'Roger was my idol growing up and when I met him at the Salo Symphony, we became friends. I felt a nudge on my right side and I looked over and President Clinton was sitting on the bench with me and he says, "How did you do that lick?" 'After he retired he suggested I would be the heir apparent to his title, because at that point, I had played for Presidents Carter, Reagan, both Bushes, and Obama. So to actually fill his shoes with that title was surreal to me, because I never thought that would happen.' After recommendations from Williams and major players in Las Vegas, Osborne was invited to Washington to perform for President Clintons penultimate Christmas in 1999. 'I was a little standoffish with President Clinton. I didnt know what he would be like and so after I started playing upstairs after the downstairs meet and greet, I felt a nudge on my right side and I looked over and he was sitting on the bench with me and he says, "How did you do that lick?" 'And so I showed him, because he is very musical and he wanted to know how I was making the arpeggios and adding to the Christmas music... he actually sang a little bit. He has quite a good singing voice. 'That relaxed me. I think his goal was to relax me.' Recalling how they dueted on Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Osborne smiled: 'I went back to the beginning of the song with Clinton and showed him what I was playing and then Laura Schwartz (then White House Director of Events) walked up, whos an absolute sweetheart, and said: Are you bothering the piano player, Mr President? 'We all laughed and I was quite amazed that he sat there that long.' Osborne said: 'I was a little standoffish with President Clinton. I didnt know what he would be like... after I started playing... I felt a nudge on my right side and I looked over and he was sitting on the bench with me and he says, "How did you do that lick?" 'I was really nervous,' he recalled of playing for President Bush. 'President Bush told all those stars that night, "This boy can play," especially after playing his wife's favorite Gershwin numbers' Proudly Osborne recalled how President Obama too slid onto his bench next to him in front of the famous one of a kind Steinway piano - commissioned by Franklin Roosevelt After that success he was invited back the next year: 'Everything was wonderful. I thought to be asked twice to play the White House was twice more than I would ever be asked, so I was happy with that and thinking I probably wouldnt be asked again, because its a big deal and to be asked once and then twice, I thought that was exactly what I had wished for.' George W Bush and his wife Laura then made sure Osborne was first on their Christmas plans. 'I played the Thursday night for President Bushs staff: his secretary of state, the vice-president, secretary of treasury, all their wives and then my wife Janine was going to go back to Vegas and they said, "We want you to play for the Sunday night as well, do you realize what that is?" And I said, "No." Well this is our Christmas in Washington where we film CBS outside on the lawn with all of our stars. Osborne says the event was filled with big names. 'I was really nervous. But it went beautifully,' he recalled. 'President Bush told all those stars that night, "This boy can play," especially after playing his wife's favorite Gershwin numbers.' In 2005 Osborne recalls one of the 'most touching' moments ever during one White House staff Christmas party. 'An intern told us the kids couldn't come to the party, but when Laura (Bush) saw us, she asked "where are the kids and your wife?" I said they were back at the Mayflower Hotel because of the rule. An hour later, they all walked in with the President and Laura, and their dogs to surprise me. 'It was moments like those that made me feel like part of the family. I felt like a staff member and part of the furniture.' Osborne returned many times for the Bushes outside of Christmas to entertain. When Obama took over in 2008, Osborne says 'divine intervention' happened as the President was visiting Las Vegas' Green Valley High School - just two miles from his home. 'I was one of 30 people asked to meet him privately, so were in the back of the green room in the gymnasium area,' he said. Osborne headlined a joint birthday party for Jimmy and wife Rosalynn Carter in Georgia on August 24 Pictured: Osborne posting with Celine Dion at Cesar's Palace in Vegas 'The green room opened right by the coke machine and we thought it was probably just secret service. He backed in, threw his cigarette and he turned around to us and said, "Who are you all waiting for?" 'And he did it in such a modest, humble way that it was cool. And then he talked to every one of us for five or six minutes and then we all got photos with him. And he had a mind that was amazing. He knew why everybody was there. All he had to see was the name tag and he would say, "Oh, youre going to play for me arent you?" 'Im like, "If you want me to. Id love to." So he said, "Okay, but well have to learn some Stevie Wonder and some other stuff other than just Christmas music," which I did. I did play a lot of Stevie Wonder and he liked R&B a lot.' Proudly Osborne recalled how President Obama too slid onto his bench next to him in front of the famous one of a kind Steinway piano - commissioned by Franklin Roosevelt. 'During one session Obama slid in next to me, and asked: "how you doing tonight.. I would love some of that pop stuff you play." 'So I played Overjoyed by Stevie, and a big kids' smile beamed from his face and Michelle waved at him. 'I made sure I filled the session with more modern bands like Coldplay, Elton John, as the girls were young.' While Osborne never performed for President Carter, 94, at the White House, he has consistently played for him at functions, fundraisers and celebrations for almost 30 years. He has performed at every birthday bash since he turned 64. 'Jimmy loves classic music and is a massive John Lennon and Beatles fan,' said Osborne. 'I always make a point to play Imagine and his other favorite Wind Beneath My Wings which was his favorite song of all time. 'There have been times when he has sat down alongside on the bench as I have played too. He is cerebral and a very calm, considerate, family focused and warm Christian man. 'I am honored to be his friend, given that when I was a teenager I would walk around the neighborhood pounding his signs into the ground. 'He has told me that when he practices his woodwork at the back of his home, that he plays my music.' Osborne headlined a joint birthday party for Jimmy and wife Rosalynn Carter in Georgia on August 24. Recalling performing for President Ronald Reagan, while the house pianist at the Marriot Orlando World Center in 1988, he added: 'The management asked me to head up to the presidential suite to play Happy Birthday. 'After that I played a couple of Frank Sinatra tunes, like My Way, and he sat down on the bench, smiling and laughing, before tucking into birthday cake. 'He said, "I knew Frank quite well", I laughed given their famous Hollywood history.' Osborne also performed several times for George Bush Senior at the Marriot Orlando World Center. He said: 'George was a lot more reserved than his son, but still gracious and kind. He was very caring man, asking more about his guests than wanting to talk about himself. 'He liked country music and Barbara liked classical, so I gave them a mix of what they liked.' Advertisement Little Mollie Stonelake is dwarfed by this remembrance flag. But thanks to a specially-made pole and holster, the seven-year-old will proudly carry the standard for a mile on Armistice Day. Mollie, who went on her first parade aged just five, will carry the flag for an hour in a service in her home town of Torpoint in Cornwall. Mollie, 7, is dwarfed by the flag which she'll hoist aloft during the remembrabce service in her home town Her parents have both served in the military and say they are filled with pride when they see her. Mollies father, Mark, 34, was serving as a gunner in 29 Commando Regiment, Royal Artillery, when he suffered serious injuries in a roadside blast in Afghanistan in December 2008. Her mother, Donna, 32, is a former Royal Navy Able Rating. A specially-made pole and holster will allow the seven-year-old will proudly carry the standard for a mile on Armistice Day. An unscrupulous airport parking company which left a young family with a three-month-old baby stranded for hours after crashing their car into a tree and leaving it for scrap has a string of complaints against it. Manchester Airport Parking Services Ltd has been accused of losing cars, racking up speeding tickets, damaging a valuable Range Rover in a collision with a bus. In the latest incident, not only were Phil and Ruth Davis-Jones left waiting for a car which never turned up, they had to pay the recovery bill for the wreckage and have been told the company will not pay up to replace it. Im very angry at the way we have been treated, Ms Davis-Jones told MailOnline. 'I can't believe it.' An unscrupulous airport parking company left a young family with a three-month-old baby stranded for hours after crashing their car into a tree and leaving it for scrap (above) Not only were Phil and Ruth Davis-Jones (pictured above with the couple's children) left waiting for a car which never turned up, they had to pay the recovery bill for the wreckage and have been told the company will not pay up to replace it Manchester Airport Parking Services Ltd has been accused of losing cars, racking up speeding tickets, damaging a valuable Range Rover in a collision with a bus (above) Phil Davis-Jones (above) said: Im absolutely flabbergasted that the police have not done anything' She described how they called the company to say they had arrived back from holiday in Turkey and were ready to collect their trusted Vauxhall Vectra. But the couple and their daughters - the eldest just two-and-a-half - were left standing outside Terminal Two for hours when the meet and greet service failed to turn up. Their increasingly frantic calls to the Manchester Airport Parking Services Ltd went unanswered until a sheepish-sounding driver confessed he had crashed the car into a tree. The family were forced to pay out 107.25 for a taxi to their home in the Wirral the first of a growing list of expenses with a growing total of more than 2,000. Their shock turned to anger when they discovered that the Stockport-based firm, run by Amani Khan, had abandoned their 11-year-old Vauxhall by the side of the road. And the young couple were left in despair when Manchester Airport Parking Services Ltds insurance company ERS said they would not pay to replace their car, valued at 1,8000, because it was worth less than the policy excess. I was completely dumb-founded when I discovered they [Manchester Airport Parking Services Ltd] had crashed our car and then just left it by the side of the road,' said Ms Davis-Jones. They wrote off our car and then did nothing to recover it. A member of the public called the police and they organized for it to be taken away. Ms Davis-Jones described how they called the company to say they had arrived back from holiday in Turkey (pictured above) and were ready to collect their trusted Vauxhall Vectra The family was left outside Terminal Two for hours when the meet and greet service failed to turn up. Their frantic calls went unanswered until a sheepish-sounding driver confessed he had crashed the car into a tree (above) The family paid 107.25 for a taxi to their Wirral home the first of a list of expenses of more than 2,000. Their shock turned to anger when they discovered that the firm had abandoned their 11-year-old Vauxhall (above, before and after the crash) by the side of the road The young couple (whose eldest daughter is pictured on holiday) was left in despair when Manchester Airport Parking Services Ltds insurance company ERS said they would not pay to replace their car, valued at 1,8000, because it was worth less than the policy excess 'Now we have been landed with a bill for the recovery and for storing it. It was our family car. We had two child seats in the back to take the girls round. Another recent incident involving the parking company saw a disabled family stranded for hours at Manchester Airport - only to find out their car had been stolen from the supposedly secure storage facility. Karen Cotton, 42, who suffers from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome arrived back at the airport on October 31 having left her specially modified disability vehicle with the 'meet and greet' firm. Returning with her autistic son and daughter, Hayden Lee, 13, and daughter, Sian Lee, 10, she called the firm expecting to be told her car was on the way. But every time she rang, her phone call was dismissed. It wasn't until after 24 failed attempts and resorting to a landline that she finally got through to the firm. To her horror, she was informed that the vehicle, along with her specialist wheelchair, had been stolen from the storage facility - a financial loss of around 40,000. She recalled the days after the theft to MailOnline, saying: 'I have yet to receive any response from the parking company at all. 'Eventually when I did get through I was told they were checking CCTV of theft, but lo and behold there eventually didn't turn out to be any. 'I have been told the owner of the firm will call, but I'm still yet to hear anything'. Karen Cotton, 42, (pictured with her autistic daughter Sian Lee, 10) was left waiting for hours in Manchester Airport only to be told by the 'meet and greet' company that her vehicle had been stolen The specially adapted van Ms Cotton uses to get around is, along with her wheelchair, worth around 40,000. The van was insured, but her wheelchair was not. She has described life without the wheelchair as 'horrendous' Ms Cotton has now had to suspend her college degree at York College, due to the loss of her specialist wheelchair. Describing the impact it has had on her life, she said: 'It has been absolutely horrendous. I am in considerable pain from having to walk around. 'I've completely lost my freedom and my son has even had to miss a few days of school because I wasn't able to take him. It's been life changing. 'The people that stole my car must have known they were stealing from a disabled person. The wheelchair would have been visible through the window.' The single mother from Carlton, in Yorkshire, is now so desperate to have her wheelchair - which was not insured - back that she's pleading with the thieves to dump it somewhere so she can find it. Hayden Lee, 13, and Sian Lee, 10, (left to right) were unable to go trick or treating after their mother's car was stolen from a supposedly secure car park used by a Manchester Airport 'meet and greet' firm Manchester Airport Parking Services came under the spotlight earlier this year when Arthur and Rebecca Morris said they came home from holiday to find the company denying it had ever looked after their car. It was found 35 days later, vandalised on a nearby estate in Wythenshawe, with dents in the roof a broken wing mirror, a key scratch down the driver's door, two flat tyres and damage to the bumper. Steve Taylor, from Rochdale, claimed he left his Range Rover with the firm in July this year only to find 50 extra miles on the clock and a speeding ticket when he got back. He said he paid 72 to leave his luxury 100,000 Autobiography 4x4 with the company while he went to Canada for 10 days and came back to a speeding ticket, dated at 1am on a day he was away. Mike Savage said he came back from holiday in April to find his Range Rover badly smashed up after it was involved in a collision with two buses, according to the Manchester Evening News. The Davis-Jones are still fighting to get any money for their wrecked car. Ruth, 32, a beauty therapist, added: I just cant believe how they treated us. I was standing outside Manchester Airports Terminal 2 with my baby Willow in a sling, my daughter Harper in a pram, a bag on back and two bags attached to the pram completely stranded. Ruth, 32, a beauty therapist, added: I just cant believe how they treated us. I was standing outside Manchester Airports Terminal 2 with my baby Willow in a sling, my daughter Harper in a pram, a bag on back and two bags attached to the pram completely stranded' The familys growing costs due to the crash include; 1,600 for 2017 Vauxhall Vectra, 200 for two child seats, 107.25 taxi fare, 75 car recovery and storage and 104 weekly car rental fee We kept calling them and they didnt answer. Finally they said they had crashed the car and suggested we get a taxi home. They wrote off our family car but their insurance company [ERS] is refusing to pay to replace it. Husband Phil, a marketing manager for M&S bank, has had to hire a car to travel the 20 miles to work. Phil Davis-Jones, 39, said: At the moment, I have no car and no real possibility of recovering the cost of my car or car seats. As they are a limited company they will just close down the business but surely due to neglect they showed they should be personally liable and struck off from being directors for 15 years. Im absolutely flabbergasted that the police have not done anything and ERS insurance havent cancelled their policy. The familys growing costs due to the crash include; 1,600 for 2017 Vauxhall Vectra, 200 for two child seats, 107.25 taxi fare, 75 car recovery and storage and 104 weekly car rental fee. Manchester Airport Parking Services came under the spotlight earlier this year when Arthur and Rebecca Morris said they came home from holiday to find the company denying it had ever looked after their car. It was found 35 days later, vandalised, on a nearby estate Mr and Mrs Morris (above) said it had dents in the roof a broken wing mirror, a key scratch down the driver's door, two flat tyres and damage to the bumper Steve Taylor , from Rochdale, claimed he left his Range Rover (above) with the firm in July this year only to find 50 extra miles on the clock and a speeding ticket when he got back He said he paid 72 to leave his luxury 100,000 Autobiography 4x4 with the company while he went to Canada for 10 days and came back to a speeding ticket, dated at 1am on a day he was away Manchester Airport Parking Services Ltd refused to discuss Mr and Mrs Davis-Jones complaint when told that MailOnline were investigating their case. A spokesman for the firm said: Good for you, mate! No comment. See you later! Manchester Airport Parking Services Ltd is owned and run by Amani Khan, 22, from Altrincham, Cheshire. Last night their insurance company ERS said Manchester Airport Parking Services policy did not cover the damage of the family car. A spokeswoman said: Manchester Airport Parking Services took out a policy with ERS which unfortunately does not cover the damage to the Jones family car. We have made repeated efforts to contact Manchester Airport Parking Services in order to assist the Jones family with their enquiry, as well as encourage Manchester Airport Parking Services to update their policy so that distressing situations such as this one do not happen again. Chinese workers have built a subway tunnel reaching as deep as 88 metres (288 feet) under the surface of the sea. The passage measures 8.1 kilometres (five miles) long, with 3.49 kilometres (2.1 miles) submerged under the Yellow Sea. It is the longest and deepest undersea subway tunnel in China. It is also about 100 feet deeper than the Bosphorus rail tunnel in Istanbul, which is said to be the world's deepest underwater railway tunnel. The undersea subway tunnel in Qingdao reaches 88 metres (288 feet) below the Yellow Sea. Above is a screen shot of a report on the tunnel from China Central Television Station It is the longest and deepest undersea subway tunnel in China, according to the report The tunnel connects the eastern and western parts of Qingdao separated by the Jiaozhou Bay At nearly 290 feet below the ocean, the pressure becomes so great that each square metre of the tunnel has to bear a force equivalent to the weight of 300 cars, according to a project manager from the Chinese project. Construction of the impressive cross-sea link was finished on Wednesday after having started in 2015, reported China Central Television Station. It is part of the No. 1 Metro Line in Qingdao, an eastern metropolis with around nine million people. A former German colony, the city is dubbed China's 'capital of beer' because of its famous lager Tsingdao. The cross-sea subway tunnel is part of the No. 1 Metro Line in metropolitan Qingdao (pictured) It could help cut passengers' travel time across the Jiaozhou Bay down to six minutes The new 37-mile-long subway line has 23 stops and is set to start running in 2020. The tunnel could help cut passengers' travel time across the Jiaozhou Bay down to six minutes. The subway line adds to Qingdao's current 11 subway lines and connects downtown with the city's Huangdao district. At more than 55 metres (180 feet) deep, the Marmaray Tunnel under the Bosphorus Strait has previously been reported as the deepest railway tunnel in the world. The tunnel is 13.6 kilometres (8.5 miles) long, with 1.4 kilometres (0.8 miles) running under the Bosphorus Strait, linking up the Asian and European shores of Istanbul. The Marmaray Tunnel in Istanbul has been reported as the deepest railway tunnel in the world. Turkish engineers are seen working in the tunnel under the Bosphorus Strait on April 18, 2013 At more than 55 metres (180 feet) deep, the Marmaray Tunnel links Asia and Europe The news of the completion of the Qingdao tunnel comes less than a month after China opened the world's longest sea-crossing bridge, linking Hong Kong, Macau and Zhuhai. The gargantuan project consists of a 22.9-kilometre-long (14.2-mile-long) oversea bridge and a 6.7-kilometre-long (4.2-mile-long) undersea tunnel, which is connected to the bridge by two artificial islands. Stretching across 55 kilometres (34 miles), the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is 22.5 kilometres (14 miles) longer than the width of the English Channel from Dover in the United Kingdom to Calais in France. The structure is the sixth longest bridge on earth. Chinese officials expect the bridge to be in use for 120 years and say it will boost businesses by cutting travel time by 60 per cent. An aerial view of the newly opened Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge in Zhuhai, Guangdong President Donald Trump placed the blame for GOP losses on more than two dozen retirements in the lower the chamber on Wednesday as he adjusted to a new political landscape in which Democrats control the House. His said that Republican lawmakers were exiting because they were term-limited out of powerful chairmanships. When it comes to Arizona's Jeff Flake, though, Trump gleefully acknowledged that he's the one who pushed the Republican lawmaker out of the Senate seat that the GOP is barely winning. 'It was me. Pure and simple. I retired him,' Trump declared at a news conference. 'Im very proud of it. I did the country a great favor.' Flake said he was retiring this year after clashing intensely with the United States president. Trump had encouraged a Republican to primary him and claimed that he was 'weak' on protecting America's borders. The senator responded in a fiery speech denouncing the president's rhetoric. His seat is now in play, with Republican Rep. Marthy McSally barely leading Democratic Rep. Krysten Sinema on Wednesday after 99 percent of the ballots had been counted. If Republicans lose the contest, they'll have lost a seat in Senate for six years be down to a bare 51-vote majority with the possibility of making it 52 depending on a Florida race's outcome. In the House the president's party lost almost as many seats as it had retirements. Democrats won at least 25 seats, firmly giving taking from the minority to the majority in the legislative body. Disgruntled, the president slammed a list of fellow Republicans who lost their seats on Tuesday and said they went down to defeat for failing to sufficiently 'embrace' him. Democrats picked up seats mainly by wiping away the remaining centrist Republicans who represent swing and suburban districts where the president is unpopular. At his traditional post-election press conference, rather than admit a 'shellacking' as his predecessor once did, Trump declared a 'big win' in the election then called out people he deemed responsible for their own losses. 'You had some that decided to, let's stay away. Let's stay away. They did very poorly,' Trump said. 'I'm not sure that I should be happy or sad, but I feel just fine about it,' he said. President Donald Trump went after fellow Republicans who lost their seats for failing to 'embrace' him. He said that is why they lost 'Carlos Curbela,' Trump said, mispronouncing the name of defeated Florida Rep. Carlos Curbelo. Trump continued, calling out a Colorado lawmaker who previously served in the Army and Marines, 'Mike Coffman.' He added, 'Too bad, Mike.' 'Mia Love,' Trump said. 'I saw Mia Love, she called me all the time to help her with a hostage situation. Being held hostage in Venezuela.' He vented: 'But Mia Love gave me no love, and she lost. Too bad. Sorry about that, Mia.' He was referring to Joshua Holt, an American who was jailed in Venezuela. Love's race had not yet been called. She was trailing Democrat Ben McAdams by 3 percentage points, with thousands of votes still outstanding, at the time of the president's slam. Trump also brought up Virginia Rep. Barbara Comstock, who went down in a Washington, D.C. suburb with a big Democratic constituency. 'Barbara Comstock was another one,' Trump said. 'I think she could have won that one. She didn't want to have any embrace. For that I don't blame her. But she lost, substantially lost.' He also called out Illinois Rep. Peter Roskam, saying he 'didn't want the embrace' and went down. 'Mia love gave me no love, and she lost. Too bad. Sorry about that, Mia,' said Trump Bob Hugin, center, the Republican candidate in the New Jersey Senate race, stands with his wife Kathy Hugin, left, and their daughter Hilary Hugin as he concedes victory to Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., during an election night party, Tuesday Neither did Minnesota Rep. Erik Paulsen, Trump said. He also 'didn't want the embrace' and lost. 'And in New Jersey, I think he could have done well but didn't work out too good, Bub Hugin,' he said. 'I feel badly, because I think that's something that could have been won. That's a race that could've been won.' Hugin was Trump's campaign fundraiser for the state in 2016. The president didn't campaign for him in 2018 in the blue state that was put into play by a New Jersey corruption trial. Trump also called out Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-VA), who was a top Democratic target, and who lost her seat Trump also called out New York Rep. John Faso Hugin ran as an independent voice in Democratic-leaning New Jersey. Trump, who heralded his own efforts to prop up Republicans, merely sent out an Election Day tweet backing Hugin, a former phrarma exec. He said Hugin 'would be a Great Senator from New Jersey' and said he 'has my complete and total Endorsement!' Hugin's opponent, Sen. Bob Menendez, who avoided corruption charges through a mistrial, retweeted the president's endorsement of his opponent. 'Those are some of the people that decided for their own reason not to embrace, whether it's me or what we stand for. But what we stand for meant a lot to most people,' Trump said. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau formally apologized Wednesday on behalf of his nation for turning away a ship full of Jewish refugees trying to flee Nazi Germany in 1939. The German liner MS St. Louis was carrying 907 German Jews fleeing Nazi persecution and it also had been rejected by Cuba and the United States. The passengers were forced to return to Europe and more than 250 later died in the Holocaust. Trudeau called the apology long overdue. Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivers a formal apology over the fate of the MS St. Louis and its passengers, in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday Before the apology, Trudeau met with Ana Maria Gordon, a St. Louis passenger who lives in Canada, to talk about how the country could fight anti-Semitism Trudeau hugs Liberal MP Linda Lapointe after delivering a formal apology Hitler 'watched on as we refused their visas, ignored their letters and denied them entry,' Trudeau said in Parliament. 'There is little doubt that our silence permitted the Nazis to come up with their own, "final solution" to the so-called Jewish problem.' He said lawmakers at the time used Canadian laws to mask anti-Semitism. 'We let anti-Semitism take hold in our communities and become our official policy,' Trudeau said. 'To harbor such hatred and indifference toward the refugees was to share in the moral responsibility for their deaths.' The German liner MS St. Louis was carrying 907 German Jews fleeing Nazi persecution and it also had been rejected by Cuba and the United States. The passengers were forced to return to Europe and more than 250 later died in the Holocaust In the run-up to World War II and the ensuing Holocaust, the government heeded anti-Semitic sentiment and severely restricted Jewish immigration. From 1933 to 1945, only about 5,000 Jewish refugees were accepted. The ship arrived in Canada more than six months after the Nazis in Germany attacked Jewish homes and businesses, burned 250 synagogues and killed at least 91 people, on a night which came to be known as Kristallnacht, 'The Night of Broken Glass.' Before the apology, Trudeau met with Ana Maria Gordon, a St. Louis passenger who lives in Canada, to talk about how the country could fight anti-Semitism. Prince, Son and Heir - Charles at 70 is on BBC One at 9pm tonight Advertisement Prince Charles has ruled out being a 'meddling monarch' when he succeeds to the throne. In a major documentary to mark his 70th birthday next week, the heir to the throne tackles head-on the issue of his controversial lobbying. And he vows to stop campaigning on the environment, architecture and homeopathy as king, insisting: 'I'm not that stupid.' Speaking for the first and, aides insist, last time on a subject that has dogged much of his time as Prince of Wales he says: 'I do realise it is a separate exercise being sovereign. So of course I understand entirely how that should operate. Scroll down for video In a major documentary to mark his 70th birthday next week, the heir to the throne tackles head-on the issue of his controversial lobbying The documentary is a fascinating portrait of the king-in-waiting, featuring candid contributions from family including his sons William and Harry and wife, the Duchess of Cornwall The prince happily shows the documentary crew an arboretum that he has planted for his eldest grandchild at Birkhall, his Scottish home, which he calls 'George's wood' So close: The Duchess of Cornwall gives Prince Charles a gentle punch as they walk their dog Beth at Birkhall Charles (pictured in Ghana with Camilla) says he has to change when he becomes king but Lord Hain, a former cabinet member, says he shouldn't be 'viewless and silent'. Republicans believe Charles won't be able to resist 'meddling' 'I've tried to make sure whatever I've done has been non-party political, but I think it's vital to remember there's only room for one sovereign at a time, not two. Harry's tribute to his 'mummy' Diana as he praises 'amazing' Charles Prince Harry (right today) paid tribute to his mother Diana in the BBC documentary. The Duke of Sussex was interviewed alongside his brother as they spoke about their childhood. Prince William did not raise their mother Diana, who died in 1997, and Charles does not mention her either - but Harry did as he paid tribute to their father as he approaches 70. Harry said: 'He's done an amazing job, and without telling us what he should be doing or the direction that we should go in, he's just let us learn from the nature of the job, learning from him, learning from Mummy.' The programme reveals how Charles would take his sons litter picking when they were on holiday with him. He has also passed down some of his other quirkier traits. Harry reveals: 'He's a stickler for turning lights off. 'And that's now something that I'm obsessed with as well, which is insane because actually my wife certainly goes 'Well why turn the lights off? You know it's dark'. Advertisement 'You can't be the same as the sovereign if you're the Prince of Wales or the heir. But the idea somehow that I'm going to go on exactly the same way, if I have to succeed, is complete nonsense because the two situations are completely different.' However, the prince is unrepentant about his public campaigning over the past half century. He says archly: 'I always wonder what meddling is? I mean I always thought it was motivating. 'But I've always been intrigued, if it's meddling to worry about the inner cities as I did 40 years ago and what was happening or not happening there the conditions in which people were living. If that's meddling I'm very proud of it.' Documentary-maker John Bridcut admitted Prince Charles appeared to resent the word meddling when he asked him the question. He said today: 'He bridled a bit at the word meddling and said he prefers the word motivating'. Mr Bridcut said Charles' wife Camilla says the 'burden' of being the next monarch 'does not weigh heavily on his shoulders because he has known all his life it is going to happen'. He added: 'Actually he told me he it might be rather relieving to step back from that rather more front line role he's carried on as Prince of Wales'. Former cabinet minister Lord Hain says 'I don't see why the future monarch should be expected to be completely viewless and silent on everything' Lord Hain added: 'I've never been a monarchist, but if you believe in a monarchy, then I don't see why the monarch currently or the future monarch should be expected to be completely view-less and silent on everything.' Asked if he thought it was a shame that Charles has said he will not speak out on issues, Lord Hain said: 'No. I respect his point of view, just as I respected our dialogues when I was in government.' But anti-monarchy campaigners Republic said: 'The royal PR machine are facing a crisis as Charles prepares to take the throne.' The organisation added: 'Charles has routinely abused his position of power, privately lobbying cabinet ministers and influencing government policy with his own political agenda. 'King Charles is just around the corner and we should be having a wide-ranging national debate about our country's future, not a coronation by default.' Charles says: 'You can't be the same as the sovereign if you're the Prince of Wales or the heir. But the idea somehow that I'm going to go on exactly the same way, if I have to succeed, is complete nonsense because the two situations are completely different' The Duke of Sussex salutes after laying a Cross of Remembrance outside Westminster Abbey today ahead of tonight's documentary Critics accuse 'royal PR machine' of 'rushing to change Prince Charles' public image' Republicans have predicted a crisis for the royal family when Charles takes over from his mother the Queen Prince Charles will be unable to resist 'meddling' when he becomes king because he has been 'abusing his power' for years, critics have said today. Anti-monarchy campaigners Republic have claimed that tonight's BBC documentary marking the Prince of Wales' 70th birthday is just a 'rushed' PR exercise to boost his popularity. In the show Charles promises he won't 'meddle' in politics when he takes the throne, but some have suggested the prince will be unable to resist. Slamming the documentary on BBC One tonight, described as a 'clear the decks interview, anti-Monarchists Republic said: 'The royal PR machine are facing a crisis as Charles prepares to take the throne.' The organisation added: 'Charles has routinely abused his position of power, privately lobbying cabinet ministers and influencing government policy with his own political agenda. 'It's unsurprising that then royals are rushing to change Charles' public image as he prepares to become king, but does he really expect us to believe he won't capitalise on all the powers he's about to inherit? 'King Charles is just around the corner and we should be having a wide-ranging national debate about our country's future, not a coronation by default.' Advertisement The documentary, Prince, Son and Heir Charles at 70, which airs on BBC One at 9pm tonight, is a fascinating portrait of the king-in-waiting, featuring candid contributions from family including his sons William and Harry and wife, the Duchess of Cornwall. It reveals that: Charles is such a workaholic that he often falls asleep at his desk at midnight with a memo stuck to his forehead; When the Duchess of Sussex found out her father would not be walking her down the aisle, Charles immediately volunteered; Prince William wishes his father could spend more time with grandchildren George, Charlotte and Louis; Although born to be king, Charles does not think about his destiny much; William insists he wants to be his 'own man' as Prince of Wales. Documentary-makers were given unrivalled access to Charles for a year, watching him at close quarters both at work and in private. And although a sensitive subject with the prince, the issue of his life-long lobbying was difficult to ignore. Over the years, the prince has been accused of risking the monarch's constitutional impartiality by meddling in government policy. Tales of his so-called 'black spider memos', the regular missives written to ministers calling for action in his distinctive scrawled handwriting, have left many uneasy about his ability to be a neutral monarch. In the interview the prince confronts the issue directly, pointing out that as the longest-serving heir to the throne in British history he inherited the role at the age of just four it was his duty to find a way to live a productive public life. He compares his role to that of the 14th-century Black Prince, a predecessor as Prince of Wales and commander during the Hundred Years' War. Charles says: 'Each one of my predecessors had to find out how they would do it, a lot of them dropped dead or were killed before they got very far. 'I mean the Black Prince was the first one and he rushed about doing all the complicated bits and fighting battles while his father sat somewhere else. So you know he was busy winning his spurs, and in a sense that's still what has to happen.' Charles says as a young man he was encouraged to 'get involved' by political leaders. 'I remember Jim Callaghan who was prime minister and he invited me to come and spend the whole day at No 10,' he recalled. 'I sat in on all his meetings, and the Cabinet meeting and his briefing before going to the House of Commons for Question Time, and then I was sent round all the different ministries to find out what went on. 'You have to make of it what you feel is right. There's nothing laid down that's what makes it so interesting, challenging and of course complicated.' When pushed by Mr Bridcut, who points out that people have openly expressed concern that he won't be able to resist getting involved, Charles explodes: 'I'm not that stupid.' He agrees that he could continue to use his 'convening' power the ability to bring disparate people and groups together but only 'with the agreement of ministers'. Charles rarely gives interviews of a personal nature. The last one was to presenter Jonathan Dimbleby in 1994 when he admitted adultery. And he has never confronted the issue of how he intends to conduct himself as monarch before, believing it unseemly to refer to anything that involves the death of his mother. But it is understood the prince believes now is the time to lay to rest the suggestion that he will be anything other than constitutionally neutral. Charles's mention of his work in the inner cities is a reference to the highly successful Prince's Trust for disadvantaged youngsters. He also describes himself as a 'risk taker' when it comes to some of his public work, like Dumfries House, the Scottish stately home that he controversially saved after taking out a 20 million loan and has since turned into a thriving charity hub. The prince says: 'Having taken the risks, I believe in living dangerously.' Prince, Son and Heir - Charles at 70 is on BBC One at 9pm tonight. ... and look who's perking up his trip to Africa: Prince doesn't look his age, says supermodel pal Naomi Beaming Prince Charles received an early birthday treat yesterday a compliment from a supermodel. Naomi Campbell wished him a happy 70th and told him that he does not look his age. The pair who have known each other for years met at a reception in Nigeria, on the penultimate day of Charles's official visit to West Africa. Beaming Prince Charles received an early birthday treat yesterday a compliment from a supermodel. Naomi Campbell wished him a happy 70th and told him that he does not look his age They greeted each other warmly at the function, attended by members of Nigeria's fashion industry. Miss Campbell, 48, said afterwards: 'He looks amazing. He doesn't look his age. I told him that his spirit was young. He is such an example to me. His commitment to the Commonwealth, that's amazing. I'm very grateful.' Charles, who turns 70 next Wednesday, also viewed a giant bronze of the Queen, who sat for Nigerian sculptor Ben Enwonwu in the 1950s. The pair who have known each other for years met at a reception in Nigeria, on the penultimate day of Charles's official visit to West Africa Advertisement I'm so proud of how he stepped in to walk Meghan down the aisle, says Harry as he and William give candid interview about their relationship with their father Prince Harry says his father did not hesitate to step in after the Duchess of Sussex's father pulled out of walking her down the aisle in May. Thomas Markle decided not to travel from his Mexico home after being humiliatingly exposed for colluding with a paparazzi photographer in the run-up to the nuptials. When it became clear that Meghan wouldn't have her reclusive father to support her, Harry went to his. Speaking in a documentary to mark Charles' 70th birthday, Harry says: 'I asked him to and I think he knew it was coming and he immediately said 'Yes, of course, I'll do whatever Meghan needs, and I'm here to support you'. Prince Harry says his father did not hesitate to step in after the Duchess of Sussex's father pulled out of walking her down the aisle in May Millions of viewers were left deeply moved as the prince turned to his father and said, 'Thank you Pa', as Charles completed the walk down St George's Chapel at Windsor with Meghan on his arm When it became clear that Meghan wouldn't have her reclusive father to support her, Harry went to his 'For him that's a fantastic opportunity to step up and be that support, and you know he's our father so of course he's going to be there for us. I was very grateful for him to be able to do that.' Millions of viewers were left deeply moved as the prince turned to his father and said, 'Thank you Pa', as Charles completed the walk down St George's Chapel at Windsor with Meghan on his arm. Charles's wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, says: 'That was very touching. But afterwards watching it on the television, I think it was a lovely gesture.' William says in the documentary: 'I want to be my own man and take my own style, my own passions and my own interests my way, and do things slightly differently' The second-in-line to the throne adds: 'It's important that each generation does things a little bit differently.' (Above, with his father and Harry at a commemoration ceremony in northern France in 2017) Prince William insists he wants to take his own path in life. The second in line to the throne says: 'There are so many things I admire about my father his work ethic, his passions ... but personally I want to be my own man and take my own style, my own passions and my own interests my way, and do things slightly differently. 'It's important that each generation does things a little bit differently.' Charles works too hard he should spend more time with his grandchildren (who he loves crawling around with) reveals Prince William Prince William wishes his workaholic father could spend more time with his grandchildren, the documentary to mark Charles' 70th birthday reveals. The Prince of Wales is described as a 'brilliant' grandfather who will spend hours crawling on the floor and making silly noises with his little granddaughters and grandsons. But the prince can be distracted because he is so dedicated to his work to the extent that his sons say he sometimes falls asleep with the documents he is reading stuck to his face. Prince William wishes his workaholic father could spend more time with his grandchildren, the documentary to mark Charles' 70th birthday reveals. (Above, at Harry and Meghan's wedding in May) The Prince of Wales is described as a 'brilliant' grandfather who will spend hours crawling on the floor and making silly noises with his little granddaughters and grandsons The prince can, however, be distracted because he is so dedicated to his work to the extent that his sons say he sometimes falls asleep with the documents he is reading stuck to his face.. (Pictured, father and son at the Invictus Games in 2014) HANDS-ON GRANDFATHER Asked whether his father has 'time to be a grandfather on top of everything else', William answers carefully. In recent years, Charles is said to have privately expressed his frustration that he doesn't get to see as much of his grandchildren as the Middleton family, a claim his aides have always furiously dismissed. But his elder son makes clear that he would like to have more 'family time' with his hard-working father. William says: 'It's something I'm working more heavily on, put it that way. I think he does have time for it, but I would like him to have more time with the children. In recent years, Charles is said to have privately expressed his frustration that he doesn't get to see as much of his grandchildren as the Middleton family, a claim his aides have always furiously dismissed 'Now he's reached his 70th year it's a perfect time to consolidate a little bit because, as most families would do, you are worried about having them around and making sure their health's OK and he's the fittest man I know but equally I want him to be fit until he's 95. 'So having more time with him at home would be lovely, and being able to play around with the grandchildren. 'Because when he's there, he's brilliant. But we need him there as much as possible.' Camilla adds: 'He will get down on his knees and crawl about with them for hours, you know making funny noises and laughing, and my grandchildren adore him, absolutely adore him. He reads Harry Potter and he can do all the different voices and I think children really appreciate that.' Aides say Charles could not be prouder to be a grandfather. The prince happily shows the documentary crew an arboretum that he has planted for his eldest grandchild at Birkhall, his Scottish home, which he calls 'George's wood'. LITTER PICKER Referring to his passion for the environment and life-long campaign to highlight the perils of climate change, Harry reveals his father still can't help 'banging the drum' even when he sits down with his sons to dinner. He tells his brother: 'You know how frustrated he gets. But he's done an amazing job, and without telling us what he should be doing or the direction that we should go in, he's just let us learn from the nature of the job, learning from him, learning from Mummy.' The programme reveals how Charles would take his sons litter picking when they were on holiday with him. He has also passed down some of his other quirkier traits. Referring to his passion for the environment and life-long campaign to highlight the perils of climate change, Harry reveals his father (above, in 2014) still can't help 'banging the drum' even when he sits down with his sons to dinner Harry reveals: 'He's a stickler for turning lights off. 'And that's now something that I'm obsessed with as well, which is insane because actually my wife certainly goes 'Well why turn the lights off? You know it's dark'. 'I go 'We only need one light, we don't need like six', and all of a sudden it becomes a habit and those small habit changes he's making, every single person can do. And I think that is one of the key lessons certainly that I felt that he taught us.' William agrees, adding: 'I know I've got serious OCD on light switches now which is terrible. 'He does life the way that he advocates. He did take to heart the criticism quite a lot when he was younger.' 24/7 WORKAHOLIC If there is one thing the prince's family is agreed on, it's their desire not that he will ever listen for him to slow down. Harry jokes: 'He does need to slow down, this is a man who has dinner ridiculously late at night. 'And then goes to his desk later that night and will fall asleep on his notes to the point of where he'll wake up with a piece of paper stuck to his face.' William agrees, saying: 'He has amazing personal discipline. So, he has and it's frustrated me in the past a lot he has a routine. 'The only way to fit all this stuff in is things have to be compartmentalised. The man never stops. If there is one thing the prince's family is agreed on, it's their desire not that he will ever listen for him to slow down 'I mean when we were kids there was bags and bags and bags of work that the office just sent to him. We could barely even get to his desk to say goodnight to him.' The Duchess of Cornwall says she tried to encourage her husband to 'pace himself' but admits he is too driven to take any notice. She smiles ruefully: 'My father once said to me, 'As you get older, you've got to do one thing and that is pace yourself'. And I would love to tell him to pace himself, but I'm afraid that's not going to happen.' MAN OF DESTINY Charles neatly sums up the way his life has been mapped out before him, with astonishing matter of factness. He says: 'When my mama succeeded and became Queen when by grandfather died so young, aged 57, I ended up becoming heir to the throne at aged four.' And yet his wife says it is a weight he bears lightly. Asked whether the crown is something he often thinks about, Camilla says: 'No, I don't. 'I think his destiny will come, he's always known it's going to come and I don't think it does weigh on his shoulders at all.' When she is asked if it is something he talks about, the duchess replies: 'Not very much, no. It's just something that's going to happen.' The Queen and Prince Charles surrounded by guests on stage at the Royal Albert Hall in London during a star-studded concert to celebrate the Queen's 92nd birthday. Camilla says: 'I think his destiny will come, he's always known it's going to come and I don't think it does weigh on his shoulders at all' BIRTHDAY BOY Asked to give a message to the prince on his birthday, his sons are quick to reply. Harry laughs: 'Please have dinner earlier is my message to him! I would encourage him to remain optimistic because I think it can be very easy to become despondent and negative. 'But with hopefully his children and his grandchildren and hopefully more grandchildren to come, he can get energy from the family side and then carry on his leadership role.' William adds: 'I'm very pleased that he's made 70. You know if you ask him if the job's done, it's not. 'But more than anything I'd like to see his passions and his interests and the things he's been campaigning for come to fruition completely for him. He hasn't even reached the point that his natural progression should do i.e. being monarch. So, you know he's still got his job to do.' 'He hasn't even reached the point that his natural progression should do i.e. being monarch. So, you know he's still got his job to do,' says William Charles is not a man to act in haste it took him 30 years to marry Camilla so he will have given his TV gamble much thought. But will it pay off, asks RICHARD KAY The absence of any clear vision of what life under King Charles III will be like has led to a situation where his public interventions notably those infamous 'black spider' memos to ministers have seen him cast as a meddling monarch in waiting Prince Charles never does things in haste. He was 32 when he married for the first time, he romanced Mrs Camilla Parker Bowles more than 30 years before marrying her, and he has now waited until the eve of his 70th birthday before letting the world know what sort of king he will be. For many years, he has unburdened himself of his views on architecture, education, the environment, homeopathy and countless other subjects. He has shared his thoughts on faith, on duty and on his respect for tradition. But on kingship and the kind of monarch he sees himself as, he has largely been silent. In many ways, of course, it has been an entirely commendable position to adopt. Given the longevity of the Queen, to have done otherwise would have been not just discourteous to his mother, but potentially dangerous. However, the absence of any clear vision of what life under King Charles III will be like has led to a situation where his public interventions notably those infamous 'black spider' memos to ministers have seen him cast as a meddling monarch in waiting. Now, with one eye on the future and from the comfortable position of almost reaching his 70th his birthday is next Wednesday he has chosen to deal with these vital issues for the first time. Questioned in a TV documentary about those accusations and about his future role, his answers are both surprising and revealing. The film also sheds an intriguing light on his relationship with his sons William and Harry, and on his grandchildren. 'When he's there he's brilliant,' says William pointedly. 'But we need him there as much as possible.' What emerges from this 60-minute documentary is the most compelling and intimate picture of the Prince of Wales since the controversial Jonathan Dimbleby programme almost a quarter of a century ago. But while that film marked his anguish over his affair with Camilla, and hastened the final break-up of his marriage to Princess Diana, this one is likely to be remembered for him finally setting out how he will operate as king. Clearly irked by questions about his lobbying and the accusation of meddling, the prince says he is proud to have worried about inner cities and to have tackled other issues. Pressed about whether such campaigning will continue once he comes to the throne, he replies: 'I'm not that stupid.' Then, with one penetrating aside, he says: 'I think it's vital to remember there's only room for one sovereign at a time, not two. But the idea somehow that I'm going to go on exactly the same way, if I have to succeed, is complete nonsense.' Here, in a handful of words we get to the heart of Prince Charles. On the one hand he is explaining why he has said nothing about his future role. There is the deep respect and, yes, love, for his 92-year-old mother, and a refusal to take anything for granted. 'If I have to succeed' is a telling phrase in itself. But there is another message here, too. And this one is directed at Prince William, who will himself succeed to Prince of Wales when the time comes: who knows, it might even be a warning. Though even the most enthusiastic of William's supporters would admit that the 36-year-old heir in line is more likely to model himself on his inscrutable grandmother than on his outspoken father. Indeed, in a candid aside William, who has not always had an easy relationship with Charles, says: 'I want to be my own man and take my own style.' As for the future, Charles is unequivocal. Without mentioning the word king, he says: 'Clearly I won't be able to do the same things I've done as heir.' He cites Shakespeare as illustration: 'You only have to look at Henry V or Henry IV Part I and 2 to see the change that can take place, because if you become the sovereign you play the role in the way that it is expected.' Many will no doubt be reassured by such positivity from the prince, especially those alarmed that on occasions he does blunder into the political arena. The Queen, of course, has been nothing short of remarkable in observing the convention that royals do not express their views on any area of public life. What this film seems to suggest is that, as the moment of his elevation to the crown grows closer, he is taking these symbolic positions of the monarch more seriously and more thoughtfully. Prince Charles never does things in haste. He was 32 when he married for the first time, he romanced Mrs Camilla Parker Bowles more than 30 years before marrying her, and he has now waited until the eve of his 70th birthday before letting the world know what sort of king he will be The picture that also emerges is one of contentment. Only once, in a project which spanned a year in the prince's life did I a long-time observer of Charles's princely temperament get a glimpse of the crotchety prince. It comes during a clip filmed a Birkhall, the prince's Scottish retreat which he inherited from the Queen Mother. In the gardens there he has planted an arboretum which he refers to as 'George's wood', because he began planting around the time of the birth of his first grandson. He is walking with Camilla in the gardens when she begins to reminisce about the prince's long-dead Jack Russell, Tigger. The dog was part of his life at the time his marriage to Diana was breaking up and, despite his second wife's endeavours, he clearly did not want to discuss the pet. All the same, the nervous tics, the fidgeting with cuffs and never knowing what to do with his hands, were largely absent from this warmest of portraits. The relationship with his sons, which has been troubled, seems to have much improved. They are generous in their praise of their father especially Harry, who talks of the workaholic prince falling asleep at his desk. He mentions his gratitude to his father for walking Meghan down the aisle at his wedding in May. And in a nod to his American wife, not used to late dining, he suggests that in the future his father might eat dinner earlier in the evening. Camilla, of course, is ever present, saying on air the kind of supportive messages that have been such an integral part of their decades-long relationship. Significantly, she discloses that Charles does not fret about the future. Does his destiny weigh heavily on his shoulders, she is asked at one point? 'No,' she responds, 'his destiny will come, he's always known it's going to come. I don't think it does weigh on his shoulders at all.' There is, naturally, no contribution from the Queen. But wouldn't it have been fascinating to have heard from Prince Philip? This was, in many ways, a clearing of the decks interview, not unlike the decision he took on another birthday a few years ago to correct some long-repeated misconceptions about him. He said it was untrue that he had seven boiled eggs presented to him for breakfast each day, and explained that Camilla still has her own home because she likes to spend time there with her children and grandchildren. This exercise is far more serious and risky. Will his openness about how he will reign be believed? If he can succeed in persuading critics of that, then it will have been a gamble worth taking. A man who died while trying to save the life of a fellow backpacker has received a posthumous bravery award from Prince William. British backpacker Mia Ayliffe-Chung, 21, was dragged from her hostel bed and stabbed to death by schizophrenic Frenchman Smail Ayad at a hostel in north Queensland, in August 2016. Tom Jackson, 30, ran to Mia's aid and was also fatally stabbed. While many would have run away when confronted with a frenzied attack, Tom Jackson (pictured), tried to stop killer Smail Ayad but he was fatally stabbed in the process British woman Mia Ayliffe-Chung (pictured) had been travelling the world for nearly a year before she arrived Australia in 2016. She was stabbed to death at a hostel in August 2016 Fellow British backpacker Tom Jackson (pictured), has received a posthumous Queen's Gallantry Medal for his heroic actions Mr Jackson's friend, Daniel Richards, from Wales, also attempted to stop Ayad and comforted Ms Ayliffe-Chung in her final moments. Mr Jackson and Mr Richards were both awarded Queen's Gallantry Medals in the Civilian Gallantry list presented by Prince William, at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday. Tom's parents Les and Sandra Jackson accepted the posthumous award on their son's behalf from Prince William on what would have been his 33rd birthday. Their youngest children Dan and Liv were also in attendance. Mr Jackson's friend Daniel Richards (right) also received a Queen's Gallantry Medal from Prince William at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday The family are 'inestimably proud' that his heroic actions had been recognised. 'It's a bittersweet occasion and we wish that Tom was getting the awards, but I'm very proud to be receiving it on his behalf,' Mrs Jackson told ITV News. 'He was very much a protector, he didn't like people bullying other people.' 'He said Tom had done a remarkable thing and about how brave he had been, so it was nice to know that he knew,' Sandra Jackson (right) said about Prince William (left) Her husband revealed he cried when they received the letter notifying the family of the bravery award. 'I'm obviously not happy about the circumstances which led to it but I think it's right that Tom is recognise at this level for what he did on that terrible day,' Mr Jackson said. Mrs Jackson described Prince William as 'so friendly'. Frenchman Smail Ayad (pictured) stabbed Tom Jackson and Mia Ayliffe-Chung to death in 2016 'He'd read about the case so he knew why I was going up to receive the medal on Tom's behalf, so that was really lovely,' she told the BBC. 'He said Tom had done a remarkable thing and about how brave he had been, so it was nice to know that he knew.' Mr Richards was also at Buckingham Palace to receive his award from Prince William. He paid tribute to his late friend, whom he described as 'a fantastic man, very caring, a big strapping lad.' Daniel Richards (pictured) comforted Ms Ayliffe-Chung in her final moments, despite a risk to his own safety 'I owe my life to Tom,' Mr Richards told the BBC. Ayad was remanded to a mental health facility after being charged with the murders of Mr Jackson and Miss Ayliffe-Chung, where he remains detained. Criminal proceedings against Ayad were dropped in April due to mental illness. He appeared in Brisbane's Mental Health Court via videolink in June, where Justice Jean Dalton told the court that the immigration department was 'at the beginning of a process of liaising with Queensland Health to look for a way in which Ayad can be safely repatriated' to France. 'It seems to me that he will soon be detained by the Immigration Department and that while he remains in Australia he will either be in The Park high secure service which is very much like a jail, it's a secure area or he will be in immigration detention,' Justice Dalton said. No date for his return to France has been set. Mia Ayliffe-Chung (pictured) was on a backpacking holiday of a lifetime when her young life was tragically cut short at the age of 21 London Bridge hero Australian Kirsty Boden was also recognised by the Queen for her bravery in running to the aid of the wounded during the deadly terror attack last year. Ms Boden, 28, was one of two Australians killed when three terrorists went on a rampage on London Bridge. Six other people were also killed in the attack and 48 people were injured before London police shot dead the terrorists. Prince William wishes his workaholic father could spend more time with his grandchildren, the documentary to mark Charles' 70th birthday reveals. The Prince of Wales is described as a 'brilliant' grandfather who will spend hours crawling on the floor and making silly noises with his little granddaughters and grandsons. But the prince can be distracted because he is so dedicated to his work to the extent that his sons say he sometimes falls asleep with the documents he is reading stuck to his face. Scroll down for video Prince William wishes his workaholic father could spend more time with his grandchildren, the documentary to mark Charles' 70th birthday reveals. (Above, at Harry and Meghan's wedding in May) The Prince of Wales is described as a 'brilliant' grandfather who will spend hours crawling on the floor and making silly noises with his little granddaughters and grandsons The prince can, however, be distracted because he is so dedicated to his work to the extent that his sons say he sometimes falls asleep with the documents he is reading stuck to his face.. (Pictured, father and son at the Invictus Games in 2014) HANDS-ON GRANDFATHER Asked whether his father has 'time to be a grandfather on top of everything else', William answers carefully. In recent years, Charles is said to have privately expressed his frustration that he doesn't get to see as much of his grandchildren as the Middleton family, a claim his aides have always furiously dismissed. But his elder son makes clear that he would like to have more 'family time' with his hard-working father. William says: 'It's something I'm working more heavily on, put it that way. I think he does have time for it, but I would like him to have more time with the children. In recent years, Charles is said to have privately expressed his frustration that he doesn't get to see as much of his grandchildren as the Middleton family, a claim his aides have always furiously dismissed 'Now he's reached his 70th year it's a perfect time to consolidate a little bit because, as most families would do, you are worried about having them around and making sure their health's OK and he's the fittest man I know but equally I want him to be fit until he's 95. 'So having more time with him at home would be lovely, and being able to play around with the grandchildren. 'Because when he's there, he's brilliant. But we need him there as much as possible.' The prince happily shows the documentary crew an arboretum that he has planted for his eldest grandchild at Birkhall, his Scottish home, which he calls 'George's wood' So close: The Duchess of Cornwall gives Prince Charles a gentle punch as they walk their dog Beth at Birkhall Camilla adds: 'He will get down on his knees and crawl about with them for hours, you know making funny noises and laughing, and my grandchildren adore him, absolutely adore him. He reads Harry Potter and he can do all the different voices and I think children really appreciate that.' Aides say Charles could not be prouder to be a grandfather. The prince happily shows the documentary crew an arboretum that he has planted for his eldest grandchild at Birkhall, his Scottish home, which he calls 'George's wood'. LITTER PICKER Referring to his passion for the environment and life-long campaign to highlight the perils of climate change, Harry reveals his father still can't help 'banging the drum' even when he sits down with his sons to dinner. He tells his brother: 'You know how frustrated he gets. But he's done an amazing job, and without telling us what he should be doing or the direction that we should go in, he's just let us learn from the nature of the job, learning from him, learning from Mummy.' Referring to his passion for the environment and life-long campaign to highlight the perils of climate change, Harry reveals his father (above, in 2014) still can't help 'banging the drum' even when he sits down with his sons to dinner The programme reveals how Charles would take his sons litter picking when they were on holiday with him. He has also passed down some of his other quirkier traits. Harry reveals: 'He's a stickler for turning lights off. 'And that's now something that I'm obsessed with as well, which is insane because actually my wife certainly goes 'Well why turn the lights off? You know it's dark'. 'I go 'We only need one light, we don't need like six', and all of a sudden it becomes a habit and those small habit changes he's making, every single person can do. And I think that is one of the key lessons certainly that I felt that he taught us.' William agrees, adding: 'I know I've got serious OCD on light switches now which is terrible. 'He does life the way that he advocates. He did take to heart the criticism quite a lot when he was younger.' 24/7 WORKAHOLIC If there is one thing the prince's family is agreed on, it's their desire not that he will ever listen for him to slow down. Harry jokes: 'He does need to slow down, this is a man who has dinner ridiculously late at night. 'And then goes to his desk later that night and will fall asleep on his notes to the point of where he'll wake up with a piece of paper stuck to his face.' William agrees, saying: 'He has amazing personal discipline. So, he has and it's frustrated me in the past a lot he has a routine. 'The only way to fit all this stuff in is things have to be compartmentalised. The man never stops. If there is one thing the prince's family is agreed on, it's their desire not that he will ever listen for him to slow down The programme reveals how Charles would take his sons litter picking when they were on holiday with him. He has also passed down some of his other quirkier traits. Harry reveals: 'He's a stickler for turning lights off' 'I mean when we were kids there was bags and bags and bags of work that the office just sent to him. We could barely even get to his desk to say goodnight to him.' The Duchess of Cornwall says she tried to encourage her husband to 'pace himself' but admits he is too driven to take any notice. She smiles ruefully: 'My father once said to me, 'As you get older, you've got to do one thing and that is pace yourself'. And I would love to tell him to pace himself, but I'm afraid that's not going to happen.' MAN OF DESTINY Charles neatly sums up the way his life has been mapped out before him, with astonishing matter of factness. He says: 'When my mama succeeded and became Queen when by grandfather died so young, aged 57, I ended up becoming heir to the throne at aged four.' And yet his wife says it is a weight he bears lightly. Charles says: 'When my mama succeeded and became Queen when by grandfather died so young, aged 57, I ended up becoming heir to the throne at aged four' Asked whether the crown is something he often thinks about, Camilla says: 'No, I don't. 'I think his destiny will come, he's always known it's going to come and I don't think it does weigh on his shoulders at all.' When she is asked if it is something he talks about, the duchess replies: 'Not very much, no. It's just something that's going to happen.' The Queen and Prince Charles surrounded by guests on stage at the Royal Albert Hall in London during a star-studded concert to celebrate the Queen's 92nd birthday. Camilla says: 'I think his destiny will come, he's always known it's going to come and I don't think it does weigh on his shoulders at all' BIRTHDAY BOY Asked to give a message to the prince on his birthday, his sons are quick to reply. Harry laughs: 'Please have dinner earlier is my message to him! I would encourage him to remain optimistic because I think it can be very easy to become despondent and negative. 'But with hopefully his children and his grandchildren and hopefully more grandchildren to come, he can get energy from the family side and then carry on his leadership role.' William adds: 'I'm very pleased that he's made 70. You know if you ask him if the job's done, it's not. 'But more than anything I'd like to see his passions and his interests and the things he's been campaigning for come to fruition completely for him. He hasn't even reached the point that his natural progression should do i.e. being monarch. So, you know he's still got his job to do.' Prince, Son and Heir - Charles at 70 is on BBC One at 9pm tonight. 'He hasn't even reached the point that his natural progression should do i.e. being monarch. So, you know he's still got his job to do,' says William (WB) The LGBT caucus in the upcoming Congress will get a sizable boost in the aftermath of victories of gay congressional candidates on Election Day. Three gay and lesbian non-incumbent candidates Angie Craig in Minnesota, Chris Pappas in New Hampshire and Sharice Davids in Kansas were confirmed the winners Tuesday night in the bid for seats in the U.S. House amid blue victories that propelled Democrats to take control of the chamber. Another candidate whos bisexual, Katie Hill in California, appeared to have beaten incumbent Rep. Steve Knight (R-Calif.) in her bid to represent her states 25th congressional district in the House, but those results were close and werent declared as of Wednesday morning. These four additions will join incumbent gay Reps. David Cicilline (D-R.I.), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Mark Takano (D-Calif.) and Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.), who all won re-election last night. Two other LGB incumbents Reps. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) will be leaving the House for higher ambitions. Polis was elected governor of Colorado and Sinema was in a yet-to-be called race to represent Arizona in the U.S. Senate. All in all, with at least three freshman LGB representatives coming into the House and two leaving, the LGB representation of the House will have a net gain of at least 1 in the 116th Congress, or 2 if Hill is successful in her bid. That will make about 1.6 percent of Congress to be openly LGB, which is short of the 3.5 percent of the U.S. population that identifies such, but still closer to the countrys demographics. Cicilline, whos co-chair of the Equality PAC, said in a statement the victories of the gay congressional candidates represent a historic night in the fight for equality. We will enter the 116th Congress with an unprecedented number of LGBTQ members, We congratulate Chris Pappas, Sharice Davids, and Angie Craig on their victories last night. Their presence in the House will ensure the LGBTQ community is well represented in Congress. Meanwhile, in U.S. Senate races, Sinema was behind in her race in Arizona against Republican candidate Martha McSally as of Wednesday, although about 1 million early ballots werent yet counted. If Sinema is ultimately elected and joins lesbian Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), it would double LGB representation in the chamber. A crucial sensor was swapped on a Lion Air jet just one day before it plunged into the sea, killing all 189 people on board. Boeing said the 'angle of attack' sensor, which identifies if a plane is about to stall, was faulty on the doomed flight. The sensor - which helps the plane's computers determine if its nose is too high in the air - had been the cause of problems on the aircraft's last four flights before the crash. All passengers on board the Lion Air 737 Max 8 were killed when the plane nosedived into the Java Sea on October 29 just minutes after taking off from Jakarta. A crucial sensor was swapped on a Lion Air jet (pictured) just a day before it plunged into the sea, killing all 189 people on board Boeing said the 'angle of attack' sensor which identifies if a plane is about to stall was faulty on the doomed flight. Pictured: A colleague of Lion Air employees killed in the crash All passengers on board the Lion Air 737 Max 8 were killed when the plane nosedived into the Java Sea on October 29 just minutes after taking off from Jakarta. Pictured: Wreckage from the flight Lion Air's first two attempts at fixing the sensor were unsuccessful before it was replaced on October 28 - a day before the plane plunged into the ocean, the ABC reported. The same model of plane is regularly flown into Cairns and Darwin by budget airline Silk Air, while Virgin Australia has ordered 30 of them which are due to be in use in a year. In its safety warning to airlines on Wednesday, Boeing directed them to existing flight crew procedures to address issues with erroneous input from an AOA sensor. 'The investigation into Lion Air flight 610 is ongoing and Boeing continues to co-operate fully and provide technical assistance at the request and under the direction of government authorities investigating the accident,' Boeing said. The warning prompted the US Federal Aviation Administration to issue its own emergency airworthiness directive, telling airlines with Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft to follow correct procedures if pilots receive erroneous information from an AOA sensor. The FAA directive applies to about 250 Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft operating worldwide. 'This condition, if not addressed, could cause the flight crew to have difficulty controlling the airplane, and lead to excessive nose-down attitude, significant altitude loss, and possible impact with terrain,' the FAA said. The same model of plane is regularly flown into Cairns and Darwin by budget airline Silk Air, while Virgin Australia has ordered 30 of them which are due to be in use in a month. Pictured: A woman whose husband died on the flight Boeing has warned about improper readings from the plane's monitoring system - which have the potential to force the aircraft to take a sharp dive. Pictured: A passengers wallet floating in the Java Sea The black box recorder recovered from the plane showed the jet's airspeed indicator was faulty when it crashed and during three other flights, investigators said today. The night before the fatal crash, the same aircraft had erratic speed and altitude issues during a flight from Bali to Jakarta, it emerged yesterday. Passengers noticed an 'unusual' rumbling coming from the engine and a 'roller coaster'-like flight, which combined with the heat caused some people to become ill. Angry relatives of the victims demanded answers from the airline's owner at an emotional press conference. Distraught families begged the founder of Lion Air to tell them why the plane, which was found to have technical problems, had been passed fit to fly. More than 100 body bags of human remains have been pulled from the water, with the number expected to rise as remains washed up on land. Advertisement Hugh Hefner's widow Crystal Harris has finally found a buyer for the Hollywood Hills home that was left to her by the late Playboy founder for $5.5 million. The 32-year-old former Playboy Playmate originally listed the California pad in January for $7.2 million, just four months after her husband died aged 91 at his legendary Playboy Mansion. Hefner had bought the four-bedroom home for his third wife Crystal for $5 million in 2013, when the couple were living together in the Playboy mansion. But after struggling to sell off the home, Crystal slashed the price by $700,000 in March and changed realtors. By November she dropped the price again, this time by $1 million and was able to secure a buyer. Hugh Hefner's widow Crystal Harris has finally found a buyer for the Hollywood Hills home that was left to her by the late Playboy founder for $5.5 million The 32-year-old former Playboy Playmate originally listed the California pad in January for $7.2 million, just four months after her husband died at the age of 91 at his legendary Playboy Mansion Hefner had bought the four-bedroom home for his third wife Crystal for $5 million in 2013, when the couple were living together in the Playboy mansion. Hugh had also left his wife a lump sum of $5 million But after struggling to sell off the home, Crystal slashed the price by $700,000 in March and changed realtors But by November, Crystal dropped the price again, this time by another $1 million, and was able to secure a buyer The two made their love match legal on New Year's Eve in 2012, when she was only 26 years old and he was a spry 86 Nestled against a hillside, the stunning 5,917 square-foot home that was built in 2011 boasts four bedrooms and four and a half bathrooms, according to Realtor.com. Photos of the property show hardwood paneling surrounding the pool, as well as a glass-railed balcony overlooking the backyard. In the front lobby, a large metal sculpture of a camel stands next to a wood staircase that matches the ground level floors it leads down to. The kitchen island includes space for three bar seats as well as its own sink, and there is a massive window just above the main sink. One of the more striking elements of the home is a living room that can be opened up entirely at one end, leading onto a veranda. After he bought this house, he and Crystal remained at the Playboy Mansion - which he was incapable of leaving her when he died, as he reportedly did not actually own the iconic Mansion but was renting it from Playboy Enterprises at the time. The two made their love match legal on New Year's Eve in 2012, when she was only 26 years old and he was a spry 86. She first became one of his girlfriends in 2009, the year she turned 23, and they initially planned a 2011 wedding but broke up just before it was meant to happen. 'I miss him every day,' Crystal told Australia's Sunday Telegraph. Nestled against a hillside, the stunning 5,917 square-foot home that was built in 2011 boasts four bedrooms and four and a half bathrooms, according to Realtor.com Photos of the property show hardwood paneling surrounding the pool, as well as a glass-railed balcony overlooking the backyard The kitchen island includes space for three bar seats as well as its own sink, and there is a massive window just above the main sink. In the front lobby, a large metal sculpture of a camel stands next to a wood staircase that matches the ground level floors it leads down to One of the more striking elements of the home is a living room that can be opened up entirely at one end, leading onto a veranda 'He taught me a lot,' she explained. 'He taught me love. He taught me kindness, he was so kind to everybody, so welcoming to everybody into his home, it didn't matter who you were.' Crystal confessed she's adopted a more 'down-to-earth' lifestyle as of late, trading in the makeup for a more low-key regimen. 'I've never been the heels and dress and full makeup, I've never been that kind of person. 'Maybe I felt like I had to be in the role I was in, being Playmate or being a part of Playboy, that I had to be dolled up,' Crystal admitted. 'I think now I am more myself, which is the more down-to-earth, minimal makeup, that is where I feel the most comfortable.' After Hugh bought this house, he and Crystal remained at the Playboy Mansion - which he was incapable of leaving her when he died, as he reportedly did not actually own the iconic Mansion but was renting it from Playboy Enterprises at the time The two made their love match legal on New Year's Eve in 2012, when she was only 26 years old and he was a spry 86 Crystal confessed she's adopted a more 'down-to-earth' lifestyle as of late, trading in the makeup for a more low-key regimen 'I miss him every day,' Crystal told Australia's Sunday Telegraph. 'He taught me a lot,' she explained. 'He taught me love. He taught me kindness, he was so kind to everybody, so welcoming to everybody into his home, it didn't matter who you were' Out back: Photos of the property show hardwood paneling surrounding the pool, as well as a glass-railed balcony overlooking the backyard Hugh's first wife Mildred Williams philandered during their courtship when he was away fighting in World War II, then married him in 1949 Hugh's first wife Mildred Williams philandered during their courtship when he was away fighting in World War II, then married him in 1949. They had two children and conducted what was on his end an open marriage - her concession after her infidelity - but divorced in 1959, six years after Playboy started. He waited 30 years before getting married again, picking Playmate Kimberly Conrad for his second wife and having a further two children with her. They separated in 1999, but did not put the legal finish on the divorce until 2010. A juvenile judge in Houston stunned everyone in his courtroom when he unceremoniously freed as many as a dozen young suspects who appeared before him the day after he lost reelection to a Democrat. Judge Glenn Devlin, who is known for sending youths to detention in droves, simply asked whether or not they planned to kill anyone before turning them loose. Public defenders said he complained 'that's what the voters want' as he indiscriminately let defendants go, seemingly implying that the newly elected Democratic judges would be lenient towards criminals. Judge Glenn Devlin lost his bench on Tuesday night to a Democrat, and on Wednesday freed all seven youths who came before his court, saying 'that's what the people want' The youths were facing various charges, ranging from misdemeanors to felonies stemming from violent crimes. At least four of them were facing counts of aggravated robbery. All of the cases came before Devlin's bench on Wednesday, the day after the midterm elections, the Houston Chronicle reported. Democrats swept the benches of Republican justices in Houston on Tuesday night, seizing control of 59 posts, including Devlin's. Natalia Oakes, the Democrat who defeated Devlin in Tuesday's election, said she would not have expected this kind of conduct 'from a professional' After setting the juveniles free, Devlin rescheduled all of the cases for January 4, when his replacement will have taken the bench. Public defender Steven Halpert quoted Devlin as telling his juvenile client accused of aggravated robbery, as well as others: '"If I release you, are you going to go out and kill anybody?"' Each of the defendants said 'No' and was released on the spot. Halpert said he had previously requested Devlin to release his client from detention on three separate occassions, but without success. Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg hit out at Devlin over the move, saying: 'We oppose the wholesale release of violent offenders at any age. This could endanger the public.' Until Wednesday, Devlin had a reputation for readily sending children to detention, and together with another justice, he was responsible for one in five juvenile suspects sent to detention last year in the state. 'Im not sure that I can wrap my arms around what hes actually doing,' Alex Bunin, the chief public defender in Harris County, told the Houston Chronicle. 'Its a huge change, and the only thing that has happened is that he was not elected, so I dont know what to attribute it to other than that.' Halpert said it is not uncommon for Devlin to release a juvenile who has already been in detention upon review, but has never seen anything like what happened on Wednesday. 'The voters of Harris County clearly wanted a change in the juvenile courts, and Judge Devlin today is showing us why the voters may have wanted change,' said Jay Jenkins, a policy attorney with the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition. Devlin, who sits at Harris County Juvenile Court in Houston (pictured), is notorious for sending youths to detention, but decided to break with that habit after losing the election Devlin declined comment Wednesday when contacted by the Houston Chronicle. The ACLU of Texas is calling on the Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct to investigate Judge Devlin, accusing him of releasing the juveniles without any regard for their safety and without ensuring they are released to their parents. 'It is improper for a judge to make orders motivated by partisan interests or in spite as a result of his political loss,' said Sharon Watkins Jones, director of political strategies for the ACLU of Texas. Natalia Oakes, the Democrat who beat Devlin in the election, told KTRK she would not have expected this kind of conduct 'from a professional.' . Thousands of hardline Muslims today demanded a Christian mother cleared of blasphemy gets beheaded. Asia Bibi was arrested in 2009 on charges of insulting Islam's prophet and sentenced to death the following year. Her conviction was overturned last week due to lack of evidence and she was released in a secret location today after eight years on death row. Furious demonstrators marched in Karachi to protest her acquittal and call for her execution. Protesters: Thousands of hardline Muslims today demanded a Christian mother cleared of blasphemy gets beheaded Demonstrators: Asia's conviction was overturned last week and she was released today after eight years on death row Supporters of the Pakistani religious Islamist group Mutahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) climb in trees to take part in a protest rally against the release of Asia Bibi Asia Bibi was arrested in 2009 on charges of insulting Islam's prophet and sentenced to death in 2010 Why was Asia Bibi arrested? In 2009 the 54-year-old mother of five, a farm worker, went to fetch water. An argument took place after two fellow farm workers refused to drink from the same container as a Christian. Nearly a week later, the two women said Miss Bibi had insulted the Prophet Muhammad and she was charged with blasphemy. The charge carries the death penalty and Miss Bibi was sentenced to death in 2010. Her case garnered worldwide attention and brought sharp criticism of Pakistans blasphemy law. Advertisement 'We can sacrifice our lives but can never compromise on the honour of the prophet,' said a speaker at the protest. The demonstration comes hours after Bibi was flown from the central city of Multan - where she was in custody until yesterday - to a 'safe' place elsewhere in Pakistan. 'She has been freed,' her lawyer Saif-ul-Mulook said in a text message to AFP. 'I have been told that she is on a plane but nobody knows where she will land.' European Parliament president Antonio Tajani has offered Miss Bibi and her family protection in Europe. Her lawyer has also been offered temporary asylum in the Netherlands after facing death threats - but they are still in Pakistan at the moment, friends said. Following protests at last week's ruling, the government agreed a deal with Islamists to impose a travel ban on Bibi, and not to challenge a review of the Supreme Court's ruling. One of the most vocal groups in the protests - the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) - called for 'mutiny' against the army's top brass and the assassination of the top court's justices. Following Bibi's release, the TLP vowed to return to the streets if she was allowed to leave the country. 'If the promise is broken and she is sent abroad, then Allah willing, a movement will start and it will be decisive,' said TLP leader Afzal Qadri, after an earlier message from the group accused the government of reneging on the agreement. One of the most vocal groups in the protests - the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) - called for 'mutiny' against the army's top brass and the assassination of the top court's justices Following Bibi's release, the TLP vowed to return to the streets if she was allowed to leave the country The demonstration comes hours after Bibi was flown from the central city of Multan where she was in custody to a 'safe' place elsewhere in Pakistan The leader of Pakistani religious Islamist group Mutahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) Maulana Fazalur Rehman speaks to supporters during a protest rally Foreign ministry spokesman Muhammad Faisal on Thursday denied media reports that Bibi had left the country, telling AFP: 'She is in Pakistan'. Intelligence sources also told AFP that she had not left the country. An order for her release arrived Wednesday at the jail in Multan where she was held, a prison official told AFP. 'Asia Bibi has left the prison and has been transferred to a safe place!' tweeted Antonio Tajani, president of the European Parliament. Another civil aviation official, in Multan, said a small plane arrived in the city with 'a few foreigners and some Pakistanis' on board to fetch Bibi. Her case has underscored deep divisions between traditionalists and modernisers in the devoutly Muslim country. Following protests at last week's ruling, the government agreed in a deal with Islamists to impose a travel ban on Bibi, and not to challenge a review of the Supreme Court's ruling Pakistani lawyer Saif-ul-Mulook said Asia Bibi has been freed and taken from prison by plane The conviction stemmed from a 2009 incident when Bibi was asked to fetch water while out working in the fields. Muslim women labourers objected to her touching the water bowl as a non-Muslim, and a fight reportedly erupted. A local imam then claimed Bibi insulted the Prophet Mohammed. Bibi has consistently denied the charges, and her prosecution rallied international rights groups, politicians and religious figures. Pope Benedict XVI called for her release in 2010, while his successor, Pope Francis, met her daughter in 2015. Bibi's husband Ashiq Masih has appealed for Britain or the United States to grant the family asylum and several governments including those of Italy and France have offered to help. The release order arrived Wednesday at the prison in the central city of Multan, where Asia Bibi was detained, a prison official told AFP Blasphemy is an incendiary charge in Muslim-majority Pakistan, where even unsubstantiated allegations of insulting Islam can result in death at the hands of mobs Her lawyer fled to the Netherlands on Saturday under threat to his life. Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini tweeted: 'I will do everything humanly possible to guarantee this young woman's future.' Blasphemy is an incendiary charge in Muslim-majority Pakistan, where even unsubstantiated allegations of insulting Islam can result in death at the hands of mobs. Mere calls to reform the law have provoked violence, most notably the assassination of Salmaan Taseer, the governor of Pakistan's Punjab province, by his own bodyguard in Islamabad in 2011. Taseer had called for Bibi's release, and his son Shahbaz tweeted 'Pakistan Zindabad' ('Long live Pakistan') following last week's ruling. Thousands of Islamist hardliners poured onto the streets in protest after Supreme Court judges overturned Bibi's conviction last Wednesday. Demonstrations broke out in major cities across the country in the wake of the ruling, with club-wielding protesters blocking Islamabad's main highway and barricading roads in Karachi and Lahore. One resident in Multan, Rizwan Khan, told AFP that Bibi would not be safe wherever she went, while another, Qari Muneer, said the decision should be reversed and called for her to receive 'strict punishment'. A woman got the shock of her life after she nearly chomped down on a rusty nail she found inside a boneless chicken thigh she bought at a supermarket. Nadia Petersen, from Whangarei in New Zealand's North Island, picked up a sealed packed of chicken from Countdown supermarket chain in Regent Whangarei on Wednesday. But after preparing her meal, the 32-year-old was horrified to discover a nail hidden inside one of the thighs. 'I opened the packet sprinkled seasoning on it and put the chicken in the oven pan, and put it on grill, I turned it a few times and saw nothing obviously,' she told Daily Mail Australia. Nadia Petersen (pictured), from Whangarei in New Zealand's North Island, was in disbelief when she noticed a nail inside the sealed packet of chicken she purchased from Countdown, Regent Whangarei 'Then once on my plate, I was halfway through eating when I picked at a piece sticking out and out slid a nail, rusty as. 'I just held it and stared at it for a couple of seconds, trying to process it, then ran outside and spat out my mouthful.' The 32-year-old acted swiftly to ensure the rust wouldn't cause any health issues, and called the health line and poison centre, who told her she should be okay. Ms Petersen tried to get into contact with the supermarket where she purchased the chicken, as well as a Countdown team in Auckland. Mr Petersen initially received an apology, a refund and 200 loyalty card points, valuing $15. But after she shared her story on Facebook, the 32-year-old was called by the the national food safety manager of Countdown on Thursday. She was asked to bring the chicken and needle - which she had frozen - to a Countdown supermarket. Ms Petersen said she stared at the nail (pictured) for a few seconds while she processed the finding before spitting it out 'He explained how pretty much impossible it was as their meat goes through metal detectors apparently but I assured him I was telling 100% the truth and thats why I kept it all frozen,' Ms Petersen said. Despite the disbelief, Ms Petersen said the Regent store - where she initially bought the chicken - were 'wonderful'. 'They gave me a $50 voucher on the spot and took down my details again and gave me a big pack of chicken,' she said. Ms Petersen said the Regent Countdown store was 'wonderful' and they could see where the nail had been sitting in the chicken when she took it back to the store (pictured) 'We then all looked at the chicken and nail and felt we could see where the nail had been sitting.' A spokeswoman for Countdown told Daily Mail Australia they had been in communication with Ms Petersen. 'Food safety is our utmost priority and we have a really thorough process to ensure we investigate any complaints properly,' the spokeswoman said. A retirement company's controversial new plan to ban their residents from purchasing alcohol at social events has been being savaged by critics. Retirement villages do not need a liquor license to serve alcohol, according to recent amendments to the Liquor Licensing Act. However, Lifestyle SA announced this week retirees living in any of their South Australian villages will no longer be able to purchase or sell beer and wine from 'social committees'. The company said it views social committees selling alcohol on premises as a 'commercial catering business', which they do not allow. The phrase 'happy hour' has also been banned from the company's 11 retirement homes. Social committees within the retirement villages will no longer be able to sell food or drinks because of a technicality that labels them as 'commercial catering businesses' (stock image) Lifestyle SA director Lisa Norris told Daily Mail Australia the decision was made based on 'legal, occupational and health and safety reasons'. 'Our approach is to allow the sale of liquor in our villages as allowed under the Liquor Licensing Regulations,' she said. 'And for sound legal and occupational, health and safety reasons not allow residents or residents' committees to run commercial catering businesses in our villages.' 'Our residents can still enjoy a drink and a meal at the community facilities in our villages and ensure that vibrant and inclusive social activities will continue at all of our villages.' A number of residents have lashed out in response, prompting the company to hand out written explanations to the villages. 'It explains why we have taken the approach that we have and how this approach will enhance the responsible consumption of liquor and appropriate preparation and consumption of meals at our villages,' she said. South Australian Shadow Minister for Health and Wellbeing Chris Picton told Daily Mail Australia the ban is a 'basic violation of their rights.' 'Being able to enjoy a beer and meal with your friends is one of the reasons so many people have decided to live in retirement villages,' he said. Health Minister Stephen Wade (pictured) told The Advertiser the move would likely prevent residents from being able to socialise with one another Mr Picton said if the issue wasn't addressed he would be forced to take action through other channels. 'I have asked the Minister to consider a regulation or law to make sure these residents can enjoy the village facilities they paid good money for,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'If the Minister doesn't take any action then we will consider a private member's bill to fix this once and for all.' The Minister for Health and Wellbeing Stephen Wade told The Advertiser the move would likely prevent residents from being able to socialise with one another. 'Banning resident committees from running social activities is in no one's best interest, we should be encouraging social activities that make residents happy, rather than standing in their way,' he said. 'The committees have been critical in organising and catering for these events and are keen to continue.' Lifestyle SA (pictured) announced that retirees living in any of their 11 South Australian retirement villages will now no longer be able to purchase beer at social functions South Australian Retirement Villages Residents Association President Bob Ainsworth told Daily Mail Australia a recent amendment to the Liquor Licensing Act meant retirement villages did not require a license to serve alcohol. 'In a mean spirited move Lifestyle SA has, after eight to 10 years, decided to exercise a clause in a residents contract that running a commercial business within the village is against the rules,' Mr Ainsworth said. 'The decision by Lifestyle SA to stop the running of the bar and the serving of cheap meals to village residents has caused widespread anger and hostility across their network of 2,000 retirement village residences.' Mr Ainsworth said happy hour was a tradition and an 'integral part of the social fabric' of many retirement villages. 'And for many older residents the only opportunity to safely and socially interact with others.' Mr Ainsworth also said the policing of what words can be used was also a 'throwback' to the era of prohibition. 'The decision by Lifestyle SA to stop the running of the bar and the serving of cheap meals to village residents has caused widespread anger and hostility,' SARVRA president Bob Ainsworth (pictured) told Daily Mail Australia 'The village operator has forbidden mention of the words 'happy hour' for use within the village,' he said. Labor party MP Nat Cook also hit out at the announcement and will be making moves to combat it. 'A disgrace to interfere with the lives of our seniors like this, the residents Chris Picton MP and I have met with feel distressed and let down!' she wrote. 'I've written to Lifestyle SA and asked them to take their hands off of their happy hour!!' San Francisco voters have approved a controversial new corporate tax to support homeless services, after the proposal divided the Silicon Valley elite. Prop. C passed with 60 per cent of the vote on Tuesday, after a campaign in which Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey called the measure unfair and Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff slammed Dorsey for 'hoarding'. The new measure will tax companies with more than $50 million in revenue at about 0.5 per cent of gross receipts, in a plan to raise up to $300 million a year for homeless services. The proposal pitted Dorsey, the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce and the city's own Democrat mayor London Breed on one side, versus Benioff and homeless advocates on the other. The proposal pitted Dorsey (left), the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce and the city's own Democrat mayor London Breed on one side, versus Benioff (right) and homeless advocates Voters cast their ballots at San Francisco City Hall on Tuesday. The city passed a new corporate tax to support services for the homeless with about 60 per cent of the vote Benioff, who poured $7 million of his own money into the campaign to support the new tax, celebrated the passage of the measure. 'Prop Cs victory means the homeless will have a home & the help they truly need!' he said in a tweet. 'Let the city come together in Love for those who need it most! There is no finish line when it come to helping the homeless.' San Francisco has about 7,500 homeless people on the streets on any given night. Earlier this year, a United Nations official passing through the city compared conditions for the homeless there to those in a third world country. Still, Mayor Breed had opposed the new tax, saying the measure was 'well intentioned' but lacks proper controls to ensure the funds raised are properly spent. 'Our homelessness spending has increased dramatically in recent years with no discernible improvement in conditions,' she said in a statement last month. 'Before we double the tax bill overnight, San Franciscans deserve accountability for the money they are already paying.' San Francisco Mayor London Breed (above) had opposed the new tax, saying the measure was 'well intentioned' but lacks proper controls to ensure the funds raised are properly spent Homeless people hang out on the sidewalk in the Mission district in San Francisco in April. The city has roughly 7,500 homeless and a new corporate tax to support them passed on Tuesday Dorsey also spoke out strongly against Prop. C in a tweetstorm last month, arging that the new taxes under Proposition C would disproportionately hit Square, the payment processing company he leads in addition to Twitter. 'I admit that while I come at this as a citizen first, there's an unfairness I see in my role of CEO of Square (this does not apply to Twitter),' Dorsey wrote in a tweet. 'Companies like Square and Stripe would be taxed at a significantly larger total contribution than much larger companies like Salesforce,' he continued. 'Hypothetically Square could pay over $20m more in 2019, while Salesforce (4x bigger than Sq) pays less than $10m. Taxes would grow at rates multiple times our adj. revenue, which no company can sustain,' Dorsey wrote. Square would be impacted because its net revenue, taxable under the scheme, includes fees which the company splits with banks and payment networks such as Visa and MasterCard. In the second quarter, the company's net revenue was $815 million - more than double its adjusted revenue of $385 million, which strips out the fees that pass to partners. Homelessness is on the rise in San Francisco, irking residents and bringing the problem under a spotlight as a proposed tax to support homeless services passes in the city Dorsey argued that much larger companies such as Salesforce, which sells subscriptions to business software, would end up paying proportionally far less of their adjusted revenue, due to the different structure of their business. Benioff, who has a net worth of $6.2 billion, bashed Dorsey in an interview for 'hoarding' his own $5.3 billion fortune. 'He just doesn't want to give, that's all. And he hasn't given anything of consequence in the city,' Benioff said of Dorsey to the Guardian last month. 'We have 70 billionaires in San Francisco. Not all of them are giving money away. A lot of them are just hoarding it,' Benioff said. 'This is a critical moment where I think Prop C kind of illuminates who is willing to be a San Franciscan and actually support our local services,' he added. Dorsey included in his tweetstorm what appeared to be a veiled threat to leave San Francisco if Prop C passes. 'We're happy to pay our taxes. We just want to be treated fairly with respect to our peer companies,' he said. 'Otherwise we don't know how to practically grow in the city. That's heartbreaking for us as we love SF and want to continue to help build it.' The owners of French bulldog that was found dead on the Gold Coast have demanded an autopsy be carried out. Two-year-old Frenchie, called Theo, went missing on Halloween, and was found dead three days later in a yard close to his home. Owners Kimberley Breece and Shannon Miller now want an autopsy on Theo's body to determine the cause of his death. Two-year-old French Bulldog Theo went missing on Halloween, and three days later he was found dead in a yard close to his home Speaking to the Gold Coast Bulletin, Ms Breece said there was 'nothing to suggest how he died'. 'There was no visible bites from dogs or snakes, he hadn't been hit by a car, it just makes no sense why was he found in somebody's yard?' she said. Legally, animals are considered property, and Theo's owners will be involving the police in their hunt for answers. Owners Kimberley Breece and Shannon Miller have now requested an autopsy on Theo's body to determine the cause of his death Theo's owners want answers: 'There was no visible bites from dogs or snakes, he hadn't been hit by a car, it just makes no sense why was he found in somebody's yard?' However, Ms Breece stressed that animals are 'not property' but 'family members' who should be treated as such. 'The loss of a pet is an extremely emotional and dramatic event, it is not like losing a car,' she said. 'I am a mess, today will be the first time I get home from work since he went missing, and this time I know he won't be there.' Theo's owners believe he may have fallen victim to a suspected dog-napper who is thought to be responsible for a spate of designer dog disappearances in the Carrara area of the Gold Coast, in Queensland. The tragic news was revealed on Instagram by Theo's owners after he was located on Saturday evening, just before 6pm The news was revealed by owners Kimberly Breece and her partner Shannon Miller, after Theo was located on Saturday evening, just before 6pm. A heart-breaking post on the @adventures_of_theo Instagram profile, stated: 'Our Theo's been found deceased. We're heartbroken and devastated, but thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your support trying to find him.' Theo received global fame as influencers from around the world shared the original missing pup post on their social media profiles. The @adventures_of_theo page now has more than 3,500 followers. Theo's death is a tragic conclusion to what police believe is a spate of designer dog-nappings in the Carrara area of Gold Coast , Queensland Theo received global fame as influencers from around the world shared the original missing pup post on their social media profiles From the onset, heartbroken Kimberly was adamant that the ' total mamma's boy' was definitely stolen. '[I] spoke with a neighbor who saw a big man, mid 30s, longish dark beard, who was with Theo and he didn't know Theo was our dog (because we keep him away from sight), and thought Theo must have been his because he was chasing him. 'He said there were a few other dogs out there too and it was a big commotion so he went outside to have a look. Then the guy took off with Theo,' she posted on @adventures_of_theo. An investigation into Theo's passing is now underway, with his disappearance treated as suspicious. Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. A wild hail storm dumped up to 30cm of ice in parts of Melbourne overnight with frozen pellets still on the ground on the morning of Ladies' Day at Flemington. Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Tom Delamotte said there was widespread but light hail across Melbourne late yesterday afternoon, on Melbourne cup day. This was followed after 7pm by an intense battering of the inner south-east and eastern Melbroune suburbs from Caulfield to south Burwood where hail fell steadily for more than 15 minutes in some areas. Social media was awash with hail photos after Melbourne's southeastern suburbs were pelted with hail for up to 15 minutes straight on Wednesday night causing ice to pile up to 30cm deep Rain, hail and lightning lashed the south-east dumping ice the size of popcorn for a solid 15 minutes in some parts, coating the ground like snow. 'It may have reached up to 30cm or so in some parts, next to fences,' Mr Delamotte said. Ice coated the Monash freeway leaving motorists to battle slippery and treacherous conditions. The weather dried up in time for today's Kennedy Oaks Day at Melbourne's Flemington race course. Traditionally, Oaks Day is Ladies' Day when women parade their glamorous outfits In some parts of Melbourne, ice was still pictured lying on the ground 11 hours later. The weather bureau said cold, unstable air had caused the wild weather, but it has cleared up in time for horse-racing fans at the Kennedy Oaks Day at Flemington race course. Oaks Day, traditionally known as Ladies' Day, will have dry, cloudy and cool conditions with a top of 18C, allowing Melbourne's glitterati to parade their fashions unhindered by rain. Ice coated the streets of Melbourne after a hailstorm on Wednesday evening Melbourne Cup Day racegoers were not so lucky with record rains dumping on Tuesday causing flash flooding in the city. More rain fell in two hours than in the entire months of September and October. The settled conditions are forecast to continue into next week as the weather warms up to hit an expected 29C next Monday and Tuesday in Melbourne. More rain fell in two hours on Melbourne Cup Day than in the entire months of September and October, causing flash flooding in the city ahead of the world-famous horse race Late-night users of power tools, stereos, and pool pumps might want to take note of the lesser known noise pollution rules revealed recently in a public police campaign. Harsh penalties apply if residents opt to ignore the rules, which involve strict cut-off times for different noise-making appliances and devices for each day of the week. A series of 'noise abatement' penalties can be issued by police if a neighbour reports noise from within their 'habitable residences' outside acceptable hours. In a public service announcement on Thursday, the New South Wales Northern Beaches Police Area Command released a list of basic noise restriction guidelines. Late-night users of power tools, stereos, and pool pumps might want to take note of the lesser known noise pollution rules revealed recently in a public police campaign They stated power tools should not be used after 8pm or before 8am on Sundays and public holidays, and not before 7am on weekdays and Saturday. The exact rules applied to people with noisy swimming pool and spa pumps that could potentially be heard from the living areas of their neighbours' homes. Different rules were enforced for music, which was allowed to be played until midnight on Friday and Saturday nights and any day preceeding a public holiday. The expectation for every other day however, was that none should be played loudly past 10pm or before 8am in the morning. An officer from Dee Why Police Station on Sydney's Northern Beaches said there was a four-strike system if residents repeatedly violated the rules. They stated power tools should not be used after 8pm or before 8am on Sundays and public holidays, and not before 7am on weekdays and Saturday (stock photo) 'If we come and you're playing offensive music, we'll tell you to turn it down, and if we have to come back, you will get noise abatement for 28 days,' the officer told Daily Mail Australia. He said if police were called out to the same property for a third time and noticed it was still disturbing the peace, they would issue a fine of 'a couple hundred bucks'. 'That's all down to our discretion, what would seem a loud noise to some, might not be to others. So that's something that we would have to asses ourselves.' If the fine wasn't enough to sharpen up the noisy residents, the officer said police would come back for a fourth and final time to confiscate the problem equipment. Those with particularly loud air conditioning or water heating machines should also be aware that overly noisy appliances were not allowed past 10pm or before 7am. A series of 'noise abatement' penalties can be issued by police if a neighbour reports noise from within their 'habitable residences' outside acceptable hours (stock photo) On weekends or public holidays however, residents should abstain from operating them until 8am, and the same goes for refrigeration units fitted to motor vehicles. Rev heads should control their lead-feet after 8pm and before 8am on weekends and public holidays, and on weekdays between 8pm and 7am, unless they are leaving or returning home. The officer said issues were best reported through local council officers who were usually patrolling the streets on Friday and Saturday nights. If necessary, police should be contacted using the direct area command number and not using Triple Zero. (WB) Peter Boykin, founder and president of the North Carolina-based group Gays for Trump, lost his race for a seat in the North Carolina House of Representatives on Tuesday in a district that includes the city of Greensboro. According to the Greensboro News & Record, incumbent Democrat Amos Quick beat Boykin, who ran as a Republican, by a margin of 21,134 votes to 6,395 votes or about 76 percent to 23 percent. Quick serves as pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in High Point, N.C. He is completing his first term in office and was challenged by Boykin in his bid for a second term. Boykin operates an online radio station, which he says provides news and commentary that focuses on conservative political principles. In 2016, Boykin and his husband, David Smith, became visible attendees at campaign rallies for then-GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump while carrying large Gays for Trump signs and banners. Following Trumps election as president Boykin organized two pro-Trump rallies on the National Mall in D.C., which drew only a few dozen people. In a message posted on Twitter Tuesday night after the election results became known, Boykin said, It was a Tough Battle and I said I would represent EVERYONE and I only would hope that my opponent Quick will do the sameGod bless Guilford county and Greensboro. In a separate Tweet, Boykin added, This is my Daily Shout out to RealDonaldTrump the Greatest Potus we have had since Reagan. Thank you #Trump for #Making America Great ALWAYS. #MAGA. A man who sexually assaulted a teenage boy twice and filmed himself raping a sleeping man will remain behind bars for the next six years. A jury found Perth man Bradley Seath Stranack, 37, guilty of the three charges at a trial in the District Court of Western Australia, on Wednesday. The court heard that Stranack filmed a sleeping man as he raped him in 2014, which the judge described as a 'gross act'. Bradley Seath Stranack (pictured) was sentenced to eight and a half years jail after a Perth jury found him guilty of sex charges Stranack tried to convince the jury the man was role-playing and 'faking sleep', WA Today reported. Police found the footage of the rape while investigating claims Stranack had sex with a teenage boy. The court was told Stranack knew the boy was 15 but sexually assaulted him anyway, according to WA Today. The court heard both victims have suffered mental health issues since their terrifying ordeals and that Stranack has expressed no remorse for the assaults. He was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years jail but will be eligible for parole after six-and-a-half years in early 2025. The sentence was backdated to when he was taken into custody in July. The girlfriend of a gunman who shot a school girl in the face professed her love to her partner as he was led out of court on Wednesday. 'I love you, Nathan,' Brearna Mansell shouted at Nathan Richard Campbell after he was sentenced to three years behind bars at Launceston Supreme Court in Tasmania for shooting a girl, 11. Campbell was found guilty of causing Phoenix Dawn Newitt grievous bodily harm in 2017. Nathan Campbell (pictured) was found guilty of causing schoolgirl Phoenix Dawn Newitt grievous bodily harm 'I love you, Nathan,' Brearna Mansell (pictured) shouted at Nathan Richard Campbell after he was sentenced to three years behind bars at Launceston Supreme Court in Tasmania for shooting a girl, 11 Campbell's girlfriend Brearna Mansell (pictured) attended the sentencing and professed her love to the gunman as he was led from the courtroom The 11-year-old was shot in the head while sitting in the back seat of car outside a house at Deloraine, near Launceston. The bullet entered the right-hand side window and rebounded off the car's passenger door, lodging fragments in Phoenix's neck and head, which then traveled to her heart. Phoenix was airlifted to Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital. Phoenix Dawn Newitt, 11, (pictured) was shot in the head while sitting in the back seat of car outside a house at Deloraine, near Launceston She spent five days in an induced coma and underwent a number of surgeries to remove bullet fragments lodged in her brain, heart and lungs. Phoenix is now completely deaf in one ear and suffers from balance and coordination problems. Justice Pearce noted the girl would suffer 'permanent consequences', ABC News reported. The shooting occurred after Phoenix's mother was involved in an argument with Campbell's girlfriend at a Deloraine Woolworths, the court heard. The fight left Ms Newitt with a cut on her face. The other woman received a bite mark. The shooting occurred after Phoenix's mother was involved in an argument with Campbell's girlfriend at a Deloraine Woolworths (pictured), the court heard Phoenix's (left) mother, uncle and four-year-old cousin were also sitting in the car when it was targeted by Campbell Phoenix's mother, uncle and four-year-old cousin were also sitting in the car when it was targeted by Campbell. He claims he fired the bullet to scare away people who were making threats against his family. The bullet fired unintentionally hit Phoenix, the court heard. The Australian leader of an Islamist group that wants a global Muslim caliphate has been moved to a notorious maximum security prison in the Middle East and detained alongside al-Qaida terrorists. Daily Mail Australia revealed in July that Hizb ut-Tahrir's Australian spiritual leader Ismail al-Wahwah was jailed in Jordan. The former Sydney taxi driver, who lived at Condell Park in the city's south-west, was initially arrested at Amman Airport while travelling to the capital with his wife. Scroll down for video Ismail al-Wahwah (pictured), a Sydney-based Islamist group that wants a global Muslim caliphate, is now in a maximum security prison in the Middle East housing al-Qaida terrorists Daily Mail Australia revealed in July that Hizb ut-Tahrir's Australian spiritual leader Ismail al-Wahwah (pictured) was detained in Jordan At the time, Jordan's General Intelligence Directorate locked him up without access to a lawyer. His son Anas al-Wahwah has revealed his father, who came to Australia as a refugee in 1997, was last month transferred to the notorious Al Muwaqqar II prison in Jordan which also houses hardened al-Qaida terrorists. 'Jordans track record in human rights abuse is well known and prison conditions are terrible,' Anas Al-Wahwah told The Australian. Ismail al-Wahwah was transferred to the high-security prison last month as New South Wales Liberal MP Gareth Ward told Daily Mail Australia he would be moving a parliamentary motion to have Hizb ut-Tahrir banned in Australia. The Sharia law extremist group is already banned in a range of Muslim-majority nations, including Indonesia, Egypt and Jordan. His son Anas al-Wahwah (pictured) has revealed his father was last month transferred to the notorious Al Muwaqqar II prison in Jordan which also houses hardened al-Qaida terrorists The group has a draft global constitution for a khilafah state which states, in section 7c, that ex-Muslims needed to be 'executed according the rule of apostasy'. Last year, Daily Mail Australia filmed Hizb ut-Tahrir's Sydney-based spokesman Uthman Badar confirming that he supported the death penalty for ex-Muslims. Ismail al-Wahwah himself holds extremist views and in 2016 told a Turkish conference that Muslims needed to lead 'the armies of jihad that will conquer Europe and America' where their enemies have 'black hearts'. Despite hating Western values, Ismail al-Wahwah - who was given refugee status in Australia by the Howard government - has pleaded with Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to give him consular assistance. A DFAT spokesman said Ismail al-Wahwah and his family had been receiving consular assistance. 'The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to an Australian citizen detained in Jordan and to his family,' he said. 'Owing to privacy considerations we will not provide further comment.' Hizb ut-Tahrir held protests outside the Jordanian embassy in Canberra in August demanding his release. Two men suffered severe burns and one is in critical condition after a switchboard explosion at an apartment block. Both men were rushed to separate hospitals, the Royal North Shore Hospital and the Concord General Hospital, after an explosion at a Burwood apartment block in Sydney's inner-west on Thursday. NSW Ambulance told Daily Mail Australia they were called to the scene at 6.59am after reports of two casualties. Two men have been rushed to hospital, one in a critical condition, after a switchboard explosion a Burwood apartment block in Sydney on Thursday (file photo) One of the men, 36, is in a critical condition after suffering burns to his face, arms, neck and upper body. He was transported to the Concord Repatriation General Hospital in Sydney's west. The second man, believed to be in his 50s, suffered burns to his face and arms. He was transported to a separate hospital, the Royal North Shore Hospital, also in a serious but stable condition. The cause of the explosion has yet to be determined. A Democratic lawmaker who will likely run the House Judiciary Committee in 2019 spent part of Wednesday talking loudly on an Amtrak train about post-election strategy and being overheard by a diligent reporter. Conservative blog The Federalist published the result, a blow-by-blow account of New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler's plan for House Democrats to launch a series of investigations into President Donald Trump and ultimately pursue his impeachment over the unproven theory that his 2016 campaign colluded with Russian agents. Nadler also revealed that he is hopeful Democrats will impeach Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, whose contentious Senate confirmation hearings this fall featured uncorroborated claims of sexual assault. 'Weve got to figure out what were doing,' he explained to one friend in an overheard call. Futyre House Judiciary Committee chaurmen Jerrold Nadler of New York spent part of Wednesday making phone calls about Democrats' post-election strategies during a train ride where the public, including a reporter, could hear every word Nadler took an Acela train like this one from New York to Washington, and apparently didn't sit in the designated 'quiet car' Nadler said Democrats will launch new investigations into the unproven allegation that aides to President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign colluded with Russian agents, going 'all-in' with an eye toward impeaching him Impeachment is a procedure that involves the House of Representatives debating and voting on whether to 'charge' a federal official like a president, vice president or judge with an offense that fits the U.S. Constitution's definition of 'high crimes and misdemeanors.' If the House votes to impeach, the Senate convenes a trial and decides whether to reach a conviction and remove the defendant from office. Only Presidents Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson have been impeached. Both survived in the Senate. But judges are impeached and booted from their posts more frequently. Four have lost their lifetime appointments that way inthe past 30 years, including one, Alcee Hastings, whose political life found a second act as a Democratic congressman who is still in office. Nadler's phone calls on Wednesday included one with an unnamed incoming member of Congress who he advised on committee assignments. In another call, according to The Federalist, he 'lamented identity politics and the thriving economy,' worrying aloud that Demorcats will be blamed if the Trump boom slows down. He also predicted that Democrats would frame their investigations as part of an effort to hold Trump 'accountable' rather than as a prelude to impeachment, because the public would find it more palatable that way. Nadler also said Democrats would try to impeach Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a form of payback for losing his nomination fight despite uncorroborated claims of sexual assault from three different women Democrats took over the House of Representatives in Tuesday's midterm elections, and will control every committee gavel for two years beginning in January But Democrats will go 'all-in,' he insisted, with the caveat that their course of action will depend on what Special Counsel Robert Mueller writes in a report about his Russia-related findings. Nadler said the House Intelligence Committee, expected to be led by California Rep. Adam Schiff, would likely take the lead since it has 'a way ahead start on that.' Delegitimizing Kavanaugh, however, could be pursued along two simultaneous paths, he said. The first would involve publicly criticizing the FBI for conducting a 'half-ass job' in investigating the sexual misconduct claims lodged by the jurist's female accusers. 'They didnt interview 30 witnesses who said "Interview me! Ive got a lot to say!"' Nadler complained. The FBI said at the time that it limited itself to speaking to potential firsthand witnesses of an assault Dr. Christine Blasey Ford claimed took place in 1982. All the people she claimed could corroborate her story turned out to have no memory of the event. Kavanaugh denied throughout that he had ever behaved sexually inappropriately with anyone. The Senate confirmed him with just 50 votes, the minimum for a successful nomination. Nadler said the justice could also be attacked as a perjurer since Democrats believe he lied about when he learned about the story of a second accuser. But even if that avenue proved fruitful, he conceded, there was a scenario where 'the president appoints someone just as bad.' EU chief Donald Tusk yesterday denied claims he is planning to quit his post early after Brexit in order to run in Polands general election. The Polish nationals second term as EU Council president is scheduled to last until November next year. But sources in his home country claim that Mr Tusk, who served as Polands prime minister from 2007 to 2014, is quietly discussing the idea of resigning up to three months early to make a political comeback at home. The President of the European Council Donald Tusk (pictured testifying before a parliamentary investigation commission in Warsaw on November 5, 2018) has denied claims he is planning to quit his post early after Brexit in order to run in Polands general election The timing would coincide with the start of the campaign for the next Polish general election, which takes place no later than November next year. Polands leading left-wing newspaper, Gazeta Wyborcza, cited unnamed close personal friends and political allies of Mr Tusk, who claimed he is plotting a comeback as either prime minister or president of the country. According to the newspaper Mr Tusk expects the conservative government in Warsaw, which he has repeatedly clashed with, would veto other lucrative jobs he could be offered, such as in NATO or the UN. The post of EU Council chief lasts two-and-a-half years and is only renewable once, meaning Mr Tusk would be jobless after November next year. Yesterday his chief spokesman described the claims as interesting speculation but added that they have nothing to do with reality. Mr Tusk resigned as Polands prime minister four years ago in order to take on his current role as European Council President, which some said was 'fixed' by his old friend - Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel (pictured together) Mr Tusk resigned as Polands prime minister four years ago in order to take on his current role, with EU taxpayers funding his 298,495 euros annual salary. It was widely seen as having been fixed by his old friend Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor. Without Mr Tusks political cunning, his centrist Civic Platform party lost power in 2015 and has fallen into disarray. Even its supporters lament a lack of leadership and direction and are calling for him to return like a champion on a white horse. The plot means a new EU Council chief could be in place shortly after Britain leaves the EU on March 29 for the second phase of Brexit negotiations. The role plays a crucial role in negotiations, as the EU Council chief organises leaders meetings and chairs meetings of member states. Mr Tusk has a more strained relationship with Theresa May (pictured together) than Angela Merkel In September Mr Tusk was criticised after mocking Theresa May at a summit in Salzburg at which she was humiliated. After leaders rejected her post-Brexit Chequers plan, Mr Tusk mocked her by posting a picture of himself with her at a cake stand with the words: A piece of cake, perhaps? Sorry, no cherries. The jibe was making reference to a long-running joke in Brussels that Britain wants to have its cake and eat it in Brexit talks and that Britain is trying to cherry pick which bits of the single market it wants to remain in. The stunt led Mrs May to call for more respect. He also taunted her a month later after exploiting Tory splits over Europe by demanding that she abandon Chequers and accept a Canada-style trade deal - also a key demand of Tory Brexiteers. After leaders rejected May's post-Brexit Chequers plan, Mr Tusk mocked her by posting a picture of himself with her at a cake stand with the words: A piece of cake, perhaps? Sorry, no cherries Mr Tusk, a liberal, has also repeatedly clashed with Polands right-wing government. When he won a second term as EU Council chief in 2017, then Polish foreign minister Witold Waszczykowski said it was proof the EU is controlled by Berlin. If Mr Tusk does decide to run he is likely to face an uphill battle, with the governing Law and Justice party remaining popular throughout its clashes with Berlin and Brussels on refugee quotas and recent reforms to its judicial system, which the EU says potentially breach the rule of law. Following a parliamentary hearing in Warsaw where Mr Tusk was quizzed by MPs earlier this week, he warned of a deadly risk of Poland being the next country to crash out of the EU - so-called Polexit. When asked further if Mr Tusk would 100 per cent remain in his post for the full term, his spokesman last night declined to comment further. A young Indigenous activist insists she kneed a police officer in the groin in an attempt to 'deescalate' her arrest. Leilani Clarke was caught stealing a butter chicken curry from a 7-Eleven store in Marrickville, in Sydney's inner west, on June 26. Talking to KIIS FM's Kyle and Jackie O on Thursday morning, the 20-year-old admitted she doesn't recall most of her offending because she was drunk at the time. Clarke faced court over her charges on November 2nd, after pleading guilty to assaulting a police officer for the fourth time this year. Leilani Clarke walked free from Downing Centre Local Court earlier this month without so much as a conviction after her fourth offence of assaulting police this year In another instance Clarke (pictured) spat at another police officer and assaulted a paramedic who had been trying to take her to hospital Talking to KIIS FM's Kyle and Jackie O, the 20-year-old admitted that she doesn't recall most of her offending due to alcohol (pictured together) The environmentalist walked free following the assault, with the magistrate describing her as a 'wonderful' young person with a bright future. The 20-year-old was put on a 10-month good behaviour bond without a recorded conviction. Clarke explained that on the night of the incident, both her and her cousin had been drinking before entering the 7-Eleven store. 'I actually de-esculated that situation, but my cousin punched the store owner after supposedly we were trying to steal butter chicken,' Clarke said. When police arrived to the store and arrested the pair, Clarke said an officer 'unnecessarily' took her away from her group and into an alleyway. She said she had to remove her jewellery before getting into the police car, but the officer forcefully took it off her. 'He was clearly trying to antagonise me and stuff and i'm asking him politely to get out of my face and stuff and i must've just snapped in the moment. And I will admit that I did revert to aggressiveness,' the young environmentalist said. In another run-in with the law in March, Clarke spat at another police officer and assaulted a paramedic who had been trying to take her to hospital. Clarke (pictured) was caught stealing a chicken curry from a 7-Eleven store in Marrickville Clarke (pictured) explained that on the night of the incident, both her and her cousin had been drinking TIMELINE OF LEILANI CLARKE'S OFFENCES January 27: Clarke was arrested for spitting on security and assaulting police. She pleaded guilty in Hervey Bay Magistrates Court and was fined $1,200. March 18: Arrested for assaulting a police officer and spitting at a paramedic. May 30: Pleaded guilty to charges of assaulting police in the execution of their duty and common assault. June 26: Clarke was arrested for kneeing a police officer in the groin. June 28: Clarke spat on a police officer after they attended a domestic disturbance. September 27: Pleaded guilty to assaulting an officer in the execution of duty and resisting arrest in the execution of duty, and was given a 12-month bond. November 2: Clarke walked free from Downing Centre Local Court on a good behaviour bond. Advertisement Prior to the ambulance arriving, the 20-year-old said she had fallen unconscious on a street after heavily drinking. She claimed she was cooperative with police when they found her, but has little recollection of what happened. When the paramedics tried to strap Clarke to the stretcher, she said she began to freak out. Police said the young woman screamed: 'F**k you white dogs. I'm smart not dumb. I got three more degrees than you'll ever have.' 'I was just drunk and I obviously have learnt my lesson, I've had a bit of alcohol education and all that stuff,' she said on Thursday. Police last encountered Clarke when they attended reports of a domestic disturbance in Forest Lodge, in the city's inner-west, in the early hours of June 28. Clarke said she is aware that alcohol is a defining factor behind her actions, as well as her mental illness, Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD). CPTSD is a psychological disorder thought to occur as a result of repetitive, prolonged trauma involving sustained abuse or abandonment. Clarke has previously claimed on her Instagram account that she suffers from 'transgenerational trauma' She has previously claimed on her Instagram account that she suffers from 'transgenerational trauma' - a type of trauma passed down from a first generation of people to further generations. Despite this, the young Indigenous activist acknowledges her actions were wrong. 'I knew I did wrong,' Clarke told the KIIS FM hosts. A federal politician has called for a shark cull after a doctor died and another man was mauled in attacks this week. LNP Member for the Queensland seat of Hinkler, Keith Pitt, said more shark nets and drumlines were not adequate measures and contractors should be given open permits to hunt the animals. 'I've had the local fishos telling me the sharks are in plague proportion They are an apex predator and we should thin them out,' Mr Pitt told The Courier-Mail. A federal politician has called for shark culls after a brutal shark attack in Cid Harbour led to the death of 33-year-old doctor Daniel Christidis (pictured) Former assistant trade and tourism minister Keith Pitt (pictured) said that more shark nets and drumlines were not adequate measures 'Preventing people from being eaten while going for a swim is the kind of thing governments are meant to get right,' he said. The call follows the two most recent shark attacks off the coast of Ballina and northern Queensland as well as two attacks that occurred last month in northern Queensland within 24 hours of each other. On Monday, a brutal shark attack in Cid Harbour led to the death of 33-year-old Daniel Christidis, an aspiring Melbourne cancer specialist, who was one of 10 doctors taking part in a five-day sailing holiday around the Whitsunday islands when he was attacked about 5.30pm. The attack was in the same area where 12-year-old Hannah Papps and Justine Barwick, 45, narrowly survived shark attacks within 24 hours of each other in mid-September. On Wednesday, 43-year-old Lee Jonsson reportedly drove himself to hospital with a 20 centimetre gash on his leg after an attack at Shelly Beach in Ballina by what was reportedly a 2.6 metre great white shark. Three sharks attacks occoured at Cid Harbour and one at Ballina in the last six weeks Three of the attacks happened in the same stretch of water in the Whitsundays The attack was in the same area where 12-year-old Hannah Papps narrowly survived a shark attack in mid-September Justine Barwick, 45, also narrowly survived a shark attack within 24 hours of Hannah Papps at the same location The Queensland Liberal National Party has called for a parliamentary inquiry into the state's shark control program. Tourism Minister Kate Jones, however, said they were sticking with their decision to not implement drumlines in the area and instead the Queensland Government has announced a 'roundtable' with scientists and tourism operators. Ms Jones said on Wednesday that tourism operators 'want the opportunity to sit down with the scientific experts so they also understand the science more deeply.' 'Quite frankly, I'd much rather be on the side of listening to scientific experts than people throwing stones from the sidelines,' she said. Queensland opposition leader Deb Frecklington said the roundtable was nothing more than a talkfest and called for drumlines to be rolled out at Cid Harbour, where three of the attacks took place, immediately. Most recently, on Wednesday 43-year-old Lee Jonsson reportedly drove himself to hospital with a 20 centimetre gash on his leg after an attack at Shelly Beach in Ballina 'Labor need to explain why one of the only areas of Queensland that does not have drum lines or netting is the Whitsundays where there have been three tragic shark attacks in six weeks,' she said. 'So it is borderline negligent that Annastacia Palaszczuk's only response to these terrible events in the Whitsundays is to call a meeting.' Fisheries Minister Mark Furner, however, said due to the large supply of baitfish in the area drumlines were not an effective long term solution. Warning signs are currently being installed around Cid Harbour. The debate on whether or not to ban mobile phones in Australian schools has intensified with experts blaming the devices for distracting students from their studies. According to 7 News, international education experts say Australia is slipping in global standards partly because of the mobile phones. A recent study from youth advisory group Year13 found 89 per cent of Australian students use their phones in the classroom. According to 7 News , international education experts say Australia is slipping in global standards partly because of the mobile phones (stock photo) Extend After School Care chief executive Darren Stevenson told news.com in September the mobile phones were an unnecessary distraction for students The issue of mobile phones in Australian schools gained further attention earlier in the year after France banned students under 15-years-of-age from accessing their smart phones during school hours. There has been a similar push in Australia, with calls made to ban the smart devices in primary schools. At present, Australian schools can set their own guidelines on the matter. The calls for a ban have come as the latest NAPLAN test revealed startling figures. National scores dropped to their lowest since the exams were introduced a decade ago. On top of that, more than one in five year 9 students do not meet the minimum standard for writing. A Grattan Institute report even found NSW secondary students make two month's less progress in writing than the national average. Extend After School Care chief executive Darren Stevenson told news.com in September the mobile phones were an unnecessary distraction for students. 'The mobile phone is a device that can significantly influence the behaviour of a young person, so when they have opportunities to build relationships or work in a team, it takes that opportunity away from them.' Educator Pasi Sahlberg first wrote an OpEd in which he expressed concerns about the devices. NSW Teachers Federation president Maurie Mulheron told Daily Mail Australia the organisation would work with the Department of Education to 'develop a sensible policy' While he says banning phones is one option, another is to teach students about the pros and cons of the technology. The NSW state government has since launched a study into the effects of banning mobile phones from schools. NSW Teachers Federation president Maurie Mulheron told Daily Mail Australia the organisation would work with the Department of Education to 'develop a sensible policy.' 'The whole question of mobile phone policy is up for review in NSW about how schools manage technology without becoming a distraction. 'We look forward to being able to shape that policy in the interests of teaching and learning in our schools.' Harriet Harman was attacked over the way she voiced concerns about drill music Harriet Harman has been attacked by allies of Jeremy Corbyn for claiming so-called drill music and violent YouTube videos are behind Londons knife crime surge. The hard-Left Momentum group, which is trying to oust the former deputy Labour leader as an MP, claims she is suggesting that the wave of stabbings were a black-on-black problem caused by aggressive rap music. The political assault on Miss Harman took place at a Labour knife crime summit in her constituency in south-east London on Saturday. She had made a passionate plea to heed warnings from victims families, who she said believed drill music, YouTube and social media were fuelling gang warfare. Miss Harman said: They believe the internet is being used to plan and to incite violence and believe drill music and videos are used for criminal purposes. In just six days from October 31 to November 5 there were five fatal stabbings in south London. The victims were Rocky Djelal, 38, Jai Sewell, 15, Malcolm Mide-Madariola, 17, Ayodeji Habeeb Azeez, 22, and a 16-year-old named locally as John O, who died on Monday. Rocky Djejal (left) was stabbed twice in Southwark Park and Jai Sewell (right) was killed aged just 15 John O was knifed to death in Tulse Hill, a mile from Miss Harmans Camberwell and Peckham constituency, becoming the 119th person to be killed in the capital this year most of them in stabbings. Last night, a gang openly taunted the teenage victim and bragged about the ferocity of the attack. Malcolm Mide-Madariola (left) and Ayodeji Habeeb Azeez (right) were both stabbed to death A sickening message was posted on YouTube by those thought to be responsible for his death. The victim was set upon by a group of knife-wielding attackers as he waited for his mother to pick him up from the Tulse Hill estate. She arrived to find him bleeding on the pavement and screamed for help. The murder is thought to be linked to rival drill music gangs Lower Tulse Hill and the Harlem Spartans from nearby Kennington. John O (pictured) was stabbed to death in Tulse Hill in front of his parents A user called Spartan H posted a taunt on YouTube yesterday, in which it was claimed that John O, who is said to have performed rap music under the pseudonym JaySav, had his stomach cut open like a bear before his mother was seen screaming it aint fair. Using rap-style lyrics, he mocked the dead boys family and apparently claimed credit for the murder, ending the written message with a laughing emoticon. A performer using the name JaySav has appeared on at least one violent rap track with the Lower Tulse Hill gang, which is thought to be an offshoot of TN1, or the Trust No One gang. Yesterday, family members denied he was linked to the gang, stating: He was retaking his GCSEs and was planning to go into engineering. What did Harriet Harman say about Drill music? Her warning on lyrics of hate The row began when Harriet Harman made this passionate plea at a crime summit on Saturday: When 23-year-old Siddique Kamara was stabbed to death yards from his home on the Brandon Estate in Southwark in August, his family were devastated. Three months earlier Rhyhiem Barton, 17, was shot dead in the same street. As I did after Rhyhiems death, the day after Siddiques murder, I met police and local community representatives where the same concerns were raised. The shocked families highlighted the role of social media in gang violence. They believe the internet is being used to plan and to incite violence and believe drill music and videos are used for criminal purposes. Siddique was himself a drill rapper by the name of Incognito. Before his death he spoke about its effect on crime: You see, with the crime thats happening right now, youve got to put your hands up and say drill music does influence it. The lyrics glorify gang warfare and include threats against rival gangs or individuals. In one track on YouTube, Moscow17 tell rival gang Zone 2 to check the scoreboard. Another video asks how you gonna make it even? Zone 2 posted a song in response telling their rivals they would roll up and burst them. We need urgent action to prevent other families going through this heartbreak. Advertisement Miss Harman made a direct link between drill and knife crime. In a statement to the meeting on Saturday, she said that before he died, a stabbing victim had blamed drill music for knife crime. Siddique Kamara, 23, a drill rapper known as Incognito, was killed in Southwark, south London, in August. Miss Harman said that before his death, he said: You see with the crime thats happening now, music does influence it. Youve got to put your hands up and say drill music does influence it. She added: The lyrics glorify gang warfare and include threats against rival gangs or individuals. She said urgent action was needed to prevent other families going through this heartbreak. But pro-Corbyn activists disputed her claims and attacked her at the meeting. Left-winger Anita Patel was cheered when she accused Miss Harman of trying to censor drill music and social media, and said it was wrong to suggest knife crime only involved black people. Censoring music or the internet cannot be the answer, she said. She added: This is not a black-on-black crime. This is about austerity, zero-hour contracts and cuts. 'Its killing everybody including young people. This is the root cause. Not drill music. Miss Harman did not attend the meeting, so her comments were read by an official. At least three others have been stabbed in London since John Os death. A man in Hackney, west London, was airlifted to hospital at 2pm yesterday, a teenage boy was left with life-threatening injuries earlier in Shepherds Bush, west London, and a boy of 17 was fighting for his life last night after an attack in West Hampstead, north London, on Tuesday. Home Secretary Sajid Javid urged police to step up action against knife crime last night. He told Met chief Cressida Dick that officers should make full use of powers such as stop and search. A fifty-year-old has 'made history' after becoming Britain's oldest mother of quadruplets. Tracey Britten, 50, gave birth to twin girls, another baby girl and a boy, via caesarean section last month at 31 weeks. The youngsters were immediately taken into intensive care, but are making such good progress the proud mother is hoping her new brood will be home in time for Christmas. Tracey Britten, 50, gave birth to identical twin girls, another baby girl and a boy, via caesarean last month at 31 weeks, beating million-to-one odds The grandmother-of-eight, told The Sun: 'I'm so grateful. I just can't wait to get them home. 'It's been a whirlwind and I'm so grateful. One of the quads has had so many tubes around her that I haven't seen her face properly. 'The babies have not all been together yet, each hooked up to different machines.' The 50-year-old described her new children as a 'miracle', is still deciding on names for them with father Stephen. She added: 'I only wanted one child and was blessed with four. It's a miracle. I didn't realise we've made history. I was told they simply couldn't pull through at my age.' Tracey is already a mother to three grown-up children a daughter and two sons and grandmother to eight, aged between seven months and 11 years. As her 50th birthday approached last December, instead of heralding a natural end to her dreams of a fourth child, it brought renewed resolve for Tracey and eventually led her to an IVF clinic in Cyprus. She previously told The Mail: 'We were desperate for another child and would have been ecstatic to have been having twins. But when the sonographer told me nine weeks into the pregnancy that I was carrying four babies, I burst into tears,' admits Tracey. 'Although I had four embryos implanted to maximise my chances of conceiving, never in my wildest dreams did I expect to have quads.' A scan when Tracey Britten was pregnant showing the babies conceived through IVF at a clinic in Cyprus She went to the clinic in Cyprus, The Kolan British IVF Center, where a doctor declared her physically 'like a 30-year-old'. Tracey spent 7,000 on the IVF, which was money left to her in her mother's will. Staff at the clinic extracted her eggs and fertilised them with her husband's sperm. Four were implanted and, while only three took, one of those divided to create the identical twins. However, on October 19, at her 30-week scan, doctors spotted that one baby was struggling. She was warned it could put the other three in danger. She was admitted to London's University College Hospital for an operation and a team of 35 medics helped to deliver the babies. Tracey has previously faced criticism online that she is being selfish but has always insisted she is not too old for children and nobody complains about ageing rockstars like Mick Jagger who become parents. She previously told The Mail: 'No one criticised Mick Jagger, Ronnie Wood or Elton John when they became fathers in their 60s and 70s,' says Tracey defiantly. 'So why are they attacking me? 'I'll cope better now than when I first became a mum in my teens and couldn't help wondering what else I was missing out on. 'I've done everything I want to do now, so I'll just be able to devote myself to my babies.' Damian Hinds has accused Labour of putting 'ideology before children' over the party's plans to end the free schools programme. The Education Secretary said Jeremy Corbyn's party was trying to 'strip parents of choice' because the schools out-performed others and were hugely popular with families. Yesterday, he wrote to every Labour MP sitting in a constituency where a new free school is planned to point out the benefit it will have to thousands of children. Damian Hinds has accused Labour of putting 'ideology before children' over the party's plans to end the free schools programme He asked them to rebel against their party to 'do what is best for local constituents' and stop children from being 'robbed' of an 'inspirational' school. The letter comes after Labour's education spokesman, Angela Rayner, said in September that Labour would 'immediately' end the Government's academies and free schools programme. These schools are autonomous and answer directly to central government, but Labour wants to return to the old system of local authorities running schools. Free schools, a flagship Tory scheme, have been popular with parents as they can be set up by community groups to meet demand in local areas. The Education Secretary said Jeremy Corbyn's (pictured) party was trying to 'strip parents of choice' because the schools out-performed others and were hugely popular with families Mr Hinds said: 'Free schools have been a fantastic addition to our education system, bringing innovation and a different way of thinking to teaching and learning. 'Despite the fact these represent a small proportion of the total number of schools, they are seeing remarkable results.' He added: 'While the Labour Party leadership want to put ideology over the education of children and end the free schools programme, I am challenging local Labour MPs to do what is best for their local constituents and back these new schools to open.' John Legend went in on Trump tweeting 'The president is a f***ing embarrassment,' following a heated exchanged during a White House press conference between the president and CNN's Jim Acosta. The 'All of You' artist didn't go into specifically what he finds embarrassing about Trump, however, the tweet was sent 20 minutes after an outrageous press conference that saw Acosta asking the president about calling the caravan of migrants who are 'hundreds of miles away' an 'invasion'. Trump then snaps 'Thats enough!' at the journalist as a White House intern appears to try and wrestle the microphone out of Acosta's hand. Acosta then tries to ask about the Russian investigation, to which the president repeats his stayed response 'Its a hoax,' as Acosta relinquishes the microphone to the intern. Scroll down for video President Trump's combative press conference following the Democrats regaining control of the House saw outspoken critic John Legend lashing out at Trump John Legend tweeted 'The president is a f***ing embarrassment' following a combative White House press conference The president regresses to name calling during the exchange calling the veteran journalist 'a rude terrible person, you're a very rude person, the way you treat Sarah Huckabee is horrible.' 'When you report fake news, which CNN does a lot, you are the enemy of the people,' Trump scolds Acosta. CNN received several pipe bombs from a self proclaimed Trump fanatic last week. CNN issued a statement condemning Trump for his 'ongoing attacks on the press' following Wednesday's press conference. 'This President's ongoing attacks on the press have gone too far,' reads the tweet from CNN Communications. White House: During a combative press conference, a White House intern tries repeatedly to snatch the microphone out of Acosta's hand as he tries to ask an unfavorable question The intern grabs hold of Acosta's hand as she tries to physically grab the microphone from him As she leans into wrestle the microphone, Acosta was pointing towards the president as he asks his question The bizarre exchange was caught by cameras during the press conference The unidentified intern leans into Acosta whose hand is raised as he is speaking 'They are not only dangerous, they are disturbingly un-American. While President Trump has made it clear he does not respect a free press, he has a sworn obligation to protect it. A free press is vital to democracy, and we stand behind Jim Acosta and his fellow journalists everywhere.' During Trump's combatative press conference on Wednesday however, he did manage to pat himself on the back for the success of certain candidates post midterm election night. 'We saw the candidates I supported achieve tremendous success last night,' Trump boasted. 'We picked up a lot,' he said. DailyMail.com spoke to the Executive Producer of Modern Family, Danny Zuker, who has had his fair share of Twitter exchanges with the President. Zuker explains that the Hollywood circle gets particularly incensed when it comes to attacks on the press. 'I think the Hollywood community is sensitive to the attacks on the press first and foremost because we understand that without a free press you have fascism.' Zuker, who currently has a book on the topic of Twitter and Trump, titled, 'He Started It!: My Twitter War With Trump,' adds 'More specifically, this is a man who has had no problem making 'Hollywood' the enemy (with the exception of superstars like Scott Baio and Antonio Sabato Jr.).' Tiegen was blocked by the president previously. In May a judge ruled that Trump, is no longer allowed to block followers on the social media site, as it violates their right to free speech. Having been blocked herself last year, the model, 32, could not help but gloat about the news on her own Twitter - and poked fun at her upcoming 'reunion' with the President. After the news broke, Tiegen shared a clip of a television report about it with her 10.6 million followers. She teased the president in the caption, by writing: 'well well well we meet again @realDonaldTrump.' This is the sickening moment a 15-year-old schoolboy was stabbed to death by a machete gang as he stood outside a takeaway just 100 yards from his home. Jay Hughes, known to friends as Jai Sewell, was attacked by four men outside a fried chicken shop in Bellingham, South East London, last Thursday. The video surfaced as it was today reported that a 16-year-old was stabbed on a bus in Kingstanding, where the knife narrowly missed his heart, Birmingham Live reports. Footage shows Jay stood outside the eatery, where he had been heading for a meal. After the stabbing he stumbled inside and collapsed with major stomach injuries, dying in hospital three hours later. Scroll down for video This is the shocking moment Jai Sewell, 15, was stabbed in Bellingham, South East London Newly-released footage shows the boy standing with a friend as masked gang members head towards them and someone in a hoodie stabs Jai Jay Hughes (above) was attacked by four men who slashed at his body on the street last Thursday An air ambulance scrambled to the scene in Birmingham after a 16-year-old was stabbed in the chest on a bus Today, newly-released footage shows the boy standing with a friend as masked gang members head towards them and someone in a hoodie stabs Jai. It was shared on social media with the post: 'I don't normally push this topic but this is something that the authorities must see and act upon as soon as possible. 'It's already out of control and emergency meetings must be done ASAP. We need to stop this.' His killing sparked the 116th murder investigation in the capital this year. A friend said the attack was a case of mistaken identity linked to tit-for-tat gang violence. Birmingham bus attack A 16-year-old was stabbed in the chest on double-decker bus today. The teenager has been taken to hospital following the Birmingham attack. Witnesses says the knife narrowly missed the boy's heart. Bystanders rushed at the victim with towels when they saw him 'just sitting at the bus stop waiting for help'. West Midlands Police have arrested a 17-year-old male. The 16-year-old's injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. Advertisement He said Jai's cousin was a drill rapper music linked to criminal behaviour. 'This situation is going to spiral there will be reprisals,' said the friend. Thomas Coffie, an IT worker at Kings College Hospital, tried to save Jai's life. 'I was coming home from work and pulled up to get some food,' said the 23-year-old. 'I heard a bang and looked up. I could see he had been stabbed through his jacket. He fell on the floor, I couldn't stop him falling. 'I started to help him and then took off my shirt to stop the bleeding from the left side. 'I tried to put some pressure on the wounds just to keep him alive until the ambulance arrived. 'I was just holding him, I couldn't see because of all the blood. He had been cut in his stomach and his chest.' Police are desperately trying to stem the bloodshed after Jai was one of five men and boys stabbed to death in London in a week. It began with the murder of father Rocky Djelal, 38, who was killed in Southwark Park, Rotherhithe, in a targeted attack last Wednesday. The next evening, Jai was killed. On Friday, college student Malcolm Mide-Madariola, 17, was knifed to death outside Clapham South Tube station. Rocky Djelal (left) was killed in Rotherhithe in a targeted attack last Wednesday. Malcolm Mide-Madariola (right) was fatally stabbed outside Clapham South Tube station last Friday Ayodeji Azeez, 22, from Dagenham, then died after being attacked by a gang of men who chased him down the street in Anerley, South East London, on Sunday. The latest victim was a 16-year-old, known as John O, stabbed to death in Tulse Hill, South London, on Monday. Friends said he was a drill rapper known as JaySav. Ayodeji Azeez, 22, died after being attacked by a gang of men who chased him in Anerley, South East London, on Sunday Jai lived with his grandmother Sophie Sewell in a three-bedroom house. His aunt, Rochelle, 32, said: 'He said he was going out to get some food and he never came back. He was a young boy who played on his bike and met up with friends. 'We are heartbroken. He was very bright and brilliant at art. He wanted to be a cartoonist.' Deanne Wright, a 36-year-old neighbour, said: 'I often saw him out and about or on the bus he was a sweet and caring boy.' A man who lives opposite the crime scene said gangs of children hang around on street corners in an intimidating fashion. 'Kids are killing kids, it has to stop,' he said. 'Their parents need to do more and check them before they leave the house.' Scotland Yard released a new picture of the victim earlier this week as they continued to seek witnesses. Detective Chief Inspector Chris Soole said: 'I'm hoping the release of Jay's image will help to jog the memory of those in and around the Randlesdown Road area in Bellingham on the night of his murder. Five people have been murdered in stab attacks in the capital in the past eight days alone 'My team continues to work around the clock to apprehend those responsible for this callous attack, which cost a young boy his life. 'I'd urge anyone with information, no matter how insignificant they believe it is, to do the right thing and get in contact with us as soon as possible.' Britain's knife crime epidemic saw six stabbing attacks take place across the country in just over 24 hours between Tuesday evening and last night. Police launched another murder probe after a man in his 50s was found with stab wounds in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, shortly after 10pm yesterday. The victim was found with 'serious injuries' and taken to the James Paget Hospital by ambulance, but died shortly after arrival. A man aged in his 60s and a woman in her 50s, both from the Great Yarmouth area, were arrested on suspicion of murder and taken into custody for questioning. A man was airlifted to hospital in a 'serious condition' after he was found with stab wounds in Hackney, East London, near the Olympic Village - shortly before 2pm yesterday An hour later, a man in his 20s was 'repeatedly stabbed' in Enfield, North London, as the city's week of carnage continues. Earlier that same day, two knife attacks took place in just over an hour in different ends of the capital. A teenager was left with 'life-threatening injuries' after a stabbing in Shepherd's Bush before a man airlifted to hospital following a knife attack in Hackney. In another example of lawless Britain, police arrested three men on suspicion of murder in Birmingham after a man was found dead in the street on Tuesday night. Footage from the scene in Sparkbrook showed officers laying a white sheet over the victim's body. It is believed the incident was a stabbing. Also on Tuesday, officers were called to an alleyway in well-heeled West Hampstead in North West London at about 8pm after reports of yet another knife attack. Another knife attack took place at about 12pm yesterday in Shepherd's Bush, West London The boy was found on a road named after rock legend Billy Fury, close to a street of multi-million pound houses and the three train stations in the area. The incident came on the same day that stabbing deaths in the UK hit 250 this year. Six stabbings in 28 hours in Lawless Britain Sparkbrook, Birmingham - 7pm, Tuesday West Hampstead, North West London - 8pm, Tuesday Hackney, East London - 2pm, yesterday Shepherd's Bush, West London - 12pm, yesterday Enfield, North London - 11pm, yesterday Great Yarmouth - 10.20pm, yesterday Advertisement Last night Home Secretary Sajid Javid ordered police to 'step up' action to tackle the knife epidemic bringing bloodshed to Britain's streets. He also made clear officers must make 'full use' of their powers, including stop-and-search, to prevent violence. Use of the controversial checks has fallen from 1.4million to 242,000 in a decade. Mr Javid, in the US for meetings with tech giants, made his comments during an operational briefing with Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick. He told Britain's most senior police officer that he was 'deeply worried' by the levels of violence engulfing the UK. A shocking 119 people have been killed in knife and gun carnage in London alone this year. Reiterating his commitment to focus on 'driving down' violent crime, the Home Secretary told Miss Dick: 'Alongside tough law enforcement we will not let up on our work to prevent young people getting drawn into knife crime in the first place. 'But we must step up the police response to get the situation under control so that these measures have time to work.' 'We cut him open like a bear': Drill rap gang taunt family of Tulse Hill rapper 'JaySav' in video mocking his mother's tears at cradling dying 16-year-old son By JOSH WHITE and JIM NORTON for the Daily Mail The victim, named locally only as John O, was set upon by knife-wielding assailants Street warfare in London spiralled further out of control after a notorious gang openly taunted a murder victim and bragged about the ferocity of the knife attack. A sickening post was left on YouTube for the victim's family and police to see, in which those thought responsible for the 16-year-old's death revelled in the murder. The victim, named locally only as John O, was set upon by a group of knife-wielding assailants as he waited for his mother to pick him up from the deprived Tulse Hill Estate, South London, on Monday night. She arrived to find her boy lying bloodied on the pavement and screamed for help. The murder is thought to be linked to rival drill music gangs, Lower Tulse Hill and the Harlem Spartans from nearby Kennington. A user called Spartan H posted a taunt on YouTube yesterday, in which it was gleefully claimed the schoolboy's belly had been 'cut open like a bear' before his mother was seen 'screaming it ain't fair'. Using rap-style lyrics to mock the dead boy's family and apparently claim credit for the murder, the anonymous author wrote: 'Tulse Hill Tugs what where, cut your belly open like a bear, mandem gave u a scare, Jaysav's fam screaming it ain't fair, 15 inch that's shanks in guts yh [yeah]'. The lyric was followed by a laughing emoticon. John performed rap music under the pseudonym JaySav, friends said. A performer using the same name has appeared on at least one violent rap track with the Lower Tulse Hill gang - thought to be a younger offshoot of the TN1, or Trust No One gang. Members of TN1 were implicated in an earlier gang war. That led to the notorious 2011 drive-by shooting that left a five-year-old girl, Thusha Kamaleswaran, paralysed when she was hit by a bullet in her uncle's shop. The murdered boy had apparently ignored warnings from his parents to stay away from the Tulse Hill estate, which has served as the backdrop to several violent drill music videos. Yesterday, family members denied he was linked to the gang, stating: 'He was retaking his GCSEs and was planning to go into engineering'. But a multitude of online commenters stated 'RIP JaySav' in reference to the slaying. Police officers search near the scene where the 16-year old was killed in Tulse Hill yesterday The Harlem Spartans, as well as rival 'crews' Moscow17 and Zone 2, are amongst the most established - and reputedly most dangerous - of all London's many drill music collectives. Despite their undoubted criminal links, the groups have managed to accrue respect from mainstream DJs like former Radio 1 presenter Tim Westwood. Other fans of the music speculated which particular incident in the conflicts between drill gangs could have led to the killing. One said that the Harlem Spartans and the Tulse Hill-based groups 'weren't cool' due to a previous stabbing. There was no suggestion the murdered boy had been involved in any violent or illegal activity. He went to school in nearby West Norwood and had previously played football for local community team St Matthew's FC. Two people stand after laying flowers near the scene in Tulse Hill where John was killed But his coach, Lee Dema, revealed a heartbreaking pact he had made with the teenager and two of the boy's friends earlier this year. Mr Dema had written in April about his concerns for the schoolboy and his friends. 'Shook hands in agreement today with three of our 16-year-old boys that they will attend my funeral and not vice versa. Please God they stick to it', he wrote, evidently worried. Yesterday, he noted sadly: 'Very sad to say that one of them did not stick to our agreement.' Last night, Mr Dema said he had no knowledge of the boy's connection to drill music. Younger members of the team laid tributes near the scene of the slaying. The club said on Facebook: 'Very sad to announce the tragic passing of John O. on Monday night. 'John first attended activities when he was six. Lovely to see some of his SMFC teammates laying flowers at the scene last night.' Advertisement CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta has been denied access to the White House after getting into a heated shouting match with President Donald Trump and pulling a mic away from a female aide at a press conference. A Secret Service agent denied Acosta entry to the White House grounds on Wednesday evening, and revoked his 'hard pass', the long-term press pass issued to the White House press corps. 'Ive just been denied entrance to the WH. Secret Service just informed me I cannot enter the WH grounds for my 8pm hit,' Acosta wrote in a tweet at 7.46pm. Minutes later, the CNN journalist posted a cell phone video of a Secret Service agent asking him to hand over his press pass and removing it from his lanyard. Acosta shot hasty cell phone video (above) of a Secret Service officer denying him entry to the White House and revoking his press pass on Wednesday evening, after Acosta grappled with a female intern over a mic while shouting at Trump Acosta wrestled with a White House intern who tried to take the provided mic to pass it to another journalist President Donald Trump and CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta got into a heated verbal back-and-forth Acosta returned to the studio to address his White House ban on CNN colleague Anderson Cooper's show In a statement, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said that Acosta's hard pass had been suspended 'until further notice' as a result of his actions at a press conference earlier in the day. Acosta appeared on his CNN colleague Anderson Cooper's program to address the incident, saying: 'I do think, Anderson, that this is a test for all of us. I do think they're trying to shut us down to some extent inside the White House press corps.' 'I didn't put my hands on her or touch her as theyre alleging. It's unfortunate the White House is saying this... I think I handled myself professionally.' On Wednesday afternoon, Acosta got into a heated verbal back-and-forth with Trump that resulted in the president telling him to 'sit down' as the journalist wrestled with a female aide to keep her from passing the mic to another journalist. 'President Trump believes in a free press and expects and welcomes tough questions of him and his Administration. We will, however, never tolerate a reporter placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern,' Sanders said. 'This conduct is absolutely unacceptable.' Poll Was the White House justified in revoking CNN Correspondent Jim Acosta's press pass? Yes No Was the White House justified in revoking CNN Correspondent Jim Acosta's press pass? Yes 9263 votes No 5038 votes Now share your opinion Sanders also blasted back at an earlier CNN statement that supported Acosta and said 'this President's ongoing attacks on the press have gone too far'. 'Contrary to CNNs assertions there is no greater demonstration of the Presidents support for a free press than the event he held today. Only they would attack the President for not supporting a free press in the midst of him taking 68 questions from 35 different reporters,' Sanders said. 'The fact that CNN is proud of the way their employee behaved is not only disgusting, its an example of their outrageous disregard for everyone, including young women, who work in this Administration.' In a tweet, Acosta called Sanders' statement 'a lie' without elaborating. CNN in a statement also flatly accused Sanders of lying about the nature of the confrontation between Acosta and the female intern. 'She provided fraudulent accusations and and cited an incident that never happened,' the news network said. 'This unprecedented decision is a threat to our democracy and the country deserves better. Jim Acosta has our full support.' The White House Correspondents Association issued a statement condemning the Trump administration for revoking Acosta's press pass. 'Revoking access to the White House complex is a reaction out of line to the purported offense and is unacceptable,'the group said. 'We urge the White House to immediately reverse this weak and misguided action.' 'We encourage anyone with doubts that this reaction was disproportionate to the perceived offense to view the video of the events from earlier today,' the group said. Acosta's defenders urged people to look at video of the interaction, saying it proves Sanders was incorrect that the journalist 'placed his hands' on a female intern. A still of the video is seen above The video shows the intern reaching for the mic, as Acosta's left hand appears to push her left arm down as he grips the mic White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders is seen at the press conference on Wednesday afternoon. She issued a statement later in the day saying Jim Acosta's press pass had been suspended until further notice Acosta's shouting match with Trump came as Acosta was asking Trump a lengthy question about the migrant caravan, arguing that the President should not have called the caravan an 'invasion'. 'That's enough!' Trump said as Acosta tried to move on to another question about the Russia investigation. That was when a White House intern tired to take the provided mic back. 'CNN should be ashamed of itself having you work for them. You are a rude terrible person. You shouldn't be working for CNN,' the president said to Acosta. 'When you report fake news, which CNN does a lot, you are the enemy of the people,' he told him. The heated exchange drew scathing criticism of Acosta from conservative quarters on Twitter, even as liberals branded the outspoken correspondent a 'hero' and a 'national treasure.' 'Is there ever a Jim Acosta story thats not about Jim Acosta,' asked Dan Bongino, a former Secret Service agent, podcaster and frequent Fox News guest. 'This guy is an intergalactic embarrassment who has turned rational Americans, some still looking for some sanity in the media, against them. What a disgrace.' 'We all value a free press, but its unfortunate that some reporters seem more interested in getting their own cable show than doing their jobs. The media grandstanding has gone overboard,' tweeted GOP Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, who was present at the press conference. 'Acostas behavior was beyond unprofessional,' said John Cardillo, a conservative host for Newsmax TV. Trump and Acosta have long have a contentious relationship as the CNN reporter often asks the president questions that seemed designed to illicit a reaction from him. Acosta, speaking on CNN after the exchange, said he thought the president was defensive because he lost in Tuesday's election. 'He sounded, I thought, very depressed, very despondent, almost defeated in the way he was talking about these election results. I think that's probably why you saw things spiral out of control. We're not used to -- the president is not used to seeing himself lose and he lost big,' Acosta said. CNN's Jim Acosta detaches his earphone at the end of a news conference after a tense exchange between Acosta and Trump He then addressed Trump calling CNN 'fake news' and an 'enemy of the people': 'I think the American people know we're friends of the American people, we're going to defend the American people and we're going to stand up for our rights to seek the truth in this country, and the president can call us all the names in the world but we're going to keep doing our jobs.' The president snapped at other reporters in the room on Wednesday and told them to sit down, including Urban Radio's April Ryan, who tried to interject with a question without being called on. 'Sit down please. Sit down. I didn't call on you. I didn't call on you,' Trump said when Ryan tried to get in a question. 'Excuse me I'm not responding to you. I'm talking to his gentleman. Would you please sit down,' he said after calling on Daily Caller correspondent Saagar Enjeti with Ryan attempting to ask a question instead. And when Ryan attempted to keep asking, the president said: 'It's such a hostile media. It's so sad.' 'You rudely interrupted him,' Trump told Ryan. Trump also accused Yamiche Alcindor, an African-American White House correspondent for PBS' 'NewsHour' of asking a 'racist' question. 'That's a racist question,' he told her when she asked him about calling himself a nationalist and if he was concerned people saw him as a white nationalist. 'To say that what you said is so insulting to me.' 'I'm simply asking the questions the public wants to know,' Alcindor tweeted later. But Wednesday's exchange with Acosta was startling in its vitriol. CNN defended Acosta in a statement. 'This President's ongoing attacks on the press have gone too far. They are not only dangerous, they are disturbingly un-American. While President Trump has made it clear he does not respect a free press, he has a sworn obligation to protect it. A free press is vital to democracy and we stand behind Jim Acosta and his fellow journalists everywhere,' the network said. Trump also lectured Urban Radio Network's April Ryan (above) for trying to interrupt another reporter and told her to sit down Acosta was called on early in Trump's presser. 'I wanted to challenge you,' Acosta started but Trump interrupted him: 'Here we go. Let's go. Let's go. Come on.' Acosta pressed him on why he called the migrant caravan making its way from Central America to the U.S. border an invasion. 'As you know Mr. President, it's not an invasion. It's a group of migrants moving toward the border,' Acosta said. 'Thank you for telling me that. I appreciate it,' Trump said. Acosta kept pressing but Trump cut him off. 'I consider it an invasion. You and I have a difference of opinion,' Trump said. Acosta asked the president if he demonized immigrants for political points. 'No not at all,' Trump said. Acosta kept asking and the president, who held the presser to tout Republican wins in Tuesday's election, had enough and told him to sit down. 'Honestly I think you should let me run the country and you run CNN,' he snapped. 'If you did it well your ratings would be much better.' That didn't stop Acosta from talking but Trump moved on. But as Acosta pressed on Trump told him to cut it off. 'That's enough,' Trump said pointing at Acosta, who kept trying to talk. 'That's enough. That's enough.' Trump and Acosta have long have a contentious relationship The president told Acosta enough and a White House intern tried to take the mic 'Pardon me ma'am,' Acosta told her. Sanders said a number of press outlets have engaged in 'outrageous' coverage of attempted violence on critics of the president that's 'irresponsible' in the tone it has taken 'Put the mic down,' Trump told Acosta. Acosta repeatedly presses Sanders in her rare briefings to clarify quotes and policy from the president At that point, a White House intern tried to physically take the microphone from Acosta, who wrestled them for it. 'Pardon me ma'am,' he said to her. 'That's enough, Put down the mic,' Trump told him. He then called on NBC's Peter Alexander but turned back to lecture Acosta. 'You are a very rude person,' Trump told him. He then berated Acosta for the way he questioned White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders in briefings. 'The way you treat Sarah Huckabee is horrible,' he said. 'And the way you treat other people is horrible, you shouldn't treat other people that way.' Acosta repeatedly presses Sanders in her rare briefings to clarify quotes and policy from the president. In her last briefing Sanders got into a dispute with Acosta in the wake of a series of pipe bombs that were sent to Trump's political rivals and to CNN, which had to evacuate its New York headquarters. Sanders said a number of press outlets have engaged in 'outrageous' coverage of attempted violence on critics of the president that's 'irresponsible' in the tone it has taken. NBC's Peter Alexander defended Jim Acosta, who hugged him after the press conference 'The president is not responsible for these acts,' she said. 'The major news networks' first public statement was to blame the President and myself included. I mean, that is outrageous than anybody other than the individual who carried out the crime would hold that responsibility.' Acosta has pushed Sanders to explain why the White House wouldn't 'reserve the term enemy of the people for people who are actually the enemy of the United States rather than journalists.' She replied that 'the president is not referencing all media, he's taking about the growing amount of fake news that exists in the country.' 'I'm not gonna walk through a list,' she said as Acosta tried to force her to admit he was referring to CNN. 'I don't think it's necessarily specific to a broad generalization of a full outlet at times. I think there's individuals that the president would be referencing.' Trump has also tangled with Acosta before - at a press conference in New York when he was there for meetings at the New York General Assembly and in London when he was on a visit there. NBC's Alexander did defend Acosta on Wednesday when Trump called on him in the wake of the jaw-dropping exchange. 'In Jim's defense - I've traveled with him and watched him - he's a diligent reporter who busts his butt,' Alexander said. 'Well I'm not a fan of yours either,' Trump replied. 'You aren't the best.' 'I understand,' Alexander responded. 'Many thanks to my friend @PeterAlexander,' Acosta tweeted later. A shopper has shared a picture of up to 40 people queuing at supermarket before it opens to buy tins of baby formula. Melbourne resident Dominic called radio station 3AW on Wednesday morning to talk about the bizarre, yet common occurrence. Dominic said he walked past the queue at Woolworths Box Hill - which was about 30 or 40 people deep - at 7am. Scroll down for video A shopper has shared a picture of up to 40 people queuing at a Melbourne supermarket before it opened to buy tins of baby formula (pictured) According to Dominic, the shoppers were eagerly waiting to buy baby formula, despite the store not yet opening its doors. The supermarket has been forced to employ a security guard to control how many tins of baby formula shoppers can purchase. 'There's a security guard there who checks off that they've got two,' Domenic said. 'Then they'll run out to the car and come back and do it all again.' 'They buy two and then they line up again,' he said. Domenic said crowds often flock to the store for baby formula, but it was not usually as busy as it was on Wednesday morning. Dominic said he walked past the queue at Woolworths Box Hill (pictured) - which was about 30 or 40 people deep - at about 7am The picture of the queue was taken the day after footage emerged of brazen shoppers rorting Woolworths' two tin baby formula limit in Sydney on Tuesday afternoon. Sydney radio sation 2GB obtained the footage, which shows the shoppers stashing their newly purchased tins in a dozen trolley bags parked outside a store in Sydney's south before heading back into the supermarket to stock up. The shocking process is repeated multiple times. The video was sent in to afternoon radio host Ben Fordham by listener Janet, whose daughter Alisha filmed the incident on Tuesday afternoon outside Woolworths at Westfield Hurstville. One woman manages to snare five tins in one go, which she packs into her trolley before rushing back store to get more. As the store is busy, the brazen actions of the frenzied shoppers go unnoticed by staff. A disgusted shopper can be heard in the background describing the incident as embarrassing. Janet told the radio host she called Woolworths' head office, asking for store management to intervene and stop the formula rorters. She claims the supermarket giant refused to take any action. Sydney radio station 2GB obtained footage that shows shoppers stashing purchased tins in a dozen trolley bags parked outside a store before heading back in the supermarket (pictured) Woolworths wouldn't comment on the specific incident when contacted by Daily Mail Australia but vowed to continue working with suppliers to improve supply for customers Woolworths wouldn't comment on the specific incident when contacted by Daily Mail Australia, but vowed to continue working with suppliers to improve supply for customers. 'We have a two tin limit per customer transaction on baby formula in place due to supply constraints in the market,' a spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia. 'Since we reintroduced the two tin limit, we've seen better availability of formula stock on our shelves. 'We encourage any parents who find their chosen baby formula is unavailable on the shelf to speak with the store manager or customer service Desk so we can help them get stock as quickly as possible,' the spokesperson said. It appears it's not the first time a similar incident has happened at the Westfield Hurstville store in recent weeks. 'So I assume Woolworths has increased baby formula limit from 8 tins to 1 trolley now? Saw everyone got a trolley full of A2 baby formulas this early morning at Woolworths Westfield Hurstville,' one frustrated shopper posted on Woolworths Facebook page on October 26. Cyberspace has become the new battlefield, a Microsoft boss warned last night. Terrorists and rogue states are using it to mount devastating attacks on civilians, Brad Smith said. He admitted tools created by technology firms were being turned into weapons and called for a digital Geneva Convention to prevent a global arms race. Mr Smith, president of the US tech giant, said cyber attacks had already caused real human suffering around the world, pointing to a virus which last year crippled NHS hospitals in Britain and caused thousands of appointments including operations to be cancelled. Brad Smith, president of US tech giant Microsoft, said that a digital Geneva Convention is needed to prevent a global arms race as cyberspace becomes the new battlefield Days before a peace conference in Paris timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary commemorations of the First World War armistice, Mr Smith, 59, also drew comparisons with the build-up of arms in the early 20th century and said history was at risk of repeating itself. Tech firms need to do more to prevent the use of their services in hacking attacks and governments must come to a global agreement to halt the escalation of cyber attacks, he told Web Summit in Lisbon. We cannot remain silent in this century, he said. Like it or not and I dont think we should like it the reality is we have become the battlefield. We will do the future an injustice if we dont also recognise this new generation of technology has also created a new generation of challenges and threats. The tech boss, speaking at Web Summit 2018, said that terrorists and rogue states are using cyberspace to mount devastating attacks on civilians Tools we have created have been turned by others into weapons. If a hospital loses access to its computers and electricity, peoples lives are put at risk. We need a moral revolution with this technological revolution. There are lessons from a century ago. Mr Smith said almost one billion people were estimated to have been victims of cyber attacks last year. Power stations, hospitals and other vital infrastructure will be at even greater risk as more objects are connected to the internet, he warned. He said 2017 had been a wake-up call for technology companies, following the devastating Wannacry and Notpetya viruses that swept through computer systems across the world. More than one third of NHS trusts were affected by Wannacry, with 6,900 appointments cancelled. The virus, known as ransomware, locked staff out of computer systems and demanded payments to allow them access. The UK and US governments blamed North Korea for the attack. Beaming Prince Charles received an early birthday treat yesterday a compliment from a supermodel. Naomi Campbell wished him a happy 70th and told him that he does not look his age. The pair who have known each other for years met at a reception in Nigeria, on the penultimate day of Charles's official visit to West Africa. The pair who have known each other for years met at a reception in Nigeria, on the penultimate day of Charles's official visit to West Africa They greeted each other warmly at the function, attended by members of Nigeria's fashion industry. Miss Campbell, 48, said afterwards: 'He looks amazing. He doesn't look his age. I told him that his spirit was young. He is such an example to me. His commitment to the Commonwealth, that's amazing. I'm very grateful.' Charles, who turns 70 next Wednesday, also viewed a giant bronze of the Queen, who sat for Nigerian sculptor Ben Enwonwu in the 1950s. Another Lion Air flight has crashed just a week after one of the company's planes plunged into the sea, killing 189 people. Lion Air flight JT633 smashed into a pole as it was taking off from Bengkulu-Fatmawati Soekarno Airport in Indonesia on Wednesday. The impact caused a tear in the plane's left wing and forced delays to other flights, Channel News Asia reported. Another Lion Air flight has crashed just a week after one of the company's planes plunged into the sea, killing 189 people Lion Air flight JT633 smashed into a pole as it was taking off from Bengkulu-Fatmawati Soekarno Airport in Indonesia on Wednesday Another aircraft was needed to fly the 143 passengers to Jakarta. No injuries have been reported. Pictures of the damaged plane were shared to Facebook, showing part of the wing hanging from the aircraft. Passengers were forced off the plane and were seen holding on to their luggage while waiting on the tarmac. The crash comes just days after all passengers on board a Lion Air 737 Max 8 were killed when flight 610 nosedived into the Java Sea on October 29 - just minutes after taking off from Jakarta. Boeing said the 'angle of attack' sensor, which identifies if a plane is about to stall, was faulty on the doomed flight. The sensor - which helps the plane's computers determine if its nose is too high in the air - had been the cause of problems on the aircraft's last four flights before the crash. The impact caused a tear in the plane's left wing and forced delays to other flights The night before the fatal crash, the same aircraft had erratic speed and altitude issues during a flight from Bali to Jakarta. Distraught families begged the founder of Lion Air to tell them why the plane, which was found to have technical problems, had been passed fit to fly. More than 100 body bags of human remains have been pulled from the water, with the number expected to rise as remains washed up on land. More to come An American animal psychic has claimed dead Melbourne Cup horse The Cliffsofmoher had wanted to be famous and continue racing. Suzy Godsey, who charges $476 for lessons on talking to animals, made a live video of her so-called communication with the dead Irish stallion. During a 24-minute Facebook live-stream, she claimed the five-year racehorse 'knew something was up' shortly before start of the race at Flemington on Tuesday. Scroll down for video American animal psychic Suzy Godsey (pictured) has claimed dead Melbourne Cup horse The Cliffsofmoher had wanted to be famous and continue racing Suzy Godsey, who charges $476 for lessons on communicating with animals, made a live video of her so-called communication with the dead Irish stallion (pictured) 'Now he's also saying that he really wasn't done,' she told her Facebook followers on Thursday. 'He wanted to go on, he wanted to be way more, he wanted to be way more. 'He thought he would be famous and he now is. 'He's also aware of that. He became famous. This was not his way of becoming famous though.' The animal whisper said The Cliffsofmoher (pictured) was upset stewards on the racetrack surrounded him with tarpaulins to shield him from the crowd The animal whisper from New Mexico also told her viewers The Cliffsofmoher, who injured his right shoulder during the first 600 metres of the Melbourne Cup, was upset stewards on the racetrack had surrounded him with tarpaulins to shield him from the crowd. 'He wanted for people to truly receive him and it was not easy for him to be shut away from people with basically the tarp that was put around him,' Godsey said. 'He did not appreciate that. There was something about the crowd that he was being cut off from the crowd. 'What he really wanted to give to the crowd he felt couldn't be received because of the tarp.' Godsey, who was mocked on her Facebook page a day before the video chat, claimed she could read the spiritual 'energy' of the dead horse Godsey, who was mocked on her Facebook page a day before the video chat, claimed she could read the spiritual 'energy' of the dead horse. 'Some people were saying, "Is he going to talk in an Irish accent?",' she said. 'He is talking energy and I receive the energy and I translate the energy into the language that we speak.' After several Facebook detractors suggested she was mentally ill for claiming to be able to talk to a dead horse, she claimed she could 'tap into' his 'being'. The woman claiming to have special powers suggested The Cliffsofmoher wanted to be reincarnated as a racehorse, despite breaking his leg bone 'His body no longer is. His being on the other hand is still there and it is strong. It is beautiful and it is still willing to contribute to us now,' she said. The woman claiming to have special powers suggested The Cliffsofmoher wanted to be reincarnated as a racehorse, despite breaking his leg bone. 'It may choose another horse body again and it may even choose to become a racehorse again,' she said. A British great-grandfather revealed he was locked up in a Spanish jail for eight days because police mistook him for a drug lord. Eddie Gossage, 68, from Kirkby, Merseyside, said was stopped by border police at Palma airport in Majorca when he and his wife Brenda, 70, arrived for a holiday last month. After being questioned, the couple were allowed to travel to their hotel in Magaluf, The Mirror reports. British great-grandfather Eddie Gossage, left, was mistaken for fugitive Michael Phillips, right But the following morning, the railway worker was handcuffed in his hotel room and hauled off to prison. 'My wife was very upset, she was screaming and shouting. I was saying, 'what is happening?' Mr Gossage said. Police were convinced he was Michael David Phillips, who escaped from Hatfield jail in South Yorkshire in 2013. He absconded during a temporary release having served seven years of a 16-year sentence for supplying heroin. While on the run, the 63-year-old fugitive stole Mr Gossage's identity and used him as an alias, according to the Mirror. Mr Gossage, 68, was locked up at Palma Prison on Majorca (pictured) for a week So Mr Gossage ended up being taken to a police station, where officers photographed and fingerprinted him. In court the following morning, Mr Gossage was told he was on Interpol's most wanted list. 'I kept saying, 'No, I'm Edward Gossage,' he said. His protests were ignored and he was sent to Palma prison. Eddie Gossage was stopped by border police at Palma airport (pictured) when he and wife Brenda arrived for a holiday last month There, he was given an ID card which had his picture, but identified him as Michael Phillips written on it. 'That's my face, mate, but not my name, I'm not signing that,' Mr Gossage said he told the prison official. 'In here, you're Michael Phillips,' he was told. He spotted a fingerprint machine and thought that he would be freed once his fingerprints were taken. But he was forced to spend the first of his eight nights in jail in a cell with a Ukrainian who spoke no English. His devastated wife contacted their daughters Amanda and Jenny, who flew out to Spain. When they visited Mr Gossage in jail, he was kept behind a glass partition. His family got in touch with a Spanish solicitor and the British consulate in Majorca. His daughter Amanda said she told them that if they didn't help free her father, he would 'come out in a box.' Mr Gossage was final freed after the British consulate flagged the case to the National Crime Agency. The NCA had issued the European Arrest Warrant for Phillips and officers realised the mistake that occurred. Since returning home, Mr Gossage has suffered from bad health. He's also been referred to see a counsellor because he has been having flashbacks to his ordeal. Mr Gossage says he wants to know who was responsible for the mistake that put him behind bars. The NCA blames Spanish police who distributed Phillips' details. A builder who murdered his neighbour under the delusional belief he was involved in his twin brother's death has been jailed for at least 18 years. Elisha 'Sam' Karmas, 52, was murdered in Sydney's south-west in 2011, but his body has never been found. Elefterios 'Terry' Fantakis, 44, was found guilty of his murder at the NSW Supreme Court in May. Elisha 'Sam' Karmas (pictured), 52, was murdered in Sydney's south-west in 2011 but his body has never been found Elefterios 'Terry' Fantakis, 44, was found guilty of the murder at the NSW Supreme Court in May 2018 (pictured) At the Supreme Court on Thursday, Justice Helen Wilson jailed Fantakis for a maximum of 24 years, but must serve at least 18 years behind bars. Andrew Keith Woods, 41, was jailed for a least six years for being an accessory after the fact. He will be eligible for parole next year due to time already served. The family of Mr Karmas have argued justice will not been served until the murderer and accomplice reveal where Mr Karmas' body is buried. Widow Jennifer Karmas called for 'no body, no parole' laws to apply to both men. She said her family are 'quite devastated' with the sentences. 'Our family has lived for seven years with what happened to Sam, not knowing where his body is and still even today, we don't know,' she said. 'We can't bury him. We don't have a gravesite to go to.' Widow Jennifer Karmas (pictured) called for 'no body, no parole' laws to apply to both men when she spoke to reporters outside court on Thursday The court previously heard Fantakis, who owned a house across the road from Mr Karmas, had agreed to help move wood on the afternoon of the attack. Mr Karmas was not planning on going very far, as he left his wallet on the kitchen table and work tools unsecured, Nine News reported. Mr Karmas is believed to have been murdered in a Punchbowl home and later dumped in the Georges River area near Campbelltown. It is understood Mr Karmas (pictured) was murdered in a Punchbowl home and later dumped in the Georges River area near Campbelltown 'Our family has lived for seven years with what happened to Sam, not knowing where his body is and still even today, we don't know,' Jennifer Karmas (pictured centre) said Woods helped dispose of the body. Justice Wilson said Fantakis formed the delusional belief that Mr Karmas and his sibling's partner were planning to murder him and take his estate after his twin brother committed suicide in May 2011. She found both Fantakis and Woods had 'a degree of mental illness'. James Ray III, 55, is charged with first-degree murder in New Jersey Cuba extradited to the United States a fugitive accused of killing his girlfriend in New Jersey as officials in the two countries cooperated in the case despite recent political tensions, Cuban and U.S. officials said Wednesday. Attorney James Ray III, 55, is charged with first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of his girlfriend Angela Bledsoe, which occurred on October 22 in a house the couple shared in Montclair, New Jersey. Katherine Carter, spokeswoman for the Essex County Prosecutor's office, said the FBI had alerted Cuban authorities that Ray had fled to Mexico after the killing and was headed to Cuba, where he was arrested while going through customs in Havana. Ray was extradited to New Jersey on Tuesday and faces a detention hearing on November 13. Ray is accused of killing Angela Bledsoe (left and right) his girlfriend and the mother of his six-year-old daughter in their New Jersey home on October 22 Authorities have not revealed a motive in the case. Carter said the couple's six-year-old daughter is living with relatives. In an official statement, Cuba's government said the extradition was 'based on Cuba's full compliance with its international legal obligations, the existing bilateral agreements on law enforcement between Cuba and the United States and the cooperation engaged by both governments in that front.' Although cooperation between Cuban and U.S. authorities is unusual in many fields, the process of returning wanted persons has been laid out in recent years amid the rapprochement between Cuba and the United States, which resumed diplomatic relations in 2014. The Trump administration has toughened its policies against Cuba, straining relations, but hasn't broken ties. While Cuba has refused to return to the U.S. fugitives to whom it gave political asylum in past decades and who have ties to black militant groups or other causes, its government has cooperated with the U.S. more recently in cases of Cubans who committed crimes in the United States then fled to the island. Cuba's statement said it had received a red notice on Ray from Interpol, the international police agency. Charities and companies with taxpayer-funded contracts are being banned from publicly criticising the Government. Gagging clauses have been included in official deals totalling 25billion for 40 charities and more than 300 companies. These include consultants advising on Brexit and safety experts hired after the Grenfell Tower fire, an investigation in The Times revealed yesterday. Theresa May had vowed to end unethical use of non-disclosure agreements and ministers were accused of hypocrisy and unforgivable cowardice Jon Trickett, Labours Cabinet Office spokesman, said: Civil society organisations are often best placed to speak out when Government gets it wrong. When they cant, our democracy is worse off for it' Theresa May had vowed to end unethical use of non-disclosure agreements and ministers were accused of hypocrisy and unforgivable cowardice. Jon Trickett, Labours Cabinet Office spokesman, said: Civil society organisations are often best placed to speak out when Government gets it wrong. When they cant, our democracy is worse off for it. The Conservatives seem to regard this as a fair price to avoid bad headlines. The Cabinet Office said such clauses were standard in both public and private contracts. A supermarket has become the first in the country to introduce dedicated aisles of products without plastic packaging. The Thorntons Budgens shop has converted more than 1,700 product lines over the past ten weeks. A spokesman for the store in Belsize Park, north London, pledged to make it virtually plastic-free within three years. Actors Jim Broadbent and Dame Janet Suzman, who both live locally, have backed the move. This Thornton's Budgens shop in Belsize Park, north London (pictured) aims to be virtually plastic-free within three years The news follows the introduction of the worlds first plastic-free aisle to a shop in Amsterdam in February. But the London supermarket is even more ambitious. It aims to have all crisps, vegetables and cheese in non-plastic packaging. Franchise owner Andrew Thornton told The Daily Telegraph: Were hoping that what were doing here will challenge the likes of Sainsburys, Tesco and others. Todays official launch of the supermarket comes the week after Chancellor Philip Hammond announced a tax on newly-made plastic in the Budget. A 39-year-old Arkansas man has been arrested after Atlanta police accused him of making threatening telephone calls to CNN asking to be directed to host Don Lemon's 'dead body hanging from a tree'. The Baxter County Sheriff's Office announced Wednesday that Benjamin Craig Matthews of Mountain Home, Arkansas, was taken into custody Tuesday and remains jailed on $15,000 bond. Matthews faces multiple counts of making terrorist threats and harassing communications. It was unclear from online jail records if he had an attorney. Sheriff John Montgomery says Atlanta police contacted his office to report CNN's headquarters had received threatening calls between Oct. 31 and Nov. 2. Benjamin Craig Matthews (above) of Mountain Home, Arkansas, was taken into custody Tuesday and remains jailed on $15,000 bond. The photo was provided by Baxter County Sheriff's Office On one occasion, Matthews allegedly threatened to beat up Lemon, who hosts a nightly news talk show on CNN. During another call, he asked a CNN telephone operator to 'help me kill' Lemon, it has been alleged The network reported more than 40 such calls were made from the same phone number. The calls were traced to a cellphone belonging to Matthews, who also was alleged to have made threatening calls to another television network. Authorities say that the calls to CNN began on October 31, according to the Baxter Bulletin newspaper in Arkansas. Matthews allegedly placed three calls into CNN that day. In one call, he reportedly threatened to beat up Lemon. In another call placed to CNN later that day, Matthews was allegedly verbally abusive with the operator. During a third call he placed to the network, Matthews allegedly asked the operator to help kill Lemon. On November 2, Matthews allegedly placed six calls to CNN in a span of 23 minutes. Baxter County Sheriff's Office found that Matthews has also allegedly placed phone calls to the offices of key Democrats including Senator Chuck Schumer (left) and Rep. Maxine Waters (right) In three of those calls, he reportedly asked to be connected to 'pipe bombs for Don Lemon.' An investigation by the Baxter County Sheriff's Office found that Matthews has also allegedly placed phone calls to the offices of key Democrats including Rep. Maxine Waters, Senator Chuck Schumer, Stormy Daniels' attorney Michael Avenatti, the Washington Speakers Bureau and Planned Parenthood. If convicted, Matthews faces a maximum prison sentence of at least 24 years. Lemon, who hosts a nightly talk show on CNN, has been a harsh critic of President Donald Trump. Trump has routinely clashed with CNN, calling the network 'fake news.' On Wednesday, the White House revoked privileges from the network's chief White House correspondent, Jim Acosta. Lemon ignited outrage among right-wing, conservative viewers last week when he said that 'the biggest terror threat in this country is white men, most of them radicalized to the right.' He made the comment in reaction to the mass shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue which claimed the lives of 11 Jewish Americans. The shooter has expressed far-right, anti-Semitic views. Last month, Lemon's network, CNN, received a package bomb in the mail from an alleged die-hard supporter of Trump. Last month, Lemon's network, CNN, received a package bomb in the mail from an alleged die-hard supporter of President Donald Trump A member of the New York Police Department bomb squad is pictured outside the Time Warner Center in Manhattan on October 24. The building is CNN's New York headquarters. It was evacuated due to the mail bomb The bomb forced the hurried evacuation of the network's headquarters in the Time Warner Center in Manhattan. At least eight suspicious parcels were intercepted before reaching any intended recipients, including former President Barack Obama; former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; Obamas attorney general, Eric Holder; former CIA Director John Brennan; and prominent Democratic Party donor George Soros. Two packages were sent to Waters, the FBI said. Investigators also tracked down another suspicious parcel they believe was addressed to Obamas vice president, Joe Biden. The threatening phone calls to Lemon and the parcel bombs reflect the escalating political tensions dividing America, though CNN isn't the only network being targeted. A group of anti-fascist activists descended on the home of Fox News host Tucker Carlson in Washington, D.C late Wednesday. 'Tucker Carlson we are outside your home to protest fascism and racism,' one of the activists said through a megaphone. It is unclear if anyone was home. The ABC journalist at the centre of sexual harassment allegations against NSW Labor leader Luke Foley has detailed her claims in public for the first time. In a statement issued on Thursday, Ashleigh Raper claimed she had been groped by Mr Foley at a Christmas party in 2016. 'He stood next to me. He put his hand through a gap in the back of my dress and inside my underpants. He rested his hand on my buttocks. I completely froze,' she said. Ms Raper had been at an official Christmas function at NSW Parliament House for state political reporters, politicians and their staff, which moved on to Martin Place Bar later in the night. She claims Mr Foley had approached a group of people she was with to say goodnight when he groped her, leaving her 'shaken'. Scroll down for video ABC reporter Ashleigh Raper said she was groped on the buttocks through a gap in her dress by NSW Labor Leader Luke Foley in 2016 Ms Raper said the incident was witnessed by a senior political journalist, but at her request he kept the matter to himself. Ms Raper said there were 'a number of reasons' she kept her silence, one being that she believed it would be her that wore the public backlash more than Mr Foley. 'It is clear to me that a woman who is the subject of such behaviour is often the person who suffers once a complaint is made,' she said in her statement. 'I cherished my position as a state political reporter and feared that would be lost. 'I also feared the negative impact the publicity could have on me personally and on my young family. 'This impact is now being felt profoundly.' The incident came to light in state parliament last month, when Corrections Minister David Elliott mentioned it under parliamentary privilege. At the time, a spokesman for Mr Foley said: 'Mr Elliott made allegations under parliamentary privilege that were he to repeat outside the parliament, Mr Foley will be forced to take the appropriate action'. 'However Mr Foley said he is more than happy to repeat the fact that Mr Elliott is a grub, in or outside the chamber.' Mr Foley's alleged actions became public information last month, when Corrections Minister David Elliott mentioned it under parliamentary privilege Ms Raper said Mr Foley called her on Sunday to apologise, telling her: 'I'm not a philanderer, I'm not a groper, I'm just a drunk idiot'. He told her he would resign as leader of the NSW Labor Party either on Monday or Wednesday, not wanting to be accused of 'burying the story' by resigning on the day of the Melbourne Cup. However, he called back on Tuesday to backtrack, saying he won't be resigning based on legal advice. Ms Raper said she wanted her decision to come forward as the woman behind the allegations to mark the end of the saga, that she wanted to move on with her life. 'There are three things I want to come from my decision to make this statement,' she concluded. 'First, women should be able to go about their professional lives and socialise without being subject to this sort of behaviour. 'And I want it to stop. 'Second, situations like mine should not be discussed in parliament for the sake of political point scoring. 'And I want it to stop. 'Third, I want to get on with my life.' The incident is alleged to have happened after attendees of a Christmas party for politicians, their staff and journalists held at NSW Parliament House moved on to Martin Place Bar (pictured) WHY ABC REPORTER HAS COME FORWARD WITH ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS AGAINST NSW LABOR LEADER LUKE FOLEY NOW NSW Labor Leader Luke Foley has been accused of groping a political journalist during a Christmas party for politicians, their staff, and journalists in 2016. Reporter Ashleigh Raper said the opposition leader reached through a gap in her dress, put his hands under her underwear and rested his hand on her buttocks. Mr Foley has previously denied these claims but has not been able to be reached for comment since Ms Raper came forward. CHRISTMAS 2016 Ms Raper and Mr Foley were both in attendance at a Christmas party held at NSW Parliament House. Later in the evening, the party moved on to Martin Place Bar. Ms Raper says Mr Foley approached her and the group she was standing with to say goodbye, and alleges this is when he groped her. 'He stood next to me. He put his hand through a gap in the back of my dress and inside my underpants. He rested his hand on my buttocks. I completely froze,' she said. Ms Raper decided, in order to preserve her job and keep out of the limelight, she did not want to make a complaint. OCTOBER 18 NSW Corrections Minister David Elliott used parliamentary privilege to make Mr Foley's alleged indiscretions public, outing Ms Raper in the process. Mr Elliott said: 'I've never had a little too much to drink at a party and harassed an ABC journalist. I've never done that.' Soon after, speaking through a spokesperson, Mr Foley threatened to sue Mr Elliott for his comments. 'Mr Elliott made allegations under parliamentary privilege that were he to repeat outside the parliament, Mr Foley will be forced to take the appropriate action,' the spokesperson said at the time. 'However Mr Foley said he is more than happy to repeat the fact that Mr Elliott is a grub, in or outside the chamber.' OCTOBER 24 Federal liberal backbencher Eric Abetz raised the allegation during Senate Estimates with ABC managing director David Anderson Mr Anderson said he had asked for a 'full brief' on the allegation, though noted there had been no official complaint. When he was asked about the allegations during question time, Mr Foley blew up and threatened to expose the misdeeds of other state politicians. OCTOBER 30 Luke Foley held a 10-minute press conference to address the allegations, where he 'staunchly denied' touching a female journalist at the 2016 party. NOVEMBER 4 Ms Raper claims she had a 19-minute phone call with the opposition leader, where he told her: 'I'm not a philanderer, I'm not a groper, I'm just a drunk idiot'. She claims he told her he would resign, either on November 5 or November 7, as to not be accused of burying the story during the Melbourne Cup on November 6. NOVEMBER 6 Just days later, Mr Foley called Ms Raper again to tell her he had received legal advice suggesting he did not need to resign his position. He told Ms Raper he would follow that advice. NOVEMBER 8 Ms Raper released a lengthy statement on the ABC website, detailing the alleged assault and the reasons for her silence. She slammed both Mr Foley for making her feel unsafe, and Mr Elliott, for using her alleged experience for 'political point scoring'. At 5:30pm, Mr Foley resigned from his position as NSW leader of the opposition. He vehemently denied Ms Raper's allegations of any wrongdoing during a press conference. Advertisement A spokeswoman for David Elliott told Daily Mail Australia the minister has 'no further comment at this time' regarding his actions in outing her as a victim of sexual indecency using parliamentary privilege. On Thursday morning, Foley was questioned about the allegations by the ABC, and said he had dealt with the allegations 'comprehensively' during a press conference in October. He told the broadcaster: 'There was a misuse of parliamentary privilege here by the Liberals'. 'I'm not going to dwell on it.' When asked if he remained confident of his position as leader of the opposition, Mr Foley said he did, and he would be 'Premier beyond it'. Labor's head office is now understood to be pushing for his resignation. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said he was unable to answer questions as it was a 'serious matter', and he had not got 'all the facts'. 'It's a matter for Mr Foley,' he told reporters in Perth, but said he would 'go away and get acquainted with the facts'. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the allegations were 'shocking'. 'I think they're shocking allegations and you know there'll be a process here,' he told reporters in Townsville on Thursday. 'What's been presented - it's very, very disturbing, it's quite shocking.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mr Foley and NSW Labor for comment. Wells Fargo says a computer glitch led to the errant foreclosure of 145 homes. In August, the bank said said a company mistake contributed to hundreds of foreclosures because it miscalculated customers' eligibility for mortgage modifications. The bank said in a filing the error caused about 625 customers to be denied, or not offered, loan modifications they otherwise qualified for. Foreclosures were completed in about 400 of the cases. Now the bank said that it conducted an expanded review which revealed more errors that inflated estimates of attorneys fees for homeowners in the foreclosure process, according to CNN Business. It also said that the errors contributed to 145 additional foreclosures, bringing the total to 545. Wells Fargo says a computer glitch led to the errant foreclosure of 145 homes. A Well Fargo bank is seen above in San Francisco In total, 870 customers were denied loan modifications that they were qualified for. We're very sorry these errors occurred, a Wells Fargo spokesperson said in a statement. The bank said that most of the customers affected have been contacted and offered no-cost, independent mediation. Wells Fargo said that it is still trying to contact the customers who have not yet been reached. The customers had been using federal programs that helped families at risk of losing homes. Spokesman Tom Goyda says there's no breakdown of where the foreclosures occurred. The error in the bank's underwriting tool lasted from 2010 until it was fixed in late 2015, an internal review found. The bank said it set aside $8 million this year to help the affected customers. With its main corporate office in San Francisco, the bank employs thousands in Charlotte. The revelations are an additional headache for the San Francisco-based bank which is facing numerous regulatory penalties and private lawsuits, most of which stem from a sales practices scandal that touched on all of the banks major business units. The owner of the horse fatally injured during the Melbourne Cup has claimed there was nothing he or anyone connected to the horse could have done to save its life. The Cliffsofmoher, with Ryan Moore on board, went down just 600 metres into the race at Flemington Racecourse on Tuesday after shattering his right shoulder. While it prompted fresh calls from animal rights groups to have horse racing banned, owner Nick Williams said no one had been worse affected by the death than he had, news.com.au reported. The owner of the horse fatally injured during the Melbourne Cup has claimed there was nothing he or anyone connected to the horse could have done to save its life The five-year-old Irish racehorse was euthanised behind a barrier brought onto the track following the $4million race, which was won by three-year-old Cross Counter 'The lads that look after the horses and live with them 24/7, they're absolutely devastated, and I'd have to say no more devastated than us,' Mr Williams said. The five-year-old Irish racehorse was euthanised behind a barrier brought onto the track following the $4million race, which was won by three-year-old Cross Counter. He said seeing his horse be the one crippled while on show for the whole of Australia was heartbreaking. 'Horse welfare is everything and we pride ourselves on really looking after our horses and to see that happen is absolutely devastating,' he said. 'The lads that look after the horses and live with them 24/7, they're absolutely devastated, and I'd have to say no more devastated than us,' Mr Williams (pictured) said The Cliffsofmoher, with Ryan Moore on board, went down just 600 metres into the race at Flemington Racecourse on Tuesday after shattering his right shoulder Mr Williams added his secondary concern after the welfare of his horse was that he could have endangered the lives of the other horses and jockeys. 'In those events, they can turn into something much worse. Fortunately Ryan Moore did a wonderful job and managed to pull the horse up safely and make sure the horse suffered a minimum of pain.' He maintained the animal was 'sound as a bell' prior to leaping out the barrier, hitting back at claims him being lathered in sweat was a sign he was not fit to race. 'He's melting like an ice-cream at the moment,' Seven commentator and top racehorse trainer Richard Freedman said. 'He's really sweating up badly.' Mr Williams added his secondary concern after the welfare of his horse was that he could have endangered the lives of the other horses and jockeys The Cliffofmoher had odds of $19 to win the Melbourne Cup after coming fourth in his Australian debut in the Caulfield Stakes in Melbourne last year. The colt, based at County Tipperary in Ireland, had won more than $1.7million in prize money. His death was the third time in five years a horse has died after running in the Melbourne Cup. A People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia, the organisation was calling for an investigation into the horse's death. While it prompted fresh calls from animal rights groups to have horse racing banned, owner Nick Williams said no one had been worse affected by the death than he had 'He's [Cliffsofmoher] the latest in a long line of dead horses. 'Cliffsofmoher was spotted looking very agitated moments before the start and has now been killed after fracturing his right shoulder in the Melbourne Cup. 'Before they've even finished maturing, these 500-kilogram animals are forced to race at breakneck speeds while being whipped and pushed past their limits, supported on ankles as small as those of humans.' Racing Victoria issued a statement following the tragedy. 'The horse received immediate veterinary care, however it was unable to be saved due to the nature of the injury sustained,' Racing Victoria's executive general manager of integrity services Jamie Stier said. The husband of a former sheriff's deputy who was convicted of murder for the strangulation death of a man the couple confronted outside a Houston-area restaurant has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. A jury handed down the sentence to Terry Thompson, who was convicted in the death of 24-year-old John Hernandez, according to KPRC-TV. Thompson's trial moved to its punishment phase after his conviction on Monday afternoon. He faced a maximum sentence of life in prison. Prosecutors argued Thompson wanted to kill Hernandez and kept him in a chokehold even after he stopped resisting. Thompson's attorneys countered that he was only defending himself after being punched in the face and insisted Thompson kept Hernandez subdued only until he stopped resisting. Prosecutors said Thompson was quickly in control of Hernandez after the two got into a scuffle when Thompson saw Hernandez urinating outside a Denny's restaurant in Sheldon in May 2017. Scroll down for video Terry Thompson, accused of fatally choking John Hernandez, is shown in court in Houston on June 13, 2018. On Monday, a jury convicted Thompson, the husband of a former sheriff's deputy, of murder for the strangulation death of a man the couple confronted outside a Houston-area restaurant Thompson, left, and defense attorney Scot Courtney, right, are shown in the court June 23, 2018. Thompson's trial will move to its punishment phase, where additional testimony will be presented before jurors deliberate a sentence Hernandez (pictured) died at a hospital three days after the confrontation. A medical examiner ruled he died of lack of oxygen to the brain caused by strangulation and chest compression The family of Hernandez (pictured with his daughter) has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the Thompsons, asking for at least $1 million in damages His wife, Chauna Thompson, 46, arrived later to help her husband restrain Hernandez. She was off-duty at the time and was later fired by the Harris County Sheriff's Office. It was the second time a jury had deliberated Thompson's case. His first trial in June ended with a hung jury. Former Harris County Sheriff's deputy Chauna Thompson and her husband, Terry, arrive at court on June 13, 2017 in Houston During closing arguments Friday, prosecutor John Jordan played cellphone video and 911 calls in which witnesses can be heard pleading for Thompson to let go of Hernandez and Hernandez can be heard gasping for air. Jordan said that during the altercation, Hernandez signaled with his hand that he was no longer resisting but that Terry Thompson kept him in a chokehold for an additional three minutes and 36 seconds until Hernandez went limp. 'Terry Bryan Thompson did not kill John Hernandez because he had to. He killed him because he wanted to,' Jordan said. Defense attorney Scot Courtney portrayed Hernandez as the aggressor, saying he was drunk and belligerent and never stopped fighting Thompson until he passed out. Thompson was only trying to have dinner with his kids when he was attacked by Hernandez and had no intention of killing him, Courtney said. A shocking video grab shows the moment Thompson pinned Hernandez to the ground 'He doesn't say, 'I'm going to kill you.' He says, "Stop!'"' to Hernandez, Courtney said. Hernandez died at a hospital three days after the confrontation. A medical examiner ruled he died of lack of oxygen to the brain caused by strangulation and chest compression. Hernandez's family has remained critical of the investigation, saying deputies at the scene didn't interview potential witnesses and initially tried to have an assault charge filed against Hernandez. Hernandez's family has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the Thompsons, asking for at least $1 million in damages. The lawsuit is pending. Chauna Thompson, who was also charged with murder, is set for trial in April. Police have seized 15 kilograms of heroin from a property in north-west Adelaide - and say it's the biggest ever seizure of the deadly drug. The bust comes as overdoses soar, with the number of people treated in Victoria reaching a 17-year high in 2018. The heroin has a street value of around $7.5 million and the discovery falls just a few weeks after an industrial-sized meth lab was discovered in a suburban Adelaide street. Scroll down for video South Australia police have seized 15kg of heroine from a property in Angle Park, in what they claim is their largest seizure of the illicit drug yet Government research also claims there has been a notable increase in heroin-related overdoses in recent years. Of the 1,808 drug-induced deaths in Australia in 2016, 20 per cent were due to heroin. Detectives from the Serious and Organised Crime Branch were searching a property in Angle Park as part of an ongoing investigation when they made the discovery. Police also seized one kilogram of cocaine from the property on Stuart Street and said all of the drugs were packaged up, suggesting they were part of a larger commercial enterprise. A second property on June Street in Mansfield Park was also searched and police discovered cash and equipment used to prepare heroin for sale. No arrests have yet been made but the police investigation is continuing. Police also seized one kilo of cocaine from the property on Stuart Street and said all of the drugs were packaged up, suggesting they were part of a larger commercial enterprise 'Police will continue to tackle organised crime groups, who are involved in the importation, manufacturing and supplying of illicit drugs,' Detective Chief Inspector Christina Buckley said. 'We are committed to the reduction of the harm caused by the use of illicit drugs in our community through law enforcement.' Anyone with information about this matter, or the manufacture or distribution of illicit drugs, is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au you can remain anonymous. A pro violinist and loyal Southwest Airlines customer is furious with the company after he was forced to get off a flight because he refused to check in his $80,000 instrument. Emmanuel Borowsky boarded a flight from Manchester-Boston Regional Airport to Baltimore Monday when the upsetting incident happened. He wrote in a Facebook post: 'Despite being a loyal Southwest customer who uses them exclusively when the option is available, I am very disappointed with the treatment I received this morning from Southwest Airlines. 'After checking in last night and arriving early to the gate, I was met with full overhead bins on the plane. 'The availability of extra seating space prompted me to place my violin there. In response, I was requested to check-in my violin. As fellow musicians can understand, checking in my violin is an absolute non option.' Pro violinist Emmanuel Borowsky said he was forced to depart a Southwest Airlines flight because he refused to check in his instrument Borowsky boarded a flight from Manchester-Boston Regional Airport to Baltimore Monday when the upsetting incident happened. His Facebook post is pictured As a result, Borowsky said he missed important business meetings, presentations and teaching obligations. He added in the post: 'I was disappointed not only with their decision, but their handling of the matter, it lacked compassion and understanding. 'Furthermore, because the next flight is overbooked, the earliest I will be out of here is over 6 hours after my original flight.' According to the violinist's website, he has toured 37 countries in North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East to play. Borowsky said he is a loyal Southwest Airlines customer He performs soloist with orchestras including the 'Tianjin Symphony Orchestra, Poznan Symphony, Katowice Symphony Orchestra, Young German Orchestra, Siauliai Chamber Orchestra, St. Christopher Orchestra of Vilnius, Jordan National Conservatory Orchestra, and Gettysburg Chamber Orchestra,' according to his website. Southwest Airlines has since released a statement on the matter to Classic FM. The statement said: 'We regret that [Borowsky] had anything less than an outstanding experience as we always strive to provide our legendary Southwest Hospitality on every flight. 'Our records indicate that the customer was among the very last to board the full flight and, unfortunately, the overhead bins spaces were filled with the carry-on baggage of other customers.' Australian police will work side-by-side with their Thai counterparts to try and disrupt the supply of illegal drugs into the country. Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton signed a 12-month extension of the joint Australia-Thailand Taskforce Storm on Wednesday, alongside Australian Federal Police and Thai authorities. 'Our international law enforcement partnerships are crucial to stopping the importations and detecting shipments before they arrive in Australia,' Mr Dutton told the Courier Mail. Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton (pictured) signed a 12-month extension of the joint Australia-Thailand Taskforce Storm on Wednesday, alongside Australian Federal Police and Thai authorities So far, Taskforce Storm has seized more than three tonnes of marijuana, over 350kg of methamphetamine, 48 litres of butryolactone and almost 4 tonnes of precursor chemicals in Australia 'There is a lot that we can do in combating the evils of illicit drug manufacturing and distribution.' The joint-taskforce focuses on drugs and transnational crime. So far, it has seized more than three tonnes of marijuana, over 350kg of methamphetamine, 48 litres of butryolactone and almost 4 tonnes of precursor chemicals in Australia. Overseas syndicates maintain close connections with gangs in Australia, creating a highway for drugs to travel around the country, often as small parcels. SouthEast Asia and the Golden Triangle, which is along the borders of Myanmar, Thailand and Laos, provides most of the heroin to the country. The areas are also big producers of drugs like ice and speed. 'For many of us, weve seen the lives of young people in both of our countries destroyed by the impact of ice, amphetamines, drugs otherwise,' Mr Dutton said. The Home Affairs Minister will head over to Thailand's Office of Narcotics Control Board to meet with experts. The Thai Navy's Mekong Riverine Unit will also bring him up to speed on the Safe Mekong Operation, a strategy the Commonwealth has helped to financially back. SouthEast Asia and the Golden Triangle, which is along the borders of Myanmar, Thailand and Laos, provides most of the heroin to the country. The areas are also big producers of drugs like ice and speed Overseas syndicates maintain close connections with gangs in Australia, creating a highway for drugs to travel around the country, often as small parcels A Home Affairs spokesperson said the Australian Border Force (ABF) had also made it a priority to disturb the drug flow into the country A Home Affairs spokesperson said the Australian Border Force (ABF) had also made it a priority to disturb the drug flow into the country. The representative went on to say the ABF officers used a mix of intelligence, x-ray technology, detector dogs and trace detection to pick up on illicit drugs in the international mail centres. With the ABF patrolling the potential drug outlets close to home, the AFP continues to work with its international partners to take the fight against drugs back to the heart of the source. Alongside the Myanmar Police Force, the AFP has established the Myanmar Joint Drug Crime Centre in an attempt to tackle production and trafficking. Joint operations have managed to rein in more than 17 tonnes of drugs and in excess of 400 tonnes of precursors since 2016. A Brisbane masseur who raped one female client and sexually assaulted nine others while they were lying on his massage table is fighting his conviction. Charles David Williamson appeared at a Supreme Court appeal hearing on Thursday in a bid to reduce his sentence, 9 News reported. Williamson, 67, was convicted in March this year of 18 counts of sexual assault and one count of rape. Charles David Williamson (pictured) appeared at a Supreme Court appeal hearing on Thursday in an attempt to reduce his sentence The massage therapist is currently serving five-and-a-half-years behind bars for his crimes. He is looking to reduce his punishment to just three years. Williamson abused his clients while they were receiving treatment from him in 2014 and 2015. His victims are aged between 23 and 70. The assaults were committed at physiotherapy and beauty studios in and around Algester, an outer suburb of Brisbane. The assaults were committed at physiotherapy and beauty studios in and around Algester, an outer suburb of Brisbane During the appeal hearing, Williamson's lawyer questioned the truth of some of the victims' accusations, 9 News reported. 'It shows that she didn't make a complaint about digital penetration until six weeks after making her first complaint to the police,' said lawyer James Cremin. 'One would have some difficulty in accepting that you would forget such an important part of an allegation in your first statement. And then saying, well I do remember that now.' Advertisement Florida's kitschy 1980s glory is encapsulated in a new exhibit called 'Peculiar Paradise: Florida Photographs by Nathan Benn' at the HistoryMiami Museum. The exhibit, which opens Friday and runs through April 14, features 100 photos by Benn, a Miami native and former National Geographic photographer, according to South Florida. Some of the colorful, and often times strange, images were shot in 1981 which is the same year that Time magazine called south Florida 'Paradise Lost.' College girls in a wet t-shirt contest during Spring Break at a bar in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Spring Break is famous for wild parties with much drinking and romance that attract many college students (undated image) Tourists to the Kennedy Space Center in Orlando, Florida posing with a pretend astronaut in an Apollo spacesuit (1981) 1985: Elderly man and woman doing outdoor early morning yoga exercises in sand on beach at Miami Beach, Florida. The yoga helps keep Eli and Helen Fricklas healthy and limber, even as an older couple Family of commercial fisherman in a small boat harvesting salty oysters with oyster tongs in Apalachicola Bay, Florida on the Gulf of Mexico. Apalachicola oysters are small and salty shellfish, a member of the Atlantic oyster group (1981) Haitian refugees in small wood boats sailing into Biscayne Bay, Miami, Florida attempting to immigrate into the United States. They are picked up in the Florida waters by the Coast Guard and taken into detention for processing, where they are considered illegal immigrants (circa 1981) A crime wave had descended on Florida's southern shores with an influx of what was known as cocaine cowboys as the narcotic had begun to take over the disco scene across America. Meanwhile an mass influx of immigrants, in part from Haiti and the Mariel boat lift from Cuba had come to America through Florida, many of whom were seeking refugee status. The Mariel boat lift was a mass emigration of Cubans who traveled from Cuba's Mariel Harbor to the US between 15 April and 31 October 1980. 'These Florida pictures are the finest and most personal work from my 20-year career as a National Geographic photographer,' said Benn, who now lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and New York City. Couple dance at the Bal des Arts, an annual costume gala at the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida. The charity gala raises money for the Norton Art Gallery. The Breakers is an opulent hotel that is center for high society events attended by wealthy and affluent people (1981) Tiny U.S. Postal Service post office at Ochopee in the Florida Everglades. The vernacular shack building on Route U.S. 41 aka Tamiami Trail is the smallest post office in the United States and was originally used as a tool shed (1981) Cadillac automobile parked on the ramp of the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida as women walk past. The Fontainebleau Hotel represented opulence and leisure for many tourists visiting South Florida. The Cadillac sedan represented status luxury and success of the American Dream (1981) Florida alligator in captivity at St. Augustine Alligator Farm, a roadside tourist attraction on U.S. 1 north of St. Augustine, Florida (1983) Haitian refugee in front of a tent that serves as temporary housing for immigrants at the Krome Avenue North Immigration Detention Facility in West Miami, Florida. The tent looks like a circus tent (1981) 1981: Workers from Jamaica wait at Miami airport for the airplane that will take them home after the sugarcane-cutting season in Florida Cuban born members of exile paramilitary group Alpha 66 combat training at a camp west of Miami, Florida. They are training in preparation for infiltration into Cuba for sabotage and assassination to overthrow Fidel Castro (1981) Visitor parking lot at the Kennedy Space Center with several early rocket boosters displayed nearby (undated) Some of the amazing imagery captured is Palm Beach at the Mar-a-Lago club before Trump purchased it. Jorge Zamanillo, HistoryMiami's executive director, told South Florida, 'through these carefully curated images, you will be intrigued by the issues that were tackled here 37 years ago and those that remain hot button issues today.' The exhibit coincides with the release of a 200-page book of the same name. A vigilante group that stormed the suspected home of a convicted sex offender with eggs and firebombs have been slammed for targeting the wrong house. Residents in West Auckland have been left horrified after the 'mob' took to the quiet street to target Ronald Van Der Plaat, the New Zealand Herald reported. Van Der Plaat was released in 2016 after spending 15 years in prison for raping his daughter Tanjas Darke and subjecting her to 'bizarre and depraved' sexual abuse fore more than 23 years. Local residents have contacted police with grave concerns about Van Der Plaat's behaviour, with some claiming he was spotted in places he shouldn't be. Residents in West Auckland were left horrified after the 'mob' took to the quiet street to target Ronald Van Der Plaat (pictured) With grave concerns for the community, a woman posted his photo and details on a local Facebook page. 'This post is not to start a lynch party but to protect the kids in the community,' the neighbour said. The vigilante group then targeted the house, covering the fence in graffiti and throwing firebombs onto the roof. But it was later revealed it wasn't actually Van Der Plaat's home and the woman had posted the wrong address online. A woman who lives near the house said that although she dislikes Van Der Plaat, the group should have had more consideration for his neighbours. 'But to the mob that destroyed property, threw eggs and whatever else - have some consideration for the neighbours,' she wrote on Facebook. 'No one wants him here, but there's nothing anyone can do ... just please think before you go upsetting any more neighbours please.' Ms Darke's horrific abuse began when his daughter, Tanjas Darke, was just nine-years-old and continued into her 30's. Van Der Plaat (pictured with his daughter) was released in 2016 after spending 15 years in prison for raping his daughter Tanjas Darke and subjecting her to 'bizarre and depraved' sexual abuse Her father would keep her in bondage with handcuffs, chains and clamps. He would put her head in a box with a padlock on it as he carried out the rapes. Ms Darke was also held up to the ceiling by her ankles as her father repeatedly sexually abused her. When Ms Darke was 12 she fell pregnant and caught a sexually transmitted infection after years of sustained sexual abuse. Van Der Plaat has consistently denied the offending, and was released from prison in 2010 on strict conditions. In 2012, he was sent back to prison after he was caught making an intimate visual recording of a young girl. He was denied parole but was released on strict conditions in 2016, including not having any contact with anyone under 16. Florida voters overwhelmingly approved a measure on the ballot on Tuesday to ban greyhound racing throughout the state by the end of 2020 - though some warn dogs may be left homeless as a result. Amendment 13, which required 60 per cent support in Tuesdays voting, unexpectedly received a whopping 69 per cent, easily ensuring passage. That means that the 11 greyhound racing tracks in Florida will be put out of business within the next two years, according to NBC News. Now the challenge will be to find new homes for the up to 7,000 greyhound dogs who will be unemployed. Florida voters overwhelmingly approved a measure on the ballot on Tuesday to ban greyhound racing throughout the state by the end of 2020 - though some warn dogs may be left homeless as a result. The above image is a photo of racing dogs in Melbourne, Florida in February Amendment 13, which required 60 per cent support in Tuesdays voting, unexpectedly received a whopping 69 per cent, easily ensuring passage. The above photo shows greyhounds awaiting their races in a kennel in Melbourne, Florida Currently, Florida is home to 11 of the countrys 17 remaining dog tracks. The others are in West Virginia, Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, and Iowa. The above photo shows greyhound racing trainer Kathy Lacasse petting one of her greyhounds in a kennel in Longwood, Florida Courtesy of News4Jax We will do everything we can do to make sure that every one of them gets adopted, Jim Gartland, the executive director of the National Greyhound Association, told NBC News. Gartland said that 98 per cent of retired racing dogs are adopted by families while the remaining 2 per cent spend the rest of their days as breeders on farms. Animal rights groups said that they have been inundated with phone calls from people expressing interest in owning greyhounds. Theyre amazing pets, so gentle and sweet, said Kate MacFall, the head of the Humane Society Florida. They really are gentle giants. But there is also the issue of the thousands of greyhounds that are currently in breeding farms across parts of the South and Midwest. Commercial dog racing has been banned in 40 states and more race track closures are expected. That means the greyhounds, especially the newly bred animals that never make it to the track, will need new homes. This will be a burden, said Brooke Stumpf, the president of GreytHounds of Eastern Michigan, an organization that facilitates greyhound adoptions. We're mobilizing now. Stumpf said that while her group usually arranges up to 50 adoptions a year, she will now aim for 200 adoptions. We'll do the best we can, she said. Hunter Burns votes on Tuesday in Tallahassee, Florida. Floridians are deeply divided politically, but the measure to ban greyhound racing won overwhelming bi-partisan support Some of these dogs might end up at shelters and they're not all no-kill. That's the scary part. The Florida vote only made the ban go into effect by the end of 2020 so as to allow race track owners to gradually close their businesses. Currently, Florida is home to 11 of the countrys 17 remaining dog tracks. The others are in West Virginia, Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, and Iowa. Even before the vote, dog racing had been on the decline. In its heyday, the industry generated $1.5billion in wagers, but that was 25 years ago. Last year, there were just $200million in bets placed on racing dogs. 'This is a crushing blow to this industry,' MacFall said. 'This [vote] shows people care about dogs and people know this (dog racing) is cruel and inhumane.' Advertisement A photo of three luxury supercars parked next to each other at a Sydney university has been posted to social media leading viewers to debate if the cars belong to international students flaunting their wealth. The caption to the picture, uploaded to social media on Wednesday, says the cars were parked at the University of New South Wales. The photograph shows three of the latest model BMWs including an M4 coupe with performance parts trim on the left, an i8 Hybrid in the middle, and a 4 Series coupe on the right. A photo of three luxury supercars parked next to each other at a Sydney university has been posted to social media leading viewers to debate if the cars belong to Chinese students flaunting their wealth The car on the left has a tow strap on the front grille that has Chinese writing, leading some commenters to make the connection the cars may have been owned by wealthy Chinese students. 'Tricked out BMW on the left belongs to a Chinese student. Seen him after class a few times,' one man wrote. 'Yep life is hard these are the lucky ones they have found a parking spot,' wrote another commenter. 'Today was a graduation day this is the closest car park to the graduation hall. These are the families cars,' another commenter argued. 'You can't deny there is a load of wealthy international students in Sydney,' added a fourth. A 2018 BMW coupe with performance parts trim, which brings the on-road car closer to racing specs, costs about $150,000 to buy new. The i8 in the middle of the picture is a hybrid electric model and the most expensive - costing about $320,000 to buy new. The M4 gran coupe on the right is the cheapest of the three costing a mere $100,000 for a mid spec 2018 model. Australians have been urged to be cautious when travelling to London after a spate of knife attacks killed five people in six days in the United Kingdom's capital. Travel safety expert Phil Sylvester of Travel Insurance Direct has told those thinking of holidaying in London to be aware of the increase in violence even though tourists are not being targeted. 'Be aware that if you find yourself in an argument with a young person, encounter someone who is affected by drugs, they very well may have a knife and could use it,' he told 9News. Five people were fatally stabbed in London 'If you have a feeling you have strolled into a 'dodgy' area trust your instincts and remove yourself.' More than 35,000 Australians are expected to be travelling to London over the next month. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) told Daily Mail Australia 'all their travel advisories are kept under close review, including for the United Kingdom'. The DFAT acknowledges the heightened threat of terrorist attacks in the UK. The department advises travelers to be alert in public places, to look out for suspicious behaviour and to report any suspicious activity to police. Five victims have been killed in six days in the most recent stabbings, which led to a murder investigation launched by the Metropolitan Police. A 16-year-old boy died in a fatal stabbing in South London on Monday. 38-year-old father Rocky Djelal, was stabbed in broad daylight in Southwark Park last Wednesday. Rocky Djelal (left), 28 and Jay Hughes (right), 15, were fatally stabbed in London Malcolm Mide-Madariola (right), 17 and Ayodeji Habeeb Azeez (22) were victims of the stabbing Jay Hughes, 15, died after being stabbed in the heart in Bellingham. Malcolm Mide-Madariola, 17, was killed outside Clapham South Tube station. Ayodeji Habeeb Azeez, believed to be 22, was stabbed to death in Anerley. The BBC reported there were 118 homicides in London this year up to November 5, including 73 stabbings and 12 shootings. Rocky Djelal was stabbed in broad daylight in Southwark Park (left) and Malcolm Mide-Madariola was killed outside Clapham South Tube station (right) This was an increase on the 116 killings over the whole of last year. For the whole of the UK, there were 250 stabbing victims last year, and Mr Sylvester said the majority of them were men aged under 21 who were stabbed by men of the same age group. Figures released by the UK Office for National Statistics in April showed knife crime rose by 22 percent in England and Wales in 2017, from 32,448 in 2016 to 39,598 last year. Benjamin Wesley Goodson, 32, is charged with murder in Hephzibah, Georgia A woman's live-in boyfriend has been accused of shooting her six-year-old son to death with a shotgun while playing 'zombies' with the boy after drinking. Benjamin Wesley Goodson, 32, was arrested and charged with murder in the Monday death of six-year-old Eugene Ryder Stamey in Hephzibah, Georgia, on the southern outskirts of Augusta. The boy's mother, who has lived with Goodson for a year, said she was washing her hair in the shower when she heard the sound of a gunshot, WRDW reported. She said that Goodson, who had earlier drank a beer and a shot, was playing zombies with young Ryder and another eight-year-old boy. But while the two boys fired at each other with Nerf guns, Goodson retrieved a shotgun from the closet which he though was old and not working, police said. Six-year-old Eugene Ryder Stamey was killed on Monday in his home in Hephzibah, Georgia Investigators said that Goodson pointed the gun at Ryder and pulled the trigger, but when nothing happened, he cocked the hammer and pulled the trigger again. Ryder was fatally shot in the chest. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 8.18pm. 'I never in a million years thought someone shot my grandson,' heartbroken grandmother Laura Stamey told the CBS affiliate. 'A man that he thought loved him, a man that he loved.' 'My grandson did not deserve to die, he didn't,' said Stamey. 'There's nothing this little boy could've ever done wrong in his life for anybody to have ever done anything to him to hurt him.' 'I never in a million years thought someone shot my grandson,' heartbroken grandmother Laura Stamey (above) said Police say that Goodson confessed to investigators, though it is unclear whether he confessed to the shooting being intentional rather than accidental. He is charged with murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during a crime, and first-degree cruelty to children. Goodson is being held in the Richmond County Jail. It was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney who could speak on his behalf. Using computers to support student collaboration has significant positive effects on their learning, according to a comprehensive new review of more than 400 research studies conducted since 2000. The new findings suggest an important three-way intersection between computers and digital technologies, getting students to work together, and employing extra learning supports and tools. Using such strategies and technologies in conjunction had a more positive impact than having individual students use computers, or having students collaborate without using computers, according to the new study, titled The Role of Collaboration, Computer Use, Learning Environments, and Supporting Strategies in CSCL: A Meta-Analysis. Learners with computer-supported collaborative learning achieved significantly greater knowledge gains, exhibited better skills, and had more positive perceptions than their counterparts in computer-supported individual learning, wrote researchers Juanjuan Chen and Minhong Wang (University of Hong Kong), Paul A. Kirchner (Open University of the Netherlands), and Chin-Chung Tsai (National Taiwan Normal University). At the same time, the researchers wrote, when comparing computer-supported collaborative learning with traditional face-to-face collaborative learning, we found significant positive effects of computer use on knowledge gains, skill acquisition, students perceptions, group task performances, and social interactions. A variety of learning environments and tools, such as virtual simulations and software features designed to track group members knowledge levels and participation, were also found to have positive effects on student learning. The consistently strong, beneficial impacts will likely be viewed as a boost for schools that have rushed to embrace digital devices and software, such as Googles Chromebooks and G Suite productivity tools, that promise to enhance collaboration as a key 21st century skill. Using Technology to Collaborate The new study is a meta-analysis synthesizing the results of 425 studies conducted between 2000 and 2016. Many involved college students, and/or were conducted outside of the United States. The focus was on studies examining the impact of applying information and communication technologies to support collaboration, defined as the process of two or more students working together to achieve a common task. The researchers focused on outcomes such as knowledge improvement; acquisition of skills such as problem-solving; students attitudes and beliefs about learning and themselves; and social interactions, such as exhibiting teamwork or sharing information within a group. Overall, they wrote, many studies have reported favorable effects of [computer-supported collaborative learning] on learning outcomes. Among the examples they call out: A study that compared the impacts of the Internet Virtual Physics Laboratory with a traditional laboratory on collaborative problem solving among four classes of 150 Taiwanese 10th graders. After six weeks, the students who used the virtual laboratory to observe physics phenomena, measure variables, and analyze data were found to have significantly better science process- and problem-solving skills. A randomized experiment compared the effected of computer-mediated and face-to-face communication on student learning in the context of a seven-session task for American teacher-education undergraduate students. Those who used tools such as Skype and Google Docs to communicate, rather than communicating solely face-to-face, submitted significantly higher-quality essays. A study of a two-week collaborative learning project in which some students made collaborative annotations to a text via paper-and-pencil and some did so via a digital reading platform found that the latter group significantly improved their reading attitudes compared with their counterparts. Such results were generally consistent across a range of studies and research questions. Overall, the researchers found, students working in computer-supported collaborative-learning environments had significantly better knowledge achievement than those who used computer-based individual learning. They also better developed skills such as argumentation, critical thinking, reasoning, and elaboration. Collaborating with technology, rather than without, likewise had statistically significant positive effects on everything from learners skill acquisition, to the quality of group performance on learning tasks, to the quality of social interactions within groups. And among the learning environments and supportive tools and strategies that were found to be most helpful were group awareness tools, used to monitor or visualize group members interactions and provide cues about their knowledge and experience levels; visual representation tools, such as concept maps; and scripted guidance with direction on how to collaborate effectively. Heres how the researchers summarized the importance of those tools and strategies. Computer-supported collaborative learning goes beyond simply providing students with computers, electronic textbooks, and discussion forums for collaborative learning, they wrote. More often, it is critically important to incorporate specific learning systems, tools, or strategies to foster productive group interactions and achieve desirable outcomes. Photo: Getty See also: for the latest news on ed-tech policies, practices, and trends. The Western Australian government's spending has come under fire as one of its departments admits to forking out $258,000 on file covers. The state government has spent more than $37.5million on pens, paper and printing services and other stationery items in the past financial year. This comes as it was revealed its justice department will get custom-made file covers - costing a whopping $258,000, Fairfax reported. The WA justice department has spent $258,000 on custom-made file covers for its magistrate's and children's courts (pictured) The special folders will be for its magistrates and children's courts as part of its contract with Castledex. The three-year-contract will see 180,000 custom-made folders created costing about $1.40 each. The file covers need to be durable and 'easily identifiable to protect confidential information', a department spokeswoman said. While the court's criminal cases are being moved to a paperless system, they still require hard copies for civil matters, she said. The state government's spending stationery bill topped $37.5 million for the past financial year, but that was down compared to previous years. Stationary items includes paper, printing services, printers, envelopes and kitchen supplies for all 25 departments. The state government's spending stationery bill topped $37.5 million for the past financial year, but that was down compared to previous years The state government spent $38.8 million on stationery in 2016-17 and $43.7 million a year earlier. 'The expenditure on managed printing services has risen from $1.4m in 2015 -16 financial year to $1.7m in 2017-18 as has the procurement of copy paper by $3,000, however the actual quantity of paper has not increased,' a finance department spokesman said. 'Office stationery and office kitchen provisions has reduced by almost 18 per cent from $14.4 million to $12.0 million from 2015-16 to 2017-18 financial year.' Luke Foley has resigned from his position as New South Wales opposition leader after an ABC reporter came forward alleging he groped her during a Christmas party two years ago. Addressing reporters on Thursday evening, Mr Foley said the allegations are false and he was proceeding with a defamation suit. 'The allegations against me made public today by the ABC are false,' he said. 'I have retained solicitors and senior counsel to advise on the immediate commencement of immediate defamation proceedings in the Federal Court of Australia. 'However, I can't fight to clear my name and fight in an election at the same time. It's just not possible to do both. 'Therefore, I am resigning the leadership of the party, effective today. I'll be remaining as the member for Auburn and returning to the back bench.' Scroll down for video NSW Labor leader Luke Foley has resigned from his position as leader following allegations he groped a reporter In a statement issued on Thursday, ABC journalist Ashleigh Raper claimed she had been groped by Mr Foley at a Christmas party in 2016. 'He stood next to me. He put his hand through a gap in the back of my dress and inside my underpants. He rested his hand on my buttocks. I completely froze,' she said. Ms Raper had been at an official Christmas function at NSW Parliament House for state political reporters, politicians and their staff, which moved on to Martin Place Bar later in the night. She said Mr Foley had approached a group of people she was with to say goodnight when he groped her, leaving her 'shaken'. The journalist also alleged Mr Foley had called her and admitted to what he had done, but the politician declined to answer any questions on whether that phone call took place. ABC reporter Ashleigh Raper said she was groped on the buttocks through a gap in her dress by NSW Labor Leader Luke Foley in 2016 Mr Foley said he would retain his position as the member for Auburn and move to the back bench Ms Raper said the incident was witnessed by a senior political journalist, but at her request he kept the matter to himself. Ms Raper said there were 'a number of reasons' she kept her silence, one being that she believed it would be her that wore the public backlash more than Mr Foley. 'It is clear to me that a woman who is the subject of such behaviour is often the person who suffers once a complaint is made,' she said in her statement. 'I cherished my position as a state political reporter and feared that would be lost. 'I also feared the negative impact the publicity could have on me personally and on my young family. 'This impact is now being felt profoundly.' The incident came to light in state parliament last month, when Corrections Minister David Elliott mentioned it under parliamentary privilege. At the time, a spokesman for Mr Foley said: 'Mr Elliott made allegations under parliamentary privilege that were he to repeat outside the parliament, Mr Foley will be forced to take the appropriate action'. 'However Mr Foley said he is more than happy to repeat the fact that Mr Elliott is a grub, in or outside the chamber.' It is not clear who Mr Foley will be launching defamation proceedings against. Mr Foley's alleged actions became public information last month, when Corrections Minister David Elliott mentioned it under parliamentary privilege Ms Raper said Mr Foley called her on Sunday to apologise, telling her: 'I'm not a philanderer, I'm not a groper, I'm just a drunk idiot'. He told her he would resign as leader of the NSW Labor Party either on Monday or Wednesday, not wanting to be accused of 'burying the story' by resigning on the day of the Melbourne Cup. However, she alleged that he called back on Tuesday to backtrack, saying he would not be resigning based on legal advice. Ms Raper said she wanted her decision to come forward as the woman behind the allegations to mark the end of the saga, that she wanted to move on with her life. 'There are three things I want to come from my decision to make this statement,' she concluded. 'First, women should be able to go about their professional lives and socialise without being subject to this sort of behaviour. 'And I want it to stop. 'Second, situations like mine should not be discussed in parliament for the sake of political point scoring. 'And I want it to stop. 'Third, I want to get on with my life.' The incident is alleged to have happened after attendees of a Christmas party for politicians, their staff and journalists held at NSW Parliament House moved on to Martin Place Bar (pictured) WHY ABC REPORTER HAS COME FORWARD WITH ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS AGAINST NSW LABOR LEADER LUKE FOLEY NOW NSW Labor Leader Luke Foley has been accused of groping a political journalist during a Christmas party for politicians, their staff, and journalists in 2016. Reporter Ashleigh Raper said the opposition leader reached through a gap in her dress, put his hands under her underwear and rested his hand on her buttocks. Mr Foley has previously denied these claims but has not been able to be reached for comment since Ms Raper came forward. CHRISTMAS 2016 Ms Raper and Mr Foley were both in attendance at a Christmas party held at NSW Parliament House. Later in the evening, the party moved on to Martin Place Bar. Ms Raper says Mr Foley approached her and the group she was standing with to say goodbye, and alleges this is when he groped her. 'He stood next to me. He put his hand through a gap in the back of my dress and inside my underpants. He rested his hand on my buttocks. I completely froze,' she said. Ms Raper decided, in order to preserve her job and keep out of the limelight, she did not want to make a complaint. OCTOBER 18 NSW Corrections Minister David Elliott used parliamentary privilege to make Mr Foley's alleged indiscretions public, outing Ms Raper in the process. Mr Elliott said: 'I've never had a little too much to drink at a party and harassed an ABC journalist. I've never done that.' Soon after, speaking through a spokesperson, Mr Foley threatened to sue Mr Elliott for his comments. 'Mr Elliott made allegations under parliamentary privilege that were he to repeat outside the parliament, Mr Foley will be forced to take the appropriate action,' the spokesperson said at the time. 'However Mr Foley said he is more than happy to repeat the fact that Mr Elliott is a grub, in or outside the chamber.' OCTOBER 24 Federal liberal backbencher Eric Abetz raised the allegation during Senate Estimates with ABC managing director David Anderson Mr Anderson said he had asked for a 'full brief' on the allegation, though noted there had been no official complaint. When he was asked about the allegations during question time, Mr Foley blew up and threatened to expose the misdeeds of other state politicians. OCTOBER 30 Luke Foley held a 10-minute press conference to address the allegations, where he 'staunchly denied' touching a female journalist at the 2016 party. NOVEMBER 4 Ms Raper claims she had a 19-minute phone call with the opposition leader, where he told her: 'I'm not a philanderer, I'm not a groper, I'm just a drunk idiot'. She claims he told her he would resign, either on November 5 or November 7, as to not be accused of burying the story during the Melbourne Cup on November 6. NOVEMBER 6 Just days later, Mr Foley called Ms Raper again to tell her he had received legal advice suggesting he did not need to resign his position. He told Ms Raper he would follow that advice. NOVEMBER 8 Ms Raper released a lengthy statement on the ABC website, detailing the alleged assault and the reasons for her silence. She slammed both Mr Foley for making her feel unsafe, and Mr Elliott, for using her alleged experience for 'political point scoring'. At 5:30pm, Mr Foley resigned from his position as NSW leader of the opposition. He vehemently denied Ms Raper's allegations of any wrongdoing during a press conference. Advertisement A spokeswoman for David Elliott told Daily Mail Australia the minister has 'no further comment at this time' regarding his actions in outing her as a victim of sexual indecency using parliamentary privilege. On Thursday morning, Foley was questioned about the allegations by the ABC, and said he had dealt with the allegations 'comprehensively' during a press conference in October. He told the broadcaster: 'There was a misuse of parliamentary privilege here by the Liberals'. 'I'm not going to dwell on it.' When asked if he remained confident of his position as leader of the opposition, Mr Foley said he did, and he would be 'Premier beyond it'. Labor's head office is now understood to be pushing for his resignation. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said he was unable to answer questions as it was a 'serious matter', and he had not got 'all the facts'. 'It's a matter for Mr Foley,' he told reporters in Perth, but said he would 'go away and get acquainted with the facts'. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the allegations were 'shocking'. 'I think they're shocking allegations and you know there'll be a process here,' he told reporters in Townsville on Thursday. 'What's been presented - it's very, very disturbing, it's quite shocking.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mr Foley and NSW Labor for comment. Republican Brian Kemp resigned Thursday as Georgia's secretary of state, a day after his campaign said he's captured enough votes to become Georgia governor, even though his election rival is conceding nothing. Attorney Russ Willard with the attorney general's office of Georgia announced the resignation in federal court Thursday morning. Willard said Kemp delivered a letter of resignation to Gov. Nathan Deal on Thursday morning, and it is effective at 11:59 a.m. The state said Kemp will not perform any election-related duties Thursday. The announcement came ahead of a scheduled hearing Thursday for a lawsuit in which five Georgia voters asked that Kemp be barred from exercising his duties as the state's chief elections officer in any future management of his own election tally. Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams has pointed to ballots that have yet to be counted and says there's still the possibility of a December runoff in one of the nation's marquee midterm races. Winner? Georgia Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp has quit as secretary of state as he presses ahead with the victory he is claiming Still all in: Stacey Abrams is continuing to demand a full ballot count saying it will lead to a runoff In an interview with WSB Radio on Thursday, Kemp said he and his campaign are declaring victory because it isn't possible for Abrams to pick up enough votes to force a Dec. 4 runoff. Abrams' campaign has said there are still enough uncounted votes to force a runoff and that they need to pick up about 15,000 votes to do so. Kemp said his rival's campaign is using 'old math.' Without providing specifics, he said in the radio interview that the number 'is actually more like 30,000 votes.' The Abrams campaign continues to accuse Kemp of improperly using his current post as secretary of state. The Associated Press has not called the election. 'We are declaring victory,' Kemp aide Ryan Mahoney told reporters on a conference call late Wednesday, after a day of the campaigns, media and partisan observers scrambling for information about outstanding votes across Georgia's 159 counties. Another campaign official, Austin Chambers, added: 'The message here is pretty simple: This election is over, and the results are clear.' Abrams' campaign manager Lauren Groh-Wargo retorted a few hours later that the Kemp campaign offered 'no proof' other than nonspecific provisional ballots counts released by Kemp's official state office. 'He's offered ... no indication of why we should take him at his word,' Groh-Wargo said. 'The sitting secretary of state has declared himself' the winner. The standoff leaves open the possibility of litigation as Abrams' campaign has pushed for the continued counting of absentee, mail-in and provisional ballots and renewed its concerns that Kemp remains the chief elections officer supervising his own election, a race already marked by disputes over the voting process. If a runoff is necessary, the second round would take place Dec. 4, extending Abrams' bid to become the first black woman elected governor in American history while Kemp looks to maintain the GOP's domination in a state where Democrats haven't won a governor's race since 1998. Partisan observers nationally have watched intently for clues about just how much of a battleground Georgia can be in the 2020 presidential campaign. With reported votes exceeding 3.9 million - almost 95 percent of Georgia's 2016 presidential turnout - Kemp has just more than 50 percent. Before the Kemp campaign declared victory Wednesday, Groh-Wargo estimated that about 15,000 votes separate Kemp from a runoff. She says at least that many outstanding absentee and mail-in ballots remained to be counted. Count time: A Fulton County election worker counts provisional ballots in Atlanta Kemp's spokeswoman in the secretary of state's office, Candice Broce, said that by Wednesday afternoon the number of uncounted absentee and mail-in ballots was less than 2,000 - with her boss still above the 50 percent threshold. Broce said about 22,000 provisional ballots have yet to be processed, according to a canvass of county officials across the state. Mahoney asserted that those numbers make it impossible for Abrams to pick up enough votes to deny Kemp an outright victory. In 2016, with a slightly larger electorate, there were 16,739 provisional ballots. Of those, 7,592 were counted. State and campaign officials said they expected a much higher proportion to be counted this year. Kemp's office has not released a county-by-county breakdown of provisional ballots, but Abrams' campaign said they believe they are concentrated in metro Atlanta counties where Abrams won a large share of the vote. Broce said Kemp's office is working on releasing more detailed information. The lawsuit at issue Thursday in an Atlanta federal court comes from voters who sued Kemp on Election Day alleging that Kemp presiding over an election in which he is a candidate 'violates a basic notion of fairness.' The plaintiffs are asking the court to block Kemp from having anything more to do with managing his election. It's not immediately clear what Kemp's practical role was in the election tally. Local officials are responsible for counting the votes, including provisional ballots. County officials have until next Tuesday to certify their results and send them to Kemp's office. Statewide certification must come by Nov. 20. Broce called the lawsuit a 'twelfth-hour stunt.' A deliberately derailed runaway train, laden with iron ore could end up costing the mining company responsible millions of dollars in lost revenue and repairs. The 268 wagon train was intentionally derailed about 5.30am on Monday, after it travelled 92km without a driver on the Newman to Port Headland rail line in Western Australia. About 4.40am, the driver stopped to check one of the cars, but before he could get back on board the train took off on its own, leaving him behind, Perth Now reported. Scroll down for video A deliberately derailed runaway train, laden with iron ore could end up costing the mining company responsible millions of dollars in lost revenue and repairs Aerial footage shows the damage caused to the tracks when the 268 wagon train was deliberately derailed The 268 wagon train was intentionally derailed about 5.30am on Monday, after it travelled 92km without a driver on the Newman to Port Headland rail line in Western Australia With no one at the controls, the 3km long runaway train travelled for almost an hour, at speeds of up to 110km/h, before it crashed about 210km south of Port Headland. The BHP-operated train was deliberately derailed by remote control at the mining company's operational centre, more than 1500km away in Perth. While no one was injured in the incident, BHP said in a statement on Wednesday the damaged was likely to cause significant delays for the mining company. The 1.5km of mangled track is expected to take about one week to partially repair, with experts suggesting it could cost the company millions of dollars in lost revenue. BHP has confirmed the delays will mean there won't be enough iron ore stockpiled at a West Australian port to cover scheduled shipments in the upcoming week. The interruption to the train line could be particularly costly for the mining company - given that it's the main way to deliver ore from its Pilbara mines to Port Hedland. BHP said it will liaise with customers about its contractual commitments given the stockpile will not cover the entire period of disruption. According to Reuters, one of BHP's customers in China, a steel producer, has not yet received any notice from the miner. 'We have a long-term contract with BHP and we haven't received a notification so far,' an official, who declined to be named, told the newswire. BHP has not reported the matter to the Australian stock exchange as it is not expected to have a material impact on finances. It remains unclear exactly what caused the train to take off on its own and why the driver couldn't get back on before it built up speed. In a statement, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said: 'The driver alighted from the locomotive to inspect an issue with a wagon. While the driver was outside of the locomotive, the train commenced to runaway. While no one was injured in the incident, BHP said in a statement on Wednesday the damaged was likely to cause significant delays for the mining company 'With no one on board, the train travelled for 92 km before being deliberately derailed at a set of points operated by the control centre, about 119 km from Port Headland (near Turner siding).' The mining company also told The West Australian it is working with authorirites to investigate the situation. 'We are working with the appropriate authorities to investigate the situation,' a BHP spokesperson said. On Wednesday, the company also said in a statement it cannot speculate on the outcome of the investigation. 'Our focus remains on the safe recovery of our operations,' the company said in a statement on Wednesday,' the mining company said. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau, the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator and BHP are investigating. A Lion Air plane has smashed into an lamp post before take-off just a week after one of the airline's jets crashed in Indonesia killing 189 people. The Boeing 737-900 plane was on its way to the runway at Fatmawati airport in Bengkulu, Indonesia, when its left wing collided with a metal post. The collision on Wednesday evening damaged the wing, leaving a fragment dangling in the air, forcing those on board back to the airport. The passengers on the JT-633 flight to Jakarta were moved to a second plane and arrived four hours late at 11.50pm. An Indonesian official said the plane and pilots have been grounded while the crash is investigated. 'The aircraft nudged the pole while travelling to the runway,' said Pramintohadi Sukarno of the Ministry of Transportation. 'We have instructed Kabandara to ensure that airlines fulfil their obligations in accordance with the provisions by providing compensation for late flights to passengers.' Lion Air has apologised to customers, saying: 'The Boeing 737-900ER registered PK-LGY which was due to take off at 18.20 from Bengkulu, the departure was cancelled. 'When the plane was moving towards the runway, the wingtips knocked over the airport's parking lot pole, which broke. 'The aircraft was controlled by a pilot with guidance and instructions as well as signs given by Aircraft Movement Control (AMC) officers. A Lion Air plane after smashing into a metal pole before take-off, just a week after one of the airline's jets crashed in Indonesia killing 189 people 'The AMC officer is a person from the airport management and is being examined by the relevant party. 'JT-633 flights carry seven flight crew and 143 passengers. They have departed using a different aircraft registration PK-LHM. 'The aircraft took off at 22.48 West Indonesia Time from Bengkulu and landed at SoekarnoHatta International Airport at 23:50.' The Lion Air jet in the fatal crash crashed just minutes after take-off from Jakarta on Monday, October 29, killing all 189 people on board. Indonesias search and rescue agency on Wednesday extended the search effort for a second time, saying it will continue until Sunday. Body parts are still being recovered and searchers continue to hunt for the cockpit voice recorder. This is the moment two brazen thieves were busted after a drug-fuelled police chase that ended with them knocking down a powerline and cutting the power at a nearby womens prison. Video footage from police dashcam shows the two men, Brenton Crombie and George Harradine, hitting a powerline causing sparks to fly before they were arrested by police on 20 July, 2016. The video shows a passer-by tackling Harradine before six policeman arrested him. Scroll down for video It was a dramatic end to a four-hour crime spree followed by a high-speed car chase through the eastern and northern suburbs of Adelaide,The Advertiser reports. Harradine faced additional driving charges after he led a heated 30-minute police chase. The men, who had taken ice just before the rampage, violently used a spanner to threaten drivers who were carjacked at Felixstow, Magill and Kensington Park in Adelaide. This week, the two men faced court and pleaded guilty of 14 offences including aggravated assault of two women and a man, theft and property damage. Judge Liesl Chapman told the court: It was a drug-fuelled course of conduct that was brazen and frightening to many members of the public. It is no excuse for those crimes; you are responsible for what happens when you use ice, she added. Crombie was sentenced to a minimum of two years and two months in prison and Harradine received three years. Politicians around the world have joined Britain in calling for Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to answer questions about fake news. Officials from Australia, Ireland and Argentina have joined forces after Facebook refused the request from the UK and Canada for Mr Zuckerberg to appear before an 'international grand committee' on the subject on November 27. Their request comes after Mr Zuckerberg, whose company makes millions worldwide, appeared before politicians in Washington on April 11 this year. Damian Collins, chairman of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee, said Mr Zuckerberg's response 'is not good enough'. Mark Zuckerberg testifies before a meeting of the US House Committee on Energy and Commerce Damian Collins, MP for Folkestone and Hythe, and chairman of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee outside parliament on April 26 when Facebook's chief technology officer Mike Schroepfer was grilled by MPs 'By dismissing our request, Facebook is failing to acknowledge its line of accountability not only to legislators, but to its users worldwide. 'There remain serious questions to be answered about what measures Facebook is taking now to halt the spread of disinformation on its platform and protection for user data.' In declining the initial request, sent on October 31, Facebook UK's head of public policy Rebecca Stimson said the company will 'continue to co-operate fully with relevant regulators'. She wrote: 'As your letter states, it is not possible for Mr Zuckerberg to be available to all parliaments. 'While he is unable to accept your invitation we continue to fully recognize the seriousness of these issues and remain committed to working with you to provide any additional relevant information you require for your respective inquiries.' Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies before a House Energy and Commerce hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington about the use of Facebook data to target American voters in the 2016 election in April this year In April this year, Facebook sent their chief technical officer Mike Schroepfer the UK parliament where he was grilled in heated exchanges by MPs. Tory MP Julian Knight blasted: 'I put it to you that Facebook is a morality-free zone. 'You aren't an innocent party maligned by the likes of Cambridge Analytica: you are the problem.' Mr Schroepfer replied: 'I respectfully disagree with that assessment.' He continued, 'The core of our job is to build a service which helps millions of people connect with each other around the world every day.' Facebook has grappled with a string of scandals in recent years as evidence has emerged of political actors using the network to influence voters around the world. The social media giant was fined 500,000 by the Information Commissioner's Office in July, the maximum fine possible, for failing to protect millions of users' personal information which ended up in the hands of controversial election consultants Cambridge Analytica. A week later the Electoral Commission fined Brexit campaign groups Vote Leave and BeLeave, and referred them to police for breaches in campaign spending centered around political advertising on Facebook. This year, the company also released details of 'inauthentic co-ordinated activity' on the platform originating from Russia and Iran which targeted British and American politics. Taking Down Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior from Iran https://t.co/taM2znMTN1 Facebook Newsroom (@fbnewsroom) October 26, 2018 The new letter said: 'You appeared before committees of the US Congress and Senate, as well as the European Parliament. 'As the chairs of the relevant committees in the UK, Canadian, Australian, Argentinian and Irish parliaments, we believe that you owe Facebook users in our countries the same line of accountability.' Mr Collins and Bob Zimmer, his Canadian counterpart, are joined in the letter by Leopoldo Moreau, for Argentina, James McGrath, of Australia, and Irish politician Hildegarde Naughton. They have given Mr Zuckerberg until November 12 to respond. Mr Collins said: 'Mark Zuckerberg has set himself the personal challenge of "fixing" Facebook this year to prevent its misuse in our democratic process. 'By being unwilling to face questions about his progress, doubts about his ability to do so remain.' Mr Zuckerberg testified before a House Energy and Commerce hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington about the use of Facebook data to tamper in the 2016 Presidential elections. Fashion fans queued up for nearly ten hours ahead of H&M's latest desginer collaboration with Moshino, as items have already been put on sale on eBay. Queues snaked along high streets in London as the Swedish chain launched its hotly-anticipated partnership with an Italian luxury brand. But some of the items were already on eBay ahead of the 8am in-store UK launch, including a 300 leather biker jacket which was available on the website for 460. Shoppers are pictured leaving H&M on Oxford Street today with bags full of new items from the high-street brand's collaboration with Moschino There were long queues outside H&M on Oxford Street this morning as shoppers leave with bags full of Moschino clothing Happy shoppers smile after bagging themselves new H&M and Moschino attire in London Bags are given to those in the queue on Oxford Street as they wait for the launch of the line More than 350 items were listed under 'H&M Moschino' on eBay this morning as fashionistas paid over the odds to get their hands on the new range. Even the goody bags handed out to the crowds some of whom had been queuing outside in Kensington, West London, since 11.30pm last night - were on sale for 5. H&M's website crashed this morning as shoppers tried to order items but is now back online. A spokesman for the firm said if any customers had issues accessing the website they should contact customer service. Security guards were on hand to make sure there were orderly queues outside H&M stores Oxford Street's H&M was decked out especially to mark the occasion for the launch of its collaboration with Moschino Railings were put in place to ensure shoppers formed an orderly queue outside the Oxford Street store today Queues formed outside H&M's flagship store on Oxford Street in London's West End today Shoppers at the front of the queue in Kensington, West London, had been there since 11.30pm Felipe Oliveria, 30, who was at the front of the queue with his friend Anderson Oliveria, 42, told MailOnline today: 'This is the first time I've done this in my life. 'Just to have fun, really, just to get a piece. I want a specific piece, it's a jacket. It will be my first piece, it's around 100. It's an experience of a lifetime.' Felipe, who is originally from Brazil but has lived in London for eight years, added: 'I do like Moschino, but he's not my favourite. But I'm here just for fun.' Also queuing up was Thomas De Lacey, 23, who said: 'It's exclusive and I buy Moschino anyway, so it's quite cool that they do it for high street. Some of the items were already on eBay ahead of the 8am in-store launch, including a 300 leather biker jacket (left) which was available on the auction website for 460 (right) Goody bags handed out to the people queuing outside H&M are also already on sale for 5 H&M's website crashed this morning as shoppers tried to get their hands on the latest range Friends Anderson Oliveria (left), 42, and Felipe Oliveria (right), 30, were at the front of the queue for the launch at H&M in Kensington today, having been there since 11.30pm last night 'But I always buy exclusive stuff. There was a big hype on it as well, so it makes it more appealing. I usually do it online because I don't like these sort of things. 'But I just live round the corner. I have a few of the Kim Jones Louis Vuitton pieces which were really hard to get, so it's that exclusivity that I really like.' Today's launch of the Moschino range is just the latest in a succession of lucrative high-fashion collaborations for the Swedish high street giant. H&M's previous partnerships with Kenzo, Versace and Isabel Marant flew off the shelves with pieces being flogged for up to four times the price on eBay. Thomas De Lacey, 23, who was also queuing in Kensington, was wearing Moschino clothes as he waited - and said: 'It's that exclusivity that I really like' Queues snaked along high streets ahead of the launch this morning - including in Kensington The Italian luxury label, headed up by creative director Jeremy Scott, is characterised by bold hues, eye-catching slogans and high-octane glamour. This is the first time I've done this in my life. It's an experience of a lifetime Felipe Oliveria, 30 The flamboyant US designer told Femail of his H&M range, which starts at just 14.99: 'I try to make people happy. 'I love that I can give fans accessibility to my designs at a price point that's totally affordable and totally available with global distribution and without having to dilute the vision at all.' UK shoppers will hope to bag a bargain from the new collection, with Moschino's ready-to-wear pieces costing upwards of 800 for a dress, and coats at 1,000 plus. Advertisement Ian David Long, 28, is the gunman who killed 12 at the Borderline Bar and Grill in California on Wednesday The gunman who massacred 12 people at a country music bar in southern California on Wednesday night has been identified as an honorably discharged ex-Marine whose neighbors say he was plagued with PTSD and terrified his own mother. Ian David Long, 28, opened fire on the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks at 11.20pm on Wednesday during its weekly College Country Night where students from nearby schools line dance and listen to music. He threw smoke grenades to confuse the crowd and used a Glock .45 with an extended magazine to kill 11 people inside the bar, including: Sean Adler, 48; Cody Coffman 22; Blake Dingman, 23; Jake Dunham, 21; Alaina Housley, 18; Justin Meek, 23; Daniel Manrique; Kristina Morisette; Telemachus Orfanos; and Noel Sparks. Long then shot sheriff's sergeant Ron Helus, a 54-year-old, 29-year veteran who was one of the first on the scene. He died in the hospital of multiple gunshot wounds. Between 10 and 15 people remain in hospital, some with severe injuries. The mayor has appealed for blood donations. Survivors used bar stools to smash windows to climb out of and some hid beneath pool tables. One woman ran into the kitchen and was told by staff to climb a ladder into the attic. Before SWAT teams entered the building, Long took his own life in an office inside. He used a legally purchased .45 caliber handgun to carry out the attack and had modified its magazine so it could hold more rounds. Long served in the Marines as a machine gunner for five years between 2008 and 2013, during which time he was decorated with 10 medals and toured Afghanistan. The circumstances surrounding his departure are unclear but an unnamed US official told NPR he was 'not a stellar marine' and had been caught shoplifting in 2009 before he deployed. The official said he was honorably discharged. Survivors from the shooting said he looked 'like he knew what he was doing' as he repeatedly fired his gun without saying a word. In April this year, deputies were called to the home he shared with his mother after neighbors heard loud crashes coming from inside. He was acting 'irrationally' and was 'irate' so police called in their mental health specialist but they cleared him, deciding against having him committed. Neighbors told DailyMail.com on Thursday that his mother Colleen was 'terrified' he was going to harm himself or others. Scroll down for video Long was a machine gunner in the Marines Corps and served until 2013 when he was given honorable discharge. He was deployed once to Afghanistan and received 10, standard-issue medals during his service A shirtless man and two others carry an injured person out of the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, on Wednesday night after Long opened fire at 11.20pm. Eleven people inside the bar were killed along with a cop who was one of the first on the scene. Long then took his own life in an office inside the building It is unclear if he already owned the weapon he used to commit Wednesday's attack or if he bought it after the April incident. Long has no criminal history except from a minor traffic infraction. Long served in the Marine Corps for five years between 2008 and 2013 and he toured Afghanistan. He was a corporal at the time of his honorable discharge. Long is pictured during a tour of Afghanistan between 2010 and 2011 In a March 2017 post that was uncovered by CNN on the forum Shadowspear, he wrote: 'I was honorably discharged in 2013. 'I am graduating with a B.S. in Athletic Training in two months. 'I found out a little too late that just wasn't the job for me. Maybe the ego got the better of me but it took only one time for a 19 year old D-2 athlete to talk down to me and tell me how to do my job that I realized this wasn't the career I wanted to head,' he said of his departure. Curtis Kellog, a friend who he served with, said Long had a 'great sense of humor' and was excited to return to southern California after leaving the military. 'He had a great sense of humor and like most Marines who have seen combat it could get dark at times, just like all of us. Like most Marines who have seen combat it could get dark at times, just like all of us Curtis Kellogg, who served with Long 'He was excited to get out so he could go back home, ride his motorcycle again and finish school,' he told Click 2 Houston. During his time in the Marines, he was decorated with numerous awards including two Navy Meritorious Unit Commendations, a Combat Action Ribbon, the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, two Sea Service Deployment Ribbons, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; the National Defense Service Medal and the NATO Medal-ISAF Afghanistan. All are relatively common decorations. A spokesman for the Marines declined to give information surrounding his discharge in 2013, telling DailyMail.com that they were bound by privacy laws and unable to reveal what prompted him to leave. They did offer condolences to the victims of Wednesday night's shooting. GUNMAN'S MARINES RECORD 2008: Long joins the Marines on August 4, 2008. He was 18 at the time. Nov. 16, 2010 - Jun. 14, 2011: Deployed to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom August 11, 2011: His rank is listed as Corporal after his tour 2011-2013: His last known assignment was in the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, Third Marine Division, based out of Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. March 3, 2013: Long leaves the Marines. The circumstances are unknown. 2013 - 2016: Long studies at the California State University Northridge and majors in athletic training Advertisement After leaving the Marines, he took a job with California State University Northridge where he attended classes as a student until 2016. Blake Winnett, who claims to have shared an apartment with him in 2014 while he was a student there, told The New York Post that he was a 'loner' who danced alone in their garage. 'He didnt want to help anyone do anything. He was just lazy I guess,' he claimed, adding that he once responded: 'That's not my f****** job' when Winnett asked him to take out the trash. 'He wasnt violent but he was mean. He would go to the gym and then he would, I guess, try to learn dance moves or something. 'He would close the garage and be playing music and dancing in there, like sweating. 'I would open the garage and would be like, "What are you doing?"' he said. Long dropped out of the university in 2016 after three years. He had been studying athletic training. Sometime after dropping out of college, he returned to his mother's home in Newbury Park. One neighbor told DailyMail.com that his mother 'lived in fear' that something would happen to him. Long's mother Colleenn Long, 61, was spotted by DailyMail.com being interviewed by FBI agents on Thursday. She emerged from her house around 1.45pm and was shepherded into another red truck resembling the one the shooter used to drive to the Borderline Bar & Grill where he carried out the massacre. She and several officers left the house in a smart suburb of Newbury Park in a convoy of three trucks. After leaving the Marines, Long returned to California. The gunman is pictured in a 2014 picture with his mother (left) and (right) while studying at California State University Northridge where he last attended classes in 2016. He dropped out of his athletic training major in 2016 after three years Coleen Long (right), mother of Thousand Oaks shooter Ian Long, is seen leaving her house in Newbury Park, California Colleen Long (white hat) is seen leaving her home. She was spotted speaking with FBI agents on Thursday Police are seen outside Ian David Long's home in Newbury Park, near Thousand Oaks, on Thursday morning. His mother's red truck was parked in the driveway beneath an American flag draped from the garage. Their home is 5.5miles from the bar where the attack took place FBI agents were seen working at the home throughout the day on Thursday afternoon Victims killed in Borderline Bar shooting in California Cody Coffman Cody Coffman Cody Coffman's father Jason confirmed his 22-year-old son was among the 11 dead victims. The distraught father rushed to the bar after hearing news of the shooting and calls to his son's cellphone went unanswered. Jason used a tracking app on his son's phone and it indicated the device was still inside the venue. He said he spoke to his son just before he went to the bar Wednesday night. Ventura County Sheriff's sergeant Ron Helus 'The first thing I said was 'Please don't drink and drive.' The last thing I said was 'Son, I love you',' he said. Cody had plans to go into the military and was speaking with U.S. Army recruiters. Sheriff's Sgt. Ron Helus Ventura County Sheriff's sergeant Ron Helus, 54, was first on the scene of the shooting on Wednesday night. Helus was shot multiple times as he and a California Highway Patrol officer exchanged fire with the gunman inside the bar. Alaina Housley He was a 29-year veteran of the department. He was speaking to his wife Karen when he received the call about a mass shooting. The last thing he said to her was: 'Hon, I got to go, I love you. I gotta go on a call'. Alaina Housley Alaina, the niece of actress Tamera Mowry-Housley and her husband Adam Housley, also died in the shooting. Her suitemate at Pepperdine University had earlier posted photos on Twitter saying that the freshman was missing. Alaina's Apple Watch and iPhone appeared to still show her location as inside the bar. She was at the bar with several friends who have all been accounted for. 'My heart breaks. Im still in disbelief,' Mowry-Housley wrote in a tribute to her niece on Instagram. 'Its not fair how you were taken and how soon you were taken from us. I was blessed to know you ever since you were 5. You stole my heart. I will miss our inside jokes, us serenading at the piano. 'Thank you for being patient with me learning how to braid your hair, and I will never forget our duet singing the national anthem at Napas soccer game. 'I love you. I love you. I love you. You are gonna make one gorgeous angel.' Justin Meek Justin Meek Justin Meek was identified as one of the slain victims by his family and his former college. The 23-year-old, who was a recent graduate of California Lutheran University, worked at the Borderline Bar and organized the college night event. Meek is believed to have heroically saved lives as the shooting unfolded, according to university president Chris Kimball. During college, he worked in the school's veteran resource office and often worked with the Veterans Club to plan events and help veteran students. Meek also loved singing in choir and took part in the school's Kingsmen Quartet. He planned to join the US Coast Guard. 'Justin was a criminal justice and criminology major who had a passion for doing what was right,' Jenn Zimmerman, Cal Lutheran's veterans coordinator, said in a statement. 'Im not shocked he took action to protect the people at Borderline.' Sean Adler Sean Adler, 48, was working as a bouncer at the Borderline Bar & Grill when he was killed. He was a wrestling coach who had only recently opened a coffee shop in the local area. Sean Adler Noel Sparks Noel Sparks, a 21-year-old student at Moorpark College, was also confirmed dead. The United Methodist Church in Westlake Village, of which she was a member, posted condolences to her parents on Facebook. Sparks' friends had been in tears throughout the day as they desperately searched for her in the aftermath of the shooting. Blake Dingman Blake Dingman, 21, was identified by his girlfriend as a victim of the mass shooting. 'My sweet Blake... my heart is hurting more than words can say. I cannot believe youre gone. I am so grateful for our little infinity and all of our deep talks, cuddles, late nights, and adventures,' she wrote in a tribute. 'I am so incredibly grateful for every moment we spent together. God brought us together for a reason and I will hold our memories in my heart forever. I love you with all of my heart my sweet boy and my angel.' Blake Dingman (left) and Telemachus Orfanos (right) Telemachus Orfanos Borderline employee Telemachus Orfanos was also among those confirmed dead. Orfanos was an Eagle Scout who served in the Navy. Friends said that he was a survivor of the Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting massacre in Las Vegas last year, in which 58 died. Survivors of the Las Vegas shooting regularly gathered in the Borderline bar for country music night as a way of offering mutual support and healing. Orfanos' social media indicates he attended the local Thousand Oaks High School and Moorepark College. Kristina Kaylee Morisette Morisette worked as the cashier at Borderline Bar and Grill. Family members confirmed that she died in the shooting. She attended Simi Valley High School. Kristina Kaylee Morisette Daniel Manrique Manrique, 33, was a Marine veteran. 'He had spent his entire adult life, post military service, helping veterans readjust to civilian life and had just recently accepted a position with Team RWB as the Pacific Regional Program Manager,' family member Gladys Manrique Koscak wrote in a tribute on Facebook. 'I have no doubt that he died a hero, shielding others from gunshots. He will forever be our hero, son, brother, and the best uncle anybody could ever ask for,' she said. Jake Dunham Jake was among the missing for hours. His distraught father kept calling his cell phone after learning about the shooting and grew increasingly concerned when there was no answer. 'It just keeps ringing out. And he always answers his phone,' he said on Thursday. He is thought to have been at the bar with Dingman, who was his friend. Jake Dunham and Marky Meza Jr. Marky Meza Jr. Marky, 20, worked at Borderline as a bus boy and food runner. He grew up in Santa Barbara. 'Marky was a loving and wonderful young man who was full of life and ambition. 'His family is devastated by his loss. Marky would have turned 21 on November 19. 'His family asks for peace and respect at this time to allow them to grieve privately,' they said in a statement. Advertisement Richard Berge lived around the corner from alleged shooter Ian David Long and had taken care of the family's dogs. She lived in fear in case something happened. He wouldn't get help. She was beside herself and didn't know what to do. Neighbor Richard Berge, speaking of Long's mother Berge, 77, said Long had smashed furniture and kicked in walls inside the family's house and that his mother, Colleen, was afraid the problem would escalate. 'She lived in fear in case something happened,' Berge told DailyMail.com. 'He wouldn't get help. She was beside herself and didn't know what to do.' He and other neighbors described an incident in April this year, when a neighbor called the police after hearing loud crashes coming from Long's house. Berge said multiple police cars rushed to the home and found Long had kicked holes in the walls and broken furniture. Berge said that all the neighbors believed Long was suffering from PTSD. Berge described Colleen as a 'wonderful woman', and a 'very sweet lady'. 'She's a wonderful woman but she was just going through hell with her son. Now she's got to live with this. 'HON, I LOVE YOU. I'VE GOT TO GO': LAST WORDS OF HERO COP WHO RAN INTO GUNFIRE ALONE AND WAS SHOT AND KILLED Ventura County Sheriff Ron Helus, 54, was among those killed. He was shot multiple times by the gunman after responding to the first 911 calls and later died in hospital Sgt Ron Helus, 54, of the Ventura County Sheriff's Office was speaking to his wife Karen when he received the call about a mass shooting at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks on Wednesday night. 'He said, "Hon, I got to go, I love you. I gotta go on a call,' Sheriff Geoff Dean told the Los Angeles Times. Helus and another officer from the California Highway Patrol arrived at the scene of the massacre at 11.23pm on Wednesday night - three minutes after the 911 call went out. After hearing gunfire coming from inside the bar, which was occupied by nearly 200 college students, Helus rushed through the front door and confronted the shooter. 'They knew they had to take action and they went in and did what they had to do,' Dean said. 'Our officers know, when you get to a scene, and there's two of you, or even just one of you, and there's a shooting going on, you go in.' Helus was shot several times and had to be pulled out of the line of fire by the CHP officer. The sergeant was rushed to Los Robles hospital, where he died an hour later. Twelve people, includinG Helus, were shot and killed in the incident, and numerous others were wounded. The gunman, who has since been identified as 28-year-old Ian Long, was also found dead inside the bar and is believed to have killed himself. Helus was a 29-year veteran of the Ventura County Sheriff's Office and was planning to retire in the next year. Dean said he was 'totally committed' to his job and 'gave his all'. 'He knew the risks, but he knew, like we all do, why we serve,' he said. 'Ron was a hardworking, dedicated sheriff's sergeant. And tonight he died a hero. He went in to save lives, to save other people.' Sheriff's Capt Garo Kuredijan called Helus an 'unbelievable man'. 'He was a lifetime learner, a trainer, a mentor, a leader,' he said. 'He was a cop's cop. His void is going to be felt throughout our agency.' The father-of-one is survived by his wife Karen and son Jordan. Helus' Facebook profile is full of photos of the officer and his son hunting, fishing, and playing with their dog together. The family man referred to his son as 'my boy' in dozens of posts and spoke of how proud he was of Jordan. Helus had worked in the narcotics division of his department and was also on the SWAT team for many years. Advertisement Another neighbor, June, told DailyMail.com, she also recalled the incident in April. 'The only time I knew about him [Long] was in April when they had the police activity here. I thought "oh that's Colleen's son." 'They had the police cars here, they came up to the house and interviewed him.' 'Most of the people in the neighborhood have lived here forever, we've been here over 40 years,' she said. 'We're a quiet neighborhood.' Tom Hanson, another neighbor, said it sounded like he was 'tearing down the walls with a hammer.' 'It would start and then it would stop and then it would start and then it would stop and then it would get really loud and I hear this shouting. 'I thought, "Man, whats going on out here?"... I mean it's a quiet neighborhood. I didn't know if he was hurting himself,' he said. Hanson said that he 'assumed' he would get mental health treatment afterwards because police spent a while in the house. 'I assumed he was getting some type of mental health treatment and follow-up on that. Since that time, there has not been any more of those types of problems here,' he said. She was asleep at home when agents raided the property this morning. Berge added that the family had been having trouble with their three German Shepherd dogs. Long's father David died at the age of 46 in 1999. The house was surrounded by police and FBI officers, and cordoned off with red crime scene tape by Thursday morning. Officers were waiting Thursday morning for a judge to sign a warrant to search the home. Long's mother's red truck sat in the driveway. He used another vehicle of hers to get to the Borderline Bar and Grill. Long had modified his legally purchased handgun so that it could hold more rounds. 'The handgun is designed to hold 10 rounds and one in the chamber. This weapon did have an extended magazine on it. 'We do not know at this time how many the magazine could actually hold because it's still being processed,' Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said on Thursday, adding he had 'no idea' what his motive for the attack was. The cop who was killed was one of the first on the scene. He fearlessly ran into the bar alone after hearing the 911 call on his radio. Helus was on the phone to his wife at the time when the call came in. His last words to her were, 'Hon, I love you. I've go to go and take care of something.' In addition to the 12 he killed inside the Borderline Bar and Grill on Wednesday, '10 to 15' victims were injured. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help cover their medical bills. They have raised $5,000 of the $50,000 they hope to get. In a Facebook post on Thursday afternoon, the bar said: 'The Borderline Family sends our love, prayers and deepest condolences to the victims and their families in the wake of this horrific tragedy. 'Thousand Oaks is more than the community we do business in but rather our brothers, sisters, dads, mommas, friends, family and neighbors. 'We love you and together we will stand strong.' According to survivors, Long was dressed in all-black, wearing a baseball cap, sunglasses and a mask covering the bottom part of his face. Sgt.Helus' widow stands behind his casket as it is taken out of the Los Robles Medical Center on Thursday morning Sgt. Herlus' body was driven in a procession on Thursday after the shooting. Hundreds of people lined its route to pay their respects Police officers embrace beneath an American flag that was raised in honor of Sgt. Helus Mourners weep for Sgt. Ron Helus as his body is driven in a procession from the hospital where he was taken after the shooting Mourners pay their respects to Sgt. Helus as his body is driven past them on Thursday Mourners stand on an overpass to pay their respects to Sgt. Helas as his body is driven past them in a procession Ron Helus' widow is escorted past a line of servicemen and women after the procession that was laid on for her husband Jason Coffman (right) cried as he confirmed that his son Cody was one of those killed in the shooting. He said the last thing he told him was 'I love you'. He walked up to the entrance at 11.20pm and shot the bouncer before making his way into the venue. He then shot a young female cashier before throwing smoke grenades onto the dance floor and letting off rounds into the crowd. Survivors described how he carried the attack out with careful precision and said he had 'perfect form' when shooting. The bar is popular with college kids because it allows under 21s in on Wednesday nights. Those who were not old enough to drink had black X's stamped on their hands. Pepperdine University confirmed on Thursday morning that some of its students were among those in the bar. It is unclear if they were among those killed. 'The University has determined that multiple Pepperdine students were on site at Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks. At this time, the University is working to identify and provide support to those students. A spokesman for California Lutheran University told DailyMail.com: 'The Cal Lutheran community is grieving over what happened last night. We know some of our students were there. 'We are waiting for more information from law enforcement. We have canceled classes, but the campus is open and all offices will be open. Our chapel is open for anyone who wants to gather. ' They later confirmed student Justin Meek's death. Mourners react outside a reception area for the families of the victims of the shooting People embrace outside the reunification center that was set up for victims' families After the mayor made a call for people to give blood, there was a rush of people at this blood bank A woman leads a mini therapy horse through the crowds of mourners at the procession on Thursday afternoon A woman prays as someone else holds a flag while the hearse carrying Sgt. Helus' body is driven past them Meek, 23, worked at the bar and died trying to save others' lives, they said. 'The Cal Lutheran community is filled with sorrow over the violent events that took place last night a few miles from campus in Thousand Oaks. 'Sadly, we have learned from the family that a recent graduate, Justin Meek, 23, is one of the precious lives cut short in this tragedy. Meek heroically saved lives in the incident,' they said. On Thursday morning, President Trump tweeted about the mass shooting, saying: 'I have been fully briefed on the terrible shooting in California. Law Enforcement and First Responders, together with the FBI, are on scene. 13 people, at this time, have been reported dead. 'Likewise, the shooter is dead, along with the first police officer to enter the bar. Great bravery shown by police. 'California Highway Patrol was on scene within 3 minutes, with first officer to enter shot numerous times. That Sheriffs Sergeant died in the hospital. God bless all of the victims and families of the victims. Thank you to Law Enforcement,.' Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said the scene was the worst he had seen in 41 years. EMTs treat a victim from the shooting at Borderline Bar and Grill on Wednesday. In addition to the 12 innocent people who were killed, another 12 at least were injured First responders and survivors tend to a wounded person after fleeing the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks on Wednesday night The bar in Thousand Oaks attracts college students from a number of colleges including California Lutheran University, UCLA and Pepperdine. Both Pepperdine and Lutheran are Christian schools. Long's home is 5.5 miles away 'Its a horrific scene in there, there is blood everywhere and the suspect is part of that, and I didnt want to get that close and disturb the scene and possibly disturb the investigation. President Trump praised the brave law enforcement who responded to the shooting on Twitter on Thursday morning 'This, by far, is the most horrific thing I've seen in my 41 years,' he said. Dean was due to retire on Thursday, the day after the shooting. He and Helus were friends and worked out together. Paying tribute to him, he said: 'Ron was a hardworking dedicated sheriff's sergeant. 'He was totally committed, he gave his all and tonight, as I told his wife, he died a hero; he went into save lives, to save other people.' The gunman used a Glock .45 pistol with an extended magazine that could hold more rounds. A file image of a unmodified version of the gun is shown Classes at California Lutheran, which is also nearby, were cancelled. People were hiding from the shooter in bathrooms and attic spaces, while others who managed to escape fled to nearby gas stations for medical help. Terrified dancers used bar stools to smash the windows so that they could climb out and flee. John Hedge said he was with his stepfather Tim Dominguez at the door preparing to leave the bar when Long entered and threw smoke grenades before pointing his gun at the cashier and opening fire. Fighting back tears, Hedge, said he heard a series of 'big pops' as he and his stepdad were preparing to leave. He said: 'There was probably three or four of them, I look up, the security guard's dead - I don't want to say dead but he was shot, he was down. An injured man who appears to have been shot is rushed to safety at the Borderline Bar and Grill Matt Wennerstorm stands outside Borderline Bar and Grill on Wednesday night after escaping from the gunfire (left). Relieved family members embrace their loved ones after 12 people were shot at the bar in Thousand Oaks, near California (right) Some of the patrons who were under 21 are pictured holding one another outside the bar after escaping with their lives 'The gunman was throwing smoke grenades all over the place, I saw him point at the cash register and just keep firing. I run out the front door, I hear chairs being thrown out the window, people were trying to get out of the windows. 'All I wanted to do was get as many people out as possible. I know where I'm going when I die, so I was not worries to sacrifice myself.' Survivor Matt Wennerstrom 'And the gunman, he went behind the cash register, he kept... there were probably 12 shots before I got out the front door,' he went on. Dominguez choked up as he told KABC: 'He shot the doorman, bouncer...just a young man. Then, he shot the cashier, just a young girl.' Dominguez expressed remorse over running for safety, instead of fighting back against the gunman. 'I should've stayed 'til he changed his clip, but I was worried about my boy,' Dominguez said choked up. 'I apologize to anybody who got hurt or passed.' 'He didn't say anything, he just started shooting,' he said. They said he said 'nothing' as he opened fire and was composed throughout the massacre. A visibly shaken student named Summer said the gunman 'was shooting everything, from the speakers to anything,' while another man Matt Wennerstrom said that while Long stopped to reload, he used a bar stool to smash a window and help 30 people run to safety. A woman who was one of the people who went through the window tearfully credited Wennerstrom for saving her as she broke down describing the event Two students named Summer and Kayla, were at the Borderline Bar and Grill and said the gunman was 'shooting everything, from the speakers to anything' 'I heard gunshots and knew right away what it was, I turned and saw a dark figure, and decided to get out of there as soon as I could,' he said. Asked what made him decide to go back and help others, he added: 'Instinct, that's all that I could do. I had to protect my friends and family, my fellow humans. 'All I wanted to do was get as many people out as possible. I know where I'm going when I die, so I was not worries to sacrifice myself.' A reporter then pointed to blood on his sleeve, which he said 'isn't mine' and came from a man with a chest wound who they helped drag over to paramedics. A women who was one of the people who went through the window tearfully credited Wennerstrom for saving her as she broke down describing the event. 'That's how we were able to get out,' she said with her face in her hands. 'They broke the window.' Among those who survived were people who had also fled the Las Vegas country music shooting last October. More than 100 people, many of whom were students (pictured) as young as 18, were in the bar when the gunman opened fire A survivor of a mass shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, reels outside after escaping with his life Survivors wearing cowboy boots wrap themselves in a blanket after escaping the gunman on Wednesday night 'I was just dancing normally and I heard what I thought was a balloon pop. I was confused then I heard it a couple more times then I turned around and I saw him. Pepperdine University confirmed that some of those inside were some of its students. It remains unknown if any of them were killed 'I ran to the nearest exit and tripped and fell on the way I knocked on as many doors as I could until someone would answer me and finally someone did. 'It was awful,' Taylor Von Molt, a promoter for the club, told CNN. She said the gunman's mask looked like a bandanna and was covering the bottom of his face. 'He had a black mask, it looked like a bandanna, on the bottom of his face, sunglasses dark hoodie, dark jeans. He was kind of bigger, more burly. Scary,' the 21-year-old said. Teylor Whittler, another witness, said the gunman had 'perfect form' and 'looked like he knew what he was doing.' 'I saw three people get shot by him. He looked like he knew what he was doing. He had practiced, he had been shooting before,' Witness Teylor Whittler 'As soon as he walked in, he had perfect form. I'm born in a military family and I've been around guns my entire life so I know a bit about them. 'He looked like he knew what he was doing. 'He had practiced, he had been shooting before,' she told Fox News. She added that while the bar was popular among students, it attracted patrons of all ages. 'College students go there, high school seniors go there, elderly people go there. Everyone who loves country goes there,' she said. Witnesses (pictured sharing a blanket after escaping the tragedy) had to use chairs to smash the windows of the bar to escape An FBI officer stands guard outside of the bar and debriefs distressed witnesses, some of who lost their shoes amidst the chaotic scenes A young reveler is in a state of shock after fleeing with her life A young girl phones her loved ones to let them know she's safe, as her friend comforts and shares a blanket with her People comfort each other as they stand near the scene where 12 were slaughtered Survivors embrace after being told the coast was clear when the gunman turned the gun on himself The bar (left on a normal night) is popular among country music and dancing fans. On Wednesday night, under 21s are allowed into enjoy the music and they are required to wear black X's on their hands Forensics teams work at the site of the shooting on Thursday morning Among the survivors is a member of the Navy who led others out of the windows after smashing the windows with bar stools. 'We heard a lot of screaming and we dropped to the ground. My friend is a DJ, she cut the music. 'My first instinct was to smash the window. We jumped out,' he told KTLA. Several minutes after the gunman opened fire, a SWAT team arrived and found the 11 victims dead inside. Several people are still unaccounted for including 22-year-old Cody Coffman whose father Jason flocked to the bar after he heard the news to find him. Other parents have done the same and have used looked to their kids' iPhones locations to try to find them. Their devices are still inside the bar and they have not been heard from since the shooting happened. 'I want my son. I want to know. I'm not.. if the Lord took him away, we know that he's in a better place but if he's not, please let us know. Let me know. 'I am clueless on what's going on,' Cody's father Jason wept outside the bar. There were 100 people inside the bar when the gunman opened fire, police said, and the number of casualties is 'very likely' to go up. A heavily-armed Ventura County officer stands guard outside the country music festival wearing a helmet and body armopur, equipped with a pistol and an assault rifle The officer directs members of the public away from the Borderline Bar and Grill while an investigation is carried out A sheriff deputy speaks to a potential witness as they stand near the scene (left) while officers inspect vehicles in the car park searching for the perpetrator's vehicle Plain-clothed law enforcement officers guard the road leading to the Borderline Bar and Grill where 12 people were killed Family and friends got out of bed and rushed to the scene still in their pajamas to make sure their loved ones were alive First responders arrive on the scene of the mass shooting at around 11.30pm after receiving 'shots fired' 911 calls from witnesses One witness told ABC7: 'I was at the front door talking to my stepdad. I heard these big pops. 'There were three or four and I hit the ground. The security guard was dead and the man had a handgun. He threw in smoke bombs and he kept firing. People threw chairs out of the windows to try to get away. 'The gunman had glasses and a black jacket. He had a big hand gun.' Another witness said: 'This maniac came in. Threw in smoke to confuse people and opened fire on the dance floor. He's taken many young lives. Witnesses reported a horrifying scene as gunfire echoed through the club and those inside ran for cover, in some cases breaking windows with chairs and other pieces of furniture to get out of the building. Local hospitals have been inundated with victims who've transported themselves to emergency rooms with injuries seeking medical help. One witness, who was at the bar with his step-son, described the sequence of events. He said: 'He shot the front doorman, who was just a young man. 'Then he shot the cashier, just a young girl. Then he started moving to the right. He wasn't looking at us. Then he went into the office, where all the cash and stuff is. 'He didn't say anything at all. He just started shooting.' Speculation is mounting that a Brexit deal will be unveiled on Monday - with a summit to seal the agreement at the end of the month. The EU commission is said to be planning for negotiations to conclude within days, despite bitter wrangling within the Cabinet over Irish border concessions. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has also insisted he is confident a package will be finalised over the next three weeks, potentially coinciding with the November 25 summit date circulating in Brussels - although he admitted the situation was 'incredibly complicated'. The latest signs that a breakthrough is imminent came despite both Downing Street and Ireland trying to play down expectations. Irish deputy PM Simon Coveney said a deal should not be 'taken for granted', while Michel Barnier warned there was 'much more work to be done'. Some ministers and civil servants had expected the PM to call a meeting of her senior team to sign off a deal today. But it is understood there is now 'zero' chance of Cabinet gathering before the weekend. The delay comes amid unrest over the details of a proposed compromise on the Irish border 'backstop' - the final stumbling block in the fraught talks with the EU. The backstop is intended to avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic, and would only come into effect if no wider trade agreement is sealed by the end of a mooted transition period in December 2020. Theresa May (pictured left) is thought to be on the verge of agreeing a divorce deal with the EU, but ministers including Michael Gove (right) are demanding to see full legal advice from Attorney General Geoffrey Cox (centre) The EU commission appeared to troll the UK today by highlighting a growth forecast chart with the country at the bottom of the table But Eurosceptics are anxious that it would effectively end up as the default position, leaving the UK permanently stuck in a customs union with the EU and unable to strike trade deals elsewhere. Attorney General Geoffrey Cox, an eminent QC and Brexiteer who has emerged as a key player in the drama, boosted Mrs May at a Cabinet meeting earlier this week by suggesting a 'review' clause on the backstop could be an effective escape route. But ministers including Michael Gove have demanded to be shown full legal advice before signing off the plan. Senior figures including Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab had previously been pushing for the UK to be able to scrap the backstop unilaterally with a three-six month notice period - but the EU has said it will never agree to such a mechanism. Transport Secretary Chris Grayling also voiced concerns about accepting EU rules on state aid, workers' rights and the environment, according to The Times. He suggested they could mean staying in the single market 'by the back door'. Irish border backstop mechanism is the final hurdle in divorce talks The Brexit divorce negotiations have boiled down to the issue of the Irish border. Brussels had initially demanded that Northern Ireland stays within its jurisdiction for customs and most single market rules to avoid a hard border. But Mrs May flatly rejected the idea, saying she would not agree to anything that risked splitting the UK. Instead, the government has mooted a temporary customs union for the whole UK, and accepted the need for extra regulatory checks in the Irish Sea. Brussels has also given ground, and now appears to be prepared to sign off a UK-wide backstop in the divorce deal. That leaves the mechanism for ending the backstop as the final hurdle to overcome - but the two sides have different views. UNILATERAL EXIT Dominic Raab has been arguing that the UK should be able to scrap the backstop arrangements by giving three to six months' notice. That would assuage Eurosceptic fears that the country could end up being trapped in an inferior customs union indefinitely, unless the EU gives permission for it to stop or a wider trade deal is sealed. ALL-WEATHER BACKSTOP For its part, the EU has been adamant that the backstop must offer an 'all-weather' solution to the Irish border issue and stay in place 'unless and until' it is superseded by other arrangements. The bloc has already effectively killed off calls for a hard end date to the backstop - and No10 is now convinced that a simple unilateral notice period will not unlock the talks. COMPROMISE PLAN Mrs May and Irish PM Leo Varadkar have discussed a 'review mechanism' for the backstop, which could involve an independent arbitration body assessing whether the terms were being honoured and if the arrangement should be ended. Potentially this could provide a solution that allows Mrs May to say the backstop would not go on for ever. But the devil will be in the detail, and ministers are keen to ensure there are 'robust' ways for the UK to escape. Advertisement Both Labour and the DUP, whose party props up the Government, have gone further by demanding the legal advice is made public. They received backing today from former Cabinet minister David Davis. Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer has threatened to force the Government's hand in Parliament. Downing Street is resisting the demands pointing out the constitutional principle is not to comment on private legal advice. According to Austrian newspaper Der Standard, the EU commission is anticipating technical agreement between the negotiating teams on Monday. Once it is passed by the UK Cabinet, a Brussels summit of leaders will be triggered for November 25. Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker told reporters in Helsinki today that Mrs May 'is, as we are, decided to have the deal, and we will have a deal'. Asked if an agreement was coming soon, EU council chief Donald Tusk told Channel 4 News: 'I hope so ... but still we need maybe five, maybe six, maybe seven days.' Tory Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg heaped pressure on Mrs May as she faces a nail-biting vote in Parliament. He said the idea of a 'review' clause in the backstop was 'completely absurd'. 'Brexit means we can already leave the customs union when we want to, why should we give that up? It is a breach of faith with the electorate to stay in it under the authority of a third party,' he told The Sun. 'We are already seeing evidence that this arbitration mechanism is building our numbers. One colleague who is wavering about what to do has approached me in the last 24 hours to say he will vote with us if Mrs May goes ahead with this.' Ministers were finally given access yesterday to the current text of the withdrawal agreement minus the section on the Irish border. Described as '95 per cent complete', the agreement covers the divorce bill, rights of EU nationals living in the UK and other issues. Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the DUP's chief whip, said publishing the advice would be in the public interest. 'It's because it affects the whole UK, therefore it shouldn't just be the DUP that sees this advice, or the Government,' he said. 'If the House of Commons is going to have a meaningful vote on a deal that includes, and upon which this legal advice is very, very important, then I think people are entitled to know what that advice is.' Sir Keir, who spent yesterday in Brussels for discussions with EU officials, warned of the dangers of a so-called 'blind Brexit' where the details on future relations are unclear. He warned Labour was preparing to vote down any proposal if the accompanying document outlining the future relationship lacked detail. On the legal advice, he said: 'That legal advice should be made available to Parliament when we come to vote on a deal. We need the position, we need to know precisely what advice has been given. 'I hope the Government has the good sense to realise that this is so important that it makes it available in Parliament for us to see. 'If they don't then obviously we'll have to think about what devices, what procedures, we can use to force them to do so. 'My invitation to the PM is, given the importance of the backstop, given the binding nature of the treaty that Parliament is going to have to look at, it is right that this advice is disclosed at the appropriate time so MPs can see it.' He added: 'The concern is that the future relationship with the EU will become a vague description, a vague document that is essentially a blind Brexit. 'We're here to deliver the message and to discuss the fact it is not acceptable to expect the Labour party or any parliamentarian to vote for a blind Brexit.' Mrs May yesterday phoned European Council president Donald Tusk to push for an agreement. She spoke to German chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday evening. Sir Keir Starmer (pictured in Brussels for talks yesterday) upped the ante by insisting Parliament must be told exactly what the future trade relationship will look like Who is the Attorney General Geoffrey Cox? Geoffrey Cox (pictured in Downing Street on Tuesday) has emerged as a central political figure as Brexit talks reach their crucial stages In just a few short months Geoffrey Cox QC has been transformed from a little known politician to a senior Cabinet minister who has emerged as a key player in Brexit talks. He was plucked from the backbenches and made Attorney General in July after the resignations of Boris Johnson and David Davis triggered a reshuffle. The post places him at the centre of the crunch talks, tasked with giving legal advice to ministers as they rule on the biggest political decision any of them will ever take. But it was his theatrical speech as Theresa May's warm up act at the Tory party conference last month that turned him into a political star. He was compared to great Shakespearean actors like Ian McKellan as he enraptured his audience by quoting John Milton and extolling the virtues of Brexit. Mr Cox, 58, a father-of-three who lives in West Devon with his wife Jeanie, has honed his theatrical performances over many years as a barrister in England's courts. His glittering legal career saw him become Britain's best paid MP after he raked in 820,000 in a single year in 2014 from his legal earnings. Two years later he had to apologise to the Commons authorities for forgetting to declare 400,000 in earnings. He had, however, remembered to submit expenses claims for a 49p bottle of milk and 2 worth of tea bags. A formidable lawyer, people across the political divide welcomed his appointment as Attorney General as putting a real heavyweight in the post. And he is known to be generous with his time. According to a ConHome profile, as a senior barrister he would take his pupils to the five star Savoy for tea, where they talk about the day and tuck into the array of cakes. And more recently, he is said to have done the same for MPs who want to explore the intricacies of Brexit. Asked once what his proudest achievement is, Mr Cox is said to have replied: 'Thirty-five years of marriage well it's really my wife's achievement, not mine.' Advertisement Antifa protesters have targeted the home of Fox News host Tucker Carlson, knocking on his door and shouting 'we will fight, we know where you sleep at night.' Activists from Smash Racism DC, who also targeted Ted Cruz as he ate with wife Heidi in a Washington restaurant, gathered outside the provocative broadcaster's home Wednesday evening. After the furious mob of about 20 people protested at Carlson's front door, an affiliated Twitter account called 'ShutitDownDC' released his home address and that of his brother Buckley Carlson, Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity and Neil Patel, with whom Carlson co-founded the Daily Caller. None of the other conservative figures are believed to have been targeted Wednesday evening and the tweets with their addresses have since been taken down. The Fox News host wasn't home at the time of the protest. He was at work when the crowds arrived, with about an hour until his live 8pm show started. Protesters from far-left group Smash Racism DC knocked on the door of Tucker Carlson's D.C. home before chanting 'we know where you sleep at night' on Wednesday at 6.30pm The group said they were protesting 'fascism, racism', police violence and violence against women, which they accused Carlson of enabling Carlson was not home at the time of the protest, which took place about an hour before he went live on his show. His wife Susie was home alone and called the police at 6.30pm Carlson's wife Susie was home at the time of the protest and thought the crowd was a home invasion, so she locked herself in the pantry and called police at 6.30pm as the mob screamed and banged on her front door. The couple share four children, who were not home at the time. The activists gathered outside the Northwest D.C. home holding posters, clanging tambourines, and chanting 'racism scumbag, leave town'. 'I called my wife. She had been in the kitchen alone getting ready to go to dinner and she heard pounding on the front door and screaming. ... Someone started throwing himself against the front door and actually cracked the front door,' Carlson said to The Washington Post in a phone interview. The Metropolitan Police Department of F.C. cops received the call around 6.30 and responded 'within a few minutes'. The group dispersed after police arrived and no arrests were made. In a since-deleted video posted by Smash Racism D.C. one person says into a megaphone 'Tucker Carlson, we are outside your home.' The man is heard saying that they have come to protest 'fascism and racism', police violence, and violence against women. Twitter account 'ShutitDownDC' also released the addresses of Carlson, his brother Buckley (the two pictured together left), Sean Hannity (right), Ann Coulter and Daily Caller co-founder Neil Patel on Wednesday The home addresses of Ann Coulter (left) and Neil Patel (right), with whom Tucker Carlson founded the Daily Caller, were also released on Wednesday evening. Those tweets were later removed by Twitter The protesters banged on the front door of Carlson's Northwest D.C. home as his wife was home alone The group then begins chanting: 'Tucker Carlson, we will fight, we know where you sleep at night.' Another two short clips show them shouting 'racism scumbag, leave town' and 'no border, no wall, no USA at all.' At least one person is also seeing running up to the front door. Cops remained at the scene for several hours afterwards. Lt. Jon Pongratz of the D.C. police said the block will be under 'special attention' for 'as long as needed'. 'It wasn't a protest. It was a threat. They weren't protesting anything specific that I had said. They weren't asking me to change anything. They weren't protesting a policy or advocating for legislation. ... They were threatening me and my family and telling me to leave my own neighborhood in the city that I grew up in,' Carlson said. He added that he does not know who started the protest but intends to find out. Hours after the protesters gathered outside Carlson's home, another Twitter account @ShutItDownDC shared his home address and that of the Fox host's brother Buckley, Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity and Neil Patel. They were subsequently deleted Megyn Kelly condemned the Antifa protests on Twitter Wednesday evening writing: '@TuckerCarlson is tough & can handle a lot, but he does not deserve this' Carlson says the protesters blocked off both ends of his street and carried posters that listed his home address. Smash Racism DC launched their campaign against Carlson on Twitter on Wednesday evening around 7pm just before his show started to air, accusing him of spreading 'fear into our homes' every night. The first video was posted along with a message that said: 'BREAKING. Activists ring doorbell, hold protest at the Washington DC area home of Tucker Carlson, racist, sexist, bigoted FOX News personality. So far no one has opened the door.' Other messages said 'Tucker Carlson has been spewing nonstop hate and lies about he migrant caravan. He also has close ties to white supremacists.' 'Activists protested tonight at Carlsons Washington DC area home. You cant hide from those you hurt, Tucker,' another tweet said. A fourth tweet contained the anchor's street address but was removed shortly after being posted. Yet another tweet said: 'Tonight you're reminded that we have a voice. Tonight, we remind you that you are not safe either.' Later in the night @ShutitDownDC posted Carlson's home address writing: 'Politics affects people's lives. Stop promoting racism and fascism...#TuckerCarlson', then later shared the addresses of Coulter, Hannity, and Patel, according to the Gateway Pundit. Smash Racism DC also filmed a confrontation with Ted Cruz as he ate with wife Heidi in Washington restaurant Fiola two months ago The controversial tweets from Smash Racism DC and Shut It Down DC were quickly deleted. Smash Racism DC's account was suspended Thursday morning and their Facebook videos of the protest were also taken down. It is not clear from the videos how long the protesters were outside for, or when the left. Megyn Kelly condemned the attacks on Twitter on Wednesday evening writing: 'This has to stop. Who are we? What are we becoming? @TuckerCarlson is tough & can handle a lot, but he does not deserve this. His family does not deserve this. Its stomach-turning.' Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott and President Jay Wallace released a statement dismissing the mob on Thursday. 'The incident that took place at Tuckers home last night was reprehensible. The violent threats and intimidation tactics toward him and his family are completely unacceptable. We as a nation have become far too intolerant of different points of view,' the statement said. 'Recent events across our country clearly highlight the need for a more civil, respectful, and inclusive national conversation. Those of us in the media and in politics bear a special obligation to all Americans, to find common ground,' it added. In September, Smash Racism DC hounded Ted Cruz out of Fiola, an Italian restaurant located near the White House. On Twitter, the group then threatened Cruz, the President and 'any the rest of the racist, sexist, transphobic, and homophobic right-wing scum' by saying: 'You are not safe. We will find you. We will expose you. We will take from you the peace you have taken from so many others.' Carlson has also spoken out about being targeted while he ate, saying there is only one restaurant he now goes to for fear of being shouted at. A council magazine has been criticised for putting silhouettes of 'Nazi soldiers' on their front cover to mark Remembrance Sunday. Maidstone Borough Council's Insight magazine features three soldiers marching with Poppies emblazoned on the cover to mark the centenary anniversary of World War One. But the troops, with rifles in hand, are wearing helmets which resemble ones issued to German soldiers - much to anger of local residents. Maidstone Borough Council's Insight magazine features three soldiers marching with Poppies emblazoned on the cover to mark the centenary anniversary of the end of the First World War Jim Murphy, 63, said: 'My dad was a soldier who was killed fighting the Germans in 1944 so you can imagine how I felt when I saw this. 'It's outrageous that the council hasn't put British soldiers on the front cover. 'Other people are saying it could even be American GIs, which is almost as bad. 'They were famous for coming into the war late and trying to grab all the glory from our boys.' Copies of the magazine were posted through the doors of thousands of Maidstone residents, but questions have been asked about the attention to detail. Another resident, a former RAF mechanic who served in the African desert, said: 'It's clear from the helmets they are not British soldiers. 'They could be Second World War American GIs or Germans. I'm pretty certain nobody wore kit like this in 1918. 'It may seem minor, but you have to get these things right. A lot of local people lost family in the war. It's a bit of a blunder, I am afraid.' Local Royal British Legion representative Derek Davison said: 'I have no idea where this has come from or what it is supposed to depict. Maidstone Council has come under criticism for using a stock image of soldiers to commemorate Remembrance Sunday 'It's certainly USA-ish and, sad to say, I don't really like it a lot. 'It's actually quite nasty - why do people have to do things like this on a weekend such as this?' Maidstone Council admitted they had used stock images and were meant to be a 'stylised depiction in commemoration of World War One'. A spokeswoman said 'it was never meant to be historically accurate'. Advertisement One of the biggest warships in the Norwegian navy had to be evacuated after it collided with a Maltese oil tanker and started sinking. The KNM Helge Ingstad frigate collided with the tanker in a fjord in western Norway this morning and eight people were left injured. All 137 people on board the warship had to be evacuated after the clash with the Sola TS tanker and it eventually ran aground. The ship, which was returning from NATO's Trident Juncture exercises, is one of five such frigates in the Norwegian navy and is the second newest. There were fears it would sink as it took on water after the crash but it ran aground just off the shore near Bergen. An image published by Norwegian broadcaster NRK showed that water had almost reached the level of the frigate's helicopter platform. A Norwegian navy frigate (pictured) and a Maltese oil tanker collided in a fjord in western Norway this morning, injuring seven people Eight sailors were injured after the warship, one of the largest in the Norwegian navy, collided with the oil tanker Despite the terrifying collision and fears of the warship sinking, none of the 137 people on board were seriously injured The tanker, the Sola TS, was only slightly damaged and it appears that it did not spill oil after the collision with the warship Only a small amount of oil is thought to have been spilled by the tanker with one official saying: 'A small oil slick from the frigate has been detected but nothing large' A total of 137 people were on board the frigate while 23 were on the tanker, which was flying the Maltese flag. The 62,000-tonne tanker was only slightly damaged and oil appears not to have spilled from it. 'A small oil slick from the frigate has been detected but nothing large,' an official said. The circumstances of the accident, which took place shortly after 4am in the Hjeltefjord near Bergen, are not yet clear. 'The armed forces is now reviewing all the means available in the region to assist the KNM Helge Ingstad,' said Lieutenant Colonel Ivar Moen. Built in 2009, the KNM Helge Ingstad participated in chemical disarmament operations in Syria between December 2013 and May 2014. Norwegian Lieutenant Colonel Ivar Moen said: ''The armed forces is now reviewing all the means available in the region to assist the KNM Helge Ingstad' There were fears from officials that the ship would sink but eventually the warship, one of the biggest in the Norwegian navy, ran aground A total of 137 people were on board the frigate (pictured) while 23 were on the tanker, which was flying the Maltese flag The circumstances of the accident, which took place shortly after 4am in the Hjeltefjord near Bergen, are not yet clear Police arrested 14 people and seized 5 million in cocaine, heroin and amphetamines following coordinated dawn raids against county lines drugs gangs across England and Wales. Officers In Merseyside, Greater Manchester, South Wales, Plymouth, Exeter and Torbay simultaneously raided more than 30 properties in an effort to smash the gang. Footage released by the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit showed officers burst through the door of a suspect's home using a battering ram. Police across Britain, including these officers on Merseyside, raided 30 homes of suspected members of a county lines drugs gang Today's operation is the culmination of a 20-month intelligence operation against the gang The raids in Merseyside, Greater Manchester, South Wales and Devon are as a result of a 20-month covert operation against the major gang who are involved in the distribution and supply of heroin, cocaine and amphetamines Today's raids followed a 20-month investigation into county lines drugs lines. Officers began surveillance on the gang on March 2017. Merseyside Police said around 30 warrants in total were executed this morning. Some 160 officers were involved in the operation in South Wales, targeting properties in Neath. Devon and Cornwall Police said 'a covert operation' was still under way in the region. A Merseyside Police spokesperson said: 'The investigation identified members of Organised Crime Groups in Merseyside, Devon and South Wales who are suspected of conspiring together to arrange the supply and distribution of heroin and cocaine in the Plymouth, Exeter and Torbay areas of Devon and amphetamine in South Wales. 'During the investigation, heroin, cocaine and amphetamine with a total estimated street value of 5m has already been seized from Merseyside, Devon and South Wales. 'It is alleged members of the Merseyside group relocated to Devon to arrange the supply of drugs in a County Lines operation, targeting vulnerable members of those communities and storing drugs in the area. County Lines is when criminal gangs typically vulnerable people to transport and/or deal drugs.' Detective Chief Inspector Ian Hussey said: 'Vulnerable people are being coerced, groomed and threatened by violence to take part in illegal activity across the North West and further afield. 160 officers in Newport, South Wales were involved in a series of dawn raids as part of this morning's coordinated operation, pictured Superintendent Mark Wiggins, pictured, said his officers conducted raids across several parts of the city this morning Merseyside Police said members of a Liverpool drugs gang had spread across Manchester, South Wales and Devon in a bid to avoid detection 'Many of these people feel that they have not got a choice and struggle to find a way to escape from the hurt and harm that they are enduring on a daily basis. 'We are targeting those people we believe are exploiting vulnerable people to profit from the misery of others. 'Across Merseyside, we are working to tackle this issue day in day out and todays action has re-enforced to those involved in this type of criminal activity that we will not put up with it. 'Alongside our colleagues at the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit and forces around the country, we will use a range of tactics to put a stop your criminality and take you off our streets. Some 160 officers were briefed in South Wales, pictured, ahead of today's dawn raids 'We have also been working with a range of partners, to go into schools and youth groups, to educate vulnerable young people on how they can avoid becoming a target to these criminal group and give those vulnerable people caught up in this the confidence to break out of the cycle.' DCI Hussey added: 'As well as enforcement and education amongst young people, I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone to make themselves familiar with the signs of someone they know might be being exploited and I would encourage anyone who has concerns to get in contact speak with us directly or anonymously through Crimestoppers.' Gwent Police said 11 people have been arrestedtoday on suspicion of drugs charges, child sex crimes, human trafficking, cyber-crime and money laundering. Luxury goods including an Audi A3 and Q5, along with large quantities of designer clothing and jewellery, cash and high value electrical equipment were seized. Tests are being done on substances believed to be class A drugs. Detective Inspector for Organised Crime, Andrew Tuck said: 'This morning's raids are a culmination of months of meticulous work across Gwent Police to disrupt and dismantle organised crime groups operating within Gwent. 'Today builds on a number of arrests and seizures of drugs, cash and possessions already made from this organised criminal network and will hopefully send a clear message to others involved in the supply of drugs that we will disrupt these most serious crimes in Gwent. 'Criminals involved in serious organised crime are a daily threat to our communities, they have complete disregard for everyone, far too often that personal greed for wealth and status outweighs any morals. 'The associated serious violence, large scale drug supply and fraud, to name but a few, have enormous consequences creating pain and suffering in our communities - which far too often, people don't see as part of the bigger picture of serious organised crime. 'Seeing the wealth generated by criminals can also be corrosive and dispiriting for our hard working, law abiding residents. It is wholly unfair or legitimate. 'Serious organised crime and the perceived rewards can seem deceptively glamourous to the young and vulnerable who can be exploited and drawn into a life of criminality, including drug dealing, drug misuse and drug addiction but what they do not always see from the outset is the violence and misery that underpins this life and the lengthy prison sentences offenders will serve.' DCI Hussey said anyone worried that a friend or a relative might be exploited by a county line drug gang should follow this link. Egypt is considering a law which would ban the burqa in public places in a crackdown on Islamic extremism. The Muslim-majority nation has faced a series of extremist attacks including the shooting of six Coptic Christians by ISIS last week. A draft law to be considered by the Egyptian parliament calls for a burqa ban in public spaces including hospitals, health clinics, schools, cinemas, theatres and museums. Women who wore the full face veil would be punished with a fine of 1,000 Egyptian pounds, equivalent to $56 or 42, the Jerusalem Post reported. A draft law to be considered by the Egyptian parliament calls for a ban on the burqa in public spaces with offenders subject to a fine equivalent to $56 (file photo) The lawmaker who introduced the bill said it would 'support the states efforts in fighting terrorism'. One political analyst said the veil 'creates a security problem as many male and female terrorists use it to hide their identities or sneak into places'. A ban would 'not infringe on freedoms or go against religions' as Islamic law did not oblige women to wear the veil, said Ahmad Sharbini. The burqa was widely used by extremists and conflicted with 'norms in Egyptian society', he said. Egypt has cracked down on Islamists including the Muslim Brotherhood, who were ousted from the presidency in 2013. In September 75 were sentenced to death over a sit-in protest by Islamists in a trial which included senior leaders of the Brotherhood. On Sunday 19 people linked to the attack on Christians near a monastery in central Egypt last week were killed in a shootout with police. In addition Egypt believes it has killed around 450 jihadists in a long-running campaign against ISIS in the Sinai Peninsula. A number of Western countries have banned the burqa, beginning with France in 2010. The European Court of Human Rights later upheld the prohibition, saying it accepted France's argument that it helped its citizens live together. Blundering doctors amputated the wrong leg of a Nazi concentration camp survivor, her son claimed today. Maria Dronova, 89, had severe gangrene on her right leg but medics in the Russian city of Voronezh instead cut off her left limb up to the hip. After realising their mistake, they three days later amputated the pensioner's infected right leg as well, then acted to cover up their mistake, say reports. Maria Dronova (pictured before the operation), 89, had severe gangrene on her right leg but medics in the Russian city of Voronezh instead cut off her left limb up to the hip Her son Andrei Dronov (pictured) insisted medical documents confirm the gangrene was only in her right leg Her son Andrei Dronov insisted medical documents confirm the gangrene was only in her right leg. He also insisted a medic admitted the error to him immediately after the surgery. 'As a result, my mother was left without both legs,' he told Bloknot Voronezh local news website. 'Thank God she is conscious again after this ordeal. I don't know what will happen next. 'But I intend to make those responsible for cutting her healthy leg face punishment for it.' In the Second World War, Maria was taken prisoner by the Germans and held in Nazi a concentration camp. She was released in 1945 at the age of 16. She then became an honoured mathematics teacher. The mistaken amputation was like 'something from a horror movie', said her son. Pictures show clearly that her right leg was suffering from the condition. The other leg is said to be red and swollen because she had been unable to walk and exercise. The mistaken amputation was like 'something from a horror movie', said her son. Pictured: Maria after the operation The surgery was at Voronezh city hospital number 3. His wife Katya - herself a doctor - had noticed the mistake when she visited. Katya 'was pale and could hardly stand on her feet,' he said. 'She said 'I don't know how to tell you this... the wrong leg was amputated'.' He challenged the doctor who 'stared at me in shock'. 'I said 'do you have eyes? What is written in her papers from GP? Right leg!' Local health officials subsequently claimed that both the legs had gangrene but the left leg was in danger. Chief doctor Sergey Shamsutdinov went on local TV to claim: 'At the moment her her admission to hospital, her left leg was more dangerous for her health.' But the woman's son called this a 'lie'. State investigators have begun an urgent probe into the reports that the wrong leg was severed. The have called in forensic experts. Dronov said that on 4 November paramedics collected his mother and diagnosed 'gangrene of the right leg'. State investigators have begun an urgent probe into the reports that the wrong leg was severed. Pictured: A doctor speaks about the case on national TV No medical condition was mentioned about the left leg. Her previous treatment at another hospital backs this up, he said. 'One doctor examined her, another operated,' he told Vesti Voronezh TV. 'Her right leg was bandaged during the surgery. Her left leg was red but nobody planned to amputate it. 'At first doctors spoke normally to me, they wanted to resolve it somehow. They said nothing like this ever happened in their hospital before. 'But then they wanted to cover up this situation caused by their heartless attitude to people.' Her medical records suddenly vanished, he said. 'I called the police. 'I asked them to withdraw the documents and the amputated limb in order to stop the doctors from faking what had happened.' As soon as the media heard, a false statement was issued that both legs had gangrene, he said. The astonishing story of a 20-year-old Liverpool plumber who survived both the Battle of the Somme and Passchendaele to make it back to his sweetheart has been revealed by his proud son. Horace Edward 'Ted' Nash went through a series of near-death experiences, including having a bullet ricochet off his belt buckle, dodging a low-flying bomber and gunning down a group of enemy soldiers while out looking for booby traps. Some of the terrifying details of Ted's brushes with death are told in a series of love letters to his darling, Joan, which were written in the trenches and included pressed flowers from the front. Horace Edward 'Ted' Nash is seen as a fresh-faced young soldier in 1914 (left). Yet four years later in 1918 he resembled a haunted veteran (right) His 82-year-old son, Ian, had never opened them before because he felt he would be intruding, and found himself moved by his father's recollections of his life on the frontline. 'I've been to Ypres, to Sanctuary Wood, and seen all those war graves and one could so easily have been my dad,' he told The Daily Mirror. A photograph of Ted when he signed up shows a fresh-faced youth, and yet after just four years he appears as a haunted veteran - his complexion sallow and the corners of his mouth turned down. That is a reflection of the terrifying four years he spent fighting in the First World War from 1914 to its end in 1918, which is being marked this year as the 100th centenary. A member 19th Battalion, the King's Regiment (Liverpool), Ted and his comrades had his first major brush with danger while he was writing a letter to Joan near a French church in March 1916. As he recounts in the despatch, a German plane flew low over his head and began dropping bombs. The plane passed but then returned soon later, by which time Ted had just managed to reach the relative safety of the dugout. Four months later, Ted made it through the Battle of the Somme, during which a million men were wounded or killed. Ted pictured with his sweetheart Joan Ord in 1918 after surviving the Battle of the Somme and Passchendaele Battle of the Somme: One of the deadliest fights in history Lasting 141 days, the Battle of the Somme was the bloodiest battle of the First World War. The British suffered 420,000 casualties, including 125,000 deaths, during the intense fighting. Another 200,000 French troops and 500,000 Germans were either killed or wounded in action. It is estimated 24,000 Canadian and 23,000 Australian servicemen also fell in the four-month fight. A British soldier keeps watch over No Man's Land as his comrades sleep during the Battle of the Somme in 1916 The British and French joined forces to fight the Germans on a 15-mile-long front, with more than a million-people killed or injured on both sides. The Battle started on the July 1, 1916, and lasted until November 19, 1916. The British managed to advance seven-miles but failed to break the German defence. On the first day alone, 19,240 British soldiers were killed after 'going over the top' and more than 38,000 were wounded. But on the last day of the battle, the 51st Highland Division took Beaumont Hamel and captured 7,000 German prisoners. The plan was for a 'Big Push' to relieve the French forces, who were besieged further south at Verdun, and break through German lines. Although it did take pressure off Verdun it failed to provide a breakthrough and the war dragged on for another two years. Advertisement Then, in 1917, the young soldier was at Ypres in western Flanders when a bullet struck his belt buckle. Seemingly aware of his astonishing fortune, he took another bullet and carved a cross on it as a lucky charm. A brief pause in Ted's duties allowed him to take leave in Britain and marry Joan, but months later he was back on the front for the Battle of Passchendaele. That hellish encounter cost the lives of 325,000 Allied troops, but Ted survived. Yet perhaps his most dangerous encounter came shortly before the Armistice, when he was out with his friends clearing booby traps when he came across a group of German soldiers. 'Horace rushed forward with his Lewis gun and wiped them out,' an officer recounted in a letter to Joan. Ted received four medals for his bravery during the conflict. Blind 103-year-old WWII veteran who survived Japanese PoW camp and whose father died in WWI will be oldest hero at Cenotaph marking 100 years since Armistice A 103-year-old veteran who was blinded during the Second World War will be the oldest to march at the Cenotaph as Britain marks the centenary of Armistice. Former Army sergeant Ron Freer, from Kent, will lead more than 100 comrades who also lost their sight when he attends the memorial in London on Sunday. He said it is a 'huge honour' as the Remembrance commemorations hold a 'special significance' for him because his own father died in battle on September 4, 1918. Former Army sergeant Ron Freer, from Kent, will lead more than 100 comrades who also lost their sight when he attends the memorial in London on Sunday The former postmaster paid his respects at his father's graveside earlier this year when he travelled to the Dernancourt Communal Cemetery in France with his family to lay a wreath. Mr Freer will be representing charity Blind Veterans UK this Sunday. The Royal British Legion confirmed he is the oldest veteran due to attend. Born in Teignmouth, Devon, on October 21 1915, Mr Freer was captured in the Second World War while serving as a soldier with the Royal Artillery. He joined up in 1931 aged 15 initially with the Royal Horse Artillery and on the outbreak of war was posted to defend Hong Kong. Mr Freer in uniform. He will be representing charity Blind Veterans UK this Sunday In late 1941, the Japanese attacked the then British colony and Fort Stanley, where Mr Freer was based. After 18 days of fighting, his garrison was forced to surrender and he remained a prisoner of war until the end of the conflict. The malnutrition he endured at the camp during the four-year ordeal left him blind. Mr Freer said: 'The camp was situated on the edge of the harbour with high fences all around. 'The Japanese brought in a bag of rice for each unit but only enough for one meal a day per man. We cut an oil drum in half and used the bottom as a boiling pot for the rice. 'Each man was given a scoop of rice but many were unable to eat it and looking at the portion of rice, one could see mice droppings and insects. 'Disease soon broke out, resulting in many deaths.' In 1943 he was among 2,000 prisoners taken by a ship called The Lisbon to Japan when infectious disease diphtheria broke out. His life was saved by the actions of two doctors. Mr Freer said: 'Lying in the hut with all the others suffering, I heard a voice say, 'Turn over sergeant', I was then injected with something and the voice said, 'You are very lucky'. Ron Freer will be the oldest veteran to attend the Cenotaph on Sunday for the remembrance service. He said it is a 'huge honour' as the Remembrance commemorations hold a 'special significance' for him because his own father died in battle on September 4, 1918 'I knew then that it was our medical officer. He later told me that a Japanese civilian doctor had managed to smuggle in six phials of anti-diphtheria toxin so the two of them had saved my life.' He lost his sight completely a month later as well as most of his hearing and spent the rest of the war in the camp's medical hut. Mr Freer laying a wreath of his father's grave Once the war was over, he was able to return to the UK via the Philippines and New Zealand. Blind Veterans UK, which was founded as St Dunstan's after more than 3,000 veterans were blinded in the First World War, has supported Mr Freer since 1946. Initially lacking optimism for the future, his confidence returned as he set about getting a job and learning braille thanks to the charity. After marrying, he and his wife Joan opened a post office, buying the property with the help of the organisation. Over the years they ran post offices in Ilfracombe, Devon, Grays in Essex and Gravesend in Kent. He now lives with his daughter Patricia in Cliftonville. Mr Freer said: 'Having lost my sight as well as my hearing, my future seemed very dismal and I didn't want to think about what lay ahead. 'It is an extraordinary charity which makes an unbelievable difference to the lives of veterans like me, and our families too.' Teacher, 60, who was flicking through World War One book spotted her own grandfather in classic photo of stretcher bearers during Battle of Passchendaele in the trenches A teacher spotted her own granddad in a school book about World War One. The picture was taken in Ypres, Belgium in 1917 and shows William Ensor carrying an injured soldier on a stretcher through a muddy battlefield during the Battle of Passchendaele. Kathryn Robyns spotted the photo of William, who was a stretcher bearer in the army, while working at Ysgol Uwchradd Bodedern school in her hometown. William Ensor is seen fourth from the left at the Third Battle of Ypres, Passchendaele, on 17 August 1917. The original photo has since been digitally coloured by the Imperial War Museums, a collection of five museums across the UK which record and showcase experiences of modern conflict Passchendaele: An Allied victory for barely any military gain The Battle of Passchendaele became notorious not only for the sheer number of casualties, but also for the horrendous fighting conditions the men were forced to endure. British general Douglas Haig had long wanted the allies to launch an offensive on German positions in Flanders Fields to break through to the Belgian coast. A church ablaze during the Battle for Messines Ridge in 1917, which immediately preceded Passchendaele On July 31, after two weeks of sustained shelling which had seen more than 4.5 million shells dropped on German positions, the allies launched their infantry attack. But the plan was a disaster from the get-go. The shelling had not destroyed the German defenses, and within a few days some of the heaviest rains for 30 years had turned the battlefield into a quagmire, trapping thousands of men and horses. The attack resumed on August 16 but to little effect, and both sides remained at a stalemate until September 20, when an upturn in the weather allowed allied forces to win three key battles at Menin Road Ridge, Polygon Wood and Broodseinde in the space of two weeks. These victories eventually led to British and Canadian forces taking what was left of the village of Passchendaele on November 6, but the capture came after an estimated 325,000 allied casualties. Advertisement Kathryn, of Anglesey, North Wales, said: 'I realised immediately that my grandfather was in the picture. 'He always said that he didn't want to go to war to kill and the best way he could help the cause was to go as a stretcher bearer.' Mr Ensor did not talk about his service but he featured in photos which became iconic among war records. The Battle of Passchendael, officially known as the Third Battle of Ypres, Passchendaele - became famous for the scale of casualties and the amount of mud on the battlefield. Mr Ensor was a stretcher bearer in World War One. He enlisted in January 1915 The photo was taken on 1 August 1917 by Lt John Warwick Brooke - an official photographer for the British Army. The photograph has since been digitally coloured by the Imperial War Museums. Kathryn, who is now retired, said her grandfather, also from Anglesey, was sent to the Western Front after completing basic first aid. She said: 'My grandfather was a hero to us - not because of his service but because he was extraordinarily kind. 'He never talked much about the war, but I do remember that every year on Armistice Day, he would crave company and I'd sit with him then many times. 'The one thing he would say that hit him most was losing friends.' Mr Ensor, who enlisted in the army in 1915, survived the war and worked as a surveyor. He died at the age of 83 in 1969. Kathryn said: 'He was a very special man and it was very moving to spot him..' Advertisement The horrors of the First World War's trenches are revealed in this series of black and white photographs which have been colourised to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the war. Striking pictures show men hauling a howitzer out of the mud at Beaucourt sur Ancre, British soldiers using a fallen tree-trunk as a temporary bridge over the River Ancre and a group of soldiers looking out of a dugout on the Western Front. Other vivid colour photographs show soldiers digging a trench viewed between strands of barbed wire, officers showing a map to their men at the Somme in France and infantry waiting in a trench for their turn to advance. The original black and white photos were expertly colourised by electrician Royston Leonard, 56, from Cardiff. The heroes of World War One have been brought into the twenty-first century thanks to a series of stunning colourised images to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the war. In this picture soldiers cross the River Ancre, France, using a fallen tree-trunk as a temporary bridge. They do not appear to be in a danger area as only one man is wearing a steel helmet A line of men walk across a bare slope, carrying all the gear needed to set up a new barbed-wire line. Many of the men are carrying tall metal posts shaped like corkscrews. These were used in the later part of the war as they could be screwed into the ground more quietly than straight posts could be hammered in Soldiers are shown digging a trench, viewed between strands of barbed wire. The men have only dug to about knee level and are very exposed, so it seems probable that they were not within sight of enemy trenches. Nearer the front line, trench digging was done under cover of night The King's Liverpool Regiment are pictured moving along a communication trench leading to the front line near Blairville Wood, 16th April 1916 A wounded man is pictured on a stretcher, near Arras, France, during World War I. They are trying to manoeuvre the stretcher out of the main trench into a deeper trench at right angles to it. The pain of the wounded man is apparent 'Adding colour brings to life the horror of war of the trenches not just another old black and white photo from long ago,' he said. 'I want to show life in the trenches in the First World War and that any one of them could be the unknown soldier. 'As I colourised each picture I hoped that they all came home. It was 100 years ago but it could happen again if we forget the lessons. 'The pictures show us of a lost generation to the world. My favourite picture is the one showing four soldiers walking across a river on a downed tree as this shows a picture of peace in a time of war, if even for a short time. 'We must never forget and teach all our children so that it never happens again. The pictures are not nice but then nor is sending loved ones to war.' A soldier sits cleaning the mud off his rifle with a cloth. There is a tin in front of him which may have contained grease for oiling the gun. His growth of beard suggests he may have been continuously in the trenches for several days. Soldiers were expected to be cleanshaven, although moustaches were allowed. This soldier is wearing a motley of clothing to keep warm. The cuff of a jumper can be seen under his jacket. He is also wearing one of the goatskin waistcoats issued in 1915, which were described as warm but very smelly Snow in the reserve trenches, Western Front, during World War I. The sheer misery of the trenches in the winter is illustrated by this photograph of troops walking along a reserve trench. The men, huddled into their greatcoats, look very cold Men looking out of a dugout, Western Front, during World War I. The original black and white photos were expertly colourised by electrician Royston Leonard, 56, from Cardiff Infantry waiting in a trench for their turn to advance, while others to the right are already advancing. There is a tank in the background, so the image must have been taken after 15 September 1916, the first time that tanks were used in battle. It probably dates to after the Cambrai offensive of 1917, when they were used with great success Construction work at Menin, Belgium, during World War I. In the distance the stripped landscape is visible. A large crater dominates the front of the photograph, filled with wet, churned mud. Teams of men work in a line in the centre carrying supplies with which to lay new road Officers showing a map to their men, the Somme, France, during World War I. This photograph appears to have been posed. Two officers are sitting down in the ruins of a burnt building. They are pointing out the map to a group of soldiers gathered around them. In fact, the soldiers are paying no attention to the map and one is grinning at the camera Men hauling a howitzer out of the mud, Western Front - Beaucourt sur Ancre. The original black and white photos were expertly colourised by electrician Royston Leonard (56) from Cardiff, Wales World War One lasted from 28 July 1914 to 11 November 1918. Contemporaneously described as the 'war to end all wars', it led to the mobilisation of more than 70 million military personnel, including 60 million Europeans, making it one of the largest wars in history. An estimated nine million combatants and seven million civilians died as a direct result of the war, while it is also considered a contributory factor in a number of genocides and the 1918 influenza epidemic, which caused between 50 and 100 million deaths worldwide. The British grave of The Unknown Warrior (often known as 'The Tomb of The Unknown Warrior') holds an unidentified British soldier killed on a European battlefield during the First World War. He was buried in Westminster Abbey, London on 11 November 1920, simultaneously with a similar interment of a French unknown soldier at the Arc de Triomphe in France, making both graves the first to honour the unknown dead of the First World War. It is the first example of a tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The Cenotaph, Whitehall, Armistice Day 1920: The unveiling of the permanent Cenotaph at Whitehall, by King George V 11th November 1920: King George V placing a wreath on the coffin of the Unknown Warrior, at the Cenotaph, on Armistice Day The Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, Westminster Abbey, 1920. The British grave of The Unknown Warrior (often known as 'The Tomb of The Unknown Warrior') holds an unidentified British soldier killed on a European battlefield during the First World War. He was buried in Westminster Abbey, London on 11 November 1920, simultaneously with a similar interment of a French unknown soldier at the Arc de Triomphe in France, making both graves the first to honour the unknown dead of the First World War. It is the first example of a tomb of the Unknown Soldier An estimated nine million combatants and seven million civilians died as a direct result of the war, while it is also considered a contributory factor in a number of genocides and the 1918 influenza epidemic, which caused between 50 and 100 million deaths worldwide World War One lasted from 28 July 1914 to 11 November 1918. Contemporaneously described as the 'war to end all wars', it led to the mobilisation of more than 70 million military personnel, including 60 million Europeans, making it one of the largest wars in history Taxpayers could be set to pay more than $1.5million worth of unpaid wages left by collapsed food delivery company Foodora. Foodora withdrew from the Australian market in August 2018 after employees claimed they were earning as little as $8-an-hour. A Fair Work Commission investigation deemed the food delivery service fraudulently categorised their employees and owed $8million in wages, taxes and superannuation. But the home delivery service's parent company, Delivery Hero, has said they will pay less than half of their debt, leaving taxpayers potentially liable to cover the rest. Food delivery company Foodora collapsed in August, leaving behind $8million in tax debts The home delivery service was accused of categorising their casual employees as 'independent contractors' in order to pay their workers lower wages According to a creditors' report released on Thursday, Delivery Hero says they will pay $3million of their debt, despite estimated profits on the year exceeding $1.2billion. Worrells, the estimator to which Delivery Hero proposed the $3million payout, recommended creditors accept the deal, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. This would leave more than $5million in outstanding debt, including more than $5.5million of unpaid wages, for The Australian Taxation Office to cover. The Australian Taxation Office has lodged a report of debt owed by Delivery Hero of $2.1million in unpaid tax. The report says that the New South Wales office is owed more than $550,000, while Victoria and Queensland could claim about $400,000 apiece. German parent company Delivery Hero say they will cover $3million of their $8million debt An inquest by the Fair Work Commission found they owed about $5.5million in unpaid wages The unpaid wages come after the formal inquest found that Foodora had listed employees as 'independent contractors' instead of casuals, meaning lower wages. Worrells wrote that any successful claims against Delivery Hero, which is based in Germany, would need to be enforced under German laws and 'the costs and time' to resolve a counter-claim wouldn't be worthwhile. Creditors will vote on the proposal on November 16. This is the adorable moment a leopard cub attempt a fierce growl but lets out a mere whimper after being found by workers in India. The tiny three-month-old cubs were concealed in a bush while their mother was away in Sakleshpur. Workers saw something rustling inside a bush on a coffee estate and approached it with caution as they believed it could be a snake. The video shows the cubs hidden under some leaves in the dense forest. While one of the cubs continued to sleep, its sibling decided to put up a fight. The tiny three-month-old leopard cub fails to ferociously growl at workers who find it in India It tried to growl menacingly, wrinkling its nose and exposing its barely-there teeth - though no sound came out of its mouth. Fearing the mother could be nearby, the workers retreated and informed the forestry department in this Western Ghats mountain range, which lies in India's Karnataka state. But before officials could arrive, the mother leopard came and carried away her cubs. Le Collectif Cheikh Yassine a organise un certain nombre dactivites et de festivites pour les enfants de Gaza sous le theme La joie des enfants de Gaza pour lAid . Ces activites ont commence le premier jour de lAid et continue jusquau 4eme jour de lAid dans la bande de Gaza. Plusieurs activites, ont ete organisees parmi lesquelles : des competitions recompensees par des prix, des jeux, des animations et des chants presentes par un groupe ainsi que des distributions de cadeaux et daides financieres. Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has used his first media appearance since losing the Liberal party leadership to take aim at those who deposed him. Mr Turnbull appeared on a special episode of Q&A on Wednesday night, where he answered questions from ABC journalist Tony Jones and members of the public. In the program's opening minutes the former PM named the coup leaders as Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, Health Minister Greg Hunt, Finance Minister Mathias Cormann and former prime minister Tony Abbott, adding that he 'never thought they would act so self-destructively'. Scroll down for video Mr Turnbull appeared on a special episode of Q&A on Wednesday night, where he answered questions from ABC journalist Tony Jones and members of the public Since his ousting, the former PM and his wife have been residing in New York and only returned to Sydney in October following the Wentworth by-election. From the get go, Mr Turnbull is asked to explain what led up to the bitter factional fighting with his Liberal colleagues that led to him being ousted. One audience member, called Millie, asked the former PM whether he thinks he could have done anything differently - given the benefit of hindsight? Mr Turnbull said one of the most important things as leader is to keep the party together, but if you've got ministers against you there's going to be a problem. Mr Jones then asked him if he was shocked by the sudden ousting. 'No, I did not anticipate that people would act particularly cabinet ministers would act so self-destructively,' Mr Turnbull replied. He said it really never occurred to him that senior members of the government - particularly people with such solemn responsibilities could do such a thing. 'It never occurred to me that those people would act in a way that was going to be so damaging both to the government, to the party and, frankly, to the nation. 'I mean, stability is very important. And disturbing that stability should only be done with a very clear justification and a very clear purpose. And even then, it carries risks.' When asked why he thought the people who orchestrated the coup challenged him, Mr Turnbull replied by saying the question would be better answered by them. 'They have to answer that question. I can't answer it. From my own point of view, I described it at the time as madness,' he said. Mr Turnbull was then asked to explain what role Prime Minister Scott Morrison played in his downfall, to which he said he takes the PM at his word that he didn't plan it. 'The insurgency was led by Peter Dutton, was obviously strongly supported by Tony Abbott and others,' he said. When asked why he thought the people who orchestrated the coup challenged him, Mr Turnbull (pictured) replied by saying the question would be better answered by them The ex-PM said it really never occurred to him that senior members of the government - particularly people with such solemn responsibilities could do such a thing. He said Peter Dutton, Tony Abbott, Mathias Cormann, Mitch Fifield, Michaelia Cash, Greg Hunt, Steven Ciobo, Michael Keenan and Angus Taylor 'blew up the government'. The conversation then switched to the role the media played in his downfall. Mr Turnbull said he had complained about News Corp's coverage of his government to Rupert Murdoch, who said the company wasn't campaigning against him. 'The point that I made to him, and to others in News Limited, is that this sort of relentless campaign against me, which was very personal and didn't seem to have any rationale in terms of policy,' he says. He concluded by saying Kerry Stokes told him Mr Murdoch said he wanted a change of leader and was prepared to endure a Bill Shorten government. Mr Turnbull was then asked to explain the role Scott Morrison (pictured) played in his downfall, to which he said he takes the PM at his word that he didn't plan it Mr Turnbull also spoke about how the government is not 'sufficiently respectful for women', which is why he introduced the 'bonking ban'. When asked about his role in the Wentworth by-election, he said it wouldn't have made a difference if he had campaigned in the seat. The former PM also tackled questions on legalising same-sex marriage, 'fair dinkum' power and keeping asylum seekers on Manus Island and Nauru. The interview concluded with Mr Turnbull being asked whether he will be a 'Julia, Kevin or Tony' as an ex-prime minister. He replied by saying his time in 'partisan politics' was over and that the subject was too painful to talk about. 'I think those people who are responsible for taking a successful, competitive government and literally blowing it up need to have an explanation,' he said. Jeremy Hunt today recalled how Britain and France 'fought and bled' together in the First World War as he calls for a strong post Brexit relationship. The Foreign Secretary delivered the speech in French as he tries to woo dignitaries in Paris as the crunch negotiations hit their final, crucial stages. He said the two countries will remain 'tied by bonds of friendship and commerce' in the decades to come. And he said the cross-channel relationship is'one of competition and co-operation, similarity and difference'. Speaking just three days before Armistice Day, he drew upon the shared experience of French and British soldiers fighting together in the trenches 100 years ago. He said: 'This was a war which changed our countries and our continent forever. 'It was a war in which our destinies as nations were yoked together - in which we fought and bled side by side for over four years - and in which, in the end, we prevailed.' Jeremy Hunt (pictured in France today) recalled how Britain and France 'fought and bled' together in the First World War as he calls for a strong post Brexit relationship Addressing a group of students and dignitaries in the French capital, he said the close relations between the two countries were laid bare when Paris and Manchester were both hit by deadly terror attacks. He said: 'We will never forget the moment after the Manchester attack when President (Emmanuel) Macron walked from the Elysee Palace to the British Embassy to express France's solidarity, and the crowd at the Stade de France sang the British national anthem - nor, when, after the Bataclan attack the crowd at Wembley sang the Marseillaise. 'That is why, after the chemical weapons attack in Salisbury in March, France rallied to the UK's side, leading a strong and united European response, working together to expel scores of Russian diplomats from our continent. 'And in April, British and French aircraft, with our US allies, acted together to strike chemical weapons installations in Syria, and to enforce the global ban on the use of chemical weapons which was itself born out of the suffering in the trenches 100 years ago.' Officials said the Foreign Secretary's visit to Paris was aimed at showing the friendship is 'bigger than Brexit'. Mr Hunt's visit comes at a crucial time in the negotiations to secure a Brexit deal. The Foreign Secretary will deliver the speech in French as he tries to woo dignitaries in Paris as the crunch Brexit negotiations hit their final, crucial stages (pictured, French President Emmanuel Macron reviewing French troops yesterday in La Flamengrie) Theresa May is believed to be on the verge of agreeing a Brexit deal with her ministers which she could take to Europe as early as next week. Although she has put off a Cabinet showdown over her Brexit plan as ministers demand to see full legal advice on the consequences. Some ministers and civil servants had expected the Prime Minister to call a meeting of her senior team to sign off a deal today. But it is understood there is now 'zero' chance of Cabinet gathering before the weekend. The delay comes amid bitter wrangling over the details of a proposed compromise on the Irish border 'backstop' - the final stumbling block in the fraught talks with the EU. Emmerdale actors Mark Jordon, 53, and Laura Norton arrive at Tameside Magistrates' Court, where faces a GBH charge Emmerdale actor Mark Jordon has indicated not guilty pleas to allegations he attacked a pensioner in a spat in a pub. Jordon - who plays Daz Spencer in the Yorkshire-based ITV soap - made a brief appearance at Tameside Magistrates' Court in Greater Manchester this morning. He arrived at court with his girlfriend and Emmerdale co-star Laura Norton, 35, who plays Kerry Wyatt. The 53-year-old actor is charged with Section 20 wounding and common assault against 68-year-old Andy Potts, who is said to have suffered bites to his left eyebrow, arm and thumb on July 1. Jordon entered the dock to confirm his name, address, date of birth and nationality as Ms Norton sat watching in the courtroom. The alleged victim, Mr Potts, sat in the courtroom's public gallery. Rebecca Clarke, representing Jordon, told chairman of the bench Stephen Collins that her client was indicating not guilty pleas. The pair both star in the soap and, it recently emerged, are in an off-screen relationship Andy Potts, who is said to have been attacked by Jordon also arrived at court for the hearing Prosecutor Elliott Taylforth said the case should be sent to the Crown Court. Magistrate Mr Collins agreed and granted Jordon unconditional bail to appear at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court on December 6 for a plea and trial preparation hearing. Jordon told Mr Collins that he understood the bail arrangements and left court with Ms Norton shortly afterwards. Jordon became a permanent member of the Emmerdale cast last year, having previously had roles in shows including Coronation Street and Casualty. It was previously reported that he will be allowed to stay in Emmerdale until the court case is finished. ITV has declined to comment on the case, calling it a 'personal matter'. A Mosquito pilot who flew 50 bombing raids over Germany in World War Two has fulfilled his dream of flying a Spitfire after a 70 year wait. Colin S Bell, 97, took to the skies again at Boultbee Flight Academy in Chichester, in a two-seater Spitfire TR9. Mr Bell flew Merlin engine powered Mosquito bombers for the RAF's Pathfinder Group during WWII and said his Spitfire experience was 'better than I expected.' World War Two pilot Colin S Bell, 97, (pictured) fulfilled his life long dream of flying a Spitfire He said: 'I have had this fantastic experienceflying in a Spitfire, something I've always wanted to do, and today is the culmination of that ambitionIt was even better than I expected.' Mr Bell, whose full title is Flt/Lt (Ret'd) Colin S Bell DFC AE FRICS IRRV(Hons) RAF (Ret'd) flew for 608 & 162 Squadrons, part of the Pathfinder Group - an elite, hand-picked bunch of the RAF's most skilled pilots and navigators. The Pathfinders were tasked with flying bombs deep into enemy territory and marking targets for larger, more vulnerable bomber formations to increase their accuracy. Mr Bell, who now lives in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, and his navigator were part of the Light Night Striking Force which carried out nuisance raids on cities all over Germany forcing workers down into air raid shelters. He and his fellow pilots were aided by cutting-edge navigational technologies of the time, which in the post-war era paved the way for safe commercial air travel. The RAF veteran took to the skies with Boultbee Flying Academy in Chichester and they flew another Spitfire (rear) alongside Mr Bell's plane (front) to mark the special occasion Pilots Matt Jones (left) and Chris Hadlow (right) joined the WWII Mosquito pilot (centre) in the skies for his Spitfire experience. Mr Bell said he left the 'acrobatics' to instructor Chris Mr Bell flew de Havilland Mosquito planes during WWII and completed 50 bombing raids over Germany, including 13 over Berlin (stock picture) Colin completed 50 such bombing raids - all of them over Germany and 13 over Berlin. Boultbee Flight Academy invited the retired great grandfather-of-four to fly with instructor Chris in their two-seat Spitfire TR9. To mark the special occasion they also put another Spitfire up alongside him. The Spitfires took off together, with their 27-litre Rolls-Royce Merlin engines thundering them down the runway before making a 'Merlin formation.' The iconic fighters are capable of some 400mph and so had to throttle back to have their picture taken by a third aircraft. While in the skies the Spitfires did some acrobatics, but Mr Bell admits he left this to instructor Chris. He said: 'I must admit that I left it to Chris to do the aerobatics, although I did fly it around to the best of my ability. 'Chris did the aerobatics very effectively, he gave a roll off the top, a barrel roll, and he did a slow roll - it was all very impressive.' Mr Bell was born in 1921 and joined the Royal Air Force towards the end of 1940. The instructors and pilots (Mr Ball sat facing the camera in an armchair) prepare for the flight by discussing plans to make an iconic Merlin formation with the Spitfires Mr Bell said flying in a Spitfire (pictured) was a 'fantastic experience' and that it was 'a privilege to be in a Spitfire' His training was carried out in the United States of America before their entry into the War after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour in December 1941. He married wife Kathlyn in July 1943, has two children, three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Very few men have flown both a Spitfire and a Mosquito and Colin compared the differences between the two aircraft after his flight. He said: 'The Spitfire is a lighter aircraft than the Mosquito and therefore one engine for the lighter aircraft I suppose is comparable with two engines for a heavier aircraft. 'From the point of view of manoeuvrability and responsiveness I don't think there's much to choose between the two. 'You could do with the Mosquito almost as much as you could do with the Spitfire. It was a privilege to fly, and a privilege to be in a Spitfire today.' A female driver has died and three males, including a 16-year-old boy, are fighting for life after a horror collision between a truck and a car. The collision occurred on the South West Highway in Waroona, south of Perth, on Thursday just after 4pm local time. Three men were reportedly trapped in the wreckage for as long as two hours as emergency services rushed to the scene. A horror collision between a truck and a car has claimed the life of one driver and left three critically injured St John Ambulance Western Australia posted to social media, saying three people were being taken to Royal Perth Hospital at 6:20pm. One was airlifted by the RAC rescue helicopter while the other two were taken via ambulance. All three are reportedly in a critical condition. Aerial footage of the collision shows the truck was rolled over in the accident and the car crumpled. The highway has been closed, with paramedics, police and fire crews remaining on the scene. The tragedy continues a horror day on Western Australia's roads, after a man died after being hit by a concrete truck in Perth's eastern suburbs earlier in the morning. After 32-years of abandonment, the villages that were previously home to over 1,000 remain near intact only affected by the elements. Soviet stars, propaganda posters, and school books lie near untouched, apart from a thin layer of dirt and dust, along with an eerie pile of abandoned pile of gas masks in one room. Animals now dwell in the haunting spots that are overgrown with a trees covering the once open fields. To reach the off-limits location, Mr Hissen needed the help of fellow urban explorers one of whom, Sergey, is a scientist studying the effects of radiation on animals. Mr Hissen said: 'I felt completely desolated. Beside our group, I didn't see anyone. There is a huge amount of animals in the zone, due the absence of people. 'We mainly focussed on public buildings, like places of culture and schools. The villages are not as big as the popular Pripyat which had 50,000 inhabitants. 'These villages had about 1,000 inhabitants each and the public buildings were in a pretty remarkable state after 32 years of abandonment. Advertisement The Duke of Sussex today said he would like to include a symbol of India's war dead in his Cenotaph wreath, to commemorate their First World War sacrificee. Harry's comment came as he honoured Britain's war dead at a ceremony to open Westminster Abbey's Field of Remembrance, which marks its 90th anniversary this year. Today was the sixth time that the duke - who served for ten years in the Army, during which time he twice deployed to Afghanistan - has attended the poignant event. On Sunday the duke will join the Prince of Wales, Duke of Cambridge, the Prime Minister, cabinet members and other national figures laying wreaths at the Cenotaph, as the nation falls silent on the 100th anniversary of the end of the war. Harry also met the mascot of the Staffordshire Regiments, Colour Sergeant Watchman V - a Staffordshire bull terrier - and his excitable replacement, Private Watchman VI, who is just 15 weeks old and the same breed - and was clearly happy to see him The Duke of Sussex salutes after laying a Cross of Remembrance in front of wooden crosses from the graves of British soldiers from the First and Second World War Prince Harry laying a cross of remembrance three days before the centenary of the end of the First World War The Field of Remembrance is opened every year on the Thursday before Remembrance Sunday, and this year, will remain open to the public until November 18 Harry honoured Britain's war dead at a ceremony to open Westminster Abbey's Field of Remembrance, which marks its 90th anniversary this year Harry laughed and joked with veterans as he made his way through the grounds of Westminster Abbey Dressed in his Household Division ceremonial uniform, Prince Harry saluted the tributes to fallen comrades Behind Harry's uniform Prince Harry was wearing his Household Division ceremonial uniform of a black frock today. Frock coats are a form of undress, which is one formality level below full dress, and can be worn by certain officers of the Household Division. The coats, worn at formal occasions by those not on parade in command of troops, are single-breasted and dark blue with black braiding and loops. Harry's peaked black and red cap featured the Blues and Royals badge. This contains the letters ER - Elizabeth Regina - and the maxim 'Honi soit qui mal y pense', which means 'may he be shamed who thinks badly of it'. Advertisement The duke, a former Army officer, stopped at one of the 370 plots in the shadow of the Abbey, representing regiments, military organisations and other bodies and covered with tiny wooden crosses, to chat to Suraj Samant, 23, from the Hindu Council UK. In India marigolds, rather than poppies, are used to commemorate the country's war dead, and Mr Samant handed Harry a bloom. Mr Samant, whose plot represented India's First World War forces, said after their meeting: 'His elder brother and his father both put a wreath of marigolds down at India Gate at New Delhi to commemorate (India's fallen) so I thought it was poignant to also offer His Royal Highness a marigold as part of the Indian diaspora's centenary commemorations.' He said 1.3 million Indian servicemen were involved in the First World War, and 74,000 were killed during the conflict. Mr Samant, 23, added: 'His Royal Highness spoke of the sacrifice, and said his father had expressed that to him in great detail, and to remember that sacrifice, and it's very necessary to mark that here. 'He said he'd add a couple of marigolds into his wreath that he puts down at the Cenotaph if he had the choice. 'I think he recognises that sacrifice himself, it's not a small number we're talking about.' Mr Samant added that Harry said if he made the gesture recognising India's fallen, 'it would not please everyone. ' The Duke of Sussex today arrived at the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey to pay tribute to fallen war heroes The Duke shared a joke with service men and women after he had paid his respects The Duke met with ex-service men and women from across the armed forces who have served in a number of conflicts On Saturday, the annual Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance will be staged at the Royal Albert Hall - attended by the Queen and senior members of the royal family including Charles and Camilla, the Cambridges and Harry and Meghan The Field of Remembrance has been held in the grounds of Westminster Abbey since 1928, and is organised by the Poppy Factory Now around 70,000 are produced by the Poppy Factory each year, for planting on more than 360 plots at the Abbey Dressed in his Household Division frock coat and peaked cap, the duke laid a cross in the grounds of Westminster Abbey Harry also met the mascot of the Staffordshire Regiments, Colour Sergeant Watchman V - a Staffordshire bull terrier who was with his handler ex-Warrant Officer Class 2 Greg Hedges, 62, from the Staffordshire Regimental Association. The popular mascot is due to retire next year and nearby was his replacement, Private Watchman VI, who is just 15 weeks old and the same breed. Mr Hedges said the two dogs were cousins, adding: 'Watchman V will have done 77 years service when he retires - that's in dog years - so we've got a teenager and a pensioner.' Speaking about Harry's encounter with the soon-to-be mascot he added: 'He went down to pat it and it jumped up and he held it by the paw, he got the royal seal of approval I think.' During the event Harry left his own miniature cross at the site and the Last Post was sounded by a bugler before a minute's silence was observed. Among those present was Sarah Jones, president of the Royal British Legion Poppy Factory and widow of Falklands hero Lieutenant Colonel Herbert Jones known as 'H', who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. As he left the grounds of the Abbey Harry shook hands with decorator John Kinsella, 54, who wore a poppy on his hard hat and last month travelled to Belgium with his two brothers to visit the grave of their great grandfather, who was killed just a few weeks before the First World War ended. He said about his great grandfather Thomas Kinsella: 'He was 100 years dead on the 12th October 1918 and we went to give him the service he didn't have 100 years ago, really.' Mr Kinsella, from Islington, London, who was working on a nearby apartment block, said about Harry: 'I've met his grandma at St Paul's, I shook his old man's hand at Kennington about four years ago, and now I've shaken his hand, it's a nice touch to end the day - my old woman's going to laugh her head off.' Veterans, as well as members of the public, are invited to plant a cross in the Abbey grounds in memory of fallen comrades and loved ones At today's ceremony, the duke will honour a two minute silence, to be held after the Last Post Scores of service men and women took turns to chat to the duke following the poignant tribute Harry's peaked black and red cap featured the Blues and Royals badge. This contains the letters ER - Elizabeth Regina - and the maxim 'Honi soit qui mal y pense' There was a huge contingent of veterans and serving service men and woman, looking on as the Duke paid a visit Dressed in his Household Division frock coat and peaked cap, the duke laid a cross in the grounds of Westminster Abbey when he arrived. The Field of Remembrance has been held in the grounds of Westminster Abbey since 1928, and is organised by the Poppy Factory. In its first year, only two tribute crosses were planted, but now around 70,000 are produced by the Poppy Factory each year, for planting on more than 360 plots at the Abbey. Veterans, as well as members of the public, are invited to plant a cross in the Abbey grounds in memory of fallen comrades and loved ones. At today's ceremony, honoured a two minute silence, to be held after the Last Post, before meeting ex-service men and women from across the armed forces who have served in a number of conflicts. The Field of Remembrance is opened every year on the Thursday before Remembrance Sunday, and this year, will remain open to the public until November 18. This is be the 90th year of the Field of Remembrance, and the sixth time that Prince Harry has attended the event Silence fell at Westminster Abbey as the Duke of Sussex paid his respects, remembering those who gave their lives to protect their country Prince Harry was wearing his Household Division ceremonial uniform of a black frock today Colour Sergeant Watchman V is due to retire next year and nearby was his replacement, Private Watchman VI, who is just 15 weeks old and the same breed Australia's housing market is set to decline even further than initially reported, with fears it could plummet to the worst price decline seen in 40 years. Initially predicting a four to six per cent fall in national housing prices, Macquarie Bank experts are now reporting price declines are to fall even lower, with Sydney and Melbourne expected to be hit the hardest. As the overall crash is now approaching 10 per cent, this could be potentially 'the largest peak-to-trough decline' in housing prices in almost 40 years, Business Insider reports. Experts are claiming Australia's housing market is set to decline even further than initially reported, with fears it could plummet to the worst price decline seen in 40 years (stock image) Talking of the revision of the forecast, members of Macquarie Bank's Australian economics team Justin Fabo and Ric Deverell, believe the descent reflects largely on the expectation that prices would fall much further in Sydney and Melbourne. The two capital cities are not only the largest and most expensive housing markets in Australia but have also experienced the fastest price declines this year. 'Sydney and Melbourne average dwelling prices have fallen 9 per cent and 5 per cent, respectively, but are currently falling at annualised monthly rates of roughly 10 per cent,' Mr Fabo and Deverell said. 'This suggests that Sydney and Melbourne housing prices are now more likely to fall by 15 to 20 per cent from the peak. The fall in Sydney prices is already one of the largest on record.' However, as Melbourne's increase in new property, particularly in the city, adds to its already elevated levels of stock currently up for sale, Melbourne's declining housing price decline could soon outpace Sydney's. Despite the grim forecast, Mr Fabo and Mr Deverell say that housing prices need to be put into persective. Initially predicting a four to six percent fall in national housing prices, experts are now reporting price declines are to fall even lower, with Sydney (pictured) and Melbourne expected to be hit the hardest They believe that due to the rise of Sydney and Melbourne housing prices in recent years, even a 20 percent plummet would only take prices back to 2015 levels. Despite this silver lining, fears seem to grow around the effect these large declines can have on the Australian economy, including the possibility that decreased prices could lead to lower household spending and weaker economic growth. And while that could potentially be a risk, Mr Fabo and Mr Deverell believe such a scenario is only likely if labour market conditions start to weaken. This is the heartwarming moment a four-year-old boy is pulled from a 20-foot borewell after being trapped for four hours. Muhammad Adeeb was chasing his ball when he plunged into the uncovered well outside his home in a rural village in Sahiwal in Punjab, Pakistan, on Monday. His cousin, Usama, also four years old, was with him when he saw Muhammad fall into the hole and immediately rushed to tell his family. But locals struggled to pull him out as the well was extremely narrow at only 10-inches in diameter. Scroll down for video Muhammad Adeeb, four, can be seen looking disorientated and caked in mud as he is pulled out of the dark hole in Sahiwal in Punjab, Pakistan, on Monday Muhammad's head breaks through the narrow space covered in mud, as the rescuers shine lights into the darkness and haul him out Professional help was called in but it took a rescue team four hours to reach Muhammad. Eventually, they used a plastic pipe and a rope to pull the boy out. Pictures show the family and crowds waiting anxiously as rescuers battle to get the toddler to safety. They gathered around the well and kept their eyes glued as the pipe was thrown inside the well. A loud cheer broke out as the boy - covered in mud - emerged out of the well and jumped into a rescuer's arms. Loud cheers ring out as the boy is held high after four hours of perilous work to get him out of the narrow borewell A close up shot of the borewell: Professional help was called after locals tried to get him out of the extremely narrow shaft Crowds gathered to help rescue teams in their four hour struggle as a truck can be seen in the background with a large winch in the back A man holds his hands together in prayer as the concerned onlookers hope that the toddler can be saved Muhammad's father, Muhammad Noman, who was informed by a neighbor about the incident says it was a heart-wrenching moment for him to see his son in such a condition. Recalling the crucial hours, he said: 'When my neighbor informed me that my child has fallen into the borewell, I immediately rushed to the village and saw a huge crowd had gathered at the site. 'Everyone was giving ideas what to do and how to bring him out we tried but nothing worked. Luckily amid the chaos someone had called the rescue helpline. 'They took some time to reach to the spot but luckily they rescued my son. 'I was too scared and I couldn't see him but when I called his name he responded well. 'It was a heart-wrenching moment but I'm thankful to God that my son was rescued without any injury on his body.' Prince Andrew has revealed an organisation he set up to encourage entrepreneurs will continue to engage with Saudi Arabia, despite the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The Duke said the Washington Post columnist's death was an 'awful state of affairs' but added young Saudis should not 'take the blame for something that they had nothing to do with'. Mr Khashoggi, who was an outspoken critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed in Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul on October 2. Saudi assassins lured him there, murdered and dissolved his body in acid after it was cut up, Turkish officials have claimed. Prince Andrew, pictured with Saudi Arabia's Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud in 2010, said today he will still work with the country despite the murder of a predominant journalist on foreign soil The Duke of York founded the Pitch@Palace initiative to encourage entrepreneurs said Saudi Arabia was the first country to 'ask us to take Pitch outside the UK, and we went in 2015 and it was a great success'. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, the Duke said Mr Khashoggi's killing was an 'absolutely awful state of affairs, and how and what and why is beyond my knowledge and ability to answer'. He added: 'Do I think that we should be engaging with Saudi Arabia? Mr Khashoggi, who was an outspoken critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed in Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul on October 2. 'From a Pitch perspective, and Pitch alone, I do not believe that we should stop for one moment encouraging and supporting starting and growing businesses. 'They need to diversify their economy, they've got a very young population that is growing and needing things to do, and so if we are just one of a whole range of activities that are going on, then I think that they shouldn't necessarily take the blame for something that they had nothing to do with.' In a wide ranging interview he said 'people call me the entrepreneur in residence at Buckingham Palace'. He also backed calls for a new Royal Yacht after Britannia, which was decommissioned in 1997. The Duke of York was the UK's "special representative" for trade and investment until 2011 when he quit after a decade. He said: 'The decision here at Buckingham Palace was that every member of the family should be helping in the trade relationships around the world. 'I still do support the UK in every way that I did previously but we all do it now and we do it in a slightly different way'. His interview came on a royal dominated day at the BBC who are tonight showing a major documentary tonight Prince Charles' 70th birthday next week The Prince of Wales rules out being a 'meddling monarch' when he succeeds to the throne. And he vows to stop campaigning on the environment, architecture and homeopathy as king, insisting: 'I'm not that stupid.' Speaking for the first and, aides insist, last time on a subject that has dogged much of his time as Prince of Wales he says: 'I do realise it is a separate exercise being sovereign. So of course I understand entirely how that should operate. 'I've tried to make sure whatever I've done has been non-party political, but I think it's vital to remember there's only room for one sovereign at a time, not two. 'You can't be the same as the sovereign at a time, not two. You can't be the same as the sovereign if you're the Prince of Wales or the heir. But the idea somehow that I'm going to go on exactly the same way, if I have to succeed, is complete nonsense because the two situations are completely different.' However, the prince is unrepentant about his public campaigning over the past half century. He says archly: 'I always wonder what meddling is? I mean I always thought it was motivating. 'But I've always been intrigued, if it's meddling to worry about the inner cities as I did 40 years ago and what was happening or not happening there the conditions in which people were living. If that's meddling I'm very proud of it.' An 'off-grid' mother whose daughter urinated on the set of ITV's This Morning has given birth to her third child in a water bath without pain relief. Adele Allen, from Hove, East Sussex, announced the arrival of Kai Autumn on her Instagram page. Allen has been an outspoken critic of modern medicine and used her social media to lambast ultrasounds and vaccinations. Adele Allen confirmed in a post on Instagram that she had given birth to a baby girl, which she named Kai Autumn Mrs Allen shared a picture of her child with the placenta still attached after the birth Mrs Allen revealed she refused to allow her newborn child get a Vitamin K shot, which helps prevent against blood diseases for newborn She revealed she refused to allow her newborn get a Vitamin K shot, which helps prevent against blood diseases for newborns. In her online post, Mrs Allen, in her 30s, wrote: 'Introducing the latest addition to the unconventional tribe, our new baby girl Kai Autumn. 'Her name is unisex and means the sea in Hawaiian. As we have shared so much of our lives and family over the past few years, we chose to keep the journey of this third pregnancy private and out of the public eye. 'I have no doubt that many people would have had positive well wishes but unfortunately there is always the negative as well which our growing baby needed to be protected from. 'Kai was born just before the autumn equinox at home, in the water unassisted.' Among the hashtags included 'undisturbed birth', 'lotus birth', 'free birth', 'the unconventional parent' and 'birth without fear'. Adele and Matt Allen believe in an all-natural approach to bringing up their children - so much so they refuse modern medicine and traditional schooling, and their five-year-old-son is still being breastfed. Mrs Allen posted online that she has undergone three pregnancies without folic acid, which the NHS says provides necessary vitamins and minerals that aid babies' development. She wrote: 'Three pregnancies with no folic acid supplement and three healthy babies.' In the revealing post, Mrs Allen suggested she did not have any ultrasounds during the pregnancy. She wrote 'Ultrasounds, learn the risks', next to a post from a free-birthing group which read: 'I love that I haven't had any ultrasounds because this is mine.' Adele Allen pictured husband Mark, son Ulysses and daughter Ostara Social media users were quick to congratulate Mrs Allen on the birth of her baby. Natalie eagle said: 'Congratulations on this blessing to your wonderful family xx.' Another user said: 'Congratulations, how wonderful! Her name is beautiful.' Cristy Caraway added: 'Beautiful Picture and Congratulations.' The family appeared on This Morning in 2016 where they discussed their unconventional parenting techniques. Adele used the family's appearance on the show to explain her unusual approach to modern medicine, shunning conventional treatments when her children had scarlet fever and chicken pox. 'We treated it naturally. We believe in the body to self heal,' she said. 'If you support the body's healing through supplements and herbs then you it will heal. 'I don't believe that bringing a fever down artificially helps the body. I believe a fever is there for a purpose to clean the body out.' Speaking about breastfeeding Ulysses at the age of five, she said. 'It really depends on the day. He does it more at home when he's feeling tired or needs comfort. 'Not so much when we're out but sometimes if he's feeling a bit emotional he asks to. And that's fine with me.' Viewers were not impressed when they spotted Ostara urinating on the set of This Morning 'So you'd be fine if he was feeling anxious now and wanted to breastfeed, you'd be very happy to do that in public?' Ruth Langsford asked. 'Yes,' Emma agreed. Ruth also pointed out that the children were clambering all over the sofa, which she said that she and Eamonn had no problem with, but she wanted to know if Ulysses is ever told off by his parents. 'He would do as we ask,' Emma said. 'We speak to him respectfully as an equal human being. 'He is a highly sensitive child so he does struggle with getting overwhelmed easily so it's important for him not to have strong, authoritarian discipline.' Stormzy offered to pay for two young black teenagers to attend Oxford University but the elite institution did 'not want to get involved,' he has claimed. Earlier this year the rapper from Croydon received widespread praise for his collaboration with Cambridge University. The 25-year-old announced he would pay for the undergraduate fees of two students this year and two next year as well as offering them maintenance grants, for up to four years. Last night, he told those gathered at his book launch the idea was first presented to Oxford University. 'We tried Oxford but they didn't want to get involved,' Stormzy said. However, Oxford University insiders say this was not the case. A source said there was a 'miscommunication issue' rather than a refusal. Stormzy wanted to collaborate with Oxford university to put 'bright minds' who cannot afford the fees through their elite degrees - but they refused, he said The Stormzy scholarships will go to four students over two years. Those who are awarded them will be funded for four years The 'Gang Signs and Prayer' artist who also called on Theresa May to do more for the victims of Grenfell Tower during a live performance, said there are 'badly behaved kids' with 'great minds' who need these opportunities. He said: 'That is something I take personal pride in. I am always very inspired by that genius and people who are smarter than me. Now I am in this position I want to do something for them.' 'If you're academically brilliant don't think because you come from a certain community that studying at one of the highest education institutions in the world isn't possible.' Stormzy instead took his programme to Cambridge University (pictured: Stormzy, top row, centre, with Cambridge students) Oxford University was the first to be approached by the rapper from Croydon but did not take him up on the offer The grime artist was speaking at the Barbican in London, as he launched Rise Up: The #Merky Story So Far. The claim was received with shock by both the audience, and people on social media later on. On Twitter, the Labour MP David Lammy said: 'Stormzy: Can I sponsor some Scholarships for Black students who get the grades for Oxford? Stormzy revealed he approached Oxford at an event in London as he released the book of his personal story 'Oxford: Get Lost, Stormzy. 'Why would you look a gift horse in the mouth @UniofOxford? 'Must be getting too big for your boots.' Dan Hancox added: 'Tonight at the Barbican Stormzy revealed that the much-discussed scholarship he's funding at Cambridge Uni was first proposed to Oxford University, and they told him to get lost?! Incredible.' Stormzy, who won best album at this year's Ivor Novello awards, has been praised for tackling social injustice. MP David Lammy was among those who took to Twitter over the claims Oxford refused to get behind the Stormzy programme. This has been denied by the university A spokeswoman for the university said: 'Oxford University is committed to widening access and participation for all students from under-represented backgrounds. 'We admire Stormzy's commitment to inspire and support black students to succeed in higher education. 'We have not received or turned down any offer or proposal to fund undergraduate scholarships at Oxford. 'We have contacted to Stormzy's representatives today to clarify we would welcome the opportunity to work together on inspiring students from African-Caribbean heritage to study at Oxford.' A pregnant woman claims she fought off her violent ex-husband by throwing boiling water over him after he kidnapped and tried to rape her. The young woman, who has not been named but is 20 years old, has accused her former partner, also 20, of kidnapping her in a car with the help of her brother. The ex-husband allegedly kept her captive, tortured her and repeatedly raped her, according to police. Startling images of his face after he was apparently fought off with boiling water were taken by police in the town of Eldorado, in the southern Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul. The young woman (right), who has not been named but is 20 years old, has claimed she attacked her ex-husband with boiling water (pictured afterwards left) when he tried to rape her The victim's mother-in-law and other neighbours reportedly saw her being dragged into a car which fled the scene at high speed. The woman, who is four months pregnant, was reported as missing and police found her the following day in a house where she was allegedly being kept as a prisoner. The suspect is said to have confessed to having carried out the crimes to police and said the victim took advantage of a moment of carelessness to throw boiling water over him. Images show his face, neck and upper chest were seriously burnt in the counter-attack. The victim showed signs of having been assaulted with cuts to her fingers and bruising to the back of her head. The suspect is said to have told investigators he committed the crimes as he could not accept that his ex-wife had broken up with him seven months earlier and started seeing another man. Chief investigator Pablo Reis said the prisoner will respond to the crimes of kidnapping, false imprisonment, torture and rape. The victim's brother and the woman who allegedly helped kidnap her were also arrested but have not yet been charged. The victim was taken to the local Iguatemi Municipal Hospital for tests. There are no updates on her condition. The case is ongoing. The room where the alleged attack took place. The suspect is said to have told investigators he committed the crimes as he could not accept that his ex-wife had broken up with him Advertisement Parts of Britain are set to be smashed by up to four inches of rain and 60mph winds over the next 24 hours. Up to 1.6in (40mm) of rain could fall in areas of Scotland and Northern Ireland this afternoon and overnight into tomorrow, although much of England will enjoy sunny weather with 57F (14C) temperatures. But the conditions will become more widespread, with the Met Office warning tomorrow afternoon and evening could see up to 2in (50mm) of rain and 60mph gusts in southern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Conditions are not likely to improve in time for Armistice Day this Sunday, with rain and 52F (11C) temperatures expected in southern England as the royals gather for the National Service of Remembrance in Whitehall at 11am. Autumn trees surround a house near Wanborough in Surrey today, as parts of Britain prepare for a wet and windy 24 hours The Tommy War memorial at sunrise this morning in Seaham, County Durham, ahead of the weekend commemorations The wet and wild conditions are due to a cold plunge of air across the US which is disturbing the jet stream - the core of strong winds above the earth that carry low pressure systems across the Atlantic Ocean towards Britain. In today's weather warning for Northern Ireland and Scotland, the Met Office said a narrow zone of heavy rain is expected to develop over the Irish Sea during the day and affect some adjacent regions. Eastern parts of Northern Ireland and parts of the far West and South West of Scotland may see heavy rain, especially in coastal areas, with the possibility of 0.8in (20mm) to 1.6in (40 mm) falling in some places. Forecasters also warned of heavy rain along with spray and flooding potentially leading to difficult driving conditions and some road closures between 4pm this afternoon and 4am tomorrow morning. The warning for tomorrow, which runs from 1pm until midnight, says spray and flooding on roads will make journey times longer, and some delays to road, rail, air and ferry transport are expected. Eastern parts of Northern Ireland and parts of the far West and South West of Scotland may see heavy rain this afternoon The wet and wild conditions are due to a cold plunge of air across the US which is disturbing the jet stream - the core of strong winds above the earth that carry low pressure systems across the Atlantic Ocean towards Britain Conditions for tomorrow (pictured) are expected to be wet and windy in South West England and parts of Scotland Rain and 52F (11C) temperatures are expected in southern England for the National Service of Remembrance on Sunday The Met Office has also warned of delays for high-sided vehicles on exposed routes and bridges, some short term loss of power and coastal routes, sea fronts and coastal communities being affected by spray or large waves. Forecasters said a band of heavy rain is expected to move east during tomorrow with 0.6in (15mm) to 1in (25mm) of rain falling widely - and even 2in (50mm) over higher ground. This will be in addition to other spells of heavy rain earlier in the week affecting a similar area, the Met Office said. Rain will be accompanied by strong winds with gusts of 50mph possible inland and perhaps 60mph on coasts. Saturday should be largely dry, but there could be heavy scattered showers on southern and western coastlines. Sunday will then be dry and sunny in the North, but there will be heavy showers and strong winds in the South. China is developing a weather-modification system that aims to divert water vapour thousands of miles through the sky and bring rainfall to the country's driest regions. The Tianhe Project - meaning 'Sky River' - is capable of transferring abundant water vapour from the damp west part of the country to the arid north via a man-made 'air corridor'. A total of six satellites are being developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology and the first two satellites of the network could be launched in 2020, state media reported. By 2022, all six satellites would be in operation and will visit the Sanjiangyuan area (pictured) in north-west Qinghai province every hour to support the transportation of the water vapour A dried up tributary of the Yellow River in Shaanxi province. China is developing a weather-modification system that aims to divert water vapour and bring rainfall to dry regions A satellite model (pictured) that is part of the first phase of the Tianhe project has made a debut at the ongoing 12th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai A satellite model that is part of the first phase of the project has made a debut at the ongoing 12th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, according to People's Daily. By 2022, all six satellites would be in operation, where they will visit the Sanjiangyuan area in north-west Qinghai province every hour to support the transportation of the water vapour. The Sanjiangyuan area contains the headwaters of three great rivers of Asia: the Yellow, the Yangtze, and the Mekong. These rivers, which originate on the Tibetan Plateau, are sourced from glacial and snow meltwater and drain down into farmlands. Chinese scientist and academician Wang Guangqian and his team identified potential water vapour channels from the West Indian Ocean, the East Indian Ocean, the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and Central Asia. A floating pontoon bridge crossing the dry bed of the Yellow River. China's northern region suffers from frequent drought while its southern regions often flood Hand built semi-circular walls cover the arid hillsides of Shanxi province on the Yellow River. The structures are built around carefully planted drought resistant trees to retain rain China's northern region suffers from frequent drought while its southern regions often flood. In theory, the project could eventually divert 5 billion cubic metres of water annually across the regions to alleviate water shortages in the Yellow River Basin and other inland rivers, Wang previously told China Daily. The Tianhe satellite is equipped with payloads such as microwave temperature and humidity meters, precipitation measurement radar and cloud water detectors, according to Zhu Wei, chief designer of the system. The satellite can achieve high-precision detection through a combination of active and passive measures. The microwave temperature and humidity meters can detect the vertical distribution of the variables, capturing the distribution of water vapour in the air. The precipitation measurement radar can monitor three-dimensional distribution of rainfall while the water vapour detector can construct an atmospheric cloud map and detect the surface environmental characteristics of the Sanjiangyuan area. Sanjiangyuan, an area in China's north-west Qinghai province, contains the headwaters of three great rivers of Asia: the Yellow, the Yangtze, and the Mekong The practice of artificially inducing rainfall in China is not new. Currently, the government is developing a massive cloud-seeding project to boost rainfall across the Tibetan Plateau by five to 10 billion cubic metres a year. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation has designed and constructed chambers that use military rocket engine technology that burn fuel to produce the cloud-seeding agent silver iodide, triggering rainfall. In another ambitious attempt to modify Earth's natural environment, the south-west city of Chengdu is planning to launch an artificial moon that will replace streetlights during night time. The fake moon is touted to be eight times as bright and an illumination satellite could be launched in 2020. Claire Bennett, 44, pictured, smuggled drugs worth 10,000 into HM Young Offenders' Institute Aylesbury and tipped off prisoners about upcoming raids so they could safely stash their narcotics and mobile phones A female prison officer who smuggled 10,000 of drugs into a young offenders' institute and warned inmates about upcoming raids has been jailed for six-and-a-half years. Claire Bennett, 44, of Hailsham, East Sussex, was a serving prison officer at HM Young Offenders' Institute, Aylesbury, when she brought in the drugs and contraband into the prison. Bennett pleaded guilty to four charges, including smuggling drugs and misconduct in public office at a hearing at Aylesbury Crown Court. She also admitted smuggling zombie drug spice into the jail. The court heard the offences all took place between January 1 and June 2 2017. Thames Valley Police launched an investigation into Bennett and discovered she also tipped off inmates ahead of planned raids on their cells searching for either drugs or mobile phones. PC Maureen Moore of the Prison Investigation team, said: 'Bennett knowingly brought drugs into the prison which causes danger and violence to both prisoners and officers alike. 'Her conduct jeopardised the safe running of the wings. 'The existence of corruption in prisons will always lead to an issue of order and control. 'The presence of drugs in prison leads to violence, bullying, debt and prevents prisoners from addressing their substance misuse. 'Her conduct severely compromised the safety of staff and visitors to the prison. These drugs were smuggled into the prison by Bennett and supplied to inmates Bennett was accused of severely compromising the safety and security of HMP Aylesbury, pictured. PC Maureen Moore of the Prison Investigation team said: 'Her conduct jeopardised the safe running of the wings' Bennett was heavily criticised for smuggling the drugs which make prison more dangerous As well as supplying drugs, Bennett tipped off inmates about imminent cell searches 'I hope that this lengthy sentence will act as a deterrent for others who might be engaging in illicit activity within the prison system. 'A priority area for HMYOI Aylesbury is the management of offenders affected by gangs and violence, and Bennetts leaking of prison information to gang members jeopardised this work and put vulnerable prisoners and members of staff at risk.' Prisons Minster Rory Stewart MP, said: 'Corrupt and criminal activity like this undermines a whole prison and puts our hard-working staff at risk. 'I am grateful to the police for their efforts to stop her and pleased the court has handed down this significant sentence.' John Downey was arrested in Co Donegal on Monday on a European Arrest Warrant (file picture? An IRA Hyde Park bombing suspect has been freed on bail after being arrested over the murders of two British soldiers in 1972. John Downey has been accused by prosecutors in Northern Ireland of killing the Ulster Defence Regiment soldiers in Co Fermanagh, who died on August 25 1972 when an IRA bomb exploded in a car they were checking. Following his arrest on Monday, he has now been granted bail at a cost of 30,000 by a High Court judge in Dublin, pending the approval of financial guarantees. In 2013, Downey was charged with murdering four Royal Household Cavalrymen in an IRA bomb in London's Hyde Park in 1982 but the case against him collapsed. The former IRA man, 66, who was arrested on a European Arrest Warrant, is expected to be released within the next 24-hours He appeared before the High Court in Dublin on Tuesday as Northern Ireland prosecutors sought to extradite him to face charges of murder. Prosecutors north of the border initiated proceedings after announcing they have sufficient evidence to charge him with the murders of Lance Corporal Alfred Johnston, 32, and Private James Eames, 33, in a car bomb attack in Enniskillen. Downey is expected to walk out of the cour if information the judge has requested on bail guarantees is received. His extradition hearing is due to take place in two weeks. The Sinn Fein member, wearing a red jumper and checked shirt, remained impassive in court as his conditional bail was approved. In 2014, trial judge Mr Justice Sweeney ruled that Downey's arrest at Gatwick Airport, as he transited the UK on the way to a holiday, represented an abuse of process and he put a stay on any future prosecution in relation to the Hyde Park case. The episode sparked a government inquiry into the OTR scheme. Downey has always denied any involvement in the Hyde Park attack. Defence barrister Tony McGillicuddy told the court that Downey has had 'a commitment of working in a positive manner in the Irish peace process since the early 1990s' and has carried out functions in that regard with a number of agencies The cavalrymen died after the IRA car bomb exploded as they made their way from their Kensington barracks to a Changing Of The Guard ceremony at Horse Guards Parade in July 20 1982. The scene following an IRA car bomb blast in Hyde Park, London, which killed four Royal Household Cavalrymen and seven horses Downey, 66, arriving for a court hearing on Tuesday in Dublin, Ireland, following his arrest under a European Arrest Warrant It also injured other soldiers who were travelling from their barracks to Buckingham Palace. Seven horses were also killed and another horse, Sefton, survived terrible injuries. The case against Downey at the Old Bailey collapsed after it was revealed he had received a written assurance from former prime minister Tony Blair's government that he was not actively wanted by the authorities. The episode sparked a government inquiry into the OTR scheme. Mr Downey has always denied any involvement in the Hyde Park attack. The four soldiers killed in Hyde Park were Trooper Simon Tipper, 19, Lance Corporal Jeffrey Young, 19, Squadron Quartermaster Corporal Roy Bright, 36, and Lieutenant Anthony Daly, 23. Ms Justice Donnelly said that Downey had been on bail during court proceedings in England and had abided by all conditions. She also noted he appeared to have some health issues, and had lived in the Irish Republic for more than 30 years. 'On a previous occasion, he faced charges in a court in England and was released on bail during these matters and abided by the conditions,' she said. Downey is on a State pension, however Ms Justice Donnelly said she did not know whether it was contributory or not. 'I have no idea what he has been working at,' the judge added. 'I am told that he is living at a substantial property, and for some reason he transferred the house out of his name to his wife last year.' The judge added that it was a concern to the court that his wife and two adult children were able to raise a cash sum of more than 4,000. She added that she is left in a situation where 'she had to take a view' that Downey has access through his acquaintances to a 'greater level of surety'. The judge granted bail on the condition that Downey provided evidence that the financial bail guarantee could be covered. She sat again after lunch when the sureties were approved. A friend of Downey's agreed to provide surety of 26,000 while Downey is to lodge his own bond of 5,000. He was ordered to abide by a number of bail conditions including signing on every day at a garda [Irish name for police] station, residing at his own house. He was also asked to provide his mobile number to garda and attending the High Court when ordered to do so. His defence barrister Tony McGillicuddy had earlier told the judge that Downey has had 'a commitment of working in a positive manner in the Irish peace process since the early 1990s', and had carried out functions in that regard with a number of agencies. Mr McGillicuddy said that he engaged positively in meetings around the peace process and has a 'strong commitment' to it over the last 20 years. Advertisement Sgt Ron Helus, 54, spoke to his wife just moments before rushing into the Borderline Bar & Grill in California, where he was killed while saving lives during a mass shooting The devastated widow for the hero sheriff's sergeant who was first on the scene of the California country bar massacre greeted his casket for an emotional police procession on Thursday. Sgt Ron Helus, 54, died at the hospital an hour after he was shot multiple times at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks on Wednesday night. His widow Karen walked behind his casket, draped with an American flag, as it was transferred to a hearse at the Los Robles Medical Center on Thursday morning. Helus, of the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, was speaking to Karen when he received the call about the shooting. 'He said, "Hon, I got to go, I love you. I gotta go on a call,' Sheriff Geoff Dean told the Los Angeles Times. Hospital workers went outside to honor Helus as the procession began at 10am on Thursday. Police officers could be seen saluting the hearse, while others waved American flags in tribute to the fallen officer. More than 200 people were outside the hospital, including a survivor of the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting. Ellen Rivera said she wanted to help support fellow mass shooting victims. 'People are going to need help and care,' she told The Press-Enterprise. Ventura Highway 101 was shut down as dozens of police motorcycles and cars followed the hearse to the Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office. Public safety workers and residents crammed the overpasses along the freeway, many waving American flags, to salute Helus' hearse as it was transported to the Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office. The procession arrived at the medical examiner's office just after 11am. Two lines of uniformed deputies, with their arms raised in salute, greeted Helus' hearse. Helus' wife Karen walked behind his body as it was transferred to a hearse for a procession from the Los Robles Medical Center in Thousand Oaks on Thursday morning Helus' son Jordan walked behind the honor guard as they saluted his father's hearse. Helus had only just become a grandfather in September An honor guard marches as the hearse carrying Helus' body prepares to leave Los Robles Hospital on Thursday morning Helus will be transported via motorcade from Los Robles Hospital (pictured) to the Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office Hospital workers gathered outside to honor the 29-year-old veteran of the Ventura County Sheriff's Office on Thursday Helus and another officer from the California Highway Patrol arrived at the scene of the massacre at 11.23pm on Wednesday night - three minutes after the 911 call went out. After hearing gunfire coming from inside Borderline, which was occupied by nearly 200 college students, Helus rushed through the front door and confronted the shooter. 'They knew they had to take action and they went in and did what they had to do,' Dean said. 'Our officers know, when you get to a scene, and there's two of you, or even just one of you, and there's a shooting going on, you go in.' Helus was shot several times and had to be pulled out of the line of fire by the CHP officer. Helus' wife and family members are escorted to a line of law enforcement officers at the Ventura Medical Examiner's Office The law enforcement officers saluted the family members after the hearse carrying Helus' body arrived Thursday afternoon Family members comforted each other as they walked down the line during the devastating procession Law enforcement officers and workers had gone out to meet Helus' hearse (pictured) as it arrived at the office on Thursday Officers lined up to salute the hearse as it reached its final destination following Helus' tragic death on Thursday morning Helus was the first responder on the scene of the horrific mass shooting in Thousand Oaks on Wednesday night. He rushed through the front door to confront the gunman Dozens of people gathered on a street corner to pay their respects to Helus as his motorcade left the hospital on Thursday Ventura Highway 101 was shut down as dozens of police motorcycles and cars followed the hearse on Thursday morning Helus had worked in the narcotics division of his department and was also on the SWAT team for many years during his time Los Angeles County firefighters salute from an overpass as Helus' procession,drives down Ventura Highway 101 on Thursday The sergeant was rushed to Los Robles hospital, where he died an hour later. Helus was a 29-year veteran of the Ventura County Sheriff's Office and was planning to retire in the next year. Dean said he was 'totally committed' to his job and 'gave his all'. 'He knew the risks, but he knew, like we all do, why we serve,' he said. 'Ron was a hardworking, dedicated sheriff's sergeant. And tonight he died a hero.' Ventura County Sheriff officers were visibly emotional as they waited for Helus' procession to begin on Thursday morning A group of civilians, law enforcement and fire personnel, crowded overpasses along the freeway to pay their respects Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff Armando Viera, center, consoles a female companion on a freeway overpass after Helus' motorcade passes by Sheriffs deputies embrace after the hearse carrying Hulus' body arrives at the medical examiner's office in Ventura Friends hug outside Los Robles Medical Center in Thousands Oaks where two firefighter ladders joined to hang an American flag in honor of Helus A man could be seen comforting his female companion during the emotional procession on Thursday morning 'He went in to save lives, to save other people,' Dean added. Twelve people, including Helus, were shot and killed during the massacre, and numerous others were wounded. The gunman, who has since been identified as 28-year-old Ian Long, was also found dead inside the bar and is believed to have killed himself. Sheriff's Capt Garo Kuredijan called Helus an 'unbelievable man'. Sheriff's Capt Garo Kuredijan called Helus an 'unbelievable man' who was a 'trainer, a mentor, a leader' for the department. Pictured are people waving American flags as the procession drives past The Ventura County Sheriff salutes Helus' hearse as it leaves Los Robles Hospital in Thousand Oaks on Thursday morning People cry as a law enforcement motorcade escorts Helus' body from the Los Robles Regional Medical Center on Thursday A couple hug outside the Thousand Oaks Teen Center where families have gathered and a therapy horse was brought after the horrific massacre 'He was a lifetime learner, a trainer, a mentor, a leader,' he said. 'He was a cop's cop. His void is going to be felt throughout our agency.' The father-of-one is survived by Karen, their son Jordan, and his new grandchild - who was just born in September. Helus' Facebook profile is full of photos of the officer and his son hunting, fishing, and playing with their dog together. The family man referred to his son as 'my boy' in dozens of posts and spoke of how proud he was of Jordan. Helus, a father-of-one, was described as a 'hardworking, dedicated man who was totally committed' to the department Helus is survived by his son Jordan (pictured on a fishing trip together) and his wife Karen. The family man referred to his son as 'my boy' in dozens of posts and spoke of how proud he was of Jordan Helus is pictured here with his wife Karen, son Jordan, and others during a family trip to Knott's Berry Farm in 2012 Helus had worked in the narcotics division of his department and was also on the SWAT team for many years. 'He was just a great guy. Just an instinctive cop,' said Sheriff's Sgt Eric Buschow. 'He always had a knack for investigations.' 'He's a tactician, so I have no doubt he employed the best tactics possible. Unfortunately in a chaotic situation like that, you've just got to go in. And he did.' Wednesday night's massacre has rocked Thousand Oaks, often called one of the safest cities in America. According to survivors, Long was dressed in all black and wore a baseball cap, sunglasses, and a mask that covered the bottom part of his face during the shooting. Wednesday night's massacre has rocked the city of Thousand Oaks, often called one of the safest cities in America Survivors described how the gunman carried the attack out with careful precision and said he had 'perfect form' shooting He walked up to the entrance at 11.20pm and shot the bouncer before making his way into the venue. Long then shot a young female cashier before throwing smoke grenades onto the dance floor and letting off rounds into the crowd. Survivors described how he carried the attack out with careful precision and said he had 'perfect form' when shooting. The bar is popular with college kids because it allows those under 21 on Wednesday nights. Those who were not old enough to drink had black X's stamped on their hands. Tens of thousands of fans have been left disappointed today after missing out on the chance to attend an evening with Michelle Obama, as tickets were resold for more than 7,000. Mrs Obama is coming to the UK for an exclusive event at London's Southbank Centre to talk in-depth about her life with 'unerring honesty and lively wit'. However tens of thousands of fans desperate to see the wife of former US president Barack Obama were left stuck queuing online as they tried to get general sale tickets at 10am this morning. Disappointed fare now calling upon the venue to live stream the event Tickets are already appearing for re-sale on ticket website Viagogo with prices starting at 2,700 per ticket and reaching prices of up to 7,000 Mrs Obama is coming to the UK for an exclusive event at London's Southbank Centre to talk in-depth about her life with 'unerring honesty and lively wit' Tickets are already appearing for re-sale on ticket website Viagogo with prices starting at 2,700 per ticket and reaching prices of up to 7,000. More than 8,500 Southbank Centre tickets were also left waiting in the queue yesterday for pre-sale tickets. The venue, Southbank's Royal Festival Hall, has a maximum capacity of 2,700. Fans are now calling upon the venue to live stream the event. One Twitter user said: 'Utterly gutted, especially as members were cut off after 10 minutes of priority booking yesterday. Surely we, as patrons and active supporters of SBC, should have had priority?' Another added: 'Not sure what the thinking was behind using a 2,500 seater venue for a speaker with 11.5m twitter followers??! Someone in the events/management team needs a talking to!' The venue, Southbank's Royal Festival Hall, has a maximum capacity of 2,700 People took to social media to share their frustration as they desperately tried to get tickets A message from Southbank Centre to thousands waiting in the queue said: 'Tickets for Becoming: An evening with Michelle Obama are now unavailable. 'If you are trying to buy tickets for other events you may want to try again later today. We're experiencing high levels of traffic at the moment.' Ticket prices ranged between 30 and 125 went on general sale to the public at 10am this morning. A spokeswoman at Southbank Centre said: 'As is standard, we offer various ways to purchase tickets, online, by phone and in person. We have worked hard to ensure that tickets are available to as wide an audience as possible by limiting tickets to two per booker and ensuring there is a lower price point of 30 (which includes a copy of the book RRP 25). 'For this event, in a commitment to providing access for local schools Southbank Centre and Penguin Live will also be donating 300 free tickets to secondary schools from across London and the UK, as well as some local charities. They will take a seat in the Royal Festival Hall auditorium and along with the rest of the audience will receive a hardback copy of Becoming. 'Our longstanding arrangements for Southbank Centre members gave them an early chance to apply for pairs of tickets on Wednesday 7 November, with a further allocation then going on general sale the following day.' At the 90-minute event on December 3 Mrs Obama, 54, will discuss her new memoir, 'Becoming', which highlights experiences that shaped her successful life and journey to the White House The spokesman said tickets on sale by any unauthorised third parties would be identified and cancelled. The spokesman added: 'We are in the process of identifying touted tickets and we have contacted third person resale sites and asked them to remove the tickets as resale is against our terms and conditions.' Tickets will only be available to collect on the night and ticket holders will be required to bring a form of identification. At the 90-minute event on December 3 Mrs Obama, 54, will discuss her new memoir, 'Becoming', which highlights experiences that shaped her successful life and journey to the White House. The evening will be hosted by Nigerian bestselling author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. A spokesman for Viagogo said: 'viagogo is a marketplace and doesn't buy or sell tickets. viagogo provides a platform for third party sellers to sell tickets to event goers. viagogo does not set ticket prices, sellers set their own prices, which may be above or below the original face value. Where demand is high and tickets are limited, prices increase.' A teacher spotted her own grandfather in a school book about World War One. The picture was taken in Ypres, Belgium in 1917 and shows William Ensor carrying an injured soldier on a stretcher through a muddy battlefield during the Battle of Passchendaele. Kathryn Robyns spotted the photo of William, who was a stretcher bearer in the army, while working at Ysgol Uwchradd Bodedern school in her hometown of Anglesey, North Wales. William Ensor is seen fourth from the left at the Third Battle of Ypres, Passchendaele, on 17 August 1917. The original photo has since been digitally coloured by the Imperial War Museums, a collection of five museums across the UK which record and showcase experiences of modern conflict Kathryn, 60, said: 'I realised immediately that my grandfather was in the picture. 'He always said that he didn't want to go to war to kill and the best way he could help the cause was to go as a stretcher bearer.' Mr Ensor did not talk about his service but he featured in photos which became iconic among war records. The Battle of Passchendaele, officially known as the Third Battle of Ypres, Passchendael - became famous for the scale of casualties and the amount of mud on the battlefield. Mr Ensor was a stretcher bearer in World War One. He enlisted in January 1915 The photo was taken on 1 August 1917 by Lt John Warwick Brooke - an official photographer for the British Army. The photograph has since been digitally coloured by the Imperial War Museums. Kathryn, who is now retired, said her grandfather, also from Anglesey, was sent to the Western Front after completing basic first aid. She said: 'My grandfather was a hero to us - not because of his service but because he was extraordinarily kind. 'He never talked much about the war, but I do remember that every year on Armistice Day, he would crave company and I'd sit with him then many times. 'The one thing he would say that hit him most was losing friends.' Mr Ensor, who enlisted in the army in 1915, survived the war and worked as a surveyor. He died at the age of 83 in 1969. Kathryn said: 'He was a very special man and it was very moving to spot him..' Former teacher Kathryn Robyns looking at the picture of her grandfather which appeared in the book Kathryn said her grandfather went to war as a stretcher bearer as he didn't want to kill and thought it was the best way he could help The decision by an under-trained surgeon to use a robot to carry out heart surgery was partly responsible for the death of a retired music teacher, a coroner has found. Father-of-three Stephen Pettitt, 69, died days after the 'pioneering surgery' in February 2015 at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle, carried out by Sukumaran Nair. The inquest into Mr Pettitt's death heard how Mr Nair was 'walking before he could run' and had missed training on using the robotic machine, in the run-up to the procedure. The robot was so loud the surgical team were shouting at one another and the same machine knocked a theatre nurse and destroyed the patient's stitches, Newcastle Coroner's Court heard. Such was the concern at the botched six-hour-long procedure performed on Stephen Pettitt, that police launched a criminal inquiry. No charges have so far been raised but Mr Nair was fired from his job at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital and their robotics heart programme ended. However, he continues to work at a hospital in Clydebank, Scotland. Newcastle coroner Karen Dilks recorded a narrative verdict into the retired music teacher's death. Surgeon Sukumaran Nair (left) has described the tense atmosphere in an operating theatre as a robotic heart operation on patient Stephen Pettitt (right) went catastrophically wrong The operation using the Da Vinci robot (file image) was the first of its kind conducted in the UK She said: 'Mr Pettitt died due to complications in an operation to treat Mitral valve disease and in part because the operation was undertaken with robotic assistance.' Previously, it was heard Mr Pettitt would have had a 98-99% survival expectation if the 'low risk' procedure had been done conventionally. Leading heart surgeon Professor David Anderson told Newcastle Coroner's Court the operation conducted by under trained Sukumaran Nair, using the Da Vinci surgical robot, would not likely have ended that way had the robot not been used. Professor Anderson, a consultant cardiac surgeon at Guy's and St Thomas's Hospital, London, told the Newcastle hearing that Mr Pettitt's euroSCORE - the risk factor applied to heart surgery patients - was just 1-2% in normal circumstances. Mr Pettit's intra-aortic septum was damaged in the op and he died days later on March 3, 2015, after going into multi organ failure. Details over the events which unfolded on the day include the surgical team, Mr Nair and assisting surgeon Thasee Pillay, shouting at one another. Communication was difficult because of the 'tinny' sound quality coming from the robot console being operated by Nair, it was revealed. Mr Nair admitted he was 'running before he could walk' in using the Da Vinci robot (file image) The two surgeons were struggling to communicate over the robot's 'tinny' audio system with 'very poor' acoustics during the six-hour surgery. At one point the surgical robot knocked the arms of scrub nurse Anthony Garbutt and stitches placed in Mr Pettitt's leaking mitral heart valve became criss-crossed and had to be replaced. Mr Pettitt's intra aortic septum was damaged and Mr Nair was no longer able to see clearly when blood spattered the robot's camera, during the surgery, before the robot was abandoned. Lead surgeon Mr Nair previously admitted 'running before he could walk'. He had missed vital training sessions in Paris and admitted to a colleague he may have required 'more dry-run training' before he decided to carry out the operation to repair Mr Pettitt's leaking mitral valve. Northumbria Police were called in after the popular former teacher and orchestra conductor's death was revealed to his wife and three children. They sought out an expert to read through case notes and give an opinion and were directed to Professor David Anderson, one of Britain's 40 most eminent heart surgeons. Newcastle coroner Karen Dilks asked Prof Anderson: 'Is it more likely than not that Mr Pettitt would have survived if the operation had been undertaken in a conventional way?' Prof Anderson said: 'It would certainly have been considered low risk surgery, you can never guarantee these things but he would have had a euroSCORE risk of between 1 and 2 %.. It is never zero no matter how simple an operation is.' He criticised the time taken to abandon the robotic operation at Newcastle's Freeman hospital and convert to conventional surgery, saying Mr Nair did not appear to have a 'Plan B.' What is the Da Vinci Robot Surgery system? The da Vinci robot system is used to translate hand movements into smaller, more precise strokes using small instruments. It is used for Urologic, Thoracic, Colorectal, Cardiac, Gynecologic and general surgeries. One of the instruments is a laparoscope a thin tube with a tiny camera and light at the end. The camera sends images to a video monitor in the operating room to guide doctors during surgery. The da Vinci has been used on more than 3million patients worldwide. According to the firm behind it, Intuitive Surgical Inc, 'The surgeon is 100% in control of the da Vinci System at all times.' However, there can be 'serious complications and death' in any surgery, according to the business. Risks during surgery include inadvertent cuts, tears, punctures, burns or injury to organs. It is advised the surgeon 'switch from minimally invasive surgery to open surgery (through a large incision) or hand-assisted surgery' if problems occur. Source: davincisurgery.com Advertisement He said: 'I can find nothing to indicate that there was a Plan B. It is certainly not documented and if it was not written down the assumption is it didn't exist. 'It is what might be described as common sense. Any member of the team no matter how high or low should be able to call a halt to stop, to stop and convert to conventional surgery.' He told the inquest the robotic surgery went on for six hours and throughout the time the heart is stopped for surgery - known as cardioplegia - the tissue deteriorates over time. Prof Anderson said: 'When it gets beyond two to three hours there is an ever increasing nervousness that the heart will not function very well at the end of the operation.' He added: 'Six hours - that is a very long crossclamp time. That duration has a very considerable impact on the likelihood that the heart will work well afterwards.' Two proctors - supervisory experts from US firm Edwards Lifesciences who are trained to take over if an operation goes wrong - walked out mid-way through the operation, the inquest has been told. But Prof Anderson said they were not even qualified to intervene. Edwards Lifesciences said their proctors attended in relation to' two other devices, manufactured by our company' and not the Da Vinci. The US company said they left after the devices were 'both implanted and functioning appropriately' and 'with the agreement of the surgeon'. Prof Anderson said: 'They were not registered with the GMC and as such had no right to carry out clinical procedures on a patient in the UK.' When he gave evidence, Mr Nair accepted Prof Anderson's opinion that he may have been running before he could walk in conducting robo-surgery. Assistant surgeon Mr Pillay told the inquest earlier this week how he had to raise his voice as stitches in 69-year-old Mr Pettitt's heart were not being placed in 'an organised fashion.' When things started to go wrong, two proctors - supervisory experts trained to take over in a crisis - had left. Mr Pillay said he thought they had 'gone to the coffee shop' for a break when in fact they had left Newcastle's Freeman Hospital and gone home part of the way through the procedure in February 2015. The robotic operation was abandoned and open chest surgery began, by which time Mr Pettitt's heart was functioning 'very poorly.' Consultant cardiothoracic surgeon Mr Pillay told the hearing he was standing a few feet away from Mr Nair facing the patient while the lead surgeon had his head in a console facing away from him. Whilst he could hear Mr Nair's voice through a microphone, his method of making himself heard if he saw something going wrong was to shout. He was asked: 'Was communication difficult?' He answered: 'We were not far apart but Mr Nair's voice comes through a microphone and it is tinny, the acoustics were not very good. 'There were times when I raised my voice, one was when the sutures were not being placed in an organised fashion and were criss crossed.' The stitches had to be taken out and replaced, which extended the operating time, the hearing was told. Consultant cardiothoracic anaesthetist Kevin Brennan said the proctors, supplied by Edwards Lifesciences, had been helpful in setting up the operation. But he added: 'I had no idea of their timescale and that they were not staying for the duration.' Northumbria police were called in to investigate after Mr Pettitt's death, the hearing was told. Mr Pettitt died at Freeman Hospital in Newcastle (pictured) after the operation went wrong Coroner Karen Dilks' recommendations: *Establish a policy on the recruitment and use of proctors *Create a written document setting out the terms of that engagement signed by the Trust, the surgeon and the proctors *Establish a new interventional procedures committee to assess the competence of individuals who carry out such new interventional procedures and make a record of that assessment giving the basis of their decision. *Consider establishing a multi disciplinary team programme to ensure patients are discussed in a multi disciplinary team meeting. *Ensure that patient consent forms have detailed information on the risks associated with new interventional procedures. Advertisement Giving evidence on Tuesday, Mr Nair agreed when Barry Speker, for the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust, read from an official report by a professor that his cross-clamp times in non-robotic operations were slow and moving to robotic procedures was 'a premature step, running before you could walk'. Mr Nair said: 'At the time, I should have gained more experience and my clamp times would have been shorter with time.' Speaking about gaining patient consent, Mr Nair said: 'I made it clear to him that he is going to be the first robotic mitral valve repair patient. 'I had explained to him about risks. I agree, I did not tell him he ran a higher risk being the first robotic mitral valve patient.' Mr Nair, who trained in India and London and previously worked at Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire, said he now works in Scotland and no longer does robotic surgery. The coroner made a number of recommendations, one of which being a national policy is adopted on the use of proctors. After the hearing Mr Pettitt's widow Margaret said in a statement: 'Following Stephen's tragic death an investigation revealed a catalogue of errors including significant deficiencies in the training and competence of the surgeon who had performed the procedure, who was subsequently dismissed. 'This was compounded by the fact that several observing clinicians left theatre part-way through the procedure and were therefore unable to assist when difficulties arose.' A former pupil of Mr Pettitt's at King's Priory School in Tynemouth, North Tyneside, described him as 'A true gentleman and a genuine inspiration to so many who passed through the school.' Dr Andy Welch, Medical Director, at the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'First and foremost, I would wish to offer my most heartfelt apology on behalf of the organisation, to Mrs Pettitt and her family. Unfortunately, on this occasion, we failed to ensure the standard of care that would reasonably be expected of us with a tragic outcome. 'Following Mr Pettitt's death, the robotic heart programme was stopped immediately and significant changes have been made, following a detailed investigation, in respect of process and training requirements, relating to the introduction of new procedures. 'We deeply regret the circumstances in which we find ourselves and would like to reassure our patients that this organisation has always prided itself on providing the highest and safest standards of care possible, whilst pursuing the innovation that has been the foundation of the Trust's national and international reputation in multiple fields including robotic surgery.' Russell Bishop is on trial for the murders of nine-year-olds Karen Hadaway and Nicola Fellows A cold case expert has told jurors of a one-in-a-billion DNA match to alleged killer Russell Bishop on the arm of two girls found dead in woodland 32 years ago. Russell Bishop, 52, is on trial at the Old Bailey charged with the murders of nine-year-olds Karen Hadaway and Nicola Fellows. The girls were sexually assaulted and strangled in Wild Park in Brighton in October 1986. Bishop was acquitted of the murders in 1987, but ordered to face a fresh trial in light of new evidence from advances in DNA testing. Forensic scientist Roy Green tested 14 areas from a taping from Karen's left forearm, taken at the time of her post mortem examination in 1986. He said the areas were identified as possibly containing skin flakes or other organic material. Nicola Fellows (left) and Karen Hadaway (right) were found dead after going out to play in 1986 The girls were found in this den in Wild Park, Brighton, their bodies hidden by undergrowth On his results, Mr Green said: 'The result of the DNA-17 analysis showed a mixture of DNA from at least two people. 'The majority of the DNA was an incomplete profile matching that of Russell Bishop. Most of the remaining components also contained the DNA of Karen Hadaway. 'There were also three additional components other than from Russell Bishop and Karen Hadaway.' Tapings from a blue Pinto sweatshirt found discarded on Bishop's route home were also tested for DNA. Mr Green told jurors the results found DNA 'in excess of one billion times more likely' to belong to the defendant and an unknown person than two unknown people. On the evidence from the arm, Mr Green said he looked at two propositions, the first that the DNA was from Karen, Bishop and an unknown person, and secondly that it was from Karen and two unknown people. He said: 'A statistical evaluation of the result was performed, as a result of which it was estimated that the DNA findings would be approximately one billion times more likely if proposition one were true rather than proposition two were true.' Bishop was put on trial for a second time after a blue jumper he is said to have been wearing on the day of the killings 'gave up its secrets' under inspection using modern DNA techniques He said there was 'extremely strong support' for the proposition that Bishop's DNA was on Karen's arm and the Pinto sweatshirt. There was 'moderate support' for the assertion that four human hairs retrieved from the Pinto belonged to the defendant, he said. Cross-examining, Joel Bennathan QC queried why only 23 fibres relating to the girls' clothes were found on the Pinto sweatshirt if it was worn during the course of an attack. Mr Green said: 'The fibres that are transferred will fall off depending on the amount of disturbance. 'If that item was worn by the attacker at the scene it then has to be transported and then deposited at the railway station. After that it was found and turned inside out and turned the right way round and eventually bagged up as evidence. All of that can lead to the loss of fibres.' Michelle Johnson, the mother of Karen Hadaway, has been attending the trial at the Old Bailey The witness went on to stress the Pinto sweatshirt was made out of a very unusual type of fibre. However, Mr Bennathan suggested it might be possible to see a regional concentration of the same clothing if it was sold in a local market. The lawyer asked if 45 fibres associated with Bishop's home could have got on to the Pinto if a policeman took it there unpackaged. The witness said the figure was too high for secondary transfer in that hypothetical scenario. Bishop, formerly from Brighton, East Sussex, has denied two charges of murder. Glenson Barrett, 47, was caught on camera pulling down the woman's blouse and groping her breasts in the court corridor. He is pictured arriving in court on October 23 A legal clerk who pulled down a young lawyers blouse and groped her breasts was ordered to perform just 80 hours of community service. Glenson Barrett, 47, was caught on camera pulling down the woman's blouse and groping her breasts in the court corridor. The woman, who cannot be identified, was left in tears after the assault, Blackfriars Crown Court heard. Barrett's claim he was complementing the woman on her outfit was rejected by the jury. Jurors were played CCTV in which Barrett placed both of his hands over the womans breasts. Giving evidence the lawyer said on September 27 last year Barrett walked alongside her in the corridor while complementing her outfit. He moved his hands, I thought to adjust my tie, she said. He put both hands on my breasts. She said she walked away but Barrett called out: Thats okay, I can see your arse from behind. The woman said she felt very shocked, adding: I was in court, my guard is down, and it is my morning walk to work. I remember thinking I dont know what to do. Two days later she told her manager to explain how Barrett had sexually assaulted her at work. Barrett denied sexually assaulting the young lawyer and insisted he was complimenting her on her outfit. He said: You compliment somebody, and I complimented her. The woman, who cannot be identified, was left in tears after the assault, Blackfriars Crown Court heard. File photo I looked at her outfit and I complimented her on her outfit and how I saw a few little odds and ends, and how you could make it more. That was all it was. You add a few pins, you tighten it in at the back and you have your outfit.. As a stylist, which is what I am, you look at clothes. You see it, you dress it, you make sure it looks presentable. You make sure everything is in a nice way. Asked whether it was normal to say someone had a nice arse he replied: She would not ignore me, she would just look back. Barrett's claim he was complementing the woman on her outfit was rejected by the jury. He is pictured outside court on October 23 She did not take it in any particular way. I am just saying: You have a nice bottom. He added: She has never made me feel that she was uncomfortable in my presence, I am sincerely sorry. The lawyer had claimed Barrett put both of his hands on her bottom on July 5 last year as she was preparing case papers and hugged her as she made her way to court on August 1. But Barrett was convicted only of the sex assault on September 27. Judge Alexander Milne, QC, told Barrett: You have been convicted by a jury of one count of sexual assault. I remember the character references that were given at your trial. Its slightly concerning that what comes across from the report is perhaps still a lack of insight. But I accept that this has been a difficult experience for you and the perhaps unfair attention this particular case has received. Barrett, of Islington, north London, denied three counts of sexual assault but was convicted of one charge only. He was ordered to complete 80 hours of unpaid work, undertake a 25-day rehabilitation activity requirement and pay a 85 victim surcharge. Police detained two students in Beijing today who were part of a group protesting outside an Apple store about alleged worker exploitation, according to one of the demonstrators. The students were protesting in response to allegations made last month that one of the U.S. tech giant's suppliers was exploiting student workers in south-west China. Students were forced to work illegally under the guise of internships in order to get their vocational degrees and had to do night shifts, according to an investigation by a Hong Kong-based labour rights group. This picture taken by Zhifan Liu shows demonstrating students holding placards outside an Apple Store in Beijing in protest against alleged illegal employment of students at a factory A video taken by witness Zhifan Liu shows one of the protesters being taken away by police The two students detained were from Renmin University and Peking University - two schools that have seen a surge of student-led labour activism this year. One of the other protesters, a 21-year-old from Renmin University, told AFP that a group of police ordered the students to show their IDs shortly after they finished taking photos in front of the Apple store. A total of 10 students participated in the protest. 'They said we were disrupting the order, disrupting law and order, and asked to check our IDs,' said the student, who requested anonymity. After the protesters initially refused to show their identification cards, the police took two students away, she said. Beijing police did not immediately respond to AFP's request for comment. The students were holding signs that said 'Protesting illegal student employment at an Apple factory, supporting workers to create their own unions' before police dispersed the protest The students had planned to take photos and shoot a video to raise awareness around the alleged exploitation of student workers at an Apple Watch factory in Chongqing municipality But Apple said it found 'no student interns working on Apple products' after it audited the Quanta's Chongqing factory three times between March and June (file photo) According to photos shared on Twitter by eyewitness Zhifan Liu, a French freelance journalist based in Beijing, the students were holding signs that said 'Protesting illegal student employment at an Apple factory, supporting workers to create their own unions', before police dispersed the protest. The students had planned to take photos and shoot a video to raise awareness around the alleged exploitation of student workers at an Apple Watch factory in Chongqing municipality. According to a report published last month by Hong Kong-based labour rights group Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehaviour (SACOM), students from a vocational school had to work punishing hours at the factory, assembling Apple Watches - under the guise of 'internships' unrelated to their field of study - or else their graduate degrees would be withheld. 'We are like robots on the production lines,' one 18-year-old student told SACOM. 'We repeat the same procedure for hundreds and thousands of times every day, like a robot.' Others said they were put on the night shift working from 8pm to 8am with minimal breaks. The Chongqing factory is operated by Quanta Computer, a Taiwanese electronics manufacturer, and also produces for other brands. Quanta Chongqing's workers pictured finishing work. Students said they were forced to make Apple watches through 'compulsory internships' unrelated to their field of study Labor rights group Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior released the report claiming students aged 16 to 19 were working on Apple Watch Production lines (file photo) Apple has sold tens of millions of the smartwatch since it launched three years ago An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment on today's protest. The company previously told CNN Business that it found 'no student interns working on Apple products' after it audited the Quanta's Chongqing factory three times between March and June. The U.S. titan has sold tens of millions of Apple Watches - which can cost up to US$1,499 (1,144) - since it was launched three years ago and chief executive Tim Cook said it was the most popular watch in the world. Student activists from top Chinese schools are rallying behind labour rights and unions despite crackdowns from universities and the police this year. Many belong to Marxist societies or student groups - some of which have struggled to register officially with their schools - as universities try to rein in labour activism. In August, a police raid swept up student activists in Guangdong province, according to the official website of the Jasic Workers Solidarity group. The students were there to support workers from Jasic Technology, a welding machinery company, who were trying to form their own union. According to the Jasic Workers Solidarity group, which the student activists were members of, the police beat students and confiscated their phones during the raid. One Peking University student, Yue Xin, who co-authored a petition demanding details of a sexual abuse case at the school, was detained during the August police sweep and has not been heard from since. The wife of Tory MP Julian Sturdy has been banned from the roads for 15 months after being caught one-and-a-half-times over the drink-drive limit while on the school run. Victoria Sturdy failed a breath test after police, acting on a tip-off, stopped her with her children on board. The 44-year-old, who works as a part-time secretary for the MP, was pulled over in Westminster Road, York, on September 10 this year, the court heard. Victoria Sturdy, 44, right, who works as a part-time secretary for her husband, Conservative MP Julian Sturdy, left, was banned from driving for 15 months after caught drink driving in York in September. Prosecutor Katy Varlow said police had received anonymous calls raising concerns that she had been drinking when she was going to collect her children from school. A roadside breath test proved positive and she was arrested and taken to the police station, where she had 136 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood - the legal limit is 80. Sturdy, of Ainsty, near Tockwith, pleaded guilty to driving a motor vehicle while above the prescribed limit. She was handed a 398 fine and disqualified from driving for 15 months at York Magistrates' court. Backbench MP Mr Sturdy yesterday said: 'Victoria apologises unreservedly for her actions and fully accepts the decision of the court.' Mitigating, Tony Eastwood told magistrates that she felt 'genuine remorse' and had written a letter to the bench to express this. He said that when she was stopped, she had not drunk any alcohol for at least 14 and a half hours, since the early hours of that day. Mr Eastwood said it was a classic case of believing the alcohol was out of her system. York Magistrates' Court heard character witnesses on behalf of Sturdy from three people including a county councillor and a retired police sergeant He said: 'She hadn't the slightest inkling she was over the prescribed limit,' adding there was no deliberate intention to drive under the influence. He said Sturdy had been driving for 27 years with a completely clean record, not having even received a fixed penalty charge notice. It was her first court appearance and he could say with great confidence it would be her last. He said she wanted to attend a drink-drive rehabilitation course. 'She wants something positive to come out of this disastrous situation,' he said. He produced three character references from people including a county councillor and a retired police sergeant. Sturdy was ordered to pay a 398 fine, which was reduced for an early guilty plea, plus an additional 85 costs and a 39 surcharge. She was also disqualified from driving for 15 months but was told this would be reduced by 15 weeks if she completes a drink-drive rehabilitation course. Her husband is a Conservative Party politician and farmer. He was elected at the 2010 general election as Member of Parliament for York Outer with a majority of 3,688. David Pena, a 51-year-old charged with the November 2016 murder of his estranged wife Martha Mendiola, claims to have found her stabbed in the back in her garage in Fresno, California. In court on Wednesday, Pena's defense attorney said Mendiola's final words to her husband were: 'I love you, don't let [my son] see me like this.' To fulfill her dying wish, Pena cleaned the crime scene and stashed Mendiola's body in her car A California man accused of fatally stabbing his estranged wife and stashing her corpse in his car says her dying wish was for him to clean up the bloody crime scene. According to authorities, 50-year-old Martha Mendiola was murdered in her garage in Fresno on November 29, 2016. Her husband David Pena, from who she had separated just 10 days earlier, is now on trial for the murder. During his opening statement on Wednesday, prosecuting attorney Nathan Lambert described how Mendiola has been 'beaten, hit in the face, she was bloody, her wedding ring ripped off her finger, she was stabbed in the back with a large knife, a knife that was so large it was able to pierce her lungs'. While prosecutors say the attack was carried out by Pena, the 51-year-old's defense team has offered its own story. Attorney David Mugridge told the jury his client found his wife dying in the garage, possibly having been killed by an intruder, and that he was acting on his wife's wishes when he removed her body and attempted to clean up the scene. 'He will talk about the fact he went into that garage that fateful morning, he saw his wife lying on the ground, and yes he will tell you that a knife was thrust into her back,' Mugridge said. 'He laid down there, knelt down there next to her, took her in his arms, told him with her last words and said: "I love you don't let Matthew [her son] see me like this." And he promised that he wouldn't.' According to his attorney, Pena then cleaned up the bloody scene and placed Mendiola's body in his car to fulfill her dying wish. The prosecution has argued that Pena stabbed Mendiola himself and attempted to cover it up by cleaning the crime scene and removing the corpse in the car. The couple had been married for five years until they separated 10 days before Mendiola's murder Pena is seen in court on Wednesday. He told police that he thinks an intruder stabbed his wife Lambert offered up a different narrative for the attack, telling the jury that an angry Pena had snuck into Mendiola's home and stabbed her in the back deliberately. Pena then made her bed and took her purse and cellphone so that it would appear to her son that she's gone to work, according to the prosecutor. Concerned coworkers alerted police after Mendiola failed to show up for work on the morning of her murder. Prosecutors say Pena had sent texts from her phone to convince them and her son that nothing was wrong The first witness on the stand for the prosecution was one of Mendiola's coworkers, Treanna Timberlake, who said she became concerned when Martha didn't show up for work that morning. Timberlake said she called Mendiola's phone and received 'strange text messages' in response, at which point she was alerted California Highway Patrol, according to ABC30. She also called the victim's son, Matthew Cardenas, who was asleep in the house at the time of the murder. When Cardenas tried to reach his mother, he also got strange messages in response, which he figured were sent by Pena. During his opening argument, prosecutor Lambert explained: 'He was pretending to be Martha, saying things like I just needed to get away, my phone fell in the toilet and is not receiving phone calls.' A California Highway Patrol officer responded to Mendiola's house (pictured) where he found blood stains and evidence that someone had tried to clean the garage with bleach A CHP officer was dispatched to Mendiola's house, where he found blood stains and evidence that someone had attempted to clean the crime scene with bleach. The officer later tracked down Mediola's car, which Pena had been driving around Fresno with the corpse tied up under a tarp in the backseat. Authorities traced the victim's cellphone to a home where Pena was staying, where they also found the bloody clothes and the murder weapon. After he was arrested, Pena told police that 'he was in the wrong place at the wrong time', describing how he'd found her with a knife in her back, according to prosecutors. However, Pena never called 911 to report the stabbing. Surveillance video reportedly shows the suspect purchasing a tarp at Walmart and cigarettes at another store with Mendiola's body in his backseat. Investigators later found text messages on Pena's phone that accused his wife of five years of having an affair. In one message Pena quotes 'God and the Scriptures' and says the couple's pending divorce 'will condemn them both to hell', according to prosecutors. Lambert told the jury of Pena's motive: 'Hes angry, hes desperate. He talked about an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.' Pena is facing 16 years to live in prison if convicted of the grisly murder. He is expected to take the stand in his own defense. The FBI has released new surveillance video showing the stolen SUV connected to the kidnapping of a 13-year-old North Carolina teen Hania Aguilar The SUV that was used in the kidnapping of a 13-year-old North Carolina girl earlier this week has been located. But Hania Noelia Aguilar still remains missing. Authorities found the stolen green Ford Expedition on Quincey Dr in Lumberton, about 8 miles from Hania's family's home at the Rosewood Mobile Home Park in Lumberton. A man was seen forcing Hania into the SUV just before 7am on Monday morning. The SUV's discovery comes a day after the FBI released new surveillance video showing the vehicle just moments after the kidnapping. Footage shows the SUV driving around 6.52am, mere minutes after Hania was snatched from her family's home. Investigators are continuing to collect and analyze surveillance video in the area and are asking anyone in Lumberton who has a camera or surveillance system to save the video and immediately contact them. 'The most important part of our investigation is you, the public. And we need your help,' senior FBI agent Andy De La Rocha said during a press conference on Tuesday. Footage shows the SUV (pictured) driving around 6.52am, mere minutes after Hania Noelia Aguilar was snatched from her family's home in Lumberton before school on Monday Authorities would not give the exact location where the footage was taken, but said it was captured near the Rosewood Mobile Home Park where Hania and her family lives 'I cannot stress this enough. Every second counts when a child is missing,' added Lumberton Police Chief Michael McNeill. 'Please call the special tip line. We need to hear every little tip we can get.' Hania was abducted from the Rosewood Mobile Home Park just before 7am on Monday. Hyelin Perez, the teen's sister, said she had gone outside to start the family's car despite her aunt telling her not to. 'She just got the keys and started to turn it on,' Perez told WRAL. 'And somewhere, out of nowhere, the man came in and took her away.' A witness saw a man grab Hania and force her into a green Ford Expedition with South Carolina license plates NWS 984 before driving off. Family members said they heard her scream for help. The timestamp shows that the footage was captured just two minutes before a neighbor called 911 and reported Hania's kidnapping The video was released just hours after the FBI shared the first image of the SUV (pictured) Hania was last seen wearing a blue shirt with flowers and blue jeans. The man was said to be wearing all black with a yellow bandana over his face. The SUV reportedly had a Clemson University sticker on the rear window and paint peeling on the hood. A family member immediately ran to get help as the SUV drove away and a neighbor called 911 at 6.54am. On Tuesday the FBI announced it was offering a $15,000 reward in the case. Authorities have since expanded the search for the teen, circulating her picture across North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida. Investigators are continuing to collect and analyze surveillance video in the area and are asking anyone in Lumberton who has a camera or surveillance system to contact them A police helicopter canvassed the area above the mobile home park, and officers also conducted a roadblock canvas - showing drivers Hania's missing poster to see if they had any helpful information. Authorities from several law enforcement divisions are following nearly 50 leads in Hania's disappearance, which is being treated as a stranger abduction. The FBI's Child Abduction Rapid Deployment team is also assisting with the search. 'Local police, and even local FBI offices, don't have a lot of great experience investigating suspicious disappearances of children or abductions,' an FBI agent in Lumberton told WRAL. Investigators are seen outside Hania's home at the Rosewood Mobile Home Park in Lumberton 'We do. We bring our training expertise and experience in to give them best practice guidelines.' Investigators have been interviewing witnesses, family and friends and said they are 'fully cooperating'. Hania's mother issued a heartbreaking plea for her daughter's return on Tuesday. 'I am here waiting for you, I love you, and I only care about you,' Hania Aguilar's mother said in a statement on Tuesday. 'I don't have anything against whoever did this to you. I just want you back. I just want my daughter back.' The Lumberton Police Department set up a special tip line for Hania and asks that anyone with information call 910-272-5871. A record-setting Burmese python has been captured in Florida, adding to the more than two miles of pythons that have been caught in the Sunshine State. Kyle Penniston, of Homestead, captured the 17-foot, 5-inch female python while hunting on the South Florida Water Management District's lands in Miami-Dade County late Monday night. The massive snake weighed in at 120 pounds. It's the third snake caught as part of the program that measured more than 17 feet; however, it is still the biggest. A record-setting Burmese python was captured by Florida hunter, Kyle Penniston (pictured) Monday night. Penniston caught the 17-foot, 5-inch female python while hunting on the South Florida Water Management District's lands in Miami-Dade County The record catch has brought hunters of the South Florida Water Management District's (SFWMD) Python Elimination Program closer to eliminating 1,859 of the invasive snakes. According to the program, more than two miles of pythons have been caught, collectively weighing more than 11 tons. Penniston is currently second among the hunters, with 235 snakes eliminated. Brian Hargrove, a Miami native, has dispatched the most, with 257. 'Just six months after eliminating the first 1,000 pythons from District lands, this program is about to double that total because of a true team effort,' said SFWMD scientist Mike Kirkland, project manager for the Python Elimination Program. 'With the Governing Board's unwavering support, District staff and a dedicated group of hunters are working to help control this invasive species and protect native wildlife.' According to the SFWMD, eliminating invasive species such as Burmese pythons is 'critical to preserving the rare Everglades ecosystem'. 'Florida taxpayers have invested billions of dollars to restore the water quality and hydrology of the Everglades,' the SFWMD said in a press release. According to the SFWMD, more than two miles of pythons have been caught, collectively weighing more than 11 tons. Pictured is the python Penniston captured Monday night 'Reducing the populations of invasive plants and animals is necessary to ensure this investment results in meeting the shared goals of the overall restoration plan,' officials added. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission also manage a similar program called the Python Removal Contractor Program. That particular program pays qualified individuals to survey other specific areas of state-owned land for the pythons, humanely euthanize each python they catch in the field and then deposit them at designated drop-off locations. Elected officials and celebrities ranging from US Rep Francis Rooney, to celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey have taken part in the hunts, bringing international awareness to the issue of this invasive species and efforts to eradicate them. The invasive Burmese python, which breeds and multiplies quickly and has no natural predator in the Everglades ecosystem, has decimated native populations of wildlife, according to the SFWMD. A bus driver who murdered a young boy then befriended his parents to keep tabs on the police investigation gave himself away in TV interviews, a new documentary reveals. Darren Vickers befriended, groomed and abused eight-year-old Jamie Lavis before killing him in Openshaw, Greater Manchester in 1997. The killer - who said he was the last to see Jamie when he gave him a lift on his bus - bizarrely joined the search for the youngster, going on TV and purporting to represent Jamie's shattered parents John and Karen Lavis. Vickers was eventually jailed for life for Jamie's murdet and ordered to serve 25 years in 1999. A new documentary, Faking It: Tears Of A Crime, has analysed the statements Vickers made during the search for Jamie to show how he gave himself away. Darren Vickers (left) murdered Jamie Lavis (right) before taking part in the search for the youngster in a bid to cover his tracks Body language Cliff Lansley says the killer showed he was lying by repeatedly shaking his head and occasionally shrugging his shoulders when speaking to TV reporters. Mr Lansley tells the programme: 'The head shake is tiny but its a gift to a body language analyst because those tiny gestures are below consciousness and they leak the contradiction to the statement he is making.' Language experts meanwhile reveal that Vickers refuses to name Jamie in his statements, or refer to himself, in an apparent bid to distance himself from the crime. Vickers' case was all the stranger because he successfully ingratiated himself with his victims' parents, presenting himself as someone desperate to help the search. Jamie's parents even allowed him to move in with them, moving out of their own bed so he could stay there, during the search for their son. Experts show a strange photo of him with the parents, in which he appears to have supplanted their son in the family. Mr Lansley said: 'He was a viper in the nest.' Experts commented on a bizarre photos in which the killer posed with his victim's parents as he made himself out to be key in the search to find Jamie He spoke on TV and radio, pretending to be helping the search, when in fact he was trying to hide his involvement Police tell the documentary that Vickers was such a skilled manipulator that the parents began to believe his words as much as those of detectives. With Vickers able to apply for parole in just over five years, police officers from the time use the documentary to urge that he is never released. Roy Rainford, who was the senior investigating officer on the inquiry, says: 'Darren Vickers should never be released. He will be a danger to children.' Faking It: Tears Of A Crime will be broadcast on Friday at 10pm on the Investigation Discovery channel (Sky 154, Virgin 170 and BT TV 324). An Oregon sex offender was handed a 22-year prison sentence after authorities found a 14-year-old living with him in a halfway house. Brendon Robert Louis Doyle, 26, met the boy on an online gaming app in 2017 and went on to start communicating with him via text messages and Skype. Doyle had picked up the 14-year-old near his Vancouver, Washington, home in February 2017 and brought him back to a halfway house in Beaverton in Oregon, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Natalie Wight. Sex offender Brendon Robert Louis Doyle, 26, met the 14-year-old boy on an online gaming app Investigators from the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force discovered the boy in a room in Doyle's halfway house. The boy had been reported as a runaway two weeks earlier. Doyle picked up the 14-year-old boy near his Vancouver, Washington, home in February 2017 and brought him back to a halfway house in Beaverton, Oregon He was tracked down via an IP address under Doyle's name. Doyle was already on probation after serving more than six years in prison for sexually abusing a 13-year-old boy back in 2010. In July, Doyle pleaded guilty in federal court to 'one count of transporting a minor across state lines to engage in criminal sexual activity.' U.S. District Judge Robert E. Jones sentenced Doyle to 22 years at a federal prison in Virginia, followed by a lifetime of supervised release According to court papers, Doyle's parents divorced when he was 18 months old and his mother died suddenly when he was 8 from an untreated serious skin disorder. He was then raised by his father. Aged 12, Doyle was found to have abused a younger relative. He was sent to a youth detention center and ordered to undergo sex offender treatment. He started registering as a sex offender at age 13, according to the Oregonian. U.S. District Judge Robert E. Jones sentenced Doyle to 22 years at a federal prison in Virginia followed by a lifetime of supervised release. An 88-year-old dementia suffer has been tricked by scammers into spending 10,000 on 400 boxes of vitamins and remedies. Barbara Evitts, of Wombwell, South Yorkshire, was flooded with calls and letters from 'miracle cure' scammers who left her with just 30 in her bank account. The scam was uncovered by her son Paul, who discovered she had 'parcels in every bedroom' and police said it was one of the worst cases of its kind they had seen. Barbara Evitts, 88, was flooded with calls and letters from 'miracle cure' scammers The scam was uncovered by her son Paul, who discovered she had 'parcels in every bedroom' Mr Evitts first became suspicious in 2011 when he found a box on her table labelled 'food' - with biscuits and cake inside which cost 125, but were only worth 30. But when she was moved to a care home last month, the true extent of the scam became known as Mr Evitts found she had parcels 'piled up everywhere'. She had been sent hundreds of packets of tablets, including pomegranate extract, celery and turmeric extract and Omega Three but did not need any of them. Mr Evitts told BBC News: 'I'm disgusted that people would do that to a vulnerable woman. Why they would want to treat somebody like that just beggars belief.' South Yorkshire Police said it was one of the worst cases of its kind that they had ever seen Andy Foster, South Yorkshire Police fraud prevention officer, said: 'It's one of the worst cases of miracle health cure frauds I've seen. I'm disgusted that people would do that to a vulnerable woman Paul Evitts, son 'Barbra had spent her life savings on useless, worthless pills that claim to cure ailments of all sorts.' Marilyn Baldwin, who founded the Think Jessica charity after postal scammers targeted her mother, said these types of scams are 'very cleverly devised'. And Dementia UK said that it provides advice for protecting a person with dementia from fraud and theft through its Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline. The young mother accused of conspiring with her husband to murder her ex appeared in court for the first time on Thursday. Charlene Childers, 25, showed no emotion as she was led into the courthouse in cuffs and shackles and listened as a judge agreed to waive a preliminary hearing in and send the case to a grand jury. Childers has been booked on counts of second-degree conspiracy and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon in connection to the deaths of Joshua Niles, 28, and Amber Washburn. Niles is Childers' ex and the father of the daughter, 9, and son, 7, who had been living with their mother and her new husband Timothy Dean until May. That all changed however when the couple was accused of child abuse and lost custody of the children to her ex, which is believed to have set the fatal events in motion. Heading in: Charlene Childers appeared in court on Thursday for the first time since the deaths of Joshua Niles, 28, and Amber Washburn, 24 Victims: Joshua Niles, 28, and Amber Washburn, 24 (above) were fatally shot outside their home in the small upstate New York town of Sodus on October 22 in front of their four-year-old son Cops behind bars: Timothy Dean (left), who was the police chief of Sunray, is charged with their murder while Broihn Bohlars (right) is charged with conspiracy Video courtesy WHAM Dean was charged on Monday with first and second-degree murder and conspiracy in the slayings. One of his officers, Brohn Bohlars, was also arrested on Wednesday amd charged with conspiracy, leaving the Sunray Police Department without two of its three employees. Childers was found with the same model of gun that is believed to have been used to kill the victims Police do not have evidence of Childers being in New York on the day of the killings, but they believe her husband had driven 1,400 miles from Texas to get there. Authorities said on Wednesday they have since arrested a third suspect in Texas, 34-year-old Bron Bohlar, on a warrant for conspiracy. Bohlar is also a law enforcement officer in Sunray. When the charges against Childers and Dean were announced on Monday night, Childers was already in the Wayne County jail and Dean was in custody in Texas on unrelated charges stemming from child-injury allegations. Both were arrested a week after the slayings. Authorities said Childers was found with a 9mm handgun. Niles and Washburn were shot with a 9mm firearm, but the exact type isn't known, according to Wayne County Sheriff Barry Virts. Investigators were still trying to learn details of Childers' and Dean's travels before the shooting. But police have said they believe Childers was in Texas when it occurred, despite her attending a vigil for the victims held in Sodus just two days after the slayings. 'We have no indication that she was in our jurisdiction on the date of the shooting,' Wayne County District Attorney Michael Caralco said. Dean is believed to have driven the 2,800-mile roundtrip from Sunray to Sodus, Caralco said. There is no timeline yet for when Dean will be extradited to New York. A neighbor said he saw the assailant shoot Niles in the couple's driveway (pictured above) just moments after shooting Washburn, who had been sitting in her car their son Friends and relatives said Niles (pictured above with Amber and their son) had recently won custody of his and Childers' nine-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son Dean was head of the three-member Sunray police force from October 2016 to June 2018 but resigned about a month after his arrest on a charge of injury to a child. Prior to that he was a police officer in Dumas, Texas. Photos posted on the Sunray Police Department's Facebook page on June 26 show Bohlar being sworn in. The post says he had also worked for other local law enforcement agencies during a 10-year career, and 'will make a fantastic addition to our department'. The fatal double shooting was the latest blow to Sodus, a town of about 8,000 on Lake Ontario's southern shore. Last November, a 17-year-old Sodus girl was stabbed to death by her 19-year-old ex-boyfriend. The next month, a 17-year-old boy from Sodus was stabbed to death by two other teens in a nearby village. In the spring, the body of 18-year-old Selena Hidalgo-Calderon was found on a farm in town. Hidalgo-Calderon's one-year-old son had been missing since her disappearance. His remains were found on the same farm in October. More than 400 complaints have been made about NATO soldiers making a mess after the largest joint exercises since the Cold War. Some of the complaints are about soldiers relieving themselves in public areas, close to kindergartens and leisure facilities, according to NRK. 'This is terrible, it's about having common decency. We have to clean up after soldiers who have relieved themselves. It's literally a s**ty job.' Major Marianne B of the Norwegian Armed Forces told the public broadcaster. Major B said they had received complaints about US and Swedish soldiers. A tank causes traffic to build up during an exercise in Trondelag, Norway on November 1 A German and Latvian soldier during demolition training in Rena, Norway on October 24 A NATO Leopard tank drives across a snow covered plain in Engerdalen on November 1 'We actually have a system for treating this. The soldiers bring their equipment to clean up afterwards. But next time we have a major exercise, we must tighten this.' The Major said. The complaints come as US soldiers drank pubs and bars in Reykjavik, Iceland dry in a single weekend as part of the operations. A significant number of the bars were forced to make emergency beer runs under the onslaught of thirsty American sailors and Marines in town at the beginning of the Trident Juncture. Most of the outrage in Norway comes from farmers who are angry about their land being torn up by NATO's tanks and trucks during exercises. In the 119 complaints about damage to land they speak of their fury at their fields being scarred by heavy vehicles. Brynjar Heli from Orkdal in Trndelag told NRK that he is happy that Norway's Armed Forces are taking responsibility for the damage caused to his property. 'There isn't a problem as long as they clean up afterwards, and they have said they should do.' Mr Heli said. 'I understand that the defense forces must practice, and fortunately, there is no major devastation.' The northern lights are visible over Norway aboard the KNM Helge Ingstad on November 29 A member of the Norwegian Armed Forces during training aboard the frigate, Helge, on October 28 NATO spokesman Eystein Malkenes Kvarving told Norway's public broadcaster, 'Sometimes unfortunate things happen which are not planned. Of course, it is not okay for people to defecate in public areas.' He expressed his regret and stated all complaints would be taken seriously. Despite the mess most Norwegians were happy to host the joint operations. According to the Norwegian Armed Forces support has risen from 64 to 69 percent since the exercises started. US Admiral and and Chief Commander of the Trident Juncture, James G. Foggo, told NRK: 'This exercise has given us a lot. We have learned a lot about the weather in Norway and we have created lasting relationships.' The massive exercises involved 50,000 troops from 30 nations in Norway over the last month. The Iowa man who went viral for delivering a powerful speech defending his lesbian mothers in 2011 has been elected to the state Senate. Democrat Zach Wahls, 27, won a landslide victory over his Libertarian opponent Carl Krambeck with 78.5 per cent of the vote for Iowa District 37 on Tuesday. He was just 19 when he jump-started his career by sharing a moving speech before Iowa lawmakers in 2011 on being raised by two lesbian mothers. His message was an effort to fight House Joint Resolution 6, a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. He'll be one of the youngest people to serve as a state senator in Iowa. Democrat Zach Wahls, 27, won Iowa District 37 with 78.5 per cent of the vote on Tuesday Wahls rose to fame when he was just a 19-year-old engineering student delivering a speech before Iowa lawmakers in 2011 fighting against House Joint Resolution 6, a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. Wahls pictured above celebrating his landslide victory on Tuesday The 27-year-old Democrat will be one of the youngest people to serve in Iowa's state Senate. Wahls pictured above celebrating his victory on Tuesday On Wednesday in a statement he announced he's the first person to be elected to an American state legislature to have been raised by openly LGBTQ parents Wahls' campaign is focused on lowering the cost of healthcare, improving education, defending workers' rights and boosting gun reform legislation. On Wednesday he shared a statement thanking his followers saying: 'I am honored to have the support and trust of so many people across this district.' 'I have been informed that I appear to be the first person ever elected to an American state legislature to have been raised by openly LGBTQ parents. This moment is a marker of how far and how fast families like ours have come,' he said. 'As a state senator, I will fight for everyone who, like my family, has been left out or left behind or used as a political target. I will never forget how hard our family had to work to get a seat at the table, and I will never stop fighting for you or your family,' he added. In his 2011 viral speech Wahls defended his mothers Jacqueline Reger (left) and Terry Wahls (right), pictured together in 2012 in New York City He said: 'Our family really isn't so different from any other Iowa family...The sexual orientation of my parents has had zero effect on the content of my character' Wahls was an engineering student at the University of Iowa when he delivered his impassioned 2011 speech before the Iowa House Judiciary committee, detailing his upbringing by his mothers Terry and Jacqueline, who married in 2009. 'Our family really isn't so different from any other Iowa family. You know, when I'm home we go to church together, we eat dinner, we go on vacations,' he said in the speech. 'The sexual orientation of my parents has had zero effect on the content of my character,' he added. On Tuesday he thanked his state for winning him Iowa District 37 with 78.5 per cent of the vote He shared this statement on Wednesday saying: 'I am honored to have the support and trust of so many people across this district' He recounted that when his biological mother, Terry Wahls, told her grandparents that she had gotten pregnant after an artificial insemination, his grandparents didn't acknowledge the pregnancy until after he was born and his 'infantile cuteness' won them over. His viral speech has racked up over 19million views. In 2011 it was the most watched political video of the year. In the years following Wahls became an advocate for LGBTQ right and co-founded Scouts for Equality, a nonprofit that successfully ended the Boy Scouts' ban on gay leaders and members. In 2013 he wrote the book 'My Two Moms: Lessons of Love, Strength and What Makes a Family'. He announced he was running for office last year. In an unprecedented move, Alaska voters have ousted a judge who signed off on a controversial plea deal that let a man serve only one year of home confinement for choking and masturbating on an Alaska Native woman. Voters on Tuesday opted to not retain Superior Court Judge Michael Corey, who oversaw the assault sentencing of 34-year-old Justin Schneider. Schneider in September pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a year in prison. With credit for time served in home confinement, he walked out of the plea hearing a free man. Unseated: Superior Court Judge Michael Corey (left) was ousted by voters on Tuesday, less than two months after he sentenced Justin Schneider (right) to one year of home confinement for choking and masturbating on an Alaska Native woman Police say in August 2017, Schneider, an air traffic controller and a married father-of-two, offered a ride home to a female hitchhiker at a gas station in Anchorage. He told her his name was 'Dan' and agreed to drive her to the town of Muldoon. They had never met before, she told police. She got into the car and they drove off but stopped at a construction site nearby instead of the town where he had promised to take her. The an air traffic controller and a married father-of-two was arrested in August 2017, after he offered an Alaska Native woman a ride, then choked her and masturbated on her He asked her to get out of the car then, and 'full on tackled' her, according to charging documents. As he choked her, Schneider told the victim that he was going to kill her. She lost consciousness thinking that she was about to die, the documents say. When she woke up, he was zipping up his pants. He had masturbated on her and offered her a tissue to clean it up with. 'The man told her that he wasn't really going to kill her, that he needed her to believe she was going to die so that he could be sexually fulfilled,' his arrest affidavit states. She saved the tissue and gave it to police afterwards. She also told them his license plate number. Schneider initially faced up to 99 years behind bars, but prosecutors said they could not prove kidnapping because the victim got into the man's car willingly and that the plea deal followed the law. He was never charged with sexual assault despite the nature of his crime because in Alaska, masturbating over a victim is not considered a sexual assault. Outraged by Schneider's light sentence, sexual assault survivor Elizabeth Williams (pictured) launched a grassroots campaign called No More Free Passes to unseat Corey Supporters of the No More Free Passes campaign are pictured protesting outside the courthouse In court in September, prosecutor Andrew Grannik said: 'I would like the gentleman to be on notice that that is his one pass - it's not really a pass - but given the conduct, one might consider that it is.' Because Schneider had no past criminal record, sentencing guidelines for a felony B assault are between zero and two years. Judge Corey acknowledged the sentence was light but deferred to prosecutors on what could be proven. Part of his reasoning was that Schneider 'would not be in jail for the rest of his life even if he had been convicted on all counts' despite the 99-year maximum sentence that applies to kidnapping. The shockingly lenient sentence prompted sexual assault survivor Elizabeth Williams to launch a grassroots campaign called No More Free Passes, asking voters to oust Judge Corey from the bench. Outgoing Governor Bill Walker called the crime and sentence 'terrible' and blamed it on a loophole in Alaska's sex offense laws 'Alaskans deserve more than the status quo. Alaskans deserve better than sloppy plea deals and free passes for violence,' a post on the campaign's Facebook page read on Tuesday morning. Three Alaska gubernatorial candidates expressed disgust with Schneider's sentence ahead of the midterm elections. Incumbent Governor Bill Walker called the crime and sentence 'terrible,' and blamed the outcome of the case on a 'loophole' in the states sex offense laws. As KTVA first reported, Corey defended himself in a video message shared on Facebook before the election, saying his hands were tied. Corey was elected to the bench in 2014 and the Alaska Judicial Council recommended him, along with every other judge, on the ballot for retention 'We judges must follow the law, even when that produces a result that we strongly dislike,' he said. Corey was elected to the bench in 2014 and the Alaska Judicial Council recommended him, along with every other judge, on the ballot for retention. Since the Council began evaluating judges for retention in 1976, voters have never before rejected a judge recommended for retention. In the wake of Tuesday's vote, Williams thanked voters for making history by unseating Corey 'by a popular consensus.' Her Facebook message then took a conciliatory tone, stating that going forward, she and her supporters will no longer be discussing Corey. 'I believe his family and friends when they tell me he is a great man, husband, and father,' she wrote. 'He deserves privacy and peace during this time. We wish him nothing but the best in his future. 'From here on out, we will be focused on legislative advocacy and holding the department of law accountable for their handling of sex crimes. Voting out a judge was the easy partnow the hard work begins to make lasting change.' Under state law, Corey is prohibited from seeking a judgeship for four years. The Alaska Judicial Council will be in charge of finding a replacement for him - a process that could take up to eight months. Governor-elect Mike Dunleavy, a Republican, will be tasked with appointing one of the nominees presented to him by the Council after public hearings, background checks and interviews. Tunisia is forcing men suspected of being gay to undergo anal tests, a human rights group has claimed. In some cases, officials have also confiscated and searched phones in a bid to put pressure on men to 'confess' to homosexual activity, according to Human Rights Watch. Prosecutors then use the information to pursue even consenting partners for homosexual acts under Tunisia's harsh sodomy laws which can result in jail terms of up to three years, the rights group said. Tunisia is forcing men suspected of being gay to undergo anal tests, a human rights group has claimed (file picture) Activists said they spoke to six men prosecuted in 2017 and 2018 over consensual same-sex conduct under article 230 of the penal code. They said cases involved allegations of mistreatment in police custody, forced confessions and denial of access to legal counsel. Two were prosecuted after going to police to report being raped, the claimed. Others said they spent months in prison while three fled from Tunisia and applied for asylum in Europe. One man, a 32-year-old engineer, entered a police station in Monastir in June 2018 to file a complaint of gang rape, and to get an order for a medical examination of his injuries, the rights group said. But instead of treating him as a victim, the police ordered an anal test to determine whether he was 'used to practicing sodomy', Human Rights Watch said. One teenager was arrested three times on sodomy charges and as well as being forced to undergo an anal examination, was subjected to months of 'conversion therapy' at a juvenile detention center, the group claimed. Activists said prosecutors have relied on such examinations to seek 'evidence' of sodomy - despite the checks being 'unreliable', 'cruel' and 'degrading'. The group said Tunisia had accepted recommendations to end forced anal exams during a Universal Periodic Review at the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2017. But Human Rights Watch questioned the credibility of the country's stance and urged Tunisia to abandon the examinations altogether. It also called on government officials to rush through proposed changes in legislation that could see the abolition of article 230. A former police officer accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting two teenage boys has appeared in court charged with abusing two more boys. On Thursday, Garry Edward Burton, 61, appeared in Perth Magistrates Court, where he was charged with 45 offences in relation to sexually abusing two teenage boys, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. It's alleged, the 61-year-old repeatedly sexually assaulted the boys, aged between 14 and 16 years, between 1998 and 2004. A former police officer accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting two teenage boys has appeared in court charged with abusing two more boys (stock image) The man already had 16 offences relating to sexually abusing two other boys between 2008 and 2011 and his recent charges brings it to a total of 61 offences. It's alleged the former police officer sexually penetrated the boys - aged between 11 and 15, indecently assaulted them, and formed ongoing sexual relationships with them. The Perth father, who would have been aged between 41 and 47 at the time of the alleged abuse, wasn't required to enter a plea when the charges were read to him. The only comments made by the 61-year-old was to speak to confirm that he understood the new charges laid against him. Mr Burton was a former traffic officer before he resigned from the WA police in 2017. He was granted bail and is due to reappear in Perth Magistrates Court on December 20. Advertisement Poignant panoramas capture American doughboys heading off to fight in the First World War - from the enlistment centers in Los Angeles to the battlefields of France. American troops were nicknamed doughboys, either because haughty cavalry officers though their shirt buttons looked like fried dough cakes, or because during the Mexican-American war, marching through deserts covered soldiers' coats in dust, making it look like they were made of dough. Over the course of the war - from America's entrance in 1917 until armistice the following year - the US drafted almost 4million doughboys into service, with 2million shipped to France. The conflict turned the American army - which only had 200,000 recruits in 1917 - into a global fighting force. A huge expansion of federal government was necessary to manage the armed forces while the economy was transformed to help support such a large number of troops. Here, a series of panorama pictures captures that transformation, from the enlistment drives back home to farewell parades and the grim realities of life on the front lines. Ready for combat: Nurses, officers and men enlisted into the US Army are seen at Camp MacArthur in Waco, Texas, in the summer of 1918. At this point in the war, just a few months from armistice, the United States was sending 10,000 recruits per day across the Atlantic to fight in Europe. Before the war broke out, the entire army comprised juts 200,000 men New recruits: Enlisted men stand to attention at 'Local Board #17' in Los Angeles on November 11, 1918, the day the war ended. These recruits would not see combat in France, but thousands recruited before them did, swinging the conflict in favor of the Allies and helping to defeat the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy Marching off to war: Residents of Indianapolis gather in Monument Circle to wave off their troops as they head to France. Sergeant Alex Arch of South Bend, Indiana, was credited with firing the first American shot of the war - an artillery shell fired toward German lines - while Corporal James Gresham of Evansville, Indiana, was among the first three Americans to be killed Homecoming: The men of Calumet Company pose in Chilton, Wisconsin, after returning home from France. Despite almost a quarter of the state's population being made up of German or Austrian immigrants, Wisconsin enlisted some of the fiercest fighters of the conflict who were joined with the Michigan National Guard to become the 32nd Division. Such was their prowess in battle, they were nicknamed Les Terribles by the French The cost of war: Soldiers pay their respects at the American cemetery at Suresnes, in France, in 1920, two years after the war came to an end. During a little more than a year of fighting, America lost 110,000 men, though almost half of those were due to an outbreak of Spanish influenza, 30,000 of whom perished before ever reaching France. Of the roughly 2million men who landed on the continent, around half saw active duty, including during the final Hundred Days Offensive Keeping the home fires burning: Mothers whose sons were enlisted in McLennan Company gather in Texas for a Liberty Loan parade in September, 1918. A Liberty Bond or Liberty Loan was a war bond that was sold in the United States to help raise money for the massive economic effort that was required to turn the US into a country capable of fighting a war overseas, compare to on its own borders Taking to the skies: The flying officers of Love Field, in Dallas, pose in front of their aircraft some time in 1918. The First World War was the first conflict in which aircraft were commonly used, first as scouts to spy out enemy positions, then as bombers, and finally with fixed weapons to serve as fighters. The job was exceptionally risky: aircraft were still largely made of wood and light metal and had no ejector seats, meaning pilots were only expected to last a few weeks before being killed Sub killers: The men of the 26th Division return home aboard troopship Mongolia in April 1919. America's entrance into the war was hasty and ill-prepared, so Mongolia started her life as a passenger and cargo liner before being adapted as a transport. She was the first ship to test the German submarine wall surrounding Britain, and used three hastily-fitted deck guns to drive off and sink the U-boat near Beachy Head. It marked the first American naval encounter of the war, and the first time US troops sank a U-boat Present and correct: Major General Harry C Hale (third right), commander of the 84th Division, is seen at Camp Zachary Taylor in Kentucky alongside his division staff and accompanying French officers in 1917. Hale was already a season veteran when America joined the First World War, having served in the Indian Wars, Spanish-American War, Philippine Insurrection, Mexican Border troubles, and China prior to the declaration of war on Germany The war effort: Soldiers gather at St. Helena Training Station in Norfolk, Virginia, to sell Liberty Loans and support the ear effort. Raising an army capable of competing with the largest in Europe required a huge expansion of federal government - with 1million new employees brought on board - as well as a drastic refocusing of the economy towards the production of food and munitions needed to fight Sail away: The officers and crew of the USS Mount Vernon are pictured in October 1918. Like many American transports used during the war, the Vernon did not start off its life in the military, and was in fact not even an American boat. Vernon took to the waves as a German ocean liner called the SS Kronprinzessin Cecilie in 1906 before being interned by the US in 1914 after making a transatlantic crossing from Bremen to New York. When the US joined the war in 1917, she was turned into a transport In Flanders fields the poppies blow: A poignant image taken in 1919, a year after the war ended, shows the area known as Flanders Fields, which straddled Belgium and France. This area bore witness to some of the most brutal battles of the war, including the Second Battle of Ypres and the Battle of Passchendaele. The slaughter and destruction also provided the inspiration for poem In Flanders Fields, by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae The effects of war: The huge military hospital is seen at Camp Dodge, in Iowa. The war transformed rural Iowa, with this camp - located just outside of Des Moines - being the most visible example. Thousands of troops from across the country were brought here to train, including some of the first African American officers. The war also brought riches to Iowa because farmers could fetch a high price for their crops thanks to demand generated by the army Transformation: This is Camp Custer, located 120 miles outside Detroit, Michigan, and was one of 16 bases around the US used to train troops for the First World War. The cam did not exist prior to the start of the conflict and was erected in little more than five months. By the time the conflict ended, more than 100,000 troops had passed through here Advertisement Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 85, fell and cracked three of her ribs Wednesday and went to hospital after experiencing 'discomfort' Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was hospitalized after a fall in her office that led her to fracture three of her ribs, it was announced Thursday. The 85-year old was admitted 'for observation and treatment' after the Wednesday fall, according to a statement put out by the Supreme Court. The court says the justice went to George Washington University Hospital in Washington early Thursday after experiencing discomfort overnight. The court says the fall occurred Wednesday evening. The hospital treatment meant that she was not present as President Trump went to the high court Thursday for the formal swearing in ceremony for Justice Brett Kavanaugh. He took the First Lady Melania Trump with him for the trip to the opposite end of Pennsylvania Avenue, where the first couple posed with the rest of the Supreme Court bench and Kavanaugh's wife, Ashley. The inauguration is traditionally attended by all the Supreme Court bench. Also present Thursday was retired justice Anthony Kennedy, whose seat Kavanaugh is taking and for whom the new justice had been a clerk. The ceremony, however, did not feature the tradition of the new justice posing on the steps of the court with Chief Justice John Roberts because of security concerns. Trump's presence underlines his belief that Kavanaugh's confirmation was a huge political boost for him before the midterm elections - despite the firestorm which engulfed the nomination when Kavanaugh was accused of being a rapist. Missing RBG: President Trump and the first lady pose with the rest of the Supreme Court bench who are from left: Associate Justices Neil Gorsuch, Sonia Sotomayor, Stephen Breyer and Clarence Thomas; Chief Justice John Roberts; and Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh with his wife Ashley; Associate Justices Samuel Alito, and Elena Kagan With his man: Donald Trump posed with Brett Kavanaugh in the Justices' Conference Room of the Supreme Court Congratulations: Melania Trump signed a book at the inauguration ceremony for the new associate justice and later tweeted:'Congratulations Justice Kavanaugh. I know you will continue to serve our country with honor' Honored visitor: Retired Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy - who new justice Brett Kavanaugh had clerked for - also posed (far left) for a photograph in the Justices' Conference room with the First Couple and from left: Associate Justices Neil Gorsuch, Sonia Sotomayor, Stephen Breyer and Clarence Thomas; Chief Justice John Roberts; and Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh with his wife Ashley; Associate Justices Samuel Alito, and Elena Kagan New intake: Chief Justice John Roberts welcomes Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court at his formal inauguration The electrifying Senate testimony of both Kavanaugh and the woman who accused him of rape, Christine Blasey Ford, was followed by a divisive Senate vote, with only one red-state Democrat, Joe Manchin, voting for the Trump nominee. Two other red state Democrats who voted against Kavanaugh - Claire McCaskill and Joe Donnelly - lost their Senate seats in Tuesday's elections and one other, Jon Tester, managed to hang on by the tightest of margins. However Bader Ginsburg's tumble, and Trump's visit, came amid a new drama: what Democrats have labeled a constitutional crisis Wednesday, after President Donald Trump forced out his attorney general Jeff Sessions, in a move that changed oversight of the Russia probe. Her fall came on a day Democrats called the beginning of a constitutional crisis as Trump pushed out his attorney general Jeff Sessions. Ginsburg was admitted to the hospital for treatment and observation after tests showed she fractured three ribs. They are located on her left side. She broke two ribs in a fall in 2012. She has had two prior bouts with cancer and had a stent implanted to open a blocked artery in 2014. She has assumed a more prominent place in the public consciousness than typical justices, and is the subject of a new biopic, RBG, which depicts her struggles over women's rights as a young lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union. On his way to court: Donald and Melania Trump took the Beast from the White House to the home of the third branch of government Back again: Donald Trump met with Lindsey Graham on the South Lawn of the White House when he returned from the Supreme Court Ceremony: The Supreme Court was the venue for Brett Kavanaugh's formal inauguration as associate justice Security: Protesters were a no-show but Brett Kavanaugh but there was a heavy police presence as a precaution On his way: Donald Trump's motorcade heads for the Supreme Court to mark Brett Kavanaugh's inauguration Although there is no information that her fall posed a serious long-term medical issue, court-watchers including the president himself have noted that he may get the chance to fill additional vacancies during his term. Trump has called the confirmation of Justice Neil Gorsuch one of his top accomplishments, and has said the brutal confirmation fight for Brett Kavanaugh motivated the GOP base. Trump has said he might be able to install multiple conservatives on the court, and the issue of conservative judges have been an important bonding agent between Trump and the Republican Party he has essentially taken over. Ginsburg is part of the out-voted minority liberal wing on the court. With Kavanaugh's installation, conservatives have been able to assemble what is likely to play out as a 5-4 majority, following the retirement of swing vote Anthony Kennedy. Trump speculated openly about replacing multiple justices during a South Lawn interview following the Kavanaugh confirmation when asked how many more he might get on the bench. 'A lot of theories on that.It could be three. Under one theory, it could be four. And then some people could say two could happen,' Trump said. 'So, you know, it could anywhere be from, I would say, one or two, to four additional. So well see.' 'You know what? I hope everyone remains healthy. Im very happy the way it is right now. And we put a great man, and I think going to be a great Justice on the court. But, you know, its a guessing game. You dont know,' Trump said. She said in July she expects to serve on the court at least five more years, the Washington Post reported. Just minutes before one of Australia's deadliest attacks, a police officer sent a desperate text message, pleading for the accused to not follow through with his plan, a court has heard. As James Gargasoulas, 28, led police on a chase through Melbourne's CBD streets on the morning of January 20, 2017, one detective attempted to coerce him out of making a mistake. 'Don't do this,' Detective Senior Constable Murray Gentner wrote in a text message. Moments later Gargasoulas ploughed his maroon Holden Commodore through pedestrians on Bourke Street during the lunch-time rush, killing six and injuring 27. Scroll down for video 'Don't do this': the series of desperate texts a policeman sent to James Gargasoulas (pictured) before six died in Bourke Street rampage have been revealed in court As the trial resumed on Thursday at the Supreme Court in Melbourne, a court heard of the detective's frantic, last-ditch attempts at convincing Gargasoulas to surrender via a 30-minute phone call and a series of text messages. 'James, you have to call me now, bro. We don't have time,' the detective texted. 'Don't be silly, I'll help you fix everything.' Detective Gentner told court that due to building a rapport with Gargasoulas through previous encounters he believed he could negotiate with him. 'You have to call me now,' the detective texted at 1.04pm. At 1.19pm the detective said: 'I'm four metres behind you. Stop.' At 1.20pm he pleaded: 'I'm telling you, you're making a big mistake'. Detective Gentner then sent a series of messages within seconds of each other, pleading for him to stop. 'Stop please. Stop for me,' he texted. Gargasoulas then replied with a series of nonsensical texts, calling himself the 'saviour' and saying he believed the planet was soon going to be destroyed by a comet. Just minutes before Gargasoulas turned onto Bourke Street Detective Gentner replied with a final message. 'Don't do this. Meet me. Stop doing this. Stop.' The detective was then forced to witness the rampage on Bourke Street from inside his police car. Telling the court he initially thought he was just an 'attention seeker' it wasn't until he mounted the sidewalk that he knew they were in a awful situation. Mr Gargasoulas replied with a series of non-sensical texts, calling himself the 'saviour' and saying he believed the planet was soon going to be destroyed by a comet (mock image) 'I recall seeing someone probably go about nine metres in the air. At that point, he was clearly going very, very fast,' he said. 'Certain [victims] stood out to me at the time, and they still do to this day. There was just so many people being hit, but there was ones that were very clearly ... clearly struck.' As well as the text messages, graphic CCTV and other video footage showing Gargasoulas striking pedestrians along Bourke Street was shown by the Director of Public Prosecutions Kerri Judd, QC. There were audible gasps as the footage showed the first of 33 pedestrians was mowed down, followed by flying bodies. 'In a period lasting only about a minute during the busy lunchtime period, the accused left a trail of death and carnage along Bourke Sreet Mall,' Ms Judd said. Detective Senior Constable Murray Gentner (pictured leaving court) believed he could reason with Gargasoulas after building a rapport with him over several previous encounters Gargasoulas (pictured court sketch drawing) showed no emotion in court, occasionally reading a Australian constitutional law book 'He drove under shop awnings, where the number of pedestrians was greater,' she noted. 'Witnesses saw Gargasoulas appear to drive deliberately at people without hesitation and went out of his way to hit a pram containing a baby and toddler,' Ms Judd said. Those killed were three-month-old Zachary Matthew-Bryant, Tahlia Hakin, 10, Yosuke Kanno, 25, Jessica Mudie, 23, and 33-year-olds Matthew Si and Bhavita Patel. Gargasoulas showed no emotion in court as he occasionally read a Australian constitutional law book. Gargasoulas drove a stolen maroon Holden Commodore into Bourke St at lunch-time rush on January 20, 2017, killing six people and injuring 27 He drove under shop awnings, where the number of pedestrians was greater, the court heard The prosecution also highlighted what Gargasoulas did in the days leading up to the attack. On January 17 Gargasoulas told a co-worker that if he were to be chased by police, he would keep driving and start running into people. The very next day he stole the Holden Commodore from Windsor. In the early hours of January 20, he and his brother got into a heated argument at their mother's apartment which led Gargasoulas to attack him with a large knife. Gargasoulas then met up with an associate at the Gatwick Hotel in St Kilda, where he told him that he was going to do something 'drastic', and to 'watch me, you'll see me tonight on the news.' It was also revealed to the court that Gargasoulas was using ice, a drug he regularly used since 2016, the day before the incident. Certain [victims] stood out to me at the time, and they still do to this day. There was just so many people being hit, but there was ones that were very clearly ... clearly struck.' Detective Gentner told the court after witnessing the incident (pictured) Witnesses saw Gargasoulas appear to drive deliberately at people without hesitation and went out of his way to hit a pram containing a baby and toddler Although he told the court that his client was in a drug psychosis, Dr Alexander acknowledged that drug use doesn't amount to a defence for such charges. Gargasoulas was previously deemed fit to stand trial after the court was told of apparent paranoid schizophrenia and 'bizzarre delusions'. During the same hearing, tapes were played to the court that revealing Gargasoulas telling his brother to fake mental illness in order to get a lighter sentence. 'Play on mental health issues or something. F***, be smart,' he was heard telling his brother on the tapes. Gargasoulas is charged with six counts of murder and 27 counts of reckless conduct endangering life. He has pleaded not guilty to all 33 charges. The trial continues on Friday. Advertisement Shoeless children under cracked stained glass. Chatting retirees in vintage bathing suits. Rambunctious teenagers relaxing in a heap on the sand. People of all ages, races, sizes and stations in life. Photographer Harold Feinstein was there to capture the breadth of it, a charismatic presence on the Coney Island boardwalk and beach, an avowed artist who dedicated his life to immortalizing the small beauties in the world and an isolated period of life in New York. A Brooklyn native, Feinstein fell in love with photography as a teenager in the 1940s and, while his pictures and his name may not be familiar to the masses, his life and work provide a snapshot into a bygone era in America. Now a new film is telling his story; Last Stop Coney Island: The Life and Photography of Harold Feinstein premieres next week at DOC NYC film festival. You can photograph the face of someone you love; you can photograph the house in which you live; you can photograph a flower, a landscape or a crack in the wall and I find this utterly and completely thrilling, Feinstein says in the film, which includes archived audio and on-camera interviews with the photographer before his death in 2015. You have to see people through the eyes of someone who loves them, he said in 1989. Scroll down for video Photographer Harold Feinstein was born in Brooklyn in 1931 and became interested in photography through an upstairs neighbor; he began photographing Coney Island in his teens and continued viewing life through a lens until his death in 2015 New documentary Last Stop Coney Island: The Life and Photography of Harold Feinstein, from British director Andy Dunn, premieres next week at the DOC NYC film festival and explores the late Brooklyn photographer's life and pictures, such as this snapshot of children standing outside of a Coney Island church in 1950 The film includes archived audio interviews with the photographer - as well as an in-person discussion before his death with the director; Feinstein says in the documentary: You have to see people through the eyes of someone who loves them' Feinstein said: You can photograph the face of someone you love; you can photograph the house in which you live; you can photograph a flower, a landscape or a crack in the wall and I find this utterly and completely thrilling.' He captured this photograph of a young girl looking out of a Harlem apartment window in 1954 Everyone I met who had worked with him, met him, been a student of his, for instance they were under his spell, says director Andy Dunn, who first became aware of Feinsteins work around 2011 via Twitter. They were struck by his appreciation of life, and it made them appreciate their own lives and the good things they had, the small things in life that are beautiful, more. And they genuinely would be like, This guy changed my life. He awakened me to the beauty thats out there. He adds: I think there is a sort of positive message there about his love of life itself that we could do well to remember that. Feinstein was born in Brooklyn in 1931, the son of a meat wholesaler, and he became interested in photography through an upstairs neighbor before heading out with a camera of his own. I wanted to show life as it was whatever that means but mainly it means people, he says in the film. He had no qualms approaching anyone in the street at a time when cameras were a novelty and a rarity, and his amiability helped him capture cross-sections of society, particularly children from different communities. While Coney Island has long been the playground of photographers for its diversity and energy, Dunn says: Harold was genuinely born there and grew up there his eye was slightly different. He was more among it and he was more of it, so those pictures dont have that kind of take that a street photographer, as we now know them, would have. Theyd be looking for something, whereas he was just letting it wash over him and capturing it. Feinstein says in the film: Coney Island is, and always was and always will be, a treasure island. I feel like I dropped out of my mothers womb [to] the sound of kids screaming on the Cyclone and of course, when I began photographing, that was the first place I went to. The thing about Coney Island, it wasnt how you get a picture; its how could you avoid it? I mean, there was something happening all over it was a true spectacle of what America was. Feinstein's photographs depict a true cross-section of society, such as this window washer outside of an office building in 1974; he developed an early reputation for his style and darkroom technique, which resulted in this montage This photograph shows beachgoers at Coney Island in 1950; Feinstein said: I feel like I dropped out of my mothers womb in the sound of kids screaming on the Cyclone and of course, when I began photographing, that was the first place I went to' Feinstein said: I wanted to show life as it was whatever that means but mainly it means people;' He took this photograph of a man in a New York diner in 1974 While Coney Island has long been the playground of photographers for its diversity and energy, Dunn says: Harold was genuinely born there and grew up there his eye was slightly different. He was more among it and he was more of it, so those pictures dont have that kind of take that a street photographer, as we now know them, would have. Theyd be looking for something, whereas he was just letting it wash over him and capturing it. Feinstein photographed this pre-teen girl wearing a gingham dress and wide lapel tweed coat with her hand on a railing in New York in 1957; his name and reputation began to fade after he left the city to teach photography in other states Feinstein built up a reputation at an early age for his insightful, stylistic photos and joined the Photo League a cooperative of photographers in New York around the time as the youngest member. He was known as something of a prodigy, with the director of the Museum of Modern Art accepting three of his photos when Feinstein was just 19. His work was featured in a successful exhibition before photography was truly recognized as an accessible art form; he hung out with visionaries such as Salvador Dali; and he was even invited to participate in MoMas prestigious exhibition The Family of Man, a forthright declaration of global solidarity in the decade following World War II, the museum proclaims on its website. Feinstein, however, declined with significant career repercussions. He very much marched to the beat of his own tune and reveled in flouting rules and norms (as well as ignoring day-to-day affairs, such as electricity bills). Even when he was drafted into the Korean War, Feinstein continued to take photographs and carving an unusual path; somehow, he ended up living with a Korean woman despite serving with the US military. Part of my journey in life has been running away from the establishment, just as I suppose running away from home was important and I guess I was fighting against critics, historians, people who tell you what a good painting is, he says in the film. He didnt know what responsibility was at all and he didnt want anything to do with it, because to him, that was being tied down, his friend and former student, David Caras, says in the film. Harold did not want to be tied down at all. He was a hedonist, according to friends and family interviewed in the film; he loved women, alcohol, drugs, photography and life itself. He eventually moved away from New York to teach photography partly to provide financially for his two children and he fell in love with teaching, too. Dunn, after meeting him for the documentary, describes him as this gentle kind of twinkly-eyed old guy, sort of like a cross between, you know, The Dude from The Big Lebowski and Father Christmas. Feinstein ultimately retired to Merrimac, Massachusetts, with his fourth wife, Judith where he continued photographing and producing art. When he was approached by Dunn, he was only too happy to indulge one of the directors ideas: To return to Coney Island, again with a camera, where it all began, Dunn tells DailyMail.com. Sure enough, he just loved the idea, Dunn says. He was like, Yeah, lets go, lets go eat hot dogs on the boardwalk. That was the great sort of experience of meeting him when he was alive that trip there. It was short, but just to see him in that environment genuinely felt like the intervening 75 years since he started photographing there, nothing had changed. His eyes lit up; he was literally kind of dancing with excitement down the boardwalk He was just there soaking it all up and meeting people he wasnt scared to talk to anyone. His wife, at the end of the film, tries to sum up her late husband and the lasting impact of his work, which is now being brought to such a wider audience by the documentary. I think, at the end of the day, anybody and everybody who knew Harold felt touched by who he was as a human being, which is very clearly seen through his art, though his photography, she says. He never really strayed from that ecstatic love affair that he had with life and thats something you want to be around. Thats something you want to find in yourself. Feinstein said: The thing about Coney Island, it wasnt how you get a picture; its how could you avoid it? I mean, there was something happening all over it was a true spectacle of what America was Feinstein is pictured with his camera in Brooklyn in 1949; when filmmaker Dunn met the photographer decades later at his home in Massachusetts, he described him as this gentle kind of twinkly-eyed old guy, sort of like a cross between, you know, The Dude from The Big Lebowski and Father Christmas' Dunn tells DailyMail.com: Everyone I met who had worked with him, met him, been a student of his, for instance they were under his spell. They were struck by his appreciation of life, and it made them appreciate their own lives and the good things they had, the small things in life that are beautiful, more. And they genuinely would be like, This guy changed my life. He awakened me to the beauty thats out there Feinstein took this portrait of his father, a meat wholesaler, reading a Yiddish newspaper in front of the kitchen window in the photographer's childhood home; it was one of Feinstein's earliest pictures Feinstein served during Korea and continued taking photographs such as this picture, depicting a soldier sitting in a Potomac photo booth to have his picture taken in Camp Kilmer, New Jersey in 1952 Feinstein marched to the beat of his own drum - even managing to live with a Korean woman despite serving in the US military; his friend, David Caras, says in the film: He didnt know what responsibility was at all and he didnt want anything to do with it, because to him, that was being tied down. Harold did not want to be tied down at all Feinstein retired to Merrimac, Massachusetts with his fourth wife, Judith, who is interviewed in the film; he agreed to return to Coney Island to take pictures with director Andy Dunn and relished the experience The 12 the victims shot dead in the crowded country music bar in California have now been identified. Sean Adler, 48; Cody Coffman, 22; Blake Dingman, 23; Jake Dunham, 21; Justin Meek, 23; Mark Meza Jr, Daniel Manrique; Kristina Morisette; Telemachus Orfanos, 27; and Noel Sparks were among those killed in the massacre at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks on Wednesday night. Alaina Housley, the 18-year-old niece of 'Sister, Sister' actress Tamera Mowry-Housley and her husband Adam Housley, was also killed. Ventura County Sheriff's Sergeant Ron Helus, who was first on the scene, was killed after being shot multiple times when he exchanged fire with the 28-year-old gunman, Ian David Long. Sergeant on Brink of Retirement Ventura County Sheriff Sgt. Ron Helus was among those killed. He was shot multiple times by the gunman after responding to the first 911 calls and later died in hospital Ron Helus, 54, was set to retire from the Ventura County Sheriff's Department next year after 29 years on the job. He was among the first to respond to calls of a shooting at the Borderline Bar, and was shot multiple times as he and a California Highway Patrol officer exchanged fire with the gunman inside the bar. Helus was speaking to his wife Karen when he received the call about a mass shooting. The last thing he said to her was: 'Hon, I got to go, I love you. I gotta go on a call'. Devoted Son Cody Coffman, 22, was killed in the massacre at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, California on Wednesday night Cody Coffman's father Jason sobbed as he confirmed that authorities had told him on Thursday that his oldest son had died. 'Oh Cody, I love you son,' he said. 'This is a heart I will never get back.' He said he spoke to his son just before he went to the bar Wednesday night. 'The first thing I said was 'Please don't drink and drive.' The last thing I said was 'Son, I love you',' he said. Cody had plans to go into the military and was speaking with U.S. Army recruiters. His father Jason had earlier rushed to the bar after hearing news of the shooting and calls to his son's cellphone went unanswered. He feared the worst when a tracking app on his son's phone indicated the device was still inside the venue. Jason said he was alerted to the shooting when several of Cody's friends started banged on their front door after 1am. 'Some of his girlfriends got out but they didn't know where Cody was,' Jason said. Barman Who Rushed to Save Others Justin Meek, 23, (above) worked at the Borderline Bar as a bouncer and was the organizer of the bar's country music college night, which was taking place when the gunman struck Justin Meek was identified as one of the slain victims by his family and his former college. The 23-year-old, who was a recent graduate of California Lutheran University, worked at the bar where he was killed. Meek is believed to have heroically saved lives as the shooting unfolded, according to university president Chris Kimball. 'Justin was a criminal justice and criminology major who had a passion for doing what was right,' Jenn Zimmerman, Cal Lutheran's veterans coordinator, said in a statement. 'Im not shocked he took action to protect the people at Borderline.' During college, he worked in the school's veteran resource office and often worked with the Veterans Club to plan events and help veteran students. Meek also loved singing in choir and took part in the school's Kingsmen Quartet. He planned to join the US Coast Guard. Las Vegas Shooting Survivor Borderline employee Telemachus Orfanos was also among those confirmed dead. He survived the mass shooting that killed 58 at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas last year Borderline employee Telemachus Orfanos, 27, was also among those confirmed dead. In a cruel twist of fate, Orfanos was a survivor of the Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting massacre in Las Vegas last year. An estimated 50 to 60 survivors of the Las Vegas shooting were at the Borderline Bar on Wednesday - they often met there for mutual support. Orfanos was an Eagle Scout and served in the Navy. His social media indicates he attended the local Thousand Oaks High School and Moorepark College. Niece of Sitcom Actress Alaina Housley, the 18-year-old niece of actress Tamera Mowry-Housley and her husband Adam Housley, died in the shooting Actress Tamera Mowry-Housley and her husband Adam Housley (left) issued a statement saying their hearts were broken following her death 'Sister, Sister' actress Tamera Mowry-Housley and her husband Adam Housley revealed that their 18-year-old niece had also been killed. The couple issued a statement, saying: 'Our hearts are broken'. 'We just learned that our Alaina was one of the victims of last night's shooting at Borderline Bar in Thousand Oaks. 'Alaina was an incredible young woman with so much life ahead of her and we are devastated that her life was cut short in this manner.' Mowry-Housley posted this tribute to her slain niece on Instagram after the shooting The teenager was a freshman at Pepperdine University and had been at the bar with several friends. Her Apple Watch and iPhone showed her location as still inside the bar in the aftermath of the shooting. Her uncle Adam, who is a former Fox News correspondent, had rushed to the hospital at 3.30am in search of his niece after hearing reports of the shooting. 'My gut is saying she's inside the bar, dead. I'm hoping I'm wrong,' Adam had told the LA Times before her dead was confirmed. Two of her friends jumped out of a broken window and ran for safety but say they lost Alaina in the mayhem. They are in hospital being treated for major injuries. Waitress with Bright Smile Kristina Kaylee Morisette, who worked as the cashier at Borderline Bar and Grill, was also confirmed dead in the shooting Kristina Kaylee Morisette, who worked at Borderline Bar and Grill, was also confirmed dead in the shooting. She attended Simi Valley High School. Morisette was reportedly working the cash register at the front of the bar when the gunman stormed in and began shooting. 'The worst things happen to the best people,' a friend wrote on Twitter. She was such a sweet girl and cared for everyone. Churchgoing College Student Noel Sparks, a 21-year-old student at Moorpark College, was also confirmed dead Noel Sparks' final Snapchat post Noel Sparks, a 21-year-old student at Moorpark College, was also confirmed dead. The United Methodist Church in Westlake Village, of which she was a member, posted condolences to her parents on Facebook. Sparks' friends had been in tears throughout the day as they desperately searched for her in the aftermath of the shooting. Her friend Madison Nenkervis posted a tribute to Sparks on Facebook, writing: 'one of the Victims of the shooting was a dear Church friend of my families and Such a sweet Amazing soul.' Nenkervis shared Sparks' chilling final post on Snapchat from shortly before the shooting. It showed the dance floor at Borderline half empty, with the caption 'It's quite [sic] tonight'. Entrepreneurial Bouncer A friend places his hand on a photo of Sean Adler during a vigil at the Rivalry Roasters coffee shop on Thursday. Adler had recently launched the business when he was killed Sean Adler, 48, was working as a bouncer at the Borderline Bar & Grill when he was killed. He was a wrestling coach who had only recently opened a coffee shop in the local area. The married father of two had big dreams for Rivalry Roasters, but stuck with his job working the door at Borderline to ensure he'd be able to support his family. Adler had dreamed of becoming a police officer, and was training with the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department last year when a heart attack forced him to reconsider his career path. He is survived by his wife and two sons, ages 12 and 17. Motorsports Enthusiast Blake Dingman, 21, was identified by his girlfriend as a victim of the mass shooting Blake Dingman, 21, was identified by his girlfriend as a victim of the mass shooting. 'My sweet Blake... my heart is hurting more than words can say. I cannot believe youre gone. I am so grateful for our little infinity and all of our deep talks, cuddles, late nights, and adventures,' she wrote in a tribute. 'I am so incredibly grateful for every moment we spent together. God brought us together for a reason and I will hold our memories in my heart forever. I love you with all of my heart my sweet boy and my angel.' Dingman played high school baseball at Hillcrest Christian School in Thousand Oaks. His Facebook page shows his enthusiasm for motorsports, including monster trucks and racing. Jake Dunham, 21, was also killed Loyal Friend Jake Dunham, 21, was also among those killed in the shooting. He had gone to the bar to play pool with his friends, his father Ken Dunham told NBC Los Angeles. 'I keep calling it but there's no answer,' Ken said. 'It just keeps ringing out... he always answers his phone.' Some published reports said that Dunham was at Borderline with his friend, Blake Dingman, who also was among those killed. Dunham and Dingham were known to be close friends. Marine Veteran Marine veteran Daniel Manrique, 33, was another victim confirmed killed in the shooting Marine veteran Daniel Manrique, 33, was another victim confirmed killed in the shooting. 'He had spent his entire adult life, post military service, helping veterans readjust to civilian life and had just recently accepted a position with Team RWB as the Pacific Regional Program Manager,' family member Gladys Manrique Koscak wrote in a tribute on Facebook. 'I have no doubt that he died a hero, shielding others from gunshots. He will forever be our hero, son, brother, and the best uncle anybody could ever ask for,' she said. Frantic Search for Survivors A shirtless man and two others carry an injured person out of the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, on Wednesday night after a gunman opened fire at 11.20pm A number of parents rushed to the bar and used tracking devices to look up their children's iPhones and iWatches. Many of the devices were still located inside the bar as the parents said they hadn't heard from their loved ones since the shooting happened. There were roughly 100 people inside the bar when the gunman opened fire. Many of those inside were students at Pepperdine University and others are thought to have gone to California Lutheran University - both are Christian schools. The Ventura County Sheriff's office said the victim notification process was 'slow and methodical'. They said they were doing everything possible to notify relatives. EMTs treat a victim from the shooting at Borderline Bar and Grill on Wednesday. In addition to the 12 innocent people who were killed, another 12 at least were injured Authorities said Long was wearing a hood and dressed all in black when he used a smoke bomb and handgun to open fire at the bar. Patrons screamed in fear, shouted 'get down!' and used barstools to smash second-floor windows and jump to safety as gunfire erupted at the bar, a hangout popular with students from nearby California Lutheran University. Authorities said 21 people injured in the shooting had been released from various hospitals by Thursday morning. 'It's a horrific scene in there,' Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said. 'There's blood everywhere.' The gunman, who was a former marine, deployed a smoke device and used a .45-caliber handgun in the attack. He first fired on a person working the door and then appeared to shoot at random at people inside, according to witnesses. The first legal recreational marijuana shops east of Colorado are opening soon in Massachusetts, two years after residents of the state voted to legalize the drug. An existing medical marijuana dispensary in the eclectic town of Northampton is set to open within a matter of days, selling a range of cannabis-infused products to anyone 21. A second store in the small town of Leicester is also expected to open around the same time, according to the AP. Meanwhile, dozens of other retail applicants are still awaiting final licensing approval from state regulators following delays that have frustrated potential businesses and customers alike. Massachusetts' first legal recreational marijuana shops are expected to open in a matter of days, two years after the state voted to legalize the drug. One of the first to open its doors to all adults 12 and over is New England Treatment Access in Northampton (pictured) On Wednesday the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC), gave final authorization for two marijuana testing laboratories to begin operations. The lab approvals - officially called 'commence operations notices' - have been described as a crucial penultimate step before recreation pot sales can begin throughout the state. That's because dispensaries and other marijuana businesses are required to have products independently tested for potency and safety before hitting the market. The notices indicate that the two labs have satisfied the CCC's final conditions for opening, passed inspections, fingerprinted workers, and become established in the states mandatory retail marijuana seed-to-sale tracking system known as Metrc. 'When Massachusetts voters legalized adult-use cannabis, they communicated a desire to purchase products that are safely regulated and properly tested,' CCC executive director Shawn Collins said in a statement Wednesday. 'The Commission has done scrupulous due diligence to make that vision a reality and ensure licensed independent testing labs maximize public health and public safety.' The New England Treatment Access medical cannabis dispensary (pictured) hopes to open its doors to all adults 21+ as soon as its products are tested by the newly-approved laboratories As of this week, three recreational dispensaries in Massachusetts have been granted final licenses. Before receiving 'commence operations' notices they must submit their inventory to labs for testing. Given all the red tape, the CCC has said it could be a week before the stores actually open. As it awaits lab testing, the Northampton dispensary operated by New England Treatment Access is bracing for long lines when the store opens. The store has been working with city officials to avoid any potential public safety issues the high demand may bring. French president Emmanuel Macron sparked outrage yesterday by paying tribute to his country's most infamous Nazi collaborator. The head of state said Philippe Petain was 'a great soldier' during the First World War, and simply made some bad choices during the Second World War. These included supporting the German war effort, and assisting in the Holocaust by allowing thousands of French Jews to be deported to their deaths in concentration camps. Marshal Philippe Petain (left) shakes hands with Adolf Hitler (right) during his visit to Vichy France in October 1940 French President Macron addressing Renault employees at a factory in Maubeuge, northern France on November 8 Speaking during a walkabout in Charleville-Mezieres, in the eastern Ardennes department, Mr Macron said: 'I don't take shortcuts, and I don't hide any page in history. 'Marshal Petain was, during the First World War, also a great soldier. 'There, that's a reality of our country. It's also the case that political life is, like human nature, sometimes more complex than we would like to believe. 'You can be a great soldier in the First World War, and have taken catastrophic choices in the Second.' Paris writer Maxime Cochard led a chorus of outrage on Twitter, writing: 'Macron dares to affirm that Marshal Petain was, during the First World War, also a great soldier.' Referring to those who died under Petain's command, Mr Cochard said: '1.4 million French soldiers sent to the butcher's shop, 300,000 mutilated, 1 million invalides, 600,000 widows, 700,000 orphans... What a beautiful balance sheet indeed!' Ian Brossat, a deputy mayor of Paris dealing with housing, in turn wrote: 'In 1945 the Republic branded Petain as a national shame. It is unthinkable that [President Macron] undertakes to rehabilitate him'. An account named 'Adrenaline', meanwhile wrote: 'Macron will also tell us that Germany between 1939 and 1945 was a very good country'. Marshal Petain was a celebrated First World War hero until he betrayed the values of the French Revolution in supporting the Nazis A portrait of the 'Lion of Verdun' published in the French newspaper L'Illustrationon August 4, 1917 Marshal Petain was initially a hero of the 1914-18 conflict, becoming known as the 'Lion of Verdun' because of his leadership during the bloody battle in eastern France against Imperial Germany. But at the age of 84, he started to work with the Nazis, supporting their war effort against Allied powers including Britain. He was convicted of high treason and sentenced to death after the war, but this was commuted to life in prison before his death in 1951. French nationalist parties, including the far-Right National Rally, formerly National Front, still revere Petain, with founder Jean-Marie Le Pen calling him the 'Son of the Nation.' Some 126 world leaders will be in Paris for the Armistice centenary commemorations at the weekend, with US president Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin both confirmed. Prime Minister Theresa May will meet Mr Macron on the Somme battlefields tomorrow. A 19-year-old US citizen has been sentenced to 30 years in jail for the murder of his pregnant 16-year-old girlfriend during a botched abortion before stuffing her body inside a suitcase in the Dominican Republic. Marlon Martinez was found guilty by a panel of three judges on Wednesday of committing an abortion, voluntary homicide and acts of barbarism in the August 2017 assassination of Emely Peguero, who at the time was five months pregnant. His mother, Marlin Martinez, got a lighter sentence of five years for child abduction and the concealment of a cadaver. The 16-year-old girl was reported missing August 23, 2017 before her body was found stuffed inside a suitcase eight days later on the side of a road near a landfill in the town of La Guama in the province of Espalliat. Emely Peguero was confirmed to be five months pregnant at the time of her death. Tests also showed that her uterus was punctured and she suffered a blunt blow to the head The August 2017 murder of a pregnant 16-year-old Emely Peguero has called for a revision of the Dominican Republic's penal system after the mother of her boyfriend only received a five-year sentence for her role in the shocking crime Marlon and Marlin Martinez appeared before cameras days after Emely Peguero's disappearance and asked her to return before they admitted their involvement in moving Emely Peguero's body Emely Peguero and her fetus were found August 31, 2017 buried in a suitcase (seen above) at the side of a road Tests also showed that Peguero's uterus was punctured. She suffered a blunt blow to the head. During the days following her disappearance, Marlon and Marlin, who previously had a failed mayoral candidacy run, appeared before cameras asking Peguero to return. Dominicans angry about the lenient sentence handed down to Marlin for her role in the murder of her son's pregnant underage girlfriend, have taken to the streets to riot. Crowds formed across San Francisco de Macoris, Cenovi and other surrounding towns moments after judges in the Second Collegiate Tribunal in the province of Duarte sentenced Marlon and Marlin Martinez. Several amateur videos showed people hurling objects at military and national police officers, who responded with tear gas and shots in the air. The protesters set up roadblocks of stacked tires on streets and bridges and lit them on fire. The judges presiding over a case that has sparked calls for a revision of the Dominican Republic's penal system also applied a $200,000 fine to each of the individuals who were found guilty of killing Peguero, who was expecting a baby boy. Dominicans protested Wednesday by setting tires on fire in San Francisco de Macoris Marlin Martinez [pictured center] holds the face of her son Marlon Martinez and plants a kiss on his face after they were found guilty for their roles in the murder girlfriend, Emely Peguero Crowds formed throughout the Dominican Republic and they set objects on fire in the middle of roads and bridges A male runs away from the scene of a fire in San Pedro de Macoris moments after judges handed a 30-year sentence to Marlon Martinez but only ordered his mother Marlin Martinez to serve five years behind bars Emely Peguero's father, Genaro Peguero, and her mother, Adalgisa Polanco, expressed their displeasure at judges' sentencing. According to Listin Diario, Genaro Peguero verbally and physically assaulted Ricardo Reina, one of Marlon's lawyers outside the courthouse. Reina announced he will be filing an appeal for his client, claiming Marlon Martinez's only intention was to carry out an abortion instead of murdering the 16-year-old girl. Jose Hoepelman, the attorney presenting Emely Peguero's family, decried the judges' light sentencing of Marlin. 'The Dominican Republic will continue to be garbage,' he said while storming out of the court. Colombian drug lord Angel Humberto Chavez-Gastelum was on the DEA's most wanted list One of the 30 most wanted drug dealers on the Drug Enforcement Agency's [DEA] radar has been finally arrested while dining at a restaurant in Mexico. On Wednesday, Francisco Domingo Servien, the governor of the state of Queratoro, confirmed the arrest of Colombian drug lord Angel Humberto Chavez-Gastelum, his son Alfonso Chavez and five other accomplices. A team of Mexican federal agents backed by the marines and officers from the local Interpol agency crashed Mochomos, a popular chain restaurant in the city of Santiago de Queretaro on Tuesday night, assisting the DEA wrap up its three-year investigation. According to Noticieros Televisa, Chavez-Gastelum is being held at the Altiplano maximum security penitentiary, the same facility from where El Chapo escaped from in July 2015 and where many of the Mexico's most dangerous detained cartel leaders are housed. Chavez-Gastelum was named in a September indictment by the United States Department of Justice in the Central District of California of heading a criminal organization that transported cocaine worth hundreds of millions of dollars from Colombia to Mexico for eventual sale in the United States. Captured drug cartel leader Angel Humberto Chavez-Gastelum was dining at Mochomos, a popular chain restaurant in the city of Santiago de Queretaro when he was arrested Alfonso Chavez was one of the seven men arrested by Mexican authorities, who raided a restaurant in the state of Queretaro on Tuesday night. He is the son of Angel Humberto Chavez-Gastelum U.S. authorities already have in custody Victor Hugo Cuellar-Silva, a Colombian native, who oversaw Chavez-Gastelum's network and was extradited from Colombia on September 17. On that the same day seven other individuals who allegedly distributed the narcotics in California and Massachusetts were also arrested. According to the unsealed indictment, Chavez-Gastelum's network extended its drug trafficking operation to Thailand. During the three-year investigation, law enforcement agents seized nearly 7,700 pounds of cocaine, with a potential U.S. street value of $500 million. One forfeiture removed 1,329 kilos of coke from a plane that crashed into the Caribbean sea after departing Venezuela. A separate operation found 833 kilograms of cocaine floating off the coast of Tumaco, Colombia. More than 700 kilos of cocaine and over 30 kilos of methamphetamine were also removed from a house in Tijuana, Mexico. 'Chavez-Gastelum would face a mandatory life sentence because he is accused of being the principal manager of the enterprise, and the other four would face mandatory minimum sentences of 20 years in federal prison,' according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Central District of California. Chavez-Gastelum's extradition to the U.S. is pending. A Florida therapist who claimed he could cure homosexuals has secretly been soliciting sex with men on gay dating apps. Norman Goldwasser, clinical director of Horizon Psychological Services in Miami Beach, compared homosexuality to OCD and claimed his services could change clients' sexual orientation. But the 46-year-old was revealed to be gay himself after he was found using Manhunt and Gay Bear Nation to hookup with other men. The 46-year-old also used the app Gay Bear Nation to solicit sex from homosexual men He used the pseudonym 'hotnhairy72' and uploaded naked pictures to his profile to attract other gay men. He listed a number of interests including 'dating', 'kissing', 'married men', 'massage' as well as a series of explicit sexual activities. The profile was unearthed by a man claiming to be one of Goldwasser's former 'gay conversion therapy' patients. The ex-patient then contacted Truth Wins Out - a LBGT non-profit - which set up a fake profile with the name 'Brandon' to lure the therapist into meeting in a sting operation. Goldwasser allegedly agreed to meet Brandon at a Fort Lauderdale motel room before he was confronted by Truth Wins Out founder Wayne Besen. Besen said Goldwasser initially tried to deny it was him on the apps. 'I promptly texted the Manhunt screenshot. He then called me and confessed, begging for mercy,' Besen told NBC News. Goldwasser released a statement Tuesday morning via an email to the news outlet. In it, he said: 'The fact that this story and others have been brought to the public is incredibly painful but will become a catalyst for me seeking the right help for myself. 'It is sad that despite the fact that I have been able to help many people over the years who have suffered from the effects of child sexual abuse and sexual addiction, I obviously was unable to help myself. 'There is no justification for my personal behavior and I deeply regret the pain I have caused people in my personal life.' Truth Wins Out is staunchly against 'gay curing' therapies and said Goldwasser was committing fraud by 'misleading clients and adversely affecting their mental health'. The 18-year-old brother of a toddler, who died of brain cancer last month, is in critical condition after he was struck by multiple cars while crossing a street near his Ohio home. Andrew Allen was making his way across Springdale Road when he was critically injured by two vehicles on Monday, according to his father Todd Allen. The teenager was rushed to University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he was placed into a medically induced paralysis, and is heavily sedated. Andrew Allen, the 18-year-old brother of Brody Allen (both pictured), two, who died of brain cancer last month, is in critical condition after he was struck by multiple cars while crossing a street near his Ohio home According to Andrew's father, the teen suffered a 'life-threatening traumatic brain injury, damage to his heart and lungs, multiple compound fractures to both of his legs, and damage to his kidneys' Andrew is the brother of two-year-old Brody Allen, who died in October from a rare brain cancer called embryonal tumor with multilayered rosettes (ETMR). Prognosis is poor, with 5-year survival rates ranging between zero per cent and 30 per cent. The teen's accident comes just two weeks after the Allen family buried their youngest son. Andrew (pictured) also suffered a small laceration to his spleen, a broken shoulder blade, and a dislocated collar bone. Todd said his son is also on a ventilator According to Andrew's father, the teen suffered a 'life-threatening traumatic brain injury, damage to his heart and lungs, multiple compound fractures to both of his legs, and damage to his kidneys'. Andrew also suffered a small laceration to his spleen, a broken shoulder blade, and a dislocated collar bone. Todd said his son is unable to breathe on his own and is on a ventilator. 'He is on round the clock kidney dialysis due to the damage sustained to his kidneys. His heart blood pressure and function have been a serious battle to control since arriving,' Todd said in a heartbreaking Facebook post. According to Andrew's father, Colerain Township police are investigating the incident. Brody lost his battle with a rare brain cancer on October 17. The Allen family held an early Christmas celebration for the toddler before he passed away. Efforts to provide Brody an early Christmas drew national attention in September when two teenagers slashed inflatable yard decorations in the front yard of his family's Colerain Township home outside Cincinnati. Andrew (left, with Brody) is the brother, of two-year-old Brody Allen (right and left), who died last month from a rare brain cancer A few days later, Brody served as grand marshal for a neighborhood Christmas parade on September 23. Brody also received Christmas cards and greetings from around the world. The Allen family is now asking for help covering medical expenses for their son, Andrew, via a GoFundMe account. They are also asking for prayers. 'Please, if your inclined, pray for Andrew's healing and recovery. I don't care what faith, language, religion, or perspective in life you come from,' Todd wrote. 'Your prayers, thoughts and well wishes carried us and more importantly, I believe, gave Brody the strength and a little extra time, to live his last days to the fullest with absolute joy. Please, we need your help again. 'It's unfathomable that I am asking this of you today. Please pray for Andrew and our family. We cannot do this without you. Thank you all so much,' he concluded. Family and friends will hold a prayer for Andrew at 12pm Thursday and Friday. Police are hunting the driver of a BMW who shoved a female traffic cop to the ground because he refused to pay a parking meter fee of just 10 cents. Justino Hernandez had just pulled into a parking space in the historic Mexico City borough of Cuauhtemoc on Monday afternoon when agent Ana Gabriela, 39, approached the driver. She asked if he had paid the parking meter fee after noticing there wasn't a receipt displayed on the car's dashboard. There was a brief back and forth about why the man behind the wheel of the white luxury vehicle had not paid the meter fare. He said he was waiting for someone to meet him at the spot, but officer Gabriela ordered her assistant Rogelio Villa to place a wheel lock clamp on the front left tire. Ana Gabriela, a mother-of-four and 10-year-veteran in the Mexico City police force, lays on the ground after she got into a tussle with a man who refused to pay 10 cents for a parking meter fee Justino Hernandez approaches traffic agent Rogelio Villa to remove a wheel lock from his cars tire and then lifts Villa up on top of the front hood before attempting to flip him over With the lock already in place, Hernandez, who had shown a wad of cash as proof he did not have loose change, moved his vehicle forward and then put it in reverse. The enraged motorist then exited the car and got into a tussle with Villa, removing the lock and tossing it away. Viral video footage captured by the 10-year-veteran cop's bodycam shows Hernandez walking to the left rear end of the car to remove the other lock. He then gets into a fight with Villa as officer Gabriela, a mother-of-four, pleads with the furious man to calm down. A man in a blue t-shirt who appears to be the person the driver was waiting for tells the cop it's her fault because she had provoked the entire incident. In a separate amateur video shared on social media, Hernandez is later seen grabbing at Gabriela and trying to get the clamp off his tire while Villa tries to reapply it. Moments later, Gabriela appears to deliver a blow with her right hand to the Hernandez's left side, but he countered by shoving her to the floor and escaping from the scene. Justino Hernandez shows a wad of cash as proof he did not have loose change to pay for a parking meter The companion of the BMW driver, who assaulted a female cop in Mexico City, accused the injured agent of inciting the unfortunate event Mexico City cops are seeking to arrest the driver of a BMW who assaulted a traffic officer and fled the scene The officer suffered an injury to her left arm and was taken to the hospital and released. According to Imagen Noticias, Hernandez has received 63 infractions since 2016, two which have been paid of. Excelsior also reported that this year alone, the vehicle had been penalized 16 times for occupying lanes exclusively set for aside for public transit and for disobeying other traffic agents. Cadiz (Spain), Nov 08, 2018 (SPS) Sahrawi delegation headed by the Prime Minister, Mohamed Luali Akeik took part at the conference of Municipal Policies in the face of the decolonization of Western Sahara with the presence of Spanish municipalities, parliamentarians and researchers on various aspects related to the question of Western Sahara Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mohamed Luali Akeik has called the attendee to press through all political platforms for the acceleration of the completion of the process of decolonization in Western Sahara. The Association of Families of Saharawi Prisoners and Disappeared (AFAPREDESA), has organized on the sidelines of the said conference an exhibition in which his president, Abdsalam Omar has where briefed on the participant on the oppressive practices against our people in the occupied territories, highlighting the crucial role played by International observers in revealing the situation of human rights in the occupied parts of Wetern Sahara. SPS 125/090/TRA Former preacher Clinton Don Simpson, who was accused of molesting 12 children at his miniature train track, has been killed in prison. He was 76 years old A Texas preacher accused of molesting 12 children at his miniature train track has been killed in prison, authorities have revealed. Clinton Don Simpson, 76, died from blunt force injuries to his head at the Tarrant County Jail in Fort Worth on Wednesday morning. He was pronounced dead at 3.09am at John Peter Smith Hospital. His death has been ruled a homicide and another inmate is accused of killing him. The Texas Ranger Division is investigating. Simpson turned himself in to police in 2007 after he was accused of molesting 11 girls and one boy at the miniature train track station he ran in his backyard. Simpson spent 10 years in state hospitals because he was found incompetent to stand trail. He was only recently found competent and returned to Tarrant County Jail. He was meant to undergo independent evaluations and a competency hearing because his defense attorney claimed he was still incompetent, according to the Star-Telegram. Simpson faced 10 counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child, one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and two counts of indecency by fondling. Following his arrest, Simpson - who had preached part-time for Haslet Church of Christ - confessed to police that he had sexually assaulted the 12 children. Simpson owned and often hosted children's parties at 'Mr Don's Whistle Stop', the miniature train station and track that he built and operated from his backyard. The miniature train traveled on more than 1,000ft of track and included an 'above ground tunnel' and a '200ft long bridge', according to his old website. Simpson, 76, died from blunt force injuries to his head at the Tarrant County Jail (pictured) in Fort Worth on Wednesday morning. His death has been ruled a homicide Authorities began investigating Simpson after parents claimed he assaulted their three-year-old daughter when she rode on the train with him at a birthday party. A number of parents then came forward and reported the possibility that Simpson had 'inappropriately touched' their 'preschool-age' daughters, the Star-Telegram reported. Police received more than 200 calls from concerned parents within a week after Simpson's arrest. Parents of two of Simpson's victims filed a civil lawsuit against him in 2007, but it was dropped a year later because he was found incompetent to stand trial in the criminal cases. The parents said they had become friends with Simpson and his wife Mary in October 2006 and that the couple encouraged them to come to Mr Don's Whistle Stop. For the span of a year, the parents took their daughters to the train track. After Simpson was arrested, they learned their daughters had been sexually assaulted and that Simpson had also exposed himself to them. The parents alleged in the lawsuit that they discovered Simpson had also 'engaged in similar sexual behavior' with children in the 1980s. They claimed Mary, a leader in church and a teacher at a local school, knew about it. Simpson was initially placed on house arrest, but was hospitalized in 2009. His last court hearing had been in 2014. Kellyanne Conway said Thursday morning that the White House was right to cancel CNN correspondent Jim Acosta's press credentials on Wednesday, casting his tense but momentary physical contact with a White House intern as a male-on-female threat. Acosta found himself without access to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue following a contentious press conference that included a heated shouting match with Trump and a near-tussle over the White House's microphone as he pushed the intern's arm away. In a 'Fox & Friends' interview, Conway described it as 'a rough moment for the young aide' and cast Acosta as a chauvinist villain for stopping the young woman from taking the microphone back once President Donald Trump said he was finished answering the reporter's questions. 'The reporter from NBC was already standing, getting ready to ask his question, and she was just doing her job, which was to reclaim the microphone that belongs to the federal government,' Conway said. 'Obviously I don't think anybody should have any young woman, particularly should have somebody swiping away them and grabbing the microphone back.' Kellyanne Conway, a senior adviser to President Donald Trump, said Thursday that the White House was right to cancel a CNN reporter's press pass following a brief and incidentally physical confrontation over a microphone during a presidential press conference Conway framed the incident as a male-on-female moment and lumped it in with threats she and other pro-Trump women have faced Acosta wrestled with an unnamed White House intern who tried to take the White House's mic from him on Wednesday after the president decided he was done answering CNN's questions Acosta's defenders urged people to look at video of the interaction, saying it proves White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders was incorrect to say he 'placed his hands' on the female intern; the video shows the intern reaching for the mic and Acosta's left hand pushing her left arm down as he grips it During a Fox Business Network appearance on Wednesday evening, she laid out the controversy as a #MeToo moment. 'You dont put your hands on a woman. I think we all had to hear that recently in some other context, and Im not sure that hes apologized to that young woman but she certainly is owed one, Conway said. On Thursday she re-framed the moment, replayed millions of times on social media videos, as part of a culture of harassment that Trump aides deal with on a regular basis. She blamed Democrats and the media for a 'red-hot tone' that has put some female Trump backers in dangerous positions. 'I've been physically touched by people. I've been yelled at, my kids have been threatened,' she said. 'Tucker Carlson ... had a mob show up at his house last night. His wife was hiding in a pantry!' 'Let's talk about red-hot rhetoric,' she said. 'I'll stand here all day long in my four-inch heels and talk about it if you want to, but I will not let it be cast as one-sided and the president's fault.' Acosta shot a hasty cell phone video of a uniformed Secret Service officer denying him entry to the White House and revoking his press pass on Wednesday evening President Donald Trump and Acosta got into a heated verbal back-and-forth during Wednesday's post-election press conference Sarah Sanders shared a re-cut video on Twitter that was originally posted by an InfoWars host=, opening herself up to criticism over the footage's alterations Conway didn't mention Acosta by name but drew a contrast between journalists who 'try to do their job by getting the story' and others who 'try to get the president.' 'Some people like to grandstand and be part of the story,' she complained, claiming that other correspondents secretly agree with her: 'Maybe they're not going to come forward and say that, but they say that.' Acosta tweeted Thursday morning: 'Dont believe the lies coming from the WH. Believe in our freedoms. Thank you all for your support. We wont back down.' Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio responded by blasting him on Twitter even while suggesting that the White House overreacted. 'I dont think they should revoke his WH pass. Revoking press access for being rude is a very slippery slope,' Rubio wrote. 'But the WH pass is to cover the news,not make yourself the news. This tweet & his behavior is what you expect from an activist,not a journalist.' CNN has cast the White House's reaction as an over-reaching attack on the First Amendment. Conway pointed out that Trump 'answered 68 questions from 35 different reporters over the span of 90 minutes' on Wednesday. 'That's pro-press, that's transparent, that's accountability. A uniformed Secret Service officer denied Acosta entry to the White House grounds Wednesday evening and revoked his 'hard pass,' the long-term credential issued to regular members of the White House press corps. Acosta's tense exchange with Trump wasn't his first; the president has slammed him publicly before, and considers much of what CNN airs 'fake news' Sanders stunned Washington by announcing Wednesday evening that Acosta was persona non grata at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue; CNN can still send other reporters to cover the White House 'Ive just been denied entrance to the WH. Secret Service just informed me I cannot enter the WH grounds for my 8pm hit,' Acosta tweeted before sharing a cell phone video of the officer taking his pass away. In a statement, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said that Acosta's hard pass had been suspended 'until further notice.' Acosta appeared on 'Anderson Cooper 360,' calling the tension 'a test for all of us. I do think they're trying to shut us down to some extent.' He also insisted that White House press secretary Sarah sanders was wrong to claim video captured him 'placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job.' 'The fact that CNN is proud of the way their employee behaved is not only disgusting, its an example of their outrageous disregard for everyone, including young women, who work in this Administration,' sanders said in a statement Wednesday night. Acosta tweeted that her claim was 'a lie.' 'I didn't put my hands on her or touch her as theyre alleging. It's unfortunate the White House is saying this... I think I handled myself professionally,' Acosta told Cooper. 'Put the mic down,' Trump told Acosta as the female intern (left) tried to take it back from him CNN flatly accused Sanders in a statement of lying about the nature of the confrontation between Acosta and the unnamed female intern. 'She provided fraudulent accusations and and cited an incident that never happened,' the network said. 'This unprecedented decision is a threat to our democracy and the country deserves better. Jim Acosta has our full support.' The White House Correspondents Association issued a statement condemning the Trump administration for confiscating Acosta's hard pass. 'Revoking access to the White House complex is a reaction out of line to the purported offense and is unacceptable,' the group said. 'We urge the White House to immediately reverse this weak and misguided action.' 'We encourage anyone with doubts that this reaction was disproportionate to the perceived offense to view the video of the events from earlier today.' Acosta's shouting match with Trump came as he was asking the president a lengthy question about the Central American migrant caravan, arguing that Trump should not have called it an 'invasion.' 'That's enough!' Trump boomed as Acosta tried to pivot to a question about Special Counsel Robret Mueller's Russia investigation. 'CNN should be ashamed of itself having you work for them. You are a rude terrible person. You shouldn't be working for CNN,' the president told Acosta as the intern tried to reclaim the mic. 'When you report fake news, which CNN does a lot, you are the enemy of the people,' he told him, later quipping: 'I think you should let me run the country and you run CNN. If you did it well your ratings would be much better.' NBC correspondent Peter Alexander got the next question, and leapt to advocate for Acosta following the jaw-dropping exchange. 'In Jim's defense, I've traveled with him and watched him. He's a diligent reporter who busts his butt,' Alexander said. 'Well, I'm not a fan of yours either,' Trump replied. 'You aren't the best.' A shop has been forced to remove Union Jack labels from Harris Tweed products after furious Scots complained about them being labelled British. Harris Tweed has been spun, dyed and handwoven by islanders in the Outer Hebrides for more than 150 years. The famous Scottish cloth is protected by the Harris Tweed Authority and trademarked with a small orb symbol for authenticity. But Scots were left fuming when they noticed its products being sold with Union Jack labels marked 'British tweed' at a shop called House of Aran in Inverness. Shoppers shared the faux pas on social media, where the debate caught the attention of the HTA, which called for the shop to take the labels off. Scottish shoppers were left fuming when they spotted traditional Harris Tweed being sold with Union Jack 'British tweed' labels at a shop in Inverness Harris Tweed has been spun, dyed and handwoven by islanders in the Outer Hebrides for more than 150 years Shoppers shared the faux pas on social media, where the debate caught the attention of the HTA Twitter user @KilaulayBeach wrote: 'Imagine 'Champagne' relabelled 'French Sparkling Wine'. Do not allow this!' The HTA, which was set up to safeguard the standard and reputation of Harris Tweed, has insisted the labels were added by the shop and not made by them. One person wrote on Twitter: 'You should be angered by this ridiculous additional label stating 'British Tweed' which is both provocative and offensive.' What is Harris Tweed and where is it made? Harris Tweed is a tweed cloth made from virgin wool and produced in the Scottish Outer Hebrides. It has been spun, dyed and woven on the islands of Lewis, Harris, Uis and Barra for centuries, but hit the mainstream market in 1846 after being commissioned by a wealthy aristocrat. It is made with pure virgin wool sheared from Cheviot and Scottish Blackface sheep on the Scottish isles and mainland. A special weaving process with multiple yarns makes the cloth unique. After a surge in demand for Harris Tweed in the early twentieth century, the Harris Tweed Authority was formed to ensure authenticity and high standards. All products are marked with a trademark orb symbol and today, every 50 metres of the cloth is checked by a HTA inspector before being stamped. It is only spun at three mills at Stornoway, Carloway and Shawbost, but sold across Scotland and the rest of the world. Advertisement Another person added: 'You must take legal action to protect not only your branding but the integrity of your authority.' A Twitter user wrote: 'Hand Woven in the Outer Hebrides of Great Britain.' 'Imagine if that's what it said on the label. Lewis and Harris would be in uproar! And so would everybody else...'. One more furious commentator added: 'Seems that, by allowing the placement of Union Jack labels on Harris Tweed goods, you are failing in your remit to protect the Harris Tweed industry on behalf of the people of the Outer Hebrides.' In a statement, the HTA said the labels had now been removed by the 'independent retailer or manufacturer' selling the products. A spokesman for the HTA said: 'We've noticed, over the past 24 hours, a lot of reaction, and disappointment, to the labelling of certain Harris Tweed products with a Union Jack swing tag. 'The Union Jack and any other labelling on a product using Harris Tweed fabric is branding added by an independent retailer or manufacturer who has bought Harris Tweed and manufactured it into finished goods. 'Sadly, uninformed or misunderstood comments, re-shares and retweets are, in today's world, damaging to any brand, but perhaps are more so to our brand.' They added on TwitterL 'The union jack & any other labelling on a product made using HT fabric is branding ADDED by an independent retailer or manufacturer who has bought HT & manufactured it into finished goods. 'The union jack labels/tags were NOT produced by us, or by any of the HT mills.' The luxury textile was originally created on the Scottish islands of Lewis, Harris, Uis and Barra, and hit the mainstream market in 1846 after a commission by a wealthy aristocrat. It is sold across Scotland and the rest of the world, but is only authentic when produced at one of the three Harris Tweed mills. Another Twitter user demanded a response from the HTA, which called for the removal of the tags A 65-year-old broke his leg when he toppled an anti-fascist monument onto himself as he tried to shove it to the ground in Split, Croatia. Authorities confirmed they had apprehended the man who was taken to hospital for surgery, according to the Guardian. Centrist politician Kreso Beljak said on Twitter: 'Rade Koncar breaks the legs of fascists 76 years after they shot him.' The local police said it was an act of 'savage vandalism.' A pedestrian walks past the toppled statue of anti-fascist martyr Rade Koncar yesterday in Split, Croatia The statue standing intact before it was attacked in an act of 'savage vandalism' by the 65-year-old who is now in hospital Rade Koncar was executed alongside fellow communists by Italian fascists in May 1942 Rade Koncar was a Yugoslav resistance fighter against Croatia's fascist rule during the early part of the Second World War. Koncar was ambushed by anti-communists at his apartment in Split in November 1941. He was passed on to Italian authorities who held a brief trial before executing him at age 31 by firing squad alongside his fellow communists in May 1942. There are several monuments of the Yugoslav hero and he is held up as a symbol against the Ustasha - Croatia's former pro-Nazi regime. The Ustasha sought to ethnically cleanse Yugoslavia and set up concentration camps where thousands of Serbs, Jews, Roma and dissidents were murdered. Their ideology was based on fascism, Roman Catholicism and Croatian nationalism. A rare and original message delivered to British troops ordering a ceasefire at the end of the First World War has been unearthed and is to go under the hammer. As the country prepares to mark Remembrance Sunday this weekend 100 years after the Great War drew to a close the browned old piece of paper shows the precise instructions given to troops. It was given to the 59th division in France to order the ceasefire at 11am on November 11, 1918, by Corporal George Charles Goulding. The browned old piece of paper (pictured) shows the precise instructions given to troops for Armistice Day Charlie, as he was known, served in the Signals Section in France and was sent on his motorbike to deliver the important order to end hostilities. It will be sold alongside Charlie's First World War British War Medal and Victory Medal, wartime photos and a tin containing pictures of his wife, Mary known as Minn - who served in the Dublin Red Cross. It will go under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers in Etwall, Derbyshire. A postcode from Charlie to Minn from France read: 'Fondest love for my own darling. XXXXXX. Charlie.' The note (right) was given to the 59th division in France to order the ceasefire at 11am on November 11, 1918, by Corporal George Charles Goulding (left, during the war, in a photo that will be included in the auction lot) Charlie, as he was known, served in the Signals Section in France and was sent on his motorbike to deliver the important order to end hostilities. He is seen during the war The collection of wartime memorabilia will be auctioned on November 22 with an estimate of 50-100. Adrian Stevenson, militaria expert at Hansons, near Derby, said: 'This is a very rare item. Corporal Goulding served in the Signals Section as a despatch rider. 'The message, which was due to be delivered at 9am on November 11, 1918 was labelled "Priority".' What the note says Hostilities will cease at 1100 today Nov. 11. Troops will stand fast in present positions. 178th Brigade will continue to hold outpost position until units of 74th Div. have established line further east and in front of them. Touch will be gained with flanking formations. Line to be reported to DHQ. Precautions will be preserved and there will be no communication with the enemy. Advertisement The 'A Form Messages and Signals' note reads: 'Hostilities will cease at 1100 today Nov. 11. Troops will stand fast in present positions. 178th Brigade will continue to hold outpost position until units of 74th Div. have established line further east and in front of them. 'Touch will be gained with flanking formations. Line to be reported to DHQ. Precautions will be preserved and there will be no communication with the enemy' Mr Stevenson said: 'There would have been many messages like this sent out to British divisions in France on November 11, 1918 but, of course, not many will have survived for a century. 'Who knows how our soldiers must have felt when they received this message after four years of bloody conflict shocked and stunned rather than elated, perhaps. 'The toll of the First World War was immense, not just in terms of lives lost. Many men came back with horrific injuries, shell shock and psychological damage which blighted the rest of their lives.' These wartime photos of Charlie (pictured) will also be on sale alongside the historic note Charlie's First World War British War Medal and Victory Medal, which will also be auctioned The vendor of the wartime memorabilia, who wished to remain anonymous, said: 'Charles was my late husband's grandfather. He was from Porthill, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire. 'He was stationed in Dublin for a time, where he met Mary, or Minn. She was a Roman Catholic girl and marrying an English soldier did not go down well with her family. 'After the war he became a mining engineer and settled in Audley, near Newcastle-under-Lyme. He married Minn in 1920. Sadly, Charles died at the age of 52 due to a severe asthma attack. My husband inherited the items. 'I often wonder how Charlie came to keep the message. I think he must have handed it to the officer in charge, who read it swiftly then, unthinkingly gave it back to him. Such was the enormity of the moment.' The items will be sold on November 22, 2018, in a Medals and Militaria Auction at Hansons Auctioneers, Heage Lane, Etwall, Derbyshire. The auctioneers are also selling pictures of Charlie's wife, Mary known as Minn - who served in the Dublin Red Cross. It is not known when these were taken The wife of a slain Missouri Ku Klux Klan leader has confessed to his murder, after initially claiming her son was the one who pulled the trigger. Malissa Ancona, 45, and her 25-year-old son, Paul Edward Jinkerson Jr, face first-degree murder charges in the February 2017 death of Frank Ancona, who called himself an 'imperial wizard' of the Ku Klux Klan. Ancona last year agreed to testify against her son, whom she originally blamed in the shooting, saying Jinkerson killed his stepfather because he wanted to divorce Malissa. Mother's confession: Malissa Ancona, 45 (left), has confessed to killing her husband, telling a judge in a letter that her son, Paul Jinkerson (right), was not the one who pulled the trigger Malissa and Frank got married in 2010 (pictured together) and she was supportive of his role as the 'Imperial Wizard' of the KKK in their Missouri community But in a September 26 letter to Judge Wendy Wexler Horn, Malissa Ancona said: 'My son is innocent...he did not pull the trigger (I DID),' reported the St Louis Post-Dispatch. Ancona argued that she was 'under the influence' when she told police that her son shot her 51-year-old husband with a handgun, and claimed she had no recollections from the night of Frank's death. The man's body was found dumped beside the Big River close to Belgrade, 70 miles south of St. Louis. The next hearing in Ancona's case is set for April. Jinkerson's trial starts in May. Jinkerson's defense lawyer Eric Barnhart told the paper Ancona had been offered a plea deal in exchange for a truthful testimony. According to Barnhart, Ancona told him that prosecutors said they would downgrade her first-degree murder charge to second-degree murder and cap her sentence at 20 years, if convicted. Malissa initially told police her son killed Frank as he slept because her husband wanted to divorce her Ancona (pictured in his regalia) gained notoriety as the leader of the Traditionalist American Knights, an extreme KKK-faction described as a hate group In addition to the murder counts, the mother and son also face additional charges of tampering with physical evidence and abandonment of a corpse. Malissa and Frank Ancona got married in 2010. The husband worked as a courier, while the wife earned a living as a seamstress specializing in childrens tutus, reported the Riverfront Times. Ancona gained notoriety as the leader of the Traditionalist American Knights, an extreme KKK-faction described as a hate group. The groups website displayed a photo of Ancona in a white hood and KKK regalia posing in front of a burning cross. He boasted that he had helped triple membership in recent years. He also appeared on MSNBC to defend the use of lethal force against demonstrators protesting against police brutality in Ferguson, Missouri. Malissa supported her husbands involvement in the KKK, and even made hooded robes and patches for the group in her free time. Malissa was supportive of Frank's activities, and even sewed robes for her husband's group But according to the paper, sometime before his death Frank told relatives that he believedMalissa was trying to poison him. Frank was last seen leaving his home, with a packed bag and several guns, on February 8, 2017. He was reported missing on February 10, and his body was discovered by fishermen the following day outside Belgrade. An autopsy revealed Ancona died as result of a gunshot to the head. Following her arrest, Malissa told police her son killed his stepfather as he slept in his bedroom because Frank wanted to divorce her. Charging documents alleged that the mother and son cleaned up the crime scene together in an attempt to destroy blood evidence and then dumped Anconas body near the Big River. Fire officials say elevated levels of carbon monoxide at the Nashville Westin hotel sickened 14 people. The Nashville Fire Department was called to the downtown hotel on Wednesday morning where 14 patients were treated. Photos showed six people being transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. One of the six patients rendered ill by the gas leak treated and taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center is pictured The Nashville Fire Department issued safety guidelines after six people were hospitalized, emphasizing the need for carbon monoxide detectors. This photo shows a patient transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center 'The elevated carbon monoxide levels were isolated to the 3rd floor where the work out and pool areas are located,' the Nashville Fire Department tweeted. Carbon monoxide detectors are not required to be placed on the third floor as there are no guest rooms, according to the Tennessean. 'Following appropriate safety protocol, guests on the third and fourth floors were evacuated. At this time, the defective heating unit has been isolated and is undergoing testing,' The Westin Nashville said in a statement. The hotel also stated it had resumed normal operations as of Wednesday afternoon. 'We want to thank our partners in fire safety, law enforcement, hospital care and Piedmont Gas for your help and support today to ensure the safety of our guests and staff,' the hotel's general manager Hugh Templeman wrote in a statement. The Nashville Fire Department also stressed the importance of having carbon monoxide detectors in light of the incident, tweeting that 'the gas is invisible, odorless, colorless and deadly.' An 'illegal immigrant' allegedly murdered his roommates as their begged for their lives after they evicted him. Luis Perez, who federal authorities believe is in the US illegally has been charged in the fatal shooting of former roommates Steven Marler, 38, and 23-year-old Aaron Hampton at their Springfield home on November 1. A day later, Perez shot dead Sabrina Starr, 21, whose Missouri home he moved into after his first victims threw him out, according to charging documents. Two other people were wounded but survived. Perez, 23, faces eight other felony counts in the shootings. Police said Luis Perez (left) shot dead Steven Marler, 38, and Aaron Hampton, 23, at their home in Springfield on November 1. Aaron Anderson (right), 19, was also arrested and charged as Perez's accomplice Hampton (left) was shot dead on Thursday. Two other people were wounded but survived. Perez then shot and killed Starr (right) a day later at her house, police said in charging documents Aaron Anderson, 19, told investigators that he was waiting with Starr in an SUV outside Hampton and Marler's home when Perez shot them. He said he was on the phone with Perez at the time and that he could hear the victims 'begging for their lives'. Anderson was charged as an accomplice with two counts of first-degree murder in those killings and three other felonies. Police also said Perez's girlfriend, Dalia Garcia (pictured), arrived on a bus from New Jersey on Friday and helped to burn evidence Police also said Perez's girlfriend, Dalia Garcia, arrived on a bus from New Jersey on Friday and helped to burn evidence. She was charged with tampering with evidence and jailed on $75,000 bond. After the first shootings, Anderson, Perez and Starr drove to Starr's home, and police said she was shot six times there on Friday. A relative found her body the following day. No other details of that killing have been revealed. The probable cause statement doesn't list a motive in any of the shootings, although Perez and Anderson had recently been kicked out of Hampton and Marler's home. A witness identified by the initials K.M. told police Perez said after the shootings that 'they had to go' because 'they knew too much,' court documents say. Springfield police homicide detective Scott Hill said in charging documents that Perez had recently arrived in Springfield from New Jersey, and that his immigration status was in question. 'I checked Luis Perez criminal history and it showed he had active warrants out of the state of New Jersey. The criminal history also showed Perez was not a US citizen. Contact was made with federal authorities who confirmed they would detain Perez if contacted due to him being illegal,' Hill said. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman Shawn Neudauer said in an email that the agency is reviewing its records and plans to issue a statement once that review is complete. Police obtained a warrant to search several Facebook accounts and found messages from Perez after the killings indicating he was trying to trade a handgun. Charging documents say Starr (right) had recently given Perez (left) a stolen gun in exchange for a tattoo, but police haven't said that gun was used in any of the killings. This photo was shared shortly after Starr received the neck tattoo Two Glock 9mm magazines were found in a detached garage of the home where Starr's (right) body was found. Shell casings at her home matched the 9mm shell casings from the home where Hampton (left) and Marler were killed Perez called it a 'dirty' handgun because it 'Got bodies,' the charging documents said. Anderson told police a stolen gun was used in the killings. Charging documents say Starr had recently given Perez a stolen gun in exchange for a tattoo, but police haven't said that gun was used in any of the killings. Two Glock 9mm magazines were found in a detached garage of the home where Starr's body was found. Shell casings at her home matched the 9mm shell casings from the home where the men were killed. Perez and Anderson are jailed without bond in Greene County. No attorneys are listed for them in online court records. This is the incredible moment an extreme athlete from France rode off a 350-metre high cliff on a bicyle - before parachuting down to safety. Vincent Martinod, 24, shed his bike mid-fall and was able to make the descent into the valley in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region by parachute. Using a GoPro camera, biker Mr Martinod recorded his jump over the Alpine village of Magland during October last year. A friend of his also recorded the jump from another angle, showing just how long the daredevil fell before pulling his parachute and gliding back down to the ground. Mr Martinod's GoPro footage begins with him counting down 'trois, deux, un' and rolling over orange leaves towards the edge of the cliff. As he starts to free fall he quickly passes his friend, who is stood with the other camera, and the cliff face can be seen. The loud sound of wind can be heard before Mr Martinod, who use to be a real estate agent in France, pulls his parachute and exclaims with delight that his jump has been a success. After this he cheers and his feet can be seen danging as he continues his decent. For a quick moment Mr Martinod looks behind him to show how far he has fallen already - however there is still a distance to go until he reaches the ground. Vincent Martinod, 24, shed his bike mid-fall and made the descent into the valley in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region by parachute Tiny houses, streets and cars can be seen below Mr Martinod's feet in the valley and it takes more than a minute for the daredevil to land on a stretch of grass. Mr Martinod's friend's footage also reveals the nerve-wracking distance that the Frenchman fell after riding off the cliff on his bike. He manages to hold onto his bike for several seconds after losing contact with the ground and before pulling his parachute. Mr Martinod, who has been jumping for three years and shares his adventures on YouTube, said: 'I was very scared, but mentally I was ready and I have done a lot of jumps, so it wasn't really dangerous. Tiny houses, streets and cars can be seen below Mr Martinod's feet in the valley as he descends to the ground 'The cliff was 350-metres high, but I don't like to call this an extreme sport - it's a serious sport. 'I like it because it's totally free in France and there are no rules to contain this activity. You are alone, just you and your fear and you have to deal with it. 'For me there is nothing more exciting than flying.' Security guards in the Philippines have been banned from wearing Father Christmas outfits. It is common for guards at malls and hotels to dress up around the festive period but police say it poses a security risk. Officials fear the outfits cause confusion for customers and make it easy for gangs to imitate security guards to get away with crime. Bah humbug! Security guards in the Philippines have been banned from wearing Father Christmas outfits A mall in Quezon City was fined 6,000 on Sunday after police caught security officers dressed up as Vatican Swiss guards, reported UNTV. Their guns were confiscated under a rule which says guards cannot carry weapons unless they are in 'the prescribed uniform'. After the incident, Superintendent Jaime Santos of the Philippine National Police told security agencies that guards are not allowed to wear costumes. He said dressing up poses a 'high security risk' because guards 'may be imitated by some groups, or by those who are planning to do some crime.' Mr Stantos said guards' job is to keep people safe not to entertain them. He added: 'When there is an emergency, people will not approach them, thinking they might be just ordinary employees.' PNP-SOSIA, sinita ang isang mall sa QC dahil sa mga gwardyang nakasuot ng costume; security agency, pinagmumulta ng P400,000 : PNP-SOSIA @dzbb pic.twitter.com/812lfyOwl1 Jonathan Andal (@JonathanAndal_) November 8, 2018 Standardbred trainer/driver Wallace W. Wimbrow, 80, passed away at the PRMC on Friday, November 2. Born on December 6, 1937, in Hallwood, Va., Wallace was the son of the late William Garland Wimbrow and Evelyn Lankford Wimbrow. He graduated from Pocomoke High School. He worked for NASA security for ten years and received special recognition for his work there. He then moved to Delaware and was employed by Shellhorn and Hill, Inc. in Wilmington, Del. He met and married Janet Denn in 1983 and they were blessed to have 26 years together until her death in 2009. Wimbrow trained and drove Standardbreds for many years and was a member of the USTA. He drove on the Grand Circuit, as well as at Rosecroft, Harrington and Ocean Downs. He had such a great love for the horses and the sport; he would often go to the races, just to watch the horses. He is survived by his brother, William Geedie (JoEllen); step-daughters, Patsy Hill, Nora Meeds, JoAnne Seaman, Debbie Taylor and Janet Lee Haigh Bivona; and nieces, Wendy (Jeff) Maynor and Anne (Steve) Sparkman. In addition to his wife and parents, he was preceded in death by a son, Wallace W. Jr. in 1991. A Service of Remembrance will be held on Thursday (Nov. 8) at the Holloway Funeral Home in Pocomoke, beginning at 6 p.m. Family will receive friends immediately following the service at the funeral home. Rev. Hodae Kim will officiate. Interment will be at a later date in Gracelawn Memorial Park in New Castle, Del. Memorial contributions may be made to your local SPCA or the Salvation Army. Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Wallace Winbrow. (USTA) Rachelle 'Shelley' Shannon was jailed for more than 30 years for shooting a doctor and sabotaging clinics A pro-life activist who shot a pro-abortion doctor in 1993 and said it was the 'most holy, most righteous' thing she'd ever done has been released from prison after 25 years - putting abortion clinics on high alert. Rachelle 'Shelley' Shannon fired at Wichita physician George Tiller - one of only three doctors nationwide to provide late-term abortions at the time - and committed six firebombings and two acid attacks on clinics in California, Oregon and Nevada in the '90s. Shannon shot Tiller as he drove out of the clinic parking lot, leaving him injured in both arms, during a failed assassination. But 16 years later, in 2009, anti-abortion extremist and copycat, Scott Roeder, shot and killed the physician at his church in Wichita. Roeder testified during his murder trial that he visited Shannon when she was imprisoned in Topeka. After Shannon was arrested for the shooting in 1993, police found a letter she'd written to her daughter describing the shooting and denying that it was wrong. The violent activist (pictured in 1995) fired at Wichita physician George Tiller in 1993 and committed six firebombings and two acid attacks on clinics in California, Oregon and Nevada Assassinated: Wichita physician George Tiller (pictured) was one of only three doctors nationwide to provide late-term abortions. Shannon failed to kill him in 1993 but a copycat was successful 16 years later 'It was the most holy, most righteous thing I've ever done,' she wrote. 'I have no regrets.' The decade of violence that led to George Tiller's death George Tiller was killed in 2009 aged 67 June 1986: Tiller's clinic in Wichita, Kansas, was firebombed while it was being rebuilt August 19, 1993: anti-abortion extremist Rachelle 'Shelley' Shannon shoots Tiller five times as he drives out of the parking lot at his practice. He suffers wounds in both of his arms but still turns up to work the following day May 31, 2009: Tiller was fatally shot in the side of the head by extremist Scott Roeder outside of the Reformation Lutheran Church in Wichita , where Tiller was a guest speaker. Roeder had visited Shannon in prison leading up to the attack Advertisement Investigators later found files on Shannon's computer detailing clinic arsons and acid attacks she had committed. Tiller was one of the most high-profile abortion doctors in the US and had many vocal opponents. One of his more high-profile critics was Fox News anchor Bill O'Reilly - who was accused of waging a war against the physician and contributing to his death. O'Reilly often called him 'Tiller the baby killer' for performing late-term abortions and said repeatedly that he had 'blood on his hands'. Shannon, now 62, was released from a halfway house in Portland, Oregon, where she'd been living since May. She'll be on supervised release for three years, according to the US Bureau of Prisons. Targeted with firebombs and bullets, and lambasted by Bill O'Reilly: Who was Dr George Tiller? George Tiller was an abortion doctor from Wichita, Kansas. He gained notoriety as the director of Women's Health Care Services, one of only three clinics nationwide to provide late-term abortions - up to 27 weeks. The physician - who died aged 67 - was frequently targeted with protest and violence by pro-life groups. After his clinic was firebombed in 1986, he was shot in both arms by Shannon in 1993. He was then shot in the head 16 years later by Roeder, who stood outside his church in Wichita and waited on him. Tiller was discussed in 28 episodes of Fox News in the years leading up to his death, bringing a wave of negative attention to his practice. O'Reilly often called him 'Tiller the baby killer' for performing late-term abortions and said repeatedly that he had 'blood on his hands'. Advertisement But abortion clinics have been taking extra precautions after the bureau said conditions of her release will not be revealed to the public. 'We're extremely concerned,' said Katherine Spillar, executive director of the Feminist Majority Foundation. 'We're alerting providers, briefing them and making sure they have enough security precautions in place.' The Rev. Donald Spitz, an anti-abortion activist who stayed in contact with Shannon, said abortion-rights activists should not be worried about Shannon's release. 'I don't think she'll be doing anything violent,' said Spitz, leader of Pro-Life Virginia and sponsor of the Army of God website. 'Of course, no one knows, but I'd be very surprised.' He said he talked to Shannon on Monday and described her as upbeat about her release but said he didn't know Shannon's plans. Shannon was sentenced to 11 years behind bars for shooting and wounding Tiller, and 20 years for the arson and acid attacks in multiple states. Stephen Peifer, a former assistant US attorney who prosecuted Shannon in Portland in 1995, said Shannon could do something violent herself but it's more likely she would counsel other people to do so. 'She's completely unrehabilitated and totally incorrigible,' Peifer said. 'She has the same mentality and goals that she had when she was convicted.' Julie Burkhart, a former employee of Tiller's and founder of Trust Women Foundation, which operates clinics in Wichita, Oklahoma City and Seattle, said Shannon's release 'raises deep concerns.' 'She tried to murder my boss,' Burkhart said. 'And I absolutely do not believe under any circumstances that Shelley Shannon is reformed. She is still as dangerous today as she was in August of 1993.' Abortion clinics across the country have been taking extra precautions after it was revealed that conditions of her release will not be made public On shooting the abortion doctor in 1993, Shannon said it was the 'most holy, most righteous' thing she's ever done Shannon was an Oregon homemaker when she took a bus to Oklahoma City, where she rented a car and drove to Tiller's clinic in Wichita. The clinic, Women's Health Care Services, was bombed in 1986 and was the focus of Operation Rescue's 46-day 'Summer of Mercy' campaign in 1991 that resulted in more than 2,600 arrests. A man is fighting for his life after he was found 'engulfed in flames' on the street. The victim sustained severe burns after he was spotted outside the YMCA in Peterborough, Cambs, this morning at 8.20am. He was rushed to a nearby hospital before he was airlifted to a specialist burns unit at Chelmsford Hospital. Shazad Ali, 33, used his coat to try and put the fire out. He recalled how he saw the victim's skin blistering due to the intense heat. Police were called to YMCA in Peterborough, Cambs, after a man was seen 'engulfed in flames' on the street Ali also revealed a motorist drove past the inferno but did not stop to help the man. Mr Ali said: 'I was in my car when I saw the man, about 50 metres away. He was covered in flames, head to toe. 'A car drove past, but didn't stop, as they were obviously so shocked. 'I quickly started the car and got to him as fast as I could. He had his back to me but he was engulfed in flames. 'I could see the blisters on his skin - I knew I had to help him. 'I was worried about what had started the fire, and I didn't want to cause more pain - but I knew I had to do something. 'I took my jacket off, and started patting the fire out. It only took about 10-15 seconds, and it worked.' He recalled how a woman helped him set the victim on the floor. Mr Ali said: 'He was not shouting or screaming, but he was awake. 'The lady was talking to him, trying to keep him calm. 'We covered him up to protect him from the elements. Passers by called the emergency services. Mr Ali said he was hoping to visit the man in hospital to find out how he was recovering. A Cambridge Constabulary spokesman said: 'We were called at 8.20am with reports of a man on fire outside YMCA in Wellington Street, Eastgate. 'The circumstances are not fully known at this time. 'The man has suffered severe injuries and was initially taken to Peterborough City Hospital by ambulance, but has since been airlifted to a specialist burns unit in Chelmsford. 'He is in a critical condition.' Chenxue 'Emily' Hong was struck by the Google bus outside her worplace A Google worker was killed when she was hit by a shuttle bus outside the company's headquarters. Chenxue 'Emily' Hong was struck by the Google bus which ferries employees to and from work at around 6.45pm on Monday. Responding officers found the accountant lying in the road outside the 'Googleplex' building and tried to save her life by performing CPR, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. Emily, who was said to be in her 20s, worked as a financial analyst at the tech giant's HQ in Silicon Valley, Mountain View, California. Police said there was no suggestion the driver was intoxicated by drugs or alcohol and the bus was being driven by a human and was not an automated vehicle. The intersection where the accident took place was closed for an investigation until 4am on Tuesday morning, police said. Mountain View Police Department tweeted at 3.50am the following morning: 'It is with a heavy heart that we can confirm this is now a fatal collision. 'Our traffic team is responding to the scene to take over the investigation. The street will remain shut down while our team works to clear the area. Please continue to anticipate traffic delays.' Google officials confirmed yesterday in a statement that the pedestrian killed by a company shuttle was Emily Hong. Mountain View Police Department at the scene of the accident in the early hours of Tuesday morning after Emily was run over Gina Scigliano said Emily was 'beloved by her colleagues' and 'brought an incredible spark to Google'. She added: 'We are devastated to learn of the tragic passing of a member of our Googler family. 'Emily worked in the finance organization and was beloved by her colleagues she brought an incredible spark to Google. She was inquisitive, creative, analytical, positive, generous and kind.' Emily worked as a financial analyst for Google since August 2016, according to her LinkedIn profile. She earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Nanjing University in 2013 before graduating with a master's degree in industrial engineering and operations research from UC Berkeley in 2014. Google outsources its transport services to outside bus companies, but the firm declined to name the shuttle company involved. On December 27 last year a Google bus was involved in a crash that killed motorbiker, Joseph Lopez, outside the Googleplex building. Police in Thailand say they have arrested an HIV-infected Sergeant Major who allegedly blackmailed and raped more than 70 teenage boys. They say they received a complaint that the 43-year-old was using fake social media profiles on Facebook and the gay dating app Blued to snare his victims. The soldier would have them send him nude photos before agreeing to meet the teens. When the boys found out he did not match his online profile, he would blackmail them into sex using their nude photos. Blued is a Chinese gay dating app which Sgt. Maj. Jakkrit Khomsing allegedly used to set his trap As well as the Blued app, Jakkrit is alleged to have used fake Facebook profiles to snare teenage boys before raping them Police said in a statement that they discovered medicine for treating HIV when they arrested Sgt. Maj. Jakkrit Khomsing at his home yesterday in the northeastern province of Khon Kaen. They said tests confirmed he was infected with HIV. So far they have determined that Jakkrit had more than 70 victims between the ages of 13 and 18. 'Even though the suspect is a soldier, this behavior - and I've consulted with army commanders - is a personal issue, not an organizational one,' police Major General Surachate Hakparn said. Authorities are widening their investigation and attempting to contact other victims who have not yet filed charges. Police have so far charged Jakkrit with six offenses of assaulting minors, including rapes, indecent assaults and blackmail. China's state-run press agency has welcomed two additions to its team of journalists - two news presenters powered by artificial intelligence (AI). Dressed in suit and tie, the AI newsreaders can 'learn from live broadcast videos and read texts as naturally as a professional news anchor', according to Xinhua. The digital doppelgangers were modelled after the agency's flesh-and-blood journalists, English-language anchor Zhang Zhao and his Chinese-language counterpart Qiu Hao, and were jointly developed by Xinhua and search engine company Sogou.com. Tell the difference: China's state-run press agency Xinhua unveiled its first AI anchor (right) based on one of its human presenters Qiu Hao (left) The AI anchors were jointly developed by Xinhua and search engine company Sogou.com The two AI anchors were first seen in action at the ongoing 2018 World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, Zhejiang. 'Hello everyone, I am an English Artificial Intelligence Anchor. This is my very first day in Xinhua News Agency,' says the presenter in an introductory video. 'My voice and appearance are modelled on Zhang Zhao, a real anchor with Xinhua,' he continued in a somewhat robotic voice. An AI system has been used to synthesise the presenters' voices, lip movements and expressions based on those of real presenters. 'I will work tirelessly to keep you informed as texts will be typed into my system uninterrupted,' he added. Uncanny: An AI system has been used to synthesise the presenters' voices, lip movements and expressions based on those of real Xinhua presenters The digital doppelganger was modelled after the agency's journalist Zhang Zhao The digital anchors offer certain advantages over humans, Xinhua said. They are available to work 24 hours a day on its official website and various social media platforms. This can reduce news production costs and improve efficiency during breaking news reports. Net users on Chinese micro-blogging site Weibo questioned if these AI anchors would replace human reporters. 'The AI's voice is too stiff, and it has trouble making the right pauses during speech,' one highly-rated comment read. 'Seems like some normal presenters are getting fired,' another user said. 'What's the point of this? I prefer real human presenters,' another said. China has become one of the leading global hubs for AI development in recent years. Several fields such as finance, healthcare, and manufacturing have adopted machine learning systems for commercial uses. Automating workplaces in China with AI could add 0.8 to 1.4 per cent to gross domestic product (GDP) growth annually, depending on the speed of adoption, according to a report by McKinsey Global Institute. A teenager suffered third-degree burns to her arms and hands in a freak accident whilst soaking her acrylic nails when the fumes set alight from a nearby candle. Beauty obsessed Maya Edwards, 19, was soaking her nails in a bowl of acetone on Sunday night, when it suddenly went up in flames. After removing her talons, a nearby candle that Maya had lit mixed with the toxic chemical fumes, setting the bowl alight. In a desperate attempt to stop the blaze spreading, Maya sprinted to the bathroom holding the bowl and threw it into the bath. Maya was seriously injured in the freak accident as her hands caught on fire in a bowl of acetone The nineteen-year-old was soaking her fingers in the polish remover in the same room as a candle Maya Edwards' skin was burned off in the accident at her home in Leicester. The bottle she used warned it was flammable but the candle was not near the bowl, she said Maya had thankfully taken her nails out of the bowl when the flames from the candle at the end of the table mixed with the fumes from the toxic chemical and set fire to the bowl But in a stroke of bad luck, the 19-year-old accidentally set the shower curtain on fire and suffered third degree burns in the horrific incident on Sunday night. Her screams caused her mother Jules Keeling, 45, to run in and see what was going on. Jules, who works in the Breast Care Centre in Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, rushed her daughter to Leicester Royal Infirmary Hospital immediately. Maya, 19, will have to undergo a series of skin grafts after the fire which started in a bowl Now Maya, of Glenfield, Leicester, who works as an admin in an accountancy firm, will be receiving a series of skin grafts on her hands and up her arms later this week. Acetone is a flammable chemical and is a component of many shop nail polish removers. Maya's hands were seriously burned in the fire which started as she took her hands out of a bowl The teenage accountant will have to have time off work as her hands and arms are so badly wounded She said: 'I am in constant pain. 'I am lucky to not have burns covering my face and lucky to not have burnt our home down.' Maya has now shared photographs of her burns on Facebook in order to warn other women about using the chemical commonly used in nail treatments. 'I want to raise the awareness of just how dangerous acetone, that we soak our acrylics off with, in the same room as a candle can be' the caption read. She said: 'Honestly be careful, yes it says flammable - but you don't realise just how flammable it can be, even just from fumes mixing with the heat. 'The bottle does warn you that it is flammable but never did I expect this outcome.' The broken body of a migrant who died trying to cross the Mediterranean for a new life in the West is cleared away by the Spanish coast guard in the latest harrowing image to emerge from southern Europe's deadly shores. The image shows a Spanish civil guard officer pulling the dead body up the beach while a colleague watches on with waves gently rolling up the shore. It was taken near the village of Canos de Meca in southern Spain, where seven bodies were pulled from the water after their boat crashed into rocks. Earlier this week the UN said that more than 2,000 migrants have died so far this year trying to cross the Mediterranean to reach Europe. The lifeless body of a migrant who died trying to cross the Mediterranean for a new life in Spain is pulled from the beach by Spanish coast guard officers at Canos de Meca today At the weekend at least 17 migrants died in the space of 24 hours while trying to cross the sea from North Africa to Spain. Rescuers picked up more than 100 others, the Spanish coast guard announced on Monday. Two rafts were found in the Western Mediterranean between the Iberian peninsula and Morocco and Algeria with 80 people aboard, and 13 dead. The survivors were all transferred to the Spanish enclave of Melilla, which borders Morocco. The coast guard also found four bodies and rescued 22 men in the Atlantic off the southern Spanish city of Cadiz. The men from northern Africa were picked up after the wooden dinghy in which they were travelling hit a reef close to the coast west of the Strait of Gibraltar. Spain has now become the main destination for undocumented migrants and refugees from Africa and the Middle East trying to reach Europe. The Iberian peninsula has become a new target since Italy's populist government launched a crackdown on immigration after taking office in June this year. Italy has repeatedly refused rescue ships entry to its ports and interior minister Matteo Salvini said migrants would only see the country 'on a postcard'. Spain's socialist PM Pedro Sanchez, who also came to power earlier this year, has taken a more liberal approach. The remains of a dinghy lie on the beach near the village of Canos de Meca in southern Spain, where Spain's rescue service said at least 17 people had died heading for Europe Former attorney general Jeff Sessions could make a return to his old powerful Senate post despite being fire from his administration job by President Donald Trump. Two people familiar with his thinking said a Senate run was possible, Politico reported. Sessions was an influential conservative voice in the chamber when he became the most senior elected official to back and guide Trump's campaign. A Sessions aide, Stephen Miller, also became an advisor and regular voice railing against illegal immigration at Trump rallies. President Donald Trump, left, appears with Attorney General Jeff Sessions during the FBI National Academy graduation ceremony in Quantico, Va. in 2017. Sessions could return to power in Washington by running for his old Senate seat in Alabama, two confidants said Trump forced Sessions to resign on Wednesday, in a move that Democrats say triggered a constitutional crisis by effectively transferring oversight of the Russia probe. The probe is now being overseen by Sessions' former chief of staff, Matt Whitaker, a loyalist who has run for office in Iowa and who has been publicly critical of the Mueller probe. The Sessions seat ultimately went to Democrat Doug Jones in a special election after Trump got behind an effort to Judge Roy Moore despite allegations he touched young teens after Moore won the primary against appointed replacement Luther Strange. Trump forced Sessions to resign on Wednesday, in a move that Democrats say triggered a constitutional crisis by effectively transferring oversight of the Russia probe Democratic Sen. Doug Jones is considered vulnerable due to the GOP strength in the state 'Jeff Sessions for Senate in 2020! #alpolitics' tweeted former appointed Sen. Luther Strange. Strange stoked interest in Sessions with a tweet Wednesday afternoon, before Sessions left the Justice Department for the last time as AG. 'Jeff Sessions for Senate in 2020! #alpolitics' tweeted Strange. Jones is considered endangered in the deeply Republican state, having won election in unique circumstances. It is unclear what might unfold in a primary. Sessions, 71, spent two decades there, but it is unclear if Trump would welcome his return after trashing him during his tenure, or whether he would try to intervene in a primary. Trump had backed 'big Luther' Strange in his primary after please by more establishment Republicans , but he got defeated anyway. A police officer accused of raping a 13-year-old girl in the back seat of his car claimed 'she seemed to be enjoying it'. Ian Naude, 30, picked up the teenager from her house while her mother was out after being called to their home over a domestic incident. The father-of-one drove her to a quiet country lane and the pair had sex in the back of his car, while he filmed and took videos, Liverpool Crown Court heard. He told the jury that he asked the girl to 'call him daddy' because: 'It was just a turn on. It got me excited.' The prosecution claim the Cheshire Police officer is a 'committed paedophile' who is 'obsessed' with taking the virginity of teenage girls and had regularly been targeting youngsters on the internet. Ian Naude, 30, is accused of raping a 13-year-old girl in the back seat of his car in October 2017. He told Liverpool Crown Court (pictured) they had sex but it was consensual and he didn't rape her He has already admitted 31 offences relating to grooming young girls by exchanging sexual messages and images with a fake Facebook profile. And he admits the charge of sexual activity with a child in relation to the 13-year-old, but denies rape and sexual assault - claiming it was consensual. Naude, originally from South Africa - who served in Afghanistan as a machine gunner with the Royal Irish Regiment, first met the girl on the job in October 2017. Afterwards, his supervisor warned him the girl had been 'flirty', but he then looked her up on Facebook. Three days later, after exchanging sexual images and messages, he took her out in his car, the jury heard. Naude, of Market Drayton, Shropshire, said: 'I had one hand free and was using that to take photos and videos as we were making out. 'She seemed to be enjoying it. She had her arms around me and she told me she loved me. 'She said 'I have to go' before her mum wonders where she his.' He dropped her near her home then popped into Crewe Police Station, and sent her a selfie asking if she had had a good time, the court heard. A police investigation, started after the teenager reported the alleged assault to her family, discovered it was the 'tip of the iceberg' of Naude's offending. The prosecution claim the Cheshire Police officer is a 'committed paedophile' who is 'obsessed' with taking the virginity of teenage girls and had regularly been targeting youngsters on the internet. Pictured: Liverpool Crown Court Police discovered, while at the end of his Army career and as an 'aspiring policeman', he had targeted other girls by posing as a 15-year-old boy called Jake Green on Facebook. He would persuade his victims to undress and sometimes perform sexual acts on camera before sending them pictures and video of himself performing a sex act. But Naude denied he joined the police in April 2017 after leaving the Army 'to gain the keys to a sweetshop' by meeting vulnerable girls through his job, it is alleged. 'I joined because I wanted to help people. I wanted to make a difference,' he told the court. As well as denying rape and sexual assault, Naude denies four charges of attempting to arrange the commission of a child sex offence and one charge of arranging a child sex offence, relating to five complainants aged between 12 and 15. He told the jury making arrangements to meet was just part of his 'fantasy', and he never intended to actually meet the girls. Naude has pleaded guilty to two counts of engaging in sexual communication with a child, 14 counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, one count of taking indecent photos of a child, four counts of making indecent photos of a child, six counts of causing a child to watch a sexual act, two counts of misconduct in a public office and one count of possessing indecent photos of a child. The trial continues. Two men in their 30s have been arrested after a group of people dressed as Ku Klux Klan members and posed for pictures outside of an Islamic prayer centre. Images circulating on social media purport to show individuals dressed as members of the far-right group in a town close to Belfast last month. The men, aged 33 and 36, were arrested on suspicion of displaying written material to stir up hatred or arouse fear, and on suspicion of possession of a Class C drug. Images show the group taking an intimidating stance with fists raised and arms outstretched The incident happened in the Co Down town of Newtownards on October 27. The group is understood to have posed near an Islamic prayer house. The Police Service of Northern Ireland launched a hate crime investigation into the matter. Superintendent Brian Kee said the pair were arrested in the Newtownards area during planned searches. Strangford Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong described the actions of the group (pictured) as unacceptable He said a number of items were seized and removed for further examination, 'The 33-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of displaying written material to stir up hatred or arouse fear, and on suspicion of possession of a Class C controlled drug,' he said. 'The 36-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of displaying written material to stir up hatred or arouse fear. 'Both men have since been released on bail pending further enquiries. There are no further details at this time.' The incident was roundly condemned by local politicians. Last year, a pig's head was placed outside the same centre in Newtownards. Co-founder of Kenya's Largest Orphanage and School Campus Dies Contact: Sarah Larsen, International Projects Coordinator, Heroes of the Nation , 719-649-9696, sarah@htn.org NYAHURURU, Kenya, Nov. 8, 2018 / Standard Newswire / -- Weston Gitonga, one of East Africa's most dynamic and beloved spiritual leaders, has passed away at age sixty-one. Weston was man of great wisdom and a father to thousands of leaders all over Africa. He was bishop over many churches and co-founder (with Harold Eberle) of twelve Destiny Bible Colleges throughout East Africa. Weston was also co-founder with his beloved wife Violet and friend Andrew Sievright of Heroes of the Nation. HTN is a campus where 485 orphaned and vulnerable children are given love, an excellent education and the vision to make a difference. To date, 1,300 children are either in, or have graduated from, this transformational organization. Children at HTN are raised to be heroes for their nation. Only a true hero could lead a movement like this and Weston was, by everyone's definition, a HERO.Weston Gitonga Kareri spent his last days at a Nakuru Hospital with his wife, children and grandchildren by his side. The Bishop's organs began shutting down during the week prior to his death, beginning with his heart and kidneys. He had time with family and calls and emails from friends all around the globe. When he had said his final goodbyes, Weston went peacefully to sleep and did not awake.Weston was known for his hearty laugh and a deep inner light that guided him. He was truly a friend of God and to those he served. He was also known by many throughout Laikipia County for his leadership and dedication to the betterment of its communities, as he fought for real change and the needs of ordinary people.Weston served his country by running for political positions in both the Kenyan senate and parliament, as he wanted to see Godly men and women serve inside of government and create real change that would do more to bless the Kenyan people.The Bishop was a great man of God. He sacrificed himself for others, traveling all over East Africa to comfort, enlighten, impart and restore. Weston Gitonga was a true Apostle of Africa, and leaves an immense amount of fruit that will bring honor to God's name forever.The Bishop is survived by his wife Violet Waithera Gitonga, his son Sam West Kareri his daughter Joy, his granddaughter Samera, and his grandsons Ty and West.A Funeral service and burial will take place in Nyahururu, Kenya on Saturday, November 10th. All who knew the Bishop are welcome to attend the service in the Nyahururu stadium, beginning at 10AM. A private burial will follow for family and very close friends.Anyone wanting to watch Weston's stadium funeral service can watch it on HTN's Youtube livestream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqRj9skxIwk A Russian oligarch has won the right to keep his 350 million superyacht and stop it being handed to his ex-wife as part of their long-standing bitter fought divorce battle. Farkhad Akmedov has been told he can he can keep the mega yacht and is free to sail it away from a port in Dubai. The yacht Luna one of the world's most luxurious vessels has been under lock and key for months after a British court ordered it to be seized. His ex-wife Tatiana had successfully won a freezing order on his worldwide assets after Akhmedov refused to pay her half his 1bn fortune. The mother of two planned to sell the yacht and keep the proceeds with her ex vowing to sell it for scrap rather than relinquish control. Russian oligarch Farkhad Akmedov has won the right to keep his 350m superyacht and stop it being handed to his ex-wife as part of their long-standing bitter fought divorce battle He has been told by sharia judges in Dubai he can he can keep the mega yacht and is free to sail it away from a port in the Arab state. The yacht Luna one of the world's most luxurious vessels has been under lock and key for months after a British court ordered it to be seized Akhmedov's ex-wife Tatiana (above) had successfully won a freezing order on his worldwide assets after he refused to pay her half his 1bn fortune. She planned to sell the yacht and keep the proceeds with her ex vowing to sell it for scrap rather than relinquish control Akhmedov, 62, has refused to accept the British divorce courts decision to pay his wife 453m claiming he and his wife were already divorced when they lived in Moscow. Officials in Moscow have said they can't find any record of the split in 2002, but Akhmedov insists he and his wife were no longer married when she filed for divorce in 2014. The businessman, who made his fortune in gas and oil, has been unable to use the yacht for over eight months after it was impounded when it sailed in Dubai for repairs. But now judges in a Sharia court have ruled that a commercial court in the Arab kingdom did not have the right to uphold the freezing order imposed by a UK court. They have ruled that ownership belongs to Akhmedov. As part of the decision the Sharia judges said 42-year-old Tatiana should pay her husband's legal costs. The court ruling will come as a blow to Tatiana who has hired a London based litigation firm to fund her lengthy legal battle against her ex. The 115m yacht is the focus of Britain's most costliest divorce. Akhmedov, 62, has refused to accept the British divorce courts decision to pay his wife 453m claiming he and his wife were already divorced when they lived in Moscow Officials in Moscow have said they can't find any record of the split in 2002, but Akhmedov insists he and his wife were no longer married when she filed for divorce in 2014 The businessman, who made his fortune in gas and oil, has been unable to use the yacht for over eight months after it was impounded when it sailed in Dubai for repairs But now judges in a Sharia court have ruled that a commercial court in the Arab kingdom did not have the right to uphold the freezing order imposed by a UK court. They have ruled that ownership belongs to Akhmedov As one of the world's super yachts Luna boasts a 20-metre outdoor swimming pool, a helicopter landing pad and a mini-submarine. It was bought by Akhmedov from his friend Chelsea owner Roman Abramovitch in 2014. The businessman has insisted he given millions to his ex so she can continue to live in luxury. Tatiana, a British citizen, was handed ownership of the families 20m Surrey home and an art collection worth more than 30m. A spokesman for Mr Akhmedov welcomed the Sharia court ruling. The spokesman said: 'Mr Akhmedov is delighted but not surprised by the court decision in favour of the Akhmedov family trust. 'He believes the attempts by Tatiana and her team, backed for profit by City capital, to tie down family assets around the world are as misguided as the original English High Court was in granting Tatiana a second divorce 16 years after their marriage was validly dissolved in Russia. 'He believes it is a massive gamble which Tatiana and her backers simply cannot win, and is reassured that the wise judges of Dubai's local courts have seen Tatiana's cynical claims for what they are.' The court ruling will come as a blow to Tatiana who has hired a London based litigation firm to fund her lengthy legal battle against her ex. The 115m yacht is the focus of Britain's most costliest divorce As one of the world's super yachts Luna boasts a 20-metre outdoor swimming pool (above), a helicopter landing pad and a mini-submarine It was bought by Akhmedov from his friend Chelsea owner Roman Abramovitch in 2014 The businessman has insisted he given millions to his ex so she can continue to live in luxury. Tatiana, a British citizen, was handed ownership of the families 20m Surrey home (above) and an art collection worth more than 30m A spokesman for Tatiana said they are examining the court ruling and claimed he would not be able to sail away in the yacht: 'For now, nothing material will change and importantly Luna will remain in Port Rashid under arrest' A spokesman for Tatiana said they are examining the court ruling and claimed he would not be able to sail away in the yacht. 'Both the significance and the substance of the Dubai Court of First Instance's ruling are yet to be determined, said the spokesman. 'All that has been handed down at this stage is the decision. Until we have the full judgment together with reasons, we are unable to comment any further. 'Once published, Ms Akhmedova's lawyers look forward to the opportunity to scrutinise the court's reasoning and to consider any grounds for appeal. 'For now, nothing material will change and importantly Luna will remain in Port Rashid under arrest.' A defense attorney who was the primary person of interest in his wife's death killed himself two days after her body was found in an Oregon field, authorities say. Tricia Carver, 47, was reported missing on Monday and her body was discovered in a field near St Paul the same day, according to OregonLive.com. Her husband Lemarr Carver, a 42-year-old criminal defense attorney, was found dead of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound on Wednesday when authorities arrived to execute a search warrant at the couple's home in Hillsboro. Tricia Carver, 47, (left) was found dead in a field near St Paul, Oregon, on Monday. Her husband Lemarr Carver (right), a criminal defense attorney who was primary person of interest in Tricia's death, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Wednesday by authorities who'd arrived at the couple's home in Hillsboro to execute a search warrant The Marion County Sheriff's office confirmed that Lemarr was suspected of having killed his wife. It is unclear how long he had been dead before his body was discovered. However, officials declined to disclose any additional details about the circumstances surrounding her death as an active criminal investigation is ongoing. 'This is terrible, we have two families reeling,' a spokesperson for the sheriff's office told KOIN. Police have asked anyone who may have seen Tricia Carver prior to her death to contact Detective Michael Myers at 503-540-8096. Anyone struggling with thoughts of suicide is urged to call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-8255. Police have asked anyone who may have seen Tricia Carver prior to her death to contact authorities. Officers are seen at the field where her body was found Monday morning A grandmother wouldn't have been murdered if mental health staff had properly assessed the danger posed by a mentally ill woman, a coroner has said. Paranoid schizophrenic Nicola Edgington, then 31, virtually decapitated Sally Hodkin, 58, with a butcher's knife in a random attack six years after killing her own mother. Edgington, now 38, murdered the law firm accounts clerk after attempting to kill artist Kerry Clark, 22, in Bexleyheath, south-east London, on October 10, 2011, after suffering a relapse in her mental state. Mrs Hodkin was repeatedly stabbed with a butcher's knife that Edgington stole just before the attack. It happened hours after she walked out of a hospital mental health unit unchallenged after repeatedly calling police to beg for help and telling A&E staff she felt like killing someone. Paranoid schizophrenic Nicola Edgington (right) virtually decapitated Sally Hodkin (left) with a butcher's knife in a random attack six years after killing her own mother 'Is it going to take for me to kill someone, as I've done it before, to be seen?' she told hospital receptionist Sylvia Rogers, the inquest heard. On the day she killed Mrs Hodkin, Edgington was taken to Oxleas House in Greenwich but soon walked freely out of a door which should have been locked to commit the killing, coroner Sarah Ormond-Walshe said. Sitting at South London Coroner's Court, she concluded on Thursday: 'I find that there was a failure to assess her properly, failure to risk-assess her properly, and failure to put her on one-to-one observations. 'I find that there was a failure to ensure that she be prevented from leaving Oxleas House if she attempted to do so. 'Had one or more of these failures not happened, the death of Sally Hodkin would not have happened.' The coroner recorded a verdict of unlawful killing at the conclusion of the two-week inquest, saying that Mrs Hodkin would have died instantly from incised wounds to the neck. Mrs Hodkin was repeatedly stabbed with a butcher's knife that Edgington stole just before the attack Ms Ormond-Walshe went on: 'She was waiting to be shown her bed, waiting in an unlocked area of Oxleas House being observed on 15-minute undocumented observations when she absconded. 'She had had no sleep, was very agitated, had not been taking her anti-psychotic and mood-stabilising medication and had probably also taken skunk.' In 2009, Edgington was discharged from the Bracton Centre mental health facility after just three years to live in the community - despite an order she be detained indefinitely after killing her mother Marion. She was convicted of manslaughter in 2006 and handed an indefinite period of detention under the Mental Health Act after stabbing her mother to death in 2005. In the months and weeks before the killing, a series of events identified as major risk factors contributed to a collapse in Edgington's mental state, the inquest previously heard. Around two weeks beforehand, Edgington believed she had suffered a miscarriage, which was significant because she had a termination against her will shortly before killing her mother. Edgington (pictured on the day of the attack) was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich, east London, by police in the early hours of October 10 The inquest also heard Edgington threatened at least two people with knives after her discharge. She was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich, east London, by police in the early hours of October 10. She was checked into the A&E department after asking to be sectioned, before staff agreed with her demand to be taken to Oxleas House. Ms Ormond-Walshe said after Edgington went into Oxleas House she was able to leave through the unlocked door, but returned moments later. But she then left again before taking a bus journey to Bexleyheath, south east London, where she murdered Mrs Hodkin. Edgington first went to an Asda store where she bought the knife used to attack Miss Clark, who fought her off. Edgington was discharged from the Bracton Centre mental health facility - despite an order she be detained indefinitely after killing her mother Marion (pictured) She then fled and stole a knife from a butcher's shop before attacking Mrs Hodkin, who was on her way to work. Mrs Hodkin's son and solicitor Len Hodkin, 42, who represented the family at the inquest, criticised health professionals who he claimed missed risk factors in Edgington's behaviour. Mental health professionals had identified 'triggers' which included 'instability in relationships', pregnancy and substance abuse that could cause Edgington to have a psychotic episode. Mr Hodkin told the inquest: 'I speak for us all when I say we are extremely angry and let down by the criminal justice system. 'She was 500 yards from her house with a meat cleaver embedded into her neck. 'We have to live with this every single day.' After giving her ruling, the coroner told him: 'You have been alone as a family member and so courageously have looked at the evidence in the face of your mother's death.' Speaking after the inquest, Len Hodkin, standing with his brother Ian, 41, said: 'There were clear failings by the multidisciplinary team in the weeks and months leading up to this. 'If she was recalled to hospital a lot sooner she would not have been on the streets to kill our mum.' Edgington's care team gave evidence at the inquest defending her release and saying they followed correct procedure. Asked by the coroner if she would take the same steps if faced with the same scenario again, her psychiatric nurse and care co-ordinator Tanya Biebuyck said: 'Considering the clinical picture, yes, we made the right decisions. 'I think it's difficult to say we could have made any other decisions given her mental health stability, co-operation with her care plan ... there was no evidence of any changes in her mental health.' Edgington first went to an Asda store where she bought the knife used to attack Kerry Clark, who fought her off Ms Ormond-Walshe said: 'There was a failure to administer her mental health medication, medication that she had not been taking.' But she added she would not write a report to prevent future deaths because steps have been taken by the trust since the murder. She said: 'It's been a long time since Mrs Hodkin's death. There have been a considerable number of changes.' They included a new base for a mental health liaison nurse close to the A&E where Edgington was taken. The trust also carried out a review of the training for mental health liaison nurses and installed an early admission site for mental health patients. The coroner said: 'I'm not minded to write a prevent future deaths report because I'm well aware of how much work has been done from Mrs Hodkin's death. Edgington was found guilty at the Old Bailey in 2013 of murdering Mrs Hodkin and attempting to murder Miss Clark and was jailed for life with a minimum term of 37 years. A man wearing a 'I love Jesus' hat broke into a Virginia church on Election night and ripped Bibles apart while vandalizing the facilities, according to local law enforcement. The Chesterfield County Police released photos of the suspect who broke into Ironbridge Baptist Church at approximately 11pm on Tuesday. He appears to be about 6ft tall, has an average build, and is said to be in his late 20s or early 30s, according to the police report released onFacebook on Wednesday. The Chesterfield County Police released photos of the suspect who broke into Ironbridge Baptist Church at approximately 11pm on Tuesday He appears to be about 6ft tall, has an average build, and is said to be in his late 20s or early 30s. His hat said 'I (heart) Jesus' and the vandal was also wearing a black jacket with light-colored jeans and black shoes His hat said 'I (heart) Jesus' and the vandal was also wearing a black jacket with light-colored jeans and black shoes. The man spray-painted walls and smashed windows in the church while going on his rampage. But he spent a large portion of his time ripping the Bibles. 'So apparently our electronic system did not work properly to relock one of the doors, that was unlocked for the polling,' Reverend Dennis Green explained to WTVR. 'So apparently our electronic system did not work properly to relock one of the doors, that was unlocked for the polling,' Reverend Dennis Green added The man spray-painted walls and smashed windows in the church while going on his rampage, tearing pages from the Bible The incident does not appear to have been random, according to police. A long trail of blood lead from the broken window to the door. 'He took something out of his pocket, broke a window but didn't go in the office,' said the reverend. The vandal left the church without taking anything. 'It's just sad,' Green said to WRIC. 'When someone has that kind of anger, they don't have that outlet. Or they don't know how to handle it in a healthy way. And so when they are doing something like that, we take it seriously.' A Kansas father has received probation in the death of his one-year-old daughter, who was accidentally shot by a boy who found his loaded handgun. Chance Smith, 33, was sentenced to one-year probation for leaving the semi-automatic handgun within reach of the two-year-old boy and his daughter Autumn Grace. Autumn was killed less than a week before her second birthday. Smith had been watching Autumn and the boy, who was not his child, on September 22, 2017 when he stepped outside of the house. Kansas father Chance Smith, 33, has received probation in the death of his one-year-old daughter (right), who was accidentally shot by a boy who found his loaded handgun Smith was sentenced to one-year probation for leaving a the semi-automatic handgun within reach of the two-year-old boy and his daughter Autumn Grace. Pictured is Adam, his wife Megan, Autumn, and their three-year-old son Liam He told police he was gone for about five to 10 minutes while he smoked a cigarette and let the dogs out. Smith, who said he never heard a gunshot, then went back inside and found the boy crying downstairs. He discovered Autumn dead from a single gunshot wound in his bedroom upstairs. Gunpowder was found on the boy's hand. The two children had gone upstairs to Smith's bedroom and found the loaded handgun under his remote-controlled mattress, which had been raised. Smith told investigators that he usually stored the gun on a shelf in his closet but the night before had decided to put it under the mattress for no reason, according to the Lawrence Journal-World. He also had an unloaded shotgun in his closet, an unloaded handgun in his medicine cabinet, and more guns locked in a safe in his basement. Prosecutors said the semiautomatic handgun that was used in Autumn's shooting did not have a safety switch. Smith had been watching Autumn and the boy, who was not his child, on September 22, 2017 when he stepped outside of the house Smith told police he was gone for about five to 10 minutes while he smoked a cigarette and let the dogs out. When he came back, the boy was crying and his daughter was dead A baby gate that could have blocked the toddlers' access to the stairs was also found leaning against a wall. Smith pleaded no contest to two counts of aggravated child endangerment in September. The District Attorney's Office dismissed an involuntary manslaughter charge as part of his plea deal. The two children had gone upstairs to Smith's bedroom and found the loaded handgun under his remote-controlled mattress, which had been raised Both prosecutors and Smith's attorney recommended a one-year probation as part of the plea deal due to the fact that Smith had little to no criminal history. He will be forbidden from having any guns during the length of the probation and must complete a parenting class. Smith could be ordered to serve a year in prison, his underlying sentence, if he fails his probation. Autumn Grace was buried on what would have been her second birthday. Her mother, Megan Smith, described her as a smiling and funny toddler who loved to dance and sing and 'gave so much love'. 'We were just starting to see more and more of that character and that personality blossom,' Megan told the Lawrence Journal-World last September. 'Autumn was such a gift and such a blessing in the short time that we were given her.' Megan said her daughter's death was 'everyone's worst nightmare'. 'We are in so much disbelief,' she said. 'It's unimaginable.' Autumn also left behind a three-year-old brother named Liam. 'We had so many things we were looking forward to doing with them,' Smith said. 'From simple family outings, to watching them grow and graduate and get married and have children, and to have grandchildren.' A rescued donkey and emu face an uncertain future due to a deep bond between the two that may complicate their adoption from a North Carolina shelter. 'They like to cuddle and even sleep together,' Jennifer Gordon of Carolina Waterfowl Rescue told The Charlotte Observer, explaining that the male donkey and female emu were rescued. Their owner in Kershaw, South Carolina abruptly disappeared, the Observer reported, also leaving behind dogs, cats and chickens. Scroll down for video The rescued pair can't stand to be around even other donkeys or emus, and Jack the donkey will even attack another donkey that comes near Diane the emu Gordon also told the Observer that the donkey would 'start crying' and that the emu 'got frantic' when they attempted to separate them. 'We realized today the donkey and the emu need to stay together,' the rescue group stated on Facebook at the same time they put out a call on social media for suggested names. The two animals have been named Jack and Diane with Carolina Waterfowl Rescue adding that theirs' is 'a story where two creatures with different looks, backgrounds and even breeds learn to stand together, protect each other and love.' However, the two 'don't get along with other donkeys or other emus.' Jack apparently 'attacked another donkey who got NEAR Diane' and the shelter tried pairing Diane with another emu named Dino but they 'struck out again,' according to an Instagram post. For this reason, the organization has no plans to place them with another shelter or separate them and are actively attempting to have them adopted together. Anyone wishing to send donations to or adopt the pair of animals are asked to visit the Carolina Waterfowl Rescue website. An MP has described as a sick joke that 5million of UK aid to stop prisoners being tortured into confession in Bahrain has failed to halt the imminent execution of a man beaten while being hung from the ceiling. Taxpayers money is being spent on a UK-trained Special Investigations Unit (SIU) in the Gulf state which is supposed to look into claims of mistreatment. However, hotel bellboy Maher al-Khabbaz has been sentenced to death despite claims he was hospitalised at the end of a five-day torture ordeal. Hotel bellboy Maher al-Khabbaz, pictured with a friend's daughter, has been sentenced to death despite claims he was hospitalised at the end of a five-day torture ordeal During his imprisonment Al-Khabbaz, 34, was: beaten with their fists, metal wires and sticks; hung from the ceiling in handcuffs while policy officers kicked him in the stomach and chest; held in painful stress positions where his hands and soles of his feet were beaten; forced to stand for days, doused with water and blindfolded for long periods; forbidden from eating, praying or using the bathroom; forced to sign a false confession at gunpoint. Al-Khabbaz was arrested in 2013 after a police officer was killed with a flare gun at a pro-democracy demonstration. Despite having an alibi saying he was at work at the time and no other evidence against him, he was still sentenced to death earlier this year and could be brought before a firing squad any day. The human rights charity, Reprieve, submitted a complaint in July but did not receive a reply until the end of last month when it was contacted by the Bahrain Embassy in London. Maher al-Khabbaz was arrested in 2013 after a police officer was killed with a flare gun at a pro-democracy demonstration, but had an alibi to say he was at work. Despite this he was tortured and forced to confess at gunpoint The Bahrainis said an investigation had been carried out and found no evidence of mistreatment. This was despite no one involved in the case, including Maher himself, his lawyers or any medical witnesses, being aware a review had taken place. Lib Dem MP Tom Brake, the partys spokesman on international trade, said: Despite over 5 million having been invested by the UK government since 2012 to improve the justice system and the general human rights climate in Bahrain, you would be hard pressed to see evidence that cash has helped people like Maher al-Khabbaz. Until credible progress is made it is a sick joke that taxpayers money is being spent so wilfully with little discernible improvement in the treatment of prisoners. Al Khabbaz was hung from the ceiling in handcuffs, beaten, forced to stand for days, doused with water and blindfolded for long periods and forbidden from eating, praying or using the bathroom When looking at Bahrain we are clearly witnessing flagrantly illegal executions taking place and it is profoundly concerning that when challenged by these cases the UK encourages complainants to approach Bahraini oversight bodies who have received training funded by the UK government but are independent in little more than name. Under the programme, the Foreign Office funded the training of Bahraini security officials, police and prison officers in the aftermath of the Arab Spring which led to a wave of pro-democracy demonstrations. The authorities launched a brutal clampdown blaming Iran for being behind the protests and the number of people facing the death penalty trebled. Lib Dem MP Tom Brake, the partys spokesman on international trade, called the situation - with Britain spending taxpayers money on a system that was not suceeding in helping tortured prisoners a 'sick joke' and condemned Bahrain's 'flagrantly illegal executions' Among the UK groups working in Bahrain are HM Inspectorate of Prisons and Northern Ireland Co-operation Overseas (NI-CO), a non-profit organisation owned by the Northern Irish government. As well as the SIU, a torture ombudsman was also set up by NI-CO which Reprieve claims has covered up forced confessions and abuse, with protestors raped and tortured in a prison receiving NI-CO training. Last month two men, Husain Moosa and Mohamed Ramadhan, had their death sentences quashed after the authorities accepted that the only evidence against them were confessions extracted by torture, and the pair now face a re-trial. Reprieve is now calling for the suspension of aid for the SIU and ombudsman until a proper review is carried out. (Reprieve) Director, Maya Foa, said: Bahrain must immediately stay Mahers execution. Many people would question why the UK is funding Bahrains criminal justice bodies at all, but if we are to spend millions of pounds on security assistance, transparency about what were paying for is essential. Mohamed Ramadhan (L) had his death sentence quashed after the authorities accepted that the only evidence against him was a confessions extracted by torture We urgently need stronger human rights risk assessments to ensure that British taxpayers dont end up enabling torture and the death penalty. Critics says the existence of the UK-trained bodies has only served to lend credibility to Bahrain in the sphere of human rights, but the government maintains it is keeping up the pressure on the country. A Foreign Office spokesman said: The UK is firmly opposed to the death penalty. It is the Governments longstanding position to oppose all capital sentences in all circumstances and countries. 'We continue to make this clear to the Government of Bahrain. We continue to follow the case of Maher al-Khabbaz and, where we have concerns, we raise them at senior level with the Government of Bahrain. Misty Griffin endured difficulties in her life, but is now an author and a nursing student, married to Vincenzo Piccirillo (pictured together above) It was supposed to be a new start when Misty Griffin - just shy of 19 - went to live with the strict Amish community. After an isolated childhood on a remote mountain farm raised in Amish ways and dress since she was around aged six Griffin was initially hopeful. However, her new communitys emphasis on forgiveness, she says, meant they allowed a convicted sex offender to live nearby and the way they dealt with molestation and rape was up to six weeks of shunning, what they called placed in the Bann. But it was an early spring night that set Griffins life on a different trajectory after the bishop the head of the church and a leader of the community allegedly sexually assaulted and physically attacked her. I had nowhere to go. I was going to go to a womans shelter because I honestly believed that the bishop was going to kill me. I was so scared. It was so terrifying, Griffin tells DailyMail.com. Despite a lifetime of following restrictive rules and a cloistered childhood, Griffin gathered her courage and took the unusual and brave step to go to the police to report the bishop and would ultimately leave the Amish. Now 36, Griffin is married and a nursing student working toward her bachelors degree on the West Coast, and is the author of the newly updated book, Tears of the Silenced: An Amish True Crime Memoir of Childhood Sexual Abuse, Brutal Betrayal and Ultimate Survival. The bishops alleged attack on Griffin spurred her to leave the community, but it was her worry for the bishops children - she feared he was molesting one of his daughters - that would give her the strength to go to the police that spring night 13 years ago. DailyMail.com verified through police reports, court documents and interviews that the bishop is currently in prison for molesting his daughter. Two other daughters accused him of molesting them, according to the documents. DailyMail.com contacted the bishop seeking comment, but did not receive a response. Scroll down for video Misty Griffin (pictured) grew up on an isolated mountain farm and started to learn about Amish ways and dress when she was around aged 6. By the time she was almost 19, she went to live with a strict Amish community where she learned its rules, Pennsylvania Dutch, which is a German dialect, and was eventually baptized. She told DailyMail.com that it was important for her to be a good church member to pave the way for her younger sister. Some Amish refuse to have their picture taken. The photo above was taken after Griffin had left the church but had gone to visit her sister, who is still Amish Griffin (left) said that she is 16 in this photo, and that it was taken so social services would not do a home visit to the mountain farm she lived on with her family that included her stepfather (middle) and sister (right), who is almost two years younger than Griffin. She was hopeful when she went to live with the Amish community as an older teenager but turmoil within her adopted family eventually led her to move in with the bishop - the head of the church and a leader of the community - and his family to work as a maid When I went to the police in 2005 that is literally the hardest thing I have ever done. I mean I didnt want to the go to the police. The only reason I went to the police was for the children, Griffin recalls. The shadow of her secluded childhood - Griffin tells DailyMail.com and recounts in her memoir that she and her sister, who is almost two years younger, were severely abused - fell over her. (Griffin has a disclaimer at the beginning of the book that names, locations, identifying characteristics and some details have been partially altered, added and or withheld.) There were people that I intersected with that knew I was being abused and did not help me. I told myself I cannot be that person. I cannot leave these children in this house and not do something about it, she says. Through a public records request, DailyMail.com received one page of a police report that appears to be consistent with Griffins allegations against the bishop it was filed in spring 2005 in what she says was her Amish name, and states a report of rape, suspect bishop in Amish community, but does not name the bishop, according to the report. The detective that took the 2005 report told DailyMail.com: I actually remember the incident. I remember her being in my office. The detective, now retired, said that he recognized details Griffin described in her memoir. Police reports and sexual assault were the last things on Griffins mind when she first joined the community: her goal first and foremost was to be a good church member to pave the way for her younger sister, who was to follow later on. For Griffin, that meant learning the communitys specific rules, for instance, how many inches wide her dress hem could be four and what order men and women were to file into church as well as Pennsylvania Dutch, which is a German dialect, and taking baptism classes so she could be baptized. I went to the Amish community first Im going to do my best and Im going to save my sister that was my thought, she says, before becoming emotional and taking a minute to collect herself. The family she was placed with, however, had its own turmoil. The husband and wife had issues within their marriage, and Griffin says that right away her new Amish mother was jealous of her. But, the first few months with the children, oh my goodness, it was just amazing, the little kids, I just love children so much. The little kids were adorable and they just adored me, she says, adding, It wasnt until a few months afterwards that I started to realize, you know, this was not what I hoped it was going to be at all. It was then, Griffin says that she started to understand how her community handled sexual assault and stressed forgiveness. A man, who was not Amish but dressed as if he was, was a convicted sex offender who was allowed to live near the community, Griffin says, and according to a government document reviewed by DailyMail.com. After moving in with the bishop's family, for a period of about six months, the bishop allegedly constantly exposed himself to Griffin, and on other occasions, he would stare at my breasts, push his erection into my back or pretend to hug me when no one was around and run his hands up and down my body. I felt trapped, alone and scared, she wrote in her newly updated and recently released memoir, 'Tears of the Silenced.' Griffin is left in the above photo, taken when she was 16 on the mountain farm she grew up on, with other members of her family Every night I lay awake, afraid he would come into my room, Griffin wrote about the bishop in the book. When asked about what happened the night of the alleged sexual assault, Griffin told DailyMail.com: It seemed like I went in and out of consciousness... What I remember, he came into my room. I believe at some point, he put a pillow over my face and he had his hands under my clothes. Griffin (pictured) at aged 16 with one of her favorite cows Tootsie After leaving the Amish, Griffin had to navigate the outside world that she had little knowledge of, and said that 'one of the most difficult things was social interactions. I had been taught to not talk to men, to look at the floor when I walked and that was difficult to overcome 'This guy was really bad and they knew it and they allowed him into the community, they allowed him to live on this farm, and, of course, he abused one of the girls, she says. The young girl, who was 13 or 14 when the sexual abuse happened, was partially blamed by the community for being too friendly, Griffin says. The man left after the incident, but once again he was allowed to return to live near the community, according to Griffin. The tension that had been building between Griffin and her Amish mother was no longer bearable, and it was decided that she would go live with the bishop, who is the head of the church and a leader of the community, and his wife and children. Griffin would work as a maid for the family. After moving in with them, for a period of about six months, the bishop allegedly constantly exposed himself to her, and on other occasions, he would stare at my breasts, push his erection into my back or pretend to hug me when no one was around and run his hands up and down my body. I felt trapped, alone and scared, she wrote, adding later, every night I lay awake, afraid he would come into my room. Her fear came to pass. When asked about what happened, Griffin says, it seemed like I went in and out of consciousness... What I remember, he came into my room. I believe at some point, he put a pillow over my face and he had his hands under my clothes. I believe that he did some things that were really worse than what I can remember because my body hurt afterwards but I cant remember it to say for sure what he did. What is indelible for her is what she says happened after she tried to leave the house, and escape to the neighbors, who were not Amish: He grabbed my breasts and he just squeezed them so hard. I dont know what that was. So I had to fight him off, she says. Griffin says she has been asked why she did not shout or yell. In my experience, screaming and making noise would get an adverse effect, I would get beaten so thats probably why I didnt scream, she says. Griffin notes that in reviews of her book, people who have never experienced this kind of thing often write that she could have gotten away. It is difficult for sexual assault survivors to come forward let alone for someone like Griffin who grew up isolated and then lived in a strict Amish community. Its not as easy as they think it is, she says. Leaving the Amish, she says, was pretty difficult. It meant that Griffin had to engage with an outside world that she knew nothing about, and it took time to transition and adjust. She says she didnt have a social security card her Amish family had pushed her to burn it and an extended family member helped her to get a passport. I found the outside world to be very noisy actually, she says. I had grown up on a farm pretty much my whole life and when I lived with the Amish I lived way out of town. After the alleged attack, Griffin took the unusual and brave step to go to the police to file a report. In her Amish community, she wrote that going to the police was strictly frowned on and anyone who did so was risking being placed in the Bann or would at least be permanently stigmatized as untrustworthy.' Being placed under the Bann means that a person is 'shunned' by the community, which can mean different things because practices vary dramatically from settlement to settlement. According to Griffin, the above photo was taken at a surprise birthday party for her and she had just passed her GED test seven months after leaving the Amish After filing the police report, Griffin left the Amish and told DailyMail.com: I had nowhere to go. I was going to go to a womans shelter because I honestly believed that the bishop was going to kill me. I was so scared. It was so terrifying.' An extended family member helped her while she tried to make her way in the outside world after living in the cloistered community. Griffin (pictured) is at a surprise birthday party for her in November 2005 'One of the most difficult things was social interactions. I had been taught to not talk to men, to look at the floor when I walked and that was difficult to overcome. But it also had its upside, she says: The main thing I liked the most about the outside world was running water. I was really taken by that to just like turn on the shower and take a shower without having to heat up the water. Griffin, who only attended school very briefly, worked hard to get a GED, saying it was the one thing she wanted to prove because growing up she was told she was stupid. Griffin, who meet her husband when she went to a missionary group training, is now working on a bachelors degree in nursing and says she hopes to finish next May. She says her husband encouraged her to write the book, which would become Tears of the Silenced, for a long time. After I left the Amish, I was dealing with severe, I mean severe PSTD, she says. I would wake up in the middle of the night screaming, you know, in the bed. In around 2012, she started writing the book. Griffin self-published the first version of Tears of the Silenced in 2014, hoping, she says, to reach sexual assault survivors and raise awareness about sexual assault and child abuse. Also, she says, that if people suspect child abuse, they should report it. I honestly did not expect anybody to buy it, you know. I mean, I had a third grade education, I was just in community college at that time, she says, noting that it has sold well and that she has received a flood of emails from sexual assault survivors from all over the world. The initial version had more graphic details, and Griffin says, a lot of really bad stuff I took it out for the recently released updated book. Griffin has a disclaimer at the beginning of the memoir stating that she changed locations and names, because there are a lot of innocent Amish involved in the community, in the surrounding communities, and I didnt people who read the book to recognize the people in the book and like do any sort of vigilante justice, she says. I wanted to write this book for a long time but I fought with it because, you know, like, what if Im the cause of somebody getting hurt, I dont want that to happen so I tried really hard to disguise locations and stuff but (its) hard to disguise a true story. She stopped communicating with her sister, who is still Amish, for years, but says they are now back in touch via letters. Griffin sent her sister Tears of the Silenced, but her sister has never mentioned it or acknowledged what happened to Griffin, she says. Griffin (left) is pictured with the woman (right) - who is not Amish - that helped her after the alleged attack and took her to the police station to file the report about the bishop. Griffin started writing her memoir, 'Tears of the Silenced,' about seven years after leaving the Amish. It was first self-published in 2014, and Griffin said that she got a 'flood of emails' from sexual assault survivors from all over the world Griffin (pictured) holding the new edition of her memoir, 'Tears of the Silenced,' which is now published by Mango. Griffin said she wrote the book to reach sexual assault survivors, and to raise awareness about sexual assault and child abuse Griffin says that in her former Amish community, people who molested or committed sexual abuse were punished by being shunned, what they called under the Bann, for anywhere from two to six weeks, and were then welcomed back into the community. In her community, she says, this meant that a person mostly stayed at their house and when they attended church they had to sit in a chair designated for those who were shunned to the side of the benches where everyone else sat. The idea is that the person is given the cold shoulder by the community for that time. Its a chance to think about what theyve done, to be penitent for what theyve done and to come back and be restored in the fellowship with the understanding that theyre seeking forgiveness, explained Dr James A. Cates, a clinical psychologist who has worked with the Amish since the mid-1990s and wrote the book, Serving the Amish. He told DailyMail.com that shunning practices vary dramatically from settlement to settlement, and cautioned against thinking of the Amish as a monolith because how the rules of the church are practiced also differ by community. When we think of the Amish, thats really a misnomer because of so many different affiliations, he said. The Amish population in the United States is a little under 325,000 with 527 geographical settlements ranging from the quite large, such as 37,000 people, to a small number of families, Dr Steven M. Nolt, who has been researching and writing about the Amish for 25 years, told DailyMail.com. Within those settlements, there are 2,400 church districts which is akin to a congregation or a parish and they are self-governing, he said. Dr Cates, who has worked with both sexual assault survivors and those who have perpetrated in the Amish community, said that it really runs the gamut and what Griffin describes is absolutely true in some places. There are, however, other communities, he said, such as in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, that work with social service agencies to make sure that survivors and perpetrators get the services they need. And then there are other communities as (Griffin) describes where its six weeks under the Bann, forgiven and forgotten, he said, adding that there are no good statistics about sexual assault within Amish communities anywhere, any way, anyhow. Griffin wrote that in her community, going to the police was strictly frowned on and anyone who did so was risking being placed in the Bann or would at least be permanently stigmatized as untrustworthy. After leaving the Amish, Griffin worked hard to get her GED and is now pursuing a degree in nursing. She is pictured here at a recent health fair with her school The detective who took Griffins 2005 report said: Normally they would not come forward, they would handle it in house. Griffin says that in her community the sin and abuse were not to be mentioned again. You are supposed to basically chin up and never speak about it ever again, she says. If you do bring it up youre considered unforgiving and you can actually get in trouble for that. Later, Griffin says she was told the bishop had already been shunned for molesting one of his daughters before she had arrived at the community. He is currently serving time in prison for child molestation, according to police reports and court documents seen by DailyMail.com. The absolute worst thing is these children whove been sexually abused by their father they are not taken out of the home, she says. Since forgiveness is so integral to the Amish community, Griffin says that this contributes to perpetuating abuse. Moreover, if an abuser leaves a community for another one, there is no communication about the persons past behavior, she says. The bad thing is these guys they will move from community to community to community, Griffin says. Its very dangerous. A lesbian couple have been charged with stealing a Pomeranian service dog from a 67-year-old Vietnam veteran, who died from a suspected heart attack just hours before he was to be reunited with his beloved pet. The Osceola County Sheriff's Office in Florida has announced the arrests of Jennifer Gotschall, 51, and Monique Cosser, 53, on grand theft charges for allegedly abducting Joseph Hanson's dog Kira. According to the agency, Hanson was taking a walk at Old Town in Kissimmee, Florida, on October 28 with his two Pomeranian service dogs, 21-year-old Kira and 11-year-old Star, when a woman he did not know began yelling and hurling insults at him. Tragic tale: Vietnam War veteran Joseph Hanson, 67, had his 21-year-old PTSD service dog, Kira (left) stolen on October 28 in Florida. His other dog, Star (right), was spared On Thursday, police arrested Jennifer Gotschall, 51 (left), and her girlfriend Monique Cosser, 53 (right) on grand theft charges in connection to the dog-napping A few minutes later, Hanson realized Kira was gone. Surveillance video from a business shows another woman behind him unleashing the dog, which weighs just over 6lbs. Both of Hanson's pups had vests on them indicating they are PTSD service dogs and are not to be petted. In an interview with ClickOrlando last week, an emotional Hanson said his dogs allow him to function in public and make his life better, and made an appeal for Kira's safe return. Surveillance video caught Gotschall walking away with Kira after deputies say her girlfriend got into an argument with Hanson Kira is 21 years old, partially deaf and blind, and weighs just over 6lbs Acting on a tip from a concerned citizen, on Monday investigators recovered Kira from one of the suspects' home. The two women, who are believed to be in a romantic relationship, face grand theft charges carrying up to five years in prison. Kira, who is partially deaf and blind, was found in good health, but her owner never got a chance to see her again because he passed away just hours before he was set to be reunited with her. Hanson's friends tell Spectrum News the 67-year-old veteran was found unresponsive at his home on Saturday. They believe he suffered a heart attack, which resulted in his death at a hospital on Tuesday. On Thursday, Gotschall and Cosser were arrested in two different counties on charges of grand theft carrying a sentence of up to five years in prison. A spokesperson for the sheriff's office tells DailyMail.com the women will not face additional charges related to Hanson's death. Loved-up couple: The pair of suspected dog thieves were arrested on Thursday in two different counties in Florida A friend of Hanson's, who runs an an animal rescue, is now caring for his two Pomeranians. Gotschall, who goes by the pseudonym 'Beth Ann Miller' on Facebook and describes herself as an animal rescue volunteer, defended her and her girlfriend's actions in a post that went up a two days before their arrest. Referring to her and Cosser in the third person, as if speaking of someone else, Gotschall claimed that 'these women' seen in surveillance images released by the sheriff's office capturing the dog-napping are 'strong animal lovers' who saved the Pomeranian from being abused. 'The man was carrying the dog by leash up in the air and off the ground,' she alleged. 'As soon as they [Gotschall and Cosser] saw this thats when they decided to take action themselves. They had no idea that the dog was a service dog.' Prior to her arrest, Gotschall, a self-proclaimed animal lover, justified the dog abduction by saying that Hanson was observed lifting Kira off the ground by her leash Gotschall's post goes on to state that after taking away the dog from Hanson, they took Kira to a veterinarian and spent more than $300 on tests, which allegedly revealed that the pet had a liver failure and was malnourished 'The reasoning behind of them taking the dog is 100% in my mind justifiable, wether [sic] if it was a service dog or not,' she insisted. The sheriff's office spokesperson said that at the time of their arrest, Gotschall and Cosser declined to make any statements concerning a motive. The rare Mandarin duck that broke hearts across New York City when he went missing on Wednesday, has returned to Central Park. On Wednesday frantic New Yorkers were searching for their beloved feathered friend after the Manhattan Bird Alert Twitter account tweeted the duck was missing. 'Where is our MANDARIN DUCK? He was not reported yesterday, and we checked the likely spots late day,' the account tweeted. 'If you see him, let us know! He likely still is in Central Park,' they added. Scroll down for video The rare Mandarin duck (pictured) that broke hearts across New York City after he went missing on Wednesday, has returned to Central Park Fowl play was ruled out regarding the bird's disappearance after the lone male duck returned to Central Park Thursday morning The lone male duck returned to Central Park Thursday morning. 'HE'S BACK! The MANDARIN DUCK has returned to the Central Park Pond, off 60th and Fifth, on the east shore,' the Manhattan Bird Alert tweeted. It's still unclear where the bird ventured during his stay in the Big Apple, but he has been known to fly to the Hudson River 79th-Street Boat Basin for a dip. The Mandarin duck, which is not a common species in the US, has been bizarrely spotted several times in the middle of Manhattan in recent weeks. Mandarin ducks, which are native to East Asia, are known for their multicolored feathers and pink bill. The duck was first spotted on October 10. It disappeared for several weeks before reemerging last week in a pond in the park's southeast corner near 59th and Fifth Avenue. New Yorkers and tourists have since been flocking to the pond daily to catch a glimpse of the now famous duck. It's still unclear where the bird ventured during his stay in the Big Apple, but he has been known to fly to the Hudson River 79th-Street Boat Basin for a dip. The duck was first spotted on October 10 but disappeared for several weeks. It reemerged last week in Central Park Photos of the rare duck appear to show it wearing a rubber band around its right leg (pictured above), meaning it could be a domestic pet City officials have said the Mandarin duck did not come from any nearby zoos It is not clear how the duck arrived in New York but some have noted that he appears to be able to fly, which is something most domestic ducks can't do. It means the bird could have potentially flown in from a nearby city with some bird-watchers saying it was likely the duck had been making trips to and from the Hudson River. City officials have said the Mandarin duck did not come from any nearby zoos. Photos of the rare duck appear to show it wearing a rubber band around its right leg, meaning it could be a domestic pet. It is illegal for someone to privately own a duck as a pet in New York City. Park officials do not plan on removing the duck unless it appears to fall ill or gets in danger. Mandarin ducks, which are native to East Asia, are known for their multicolored feathers and pink bill New Yorkers and tourists have since been flocking to the pond daily to catch a glimpse of the now famous duck The country just elected at least 17 new governors. And thanks in part to the Every Student Succeeds Act and U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos efforts to shrink the U.S. Department of Education, governors will have even more say in K-12 education. Here are few new faces to keep your eye on: Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis, R-Fla.: (As of Thursday afternoon, this nailbiter of an election appeared headed for a recount, though DeSantis Democratic opponent Andrew Gillum had conceded earlier in the week.) DeSantis, a congressman, ran as an unabashed Trump supporter in a state where K-12 is still largely defined by policies set in motion by former Gov. Jeb Bush, also a Florida Republican. Bush was a fan of both school choiceFloridas tax credit scholarship program was established on his watchand accountability, through Floridas A through F system for grading schools. He was also a huge fan of the Common Core State Standards. DeSantis campaigned on going even further on choice, in part by raising the cap on the number of students who can receive private school vouchers through the tax credit scholarship program. He wants to allocate 80 percent of K-12 spending directly to the classroom, and provide more funding for merit pay bonuses to outstanding teachers. And he wants to direct a complete review of Floridas curriculum standards to ensure that we are not rubber-stamping common core or any other one-size-fits-all standards. (The common ore is still on the books in Florida and 33 other states, plus the District of Columbia.) Hell have a Republican-controlled legislature backing him up. Gov.-elect Tony Evers, D-Wis.: The state education chief wants to increase education spending by $1.4 billion, including new investments in early-childhood education and quality child care, special education, after-school programs, and mental health services. He is seeking to phase out the Milwaukee school voucher program. But hes likely to face stiff opposition to those moves from the state legislature, which remains in GOP control. Evers made equity the theme of his term as president of the Council of Chief State School Officers. In an interview with Education Week in 2016, Evers recalled that when ESSA became law, an influential civil rights leader in his state tweeted that hed lived through states rights and it hadnt worked out very well, a reference to segregation. I took that to heart, I took it as a personal obligation to make equity for all groups a central tenet of Wisconsins plan. Gov.-elect Michelle Lujan Grisham, D-N.M. - Lujan Grisham, a congresswoman, campaigned on increasing K-12 funding and teacher pay, establishing universal pre-kindergarten, and limiting testing. She wants to ditch the PARCC tests, the states A through F grading system, and its rigorous teacher evaluation system, which relies in part on growth in student test scores. Shell likely have backing from the state legislature, which is under Democratic control. Gov.-elect Laura Kelly, D-Kan. - Kansas schools have been struggling financially since former Gov. Sam Brownback, a Republican, slashed both taxes and K-12 spending. The state supreme court has said Kansas has until the end of the next legislative session to hike education funding or risk having public schools shutdown. Kelly, a state senator, favored complying with the courts demands and finding new money for public schools. She also wants to invest in early-childhood education, career and technical education, and student mental health. But shell have to convince a Republican controlled legislature to go along with her plans. Gov.-elect Jared Polis, D-Colo. - As a member of the House, Polis was a big supporter of charter schools and President Barack Obamas Race to the Top initiative, which rewarded states for embracing high standards, teacher evaluations based in part on student outcomes, and more. He also worked across the aisle on data-privacy legislation. On the campaign trail, he pledged to fund full-day kindergarten and expand access to preschool. The Democratic-controlled legislature may be on the same page, but Colorado has some major restrictions on raising revenue, and a ballot initiative to increase taxes to pay for schools wasnt approved. Ron DeSantis and his wife Casey celebrate after winning the Florida Governors race during DeSantis party at the Rosen Centre in Orlando, Fla. --Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel via AP Democrat Laura Kelly talks to the crowd at the Ramada Hotel and Convention Center in Topeka, Kan., after she defeated Republican Kris Kobach Tuesday night to become the next Kansas governor. --Thad Allton/The Topeka Capital-Journal via AP Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tony Evers, left, and lieutenant governor candidate Mandela Barnes claim victory at their watch party, early Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, at the Orpheum Theater in Madison, Wis. Gov. Scott Walker narrowly lost his bid for a third term to Evers. --Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP New Mexico Gov.-elect Michelle Lujan-Grisham waves to supporters following her acceptance speech in Albuquerque. -- Juan Labreche/AP Democrat Jared Polis walks onto the stage at an election night watch party in Denver with running mate Dianne Primavera upon defeating Republican Walker Stapleton in the race for Colorado governor. --AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via AP Dont miss another State EdWatch post. Sign up here to get news alerts in your email inbox. And make sure to follow @StateEdWatch on Twitter for the latest news from state K-12 policy and politics. The Democrats who appeared to lose Tuesday's marquee elections in Florida may have a second shot at winning a U.S. Senate seat and the governor's mansion, after ballot counting brought their already-tight races to margins narrow enough to require a recount of every ballot. One of them, Sen. Bill Nelson, is represented by the Hillary Clinton campaign lawyer who brokered the deal spawning the anti-Trump 'dirty dossier' that figured heavily in the 2016 presidential campaign. Nelson finished Tuesday night a runner-up to Republican challenger Rick Scott, the current governor. By Thursday afternoon the two were separated by less than 17,400 votes out of 8.16 million cast, according to Nelson's campaign lawyer Marc Elias. That margin, 0.21 per cent, is tight enough for a time-intensive manual recount. And Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum's bid to replace the term-limited Gov. Scott got new life Thursday afternoon when the ongoing tally of absentee and provisional ballots brought him to within 39,000 votes of GOP Rep. Ron DeSantis, who claimed victory on Tuesday. The spread in that race, 0.47 per cent, would guarantee a machine recount if it holds. Florida Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson (pictured) is trailing his challenger, Republican Gov. Rick Scott, by barely 17,000 votes out of more than 8.1 million cast Demorcatic Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum (pictured) is behind Republican Rep. Ron DeSantis in the race to succeed Scott as governor, by only 39,000 votes Nelson's lawyer organizing his effort to tilt as many votes in his favor as possible is Marc Elias, the top attorney for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign who funneled the money that created the anti-Trump 'dirty dossier' Elias tweeted Thursday afternoon that there were '[m]ore ballots still being counted. I expect that margin to narrow further until recount.' RECOUNT CALENDAR Important dates in the saga related to Florida election recounts in 2018: Nov. 6 Election Day Nov. 10 County canvassing boards' certified vote totals are due Nov. 12 Likely start date for machine and manual recounts Nov. 15 Deadline for machine recounts to be completed Nov. 18 Deadline for manual recounts to be completed Advertisement Chris Hartline, a spokesman for Scott's campaign, criticized Nelson for refusing to concede the race after Scott delivered a Tuesday night victory speech. 'This race is over,' Hartline said. 'It's a sad way for Bill Nelson to end his career. He is desperately trying to hold on to something that no longer exists.' Including the razor-thin race for Florida Agriculture Commissioner, the Sunshine State could have three races in recounts after 67 county-level canvassing boards certify their vote totals at noon on Saturday. That would unleash a muted version of the political circus that Americans watched with a mixture of fascination and horror in 2000, when a few Florida counties' recounted ballots determined the result of a presidential election. Instead of a month-long saga, machine recounts would be over by November 15 and manual recounts by the 18th. Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner would have to order the recounts. He told county election officials on Wednesday to get ready. Elias announced Thursday that the Nelson/Scott race is closer than one-quarter of a percentage point, meaning all the ballots will be recounted by hand The Clintons have used Elias and his firm, Perkins Coie, for years and relied on him to handle legal issues related to the 2016 presidential campaign Rick Scott (left) and Ron DeSantis (right) figure to play defense in the coming weeks as their leads in the Senate and governor's races are chipped away by Elias and other Democratic lawyers 'The recounts will be nationally watched ... [were] under a microscope,' he told them during a conference call. Elias said Thursday that he expects Nelson to keep his seat in the Senate when the dust settles. He said his team's efforts were focused on making sure provisional ballots cast for Nelson weren't disqualified over signature issues and other details that he claimed disproportionately affect black and Hispanic voters. He's also paying attention to 'undervotes,' ballots that didn't register any vote at all on the 'top line' the Senate contest even though the same voter's choices were counted for 'down-ticket' races. Nelson began raising Monday on Wednesday to pay for Elias's operation with an 'Emergency Response Recount Fund.' Republicans may have reason to be skeptical of Elias. Nelson is already raising money specifically for a recount effort The former Hillary Clinton campaign lawyer launched what would become known as the anti-Donald Trump 'dirty dossier,' but denied involvement in the project for a year as reporters pressed him for information. Elias brokered a deal between the Clinton camp, the Democratic National Committee and opposition research firm Fusion GPS to dig up dirt on the president while he was running for office. A pair of New York Times reporters said in October 2017 that Elias and others involved had lied about their roles in the arrangement. 'Folks involved in funding this lied about it, and with sanctimony, for a year,' Times reporter Maggie Haberman tweeted after The Washington Post linked the dossier to Elias and his law firm Perkins Coie. Kennth Vogel, another Times journalist, tweeted: 'When I tried to report this story, Clinton campaign lawyer @marceelias pushed back vigorously, saying "You (or your sources) are wrong".' Elias, the Nelson campaign's recount lawyer, passed millions of dollars in 2016 to Fusion GPS, run by Glenn Simpson (left) money from the Hillary Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee that Simpson used to hire former British spy Chris Steele (right). Steele dug up the first on Donald Trump that became the infamous 'dirty dossier' The deal was born in the spring of 2016, when Elias was approached by Fusion GPS, and lasted until just before Election Day that year. When Fusion approached Elias, it had already been doing anti_Trump research work for the conservative Washington Free Beacon during the Republican primary season. But the dossier itself was funded entirely by Democrats, using Elias as a middle-man. After the DNC and the Clinton campaign started paying, Fusion GPS hired former British spy Christopher Steele to do the dirt-digging. His work later resulted in the dossier, which made unsubstantiated claims that Trump patronized prostitutes while visiting Moscow, and that he paid them to urinate on each other while cavorting on a bed that Barack and Michelle Obama had slept in during their pown previous trip to Russia's capital city. Trump has called the material 'phony stuff,' and the White House has complained that the dossier's other unconfirmed allegations were part of the Obama-era Justice Department's justifications fo spying on Carter Page, one of his campaign advisers. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders refused to back down Thursday from the Trump administration's decision to rescind CNN correspondent Jim Acosta's press pass, insisting incidental physical contact with a female intern during a heated presidential press conference was enough to get him banned. Acosta found himself without access to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue following a tense shouting match with President Donald Trump and a near-tussle over the White House's microphone as he pushed the intern's arm away. Facing stern questions from the rest of the political press corps, Sanders issued a terse statement: 'The question is: did the reporter make contact or not? The video is clear, he did. We stand by our statement.' That video, a brief C-SPAN clip that made the rounds Wednesday night, generated new outrage in the evening when Sanders tweeted an altered version that was first distributed by an editor of the alt-right 'InfoWars' conspiracy theorist website. Sarah Sanders shared a re-cut video on Twitter that was originally posted by an InfoWars host, opening herself up to criticism over the footage's alterations Sanders was pictured Wednesday in the East Room of the White House during the press conference where Acosta tangled with Trump and later found himself banned from the building CNN media critic Brian Stelter pressed her on Twitter: 'InfoWars personality @PrisonPlanet posted the same video two hours before you did. Surely you don't trust InfoWars...?' Dartmouth College digital forensics expert Hany Farid told theMotherboard tech website that the footage itself wasn't doctored, but the video was slowed down and zoomed in to focus on a single moment. The question is: did the reporter make contact or not? The video is clear, he did. We stand by our statement. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders 'I believe that the video tweeted by the Press Secretary is misleading but I dont see unambiguous evidence that it has been doctored,' Farid said. He also suggested that the vantage point of C-SPAN's camera 'gives the appearance that there was more contact between the reporter and the intern than there probably was.' 'In particular, if you look at original, higher-quality videos from other vantage points you can more clearly see that while there was some contact between the reporter and intern, he did not strike her as his hand comes down.' The video Snaders tweeted does appear to speed up and zoom in on the moment of contact. Acosta wrestled with an unnamed White House intern who tried to take the White House's mic from him on Wednesday after the president decided he was done answering CNN's questions Acosta's defenders urged people to look at video of the interaction, saying it proves White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders was incorrect to say he 'placed his hands' on the female intern; the video shows the intern reaching for the mic and Acosta's left hand pushing her left arm down as he grips it Sanders, pictutred during an October 29 press briefing, is under fire for treating Acosta's moment of contact like a serious infraction Kellyanne Conway said Thursday morning that the White House was right to cancel Acosta's press credentials, casting his physical contact with the intern as a male-on-female threat. In a 'Fox & Friends' interview, Conway described it as 'a rough moment for the young aide' and cast Acosta as a chauvinist villain for stopping the young woman from taking the microphone back once President Donald Trump said he was finished answering the reporter's questions. 'The reporter from NBC was already standing, getting ready to ask his question, and she was just doing her job, which was to reclaim the microphone that belongs to the federal government,' Conway said. 'Obviously I don't think anybody should have any young woman, particularly should have somebody swiping away them and grabbing the microphone back.' During a Fox Business Network appearance on Wednesday evening, she laid out the controversy as a #MeToo moment. 'You dont put your hands on a woman. I think we all had to hear that recently in some other context, and Im not sure that hes apologized to that young woman but she certainly is owed one, Conway said. Kellyanne Conway, a senior adviser to President Donald Trump, said Thursday that the White House was right to cancel a CNN reporter's press pass following a brief and incidentally physical confrontation over a microphone during a presidential press conference Conway framed the incident as a male-on-female moment and lumped it in with threats she and other pro-Trump women have faced On Thursday she re-framed the moment, replayed millions of times on social media videos, as part of a culture of harassment that Trump aides deal with on a regular basis. She blamed Democrats and the media for a 'red-hot tone' that has put some female Trump backers in dangerous positions. 'I've been physically touched by people. I've been yelled at, my kids have been threatened,' she said. 'Tucker Carlson ... had a mob show up at his house last night. His wife was hiding in a pantry!' 'Let's talk about red-hot rhetoric,' she said. 'I'll stand here all day long in my four-inch heels and talk about it if you want to, but I will not let it be cast as one-sided and the president's fault.' Conway didn't mention Acosta by name but drew a contrast between journalists who 'try to do their job by getting the story' and others who 'try to get the president.' 'Some people like to grandstand and be part of the story,' she complained, claiming that other correspondents secretly agree with her: 'Maybe they're not going to come forward and say that, but they say that.' Acosta tweeted Thursday morning: 'Dont believe the lies coming from the WH. Believe in our freedoms. Thank you all for your support. We wont back down.' Acosta shot a hasty cell phone video of a uniformed Secret Service officer denying him entry to the White House and revoking his press pass on Wednesday evening President Donald Trump and Acosta got into a heated verbal back-and-forth during Wednesday's post-election press conference Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio responded by blasting him on Twitter even while suggesting that the White House overreacted. 'I dont think they should revoke his WH pass. Revoking press access for being rude is a very slippery slope,' Rubio wrote. 'But the WH pass is to cover the news,not make yourself the news. This tweet & his behavior is what you expect from an activist,not a journalist.' CNN has cast the White House's reaction as an over-reaching attack on the First Amendment. Conway pointed out that Trump 'answered 68 questions from 35 different reporters over the span of 90 minutes' on Wednesday. 'That's pro-press, that's transparent, that's accountability. A uniformed Secret Service officer denied Acosta entry to the White House grounds Wednesday evening and revoked his 'hard pass,' the long-term credential issued to regular members of the White House press corps. Acosta's tense exchange with Trump wasn't his first; the president has slammed him publicly before, and considers much of what CNN airs 'fake news' Sanders stunned Washington by announcing Wednesday evening that Acosta was persona non grata at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue; CNN can still send other reporters to cover the White House 'Ive just been denied entrance to the WH. Secret Service just informed me I cannot enter the WH grounds for my 8pm hit,' Acosta tweeted before sharing a cell phone video of the officer taking his pass away. In a statement, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said that Acosta's hard pass had been suspended 'until further notice.' Acosta appeared on 'Anderson Cooper 360,' calling the tension 'a test for all of us. I do think they're trying to shut us down to some extent.' He also insisted that White House press secretary Sarah sanders was wrong to claim video captured him 'placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job.' 'The fact that CNN is proud of the way their employee behaved is not only disgusting, its an example of their outrageous disregard for everyone, including young women, who work in this Administration,' sanders said in a statement Wednesday night. Acosta tweeted that her claim was 'a lie.' 'I didn't put my hands on her or touch her as theyre alleging. It's unfortunate the White House is saying this... I think I handled myself professionally,' Acosta told Cooper. 'Put the mic down,' Trump told Acosta as the female intern (left) tried to take it back from him CNN flatly accused Sanders in a statement of lying about the nature of the confrontation between Acosta and the unnamed female intern. 'She provided fraudulent accusations and and cited an incident that never happened,' the network said. 'This unprecedented decision is a threat to our democracy and the country deserves better. Jim Acosta has our full support.' The White House Correspondents Association issued a statement condemning the Trump administration for confiscating Acosta's hard pass. 'Revoking access to the White House complex is a reaction out of line to the purported offense and is unacceptable,' the group said. 'We urge the White House to immediately reverse this weak and misguided action.' 'We encourage anyone with doubts that this reaction was disproportionate to the perceived offense to view the video of the events from earlier today.' Acosta's shouting match with Trump came as he was asking the president a lengthy question about the Central American migrant caravan, arguing that Trump should not have called it an 'invasion.' 'That's enough!' Trump boomed as Acosta tried to pivot to a question about Special Counsel Robret Mueller's Russia investigation. 'CNN should be ashamed of itself having you work for them. You are a rude terrible person. You shouldn't be working for CNN,' the president told Acosta as the intern tried to reclaim the mic. 'When you report fake news, which CNN does a lot, you are the enemy of the people,' he told him, later quipping: 'I think you should let me run the country and you run CNN. If you did it well your ratings would be much better.' NBC correspondent Peter Alexander got the next question, and leapt to advocate for Acosta following the jaw-dropping exchange. 'In Jim's defense, I've traveled with him and watched him. He's a diligent reporter who busts his butt,' Alexander said. 'Well, I'm not a fan of yours either,' Trump replied. 'You aren't the best.' Bulger, who was killed on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018, in a West Virginia prison best to death with a padlock in a sock by inmates. Pictured above in a 2011 mugshot Notorious gangster James 'Whitey' Bulger was laid to rest at a funeral service in Boston, in the very neighborhood where he ran his ruthless mob for years. A simple and private service was held for the 89-year-old mob boss on Thursday morning at the St. Monica - St. Augustine Church in South Boston, a once-Irish Catholic stronghold in the city where Bulger grew up. Last week Bulger was brutally beaten to death by inmates with a padlock in a sock hours after he was transferred to a troubled high security West Virginia prison. At least half a dozen family members arrived at the private 30-minute mass to pay their respects including Bulger's brother former state Senate President William 'Billy' Bulger. A funeral service for James 'Whitey' Bulger, 89, was held on Thursday morning attended by just a dozen people including his brothe,r former state Senate President William 'Billy' Bulger (pictured above) The mass held at St. Monica - St. Augustine Church was a simple and private affair. William 'Billy' Bulger pictured leaving the church following the 30-minute funeral service Also in attendance was Bulger's longtime girlfriend Catherine Greig's twin sister Margaret McCusker (pictured above). Greig was not allowed to leave a Minnesota prison where she's serving nine years for harboring a fugitive after she was on the run with Bulger for 16 years Father James Flavin presided over the mass and released a statement saying the church is 'certainly aware of the deep pain that innocent victims of crime and violence live with every day'. Flavin pictured leaving the funeral service on Thursday Margaret McCusker, the twin sister of Bulger's jailed longtime girlfriend Catherine Greig, also attended the ceremony, according to NBC. McCusker, 67, said her sister was not allowed to leave the prison, where she is serving a nine-year sentence to attend the funeral. 'It was a nice service, and I was glad they invited me,' she said. 'She'll be thrilled to know I attended the Mass... He wanted to be buried with my sister,' she added to the Boston Globe on Bulger's dying wish. Hank Brennan, one of Bulger's attorneys in his 2013 federal racketeering trial was also present at the ceremony. Only about a dozen people attended the funeral. His body was present at the mass in a closed casket. He was buried at St. Joseph's Cemetery in the West Roxbury neighborhood of Boston with a simple tombstone engraved with 'Bulger' and a cross. At the mass Bulger's body was presented in a closed casket. In a private burial he was laid to rest at St. Joseph's Cemetery in the West Roxbury neighborhood of Boston He was buried with a simple tombstone engraved with 'Bulger' and a modest cross Cemetery workers pictured placing dirt on Bulger's grave site on Thursday afternoon The funeral for the slain mobster was held at Saint Monica's Church in South Boston, the very neighborhood he was raised in and terrorized for decades The priest who presided over the ceremony said the church is 'aware of the deep pain' Bulger's victims still live with. 'The Church is certainly aware of the deep pain that innocent victims of crime and violence live with every day. As Catholic priests we are called to bury the dead and pray for God's justice and mercy. We entrust our final judgement to God,' Father James A Flavin said in a statement. For many, Bulger's death is the end of a decades-long reign of terror in South Boston. 'This is the means to the end right here. He did a lot of rotten stuff, a lot of rotten stuff to people around here. It's ironic that the liquor store he took over, he's getting funeralized right there,' Travis Tuplin, who is a family friend of a Bulger victim, said to NBC. Bulger was captured in 2011 in Santa Monica with his girlfriend Catherine Greig after 16 years on the run. He was on America's most wanted fugitives list. End of an era: For some in the Boston area his death has brought the end of a reign of terror after his mob wreaked havoc for decades. Bulger pictured in undated photo released to the public on December 30, 1998 After being on the run for 16 years he was finally arrested in Santa Monica in 2011 and in 2013 was sentenced to two life sentences, convicted of killing 11 people. Pictured in 1959 He was sentenced to two life sentences after he was convicted of killing 11 people during his 2013 trial. Greig is still serving her sentence at a federal prison in Minnesota. He was killed on October 30 after he was transferred to USP Hazelton from a Florida prison. But he didn't even last a day at the prison and was so horrifically bludgeoned to death that when officers found his body wrapped in a sheet 12 hours later, he was hardly recognizable and his eye sockets were gouged out. Officials briefed on the investigation have said two Massachusetts mobsters are under suspicion in the 89-year-old's killing, but no charges have been made. Actress Tamera Mowry-Housley has revealed her husband's niece was among those killed when a gunman opened fire during college night at a crowded country music bar in California. Alaina Housley, 18, was killed in the massacre at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks on Wednesday night. Tamera and her husband Adam Housley issued a statement, saying: 'Our hearts are broken'. 'We just learned that our Alaina was one of the victims of last night's shooting at Borderline Bar in Thousand Oaks. 'Alaina was an incredible young woman with so much life ahead of her and we are devastated that her life was cut short in this manner.' Alaina Housley, the niece of actress Tamera Mowry-Housley and her husband Adam Housley, was also still unaccounted for seven hours after the mass shooting in California The teenager was a freshman at Pepperdine University and had been at the bar with several friends. Her Apple Watch and iPhone showed her location as still inside the bar in the aftermath of the shooting. Her uncle Adam, who is a former Fox News correspondent, had rushed to the hospital at 3.30am in search of his niece after hearing reports of the shooting. 'My gut is saying she's inside the bar, dead. I'm hoping I'm wrong,' Adam had told the LA Times before her dead was confirmed. Two of her friends jumped out of a broken window and ran for safety but say they lost Alaina in the mayhem. They are in hospital now being treated for major injuries. Actress Tamera Mowry-Housley and her husband Adam Housley (left) issued a statement saying their hearts were broken following her death Ventura County Sheriff's sergeant Ron Helus, who was first on the scene, was killed after being shot multiple times when he exchanged fire with the 28-year-old gunman, Ian David Long. Borderline employee Telemachus Orfanos was among those confirmed dead. His social media indicates he attended the local Thousand Oaks High School and Moorepark College. Cody Coffman, 22, and Justin Meek, 23, were also among those killed inside the bar. Jason, Cody's father, sobbed as he revealed that authorities told him on Thursday that his oldest son had died. He said he spoke to his son just before he went to the bar Wednesday night. 'The first thing I said was 'Please don't drink and drive.' The last thing I said was 'Son, I love you',' he said. Cody had plans to go into the military and was speaking with U.S. Army recruiters. His father Jason had earlier rushed to the bar after hearing news of the shooting and calls to his son's cellphone went unanswered. He feared the worst when a tracking app on his son's phone indicated the device was still inside the venue. Jason said he was alerted to the shooting when several of Cody's friends started banged on their front door after 1am. 'Some of his girlfriends got out but they didn't know where Cody was,' Jason said. Jason Coffman's son Cody is still unaccounted for following the massacre at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks on Wednesday at 11.20pm Justin Meek, 23, and Sean Adler, 48, both worked at the Borderline Bar & Grill as bouncers. They both died in the shooting massacre on Wednesday night Noel Sparks, (left) a 21-year-old student at Moorpark College, was also confirmed dead. Blake Dingman, 21, (right) was identified by his girlfriend as a victim of the mass shooting Borderline employee Telemachus Orfanos was also among those confirmed dead. His social media indicates he attended the local Thousand Oaks High School and Moorepark College Meek was identified as one of the slain victims by his family and his former college. The 23-year-old, who was a recent graduate of California Lutheran University, worked at the bar where he was killed as a promoter and bouncer. Meek is believed to have heroically saved lives as the shooting unfolded, according to university president Chris Kimball. Ventura County Sheriff Ron Helus was among those killed. He was shot multiple times by the gunman after responding to the first 911 calls and later died in hospital Noel Sparks, a 21-year-old student at Moorpark College, was also confirmed dead. The United Methodist Church in Westlake Village, of which she was a member, posted condolences to her parents on Facebook. Sparks' friends had been in tears throughout the day as they desperately searched for her in the aftermath of the shooting. Sean Adler, 48, was working as a bouncer at the Borderline Bar & Grill when he was killed. He was a wrestling coach who had only recently opened a coffee shop in the local area. Blake Dingman, 21, was identified by his girlfriend as a victim of the mass shooting. 'My sweet Blake... my heart is hurting more than words can say. I cannot believe youre gone. I am so grateful for our little infinity and all of our deep talks, cuddles, late nights, and adventures,' she wrote in a tribute. 'I am so incredibly grateful for every moment we spent together. God brought us together for a reason and I will hold our memories in my heart forever. I love you with all of my heart my sweet boy and my angel.' Jake Dunham, 21, is among those still missing after not making contact with his parents in the hours after the shooting. Jake Dunham, 21, has not made contact with his parents in the hours after the shooting. His father said he went to the bar to play pool with friends He had gone to the bar to play pool with his friends, his father Ken Dunham told NBC Los Angeles. 'I keep calling it but there's no answer,' Ken said. 'It just keeps ringing out... he always answers his phone.' A number of other parents rushed to the bar and used tracking devices to look up their children's iPhones and iWatches. Many of the devices are still located inside the bar and the parents say they haven't heard from their loved ones since the shooting happened. There were roughly 100 people inside the bar when the gunman opened fire. Many of those inside were students at Pepperdine University and others are thought to have gone to California Lutheran University - both are Christian schools. The Ventura County Sheriff's office said the victim notification process was 'slow and methodical'. They said they were doing everything possible to notify relatives. Authorities said Long was wearing a hood and dressed all in black when he used a smoke bomb and handgun to open fire at the bar. Ian Long, 28, is the gunman who opened fire on Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, on Wednesday A shirtless man and two others carry an injured person out of the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, on Wednesday night after a gunman opened fire at 11.20pm EMTs treat a victim from the shooting at Borderline Bar and Grill on Wednesday. In addition to the 12 innocent people who were killed, another 12 at least were injured Patrons screamed in fear, shouted 'get down!' and used bar stools to smash second-floor windows and jump to safety as gunfire erupted at the bar, a hangout popular with students from nearby California Lutheran University. The dead included 11 people inside the bar and sheriff's sergeant Ron Helus, a 29-year veteran of the department, who was the first officer inside the door. Authorities said 21 people injured in the shooting had been released from various hospitals by Thursday morning. 'It's a horrific scene in there,' Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said. 'There's blood everywhere.' The gunman, who was a former marine, deployed a smoke device and used a .45-caliber handgun in the attack. He first fired on a person working the door and then appeared to shoot at random at people inside, according to witnesses. Special Counsel Robert Mueller has begun writing his final report for the Russia probe, it was revealed after President Donald Trump ordered a dramatic shakeup at the Justice Department. The probe faces new internal pressure following President Trump's sudden post-election move to fire Attorney General Jeff Sessions and install a political loyalist, Matt Whitaker. Whitaker has spoken critically about the probe, cautioned Mueller to rein it in, and spoken of strategies to choke it off by slashing its budget. Now, with the Whitaker installed in an acting capacity despite not being ever confirmed by the Senate, Mueller's team is forging ahead. Mueller's investigators have started writing their final report, sources told CNN. Special Counsel Robert Mueller is preparing his final report His team has already submitted questions to Trump's lawyers, following lengthy negotiations about whether Trump was willing to answer spoken questions from investigators. Among the things being asked about are his campaign communications with longtime informal advisor and notorious trickster Roger Stone. Stone has been the subject of reports for months as a possible target of the probe. He is one of the few known major figures not to have been called for an interview with investigators. Stone revealed last week he had been in contact with former Trump chief strategist Steve Bannon about his communications with WikiLeaks, which published a trove of hacked Democratic emails during the campaign. President Trump trashed the Mueller probe at a Wednesday press conference Investigators have sought visitor logs for Stone at Trump Tower LOYALIST: Former Sessions chief of staff Matt Whitaker has taken over oversight of the Russia probe. He has criticized it in the past and spoken about cutting its funding. He was not confirmed by the Senate for his post He wrote in an email that the group would have 'a load [of documents] every week going forward.' But he explained recently his claim was based on WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's public statements and was inflating what he knew. Mueller has asked for call and visitor logs of Stone's visits to Trump Tower, according to the report, which said it came in as recently as the last month. That would appear to be a sign of a flurry of activity after probers avoided seeking such information for more than a year. News Mueller's lawyers are drafting the report come after scrutiny of Whitaker. Although he served as a federal prosecutor in Iowa more than a decade ago, Whitaker was brought in after making a series of public comments about the Mueller probe. With the departure of Sessions, who had recused himself due to his campaigning for Trump and his own meetings with Russians during the campaign, oversight now shifts away from career official deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein. During their exchange, Bannon wanted information about a promised release of a trove of Clinton documents by WikiLeaks. He reached out to Stone. 'What was that this morning???' Bannon asked , in an October 4 email obtained by the New York Times. Stone's response implied he had knowledge which could be of interest to Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigators as they forge ahead with their Russia probe. ''A load every week going forward,' Stone wrote. Stone published the full email himself in an op-ed published Thursday in the conservative Daily Caller. Stone presented himself as having ties to Assange, but his response to last week's report is that he was puffing up his access. He told the Times it was 'posture, bluff, hype, based on things Assange revealed publicly. 'I didn't need any inside knowledge to do that. They keep looking for some direct communication with WikiLeaks that doesn't exist,' he said referencing special counsel Robert Mueller's investigators. A judge has denied Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman's request to hug his beauty queen wife in court when the notorious Mexican drug lord's trial begins in New York next week A judge has denied Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman's request to hug his beauty queen wife in the courtroom when his trial begins in New York next week. El Chapo's defense team submitted a letter asking that the notorious Mexican drug lord be allowed to give wife Emma Coronel Aispuro 'a brief, momentary greeting to include perhaps an embrace' ahead of opening statements on Tuesday. The lawyers said it would be a 'humanitarian gesture' for the man who has been linked to nearly three dozen murders. El Chapo has been held in solitary confinement since he was extradited to the US in January 2017, having escaped from prisons in Mexico twice. Judge Brian Cogan praised the 61-year-old's 'exemplary' behavior both in court and in confinement, saying that he's 'displayed considerable grace under pressure' while being subjected to the strictest inmate security protocols in the US. However, Cogan concluded that the request was 'contrary to all' security procedures and thus cannot be accommodated. El Chapo's defense team submitted a letter asking the inmate allowed to give wife Emma Coronel Aispuro (pictured) 'a brief, momentary greeting to include perhaps an embrace' ahead of opening statements on Tuesday. El Chapo, 61, has been banned from communicating with the 29-year-old mother of the couple's twin girls since his extradition to the US in January 2017 'The Court is sympathetic to the request,' Cogan wrote in an order denying the request. 'As defense counsel points out, defendants conduct during what are surely difficult proceedings and conditions of confinement for him has been exemplary, and he has displayed considerable grace under pressure. 'Nevertheless, having conferred extensively with the US Marshals Service about defendants request, the Court is constrained to deny it. 'The Marshals have stressed that acceding to the request would be contrary to all the security procedures that have been put in place.' Judge Brian Cogan (pictured) denied El Chapo's request on Thursday, writing that while the inmate has displayed 'exemplary behavior' during his two years of solitary confinement, allowing the embrace would violate necessary security procedures Over the nearly two years since his extradition, El Chapo has been banned from communicating with or having physical contact with Aispuro, the 29-year-old mother of their twin seven-year-old girls. His lawyers wrote in the request for contact: 'It is well known that solitary confinement poses negative effect to a person's sanity. 'The only human contact Mr Guzman has had since his extradition has been with the jail personnel when putting and removing his shackles, and a quick handshake from his attorneys when he goes to court'. However, Cogan noted that those restrictions had been 'tailored to the government's legitimate objectives of preventing [the defendant] from coordinating any escape from prison or directing any attack on individuals who might be cooperating with the Government' as witnesses. The judge's order continued: 'This is especially true on the eve of trial, when the reality of the potential liability defendant faces if convicted may be setting in and his motivation to escape or threaten witnesses might be particularly strong.' El Chapo is charged with 17 counts of drug trafficking and running a criminal enterprise known as the Sinaloa cartel, one of Mexico's most violent and dangerous organized crime syndicates. He has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he is likely to spend the rest of his life behind bars in a maximum security US jail. El Chapo's defense attorneys noted that he has not had any contact with Aispuro (pictured right with their two children in February) for the two years he's been in solitary confinement The defense attorneys, Eduardo Balarezo and William Purpura (pictured arriving at the US District Court in Brooklyn on Monday), wrote in the request: 'It is well known that solitary confinement poses negative effect to a person's sanity' While the kingpin sits in a New York prison awaiting trial, Aispuro has been living the life of luxury. The former Mexican beauty queen regularly showcases her glamorous life in photos posted on her social media account. In recent months, the 29-year-old has shared photos of herself beachside in a bikini, soaking up the sun in Los Cabos and showing off her Prada purses. The mother-of-two also made headlines in September after throwing an elaborate Barbie-themed birthday party for the couple's seven-year-old daughters Emaly and Maria. Some Mexicans reacted with fury after news of the lavish birthday party emerged, accusing Aispuro of using 'blood money' from her 61-year-old husband's drug empire. Aispuro, who wed El Chapo in 2007, has US nationality. Their daughters were born in America but live in their father's home state of Sinaloa. The whole family has attended El Chapo's various court appearances in New York this year. While El Chapo sits in a New York prison awaiting trial Aispuro has been living the life of luxury The former Mexican beauty queen regularly showcases her glamorous life in photos posted on her social media account The mother-of-two also made headlines in September after throwing an elaborate Barbie-themed birthday party for the couple's seven-year-old daughters Emaly and Maria A jury of seven women and five men were selected on Wednesday for El Chapo's trial. They will remain anonymous. The selection comes after Cogan was forced to dismiss everyone from a Michael Jackson impersonator to a man who often orders the 'El Chapo' sandwich at his local deli. One potential juror was dismissed after he asked a court security officer to help him get El Chapo's autograph. When questioned about it on Tuesday, the man confessed to the courtroom: 'I'm a bit of a fan.' The remark prompted a smile from El Chapo. His lawyers tried to keep him on but the judge dismissed him. Cogan was also forced to dismiss five people who said they would be scared for their safety if they were selected. Among them was a young woman who was heard crying 'profusely' in the hall, saying that her mother had told her they would have to get a new house. When the judge read out her remarks, El Chapo laughed. Armed police stand outside the US District Court on Monday on the first day of jury selection Others were dismissed for having watched the Netflix series Narcos, which details the life of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar. Some were dismissed because they said they had heard about the Netflix documentary which is believed to have led to El Chapo's capture. The courthouse was surrounded by high level security on Tuesday as the selection continued. El Chapo's lawyers are eager to dispel the idea that he is a violent criminal and say all the added security around the courthouse and trial do nothing to help his reputation. 'He's a mythical figure at this point,' his lawyer Jeffrey Lichtman said on Monday. 'And if you read the many books that have been written about him, even by the agents in the case, they even discuss it they don't know what was real and what wasn't real.' The judge has ruled that the jury may be sequestered for some of the trial, which is expected to take as long as four months. A huntswoman who was facing jail after being filmed whipping a saboteur has been killed in a riding accident just weeks after being told she would be prosecuted. Jane Goring, 57, was filmed thrashing the animal rights activist up to 17 times around the head during an ugly row last year. Yesterday it emerged Mrs Goring died after falling from her horse on Wednesday during a draghunt - an equestrian sport where riders chase a trail of artificially laid scents with hounds. Jane Goring is thought to have fallen from her horse and died during a draghunt - an equestrian sport where riders chase a trail of artificially laid scents with hounds (pictured with her husband Richard, 79, and Alice Goring, centre left) A post from the Mid Surrey Farmers' Draghounds group on Facebook paid tribute to the sheep farmer. It said: 'We very much regret to inform you that Jane Goring was tragically killed whilst out dragging yesterday at Leigh. 'On behalf of the masters and members of the drag hunt, we send our condolences and thoughts to Richard and Jane's family at this awful time.' Close relative Alice Goring also paid tribute, writing: 'The cruelest reminder to live every day, because you never quite know when your time may be up. Sleep tight Jane, we will never ever forget you. Alice Goring also paid tribute, writing: 'The cruelest reminder to live every day, because you never quite know when your time may be up. Sleep tight Jane, we will never ever forget you' Mrs Goring whose husband Richard, 79, is part of the country's oldest luxury family hotel dynasty faced two criminal charges through a civil prosecution 'Thank you for everything and for making our grandpa so incredibly happy, something we will never forget and always love you for. We will miss you so much - you really were one of lifes legends, with the bestest laugh I have ever heard. 'So many amazing memories, you will never be forgotten and we so wish you didnt have to leave so fast. Will always remember this photo as the day we arrived late to Ascot and you had to practically run over everyones picnics to get us there. 'You were such a special lady and have left so many kisses on everyones hearts. Jane Goring, 57, was being prosecuted for assault for thrashing the activist up to 17 times around the head during an ugly row caught on camera. She was killed in a riding accident yesterday However some activists appeared to mock her death in posts shared on animal rights Facebook pages. Some posted the word 'karma' beneath the posts reporting her death, while others appeared to use the laughing emoji to 'react' to messages of condolences. While another admin from a group named Stop The Cull shared the story with the caption: 'She won't be missed by us'. Footage of the original incident in Hailsham, East Sussex, in which Mrs Going was heard screaming 'get off my horse', went viral in November last year and was viewed hundreds of thousands of times. Some posted the word 'karma' beneath the posts reporting her death, while others appeared to use the laughing emoji to 'react' to messages of condolences Another admin from a group named Stop The Cull shared the story with the caption: 'She won't be missed by us' Less than two months later police concluded there was not enough evidence to proceed and dropped the case. However, Goring whose husband Richard, 79, is part of the country's oldest luxury family hotel dynasty faced two criminal charges through a civil prosecution. The pair travelled from their 1million farm in Heathfield on the Sussex Downs to appear at Brighton Magistrates' Court last month. Mrs Goring is thought to have fallen from her horse and died during a draghunt - an equestrian sport where riders chase a trail of artificially laid scents with hounds Footage of the confrontation was posted on the Brighton Hunt Saboteurs' Facebook page, dividing viewers over who was in the wrong During a brief legal hearing, Goring pleaded not guilty to beating Simon Medhurst, a veteran animal rights and environmental campaigner and member of the South Coast Hunt Saboteurs. She also denied assaulting fellow saboteur Shirley Makin by 'riding her down' with her horse during the confrontation. Footage of the confrontation was posted on the Brighton Hunt Saboteurs' Facebook page, dividing viewers over who was in the wrong. The footage showed Mrs Goring riding towards the saboteurs, shouting at them to 'get back to the road'. She then appeared to spur her horse into a man recording the incident, pushing him back several feet. Another masked man rushed in front of the horse and grabbed hold of the bridle. Clash: Huntswoman Jane Goring, a wealthy landowner from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, was filmed striking a saboteur with her riding crop during an ugly clash Confrontation: The hunt saboteurs claimed that Mrs Goring, 57, (pictured) used her whip 17 times during the altercation In response, she yelled: 'Get off my horse, get off my horse' and repeatedly whipped the man. He desperately tried to shield his face while still gripping on the horse, shouting 'stop using it as a weapon.' A hunt steward pushed him away and shouted: 'Get off the f****** horse. Don't grab f****** horses.' Mrs Goring then appeared to take a swipe at another protester, forcing him to jump out the way. Mrs Goring repeatedly hit out at the protester during the clash between the Brighton Hunt Saboteurs and East Sussex & Romney Marsh Hunt Club on Saturday The saboteurs claimed they were the victims of an unprovoked attack and claimed the huntswoman simply 'lost the plot' Warning they were filming, the hunt saboteurs shouted: 'Don't charge horses into people. You cannot ride people down.' The man suffered bruising to the face and head but did not require hospital treatment. A second clip then appeared to show the same woman charging her horse at the saboteurs from behind. Brighton Hunt Saboteurs said they attended the meeting to make sure no illegal hunting took place. They insist they were the victims of an unprovoked attack. Angry Anderson has hit out at claims the family of the man accused of killing his son is also suffering. The Rose Tattoo frontman, 71, said hearing that Mathew Flame's family was 'traumatised' after Sunday's alleged drug-fueled ordeal was 'unbearable'. 'I can't in all honesty say that I care at this moment about the pain they (Mr Flame and his family) are going through, but I know one day I will,' he told The Australian. 'Right now don't ask me for that sort of Christian compassion because I don't have it.' Angry Anderson (right) has hit out at claims the family of the man accused of killing his son have been suffering in the aftermath as well (Liam far left) Mathew Flame, 20, was charged on Monday with the murder of the Australian rock icon's son Liam Anderson, in Sydney's northern beaches on Sunday morning. The apprentice plumber told Manly Local Court on Monday afternoon he was under the control of 'something f**king evil' a the time of his alleged attack. Flame's barrister, Charles Waterstreet, told the court his client knew what he was doing but had 'no control over his actions' after allegedly consuming a concoction of drugs and alcohol. Anderson said he was 'haunted' by thoughts of his son's final moments, and rebutted claims the alleged killer was one of his son's best friends. Liam Anderson (lower right) and his alleged attacker Mathew Flame (top right) were 'obsessed with each other' according to friends Police were called to the 'brutal and bloody' park where Liam Anderson, 26, was found on Sunday morning. He died en route to hospital 'They were not best friends, they weren't even close friends,' he said. Flame told the court he tried to flee a house party he and Liam were attending when he became concerned he was having an overdose, court documents stated. But with a few of the final words Liam ever said, he went after his friend, telling others: 'I would never leave him'. The court heard that Liam and Flame had attended a hip-hop concert in the Sydney suburb of Surry Hills with a group of friends, news.com.au reports. Accused murderer Mathew Flame (right) says he was under the control of 'something f**king evil' the night he allegedly bashed his best friend to death The pair met for drinks on Saturday night before allegedly taking MDMA and drinking late into Sunday morning. The party travelled back to a house party on the northern beaches at about 4am, court documents allege, where Flame consumed more MDMA and marijuana. The final dose gave the 20-year-old heart palpitations, according to the documents. Concerned he was suffering an overdose, he went into the bathroom where he lost consciousness. When he regained consciousness soon after, he believed himself to be 'under something's control', he stated in the court documents. A witness allegedly found a blank-faced Flame (left) on top of a bloody Anderson (centre right) He decided to leave the party as others, including Liam, begged him to stay. Concerned for his friend's wellbeing, Liam went into the night after Flame, telling the others: 'He's my best friend. I would never leave my best friend'. At an intersection up the road, a fight broke out between the two friends which would end fatally. A witness passed by and saw Flame on top of Liam's beaten body, the court documents stated. When the passerby asked what Flame was doing, the young man stared back blankly. As Liam begged for help and the witness ran to call police, the alleged attack continued. Flame (left) had allegedly consumed a concoction of drugs the night before Liam's death In court, Flame smiled and blew a kiss to his mother, who mouthed 'I love you' and sobbed as she was comforted by friends, the ABC reported. A family friend told the ABC that Flame's mother visited him in the police cell on Monday morning, describing him as 'traumatised and in a state of complete shock'. His mother didn't comment to media as she left court. His lawyer asked the court if his client could undergo a mental health assessment while in custody, along with a medical assessment for injuries sustained on Sunday. The court also heard that Flame had no previous criminal history. His lawyer told reporters outside court afterwards that the two men were 'best friends' since childhood and it was a 'just incredibly sad' for the two families. 'What has happened is lightning has struck twice on two individuals and their families and it's a double tragedy,' Mr Waterstreet said. 'It's a double tragedy for two very, very good families and two very, very good boys.' When asked how his client is feeling, Mr Waterstreet said: 'Everyone is devastated.' A handcuffed Mathew Flame (pictured) appeared in court on Monday, where he was refused bail until his next court appearance on January 29. Mathew Flame (right) is accused of bashing his close friend Liam Anderson (left) to death on Sunday morning after going into a drug-induced psychosis When police arrived, it's alleged they struggled to get Flame off Liam, and had to use pepper spray to separate the men. Liam's facial injuries were so severe that he was barely recognisable by the time police were able to separate the men. He was treated at the scene, but died en route to hospital. Ryan Walsh told Daily Mail Australia Flame had been working for him as an apprentice plumber for 'about a year' and had never been in any trouble. 'He's pretty placid at work,' he said. '[I'm] a bit shocked.' Liam regularly posted on social media about his alleged attacker calling him a 'brother'. The pair were in a recent Facebook post together at the Defqon1 music festival in September, with Liam posting a 'shout' to Flame 'for being a real one, love ya mate x'. A spokesperson for the Flame family told The Australian they regarded Liam as 'part of their family', and said Flame's actions were completely out of character. 'Matt has never been violent in any way and as the circumstances will be unfolded in court we hope to prove to the public and the court there are two victims here, and two devastated families,' they said. Mr Anderson has been remembered as a humble, down to earth man with a kind soul, and 'one of the realest to walk this earth'. 'You always told me to be myself no matter what and you helped me see the light when no one else could,' one man wrote. 'You are the most positive bro I think I've ever met. Rest up my brother, I'm gonna miss you.' Many recalled his talent as a rapper, and his pure attitude towards his art. 'I remember talking to him about the joy of busking and connecting with random people on the street,' one man wrote. 'There's a certain few you meet over the years that really stick with you, this fella had a really good soul.' Liam Anderson (pictured, left with father Gary, better known as rocker Angry Anderson) was unconscious and suffering from head wounds so severe he was barely recognisable when emergency crews arrived On Monday, friends met at the Pavilion Reserve park, where Liam was killed and left flowers and a moving note behind. 'Liam, there are no words to express our sorrow in losing you,' it read. 'Our tears we can wipe away - the ache in our hearts will always stay. 'Beautiful Liam now rest in peace. 'We will always miss your funny, cheeky ways. 'You were a loving friend and a great mate. 'All our love. Casey, Emma, Barb, Tony, Rach, Jas, Nick, Rhys and Brad. XXX.' A statement on behalf of Angry Anderson issued on Sunday afternoon, confirmed the death of his youngest child but requested privacy. He has since touched down in Sydney after dashing back from Western Australia, where his band Rose Tattoo had been touring their 40th anniversary show. One of the Grenfell effigy yobs was previously photographed mocking the homeless during a lads trip to Las Vegas, amid the ongoing controversy that has seen the Conservative Club suspend his membership. A statement on the website confirmed that Clifford Smith along with Bobbi Connell and Paul Bussetti have had their memberships suspended pending a police investigation. In the disgusting picture, Clifford Smith can be seen pinching his nose in disgust as he poses next to a friend pretending to be a tramp. Clifford Smith posted this image to Facebook, appearing to mock the homeless Bonfire Night party-goers, including Smith, laughed as they torch a replica of Grenfell Tower The snap was taken during a trip to the gambling Mecca back in March, 2013. His hoodie-wearing friend holds his hands out in front of him and pulls a face as he pretends to be homeless. The image, posted on to the now-deleted Facebook page of the South Norwood Conservative Club, was captioned: Best tramp in Vegas. Smith, 49, hosted the bad-taste bonfire at his home in the South London suburb in which a cardboard effigy of Grenfell Tower was torched - a sick reference to the fire which killed 72 people last year. Onlookers can be heard mockingly chanting "help me, help me" as the tower - with cut-out drawings of residents trying to escape - is lifted onto the bonfire Connell proved just what a ghoul he is when he dressed up as a ghost for a Halloween party He, his 19-year-old son Bobbi Connell and four friends were arrested after the stunt on November 5 and have been released under investigation. Smith and his son are members of the South Norwood Conservative Club, which boasts of once hosting wartime leader Winston Churchill. Connell proved just what a ghoul he is when he dressed up as a ghost for a Halloween party at the club last year. Connell, 19, dressed up as a ghost for a Halloween party last year at the Conservative Club An image on the Facebook site showed him doing thumbs up while wearing a hooded white robe with orange sleeves and black eyeliner daubed across his face. Also on the page was a video of another of the Grenfell six - Paul Bussetti- enjoying himself with other revellers at a karaoke party. Millionaire landlord Bussetti, a self-confessed party animal, is also a member of the Conservative club as is his wife Gemma, who is understood to work as a barmaid there. Clifford Smith (right) and Paul Bussetti (left) - at south Norwood Conservative Club MailOnline revealed earlier today how the 46-year-old owns a mansion block in much sought-after Clapham in South London made up of one, two and three bedroom homes. He is believed to have used a 4m inheritance from his father, who was murdered and his body dumped in a suitcase, to buy the block with his brother and sister. Local estates agents estimate the 16 flats would sell for more than 8m if they were to be sold on the open market. All the flats at the property are leased out with a one bedroom costing 1,500 a month. A two bedroom would go for 2,000 a month while a three bedroom would fetch upwards of 2,400. An estate agent told Mail Online the annual income would be close to 400,000. This is the hilarious moment Prince Charles and the Queen got stuck in a 'traffic jam' in their own palace. The Prince of Wales was all set to be confirmed as the next head of the Commonwealth at a ceremony that had been perfectly choreographed. But the Queen's efforts to get to the stage and announce her son as the next leader were frustrated by a queue of 53 Commonwealth leaders. As she asks Charles what the hold-up is, he can be seen gesturing at the line in front of them as other Royals appear bemused alongside them. Prime Minister Theresa May can be heard welcoming world leaders one after the other as they pile onto the stage at Buckingham Palace. Charles and his mother make their way to the stage - only to have their efforts frustrated by a human 'traffic jam' 'Why are we not going in yet?' - Charles and the Queen appear confused as they prepare to enter the ceremony Charles explained to the Queen that they are not to go in until the Commonwealth Leaders are fully assembled The Duchess of Cornwall, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry all gather in a confused crowd before they finally head in with Charles and the Queen. Finally, she announces her son as her replacement as leader of the Commonwealth - which has a total population of 2.3billion - with unanimous approval from those present. The Royals gathered in a confused crowd before finally heading into the room to confirm Charles as leader Proudly laughing at his new grandson, Prince Louis, this is the image that shatters the belief Prince Charles is anything but a doting grandparent Tonight's BBC1 documentary Charles at 70 explored the Prince of Wales' family relationships, charitable work and lobbying that critics regard as 'meddling'. His sons, Princes William and Harry, offered an intimate portrait of their father and the challenges that they have faced together. Wife Camilla reassured the public that he looks forward calmly to his looming responsibility. Charles plays with Camilla's granddaughter, Lola, in a picture showing how he dotes on his family in tonight's documentary The documentary is a fascinating portrait of the king-in-waiting, featuring candid contributions from family including his sons William and Harry and wife, the Duchess of Cornwall When it became clear that Meghan wouldn't have her reclusive father to support her, Harry went to his The prince happily shows the documentary crew an arboretum that he has planted for his eldest grandchild at Birkhall, his Scottish home, which he calls 'George's wood' Charles (pictured in Ghana with Camilla) says he has to change when he becomes king but Lord Hain, a former cabinet member, says he shouldn't be 'viewless and silent'. Republicans believe Charles won't be able to resist 'meddling' The Duke of Sussex salutes after laying a Cross of Remembrance outside Westminster Abbey today ahead of tonight's documentary ... and look who's perking up his trip to Africa: Prince doesn't look his age, says supermodel pal Naomi Beaming Prince Charles received an early birthday treat yesterday a compliment from a supermodel. Naomi Campbell wished him a happy 70th and told him that he does not look his age. The pair who have known each other for years met at a reception in Nigeria, on the penultimate day of Charles's official visit to West Africa. Beaming Prince Charles received an early birthday treat yesterday a compliment from a supermodel. Naomi Campbell wished him a happy 70th and told him that he does not look his age They greeted each other warmly at the function, attended by members of Nigeria's fashion industry. Miss Campbell, 48, said afterwards: 'He looks amazing. He doesn't look his age. I told him that his spirit was young. He is such an example to me. His commitment to the Commonwealth, that's amazing. I'm very grateful.' Charles, who turns 70 next Wednesday, also viewed a giant bronze of the Queen, who sat for Nigerian sculptor Ben Enwonwu in the 1950s. The pair who have known each other for years met at a reception in Nigeria, on the penultimate day of Charles's official visit to West Africa Advertisement Charles works too hard he should spend more time with his grandchildren (who he loves crawling around with) reveals Prince William Prince William wishes his workaholic father could spend more time with his grandchildren, the documentary to mark Charles' 70th birthday reveals. The Prince of Wales is described as a 'brilliant' grandfather who will spend hours crawling on the floor and making silly noises with his little granddaughters and grandsons. But the prince can be distracted because he is so dedicated to his work to the extent that his sons say he sometimes falls asleep with the documents he is reading stuck to his face. Asked whether his father has 'time to be a grandfather on top of everything else', William answers carefully. The Prince of Wales is described as a 'brilliant' grandfather who will spend hours crawling on the floor and making silly noises with his little granddaughters and grandsons In recent years, Charles is said to have privately expressed his frustration that he doesn't get to see as much of his grandchildren as the Middleton family, a claim his aides have always furiously dismissed. But his elder son makes clear that he would like to have more 'family time' with his hard-working father. William says: 'It's something I'm working more heavily on, put it that way. I think he does have time for it, but I would like him to have more time with the children. 'Now he's reached his 70th year it's a perfect time to consolidate a little bit because, as most families would do, you are worried about having them around and making sure their health's OK and he's the fittest man I know but equally I want him to be fit until he's 95. 'So having more time with him at home would be lovely, and being able to play around with the grandchildren. 'Because when he's there, he's brilliant. But we need him there as much as possible.' If there is one thing the prince's family is agreed on, it's their desire not that he will ever listen for him to slow down Camilla adds: 'He will get down on his knees and crawl about with them for hours, you know making funny noises and laughing, and my grandchildren adore him, absolutely adore him. He reads Harry Potter and he can do all the different voices and I think children really appreciate that.' Aides say Charles could not be prouder to be a grandfather. The prince happily shows the documentary crew an arboretum that he has planted for his eldest grandchild at Birkhall, his Scottish home, which he calls 'George's wood'. Referring to his passion for the environment and life-long campaign to highlight the perils of climate change, Harry reveals his father still can't help 'banging the drum' even when he sits down with his sons to dinner. He tells his brother: 'You know how frustrated he gets. But he's done an amazing job, and without telling us what he should be doing or the direction that we should go in, he's just let us learn from the nature of the job, learning from him, learning from Mummy.' The programme reveals how Charles would take his sons litter picking when they were on holiday with him. Harry reveals: 'He's a stickler for turning lights off. 'And that's now something that I'm obsessed with as well, which is insane because actually my wife certainly goes 'Well why turn the lights off? You know it's dark'. 'I go 'We only need one light, we don't need like six', and all of a sudden it becomes a habit and those small habit changes he's making, every single person can do. And I think that is one of the key lessons certainly that I felt that he taught us.' William agrees, adding: 'I know I've got serious OCD on light switches now which is terrible. 'He does life the way that he advocates. He did take to heart the criticism quite a lot when he was younger.' If there is one thing the prince's family is agreed on, it's their desire not that he will ever listen for him to slow down. Harry jokes: 'He does need to slow down, this is a man who has dinner ridiculously late at night. 'And then goes to his desk later that night and will fall asleep on his notes to the point of where he'll wake up with a piece of paper stuck to his face.' The Queen and Prince Charles surrounded by guests on stage at the Royal Albert Hall in London during a star-studded concert to celebrate the Queen's 92nd birthday. Camilla says: 'I think his destiny will come, he's always known it's going to come and I don't think it does weigh on his shoulders at all' William agrees, saying: 'He has amazing personal discipline. So, he has and it's frustrated me in the past a lot he has a routine. 'The only way to fit all this stuff in is things have to be compartmentalised. The man never stops. 'I mean when we were kids there was bags and bags and bags of work that the office just sent to him. We could barely even get to his desk to say goodnight to him.' The Duchess of Cornwall says she tried to encourage her husband to 'pace himself' but admits he is too driven to take any notice. She smiles ruefully: 'My father once said to me, 'As you get older, you've got to do one thing and that is pace yourself'. And I would love to tell him to pace himself, but I'm afraid that's not going to happen.' Charles neatly sums up the way his life has been mapped out before him, with astonishing matter of factness. He says: 'When my mama succeeded and became Queen when by grandfather died so young, aged 57, I ended up becoming heir to the throne at aged four.' And yet his wife says it is a weight he bears lightly. Asked whether the crown is something he often thinks about, Camilla says: 'No, I don't. 'I think his destiny will come, he's always known it's going to come and I don't think it does weigh on his shoulders at all.' When she is asked if it is something he talks about, the duchess replies: 'Not very much, no. It's just something that's going to happen.' Asked to give a message to the prince on his birthday, his sons are quick to reply. Harry laughs: 'Please have dinner earlier is my message to him! I would encourage him to remain optimistic because I think it can be very easy to become despondent and negative. 'But with hopefully his children and his grandchildren and hopefully more grandchildren to come, he can get energy from the family side and then carry on his leadership role.' William adds: 'I'm very pleased that he's made 70. You know if you ask him if the job's done, it's not. 'But more than anything I'd like to see his passions and his interests and the things he's been campaigning for come to fruition completely for him. He hasn't even reached the point that his natural progression should do i.e. being monarch. So, you know he's still got his job to do.' Donations trickled in slowly during the pandemic, but the new bookstore run by the Hermosa Beach Friends of the Library looks to change that. The brutal final moments of a young family and their friend found dead in Australia's unforgiving Outback have been revealed. The bodies of a young couple, both aged 19, and their three-year-old son were found in the Northern Territory on Wednesday, 4.5km away from their broken-down car. The body of a 12-year-old boy, a friend who was travelling with the family, was found a day later at around 2pm just 120 metres away after a desperate air and land search. Their deaths have been attributed to hyperthermia and starvation after what was meant to be a five-hour commute turned into five days in the wilderness. Police are continuing to search the remote region for any other passengers. The brutal final moments of a family-of-three and their teenage friend found dead in the remote Outback involved 40 degree (104F) heat and food scattered near their abandoned bodies (pictured Willowra where they started their ill-fated journey) The alarm was raised by a man at an Aboriginal health clinic at remote Willowra (pictured) just before 12.30pm on Wednesday The group had left the remote indigenous community of Willowra with plans to travel to Jarra Jarra, 500 kilometers north of Alice Springs. But roughly halfway through the five-hour trip, their car broke down. The teenage parents left morsels of food and water at their abandoned car and attempted to find help in a community 18km away. They never made it that far. An alarm was raised by a 'distraught' man at an Aboriginal health clinic at remote Willowra who found their dead bodies just before 12.30pm on Wednesday. Ryan, the manager of the Ti-Tree Roadhouse in Ti Tree, the community where the car set off from on Friday, said the situation was tragic and he felt especially for the youngest victim. He said: 'I feel for the three-year-old the most - he would have had no idea what was going on. At least the rest of them would have known the trouble they were in.' The governing Central Desert Regional Council, meanwhile, has offered their sympathy to the communities affected while saying the incident was 'a timely reminder of the harshness of the Australian outback'. The searing heat reached 40C (104F) at the start of the week in Willowra and 38C (100F) on Wednesday before dropping off in the past few days. It is not known why the car broke down but it is understood there was no mobile phone coverage. Police are still continuing precautionary land and air searches to rule out anyone else being stranded in the Outback Police are still continuing precautionary land and air searches to rule out anyone else being stranded in the Outback, according to The NT News. Southern Desert Division Superintendent Jody Nobbs said: 'Although police have no information that suggests there were other passengers in the car, we will continue searches until we are satisfied that all areas of interest have been sufficiently canvassed.' Police will prepare a report for the coroner while they scour the area. The deaths were initially thought to have been caused by a car crash - but that was quickly ruled out as the tragic reality of the situation became clear. Investigators were only able to arrive at the scene on Thursday due to flooding and the remoteness of the area. The 12-year-old boy's body was found near the young family's corpses, after they had all left Willowra (inset) on Friday destined for nearby Yarra Yarra 'One of the avenues of inquiry that we're looking at is if people walked away from a broken down vehicle and may have suffered as result of that,' duty superintendent Shaun GIll said on Thursday. Mr Gill said the two adults and child may have died several days ago, and NT Police stated in a press conference on Friday they believed the family could have been at the location since the day they set off . 'This does serve, unfortunately, as a timely reminder for anyone travelling on NT roads to ensure that when you travel your vehicle is in a fit state and that you have sufficient supplies including water and a first aid kit,' Superintendent Jody Nobbs said. 'Also make sure someone is aware of what your travel itinerary is when you intend to leave, arrive and your anticipated routes.' Mr Gill said an 'extreme weather event' may have caused the deaths. Former New Jersey Gov. Christie is being floated as a candidate for attorney general, after President Trump forced out Jeff Sessions and installed a successor who has criticized the Mueller probe in the past. Christie, who himself ran for president and served two terms in Trenton, ran Trump's transition before Mike Pence took over the task. Christie met with Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner at the White House Thursday about prison reform, the White House told NJ Advance. Christie helped put away Kushner's father, Charles Kushner, for campaign and tax crimes. His name was among several floated to become the nation's top law enforcement officer at a time Democrats are already calling a constitutional crisis. Former Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie is being floated as a candidate to be attorney general after President Trump forced out Jeff Sessions Other names being floated include Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who has been handling negotiations with Mueller's team over what questions Trump would have to mention in the Russia probe. Florida attorney general Pam Bondi, who has appeared with Trump at campaign events, has also been floated. Trump's foundation gave a 25,000 donation to a committee backing her election in 2013, prompting complaints it came at a time she decided not to join a Trump University lawsuit. Senate Republicans could confirm a new AG on a simple party-line vote. Several months ago, Republicans warned that were Trump to replace Sessions, the Senate might not get to a successor, but those admonitions have evaporated. President Donald Trump, left, appears with Attorney General Jeff Sessions during the FBI National Academy graduation ceremony in Quantico, Va. in 2017 LOYALIST: Former Sessions chief of staff Matt Whitaker has taken over oversight of the Russia probe. He has criticized it in the past and spoken about cutting its funding. He was not confirmed by the Senate for his post The short-list came after George Conway III, a prominent lawyer, penned an op-ed in the New York Times along with former solicitor general Neal Katyal, arguing that Trump's power play at the Justice Department is 'unconstitutional.' Trump announced that former Sessions chief of staff Matt Whitaker would serve as acting attorney general. Whitaker has spoken critically about the Mueller probe and spoke in a TV interview about choking off its funding. He also was not confirmed by the Senate, since he does not hold one of the top posts that meet this bar. According to Conway, this come in violation of the Constitution's appointments clause. 'Mr. Whitaker's installation makes a mockery of our Constitution and our founders' ideals,' the men wrote. 'President Trump's installation of Matthew Whitaker as acting attorney general of the United States after forcing the resignation of Jeff Sessions is unconstitutional,' they wrote. 'It's illegal. And it means that anything Mr. Whitaker does, or tries to do, in that position is invalid. Sen. Lindsey Graham, who months ago warned Trump against firing Sessions, met with the President Thursday and said he had 'confidence' Whitaker would do a professional job 'in this position.' Graham said in a statement: 'I talked with the President about a permanent replacement for Attorney General. I'm confident the White House is looking for someone who the President and country can have confidence in, and be confirmed by the Senate. In my role as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I look forward to meeting with acting Attorney General Whitaker soon and have confidence he will do a professional job in this position.' The Washington Post reported that Whitaker has no intention of recusing himself, following howls from Democrats about his past statements on the special counsel. He managed a Senate campaign for Sam Clovis in Iowa, who later was nominated to join the Trump administration, ran Iowa for Trump, and was interviewed by Mueller's investigators. Watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility in Washington called on Whitaker to recuse himself from overseeing the Russia probe. 'Never before has a President designated an acting attorney general who had not previously been serving in a Senate-confirmed position,' the group wrote in a letter to the Justice Department. 'Nor has a President ever before appointed an acting attorney general who is on record describing the means by which the President could curtail an ongoing investigation of the President's conduct.' 'The rule of law is disappearing before our eyes,' tweeted former deputy attorney general Sally Yates, who was the first senior figure fired by Trump. 'He wants a political crony to protect him from the investigation of his own campaign,' she wrote. The hunt for the next Attorney General is on. Hours after President Donald Trump dismissed Attorney General Jeff Sessions just one day after the Republicans endured considerable losses in the 2018 midterm elections, speculation has swirled around who his permanent replacement could be. Heres a look at some of the potential contenders to be the next Attorney General of the United States. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has been mentioned as a possible candidate for the position of Attorney General in the Trump administration after Jeff Sessions was fired Chris Christie One serious candidate for the position is former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Christie, 56, has long been friends with Trump and endorsed him after ending his own bid for the White House during the 2016 Republican primaries. He also led Trumps transition team after the 2016 election and was thought to be a candidate for Attorney General or Secretary of Homeland Security in the Trump administration. Ultimately, he chaired the Presidents Opioid and Drug Abuse Commission from May 2017 until November 2017. Previously, Christie served as Governor of New Jersey from January 2010 until January 2018 and also served as the United States District Attorney for the state from 2002 to 2008. Rudy Giuliani Another likely contender for the position of Attorney General is longtime Trump supporter and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Giuliani, 74, has been close friends with Trump for decades and previously launched an unsuccessful presidential bid of his own in 2008. Giuliani would bring extensive law enforcement experience to the position, having served as the United States Associate Attorney General from 1981 to 1983 and as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York from 1983 to 1989, where he gained a national reputation for prosecuting high-profile mafia figures. During his tenure as Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001, he was hailed for his leadership during and after the 9/11 attacks. Like Christie, he was mentioned as a possible contender for Attorney General or Secretary of Homeland Security shortly after Trumps election. Currently, he serves as one of Trumps personal lawyers and advises the President on cybersecurity issues. Rudy Giuliani, a longtime friend of Trump, was mentioned as a contender for both Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security after Trump's victory in the 2016 US election William Barr William Barr, 68, is notably the only contender who has held the position of Attorney General before, having served in the role from 1991 to 1993 during the George H.W. Bush administration. Known for his tough stance on crime and staunchly conservative views, Barr also served as an Assistant Attorney General from 1989 to 1990 and as the Deputy Attorney General from 1990 to 1991. Since leaving the Federal government, Barr has worked extensively in the private sector and has spoken out in support of Trumps call for an investigation of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2017. Noel Francisco Another possibility for the Attorney General position is Noel Francisco. Francisco, 49, has served as the Solicitor General of the United States since September 2017 before a stint as the Deputy Solicitor General earlier in 2017. He was mentioned as a possibility to take on the role of Deputy Attorney General earlier in 2018 should Rod Rosenstein resign or be fired by Trump, though neither of those events occurred. Pam Bondi Pam Bondi, 52, currently serves as the Attorney General of Florida since 2011 and has been a longtime friend and political ally of Trump for years. Bondi was the subject of a bribery complaint after Trump gave a $25,000 (19,133) campaign contribution to her in 2013, though she was ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing. Bondi has served as the Attorney General of Florida since 2011 and is a close friend of Trump Trey Gowdy The President may opt to look to Congress for his next Attorney General. Should this unfold, some see outgoing Representative Trey Gowdy of South Carolina as a distinct possibility. Gowdy, 54, brings both legal and political experience, having served in Congress since 2011 after previously serving as an Assistant United States Attorney for South Carolina from 1994 to 2000. In Congress, he attracted international attention after chairing the House Benghazi Committee from 2014 to 2016, which investigated the 2012 attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya, which killed Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans. Lindsey Graham Another potential Attorney General candidate should Trump look to Congress is Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. Graham, 63, has a complicated relationship with President Trump, declining to support his nomination in the 2016 election but later becoming a strong ally after he assumed office. Known for his outspoken conservative views on foreign policy and national security, Graham is also a longtime member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and vocally supported controversial US Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearings. South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham has had a very complicated relationship with Trump Alex Azar Trump may indeed look to his own Cabinet for his next Attorney General. Should he opt to take this route, current Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar has been mentioned as a possible contender. Azar, 51, assumed his current position in January 2018 following the resignation of former Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price in September 2017 after his usage of military aircraft and private charter flights for travel was revealed to the public. Azar is no stranger to work in the Federal government, having served as the Deputy Secretary for Health and Human Services from 2005 to 2007 and as General Counsel of the Department of Health and Human Services from 2001 to 2005 in the George W. Bush administration. He also served as the top lobbyist for Eli Lilly and Company from 2007 to 2009. Kris Kobach Kris Kobach, 52, has also been mentioned as a possibility for Trumps next Attorney General. The current Secretary of State for Kansas, Kobach has been a vocal ally of President Trump and has also attracted national attention for his staunch opposition to undocumented immigration, having helped to draft laws intended to crack down on unauthorized immigration in Alabama and Arizona. Earlier in 2018, he narrowly defeated Kansass incumbent Republican Governor Jeff Coyler in a heated primary battle but was himself beat by Democrat Laura Kelly on the November 6 general election. Kris Kobach, right, has been a strong ally of President Donald Trump on illegal immigration Who is Jeff Sessions? Jeff Sessions is the former Attorney General of the United States, having held the influential position from February 9, 2017 until November 7, 2018. He was born in Selma, Alabama on December 24, 1946. Sessions served as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama from 1981 to 1993 and later as the Attorney General of Alabama from 1995 to 1997. After being elected to the United States Senate in 1996, he assumed office the following year and soon garnered a reputation as one of the chambers most conservative members, particularly on issues such as immigration, crime and national security. Jeff Sessions vocally backed Donald Trump's presidential bid while serving as a US Senator An early supporter of Donald Trumps candidacy for the White House during the 2016 election, he was nominated by Trump for the position of Attorney General shortly after his election victory, though his nomination was vigorously opposed by Democrats and civil rights groups. Ultimately, he was narrowly confirmed by a vote of 52 to 47. As Attorney General, Sessions cracked down hard on undocumented immigration, sanctuary cities and gangs such as MS-13 across the US but was often publicly criticized by Trump for recusing himself from the investigation regarding Russias alleged tampering in the 2016 election. On November 7, 2018, he resigned at the request of President Trump. A teen who raped and murdered his 15-year-old girlfriend in Texas has been sentenced to life in prison. The jury took less than an hour on Wednesday to convict Jesus Campos Jr., 18, of South Houston, Texas, of the murder of Karen Perez, which carries the automatic sentence of life in prison with parole possible in 40 years. 'I've tried several capital murder cases,' Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Meriwether said in a statement. 'But the recording of Karen being raped, and pleading for her life before she was so viciously murdered, will stay with me for the rest of my life.' Jesus Campos Jr. (left) of South Houston, Texas, was convicted of the murder of Karen Perez (right), after a trial that featured a recording of his then girlfriend's chilling final words Karen Perez's body was found under the kitchen sink inside in an abandoned unit in an apartment complex (pictured) located near her high school Perez and Campos Jr. (whose identity at the time was initially not disclosed) pose for a selfie together. It was posted on social media after her death The police had found video with a black screen on Campos Jr.'s cell phone where the last moments of Perez's were were audibly recorded, KTRK reported. During the trial, jurors listened to the victim crying and begging him not to kill her: 'I don't want to die, Jesus.' Campos Jr. also had shared a graphic image of Perez's lifeless body with other teens who refused to turn him with one of them texting 'bros before hoes,' according to the Harris County District Attorney's office. Karen Perez and the then 15-year-old Jesus Campos Jr. are seen walking hand-in-hand in a tacqueria hours before her brutal death Karen Perez (pictured above) was in the ninth-grade at South Houston High School at the time of her death. Campos Jr. initially denied knowing what happened to his girlfriend after she disappeared on May 27, 2016, but a tip eventually led to discovery of the body. Perez body was later found under a kitchen sink inside an abandoned unit in a Houston, Texas, apartment complex according to KTRK. Surveillance footage and witnesses pointed to Campos Jr. being the last to see her alive. A nurse charged with the murder of her two-year-old foster son allegedly beat him to death at her home in Utah after researching child injuries on the internet, explosive court documents have revealed. Duchesne County deputies were dispatched to the home of Lisa Jo Vanderlinden in Neola on August 5 receiving reports of a deceased child. Upon arrival they found the toddler, identified as L.C., dead with multiple bruises and cuts on his face and body. A medical examiner later determined the boy had died from internal injuries that were the result of blunt force trauma consistent with child abuse. Vanderlinden, a 41-year-old licensed practical nurse who had previously fostered and adopted several other children, told police that the night before the boy was found dead she had been 'mad and frustrated' with him, according to court documents. Lisa Jo Vanderlinden, a 41-year-old licensed practical nurse, has been charged with murder after she allegedly beat her two-year-old foster son, identified as L.C., to death at her home in Neola, Utah, in August. Investigators found she had conducted several internet searches related to child injury, specifically the same type of injuries the boy died from Police say Vanderlinden removed the boy from the dinner table on the evening of August 4 and he later began vomiting, so the nurse bathed him and changed his diaper several times over the course of the night. Court documents state that at one point that night a family member heard a 'loud bang' that came from the bathroom where Vanderlinden was caring for the toddler. Following the noise, the boy wasn't acting normal and would not walk, the documents say. Other children in Vanderlinden's care on the night of the accident told police that she had been angry and yelling. Investigators later looked into the internet history on Vanderlinden's phone and found that she had conducted several searches related to child injury, specifically the same type of injuries that the boy died from. Police determined the other people who were in the home at the time of the boy's death were not in any way responsible for the fatal injuries. Vanderlinden and her husband took L.C. and his younger sister into their care in April of 2017. They lived at the home with the couple's natural children and other foster children Vanderlinden and her husband took the boy and his younger sister into their care in April of 2017. They lived at the home with the couple's natural children and other foster children. According to court documents, Vanderlinden found L.C. to be 'difficult and challenging, and while she wanted to keep and adopt the sister, she did not want to adopt him'. Investigators described Vanderlinden as 'completely indifferent' to the boy's well-being and that she made no attempt to seek medical attention for him. Friends and acquaintances described conversations with Vanderlinden which indicated that she'd become increasingly frustrated and angry toward the boy for 'numerous reasons'. The court filings state that prior to this murder investigation there had been multiple unsubstantiated allegations of child abuse and neglect by Vanderlinden. The boy's natural mother, with whom he had plans to see soon, had allegedly complained about bruises on his face during prior visits. Vanderlinden has been charged with first-degree felony aggravated murder. If convicted, she faces life in prison without parole. Vanderlinden's natural children and foster children, including the deceased boy's sister, were removed from the home after the two-year-old's death. Police say that when they were removed from the home, Vanderlinden said it was 'because of what I did'. Ryan Burge, 37, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of five-year-old Hartley Anderson, pictured in a 2007 mugshot An emotional father attempted to attack the man accused of killing his five-year-old daughter as he sat on trial. Ryan Burge, 37, is suspected of killing Hartley Anderson Friday after she was found unconscious and 'bleeding badly' with severe head trauma by her mother. Burge had been dating Hartley's mother Natasha Luchau for three months and was looking after her when he told police the Hartley had injured herself while throwing a tantrum. The courtroom was packed Monday with friends and family wearing #JusticeforHartley t-shirts as Burge faced the judge. But Hartley's father Peter Anderson could not control his rage as he rushed toward the accused murderer and was carried out of court by police. As Monday's proceedings ended, one person in the group of Hartley supporters yelled: 'Burn! Burn in Hell!' Hartley's mother was seen uncontrollably sobbing in courtroom and needed assistance to be carried into an elevator. Hartley's father Peter Anderson rushed toward Burge Monday in court Anderson is seen being dragged out of the courtroom Monday as he became emotional over the death of his daughter Hartley Hartley Anderson, five, was found unconscious and 'bleeding badly' with severe head trauma last week in Vancouver, Washington Police arrived to the apartment complex in Vancouver, Washington last Friday.t The little girl was taken to the hospital and then transferred to Randall Children's Hospital, where she died of her injuries. A neurosurgeon told police that her injuries could not be self-inflicted, case documents show. Burge was arrested and booked into the Clark County Jail on second-degree murder where he is being held on $5million bond. Luchau's co-worker Lisa Balch, passed out the black t-shirts with Hartley's photo on the front and is taking donations for the family. 'She was at our Halloween party at work on Wednesday, and I got my last hug from her. And it's heartbreaking to see someone go through all this,' Balch told KATU. Hartley was dressed as a butterfly just last week. Her grandfather Tim Lauchau said: 'I'll never get to see her graduate from high school or get married or anything. He took that from us. 'He took the joy we had with her away. I just hope the system works. I hope the system works.' In 2008, Burge pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit arson and admitted to setting his duplex on fire with the hope of collecting rental insurance. Burge was sentenced to six years in prison. More victims: Ayodeji Habeeb Azeez (left), 22, from the Dagenham area. Sixteen-year-old John Ogunjobi killed in Tulse Hill (right) A 16-year-old boy who died after being stabbed in Tulse Hill, south London, has been named by Scotland Yard as John Ogunjobi. Known to friends as JaySav, drill rapper John became the fifth stabbing death in the capital in just seven days when he was attacked on Monday. He was also the 119th person to be killed in London this year. Detectives believe John Ogunjobi was attacked by a number of suspects amid the murder is thought to be linked to rival drill music gangs Lower Tulse Hill and the Harlem Spartans from nearby Kennington. The teenager collapsed in the street and died in front of his devastated mother, with one witness describing her screaming at the scene. Police were called to reports of a shooting in Greenleaf Close at 10.53pm on Monday. Paramedics tried to save the boy, but he was pronounced dead at 11.41pm. 16-year-old John Ogunjobi who died after being stabbed in Tulse Hill, south London, on Bonfire night A user called Spartan H posted a taunt on YouTube yesterday in which he mocked the dead boys family and appeared to claimed responsibility for his killing. But yesterday, family members denied John was linked to gangs, stating: He was retaking his GCSEs and was planning to go into engineering. Harriet Harman made a passionate plea at a crime summit on Saturday, saying urgent action was needed to prevent other families going through the heartbreak that John's have. Ms Harman said there was an explicit link between drill and knife crime. Local youngsters left flowers at the scene of the latest murder in Tulse Hill in South London yesterday, where 16-year-old John Ogunjobi became the fifth stabbing death in the capital in the seven days A post-mortem examination held on Thursday gave the cause of death as a stab wound, but Scotland Yard is investigating whether a firearm was discharged. A woman who asked not to be named said: 'He must have been on his own and that's why they targeted him. He was stabbed five times, in the heart and in the stomach. 'John was the youngest of three in his family, he was fun, he had a lot of banter. Everyone in the area knew him as a fun guy.' Another local resident, 29-year-old Sonia Mansaray, said that the victim was attacked after eating Nandos at a friend's flat. Ms Mansaray said: 'They were all hanging out, just chilling as they always do. 'The girls had bought John some Nandos - they always look after each other - he was a popular guy. John lived at home with his mum and his sister.' Detective Chief Inspector Richard Vandenbergh said: 'I am appealing to anyone who has information that could assist this investigation to come forward and speak to police. 'We believe the victim was attacked by a number of suspects and the altercation would have undoubtedly drawn the attention of those who were in the vicinity. 'Did you see or hear anything? If so, no matter how insignificant you think it may be, please call - your information could prove to be crucial.' Police are urging anyone who captured footage of pictures on their mobile phones to get in touch. The Metropolitan Police said there have been no arrests. Extra officers have been deployed in the area. A photo of a man who voted in Olive Branch, Mississippi, while wearing a shirt emblazoned with a noose and Confederate flag has gone viral and is causing outrage. The man went to vote in the Midterms on Tuesday is shown wearing a t-shirt showing a noose hanging from the top of the Confederate flag, and the words, 'Mississippi Justice.' The photo's circulation led people to identify the voter as a registered nurse and former police officer Clayton John Hickey, a registered nurse, who works at the Regional One Health hospital in Memphis and lives in Olive Branch, Mississippi. The man went to vote in the Midterms and was captured on camera wearing the controversial t-shirt. The image then went viral He has since been fired. On Wednesday Regional One Health said on Twitter that they are 'actively investigating the allegation related to an employee. We understand the very intense feelings around this serious situation & know everyone wants updates.' On Thursday he was gone. They said in part. 'We have completed our investigation and what we learned led to the termination of the employee in question. Regional One Health holds employees to a high standard. We are committed to upholding our mission to provide compassionate care and exceptional services to all. This includes fostering a safe and protected work and care environment for all. Behaviors contrary to these principles are unacceptable and will not be tolerated.' Hickey has his EMT license. Regional One Health hospital in Memphis, Mississippi said on Twitter Wednesday they were 'actively investigating the allegation related to an employee'. On Thursday he was fired Prior to becoming a nurse, Hickey was a Memphis police officer. According to LocalMemphis.com, he resigned when he was caught with open alcohol and a 17-year-old girl. But Mr. Hickey did not break any laws by wearing the shirt to the polls, according to DeSoto County officials who said they aren't investigating the incident any further. Mississippi law only prevents people from wearing campaign material of people on the ballot when they go to vote. Had he worn a Trump shirt, that would have been illegal. But in this case, the only person breaking the law is the person who took the photo because cameras are not allowed in DeSoto county polling places But DeSoto County election commissioner Paul Beall told WHBQ that he has been contacted about the photo by dozens of people. Beall said the man in the photo was a voter who was being assisted by a poll worker on a new machine designed for people with disabilities. The NAACP branch in Jackson said it is aware of the picture, and its DeSoto County branch office is looking into the situation further. 'It's a sad time that people still have that mindset,' said Clarence Walker, a local resident. The head of the Armed Forces has told how the prospect of being investigated over the Troubles has left him feeling 'uncomfortable'. Tory MPs have led the opposition to British veterans facing legal action over incidents linked to the Troubles. In July, more than 30 politicians supported a backbench proposal for a 20-year time limit on reopening cases involving former troops. General Sir Nick Carter, Chief of the General Staff, makes a speech during the launch of the army's leadership doctrine at the BT Tower in central London General Sir Nick Carter, Chief of the Defence Staff, completed several tours in Northern Ireland as a junior officer. In an interview with The House magazine, he said: 'As a military officer who's done multiple tours in Northern Ireland, I am uncomfortable with the prospect of being investigated.' However, Sir Nick added: 'This is a political issue and is, therefore, something that the politicians have to deal with. And of course, it's associated with the peace process. Again, it's a political issue.' Theresa May has labelled the existing investigation system 'flawed' due to its 'disproportionate focus' on former members of the Armed Forces and police. Chief of the Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter, who has said he feels 'uncomfortable' at the prospect of being investigated as part of the Troubles probe One terminally-ill veteran, Dennis Hutchings, 77, is facing a murder trial over the 1974 shooting of a man with learning difficulties in County Tyrone. Despite having been cleared in two earlier investigations, the former Life Guards serviceman was arrested and interrogated last year. Sandhurst-trained Sir Nick, who joined the Army in 1977 aged 18 and served with The Royal Green Jackets, led troops in Iraq in 2003 and completed several tours of Afghanistan. He also addressed the difficulties experienced by veterans after returning from service, adding: 'I feel it myself. Not a day goes by when I don't think of the 375 people who died under my command in southern Afghanistan in 2010. Not a day goes by.' An eminent philosopher has faced a backlash over his appointment as a housing tsar after accusations that he has made Islamophobic and homophobic comments in the past. Professor Sir Roger Scruton, a well-known conservative thinker, has been appointed chairman of a new public body that will champion beautiful buildings. But the Government has faced calls to sack him after it emerged that in the past he has described homosexuality as not normal and said Islamophobia was a propaganda word. However, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government rejected calls to fire the professor and issued a statement in support of him. Sir Roger Scruton, English philosopher, portrait at Aldeburgh Literary Festival, Aldeburgh, Suffolk Sir Roger, 74, said he was offended and hurt by suggestions that he was Islamophobic and said nothing could be further from the truth. He added: My statements on Islamic states points only to the failure of these states, which is a fact. After his appointment as chairman of the Building Better, Building Beautiful commission, controversial comments he has made in interviews, books and articles were highlighted by the website BuzzFeed News. Among them was a 2007 article for The Sunday Telegraph, in which he wrote: Every now and then, however, we wake up to the fact that, although homosexuality has been normalised, it is not normal. On BBC Radio 4s A Point of View in October 2015 he said: The orthodox liberal view is that homosexuality is innate and guiltless. Like the Islamists, the advocates of this view have invented a phobia with which to denounce their opponents. Deviate in the smallest matter from the orthodoxy, and you will be accused of homophobia Professor Sir Roger Scruton with his wife Sophie and children Sam and Lucy Investitures at Buckingham Palace In his 2017 book Conservatism: Ideas in Profile, he wrote: There has been in official circles a deliberate silencing of discussion, a refusal to describe things by their proper names, and the adoption of the propaganda word Islamophobia to create a wholly imaginary enemy. Labour MP Wes Streeting said: With every passing hour it becomes clear that Roger Scruton has a history of making offensive comments. It beggars belief that he passed a vetting process. The Prime Minister should sack him immediately. But a spokesman for the housing ministry said: Professor Sir Roger Scruton, as a long-standing public intellectual, has strong views on a number of issues. His commitment to driving quality in the built environment is well known and he has published extensively on architecture and place, which makes him an excellent candidate for the unpaid chairmanship of the Building Better, Building Beautiful commission. Almost before the public announcement that the conservative philosopher Sir Roger Scruton had been made head of a new public body to champion beautiful buildings, the Left were on manoeuvres. They began digging into his background and into his pronouncements over the years to try to unearth embarrassing material to block him from getting the job. The Lefts archaeological dig in search of material that they could potentially label as offensive has echoes of the witch-hunt against another Right-winger who was appointed to a government post. Educationalist Toby Young, who founded the West London Free School, was forced to quit as a board member of the Governments university regulator, the Office for Students, after his tasteless tweets about women made years earlier were unearthed by his detractors. Scruton, 74, has been a thorn in the Lefts side for a great deal longer than Young. The high priest of the libertarian Right, hes written 50 books and relishes controversy. Labour MPs and the Lefts lynch mob are therefore only too eager to denounce him after scouring the internet for his most controversial comments. They have claimed he is both anti-Semitic and Islamophobic as well as homophobic, citing as evidence selected quotes from his past writings that have been taken out of context. For what its worth, as a gay man, I am not offended by his comment made back in 2007 before gay marriage was introduced that homosexuality was not normal. More importantly, though, I cant see why it should disqualify him from opining on whether a building looks good or bad. For the best part of 40 years Scruton, an accomplished musician and composer, has been a leading authority on aesthetics which is why it is, in fact, a clever appointment. Now 74, he was brought up in Milton Keynes where his childhood was dominated by his father Jacks depressive moods. Jack was a school teacher and ardent socialist as well as a harsh man who would not allow Roger or his two sisters to read Beatrix Potter books because they polluted the image of the countryside with cosy bourgeois sentiment. When Roger got into High Wycombe Royal Grammar School, Jack disapproved because of his aversion to affectations of privilege. His mother Beryl died of cancer when he was a teenager, but he won a place at Cambridge and eventually became estranged from his father, of whom he now says: Funnily enough he looked very like Jeremy Corbyn. And his worldview was pretty similar too. Like so many of his generation, the 1968 Paris riots in which student protests against capitalism almost brought the entire country to a halt were the defining political moment of Scrutons life. He was in the Latin Quarter of Paris when students tore up cobblestones to hurl at riot police. His friends overturned cars to build barricades. As he watched from his apartment window, Scruton had a Damascene conversion. I suddenly realised that I was on the other side, he says. What I saw was an unruly mob of self-indulgent middle-class hooligans. When I asked my friends what they were they trying to achieve, all I got back was ludicrous Marxist gobbledegook. I was disgusted. Thats when I became a conservative. I knew I wanted to conserve things rather than pull them down. Following a brief marriage to Paris student Danielle Laffitte, the wild-haired tweed-coated professor of philosophy and aesthetics at Londons Birkbeck College joined a chain of Western academics secretly teaching behind the Iron Curtain. He provided covert classes in Prague leading to university degrees for dissidents and was detained and expelled by the communist government. In the mid-1980s Scruton published a volume of prescient essays, Thinkers of the New Left, attacking the grip of Marxists in universities. Vice-chancellors were outraged and his publishers, under pressure of a boycott from their more profitable academic writers, remaindered the book. Driven from academia he started a new life in a farmhouse in Wiltshire, with 100 acres of land, which he calls Scrutopia. In his timbered rural idyll he churns out books on architecture, music, religion and politics. He has a string of hunting horses (another reason the Left hate him) and met his second wife Sophie, 30 years his junior, when they were riding. They have two children. Never far from controversy, Scruton was damaged by the revelation in 2002 that he was taking money from tobacco companies while criticising the World Health Organisation campaign against smoking. In 2016 he was knighted for services to philosophy, teaching and public education. But to this day he is despised by an education establishment which instinctively distrusts Right-wing academics. As Scruton himself said last year: Once you are identified as Right-wing, you are beyond the pale of argument You are not an opponent to be argued with, but a disease to be shunned. Lasting 141 days, the Battle of the Somme was the bloodiest battle of the First World War. The British suffered 420,000 casualties, including 125,000 deaths, during the intense fighting. Another 200,000 French troops and 500,000 Germans were either killed or wounded in action. It is estimated 24,000 Canadian and 23,000 Australian servicemen also fell in the four-month fight. A British soldier keeps watch over No Man's Land as his comrades sleep during the Battle of the Somme in 1916 The British and French joined forces to fight the Germans on a 15-mile-long front, with more than a million-people killed or injured on both sides. The Battle started on the July 1, 1916, and lasted until November 19, 1916. The British managed to advance seven-miles but failed to break the German defence. On the first day alone, 19,240 British soldiers were killed after 'going over the top' and more than 38,000 were wounded. But on the last day of the battle, the 51st Highland Division took Beaumont Hamel and captured 7,000 German prisoners. The plan was for a 'Big Push' to relieve the French forces, who were besieged further south at Verdun, and break through German lines. Although it did take pressure off Verdun it failed to provide a breakthrough and the war dragged on for another two years. The Battle of Passchendaele became notorious not only for the sheer number of casualties, but also for the horrendous fighting conditions the men were forced to endure. British general Douglas Haig had long wanted the allies to launch an offensive on German positions in Flanders Fields to break through to the Belgian coast. A church ablaze during the Battle for Messines Ridge in 1917, which immediately preceded Passchendaele On July 31, after two weeks of sustained shelling which had seen more than 4.5 million shells dropped on German positions, the allies launched their infantry attack. But the plan was a disaster from the get-go. The shelling had not destroyed the German defenses, and within a few days some of the heaviest rains for 30 years had turned the battlefield into a quagmire, trapping thousands of men and horses. The attack resumed on August 16 but to little effect, and both sides remained at a stalemate until September 20, when an upturn in the weather allowed allied forces to win three key battles at Menin Road Ridge, Polygon Wood and Broodseinde in the space of two weeks. These victories eventually led to British and Canadian forces taking what was left of the village of Passchendaele on November 6, but the capture came after an estimated 325,000 allied casualties. Geoffrey Cox (pictured in Downing Street on Tuesday) has emerged as a central political figure as Brexit talks reach their crucial stages In just a few short months Geoffrey Cox QC has been transformed from a little known politician to a senior Cabinet minister who has emerged as a key player in Brexit talks. He was plucked from the backbenches and made Attorney General in July after the resignations of Boris Johnson and David Davis triggered a reshuffle. The post places him at the centre of the crunch talks, tasked with giving legal advice to ministers as they rule on the biggest political decision any of them will ever take. But it was his theatrical speech as Theresa May's warm up act at the Tory party conference last month that turned him into a political star. He was compared to great Shakespearean actors like Ian McKellan as he enraptured his audience by quoting John Milton and extolling the virtues of Brexit. Mr Cox, 58, a father-of-three who lives in West Devon with his wife Jeanie, has honed his theatrical performances over many years as a barrister in England's courts. His glittering legal career saw him become Britain's best paid MP after he raked in 820,000 in a single year in 2014 from his legal earnings. Two years later he had to apologise to the Commons authorities for forgetting to declare 400,000 in earnings. He had, however, remembered to submit expenses claims for a 49p bottle of milk and 2 worth of tea bags. A formidable lawyer, people across the political divide welcomed his appointment as Attorney General as putting a real heavyweight in the post. And he is known to be generous with his time. According to a ConHome profile, as a senior barrister he would take his pupils to the five star Savoy for tea, where they talk about the day and tuck into the array of cakes. And more recently, he is said to have done the same for MPs who want to explore the intricacies of Brexit. Asked once what his proudest achievement is, Mr Cox is said to have replied: 'Thirty-five years of marriage well it's really my wife's achievement, not mine.' George Tiller was killed in 2009 aged 67 June 1986: Tiller's clinic in Wichita, Kansas, was firebombed while it was being rebuilt August 19, 1993: anti-abortion extremist Rachelle 'Shelley' Shannon shoots Tiller five times as he drives out of the parking lot at his practice. He suffers wounds in both of his arms but still turns up to work the following day May 31, 2009: Tiller was fatally shot in the side of the head by extremist Scott Roeder outside of the Reformation Lutheran Church in Wichita , where Tiller was a guest speaker. Roeder had visited Shannon in prison leading up to the attack It is one of the most enigmatic animals on the planet - a blind species of dolphin that is only rarely glimpsed breaking the murky waters of rivers in South Asia. But scientists could soon unravel the origins of the endangered South Asian river dolphin after finding the fossilised remains of a 25 million-year-old relative. The prehistoric species of dolphin, which was discovered amidst a collection of fossils in a museum, is thought to have swam in subarctic marine waters. Pictured is an artistic reconstruction of a pod of Arktocara yakataga, swimming offshore of Alaska during the Oligocene, about 25 million years ago. The authors speculate that Arktocara may have socialised in pods, like today's oceanic dolphins THE EXTINCT DOLPHIN Experts at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, where the fossil is houses, said it represents a new genus and species, called Arktocara yakataga. The fossil, described in the journal PeerJ, comprises a partial skull about nine inches long, which was discovered in south eastern Alaska by Donald J. Miller, a geologist with the United States Geological Survey. It then spent decades in the Smithsonian's collection, along with some 40 million other specimens in the museum's Department of Palaeobiology. Advertisement Hiding in plain sight since 1951 when the fossil was originally unearthed, , the remains are now helping scientists piece together the evolutionary history of whales and dolphins. They say it could be particularly useful in tracing the origins of the South Asian river dolphin. Unlike other species of dolphin, these aquatic mammals are blind and swim on their side, but its presence is threatened by pollution and hunting. Experts at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, where the fossil is houses, said it represents a new genus and species, called Arktocara yakataga. The fossil, described in the journal PeerJ, comprises a partial skull about nine inches long, which was discovered in south eastern Alaska by Donald J. Miller, a geologist with the United States Geological Survey. It then spent decades in the Smithsonian's collection, along with some 40 million other specimens in the museum's Department of Palaeobiology. Hidden in plain sight since 1951 when the fossil was originally discovered, the remains are now helping scientists piece together the evolutionary history of whales and dolphins, including the origins of the endangered South Asian river dolphin The skull of Akrtocara yakataga rests on an 1875 ethnographic map of Alaska drawn by William Healey Dall, a broadly trained naturalist who worked for several US government agencies, including the Smithsonian THE ENDANGERED SOUTH ASIAN RIVER DOLPHIN Hidden in plain sight since 1951 when the fossil was originally discovered, the remains are now helping scientists piece together the evolutionary history of whales and dolphins, including the origins of the endangered South Asian river dolphin. The South Asian river dolphin - a species that includes both the Ganges river dolphin and the Indus river dolphin - is of great interest to scientists. It is an unusual creature that swims on its side, cannot see and uses echolocation to navigate murky rivers in Nepal, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Unlike its known ancestors, it lives only in fresh water, but human activities, including the use of fishing nets, pollution and disruption of it's habitat, have decimated the species to only a few thousand remaining individuals. The group's endangered status makes the dolphins difficult to study. Advertisement Nicholas D. Pyenson, the museum's curator of fossil marine mammals, and researcher Alexandra Boersma studied the skull, describing it as a 'beautiful little skull from Alaska.' They compared it to those of other dolphins, both living and extinct and produced a 3D computer model of the fossil too. Dr Boersma said A. yakataga is a relative of the South Asian river dolphin Platanista, which is the sole surviving species of a once large and diverse group of dolphins. The skull, which is among the oldest fossils ever found from that group, called Platanistoidea, confirms that Platanista belongs to one of the oldest lineages of toothed whales still alive today. The South Asian river dolphin - a species that includes both the Ganges river dolphin and the Indus river dolphin- is of great interest to scientists. It is an unusual creature that swims on its side, cannot see and uses echolocation to navigate murky rivers in Nepal, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Unlike its known ancestors, it lives only in fresh water, but human activities, including the use of fishing nets, pollution and disruption of it's habitat, have decimated the species to only a few thousand remaining individuals. The South Asian river dolphin - a species that includes both the Ganges river dolphin and the Indus river dolphin (pictured) - is of great interest to scientists. It is an unusual creature that swims on its side, cannot see and uses echolocation to navigate murky rivers The group's endangered status makes the dolphins difficult to study. 'One of the most useful ways we can study Platanista is by studying its evolutionary history, by looking at fossils that are related to it to try to get a better sense of where it's coming from,' Dr Boersma said. 'Exactly how that once diverse and globally widespread group dwindled down to a single species in Southeast Asia is still somewhat a mystery, but every little piece that we can slot into the story helps.' PREGNANT DOLPHINS SING TO THEIR BABIES Many expectant parents will chat away to their babies in the womb. But it appears that humans are not the only species who like to communicate with their young before they are born. Research out last week showed dolphin mothers sing to their unborn calves by singing their name. The mothers teach their babies their 'signature whistle' before birth and in the two weeks after, which the animals use to identify one another. Researchers from the University of Southern Mississippi, have suggested that the mothers teach their babies the whistle as part of the imprinting process. Signature whistles are sounds made by dolphins, used to identify different individuals. Dolphin calves will eventually make their own individual whistle, but in the first stages of life, they use their mother's. Previous studies have shown that mother dolphins whistle their signature tune more in the days before birth. However, this was the first study to look at how a mother dolphin whistles in the presence of other dolphins, before and after birth. Advertisement Based on the age of nearby rocks, the scientists estimate that the Arktocara fossil comes from the late Oligocene epoch, around the time ancient whales diversified into two groups - baleen whales (mysticetes) and toothed whales (odontocetes). 'It's the beginning of the lineages that lead toward the whales that we see today,' Dr Boersma said. 'Knowing more about this fossil means that we know more about how that divergence happened.' Fossils from Platanista's now extinct relatives have been found in marine deposits around the world, but the Arktocara fossil is the northernmost find to date. The name of the new species highlights its northern habitat: Arktocara is derived from the Latin for 'the face of the north,' while yakataga is the indigenous Tlingit people's name for the region where the fossil was found. 'Considering the only living dolphin in this group is restricted to freshwater systems in Southeast Asia, to find a relative that was all the way up in Alaska 25 million years ago was kind of mind-boggling,' Dr Boersma said. Dr Pyenson said some conservation biologists argue that the South Asian river dolphin should be prioritised for protection to preserve its evolutionary heritage. 'Some species are literally the last of a very long lineage,' he said. A curator at the UGA Marine Education Center and Aquarium in Savannah, Georgia, has revealed the shocking moment staff finally realized what sex an octopus was. Devin Dumont found that the tank holding Octavius, the aquarium's sole octopus resident, was full of tiny white particles. But upon closer inspection, he realized that the white specks were something quite different: thousands of baby octopuses. Scroll down for video Octavius, an octopus at the UGA Marine Education Center and Aquarium in Savannah, Georgia, just became a mom. 'I noticed this cloud of moving dots and I realized, 'Oh my God, she had babies,' Dumont told Savannah Now. 'There are babies. There are babies everywhere.' 'And a sort of panic ensued,' Aquarium staff did not know that Octavius was female, as the animals are extremely difficult to determine the sex of. Dumont then began to scoop out the tiny hatchlings, placing them in buckets. Some of the babies are being kept in nursery tanks and in a research lab but they are unlikely to live for long because baby octopuses rarely survive in captivity. That's why the aquarium decided to release some of them in a tidal river. Regardless, for the time being, the aquarium has gone from having just one octopus to having tens of thousands of them. And more and more are hatching every day. Unfortunately, the birth of Octavius' offspring spells the end for the cephalopod because females of her species, Octopus vulgaris, typically die after giving birth. Octopus moms are genetically wired to use all their energy to protect their babies from predators. Even though sharks, eels, and dolphins are nowhere to be seen, Octavius will be on guard until the last of her eggs has hatched, and will use whatever strength she has left 'to waft or aerate or fluff them,' said Dumont. 'She gives the last part of her life to her kids to protect them.' UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant The first monarch butterflies have arrived at their wintering grounds in the mountains of central Mexico almost a week later than usual, Mexico's Environment Department said Wednesday. Millions of monarchs make the 3,400-mile (5,500-kilometer) migration from the United States and Canada each year. The butterflies usually arrive by Mexico's Nov. 1 Day of the Dead holiday, and local residents long associated their return with the souls of the dead returning to their homes. The first monarch butterflies have arrived at their wintering grounds in the mountains of central Mexico almost a week later than usual, Mexico's Environment Department said Wednesday. But this year, the Environment Department said the first butterflies weren't seen in the mountain reserve west of Mexico City until Nov. 6. It said the butterflies were delayed because they waited out rainy weather around the U.S.-Mexico border. The butterflies usually arrive by Mexico's Nov. 1 Day of the Dead holiday, and local residents long associated their return with the souls of the dead returning to their homes. The monarchs spend the winter clumped together in fir and pine trees. Last year the monarchs covered about 6.12 acres (2.48 hectares), down about 14.7 percent from the previous winter. As recently as 1996-1997 they covered 44 acres (18 hectares). There have been several rebound years, but each has generally been less than the preceding upswing. Increased use of herbicides in the United States have hurt the prevalence of milkweed, which monarch caterpillars feed on, risking their survival. Loss of tree cover in Mexico due to drought, storms and logging has also affected the butterflies' population. Google may soon tell you which restaurants could give you food poisoning. The tech giant is working with Harvard University to develop an algorithm that analyzes Google searches to spot which restaurants might have food safety issues. Researchers say it's capable of flagging possible offenders in 'near real time.' Scroll down for video Google is working with Harvard University to develop a machine learning-based algorithm that analyzes Google searches to spot which restaurants might have food safety issues They created a machine-learning based algorithm to identify unsafe restaurants, training it to look for specific search terms and location data. The model is called FINDER, or Foodborne Illness Detector in Real Time. First, it classifies searches that contain certain terms, like 'stomach cramps' or 'diarrhea.' It then uses anonymized and aggregated location history data from smartphones of people who have opted to save it. The algorithm uses this information to determine which restaurants people searching those terms had recently visited. To test the algorithm's effectiveness, researchers gave actual health inspectors a list of restaurants identified as having food safety issues, as well as those that had consumer complaints. FINDER was more effective than customer complaints, which were discovered to be accurate only 38% of the time. This is likely because about 62% of consumers believe the last restaurant they visited in the culprit of their foodborne illness, when medical research shows otherwise Health inspectors weren't told which ones had been identified by the algorithm and which had received consumer complaints. Researchers tested the system in Chicago and Las Vegas between 2016 and 2017 and received positive results. They found the overall rate across both cities of unsafe restaurants detected by the model was 52.3 percent. By comparison, the overall rate of unsafe restaurants detected by routine inspections was 22.7 percent. '[We] demonstrated that FINDER improves the accuracy of health inspections; restaurants identified by FINDER are 3.1 times as likely to be deemed unsafe during the inspection as restaurants identified by existing methods,' according to the study. To test the algorithm, researchers gave actual health inspectors a list of restaurants identified as having food safety issues, as well as those that had consumer complaints FINDER was also more effective than customer complaints, which were discovered to be accurate only 38 percent of the time. Researchers believe this is because most people assume the cause of their food poisoning was the last place they ate at, causing them to file a complaint at the wrong restaurant. They point to medical studies that have shown foodborne illnesses can take 48 hours or even longer to become symptomatic after someone has been exposed. 'The new model outperformed complaint-based inspections and routine inspections in terms of precision, scale, and latency (the time that passed between people becoming sick and the outbreak being identified),' Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health said in a statement. GOOGLE'S ALGORITHM CAN PREDICT WHEN PATIENTS WILL PASS AWAY Google has created an AI that it claims is 95 per cent accurate in predicting whether hospital patients will pass away 24 hours after admission. This is around 10 per cent better than traditional models. To make its predictions, the software uses data such as patient's ethnicity, age, gender, previous diagnoses, lab results and vital signs. But what makes it so powerful is that it includes data previously thought out of reach of machines, such as doctor notes buried in PDFs or scribbled on old charts. As well as death, AI can also predict unplanned re-admissions within 30 days and probable length of stay at a hospital. Google has created an AI that it claims is 95 per cent accurate in predicting whether hospital patients will pass away 24 hours after admission The system is still in its infancy, but Google believes it could someday be used to predict death far longer in advance. To test the system, Google obtained de-identified data of 216,221 adults, with more than 46 billion data points between them. After studying the data, the AI was able to identify which words were associated closest with outcomes. While the results have not been validated, Google claims huge improvements over traditional models. The biggest benefit, researchers claim, is the ability for the system to use all types of data. Advertisement Researchers believe the FINDER algorithm could be used in accordance with existing methods used by health departments to spot restaurants with foodborne illnesses. As a result, it may allow them to 'better prioritize inspections and perform internal food safety evaluations,' Harvard explained. 'In this study, we have just scratched the surface of what is possible in the realm of machine-learned epidemiology,' Evgeniy Gabrilovich, senior staff research scientist at Google and a co-author of the study, said in a statement. 'We can use online data to make epidemiological observations in near real-time, with the potential for significantly improving public health in a timely and cost-efficient manner.' As Earth continues to move toward a warmer climate, scientists are working to develop strategies to artificially cool the planet in the case that the situation becomes truly dire. But, many of these geoengineering tactics come with their own set of consequences, including changes in precipitation that could trigger droughts in some parts of the world. In a new assessment of three commonly discussed geoengineering techniques, researchers have found that a method known as cloud thinning could be our best bet. Scroll down for video In the study, the researchers say it could be possible to cool the planet without triggering significant precipitation changes, using a method known as cloud thinning, which targets cirrus clouds. File photo By reducing the coverage of wispy, high-altitude cirrus clouds, researchers at Zhejiang University in China say it could be possible to hit the brakes on global warming. This could be done by spraying powder over the clouds, which would prompt ice crystals to form around the individual grains and ultimately drop down due to their weight, according to New Scientist. In the study, the researchers say the intentional reduction of the coverage and optical thickness of high-level cirrus cloud could potentially reduce global warming by modifying the longwave radiative effect of cirrus clouds. These clouds sit high in the sky, and could help to slash rising temperatures without having dramatic effects on precipitation. The team also examined the idea of injecting aerosols into the stratosphere to deflect more sunlight back to space, and seeding marine stratocumulus clouds in a strategy known as cloud brightening, causing them to reflect more sunlight. The findings are published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres. By reducing the coverage of wispy, high-altitude cirrus clouds, researchers at Zhejiang University in China say it could be possible to hit the brakes on global warming. File photo In the study, the researchers found that all three of these geoengineering strategies altered average global precipitation in their simulations. And, these levels never returned to normal, according to New Scientist. For cloud thinning, however, the side effects appeared much smaller. According to the researchers, for the same amount of cooling achieved, cirrus cloud thinning produces a much smaller reduction in precipitation than does stratospheric aerosol injection or marine cloud brightening. WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS OF GEOENGINEERING STRATEGIES? Scientists have proposed all sorts of solutions to fight climate change, including a number of controversial geoengineering strategies. Among the many include: Afforestation: This technique would irrigate deserts, such as those in Australia and North Africa, to plant millions of trees that could absorb carbon dioxide. Drawback: This vegetation would also draw in sunlight that the deserts currently reflect back into space, and so contribute to global warming. Scientists have proposed all sorts of solutions to fight climate change. File photo Artificial ocean upwelling: Engineers would use long pipes to pump cold, nutrient-rich water upward to cool ocean-surface waters. Drawback: If this process ever stopped it could cause oceans to rebalance their heat levels and rapidly change the climate. Ocean alkalinisation: This involves heaping lime into the ocean to chemically increase the absorption of carbon dioxide. Drawback: Study suggests it will have of little use in reducing global temperatures. Ocean iron fertilisation: The method involves dumping iron into the oceans to improve the growth of photosynthetic organisms that can absorb carbon dioxide. Drawback: Study suggests it will have of little use in reducing global temperatures. Solar radiation management: This would reduce the amount of sunlight Earth receives, by shooting reflective sulphate-based aerosols into the atmosphere. Drawback: Carbon dioxide would still build up in the atmosphere. Advertisement There are, however, still a lot of uncertainties about the feasibility of the plan. Cloud thinning was only first proposed in 2009, according to New Scientist. But, compared to the other options, the researchers say it could be promising. Broadly speaking, I think cirrus cloud thinning, if it works in reality, would be preferable to stratospheric aerosol injections, Long Cao of Zhejiang University told New Scientist. It seems the known side-effects of cirrus cloud thinning are less than stratospheric aerosol injection and marine cloud brightening. New rules to let self-driving cars break the speed limit or mount kerbs to avoid accidents are being drawn up in a 'digital Highway Code'. And in a radical legal move, it could be the car maker punished if a driverless car speeds without justification or causes a fatal accident. One key question in an official review launched yesterday is whether automated vehicles should, like human drivers, be allowed to break the rules for a greater good. Should they be programmed to mount the kerb to avoid a child in the road, let an ambulance go past, or if two cars are stuck in a narrow street? New rules to let self-driving cars break the speed limit or mount kerbs to avoid accidents are being drawn up in a 'digital Highway Code'. Stock photo Or should they be instructed never to swerve on to the pavement to avoid someone in the road because it could 'endanger innocent passers-by on the pavement, simply to avoid a person who is at fault'. Other dilemmas include whether a car should be programmed to deliberately run over one pedestrian if that avoids hitting a larger group. Officials are also asking whether a driverless car should be allowed to edge through pedestrians that block its path. They fear a vehicle may never get anywhere if pedestrians know it will always stop when they walk in front of it. A public consultation on the major issues is part of a three-year project to get driverless cars on Britain's roads by 2021. It will be led by officials on the Law Commission of England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission. A public consultation on the major issues is part of a three-year project to get driverless cars on Britain's roads by 2021. Stock photo This ambitious deadline set by Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has been dismissed as unrealistic by many experts. A fatal collision in Arizona involving a self-driving Uber vehicle in March has fuelled concerns that the technology is being rushed. It will amount to the biggest shake-up of UK road regulations since the introduction of the Highway Code in 1931. The report predicts that there will be situations when automated vehicles could be allowed to speed. These could include the need to overtake quickly to avoid a collision, to avoid sharp braking on reaching a lower speed limit, or to keep traffic flowing smoothly. Another key question is who will be responsible for accidents. New criminal offences could allow car manufacturers to be prosecuted and punished. In extreme cases they could lose their licence to make driverless cars. An ambitious deadline to get driverless cars on Britain's roads by 2021 set by Transport Secretary Chris Grayling (pictured) has been dismissed as unrealistic by many experts The report also proposes that automated vehicles should need permission to travel without a driver on hand to take over in an emergency. Roads minister Jesse Norman said: 'With automated driving technology advancing rapidly, it is important that our laws and regulations keep pace so that the UK can remain a world leader in this field.' AA president Edmund King said: 'There are still 101 questions. The moral dilemma is whether the car is programmed to always protect the occupants does the car save the driver or the pedestrian? 'However it is good that these questions are being asked now before robot technology just decides for itself.' The remains of a terrifying Nazi 'flying bomb' have been uncovered in Kentish woods near Ashford. The German V1 terror rocket - or Hitler's vengeance bombs as they were called - killed thousands of people in 1944 and 1945. The unpiloted V1, also known as a Doodlebug, crashed into Packing Wood in 1944 in a failed attempt to bomb London. It was one of 10,000 'retaliation weapons' that were fired by German forces stationed in Holland during the latter stages of World War Two. WHAT IS THE V1 ROCKET? The V1 rocket was the world's first cruise missile causing massive loss of life. The flying bomb was also known as the Buzz Bomb or Doodlebug and was developed at Peenemunde Airfield by the German Luftwaffe during the Second World War. They were designed for mass bombing of London and they were fired from launch sites along the French and Dutch coasts. The very first V1 was fired at London on June 13, 1944. During their peak, more than 100 a day were lunched towards southeast England. In order to try and stop the bombs from hitting targets, the British forces used guns and fighter aircraft to intercept the bombs. The launch sites and underground V1 storage depots were also targeted during strategic bombing. Advertisement The very first V1 was fired at London on June 13, 1944. During their peak, more than 100 a day were lunched towards southeast England. Because their aim was so random - the bombs dropped when they ran out of fuel - some were later modified with a small cockpit so they could be flown accurately towards a specified target, such as Buckingham Palace. In total the bombs caused about 22,892 casualties, almost all of these were civilians. The V1 flying bomb had a wingspan of more than 16 feet (5m) and carried 1,700 lbs (850kg) of explosives. 'It was a distinctive, low sound, like a two-stroke engine a rushing sound. You could hear the explosions from [the pulse-jet] as it was going over,' Colin Welch, who leads a private archaeological team called Research Resource, told Live Science. Mr Welch wants to create an online museum of his team's V-weapon excavations. 'This is our history, and it's got to be documented somehow in a responsible way,' Mr Welch said. The Doodlebug was developed at Peenemunde Airfield by the German Luftwaffe. In order to try and stop the bombs from hitting targets, the British forces used guns and fighter aircraft to intercept the bombs. The launch sites and underground V1 storage depots were also targeted during strategic bombing. Mr Welch says this rocket was shot down by a Polish pilot called Flight Sergeant Jozef Donocik. The remains of a terrifying Nazi 'flying bomb' have been uncovered in Kentish woods near Ashford (pictured) Mr Welch says this rocket (pictured) was shot down by a Polish pilot called Flight Sergeant Jozef Donocik The rockets were launched from a ramp and reached speeds of 400 mph (640 km/h) reaching distances of up to 150 miles (240 km) The rockets were launched from a ramp and reached speeds of 400 mph (640 km/h) reaching distances of up to 150 miles (240 km). With the piloted V1s that came later, the pilot was meant to bail out at the last moment but it was ultimately a suicide mission. Although 175 of the piloted V1s were made, they were never put to use because Hitler ran out of money. The German V1 terror rocket - or Hitler's vengeance bombs (pictured) as they were called - killed thousands of people in 1944 and 1945 The very first V1 was fired at London on June 13, 1944. During their peak, more than 100 a day were lunched towards southeast England Several were found by Allied soldiers in Germany after the war and one of them was transported to Britain for military scientists to examine. About 70 pilots, mostly Hitler youth, underwent training to fly one, knowing full well they wouldn't be coming back. The missiles were meant to have been carried under a Heinkel 111 bomber and dropped over the North Sea. At that point the pilot would have started the engine and put the rocket into a terminal dive towards a target, which could have been a ship or building. Scientists may have finally cracked how to save the northern white rhinoceros from extinction. They say DNA from the less endangered southern white rhinoceros could be used as part of a breeding programme to rescue its northern cousin. The northern white rhino - the world's most endangered mammal - is teetering on the brink of extinction following decades of poaching for its valuable horn. There are only two northern white rhinos left in the wild - a pair of females guarded around the clock by armed guards at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya. There are only two northern white rhinos left in the wild - a pair of females guarded around the clock by armed guards at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya Researchers at Cardiff University and the University of Venda in South Africa analysed genetic samples from 232 rhinos. They found that populations of northern and southern white rhinoceros have bred during during cold and arid periods as recent as 14,000 years ago. It was previously assumed the two species, which split from a common ancestor more than one million years ago, could not share their genes. Dr Isa-Rita Russo from Cardiff University said: 'We've been able to establish that there was contact between northern and southern rhino populations throughout history. 'This is an exciting find - genetic proof of contact between the populations suggests it may be possible to successfully rescue the northern white rhinoceros.' Southern white rhinoceros genes could be combined with northern DNA to create embryos for IVF transplant, Dr Russo said. Scientists may have finally cracked how to save the northern white rhinoceros from extinction. They say DNA from the less endangered southern white rhinoceros (file photo) could be used as part of a breeding programme to rescue its northern cousin Scientists would then implant these embryos into a southern white rhino, as Majin and Patu, the two remaining northern rhinos, will likely be dead before the technique is perfected. White rhinoceros distribution across Africa is divided into populations in the north and south. The southern population declined to its lowest number around the turn of the 19th Century, but recovered to become the world's most numerous rhinoceros. In contrast, the northern population was common during much of the 20th Century, declining rapidly since the 1970s. The team also found that population decline was very different in the north and south, with the northern white rhinoceros declining about 1,370 years ago. SCIENTISTS PIN HOPES ON IVF TO SAVE THE NORTHERN WHITE RHINO FROM EXTINCTION While the death of Sudan marks a symbolic turning point in the fight to save the northern white rhino, in fact the survival of the species has been entirely reliant on untested IVF techniques for years. It was hoped that Sudan, his daughter Najin and granddaughter Patu might be able to produce offspring when they were moved to Kenya in 2009, but their close genetic relationship rendered them infertile. Since at least 2015 scientists have been working with IVF and stem cell techniques in the hopes of being able to create a viable northern white rhino embryo, according to a GoFundMe page for the project. Researchers in Berlin and San Diego are using DNA samples collected from a dozen northern whites, including Sudan, and trying to apply techniques developed for humans to the animal. If a viable embryo can be created, it would then have to be implanted into the womb of a southern white rhino, since Majin and Patu will likely be dead before the technique is perfected. While the southern white rhino would be responsible for giving birth to the baby, because the infant's genetic material came solely from northern whites, it would be a member of that species. However, as Save The Rhino points out, the process is fraught with difficulty and has a low chance of success. In the last 15 years just 10 rhino births have resulted from artificial insemination and only two embryos have ever been created - one of which divided into two cells before perishing, and the other one into three. For the northern white rhino to be genetically viable a minimum of 20 healthy individuals must be born - meaning the whole process must be successfully completed 20 times - to avoid inbreeding. Then, it would be necessary to find a suitable habitat for them, since their old habitat has largely been destroyed and led the species to the brink of extinction in the first place. Advertisement The southern white rhinoceros declining during colonialism, starting 400 years ago. Professor Yoshan Moodley, from the University of Venda, said: 'It appears that the white rhinoceros is no stranger to low genetic diversity. Our results show that the species was subjected to several climatically and anthropogenically driven population declines, which would have reduced and compressed genetic diversity in the past. 'This is one of the few large animals to survive the last ice age, and it seems that the additional human pressure on an already genetically compromised species has pushed the white rhinoceros further along the road to extinction.' The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Seventeen academics have been been unable to attend a leading conference after being refused a visa from the British government. The head of the leading London-based research institute hosting the meeting has threatened to move future meetings out of Britain to make them more accessible. Peter Piot, director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, wrote to UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid expressing his concern after delegates from Africa and Asia were refused visas. He condemned the rebuttal of the visas and said such blockades represent a 'significant threat' to the UK's goal of becoming a 'global hub' for health and science after Brexit. Scroll down for video Peter Piot, director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (pictured), wrote to Sajid Javid condemning the rebuttal of visas and said such blockades represent a 'significant threat' to the UK's becoming a 'global hub' for health and science after Brexit Nearly 900 participants from more than 70 countries and over 80 nationalities are attending the conference which is discussing gender inequality in global health leadership. It tackles the global issue of less than 25 per cent of influential leadership positions being occupied by women despite making up 75 per cent of the industry's workforce. In his letter to the Home Secretary, Professor Piot writes: 'This conference is a forum to promote international debate and to nurture new talent. 'The denial of these visas not only excludes experts and emerging experts from low- and middle-income countries from participating in these global dialogues around health and health equity but it also precludes the UK from benefiting from this important knowledge exchange. 'If the UK wants to establish itself as a global hub for health and science, the current visa restrictions represent a significant threat to that goal. 'Our School is already considering moving the locations of many of our large international meetings to outside of the UK so that valued global experts can participate more easily. 'Unfortunately, the current restrictive criteria for granting short-term business visas can only deter organisations from holding future conferences in the UK at a crucial time when the UK should be "open for business".' The World Health Organisation (WHO) expressed similar concerns last month when another bureaucratic block prevented academics entering the UK. Organisers of the Global Symposium on Health Systems Research built a dossier of issues faced by foreign academics. Ten highly-qualified individuals were invited to the illustrious event but denied access to the country. Two weeks ago scientists from around Europe warned that Brexit could leave Britain and the European Union 'more insular,' harming research across the continent. A letter signed by 29 Nobel laureates and six winners of the Fields Medal mathematics prize urged Prime Minister Theresa May and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to ensure the 'closest possible cooperation between the UK and the EU' after Britain leaves the bloc. The letter said scientific innovation 'requires the flow of people and ideas across borders to allow the rapid exchange of ideas, expertise and technology.' Leading academics are being refused permission to enter the UK in order to attend conferences. Head of a leading London-based research institute threatened to move future convenes out of Britain after 17 intellectuals were unable to obtain a visa (stock) Two weeks ago a letter signed by 29 Nobel laureates and six winners of the Fields Medal mathematics prize urged Prime Minister Theresa May (pictured) and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to ensure 'cooperation between the UK and the EU' What is the final issue in the Brexit talks? Theresa May insists the Brexit deal is 95 per cent done - but the final issue of the Irish border backstop may be the hardest part. The backstop sets out what will happen to the Irish border if the Brexit transition ends before a final UK-EU trade deal is in place. Transition is currently due to end in December 2020. The EU is still insisting that in the absence of a full trade deal, Northern Ireland should stay in the EU customs union while the rest of the UK leaves to ensure the Irish border remains open. Mrs May has flatly rejected the idea, saying she would not agree to anything that risked splitting the UK. Instead, the government has mooted a temporary customs union for the whole UK. There would also probably need to be more regulatory checks between mainland UK and Northern Ireland to protect the single market. Some already take place, but they could be dramatically stepped up - potentially creating a huge flashpoint with the DUP. Brussels now appears to be prepared to do a UK-wide backstop in the divorce deal - but insists it must be robust and the UK could not exit it unilaterally. Advertisement 'Creating new barriers to such ease of collaboration will inhibit progress, to the detriment of us all,' said the signatories, who include biologist Venki Ramakrishnan and economist Christopher Pissarides. The London-based Francis Crick Institute, the biggest biomedical research lab under one roof in Europe, also warned that a 'hard Brexit' will restrict the flow of people, goods and services and have a detrimental impact on British science. Crick director Paul Nurse, who shared the 2001 Nobel Prize in medicine for his cancer research, said: 'We need a deal that replaces the science funding lost because of Brexit, that preserves freedom of movement for talented scientists, and that makes them feel welcome in this country.' The British government says it is seeking 'an ambitious relationship on science and innovation with our EU partners' after Brexit. Details of new arrangements will not be worked out until after the UK leaves the bloc in March. 'There isn't absolute certainty now, which I would love to be able to give,' UK Science Minister Sam Gyimah said Tuesday. 'But what I can say is we are aware that, if we want to be the go-to place for science - which is our ambition as a nation - then mobility and reducing friction has to be a key part of that.' The two sides hope to have a withdrawal agreement and the outlines of a deal on future relations in place well before the UK leaves the EU on March 29. New research shows the number of butterflies and caterpillars in North Florida has been declining substantially over the last decade or so. The University of Florida study released this week says the number has declined by 80 percent since 2005. Researchers believe two major factors could be responsible. Migrating Monarch Butterflies on a Eucalyptus Tree: A gene related to collagen, the main ingredient in connective tissue, is essential for flight muscle function. WHAT HAS CAUSED THE DECLINE? Glyphosate, an herbicide often applied to agricultural fields to eliminate weeds, is lethal to milkweed, the monarchs' host plant. Less milkweed means less habitat for monarchs. Florida is home to about 21 native species of milkweed. Advertisement Milkweed is the favorite food of young monarchs, and its availability has been sharply reduced by development and by glyphosate, an herbicide widely used in agriculture to kill weeds. This decrease parallels monarchs' dwindling numbers in their overwintering grounds in Mexico, said study co-author Jaret Daniels, associate curator and program director of the Florida Museum of Natural History's McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity. 'It's alarming in a number of different ways,' said Daniels, who is also an associate professor in the University of Florida's department of entomology and nematology. 'This study shows the tight connection between monarchs and milkweed and highlights very dramatic losses in abundance in Florida that further confirm the monarch is declining.' While the drivers of the decline are not clear, the researchers said shrinking native milkweed populations and a boost in glyphosate use in the Midwest are part of the problem. Glyphosate, an herbicide often applied to agricultural fields to eliminate weeds, is lethal to milkweed, the monarchs' host plant. Less milkweed means less habitat for monarchs, said study co-author Ernest Williams, professor emeritus of biology at Hamilton College in New York. 'A broad pattern is that 95 percent of corn and soybean products grown in the U.S. are Roundup Ready crops that resist glyphosate,' Williams said. 'That has a national impact. What's really needed are patches of native vegetation and nectar sources without pesticides. It's not just for monarchs but all pollinators.' In the longest location-based monarch monitoring effort to date, a multi-institute team led by world-renowned monarch expert Lincoln Brower, who died earlier this year, closely followed spring monarch numbers in an herbicide-free cattle pasture in Cross Creek, about 20 miles southeast of Gainesville. The team examined milkweed plants for caterpillars and captured adult butterflies for 37 years, a period spanning more than 140 generations of monarchs. They found that monarchs' springtime departure from Mexico is timed to coincide with optimal growth of milkweed in the southeastern U.S. While adult monarch butterflies can feed from a variety of plants, their young depend on milkweed as their sole source of nutrition, storing up the plant's toxins to ward off predators. Florida is an important stopover for monarchs returning north from Mexico, as spring breeding in southern states leads to the butterflies' recolonization of the upper U.S. and Canada. Monarchs rely on Florida for its abundance of milkweed and warm climate to lay the eggs that will help replenish the eastern population in the U.S., Daniels said. 'Florida is kind of a staging ground for the recolonization of much of the East Coast,' he said. 'If these populations are low, then the northern populations are going to be at a similar abundance level.' Daniels said that increasing pesticide-free native milkweed populations in Florida yards and on roadsides is a step in the right direction to prevent monarchs from requiring protection under the Endangered Species Act. THE AMAZING MIGRATION OF THE MONARCHBUTTERFLY The 3,000-mile (4,800-km) mass migration of monarch butterflies in North America is one of the insect world's fantastic feats. Millions embarking on the arduous journey from as far north as Canada down into Mexico and the California coast each autumn. The number of migrating monarchs has plummeted in recentyears. Researchers said while an estimated one billion monarchbutterflies migrated to Mexico in 1996, that number stood atabout 35 million this past winter. Migrating Monarch Butterflies on a Eucalyptus Tree: A gene related to collagen, the main ingredient in connective tissue, is essential for flight muscle function. Threats to them includehabitat loss due to human activities, pesticides that killmilkweed and climate change, experts say. Monarch butterflies living east of the Rocky Mountains spend their winters in Mexico to escape the cold weather while those west of the Rockies spend winters on the California coast before returning home in the spring. Scientists say their orange color tells potential predatorsthey taste awful and are toxic to eat thanks to chemicals fromthe milkweed plants that nourish them in their larval state. Advertisement But, he emphasized, not any milkweed will do. Florida is home to about 21 native species of milkweed. Daniels recommends either Asclepias incarnata, also called swamp milkweed, or Asclepias tuberosa, commonly known as butterflyweed. Asclepias humistrata, or pinewoods milkweed, is also common throughout northern Florida and essential to monarch recolonization. 'It's not as simple as saying, 'we plant milkweed and the monarch will be saved,' he said. 'We should think of this as an ecological issue. There are a lot of complexities to any organism and any system.' The study's lead author, Brower, died shortly before its publication. A lifelong butterfly expert, Brower was instrumental in finding monarch overwintering colonies in Mexico, the researchers said. This is his final publication. 'He really was the grand old man of monarchs,' said Williams. 'Nobody has done more for monarchs.' 'The best thing we can do is to continue his mission and continue to study and work to conserve the monarch,' Daniels said. 'I think he would be proud of that mission.' Freezing harmful indoor pollutants could drastically improve the air quality in our homes and offices by 99 per cent, experts say. Polluted air can be transformed into clean air by condensing it through a cryogenic tube, which rapidly cools the air to below -18C, researchers found. Cryogenics freezes haze particles causing them to clump together and fall to the bottom of the tube, allowing the clean air to pass through the other side. The study aimed to address the severe effect that hazardous outdoor air pollution was having on indoor air quality. It is thought to lead to more than three million premature deaths worldwide every year. In cities with major air pollution, the outdoor air is often exchanged with indoor air via windows and other openings. Scroll down for video The diagram shows polluted air being circulated through the cryogenic tube to around 18C, the particles clump together and fall to the bottom allowing clean air to pass through The research, led by Nottingham Trent University's Professor Gang Pan, involved studying the effectiveness of cryogenics for indoor air purification, by removing the gaseous pollutants and tiny particulates caused by haze. The team found that if they circulated haze pollutants are frozen to around -18C in the cryogenic condensing tube the particles clump together and fall to the bottom, allowing clean air to pass through the other side. Their method was able to remove 99 per cent of particulates and 98 per cent of nitrogen oxide pollutants. It is hoped that the work which has a Chinese patent could pave the way for simple modification of air conditioning and humidifier units so that they can have the option to clean polluted indoor air. While there are some existing technologies to purify indoor air, they can be inefficient, expensive or produce harmful by-products. 'Hazardous outdoor air pollution has severely affected indoor air quality, threatening the health of billions of people,' said Professor Robert Mortimer, a researcher on the study and Dean of the School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences at Nottingham Trent University. In cities with major air pollution, the outdoor air is often exchanged with the indoor air via windows and other openings. When outdoor air quality is bad people stay indoors more, meaning they are still impacted (stock image) WHAT IS CRYOGENICS? Cryogenics is the production and behaviours of materials at very low temperatures. Scientists assume a gas to be cryogenic if it can be liquefied at or below 150C (238F). The method is used around the world to collect and freeze biological matter from the animal and plant kingdoms as an insurance measure against endangerment or world catastrophe Cryogenics are used to preserve the endangered corals' eggs to prepare for their eventual demise Advertisement 'Outdoor air pollution in cities is a global problem, whether it be haze plaguing Beijing or poor air impacting the health of children in inner city London schools. 'When outdoor air quality is poor, people tend to spend even more time indoors but outdoor pollution also leads to indoor pollution and people are still impacted.' Professor Gang Pan added: 'We have shown in our experiments that simply by circulating polluted air through a small freezing chamber we can remove most of fine particles and gas pollutants. 'Our study makes it possible to add an "air cleaner" option to household appliances in areas which might experience extremely poor air conditions. 'By controlling indoor air pollution and improving air quality in this way, this work could be greatly beneficial for public health.' The study is reported in the journal Science of the Total Environment. A new hypothesis on the birth of the moon could finally help to solve longstanding questions about its chemical makeup, and explain why its similar to Earth in so many ways. Prior to the Apollo missions, it was thought that the moon is composed primarily of materials from the cosmic object that slammed into a young Earth billions of years ago. Samples gathered during the moon landings, however, showed that this is not the case; instead, scientists discovered that chemically, its nearly Earths twin. The new explanation proposed by physicist Sarah Stewart aims to solve this mystery by considering that proto-Earth may have been spinning much faster than previously considered, resulting in a donut-like mass of vaporized rock after the collision. As this cosmic donut cooled, the magma rain that formed in its outer edges clumped together to become what would eventually be the moon meaning it was essentially born inside the vaporized Earth, according to the researcher. Scroll down for video The new explanation proposed by physicist Sarah Stewart aims to solve this mystery by considering that proto-Earth may have been spinning much faster than previously considered, resulting in a donut-like mass of vaporized rock after the collision (illustrated above) The new moon origin explanation has won Stewart the MacArthur Foundation Fellowship, or the genius grant, with a $625,000 award, according to Nautilus. The new work explains features of the moon that are hard to resolve with current ideas, Stewart, professor of earth and planetary sciences at the University of California, Davis, explained earlier this year. The moon is chemically almost the same as the Earth, but with some differences. This is the first model that can match the pattern of the moons composition. In the new model developed by the team from UC Davis and Harvard University, the origin of the moon relies on a newly-proposed object known as a synestia. Their findings are published in the Journal of Geophysical Research. These short-lived objects are created when planted-sized bodies collide, causing the molten and vaporized rock to spin rapidly around part of the body, which lies in the center. In the new model, the origin of the moon relies on a newly-proposed object known as a synestia. These short-lived objects are created when planted-sized bodies collide (A and B), resulting in a donut-shaped mass of molten and vaporized rock (C) According to the researchers, synestias only stick around for a few hundred years before shrinking down as they cool, ultimately forming a molten planet. Our model starts with a collision that forms a synestia, said Harvard graduate student Simon Lock, lead author on the study. The moon forms inside the vaporized Earth at temperatures of four to six thousand degrees Fahrenheit and pressures of tens of atmospheres. The new model also means there is more wiggle room in the conditions for the moons formation, the researchers say. According to Lock, a synestia like the one needed in this lunar origin scenario can be created in numerous ways. As this cosmic donut cooled, the magma rain that formed in its outer edges clumped together to become what would eventually be the moon meaning it was essentially born inside the vaporized Earth.' This process is illustrated in the graphic above SCIENTISTS DON'T AGREE ON HOW THE MOON FORMED BUT MANY BELIEVE IT WAS THE RESULT OF AN IMPACT BETWEEN EARTH AND ANOTHER PLANET Many researchers believe the moon formed after Earth was hit by a planet the size of Mars billions of years ago. This is called the giant impact hypothesis. The theory suggests the moon is made up of debris left over following a collision between our planet and a body around 4.5 billion years ago. The colliding body is sometimes called Theia, after the mythical Greek Titan who was the mother of Selene, the goddess of the moon. Many researchers believe the moon formed after Earth was hit by a planet the size of Mars billions of years ago. This is called the giant impact hypothesis But one mystery has persisted, revealed by rocks the Apollo astronauts brought back from the moon: Why are the moon and Earth so similar in their composition? Several different theories have emerged over the years to explain the similar fingerprints of Earth and the moon. Perhaps the impact created a huge cloud of debris that mixed thoroughly with the Earth and then later condensed to form the moon. Or Theia could have, coincidentally, been chemically similar to young Earth. A third possibility is that the moon formed from Earthen materials, rather than from Theia, although this would have been a very unusual type of impact. Advertisement And, these objects are likely created frequently during rocky planet formation, Stewart told Nautilus. The new synestia hypothesis turns the decades-old giant impact theory on its head. But, as the researchers point out, the evidence shows we were well overdue for a new model that hasnt been disproven. The Apollo mission found that the moon is practically a twin of the Earth, particularly its mantle, in major elements and in isotopic ratios, Stewart told Nautilus. The different weight elements are like fingerprints, present in the same abundances. Every single small asteroid and planet in the solar system has a different fingerprint, except the Earth and the moon. So the giant impact hypothesis was wrong. Palaeontologists have found that prehistoric long-snouted dolphins hunted prey in the same way as today's swordfish, by sweeping their snouts through the water to stun fish. Scientists examined fossils of the extinct long-snouted dolphin, which are kept in the Smithsonian museum in Washington. The findings showed that the ancient dolphins evolved strangely shaped skulls because of changes in climate causing erratic sea levels. The research on the extinct sea dweller species provides a unique insight into what changed in the climate to lead to their evolution and eventual extinction. Scroll down for video Dr Matthew McCurry, palaeontologist and lead author of the study, pictured here with the skulls of three long-snouted dolphins, which are kept at the Smithsonian in Washington The research brought together scientists from universities in Sydney, New South Wales and Washington. Dr Matthew McCurry, palaeontologist and lead author of the study, said that the unusual looking fossils date back to the Neogene Period, some 2.5-20 million years ago. In 2015, McCurry began looking into these 'incredibly long' fossil skulls, which stretched just a little farther than his arm. 'I was amazed that something could have a snout that long,' he said. 'People have been describing these species for a long time but no one's really gone further than naming them and noting that they have a long snout.' 'There must have been something going on in their environment at the same time to drive their evolution,''These fossil species have extremely long snouts, far longer than anything we have living today,' he said. The appearance of the fossils led him to question what the long-snouted dolphins did in their environment, and why there are none surviving today. Until now, scientists have only speculated on how these dolphins behaved but this research found that they had characteristics similar to today's swordfish. The appearance of the fossils, which stretched across the length of Dr McCurry's arm, led him to question what the long-snouted dolphins did in their environment, and why there are none surviving today Not only did they possess similarly long snouts, but in some cases their lower jaw was proportionally shorter. The shape of the snout in the cross-section also indicates that these species were sweeping their snouts through the water at speed to catch their prey. It is thought that changes in climate likely led to the species' evolution and extinction. 'We found that a number of long-snouted dolphins evolved during the same time from short-snouted ancestors, which suggests that there was something going on in the oceans at that time to encourage the evolution of extremely long snouts,' Dr McCurry added. A portrait of the long-snouted dolphins. Dr Nick Pyenson, curator of fossil marine mammals at the Smithsonian says that they had snouts proportionally unrivalled by any other mammal As the global temperature and sea level became more erratic in the early Pliocene Epoch, all of these long-snouted species died out. 'These particular fossil dolphins had snouts proportionally unrivalled by any other mammal, ever,' said Dr Nick Pyenson, curator of fossil marine mammals at the Smithsonian. The findings of the study were published by the Australian Museum Research Institute in scientific journal Paleobiology. 'What we did in this study, by functional analogy, is delimit the possible ways that these animals used these extraordinary snouts in their long-extinct worlds.' he said. WHAT WERE THE FINDING FROM THE FOSSIL RESEARCH? The research found that the long-snouted dolphins had characteristics similar to today's swordfish. They possess similarly long snouts, but in some cases their lower jaw was proportionally shorter. The shape of the snout in the cross-section also indicates that these species were sweeping their snouts through the water at speed to catch their prey. It is thought that changes in climate are likely to have led to the species' evolution and extinction. They found that a number of long-snouted dolphins evolved during the same period from their short-snouted parents, suggesting that global temperature and sea levels could have been erratic to encourage the fast evolution of their extremely long snouts Advertisement Professor Rebecca Johnson, Director of the Australian Museum Research Institute said: 'This work is a wonderful example of why studying the past informs so much of what we see around us today. 'These fossils provide fascinating insights into dolphin species in prehistoric times and open up questions about what selective pressures or environmental changes may have contributed to their extinction.' The Australian Museum Research Institute is widely recognised for applying its knowledge of biodiversity and geodiversity to its natural history collections to shine a light on the evolution of our environment. Advertisement Nasa's Parker Solar Probe is alive and well after skimming 15 million miles (24 million kilometres) from the sun's surface on Monday night. Its speed topped 213,000 mph (342,000 kph) relative to the sun, as it penetrated the outer solar atmosphere, or corona - closer then any spacecraft has ever reached. Mission controllers at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab received an 'A' status signal yesterday - the best of all four possible status signals. This means the Parker Solar Probe is operating well and all the instruments are running correctly. Scroll down for video Nasa's Parker Solar Probe (artist's impression) is alive and well after skimming 15 million miles (24 million kilometres) from the sun's surface on Monday night 'Parker Solar Probe was designed to take care of itself and its precious payload during this close approach, with no control from us on Earth and now we know it succeeded,' said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of Nasa's Science Mission Directorate at the agency headquarters in Washington. 'Parker is the culmination of six decades of scientific progress. 'Now, we have realised humanity's first close visit to our star, which will have implications not just here on Earth, but for a deeper understanding of our universe.' Nasa's Nicola Fox says scientists 'can't wait to get the data.' The observations could unlock some of the sun's mysteries. Assuming it survives the harsh solar environment, the spacecraft will make 23 even closer approaches over the next seven years. The next is in April. Parker last week surpassed the record of 26.6 million miles (43 million kilometers) set by Helios-2 back in 1976. It will keep getting closer to the sun until it flies through the corona, or outer atmosphere, for the first time next week, passing within 15 million miles (24 million kilometers) of the solar surface. Mission controllers at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab received an 'A' status signal yesterday - the best of all four possible status signals. This means the Parker Solar Probe is operating well and all the instruments are running correctly Parker will make 24 close approaches to the sun over the next seven years, ultimately coming within just 3.8 million miles (6 million kilometers). Launched in August, Parker is on track to set another record late Monday night. It will surpass Helios-2s speed record of 153,454 miles per hour (247,000 kilometers per hour), relative to the sun. 'It's been just 78 days since Parker Solar Probe launched, and we've now come closer to our star than any other spacecraft in history,' said Project Manager Andy Driesman, from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland. 'It's a proud moment for the team, though we remain focused on our first solar encounter, which begins on Oct. 31.' Pictured centre of the right image is Earth as seen from the Parker Solar Prove, a Nasa spacecraft that is currently on a historic journey to 'touch the sun' Nasa last week revealed a stunning image of Earth taken by its $1.5 billion (1.1 billion) Parker Solar Probe on its historic journey toward the sun. The picture, snapped around 27 million miles (43 million km) from our planet, shows Earth as a bright round spot surrounded by thousands of stars dotted throughout our corner of the galaxy. The Parker Solar Probe (PSP) is on a mission to 'touch the sun', and will be the first spacecraft to fly through the outermost part of the star's atmosphere, known as its corona. The probe launched August 12 and is due to arrive at its destination in November, but before that will pass Venus, using the planet's gravitational pull to align its course - a manoeuvre known as a gravity assist. In a statement on the new photo, Nasa said: 'On September 25, 2018, Parker Solar Probe captured a view of Earth as it sped toward the first Venus gravity assist of the mission. 'Earth is the bright, round object visible in the right side of this image, taken by Parker Solar Probe's Wide-field Imager for Solar Probe (WISPR) instrument. 'The elongated mark toward the bottom of the panel is a lens reflection from the WISPR instrument.' The probe's WISPR instrument is designed to image the structure of the sun's corona as the spacecraft approaches next month. PSP's mission is due to last seven years, with the probe set to fly up to 3.8 million miles (6.1 million km) from the sun's surface - seven times closer than any spacecraft before it. The average distance between the sun and Earth is 93 million miles (150 million km). It is hoped that PSP can help scientists to better understand solar flares - brief eruptions of intense high-energy radiation from the sun's surface that can knock out communications on Earth. The craft will face extremes in heat and radiation and will reach speeds of up to 430,000 miles per hour (700,000 kph) at its closest flyby of the star. The craft's kit includes a white light imager called Whisper, which will take images of solar waves as the craft propels through them at high speeds. To measure the 'bulk plasma' of solar winds - described by Nasa as the 'bread and butter' of the flares - a set of magnetic imaging equipment will also be stored on board. The world's oldest mummy dating back 10,600 years has been reburied by a native North American tribe after scientists proved the body really does belong to them. The 40-year-old mummified man was an ancestor of the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone people - the indigenous Native Americans of Nevada. They fought to have him properly laid to rest as if he was their own 'father' because they did not want him turned into a public museum exhibit. Known as the 'Spirit Cave Mummy', he was dug up in 1940 and his origins have been disputed ever since. The 40-year-old mummified man was an ancestor of the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone people - the indigenous Native Americans of Nevada WHAT IS THE SPIRIT CAVE MUMMY? The Spirit Cave Man is the world's oldest mummy. Scientists estimate the corpse found in Nevada is 10,600 years old. The man is believed to have been around 40 years old when he died. He was naturally preserved by the heat and aridity of the cave it was found in. In 1997, the Paiute-Shoshone Tribe of Nevadas Fallon Reservation enacted The Native American Grave Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) to claim the Spirit Cave Mummys remains. A two-decade battle with the US government followed to grab control of the corpse. Advertisement Now a legal battle lasting almost eight decades has finally been resolved after an international team led by the University of Cambridge mapped the man's genome. Professor Willeslev from the University of Cambridge said: 'I assured the tribe my group would not do the DNA testing unless they gave permission. 'It was agreed that if Spirit Cave was genetically a Native American the mummy would be repatriated to the tribe.' The mummy was shrouded in a rabbit-skin blanket and reed mats, and was wearing moccasins. He was also found with the cremated or partial remains of three other individuals. Researchers painstakingly extracted DNA from the petrus, a small bone inside the skull, which showed the man was related to present day Native Americans. A private reburial ceremony was held earlier this year which was attended by the geneticist, according to the study published in Science. Professor Willeslev explained: 'What became very clear to me was this was a deeply emotional and deeply cultural event. 'The tribe have real feelings for Spirit Cave, which as a European it can be hard to understand but for us it would very much be like burying our mother, father, sister or brother. 'We can all imagine what it would be like if our father or mother was put in an exhibition and they had that same feeling for Spirit Cave. 'It has been a privilege to work with them.' The two-year project began in 2016 and the tribe were kept informed throughout. Two members visited Professor Willeslev's lab in Copenhagen to meet the team. They were present when all of the DNA sampling was taken. The study also analysed the DNA of a series of famous and controversial ancient remains across North and South America. These included skeltons of 'giant' men discovered in Lovelock Cave in Nevada, decapitated skulls unearthed in Lagoa Santa in Brazil (pictured) The Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe said in a statement: 'The Tribe has had a lot of experience with members of the scientific community, mostly negative. 'However, there are a handful of scientists that seemed to understand the Tribe's perspective and Eske Willerslev was one of them. 'He took the time to acquaint himself with the Tribe, kept us well-informed of the process, and was available to answer our questions. 'His new study confirms what we have always known from our oral tradition and other evidence - that the man taken from his final resting place in Spirit Cave is our Native American ancestor.' The genome of the Spirit Cave skeleton has wider significance beyond the legal and cultural dispute between the tribe and the US Government. It also helped reveal how ancient humans moved and settled across the Americas. The scientists were able to track the movement of populations from Alaska to as far south as Patagonia. They often separated from each other and took their chances travelling in small pockets of isolated groups. The study also analysed the DNA of a series of famous and controversial ancient remains across North and South America. These included skeltons of 'giant' men discovered in Lovelock Cave in Nevada, decapitated skulls unearthed in Lagoa Santa in Brazil, an Inca mummy and the oldest human fossils in Chilean Patagonia. Professor Willeslev said: 'Spirit Cave and Lagoa Santa were very controversial because they were identified as so-called 'Paleoamericans' based on craniometry - it was determined that the shape of their skulls was different to current day Native Americans. 'Our study proves that Spirit Cave and Lagoa Santa were actually genetically closer to contemporary Native Americans. He added: 'Looking at the bumps and shapes of a head does not help you understand the true genetic ancestry of a population - we have proved that you can have people who look very different but are closely related.' The researchers also looked at the second oldest human remains from Trail Creek Cave in Alaska - a 9,000 year old milk tooth from a young girl. The Spirit Cave mummy was unearthed in a small rocky alcove in the Great Basin Desert but not properly understood for 50 years. The embalmed remains were initially believed to be between 1,500 and 2000 years old. But during the 1990s new textile and hair testing dated the skeleton to be 10,600 years old. The Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe, a group of Native Americans based in Nevada near Spirit Cave, claimed cultural affiliation with the skeleton and requested immediate repatriation of the remains under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. The request was refused because the ancestry was disputed, the tribe sued the federal government and the lawsuit pitted tribal leaders against anthropologists, who argued the remains provided invaluable insights into North America's earliest inhabitants and should continue to be displayed in a museum. The deadlock continued for 20 years until the tribe agreed Professor Willeslev could carry out genome sequencing on DNA extracted from the Spirit Cave for the first time. The fearsome Tyrannosaurus rex may have been more nimble than we thought. A new analysis of their motion suggests the predators could quickly pivot like a figure skater from hell, using powerful leg muscles to turn their bodies twice as fast as other dinosaurs of the same size, according to Live Science. The researchers suspect the motion may have been a key part of their hunting technique. Scroll down for video The team analyzed everything from body mass and centers of mass to rotational inertia, comparing the T. rex resulting agility score to that of other theropods the group of carnivorous, bipedal dinosaurs Researchers presented the new findings at the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico. While the T. rex was an enormous creature, weighing in at around 880lbs, the design of its body may have allowed for more efficient turning than other large dinosaurs of the time. The team analyzed everything from body mass and centers of mass to rotational inertia, comparing the T. rex resulting agility score to that of other theropods the group of carnivorous, bipedal dinosaurs. And, they found the huge predator often wins out when it comes to turning ability. According to the researchers, the large predators would even have given smaller theropods a run for their money. The research suggests their turning speed was on par with theorpods that were half their size Tyrannosaurids consistently have agility index magnitudes twice those of allosauroids and some other theropods of equivalent mass, turning the body with both legs planted or pivoting over a stance leg, the researchers write in the new study, published pre-print online. With a short body length and large ilia, the bone in the upper part of the hip, these dinosaurs harnessed the forces that allow figure skaters to make such tight turns. An adult T. rex could turn like a slow-motion 10-tonne [9 tons] figure skater from hell, Eric Snively, an associate professor of biology at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, told Live Science. Juvenile tyrannosaurs were much scarier. Their turning ability suggests that tyrannosaurs could successfully attack smaller, younger and/or more dangerous prey than other carnivorous dinosaurs would bother to tackle. A new analysis of their motion suggests the predators could quickly pivot like a figure skater from hell, using powerful leg muscles to turn their bodies twice as fast as other dinosaurs of the same size KILLING OFF THE DINOSAURS: HOW A CITY-SIZED ASTEROID WIPED OUT 75 PER CENT OF ALL ANIMAL AND PLANT SPECIES Around 66 million years ago non-avian dinosaurs were wiped out and more than half the world's species were obliterated. This mass extinction paved the way for the rise of mammals and the appearance of humans. The Chicxulub asteroid is often cited as a potential cause of the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event. The asteroid slammed into a shallow sea in what is now the Gulf of Mexico. The collision released a huge dust and soot cloud that triggered global climate change, wiping out 75 per cent of all animal and plant species. Researchers claim that the soot necessary for such a global catastrophe could only have come from a direct impact on rocks in shallow water around Mexico, which are especially rich in hydrocarbons. Within 10 hours of the impact, a massive tsunami waved ripped through the Gulf coast, experts believe. Around 66 million years ago non-avian dinosaurs were wiped out and more than half the world's species were obliterated. The Chicxulub asteroid is often cited as a potential cause of the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event (stock image) This caused earthquakes and landslides in areas as far as Argentina. While investigating the event researchers found small particles of rock and other debris that was shot into the air when the asteroid crashed. Called spherules, these small particles covered the planet with a thick layer of soot. Experts explain that losing the light from the sun caused a complete collapse in the aquatic system. This is because the phytoplankton base of almost all aquatic food chains would have been eliminated. It's believed that the more than 180 million years of evolution that brought the world to the Cretaceous point was destroyed in less than the lifetime of a Tyrannosaurus rex, which is about 20 to 30 years. Advertisement In the study, the team created reconstructions of the dinosaurs bodies using information on their muscles and soft tissues to get the most accurate estimate of their mass. According to the researchers, the large predators would even have given smaller theropods a run for their money. The research suggests their turning speed was on par with theorpods that were half their size, according to Live Science. A worrying vulnerability in DJI drones gave hackers complete access to a user's account without them realizing it. Security researchers from Check Point in March discovered a flaw in DJI's cloud infrastructure that allowed attackers to take over users' accounts and access private data like drone logs with location data, maps, account information and photos or videos taken during flight. However, DJI said it patched the vulnerability in September. Scroll down for video A worrying vulnerability in DJI drones gave hackers complete access to a user's account. DJI said it patched the flaw, which affected its cloud infrastructure, in September WHAT INFORMATION DID HACKERS HAVE ACCESS TO? Account credentials, store information, forum data Cloud-synced flight logs, photos and videos during drone flights A live camera view and map view during drone flights Advertisement Users fell prey to the attack by clicking on a malicious link shared through DJI Forum, an online forum the firm runs for user discussions about its products. Any user who clicked on a 'specially-planted malicious link,' could have had his or her login information stolen, giving the hacker access to cloud data, account information, store, forum and other data. It also gave them access to user data from FlightHub, DJI's fleet management system that stores live feed footage. The vulnerability stemmed from hackers taking advantage of authentication tokens. This lets users move between various DJI sites without having to sign in every time. Hackers took advantage of this feature in Facebook's most recent data breach in September, which resulted in 50 million user accounts being compromised. 'This is a very deep vulnerability,' Oded Vanunu, head of products vulnerability research at Check Point, told WIRED. 'We're drone fans and fans of DJI, but we want to bring awareness about account takeover vulnerabilities in big vendors' systems. The vulnerability stemmed from hackers taking advantage of authentication tokens. This lets users move between various DJI sites without having to sign in every time 'In order to let users access different services without having to enter a username and password all the time, companies use one-time authentication to make a user token that's valid across everything. 'But that means we're living in an era where a targeted attack can become an extensive compromise,' Vanunu added. DJI said Check Point reported the flaw through its bug bounty program and the firm has since thoroughly examined its software and hardware to make sure the attack can't be replicated. Ultimately, DJI engineers marked the vulnerability as 'high risk - low probability,' because it would hard to carry out in real life. 'This is because the vulnerability required a complicated set of preconditions to be successfully exploited: The user would have to be logged into their DJI account while clicking on a specially-planted malicious link in the DJI Forum,' a DJI spokesperson said in a statement. Hackers were able to take over users' accounts and access private data like drone logs with location data, maps (pictured), account information and photos or videos taken during flight It also gave them access to user data from FlightHub, DJI's fleet management system that stores live feed footage. The vulnerability stemmed from users clicking on malicious forum link 'DJI engineers efficiently and effectively patched this vulnerability after being notified by Check Point Research. There is no evidence it was ever exploited.' Check Point detailed how attackers were able to gain access to users' accounts. The link posted in the forums included an extra chunk of software code. When users clicked on it, it silently triggered a script to run in the background, collecting 'cookies' that contained the users' access tokens. By using the access tokens, it allowed hackers to bypass extra security layers like two-factor authentication, meaning that users wouldn't know if their account had been compromised. 'This case was alarming because drones have a lot of private information and this was something that could be taken easily,' Vanunu told Wired. 'Giant platforms need to be more careful about account takeovers.' Researchers have discovered the remains of an ancient ceremonial site in the Atacama Desert one of the driest places in the world. The stone complex holds several signs of the rituals that took place there thousands of years ago, including a gold-plated vulture head, mortars and grinding slabs used to prepare pigments and hallucinogens, and more than two dozen infant burials. The discovery in the Chilean desert, coupled with the reinterpretation of another nearby site, suggests the harsh region was home to hunter-gatherer communities that developed complex ceremonial traditions over the years. The stone complex holds signs of the rituals that took place there, including mortars and grinding slabs used to prepare pigments and hallucinogens, and more than two dozen infant burials. An infant buried with the gold plaque is indicated with the black arrow The site, called Tulan-52, is estimated to have thrived in the deserts largest salt flat from around 1110-900BC until 550-360 BC, according to the new study published to the journal Antiquity. Not far away sits another site, Tulan-52, that existed nearly two millennia earlier. The latest research has uncovered a number of similarities between the two that indicate increasing complexity over the years. Tulan-54 has all the diagnostic characteristics of a fully developed ceremonial center of the Early Formative in the Salar de Atacama region, the researchers explain. These include a large and specific type of architecture that required considerable expenditure of energy for its design, construction and maintenance, along with significant evidence for food preparation and consumption, the production of personal ornaments, and deposits of high value. In two of the burials, they also found large gold artifacts: a gold-plated wooden vulture head with green malachite eyes and crest (left), and an elaborate golden plaque (right). The stone complex housed several rooms, in which they found 10 hearths with pits, and 28 richly endowed infant pit-burials. In two of the burials, they also found large gold artifacts: a gold-plated wooden vulture head with green malachite eyes and crest, and an elaborate golden plaque. Numerous mortars and grinding slabs attest to the intense preparation of pigments, foodstuffs and beverages, as well as hallucinogens made from the seeds of cebil and maize, both imported from the lowlands of north-east Argentina, the researchers note. Just 50 meters away, a cemetery was eventually built. Similar items were found at the nearby Tulan-52, including animal bones, mortars and grinding stones, as shown above The latest research has uncovered a number of similarities between the two that indicate increasing complexity over the years. Fragments of bone artifacts and ornaments from Tulan-52 are shown above Similar findings at the nearby Tulan-52, including animal bones, mortars and grinding stones, and niches framed with pillars, now suggest that this earlier site may have been a prototype of ceremonial centers. Not far away sits another site, Tulan-52, that existed nearly two millennia earlier= It can be surmised, therefore, that the major innovations which took place during the two millennia that separate Tulan-52 from Tulan-54 such as the increasing use of domestic camelids for long-distance transport, plant cultivation, use of hallucinogens, pottery and gold metallurgy primarily served the needs of increasingly elaborate rituals and demanding elites, the researchers wrote. Indeed, considering the very slow increase in the consumption of domestic plants and camelids between the Puripica-Tulan and Tilocalar phases, alongside the continuing importance of wild plant and animal species during the later phase, it is clear that subsistence needs were not the primary factor of this Neolithisation process. Advertisement When it comes to flight deck photography, Christiaan van Heijst sets the bar sky high. Christiaan, 35, has flown all over the world capturing thousands of cities that pass by, shooting stars, the Milky Way, and the Northern Lights. The 747 cargo pilot always ensures he has his camera on board so he's able to share the amazing natural views he witnesses at 30,000ft and above. When it comes to flight deck photography, Christiaan van Heijst sets the bar sky high. This image was taken above Iran Christiaan, 35, has flown all over the world capturing thousands of cities that pass by, shooting stars, the Milky Way, and the Northern Lights. This image was captured half-way across the Atlantic Ocean Christiaan always ensures he has his camera on board so he's able to share the amazing natural views he witnesses at 30,000ft and above. Here the plane is so high you can even see the curvature of the earth We've published astonishing pictures that he's taken on MailOnline Travel before and this latest batch from the Dutch pilot, which were taken over the past eight years, are similarly jaw-dropping. Christiaan said: 'It is sometimes hard to describe to people what's so special about flying at night when you see the stars, Northern Lights and dim glow of the atmosphere around. 'Or what it feels like to see the cities, countries, oceans and continents glide by below your wings as if we're detached from the planet. Here Christiaan has captured the Northern Lights above Alberta, Canada, in spectacular style Christiaan said: 'It is sometimes hard to describe to people what's so special about flying at night when you see the stars, Northern Lights and dim glow of the atmosphere around' Christiaan says he has always been in awe of how the light and shadows interact so high up in the sky. These are the lights of London, glowing beneath the heavens Way to glow: The selection of photos here were taken using long exposures 'I think every photo tells its own story and together, like pieces of a bigger puzzle, they show a much broader picture that tells what it is like to fly across the globe at night. 'This selection of photos show a series of long exposure photos from the cockpit and airplane cabin to illustrate the possibilities of long exposure photography in the air. 'The urge to capture those beautiful views started when I had my first job as an airline pilot. 'The mesmerising views at night of the cockpit and all its little lights, the cities that pass by, the countless stars, the Milky Way, shooting stars and sometimes even the Northern Lights was something that just had to be captured by camera.' Christiaan says he has always been in awe of how the light and shadows interact so high up in the sky. Christiaan describes the skies he flies through as a playground for his photography This is a view of the flight deck as Christiaan's 747 heads over Quebec towards the Atlantic Ocean The flight deck viewed from a bit further back. Most would agree, that's it's one of the world's most spectacular offices He added: 'Light is behaving in a completely different way compared to what we see on the surface of the earth and this, combined with the unique perspective we pilots have from the cockpit, was just the perfect playground for my photography. 'Another thing that urged me to capture these scenes was the fact that every vista, cloud and landscape is changing constantly and thus will never be seen again. 'Very often I'm just the only person to see that view from that perspective and I simply felt the urge to capture this beauty and share with the world.' The man behind the lens: Here's Christiaan appearing on the other side of the camera for a change Brits can fly to Lapland for a winter getaway this year from as little as 22.99 thanks to budget airline Wizz Air. The carrier is offering the deal on its new route from London Luton to Tromso in Norwegian Lapland from December 14. The service will operate every Monday and Friday, with a flight time of three hours and 40 minutes. Wizz Air has announced it will operate services from London Luton to Tromso, pictured, in Norwegian Lapland for the winter months The service will run until March 29 and Visit Lapland says it will help open up the Arctic region to British holidaymakers. Wizz Air has trumpeted a 22.99 ticket price, but MailOnline Travel found a 17.99 one-way fare - although prices do fluctuate. It should also be pointed out that the route flies to Norwegian Lapland, not Finnish Lapland, which is home to the famous Santa Claus Village. However, there are still a huge range of activities to get stuck into in Tromso including excursions to see the Northern Lights. Other activities up for grabs include snowmobiling, dog sledding, whale watching and meeting other polar animals. The Wizz Air flights will operate every Monday and Friday, with a flight time of three hours and 40 minutes Visitors can also learn about the local Sami indigenous culture and feed the native reindeer. Chad Blakley from Visit Lapland said: 'Tromso is a safe bet for many travelling to Lapland with a city full of culture and cuisine and activities set up for everyone from couples, to families and large groups . 'There are literally hundreds of things to choose from and with the new flights from London set to land into Tromso this December, I cant help but think its going to be a popular winter destination.' Advertisement Iceland is the safest place to go on holiday followed by the United Arab Emirates, according to a new report by Which? Travel. Its study looked at crime rates, as well as the risk of a natural disaster, health issues in the country and the likelihood of a terrorist attack. And researchers found that the most dangerous places to go on holiday include Turkey and South Africa. Iceland, pictured, has been named as the safest holiday destination, according to a study by Which? Travel To compile the list, Which? Travel picked 20 of the most popular holiday destinations around the world. The researchers then analysed crime statistics from the World Economic Fund, natural disaster risk assessments from the World Risk Report, health risk data from the NHS Fit for Travel site and terrorism risk levels from the Foreign Office. Iceland ranked top due to violent crime in the country being 'extremely rare', along with having one of the lowest probabilities of a natural disaster. Which? Travel also noted that there was a low risk of visitors contracting health problems and a low risk of terrorism although 'it cannot be ruled out'. A table by Which? Travel, which ranked 20 of the most popular holiday destinations in order of safest to least safest Second place UAE, home to popular destination Dubai, also ranked highly across all categories although the risk of terrorism was classed as being 'likely'. The third safest country in the ranking is Singapore, although researchers note the country has a moderate risk of zika virus. Spain comes in fourth, while Australia rounds off the top five with Which? Travel explaining there is a risk of Dengue fever and that terrorism in the country is 'very likely.' Countries that also make it into the top 10 are Canada (sixth), Japan (seventh), Morocco (eighth), Jordan (ninth) and Barbados (10th). Bottom ranked South Africa had the lowest score when it came to the safety index based on crime statistics. Pictured is the South African city of Cape Town At the other end of the table, bottom ranked South Africa had the lowest score when it came to the safety index based on crime statistics. Which? Travel also pointed out that health risks in the country include diptheria, hepatitus A, malaria and schistosomiasis and that terrorism is 'likely'. Turkey also fared badly when it came to the safety index with one of the highest risks of crime and a 'very likely' probability of terrorism. Thailand finished third bottom after having a low safety index score, being 'very likely' as a location for a terrorist attack and a risk of visitors contracting dengue fever, tetanus and malaria in some areas. A team of amateur surveyors have discovered that the wrong spot in Manchester has been labelled as the area's highest point for over 200 years. The Temple in Manchester's Heaton Park was believed to be the city's highest point and a monument was erected there in 1800 to mark the spot. But it turns out the tallest point is actually 550 yards away in a much less picturesque location. The Temple at Heaton Park, which for years has been said to be Manchester's highest point The actual highest point is in a wooded area next to a security fence and close to a communication tower (pictured) Investigators: George Gradwell (far left), John Barnard (centre), and Graham Jackson (far right) The Temple attracts thousands of tourists a year who are met with spectacular views over the city and the moors beyond when they reach the top, 354ft above sea level. A sign at the summit declares: 'The Temple stands at the highest point in the City of Manchester.' But independent surveyors John Barnard and Graham Jackson have carried out detailed analysis using technology similar to a car's Satnav to re-measure the hill. And they have established that a far less picturesque spot 547 yards from the Temple is actually 8ft 6in higher. Heaton Park reservoir, pictured above, is one of the views from the new highest point Revealing: The team of amateur surveyors carried out analysis using technology similar to a car's Satnav to re-measure the hill. Above is another view from the new highest point The view from the temple area, which attracts thousands of visitors a year The new peak is in a wooded area next to a security fence and close to a communication tower. They have notified officials at Manchester City Council of their findings and are urging them to put new signs up pointing out the new peak. The 600-acre park was bought by the council in 1902 from the Earl of Wilton. The Temple was designed by James Wyatt in 1800 and is believed to have first been used as an observatory by Sir Thomas Egerton, the first Earl of Wilton. Mr Barnard and Mr Jackson were called in when George Gradwell, from the Database of British and Irish Hills, noticed an anomaly at Heaton Park when looking at some data submitted by users. Mr Gradwell said: 'I thought it warranted further investigation. 'I visited Heaton Park but it was not possible to tell visually if this alternative point was higher, since there is no direct line of sight between the two points. 'So I called in my colleagues, Graham and John from G&J Surveys, to carry out an on-the-ground survey.' The tallest point is actually 550 yards away from the original spot, as shown in the map above Poor visibility on the day they carried out their survey meant the team could not enjoy the views, but this did not prevent them from collecting data using GNSS (Global Navigation and Satellite System) technology, which accurately measures heights using satellites. The data they collected showed the Temple was 353ft 4in high, while the other spot in the wood was 361ft 10in. Mr Barnard said: 'A feature of The Temple is it's claimed to be the highest point in the Manchester Metropolitan district. There is a noticeboard next to the building asserting this. 'No doubt many people have stood within the Temple, admiring the views over Manchester and beyond while at the same time feeling pleased that they are standing on the highest point in the district. 'Our data now shows a new highest point for Manchester has been found. The new summit position, in the wood next to a security fence, is clearly the highest point. The plaque shows points that can be seen from The Temple in Manchester's Heaton Park 'In some ways it is a pity because the Temple makes a much more impressive structure to crown the highest point and good views of the surrounding area can be obtained from there. 'But the good news is the new summit is only 547 yards away and there is a pleasant walk between the two positions so enthusiasts can take in the views as well as bag the Manchester Metropolitan County Top. 'The Heaton Park manager and the council initially showed interest and were keen to work with us but they have since failed to respond despite us chasing them several times. 'They said they were not planning to make any changes to the access.' A spokesman for Manchester City Council said: 'The Temple remains the highest and most significant viewing platform in Manchester, while not quite the highest point in Manchester, it is the best place to witness Heaton Park's spectacular elevated views of the city and surrounding area and we will be updating our signs and information to reflect this. ' Flying business or first class is always an eye-wateringly expensive activity or is it? A frequent flyer who runs a flight-tips website has revealed how its possible to make utterly sensational savings on top-tier tickets for example snaring a $10,000 first class seat on a Qantas flight for just over $1,300, an $18,000 first class Cathay Pacific flight for the same, and buying business class seats for mere hundreds. It sounds almost criminally cheap but theres nothing illegal afoot. The secret, it turns out, is to use an incredible air miles offer from Alaska Airlines. A frequent flyer who runs a flight-tips website has revealed how its possible to make utterly sensational savings on top tier tickets for example snaring a $10,000 first class seat on a Qantas flight for just over $1,300 The frequent flyer, London-based Gilbert Ott, who runs www.godsavethepoints.com, explains that Alaska is currently offering a 50 per cent bonus when you buy points. Mr Ott says that this is the highest bonus that Alaska has ever publicly offered. So you can purchase 60,000 points for $1,182 (900) or 70,000 for $1,389 (1,060). Thats a lot of points - enough to snag incredible savings on business class and first class seats on its partner airlines around the world - Qantas, Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines, for example. Mr Ott said: 'If you want to experience flat beds without the $2,500 and up price tag, this is your opportunity.' The catch? Your account needs to be open for 10 days before you can book, but the sale is on until December 21 and you can book flights up to 355 days away. Heres how you can grab jaw-dropping deals. Asian bargain These tickets could be yours for $467 if you use Mr Ott's cunning strategy Mr Ott, writing on his site, said 25,000 points means you could fly from anywhere in Southeast Asia served by Japan Airlines to Tokyo, stopover for as long as you want in Tokyo, and then carry on to wherever else in Asia you want to go, even including India. The cost? Mr Ott says that these two flat-bed flights would cost around $3,000 (2,300) ordinarily using your 25,000 points, youd have paid just $467 (356). To book, search to see if what you want is available on JAL by searching multi city and using miles on AlaskaAir.com. Mr Ott added: Its that simple. The JAL flights will show up if any are available on the dates you want. Key operating principle: Dont buy points unless you find what you want. Hong Kong to New Zealand round trip London-based Gilbert Ott runs www.godsavethepoints.com For 30,000 or 60,000 points Mr Ott claims you can snare a deal that is nothing short of incredible. Spend $1,200-worth of Alaska points and you can get a $5,000 (3,800) Cathay Pacific Business Class seat from Hong Kong to Auckland, which is a saving of 75 per cent. To book it is a strange process, though. Mr Ott explains all: Only certain airline seats using points appear on certain airline websites. Alaska is unable to display Cathay seats most often, but BA or Qantas can. So if I wanted to do this deal I would make a free account with BA or Qantas. I would then use their search using points feature to search on this route, for example HKG-AKL, looking only for Cathay Pacific flights. If I find something I want available, Id buy the points and call Alaska, and give them the dates I found for available seats using points on the Cathay Pacific flights. Id book the seats over the phone, stating that Id like to use my miles for flights on Cathay between AKL-HKG, or vice versa and make the booking.' But he has a word of warning: 'This one is high stakes and for a novice the best advice would be to use a booking service like AwardExpert or JuicyMiles to find the seats and actually do it for you. The unicorn seats This $10,000 ticket could be yours for around 85 per cent less if you use Mr Ott's hack Some deals are so incredible that frequent fliers call them unicorn seats. And the Alaska points can land you one. If you spend all 70,000. Mr Ott says that you can use them to buy first class on Cathay Pacific or Japan Airlines between either Europe or the USA and Asia, or the Middle East to North America. You might be lucky to find two seats in a month so its important never to buy miles until youve found something you can actually use but move on it immediately. For 93 per cent off, it was never going to be a cakewalk Gilbert Ott He writes: Thats a truly awesome deal. This is a YOLO, which translated from millennial means you only live once and is not for everyone, but if you want to see what its like at the very, very front of a top airline cabin, this is as reasonable an opportunity as youll find. The same 70,000 points applies with Qantas between the US and Australia in either direction as well, but those seats are just very hard to come by. And no wonder, because first class between the USA and Australia on Qantas is a $10,100 (7,700) ticket. And youd be getting it for $1,389 (1,060). Thats a saving of just over 85 per cent. And you can get an $18,000 Cathay Pacific first class flight from New York to Hong Kong for the same money. That's a staggering saving of 93 per cent. Heres how to book. You can buy this deal one-way for just over $1,300 if you use Mr Ott's hack Use the search using points feature on BA or Qantas to search for seats and remember, they both show Cathay Pacific flights. Then buy the points, call Alaska and give them the dates youve found for available seats. Then book the seats over the phone, stating you want to use your miles for the booking. Again, AwardExpert and JuicyMiles can help. Mr Ott adds: You might be lucky to find two seats in a month so its important never to buy miles until youve found something you can actually use but move on it immediately. For 93 per cent off, it was never going to be a cakewalk. Advertisement Bookings are now being taken for the Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) ocean liner, which is now a floating hotel in Dubai. The Gulf Arab emirate bought the vessel for $100million in 2007 from Cunard Line and has permanently moored it at Mina Rashid port. And now guests wanting to stay on board the iconic ship can reserve one of the 224 rooms, which range in price from 150 to 3,000). The Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) ocean liner has been given a new lease of life as a floating hotel in Dubai, 10 years after the Gulf Arab emirate bought it for $100 million Booking are now being taken for guests to stay in the ship's luxurious rooms. Pictured is the Queen Elizabeth suite The ship has 10 dining and nightlife venues including this bright and airy restaurant which has views across Mina Rashid Port The original ballroom on board the vessel has been restored in the hope of holding large functions One of the bars on board the transformed ocean liner has been decorated in the style of a traditional English pub The QE2 has been refurbished based on the original design, from its carpets to the theatre and even restaurant menus featuring dishes served in the liner's heyday. It also has a museum and 13 restaurants and bars. Large portraits of United Arab Emirates rulers hang opposite portraits of a young Queen Elizabeth II and Samuel Cunard, founder of the company that built the ship. 'There is a huge following around the world for the QE2 because of how famous she is and what she stands for,' said Hamza Mustafa, chief executive of PCFC Hotels, the Dubai World subsidiary that owns the ship, speaking earlier this year. The QE2 first entered service in 1969 and has sailed around the world 25 times, carrying more than 2.5 million passengers. State-owned Dubai World bought the QE2 from Cunard Line in 2007, but the 2008 financial crisis delayed any plans for the 40-year-old vessel, one of the world's most famous ships During its time as a passenger vessel, QE2 crossed the Atlantic more than 800 times Inside one the large dining rooms on the ship moored in Mina Rashid port in Dubai Large portraits of United Arab Emirates rulers hang opposite portraits of a young Queen Elizabeth II and Samuel Cunard, founder of the company that built the ship 'There is a huge following around the world for the QE2 because of how famous she is and what she stands for,' said Hamza Mustafa, chief executive of PCFC Hotels, the Dubai World subsidiary that owns the ship The QE2 first entered service in 1969 and has sailed around the world 25 times, carrying more than 2.5 million passengers, the company said In its new incarnation, the QE2 has 1,300 rooms, with rates ranging from less than 150 to as much as 3,000 for a suite. It also has a museum and 13 restaurants and bars In the deluxe rooms on board the floating hotel, the original porthole windows remind guests of the ship's seafaring days Despite extensively preserving her authentic elements, the QE2 has also been fully equipped with all the latest technology The rooms on board range in size from 17 square metres for a standard room, pictured, to 76 square metres for a royal suite Dubai hopes the QE2 will boost tourism in the most visited city in the Middle East, which welcomed over 15 million tourists in 2017. Officials say they are targeting 20 million by 2020 Dubai hopes the QE2 will boost tourism in the most visited city in the Middle East, which welcomed over 15 million tourists in 2017. Officials say they are targeting 20 million by 2020. PCFC Hotels spent an additional $100 million renovating the liner and has plans to convert Mina Rashid into a complex of luxury residences and a yachting marina. 'Although we kept everything as it was in 1969, you also have the most advanced technology in the tourism industry in Dubai,' said Kenneth Todd, director of sales at PCFC Hotels. 'For example, you can control everything with your phone, including check-in, room key, lights and TV,' he said while showing reporters a duplex suite. Hamza Mustafa, CEO of PCFC Hotels says the opening of the restored QE2 is one of Dubai's most highly anticipated hotel openings More than 2.7million man-hours have been put into the transformation of the QE2 from crumbling cruise liner to five star hotel PCFC Hotels spent an additional $100 million renovating the liner and has plans to convert Mina Rashid into a complex of luxury residences and a yachting marina The QE2 was originally registered in Southampton and operated from 1967 to 2008 Love Island Australia's Tayla Damir and Dom Thomas suffered fan backlash this week after teasing a fake engagement in a sponsored post for a jewellery brand. The controversy occurred just 15 days after the couple confirmed their relationship online to fans in another upload, tagging both a professional photographer and a luxury hotel in their big announcement. During an interview with Daily Mail Australia on Saturday at Derby Day, Dom, 26, boasted of the 'good money' involved in making a full-time living through social media posts like these, while Tayla, 21, failed to disclose what her job title now is. Scroll down for video Fake engagement, free food and sponsored hotel stays: Are Love Island's Tayla Damir and Dom Thomas becoming Australia's most shameless reality couples? 'I don't know about her, but I am,' Dom answered when asked if he is now a full-time 'social media influencer', which involves charging brands to promote them online. Tayla failed to respond to the same question, choosing to step away from the interview instead. Prior to finding fame on the Nine dating show in June, Dom worked as a construction project manager, while Tayla was a part-time beauty queen and radio host. Now, as their jobs involve monetising selfies across social media platforms, TV star Dom refused to put a figure on the huge monthly sum they can earn from posts. 'I don't know about her, but I am,' During an interview with Daily Mail Australia on Saturday at Derby Day, Dom, 26, boasted of the 'good money' involved in making a full-time living through social media posts like these, while Tayla, 21, failed to disclose what her job title now is A little over the top? Prior to making their first public appearance as a couple at Derby Day, the pair promoted seven brands that had provided professional help getting them ready 'Thankyou for looking after us': It wasn't just designer brands the couple turned to ahead of their day at the Melbourne Cup Carnival either, but it appears they scored a free hotel stay too Promotion: Just 15 days ago the couple finally announced their relationship, in a sponsored post tagging a luxury Byron Bay farm house with images taken by a professional photographer However, the constant sponsored content may all be too much too soon for their collective half a million adoring Instagram fans. Prior to making their first public appearance as a couple at Derby Day, the pair promoted seven brands that had provided professional help getting them ready. Alongside pictures showing off their designer looks, Tayla's stylist, three different designers, a jewellery brand, hairdresser and makeup artist had all been tagged. While this may seem standard for a celeb couple, it was only when Tayla gave the jewellery brand an additional post that people grew tired of the forced promotion. Too far? Fans of Tayla were left furious when she teased a fake engagement to promote a jewellery line earlier this week 'No I'm not engaged but I did have fun wearing this beautiful ring today,' As fans naturally began congratulating them on their apparent engagement, one hour later Tayla revealed it was all actually just a sponsored post for the designer 'Oh my god,' the brunette wrote in one picture on her Instagram Story, which showed off a sparkling diamond ring on her engagement finger as Dom sat next to her. As fans naturally began congratulating them on their apparent engagement, one hour later Tayla revealed it was all actually just a sponsored post for the designer. 'No I'm not engaged but I did have fun wearing this beautiful ring today,' Tayla wrote, before promoting a competition for the company. It wasn't just designer brands the couple turned to ahead of their day at the Melbourne Cup Carnival either, it appears they scored a free hotel stay too. 'Thankyou @roycehotelmelbourne for looking after us #roycehotel,' Tayla wrote alongside a picture of herself standing outside the boutique five star hotel with her luggage. Using her platform: The couple have recently shared additional posts promoting everything from 'yummy' restaurants and clothing brands to colon cleansing 'Game changer': Dom recently promoted Tim Tam's by sharing a picture of himself in the bath eating the biscuits Alongside their Instagram posts plugging everything from Tim Tam's and restaurants they have dined at to colon cleansing, Tayla and Dom have now set up a joint YouTube page. The channel, titled Stitched Up, is set to feature the couple engaging in a series of pranks, as pre-roll adverts before each video can create additional revenue. However, the venture didn't get off to the greatest of starts, with one 'prank' video they shared online causing controversy in August. In the clip, Tayla sneaked up on a confused and uncomfortable looking elderly man and clipped pegs on his jacket. Sensing their was somebody in his personal space, the man abruptly turned around. As Tayla then ran back to the car with a smile, he appeared both confused and uncomfortable while not knowing what the reality star had done to him. Although these methods of making money may surprise some, the 'influencer' market was recently valued at $1.7 billion by Medium and is growing daily. Additional income? Alongside their Instagram posts plugging everything from Tim Tam's and restaurants they have dined at to colon cleansing, Tayla and Dom have now set up a joint YouTube page. The channel, titled Stitched Up, is set to feature the couple engaging in a series of pranks, as pre-roll adverts before each video can create additional revenue It's been more than one year since Matty J and Laura Byrne fell in love on The Bachelor. And having since moved in together in Sydney, the couple are now looking forward to an engagement in the new year and lavish wedding ceremony in 2020. During an exclusive interview with Daily Mail Australia on Saturday at Derby Day, the 31-year-old hunk revealed his grand plans, while confirming he's already saving up. Scroll down for video EXCLUSIVE: Matty J and Laura Byrne confirm wedding plans: $150,000 limit, quick turnaround and new year engagement announcement Discussing his blossoming romance with the brunette beauty, 32, Matty confessed his mum is the number one person pressuring him to pop the question. 'When is it going to happen? Next year... It will definitely be next year,' he admitted of his plans to propose. He then revealed the wedding wouldn't be too far behind. 'Next year... It will definitely be next year': During an exclusive interview with Daily Mail Australia at Derby Day, the hunk, 31, revealed his grand plans to propose in the new year 'I've always been a fan of a quick turnaround. I've never been a fan of a long engagement,' Matty continued. 'If you're going to do it, you should have the occasion take place within 12 months.' 'I get that some people may not be in a time or a place financially where they're able to get married, but I'm very impatient.' 'If you're going to do it, you should have the occasion take place within 12 months': Matty then confirmed the wedding won't be too far behind - and he's already saving up for it The TV favourite, who first found fame on Georgia Love's season of The Bachelorette in 2016, also opened up about the financial aspect attached to any big day. 'We went to a wedding the other day and it was around $150,000 down in Kangaroo Valley. I was thinking to myself, "This is going to cost me a lot of money."' Matty then admitted that although he 'isn't setting himself a budget,' he does not wish to exceed that staggering sum from his friend's recent nuptials. 'The savings have begun,' he added, while confessing he'll be sparing no expense with everything from luxury carpet trim to table decorations. 'I used to work in event management so I think I will be the bridezilla.' He's been keeping a low profile since THAT finale of The Bachelor, taking refuge in the dense jungles of Papua New Guinea while a storm of indignation raged at home. But it appears that Nick 'Honey Badger' Cummins feels safe back in civilisation, attending the Melbourne Cup and a subsequent after party on Tuesday. At the bash, the 31-year-old was photographed with two recently ousted Bachelorette stars. Scroll down for video And Badger makes three! A grinning Nick Cummins (middle) was spotted with The Bachelorette's Wesley Ford (left) and Ivan Krslovic (right) at a Melbourne Cup after party on Tuesday Ivan Krslovic, 29, took to Instagram on Wednesday to post a photo of him grinning alongside Nick and fellow contestant Wesley Ford, 31. While his hair was in a man bun earlier in the day, Nick's trademark Goldilocks curls were clearly visible beneath an Akubra hat in the picture. The former rugby player was still in his Melbourne Cup attire - a blue patterned blazer, white shirt and beige chinos. Ivan and his fellow reality star Wesley were dressed identically in crisp white collared shirts, black ties and black pants. Remember him? Ivan (above) recently appeared on Ali Oetjen's season of The Bachelorette Ivan captioned the picture: 'A couple of bachelor's [sic] on the Crown Towers rooftop for the Melbourne Cup after party!' One of Ivan's followers cheekily commented: 'Who the hell is the Shirley Temple in the middle, have no idea.' Ivan replied: 'It's the Honey Badger haha.' Boogie! Nick in particular seemed to enjoy his day at the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday. Surrounded by smiling, busty racegoers, Nick grinned as he mouthed the words to the song Horses by Daryl Braithwaite at the Melbourne Cup Nick in particular seemed to enjoy his day at the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday. The Bachelor star shared a series of festive videos to his Instagram stories, including one showing him turning knobs in a DJ booth. Another clip shows the former rugby union player excitedly singing Daryl Braithwaite's The Horses on a dance floor. Surrounded by smiling, busty racegoers, Nick was grinning as he danced with the women and mouths the words to the song. She is set to tie the knot with fiance Kane Vato in a matter of weeks. And social media star Pia Muehlenbeck has given her lucky fans a run down of her pre-wedding workouts after reaching her goal size to fit into her dress. The 26-year-old took to Instagram on Wednesday to share a Boomerang edited clip of herself prancing around in a tiny bikini, writing, 'So I am now the size I want to be to fit into my dress! SUCCESS!' Body goals! Pia Muehlenbeck flaunts her incredibly trim and toned figure in a tiny bikini and details her gruelling pre-wedding workout ahead of her nuptials to fiance Kane Vato 'I really mixed up my training over the last 6 or 7 weeks, every day Ive done something completely different,' she added. The busty beauty then detailed her week, starting with Pilates on Monday, Yoga on Tuesday and a 10 kilometre run on Wednesday. On Thursday she does weights, followed by Cardio and Sauna on Friday, and a family walk on Saturday. Training hard: The busty beauty starts with Pilates on Monday, Yoga on Tuesday and a 10 kilometre run on Wednesday. On Thursday she does weights, followed by Cardio and Sauna on Friday, and a family walk on Saturday To round out her entire week's worth of exercise, Pia revealed that she treats herself to a pizza on Sundays. 'I find, that if I dont do that, it helps keep my naughty food cravings at bay for the rest of the week,' she wrote. Pia recently revealed details of her impending nuptials in Byron Bay. Treat! To round out her entire week's worth of exercise, Pia revealed that she treats herself to a pizza on Sundays Ready to say I do! Pia and her fiance Kane are getting married in Byron Bay 'It's going to be a few days of celebration, and the theme will be summery, natural, rustic and a Byron Bay sort of theme,' she told Daily Mail Australia at the Fenty Beauty anniversary earlier this year. Speaking about the planning process she said, 'It's literally 64 days away, which feels like I should have planned that a lot earlier but I'm one of these last-minute people.' 'But weirdly it's coming together quite nicely, I'm not stressed anymore, I'm excited about it!' Davina Rankin is certainly loving her recent trip to the Great Barrier Reef. On Tuesday, the 26-year-old Married At First Sight star took to Instagram to share a photo from her tropical getaway with her boyfriend of seven months, Jaxon Manuel. In the photo, Davina can be seen wearing a mint green bandeau bikini, while grinning widely at the camera. Water views: Davina Rankin shared this photo from her holiday on the Great Barrier Reef with boyfriend Jaxon Manuel She's also clad in bright orange flippers, green goggles and a snorkel. Standing beside her on what appears to be the back of a boat is Jaxon, who is wearing grey two-tone boardshorts. 'So the love of my life surprised me with a little getaway up to Agnes Water. And today was probably one of the most memorable days of my life!!' she captioned the photo. 'We snorkeled the beautiful Lady Musgrave reef and swam side by side with turtles, stingrays, reef sharks and every colour fish of the rainbow. And as if thats not cool enough, were staying in our own Beach Safari Tent... Happier than ever... Davina has been dating Jaxon for seven months, after first meeting him as friends 'Mate you nailed it. @jaxonmanuel I love you!!' Davina and Jaxon have enjoyed a whirlwind romance since getting together back in April. In July, they moved in together, but Davina revealed she's actually known the Brisbane-based businessman for years. More than friendship... In April, Davina revealed she'd had a crush on Jaxon for five years after starting out as friends In an interview with Now to Love back in April, Davina revealed she'd had a crush on Jaxon for five years after starting out as friends. 'We started hanging out a lot more than usual the last few months, and things just naturally progressed from there,' she said. 'He keeps me very much grounded, but most of all makes me really happy!' It was the morning after the night before for Nick Cummins on Wednesday. And following his hard partying at the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday, the 31-year-old struggled to slip through Tullamarine Airport unnoticed as he made his way home. Instead, the Honey Badger was trolled by comedian Rose Callaghan who live-tweeted his journey from check-in to take off to her thousands of followers after finding herself on the same flight as the celebrity. Scroll down for video 'A 13 degree day in Melbourne': Nick 'Honey Badger' Cummins trolled by comedian for his airport outfit... as she live tweets entire flight together Nick first caught Rose's attention due to his unexpected airport attire. Whereas many passengers had wrapped up warm for the chilly morning in Victoria, Nick sported an Akubra hat, singlet, floral-patterned swimming shorts and brown loafers. Despite having a large bag beside him, presumably packed with clothes, the former Bachelor was sporting the same hat and shoes he donned to the Cup on Tuesday. 'The honey badger is at the airport wearing exactly the kind of casual wear you would expect him to be wearing on a 13 degree day in Melbourne,' Rose wrote. He must have been cold! Whereas many passengers had wrapped up warm for the chilly morning in Victoria, Nick sported an Akubra hat, singlet, floral swimming shorts and brown loafers, prompting Rose Callaghan to share some candid pictures of him Quick change: Despite having a large bag beside him, presumably packed with clothes, the former Bachelor was sporting the same hat and shoes he donned to the Cup on Tuesday Rose, who then discovered Nick was on the same flight as her, claimed the notably single man jumped standard boarding protocol. 'Honey badger is on my flight and the hosties are loving it,' Rose continued. 'They said rows 20 to 29 to board and he wasn't in rows 20 to 29 but he boarded anyway!!! Stick to the rules for once in your life.' Celebrity encounter: Rose, who then discovered Nick was on the same flight as her, claimed the notably single man jumped standard boarding protocol The comedian, who describes herself as an 'internet troll' in her Twitter bio, then made a reference to Nick's controversial Bachelor finale. As the Channel 10 star heroically seated himself in the emergency exit aisle, Rose made one final joke at his expense. 'Honey badger is sitting in the emergency exit row and has agreed to help in the event of an emergency which is the biggest commitment he's made to anything in the last year,' she concluded. 'Stick to the rules': Rose jokingly suggested Nick boarded before his row was called Commitment issues: The comedian, who describes herself as an 'internet troll' in her Twitter bio, then made a reference to Nick's controversial Bachelor finale While Nick was unknowingly being live tweeted by his fellow passenger, it is likely he simply wanted to fly under the radar as he made his way home. After returning to the sportlight at the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday, he had a rather eventful day, including an alleged 'altercation' with some male racegoers. The former sportstar proved to be popular though, hanging out with everybody from Married At First Sight's Carly Bowyer to Sunrise weatherman Sam Mac. Following an afternoon of partying at dating app Bumble's marquee in The Birdcage, Nick headed straight to Together Events after party at Crown Towers Melbourne. Just last week she announced she was engaged to boyfriend Karl Glusman. And on Thursday, Zoe Kravitz, 29, was unveiled as the latest cover star of ELLE UK, displaying her stunning looks in a captivating photoshoot, and using the opportunity to voice her concerns with racial stereotypes in film. The daughter of rock star Lenny Kravitz and model Lisa Bonet dazzles in a plunging black mini-dress and baby blue tights for the powerful cover snap. Wow! Zoe Kravitz, 29, has been unveiled as the latest cover star of Elle UK, displaying her stunning looks in a captivating photoshoot, and using the opportunity to voice her concerns with racial stereotypes in film The Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindewald actress posed atop a retro soft-top chair for another artistic shot, which allowed for the large star in the centre of her dress to be seen. Zoe displayed her multiple tattoos in the pretty dress, and finished off her ensemble with strappy metallic blue kitten heels. Her long raven locks were styled straight, with multiple miniature plaits at the top of her tresses adding a subtle twist to her sleek look. The Big Little Lies star enhanced her natural beauty with a flawless foundation application, blown out pink smokes and a slick of pink gloss on her full pout. Where is my story? The talented actress spoke to Elle UK candidly about her disappointment in regards to the roles available to black women Beautiful: The daughter of rockstar Lenny Kravitz and model Lisa Bonet dazzled in a plunging black mini-dress and baby blue tights for the powerful cover snap The talented actress spoke candidly to ELLE UK about her disappointment in regards to the roles available to black women. She said: 'You read scripts and you're like, "Where is my story?" Often, the parts written for women are accessories to men's stories, and parts written for any kind of minority are an accessory to a white person's story. 'A script will point out that a character is African-American, and you know how she's going to talk. She's going to add some attitude for something. 'It's just about creating characters for women and people of colour who feel like real people, who feel complicated and honest not just used to further a white person's story.' Speaking out: Zoe' said, 'You read scripts and you're like, "Where is my story?" Often, the parts written for women are accessories to men's stories, and parts written for any kind of minority are an accessory to a white person's story' Zoe went on to open up about her childhood, admitting that she had a difficult time growing up surrounded by kids who she felt distinctly 'different' from. She said: 'It was a rough time for someone trying to discover who they are. I went to a private school in Miami, surrounded by wealthy kids, mostly white. 'I felt like a freak because my hair was different, and little kids would come up and say, 'Can I feel your hair?.' 'The things that made me different were the things I didn't like about myself; I wanted to straighten my hair, remind people that I was half white.' Growing up: Zoe went on to open up about her childhood, admitting that she had a difficult time growing up surrounded by kids who she felt distinctly 'different' from Personality matters: But despite struggling to embrace how she looked as a teen, Zoe revealed that she's thankful for not having had 'beauty as a crutch' But despite struggling to embrace how she looked as a teen, Zoe revealed that she's thankful for not having had 'beauty as a crutch.' She said: 'I went through a really awkward phase. I was short and brown, surrounded by tall girls with boobs and blonde hair. 'And my dad was dating supermodels, so I was waking up to Adriana Lima. I didn't have beauty as a crutch, and I'm thankful for that because I had to develop my personality.' Honest: The film star also admitted that she now feels as though it's her 'responsibility to work harder' because she has been given an advantage over other actresses, with her parents having helped her to get a foot in the door of the film industry The film star also admitted that she now feels as though it's her 'responsibility to work harder' because she has been given an advantage over other actresses, with her parents having helped her to get a foot in the door of the film industry. She said: 'If I don't have [the next] job lined up, I get nervous. It's irrational, maybe. But also good. 'When I was in high school, if a girl didn't like me, the first thing she'd say was, "You think you're so cool because of your parents." That carries into later life, like, "Oh, you just got this part because your parents are this and that." 'It's important to acknowledge that I got in the door easier because of them. Some kids work their whole lives and they can't even get an agent to call them back. 'That part was handed to me. People are always going to think that maybe you are who you are because of your family. So it's my responsibility to work harder.' Candid: Zoe - who has spoken openly about her past struggle with an eating disorder - also admitted she wants to learn to 'love herself' Zoe - who has spoken openly about her past struggle with an eating disorder - also admitted she wants to learn to 'love herself.' She told the publication: 'People come up to me on the street and tell me I'm beautiful and I still feel insecure. 'It's important to be humble but I also want to feel beautiful. I want to love myself. That energy affects your health.' The actress - who recently became engaged to boyfriend Karl Glusman - spoke passionately to ELLE UK about how Big Little Lies encourages women to unite and stand up for themselves The actress spoke passionately to ELLE UK about how Big Little Lies encourages women to unite and stand up for themselves. She admitted: 'That was something people wanted: women standing up for themselves and standing up for each other. 'There was some kind of collective consciousness going on, because the Me Too movement happened right after.' The ELLE UK December issue is on sale from 13 November. A member of the Balinese royal family has expressed sympathy for the forgotten Bali Nine drug traffickers serving life sentences in Indonesian prisons. Lindy Rama-Ellis, formerly known by her married name Lindy Klim, told Daily Mail Australia that several of the convicted heroin smugglers had 'really changed their lives' following their arrests more than 13 years ago, yet there are still no signs of mercy from the country's government. The 40-year-old model and fashion designer is the daughter of the late Prince of Denpasar, Anak Agung Oka Rama, and his Australian wife. In addition to her royal status, she has close links to Australia due to her marriage to former Olympian Michael Klim, which ended in 2016. EXCLUSIVE: 'They have really changed their lives': Balinese royalty Lindy Klim has thrown her support behind the Bali Nine drug traffickers serving life without parole... as Renae Lawrence prepares to return home after 13 years. Pictured: Lindy at the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday 'I don't really get into this kind of thing, I try to stay out of it, but I do feel really sad for these people [the Bali Nine],' Lindy said while attending the Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse on Tuesday afternoon. 'I feel like a lot of them have really changed their lives and I know they've got an art gallery within the prison [for prisoner art programs] and I think that they're doing really great things,' she added. 'And now they're even earning money for the first time and the prison has never done that. My heart does go out to them.' Drug traffickers: Australians Si Yi Chen (second from right) and Matthew Norman (far right) are still serving life without parole for attempting to smuggle over 8kg of heroin from Bali to Sydney. Pictured left: Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen, who died of cancer in prison earlier this year Lindy admitted that the life sentences were 'absolutely' devastating for the Bali Nine and their families. However, she warned 'that's the unfortunate thing if you're involved in drugs in Bali', which has some of the strictest drug laws in the world. Five Australians - Si Yi Chen, Martin Stephens, Michael Czugaj, Scott Rush, and Matthew Norman - are currently serving life without the possibility of parole after being arrested at Denpasar airport in April 2005 for attempting to smuggle more than 8kg of heroin from Bali to Sydney. Upcoming release: The only member of the Bali Nine with a release date is drug courier Renae Lawrence (pictured in February 2006), whose initial life sentence was commuted to 20 years' imprisonment on appeal The two ringleaders, Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan, were executed by firing squad in 2015 and fellow syndicate member Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen died of cancer in prison earlier this year. The only member of the Bali Nine with a release date is drug courier Renae Lawrence, whose initial life sentence was commuted to 20 years' imprisonment on appeal. She is expected to leave Bangli Prison and return to Australia later this month after serving more than 13 years behind bars. Lawrence herself has acknowledged the leniency of her sentence compared to her fellow drug traffickers serving life terms for the same crime. The 41-year-old former panel beater told News Corp in August: 'What about the others? Only I will be free. The others aren't free.' It is believed the Indonesian judges took a sympathetic view of her because she was more cooperative during her trial while the others refused to answer questions. Recently there has been a renewed push to commute the life sentences of the remaining Bali Nine members - especially Matthew Norman and Si Yi Chen, who are currently residing at Kerobokan Prison. Unfair? Lawrence (right) herself has acknowledged the leniency of her sentence compared to her fellow drug traffickers serving life terms for the same crime. Pictured in Bali's Kerobokan prison on August 17, 2010 While behind bars, the two men have established various rehabilitative programs, including English lessons, silversmithing, art and computer classes, and T-shirt printing. They have also been commended for their good behaviour by prison authorities. Kerobokan Prison governor Tonny Nainggolan has previously said that he wanted their sentences reduced. 'As prison governor, in my opinion, both of them deserve to get remissions to change their sentence,' he told the Courier Mail on Indonesian Independence Day earlier this year. 'Since I have been here for one year and seven months I have proposed for their remission twice, to change the sentence from life to 20 years' imprisonment,' he added. Notorious: The Bali Nine were a group of nine Australians convicted of attempting to smuggle over 8kg of heroin out of Indonesia in April 2005. Pictured (top row, left to right): Myuran Sukumaran, Scott Rush, Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen and Renae Lawrence. Pictured (bottom row, left to right): Si Yi Chen, Matthew Norman, Michael Czugaj, Martin Stephen and Andrew Chan The youngest member of the Bali Nine, Norman was just 18 when he was arrested in a Kuta hotel room with 334g of heroin in a planned raid by Bali police, shortly after four drug-carrying mules and ringleader Andrew Chan were apprehended at Denpasar airport. He has spent almost his entire adult life in prison. Chen, who is the only child of hard-working Chinese immigrants, was arrested in the same hotel raid alongside Nguyen and Sukumaran. He was 20 years old at the time. Meanwhile, Rush and Czugaj - two wayward 19-year-olds from Brisbane - were among those arrested at the airport with heroin strapped to their bodies and concealed under baggy Hawaiian T-shirts and shorts. Stephens and Lawrence, masquerading as a couple on holiday, were also arrested carrying large quantities of the drug while waiting for their flight. Chan (who wasn't carrying drugs) was apprehended after already boarding the plane. Wasted life: The two ringleaders, Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan, were executed by firing squad in 2015 and fellow syndicate member Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen (pictured) died of cancer in prison earlier this year Police and customs officers knew the Bali Nine were planning to leave the country thanks to a detailed tip off from the AFP, which had been tracking the syndicate's movements in Australia for months. The AFP asked their Indonesian counterparts to keep the group under surveillance in Bali, but did not explicitly ask for them to be arrested. However, it is inconceivable that local police would have allowed the drugs to run to Australia if they suspected a major importation was taking place. The AFP's involvement in the case, which culminated in the executions of Chan and Sukumaran in 2015, has been controversial, with some even suggesting the officers responsible have 'blood on their hands'. Meanwhile, Lindy has previously said she feels quite detached from the world of Balinese royalty due to her upbringing in Tasmania, Australia. 'I usually don't tell local Balinese my real name as I don't think I deserve the respect as I didn't grow up in Bali and I don't even speak the language fluently,' she told My Empirical Life in April. He's the fan favourite to win Ali Oetjen's heart on The Bachelorette. But Victorian-based bank manager Taite Radley has shocked fans by pretty much confirming he doesn't win the Channel 10 dating show. In an interview with OK! magazine, Taite said he has absolutely no interest in moving to Ali's hometown of Adelaide to be with her, saying South Australia 'doesn't do it for me.' Scroll down for video SPOILER ALERT: 'Good luck to whoever ends up with Ali': The Bachelorette's Taite Radley all but confirms he doesn't win the show as he says he has NO interest in moving to her hometown of Adelaide He also appeared to take a swipe at the blonde, quipping, 'Good luck to whoever ends up with Ali. Surely they might enjoy it.' When asked by the publication if he had just confirmed that he doesn't win, Taite said he wasn't 'saying anything.' OK then: In an interview with OK! magazine , Taite said he has absolutely no interest in moving to Ali's hometown of Adelaide to be with her, saying South Australia 'doesn't do it for me' He then suggested that perhaps the busty blonde doesn't choose a winner, just like Nick Cummins on The Bachelor. Meanwhile on Wednesday's show, the former bodybuilder enjoyed a steamy date at the beach with Ali. After enjoying a smooch in the water, things turned serious when Ali grilled him about what he wants from a relationship, and if he'd be ready to be engaged by the end of the year. Interesting: He then suggested that perhaps the busty blonde doesn't choose a winner, just like Nick Cummins on The Bachelor Raunchy! Meanwhile on Wednesday's show, the former bodybuilder enjoyed a steamy date at the beach with Ali Taite replied: 'If it feels right. It's just knowing I'm with the right person.' 'How do you know?' Ali probed as Taite responded: 'Time.' It appeared that Ali was having serious doubts about her suitor, admitting she was 'scared' and even called him a 'risk.' At one point she asked him: 'Can you promise me you'll never walk away?' to which he replied: 'I can't.' While he failed to receive a rose from Ali on the date, he made it through that night's subsequent rose ceremony. She may not be a Victoria's Secret Angel. But Rebecca Judd could certainly give the girls a run for their money. The mother-of-four is currently in New York to attend the lingerie company's annual Fashion Show, and on Wednesday enjoyed a bra fitting ahead of the extravaganza. One of the Angels! Rebecca Judd flaunts her ample cleavage in a push-up bra as she gears up to attend the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in NY The 35-year-old showed off her ample cleavage and taut tummy in a push-up bra in the 'Angel Suite' fitting room at Victoria's Secret flagship store on 5th Avenue. Rebecca looked stunning in the lingerie, which she had tried on with a flirty leather mini skirt. The brunette beauty excitedly told her fans she would be travelling to the Big Apple for the VS show on Monday. The Big Apple: Rebecca is currently in the Big Apple where she will attend the Victoria's Secret show on Thursday So exciting! The brunette beauty excitedly told her fans she would be attending the lingerie extravaganza on Monday She posted a photo of her invite to her Instagram Story, along with the caption: 'I'm off to New York tonight for Victoria's Secret ... Excited is an understatement.' In her post, Rebecca referenced Melbourne's Chadstone shopping centre, for which she is a brand ambassador. Around $12 million has been invested in this year's glittering Victoria's Secret parade. Previous Victoria's Secret catwalk shows have included models Alessandra Ambrosio, Gisele Bundchen, Naomi Campbell, Heidi Klum, Tyra Banks, Helena Christensen and Miranda Kerr. Homegrown talent: Australia's own Shanina Shaik, 27, will walk in this year's show Australia's own Shanina Shaik, 27, will walk in this year's show, which takes place on November 8. Bebe Rexha, The Chainsmokers, Halsey, Rita Ora and others will perform at the event. Rebecca's husband Chris Judd, 35, will have his hands full while his wife is away, looking after the couple's four children Oscar, seven, Billie, four, and twin There is no denying the power of social media when it comes to raising a celebrity's profile. But it seems some D-listers are now using sneaky 'hacks' to grow their fanbase on Instagram. Instead of buying fake followers - a tactic that is widely frowned upon - several reality TV contestants are using misleading hashtags to reach new audiences. REVEALED: The shameless trick the Bachelorette boys including Charlie Newling (pictured) use to get more 'likes' on their Instagram photos A handful of contestants from this year's season of The Bachelorette - including Charlie Newling, Paddy Colliar and Jules Bourne - are taking advantage of common hashtags users are searching for. Charlie, 31, told OK! magazine on Thursday that he uses the hashtags #malemodel and #model, even though his is not a model, simply to get more 'likes'. 'I've never modelled,' he confessed. 'That's just a hashtag so you get more people looking at your stuff. You've got to get the "likes" up.' How embarrassing! Charlie, 31, told OK! magazine on Thursday that he uses the hashtags #malemodel and #model, even though his is not a model, simply to get more 'likes' Jealous? Interestingly, Charlie's father David Newling (pictured) was a bona fide model for Chadwick back in the day, and it seems the Sydney builder is eager to follow in his footsteps Interestingly, Charlie's father David Newling was a bona fide model for Chadwick back in the day, and it seems the Sydney builder is eager to follow in his footsteps. Charlie is not alone in shamelessly using hashtags to get 'likes'. Fellow Bachelorette star and gym manager Paddy Colliar, 27, is also fond of the 'male model' hashtag. He also likes to litter his photos with hashtags appealing to the bodybuilding and gay communities, such as '#eyecandy' and '#veiny'. '#Veiny': Charlie is not alone in shamelessly using hashtags to get 'likes'. Fellow Bachelorette star and gym manager Paddy Colliar (pictured) is also fond of the 'male model' hashtag, as well as other hashtags appealing directly to the bodybuilding and gay communities Moustachioed Bachelorette reject Jules Bourne, 24, has also captioned his photos with '#malemodel' despite not being a professional model. He was in fact billed on the dating show as a former infantry corporal. The Bachelorette continues Thursday at 7:30pm on Network Ten He broke his Bachelorette contract to begin dating Dasha Gaivoronski. And Charlie Newling spoke about the couple's relationship during an interview with OK! magazine published on Thursday. 'We have really clicked,' said the 31-year-old Sydney builder. 'We both clicked': The Bachelorette's Charlie Newling said he bonded with his new girlfriend Dasha Gaivoronski because they are 'single parents' Charlie revealed that he and Dasha - who was a contestant on Nick Cummins' season of the Bachelor - bonded over their children. 'We're both single parents, they're both boys,' he said. Charlie is among the top four remaining contestants vying for Ali Oetjen's heart on The Bachelorette, which was filmed months ago. Busted! Charlie and Dasha were first spotted on a dinner date in Sydney last month and have been photographed together several times since. Pictured during a recent SwimCo event with Emily Dibden It is believed that Charlie, who is being edited as a strong contender to win the show, has breached his contract by dating Dasha so publicly. They were first spotted on a dinner date in Sydney last month and have been photographed together several times since. Several Bachelorette stars have criticised the pair's relationship, with Bill Goldsmith recently labelling Charlie 'selfish' for spoiling the show's outcome. 'We understand each other like no one else': Dasha (pictured) confirmed the couple's romance on Instagram last week Dasha confirmed the couple's romance on Instagram last week. '[We] understand each other like no one else. That's so rare these days,' she wrote during an Instagram Story Q&A. The Bachelorette continues Thursday at 7.30pm on Channel 10 Legendary actors Michael Douglas and Danny DeVito have been friends for over 50 years, with Douglas revealing how they first met over marijuana. DeVito, who turns 74 next week, was featured on the cover of the November/December issue of Cigar Aficionado, and the publication also interviewed Douglas, 74, about their friendship. Douglas revealed that their friendship started with a simple question: 'You get high?' Longtime friends: Michael Douglas reveals he first met his longtime friend Danny DeVito (both seen above at Reel Stories, Real Lives exhibition in 2016) over some marijuana on the beach, 51 years ago 'I was on the beach, looking out at the Long Island Sound and this guy walks up to me, with this long head of hair, if you can imagine,' Douglas said. 'He says, "You get high?" We were both 1967 potheads, so we smoked a joint and that was the beginning of a long, long friendship.' DeVito made his acting debut in the 1970 movie Dreams of Glass, but his friend Douglas gave him his breakthrough role as Martini in the 1975 Best Picture winner One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. 'You get high?': Douglas (seen with DeVito in 2016) revealed that their friendship started with a simple question: 'You get high?' Douglas produced the adaptation of Ken Kesey's novel, which lead to more work for DeVito, including his star-making turn as Louis De Palma in the hit series Taxi. They would end up starring in four films together, 1984's Romancing the Stone, 1985's Jewel of the Nile, 1989's War of the Roses and 2009's Solitary Man. DeVito shared that, while he may not be getting any younger, he still wants to keep having just as much fun as he did when he was younger. Friends and co-stars: They would end up starring in four films together, 1984's Romancing the Stone (seen above), 1985's Jewel of the Nile, 1989's War of the Roses and 2009's Solitary Man. Time for a stogie: DeVito, seen enjoying a cigar in 2009, is featured on the cover of Cigar Aficionado's November/December issue 'I hope I live as long as I can and have fun while doing it,' the Smallfoot star said. 'You've got to look at the bright side. I don't have projects in my mind or thoughts about what I want to do once I leave this table.' 'I've visited a lot of places and I'd like to see more. I don't know what will happen. I just look forward to the next step,' he added. He also shared his outlook on how he doesn't place too much importance on possessions. His pal: Douglas, left, and his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones attend a ceremony honoring Douglas with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Tuesday in Los Angeles 'When I was a kid, I always learned the lesson that things are just things,' he added. 'Your bike got stolen? Well, that's tough but it ain't the end of the world.' 'Really, it's stuff,' DeVito said. 'It's just stuff. You're gonna get crazy about things?' Douglas recently received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and he recently starred in Ant-Man and the Wasp, while DeVito will next be seen on the big screen in Disney's live-action Dumbo remake, playing Max Medici. She's gearing up to make her Victoria's Secret runway debut on Thursday. And Winnie Harlow proved she was ready to tackle the biggest catwalk of her career on Wednesday. Spotted in Manhattan, New York City, the 24-year-old couldn't stop smiling as she arrived to the rehearsal show. She's ready! Winnie Harlow was a shining light when she arrived in a red sequin ensemble for the Victoria's Secret Show rehearsal in Manhattan on Wednesday Winnie was dressed in a red sequin sweater dress that featured a female's lips on the front. She teamed the look with a pair of matching heeled boots that drew attention to her 5'9" stature and stole the show. The Canadian native kept her accessories simple with a black rectangular cross-body bag. Her lips are sealed! Winnie was dressed in a red sequin sweater dress that featured a female's lips on the front Legs eleven! She teamed the look with a pair of matching heeled boots that drew attention to her 5'9" stature and stole the show Winnie's brunette locks were styled out and into a voluminous wave as she exited the black SUV. Her makeup was kept simple with attention drawn to her high cheekbones and radiant complexion. The 2018 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show marks Winnie's first time walking for the lingerie brand. She's got that Victoria's Secret look! Winnie's brunette locks were styled out and into a voluminous wave as she exited the black SUV But it wasn't the smoothest ride to the top for Winnie, revealing at the time of the announcement that she had a panic attack before her audition. 'I had a break down before i walked into the most nerve wrecking casting of my life,' she wrote on Instagram. 'I asked my driver to go around the block twice before i could walk into the @VictoriasSecret offices so i could re coup, and remember (while my trainer @bodybymato reminded me on the phone through sobs - thank you lol) how hard I've been working!' Ready to make heads turn! The 2018 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show marks Winnie's first time walking for the lingerie brand Winnie continued: 'When it was finally my time, within my nervous storm of anticipation i changed into a black Victoria Secret set and stepped out!!!!" 'I spoke to them about Jamaica, @nick_knight , my abs, and how i was beyond honoured to be given the opportunity to try out.. then I walked for my life!!!! I can't believe this!! Thank you for giving me all the energy and kindness in that room! Thank you for allowing me to walk for VICTORIA'S SECRET!' Winnie will be the first model to walk the show with the unique skin condition, vitiligo. She is about to strut her stuff on the world's most famous runway. And on Wednesday, Shaina Shaik showed just why she has been chosen to take part in the prestigious Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. The 27-year-old Australian model put on a leggy display in a tight bodysuit and thigh high boots as she arrived at rehearsals for the lingerie extravaganza in New York City. Legs eleven out of ten! Shanina Shaik shows off her incredibly long and lean pins in a tiny bike shorts and thigh high boots as she arrives for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show rehearsals Shanina's all-in-one attire also flaunted her cleavage thanks to its low-cut design, and she teamed it with a Versace silk blouse and a Gucci belt that further accentuated her tiny waist. After undergoing several beauty treatments earlier in the day, Shanina was simply glowing. Her face was made up with minimal makeup and her long glossy locks cascaded around her shoulders. She carried a tiny chic velvet bag and her iPhone as she strutted into the Victoria's Secret headquarters on 5th Avenue. Designer: The 27-year-old teamed the attire with a Versace silk blouse and a Gucci belt that accentuated her tiny waist The exotic beauty was joined at rehearsals by several other models on the day, including fellow Aussie Kelly Gale and New Zealand beauty Georgia Fowler. Speaking to The Daily Telegraph on Monday, Shanina reflected on the progress the brand has made over the years, saying it has opened up to diversity on the runway. 'I think that over the years Victoria's Secret has opened up to more diversity,' she told the publication. 'I think we will see more and more in the coming years,' Shanina added, explaining that the girls who currently strut the coveted runway work very hard. All the essentials: She carried a tiny chic velvet bag and her iPhone as she strutted into the Victoria's Secret headquarters on 5th Avenue 'The girls who walk for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show work really hard to be their fittest and healthiest.' The interview comes after model Robyn Lawley, 29, launched a petition to boycott the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, for not casting any plus size models. 'I am sick and tired of seeing the same body type,' Robyn said on The Morning Show last month. Robyn called for Victoria's Secret to feature 'a few other sizes' and for the lingerie brand to add more diversity. They fell for one another on the set of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies back in 2014. And Lily James and her boyfriend Matt Smith were enjoying a night out together at the Teenage Cancer Trust & Teen Cancer America at Annabel's in London. The 29-year-old actress was dressed to impress in a sophisticated black jumpsuit with belted detailing at the waist. Partying in style: Lily James and her boyfriend Matt Smith were enjoying a night out together at the Teenage Cancer Trust & Teen Cancer America at Annabel's in London Lily showed off her figure in the elegant one-piece, which she set off with simple heels and a classic handbag. The brunette beauty wore her long locks down in loose curls and set off her pretty features with rosy blusher. The Crown star Matt was also in attendance at the glittering event, looking dapper in a smart suit. Low-key date: The Crown star Matt was also in attendance at the glittering event, looking dapper in a smart suit Looking good: The 29-year-old actress was dressed to impress in a sophisticated black jumpsuit with belted detailing at the waist The Lily and Matt love story started when the couple were first introduced to each other on the set of their movie Pride and Prejudice and Zombies in 2014. Speculation the pair were an item was first ignited when the couple made an appearance at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival together. Despite going from strength-to-strength over the last four years, the actress admitted that she has found it difficult to find the perfect work/life balance and will consider slowing down in the future to focus on their relationship. Living it up: Also in attendance at the event was Poppy Delevingne, who looked lovely in a polka dot maxidress Hugging it out: Lily cosied up to Sara Macdonald as they enjoyed some cocktails at the event Lily recently confessed she almost didn't audition to star as Meryl Streep's younger screen character Donna in the sequel to Mamma Mia. The Downton Abbey leading lady revealed the audition clashed with an event she was attending with her partner Matt. She told NET-A-PORTER's digital magazine PorterEdit: 'So it was a real argument! 'We went straight to Glastonbury and I think I got the part that weekend but my agents knew not to call me because I wouldn't have been reachable.' On Wednesday, Ginnifer Goodwin nabbed her first gig since ABC's Once Upon a Time concluded on May 18 after seven seasons - in Dolly Parton's Heartstrings streaming next year on Netflix. The Tennessee-born 40-year-old will play determined D.C. lawyer Genevieve, who returns to her small Smoky Mountain hometown in the 1940s to prove herself professionally - according to Deadline. The episode, written by Jim Strain and directed by Joe Lazarov, is based on the 72-year-old country crooner's song These Old Bones off her 2002 album Halos & Horns. Streaming next year on Netflix! On Wednesday, Ginnifer Goodwin (L) nabbed her first post-Once Upon a Time role in Dolly Parton's Heartstrings (pictured May 8) New gig: The Tennessee-born 40-year-old will play determined D.C. lawyer Genevieve, who returns to her small Smoky Mountain hometown in the 1940s to prove herself professionally Kathleen Turner signed on as mysterious old mountain woman Miss Mary Shaw (aka Old Bones) and Kyle Bornheimer plays Landon in These Old Bones. 'As a songwriter, I have always enjoyed telling stories through my music,' the eight-time Grammy winner tweeted in June. 'I am thrilled to be bringing some of my favorite songs to life with Netflix. We hope our show will inspire and entertain families and folks of all generations.' The eight-episode anthology will also feature one based on Dolly's 1973 song Jolene starring Julianne Hough in the titular role as well as Parton as Babe, Dallas Roberts, and Kimberly Williams-Paisley. Icon: The episode, written by Jim Strain and directed by Joe Lazarov, is based on the 72-year-old country crooner's song These Old Bones off her 2002 album Halos & Horns Old Bones herself: Kathleen Turner (L) signed on as mysterious old mountain woman Miss Mary Shaw and Kyle Bornheimer (R) plays Landon in These Old Bones The eight-time Grammy winner tweeted in June: 'I am thrilled to be bringing some of my favorite songs to life with Netflix. We hope our show will inspire and entertain families and folks of all generations' Excited? The eight-episode anthology will also feature one based on Dolly's 1973 song Jolene starring Julianne Hough (L) in the titular role as well as Parton (M) as Babe, Dallas Roberts (R), and Kimberly Williams-Paisley The 30-year-old Emmy-winning choreographer gushed: 'It is such an honor to depict one of her most iconic characters Jolene!' 'It is such an honor to depict one of her most iconic characters Jolene!' the 30-year-old Emmy-winning choreographer gushed on November 1. 'Dolly, you are a true artist, legend, icon, and hero for so many...keep spreading your love. You are and always have been changing the world through your creativity and passion! I cannot wait to share this with all of you and bring Jolene to life!' The two-time Oscar nominee also composed the soundtrack (out November 30) for Anne Fletcher's pageant dramedy Dumplin' starring Jennifer Aniston, which starts streaming December 7 on Netflix. Michael Williams (pictured in his mugshot) turned himself into Atlanta Police Department in connection with the incident on Tuesday A man accused in the fatal shooting of Sutton Tennyson, the ex-fiance of Growing Up Hip Hop star Angela Simmons, has surrendered to law enforcement in Atlanta, Georgia. Michael Williams turned himself into Atlanta Police Department in connection with the incident on Tuesday, his lawyer Jackie Patterson told TMZ on Wednesday. Williams, 44, is charged with murder, assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm during commission of a felony, police told the outlet, as his lawyer said he denies the accusations. Police said that Sutton was shot multiple times on Saturday at his home in the area, as officials recovered his body from his garage. Sutton was arguing with another man in his driveway leading to the shooting, and the suspect in the incident took off in a vehicle, police said. A heartbroken Williams, who is the daughter of Run-DMC's Rev Run, referred to their two-year-old son, Sutton Jr,. in an Instagram memorial she posted in grieving for Tennyson. 'Thank you for leaving behind my greatest gift,' she wrote Sunday. 'Im hurting . Im numb. Thank you for the out pouring of love everyone. A man accused in the fatal shooting of Sutton Tennyson (pictured here), the ex-fiance of Growing Up Hip Hop star Angela Simmons, surrendered to law enforcement in Atlanta, Georgia on Wednesday Better times: Angela took to social media to share this shot of herself with her late ex and their son Tough time: Angela was seen carrying her son Sutton in NYC in September 'I cant believe Im even saying Rest In Peace Sutton. I promise to hold SJ down in every way I promise.' Simmons and Tennyson last week had been tied up in a custody battle over their son, attending an October 30 hearing in Manhattan Family Court. An insider told Page Six of their legal entanglements: 'It wasn't lovey dovey, there's a reason people go to court.' Tragic: Sutton was seen holding his young son in this shot Angela posted to social media Loving mom: Angela kissed her son on the cheek in this shot snapped in NYC in September Simmons had been requesting a bump in $1,250 monthly payments from Tennyson. Despite their issues - Angela accused Sutton of domestic violence and filed for an order of protection against him late last year - Tennyson spoke with his son every evening via FaceTime, and 'tried hard to be in the childs life,' a source told the outlet. Daniel Nottes, who was Tennysons lawyer, said that Tennyson 'was a loving father' and that 'its very sad his son will grow up without him.' Jennifer Hawkins has been happily married to property developer Jake Wall since they tied the knot in 2013. Jake popped the question on New Year's Eve in 2010 with a custom-made Nic Cerrone diamond ring worth a reported $200,000. And at Oaks Day on Thursday, the former Miss Universe offered a rare glimpse of the sparkler at the Myer marquee at Melbourne's Flemington Racecourse. Bringing the bling! Jennifer Hawkins offered a rare glimpse of her $200,000 diamond engagement ring at Oaks Day in Melbourne on Thursday The sizable ring couldn't be missed as Jennifer, 34, playfully touched her hair. The supermodel made a grand entrance at the racing event, travelling to the famous venue via helicopter. In a photo shared to Instagram, Jennifer posed in front of the chopper in an Alex Perry designer frock. What a rock! The sizable ring couldn't be missed as Jennifer, 34, playfully touched her hair Happily married: Jake and Jennifer tied the knot in 2013, after getting engaged in late 2010 The figure-hugging floral dress accentuated her slim physique, and the bright multi-coloured hues were perfect for the springtime event. She added a pop of colour with a glamorous pair of pink heels. It's not the first time Jennifer has arrived by helicopter during the racing season, as she made a similar entrance ahead of last Saturday's Derby Day. Who needs Uber? The supermodel made a grand entrance at the racing event, travelling to the famous venue via helicopter Gorgeous: The figure-hugging floral dress accentuated her slim physique, and the bright multi-coloured hues were perfect for the springtime event Making a statement: Jen added a pop of colour with a glamorous pair of pink heels Oaks Day is something of a swansong for Jennifer, who is waving goodbye to her role as a Myer ambassador after working with the brand for more than a decade. In August, it was confirmed that her contract with the department store would end this month, with The Block winner Elyse Knowles taking her place. 'After 12 years it's time to move onto a new a chapter in my life. I'll be finishing up my role with Myer this November,' Jennifer said at the time. 'But I would like to take this moment to thank everyone at Myer - the staff, the amazing designers, the suppliers and everyone else for working alongside me over those 12 years. 'Myer will always hold a special place in my heart and I wish the Myer team every success for the future.' Last hurrah: Jennifer's attendance at Oaks Day marks one of her final duties for Myer Ever stylish: The model opted for lots of colour for the star-studded day out New face: Jennifer ends her 12-year stint as a Myer ambassador this month, after Elyse Knowles (pictured) signed a deal to replace her Jennifer has gone from strength to strength in her modelling career as well as excelling in other business pursuits. She told Daily Mail Australia recently that the financial windfall she gained from modelling inspired her to invest in property with her husband Jake. 'You get thrust into such a crazy industry... and I was making, you know, no money at the start,' she explained. 'Then I was getting paid obviously more than I ever did. So I wanted to invest in housing and property.' Tom Cruise has reportedly put a halt to filming on the hugely anticipated Top Gun sequel, so he can master a new skill - piloting fighter jets. The actor, 56, is insisting on learning to fly jets so he can make the stunts in the new movie as realistic as possible. The Sun report the leading man's plan to perfect his stunts means production could be halted for months. Grand plans: Tom Cruise has reportedly put a halt to filming on the hugely anticipated Top Gun sequel, so he can master a new skill - piloting fighter jets (pictured in the 1986 original movie) Tom, who is reprising his role as Maverick in the follow up to the 1986 movie, is notoriously daring when it comes to performing his own stunts, previously scaling the 2,700ft Burj Khalifa in Dubai for Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol and performing a HALO (high altitude, low opening) jump out of a plane for Fallout. For his latest project Tom, who already has a pilot's licence, wants to make sure the stunts are some of his most realistic yet, with an insider telling The Sun: 'He already has a licence to fly planes but isn't qualified to fly fighter jets, which he's now learning to do.' 'He won't film all the flight sequences it's too dangerous but he will fly some, making him the first actor in cinema history to do so. The producers would prefer not to put their leading man, not to mention their whole film, at risk.' Thrill seeker: The actor, 56, is insisting on learning to fly jets so he can make the stunts in the new movie as realistic as possible. (Pictured on set of the new movie in San Diego last month) 'They also wouldn't choose to have their long-awaited sequel delayed nearly a year, but despite the huge insurance costs they are willing to do what it takes to ensure Tom is happy.' A representative for Tom has been contacted by MailOnline for comment. Back in 2017 production was halted on Mission Impossible 6 for seven weeks after Tom broke his ankle jumping from a London building. His co-star Ving Rhames admitted upon the movie's release that he thought the Hollywood icon was getting too old for his own stunts. Sky high: Tom, who is reprising his role as Maverick in the follow up to the 1986 movie, is notoriously daring when it comes to performing his own stunts 'Tom's getting older now,' he told Empire magazine. 'I know he loves doing his own stunts, but as a friend, after we get the close-up, maybe we should let the stunt guy do it. Maybe.' Top Gun: Maverick is set to hit theaters on June 26, 2020. It was originally slated for release on July 12, 2019 but it was delayed so filmmakers can work out logistics with the complex flight scenes, Deadline reported. Jennifer Connelly, 47, has been on set with Tom, and will play Maverick's love interest, replacing Kelly McGillis who played Charlie in the original. Val Kilmer, who played Lt. Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky in the original, will also reprise his role in the sequel while Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Jon Hamm and Ed Harris are joining the cast for the second installment. Deadline reports that Cruise's character Maverick will be a Top Gun flight instructor in the sequel; he serves as a mentor to Goose's son. The sequel is directed by Joseph Kosinski (Oblivion, TRON: Legacy) and will hit theaters in 2020. Tony Scott, who directed the original, was going to helm the sequel but he committed suicide in 2012 just as production talks were beginning. He was the driving force behind one of the breakout shows of the past decade. Bryan Cranston, who played Walter White on AMC's Breaking Bad, said on The Dan Patrick Show Wednesday that he's not sure what, or if, his role would be with plans on a forthcoming two-hour film under the franchise umbrella in the works. The veteran actor, 62, told Patrick that while 'there appears to be a movie version of Breaking Bad' coming out, he has 'not even read the script' for the project. Scroll below for video Return to AlburBryan Cranston, who played Walter White on AMC's Breaking Bad, said on The Dan Patrick Show Wednesday that he's not sure what, or if, his role would be with plans on a forthcoming two-hour film under the franchise umbrella in the works. The Los Angeles native continued: 'I have not gotten the script, I have not read the script. There's the question of whether or not we'll even see Walter White in this movie. Think about that one.' Cranston said he 'would absolutely' be open to reprising the role of White, which garnered him four Emmy awards for outstanding lead actor in a drama. The White character - a mild-mannered chemistry teacher who morphs into a fearsome drug kingpin in an effort to build a fortune for his family following a cancer diagnosis - is hailed as one of the most dynamic characters in the history of television. He said that if the show's creator, Vince Gilligan - who he dubbed 'a genius' - asked him to be involved, then he would be. (It's not immediately clear what capacity White would appear, as the character died following a shootout in the final episode of the AMC series.) Protagonist: Walter H. White (Bryan Cranston) played a mild-mannered chemistry teacher who morphs into a fearsome drug kingpin on the AMC series Coming soon: Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan is working on a two-hour film based on the wildly-popular AMC series. He and actor Aaron Paul were snapped at Comic-Con this past summer Long live the king: Cranston joined the men at the panel in San Diego 'It's a great story and there's a lot of people who felt they wanted to see some kind of completion to these storylines that were left open,' Cranston said. 'And this idea, from what I'm told, gets into at least a couple of the characters who were not completed as far as their journey. 'I don't know if there is an appearance, or what kind of appearance. I have no clue. But I'm excited about it because it's Breaking Bad and it was the greatest professional period of my life. I can't wait to see all those people again even if I just come by to visit.' Cranston said he'd have no difficulty getting back into the shoes of the character, as 'it's one of those things where if you ever open up a case, an old suitcase, and you find an old sweater you once wore, and you go, 'Oh, look at this. I remember this!' 'Suddenly it kind of flashes back to that time and I think if I put on his clothes, shaved my head, and put the glasses on and maybe the ... hat, I think those talismans could send me back there quickly.' It was not immediately clear if the forthcoming film would land on TV or in theaters, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Last hurrah: Cranston's character died following a shootout after he rigged a car with automatic weapons aimed at the enemy's hideout Last seen: Paul's Jesse Pinkman was last seen speeding away from a crime scene he was held at against his will Work is slated to begin in a few weeks in Albuquerque, New Mexico on a film tentatively titled Greenbrier, the New Mexico Film Office confirmed to the Albuquerque Journal, and run through February. While the office didn't comment on if Greenbrier is linked to the Breaking Bad franchise, production sources confirmed to the paper that it is. A summary of Greenbrier indicates it details the story of a man who is kidnapped and his subsequent quest to freedom, which dovetails with the storyline at the end of the series as Jesse Pinkman, played by Aaron Paul, was last seen speeding from a meth lab crime compound he'd been held at against his will. Gilligan, who also created the Breaking Bad spin-off Better Call Saul, inked a three-year pact with Sony Pictures Television over the summer amid a hyper-competitive environment in the industry for proven showrunners. Insiders told THR that Gilligan will have full oversight of the projects, as he'd be the screenwriter, executive producer and could be the director, as well. Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul producing alums Mark Johnson and Melissa Bernstein are linked to the project, as well. Breaking Bad filmed in New Mexico for six years, and Better Call Saul had filmed there as well. She has seemingly confirmed rumours of a romance with former TOWIE star Joey Essex, sharing a video of their kiss online. And Ellie Brown ensured she was looking her best when she stepped out in London on Wednesday night, attending the Abbott Lyon Chloe Lewis Christmas Campaign Party, held at Vanilla, Great Titchfield St. The Love Island star turned heads for all the wrong reasons, however, accidentally flashing her nipples in a completely sheer lace bodysuit. Oops! Ellie Brown suffered an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction when she stepped out London on Wednesday night, attending the Abbott Lyon Chloe Lewis Christmas Campaign Party Ellie appeared blissfully unaware of her wardrobe malfunction, showing off more than she bargained for in the bodycon top. The Geordie beauty teamed her lingerie inspired number with simple black trousers, adding some extra height to her petite frame thanks to a pair of bronze strappy heels. She styled her blonde locks down in bouncy curls and kept her make-up matte and simple. Braless: The Love Island star turned heads for all the wrong reasons, accidentally flashing her nipples in a completely sheer lace bodysuit Awkward: Ellie appeared blissfully unaware of her wardrobe malfunction, showing off more than she bargained for in the bodycon top Ellie's outing comes after she appeared to confirm her widely-rumoured romance with Joey Essex as they shared a kissing video online. The reality beauty, who was left heartbroken by her co-star Charlie Brake earlier this year, posted a clip online while they both embarked on a scary new project in which she gushed over the former TOWIE star before locking lips. Gazing at Joey, she looked enamoured as she said: 'Absolutely smashed it! I'm very proud', shortly before sharing a video as they tucked into a snack in what appeared to be a trailer while joined by their shared manager. Joey had been filming Ben Hanlin's Live and Deadly in which he was forced to escape from a haunted chamber which filled with water. Ahem! Ellie recently appeared to have confirmed her widely-rumoured romance with Joey Essex as they shared a kissing video online Clearly over the moon with his perilous work, the blonde beauty was on-hand to reward his hard work with a kiss following the event. Prior to posting the video, Ellie and Joey, 28, were said to have enjoyed a steamy smooch at Amber's birthday party at Chigwell's Sheesh restaurant last month. A source told The Sun: 'Ellie and Joey were all over each other at Sheesh kissing and flirting together. They met for the first time there on Wednesday and immediately hit it off drinking and partying until the early hours'. The post comes after she admitted she is finally feeling like herself again following her heartbreak from millionaire hunk Charlie, 23. Proud! The reality beauty, who was left heartbroken by her co-star Charlie Brake earlier this year, posted a clip online while they both embarked on a scary new project in which she gushed over the former TOWIE star before locking lips Pain: The post comes after she admitted she is finally feeling like herself again following her heartbreak from millionaire hunk Charlie, 23 Ellie's close pal and co-star Zara McDermott, 21, recently said she saw 'issues' and 'cracks' in Ellie's relationship with Charlie. The former government advisor - who is moving in with her beau Adam Collard, 22 - revealed she didn't see any 'longevity' in her best friend and fellow contestant Ellie's on-screen romance and admitted she is 'devastated' and 'upset' for her pal. Despite her romance with Joey, insiders claimed Ellie was also finding another TOWIE connection after she locked lips with Pete Wicks at the ITV gala at London's Royal Festival Hall last month. An insider explained: 'Ellie and Pete were together towards the end of the night and were flirting like mad. They didnt seem to care who could see them and seemed really keen on each other.' In a saucy video, Ellie and Pete seemingly didn't worry about who was watching when they were said to be spotted kissing in the middle of the dance floor. 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. She is known for her daring sense of style. And Montana Cox certainly made a statement as she attended Oaks Day in Melbourne on Thursday - wearing a bold cut-out mini dress. The 25-year-old flaunted her incredible figure and trim pins in the paisley printed frock by Zimmermann which she teamed with a simple gold headband. Cut it out! Model Montana Cox put her incredible figure on display in a statement mini dress by Zimmermann at Oaks Day on Thursday Montana's dress featured a high neck, long sleeves and patterned detail. The in demand model's modesty was protected by a white slip dress worn underneath. The former Australia's Next Top Model winner, who won season seven of the show, accessorised with strappy stilettos and carried a tan Chloe Nile bag. Strutting her stuff: The stunner won the seventh season of Australia's Next Top Model Standing out! Montana's dress featured a high neck, long sleeves and patterned detail Gorgeous: Montana swept her short locks up into a chic bun, with the front layers of her fringe left out to frame her face Montana swept her short locks up into a chic bun, with the front layers of her fringe left out to frame her face. The popular star looked relaxed and happy on the day, smiling as she walked through the celebrity-laden Birdcage. Her appearance at Oaks Day comes after she recently silenced rumours that she's in a relationship with multimillionaire Justin Hemmes, 45. Having a ball! The popular star looked relaxed and happy on the day, smiling as she walked through the celebrity-laden Birdcage 'We are just friends, we have always just been friends, I think people just like to talk about things,' she told The Sun Herald late last month. Justin also denied the claims, telling The Sydney Morning Herald's Private Sydney on Saturday that they are 'just friends'. The speculation came after Justin announced his split from the mother of his two children, Kate Fowler, 28, in July, after nearly five years together. As the Spice Girls gear up for their summer reunion tour, one of their famous fans expressed her excitement, actress/writer Lena Dunham. Dunham, 32, sent out a photo on Instagram on Wednesday, with a brief caption that reads only 'Spice World,' with two world globe emojis and the initials GB. While fans have to wait until Saturday to buy tickets for the six-date stadium tour, the Spice Girls themselves have hinted the tour will actually expand. Lena Spice: Girls creator Lena Dunham shows her excitement for the Spice Girls reunion tour Dunham was wearing a Union Jack t-shirt that is tied off, exposing her midriff, along with a pair of grey sweats with white stars. She also had her hair tied up in a bun, with large gold hoop earrings. The tour kicks off June 1 in Manchester's Etihad Stadium, coming to an end June 15 in London's iconic Wembley Stadium. Spice world: The Spice Girls reunion tour kicks off June 1 in Manchester's Etihad Stadium, coming to an end June 15 in London's iconic Wembley Stadium BBC reported on Wednesday that the Spice Girls teased more tour dates will be announced, with some speculating additional dates may be announced when tickets go on sale on Saturday. During a radio interview with BBC Radio 2's Chris Evans, Melanie Brown a.k.a. Mel B (Scary Spice), said, 'No it's not,' when asked if the Wembley Stadium gig would be the tour's last. Geri Horner (Ginger Spice) also suggested that there might be more dates announced, if, 'Mel B behaves herself.' Spice tour: During a radio interview with BBC Radio 2's Chris Evans, Melanie Brown a.k.a. Mel B, said, 'No it's not,' when asked if the Wembley Stadium gig would be the tour's last The Spice Girls will be without Victoria Beckham (Posh Spice), whose prior business obligations prevented her from going on tour. Beckham did release a very supportive statement on Instagram, though, stating that being a Spice Girl was, 'a hugely important part of my life.' Brown and Horner will joined by the other original members, Melanie Chisolm (Sporty Spice) and Emma Bunton (Baby Spice). Reunited and it feels so good: Beckham did release a very supportive statement on Instagram, though, stating that being a Spice Girl was, 'a hugely important part of my life' Dunham created the hit HBO series Girls, which she also starred in alongside Adam Driver, Zosia Mamet, Allison Williams and Jemima Kirke. The show ran for six seasons on HBO from 2012 to 2017, with Dunham winning a Golden Globe in 2012 for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical. Most recently, Dunham created the HBO series Camping, along with Girls writer-producer Jenni Konner, which stars Jennifer Garner, David Tennant and This Is Us star Chris Sullivan. She's the New York-based model who still calls Australia home. And former Victoria's Secret model, Elyse Taylor, 31, looked thrilled to be back Down Under as she attended Oaks Day at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne on Thursday. The mother-of-one showcased her phenomenal physique in a pink one-shoulder dress as she hosted the G.H Mumm marquee. Scroll down for video Champagne showers! Former Victoria's Secret model Elyse Taylor stuns in pink one-shoulder dress as she pops a bottle of bubbly with a saber sword at Oaks Day Think pink! The mother-of-one showcased her phenomenal physique in the fabulous frock The in demand model, who has featured in campaigns for the likes of Dolce & Gabbana, Estee Lauder and Tommy Hilfiger, put her tiny waist and lithe arms on display in her structured ensemble. She also flaunted her slender and sunkissed stems in a pair of nude ankle-strap heels. Elsewhere, the blonde bombshell could have fooled fans into thinking she's still an Angel as her blush pleated cape fluttered in the breeze, much like a wing. Inside the marquee, Elyse popped a bottle of the famous French bubbly with a saber sword to kick off the festivities. She was seen bravely tapping the luxurious tipple with the metal blade as she clenched her teeth in trepidation. Simultaneously she offered fans a closer-look at her gorgeous visage, enhanced by a generous slick of honey-hued foundation, lashings of black mascara and a pop of pink lipgloss. Catwalk queen: The in demand model, who has featured in campaigns for the likes of Dolce & Gabbana, Estee Lauder and Tommy Hilfiger, put her tiny waist and lithe arms on display in the structured ensemble The beauty also took to her Instagram account to share a picture of her posing next to the magnum bottle with bubbles spilling door to the floor. 'Popping bottles! Cant wait to spend an epic day with G.H Mumm Australia and #mummstellar,' the model captioned the shot. Last month, Elyse, who now lives in the Big Apple, said she wishes she did even more modelling for Australian companies as her work obligations often keep her overseas. Festive! Inside the marquee, Elyse popped a bottle of the famous French bubbly with a saber sword to kick off the festivities Brave: The model was seen bravely tapping the luxurious tipple with the metal blade as she clenched her teeth in trepidation She told The Daily Telegraph in October: 'This is my home. This is where my family is, my parents are here, my true good friends'. The blonde added that she is always 'badgering' her Australian agency to 'bring her home'. Elyse has been in the industry since she was discovered at 16 and made the big move to New York at the tender age of 17. 'Bring me home!' Elyse recently said that despite now being based in New York she's always 'badgering' her agency to find her more work with Australian brands She has graced the cover of Vogue, Elle and Harper's Bazaar and also stepped onto the catwalk as a Victoria's Secret Angel. Aside from juggling a busy modelling career, she is also a doting mother to four-year-old Lila Louise Campbell. She shares Lila with her former husband, Seth Campbell. The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is Thursday. And Barbara Palvin was spotted heading to rehearsals for the catwalk extravaganza on Wednesday in New York. The 25-year-old model showed off her lithe legs in a little black dress as she headed to Pier 94. Practice: Barbara Palvin was spotted heading to rehearsals for the catwalk extravaganza on Wednesday in New York The striking dress features slits above and below Palvin's bosom that were connected with circular metal chain links. It feel to a little above the middle of her thighs and she donned sheer stockings underneath. Thigh-high boots added an extra bit of sex appeal to the scintillating ensemble , while she donned a leather coat in an effort to keep worm in the chill autumn air. The Hungarian beauty, who was discovered on the streets of Budapest at the tender age of 13, carried a small black backpack in one hand. Her medium brown tresses were pulled tight into a ponytail, then left to cascaded freely down her back. All smiles: The 25-year-old model showed off her lithe legs in a little black dress as she headed to Pier 94 Palvin couldn't keep her smile from creeping across her face as she prepared to walk her first Victoria's Secret Fashion Show since 2012. The stunner shared the good news of her comeback as she posted a snap of herself blowing out confetti to celebrate. 'Wooowww!! Im speechless. So happy to share the news with you all that ill be walking the Victorias Secret fashion show this year. Thank you,' she captioned it. The show generally features a mix of seasoned Angels, high-profile names and a fortunate batch of newcomers or lesser-known faces. This year you can expect regular Angels such as Adriana Lima, Candice Swanepoel, Martha Hunt, Stella Maxwell, Lais Ribeiro, Sara Sampaio, Cindy Bruna and Taylor Hill, who will open this year's show. She turned heads in a very short brown frock at the Melbourne Cup. But Rebecca Harding wore something a little less daring to Oaks Day on Thursday. The stunning model, who is dating comedian Andy Lee, attended Ladies Day at Flemington Racecourse clad in a smart navy blue skirt and matching top. Blue belle: Andy Lee's girlfriend Rebecca Harding (pictured), 27, played it safe at Oaks Day in Melbourne on Thursday in a conservative navy blue ensemble The 1940s style outfit, from Viktoria & Woods' upcoming autumn collection, consisted of a short sleeved button-up shirt tucked into a full-length skirt with two razor sharp pleats. Rebecca accessorised her look with a white bonnet by Nerida Winter and a small beige Chipmonk Pebble Reader satchel bag by Sans Beast. The 27-year-old model completed the ensemble with a pair of white pointed-toe Manning Cartell pumps. Earlier in the day, Rebecca posted a picture of her race day attire on her Instagram page, where her followers raved about her choice of outfit. Suits her! The 1940s style outfit, from Viktoria & Woods' upcoming autumn collection, consisted of a short sleeved button-up shirt tucked into a full-length skirt with two razor sharp pleats 'Nailed 1940s in the most rockin', chic way,' wrote one. Others commented: 'My fave the most classic elegant outfit ! Your look stunning!', and, 'Vintage. All class. Love it.' 'So classy and stylish,' gushed another. Hats off! Rebecca accessorised her look with a white bonnet by Nerida Winter and a small beige Chipmonk Pebble Reader satchel bag by Sans Beast In the frame: The 27-year-old model completed her outfit with a pair of white pointed-toe Manning Cartell pumps Her look was in stark contrast to the outfit she wore at the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday. The brunette beauty showed off her trim pins in a short tan Lillian Khallouf dress teamed with an Anna Shoebridge hair bow. Rebecca also turned heads at Derby Day on Saturday in a white figure-hugging pantsuit, coordinating pointy-toe heels and a statement crown. Wine not? The model's choice of outfit was in stark contrast to the tan-coloured short skirt outfit she wore to the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday Fan favourite: Rebecca posted a picture of her look onto her Instagram page, where her followers raved about her choice of outfit Rebecca has been dating comedian Andy, 37, for three years. The loved-up couple dated for 18 months and then split, before rekindling their romance in December 2016. In September, they sparked engagement rumours when they enjoyed a trip to New Zealand, but Andy shot down the speculation in a TV appearance soon after. Skimpy! Her look was in stark contrast to the outfit she wore at the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday. The brunette beauty showed off her trim pins in a short tan Lillian Khallouf dress teamed with an Anna Shoebridge hair bow Vision: Rebecca also turned heads at Derby Day on Saturday in a white figure-hugging pantsuit, coordinating pointy-toe heels and a statement crown She just returned from a family holiday with her two children in Mexico. One day later and Alessandra Ambrosio was back to her high-fashion ways when she attended the Michael Kors Dinner to celebrate Kate Hudson and The World Food Programme in Beverly Hills. And the Brazilian beauty struck a chic pose at the event in an eye-grabbing mini-dress. Scroll down to video Showing support: Alessandra Ambrosio attended Michael Kors Dinner to celebrate Kate Hudson and The World Food Programme in Beverly Hills Wednesday night The black number came complete with a flat and glittery pattern and had areas near her hip line where the fabric was stylishly left out. There was also a belt that helped accentuate her lean waist and she added matching black pumps. On this night she wore her highlighted brown tresses long with some of her hair styled over her right ear and a slight right part. She accessorized with a minimal amount of bling that consisted of big hoop earrings, a couple of bracelets, as well as a black hand purse. Sexy elegance: The Brazilian model showed off her toned curves in a black mini dress Catching up: The model/actress posed with friend and designer Michael Kors It's in the small details: The beauty accessorized with a minimal amount of bling that consisted of big hoop earrings, a couple of bracelets, as well as a black hand purse The event focused on Hudson's charity work and The World Food Programme, which is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide; helping 80million people in 80 countries yearly. Before the festivities, Alessandra struck a number of poses for photographers solo, and she also shared her time in the spotlight with designer and event host Michael Kors. She also gave her 9.5million Instagram followers a behind-the-scenes glimpse at her hair preps in an Insta-Story. In one video, she showed her how her stylist used rollers to get major volume and body to her hair and then, at the end, her fans got to see the final results before she headed out for the night. Sneak peak: She also gave her 9.5million Instagram followers a behind-the-scenes glimpse at her hair preps in an Insta-Story The secret to her success: Rollers were used to give her major volume and body The results: The model/actress flashed a seductive look right before she headed out Photographers also caught up with the former Victoria's Secret Angel earlier in the day, when she was coming out of a yoga class in Santa Monica. Despite trying to cover-up with a hood and dark sunglasses, the 37-year old showed off her toned legs and derriere in form-fitting navy blue workout leggings. She opted for convenience and comfort in black slips while she carried her yoga mat, towel and cup of coffee. And from the looks of things, the mother of two appeared to be distracted; she repeatedly stopped to check her phone as she walked to her parked car. Fit: Alessandra was spotted earlier in the day coming out of a yoga class in Santa Monica Incognito: The mother of two tried to keep a low profile with a hood and glasses Sculpted: Alessandra showed off her toned legs and derriere in navy blue workout leggings Casual: She opted for convenience and comfort in black slips while she carried her yoga mat, towel and cup of coffee Multi-tasking: Alessandra appeared to be distracted by her phone after leaving yoga class Alessandra just returned from a family holiday in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico with her daughter Anja, 10, son Noah, six, and pal Rachel Zoe. She has been pulling double-duty as a busy career woman and single mom since March, when she broke up with her former fiance Jamie Mazur after 10-years together. During her hugely successful career she modeled for high-profile brands such as Armani exchange, Next, Chistian Dior and Ralph Lauren. But she is still best known for her work as a Victoria's Secret Angel from 2000 to 2017. She is currently tied with Adriana Lima for the most VS shows of any models with 17. But that record will be Lima's alone when she hits the catwalk for her 18th show in New York City on Thursday. To put Alessandra's career in perspective: in 2012 she was ranked number six on Forbes' list of highest-paid models, estimated to have earned $6.6 million in one year. Relaxing: Alesandra just returned from a family holiday in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico with her daughter Anja, 10, son Noah, six, and friend Rachel Zoe She reportedly shared a 'tense' dinner with ex Scott Disick and his girlfriend Sofia Richie on Sunday. But Kourtney Kardashian looked far more relaxed on Wednesday as she enjoyed a day out in Calabasas, California with her eight-year-old son Mason. The 39-year-old looked supremely autumnal in a rust-colored blouse and tan slacks. Deep breaths: After a 'tense' dinner with Sofia Richie, Kourtney Kardashian looked far more relaxed on Wednesday as she enjoyed a day out in Calabasas, California with her eight-year-old son Mason The reality TV star rocked a sheer Ellery blouse, which gave a peep show of her bra underneath. She paired the statement garment with wide legged, tan corduroy slacks and red high heeled boots. Kourtney's raven tresses were pulled back tightly behind her head in a tight bun. The Keeping Up With The Kardashians mainstay shares three children with ex Scott: Mason, six-year-old Penelope and three-year-old Reign. Fall fashion: The 39-year-old looked supremely autumnal in a rust-colored blouse and tan slacks Sheer madness: The reality TV star rocked a sheer Ellery blouse, which gave a peep show of her bra underneath Well-heeled: She paired the statement garment with wide legged, tan corduroy slacks and red high heeled boots The socialite recently shared a 'quick' but 'tense' dinner with ex Scott Disick and his girlfriend Sofia Richie on Sunday at Nobu in Malibu. Though the trio broke bread together, those who scoped the scene said the meal was less-than-friendly. 'It wasnt like they are all friends and were hanging out for fun. It looked more like a business dinner,' the insider told People. Good hair day: Kourtney's raven tresses were pulled back tightly behind her head in a tight bun Mom duty: The Keeping Up With The Kardashians mainstay shares three children with ex Scott: Mason, six-year-old Penelope and three-year-old Reign Painful: The socialite recently shared a 'quick' but 'tense' dinner with ex Scott Disick and his girlfriend Sofia Richie on Sunday at Nobu in Malibu According a source close to the situation, the reality star isn't interested in getting 'to know Sofia better,' but rather feels like she needs to spend more time with the 20-year-old model 'because of the kids.' 'Sofia spends time with Kourtneys kids, so Kourtney wants to make sure they are all on the same page,' the source said. 'Scott and Sofia tend to get into arguments. Kourtney wants to make sure the kids are in a positive environment when they are at Scotts house. She is setting up rules for how things needs to be when the kids are with Scott.' After what was described as a 'quick' meal, all three exited in succession. Doin' it for the kids: According a source close to the situation, the reality star isn't interested in getting 'to know Sofia better' Run away: After what was described as a 'quick' meal, all three exited in succession According to onlookers, Scott and Kourtney's cars were parked side-by-side and the group tried their hardest to make an ultra-discrete exit. Everyone was dressed casually for the Monday night dinner. The dinner meetup comes on the heels of Kourt and Scott's family trip to Bali with their kids. Scott and Sofia enjoyed a trip to Australia after the family vacation. He recently wrapped filming the Men In Black spin-off. But it appears that Chris Hemsworth left little time for himself between projects, jetting off to India soon after to film DHAKA. The actor took to Instagram on Wednesday to share pictures from the set of the movie, where he has been busy shooting gruelling action scenes and mingling with the locals. A man of the people! Chris Hemsworth (pictured) shared more photos from behind the scenes of his new movie in India this week and took a break from the gruelling action shoots to delight his adoring fans with autographs and selfies The series of photos showed the 35-year-old appearing bloodied and bruised as he posed in front of car. Dressed in character, the Australian native had a serious expression while wearing an army uniform and gripping a rifle. The down-to-earth actor seemed to have delighted his adoring Indian fans during his breaks from his gruelling schedule. Celebrity status! Some snaps featured the 35-year-old happily signing autographs and chatting to the locals Other photos on his Instagram account showed him signing autographs and happily posing for selfies. In the pictures, he even appeared to have fake blood on his knuckles, possibly after filming a fight scene. 'Week one down here in India,' he captioned the post. 'By far some of the most intense action sequences I've been apart of and the heat certainly adds an edge to it but damn we're getting good stuff! Gonna be unreal.' Stuck into filming! 'By far some of the most intense action sequences I've been apart of and the heat certainly adds an edge to it but damn we're getting good stuff,' Chris wrote. Pictured with the film's director Sam Hargrave Earlier this week, Chris posed for a selfie with fans and shared the result on social media. 'Beyond thankful for the kindness and generosity that the people of India have extended to us while making our little film here,' he wrote. DHAKA, is a 'kidnap extraction drama' where the Bad Times At The El Royale star plays a mercenary who is hired to save the son of a businessman. Legendary 'Blue Wiggle' Anthony Field has been the darling of parents and toddlers for decades for his uplifting work with children's musical group, The Wiggles. However, his biggest fans, mostly under the age of eight, may have been surprised by the artist's choice of attire on Thursday. The Wiggles' muso posted a photo of himself to Instagram wearing a 'Horizons' album T-shirt by Australian heavy metal band Parkway Drive. What a revelation! The Wiggles' Anthony Field (pictured) shocked fans by wearing a Parkway Drive heavy metal band T-shirt and making the 'devil horns' gesture with his hands on Thursday In the picture, the tattooed Blue Wiggle gleefully grins at the camera to reveal his metal teeth, while making the 'devil horns' gesture with his hands. It was all for a good cause, however - the Wiggle was promoting Australian Music T-shirt Day, held to raise money for musician charity Support Act. Anthony captioned the picture: 'Aus Music T-shirt Day is an annual event, channelling passion for Australian music into donations for Support Act to raise funds for artists and music workers who are experiencing financial hardship, ill health, injury or mental health issues.' Man on a mission: It was all for a good cause, however - the Wiggle was promoting Australian Music T-shirt Day, held to raise money for musician charity Support Act He continued: 'You can show your support by wearing your favourite Australian music T-shirt on Friday November 16, making a donation to Support Act, and/or posting a photo on your socials and tagging #ausmusictshirtday and @supportact!' Parkway Drive are an Australian 'metal core' band from Byron Bay in northern NSW. The band's first album, Killing With A Smile, was released in 2005. Anthony captioned the Instagram picture: 'Aus Music T-shirt Day is an annual event, channelling passion for Australian music into donations for Support Act to raise funds for artists and music workers who are experiencing financial hardship, ill health, injury or mental health issues.' Pictured: Metalcore band Parkway Drive They have released singles with titles such as Devil's Calling, The Void, Prey and Dark Days. The band's material is in stark contrast to Anthony's body of work with The Wiggles, which includes classics such as Big Red Car, Toot Toot!, It's A Wiggly Wiggly World!, and Pop Go The Wiggles! Anthony's slightly older fans flocked to comments on his Instagram post, writing, 'Bro, Parkway Drive is amazing. And that album, Horizons, maybe top 10 best metal core albums', and 'Holy wow thats awesome.' 'Fairly unexpected,' commented another fan by way of understatement. Former Bachelor star Dasha Gaivoronski blasted a male Instagram follower on Thursday after he body shamed her and said she looked 'too masculine'. Commenting on a body transformation photo the 32-year-old posted last month, the man claimed he preferred Dasha's 'before' photo. 'Sorry, but guys don't like masculine bodies... Leave it a little feminine... (fuller)... It will be better, believe me,' he wrote. 'Being sexist isn't your job!' The Bachelor's Dasha Gaivoronski has blasted a male Instagram follower who body shamed her and said her figure is 'too masculine' after she posted these transformation photos Fighting back: His comment outraged Dasha's army of loyal fans, many of who were quick to defend the reality star His comment outraged Dasha's army of loyal fans, many of who were quick to defend the reality star. And his remarks didn't slip by Dasha either, with the personal trainer taking screenshots of his comments and firing back at him via Instagram Stories. 'When a man comes with comments like that, it makes me think,' she wrote. Hitting back! Dasha wasted no time responding to the troll 'Do we still live in the 20th century? Since when [do] men feel so entitled to expressing their unwanted opinion so freely?' The man - whose name Dasha blacked out - then remarked that as a photographer, it was his job 'to judge and make comments'. 'It bothers me to see women running after a physical appearance that's far away from what we call healthy,' he continued. Sexist: Dasha said the comments were ignorant and backwards 'In our case, I see bones on her shoulders that you don't notice... I find it repellent - like your bf, probably - but you like it.' Dasha once again hit back at the man, telling him that as a photographer his job 'is to have an eye for things other people don't see, have a creative visual perception'. 'Leaving sexist remarks on someone's transformation is definitely not your prerogative. So please refrain from judging where you are not meant to judge,' she wrote To be continued: In a separate post, Dasha then continued to blast the man for his comments Advice: 'Girls, if your boyfriend/partner/crush EVER comments on your body and suggests you "losing/gaining" weight... walk away from that person,' she wrote 'Leaving sexist remarks on someone's transformation is definitely not your prerogative. So please refrain from judging where you are not meant to judge,' she wrote. In a separate post, Dasha then continued to blast the man for his comments, claiming women should adjust their bodies to what their partner finds most attractive. 'Girls, if your boyfriend/partner/crush EVER comments on your body and suggests you "losing/gaining" weight, whatever,' she wrote. 'Please do me a favour [and] walk away from that person cause this is not appropriate in a healthy relationship.' Richwood, TX (77531) Today Cloudy this morning with showers during the afternoon. High 81F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Showers early with some clearing overnight. Thunder is possible early. Low 56F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%. She gave birth to her first daughter Rani just one month ago. And Kate Hudson and Danny Fujikawa enjoyed a night out without their newborn on Wednesday, as part of the Kate Hudson X Michael Kors dinner in Los Angeles. The 39-year-old showcased her incredible post-baby body physique as the ambassador for the United Nations World Food Programme and supporter of the designer's Watch Hunger Stop initiative. Gorgeous: Kate Hudson showcased her incredible post-baby body while enjoying a kid-free date night with her beau Danny Fujikawa at Michael Kors X Kate Hudson Watch Hunger Stop initiative dinner Kate stunned in a chic black wrap style dress with a shimmery silver design. The ensemble effortlessly fell down to her just above her ankles and she teamed the look with a pair of matching colored pumps. She kept her accessories minimal with a pair of earrings and a clutch. Date night: And Kate Hudson and Danny Fujikawa enjoyed a night out without their newborn on Wednesday, as part of the Kate Hudson X Michael Kors dinner in Los Angeles Beauty: Kate stunned in a chic black wrap style dress with a shimmery silver design Effortless; The ensemble effortlessly fell down to her just above her ankles and she teamed the look with a pair of matching colored pumps Kate styled her short blonde hair into tousled loose waves. The actress still had that post-baby glow with a radiant complexion and rosy cheeks. New and first-time dad Danny looked uber dapper for the date night. Looking good: The actress still had that post-baby glow with a radiant complexion and rosy cheeks Easy: Kate styled her short blonde lob into tousled loose waves Catching up: At one point during the evening, she was seen with mom Goldie Hawn's long-term partner Kurt Russell At one point during the evening, she was seen with mom Goldie Hawn's long-term partner Kurt Russell. He dressed in all black with a button-up shirt underneath his smart suit. Sofia Vergara also stepped out for the dinner on Wednesday night. The Modern Family star opted for a power suit that gave a hint of her ample cleavage. Dapper: Kurt opted for a suit for the evening Coming together: The beauty was also joined by man of the hour, Michael Kors Family first: Kate proved to be in good company as she was also joined by her eldest son Ryder Robinson, 14 Glamorous: Sofia Vergara also stepped out for the dinner on Wednesday night She teamed the look with striped peep-toe heels and a matching zebra bag. Her silky brunette tresses were styled out naturally and left out over her shoulders. Sofia's makeup featured a soft eye with attention on her plum colored plump pout. Here for business: The Modern Family star opted for a power suit that gave a hint of her ample cleavage Coordinating: She teamed the look with striped peep-toe heels and a matching zebra bag Beauty: Her silky brunette tresses were styled out naturally and left out over her shoulders Industry pals: Sofia looked in good spirits as she joined fashion designer Rachel Zoe Cosy: Sofia, Olivia and Michael posed up a storm with Lance Le Pere (left) and Jennifer Meyer (right) at the starry event Skipping the Victoria's Secret show for the first time in 17 years, Alessandra Ambrosio stepped out for the Michael Kors X Kate Hudson dinner in Los Angeles. The mom-of-two sported a black wet leather looking mini dress that had cut-outs along the side. Alessandra teamed her leggy bronzed display with a pair of pumps and accessorised with silver hoops and a clutch. Still an Angel: Skipping the Victoria's Secret show for the first time in 17 years, Alessandra Ambrosio stepped out for the Michael Kors X Kate Hudson dinner in Los Angeles Stunner: The mom-of-two sported a black wet leather looking mini dress that had cut-outs along the side Stunner: The Brazilian beauty styled her brunette locks out and straight and had a radiant glow complete with a nude lip The Brazilian beauty styled her brunette locks out and straight and had a radiant glow complete with a nude lip. Olivia Munn also stepped out for the star studded dinner in a glamorous two-piece ensemble. She sported a metallic cover up top with a matching blazer - that ensured all attention was on her incredible abs. Ab-tastic: Olivia Munn also stepped out for the star studded dinner in a glamorous two-piece ensemble Yummy: The Beyond the Break star indulged in tasty marshmallows at the event She's been working out: She sported a metallic cover up top with a matching blazer - that ensured all attention was on her incredible abs Bold: Olivia sported a bronzed complexion complete with a dark eye and a bold red lip Friends: The Ocean's 8 star was also see with fellow model and actress Molly Sims Olivia sported a bronzed complexion complete with a dark eye and a bold red lip. The Ocean's 8 star was also see with fellow model and actress Molly Sims. Molly stunned in a bright floral top and boot cut black trousers. Chic: Molly stunned in a bright floral top and boot cut black trousers Healthy glow: Her blonde tresses were straightened over her shoulders and her glam complete with rosy cheeks Feminine style: Camilla Belle also opted for floral in a metallic blue mini dress for the A-list dinner in Los Angeles Ladies night! Pictured: Rachel Bilson, Camilla, Alessandra Ambrosio and Larsen Thompson Her blonde tresses were straightened over her shoulders and her glam complete with rosy cheeks. Camilla Belle also opted for floral in a metallic blue mini dress for the A-list dinner in Los Angeles. She put on a leggy display and sported a pair a strappy silver heels. Friends: Olivia found a moment to catch up with designer Rachel Zoe Girls: At one point Rachel chatted to Sara Foster and Kate Hudson She know's what's up! Designer Rachel Zoe proved she knows what she's talking about when it comes to style Glamour queen: The beauty opted for a metallic navy powersuit and had her blonde hair styled out into loose waves Night out: Rachel enjoyed a date night with her husband Rodger Berman and was seen with Sofia Vergara Designer Rachel Zoe proved she knows what she's talking about when it comes to style. The beauty opted for a metallic navy powersuit and had her blonde hair styled out into loose waves. Her glam was kept dewy with a very bronzed complexion and glossy lip. Stylish: Nina Dobrev showcased her impeccable style with a flattering polka dot mini dress Simplistic: She teamed the look with simple strappy heels and had her locks styled out into lovely tousles Fashionista: Rachel Bilson showcased her gorgeous physique in a black mini dress Cheers! Michael and Kurt enjoyed a drink together Telling jokes? Kurt was spotted speaking to Sara Foster during the event Much to talk about: Actresses Rachel Bilson and Olivia Munn appeared to be having a good time Man of the hour Michael Kors was dressed all in black with a sweater underneath his suit and a pair of tinted shades. Nina Dobrev showcased her impeccable style with a flattering polka dot mini dress. She teamed the look with simple strappy heels and had her locks styled out into lovely tousles. Wow! Logan Browning was gorgeous in blue sequin Hot to trot! Full and Fuller House star Lori Loughlin also got the memo of a power suit with a bold pink ensemble on top of her flattering trousers Full and Fuller House star Lori Loughlin also got the memo of a power suit with a bold pink ensemble on top of her flattering trousers. Logan Browning and Rachel Bilson were also at the event in flattering blue dresses. Other attendees included Larsen Thompson, Halston Sage and Sara Foster. A-listers: Other attendees included Larsen Thompson (L) and Sara Foster (R) Beaming: Camilla appeared in high spirits as she joined Chord Overstreet (L) Crystal Lourd (second from left) and Glen Powell (R) at the bash Style savvy: Miranda Anna (L) wowed in a metallic crochet dress as she joined Elektra Jansson-Kilbey, who stunned in a bright blue midi dress Patterns galore: Camila Coelho (L) caught the eye in a strapless gown, embellished with floral details throughout, while Jamie Tisch donned a leopard print skirt Australians were in tears when Lisa McCune's character Maggie Doyle was fatally shot in dramatic scenes of Blue Heelers in 2000. And almost two decades on from the iconic TV moment, the actress has revealed that she never wanted Maggie to die. In an interview with news.com.au on Thursday, the 47-year-old explained that if it was up to her, the death scene never would have happened. 'I felt really strongly that I wanted her to stay alive': Lisa McCune (pictured)reveals why she never wanted her iconic Blue Heelers character Maggie Doyle to die 'I remember when they told me that's what they were going to do, and I understand why they had to do it, but I think because I knew she had such a strong, young female following I felt really strongly that I wanted her to stay alive,' the four-time Gold Logie winner said. 'Initially I was like, "Oh no, do we have to do that?" Looking back now they were probably right.' With the benefit of hindsight, the Sea Patrol star has since realised her character's demise was 'perfect'. In the police drama, Maggie Doyle was shot and killed a day before she was due to enter witness protection, after she found a computer disk with information about a gang. A trip down memory lane: Lisa portrayed Maggie Doyle on long-running police drama Blue Heelers before her iconic character was killed off in dramatic scenes in 2000 Initially, her on-screen love interest PJ, played by Martin Sacks, was accused of the murder. But it was eventually revealed that Maggie's brother had murdered her because the disk contained incriminating evidence about him. Recalling the famous murder scene, Lisa told the publication: 'We were laughing that day saying it took five bullets to really make sure she was dead.' 'Initially I was like, "Oh no, do we have to do that?" The actress admitted she wanted Maggie to stay alive due to her 'strong, young female following' The How To Stay Married star also revealed that she can't remember if she watched her character's epic death. She explained that she may have missed it given she was touring for The Sound Of Music immediately after she wrapped filming for her Blue Heelers role. However, Lisa conceded that if she did watch her swan song 18 years ago, she likely would have watched it with her co-star Martin. Just a few days after taking a tumble in Sydney, Elle Macpherson looked steadier on her feet at the launch of her new Welleco beauty product at Icebergs in Bondi Beach on Thursday. The supermodel is one of the co-creators behind the new range of beauty supplements. The 54-year-old looked chic in a voluminous long white shirt dress by Zimmermann, which featured a gold print. Scroll down for video Back on her feet! Elle Macpherson stunned in a bohemian outfit as she attended the launch of her new Wellco beauty range in Sydney just days after taking a nasty fall She cinched in her waist with a tan-coloured belt, and teamed the boho attire with nude-coloured stilettos featuring a silver bar. The statuesque star carried a white clutch purse and shielded her eyes with brown aviator sunglasses, her long honey-coloured hair sitting loose around her shoulders. Elle was all smiles at the event, despite suffering a nasty fall just days before. Over the weekend, the catwalk queen was leaving a florist in Sydney when she slipped while getting into her waiting car and fell in the gutter. Stylish: The 54-year-old looked chic in a voluminous long white shirt dress by Zimmermann, which featured a gold print Getting waisted: She cinched in her waist with a tan-coloured belt, and teamed the boho attire with nude-coloured stilettos Making an exit: Thankfully, Elle didn't appear to have any trouble exiting her car on Thursday after suffering a fall over the weekend Taking a tumble: Over the weekend, the catwalk queen was leaving a florist in Sydney when she slipped while getting into her waiting car and fell in the gutter Thankfully, she didn't appear to have any trouble exiting her car on Thursday. The London-based stunner appeared in fine form as she greeted celebrity guests at her launch on Thursday, including friends Cheyenne Tozzi and Pip Edwards. Cheyenne looked equally as glamorous, stepping out in a printed black mini-dress. The 29-year-old new mum teamed her ensemble with a pair of thigh-high dusty pink high-heeled boots. Covered up: The statuesque star carried a white clutch purse and shielded her eyes with brown aviator sunglasses, her long honey-coloured hair sitting loose around her shoulders Mum's day out: Cheyenne Tozzi showed off her post-baby body, stepping out in a printed black mini-dress just nine weeks after giving birth Close: Yesterday, it was revealed Cheyenne had asked Elle to be her nine-week-old daughter Dahlia's godmother Room with a view: 'Bondi Icebergs - best location for our @welleco superboosters global launch,' Elle wrote on Instagram She carried a matching pale pink Louis Vuitton handbag on one arm, and hid behind a pair of heart-shaped black sunglasses. Yesterday, it was revealed Cheyenne had asked Elle to be her nine-week-old daughter Dahlia's godmother. The models are clearly firm friends, with the Australia's Next Top Model star later sharing a playful selfie with Elle from inside the event. Meanwhile, Pip opted for sporty luxe in a pair of patterned blue and white tracksuit pants. Athleisure wear: Designer Pip Edwards opted for sporty luxe in a pair of patterned blue and white tracksuit pants Friends: 'Congratulations to my gorgeous mate @ellemacphersonofficial and @welleco for launching their new Super Boosters!!' Pip wrote on Instagram Health-conscious: The supermodel is one of the co-creators behind the new range of beauty supplements She teamed it with a matching blue, white and black patterned sweatshirt, and carried a cross-body bag in a similar print. The 38-year-old fashion designer finished off her look with a pair of nude-coloured stilettos. 'Congratulations to my gorgeous mate @ellemacphersonofficial and @welleco for launching their new Super Boosters!!' Pip wrote on Instagram. 'I'll have one of each thanks and will be boosting all day long!!!!' She made a slash on television on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart and again in the hit HBO drama The Newsroom. But on Wednesday, Olivia Munn commanded attention for her revealing fashion choice for the Michael Kors Dinner To Celebrate Kate Hudson and the World Food Programme in Beverly Hills. The 38-year old actress was the picture of confidence when she posed for photographers in a bra top and with a matching jacket thrown over her shoulder. Showing support: Olivia Munn attended the Michael Kors Dinner To Celebrate Kate Hudson and the World Food Programme in Beverly Hills on Wednesday The black and silver pattern ensemble appeared to be equal parts sexy and stylish as it showcased her toned figure. The 38-year old paired it with black bagging dress pants that flared over her shoes. She wore her dark tresses long and well past her shoulders, with a part slightly to the left, and added deep rich red lipstick for some added flare. Wow factor: The actress showed off her toned figure in a bra top with a matching jacket Cool and confident: The Newsroom star also paired the ensemble with black bagging dress pants that flared over her shoes Strike a pose: Olivia posed with actress Molly Sims and host Michael Kors Olivia struck a number of poses for photographers solo, and with some of the other high profile names on hand that included host Michale Kors, actresses Molly Sims and Rachel Bilson and designer Rachel Zoe. The event focused on Hudson's charity work in support of the World Food Programme, which is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide; helping 80million people in 80 countries yearly. Just last week, Hudson was appointed ambassador to the United Nation's World Food Programme. The actress has supported the organization as an ambassador to Michael Kors' Watch Hunger Stop initiative for the past three years, according to The Hollywood Reporter. 'I'm proud to work with her, because weve been friends for years and I admire how kind she is and how committed, Kors told THR in a statement. 'Also, having seen her in action over the years, I know she can and will succeed at anything she sets her mind to.' Kate just gave birth to her first child, a baby girl named Rani, with boyfriend Danny Fujikawa October 2. Honoree: Kate Hudson was recently named ambassador to the United Nation's World Food Programme; the star just gave birth to daughter Rani October 2 Stylish: Molly and Olivia showed off their fashion choices before the festivities Catching up: The two actresses chatted with each other Ladies in black: The former Daily Show star also got chummy with actress Rachel Bilson She jetted to London to film scenes with Matthew McConaughey for their new gangster film, Toff Guy earlier this week. But Kate Beckinsale touched down in Los Angeles on Wednesday and cut a stylish figure as she strolled through LAX. The 45-year-old actress, who sent tongues wagging when she was spotted sharing a steamy kiss with Jack Whitehall last week, nailed airport chic in a grey tartan blazer and white slogan t-shirt. Airport chic: Kate Beckinsale touched down in Los Angeles on Wednesday and cut a stylish figure as she strolled through LAX Kate paired the look with black skinny jeans and added a boost to her svelte frame with suede heeled boots. The Click star tied her long brunette locks back in a high ponytail and rocked a pair of over-sized black shades. She finished off her trendy ensemble with a slim whit waist belt and monochrome shoulder bag. Fashion maven: The 45-year-old actress nailed airport chic in a grey tartan blazer and white slogan t-shirt Kate's love life has come into question since her passionate kiss with Jack Whitehall, 30, last week. The Hollywood actress and comedian Jack were seen in a steamy embrace as they partied the night away at the exclusive Blind Dragon nightclub in Los Angeles. Following their date, the pair were pictured heading back to a 2,000-a-night West Hollywood hotel together. Curtain call: Her arrival comes after Kate's fans accused her of hiding potential new boyfriend Jack Whitehall behind her curtains, when she shared a sultry selfie on Instagram on Sunday Clearly keen for more drama, her fans speculated that she was hiding Jack behind her curtains in a mirror selfie she posted on Instagram. Taking to her social media account for the first time since photographs of her kiss with Jack emerged which preceded the pair making their way to an upscale West Hollywood hotel the screen beauty tickled fans with her quirky sense of humour. She wrote next to the shot, which a light crop top with black bottoms: 'Don't even attempt to f**k with me I've just correctly diagnosed a family member with a double stye and I'm suddenly getting a lot of texts about chickens.' However, eagle-eyed fans appeared more concerned with the background, with one of her followers enquiring: 'Are you hiding behind the curtain @jackwhitehall?' Love Island star Zara McDermott has revealed that she's had fillers in her jaw to correct what she's described as a 'lopsided' and 'double' chin. The 21-year-old beauty, who is currently enjoying a sun-soaked break in Miami with her boyfriend Adam Collard, took to her Instagram Stories on Wednesday to share details of the procedure and show followers her still-swollen chin. In one video, the brunette reality star said: 'I've literally had so many people messaging me asking about my jaw filler. I definitely recommend it. It's literally changed my face so much. I'm completely symmetrical and its something so small. Scroll down for video Filler: Love Island star Zara McDermott has revealed that she's had fillers in her jaw to correct what she's described as a 'lopsided' and 'double' chin 'It can literally can make the world of difference. I'm not gonna lie, it was a little bit painful but it was numbed, and everything, and it was literally fine after.' The Kent native underwent the procedure at one of Kiss Aesthetics' clinics in the UK before jetting off to the US for a sun-soaked break with her beau. Zara also admitted that she'd had it done 'a couple of times before', but wasn't as satisfied with the result as she is now. Let's face it...: The reality star revealed that a 'crevice' in her chin had given her the appearance of a double chin as she shared video of her newly-enhanced chin, right Thrilled: In the videos posted to her Instagram Stories on Wednesday, she sung the praises of her most recent procedure, when she underwent in her native UK before jetting off to the US Plugged: She plugged the clinic for their work on what she had had been a long-running issue Clearly pleased with her results, she told her followers: 'I'd say definitely give it a go. I've never really been one for fillers. I don't have anything else done. But I've really, really found this to be a really good experience.' Giving her followers a closer glimpse of her aesthetician's handiwork, she zoomed the lens in on chin to show that it's still 'a little bit swollen and bumpy' with marks, which she predicted would heal and go down within the next week. Showing older snapshots of herself to explain the issue she made moves to eradicate, she wrote next to a shot of her face: 'This crevice in my right jaw. It was causing me to look like I had a bad double chin from my right side! 'Also I felt it was getting worse as I got older. I've always had it since I was younger and it's where the artery runs down my face.' Snaps: The brunette beauty shared old snapshots of herself to illustrate the previous problem Sharing another snapshot of herself, she said: 'You can see it here too... I felt like my whole face was lopsided. 'So @kiss_aesthetics put a little filler into the crevice and then balanced the whole thing out with the other side. And now it's perfect and completely symmetrical!' Reminding her followers that she basking in the Floridian sunshine, she jokingly added to one of her videos: 'PS, sorry about the ocean background noise.' Zara revealed last week that she was treating Adam to the luxury holiday for his 23rd birthday, and they've been sharing snaps from their adventures in recent days. Writing on Instagram, she said: 'Happy birthday to my baby. I am taking him to Miami and the Bahamas next week!!! Was so hard keeping it a secret.' Take a closer look: The Kent native zoomed in her on face to show how her chin is still healing, predicting that all will be back to normal 'within the next week' She also revealed a hand-written note that read: 'To my amazing boyfriend Adam. 'Pack your bags because on 5th November we are jetting off to MIAMI BEACH for a week, staying in the Fontainebleau hotel. Get ready to eat at Nobu, party and LIV and SO much more! 'Then on 12th November we are flying to the Bahamas for 5 days, staying at the Atlantis! We will be visiting hidden beaches on our own private boat, swimming with sharks, going to the water park and meeting the pigs in the Exuma Islands! 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I hope you're as excited as I am! Zara xxx' The pair coupled up in the summer, during their run on the most recent season of ITV2's wildly popular dating show Love Island. Jet: Zara is currently in Miami, where she's celebrating her beau Adam Collard's 23rd birthday Natural beauty: Reality star Zara insisted that she likes to keep her looks 'as natural as possible' Jordan Davies' model ex-girlfriend has given birth to their baby son Valentino. Paula Manzanal welcomed her newborn baby to the world on Wednesday, sharing a video of the birth on Instagram after having to undergo an emergency caesarean. The 25-year-old Peruvian beauty made a subtle dig at the Ibiza Weekender star, 26, who was absent for the birth, saying: 'I asked God to send me a man who will always love me. He gave me a son.' Baby boy: Jordan Davies' model ex-girlfriend has given birth to their baby son Valentino Paula went on to describe her beautiful baby boy as the most 'handsome newborn she has ever seen' as she posted a sweet snap of her son. The model didn't have an easy labour and had to have a caesarean after Valentino's umbilical cord was wrapped twice round his neck. Paula previously hit out at Jordan for being making her 'suffer' by not supporting her throughout her pregnancy. On Wednesday the reality star failed to acknowledge the birth of his son on social media, instead plugging how to become a party rep abroad. Beautiful: Paula Manzanal welcomed her newborn baby to the world on Wednesday, sharing a video of the birth on Instagram after having to undergo an emergency Caesarean Jibe: The 25-year-old Peruvian beauty made a subtle dig at Jordan 26, who was absent for the birth, saying 'I asked God to send me a man who will always love me. He gave me a son' Single mum: Paula previously hit out at Jordan for being making her 'suffer' by not supporting her through the pregnancy, with the reality star failing to acknowledge the birth of their son Bundle of joy: Paula went on to describe her beautiful baby boy as the most 'handsome newborn she has ever seen' as she posted a sweet snap of her son It has been reported Jordan is asking for a paternity test following Valentine's birth. MailOnline has contacted Jordan's representatives for comment. Paula returned to Peru to seek support from her family following her split from Jordan five months ago. The pair met in January this year and their romance quickly developed, with the pair regularly sharing loved-up snaps on their popular Instagram accounts. But things took a turn for the worse as Paula made the difficult decision to leave the Ibiza Weekender star after undergoing emergency surgery on her appendix while pregnant, claiming he wasn't there for her in her hour of need. Doubts? It has been reported Jordan is asking for a paternity test following Valentine's birth The model confessed to The Sun: 'He doesn't have time for his son. He hasn't come to a single scan.' She continued: 'He is making me suffer a lot. It's not easy to take this path on my own. Jordan's representatives told The Sun the claims weren't true. MailOnline has reached out for further comment. In a series of WhatsApp messages obtained by The Sun, Jordan expressed his desire to see Paula before Valentino is born, but when she suggested meeting him in Europe for a doctor's appointment, he said he had 'too much on.' The former Ex On The Beach star also seemed thrilled to learn he was expecting a boy, writing to Paula: 'Omfg. I told you. Jordan is always right. Jordan Junior.' In a series of scathing Instagram stories, Paula responded to questions from her followers, she was quick to slate the reality TV star. When asked why they split up, she described the party animal as a 'kid' when she 'needs a man'. Continuing to respond to fan questions, Paula was asked if Jordan was going to be a part of the newborns life, to which she replied 'Maybe you should ask him that yourself... so far he is 200% absent' followed by 'Valentino is all mine.' The brunette beauty replied candidly as she told viewers 'I think its more than clear to me now he wants nothing to do with his son.' She was presented with her damehood for her services to drama at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday. But a few weeks before the honour, Emma Thompson, 59, was back to doing what she does best, as she filmed further scenes for the TV series, Years and Years, in Manchester. Shooting in front of a green screen, actress appeared right in character as outspoken celebrity turned rebel MP Vivienne Rock as she got handcuffed by cops and led away. And action! A few weeks before she was honoured with her Damehood, Emma Thompson, 59, filmed further scenes for the TV series, Years and Years, in Manchester Emma looked sensational for her day on set, as she clad her statuesque frame in a wine-coloured suit and white blouse. Putting on an incredibly animated display, Emma looked like she was having the time of her life as cameras rolled. With her hands in cuffs and co-stars dressed up police, the London born star made a series of fun facial expressions as she continued on with her work commitments. Shooting: Shooting in front of a green screen, actress appeared right in character as outspoken rebel MP Vivienne Rock as she got handcuffed by cops and led away Filming: Emma looked sensational for her day on set, as she clad her statuesque frame in a wine-coloured suit and white blouse Funny: Putting on an incredibly animated display, Emma looked like she was having the time of her life as cameras rolled Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Emma revealed she 'sniggered' with the Duke of Cambridge when he presented her with her damehood at Buckingham Palace. She said: 'I love Prince William, Ive known him since he was little, and we just sniggered at each other. 'I said, "I cant kiss you, can I?" And he said, "No dont"! 'If youre first up you have to be more formal on such an occasion, but hes looking wonderful and doing so well. He said, "This day isnt about me, its about you". 'Its really lovely because Ive always loved the boys and Ive always been a long-term correspondent with their dad, its a very lovely feeling.' Dame Emma was recognised in the Queens Birthday Honours list in June for her services to drama. Role: The star appeared temporarily sombre as she was led away by police while her hands were in cuffs In her element: The London born star made a series of fun facial expressions as she continued on with her work commitments Mixing things up: Proving to be a long day, Emma changed into navy collared coat with red panelling Loving life: Emma was a firm favourite on set as she mingled with the crew She wore white trainers and a navy Stella McCartney suit to the ceremony, with the choice of designer a representation of British fashion, she said. The Remains Of The Day and Nanny McPhee star said: 'Im very outspoken, politically, Im a card-carrying feminist, human rights advocate, so good for them, because the establishment need more people who can speak up for those things.' Sporting a Fawcett Society Equal Pay badge, she said she hopes to use her damehood to bring attention to children going hungry in the school holidays, known as holiday hunger. Honour: On Wednesday, Emma revealed she 'sniggered' with the Duke of Cambridge when he presented her with her damehood at Buckingham Palace Emma revealed said: 'I said, "I cant kiss you, can I?" And he said, "No dont"!' She said: 'This is a very rich country with hundreds of thousands of children who dont get enough to eat. 'Im sorry, but thats just rubbish. Im going, why isnt this top of the list? We have kids begging in schools for leftover food, thats just awful.' The actress, who collected the accolade in recognition of her services to drama, was joined by her long-time husband Greg Wise and their two children; Gaia, 18, and son, Tindyebwa Agaba Wise, a Rwandan orphan they informally adopted in 2003 when he was 14, for the momentous occasion. Big moment: Dame Emma was recognised in the Queens Birthday Honours list in June for her services to drama She is mere days away from jetting to Australia to host I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! And Holly Willoughby couldn't hide her excitement as she stepped out on Thursday ahead of finally embarking on her journey Down Under. The 37-year-old TV presenter's outing came after she took to Instagram to share a delicious cake that she had been gifted with ahead of the long trip, as female pals also gifted her with an Australia travel guide. Giddy: Holly Willoughby couldn't hide her excitement as she stepped out on Thursday ahead of finally jetting to Australia to host I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! Holly was putting on a casual display in a comfy grey jumper and jeans as she strolled through the area in West London, shielding her eyes with simple black sunglasses. The This Morning star kept it cosy in a black overcoat and trainers as she flashed a beaming smile, with the days continuing to count down ahead of her long-awaited trip to Australian jungle. Holly is jetting Down Under to host the much-loved reality series with Declan Donnelly, after his presenting partner Ant McPartlin took a break from his TV duties for the rest of 2018. Excited: The 37-year-old TV presenter put on a casual display as she prepares to wave goodbye to chilly London for the warm Australian climes Casual: Holly shielded her complexion from the low winter sun with sunglasses, pulling her white blonde tresses into a simple updo Giddy: The star seemed to eager to embark on the long-awaited trip to Australia, which will see her bring her husband Dan Baldwin and three children along Can't stop smiling: Fans have been eagerly awaiting the moment the presenter finally heads to Australia to co-host the reality favourite with Declan Donnelly, standing in for Ant McPartlin She's finally going! Holly reportedly stepped in for Ant as a favour to her friend as he took a break from TV duties, and sources have previously said she's being paid a six-figure sum Holly's outing came after she was treated to a special good luck cake by her female pals, and took to social media to share a post of the delicious treat, which had 'Good Luck Down Under' sprawled across in icing. She snap: 'Mmmmmm yummy.... my girls know what I like... thank you beautiful ladies @ruby1kid @shishib #nikidemetz and @emmaleebunton .' She was then further spoilt by her pals as she uploaded yet another snap of goodies, which included an Australia travel guide, personalised mug and an outback hat. 'Oh my goodness... youve thought of everything!... just the best!!!! xxx,' she enthused. Earlier this week, Holly could hardly contain her excitement at the thought of jetting off to Australia to present I'm A Celebrity as she revealed a jungle gift her friend had given her on Instagram on Sunday. 'MY girls know what I like!' Holly's outing came after she was treated to a special good luck cake by her female pals, and took to social media to share a post of the delicious treat Send-off presents: The TV presenter, who is set to return to our TV screens in less than two weeks, was further spoilt by her pals as she uploaded yet another snap of goodies Essentials: This time she was gifted with an Australia travel guide, personalised mug and an outback hat Meanwhile Scarlett Moffatt, 28, marked her last night in the U.K with a farewell roast dinner with all of her friends and family, telling her followers she had never cooked in her kitchen before. Holly looked thrilled to receive her gift ahead of her presenting stint, showing off a book which featured a variety of jungle-dwelling animals- no doubt in reference to her extreme fear of creepy crawlies. She captioned the post: 'My lovely friend @ejhughes6 just got me the best going away pressie! #welcometothejungle.' The television presenter was inundated with fans wishing her luck as she prepares to step into Ant McPartlin's shoes to present the show. Countdown is on: Earlier this week, Holly could hardly contain her excitement at the thought of jetting off to Australia to present I'm A Celeb as she revealed a jungle gift from her pal on Sunday Saying her goodbyes: Scarlett Moffatt, 28, meanwhile marked her last night in the U.K with a farewell roast dinner with all of her friends and family Raring to go: Holly looked thrilled to receive her gift, showing off a book which featured a variety of jungle-dwelling animals- no doubt in reference to her extreme fear of insects One wrote: 'Enjoy every minute of it holly, good luck x, Have fun, watch out for the creepy crawlies,' while another added: 'Good luck Holly you will be amazing xx' Another viewer commented: 'Looking forward to the outfit change, I mean what shoes though?! You cant do heels on those bridges, can you? Good luck Holly, not that you need it xx,' with another chiming: 'Can't wait to see you Holly good luck xxx' Meanwhile Scarlett, who presents the I'm A Celeb spin-off show Extra Camp, shared snaps of her family roast dinner, saying 'Going to miss these beautiful souls while I'm in Australia'. Posting a video ahead of the festivities, the Gogglebox star said she is somewhat of a novice in the kitchen. 'My friends and family have come round the house now which they do most Sundays, I do have a kitchen but I have never cooked in it. Home sweet home: Scarlett, who presents the I'm A Celeb spin-off show Extra Camp, shared snaps of the get together, saying 'Going to miss these beautiful souls while I'm in Australia' So soon! ITV have reportedly confirmed that I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here will return to our TV screens in less than three weeks 'My mum always brings the roast round, I'm starting to feel a bit guilty. I do provide the mint sauce and Procecco though.' According to reports, fans won't have long to wait until the new series begin, where they will see Holly stand-in for Ant McPartlin and co-host the show alongside returning presenter Declan Donnelly. A TV insider has alleged to The Mirror that I'm A Celeb will return on Sunday 18 November. This year's series will differ from the rest as regular show host Ant McPartlin won't be appearing for the first time in 16 years, as he takes an extended break from TV to continue with his recovery following a drink driving incident and his battle with alcohol and painkiller addiction. Holly has been drafted in to replace him for the series, with her addition to the show being widely speculated and later confirmed in August. As she prepares to jet out to Australia, Holly nervously confessed she thinks her new role will be a 'disaster'. He is best known for portraying fearless character Peter Quinn in popular series Homeland, a lauded role he shockingly departed last year. And Rupert Friend, 37, was spotted flexing his acting muscles for a brand new role on Wednesday, when he stepped out to shoot scenes for his upcoming supernatural thriller Separated, alongside The Handmaid's Tale star Madeline Brewer, 26. The co-stars wrapped up in winter gear to stave off the autumnal chill as they shot scenes for their William Brent Bell-directed film in New York City's Central Park. Shooting scenes: Rupert Friend and Madeline Brewer were spotted shooting scenes for their upcoming film Separated in New York City's Central Park on Wednesday British actor Rupert kept himself warm in a padded green bomber jacket over a light grey shirt and a pair of T-shirts, which he teamed with lightly faded ripped jeans and cobalt blue running shoes. Meanwhile, New Jersey native Madeline, who also appeared as drug addict Tricia Miller in Orange Is The New Black, stepped out in a mix of prints. The actress caught the eye in a multicoloured houndstooth coat, which she wore over a white T-shirt and patterned top. Wrapping up: The co-stars wrapped up in winter gear to stave off the autumnal chill as they shot scenes for their William Brent Bell-directed film Intense conversation: Rupert and Madeline were seen engaging in intense conversation as they shot scenes for the film before a relatively small camera crew Wearing black skinny jeans with matching ankle socks and chunky boots, she wore her locks in a long fiery red style while keeping her hands warm in bright blue gloves. Rupert and Madeline were seen engaging in intense conversation as they shot scenes for the film before a relatively small camera crew. While publicly released details on the movie, which started production last month, have been scant, it is said to focus on the terrifying consequences of divorce. Casual: Rupert donned a padded green bomber jacket over a light grey shirt and a pair of T-shirts, which he teamed with lightly faded ripped jeans and cobalt blue running shoes Popular series: He is best known for portraying fearless character Peter Quinn in popular series Homeland, a lauded role he shockingly departed last year At the time that the film was announced, the Hollywood Reporter quoted director Bell as saying of the plot: 'It blends emotional, relatable family drama with edge-of-your-seat scares, and Rupert is the ideal actor to bring both aspects to life.' Madeline has won over legions of fans thanks to her portrayal of Janine, also known as Ofwarren/Ofdaniel in dystopian drama The Handmaid's Tale. The first season of the show went on to win eight Emmy Awards, as well as Best Drama and Best Actress for star Elisabeth Moss at the Golden Globes. Rupert, who once dated Keira Knightley, has been married to American fashion model Aimee Mullins since 2016. Prints charming: New Jersey native Madeline, who also appeared as drug addict Tricia Miller in Orange Is The New Black, stepped out in a mix of prints Previous role: Rupert previously starred as Peter Quinn in Showtime's Homeland, alongside (L-R) Claire Danes, F. Murray Abraham and Mandy Patinkin They tied the knot in a whirlwind City Hall wedding back in February- just three months after her split from her ex-boyfriend of four years Jeff Magid. And Emily Ratajkowski has revealed she didn't dare spend time alone with her now-husband Sebastian Bear-McClard while she was dating Jeff, due to their sizzling chemistry. Appearing on Busy Tonight on Wednesday, the model, 27, made the bombshell revelation while talking about her nuptials and life as a newlywed. The One: Emily Ratajkowski revealed she didn't dare spend time alone with her now husband Sebastian Bear-McClard while she was with her ex Jeff Magid due to their sizzling chemistry When asked how she knew Sebastian, 31, was 'The One', she said: 'Women always know ... I was always like "Okay, I probably shouldn't hang out with that guy alone" ... and then next thing you know I'm at the courthouse getting married.' The Blurred Lines star added the wedding was 'just for' her and her husband. The We Are Your Friends actress and Sebastian tied the knot in secret earlier this year at a courthouse and she really liked how low key it was. Moving on: Sebastian and Emily the knot in a whirlwind City Hall wedding back in February- just three months after her split from her ex-boyfriend of four years Jeff Magid (pictured) Chemistry: When asked how she knew Sebastian, 31, was 'The One', she said: Women always know ... I was always like "Okay, I probably shouldn't hang out with that guy alone" ... On top of the world: The pair tied the knot at City Hall alongside four of her girlfriends and his pals Fat Jew and director Josh Safdie Speaking about their whirlwind romance, she said: 'We knew each other for a long time before and he likes to joke like, "Yeah, everyone thinks we got married quickly but you vetted me for two years". 'It was secret for four hours. Weddings are amazing, I want to party, I want to celebrate love and relationships, but this was just for us and it was very nice.' Meanwhile, Emily previously revealed she sees marriage as a 'business' and she believes there are no expectations on the institution because its history is a 'joke'. She said: 'You know, ultimately marriage is like business. Marriage is really to me what you want to take from it, because the history of it is like a joke.' Fast-paced: Speaking about their whirlwind romance, she said: 'We knew each other for a long time before and he likes to joke like, "Yeah, everyone thinks we got married quickly" Letting loose: The model, 26, had a bachelorette party with her girlfriends (above) at a Manhattan hotel Emily wanted to keep her nuptials a secret for as long as possible so shunned a traditional white wedding dress for a tailored suit from Zara. She revealed: 'I was not a Pinterest bride. I do so much glam, I do fittings once a week so for me it was just so nice to throw on a Zara suit that I loved, do my own hair and make-up. I always feel the most confident when I do it myself - and not have to have the fussiness of being a bride.' Back in February, Emily pulled off her most shocking photo shoot yet, when she posted pictures from inside the Manhattan Clerk's Office and announced she was a married woman. The pair had been together since at least December, when they were spotted together at two New York Knicks games in the wake of Ratajkowski's split from Jeff. Emily first went public with her romance with Jeff, 41, back in 2014, with the music producer said to be a source of comfort to her during the nude photo hacking scandal, shortly after she split from Andrew Dryden. The former couple however decided to end their relationship after nearly four years last November, blaming the split on work commitments. Katie Prices estranged husband has lashed out at the former glamour model in a new clip from the forthcoming episode of fly-on-the-wall show My Crazy Life. Addressing the camera in the hour-long special which documents their acrimonious, ongoing divorce negotiations Kieran Hayler insists she refuses to accept responsibility for her mounting problems. Katie is always ready to blame everyone else, he claims in one of numerous short clips from the Quest Red show, which airs on November 12. Hitting out: Katie Prices estranged husband Kieran Hayler lashes out at the former glamour model in a new clip from the forthcoming episode of fly-on-the-wall show My Crazy Life, insisting she refuses to accept responsibility for her mounting problems Elsewhere Katie, 40, is fuming over the way her recent litany of controversies, among them a high-profile arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol and alleged drug abuse, have been portrayed. Everything I did was disgusting, and not me, she insists. But it werent how it came across in the papers, again (sic). She is later confronted by former boyfriend Kris Boyson, who appears to address her recent, short-lived fing with Essex based 25-year old Alex Adderson. Not happy: Elsewhere Katie, 40, is fuming over the way her recent litany of controversies, among them a high-profile arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol and alleged drug abuse, have been portrayed Youre sitting there saying you dont regret what happened, he tells her, suggesting she is unrepentant over the brief romance, which ended in October. Meanwhile mum Amy, who was diagnosed with terminal lung condition Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in 2017, admits she is deeply concerned for her daughter. 'Its really hard sitting here watching you destroy yourself,' she admits as they share a car journey. A short montage also reveals the exterior of residential rehabilitation facility The Priory, suggesting Katie's latest show will also include her attempts to overcome her demons. Face to face: She is later confronted by former boyfriend Kris Boyson, who appears to address her recent, short-lived fling with Essex based 25-year old Alex Adderson Bygones: Katie embraces Kris, suggesting the pair end their heart to heart on a positive note The show comes amid claims that Katie has been forced to shut down her struggling fashion business after it accrued a paltry 13 in profit. The former glamour model is understood to have set the wheels in motion after walking away from KP Boutique, which she launched in 2016 with a range of loungewear and casual womens clothing. Official papers confirm that Katie has applied to have the business closed within the next week, according to The Sun. KP Boutique's reported closure is the latest financial setback for Katie, who was worth an estimated 45 million at the height of her fame but is now fighting to stave off bankruptcy. Just last week it was reported that Katie had staved off bankruptcy for another month - but could be made homeless at a court hearing in December. Worried: Meanwhile mum Amy, who was diagnosed with terminal lung condition Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in 2017, admits she is deeply concerned for her daughter The former glamour model narrowly avoided being declared bankrupt in August, when she was given 12 weeks to come up with the money she owes to creditors. Her lawyers came back to London's High Court today for a fresh hearing over how she will clear up a 22,000 debt with the taxman. Estimates over the Loose Women panellist's total debts have ranged from 250,000 to 500,000. The case was again put off last week, with her legal team saying she has a meeting planned with tax officials for November 16. It is thought she will attempt to be enter into an individual voluntary arrangement (IVA), a formal alternative for indebted people wishing to avoid bankruptcy. Katie reportedly fears she could be forced to sell her West Sussex mansion if a trustee is brought in to sell off her possessions. She tied the knot with businessman Joshua Kushner during a romantic ceremony in up-state New York last month. And Karlie Kloss certainly had the newlywed glow as she attended the WSJ Magazine Innovator Awards at MoMa in New York City on Wednesday night. The model, 26, cut a chic figure for the occasion, looking stunning in a loose-fitting navy blue suit which was teamed with a matching bralet. Chic: Karlie Kloss certainly had the newlywed glow as she attended the WSJ Magazine Innovator Awards at MoMa in New York City on Wednesday night The former Victoria's Secret Angel boosted her statuesque figure in a pair of black heels. The star wore her blonde tresses in a sleek, straight style with a middle parting, and tucked her hair behind her ears. Karlie drew attention to her pout by wearing a slick of dark pink lipstick, and wore a light dusting of make-up to complete her natural look. Karlie and Joshua, 33, were married in upstate New York on October 18, six years after they first started dating. Suits you! The model, 26, cut a chic figure for the occasion, looking stunning in a loose-fitting navy blue suit which was teamed with a matching bralet According to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, the couple wed in a Jewish ceremony - Karlie reportedly converted in June before the couple became engaged. The model's good friend, fashion designer Derek Blasberg, also attended, and after the ceremony wrote: 'I'm a bigger man for watching my little sister become a real wifey today.' The couple, who are notoriously private, have been dating since 2012, and refuse to even pose together at most events. It was not until 2015 that Josh was even spotted out at an event with Karlie when the two attended at the Met Gala. Elegant: The former Victoria's Secret Angel boosted her statuesque figure in a pair of black heels, while opting for natural hair and make-up Romantic bliss: Karlie tied the knot with businessman Joshua Kushner, 33, in upstate New York on October 18, six years after they first started dating Even then, they did not walk the carpet together, with Joshua choosing instead to let his girlfriend pose for the photographers while he ran inside. The supermodel has also made it clear that the details of her private life are not something that she will be sharing with fans now or in the future. 'Its not like Ive ever wanted to be so secretive about my private life,' she recently said in an interview with Porter. 'Carolina Herrera always says, "A woman whos an open book is boring." Theres no mystery anymore. I know in my life what really matters to me. 'Im not trying to hide that from the world; I just really like having a more private private life. Ive got nothing to hide, though!' She gushed she felt like a 'competition winner' after she was upgraded to business class for her 27-hour flight to Australia. And to ease her jet lag, Scarlett Moffatt headed out for lunch with her family on the Gold Coast on Thursday. The I'm A Celeb Extra Camp presenter, 28, appeared in high spirits as she explored her new surroundings by doing a spot of sight-seeing with her parents, Mark and Betty, and younger sister Ava-Grace, 12. Family affair: Scarlett Moffatt looked stylish as she headed out for lunch with her family on Thursday, after jetting to Oz to present the new series of I'm A Celebrity: Extra Camp on ITV2 Despite it being a rainy day in Oz, Scarlett was dressed for the warmer climes in a blue pinstripe shirt dress which sheathed over her figure. Opting for comfort, she paired the look with 445 white Gucci trainers and donned a pair of black aviators. The Googlebox star finished off her low-key ensemble by tying her hair up in a messy bun and appeared relaxed as she strolled along the Gold Coast in Queensland. Exciting: The I'm A Celeb Extra Camp presenter, 28, explored her new surroundings by doing a spot of sight-seeing with parents, Mark and Betty, and her younger sister Ava-Grace, 12 Trendy: Despite it being a rainy day in Oz, Scarlett was dressed for the warmer climes in a blue pinstripe shirt dress which sheathed over her figure Snap-happy: Scarlett soaked up the culture as she explored the Gold Coast High spirits: The television personality chatted away to her sister during the family sight-seeing trip Sight-seeing: The Googlebox star finished off her low-key ensemble by tying her hair up in a messy bun and appeared relaxed as she strolled through the Gold Coast in Queensland Close bond: Scarlett and Ava looked closer than ever as they held hands Chatting away to her younger sister, the television personality couldn't resist getting her camera out to capture some of the region's stunning views of the coastline. The whole family were later spotted heading into a tourism shop, with Scarlett also sharing a snap of their lunch. Scarlett took to Instagram after her long-haul flight, revealing she decided to treat herself to a McDonalds. She told her 1.8million followers: 'So after a 27 hour flight obviously we all look very glamorous. We've already headed to McDonalds.' Energy boost: Scarlett took to Instagram after her long-haul flight, revealing she decided to treat herself to a McDonalds Feeling tired: She told her 1.8million followers: 'So after a 27-hour flight, obviously we all look very glamorous. We've already headed to McDonalds' The Moffatt family's arrival in Australia comes ahead of I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, which is returning to TV screens in less than two weeks. Scarlett will present the spin-off show on ITV2, Extra Camp alongside Jo Swash and comedian Joel Dommett. On Sunday, the Geordie star marked her last night in the UK with a farewell roast dinner with her friends and family, telling her followers she had never cooked in her kitchen before. She shared snaps of the festivities, saying: 'Going to miss these beautiful souls while I'm in Australia'. Raring to go: The Moffatt's family arrival in Australia comes ahead of I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, which is returning to TV screens in less than two weeks Return to Oz: Scarlett will present the spin-off show on ITV2, Extra Camp alongside Jo Swash and comedian Joel Dommett The reality star added: 'My friends and family have come round the house now which they do most Sundays, I do have a kitchen but I have never cooked in it. 'My mum always brings the roast round, I'm starting to feel a bit guilty. I do provide the mint sauce and Procecco though.' Fans won't have long to wait until the new series begin, where they will see Holly Willoughby stand-in for Ant McPartlin and co-host the show alongside returning presenter Declan Donnelly. The new series is set to kick off on November 18. VIP treatment: The family arrived to Queensland in style, with Scarlett gushing she felt like a 'competition winner' after landing a business class ticket for the flight Sun-kissed: The television personality already looked incredibly bronzed as she headed to a tourist shop with her mum Stylish: Scarlett's mum Betty was casually-clad in a white t-shirt and denim shorts, while Ava looked trendy in fur sliders and a designer bag Sweet: However, her parents and younger sister showed their support by jetting out to accompany her ahead of the launch This year's show will differ from the rest as regular show host Ant McPartlin won't be appearing for the first time in 16 years. The troubled TV presenter is taking an extended break from TV to continue with his recovery following a drink driving incident and his battle with alcohol and painkiller addiction. Holly has been drafted in to replace him for the series, with her addition to the show being widely speculated and later confirmed in August. As she prepares to jet out to Australia, Holly nervously confessed she thinks her new role will be a 'disaster'. The Bachelorette finalists have been whittled down to just three after Ali Oetjen booted Charlie Newling from the show on Thursday. But Ali could be in for one last bombshell before the finale, with contestant Todd King, 26, saying he has to divulge a secret to the blonde beauty. In the latest preview for the show, Ali is is seen looking closer than ever to the Perth-based sales rep who memorably dressed as a knight in the premiere. Scroll down for video 'I need to tell her something she really needs to know about': Bachelorette's Todd King drops a bombshell to Ali Oetjen 'I can't believe there are only three guys left,' Ali can be overheard saying as she kisses Todd. The preview then flashes to Ali excitedly jumping into Todd's arms as the pair enjoy a date together in the country. However, the idyllic scene is interrupted by Todd's candid confession. 'I need to tell Ali something that she really needs to know about': The Perth-based sales rep hints that the secret will impact their close relationship 'I need to tell Ali something that she really needs to know about,' Todd says, with the square jawed blonde looking worried and stern at certain points. The teaser doesn't give too much away, with it then moving on to muscular bank manager Taite Radley who says he feels vunerable. Sitting on a wall together, looking every inch the romantic couple, Taite confesses that his feelings are becoming real. Frontrunner! Throughout the preview, Ali and Todd seem very close with it appearing the final will be between the handsome 26-year-old and Taite Radley 'I could potentially get hurt here,' he can be heard saying, as the pair sit on a warped wall style obstacle at an outdoor training centre. 'It's so hard for me to open up.' Meanwhile, the teaser then moves to baby faced plumber Bill Goldsmith who appears to be struggling to win back Ali after a disastrous hometown visit. Looking like things are getting rocky, Ali starts to question Bill following his awkward hometown which saw Ali not meet his family. 'We need to sort this out and he's not going to like what I have to say': In the teaser, Bill Goldsmith appears to make a comeback after his disastrous hometown with Ali Instead, she was forced to have an awkward dinner with a woman Bill knew from his local dog park. 'I'm well and truly falling in love with you,' Bill confesses to Ali as the pair sit on a park bench. However, Ali appears less than impressed. 'This is just so awkward,' she says. Booted! It comes after 'Mr Perfect' Charlie Newling, 31, (above) was kicked off the show from Ali on Thursday night's episode Confronting Bill over his friend from the dog park, Ali says: 'I asked her if you and Bill have ever dated before?' Bill then replied: 'We've never dated,' to which Ali snaps back, 'Well she said you did date,' before a tense stand-off ensued. 'We need to sort this out and he's not going to like what I have to say,' Ali finishes. The Bachelorette continues next Wednesday on Channel Ten at 7.30pm. Gordon Ramsay was spotted heading to a jewellery store ahead of his daughter Tilly's 17th birthday - a birthday they share! The fiery chef, 52, was seen browsing through the Pandora's Disney line while out in London on Wednesday. Speaking to a shop assistant, who was wearing Mickey Mouse ears, Gordon seemed intent on finding something extra special. Doting: Gordon Ramsay was eyeing up jewellery at London's Pandora store on Wednesday, a day before his and his daughter Tilly's joint birthday Proud: Gordon wrote a loving message about his daughter, writing: '17yrs ago today this young lady was born on my birthday! Happy birthday gorgeous and thank you for bein'g the most gracious hard working, caring and unselfish girl with values in life! Gordon opted for a casual chic ensemble for his outing, as he donned a biker jacket over a simple black T-shirt, which he teamed up with black trousers and trainers. A day later, Gordon gushed about his youngest child on social media. He wrote: '17yrs ago today this young lady was born on my birthday! Happy birthday gorgeous and thank you for being the most gracious hard working, caring and unselfish girl with values in life! 'Have a great day because you me to make mine a great one everyday ! Love you Tilly Dad xxxx.' Searching: The professional chef, 52, was seen browsing through the shop's items, particularly from its Disney collection Need help? The Hell's Kitchen star seemed to be looking very carefully through the shop, before getting help from another shop assistant Tilly, whose real name is Matilda, has been following in her father's footsteps by starring in her own show, Matilda & The Ramsay Bunch: Tilly's Kitchen Takeover. The talented teen landed her own show on the BBC's CBBC channel last year, and the show follows the adventures of the Ramsay family during the summer holidays, with the teen cooking up some exciting treats in between. As of April 24, the show has already recorded and screened 46 episodes over four seasons. Joint celebrations: Tilly also posted a sweet video of herself at a restaurant with her dad as he acted coy with the camera Gordon also shares twins Jack and Holly, 18, and Megan, 20, with his wife of 22 years Tana, 44. The Michelin starred chef admitted last month that he was so heartbroken by his son Jack going to Exeter University that he found himself sitting in his sons room and trying on his clothes. I went upstairs to Jacks bedroom last weekend and I opened the door, he told a US chat show. His socks and pants are there and five minutes later I am wearing them. Family life: Gordon also shares twins Jack and Holly, 18, and Megan, 20, with his wife of 22 years Tana, 44 and loves his family life Shopping spree: Gordon was later spotted at another shop that sells watches He is the same size. All mine were in the bloody wash so I thought Jack has nicked my bloody pants again. Low and behold upstairs in his drawer. So I put them on and just sat on the bed thinking, damn bud I miss you. Seriously. Jacks twin sister Holly, who studies in London, has also left to move into university halls, leaving her father feeling lost and heartbroken, while the couples eldest daughter Megan is studying psychology at Oxford Brookes University. The star said he is desperately missing the pair and now hopes their youngest daughter, Tilly, will stay at home until she is 25. She has been fuelling split rumours with fiance Andrew Brady by continuing to step out without her engagement ring. And Caroline Flack once again went the extra mile to hide her wedding hand as she headed to a studio in London on Thursday. Putting on a casual display as she strolled along, the Love Island host, 38, ensured to wrap up her left hand with her brown coat. Low-key: Caroline Flack fuelled split rumours from fiance Andrew Brady as she went the extra mile to hide her wedding hand as she headed to a studio in London on Thursday Caroline was dressed for comfort in a baggy grey jumper and leggings, which she teamed with white trainers. The TV star sported a slick of make-up and a pair of shades which complemented her tousled blonde locks. Toting her belongings in a black backpack, Caroline proved determined to not show her wedding finger as she continued on about her day. Earlier this week, the beauty stepped out without her wedding ring for a low-key stroll in London. Casual: Putting on a casual display as she strolled along, the Love Island host, 38, ensured to wrap up her left hand with her brown coat Trendsetter: Caroline was dressed for comfort in a baggy grey jumper and leggings, which she teamed with white trainers Caroline's ring-free appearance comes after The Sun reported last month that she has begun to question their future following a drunken rant he allegedly made during their holiday in Portugal. According to the publication, the Apprentice star had been booted out of a juice retreat for bringing in alcohol before launching into an 'abusive' shouting fest at the Love Island host. Caroline was said to be 'devastated' by his behaviour which led fellow guests at the resort to complain, as management chose to evict Andrew for the incident. It was also reported that she returned home on Thursday, and is now considering how to proceed with their relationship and whether they have a future together. Mysterious: Toting her belongings in a black backpack, Caroline proved determined to not show her wedding finger as she continued on about her day Meanwhile, Caroline recently made her mark on Hollywood as she revealed she had just finished filming her first movie in a candid Instagram post. Caroline is said to have landed the cameo in Steve Coogan's latest movie after they became firm friends, according to The Sun. A source told the publication: 'Caroline has always dreamed of being in a Hollywood movie and finally the perfect opportunity has arisen. 'She's been friends with Steve for a while and he recently got in touch offering a small part in one of his latest projects. Splitsville? Caroline's ring-free appearance comes after The Sun reported last month that she has begun to question their future following a drunken rant he allegedly made during their holiday in Portugal 'She leapt at the chance. It was only a cameo but she's hoping it will be a launchpad to her getting other movie jobs.' MailOnline has approached Caroline Flack's representative for further comment. Despite Caroline's modest claims it's her first movie role, the bombshell did star alongside EastEnders actor Danny Dyer in Is Harry On The Boat? Seventeen years ago, the aspiring actress even enjoyed steamy screen time with Dyer's character in the 2001 movie. Caroline is best known for hosting reality television series Love Island as well as her brief stint presenting alongside Olly Murs on The X Factor. Charlotte McKinney boasts an impressive 1.4 million Instagram followers but one recently got too close for comfort. The 25-year-old joined Centre Stage alongside UFC star Paige VanZant to talk about social media at the Web Summit in Lisbon, Portugal on Thursday. While on stage, the blonde bombshell revealed that an obsessed fan actually took things off the internet and tried to 'find' her in real life. Terrifying: Charlotte McKinney revealed that an obsessed Instagram fan tried to find her in real life while she was on stage at Web Summit in Lisbon, Portugal on Thursday Social media mavens: Charlotte, right, took the state with UFC star Paige VanZant at the Summit The blonde's looked like sisters on stage, dressed in matching long sleeve brick red dresses and high heels. When the Summit's moderator questioned the social media guru's about how they deal with the negative aspects of things, like online trolls, the Baywatch star told a harrowing tale. Charlotte explained to the audience that she 'recently had an incident' where a crazed Instagram follower was 'trying to find me.' The fan didn't succeed in finding the actress but, they did manage to locate her parents. Trolls: The moderator questioned the stars about how they deal with the negativity that comes from social media 'It can be really scary, they can really obsess:' Charlotte described her fear about stalker-type fans Scary: A fan recently showed up at Charlotte's parent's work '[He] went to my parents' work,' she divulged 'It really frightened me.'. Adding: 'It can be really scary, they can really obsess.' Charlotte went on to explain that she feels the need to protect her family and friends from her public persona and is now careful about what she shares. 'Hope for the best:' The 25-year-old didn't contact authorities about the fan Instagram love: Charlotte credits social media with helping her to land her first modeling contract She's got this: The 24-year-old UFC fighter was less concerned about stalkers since she can 'beat them up' herself 'I have a niece,' the Orlando native said, 'I don't like to share her.' The actress didn't notify authorities about her most recent incident and said she just has to 'hope for the best.' Both beauties explained that over-eager fans are a double edged sword. Be polite: McKinney recommends trying to be nice to her legion of dedicated fans, even if they go too far Drawing the line: There is a 'barrier' between what is and isn't acceptable from online fans, according to the actress 'You wanna embrace them,' the model said. 'You don't want to be mean to them in a way.' Adding: 'But there is also a barrier.' McKinney's MO for dealing with that is to be 'as polite as can be.' Over all, it seems that the DWTS alum, feels positively about social media and credits Instagram for helping to to get the modeling contract that started her career. She's been in the broadcasting industry for nearly three decades, having risen to fame with her hosting sting on The Big Breakfast. And Zoe Ball shared a glimpse into her humble beginnings as she posted a nostalgic snap of herself with Take That's Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Mark Owen and former members Robbie Williams and Jason Orange to mark #ThrowbackThursdays on Instagram. The BBC presenter, 47, looked worlds away from her current appearance as she sported a pixie 'do from her days as a TV runner in the baby-faced image. Back in time: Zoe Ball shared a nostalgic snap of herself with Take That's Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Mark Owen and former members Robbie Williams and Jason Orange on Thursday It Takes Two host Zoe stood out from the group as she sported a green blouse, while Gary, 47, Robbie, 44, Howard, 50, Jason, 48, and Mark, 46, were all clad in cosy red jumpers. She captioned the image: 'Back in the day Granada TV Manchester where I started my telly career as a runner. Im the one with closed eyes & dodgy earrings' (sic). Take That originally formed in Manchester in 1990 and the band secured eight Brit Awards including Best British Group and Best British Live Act. Flashback: The BBC presenter, 47, looked worlds away from her current appearance (L, pictured on Wednesday) as a TV runner in the baby-faced image Robbie first left the group to continue their tour without him in 1995 before they went their separate ways in 1996. The band joined forces again to tour as a four-piece without Robbie in 2006 after they filmed a documentary together in 2005. However, Robbie did rejoin them in 2010 when they worked on their sixth album as a five-piece again. Success: It Takes Two host Zoe been in the broadcasting industry for nearly three decades, having risen to fame with her hosting sting on The Big Breakfast Throwback: Take That originally formed in Manchester in 1990 and the band secured eight Brit Awards including Best British Group and Best British Live Act (pictured in 1992) Gary, Howard and Mark went ahead to produce their next album without Robbie and Jason in 2014. Zoe's social media activity comes after it was revealed that Rylan Clark-Neal will replace Zoe as host on BBC Radio 2's Saturday afternoon slot. The TV presenter, 30, announced the big news via his Twitter page on Thursday after having previously stepped in to the role over the summer, saying he is 'thrilled' to be in charge of the 3pm to 6pm show from January. He's out! Robbie first left the group to continue their tour without him in 1995 before they went their separate ways in 1996 Together again: The X Factor star rejoined them in 2010 when they worked on their sixth album as a five-piece again (pictured in 2011, Germany) The move comes after Zoe was revealed as the replacement for Chris Evans, 52, as host of the Radio 2 Breakfast Show. Rylan gushed to fans on Twitter: 'Very excited to be joining the @BBCRadio2 family taking over from the amazing @ZoeTheBall in the new year. 'I had the best time covering for Zoe and am looking forward to bringing you a BRAND NEW show for Saturday afternoons. I can't wait x' Moving forward: Gary, Howard and Mark went ahead to produce their next album without Robbie and Jason in 2014 (pictured on Amazon Prime Day 2018) New role: Zoe's social media activity comes after it was revealed that Rylan Clark-Neal will replace Zoe as host on BBC Radio 2's Saturday afternoon slot The former Big Brother's Bit On The Side host wished his predecessor all the best in a statement, adding: 'I wish Zoe every success as the station's new Breakfast Show host and I'm sure she's going to be as brilliant as she always has been. He then added: 'I can't wait to get started and look forward to being in the studio from the New Year.' Zoe was revealed as the first female to host the show earlier last month, the first to do so in its 51-year history, after bosses opted to choose her over Sara Cox. Can't wait! Rylan, 30, gushed to fans on Twitter: 'Very excited to be joining the @BBCRadio2 family taking over from the amazing @ZoeTheBall in the new year' Sara, who presents a 10pm to midnight show on Radio 2, is now set to become the new presenter of Drivetime, and replace Jo Whiley and Simon Mayo. Zoe has reportedly been handed a 1.2million a year salary to host the Radio 2 Breakfast Show, making her the BBC's highest paid woman. Her 1 million salary rise was agreed after several weeks of complex regulations, with bosses hoping to make savings on Evans' 1.69million pay packet but fearful that slashing too heavily would raise equal pay questions, it is claimed. The Strictly It Takes Two host's previous salary was officially disclosed as between 250,000 to 300,000 for her work on Radio 2 and presenting the Strictly spin-off. Ezra Miller has detailed the adversity as he faced growing up because of his sexuality. The actor, 26, got candid with ES Magazine as he discussed his troubled childhood, admitting that there were people (in the industry) who gave him a rough time for coming out as queer. Offering context, the Fantastic Beasts star revealed he was 'repeatedly assaulted' for being gender ambiguous, with a few boys lashing out at him after they tried to kiss him because they thought he was a girl. Adversity: Ezra Miller, 26, got candid with ES Magazine as he discussed his troubled childhood, admitting that there were people who gave him a rough time for coming out as queer Ezra's sensational acting skills has seen him lend his talents to a slew of acclaimed flicks such as We Need To Talk To Kevin and The Perks of Being a Wallflower. However, his rise to the top hasn't been without hardships, as he candidly revealed in the interview that he was judged for coming out - despite him viewing his own years of exploration as a beautiful, ongoing and very sexy journey. I was repeatedly assaulted as a young teenager, for being weird and gender ambiguous. They couldnt figure out if I was a boy or a girl, and they thought that was hilarious and also despicable, he stated. 'There were also (boys) who wanted to make out with me because they thought I was a girl. And when they found out I wasnt, they were very angry, as if Id been deceptive. Troubles: The star revealed he was 'repeatedly assaulted' for being gender ambiguous, with a few boys lashing out at him after they tried to kiss him because they thought he was a girl Proud: He candidly revealed in the interview that he was judged for coming out - despite him viewing his own years of exploration as a beautiful, ongoing and very sexy journey Ezra also shockingly revealed that he has been judged on his choice of clothing on multiple occasion. Ive been physically attacked in public for wearing short oral overalls. Ive been attacked in New Jersey, New York City, Asheville, North Carolina at a Waffle House... And despite being confident with his sexuality, he proved to be greatly respectful of those who aren't as open when it comes to discussing it. It is everyones choice how they want to handle that delicate and complicated matter. Ive been physically attacked in public': Ezra also shockingly revealed that he has been judged on his choice of clothing on multiple occasion However, Ezra did prove slightly critical in celebrating the gains in the LGBTQ community in the West. We celebrate progress in very privileged pockets of the world. We get together in halls and present each other with awards for minuscule bits of crawling progress, when we are killing the whole earth and were killing ourselves. His candid interview comes after yet another recent tell-all with The Hollywood Reporter, where he shared his story for the first time about being underage and given alcohol by a Hollywood producer and director. Shocking: In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he shared his story for the first time about being underage and given alcohol by a Hollywood producer and director Miller wouldn't divulge the names of the men he claims plied him with wine and made suggestive comments. Ezra has two major film franchises in the works: Fantastic Beasts and the title character in the upcoming superhero flick Flash. He is credited as the first queer superhero for the latter. They were co-stars in the Harry Potter films as young children, shooting to fame for their respective portrayals of Hermione Granger and villain Draco Malfoy. And Emma Watson, 28, recently enjoyed a reunion with her co-star and onetime crush Tom Felton, 31, taking to Instagram to share a snap of them relaxing together on the golden shores of Los Angeles' hip Venice Beach on Thursday. As well as sharing a snapshot of the pair posing together as they basked in the glorious Southern California sunshine, Emma also uploaded a brief video of the pair skateboarding along the boardwalk together. Pals: Harry Potter co-stars Emma Watson and Tom Felton enjoyed a reunion on Los Angeles' Venice Beach recently, posing for a selfie which the actress shared on Instagram on Thursday In the clip, the stars are shown whizzing along the shoreline on Tom's board as he playfully tells Emma: 'Easy with the wobbling! Keep your feet still!' 'They are!' Emma responded, as she stood on the skateboard closely behind him. 'You're not,' Surrey-born Tom jokingly shot back. 'You're dancing around on the board like a clown! Hang on tight!' 'I'm hanging on,' the Beauty And The Beast star quietly replied, as the endearing video came to an end. Friendship never ends: The pair, pictured a the New York premiere of Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban in 2004, have been friends for almost 20 years In the snapshot accompanying the video, the pair wore casual white T-shirts as Emma donned a flipped grey cap while Tom angled the camera for the perfect selfie. Throwing her support behind Tom's new YouTube Premium show Origin, which also stars Harry Potter's Natalie Tena, she wrote: 'Toms @origin_series is out on 14th November. Congrats dear friend. #TFToleratingmysubparskatingskillssince1999.' While the pair have remained friends over the almost-20 years since they first started shooting inaugural Harry Potter film, Emma caused quite the stir back in 2011 when she revealed that she once had a crush on Tom. Speaking to Seventeen at the time, the Paris-born beauty disclosed: 'For the first two movies, I had a huge crush on Tom Felton. He was my first crush. Riding along: During their reunion, the pair also enjoyed a skateboard ride along the boardwalk 'He totally knows. We talked about it we still laugh about it. We are really good friends now, and that's cool.' Emma is in a relationship with businessman and tech CEO Brendan Wallace, 37, with whom she was seen enjoying a romantic break in Mexico last month. Meanwhile, Tom was spotted enjoying a passionate clinch with a blonde beauty in August during a night out on Venice Beach. Tom, who is known for keeping his romantic life largely private, previously dated Harry Potter co-star Jade Olivia for seven years. His big moment: Following their catch-up, Tom hit the red carpet for the premiere of the Origin TV show at Vue in the West End on Thursday night Snazzy: The actor rocked a jazzy purple jacket and beige polka dot chinos for the launch Natural hair colour: Tom's hairstyle looked remarkably different from his Draco Malfoy platinum blonde days The cast: The Harry Potter star was joined on the red carpet by (L-R) Fraser James, Madalyn Horcher, Adelayo Adedayo, Sen Mitsuji, Siobhan Cullen, Tom Felton, Mika Watkins, Natalia Tena, Nina Wadia and Philipp Christopher Rise to fame: The pair, pictured with co-stars (L-R) Robbie Coltrane and Rupert Grint in 2002, were catapulted to fame thanks to their respective roles in the hit movie franchise The 31-year-old beauty took her on-screen romance with the star off-screen as she played the wife of Tom's character Draco in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 in 2011. While the pair enjoying an array of romantic getaways and appearing on glitzy red carpet, Tom and Jade called it quits in early 2016. Tom rose to fame after appearing as Harry Potter's in-school nemesis in all eight films, based on the globally popular books by J.K. Rowling about The Boy Who Lived. Carving out a successful career in acting after from the franchise, the Brit has since gone on to star in Rise of The Planet of The Apes and A United Kingdom. Modern Family's Sarah Hyland shared a behind-the-scenes snap of her prosthetic baby bump hours after ABC aired the episode in which her character Haley Dunphy's pregnancy was revealed. 'Well I guess the cat's outta the bag!' the 27-year-old actress - who boasts 8.7M social media followers - wrote on Instagram. 'Or more like the bump's outta the shirt! That was a horrible joke. I apologize.' 'I guess the cat's outta the bag!' Modern Family's Sarah Hyland shared a BTS snap of her prosthetic baby bump hours after ABC aired the episode in which her character Haley Dunphy's pregnancy was revealed In Wednesday's episode - titled 'Did the Chicken Cross the Road?' - the Nerp style editor headed to the hospital after a tube of lipstick got jammed into her nose while riding a bumper car. The eldest Dunphy child didn't suffer any major injuries, but a nurse randomly delivered the news to Haley and her boyfriend Dylan (Reid Ewing) that they're going to be parents. Before it aired, Sarah not-so-subtlely teased Haley's news by posting that it was going to be 'shocking' and 'a BUMPY ride' and then wrote: 'Ooooooo BABY I'm excited!' The four-time SAG Award winner and her boyfriend of a year - The Bachelorette alum Wells Adams - Insta-storied themselves watching the moment the pregnancy moment aired. Ouch! In Wednesday's episode, the Nerp style editor headed to the hospital after a tube of lipstick got jammed into her nose while riding a bumper car The moment: The eldest Dunphy child didn't suffer major injuries, but a nurse delivered the news to Haley and her boyfriend Dylan (Reid Ewing) that they're going to be parents Before it aired, the 27-year-old actress not-so-subtlely teased Haley's news by posting that it was going to be 'shocking' and 'a BUMPY ride' and then wrote: 'Ooooooo BABY I'm excited!' Sipping wine: Sarah and her boyfriend of a year - The Bachelorette alum Wells Adams - Insta-storied themselves watching the moment the pregnancy moment aired The native New Yorker and her castmates Rico Rodriguez, Nolan Gould, and Ariel Winter scored a 'significant' pay raise for the 10th (and final) season, according to Variety. It's unclear the exact dollar amount but the adults - Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Eric Stonestreet, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Ed O'Neill, and Sofia Vergara - all earn an eye-popping $500K per episode. The Colombian 46-year-old will compete for best comedy TV star and the mockumentary sitcom is up for best comedy show at the fan-voted People's Choice Awards, which air this Sunday on E! The doe-eyed starlet will serve as Disney World host for The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration - airing November 29 on ABC - with performers Gwen Stefani, Meghan Trainor, and Andrea Bocelli. Parents-to-be: The four-time SAG Award winner and her young castmates scored a 'significant' pay raise for the 10th (and final) season, while the adults earn $500K per episode Airing Sunday on E! Sarah's co-star Sofia Vergara will compete for best comedy TV star and the mockumentary sitcom is up for best comedy show at the fan-voted People's Choice Awards Advertisement The models are getting glammed up as they prepare to take the runway by storm for the 2018 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Adriana Lima was one of the Angels sitting in the makeup chair - and the star couldn't have looked any happier as she got ready for yet another walk down the runway. The star, 37, flashed a silly smile and a peace sign as a a hairstylist applied spritz to her jet black locks. Smile! Adriana Lima couldn't have looked any happier as she got her hair and makeup done backstage of the big show Happy days: Behati Prinsloo flashed a huge smile as she got her makeup done Now that there are just moments to go until the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show begins, hairdressers and stylists are working round the clock getting the models ready for their moment in the spotlight. Behati Prinsloo beamed with joy as makeup artists fussed over her complexion. Tonight marks Behati's return to the VS Fashion Show, after skipping the last two shows due to pregnancies. Toni Garrn was among one of the Angels receiving the beauty treatment. The model posted an Instagram story of herself sitting in the makeup chair as Anthony Turner worked his magic on her hair. Holding still: A makeup artist carefully applied a hint of smoky eye to Prinsloo Radiant: The star looked picture perfect in the makeup chair Hard at work: Models were already getting glammed up by hairstylist Anthony Turner on Thursday morning Best tressed! Turner couldn't have looked happier as he worked on a model's hair Let's do this! Toni Garrn flashed a peace sign as she sat in the makeup chair Strike a pose! A model posed for a photo taken by fellow model Iesha Hodges Double trouble: The ladies had fun behind-the-scenes taking photos of each other 'Let's go,' she wrote in the image. In between their makeup sessions, Iesha Hodges and another model had a blast taking snaps of each other backstage. Shanina Shaik was the picture of glam as she sat patiently in the makeup chair, wearing her designated black VS robe as a stylist inspected her nails. Curl power: Megan Williams wore her silky VS robe as she got her hair curled Getting ready for their close-up: Shanina Shaik sat patiently for a makeup artist Makeup magic! Jasmine Tookes beamed as she applied her makeup herself Looking glam: Aiden Curtiss looked gorgeous as she prepped for the big show Jasmine Tookes tried her hand out on doing her own makeup, and flashed a huge grin as she dabbed some eye shadow upon her brow. Stella Maxwell, meanwhile, became the center of attention as multiple stylists fussed over her hair. The model sat wide-eyed as hairdressers worked quickly on her blonde tresses. Pucker up! Herieth Paul blew kisses at the camera during her glam session Carefree: Kelsey Merritt looked overjoyed as she got her hair done All hands on deck! Multiple stylists tended to Stella Maxwell's hair The countdown begins! Winnie Harlow smiled from ear to ear as she sat in the makeup chair, not long before her moment in the spotlight Sisters Gigi and Bella Hadid got ready for the show together, chatting with each other with each other as they wore their sparkling black robes. Kendall Jenner did some of her own makeup as well, and carefully applied some coverage beneath her eyes. It wasn't just the models headed to the fashion show, either. Sister act: Gigi and Bella Hadid sat side by side as they got ready for the show Touching up: Kendall Jenner carefully applied makeup beneath her eyes On their way! Toni and Shanina Shaik shared their pre-VS Fashion Show day Musical guest Rita Ora was pictured wearing head-to-toe black as she headed to the show with her long, bright blonde locks styled down. This year you can also expect regular Angels such as Adriana Lima, Candice Swanepoel, Martha Hunt, Stella Maxwell, Lais Ribeiro, Sara Sampaio, Cindy Bruna and Taylor Hill, who will open this year's show. This year's show will take place on November 8 in New York City. The show will then be broadcast on TV and online December 2. Picture perfect: Romee Strijd had her hair in curlers as a makeup artist touched up her face Hitting a fashion high note! Musical guest Rita Ora was pictured wearing head-to-toe black as she headed to the show with her long, bright blonde locks styled down Advertisement They're close knit friends who are also happen to be some of the biggest names in fashion. So it's no surprise Kendall Jenner chose to get ready for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show alongside her BFFs, Gigi and Bella Hadid. While the ladies were able to enjoy a brief moment of catch up with each other, it didn't take long until they were swarmed by stylists fussing over every strand of their hair. All hands on deck! Hairdressers fussed over Gigi and Bella Hadid's hair as they prepped for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show Touching up: Kendall Jenner applied coverage beneath her eyes as she gazed into a hand held mirror With just moments to go until cameras would be trained on the girls, all hands were deck backstage as the girls were primped and polished to perfection. Kendall sat on the floor as she chatted enthusiastically with Bella, who enjoyed a cup of tea while sitting in the makeup chair. Bella sat still as a makeup artist carefully and expertly completed her look. The model even assisted, applying lip gloss upon her pout as the stylist held her tea. Girl time: Kendall chatted enthusiastically with Bella as the model enjoyed a cup of tea Her lips are sealed: A makeup artist expertly applied liner to Bella's lips Helping hand: The stylist held onto Bella's tea as the catwalk queen applied lip gloss Pucker up: Hadid made a kissing expression as she continued completing her final look Picture perfect: Hadid looked glam after finishing off her lip gloss Strike a pose: Hadid took a selfie as she blew kisses toward the camera Gigi, meanwhile, attempted to have a phone conversation as she got her hair blown out. Two hairdressers worked on her mane as she held the phone close, clearly determined to finish up the conversation even during the hustle and bustle. In spite of the backstage chaos, Gigi looked in high spirits as she got ready for yet another runway show. Sitting pretty: The younger Hadid sister looked gleeful as she got her hair done I'm listening! Gigi was attempting to have a phone conversation even as several hairdressers worked on her mane Calling it out! Hadid attempted to talk over the blow dryers Sister act: The girls chatted with each other as they sat together backstage Keeping her cool: Though she was just moments away from hitting the runway, Hadid looked calm and collected The models are getting glammed up as they prepare to take the runway by storm for the 2018 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Adriana Lima was one of the Angels sitting in the makeup chair - and the star couldn't have looked any happier as she got ready for yet another walk down the runway. The star, 37, flashed a silly smile and a peace sign as a a hairstylist applied spritz to her jet black locks. Strike a pose! Jenner looked stunning as she posed after getting her makeup done in her flip flops Smile! Adriana Lima couldn't have looked any happier as she got her hair and makeup done backstage of the big show Happy days: Behati Prinsloo flashed a huge smile as she got her makeup done Now that there are just moments to go until the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show begins, hairdressers and stylists are working round the clock getting the models ready for their moment in the spotlight. Behati Prinsloo beamed with joy as makeup artists fussed over her complexion. Girls, girls, girls! British singer Rita Ora, second from right, joins Candice Swanepoel, Behati Prinsloo and Adriana Lima backstage; she will perform during the show Ready to bare: The foursome had fun posing up , with bleached blonde Rita making friends with the models Pout it up! Joining Rita in the musical line-up are Bebe Rexha, The Chainsmokers, Halsey, Kelsea Ballerini, Shawn Mendes, and The Struts Lovely Rita, meter maid: The singer will perform on the runway during the show, which will be recorded for broadcast Tonight marks Behati's return to the VS Fashion Show, after skipping the last two shows due to pregnancies - she gave birth to her second child in February. Toni Garrn was another one of the Angels receiving the beauty treatment. The model posted an Instagram story of herself sitting in the makeup chair as Anthony Turner worked his magic on her hair. Makeup magic: Stylists surrounded Adriana as they prepped her hair Holding still: A makeup artist carefully applied a hint of smoky eye to Prinsloo Radiant: The star looked picture perfect in the makeup chair Turning heads: Even with curlers on, the ladies put on a show-stopping display Oh la la: The models were already dropping jaws ahead of their moment in the lights; seen are Willow Hand, Leomie Anderson, Alanna Arrington and others Hard at work: Models were already getting glammed up by hairstylist Anthony Turner on Thursday morning Best tressed! Turner couldn't have looked happier as he worked on a model's hair All that glitters: Taylor Hill and Shanina dazzled in their stunning black robes Let's do this! Toni Garrn flashed a peace sign as she sat in the makeup chair Strike a pose! A model posed for a photo taken by fellow model Iesha Hodges Double trouble: The ladies had fun behind-the-scenes taking photos of each other 'Let's go,' she wrote in the image. In between their makeup sessions, Iesha Hodges and another model had a blast taking snaps of each other backstage. Shanina Shaik was the picture of glam as she sat patiently in the makeup chair, wearing her designated black VS robe as a stylist inspected her nails. Curl power: Megan Williams wore her silky VS robe as she got her hair curled Getting ready for their close-up: Shanina Shaik sat patiently for a makeup artist Makeup magic! Jasmine Tookes beamed as she applied her makeup herself Looking glam: Aiden Curtiss looked gorgeous as she prepped for the big show Double trouble: Barbara Palvin and Sadie Newman showed off their stunning complexions Jasmine Tookes tried her hand out on doing her own makeup, and flashed a huge grin as she dabbed some eye shadow upon her brow. Stella Maxwell, meanwhile, became the center of attention as multiple stylists fussed over her hair. The model sat wide-eyed as hairdressers worked quickly on her blonde tresses. Pucker up! Herieth Paul blew kisses at the camera during her glam session Carefree: Kelsey Merritt looked overjoyed as she got her hair done All hands on deck! Multiple stylists tended to Stella Maxwell's hair The countdown begins! Winnie Harlow smiled from ear to ear as she sat in the makeup chair, not long before her moment in the spotlight Sister act: Gigi and Bella Hadid sat side by side as they got ready for the show Looking good: Behati got a portion of her hair twisted up into a bun as Devon Windsor rocked romantic waves She's back! Hadid struck a playful pose with Ming Xi, the model who fell on stage during the 2017 fashion show On their way! Toni and Shanina Shaik shared their pre-VS Fashion Show day Musical guest Rita Ora was pictured wearing head-to-toe black as she headed to the show with her long, bright blonde locks styled down. This year you can also expect regular Angels such as Candice Swanepoel, Martha Hunt, Lais Ribeiro, Sara Sampaio, Cindy Bruna and Taylor Hill, who will open this year's show. While this year's show will take place on November 8 in New York, it will not be broadcast on TV and online until December 2. Gorgeous: Models sat for photos while waiting for the big show Picture perfect: Romee Strijd had her hair in curlers as a makeup artist touched up her face Hitting a fashion high note! Musical guest Rita Ora was pictured wearing head-to-toe black as she headed to the show with her long, bright blonde locks styled down She must be a proud parent as the mother of two sought-after supermodels. And Yolanda Hadid was ready to show her support for her famous daughters Gigi and Bella as she was spotted making her way to the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in New York City on Thursday. The 50-year-old beauty looked every inch the cover girl herself in a chic black coat, turtleneck sweater, and denim leggings. Supportive parent: Yolanda Hadid, 50, was spotted making her way to the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show to show her support for her famous daughters Gigi and Bella in New York City on Thursday Daring to impress, the former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star showcased her enviable figure in the form fitting ensemble. She swept her trademark platinum tresses back in a tight bun allowing her youthful face to shine as she rocked a pair of retro shades. Adding a thin black belt to her lithe waist to hold up her skinny jeans, the Dutch sophisticate stomped the Big Apple streets in black leather military boots. And the doting mom shared a sweet snap of Gigi and Bella when they were babies wearing angel wings. Chic mama: The beauty looked every inch the cover girl herself in a chic black coat, turtleneck sweater, and denim leggings Impressive: Daring to impress, the former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star showcased her enviable figure in the form fitting ensemble She captioned it: 'Good luck today my sweet angels. It has been such a blessing to watch you make this dream a reality' The annual Victoria's Secret Show will see some of the biggest names in fashion sharing the runway. It generally features a mix of seasoned Angels, high-profile names and a lucky batch of newcomers. Hair story: She swept her trademark platinum tresses back in a tight bun allowing her youthful face to shine as she rocked a pair of retro shades Throwback: The doting mom shared a sweet snap of Gigi and Bella when they were babies wearing angel wings Barbara Palvin will be returning to the show after last walking in 2012. 'Wooowww!! Im speechless. So happy to share the news with you all that ill be walking the Victorias Secret fashion show this year. Thank you,' she captioned a snap of herself celebrating. This year you can also expect regular Angels such as Adriana Lima, Candice Swanepoel, Martha Hunt, Stella Maxwell, Lais Ribeiro, Sara Sampaio, Cindy Bruna and Taylor Hill, who will open this year's show. Behati Prinsloo will also return, who skipped the last two shows due to pregnancies. This year's show will take place on November 8 in New York City. The show will then be broadcast on TV and online December 2. He recently revealed he was 'repeatedly assaulted' during his childhood for being gender ambiguous. But Ezra Miller proved he refuses to be downtrodden as he made a serious style statement while attending the Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald world premiere in Paris on Thursday. The Perks Of Being A Wallflower actor, 26, looked wonderfully eccentric as he stormed the red carpet in a black padded quilt-style gown with a dramatic hood and cape detailing. Bold style statement: Ezra Miller stole the show in an eccentric padded gown at the Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald premiere in Paris on Thursday Sticking to an all-black theme, the We Need To Talk About Kevin star accessorised with black leather gloves. He injected a gothic touch to the bold look by plumping his lips with a vampy slick of dark burgundy lipstick. Fully committing to his fashion-forward ensemble, the New Jersey native flashed a stony pout as he posed masterfully at the event. Ezra, who plays Credence Barebone in Fantastic Beasts, certainly put on a sartorial show as he posed at the premiere with his co-stars Eddie Redmayne and Zoe Kravitz. Dramatic: The Perks Of Being A Wallflower actor, 26, looked wonderfully eccentric in his ensemble, which he gave a gothic twist thanks to a vampy slick of dark burgundy lipstick Bold: Sticking to an all-black theme, the We Need To Talk About Kevin star accessorised with black leather gloves Director David Yates said he was 'thrilled' to bring the world premiere of his new film to the City of Light. 'Paris has given us an extraordinary backdrop for our film,' he said. So we're thrilled to have the opportunity to acknowledge its unique beauty, character and ambiance and the legendary passion of French Wizarding World fans by celebrating our world premiere in this magical city.' Ezra's outing comes after he detailed the adversity as he faced growing up because of his sexuality. The actor got candid with ES Magazine as he discussed his troubled childhood, admitting that there were people (in the industry) who gave him a rough time for coming out as queer. Taking centre-stage: Fully committing to his fashion-forward ensemble, the New Jersey native flashed a stony pout as he posed masterfully at the event Stealing the limelight: Ezra, who plays Credence Barebone in Fantastic Beasts, certainly put on a sartorial show as he posed at the premiere Offering context, Miller revealed he was 'repeatedly assaulted' for being gender ambiguous, with a few boys lashing out at him after they tried to kiss him because they thought he was a girl. Ezra's sensational acting skills has seen him lend his talents to a slew of acclaimed flicks such as We Need To Talk To Kevin and The Perks of Being a Wallflower. However, his rise to the top hasn't been without hardships, as he candidly revealed in the interview that he was judged for coming out - despite him viewing his own years of exploration as 'a beautiful, ongoing and very sexy journey'. 'I was repeatedly assaulted as a young teenager, for being weird and gender ambiguous. They couldn't figure out if I was a boy or a girl, and they thought that was hilarious and also despicable,' he stated. Adversity: His outing comes after he discussed his troubled childhood, admitting that there were people who gave him a rough time for coming out as queer Troubles: The star revealed he was 'repeatedly assaulted' for being gender ambiguous, with a few boys lashing out at him after they tried to kiss him because they thought he was a girl Proud: He candidly revealed in the interview that he was judged for coming out - despite him viewing his own years of exploration as 'a beautiful, ongoing and very sexy journey' 'There were also (boys) who wanted to make out with me because they thought I was a girl. And when they found out I wasn't, they were very angry, as if I'd been deceptive.' Ezra also shockingly revealed that he has been judged on his choice of clothing on multiple occasion. 'I've been physically attacked in public for wearing short oral overalls. I've been attacked in New Jersey, New York City, Asheville, North Carolina at a Waffle House...' And despite being confident with his sexuality, he proved to be greatly respectful of those who aren't as open when it comes to discussing it. 'It is everyone's choice how they want to handle that delicate and complicated matter.' 'I've been physically attacked in public': Ezra also shockingly revealed that he has been judged on his choice of clothing on multiple occasion However, Ezra did prove slightly critical in celebrating the gains in the LGBTQ community in the West. 'We celebrate progress in very privileged pockets of the world. We get together in halls and present each other with awards for minuscule bits of crawling progress, when we are killing the whole earth and we're killing ourselves.' His candid interview comes after yet another recent tell-all with The Hollywood Reporter, where he shared his story for the first time about being underage and given alcohol by a Hollywood producer and director. Shocking: In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he shared his story for the first time about being underage and given alcohol by a Hollywood producer and director Miller wouldn't divulge the names of the men he claims plied him with wine and made suggestive comments. Ezra has two major film franchises in the works: Fantastic Beasts and the title character in the upcoming superhero flick Flash. He is credited as the first queer superhero for the latter. Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly looked sullen as they held a reportedly 'difficult' meeting about their TV future in Chiswick on Tuesday. The presenting pair were said to be full of 'silent anger' and 'frustration' on the day, according to body language expert Judi James. However, the duo's representative hit back at the claims, telling MailOnline: 'This is yet another person spouting total rubbish just to try and get a moment in the spotlight on the back of Ant and Dec. They should be ashamed.' Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly PICTURED: Stony-faced duo 'held crisis talks over their future in TV... as star prepares to hand over 30million to ex-wife Lisa Armstrong in divorce' The double act were joined by Ant's ladylove Anne-Marie Corbett as well as Dec's wife Ali Astall and baby daughter Isla. Ant looked stony-faced during the outing, amid claims he is preparing to hand over 30million to his ex Lisa Armstrong to end their divorce battle. The embattled star donned a suave blue blazer and practical trainers while he headed to the car with his rucksack in his hand. Anne-Marie looked out of this world in her star-print jumpsuit and leather jacket when she joined her boyfriend and his TV sidekick. Ant left with Anne-Marie in tow as they both were seen clambering into the same Land Rover after their meet up with Dec and his wife Ali. No ice between them: Dec was seen walking by himself with his hands in his pockets to keep off the chill as the temperatures continue to plummet across Britain Home time: The embattled star left with Anne-Marie in tow as they both were seen clambering into the same Land Rover after their meet up with Dec and his wife Ali Dec was seen walking by himself with his hands in his pockets to keep off the chill as the temperatures continue to plummet across Britain. Ali was also on the scene to offer her support to her husband as she was seen pushing their little girl in a pram. Body language expert Judi said the photos suggested Dec was bottling up a 'silent anger' and 'frustration'. 'We're so used to seeing Ant and Dec grinning together like schoolboys that they appear almost unrecognisable in these grim-faced photos as they emerge from what have been described as crisis talks over their future together,' she told The Mirror. Pictured: Ant looked stony-faced amid claims he is preparing to hand over 30million to his ex Lisa Armstrong to end their divorce battle Flying solo: Ant donned a suave blue blazer and practical trainers while he headed to the car with his rucksack in his hand 'The fact they took their partners should have implied a bit of a friendly family atmosphere and a desire to restore all those old industrial-strength bonds but there's no sign from any of their body language that the meeting was anything other than difficult.' She added: 'Dec's body language signals hint at silent anger, frustration or anxiety. His features are contorted into a frown with deep lines etched at the sides of his mouth which is partially open with what look like clenched teeth and a slight lower jaw jut hinting at displeasure.' MailOnline has contacted the duo's representative for comment. It has been months since Ant last appeared on TV with Declan in pre-recorded Britain's Got Talent scenes in May. Explained: Ant has taken an extended break from the spotlight since his drink-drive arrest in March and subsequent rehab stint It's love: Dec's wife was also on the scene to offer her support to her husband as she was seen pushing their little girl in a pram Ant has taken an extended break from the spotlight since his drink-drive arrest in March and subsequent rehab stint. The long-term pals, who are expected to reunite on BGT early in the New Year, allegedly had a meeting in London to discuss their TV plans. An insider told the publication: 'Ant's well-being is at the forefront of everyone's minds and he's in a great place. Pout and about: Anne-Marie looked out of this world in her star-print jumpsuit and leather jacket when she joined her boyfriend and his TV sidekick 'But now they are trying to work out how his comeback will plan out and how everything will work. It's been a tough year for everyone.' Ant is expected to film Britain's Got Talent early next year, when filming for the auditions start. But as Dec will be away shooting I'm A Celebrity! with Holly Willoughby in Australia until December, the duo are allegedly keen to sort out their timetable now. MailOnline has previously contacted Ant and Dec's representative for comment. Revealed: Ant is said to be preparing to hand over half of his 60million fortune to ex Lisa Armstrong to end their ongoing divorce battle (Anne-Marie pictured) The pair's outing comes amid claims Ant is ready to hand over half of his 60million fortune to ex Lisa Armstrong to end their ongoing divorce battle. The TV presenter announced that he was splitting from his wife earlier this year and was due in court as part of the divorce case this week. But he angered a judge when he failed to turn up at court, and was later seen walking his dog with new girlfriend Anne-Marie. Friends of the star have said he is ready to pay Lisa 30million to draw a line under their marriage and end the legal wrangle. Rumour has it: Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have reportedly had 'crisis talks' about their plans to present together next year Timings: Ant is expected to film Britain's Got Talent early next year, when filming for the auditions start. But as Dec will be shooting I'm A Celebrity! with Holly Willoughby (pictured) in Australia until December, the duo are allegedly keen to sort out their timetable now A source told The Daily Express: 'Ant has agreed that Lisa is going to get half of everything. He was told that he did not have to be there so he was shocked at the judge having a go at him.' Ant has since apologised for missing the High Court hearing after the judge 'told him off' over the no show. Instead of going to the hearing, the presenter, 42, was was seen walking Labrador Hurley on Wimbledon Common with former PA and new partner Anne-Marie, also 42. In snaps taken while the hearing was going on at the Royal Courts of Justice, Ant looked at ease as he strolled along the grass in the mild autumn weather. She has been supportive of her love Bradley Cooper's soaring success with his directorial debut A Star Is Born while juggling her work and mummy duties to Lea. And while Irina Shayk was flying solo, she absolutely nailed her outfit choice at the 20th GQ Men of the Year Award at Komische Oper in Berlin on Thursday. The giddy model looked stunning in her silver mini dress as she held hands with the youthful looking Donatella Versace, 63. Bradley Cooper's long-term ladylove looked utterly fabulous in her strapless silver tasseled and beaded mini dress at the star-studded event in Germany. The Russian supermodel framed her legs with the tassels edging the hem of her tiny number paired with her elongating thigh-high boots. Always making a fuss over her glamorous looks, Irina ran her fingers through her shoulder-length brunette tresses when she hit the red carpet. The brunette defined her features with a neutral make-up palette and eyeliner which didn't detract away from her sparkling outfit. Away from her mummy duties to her 19-month-old little one, Irina was completely in her element as she waved to the cameras at the bustling social scene. All legs: The Russian supermodel framed her legs with the tassels edging the hem of her tiny number paired with her elongating thigh-high boots Sensational in silver: Bradley Cooper's long-term ladylove, 32, looked utterly fabulous in her strapless tasseled and beaded mini dress at the star-studded event in Germany Keeping up her good looks! Always making a fuss over her glamorous looks, Irina ran her fingers through her shoulder-length brunette tresses when she hit the red carpet The stars were out in their droves as Orlando Bloom, Jason Derulo and Patrick Dempsey made their presence known at the magazine bash hosted in Germany. Irina has been balancing her modelling and events with bringing up the little girl she raises with her movie star love Bradley. The model freely expressed she was 'of course' very proud of Bradley's success as A Star Is Born has been tipped for an Oscar nomination. Good pals: Donatella Versace joined forces with Russian supermodel Irina Still got it: Away from her mummy duties to her 19-month-old little one, Irina was completely in her element as she waved to the cameras at the bustling social scene She's a natural: The brunette defined her features with a neutral make-up palette and eyeliner which didn't detract away from her sparkling outfit Asked if she was proud of him, she simply responded: 'Of course I am.' Of her work/life balance, she told EXTRA: 'I think if you love your work and, you know, you can find time for everything and, you know, I found myself to find time for everything. 'If you love to do something, you can manage everything nowadays. We can see many women who are working moms and doing tons of stuff.' Beaming beauty: Irina signed lots of autographs to waiting fans outside of the venue Trendsetting! Orlando Bloom led the pack of stars in his trendy velvet tuxedo when he made a commanding appearance at the bash Suited and booted! Patrick Dempsey looked handsome on arrival in his tuxedo at the event where he mingled with the stars A royal appearance! James Middleton showcased his trendy sense of style in his tartan green and red trousers and shiny shoes Vision in white! Cathy Fischer looked fantastic in her snow-white jumpsuit and heels Perfect pair: Bastian Schweinsteiger and his wife Ana Schweinsteiger-Ivanovic looked incredibly loved-up on arrival at the occasion Happy to be there! Jason Derulo was hitting all the right style notes in his three-piece tuxedo Fast and furious: Rebecca Mir and Massimo Sinato posed up a storm in front of the lavish set of wheels on arrival at the magazine party Pictured: Henry Cavill, Herbert Groenemeyer, Franziska Knuppe, Orlando Bloom, Donatella Versace, Patrick Dempsey, Jason Derulo, Dries Van Noten and Palina Rojinski Vision in white: Franziska Knuppe took the plunge in a white gown as she paraded her figure at the stunning GQ magazine event Bow-tiful man! Orlando looked sensational in his velvet tux and bow tie Hello handsome! Orlando scooped the Style Award at the bash hosted in Germany Exciting: Henry Cavill made a great speech after he received his award at the glittering occasion packed with stars Top moment: The Bridget Jones Baby star, Palina Rojinski and Tom Junkersdorf got cosy when they posed for a photograph inside of the venue She's ordinarily seen attending glitzy celebrity events solo. But J K Rowling's husband Neil Michael Murray was there to support his wife on Thursday night's World Premiere of her latest film Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. The husband of the screenwriter and novelist even decided to compliment her outfit, making a statement in a checked blue and green kilt, as they stepped out in Paris for the occasion. SCROLL DOWN FOR PREMIERE LIVE STREAM By her side: J K Rowling's husband Neil Michael Murray was there to support his wife on Thursday night's World Premiere of her latest film Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald J K - which is her pen name, used to initial Joanne Kathleen - stunned in a green gown, putting on her usual chic display. The V-necked dress featured a ruffled trim along the shoulders and front, cascading down the 53-year-old author's lithe frame. Pinched at the waist, the long-sleeved number fell to the floor, perfectly in-tune with her husband's own ensemble. She tied back her russet locks, allowing her mane to fall slightly across her face at the front, and matched the dress with green drop-earrings. Mr & Mrs: The husband of the screenwriter and novelist even decided to compliment her outfit, making a statement in a checked blue and green kilt, as they stepped out in Paris for the occasion Supportive spouse: J K - which is her pen name, used to initial Joanne Kathleen - stunned in a green gown, putting on her usual chic display Chic: The V-necked dress featured a ruffled trim along the shoulders and front, cascading down the 53-year-old author's lithe frame Stunning: Pinched at the waist, the long-sleeved number fell to the floor, perfectly in-tune with her husband's own ensemble She dusted her complexion with a rosy blush, clay-pink lip gloss and a sweep of mascara. She teamed the look with a moss-coloured clutch and wore a Remembrance Day poppy pinned to her breast, complimenting this with a bright red manicure. Her husband, 47, looked dapper in his kilt, wearing tails, a white shirt and a bow tie on top. Smart: Her husband, 47, looked dapper in his kilt, wearing tails, a white shirt and a bow tie on top. The blazer featured statement silver stud buttons on it, in a diamond design Happy family: Neil is Joanne's second husband - she was married to Jorge Arantesn between 1992 and 1995 - and shares children David, 15, and Mackenzie, 13, with him; she also has a daughter, Jessica, 25, from her first marriage Regal: She tied back her russet locks, allowing her mane to fall slightly across her face at the front, and matched the dress with green drop-earrings Demure: She dusted her complexion with a rosy blush, clay-pink lip gloss and a sweep of mascara. She teamed the look with a moss-coloured clutch and wore a Remembrance Day poppy pinned to her breast, complimenting this with a bright red manicure The blazer featured statement silver stud buttons on it, in a diamond design. The couple have been married since 2001, and Neil tends not to usually join Joanne at the plethora of events she is asked to attend. But the World Premiere of the sequel to 2016's Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them was clearly not something he was going to sit out. Neil is Joanne's second husband - she was married to Jorge Arantesn between 1992 and 1995 - and shares children David, 15, and Mackenzie, 13, with him; she also has a daughter, Jessica, 25, from her first marriage. Oops! J K was seen rummaging with her dress as she adjusted herself on the red carpet Time for her fans: The author was happy to stop and sign books for fans on the carpet Queen of the wizards: The movie is the second chapter in the film series, which is a prequel spin-off to Joanne's Harry Potter stories Author: Unlike the eight Harry Potter films that were produced between 2001 and 2011, the screenplays are penned directly by Joanne herself - while the Harry Potter movies were adapted from her original novels. by Steve Kloves and Michael Goldenberg In good company: Although the franchise is in fact based on Joanne's book Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, they are new stories; the book being a 'textbook' which was 'written' by the principal character Newt Scamander [played by Eddie Redmayne in the films, pictured] Pals: Eddie is set to appear in the whole franchise, which is said to span five movies in all Speaking out: Joanne and Eddie addressed those in attendance Cast and crew: [L-R] William Nadylan, Claudia Kim, Callum Turner, Zoe Kravitz, Jude Law, J K Rowling, Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston and Ezra Miller Big night: Zoe Kravitz will play Leta Lestrange while Jude Law takes on the role of Albus Dumbledore Affectionate! J K looked pleased as punch to see the film's stars Eddie and Jude Girl talk: J K and Zoe looked to be deep in concentration at the glitzy premiere Happy: The author looked in high spirits as she clapped and chatted with the film stars The movie is the second chapter in the film series, which is a prequel spin-off to Joanne's Harry Potter stories. Unlike the eight Harry Potter films that were produced between 2001 and 2011, the screenplays are penned directly by Joanne herself - while the Harry Potter movies were adapted from her original novels. by Steve Kloves and Michael Goldenberg. Although the franchise is in fact based on Joanne's book Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, they are new stories; the book being a 'textbook' which was 'written' by the principal character Newt Scamander [played by Eddie Redmayne in the films]. The Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald premiere will follow in Leicester Square on 13 November before being released worldwide 16 November. Jersey Shore star Ronnie Ortiz-Magro and his on-again-off-again girlfriend Jen Harley got the rumor mill churning after they were spotted out together on Thursday. Despite their tumultuous history, the couple appeared to be back together as they headed to the dentist for his and hers veneers. Jen, 31, was even seen wearing what looked very much like a diamond ring as the pair left the office and headed to a store. Put a ring on it? It looked like Jersey Shore star Ronnie Ortiz-Magro popped the question to his on-again girlfriend Jen Harley when the pair were spotted out together on Thursday But, those weren't wedding bells ringing in the distance, as the reality star hasn't popped the question, according to The Blast. Sources close to the couple told the outlet that 'they are not engaged, but added that, given their history, they tend to change things up very quickly.' Their history together has be fraught with ups and downs, including several accusations of domestic violence. Police were called to the couple's home in October after an alleged violent altercation. Not so fast: The ring was not an engagement ring, The Blast reported after the photos surfaced A week later reports surfaced of a second incident where the reality star accused his baby momma of hitting him in the face with a phone, according to TMZ. Ronnie and Jen share one child together, six-month-old Ariana Sky Magro. Throughout their troubled union, the on/off couple have been known to be vicious to one another on social media. The MTV star once shared audio of he and Jen swept up in an intense bathroom argument. On again: After vowing never to speak to Ronnie after a domestic dispute, the couple got together this week to get veneers together Issues: The couple has been vicious to each other on social media in the past The off-camera spat included Jen accusing Ronnie of allegedly killing her dog. And, in a since-deleted post from last month, Ronnie accused Jen of neglecting her 12-year-old son from a previous relationship 'while she went to drink'. Jen was previously arrested for investigation of domestic battery in June after she allegedly dragged Ronnie with a car. Parenting: Ronnie and Jen share their six-month-old daughter, Ariana together Domestic violence charges were dropped 'due to insufficient evidence'. After their most recent domestic dispute, Jen vowed that she would 'never speak' to the father of her daughter again. But in an interesting turn of events, the two reunited to celebrate Jen's birthday together with pals on a boat at the end of October. And they looked cozy on social media on Thursday as they celebrated their 'new teeth' at a Beverly Hills dentist office. Paris, TX (75460) Today Overcast. Slight chance of a rain shower. Morning high of 69F with temps falling to near 55. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 39F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Caroline Flack has branded her critics 'mean and weird' for pressuring her to have children. The frustrated Love Island presenter revealed she's being bombarded by questions about when she's going to be a mother, ahead of her 39th birthday on Friday. Venting her irritation in a series of Instagram Stories, the ITV star questioned why 'we all have to do the same thing' in terms of getting married and starting a family. Unimpressed: Caroline Flack has branded her critics 'mean and weird' for pressuring her to have children Caroline kicked off the clip by revealing she has just sent her French bulldog Ruby, who she shares with Apprentice star Andrew, to an obedience school for dogs. 'I've just sent my puppy off to puppy school and it was really sad,' she explained. 'I don't have kids so I don't know what it feels like but it felt like I was sending my child away. And she was wearing a really cute looking jumper, and yeah, it feels weird.' She continued: 'On that note, it's my birthday tomorrow. It's not a big one, but I'm getting older. Not happy: The frustrated Love Island presenter revealed she's being bombarded by questions about when she's going to be a mother, ahead of her 39th birthday on Friday Pressure: She said: 'A lot of people do say to me, like, "Oh, you should have kids by now." And I just think, why? Why do we all have to do the same thing? It's just weird' 'And a lot of people do say to me, like, "Oh, you should have kids by now." Or "You should be doing this by now." 'And I just think, why? Why do we all have to do the same thing? It's just weird. People are weird. They are. Saying anything mean to someone is just weird.' Caroline's outburst comes amid claims she has split from Andrew, 27, who she got engaged to on April 28 after a whirlwind romance. The former X Factor presenter has been fuelling split speculation by stepping out without her engagement ring several times in the last few weeks. Is it over? Caroline's outburst comes amid claims she has split from Andrew, 27, who she got engaged to on April 28 after a whirlwind romance Oh dear: The former X Factor presenter has been fuelling split speculation by stepping out without her engagement ring several times in the last few weeks It comes after The Sun reported last month that she has begun to question their future following a drunken rant he allegedly made during their holiday in Portugal. According to the publication, the Apprentice star had been booted out of a juice retreat for bringing in alcohol before launching into an 'abusive' shouting fest at the Love Island host. Caroline was said to be 'devastated' by his behaviour which led fellow guests at the resort to complain, as management chose to evict Andrew for the incident. It was also reported that she returned home on Thursday, and is now considering how to proceed with their relationship and whether they have a future together. She passionately argued that strutting down the Victoria's Secret runway in your underwear is 'empowering' to all women. And Stella Maxwell stayed true to her mantra as she posed sultrily in a plunging bra backstage ahead of the lingerie brand's 2018 fashion show in New York on Thursday. The 28-year-old Belgian model ensured all eyes were on her as she snapped selfies and pouted for the camera before the catwalk spectacle. Looking good: Stella Maxwell posed sultrily in a plunging bra backstage at the Victoria's Secret 2018 fashion show in New York on Thursday The blonde bombshell certainly turned heads in her revealing push-up bra, which she teamed with a silky embellished kimono tied at the waist. Letting her racy underwear do all the talking, Stella accessorised with some delicate layered gold necklaces. Styling her golden tresses in the signature VS voluminous waves, the runway star framed her striking features with pink lipstick, dewy blusher and plenty of mascara. Snap-happy: The 28-year-old Belgian model ensured all eyes were on her as she snapped selfies and pouted for the camera ahead of the catwalk spectacle Turning heads: The blonde bombshell certainly turned heads in her revealing push-up bra, which she teamed with a silky embellished kimono tied at the waist Maxwell previously told Glamour Magazine that she feels empowered by walking down the runway in her underwear for the famous lingerie brand. The model also blasted critics of the annual VS show in the interview - admitting that the Angels 'work hard for months' for the gig. The blonde bombshell, who is in a relationship with actress Kristen Stewart, is adamant about the positive message behind the VS show. 'For me it feels really empowering to walk down a runway in my underwear! The message I want to send out is that women are sexy. Glam: Letting her racy underwear do all the talking, Stella accessorised with some delicate layered gold necklaces Beauty: Styling her golden tresses in the signature VS voluminous waves, the runway star framed her striking features with pink lipstick, dewy blusher and plenty of mascara 'We have girls from all over the world in the show its just a very sexy and confident role and situation you are lucky to be in. 'I personally really enjoy it and really enjoy the moment of the runway show. I think its all about feeling good AND looking amazing,' she stated passionately. And while Stella is a firm believer in the message behind Victoria's Secret, the brand hasn't come without his haters. Over the past month, plus-size Australian model Robyn Lawley began a petition to boycott VS for their failure to represent body diversity. Defiant: Maxwell previously told Glamour Magazine that she feels empowered by walking down the runway in her underwear for the famous lingerie brand She looks fabulous at 40, having made a stellar career in the acting and modelling spheres. And Laetitia Casta was every inch the movie star as she posed Christmas shop windows at the Le Printemps Haussmann department store, in Paris on Thursday. The former Victoria's Secret Angel flashed a glimpse of her legs in her thigh-split PVC dress which also showed off her cleavage with its daringly low-cut neckline. It's beginning to feel a bit like Christmas! Laetitia Casta, 40, showed off her cleavage in her thigh-split PVC dress outside Christmas store in Paris on Thursday Securing the gaze of more onlookers, the model accessorised with a statement leaf-inspired silver necklace which looked stunning on. As the winter season sets in, Laetitia draped her ankle-length coat over her shoulders in a bid to keep off the chilly air in the French capital. Finally the actress added light make-up enhancements and scraped her brunette tresses into a ponytail for the final few touches. A natural look: Securing the gaze of more onlookers, the model accessorised with a statement leaf-inspired silver necklace which looked stunning on Baby it's cold outside! As the winter season sets in, Laetitia draped her coat over her shoulders in a bid to keep off the chilly air in the French capital A stone's throw away, Jessica Chastain swapped her gritty role for a spot of glam when she launched the Christmas tree illuminations at Paris department store Galeries Lafayette. In recent weeks, the actress has been pictured with a bloodied face on the set of her latest movie Eve in recent weeks. But in France, the Interstellar star, 41, showed off her stunning figure in a black strapless gown teamed with dazzling jewels. Looking lovely: Finally the actress added light make-up enhancements and scraped her brunette tresses into a ponytail for the final few touches Lights, camera, action! Jessica Chastain looked phenomenal as she launched the Christmas tree illuminations at Paris department store Galeries Lafayette on Wednesday Jessica's figure-hugging dress complemented her stunning complexion, while she added to the glam factor with a glittering necklace. Black strappy heels, picture perfect hair and a slick of deep red lippie to match the pop of colour in her necklace were the finishing touches to the chic ensemble. New Yorker Jessica looked delighted to be experiencing the City of Lights, happily posing for the cameras before switching on the illuminations. Simply stunning: The Interstellar actress, 41, showed off her stunning figure in a black strapless gown teamed with dazzling jewels The actress has been spending most of her time in Boston this autumn, shooting her new big screen venture, Eve. Insights with respect to the film's plot and storyline have stayed under wraps since the film's title and the cast were first revealed at the Toronto Film Festival a month ago. Jessica co-stars in the action flick alongside Colin Farrell, 42, and the pair have been pictured bloodied and bruised on set. Strike a pose: New Yorker Jessica looked delighted to be experiencing the City of Lights, happily posing for the cameras before switching on the illuminations Ready for her close up: A slick of deep red lippie to match the pop of colour in her necklace was the finishing touch to the chic ensemble Other notable names include John Malkovich and rapper Common, who is expected to play Chastain's ex-fiance. Tate Taylor reportedly took over Matthew Newton's position as the director of the project following claims that Newton had an extensive past with domestic violence and alleged assault, according to Variety. Chastain wrapped shooting scenes for It: Chapter 2 only weeks prior to starting work on Eve. She's always impeccably dressed for every occasion. And Tamsin Egerton was showcasing her flair for fashion once again when she attended the Montblanc event in London on Thursday, looking stylish in a white patterned dress. The actress, 29, was leading the arrivals at the luxury goods store event, celebrating the holidays with a What's on your List themed bash in association with artist David Paul Kay. Quirky: Tamsin Egerton was showcasing her flair for fashion once again when she attended the Montblanc event in London on Thursday, looking stylish in a white patterned dress Tamsin looked adorable in her retro inspired number, featuring abstract monochrome detailing. The button-down dress boasted a pleated skirt, shoulder pads and a quirky neckline, set off with a glamorous, retro updo. The blonde beauty added a slick of scarlet lipgloss and a covetable pair of velvet heels, complete with cute bow detailing. Stylish star: Tamsin looked adorable in her retro inspired number, featuring abstract monochrome detailing Cute look: The button-down dress boasted a pleated skirt, shoulder pads and a quirky neckline, set off with a glamorous, retro updo Daring to bare: Amy Jackson flashed her white bra in a sheer lace top, teamed with a smart jacket and shorts The St. Trinian's actress has been dating American actor Josh Hartnett since 2011, after meeting on the set of The Lover. They raise two young children together, welcoming their first child in 2015 and their second in 2017, but have remained tight-lipped about their offspring's names. Tamsin recently confessed the couple had put their wedding on hold while they focus on spending time as a family. Gorgeous in green: Sarah Ann Macklin was looking stylish in a leopard print number Eye-catching: Pips Taylor commanded attention in a vibrant red coat and sparkling silver heels She said: 'Marriage is something that's going to happen, but we're focusing on children at the moment.' The British beauty also confessed things are hard when her partner is working away but they do what they can to get by. She told The Sun newspaper: "It's hard when Josh goes away to work. We miss him, but you make it work." Boho is back: Jasmine Hemsley was embracing a 70s look in a paisley dress layered over a billowing white blouse He nearly managed to get through an interview without commenting on his full frontal nudity in his latest film. Chris Pine was six minutes and 30 seconds into a seven-minute chat on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on Wednesday before the host mentioned THAT scene from Netflix's Outlaw King. 'I heard you're naked, fully naked, in this one scene,' Stephen said, 'and I hear it's not very long...the scene is not....' as he trailed off allowing the audience to work out the double entendre. No escaping it: Chris Pine had almost wrapped his chat on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on Wednesday before the host mentioned THAT scene from Netflix's Outlaw King The actor didn't even reply, giving him a very direct look that set the audience off in gales of laughter before they both joined them at the end of the interview. The full frontal scene has been the subject of every interview the 38-year-old actor has done since the movie about 12th century Scottish King Robert the Bruce bowed at The Toronto Film Festival in September. 'People are giggling about my penis as if were schoolchildren,' Chris said in a recent interview with the Press Association. Talking about co-star Florence Pugh, who plays his wife, Elizabeth, he continued: 'Florence shows her entire body in this film and no one is talking about that. Here he goes again: The full frontal scene has been the subject of every interview the 38-year-old has done since the movie about 12th century Scottish King Robert the Bruce bowed at the Toronto Film Festival in September Wanting more: The actor showed his torso in this image in August but the sight of his penis has 'people giggling as if were schoolchildren,' Chris told the Press Association recently 'People want to talk about my penis as if were a bunch of teenagers playing spin the bottle.' The scene occurs when Robert the Bruce emerges from a lake after a bath, having seized the Scottish crown during the occupation of medieval Scotland by English King Edward I. The films director David Mackenzie, who also appears in Outlaw King as Lord Atholl, s equally baffled by the furore. Covered up: Chris plays 12th century Scottish King Robert the Bruce in the Netflix movie 'This is the fifth film where Ive had full-frontal male nudity,' he said. No ones ever had such a fuss about it. And its totally motivated. The guy is washing himself in a loch in the Highlands and just pops out I dont know what the fuss is about. 'It says something about our times and I wish people would get over it.' Muggles, grab your Eurostar tickets now, as J.K. Rowling's magical world heads for Paris in a spectacular second instalment of the Fantastic Beasts series, The Crimes of Grindelwald. Eddie Redmayne returns as the batty magizoologist Newt Scamander, once again fighting the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald, who has world domination and Muggle suppression on his twisted mind. The film opens with an ingenious escape which puts the typical prison break firmly in the shade: a black carriage seemingly pulled by the horses of the Apocalypse, a prisoner under triple-wand security, a swirling, treacly mass of sky and water, a victory for evil. Yes, Grindelwald is back. Eddie Redmayne (pictured) as Newt Scamander in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald Perfectly played by Johnny Depp, he has a whiff of decay and depravity. His mismatched eyes one dark, the other white and red-rimmed his toothbrush moustache and his predilection for military-buttoned coats really work when he conducts a fascist-style rally in Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris. Depp's hair is a bleached blond number-one cut, with what seems to be gel-assisted meringue on top. That said, Scamander's floppy fringe protrudes like a small coral reef, and he hides shyly behind it, hunched in his long coat, only truly at ease with the magical creatures in his suitcase. Grindelwald is perfectly played by Johnny Depp (above), who has a whiff of decay and depravity It's 1927, and the Ministry of Magic tries to send Scamander to France to find Credence Barebone (Ezra Miller), who nearly destroyed New York with his Obscurus parasite in the first film, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Credence is searching for his own roots, to no avail, and Grindelwald is reeling him in. Sometimes you feel you need a PhD in Potter Studies to follow the film. Listen carefully, and Rowling's script spells it all out, occasionally laboriously. But without heading into spoiler territory, Newt's brother Theseus Scamander (Callum Turner) arrives with his fiancee Leta Lestrange (Zoe Kravitz), who has a key role to play. Another new attraction is Jude Law as the young Albus Dumbledore, who has a twinkle in his eye and a natty three-piece tweed suit. Dumbledore is not yet headmaster of Hogwarts, but working as the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. Another new attraction in the second instalment of the Fantastic Beasts series is Jude Law as the young Albus Dumbledore He persuades Scamander to search for Credence, because there's something mysterious in his past life as a schoolboy in Hogwarts which stops him fighting Grindelwald himself. Scamander has his own agenda too: his undying love for Tina Goldstein, an American 'auror' (played by a chic Katherine Waterston) who guess what? has also turned up in Le Ministere des Affaires Magiques de la France on the same quest. Things didn't work out for Tina and Newt last time, and now his nervous inarticulacy is holding him back. He wants to tell her she has 'the eyes of a salamander', which some might not take as a compliment. The fantastical beasts are plentiful and peculiar: a seaweedy Kelpie, which Scamander rides underwater; a Zouwu Chinese dragon creature; and the baby Nifflers, mole-platypus lookalikes with a habit of stealing the silver. Keep a close eye on the little black Niffler The combination of a cute creaturefest and the terrifying rise of magical fascism is a peculiar cocktail, but the sheer inventiveness of Rowling's world will be as seductive as ever for her fans. The film opens on November 16. She's treated her Love Island beau to a luxury Miami holiday to celebrate his 23rd birthday. And Zara McDermott was keen to make sure it was a trip of a lifetime for Adam Collard as she lavished her man with kisses during another blissful beach day on Thursday. The former government adviser looked gorgeous in a frilled bikini as she packed on the PDA with her personal trainer boyfriend. Wish you were here? Zara McDermott was keen to make sure it was a trip of a lifetime for Adam Collard as she lavished her man with kisses during another Miami beach day on Thursday Zara chose another stunning piece of swimwear for the couple's third day in Miami. The brunette beauty flaunted her tanned and toned figure in her lemon-print two piece, which featured frilled straps and detail on the bust. High-rise bottoms showed off Zara's long legs and pert derriere. Good looking pair: The former government adviser looked gorgeous in a frilled bikini as she packed on the PDA with her personal trainer boyfriend after meeting on Love Island Beach wardrobe: Zara chose another stunning piece of swimwear for the couple's third day in Miami Adam certainly seemed to like his gorgeous girlfriend's choice of skimpy swimwear, with the hunk barely able to keep his hands off her as they splashed around in the ocean. A beaming Zara wrapped her legs around her hunky beau, who showed off his ripped physique in tiny black swim shorts. Laughing, the two lovebirds leaned in for a series of steamy smooches before strolling back to the beach and hitting their resort pool. Kiss me quick: The two laughed as Adam lifted Zara up during their splash around in the surf Besotted: The pair couldn't keep their hands off one another during the beach fun Zara revealed last week that she was treating Adam to the luxury holiday for his 23rd birthday. Writing on Instagram she said: 'Happy birthday to my baby. I am taking him to Miami and the Bahamas next week!!! Was so hard keeping it a secret.' She also revealed a hand-written note that read: 'To my amazing boyfriend Adam. Fruity: The brunette beauty flaunted her tanned and toned figure in her lemon-print two piece, which featured frilled straps and detail on the bust Cheeky! Adam certainly seemed to like his gorgeous girlfriend's choice of skimpy swimwear, with the hunk barely able to keep his hands off her as they splashed around in the ocean Surprise! Zara revealed last week that she was treating Adam to the luxury holiday for his 23rd birthday 'Pack your bags because on 5th November we are jetting off to MIAMI BEACH for a week, staying in the Fontainebleau hotel. Get ready to eat at Nobu, party and LIV and SO much more! 'Then on 12th November we are flying to the Bahamas for 5 days, staying at the Atlantis! We will be visiting hidden beaches on our own private boat, swimming with sharks, going to the water park and meeting the pigs in the Exuma Islands! 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I hope you're as excited as I am! Zara xxx' Checking on the pics? Adam was busy on his phone as the couple retreated to their resort pool The pair's romantic getaway comes amid rumours ITV2 bosses are set to reunite the cast of Love Island for a Christmas special. The Sun have reported that producers are keen to reunite the cast at the Mallorca villa, in what could prove to be an awkward night as only four out of the series' nine couples are still together. An ITV source said: 'Bosses have been wanting to get the cast back together for a few years now but have finally been given the green light because of the success of this year's show. Stunning: Zara stood out in her fruity choice of two piece as she strutted over to Adam Time of their lives: The two looked in great spirits as they checked Adam's phone 'They know exactly the kind of drama that viewers want to see and getting together the couples who have split will certainly make for tense viewing. 'Producers are in the process of getting people to sign up and they are hoping that everybody agrees to it.' The reunion show will reportedly follow the format of the spin off After Sun and will take place back in the famous villa, while the insider adds that previous series contestants could also make an appearance. Strictly Come Dancing star Danny John-Jules has reportedly been issued with a 'final warning' by show bosses over his 'bullying' behaviour. The Red Dwarf actor, 58, has allegedly left his professional partner Amy Dowden, 27, in tears during training, after shouting and swearing at the dancer, who is in her second series of the hit BBC show. However, the screen star reacted shockingly to the allegations, taking to his Twitter account in the early hours of Friday morning to upload a meme of King Kong holding a distressed Ann Darrow, adding the caption: 'My new CV.....' Tense: Strictly Come Dancing star Danny John-Jules has reportedly been issued with a 'final warning' by show bosses over his 'bullying' behaviour He also wrote on the micro-blogging site that his 'conscience has never been clearer' as he lashed out at the reports and retweeted several supportive messages. The Sun reported Amy threatened to quit the show, while a source has told MailOnline it has been a 'tough' week for the pair. Sources have claimed that Amy, 27, stormed out of training this week after her partner swore and shouted at her. Joking: In the early hours of Friday morning, he upload a meme of King Kong holding a distressed Ann Darrow, adding the caption, 'My new CV.....' Star: The Red Dwarf actor, 58, has allegedly left his professional partner Amy Dowden in tears during training, after shouting and swearing at the dancer 'Amy's been crying constantly at the hands of Danny. He gets very angry in the training room and he swears and shouts at her a lot. He also makes a lot of snide comments about him being famous and her not. After fleeing to a cafe after a tense session on Wednesday, the Welsh dancer called producers to say she did not know if she could continue, leading bosses to step in and hold a series of meetings with the acclaimed actor. A source close to the show played down the bullying incident to MailOnline, explaining: 'Its been a tough week for Danny and Amy learning their challenging Samba routine.' 'After a long day training they had a minor disagreement but theyve put their differences behind them and were back in rehearsals today and are looking forward to performing on Saturday nights show.' Angry scenes: Sources have claimed that Amy, 27, stormed out of training this week after her partner swore and shouted at her Threatened to quit? After fleeing to a cafe after a tense session on Wednesday, the Welsh dancer called producers to say she did not know if she could continue The Sun's insider adds that popular Amy is being supported by her fellow dancers on the show, and alleges 'everyone on Strictly wants Danny to go.' Danny himself admitted in an interview with The Sun last week that he doesn't socialise with his Strictly co-stars, declaring: 'Anything that is part of our contract, for example It Takes Two, I'll do, but as far as socialising, I have not been out with one member of the cast.' While there is no suggestion Danny's arguments have got physical, in 2008 the star was ordered to carry out 120 hours community service for assaulting two dustmen, in an incident the district judge called 'ugly'. Danny hit the headlines last week after declaring that he thinks most celebrities these days are an 'insult' to real entertainers such as himself. Making amends: The pair were pictured looking in good spirits as they left filming for It Takes Two together on Thursday night, beaming for the cameras The 58-year-old compared himself to the likes of Cliff Richard and George Michael, claiming that he thinks of himself as an 'entertainer' rather than a celebrity. Danny confessed during an interview with the Sun that he considers himself in a different league, after the Strictly line-up was criticised for its lack of 'real' celebrities. He said: 'I'm a different level. I'm talking about variety artists. I came up working with people like Norman Wisdom, Bernie Winters, Freddie "Parrot-Face" Davies and Vince Hill and on and on and on... They're stars. Celebrities today are an insult to those guys.' However rather than blaming producers for the what he considers a lack of entertainers, he claims it is impossible to find a genuine star these days. The actor said that all you have to do to qualify as a celebrity is appear on a couple of episodes of Love Island, which causes confusion between a celebrity and an entertainer. Tough week: A source close to the show played down the incident to MailOnline , explaining: 'Its been a tough week for Danny and Amy learning their challenging Samba routine.' To clarify, he said that you know when a star is present because all of the celebrities in the room will be looking at the star. Danny and Amy scored the first ten of the 2018 series with their jive two weeks ago, but in a shock result the pair crashed to the bottom of the leaderboard during their latest performance on Saturday night with a score of just 22. Meanwhile Amy has been battling a nasty ankle injury after clashing with fellow pro Gorka Marquez during a group dance practice for the Halloween special of the show. While the dancer had to be strapped up for their American Smooth performance to Spirit In The Sky, Amy believes it actually helped Danny achieve a score of 30 the week before last, as he was so caring. She added: 'We didnt get to rehearsals at all on the Friday. I actually think it helped Danny. Going in and out of the lifts he was really acting. He was brilliant, he lifted me round that floor beautifully and I wasn't worried.' Emergency service workers are concerned about a plan to jump-start Sydney's nightlife and economy nearly five years after the state government introduced strict lockout laws. City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore on Tuesday unveiled a draft plan to ease planning controls by extending 24-hour trading across the city centre, allowing shops and businesses on main streets to trade until 2am, and new late-night zones in growing areas such as Barangaroo and Green Square. The Lord Mayor said the proposal would be a "renaissance" for Sydney, its cultural life and music industry. While the council will consider the proposals on November 19, changes to trading hours of venues which sell alcohol will be subject to the NSW government's lockout laws. A spokesperson for the Minister for Liquor and Gaming Paul Toole said the government always welcomes ideas to bolster the city's night time economy. The lockout laws were introduced in 2014 following two one-punch deaths and other alcohol-fuelled violence in Sydney. A 2016 review of the laws found alcohol-fuelled violence had reduced in King's Cross and CBD. Emergency service workers who are part of the Last Drinks campaign have voiced their concerns over the proposal which they say could spread alcohol-related violence to residential parts of the city. Campaign spokesman Tony Sara said rates of alcohol-related violence "skyrocket" when trading hours for bars and restaurants were extended. The proposal has been welcomed by anti-lockout group Keep Sydney Open which said anything to reverse the lockout laws is a step in the right direction but warned alcohol regulations should also be lifted by the state government. Scott Morrison is continuing his unofficial election campaign through Queensland as a new poll shows support for his government is dropping. The prime minister will start his day in Rockhampton and also visit centres in central and northern Queensland on Wednesday. Mr Morrison will announce $800 million of federal funding towards the Rockhampton Ring Road, contingent on a further $200 million from the state government. The federal government has already put $52 million towards the $1 billion project. An Essential poll released on Tuesday shows the coalition's primary vote has fallen to 36 per cent, while Labor has climbed to 39 per cent. On a two-party preferred basis, Labor is leading the coalition 54 per cent to 46 per cent. But Mr Morrison stuck to his message in Queensland, where the coalition is battling to hold onto a swag of marginal seats. "I'm interested in what Queenslanders are interested in, and that's their roads, that's their infrastructure, that's the support that only we can provide for Medicare and affordable medicines," he told reporters on Tuesday. The Essential poll put Mr Morrison's preferred prime minister rating at 41 per cent, well ahead of Bill Shorten on 29 per cent. However, Mr Morrison's net personal approval rating - the difference between approval and disapproval - has tightened from 15 per cent to four per cent over the month. Labor leader Mr Shorten is expected to head to Western Australia for a several day visit, including a number of "town hall" style meetings. The federal energy minister will meet with electricity retailers in Sydney to drive home the government's plan to lower household bills. Energy Minister Angus Taylor says he's made his expectations for lower prices clear to retailers, after three major providers banded together ahead of Wednesday's meeting to say lower bills were already on the way. Ausgrid, Endeavour Energy and TransGrid released a joint statement showing declining network costs will be reflected in lower household bills. The retailers say current regulations should be protected and further investment is needed in the grid for more affordable bills. Ausgrid CEO Richard Gross says $100 million has been slashed from operational costs since 2016, also leading to lower bills for customers. "Our component of bill has reduced by $237 per customer in real terms since 2014 - a reduction of 28 per cent," he said. However, Mr Taylor says he wants a fairer deal for Australian families and small businesses through a default market price and reference bill for each network region. The minister will also hold two industry forums this week to provide detail on the government's plan to underwrite new power plants. He will canvass the contentious underwriting proposal during a forum in Sydney on Wednesday afternoon and in Melbourne on Friday. The plan could see Canberra bankroll a new coal-fired plant in line with the government's willingness to shake up the market share of the big retailers. NSW boast the upper hand in their Sheffield Shield clash with Tasmania at the SCG, where Nathan Lyon has an ideal chance to tune up for Australia's Test series against India. The Blues posted a total of 9(dec)-442 on day two, when teenagers Jack Edwards and Jason Sangha both celebrated their maiden Shield tons. Tasmania will resume day three at 3-108 with a lot of hard work ahead if they're to battle back in the contest. Heavy rain is expected to interrupt play at some point on Wednesday but Lyon, omitted from Australia's ODI squad and asked to focus on his red-ball bowling by national selectors, has already caused a few headaches on a slow SCG pitch. Australia's most prolific offspinner created a chance on Tuesday when Alex Doolan was on 15, only for Edwards to spill a regulation catch in the deep. Lyon now sits fourth on Australia's list of all-time Test wicket-takers, behind only Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Dennis Lillee. But his Shield record at the SCG surprisingly stands at one wicket from two games. "The boys toiled pretty hard all day. Nathan was getting a bit of spin and SOK (Steve O'Keefe) as well," Sangha said after day two. "The plan was to stay patient, put balls in good areas. It's nice to finish the day having them three down. "Tomorrow's a big day. The bowlers have to bowl well and we have to back them up in the field." Lyon is likely to find himself bowling to Test skipper Tim Paine, who is playing his first game of the summer for Tasmania. Trent Copeland removed Doolan for 53, Jordan Silk for 39 and Beau Webster for eight during a collapse of 3-8 on Tuesday. The man fatally mauled by a shark at Cid Harbour in the Whitsunday Islands has been identified as Victorian doctor Daniel Christidis. The 33-year-old worked as a urologist at Melbourne's Austin Health and died from the attack by an unknown species of shark at dusk on Monday. An Austin Health spokeswoman says staff are being offered counselling after the "tragic loss". "We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Dr Daniel Christidis who was a research fellow with Austin Health. Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time," she told AAP in a statement. It was the third serious shark attack in Cid Harbour in two months after Tasmanian woman Justine Barwick and Melbourne girl Hannah Papps were bitten in separate attacks in September. Marine biologist Blake Chapman says it's hard to say what has changed and whether the three attacks indicate an increase in shark activity - but he believes more research should be conducted to find out. "We need to be looking at the baitfish movement, we need to be looking at the water conditions ... any other factors that might be happening in that area that is obviously changing shark activity," Dr Chapman said. "Because two months ago this wasn't an issue. It was pretty much unheard of in that area, so something has changed and that's what we need to be figuring out." Drumlines were temporarily put in place to reassure the public in September after the first two attacks but won't be put in place again, the Queensland government says. They are baited hook lines which catch sharks and other marine life, which then die or are later killed by fisheries officers. Tourism Minister Kate Jones says expert advice suggests drumlines are not the most effective method of controlling shark populations. "We are talking about a very vast area and certainly I would hate that the message got out that it was safe to swim in the Whitsundays when we can't guarantee that safety," Ms Jones said on Tuesday. Signs will be installed by this weekend telling people no one should swim in Cid Harbour under any circumstances. Tourism Whitsundays CEO Natassia Wheeler said they supported all efforts to inform visitors about the dangers of sharks in the area. Young people who leave the defence force should have access to unique centres to help them transition into life outside the military, according to a new report. The recommendation comes as young ex-servicemen, aged 18 to 24, are twice as likely to die by suicide than other men their age. Young veterans are also at a higher risk of experiencing depression, panic attacks and alcohol-use disorders, according to recent research. A policy paper released on Wednesday by Orygen, the National Centre for Excellence in Youth Mental Health, has set out to tackle that disparity by advising on ways to improve the wellbeing of young former defence personnel. The authors spoke with such young people and mental health service providers. Introducing mandatory, comprehensive psychological and social assessments of every young person leaving the force is among the report's recommendations. Such reviews could identify particular risk factors individuals will face and connect them with services relevant to them, the report states. Establishing 'hubs' to help young veterans transition to their non-military lives, targeted specifically to them and created with their input, has also been proposed. Improving engagement with young people in the Australian Defence Force, starting from when they join, has also been recommended. "There are many opportunities to improve the transition process within the ADF for young serving personnel, and the relevance, acceptability and level of post-transition support," the report says. Senior Orygen researcher Simon Rice said there are a number of reasons why younger veterans may be more at risk of experiencing mental health issues. Traumatic events they may have faced or being forced to leave the defence force are among them, as are the loss of some supports. "The loss of the protective factors the military provides, including social support, and a sense of belonging and identity, can affect the mental health of young ex-serving personnel, leaving many feeling unprepared for civilian life," Mr Rice said. Associate Professor Darryl Wade from Phoenix Australia, a post traumatic mental health centre, said it's important to take a proactive approach with young ex-service people. Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 A fire has broken out at the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre during a major disturbance involving inmates at the Darwin facility. At least 15 police cars, including tactical response vehicles, as well as firefighters and ambulances responded to the incident on Tuesday night. Video footage posted online by the Nine Network showed a section of the centre well alight and thick smoke billowing. Just after midnight, multiple detainees were spotted being taken from the centre in police vehicles, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reports. A Territory Families department spokeswoman says the disturbance at the centre started at 6.45pm on Tuesday. "The police have been called and are currently assisting to resolve the situation," the department said in a statement on Tuesday night. The centre received national attention in 2016 when the ABC aired footage of the abuse of youths, including Aboriginal teen Dylan Voller in a restraint chair wearing a spit hood, prompting a royal commission into juvenile detention in the NT. Don Dale has continued to be the subject of negative publicity this year, with four boys accused of starting fires at the centre in July and injuries to prison guards in May. An offender who stabbed a man in the neck was released on bail recently after a judge heard the male youth had been held for 52 days and under lockdown for 15 hours at a time amid understaffing and no community programs. The NT government has committed $70 million for two new detention centres in Darwin and Alice Springs as part of $229.6 million to be spent over the next five years to overhaul the child protection and youth justice systems, and implement the recommendations of the royal commission. Armies of African big-headed ants no longer plague the shores of Lord Howe Island, with the World Heritage-listed site finally declared free of the pest. Listed among the 100 worst species in the world, the ant was first officially detected on the island in 2003 and has wreaked havoc on its natural ecosystem. CSIRO researcher Dr Ben Hoffmann suspects the ant has been there much longer though, having been transported across the sea in various materials exported from mainland Australia. "Essentially it has every major impact you can imagine," he told AAP. "They are notorious for killing all other invertebrates in an area." Exotic ant specialist Dr Hoffmann was brought to Lord Howe in 2011 to lead a team dedicated to exterminating the ant. After initially mapping the colonies of African big-headed ants on the island, they successfully baited them into extinction. To make sure they were all gone Dr Hoffmann and his team used one of the ant's favourite treats - cat food - to lure any remaining pests out of their nests so they could also be killed. Dr Hoffmann says it's the world's third-largest ant eradication on an island. Part of the ant's devastation is caused by their symbiotic relationship with a type of sap-sucking bug. "This ant farms bugs like we farm cows," Dr Hoffmann said. The ants protect the bugs from predators, and in return the bugs feed the ants honeydew secretion from the sap - each fuelling population growth in both species exponentially. The bugs essentially suck the life out of plants, wreaking havoc on agricultural areas by decreasing crop activity and forcing farmers to increase the use of pesticides. But while the ants have been eradicated from Lord Howe, they remain prevalent across most of Australia and most other countries around the world. Documented cases show the bugs on remote islands, ferociously drawing the sap out of entire tree systems and causing their collapse. Dr Hoffmann said tighter biosecurity checks on Lord Howe have been set up to prevent the ant's return. "We know species are being spread more and more as the increase of goods is being shipped around the world which is why we need to stay vigilant on these islands," he said. The federal government has announced further changes to its My Health Record system as the November 15 deadline for Australians to opt-out approaches. Amid lingering concerns about privacy and security concerns, Health Minister Greg Hunt is proposing tougher penalties for misusing patient records. People found guilty of improper use of My Health Record would face up to five years in jail, and the maximum fine would more than double to $315,000. Victims of domestic violence would also be better protected, with abusive former partners banned from accessing their child's records. Mr Hunt will introduce the amendments when federal parliament returns in late November. The Melbourne Cup has again been marred by the death of a horse, this time the Irish-trained The Cliffsofmoher. The Aidan O'Brien-trained horse suffered a fractured shoulder during Tuesday's race and had to be euthanised, Racing Victoria's executive general manager - integrity services, Jamie Stier, said in a statement. "The horse received immediate veterinary care, however it was unable to be saved due to the nature of the injury sustained," he said. Animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has called for an investigation into the death, which it described as "the most recent victim of the cruel annual spectacle". It is the fourth time in the past six years that the Cup has been shrouded by the death of horses. French-trained horse Verema had to be put down after an injury suffered in the 2013 Cup. A year later pre-race favourite Admire Ratki died after collapsing from heart failure in the stalls minutes after the race. In the same 2014 race, import Araldo had to be euthanised because of an injury suffered when he was returning to scale. Araldo placed seventh but was spooked by a flag in the crowd on the way back to weigh in, kicking out and breaking a rear leg on a fence. In 2015 crowd favourite and three-time Cup runner up Red Cadeaux had to be euthanised two-and-a-half weeks after the Cup as a result of complications from an injury suffered in that year's race. "Considering Australians hate cruelty to animals, commemorating a day on which horses routinely die in the Melbourne Cup is fundamentally un-Australian," a PETA spokesman said. Stier said the injury to The Cliffsofmoher was an unfortunate incident that happened infrequently, as Victoria had one of the best safety records in world racing. "Our sympathies are extended to Coolmore and the Williams family, the owners of The Cliffsofmoher, jockey Ryan Moore, trainer Aidan O'Brien and his staff who cared for the horse and are greatly saddened by their loss." Prime Minister Scott Morrison has upped the political ante against Victoria's Labor Premier Daniel Andrews for signing a secret infrastructure deal with the Chinese government. Mr Morrison says foreign policy is the Commonwealth's domain and the premier should have checked with him first. "I mean, I'd like to give him a few tips on how he should be running his police force down there, because if you're living in Victoria, he hasn't been doing a pretty crash hot job on that," he told Sydney radio station 2GB. "If he wants to start going over each other's lines and giving advice about how we should run each other's shows, how about having a police force in Victoria like the one we have in NSW?" "That might do a lot to give safety to people in Victoria." The prime minister said Australia had for years maintained a consistent policy on the Belt and Road Initiative, and did not have a memorandum of understanding with China on the global infrastructure project. "We've always had a very consistent position on this and we've always been clear about it," he said. "When these things happen then that creates mixed messages, and it would've been helpful if they (Victoria) had been a bit more engaging on that." The Victorian premier has refused to release details of the confidential deal. "He should be upfront with the Victorian electors, I mean, he's in the middle of an election at the moment and he doesn't seem to have even explained it to his own Labor colleagues," Mr Morrison said. SHARK ATTACKS IN NSW IN 2018 * November 7 - 43-year-old man bitten at Shelly Beach in Ballina. He drove himself with a 20cm gash in his left calf. - The man used his surfboard to fend off the 1.5 metre shark, which hasn't been identified. * October - Paul Kenny, 51, fended off a shark by punching it in the head when he was attacked at Port Stephens, north of Newcastle. * June - A surfer was bitten on the lower leg by a two-metre-long shark at Arrawarra Headland, north of Coffs Harbour. * February - 55-year-old swimmer bitten by a shark at Little Congwong Beach at La Perouse in Sydney. A 112-year-old jetty on Rottnest Island that partially collapsed was not part of the tourist hotspot's core infrastructure and there had been no indication of a risk, the West Australian tourism minister insists. A 48-year-old British mother, her 11-year-old son and a female relative, 63, from Perth were injured when a slab of concrete gave way on the Army Jetty last month. Speaking for the first time since the incident, Tourism Minister Paul Papalia said the jetty had been deemed unfit for boats and vehicles, but engineers had considered it suitable for pedestrians, including fishing. "It was an unforeseen circumstances that the thing collapsed because the last engineer's report indicated that it was safe for pedestrian use," he told reporters on Wednesday. "This was not a core bit of infrastructure that was used for anything on the island. "It's now blocked to pedestrian access so there's no threat to anybody." An independent inquiry into the collapse is expected to be completed this month. A Brisbane masseur who degraded and sexually preyed on female clients who had come to him for remedial therapy is fighting his conviction and sentence. Charles William Davidson, a permanent resident from the UK, was sentenced in March to at least two years and six months in jail for sexually assaulting 10 female clients between the ages of 23 and 70, and raping one. Instead of helping their illnesses during treatments in 2014 and 2015, the 68-year-old rubbed their breasts and genitals, and raped one woman. He is appealing his conviction and sentence on grounds including that the charges should not have been joined at trial. Davidson's lawyer, James Cremin, told an appeal hearing on Wednesday that the sheer scale of the case at trial would have overwhelmed the jury and forced them to find him guilty. "A jury would have great difficulty in understanding and comprehending the eight-and-a-half days of evidence," Mr Cremin argued. "That would be very confusing to a lay jury." Mr Cremin questioned the credibility of at least one witness, a woman who did not tell police she had been raped by his client until six weeks after making an initial complaint. But prosecutor Philip McCarthy said the charges were joined because of the underlying fact that the women were being treated when the offences occurred. "When one reads the complaints made by these women, and their lack of protestation at the time the activity was taking place, it lent force to the fact that they were in the vulnerable position which they perceived that this was all part of therapy," he said. "Indeed often the complaints were made with a question querying if what happened to me was in fact wrong in those circumstances." Davidson was convicted of 18 counts of sexual assault and one rape charge, with the jury hung on two other alleged rapes. Judge Brad Farr sentenced Davidson to a maximum five years and six months jail. Davidson will likely be deported to Scotland when released from prison. The court has reserved its decision on his appeal. South Australian lead and zinc producer Nyrstar will aim to keep all its existing employees despite reports of 100 job losses, Mining Minister Dan van Holst Pellekaan says. The Australian Workers' Union says 40 full-time and 60 contract workers will be made redundant at Nyrstar's Port Pirie smelter but Mr van Holst Pellekaan says the company has told him otherwise. "They have a mix of employees and contractors and they've made it very clear to me that their ambition is actually not to lose any of their ongoing employees," the minister said on Wednesday. A diabetic six-year-old boy who died while undergoing alternative slapping and stretching therapy was unable to walk and vomited regularly in his final days alive, a Sydney jury has been told. The boy's mother, father and grandmother, and traditional Chinese healer Hong Chi Xiao have all pleaded not guilty to manslaughter after his April 2016 death in a Sydney hotel near where the boy was participating in a week-long healing workshop. Crown prosecutor Sharon Harris told a Downing Centre District Court jury on Wednesday, Xiao had told participants insulin "could be generated by slapping and stretching" and that the boy's mother should stop his insulin injections. Eryn Jean Norvill wanted her informal complaint about Geoffrey Rush to remain confidential and desperately wanted to avoid the limelight when it was leaked to the media, a Sydney court has heard. Her actions were not those of a person motivated to seek publicity or anything else and she'd been an impressive, brave witness during Rush's defamation trial, barrister Tom Blackburn SC has told the Federal Court. Mr Blackburn was giving his closing submissions for Daily Telegraph publisher Nationwide News and journalist Jonathon Moran, who are being sued by Rush for defamation over a poster and two articles. The publications related to a complaint of inappropriate behaviour by Rush toward a co-star - later revealed to be Norvill - during the Sydney Theatre Company production of King Lear. Rush, 67, has vehemently denied the allegations against him and says the Telegraph made him out to be a pervert and a sexual predator. Nationwide News and Moran are arguing a defence of truth in the judge-alone trial after Norvill - who didn't speak with the journalist for his articles - agreed in July to testify. Mr Blackburn on Wednesday told Justice Michael Wigney the case was essentially a contest between her evidence and Rush's. Some of Norvill's allegations to the court were that Rush made groping gestures and sexual innuendo toward her in rehearsals, that he stroked her lower back backstage and deliberately touched her breast as he grieved over her character's dead body during a performance. Mr Blackburn suggested there was nothing in the proceedings for her except stress and anxiety, and someone in her position wouldn't put themselves through the experience of testifying unless they had a true story to tell. When Rush's barrister accused Norvill of telling "a pack of disgusting lies" about the star actor, he didn't put to her any reason why she would. "He didn't do that because it was just a kind of extravagant flourish," Mr Blackburn said. Justice Wigney said he was troubled by Norvill's claim the rehearsal room was complicit, and he had to address the issue of corroboration. "With the exception of (actor Mark Leonard Winter) ... there's just no corroborating evidence, but there's a series of witnesses who said they didn't see it," the judge said. Mr Blackburn said Norvill hadn't told the court that Rush's actions were "happening all day in front of the cast". The trial continues. Emotional colleagues have paid tribute to aspiring Melbourne cancer specialist Daniel Christidis, who was killed by a shark while holidaying in Queensland. The 33-year-old doctor was attacked at Cid Harbour, off Whitsunday Island, on Monday afternoon at the start of a five-day trip with friends and co-workers and died from his injuries. Western Health director of surgery and head of urology Helen O'Connell told reporters at Footscray Hospital on Wednesday Dr Christidis was a rare individual with "unstoppable optimism". "He still has, for such a young person, achieved so much," Professor O'Connell said, holding back tears. "He will have achieved more than so many people do in a lifetime for being such a hard worker." Dr Christidis had just completed a PhD in the area of prostate cancer at Austin Health and started working as a surgical registrar in urology at Western Health in February. "Daniel is a rare individual who is constantly enthusiastic and positive," Prof O'Connell said. "He really had the sky, whatever that is for a young doctor, as the limit." Dr Christidis showed "amazing patient care" on one occasion getting an upset patient a cake on her birthday, the professor noted. Chief medical officer Paul Eleftheriou said colleagues were "completely devastated" by Dr Christidis' death. "He was a fantastic doctor, exceptional character. A bright spark in the lives of many at Western Health," Dr Eleftheriou said. He spoke to Dr Christidis' Melbourne-based family on Wednesday morning and offered support. It is understood Dr Christidis' father has flown to Queensland, while his sister and mother remain in Melbourne. The latest attack has renewed debate over shark mitigation measures, but Prof O'Connell and Dr Eleftheriou did not want to get involved. "It is obviously a controversial thing, I know nothing about it personally, it is not my area of expertise so it would be foolish to make any comment," Prof O'Connell said. John Sutton is expected to remain at South Sydney next NRL season with his management insisting they're confident of getting a deal over the line. Sutton is one of a number of high-calibre players still uncontracted for 2019 despite many clubs this week returning to pre-season training. Sutton, Cameron Smith and Jarryd Hayne headline a list of players who were not featured on their club's top 30 list when they were published last week. Brisbane trio Tevita Pangai Junior, Corey Oates and Matt Lodge are also yet to put pen to paper but are expected to remain at Red Hill. Sutton and winger Robert Jennings are both yet to officially sign with Souths for next year however are tipped to remain. Sutton's manager Steve Gillis said he was bullish about Sutton, who turned 34 on Monday, playing a 16th and final year zt the Rabbitohs. "Still confident, just working through the process," Gillis said. "As you are aware Souths have two spots left in their top 30 and I anticipate one will be offered to John Sutton." Sutton, who captained the Rabbitohs to their 2014 premiership, had one of his best seasons in 2018. Smith's deal with the Storm continues to drag out with the former Australian skipper's management reportedly playing hard ball over his value. Hayne was not with the Eels playing group as they headed to Armidale in central NSW for a training camp this week. It's believed that he is unhappy with the club's offer and the cross code star's re-signing will hinge on whether the club can make room in their salary cap. Centre Michael Jennings has been linked with a move to Newcastle, however that could be scuttled if Canterbury front-rower David Klemmer moves to the Knights as expected. Melbourne City defender Curtis Good has set next round's trip to Brisbane as his ideal return to A-League action. The 25-year-old secured a move to Europe with his form at Melbourne Heart six years ago and, having returned to the club in the off-season after chronic injuries, hopes the club is where he can reboot his career. "I'm back full training with the team and have been for the last couple of weeks. Now it's about proving my fitness and putting my name forward," he said on Wednesday. As most Australian soldiers dreamed of home in the months after the end of World War I, a small number signed on for some more war, in, of all places, Russia. With communist forces increasingly set to triumph in Russia's brutal civil war, Britain dispatched a modest taskforce to northern Russia, in which Australians played a notable role. This force arrived in mid-1919 and participated in significant fighting but made no difference to the outcome, total communist victory. Australia's role is remembered chiefly because just two Victoria Crosses were awarded for heroism, both to Australian soldiers, Sergeant Samuel Pearse and Corporal Arthur Sullivan. Both VCs are on display in the Australian War Memorial's Hall of Valour, perhaps the greatest memorial to Australia's part in a campaign dubbed by historian Jeffrey Grey as "a pathetic sideshow". Russia had been in crisis through 1917, which reached a head in the October Revolution. Almost immediately civil war erupted, pitting the Communist Red Army against disparate anti-Bolshevik forces. That would continue until late 1922. Western powers had no love for the new Communist regime. For one thing, the Communists had withdrawn Russia from the war, allowing Germany to transfer forces from the western front to France where they launched their March 1918 offensive. Initial British intervention in Russia in April 1918 was a force of around 500 soldiers, including nine Australians who landed in separate parties at Murmansk and Archangel ports in the country's north. The idea was to safeguard vast stores of western supplied military equipment and also to train a White Russian force in the hope of opening a new Eastern Front. Just as Australian advisers found in Afghanistan more recently, those in Russia were in as great a danger from men they were training as from the enemy. One Australian was murdered when his men mutinied and went over to the communists. In an article on the AWM website, Grey noted that this tiny force proved entirely ineffectual in a conflict far too vast and complex to be resolved by a handful of non-Russian speaking allied soldiers. In March 1919, it was decided to withdraw this force and to safeguard evacuation. A fresh force of two brigades was to be raised, termed the North Russia Relief Force. This was to be a British force, but comprised of volunteers from the large number of British and dominion soldiers awaiting repatriation. Grey said some 400-500 Australians may have indicated a willingness to join but far fewer, around 100-120 actually signed on. There appear to have been a variety of motivations. Some were reinforcements who arrived too late to see action in France. Some, such as Pearse, were decorated veterans. Grey said some of the group undoubtedly did not feel able to settle down after their experiences of war, viewing service in Russia as a means of postponing the return to civilian life they viewed with apprehension. "Interestingly there appears to have been no overt political motivation among those who volunteered," he said. The force eventually numbered some 8,000 men, comprised mostly of British soldiers, with volunteers from a number of nations, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa. Although enlisted in the British Army, the Australians wore AIF uniform and formed two mainly Australian companies. The force landed in Archangel in early June, deploying along the Dvina River to Osinova, where troops started training White Russian forces, launching patrols and conducting small-scale ambushes on Bolshevik forces. In July 1919, the taskforce commander Major General Edmond Ironside launched an offensive to deal communist forces such a blow that they would not be able to interfere in the evacuation. This was entirely successful, inflicting substantial casualties and capturing large numbers of prisoners. It featured some significant actions. During the largest, at Seltso on August 10, Corporal Sullivan braved intense enemy fire to jump into a swamp and rescue four fellow soldiers who had fallen from a crude bridge. For that he was awarded the VC. During the final attack on August 29, Sergeant Pearse cut his way through barbed wire then alone charged an enemy blockhouse, killing its occupants with bombs. Moments later he was mortally wounded by machine gun fire. For that, he too was awarded the VC. He was buried at the Oberzerskay Burial Ground on the Archangel Emtsa Railway Line. Pearse left a young widow who he had married shortly before sailing for Russia. The force finally sailed for home in early October. Overall casualties were modest and though successful, the expedition had gone to an area peripheral to the main theatre of Russia's civil war. Back home, Australia was recovering from the Great War and in the midst of the Spanish Flu pandemic; there wasn't much interest in events involving a few Australians in northern Russia. Grey said for those involved it was an interesting even an exciting interlude before returning home, but their presence was unable to alter the fact that external intervention could not affect the outcome. Most likely it arrived from Europe with soldiers returning from the battlefields of France and Belgium, a silent stowaway who would soon wreck havoc on the Australian population and leave as many as 15,000 dead. This was the Spanish Flu, an unusually virulent strain of pneumonic influenza that in 1918-19 would kill as many as 100 million people around the world, far more than the number left dead in World War I. The first case was detected in Australia in January 1919 in Melbourne, indicating its arrival aboard one of the many ships returning from Europe bringing home Australian soldiers and also their new wives (international air travel was still in the future). Many other cases immediately followed and people started dying as the disease spread across Australia. Australian authorities were aware of the growing pandemic in Europe in 1918 and dared hope that enforcement of strict quarantine could keep Australia flu-free. Quarantine restrictions were imposed on incoming ships on October 17, 1918, with the first flu case detected the following day. In six months, more than 300 ships were intercepted, with better than half transporting passengers with the flu. Federal and state health ministers and officials divided up responsibilities, with the states providing hospital and health services and the Commonwealth organising maritime and land quarantine and declaring affected areas. The new Commonwealth Serum Laboratory set about developing a vaccine, eventually producing three million doses. That targeted dangerous secondary bacterial infections and was later judged to have been at best partly effective. But given the number of returning soldiers, it was probably a forlorn hope that Australia could remain flu-free. It wasn't just the returning soldiers but their new wives - by November 1918, Australian soldiers were marrying English women at the rate of 200 a month. For all the precautions, the scale of the pandemic still caught authorities by surprise. To contain it, quarantine stations were installed at state borders and isolation depots in cities. "All public life was controlled. Streets were sprayed with disinfectant and the use of public transport was restricted," historian Joan Beaumont wrote in Broken Nation - Australians in the Great War. "Schools, theatres, dance halls, churches and hotels were closed, although Anzac day was still celebrated, particularly by returning soldiers. When in public people were required to wear masks." Perhaps 40 per cent of Australia's then population of five million caught the flu. Onset was rapid, with some reportedly feeling well in the morning and dying later that day. Unusually among seasonal flu strains, which generally hit the old, young or unwell hardest, a large proportion of Spanish flu fatalities were among healthy men aged 20-40 and pregnant women. Quite why still isn't completely clear but modern research suggests the flu may have sent their healthy immune systems into overdrive. Whatever the reason, the consequence was that young men who had survived the trenches died, as did young men who had never set foot outside Australia. The Spanish flu wasn't Spanish. It's been suggested that wartime censorship suppressed reports of outbreaks elsewhere in Europe but not in neutral Spain, which was thought to be especially hard hit. The truth was it wasn't but the name has stuck. There are many theories as to its origin - China, France and even rural US state of Kansas. One theory suggests it originated on the Western Front, a consequence of mutations caused by chemical weapons such as mustard gas. Whatever its origins, the circumstances of the Great War proved ideal for its spread, with huge numbers living in unhealthy conditions in close proximity to each other and then dispersing throughout the world once the war ended. No corner of the globe escaped, with outbreaks on remote Pacific islands and in the outback of Alaska. As badly as Australia was hit, we were far better off than many other nations, indicating the government's precautions weren't a wasted effort. Nine thousand died in New Zealand in two months. The death toll in third world countries, where conditions were frequently more crowded and less sanitary, were orders of magnitude higher. Like everywhere else, the Spanish flu hit Australia in two waves. The first wave infected many but didn't kill all that many. The second wave, a more virulent mutation, proved far more deadly and produced the greatest death toll. This second wave was well under way in Europe and the US in late 1918 - October 1918 was the deadliest month - and that prompted Australian authorities to take the measures they did. Early cases in Australia were mild, so mild that authorities doubted it was the Spanish flu, but deaths soon followed. Remote from the east coast and with strict state border quarantine in place, Perth wasn't hit until June. By the end of the year it was all over. The pandemic had simply exhausted itself, leaving behind a nation grieving for their more recent dead, as well as the 62,000 dead from the Great War. "What's that white stuff on the side of the road?" my eight-year-old son asks. "It looks like snow." We're driving along the flat, dusty plans near Hay in southern NSW before we stop near a paddock. My son picks up a clump of "snow" and pulls it apart, strand by strand. For a city boy, there's a fascination in handling fluffy cotton balls caught in the roadside weeds. I point across to a farm where there are giant bales of cotton bound up in neat rows. My son looks on and asks how does cotton grow? With plenty of water, I reply, and therein lies a story. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, farmers use more than 80 per cent of the Murray-Darling river system to produce a third of Australia's food. Beyond watering the nation's food bowl, the Murray is a river of leisure and pleasure. Its tourism value was put at $145 million in 2016-2017, according to the ABS. We stop in Mildura for two nights and during our stay my wife and I take my son down to the Murray to watch the parade of paddle steamers, houseboats and tinnies. Taking in the riverside goings-on at a cafe, we later follow the paddle steamers to a series of weirs and locks that are part of the Murray irrigation scheme. The locks serve the houseboats and other river craft as well as providing a stable water level. My son watches intently as the water drains out and the boat steams further down the river. A short drive out of Mildura to Merbein provides spectacular views over giant yellow limestone cliffs, framed by mallee scrub and giant river bends. Looking past the golden cliffs reveals the drought's impact: a brown, dry, arid inland. The severity of this year's warm winter and low rainfall have ravaged crops in irrigation-dependent communities across northern Victoria and southern NSW. Crossing into South Australia's Riverland, extensive soil erosion has carved crumbling contours along the banks near the Murray. Later on in our trip a conversation with the wife of a farmer near Griffith underlines the dilemma for many landholders in the NSW Riverina. Sarah tells us that the drought has meant selling livestock they could not afford to feed. Other farmers have cut stock numbers by more than half while some have been hand-feeding for two years. "Many in our area don't plan ahead for the tough times," she admits. To highlight the point she explains how one farmer has maintained underground silage, or pit silage, for decades to keep ahead of the dry times. "He went back through the farm's records, dating back to early last century, to track the cycles of drought and to make sure quality feed was kept in storage for the long, dry periods. "He's got the best cattle in the area and keeps getting top prices. He's staying afloat while most others around here are going to the wall." On a brighter note Sarah also tells of how younger farmers in the Riverina are seizing new opportunities beyond the farm gate. In the small town of Barellan, Stuart Whytcross and Brad Woolner have founded a startup producing malted barley and other cereal grains for craft breweries and high-end whisky producers. The startup, Voyager Craft Malt, supplies 80 brewers and 12 distillers. "They are two young guys who are thinking outside the box. I think they are showing the way for others and how they need to seize opportunities beyond cattle farming. "It's inspiring and also shows what can be done even when times are as tough as they are now." Donald Trump says he is "very seriously" looking at declassifying documents related to the FBI's Russia investigation, a move one of the US president's supporters believes will expose the role Alexander Downer and the Australian government played in the probe. Trump, at a fiery press conference at the White House on Wednesday, branded Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation an embarrassment to America. The president fired US Attorney-General Jeff Sessions shortly after the press conference in a move viewed as a potential step toward shutting down or declawing Mueller's ability to complete his investigation. "It's amazing how people on the other side just don't want those documents declassified," Trump told the packed press conference held a day after the midterm elections. "But, no, we're looking at that very carefully. "I certainly wanted to wait until after the midterms." A meeting at a London wine bar in May 2016 between Downer, then Australia's high commissioner to the UK, and George Papadopoulos, a Trump campaign foreign relations adviser, has been credited as the spark that began the FBI investigation into potential Trump-Russia collusion. Downer later told The Australian newspaper Papadopoulos mentioned at the drinks "the Russians might use material that they have on Hillary Clinton in the lead-up to the election, which may be damaging". Downer said he passed the highly-sensitive information back to Canberra "the following day or a day or two". It eventually made its way to the FBI. Papadopoulos became one of the first members of Trump's campaign or administration to be charged by Mueller and was sentenced to 14 days' jail for lying to the FBI. Papadopoulos has been on a highly-public campaign in recent weeks accusing Downer and the Australian and UK governments of spying on him. He claimed Downer recorded their 2016 drinks session and Australia and the UK had attempted to derail Trump's presidential election campaign. Downer has denied his claims. A few hours after Trump's Wednesday press conference Papadopoulos encouraged the president to declassify Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrants from the case. "FISA declassification will assure all the actors who tried to harm America are finally exposed," Papadopoulos wrote on Twitter. "Alexander Downer, the Australian government, UK, and GCHQ (British intelligence). "If FISA is not declassified, these foreign governments will try to interfere again in 2020 to hurt Trump and the movement." Trump in September ordered documents related to the FBI's Russian investigation, including text messages from FBI figures Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, be declassified and released publicly but days later he backed down. The president said "key allies" asked him not to release them, raising speculation Australia and the UK were the nations who behind the requests. England's Ben Foakes held the fort in the second session of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle Debutant Ben Foakes hit a defiant and unbeaten 87, guiding England to safety -- after Sri Lanka claimed cheap early wickets -- on 321 for eight at the end of the first day of the first Test. The Surrey wicket-keeper batsman, who knows this could just be a one-off chance as Jonny Bairstow regains fitness, came in with England precariously placed on 103 for five on a Galle pitch notorious for low scores. Foakes built crucial partnerships including an 88-run seventh wicket stand with Sam Curran, who made 48, to defy Sri Lanka's bowlers. England elected to bat first in what was Sri Lankan spin legend Rangana Herath's farewell match. The right-handed Foakes steadied the innings reaching his half century early in the final session as the tourists lost just three wickets after lunch. Foakes put on 61 for the sixth wicket with Jos Buttler, who was eventually caught behind off Dilruwan Perera for 38. Left-hander Curran attacked the bowling, hitting one four and three sixes before falling two short of his fifty to spinner Akila Dananjaya. Adil Rashid made a useful 35 in a stand of 54 with Foakes that increased the frustration for Sri Lanka's bowlers before he became Perera's fourth victim of the day. Jack Leach, batting on 14, then survived some anxious moments in the final two overs to give Foakes a chance to complete a momentous debut ton on day two. Sri Lanka's veteran spinner Rangana Herath, claimed his 100th Test scalp at Galle after sending back England skipper Joe Root in the opening session. Only two other bowlers have achieved 100 Test wickets on one ground -- Herath's legendary compatriot Muttiah Muralitharan who achieved it at Galle, Kandy and SSC Colombo, and England paceman James Anderson at Lord's. Herath notched up the milestone when Root came down the wicket and missed after a breezy 35. Root had also steadied England when they stumbled to 10 for 2 after debutant opener Rory Burns was caught behind off Surange Lakmal for nine and Moeen Ali was bowled next ball. Surrey left-hander Burns had been given the tough task of replacing stalwart Alastair Cook following his retirement in September. After Root's dismissal, Perera skittled Keaton Jennings four short of his 50 before bowling Ben Stokes around his legs for seven as he attempted to sweep. At 85, Paul Biya has just been sworn in for a seventh term in office as Cameroon's president Cameroon's 85-year-old President Paul Biya vowed Tuesday to pursue policies of decentralisation to address "frustrations and aspirations" in English-speaking regions hit by separatist unrest as he was sworn in for a seventh term in office. It was the first time in 13 months of pro-independence violence that Biya had clearly acknowledged the struggles of those living in anglophone areas where 79 school children were kidnapped by separatist militants on Monday. But the octogenarian leader firmly ruled out secession for the English-speaking regions, home to around a fifth of Cameroon's 22 million people, and accused the militants of instigating "terror and desolation." On the eve of his inauguration, armed militants stormed a school in Bamenda, capital of the Northwest Region, seizing 79 schoolboys and three adults in the worst incident so far of the conflict. "I have carefully examined the frustrations and aspirations of the great majority of our fellow citizens" in the Northwest and Southwest Regions, Biya said in his speech. And he pledged a "good number of responses" which would be channelled through "accelerating the decentralisation process which is under way." But he denounced "the yoke of extremism which has imposed a reign of terror and desolation", urging armed separatists to "lay down their arms and return to the right path." And he dismissed any prospect of secession, declaring "the future of our compatriots in the Northwest and Southwest lies within the framework of our Republic." - Kamto rally - Shortly afterwards, opposition leader Maurice Kamto who had claimed victory in the October election, addressed scores of supporters on the streets of Yaounde, reiterating his claim to be "the president-elect" before police broke up the gathering. Several activists were detained and Kamto, who came a distant second in the vote with 14 percent, returned to his home which was surrounded by police, an official from his MRC party told AFP. Paul-Eric Kingue, who directed his election campaign, claimed Kamto had been placed under "house arrest" but Kamto's spokesman Olivier Nissack later said the police presence had eased off. Cameroon Biya, who has ruled the country for 35 years, was declared victor in the October 7 vote with 71 percent of the ballot. But the elections were marked by low turnout, violence and allegations of fraud. Eighty percent of Cameroon's population are French speakers while the rest are anglophones, who are concentrated in the country's restive west. In 2016, resentment at perceived discrimination in education, the judiciary and the economy fanned demands for autonomy in the Northwest and neighbouring Southwest Region. But Biya refused any concessions and a year later, radicals declared an independent state -- the "Republic of Ambazonia" -- taking up arms soon after. Separatists have since attacked troops and police, boycotted and torched schools and attacked other state symbols, prompting a brutal official crackdown. At least 400 civilians and 175 police and soldiers have been killed this year, according to an NGO toll. More than 300,000 other have fled the violence, some crossing into neighbouring Nigeria. - First mass kidnapping - Cameroon's opposition and its supporters have been pushing for President Paul Biya to step down after ruling the country for 35 years Biya made no reference in his speech to Monday's abduction. In a six-minute video, 11 boys who identified themselves as pupils at the Presbyterian Secondary School of Nkwen said they had been taken by the "Amba Boys" -- the term for anglophone separatists. Reverend Foki Samuel Forba, a leader of the Presbyterian church in Cameroon, told AFP that he spoke to the kidnappers on Monday. They were not demanding a ransom, "only" the closure of the school, he said. As the security forces stepped up the hunt for the missing boys, the Northwest Region's governor suspended all inter-departmental road traffic in the area until further notice. Although mass kidnappings have taken place in neighbouring Nigeria, this is the first such incident in Cameroon. - Deterioration since the vote - Since Paul Biya's reelection, the situation has deteriorated rapidly in Cameroon's crisis-hit anglophone regions For months, armed attacks have taken place almost daily in the crisis-hit regions, with separatists boycotting schools on grounds that the French system discriminates against anglophone pupils. Since Biya's reelection, the situation in the anglophone areas has deteriorated rapidly alongside the political climate, with dozens of opposition supporters arrested and journalists detained. On October 30, an American missionary was shot dead in his car in Bambui, a town near Bamenda, capital of the North West region. International talks will be held in Russia as efforts to find a negotiated solution to the 17-year conflict are stepped up The Taliban will send representatives to multilateral talks in Russia on war-torn Afghanistan this month, the militant group said Tuesday, as the international community ratchets up efforts to end the 17-year conflict. Moscow announced Saturday it would host the meeting on November 9 to discuss ways to kickstart peace talks between Kabul and the Taliban. In a statement posted on social media, the Taliban said it would dispatch "high-ranking" representatives from its political office in Qatar. "This conference is not about negotiating with any particular side, rather it is a conference about holding comprehensive discussions on finding a peaceful solution to the Afghan quandary and ending the American occupation," Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said. The Taliban last month appointed five former Guantanamo Bay detainees, who had been swapped for US soldier Bowe Bergdahl in 2014, to its political office. They have the authorisation to "talk about peace", a senior Taliban official told AFP. The confirmation comes a day after Afghanistan's High Peace Council, a government body responsible for reconciliation efforts with the militants, said it would send a delegation. Moscow has also invited representatives from the United States as well as India, Iran, China, Pakistan and five former Soviet republics in Central Asia. Pakistan, which has long been accused of providing support to the Afghan Taliban, would "definitely" attend, foreign ministry spokesman Muhammad Faisal told AFP. The US embassy in Kabul did not respond to an AFP request for comment. The Moscow meeting was initially scheduled to take place in September, but was postponed after Kabul insisted that the process should be Afghan-led. The meeting comes at a sensitive time. Newly appointed US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has been trying to convince the Taliban to agree to negotiate an end to the war and there are fears the Russian meeting could derail those efforts. A US government watchdog last week said Kabul's control of Afghanistan had slipped in recent months as local security forces suffered record casualties while making minimal or no progress against the Taliban. Royal visit: The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall arrived in the Nigerian capital of Abuja on Tuesday -- a trip to the troubled central city of Jos has been scrapped The Prince of Wales has cut out a stop of a trip to Nigeria over security concerns, following months of deadly clashes between nomadic herders and farmers in the restive region. Prince Charles and his second wife, Camilla, arrived in the Nigerian capital Abuja on Tuesday, on the tail end of a West African tour that has included Gambia and Ghana. They were expected to travel to Nigeria's central city of Jos on Thursday, the last day of their stay, to discuss peace-building and conflict resolution. "Due to operational constraints beyond our control, we have decided at this time not to include Jos during their royal highnesses' visit to Nigeria," said a British foreign office spokeswoman on Monday. "We are delighted to have an exciting programme of activity in Abuja and Lagos which will showcase those issues close to the Prince's and the Duchess's hearts," she said. "The decision was taken upon advice from the Nigerian government and others involved in security and operational aspects of the visit." Jos, the Plateau state capital of about one million people, is nestled in the hills of central Nigeria and has frequently been the scene of violence. Plateau state lies in Nigeria's so-called Middle Belt that separates the predominantly Muslim north from the largely Christian south. It has long been a hotbed of ethnic, sectarian and religious tensions that flare up during election season. Nigerians are set to vote in hotly contested presidential polls in February 2019. Pakistani lawyer Saif-ul-Malook said he was forced by the UN and the EU to leave Pakistan after he defended a Christian woman from a conviction of blasphemy; the UN has denied the claim A Pakistani lawyer of a Christian woman convicted of blasphemy who claimed he was forced to leave his country for the Netherlands by the UN and EU on Tuesday said he wanted to remain on Dutch soil and hinted he would seek political asylum. Saif-ul-Malook fled to the Netherlands from Pakistan after violent protests erupted over the Pakistani Supreme Court's decision to overturn the conviction of Asia Bibi who was on death row. At a news conference in The Hague on Monday, the lawyer said he was "put on a plane against my wishes" even though he had refused to leave the country without ensuring that his client was out of prison. But in an about turn a day later, he said: "If the Netherlands as a country which defends human rights, does not help me or shelter me, I would prefer to return to Pakistan to be assassinated," according to local media. A Dutch foreign ministry spokesman told AFP it would review if Malook could be extended "temporary assistance." The UN earlier Tuesday denied coercing the lawyer. "The UN in Pakistan extended its assistance to Mr. Malook at his request and did not force him to leave the country against his wishes, nor can the UN force someone to leave Pakistan against his or her will," said UN spokesperson Eri Kaneko. Malook on Monday said he contacted a UN official in Islamabad after the outbreak of clashes. "And then they (the UN) and the European nation ambassadors in Islamabad, they kept me for three days and then put me on a plane against my wishes," he said. Asia Bibi spent nearly a decade on death row after being accused of blasphemy following a dispute with fellow villagers over drinking from the same bowl of water. The charge is an inflammatory one in Muslim-majority Pakistan. But she remains in Pakistan after Prime Minister Imran Khan struck a deal with the Islamist hardliners behind the protests to bar her from leaving until a final court appeal is heard. The lawyer had previously told AFP before his departure on Saturday that he was leaving because "in the current scenario, it's not possible for me to live in Pakistan". cml-burs/ach/pma People wait in line at a polling station before in the East Village in San Diego, California Andrew Menck didn't bother to vote in the last seven congressional elections but, determined to deliver a rebuke to Donald Trump's presidency, he joined the lines outside his local polling station that built up before dawn. "I disapprove of the president's actions," said the 34-year-old, a Chicago voter who sees his ballot as a chance for real scrutiny of a president who has enjoyed a largely free hand from the Republican-controlled US Congress. Menck was among millions of Americans heading to the polls Tuesday in the first major voter test of Trump's chaotic, often controversial presidency. Massive early numbers -- more than 38 million ballots have been cast ahead of polling day compared with fewer than 20 million in 2014 -- sparked optimism that heavy rain in the eastern United States would not depress turnout. A suburban Chicago polling station reported twice the number of voters compared to 2016 -- a presidential election year -- while in downtown Chicago, people gathered before polls opened at 6:00 am (1100 GMT). "The message that I'm going to send is: We're not okay with the direction that this president is leading our country," said Rory Mabin, a 34-year-old Chicago resident who votes in every midterm election. People vote at a Harley-Davidson showroom and polling station during the midterm elections in Long Beach, California But James Gerlock, a 27-year-old Republican, said he was happy with the economic growth the country has seen under Trump's presidency and "just (loves) the deregulation." In the Chicago suburb of Downers Grove, at a church along a leafy street, 500 people had voted in the first two hours of the morning -- twice as many as two years ago, according to poll worker David Mendalski. The story was the same in Maryland, where a Montgomery County election official reported that turnout has been "astounding" early on, speculating that it might also surpass participation in presidential elections. - 'I'm hopeful' - A Somali-American voter arrives at a polling station in Minneapolis, Minnesota And in Irvine, California, where Democratic candidate Katie Porter is locked in a tight race with two-term Republican incumbent Mimi Walters, a staunch Trump backer, people were out in droves. "We have already seen huge turnout, people out and about knocking on doors, making sure everybody gets out there, Porter told AFP. "We're seeing so much support including from those who may have voted Republican in the past or may be registered Republicans," she told AFP, saying she expects many of them will flip to the other side this go-around. But in Orange County -- where four heated congressional races are underway -- voter Richard Leavitt was skeptical that big change was in store. "Every side believes they are the best and the strongest," he said. "A lot of people are angry and want change but it doesn't mean they'll get it." There was a sense of urgency among voters flocking to the Brooklyn Museum in New York City, where production artist Gilad Foss warned that democratic values were "kind of under attack." A member of the Jewish community casts his ballot in Brooklyn, New York, in the election occurring 10 days after a gunman who allegedly hated Jews and migrants shot dead 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue Across the East River in Manhattan, high school senior Ayla Jeddy voted after turning 18 in September -- just in time to register. "I looked up all the candidates last night, and I did vote for candidates who opposed the most egregious of (Trump's) policies: his immigration policies... and his attitude towards women in general," she said, proudly displaying an "I voted" sticker on her jacket. Two-page ballots caused delays in New York, while voters in Georgia also faced long waits due to technical problems and high turnout, US media reported. Stacey Abrams, 44, the former minority leader of the state House of Representatives, is running for governor of Georgia against Republican Brian Kemp, the 55-year-old Georgia secretary of state. Abrams, who has received the support of Oprah Winfrey and other celebrities, would be the first black woman to become governor of a US state if she wins. "I really wanted to vote for the first female African-American governor, so that was one of the major driving forces, to be honest," Lia Koski, casting her ballot in Atlanta, told AFP. Texas US Senate candidate Beto O'Rourke walks with his wife, Amy Hoover Sanders, and his three children to the El Paso Community College-Rio Grande Campus to vote One of the most expensive and closely watched Senate races is in Texas, where incumbent Republican Senator Ted Cruz is facing pro-immigration Democratic Representative Beto O'Rourke. At a polling station in his home town, the border city of El Paso, Carlos Gallinar enthused that O'Rourke was "just great for El Paso, great for Texas, great for United States." "With all the issues that are happening across the country and the negative energy coming out of Washington and this president, it's great to see someone like Beto who has great energy, great enthusiasm, (a) positive great message." Tunisia's new tourism minister Rene Trabelsi (R) meets the country's Grand Mufti Othman Battikh at the Ghriba Synagogue on Djerba island on May 02, 2018 Rene Trabelsi, Tunisia's first Jewish minister in decades, has for years been co-organiser of an annual pilgrimage to the oldest synagogue in Africa. Trabelsi, who was appointed tourism minister on Monday evening, lives between France and Tunisia. But he grew up on the island of Djerba, heartland of Tunisia's Jewish community and the site of the pilgrimage which attracts thousands of people each year. His father, Perez, has been the leader of the Jewish community there since 1985 and is president of the island's famous Ghriba synagogue. For two days, pilgrims pray and sing in Hebrew as they light candles and place votive eggs in a cave below the house of worship on the island just off southern Tunisia. About 3,000 people took part in the first day of this year's festivities in May, authorities said. Trabelsi's role co-organising the pilgrimage, along with his enthusiastic banter and passion for Jewish-Muslim coexistence, have made him a prominent figure in the media. After studying management in France, in the 1990s he set up his first travel agency, Royal First Travel, which now caters to some 300,000 travellers a year, mostly visitors from France to Tunisia. While he is active in the national hotels federation, the ministry is the 56-year-old father of three's first job in politics. He is the country's third-ever Jewish minister. The previous two were Albert Bessis who served in the 1955 government that led Tunisia to independence, and Andre Barouch, who worked in president Habib Bourguiba's administration in 1956. Tunisia's Jewish population has fallen from around 100,000 before independence from France in 1956 to an estimated 1,500 today. It is still recovering from a 2002 Al-Qaeda suicide bombing on the Djerba synagogue that killed 21 people, mostly Germans. That was far from the only jihadist attack to hit Tunisia's vital tourism sector. Jihadist attacks in 2015 included one at the National Bardo museum in Tunis and another targeting a beach resort in Sousse, which together killed 59 foreign tourists and a Tunisian guard. The sector has since rebounded, and government data showed that more than six million foreign travellers visited Tunisia in the first nine months of 2018. Cameroonian forces on patrol in Buea, capital of Cameroon's majority anglophone South West province. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday called for the immediate release of 79 students abducted in Cameroon as he renewed his appeal for an end to the crisis in the breakaway English-speaking region. Gunmen kidnapped the 79 secondary school students and three staff members on Monday in Bamenda, capital of Cameroon's North West region -- one of two anglophone regions engulfed in turmoil. Guterres condemned the kidnapping and "calls for their immediate release and return to their homes and families," said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric. "There can be no justification for these crimes against civilians, particularly minors." The abductions came on the eve of longtime President Paul Biya's swearing-in for a seventh term in office. Biya on Tuesday pledged to address the complaints from the English-speaking regions but ruled out secession. Violence in the North West and South West regions of Cameroon has been on the rise over demands by the English-speaking minority for greater autonomy. The separatists have gunned down troops and police, boycotted and torched schools and attacked other symbols of the Cameroonian state. The authorities have responded with a massive crackdown by police and troops. Guterres renewed his call for a peaceful solution to the crisis and offered UN help to broker a dialogue. At least 400 civilians have been killed this year as well as more than 175 members of the security forces, according to non-governmental organizations. A man carries a bag at a mine for copper and cobalt in another part of DR Congo DR Congo's Katanga Mining said Tuesday it had temporarily suspended cobalt sales from its Kamoto mine after detecting the presence of radioactivity from uranium, making the cobalt unsafe for export. Katanga, which is owned by Swiss mining giant Glencore, said cobalt sales and exports from Kamoto would be halted until further notice. "The presence of uranium was recently detected in the cobalt hydroxide produced at the Kamoto Project in levels that exceed the acceptable limit allowed for export of the product through main African ports to customers," it said. At the same time, the "low levels of radioactivity detected in the uranium to date do not present a health and safety risk", it said. Cobalt production at the mine was to continue without reduction, and further tests were ongoing as the company explored "various options to mitigate the impact of the sales suspension". Katanga said it was planning to build a so-called Ion Exchange system by the middle of next year to remove the uranium from the cobalt. DR Congo produces around half of the world's cobalt, which is used for lithium-ion batteries in mobile phones, but also increasingly in the car industry as the production of electric vehicles rises. Uranium, a rare element, is naturally radioactive and mined essentially for use in nuclear power stations and to build atom bombs. An August 2015 booking photo of Cesar Sayoc, the suspect in connection with suspicious packages and pipe bombs sent to critics of US President Donald Trump Cesar Sayoc, the Florida man accused of sending pipe bombs to critics of US President Donald Trump, appeared in a New York court Tuesday and was ordered held without bail. Sayoc, 56, appeared before a Manhattan federal court for just a few minutes. He did not fight detention and was remanded, an official at the US Attorney's office said. He will need to be indicted before November 12. He was arrested on October 26 and charged with mailing explosive devices to former president Barack Obama, former vice president Joe Biden, 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, actor Robert De Niro and others. Several of the devices were intercepted in New York. Sayoc, a registered Republican with a criminal history and reported past as a stripper, initially appeared in court in Miami, before being sent to New York, where charges were first filed in the mail bombing spree. The attempted bombings heightened political tensions and put the United States on edge ahead of Tuesday's midterm elections, seen as a referendum on the Trump presidency. The suspect was living in a van plastered with pro-Trump and anti-Democrat stickers when he was arrested at an auto store in Plantation, Florida. The explosive devices were sent through the mail and Sayoc was tracked down based on fingerprint and possible DNA evidence, according to the FBI. Murat Karayilan, shown here, and Cemil Bayik are seen as the de facto leaders of the PKK on the ground following the capture by Turkey of its founder and leader Abdullah Ocalan in 1999 The United States is offering millions of dollars in rewards for information over the whereabouts of three leaders of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a top American official said after a visit to Ankara Tuesday. The rewards of up to $5 million (4.4 million euros) could help ease tensions with Ankara which has long urged its Western allies to take a tougher line against the PKK, banned as a terror group not just by Turkey but also the United States and the EU. Matthew Palmer, a US deputy assistant secretary of state, said the rewards had been authorised for "information leading to the identification or location" of Murat Karayilan, Cemil Bayik and Duran Kalkan. Information about Karayilan could be worth up to $5 million, concerning Bayik $4 million and Kalkan $3 million, he added in a statement released by the US embassy in Ankara. - 'Received with caution' - While the State Department has designated the PKK as a terror group since 1997, Turkey has been hugely unhappy over cooperation in Syria between the United States and the People's Protection Units (YPG), which Ankara considers a branch of the PKK. Bilateral ties also suffered over the detention in Turkey of American pastor Andrew Brunson, which lasted more than two years. But Brunson was released in October and both sides appear keen on improving the key relationship between the NATO allies. "The United States values its counterterrorism cooperation with our NATO ally Turkey," said Palmer, adding that the rewards were being issued as part of the State Department's Rewards for Justice scheme. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said Turkey greeted the news "with caution" and described the decision as "late". "They could not fool us by saying that the YPG was different from the PKK," he told HaberTurk television. "It will soon become clear if this is a cover for the YPG." After two successful military operations inside Syria, Turkey now has its sights on the area of Manbij which is controlled by the YPG and has a US presence. On its official Twitter feed, the Rewards for Justice programme posted pictures of the three men under the headline "Reward for Information". "Provide information and payment may be possible. 100% confidentiality guaranteed. Relocation may be possible," it said. Karayilan and Bayik are seen as the de facto leaders of the PKK on the ground following the capture by Turkey of its founder and leader Abdullah Ocalan in 1999. Ocalan is serving a life sentence on a prison island off Istanbul. Karayilan and Bayik are believed by analysts to be in the remote Qandil mountains region of northern Iraq where the PKK has its rear bases, although some experts think it is possible that senior PKK figures also slip on occasion into neighbouring Iran. The PKK has waged a three-and-a-half decade insurgency against the Turkish state seeking independence, and more recently autonomy, for Turkey's Kurdish minority. The conflict has left tens of thousands dead and is still continuing after the PKK halted a ceasefire in 2015. Nigeria clashes At least 16 Nigerian soldiers are missing following clashes with Boko Haram jihadists in the Lake Chad area, military and militia sources told AFP on Tuesday. The Islamic State in West Africa (ISWAP) group, a faction of the Boko Haram, claimed responsibility for the attack in which it said 15 soldiers were killed, according to SITE, which tracks the online activities of terrorist organisations. The incident began when gunmen in several trucks attacked a military base and a local market in the town of Kukawa late on Monday, briefly forcing troops out of the base. "Our soldiers engaged the terrorists in a fierce battle following the attack," a military officer told AFP from Maiduguri, the regional capital which lies about 180 kilometres (110 miles) to the south. "So far, 16 soldiers are missing but search teams are combing the general area to locate them," said the officer, speaking on condition of anonymity. There were no immediate official reports of casualties on either side but a civilian militia group confirmed that 16 soldiers were missing and also said one civilian had been killed in the crossfire. The attack came hours after Boko Haram jihadists attacked soldiers in Kumshe village near the border with Cameroon. Last month two Nigerian soldiers were killed when troops on foot patrol stepped on a mine around Kumshe. Boko Haram has intensified its attacks on military targets in the northeastern states of Borno and Yobe in recent months. The nine-year jihadist conflict which has spilt into Niger, Cameroon and Chad, has killed 27,000 people and left some 1.8 million homeless in Nigeria alone. Drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is on trial in New York, where a potential juror was dismissed after admitting he was "a bit of a fan" A potential juror in the mammoth New York trial of Mexican drug baron Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman was dismissed by the judge on Tuesday after requesting the defendant's autograph. The man, whose identity is withheld along with all potential jurors under the rigorous security arrangements surrounding the trial, was born in Colombia but has spent the last 20 years living in New York. He told the court during his interview that he was aware of drug trafficking because he was born in Medellin, the hometown of former Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, and that he liked televised crime dramas, but insisted that would not affect his judgement should he be impaneled. But Tuesday he was reported to have asked a court security officer for Guzman's autograph, one of the most notorious criminals in the world whose trial is expected to become the most expensive in US federal trial history. Brought back for questioning by District Judge Brian Cogan, he admitted having made the request. When asked why, the man replied: "I'm a bit of a fan." Guzman flashed a smile. The prosecution objected and the defense argued he should stay, but Cogan struck him. El Chapo, one of the most notorious criminals in the world, attended the second day of jury selection dressed in a black suit, pale blue shirt and large plaid-patterned tie. Of nearly 60 potential jurors questioned, none have yet been impaneled and 27 have been dismissed, including five who have voiced security concerns. One of them was a young woman, whom the judge said had cried profusely in the hall, saying that her mother had told her "we've got to move and get a new house." Chapo laughed in response. "She's worried the pressure on her mother will be injurious to her health," said Cogan, before dismissing her. Among the others struck were a potential juror who had a panic attack and was taken to hospital, a Michael Jackson impersonator whose job was deemed too identifiable and a man who liked an "El Chapo" sandwich at a deli near his workplace, who complained that could also make him identifiable. Twelve jurors and six alternates will be selected to decide whether Guzman, who is accused of spending 25 years smuggling cocaine into the United States, is guilty on 11 trafficking, firearms and money laundering charges. Fox News said its journalists should not participate in political events after its star host Sean Hannity appeared with Donald Trump at a Missouri political rally Fox News admitted Tuesday it was a mistake for its star news host Sean Hannity to speak at a campaign event with President Donald Trump, saying it was an "unfortunate distraction" which "has been addressed." The statement from Fox came hours after the popular Fox personality joined Trump in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, at a "Make America Great Again" rally of several thousand people promoting Republican candidates. Hannity, who has interviewed Trump on several occasions on Fox and is believed to be close to the White House, offered effusive praise for the president while echoing his concerns about what he termed "fake news" media reports. Fox, controlled by Trump ally Rupert Murdoch and often praised by the president, said it was wrong for one of its journalists to become part of a political event. "Fox News does not condone any talent participating in campaign events," the cable news channel said in a statement to AFP. "We have an extraordinary team of journalists helming our coverage tonight and we are extremely proud of their work. This was an unfortunate distraction and has been addressed." Fox offered no details on what it meant by "addressed." The statement made no mention of another Fox host, former judge Jeanine Pirro, who was also on stage at the Missouri event. On Twitter, Hannity claimed his appearance was not planned and that he went onstage after a request from Trump: "When the POTUS invited me on stage to give a few remarks last night, I was surprised, yet honored by the president's request." At the rally, Hannity offered a Trump-like view of the mainstream news media, telling the crowd, "By the way all those people in the back are fake news." He said later on Twitter he was not referring to Fox News journalists, maintaining that "they do amazing work day in and day out in a fair and balanced way." Akayed Ullah, pictured in a handout photo obtained December 11, 2017, from New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission, packed the pipe bomb with metal screws and Christmas tree lights A US jury convicted a Brooklyn immigrant from Bangladesh of terrorism on Tuesday for detonating a bomb in a crowded New York subway passage near Times Square in the name of the Islamic State group. Akayed Ullah, 28, who migrated to the United States in 2011, was found guilty by a unanimous jury as Americans went to the polls in the midterm elections. His trial in Manhattan lasted a week. The December 11, 2017 blast wounded Ullah and three other people in a tunnel below the Port Authority bus terminal, not far from iconic Times Square. The bomb, which he strapped to his body with zip wires, failed to detonate as planned, and Ullah was left with burns to his torso and hands. His victims suffered minor complaints such as ringing in their ears and headaches. But the explosion sowed panic and disrupted the morning commute during the busy Christmas tourism season, six weeks after another a truck driver, also reportedly inspired by the IS group, killed eight people on a bike path. Ullah, a driver, was convicted on all six counts and faces a maximum sentence of life behind bars when he is sentenced on April 5, 2019. His convictions include supporting a foreign terrorist organization, using a weapon of mass destruction and bombing a public place. - Caught on camera - He was caught on CCTV walking through the subway terminal and detonating the bomb strapped to his body. After his arrest, he allegedly told authorities: "I did it for the Islamic State." "Today, Ullah stands convicted, he faces a potential life sentence, and his purpose failed. New York City remains a shining symbol of freedom and hope," said Geoffrey Berman, the top US federal prosecutor in Manhattan. Ullah built the bomb in his apartment, packing the device with metal screws and Christmas tree lights, having planned the attack for several weeks. Commuters exit a train near the site of the December 2017 pipe bomb explosion that sowed panic during New York's busy Christmas tourism season On the morning of the bombing, Ullah posted a statement on Facebook referring to the US president saying: "Trump you failed to protect your nation." A chilling handwritten note saying "O America die in your rage" was found, along with metal pipes, wires and screws in his home, prosecutors said. Ullah began to radicalize in 2014, three years after moving to the United States, by watching IS propaganda online before starting to research how to make bombs a year ago, officials said. Prosecutors say he opposed US government policies in the Middle East and wanted to terrorize as many people as possible, deliberately choosing a week day when the area would be most crowded. Although he is a lawful permanent resident of the United States, his wife and son live in Bangladesh, which is waging its own war against extremism. Indian demonstrators wear masks of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) and business tycoon Anil Ambani during a protest in Mumbai against the Rafale fighter jet deal A senior Indian opposition leader on Tuesday accused the CEO of a French aviation company involved in a controversial fighter jet deal of "trying to hide the truth". Kapil Sibal, a lawyer and former cabinet minister, said Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier had deliberately tried in recent interviews to "muddy the waters" over the 2016 sale of 36 Rafale planes to India. Critics have alleged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi forced the firm to partner with billionaire Anil Ambani, despite his Reliance Group having almost no experience in the aviation sector. This follows comments in September from former French president Francois Hollande -- under whose watch the sale was signed -- that France had "no choice" but to join with Reliance amid pressure from the Indian government. Under Indian defence procurement rules, foreign companies winning contracts must "offset" or reinvest half the total value -- in this case around eight billion euros -- in joint ventures or purchases with Indian firms. But in interviews with Indian media outlets last month, Trappier expanded on denials it had been forced to work with Reliance, arguing it offered key benefits such as land near an airport and cost-effectiveness. The claims prompted further questions over the deal in Indian media amid scepticism from India's opposition. "Dassault now is trying to hide the truth, and unfortunately is falling into its own trap," Sibal told reporters during a visit to London. "I would warn Dassault that the more they continue to hide the deal, the more likely it is that they will get into serious trouble in time to come." French investigative website Mediapart reported in early October on notes of a meeting between Dassault management and workers' representatives which described the choice of Reliance as "imperative and compulsory". Weeks later India's main opposition staged nationwide protests, accusing Modi of removing the head of the premier investigation agency in order to scuttle a probe into the case. Sibal reiterated calls on Tuesday for an independent investigation into the accusations. "I think that there is corruption at the highest level in our country," he said. The company could not be reached for immediate comment. In an October statement, it insisted it had "freely chosen" Reliance. Michael Douglas became one of the world's most bankable movie stars through a series of roles in cinematic hits including "Romancing the Stone," "Fatal Attraction" and "Basic Instinct" Oscar-winning actor Michael Douglas got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Tuesday in honor of his 50 years in show business. The megastar was joined at the ceremony by his 101-year-old father and Hollywood legend Kirk Douglas as well as Jane Fonda, who starred with him in the 1979 drama "The China Syndrome," about an accident in a nuclear power plant. Also attending was Douglas's wife, the actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, and other family members. "This is a great honor and I'm not getting any younger, I want to enjoy it with (my family)," the 74-year-old actor said as the star was unveiled. Douglas got emotional and teary-eyed as he addressed his father, telling him that his presence at the event meant a lot. "I'll say it simply and with all my heart, 'I'm so proud to be your son,'" he said, choking up. Speaking at the ceremony, Fonda wondered why it took so long for the younger Douglas to finally get his star. "Michael Douglas and I share something far more specific and unique than acting together," she said. "We both come from families referred to by the press as Hollywood royalty. "Both of our fathers were movie legends, and thankfully, Kirk Douglas is still with us," she added, referring to her late father Henry. Three generations of actors in the Douglas family pose after Michael Douglas received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame surrounded by his father Kirk and son Cameron "Stepping into a family business, any family business, is always challenging. Look at the Trumps or the Corleones." The younger Douglas was just 29 when he earned his place among Hollywood's elite as the producer behind "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," then the first movie in 40 years to sweep the "big five" Oscars for best picture, director, actor, actress and screenplay. He went on to win another Oscar -- this time for best actor in "Wall Street" (1987) -- and became one of the most bankable stars in the world through a series of roles in cinematic hits including "Romancing the Stone," "Fatal Attraction" and "Basic Instinct." His new comedy series, "The Kominsky Method," about a disgruntled aging actor who gives acting lessons, begins streaming on Netflix on November 16. The Dome of the Rock is often a flashpoint area in the age-old dispute between Arabs and Israelis over Jerusalem Brazil's president-elect Jair Bolsonaro suggested Tuesday he was prepared to make a swift U-turn over controversial plans to move the country's Israel embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Last week, Bolsonaro reiterated a campaign pledge to follow the lead of US President Donald Trump by switching the embassy from Israel's economic and technological hub to its capital. But on Tuesday, he reeled in his plans claiming "it hasn't yet been decided." The far-right politician was responding to a question from reporters about Egypt postponing a scheduled visit from Brazil's Foreign Minister Aloysio Nunes. "From what I know, it's due to a calendar problem," Bolsonaro said during his first visit to the capital Brasilia since winning the October 28 election runoff against leftist opponent Fernando Haddad. He is due to take office on January 1. "It would be premature for a country to take retaliatory measures against something that hasn't yet been decided." Bolsonaro's announcement of the embassy move on Thursday provoked ire in the Arab world, with a senior Palestinian official branding the move "provocative and illegal," while a spokesman for Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, called it "hostile." Bolsonaro tried to downplay the importance of his own plans, claiming "it's not a question of honor" but that "those who decide where the capital of Israel is, are the people, the state of Israel." Such a move could prove risky for Brazil, though, as it is a major exporter of hallal meat to the Arab world. Jerusalem's status is hotly disputed. Israel occupied the eastern portion of the city, then under Jordanian control, at the end of the Six-Day War in 1967, which pitted it against Egypt, Syria and Jordan. It later annexed that part of the city in the reunification of Jerusalem, a move that has not been internationally recognized. An official United Nations resolution from 1947 still proposes the creation of an international regime to run the city, while later ideas have suggested it should be a shared capital for both Israelis and Palestinians. After Trump's embassy move announcement in December, Guatemala and Paraguay followed suit, although the latter then changed its mind. Snowden spoke of the NSO Group, the Israel-based company known for its Pegasus spyware US whistleblower Edward Snowden urged Israelis to be on guard against heavy-handed government and private surveillance in a speech by video link Tuesday and defended his 2013 massive leak of classified documents. Snowden highlighted Israel's high-tech capabilities, but warned that accepting too much government surveillance and too easily acceding to the argument that it is needed for security reasons posed serious risks. "If we can allow ourselves to be terrorised by someone with nothing but a knife, to reorder our societies for the convenience of state power ... we've stopped being citizens and we've started being subjects," said Snowden, who spoke from an undisclosed location in Moscow. The 35-year-old also spoke of the NSO Group, the Israel-based company known for its Pegasus spyware. The software has been pinpointed by independent experts as likely being used in a number of countries with poor human rights records. "The idea is that companies like this increasingly are popping up all around the world," Snowden said. In one case, international experts investigating the disappearance of 43 students in Mexico in 2014 were targeted with the spyware after it had been sold to the government, the experts said. NSO Group says its product is intended to be used only for investigating and preventing crime and terrorism. It says it investigates allegations of improper use. Snowden, a former contractor with the US National Security Agency, leaked thousands of classified documents to the press in 2013 which revealed the vast scope of surveillance of private data put in place after the 9/11 attacks. He has lived in exile ever since. The United States has charged him with espionage and theft of state secrets, but Snowden said he still loves his country and hopes to return home. But he said risks had to be taken since "this world will only ever be as good as we make it." Snowden spoke to an invited audience in Tel Aviv at an event organised by Israeli public relations agency OH! Orenstein Hoshen. Iran late last year inaugurated the port on the Indian Ocean which provides a key supply route to landlocked Afghanistan and allows India to bypass its historic enemy Pakistan The United States said Tuesday it would exempt Iran's Indian-backed port of Chabahar from new sanctions on Tehran, recognizing the value of the project to Afghanistan. Iran late last year inaugurated the port on the Indian Ocean which provides a key supply route to landlocked Afghanistan and allows India to bypass its historic enemy Pakistan. The United States will exempt from sanctions the development of Chabahar along with an attached railway project and Iranian petroleum shipments into Afghanistan, the State Department said. President Donald Trump's "South Asia strategy underscores our ongoing support of Afghanistan's economic growth and development as well as our close partnership with India," a State Department spokesperson said. "This exception relates to reconstruction assistance and economic development for Afghanistan. These activities are vital for the ongoing support of Afghanistan's growth and humanitarian relief," the spokesperson said. The United States, which has been building closer relations with New Delhi since the late 1990s, earlier exempted India from sanctions that took effect on Monday. The Trump administration has vowed to exert maximum pressure on Iran to end its support for regional proxies, exiting a denuclearization agreement that brought sanctions relief. Trump's decision has been opposed by European powers as well as other nations including India, which has largely warm relations with Iran and accuses Pakistan of fomenting attacks on its soil. India has poured $2 billion into Afghanistan since the 2001 US-led overthrow of the extremist Taliban regime, which was also opposed by Iran. India has seen Chabahar as a key way both to send supplies to Afghanistan and to step up trade with Central Asia as well as Africa. Iran has plans to link the port by railway to Zahedan on the Pakistani border up to Mashhad in the northeast. The age-old ritual of cutting or removing the clitoris of young females has been decried by human and women's rights advocates and can lead to a host of physical, psychological and sexual complications Rates of female genital mutilation among girls under 14 have fallen sharply in most regions of Africa over three decades, according to ground-breaking analysis cautiously welcomed by aid groups. The age-old ritual of cutting or removing the clitoris of young females has been decried by human and women's rights advocates and can lead to a host of physical, psychological and sexual complications. And yet it remains widespread in parts of Africa and the Middle East. Historically, rates of FGM have been high in East Africa. In 2016, for example, the UN children's agency said 98 percent of women and girls in Somalia had been cut. But the new research suggests the practice has been falling over time in younger children, the most at-risk group. While still endemic in many societies there is a growing stigma attached to the practice, making it hard for researchers to get a good idea of whether FGM has remained stable or is in decline. A team of scientists based in Britain and South Africa conducted the most sophisticated statistical analysis of FGM rates, covering 29 countries and stretching back to 1990. Female genital mutilation They drew upon data from two distinct surveys encompassing close to 210,000 children, carried out for the Demographic Health Survey and UNICEF. After combining the data and eliminating repeat cases, they found a "huge and significant decline" in the prevalence of FGM in under-14s across several regions. Populous East African nations such as Kenya and Tanzania with low FGM rates -- 3 to 10 percent of girls each year -- ensured a sharp downward trend across the region. In Eritrea, however, an average of 67 percent of girls were subjected to the procedure each year between 1995-2002. - 'Public health priority' - The team determined that FGM prevalence in girls in East Africa fell from 71.4 percent in 1995 to just 8 percent in 2016. "Recent estimates show that more than 200 million women and children around the world have undergone FGM," Ngianga-Bakwin Kandala, professor of biostatistics at Britain's Northumbria University and lead study author, told AFP. "Preventing FGM should be a major public health priority in countries and regions still showing a high prevalence among children." Other regions in Africa saw similar falls in FGM rates over time. In West Africa the decline was less pronounced but still significant: from 73 percent in 1996 to a little over 25 percent in 2017. But the study, published Wednesday in the BMJ journal, found that FGM rates in Middle Eastern nations -- including Yemen and Iraq -- had increased. Naana Otoo-Oyortey, executive director of the anti-FGM charity Forward not involved in the research, told AFP the study would prove "critical in providing insights on reduction in the prevalence of FGM within the 0-14 year group". But she said it painted an incomplete picture as in some nations, new laws banning FGM might simply be stopping families reporting the practice, rather than abandoning it altogether. "It is vital that prevalence statistics are accompanied by a contextual and nuanced analysis of shifts in attitudes towards FGM across these countries," said Otoo-Oyortey. - 'Challenge social norms' - Jamillah Mwanjisi, head of advocacy, campaigns and media for Save the Children Somalia/Somaliland, without commenting on the study, said FGM remained a major problem. "We don't have a clear-cut law that says FGM is a criminal offence against children," she told AFP, without commenting on the study's findings. "In Somalia there's a lack of really strong political will to challenge the social and cultural norms." Mwanjisi did say, however, that she had witnessed a small fall in the number of 15-17 year-olds who had been cut -- from 98 percent two years ago to 90 percent currently. This suggests there may be a data lag when it comes to FGM, and that as rates among under 14s drop, we may see a corresponding fall in the overall proportion of women subjected to the procedure. "The data provided in this study may not answer the question why rates of FGM have fallen," said Kandala. "Probably mothers' attitude is the main factor, but to answer this question more accurately further studies and data collection is needed." Greg Pence, a winning Republican candidate for the US House of Representatives, describes himself as a conservative who opposes abortion and supports gun ownership rights Greg Pence, the older brother of US Vice President Mike Pence, won a seat in the US House of Representatives on Tuesday soon after polls began closing in the midterm elections. The 61-year-old businessman and military veteran claimed victory for the Republicans in the district his younger brother once held in Indiana. Prior to becoming Donald Trump's vice president, Mike Pence went from serving in heavily-Republican 6th district in southern Indiana to become governor of the conservative Midwestern state. In his first campaign for public office, the elder Pence promised to support the agenda pushed by his brother and Trump in Washington, describing himself as a conservative who opposes abortion and supports gun ownership rights. With less than a fifth of votes counted, Pence declared victory with 68 percent and was projected as the winner by US networks CNN and NBC. "Like many of you, I continue to be inspired by President Trump," Pence said in his victory speech. "I support the president's agenda to fight for the middle class and ensure commonsense policies get through and accomplished by Congress." Pence's opponent was Democrat Jeannine Lake, a self-described Christian Democrat who supported tuition-free college and universal healthcare, and opposed Trump's trade tariffs that she said had financially hurt farmers. Pence will fill an open seat vacated by Luke Messer, who ran unsuccessfully for the Senate. Jennifer Wexton, a Democratic state lawmaker, was ahead of two-term Republican incumbent Barbara Comstock in their suburban northern Virginia district that Hillary Clinton won in 2016 Democrats seized their first two Republican-held seats of the US midterm elections Tuesday, networks projected, flipping House seats in Virginia and Florida seen as crucial to the opposition party's effort to regain a majority in the chamber. Jennifer Wexton, a Democratic state lawmaker, was ahead of two-term Republican incumbent Barbara Comstock by 57 percent to 43 percent in their suburban northern Virginia district that Hillary Clinton won in 2016, NBC reported. In the second flip of the night, US networks called a former member of Bill Clinton's cabinet, Democrat Donna Shalala, as winner of a House seat in Florida, where she takes the place of Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who is retiring. Democrats must gain 21 more seats in the 435-member House of Representatives to regain control of the chamber, which is currently led by President Donald Trump's Republicans. In the Virginia race, Comstock had distanced herself from Trump in the run up to the election -- well aware of the frustrations that affluent suburban voters, in particular women, have had with the president. But it was not enough to hold on. The early defeats could signal that Republicans are in for a long night, as the party is defending multiple seats in suburban districts that are deemed toss ups by the Cook Political Report. Another election observer, the Center For Politics at the University of Virginia, is predicting Democrats will gain at least 30 seats on Tuesday. Trump's party appears to be faring better in the US Senate, where they hold a slim 51-49 edge, as Democrats are seeking re-election in 10 states that Trump won in 2016. Five of those races are considered toss-ups. Madagascar has three former presidents running for the top job again The Indian Ocean island of Madagascar is the leading global producer of vanilla and blessed with a bountiful biodiversity, yet it remains one of the poorest countries in the world. Here is some background as the country heads to the polls Wednesday in the first round of its presidential elections: - Fourth largest island - Stretching across 587,000 square kilometres (nearly 227,000 square miles), Madagascar is the world's fourth largest island, bigger than Spain or Thailand in size. The country lies just over 400 kilometres (250 miles) off the southeastern coast of Africa and is home to a population of nearly 25 million people (2016, World Bank), including 18 ethnic groups. Madagascar is frequently exposed to extreme weather events, such as tropical storms, flooding and drought. One of the most powerful cyclones in recent years, Enawo, claimed nearly 80 lives in March 2017. While it is renowned for its luscious biodiversity, some of this is under threat including critically-endangered lemurs, its rare and ruby-coloured rosewood trees, and several tortoise and turtle species. Wildlife smuggling and trafficking of its abundant natural wealth remains a national concern. - Political divisions - The former French colony, which gained independence in 1960, has been mired in political division and upheaval for decades. A disputed 2001 presidential election led to clashes that ended with Marc Ravalomanana, the mayor of the capital, taking power. The outgoing leader was Didier Ratsiraka, a one-time Marxist who had ruled since 1975 and went into exile. Ravalomanana was toppled in 2009 by another Antananarivo mayor, Andry Rajoelina, in an army-backed coup. But Rajoelina was barred from contesting 2013's elections over his links to the country's troubled past, as were Ravalomanana's wife and Ratsiraka. Protests erupted again in April 2018 over claims that laws due to be enacted ahead of the presidential vote would see certain candidates barred. After weeks of unrest and calls for him to quit, President Hery Rajaonarimampianina was forced to replace his government with a "consensus" administration in June 2018 charged with organising Wednesday's polls. - Vanilla, sapphires, malnutrition - Heavily reliant on international aid, Madagascar has registered annual growth of more than four percent since 2016, the World Bank says. But most people have not benefited from the improved economic situation, with 76 percent living in extreme poverty. The country supplies about 80 percent of global vanilla bean stocks and is also one of the world's leading producers of sapphires. Its agriculture sector, the main source of income for most people, is vulnerable to its regular natural disasters. Rice production fell by about 20 percent from 2016 which led to significant price hikes, according to the World Bank. Madagascar has the sixth highest rate of malnutrition in the world, with nearly half of all Malagasy children under the age of five suffering from chronic malnutrition according to Unicef. It is among the nations with the highest levels of child illiteracy. Only about 13 percent of the population has access to electricity. Sources: AFP, Unicef, World Bank Senate election winner Bob Menendez, pictured in Hoboken on November 4, 2018, put on trial -- but not convicted -- in 2017 for allegedly accepting kickbacks New Jersey voters on Tuesday re-elected Democrat Bob Menendez to the US Senate despite his scandal-tainted past, which some party faithful had feared could hand his Republican opponent a win, US television networks said. NBC and ABC News projected that the 64-year-old Menendez would hang onto his seat, throwing off a challenge from Republican Bob Hugin, a former pharmaceuticals boss and Donald Trump supporter. Menendez has been senator in the traditionally safe Democrat seat since 2006, but he was federally indicted and put on trial in 2017 for allegedly accepting kickbacks from an eye doctor. The trial ended in a hung jury. He escaped conviction, but he was formally reprimanded by the Senate's ethics committee and forced to repay at least part of the gifts he received. Earlier on Tuesday evening, Menendez thanked his supporters. "From knocking doors and talking to voters to making calls and organizing events, our supporters have worked tirelessly," he wrote on his campaign's official twitter account. "Thank you!" Democratic Party leaders had urged supporters to sacrifice their principles and re-elect Menendez in the name of the greater good of thrashing the president at polls widely seen as a referendum on the Trump administration. burs/jm/ft Trains are used to transport thousands of tons of iron ore through remote parts of Western Australia A huge runaway train laden with iron ore had to be derailed remotely after speeding through the Australian outback for almost an hour. The 268-wagon train started on its solo journey when the driver got down from his cab to carry out an inspection, and was soon hurtling along at up to 110 kilometres (68 miles) per hour. Mining giant BHP, which owns the four-locomotive train, decided to derail before it reached the town of Port Hedland near its Western Australia Pilbara site, and flicked the points. The train crashed off the rails, damaging around 1,500 metres (1,600 yards) of tracks, but hurting no one. Aerial images published by The West Australian showed a trail of twisted wreckage after Monday's incident, with some wagons covered by their loads. Australia is one of the world's major sources of iron ore. BHP said Wednesday more than 130 people were working to recover the train and fix the track -- a key access route for the enormous mining facility -- with partial rail operations expected to start up again in about a week. The mine sites were still running and reserves would be used to maintain port operations, "however they are not expected to cover the entire period of interruption", a BHP spokeswoman said in a statement. "We will be liaising with our customers in relation to our contractual commitments over this period," she added. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau said it was investigating the incident. There was no indication of what had caused the train to move without its driver. "We cannot speculate on the outcome of the investigation however we are working with the appropriate authorities and our focus remains on the safe recovery of our operations," the BHP spokeswoman said. BHP's shares closed 0.48 percent lower to Aus$33.39 (US$24.18) in Sydney Wednesday as reports in Britain said the Anglo-Australian firm was facing a 5 billion (US$6.5 billion) lawsuit over the deadly Samarco dam failure in Brazil in 2015. BHP is also facing an Australian class action involving investors pursuing the miner for losses relating to the collapse. Nineteen people were killed and a wave of toxic waste was unleashed when a dam burst at the mine in one of Brazil's worst environmental disasters. Five-term Democratic Congressman Jared Polis, pictured November 2014, defeated Republican Walker Stapleton to become the first openly gay person to be elected governor in the United States Democratic Congressman Jared Polis has won the governor's race in Colorado, US networks projected on Tuesday, making him the first openly gay person to be elected governor in the United States. The five-term congressman, 43, who defeated Republican Walker Stapleton, was open about his sexual orientation during the campaign, often referring to it in his criticism of President Donald Trump. Kate Brown became the first bisexual governor when she was elected in Oregon in 2015, while another governor, Jim McGreevey of New Jersey, came out as gay before resigning in 2004. But Polis is the first openly gay candidate to be elected governor. He will succeed Democrat John Hickenlooper, who has been in office since 2011. A self-made millionaire and tech entrepreneur, Polis was admitted to Princeton at age 16 and has said that he set his sights on becoming governor when he was in college. Polis, who is Jewish, switched his name from Jared Schultz to Jared Polis at age 25 to honor his grandmother, he has said. The US midterm elections of November 6, 2018, are seen as a referendum on President Donald Trump, with control of Congress in the balance Millions of Americans voted Tuesday and results have been projected in several races in the US midterms, the critical first nationwide election seen as a referendum on Donald Trump's presidency. Both parties have claimed major victories. Here is the state of play so far: - Democrats take the house - The House of Representatives has flipped from Republican control into the hands of the Democrats, US networks projected. "Tomorrow will be a new day in America," House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said at a watch party in Washington. Results showed Democrats picking up seats in Republican-held congressional districts in Colorado, Florida, Kansas, Minnesota, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia, as voters there sent a message of repudiation against Trump. The non-partisan Cook Political Report is forecasting a Democratic gain of at least 30 seats in the 435-member House. Democrats needed to gain 23 seats to reclaim control. Among the new faces are Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, the first two Muslim women elected to Congress; and Sharice Davids of Kansas, the first Native American woman to win a House seat. - Republicans retain Senate - It was a far different story in the 100-member US Senate, where Republicans retained their control. The party drew blood in Indiana, ousting one-term Democrat Joe Donnelly in a state that had been seen as a must-win for Democrats seeking to gain control of the upper chamber. Tripling the Democratic pain, North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp crashed to defeat against Republican state lawmaker Kevin Cramer, while Missouri Democrat Claire McCaskill lost to the state's attorney general, Republican Josh Hawley. Democrats were defending a whopping 10 seats in states won by Trump in 2016. Not all were endangered, and those winning re-election included senators in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Their party had put high hopes in flipping the traditionally Republican Texas, but candidate Beto O'Rourke came up short against incumbent Senator Ted Cruz. - Governors: Florida stays Republican - The marquee governor's race in Florida was a nail-biter, and it eventually went to the Trump-aligned Republican candidate Ron DeSantis, who squeaked past Andrew Gillum by about one percentage point. Gillum, the mayor of Tallahassee, was aiming to become the state's first African-American chief executive, and the intense and acrimonious race was marred by charges of racist campaign tactics. Another tight top race was playing out in neighboring Georgia, where Democrat Stacey Abrams would become the first black female governor in US history if she wins. Two bright spots for Democrats: In Colorado, Jared Polis's win will make the outgoing congressman the first openly gay governor in US history. And in an upset in largely red Kansas, Democrat Laura Kelly defeated Trump favorite Kris Kobach. 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. Ted Cruz -- a 47-year-old who battled US President Donald Trump for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination -- overcame major deficits in fundraising to ultimately defeat his charismatic rival, whose campaign electrified Democrats across the country Texas Republican Ted Cruz won re-election to a second term in the Senate, beating off Democratic challenger Beto O'Rourke in one of America's most expensive and closely watched midterm races, US news networks projected Tuesday. Cruz -- a 47-year-old who battled President Donald Trump for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination -- overcame major deficits in fundraising to ultimately defeat his charismatic rival, whose campaign electrified Democrats across the country and was backed by a galaxy of stars from Beyonce to Jim Carrey and LeBron James. A win for O'Rourke, 46, a three-time congressman and former punk rocker whose given names are Robert Francis but who goes by Beto, would have amounted to a political earthquake in the reliably Republican "Lone Star State," but he ultimately fell short. Cruz's campaign meanwhile was given a late boost by his former rival Trump, who belatedly stumped for the Cuban American two weeks before the vote. During the 2016 campaign, Trump infamously insulted the looks of Cruz's wife Heidi, vaguely suggested Cruz's father had played a role in John F. Kennedy's assassination and tagged him with the nickname "Lyin' Ted" -- an insult used by O'Rourke. Cruz's victory represented a significant boost for the Republican party as it looked set to retain control of the upper chamber of Congress. Mitt Romney, the former Republican presidential nominee who was mocked by current President Donald Trump for losing in 2012 to Barack Obama, will take on a new role in January 2019: US senator from Utah Donald Trump branded fellow Republican Mitt Romney a "stone cold loser" for failing to defeat Barack Obama in 2012, but the conservative presidential nominee-turned-Trump-critic exacted his revenge Tuesday by winning a US Senate seat. Romney, 71, defeated Democrat Jenny Wilson in their race to succeed retiring veteran Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah, setting himself up for a six-year Washington stint as an elder political statesman largely immune to Trump's aggressive influence. Romney, who is Mormon, ran a successful campaign in a majority-Mormon western state that has had mixed feelings about the brash and combative president. It marks a return to the national stage for Romney, a wealthy businessman and former Massachusetts governor who remains popular in Utah for saving the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics from being felled by a corruption scandal. "Humbled by the support and trust of Utahns," Romney tweeted. "I endeavor to represent you with dignity, integrity, and in a manner that will make you proud." Come January he is expected to bring his strong foreign policy voice to Washington, but he also will be closely watched for how he handles the president. Will he be a thorn in Trump's side on Capitol Hill, embracing the high-profile role taken on by the late senator John McCain, or has his revulsion of the president cooled over time? Back in March 2016 Romney was among Trump's loudest Republican critics. He called him a con man and a "phony," savaging the candidate's temperament and business record, accusing him of creating "scapegoats" of Muslims and Mexican immigrants, and warning of the various dangers of a Trump presidency. "He's playing the members of the American public for suckers," he said in a Utah speech. "He gets a free ride to the White House and all we get is a lousy hat." - Conservative conscience - The stinging denunciation resonated, but Trump swatted it aside, mocking Romney for having "choked like a dog" against Democrat Obama in 2012. Shortly after Trump's victory, it appeared that the two had enjoyed a rapprochement when the president-elect invited Romney to dinner in New York. Observers giddily interpreted the get-together as an interview for the secretary of state position. But the prospect disintegrated quickly. Trump endorsed Romney's campaign, tweeting this year that Romney would make a "great Senator and worthy successor" to Hatch. Romney himself has signaled an alignment on multiple fronts, writing in June that he supported Trump's tax cuts and his slashing of "unnecessary regulations." But he insisted he would stand up to the president when necessary, such as "when the president says or does something which is divisive, racist, sexist, anti-immigrant, dishonest or destructive to democratic institutions." In July he publicly castigated Trump for his "disgraceful" decision to stand next to Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki and side with him over American intelligence agencies about whether Moscow interfered in the 2016 US election. And just five days before the midterms, Romney rejected Trump's attack on the free press. "No American president has ever before vilified the American press or one of its professional outlets as an 'Enemy of the People,'" he wrote. American voters elected a host of fresh faces to Congress The US midterm elections on Tuesday will bring a range of fresh faces to Washington, from the vice president's brother to the youngest-ever woman in Congress. Here is a look at some of the most prominent of the new legislators: - Young left-wing star - Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez cored an upset in a Democratic primary in New York City to defeat 10-term member Joe Crowley, one of the most powerful members of the party At 29, staunch left-winger Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the youngest woman ever elected to Congress and one of the youngest members ever. Until recently making ends meet as a bartender, Ocasio-Cortez scored an upset in a Democratic primary in New York City to defeat 10-term member Joe Crowley, one of the most powerful members of the party. She easily won Tuesday against a Republican in the heavily Democratic and ethnically diverse district straddling Queens and The Bronx. A supporter of leftist Senator Bernie Sanders -- who won his own re-election bid Tuesday -- Ocasio-Cortez has quickly become a national voice with her calls for a universal health care system, tuition-free public universities and the abolition of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which has executed President Donald Trump's campaign to deport undocumented immigrants. - Face of change in Boston - Ayanna Pressley defeated a 10-term male incumbent in the Democratic primary for a left-leaning district that includes much of Boston and Harvard University Ayanna Pressley, 44, on Tuesday became the first African American woman elected to Congress from Massachusetts, representing much of the same area as John F. Kennedy. In a story with parallels to Ocasio-Cortez, Pressley defeated a 10-term male incumbent, Mike Capuano, in the Democratic primary for a left-leaning district that includes much of Boston and Harvard University. Like Ocasio-Cortez, Pressley cast her election as part of a need for better representation in the era of the #MeToo movement. When she won the primary, she denounced President Donald Trump as "a racist, misogynistic, truly empathy-bankrupt man." - Vice presidential brother - Greg Pence easily won a solidly Republican and heavily white congressional district in Indiana that was once held by his brother, who is now the vice president Politics has become a family affair for Vice President Mike Pence, with his brother Greg elected to his former congressional seat in Indiana. The vice president took to Twitter to congratulate his brother, who easily won the solidly Republican and heavily white district in the Midwestern state. The elder Pence has little political experience but touted his family ties and his business record. Pence headed a chain of fuel suppliers and convenience stores under the name Tobacco Road -- which went bankrupt after facing claims worth $100 million. - First Muslim women - Ilhan Omar, a Somali refugee, won congressional seat in a heavily Democratic district in Minnasota For the first time, the US Congress will have Muslim women -- and two of them. Ilhan Omar, a Somali refugee, won a House seat in a heavily Democratic district in Minneapolis, where she will succeed Keith Ellison, himself the first Muslim elected to Congress. Rashida Tlaib, a social worker born in Detroit to Palestinian immigrant parents, won a House seat in a district where she ran unopposed by a Republican candidate. Tlaib has vehemently opposed Trump -- even heckling the then-candidate during a 2016 campaign appearance in Detroit. "I didn't run because my election would be historic. I ran because of injustices and because of my boys, who are questioning their identity and whether they belong," Tlaib told ABC News in August. - First Native American woman - Sharice Davids, an attorney by training and a former mixed martial arts fighter who is also openly lesbian, won a congressional seat in Kansas Kansas Democrat Sharice Davids became the first Native American woman elected to Congress, defeating Republican incumbent Kevin Yoder. Davids, 38, is an attorney by training and a former mixed martial arts fighter. She is also openly lesbian, in a state that is traditionally conservative. Davids -- who was raised by a single mother Army veteran -- won a district that includes Kansas City and its southern suburbs. She wore a T-shirt in her campaign advertisements that read, "Strong, Resilient, Indigenous." "We could not be more thankful for the support that was shown by each and every one of you all the way along this path. We recognize that, you know, we didn't win it tonight," Andrew Gillum told supporters Democrat Andrew Gillum, the African American mayor of Florida state capital Tallahassee, conceded Tuesday in his acrimonious battle for governor with Ron DeSantis, a member of the House of Representatives and ardent supporter of President Donald Trump. "We could not be more thankful for the support that was shown by each and every one of you all the way along this path. We recognize that, you know, we didn't win it tonight," he told supporters. "Earlier this evening I called Mr Ron DeSantis and congratulated him on what we expect will be him as the next governor of the great state of Florida. "But I want you to know, I want you to know, I want you to know that in spite of our congratulating him on his victory this evening, nothing that we believe in is compromised." The race was among the most watched in the US midterms, with Trump throwing his weight behind DeSantis and Gillum endorsed by former Democratic president Barack Obama and former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. In the dying days of the campaign, Trump branded Gillum a "thief" and accused him of running a corrupt city, without presenting evidence for his attack. The FBI has been conducting a probe of alleged public corruption in Tallahassee, and while Gillum has said he has been told he is not the target, Republicans used the investigation as a cudgel against him. DeSantis himself has been widely criticized for urging Florida voters not to "monkey this up" by electing Gillum, a comment denounced as racist. Ilhan Omar addresses supporters in Minneapolis, Minnesota after becoming of the first two Muslim women elected to the US Congress A onetime Somali refugee and the daughter of Palestinian immigrants shared the historic distinction Tuesday of becoming the first two Muslim women elected to the US Congress. Both women -- Ilhan Omar, 37, and Rashida Tlaib, 42 -- are Democrats from the Midwest and outspoken advocates of minority communities that have found themselves in the sights of US President Donald Trump's anti-immigrant policies. Omar won a House seat in a strongly Democratic district in Minneapolis, Minnesota, succeeding Keith Ellison who was himself the first Muslim ever elected to Congress. Tlaib's victory was no suprise. She ran unopposed in a congressional district that stretches from Detroit to Dearborn, Michigan. Their stories trace a similar trail-blazing rise through local politics. - Ilhan Omar - "I'm Muslim and black," the hijab-wearing Omar said in a recent magazine interview. Materials prepared to celebrate the victory of Ilhan Omar, a onetime Somali refugee who won a congressional seat for the Democrats in Minneapolis, Minnesota "I decided to run because I was one of many people I knew who really wanted to demonstrate what representative democracies are supposed to be," she said. Omar fled Somalia's civil war with her parents at the age of eight and spent four years at a refugee camp in Kenya. Her family settled in Minnesota in 1997, where there is a sizable Somali population. She won a seat in the state's legislature in 2016, becoming the first Somali-American lawmaker in the country. Before that, she had worked as a community organizer, a policy wonk for city leaders in Minneapolis, and as a leader in her local chapter of the NAACP -- the African-American civil rights group. Ilhan Omar fled Somalia's civil war with her parents at the age of eight and spent four years at a refugee camp in Kenya before the family settled in Minnesota in 1997 She decided to run for Congress after Ellison, who is also black, decided to give up his seat after 12 years in Congress to run for attorney general of Minnesota. Omar has forged a progressive political identity. She supports free college education, housing for all, and criminal justice reform. She opposes Trump's restrictive immigration policies, supports a universal health care system, and wants to abolish US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which has conducted deportation raids. - Rashida Tlaib - Rashida Tlaib is the Detroit-born daughter of Palestinian immigrants -- the eldest of 14 children. A fighter who once heckled US President Donald Trump during a 2016 campaign stop in Detroit, she says she didn't run to make history as Muslim. "I ran because of injustices and because of my boys, who are questioning their (Muslim) identity and whether they belong," Tlaib said in an US television interview in August. "I've never been one to stand on the sidelines." Like Omar, she blazed a trail through Michigan politics, becoming the first Muslim woman to serve in the Michigan state legislature in 2008. In August, she emerged as the winner of a Democratic primary for a seat vacated by John Conyers, a longtime liberal lion who stepped down in December amid sexual harassment allegations and failing health. With no Republican challenger in the race, Tlaib's election on Tuesday became a formality. The seat she won is in a predominantly African American congressional district with few Muslim voters. She says her constituents were attracted to her progressive politics, which are the polar opposite of Republicans. Tlaib has advocated for universal health care, a $15 national minimum wage, union protections, and tuition-free college education. She also has been mindful of the historic nature of her candidacy. During her tearful primary election victory speech in August, with her immigrant mother by her side, she said relatives in the West Bank were watching her success. "It just shows how incredibly wonderful our country can be," she said. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has championed her working-class and Puerto Rican roots as the daughter of a cleaner and a father who died in his 40s, embodying a different generation of politician and shunning corporate donors Democratic rising star Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made history Tuesday as the youngest woman elected to Congress, riding a wave of minority women taking office and cementing her place as a prominent voice on the left of US politics. "We have made history tonight," the grinning 29-year-old told cheering supporters at her victory party in Queens, an astonishing victory for a woman working in a Manhattan restaurant only a year ago. She has championed her working-class and Puerto Rican roots as the daughter of a cleaner and a father who died in his 40s, embodying a different generation of politician and shunning corporate donors. With telegenic looks, charisma and youthful idealism, she is at once a media darling and a lightning rod for criticism. On Tuesday, she signaled a deep ambition running beyond the confines of her constituency and thanked organizers for building a "larger movement for social, economic and racial justice in the United States of America," in a stirring speech that ended with confetti falling from the ceiling. "If we are going to turn this ship around as a country it is not good enough to throw a rock at our neighbor's yard, we've got to clean up our own house," she said. "There is nothing inherently noble about protecting a status quo that does not serve the needs of working class Americans." In a further sign that her dreams run big she spoke of the galvanizing power that her campaign had on other insurgent races around the country and vowed that hers would be the generation to flip the Republican state of Texas blue. From the start, Ocasio-Cortez traded heavily on her non-privileged background in her quest to defeat a 10-term, Democratic Party grandee in her first political race in a New York primary on June 26. Overnight, she went from total unknown to the toast of coastal America, profiled in Vogue, a guest on chat shows and jetting around the country lending her rock-star status to other insurgent candidates. - 'Remarkable story' - Supporters of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez cheer during her election night party in the Queens Borough of New York She is also the first person of color to represent the safe Democratic seat in diverse Queens and the Bronx, which is largely immigrant. When she beat incumbent Joe Crowley, she was moonlighting as a bartender. "It's really one of the most remarkable stories I've ever heard," said talkshow host Jimmy Kimmel in a breathless introduction. Ocasio-Cortez once worked for the late senator Ted Kennedy while studying economics and international relations at Boston University. She has worked with female entrepreneurs in Africa and in education. But if there's no doubting her talent, crowd-appeal, idealism and passion for grassroots campaigning, in America her politics are pretty radical. She is a Democratic Socialist in the vein of failed 2016 presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders, on whose campaign she worked. Ocasio-Cortez has compared the fight against climate change to the fight against Nazi Germany in World War II, calling it a "major existential threat" and has likened electing Democrats to ending slavery. The right has branded her politics "dangerous" and she has also taken hits from centrist stalwarts, former senator Joe Lieberman saying her primary win seemed "likely to hurt Congress, America and the Democratic Party." Only time will tell whether the progressive Democratic wing that she embodies represents the future or a Tea Party-style spinoff as mainstream liberals scramble for ways to contain Trump. Pragmatists say she will have to compromise her ideals. Debt-free college and universal health care sound appealing, but are expensive propositions. "She is a really good candidate with good political instincts," Jeanne Zaino, a political scientist at Iona College, has said. "But we can't forget the larger forces, there's a real frustration... with the establishment," she added. "I'm not sure she'd have won if her opponent wasn't a leader of the Democratic Party." The talks between US chief diplomat Mike Pompeo (l) and senior North Korean official Kim Yong Chol (r) had been due to take place in New York on Thursday US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has shelved plans to meet with senior North Korean officials, including one of leader Kim Jong Un's top aides, the State Department said Tuesday. The talks between President Donald Trump's top diplomat and the North Korean delegation, which had been due to take place in New York on Thursday, "will now take place at a later date," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert. "We will reconvene when our respective schedules permit," she added in a statement. The announcement came only a day after officials had said Pompeo and Kim Yong Chol -- one of the North Korean leaders right-hand men -- would discuss how much progress had been achieved towards securing denuclearization since a landmark summit over the summer. Although Trump has had warm words since he meet with Kim Jong Un in Singapore in June, his administration has nevertheless annoyed Pyongyang by maintaining a regime of sanctions. North Korea's foreign ministry has warned that Pyongyang will "seriously" consider reviving its nuclear weapons program unless the sanctions are lifted. In announcing the meeting with Kim Yong Chol, Pompeo said he expected to "make some real progress" including on laying the groundwork for a second summit between Trump and Kim Jong Un. Kim Yong Chol is a general, a former top intelligence chief and right-hand man to the North Korean leader. The talks between US chief diplomat Mike Pompeo (L) and senior North Korean official Kim Yong Chol (R) had been due to take place in New York on Thursday US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday abruptly shelved plans to meet a top North Korean official in New York, the latest twist in diplomatic attempts to secure a potentially landmark peace deal. The talks between President Donald Trump's top diplomat and the North Korean delegation, which had been due on Thursday, "will now take place at a later date," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said. "We will reconvene when our respective schedules permit," she added in a statement. State Department officials gave no further reasons for the delay to the meeting, although North Korea has stepped up its demands that the United States lift sanctions. The State Department had just one day earlier confirmed that Pompeo would meet in New York with Kim Yong Chol -- one of the North Korean leader's right-hand men -- to discuss progress toward a denuclearization pact and to work to arrange a second summit following historic talks between Trump and Kim in June. Despite warm words from Trump since meeting Kim in Singapore, his administration has insisted on maintaining pressure on Pyongyang until a final agreement is reached. North Korea said last week that it would "seriously" consider returning to a state policy aimed at building nuclear weapons unless Washington lifts sanctions. "The improvement of relations and sanctions are incompatible," said a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency. "What remains to be done is the US corresponding reply," it added. Pompeo, speaking Sunday on Fox News, said he was "not worried" about the North Korean demands and insisted there would be "no economic relief until we have achieved our ultimate objective." But Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, told AFP that the postponement was a bad sign. "This last-minute announcement of a delay is not a good signal as it indicates negotiations were not going well enough to go ahead with the planned meeting," he said. - Turbulent diplomacy - Pompeo has traveled four times this year to North Korea, for decades a US pariah, in hopes of securing an accord. The diplomacy comes a year after fears mounted of war, with Trump threatening "fire and fury" after Pyongyang's nuclear and missile tests. Trump has cast North Korea as a crowning diplomatic achievement and is eager for a fresh summit with Kim at which the two may formally declare an end to the 1950-53 Korean War. North Korea has long sought US recognition as a nuclear state and guarantees for the survival of the generational Kim regime, which human rights groups consider one of the most repressive in the world. US critics say that North Korea has yet to make any concrete concessions and it has rejected demands for what it described as its "unilateral disarmament". Pompeo's postponement of talks came amid emerging differences between Seoul and Washington, which stations 28,500 troops in the South to protect it from its nuclear-armed neighbour. In contrast to Washington's approach, the South's dovish president Moon Jae-in, who brokered the Singapore summit, has dangled large investment and joint cross-border projects as incentives for steps towards denuclearization. South Korea's foreign ministry said the meeting delay was "regrettable" but insisted that "excessively pessimistic interpretation was unnecessary". "There have been cases in the past when US-North Korea talks were delayed, so there is no need to shift between hope and fear," a senior ministry official told reporters. Kim Yong Chol is a general and former top intelligence chief. He visited New York in May for talks with Pompeo in what was the highest-level trip by a North Korean to the United States in nearly two decades. The diplomacy on North Korea has seen a series of fits and starts, with Trump at one point scrapping a trip by Pompeo just as he was set to fly to Pyongyang. The latest New York meeting was set to come ahead of a busy season of diplomacy, with Pompeo meeting senior Chinese officials in Washington on Friday. Trump heads over the next month to international gatherings in Paris and Buenos Aires, while Vice President Mike Pence will tour Asia. Investigators have retrieved the plane's engines, wheels and one of its two black boxes Indonesia will extend by three days its search for the bodies of passengers from the ill-fated Lion Air plane, an official said Wednesday, as authorities struggle to identify victims of the crash. The Lion Air plane was en route from Jakarta to Pangkal Pinang city on Sumatra island ten days ago when it plunged into the water, killing all 189 people onboard. Search teams have filled some 186 body bags with remains found after the devastating crash, but only 44 victims have been identified so far, Muhammad Syaugi, the head of the national search and rescue agency said at a press conference. The navy, police and volunteers that have also been involved in the search will be stood down, he added. Hundreds of mourners aboard a pair of Indonesian navy vessels tossed bouquets and scattered flower petals into the Java Sea on Tuesday, near the spot where the brand new jet crashed. Divers have retrieved the plane's engines, wheels and one of its two black boxes -- the flight data recorder -- but are still searching for the cockpit voice recorder. A preliminary report on the cause of the accident is expected at the end of the month. The Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee said Monday that flight recorder data has so far revealed the plane's air speed indicator had not been working properly on its last four journeys, including on the fatal flight. The JT610 flight sped up as it suddenly lost altitude and then vanished from radar just minutes after take-off. African American candidates suffered disappointing losses in the US governors' races: (L-R) Ben Jealous, candidate for governor of Maryland; Stacey Abrams, candidate for governor of Georgia; and Andrew Gillum, candidate for governor of Florida They were poised to break new ground two years after America's first black president ended his final term in office, but the US midterms proved a disappointment for African-American candidates, including some of Democrats' brightest stars. In Florida, Andrew Gillum failed to become the southern state's first black governor, losing by less than 60,000 votes out of more than eight million cast. Stacey Abrams, who hoped to become the first female black governor of Georgia, trailed as the last of the votes were being counted in that Republican-leaning southern state. The candidates raised massive amounts of money, had high-profile endorsements from celebrities and political leaders, and the national media spotlight. Still, they were unable to claim the winner's prize in those important and fiercely contested states. "If their votes had gone just a few tens of thousands the other way, the narrative would have been completely different," said University of Florida political science professor Michael McDonald. Former president Barack Obama campaigned for Andrew Gillum (L), who fell short in his run to be the first black governor of Florida In another disappointment, Ben Jealous, former president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, failed to unseat the Republican governor of Maryland, Larry Hogan. "Jealous was going against a popular incumbent, so that was going to be a difficult election," McDonald said. - 10 years after Obama - The losses come 10 years after Americans surmounted a towering cultural barrier by electing Barack Obama as their first black president. "Our work goes on," Obama said Monday in a statement congratulating Democrats on wresting control of the House of Representatives from Republicans as well as on wins in several state capitals. Andrew Gillum, (L) the Democratic candidate for Florida governor, greets a supporter during his campaign "The change we need won't come from one election alone -- but it is a start," he added. Analysts estimated that about 30 million more people voted Tuesday than in the 2014 midterms, and there were some important victories for African Americans. Ayanna Pressley became the first black woman elected to represent Massachusetts in Congress. Jahana Hayes achieved the same distinction in Connecticut. "When a woman of color talks about running for higher office, folks don't just talk about a glass ceiling," Pressley said in her election night speech. "What they describe is a concrete one." Overall, 40 women of color were headed to the House -- including the first two Native American women and the first two Muslim women, one of whom was a Somali immigrant. - 'Backbone' of Democrats - In another victory, Florida voters approved an amendment to the state constitution that restored voting rights to convicted felons. The restriction was widely seen as an example of the type of barriers erected to suppress the votes of African Americans. "That alone will have an impact in future (Florida) elections for progressives," Danyelle Solomon, director of race and ethnicity policy at the left-leaning Center for American Progress. "African-Americans are the backbone of the Democratic Party." But losses in the most high-profile races were especially disappointing -- coming after big expectations that fueled voter enthusiasm. A supporter shows off a custom Abrams/Obama t-shirt during a campaign rally for Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams Media titan Oprah Winfrey knocked on doors for Abrams -- to the astonishment of some Georgia residents. Obama campaigned for Gillum in Florida. Bernie Sanders rallied with Jealous in Maryland. The heated races in Florida and Georgia took on racial overtones that offered reminders of the American South's white supremacist past. Gillum's Republican opponent Ron DeSantis said in a Fox News interview early in the campaign that voters should not "monkey this up" by voting for the black mayor of Tallahassee. Gillum accused DeSantis of cozying up to white supremacists -- charges the Republican denied. "I'm not calling Mr DeSantis a racist," Gillum said during a debate. "I'm simply saying the racists believe he's a racist." - Voter suppression claims - In Georgia, overt racism reared up days before the election with a robo-call produced by an anti-Semitic group. "This is the magical Negro Oprah Winfrey asking you to make my fellow Negress Stacey Abrams the governor of Georgia," the recording said. Abrams's Republican opponent Brian Kemp disavowed the recording as "vile" and "absolutely disgusting." Kemp, Georgia's secretary of state in charge of elections, was accused of suppressing the minority vote in a red state with slowly shifting demographics. A federal judge ruled against him days before the election -- finding Kemp's requirement that registration forms had to exactly match government records was too burdensome. Critics argued tens of thousands of mostly minority residents stood to lose their right to vote because of the "exact match" requirement. Similar voter suppression accusations were made in North Dakota, Texas and Kansas. NAACP President Derrick Johnson said Wednesday that candidates had surely been negatively impacted. "Let's be clear, voter suppression played a huge role in the silencing of the political voices of the Black community and all people of color," Johnson said in a statement. Many residents of New York have been in denial over the rise to power of the city's most famous son, President Donald Trump Donald Trump's largely Democrat-voting hometown woke up Wednesday breathing a sigh of relief, pleased there were now checks on the president's power but under few illusions that the political future of America would be any less divided. Having spent two years in denial that the anti-immigration Manhattan tycoon had won top office, many New Yorkers were in a better mood after Tuesday's midterm elections handed Democrats control of the House of Representatives, if not the Senate. "I'm happy," said Kathryn Baron, in her 50s, at Grand Central, one of New York's busiest transport hubs. "I feel relieved. Now there's going to be some checks and balances here," she told AFP. "It made up a little bit for the feeling everyone felt two years ago," Baron recalled. "It was horrible." Women, in particular, welcomed the emergence of a new political class and a record number of women elected to Congress and more minorities, such as rising Democratic star Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who is of working-class Puerto Rican heritage. "It's really exciting," says 25-year-old consultant Jordan Chin. "That's really empowering." For Maria Jobin-Leeds, a political activist from Boston, minorities and women were successful precisely because they felt under assault by the Trump presidency and his administration. Democratic rising star Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made history as the youngest woman elected to Congress, riding a wave of minority women taking office "You can only take that for a certain amount before you have to do something about it," she told AFP. "So yesterday was the culmination of a lot of work of a lot of people." Whether they lean left or right, New Yorkers in the overwhelmingly private sector US financial capital were only too aware that a divided Congress brings an elevated risk of political gridlock in the next two years. "I don't think it's going to make a lot of difference," said Bill Johnson, who belongs to neither party. "I think there was gridlock before and it's going to continue." - Focus shifts to 2020 - US midterm elections "That's exactly what I expect," agreed Brian Jones, a Democrat. "The only place where you will get progress is if there's any other judicial appointments because they're made in the Senate and the Republicans have an advantage," he said. Chin, however, saw an opening for Democrats to commission legislative investigations into Trump, such as over conflicts of interest. "The opportunity is there," she said. "I think it's exciting nonetheless to see where it's going to go." Jones said it was an open question whether Democrats wanted to "waste their time" in that area when their attempts to turn the screws on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh ended with his confirmation regardless. "I think the Kavanaugh hearings backfired on them," said Jones. "Hopefully they've learned some lessons from that." With the last votes from the midterms still trickling in, the news cycle and gossip is already switching to 2020 and the next presidential race. "What's very unusual is everybody's going to start talking about (it)," says Mark Anton. "I've never seen that happen so quickly." And the perceived wisdom is that, even if Trump lost the House on Tuesday, he is still well placed for 2020, in the absence of any clear Democrat frontrunner to oppose him. "You have to admit he has the economy in his back," says Jones. "If you look at the economic numbers in the United States, it's hard to criticize him. The United Nations Security Council is expected to meet Thursday at Russia's request to discuss sanctions on North Korea The UN Security Council is expected to meet behind closed doors at Russia's request on Thursday to discuss sanctions imposed on North Korea, diplomats said. The request for consultations came just hours after President Donald Trump said he was in "no rush" to solve the crisis over North Korea's nuclear program. It was not immediately clear whether Russia was planning a new push to ease sanctions against North Korea. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in September that Moscow would be ready to consider such a step. The United States has insisted that the raft of measures including a cap on oil and fuel deliveries and a ban on exports of North Korea's raw commodities must be fully enforced until Pyongyang has scrapped its nuclear and ballistic missiles programs. Russia and China have argued that North Korea should be rewarded with an easing of sanctions for halting missile tests and opening up a dialogue with the United States on denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. A meeting planned in New York on Thursday between US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and top North Korean official Kim Yong Chol was abruptly cancelled. Trump said he hoped to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un early next year but that he was "in no rush". "I would love to take the sanctions off, but they have to be responsive, too," Trump said. French President Emmanuel Macron (L) shakes hands with US President Donald Trump at the start of a bilateral meeting in New York on September 24, 2018 US President Donald Trump will meet on Saturday with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in Paris on the sidelines of World War I commemoration ceremonies. The two leaders were to discuss notably "the situation in Syria" and "the threat posed by Iran," a White House official said Wednesday on condition of anonymity. The tete-a-tete is the only bilateral meeting slated for Trump's Paris trip, according to the official. The Kremlin had evoked the possibility of talks between Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin, but Trump said Wednesday no such meeting was planned. The US president, along with his wife Melania, will be among leaders of at least 60 countries expected in Paris on Sunday to kick off the commemorations marking the 100th anniversary of the end of the war. The main ceremony will take place at the Arc de Triomphe war monument in Paris at 11 a.m. on November 11 -- marking the time when the guns finally fell silent after four years of trench warfare and general European slaughter. Trump will attend the ceremonies to "highlight the sacrifices that Americans have made, not only during World War I but also in the century since, in the name of liberty," the White House said. Over the weekend Trump will visit the Bois Belleau and Suresnes American cemeteries. The last meeting between Trump and Macron dates back to September, when the duo met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. Californian farm animals will be entitled to more living room thanks to a new law passed as part of the midterm congressional election Hens, cows and pigs owe Californians a thank you for approving a law Tuesday guaranteeing minimum living space on farms -- though Alaskans had some bad news for wild salmon and trout. States across the US consult the public on all manner of issues at election time -- from drug decriminalization to gun control and the death penalty -- and west coast voters had some weighty proposals on the ballot for the midterm congressional elections. In California, the nation's most populous state, Proposition 12 called for the provision of adequate space for egg-laying hens, as well as calves and pigs destined for slaughter. There was opposition from agriculture professionals who said the measures would push up prices, and could even lead to shortages or the spread of disease. But more than 60 percent of voters were in favor and the proposition -- also known as the Farm Animal Confinement Initiative -- is due to take effect from 2020. "Change is coming," Josh Balk, vice president at the Humane Society of the United States, which sponsored and financed the measure, told The Orange County Register. "This vote is a massive blow against industrial animal agriculture's abusive confinement systems." In Alaska, meanwhile, environmental groups were seeking to protect the natural habitat of salmon, rainbow trout and other migratory fish that breed in the northwestern state. But the initiative failed -- with nearly two-thirds of voters against -- after objections from the oil, mining and forestry industries over the potential impact on the economy and employment. Shiite protesters have periodically staged demonstrations in Saudi Arabia's eastern region (pictured April 2016), complaining of discrimination by the Sunni-dominated government, a charge the authorities deny Amnesty International said on Wednesday it feared 12 minority Shiites in Saudi Arabia faced "imminent" execution after their cases were transferred to a powerful security body that reports directly to the king. The men, sentenced to death in a mass trial in 2016 after being convicted of spying for regional rival Iran, have been handed over to the "Presidency of State Security", which was set up last year by combining all counterterrorism and domestic intelligence services. "The families of the men are terrified by this development and the lack of information provided to them on the status of the cases of their loved ones," said Heba Morayef, Amnesty's Middle East and North Africa director. "Given the secrecy surrounding Saudi Arabia's judicial proceedings, we fear that this development signals the imminent execution of the 12 men." Morayef added that the men were sentenced to death after a "grossly unfair mass trial". Saudi officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Shiite protesters have periodically staged demonstrations in the kingdom's eastern region, complaining of discrimination by the Sunni-dominated government, a charge the authorities deny. The Shiite community is estimated to make up between 10 and 15 percent of the kingdom's population of 32 million, but the government has released no official statistics. The ultra-conservative kingdom has one of the world's highest rates of execution, with suspects convicted of terrorism, homicide, rape, armed robbery and drug trafficking facing the death penalty. The government says the death penalty is an effective deterrent against serious crime. On Monday, the kingdom's rights record came under strong criticism at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in its consulate in Istanbul on October 2. Human rights groups have repeatedly raised concerns about the fairness of trials in the kingdom, an absolute monarchy governed under a strict form of Islamic law. Besides counterterrorism cooperation and human rights, the United States asked Sudan to move forward in resolving its myriad internal conflicts -- including by giving better access to humanitarian workers The United States said Wednesday it was willing to remove Sudan from its blacklist of state sponsors of terrorism if the country undertakes further reforms. In a statement after talks in Washington, the State Department offered the prospect of a formal process to delist Sudan as it called for further anti-terrorism cooperation and improvements in human rights. President Donald Trump's administration lifted decades-old sanctions on Sudan last year but investment is still blocked by the terror designation, which carries legal ramifications in the United States. Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan discussed items of concern during the talks Tuesday with Sudanese Foreign Minister Al-Dierdiry Ahmed, the State Department said. "The United States welcomes Sudan's commitment to making progress in key areas," a State Department statement said. "As part of this process, the United States is prepared to initiate the process of rescinding Sudan's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism if the determination is made that all of the relevant statutory criteria have been met, and if Sudan makes progress in addressing each of the six key areas of mutual concern," it said. Besides counterterrorism cooperation and human rights, the United States asked Sudan to move forward in resolving its myriad internal conflicts -- including by giving better access to humanitarian workers. The United States also wants Sudan to act on outstanding claims related to terrorism, the State Department said. "The United States is ready to cooperate with Sudan and to monitor progress as we seek meaningful developments for the benefit of the Sudanese people and the region," it said. Despite uneasy relations, Sudan has increasingly been seen as working with the United States in key areas including containing the turbulence in neighboring Libya. - Wide repercussions from listing - Designation as a state sponsor of terrorism severely curtails access to international financing and makes it difficult for US citizens to do business with the countries. Trump has also used the terror blacklist as his basis for a controversial order to deny entry into the United States of ordinary people from the mostly Muslim countries. In a recent interview in Khartoum, the head of the Dal Group, Sudan's biggest conglomerate, said there were "lots of funds looking for good projects to support" but that they were restricted due to the US designation. Only three other countries are on the blacklist -- Iran, North Korea and Syria. The United States placed Sudan on the list in 1993 when Al-Qaeda and its chief Osama bin Laden found refuge in the country, whose longtime ruler Omar al-Bashir had embraced a hardline brand of political Islam. After Al-Qaeda blew up US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998, the United States responded with a cruise missile strike inside Sudan on a pharmaceutical factory, whose link to Al-Qaeda turned out to be shaky. Sudan's relationship further deteriorated when the government in 2003 began to put down a rebellion in the western region of Darfur, in a ruthless campaign that the United States characterized as genocide. But relations began to improve under former president Barack Obama, whose administration welcomed Khartoum's acceptance of the independence of South Sudan in 2011 after a decades of devastating war. The US Capitol: President Donald Trump faces an onslaught of investigations that could gridlock his adminsitration after Democrats captured control of the House of Representatives in Tuesday's elections President Donald Trump faces a barrage of investigations targeting everything from his taxes to his Russian business ties after Democrats captured the House of Representatives in Tuesday's elections. With the House in their control beginning in January, Democrats will replace Republicans at the head of every committee, giving them the power to set hearing agendas, call witnesses and issue subpoenas to top officials of Trump's administration. Hours after the election results became clear, Trump tweeted a warning Wednesday morning that he was ready to fight fire with fire. "If the Democrats think they are going to waste Taxpayer Money investigating us at the House level, then we will likewise be forced to consider investigating them for all of the leaks of Classified Information, and much else, at the Senate level. Two can play that game!" he said. Losing his Republican majority in the House removes much of the insulation that has been crucial to Trump's political success in his first two years. Now Democrats could lay bare alleged conflicts of interest, misuse of funds, and abuse of power by the president and his cabinet. Investigations could gridlock a White House already besieged by the Russia collusion investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, heavily bogging down the administration's agenda and foiling Trump's message. And, indeed, after Trump fired Attorney General Jeff Sessions Wednesday, putting the Mueller probe in jeopardy, Democratic Congressman Jerry Nadler warned that he intended to lead a House Judiciary Committee examination. "The firing of Jeff Sessions will be investigated and people will be held accountable. This must begin immediately, and if not, then a Democratic Congress will make this a priority in January," he said. - Two dozen probes possible - A Republican spreadsheet obtained by the Axios news site before the vote detailed a long list of the probes expected from the new House, including: - Billionaire Trump's record of paying taxes - Whether Trump and his family illegally benefit from their business while in power - Trump's hush payments to women claiming past affairs with him - Alleged misuse of funds for personal needs by cabinet secretaries - Trump's controversial firing of former FBI director James Comey - Trump's mishandling of classified information - Alleged legal abuses in the anti-Muslim travel ban - Security clearances in the White House "There is so much that has gone wrong": Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff, who is expected to become chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and open multiple probes into President Donald Trump's administration According to some estimates, two dozen probes could be opened quickly. Democrats have already piled up scores of subpoenas of documents and witnesses which Republicans have repeatedly rejected over the past two years. "We are going to have to ruthlessly prioritize because there is so much that has gone wrong," Democrat Adam Schiff, who is expected to become chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said ahead of the election. The Intelligence Committee will press ahead with the Russia election meddling investigation, and Trump's business relations with Russians. Trump Tower in New York: President Donald Trump's family business could come under investigation after Democrats won control of the House of Representatives in Tuesday's election The Judiciary Committee, expected to be headed by current senior Democrat Jerry Nadler, has its eyes on business conflicts of Trump's family. Republicans' silence on the issue "speaks to an administration run amok and a Republican majority willing to turn a blind eye to gross misconduct," Judiciary Committee Democrats said in a report earlier this year. Nadler could also launch a probe into the Russia meddling issue, preparing the ground for a possible impeachment motion against Trump. The House Ways and Means Committee is expected to subpoena Trump's long-hidden tax returns amid suspicions the billionaire has paid minimal amounts for years and possibly expose hidden foreign ties. Asked about it on Monday, Trump replied stiffly: "I don't care. They can do whatever they want and I can do whatever I want." Elijah Cummings, currently the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, also has a wish list of probes, including Trump's apparent interference in a plan to build a new headquarters for the FBI; drug pricing under the Trump administration; and the mishandling of the deadly 2017 hurricane disaster in Puerto Rico. Ali Salman, pictured in Bahrain in 2014, headed the now-banned Al-Wefaq movement The United States on Wednesday voiced concern over ally Bahrain's sentencing of the head of the country's Shiite opposition movement, although it stopped short of threatening countermeasures. "The United States is concerned by the verdict sentencing Ali Salman to life in prison in Bahrain," State Department spokesman Robert Palladino told reporters. "The United States will continue to engage regularly with the government of Bahrain on a range of shared interests, including the importance of safeguarding fundamental freedoms and human rights," he said. Bahrain on Sunday sentenced Salman, who headed the now-banned Al-Wefaq movement, to life in prison for allegedly spying on behalf of rival Gulf state Qatar. Ruled for more than two centuries by the Sunni Al-Khalifa dynasty, Bahrain has been hit by waves of unrest since 2011, when security forces crushed protests from the Shiite majority demanding a constitutional monarchy and an elected prime minister. The Gulf island-state is a vital link for Western militaries. It is the home of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, which patrols the oil-rich region, as well as a permanent British base. President Donald Trump has made clear that he will not restrict arms sales to allies, pointing to the job and security benefits. The Trump administration lifted restrictions on arms sales to Bahrain that former president Barack Obama imposed on human rights grounds. US rival Iran, ruled by Shiite clerics, also condemned the sentence of Salman which it said showed Bahrain's plans to "intensify its suppression." A newborn baby girl suffering from severe malnutrition at a hospital in Yemen's northwestern Hajjah province Thirty-five Yemeni and international NGOs called Wednesday for an "immediate cessation of hostilities" in Yemen, where they warned 14 million people were now "on the brink of famine". The joint appeal was signed by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Action Against Hunger, CARE International, Oxfam, Doctors of the World, and Yemeni organisations, according to a statement. "With 14 million men, women and children on the brink of famine -- half the country's population -- there has never been a more urgent time to act," the statement said. It called on governments to "secure an immediate cessation of hostilities" and "suspend the supply of arms at risk of being used in Yemen". The most impoverished country in the Arab world, Yemen has been gripped by war since 2015, when a regional military coalition led by Saudi Arabia joined the government's fight against Huthi rebels. "The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is manmade and a direct consequence of the warring parties' severe restrictions on access to food, fuel, medical imports and humanitarian aid," the statement added. Risk of famine in Yemen "The collapse of the Yemeni rial and the non-payment of public sector workers is adding to the catastrophe. "We call on governments to redouble their efforts to guarantee unimpeded access to essential items... including through the lifeline port of Hodeidah, where civilians have been caught in renewed fighting over the past few days." Pro-government forces pressed even closer Wednesday to the heart of Hodeida, the Red Sea city controlled by Huthi rebels and under blockade by Saudi Arabia and its allies. International aid groups have appealed to both the rebels and the alliance to allow civilians to escape the densely-populated city of 600,000 people. Nearly 10,000 Yemenis have been killed in the conflict since 2015, according to the World Health Organization. By Azernews By Sara Israfilbayova The State Committee on Property Issues of Azerbaijan held next auction on privatization of state property on November 6. The Committee will hold next auction on privatization of state property on November 13, where 73 state objects will be exhibited for sale. The auction will offer 20 joint-stock companies, 26 small state enterprises, 14 non-residential areas, 10 vehicles and three unfinished buildings. The portal for privatization privatization.az, launched in July 2016, reflects all necessary information about the facilities, their addresses, location, and even initial cost and aims at facilitation of the process. The website is available in two languages - Azerbaijani and English. Why Azerbaijan is special section available on the website explains the reasons and advantages of investing in the country. The privatization process is designed to attract both foreign and local investors, as well as develop the business environment of Azerbaijan. Moreover, the State Committee on Property Issues held the first electronic auction on July 4, 2017. The electronic auction service, which is available on the website privatization.az, combines the privatization procedure of vehicles and equipment. In the future, it will be possible to privatize small state enterprises and facilities, joint-stock companies through electronic auction. Now, the corresponding work in programming is being implemented. The State Committee on Property Issues was established on May 19, 2009 on the basis of the relevant presidential decree. The main activities of the State Committee are the management of state property, attraction of investments, maintenance of a single cadastre of immovable property, maintenance of a land cadastre, organization of a land market, protection and improvement of land quality. A statement from the Essex County prosecutor's office in New Jersey, delivered to AFP, identified the man as James Ray III, 55, who was wanted on murder charges involving his partner Angela Bledsoe, 44 Cuba on Wednesday handed over to the United States an Interpol-sought American who had been avoiding justice in the neighboring Caribbean nation. The man, whose identity was not disclosed by Havana, was sought "for serious crimes committed there" and entered Cuba on October 28. "This action is based on Cuba's strict compliance with its international legal obligations and existing bilateral agreements with the United States on compliance and enforcement, and the cooperation that both governments are developing on this front," a Cuban statement said. A statement from the Essex County prosecutor's office in New Jersey, delivered to AFP, identified the man as James Ray III, 55, who was wanted on murder charges involving his partner Angela Bledsoe, 44. He returned to New Jersey late Tuesday, the US statement said. Court and other cooperation between Cuba and the United States was formalized after the thaw between the bitter Cold War enemies. They reestablished full diplomatic relations in 2015 after a break of more than five decades. Though the current administration of Donald Trump has kept in place US economic sanctions, and deployed some political rhetoric, bilateral cooperation continues in many area. Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley, who won a US Senate seat in the November 6, 2018 midterm elections, is an acolyte of President Donald Trump While dozens of newcomer Democrats won seats in Congress in Tuesday's midterms, several Republicans also emerged on the national stage, forming a fresh battalion of conservatives pushing US President Donald Trump's political agenda. Despite the Republican Party's mixed results in the election, true adherents to Trumpism claimed wins in various states at multiple levels, a sign that the president's influence remains strong among his core voters. "They really are tremendous people," Trump said Wednesday in the White House. "Many of them were not known. But they will be known." Here is a look at five newly-elected Republicans who could carry the torch for Trump. - Hawley: Rising Senate 'star' - Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley's strategy was clear: paint as sharp a contrast with incumbent US Senator Claire McCaskill as possible, and let Trump work his magic. "I said this from the beginning that this was about defending our way of life," Hawley said in his victory speech, embracing Trump's apocalyptic message that Democrats were seeking to doom America. He joined a lawsuit seeking to have Obamacare declared unconstitutional, became a champion of deregulation, and campaigned twice with Trump in the race's final days. Missouri conservatives rallied around the clean-cut Hawley, who voices approval of Trump policies including on the economy. "We love Josh. He's a star," Trump told a Missouri crowd. At just 38, Hawley will become the Senate's youngest member. - DeSantis: politics of division - Ron DeSantis was a conservative Tea Party congressman before Trump ran for office, and he quickly learned that to win the Florida governor's mansion he would need to turn out Trump's angry base. Republican Ron DeSantis won the contentious race for governor of Florida, aided in part by his close alignment with President Donald Trump Mission accomplished. He narrowly defeated Democrat Andrew Gillum, who aimed to become Florida's first black governor, in part by clinging tightly to Trump, as he did by cutting a humorous campaign ad showing him teaching his infant child to "build the wall." He pushed a low-tax platform, warned of the financial costs of expanding health care, and warned that Gillum would make the state less safe. DeSantis, 40, also fueled racial animus by warning that Florida's voters should not "monkey this up" by electing a leftist. Supporters of his campaign followed up with more racist dog whistles. Trump rallied with DeSantis three days before the election. - Stauber: Midwestern affability - Pete Stauber is politically and socially conservative, without Trump's aggressive and divisive rhetoric. That pragmatic if less spotlight-grabbing approach could help him in Washington, where he will serve in the Republican minority after flipping a Democrat-held congressional seat in northeastern Minnesota. Stauber, 52, capitalized on Minnesota voters who appreciated Trump's business experience and action on the economy, as well as his controversial tariffs on metal imports, in a district with considerable mining operations. As a retired police officer, he told AFP that voters "understand my blue-collar, common-sense conservative background." Trump's verdict? "Great guy... and ran a fantastic race." - Crenshaw: Texas war hero - Retired US Navy SEAL Dan Crenshaw, 34, won his Texas congressional race on a campaign for what he called "limited government, low taxes and individual liberty." Trump's border wall? "Just build the damn thing," he told The Weekly Standard. They are surely Trump priorities. But Crenshaw, who wears an eye patch after losing his right eye in an explosion in Afghanistan, sees himself as a centrist conservative who can appeal to younger voters, something Trump often stumbles at. Crenshaw was locked in a tight race until last weekend, when a late-night comic mocked him as "a hit man in a porno movie" who "lost his eye in war, or whatever." The backlash was swift, and breathed life into his campaign. His Tuesday victory now allows him to increase the number of veterans in Washington by one, and as he says, "find the things that we agree on and go forward with those." - McSally: Tough-talking fighter pilot - Arizona's Martha McSally, 52, already had a high profile in Congress as America's first female fighter pilot to fly in combat. Former figher pilot Martha McSally, a congresswoman from Arizona, is raising her profile after winning a US Senate seat in the November 6, 2018 midterm elections When she announced her US Senate candidacy, she took on a new mission: shift rightward and make herself palatable to Donald Trump, essentially squeezing out two extremists who likely would sink the party's chances if either one snatched the nomination. Instead, McSally did. And in the general election she championed Trump's policies including on border security and immigration -- and occasionally dropped some salty language. She defeated Democratic fellow congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema to become the first woman to represent Arizona in the US Senate. "That was a big race and she has done a terrific job," Trump said Wednesday. British actress Claire Foy -- shown here at a New York screening of "The Girl In The Spider's Web" -- won an Emmy this year for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in Netflix's "The Crown" When director Fede Alvarez chose Claire Foy to star in the latest film in the "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" series, he had no doubt the 34-year-old actress would easily transform herself into the intrepid cold-as-ice hacker Lisbeth Salander. After all, the British actress has experience playing a fearless woman with ice running through her veins when needed -- Queen Elizabeth II. "I saw 'The Crown' one day and I was like, 'That's it, this is all Lisbeth,' because as crazy as that sounds, there is so much in common with the challenges of playing someone like Lisbeth or Elizabeth," Alvarez told AFP in a recent telephone interview from Rome. Fresh off her Emmy-winning turn as the British monarch on Netflix's popular drama, Foy is tackling one of the heroines of modern crime fiction -- Salander, a Swedish hacker -- in "The Girl In The Spider's Web." The film, which opens Friday in US theaters, follows Salander as she is hired to hack into a defense program that can control the codes for the world's nuclear weapons. "Spider's Web" director Fede Alvarez says Claire Foy was perfect to take over as edgy Swedish hacker Lisbeth Salander, a role played previously on the big screen by Noomi Rapace and Rooney Mara The role -- previously played by Noomi Rapace and Rooney Mara -- represents a departure for Foy, allowing the actress to showcase a different, darker side. But the Uruguayan director says her regal role prepared her well. "They are very similar characters," Alvarez said. "The queen is never allowed to show she's angry or sad, always keeping a straight face in front of very different situations ... and Lisbeth doesn't allow herself to show her true emotions -- she's pushing those emotions deep inside her." - Mixed reviews - Swedish writer David Lagercrantz took over the "Millennium" series of crime novels featuring hacker Lisbeth Salander, which was begun by Stieg Larsson "Spider's Web" is based on a novel by David Lagercrantz, who was chosen to continue the so-called "Millennium" series begun by the late Stieg Larsson. The film has been met with mixed reviews, with industry magazine Variety saying fans are likely to be disappointed with the way Salander is portrayed. "The Girl in the Spiders Web ...is more vested in fiery external explosions than internal pain, reducing Salander to a quirky Batgirl-like figure, soft-pedaling her feminism, practically eliminating her queerness, and tossing in an American so the US can save the world," it said. The Rotten Tomatoes review aggregation website, which gave the crime thriller a 64 percent rating, said the critics' consensus was that the movie "distills the action elements of its source material for a less complex -- yet still reasonably effective -- franchise reboot." - "Secret and shame' - Alvarez, who directed the 2016 hit thriller "Don't Breathe," said that as with any novel, it was difficult to adapt Lagercrantz's work for the big screen and still remain faithful to the plot. "You have to sacrifice a lot of things -- otherwise, it would be an eight-hour movie," he said. He said he used the screenplay written by Steven Knight ("Peaky Blinders") and Jay Basu, and adapted it to make it more personal. "Basically it was really making it about secret and shame, always about the family, whatever the story, as big as it is, even if the stakes are the world -- it always has to be about yourself, something very close to the main character," he said. Sylvia Hoeks, who plays Lisbeth Salander's estranged sister Camilla in "The Girl In The Spider's Web," said the film was impacted by the #MeToo movement "It's also about a sin, something they have committed and they have to atone for." In the case of Salander, the backstory concerns her estranged sister Camilla -- played by Dutch actress Sylvia Hoeks ("Blade Runner 2049") -- who she hasn't seen since she escaped their abusive father, a Russian crime lord. Hoeks said the movie was shot just as the #MeToo movement erupted and was impacted by the raft of allegations of sexual abuse that surfaced at the time. "We discussed it -- it was a very hot topic," she said. "We didn't really change the script but for me, it was like the story and reality went hand-in-hand all of a sudden." Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) attends an election sign waving event on November 5; his race against former Florida governor Rick Scott was among the most-watched of the 2018 midterms Florida Democrat Bill Nelson called Wednesday for a recount in his race for re-election to the US Senate against Republican Governor Rick Scott. The race during Tuesday's midterm vote was one of America's most-watched, with the outgoing governor Scott mounting a tough challenge against three-time incumbent Nelson. As of November 7 at 9:14 pm Scott narrowly led Nelson by 0.4 percentage points, with 99 percent of precincts reporting, according to The New York Times. "A significant number of ballots have not yet been counted and, because of the size of Florida, we believe the results of the election are unknown and require a recount," said Marc Elias, a lawyer representing Nelson's campaign. The Nelson camp's statement said Scott had "prematurely" claimed victory on Tuesday, and cited media reports of balloting problems and other polling irregularities. The statement said state law requires a recount when the margin between candidates is less than a one-half percentage point. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo with top North Korean official Kim Yong Chol in July North Korea asked the United States to delay planned high-level talks in New York this week, Seoul's top diplomat said Thursday, a day after Washington abruptly announced the meeting's postponement. The US State Department said Wednesday that the encounter between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and top North Korean official Kim Yong Chol, initially scheduled for Thursday, had been shelved for "a later date". No further explanation was given, but Pyongyang is demanding sanctions imposed on it over its weapons programmes are eased, while Washington insists they should stay in place until it denuclearises. South Korean foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said it was Pyongyang that had asked for a delay. "The US told us that it received a message from the North to postpone the meeting," Kang told lawmakers, according to Yonhap news agency. South Korean reports said that Kim -- one of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's right-hand men -- had been scheduled to catch a lunchtime flight from Beijing to New York on Wednesday. But his reservation was repeatedly cancelled and rebooked on Tuesday, the Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported, until it was cancelled for good. The sudden postponement came only two days after the US State Department announced Pompeo would meet the North Korean in New York to discuss progress towards denuclearisation and plans for a second summit between President Donald Trump and leader Kim Jong Un. Trump and Kim held a historic summit in June in Singapore -- the first ever between the two countries -- where they signed a vaguely worded deal on denuclearisation. Little progress has been made since then, with the two countries sparring over the exact meaning of the agreement. Despite warm words from Trump since meeting Kim in Singapore, his administration has insisted on maintaining pressure on Pyongyang until a final agreement is reached. North Korea, which is subject to multiple UN Security Council sanctions over its weapons programmes, warned last week that it would "seriously" consider returning to nuclear weapons development unless Washington lifts the restrictions. Koo Kab-woo of the University of North Korean Studies said that the differences over sanctions were probably the "biggest reason" for the postponement. "Kim Jong Un needs a visible outcome that can be felt by the ordinary people, and for that, North Korea desperately needs sanctions to be lifted," Koo told AFP. "If there was a problem, it's possible there was a clash between Pyongyang's demand for sanctions to be relaxed even by a little bit and Washington's firm stance that the restrictions will remain," he added. US General Vincent Brooks, who took up his post in April 2016, described his time in South Korea as 'a rollercoaster ride' The outgoing commander of US forces in South Korea on Thursday urged Seoul and Washington to maintain their alliance as differences mount in their approach to the nuclear-armed North. The US played a key role in defending the South after the North invaded in 1950, triggering the Korean War, and even now stations 28,500 troops in the country, a treaty ally, to protect it from its neighbour. US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un traded personal insults and threats of war last year, only for fears of conflict to be replaced by a rapid diplomatic rapprochement. But as progress has slowed in recent months there has been a growing uneasiness between the allies, with the US firm on sanctions against Pyongyang while Seoul is seeking to relax measures on its neighbour. This week the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff said the US would need to make "some changes to the military posture on the peninsula" over time if talks with Pyongyang progress "In this place we have never succeeded by going alone," General Vincent Brooks said in his last act as the commander of US Forces Korea, the UN Command and the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command. "Our fears and our concerns should rise if we become inclined to go our own way." On the campaign trail US President Donald Trump raised doubts about the continued presence of US troops in South Korea. This week the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff said the US would need to make "some changes to the military posture on the peninsula" over time if talks with Pyongyang progress. Incoming commander General Robert B. Abrams has vowed to continue Washington's 'ironclad relationship' with Seoul Over the 65 years of the alliance, Brooks told a change-of-command ceremony at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, "we grew stronger under the tests and strains that confronted us, contrary to the predictions of cracks and fissures". "Let this be a lesson to all in the alliance," he added. Brooks, who took up his post in April 2016, has described his time in the South as "a rollercoaster ride". He previously said he was given no prior indication that Trump, after his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June, would announce the cancellation of "very provocative" and expensive joint military drills with the South. On the campaign trail US President Donald Trump raised doubts about the continued presence of US troops in South Korea The allies have since suspended most of their major joint exercises, including the Ulchi Freedom Guardian in August and the Vigilant Ace air force training initially slated for next month. His successor General Robert B. Abrams told his Senate confirmation hearing there "was certainly a degradation in the readiness of the force, for the combined forces" as a result of the pause in drills. At Thursday's ceremony Abrams -- whose father was a former Army Chief of Staff for whom the M1 Abrams tank is named -- vowed to continue Washington's "ironclad relationship" with Seoul. The military would maintain its capability so "we cannot only deter but defeat external threats if we are called to do so", he said. An Iraqi man checks a generator supplying homes with electricity in a Baghdad neighbourhood on July 26, 2018 The United States has granted Iraq a waiver to allow it to keep importing electricity from neighbouring Iran despite renewed American sanctions on Tehran, a US official said Wednesday. Baghdad relies heavily on Tehran to provide it natural gas and Iranian-generated electricity, and feared that supply would be endangered by Washington's measures against Iran's energy sector. The US State Department's representative on Iran said Wednesday that Iraq had been granted a special permission. "We granted Iraq a waiver to allow it to continue to pay for its electricity imports from Iran. We are confident that this will help Iraq limit electricity shortages in the south," Brian Hook told reporters in Washington. "Iraq is a friend and a partner, and we are committed to its stability and prosperity." Iraq is now expected to demonstrate to the US how it would wean itself off Iranian gas, a well-informed Iraqi source told AFP. "The US gave us 45 days to give them a plan on how we will gradually stop using Iranian gas and oil," the source said. On Monday, the United States re-imposed tough sanctions on Iraq's financial institutions, shipping lines, energy sector, and petroleum products. Iraq has a strong relationship with the United States, coordinating on security, politics, and governance. But its economy is profoundly intertwined with that of Iran, from which it imports consumer goods amounting to around $6 billion (five billion euros) in 2017. It also pipes in natural gas and 1,300 MW of Iranian-generated electricity to cope with power shortages. Most of Iraq's 39 million people only get a few hours of state-provided electricity per day and rely on power generators. Chronic power outages were a key driving factor behind weeks of massive protests in southern Iraq during the summer. A picture taken on April 17, 2017 shows flames rising at the West Qurna-2 oilfield, west of Basra in southern Iraq Iraq has won an exemption allowing it to buy Iranian electricity despite US sanctions, as the country plagued by chronic power shortages walks a tightrope between rivals Washington and Tehran. With US measures imposed Monday taking aim at Iran's banking and energy industries, there were concerns Iraq -- which heavily relies on its eastern neighbour for electricity and consumer goods -- would be caught in the crossfire. But Baghdad has managed to secure an exception. "We granted Iraq a waiver to allow it to continue to pay for its electricity imports from Iran," Brian Hook, the State Department's representative on Iran, announced Wednesday. Iraq would be expected to show the US how it would wean itself off Iranian gas, a well-informed source told AFP. "The US gave us 45 days to give them a plan on how we will gradually stop using Iranian gas and oil," the source said. "We told them it may take us up to four years to either become self-sufficient or find another alternative." The exemption came after talks between Iraqi and US officials, including from the White House and Treasury, the source said. Iraqi government representatives have shuffled between American and Iranian officials for months in a bid to insulate their fragile economy from escalating tensions. An Iraqi man changes US dollars for Iranian rials in Basra on November 6, 2018 This week, Prime Minister Adel Abdel-Mahdi said Baghdad was in talks with both sides to protect its interests. "Iraq is not a part of the sanctions regime. It talks to everyone, and does not want to get involved in a conflict that it's not a part of," he told reporters Tuesday. Baghdad has a strong relationship with the United States, coordinating on security, politics, and governance. But its economy is profoundly intertwined with that of Iran. - Keeping the lights on - Gutted by the international embargo of the 1990s and the US-led invasion of 2003, Iraq's industries produce little. Instead, its markets are flooded with Iranian goods -- from canned food and yoghurt to carpets and cars. Iraq's economy is profoundly intertwined with that of Iran, and its markets are flooded with Iranian goods like these washing machines seen at a Baghdad store on August 6, 2018 These non-hydrocarbon imports amounted to some $6 billion (five billion euros) in 2017, making Iran the second-largest source of imported goods in Iraq. Perhaps most consequential for Iraq's 39 million people is their dependency on Iran for electricity. Chronic cuts, which often leave homes powerless for up to 20 hours a day, were a key driving factor behind weeks of massive protests in Iraq this summer. To cope with shortages, Baghdad pipes in natural gas from Tehran for its plants and also directly buys 1,300 MW of Iranian-generated electricity. That reliance is uncomfortable for the US, whose quest to diminish Tehran's influence prompted it to reimpose sanctions on Iranian financial institutions, shipping lines, energy, and petroleum products on Monday. Eight countries would be temporarily allowed to import Iranian crude oil. Iraq's special exemption appears to have come with a condition that it lay out how it would stop using Iranian electricity, said Nussaibah Younes, a senior adviser for the European Institute of Peace. "In order to get this exemption, the Iraqis had given some sort of roadmap idea," Younes told AFP. One way would be capturing the gas set alight when Iraq extracts oil, which according to the World Bank represents an annual loss of about $2.5 billion -- enough to fill the gap in Iraq's gas-based power generation. - Appeasing Iran - American firms may help fill the vacuum left by Iran. In January, Iraq signed a memorandum of understanding with US energy company Orion on gas exploits at a southern oil field. And in October, Iraq signed a memo with the US's General Electric to revamp the electricity sector, after signing a similar agreement with Germany's Siemens. Labourers stack appliance boxes at a store in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad on August 8, 2018 The source told AFP that GE was among several US companies proposed to Baghdad during negotiations with the US. But Iraq has had to simultaneously reassure Iran, in part by granting it an outlet to circumvent US sanctions. "The focus for the Iranians is informal sanctions-busting activity in Iraq, including accessing hard currency through Iraqi exchanges and through smuggling operations," said Younes. Baghdad, she expected, would likely "turn a blind eye". Iraq has simultaneously been granting Iranian officials more time for face-to-face meetings, including its ambassador in Baghdad, Araj Masjadi. He met with new Finance Minister Fuad Hussein and Electricity Minister Luay al-Khateeb on Wednesday, pledging close cooperation on the power sector in the future. For Masjadi, the meetings appeared to be a reminder of Tehran's entrenched role in Iraq. "We need Iraq the way Iraq needs us," said Masjadi. Yemeni pro-government forces gather on the eastern outskirts of Hodeida, as they continue to battle for control of the city from Huthi rebels on November 8, 2018 Yemeni pro-government forces backed by Saudi-led coalition warplanes advanced inside rebel-held Hodeida Thursday, leaving hundreds of thousands of civilians bracing for fighting in the streets of the Red Sea port city. After a week of intense battles with the Iran-backed Huthi insurgents on the outskirts of Hodeida, loyalist troops reached residential neighbourhoods, using bulldozers to remove concrete road blocks installed by the rebels. Flashing victory signs, troops of the United Arab Emirates-trained Giants Brigade armed with automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades rolled down the city's streets in pickup trucks bearing their brigade logo spray-painted in red, a journalist working for AFP reported. Three military sources said that government forces and their coalition allies were edging towards the city's vital port through which nearly 80 percent of Yemen's commercial imports and practically all UN-supervised humanitarian aid pass. The battle for Hodeida Columns headed for the docks advanced two kilometres (more than a mile) along the main road from the interior to the east and three kilometres along the coast road from the south, the sources said. "Either the rebels surrender the city peacefully or we take it by force, but we will take it either way," commander Moammar al-Saidy told AFP. Coalition warplanes bombed rebel positions as the ground forces advanced. At least 47 Huthi fighters were killed, hospital sources in rebel-held areas told AFP. Medics at hospitals in government-held territory said 11 soldiers were killed. The deaths bring the overall toll from seven days of fighting to 250 combatants killed -- 197 rebels and 53 loyalists. Aid group Save the Children confirmed the death of one civilian, a 15-year-old boy who died of shrapnel wounds sustained just outside the city. Yemeni pro-government fighters use bulldozers to smash though rebel defences as they advance towards Hodeida's vital docks The Huthis have controlled Hodeida since 2014 when they overran the capital Sanaa and then swept though much of the rest of the country, triggering Saudi-led military intervention the following year and a devastating war of attrition. The rebels have since been driven out of virtually all of the south and much of the Red Sea coast. Government forces launched their offensive to retake Hodeida in June backed by significant numbers of Emirati ground troops. Their advance into the city of some 600,000 people has been slowed by trenches and minefields dug by the rebels around their last major coastal stronghold, an army source said. - 'No surrender' - Pro-government forces told AFP Thursday that military operations were ongoing with fierce clashes rocking the city after dark. "We will clean the streets of the city... of Huthi militias and we will continue to advance beyond Hodeida," said fighter Fadel Abbas. But rebel chief Abdulmalik al-Huthi vowed late on Wednesday that his fighters would never surrender despite being seriously outnumbered. Yemeni pro-government forces thrusting into rebel-held Hodeida advance towards the city's vital port through which nearly all UN-supervised humanitarian aid passes "This is not happening and will not happen ever," he said. And the rebels said Thursday evening that they had "cut the supply routes" for pro-government forces in four parts of Hodeida province outside the city. The rebel-controlled Saba news agency said Huthi forces were using loudspeakers to call on loyalist fighters to surrender. North Hodeida is still under total rebel control. While some shops had shuttered their windows, a vegetable market was bustling as armed men could be seen patrolling the area. Pedestrians and cars poured into Jizan Road, a main street in the city's north. Human rights groups have voiced fears that a protracted battle for the city will exact heavy civilian casualties and force a halt to vital food shipments. UN agencies say some 14 million people are at risk of famine in Yemen, which they have described as the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Aid groups have appealed to both the rebels and the coalition to provide safe passage for fleeing civilians and halt fighting around hospitals. On Thursday, Amnesty International accused the rebels of "deliberate militarisation" of one of Hodeida's main hospitals, saying they had placed snipers on the roof of the facility in the May 22 district. At another of the city's major hospitals, Al-Thawra, just metres from the front line, a 10-year-old boy died of malnutrition Thursday, the UN children's agency UNICEF reported. A Yemeni child suffering from severe malnutrition is weighed at a treatment centre in Yemen's northwestern Hajjah province, on November 7, 2018 "We're running out of words to describe how wretched the situation is," said Fabrizio Carboni, International Committee of the Red Cross Middle East director, in a statement. Nearly 10,000 Yemenis have been killed since 2015, according to the WHO. Human rights groups say the real death toll may be five times as high. Multiple UN-sponsored efforts to broker a power-sharing agreement between the government and the rebels have failed. A UN push to convene peace talks in Switzerland collapsed in September as the rebels stayed away, saying they had not received sufficient guarantees for their safe passage. UN special envoy Martin Griffiths on Wednesday said he aimed to hold peace talks by the end of the year. Chimo Osman, 38, stands with children in the village of Ashma, near Syria's border with Turkey, on November 8, 2018 Chimo Osman's children stopped going to school after Turkish shelling struck his home in northeastern Syria, where Kurdish residents fear another military onslaught is imminent. In recent days, cross-border Turkish artillery fire has targeted positions held by the People's Protection Units (YPG), the main Kurdish militia in Syria. Ankara sees the de-facto autonomous rule set up by Syrian Kurds as an encouragement to the separatists of the Turkey-based Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has close ties to the YPG. The village of Ashma is nestled in olive groves in the region of Kobane and directly looks out onto the Turkish flags and wire fencing that mark the demarcation line. The streets of this village and others along the border are empty: "We can't even venture on the roof anymore," said Osman. "We don't leave the house, the kids are scared," said the 38-year-old, standing on the steps leading to his front door, with his five children huddled around him. Nobody can predict when the Turkish forces stationed on the other side of the border will open fire, he said. Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters attend the funeral of a fellow fighter in Kobane on November 6, 2018 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on October 30 that plans for an assault were complete and vowed to "destroy" the YPG, which he considers a terrorist organisation. One salvo punched a large hole in the second floor of Osman's house and several other homes in the village were damaged by Turkish fire. Five YPG fighters and a child have been killed in Turkish shelling that has in recent days mostly targeted Kurdish positions in the Kobane and Tal Abyad areas, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor. - 'Injustice' - The YPG is the backbone of an outfit known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, which is the US-led coalition's main local ally in its battle against the Islamic State group. To protest against the Turkish attacks, SDF forces late last month announced they were suspending their involvement in military operations against one of the very last jihadist pockets in eastern Syria. The move was aimed at obtaining guarantees from their US sponsors that Turkey would not seek to move in across the border as they did in the Kurdish-dominated enclave of Afrin earlier this year. Turkish flags fly at a military post just across the border from the Syrian village of Ashma on November 8, 2018, close to where cross-border Turkish artillery fire has targeted Kurdish militia positions According to the Britain-based Observatory, more than 330 Kurdish fighters have already perished in the course of the latest offensive against IS. Many fighters waging this deadly battle on jihadists in their remote desert hideouts feel they would rather die protecting their ancestral land from Turkey. In Kobane cemetery, hundreds of people attended the funeral Tuesday of an SDF fighter who became the latest casualty of the jihadists' bloody last stand in the Hajin region. Women wept over the coffin as patriotic songs were blared on speakers and local officials gave speeches condemning the Turkish bombardment. "The Turkish state is hostile to the Kurds and we have to right to respond to any attack," Esmat Sheikh Hassan, a Kobane military official, told AFP at the funeral. A man sits near the Free Woman statue in the Kurdish city of Kobane in northern Syria on November 8, 2018 "They don't differentiate between soldiers and civilians. They strike inhabited villages," he said, replying to Ankara's claims its forces only strike military targets. Hamo Masibkeradi, one of the residents who came to attend the funeral, points to the rows of marble tombstones that mark the graves of fighters who died fighting against IS. "These martyrs fell for humanity. The international community should help us," he said. "Erdogan wants to wipe us out. The US cannot allow this injustice." By Azernews By Narmina Mammadova A scientific conference called The First Secular Parliamentary Republic in the East: Values and Heritage was held in the Charlottenburg Palace of the German capital on November 6. It was organized with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Germany and dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the ADR (1918-1920). Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Germany Ramin Hasanov and coordinator of the German Foreign Ministry for Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia Michael Siebert addressed the participants with a welcoming speech. The diplomat, in particular, said that by proclaiming the first democratic republic in the East 100 years ago, Azerbaijan became a secular state, where religion was separated from the state, women were endowed with rights and national minorities became full citizens of the new country. The German community was also granted rights. First university, opera and ballet emerged in the East. The Ambassador thanked the Heydar Aliyev Foundation for the support in organizing the conference. Siebert recalled that there is no anti-Semitism and xenophobia in the country today, as in the distant years. Tolerance and ethnic diversity reigns in the state. "The Silk Road, including the railway from Baku to Kars and further to Europe, is very important for Germany, and Azerbaijan plays a big role in it," said the speaker. Advisor to the director of the Heydar Aliyev Center, Rashad Karimov, spoke about the history of the formation of the ADR, its traditions, its inherent novelty. He noted that for the first time the Azerbaijani language was given the status of the state. The first university in the history of the Azerbaijani people was created, embassies began to open after the de facto recognition of the ADR League by the Nations at the Paris Peace Conference. Karimov also spoke about the restoration of the Azerbaijani tricolor as a state one a decade later. He also recalled that this happened in Nakhchivan for the first time on the initiative of National Leader Heydar Aliyev, who in those years was chairman of the Supreme Majlis of autonomy. Researcher at the Free University of Berlin, Enrico Zivard, in his report noted the need to study history. "One, who does not know his history, cannot understand this day," the scientist cited the German quote. Head of the International Relations Department of ANAS, Ph.D. Nargiz Ahundova told about the diplomatic mission of the ADR at the Paris Peace Conference, about the difficulties on the way to Paris, especially the artificial obstacles in obtaining a French visa. The scientist spoke about the multinational composition of both the population of the ADR and its parliament. She paid special attention to the German community of Azerbaijan and the attention paid by the leadership of the first republic to the Azerbaijani Germans. Leading researcher at the Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, Ph.D. Lamia Gafarzade, in her report highlighted the achievements of ADR in the field of culture, education, and the observance of human rights in the country. She recalled the national composition of the ADR parliament, its truly democratic character. Head of the Department of History of Azerbaijan at the Humboldt University, Professor Eva-Maria Auch shared her understanding of the term "friendship of peoples" in the context of Azerbaijan-German relations. Associate Professor at the University of Potsdam, Matiyas Dofnfeld, noted in his report that representatives of various nations, religions and trends peacefully coexist in the country today thanks to the policies laid down by the prominent politician, Heydar Aliyev. He spoke about a series of international humanitarian forums held in the Azerbaijani capital, inter-civilizational dialogue events, which testify to the attention of the country's leadership to this topic. The author of the architectural and tourist guide Heike Maria Jochenning presented her work to the audience. It includes descriptions of Icherisheher, the city center, historical monuments. She admitted that she particularly admired the entrance to the palace of the Shirvanshahs, made by stone carvers. Jochenning told about the architects who worked in Baku and turned the city into one of the most beautiful corners of the world. A documentary about the history of ADRs was shown to the participants. The conference was held in the nature of a lively dialogue between the stage and the hall, and during it panelists responded to questions from the guests. FERNDALE, Md. (AP) - In a story Nov. 5 about a fatal shooting involving police, The Associated Press, relying on information from Anne Arundel County police, reported erroneously that Willis was 60. He was 61. A corrected version of the story is below: Police serving order to remove guns shoot, kill armed man Police in Maryland say an officer shot and killed a man while serving emergency relief protective order paperwork FERNDALE, Md. (AP) - Police in Maryland say an officer shot and killed a man while serving an order to remove guns from his home. Anne Arundel County police said in a statement that the shooting happened Monday as officers served the "red flag" protective order, which can be used to temporarily restrict firearms access. Police spokesman Marc Limansky says officers responded to a family dispute Sunday and an officer suggested a protective order. When officer arrived to serve an order Monday, police say 61-year-old Gary Willis answered the door with a gun. He put it down, but later became irate and grabbed the gun. When an officer tried to take it, Willis fired. A second officer shot Willis, who died on the scene. No officers were injured and police haven't released their names. NEW YORK (AP) - After a yearlong search for a second home, Amazon is now reportedly looking to build offices in two cities instead of one, a surprise move that could still have a major impact on the communities it ultimately selects. New York's Long Island City as well as Crystal City in northern Virginia have emerged as the front runners, according to sources familiar with the talks with Amazon. Selecting those areas would bring more jobs to places that already have plenty. Jed Kolko, the chief economist at job site Indeed, said that choosing New York and the D.C. area would "be a much less radical move than many imagined" and another example of "rich places getting richer." The company had originally promised to bring 50,000 new high-paying jobs to one location, which founder and CEO Jeff Bezos said would be "a full equal" to its Seattle home base. Amazon may now split those jobs equally between two locations, The Wall Street Journal reported, with each getting 25,000. That would beg the question of whether the new locations would be headquarters at all. Kolko said a headquarters is "where the decision makers are," but it's unclear where Amazon's executives - such as Bezos - would spend much of their time. If Amazon decides to split the 50,000 workers in two places, each of those offices would be smaller than Seattle's, which has more than 40,000 employees. Virginia officials and some state lawmakers were recently briefed by the head of the state's economic development office that Amazon was considering splitting up its second headquarters, according to a person familiar with the matter. FILE - This Sept. 6, 2012, file photo, shows the Amazon logo in Santa Monica, Calif. Online leader Amazon Inc. has refused comment on reports that it plans to split its new headquarters between two locations. The Wall Street Journal and New York Times reported late Monday, Nov. 5, 2018, that the company would locate the new facilities in Queens in New York City and in the Crystal City area of Arlington, Virginia. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon, File) Officials in Virginia believe there's a strong likelihood Amazon will pick Crystal City as one of its sites, but the company has not said anything definitive, according to the person, who was not authorized to speak on the record. "They're a real secretive company," the person said. One of the other areas the online retail giant is considering is Long Island City, according to a source familiar with the talks. Across the East River from midtown Manhattan, Long Island City is a longtime industrial and transportation hub that has become a fast-growing neighborhood of riverfront high-rises and redeveloped warehouses, with an enduring industrial foothold and burgeoning arts and tech scenes. Amazon has been tight-lipped about the process and declined to comment on the latest news. There's been intense competition to win over the company, with some throwing around billions of dollars in tax incentives. Amazon kicked off its hunt for a second headquarters in September 2017, initially receiving 238 proposals before narrowing the list to 20 in January. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo met two weeks ago with Amazon officials in his New York City offices, according to the source, who was not authorized to discuss the negotiations and spoke on condition of anonymity. Cuomo offered to travel to Amazon's Seattle hometown to continue talks, the source said. On Tuesday, Cuomo told reporters that Amazon is looking at Long Island City, but didn't say if it was a finalist. He said winning over Amazon would give an economic boost to the entire state, and joked that he was willing to change his name to "Amazon Cuomo" to lure the company. An estimated 135,000 or more people live in Long Island City and neighboring Sunnyside and Woodside, and the median household makes about $63,500 a year, a bit higher than the citywide median, according to New York University's Furman Center housing and urban policy think tank. About 40 percent of people over 25 in the Long Island City area have a bachelor's or higher degree, slightly above the citywide rate, the Furman Center's data shows. The New York Times reported Monday that Amazon is finalizing deals to locate to Long Island City and the Crystal City section of Arlington, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C. The Wall Street Journal, which first reported on the possible plan to split the headquarters between two cities, said Dallas is also still a contender. Both newspapers cited unnamed people familiar with the decision-making process. A spokesman for the Dallas Regional Chamber declined to comment. Long Island City and Crystal City would meet Amazon's requirements for a new locale: Both are near metropolitan areas with more than a million people, have nearby international airports, direct access to mass transit and have room for the company to expand. Other locations that were on Amazon's list of 20 either declined to comment or said they haven't heard from the online retailer. Jay Ash, the economic development chief in Massachusetts, said Tuesday that he's had "no recent contact" with Amazon about a headquarters in Boston, but his office is still talking with the company about other opportunities. Earlier this year, Amazon unveiled plans for an office expansion in Boston's Seaport District, promising 2,000 new technology jobs by 2021 in fields including machine learning and robotics. Amazon has said it could spend more than $5 billion on the new headquarters over the next 17 years, about matching the size of its current home in Seattle, which has 33 buildings and 23 restaurants. The company already employs more than 600,000 worldwide. That's expected to increase as it builds more warehouses across the country to keep up with online orders. Amazon recently announced that it would pay all its workers at least $15 an hour, but the employees at its second headquarters will be paid a lot more - an average of more than $100,000 a year. Earlier this month, Bezos said during an on-stage interview in New York that the final decision will come down to intuition. "You immerse yourself in that data, but then you make that decision with your heart," he said. ___ Klepper reported from Albany, New York, and Suderman reported from Richmond, Virginia. AP Technology Writer Matt O'Brien in Providence, Rhode Island, and Terry Wallace in Dallas and Jennifer Peltz in New York also contributed to this report. TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - Republicans held onto an eastern Kansas congressional seat Tuesday they had been in danger of losing because of questions about their novice candidate's public statements. Steve Watkins defeated Democrat Paul Davis in the 2nd District and will replace retiring five-term GOP Rep. Lynn Jenkins. Davis was better known as a former Kansas House minority leader and he had carried the district in an unsuccessful run for governor in 2014. But the district leans Republican: Trump carried it by nearly 17 percentage points in 2016, and Watkins had the president's endorsement. Watkins, a former Army officer and government contractor, emerged from a bruising seven-person primary that saw one opponent label him a "fraud" and some local leaders question his commitment to the Republican Party. Watkins told his supporters that he would work to bring conservative values and military leadership to Congress. Candidate for the 2nd Congressional District Republican Steve Watkins arrives with his wife, Fong Liu, to vote Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, at the South Village Mobile Home Park in Topeka, Kans. (Sherman Smith/The Topeka Capital-Journal via AP) "You took a leap of faith in me," he said. "I won't let you down." He told WIBW-TV in a short interview that he will focus on immigration and economic issues. Topeka voter Tuffy Radford, a 37-year-old Republican, said he voted for Watkins because was confident enough about the economy earlier this year to start his own tile-setting business after struggling to find work a few years ago. "I need to keep the economy going in my direction," he said. "The economy's booming." Watkins himself emerged as an issue despite his attractive profile as a political outsider and a West Point graduate who served in Afghanistan and then worked there, in Iraq and in Central Asia as a government contractor. He's run the famed Iditarod dog sled race twice in Alaska and attempted to scale Mount Everest in 2015. But he was caught exaggerating his role in a small business in the Middle East and removed a quote about his "heroic leadership" during the Mount Everest expedition attributed to his guide, after the guide told The Associated Press that he'd never said it. Even before, Republican critics noted that the Topeka native had spent most of his adult life living outside Kansas and had not voted in the state until a municipal election in November 2017, after he'd decided to run for Congress. Also, Watkins' father, a Topeka physician, was heavily involved in the race as the almost-exclusive source of funding for a political action committee, Kansans Can Do Anything, boosting his son's candidacy. The elder Watkins contributed more than $765,000 to the PAC. One former GOP foe, ex-state Sen. Steve Fitzgerald, called him "a charlatan, a fraud and an opportunist," days before the August primary, though he later wouldn't criticize Watkins. Some GOP leaders also were wary of him after three Democrats said publicly that he met with them last year about running as a Democrat - something he strongly disputed. ___ Follow John Hanna on Twitter: https://twitter.com/apjdhanna . ___ For AP's complete coverage of the U.S. midterm elections: http://apne.ws/APPolitics FILE - This combination of file photos shows the candidates for Kansas' 2nd Congressional District in the November 2018 election from left, Democrat Paul Davis and Republican Steve Watkins. (AP Photo/John Hanna) FILE - In this Oct. 6, 2018, file photo, Kansas Republican House candidate Steve Watkins addresses the crowd during a campaign rally in Topeka, Kan. Watkins is running against Democratic candidate Paul Davis in Kansas' 2nd Congressional District. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) There were first-time voters and straight-ticket voters and some who, this go-around, switched sides. They went to the polls considering the caravan of migrants trudging across Mexico, their health insurance and their paychecks, an impotent Congress, and the nation's poisonous political culture that has divided even families and friends along party lines. More than anything on this Election Day in America, in a midterm contest like no other before it, voters cast their ballots with one man in mind: President Donald Trump. "Trump is terrifying and we need to make a change, so I've been encouraging my friends and family to vote," said Samantha Bohr, 26, casting her ballot in Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey. Nine hundred miles away, in Nashville, Tennessee, 50-year-old Robert DuBois arrived at his polling place wearing one of Trump's signature red Make America Great Again caps. "That's why there's a line out that door," he said. "You either don't want Trump's agenda or you do want Trump's agenda." They joined millions of Americans who turned out in droves Tuesday - some lining up before the sun rose, some standing for hours or braving pouring rain or snow - to vote in an election that will determine control of Congress and render a verdict on Trump's first two years in office. The outcome could redefine the nation's political landscape for months and years to come. Democrats need to gain 23 seats to take control of the House of Representatives, and hope to ride the wave of liberal fury that organized after Trump's surprising victory in 2016. Every voting booth was filled by Madison County voters Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, as they filled out their paper ballots in Ridgeland, Miss. Voters have a number of races to consider, including judiciary and federal offices and some local issues. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis) "My loathing for him knows no bounds," said Kathleen Ross, 69, a retired professor voting in Olympia, Washington, who described herself as a lifelong progressive. She said she was confident the country eventually would reject Trumpism and the divisive governing it represents. "I tend to think the arc of the universe bends toward justice, so I don't become discouraged." Trump has sought to counter some of that rage by stoking anger, fear and enthusiasm in his base. In recent weeks, he's put the spotlight on a caravan of Central American migrants that he calls "an invasion" of criminals and terrorists. He ran an advertisement about immigration so racially incendiary that all three major cable news networks, including Fox News, either refused to air it or eventually decided to stop showing it. Among some Republican voters, that message resonated. "What's going on right now is pretty scary to me, at the border, with all those people coming, and I don't think I'm hardhearted or anything," said Patricia Maynard, 63, a retired teacher in Skowhegan, Maine. When she voted for Trump in 2016, the blue-collar economy was her primary concern. Now, she said, immigration tops the list. She laments that Congress has so far failed to pass legislation to build the wall Trump promised along the border. So she voted for Republicans Tuesday, with hopes they would retain control and push Trump's agenda. In Jefferson City, Missouri, Linda Rice believes there are criminals in the caravan. Both Rice and her husband, Richard, praised Trump's time in office, particularly his focus on the economy and his work to secure the border. "I just don't think that my tax money should be taken away from me and given to a person who came across the border illegally," Richard Rice said. "Get in line. Do it correctly." Just ahead of Election Day, Trump sent military troops to the border- a move critics called unnecessary and a political stunt, given the migrants, many of them women and children fleeing poverty and violence, are traveling mostly on foot and remain hundreds of miles away. For those who oppose Trump, the caravan controversy singularly represents what they find unconscionable about his presidency. "He's always used the scare tactics and found an enemy to band against," said 24-year-old Enrique Padilla of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Padilla considers his own family an example of the American dream. His father migrated from Mexico as a laborer at 18, raised his family, and now Padilla has a college degree. The president's persistent demonization of immigrants galvanized him and many of his peers to vote against Republicans, Padilla said. In Louisville, Kentucky, Mary Cross, a 64-year-old African-American voter, said she believes Trump uses issues like immigration to distract from more important topics. "It's manufactured fear. It's uncivilized. It's just a bunch of mayhem for nothing. There's no substance to this," said Cross, who thinks the country should be talking about the Republican-led campaign to overturn the Affordable Health Care Act that protects people with pre-existing conditions. Cross, and others, expressed a heightened sense of unease and sadness about the state of America's political climate. The election comes just days after a series of hate crimes and political attacks. Where Cross lives, a gunman tried to get into a majority-black church but found the doors locked and went instead to a nearby grocery store, where he gunned down two African-American shoppers in what police are calling a hate crime. "Our president, with his rhetoric and vulgar language, continues to throw fuel on the fire. Racism has always been around, but since he's been in office, people feel free to express it and feel good about it," said the Rev. Kevin Nelson, the pastor of the Louisville church the gunman targeted. The congregation has received cards and calls from all over the country, from Christians and Jews and Muslims and atheists - and also a white man in Texas who said he was sorry about what happened and promised to cast his ballot against the rhetoric he believed to be igniting hate. "You're always hoping that somehow, some way, someday, it's going to change," Nelson said before he voted Tuesday. "I'm hopeful that it could be this time." The Simon Wiesenthal Center released a survey on the eve of the election that showed a quarter of Americans have lost friends over political disagreements and are less likely to attend social functions because of politics. Odell White, a 60-year-old African-American conservative, described the country's tribalism as veering toward civil war. "We are dangerously close to that type of mentality - brothers fighting brothers. That's how bad it is," said White, who supports Trump and voted for Republicans. Friends have turned away because of his political leanings. White said he doesn't like the president's aggressive rhetoric, but he's willing to overlook it because of the booming economy and the two conservatives Trump installed on the Supreme Court. But Trumpism has proved too much for some. In Portland, Maine, Josh Rent, 43, a small business owner and registered Republican, said he voted mostly for Democrats all the way down the ballot for the first time to protest Trump, who he believes is unnecessarily dividing Americans for his own gain. "He's just nasty," he said. "Life doesn't have to be this nasty, in my opinion." If Democrats do win big, Tory Dibbins, a 53-year-old physical therapist from Portland, Maine, and herself a Democrat, has a warning. "If you're going to talk about 'let's end the divisiveness and be inclusive' then you have to try to get people to be more bipartisan," she said. "You have to win people back to the center." ___ Also contributing were AP reporters Adam Geller in New Jersey, Sheila Burke in Tennessee, Martha Irvine in Illinois, Steve Megargee in Tennessee, Jocelyn Noveck in New York, Rachel La Corte in Washington, Margery Beck in Nebraska, Kantele Franko in Ohio, Summer Ballentine and Jim Salter in Missouri, Matt Volz in Montana, Hannah Grabenstein in Arkansas and Chris Chester in Maine. ___ For AP's complete coverage of the U.S. midterm elections: http://apne.ws/APPolitics Voters line up to vote at a polling place in Doylestown, Pa., Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) A driver drops a ballot into a drop box at the King County Elections office Monday, Nov. 5, 2018, in Renton, Wash. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) Indra Hosein, 5, waits at the registration desk while her mother Ty Campbell-Hosein chats with a friend at P.S. 161 The Crown polling center on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Brooklyn borough of New York. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E) Volunteer Fu Hua Chen puts up a sign near a polling place set up at Hsi Lai Temple Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Hacienda Heights, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) A voter waits for assistance from a volunteer at the Tuttle Park Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Columbus, Ohio. Across the country, voters headed to the polls Tuesday in one of the most high-profile midterm elections in years. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - The "largest-ever" U.S. sanctions list targeting Iran drew mockery from Iranian officials on Tuesday for including mothballed Boeing 747s, a bank that closed years earlier and a sunken oil tanker that exploded off China months ago. However, the new list of sanctions, which also aims to cut Iran's vital oil industry off from international sales, also included for the first time its state airline and its atomic energy commission, further highlighting the maximalist approach of President Donald Trump's administration. Trump pulled America out of the 2015 nuclear deal Iran struck with world powers in May. United Nations monitors say Iran still abides by the deal, in which it agreed to limit its uranium enrichment in return for the lifting of international sanctions. The U.S. Treasury Department imposed penalties on more than 700 Iranian and Iranian-linked individuals, entities, aircraft and vessels in the new sanctions. Among those are 50 Iranian banks and subsidiaries, and more than 200 people and ships. However, scattered among the list are surprising entries, like the crude oil tanker Sanchi. That vessel collided with a bulk freighter and caught fire off China's east coast in January, killing all 32 sailors aboard. Another entry was Iran's Tat Bank, which closed in 2012. Customers speak with a money exchanger at his shop in downtown Tehran, Iran, Monday, Nov. 5, 2018. Iran greeted the re-imposition of U.S. sanctions on Monday with air defense drills and a statement from President Hassan Rouhani that the nation faces a "war situation," raising Mideast tensions as America's maximalist approach to the Islamic Republic takes hold. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi) Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif took to Twitter to mock some of the targets of the sanctions, describing it as a "desperate" psychological ploy. "The U.S. designated a bank that was closed 6 years ago, and a ship that sank . in a widely televised saga," he wrote, ending the tweet with "(hashtag)USisIsolated." But for the first time, the United States targeted Iran Air. It also sanctioned the state carrier's mothballed fleet of Boeing 747s, which were manufactured in the 1970s. It also appeared that the U.S., in another first, was directly sanctioning the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, the government agency that oversees Iran's nuclear program. Prior sanctions targeted specific subsidiaries of the organization. Eshaq Jahangiri, President Hassan Rouhani's senior vice president, also criticized the sanctions. "Americans think their list is more effective if it is longer," Jahangiri said, according to the state-run IRNA news agency. He said he had discussed the list with other officials, with many saying it was "less than what we expected." Still, Jahangiri warned that "Americans intend to damage economy of the country" through psychological warfare. Zarif later issued an online video criticizing America's "indiscriminate assault" on his country. "The U.S. administration appears to believe that imposing illegal draconian sanctions on Iran will bring about such pain to our nation that it will force us to submit to its will, no matter how absurd, unlawful or fundamentally flawed its demands are." Zarif urged America to re-examine its "catastrophes" in the Mideast, including its support for Saudi Arabia and Israel. Iran is already in the grip of an economic crisis. Its national currency, the rial, now trades at 150,000 to one U.S. dollar; a year ago, it was about 40,500. The economic chaos sparked mass anti-government protests at the end of last year, resulting in nearly 5,000 reported arrests and at least 25 people being killed. Sporadic smaller demonstrations still reportedly erupt from time to time. The new sanctions particularly hurt Iran's vital oil industry, which provides a crucial source of hard currency. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the sanctions already had cost Iran the sale of over 1 million barrels of crude oil a day. Analysts feared in the run-up to the sanctions that global oil prices could spike on tight supply and increasing demand. However, the Trump administration allowed some of its allies - Greece, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Turkey - as well as rival China to continue to purchase Iranian oil as long as they work to reduce imports to zero. The price of benchmark Brent crude has dropped from over $80 a barrel in recent days. During a visit to Madrid on Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the U.S. decision to re-impose sanctions on Iran was "not legitimate" and that the rest of the parties to the 2015 nuclear deal abandoned by Washington are working to make economic cooperation with Tehran possible. Lavrov's remarks were Russia's first reaction to Washington's new list of sanctions against Iran. The Russian diplomat said the sanctions go against international law and practices, and that the U.S. "policies of issuing an ultimatum and making unilateral moves are unacceptable these days." ___ Associated Press writer Aritz Parra in Madrid contributed to this report. FILE - In this Jan. 10, 2018 file photo provided by China's Ministry of Transport, firefighting boats work to put on a blaze on the oil tanker Sanchi in the East China Sea off the eastern coast of China. The U.S.'s self-described "largest-ever" sanctions list targeting Iran includes the oil tanker that already sunk and a bank long since closed. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a tweet late Monday, Nov. 5, 2018, called the re-imposition of sanctions a desperate move and said they target ordinary Iranians. (Ministry of Transport via AP, File) Pedestrians look at items of a vendor in downtown Tehran, Iran, Monday, Nov. 5, 2018. Iran greeted the re-imposition of U.S. sanctions on Monday with air defense drills and a statement from President Hassan Rouhani that the nation faces a "war situation," raising Mideast tensions as America's maximalist approach to the Islamic Republic takes hold. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi) DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - The Latest on the situation in Iran after the re-imposition of all American sanctions on the country (all times local): 10:20 p.m. Iran's oil minister has written a letter to the OPEC chief, asking that the so-called Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee - which consists of all OPEC and non-OPEC countries - be dissolved because of its stance on the newly re-imposed U.S. sanctions on Iran. The minister, Bijan Zanganeh, said in his letter to OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo that some members of the committee "openly take side with the United States in imposing unilateral and illegal sanctions against Iran." He says there is no reason to continue with JMMC. The committee is due to hold a meeting next week in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, an ally of Iran's regional rival Saudi Arabia. Zanganeh's remarks were by Iran's official news agency IRNA on Tuesday. It's unlikely, however, that his letter to OPEC would lead to the dissolution of the committee. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks after a meeting with his Spanish counterpart Josep Borrell at the foreign ministry in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) ___ 8:10 p.m. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says the decision of the United States to re-impose sanctions on Iran "is not legitimate" and that the rest of the parties in the 2015 nuclear deal abandoned by Washington are working to make economic cooperation with Tehran possible. Lavrov spoke on Tuesday in Madrid, where he is holding talks with his Spanish counterpart. His remarks are Russia's first reaction to Washington's new list of sanctions against Iran's vital oil exports, banking and transport industries. The Russian diplomat says the sanctions go against international law and practices, and that the U.S. government's "policies of issuing an ultimatum and making unilateral moves are unacceptable these days." Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell has said that the U.S. move raised economic and security risk internationally and that the European Union would work to realize the 2015 nuclear deal struck with Iran. ___ 5:45 p.m. A former Indian diplomat says his country earned a waiver from U.S. sanctions against Iran because of its reliance on Iranian oil and earlier moves to reduce imports. The Indian government has yet to comment on its being granted a waiver, along with seven other countries. India's top oil supplier is Iraq, followed by Iran and Saudi Arabia. The former diplomat, Pinak Chakravarty, said Tuesday that India reduced its oil imports from Iran during an earlier round of sanctions. He says it was a "quid pro quo that if you scale it down a bit, then the U.S. would arrange for this sanctions waiver." He says imports cover almost 80 percent of India's energy needs, and that it must import from Iran in order to grow its economy. The U.S. restored sanctions on Iran's oil industry this week that had been lifted under the 2015 nuclear accord, which President Donald Trump withdrew from in May. ___ 3:30 p.m. Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says new American sanctions are an "indiscriminate assault" on his country. Zarif made the comments Tuesday in an online video. He said the sanctions were aimed at forcing "us to submit to (America's) will, no matter how absurd, unlawful or fundamentally flawed its demands are." Zarif urged America to re-examine its "catastrophes" in the Mideast. That includes its support of both Saudi Arabia and Israel. ___ 3:15 p.m. Despite being granted a waiver, Turkey's president has criticized the resumption of sanctions on Iran calling it a destabilizing step. Speaking to reporters in Parliament on Tuesday, Recep Tayyip Erdogan also said the sanctions contravene international law and diplomacy, according to state-run Anadolu Agency. U.S. President Donald Trump's administration resumed sanctions on Iran on Monday, although Turkey is among eight major importers of Iranian oil who are spared temporarily from immediate penalties. Anadolu quoted Erdogan as saying: "We do not find sanctions to be right because to us, they are sanctions aimed at upsetting the global balance." Asked about Turkey's "roadmap" for when the temporary waiver is lifted, Erdogan recalled Turkey's dependence on oil and natural gas imports and said he cannot allow his citizens to "freeze in winter." "We cannot abide by them (the sanctions), we cannot accept them," Erdogan said. ___ 3:05 p.m. Iran's deputy foreign minister holds out little hope for negotiations to ease tensions between Iran and the United States now that the Trump administration has re-imposed sanctions. Ambassador Seyed M. Kazem Sajjadpour said in London on Tuesday that the United States has the "very simple naive" view that Iran will wilt under the pressure. "The assumption is, we cut the money of the oil, then Iran will be deprived, then Iranian people will revolt, then the system will be changed, then we are fine, then the paradise will come," he said in a Chatham House talk He says this view "negates the reality of Iran and the realities of foreign politics." Sajjadpour says Iran is self-confident and will not be forced to negotiate by having a knife put to its throat. ___ 12:20 p.m. Japan says it is pleased to be temporarily spared from penalties as the U.S. resumes sanctions on Iran. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, however, told reporters Tuesday that Japan will monitor and analyze any possible impact the sanctions may have to make sure the sanctions do not adversely affect Japanese companies. President Donald Trump's administration reinstated all remaining sanctions on Iran on Monday. A U.S. ally, Japan is one of eight major importers of Iranian oil that received waivers on immediate penalties. Suga said Japan's exclusion reflects Washington's consideration of Tokyo's repeated requests to minimize the impact of sanctions on Japanese companies. He said Japan will continue to cooperate closely and discuss the issue with the U.S. side. ___ 10:50 a.m. The U.S.'s self-described "largest-ever" sanctions list targeting Iran includes an oil tanker already sunk and a bank long since closed. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif late Monday in a tweet called the re-imposition of sanctions a desperate move and said they target ordinary Iranians. The sanctions by the U.S. Treasury Department target, among other things, the oil tanker Sanchi that sank in January after a week of burning off the coast of China, killing all 32 crew on board. The list also includes Tat Bank, which was dissolved in 2012 over lack of transparency and financial charges. ___ 9:30 a.m. South Korea's presidential spokesman says the U.S. has demonstrated the strength of the two countries' alliance by allowing South Korea to continue importing Iranian crude oil products under reinstated sanctions against Iran. Kim Eui-kyeom spoke to reporters Tuesday after South Korea was named as one of eight countries that received waivers from the United States to continue importing Iranian crude and other petroleum products without penalty. South Korean Trade Minister Kim Hyun-chong says the waiver "opens breathing room" for South Korea's oil refining industry and companies that export to Iran. South Korea says it can also continue exporting non-sanctioned products to Iran after the United States agreed to recognize a transaction system where local companies receive payments through two Korean won-denominated accounts that Iran's central bank opened in South Korea. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, center front, and his Spanish counterpart Josep Borrell, right, during a meeting at the foreign ministry in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) MADRID (AP) - The Latest on migration into Europe (all times local): 5:30 p.m. A Sicily prosecutor has opened a preliminary investigation into allegations a U.S. warship, the USNS Trenton, delayed rescuing migrants from a sinking dinghy from which some 76 people drowned in June. The June 12 rescue off Libya came at a tense time on the Mediterranean, with Italy's new populist government refusing to let aid groups dock in a bid to dissuade them from rescuing migrants. The Trenton did rescue 41 people. But a half-dozen survivors told La Repubblica newspaper that the ship delayed intervening until after their dinghy started sinking, over an hour after the migrants first spotted the U.S. flags on the ship. Ragusa Prosecutor Fabio D'Anna confirmed Tuesday he had opened an investigation into their claims. A life vest lies on the rocks near the village of Canos de Meca in southern Spain, Tuesday, Nov. 6 2018. Spain's maritime rescue service says at least 17 people have died trying to reach Spanish territory in boats departing from North Africa but rescued 80 people Monday from two boats and recovered the bodies of 13 dead migrants in the Alboran Sea, part of the western Mediterranean route into Europe. In a separate incident, the Spanish Civil Guard says it found four bodies of migrants and 22 survivors, all men from northern Africa, after their wooden dinghy hit a reef. (AP Photo/Javier Fergo) The U.S. Navy's 6th Fleet didn't immediately comment. ___ 9:20 a.m. Spanish rescue workers are searching the seas and shores of southern Spain, looking for around 17 missing migrants trying to reach Europe in smuggling boats departing from North Africa. The Spanish Civil Guard also said Tuesday said it had found four bodies of migrants and 22 survivors Monday, all men from northern Africa, after their wooden dinghy hit a reef close to the coast west of the Strait of Gibraltar. The Civil Guard said 13 of the survivors were thought to be unaccompanied minors. It also said the 17 missing people traveling with the group could have reached Spanish shores. The Civil Guard resumed search operations Tuesday both on the sea and along the shore. Earlier on Monday, the Spanish sea rescuers found 80 people, including five women, and recovered the bodies of 13 dead migrants in the Alboran Sea, a part of the western Mediterranean migrant route into Europe. ___ 8:45 a.m. Spain's maritime rescue service says at least 17 people have died trying to reach Spain in boats departing from North Africa. The service says Tuesday that it rescued 80 people Monday, including five women, from two boats and recovered the bodies of 13 dead migrants in the Alboran Sea, part of the western Mediterranean migrant route into Europe. They were all transferred to the Spanish enclave of Melilla, which borders Morocco. In a separate incident, the Spanish Civil Guard says it found four bodies of migrants and 22 survivors, all men from northern Africa, after the wooden dinghy in which they were travelling hit a reef close to the coast west of the Strait of Gibraltar. The U.N. says over 2,160 people have died trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe this year. Members of Spanish Civil Guard look for bodies of drowned migrants near the village of Canos de Meca in southern Spain, Tuesday, Nov. 6 2018. Spain's maritime rescue service says at least 17 people have died trying to reach Spanish territory in boats departing from North Africa but rescued 80 people Monday from two boats and recovered the bodies of 13 dead migrants in the Alboran Sea, part of the western Mediterranean route into Europe. In a separate incident, the Spanish Civil Guard says it found four bodies of migrants and 22 survivors, all men from northern Africa, after their wooden dinghy hit a reef. (AP Photo/Javier Fergo) CAIRO (AP) - Yemen's rebels claim they halted advances of their adversaries, the U.S.-backed, Saudi-led Arab coalition, at a key battlefield around a strategic Red Sea port city. Fighting continued around Hodeida on Tuesday despite the statement from the Shiite rebels, also known as Houthis, that a three-pronged coalition assault had been stopped around the city's outskirts. The Iran-backed Houthis said they lost at least 30 men and a dozen armored vehicles. Dozens of fighters have been killed and hundreds wounded from both sides since a renewed coalition offensive on the city began five days ago, following calls by the Trump administration for a cease-fire by late November. The fighting has left dead bodies lying on the ground and inside burnt-out vehicles at the city's edge, according to witnesses who spoke on condition of anonymity, fearing for their safety. The witnesses also said several civilians have been killed by shelling in residential areas. Local media reported that air raids by the Saudi-led coalition were continuing, as was sporadic fighting around Hodeida, especially along 50th street and the 7th of July neighborhoods in the east. In this Oct. 1, 2018 file photo, a woman holds a malnourished boy at the Aslam Health Center, in Hajjah, Yemen. The Norwegian Refugee Council said Monday, Nov. 5, 2018, that millions of Yemenis are edging closer to famine and fatal disease one year after a Saudi-led coalition imposed a blockade on sea, land and air routes in the Arab world's poorest country. The Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed Shiite Houthi rebels had restricted access to Yemen in November last year after a missile assault by rebels targeted the Saudi capital, Riyadh. (AP Photo/Hani Mohammed, File) Other active fronts in Yemen include the provinces of Dhale and Bayda, to the south, and in the north in Hajjah and Saada, a Houthi stronghold. The Houthi statement also claimed the rebels stopped an attempted incursion by "mercenaries of the Saudi army," into Yemen from Jizan, a region across the border in Saudi Arabia. Earlier on Tuesday, the rebels detained two journalists in the capital, Sanaa, colleagues said, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals. One man was taken from his production company's office, and another from his home, and both worked with foreign television news channels. The rebels detained another journalist in Sanaa earlier this month, and have held other over the course of the war, some for years. Meanwhile, the Norwegian Refugee Council said millions of Yemenis are edging closer to famine and fatal disease as the Saudi-led coalition's blockade on sea, land and air routes in the Arab world's poorest country continued. The coalition restricted access to Yemen in November last year, after a missile assault by rebels targeted the Saudi capital, Riyadh. Jan Egeland of the NRC said "the past 12 months have been a never-ending nightmare for Yemeni civilians." The Saudi-led coalition, which seeks to restore to power the internationally recognized Yemeni government, has been at war with the Houthis since March 2015; the stalemated conflict has generated the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Hodeida, the main portal for humanitarian aid to the suffering population, has become the epicenter of the conflict. The United States has sold billions of dollars' worth of arms to Saudi Arabia and provides logistical and other support to the coalition. Also Tuesday, the head of the U.N. children's agency warned that the Hodeida fighting "is now dangerously close to Al Thawra hospital - putting the lives of 59 children, including 25 in the intensive care unit, at imminent risk of death." UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said in a statement that medical staff and patients can hear heavy bombing and gunfire and that access to the hospital, "the only functioning one in the area, is now imperiled." Hodeida and the neighboring governorates account for 40 per cent of the 400,000 children in the country who suffer from severe acute malnutrition, she said, and that "some of the sickest are taken to the hospital for urgent care." Fore added that UNICEF calls on the warring sides to cease hostilities near and around the hospital, and to ensure safe access to it. She also added that the agency is appealing on the combatants to "abide by their legal obligations to stop attacks against civilian infrastructure - including the port of Hodeida." ___ Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report. Facebook said it blocked 115 accounts for suspected "coordinated inauthentic behavior" linked to foreign groups attempting to interfere in Tuesday's U.S. midterm elections. The social media company shut down 30 Facebook accounts and 85 Instagram accounts and is investigating them in more detail, it said in a blog post late Monday. Facebook acted after being tipped off Sunday by U.S. law enforcement officials. Authorities notified the company about recently discovered online activity "they believe may be linked to foreign entities," Facebook's head of cybersecurity policy, Nathaniel Gleicher, wrote in the post . U.S. tech companies have stepped up their work against disinformation campaigns, aiming to stymie online troublemakers' efforts to divide voters and discredit democracy. Facebook's purge is part of countermeasures to prevent abuses like those used by Russian groups two years ago to sway public opinion ahead of the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The company based in Menlo Park, California, has been somewhat regularly disclosing such purges in recent months, most recently in October. More are likely going forward since, even as its systems get better at detecting and removing malicious accounts, the bad actors are sharpening their attacks, too. Gleicher said Facebook will provide an update once it learns more, including whether the blocked accounts are linked to the Russia-based Internet Research Agency, or other foreign entities. FILE - In this Oct. 17, 2018 file photo, a man works at his desk in front of monitors during a demonstration in the war room, where Facebook monitors election related content on the platform, in Menlo Park, Calif. Facebook and other social platforms have been waging a fight against online misinformation and hate speech for two years. With the U.S. midterm elections coming soon on Tuesday, Nov. 6, there are signs that they're making some headway, although they're still a long way from winning the war. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File) Almost all of the Facebook pages associated with the blocked accounts appeared to be in French or Russian. The Instagram accounts were mostly in English and were focused either on celebrities or political debate. No further details were given about the accounts or suspicious activity. Also on Monday, Facebook acknowledged that it didn't do enough to prevent its services from being used to incite violence and spread hate in Myanmar. Alex Warofka, a product policy manager, said in a blog post that Facebook "can and should do more" to protect human rights and ensure it isn't used to foment division and spread offline violence in the country. Last month, Facebook removed 82 pages, accounts and groups tied to Iran and aimed at stirring up strife in the U.S. and the U.K. It carried out an even broader sweep in August, removing 652 pages, groups and accounts linked to Russia and Iran. Twitter, meanwhile, has said it has identified more than 4,600 accounts and 10 million tweets, mostly affiliated with the Internet Research Agency, which was linked to foreign meddling in U.S. elections, including the presidential vote of 2016. The agency, a Russian troll farm, has been indicted by U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller for its actions during the 2016 vote. Facebook, Twitter and other companies have been fighting misinformation and election meddling on their services for the past two years . There are signs they're making headway, although they're still a very long way from winning the war. Facebook, in particular, has reversed its stance of late 2016, when CEO Mark Zuckerberg dismissed as "pretty crazy" the notion that fake news on his service could have swayed the presidential election. In July, for instance, the company said that its spending on security and content moderation, coupled with other business shifts, would hinder its growth and profitability. Investors expressed their displeasure by knocking $119 billion off Facebook's market value. One problem is that it's not just agents from Russia and other nations who are intent on sharing misinformation and propaganda. There is plenty of homegrown fake news too, whether in the U.S. or elsewhere. Still, Facebook is seeing some payoff, and not just with the accounts it has been able to find and take down. A recent research collaboration between New York University and Stanford found that user "interactions" with fake news stories on Facebook, which rose substantially in 2016 during the presidential campaign, fell significantly between the end of 2016 and July 2018. On Twitter, however, the sharing of such stories continued to rise over the past two years. DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Delaware (AP) - The grief-stricken widow of a Utah mayor killed in Afghanistan paid tribute to her husband on Election Day by urging Americans to get out and vote and carry on his legacy in fighting for democracy. The body of North Ogden Mayor Brent Taylor was returned to American solo after the Army National Guard major was shot to death last weekend by an Afghan commando he was training. The father of seven had implored Americans in his final Facebook post to vote. The post became widely shared online and received more attention Tuesday as his widow talked about Taylor's service in Afghanistan that coincided with recent parliamentary elections there. Her comments were televised nationally on the same day that millions of Americans turned out to vote. "It seems only fitting that Brent, who in death now represents so much greater than any of our own individual lives, has come home to U.S. soil in a flag-draped casket on our Election Day," Jennie Taylor told reporters after Brent Taylor's flag-draped coffin arrived at Dover Air force Base in Delaware. "Brent may have died on Afghan soil but he died for the success of freedom and democracy in both our countries," she added. Major Taylor had been expecting to return as Mayor Taylor in January. His death leaves behind his wife, Jennie, and their seven children, ranging from 11 months to 13 years old. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley, left, salutes as an Army carry team moves a transfer case containing the remains of Maj. Brent R. Taylor at Dover Air Force Base, Del., on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. According to the Department of Defense, Taylor, 39, of Ogden, Utah, died Nov. 3, 2018, in Kabul province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained from small arms fire. (AP Photo/Steve Ruark) Taylor's post , drawing a connection between democracy abroad and at home, has been seen and shared thousands of times. "It was beautiful to see over four million Afghan men and women brave threats and deadly attacks to vote in Afghanistan's first parliamentary elections in eight years. The strong turnout, despite the attacks and challenges, was a success for the long- suffering people of Afghanistan and for the cause of human freedom," he wrote. "As the USA gets ready to vote in our own election next week, I hope everyone back home exercises their precious right to vote. And that whether the Republicans or the Democrats win, that we all remember that we have far more as Americans that unites us than divides us." Taylor, a military intelligence officer with Joint Force Headquarters, served two tours in Iraq and was on his second tour in Afghanistan. Taylor had become mayor in 2013, and had a local hero's farewell when he was being deployed last January. Hundreds of residents of North Ogden, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) north of Salt Lake City, lined the street to see him off as police escorted him and his family around the community of about 17,000. Utah Gov. Gary Herbert said Taylor "was there to help. He was a leader. He loved the people of Afghanistan... This is a sad day for Utah, for America." An Army carry team loads into a vehicle a transfer case containing the remains of Maj. Brent R. Taylor at Dover Air Force Base, Del., on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. According to the Department of Defense, Taylor, 39, of Ogden, Utah, died Nov. 3, 2018, in Kabul province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained from small arms fire. (AP Photo/Steve Ruark) This undated photo provided by the Utah National Guard shows Maj. Brent Taylor of the Utah National Guard. Taylor, former mayor of North Ogden, died in Afghanistan on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, City Councilman Phillip Swanson said. Taylor was deployed to Afghanistan in January with the Utah National Guard for what was expected to be a 12-month tour of duty. Taylor previously served two tours in Iraq and one tour in Afghanistan. (Courtesy of Utah National Guard via AP) This undated photo provided by the Utah National Guard shows Maj. Brent Taylor of the Utah National Guard. Taylor, former mayor of North Ogden, died in Afghanistan on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, City Councilman Phillip Swanson said. Taylor was deployed to Afghanistan in January with the Utah National Guard for what was expected to be a 12-month tour of duty. Taylor previously served two tours in Iraq and one tour in Afghanistan. (Courtesy of Utah National Guard via AP) The Fallen Soldier Tribute is shown at the Utah Army National Guard Recruiting building Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018, in Draper, Utah. Military officials say a major in Utah's Army National Guard who was also the mayor of a city north of Salt Lake City was killed in Afghanistan after being shot by a member of the Afghan security forces. They say North Ogden Mayor Brent Taylor was in the country to train Afghan commandos and was shot Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, by one of the trainees at the Kabul military training center. The attacker was then killed by Afghan forces. (Francisco Kjolseth/The Salt Lake Tribune, via AP) Soldiers attend a news conference where Gov. Gary R. Herbert and Maj. Gen. Jefferson S. Burton address the media Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018, in Draper, Utah. Military officials say a major in Utah's Army National Guard who was also the mayor of a city north of Salt Lake City was killed in Afghanistan after being shot by a member of the Afghan security forces. They say North Ogden Mayor Brent Taylor was in the country to train Afghan commandos and was shot Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, by one of the trainees at the Kabul military training center. The attacker was then killed by Afghan forces. (Francisco Kjolseth/The Salt Lake Tribune, via AP) Maj. Gen. Jefferson S. Burton, center, address the media on Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018, in Draper, Utah. Military officials say a major in Utah's Army National Guard who was also the mayor of a city north of Salt Lake City was killed in Afghanistan after being shot by a member of the Afghan security forces. They say North Ogden Mayor Brent Taylor was in the country to train Afghan commandos and was shot Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, by one of the trainees at the Kabul military training center. The attacker was then killed by Afghan forces. (Francisco Kjolseth/The Salt Lake Tribune, via AP) Gov. Gary Herbert speaks during a news conference Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018, in Draper, Utah. Military officials say a major in Utah's Army National Guard who was also the mayor of a city north of Salt Lake City was killed in Afghanistan after being shot by a member of the Afghan security forces. They say North Ogden Mayor Brent Taylor was in the country to train Afghan commandos and was shot Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, by one of the trainees at the Kabul military training center. The attacker was then killed by Afghan forces. (Francisco Kjolseth/The Salt Lake Tribune, via AP) Gov. Gary Herbert addresses the media on Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018, in Draper, Utah. Military officials say a major in Utah's Army National Guard who was also the mayor of a city north of Salt Lake City was killed in Afghanistan after being shot by a member of the Afghan security forces. They say North Ogden Mayor Brent Taylor was in the country to train Afghan commandos and was shot Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, by one of the trainees at the Kabul military training center. The attacker was then killed by Afghan forces. (Francisco Kjolseth/The Salt Lake Tribune, via AP) Gov. Gary Herbert, left, and Maj. Gen. Jefferson S. Burton address the media on Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018, in Draper, Utah. Military officials say a major in Utah's Army National Guard who was also the mayor of a city north of Salt Lake City was killed in Afghanistan after being shot by a member of the Afghan security forces. They say Brent Taylor was in the country to train Afghan commandos and was shot Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, by one of the trainees at the Kabul military training center. The attacker was then killed by Afghan forces. (Francisco Kjolseth/The Salt Lake Tribune, via AP) By Trend Uzbekistan can be granted observer status at the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly, Podrobno.uz quoted the Speaker of Lower House of Russian Parliament, Chairman of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly Vyacheslav Volodin as saying at a meeting with the Chairman of the Senate of Uzbekistan Nigmatilla Yuldashev. Volodin noted that in this format, the parliamentarians could discuss the legislative support for solving the security problems and combating the drug trafficking, and consider the possibility of adopting laws in these areas. In addition, at the meeting, Volodin confirmed his intention to make a visit to Uzbekistan, which can take place in 2019. He also pointed to the achievements of Uzbekistan in the development of the Russian language, which is the language of inter-ethnic communication in this Central Asian state. CHRISTIANA, Tenn. (AP) - Severe storms sweeping across the South with tornadoes on Tuesday killed a person and injured at least two others, knocking down trees and leaving thousands without power, officials said. The weather disrupted Election Day voting in some places, forcing citizens to use paper ballots instead of electronic voting machines. In Tennessee, crews responded to a collapsed home where one person was confirmed dead, Rutherford County Emergency Medical Services spokesman Patrick Miller told news outlets. Two others were injured when a nearby mobile home rolled over, he said. An EF-2 tornado with winds of about 135 mph (217 kph) hit the area, the National Weather Service said after surveying the damage. At least three other twisters were confirmed, two in Alabama and another in Tennessee, the agency said, and teams were still assessing others sites. The Storm Prediction Center said nine possible tornado strikes were reported. Tennessee Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins said the polling places that had electricity knocked out are operating on generators and have emergency ballots ready for voters. He said the paper ballots would be counted Tuesday. He said the largest area of power outages was in Knox County, where nearly 20,000 customers were without power Tuesday morning. In West Virginia, storms caused two voting precincts to open a little late but didn't cause any lasting problems. A home rests on its side Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, after a deadly tornado blew the house off its foundation in Christiana, Tenn. (Helen Comer/The Tennessean via AP) West Virginia Secretary of State's spokesman Michael Queen said 14 precincts were without power at 5 a.m., but the office worked with several state and local agencies to put generators into place or to move precinct locations. Polling places without power used generators until electricity was restored so no paper ballots were necessary, he said. Crews worked to restore power to thousands of residents from Louisiana to South Carolina. Parts of Tupelo, Mississippi, were closed off late Monday as debris, downed trees and power lines blocked roadways, the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reported . Tupelo Communications Director Leesha Faulkner said there also was a gas leak in a residential area. In Rutherford County, Fire and Rescue spokeswoman Lisa Sloan said crews responded to a house blaze early Tuesday that appeared to have started from a lightning strike. She said there was heavy damage, but no injuries. This follows severe storms that were blamed for two deaths in the Gulf Coast area last week. LONDON (AP) - Britain's data commissioner on Tuesday called for tougher rules governing the use of personal data by political campaigns around the world, declaring that recent investigations have shown a disturbing disregard for voters and their privacy. Speaking to the U.K. Parliament's media committee, Elizabeth Denham updated lawmakers on her office's investigation into the use of data analysis by political campaigns - a probe that has already seen Facebook slapped with a maximum fine for data misuse. Denham warned that democracy is under threat because behavioral targeting techniques developed to sell products are now being used to promote political campaigns and candidates. "I don't think that we want to use the same model that is used to sell us holidays and shoes and cars to engage with people and voters," she said. "I think people expect more than that." New rules are needed to govern advertising and the use of data, Denham said. She called on all players - the government and regulators but also the big internet firms like Facebook and smaller brokers of online data - to reassess their responsibilities in the era of big data. "We really need to tighten up controls across the entire ecosystem because it matters to our democratic processes," she said. The U.K. data regulator is conducting a broad inquiry into how political parties, data companies and social media platforms use personal information to target voters during political campaigns, including Britain's 2016 Brexit referendum on EU membership. The investigation followed allegations that British consultancy Cambridge Analytica improperly used information from more than 87 million Facebook accounts to manipulate elections. Leave campaigner and businessman Arron Banks, centre, speaks to the media outside BBC Broadcasting House in London, after appearing on the Andrew Marr show, in London, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018. Britain's National Crime Agency is investigating a main financial backer of the campaign to get Britain out of the European Union over suspected illegal funding during the country's EU membership referendum, authorities said Thursday. (Victoria Jones/PA via AP) Denham said legal systems had failed to keep up with the rapid development of the internet, and that tech companies need to be subject to greater oversight. "I think the time for self-regulation is over," she said. "That ship has sailed." Committee chair Damian Collins said he heard her opinion "loudly" and repeated his demand that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testify before his committee. As she updated lawmakers on the probe, Denham announced fines for the campaign backing Britain's departure from the European Union and an insurance company founded by its millionaire backer totaling 135,000 pounds ($176,000) for breaches of data laws. Denham said the Brexit campaign group Leave.EU and Eldon Insurance company - founded by businessman Arron Banks -were fined 60,000 pounds each for "serious breaches" of electronic marketing laws. Leave.EU was also fined 15,000 pounds for a separate breach in which almost 300,000 emails were sent to Eldon customers with a newsletter for the Brexit campaign group. The data watchdog is also "investigating allegations that Eldon Insurance Services Limited shared customer data obtained for insurance purposes with Leave.EU." PARIS (AP) - French security agents arrested six people Tuesday on suspicion of plotting to attack French President Emmanuel Macron, according to a French judicial official. Prosecutors have opened a preliminary investigation of alleged criminal terrorist association, the judicial official said. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the allegations, said intelligence agents detained the six suspects in three scattered regions: one in the Alps, another in Brittany and four near the Belgian border in Moselle. The plan to target the French president appeared to be vague and unfinished, but violent, the official said. Authorities said the six were between the ages of 22 and 62 and included one woman. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner told reporters they are believed to be far-right activists. Authorities feared "concrete threats" from the group, Castaner said. French President Emmanuel Macron throws a wreath of flowers at Les Entonnoirs, a site of mines war, in Les Eparges, eastern France, Tuesday Nov. 6, 2018, as part of the ceremonies marking the centenary of the end of First World War. A French judicial official says six people have been arrested on preliminary terrorism charges, suspected of plotting to attack French President Emmanuel Macron. (Ludovic Marin, Pool via AP) French presidents have been targeted several times over the decades. In 2002, a far-right sympathizer tried to attack President Jacques Chirac on the Champs-Elysees Avenue in Paris during Bastille Day celebrations. Macron was in the northeastern French city of Verdun on Tuesday as part of centenary commemorations for the end of World War I. The alleged plot was uncovered days before U.S. President Donald Trump and dozens of other world leaders are due in France for weekend observances marking the signing 100 years ago of the Nov. 11 armistice that ended World War I. ___ This story has been corrected to show prosecutors have opened a preliminary investigation of criminal terrorist association and suspects have not been given preliminary terror charges. It's Election Day in America, and voters will deliver their first verdict of President Donald Trump's tumultuous tenure in a midterm that's expected to draw historic numbers to the polls. Immigration, the economy, women's issues, partisanship - all weighed heavily on voters' minds as they cast ballots to decide control of Congress and put Trumpism to the test. Though not on the ballot, the president looms large over decision day, among both supporters and detractors. Across the country, people are talking about this election as one of the most momentous in their lifetimes - a fight for the very soul of America. Here's what some of them had to say. ___ FIRST-TIMERS HIT THE POLLS The extreme divisions in politics helped motivate Lance Whatley, 29, to vote for the first time in his life Tuesday. Whatley was among dozens of people standing in line as a cold rain drenched their clothes outside the Vinings Library northwest of Atlanta. "I feel like there's a lot of polarization with the rhetoric you're hearing on both sides," he said. Whatley, a software engineer, was still unsure whom he would vote for in the hotly contested race for Georgia governor. His wife favors Democrat Stacey Abrams, but he was leaning toward the Republican, Brian Kemp. "It might be a game-time decision for me when I get in the voting booth." An election official hands an "I voted today" sticker to a woman after she cast her ballot in the mid-term election, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Auburn, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Rafael Acosta, a college student in McAllen, Texas, rose early on the first day of early voting in his state. The 22-year-old wanted to be sure he was at the head of the line for his first time voting. In doing so, he said he was making a statement for his many friends who are part of the Deferred Action of Childhood Arrival, or DACA, program that has protected young immigrants from deportation. The son of Mexican immigrants, Acosta has watched as Trump stirs fears over the migrant caravan in Mexico, and it troubles him that troops have been dispatched to his community. "I'm not going to say I'm fully for them to come over here," Acosta said. "But I think (the Republicans) are exaggerating. They don't need the Army here." ___ WASHINGTON "OUT OF CONTROL?" Bonnie Slade, a 45-year-old federal employee who lives in Potomac, Maryland, said politics in the nearby nation's capital shaped her vote this year. "Washington is out of control," she said. "The politics are kind of dirty always, but this time is a bit much ... like do I want to vote? Does it really make a difference? But I felt like it's my duty." Slade, who is black, said Trump was part of what motivated her to vote. "He doesn't stand for anything that I believe in, period," Slade said. "I'm a minority. I'm a woman. And he's just not the best choice for me, personally, or my family." In Plano, Texas, Jeffrey Lawrence, a 59-year-old Uber driver, is so sick of the stalemate and mudslinging he wants to see term limits imposed on lawmakers. He voted for Republicans up and down the ballot because he likes the direction of the economy. But it seems like they can't get enough done because no one is willing to compromise. "The old-boys system up there says, 'I have the ability to get your bill passed, but you need to do this for me,'" he said. "That's not how politics should be. It (should be) what's good for the people." Keith Lesage, a 50-year-old design engineer in Plainfield, Connecticut, said he's focused more on state issues but is concerned by the division he sees in the country. "It's horrible, some of the rhetoric that's coming out of Washington. I'm not picking on Republicans or Democrats, but we're all adults. Let's come together for the American people - not this is what the red side wants, this is what the blue side wants. It's getting to the point where it's just dividing the country - and it's real sad to watch." ___ STAY THE ECONOMIC COURSE Ken Wenzl, a 66-year-old computer trainer and a regular Fox News viewer, said he is grateful that Trump has cut government regulations. "He is amazing the way he is going after stuff," Wenzl said, acknowledging the president's penchant for upsetting the other side. "But we don't all have to be friends." When he voted in Plano, Texas, Wenzl chose Republican Sen. Ted Cruz because he worries that Democrats will try to block Trump's agenda if they win control of the House or Senate and "just sit on stuff for two years." He's already rooting for Trump 2020. Richard and Aleshia Murphy took their 7-month-old daughter when they voted early in suburban Los Angeles. The couple, who moved seven months ago from Reno, Nevada, to Lakewood, California, said the economy was foremost on their minds. "I want to keep things going," said Richard, a Republican train operations manager. "My work feels the booming economy. We're hiring more people, all positions, from the bottom to the top." Both Murphy and his wife, an independent, voted for Trump in 2016 and like where the country's headed. "I'd rather have somebody who's going to come off as a complete jerk - but you know exactly what they're thinking because they have no filter - than a slick-haired politician that literally tells you anything you want to hear just so that you support them," Aleshia Murphy said. ___ SWITCHING SIDES Amanda Martin, a high school teacher in Dallas, said she is a Republican who decided to vote Tuesday for Democratic U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke for U.S. Senate over the Republican incumbent, Ted Cruz. Martin, 40, said she liked that O'Rourke was "more in the middle." ''I think we were missing that during the election" for president between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, she added. Her displeasure with Trump was also a factor in her decision. "I like that Trump is trying to secure the borders, but I don't believe he's tactful in his relations with how he communicates with the media. And he's not a good face for our country." Josh Rent, 43, a small business owner and registered Republican in Portland, Maine, voted mostly for Democrats this time as "a protest vote to Trump." ''I'm generally a fairly reliable Republican," he said. "This is the first time I ever voted pretty much Democrat all the way down the ballot." Of the president, he said: "I don't think that dividing us is getting us anywhere. We need to actually solve this stuff." Kevin Benson, a 38-year-old graphic designer from Westerville, Ohio, said he's registered as a Republican, considers himself an independent, and voted all Democrat on Tuesday. Why? "Mostly Trump, just as a check. I'm frustrated with the way he's acting. Plus just Republicans in general. ... I'm just kind of dissatisfied across the board with them." Benson said health care is his No. 1 issue and that he'd like to see a single-payer system. "We're heading in the wrong direction." ___ CONCERNS OVER HEALTH CARE Fred Hoy, a 61-year-old from Reno, Nevada, said he's been out of work for 13 years but is scraping by to pay his rent and care for several ill family members and friends. Hoy has diabetes and is on Medicaid. He was taking care of his aunt in California but returned to Reno to make sure he could vote in time - and he's voting Democratic because he's worried Republicans will cut Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security and threaten protections for pre-existing conditions. "If we don't have some kind of medical," he said, "we're going to collapse as a nation." In Juneau, Alaska, 34-year-old Will Muldoon considers himself nonpartisan. Health care is an issue he'd like to see Congress take up, "but that's scary. It's almost, I don't know that they could come up with better than what we have right now, type of thing. My confidence in them having the competency to do OK on that's not too high," said Muldoon, a mainframe technician. Cordell Chaney, 30, works at Superior Essex, a company that manufactures wire and cable products in Fort Wayne, Indiana. A member of the steelworkers' union, Chaney is a father of four with a fifth on the way. He says affordable health care -including maintaining pre-existing conditions - is the most important issue for him. He voted straight Democratic Tuesday, which includes supporting U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly. Chaney worries that if the Republicans remain in control of Congress, they'll get rid of Obamacare. "It really upsets me. ... Decent health insurance should be a right. Everybody should have that. Right now, it's endangered." ___ AT ODDS OVER IMMIGRATION Rachel Geiger's purple hair matched her black and purple dress and helped her stand out among hundreds of people waiting to get into an arena in Orlando, Florida, where U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders spoke ahead of the election on behalf of Florida's Democratic gubernatorial nominee. Geiger, 33, a blogger from Ocala, Florida, said "Trump and immigration" were the two motivating issues for her when she early-voted. "It's completely inhumane what he's doing," she said, referring to policies that have included sending troops to the border, separating immigrant children from their parents and efforts to build a wall. She voted a straight Democratic ticket. In Phoenix, substitute teacher and lifelong Republican Kay Matthews said that while the economy is important to her, immigration is just as important. She's troubled by any influx of immigrants entering the country illegally. "I've been taught as a young child that you respect the law. You don't have to always agree with it, but you do respect it," the 72-year-old said. Matthews doesn't want Democrats taking control of either chamber of Congress, because she fears they would try to impeach Trump. Melvin Rubi Avila, 19, voted in his first national election Tuesday - and he was mindful of what weight that carried. The son of a Mexican mother and Honduran father, the Raleigh, North Carolina, native said he was voting for an America that won't see people like them as a threat. "They are very proud," Avila said, an "I Voted" sticker shining brightly from the breast of his black leather jacket. "They feel like me voting is them voting as well." His father has temporary protected status, but Trump's rhetoric has made him fearful that his parents will be deported. "I sometimes have nightmares about it." And as a so-called "birthright citizen," Avila is disturbed by the president's recent attacks on the 14th amendment. "That's not what America's all about." A few miles north in the town of Wake Forest, North Carolina, Diana Zambrano - also a child of immigrants - had a different take. Wake Forest is in the 2nd Congressional District, where Republican incumbent Rep. George Holding was facing a serious Democratic challenge from Linda Coleman, an African-American. The GOP has run ads criticizing Coleman's support of sanctuary cities. Zambrano's mother is from the Dominican Republic, and her father is from Venezuela. Both came legally, and she was born here. "This country provides a lot of opportunities," she said. "So if you're able to come here legally ... I think that that should be something that is open to you. But for those that sort of circumvent that system, I don't necessarily agree with that." Zambrano, 43, wouldn't reveal how she voted other than to say: "conservative." ___ #METOO STILL ON MINDS Lea Grover, 34, a mother of three young daughters in Cary, Illinois, sees the midterms as a referendum on Trump and "a referendum on empathy, and whether or not we as a nation have any." Grover, a former independent and now a registered Democrat, was particularly outraged by the hearings over Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who faced allegations of sexual misconduct. "The Kavanaugh hearings were so upsetting, for every woman I know, not just because of Kavanaugh specifically but because it was an opportunity for the entire Republican establishment to say (to women), 'We don't care.' Not: 'We don't believe you,' but 'we don't care.'" Grover is a victim of sexual violence and works for a nonprofit that helps survivors. "My congressman has refused to speak out in defense of survivors of sexual violence. He refused to speak out against Brett Kavanaugh. He refused to speak out against the president. He has been utterly silent in the face of MeToo." Natalie Pig, a 31-year-old attorney in Arnold, Missouri, favored Republican candidates because she wants to see Congress do more to support Trump. She cited what she called the "smear campaign" against Kavanaugh, calling him "a victim of the current political environment." ''If there are facts that someone has committed a crime, I'm the first person to want to hear all about that," she said. "But at the same time, if we're taking measures to slander someone or defame them in a way that is going to inhibit the American process, then that's not helping us. So we need people who are going to support President Trump." ___ A MOMENT FOR YOUNG VOTERS? At 22, Porter Nelson considers himself an independent and says he is a regular voter, but a ballot measure in Washington state creating a carbon tax motivated him even more this year. "It seems kind of like the world's ending and if we don't do something pretty quick, you know, I would like to have kids that have a planet. I would like to have a planet. So anything on any ballot anywhere that I see as being for the environment ... I'm all for that." Nelson thinks Congress, too, needs to take climate change more seriously. "I would love to see our political body finally get it through their heads that the gerrymandering, the politicking, the races, the runoffs don't matter if in 20 years the whole West Coast is on fire." Adam Alhanti was a typical high school student looking forward to graduating. Turning 18 and voting wasn't really on his mind. But after his classmates and teachers were gunned down at his Parkland, Florida, school in February, everything changed. "I realized there's so much more going on than what's in my city. There are so many things that we need to take charge of, and we can really make a difference - not just in our nation but right down to our local communities with who represents us in office," said Alhanti, who voted for the first time in this midterm. He'd like to see Congress take up gun reform. "Gun violence ... is something we really need to talk about more. Even though it seems like it's something being spoken about day after day, there's nothing being done - not a single thing that will really save the lives of American citizens." A steady stream of voters turned out in a light drizzle in the Albany suburb of Guilderland, New York, on Tuesday morning. Lauryn Schrom, a 27-year-old graphic designer, did not vote in the last off-year election but made a point to do it this time because of her dissatisfaction with the Trump administration. She said recent political events had "opened my eyes" on issues like civil rights and women's rights. "If you are not engaged enough in the political process then you can lose your rights," she said, holding an "I Voted" sticker. "I have a significant number of friends who are LGBT, and it's disturbing that they could lose civil rights as well." ___ STRAIGHT TICKET THIS TIME Linda Codey, a 70-year-old from Georgetown, Indiana, voted a straight ticket for the first time in her life, for Democrats. She made that decision when moderate Republicans she trusted voted to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, despite his angry performance at a Senate hearing over allegations of sexual abuse. She feels like the nation's politics have become too tribal to trust politicians to cross the party line, and hopes her vote sends a message. "I have two grandchildren, and they're going to inherit this mess," she said. "I can't say I'm optimistic. But I can say I'm hopeful." Keri Cook, 47, a Democrat from Westerville, Ohio, said she voted for Democrats straight down her ballot, including Danny O'Connor in his U.S. House rematch against Republican Rep. Troy Balderson. "I'm hoping that the House flips," Cook said, adding that Democrats' stances on health care and gun control factored into her vote and she wants Trump out of office. "I think he's poison. ... His stance on the LGBTQ community, on women, on African-Americans, on immigrants - is just, to me, hate." Judy Jenkins, a 60-year-old Republican who works in accounting, also cast her ballot in Westerville, Ohio, and also went straight ticket: for all GOP candidates. She said she used to vote for people from both major parties but was so upset by how Kavanaugh was treated that she vowed not to vote for a Democrat again. "I'm not even going to consider it because of the hell they put his family through. No one should have to go through that, whether you're a Democrat or a Republican." ___ A TEST OF TRUMPISM Ronald J. Hadley Jr. paused outside the branch library where he voted to explain his straight-ticket support for Republicans: It was all about Trump, even though the president's name was not on the ballot. "I am, and I think the silent majority is, fed up. I'm very Republican and very conservative, and I think we're getting four more years of that. And if we don't, we've got problems," said Hadley, 58, of Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey. Hadley, retired from a job as a night foreman of a school custodial staff, said he hadn't voted in years until he heard Trump in 2016. Hadley embraces Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration and voted Republican Tuesday so the president will have the support in Congress to continue his policies. "I agree with Trump. ... You've got to take this country back." Republican Tina Kazee, a 50-year-old hospital worker from Canal Winchester, Ohio, said she stuck with her party when voting early. She said Trump has "his flaws," but she feels he and the Republicans have done a good job for the country. "I think he's helped our economy. I think there's more for him than there is against him, as far as my standards and my beliefs. I don't think he's a perfect man, but I think he loves America - I think his heart is for America - and I stand for that. ... It's just that his tone needs to be turned down a little bit. Speak from the heart, but do it a little bit softer." Morris Lee Williams, a 67-year-old member of Zion Travelers Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis and an Army veteran, said he's worried the country "is going down the tubes." ''We've forgotten our decency. We've forgotten the truth. We're supposed to be a group of people, Americans, who are supposed to be that light in the world. Instead of a light, it's turned into a nightmare." Williams said Trump is the catalyst "for a lot of crazy stuff going on, inciting people into hatred, to doing things that go against what this country stands for. It's just so divisive. It's almost as if he wants the country to go back to the way it was in the 1920s and before. Everybody's got their place and a certain group of people rule. ... This is supposed to be a place where if you have the desire, the education, the guts and the fortitude to do better, you can do better." ___ MOURNING THE LOST MIDDLE Family law attorney Patrick Markey, 43, voted in the Chicago suburb of Oak Park. He generally votes Democratic but has supported Republican candidates in Illinois, including in this election. Markey dislikes the two-party system because the polarization that dominates Capitol Hill creates a logjam. "It's almost two tribal camps. I'd like to see more (elected officials) with middle-ground views who can vote conservatively sometimes and sometimes more liberally. ... I think that most of the country is like that. But in order to get into politics, you have to kiss the ring of the party. ... A lot of the normal moderate people just feel left out." Virginia Gollin, 75, describes herself as a moderate Republican but says she changed parties to become a Democrat because moderates are "like a dinosaur." ''I'm not by nature a progressive. But we're at a point in our country where all of the things I think we should have are being fiercely attacked," said Gollin, a retired airline worker in Hopatcong, New Jersey. She cited as an example the Affordable Care Act, which she does not want to see gutted. Tory Dibbins, a physical therapist from Portland, Maine, said she'd like to see more independent candidates, but she understands that many voters believe there's too much at stake to risk vote-splitting. The 53-year-old Democrat cast her ballot Tuesday. If Democrats do win big, she said, they should show they're willing to compromise. "If you're going to talk about 'let's end the divisiveness and be inclusive,' then you have to try to get people to be more bipartisan. ... You have to win people back to the center." ___ Contributing to this story were AP reporters Adam Geller, Jeff Martin, Martha Irvine, Brian Witte, Susan Haigh, Amanda Lee Myers, Michelle Price, Jamie Stengle, David Koenig, Becky Bohrer, Sharon Cohen, Claire Galofaro, Summer Ballentine, Mike Schneider, Terry Tang, Allen G. Breed, Matt Volz, Jocelyn Noveck, Rachel La Corte, Kelli Kennedy, Michael Hill, Jim Salter, Kantele Franko, Julie Carr Smyth, Mike Catalini and David Sharp. Voters line up to vote at a polling place in Doylestown, Pa., Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) A voter fills out a ballot at a polling place at Lake Shore Elementary School, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Pasadena, Md. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) Voters cast their ballots at the Tuttle Park Recreation Center polling location, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Columbus, Ohio. Across the country, voters headed to the polls Tuesday in one of the most high-profile midterm elections in years. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) Poll worker Sarah Thomas places signs outside a precinct before polls open on election day in Atlanta, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. Across the country, voters headed to the polls Tuesday in one of the most high-profile midterm elections in years. (AP Photo/David Goldman) Maricopa County elections official Deborah Atkins places a "vote" sign outside a polling station prior to it's opening, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York) WARSAW, Poland (AP) - The leader of Poland's populist ruling party on Tuesday hailed its showing in local elections as an "all-out victory" despite the party's failure to win mayoral races in any of Poland's large cities. In an apparent face-saving measure, Jaroslaw Kaczynski said "our victory is not subject to the slightest doubt" and called the results a good sign for his Law and Justice party in next year's parliamentary elections. Party officials presented charts to reporters to show Law and Justice victories in country and local councils. He was speaking following the vote that ended Sunday in some cities and smaller municipalities. The conservative ruling party won the most seats in regional assemblies but performed poorly in mayoral races, winning no big cities and only a handful of smaller ones. Kaczynski contested the opinions of some commentators who say that the failure in the cities should sound a warning for the party, which won power in 2015. "This election brought another victory for Law and Justice and it makes a very good prognosis for the parliamentary elections," Kaczynski said. The leader of Poland's populist ruling party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, hails its showing in local elections as an "all-out victory" despite the party's failure to win mayoral races in any of Poland's large cities, during a statement to the media at the party headquarters in Warsaw, Poland, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018.(AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski) Poles will elect representatives to the European Parliament in May and to the national parliament in the fall, and will then pick a president in 2020. The leader of Poland's populist ruling party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, hails its showing in local elections as an "all-out victory" despite the party's failure to win mayoral races in any of Poland's large cities, during a statement to the media at the party headquarters in Warsaw, Poland, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018.(AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski) The leader of Poland's populist ruling party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, hails its showing in local elections as an "all-out victory" despite the party's failure to win mayoral races in any of Poland's large cities, during a statement to the media at the party headquarters in Warsaw, Poland, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018.(AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski) CHRISTIANA, Tennessee (AP) - The Latest on severe weather in the South (all times local): 12:45 p.m. Storms that swept through West Virginia early Tuesday caused two voting precincts to open a little late but didn't cause any lasting problems. West Virginia Secretary of State's spokesman Michael Queen said 14 precincts were without power at 5 a.m., but the office worked with several state and local agencies to put generators into place or to move precinct locations. He said polling places without power used generators until electricity was restored so no paper ballots were necessary. Queen said all 14 precincts are up and running and described voting Tuesday morning as "brisk." ___ 7:05 a.m. Officials say one person died and at least two others were injured when severe storms swept through Tennessee knocking down trees and leaving thousands of people without power. Rutherford County EMS spokesman Patrick Miller told news outlets that crews responded early Tuesday to a report of a collapsed home. He said one death was confirmed there and two others were injured when a nearby mobile home rolled over. He said high winds had knocked down trees and power lines around the Middle Tennessee community of Christiana. Rutherford County Fire and Rescue spokeswoman Lisa Sloan said crews responded to a house fire that appears to have started from a lightning strike. She said there was heavy damage, but no injuries. Officials say crews are working to restore power in Middle and East Tennessee. ___ 6:40 a.m. Possible tornados touched down in Louisiana and Mississippi as a line of storms moved across the Deep South. Tree limbs and power lines were down from Louisiana to Alabama early Tuesday, prompting some schools to delay the start of classes. No serious injuries have been reported. At least 11,000 customers were without electricity from Louisiana east to South Carolina. The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reports parts of Tupelo were closed off late Monday as debris, downed trees and power lines blocked roadways. Tupelo Communications Director Leesha Faulkner says there was also a gas leak in a residential area. Possible tornados were also reported in Natchitoches Parish in Louisiana on Monday afternoon. This follows severe storms that were blamed for two deaths in the Gulf Coast area last week. BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) - Romania's president on Tuesday blasted the ruling party's leader as a "criminal at the top of the state apparatus," saying politicians with criminal convictions are trying to take over the country's justice system and undermine efforts to fight corruption. President Klaus Iohannis was hitting back at Liviu Dragnea, chairman of the ruling Social Democratic Party, who earlier accused him of not declaring a rent contract and other misdemeanors. Iohannis called the allegations "fake news... something we'd have called plain lies in the past." Asked whether Romania was ready to take over the rotating presidency of the European Union on Jan. 1, Iohannis said: "We'd be much better prepared without (these) criminals." EU Justice Commissioner Vera Jourova last month said Romania would struggle to manage the EU's presidency while it was weighed down by domestic concerns, notably corruption. Since they won elections in 2016, the Social Democrats have embarked on a contentious judicial overhaul that sparked regular anti-corruption protests and criticism from the EU and the U.S. Iohannis, a centrist who supports the anti-corruption fight, said Romania was "facing threats that put even democracy and the rule of law in jeopardy." Several members of the ruling coalition have criticized the EU, which Iohannis said was "the way some politicians hide their own failures." Dragnea can't be premier due to a 2016 conviction for vote-rigging. In June, he received a 3-year prison sentence for abuse of power in office. He appealed the decision. Romania's justice system remains under special EU monitoring due to endemic corruption. LONDON (AP) - British Prime Minister Theresa May said Tuesday that she wouldn't agree to a Brexit deal with the European Union "at any cost," as the two sides remained deadlocked on the issue of the Irish border. May briefed her Cabinet on progress toward an elusive divorce deal with the bloc. Talks are stuck on finding a way to ensure there are no customs posts or other checks along the border between the U.K.'s Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland. The two sides are working on a proposed solution involving a common customs arrangement for the U.K. and the EU. But May faces pressure from pro-Brexit Cabinet members not to agree to a solution that binds Britain to EU trade rules indefinitely after it leaves the bloc in March. EU leaders insist that for the "backstop" border guarantee to be effective it must be binding and can't be time-limited. Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said he was open to "creative solutions" for the border impasse, but "there can be no expiry date and there can be no unilateral exit clause." "If it were to be either of those things, the backstop would not be worth the paper it was written on," Varadkar told Irish lawmakers. FILE - In this Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018 file photo, British Prime Minister Theresa May listens as Czech Republic Prime Minister Andrej Babis speaks at the start of their meeting inside 10 Downing Street in London. Prime Minister Theresa May says Britain aims to reach a Brexit deal with the European Union as soon as possible, but that it can't come "at any cost." May briefed her Cabinet Tuesday, Nov. 6 on progress toward an elusive divorce deal. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, file) May spokesman James Slack said the prime minister told Cabinet she was confident of reaching a deal, but added that "while the U.K. should aim to secure a withdrawal agreement as soon as possible, this should not be done at any cost." He said "there remains a significant amount of work to do." With Britain due to leave the EU on March 29, May is running out of time to find an agreement that is acceptable both to her divided Conservative government and to fellow EU nations. Chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier said the two negotiating teams are not yet close to agreement. "We are not there yet," Barnier tweeted. Earlier, he told Belgian broadcaster RTBF that "there is still a real point of divergence on the way of guaranteeing peace in Ireland, that there are no borders in Ireland, while protecting the integrity of the single market." European Union chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier listens to former European Council President Herman Van Rompuy before delivering a speech during a conference at Bozar music centre in Brussels, Monday, Nov. 5, 2018. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) FLINT, Mich. (AP) - Jury selection has begun in the trial of a man charged with terrorism in the stabbing of a Michigan airport police officer. Amor Ftouhi (ah-MOOR' fuh-TOO'-ee) is accused in the stabbing of Lt. Jeff Neville while yelling "Allahu Akbar ," the Arabic phrase for "God is great." Neville survived the June 2017 attack inside the Flint airport. Jury selection began Tuesday and will resume Wednesday in federal court in Flint. Ftouhi is a native of Tunisia who was living in Montreal . The government says he legally entered the U.S. at Champlain, New York, and attacked the officer five days later at the Flint airport, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northwest of Detroit. Ftouhi is charged with three crimes, including an act of terrorism. CHICAGO (AP) - A judge has refused to dismiss charges against three Chicago police officers accused of participating in a cover-up surrounding the fatal police shooting of black teenager Laquan McDonald. Cook County Judge Domenica Stephenson ruled Monday. The bench trial is scheduled to start Nov. 26. Officer Thomas Gaffney, former Detective David March and ex-Officer Joseph Walsh have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy, official misconduct and obstruction of justice. Prosecutors allege the men falsely claimed in their reports that McDonald had battered, assaulted and attacked white police officer Jason Van Dyke, who shot McDonald 16 times in 2014. A jury last month convicted Van Dyke of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery. Defense attorneys had attacked the prosecution's case as a sham and asked that the case be dismissed. Former Detective David March, from left, Chicago Police Officer Thomas Gaffney and former officer Joseph Walsh appear at a pre-trial hearing with Judge Domenica A. Stephenson at Leighton Criminal Court Building in Chicago on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018. Prosecutors have laid out their case against the three Chicago police officers accused of participating in a cover-up of the fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald. (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune via AP, Pool) Former Detective David March listens during a pre-trial hearing with Judge Domenica A. Stephenson at Leighton Criminal Court Building in Chicago on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018. Prosecutors have laid out their case against March and two other Chicago police officers accused of participating in a cover-up of the fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald. (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune via AP, Pool) By Trend Uzbekistan proposes to discuss the conjugation of the South Korean New Northern Policy strategy, Chinas One Belt - One Way initiative and the EUs strategy to improve the interconnection of Europe and Asia, Podrobno.uz quoted Vladimir Norov, the Director of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies (ISRS) under the President of Uzbekistan, during a speech at the International Forum Korea-Asia 2018 Conference in Seoul. The expert said the access to international seaports is extremely important for Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries. According to estimates by the Boston Consulting Group company, Uzbekistan loses up to 20 percent of GDP due to the geographical isolation of the region, because the transport and transit costs reach 70-80 percent of the value of the exported products. Moreover, the carriers lose up to 40 percent of the time for transportation of goods due to imperfections in customs procedures, Norov said. He also added that Uzbekistan considers the New Northern Policy strategy put forward by South Korea to be very relevant and regards it as an important contribution to the revival of the once existed ancient Great Silk Road under the new modern realities. Three high-profile Olympic and Paralympic athletes are incensed over a proposed age minimum that would eliminate their choice to be the next president of the World Anti-Doping Agency. A list of guidelines under consideration includes a requirement that any candidate to replace Craig Reedie be at least 45. Reedie's term expires next year. That would eliminate 41-year-old Linda Helleland of Norway, who has emerged as a favorite among athletes who want to see radical change in WADA following the agency's much-criticized decision to reinstate Russia's anti-doping operation. Members of Athletes for Clean Sport, Sebastian Samuelsson, Callum Skinner and Ali Jawad, released a statement this week calling the proposal "totally unacceptable." "Given the recent direction of WADA and the lack of transparency that we have witnessed, is it merely a coincidence that just weeks before the athlete-minded candidate Linda Helleland would begin her campaign to be the next President, WADA could allow rules to be pushed through that would render Linda's campaign ineligible?" they wrote. The proposal will be discussed at WADA's board meeting next week. FILE - In this March 13, 2017 file photo, Linda Hofstad Helleland, Vice-President of the world anti-doping agency, WADA, and Norway's Minister of Culture, attends a round-table event during the opening day of the 2017 world anti-doping agency annual symposium, at the Swiss Tech Convention Center, in Lausanne, Switzerland. Three high-profile Olympic and Paralympic athletes are incensed over a proposed age minimum that would eliminate their choice to be the next president of the World Anti-Doping Agency. The requirement would eliminate 41-year-old Helleland. (Valentin Flauraud/Keystone via AP, File) WADA officials say the proposal came not from their leadership, but from representatives of the international governments that provide half the agency's funding. "Neither WADA's leadership nor its management was involved or consulted in any way in the drafting of this document," spokesman James Fitzgerald said. "Any suggestion to the contrary is simply untrue." Fitzgerald said the document is not an agenda item for either the executive committee or the foundation board at next week's meetings, but will be discussed by representatives of the governments, who asked for the WADA office's help in distributing the information. WADA will discuss its recently formulated proposals for governance reform, which have been criticized by athletes for not going far enough to bring their voices into the decision-making process. Those proposals include nothing about age limits for the president. Helleland, who currently serves as WADA vice president, cast one of two dissenting votes when the WADA executive committee voted to reinstate Russia. She has been an outspoken critic of WADA's leadership and has presented herself as a candidate who would put athletes front and center in the WADA process. The athletes said regardless of who came up with the idea, it represents a shifting of the goal posts as the campaign begins. "Whether this move was initiated by WADA leadership or management, or whether it was initiated by members of WADA's Boards, this is irrelevant," they wrote. "It is WADA's duty to lead, and leadership requires having a finger on the pulse of public and athlete opinion." U.S. Anti-Doping Agency CEO Travis Tygart called it "an obvious attempt to rig the election so the reform candidates can't run." "It's ludicrous," he said. "Joan of Arc turned a war around at 17 and Queen Elizabeth became queen at 25, but to be WADA president, you need to be 45? Wow. Only in IOC/WADA world does this occur." CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) - The sex assault case against "Southern Charm" star and former South Carolina treasurer Thomas Ravenel is going to trial. The Post and Courier reports a judge ruled Monday that the case will proceed. The 56-year-old reality television star was arrested in September on assault and battery charges, accused of sexually assaulting a former nanny in May. Charleston Police Detective Christopher Malinowski told the court the woman said a seemingly intoxicated Ravenel tried to forcibly remove her clothes and fondled her. She told authorities he then shoved his penis in her face before she was able to flee. Malinowski said the woman photographed her injuries, but the photo quality wasn't good enough for officers to see visible injuries. A trial date hasn't been set. ___ Information from: The Post and Courier, http://www.postandcourier.com GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) - A western Michigan man serving life in prison without parole for killing and decapitating a teen in 1996 and mutilating the head in front of a video camera is getting a chance at a new sentence. Federico Cruz, who was 16 at the time of the killing, was convicted of murder and got the mandatory sentence after a jury rejected an insanity defense in the slaying of 17-year-old David Crawford. Cruz suffocated Crawford. He cut off the victim's head, took it home and mutilated it. Cruz, now 39, asked Judge Dennis Leiber on Monday for an eventual chance at parole. Leiber plans to decide Wednesday. Cruz and many Michigan juvenile lifers who are serving no-parole sentences are eligible for a new hearing because of a U.S. Supreme Court decision. BERLIN (AP) - The portable toilets kept on disappearing - and now a German company knows why. Two men in Germany have been convicted of stealing more than 100 portable toilets. The dpa news agency reported that Duesseldorf district court delivered its verdict Tuesday, giving a 40-year-old man a 10-month suspended sentence and a 28-year-old ex-colleague six months. Both men worked for a waste disposal company from whose premises the toilets - worth nearly 70,000 euros ($79,700) in all - gradually disappeared, a loss that was only discovered a few months later. The men admitted having sold the toilets to a company in the Netherlands via a go-between. Only three of the missing toilets have resurfaced. The defendants lost their jobs. CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - A West Virginia doctor has been sentenced to one to five years in prison for sexually abusing patients. The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports Steven Matulis was sentenced Monday. A jury found him guilty in October touching unconscious patients' breasts and vaginas without their consent. He was convicted of one count of sexual abuse and acquitted of two counts of sexual assault. Several former staff members testified that they saw the gastroenterologist inappropriately touch patients during procedures. Matulis' lawyer Isaac Forman has said witnesses were confused about what they saw. Prosecutors said nurses, technicians and other staffers know what's normal. Defense lawyers asked for a new trial, saying there wasn't enough evidence to prove Matulis acted with the intent of sexual gratification. The judge denied their motion. ___ Information from: The Charleston Gazette-Mail, http://wvgazettemail.com. JOHANNESBURG (AP) - South Africa's top police officer says officers arrested the adult son of a Danish woman suspected of a huge fraud at home, as he was about to leave the country with two diamonds in his luggage. Police minister Bheki Cele said Britta Nielsen, was arrested in Johannesburg Monday and had 648,700 rand in cash ($46,000) in her possession which was confiscated. Cele said Tuesday that her son, Jimmy Hayat, was arrested Oct. 30 at Johannesburg's international airport. His case is scheduled to be heard Thursday, the same day that Nielsen is to appear in a different court in connection with her extradition to Denmark. Nielsen, 64, is the main suspect in a fraud case that caused a Danish government welfare agency to lose at least 111 million kroner ($17 million). SAO PAULO (AP) - The judge who is the most prominent face of Brazil's anti-corruption campaign denied Tuesday that his appointment as justice minister was a reward for having convicted and jailed a political rival of his new boss. "This has nothing to do with the case of ex-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva," Judge Sergio Moro told reporters at his first news conference since accepting the nomination. "I know that some interpreted my nomination as a reward. That is not the case." Moro is both celebrated and loathed in Brazil for his role in the "Car Wash" investigation, which jailed dozens of business leaders and politicians who participated in schemes to trade public contracts and favors for kickbacks and bribes. The most prominent is da Silva, whose conviction resulted in him being barred from seeking another term this year, paving the way for President-elect Jair Bolsonaro's victory. Many credit the hard-charging judge with ending a culture of impunity, but others feel the probe has focused too much on da Silva's leftist Workers' Party, while giving less attention to politicians on the right. Those complaints have grown since Moro accepted a position in President-elect Jair Bolsonaro's cabinet. Da Silva's attorneys have already filed an appeal alleging that the appointment proves the judge's bias. Judge Sergio Moro leaves a meeting with President-elect Jair Bolsonaro, outside Bolsonaro's home in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018. Bolsonaro has said he wants Moro to be justice minister or to fill the next vacancy on the Supreme Federal Tribunal, Brazil's top court. Moro told the AP in a statement earlier this week he was honored and considering the possibilities. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo) Moro said that he has no intention of ever running for elected office and said his work at the ministry would be "technical." Moro at times defended Bolsonaro, saying some of the far-right politician's extreme comments had been taken out of context, but he also said the two disagree on some points, such as Bolsonaro's contention that people who occupy land in protest should be considered terrorists. Moro rose to national prominence by cracking down on the white-color corruption, but as the head of the justice and public security ministries, he will now face a potentially thornier problem: a scourge of violent crime, often fueled by drug-trafficking gangs. Last year, nearly 64,000 people were killed in Brazil, a record for the country that has long been the world leader in annual homicides. Moro told reporters that he would use some of the same tools employed in Car Wash to fight organized crime, such as using task forces to investigate crimes, saying that New York had success with the practice in its fight against the mafia. In contrast to Bolsonaro, whose rhetoric on crime often focuses on the use of police force, Moro spoke about improving data collection, using technology and imprisoning and isolating gang leaders to combat organized crime. "A good police operation is when no one gets hurt, and the criminal goes to jail, and the police officer goes home," he said. He also pledged to implement measures to help fight corruption and said that if wrongdoing were found in Bolsonaro's administration, the justice system would pursue it. Critics worry that Bolsonaro's praise of the military dictatorship and torture, his often violent rhetoric on crime and his repeated disparaging remarks about women, black people and gays presage policies that will roll back civil rights. The president-elect himself obliquely referenced those fears on Tuesday at a ceremony to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Brazil's constitution, saying the document is the "true north" of democracy. Moro, too, addressed those concerns, saying that everything he would do would be based in the law and rights. "There is no possibility that there will be a policy of discrimination against minorities," he said. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court has decided unanimously that local governments with small workforces must comply with a federal law against age discrimination. The justices ruled Tuesday in favor of two Arizona firefighters who claimed they were laid off because of their age when the local fire district they worked for faced a budget squeeze. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote the court's first opinion of the term and rejected arguments by the Mount Lemmon Fire District northeast of Tucson that it was not covered by the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act because it employs fewer than 20 people. A federal judge had dismissed the firefighters' claims, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit reinstated them. The case now returns to district court. FLINT, Mich. (AP) - A fifth teenager charged after a rock thrown from a Michigan highway overpass killed a man in a van below has entered a guilty plea in the case. Sixteen-year-old Alexzander Miller pleaded guilty Monday to manslaughter in Genesee County Circuit Court. In exchange, other charges including second-degree murder will be dismissed. Kenneth White was killed in October 2017 when the rock struck the van on Interstate 75 in Vienna Township, 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of Detroit. Other cars also were damaged by rocks. Kyle Anger, who was accused of throwing the rock that hit the van, pleaded guilty in October to second-degree murder. Three other teens - Mark Sekelsky, Mikadyn Payne and Trevor Gray - pleaded guilty to manslaughter in White's death and are seeking probation . NEW YORK (AP) - The Latest on Amazon's hunt for a second headquarters (all times local): 2:30 p.m. Virginia officials and some state lawmakers were recently briefed by the head of the state's economic development office that Amazon was considering splitting up its second headquarters but had not made a decision, according to a person familiar with the matter. Officials in Virginia believe there's a strong likelihood Amazon will pick Crystal City in northern Virginia as one of its sites, but the company has not said anything definitive, according to the person, who was not authorized to speak on the record. "They're a real secretive company," the person said. After a yearlong search for a second home, Amazon is now reportedly looking to build offices in two cities instead of one, a surprise move that could still have a major impact on the sites it ultimately selects. The online retail giant is also considering a site in New York's Long Island City neighborhood. ___ Alan Suderman reported from Richmond, Virginia. ___ 10:30 a.m. New York is one of the finalists in Amazon's search to build another headquarters, according to a person familiar with the talks. After a yearlong search for a second home, Amazon is now reportedly looking to build offices in two cities instead of one, a surprise move that could still have a major impact on the sites it ultimately selects. According to the source, who was not authorized to discuss the negotiations and therefore spoke on condition of anonymity, says the online retail giant is considering a site in New York's Long Island City neighborhood, just across the East River from Manhattan. The source said New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo met two weeks ago with Amazon officials in his New York City offices. Cuomo offered to travel to Amazon's Seattle hometown to continue talks, the source said. On Monday, The New York Times, citing unnamed people familiar with the decision-making process, said the company is nearing deals to locate in New York's Long Island City neighborhood, as well as the Crystal City section of Arlington, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C. The Wall Street Journal, which also reported the plan to split the headquarters between two cities, said Dallas is still a possibility as well. Amazon has declined to comment. ___ David Klepper reported from Albany, New York. ___ 10:52 p.m. Online leader Amazon Inc. has refused comment on reports that it plans to split its new headquarters between two locations. The Wall Street Journal and New York Times reported late Monday that the company would locate the new facilities in Queens in New York City and in the Crystal City area of Arlington, Virginia. A company spokesman said Tuesday that Amazon would not comment on "rumors and speculation." An update from the company is expected soon. The Wall Street Journal said the main reason for having the two facilities is to recruit enough tech workers. It also would relieve demand on housing, transportation and other issues. The newspaper cited a person familiar with the matter. It said the online retailer apparently plans to have 25,000 employees in both cities. By Trend A draft of the updated Latin-based Uzbek alphabet, being discussed for the past two years, has been published in Uzbekistan, media reported with reference to the Uzbekistan National News Agency. The alphabet that has been in effect since 1995 has been criticized over the years due to flaws and the inconvenience both in handwriting, typing on a computer, and reading. Perhaps because of these shortcomings, the full transition to the Latin-based alphabet has not yet been completed. The updated version of the alphabet has 30 characters, including 28 letters, one letter combination and one apostrophe. The sh and ch letter combinations, denoting Cyrillic ? and ?, will be replaced by single-letter ? and c respectively. There will be no need to use the inverted apostrophe as in o? and g?, denoting Cyrillic ? and ? letters, and instead ? and ? will be used. The new letters were present in the first version of the new Uzbek alphabet, introduced in 1993. After long discussions, it was decided not to return the n? letter denoting the sound ng, leaving the ngcombination in the alphabet, as well as the c letter for the Cyrillic ?, which is present only in borrowed words. The letter, though, exists in the Karakalpak alphabet. The adoption of the new alphabet should help eliminate the problems that existed for over 20 years and make it closer to the alphabets of other Turkic languages, in particular, to Azerbaijani. AYODHYA, India (AP) - The northern Indian city of Ayodhya broke a Guinness World Record on Tuesday by lighting 300,150 earthen lamps and keeping them burning for at least 45 minutes on the banks of the river Saryu as part of the annual celebration of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. South Korean first lady Kim Jung-sook attended the record-breaking event after meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a four-day visit to India. Her presence was significant because of a Korean legend that a princess from Ayodhya traveled to Korea and married a king, becoming a Korean queen in the year 48 AD. Yogi Adityanath, chief minister of the state of Uttar Pradesh, was given a certificate certifying the record by Guinness officials who had monitored the attempt with drone cameras. As dusk fell in Ayodhya, where Hindus believe the god Lord Ram was born and where he returned after 14 years in exile, volunteers lit lamps, called diyas, snaking along the river, through lanes and at houses. A similar attempt failed to break the record last year, when strong winds blew over many of the lamps. Tuesday's feat broke a record from 2016, when 150,009 lamps were lit. Devotees light earthen lamps on the banks of the River Sarayu as part of Diwali celebrations in Ayodhya, India, India, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. The north Indian City of Ayodhya made an attempt to break the Guinness Book of World record when several earthen lamps were lit at the banks of river Saryu on the occasion of Diwali - the festival of light. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh) Purnima Shukla, a Saket Degree College student, was among 5,000 volunteers involved in the ceremony. "Last time we missed it by a whisper but this time we ensured that all the lamps were aglow. Oil was poured frequently, and we used sheets to block wind where it was very windy," she said. Devotees light earthen lamps on the banks of the River Sarayu as part of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights celebrations in Ayodhya, India, India, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. The northern Indian city of Ayodhya has broken a Guinness World Record after lighting 300,150 earthen lamps and keeping them lit for at least 45 minutes. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh) Devotees light earthen lamps on the banks of the River Sarayu as part of Diwali celebrations in Ayodhya, India, India, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. The north Indian City of Ayodhya made an attempt to break the Guinness Book of World record when several earthen lamps were lit at the banks of river Saryu on the occasion of Diwali - the festival of light. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh) ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - The United States says it has authorized rewards for information on the whereabouts of three top Kurdish rebel leaders wanted by Turkey, in a sign of improving ties between the NATO allies. The announcement was made by U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Palmer, who was in Ankara on Tuesday. Palmer said in a statement that the U.S. would pay up to $5 million for information leading to "the identification or location" of Murat Karayilan, up to $4 million for Cemal Bayik and $3 million for Duran Kalkan. All three are senior leaders of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, considered a terrorist organization by Turkey and the United States. Last week, Turkey and the United States mutually removed sanctions imposed on each other's ministers. SAO PAULO (AP) - Key to Jair Bolsonaro's recent election victory was the support of Brazil's business community, which coalesced around him because he promised to overhaul Latin America's largest economy and address its worrying budget deficit. But the president-elect has been stingy with the details, and many wonder if he'll stick to his recent conversion to market-friendly reforms or if the dormant nationalist in him might reappear. Even if he holds fast to the agenda set forth by his economic guru Paulo Guedes, a University of Chicago-trained economist and the man who convinced many investors to take a chance on Bolsonaro, the former army captain could face fierce opposition in Congress and from labor unions to what will be undoubtedly unpopular measures. His economic agenda will also have to compete for priority with his better-known promises to crack down on crime and corruption, and the latter are much dearer to his heart - and his base. "It's really unclear what Bolsonaro is when it comes to economic policy," said Matthew Taylor, an associate professor at American University's School of International Service. "He himself has admitted to ignorance on the economic front, but he's also an extraordinary statist and a nationalist." For years, Bolsonaro, who will be inaugurated Jan. 1, supported heavy involvement of the state in the economy, and he remains an admirer of Brazil's 1964-1985 military regime, which supported nationalist policies. But during the campaign, he espoused free-market principles. It's not clear how complete his conversion is. For instance, after Guedes told reporters that he supported privatizing all of Brazil's dozens of state companies, Bolsonaro walked that back, saying he would sell off many but keep "strategic" ones, including big names like Petrobras and Banco do Brasil. Amid this swirl of doubt, one thing is clear: Brazil must quickly cut its deficit or it risks heading back into crisis. A World Bank analysis concluded last year that Brazil spends more than it can afford and spends poorly. Brazil's central government deficit was 7 percent of gross domestic product in 2017, according to the Central Bank, and has been above 5 percent in recent years. A large portion is interest payments on debt, but even excluding those, Brazil still had a primary deficit of 1.8 percent of GDP last year - which economists say is unsustainable because it means the already high debt level will continue to grow. The new administration will have only a narrow window to show investors that it's serious about addressing this problem - by cutting spending or raising taxes - before they will begin to balk, making an adjustment more difficult because it could drive up borrowing costs. Compounding the challenge, Brazil is only just beginning to emerge from a two-year-long recession, and growth remains stagnant. That means it can't rely on big increases in tax revenues to help it plug the hole - and Bolsonaro has even promised to cut tax rates. Guedes, who will lead the Economy Ministry, appeared to be sending just that signal hours after Bolsonaro's victory on Oct. 28. He laid out a three-part plan to reduce Brazil's public spending by passing a pension reform, privatizing state companies to draw down the debt and enacting other unspecified reforms that will reduce "privileges and waste." Pension reform will be the linchpin in reducing Brazil's state spending for two reasons: Brazil's government spends more on pensions than anything else, and many other parts of the budget can't be altered because they're mandated by the constitution. Attempts to reform the pension system will likely face stiff resistance from labor unions and other groups since any measure will force Brazilians to work longer and receive fewer benefits. Bolsonaro, who in 27 years in Congress didn't show any particular gift for building consensus, will have to build a broad coalition to get a reform through. His Social Liberal Party holds about 10 percent of the seats in next Congress, but so does the Workers' Party, which is against such a reform and has vowed tough opposition. President Michel Temer, who is known for his ability to negotiate with Congress, failed at that task. Still, Glauco Legat, the chief analyst at the brokerage Spinelli, points out that Bolsonaro's decisive win gives him more legitimacy than Temer, who came to power after his predecessor was impeached in controversial proceedings. Any reform will be whittled away at in order to win votes, but Monica de Bolle, director of Latin American Studies at Johns Hopkins University, says she fears Bolsonaro's proposal will lack ambition right out of the gate since he has indicated he will leave military personnel out of it. That could also mean he will exclude other civil service sectors, which are key to taking a bite out of the problem. "The watering down process is going to take place on the basis of an already diluted reform," she said. Beyond pension reform, Bolsonaro has promised to reduce the size of the state, including halving the number of ministries, and selling off state companies. Reducing the number of ministries could yield some savings, but other presidents have struggled to do that in more than name. And Bolsonaro has already taken off the table many state companies that would yield the most cash. Instead, economists say that many of the savings lie in eliminating inefficiencies. Guedes didn't give details, but if he's serious about reducing waste, there's plenty of it: The World Bank analysis highlighted Brazil's high civil service salaries, a constitutional mandate on education spending that often results in spending for spending's sake, overlapping social welfare programs and a proliferation of small hospitals in the public health system. Despite the challenges, Legat said it's important to remember that just by virtue of saying he'll take on Brazil's thorny issues, Bolsonaro has built momentum, which can have real-world effects. "He brings optimism that's very important for the economy in this moment," he said. "This increase in confidence is reflected in real numbers." ___ Associated Press video journalist Victor Caivano contributed to this report. Follow Sarah DiLorenzo: www.twitter.com/sdilorenzo SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) - Officials in a northwest Iowa city are considering banning people from carrying some types of "toy" firearms, which police say are becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish from actual guns. The Sioux City Council tentatively approved an ordinance on Monday that would ban pellet and BB guns. The proposal wouldn't ban Nerf or squirt guns, or guns that shoot suction-cup darts. The city attorney's office said two more readings and votes are required at future council meetings before the ordinance could be adopted. Sioux City Police Capt. Mark Kirkpatrick said officers have had multiple encounters with replica weapons and faced the question of whether to use deadly force. People carrying toy firearms tend to be teenagers or young adults seeking personal protection or street credibility, he said. While no one in the city has died from a police encounter while carrying a toy firearm, there are more than 50 such deaths nationwide each year, according to the police department. "What we're trying to do is potentially prevent a tragedy. We encounter these BB guns and replica weapons far more frequently it seems," Kirkpatrick said. "What we fear is that one of our officers or maybe a citizen that has a concealed carry permit and is armed with an actual firearm is confronted with one of these situations and we have a tragedy on our hands." Officials would consider how the toy firearm was being used before issuing a misdemeanor violation, said Assistant City Attorney Caleb Christopherson. Councilman Pete Groetken acknowledged that the proposal is "probably not going to be a huge deterrent." "Hopefully it would prevent a tragic incident from happening down the line if everyone understands clearly that the lookalikes make it a very challenging situation for police and they would be very smart and wise not to do that," Groetken said. ___ This story has been corrected to show that additional City Council votes are needed before the ordinance could take effect. LES EPARGES, France (AP) - French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that those who fought during World War I will be collectively honored at the Pantheon monument in Paris, a resting place for some of France's most distinguished names. Macron, who was visiting a WWI battlefield in eastern France Tuesday, said all soldiers as well as the women supporting them between 1914 and 1918 will be remembered at the monument next year. He said French writer Maurice Genevoix, "the spokesman of the soldiers", will also be interred there at the same time. Genevoix, who was wounded in WWI, wrote a series of books based on his experience. More than 60 world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, are expected to attend the commemoration of the centenary of the Armistice in Paris Sunday. French President Emmanuel Macron throws a wreath of flowers at Les Entonnoirs, a site of mines war, in Les Eparges, eastern France, Tuesday Nov. 6, 2018, as part of the ceremonies marking the centenary of the end of First World War. (Etienne Laurent, Pool via AP) French President Emmanuel Macron throws a wreath of flowers at Les Entonnoirs, a site of mines war, in Les Eparges, eastern France, Tuesday Nov. 6, 2018, as part of the ceremonies marking the centenary of the end of First World War. A French judicial official says six people have been arrested on preliminary terrorism charges, suspected of plotting to attack French President Emmanuel Macron. (Ludovic Marin, Pool via AP) French President Emmanuel Macron, with a relative of Lieutenant Robert Porchon, left, arrives to pay his respect by the tomb of Lieutenant Robert Porchon, brother-in-arms of French writer Maurice Genevoix killed during World War I, at the Trottoir necropolis in Les Eparges, eastern France, Tuesday Nov. 6, 2018, as part of the ceremonies marking the centenary of the end of First World War. (Ludovic Marin, Pool via AP) French President Emmanuel Macron arrives to pay his respect by the tomb of Lieutenant Robert Porchon, brother-in-arms of French writer Maurice Genevoix killed during World War I, at the Trottoir necropolis in Les Eparges, eastern France, Tuesday Nov. 6, 2018, as part of the ceremonies marking the centenary of the First World War. (Ludovic Marin, Pool via AP) LONDON (AP) - China is set to overtake France as the world's number one tourist destination by 2030 as a growing middle class in Asia looks to spend more on travel, according to experts at market research group Euromonitor International. In a report published Tuesday at an industry conference in London, Euromonitor said it is predicting there will be 1.4 billion trips made in 2018, up 5 percent from last year. Stronger growth in many major economies mean industry receipts will rise by an estimated 11 percent. By 2030, international arrivals are expected to have risen by another billion, corresponding to around $2.6 trillion in receipts. China is expected to have overtaken France by then to become the world's number one destination. Much of the sustained boom in travel and tourism, which has outpaced growth in the global economy for eight years, is centered in the Asia-Pacific region, where trips are expected to grow by 10 percent this year. The region has benefited from rapidly growing economies as well as an expanding middle class that seeks to spend disposable income on leisure. Euromonitor's senior travel analyst, Wouter Geerts, said the gradual process of loosening visa restrictions has made travelling in the region easier, with 80 percent of arrivals in Asia originating from the region. He also said sporting events will likely further boost the region, with Tokyo hosting the 2020 Summer Olympic Games and Beijing the 2022 winter event. "Tourism is a key pillar of the Chinese economy, and much investment has been made to improve infrastructure and standards, in addition to tourism-friendly policies and initiatives," he said. Other bright spots in the forecast are countries like Egypt, Tunisia and Turkey, which have seen sharp falls in tourist numbers over the past few years linked to security concerns. Egypt, in particular, appears to be doing well, following a long period of decline largely linked to the political upheaval since a popular uprising in 2011 and the downing of a Russian passenger plane over Egypt's Sinai peninsula in 2015 by an affiliate of the Islamic State group, killing 224 people. Though Egypt's bookings were up 134 percent in 2017-18 from the year before, according to Euromonitor, the industry is still short of where it was in 2010. Egyptian government figures show 8 million tourists visited the country last year, way down on the 14 million recorded in 2010. Europe is also proving resilient and growing strongly despite economic and political turmoil in some countries and a slew of extremist attacks in recent years. One source of uncertainty for the outlook centers on Brexit. A 'no-deal' Brexit, which would see Britain crashing out of the European Union in March, would see millions opt to stay at home - an estimated 5 million in 2022 - rather than book overseas holidays, the report says. That would have a ripple effect across many destinations, notably in Spain, where U.K. travelers account for around a fifth of the tourist-related revenues. Euromonitor also warned that the U.S. tourism industry could face a hit if the trade tensions between the U.S. and China escalate. WASHINGTON (AP) - Hearing his first arguments in a death penalty case, Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh seemed open Tuesday to the arguments of a Missouri inmate who says his rare medical condition could result in severe pain if he is executed by lethal injection. The court's newest justice could hold the key vote in Russell Bucklew's case. That's because his eight colleagues split 4 to 4 earlier this year over whether to allow Bucklew's execution to proceed. Justice Anthony Kennedy provided the fifth vote to spare Bucklew. Kavanaugh replaced Kennedy, who retired in July. Bucklew, on death row for a 1996 murder, has said that a tumor in his throat is likely to burst during the lethal injection procedure, causing him to choke on his own blood. Bucklew argues that subjecting him to lethal injection would violate the Constitution's ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Among the questions Kavanaugh wanted answered was whether Bucklew would be lying flat during the execution, which Bucklew's attorneys have said would be problematic. Kavanaugh, who heard no death penalty cases in his 12 years as an appeals court judge, also asked whether there's any legal limit on pain associated with an execution. The justice also aimed all his questions at the lawyer representing Missouri, which can be a sign at the Supreme Court that a justice is inclined to vote for the other side. "Are you saying even if the method creates gruesome and brutal pain you can still do it because there's no alternative?" Kavanaugh at one point asked Missouri's attorney, D. John Sauer. He later asked Sauer: "Your opposing counsel said, even if everything goes according to plan, there will still be significant suffering. Can you respond to that?" Bucklew is up against Supreme Court precedent in trying to get the justices to agree with him. The court has previously ruled that inmates challenging a method of execution have to show that there's an alternative that is likely to be less painful. Bucklew has proposed that Missouri execute him by having him breathe pure nitrogen gas through a mask instead of by injecting him with a lethal dose of pentobarbital. FILE - This undated file photo provided by the Missouri Department of Corrections shows Russell Bucklew. Hearing his first arguments in a death penalty case, Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh seemed open Tuesday to the arguments of Missouri inmate Russell Bucklew, who says his rare medical condition could result in severe pain if he is executed by lethal injection. The court's newest justice could hold the key vote in Bucklew's case. (Missouri Department of Corrections via AP File) Bucklew says it is likely he would feel as though he's suffocating for several minutes during a lethal injection execution. He says if the state uses nitrogen gas, he'd become unconscious within 20 to 30 seconds. Missouri says no state has ever carried out an execution as Bucklew suggests, calling his proposal vague and untested. And the state says Bucklew would not suffer severe pain during a lethal injection execution because pentobarbital would make him unconscious within 20 to 30 seconds, likely sooner. Chief Justice John Roberts suggested Bucklew's proposed alternative wasn't reasonable, asking "how can it be a reasonable alternative if it's never been used before?" Roberts was one of the four justices who would have let Bucklew's execution proceed earlier this year. Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch also would have allowed it to go forward. Bucklew's lawyer Robert Hochman told the justices that his client's medical condition has changed since the court agreed to take his case. He told the justices that Bucklew now has a tracheostomy tube to help him breathe. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, one of the four liberal justices who stopped Bucklew's execution, wanted to know how that didn't alleviate concerns about Bucklew choking on his own blood during a lethal injection execution. Hochman said it's not clear how long the tube will remain in and that even if it does "there would still be complications that would need to be investigated." Justice Stephen Breyer suggested holding a new hearing to determine whether "there really is a special problem" in Bucklew's case. Bucklew is on death row for the 1996 murder of Michael Sanders, who was living with Bucklew's former girlfriend. After entering a trailer where the two were living with their children, Bucklew fatally shot Sanders and later raped his former girlfriend. Bucklew was arrested after a car chase and shootout with police. A decision in Bucklew v. Precythe, 17-8151, is expected by the end of June. ___ Follow Jessica Gresko on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jessicagresko NEW YORK (AP) - The Latest on the first New York court appearance for pipe bombs suspect Cesar Sayoc (all times local): 12:30 p.m. Pipe bombs suspect Cesar Sayoc has been ordered held without bail in New York. Sayoc made his first court appearance on Tuesday in federal court in Manhattan following his transfer from Florida. He faces charges for allegedly mailing more than a dozen explosive devices to prominent Democrats, CNN and critics of Republican President Donald Trump. Prosecutors say the most recent crude bomb was recovered on Friday in California, addressed to liberal activist Tom Steyer. FILE - This Aug. 30, 2015, file photo released by the Broward County Sheriff's office shows Cesar Sayoc in Miami. Pipe bomb suspect Sayoc is making his first court appearance in New York on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (Broward County Sheriff's Office via AP, File) None of the devices exploded and no one was injured. Prosecutors told a judge that Sayoc presents a flight risk and is a serious danger to the public. Sayoc faces nearly 50 years in prison if convicted. His lawyer has questioned the evidence in the case. ___ 12:20 a.m. Pipe bomb suspect Cesar Sayoc is expected to make his first court appearance in New York. Sayoc was being transferred from federal custody in Florida ahead of a Tuesday court hearing. Prosecutors say they will ask a judge to hold him without bail because he is considered dangerous. Sayoc is accused of sending improvised explosive devices to numerous Democrats, critics of President Donald Trump and CNN. The scare heightened tensions before the crucial midterm elections, happening the same day as his court appearance. Sayoc's lawyer has questioned the evidence in the case. Sayoc faces nearly 50 years in prison if convicted. HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. (AP) - Authorities in suburban Chicago have resumed a search for a woman who disappeared after going swimming in treacherous waters in Lake Michigan. In a news release, the city of Highland Park says 52-year-old Lena Lemesh, of Elgin, was among about 10 people in a "cold weather swim group " that went into the lake Sunday morning at Park Avenue Beach, despite huge waves and fierce winds. Emergency workers dispatched to the scene pulled 46-year-old Stanislaw Wlosek Jr. from the water but could not find Lemesh. Wlosek was pronounced dead at a hospital and an autopsy determined that he had drowned. On Tuesday, authorities resumed their search and police departments along the shoreline in Illinois and Wisconsin have been asked to monitor their beaches for the missing swimmer. ATLANTA (AP) - The Latest on voting problems in the midterm election (all times local): 1:47 a.m. Wednesday Some polling places in Nevada were plagued with long lines of voters, some of whom waited for hours. Several precincts stayed open about three hours after they had officially closed so everyone got a chance to cast a ballot. The longest lines were in Washoe County, home to Reno. Nevada's deputy elections director, Wayne Thorley, says the long waits were driven by higher-than-usual turnout propelled by some high-profile races. Elections officials were bracing for a long night ahead of tallying ballots. Thorley told The Associated Press there were very few reported problems at the polls. "Just long lines and lots of voter enthusiasm," he says. People vote at the Enterprise Library, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Joe Buglewicz) ___ 10:50 p.m. Some polling locations in Maryland ran out of ballots as hundreds of people waited in line on Election Day. According to local media reports, at least four different precincts ran out of ballots. Some voters waited as long as three hours. The Maryland Democratic Party said in a statement that unprecedented turnout in Prince George's County caused the ballot shortage. Voters who were in line at 8 p.m. will still be allowed to vote. Long lines and machinery problems plagued states across the country during the midterms. In Snellville, Georgia, two machines used by poll workers to check in voters didn't have power cords and ran out of batteries. Paper ballots were handed out for about 15 minutes before the issue was resolved. __ 8:15 p.m. A judge has extended voting hours at more polling locations in Georgia, where some voters have complained of waiting for hours in long lines. An order issued Tuesday in Fulton County Superior Court says one polling place in the county, home to much of Atlanta, must allow voters to keep casting ballots until 9 p.m., a full two hours after polls closed statewide. Two additional polling locations must remain open even longer, until 10 p.m. A court in neighboring Gwinnett County also extended hours Tuesday at three polling places. Some Georgia voters have reported waiting as long as three hours to vote Tuesday because of a shortage of voting machines and other problems at poll locations. ___ 8:01 p.m. Election watchers say some voters are reporting being directed to wrong polling places by third-party election help websites such as TurboVote. Sophia Hall, an attorney who was working at an election protection command center in Boston on Tuesday, says they received several such reports in Massachusetts and are aware of reports in other states. She says they've also received reports of people being told they are not registered when they arrive at the polls even though they thought their registration had been confirmed by a third-party site. TurboVote is a tool created by Democracy Works that helps people register and sends voters email and text reminders about registration deadlines, upcoming elections and where to vote. Brandon Naylor, a spokesman for Democracy Works, says TurboVote gets its polling location information directly from the states, but sometimes the locations change at the last minute. He also says people will also get wrong polling location information if they move and forget to update their address. ___ 7:13 p.m. Georgia Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp - who is also in charge of the state's election - had problems voting. The Georgia governor's race is one of the most closely-watched in the country, due in part to an ongoing dispute over Kemp's management of the election system. Kemp had an issue with his voter card when he went to cast his ballot, but it was fixed quickly. He walked by reporters and said: "Take Two." There have been widespread reports of technical malfunctions and long lines at polling stations across the state. Over the weekend, a private citizen alerted the Georgia Democratic Party and a private attorney of potential vulnerability in the online voter database that Kemp oversees in his current job as secretary of state. Kemp later announced, without providing any evidence, that he was launching an investigation into Georgia Democrats for "possible cybercrimes." ___ 5:30 p.m. Volunteers from across the country are in Dodge City, Kansas, to help voters get to the city's only voting site after it was moved outside the city limits. Matias Rico told The Topeka Capital-Journal that he came from San Diego with his cousin to give rides to anyone who couldn't get to the polling place. Volunteers from Kansas City, Missouri, and New York City were among those giving rides to voters. Three women from Lawrence rented a chartered bus to help with transportation. Ford County received national attention when County Clerk Deborah Cox moved Dodge City's only polling place to the Expo Center because the previous site, the Civic Center, was scheduled to undergo construction. The new site is more than a mile from the nearest bus stop. The city is predominantly Hispanic and has 13,000 registered voters. ___ 5:08 p.m. By Tuesday afternoon, the nonpartisan Election Protection hotline had received some 17,500 calls from voters experiencing problems at their polling places. Kristen Clarke, president of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, which helps run the hotline, says that is on par with the number of calls received during a presidential election. The hotline had received about 10,400 calls by the same time during the last midterm election in 2014. Clarke says most reports of voting problems were connected to malfunctioning voting machines. ___ 4:21 p.m. A deputy in Harris County, Texas, has cited a poll worker for misdemeanor assault after she allegedly bumped a voter during an argument and made a racist comment. The Harris County Sheriff's Office said on Twitter that the deputy responded Tuesday morning to a disturbance call at a polling site in Houston. The Houston Chronicle reports the dispute began over a discrepancy with the voter's address. The confrontation escalated and the worker, who is white, made a racist comment to the voter, a black woman. Witnesses confirmed to the newspaper that the worker said, "Maybe if I'd worn my blackface makeup today you could comprehend what I'm saying to you." The election judge at the site separated the two. Harris County authorities are investigating the matter. ___ 4:05 p.m. A man is accused of threatening to shoot workers at a western Pennsylvania polling place after they told him he wasn't registered to vote. Forty-eight-year-old Christopher Thomas Queen of Claysville was charged Tuesday with terroristic threats and disorderly conduct. Washington county assistant elections director Melanie Ostrander says Quinn came to the South Franklin Volunteer Fire Department in South Franklin Township at about 9 a.m. Tuesday. She says he became irate when he was told he wasn't registered to vote. Ostrander says the man allegedly "became upset, told the poll workers he was going to go get a gun and come back and shoot them." Court documents don't list an attorney for Queen and a phone number listed in his name rang unanswered before disconnecting Tuesday. ___ 3:10 p.m. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen says cybersecurity officials are hoping for the best in the midterm election but preparing to react to the worst. Nielsen says that the election will be the most secure in the modern era. She was speaking Tuesday at a command center where state and local officials are working with federal agents to share information on possible interference from foreign or domestic agents. States run elections, but Homeland Security is the federal department tasked with both cybersecurity and protecting the country's election infrastructure. Voters were managing long lines and malfunctioning machines, but those problems weren't because of any foreign interference. Nielsen says no voting machines have been compromised, but there has been a misinformation effort by foreign groups eager to sow discord. ___ 2:50 p.m. A judge has ordered 12 polling places in a northwestern Indiana county to stay open late after voting didn't start as scheduled. The (Northwest Indiana) Times reports Tuesday that a Porter County judge ordered the polling sites stay open up to 2 1/2 hours later than the scheduled 6 p.m. closing time. Porter County Clerk Karen Martin says some sites opened as much as 90 minutes late. The Republican clerk blamed that on some expected poll workers quitting, some workers not picking up election supplies and sites not being open when poll workers arrived. Democratic Portage City Councilman Collin Czilli says several voting sites didn't open on time in that city and called the situation "unacceptable." Millions of Americans are casting votes Tuesday, and some are running into long lines, machine problems and other snafus. __ 1:30 p.m. Reports of broken ballot scanners are leading to long lines at several polling sites across New York City. Turnout was so heavy Tuesday morning at one packed precinct on Manhattan's Upper West Side that the line to scan ballots stretched around a junior high school gym. Poll workers told voters that two of the roughly half-dozen scanners were malfunctioning. In Brooklyn, voters arriving at two separate polling stations discovered that most scanners had broken down. Veronica Vela said half of the scanners were broken at one of the polling sites in Crown Heights and waited two hours to vote. By that time, none of the machines were working. Vela said she was forced to drop her ballot in an "emergency ballot box." ___ 1:15 p.m. The U.S. Border Patrol has canceled a "crowd control exercise" in Texas following criticism from civil liberties groups that it could dissuade people from voting. Border Patrol agent Fidel Baca confirmed Tuesday that the exercise in a Latino neighborhood of El Paso was canceled, but declined to say why. The Texas Civil Rights Project says the exercise, billed by the Border Patrol as a "mobile field force demonstration," was to be held within a half-mile of a polling site. The group is seeking an explanation from federal authorities about the intention of the exercise. The group says in a statement that President Donald Trump "has drummed up anti-immigrant sentiment" and the exercise is "part and parcel of those efforts." ___ 1 p.m. Voters in an Atlanta neighborhood arrived at a library that's been their polling site for years to find a car with two signs on its windshield that said in indelible markers, "NOT A VOTING LOCATION." Jessica Olson says she's lived in the midtown neighborhood near the library polling place where she's voted for nearly 10 years. Suddenly this year, she was told she isn't supposed to vote here - she's to go to a church nearly two miles away. In this pedestrian neighborhood, many walk to the polls. Fulton County said in a statement that the change was made in early 2018 because the library will close for renovations. At the new polling site at the church, 26-year-old Mylandria Ponder says she's been waiting an hour and 20 minutes, and is now leaving. Across Georgia, multiple polling stations were reporting long lines, with the wait as long as three hours in some sites ___ 12:30 p.m. A Florida polling place was put on lockdown for about 40 minutes after a man with a gun was reported in a nearby parking lot. Palm Bay Police Lt. Steve Bland said passers-by getting into their cars on Tuesday saw the man sitting in his vehicle with a gun on his lap. They called 911 and police arrived as the man was driving out of the parking lot. Bland said the man was in mid-eighties and did not make any threats. He says the gun wasn't loaded. Bland said the lockdown was a precaution, and the man was taken for a mental health evaluation but he was not arrested. Supervisor of Elections Lori Scott said voters were not diverted to another site because the incident was resolved quickly. ____ 12:25 p.m. Voting in a Rhode Island community only accessible by ferry was interrupted briefly after the sole voting machine on the island malfunctioned. The Rhode Island Board of Elections tweeted at about 9 a.m. Tuesday that the machine on Prudence Island "experienced a technical difficulty." A new machine was ferried over and the board said the polling place is operating normally and all ballots have been counted. Prudence Island in Narragansett Bay is part of the town of Portsmouth and has a population of about 200. The board also said as of 11 a.m., more than 135,000 residents statewide had voted. Rhode Islanders are voting in a three-way race for governor, and for congressional seats. ____ 12:58 a.m. Federal and state officials have been working for nearly two years to shore up the nation's election infrastructure from cyberattacks by Russians or others seeking to disrupt the voting process. It turns out that many of the problems are closer to home. Officials have identified a number of problems during early voting, from machines that changed voter selections to registration forms tossed out because of clerical errors. Election officials and voting rights groups fear that voter confidence in the results could be undermined if such problems become even more widespread on Election Day, as millions of Americans head to the polls to decide pivotal races for Congress and governor. ___ For AP's complete coverage of the U.S. midterm elections: http://apne.ws/APPolitics Georgia Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp casts his ballot as his youngest daughter Amy Porter looks on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Winterville, Ga. Kemp is in a close race with Democrat Stacey Abrams. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) Voters stand in line to cast their ballots at P.S. 22, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in the Prospect Heights neighborhood in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Earlier in the day four vote scanning machines reportedly broke down at this location. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan) A line backs up into a parking garage outside a polling site on election day in Atlanta, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/David Goldman) People stand in line to cast their vote at a public school in the Upper West Side neighborhood of New York, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle) Greek Ministry for Digital Policy announced on Wednesday the launch of a call for the expression of interest regarding the creation of an investment fund for audiovisual productions, ANA reports. The New Economy Development Fund ("TANEO"), in the framework of the implementation of the Digital Policy Ministry's plans for the development of the audiovisual industry, is creating a new investment scheme "Fund of Funds" with an initial public investment of 50 million euros, with a view to taking part in the capital of small and medium sized enterprises, which are active in film / television productions and in the production of audiovisual content and video games in Greece. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Photo Source: pixabay.com NEW YORK (AP) - Fox News said Tuesday that it has addressed the "unfortunate distraction" of Sean Hannity and Jeanine Pirro speaking at President Trump's campaign rally in Missouri the night before, and that it doesn't condone such behavior. The network did not say what, if any, discipline that the two network personalities would face. Meanwhile, Hannity tweeted on Tuesday that he was being "100 percent truthful" earlier on Monday when he tweeted that "I will not be on stage campaigning with the president." "When the POTUS invited me on stage to give a few remarks last night, I was surprised, yet honored by the president's request," Hannity tweeted. "This was NOT planned." Hannity, who told the audience at Trump's rally that "all these people in the back are fake news," also tweeted Tuesday that he was not referring to any of his Fox News colleagues. Fox reporter Kristin Fisher, who tweeted a copy of Fox's statement on Tuesday, was covering the rally. It's considered standard for employees of news organizations not to engage in political campaign activities so their outlets do not appear unfair; some journalists go so far as to not vote at all for this reason. Fox News resisted Monday when the Trump campaign had advertised to its followers that Hannity would appear as a "special guest" at the Missouri rally, saying Hannity was only there to cover the event. Television personality Sean Hannity points as he meets with members of the audience before the start of a campaign rally Monday, Nov. 5, 2018, in Cape Girardeau, Mo., with President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) Hannity, cable news' most popular personality and a vocal Trump defender, has twice been publicly rebuked by Fox for campaign activity. Hannity was made to cancel a 2010 appearance in Cincinnati when it was revealed he was participating in a fundraiser for the Tea Party. When he was featured in a 2016 Trump campaign video, Fox told him to never do it again. Since then, Fox opinion personalities have doubled down on their support of Trump. Already No. 1 in the cable news ratings, Fox has had a strong fall with the campaign and hearings for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, with Hannity leading the way. Critics have claimed that Fox News Channel is less of a news organization than an arm of the Trump campaign, and Monday's rally gave them fresh ammunition. In the past, Hannity has said that he's a talk show host, not a journalist. But in an interview with The New York Times a year ago, he said he was a journalist, more specifically an advocacy or opinion journalist. Hannity broadcast his show from the site of the rally Monday, where he exhorted viewers to vote Republican and echoed a Trump campaign theme seen on banners: "Promises made, promises kept." He spoke briefly on camera with Trump at the end of the show. When it was done, White House Communications director Bill Shine, a former Fox News Channel executive, high-fived Hannity, according to the White House pool report. Trump called Hannity to the stage after praising Fox, saying, "they're very special, they've done an incredible job for us. They've been with us from the beginning." Hannity hugged Trump and, after lobbing his crowd-pleasing insult at the media, recited economic statistics. Pirro, a former New York state attorney general who has a weekend show on Fox, spoke after him. Their speeches weren't televised on Fox News, but were seen on C-SPAN. Hannity's appearance meant either Fox lied Monday about its collaboration with the Trump campaign, or that it has no control over Hannity, said Angelo Carusone, president of the liberal think tank Media Matters for America, which has unsuccessfully called for an advertiser boycott of Hannity's show in the past. "Fox's admitted lack of control is only reinforced by the absence of sanction here," Carusone said. "Anyone doing business with Fox News should worry about the network's inability to enforce even the most bare minimum standards." It's not clear, however, whether Hannity was sanctioned or not. Fox has not addressed the question publicly. Some surprised journalists at other news organizations didn't hesitate to make their feelings known on social media. "The White House-Fox News nexus has rarely been as evident as tonight in Cape Girardeau," said Philip Rucker, White House bureau chief at The Washington Post, on Twitter. White House reporter Maggie Haberman of The New York Times tweeted: "Still can't get over Hannity denying he would be on stage the whole day, getting brought up by Trump, and then pointing to actual news reporters and calling them fake." Alisyn Camerota, a former Fox News anchor who now hosts a morning show on CNN, said executives at Fox "know vaguely" that they're not supposed to have one of their hosts endorse a candidate or party, but that Hannity can't help himself. "They're having a schizophrenic moment over there trying to figure out what their role is going to be with the Trump presidency," Camerota said on CNN. ___ White House correspondent Jonathan Lemire contributed to this report. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity, right, during a campaign rally Monday, Nov. 5, 2018, in Cape Girardeau, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) - Balkan nations that fought bitter wars as Yugoslavia broke apart during the 1990s have agreed to step up their cooperation in identifying thousands of people still missing as a result of the conflicts. Representatives from Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, Kosovo and Montenegro signed an agreement on Tuesday laying out how they will work together. Some 12,000 of the 40,000 people who went missing as the former Yugoslavia violently collapsed remain unaccounted for, including about 4,000 whose unidentified bodies still are stored in morgues across the region. The nations agreed to improve the sharing of information and to allow representatives from more than one country to take part in exhumations. The Hague-based International Commission on Missing Persons will assist in DNA testing, manage the exchange of data and maintain a regional database. NEW YORK (AP) - There is now a museum for pizza lovers everywhere that's popped-up in arguably America's pizza capital, New York City. The Museum of Pizza is dedicated to all things cheese and sauce, but there's more to it than meets the tongue. "It's often that the simplest ideas are the best. And we wanted to use pizza's ubiquitous appeal to get people through the door and looking at art and hearing about history in a different format," said Alexandra Serio, Chief Content Officer at Nameless Network, the group that baked the Museum of Pizza idea. "Our approach to this Museum of Pizza is a fine art approach, so we went out to multiple artists contemporary in many mediums, and asked them for their interpretation of pizza," said Serio. "And what we got back is_it ranges the gambit, let's just say that. That's an understatement." Located on the street level of Brooklyn's William Vale hotel, the museum is an expansive, one-floor space that houses a wide variety of art, from giant photographs to sculptures to large installations that engulf visitors. And the pop-up museum, also known as "MoPi," has already drawn a lot of interest_more than 6,000 people came through the doors when they opened this month. Another instantly recognizable attribute of the space is the bright colors that are weaved throughout the exhibits_perfect for taking social media-ready pictures. This Nov. 2, 2018 photo shows a textile sculpture from artist Hein Koh called "Mystic Pizza," part of a group art exhibition celebrating pizza at The Museum of Pizza in New York. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) "Honestly, I thought it would be like more of a museum like at the beginning, with the pizza boxes and it kinda tells you when it was developed and stuff like that," said Nene Raye, visiting from New Jersey. "Then I was kinda hoping they had something artsy in it because I love taking pictures. So this is a mashup of everything_so you get a little bit of education and then some fun, which I love." Serio said selfie-friendly exhibits are becoming a priority for museums as they try to get younger legs to walk through their doors. "It's a kind of paradigm shift with museums," she said. "You'll see, I think in the next few years because of museums like the Museum of Ice Cream, and multiple pop-ups of this ilk, museums kind of courting a younger audience and seeing how they can make their exhibitions more tactile, touch and photography friendly." Lydia Melendez, a self-described "pizza aficionado," bought her tickets in April. For her, this experience was worth the wait. "I thought it was going to be kinda boring, like I'm going to walk in and there's just going to be a book about pizza and how to make it. But this is definitely one for the books." While pizza may be the hook that draws those interested to the museum, the focus of MoPi is to expose visitors to the fine art world_even if the education is fed one slice at a time. "The Museum of Pizza's target demographic isn't necessarily the same type of people that are making a quarterly trips to the MoMA or the Frick collection or the LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) ", said Serio. "We're really putting fine art in a place that's easily accessible for a wide range of people." The pop-up museum, which costs $35 for adults but is free for kids under 5 and seniors, closes Nov. 18. This Nov. 2, 2018 photo shows the "Pizza Guitar," from musician Andrew W.K., part of a group art exhibition celebrating pizza at The Museum of Pizza in New York. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) This Nov. 2, 2018 photo shows a pizza video game creation from Jeremey Couillard, a New Media professor at LaGuardia Community College, which is part of an immersive group art exhibition celebrating pizza at The Museum of Pizza in New York. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) This Nov. 2, 2018 photo shows a pizza box playroom created with neon lights and colorful fluorescent tape called "Gazoo," part of a group art exhibition celebrating pizza at The Museum of Pizza in New York. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) This Nov. 2, 2018 photo shows Kareem Rahma, founder and CEO of the Nameless Network in New York. While pizza may be the hook that draws those interested to the museum, the focus of MoPi is to expose visitors to the fine art world. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) This Nov. 2, 2018 photo shows a three-dimensional sculpture from artist Shawna X called "Say Cheese," part of a group art exhibition celebrating pizza at The Museum of Pizza in New York. While pizza may be the hook that draws those interested to the museum, the focus of MoPi is to expose visitors to the fine art world. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) This Nov. 2, 2018 photo shows Kareem Rahma, right, founder and CEO of the Nameless Network and co-creator of The Museum of Pizza appears in an art installation in New York. While pizza may be the hook that draws those interested to the museum, the focus of MoPi is to expose visitors to the fine art world-even if the education is fed one slice at a time. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) Democrats tried Tuesday to fight their way back to power in state capitols across the country by reclaiming governor's seats in several key states, marking significant steps in their nationwide strategy to reverse years of Republican gains in state capitols. Still, their victories in Kansas, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Maine and New Mexico were balanced by Republicans holding on to one of the top prizes, Florida, and the governor's offices in Ohio and Arizona. All three states will figure prominently in the presidential map in two years. The nation's other closely watched governor's race, in Georgia, remained too close to call Tuesday night. Democrats' toppling of Republican Scott Walker in Wisconsin completed a sweep for the party in the upper Midwest. Walker was a top target of Democrats and a polarizing figure in his state, sweeping into office during the tea party wave of 2010 and gaining national attention by leading a rollback of union rights that led to protests inside the state Capitol. He survived a recall attempt before falling short in a bid for the Republican presidential nomination. The win by Democrat Tony Evers gives his party a chance to undo some of Walker's accomplishments, including a strict voter ID law and the law that effectively ended collective bargaining for public workers. Likewise, Democrats hope their victories signal a resurgence for their party in America's heartland, where President Donald Trump romped in 2016. Democratic gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker, left, and his running mate lt. governor candidate, Juliana Stratton, wave to supporters after Pritzker defeated incumbent Gov. Bruce Rauner in Chicago, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) "I think the message is a simple one. A candidate with a moderate tone but progressive in thinking can win in the heartland," former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, a Democrat, said. "Winning the governorships is huge in beginning the process of changing the direction of our politics." In Michigan, Democrat Gretchen Whitmer defeated Republican Bill Schuette, upending years of Republican control in the state. The former legislative leader will become the second female governor in a state where Democrats heavily targeted other statewide and legislative offices. Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner in Illinois lost his bid for a second term to Democrat J.B. Pritzker. The billionaire appears to have capitalized not only on Rauner's lack of popularity but broader dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump. In Kansas, Democratic state lawmaker Laura Kelly defeated Republican Secretary of State Kris Kobach, a close ally of Trump. New Mexico also tipped into the Democratic column, with voters choosing Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham to succeed two-term Republican Gov. Susana Martinez. The campaign had been defined by conflicts over struggling public schools and high poverty rates. In Maine, Democratic Attorney General Janet Mills won the race to succeed combative Republican Gov. Paul LePage, who was term-limited after eight years in office. Democrats Andrew Cuomo in New York and Tom Wolf in Pennsylvania easily won re-election, as did two Republicans in Democratic-leaning states - Larry Hogan in Maryland and Charlie Baker in Massachusetts. In Iowa, Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds broke the Democrats' run of Midwest success by being elected to a full term. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, a former Republican presidential candidate and Trump ally, was seeking a third term in a race that remained too close to call. In all, voters were choosing 36 governors and 6,089 state legislators in general and special elections that have attracted record amounts of spending from national Democratic and Republican groups. Republicans are in control more often than not in state capitols across the country, but Democrats were trying to pull a little closer in Tuesday's elections. The political parties are trying not only to win now, but also to put themselves in strong position for the elections two years from now that will determine which party will have the upper hand in redrawing congressional and state legislative districts. Voters in Colorado, Michigan and Missouri approved ballot measures Tuesday overhauling the redistricting process in ways that are intended to reduce the likelihood of partisan gerrymandering by either major party. A redistricting ballot measure also was on the ballot in Utah. Republicans entered Tuesday's election with a sizable advantage, controlling two-thirds of the 99 state legislative chambers and 33 governors' offices. The GOP held a trifecta of power in 25 states, compared with just eight for Democrats. Democrats likely will gain full control in Illinois and New Mexico by winning the governor's races. The Democratic victories in Kansas and Michigan will break up Republican trifectas. Republicans were largely on defense but also were angling for gains in a few traditionally Democratic states, such Connecticut. The governor's races have extra emphasis in 28 states where the winners will serve four-year terms with the potential power to approve or reject district boundaries drawn for Congress or state legislatures. The Democratic Governors Association had focused on nine swing states - Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin - where it believes the governorships could be pivotal in congressional redistricting. As of mid-October, the Democratic Governors Association and its affiliated entities had raised $122 million during the past two years - a record outdone only by the Republican Governors Association's new high mark of at least $156 million. The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee and Republican State Leadership Committee, which focus on state races, also set record fundraising targets. The National Democratic Redistricting Committee, led by former Obama administration Attorney General Eric Holder, has pumped additional money into state races viewed as critical in future redistricting decisions. Although most state lawmakers responsible for redistricting will be elected in 2020, voters on Tuesday were electing more than 800 state lawmakers in about two dozen states to four-year terms where they could play a role in approving new congressional or state legislative districts. ___ Associated Press writer Thomas Beaumont contributed to this report. ___ Follow David A. Lieb at: http://twitter.com/DavidALieb ___ For AP's complete coverage of the U.S. midterm elections: http://apne.ws/APPolitics Michigan Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gretchen Whitmer, answers questions with Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., left, and daughters Sherry, rear, and Sydney, right, after casting her ballot, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo/Al Goldis) Florida Republican candidate for governor Ron DeSantis talks at AJ's Oyster Shanty on Okaloosa Island during his last campaign stop in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., Monday, Nov. 5, 2018. (Nick Tomecek/Northwest Florida Daily News via AP) Ohio Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike DeWine, right, greets a voter outside the Green Township Senior Center, a voting precinct, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Cincinnati, Ohio. (AP Photo/Gary Landers) GENEVA (AP) - An independent U.N. human rights expert is urging a halt to "rushed plans" to repatriate some Rohingya refugees to Myanmar. Special rapporteur on Myanmar Yanghee Lee said a lack of guarantees the refugees wouldn't face new persecution if they returned home was concerning. Lee cited "credible information" that some refugees in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh fear their names turning up on a list of thousands of people who could be repatriated. Hundreds of Rohingya in Bangladesh refugee camps could start going back to Myanmar next week under a deal the countries struck last year. The U.N. insists the returns must be voluntary. Lee has repeatedly said conditions aren't ripe for safe repatriation. Critics say Myanmar's military raped, murdered and tortured Rohingya and burned their villages, sending over 700,000 fleeing to Bangladesh since August 2017. ANSON, Texas (AP) - A convicted sex offender found guilty of killing a female corrections officer in Texas has been sentenced to death. A Jones County jury on Tuesday ordered the death penalty for 24-year-old Dillion Compton. Compton was convicted of capital murder Oct. 15 in the July 2016 slaying of guard Mari Johnson, whose beaten body was found in a storage unit at the Robertson prison in Abilene. The killing occurred while Compton was incarcerated for aggravated sexual assault of a child in a 2010 attack on a Dallas County girl. Prosecutors say Johnson suffered blunt force trauma and a crushed throat. Compton was found with scratches on his face and his skin underneath Johnson's fingernails. Compton's defense attorney said Compton and Johnson had a sexual relationship. BERLIN (AP) - A court in Berlin has convicted two men of killing a German pop musician in an apparent homophobic attack. A regional court in the German capital on Tuesday found the Polish defendants guilty of manslaughter and serious sexual assault in the death of 47-year-old Jim Reeves. The defendants claimed to have been drunk during the February 2016 attack in a Berlin hostel. Judges said they brutally beat Reeves and repeatedly impaled him with a chair leg. Reeves died of multiple internal injuries. German news agency dpa quoted judges saying the attack expressed the men's "degrading, homophobic feelings." The defendants, who are 31- and 24-years-old, were sentenced to 14 and 13 years imprisonment, respectively. Their names weren't released due to German privacy rules. Reeves had a number of dance hits in Germany in the 1990s. NEW YORK (AP) - Facebook is admitting that it didn't do enough to prevent its services from being used to incite violence and spread hate in Myanmar. The company "can and should do more" to protect human rights and ensure it isn't used to foment division and spread offline violence in the country, Alex Warofka, a product policy manager, said in a blog post. Facebook commissioned the nonprofit Business for Social Responsibility to study the company's role in Myanmar and released the group's 62-page report late Monday. It has come under heavy criticism for permitting itself to be used to inflame ethnic and religious conflict in the country, particularly against minority Rohingya Muslims. The report confirms this and offers recommendations, including preparing for "massive chaos and manipulation" in the country's 2020 parliamentary elections. "Facebook has become a means for those seeking to spread hate and cause harm, and posts have been linked to offline violence," the report says. "A minority of users is seeking to use Facebook as a platform to undermine democracy and incite offline violence, including serious crimes under international law." The Myanmar report comes as Facebook and other social media companies face a trove of problems in dealing with people, groups and nations intent on using their services for malicious reasons, whether that's inciting violence, spreading hate messages, propaganda and misinformation or meddling with elections around the world. FILE - This Feb. 19, 2014, file photo, shows a Facebook app icon on a smartphone in New York. Facebook is admitting that it didn't do enough to prevent its platform from being used to incite violence and spread hate in Myanmar. A Facebook executive said in a blog post late Monday, Nov. 5, 2018, that the company "can and should do more." (AP Photo/Patrick Sison, File) Facebook is focused on rooting out misinformation in the U.S., but it's also dealing with people using its platforms to incite violence in Sri Lanka, India and elsewhere. Late Monday, Facebook said it shut down 30 Facebook accounts and 85 Instagram accounts for suspected "coordinated inauthentic behavior" linked to foreign groups attempting to interfere in Tuesday's U.S. midterm elections. Facebook and smartphones entered Myanmar quickly, and the report notes that this has led to a "steep learning curve for users, policymakers, and civil society." The report notes that Facebook "is the internet" for many in Myanmar and that it has played an important role in supporting freedom of expression and helping activists organize. At the same time, the report said, hate and harassment is leading to self-censorship among "vulnerable groups such as political activists, human rights defenders, women, and minorities." Facebook released the report on the eve of the U.S. midterm elections, prompting critics to question its timing when so many people are focused on other news. Facebook says the report was focused on "Myanmar stakeholders," for whom the U.S. elections are not a priority. It also said it had promised to share the results of the assessment once it had them. The report does acknowledge that Facebook has made progress, but adds that there is "more to do." In August, the company banned Myanmar's military chief and 19 other individuals and organizations from its service to prevent the spread of hate and misinformation. Facebook doesn't have any employees permanently based in Myanmar, but makes "regular trips" there with a range of employees. The company says that having employees there could pose risks to them and increase the Myanmar government's ability to request data on users. MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - An immigration board has rejected an appeal from a Spanish-language news outlet reporter who was arrested during a demonstration in Tennessee. The Commercial Appeal reports that while the Board of Immigration Appeal granted Manuel Duran a stay of deportation in May, it rejected his appeal in mid-October. Latino Memphis attorney Christina Swatzell says Duran could be deported to El Salvador by mid-November, but he's fighting his case at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. The 42-year-old reporter was arrested for disorderly conduct and obstruction of a highway in April. A lawsuit asserting his detention was retaliation for news coverage was dismissed in September. Duran's lawyers have said he came to the U.S. after receiving death threats related to reporting on corruption in El Salvador. ___ Information from: The Commercial Appeal, http://www.commercialappeal.com ROME (AP) - Italy said Tuesday that it is working to help relocate the family of a Pakistani Christian woman acquitted eight years after being sentenced to death for blasphemy, amid warnings from her husband that the family's life is in danger in Pakistan. The Foreign Ministry said it was coordinating with other countries to ensure safety for Asia Bibi and her family. In a statement, the ministry said it was ready to act on whatever the Italian government might decide - an indication that an offer of asylum might be in the offing. Also Tuesday, a lawmaker in German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative party called for Germany to grant Bibi refuge, after her husband Ashiq Masih appealed for help from the West to relocate the family. Bibi was convicted in 2010 of insulting Islam's prophet, but Pakistan's top court acquitted her last week. Protests by hardline Islamists prompted the government to impose a travel ban on Bibi until her case is reviewed. Bibi's case has been closely followed in Italy for years, and Pope Francis met earlier this year with her family in a show of solidarity. Even Italy's hardline, anti-migrant interior minister Matteo Salvini stressed that he would do "all that is humanly possible" to ensure Bibi and her family are safe, either in Italy or some other country. FILE - In this Nov. 20, 2010, file photo, Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian woman, listens to officials at a prison in Sheikhupura near Lahore, Pakistan. Italy is working to help relocate the family of a Pakistani Christian woman acquitted eight years after being sentenced to death for blasphemy, amid warnings from her husband that their life is in danger in Pakistan. (AP Photo, File) Salvini distinguished between Bibi and the tens of thousands of migrants who try to seek out a better life in Italy via smugglers' boats from Libya. National Real Estate Company (NREC) said it has won approval from shareholders to convert the KD31-million ($101.7 million) loan taken from Agility Investment Holding Limited Company into 272.8 million shares in the company's share capital at the nominal value of 100 fils per share and share premium. Agility Investment Holding is a subsidiary of Agility Public Warehousing Company. The shareholders nod for conversion of debt into equity came at the companys extraordinary general meeting held in Kuwait City. With this move, NRECs capital has increased to KD136.1 million (($447 million), while Agility Investment now owns a 20.04 per cent share. NREC vice chairman and CEO Faisal Jamil Sultan Al Essa, said: "The convertible loan was taken by NREC to strengthen its liquidity, support the development of projects that were in their early stages as well as invest in growth opportunities. We are glad to have had the opportunity to work closely with a leading group such as Agility to support our strategy for growth." The convertible loan was signed in February last year for a total value of KD31 million. Established in 1973, NREC is a real estate investment, development and property manager based in the Middle East and North Africa, developing assets exceeding $2 billion. Its portfolio comprises a mix of retail, commercial and residential properties in the region. In addition to its core real estate business, NREC is the largest shareholder with a 22.3 per cent share in Agility Logistics Company, one of the top ten logistics companies in the world.-TradeArabia News Service MILWAUKEE (AP) - Vehicular homicide charges were filed Tuesday against a 21-year-old man accused of inhaling chemical vapors before he crashed his truck into a group of Girl Scouts picking up trash along a highway, killing three children and one adult, Wisconsin prosecutors said Tuesday. The 11 charges filed against Colten Treu include four counts of vehicular homicide and four counts of a hit-and-run resulting in death. The punishment for those charges alone is up to 160 years in prison. The criminal complaint prosecutors released describe a struggle for the steering wheel between Treu and the passenger in his truck shortly before the vehicle veered off the road and struck the Girl Scout troop working in ditches along the highway in Lake Hallie, a town about 95 miles (152 kilometers) east of Minneapolis. Treu and his passenger later told investigators they had been huffing from a computer keyboard cleaner they'd purchased that day. The Saturday crash killed 9-year-old Jayna Kelley and 10-year-old Autum Helgeson, both of Lake Hallie, and 10-year-old Haylee Hickle and her mother, 32-year-old mother, Sara Jo Schneider, from the Town of Lafayette. A sheriff's deputy investigating the accident traced a fluid trail that led to the house where Treu lived with the truck's passenger, according to the complaint. The passenger, who has not been arrested or charged, told police he grabbed the steering wheel when he saw that Treu "looked out of it" and that the truck was crossing over the road's center line. The passenger said Treu yelled at him for touching the steering wheel before crossing the center line again, this time going into the ditch, according to the complaint. Treu is being held on $250,000 bond. FILE - This file photo provided by the Chippewa County Sheriff's Office in Wisconsin shows Colten Treu, who is accused of striking and killing three Girl Scouts and a parent and critically injuring a fourth girl who were picking up trash along a rural roadway near Chippewa Falls, Wis., on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018. On Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, 11 charges were filed against Colten Treu include four counts of vehicular homicide and four counts of a hit-and-run resulting in death. (Chippewa County (Wis.) Sheriff's Office via AP) Treu told investigators he never passed out and that his passenger "was huffing a lot more than him," according to the complaint. He said he "lost control of the vehicle and fishtailed" after his passenger grabbed the steering wheel. The other charges Treu faces are for felony bail jumping, intentionally abusing a hazardous substance, and causing "great bodily harm" during a hit-and-run because another Girl Scout in the group was injured. Treu was previously convicted of drunken-driving in Wisconsin and he was currently out on bail for another accident in September, when he was charged with driving his employer's car into a ditch while intoxicated. Judy Schneider, the mother of Sara Jo Schneider and Haylee's grandmother, told The Associated Press in an interview Monday that after the crash she wondered, "What was the driver thinking?" "And my first thought was, 'Let's just prosecute the hell out of him.' And then what? Do they come back? And now that I hear his history, I understand addiction. But I just don't know how the hatred and anger is going to help at this point." SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Utah Gov. Gary Herbert defended a Democratic Utah House member after the Republican challenger sent out a mailer insinuating that the incumbent does not back religious freedom. Todd Zenger said in the ad that he is the only candidate for the state House district who stands for "the free exercise of religion, conscience or belief," the Deseret News reported . Zenger is running against four-term Rep. Patrice Arent, the only Jewish member of the state Legislature. The Republican governor tweeted Monday a photo of him and Arent, saying the Democrat is a "wonderful person who respects others' points of view." "Having worked with Patrice Arent over the years, I can say that while we don't agree on every topic, I have always appreciated her dedication to preserving freedom of religion and conscience," Herbert wrote in the tweet. Zenger in the mailer also quotes a Book of Mormon scripture, saying please vote "in memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives and our children." In a statement, Arent said she was "truly disappointed" that Zenger suggested that he stands for religious freedom while she does not. "Because it is well-known that I am the only Jewish legislator in Utah and very active in my religion, many people in our Jewish community are hurt and upset by Mr. Zenger's statement," Arent said. Zenger initially defended the mailer Sunday following criticism by the Zion Federation of Utah and others. He then issued an apology Monday, saying he regrets any misunderstanding about the ad. "I apologize for any hurt caused by my choice of words," Zenger said. "It was never my purpose or intent to be insensitive to any person, race or religion, or to malign any religion or race." ___ For AP's complete coverage of the U.S. midterm elections: http://apne.ws/APPolitics ___ Information from: Deseret News, http://www.deseretnews.com WASHINGTON (AP) - The Trump administration said Tuesday that it is consulting with Congress about additional sanctions on Russia over the poisoning of an ex-Russian spy in Britain, in a move that is likely to further strain already tense relations. The State Department said in a statement that Russia has failed to meet a 90-day deadline that fell on Tuesday to comply with a 1991 U.S. law on preventing the use of chemical weapons. The United States and its allies have accused the Russian government of involvement in the March nerve agent attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the English city of Salisbury. The State Department determined in August that Russia violated the chemicals law in the Skripal case. Moscow strongly denies that it was behind the attack. Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement that the agency will now consult Congress on the fresh sanctions. "We intend to proceed in accordance with the terms of the CBW Act, which directs the implementation of additional sanctions," she said, referring to Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act. Ties between Moscow and Washington are at Cold War lows despite President Donald Trump's hopes of building closer ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russia already faces U.S. sanctions over its alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. election and its actions in Ukraine. Putin has said Russia had no reason to attack Skripal, who had served time in prison for spying for Britain and then was released in a spy swap deal in 2010. Moscow also denies meddling in U.S. politics. According to the credit agency Standard & Poor's, the Trump administration will be choosing three of the following six options for sanctions: restricting U.S. imports of Russian oil, banning U.S. technology and food exports, restricting Russia's access to international financial markets, prohibiting U.S. banks from giving loans to the Russian government, further downgrading diplomatic ties and restricting travel in the U.S. by Russia's Aeroflot airlines. Rep. Ed Royce, the Republican chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, called on the Trump administration "to act quickly" on sanctions. In September, Britain charged two Russian citizens with trying to kill Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, with the Soviet-designed nerve agent Novichok. The Skripals survived the attack, but spent weeks in the hospital. Britain says "the operation was almost certainly approved at a senior government level." British-based investigative group Bellingcat has identified the two suspects as members of the Russian military intelligence unit known as GRU, one a military doctor and the other, a decorated agent. The men deny involvement, saying they traveled to Salisbury as tourists. ____ Associated Press writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report. NEW YORK (AP) - A Bangladeshi immigrant was convicted Tuesday of setting off a pipe bomb in New York City's busiest subway station, disputing in court that he was supporting the Islamic State group and saying he was instead motivated by anger at President Donald Trump. The unusual outburst by Akayed Ullah, who was convicted in Manhattan federal court of supporting the terrorist group, capped a trial in which the defense maintained he intended to kill only himself last Dec. 11. Nobody died, and most of the injuries were not serious. Prosecutors said Ullah sought to maim or kill commuters in response to calls for "lone wolf" terrorist attacks by the terror group. Just after jurors walked out, Ullah announced he had something to say and repeatedly insisted he did not act on the Islamic State group's behalf. "I was angry with Donald Trump because he says he will bomb the Middle East and then he will protect his nation. So I said: 'Donald Trump, you cannot do like this.' Nobody likes bombing, your honor." Judge Richard J. Sullivan told him: "Right now is not the time for a statement." "Your honor, you heard what the government is trying to do. They are trying to put me in the group, which I don't support, your honor," Ullah told Sullivan. FILE - This undated file photo provided by the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission shows Akayed Ullah, who has been convicted of terrorism charges for setting off a pipe bomb in New York City's busiest subway station at rush hour last Dec. 11. The verdict against the Bangladeshi immigrant was returned on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Manhattan federal court. (New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission via AP, File) "Mr. Ullah, now is not the time for this," said the judge, who set sentencing for April 5. Ullah faces a mandatory 30-year prison sentence and could be sent to prison for life. Hearing about Ullah's new claims, juror Linda Artis told reporters Ullah could have swayed some jurors by taking the witness stand. "He did it. The big question was why," she said. "And a lot of it couldn't be answered because he didn't testify. That was the big hang-up for me." Artis, 38, of Manhattan, said she worried some vague laws might allow a lot of people to be "labeled a terrorist if they are just a random whack job." In a statement, U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said the Election Day verdict on Ullah's attempt to make a political statement with deadly violence "fittingly underscores the core principles of American democracy and spirit: Americans engage in the political process through votes, not violence." At trial, prosecutors said Ullah would not have worn a bomb had he wanted to kill only himself. They cited Ullah's social media postings and said he told an investigator: "I did it for the Islamic State." The weeklong trial featured surveillance video of Ullah the morning when his pipe bomb barely exploded, seriously burning him in a corridor beneath Times Square and the Port Authority bus terminal, where most subway lines converge. Ullah, 28, of Brooklyn, was confronted with his post-arrest statements and his social media comments, such as when he taunted Trump on Facebook before the attack. Within hours of Ullah's blast, Trump was assailing the immigration system that had allowed Ullah - and multitudes of law-abiding Bangladeshis - to enter the U.S. Ullah got an entry visa in 2011 because he had an uncle who was already a U.S. citizen. Trump said allowing foreigners to follow relatives to the U.S. was "incompatible with national security." Authorities said Ullah's radicalization began in 2014 when he started viewing materials online, including a video instructing Islamic State supporters to carry out attacks in their homelands. In closing arguments Monday, Assistant U.S. Attorney George Turner said Ullah told investigators after his arrest that he wanted to avenge U.S. aggression toward the Islamic State group and had chosen a busy weekday morning to attack so he could terrorize as many people as possible. Ullah's attorney, Amy Gallicchio, told jurors Ullah was not a terrorist and wanted to die alone. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Crowley disputed that. "It was about martyrdom, not suicide," she said. MOUNT PLEASANT, Iowa (AP) - An Iowa man was convicted Tuesday of first-degree murder in the death of his infant son who was found in a maggot-infested baby swing last year. Jurors took less than an hour to convict Zachary Paul Koehn, 29, of Alta Vista, of first-degree murder and child endangerment causing death, the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports . The murder conviction carries a mandatory prison sentence of life without parole. Koehn had blamed his son's mother for the death of 4-month-old Sterling Koehn. A trial is pending for the 21-year-old mother, Cheyanne Harris. Koehn and Harris were arrested after medics were called to an Alta Vista apartment on Aug. 30, 2017, and found the infant dead in a swing in a dark, sweltering back bedroom. An autopsy showed he'd died of malnutrition, dehydration and an E. coli infection caused by being left in a maggot-infested diaper for up to two weeks. Koehn's defense team had argued that he had entrusted care of the baby to Harris, saying he had been working 70 to 80 hours a week as a trucker to provide for his family. His attorneys said Koehn simply failed to notice signs that Harris may have been suffering from depression, which kept her from caring for the baby. But prosecutors argued that Koehn was a meth user who also provided Harris with drugs. Zachary Koehn is lead out of the courthouse after he was convicted of first-degree murder on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. Koehn was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of his infant son who was found in a maggot-infested baby swing last year.(Jeff Reinitz/The Courier via AP) Assistant Attorney General Denise Timmins told jurors that Koehn was home often enough to know that the baby wasn't being cared for and did nothing to help him. "He let Sterling rot in that room. He left him there to die," Timmins said. Koehn's trial was moved from Chickasaw County to Henry County to counter pretrial publicity in the case. ___ Information from: Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, http://www.wcfcourier.com IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - A Roman Catholic diocese issued an apology Tuesday for covering up an Iowa priest's sexual abuse of boys for decades and promised to identify all priests who have faced credible allegations. The actions by the Diocese of Sioux City come in response to an investigation by The Associated Press, which last week broke the church's 32-year silence on serial abuse by the Rev. Jerome Coyle. In a lengthy statement Tuesday, the diocese said more disclosures of misconduct may be forthcoming. It urged all victims to come forward and vowed to use their reports and other files to create and publish a list of credibly accused priests - a step the diocese had long resisted. Coyle admitted to then-Bishop Lawrence Soens in 1986 to having sexually abused 50 boys over a 20-year period. The diocese said that it should have notified parishes and asked victims to come forward back then, and apologized that its former leaders failed to do so. Instead, the diocese sent Coyle to a treatment center for accused priests in New Mexico, where he lived and worked as a civilian for decades. The diocese said that its current leadership should have notified the public this summer when Coyle was placed at a retirement home near a Catholic school, which he moved out of last week following AP's disclosure of his history. But the statement said that its bishop, R. Walker Nickless, "inherited many issues from the past," including the challenging of finding housing for accused priests who were never charged and aren't listed as sex offenders. "What do we do with these men? We know that you do not want them in your community. Many care facilities will not, or cannot, take them. Their families sometimes will take them in, but not always," said the statement, issued through diocese spokeswoman Susan O'Brien. This August 2010 photo provided by Reuben Ortiz, shows retired Catholic priest Jerome Coyle in Albuquerque, N.M. An Associated Press investigation shows that the diocese based in Sioux City, Iowa, quietly transferred Coyle to New Mexico for treatment after he acknowledged in 1986 that he had sexually abused roughly 50 Iowa boys over a 20-year period. (Reuben Ortiz via AP) The diocese indicated that other accused priests were sent for treatment, rather than investigated by police, and "we know now that is not the way to handle any allegation of sexual misconduct." The statement noted that the former bishop, Soens, is now 92 and lives in a Catholic retirement home in Sioux City. After retiring in 1998, he was accused of abusing boys when he was a priest and principal in the 1960s in Iowa City, and the Diocese of Davenport paid settlements to his accusers. The statement said that Soens has not faced any misconduct allegations stemming from his tenure in Sioux City. As for Coyle, the diocese continues to pay his pension because he is entitled to those benefits by law, the statement said. NEW YORK (AP) - The Latest on the conviction of a Bangladeshi immigrant in last December's New York City subway pipe bomb attack: 5:20 p.m. A member of the jury that convicted a Bangladeshi immigrant in a failed subway pipe bombing attack says he may have swayed some jurors if he'd testified. Juror Linda Artis says she doesn't think Akayed Ullah carried out the Dec. 11 attack for the Islamic State group, despite prosecutors' claims he did. Ullah could face life behind bars after his Tuesday conviction. The bomb sputtered and only Ullah was seriously hurt. Artis spoke to reporters after the verdict was announced in Manhattan federal court. FILE - In this Jan. 11, 2018 court room file drawing, U.S. Marshals escort defendant Akayed Ullah, center, into court in New York for his arraignment on charges of setting off a pipe bomb in New York City's busiest subway station at rush hour last Dec. 11. A guilty verdict against the Bangladeshi immigrant was returned on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Manhattan federal court.(Elizabeth Williams via AP, File) She says evidence was overwhelming that Ullah set off a bomb, but why he did it was in doubt. She says the law is too vague and she hopes a lot of people don't get labeled a terrorist if they are "just a random whack job." ___ 4:35 p.m. Manhattan's top federal prosecutor says the conviction of a Bangladeshi immigrant in a failed subway pipe bombing attack meant as a political attack comes fittingly on Election Day. U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said after Tuesday's conviction of Akayed Ullah that the timing of the conviction "fittingly underscores the core principles of American democracy and spirit." Berman says Americans engage in the political process through votes, not violence. After he was convicted, Ullah told U.S. District Judge Richard Sullivan that prosecutors were wrong to insist he carried out the attack on behalf of the Islamic State group. He says he was angry at President Donald Trump for saying he would bomb the Middle East. At sentencing April 5, the Brooklyn resident faces a mandatory 30 years in prison and possibly life. ___ 4 p.m. A Bangladeshi immigrant convicted of terrorism charges after setting off a pipe bomb in New York City's busiest subway station at rush hour insists he didn't do it for the Islamic State group. After the Manhattan jury announced its verdict Tuesday, Akayed Ullah spoke out. He told U.S. District Judge Richard Sullivan he was angry at President Donald Trump for threatening to bomb the Middle East when he carried out the attack last December. His bomb fizzled and only Ullah was seriously hurt. The defense said Ullah intended to kill only himself. Prosecutors said he wanted to maim or kill commuters as part of a "lone wolf" attack. Ullah faces a mandatory 30-year prison sentence and possible life. Sentencing is set for April 5. ___ 2:19 p.m. A Bangladeshi immigrant who set off a pipe bomb in New York City's busiest subway station at rush hour has been convicted of terrorism charges. The verdict against Akayed Ullah was returned on Tuesday in Manhattan federal court. The defense said Ullah intended to kill only himself last Dec. 11. Nobody died and most of the injuries were not serious. Prosecutors said he wanted to maim or kill commuters as part of a "lone wolf" terrorist attack on behalf of the Islamic State group. They disputed the defense claim, saying Ullah would not have worn a bomb had he wanted to kill only himself. They also cited social media postings by Ullah as well as comments he made after his arrest to investigators. GREELEY, Colo. (AP) - A Colorado man charged with killing his pregnant wife and two daughters pleaded guilty Tuesday under a plea deal allowing him to avoid the death penalty but putting him in jail for life without a chance of parole. Christopher Watts entered his plea Tuesday during a court hearing, replying "guilty" nine times in response to Judge Marcelo Kopcow's reading of each charge against him in the deaths of Shanann Watts, 34, and their children, Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3. Watts' voice was shaking, and he could occasionally be heard sniffing after each time he said "guilty." Her parents, Frank Rzucek and Sandra Onorati Rzucek, and her brother, Frankie Rzucek, watched from a front row of the packed courtroom. The agreement also required Watts to plead guilty to unlawful termination of Shanann Watts' pregnancy, a felony in Colorado. Family members have said she planned to name the boy Nico. The deal also ensures that Watts, who is 33, will consecutively serve each sentence for that charge and the murders of his wife and daughters. "He deserves a life sentence for each and every act," Weld County District Attorney Michael Rourke said. FILE - In this Aug. 16, 2018, file photo, Christopher Watts is escorted into the courtroom before his bond hearing at the Weld County Courthouse in Greeley, Colo. The Colorado man, charged with killing his pregnant wife and two daughters, has pleaded guilty Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, under a plea deal that will allow him to avoid the death penalty. (Joshua Polson/The Greeley Tribune via AP, Pool, file) Rourke said he and another prosecutor visited Shanann Watts' family in North Carolina last month to discuss the odds of a death penalty sentence being carried out. Rourke said he described "extraordinary delays" in carrying out the death penalty in Colorado since Gov. John Hickenlooper's 2013 decision to block the execution of Nathan Dunlap. Hickenlooper also expressed doubts at the time about the use of the death penalty generally. Shanann Watts' family members "were very strongly in favor of a resolution in this case short of the death penalty," Rourke said. He recalled her mother, Sandra, saying Christopher Watts "made the choice" to take the lives of his family members. "I do not want to be in the position of making the choice to take his," Rourke said, quoting Sandra. "That's about as firmly as she could have said it to me." The Rzucek family watched from a row of chairs, holding hands, as Rourke spoke to reporters but did not speak. Rourke said they may decide to testify when Christopher Watts is formally sentenced on Nov. 19. Watts is represented by the Office of the Colorado State Public Defender, which does not comment on pending cases. Watts, a former oil and gas worker, was charged in August with killing his pregnant wife and their daughters inside their home in Frederick, a community in the oil and gas fields north of Denver. Police have said Watts then drove their bodies to an oil site owned by his former employer. The girls' bodies were found submerged in an oil tank, and Shanann Watts' body was found in a shallow grave. Investigators claimed in the documents that Watts admitted to police that he killed his wife. But he told police that he strangled her in "a rage" when he discovered she had strangled their two daughters after he sought a separation. Rourke said Tuesday that investigators never believed that Watts was being entirely truthful. "The spotlight that he tried to shine on Shanann - falsely, incorrectly and frankly a flat-out lie - has been corrected," Rourke said. "The spotlight shines directly where it belongs: On him." VATICAN CITY (AP) - More bones were found on the grounds of the Vatican embassy in Italy, adding grisly new evidence to the growing mystery over who was buried on Holy See territory and why. As police returned to the compound Tuesday, coroner Giovanni Arcudi said preliminary examinations of bones found last week indicated they belonged to a woman likely in her 30s, "not an adolescent." The finding is significant since speculation has focused on whether the bones were Emanuela Orlandi's. She was the daughter of a Vatican employee who disappeared in 1983 at age 15. Despite the age of the bones, the Orlandi family lawyer, Laura Sgro, told the ANSA news agency her clients are waiting for DNA results. Some have hypothesized Emanuela wasn't killed immediately, but instead held for years against her will. NEW YORK (AP) - The man accused of sending pipe bombs to prominent critics of President Donald Trump was ordered held without bail after his first court appearance in New York on Tuesday. Cesar Sayoc, who was transferred from federal custody in Florida, hugged his lawyer after a hearing in which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jane Kim called him "a serious risk of danger to the public and a flight risk." Sayoc has been accused of sending improvised explosive devices to numerous Democrats, Trump critics and media outlets in a scare that heightened tensions before the crucial midterm elections Tuesday. None of the devices exploded, and no one was injured in the pipe bomb scare. He was arrested outside a South Florida auto parts store. He was living in a van covered with stickers of Trump and showing images of some of the president's opponents with red crosshairs over their faces. Sayoc faces nearly 50 years in prison if convicted on five federal charges that were filed in New York because some of the devices were recovered there. Assistant Federal Defender Sarah Baumgartel declined to comment after the hearing, in which Sayoc presented himself as polite and soft-spoken and responded "Yes, sir" to the judge's questions. He wore navy blue jail scrubs and a gray pony tail. In this courtroom sketch, pipe bombs suspect Cesar Sayoc seated in court, raises his arm to swear to the truth of his statement of need for assigned counsel, during his presentment in Manhattan Federal Court Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in New York. Sayoc, who faces charges for allegedly mailing more than a dozen explosive devices to prominent Democrats, CNN and critics of Republican President Donald Trump, has been ordered held without bail in New York. At left is Federal Defender Sarah Baumgartel, while standing far right are U.S. marshals. (Elizabeth Williams via AP) At one point during the hearing, which lasted less than 10 minutes, Sayoc told U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Lehrburger that he understood his rights "100 percent." He appeared taken aback, however, when Lehrburger noted that Sayoc is charged with assaulting federal officials, among other counts. His lawyers decided not to seek his release on bail after prosecutors released a letter outlining more evidence against him, including DNA linking him to 10 of the explosive devices and fingerprints on two of them. Other evidence includes online searches Sayoc did on his laptop and cellphone for addresses and photos of some of his intended targets, which included former President Barack Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Vice President Joe Biden, California Sen. Kamala Harris and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker. Packages were also mailed to CNN in New York and Atlanta. Prosecutors say the most recent crude bomb was recovered Friday in California, addressed to the liberal activist Tom Steyer. Sayoc is scheduled to return to federal court Monday for a preliminary hearing. While Sayoc's attorneys have not commented on his mental health, his mother wrote a letter to ABC News saying he has suffered from mental illness for years. "While I have not lived with my son for 35 years or even heard from him in over four years, I cannot express how deeply hurt, sad, shocked and confused I am to hear that my son may have caused so many people to be put in fear for their safety," Madeline Sayoc wrote in the letter, according to ABC News. "This is not how I raised him or my children." The US Commerce Department has said it would impose final anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on Chinese common alloy aluminum sheet products of 96.3 percent to 176.2 percent, Reuters has reported. The decision marks the first time that final duties were issued in a trade remedy case initiated by the US government since 1985, the report said. The Trump administration has promised a more aggressive approach to trade enforcement by having the Commerce Department launch more anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on behalf of private industry, Reuters said. The final aluminum sheet duties, however, were reduced from those first imposed in April and July. The initial combined range was 198.4 percent to 280.46 percent. In 2017, imports of common alloy aluminum sheet from China were valued at an estimated $900 million, the Commerce Department said. The flat-rolled product is used in transportation, building and construction, infrastructure, electrical and marine applications. -Reuters WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - A couple has received the maximum sentence for torturing and killing a Kansas man in a crime that the judge called "horrific beyond imagination." Jeff and Heidi Hillard were recently convicted of participating in the November 2016 killing of 33-year-old Scottie Goodpaster Jr. of Wichita. Both were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 50 years. Prosecutors say Goodpaster and a woman were kidnapped because of $185 in missing drug money. Goodpaster was attacked at a home in Valley Center with an ax, knife and staple gun, and suffered genital injuries. His body was found hanging from a tree six days later. Jeff Hillard was sentenced to another 27 years for other crimes, while Heidi HIllard received an additional 44 years. Those sentences will run consecutively to the life sentences. Attorneys for both defendants say they will appeal the sentences. MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - A man convicted of first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of a police officer in Tennessee was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Lee Coffee read the sentence for 41-year-old Tremaine Wilbourn after a jury recommended the punishment. Prosecutors had sought the death penalty. The same jury found Wilbourn guilty of first-degree murder, carjacking and weapons charges in the August 2015 killing of Officer Sean Bolton in Memphis. Bolton, who was white, is one of four police officers to be fatally shot in Memphis since July 2011. Wilbourn is black. Wilbourn agreed to serve life in prison without parole in a deal offered by prosecutors after his conviction Sunday. But Bolton's family rejected the deal and a sentencing hearing was held. During the sentencing hearing, a witness testified that Wilbourn had a troubled childhood and suffered from depression after his mother abandoned Wilbourn and her other children to be raised by another person, news outlets reported. Police said Bolton interrupted a drug deal in a car Wilbourn occupied in a residential neighborhood. Wilbourn got out of the vehicle, and he and Bolton got into a physical struggle. Wilbourn took out a gun and shot Bolton, police said. A witness called police through the officer's radio. An autopsy report shows Bolton, 33, was shot eight times. Wilbourn already has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison on weapons charges related to Bolton's killing. In court documents during his federal trial, prosecutors said Wilbourn carjacked a vehicle a few minutes after the shooting, telling the motorist that "he needed the car because he had just shot a police officer." His lawyer, Juni Ganguli, said during the state trial that his client did not intend to kill Bolton. After Bolton's shooting, Wilbourn led officers on an intense, two-day manhunt before turning himself in to U.S. marshals. At the time of the shooting, Wilbourn was on federal probation after serving prison time for armed bank robbery. Bolton's death three years ago came about two weeks after 19-year-old Darrius Stewart was fatally shot during a struggle with Officer Connor Schilling during a fight after a traffic stop. Stewart was black. Schilling was white. A grand jury declined to charge Schilling in Stewart's shooting. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on U.S. Senate elections (all times local): 3:21 a.m. Democrat Jacky Rosen has defeated incumbent Republican Dean Heller in a hard-fought battle for a U.S. Senate seat in Nevada, giving Democrats a key pickup in the chamber. Rosen on Tuesday ousted Heller, who has been in office since he was appointed to fill a vacancy in 2011. Heller was considered the most vulnerable Republican running for re-election to the U.S. Senate this year as the only one seeking another term in a state that Hillary Clinton won in 2016. He conceded earlier in the night. Heller was once a critic of President Donald Trump, but the two have become allies. Rosen painted Heller as a rubber stamp for the president and counted on backlash to Trump to help her oust the incumbent. Rep. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., motions to the crowd at a Democratic election night party after wining a Senate seat Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher) Rosen's win puts Nevada with half a dozen other states represented by U.S. senators who are both female. Nevada's other senator is Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto. ___ 2:39 a.m. U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein has won a fifth full term representing California after shaking off a challenge from a fellow Democrat who argued she hasn't been tough in confronting President Donald Trump. Feinstein defeated state Sen. Kevin de Leon. Voters first sent Feinstein to Washington in 1992. At 85, she is the oldest current U.S. senator. She faced a fellow Democrat because of California's system that sends the two candidates who win the most primary votes to the general election. The race failed to generate much excitement, with Democrats more focused on winning seats in the U.S. House than on a safe Senate seat. Feinstein argued that her experience and tenure in Washington made her the best person to serve California. ___ 1:40 a.m. Maine's independent Sen. Angus King has withstood a challenge from opponents on his ideological right and left to retain his seat. King, a popular former Maine governor, defeated Republican state Sen. Eric Brakey and Democratic activists Zak Ringelstein to win a second term on Tuesday. King caucuses with the Democrats and was first elected to the Senate in 2012. Tuesday's election was the first U.S. Senate race to use Maine's ranked-choice style of voting. Brakey or Ringelstein could have forced additional voting rounds under the system if King had fallen short of 50 percent of the popular vote. But King, who has long been popular with Maine voters, had a decisive win. _____ 11:55 p.m. Republican Josh Hawley has unseated Missouri's Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill in a national victory for the GOP. Republicans have long hoped to flip McCaskill's seat in the increasingly Republican state. Missouri was once considered a bellwether known for picking the successful presidential candidate, but it's since lost that status and trended right. President Donald Trump won the state by nearly 19 percentage points. Missouri's attorney general pinned his campaign to his support for the president. McCaskill was one of 10 Democratic Senate incumbents up for re-election in states Trump won. Voters first elected McCaskill to the Senate in 2006. She won re-election in 2012 after Republican candidate Todd Akin said women's bodies can prevent pregnancy in cases of "legitimate rape." ___ 11:40 p.m. Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell has won re-election in Washington, beating Republican challenger Susan Hutchison. Cantwell easily outdistanced Hutchison, a former Seattle TV anchor and state GOP chairwoman. Cantwell is a former tech executive who previously served one term in the U.S. House and six years as a state representative in the state Legislature. She will be serving her fourth term. It's been nearly a quarter century since the GOP has captured a major statewide race in Washington. The last time voters sent a Republican to the U.S. Senate was 1994, when Sen. Slade Gorton was re-elected to his final term before being ousted by Cantwell in 2000. ___ 11:25 p.m. Democrat Debbie Stabenow of Michigan has won a fourth term in the Senate, defeating Republican challenger John James. Stabenow campaigned as a pragmatic lawmaker who forges bipartisan agreement despite the partisan rancor in Washington. She cited her work shaping farm legislation and pushing a new law that allows pharmacists to tell consumers when they can save on prescriptions by paying cash instead of using insurance. The 68-year-old Stabenow criticized President Trump's attempt to slash federal funding for the Great Lakes. She said James would have been an unabashed enthusiast of Trump with no governing experience. James is a black combat veteran and business executive. Trump won Michigan in 2016. He called James "a star" candidate. ___ 11:15 p.m. Mississippi's U.S. Senate special election is headed to a runoff, and the state's voters will either elect a woman to the office for the first time ever or a black man for the first time since Reconstruction. Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith and Democrat Mike Espy advanced Tuesday from a field of four. They compete in a Nov. 27 runoff, and the winner will serve the final two years of a term started by Republican Sen. Thad Cochran, who retired in April. Republican Gov. Phil Bryant appointed Hyde-Smith, who was state agriculture commissioner, to temporarily succeed Cochran until the special election is decided. She is the first woman to represent Mississippi in Congress, but no woman has been elected to the job from the state. She is endorsed by President Donald Trump. Espy is a former congressman and former U.S. agriculture secretary. ___ 11:10 p.m. Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii has defeated Republican Ron Curtis to win a second term. Hirono had an advantage going into Tuesday's midterm election as an incumbent with broad name recognition. Her challenger is a retired engineer who had never run for public office. Hirono has served in the legislature, as lieutenant governor and as U.S. representative. The 71-year-old kept a relatively low profile early on in the Senate, but has gained attention for her outspoken opposition to President Donald Trump and his policies. Hirono urged men to "shut up and step up" when the Senate was considering confirming Justice Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court. Some Hawaii voters cheered the statement, while others accused her of being anti-male. ___ 11:10 p.m. Democratic Sen. Tina Smith has won Minnesota's special election to finish the final two years of former Sen. Al Franken's term. Smith defeated Republican state Sen. Karin Housley on Tuesday. The election was a 10-month sprint, triggered in January after Franken resigned amid a growing sexual misconduct scandal. Smith got a head start in the race when she was appointed to take the seat by Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton. Smith was Dayton's lieutenant governor and former top aide. Housley tried to brand Smith as a political insider. But national Republican groups largely bypassed Housley's race, sinking resources instead into more winnable races in states like North Dakota and Indiana. ___ 11:10 p.m. Republican Sen. Deb Fischer has cruised to a second term in Nebraska, defeating Lincoln city councilwoman Jane Raybould. Fischer won Tuesday despite Raybould's efforts to cast the first-term incumbent as a Washington insider who sided with her party even when it was harmful to the GOP-friendly state. Raybould pitched herself to voters as an outsider who would look for ways to lower health care costs. Fischer rejected the criticism and noted her work on Senate committees focused on agriculture and the military, both important areas to Nebraska with its farm economy and Offutt Air Force Base. The candidates differed on their support for new U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who faced sexual assault allegations during his confirmation process. Kavanaugh denied the allegations. Fischer voted to confirm Kavanaugh, while Raybould said the allegations merited further investigation. ___ 11 p.m. Republican Marsha Blackburn has won a grueling, expensive contest to become the first female U.S. senator from Tennessee. The congresswoman defeated Democratic former Gov. Phil Bredesen on Tuesday by closely aligning her bid with President Donald Trump. The president made three visits to the state for her. Blackburn has sought to undermine Bredesen's reputation as an independent thinker by tying him to national Democrats at every turn. Blackburn was first elected to the House in 2002 and has called herself a "hardcore, card-carrying Tennessee conservative." Blackburn will replace retiring Republican Sen. Bob Corker. She represents a rightward shift from Corker and other more centrist senators that Tennessee has historically elected. ___ 10:50 p.m. Republicans have retained Senate control for two more years, shattering Democrats' dreams of an anti-Trump wave sweeping them into majority. The result was all but assured when Republican Kevin Cramer ousted North Dakota Democratic Sen. Heidi Heitkamp and when Republican businessman Mike Braun ousted Sen. Joe Donnelly in Indiana. Meanwhile, Sen. Ted Cruz fended off a spirited challenge from Democratic Rep. Beto O'Rourke, and Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn triumphed in Tennessee. The GOP's gains come even as the results in Nevada and Arizona have yet to be determined. ___ 10:45 p.m. Former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has handily won a U.S. Senate seat in his adopted home state of Utah after a campaign where he backed off his once-fierce criticism of Donald Trump. Romney clinched the win Tuesday as he defeated Democrat Jenny Wilson, a member of the Salt Lake County council. Romney was the heavy favorite to win the seat in conservative Utah, where he holds near-celebrity status as the first Mormon presidential nominee from a major party. He replaces longtime Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch, who chose not to seek re-election. Romney denounced Trump as a "fraud" and a "phony" during the 2016 campaign, but has since said he approves of many Trump policies. ___ 10:30 p.m. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz fended off rising-star Democrat Beto O'Rourke to win re-election in a much-watched Texas race that began as a cakewalk but needed a visit from President Donald Trump to help push the incumbent over the top. Cruz finished a surprising second in the 2016 Republican presidential primary and began the Senate race as a prohibitive favorite. But O'Rourke visited fiercely conservative parts of the state that his party had long since given up on, while shattering fundraising records despite shunning donations from outside political groups and pollster advice. Cruz argued that his opponent's support for gun control and universal health care were too liberal for Texas. Trump and Cruz were bitter 2016 rivals, but the president visited Houston late last month to solidify the senator's win. ___ 10:15 p.m. Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia has turned back a challenge by Republican Patrick Morrisey to win his second full-term in a state carried by President Donald Trump. Manchin survived the most difficult re-election campaign of his career against the comparative newcomer Morrisey. Manchin is a former governor who has held elected office in West Virginia for the better part of three decades. Manchin heavily outspent Morrisey and portrayed himself as loyal to his home state rather than party ideology. Manchin was the only Senate Democrat to vote to confirm Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Manchin was critical of Morrisey's New Jersey roots and his past lobbying ties to the pharmaceutical industry. Morrisey is a two-term state attorney general and a staunch Trump supporter. ___ 10 p.m. Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin has won a second term, fending off a challenge from a Republican who ran as a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump. Baldwin led Leah Vukmir in fundraising and polls throughout the race. Baldwin is one of the most liberal members of Congress. The differences between her and Vukmir were stark. They disagreed on almost every issue. Baldwin made the campaign largely about health care and Vukmir's opposition to the Affordable Care Act. Baldwin argued for keeping the law and its guarantee of insurance coverage for people with pre-existing conditions. The race was Wisconsin's first for Senate where both major party candidates were women. ___ 9:50 a.m. Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar has easily won a third term in Minnesota. Klobuchar defeated Republican state Rep. Jim Newberger on Tuesday. It comes as Klobuchar's name swirls amid the crop of potential Democratic presidential candidates for 2020. The race was never close. Newberger is a little-known state lawmaker who struggled to raise money against the popular Klobuchar. Republicans put far more focus on the state's other Senate race to complete the last two years of Al Franken's term. State Sen. Karin Housley is carrying the party's hopes in that race against Democratic Sen. Tina Smith. ___ For AP's complete coverage of the U.S. midterm elections: http://apne.ws/APPolitics U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, left, gestures toward supporters before speaking at an election night event in San Francisco, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) Sen. Angus King, an independent, and his daughter, Molly Herman, show their optimism for King's re-election chances, outside a polling place, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Brunswick, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Shirley Gilman from Springfield, Mo., cheers after hearing election returns during an election watch party for Missouri Attorney General and Republican Senate candidate Josh Hawley Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018 in Springfield, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Susan Hutchison, right, the Republican challenging Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., for her U.S. Senate seat, speaks Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, at a Republican election-night gathering in Issaquah, Wash. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) FILE - In this Oct. 15, 2018 file photo, Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., addresses the Detroit Economic Club before debating her Republican challenger John James in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) Incumbent Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico speaks at a New Mexico Democratic rally in Albuquerque, N.M., on Monday, Nov. 5, 2018. New Mexico candidates for governor, a lone Senate seat and two open congressional districts barnstormed through major cities Monday to rally supporters in the wake of record-breaking early voter turnout. (AP Photo/Russell Contreras) FILE- In this Nov. 1, 2018, file photo, Sen. Joe Manchin speaks to reporters after a debate with Patrick Morrisey in Morgantown, W.Va. Manchin goes after a second full term in the Senate on Tuesday, Nov. 6, against comparative political newcomer Patrick Morrisey, the two-term Republican state attorney general hoping to ride plenty of attention from Trump in recent months to victory. (AP Photo/Raymond Thompson, File) U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar speaks to the media after she arrives at the Intercontinental Hotel for DFL headquarters election night party Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in St. Paul, Minn. (Aaron Lavinsky/Star Tribune via AP) Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., leaves the stage after answering questions during the final hour of voting in Indiana in Indianapolis Tuesday Nov. 6, 2018. Donnelly faces Republican Mike Braun in the US Senate race. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, votes while holding his granddaughter, Ela Molina, 1, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long) Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., feeds his ballot into the vote counting machine as he votes in Richmond, Va., Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. Kaine is running against Republican Corey Stewart. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) Incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., leaves her polling place after voting Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Kirkwood, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) Rep. Beto O'Rourke, the 2018 Democratic Candidate for the Senate in Texas, waves to supporters as he leaves a polling place with his family after voting, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in El Paso, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) Former Gov. Phil Bredesen votes Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. Bredesen is running against Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., for the U.S. Senate. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey) Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks during a campaign event Monday, Nov. 5, 2018, in Cypress, Texas. Cruz is being challenged by Democratic U.S. Representative Beto O'Rourke. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump was a dominant force in the 2018 midterm elections as attitudes toward the polarizing leader influenced the decisions of nearly two-thirds of voters. Thirty-eight percent of voters cast their ballots to express opposition to the president, according to AP VoteCast, a national survey of the electorate, while 26 percent said they voted to express support for Trump. While Trump was not on the ballot, his controversial administration animated voters on both sides of the aisle, with 2018 likely to set turnout records for a midterm election. Democrats have been activated in opposition to Trump since the moment of his election, while in recent weeks Trump has driven Republicans to the polls by trying to cast the race as a referendum on his administration. The outcome of Tuesday's races was mixed: Democratic control of the House stands to alter the course of the Trump presidency, while Republican victories in key Senate and gubernatorial races pointed to the enduring strength of the Trump coalition. The snapshot of who voted and why comes from VoteCast, a nationwide survey of more than 116,000 voters and about 22,000 nonvoters conducted for The Associated Press by NORC at the University of Chicago. Heading into Election Day, Democrats pinned their hopes of retaking the House, and ultimately the White House, on women and minority voters, particularly in suburban districts. Republicans looked to retain their majorities by preserving support among the bloc of voters who propelled Trump to the White House in 2016. Kristen Leach votes with her six-month-old daughter, Nora, on election day in Atlanta, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/David Goldman) There were reasons for both sides to be emboldened by Tuesday's results. According to VoteCast, women voted considerably more in favor of their congressional Democratic candidate: About 6 in 10 voted for the Democrat, compared with 4 in 10 for the Republican. Men, by contrast, were more evenly divided in their vote. Urbanites voted almost 2 to 1 in favor of Democrats, and small-town and rural voters cast votes for Republicans by a significant, but smaller margin. In suburban areas, where key House races were being decided, voters skewed significantly toward Democrats by an 8-point margin. Non-white voters cast ballots for Democrats by a roughly 3-to-1 margin. Democrats needed to gain a net of at least 23 seats in the House and two seats in the Senate to win majorities in the respective chambers. They secured the first, but it was Republicans who won the night for the statewide seats. Ahead of the election, both parties claimed the emotionally charged debate over the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh would motivate their supporters to turn out. Kavanaugh faced multiple allegations of sexual misconduct from his youth, which he denied. According to VoteCast, half of voters said the tumultuous process was very important to their vote and they broke for the Democratic House candidate. Still, an overwhelming majority of voters in both parties said the Kavanaugh debate was at least somewhat important to their vote. And in North Dakota, where Republicans picked up a seat that helped them hold onto control of the Senate, voters concerned about Kavanaugh broke strongly toward the GOP. Both parties' closing messages appeared to have animated their respective bases, according to VoteCast, with health care and immigration each described as the most important issues in the election by about 25 percent of voters. Of those who listed health care as the most important issue facing the nation, about 3 in 4 voted for the Democratic candidate. About the same percentage of voters who described immigration as the most important issue cast ballots for the Republican. Opposition to Trump proved to be more a motivating factor for Democrats than support for the president a factor for Republicans. Still, Republican voters tended to be overwhelmingly supportive of the president. More voters disapproved of Trump's job performance than approved - a finding that is largely consistent with recent polling. Voters scored Trump positively on the economy and for standing up "for what he believes in." But the president received negative marks from voters on temperament and trustworthiness. Still, about one-third of voters said Trump was not a factor in their votes. With the final days of the 2018 campaign interrupted by a spate of politically motivated attempted bombings and a massacre at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, about 2 in 10 Democratic and Republican voters think their own party's way of talking about politics is leading to an increase in violence. VoteCast debuted Tuesday, replacing the in-person exit poll as a source of detailed information about the American electorate. Developed with NORC at the University of Chicago, it combines a random sample survey of registered voters and a massive poll conducted via opt-in online panels. The resulting research has the accuracy of random sampling and the depth provided by an online poll that interviews tens of thousands. VoteCast results cannot be reliably compared to the results of previous exit polls, as the two surveys use different methodologies to poll the electorate. Differences between the two may be the result of differences in survey methods, rather than real changes in opinions or makeup of the electorate over time. ___ AP VoteCast is a survey of the American electorate conducted in all 50 states by NORC at the University of Chicago for The Associated Press and Fox News. The survey of 116,792 voters and 22,137 nonvoters was conducted Oct. 29 to Nov. 6, concluding as polls close on Election Day. It combines interviews in English and Spanish with a random sample of registered voters drawn from state voter files; with self-identified registered voters conducted using NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population; and with self-identified registered voters selected from nonprobability online panels. Participants selected from state voter files were contacted by phone and mail, and had the opportunity to take the survey by phone or online. The margin of sampling error for voters is estimated to be plus or minus 0.5 percentage points. All surveys are subject to multiple sources of error, including sampling, question wording and order, and nonresponse. Find more details about AP VoteCast's methodology at http://www.ap.org/votecast. HONOLULU (AP) - The Latest on Hawaii's Nov. 6 general election: 4:35 p.m. Gaum has elected its first female governor. Voters on Tuesday elected Democrat Lourdes Leon Guerrero. She defeated Republican Lt. Gov. Ray Tenorio. Leon Guerrero said her victory as the first woman governor is historic for the island and that part of the world. She called her victory humbling and an honor. She says her skills as a former nurse, successful businesswoman and state senator will improve the lives of the people of Guam, a U.S. territory in the western Pacific. Her first order of business will be to work with the Department of Revenue and Taxation to stabilize finances and streamline bureaucracy. FILE - In this Jan. 30, 2018 file photo, Hawaii Democratic Gov. David Ige speaks during a news conference about the state's mistaken missile report in Honolulu. He is challenged by Republican candidate for governor Andria Tupola in November. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones, File) Guam overwhelmingly voted for Hillary Clinton with more than 70 percent of votes cast in 2016. As a territory, Guam's vote didn't count in the official count of votes. ___ 4:10 p.m. Meghan McCormick-Ugalino, a special education teacher living in Honolulu, said that while she doesn't align with either party, she tends to be more liberal and vote for Democrats. After casting her ballot Tuesday, McCormick-Ugalino, 32, said she voted for Gov. David Ige, but not necessarily because she likes the incumbent. She said Republican candidate for governor state Rep. Andria Tupola has strong ideas. However, some of the fighting between Tupola and her running mate Marissa Kerns turned her off. McCormick-Ugalino said she does like Ige's running mate, Dr. Josh Green, mostly because he believes in medical equity and understands what it's like to work and live in Hawaii. "As a teacher with a low salary it really helps to vote for someone who understands what it's like to have to work every day to make a living here," she said of Green. ___ 11:40 a.m. Brittany Jeffers of Honolulu says Gov. David Ige of the Democratic Party deserves to be re-elected to another term to finish what he needs to get done. The 29-year-old property manager says he's a good governor. Voters are at the polls Tuesday to cast their ballots in the midterm elections. Polls wills stay open until 6 p.m. Robert Hackman says he voted for Republican Andria Tupola for governor. The Honolulu retiree says Hawaii has been ruled for too long by one party, and it hasn't done a very good job. He says he voted in favor of a two-party system. Candidates are also facing off in races for Senate, House, state Legislature, county council and Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Maui and Kauai counties are holding mayoral elections. ___ 1 a.m. Polls in Hawaii will be opening at 7 a.m. Voters will decide who they want to be governor and lieutenant governor for the next four years. Gov. David Ige is seeking another a second term. His running mate on the Democratic ticket is Dr. Josh Green, a state senator from the Big Island. State Rep. Andria Tupola is challenging Ige. Her Republican Party running mate is Marissa Kerns. U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono is hoping voters will send her back to Washington for a second six-year term. Her Republican opponent is retired engineer Ron Curtis. Democrat Ed Case faces Republican Cam Cavasso in the race for the 1st Congressional District. Republican Brian Evans is challenging Democrat Tulsi Gabbard in Hawaii's other U.S. House seat. Polls close at 6 p.m. In this Oct. 16, 2018 photo provided by the Curtis For Senate campaign, Hawaii Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate Ron Curtis waves at commuters on Nimitz Highway in Honolulu. He is running against incumbent Democrat Mazie Hirono. (Ahava Lee Lane/Curtis For Senate via AP) In this Oct. 17, 2018 photo, Republican candidate for Hawaii governor Andria Tupola speaks to a woman at a campaign event in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Audrey McAvoy) FILE - In this April 6, 2018 file photo, Republican state Rep. Andria Tupola speaks at a forum in Honolulu. Tupola said one of her primary focuses as governor would be to address affordable housing. She is running against incumbent Democratic Gov. David Ige. (Dennis Oda/Honolulu Star-Advertiser via AP, File) FILE - In this Tuesday, April 11, 2017 file photo, Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard speaks at the Kona Town Hall Meeting at Kealakehe Intermediate School in Kona, Hawaii. She is running against Republican Brian Evans for Hawaii's second congressional seat. (Laura Ruminski/West Hawaii Today via AP, File) KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - An Afghan official says the Taliban have killed eight police and wounded three others in new attacks on security posts in western Farah province. An insurgent attack on an Afghan border base in Pusht Koh in Farah on Monday killed 20 troops while 20 others were abducted. A member of the provincial council, Dadullah Qani, says the latest attack on Tuesday night triggered an hourslong battle in which the Taliban were beaten back. A resurgent Taliban now hold nearly half of Afghanistan and carry out near-daily attacks on Afghan security forces, inflicting heavy casualties. The Taliban view the U.S.-backed government in Kabul as a dysfunctional Western puppet and have refused repeated offers to negotiate with it. DETROIT (AP) - Michigan voters on Tuesday made their state the first in the Midwest to legalize recreational marijuana, passing a ballot measure that will allow people 21 or older to buy and use the drug and putting conservative neighboring states on notice. Three other states had marijuana-related measures on their ballots. North Dakota voters decided recreational pot wasn't for them , while voters in Missouri passed one of three unrelated measures to legalize medical marijuana. Utah voters also were considering whether to allow medical marijuana and to join the 31 other states that have already done so. Including Michigan, 10 states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational marijuana. And Canada recently did so. But the passage in Michigan gives it a foothold in Middle America and could cause tension with neighboring Indiana and Ohio, which overwhelmingly rejected a 2015 legalization measure. "Troopers that work along the state line are very cognizant of what's going on up north," said Indiana State Police Sgt. Ron Galaviz, a spokesman for the agency's Fort Wayne Post, which stretches north to the Michigan line. He said if the referendum passed, "we know some of our citizens are going to go over to Michigan to partake." And those who return either under the influence or in possession of pot may learn the hard way that it remains illegal in Indiana. "We'll enforce our laws as written," added Galaviz, a Michigan native. "If you're traveling to or through our state, we really don't want you bringing it down here." Voters wait on line to vote inside the fire bay at the Armada Twp. Fire Department, Tuesday , Nov. 6, 2018, in Armada Twp, Mich. (Todd McInturf /Detroit News via AP) Kristin Schrader, 51, a Democrat from Superior Township in Washtenaw County, said she voted to legalize marijuana because she doesn't want people leaving Michigan to get it. "I've got no attachment to marijuana myself, but I don't care to stand in the way of the train while it's coming down the tracks. I don't want people to go to other states to get it and spend their money somewhere else. If there's going to be an economic benefit to legalize marijuana, I want it to be in Michigan." The Michigan law will take effect in about a month, as the election first has to be certified by the Board of State Canvassers. Ten days after that certification, people age 21 or older will be allowed to have, use and grow the drug, but the process of establishing regulations for its retail sale could take about two years. The measure, which was endorsed by a national organization of black-owned businesses and a group of retired Michigan law enforcement officers, will create a state licensing system for marijuana businesses and allow cities and townships to restrict them. Supporters say it will raise roughly $130 million in additional tax revenue each year that will go toward road repairs, schools and local governments. They also say it will allow for greater regulation of pot usage and for the police to focus on more pressing problems. Opponents, including many law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, chambers of commerce and religious groups, said legalizing marijuana would lead to increased use by children, drug abuse and car crashes. They also said Michigan's proposal would be too permissive by allowing people to have up to 2.5 ounces (71 grams) of the drug on them and up to 10 ounces (284 grams) at home. Unlike Michigan's measure, North Dakota's rejected measure didn't receive any significant funding from outside groups. It came as the state was still setting up its medical marijuana system, which voters approved by a wide margin two years ago. In Missouri, voters passed one of three unrelated medical marijuana measures that made it onto the ballot. The constitutional amendment will allow patients with cancer, HIV, epilepsy and other conditions access to the drug. Voters in Utah also were considering whether to legalize medical marijuana. The Mormon church, which carries outsized influence in the conservative state, had opposed the proposal but recently joined lawmakers and advocates to back a deal that would legalize it in the conservative state. Utah's governor said he would call lawmakers into a special session after the midterm election to pass the deal into law, even if Tuesday's initiative failed. ___ Associated Press writers Brady McCombs in Salt Lake City, Jim Salter in St. Louis and John Flesher in Traverse City, Michigan, contributed to this report. ___ Follow Jeff Karoub on Twitter at https://twitter.com/jeffkaroub and find more of his work at https://apnews.com/search/jeff%20karoub . Find complete AP marijuana coverage at http://apnews.com/tag/LegalMarijuana . ___ For the AP's complete coverage of the U.S. midterm elections: http://apne.ws/APPolitics FILE - In this June 26, 2017, file photo, Desiree Hennessy, center, attends to her adopted son Hestevan, who has Cerebral Palsy and suffers from chronic nerve pain, seizure disorder, during the Utah Patients Coalition news conference in Salt Lake City. Utah residents will vote on a ballot initiative that would legalize medical marijuana. But win or lose, state leaders have vowed to join 30 other states in legalizing pot for people with certain conditions. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File) Voters wait in line to vote form for precinct 11 on election day, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, Southfield, Mich. (Clarence Tabb, Jr /Detroit News via AP) People wait in line to vote at First Presbyterian Church of Ferguson on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Ferguson, Mo. (Johanna Huckeba/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP) A long line of voters wait to vote at Adler Elementary School on election day, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, Southfield, Mich. (Clarence Tabb, Jr /Detroit News via AP) NEW YORK (AP) - Authorities say a woman who lost control of her car and fatally struck the child of a Tony Award-winning Broadway actress and another toddler in a Brooklyn crosswalk has died of an apparent suicide. Forty-four-year-old Dorothy Bruns was found dead in her Staten Island home Tuesday. Authorities say pills and a note were found nearby. Bruns faced 15 years in jail after being charged with manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, reckless endangerment and assault following the accident in March. Authorities say Bruns had a seizure while stopped at a red light. Her car drove forward, killing Ruthie Ann Blumenstein's 4-year-old daughter and the 1-year-old son of another parent. Blumenstein later lost her unborn child. Prosecutors say doctors had told Bruns not to drive after she had a previous medical episode. WASHINGTON (AP) - Americans who voted in record numbers are getting their first sense of the House and Senate candidates they elected in Tuesday's midterm elections. In their victory speeches and statements, the winners made references to historic gains by female candidates and the divisive political climate that has defined two years of President Donald Trump's White House and the Republican-controlled Congress. Trump was a major factor in the election - and he was mentioned by name in some of the victory speeches. Nearly 40 percent of voters cast their ballots to express opposition to Trump, according to AP VoteCast, a national survey of the electorate. About a quarter of the electorate said they voted to express support for Trump, according to the national survey. Here's a look at what the former candidates had to say as lawmakers-elect: ___ FLORIDA Democrat Ayanna Pressley gives her victory speech at an election night party after being elected to represent Massachusetts' 7th congressional district, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer) "Mr. President, here we come," Donna Shalala, D-Fla., said in her victory speech after defeating Republican Maria Elvira Salazar for an open seat near Miami. Shalala, 77, is a former health secretary and will flip the 27th District seat from Republican to Democratic. "Some people would like to divide us," she said. "We just can't let that happen, because it's un-American." __ TENNESSEE "Now you don't have to worry if you call me congressman, or congresswoman, or Congress lady," said Republican Marsha Blackburn in Tennessee. "Now, senator will do." Blackburn defeated Democratic former Gov. Phil Bredesen to become the state's first female senator. She'll succeed GOP Sen. Bob Corker, who is retiring, and she'll add to the Senate Republican ranks of women at a time when the party faced criticism for its heavily male ranks. ___ MASSACHUSETTS "When it comes to women of color candidates, folks don't just talk about a glass ceiling, what they describe is a concrete one. But you know what breaks through concrete? Seismic shifts," Ayanna Pressley said after she was elected to Congress in Massachusetts. She was one of several black women elected Tuesday. She stunned the political establishment in September, defeating a 10-term incumbent in the Democratic primary, and ran unopposed in the general. ___ ILLINOIS Lauren Underwood quoted the first black woman elected to Congress, Shirley Chisholm of New York, as she was elected in Illinois. "I aspire to be a bold representative for this community, someone who is wholly responsive and accountable to her constituents 'unbought and unbossed,'" Underwood said. ___ VIRGINA "We sent a message that we want a better nation," Democratic Rep.-elect Jennifer Wexton told her supporters in suburban Washington. "We demand a better nation, a nation where we treat each other with dignity and respect." Wexton defeated GOP incumbent Barbara Comstock, a longtime Republican loyalist, for the seat representing the Washington suburbs. ___ NEW YORK "There is nothing inherently noble about protecting a status quo that does not serve the needs of working-class Americans," said Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, one of a handful of congressional candidates this year who identified as democratic socialists. She defeated a little-known Republican opponent Tuesday in a congressional district representing part of New York City and, at 29, is the youngest woman elected to Congress. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., greets supporters after she was declared the winner over former Gov. Phil Bredesen in their race for the U.S. Senate Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Franklin, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey) District 27 Democratic candidate Donna Shalala, center, celebrates her victory over Republican television journalist Maria Elvira Salazar at the Coral Gables Woman's Club, Tuesday, Nov., 6, 2018, in Coral Gables, Fla. (Emily Michot/Miami Herald via AP) Lauren Underwood, the Democratic candidate in Illinois' 14th District, visits with others at her election night party in St. Charles, Ill., on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. Underwood defeated incumbent Rep. Randy Hultgren. (AP photo / Daily Herald, Rick West)/Daily Herald via AP) CANBERRA, Australia (AP) - Lawyers prosecuting a former spy and his lawyer who accuse Australia of illegally bugging the East Timorese Cabinet while negotiating a deal to share oil and gas revenue have made an application that could lead to the court being closed during the trial. The former Australian Secret Intelligence Service spy, who cannot be identified, and his lawyer Bernard Collaery have been charged under the Intelligence Services Act with conspiracy to communicate ASIS information. ASIS is an overseas spy agency that operates out of Australian embassies. Collaery's lawyer Chris Ward told Australian Capital Territory Chief Magistrate Lorraine Walker on Wednesday that prosecutors had told his legal team late Tuesday that Attorney General Christian Porter had been asked last week to issue a Section 24 certificate under the National Security Information Act. Such a certificate relates to so-called national security information - which can cover international relations, defense, security, and law enforcement - likely to be disclosed in court and can lead to the court being closed. Lawyers for Collaery and the former spy, known as Witness K, want to keep the court open and to reach agreement with prosecutors on how to manage sensitive security information. "The information the Commonwealth claims is likely to prejudice national security is already in the public domain and therefore cannot prejudice national security if discussed in open court," Ward said. Walker said she would rule on Friday on how the charges would proceed. She set a tentative date for the trial to be heard over three days starting Feb. 11. Prosecutor Tim Begbie said the prosecution would struggle to be ready for a trial before April. Rex Patrick, a minor party senator who is watching the case closely, was critical of the government lawyers' late notification to the defense of their application to the attorney general. "That's clearly a breach of model-litigant obligations on the Commonwealth," Patrick said. "You can't ambush defendants like that." Collaery and K each face a potential two-year prison sentence if convicted. Neither appeared in court on Wednesday. Collaery has said that he and K were victims of a vindictive prosecution by the government because they had exposed illegal spying on the East Timor government in 2004. The bugging allegedly took place while Australia and East Timor were negotiating a deal on sharing Timor Sea energy royalties, which was signed in 2006. Australia won't comment on secret service operations. K was to testify at the International Court of Justice in The Hague in 2014 in support of East Timor's challenge to the validity of the 2006 treaty. East Timor argued the alleged espionage gave Australian negotiators an unfair advantage. Officers from the Australian Security Intelligence Organization, the nation's main domestic spy agency better known as ASIO, raided Collaery's offices and K's home in Canberra in late 2013. They seized documents and also K's passport, preventing him from leaving the country. As well as conspiracy to communicate, Collaery has also been also been charged with communicating ASIS information. Collaery has said he assumed ASIO had intercepted conversations he had with journalists. Collaery has said the charges related to K complaining about the illegal bugging to the inspector-general of intelligence and security, an independent watchdog that reviews the activities of Australia's six intelligence agencies and investigates complaints against them. East Timor last year dropped its case against Australia in the United Nations' highest court as an act of goodwill ahead of agreeing on a new resources-sharing treaty. In March, Australia, a wealthy nation of 25 million, signed a new treaty with its neighbor, a half-island nation of 1.5 million people who are among the poorest in the world. It gives East Timor most of the revenue from the oil and gas fields under the sea between them. Damen Shipyards Group said it has delivered the third and fourth units in a four-vessel contract to Rotterdam-based Smit Lamnalco, a leading towage company. All four vessels are Damens popular and powerful ASD Tug 3212 class with a bollard pull of 80 tonnes, said a statement from the company. The order was placed in November 2017 and, with stock boats available, the first two were delivered in June and these latest arrivals in October, it said. The SL Thunggun and SL Irrong have arrived at Darwin in Australias Northern Territory and will shortly be heading east to the Weipa bauxite mine on the Cape York Peninsular, Queensland. Owned and operated by mining giant Rio Tinto, the mining complex exports around 30 million tonnes of bauxite each year via its own port. Currently a third site, the Amrun mine, is being constructed in an A$2.6 billion ($1.89 billion) project due for completion in 2019. The new infrastructure being built to support the mine includes a processing plant and a second terminal. Around 10, very large bulk carriers currently enter the existing port facilities each week to take on bauxite. The SL Thunggun and SL Irrong have been finished to meet Australian standards including AS 3000 electrical compliance and are certified Asbestos Free. With the tugs being kept on offshore moorings in a remote location Damen will be supplying a comprehensive support package to ensure maximum reliability. Smit Lamnalco is a long-standing client of Damen, with nearly 60 Damen vessels in its fleet. Damen also has a long history of providing tugs supporting other Rio Tinto terminals in Australia, including a number of ASD Tugs 3111 in Dampier, WA, plus a Stan Tug 2207 at Cape Cuvier, WA, and three additional ASD Tugs 3111 at Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal, Queensland. Vincent Maes, area sales manager for Benelux, said: The success of this project is based on Damens long-lasting relationships with both Rio Tinto and Smit Lamnalco. These are built on trust, reliability and quality. We are confident that these new tugs will be effective and efficient in their role, he added. David Fethers, regional managing director for Smit Lamnalco in Australia/PNG, said: The 3212 class was an obvious choice given the exposed location and strong currents. The fit and finish of these vessels is testament to Damens outstanding attention to detail. We are very pleased to be continuing our long relationship, he added. TradeArabia News Service WASHINGTON (AP) - Democrats didn't catch a blue wave. But they managed the next best thing: Divided government in the Trump era. House Democrats won back the majority for the first time since the 2010 elections. Helped by President Donald Trump, Republicans captured Senate seats in Indiana, Missouri and North Dakota to maintain a narrow advantage. In the Great Lakes region, Democrats secured governors' offices in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, complicating the president's re-election campaign in an area that propelled him to victory in 2016. But Trump helped Republicans claim governors' seats in Ohio and in Florida, where his hand-picked choice, Ron DeSantis, edged Andrew Gillum in the state's high-profile governors' race. Tuesday's midterm elections offered something for everyone. Democrats will control the House, but Trump will point to GOP success in the Senate as proof that he defied the odds and avoided the type of midterm wipeout that afflicted his predecessor, former President Barack Obama. Yet Trump's administration will now face intense scrutiny from House Democrats and a slew of subpoenas and document requests of his Cabinet - not to mention a renewed push for the president's tax returns. And as special counsel Robert Mueller presses forward with the Russia investigation, the most liberal members of the Democratic caucus are expected to sound the alarm for the president's impeachment. Some takeaways from Tuesday's election: A voter drops an election ballot off at the Pitkin County Administration box in Aspen, Colo., on Tuesday Nov. 6, 2018. (Anna Stonehouse/The Aspen Times via AP) ___ POLITICAL POLARIZATION Democrats posted gains in House seats representing the nation's suburbs, with many college-educated women turned off by Trump's first two years. Republicans strengthened their grip on the country's rural and exurban areas, helping them defeat red-state Senate Democrats. The results could lead to more standoffs in Congress - there's already the possibility of a partial federal government shutdown in December over spending for Trump's signature border wall. And the outcome will produce fewer moderate lawmakers who can straddle the divide. West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, a centrist Democrat, won re-election, but he will be the exception, not the norm. ___ STAR DESTROYER Trump allies dealt major blows to three of the Democrats' breakout stars of the 2018 cycle. Democrat Beto O'Rourke lost to Sen. Ted Cruz in Texas. Gillum lost his bid to become Florida's first black governor to DeSantis, whose public support from Trump propelled the former congressman to the top of the primary field. And Stacey Abrams' campaign to become Georgia's governor - and the nation's first-ever black female governor - was trailing early Wednesday against Brian Kemp, who was also helped along by a critical Trump endorsement. Abrams declined to concede the race, pointing to votes that still needed to be counted and suggesting a likely runoff. ___ 2020 IMPLICATIONS Trump has taunted the potential 2020 Democratic field as lacking any talent or the ability to give him a serious challenge. He will soon find out. Three potential candidates, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Kirsten Gillibrand, all won re-election to the Senate. Former Vice President Joe Biden and Sens. Kamala Harris of California and Cory Booker of New Jersey were among the most sought-after surrogates during the fall campaign. O'Rourke's star power and massive fundraising haul generated chatter as a possible 2020 candidate - win or lose - but he said in the final days he wouldn't run in 2020. Despite Trump's dismissive approach, he will enter his re-election as an incumbent who lost the popular vote in 2016 and staring down key states - Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin - now under Democratic control. ___ REBUILDING THE BLUE WALL? After Trump won several Midwest states that had long been in the Democratic column, the party had hoped to rebuild its Midwest "blue wall." Democrats made some progress, but just like the nature of the election, it was a split decision. Democrats picked up the governors' offices in Michigan and Wisconsin and kept control in Pennsylvania. But Republicans won the governors' races in Iowa and Ohio, giving Trump allies in two key presidential swing states. Remember, no Republican candidate for the presidency has ever won the election without winning Ohio. ___ WOMEN RULE After Hillary Clinton's defeat, more women than ever before won major-party primaries for governor, the Senate and the House this year. Tuesday's election produced a record number of women in the House and opened the door for women to hold state offices around the country. Democratic women like Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, Cindy Axne of Iowa and Haley Stevens of Michigan helped the party flip Republican-held seats in the House. Republican Marsha Blackburn won an open Senate seat in Tennessee and the Midwest elected two female governors: Kim Reynolds of Iowa, a Republican who won a full term after succeeding Terry Branstad, Trump's ambassador to China, and Laura Kelly of Kansas, a Democrat who defeated Republican Kris Kobach. Women voted considerably more in favor of their congressional Democratic candidate - with fewer than 4 in 10 voting for the Republican, according to VoteCast, a nationwide survey conducted for The Associated Press by NORC at the University of Chicago. ___ TRUMP THE CLOSER Trump has long prided himself on the ability of his massive rallies to generate voter turnout and enthusiasm - and it paid off for him in the final days. The president staged rallies in five states - Georgia, Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana and Missouri - on the final two days of the campaign, helping his cause. In Georgia, Kemp was leading Abrams in the governor's race but no winner had been declared. Tennessee Rep. Marsha Blackburn won an open Senate seat. Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, a former senator, won the race for governor. In Indiana, businessman Mike Braun ousted Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly. And Josh Hawley prevailed over Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill, giving Republicans another Senate pickup. ___ FOR HISTORY The night served as witness to a number of history-making breakthroughs - steps that will help make Congress younger and more diverse. In New York, 29-year-old Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the youngest woman elected to Congress. Democrats Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan will be the first Muslim women to serve in Congress. Kristi Noem will become the first woman from South Dakota to serve as her state's governor. The House will have two Native American women for the first time: New Mexico's Deb Haaland and Kansas' Sharice Davids, who will also become her state's first openly LGBT candidate to hold major office. And regardless of who wins in Arizona's competitive Senate race, the state will elect its first woman to serve in the chamber. People vote at the Castle High School polling place in Kaneohe, Hawaii. (Dennis Oda/Honolulu Star-Advertiser via AP) SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) - Chile has flown 176 Haitians on a voluntary return to their home country as part of a program to reduce the number of unsuccessful migrants in the country. The Chilean Air Force flight is the first of several planned. So far, 1,087 Haitians have signed up for the free return. Interior Ministry Undersecretary Rodrigo Ubilla says about 150,000 Haitians came to Chile during the 2014-2018 term of former President Michelle Bachelet - a number he said was too many for the economy of Chile, a country of some 18 million people. New center-right President Sebastian Pinera has tightened visa and other requirements. Some of the Haitians returning Wednesday said they had been unable to find work, struggled with Spanish or disliked the cold Chilean winter. Haitian migrants wait to register for repatriation, at a local gym in Santiago, Chile, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018. After an unsuccessful migration experience to Chile, 176 Haitians were flown home on a military plane free of charge. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix) Haitian migrants to register for repatriation, at a local gym in Santiago, Chile, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018. After an unsuccessful migration experience to Chile, 176 Haitians, mostly men, were flown home on a military plane free of charge. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix) Haitian migrants wait in a line to register for repatriation, at a local gym in Santiago, Chile, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018. After an unsuccessful migration experience to Chile, 176 Haitians, mostly men, were flown home on a military plane free of charge. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix) WASHINGTON (AP) - Attorney General Jeff Sessions was pushed out Wednesday after enduring more than a year of blistering and personal attacks from President Donald Trump, who inserted in his place a Republican Party loyalist with authority to oversee the remainder of the special counsel's Russia investigation. The move has potentially ominous implications for special counsel Robert Mueller's probe given that the new acting attorney general, Matthew Whitaker, until now Sessions' chief of staff, has questioned the inquiry's scope and spoke publicly before joining the Justice Department about ways an attorney general could theoretically stymie the investigation. Congressional Democrats, concerned about protecting Mueller, called on Whitaker to recuse himself from overseeing the investigation in its final but potentially explosive stages. That duty has belonged to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller and closely monitors his work. The resignation, in a one-page letter to Trump, came one day after Republicans lost control of the House of Representatives and was the first of several expected post-midterms Cabinet and White House departures. Though Sessions was an early and prominent campaign backer of Trump, his departure letter lacked effusive praise for the president and made clear the resignation came "at your request." "Since the day I was honored to be sworn in as attorney general of the United States, I came to work at the Department of Justice every day determined to do my duty and serve my country," Sessions wrote. Jeff Sessions returns to his home in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018. Sessions was pushed out Wednesday as Attorney General after enduring more than a year of blistering and personal attacks from President Donald Trump over his recusal from the Russia investigation. Sessions told the president in a one-page letter that he was submitting his resignation "at your request." (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) The departure was the culmination of a toxic relationship that frayed just weeks into Sessions' tenure, when he stepped aside from the Russia investigation because of his campaign advocacy and following the revelation that he had met twice in 2016 with the Russian ambassador to the U.S. Trump blamed the recusal for the appointment of Mueller, who took over the Russia investigation two months later and began examining whether Trump's hectoring of Sessions was part of a broader effort to obstruct the probe. The investigation has so far produced 32 criminal charges and guilty pleas from four former Trump aides. But the work is not done and critical decisions await that could shape the remainder of Trump's presidency. Mueller's grand jury, for instance, has heard testimony for months about Trump confidant Roger Stone and what advance knowledge he may have had about Russian hacking of Democratic emails. Mueller's team has also been pressing for an interview with Trump. And the department is expected at some point to receive a confidential report of Mueller's findings, though it's unclear how much will be public. Separately, Justice Department prosecutors in New York secured a guilty plea from Trump's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, who said the president directed him to arrange hush-money payments before the 2016 election to two women who said they had sex with Trump. Trump had repeatedly been talked out of firing Sessions until after the midterms, but he told confidants in recent weeks that he wanted Sessions out as soon as possible after the elections, according to a Republican close to the White House who was not authorized to publicly discuss private conversations. The president deflected questions about Sessions' expected departure at a White House news conference Wednesday. He did not mention that White House chief of staff John Kelly had called Sessions beforehand to ask for his resignation. The undated letter was then sent to the White House. The Justice Department did not directly answer whether Whitaker would assume control of Mueller's investigation, with spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores saying he would be "in charge of all matters under the purview of the Department of Justice." Rosenstein remains at the department and could still be involved in oversight. He has previously said that he saw no basis for firing Mueller. Trump said Wednesday that he did not plan to stop the investigation. Without Sessions' campaign or Russia entanglements, there's no legal reason Whitaker couldn't immediately oversee the probe. And since Sessions technically resigned instead of forcing the White House to fire him, he opened the door under federal law to allowing the president to choose his successor instead of simply elevating Rosenstein, said University of Texas law professor Stephen Vladeck. "Sessions did not do the thing he could have done to better protect Rosenstein, and through Rosenstein, the Mueller investigation," Vladeck said. That left Whitaker in charge, at least for now, though Democrats, including Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Chuck Schumer, said he should recuse himself because of his comments on the probe. Rep. Jerry Nadler, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said he wants "answers immediately" and "we will hold people accountable." Whitaker, a former U.S. attorney from Iowa who twice ran unsuccessfully for statewide office and founded a law firm with other Republican Party activists, once opined about a scenario in which Trump could fire Sessions and then appoint an acting attorney general who could stifle the funding of Mueller's probe. In that scenario, Mueller's budget could be reduced "so low that his investigation grinds to almost a halt," Whitaker said during an interview with CNN in July 2017 before he joined the Justice Department. In a CNN op-ed last year, Whitaker wrote, "Mueller has come up to a red line in the Russia 2016 election-meddling investigation that he is dangerously close to crossing." Trump's relentless attacks on Sessions came even though the Alabama Republican was the first U.S. senator to endorse Trump and despite the fact his crime-fighting agenda and priorities, particularly his hawkish immigration enforcement policies, largely mirrored the president's. He found satisfaction in being able to reverse Obama-era policies that conservatives say flouted the will of Congress, encouraging prosecutors to pursue the most serious charges they could and promoting more aggressive enforcement of federal marijuana law. He also announced media leak crackdowns and tougher policies against opioids, and his Justice Department defended a since-abandoned administration policy that resulted in migrant parents being separated from their children at the border. But the relationship was irreparably damaged in March 2017 when Sessions, acknowledging previously undisclosed meetings with the Russian ambassador and citing his work as a campaign aide, recused himself from the Russia investigation. Trump repeatedly lamented that he would have never selected Sessions if he had known the attorney general would recuse himself. The recusal left the investigation in the hands of Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller two months later after Trump fired then-FBI Director James Comey. In piercing attacks, Trump called Sessions weak and beleaguered, complained that he wasn't more aggressively pursuing allegations of corruption against Democratic rival Hillary Clinton and called it "disgraceful" that Sessions wasn't more serious in scrutinizing the origins of the Russia investigation for possible law enforcement bias - even though the attorney general did ask the Justice Department's inspector general to examine those claims. The broadsides escalated in recent months, with Trump telling an interviewer that Sessions "never had control" of the Justice Department. Sessions endured most of the name-calling in silence, though he did issue two public statements defending the department, including one in which he said he would serve "with integrity and honor" for as long as he was in the job. Sessions, who likely suspected his ouster was imminent, was spotted by reporters giving some of his grandchildren a tour of the White House over the weekend. He did not respond when asked why he was there. ___ Associated Press writers Jonathan Lemire and Mary Clare Jalonick in Washington and Ryan Foley in Iowa City, Iowa, contributed to this report. FILE - In this July 20, 2017 file photo, Attorney General Jeff Sessions accompanied by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, speaks at a news conference at the Justice Department in Washington. Sessions resigned Nov. 7, 2018. as the country's chief law enforcement officer after enduring more than a year of blistering and personal attacks from President Donald Trump over his recusal from the Russia investigation. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein waits for his car as he departs the West Wing of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018. Attorney General Jeff Sessions was pushed out Wednesday as the country's chief law enforcement officer after enduring more than a year of blistering and personal attacks from President Donald Trump over his recusal from the Russia investigation. . (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) FILE - In this Feb. 9, 2017 file photo, President Donald Trump shakes hands with Attorney General Jeff Sessions, accompanied by his wife Mary, after he was sworn-in by Vice President Mike Pence, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. On Nov. 7, 2018, Sessions submitted his resignation in letter to Trump. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File) FILE - In this July 13, 2018 photo, Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaks in Portland, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File) President Donald Trump listens to a question during a news conference in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) FILE - In this April 24, 2014, file photo, then-Iowa Republican senatorial candidate and former U.S. Attorney Matt Whitaker watches before a live televised debate in Johnston, Iowa. President Donald Trump announced in a tweet that he was naming Whitaker, as acting attorney general, after Attorney General Jeff Sessions was pushed out Nov. 7, 2018, as the country's chief law enforcement officer after enduring more than a year of blistering and personal attacks from Trump over his recusal from the Russia investigation. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File) A copy of Attorney General Jeff Sessions' resignation letter is photographed in Washington on an image of the exterior of the Justice Department Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018. (AP Photo/J. David Ake) SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - For the past few years, the smartphone industry has been searching for a breakthrough to revive a market mired in an innovation lull and a sales slump. A potential catalyst is on the horizon in the form of flexible screens that can be folded in half without breaking. Samsung and several rivals are preparing to roll out such screens to make devices more versatile for work and pleasure. The foldable screens could increase display space to the size of a mini-tablet, but fold like a wallet so they revert to the size of regular phones. But there are questions about price and durability. If the new phones fulfill their makers' ambitions, they will become a leap ahead for an industry whose origins can be traced to the old flip phones that consumers once embraced as cool and convenient. Foldable-screen phones, though, won't need hinges because they have continuous displays that can bend. In an indication of how difficult it is to make a flexible screen that's also durable, Samsung first announced plans to build a folding-screen phone five years ago. It wasn't until Wednesday, though, that Samsung finally provided a glimpse at what it's been working on. "We have been living in a world where the size of a screen could only be as large as the device itself," said Justin Denison, Samsung's senior vice president of mobile product marketing. "We have just entered a new dimension." Except for a fleeting look at a device he held in a hand, Denison provided scant information about the phone. Samsung says it will be ready to hit the market at some point next year. Justin Denison, SVP of Mobile Product Development, shows off the Infinity Flex Display of a folding smartphone during the keynote address of the Samsung Developer Conference Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg) Smartphone makers are looking for something to excite consumers as they replace phones less often because new models are pricey and aren't that much different from their predecessors beyond slightly better cameras and batteries. That's the main reason worldwide smartphone sales have fallen from the previous year for four consecutive quarters, according to IDC. Add it all up, and smartphone sales declined by 4 percent during 12 months ending in September. Samsung, the world's leading seller of smartphones, suffered a 7 percent decline in shipments during that period, based on IDC's calculations. But it's not clear whether flexible-screen phones will have mass appeal, especially when the bendy devices are expected to cost more than $1,000. Royole Corp., a small Silicon Valley company, is hoping to sell early versions of its FlexPai foldable-screen phone for $1,300 to $1,500 once it comes to the U.S. - something that won't happen until next year, at the earliest. For now, it will be available in China starting next month, at a price equivalent to about $1,300. While the idea of a device being able to bend into different shapes may sound good, IDC analyst Ramon Llamas is skeptical about how practical and durable they will be. One of the biggest questions is whether the quality of the screens will degrade as they get repeatedly folded. "Are people really going to want to watch a Netflix show on these devices if there is a crease down the middle of it?" Llamas said. Royole said its FlexPai can be bent more than 200,000 times without deteriorating. Other foldable-screen phones running Google's Android software are expected to be available, too. Huawei confirmed last month that it is working on a phone with a flexible screen. LG Electronics is widely expected to unveil one at the CES gadget show in Las Vegas in January. LG didn't respond to a request for comment. "Everyone has been thinking about the same question: 'What's next? Is there nothing more from a smartphone?'" Royole CEO Bill Liu said. Justin Denison, SVP of Mobile Product Development, talks about the Infinity Flex Display of a folding smartphone during the keynote address of the Samsung Developer Conference, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg) In this photo taken Monday, Nov. 5, 2018, is a FlexPai smartphone with a flexible screen displayed in San Francisco. Royole Corp. recently unveiled what it is billing to be the world's first smartphone with a flexible screen so the device can be folded like a billfold. The phone will go on sale next month in China only, but Royole hopes to release it in the U.S. next year. Samsung announced its plans for its own foldable-screen phone in San Francisco on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Michael Liedtke) WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on Jeff Sessions' resignation as attorney general (all times local): 7:10 p.m. The new acting attorney general says he's honored that President Donald Trump has confidence in his ability to lead the Justice Department. Matthew Whitaker said in a statement Wednesday that he is committed to "leading a fair department with the highest ethical standards, that upholds the rule of law, and seeks justice for all Americans." Whitaker says Jeff Sessions, who was forced out Wednesday, has been a "dedicated public servant for over 40 years." He calls Sessions a man of integrity "who has served this nation well." Whitaker became acting attorney general after Sessions resigned from the Justice Department. Sessions said in his resignation letter that the move was made at Trump's request. Jeff Sessions returns to his home in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018. Sessions was pushed out Wednesday as Attorney General after enduring more than a year of blistering and personal attacks from President Donald Trump over his recusal from the Russia investigation. Sessions told the president in a one-page letter that he was submitting his resignation "at your request." (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) __ 5:55 p.m. Jeff Sessions has left the Justice Department for his last time as attorney general. Sessions walked out Wednesday evening to applause from more than 150 employees who gathered in a courtyard at the Justice Department. As he left, Sessions appeared emotional and said, "Thank you" and "God bless," before hopping into a waiting SUV. He also shook hands with his chief of staff Matthew Whitaker, who was appointed acting attorney general on Wednesday after Sessions resigned at the president's request. Whitaker told Sessions: "It's been an honor, sir." Trump's relationship with Sessions frayed just weeks into his tenure, when he stepped aside from overseeing special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into potential coordination between the president's Republican campaign and Russia. ___ 5:40 p.m. Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins is warning the Trump administration not to undermine the investigation of special counsel Robert Mueller following Attorney General Jeff Sessions' resignation. In a tweet Wednesday, Collins expressed concern about the administration's announcement that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein will no longer be overseeing the probe into possible coordination between Trump's 2016 Republican campaign and Russia. She tweeted: "It is imperative that the Administration not impede the Mueller investigation." She added: "Special Counsel Mueller must be allowed to complete his work without interference_regardless of who is AG." Sessions resigned Wednesday at the president's request. His chief of staff, Matthew Whitaker, is now expected to oversee the Mueller investigation. Whitaker once mused about a situation in which Trump could fire Sessions and then appoint an acting attorney general who could stifle the funding of Mueller's investigation. ___ 5:20 p.m. Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker is expected to oversee the special counsel's investigation into potential coordination between the president's Republican campaign and Russia now that Attorney General Jeff Sessions has resigned. Asked Wednesday if Whitaker would take control of the probe, Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Flores said Whitaker would be "in charge of all matters under the purview of the Department of Justice." President Donald Trump named Whitaker as acting attorney general after Sessions resigned Wednesday. Whitaker had served as Sessions' chief of staff. He once mused about a situation in which Trump could fire Sessions and then appoint an acting attorney general who could stifle the funding of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Trump's relationship with Sessions frayed just weeks into his tenure, when he stepped aside from the Russia investigation. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein has overseen Mueller's work. ___ 5:15 p.m. The top Democrat on the House oversight committee says Congress should investigate "the real reason" for the "termination" of Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland says it is not acceptable if President Donald Trump requested Sessions' resignation to interfere with the special counsel investigation into Russian election interference and possible coordination with Trump associates. Sessions announced his resignation Wednesday. Cummings is also pushing for Congress to "confirm" that Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker is recused from overseeing the investigation. Whitaker is expected to oversee the investigation despite being critical of it in public statements and chairing the campaign of a witness in the probe. Cummings is set to chair his committee in January when Democrats take control of the House. ___ 3:20 p.m. The top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee says he wants "answers immediately" after Jeff Sessions was forced out as attorney general by President Donald Trump. Rep. Jerry Nadler is in line to become the chairman of the Judiciary panel when Democrats take control of the House in January. He tweeted that "we will be holding people accountable." Trump has long expressed frustration with Sessions over his recusal from the Justice Department's Russia investigation. Democrats worry that firing Sessions is a path to removing special counsel Robert Mueller and trying to end the probe. Nadler says he wants to know why Trump is making the change and "who has authority over Special Counsel Mueller's investigation?" ___ 3:15 p.m. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says it is "paramount" that the investigation of special counsel Robert Mueller be protected by President Donald Trump's new attorney general. Trump forced Jeff Sessions out as attorney general on Wednesday after the midterm elections. The president said Sessions' chief of staff, Matt Whitaker, would replace him for now, with a permanent replacement coming later. Schumer says he finds the timing of Sessions' departure "very suspect." The New York Democrat says it would spark a "constitutional crisis" if Trump forced out Sessions as a "prelude" to ending or limiting Mueller's investigation. Trump and Sessions had a falling out after the attorney general recused himself from Mueller's investigation. The president has repeatedly belittled Sessions in public and expressed regret about appointing him. ___ 2:45 p.m. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has resigned as the country's chief law enforcement officer at President Donald Trump's request. Sessions announced his plan to resign in a letter to the White House on Wednesday. Trump announced in a tweet that Sessions' chief of staff Matt Whitaker would become the new acting attorney general. The attorney general had endured more than a year of stinging and personal criticism from Trump over his recusal from the investigation into potential coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign. Trump blamed the decision for opening the door to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller, who took over the Russia investigation and began examining whether Trump's hectoring of Sessions was part of a broader effort to obstruct justice. FILE - In this July 13, 2018 photo, Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaks in Portland, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File) FILE - In this April 24, 2014, file photo, then-Iowa Republican senatorial candidate and former U.S. Attorney Matt Whitaker watches before a live televised debate in Johnston, Iowa. President Donald Trump announced in a tweet that he was naming Whitaker, as acting attorney general, after Attorney General Jeff Sessions was pushed out Nov. 7, 2018, as the country's chief law enforcement officer after enduring more than a year of blistering and personal attacks from Trump over his recusal from the Russia investigation. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File) FILE - In this March 27, 2017 file photo, Attorney General Jeff Sessions pauses while speaking to members of the media during the daily briefing in the Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington. Sessions resigned Nov. 7, 2018. as the country's chief law enforcement officer after enduring more than a year of blistering and personal attacks from President Donald Trump over his recusal from the Russia investigation.(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) FILE - In this Feb. 9, 2017 file photo, President Donald Trump shakes hands with Attorney General Jeff Sessions, accompanied by his wife Mary, after he was sworn-in by Vice President Mike Pence, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. On Nov. 7, 2018, Sessions submitted his resignation in letter to Trump. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File) FILE - In this June 30, 2010 file photo, Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., then-the Senate Judiciary Committee's ranking member is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington during a break in the committee's confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan. Attorney General Jeff Sessions resigned Nov. 7, 2018. as the country's chief law enforcement officer after enduring more than a year of blistering and personal attacks from President Donald Trump over his recusal from the Russia investigation.(AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File) FILE - In this July 20, 2017 file photo, Attorney General Jeff Sessions accompanied by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, speaks at a news conference at the Justice Department in Washington. Sessions resigned Nov. 7, 2018. as the country's chief law enforcement officer after enduring more than a year of blistering and personal attacks from President Donald Trump over his recusal from the Russia investigation. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein waits for his car as he departs the West Wing of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018. Attorney General Jeff Sessions was pushed out Wednesday as the country's chief law enforcement officer after enduring more than a year of blistering and personal attacks from President Donald Trump over his recusal from the Russia investigation. . (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein arrives at the West Wing of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018. Attorney General Jeff Sessions was pushed out Wednesday as the country's chief law enforcement officer after enduring more than a year of blistering and personal attacks from President Donald Trump over his recusal from the Russia investigation. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) A copy of Attorney General Jeff Sessions' resignation letter is photographed in Washington on an image of the exterior of the Justice Department Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018. (AP Photo/J. David Ake) RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Despite being labeled a "devotee of Bigfoot erotica," a Republican candidate won a closely watched congressional race in Virginia. Denver Riggleman won handily over Democrat Leslie Cockburn (COE'-birn) in Tuesday's race for the 5th District. During the campaign, Cockburn leveled an unusual allegation . The former investigative journalist and "60 Minutes" producer said Riggleman was unfit for office after a chapter of a book he authored about Bigfoot was published online. Riggleman said he wrote the book - "The Mating Habits of Bigfoot and Why Women Want Him" - as a joke among friends. Riggleman's win keeps the 5th District in the hands of the GOP. The Air Force veteran and distillery owner announced his candidacy after incumbent Republican Tom Garrett announced he is an alcoholic and ended his re-election bid. Republican congressional candidate Denver Riggleman claps with the crowd during an election party in Afton, Va., Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Lee Luther Jr.) COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) - Maryland officials must draw up a new congressional redistricting plan that isn't tainted by partisan gerrymandering, a panel of federal judges ruled Wednesday. The three-judge panel's decision, issued one day after the midterm elections, orders the state to submit the new map by March 7. Otherwise, the court will appoint a commission to produce a redistricting plan for use in the 2020 congressional election. Several Republican voters sued over the boundaries of one of Maryland's eight congressional districts, claiming state officials unfairly redrew it in 2011 to favor Democrats. The panel hearing the case in U.S. District Court in Maryland said the state must redraw the 6th congressional district's lines using "traditional criteria for redistricting," showing regard for "natural boundaries." "Partisan gerrymandering is noxious, a cancer on our democracy," Chief District Judge James Bredar wrote in a concurring opinion. The U.S. Supreme Court reviewed the case before deciding in June to refer it back to the lower court for a decision, effectively allowing the 2011 map to remain in place for Tuesday's congressional elections. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, right, speaks at a news conference alongside Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, at the Maryland State House in Annapolis, Md. Hogan earned a second term Tuesday after defeating Democratic opponent Ben Jealous. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) The Supreme Court could take up the issue of partisan gerrymandering again this term, in a case from North Carolina. Republicans in North Carolina have urged the justices to rule that courts should stay out of disputes about the political process. Wednesday's decision, written by 4th U.S. Circuit Court Judge Paul Niemeyer, says the state's 2011 congressional map removed roughly 66,000 Republican voters from the 6th district and added around 24,000 Democratic voters, "bringing about the single greatest alteration of voter makeup in any district in the Nation following the 2010 census." "To be sure, citizens have no constitutional right to be assigned to a district that is likely to elect a representative that shares their views. But they do have a right under the First Amendment not to have the value of their vote diminished because of the political views they have expressed through their party affiliation and voting history," Niemeyer wrote. Critics have cited gerrymandering as the reason why Rep. John Delaney, a Democrat who is leaving the office to run for president, was able to defeat 10-term Republican Roscoe Bartlett in 2012, a year after the map was redrawn. Democrat David Trone won the seat on Tuesday, to maintain the 7-1 edge Democrats have in the state's congressional delegation. Redistricting maps are drawn by the governor and approved by the state's General Assembly, which is currently controlled by Democrats. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, said the judges' decision confirms that Maryland has "the most gerrymandered districts in the country." "This is a victory for the vast majority of Marylanders who want free and fair elections and the numerous advocates from across the political spectrum who have been fighting partisan gerrymandering in our state for decades," Hogan said in a statement. A spokeswoman for Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh's office, which has defended the state against the lawsuit, said in an email that the office is "reviewing options" after the judges' decision Hogan has backed legislation designed to make congressional redistricting a nonpartisan process. Former Gov. Martin O'Malley, a Democrat, testified in a deposition for the federal lawsuit that he intended to "create a district where the people would be more likely to elect a Democrat than a Republican." Kathay Feng, national redistricting director for the Common Cause advocacy group, said the court's ruling demonstrates Maryland's congressional map "squashed political participation and speech." "Gerrymandering is an abuse of power no matter who does it, and both Democrats and Republicans use it for their political gain," she said in a statement. ___ Associated Press writers Mark Sherman in Washington, D.C., and Brian Witte in Annapolis contributed to this report. SAN DIEGO (AP) - California Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter won a sixth term Wednesday despite facing federal corruption charges involving the personal spending of campaign money. Hunter beat first-time Democratic candidate Ammar Campa-Najjar in a deeply red San Diego-area district that President Donald Trump won by double digits in 2016. The GOP incumbent had 54 percent of 123,000 votes cast, giving him an 8 point lead over Campa-Najjar. The race was considered a test of partisanship in the Trump era, and Hunter became one of the few candidates in U.S. history to be re-elected while indicted. Hunter thanked his supporters and said in a statement that he intends "to make it business-as-usual in working with President Trump for the next two years to achieve more success, especially given the challenge of having a Democrat-led House." Campa-Najjar said he was holding out until all votes were counted. Rep. Duncan Hunter,R-Calif., speaks during an interview at a call center on Tuesday Nov. 6, 2018, in Santee, Calif. Hunter faces Democratic candidate Ammar Campa-Najjar in the race for Southern California's 50th district. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) "This race has been full of surprises, there may be yet one more surprise," he said in a statement to The Associated Press. "Candidates don't decide, voters do." Hunter was one of two indicted Republican congressmen running for re-election. Rep. Chris Collins of New York is accused of insider trading. His race was too close to call Wednesday Both were early supporters of Trump and called the charges retribution for his election. The president had criticized his Justice Department over the charges, saying prosecutors had jeopardized "two easy wins." Trump, however, did not officially endorse either candidate. Campa-Najjar, 29, a former Obama White House aide, was largely unknown until the race drew wide attention when Hunter and his wife were indicted on allegations of illegally spending more than $250,000 in campaign money for personal expenses - from family trips to tequila shots. They have pleaded not guilty and Hunter has said he is eager to go to trial. After the indictment, Campa-Najjar's campaign contributions nearly doubled and polls suggested the race was tightening. The Hunter name is something of a political dynasty in the district, where registered Republicans have a nearly 15 percentage point edge over Democrats. His father was elected to the seat in 1980 and held it until his son won it in 2008. Hunter, a 41-year-old former Marine, stepped up attacks on his rival in the past month, raising questions about Campa-Najjar's Palestinian father who served in the Palestine Liberation Organization and his grandfather who was involved in the 1972 attack on the Munich Olympics that killed 11 Israeli athletes. A Hunter ad falsely claimed Campa-Najjar was a security risk. Campa-Najjar, who was given security clearances to work in the Obama administration, was raised by his Mexican-American mother in San Diego and said he had little to do with his Palestinian father. His grandfather was killed by Israeli commandos before he was born. Critics, including national security experts, assailed Hunter's political ad as racist. It is unclear how effective the attacks were in swaying votes in the largely white, conservative district that's adjacent to Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base and has a large veteran population. Campa-Najjar called Hunter an embarrassment and tried to appeal to Republicans by asking voters to "put country over party." A few lawmakers have been re-elected while indicted and gone on to be exonerated. More have been convicted and later resigned. In 2014, Republican Rep. Michael Grimm of New York was re-elected while under indictment and later resigned after pleading guilty to tax evasion. After serving more than seven months in prison, he ran again in the June primary and lost. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif.,brings pizza to campaign workers on Tuesday Nov. 6, 2018, in Santee, Calif. Hunter faces Democratic candidate Ammar Campa-Najjar in the race for Southern California's 50th district. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) Democratic congressional candidate Ammar Campa-Najjar talks to supporters on Tuesday Nov. 6, 2018, in San Diego. Campa-Najjar faces Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., in the race for Southern California's 50th district. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) Democratic congressional candidate Ammar Campa-Najjar talks to supporters on Tuesday Nov. 6, 2018, in San Diego. Campa-Najjar faces Republican U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter in the race for Southern California's 50th district. Hunter leads his opponent in early returns despite facing federal corruption charges. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) Democratic congressional candidate Ammar Campa-Najjar talks to supporters on Tuesday Nov. 6, 2018, in San Diego. Campa-Najjar faces Republican U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter in the race for Southern California's 50th district. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) DETROIT (AP) - Michigan is aiming to build a potentially lucrative industry from the ground up with passage of a ballot initiative to legalize recreational marijuana. It could do more by serving as a model for the rest of the Midwest - and possibly beyond. Michigan is the first Midwestern state to legalize recreational marijuana, with voters Tuesday passing a ballot measure that will allow people 21 or older to buy and use the drug. Including Michigan, 10 states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational marijuana; North Dakota voters decided this week that recreational pot wasn't for them. At least one other state, Missouri , passed medical marijuana initiatives, joining Michigan and about 30 others. Supporters of a Utah medical marijuana initiative that was on Tuesday's ballot had declared victory, but the race was still to close to call Wednesday afternoon. "Michigan is going to be a bit of a bellwether," said Douglas Mains, a Michigan attorney with Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP who, as a former policy and legal adviser for state House Republicans, helped draft the first bills to amend Michigan's medical marijuana law passed a decade ago. Mains said Michigan's progress in building its marijuana sector will be closely watched, particularly by neighbors. He cited Ohio , which allows marijuana for medical uses but rejected a 2015 legalization measure, and Illinois, where the governor-elect supports legalizing pot. A person holds a container with marijuana buds at the Far West Holistic Center dispensary, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, in Detroit. Michigan voters have made their state the first in the Midwest to legalize recreational marijuana, passing a ballot measure that will allow people 21 or older to buy and use the drug and putting conservative neighboring states on notice. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) "Those states are going to look to Michigan, see what problems it encounters and revenue it generates," Mains said. "It would not surprise me if either or both has this on the ballot in 2020." The Michigan law takes effect in about a month, 10 days after the election is certified. People age 21 or older will then be allowed to have, use and grow the drug, but the process of establishing regulations for its retail sale and issuing licenses will go into 2020. The measure, which was endorsed by a national organization of black-owned businesses and a group of retired Michigan law enforcement officers, will create a state licensing system for marijuana businesses and allow cities and townships to restrict them. Supporters say it will raise roughly $130 million in additional tax revenue each year that will go toward road repairs, schools and local governments. They also say it will allow for greater regulation of pot usage and for police to focus on more pressing problems. Opponents, including many law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, chambers of commerce and religious groups, said legalizing marijuana would lead to increased use by children, drug abuse and car crashes. They also said Michigan's proposal would be too permissive by allowing people to have up to 2.5 ounces (71 grams) of the drug on them and up to 10 ounces (284 grams) at home. Mains said establishing the regulatory and retail framework for recreational pot should be easier because of the work that went into sharpening the skeletal, ambiguous medical marijuana law passed in 2008. For example, a 2016 law aimed to address confusion surrounding the legality of dispensary shops that opened after initial passage. He said Michigan policymakers also worked to create a regulated system for medical marijuana "that could be pretty easily replicated for a recreational system." Proponents of recreational marijuana laws find greater acceptance in states where medical use has been authorized and a market has developed, Mains said. "I think it does change attitudes of the electorate," he said. "Enough people had been familiar with the medical system and had seen that the sky wasn't falling." Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, a group that opposed the initiatives in Michigan and North Dakota, said money is the driver of the growth. "I think the marijuana industry is champing at the bit to really spread all across the country. This is about one thing and one thing only, and that's money - for them," he said. "They want to get rich. It's just like the tobacco industry. It's like pharma. Michigan is seen as a gateway to the Midwest. They failed in Ohio, so they came to Michigan and prevailed." Gretchen Whitmer , Michigan's Democratic governor-elect, said Wednesday that "a lot of states have moved forward," and she's expecting to learn lessons from them. "I want to make sure that our children don't have access to recreational marijuana, but I also want to make sure we collect those taxes and that they are spent as the voters intend them to be," she said. ___ Associated Press writer Mike Householder contributed to this story. ___ Follow Jeff Karoub on Twitter at https://twitter.com/jeffkaroub and find more of his work at https://apnews.com/search/jeff%20karoub . Find complete AP marijuana coverage at http://apnews.com/tag/LegalMarijuana . FILE - In this Sept. 20, 2018, file photo, an employee at a medical marijuana cultivator works on topping a marijuana plant, in Eastlake, Ohio. Missouri joined the long list of states allowing medical marijuana, but it'll likely be late next year at the earliest before people with serious ailments will be able to obtain it. Amendment 2, approved Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, requires the state to begin accepting patient applications by early June, and to begin accepting applications for dispensaries by early August. (AP Photo/David Dermer, File) Red Velvet Cake marijuana is displayed at the Far West Holistic Center dispensary, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, in Detroit. Michigan voters have made their state the first in the Midwest to legalize recreational marijuana. Voters passed a ballot measure Tuesday that will allow people 21 or older to use the drug. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) Medical marijuana is displayed at the Far West Holistic Center dispensary, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, in Detroit. Michigan voters have made their state the first in the Midwest to legalize recreational marijuana. Voters passed a ballot measure Tuesday that will allow people 21 or older to use the drug. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) An attendant weighs marijuana at the Far West Holistic Center dispensary, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, in Detroit. Michigan voters have made their state the first in the Midwest to legalize recreational marijuana. Voters passed a ballot measure Tuesday that will allow people 21 or older to use the drug. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) An attendant weighs marijuana at the Far West Holistic Center dispensary, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, in Detroit. Michigan voters have made their state the first in the Midwest to legalize recreational marijuana. Voters passed a ballot measure Tuesday that will allow people 21 or older to use the drug. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) Retired Bath Township Police Det. Howard "Cowboy" Wooldrige waits for election results to come in for Proposal 18-1 during the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol public watch party at The Radisson in Lansing, Mich., on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (Cory Morse/The Grand Rapids Press via AP) WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump said Wednesday the U.S. is "in no rush" after talks between his top diplomat and a senior North Korean envoy were postponed, throwing stalled diplomacy over the North's nuclear weapons into further uncertainty. Trump said the meeting, which had been due to take place on Thursday in New York, would be rescheduled, and that he still expected to hold a second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un early next year. Neither side has properly explained why the planned talks between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Kim Yong Chol, a key aide of the North Korean leader, were postponed. State Department spokesman Robert Palladino described it as "purely a matter of scheduling" but refused to elaborate. The department said the meeting would take place at an unspecified later date, "when our respective schedules permit." North Korea's propaganda services have not mentioned the meeting. There's been little diplomatic progress in the five months since the June summit in Singapore where the U.S. and North Korean leaders committed to "denuclearization" of the divided Korean Peninsula. Signs are growing of an impasse over how to achieve that goal. News of the postponement came after North Korea's Foreign Ministry criticized the U.S. on Friday for its continued support of sanctions and hinted it may resume nuclear development. During a press conference on Wednesday mostly focused on midterm U.S. elections, Trump contended that he had made more progress with North Korea than past administrations, and said that with sanctions still in place, he was not in a hurry to reach a deal with Pyongyang, which has halted nuclear and missile tests for the past year. "I would love to take the sanctions off, but they have to be responsive too. It's a two-way street. But we're not in any rush at all. There's no rush whatsoever," Trump told reporters at the White House. President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in the East Room at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) In Seoul, South Korean presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said his government doesn't believe U.S.-North Korea negotiations have completely broken down or "lost their momentum" because of the postponement. Seoul's Foreign Ministry also expressed hope that the U.S. and North Korea can quickly reschedule a high-level meeting. South Korea's presidential Blue House said the United States had informed it of the talks' postponement in advance. But the Blue House would not reveal the reason for the postponement, referring questions to the State Department. Tensions between the U.S. and North Korea that spiked last year when Trump and Kim were trading insults and dire threats have ebbed this year, but the North has not taken irreversible steps to give up the nukes it spent decades making and which it views as key to its security. The two sides are deadlocked over when sanctions should be eased, with the U.S. maintaining that it should only happen after denuclearization. The North wants concessions sooner. ____ Associated Press writer Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea, contributed to this report. A new innovation centre has been unveiled in Dubai, UAE, marking a revolution in the way food and beverage products are packaged and delivered to customers. The Innovation and Reliability Centre (IRC) at SIG Combibloc Obeikan (SIG CBOB), one of the worlds leading suppliers of carton packaging and filling machines for food and beverage, was officially opened in Dubai Silicon Oasis by Abdallah Obeikan, CEO of Obeikan Investment Group and Rolf Stangl, CEO of SIG. The IRC has been created for SIG CBOB customers to adapt to the seismic shift in the F&B production and consumption market, and the rapidly changing behaviour and expectations of consumers by delivering solutions which combine state of the art technology, connectivity and smart packs. Abdelghany Eladib, chief operating officer at SIG CBOB said: Our understanding of our customers needs goes beyond products and technology. We solve customer problems and offer new possibilities through an intelligent, holistic overview of their business needs. This ensures we consistently provide end-to-end solutions that add real value for our customers now and in the future. We have developed three segments that speak to the core challenges of our customers product innovation and differentiation; connected packs; and smart factory. This framework allows us to express who we are as a company today. And, more importantly, the value we bring to our customers and consumers, demonstrating our core capabilities and the solutions we provide, he added. A partnership with technology leader GE comes sharply into focus at the centre, providing some of the best solutions designed to optimise plant operations and increase efficiency. Customers visiting the IRC will be able to see the latest innovations in sustainable aseptic packaging such as a carton pack that can be heated and carried on the go, a carton pack that acts like a bottle, and the worlds first aseptic pack 100% linked to plant-based renewable material. The first of its kind in the world, the Reliability zone of the centre monitors and evaluates the performance of all SIG CBOBs lines across all clusters, enabling remote service. Martin Schmedes, Marketing & Strategy director MEA for SIG CBOB added: The creation of the IRC is in direct response to a range of key production demands, such as the leverage of connectivity between information technology and shop floor operations, the adaptation of production processes for each product, quickly and efficiently, and the optimisation of overall equipment effectiveness and the reduction of operational costs. Todays consumer operates in an on-demand culture and a heightened digitalised world. They are more enlightened and demanding than ever before when it comes to digital engagement and the traceability of the products they buy. Not to mention, they are increasingly buying goods online. We are helping our customers adapt to these changes and make a valuable difference to their consumers. The opening of the IRC coincides with SIG CBOBs participation in Gulfood Manufacturing, running until 8 November at the Dubai World Trade Centre, where visitors are able to see their differentiated product designs, smart filling plants and digitally interactive packs. The company is using the event to unpack the perfect package by combining state of the art technology, connectivity and smart solutions for their clients and ultimately, the consumer. Disruptive differentiation and value-adding solutions are helping food & beverage manufacturers to open up new opportunities for performing better and growing faster. TradeArabia News Service GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) - A western Michigan man has again been sentenced to life in prison without parole for killing and decapitating a teen in 1996 and mutilating the head in front of a video camera. WOOD-TV reports that 39-year-old Federico Cruz learned his fate Wednesday in a Kent County courtroom. Cruz was 16 when 17-year-old David Crawford was suffocated. Crawford's head was cut off and later mutilated. Cruz was convicted of murder and got the mandatory sentence after a jury rejected an insanity defense. Cruz and many Michigan juvenile lifers who are serving no-parole sentences are eligible for a new hearing because of a U.S. Supreme Court decision. The television station reports that a judge told Cruz Wednesday that progress made in prison toward rehabilitation does not mitigate that he is a sociopath. NEW YORK (AP) - Facebook's recent disclosures on blocking suspicious accounts show that the company's efforts to root out election meddling are working - to a point. What's not known is how much the company isn't catching and whether this "whack-a-mole" fight will ever end, as those wanting to influence U.S. and other elections can easily create replacement Facebook pages, groups and accounts. Facebook said it blocked an unspecified number of additional accounts on Election Day because of suspected connections to foreign efforts to interfere in the voting through disinformation on social media. That's on top of the 115 accounts Facebook shut down earlier this week and the 652 pages, groups and accounts removed in August. Facebook said the additional accounts were identified after a website that claimed to be associated with the Russia-based Internet Research Agency published a list of Instagram accounts it says it created. Facebook said it had blocked most of the listed accounts already and has now blocked the rest. "This is a timely reminder that these bad actors won't give up," Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook's head of cyber security policy, said in a statement. U.S. tech companies have stepped up efforts to fight disinformation campaigns by Russian groups, whom authorities accuse of swaying the 2016 presidential election. The companies were caught embarrassingly off-guard then. This time around, there are clear signs they are making some progress. FILE - In this May 16, 2012, file photo, the Facebook logo is displayed on an iPad in Philadelphia. Facebook says it has blocked 115 accounts for suspected "coordinated inauthentic" behavior on the eve of U.S. midterm elections. The social media company said in a blog post late Monday, Nov. 5, 2018 that it shut down 30 Facebook accounts and 85 Instagram and says it's investigating them in more detail. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File) Sam Gill of the nonprofit John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, which recently commissioned a study on misinformation on social media, said that while tech companies cannot declare victory yet, "the leaders of the companies don't talk any more that it isn't a problem - they talk about how important it is to get it right." That's in contrast to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's now-infamous quip in November 2016 calling the idea that fake news on Facebook influenced the elections "pretty crazy." But social media companies still have work to do . By some measures, the spread of fake news on Facebook has declined since 2016, but the same can't always be said for Twitter. The Knight study on misinformation points to a central problem that has emerged since 2016: It isn't just Russian agents spreading misinformation. Plenty of homegrown sites are at it, too. The study found that fake news is still being spread on Twitter, the vast majority from just a few sources. Gill said that, at this point, we simply "don't know enough" to say how the spread of misinformation has changed since 2016. That's despite a slew of academic studies that attempt to measure the spread and consumption of fake news on these services. "We need a lot more basic research studying the relationship between social media and democracy," he said. "We need to see more and understand more from the companies. We need access to more information." Long criticized for not giving academic researchers access to its data, Facebook launched a program in April designed to address this issue - though only when it comes to elections. The initiative solicits proposals from outside researchers, then works with Facebook to give researchers access to Facebook data. Facebook doesn't get to pre-approve research and provides no funding. But until there is more research, social media companies must contend with present-day problems around misinformation, hate and propaganda, playing whack-a-mole as new fake accounts and trolls pop up trying to misuse their services. After all, the 2020 presidential election is less than two years away - and jockeying for that contest starts now. Even in deep-red states, voters embraced an array of liberal-backed ballot measures in Tuesday's election - expanding Medicaid, targeting gerrymandering, boosting minimum wages, legalizing marijuana use. The results heartened left-of-center activists, who see a path going forward for circumventing Republican-controlled legislatures. With the new Congress deeply split along partisan lines, the outcome ensured that the states will serve as pivotal battlegrounds for social issues heading toward the next election in 2020. One of the strongest messages emerging from the results is that voters are eager to make the political process, including voting itself, fairer and more accessible. Michigan, Missouri and Colorado approved changes in redistricting policy aimed at reducing partisan gerrymandering through the use of independent map-drawers. A similar measure in Utah was leading in partial returns. Voters in Michigan, Maryland and Nevada supported measures calling for automatic or same-day voter registration. Several states approved new oversight of politicians' ethics. And in Florida, there was decisive approval of a measure that will enable an estimated 1.4 million people with prior felony convictions to regain their voting rights. "We see strong support for these initiatives from independents, Democrats and Republicans," said Karen Hobert Flynn, president of Common Cause. "The question is whether incumbent officials will wake up to understand that people really do want democracy and that power belongs to the people." Retired Bath Township Police Det. Howard "Cowboy" Wooldrige waits for election results to come in for Proposal 18-1 during the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol public watch party at The Radisson in Lansing, Mich., on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (Cory Morse/The Grand Rapids Press via AP) In two Republican-leaning states, Idaho and Nebraska, voters approved measures to expand Medicaid health coverage to tens of thousands of low-income residents, while a similar measure was leading in Utah. In those states, Republican-led legislatures had refused to take advantage of expanded coverage offered under President Barack Obama's health care law. Other notable results: - Michigan voters approved legalization of marijuana for recreational use, making it the first Midwestern state to do so. North Dakota rejected a similar measure, while Missouri voters backed legalization of medical marijuana. - A minimum wage increase was approved in two states. An Arkansas measure will raise the wage from $8.50 an hour to $11 by 2021; Missouri's hourly minimum will gradually rise from $7.85 to $12. - Louisiana voters overwhelmingly approved making a unanimous jury a requirement for convictions, scrapping a law dating from the era of racial segregation that allowed for split juries. - Arizona voters rejected a massive expansion of the state's private school voucher program criticized as a move to drain money from public schools and give it to rich parents to fund their kids' private school tuition. Abortion was on the ballot in three states - one voting to protect access to abortion, the other two backing anti-abortion measures. In Oregon, voters soundly rejected a measure that would have banned the use of public money to pay for abortion coverage. The measure would have left low-income women on the state's Medicaid plan to pay out-of-pocket for abortions and would have eliminated abortion coverage for public employees such as teachers and firefighters who receive health coverage under a state plan. "I couldn't be more proud of our state," said Grayson Dempsey, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon. "Oregonians showed up for reproductive rights access and made it very clear that we will not back down." In contrast, West Virginia voters approved a constitutional amendment allowing lawmakers to restrict or outlaw state funding for Medicaid abortions. In Alabama, voters added anti-abortion language to the state's 1901 constitution specifying that Alabama recognizes the "rights of unborn children." The measure does not affect abortion access unless Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion, is reversed - an outcome considered more likely since the addition of conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the high court. "Both Alabama and West Virginia have teed up state legislators to decimate abortion rights in their states and set up legal challenges that could undermine or overturn Roe on the federal level," said Elizabeth Nash of the Guttmacher Institute, which supports abortion rights. "Alabama in particular approved intentionally vague language in their rollback, making it easier to criminalize abortion and pregnancy and undermine women's health and rights." One of the biggest ballot-measure victories for liberal activists came in Massachusetts, where voters rejected a conservative-backed attempt to repeal a 2016 state law extending nondiscrimination protections to transgender people. Similarly, Oregon voters rejected a measure that would have repealed the first-in-the-nation immigrant sanctuary law. That law, adopted in 1987, prevents state and local law enforcement agencies from detaining people who are in the U.S. illegally but have not broken other laws. Jim Ludwick, one of the founders of the unsuccessful repeal movement, said he was disappointed but noted that his campaign was outspent 20-to-1. "We're regular citizens, we did our best and we didn't succeed. We're not done," he said. "I fear for my kids and grandkids, particularly here in Oregon. They're getting marginalized." ___ Associated Press writer Gillian Flaccus in Portland, Oregon, contributed to this report. ___ Follow David Crary at https://twitter.com/CraryAP ___ For AP's complete coverage of the U.S. midterm elections: http://apne.ws/APPolitics A crowd waits for election results to come in for Proposal 18-1 during the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol public watch party at The Radisson in Lansing, Mich., on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (Cory Morse/The Grand Rapids Press via AP) "We did it!" yells Shawn McDonald, center, as he celebrates with Teisha Martinez, left, and Aubrey Taylor after a local media outlet called results showing Proposition 2 passed at the Proposition 2 election night party at the Infinity Event Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. Proposition 2 legalizes the medical use of marijuana for individuals with qualifying medical illnesses. (Kristin Murphy/The Deseret News via AP) WASHINGTON (AP) - For all the many successes among candidates of color, the midterm elections also proved to some the enduring power of racism, with minority politicians' intelligence and integrity called into question by their opponents and President Donald Trump in what were widely seen as coded appeals to white voters. Several Democratic strategists said Wednesday that the outcome showed the need for the party to recalibrate its strategy heading into 2020 and beyond. To win, they said, the party must expand its base of black and brown voters while also calling out racism more directly and doing more to persuade white voters to reject bigotry. "At some point, voters have to stop rewarding racist behavior," said activist Brittany Packnett. During the campaign cycle, Trump referred to black Tallahassee mayor and Democratic candidate for Florida governor Andrew Gillum as "a thief" because of an undercover FBI investigation into his acceptance of Broadway tickets. Trump also branded Gillum's city "corrupt." And he framed Yale Law School graduate, veteran lawmaker and Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, a black woman, as incompetent. Florida Gubernatorial Democratic candidate Mayor Andrew Gillum gives his concession speech along side his wife First Lady R. Jai Gillum, running mate Chris King and his wife Kristen King on the campus Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Fla., on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (Octavio Jones/The Tampa Bay Times via AP) Republican Ron DeSantis, who beat Gillum on Tuesday, began the campaign by cautioning Florida voters not to "monkey this up" by voting for the Democrat - a remark that was also decried as racist. In the end, Gillum came within less than 56,000 votes of DeSantis. In Georgia, the contest for governor was still too close to call on Wednesday. There were also campaigns around the country where allegations of racism were not enough to knock the candidate out of the running. In Iowa, Republican Rep. Steve King won a ninth term despite condemnation from his own party over his ties to white supremacists. "Progressives have to have a better rebuttal to Trump's tribalism than they have right now," said Democratic strategist Cornell Belcher. "We have to give moderate white voters who are bothered by a sense of division some skin in this racism game. That's not pivoting to health care. That's talking about how this tribalism will affect them and their children. You don't fix racism by not taking it on." In an often-combative morning-after news conference Wednesday, Trump rejected any suggestion that he emboldened white nationalists recently by describing himself as a "nationalist." The president repeatedly said the question, posed by a black journalist, was itself racist. On the plus side of the ledger for minorities Tuesday, a lot of the organizing during the midterm cycle was focused on minority voters, and record early turnout and long lines on Election Day suggested those efforts paid off. Organizers pointed to the election to Congress of blacks and Latinos such as Massachusetts' Ayanna Pressley, Connecticut's Jahana Hayes, New York's Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Texas' Veronica Escobar, and the passage of a constitutional amendment in Florida that will restore the right to vote to more than a million former felons. They also cited the defeat of GOP conservatives like Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Kansas Gov. Kris Kobach as evidence that coalitions with liberal and centrist whites can work. Likewise, congressional candidates such as Illinois' Lauren Underwood and New York's Antonio Delgado showed that blacks can win in majority-white districts. Packnett said there was a lot to be hopeful for going into 2020. "I'm saddened that the white women who also possess a marginalized identity are not voting in their interests more," she said. "But just because we didn't get all the wins in our column that we wanted doesn't mean that there were not people who learned better and did better this election." Pressley, elected from a liberal, diverse Boston district as Massachusetts' first black congresswoman, said candidates of color ignited and expanded the electorate in this year's midterms. But she said America is not yet at the point where candidates of color are assumed to be capable or experienced. "When we're characterized as a fad or a trend or a fluke, that's a disservice to our leadership," she said. ___ Whack is The Associated Press' national writer on race and ethnicity. Follow her work on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/emarvelous. JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - The Republican wall that has stood in state capitols for much of the past decade now has a few holes in it. Democrats flipped control of seven gubernatorial offices, marking their greatest gains in several decades, and picked up hundreds of state legislative seats in Tuesday's first midterm elections of President Donald Trump's tenure. Yet those victories didn't quite reach the lofty goals of an anticipated blue wave, leaving both major parties with reason for hope on Wednesday as they look ahead to another pivotal battle in 2020. Some of the biggest wins for Democrats came in the Midwest, where Republicans had virtually wiped them out in prior elections. Democrats defeated Republican Govs. Scott Walker in Wisconsin and Bruce Rauner in Illinois while picking up open seats previously held by Republican governors in Michigan and Kansas. Democrats also flipped control of governors' offices being vacated by Republicans in Maine, Nevada and New Mexico. The Democratic Governors Association said it was their greatest number of pickups since 1982, the first midterm election of Republican President Ronald Reagan. The Democratic group's chairman, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, called it "a broad-based win" and a historically big rejection of the president's party. Gretchen Whitmer gives her acceptance speech after being elected the next governor of Michigan, in Detroit, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. The Michigan Democratic Party held its election night event at the Sound Board Theater at MotorCity Casino. (David Guralnick/Detroit News via AP) "For those who were troubled by the results of 2016 in the Midwest, we have proved that the Democrats can run and win," Inslee said. Yet Republicans held on to the governor's office in other key swing states targeted by Democrats, including Florida, Ohio and Iowa. Republican Secretary of State Brian Kemp also was leading in Georgia's gubernatorial race, though Democrat Stacey Abrams held out hope that absentee and the provisional ballots remaining to be counted could push Kemp's percentage below 50 percent and force a runoff. Republicans picked up one new governor's office - a seat previously held by an independent in Alaska. Republicans entered Tuesday's election controlling 33 governors' offices and two-thirds of the 99 state legislative chambers. The Democratic gubernatorial victories will push that closer to an even split. But Republicans will still control at least three-fifths of the state legislative chambers, even after Democrats flipped about a half-dozen chambers. The gubernatorial and legislative gains appeared to give Democrats new trifectas of power in Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Nevada, New Mexico and New York. Democrats also broke up existing Republican trifectas in Kansas, Michigan, New Hampshire and Wisconsin. Democrats ended a Republican legislative supermajority in North Carolina, making it harder for the GOP to override vetoes by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper. Yet even after Tuesday's victories, Democrats still will have full control of the governor's office and legislature in about one-third fewer states than Republicans. The Democratic gains amount to a mere "ripple" in Republican legislative control, said Matt Walter, president of the Republican State Leadership Committee. "It is not a wave, and I would say it's a far cry short of what they should have done" during a midterm election in which Republicans had to defend far more seats, Walter said. During the first midterm election of Democratic President Barack Obama's tenure in 2010, Republicans picked up about 725 state legislative seats while flipping control of 21 chambers. Republicans then used that enhanced power in many states to redraw legislative districts to their favor after the 2010 Census. Tuesday's shift of about a half-dozen chambers for Democrats is well below the average of 12 chamber changes per election cycle dating back 1900, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Whereas "Obama's first midterm was a wipeout for Democrats," the Republican losses Tuesday are "relatively modest," said NCSL elections analyst Tim Storey. That's partly because Democrats are still "running on mostly Republican-drawn maps," he said. Both Democrats and Republicans were trying to put themselves in a strong position for the elections in two years, which will determine which party will have the upper hand in redrawing congressional and state legislative districts after the 2020 Census. But that jostling for power will matter less in some states as a result of Tuesday's elections. Voters in Colorado, Michigan and Missouri approved ballot measures overhauling the redistricting process in ways that are intended to reduce the likelihood of partisan gerrymandering by either major party. The Colorado and Michigan measures set up independent commissions to handle the task instead of leaving it to lawmakers and the governor. The Missouri measure keeps in place an existing bipartisan commission for state legislative districts but creates a new position of nonpartisan state demographer to draft maps that prioritize "partisan fairness" and "competitiveness." __ Follow David A. Lieb at: http://twitter.com/DavidALieb ___ For AP's complete coverage of the U.S. midterm elections: http://apne.ws/APPolitics Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tony Evers, left, and Lieutenant Governor candidate Mandela Barnes appear at a post election party at the Orpheum Theater in Madison, Wis., Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018. (John Hart/Wisconsin State Journal via AP) DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - After eking out a narrow election victory after allegations he had met white supremacists, Iowa Republican Rep. Steve King promised Wednesday to even more forcefully state his views in the future, saying his "head is bloodied but unbowed." The victory over Democrat J.D. Scholten came amid outcry over his association with white supremacist groups, which he says is false, and his hardline views on immigration, abortion and gun rights. King, 69, claimed his reputation has been sullied by these election attacks. "I'm going to march through this. I'm going to take on all charges, take on all challengers. We're going to fight to put this record in order," he said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday. King said he appeared to be cruising to an easy victory, with some polls showing him 20 points ahead. He said unexpected attacks began after news reports surfaced in September and October about his stance on immigration - he was described in one as "the most anti-immigrant member of Congress" - and a trip he took to Austria and his meeting there with members of the Freedom Party, which is associated with a man once active in neo-Nazi circles. Organizations and individuals stirred by the allegations poured money into the Scholten campaign, giving it millions of dollars for television ads. "I don't know if anybody in America has taken that kind of nasty, negative, dishonest attack and withstood it," King said. Steve King, Republican incumbent in Iowa's 4th Congressional District, hugs grandchildren Gabe King and Rachel King as Steve King's son and campaign worker, Jeff King, looks on during an election watch party held in a Sioux City, Iowa, conference center Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. King beat Democratic challenger J.D. Scholten. (Tim Hynds/Sioux City Journal via AP) Since he's had no need to run television ads in previous elections and hasn't had to raise money like other candidates, his campaign wasn't prepared to match the onslaught . He estimated he spent around $130,000 for advertising this campaign against Scholten's millions. Scholten's campaign did not immediately respond to messages. King also vowed he'll no longer passively allow news media or opponents mischaracterize his statements or take them out of context. "That's something I'm changing," King said. "I have refused all these years to defend myself of these baseless charges. I will be defending myself." He banned Iowa's largest newspaper from his election night events in Sioux City. King's son, Jeff King, said the campaign denied credentials to The Des Moines Register and "any other leftist propaganda media outlet with no concern for reporting the truth." Steve King said he's hesitated to hold previously announced town hall meetings because opponents like to hijack them for their own publicity, but he plans on doing them again. King, a construction company owner, began his career in politics in 1996, when he was elected to the Iowa Senate. He was re-elected in 2000 but opted to run for an open seat in Congress in 2002 created through redistricting and has served the rural, agricultural 4th District since. Since first winning election to the U.S. House, King's vote total has dipped below 60 percent only twice. He defeated Scholten on Tuesday with just 50 percent of the vote. As a state senator, he's credited with drafting the Iowa law that is considered one of the most restrictive abortion measures in the nation because it bans abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected. It has been repeatedly challenged in the courts, but advocates hope it will be the case that finally leads to the reversal of legalized abortion in the U.S. His firm belief on abortion is one of the reasons he believes wealthy donors from the East and West coasts wanted to defeat him. "If they think this is going to intimidate me into backing off of these values we believe in, they're going to find out otherwise day by day and day a night because it never was about a political position," he told supporters Tuesday night. "It was always about a conviction and a calling." ___ Follow David Pitt on Twitter: https://twitter.com/davepitt NEW YORK (AP) - After Fox News Channel called Sean Hannity's appearance at a Trump rally on Monday an "unfortunate distraction," a further distraction was avoided on election night. Hannity made no appearance on Fox's midterms coverage, even though the network had previously announced that its prime-time opinion hosts Hannity, Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham would all be part of it. Both Carlson and Ingraham did appear. When Hannity and Fox colleague Jeanine Pirro were called to the stage and talked during President Trump's final rally before the elections in Missouri, it was an embarrassment to the network. Fox said on Tuesday that it did not condone such campaign appearances, and called it a distraction from the work of its journalists covering the election. Fox would not discuss whether Hannity or Pirro faced any punishment. So when Hannity was a no-show on Tuesday night, it led to speculation that the network's most popular personality was absent because of the network's displeasure with the rally appearance. A Fox spokeswoman would not discuss that on Wednesday, or explain why Hannity did not appear on election night when the network had announced, via an Oct. 29 news release, that he would. She did point to recent Hannity statements that he had other plans that night. "I will be watching you on election night," Hannity told Fox's Bill Hemmer on the air last week. "I will be home drinking heavily. Either celebrating or in misery, one or the other." President Donald Trump shakes hands with Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity, right, during a campaign rally Monday, Nov. 5, 2018, in Cape Girardeau, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) On his radio show Tuesday, Hannity said that he doesn't work for Fox on election nights "because I am so neurotic." He said he watches for returns on multiple televisions, phones and computers. "I think in 2016 I didn't go to bed until 8 or 9 in the morning the next day," he said. Hannity did find the time on election night 2016, when Trump scored his surprise victory over Hillary Clinton, to give a lengthy phone interview as part of Fox's coverage. Pirro was never scheduled to work on election night. SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras (AP) - The Metropolitan Grand Central bus terminal in this city where the migrant caravan traveling through Mexico originated more than three weeks ago is a place of crossing destinies for Hondurans dreaming of seeking a better life in the United States. Some of the dozens of people sleeping on the concrete floor or outside on the grass underneath palm trees bathed by the light of street lamps are awaiting buses to the Guatemalan border to begin the journey north. Others are arriving after failing to complete the trip and are being ferried back to the precarious lives they left behind. Hundreds of the mostly Honduran migrants who set out with the caravan that has traversed hundreds of miles through three countries before arriving in Mexico City this week have returned home, according to the Mexican government. Some grew disillusioned. Others simply wore out. Still others were detained and returned, or gave up on waiting for possible asylum in Mexico and accepted bus rides back home. Disembarking at the bus station in San Pedro Sula, nearly all of those returning said the same thing: Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but they intend to try again. "I would go 30 times more if possible," said Daniel Castaneda, an 18-year-old from the central city of Comayagua. He was detained shortly after migrants in a caravan following in the footsteps of the first one clashed with police on a bridge on the Mexican border with Guatemala late last month. "I can't say when, but I am going to keep going. ... This country is going to be left empty," he said. In this Oct. 30, 2018 photo, Honduran migrants deported from Mexico wait to be transported home, at the Metropolitan Grand Central bus terminal in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, after failing to complete their journey to the U.S. border. Nearly all the migrants at the terminal said the same thing: Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but they intend to try again. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) Reny Maudiel a fresh-faced 16-year-old in a green T-shirt, a mop of curly hair sticking skyward from his head, said he was turned off by the violence of last month's border clashes. He was also exhausted, and his feet hurt - but already his mind was turning northward. "I hope another opportunity emerges," he said. While U.S. President Donald Trump seized on the caravan as a campaign issue for Tuesday's midterm elections and suggested that criminals had infiltrated the group, the migrants say they are fleeing poverty, lack of jobs and rampant violence. In a country that is one of the world's deadliest by homicide rates, San Pedro Sula is among the most violent cities as the Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13 street gang, fights street-by-street with the rival 18th Street gang for territory. It's also seen a harsh crackdown by security forces including documented abuses. Nationwide nearly two-thirds of Hondurans, or some 5.5 million people, live in poverty, according to the World Bank. Pablo Alba choked up thinking about how his 11-year-old son wrapped his arms around his neck and begged to be taken on the journey north. Alba said no, not wanting the boy to risk the arduous trek. "If there must be suffering, I will go alone," he said, recalling that Oct. 13 day when he set off to join the caravan with only the clothes on his back. The 64-year-old had never thought about emigrating before because he had always been able to find work. A trained veterinarian, he ended up selling tamales cooked by his landlady, and it wasn't nearly enough to support his family. Mexican authorities say some 3,230 migrants from the caravan have requested refuge. Alba used to be one of them. But shut in at an immigration center and unable to communicate with his children - he had no money or cell phone - he dropped his application and agreed to return to Honduras. Some 480 others have done the same, according to the Mexican government. He intends to try again in March - only this time he will bring his kids. According to data from Mexico's National Immigration Institute, on average 136 Honduran migrants per day have been returned to their country this year. Women and children are taken directly to a shelter in San Pedro Sula. Men go by bus to the Caribbean coastal city of Omoa, and from there are transferred to the San Pedro terminal. Some days they're met at the bus station by government officials sitting behind a plastic table offering "solidarity bags" of basic goods such as rice and dried spaghetti, along with a photo of President Juan Orlando Hernandez and a note saying it comes from his government. Jorge Marquez said they were taking returnees' information to "follow up with them" and allow them to benefit from aid that Hernandez has promised in response to the caravan, which at its peak numbered more than 7,000 people. But such vows largely ring hollow in this deeply troubled and politically unstable country. In interviews with The Associated Press, most returnees said they faced only a bleak future if they remained in Honduras. However, some, like Gerardo Castillo, a 35-year-old mason, did find encouragement in promises by Mexico's President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who takes office Dec. 1, to give special visas to Central Americans to work in his country. Castillo, who left two children back home in Olancho and has two more in the United States, complained that immigration agents under the current Mexican administration were detaining migrants who separated from the main caravan, as happened to him. In Lopez Obrador, he sees a possible future in Mexico. "On Dec. 1, I will be in Tecun Uman," Castillo said, referring to the Guatemalan city across the river border from Mexico. Olvin Fernando Murillo, 20, made it almost 200 miles (300 kilometers) north of that crossing to the town of Arriaga - still far from Phoenix, Arizona, where a brother lives. That's when his 16-year-old girlfriend got sick. When it became clear she wasn't getting better they decided to return to their Honduran hometown of El Paraiso on the border with Nicaragua. He sold his cellphone to raise a bit of money and had little more than a donated green backpack he picked up after crossing into Mexico. But his plans were clear. "To rest for a while, and in January, another caravan," he said. Rumors that yet more caravans will form are flying in every corner of Honduras. They're attractive for the perception that they provide safety in numbers, and because they're a way to avoid paying thousands of dollars to a smuggler. But the reality is far less certain. Those few who make it to the United States face a tough road to be able to stay legally; poverty and violence are not supposed to be considered as qualifying factors for asylum. Trump has talked of making asylum even more difficult, of detaining applicants in tent cities and of sending 15,000 U.S. troops to the southern border. Still, 27-year-old Claudia Noriega was determined to risk it, saying she can no longer make a living selling sweets since sugar prices have soared. She was aware she could end up back here in a few weeks' time, just like the men sleeping on the bus terminal floor. "The important thing is to try," she said. "And if you can't, you'll have to see what to do then." This Nov. 1, 2018 photo shows a newspaper kiosk advertising the day's headline that reads in Spanish: "Trump now speaks of sending 15,000 soldiers" to the U.S. border, at the Metropolitan Grand Central bus terminal in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, the city where a migrant caravan traveling through Mexico originated over three weeks ago. Hundreds of migrants from the caravan moving through Mexico, mostly Hondurans, have returned home. Some grew disillusioned. Others simply wore out. Still others were detained and deported, or gave up on waiting for possible asylum in Mexico and accepted bus rides back. But nearly all say they intend to try again. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) In this Nov. 1, 2018 photo, Honduran migrant Braulio Bustillo, 33, poses for photo as he waits for a bus at the Metropolitan Grand Central bus terminal in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. The tattoo artist agreed to deported after the migrant caravan traveling to the U.S. border turned violent when migrants and Mexican Federal police clashed on a bridge that connects Guatemala and Mexico. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) In this Nov. 1, 2018 photo, 16-year-old Reny Maudiel, who was deported from Mexico, sits on a bus that will return him home, at the Metropolitan Grand Central bus terminal in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Maudiel, who was traveling with a migrant caravan, said he was turned off by the violence of the border clashes. But already his mind is turning northward. "I hope another opportunity emerges," said Maudiel, who has worked as a bricklayer's apprentice. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) This Oct. 30, 2018 photo shows "solidarity bags" of basic goods that include rice, dried spaghetti and sugar, along with a photo of President Juan Orlando Hernandez and a note saying it comes from his government, at a migrant care center at the Metropolitan Grand Central bus terminal in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) In this Oct. 31, 2018 photo, Hondurans sleep on the grass underneath palm trees, bathed by the light of street lamps outside the Metropolitan Grand Central bus terminal in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Some are awaiting buses north to the Guatemalan border to begin their journey north. Others are arriving after failing to complete the journey and will be ferried back to the lives they had planned to leave behind. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) In this Nov. 1, 2018 photo, Pablo Alba poses for a photo in his home in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Alba was among the caravan migrants who requested refuge in Mexico. The 64-year-old had never thought about emigrating before because he had always been able to find work. A trained veterinarian, he ended up selling tamales cooked by his wife, and it wasn't nearly enough to support his family. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) In this Nov. 1, 2018 photo, Pablo Alba shows a letter he wrote and signed voluntarily accepting his deportation, during an interview in his home in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Alba choked up thinking about how his 11-year-old son wrapped his arms around his neck and begged to be taken on the journey north. Alba said no, not wanting the boy to risk the arduous trek. "If there must be suffering, I will go alone," he said, recalling that Oct. 13 day when he set off to join the caravan with only the clothes on his back. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) This Nov. 2, 2018 photo, a woman and child wait for a bus at the Metropolitan Grand Central bus terminal in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, the city where a migrant caravan traveling through Mexico originated over three weeks ago. Rumors that yet more caravans will form are flying in every corner of Honduras. They're attractive for the perception that they provide safety in numbers, and because they're a way to avoid paying thousands of dollars to a smuggler. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) WASHINGTON (AP) - A day after Republicans expanded their Senate majority, the Trump administration on Wednesday finalized a policy change that allows some employers with religious or moral objections to opt out of providing no-cost birth control for female workers. The new regulations from several federal agencies apply mainly to religious organizations, nonprofits and small businesses. Women's rights groups already suing the administration over an earlier version of the opt-out vowed to continue their court battle. Starting next year, the new Democratic majority in the House is expected to scrutinize the administration policies on women's health. Under former President Barack Obama's health care law, most employers must cover birth control at no charge as a preventive service for women. Accommodating religious objections has been a sticking point for years. President Donald Trump's administration has broadened narrower exemptions and workarounds that Obama permitted, moves favored by social conservatives who are staunch supporters of the president. Also on Wednesday, the administration proposed tighter rules on "Obamacare" plans that cover abortion. The administration said those changes are intended to ensure that taxpayer-provided subsidies for health insurance are not used to pay for abortions. FILE - In this Aug. 26, 2016, file photo, a one-month dosage of hormonal birth control pills is displayed in Sacramento, Calif. A day after Republicans expanded their Senate majority, the Trump administration on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, finalized a policy change that allows some employers with religious or moral objections to opt out of providing no-cost birth control for female workers. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File) The vast majority of employers offer birth control benefits through their health plans. Large companies whose stock is sold to investors won't be eligible for the opt-out, and neither will governmental employers. It's unclear how many women will be affected by the new policy. AP VoteCast, a national election survey, found contrasting views on abortion. In the midterm elections, more voters said abortion should be legal in all or most cases than said it should be illegal in all or most cases, 60 percent to 39 percent. However, among white evangelical Christians in particular, just about a quarter say abortion should be legal in at least most cases. White evangelical voters broke heavily for Republican congressional candidates on the ballot, by roughly 4 to 1. AP VoteCast is a nationwide survey of more than 115,000 voters and 20,000 nonvoters conducted for The Associated Press by NORC at the University of Chicago. ___ Associated Press survey analyst Hannah Fingerhut contributed to this report. KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - A woman who shot Wichita abortion doctor George Tiller and attacked abortion clinics in several states in the 1990s has been released from prison in Oregon, prompting concern in clinics across the country, according to a published report Wednesday. Rachelle "Shelley" Shannon was released from a halfway house in Portland, the U.S. Bureau of Prisons confirmed. She will be on supervised release for three years but the bureau said conditions of her release will not be revealed. Shannon spent 25 years in custody and had been living at the halfway house since May, The Kansas City Star reported . "We're extremely concerned," said Katherine Spillar, executive director of the Feminist Majority Foundation. "We're alerting providers, briefing them and making sure they have enough security precautions in place." The Rev. Donald Spitz, an anti-abortion activist who stayed in contact with Shannon, said abortion-rights activists should not be worried about Shannon's release. "I don't think she'll be doing anything violent," said Spitz, leader of Pro-Life Virginia and sponsor of the Army of God website. "Of course, no one knows, but I'd be very surprised." FILE - In this Sept. 8, 1995 file photo, Rachelle "Shelley" Shannon arrives for sentencing in federal court in downtown Portland, Ore. Shannon, an anti-abortion activist who shot Wichita, Kan., abortion doctor George Tiller in 1993 and committed clinic attacks in several states, has been released from imprisonment in Oregon. The U.S. Bureau of Prisons confirmed Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, that Shannon has been released. The Kansas City Star reports Shannon was staying at a halfway house in Portland since May. She has been in custody for 25 years. (Ben Brink /The Oregonian via AP, File) He said he talked to Shannon on Monday and described her as upbeat about her release but said he didn't know Shannon's plans. Shannon, now 62, was sentenced to 11 years behind bars for shooting and wounding Tiller, and 20 years for six firebombings and two acid attacks at abortion clinics in California, Oregon and Nevada. Stephen Peifer, a former assistant U.S. attorney who prosecuted Shannon in Portland in 1995, said Shannon could do something violent herself but it's more likely she would counsel other people to do so. "She's completely unrehabilitated and totally incorrigible," Peifer said. "She has the same mentality and goals that she had when she was convicted." On May 31, 2009, Tiller was shot and killed at his church in Wichita by Scott Roeder, an anti-abortion extremist who testified during his murder trial that he visited Shannon when she was imprisoned in Topeka. Julie Burkhart, a former employee of Tiller's and founder of Trust Women Foundation, which operates clinics in Wichita, Oklahoma City and Seattle, said Shannon's release "raises deep concerns." "She tried to murder my boss," Burkhart said. "And I absolutely do not believe under any circumstances that Shelley Shannon is reformed. She is still as dangerous today as she was in August of 1993." Shannon was an Oregon homemaker when she took a bus to Oklahoma City, where she rented a car and drove to Tiller's clinic in Wichita. The clinic, Women's Health Care Services, was bombed in 1986 and was the focus of Operation Rescue's 46-day "Summer of Mercy" campaign in 1991 that resulted in more than 2,600 arrests. Shannon shot Tiller as he drove out of the clinic parking lot. He was injured in both arms but returned to work the next day. After Shannon was arrested, police found a letter she'd written to her daughter describing the shooting and denying that it was wrong. "It was the most holy, most righteous thing I've ever done," she wrote. "I have no regrets." Investigators later found files on Shannon's computer detailing clinic arsons and acid attacks she had committed. ___ Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com Fujairah Terminals, an operational arm wholly-owned by Abu Dhabi Ports, has signed a MoU with United Steel Industries, a premier manufacturer of rebars, rods and wire coils, thus reinforcing its commitment to the UAE business community. The agreement supports the handling of the companys import and export shipments through Port of Fujairah and means that Fujairah Terminals will facilitate all required logistics support for the company, said a statement from the firm. The MoU was signed by Ahmed Al Mutawa, chief executive officer of Fujairah Terminals, and Mamed Magomadov, partner at United Steel Industries. The partnership enables USI to benefit from the Fujairah Terminals strategic location and platform to efficiently access the region, it added. Al Mutawa said: Our continued collaboration with USI stems from our commitment to consistently play a vital role in supporting the economic and social development of the emirates business community. The MoU portrays our organisations competitive advantage and will provide USI with increased time efficiencies and immense cost reductions. We look forward to continue solidifying our position within the UAEs strategic expansion into markets in the Indian sub-continent and East Africa, he added. Magomadov said: It is privileged for us to be in relation with Fujairah Terminals for all our cargo import and export handling including logistic services. Our decision to invest in our relationship with Fujairah Terminals is motivated based on multiple business factors that will gain us a competitive advantage. By choosing to utilise the Fujairah Terminals, we will be benefiting from increased time efficiency, cost reduction and a convenient location only few kilometres from our steel plant, he added. Through Fujairah Terminals, Abu Dhabi Ports is enhancing existing infra and super structure; in addition to managing all container, general cargo, roll-on-roll-off (RoRo) and cruise ships in the port. It further extends this exclusivity throughout the emirate of Fujairah for container business. Abu Dhabi Ports is also deepening of berths to enable the port, which already serves clients and companies in the entire Gulf Region, Indian Ocean and Indian Subcontinent, to cater to larger vessels, it stated. TradeArabia News Service SAN DIEGO (AP) - California Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter, who won re-election while facing federal corruption charges, promised constituents Wednesday it will be "business-as-usual" in his deeply red Southern California district, but some wonder whether that will be possible. Hunter beat first-time Democratic candidate Ammar Campa-Najjar by more than eight percentage points in the San Diego-area district that President Donald Trump won by double digits in 2016. Campa-Najjar, a 29-year-old former Obama White House aide, said he would not concede until every vote had been counted, which could come later in the week. The race was considered a test of partisanship in the Trump era and whether voters would overlook the taint of suspicion to keep the five-term lawmaker in his seat. Hunter is one of the few candidates in U.S. history to be re-elected while indicted. He vowed Wednesday to continue his fight to rebuild the military, fortify the U.S. border, cut taxes and protect the 2nd Amendment. "I intend to make it business-as-usual in working with President Trump for the next two years to achieve more success, especially given the challenge of having a Democrat-led House," Hunter said in a statement. Rep. Duncan Hunter,R-Calif., speaks during an interview at a call center on Tuesday Nov. 6, 2018, in Santee, Calif. Hunter faces Democratic candidate Ammar Campa-Najjar in the race for Southern California's 50th district. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) He is up against mounting challenges unlike any he has faced in his 10 years in office. He and his wife are due back in court Dec. 3. A grand jury in August handed down a 60-count indictment against the couple alleging they used more than $250,000 in campaign money for personal expenses ranging from tequila shots to an Italy trip to dental work. They pleaded not guilty. Robert Knapp, 59, a Santee Republican who services trucks and buses, said he reluctantly voted for Hunter, but he did not want to see Republicans lose the seat. "Personally, I would have a difficult time focusing," he said. "Hopefully he has good people around him to help him stay on track." Hunter was one of two indicted Republican congressmen running for re-election. Rep. Chris Collins of New York is accused of insider trading. His race was too close to call Wednesday. Both were early supporters of Trump and called the charges retribution for his election. Trump, however, did not officially endorse either candidate, though some say he could try to intervene to help the Republicans now that Democrats control the House. Bill Wells, the conservative mayor of El Cajon, located in Hunter's district, said there's no doubt the case will be a distraction. "It's not a positive thing," he said. "So the faster this gets resolved, the better it will be for the district." Wells ran against Hunter after it was announced the congressman was under federal investigation, but he lost in the June primary. He said his candidacy opened the door for other Republicans who were reluctant to run against the Hunter family, a political dynasty in the largely rural and suburban district east of San Diego. Hunter's father was elected to the seat in 1980 and held it until his son was elected in 2008. Wells declined to predict how things will end for Hunter, though he is still entertaining the idea of going for his seat again if the conditions are right. Former federal prosecutor Jason A. Forge expects the case to go to trial in 2019. Forge, who is now in private practice, said the indictment is full of evidence that he believes shows the prosecution's case is strong, and he expects a conviction. "When you read between the lines in the indictment, there are a lot of bread crumbs there," Forge said. Hunter's wife is also facing possible jail time and could opt to cooperate. Hunter has insinuated his wife, who was his campaign manager, was to blame for the misspending. But Forge said he does not believe she would testify against the father of their three children. "But who knows, the reality is those kids could wind up with both parents in jail at the same time," he said. No law requires lawmakers who are convicted to step down, though most have under pressure. Otherwise they can face expulsion. If the seat is vacated, the governor would call a special election. Hunter, a 41-year-old former Marine, has said he is eager to go to trial. A few lawmakers have been re-elected while indicted and gone on to be exonerated. More have been convicted and later resigned. In 2014, Republican Rep. Michael Grimm of New York was re-elected while under indictment and later resigned after pleading guilty to tax evasion. After serving more than seven months in prison, he ran again in the June primary and lost. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif.,brings pizza to campaign workers on Tuesday Nov. 6, 2018, in Santee, Calif. Hunter faces Democratic candidate Ammar Campa-Najjar in the race for Southern California's 50th district. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) Democratic congressional candidate Ammar Campa-Najjar talks to supporters on Tuesday Nov. 6, 2018, in San Diego. Campa-Najjar faces Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., in the race for Southern California's 50th district. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) Democratic congressional candidate Ammar Campa-Najjar talks to supporters on Tuesday Nov. 6, 2018, in San Diego. Campa-Najjar faces Republican U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter in the race for Southern California's 50th district. Hunter leads his opponent in early returns despite facing federal corruption charges. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) Democratic congressional candidate Ammar Campa-Najjar talks to supporters on Tuesday Nov. 6, 2018, in San Diego. Campa-Najjar faces Republican U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter in the race for Southern California's 50th district. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) WASHINGTON (AP) - Vilified by Republicans on the campaign trail, Nancy Pelosi emerged Wednesday as President Donald Trump's preferred choice to become speaker of the House, arriving on Capitol Hill with an air of inevitability after leading her party back to the majority. The Democratic leader is positioned to return to the speaker's office after Democrats took back the House in Tuesday's midterm elections. Already the only woman to have held the job, she would also become one of the few lawmakers to reclaim the gavel after losing it. Pelosi is a "smart woman," Trump said during a nearly 90-minute press conference at the White House, and someone with whom he hopes to engage in "beautiful bipartisanship" and deal-making. It was a role reversal from just days ago, when he warned voters of her "radical" agenda. She "deserved" to become speaker again after winning the House, Trump said Wednesday, adding that he looked forward to doing "a tremendous amount of legislation" once power in Congress is divided between a Democratic House and Republican Senate. At the Capitol, in the stately Rayburn Room - named after the last speaker who returned to the office - Pelosi was asked if she was confident she would become speaker when the new Congress convenes in January. She said simply: "Yes, I am." Yet ascent of the California Democrat is nowhere near guaranteed. Many younger House Democrats, including some of the newly elected, have pledged to vote against her. They are reluctant to shout the name "Pelosi" when the cameras zoom in during the first roll call of Congress, fearful of the attack ads that will be launched against them. As Trump and Pelosi extended overtures across Pennsylvania Avenue, they also shadowboxed around the new dynamic created by the House's ability to probe the president's business dealings and his administration. The president warned Democrats not to push too hard with their investigations, or he would smack back even harder; Pelosi vowed that they would conduct responsible oversight. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) The two have reasons to cooperate. Both want to score legislative wins to bring to voters ahead of the 2020 election. They talked on election night about doing an infrastructure package and lowering health care costs, particularly around prescription drugs, priorities for both sides. "There's plenty of opportunity," Pelosi said, noting she worked productively with President George W. Bush during her last turn as speaker. She also referenced Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters of California, another favorite Trump villain, who is set to lead the powerful Financial Services Committee. "Democrats come to this majority with the responsibility not to Democrats - it's not to Democrats or Republicans - it's to the United States of America," she said. "The fact is we'd like to work together." Pelosi is likely to win first-round voting later this month to become leader, when she needs half of House Democrats to support her. But becoming speaker requires a majority of the full House, 218 votes, and her slim majority - now at 222 - leaves her little cushion. It's not just her. Pelosi heads a trio of septuagenarian leaders, with Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer and Assistant Leader Jim Clyburn, who have held power since the last time Democrats took back the House majority, in 2006. Each is poised to move up a slot. Democrats who want new leadership have been whispering about it for weeks, and on Wednesday, several Pelosi opponents announced their intent to run for the top posts. "I've been saying for a long time that the Democratic Party leadership is in dire need of change," wrote Rep. Filemon Vela of Texas, one of two who wants to run for the No. 3 job of chief vote-counter. "Ya es tiempo de un cambio!" he echoed his statement in Spanish. Another Democrat, Rep. Diana DeGette of Colorado, also jumped into the whip's race. Both candidacies are a direct affront to Clyburn, the highest-ranking African-American in Congress, who is in line to become the whip. He announced his bid Wednesday, pledging to "make America's greatness apply fairly and equitably to all Americans." Three others announced their runs for assistant leader, the new No. 4 post, including Rep. Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico, the chairman of the campaign committee who helped lead his colleagues to the majority. So far, though, no one has mounted a serious direct challenge to Pelosi, and some are reluctant to take on the first female speaker after an election that brought a record number of women to the polls and to the House. "'Thank you for returning us to the majority. Now we want to say goodbye'? That's very difficult," said Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va. "But the math is very difficult for her, and it's inescapable." Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan, who ran against Pelosi last year as a centrist alternative, said colleagues want to do what's best for the new members coming from districts that just flipped from Republicans. He said those Democrats need to be able to run for re-election in two years without being saddled with the GOP's attacks on Pelosi. "The one thing that keeps emerging in the conversation is, What do we have to do to protect our new members?" Ryan said. "What are we doing to protect the majority makers?" Fallout on the Republican side of the aisle is just as complicated, with Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California facing a challenge from conservative Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio for the top spot in their shrunken ranks. Both said they will seek the job of minority leader. Republican leadership elections are set for next week. For Pelosi, Trump's endorsement Wednesday could be just what she needs to push past the naysayers and help neutralize the critics. He said he would be happy to help "supply her the necessary votes." Pelosi appreciated the gesture but said she doesn't "deserve" to be speaker based on what she's done. "It's what you can do." She often says her fashion choices make a political statement, and her pink dress on Wednesday spoke volumes. She said, "I'm the best person to go forward to unify, to negotiate." ___ Associated Press reporters Alan Fram, Matthew Daly and Kevin Freking in Washington contributed to this report." ___ Follow Mascaro on Twitter at https://twitter.com/lisamascaro and AP's midterm coverage at https://apnews.com/apf-politics House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., speaks in during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018. Pelosi says she's confident she will win enough support to be elected speaker of the House next year and that she is the best person for the job. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., speaks at a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018. Pelosi says she's confident she will win enough support to be elected speaker of the House next year and that she is the best person for the job. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., speaks at a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018. Pelosi says she's confident she will win enough support to be elected speaker of the House next year and that she is the best person for the job. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Fresh off of becoming the first Somali-American elected to Congress, Ilhan Omar said Wednesday that she's still enjoying being known for her firsts. In 2016 the one-time refugee became the first Somali-American elected to a state legislature in the U.S. when she won a seat in the Minnesota House from Minneapolis, which has a large Somali community. Her victory Tuesday in Minnesota's 5th District also makes her one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress, along with Democrat Rashida Tlaib, who won a Detroit-area seat. "It's wonderful. It is a great opportunity. But really I am not going from a first to another first," Omar said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I'm going from the state House to the opportunity to serve in Congress, and serve the people in the Fifth, which is a great honor and a great opportunity. ... It is something that is exciting to a few people, but, you know, often times it is important for us to own the moment, celebrate it, and then move on." Omar said she's looking forward to going to Washington "to join a very diverse, bold progressive caucus" and work to expand funding for infrastructure projects, expanding the availability of health care and strengthening education. And she said she plans "to hold this administration accountable and be a true check and balance." While she said there will be opportunities for Democrats to find compromise with President Donald Trump on some issues, such as infrastructure, she added, "there is a real opportunity for us to make that sure that we have a Congress that does its job." While Nancy Pelosi is positioned to return to the speaker's office after Democrats took back the House, Omar, like many Democratic candidates, has been publicly reticent about committing to support Pelosi. She said she admires Pelosi for her "wonderful work ethic" and looks forward to conversations within the Democratic caucus about electing a leader "that will help us implement the bold, progressive policies that we ran on. ... I will see who that turns out to be." Democrat Ilhan Omar is interviewed by The Associated Press Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, in Minneapolis after winning Minnesota's 5th Congressional District race in Tuesday's election. She will be the first Somali American to serve in Congress and one of the first two Muslim women to serve in Congress. (AP Photo/Jim Mone) Omar will succeed Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, who was elected as Minnesota's next attorney general on Tuesday. Like Ellison, she said, she will probably use a Quran for her ceremonial swearing in. Democrat Ilhan Omar holds up a newspaper after she was interviewed by The Associated Press Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, in Minneapolis after winning Minnesota's 5th Congressional District race in Tuesday's election. She will be the first Somali American to serve in Congress and one of the first two Muslim women to serve in Congress. (AP Photo/Jim Mone) Democrat Ilhan Omar is interviewed by The Associated Press Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, in Minneapolis after winning Minnesota's 5th Congressional District race in Tuesday's election. She will be the first Somali American to serve in Congress and one of the first two Muslim women to serve in Congress. (AP Photo/Jim Mone) Democrat Ilhan Omar speaks after winning in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District race during the election night event held by the Democratic Party Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in St. Paul, Minn. Omar became the first Somali-American - and one of the first two Muslim women - elected to Congress. Omar faced Republican Jennifer Zielinski in the Minneapolis-area district. (AP Photo/Hannah Foslien) Democrat Ilhan Omar speaks after winning in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District race during the election night event held by the Democratic Party Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Hannah Foslien) Ilhan Omar poses for a selfies with supporters after her victory Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Minneapolis. Omar is poised to become the first Somali-American elected to Congress, representing Minnesota's Fifth District. (Mark Vancleave /Star Tribune via AP) Ilhan Omar delivers her victory speech to supporters in a packed ballroom Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Minneapolis. Omar is poised to become the first Somali-American elected to Congress, representing Minnesota's Fifth District. (Mark Vancleave /Star Tribune via AP) Ilhan Omar poses for a selfies with supporters after her victory Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Minneapolis. Omar is poised to become the first Somali-American elected to Congress, representing Minnesota's Fifth District. (Mark Vancleave /Star Tribune via AP) Asma Mohammed and Ashley Fairbanks celebrate as results come in at Democratic congressional candidate Ilhan Omar's election night headquarters in Minneapolis on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. State Rep. Ilhan Omar has won Minnesota's 5th District race to become the first Somali-American and one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress. (Mark Vancleave/Star Tribune via AP) A team from Middle East network Al Arab broadcasts from the ballroom at Democratic congressional candidate Ilhan Omar's election night headquarters in Minneapolis on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. State Rep. Ilhan Omar has won Minnesota's 5th District race to become the first Somali-American and one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress. (Mark Vancleave/Star Tribune via AP) TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Florida Democrats tried something new and got the same result, losing the sixth straight governor's race, possibly losing all three statewide offices on Tuesday's ballot and winding up with a Senate race that's too close to call. In short, the Democrats' blue wave hit President Donald Trump's figurative red wall, and once again Florida maintained its reputation for close elections - with Republicans having the edge. Republican Ron DeSantis defeated Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum by less than a percentage point and three-term Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson was hoping a recount would reverse Republican Gov. Rick Scott's narrow lead. "It seems like we're living up to our history," said Bob Poe, who was Florida's Democratic Party chairman during the 2000 presidential recount. "Florida was just being Florida." Tuesday's results could help Trump when he seeks re-election in 2020, with DeSantis and Scott in a better position to use their offices to sway opinions if they maintain support with Florida voters. And while Republicans swept Florida's statewide races, Democrats again crept closer to winning, and may get a boost going forward from a new constitutional amendment that will restore felons' voting rights. But for now, Republicans maintain their dominance in Florida - even if by the slimmest of margins. Republican Florida Governor-elect Ron DeSantis, center, waves to the supporters with his wife, Casey, left, and Republican Lt. Governor-elect Jeanette Nunez, third right, after thanking the crowd Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Orlando, Fla. DeSantis defeated Democratic candidate Andrew Gillum. (Chris Urso/Tampa Bay Times via AP) For the third straight governor race, a Republican won without winning half the statewide vote. In the Senate race, Scott led Nelson by more than 30,000 votes out of more than 8.1 million cast. Florida's election was largely a referendum on Trump. DeSantis' primary campaign was based almost entirely on his and Trump's mutual admiration. And while Democrats despise the president, Republicans love him. He came to Florida twice in the final six days of the election to encourage his base to show up for DeSantis and Scott. It may have made the difference, and now DeSantis will be in a position to return the favor. Florida's 29 electoral college votes will be critical to Trump's re-election and having a sitting Republican governor will help. Democrats did much better in heavily Democratic counties than they did four years ago when Scott beat former Gov. Charlie Crist, said University of North Florida political science professor Matthew Corrigan, who was part of The Associated Press team analyzing returns Tuesday night. Broward County turnout went from 44 to 57 percent since the last midterm election. Similarly, Miami-Dade County increased turnout from 50 percent to 57 percent. But Republicans amped up their turnout even more, Corrigan said. Sumpter County is home to The Villages, an enormous retirement community that overwhelmingly votes Republican. Turnout increased from 67 to 77 percent. "Basically, the increase in turnout was across the board, but in some of these really Republican counties it was higher," Corrigan said. Longtime Tallahassee-based Republican political consultant David Johnson said that while the GOP again dominated at the polls, the state is still purple "They turned out vote very, very well. We just turned out a few more," Johnson said. "When it comes to the midterms, we know who our voters are and we know what we need to do to get them out and we do it. It's more execution than it is a grand strategy." In the Senate race, Scott did what works for him. He spent more than $60 million of his own money to saturate the state with television and online ads and stuck to a very tight script. While Nelson easily won re-election in 2006 and 2012, he faced nothing like he did with Scott. Scott repeatedly hit the theme that Nelson was a confused, do-nothing senator who has made a career in Washington toeing the party line. He also highlighted Florida's improved economy under his watch and depicted himself as a strong leader through devastating hurricanes. Florida Democrats' strategy in midterm elections has been to nominate a moderate, white candidate from the central part of the state while targeting their turnout effort to the party's South Florida stronghold and along the Interstate 4 corridor that runs from Daytona Beach in the east to Tampa Bay in the west. But this year, Gillum was the party's nominee. He was the first African American to be nominated for governor, and he ran as an unabashed liberal. His plan was to excite younger voters, minorities and the wing of the party that calls themselves progressives - groups that usually turnout in lower numbers in non-presidential election years. And he also refused to focus just on Democratic-rich counties in the southeast corner of the state. He went into deep red and rural areas, saying the way to win was to reach out to the entire state and not just focus on South Florida. The day before the election, when Democrats usually make a last pitch in South Florida cities like Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, Gillum spent his time in small north Florida enclaves. Besides flipping two Republican U.S. House seats, the other victory for Democrats was a constitutional amendment that will restore the voting rights of most felons who have completed all terms of their sentences. That could potentially add 1.4 million people to the voter rolls. While clearly not all felons are Democrats, minorities and the poor, groups that tend to back Democrats, are disproportionately incarcerated. "Amendment 4 may change the balance of power," Poe said. "That's going to change some dynamics. That's just going to change the math. Now the thing is, will those people register and will they vote." WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump billed the midterms as an election about "Kavanaugh and the caravan," and it was - although not entirely as he planned. Both the fight over Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and the debate over immigration animated Republican base voters in states where the GOP made gains in the Senate. But they also cost his party in suburban races that decided the outcome of the House, contributing to the split-decision Trump received from voters. Data gathered by AP VoteCast, a nationwide survey of more than 115,000 voters and about 22,000 nonvoters, suggests Trump's closing arguments about the courts and border security cost his party seats in the House. Here's a snapshot of who voted and why from VoteCast, the survey conducted for The Associated Press by NORC at the University of Chicago. KAVANAUGH Ahead of Tuesday's election, both parties claimed the emotionally charged debate over sexual misconduct allegations against Kavanaugh would motivate their supporters to turn out. And it did. Voters line up to receive ballots while others fill voting booths inside the northwest Bismarck polling place in Century Baptist Church on Tuesday evening. (Tom Stromme/The Bismarck Tribune via AP) Nationally, three-quarters of voters said the tumultuous battle was important to their vote, including 48 percent who said it was very important. Voters who considered it especially important broke for their Democratic House candidate, 56 percent to 43 percent. But in key Senate races in the Republican-leaning states where Republicans flipped Democratic seats, those who ranked the debate as very important to their votes leaned toward the GOP. Voters who said the Kavanaugh hearings were very important broke for the Republican 60 percent to 40 percent in North Dakota, 56 percent to 42 percent in Indiana, and 53 percent to 44 percent in Missouri. Kavanaugh faced multiple allegations of sexual misconduct from his youth, which he denied, and was confirmed by a GOP-controlled Congress following widely followed hearings. The allegations against Kavanaugh were leveled roughly a year after the start of the #MeToo movement, which has brought national attention to sexual harassment and assault. Overall, 43 percent of voters said they were very concerned about women not being believed when they make allegations of sexual misconduct, and another 35 percent were somewhat concerned. About as many said they were at least somewhat concerned about men not being given the opportunity to defend themselves against allegations of sexual misconduct. While voters across most demographic groups considered Kavanaugh important as they cast ballots, there were wide differences in concern over the underlying issue. Majorities of both men and women said they were at least somewhat concerned about women not being believed when they make allegations of sexual misconduct, but women were more likely than men to say they were very concerned about this, 52 percent to 35 percent. Views varied widely by gender among Democrats, and just modestly among Republicans: Fully 74 percent of Democratic women said they were very concerned about women not being believed, compared with a smaller majority of Democratic men (56 percent). About a quarter of Republican women, and 2 in 10 Republican men, said they were very concerned about this. While 55 percent of voters in urban areas said they were very concerned about women not being believed when they make allegations of sexual misconduct, 43 percent of suburbanites and 38 percent of voters in small towns and rural places said the same. IMMIGRATION In an indication of how the president's frightful rhetoric over migrant caravans marching toward the U.S.-Mexico border animated Republican base voters, immigration was top-of-mind for about 23 percent of voters, and they broke 78 percent to 20 percent for Republicans. Health care was named the most important issue facing the country by 26 percent of voters, and these voters broke for Democrats by similar margins (74 percent to 23 percent). Voters overall were divided in their ratings of Trump on his handling of border security: 50 percent said they approve, while the same share disapprove. Trump fared well on border security among voters in small towns and rural places - 6 in 10 approved, compared with 47 percent of suburban voters, who decided many key House races, and 36 percent of urban voters. Fifty-seven percent of white voters expressed approval of the president on border security. White voters without a college degree were more likely than those with one to say they approved, 64 percent to 49 percent. ___ AP VoteCast is a survey of the American electorate conducted in all 50 states by NORC at the University of Chicago for The Associated Press and Fox News. The survey of 116,792 voters and 22,137 nonvoters was conducted Oct. 29 to Nov. 6, concluding as polls closed on Election Day. It combines interviews in English and Spanish with a random sample of registered voters drawn from state voter files; with self-identified registered voters conducted using NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population; and with self-identified registered voters selected from nonprobability online panels. Participants selected from state voter files were contacted by phone and mail, and had the opportunity to take the survey by phone or online. The margin of sampling error for voters is estimated to be plus or minus 0.5 percentage points. All surveys are subject to multiple sources of error, including sampling, question wording and order, and nonresponse. Find more details about AP VoteCast's methodology at http://www.ap.org/votecast . A long line of people wait in the dark on Tuesday to vote at the Los Angeles County Registrar Recorders office in Norwalk, Calif., on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (Keith Birmingham/The Orange County Register via AP) HOUSTON (AP) - The Latest on the case of the husband of a former sheriff's deputy convicted of murder for a deadly confrontation (all times local): 8:15 p.m. A prosecutor says the husband of a former sheriff's deputy was given an appropriate sentence of 25 years in prison for the strangulation death of a man the couple confronted outside a Houston-area restaurant. Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg says she hopes Terry Thompson's case deters people from resorting to violence to resolve their conflicts. The same jury that convicted Thompson of murder on Monday sentenced him Wednesday. Prosecutors argued Thompson wanted to kill 24-year-old John Hernandez and kept him in a chokehold after he stopped resisting. Thompson had confronted Hernandez about urinating in the parking lot of a Denny's restaurant in May 2017. FILE - In this June 13, 2018, file photo, Terry Thompson, accused of fatally choking John Hernandez, is shown in court in Houston. A jury on Monday, Nov. 5, convicted Thompson, the husband of a former sheriff's deputy, of murder for the strangulation death of a man the couple confronted outside a Houston-area restaurant. ( Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle via AP, Pool, File) Scot Courtney, Thompson's attorney, said he was disappointed by the sentence. Thompson's wife, Chauna, faces a murder trial in April. During a victim impact statement, Maria Toral, Hernandez's wife, told Thompson that she would forgive him if he repents for what he did. ___ 6:35 p.m. The husband of a former sheriff's deputy has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for the strangulation death of a man the couple confronted outside a Houston-area restaurant. The same jury that convicted Terry Thompson of murder sentenced him on Wednesday. Jurors denied a request by Thompson's attorney to find that he acted with sudden passion and was unable to control his anger. Prosecutors argued Thompson wanted to kill 24-year-old John Hernandez and kept him in a chokehold after he stopped resisting. Thompson's attorney countered he was only defending himself after being punched. The incident began after Thompson confronted Hernandez about urinating in the parking lot of a Denny's restaurant in May 2017. Thompson's wife, Chauna, faces a murder trial in April. ___ 11:45 a.m. A jury is deciding how to sentence a man in the strangulation death of another man outside a Houston-area restaurant. Jurors got the case Wednesday morning after closing arguments in the punishment phase of Terry Thompson's trial. Prosecutors asked jurors to sentence Thompson to life in prison for the killing 24-year-old John Hernandez in May 2017. Thompson's defense attorney asked jurors to find he acted in sudden passion and was unable to control his anger - making him eligible for a lesser sentence of two years to 20 years. The jury convicted Thompson of murder on Monday. Thompson and his wife, former Harris County sheriff's deputy Chauna Thompson, confronted Hernandez after seeing him urinating in the parking lot of a Denny's restaurant. Chauna Thompson faces a murder trial in April. WASHINGTON (AP) - This week's midterm elections offered revealing lessons for both parties as battle lines begin to emerge for the 2020 presidential election. For Democrats, a string of statewide victories in Rust Belt states opened a potential path back to the White House. But President Donald Trump's Republican Party found strength in critical states that often hold the keys to the presidency. Perhaps no state offered Democrats more hope than Wisconsin, which shocked the party in 2016 by narrowly falling into Trump's column. Republican Gov. Scott Walker's narrow loss in his bid for a third term left Democrats optimistic they could reclaim Wisconsin along with other traditionally blue states that Trump carried, such as Michigan and Pennsylvania. "To have Walker lose is a significant turning point that the right candidate in 2020 could win all of these states" across the industrial north, Democratic pollster Paul Maslin, who advised Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin's campaign. "If they do, Trump's map starts to get more difficult." Still, there are plenty of reasons for caution for Democrats. Gains in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania were offset by mixed results in Ohio and GOP dominance in electoral powerhouse Florida. In Ohio, Republicans came out on top in the governor's race and a handful of other statewide offices. The GOP kept their 12-4 majority in the U.S. House delegation. Governor-elect Tony Evers, left, and Lt. Governor-elect Mandela Barnes, right, with pillows found on the tour of the Boys & Girls Club of Dane County. State Rep-elect Shelia Stubbs (D-Madison) is right. On Wednesday Nov. 7, 2018 Governor-elect Tony Evers, and Lt. Governor elect Mandela Barnes took a tour of the Boys & Girls Club of Dane County in Madison, Wis. (Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal via AP) Ohio Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan, who won another term representing a district that Hillary Clinton won in 2016, called it a "really bad election night" for his party. But he said Democrats were able to win when they focused on "bread-and-butter economic issues," the way he and Sen. Sherrod Brown, who also won re-election Tuesday, did. "If you're not connecting with the workers, then you're not going to be able to do well," Ryan said in an interview. "Trump connected to the workers. If we don't do that, if we're continuing to be seen as elite and that people are 'deplorables' if they don't vote for us, we're going to have a big problem." In his victory speech, Brown said his state had provided a "blueprint for America in 2020." Republicans, though, pointed to Trump's 8-point victory in Ohio in 2016, and the four campaign visits he made to the state, including a southwest Ohio jaunt three weeks before the election. Trump remains very popular in the region, spanning from the politically swing-voting Hamilton County eastward along a string of Ohio River counties that the president carried by more than 30 percentage points. The area's white and vastly rural profile outside Cincinnati is part of what is expected to keep Ohio from springing back easily for Democrats, Hamilton County Republican Chairman Alex Triantafilou said. "I think southwest Ohio is becoming more reliably red under President Trump," Triantafilou said. "There's definitely a turnout benefit to talking to conservatives the way Trump has." There were also warning signs for Democrats in Florida, a perennial swing state that is increasingly delivering victories - however narrow - to the GOP. Republican Ron DeSantis defeated Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, handing Democrats their third consecutive loss for the Florida governor's mansion. Adding to their trouble was incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson trailing Republican Rick Scott. One bright note for Democrats in Florida was the passage of Amendment 4, which will restore voting rights to most felons when they complete their sentences and probation, adding 1.4 million possible voters to the rolls. It's unclear how this group of people will affect the 2020 election. Democrats also see bright signs in places like Nevada, once a conservative state that is now more consistently trending blue. Beto O'Rourke's Democratic campaign for Senate in Texas fell short by less than 3 percentage points in Texas, a GOP-heavy state that hasn't elected a Democrat to statewide office since 1994. And Democrat Stacey Abrams ran a competitive campaign for governor in Georgia, which hasn't elected a Democrat to the governor's mansion since 1998. "There are some assumptions about states Democratic presidential candidates will visit that are being truly reconsidered," Democratic strategist Anita Dunn said. "I'm talking about changing the map." Tensions were already flaring over what type of candidate could capitalize on the emerging 2020 map. "We're going to see a huge field, but the big question will be whether they learn lessons from the midterms because I think the electorate was trying to tell us something loudly and clearly," Matt Bennett of Third Way, a centrist think tank, said in an interview. "The message they were trying to send us is you've got to beat Trump in the battleground states, and you've got to run on very mainstream, nonextreme Democratic ideals and values." "The people that ran that way won in those tough places," Bennett added, "and the people who didn't run that way lost almost everywhere." But Adam Green, a co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, said he saw a shifting center of gravity within the Democratic Party. "Thanks to Stacey Abrams, Andrew Gillum and Beto O'Rourke, places where Democrats have had trouble winning for years became unpredictable toss-ups in large part because of an electorate inspired by never-before-heard bold visions for economic and racial justice," Green said. Ron DeSantis and his wife Casey celebrate after winning the Florida Governor's race during DeSantis' party at the Rosen Centre in Orlando on Orlando, Fla., on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel via AP) BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) - Only U.S. Sen. Jon Tester of Montana survived President Donald Trump's aggressive campaign to topple Democratic senators from Republican-leaning states who voted against his Supreme Court picks. The president and his surrogates returned repeatedly to Montana, North Dakota, Missouri and Indiana this election season, pounding on Tester and other incumbent Democrats who opposed the nominations of Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch. Conservative groups followed the White House's lead by pouring tens of millions of dollars into ad campaigns against the Democratic senators. Tester earned particular ire for his central role in derailing Trump's pick for Veteran Affairs secretary, Ronny Jackson, by airing misconduct allegations against the White House doctor. On Tester's turf, the president's attention was enough to raise Montana state Auditor Matt Rosendale from political obscurity to a contender in a race that set a state record for political spending. While other Democrats in states that Trump carried in 2016 went down Tuesday - Heidi Heitkamp in North Dakota, Claire McCaskill in Missouri and Joe Donnelly in Indiana - Tester's victory helped blunt the GOP's expansion of its majority in the Senate. Joe Manchin held on in West Virginia, but he backed the president's court nominees. Tester fended off his opponent by combining his populist appeal as the Senate's only farmer with a message heavy on health care and veterans' issues. He targeted female voters with frequent references to the need to protect reproductive choice. Tester also reached out to young people who might be disaffected with Trump. Sen. Jon Tester surrounded by family and supporters, announces his victory Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018 in Great Falls, Mont. Tester has won a third term in the U.S. Senate by beating Republican Matt Rosendale. Tester won Tuesday's close election despite President Donald Trump taking a personal interest in defeating him. (Thom Bridge /Independent Record via AP) Through it all, Tester avoided tangling directly with the president. He sought to defuse their feud by frequently citing veterans' legislation that the Democrat sponsored and Trump signed. The conciliatory tone continued after the election results trickled in Wednesday, even as Democrats elsewhere appeared emboldened to take on Trump after their party captured a U.S. House majority. "Montanans spoke loud and clear about the direction they want Montana to go," Tester said during a victory speech to supporters in the city of Great Falls. "The people I talked to, the biggest issue they bring up is, 'Why can't you guys work together?' We can, and we will." The White House campaign to take down Tester and install Rosendale also included multiple visits by Vice President Mike Pence and the president's son. "In this case, the Tester brand was able to stave off the Trump brand," said Jeremy Johnson, a political analyst at Carroll College in the state capital of Helena. The result, Johnson added, suggests Montana has managed to avoid at least some of the polarization Trump has stoked elsewhere in the country. Billings voter and Tester supporter Lynne Fitzgerald said the negative advertising in the Senate race was a turnoff. But she liked what Tester had to say, particularly about accepting people of different backgrounds in contrast to Trump's propensity to stoke division. "It's about who's going to work together, who's going to get things changed," Fitzgerald said. "He has the best interests of Montanans in mind." Tester, 62, is a farmer and a former music teacher from the small community of Big Sandy who won his seat in 2006 by defeating then-U.S. Sen. Conrad Burns. Six years later, Tester beat then-U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg. In 2012 and again this year, Republicans tried to take down Tester with allegations he had become part of the same Washington establishment that he had pledged to challenge when he first ran. But an Associated Press survey said the topic foremost on voters' minds this election season coincided with one of Tester's main issues - health care. It was more prominent than two issues frequently touted by Trump, immigration and the economy. The survey also suggested that Tester's efforts to reach out to women worked, with the Democrat holding a significant advantage among female voters compared with his rival. "Women care about health care issues and they care about someone they can connect with," said Montana State University political analyst David Parker. "What was warm and fuzzy about Matt Rosendale? What did he have to offer? There wasn't much there for women." Rosendale won a four-way primary in June after the Republicans' first choice to challenge Tester, Ryan Zinke, resigned his U.S. House seat to become Trump's Interior Department secretary last year. Rosendale made his campaign about backing Trump, who won a landslide victory in Montana in 2016. He framed himself as a champion of the president's agenda and Tester as selling out Montana's interests for those of the Senate's Democratic leaders. Rosendale conceded defeat and called to congratulate Tester soon after The Associated Press called the race Wednesday. "While we suffered a setback, our movement and our cause will continue to move forward," he said in a statement. ___ Follow Matthew Brown on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MatthewBrownAP ___ For AP's complete coverage of the U.S. midterm elections: http://apne.ws/APPolitics Sen. Jon Tester surrounded by family and supporters, announces his victory Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018, in Great Falls, Mont. Tester has won a third term in the U.S. Senate by beating Republican Matt Rosendale. Tester won Tuesday's close election despite President Donald Trump taking a personal interest in defeating him. (AP Photo/Peter Banda) Cindy Cronce, left, and Curt Edlin, center, of Helena, pose for a picture with Senate candidate Matt Rosendale after he greeted the room to say it would be a long night Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in the Delta Hotel in Helena, Mont. Rosendale is challenging Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont. (AP Photo/ Eliza Wiley) Sen. Jon Tester awaits election results Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, surrounded by family member in Great Falls, Mont. Tester is running against Mont. State Auditor Matt Rosendale to keep his seat in the Senate. (Thom Bridge/Independent Record via AP) Montana Senator Jon Tester meets with supporters Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, at his election party in Great Falls, Mont. (Thom Bridge/Independent Record via AP) DENVER (AP) - Colorado Democrats have flipped control of the state Senate, giving the party a trifecta of Statehouse control with the historic victory of U.S. Rep. Jared Polis as the nation's first openly gay governor and a sweep of top statewide offices. With key wins by five women in toughly contested state Senate races in Denver's suburbs, Tuesday's election will produce a renewed Democratic push to strengthen former President Barack Obama's health care law, adopt gun control legislation, increase funding for public education and stress environmental protections. "It's straightforward where I intend to start: Equal pay for equal work. Paid family leave. Closing the wage gap between men and women. It's about equality and an economy that works for everyone," said Rep. Jesse Danielson, who won one of the key Senate races in suburban Jefferson County. Results were still trickling in, but Democrats were poised to take a two-seat majority in the state Senate, erasing a one-vote GOP edge. In the state House, Democrats looked to increase their comfortable majority. Democrats also captured the GOP-held positions of secretary of state, attorney general and state treasurer. National LGBTQ advocates hailed Polis becoming the first openly gay man elected governor in the United States. But issues of sexual preference or gender never became a prominent topic in Polis' campaign against Republican state Treasurer Walker Stapleton - despite Colorado's dark past and continuing struggles on the issue. Colorado was dubbed a "hate state" when voters in 1992 approved a ban on laws that protected gays from discrimination. The U.S. Supreme Court later struck it down as unconstitutional. After years of struggle, civil unions were legalized in 2013, and gay marriage in 2014. Democrat Jared Polis walks onto the stage with running mate Dianne Primavera upon defeating Republican Walker Stapleton in the race for Colorado governor, during the Democratic watch party in Denver on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via AP) This year, the U.S. Supreme Court partially upheld the arguments of a Colorado baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple on religious grounds. Jack Phillips, owner of the Masterpiece Cakeshop, has sued the state again for opposing his refusal to bake a cake celebrating a gender transition. On social media, some Colorado residents discussed voting for Polis without knowing he is gay with a partner and two children. "We went from a state where our elected officials struggled to provide even basic rights to same-sex couples to a state where a gay man ran for governor and his sexual orientation wasn't discussed as a political liability," The Denver Post wrote in an editorial late Tuesday. Kayla DeShon, an independent voter from the south Denver suburb of Highlands Ranch, joyfully agreed. The 29-year-old said she voted for Polis because of his commitment to universal health care and defense of insurance coverage of pre-existing conditions. She has an autistic child. "I did not know he is gay. I found out afterward - it was an added bonus," DeShon said. "Health care and education are important to me as a mom. And so is climate change. So I made an educated decision. "And I do think that it doesn't matter," she said. "We're moving toward a state of equality where people and politicians don't have to state their sexual preference or their gender." More than 2.4 million Colorado residents voted in an election whose top themes included health care policy and President Donald Trump. One in four residents are covered by Medicaid, but those in vast areas of rural Colorado pay some of the nation's highest health insurance premiums and have only one provider. Democratic lawmakers pledged to work closely with Polis on the issue. Also on the 2019 agenda: Preschool, kindergarten and public education funding; transportation; restrictions on guns; and adoption of a workplace harassment policy for a Statehouse roiled this year by sexual and workplace misconduct allegations. Senate Republicans this year rejected "red flag" legislation, introduced after the Parkland, Florida, school shooting and designed to remove guns from those who pose a threat to themselves or others. It's a priority next year for Democrat Tom Sullivan, who was elected to the state House. Sullivan's son, Alex, was killed by a gunman as he celebrated his 27th birthday in an Aurora movie theater in 2012. Twelve people in all were killed and 70 wounded. "A protection order is the first thing," Sullivan said Wednesday of his legislative priorities. "We have to address mental health issues. The work really begins for us now." ___ Associated Press writer Courtney Bonnell in Phoenix contributed to this report. ___ For AP's complete coverage of the U.S. midterm elections: http://apne.ws/APPolitics Colorado Governor-elect Jared Polis, right, lifts the hand of Lt. Governor-elect Dianne Primavera during his acceptance speech at the watch party for Colorado Democrats at the Westin Hotel in downtown Denver, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette via AP) Colorado gubernatorial Republican candidate Walker Stapleton delivers his concession speech to supporters during an election night party in Lone Tree, Colo., Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey) Democrats erupt when the Colorado Governor race is called for gubernatorial candidate Jared Polis at the Democratic watch party at the Westin Hotel in downtown Denver, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette via AP) JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - President Donald Trump might have lost ground with suburban voters during the midterm elections, but rural voters in Missouri more than made up for it by strongly supporting Trump-backed Republican Josh Hawley, who ousted self-described moderate Democrat Sen. Claire McCaskill on Tuesday. Voter surveys and election results show McCaskill did well where she needed to in St. Louis, Kansas City and their suburbs as well as in Boone County, home of the University of Missouri-Columbia. But her support tanked in rural Missouri, despite constant work to court those voters in a state Trump won by nearly 19 percentage points in 2016. McCaskill's loss in the small towns of Missouri illustrates an often-overlooked flip side to the growing Democratic national dominance of major cities and the much-discussed inroads of Democrats in the suburbs. Republicans have ramped up their margins in rural America since Trump took office. Both those trends were on display Tuesday in Missouri. For example, in a House race in the St. Louis suburbs, Republican Rep. Ann Wagner saw her margin of victory this year decline to 4 percentage points from more than 20 points in 2016 and 32 in 2014. But Hawley, the state's attorney general, countered McCaskill's strength with urban voters by stressing that she no longer represented what he called the values of Missouri. He hammered her as too liberal for the state, noting her vote against tax cuts, and especially her opposition to Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., delivers a concession speech while surrounded by family including her husband, Joseph Shepard, right, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in St. Louis. McCaskill has conceded defeat to Republican challenger Josh Hawley in her bid for a third term. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) McCaskill held more than 50 town halls in mostly in Republican strongholds, and during the campaign she tried to limit her losses in rural areas by noting that she voted with Trump nearly half the time in the Senate. She gave an interview to Fox News, unusual for a Democrat, and decried "crazy Democrats" who harass Republicans in restaurants and other public places. Rural and small town voters favored Hawley 66 percent to 31 percent, according to AP VoteCast, a wide-ranging survey of the American electorate. University of Missouri-St. Louis political scientist David Kimball said the state has moved right since McCaskill first won election to the Senate in 2006. Now, at least for statewide races, he said Missouri is "solid red." "You can't say she ignored rural Missouri," Kimball said. "She tried. She made her pitch. I think many voters just weren't receptive." When McCaskill first won election to the Senate in 2006 - another midterm year - she was able to chip away at Republican strongholds, this year she performed significantly worse in rural Missouri. An Associated Press analysis of the 2006 and 2018 county-by-county election results shows McCaskill lost ground in every rural county. In Reynolds County in the state's southeastern Bootheel region, McCaskill dropped nearly 27 percentage points compared to when she first ran. In 2006, she edged out former Republican rival Sen. Jim Talent with about 53 percent of the vote in the county. This year, she only brought in 27 percent of the vote. McCaskill's loss of popularity in rural Missouri demonstrates the growing strength of the Republican Party in a state once considered a presidential bellwether. Republicans now control the state Legislature and almost every statewide seat. When McCaskill leaves office, there will be only one Democrat left serving statewide. Trump capitalized on his strength with rural, working-class, white voters in Missouri by making campaign stops in Cape Girardeau the day before the election and a September rally in Springfield. McCaskill outperformed Hawley in urban areas, where 67 percent of voters favored her, and in suburban Missouri - 52 percent of voters favored her there, according to AP VoteCast. She had a good lead with both urban men and women. Among suburbanites, McCaskill won over women -60 percent- while Hawley was modestly favored among men - 53 percent to 44 percent. She still lost statewide by 6 percentage points. ___ This version of the story corrects the spelling of Rep. Ann Wagner's last name. ___ Associated Press writer Amanda Seitz contributed to this report from Chicago. ___ Find more details about AP VoteCast's methodology at http://www.ap.org/votecast. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., delivers a concession speech Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in St. Louis. McCaskill has conceded defeat to Republican challenger Josh Hawley in her bid for a third term. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., delivers a concession speech Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in St. Louis. McCaskill has conceded defeat to Republican challenger Josh Hawley in her bid for a third term. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) Intended as a discussion group, the blog has evolved to be more of a reading list of current issues affecting our county, its government and people. All reasonable comments and submissions welcomed. Email us at: bill.pysson@gmail.com REMEMBER: To view our sister blog for education issues: www.district100watchdog.blogspot.com Around 600 Emirati and international high school students are taking part in this years Young Adipec programme, thus receiving a first-hand insight into the many career options available in the nations vital oil and gas industry. First held in 2013, it is the youth outreach initiative of the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (Adipec), and has already hosted more than 1,900 students aged 14 to 17 in its first five years. The event aims to win the hearts and minds of todays youth by connecting them directly with professional role-models and industry executives to obtain a first-hand insiders view of the industry, said a senior official. For employers, the programme helps them solve important human capital challenges, enticing millennials and the emerging generation of digital natives into the workplace. "Oil and gas has an endless need for engineers and managers, but the options go far beyond those roles that people immediately think of when they consider working in the industry," remarked Jean-Philippe Cosse, Vice President, dmg::events Middle East. "A prime example is the wave of digitalisation sweeping through the industry, which is creating jobs in cutting-edge tech areas such as big data analytics, robotics, 3D printing, and artificial intelligence. Oil and gas companies need young graduates with these skills," he stated. Participants for Young Adipec have been selected from 20 government and private schools, nominated by a teacher on the basis of aptitude, outlook and academic performance. They receive expert guidance on careers available and the qualifications they will need to land their dream job.-TradeArabia News Service WASHINGTON (AP) - Prosecutors say a former medical student has been sentenced to more than 20 years in prison for the 2017 shooting of a U.S. diplomat. A news release from the U.S. Department of Justice said 33-year-old Zia Zafar of Chino Hills, California, was sentenced after previously pleading guilty in a federal court in Virginia to attempted murder of an internationally protected person and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. According to prosecutors, Zafar was living in Guadalajara, Mexico, in January 2017 when he followed vice consul Christopher Ashcraft from the U.S. Consulate in Guadalajara. Authorities said as Ashcraft drove away from the consulate, Zafar fired a shot into the vehicle and hit the vice consul in his chest. Ashcraft survived, but the bullet remains lodged in his spinal column. BEIJING (AP) - The Australian government's rejection of a Chinese bid to take over an energy infrastructure company does not indicate a change in the country's openness to doing business with China, Foreign Minister Marie Payne said Thursday. Speaking after a meeting in Beijing with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi that marked a thaw in recently chilly relations, Payne stressed "the importance of Australia's welcoming of Chinese investment in Australia." On Wednesday, Australia said it intends to block a Chinese and Hong Kong consortium's 13 billion Australian dollar ($9 billion) bid to take over the APA group. Payne said the government judged that the acquisition would have resulted in "an undue concentration of foreign ownership by a single company group in what is our most significant gas transmission business." "We remain absolutely committed as a government to welcoming foreign investment into Australia. It supports jobs, it helps us to increase living standards," she said. Payne's meeting with Wang was seen indicating an improvement in ties between the key economic partners after months of tension over accusations of Chinese interference in Australian politics, media and academia. That threatened to upset political ties as well as economic relations with China, which buys about one-third of Australia's exports. Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, left, and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi shake hands at the end of a joint press conference at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. The foreign ministers of China and Australia are meeting in what is being seen as a sign of a thaw in the recently frosty relationship between the key economic partners. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) "I think the most important outcome of this dialogue is that we have reaffirmed the course of this relationship," Wang said after the meeting, which ran an hour longer than scheduled. Australia has banned Chinese giants Huawei and ZTE Corp. from new telecommunications projects, and an Australian security think tank has raised concerns about increasing collaboration between Australian universities and China's People's Liberation Army scientists on research programs such as hypersonic missiles and navigation technology. China took particular offense at a new law passed after allegations of Chinese meddling in Australian politics and media exposes about the Communist Party's dealings with Chinese university students and the expatriate Chinese community in Australia. China has denounced all accusations of interference as prejudiced "Cold War thinking" and alleges that Australia's longstanding military alliance with the U.S. is intended to contain China's growing influence. Australia backs the U.S. in challenging China's territorial claims to virtually the entire the South China Sea by flying and sailing near Beijing-held islands. While seeking to improve ties with its biggest trading partner, Australia is also taking steps to shore up its presence in the Asia-Pacific, where China has sought to extend its economic, political and military influence. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday outlined plans to increase investments in infrastructure in the South Pacific and for greater military and diplomatic engagement with Australia's island neighbors, who are increasing looking to China for aid through Beijing's "Belt and Road" infrastructure program. Australia has also announced it will invest in redeveloping a naval base in Papua New Guinea. Responding to a question on those moves, Wang said South Pacific island nations were entitled to make their own decisions about their foreign relations, but that China was willing to respond to their needs and "engage in cooperation based on equality and for win-win outcomes." "China and Australia have our respective strengths when it comes to cooperation with Pacific island countries and in this regard, China and Australia are not competitors, not rivals, but cooperation partners," Wang said. He and Payne agreed that "China's development poses no threat to Australia, but represents opportunities," Wang said, adding that the meeting constituted "an important engagement after the ups and downs this relationship went through." Payne said the ministers also discussed events in the northwestern Chinese region of Xinjiang, where the authorities have detained up to 1 million members of Muslim minority groups in camps in what Beijing calls a move to stamp out extremism. She gave no details of that conversation. Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, left, and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi shake hands at the end of a joint press conference at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. The foreign ministers of China and Australia are meeting in what is being seen as a sign of a thaw in the recently frosty relationship between the key economic partners. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne listens to a reporter's question during a joint press conference with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. The foreign ministers of China and Australia are meeting in what is being seen as a sign of a thaw in the recently frosty relationship between the key economic partners. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne listens to a reporter's question during a joint press conference with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. The foreign ministers of China and Australia are meeting in what is being seen as a sign of a thaw in the recently frosty relationship between the key economic partners. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks during a joint press conference with Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. The foreign ministers of China and Australia are meeting in what is being seen as a sign of a thaw in the recently frosty relationship between the key economic partners. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration issued an emergency airworthiness directive on how to handle erroneous data from a sensor that investigators believe malfunctioned on a new Boeing jet that plunged into the sea in Indonesia, killing all 189 people on board. The directive gives regulatory weight to Boeing's safety bulletin that it sent to operators of Boeing 737 MAX 8 and MAX 9 planes based on findings from the ongoing Indonesian investigation into the Oct. 29 crash of a Lion Air jet. FAA directives are usually followed by other airline regulators internationally. The FAA said erroneous data from the "angle of attack" sensor, which helps prevent the plane from stalling and diving, could cause flight crew to have difficulty controlling the airplane and lead to "excessive nose-down attitude, significant altitude loss, and possible impact with the terrain." The directive instructs airlines to make specific changes to flight manual procedures for responding to the problem. Boeing's bulletin said it was directing flight crews to existing guidelines. Indonesian investigators on Wednesday said the sensor was replaced on the Lion Air plane the day before its fatal flight and may have compounded other problems with the aircraft. The 2-month-old Boeing 737 MAX 8 crashed into the Java Sea 13 minutes after takeoff from Jakarta. Both that flight and its Oct. 28 flight from Bali to Jakarta had erratic speed and altitude shortly after takeoff. FILE - In this Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018, file photo, navy personnel carry the remains of a victim of Lion Air jet that crashed into the sea at the Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta, Indonesia. Boeing Co. says it has issued a safety bulletin that reiterates guidelines on how pilots should respond to erroneous data from an "angle of attack" sensor following last week's crash of a Boeing plane in Indonesia that killed 189 people. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana, File) On Wednesday night, Lion Air aborted a flight when one of its planes damaged a wing tip when it struck a lamp pole before takeoff from Bengkulu. The airline faulted the airport's aircraft movement control personnel who directed the plane from the apron to the taxiway. Indonesia's National Transportation Safety Committee earlier this week had said the plane that crashed had a malfunctioning airspeed indicator on its last four flights, based on analysis of the flight data recorder. Chairman Soerjanto Tjahjono said the airspeed indicator and sensor problems are related. Lion Air's first two attempts to address the airspeed problem didn't work, and for the jet's second-to-last flight the "angle of attack" sensors were replaced, Tjahjono said. On that Oct. 28 flight, from Bali to Jakarta, the pilot's and copilot's sensors disagreed by about 20 degrees. The plane went into a sudden dive minutes after takeoff, from which the pilots were able to recover. They decided to fly on to Jakarta at a lower-than-normal altitude. On the fatal flight, the plane hit the water at very high speed after the flight crew had been cleared to return to the airport several minutes after takeoff. "The point is that after the AOA (sensor) is replaced, the problem is not solved but the problem might even increase. Is this fatal? NTSC wants to explore this," Tjahjono said. Airline safety experts said pilots are trained to handle a plane safely if those crucial sensors fail and backup systems are generally in place as well. There are audio signals and physical warnings that can alert the pilot to malfunctioning equipment or other dangers, said Todd Curtis, director of the Airsafe.com Foundation. "They should have been completely engaged in what was going on inside that cockpit, and any kind of warning that came up, they would have been wise to pay attention to it," Curtis said. Investigators are likely focused on how a single sensor's failure resulted in a faulty command that didn't take into account information from a second sensor, said John Cox, CEO of Safety Operating Systems. "We don't know what the crew knew and didn't know yet," Cox said. "We will." Indonesia's search and rescue agency has extended the search until Sunday. Body parts are still being recovered and searchers continue to hunt for the cockpit voice recorder. Indonesia's transportation safety committee said it had agreed with Boeing on procedures that the airplane manufacturer should distribute globally on how flight crews can deal with the sensor problems. The flight procedure recommendations to Boeing were based on how the flight crew responded to problems on the Bali-to-Jakarta flight, said investigator Nurcahyo Utomo. Lion Air is one of Indonesia's youngest airlines but has grown rapidly, flying to dozens of domestic and international destinations. ___ Business Writer Cathy Bussewitz contributed to this report from New York. CANBERRA., Australia (AP) - Australia's prime minister on Thursday outlined plans to increase investments in infrastructure in the South Pacific as China's influence in those nations grows. Prime Minister Scott Morrison also detailed plans for greater military and diplomatic engagement with Australia's island neighbors who are increasing looking to China for aid through Beijing's "Belt and Road" infrastructure program. "My government is returning the Pacific to where it should be - front and center of Australia's strategic outlook, foreign policy and personal connections, including at the highest levels of government," Morrison said in a speech. The 2 billion Australian dollar ($1.4 billion) Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific will provide grants and long-term loans for investments in telecommunications, energy, transport and water infrastructure, Morrison said. Another AU$1 billion ($728 million) will be injected into the Export Finance and Insurance Corp., Australia's export credit agency, which will be given more flexibility to support investment in the region that would benefit Australia, he said. The Pacific region was estimated to need $3.1 billion in investment a year to 2030, he said. FILE - In this Oct. 20, 2018, file photo, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks at a Liberal Party Wentworth by-election function in Double Bay in Sydney, Australia. Morrison on Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018 outlined the country's plans to increase investments in infrastructure in the South Pacific as China's influence in those nations grows. (Chris Pavlich/AAP Image via AP, File) "It's in our interest, that's why we need to do it," he added. The Australian Defense Force would also establish an Australia-based Pacific Mobile Training Teams that would visit island neighbors to train their militaries in humanitarian and disaster responses, peacekeeping and infantry skills. Australia will also put diplomats in all 18 countries in the Pacific Islands Forum, with new embassies planned for Palau, Marshall Islands, French Polynesia, Nui and Cook Islands. In January, China protested an Australian minister's criticism that Chinese aid programs in poor Pacific island countries were creating "white elephants" that threatened economic stability without delivering benefits. Sen. Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, the-then minister for international development and the Pacific, told The Australian newspaper that China was lending to Pacific nations on unfavorable terms to construct "useless buildings" and "roads to nowhere." "You've got the Pacific full of these useless buildings which nobody maintains, which are basically white elephants," she told the newspaper. Fierravanti-Wells later said sustaining debt was a significant threat to economic stability of countries in the Pacific. China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang later said Fierravanti-Wells' published comments "show scant regard for the facts and are nothing but irresponsible," adding that China had made an official complaint to the Australian government. Chinese aid had "significantly fueled the economic and social development of these countries and delivered tangible benefits to the local people," assistance that has been warmly welcomed by those countries, Lu said. China transferred at least $1.8 billion in aid and loans to South Pacific countries in a decade through 2016, the Sydney-based Lowy Institute international policy think tank found. The U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corp., the Japan Bank for Investment Cooperation and the Australian government announced in July a trilateral partnership to invest in infrastructure in the region. The-then Trade Minister Steve Ciobo denied at the time the three-way initiative was a challenge to China, saying it only added to various regional programs already underway. A U.S diplomat revealed in September that the United States, Japan and Australia were cooperating on a domestic internet cable proposal for Australia's nearest neighbor, Papua New Guinea, as an alternative to an offer by Huawei, the Chinese telecommunications giant that the United States regards as a cybersecurity threat. The U.S. charge d'affaires to Australia, James Carouso, said the three Pacific defense allies were negotiating with the impoverished South Pacific island nation of 8 million people, mostly subsistence farmers, on its internet contract. Papua New Guinea Minister Justin Tkatchenko said his government was willing to work with Australia on the internet network if it offered a better deal than Huawei, The Australian newspaper reported. SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - South Korea's foreign minister said Thursday that U.S. officials told Seoul that it was North Korea that canceled nuclear talks this week between U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a senior North Korean official. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha provided no reason, aside from "busy schedules," for why North Korea canceled the meeting set for Thursday in New York that was meant to discuss ridding the North of its nuclear weapons and setting up a second summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. But some analysts say a last-minute cancellation - a familiar North Korean tactic - could be aimed at pressuring the United States to agree to a quick Trump-Kim summit because the North thinks it can win major concessions from Trump that lower-level U.S. officials might try to block. The U.S. president has recently appeared to be slowing the pace of diplomacy with North Korea amid signs that Kim is lagging behind in his supposed promise to denuclearize. Before this week's cancellation, Trump said he wouldn't play a "time game" with the North over a denuclearization deal, while his national security director, John Bolton, said a second Kim-Trump summit won't happen until 2019. North Korea has yet to comment on the cancellation. Trump and Kim held a highly choreographed summit in June in Singapore, where they announced aspirational goals for a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula without describing how and when it would occur. South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha answers a lawmaker's question at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. Kang quoted U.S. officials as saying that it was North Korea that canceled a meeting this week between U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a senior North Korean official on nuclear issues. (Kim Ju-hyung/Yonhap via AP) But North Korea has since insisted that U.S.-led sanctions against it should be lifted before there will be any progress in nuclear negotiations. This has fueled doubts about whether Kim will ever deal away a nuclear program he may see as his strongest guarantee of survival. Washington says the sanctions will remain until North Korea takes concrete steps toward irreversibly and verifiably relinquishing its nuclear weapons. Many officials in the U.S. administration want to take time in setting up a summit because they're trying to get something more substantial after widespread criticism that Trump made large concessions to Kim in the first summit without getting much in return, said Park Hyeong-jung, an analyst from the Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul. This would require that the U.S. and North Korea hammer out details in lower-level talks about what can be exchanged at the next summit, but the cancellation of the meeting between Pompeo and Kim Yong Chol indicates that the two sides remain far apart, Park said. Critics say Trump's decision to start off his North Korean diplomacy with a leaders' summit, instead of building upward from lower-level talks, bestowed legitimacy on the North before it took any meaningful steps toward denuclearization. After his June meeting with Kim, Trump raised security jitters in Seoul by abruptly canceling major U.S. military exercises with South Korea which North Korea had termed invasion rehearsals. "For North Korea, there has never been a U.S. president like Trump," Park said. "He doesn't ask too many questions or dig too much into details. The North simply got what it wanted the last time." Foreign Minister Kang told lawmakers she planned to discuss the matter with Pompeo over the phone. South Korea's presidential office earlier said that the meeting's postponement wouldn't affect the momentum of talks between the U.S. and North Korea. "We were notified by the United States that North Korea explained that (the meeting) should be postponed because both sides have busy schedules," Kang said. "I think it would be excessive to read too much into the postponement of the meeting." Trump told reporters at the White House that the United States is "in no rush" and that the meeting between Pompeo and Kim Yong Chol would be rescheduled. U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said the postponement was "purely a scheduling issue" but refused to elaborate. He did not provide a straightforward answer when asked whether the discord over sanctions has made it more difficult to set up meetings. "Timing, timing," Palladino said. "This has to do with timing as a matter - we're talking about scheduling. And I'll leave it at that." Seoul has worked hard to revive nuclear diplomacy between the U.S. and North Korea that has reduced war fears among South Koreans following a provocative run in North Korean weapons tests and Trump's threats of military action last year. Kim Jong Un shifted to diplomacy early this year and has held three summits with South Korean President Moon Jae-in. North Korea's Foreign Ministry last week criticized the United States for its continued support of sanctions and hinted it may resume nuclear development if the measures aren't lifted. South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha answers a lawmaker's question as Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, right, sits at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. Kang quoted U.S. officials as saying that it was North Korea that canceled a meeting this week between U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a senior North Korean official on nuclear issues. (Kim Ju-hyung/Yonhap via AP) TOKYO (AP) - U.S. Vice President Mike Pence will visit Japan next week to discuss North Korea and other issues ahead of two key regional meetings. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga announced Thursday that Pence will hold talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other top officials during his visit on Monday and Tuesday. Suga said Pence's visit will be an "ideal opportunity" for the two sides to discuss North Korea, China and other regional issues and reaffirm their cooperation. Pence may meet with his counterpart, Finance Minister Taro Aso, trade talks are not expected to be on the agenda. With Democrats now in control of the House as a result of Tuesday's midterm elections, President Donald Trump is expected to face a tough test of whether he can compromise with opposition lawmakers on key policies. Suga, however, said Japan's alliance with the U.S. is unwavering regardless of the election results, and pledged Tokyo's commitment to continue cooperating with Washington. FILE - In this Nov. 2, 2018, file photo, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence arrives for a campaign rally with President Donald Trump at Southport High School in Indianapolis. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga announced Thursday, Nov. 8, that Pence will hold talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other top officials during his Nov. 12-13 visit. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) Pence is to attend a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Singapore and a subsequent summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in Papua New Guinea on behalf of President Donald Trump. LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) - The snow appears to be pristine on the Andean peaks that loom above Bolivia's capital, but even here ash and smog reach up to a remote plateau that is home to the world's highest atmospheric observatory. It's an ideal site for a team of international scientists who collect data on pollution that has contributed to the rapid disappearance of Andean glaciers. Research at the Chacaltaya station, which is located at 17,192 feet (5,240 meters) above sea level, has a pressing urgency: The retreat of glaciers, which is compounded by global warming, threatens the main source of fresh water for residents in the nearby cities of EL Alto and La Paz - and the crops on which they rely. "If temperatures continue to rise, these high-altitude glaciers will also lose their mass of ice and there will only be snow on the summit," said glaciologist Patrick Ginot. "This will happen all along the Andes." Last year, Ginot was part of a team of scientists that transported chunks of ice from a melting Bolivian glacier to Antarctica to be preserved for posterity and future study as part of a global project called "Ice Memory." The Chacaltaya station is an important place to collect data samples partly due to its own location on the remnants of a glacier. The glacier, which is thought to be about 18,000 years old, once served as the site of Bolivia's only ski resort before it melted a decade ago. In this Oct. 8, 2018 photo, shows the entrance to the Chacaltaya atmospheric observatory, at Chacaltaya mountain, Bolivia. The station is an important place to collect data samples partly due to its own location on the remnants of a glacier. (AP Photo/Juan Karita) Initially, the station was launched as a cosmic ray observatory in the mid-1940s, when just hauling up heavy scientific instruments on the back of llamas was a feat in itself. But Chacaltaya's altitude and location near the Amazon region - and its proximity to Bolivia's capital city - eventually led scientists to obtain information about the pollution released from the burning of forests, coal, oil and gas. In 2012, the site became an atmospheric station used to measure greenhouse gases, reactive gases and particles that can spread all the way to the Pacific Ocean hundreds of miles away. Its altitude is only rivaled by a station recently built by China on the Quinhai-Tibet plateau near Mt. Everest which sits at 17,060 feet (5,200 meters). Chacaltaya, which means 'Cold Road' in Aymara, is jointly funded and managed by groups from the United States and Europe, and the initiative is led by Universidad Mayor de San Andres in La Paz. James Butler, head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's global monitoring division, said the samples taken and observations made "are not influenced by local emissions or similar influences." "Upward looking observations from a mountaintop also provide a much better picture of changes in the stratosphere than do observations from lower elevations, because interference in the signal is greatly reduced," he said. Fernando Velarde, a physicist who works at the observatory, said the data is shared with the international community. "As scientists we take a problem, study its effects and try to give answers to society," he said. "But the final decisions are in the hands of governments and politicians." In this Oct. 8, 2018 photo, an employee walks next to air collector of the Chacaltaya atmospheric observatory, 17,192 feet (5,240 meters) above sea levell in the Andes mountains, on the outskirts of El Alto, Bolivia. The observatory is an ideal site for a team of international scientists who collect data on pollution that has contributed to the rapid disappearance of Andean glaciers. (AP Photo/Juan Karita) In this Oct. 8, 2018 photo, an air collector of the Chacaltaya atmospheric observatory stands in the outskirts of El Alto, Bolivia. In 2012, the site became an atmospheric station used to measure greenhouse gases, reactive gases and particles that can spread all the way to the Pacific Ocean hundreds of miles away. (AP Photo/Juan Karita) In this Oct. 8, 2018 photo, Fernando Velarde Bolivian physicist works in the laboratory at the Chacaltaya atmospheric observatory on the outskirts of El Alto, Bolivia. Chacaltaya, which means 'Cold Road' in Aymara, is jointly funded and managed by groups from the United States and Europe and the initiative is led by Universidad Mayor de San Andres in La Paz. (AP Photo/Juan Karita) In this Oct. 8, 2018 photo, a computer screen shows a reading of various gases at the Chacaltaya atmospheric observatory laboratory, on the outskirts of El Alto, Bolivia. The Chacaltaya station is an important place to collect data samples partly due to its own location on the remnants of a glacier. (AP Photo/Juan Karita) WASHINGTON (AP) - The personality looming over the 2018 midterms was President Donald Trump. The issue was health care, the top concern for voters as they decided how to cast their ballots. This week's election showed a nation increasingly - if belatedly - in step with former President Barack Obama's approach to it. Health care was the top issue for about one-fourth of voters, ahead of immigration and jobs and the economy, according to VoteCast, a nationwide survey of more than 115,000 voters and about 22,000 nonvoters conducted for The Associated Press by NORC at the University of Chicago. Those most concerned with health care supported Democratic candidates overwhelmingly, helping the party claim the House. While Republicans' hold on the Senate grew, putting Democrats in control of the lower chamber makes it even less likely that Trump will be able to undo Obama's overhaul, which created subsidized coverage for some lower-income people, allowed states to expand Medicaid coverage for others with the federal government picking up most of the cost, and barred insurers from discriminating against people with pre-existing medical conditions. The law was one of Obama's key legislative accomplishments, but it proved unpopular after Democrats passed it without a single Republican vote. A backlash propelled the GOP to take control of the House in 2010 and the Senate in 2014, significantly narrowing what Obama could accomplish. Maine gubernatorial candidate, Democrat Janet Mills celebrates her victory at her election night party, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Portland, Maine. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) But by last year, "Obamacare" was popular enough that a GOP-controlled Senate blocked an effort to scrap the overhaul. That vote was a factor in the only Senate race where a Republican incumbent lost a re-election bid. In Nevada, where the majority of voters said they disapproved of Trump's handling of health care, Democratic challenger Jacky Rosen attacked incumbent Republican Sen. Dean Heller for supporting Trump's effort to repeal the health care law. "In time, changes will be made," Mike Leavitt, health secretary under President George W. Bush, told the AP. "But repealing the statute is now not possible, even in the mind of the most ardent opponent." The health care impact of the election goes beyond Congress. Voters in the Republican-dominated states of Idaho, Nebraska and Utah all passed ballot measures to expand Medicaid, which could bring coverage for an additional 363,000 low-income adults, adding to the 12 million already covered by the expansion elsewhere. Under the Affordable Care Act, federal taxpayers pick up most of the bill for the expansion. Starting in 2020, states will have to contribute 10 percent of the cost. "For all the people who have been slipping through the cracks in our health care system in Utah, there is finally good news," RyLee Curtis, campaign manager for Utah Decides Healthcare, said Wednesday on a conference call with reporters. "Help is on the way." Advocates, however, were disappointed by the outcome in Montana, where voters rejected a measure that would have made that state's Medicaid expansion permanent with financing from a tobacco tax. The debate isn't over, but it will move to the state legislature instead. Jonathan Schleifer, executive director of The Fairness Project, which campaigned for the expansion measures, said states including Missouri, Florida and Oklahoma could be pursued for future ballot measures. Democrats picked up governorships Tuesday in two states that may now expand Medicaid - Kansas and Wisconsin. In Kansas, health care tied with immigration as voters' top issue. In Wisconsin, which did not join the federal Medicaid expansion but does allow more adults into the program already, it was the biggest concern identified by about one-third of voters. In both states, about 7 in 10 of voters who said health care was their main concern voted for the Democrat for governor. That helped put Tony Evers over the top in his race against incumbent Republican Scott Walker in Wisconsin and pushed Laura Kelly to victory in a close race against Republican Kris Kobach in Kansas. Kelly got big cheers in her victory speech when she called for a Medicaid expansion, which she said was important "so that more Kansans have access to affordable health care, our rural hospitals will stay open and the tax dollars we've been sending to Washington will come back home." Medicaid was also a key issue in Maine, where voters last year approved a ballot measure to expand but where the current governor, Republican Paul LePage, refused to implement it. Democrat Janet Mills campaigned on implementing it and defeated Republican Shawn Moody, who campaigned against expansion. Tuesday's election results were far less clear on where Americans stand on a move to universal health coverage, an idea that a growing number of Democratic candidates, including several considering presidential bids, have been backing. In his campaign for governor in Florida, Democrat Andrew Gillum called health care for all a "north star" that the state should aspire to while offering up the intermediate step of expanding Medicaid as a must-do in the nation's third most populous state. The majority of Florida voters in the AP survey disapproved of Trump's handling of health care, and 3 in 5 also said it should be the government's responsibility to provide coverage. There, health care was tied with immigration as voters' top concern and Republican Ron DeSantis, a former member of Congress closely aligned with Trump, won. Meanwhile in Colorado, Jared Polis, a Democrat, was elected governor while promoting a single-payer health system for the state. Voters there rejected a ballot measure to create such a system two years ago. Charles Idelson, a spokesman for National Nurses United, a group pushing for single-payer health coverage, said the number of supporters of the concept is increasing at all levels of government after the election despite what he called "vilification of that issue and the demagoguery of that issue" by Republicans in campaign ads. Kathleen Sebelius, health secretary under Obama, told the AP she expects House Democrats to start designing a framework for covering all Americans and for that to be a major issue in 2020 elections. "One of the things this election clearly demonstrates is that health care for all is a unifying principle for the Democrats," she said. "We have been working toward that goal since 1965, when Medicare and Medicaid were passed." ___ Mulvihill reported from Philadelphia. Follow him at http://www.twitter.com/geoffmulvihill ___ For AP's complete coverage of the U.S. midterm elections: http://apne.ws/APPolitics Democrat Laura Kelly waved to the crowd at the Ramada Hotel and Convention Center in Topeka after she won election Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, to become the next Kansas governor. On the left is her running mate Lynn Rogers. (Thad Allton /The Topeka Capital-Journal via AP) PHOENIX (AP) - Republicans filed a lawsuit Wednesday night to challenge the way some Arizona counties count mail-in ballots as election officials began to slowly tally more than 600,000 outstanding votes in the narrow U.S. Senate race -- a task that could take days. Republican Rep. Martha McSally and Democratic Rep. Kyrsten Sinema were separated by a small fraction of the 1.7 million tabulated votes. About 75 percent of Arizona voters cast ballots by mail, but those ballots have to go through the laborious signature confirmation process, and only then can be opened and tabulated. If county recorders have issues verifying signatures they are allowed to ask voters to verify their identity. The suit filed Wednesday by four county Republican parties alleges that the state's 15 county recorders don't follow a uniform standard for allowing voters to adjust problems with their mail-in ballots, and that two counties improperly allow those fixes after Election Day. The GOP complained about the issue before Election Day and threatened to sue. Democrats alleged it was attempted voter suppression and that recorders have followed the same procedures for years with no issues. Republicans said it was about following the law and having a timely ballot count. The sluggish count is a perennial issue for Arizona, but has rarely received such a high level of attention because the GOP-leaning state generally has had few nationally-watched nail-biting contests. A supporter crosses her fingers as she talks with Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Kyrsten Sinema, at a get-out-the-vote event at the Arizona Education Association headquarters in Phoenix, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018. Sinema is facing Republican Martha McSally in the race to replace Republican Sen. Jeff Flake, who is retiring. (AP Photo/Bob Christie) The lawsuit alleges that signature verification must stop when polls close, and seeks an injunction to stop the counting of such ballots that have been verified after then. It's unclear how many of these votes still remain outstanding, but the suit singles out the state's two biggest urban counties, the center of support for Sinema. It says the two counties allow voters to help clear up signature problems up to five days after the election. Democrats believe the uncounted urban ballots dropped off shortly before Election Day favors Sinema. The lawsuit is scheduled to be heard Friday, after the next release late Thursday of tallied ballots. It's one window into the complexities of mail ballots and the so-called "late earlies" that arrive just before Election Day and regularly gum up the state's vote counting system. This election featured heavy statewide turnout of about 60 percent, more in line with a presidential election than a midterm - part of the reason county registrars were overloaded with uncounted ballots. One candidate familiar with the long wait is McSally. It took The Associated Press 12 days to name her as the loser of her first congressional race in 2012 because the margin was so narrow and vote counting was slow. McSally's second and successful bid for the seat ended with a recount in December of 2014, more than one month after the election. McSally tweeted early Wednesday that she was going "to bed with a lead of over 14,000 votes." She added: "We're confident tomorrow will bring more good news." Sinema tweeted that the "race is about you and we're going to make sure your vote is counted. There are a lot of outstanding ballots - especially those mailed-in - and a lot of reasons to feel good!" The cliffhanger Senate race comes in what's otherwise shaping up to be another banner Arizona year for Republicans. The GOP has won every statewide race in Arizona over the past decade, and Democrats were hoping Sinema could break that streak. Republican Gov. Doug Ducey was easily re-elected over a challenge from Democrat David Garcia, a professor. The GOP notched victories in the attorney general, treasurer and secretary of state races as well. The picture was brighter for the state's Democrats in Congress, where Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick was elected to the Tucson-area swing district seat vacated by McSally and Democrats held all their other four seats, giving them a majority of the state's nine-member U.S. House delegation. The Senate contest was the marquee race, featuring two champion fundraisers who are no strangers to tight races. They are battling over the seat vacated by Sen. Jeff Flake, a Republican who decided not to run for re-election because he realized his criticism of President Donald Trump made it impossible for him to survive politically. McSally and Sinema have both remade themselves politically. McSally, 52, is a onetime Trump critic who has embraced the president since his election. She has tried to rally Republican voters by emphasizing her military background as the first U.S. female combat pilot while touting her support for the president's tax cut and other parts of his agenda. Sinema, 42, is a former Green Party activist who became a Democratic centrist with her first election to the House of Representatives in 2012. ___ Associated Press writer Bob Christie in Phoenix contributed to this report. ___ For AP's complete coverage of the U.S. midterm elections: http://apne.ws/APPolitics Arizona Republican senatorial candidate Martha McSally, right, speaks with Caleb Klein and his sister, Grace Klein, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, at Chase's diner in Chandler, Ariz. McSally and Democratic challenger Kirsten Sinema are seeking the senate seat being vacated by Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., who is retiring in January. (AP Photo/Matt York) Arizona Republican senatorial candidate Martha McSally, speaks with voters, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, at Chase's diner in Chandler, Ariz. McSally and Democratic challenger Kirsten Sinema are seeking the senate seat being vacated by Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., who is retiring in January. (AP Photo/Matt York) U.S. Senate candidate Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., speaks to supporters at the Barton Barr Central Library, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018 in Phoenix. Sinema and Republican challenger Martha McSally are seeking the senate seat being vacated by Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., who is retiring in January.(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) U.S. Senate candidate Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., speaks with the media at the Barton Barr Central Library, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018 in Phoenix. Sinema and Republican challenger Martha McSally are seeking the senate seat being vacated by Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., who is retiring in January.(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) U.S. Senate candidate Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., takes selfies with supporters at the Barton Barr Central Library, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018 in Phoenix. Sinema and republican challenger Martha McSally are seeking the senate seat being vacated by Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., who is retiring in January.(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) Arizona Republican senatorial candidate Martha McSally, speaks with voters, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, at Chase's diner in Chandler, Ariz. McSally and Democratic challenger Kirsten Sinema are seeking the senate seat being vacated by Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., who is retiring in January. (AP Photo/Matt York) Arizona Republican senatorial candidate Martha McSally speaks with voters, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, at Chase's diner in Chandler, Ariz. McSally and Democratic challenger Kirsten Sinema are seeking the senate seat being vacated by Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., who is retiring in January. (AP Photo/Matt York) U.S. Senate candidate and Democratic Rep. Kyrsten Sinema poses in between America Corrales and Terry Bortin in front of media on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, at the couple's taco restaurant in Phoenix. Sinema, who is locked in a tight race with Republican Rep. Martha McSally is spending the final hours of election day talking to voters. (AP Photo/Terry Tang) Arizona Republican senatorial candidate Martha McSally, speaks with voters, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, at Chase's diner in Chandler, Ariz. McSally and Democratic challenger Kirsten Sinema are seeking the senate seat being vacated by Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., who is retiring in January. (AP Photo/Matt York) FILE--In this Nov. 3, 2018, file photo, a supporter, left, crosses her fingers as she talks with Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Kyrsten Sinema, right, at a get-out-the-vote event at the Arizona Education Association headquarters in Phoenix. The congresswomen running for Arizona Senate are in their final campaign swing as Republican Rep. Martha McSally barnstormed across rural Arizona and Sinema dashed around metro Phoenix. The two candidates were trying to turn out every last voter in the neck-and-neck race. (AP Photo/Bob Christie, File) DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Minister Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam, warned President Donald Trump not to pull "the trigger of war in the Middle East . at the insistence of Israel," speaking Thursday while on a visit to Iran. The 85-year-old Farrakhan, long known for provocative comments widely considered anti-Semitic, criticized the economic sanctions leveled by Trump against Iran after America's pullout from the nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers. Farrakhan told journalists in Tehran that he is "begging our president and the government that supports him to be very, very careful." "The war will trigger another kind of war which will bring China, Russia, all of the nations into a war," he said. "The war will end America as you know it." Farrakhan leads the Nation of Islam, a black separatist religious movement. The Nation has been largely closed off to outsiders, making it impossible even for those who follow the movement closely to gauge its strength. For Farrakhan, the height of his prominence came when he organized the 1995 Million Man March in Washington, a symbol of black pride and empowerment. Minister Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam, arrives to his press conference, in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. Farrakhan warned President Donald Trump not to pull "the trigger of war in the Middle East, at the insistence of Israel." The 85-year-old Farrakhan, long known for provocative comments widely considered anti-Semitic, criticized the economic sanctions leveled by Trump against Iran after his pullout from the nuclear deal. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi) Earlier on his trip to Iran, state television published a short video clip of Farrakhan trying to say "Death to Israel" in Farsi, a common chant at rallies in the decades after Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution. He began to repeat it, but the crowd at Tehran University sitting at Farrakhan's event then substituted "America" for "Israel," drawing laughter. After the video clip spread online, Farrakhan issued a statement saying: "I never led a chant calling for death to America." "I asked a question about how to pronounce the chant in Farsi during my meeting with Iranian students and an examination of the video shows just that," he said. On Thursday, Farrakhan reacted angrily to an Iranian state television's request to repeat the chant. However, he kept his harshest words for Trump. "It is your policies that are eroding trust for you in the world, favor for you in the world, and now you are pulling apart, confused," Farrakhan said, addressing Trump. "If you do this, you will bring about - not the Iranian chant - you will bring about the death of the greatest nation that has been on this Earth in the last 6,000 years." Minister Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam, speaks at a press conference in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. Farrakhan warned President Donald Trump not to pull "the trigger of war in the Middle East, at the insistence of Israel." (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi) Minister Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam, speaks at a press conference in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. Farrakhan warned President Donald Trump not to pull "the trigger of war in the Middle East, at the insistence of Israel." The 85-year-old Farrakhan, long known for provocative comments widely considered anti-Semitic, criticized the economic sanctions leveled by Trump against Iran after his pullout from the nuclear deal. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi) Minister Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam, stands prior to start his press conference in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. Farrakhan warned President Donald Trump not to pull "the trigger of war in the Middle East at the insistence of Israel." The 85-year-old Farrakhan, long known for provocative comments widely considered anti-Semitic, criticized the economic sanctions leveled by Trump against Iran after his pullout from the nuclear deal. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi) Gastrodiplomacy in Jordan, plans for Expo 2020 in Dubai, opportunities in Africa and the latest travel trends for the region were all hotly debated topics in the Middle East & Africa Inspiration Zone on Day Three of WTM London (November 7). Increased security, rising demand and growing competition in the Middle East and Africa region are opening up tourism, according to Euromonitors Travel Trends research. Senior analyst Lea Meyer told the audience at the Middle East & Africa Inspiration Zone that inbound arrivals are expected to record a compound aggregate growth rate (CAGR) of 6 per cent between now and 2023, making MEA one of the fastest-growing regions, second only to Asia Pacific. In the same time period, MEA is set to be the second fastest growing region in terms of disposable income. Tunisia is expected to achieve a 3.5 per cent CAGR between 2018-2023, largely due to the return of traditional European tourists, the countrys main source market. Saudi Arabia is forecast to achieve a CAGR of 7.4 per cent. For the first time in 2018, Saudi Arabia issued tourist visas, as part of its strategy of boosting international visitor figures. The audience was also given a snapshot of the latest developments for Expo 2020, the hugely anticipated mega-event taking place in Dubai in two years time. Expo 2020 will open on October 20 for six months, closing on April 10, during which time 25 million people are expected to visit. Laura Faulkner, UK commissioner, Expo 2020 Dubai, described the event as the largest event on earth. The Olympics of tourism. The UK is among 180 countries that will have a presence at the Expo. Visitors to the UK area will be able to visit a pavilion that will speak to the world, called the Poem Pavilion, where people will be asked to submit a word in any language which will then be put together with other submitted words using Artificial Intelligence to write poems. The words will be projected onto a wall of light visible throughout the Expo site. Poetry is part of the DNA of the UK and also part of the Arabic culture. We will see it become part of a never-ending digital legacy, said Faulkner. There has been much talk about the African Century, in which the region realises its full economic, cultural and sporting potential, yet rising debt in some nations is stunting growth. Tourism is a key driver of success, the Inspiration Zone heard. Belise Kariza, chief tourism officer, Tourism and Conservation Department at the Rwanda Development Board, explained how community empowerment and addressing safety and security concerns have been key to putting Rwanda on the tourism map. Cathy Dean, CEO of Save the Rhino International, said countries often shy away from talking about their conservation challenges for fear of frightening tourists away, but they should be more open. Make your tourists aware of the issues believe me you will take them with you. You wont turn them off, she said. Gillian Saunders, special adviser to the Minister of Tourism in South Africa, said one of the biggest opportunities for tourism growth around the continent is inter-African tourism. We get bogged down with international figures, but one of our biggest opportunities has to be inter-African tourism. We have great airlines, but inter-connectivity on our continent is horrific. Wed get more tourists if we liberalised airlift and opened up by-lateral agreements. We also need to invest in sustainability, responsible tourism, safety and security as well as marketing and promotion. Four inspirational people who have done their bit to change the world we live in for the better Fiona Jeffery OBE, founder of Just A Drop; Paras Loomba, founder of social impact tourism enterprise Global Himalayan Expedition, which provides energy and education access to remote off-grid communities in Ladakh, India; Ben Morison, founder of the Flipflopi Project, building a 60ft sailing dhow entirely from plastic waste collected from beach cleanups in Kenya and Holly Budge, founder of How Many Elephants, which educates people about the devastating impact of the elephant ivory trade shared their experiences in the Middle East & Africa Inspiration Zone. Jeffery said: I would like everybody to do something, to act on a sense of responsibility and to make a difference. Just a Drop does not do it alone. We need the support of our corporate partners to make it happen. Together we are all making a difference. Meanwhile, World Food Travel Association founder Erik Wolf detailed how food and drink can be used as tools to foster understanding and even peace, while Jordan Tourism Board managing director Dr Abed Al Razzaq Arabiyat shared insight into how his country is leading the way in gastrodiplomacy. -TradeArabia News Service A group of youths have reportedly dropped a lit firework inside a homeless mans pocket on Bonfire Night. Images on social media appear to show his burnt clothing and red marks on his skin following the incident at around 8.20pm on Lime Street in Liverpool city centre. It comes as several emergency services across the country said staff had come under attack on Guy Fawkes Night while going about their duties. Andy Shute, who volunteers for the Paper Cup homeless project in Liverpool, said the victim was a former Army serviceman who said he was targeted by four teenagers. A group of youths reportedly dropped a lit firework inside a mans pocket on Bonfire Night. (Andy Shute) He told the Press Association: In the worst case we could be looking at a guy having his leg amputated today. As they walked past him one of them said have a sparking good night mate, and after that he could smell burning and see his jacket was alight. He said he had dealt with flash bangs in the army and his leg wouldve been a lot worse were his wallet not in the way. Its appalling what people are prepared to do to get their kicks. Merseyside Police said they had not located the homeless man so far, but inquiries are ongoing. Chief Inspector Paddy Kelly said: This appears to be a shocking incident and currently our main priority is to locate the victim and ensure he is safe and well. We are carrying out thorough witness and CCTV inquiries in Lime Street and the surrounding areas and I would urge anyone with information to please come forward. Spare a thought for the unsung heroes of Fire Control who have been handling a huge amount of calls this evening-they do a great job, day in, day out 24/7, 365 days a year #MerseyBonfire2018 pic.twitter.com/umvgB5mwi0 Mersey Fire (@MerseyFire) November 5, 2018 To misuse fireworks is highly irresponsible behaviour which will not be tolerated, and we are determined to locate the offenders and put them before the courts. A short distance away, fire crews escaped unharmed after a man shot a missile in their direction, Merseyside Fire and Rescue service said. In London, police came under fire from a large group of teenagers, with images on social media appearing to show multiple fireworks being shot at officers in Lisson Grove, Westminster. Officers were responding to reports of criminal damage to parked vehicles and rubbish bins being thrown into the street. A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said: Officers attended and fireworks were thrown towards them. Police managed to disperse the group. One man was arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage to a police vehicle, assaulting police and throwing fireworks. Remember, remember on the 6th November... Do you have unused fireworks? Dispose of them safely by handing them in at your local fire station.#MerseyBonfire2018 pic.twitter.com/ncVDUaIkfe Mersey Fire (@MerseyFire) November 6, 2018 Elsewhere, Preston police said an egg and fireworks were launched at a squad car on New Hall Lane. On Saturday, a Moscow watchdog called Winston with a heart condition died after flying into a panic from a nearby fireworks display, the Dogs 4 Rescue home in Manchester said. An online petition calling for a ban on the sale of fireworks to the public has reached more than 163,000 signatures. It states: They scare animals, young children and people with a phobia. They injure thousands of people every year. They cause damage to buildings, vehicles, emergency vehicles etc. Lastly Kids are STILL being sold them. The grim tally of violent deaths in London so far this year has reached 119 after the death of a 16-year-old boy in front of his devastated parents. A witness described the teenagers mother screaming at the scene of the suspected stabbing in Tulse Hill, south London, on Monday. The boy, named locally as John, was bubbly and had manners, according to one of his friends. Police were called to reports of a shooting in Greenleaf Close at 10.53pm. Paramedics tried to save the teenager, but he was pronounced dead at 11.41pm. Officers believe the boy had suffered stab wounds and said there is no evidence that a gun was fired. Police officers on Greenleaf Close, Tulse Hill (Rick Goodman/PA) Detective Chief Inspector Richard Vandenbergh said: We believe the victim was attacked by a number of suspects and the altercation would have undoubtedly drawn the attention of those who were in the vicinity. Did you see or hear anything? If so, no matter how insignificant you think it may be, please call your information could prove to be crucial. So far in London this year there have been 119 violent deaths, including two cases that are being treated as self-defence. A third of the 117 remaining cases (42) involved victims aged 16 to 24, while 20 were teenagers. The total is nearing that seen for the whole of last year, after five fatal suspected stabbings in the space of a week. (PA Graphics) In 2017 there were 118 homicides in the capital, excluding the victims of the terror attacks at Westminster Bridge, London Bridge and Finsbury Park. One witness to the aftermath of the Tulse Hill murder said the boy looked like an angel. Paulina Wedderburn saw the victims emotional mother and father were at the scene and said it took some 15 minutes for emergency crews to arrive. The boy was laying down. He looked like an angel, like he was sleeping, Mrs Wedderburn said on Tuesday morning. I just feel sorry for the mum. The mums screams, I cant get out of my head. Its awful. Imagine being a mother seeing that. The neighbour saw a black car driving off. A big black Audi, I think, she said. (PA Graphics) Mrs Wedderburn, who has lived in a flat in Greenleaf Close for decades, lamented the recent spate of violence and killings in south London, saying it had not always been that way. Whats going on? What is it? Why do they have to be killing each other? she said. When I was growing up in the 70s, if there was a fist fight, that was it. There was no knives. All youre doing is upsetting families. If you saw the mum and dad, it was heartbreaking. She added that the victims mother had been to the flats before to pick up her son as she did not like him hanging around there. One of the boys friends, who had dinner with him on the evening he was killed, said: He was bubbly. He was the friendly type. He was respectful. He had manners. Two other girls said John was stabbed five times in his heart and in his stomach as he was leaving a friends house. The friends said John, an aspiring rapper, was associated with the LTH (Lower Tulse Hill) gang and went to school at Park Campus in West Norwood. They did not know who attacked him, but did not believe it was a targeted stabbing. Another friend, who lives at the estate and did not want to be named, also thought he heard a gunshot before he looked out of the window and saw the commotion. Growing up around here, you become used to it. You can tell the difference between a gunshot and a firework, he said. I heard a person say, We got him, we got him. He said it took about 20 minutes for emergency crews to arrive. I lost a friend, he said. If they had come sooner my friend would still be alive. This tragic death is yet another senseless loss of life, and my heart goes out to his family and friends. Anybody who knows anything about this incident, or of anyone carrying a knife, should contact the police or @CrimestoppersUK. They are a danger to others, and to themselves. https://t.co/YmYL6oIYFO Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) November 6, 2018 On Monday, the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan warned it could take a generation to turn the tide of violent crime in the capital. The victims in the recent spate of deaths, which are not being linked by police, include adored father Rocky Djelal, 38, who was fatally stabbed in broad daylight in Southwark Park in Rotherhithe, south-east London on Wednesday. The following day, 15-year-old Jay Hughes was killed in Bellingham, also in south-east London, by a stab wound to the heart. Malcolm Mide-Madariola, 17, was fatally knifed on Friday outside Clapham South Tube station in south London, near where he studied. On Sunday, Ayodeji Habeeb Azeez, 22, from Dagenham was fatally stabbed in Samos Road, Anerley, also in south London. On Tuesday evening, a teenage male was stabbed in Camden, North London. Police officers were called to Billy Fury Way, NW3 just after 8pm on Tuesday evening. He has been taken to hospital and his condition is not yet known. A Northern Ireland schoolgirl whose mother is facing prosecution for buying her abortion pills was taken from a classroom by police officers and spoken to about the alleged crime without her parents being present, a court has heard. A barrister for the mother outlined the circumstances of the case as she urged judges to rule that her looming prosecution is in contravention of human rights laws. The woman is taking a judicial review in Belfast High Court against the decision to charge her for procuring online abortion medication for her pregnant 15-year-old child. The case, known as JR76, represents the latest challenge to Northern Irelands restrictive laws on terminations. Unlike other parts of the UK, the 1967 Abortion Act does not extend to Northern Ireland, meaning abortion is illegal except where a womans life is at risk or there is a permanent or serious danger to her mental or physical health. Anti-abortion campaigners (Brian Lawless/PA) Opening the case, the mothers barrister Karen Quinlivan QC told a panel of three senior judges, including Northern Irelands Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan, that the prosecution could have a chilling effect on women seeking help from their GPs. The GCSE student had gone to her local doctor a week after taking the abortion medication. She was subsequently referred to a mental health counselling service, which in turn informed Social Services. Social Services then alerted the Police Service of Northern Ireland. The barrister said investigating police officers then arrived at the childs school and removed her from a classroom to speak to her in the absence of her parents. The prosecution will have a chilling effect on access to healthcare in these circumstances, said Ms Quinlivan. The barrister told the court the teenage girl was extremely vulnerable at the time of her pregnancy, claiming her then ex-boyfriend was physically and emotionally abusive toward her. She said the case centred on a vulnerable child facing a crisis pregnancy in a jurisdiction which criminalises abortions. Ms Quinlivan insisted the mother acted in her daughters best interests. The lawyer then quoted from a statement given by the teenager outlining why a toxic relationship with her former boyfriend had influenced her decision to terminate the pregnancy. The idea of him being the father to my child and him being in our life in the long term made me physically ill, the girl said. The mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is facing two counts of procuring and supplying the abortion drugs with the intent to procure a miscarriage, contrary to the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act. She could face up to five years in prison if convicted. The woman is taking a judicial review, claiming the decision to prosecute contravenes her human rights. The case is due to be heard over two days. The mother is supported by Amnesty International and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, which are both interveners in the case. In the summer, the Commission lost a Supreme Court appeal over the legality of the regions abortion law. But a majority of judges said the existing law was incompatible with human rights law in cases of fatal foetal abnormality and sexual crime. Today, the JR76 case is being heard at the High Court in Belfast. Read comments from our Chief Commissioner, Les Allamby. For more details, visit: https://t.co/1hbWrKyOqW pic.twitter.com/SXyd6phtUY NIHRC (@NIHRC) November 6, 2018 The three judges pressed Ms Quinlivan whether not prosecuting the women would open the door for further unregulated use of abortion medication bought over the internet. Lord Justice Gillen presented a hypothetical scenario of one of the womans neighbours also deciding to seek abortion pills online, but doing so through a cowboy outfit that paid little regard to safeguards. Does that mean woman A would be prosecuted and woman B would not? he asked. The judge added: It could open the door to parents trying the best they can, but being totally ignorant of what the appropriate safeguards are. Sir Declan acknowledged the girl had found herself in a difficult and sensitive dilemma but questioned what the outcome might be if the judicial review was upheld. Then we would in effect open the door to every child in this dilemma and its a difficult and sensitive dilemma they would know this is a course they could take without the risk of prosecution, he said. Lord Justice Weatherup said while the drugs were legal in other parts of the UK they were only supposed to be taken in a controlled environment under medical supervision, adding: Thats obviously for public health reasons. Ms Quinlivan insisted the stipulation in Great Britain for the pills to be taken under supervision was an historical issue related to old legislation and not a clinical necessity. However, presenting the case for Northern Irelands Public Prosecution Service, Dr Tony McGleenan QC said the parties in the case differ fundamentally on the potential consequences of taking the medication without supervision. He said there were dangerous risks inherent with self-administration. He said those were particularly acute in cases of ectopic pregnancies when a fertilised egg implants itself outside of the womb and said that was why anyone who takes the pills should have an ultrasound scan before doing so. Mr McGleenan said international medical norms advised that the drugs should be taken under clinical supervision, citing the World Health Organisation as one of the authorities advocating that approach. Its not an historical anomaly or artefact related to legislation, he said, its a matter of safety and appropriate clinical care. Mr McGleenan said if the PPS opted not to prosecute such cases it would encourage others to use the drugs without supervision. A no-prosecution stance is essentially validating the widespread abuse of this medication outside of a clinical context, he said. He noted the Supreme Court judgment, but stressed that a formal declaration of incompatibility had not been made, so the relevant sections of the 1861 legislation criminalising abortion in Northern Ireland were still valid. Ahead of the hearing on Tuesday morning, anti-abortion and pro-choice campaigners gathered outside the court with placards and posters. Solicitor Jemma Conlon (left) and Amnesty International Northern Ireland campaign manager, Grainne Teggart, speak to the media outside court (Liam McBurney/PA) The mothers solicitor Jemma Conlon said the woman and her daughter had been forced to constantly relive a traumatic and private family matter under the weight of this prosecution. She added: This has caused them immense distress and anguish which has been constant over the past five years. Bernie Smyth, from anti-abortion group Precious Life, said: We are here because our laws matter in Northern Ireland. We have a law that protects both the mother and the unborn child. Our laws must be upheld and we are hopeful that the judge will uphold the laws here in Northern Ireland. The voters were having their say on Tuesday as Donald Trump faced the first US national election of his presidency against a Democratic party hoping to turn the page on a stunning defeat in 2016. Pollsters, who largely failed to predict Mr Trumps victory over Hillary Clinton two years ago, were more reluctant to commit themselves ahead of the midterms in which the presidency is not up for grabs but the shape of federal and state government is. Mr Trump, the Republican partys chief messenger, warned that significant Democratic victories would trigger devastating consequences. If the radical Democrats take power they will take a wrecking ball to our economy and our future, Trump declared in Cleveland, using the same heated rhetoric that has defined much of his presidency. He added: The Democrat agenda is a socialist nightmare. (PA Graphics) Democrats, whose very relevance in the Trump era depended on winning at least one chamber of Congress, were laser-focused on health care as they predicted victories that would break up the Republican monopoly in Washington and state governments. Theyve had two years to find out what its like to have an unhinged person in the White House, said Washington governor Jay Inslee, who leads the Democratic Governors Association. Its an awakening of the Democratic Party. Supporters of Donald Trump cheer as the president arrives to speak during a rally in Missouri (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Democrats could derail Mr Trumps legislative agenda for the next two years should they win control of the House or the Senate. Perhaps more important, they would claim subpoena power to investigate Mr Trumps personal and professional shortcomings. Some Democrats have already vowed to force the release of his tax returns. Others have pledged to pursue impeachment, although removal from office is unlikely so long as the Republicans control the Senate or even maintains a healthy minority. Former President Barack Obama smiles as he greets Democratic volunteers (Jacquelyn Martin/AP) Democrats fate depends upon a delicate coalition of infrequent voters, particularly young people and minorities, who traditionally shun midterm elections. If ever there was an off-year election for younger voters to break tradition, this is it. Today is #ElectionDay and we have the chance to prove that we the people is more powerful than us vs. them.#IVoted. Did you? Bill Clinton (@BillClinton) November 6, 2018 Young voters promised to vote in record numbers as they waged mass protests in the wake of the February mass shooting at a Parkland, Florida, high school that left 17 students and staff dead. Democrats are drawing strength from women and college-educated voters in general, who swung decidedly against Mr Trump since his election. (PA Graphics) Polling suggests the Republican coalition is increasingly older, whiter, more male and less likely to have a college degree. Democrats boast record diversity on the ballot. Three states could elect their first African-American governors, while several others are running LGBT candidates and Muslims. A record number of women are also running for Senate, House, governorships and state legislative seats. The vast majority of women voters are angry, frustrated and they are really done with seeing where the Republican Party is taking them, particularly as it related to heath care and civility, said Stephanie Schriock, who leads Emilys List, a group that help elect Democratic women. Today is the day. Today, its your turn to raise your voice to change the course of this country for the better. So make it count. Get out there and vote. Go to https://t.co/NKXRGNgbZX or call 833-336-VOTE to confirm where you can vote and check voting hours. pic.twitter.com/6xdMbKhwkr Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 6, 2018 Youre going to see the largest gender gap weve ever seen. The political realignment, defined by race, gender and education, could re-shape US politics for a generation. (PA Graphics) The demographic shifts also reflect each partys closing argument. While the economy continues to thrive, Mr Trump has spent much of the campaigns final days railing against a caravan of Latin American immigrants seeking asylum at the US border. He dispatched more than 5,000 troops to the region, suggesting soldiers would use lethal force against migrants who throw rocks, before later reversing himself. Republicans have privately encouraged the president to back off, to no avail. Democrats, meanwhile, have beat their drum on health care. Health care is on the ballot, former president Barack Obama told Democratic volunteers in Virginia. Health care for millions of people. You vote, you might save a life. Given Mr Trumps stunning victory in 2016, few were confident in their predictions. I feel less comfortable making a prediction today than I have in two decades, Republican pollster Frank Luntz said. Delayed discharge in Scotland has hit its worst level in two years, new figures show. Also known as bed-blocking, delayed discharge happens when patients are medically fit to return home but unable to leave hospital, frequently due to the lack of a social care package. Official statistics show 1,529 people were affected at the September census point, the most since October 2016 when 1,576 patients were unable to leave hospital due to delayed discharge. The number of people affected has risen 9% from the same period last year. Delayed discharge in Scotland has reached its worst level in two years, despite repeated promises by the SNP to tackle the problem. Figures released today have shown there were 1529 people forced to stay in hospital despite being fit to leave in September. pic.twitter.com/w6yMnR9SI9 Miles Briggs MSP (@Miles4Lothian) November 6, 2018 Of the 1,529 patients stuck in hospital, 1,277 were delayed for more than three days and the most common reason for this was health and social care reasons (77%), followed by complex needs (19%) and patient and family-related reasons (3%). Opposition parties criticised the Scottish Governments record on delayed discharge and called for action. Conservative health spokesman Miles Briggs said: For years now the SNP has pledged to act on delayed discharge and find a way to reduce it. But now the problem is at a two-year high and thats before the winter pressures we see every year properly kick in. He added: Delayed discharge is a nightmare for patients and hospitals, and its time the SNP tried to make a meaningful impact on it. Labour accused the government of failing to adequately invest in social care and called on ministers to set a new target to end delayed discharge after former health secretary Shona Robison promised to eradicate the problem in 2015. It is intolerable that on any given day well over 1,000 people are stuck in hospital unnecessarily, Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesman Alex Cole-Hamilton said. The cost to the NHS is huge and critical opportunities to enable to patients rebuild their lives are lost. He also called for more investment in NHS resources, echoed by the Greens, who said better pay would help retain social care workers and attract new recruits. Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said she wants faster progress to cut bed-blocking (Jane Barlow/PA) Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: I have been clear that it is not acceptable for people to be delayed in hospital after their treatment has been completed. The investment that we are making into health and social care integration more than half a billion pounds transferred this year will bring about an improvement, but I want to see faster progress. While its encouraging that 12 partnerships have recorded standard delays of over three days in single figures, we are aware that the worst five performers account for nearly half of these delays. We are working with those facing the most significant challenges. Facebook data at the academic centre linked to the Cambridge Analytica scandal was accessed from web addresses connected to previous cyber attacks and Russian locations, according to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO). Giving evidence to the parliamentary inquiry into fake news, ICO leaders said the watchdog had alerted the authorities but was still investigating precisely what personal information had been accessed and by whom. Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham said: The major concern that I have in this investigation is the very disturbing disregard that many of these organisations across the entire ecosystem have for the personal privacy of UK citizens and voters. The data collected by the Cambridge University Psychometric Centre was collected legally for academic purposes, said deputy information commissioner James Dipple-Johstone, but evidence showed it had been accessed by potentially malicious actors. The psychometric centre pioneered the use of Facebook data in psychometric testing, attracting the attention of Cambridge Analytica in 2014 who hoped to build political advertising models using Facebook data. Read Chair @Damiancollins comment on the Information Commissioners Office report to Parliament: Investigation into the use of data analytics in political campaigns - News from Parliament - UK Parliament https://t.co/UMA20yQKzi via @UKParliament Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee (@CommonsDCMS) November 6, 2018 Dr Alekander Kogan, who worked at the psychometric centre, set up a separate business to harvest the personal information of almost 90 million Facebook users for Cambridge Analytica after the company approached him in 2014. His colleague, Dr David Stillwell, refused the work due to data protection concerns. The Facebook logo (Dominic Lipinski/PA) But it was data from Dr Stillwells work which Dipple-Johnstone said was accessed from suspicious web addresses. Some of those IP addresses resolved to IP addresses in Russia but also to IP addresses of concern through alleged cyber attacks in the past and at least one TOR entry point, which is a device for people to hide their identity online, he said. We dont know who is behind those addresses but some of them appear on lists of concern to cyber security professionals by virtue of other types of cyber incidents, he added. The ICO gave evidence to MPs on the same day as releasing a wide-ranging report into the use and misuse of private information by businesses and political campaigns. Elizabeth Denham: "Our report found a disturbing disregard for voters personal privacy by players across the political campaigning eco-system - data firms and brokers, social media platforms, campaign groups and political parties. #democracydisrupted https://t.co/1lClaqf2oj pic.twitter.com/9tWLg3ePwP ICO - Information Commissioner's Office (@ICOnews) November 6, 2018 Ms Denham said the scale of the investigation into the misuse of data by businesses and political organisations in recent years is unprecedented. She said: This investigation is unprecedented for our office. Its unprecedented for any data protection authority worldwide in terms of the type of information were examining, the numbers of organisations, the numbers of individuals, the cost of the investigation and the expertise thats required. But whats at stake are the fundamentals of our democratic processes. She also encouraged MPs to look at revising laws around political campaigns in the digital age. 71 people of interest, 30 organisations, 40 investigators, 700 terabytes of data ICO investigation into data analytics and political campaigns here https://t.co/Cfv9fnKJFI #democracydisrupted pic.twitter.com/hPqfK51OIw ICO - Information Commissioner's Office (@ICOnews) November 6, 2018 People have to be able to trust the systems so its very important that we get to the bottom of it and that Parliament takes up some of the important recommendations that weve made at policy level that includes a statutory code of practice for political campaigning. The rules need to be sharpened, they need to be clear, they need to be fair across all organisations involved in political campaigning, she said. Damian Collins, chair of the inquiry, said: We hear loudly the opinion of the Information Commissioner that the time for self-regulation is over and a time of accountability is here where parliament sets the objectives and outcomes for social media companies to follow, rather than the regulator taking on individual complaints. The Nato chief urged the Taliban to stop killing their fellow Afghans, an appeal that came just hours after the insurgents attacked border troops in western Farah province, killing at least 20. Speaking at a joint press conference with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said the Taliban must realise the war does not benefit anyone. A resurgent Taliban now hold nearly half of Afghanistan and carry out near-daily attacks on Afghan security forces, inflicting heavy casualties. The Taliban views the US-backed government in Kabul as a dysfunctional Western puppet and have refused repeated offers to negotiate with it. #NATO is determined to see #Afghanistan succeed, and the potential for peace is greater now than in many years. Important meeting today with President @ashrafghani, joined by top military leaders. https://t.co/hZlFNSvqot pic.twitter.com/s0OguN0BDa Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) November 6, 2018 But Washington and Nato are holding out hope, seeking to find a negotiated exit to 17 years of war. Speaking alongside Mr Stoltenberg, Mr Ghani said his government hopes the beginning of formal negotiations is not far. The result has to be an inclusive Afghan peace, one that all Afghans accept, he said. To this end, we support the engagement of our international colleagues. The remarks of the two stood in sharp contrast to the violence that shakes the nation almost daily. In western Farah province, the Taliban attacked an Afghan border base on Monday night, killing at least 20 troops and abducting about 20 others. According to Abdul Samad Salehi, a provincial council member, about 45 border forces were based at the outpost in the Posht Koh district as it was overrun by the Taliban, setting off an hours-long gunbattle. All communication with the base was lost, he said. Three guards managed to reach a nearby village while the rest were either killed or taken by the Taliban, Mr Salehi said. Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg (Massoud Hossaini/AP) A senior army official in Farah confirmed the casualty figures. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the Farah attack and also said several military vehicles and large amounts of ammunition were seized. One of the key demands of the Taliban is that all foreign forces should leave the country. Mr Stoltenberg said one of the reasons for the high casualties among the Afghan security forces is that they have taken the responsibility for the security of the entire country. There no way I can go back to Europe or to United States, Nato allies and partners and say that it didnt exactly go as we expected, so now we should leave (Afghanistan), Mr Stoltenberg said. That will be a total wrong approach; we are here because it is in our interest to be here, to increase our own security. Pet owners in the United Kingdom could be forced to get their animals vaccinated up to four months before they travel to a European country in the wake of a no-deal Brexit. Dog and cat owners are being advised to speak to a vet as soon as possible if they want to take their pet on holiday after March next year. Government officials have issued the advice on the basis of a no-deal scenario and say that pet owners will have to start preparations by the end of November if they intend on travelling to the EU. Pet owners living in Northern Ireland could be forced to pay hundreds of pounds in veterinary fees and wait up to four months for paperwork before they can travel across the border to the Republic with their dog. If Prime Minister Theresa May and EU officials fail to reach an agreement by next March, animals travelling to the EU will need rabies vaccinations and a blood sample taken 30 days prior to arrival. The blood sample, which is taken one month after the rabies jab, is then sent to a laboratory a process that will take three months to complete before the pet will be allowed to travel. (PA) A certificate is issued by a vet to show the animal is fully up-to-date with its vaccinations. Anyone travelling to a European country may have to carry the certificate, including people from Northern Ireland who cross the border to walk their dog. However, once they return to Northern Ireland pet owners will have to go through a similar process as the certificates do not allow pet owners to move freely between north and south of the border. Veterinary practices have been made aware of the steps they have to take to prepare for the possible influx of pet owners who need their animals vaccinated before travelling a couple of miles into the Republic. All pet owners are now being told to ensure they have the correct health protection documents in place for the possibility of a no-deal Brexit. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Development (DAERA) in Northern Ireland also issued advice on its website. A spokesman for the department said: In line with DEFRA, we have issued practical advice for people who wish to travel to European Union countries with their pets in the event the UK leaves the EU in a no deal situation. We would urge all pet owners who wish to travel immediately after March 29, 2019 to consult with their vet as soon as they can. This is about planning ahead to ensure their pet has the correct health protection documented and in place for all possible scenarios. Please check the NI Direct website for the latest advice. DAERA has recently been in contact with Northern Ireland vets to highlight this issue. They are expecting pet owners to consult with them and plan ahead. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has reaffirmed his position on the Irish backstop after being accused of a cock-up by Sinn Fein. The Irish leader was accused during Leaders Questions on Tuesday of losing his nerve after telling Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday that he would be open to a review process of the backstop post Brexit. Yesterday when you said you were willing to consider a review clause, you shifted your position, Mary Lou McDonald said. I think your announcement yesterday was a cock-up plain and simply. Brexit is for keeps and to combat those real life consequences, there can be nothing time bound or temporary, and not couched in ifs and buts. Temporary protections mean no protection. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (Niall Carson/PA) The so-called backstop arrangement was supposed to be our guarantee, our insurance policy, that there would be no hard border on the island and that the interests of citizens would be protected - @MaryLouMcDonald #LeadersQs #dail pic.twitter.com/gdkowLzLab Sinn Fein (@sinnfeinireland) November 6, 2018 She asked the Taoiseach to clarify the position of the Irish government and invited him to set aside any notion of a review clause of the backstop. Mr Varadkar said he had committed to nothing, but was open to creative solutions to ensure a smooth transition for the UK leaving the EU. There can be no expiry date and there can be no unilateral exit clause, and if it were to be either of those things, the backstop would not be worth the paper it was written on, he said. If we do have a backstop and if it is used, it may be to our advantage or necessary to have a review which is very different to the exit clause that would let the UK withdraw, and that has been Irish government stance all along. In order to get to an agreement, we need to be creative around solutions and language, there would be no Good Friday Agreement without John Hume and Seamus Mallon, David Trimble and even Gerry Adams understanding that. Im open to creative solutions and creative language but we will not resile from our fundamental resolution, the backstop cannot have a time limit or an exit clause. Uachtaran Sinn Fein @MaryLouMcDonald has said that the Taoiseach cannot lose his nerve with the Brexit negotiations amid talk of a temporary review clause within a backstop arrangement. The rights of citizens in the North must be protected post-Brexit. pic.twitter.com/F9mrncVbQr Sinn Fein (@sinnfeinireland) November 6, 2018 Ms McDonald questioned whether Mr Varadkar had lost his nerve at a critical time in Brexit negotiations. She said: Your timing couldnt be worse, we urged you not to blink in dealing with the Tories, to stay the course in what are very reasonable bottom lines, you say we need no expiry date and yet you countenance review mechanisms, that serves to muddy the waters. I dont know if you have lost your nerve, I hope for sake of country you havent. How on earth at such sensitive time in negotiations would you commit to review clause? How could you commit yourself to that, when you dont, in fact, know what it would amount to? she asked. Mr Varadkar reaffirmed his stance, repeating much of his first answer before directing his attention to Ms McDonald herself. He said: Ive committed to nothing. Im open to considering a review clause but Ive set out what it could not contain, an expiry date or unilateral ability of the UK to withdraw on a hard border. It is a very good thing youre not leading these negotiations, youre too extreme, too uncompromising, too bullying you would turn friends into enemies over the next few months. Two men in Germany have been convicted of stealing more than 100 portable toilets. The dpa news agency reported that Dusseldorf district court delivered its verdict on Tuesday, giving a 40-year-old man a 10-month suspended sentence and a 28-year-old ex-colleague six months. Library picture of the scales of justice (Chris Young/PA) Both men worked for a waste disposal company from whose premises the toilets, worth nearly 70,000 euro in all, gradually disappeared, a loss that was only discovered a few months later. The men admitted having sold the toilets to a company in the Netherlands via a go-between. Only three of the missing toilets have resurfaced. The defendants lost their jobs. By Nikhat Fatima, TwoCircles.net Aman Khan, a Pune-based techie who was forcibly terminated from a Canadian company on June 12 this year is going to start a Satyagraha in Delhi from November 9 in an attempt to seek justice after his appeal to various authorities fell on deaf ears. Aman Khan, whose story we had highlighted in September, has already approached his companys head office in Canada, the labour commissioner in Pune, the collector and other officials in authority. However, no one has helped address his issue. Support TwoCircles Aman Khan is the sole breadwinner of his family of 12. He takes care of his late brothers family as well his own. Now after losing this job due to alleged religious discrimination, Khan is hoping that he will be given his due right if the matter comes to light before the President of India. Wrongly targeted for Islamic attire Aman Khan joined EXFO Electro-Optical India Pvt. Ltd India located in Pune, Maharashtra State in 2015 as the Principal Software developer in monitoring and service units. Within a year, his hard work and commitment were recognised and he was promoted. Subsequently, he was deputed to the head office of EXFO in Quebec, Canada from December 2017 to March 2018. After his return to Pune, during the month of Ramadan in June 2018 Aman Khan after having performed his Friday prayers came back to the office with the handkerchief which he had used for prayers still on his head. His manager objected to this and Aman Khan apologised that he will henceforth remember to remove it before entering the office premises. But it was not just the handkerchief, it was also the pathani suit which Khan was wearing that irritated Kishore Kotecha his manager, says Aman. Kotecha refused to listen to any explanation especially when Khan pointed out that the company had no specific dress code and that while in Canada Khan had performed his prayers and nobody there had objected to the same. Khan also reminded the manager that the Constitution of India guaranteed every citizen the right to freedom of religion and the right to live with dignity. Kishore Kotecha allegedly said that he did not care for the company policy or the Constitution of India. Aman Khan then complained to the HR and as per the company policy, a disciplinary action was in line. But sadly all the management of the Pune branch jumped in defence of Kotecha and demanded Khan to take back his complaint. But Khan refused to do so and instead mailed to Stephen Bull, Vice President of the company in Quebec, Canada. Subsequently, Kotecha was asked to issue an apology letter to Khan which he did on May 31, 2018. Aman Khan thought that was the last of the unpleasant incident. But in June, he says he was cornered and bullied into giving a resignation letter, failing which he would be terminated thereby jeopardising his chances of employment. Besides, there was security personnel who blocked Khans way out of the cabin of the Managing director VBS Krishnamurthy. Reluctantly, Khan signed the resignation letter and his request for a copy of the letter was not considered. His access card and laptop were also taken away and he was then escorted by the security outside the company premises. Khan wrote to the Head Office of EXFO in Quebec but did not receive any reply from there. He wrote to the labour commissioner and in a few days received a call from an unknown person who threatened him for bringing a bad name to Maharashtra. Upon complaining to the police, the number was traced to be that of a cop from the SIT department. When the Assistant labour commissioner called both the parties and took their explanations which were recorded by the labour department staff in Marathi, the official language of the state, both parties were asked to sign the statement. But the representative of the company refused to sign on the grounds that she does not know to read and write Marathi. Her advocates took time to submit their statement to the commissioner which they did in July wherein they stated that Kotecha had indeed used unparliamentary language against Khan and had later issued an apology letter. But the company denied Khans employment category under workman and thereupon absolved themselves saying the matter does not qualify for any legal proceeding in court. Now Khan was left with no option but to file an FIR with the police. Although he recorded his statement before the special Inspector of Police on July 7 which was documented, no FIR was lodged. Khan followed up continuously with the police for nearly a month and the police kept giving excuses for not filing FIR. So, he began his satyagraha from August 15 and at the same time filed an RTI as to why no FIR was lodged and no action was taken against the wrongdoers even after two and a half months. In response to his RTI, he was informed that the matter is of a religious bias and hence an FIR cannot be lodged. He was told by the SPI Sunil Tambe that they would not lodge an FIR but Aman Khan was free to appeal to the court for lodging an FIR. Aman Khan then approached even the Commissioner of Police, DCP and ACP for justice. But was not given any assurance or respite. Delhi as last resort Aman Khan now plans to start his Satyagraha in Delhi from November 9 with a fast at Jantar Mantar from November 10. His charter of demands includes immediate legal action on responsible persons; character certificate; issue experience letter and penalty and salary to be paid to him. Aman said his fast was for all those employees who were removed from service in an unjust, illegal and unprofessional manner without any notice. With inputs from SN Ansari, free lance journalist and Asst Editor, UrduCity portal; Urducity.in Sir Lenny Henry has called for the BBC and other broadcasters to do more to boost diversity, saying its not enough to have more people in EastEnders and doing the weather. The funnyman and TV stars Adrian Lester and Meera Syal delivered a letter, signed by a string of stars, to 10 Downing Street, calling for tax breaks to effect change. Sir Lenny Henry speaks to the media ahead of delivering a letter signed by a string of stars, to 10 Downing Street (PA) Sir Lenny warned that British broadcasters would lose eyeballs if you dont serve your audience. He said that the BBC was making improvements, but that at the current rate of growth, it would take 40 years to get to the right levels. It is very frustrating to be here in the 21st century and still be talking about diversity and inclusion, he told the Press Association. Marcus Ryder and me pre Downing street pic.twitter.com/qPkmFMSn7a Lenny Henry (@LennyHenry) November 6, 2018 The US and France are already making the sorts of changes campaigners are calling for, and it is wrong to think Britain is at the forefront of change, he said. He added: We need to up our game. Britain is good at producing ground-breaking, outrageous diverse stuff. But the make-up of people who create those programmes, the gatekeepers, the diversity of that demographic needs to change. And he said, before entering 10 Downing Street: Well-meaning people can make tokenistic choices that dont help at all. If youve got a diverse group of people around the table, somebody will say, We dont do that or We dont think thats right. We can have those conversations. But if were not at the table we cant have those conversations and that needs to change. Sir Lenny is calling for tax breaks to increase the representation of women, BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) and disabled people working behind the camera. He called on the Government to take a big step to boost diversity. And he said: We expect best practice from the BBC. They are trying to change things from within and thats to be applauded. But at this rate of growth, its going to take the BBC something like 40 years to achieve their 40% BAME, behind and in front of camera. And its not enough to have more people in EastEnders and more people doing the weather. Its not enough. Its not enough just to have random people in programmes because they are trying to show there is a presence. (From second left) Adrian Lester, Sir Lenny Henry, Ade Adepitan, Nadine Marsh-Edwards, Marcus Ryder and Meera Syal, as they deliver a letter, signed by a string of stars, to 10 Downing Street, calling for tax breaks to effect change and boost diversity behind the camera (PA) Trauma actor Lester told the Press Association: After years of making speeches and talking about this problem, we havent really made any progress. If we can get more representation behind the camera, if we can reflect the country as it is, it changes the stories that we tell and the way we see ourselves. The documents signatories include Dame Emma Thompson, Jodie Whittaker, Thandie Newton, David Oyelowo and Chiwetel Ejiofor. Thandie Newton (Ian West/PA) Lester said it is time to do more than talk about the issue. We thought that if we can talk about it and be eloquent about it maybe the problem will shift and disappear. The problem isnt disappearing. Training schemes and other initiatives have only shifted things a tiny percent. A big step needs to be taken, he said. Michaela Coel (Yui Mok/PA) The letter, also delivered by Paralympic athlete Ade Adepitan, calls for the immediate introduction of Representation Tax Relief to increase diversity in the industry, saying the figures are shocking. It adds: Diversity in important sections of the UK film and television industry is in crisis. Jodie Whittaker has signed the letter (Matt Crossick/PA) The letter says UK film and television productions should be eligible for tax relief if they meet three out of four possible criteria that the director, writer and/or director of photography is a woman and/or disabled and/or from a BAME background; or if 50% of staff behind the camera are female, or 14% are BAME staff, or 18% disabled staff. It adds: Complaints over the lack of diversity in the creative industries have seen things slowly begin to change, but the time has come for more substantive measures, and real change needs to be underwritten by law. A BBC spokesman said: Were glad Sir Lenny has recognised that were making progress, but we dont recognise the timescale that he sets out. We are already one of the most diverse broadcasters in the UK and were very close to meeting our targets for BAME representation across the organisation. However we are committed to going further and doing more to ensure greater BAME representation on screen and in production roles. Police have condemned masked youths who recklessly set off fireworks and threw them at police officers in Glasgow on Bonfire Night. Residents described being forced to hide in their homes for hours as large gangs of youths let off fireworks at houses, cars and police on November 5. One of the most serious incidents police said officers were called out to was at Herriet Street and Albert Drive in Pollokshields. They responded to reports of a group of between 30 and 40 youths, wearing masks and setting off fireworks indiscriminately, which caused damage to windows and struck passing cars. When officers arrived the youths threw fireworks and other objects at them. About 30 men in street. Setting off industrial fireworks. Where are @policescotland @NicolaSturgeon @alisonthewliss what are they doing about it? pic.twitter.com/hgjNisoEUr Danny Phillips (@Pressuredrop) November 5, 2018 Specialist national public order officers were deployed to help disperse the group and a 17-year-old boy will be reported to the procurator fiscal in connection with the incident. A man looking at fireworks (Danny Lawson/PA) Danny Phillips, who lives in the south side of the city, shared footage on Twitter of the explosives being let off by big, big groups of young men in balaclavas in a street filled with tenements and parked cars. Mr Philips, 53, claimed he and his neighbours called Police Scotland several times for help but were told officers were overwhelmed by the number of issues they were being asked to deal with. He told the Press Association: I was told things like youve got to remember this is dangerous for the police, were dealing with other incidents and well get to you as we can, just stay indoors was another one and hopefully theyll run out of fireworks soon. Several fire crews were also attacked as they responded to incidents on November 5, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said. No one was seriously injured but the service said crews responded to hundreds of bonfires while control rooms handled more than 700 calls from members of the public on Monday. Police are appealing for information about the disorder in Glasgow. Chief Inspector Ross Allan, area commander for Glasgow South East, said: Much of the disorder appears to have been pre-planned and I cannot stress strongly enough that this sort of disorder is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. It is fortunate that no officers or members of the public were injured, although I am aware residents were distressed and upset by the disorder. Despite the extensive planning and local engagement undertaken in advance of Halloween and Bonfire Night it is extremely disappointing that there are people who are reckless enough to set off what appears to be professional or industrial fireworks in the vicinity of houses. We will be carrying out investigations into who sold these. Our inquiries to identify those involved are ongoing and I would appeal to anyone who was in the area and witnessed the actions to get in touch with Police Scotland. He added: The foolish actions of those responsible could have had much more serious consequences. The LCFC Foxes Foundation has been renamed The Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha Foundation in honour of Leicesters late chairman. Srivaddhanaprabha died, along with four others, when his helicopter crashed outside the King Power Stadium following a 1-1 draw with West Ham last month. Tributes have continued to pour in for Srivaddhanaprabha with manager Claude Puel, players and senior staff flying to Bangkok for the funeral which started on Saturday. They were due to return home on Tuesday after travelling to Thailand following Saturdays 1-0 win at Cardiff, the Foxes first game after the tragedy. The Foundation has raised almost 2million since opening in 2011-12, helping fund the renovation of Leicester Royal Infirmarys Childrens Outpatient Ward and life-saving equipment for the Childrens Intensive Care Unit. Srivaddhanaprabha made more than 4million in personal donations to the citys universities, hospitals and charities. Tributes for Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha at the King Power Stadium. (Nigel French/PA) A number of items will be auctioned off to help raise money for the foundation, including Jamie Vardys executive box for Saturdays visit of Burnley. Other items up available are the boots Vardy wore at Cardiff, with Khun Vichai embroidered on them, and a pair of Kasper Schmeichels gloves. Fans can bid for by emailing vsfauction@lcfc.co.uk with successful bidders notified by 10am on Thursday. Two members of Mr Vichais staff Kaveporn Punpare and Nusara Suknamai pilot Eric Swaffer and his partner Izabela Roza Lechowicz were also killed in the crash. The Scottish Government will do all it can to secure the future of Michelin workers affected by the planned closure of the Dundee plant, Economy Secretary Derek Mackay has said. An action group has been established and will meet in the city on Monday following the companys announcement the tyre factory will cease production within two years. Dundee City Council leader John Alexander described the proposed shutdown as a body blow for all 845 workers. A meeting was held on Tuesday at the plant, while production has been suspended until Thursday to allow employees to digest the news. Economy Secretary Derek Mackay met workers at the plant on Tuesday (Andrew Milligan/PA) Mr Mackay, who met representatives from Michelin, the Unite union and Dundee City Council, said: This is devastating news for the area and thats why the Scottish Government is totally focused on trying to salvage what we can from the situation. Im establishing an action group that will bring together the best proposition we can possibly put to Michelin to try to ensure that the plant and the workforce have a future here. The company does not want to revisit the decision but thats not going to deter me from putting forward the best possible proposition I can for the workforce. We can look at a range of interventions and I call on the UK Government to step up to the plate as well. The Economy Secretary, who met senior Michelin executives in Paris on Sunday after learning of the planned closure, added: I do believe theres hope for the factory but only if we all pull together. The Michelin plant will remain closed until Thursday morning (Andrew Milligan/PA) Potential options include repurposing the factory to do other work for Michelin. The market for premium smaller tyres such as those produced at the Tayside factory has dropped significantly due to an increase in cheap imports from Asia and a shift to larger car tyres, according to the French firm. It says it is not economically viable to produce small, low-cost tyres at the Dundee site or switch to the production of larger tyres. The plant opened in 1971 is due to cease operations by mid-2020. Unite said it had been working on a flexibility agreement involving voluntary redundancies and changes to the shift patterns over the last two months to secure the factorys future. It said it was given no notice of Monday evenings announcement. Many workers said they found out via the news and social media. Marc Jackson, Unite Michelin convener, said: It is important to stress to the workforce and the wider community in Dundee that Unite has a viable plan on the table. The flexibility agreement, which we believed would be signed-off this week, takes into consideration the current challenging market conditions but we have a plan in place to manage this situation over the coming years. The workforce can be assured that Unite will work tirelessly to ensure that this flexibility agreement is reconsidered by the Michelin Group and that the factory can stay open. Marc Jackson, Unite Michelin convenor said: To stress to the workforce and the wider community in Dundee, Unite has a viable plan on the table. It is a plan that can work for the workforce and the company. pic.twitter.com/T8gAfiJ4kX Unite Scotland (@UniteScotland) November 6, 2018 Dundee East MSP Shona Robison said all options would be looked at. She said: Its not going to be easy but one thing that really comes through is just how strong the workforce is. They have been flexible over the years, they have been to many a kind of cliff edge with this plant and have come through the other side of it. Everybody is determined to do everything possible to either maintain the plant or repurpose the plant to maintain as many jobs as possible. Dundee is part of a 350 million Tay Cities Deal aimed at boosting economic growth in the region through investment from both the Scottish and UK Governments. Mr Mackay said: We stand ready to move forward with the Tay City Deal as soon as possible and call on the UK Government to bring forward additional measures and investment in light of Michelins announcement. Michelin said it would provide a personalised support package for each worker, with the opportunity to train in new skills and the possibility of being redeployed within the company or elsewhere. It will begin a consultation with employees and trade unions on the closure plan over the next fortnight. A man has been jailed for a minimum of 14 years for the murder of a father-of-two who died in Turkey after being assaulted in a Blackpool pub, said police. Simon Marx, 42, was physically sick shortly after he arrived in the coastal resort of Fethiye in the early hours of October 8, and then fell asleep as his girlfriend, Louise Darnbrough, placed him on his side. When his partner awoke at 7am, she found him cold and blue in colour and raised the alarm, but Mr Marx had died overnight. Last month, Steven Lane, 30, of Fulwood, Preston, was found guilty at Preston Crown Court of the murder of Mr Marx, who was attacked in the Newton Arms at about 12.20am on October 7. Steven Lane jailed for a minimum of 14 years for the murder of Simon Marx (Lancashire Police/PA) Lane, of Shalgrove Field, Fulwood, was also convicted of wounding with intent after Rick Alston, a friend of Mr Marx, sustained a laceration to his head. Co-defendant David Easter, 54, from Blackpool, was found not guilty of murder. Lane stamped on Mr Marx while he was unconscious on the floor in an attack which followed a verbal altercation. A post-mortem examination showed Mr Marx died from a blunt force head trauma. Speaking on Tuesday after the life sentence was imposed, Detective Chief Inspector, Gareth Willis of Blackpool Police, said: Lane carried out a brutal attack on Simon, stamping on his head as he lay on the ground completely defenceless. His reckless and cowardly behaviour resulted in Simon being taken from his family in the most horrendous way. This has been a complex investigation and a traumatic time for Simons family who have been incredibly dignified and brave throughout the whole process. I welcome todays sentence but my thoughts remain with them. In a tribute, Mr Marxs mother Carol Marx, sister Clare Collins and fiancee Miss Darnbrough said: Simon was a much loved dad, son, uncle, fiance and friend. Nicknamed by his friends as Smiler, he lit up a room with his smile and truly lived and loved life to the full. Police Scotland bosses have been accused of having inappropriately recorded allegations made by the public, MSPs were told, including a rape claim that was recorded as an incivility. Kate Frame, the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Pirc), also said when someone reported being unlawfully detained by police it was treated as a quality of service complaint by the force. In another example, she said an allegation of someone being punched in the face by a police officer was recorded as them having used excessive force instead of an assault. Ms Frame made the allegations when giving evidence to MSPs on Holyroods Justice Committee, who are examining the impact of the legislation used to create a nationwide Scottish police force. She explained Pirc could be contacted to review complaints against police if the person making the allegations was not satisfied with the response from the force. At @SP_Justice Committee, @DJohnsonMSP is concerned to hear allegations against Police Scotland of unlawful detention and rape being wrongly recorded by Police as 'quality of service' and 'incivility' complaints -- witness Kate Frame, Police Investigations & Review Commissioner. Hannah Graham (@DrHannahGraham) November 6, 2018 In a submission to MSPs ahead of the meeting, it said several instances have been identified where Police Scotland has failed to refer criminal allegations against officers to the COPFS as required, or attempted to deal with serious and complex complaints via frontline resolution (a process that should be used only for minor and straightforward complaints). Ms Frame said she had concerns about the level of police discretion which continues to allow them to investigate some of their own actions. She said: At the recording stage, obviously there is significant discretion afforded to the police at that time, how a complaint is initially recorded by the police will generally determine the route that it then takes. Recently, weve seen some evidence of serious criminal allegations which have been inappropriately recorded. We have examples of a complaint where someone had been unlawfully detained. That was recorded by the police as a quality of service complaint. There is another example of an allegation of rape, that was recorded as incivility. There is a further example of someone who had been punched twice on the face that was recorded by the police as excessive force rather than assault. She added: So in all of those cases the only reason and the only way in which we found out about how the recording process had taken place was because the complainers had made a complaint to the police, which had been dealt with, they felt dissatisfied and they came to us seeking a complaint handling review. At that stage we were able to refer the matter to Crown Office for their instructions in relations to the criminality involved. So had the complainers not had the option of coming through the complaint handling process we would have been none the wiser. Police Investigations and Review Commissioner Kate Frame. (Scottish Parliament/PA) Labours Daniel Johnson asked: Do I hear you correctly saying rape and assault were recorded as quality of service and incivility? Can I just ask you to confirm that and more importantly comment on what is going on there? Is it incompetence? A clerical error? Or something more disturbing or untoward? Ms Frame told him: I can confirm in relation to the example I gave of unlawful detention that was recorded as quality of service. In relation to an allegation of rape that was recorded as incivility. She added: We were surprised when we received that through the complaint handling process. I think there maybe a combination of factors that have contributed to it, either by the way of incompetence or other more sinister aspects. Mr Johnson then pressed Ms Frame on how widespread such practice was, saying to the commissioner: You stated you are finding this out by accident because people are asking for a review of the internal police complaints handling. Do you have any sense of how significant an issue this is? Ms Frame said it was very difficult to assess that because it only is the complainers who come to us after the event, and some may very well not. John McSporran, head of investigations at Pirc, said: Its the old adage you only know what you know. If you can not examine it you cannot tell the extent of the problem and, at present, there is no audit of those sort of processes to determine the extent of the problem. The problem might be small and there might be a few isolated examples but unless you can actually look at the extent of the problem, how do you tell whether wholesale change is necessary? The northern Indian city of Ayodhya has broken a Guinness World Record after lighting 300,150 earthen lamps and keeping them lit for at least 45 minutes on the banks of the river Saryu as part of the annual celebration of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. South Korean first lady Kim Jung-sook attended the record-breaking event on Tuesday. Guinness officials gave the state of Uttar Pradeshs chief minister a certificate certifying the record. Lights on the banks of the River Sarayu as part of Diwali celebrations (Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP) Officials had monitored the attempt with drone cameras. As dusk fell in Ayodhya, where Hindus believe the god Lord Ram was born and where he returned after 14 years in exile, volunteers lit lamps, called diya, snaking along the river, through lanes and at houses. A similar attempt failed to break the record last year. Andy Murray has added another tournament to his 2019 schedule after signing up for the Open Sud de France in Montpellier in February. The former world number one only played six tournaments this year following hip surgery before calling an early end to his season in September in an effort to play a fuller schedule next year. He will begin his campaign at the Brisbane International, the tournament he pulled out of in January before deciding to go under the knife, as a warm-up to the Australian Open. The event in Montpellier begins on February 5, while the tournament director of the Open 13 in Marseille later in the month revealed last week that Murray will also play there. Murray wrote on Facebook: Lots of great memories playing indoors in France, looking forward to playing Open Sud de France in Montpellier for the first time next year. A caveat should be that Murray, whose ranking remains a lowly 263, entered a number of tournaments in 2017 that he subsequently did not play, but there are reasons to be optimistic. Andy Murray will play at the Open Sud de France next February (John Walton/PA) The 31-year-old has been spending a lot of time working with a specialist in Philadelphia as he bids to return to something like his best form, and a recent Instagram post simply showed a tunnel with light at the end. Parliament marked the centenary of the end of the First World War with a special service of remembrance. Many MPs and Peers walked across the road from the Palace of Westminster to St Margarets Church, just as their predecessors had done on the first day of peace in 1918. Prime Minister Theresa May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn sat next to each other for the service in the 12th Century church which nestles in the shadow of Westminster Abbey. Commons Speaker John Bercow was among those who addressed the congregation as he read out the words then prime minister Lloyd George had said on November 11, 1918, as he called on fellow Parliamentarians to join him for a service at St Margarets. Prime Minister Theresa May touches a wreath during a Service of Remembrance in Westminster (John Stillwell/PA) He said: I hope we may say that thus, this fateful morning, came to an end all wars. As the final notes of a haunting rendition of The Last Post dissolved away, silence fell upon the church as MPs and Peers remembered the war dead, including, Parliamentarians, and parliamentary officers and staff. The First World War saw 264 MPs serving in the forces, with 22 being killed. In the Lords, 323 Peers went to war, with 24 dying in the conflict. Mrs May touched a wreath that had been placed on the steps of the alter, and at one point in the service knelt. The Labour leader laid his own wreath, and the service ended with the singing of the national anthem. A lawyer acting for Alex Salmond told a court he will argue the former first minister was not given adequate information about the sexual assault allegations against him. Mr Salmond is taking legal action against the Scottish Government to contest the complaints process activated against him in relation to two sexual harassment allegations made in January, which he strongly denies. He has since resigned from the SNP and is pursuing a judicial review in Scotlands highest civil court. A procedural hearing in the case took place at the Court of Session in Edinburgh on Tuesday, which he did not attend. Judge Lord Pentland said lawyers for the government would argue those acting for Mr Salmond do not have a relevant case as a matter of law but the latter believe they were not given adequate information about the allegations. A full hearing will take place at the Court of Session from January 15 (Hilary Duncanson/PA) Ronnie Clancy QC, representing Mr Salmond, said there should have been more information than the gist of the allegations and questioned the procedure under which they were investigated. Christine ONeill, representing the Scottish Government, said it was made clear when Mr Salmond was told about the formal complaints in January they were investigated in terms of the procedure. Lord Pentland told the court the Scottish Governments position is the First Minister agreed the complaints procedure on behalf of the government on December 20 and formal complaints were lodged on January 16 and January 24, 2018. Mr Clancy questioned if initial informal contact between those alleging sexual harassment and the government was made before the procedure came into force. He said one of the complaints was raised informally in December 2013 and dealt with then. Ms ONeill said even if a complaint had been raised earlier, it would not mean a formal complaint could not be lodged subsequently and argued the pre-formal complaint process is essentially irrelevant. Mr Clancy said Mr Salmond was notified about an investigation into the complaints, launched on January 17, before one of the complaints appeared to have been formally lodged. Lord Pentland asked Ms ONeill to make clear whether or not the earlier procedure was applied. The court also heard Mr Salmond had lodged a statement of written evidence, as had two other individuals not named in court for his case. The full case is due to be heard over four days from January 15 next year. By Auqib Javeed, TwoCircles.net Srinagar:- On the afternoon of November 2, Bilal Ahmad was packing apples while his brother-in-law Rayees Ahmad Wani, who is mentally unstable, was taking a nap in their apple orchard in Kulgam district in South Kashmir. After a few hours, Rayees went to a nearby market. He would often go and come back late night, Bilal recalls. But that night, Rayees didnt return. An anxious Bilal along with his family members started an unsuccessful search looking for Rayees. Since Rayees was mentally unstable, we were very worried about his safety, and keeping in view the current situation in Southern Kashmir, our anxiety grew beyond control, Bilal said in a conversation with TwoCircles.net. Support TwoCircles Rayees was the lone son of his parents and is survived by four sisters. Since there was no one to look after his parents, Bilal decided to stay with them permanently. Next day, friends of Bilal gathered to help locate Rayees whom they knew well. The Peer group soon flashed the missing report of Rayees on social media websites including Facebook and WhatsApp along with his photograph. At around 5 in the morning, Bilal, whose family could not sleep the whole night, received an unusual phone call from one of his friends. I was told to report at the Police Station in Shopian, said Bilal. He rushed, travelling around 22 kilometres from his home in Kulgam with a hope to bring back Rayees, but that did not turn out to be the case. I was shocked to know that I had been called to collect the dead body of Rayees. Rayees had been shot in his head and back. According to a statement released by Jammu and Kashmir Police later that day when the incident happened, Rayees tried to walk into the army camp of 34 Rashtriya Rifles stationed at Pahnoo village of Shopian district, when a sentry manning a bunker fired some warning shots in the air but the man did not stop and he then fired some shots upon him, killing him on the spot. The police, as is the custom, have registered a case in this regard, however, for the family of Rayees its a mere eyewash. Rayees killing was the second such incident this year when a mentally unstable person was killed by men in uniform. Earlier this year in February, government forces personnel shot dead an elderly man who was later identified as Syed Habibullah of Central Kashmirs Budgam District. The government forces had claimed that slain Habibullah had allegedly entered the Air Force Station in Humhma area near Sheikh-ul-Alam (RA) Airport in Budgam District. An FIR about the incident stands registered at the local police station and a probe was ordered, however, eight months have passed there is no outcome. Records maintained by Srinagar-based rights defender group, Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Societies (JKCCS) show whenever a mentally unstable person was killed by men in uniform in Kashmir, no justice was provided to victims or their families. It is pertinent to point that JKCCS has been able to maintain records only since 2003. On January 8, 2009, a civilian, Abdul Rashid Reshi (45) of Pahalgam in Southern Kashmirs Anantnag district, whom the police claimed could not hear and speak, was shot dead by Indian Army soldiers when he allegedly intruded a high-security Army premises housing officers in Srinagar. According to reports, the Army soldiers ordered a high-level probe into the incident, but till date, neither enquiry was made public nor anyone was punished. A murder case still stands registered at a local Police Station. According to JKCCS data, a copy of which lies with TwoCircles.net, there have been at least 18 such cases where men in uniform have killed mentally unstable persons, sometimes allegedly mistaking them for militants in the last fifteen years. I am sure there might be more than 18 killings of mentally unstable persons, but we have data from 2003 and these cases were reported (by media), noted Irfan Mehraj, a researcher with JKCCS. Mehraj says that the killing of a mentally unstable person by Indian armed forces in Kashmir is nothing new. Such killings have happened before, and the trend has largely been unnoticed, he claims, adding no one has been convicted in any case so far. The family members of the victims dont even expect justice from the system saying that the registration of an FIR is a mere eyewash, Mehraj added. When people who are mentally fit are being killed for no reasons and when their families dont get justice, how could we (families of mentally unstable slain persons) think of justice, wonders Bilal. Noted human right defender and 2017 Rafto prize winner, Parvez Imroze, told TwoCircles.Net that the condition of mental hospitals in the Valley is pathetic. A patient doesnt get proper treatment and care in these hospitals. The problem is with patients who do not have money to treat themselves; they dont even get proper treatment due to lack of attention or their families dont have money to get their patients treated, Imroze says. He says it is the responsibility of the state (government) to adopt and take care of these mental patients who are vulnerable because of poverty. Confirming Imrozes view that mentally unstable patients are vulnerable to violence, Valleys known psychiatrist Dr Arshad Hussain, said that residents of a conflict zone have higher risk of mental illness. People with severe mental illness like schizophrenia have tendency to wander. Even though nothing can exonerate the killing of an innocent being, it is high time that we think of strategies to minimise the loss of life of people with severe mental illness and do not make it a norm to accept it as collateral damage, he explained. The wandering tendencies and homelessness of severely mentally ill people is a global realityour vulnerability comes from being in the midst of a conflict and paying the price for it which most of the times is cruel and heart-wrenching as is the case of this Shopian boy, Dr Hussain added. A former head of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency will chair an independent review of the countrys air quality strategy. Professor Campbell Gemmell will set out actions needed to meet targets as well as making recommendations for future air policy. Environmental campaigners hope it will lead to greater ambition and action, warning Scotland will not meet air quality targets at the current rate of progress. The review will examine the impact of Scotlands air quality strategy Cleaner Air for Scotland, published in 2015, and identify and assess any new evidence and developments. A steering group will be set up to decide the content of the review. It is expected to cover transport, industrial, domestic and agricultural emissions as well as health, planning, and relevant business issues. An industrial view of a Power station in Scotland. Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham announced the review while meeting researchers at the the British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence in Edinburgh. Great to visit @BHFScotland earlier today to hear about the research they are doing around air pollution @strathearnrose https://t.co/5w229TKIPl pic.twitter.com/xvZa9JmI6B Net Zero Scotland (@ScotGovNetZero) November 6, 2018 She said: There is a clear relationship between air pollution and human health impacts, and although we have made significant progress over recent years, more remains to be done. The Scottish Government is determined to drive down pollution levels, which is why I am delighted Professor Campbell Gemmell has agreed to chair a wide-ranging independent review into our ambitious Clean Air for Scotland strategy. The review will bring together research being undertaken by the British Heart Foundation here in Edinburgh and others elsewhere to determine how we, as a nation, can take further positive steps to mitigate the impact of this hugely important subject. Prof Gemmell said he was pleased to have been invited to chair the review. He said air pollution in Scotland has already improved significantly but careful assessment is need to identify solutions and give advice on necessary actions for long-term improvement. Mr Gemmell and a representative from the British Heart Foundation joined the Scottish Governments Cleaner Air for Scotland Governance Group earlier this year after two environmental experts resigned in protest. Emilia Hanna, of Friends of the Earth Scotland, and Professor James Curran, of Scottish Environment Link, stood down from the group citing slow progress and lack of ambition. Gavin Thomson, of Friends of the Earth Scotland, said 2,500 people a year die from air pollution in Scotland. Apart from low emission zones, the Cleaner Air for Scotland strategy was woefully short on action, he said. Scotland wont meet the air quality targets that have been set and something needs to change. We very much welcome a review of the strategy to accelerate ambition and action, and commit the resources needed to deliver clean air for all. Scottish Greens environment spokesman Mark Ruskell said: Its welcome that after sustained pressure from Greens and campaign groups, and the threat of legal challenge, the government is now rethinking its weak approach to this entirely preventable public health crisis. French security agents have arrested six people on preliminary terrorism charges for allegedly plotting to attack French President Emmanuel Macron. A judicial official said intelligence agents detained the six in three widely scattered regions, including one suspect in the Alps, another in Brittany and four suspects near the Belgian border in Moselle. He said the plan to target the French president appeared to be vague and unfinalised but violent. Authorities said the six were between 22 and 62 years old and included one woman. French president Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte (Etienne Laurent/AP) It is not known if they were suspected of working together. French presidents have been targeted several times over the decades, including in 2002 when a far-right sympathiser tried to attack President Jacques Chirac on the Champs-Elysees Avenue in Paris during Bastille Day celebrations. Mr Macron was in the northeastern French city of Verdun on Tuesday as part of centenary commemorations for the end of the First World War. The suspected plot was uncovered days before US President Donald Trump and dozens of other world leaders are due in France for commemorations this weekend of the signing 100 years ago of the November 11 armistice that ended the First World War. The Government is drawing up new proposals for a review mechanism in the Brexit withdrawal agreement, to allow the UK to escape any backstop arrangement if talks on a trade deal break down. Prime Minister Theresa May is thought to regard the idea as a means of allaying the concerns of Conservative and DUP MPs that Britain could be permanently trapped in a customs union with the EU as part of arrangements to avoid a hard border in Ireland. Sources close to talks said London regarded it as a big step that the EU side now appears ready to contemplate a means for bringing the backstop to an end short of a broader trade treaty. Cabinet met for around three hours on Tuesday without reaching agreement on a final offer to present to Brussels. But Mrs May raised the prospect of a possible second meeting within a week, as she assured senior ministers that Cabinet would gather again at an appropriate moment before a deal. (PA Graphics) The Prime Minister said that she wanted to reach a withdrawal agreement as soon as possible, but not at any cost. Any agreement will be dependent on an acceptable framework for future relations in areas like trade and security, expected to be covered in a separate political declaration, she said. It is understood that Attorney General Geoffrey Cox briefed Cabinet on a range of options for the review mechanism, believed to include the possibility of an independent body ruling on whether talks had failed. Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was accused in the Dublin Parliament of committing a cock-up when he told Mrs May on Monday he was ready to consider a mechanism, so long as it did not give the UK unilateral powers to quit. But he denied making a concession to UK demands for any backstop to be temporary, saying: There can be no expiry date and there can be no unilateral exit clause, and if it were to be either of those things, the backstop would not be worth the paper it was written on. Im open to creative solutions and creative language, but we will not resile from our fundamental resolution, the backstop cannot have a time limit or an exit clause. Chief EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier spoke to Belgiums RTBF broadcaster (RTBF) Mrs Mays official spokesman declined to be drawn on a timescale for agreement with the EU. No additional Cabinet meeting has yet been scheduled ahead of the regular weekly gathering next Tuesday, he told reporters, adding: Dont be under any illusion, there remains a significant amount of work to do. Hopes of a special Brexit summit to finalise the withdrawal agreement in November appear to be receding. A gathering of EU leaders in Brussels on the previously mooted date of November 17 is now thought to have been ruled out, while a special summit later in the month would be dependent on EU negotiator Michel Barnier declaring that decisive progress has been made in talks. Mr Barnier himself said a breakthrough on the Irish border issue was not close. For now, we are still negotiating and I am not, as I am speaking to you this morning, able to tell you that we are close to reaching an agreement, he told Belgian broadcaster RTBF. There is still a real point of divergence on the way of guaranteeing peace in Ireland, that there are no borders in Ireland, while protecting the integrity of the single market. Following the Cabinet meeting, Mrs Mays spokesman said the Prime Minister had told colleagues that 95% of the withdrawal agreement was now concluded, but on the Northern Ireland backstop, there are a number of issues we still need to work through, and these are the most difficult. The spokesman said: This includes ensuring that if the backstop, if ever needed, is not permanent and there is a mechanism to ensure the UK couldnt be held in the arrangement indefinitely. The Prime Minister said she was confident of reaching a deal. She said that, while the UK should aim to secure a withdrawal agreement as soon as possible, this would not be done at any cost. The Prime Minister said that, once agreement was reached on a withdrawal agreement, it remains the case that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed and it will be subject to securing an acceptable full future framework. DUP MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said Dublins stance was making a no-deal Brexit likely. Looks like were heading for no deal, he tweeted. Such an outcome will have serious consequences for economy of Irish Republic. In addition, UK wont have to pay a penny more to EU, which means big increase for Dublin. Cant understand why Irish Government seems so intent on this course. Looks like were heading for no deal. Such an outcome will have serious consequences for economy of Irish Republic. In addition, UK wont have to pay a penny more to EU, which means big increase for Dublin. Cant understand why Irish Government seems so intent on this course. https://t.co/1L4WF1n85N Jeffrey Donaldson MP (@J_Donaldson_MP) November 6, 2018 Conservative MP Anna Soubry, a leading supporter of the Peoples Vote campaign for a second referendum, said: Deal or no deal, its becoming clearer by the day that the UK is headed for a miserable Brexit. This has turned into a mess that nobody voted for and its only going to get worse. A choice between a no-deal Brexit and a no-clue Brexit is no choice at all. Only a Peoples Vote offers the UK a real choice over our future. In the Cabinet meeting, International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt suggested that the public were not interested in receiving regular updates on the progress of negotiations, comparing it to airline passengers who want to hear from the pilot at the start and end of a flight but not in between. Scotland Secretary David Mundell replied that the passengers might want to hear from the pilot if the flight was running significantly over time, to which Environment Secretary Michael Gove responded that as a nervous flyer he found a gin and tonic was helpful in this situation. Firefighters in the southern French city of Marseille have found the bodies of four people in the ruins of two collapsed buildings as the search for victims and survivors continued. Marseille prosecutor Xavier Tabareux said the body of a woman was recovered after three other people two men and a woman were found dead in the rubble earlier. Several people remained missing after the adjacent multi-storey structures collapsed on Monday. French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said air pockets under the debris meant theres hope to locate and find someone that can be saved. A firefighter uses a sniffer dog to locate possible trapped people (Claude Paris/AP) Mr Castaner said at the site that 120 police officers and 80 firefighters took part in the search-and-rescue operation, working through the night in the pile of beams and rubble. The two buildings, one apparently vacant and the other housing apartments, collapsed Monday at 9 a.m. local time. Authorities said the vacant building had been deemed substandard. It was not immediately clear why they collapsed, or how many people the apartment building housed. Firefighters are still searching the building (Claude Paris/AP) Fire crews working with sniffer dogs later brought down the remains of a third building they feared could topple over on them. Images of the buildings before they collapsed showed that one had five floors and the other six. In the spot where they had stood, a large gap appeared once the dust and debris settled. Cars around Marseilles famous Old Port on the Mediterranean Sea, were covered with thick dust. A price-hiking meat tax could prevent almost 6,000 deaths per year in the UK and save the economy more than 700 million in avoided healthcare costs, say researchers. Globally, meat taxes could save an estimated 220,000 lives by 2020 and reduce healthcare costs by 30.7 billion, a study has found. The research is based on evidence linking consumption of red meat such as beef, lamb and pork to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer. Scientists set out to calculate the level of health tax needed to make up for healthcare costs associated with eating meat in 149 regions around the world. They also estimated the likely impact of a meat tax on death rates due to chronic disease. By 2020, consumption of red and processed meat was likely to cause 2.4 million deaths per year and cost the global economy 285 billion US dollars (219 billion), the study found. Meat tax levels high enough to be effective varied from country to country. In the UK, the optimal tax level increased the cost of red meat by 14% and processed meat by 79%. Despite the huge impact on the price of burgers, sausages, mince and steak, the scientists behind the study called on all governments to consider imposing meat taxes. Lead researcher Dr Marco Springmann, from the Nuffield Department of Population Health at Oxford University, said: The consumption of red and processed meat exceeds recommended levels in most high and middle-income countries. This is having significant impacts not only on personal health, but also on healthcare systems, which are taxpayer-funded in many countries, and on the economy, which is losing its labour force due to ill health and care for family members who fall ill. I hope that governments will consider introducing a health levy on red and processed meat as part of a range of measures to make healthy and sustainable decision-making easier for consumers. A health levy on red and processed meat would not limit choices, but send a powerful signal to consumers and take pressure off our healthcare systems. Nobody wants governments to tell people what they can and cant eat. However, our findings make it clear that the consumption of red and processed meat has a cost, not just to peoples health and to the planet, but also to the healthcare systems and the economy. The World Health Organisation has classified beef, lamb and pork as carcinogenic when eaten in processed form, and probably cancer-causing when consumed unprocessed. Red meat consumption has also been associated with increased rates of coronary heart disease, stroke and Type 2 diabetes. The study, published in the journal Public Library of Science ONE, indicated that a health tax could reduce consumption of processed meat such as bacon and sausages by about two portions per week in high-income countries. Higher taxes on processed meat were also expected to cause consumers to switch to eating more unprocessed meat. As a result, consumption of unprocessed meat was predicted to remain unchanged by 2020. The global benefits of a meat tax included a 16% reduction in processed meat consumption, and the prevention of 222,000 deaths from cancer, heart disease, stroke and Type 2 diabetes. In addition, an estimated 3,800 deaths related to obesity would be prevented, the study found. For the UK alone, an effective meat tax that offset healthcare costs would prevent 5,920 deaths per year. That would amount to a reduction in the number of deaths attributed to eating meat of 15.6%. Optimal meat taxes in several other countries were significantly higher than in the UK, according to the research. In the US, the measure resulted in red meat costing 34% more and the price of processed meat soaring by 163%. An effective tax in Sweden increased the price of processed meat by a whopping 185% and that of red meat by 27%. Taxing meat in Germany at an effective level led to red meat being 28% more expensive and the price of processed meat rising by 166%. The same policy in Denmark resulted in red meat being taxed at 29% and processed meat at 119%. But in China optimal tax levels were much lower 7% on red meat and 43% on processed meat, the study found. Louise Meincke, from the World Cancer Research Fund, said: Governments need to implement more evidence-informed policies to help make our daily environments healthier so that it is easier for people to make these healthy choices. This research, looking at the potential effects of a meat tax, shows it could help reduce the level of meat consumption, similar to how a sugar-sweetened beverage tax works, as well as offset costs to the healthcare system and improve environmental sustainability. Louise Davies, head of campaigns at the Vegan Society, said: We need to consider the negative impact of animal farming on the environment, animals and human health. One way to reduce that impact would be a meat tax, which we would welcome, but another option would be to address the subsidies currently given to animal farming. A meat tax need not be particularly controversial given the prevalence of alternatives to meat and their benefits. Meat does not contain fibre, whereas beans, peas and lentils are fibre-rich and they can count as one of your five-a-day. A man has been remanded in custody after he appeared in a Dublin court in relation to the murders of two Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) soldiers. John Downey was detained by Irish gardai on Monday evening under a European Arrest Warrant as part of a joint operation with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). Downey, 66, appeared before the High Court in Dublin on Tuesday as Northern Ireland prosecutors seek to extradite him to face charges of murder. Detective Sargent Jim Kirwin of the Garda Extradition Unit told the court that he was on duty in Donegal when he spoke to Downey at a house in Ards, Creeslough, on Monday. The 66 year old man arrested today in Donegal on suspicion of the murder of 2 UDR soldiers in 1972 and on suspicion of aiding and abetting an explosion, was made under a European Arrest Warrant. Police Service NI (@PoliceServiceNI) November 5, 2018 The garda officer asked Downey his name and told him that he was the subject of a European Arrest Warrant. Downey responded that it was the DUP (Democratic Unionist Party) and not the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions) who was pursuing the matter. He was arrested at 7.20pm. The officer told the court that the warrant related to three offences including a bomb in Co Fermanagh in 1972 which killed the two UDR members. The officer confirmed that Downeys passport has been surrendered to gardai and when asked by a prosecution barrister if he co-operated with police, the detective replied: Fully, Judge. Defence barrister Garnet Orange confirmed that Downey is contesting the application and is anxious to get bail. He added that his client suffers from a medical condition and has a heart monitor fitted. He asked the judge to consider an early date for a bail application. Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly said she was satisfied that Downey is the person to whom the warrant related. He was remanded in custody and will appear at the Criminal Courts of Justice on Thursday for a bail application hearing. The extradition hearing will take place on Friday, November 23. Justice Donnelly told Downey that he has the right to consent to surrender to the order and has a right to obtain professional legal services. Prosecutors in Northern Ireland have decided there is sufficient evidence to prosecute him for the murders of Lance Corporal Alfred Johnston, 32, a father-of-four, and Private James Eames, 33, a father-of-three, in Co Fermanagh. They died when an IRA bomb exploded in a car they were checking on the Irvinestown Road, Cherrymount, Enniskillen on August 25, 1972. In 2013, Downey was charged with murdering four Royal Household Cavalrymen in a bomb in Londons Hyde Park in 1982. The scene following the IRA car bomb blast in Hyde Park (PA) He stood trial at the Old Bailey, but the case dramatically collapsed after it was revealed he had received a written assurance from former prime minister Tony Blairs government that he was not actively wanted by the authorities. The letter was issued under the terms of the controversial On The Runs (OTRs) scheme. Trial judge Mr Justice Sweeney ruled that Downeys arrest at Gatwick Airport, as he transited the UK on the way to a holiday, represented an abuse of process and he put a stay on any future prosecution in relation to the Hyde Park case. The episode sparked a government inquiry into the OTR scheme. Mr Downey has always denied any involvement in the Hyde Park attack. A number of supporters including three Sinn Fein TDs, Pearse Doherty, Sean Crowe and Dessie Ellis, were also in court for Tuesdays proceedings. From left, Sinn Fein TDs Martin Ferris, Pearse Doherty and Sean Crowe (Niall Carson/PA) Speaking outside court, Mr Doherty said: In my view this arrest was wrong. It shouldnt have happened and in my view John should be returned to his family where he has been living for the last number of decades. I think everybody is entitled to justice and I deeply regret any suffering and loss that has happened because of the conflict but that doesnt take away from the fact that John Downey has been arrested on the first occasion despite having assurances that he was not wanted for questioning in relation to any incident. That arrest took place after a long protected period of time. It is deeply concerning that John has been arrested. It wont be lost on anybody that this has happened at a time when the British Government and authorities are looking for a blanket amnesty for their own soldiers given the spotlight is on them for their activities in the north. Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly has said that Downeys arrest was an act of gross bad faith. John Downey has been a supporter of the peace process over many years and to pursue his arrest and extradition now is vindictive and bad faith. It gives lie to claims by British Prime Minister Theresa May that the legacy process is skewed against former state forces. This false assertion is motivated only by a desire to secure immunity and impunity for British state forces guilty of crimes in Ireland. Mr Kelly has previously defended his role in the On The Runs scheme, after his name appeared on most of the letters as a conduit for Sinn Fein. French security agents have arrested six people on suspicion of plotting to attack President Emmanuel Macron, according to a judicial official. Prosecutors have opened a preliminary investigation of alleged criminal terrorist association, the official said. Intelligence agents detained the six suspects in three scattered regions: one in the Alps, another in Brittany and four near the Belgian border in Moselle, the official added. The alleged plan to target the French president appeared to be vague and unfinished but violent, the official said. Authorities said the six were aged between 22 and 62 and included one woman. Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte (Etienne Laurent/AP) Interior minister Christophe Castaner told reporters they are believed to be far-right activists. Authorities feared concrete threats from the group, Mr Castaner said. French presidents have been targeted several times over the decades. In 2002, a far-right sympathiser tried to attack Jacques Chirac on the Champs-Elysees Avenue in Paris during Bastille Day celebrations. Mr Macron was in the north-eastern French city of Verdun on Tuesday as part of centenary commemorations for the end of the First World War. The alleged plot was uncovered days before US President Donald Trump and dozens of other world leaders are due in France for weekend observances marking the signing 100 years ago of the November 11 armistice that ended the First World War. The owner of a doggy day care centre on the Irish border has expressed dismay at the prospect of having to get pets vaccinated months before they travel between the UK and Europe post-Brexit. Dog and cat owners have been advised to speak to a vet as soon as possible if they want to take their pet on holiday after March next year. Government officials have issued the advice on the basis of a no-deal scenario and say that pet owners will have to start preparations by the end of November if they intend on travelling to the EU. That means pet owners living in Northern Ireland could be forced to pay hundreds of pounds in veterinary fees and wait up to four months for paperwork before they can travel across the border to the Republic with their animal. Eimear Matthews, who owns Paws & Play dog day care centre in Newry, Co Down, said she feared Brexit could have a major impact on her business. Eimear Mathews business is close to the border (Liam McBurney/PA) Ms Matthews highlighted that the fields at the back of her house where her own dog runs straddles the border. In Northern Ireland in general its going to have a massive impact, but I think particularly on people in border areas like myself, she said. I already have dogs who come up with their owners who maybe live in the south and work in the north and leave their dogs off with me those dogs are now going to require rabies injections, pet passports, might have to go into quarantine. At this stage we honestly dont even know what way its going to be. I myself live a couple of hundred yards from the border, so theoretically for my dog to go running in my own fields shes going to need a passport. If Prime Minister Theresa May and EU officials fail to reach an agreement by next March, animals travelling to the EU will need rabies vaccinations. A blood sample, which is taken one month after the rabies jab, is then sent to a laboratory. The whole process will take four months to complete before the pet will be allowed to travel. A certificate is issued by a vet to show the animal is fully up-to-date with its vaccinations. Anyone travelling to a European country may have to carry the certificate, including people from Northern Ireland who cross the border to walk their dog. However, once they return to Northern Ireland pet owners will have to go through a similar process as the certificates do not allow pet owners to move freely between north and south of the border. Veterinary practices have been made aware of the steps they have to take to prepare for the possible influx of pet owners who need their animals vaccinated before travelling a couple of miles into the Republic. All pet owners are now being told to ensure they have the correct health protection documents in place for the possibility of a no-deal Brexit. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Development (DAERA) in Northern Ireland also issued advice on its website. A spokesman for the department said: In line with DEFRA, we have issued practical advice for people who wish to travel to European Union countries with their pets in the event the UK leaves the EU in a no deal situation. We would urge all pet owners who wish to travel immediately after March 29, 2019 to consult with their vet as soon as they can. This is about planning ahead to ensure their pet has the correct health protection documented and in place for all possible scenarios. Please check the NI Direct website for the latest advice. DAERA has recently been in contact with Northern Ireland vets to highlight this issue. They are expecting pet owners to consult with them and plan ahead. Police Scotland bosses have been accused of having inappropriately recorded allegations made against officers. Kate Frame, the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Pirc), told MSPs that when someone complained of being unlawfully detained by police, it was treated as a quality of service complaint. In another example, she said an allegation of someone being punched in the face by a police officer was recorded as them having used excessive force instead of an assault. She also appeared to indicate that Police Scotland had recorded an allegation of rape as incivility although her office later clarified this was not the case after the force insisted this was categorically incorrect. Ms Frame made the allegations when giving evidence to MSPs on Holyroods Justice Committee, who are examining the impact of the legislation used to create a nationwide Scottish police force. She explained Pirc could be contacted to review complaints against police if the person making the allegations was not satisfied with the response from the force. Police Scotland has `inappropriately recorded some complaints against officers, MSPs were told. (Andrew Milligan/PA) In a submission to MSPs ahead of the meeting, it said several instances have been identified where Police Scotland has failed to refer criminal allegations against officers to the COPFS as required, or attempted to deal with serious and complex complaints via frontline resolution (a process that should be used only for minor and straightforward complaints). Ms Frame said she had concerns about the level of police discretion, which continues to allow them to investigate some of their own actions. She said: Recently, weve seen some evidence of serious criminal allegations which have been inappropriately recorded. We have examples of a complaint where someone had been unlawfully detained. That was recorded by the police as a quality of service complaint. There is another example of an allegation of rape, that was recorded as incivility. There is a further example of someone who had been punched twice on the face that was recorded by the police as excessive force rather than assault. She added: So in all of those cases, the only reason and the only way in which we found out about how the recording process had taken place was because the complainers had made a complaint to the police, which had been dealt with, they felt dissatisfied and they came to us seeking a complaint handling review. At that stage we were able to refer the matter to Crown Office for their instructions in relations to the criminality involved. So had the complainers not had the option of coming through the complaint handling process we would have been none the wiser. A Pirc spokeswoman later clarified: What the Commissioner was referring to was that in the course of an alleged rape investigation a complaint was made against a serving police officer which was categorised by Police Scotland as incivility. After the PIRCs intervention, the matter was reported by Police Scotland to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) as an attempt to pervert the course of justice by a serving police officer. Alan Speirs, Assistant Chief Constable Professionalism and Assurance, said: During evidence to the Justice Committee, the PIRC Commissioner provided an example of a rape complaint being recorded by Police Scotland as incivility. This is categorically incorrect. The allegation was recorded by Police Scotland as rape and thoroughly investigated. He added: Evidence was also led by Pirc head of investigations who suggested there is no audit of complaints and how they are categorised by Police Scotland. Again, this is inaccurate. These processes are audited by the Scottish Police Authority on a quarterly basis. Furthermore, where it is assessed there is an inference of criminality within a complaint about the police, the matter is reported to the Crown Office. The assessment of criminality is subjective and undertaken in accordance with the Lord Advocates Guidelines. Police Scotland categorically rejects the assertion made by the Commissioner that any failure to report matters is due to sinister aspects. Police Scotland deals with over 6,000 complaints annually and all complaints against the police are fully recorded and subject to fair and rigorous investigation. Every complainer has a right of recourse in circumstances where they are dissatisfied, and are provided by Police Scotland with details of how to seek further action. It is notable that only 5% of complainers seek these further steps through Pirc. Incidents are referred to Pirc in line with current legislative requirements and over the last year 421 matters were referred to Pirc with 36 of them investigated. This demonstrates a commitment to a high level of transparency whereby over 90% of matters referred are not subject of further investigation by Pirc. Long lines and faulty voting machines have dominated the opening hours of the 2018 US midterm elections, with hundreds of voters using social media to vent their frustrations. Record numbers of voters are expected to turn out in the first nation-wide poll since the divisive election of Donald Trump as president in 2016. Some of the biggest problems reported on Tuesday were in Georgia, where some voters reported waiting up to three hours to cast their ballot, but problems have also been reported in New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC and Virginia. Endless spiraling lines. Everyone is mad. This is my nightmare. #ElectionDay pic.twitter.com/PgGK8Y63lV Barry Hott (@binghott) November 6, 2018 Barry Hott, a social media director from New York, said he spent nearly two hours trying to vote in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, in cramped, disorganised and borderline dangerous conditions as ballot scanners broke. He said: I initially waited outdoors in the rain but thats to be expected. Once I got inside and it was filled with lines zigzagging and spiralling across the place, very disorganised. Voters line up in the rain outside Bright Family and Youth Center in the Columbia Heights neighborhood in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. Across the country, voters headed to the polls Tuesday in one of the most high-profile midterm elections in years. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) Mr Hott, 31, said the machines to scan peoples ballot papers broke, souring the mood as voters became worried that their votes would not be counted. Snapshot of the block-long turnout to #BeAVoter on the UWS this morning. #ElectionDay pic.twitter.com/nk5Aa4GuSq Alex Israel (@AlexIsrael) November 6, 2018 At a polling place in Snellville, Georgia, more than 100 people took turns sitting in childrens chairs and on the floor as they waited in line for hours. Voter Ontaria Woods said about two dozen people who had come to vote left because of the lines. At a poll site in Atlanta, voters waited in the rain in long lines that stretched around the building. Hannah Ackermann said officials at the polling site offered various explanations for the delay, including blaming workers who did not show up and overloaded machines. Atlanta Precinct 09A. Wait times greater than 1 hour. Machines keep overloading and no one coming out. People having to leave for work. Does this count as voter suppression? Now being told to turn my phone off because it may interfere with voting machines. pic.twitter.com/sftmlPU7Rz Hannah (@gtwifi) November 6, 2018 Back in New York, Mr Hott said successful voters were leaving the polling station and encouraging those still waiting in line. He added: People were really excited. They were coming out and saying stay in line, you have to do this, cheering everyone on. I found that to be really motivating and exciting. Important. More than 35 million Americans cast their vote before election day, almost double the number of postal votes counted in the 2014 midterm elections, which had the lowest total turnout for midterms since 1942. 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. Michelin has agreed to consider Scottish Government proposals that could save its closure-threatened Dundee tyre plant, MSPs have been told. Scottish Economy Secretary Derek Mackay said an action group, which he will chair, has been established to develop the proposition and it will meet in the city on Monday. Mr Mackay said: Were aware that this task is not easy one, and there are significant challenges to be faced. But we are, as a government, determined to do everything within our power, to prevent this closure. Economy Secretary Derek Mackay met workers at the plant on Tuesday (Andrew Milligan/PA) The developments emerged after the company announced that the tyre factory, which has 845 workers, will cease production within two years. Dundee City Council leader John Alexander has described the proposed shutdown as a body blow for all of the staff. A meeting was held on Tuesday at the plant, while production has been suspended until Thursday to allow employees to digest the news. Mr Mackay, who was in Dundee on Tuesday to meet representatives from Michelin, the Unite union and Dundee City Council, later returned to the Scottish Parliament to update MSPs on the situation. He said he met Michelin group executives on Sunday with Scottish Enterprise and they have agreed to consider a proposition we will bring forward to secure a sustainable future for the plant. The Michelin plant will remain closed until Thursday morning (Andrew Milligan/PA) Mr Mackay told the chamber that good will between unions and Michelin was part of the reason Michelin is willing to listen to the proposition. He said: Michelins announcement that it intends to close its plant in Dundee is devastating, not just for those who work at the plant but their families and the whole of the city of Dundee and the wider area. The Scottish Government will do all we can to secure a future for the plant and the workforce. Let me be clear we will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to keep this plant operation in Dundee. Our top priority is to pursue options for the site to continue with commercial production. Potential options include repurposing the factory to do other work for Michelin. The market for premium smaller tyres such as those produced at the Tayside factory has dropped significantly due to an increase in cheap imports from Asia and a shift to larger car tyres, according to the French firm. It says it is not economically viable to produce small, low-cost tyres at the Dundee site or switch to the production of larger tyres. The plant opened in 1972 is due to cease operations by mid-2020. Unite said it had been working on a flexibility agreement involving voluntary redundancies and changes to the shift patterns over the last two months to secure the factorys future. It said it was given no notice of Monday evenings announcement. Many workers said they found out via the news and social media. Marc Jackson, Unite Michelin convener, said: It is important to stress to the workforce and the wider community in Dundee that Unite has a viable plan on the table. The flexibility agreement, which we believed would be signed-off this week, takes into consideration the current challenging market conditions but we have a plan in place to manage this situation over the coming years. The workforce can be assured that Unite will work tirelessly to ensure that this flexibility agreement is reconsidered by the Michelin Group and that the factory can stay open. Marc Jackson, Unite Michelin convenor said: To stress to the workforce and the wider community in Dundee, Unite has a viable plan on the table. It is a plan that can work for the workforce and the company. pic.twitter.com/T8gAfiJ4kX Unite Scotland (@UniteScotland) November 6, 2018 Dundee East MSP Shona Robison said all options would be looked at. She said: Its not going to be easy but one thing that really comes through is just how strong the workforce is. Dundee is part of a 350 million Tay Cities Deal aimed at boosting economic growth in the region through investment from both the Scottish and UK Governments. Mr Mackay has called on the UK Government to bring forward additional measures and investment in light of Michelins announcement. Labour MSP Jenny Marra told the Scottish Parliament the proposed 350 million for the Tay Cities deal will not now touch the sides, especially as investments will go to other parts of the region. Michelin said it would provide a personalised support package for each worker, with the opportunity to train in new skills and the possibility of being redeployed within the company or elsewhere. It will begin a consultation with employees and trade unions on the closure plan over the next fortnight. Pizza lovers are being tempted with a taste of fine art at a new pop-up exhibition that has opened in New York City. The Museum of Pizza is dedicated to all things cheese and sauce, but there is more to it than many deep pan fans may expect. Its often that the simplest ideas are the best. And we wanted to use pizzas ubiquitous appeal to get people through the door and looking at art and hearing about history in a different format, said Alexandra Serio, chief content officer at Nameless Network, the group that came up with the Museum of Pizza idea. A textile sculpture from artist Hein Koh called Mystic Pizza, part of a group art exhibition celebrating pizza at The Museum of Pizza in New York (Bebeto Matthews/AP) Our approach to this Museum of Pizza is a fine art approach, so we went out to multiple artists contemporary in many mediums, and asked them for their interpretation of pizza, said Ms Serio. And what we got back is it ranges the gambit, lets just say that. Thats an understatement. A pizza video game creation from Jeremey Couillard (Bebeto Matthews/AP) Located on the street level of Brooklyns William Vale hotel, the museum is an expansive, one-floor space that houses a wide variety of art, from giant photographs to sculptures, to large installations that engulf visitors. And the pop-up museum, also known as MoPi, has already drawn a lot of interest more than 6,000 people came through the doors when they opened this month. Another instantly recognisable attribute of the space is the bright colours that are woven throughout the exhibits perfect for taking pictures for sharing on social media. The Pizza Guitar, from musician Andrew WK, part of a group art exhibition celebrating pizza at The Museum of Pizza in New York (Bebeto Matthews/AP) Honestly, I thought it would be like more of a museum like at the beginning, with the pizza boxes and it kinda tells you when it was developed and stuff like that, said Nene Raye, visiting from New Jersey. Then I was kinda hoping they had something artsy in it because I love taking pictures. So this is a mashup of everything so you get a little bit of education and then some fun, which I love. Ms Serio said selfie-friendly exhibits are becoming a priority for museums as they try to get younger people to walk through their doors. Its a kind of paradigm shift with museums, she said. A pizza box playroom created with neon lights and colourful fluorescent tape called Gazoo, part of a group art exhibition celebrating pizza at The Museum of Pizza in New York (Bebeto Matthews/AP) Youll see, I think in the next few years because of museums like the Museum of Ice Cream, and multiple pop-ups of this ilk, museums kind of courting a younger audience and seeing how they can make their exhibitions more tactile, touch and photography friendly. Lydia Melendez, a self-described pizza aficionado, bought her tickets in April. For her, this experience was worth the wait. A three-dimensional sculpture from artist Shawna X called Say Cheese, part of a group art exhibition celebrating pizza at The Museum of Pizza in New York (Bebeto Matthews/AP) I thought it was going to be kinda boring, like Im going to walk in and theres just going to be a book about pizza and how to make it. But this is definitely one for the books. While pizza may be the hook that draws those interested to the museum, the focus of MoPi is to expose visitors to the fine art world even if the education is fed one slice at a time. The Museum of Pizzas target demographic isnt necessarily the same type of people that are making quarterly trips to the MoMA or the Frick collection or the LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art), said Ms Serio. Were really putting fine art in a place thats easily accessible for a wide range of people. The pop-up museum, which costs 35 dollars (26.70) for adults, closes on November 18. The Trump administration has said it is consulting with Congress about placing additional sanctions on Russia over the nerve agent poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal in Salisbury. The State Department said Russia had failed to meet a 90-day deadline that fell on Tuesday to comply with a 1991 US law on preventing the use of chemical weapons. The United States and its allies have accused the Russian government of involvement in the Novichok attack in March on Mr Skripal and his daughter Yulia. (PA Graphics) The State Department announced in August that Russia had violated the chemicals law in the Skripal case. Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the agency will now consult with Congress on what fresh sanctions it will impose. Russia strongly denies it was behind the attack, which was also linked to the death of Dawn Sturgess in nearby Amesbury in July after she and her partner Charlie Rowley were exposed to the nerve agent. Mr Rowley survived. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at the time Russia was deeply concerned about the incident but said accusations that it was involved are absurd. Public confidence in the police has been severely dented as forces struggle to deliver an effective service, a Commons committee has warned. It is taking longer to charge suspects, fewer arrests are being made and neighbourhood presences have been stripped back, MPs said. Falls in funding and staffing levels have left constabularies under increasing strain, according to a report from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). It highlighted how police are dealing with more incidents which are not crime-related at a time when violent and sexual offending is on the rise. The assessment the latest to raise serious concerns about the state of policing in England and Wales said: Policing by consent relies on public confidence and this is being severely dented. Forces are struggling to deliver an effective service: it is taking longer to charge offences; they are making fewer arrests; they are doing less neighbourhood policing, and public satisfaction is declining. The committee cited figures showing that the proportion of crimes resulting in a charge or summons dropped from 15% in March 2015 to 9% in March 2018. Police are carrying out less proactive work, the report added, pointing to falls in the numbers of breathalyser tests, motoring fixed penalties and convictions for drug trafficking and possession. The PAC also levelled criticism at the Home Office, accusing the department of failing to show strategic leadership of the policing system and having only a limited understanding of the resources forces need. The polices main duties are to protect the public and prevent crime, the report said. But only about a quarter of the emergency and priority incidents that the police respond to are crime-related. Meg Hillier (John Stilwell/PA) One police and crime commissioner told the committee that the impact of austerity had been immense, while another suggested that communities do not feel safe. PAC chairwoman Meg Hillier said: The thin blue line is wearing thinner with potentially dire consequences for public safety. Public confidence and trust that the police will respond is breaking down. This cannot continue. Government must show leadership and get on with fixing the flaws at the heart of its approach to policing. The report was released amid fresh concern over rising violent crime in London, where 119 violent deaths have occurred so far this year five in the last week alone. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said the PACs findings were another damning indictment of this Governments abject failure to show leadership at a time when our police are being asked to do more with significantly less officers, and when they are having to pick up the pieces as a result of savage cuts to other frontline public services. Policing Minister Nick Hurd said it was important for forces to get the basics right despite the complexities and demands of modern policing. He said all reports of crime should receive an initial investigation and any decision not to probe further must be communicated to victims or risk damaging the publics trust. However, writing in the Daily Telegraph, he highlighted that police budgets are ultimately paid for by taxes. This feels like a watershed moment in British policing, long recognised as among the best in the world, the minister wrote. While the landscape of crime has changed, the basic expectations on the police remain the same. The public know our police are under pressure. But we also know public services are run on the money we pay in tax and these finite resources need to be prioritised and allocated appropriately. A slew of figures and highly-critical reports have prompted intense scrutiny of police performance and funding. The number of arrests in England and Wales has halved in a decade, while recorded crime has risen across a number of categories including homicide and knife-related offences. Last week, one of the countrys most senior officers called for a refocus on core policing. National Police Chiefs Council chairwoman Sara Thornton warned forces are too stretched to take on all deserving issues, such as logging misogyny reports when no offence has been committed. Police funding has fallen by 19% in real terms since 2010, while officer numbers have decreased by more than 20,000 over the same period. Pressure on ministers to provide a cash injection intensified after a warning from another Commons committee that policing risks becoming irrelevant amid vanishing neighbourhood presences and low investigation and detection rates. While last weeks Budget included 160 million for counter-terror policing, the Government faced criticism from the rank-and-file over the absence of any commitment for general police funding. Chief Constable Dave Thompson, the National Police Chiefs Council lead for finance, said the report recognises the increasing strain on police forces as we deal with rising crime, demand that is more complex and, more than ever, being called on as a last resort when other agencies lack their own capacity. A Home Office spokesman said: We are on the front foot in engaging with the police and recognise the changing demands they are facing. The Governments balanced approach to the economy has helped ensure there is 1 billion more of public money going into policing than three years ago, and the Home Secretary has been clear that he will prioritise police funding. There has been a 20% increase in the number of times passengers have acted to prevent suicide on Britains railways, new figures show. Some 163 interventions were made by members of the public between January and September compared with 136 during the same period in 2017, according to British Transport Police data published by Network Rail. The increase follows the November 2017 launch of a campaign to encourage passengers to make small talk with anyone who appears vulnerable on the railway as this can interrupt suicidal thoughts. A new phase of the Small Talk Saves Lives initiative emphasises that each of us has all the experience we need to help save a life. TV and radio presenter Gaby Roslin features in a campaign video and station announcement after stopping to talk to someone in a park when she noticed something was wrong. She said: Little conversations we have every day can be all thats needed to interrupt suicidal thoughts. An empty station (Peter Byrne/PA) Once you know that you have the power to make a difference, youre more likely to step in and do something. Samaritans chief executive Ruth Sutherland described the increase in interventions by passengers as really heartening. She went on: Even if small talk doesnt come naturally to you, if something doesnt feel right, please try to start a conversation. Theres no evidence youll make things worse. Head of suicide prevention at Network Rail Ian Stevens said: Realising another person cares enough to stop and talk to you can make all the difference. It can be the first step on that road to recovery. Small Talk Saves Lives encourages passengers to notice possible warning signs, such as a person standing alone and isolated, looking distant or withdrawn, staying on the platform a long time without boarding a train, or displaying something out of the ordinary in their behaviour or appearance. The campaign notes that there is no single sign or combination of behaviours that mean a person is suicidal but urges people to act if something doesnt feel right. Scots support greater measures to preserve the countrys most scenic landscapes, a new study suggests. Analysis conducted by the National Trust for Scotland indicated 84% of people want areas deemed to have outstanding scenic value to be protected. There are 40 locations with National Scenic Area (NSA) status in Scotland, covering 13% of the land. A survey of 1,229 people varying in ages, backgrounds and gender was conducted in order to represent views across Scotland. It also reported 91% of participants agreed scenic landscapes make them proud to live in the country. The National Trust for Scotlands Stuart Brooks said: Its been 40 years since National Scenic Areas were established and up to this point they have been largely effective. Loch Lomond is among 40 areas given special status (John Linton/PA) Theres an immediate opportunity through the Planning Bill currently before Parliament to ensure our National Scenic Areas and Wild Land Areas are future-proofed to ensure they continue to protect the beauty of our landscape and support our economy and communities. Lets also look beyond the Highlands and begin a discussion about the value of landscapes everywhere and the role their stewardship can play in the health and prosperity of our nation. Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland (APRS) director John Mayhew said: Scotlands National Scenic Areas are the jewels in our nations crown. They represent the finest examples of the types of landscape for which Scotland is renowned around the world. This new research is welcome as it shows how much the people of Scotland value the beauty of their landscapes. Landscape Institute Scotland chairwoman Rachel Tennant said: We believe in a united approach to landscape, place and change through good design, stewardship and promotion to balance community, economic, cultural and biodiversity needs. We welcome further discussion to ensure that all Scotlands landscapes are embedded in our communities to safeguard their continuing value and benefit to the health, well-being and prosperity of our nation. Mark Diffley, founder of Mark Diffley Consultancy and Research, which conducted the polling said: This nationally representative survey of Scots highlights two important factors firstly, that we appreciate and are proud of our landscapes, recognising their contribution to the economy and those who visit Scotland. Secondly, we are clearly cautious about the potential impact of new developments on our landscapes and are broadly supportive of measures to protect this natural resource. One Welsh council increased its car parking profits by more than 3,000% in the last year, according to RAC research. Newport City Council made 306,000 profit on car parking in the year 2017/18, up from 9,000 the previous year, an increase of 3,295%. Local authorities in Wales made more than 14 million profit on car parking last year, according to the data. The figures, from annual returns to the Welsh Government, show 14.4 million was recorded as profit on the 38.5 million taken by the 22 Welsh authorities for car parking in 2017/18 The 14.4million figure marks the fifth consecutive year of parking surplus increase, up from 14million in 2016/17. Welsh capital Cardiff recorded the largest profit, with more than 3.8 million, followed by Swansea who made 2.85 million. (PA) Only three local authorities made losses on parking activities with Blaenau Gwent losing 453,000, Flintshire 108,000, and Torfaen recording a 78,000 loss. Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation said: There are 1.54 million cars in Wales, up 40% in just two decades. Over the same period, the number of vans has grown at an even greater rate up 83% to 205,000. No wonder then that in many parts of the country road space is at a premium and is being charged for accordingly. Yet not all councils will be wanting to increase parking fees as a way of reducing traffic. Some will actively be seeking more visitors to boost local high streets clinging on to economic viability and helping make travel to these locations affordable is one way of doing it. A teenage boy has been charged with the murder of 17-year-old Malcolm Mide-Madariola in south London. Malcolm, from Peckham, south-east London, suffered a fatal stab wound during an incident outside Clapham South Underground station as people made their way home for the weekend on Friday. The Metropolitan Police said they had charged a 17-year-old suspect with his murder and he will appear at Bromley Magistrates Court on Wednesday. A 17-year-old has been charged with the murder of Malcolm Mide-Madariola near Clapham South underground station. https://t.co/DnGiDVwPYi pic.twitter.com/6fTxXB9yQf Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) November 7, 2018 An 18-year-old man who was also arrested on suspicion of murder on Monday has been bailed until later in November. Police were called to reports of a stabbing outside the tube station at around 4.35pm. Officers and paramedics rushed to the scene, where they found Malcolm suffering from a stab wound. Tributes were left at the scene (Tom Horton/PA) The teenager was given first aid before being taken to hospital, where he died a short time later. Malcolms alleged murder came amid concerns over rising knife crime in the capital, particularly among young people. On Tuesday night a 16-year-old boy became the latest young victim of a suspected stabbing the fifth to hit London in six days. The suspected murder in south London brought the grim tally of violent deaths in London so far this year to 119. A former death row inmate who spent 30 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit has voted in the US midterm elections. Anthony Ray Hinton was wrongfully convicted of murdering two fast food workers in Alabama in 1985 before being freed in 2015. On Tuesday the 62-year-old cast his vote as America went to the polls. For 30 years, Mr. Hinton was stripped of all his rights while he sat on Alabama death row for a crime he didn't commit. Today, he arrived at the polls at 7am and exercised his right to vote. pic.twitter.com/ObYX2luiP4 Equal Justice Initiative (@eji_org) November 7, 2018 A tweet from the Equal Justice Initiative shared a picture of a laughing Mr Hinton with an I Voted sticker on his forehead. The image was captioned: For 30 years, Mr. Hinton was stripped of all his rights while he sat on Alabama death row for a crime he didnt commit. Today, he arrived at the polls at 7am and exercised his right to vote. A former death row inmate who spent 30 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit has voted in the US midterm elections (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) Mr Hinton shared the story of his fight for freedom in his book The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row. The outrage of the Democratic resistance is facing off against the brute strength of president Donald Trumps Republican party in a fight for control of Congress and statehouses across the nation. Fundraising, polls and history were not on the presidents side. But two years after an election that proved polls and prognosticators wrong, an air of uncertainty and stormy weather across parts of the country clouded the outcome of high-stakes elections from Florida to Alaska and everywhere in between. Democrats seized early victories in contested House races in Florida and also in Virginia, where political newcomer Jennifer Wexton defeated two-term representative Barbara Comstock. Jennifer Wexton beat Republican Barbara Comstock (Katherine Frey/AP) The Republican incumbent had been branded Barbara Trumpstock by Democrats in a race that pointed to Trumps unpopularity among college-educated women in the suburbs. Senators Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts easily won re-election as they consider bids for the Democratic presidential nomination. Other 2020 prospects on the ballot included New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Thank you, Massachusetts! Six years ago, I promised to go to Washington to fight for you every single day. Tonight, let's send the powerful interests a message: We're just getting started. Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) November 7, 2018 Anxious Republicans privately expressed confidence in their narrow Senate majority but feared the House was slipping away. The Republican grip on high-profile governorships in Florida, Georgia and Wisconsin were at risk as well. Everything we have achieved is at stake, Mr Trump declared in his final day of campaigning. Long lines and malfunctioning machines marred the first hours of voting in some precincts, including in Georgia, where some voters reported waiting up to three hours to vote in a hotly contested election. Voters have been casting their ballots across the United States (John Minchillo/AP) More than 40 million Americans had already voted, either by mail or in person, breaking early voting records across 37 states, according to analysis. Nearly 40% of voters cast their ballots to express opposition to the president, according to a national survey of the electorate, while one-in-four said they voted to express support for Mr Trump. Mr Trump encouraged voters to view the first nationwide election of his presidency as a referendum on his leadership, pointing proudly to the surging economy at recent rallies. He bet big on a xenophobic closing message, warning of an immigrant invasion that promised to spread violent crime and drugs across the nation. Democrats needed to pick up two dozen seats to seize the House majority and two seats to control the Senate. All 435 seats in the US House were up for re-election, although fewer than 90 were considered competitive while Some 35 Senate seats were in play, as were almost 40 governorships and the balance of power in virtually every state legislature. The political and practical stakes were sky-high. The state of play (PA Graphics) Democrats could derail Mr Trumps legislative agenda for the next two years should they win control of the House or the Senate. The party were most optimistic about the House, a sprawling battlefield set largely in Americas suburbs where more educated and affluent voters in both parties have soured on Mr Trumps turbulent presidency, despite the strength of the national economy. Democrats faced a far more difficult challenge in the Senate, where they were almost exclusively on defence in rural states where Mr Trump remains popular. Democratic Senate incumbents were up for re-election, for example, in North Dakota, Indiana, and Missouri states Trump carried by almost 25% on average two years ago. Three states could elect their first African-American governors, while several others were running LGBT candidates and Muslims. A record number of women were running for Senate, House, governorships and state legislative seats. Around 100 firefighters were called to the scene of a blaze at a block of flats in north London. The London Fire Brigade said it sent 15 fire engines to the Grange Estate in East Finchley after the alarm was raised just after midnight. Part of the roof of the three-storey building was ablaze when crews arrived. LIVE INCIDENT Officers have been called to assist @LondonFire to the Grange Estate #N2 to a large building Fire Road Closure in place A1000 HIGH ROAD j/w Oak Lane to Viaduct Road pic.twitter.com/DBOklKOAmL Barnet MPS | North West BCU (@MPSBarnet) November 7, 2018 Video posted on social media showed firefighters running toward the building as flames leapt into the sky. The Metropolitan Police said it had assisted the LFB after it was called to the scene at 1.30am. Around 60 people had left the building before emergency services arrived. Crews were called at just after midnight (Rui Vieria/PA) Fifteen fire engines and around 100 firefighters are now at the scene of the #EastFinchley fire. Crews are tackling a blaze in the roof of the three-storey building https://t.co/AzXpUUeJDK pic.twitter.com/fgcHeXRH98 London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) November 7, 2018 The LFB said the fire had been brought under control by 2.05am on Wednesday morning and there were no reports of injuries. Station Manager Peter Gustafson said: When crews arrived they were faced with a well developed fire in the roof space of the building. Lady Gaga, Kerry Washington and Debra Messing urged voters to #StayInLine amid reports of hours-long queues during the final hours of polling for the US midterm elections. New York, Georgia, Arizona and Texas are among the states said to have had lengthy waiting times for voters while malfunctioning equipment caused problems elsewhere. The hashtag #StayInLine was trending Twitter on Tuesday evening as voting went down to the wire. If youre in line, stay in line. Every vote counts! #StayInLine pic.twitter.com/QnlMkY0SA5 Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) November 7, 2018 A Star is Born actress Gaga was among the celebrities encouraging voters not to give up. She tweeted: If youre in line, stay in line. Every vote counts! #StayInLine. Will & Grace star Messing told voters in Georgia pizza and drinks were on the way for those still queuing up. Lady Gaga urged voters to #StayInLine amid reports of hours-long queues during the final hours of polling for the US midterm election (Matt Crossick/PA) HEY #GEORGIA! They are trying to make it hard. We are sending pizza and drinks. STAY IN LINE! We support you and thank you! https://t.co/lXUrdDUQnu Debra Messing (@DebraMessing) November 6, 2018 She added: STAY IN LINE! We support you and thank you! Scandal actress Washington wrote: Tweeple!!! There is still time to vote! If you are in line, PLEASE STAY IN LINE. As long as you are in line at your site before the polls close you have the right to vote. #ElectionDay #WeMatter. Tweeple!!! There is still time to vote! If you are in line, PLEASE STAY IN LINE. As long as you are in line at your site before the polls close you have the right to vote. #ElectionDay #WeMatter pic.twitter.com/BiMNRszklr kerry washington (@kerrywashington) November 6, 2018 The rapper Common shared helpline numbers for anyone having issues voting and said: #StayInLine. We got this fam! #StayInLine. If youre experiencing any issues or have questions, please call one of the numbers below. We got this fam! English: 866-OUR-VOTE Spanish: 888-VE-Y-VOTA Arabic: 844-YALLA-US Asian/Pacific Languages: 888-API-VOTE American Sign Language: 301-818-VOTE COMMON (@common) November 7, 2018 And former presidential nominee Hillary Clinton said: For voters in Georgia and elsewhere who are waiting in long lines to vote: You have the right to vote as long as youre in line when the polls close. For voters in Georgia and elsewhere who are waiting in long lines to vote: You have the right to vote as long as you're in line when the polls close. Please stay in line, encourage those around you to do the same, and help bring this home for @StaceyAbrams. #StayInLine pic.twitter.com/MCBsuVzAui Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) November 6, 2018 Please stay in line, encourage those around you to do the same, and help bring this home for @StaceyAbrams. #StayInLine. According to official figures, 36 million people voted early for the midterms, with some pundits claiming this indicated a large turnout on polling day. The US has voted in midterm elections billed by some as among the most important in history. Here are six things to emerge so far. Democrats on course to take over the House of Representatives The Democrats are predicted to seize control of the House of Representatives from the Republicans, giving them the power to frustrate Donald Trumps policy plans. One of two congressional legislative chambers, the House is expected to tip into blue control after picking up moderate, suburban districts across the north-east and Midwest. The Democrats need another four gains to regain control of the House. #Midterms2018 pic.twitter.com/5y4P2AmTjf Ian Jones (@ian_a_jones) November 7, 2018 But the Republicans hold the Senate The party of government retained control of the upper chamber and indeed made gains in the Senate, which it will hold on to for the next two years. Had they lost control of both chambers it would likely have had dire consequences for Mr Trump and any hopes of re-election in 2020. The two branches of Congress are moving in different directions. Democrats have momentum in the House; the Republicans are making gains in the Senate. #Midterms2018 pic.twitter.com/5qkV1iLw9G Ian Jones (@ian_a_jones) November 7, 2018 So who came off best? They were billed as a referendum on Mr Trumps presidency, but overall the voters have delivered a mixed verdict in the midterms. Both parties can claim partial victories, although the Democrats hoped-for blue wave has not materialised. Mr Trump tweeted that the night had been a tremendous success. A historic night nonetheless Democratic candidate Rashida Tlaib became the first Muslim woman to be elected to Congress after she was comfortably installed as representative of Michigans 13th District. She was followed by the second Muslim woman to be elected to the chamber, Ilhan Omar, in Minnesotas 5th District. Jared Polis became Colorados first openly gay governor. Queuing controversy Voters were urged to stay in their queues amid reports of technical malfunctions with machines leading to long lines at polling stations in several states. Former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said it was still possible to cast a ballot if they were in line when stations closed. There were celebrations at a Democratic party election night event in Washington. (AP/Jacquelyn Martin) Remember, Georgia: If youre in line when the polls close at 7pm, you can still cast a ballotso stay in line and vote! While the GOP has been trying to make this election about anything but the future you want for your families, you are on the verge of making history. Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) November 6, 2018 Twitter view US president Donald Trumps Republicans seized victory in Indianas high-profile Senate contest, defeating Democratic incumbent Joe Donnelly and making the Democrats narrow path to a Senate majority ever slimmer. Mr Trump-backed businessman Mike Brauns win came as Republicans clung to delicate majorities in the House and Senate, and an anxious nation watched to see whether voters would reward or reject the party in the first nationwide election of Mr Trumps turbulent presidency. With control of Congress and statehouses across the nation at stake, many of the nations top elections were too close to call. Republican Senate candidate Mike Braun saw off his Democrat opponent (Michael Conroy/AP) Democrats won contested House races in Florida and Virginia, while a Republican beat back an aggressive challenge in Kentucky. In the leadup to the election, anxious Republicans privately expressed confidence in their narrow Senate majority but feared the House could slip away. The GOPs grip on high-profile governorships in Florida, Georgia and Wisconsin were at risk as well. Democrat Senator Joe Donnelly, joined by his wife Jill, conceded defeat (Michael Conroy/AP) Everything we have achieved is at stake, Mr Trump declared in his final day of campaigning. Long lines and malfunctioning machines marred the first hours of voting in some precincts, including in Georgia, where some voters reported waiting up to three hours to vote in a hotly contested election. Voters have been casting their ballots across the United States (John Minchillo/AP) More than 40 million Americans had already voted, either by mail or in person, breaking early voting records across 37 states, according to analysis. Nearly 40% of voters cast their ballots to express opposition to the president, according to a national survey of the electorate, while one-in-four said they voted to express support for Mr Trump. Mr Trump encouraged voters to view the first nationwide election of his presidency as a referendum on his leadership, pointing proudly to the surging economy at recent rallies. He bet big on a xenophobic closing message, warning of an immigrant invasion that promised to spread violent crime and drugs across the nation. Democrats needed to pick up two dozen seats to seize the House majority and two seats to control the Senate. All 435 seats in the US House were up for re-election, although fewer than 90 were considered competitive while Some 35 Senate seats were in play, as were almost 40 governorships and the balance of power in virtually every state legislature. The political and practical stakes were sky-high. The state of play (PA Graphics) Democrats could derail Mr Trumps legislative agenda for the next two years should they win control of the House or the Senate. The party were most optimistic about the House, a sprawling battlefield set largely in Americas suburbs where more educated and affluent voters in both parties have soured on Mr Trumps turbulent presidency, despite the strength of the national economy. Democrats faced a far more difficult challenge in the Senate, where they were almost exclusively on defence in rural states where Mr Trump remains popular. Democratic Senate incumbents were up for re-election, for example, in North Dakota, Indiana, and Missouri states Trump carried by almost 25% on average two years ago. Three states could elect their first African-American governors, while several others were running LGBT candidates and Muslims. A record number of women were running for Senate, House, governorships and state legislative seats. The Republicans have retained Senate control for two more years, shattering Democrats dreams of an anti-Trump wave sweeping them to a majority. The result was all but assured when Republican Kevin Cramer ousted North Dakota Democratic Senator Heidi Heitkamp and when Republican businessman Mike Braun ousted Senator Joe Donnelly in Indiana. Meanwhile, Ted Cruz fended off a spirited challenge from Democrat Beto ORourke and Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn triumphed in Tennessee. Latest results in the US midterm elections (PA Graphics) The Republicans gains came even as the results in Nevada and Arizona had yet to be determined. Donald Trump spoke of a tremendous success in a post on Twitter. Meanwhile, Democrats were gaining ground in the battle for House control, winning half of the seats they needed with dozens of additional competitive contests remaining. Victories in contested House races across Florida, New York, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Minnesota gave them cause for optimism. The mixed results unfolded as an anxious nation watched to see whether voters would reward or reject the Republicans in the first nationwide election of Mr Trumps turbulent presidency. In the lead-up to the election, Republicans privately expressed confidence in their narrow Senate majority but feared the House could slip away. The Republicans grip on high-profile governorships in Florida, Georgia and Wisconsin were at risk as well. Everything we have achieved is at stake, Mr Trump declared in his final day of campaigning. Long lines and malfunctioning machines marred the first hours of voting in some precincts, including in Georgia, where some voters reported waiting up to three hours to vote in a hotly contested gubernatorial election. Voters have been casting their ballots across the United States (John Minchillo/AP) More than 40 million Americans had already voted, either by mail or in person, breaking early voting records across 37 states, according to analysis. Nearly 40% of voters cast their ballots to express opposition to the president, according to a national survey of the electorate, while one-in-four said they voted to express support for Mr Trump. Mr Trump encouraged voters to view the first nationwide election of his presidency as a referendum on his leadership, pointing proudly to the surging economy at recent rallies. He bet big on a xenophobic closing message, warning of an immigrant invasion that promised to spread violent crime and drugs across the nation. Democrats needed to pick up two dozen seats to seize the House majority and two seats to control the Senate. All 435 seats in the US House were up for re-election, although fewer than 90 were considered competitive while some 35 Senate seats were in play, as were almost 40 governorships and the balance of power in virtually every state legislature. The political and practical stakes were sky-high. The state of play (PA Graphics) Democrats could derail Mr Trumps legislative agenda for the next two years should they win control of the House. A man has used his surfboard to fend off a shark that bit him on his calf off an Australian beach. The 43-year-old surfer was bitten Wednesday morning at Shelly Beach off Ballina in New South Wales state. It comes two days after a fatal attack on the Great Barrier Reef. The 43-year-old surfer was bitten on Wednesday morning (ABC/AP) Ballina Shire Mayor David Wright said the surfer described the shark as about 1.5 metres long. He told Sydneys 2GB radio the man came onshore, wrapped his leg and went to the hospital for treatment of a 20-centimetre wound. Beaches in the area are expected to be closed for at least 24 hours. On Monday, a shark killed a man in a harbour in the Whitsunday Islands, where two tourists were mauled in September. The victim, 33-year-old doctor Daniel Christidis, had been diving from a paddle board while on a yacht cruise in the idyllic Whitsundays. Police Inspector Steve OConnell said the group included other doctors who worked to save him but Mr Christidis was injured too severely. The spate of attacks in the Whitsundays has left authorities struggling to explain an apparent escalation in danger in the internationally renowned holiday destination. In September, two Australian tourists were mauled on consecutive days, one a 12-year-old girl who lost a leg. Daniel Gschwind, chief executive of the Queensland Tourism Industry Council, which represents more than 3,000 tourism businesses, said on Tuesday that authorities were examining why the unprecedented series of attacks had occurred and whether environmental changes were a factor. We need to now have the scientific background and investigation of what is causing this sudden spike of attacks and interactions with sharks. We simply do not know why this is occurring and what is responsible for it, he said. Authorities killed six sharks in the Cid Harbour area in a week following the September attacks to reduce their numbers. A record number of women have been elected to the US house of representatives, nearly two years after women took to the streets across America in protest over the inauguration of President Donald Trump. The incoming class of legislators could have a stark impact on politics in the nations capital, particularly within the Democratic Party, after a midterm election that was widely seen as a referendum on Mr Trumps first term. Voters are on track to send at least 99 women to the house, surpassing the previous record of 84. According to data compiled by The Associated Press, 237 women ran for the house as major-party candidates this year. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AP) Among the new representatives headed to the house is Jennifer Wexton, a Virginia state senator who defeated incumbent Barbara Comstock in one of the most closely-watched races across the country. And Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the former Bernie Sanders organiser who won a shock primary victory over a senior house Democrat, will also head to congress. The election day gains by women capped a midterm election which has been defined by the energy of women, both on the political left and right. Women not only ran for office at an unprecedented rate, with several defeating white, male incumbents during their party primaries. They mobilised on the grassroots level, and played larger roles as donors than in previous election cycles. Donna Shalala (AP) There was also a historic gender gap that showed women more supportive of Democrats than Republicans. According to VoteCast, women voted considerably more in favour of their congressional Democratic candidate. About six in 10 voted for the Democrat, compared with four in 10 for the Republican. Men, by contrast, were more evenly divided in their vote. In victory speeches across the country, women acknowledged it has been a ground-breaking year. Ayanna Pressley, who became the first black woman elected to US congress from Massachusetts, said: I am so honoured to share both the ballot and the stage with the many visionary, bold women who have raised their hand to run for public office. Now, listen, I know for a fact none of us ran to make history we ran to make change. However, the historical significance of this evening is not lost on me. The significance of history is not lost on me, including my personal one. Former health and human services secretary Donna Shalala acknowledged that both of her opponents in the race for a house seat from Florida were women. Democrat Ilhan Omar won in Minnesotas 5th Congressional District race (AP) She said: This is the year of the woman, and the fact that women were willing to put themselves on the line is important, whether theyve been Republicans or Democrats. This year, women not only increased their numbers in congress, but the new class of representatives includes women from a wide patchwork of backgrounds, adding to a legislature that is expected to be more diverse. This isnt just the year of the woman, this is the year of every woman, said Cecile Richards, who served as the president of Planned Parenthood for more than a decade, noting the ground-breaking diversity among the women who have run for office this year. Texas is set to send its first Hispanic women to congress, as Democrats Veronica Escobar and Sylvia Garcia both won their races. In Kansas, Sharice Davids, a Democrat running in a suburban Kansas City district, will become one of the first Native American women elected to congress, and the first openly LGBT person to represent Kansas at the federal level. Polls close in 1 minute. I am so thankful for every single person who contributed, amplified, and worked to establish this movement. Never forget the hard work it took to get us here. No matter what happens, this is what it takes. : @jose___a pic.twitter.com/b32yavKPF5 Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 7, 2018 Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren, one of the Democrats who is considering a shot at the 2020 presidential race, said that the two years since Mr Trump ascended to the White House had ushered a new generation of women into public life. Women who had never run for anything stepped up to put their names on the ballot, she said. They ignored the party bosses who said they should wait their turn. They ignored the consultants who said they should cover up their tattoos and smile more, and they ignored the powerful men of the Republican Party who never took them seriously anyway. They refused to let anyone shut them up or stand in their way, and that is how real change begins. US attorney general Jeff Sessions has resigned as the countrys chief law enforcement officer. Mr Sessions announced his resignation in a letter to President Donald Trump and said it came at your request. The decision to leave his post comes after Mr Sessions endured more than a year of blistering and personal attacks over his recusal from the investigation into ties between Russia and Mr Trumps 2016 presidential campaign. Mr Trump announced the resignation in a tweet and tweeted separately that he was naming Mr Sessions chief of staff Matthew Whitaker, a former United States attorney from Iowa, as acting attorney general. The resignation was the culmination of a toxic relationship that frayed just weeks into Mr Sessions tumultuous tenure, when he stepped aside from the investigation into potential co-ordination between the presidents campaign and Russia. Mr Trump blamed the decision for opening the door to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller, who took over the Russia investigation and began examining whether Mr Trumps hectoring of Mr Sessions was part of a broader effort to obstruct justice and stymie the probe. The Justice Department did not announce a departure for deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mr Mueller more than a year-and-a-half ago and has closely overseen his work since then. Trump is ending the Mueller investigation right before our eyes and if you expect the Republicans to do anything about it you have been sleepwalking through the last two years Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) November 7, 2018 The relentless attacks on Mr Sessions came even though the Alabama Republican was the first US senator to endorse Mr Trump and despite the fact that his crime-fighting agenda and priorities particularly his hawkish immigration enforcement policies largely mirrored the presidents. But the relationship was irreparably damaged in March 2017 when Mr Sessions, acknowledging previously undisclosed meetings with the Russian ambassador and citing his work as a campaign aide, recused himself from the Russia investigation. The decision infuriated Mr Trump, who repeatedly lamented that he would have never selected Mr Sessions if he had known the attorney general would recuse. The recusal left the investigation in the hands of Mr Rosenstein, who appointed Mr Mueller as special counsel two months later after Mr Trump fired then-FBI director James Comey. Donald Trumps relationship with Jeff Sessions quickly soured (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) The rift lingered for the duration of Mr Sessions tenure, and the attorney general, despite praising the presidents agenda, never managed to return to Mr Trumps good graces. The deteriorating relationship became a soap opera stalemate for the administration. Mr Trump belittled Mr Sessions but, perhaps following the advice of aides, held off on firing him. The attorney general, for his part, proved determined to remain in the position until dismissed. A logjam broke when Republican senators who had publicly backed Mr Sessions began signalling a willingness to consider a replacement. In attacks delivered on Twitter, in person and in interviews, Mr Trump called Mr Sessions weak and beleaguered, complained that he was not more aggressively pursuing allegations of corruption against Democratic rival Hillary Clinton and called it disgraceful that Mr Sessions was not more serious in scrutinising the origins of the Russia investigation for possible law enforcement bias even though the attorney general did ask the Justice Departments inspector general to look into those claims. The broadsides escalated in recent months, with Mr Trump telling a television interviewer that Mr Sessions had never had control of the Justice Department and snidely accusing him on Twitter of not protecting Republican interests by allowing two Republican congressmen to be indicted before the election. Fianna Fail senator Mark Daly has been stripped of his role as deputy leader of the Seanad over his involvement in an announcement of the partys first candidate in Northern Ireland. A statement from Fianna Fail issued on Wednesday said that party leader and spokesman on Northern Ireland Micheal Martin TD had reassigned a number of responsibilities in the partys Seanad Eireann team. Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee will become the group deputy leader, while Senator Ned OSullivan will take responsibility for foreign affairs, the Irish overseas and diaspora. In October, flanked by frontbench Fianna Fail TD Eamon OCuiv and party senator Mr Daly, Sorcha McAnespy was unveiled as a candidate for next years local government poll at a meeting in Omagh. Photos were issued of the trio posing with Fianna Fail-branded election posters carrying Ms McAnespys image, urging people to vote for her. Confusion abounded an hour later when Fianna Fails official Twitter account said no decision had been made on contesting the 2019 election in Northern Ireland. Micheal Martin has reassigned a number of responsibilities in the partys Seanad Eireann team (Niall Carson/PA) The partys education spokesman Thomas Byrne accused Mr Daly and Mr OCuiv of embarking on a solo run. The episode came amid ongoing speculation that Fianna Fail might ultimately merge with the SDLP to run in future Northern Ireland elections. Mr Martin has previously stated his partys intention to stand in elections in Northern Ireland, though had not made clear whether that would be on its own ticket or as part of a new political project with the SDLP. Mr Daly spoke to BBC Radio Ulster on Wednesday and did not express any regrets in the interview, and insisted Ms McAnespy had to be a candidate because, due to party rules, if you are a member of the party and are running in an election then you must run as a Fianna Fail candidate. The day they accepted her nomination as a party member and accepted her on to the party executive was the day she became a party candidate at the next election, he said. Theres great impatience in the party in relation to this because for the last five years we have said that we will contest the elections in the north and that was long before any discussions with the SDLP. He (Micheal Martin) has said over the last five years that this is a target for the party, but those elections are coming very soon and I suppose if you are a local election candidate or a candidate in any election, you need to put in the ground work and knock on the doors and you need to make sure you meet as many people as possible thats how you get elected. This is a disagreement over policy and process more than anything else. Mr Daly says he has been asked to do other launches in Northern Ireland, adding they would be in the new year. I assume the other discussions (with the SDLP) will be concluded by then, he said. Mr Daly is still a senator and remains a member of the party, he added. Mr OCuiv was due before party leader Micheal Martin on Wednesday night. A Fianna Fail spokeswoman said the party would not be making further comment on the matter at this time. Democrat Nancy Pelosi has said she is confident she will win enough support to be elected speaker of the US House of Representatives next year. The California Democrat says she is the best person for the job and the person most capable of unifying Democrats now that they have won the majority in the lower chamber of the US Congress. Ms Pelosi told reporters that her pitch for another turn with the gavel is about the future. She said: Its not about what you have done, its about what you can do. Democrats won the House majority on in the US midterm elections, securing the 218 seats needed for the majority. Ms Pelosi was speaker when Democrats last held the majority in 2010. Ms Pelosi said Democrats will strive for bipartisanship when they take over the majority next year. She said Democrats have a responsibility to seek common ground where we can, adding: Where we cannot, we must stand our ground. Ms Pelosi says she worked productively with former president George W Bush when she was speaker a decade ago and would like to do so again with US President Donald Trump. She said: Wed like to work together so our legislation will be bipartisan. Nancy Pelosi marches in the Womens March in January (Cliff Owen/AP) But Ms Pelosi said Democrats were not elected to be a rubber stamp for Mr Trump and said they would act as a check and balance on the Republican president. She also said she has no regrets about discouraging Democratic candidates from engaging with Mr Trump on immigration issues during the midterms. She said it was important not to take the bait like the president was putting out there. Ms Pelosi said immigrants come to the US with values such as determination, courage and optimism, and that they make the country more American. She said other presidents saw that, but this president used it in fearmongering. I just dont think thats right. But she said that in order to get into a position to fight Mr Trump on the issue, Democrats had to first win on issues affecting the financial security of working families. The House Democratic leader said Democrats will have a responsibility for oversight when they take charge in January. If elected speaker, Ms Pelosi said she will leave final decisions about that oversight to committees. She would not answer a question about whether they will seek Mr Trumps tax filings But she said committee requests for documents or hearings will not be scattershot. Democrats are expected to investigate Mr Trumps business dealings, his cabinets conduct and his campaigns ties to Russia. Ms Pelosi said: well know what we are doing and well do it right. The Prince of Wales has suggested he will not speak out on issues when he becomes king as he recognises being heir to the throne and head of state are two different roles. Charles has been criticised in the past for his views on topics such as the environment or architecture, dubbed as meddling by critics. Interviewed for a BBC documentary about his 70th birthday, the prince acknowledged he would not be able to do the same things Ive done as heir and as monarch would have to operate within constitutional parameters. In the hour-long film, the Duke of Cambridge said he would like his father to spend more time with his grandchildren Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. He said when hes there, hes brilliant but we need him there as much as possible. (PA Graphics) The Duchess of Cornwall also paid tribute to Charless role as a grandfather, saying her five grandchildren absolutely adore the prince, who reads the Harry Potter books while doing the voices of the characters. Speaking in detail about his future role as head of state the prince said: You know, Ive tried to make sure whatever Ive done has been non-party political, and I think its vital to remember theres only room for one sovereign at a time, not two. So, you cant be the same as the sovereign if youre the Prince of Wales or the heir. But the idea somehow that Im going to go on in exactly the same way, if I have to succeed, is complete nonsense because the two the two situations are completely different. Asked whether his public campaigning will go on, he added: No, it wont. Im not that stupid. I do realise that it is a separate exercise being sovereign. So of course I understand entirely how that should operate. When questioned about what some have termed his meddling, Charles defends his actions, which include establishing the Princes Trust in 1976 to help disadvantaged young people. He said: But I always wonder what meddling is, I mean I always thought it was motivating but Ive always been intrigued, if its meddling to worry about the inner cities as I did 40 years ago and what was happening or not happening there. The conditions in which people were living. If thats meddling Im very proud of it. The Prince of Wales looks at the Great Barrier Reef during a trip at Lady Elliots Island in Australia (Steve Parsons/PA) The documentary captures the future king in private and public, from feeding vegetable scraps to his chickens and collecting their eggs at his Highgrove home in Gloucestershire, to visiting Australias Great Barrier reef to highlight climate change, and Caribbean islands recently devastated by a hurricane. In the film, Prince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70, the royal says about his role as Prince of Wales: You have to make of it what you feel is right. So, theres nothing laid down, thats what makes it so interesting, challenging and of course complicated. The Duchess of Cornwall described in the documentary how Charles was driven by the need to help others, saying: He feels everything inside, thats why he gets things done. Hes pretty impatient, he wants things done by yesterday as I think everybody who works for him will tell you. But thats how he gets things done, hes driven by this, this passion inside him to really help. She added: He would like to save the world. Prince, Son And Heir: Charles At 70 will be screened on Thursday at 9pm on BBC One. It is unlikely that the current condition of Scotlands roads will be able to be maintained, a new report has warned. The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) said a lack of long-term funding deals for roads maintenance meant that while the network has so far been maintained at a steady state despite budget cuts, it was unlikely this could continue. The ICE issued the warning in a new report looking at the condition of infrastructure in Scotland in 2018. That described roads infrastructure as being one of Scotlands biggest capital investments with 56,000km (34,796 miles) of roads across the country. The transport agency Transport Scotland is responsible for 3,600 km (2,236 miles) of motorways and trunk roads about 7% of the total network while local councils are responsible for 52,400km (32,559 miles) of A, B, C and unclassified roads. While ICE said almost two-thirds (63%) of local roads were currently in an acceptable condition, spending on road maintenance has been cut by 14% between 2011-12 and 2014-15, with further cuts anticipated. It is `unlikely the current condition of roads can be maintained, engineers have warned (Gareth Fuller/PA) In addition, there is a well-known 1.2 billion backlog of road maintenance. The report said: Neither trunk roads nor local roads in Scotland receive long-term funding settlements. This makes it more challenging for Transport Scotland and local authorities to deliver long-term asset maintenance plans and renewals. While local authorities have maintained a steady state in road condition despite cuts, it is unlikely that this can continue. ICE suggested a move away from the current taxation regime which sees many electric vehicles pay no vehicle excise duty could present an opportunity to reassess the approach to how road maintenance funding is delivered. The report added: ICEs research indicated that 52% of respondents in Scotland (from a GBwide poll) support pay as you go as a replacement for VED and fuel duty, and 55% would support it if it meant more money would be spent on improving and maintaining roads in their local area. Scotland was more supportive of pay as you go than other areas of the UK, especially if it is hypothecated to road maintenance. A Scottish Government spokesman said: The National Transport Strategy is currently looking at challenges facing our transport system and how we can take advantage of any new opportunities that present themselves. This will inform the Strategic Transport Project Review which will set out Scotlands transport infrastructure investment priorities for the next 20 years. Maintenance of the local road network is the responsibility of local authorities. Despite continued UK Government real-terms cuts to Scotlands resource budget, in 2018-19 councils will receive funding through the local government finance settlement of 10.7 billion. Responsibility for improving motorways and trunk roads lies with Scottish ministers and the budget for maintenance of the network has increased by around 65 million to 433 million for 2018-2019. Concerns have been expressed by Northern Irelands Auditor General over the governance of a fund set up by Stormont to help disadvantaged areas. The Social Investment Fund, administered by the Executive Office, allocated millions of pounds to disadvantaged areas in the region. It has awarded 79 million to 68 projects across Northern Ireland since it was set up in 2012. The money was initially intended to be spent in the three years to March 2015, but many projects have been delayed and the SIF delivery period has been extended to 2019-20. The budget for the fund has been increased by more than 13 million. A report by Auditor General Kieran Donnelly found the scheme did not operate transparently. Northern Irelands Auditor General Kieran Donnelly has voiced concerns about how the Social Investment Fund was administered. (PA/NI Audit Office) The report found that the Executive Office does not hold a clear audit trail in relation to the awarding of public money from the fund. It identifies a number of serious concerns in the initial stages of the scheme, including conflicts of interest which it found were not always appropriately dealt with. The report also found that documentation around project selection and prioritisation was poor. It highlighted one of the projects, an SIF-funded redevelopment of a derelict site on Bryson Street in east Belfast, which is now costing the public purse in rent. The fund provided 1 million, with the site owner, charity Landmark East, contributing 200,000. The GPs who operate from the site entered into a 25-year lease with Landmark East, at an annual rental of 90,000. The Health and Social Care Board has agreed to fund the annual lease costs. The report found the project does not represent value for money. The public purse has paid 1 million to construct an asset which it is now also renting at a cost of 90,000 per annum. This equates to a total cost of 2.25 million over the life of the lease. In our view, this does not represent value for money, the report said. However the report acknowledges that once projects became established, governance improved. It concludes by urging that lessons are learned and improvements made when similar public spending schemes are developed. The report makes seven recommendations including the Executive Office holding a clear audit trail, to justify why decisions were made and demonstrate that assessment processes have been applied fairly, consistently and transparently. Mr Donnelly said the findings over the governance of the scheme are very concerning. The importance of good administration and ensuring conflicts of interest are adequately handled should be well understood in the public sector, he said. But in the case of SIF, the guidance produced by the department was inadequate, there was little evidence that procedures were followed, and a number of conflicts werent declared. This is very concerning. Evidence from my audit work across the public sector suggests there is a role for additional expertise to support good governance and maintain high standards. Whilst audit plays a valuable role in identifying lessons to be learnt once schemes are operational, issues of propriety and conflicts of interest must be fully and properly explored when schemes such as SIF are being designed. The Social Investment Fund hit the headlines in 2016 in a row over an alleged UDA bosss role as a chief executive of a charity awarded a contract to manage 1.7 million from the fund. Convicted armed robber Dee Stitt, who denies being a UDA chief, faced down calls for his resignation after a newspaper interview in which he launched a foul-mouthed tirade against the Government and claimed his flute band in North Down provided homeland security. Mr Stitt stood down as chief executive of Charter NI in September. He said his decisions was due to the impact on his family of media coverage. A spokesman for The Executive Office said the department accepts all the recommendations in the report, The Executive Office recognises that there were shortcomings in the early stages of SIF and welcomes the acknowledgement by NIAO that once projects became established, governance improved, the spokesperson said. The report also identifies completed projects where outcomes to date are promising and value for money is likely to be achieved. SIF is a fund of 80 million which will deliver 68 projects up to 2020. To date, SIF revenue projects have improved the lives of almost 24,000 participants through employment, early intervention and education initiatives. In addition, 22 capital projects have been completed and a further 27 are in progress. These capital projects will deliver improvements to 115 premises, providing enhanced community facilities in the most deprived neighbourhoods across Northern Ireland. MSPs are set to vote to suspend Tory Annie Wells from Holyrood. Ms Wells, the Scottish Conservative equalities spokeswoman, faces being excluded from the Parliament for five days after MSPs on the Standards Committee agreed she had sought political advantage by commenting on a report before it was made public. The ban, if approved, would see her excluded from Holyrood committee meetings and chamber debates for the week beginning Monday November 12. SNP MSP Gail Ross had complained about Ms Wellss actions, with the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee agreeing she had breached the Code of Conduct for MSPs by commenting on the report on prisoner voting ahead of its publication. Ms Wells responded by saying: Numerous media outlets contacted our office seeking comment on a story on the front page of a national newspaper that morning on prisoner voting. So I responded to that, as every MSP would, by issuing a statement to them reiterating my opposition to allowing prisoners voting rights. Scottish Conservative Annie Wells is facing a Holyrood ban (Jane Barlow/PA) My response did not contain details of the report that werent already known, nor was I responsible for the original leak of the document to the paper, and we still dont know who was. South Koreas foreign minister quoted US officials as saying that it was North Korea that cancelled a meeting this week between US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a senior North Korean official on nuclear issues. North Korea sent a notification to Washington to call off the meeting aimed at discussing the Norths denuclearisation and setting up a second summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said on Thursday. Ms Kang provided no reason on why North Korea cancelled the meeting in New York. Ms Kang told politicians she planned to discuss the matter with Mr Pompeo over the phone. South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha (Kim Ju-hyung/Yonhap/AP) South Koreas presidential office earlier said that the meetings postponement would not affect the momentum of talks between Washington and Pyongyang. We were notified by the United States that North Korea explained that (the meeting) should be postponed because both sides have busy schedules, Ms Kang said. I think it would be excessive to read too much into the postponement of the meeting. Mr Trump told reporters at the White House that the United States is in no rush and that the meeting between Mr Pompeo and his North Korean counterpart Kim Yong Chol would be rescheduled. US State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said the postponement was purely a scheduling issue but refused to elaborate. The meeting between Mike Pompeo and his North Korean counterpart Kim Yong Chol will be rescheduled (Andrew Harnik/AP) He did not provide a straightforward answer when asked whether a discord over US-led sanctions against the North, which Pyongyang says must be removed before any progress in nuclear talks, has made it more difficult to set up meetings. Timing, timing, Mr Palladino said. This has to do with timing as a matter were talking about scheduling. And Ill leave it at that. Seoul has worked hard to revive nuclear diplomacy between Washington and Pyongyang, which removed war fears among South Koreans following a provocative run in North Korean weapons tests and Mr Trumps threats of military action last year. Mr Kim shifted to diplomacy in 2018, meeting Trump in June between three summits with South Korean President Moon Jae-in. But the North has been playing hardball since the summits, fuelling doubts about whether Mr Kim would ever deal away a nuclear programme he may see as his strongest guarantee of survival. North Koreas Foreign Ministry last week criticised the United States for its continued support of sanctions and hinted it may resume nuclear development if the measures are not lifted. Mr Trump has been showing signs of slowing the pace of his diplomacy with North Korea, seemingly pivoting closer to his partys mainstream on North Korea issues. Mr Trump recently said he will not play a time game with the North over a denuclearisation deal. It was no surprise when a day before Diwali, on November 6, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath renamed Faizabad as Ayodhya. We could see this coming as barely three weeks ago, he had renamed Allahabad as Prayag. After all, changing names of cities and localities has always been high on the list of priorities of the saffron-clad chief minister, whose entire politics has apparently hinged on symbolism and religious polarisation. Yogi Adityanath's politics is apparently all about symbolism. (Photo: Reuters) Even before he rode on to the coveted position of chief minister, Yogi Adityanath was better known for bulldozing his way to rename localities in his home and political bastion, Gorakhpur. Miyan Bazar was renamed Maya Bazar and Humayunpur was rechristened as Hanumanpur during the days he was a member of Parliament from the city, named after the famous 11th century seer, Gorakhnath, whose temple trust Yogi Adityanath continues to head. No, you could not surprise us this time. (Photo: Reuters) What good the change of name has done or would do to these localities or the cities is a million dollar question. But history shows that no matter how much some mediaeval rulers might have been condemned for their alleged religious intolerance, perhaps they were more tolerant that their 21st century counterparts. Researchers have confirmed that both Prayag and Ayodhya have existed since the ancient times and no ruler ever attempted to rename them. No ruler ever attempted to rename Ayodhya. (Photo: Reuters) Sixteenth century Mughal emperor Akbar, who built the city of Illahabas (abode of the divine) that got converted to the anglicised Allahabad during the British regime, never even attempted to rename Prayag that was always recognised as the town around the holy Sangam (confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers). Likewise, Awadhs first nawab Saadat Ali Khan, who built Faizabad on the banks of the Ghaghra river in 1730, made no attempt to give any new name to Ayodhya that was always known as the birthplace of Lord Ram. The ancient temple town eventually became a part of Faizabad district, carved out by the British. Why not make Ayodhya a separate district? (Google map) Ayodhya thrived as a popular Hindu pilgrimage destination and all its economic activity centred around religious tourism. Historical records have confirmed that the funding for the maintenance and upkeep of Ayodhyas oldest temple Hanuman Garhi came from the Nawabs treasury. This healthy practice continued even after Saadat ali Khans grandson Asaf Ud-daula shifted the capital of Awadh from Faizabad to Lucknow, soon after he inherited the throne in 1775. And significantly, just as Illahabas meant abode of the divine, Faizabad meant a place for the good of all Both these cases clearly reflect the high tolerance levels of the two rulers, whose secular credentials also stand certified on the same account. Sure enough, if they had no concern for the sentiment of the local Hindu population, they could have easily imposed their arbitrary will on their subjects and changed the names of the two ancient towns. Instead, they chose to build new cities in the neighbourhood of the old towns. Ayodhyas oldest temple Hanuman Garhi used to receive fund from Nawabs treasury. (Photo: UP tourism) On the contrary, the present UP chief minister apparently chose to rename Allahabad and Faizabad, without taking into account anybodys sentiment. Some even suspect that the decision was taken only to spite a certain section of the society, which arouses doubts about the sincerity behind his much-touted sabka sath-sabka vikas slogan. If it were to be believed that the move would give a socio-economic boost to these two places, then what stopped the government from carving out both Prayag and Ayodhya as independent districts by chopping away some bit from their respective bordering districts? In fact, that was how new districts were usually created. Gulab Bari the tomb of Nawab Shuja-Ud Daula in Faizabad. (Photo: UP Tourism) Such action could have kept the glory of both the ancient historic names of Ayodhya and Prayag, without erasing the names of Allahabad and Faizabad. In the bargain, the government could have also saved a huge amount of taxpayers' money that will go into effecting the consequent changes in the government records institutions and stationary etc. Guptar ghat, in Faizabad, on the bank of the river Saryu is believed to be the spot where Lord Rama took Jal Samadhi. (Photo: UP Tourism) Ironically, the BJP leadership was very critical of then Samajwadi Party chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, when he took a unilateral decision to change the names of the new districts created by his predecessor Mayawati in the names of different dalit icons. Evidently, the change from Faizabad to Ayodhya has not amused those who were anxiously awaiting some concrete action on the Ram temple promise, when sometime back Yogi Adityanath declared that he was going to bring some good news to Ayodhya on this Diwali. Even the added announcement of getting a huge statue of Lord Ram installed at the Ram Katha park in Ayodhya is no compensation for those who have looked up to the BJP as the party that will build their much-awaited Ram temple at the disputed Ramjanmbhoomi-Babri Masjid site . However, the only purpose that the rechristening could serve is to polarise the electorate. And who cares if that is achieved through a display of intolerance! Also Read: Allahabad becomes Prayagraj: No, Akbar did not rename Prayag. He built a new city called Ilahbas Amidst Pakistans ongoing multiple domestic problems acquittal of Asia Bibi and ensuing riots, economic turmoil, and killing of an octogenarian religious cleric thought to be close to Prime Minister Imran Khan a new headache has added to its list of grappling challenges. And, this is different from the run of the mill. Its a recent incident when an Israeli business jet with sophisticated state-of-the-art gadgetry is believed to have touched Pakistan albeit for few hours leaving a trailing blaze of rumours, speculations and interpretations as to how did Pakistan tolerate a Jewish State and anti-Palestinian aircraft and man, breaching Pakistani airspace. The jet arrival has also let many theories afloat in the media and amongst a highly charged and sensitive polity raising suspicions which are bereft of much reasoning. One of the stories going around is that Israel is definitely trying to court Pakistan not only for maintaining a geopolitical balance, but also to elicit support from a diehard Muslim nation in light of changing equations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, and Bahrain apparently to isolate Iran. Israel, of late, has been gaining credibility in these Muslim states. Interestingly, Israeli cultural minister while in Abu Dhabi recently was accorded extraordinary reception. It reached a crescendo when Israeli national anthem was played in full display when the Israeli judo team won the first prize. This is seen as unprecedented and unique. It is also for the first time that Israeli national anthem was played in the UAE. Israel has started leaving its footprints in some Muslim states particularly in the Gulf, and this emerging bonhomie does not merit to be overlooked. And Pakistan religiously least intolerant of all these countries may be flirted for several reasons. Meanwhile, it is also perceived in some strategic quarters that the mysterious Jet flier in Pakistan recently may have been part of the USD 6 billion bailouts to Pakistan by Saudi Arabia to rescue the country from its economic imbroglio. In the same vein, Israel is believed to trying to sell its military hardware to Pakistan which is well known to stockpile latest armaments arguably to fortify itself against India. This argument also gains currency from the fact that a powerful Jewish lobby is active in the US, and it is not unlikely that it would not try to facilitate marketing the supply of Israeli arms to Pakistan. Supporters of Pakistan's Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal hold placard during anti-Israel demonstration in Islamabad (Credit: Reuters). However, Pakistan authorities have rubbished claims of any knowledge of any Israeli visitor paying a visit to Pakistan in recent times by flying a jet aircraft. Assuming this version is correct, a tweet in the social media baffles all. Avi Scharf the editor of the prominent Israeli liberal daily Haaretz tweeted, Israeli biz jet from Tel Aviv to Islamabad on the ground for ten hours and back to Tel Aviv cant escape notice. Israeli ???????? bizjet flew from TLV to Islamabad, #Pakistan ????????, on the ground 10 hours, and back to TLV.Cleared flight-plan with usual 5min groundtime trick in AmmanM-ULTI glex pic.twitter.com/haHn1NU73L avi scharf (@avischarf) October 25, 2018 To keep things in perspective, it is pertinent to point out that former Pakistani President and military dictator Pervez Musharraf had advocated for a relationship with Israel way back in 2005 when he was at his prime. He always maintained that it would help normalise ties between the two countries. In 2007, Musharraf had even volunteered to mediate the Arab-Israel conflict trying to project a pacifist image. Much to the annoyance and discomfort of the Pakistanis in general, Musharraf articulated similar thoughts in an interview with Al Arabia newspaper, thereby sparking protests. Two years prior to this in 2005, Gen Musharraf addressed the American Jewish Congress in New York to create a favourable public opinion with regard to Israel. We, therefore, see a pattern in attempts to come close to Israel and vice-versa. Other factors appearing on the sidelines of the jet coming to Pakistan is the Jewish lobby exploiting Imrans ex-wife Jemima Goldsmith (a Jew herself) to bolster trade ties. A Hindu-Zionist conspiracy theory is also being talked about. Mohsin Saleem Ullah, a student in the Islamic University at Islamabad wrote an OpEd in Pakistans Daily Times on whether trade between Pakistan and Israel was possible in the light of praiseworthy eco-political syncretism developed between Israel and India. Importantly, he opined that New Delhis tech relationship with Tel Aviv has not gone unobserved, and one country that may imitate the relationship in the future is Pakistan. Here, we are! Supporters of religious and political party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) hold flags and signs as they attend a rally against U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, in Karachi, Pakistan (Credit: Reuters) Pakistani media too is trying to perhaps influence the public opinion within the country to go the India way to warm up to Israel for the strengthening of bilateral ties. Another opinion piece appeared in the same paper written by Muhammad Taher Iqbal suggesting appropriation of several open channels of communications readily available among the Jewish lobby in the US to reach out to Israel to possibly reduce the hostile content around Pakistan. With Israel befriending Saudi Arabia (Israel has not yet condemned the Khashoggi murder by Riyadh so as not to rub it on the wrong side) and UAE towards its side, and to wean them away from Iran obviously to isolate the country. Prime Minister Imran Khan was in Riyadh recently, and any overtures to Israel for lending a friendly hand may be on cards. New equations are emerging today with Irans alienation. Israel perhaps needs Pakistan in this subtle craft of diplomacy. Nothing is predictable in todays world. The enemy today, is a friend tomorrow. Let the Jet triggered conjectures and speculations take a back seat for some time giving us some time to ponder and analyse further. Also read: Beijing becomes 'begging' on Pakistan channel: Why we always laugh at others' mistakes Even as many Pakistanis were going into raptures lauding the very tough line taken by the prime minister of Naya (new) Pakistan against the clerics who had virtually declared rebellion against the Islamic State of Pakistan, ministers of the federal and provincial government were engaged in negotiating an instrument of surrender with the marauding mullahs. The abject capitulation before the clerics by the government of Naya Pakistan not only revealed the disarray within the government with different ministers taking different positions some blowing hot, others giving a disingenuous spin to project their wimping out as a victory but also the complete collapse of administration in the face of the rampaging mullahs. Clearly, in terms of the dystopian dysfunctionality of the state, Naya Pakistan is quite like the Purana Pakistan. Is Imran Khan's Naya Pakistan really any different from the old Pakistan? (Photo: AP) This wasnt the first time that the government of Pakistan has thrown in the towel in front of the Tehrik-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), and it probably wont be the last time. Around the same time last year, the TLP, after a three-week long dharna forced the government of Purana Pakistan led by Nawaz Sharifs Pakistan Muslim League to agree to a humiliating surrender. But back then, the governments hands were tied. In a recent interview, the then Prime Minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, revealed that the PMLN government had no option but to agree to the terms dictated by the TLP. The army had refused to act, the paramilitary Rangers which is an auxiliary of the army didnt support the government, the police was so demoralised that it refused to move against the protestors and the judiciary had passed an order to clear the dharna but without using force. Back then, the TLP agitation was seen as part of the sinister plan of the "deep state" to box in the PMLN and give the ladla (favourite) Imran Khan a leg up. But this time, it is the ladla who is in charge, and yet the entire state machinery was cowering in fear before the TLP which was practically holding the entire country hostage. The contemptible fearfulness on display by the much vaunted "institutions" judiciary, army and even the civilian government before the clerics stood in stark contrast to their enthusiastic bullying, bulldozing and bludgeoning any and every voice of dissent in the media, civil society or even politics. The TLP leaders have openly called for the murder of the Supreme Court judges who acquitted the Christian woman accused of blasphemy. They exhorted the cooks and drivers of these judges to murder them and earn a place in heaven. They have labelled a sitting army chief as a non-Muslim Ahmadiyya and called upon the rank and file of the army to revolt against the top brass. Clerics have called upon the rank and file of the army to revolt against the top brass. (Photo: AP) The Prime Minister and his entire government has been called a non-Muslim government which needs to be overthrown. And what is the response? Deafening silence. The judges who are quick to book politicians, journalists and civil society activists on charges of contempt, destroy careers and incarcerate people for contempt, are offering mealy-mouthed justifications for their judgment. No notice of contempt has been issued to the clerics who have openly abused the judges even in the past. It is almost as if they are terrified by the very idea of hauling up the mullahs. Compare this pusillanimity to the very same judges hauling up former Prime Ministers, cabinet ministers and other senior politicians for merely passing a remark against palpably bad in law judgments or for giving an interview in which they criticise the "deep states" involvement with international terrorists. Consider also the fact that these same judges recently sacked a high court judge for exposing the interference of ISI in judicial matters, in intimidating and influence judges to give favourable judgments, but have refused to take notice against the hate-mongering and openly seditious remarks of the Mullahs. But forget the judges. The Pakistan military which is quick to take offence to an innocuous newspaper article and is ready to destabilise a sitting government, which gets people to file treason cases against politicians who state facts that the army has only lost territory but politicians have gained territory, is totally silent, nay paralysed, in the face of open sedition by the clerics. The Pakistan military spokesman had once declared: silence is also an expression. In the current case, the silence is nothing if not an expression of fear, dread and perhaps complicity. Why else would the Army which doesnt bat an eyelid before using overwhelming force against anti-state elements, kidnaps and tortures activists who expose its shenanigans, conducts scorched earth operations against its own compatriots, and keeps reconquering its own country every other day, be so sensitive and cautious in acting against these mullahs? Bye bye: The withering away of the state in the face of the gauntlet thrown by the clerics is not surprising. (Photo: Reuters) The government meanwhile is doing what it has become famous for taking one U-turn after another, speaking in different voices, and pretending that it has successfully handled the situation when by all accounts the government was nowhere to be seen when the mobs were running amok. After Imran Khans blusterous speech warning the TLP to not clash with the state, the government first negotiated a deal with the clerics. But the blistering criticism that followed forced the government of Naya Pakistan to make another U-turn. In the last couple of days, it has made a big show of registering cases and apprehending people involved in mob violence. But this is an eyewash of an action because not a single case has been filed, much less action taken, against the top leadership of TLP. The calculation clearly is that within a few days other events will push this issue in the background. But this is all so Purana Pakistan. The withering away of the state in the face of the gauntlet thrown by the clerics is something that is only to be expected given the way the forces of fanaticism have been cultivated so assiduously by virtually everyone in Pakistan. But there is also poetic justice in the way Imran Khan has been hoist on his own petard. In a classic case of what goes around, comes around, Imran Khan is confronted with tactics that he used to bring his political opponents under siege. The abuses being hurled, the shutdowns being forced, the violence being unleashed, the passions being incited by the TLP are all things that Imran and his Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI) had done while in opposition. As a perceptive commentator in Pakistan observed: TLP is the PTI of the poor. In fact, the PTI unabashedly exploited the entire blasphemy issue against Nawaz Sharif in the run-up to the general elections. PTI candidates (some of whom are ministers in the government) openly called for the Christian womans execution. But apart from making common cause with the TLP, the PTI, and indeed the army and judiciary, are also terrified by the prospect of using force against the clerics. The specter of Lal Masjid crisis hangs over any decision to crackdown on the Mullahs. There is a touching belief that appeasing the fanatics will defuse the crisis. But what it is doing is actually empowering the fanatics. The TLP, which is just a couple of years old, has had a Phoenix-like rise and emerged as the largest religious party in Pakistan. Even he's a target: Clerics have labelled Pakistan's sitting army chief a 'non-Muslim'. (Photo: Reuters) In Punjab, it is the third largest party, and nationally the fourth largest party. But more than its growing support base, it is the fanaticism of its followers that is scary. TLP doesnt have an armed wing, nor does it impart terrorist training to its followers. And yet, its ability to inflict violence and launch lone wolf attacks the exhortation to cooks and drivers of judges is very similar to the ISIS calling upon its followers to use whatever they can as a weapon and attack and kill wherever they can has already been proved when the former interior minister Ahsan Iqbal was shot and injured. The TLP has clearly emerged as a major force in Pakistan politics. Every surrender before it has only added to its strength and made it more unrestrained in pushing the envelope and testing the boundaries of restraint of the state. This is not a sustainable situation for any length of time. Sooner or later something will give. Either the state will simply roll over and play dead, or it will have to hit back hard and crush the TLP. In either case, it will unleash a new wave of violence. There is also a possibility that the Pakistan army will use its old playbook to raise another Khadim Rizvi to counter the TLP Khadim Rizvi. But this too will have its repercussions because invariably, the new Khadim Rizvi will be even more vicious and vituperative than the Khadim Rizvi he seeks to displace. Welcome to Naya Pakistan, just like the Purana Pakistan. Also read: A madness that binds: The common thread linking murdered J&K BJP secretary Anil Parihar with Pakistan's Asia Bibi TThe post-mortem conducted on the carcass of tigress Avni, which was shot dead by the Maharashtra Government-hired sharpshooter in forests of Pandharkawada in Yavatmal district last week, has revealed that the wild cat died of excessive internal haemorrhages and cardio respiratory failure". "In our opinion, the tigress has died of excessive internal haemorrhages and cardio respiratory failure," the post-mortem report submitted to the State forest authorities on November 5 stated. The post-mortem was conducted by a team of doctors at the Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra Ltd-run Gorewada International Standard Zoo Rescue Centre in Nagpur. The post-mortem report also stated that Avni's stomach was "fluid filled and no major solid contents", while her small intestines was "fluid and gas filled" The large intestines were "fluid and gas filled". One of the forensic experts who part of the team that conducted the post-mortem conducted on the deceased tigress said that Avni was hungry when she was shot. Avni, aged between five and 6 years, was being accompanied by her two cubs both 10 year old ones, when she was shot by sharp shooter Asgar Ali, son of controversial sharp-shooter Nawab Shafath Ali Khan from Hyderabad, at compartment number 149 of Borati forest under the jurisdiction of the Ralegaon police station. The two cubs have gone missing since the tigress was eliminated on the night of November 2. The forest department officials have launched its massive search to secure the two missing cubs. The ballistic tests and chemical analysis are being currently conducted at the Regional Forensic Laboratory in Nagpur, reports of which reports are awaited. The elusive tigress T1, better known as Avni of Pandharkawada hills - that had allegedly mauled as many as 13 persons to death during the past two years in Yavatmal district in Vidarbha region in Maharashtra was shot dead on the night of November 2, after a massive 53-day hunt. The elimination of Avni has sparked a major controversy, with Union Women & Child development minister and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi dubbing the tigress elimination as "straight case of crime and virtually rooting for Mungantiwar's dismissal from the Devendra Fadnavis Cabinet. After issuing a detailed statement on the issue, Maneka has also taken up the matter with Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. I request you to fix the responsibility for the illegal killing of the tigress and consider removing Mugantiwar from the responsibility of the Ministry of Environment and Forest in the state government. I have personally known you an animal welfare person and I am sure you will consider my request, Maneka wrote in her letter to the Chief Minister. On his part, the Maharashtra government on Monday ordered a probe into the killing of Pandharkawada Tigress T1, who was believed to be responsible for deaths of several people, to ascertain whether there were any lapses in the operation by the state Forest department. The probe will address all questions being raised by Union minister Maneka Gandhi, Fadnavis said. In a strongly worded statement issued two days after Avnis elimination, Maneka had said: This is the third tiger being killed on directions of the Environment and Forest Minister. Earlier, a dozen leopards and 300 wild boars have been killed on his directions. I am shocked that such a person is continuing to hold a ministerial position, Gandhi said in a strongly worded statement Maneka, who had initially put out a series of tweets on the incident, said in her statement: It (the killing) is nothing but a straight case of crime. Despite requests from his own forest department and People all over India, Sh Sudhir Mugantiwar, Minister for Environment and Forests, Maharashtra gave orders for the killing. Terming Avnis killing as illegal, Maneka had said: Every time he has used the Hyderabad shooter, Shafat Ali Khan and this time his son has also appeared on the scene illegally to kill the tigress. His son was not authorised to kill. This is patently illegal. A gunman dressed in black sprayed bullets inside a crowded dance bar popular with college students on Wednesday night, killing at least 12 people, including a police officer, in Californias Thousand Oaks city in one of the horrific mass shooting incidents in the US. The gunman, who also injured nearly a dozen others, was found dead inside the Borderline Bar and Grill on the outskirts of Los Angeles although it was not immediately clear if he was killed by officers or shot himself. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean described the incident as horrific. Its a horrific scene in there, there is blood everywhere and the suspect is part of that, and I didnt want to get that close and disturb the scene and possibly disturb the investigation, he said, adding that the motive of the shooter whose identify was not known is still unclear and investigators had not found any type of assault rifle within the bar. President Donald Trump said he has been fully briefed on the terrible shooting in California. The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) on Thursday examined benched CBI Director Alok Verma and special director Rakesh Asthana who were sent on leave following an open war between them and exchange of serious charge of corruption between them. Verma met CVC Commissioner KV Chowdhary and Vigilance Commissioner Sharad Kumar in the afternoon and stayed for about two hours. Verma denied the charges levelled against him by Asthana to the Commission, sources said. Asthana was also examined by the CVC during the day in connection with the probe into his allegations against Verma. Only one working day is left before the CVC submits its report to the Supreme Court on Monday in connection with the CBI vs CBI war. The vigilance body has also examined the case files, including the one relating to the Moin Qureshi case, IRCTC scam involving former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad and a cattle smuggling case in which a senior BSF official was allegedly involved. The CVC also examined Joint Director Sai Manohar who had submitted a secret note by Asthana alleging one Satish Sana had given a statement before the CBI that he had allegedly paid a bribe of `2 crore to Verma to get relief in the Moin case. The Supreme Court on October 26 had directed that the CVCs enquiry into the allegations against Verma would be conducted under the supervision of retired apex court judge AK Patnaik within a two-week deadline. Asthana had through a letter on August 24 to the Cabinet Secretary levelled allegations against his boss Verma of meddling in high profile cases and corruption. After a longstanding public feud, the Government through a midnight order on October 23 sent both Verma and Asthana on leave. The Commission had recently examined some CBI officials probing crucial cases which figured in Asthanas complaint of corruption against Verma. CBI personnel from the rank of inspector up to superintendent of police were called and their versions recorded before a senior CVC official. The complainant against Asthana, Satish Sana on whose complaint an FIR was lodged against the CBI No 2 official was also examined by the CVC. Asthana had also alleged in his complaint against Verma that Sana had paid a bribe of `2 crore to CBI Director for getting relief in the Moin probe case, sources said. Verma had challenged before the SC the Governments decision of divesting him of his duties and sending him on leave. The feud between Verma and Asthana escalated recently leading to registration of an FIR against the CBI Special Director and others including Deputy Superintendent of Police Devender Kumar on October 15. Asthana was booked for allegedly receiving a bribe of `2 crore from Hyderabad-based businessman Satish Sana which was given through two middlemen Manoj Prasad and Somesh Prasad to sabotage the probe against meat exporter Moin. On August 24, Asthana, in his complaint to the Cabinet Secretary, had levelled allegations against Verma that he got a bribe of `2 crore from Sana to help him get some relief from questioning in the matter. As many as 11 notorious criminals, including five carrying a reward of Rs 50,000 each on their head, were arrested by Crime Investigation Agency of Haryana Police after an encounter in Bahalgarh area of district Sonipat. Huge quantity of illegal weapons and Rs 10.23 lakh cash was also recovered from them, said a spokesman of Police Department. One policeman and two criminals were also injured in the incident and were admitted to Khanpur hospital for treatment. The spokesman said that all accused were involved in about three dozen criminal cases under charges of murder, attempt to murder, loot, decoity and ransom. Giving details, he said that arrested accused were identified as Krishan alias Gatha, Pawan alias Pona, Nitu alias Sita, Dinesh alias Pahalwan, Mahipal alias Malha, Ravinder alias Bori, Amit alias Mota, Pramod alias Pammi, Sunil Punia, Ravinder alias Golu and Pawan. A carbine, one pistol 32 bore, one modern rifle double magazine, one doga gun, one pistol 9 mm, one revolver, 2 pistol 315 bore, 2 revolver 32 bore, and 82 live cartridges were recovered from them, he said. A reward of Rs 50,000 each was announced by Sonipat, Rohtak and Delhi Police on the arrest of Krishan alias Gatha, Pawan alias Pona, Nitu alias Sita, Sunil and Mahipal alias Malha, he said. The spokesman said that police team during patrolling had got information that about one dozen criminals having illegal weapons were plotting to loot passers-by in Bahalgarh area. The team immediately tried to arrest them but criminals opened fire on police. Acting promptly, police arrested all accused, he said. All the accused would be taken on police remand by producing them in the court. Futher investigation is under progress, he added. Meanwhile, the Director General of Police BS Sandhu lauded the Sonepat police for arresting notorious criminals, wanted by Haryana and Delhi Police. Despite the Supreme Court putting restriction on the unabated use of firecrackers and authorities cracking down on the illegal sale of crackers, the number of fire related calls received by the fire department have reportedly increased this year on Diwali as compared to that of the last year. Also it is highest in the last 12 years (except for year 2015). The break up data shows that the highest numbers of fire related calls i.e. 82 were received in between 2 pm and 8 pm which shows that the highest fire related accidents and panic calls happened at the time when there was ban of burning of fire-crackers by Apex Court. It is pertinent to mention that the burning of fire-crackers was allowed between 8 pm to 10 pm only. The stats released by the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) shows that this year 273 fire related calls were received contrary to the 204 and 243 received in 2017 and 2016 respectively. These figures also reveals that except for the year 2015 when the fire related calls were recorded at 290 the figures this year are highest in last 12 years. Fires were also reported from factories and at houses due to domestic items and electrical wires, DFS officials said. Maximum calls were received from west and northwest districts of Delhi. Authorities responded to over 273 calls about the fire incidents most of them triggered by firecrackers and LPG cylinder blast among others. Among the total calls animal rescue calls received were 5. In Delhi officials informed that during Diwali night incidents happened in which two children were killed and two others were injured. A DFS official said that though the number of fire-related calls was more as compared to previous years, there has been a decline in cases of fire triggered by burning of firecrackers. The officials, however, did not provide any exact break-up. The startling figures showing the increase in fire-related emergency calls is in stark contrast to the fact that the use of firecrackers in Delhi on Deepawali has apparently come down over the years over concerns about pollution and due to restrictions imposed by the Supreme Court on their sale and use. Implicitly there were rampant violations of the Apex Court order and people in several cities burst firecrackers until at least midnight, two hours after the deadline. In the fatal incident in a slum near Filmistan Cinema in the Sadar Bazar area, two children -- Ganesh (10) and Swati (8) -- were killed. Their mother Suman (28) and brother Dhruv (5) suffered 55 per cent and 70 per cent burn injuries respectively and were admitted to a hospital, said the DFS officer. The fire reportedly started from an LPG cylinder and spread to their shanty around 2.18 AM. There was also a call about fire at a factory in the Bawana area. No casualties were reported in the factory fire and 18 fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the blaze. The fire broke out at the factory in outer Delhis Bawana locality. The call about the fire was received at 6:37 pm and immediately 18 fire tenders were rushed to the spot, the officer said. Out of the total calls, 89 were fire at garbage and dump yards. The DFS have made elaborate arrangements and preparations to deal with the fire-accidents on Deepawali as besides the 59 permanent fire stations in the national capital, the department had set up temporary stations in different locations across the city to attend to calls of fire. In a dramatic move, Congress announced fifth list nominating senior BJP leader Sartaj Singh from Honshangabad minutes after he joined Congress after being denied ticket by the party. Singh a former union minister served the Madhya Pradesh government in various ministries in the past but was shunted from the cabinet in unceremonious manner in 2016 on 75 plus age criteria and was at odds with the party ever since then. A politician with strong ground connect, Singh has distinction of defeating the Congress veteran late Arjun Singh in 1998 Lok Sabha polls from Hoshangabad. Singh was adamant on a ticket once again from Seoni-Malwa which he represented currently but the party had told him in unequivocal terms that he wont be given re-nomination. The upset Singh on Thursday went to Hoshangabad and even was seen in tears after BJP third list denied him ticket. He had even claimed that justice is not being done to seniors like him in BJP. I wont die suffocating at home. I would take to the battlefield and would die like a martyr, said a pained 78-year-old. He announced to join Congress soon after. Barely half an hour later, Congress announced its list fielding Singh from Hoshangabad against assembly speaker Sitasaran Sharma. Sources claim Congress was looking for a formidable opponent to field against Sharma, The party however did not name anyone from Seoni Malwa. After the BJP has announced Babulal Gaurs daughter-in-law Krishna from Govindpura in Bhopal, Congress too named senior corporator Girish Sharma from Govindpura. A confident Sharma had already filed nomination on Thursday. The party nominated Naresh Gyanchandani, a prominent Sindhi community leader from Huzur seat in Bhopal. Shivjeet Singh has been ticket from Panna where BJP is in dilemma over denial of ticket to minister Kusum Mahdele. Basilal Verma nominated earlier from Devsar has been replaced with Rambhajan Saket. Manpur seat where Tilak Raj Singh was named earlier was shown as pending for candidature in the list. Farmer union leader Umrao Singh Gurjar has been named from Manada in Neemuch which had sizzled in farmers protest in 2017. The party named 15 candidates, replaced one and rolled back one name in the list of 17. Based on a tip-off, the district cyber crime cell on Wednesday busted a cyber criminal gang and arrested three of its members in Belatard village near Judpania area of Giridih. The accused have been identified as Ajay Kumar Mandal, Manoj Kumar Mandal and Kailash Mandal. They hail from Belatard villages under Bengabad police station areas of Giridih. The cell also seized one Apache motorbike and six mobiles from the accused, said Cyber Dy SP Sandip Suman Samdarshi.He said around one dozen criminals are still operating across the region. The accused are between 25 and 30 years of age. Two of them namely Ajay and Kailash earlier had been working in Mumbai and recently they came in Giridih and joined in cyber network, Samdarshi added. Disclosing the modus operandi of the accused, Giridih SP SK Jha said that the accused used to call the debit and credit card holders on the pretest of solving various technical problems related to the cards or telling them that their cards could be blocked if they did not share their details. At least Rs 5 lakh have been credited in their own accounts from different accounts, added Jha. Diwali, the festival of lights, was celebrated across Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh Wednesday with fervour and enthusiasm. Devotees made a beeline at temples and gurdwaras to offer prayers. There was a festive spirit during the day in the two states and their common capital Chandigarh with people thronging the markets and markets for the last minute shopping. Diyas (earthen lamps) and candles dotted houses and people exchanged sweets and gifts on the occasion. Children burst crackers at various places, including Chandigarh, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhianan, Patiala, Hoshiarpur, Ambala, Rohtak, Hisar, Faridabad and Bhiwani. Detailed instructions had been issued to the authorities concerned to maintain strict vigil on Diwali night so that the directions of the Supreme Court regarding bursting of crackers for two hours 8 pm to 10 pm were not violated. Security was heightened across Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh, especially in and around vital installations, markets and places of worship, officials said. There was no report of any untoward incident from any place, police said. The Golden Temple, the holiest Sikh shrine, in Amritsar was illuminated with a newly-installed special lighting system and traditional diyas. It witnessed a huge rush of devotees who took a dip in its holy tank and offered prayers at the sanctum sanctorum and Akal Takht (highest Sikh temporal seat). he task force of the Shriomani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee was also deployed in the periphery of the Golden Temple. Langar (community kitchen) arrangements were made for more than four lakh devotees who will stay in the temple all through Diwali night. This year, the SGPC has decided to reduce the time of bursting firecrackers from 15 minutes to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, Bandi Chhor Divas (prisoner release day) was celebrated in Punjab, to mark the historical release of the sixth Sikh guru, Guru Hargobind, from the Mughal prison along with 52 kings in 1620. Guru Hargobind after his release directly reached the Golden Temple, whereupon the holy city was illuminated and decorated and people lit earthen lamps to celebrate his release. The Governor Baby Rani Maurya along with her family members sought blessing from the saints based in Haridwar on the occasion of Annkoot Mahotsav on Thursday morning. She also greeted the people on Annkoot and Bhai Dooj. She said that she had come to seek blessing for herself and the welfare and prosperity for the State on the eve of the State formation day. Earlier, the Governor reached Harihar Ashram at Kankhal in Haridwar along with her husband, mother and sister. She offered prayers at the ashram temple and prayed for the welfare of the State which would complete 18 years of its formation on November 9. She met Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Swami Awdheshananda Giri, head of Juna Akhada. The Governor also reached the Bharat Mata Mandir and participated in the Annkoot Mahotsav where 56 types of delicacies were offered to the deity on the occasion. Swami Awdheshananda and Satyamitranand Giri were present during the Mahotsav. Speaking on the occasion, the founder of Bharat Mata Mandir Swami Satyamitranand Giri said, Ankoot is a festival of prosperity, love and devotion. Human welfare is the key behind the celebration. Just as Lord Krishna lifted the Govardhan mountain on his finger to save mankind the saint community must also work for the benefit of mankind. He further said that as Annkoot gives a message of environment conservation all must strive to conserve the forests and the mountains. The humanity can be saved if we are ready to forego our narrow interests for a greater cause, for the welfare of all under the sun, he said. The Governor said that the festival embodies Samnvay (coordination) which alone can bring prosperity in the State. Asked to comment on the resolve of Satyamitranand Giri to undertake fast unto death from December 6, demanding the beginning of the construction of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya, Swami Awdheshanand Giri declined to comment. Being the Acharya of Juna AKhada, I cannot comment on this matter, he said. Suspected PLFI extremists set ablaze two vehicles and a JCB machine of a road construction company near the Bautiya village under the Tamar police station area on Wednesday. The extremists also threatened the companys workers of dire consequences as they gathered at the spot seeing the burning vehicles. The assets belonged to Sai Construction Company which is engaged in building a road between Bauitya and Ulidih. The companys clerk Ram Udgar Yadav informed that a dozen of miscreants came to the companys camp at around 2 AM on Wednesday night and set the assets on fire. He said hearing the noise he along with other workers reached the spot but extremists forced them to flee away by issuing life threats. The extremists also stuck posters at a few places before leaving the spot. The rural SP Ajit Peter Dungdung and other police officials later visited the place of crime to carry out the investigation. We are not yet sure that the PLFI were behind the act. It could be the works other criminals as well. Police are carrying out searches in area, said the Rural SP. In a daring broad daylight robbery, six unidentified miscreants looted over Rs 60 lakh from two staffs of a private cash management company at gunpoint near Gediapalli under the Bolagarh police station area in Khordha district. Sources said the miscreants, who seemed to have knowledge about the transportation of the cash, came by three Bajaj Pulsar bikes and looted the cash belonging to a private bank from the two staffs of Radiant Cash Management Service Private Limited. One of the staffs, Laxmi Narayan Khatua, said they were returning to office after collecting cash from Narsinghpur and Khandapada when the criminals intercepted their car near Gediapalli and decamped with the cash by brandishing guns. On receiving information, police rushed to the spot and began an investigation into the incident. Meanwhile, the two staffs lodged a police complaint in the connection. Of late, there have been a spurtin robberies and loots in the district much to the resentment of residents. The Speaker of Uttarakhand Assembly Prem Chand Agarwal has been selected as member of the planning and review committee of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA). He participated in the meeting of executive committee at Westminster London, United Kingdom, on Thursday. The chairperson of the committee who is the Vice-President of the National Assembly of Cameroon, Amelia Monjova welcomed all members in the meeting and congratulated the Speaker of Uttarakhand Assembly for participating as a newly added member. Agarwal on his part gave Diwali greetings to all the members. The committee endorsed the minutes of executive committee meeting held in March 2018 and took stock of the actions taken. In the meeting, the members also held elaborate discussion on Budget of CPA in the year 2019 and approved it. The executive committee also constituted various committees on the day in which Agarwal was appointed a member of planning and review committee. In the meetings of this committee held during the second session of the day, the Speaker of Uttarakhand Assembly expressed his views. Representatives of Africa, Asia, Australia, British isles, Canada, Caribbean and Atlantic regions took part in the meeting of executive committee of CPA. Notably, the executive committee of the CPA deals with the management of international seminars of the CPA. The dream of a Medical College at Bokaro is will soon to be realised. Ministry of Steel granted 25 acres of land near BIADA Colony at Sector 12 in Bokaro Steel City for establishing a medical college, informed BSL PR officials. On the directive of State government, the district administration has identified this land for establishing a Medical College. Then Bokaro DC Rai Mahimapat Ray had written a letter to Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL) management in this concern on November 2016 and had asked for earliest transfer formalities for the aforesaid land. Permission for transferring land to establishing an Engineering College and for an International Stadium is in pipeline, hope permission would be granted soon, said the official. The land has been approved by the ministry for establishing a medical college while the proposal for land for the engineering college and a stadium is under process, said PK Singh CEO BSL. With an estimated investment of Rs 600 crore State government will open a medical college under Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode. Foundation stone of the medical college would be laid by the end of the December this year, an official informed. This would be a 100 seats medical college; proposed to be opened under PPP mode with Manipal Group of Medical College, aims to developed to cater the intrinsic healthcare needs of the entire region including parts of its neighbouring states, he said. It is indeed a welcome step for everyone as Bokaro Steel City definitely deserves to have a medical college its own, said local MLA Biranchi Narayan. The Bokaro Steel Plant, which runs a 910-bed Bokaro General Hospital (BGH), was keen on opening a medical college since 2004-05; got MCI nod in the year 2012 for establishing and upgrading BGH as a medical college after the needful verification. Later the management initiated the process to enter into talks with several medical institutions like Chennai based Sri Ram Chandra Medical College, DY Patil Medical College Mumbai, Manipal Medical College including others for setting up the college. But talk delayed over stake tussle and project was hindered. But after Raghubar Das was sworn in the chief minister in December 2014, He launched a fresh initiative to set up a medical college in Bokaro and managed to convince Union steel minister (then) to look into it; now ministry has granted the land. As famous celebrities get hitched on and off screens, these are the trends that they leave behind for real life to-be-brides and bridegrooms. By Team Viva When Rang de Basanti released in 2006, it inspired an entire generation to want to become revolutionaries. That is the power that cinema holds over us, and so do the actors and their lifestyle. And hence, we leave no stone unturned in keeping up with what we watch in films and on social media. From replicating Shah Rukh Khans quintessential open arms pose to acquiring the designer dresses that our favourite actors wore on their wedding days on screen or off, we follow it all. So how have these celebrities inspired couples and the wedding market? There are a number of moments from celebrity weddings that have become couple goals and we caught up with some of the top trends. Extravagant invitation cards After Virat-Anushkas nature-themed reception invite for which they sent a sapling with the card, it has become a major goal for millennials to use innovative approaches. Other trends include use of calligraphy, paper and latex, wood and even stone engravings for invitation cards. For gifts and momentos, reusable and recyclable boxes with silver and golden ribbons are also being highly preferred. Bachelorette parties One of the most recent examples would be actress Priyanka Chopras pyjama party that looked like a replica of the one shown in Anne Hathaways Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement. However, the photos from the event showed that it was a perfect way to pamper the bride before the wedding. There have been many shows and films that have shown the bachelorette or the bachelor party is a must do before the D-day. In The Trip Season One, starring Shwetha Tripathi, Lisa Haydon, Mallika Dua and Sapna Pabbi, the young women head on a trip to Thailand for one of their bachelorettes. Prior to this, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara showed us that friends taking off with the groom-to-be for a last bash before the wedding. Bollywood inspired pre-wedding shoots Even though your wedding album will cover all the rituals and events, a pre-wedding shoot has all the dreamy photographs that you have ever wanted after watching films. For these shoots, couples hire wedding photographers that capture your personal story but with panache and drama inspired from Bollywood. Wedding photographer Arnob Das, who has done pre-wedding shoots for a number of couples in the capital, said that when it comes to such shoots, they usually prefer to recreate their personal stories of how they met and what they like and dislike. While talking about the current trend, he said that a picture from Virat-Anushkas wedding has been chosen by many couples to be recreated. The picture shows Anushka holding the flower garland while Virat is held by a group of people much higher than her. Another example is from the film Sonu ke Titu Ki Sweety. The scene from the films wedding set-up has been in high demand as the theme offered a very colourful pattern with dhols and nagadas in the foreground. Destination weddings Be it the forthcoming Priyanka-Nicks wedding planned at the Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur, or the famous Oberoi and Taj Hotels in Udaipur, or even beachside locations in Goa and Pondicherry, the trend has brought weddings out of banquet halls to dreamy locations. It was one of Udaipurs hotels where Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone starring Yeh Jawani Hai Deewanis (YJHD) wedding scenes were shot. Since then, Udaipur and various forts in Rajasthan have become a hub for real life weddings. Instagram sensation Diipa Khosla recently married her Dutch boyfriend wearing a Sabyasachi design at Udaipurs Hotel Fateh Garh. Trending hashtags It never happened if it wasnt uploaded online. From wedding invitations to the entrances of a wedding, the hashtags are given a special place so that even the guests could follow the particular hashtag to post the pictures. Recently-married couple actress Shwetha Tripathi and actor Chaitanya Sharmas Instagram accounts screamed of their exclusive wedding hashtag which was used not just by the couple, but by all their guests and family. The hashtag #GoCheetaGetBattata started to trend on Instagram when the duo got married. For Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahujas wedding, it was #SonamKiShaadi while the royal couple, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, made #HarryMeghan and #RoyalWedding trend. The forthcoming #DeepVeerKiShaadi has already started trending since Deepika and Ranveer have announced their wedding date. Grander rituals Smaller rituals and customs that are just confined to homes have also made their way to the grand itenery. The mehendi, haldi, pheras and sangeet are equally important with people hiring wedding choreographers to prepare performances for such events. Wedding planner Shivangi Garg, who recently planned a destination wedding in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, said that even the minor customs need equal attention as the major ones. We borrowed the concept of a mehendi ceremony from the film, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. Generally, the mehendi wallah just applies it at home and leaves. But we wanted to give a theme and make it bigger, she said. People want it the Bollywood way, she added. While pheras or the vows taken during a Hindu wedding are sacred, they are considered a boring ritual. So, Garg made it a musical one, where the pandits would sing the mantras in jolly tunes and a few Rajasthani dancers would dance around. For sangeet and reception, couples have taken inspiration from the wedding reception of the captain of the Indian cricket team in which a crystal wall with mirror work made the backdrop of the podium. Image Credit : Arnob Das There is not enough analysis data for Delphi Energy Corp. (DEE.TO). 4.3 Community Rank Outperform Votes Delphi Energy Corp. (DEE.TO) has received 216 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Delphi Energy Corp. (DEE.TO) has received 118 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Delphi Energy Corp. (DEE.TO) has received 64.67% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Delphi Energy Corp. (DEE.TO) and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe DEE will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe DEE will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next 4 hours ago Dinner on the patio? First, hold the stench DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Parts of downtown Des Moines have been so transformed in the past decade by new apartments, trendy shops and microbreweries, its sometimes hard to reconcile the present with the not-so-distant past. But one strong reminder of the city's heritage remains: the stench. Read Article Versum Materials, Inc. develops, manufactures, transports, and handles specialty materials for the semiconductor and display industries in the United States, Taiwan, South Korea, China, Europe, and rest of Asia. The company operates through two segments, Materials, and Delivery Systems and Services (DS&S). The Materials segment provides specialty chemicals and materials used in semiconductors, as well as specialty gases used in the semiconductor manufacturing process, including high purity process materials for deposition, metallization, chamber cleaning, and etching; chemicals mechanical planarization slurries; organosilanes; organometallics and liquid dopants for thin film deposition; and formulated chemical products for post-etch cleaning primarily for the manufacture of silicon and compound semiconductors, and thin film transistor liquid crystal displays. The DS&S segment develops, designs, manufactures, and sells bulk gas, specialty gas, and specialty chemical cabinets and systems, which are used to manage the delivery of key materials into the semiconductor manufacturing process; and flow and temperature control systems and analytical systems to capture data. It is also involved in the project management for installation and startup of the gas and chemical delivery systems, and inventory management; and provision of spare parts, equipment upgrades, equipment maintenance, and training services. In addition, this segment offers on-site services to assist customers in managing the inventory of gases and chemicals comprising ordering, product changes and monitoring, quality assurance, operation of delivery systems, and managing the bulk gas and specialty gas operations. Versum Materials, Inc. was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona. Read More Weatherford International plc, an oilfield service company, provides equipment and services for the drilling, evaluation, completion, production, and intervention of oil and natural gas wells worldwide. The company operates in two segments, Western Hemisphere and Eastern Hemisphere. It offers artificial lift systems, including reciprocating rod, progressing cavity pumping, gas, hydraulic, plunger, and hybrid lift systems, as well as related automation and control systems; pressure pumping and reservoir stimulation services, such as acidizing, fracturing and fluid systems, cementing, and coiled-tubing intervention; and drill stem test tools, and surface well testing and multiphase flow measurement services. The company also provides safety, downhole reservoir monitoring, flow control, and multistage fracturing systems, as well as sand-control technologies, and production and isolation packers; liner hangers to suspend a casing string in high-temperature and high-pressure wells; cementing products, including plugs, float and stage equipment, and torque-and-drag reduction technology for zonal isolation; and pre-job planning and installation services. In addition, it offers directional drilling services, and logging and measurement services while drilling; services related to rotary-steerable systems, high-temperature and high-pressure sensors, drilling reamers, and circulation subs; managed pressure drilling, conventional mud-logging, drilling instrumentation, gas analysis, wellsite consultancy, and open hole and cased-hole logging services; reservoir solutions and software products; and intervention and remediation services. Further, the company provides equipment and drilling tools; tubular handling, management, and connection services; equipment rental services; and onshore contract drilling and related services through a fleet of land drilling and workover rigs. Weatherford International plc was incorporated in 1972 and is headquartered in Baar, Switzerland. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise: 3Com International Inc., 3PAR Inc., Apogee, Aruba Networks Inc., Aruba Networks International Cayman, Aruba Networks International Limited, BlueData Software, Cloud Cruiser, Cloud Technology Partners, Cloud Technology Partners Inc., Compaq Computer (Mauritius), Compaq Trademark B.V., Cray, Cray Inc., EDS World Corporation (Far East) LLC, EYP Mission Critical Facilities Inc., H3C Holdings Limited, HP Enterprise Services Australia Pty Ltd, HP Financial Services (Australia) Pty Limited, HP Financial Services (Chile) Limitada, HP Financial Services (Japan) K.K., HP Financial Services Arrendamento Mercantil S.A., HP Financial Services Company (Korea), HP Financial Services International Holdings Company, HPE Government LLC, HPFS Global Holdings I LLC, HPFS Global Holdings II LLC, HPFS Rental S.R.L., Hangzhou H3C Technologies Co. Ltd, Hewlett Packard Caribe BV LLC, Hewlett Packard Colombia Ltda., Hewlett Packard Enterprise (China) Co. Ltd., Hewlett Packard Enterprise B.V., Hewlett Packard Enterprise B.V. Amstelveen Meyrin Branch, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Canada Co., Hewlett Packard Enterprise Canada Co. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Canada Cie, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Costa Rica Limitada, Hewlett Packard Enterprise GlobalSoft Private Limited, Hewlett Packard Enterprise India Private Limited, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Ireland Limited, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Luxembourg SCA, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Polska sp. z o.o., Hewlett Packard Pathfinder LLC, Hewlett Packard Taiwan Ltd., Hewlett-Packard (Israel) Ltd., Hewlett-Packard (M) Sdn. Bhd., Hewlett-Packard (Nigeria) Limited, Hewlett-Packard (Schweiz) GmbH, Hewlett-Packard (Tanzania) Limited, Hewlett-Packard (Thailand) Limited, Hewlett-Packard ApS, Hewlett-Packard Argentina S.R.L., Hewlett-Packard Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Australia Pty Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Belgium SPRL/BVBA, Hewlett-Packard Bermuda Enterprises LLC, Hewlett-Packard Brasil Ltda., Hewlett-Packard Bulgaria EOOD, Hewlett-Packard Caribe B.V., Hewlett-Packard Caribe Y Andina B.V. LLC, Hewlett-Packard Chile Comercial Limitada, Hewlett-Packard Cyprus Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Hewlett-Packard Egypt Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Financial Services (India) Private Limited, Hewlett-Packard Financial Services Canada Company, Hewlett-Packard Financial Services Company, Hewlett-Packard France SAS, Hewlett-Packard G1 SPV (Cayman) Company, Hewlett-Packard Gesellschaft mbH, Hewlett-Packard Ghana Limited, Hewlett-Packard GmbH, Hewlett-Packard Guatemala Limitada, Hewlett-Packard HK SAR Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Hellas EPE, Hewlett-Packard Holdings Ltd., Hewlett-Packard International Bank Designated Activity Company, Hewlett-Packard International Bank Public Limited Company, Hewlett-Packard International Sarl, Hewlett-Packard Italiana S.r.l., Hewlett-Packard Japan Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Korea Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Leasing Limited, Hewlett-Packard Limited, Hewlett-Packard Luxembourg Enterprises LLC, Hewlett-Packard Macau Limited, Hewlett-Packard Manufacturing Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Marigalante Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Hewlett-Packard Middle East FZ-LLC, Hewlett-Packard Mocambique Limitada - Sociedada em Liquidacao, Hewlett-Packard Nederland B.V., Hewlett-Packard New Zealand, Hewlett-Packard Norge AS, Hewlett-Packard OY, Hewlett-Packard Operations Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Hewlett-Packard Peru S.R.L., Hewlett-Packard Philippines Corporation, Hewlett-Packard Portugal Lda., Hewlett-Packard SARL, Hewlett-Packard SIA, Hewlett-Packard Servicios Espana S.L., Hewlett-Packard Singapore (Sales) Pte. Ltd., Hewlett-Packard South Africa (Proprietary) Limited, Hewlett-Packard Sverige AB, Hewlett-Packard Technology Center Inc., Hewlett-Packard Teknoloji Cozumleri Limited Sirketi, Hewlett-Packard The Hague B.V., Hewlett-Packard Venezuela S.R.L., Hewlett-Packard Vision Limited, Hewlett-Packard d.o.o., Hewlett-Packard s.r.o., Limited Liability Company Hewlett Packard Enterprise, MapR Technologies, New H3C Technologies Co. Ltd., Niara Inc., Nimble Storage, Nimble Storage Inc., Nimble Storage Israel Ltd, Nimble Storage Japan GK, Nimble Storage UK Limited, Plexxi, RedPixie, SGI (Silicon Graphics), Sapphire Holding Co, Scytale, Shanghai Hewlett-Packard Co. Ltd., Silver Peak, SimpliVity, Sinope Holding B.V., Trilead, UAB ES Hague Lietuva, and Unis Huashan Technologies Co. Limited. Living Gospel Equality Now: Loving in the Heart of God: Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests Oil prices fell on Wednesday, extending losses from the previous session, with markets well supplied amid rising production and U.S. sanction waivers that allow Iran's biggest customers to continue buying its crude. As CNBC writes in an article "Oil prices fall amid supplied market, Iran sanction exemptions", front-month Brent crude oil futures were at $71.85 per barrel at 0115 GMT, down 28 cents, or 0.4 percent, from their last close. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $61.76 per barrel, down 45 cents, or 0.7 percent, from their last settlement. The increasingly well supplied market has turned sentiment, which until early October was largely bullish, pushing Brent to four-year highs of more than $86 per barrel ahead of the Iran sanctions. Brent and WTI have lost 17.4 and 19.7 percent in value respectively from their most recent peaks in early October. U.S. bank J.P. Morgan said "part of the recent sell-off in oil was due to excessive crude in the physical markets...from elevated production from OPEC whilst Iranian supply was still in the market despite reduction in reported exports." Fawad Razaqzada, market analyst at futures brokerage Forex.com, said he had become "quite bearish on oil prices" due to lower demand growth forecasts, higher supply and Iran sanctions waivers. According to Refinitiv Eikon data, Iranian crude exports have fallen to 1 million barrels per day (bpd) so far in November, down from almost 2 million bpd in October and around 3 million bpd in mid-2018. U.S. bank Morgan Stanley said "oil market fundamentals have softened (as) supply continues to come in higher-than-expected, particularly from the U.S., Middle East OPEC, Russia and Libya." Output from the world's top-3 producers Russia, the United States and Saudi Arabia, broke through 33 million bpd for the first time in October, meaning these three countries alone now meet more than a third of the almost 100 million bpd of global consumption. Iraq, the second-largest producer within the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) behind Saudi Arabia, is targeting production capacity of 5 million bpd in 2019, up from 4.6 million bpd currently, Oil Minister Thamer Ghadhban said on Tuesday. "The market is well supplied, and we see a balanced rather than tight market ahead. This no longer supports our $85 per barrel year-end and 1H19 forecast," Morgan Stanley said. Instead, the bank said it expected Brent to average around $77.5 per barrel to mid-2019. With production rising, inventories are swelling. U.S. crude stocks climbed by 7.8 million barrels in the week ending Nov. 2 to 432 million, data from the American Petroleum Institute showed on Tuesday. Despite the well supplied market, Razaqzada warned that it would be "increasingly costly for inefficient producers to maintain output at current levels". Venezuela's crude production was in "free-fall" and could soon drop below 1 million bpd, the International Energy Agency's Executive Director Fatih Birol warned on Tuesday, down from the more than 2 million bpd it averaged last year. iShares MSCI Japan ETF's stock was trading at $49.67 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, EWJ stock has increased by 40.7% and is now trading at $69.91. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. Vestnik Kavkaza presents an article titled "The Trump administration wants to force Iran to change. Can it?", published by Washington Post, which discusses consequences of new sanctions against Iran from America's standpoint. There is a case to be made for tougher sanctions on Iran, such as those imposed Monday by the Trump administration. Since signing the 2015 accord limiting its nuclear program, Tehran has only stepped up its aggressions. It has supplied missiles to Houthi rebels in Yemen for use against Saudi Arabia, and it has smuggled them into Lebanon and Syria for potential use against Israel. It has been caught twice in four months trying to murder opponents in European countries. President Barack Obamas hopes that the nuclear deal would lead to a moderation of Irans malign activity were illusory. Now, having withdrawn from that pact unwisely, in our view President Trump is betting that the resumption of harsh sanctions will bring the regime of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to heel. While the punishment may be justified, the chance of a sea change in Tehran remains small. The new measures targeting Iranian oil exports, shipping and banks may reduce Tehrans oil exports to about a third of their recent peak of 2.8 million barrels a day, according to analysts. That will considerably dent the governments budget and perhaps tip Iran back into recession. But the embargo is unlikely to be as effective as that which brought Iran to the table for nuclear talks. China, India, Russia and Turkey are among the nations that will continue to buy Iranian oil. Iran may find it harder to find the billions it is spending on supporting Shiite militias across the Middle East. But the Revolutionary Guard Corps is unlikely to retreat from Iraq or the Levant, even if the price is more hardship for an already restless population back home. Senior Trump administration officials clearly hope the renewed economic pressure will trigger a change of regime. But Washington has been waiting in vain for such a counterrevolution since 1979. Whatever rewards come from squeezing the Islamic republic will probably be accompanied by new costs. Iran could resume attacks on U.S. targets in Iraq or in Syria, or challenge the diminished U.S. fleet in the Persian Gulf. It could take steps toward resuming its nuclear program something that would leave the Trump administration with few options short of military action. If thats the outcome, Mr. Trumps decision to pull out of the nuclear deal which international inspectors say Iran has observed will have spectacularly backfired. He could have stepped up pressure on Tehran without taking that risk. Mr. Trump says he wants to negotiate a new deal with the mullahs covering more than the nuclear program. If he is serious about that, he will have to alter his approach. Tehran will never agree to unilaterally abandon its equities in Iraq or elsewhere in the Middle East. The key to any grand bargain would be finding a peaceful balance of its interests with those of Saudi Arabia and its Sunni allies. That, in return, would require the Trump administration to retreat from its exaggerated embrace of the regime in Riyadh which, just like that of Iran, needs to have its aggressions placed in check. Papillon Resources Limited (Papillon) is engaged in the exploration and development of resource projects located in Mali. The Company has joint venture interests in a portfolio of gold tenements (granted licences and applications) in western and southern Mali. The Company's primary focus continued to be the advancement of the Fekola Project (Fekola or Project) located in south western Mali adjacent to the border with Senegal. Papillon completed its pre-feasibility study (PFS) for the project. The Company's subsidiaries include Mali Goldfields SARL, Songhoi Resources SARL, Bamagold SARL, Waraba Resources SARL, PIR Mali SARL, Papillon Exploration (AUS), Papillon Mining (AUS), Papillon Exploration (UK) and Papillon Mining (UK). Read More Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. engages in global investment banking, securities, and investment management, which provides financial services. It operates through the following business segments: Investment Banking, Global Markets, Asset Management, and Consumer & Wealth Management. The Investment Banking segment serves public and private sector clients around the world and provides financial advisory services, help companies raise capital to strengthen and grow their businesses and provide financing to corporate clients. The Global Markets segment serves its clients who buy and sell financial products, funding and manage risk. The Asset Management segment provides investment services to help clients preserve and grow their financial assets. The Consumer & Wealth Management segment helps clients to achieve their individual financial goals by providing a wealth advisory and banking services. The company was founded by Marcus Goldman in 1869 and is headquartered in New York, NY. Read More Speaking at the 6th World Congress of Compatriots Living Abroad on November 1, President Vladimir Putin noted: "Tensions and unpredictability are growing. The foundations of international law are being eroded, and long-term agreements between states are crumbling. Russophobia and, regrettably, other forms of extreme aggressive nationalism are being employed. There is no concealing the fact that a war on memorials and the Russian language is underway in Ukraine, the Baltics and several other countries. People are being intimidated and even terrorised. A natural desire to preserve ones ethnic roots is denounced as a crime and a form of separatism. The freedom of speech and the right to keep up ones traditions are defied. Some of our compatriots have been denied the right to practice their professions for political reasons." On the eve of the International Day against Fascism, Racism and Anti-Semitism, which is marked on November 9, the Moscow Bureau for Human Rights prepared the report Russians abroad: without right to have rights, dedicated to discrimination of compatriots and Russians abroad on grounds of language, political or other beliefs and origin. The member of two Councils under the President of the Russian Federation - for Civil Society and Human Rights and for Interethnic Relations, Alexander Brod, noted that Russia is involved in a large-scale confrontation with the Western world, the largest since the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union. "Economic sanctions are actively applied against our country, information campaigns are conducted to discredit its domestic and foreign policies, a policy of double standards has been openly pursued. The number of violations of the rights of Russians who live temporarily or permanently outside the Russian Federation, against compatriots, against tourists, diplomats, journalists and experts has increased dramatically. These incidents are multifaceted, dealing with a wide range of issues, including illegal detention, arrests, the creation of obstacles for diplomatic and journalistic work, interference with privacy, defamation and provocations." According to Alexander Brod, the first section of the report - Extradition, arrest, detention - tells about the widespread practice of extradition of Russian citizens, detained or arrested in third countries, to the United States. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, despite repeated calls for Russian-U.S. cooperation, there are still cases of unacceptable practices for hunting Russians around the world. The number of incidents of this kind exceeded three dozen. It was noted back in 2017, but now such things happen more often. Moscow has repeatedly said that Russia does not recognize the use of American law practiced by the United States, American jurisdiction throughout the world outside the rules of international law, but Washington completely ignores this position of Russia. In this context, the cases of Viktor Bout and Konstantin Yaroshenko became the most resonant cases, although this practice is not limited to them. Moreover, people live in difficult conditions, without the necessary medical care, without meetings with diplomats, lawyers, relatives. The appeals of human rights defenders authorized for human rights in Russia are completely ignored. The expulsion of diplomats is an extreme measure, which is usually avoided by countries, but nevertheless, we outlined several facts of resonant expulsions of Russian diplomats in the report. 2014 - Canada, 2014 - Poland, 2016 - United States, 35 Russian diplomats accused of violating diplomatic activities were exiled, five Russian diplomats were declared persona non grata in May 2017, 23 Russian diplomats were exiled in March 2018, the Greek government in July expelled two Russian diplomats who were accused of interference in internal affairs, illegal acts against national security, attempts to gather information as well as unsuccessful attempts to bribe Greek officials. Often these accusations are unproven and highly politicized," Brod said. The report mentions last September searches in the Russian consulate general in San Francisco and two buildings of the Russian trade mission in Washington and New York. And one more new trend - access to the UN is being blocked for delegations whose opinion does not fit into the official agenda of the West. In particular, this November, access was denied to representatives of the Russian delegation. According to the chairman of the Russian Civic Chamber's Commission for the Development of Public Diplomacy, Humanitarian Cooperation and Traditional Values, the first deputy chairman of the International Public Fund 'Russian Peace Foundation' Yelena Sutormina, all these facts are partly explained by the fact that centers for countering Russian propaganda in the West and Europe are actively created now: The U.S. State Department allocates huge funds, including to non-governmental organizations. Today, about 25-30 million of our compatriots live abroad. Many of them are subjected to pressure and rights violations in current realities. This October, the United Nations named Latvia and Lithuania, where the term "non-citizens" is used, leaders in discrimination against Russians in Europe. In the Baltic countries, they try to limit in every way the right of our compatriots to use Russian. There are not just attempts to prohibit it in teaching, but also in communication, because in everyday life people in store often refuse to sell something if the buyer speaks Russian. Even doctors refuse to accept children of parents who speak Russian. I'm not talking about pressure on actions, events for activists who hold memory actions, in particular devoted to the Great Patriotic War." Sutormina separately noted the topic of combating historical monuments: In Poland, a decision was made to demolish 500 monuments. There was a case recently, when a monument was demolished in Lithuania. In the Russian Civic Chamber we are trying to resist such attempts, after each such glaring case we send an appeal to the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, to the OSCE, to the UN. But in 90% of cases we receive no answer. However, recently the OSCE said that they are worried about what is happening in Ukraine. We call on international human rights organizations - Amnesty International, Reporters Without Borders - to be more active." Elena Sutormina focused on the pressure on the Russian media - Sputnik, Russia Today: There is a blatant situation in Ukraine. There are cracking down on independent media, different forces are used in the Internet, social networks with Russophobic themes that are used by official authorities of various countries. One of our tasks is to provide more active participation of Russian NGOs at international platforms - the UNHRC, OSCE, UNESCO." The following companies are subsidiares of Exxon Mobil: AKG Marketing Company Limited, Aera Energy LLC, Al-Jubail Petrochemical Company, Ampolex (Cepu) Pte Ltd, Ancon Insurance Company Inc., Barnett Gathering LLC, Barzan Gas Company Limited, Caspian Pipeline Consortium, Celtic Exploration Ltd., Coral FLNG S.A., Cross Timbers Energy LLC, Ellora Energy Inc., Esmeroon Oil Transporta Imperial Oil Limited, Esso (Thailand) Public Company Limited, Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd, Esso Deutschland GmbH, Esso Erdgas Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Esso Exploration Angola (Block 15) Limited, Esso Exploration Angola (Block 17) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Angola (Overseas) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Chad Inc., Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Deepwater) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Offshore East) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, Esso Exploration and Production UK Limited, Esso Global Investments Ltd., Esso Italiana S.r.l., Esso Nederland B.V., Esso Norge AS, Esso Petroleum Company Limited, Esso Raffinage, Esso Societe Anonyme Francaise, Exxo Holdings Inc., Exxon Azerbaijan Limited, Exxon Chemical Arabia Inc., Exxon International Finance Company, Exxon Luxembourg Holdings LLC, Exxon Mobile Bay Limited Partnership, Exxon Neftegas Limited, Exxon Overseas Corporation, Exxon Overseas Investment Corporation, ExxonMobil (China) Investment Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil (Taicang) Petroleum Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil Abu Dhabi Offshore Petroleum Company Limited, ExxonMobil Alaska Production Inc., ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., ExxonMobil Australia Pty Ltd, ExxonMobil B Resources Company, ExxonMobil Capital Finance Company, ExxonMobil Capital Netherlands B.V., ExxonMobil Central Europe Holding GmbH, ExxonMobil Cepu Limited, ExxonMobil Chemical France, ExxonMobil Chemical Gulf Coast Investments LLC, ExxonMobil Chemical Holland B.V., ExxonMobil Chemical Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil China Petroleum & Petrochemical Company Limited, ExxonMobil Development Africa B.V., ExxonMobil Development Company, ExxonMobil Egypt (S.A.E.), ExxonMobil Exploracao Brasil Ltda., ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Malaysia Inc., ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Norway AS, ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Romania Limited, ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Tanzania Limited, ExxonMobil Finance Company Limited, ExxonMobil Financial Investment Company Limited, ExxonMobil France Holding SAS, ExxonMobil Gas Marketing Europe Limited, ExxonMobil General Finance Company, ExxonMobil Global Services Company, ExxonMobil Golden Pass Surety LLC, ExxonMobil Holding Company Holland LLC, ExxonMobil Holding Norway AS, ExxonMobil Hong Kong Limited, ExxonMobil International Services SARL, ExxonMobil Iraq Limited, ExxonMobil Italiana Gas S.r.l., ExxonMobil Kazakhstan Inc., ExxonMobil Kazakhstan Ventures Inc., ExxonMobil LNG Services B.V., ExxonMobil Lubricants Trading Company, ExxonMobil Oil Corporation, ExxonMobil PNG Limited, ExxonMobil Petroleum & Chemical BVBA, ExxonMobil Petroleum & Chemical Holdings Inc., ExxonMobil Pipeline Company, ExxonMobil Production Deutschland GmbH, ExxonMobil Production Norway Inc., ExxonMobil Qatargas (II) Limited, ExxonMobil Qatargas Inc., ExxonMobil Ras Laffan (III) Limited, ExxonMobil Rasgas Inc., ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company, ExxonMobil Russia Kara Sea Holdings B.V., ExxonMobil Sales and Supply LLC, ExxonMobil Technology Finance Company, ExxonMobil Ventures Finance Company, ExxonMobil Ventures Funding Ltd., Fujian Refining & Petrochemical Co. Ltd., Golden Pass LNG Terminal Investments LLC, Golden Pass LNG Terminal LLC, Gulf Coast Growth Ventures LLC, Imperial Oil Limited, Imperial Oil Resources Limited, Imperial Oil Resources N.W.T. Limited, Imperial Oil/Petroliere Imperiale, Infineum Italia s.r.I., Infineum Singapore Pte. Ltd., InterOil Corporation, Jurong Aromatics Corporation Pte Ltd, MPM Lubricants, Marine Well Containment Company LLC, Mobil Australia Resources Company Pty Limited, Mobil California Exploration & Producing Asset Company, Mobil Caspian Pipeline Company, Mobil Chemical Products International Inc., Mobil Corporation, Mobil Equatorial Guinea Inc., Mobil Erdgas Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Mobil Exploration & Producing Australia Pty Ltd, Mobil International Petroleum Corporation, Mobil Oil Australia Pty Ltd, Mobil Oil Exploration & Producing Southeast Inc., Mobil Oil New Zealand Limited, Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Mobil Producing Texas & New Mexico Inc., Mobil SerLimited, Mobil Venezolana De Petroleos Inc., Mobil Yanbu Petrochemical Company Inc., Mobil Yanbu Refining Company Inc., Mountain Gathering LLC, Mozambique Rovuma Venture S.p.A., Palmetto Transoceanic LLC, Papua New Guinea Liquefied Natural Gas Global Company LDC, Permian Express Partners LLC, Phillips Exploration LLC, Qatar Liquefied Gas Company Limited, Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited, Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited (II), SPI Limited, Saudi Aramco Mobil Refinery Company Ltd., Saudi Yanbu Petrochemical Co., SeaRiver Maritime Inc., South Hook LNG Terminal Company Limited, Tengizchevroil LLP, Terminale GNL Adriatico S.r.l, Trend Gathering & Treating LLC, Wolverine Pipe Line Company, XH LLC, XTO Delaware Basin LLC, XTO ENERGY, XTO Energy Canada, and XTO Holdings LLC. iShares MSCI India ETF's stock was trading at $28.76 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, INDA stock has increased by 72.3% and is now trading at $49.56. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. BT Group plc provides communications services worldwide. Its Consumer segment sells telephones, baby monitors, and Wi-Fi extenders through high street retailers, online BT Shop, and Website BT.com; and offers home phone, copper and fiber broadband, TV, and mobile services in various packages. The company's EE segment offers 2G, 3G, and 4G mobile network services; broadband, fixed-voice, and TV services; and postpaid and prepaid plans, and emergency services network. This segment also sells 4G mobile phones, tablets, connected devices, and mobile broadband devices from various manufacturers. Its Business and Public Sector segment provides fixed voice, mobility, fiber and connectivity, and networked IT services to retailers, utilities, public sector, healthcare, sports, construction, finance, and educational sectors. The company's Global Services segment offers business communications and ICT services comprising BT Connect, BT Security, BT One, BT Contact, BT Compute, BT Advise, and BT for financial markets. This segment serves approximately 5,500 customers in 180 countries. Its Wholesale and Ventures segment enables communications providers and other organizations to provide fixed or mobile phone services. Its ventures provide mass-market services, such as directory enquiries and payphones; and enterprise services comprising BT Fleet and BT Redcare. This segment also provides broadband and Ethernet, voice, hosted communication, mobile virtual network operator, managed solutions, machine-to-machine, roaming, and media services. The company's Openreach segment engages in the provision of services over the local access network; and installation and maintenance of fiber and copper communications networks that connect homes and businesses. The company was formerly known as Newgate Telecommunications Limited and changed its name to BT Group plc in September 2001. BT Group plc was incorporated in 2001 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. Read More Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF's stock was trading at $34.10 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, SPHD shares have increased by 25.8% and is now trading at $42.89. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. The following companies are subsidiares of Zimmer Biomet: Abbott Spine, Beijing Montagne Medical Device Co. Ltd., Beijing Montagne Medical Device Co. Ltd., BioMet, Biomet 3i Australia Pty. Ltd., Biomet 3i Belgium N.V., Biomet 3i Benelux Holdings N.V., Biomet 3i Dental Iberica SL, Biomet 3i LLC, Biomet 3i Mexico S.A. de C.V., Biomet 3i Netherlands B.V., Biomet 3i Nordic AB, Biomet 3i Portugal Lda, Biomet 3i Switzerland GmbH, Biomet 3i Turkey, Biomet 3i UK Ltd., Biomet 3i do Brasil Comercio de Aparelhos Medicos Ltda., Biomet Acquisitions (Unlimited), Biomet Argentina SA, Biomet Australia Pty. Ltd., Biomet Biologics LLC, Biomet Brazil Medical Device Ltda., Biomet C.V., Biomet CV Holdings LLC, Biomet Cementing Technologies AB, Biomet Chile SA, Biomet China Co. Ltd., Biomet Deutschland GmbH, Biomet Deutschland Holding GmbH, Biomet Fair Lawn LLC, Biomet Finance US LLC, Biomet France Sarl, Biomet Global Supply Chain Center B.V., Biomet Healthcare Management GmbH, Biomet Holdings B.V., Biomet Hong Kong CBT Ltd., Biomet Hong Kong Holding Ltd., Biomet Hong Kong No. 1 Ltd., Biomet Inc., Biomet Insurance Ltd., Biomet International Inc., Biomet International Orthopedics LLC, Biomet Leasing Inc., Biomet Manufacturing LLC, Biomet Mexico S.A. de C.V., Biomet Microfixation B.V., Biomet Orthopedics LLC, Biomet Orthopedics Puerto Rico Inc., Biomet Spain Orthopaedics S.L., Biomet Sports Medicine LLC, Biomet Trauma LLC, Biomet U.S. Reconstruction LLC, Biomet UK Healthcare Ltd., Biomet UK Ltd., CD Diagnostics, CD Diagnostics Inc., CD Laboratories Inc., Cayenne Medical, Cayenne Medical Inc., CelgenTek Innovations Corporation, Centerpulse Ltd, Changzhou Biomet Medical Devices Co. Ltd., Citra Labs LLC, Clinical Graphics, Compression Therapy Concepts Inc., Compression Therapy Products, D.S. Comp Ltd., Dornoch Medical Systems, Dornoch Medical Systems Inc., EBI Holdings LLC, EBI LLC, EBI Medical Systems LLC, EBI Patient Care Inc., ETEX Corporation, ETEX Holdings Inc., Electro-Biology LLC, Endius, Espanormed S.L., Etex, ExtraOrtho, Hakuho Company Ltd., IC Guided Surgery SRL, Implant Concierge LLC, Implant Innovations Holdings LLC, Implex, InnoVision Inc., Interpore Cross International LLC, JERDS Luxembourg Holding Sarl, Kirschner Medical Corporation, Knee Creations, LDR Brasil Comercio Importacao e Exportacao Ltda., LDR Holding, LDR Medical Hong Kong (branch), LDR Medical S.A.S., LVB Acquisition Inc., Lanx Puerto Rico LLC , Lanx Srl, Medical Compression Systems Inc., Medtech SA, Medtech SAS, Medtech Surgical GmbH, Medtech Surgical Inc., NORMED Medizin-Technik GmbH, ORTHOsoft ULC, Ortho Transmission, Orthopaedic Advantage LLC, Ospol Participacoes Ltda., Representaciones Zimmer Inc. S. de R.L. de C.V., Respondwell, SM Re Ltd., Scandimed Holding AB, Shanghai Biomet Business Consulting Co. Ltd., Synvasive Technology, Synvasive Technology Inc., ZB COOP C.V., ZB COOP LLC, ZB Cayman (Asia) Holding Ltd., ZB Cayman Island CBT 2 Ltd., ZB Dental India Private Limited, ZB EMEA 1 LP, ZB EMEA Finance UK 1 Ltd., ZB EMEA Finance UK 2 Ltd., ZB EMEA Finance UK 3 Ltd., ZB EMEA US UK LLC, ZB Hong Kong CBT 2 Ltd., ZB Hong Kong Holding Ltd., ZB Hong Kong Ltd., ZB Manufacturing LLC, ZB UK Group Holdings Limited, ZH2LX Barbados Branch (branch), Zfx, Zfx GmbH, Zfx Innovation GmbH, Zhejiang Biomet Medical Products Co. Ltd., Zimmer (Shanghai) Medical International Trading Co. Ltd., Zimmer Asia (HK) Ltd., Zimmer Australia Holding Pty. Ltd., Zimmer Biomet (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Zimmer Biomet Asel Alarabiya Limited Company, Zimmer Biomet Asia Holding B.V., Zimmer Biomet Asia Holdings Pte. Ltd., Zimmer Biomet Austria GmbH, Zimmer Biomet BVBA, Zimmer Biomet CBT, Zimmer Biomet CBT 2, Zimmer Biomet CMF and Thoracic LLC, Zimmer Biomet Canada Inc., Zimmer Biomet Centroamerica SA, Zimmer Biomet Comp Ltd., Zimmer Biomet Denmark ApS, Zimmer Biomet Dental Canada Inc., Zimmer Biomet Dental K.K., Zimmer Biomet Deutschland GmbH, Zimmer Biomet Distribution LLC, Zimmer Biomet Finance Srl, Zimmer Biomet Finance US Holding Inc., Zimmer Biomet Finland Oy, Zimmer Biomet France Holdings SAS, Zimmer Biomet France SAS, Zimmer Biomet GK, Zimmer Biomet Global Holdings Switzerland GmbH, Zimmer Biomet Hellas SA, Zimmer Biomet Ireland Limited, Zimmer Biomet Italia Srl, Zimmer Biomet Korea Ltd., Zimmer Biomet Nederland B.V., Zimmer Biomet New Zealand Company, Zimmer Biomet Norway AS, Zimmer Biomet OUS Holdings AG, Zimmer Biomet Polska Sp. z.o.o, Zimmer Biomet Portugal Unipessoal Lda, Zimmer Biomet Pty. Ltd., Zimmer Biomet Romania S.R.L., Zimmer Biomet South Africa (Pty) Ltd., Zimmer Biomet Spain S.L., Zimmer Biomet Spine Inc., Zimmer Biomet Sweden AB, Zimmer Biomet Taiwan Co. Ltd., Zimmer Biomet UK Ltd., Zimmer Biomet US 2 Holding Inc., Zimmer CBT I Holding Inc., Zimmer CBT II Holding Inc., Zimmer CEP USA Holding Co., Zimmer CEP USA Inc., Zimmer CIS Ltd., Zimmer CV Inc., Zimmer Caribe LLC, Zimmer Cayman Islands Holding Co. Ltd., Zimmer Co-op Holdings LLC, Zimmer Colombia SAS, Zimmer Czech sro, Zimmer Dental (Shanghai) Medical Device Co. Ltd., Zimmer Dental Chile Spa, Zimmer Dental GmbH, Zimmer Dental Inc., Zimmer Dental Italy Srl, Zimmer Dental Ltd., Zimmer Dental SAS, Zimmer Finance Ireland, Zimmer France Manufacturing Sarl, Zimmer Germany Holdings GmbH, Zimmer GmbH, Zimmer GmbH Euro IP Branch (branch), Zimmer GmbH Winterthur Branch (branch), Zimmer Gulf FZ LLC, Zimmer Inc., Zimmer India Private Ltd., Zimmer International Logistics GmbH, Zimmer Investments LLC, Zimmer Knee Creations Inc., Zimmer Luxembourg II Sarl, Zimmer Luxembourg Sarl, Zimmer Manufacturing B.V., Zimmer Manufacturing B.V. (branch), Zimmer Medical Malaysia SDN BHD, Zimmer Netherlands Cooperatief U.A., Zimmer Orthobiologics Inc., Zimmer Orthopedics Manufacturing Limited, Zimmer Production Inc., Zimmer Pte. Ltd., Zimmer Slovakia sro, Zimmer Southeast Florida LLC, Zimmer Spine Next Inc., Zimmer Spine SAS, Zimmer Surgical, Zimmer Surgical Inc., Zimmer Surgical SA, Zimmer Switzerland Holdings LLC, Zimmer Switzerland Manufacturing GmbH, Zimmer Tibbi Cihazlar Sanayi ve Ticaret AS, Zimmer Trabecular Metal Technology Inc., Zimmer Trustee Ltd., Zimmer UK Limited, Zimmer US Inc., and Zimmer do Brasil Comercio Ltda.. CGI Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides information technology (IT) and business process services in Canada, Northern Europe, France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, and the Asia Pacific. Its services include the management of IT and business outsourcing, systems integration and consulting, and software solutions selling activities. The company also offers application development, management, testing, portfolio management, and modernization services; business consulting, including agile, business transformation, change management, CIO advisory, cybersecurity, data analytics, digital enterprise, project management, and industry-specific services; and a suite of business process services designed to address the needs of specific industries, as well as IT infrastructure consulting, solutions, and services. It serves clients operating in government, financial services, health, utility, communication, oil and gas, manufacturing, retail and consumer service, transportation, and post and logistics sectors. The company was formerly known as CGI Group Inc. and changed its name to CGI Inc. in January 2019. CGI Inc. was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Read More China Telecom Corporation Limited, together with its subsidiaries, provides wireline and mobile telecommunications services primarily in the People's Republic of China. It offers wireline voice services, including local wireline telephone services and long distance wireline services; CDMA mobile voice services, such as local calls, domestic and international long distance calls, intra-provincial roaming, and inter-provincial roaming and international roaming; wireline Internet access services comprising dial-up and broadband services; wireless Internet access services; and wireline, Internet, and mobile value-added services. The company also provides Best Tone information services; and information technology-based integrated solutions, such as system integration and consulting, outsourcing, special advisory, information application, knowledge, and software development services. In addition, it offers managed data services that include digital data network, frame relay, and asynchronous transfer mode services for government agencies, large corporations, and institutions; and leased line services, as well as sells, repairs, and maintains customer-end equipment. Further, the company provides international telecommunications services, including network, Internet access and transit, Internet data center, and mobile virtual network services in various countries, including the Asia Pacific, Europe, Africa, South America, and North America; and music production and related information, instant messenger, finance leasing, capital and financial management, and e-commerce services, as well as sells telecommunications terminals. As of December 31, 2019, it had approximately 336 million mobile subscribers; 153 million wireline broadband subscribers; and 111 million access lines in service. The company was incorporated in 2002 and is based in Wanchai, Hong Kong. China Telecom Corporation Limited is a subsidiary of China Telecommunications Corporation. Read More The former Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Yury Khachaturov, who was removed from office on 2 November, has returned to Armenia, the Zhoghovurd newspaper reported, citing sources. Khachaturov was relieved from his post as CSTO Secretary General at the initiative of the Armenian government since he was charged with overthrowing the countrys constitutional order during the 2008 crackdown. Khachaturov, who led the Yerevan garrison of the Armenian Armed Forces at the time, said that he is not pleading guilty. The Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction released Khachaturov on his own recognizance on 28 July after he paid a bail of 5 mln drams ($10,000). In early August, Khachaturov was permitted to come to Moscow to continue his job as Secretary General of the CSTO. Head of Armenias Special Investigation Service, Sasun Khachatryan, said in that Khachaturov hadnt been called in for questioning since his departure to Russia. Shares of iShares Russell Mid-Cap ETF split on the morning of Friday, October 26th 2018. The 4-1 split was announced on Friday, September 28th 2018. The newly minted shares were payable to shareholders after the closing bell on Thursday, October 25th 2018. An investor that had 100 shares of iShares Russell Mid-Cap ETF stock prior to the split would have 400 shares after the split. The following companies are subsidiares of Travelers Companies: 10762962 Canada Inc., 350 Market Street LLC, 8527512 Canada Inc., Aetna Life and Casualty Co, American Equity Insurance Company, American Equity Specialty Insurance Company, Aprilgrange Limited, Arch Street North LLC, Auto Hartford Investments LLC, Bayhill Restaurant II Associates, Camperdown Corporation, Constitution State Services LLC, Discover Property & Casualty Insurance Company, Discover Specialty Insurance Company, F&G UK Underwriters Limited, Farmington Casualty Company, Fidelity and Guaranty Insurance Company, Fidelity and Guaranty Insurance Underwriters Inc., First Floridian Auto and Home Insurance Company, Gulf Underwriters Insurance Company, IHP Capital Partners Fund VIII L.P., Northbrook Holdings Inc., Northfield Insurance Company, Northland Casualty Company, Northland Insurance Company, Phoenix UK Investments LLC, SPC Insurance Agency Inc., Select Insurance Company, Simply Business Holdings Inc., Simply Business Inc., St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company, St. Paul Guardian Insurance Company, St. Paul Mercury Insurance Company, St. Paul Protective Insurance Company, St. Paul Surplus Lines Insurance Company, Standard Fire Properties LLC, Standard Fire UK Investments LLC, TCI Global Services Inc., TPC Investments Inc., TPC U.K. Investments LLC, The Automobile Insurance Company of Hartford Connecticut, The Charter Oak Fire Insurance Company, The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company, The Family Business Institute LLC, The Phoenix Insurance Company, The St. Paul Companies Inc., The Standard Fire Insurance Company, The Travelers Casualty Company, The Travelers Home and Marine Insurance Company, The Travelers Indemnity Company, The Travelers Indemnity Company of America, The Travelers Indemnity Company of Connecticut, The Travelers Lloyds Insurance Company, TravCo Insurance Company, Travelers (Bermuda) Limited, Travelers Brazil Acquisition LLC, Travelers Brazil Holding LLC, Travelers Casualty Company of Connecticut, Travelers Casualty Insurance Company of America, Travelers Casualty UK Investments LLC, Travelers Casualty and Surety Company, Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America, Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of Europe Limited, Travelers Commercial Casualty Company, Travelers Commercial Insurance Company, Travelers Constitution State Insurance Company, Travelers Distribution Alliance Inc., Travelers Excess and Surplus Lines Company, Travelers Global Inc., Travelers Indemnity U.K. Investments LLC, Travelers Insurance Company Limited, Travelers Insurance Company of Canada, Travelers Insurance Designated Activity Company, Travelers Insurance Group Holdings Inc., Travelers Lloyds of Texas Insurance Company, Travelers London Limited, Travelers MGA Inc., Travelers Management Limited, Travelers Marine LLC, Travelers Participacoes em Seguros Brasil S.A., Travelers Personal Insurance Company, Travelers Personal Security Insurance Company, Travelers Property Casualty Company of America, Travelers Property Casualty Corp., Travelers Property Casualty Insurance Company, Travelers Seguros Brasil S.A., Travelers Syndicate Management Limited, Travelers Texas MGA Inc., Travelers Underwriting Agency Limited, Ultramar Travel Management, United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company, Xbridge Limited, Zensurance Brokers Inc., and Zensurance Inc.. Delta Galil Industries Ltd. engages in development, design, production, marketing and sale of underwear, socks, children's wear, leisure wear and Activewear as well as in development, design, marketing, distribution and sale of branded products in the category of men's and women's jeans and outerwear and related products. It operates through the following segments: Delta USA, Global Upper Market, Schiesser, Delta Israel, and Delta Premium Brands. The Delta USA Segment engages in the development, design and marketing of lingerie, socks and Activewear to Private Labels. The Global Upper Market segment develops, designs, manufactures and markets men's and women's underwear, socks and Activewear manufactured at the Company's plants and sold to retail chains and to brands in Europe and the United States. The Schiesser segment covers the development, design, manufacture and marketing of labeled women's, men's and children's underwear and Activewear under the Schiesser brand. The Delta Israel segment is involved in the development, design and marketing of labeled women's and men's underwear, socks and Activewear products, as well as children's wear under the Delta brand. The Delta Premium Brands segment engages in development, design, marketing, distribution and sale of premium products under the brands 7 For All Mankind, Splendid, Ella moss. The company was founded by Dov Lautman and Eliezer Peleg in 1975 and is headquartered in Caesarea, Israel. Read More Armenia's government has approved a decision to allocate about 3 billion drams (about $6.1 million) for the preparation and holding of early parliamentary elections on December 9. The acting Minister of Justice Artak Zeynalyan said some 2.7 billion drams will be released from the reserve fund of the government for the Central Election Commission. According to him, another 10 million drams will be provided to the Ministry of Justice for the publication of 10 thousand copies of the Electoral Code, and 234.2 million drams to the police. Of that amount 10 million drams will be spent on the purchase of clothing and stationery, and the remaining 224.2 million drams will be used for communication services and verification of the voter lists, ARKA reported. Acting First Deputy Prime Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said Armenia will receive also assistance from international and donor organizations under the UN auspices, including the installation of video surveillance equipment and the publication of training materials. Canadian Utilities Limited and its subsidiaries engage in the electricity, natural gas, and retail energy businesses worldwide. It operates through Utilities, Energy Infrastructure, and Corporate & Other segments. The Utilities segment provides regulated electricity transmission and distribution services in northern and central east Alberta, the Yukon, and the Northwest Territories; and integrated natural gas transmission and distribution services in Alberta, the Lloydminster area of Saskatchewan, and Western Australia. It owns and operates approximately 9,000 kilometers of natural gas pipelines, 16 compressor sites, approximately 3,700 receipt and delivery points, and a salt cavern storage peaking facility located near Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta in Canada. The Energy Infrastructure segment provides electricity generation, natural gas storage, industrial water, and related infrastructure development solutions in Alberta, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Australia, Mexico, and Chile. The Corporate & Other segment retails electricity and natural gas business in Alberta. The company was incorporated in 1927 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Canadian Utilities Limited is a subsidiary of ATCO Ltd. Read More There is not enough analysis data for Dividend 15 Split Corp. II. 5.0 Community Rank Outperform Votes Dividend 15 Split Corp. II has received 4 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Dividend 15 Split Corp. II has received 1 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Dividend 15 Split Corp. II has received 80.00% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Dividend 15 Split Corp. II and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe DF will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe DF will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next The following companies are subsidiares of Eli Lilly and: 1096401 B.C. Unlimited Liability Company, ARMO BioSciences Inc, ARMO Bioscience, Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Alnara Pharmaceuticals, Alnara Pharmaceuticals Inc., Andean Technical Operations Center, Applied Molecular Evolution Inc., AurKa Pharma, Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Avid Radiopharmaceuticals Inc., ChemGen, CoLucid Pharmaceuticals, CoLucid Pharmaceuticals Inc., Dermira, Devices for Vascular Intervention(DVI), Disarm Therapeutics, Dista Ilac Ticaret Ltd. Sti., Dista S.A., Dista-Produtos Quimicos & Farmaceuticos LDA, ELCO Dominicana SRL, ELCO Insurance Company Limited, ELCO Management Inc., ELCO for Trade and Marketing S.A.E., ELGO Insurance Company Limited, Elanco Animal Health Ireland Limited, Elanco Switzerland Holding Sarl, Eli Lilly (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Eli Lilly (Philippines) Incorporated, Eli Lilly (S.A.) (Proprietary) Limited, Eli Lilly (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Eli Lilly (Suisse) S.A., Eli Lilly Asia Inc., Eli Lilly Asia Pacific SSC Sdn Bhd, Eli Lilly Australia Pty. Limited, Eli Lilly B-H d.o.o., Eli Lilly Benelux S.A., Eli Lilly Bienes y Servicios S de RL de CV, Eli Lilly CR s.r.o., Eli Lilly Canada Inc., Eli Lilly Cork Limited, Eli Lilly Danmark A/S, Eli Lilly Egypt for Trading, Eli Lilly European Clinical Trial Services SA, Eli Lilly Export S.A., Eli Lilly Finance S.A., Eli Lilly Ges.m.b.H., Eli Lilly Group Limited, Eli Lilly Holdings Ltd., Eli Lilly Hrvatska d.o.o., Eli Lilly Interamerica Inc., Eli Lilly Interamerica Inc. y Compania Limitada, Eli Lilly International Corporation, Eli Lilly Ireland Holdings Limited, Eli Lilly Israel Ltd., Eli Lilly Italia S.p.A., Eli Lilly Japan K.K., Eli Lilly Kinsale Limited, Eli Lilly Nederland B.V., Eli Lilly Nigeria Ltd., Eli Lilly Norge A.S., Eli Lilly Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd., Eli Lilly Polska Sp.z.o.o. (Ltd.), Eli Lilly Regional Operations GmbH, Eli Lilly Romania SRL, Eli Lilly S.A., Eli Lilly Saudi Arabia Limited, Eli Lilly Services Inc, Eli Lilly Services India Private Limited, Eli Lilly Slovakia s.r.o., Eli Lilly Sweden AB, Eli Lilly Vostok S.A. Geneva, Eli Lilly and Company, Eli Lilly and Company (India) Pvt. Ltd., Eli Lilly and Company (Ireland) Limited, Eli Lilly and Company (N.Z.) Limited, Eli Lilly and Company (Taiwan) Inc., Eli Lilly and Company Limited, Eli Lilly de Centro America S.A., Eli Lilly do Brasil Limitada, Eli Lilly farmacevtska druzba d.o.o., Eli Lilly y Compania de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Eli Lilly y Compania de Venezuela S.A., Glycostasis Inc, Greenfield-Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Heart Rhythm Technologies Inc, Hybritech, Hypnion, ICOS Corporation, ImClone GmbH, ImClone LLC, ImClone Systems Holdings Inc., ImClone Systems LLC, Imclone Systems, Irisfarma S.A., Ivy Animal Health, Kinsale Financial Services Unlimited Company, Lilly (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd, Lilly Asia Ventures Fund I L.P., Lilly Asia Ventures Fund II L.P., Lilly Asian Ventures Fund III L.P., Lilly Cayman Holdings, Lilly China Research and Development Co. Ltd., Lilly Deutschland GmbH, Lilly France S.A.S., Lilly Global Nederland Holdings B.V., Lilly Global Services Inc., Lilly Holding GmbH, Lilly Holdings B.V., Lilly Hungaria KFT, Lilly Japan Financing G.K., Lilly Korea Ltd., Lilly Nederland Finance B.V., Lilly Nederland Finance B.V. - GCC, Lilly Nederland Holding B.V., Lilly Pharma Ltd., Lilly Portugal - Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Lilly S.A., Lilly Suzhou Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Lilly Trading Co. LTD, Lilly USA LLC, Lilly Ventures Fund I LLC, Lilly del Caribe Inc., Lilly ilac ticaret limited sirketi, Lohmann Animal Health, Loxo Oncology, Lylly Centre for Clinical Pharmacology PTE. LTD., Novartis Animal Health, OY Eli Lilly Finland AB, Origin Medsystems, PT. Eli Lilly Indonesia, Pacific Biotech, Pharmaserve-Lilly S.A.C.I., Physio-Control, SGX Pharmaceuticals, SGX Pharmaceuticals Inc, Spaly Bioquimica S.A., UAB Eli Lilly Lietuva, Valquifarma S.A., and Vital Pharma Productos Farmaceuticos. Everest Re Group Ltd. is a holding company, which engages in the provision of reinsurance and insurance services. It operates through the following segments: U.S. Reinsurance, International, Bermuda, and Insurance. The U.S. Reinsurance segment writes property and casualty reinsurance and specialty lines of business, including marine, aviation, surety, and accident and health business, on both a treaty and facultative basis, through reinsurance brokers, as well as directly with ceding companies primarily within the U.S. The International segment offers foreign property and casualty reinsurance through Everest Re's branches in Canada and Singapore and through offices in Brazil, Miami, and New Jersey. The Bermuda segment comprises reinsurance and insurance to worldwide property and casualty markets through brokers and directly with ceding companies from its Bermuda office and reinsurance to the United Kingdom and European markets through its UK branch and Ireland Re. The Insurance segment writes property and casualty insurance directly and through brokers, surplus lines brokers, and general agents within the U.S., Canada, and Europe. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartere Read More JPMorgan Chase & Co. is a financial holding company. It provides financial and investment banking services. The firm offers a range of investment banking products and services in all capital markets, including advising on corporate strategy and structure, capital raising in equity and debt markets, risk management, market making in cash securities and derivative instruments, and brokerage and research. It operates through the following segments: Consumer and Community Banking, Corporate and Investment Bank, Commercial Banking, and Asset and Wealth Management. The Consumer and Community Banking segment serves consumers and businesses through personal service at bank branches and through automated teller machine, online, mobile, and telephone banking. The Corporate and Investment Bank segment offers a suite of investment banking, market-making, prime brokerage, and treasury and securities products and services to a global client base of corporations, investors, financial institutions, government and municipal entities. The Commercial Banking segment delivers services to U.S. and its multinational clients, including corporations, municipalities, financial institutions, and non profit Read More Franklin Covey Co. engages in consulting and training in the areas of strategy execution, customer loyalty, leadership, and individual effectiveness. It operates through the following three segments: Direct Offices, Education Practice, International Licensees and Corporate and Other. The Direct Offices segment includes sales personnel that serve the United States and Canada; international sales offices located in Japan, China, the United Kingdom, and Australia; governmental sales channel; and public program operations. The Education Practice segment includes domestic and international Education practice operations, which are focused on sales to educational institutions such as elementary schools, high schools, and colleges and universities. The International Licensees segment primarily comprised of royalty revenues received from these licensees. The Corporate and Other segment includes leasing operations, shipping and handling revenues, and certain corporate administrative expenses. The company was founded by Brent L. Bishop, Stephen R. Covey and Hyrum Wayne Smith in 1983 and is headquartered in Salt Lake City, UT. Read More The Bank of Nova Scotia provides various banking products and services in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Colombia, the Caribbean and Central America, and internationally. It operates through Canadian Banking, International Banking, Global Banking and Markets, and Global Wealth Management segments. The company offers financial advice and solutions, and day-to-day banking products, including debit and credit cards, chequing and saving accounts, investments, mortgages, loans, and insurance to individuals; and business banking solutions comprising lending, deposit, cash management, and trade finance solutions to small businesses and commercial customers, including automotive financing solutions to dealers and their customers. It also provides wealth management advice and solutions, including online brokerage, mobile investment, full-service brokerage, trust, private banking, and private investment counsel services; and retail mutual funds, exchange traded funds, liquid alternative funds, and institutional funds. In addition, the company offers international banking services for retail, corporate, and commercial customers; and lending and transaction, investment banking advisory, and capital markets access services to corporate customers. Further, it provides Internet, mobile, and telephone banking services. The company operates a network of 952 branches and approximately 3,540 automated banking machines in Canada; and approximately 1,400 branches, 5,200 ATMs, and 22 contact centers internationally. The Bank of Nova Scotia was founded in 1832 and is headquartered in Halifax, Canada. Read More Oasis Petroleum Inc., an independent exploration and production company, focuses on the acquisition and development of onshore unconventional oil and natural gas resources in the United States. It operates through Exploration and Production(E&P), and Midstream segments. The E&P segment engages in the acquisition and development of oil and gas properties. The Midstream segment offers midstream services, such as natural gas gathering, compression, processing and, gas lift supply; crude oil gathering, terminaling, and transportation; produced and flowback water gathering, and disposal; and water distribution. As of December 31, 2020, the company had 401,766 net leasehold acres in the Williston Basin; and 24,396 net leasehold acres in the Permian Basin, as well as approximately 152.2 million barrels of oil equivalent of estimated net proved reserves. The company sells its crude oil and natural gas to refiners, marketers, and other purchasers that have access to pipeline and rail facilities. Oasis Petroleum Inc. was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas. Read More Rogers Communications Inc. operates as a communications and media company in Canada. It operates through three segments: Wireless, Cable, and Media. The company offers mobile Internet access, wireless voice and enhanced voice, device and accessory financing, wireless home phone, device protection, text messaging, e-mail, global voice and data roaming, bridging landline, machine-to-machine and Internet of Things solutions, and advanced wireless solutions for businesses, as well as device delivery services; and postpaid and prepaid services under the Rogers, Fido, and chatr brands to approximately 10.9 million subscribers. It also provides Internet and WiFi services; smart home monitoring services, such as monitoring, security, automation, energy efficiency, and smart control through a smartphone app. In addition, the company offers local and network TV; on-demand television; cloud-based digital video recorders; voice-activated remote controls, and integrated apps; personal video recorders; linear and time-shifted programming; digital specialty channels; 4K television programming; and televised content on smartphones, tablets, and personal computers, as well as operates Ignite TV and Ignite TV app. Further, it provides residential and small business local telephony services; calling features, such as voicemail, call waiting, and long distance; voice, data networking, Internet protocol, and Ethernet services; private networking, Internet, IP voice, and cloud solutions; optical wave and multi-protocol label switching services; IT and network technologies; and cable access network services. The company also owns Toronto Blue Jays and the Rogers Centre event venue; and operates Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet World, Citytv, OMNI, FX (Canada), FXX (Canada), and OLN television networks, as well as 55 AM and FM radio stations. Rogers Communications Inc. was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Read More 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 Green Dot Corp. operates as a financial technology leader and bank holding company, which engages in the provision of modern banking and money movement accessible for all. It operates through the following segments: Account Services; Processing and Settlement Services; and Corporate and Other. The Account Services segment consists of revenues and expenses derived from deposit account programs, such as prepaid cards, debit cards, consumer and small business checking accounts, secured credit cards, payroll debit cards, and gift cards. The Processing and Settlement Services segment comprises of products and services that specialize in facilitating the movement of funds on behalf of consumers and businesses. The Corporate and Other segment represents eliminations of intersegment revenues and expenses, unallocated corporate expenses, depreciation and amortization, and other costs that are not considered when management evaluates segment performance. The company was founded by Steven W. Streit in October 1, 1999 and is headquartered in Pasadena, CA. Read More Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Astana to take part in the Council meeting of Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member countries. On Friday, Putin will also hold talks with Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev and make a speech at the plenary meeting of the 15th Forum on Inter-Regional Cooperation between Russia and Kazakhstan in Petropavlovsk. Ahead of the CSTO summit, Astana will host joint sessions of the organization's council of foreign ministers, council of defense ministers and committee of security council secretaries. H&R Block, Inc. engages in the provision of tax preparation and other services. The firm offers assisted income tax return preparation and related services through a system of retail offices operated directly by the company or by franchisees. It also develops and markets DIY income tax preparation software online, as well as through third-party retail stores and direct mail; and provides DIY tax services, including federal and state income tax returns, access to tax tips, advice and tax-related news, use of calculators for tax planning, and error checking and electronic filing. In addition, the company offers Refund Transfers and H&R Block Emerald Prepaid Mastercard, which enables clients to receive their tax refunds; Peace of Mind extended service plans; H&R Block Emerald Advance lines of credit; Tax Identity Shield that provides clients assistance in helping protect their tax identity and access to services to help restore their tax identity; refund advance loans; H&R Block Instant Refund; and H&R Block Pay With Refund services. The company was founded by Henry W. Bloch and Richard A. Bloch on January 25, 1955 and is headquartered in Kansas City, MO. Read More Hertz Global's quiet period expires on Monday, December 20th. Hertz Global had issued 44,520,000 shares in its initial public offering on November 9th. The total size of the offering was $1,291,080,000 based on an initial share price of $29.00. During Hertz Global's quiet period, insiders and any underwriters involved in the IPO are prevented from issuing any research reports for the company because of SEC regulations. Following the end of the company's quiet period, the brokerages that served as underwriters will likely initiate research coverage on the company. iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF's stock was trading at $38.50 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, EFV stock has increased by 32.5% and is now trading at $51.02. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. There is an agreement about a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump at a G20 summit in Argentina, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. "Moscow and Washington confirmed it publicly," the Russian minister said, answering the question about whether a meeting between the Russian and US leaders will be held at the G20 summit in Argentina. The top diplomat added that he doesn't have any other information. "There is such an agreement. Representatives for the presidential administrations already said about everything connected with this meeting," TASS cited Lavrov as saying. President of the Minchenko Consulting Communication Group, Yevgeny Minchenko, speaking with the correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza earler, noted that the task of this meeting will be an attempt to keep the conflict from growing after the introduction of sanctions. "Trump is interested in removing the topic of Russian meddling in U.S. elections from public discourse. In the end, I think they may start declaring that they have agreed with Moscow and Moscow has promised not to interfere in the mid-term elections and did not interfere. However, considering the fact that the previous facts of the so-called intervention were not proved, it will be possible to interpret any events as interference. I think that's what the Democrats will do," Yevgeny Minchenko expects. Head of the Department of Political Science of the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Gevorg Mirzayan, explained the change of the venue from Paris to Buenos Aires with intra-American reasons. After the elections, it is necessary to determine modus vivendi between Trump and the Democrats, who have taken the majority in the House of Representatives, and the behavior of the American President in the context of modus vivendi. on domestic policy (then toughening of sanctions against Russia is possible) - or Trump will try to cooperate with us and have greater freedom of action towards Russia. It is important to understand how aggressive Trump's new policy will be, because if the Democrats start blocking him on the domestic scene, the president will have to achieve fast and demonstrative victories in the international arena to give voters in the 2020 list of successes," he said. Striving for quick victories can lead to destabilization of the world, which we do not need, which will be discussed at Putins meeting with Trump. In addition to this, regardless of the outcome of the congressional elections, it is important to compare notes on the conflicts in which Russia and the United States are involved, primarily in Syria and Ukraine. So far, there has bee no certainty, perhaps that is why the meeting in Paris will not take place, because first they need to decide which arrangements they can and should make," Gevorg Mirzayan concluded. iShares Yield Optimized Bond ETF's stock was trading at $24.80 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 (Coronavirus) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, BYLD stock has increased by 0.7% and is now trading at $24.9707. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. KION GROUP AG provides industrial trucks, warehouse technology, supply chain solutions, and related services worldwide. The company operates through Industrial Trucks and Services, Supply Chain Solutions, and Corporate Services segments. It develops, manufactures, and sells forklifts and warehouse trucks, such as counterbalance trucks with electric drive and internal combustion engine, ride-on and hand-operated industrial trucks, and towing vehicles under the Linde, Fenwick, STILL, Baoli, and OM Voltas brand names. The company also manufactures and sells spare parts; leases industrial trucks and related items; offers maintenance and repair, and fleet management services, as well as provides finance solutions. In addition, it provides integrated technology and software solutions, including conveyors, sorters, storage and retrieval systems, picking equipment, palletizers, and robotic solutions under the Dematic brand. The company was formerly known as KION Holding 1 GmbH. KION GROUP AG was founded in 2006 and is based in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Read More Continental Building Products Inc (NYSE:CBPX) posted its earnings results on Tuesday, November, 12th. The construction company reported $0.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the Zacks' consensus estimate of $0.38 by $0.01. The construction company earned $127.40 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $127.16 million. Continental Building Products had a net margin of 12.12% and a trailing twelve-month return on equity of 18.84%. The company's revenue was down 2.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.51 earnings per share. View Continental Building Products' earnings history. Anadarko Petroleum Corporation engages in the exploration, development, production, and marketing of oil and gas properties. It operates through three segments: Exploration and Production, WES Midstream, and Other Midstream. The company explores for and produces oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids (NGLs). It is also involved in gathering, processing, treating, and transporting oil, natural-gas, and NGLs production, as well as the gathering and disposal of produced water. The company's oil and natural gas properties are located in the United States onshore and deepwater Gulf of Mexico; and Algeria, Ghana, Mozambique, Colombia, Peru, and other countries. As of December 31, 2018, it had approximately 1.5 billion barrels of oil equivalent of proved reserves. The company was founded in 1959 and is headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas. Read More Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov met with Chairman of the Supreme Assembly of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic Vasif Talibov. Bocharnikov said he is pleased to visit Nakhchivan, and stressed the importance of reciprocal visits. He noted the significance of his visit to Nakhchivan in terms of enhancing bilateral relations, the press service of the Azerbaijani parliament reported. Talibov noted that Azerbaijan and Russia are friendly countries, and relations between the two countries are developing in a variety of areas. Touching upon the history of relations between Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and Russia, the chairman of the Supreme Assembly underlined that the bilateral ties are expanding in the spheres of economy, trade, education, air transport and tourism. iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF's stock was trading at $49.50 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 (Coronavirus) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, FLOT stock has increased by 2.5% and is now trading at $50.73. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. The following companies are subsidiares of Kroger: 84.51 HQ Building Company LLC, 84.51 LLC, Alpha Beta Company, Ansonborough Square Investors I LLC, Ansonborough Square Retail LLC, Ardrey Kell Investments LLC, Bay Area Warehouse Stores Inc., Beech Tree Holdings LLC, Bell Markets Inc., Bleecker Ventures LLC, Bluefield Beverage Company, Box Cutter Inc., Brier Creek Arbors Drive Retail LLC, CB&S Advertising Agency Inc., Cala Co., Cala Foods Inc., Cheeses of All Nations Inc., Country Oven Inc., Crawford Stores Inc., Creedmoor Retail LLC, Dillon Companies LLC, Dillon Real Estate Co. Inc., Dillons, Distribution Trucking Company, Dotto Inc., Edgewood Plaza Holdings LLC, Embassy International Inc., FM Inc., FMJ Inc., Farmacia Doral Inc., Food 4 Less GM Inc., Food 4 Less Holdings Inc., Food 4 Less Merchandising Inc., Food 4 Less of California Inc., Food 4 Less of Southern California Inc., Fred Meyer, Fred Meyer Inc., Fred Meyer Jewelers Inc., Fred Meyer Stores Inc., Glasswing Labs LLC, Glendale/Goodwin Realty I LLC, Grubstake Investments LLC, HT Fuel DE LLC, HT Fuel NC LLC, HT Fuel SC LLC, HT Fuel VA LLC, HTGBD LLC, HTP Bluffton LLC, HTP Plaza LLC, HTP Relo LLC, HTPS LLC, HTTAH LLC, Harris Teeter, Harris Teeter LLC, Henpil Inc., Home Chef, Hood-Clayton Logistics LLC, Hughes Markets Inc., Hughes Realty Inc., I.T.A. Inc., IRP LLC, ITAC 119 LLC, ITAC 265 LLC, Inter-American Foods Inc., Inter-American Products Inc., J.V. Distributing Inc., Jondex Corp., Jubilee Carolina LLC, KCDE 2012 LLC, KCDE 2013 LLC, KCDE-2 LLC, KCDE-3 LLC, KCDE-4 LLC, KCDE-5 LLC, KGO LLC, KPF LLC, KPS LLC, KRGP LLC, KRLP Inc., KV Anderson LLC, Kee Trans Inc., Kessel FP, Kiosk Medicine Kentucky LLC, Kirkpatrick West Retail LLC, Kroger Community Development Entity LLC, Kroger Dedicated Logistics Co., Kroger Fulfillment Network LLC, Kroger G.O. LLC, Kroger LM Real Estate Holdings LLC, Kroger Limited Partnership I, Kroger Limited Partnership II, Kroger MC Holdings LLC, Kroger MTL Management LLC, Kroger Management Co., Kroger Management Corryville LLC, Kroger Management NMTC Athens I LLC, Kroger Management NMTC Champaign I LLC, Kroger Management NMTC Champaign II LLC, Kroger Management NMTC Cincinnati I LLC, Kroger Management NMTC Dallas I LLC, Kroger Management NMTC Danville I LLC, Kroger Management NMTC Logansport I LLC, Kroger Management NMTC Missouri I LLC, Kroger Management NMTC Oak Ridge I LLC, Kroger Management NMTC Olney I LLC, Kroger Management NMTC Omaha I LLC, Kroger Management NMTC Portsmouth I LLC, Kroger Management NMTC Starkville I LLC, Kroger Management NMTC Topeka I LLC, Kroger Management NMTC Warrenton I LLC, Kroger NMTC Fremont I LLC, Kroger OZ1 Inc., Kroger OZ1 LLC, Kroger OZ2 Inc., Kroger OZ2 LLC, Kroger OZ3 Inc., Kroger OZ3 LLC, Kroger Opportunity Fund I Inc., Kroger Prescription Plans Inc., Kroger Specialty Infusion AL LLC, Kroger Specialty Infusion CA LLC, Kroger Specialty Infusion Holdings Inc., Kroger Specialty Infusion TX LLC, Kroger Specialty Pharmacy CA 2 LLC, Kroger Specialty Pharmacy CA LLC, Kroger Specialty Pharmacy FL 2 LLC, Kroger Specialty Pharmacy Holdings 2 Inc., Kroger Specialty Pharmacy Holdings 3 Inc., Kroger Specialty Pharmacy Holdings I Inc., Kroger Specialty Pharmacy Holdings Inc., Kroger Specialty Pharmacy Inc., Kroger Specialty Pharmacy LA LLC, Kroger Texas L.P., LCGP3 Home Cooking Inc., Latta Village LLC, Local Mkt LLC, Main & Vine LLC, Matthews Property 1 LLC, Mega Marts LLC, Michigan Dairy L.L.C., ModernHealth LTC, Murrays Cheese LLC, Murrays LIC LLC, Murrays Table LLC, Pace Dairy Foods Company, Paramount Logistics LLC, Pay Less Super Markets Inc., Peyton's-Southeastern Inc., Plum Labs LLC, Pontiac Foods Inc., Queen City Assurance Inc., RBF LLC, RGC Southeast Properties LLC, Ralphs Grocery Company, Relish Labs LLC, Rocket Newco Inc., Roundy's, Roundys Acquisition Corp., Roundys Illinois LLC, Roundys Inc., Roundys Supermarkets Inc., Second Story Inc., Shop-Rite LLC, Smiths Beverage of Wyoming Inc., Smiths Food & Drug Centers Inc., Southern Ice Cream Specialties Inc., Stallings Investors I LLC, Sunrise R&D Holdings LLC, Sunrise Technology LLC, TLC Corporate Services LLC, TLC Immunization Clinic LLC, TLC of Georgia LLC, The Kroger Co. of Michigan, The Little Clinic LLC, The Little Clinic Management Services LLC, The Little Clinic of Arizona LLC, The Little Clinic of Colorado LLC, The Little Clinic of IN LLC, The Little Clinic of Kansas LLC, The Little Clinic of Mississippi LLC, The Little Clinic of Ohio LLC, The Little Clinic of TX LLC, The Little Clinic of Tennessee LLC, The Little Clinic of VA LLC, Topvalco Inc., Ultimate Mart LLC, Ultra Mart Foods LLC, Vine Court Assurance Incorporated, Vitacost, Vitacost.com Inc., Woodmont Holdings LLC, and YOU Technology. U.S. Embattled Attorney General Jeff Sessions resigned at the "request" of President Donald Trump after more than a year of public criticism from the president. Trump announced that Sessions' chief of staff, Matthew Whitaker, will serve as acting attorney general. Whitaker also will assume oversight of the ongoing investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, and possible collusion by Trump's campaign in that meddling, according to the Justice Department. Whitaker, who has publicly criticized the Mueller investigation, by law can serve as acting AG for a maximum of 210 days, CNBC reported. Trump's press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, said the White House received a resignation letter from Sessions earlier Wednesday and Trump accepted it. Sessions' letter to Trump, which is not dated, begins by saying, "At your request, I am submitting my resignation." Allergan plc, a pharmaceutical company, develops, manufactures, and commercializes branded pharmaceutical, device, biologic, surgical, and regenerative medicine products worldwide. The company operates in three segments: US Specialized Therapeutics, US General Medicine, and International. It offers a portfolio of products in various therapeutic areas, including medical aesthetics and dermatology, eye care, neuroscience, urology, gastrointestinal, women's health, and anti-infective therapeutic products. The company also offers breast implants and tissue expanders; and RM-131 (relamorelin), a peptide ghrelin agonist for the treatment of diabetic gastroparesis. In addition, it develops medical and cosmetic treatments; therapies for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and other liver diseases; inhibitor for the treatment of psoriasis and other autoimmune disorders; atopic dermatitis drug candidate; peri-ocular rings for extended drug delivery and reducing elevated intraocular pressure in glaucoma patients; and treatments for neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease. Further, the company develops RST-001, a novel gene therapy for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa; small molecule therapeutics for inflammatory and fibrotic diseases; topical medicines for fat reduction; and delivery system and botulinum toxin-based prescription products. It has collaboration, option, and license agreement with Lyndra, Inc.; and strategic alliance and option agreement with Editas Medicine, Inc. Allergan plc also has licensing agreements with Assembly Biosciences, Inc.; MedImmune; and Heptares Therapeutics, Ltd. The company was formerly known as Actavis plc and changed its name to Allergan plc in June 2015. Allergan plc was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Sealed Air: A.P.S. (Holdings) Limited, AFP Trading (China) Co. Ltd., AFPTOH LTD, APS Automated Packaging Systems GmbH & Co. KG, APS Verwaltungs-GmbH, Air Ride Pallets Hong Kong Limited, Austin Foam Plastics Inc. (dba AFP Inc.), Automated Packaging Systems, Automated Packaging Systems Asia Holding Company Limited, Automated Packaging Systems Comerciale Importacao do Brasil Ltda., Automated Packaging Systems Europe, Automated Packaging Systems LLC, Automated Packaging Systems Limited, Automated Packaging Systems Southeast Asia Co. Ltd., B+ Equipment, B+ Equipment SAS, Beacon Holdings LLC, Biosphere Industries, BluPack (New Zealand), Blue Dot Packaging Pty Ltd., Cactus (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Cryovac (Malaysia) SDN. BHD, Cryovac Brasil Ltda., Cryovac Holdings II LLC, Cryovac International Holdings Inc., Cryovac LLC*, Cryovac Leasing Corporation, Cryovac Londrina Ltda., Cryovac Packaging Portugal Embalagens Ltda., Cryovac-Sealed Air de Costa Rica S.R.L., DELTAPLAM Embalagens Industria e Comercio, Diversey, Diversey J Trustee Limited, Diversey Trustee Limited, Entapack Pty. Ltd., Fagerdala (Chengdu) Packaging Co. Ltd, Fagerdala (Shanghai) Foams Co. Ltd., Fagerdala (Shanghai) Polymer Co. Ltd., Fagerdala (Suzhou) Packaging Co. Ltd., Fagerdala (Thailand) Limited, Fagerdala (Xiamen) Packaging Co. Ltd., Fagerdala Leamchabung Limited, Fagerdala Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Fagerdala Mexico S.A. de C.V., Fagerdala Mexico Supply Chain S.A. de C.V., Fagerdala Packaging Inc. (Indiana), Fagerdala Singapore Pte Ltd, Fagerdala Singapore Pte. Ltd., Getpacking.com GmbH, Invertol S. de R.L. de C.V., JSC Sealed Air Kaustik, KRIS Automated Packaging Systems Holding Company, Kevothermal LLC, Kevothermal Limited, Nelipak Holdings, Pack-Tiger GmbH, Polyrol Limited, Polyrol Packaging Systems LLC, ProAseptic Technologies S.L., Producembal- Producao de Embalagens LTDA, Reflectix Inc., SLD Air Packaging Paketleme Malzemeleri Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Saddle Brook Insurance Company, Sealed Air (Asia) Holdings BV, Sealed Air (Barbados) S.R.L., Sealed Air (Canada) Co./CIE, Sealed Air (Canada) Holdings B.V., Sealed Air (China) Co. Ltd., Sealed Air (China) Limited, Sealed Air (Israel) Ltd., Sealed Air (Korea) Limited, Sealed Air (Latin America) Holdings II LLC, Sealed Air (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Sealed Air (New Zealand), Sealed Air (Philippines) Inc., Sealed Air (Singapore) Pte. Limited, Sealed Air (Ukraine) Limited, Sealed Air Africa (Pty.) Limited, Sealed Air Americas Manufacturing S. de R.L. de C.V., Sealed Air Argentina S.A., Sealed Air Australia (Holdings) Pty. Limited, Sealed Air Australia Pty. Limited, Sealed Air Australia Real Estate Pty Ltd, Sealed Air B.V., Sealed Air Belgium N.V., Sealed Air Central America S.A., Sealed Air Chile SpA, Sealed Air Colombia Ltda., Sealed Air Corporation (US), Sealed Air Cyprus Ltd., Sealed Air Denmark A/S, Sealed Air Finance B.V., Sealed Air Finance II LLC, Sealed Air Finance Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Sealed Air Funding LLC, Sealed Air General Trading LLC, Sealed Air GmbH (Germany), Sealed Air GmbH (Switzerland), Sealed Air Hellas SA, Sealed Air Holding France SAS, Sealed Air Holdings (New Zealand) Pty. Ltd., Sealed Air Holdings South Africa Proprietary Limited, Sealed Air Holdings UK I Limited, Sealed Air Holdings UK Limited, Sealed Air Hong Kong Limited, Sealed Air Hungary Ltd., Sealed Air Investment and Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Sealed Air Japan G.K., Sealed Air LLC, Sealed Air Limited (Ireland), Sealed Air Limited (UK), Sealed Air Luxembourg (I) S.a.r.l., Sealed Air Luxembourg (II) S.a.r.l., Sealed Air Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Sealed Air Management Holding Verwaltungs GmbH, Sealed Air Multiflex GmbH, Sealed Air Netherlands (Holdings) I B.V., Sealed Air Netherlands (Holdings) II B.V., Sealed Air Netherlands Holdings V B.V., Sealed Air Norge AS, Sealed Air OY, Sealed Air Packaging (India) Private Limited, Sealed Air Packaging (Shanghai) Co. Limited, Sealed Air Packaging (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Sealed Air Packaging LLC, Sealed Air Packaging Materials (India) LLP, Sealed Air Packaging S.L.U., Sealed Air Peru S.A.C., Sealed Air Polska Sp. Zoo, Sealed Air Pty Limited, Sealed Air S.A S., Sealed Air S.r.l., Sealed Air South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., Sealed Air Svenska AB, Sealed Air Taiwan Limited, Sealed Air UK Limited Partnership, Sealed Air US Holdings (Thailand) LLC, Sealed Air Uruguay S.A., Sealed Air Verpackungen GmbH, Sealed Air de Mexico Operations S. de RL. de C.V., Sealed Air de Venezuela S.A., Sealed Air s.r.o., Shanklin Corp, Shanklin Corporation, TTS-Ciptec, TXAFP Asia Pacific Ltd., TXAFP GP LLC, and Trigon Industries. TC Energy Corporation operates as an energy infrastructure company in North America. It operates through Canadian Natural Gas Pipelines, U.S. Natural Gas Pipelines, Mexico Natural Gas Pipelines, Liquids Pipelines, and Power and Storage segments. The company builds and operates 93,400 km network of natural gas pipelines, which transports natural gas from supply basins to local distribution companies, power generation plants, industrial facilities, interconnecting pipelines, LNG export terminals, and other businesses. It also has regulated natural gas storage facilities with a total working gas capacity of 535 billion cubic feet. In addition, it has approximately 4,900 km liquids pipeline system that connects Alberta crude oil supplies to refining markets in Illinois, Oklahoma, Texas, and the U.S. Gulf Coast. Further, the company owns or has interests in seven power generation facilities with a combined capacity of approximately 4,200 megawatts that are powered by natural gas and nuclear fuel sources located in Alberta, Ontario, QuAbec, and New Brunswick; and owns and operates approximately 118 billion cubic feet of non-regulated natural gas storage capacity in Alberta. The company was formerly known as TransCanada Corporation and changed its name to TC Energy Corporation in May 2019. TC Energy Corporation was incorporated in 1951 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Read More Shares of iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF split on the morning of Monday, October 19th 2020. The 2-1 split was announced on Friday, September 18th 2020. The newly created shares were payable to shareholders after the market closes on Friday, October 16th 2020. An investor that had 100 shares of iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF stock prior to the split would have 200 shares after the split. ABC/Image Group LA The country music community continues to process the latest mass shooting in the U.S., this time at a country bar in Thousand Oaks, California. A dozen people lost their lives at the Borderline Bar & Grill about 40 miles West of Los Angeles. Ten to fifteen others were wounded, and the suspect was killed as well. Ironically, Aubrie Sellers -- a Warner Brothers artist who's also the daughter of Lee Ann Womack and songwriter Jason Sellers -- had planned to be there Wednesday night. "Last night we were going to go line dancing at 9:30 PM at a bar called Borderline we heard about in Thousand Oaks..." she tweeted. "An hour before we were to leave, I got home and [my cat] Laneys eye was swollen shut so we didnt go. Thinking of everyone affected by this today. Truly unbelievable." Kip Moore released the new track, "It Ain't California," from his forthcoming Room to Spare: The Acoustic Sessions EP, which turned out to be fitting. You can hear the song at RollingStone.com. "Started writing this song over 10 years ago... always hoped this chorus would be heard," he shared on Twitter. "My heart is in California today with our country fans." Here's what other members of the country family were saying on their socials: Jon Pardi: "Another tragedy, and this time in my home state of California. My heart goes out to the people who lost their lives in Thousand Oaks last night, along with those who suffered injuries. Praying for their family and friends as well." Brad Paisley: "Though broken, my heart is with these families and friends in Thousand Oaks today." Chris Young: "Heartbroken for all the families that will go through today without someone they had yesterday. Completely senseless." Zac Brown Band: Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and loved ones affected by the shooting in Thousand Oaks. Together, with the music community, we grieve for their loss." Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. - T. S. Eliot Thoughts After Lambeth "The World is trying the experiment of attempting to form a civilized but non-Christian mentality. The experiment will fail; but we must be very patient in awaiting its collapse; meanwhile redeeming the time: so that the Faith may be preserved alive through the dark ages before us; to renew and rebuild civilization, and save the World from suicide." Armenia is holding talks with Russia aimed at decreasing the border price and the consumer price for Russian natural gas in Armenia, the acting Armenian energy infrastructures and natural resources minister Garegin Baghramyan said. Baghramyan said that the negotiation is being held with Russias Gazprom and the republic's energy ministry. Russia currently supplies gas to Armenia for $150 per thousand cubic meters, but the acting minister said earlier that it could be $140. In 2013, Gazprom and Gazprom Armenia signed the contract for up to 2.5 billion cubic meters of Russian gas to be supplied annually to Armenia in 20142018. According to the Armenian energy ministrys figures, the natural gas import from Russia has grown 7% in 2017 to 1 billion 996 million cubic meters, and from Iran 2.9% to 382,700,000 cubic meters. The total consumption of natural gas in Armenia has grown 5.3% in 2017. Armenia has an alternative - the Iranian gas, but it has to be at least 10% cheaper than the Russian gas so that it would be beneficial for Yerevan to purchase it, Director General of Gazprom-Armenia CJSC Grant Tadevosyan said during the meeting of commission dealing with gas prices. According to Tadevosyan, the Iranian gas calorific value per thousand cubic meters is 7,900 kilocalories, while the same value of the Russian gas it is not less than 8,200. That is, when it is burned, more heat is generated. Therefore, if Russian gas costs $150 per thousand cubic meters, Iranian gas, with other things being equal, should cost $ 135 for it to be profitable, News.am cited him as saying. At the same time, he added that this issue, in principle, is the subject of negotiations of the governments. According to the Armenian-Russian agreements, the basis calorific value off Russian gas should be 7,900 kilocalories per thousand cubic meters. At the same time, if the calorific value is higher, an additional factor will have to be added to the existing tariff. However, for Armenia this rule is temporarily not valid until the end of 2018 only. A scientist of the Institute for Economics of the RAS, Alexander Karavaev, and energy security expert Vahe Davtyan told VestnikKavkaza that the negotiations on discount for Russian gas started by Yerevan are primarily political in nature. On the one hand, it seems to be that this issue is of strategic nature, but on the other hand, does Moscow now feel confident that Yerevan will no longer test bilateral relations for strength? If there is no such feeling, Gazprom will delay negotiations with Yerevan until the end of the period of uncertainty associated with the extraordinary parliamentary elections and a complete change of power in Armenia. Accordingly, if a discount is provided, it means that those who determine Russia's policy towards Armenia are completely satisfied with Pashinyan," the scientist of the Institute for Economics of the RAS stressed. The economist agreed that the negotiations will be conducted exclusively in a political manner and not depend on the economic arguments of both parties. "Theoretically, Gazprom can afford to lower the price due to the difference between the budgeted oil prices ($50 per barrel of URALS) and market prices ($70-80), and because of the low cost of Russian gas production ($20- 22 per thousand cubic meters), and because of Armenias participation in the EEU, but its very difficult to predict how the negotiations will end, how the parties will operate with these factors and whether they will apply to them at all, Vahe Davtyan concluded. Thomson Reuters Corporation provides business information services in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. It operates in five segments: Legal Professionals, Corporates, Tax & Accounting Professionals, Reuters News, and Global Print. The Legal Professionals segment offers research and workflow products focusing on legal research and integrated legal workflow solutions that combine content, tools, and analytics to law firms and governments. The Corporates segment provides a suite of content-enabled technology solutions for legal, tax, regulatory, compliance, and IT professionals. The Tax & Accounting Professionals segment offers research and workflow products focusing on tax offerings and automating tax workflows to tax, accounting, and audit professionals in accounting firms. The Reuters News segment provides business, financial, national, and international news to professionals through desktop terminals, media organizations, and industry events, as well as directly to consumers. The Global Print segment offers legal and tax information primarily in print format to legal and tax professionals, governments, law schools, and corporations. The company was formerly known as The Thomson Corporation and changed its name to Thomson Reuters Corporation in April 2008. The company was founded in 1851 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Thomson Reuters Corporation is a subsidiary of The Woodbridge Company Limited. Read More The Toronto-Dominion Bank, together with its subsidiaries, provides various personal and commercial banking products and services in Canada and the United States. It operates through three segments: Canadian Retail, U.S. Retail, and Wholesale Banking. The company offers personal deposits, such as chequing, savings, and investment products; financing, investment, cash management, international trade, and day-to-day banking services to businesses; and financing options to customers at point of sale for automotive and recreational vehicle purchases through auto dealer network. It also provides credit cards; real estate secured lending; auto finance; consumer lending; point-of-sale payment solutions for large and small businesses; wealth and asset management products, private banking, investment advisory, and trust services to retail and institutional clients; and property and casualty insurance, as well as life and health insurance products. The company also provides capital markets, and corporate and investment banking services, including underwriting and distribution of new debt and equity issues; advice on strategic acquisitions and divestitures; and trading, funding, and investment services to companies, governments, and institutions. It offers its products and services under the TD Bank and America's Most Convenient Bank brand names. The company operates through a network of 1,085 branches, 3,440 automated teller machines, and 1,223 stores, as well as offers telephone, digital, and mobile banking services. The Toronto-Dominion Bank was founded in 1855 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Read More Total Energy Services Inc. provides various products and services to the oil and natural gas industry primarily in Canada, the United States, and Australia. It operates through four segments: Contract Drilling Services, Rentals and Transportation Services, Compression and Process Services and Well Servicing. The Contract Drilling Services segment offers contract drilling services to oil and gas exploration and development companies. As of December 31, 2020, it operated a total fleet of 98 drilling rigs. The Rentals and Transportation Services segment provides drilling, completion and production rental equipment, and oilfield transportation services in western Canada and in the United States. This segment owned and operated a fleet of 87 heavy trucks. The Compression and Process Services segment offers gas compression services; and designs and packages skid style compressors and proprietary trailer-mounted compressors under the NOMAD brand in Canada and the United States, the European Union, Australia, and Mexico. It had 54,800 horsepower of compression in its rental fleet. The Well Servicing segment offers well services. This segment operated a total fleet of 83 well servicing rigs across Western Canada, mid-western United States, and Australia. It has a strategic alliance with Pason Systems Inc. to develop and deploy drilling automation and optimization technologies. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Read More Imperial Brands PLC, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, imports, markets, and sells tobacco and tobacco-related products. It offers a range of cigarettes, fine cut and smokeless tobacco, papers, and cigars; and next generation product (NGP) portfolio, such as e-vapour products, as well as oral nicotine and heated tobacco products. The company sells its products under various brands, including Davidoff, Gauloises, JPS, West, L&B, Bastos, Fine, Winston, News, Parker & Simpson, blu, Kool, Horizon, Jade, Cohiba, Montecristo, Romeo Y Julieta, Backwoods, Skruf, Golden Virginia, Rizla, and Knox in approximately 160 countries worldwide. It also provides logistics services that include the distribution of tobacco and NGP products for tobacco and NGP product manufacturers; and various non-tobacco and NGP products and services. In addition, the company is involved in the management of a golf course; marketing of papers; restaurant business; distribution of pharmaceuticals, POS software, and published materials and other products; printing and publishing activities; and provision of long haul transportation, industrial parcel and express delivery, advertising, and support management services. Further, it owns the trademarks; and retails its products. The company was formerly known as Imperial Tobacco Group PLC and changed its name to Imperial Brands PLC in February 2016. Imperial Brands PLC was founded in 1901 and is headquartered in Bristol, the United Kingdom. Read More Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh (right) receives Chief Minister of the Northern Territory of Australia Michael Gunner on November 7__Photo: VNA , , , Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh on November 7 hosted a reception for Chief Minister of the Northern Territory of Australia Michael Gunner who is visiting Vietnam during November 6-9.At the meeting, both sides expressed their delight over the achievements in the Vietnam-Australia strategic partnership especially in the realms of politics, defense, trade, education, and agriculture.By the end of this years third quarter, two-way trade had reached USD 5.72 billion, up 20 percent from the same period in 2017. In addition, the two countries had made concerned efforts to promote relations between their localities, they said, particularly ties between the Northern Territory and HCM City, Hai Phong, Khanh Hoa, and Ba Ria-Vung Tau as noteworthy.Deputy PM Minh said Vietnam and Australias Northern Territory hold huge potential to boost cooperation in marine and air transportation, as well as tourism.Stressing Vietnams interest in developing high-tech agriculture, human resources training, and science-technology, Minh hoped that leaders of the Northern Territory would grant further scholarships to Vietnamese students through the Northern Territory Governments Study in Australias Northern Territory (StudyNT) program.He also hoped the Northern Territory would expand its favorable conditions for overseas Vietnamese living and working in the locality.Michael Gunner said the Northern Territory always attached importance to strengthening bonds with Vietnam and that it stood ready to bolster cooperation in trade, investment, and education, while also considering collaboration in transport and tourism with the Southeast Asian country.The Northern Territory would facilitate conditions for low-cost carrier Vietjet Air to open an air route to the city of Darwin next year, he said, adding that Vietnamese corporations, including Vingroup and TH True Milk, were welcome to land investments in the territory, particularly in the fields of its strength like husbandry, plantation, and tourism.Deputy PM Minh and Mr Gunner witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Northern Territorys Chamber of Commerce.During his stay, there will be working sessions with Minister of Education and Training Phung Xuan Nha, Chairman of HCM City Peoples Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong, as well as Vietnamese businesses operating in trade, agriculture, education, and transport.- Diplomat Pharmacy, Inc. operates as an independent specialty pharmacy in the United States. The company operates through Specialty and PBM (pharmacy benefit management) segment. It provides specialty infusion pharmacy, patient care coordination, clinical, compliance and persistency program, patient financial assistance, specialty pharmacy training, benefits investigation, prior authorization, risk evaluation and medication strategy, retail specialty, and hub services, as well as clinical and administrative support services to hospitals and health systems. The company primarily focuses on medication management programs for individuals with complex chronic diseases, including oncology, immunology, hepatitis, multiple sclerosis, specialized infusion therapy, and various other serious or long-term conditions. It also offers PBM services, including electronic point-of-sale pharmacy claims management, retail pharmacy network management, mail pharmacy claims management, specialty pharmacy claims management, Medicare Part D services, benefit design consultation, drug review and analysis, consulting services, data access, and reporting, information analysis, and preferred drug management programs to managed care organizations, self-insured employer groups, unions, and third-party healthcare plan administrators and worker's compensation payers. The company was founded in 1975 and is headquartered in Flint, Michigan. Read More Xing SE operates professional networking Websites primarily in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and internationally. It operates through four segments: B2C, B2B E-Recruiting, B2B Advertising & Events, and Kununu International. The B2C segment serves XING members who use XING.com, XING Jobs, and kununu.com to network with other professionals for finding a suitable job, obtaining information about employers, or reading about career-related topics. The B2B E-Recruiting segment offers passive recruiting products and services that allow recruiters to post various kinds of jobs ads on the XING platform; and active recruiting products and services, which provides active candidate search and management product, as well as employer branding profiles. It also offers Xing referral manager to recruit talent with the help of existing employees. The B2B Advertising & Events segment engages in selling advertising space on XING.com., as well as provides Xing sponsored posts, mailings, video posts, articles, and business pages. The segment also processes events through its XING platform that offers registration, ticketing, and billing services for event organizers, as well as provides an online tool, which offers event organizers to select target groups for events they post on XING and then advertise them on the platform. The Kununu International segment engages in the provision of technical infrastructure services. The company was founded in 2003 and is based in Hamburg, Germany. Xing SE is a subsidiary of Burda Digital GmbH. Read More Manulife Financial Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides financial products and services in Asia, Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through Wealth and Asset Management Businesses; Insurance and Annuity Products; And Corporate and Other segments. The Wealth and Asset Management Businesses segment provides mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, group retirement and savings products, and institutional asset management services through agents and brokers affiliated with the company, securities brokerage firms, and financial advisors pension plan consultants and banks. The Insurance and Annuity Products segment offers deposit and credit products; individual life, and individual and group long-term care insurance; and guaranteed and partially guaranteed annuity products through insurance agents, brokers, banks, financial planners, and direct marketing. The Corporate and Other segment is involved in property and casualty insurance and reinsurance businesses; and run-off reinsurance operations, including variable annuities, and accident and health. It also manages timberland and agricultural portfolios; and engages in insurance agency, portfolio and mutual fund management, mutual fund dealer, life and financial reinsurance, and fund management businesses. Additionally, the company holds and manages oil and gas properties; holds oil and gas royalties, and foreign bonds and equities; and provides investment management, counseling, advisory, and dealer services. Manulife Financial Corporation was incorporated in 1887 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Read More Acceleration in petabyte-scale deployments with appliance-like experience bringing value of Cisco UCS with Scality RING to growing base of clients Scality, leader in software for distributed file and object storage and multi-cloud data control, today announced its growing momentum with Cisco, with which the company is a long-standing Data Center partner. Scality RING software-defined storage on Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) high-density servers is being deployed globally in more enterprises, across more use cases, proving-out the great potential that was reinforced when Scality was elevated to Cisco Solutions Plus Partner and added to Cisco's Global Price List (GPL) in 2017. "Customers are the proof points, and we're seeing an acceleration in deployments of storage solutions using Cisco UCS servers and Scality RING," said Siva Sivakumar, Cisco's Senior Director, Data Center Solutions. "Our Cisco Validated Designs and solution bundles with Scality are making it easy for partners to quote and deliver scale-out storage systems that converge storage of data from both object and file-based applications and grow easily from 200 terabytes to beyond petabytes." Baystate Health is an example of one of those customers that was dealing with massive amounts of data. Their storage for medical imaging--x-rays, MRIs and more--was growing at ever-faster rates, so when their 7-year-old traditional storage platform was slated for replacement, scaleable, performant and easy-to-manage were high on the modernization requirements list. They worked with RoundTower and consultants from VertitechIT, who, having worked with Scality and Cisco before, could see clearly that Scality RING should lead the transformation. They leveraged the knowledge gained from past success with Scality to bring in a Scality RING Software-defined storage solution built on Cisco servers, and now count Baystate Health among their happy customers. And faster time to care makes practitioners and patients happy. "We take our IT seriously, because the stakes are, clearly, high in healthcare," said Baystate Health's Senior IT Director and CTO, Dave Miller. "When the time came for us to replace--rethink, really--our medical imaging storage, we saw Scality's leadership position with Gartner as a huge plus. That, the solid data resiliency and availability and other successful reference deployments for similar use cases, as well as the flexibility to handle multiple workloads all tipped the scale toward RoundTower's Cisco/Scality solution. TCO matters, too, and the overall value of the Cisco UCS and Scality RING solution is truly impressive." "Solving today's challenges for our healthcare customers centers on critical data availability and accommodating massive data growth and long retention of medical data," offered Craig Manahan, Practice Manager - DCI for RoundTower Technologies. "The pre-validated and tested Scality and Cisco solutions make designing, quoting and deployment easy. Scality RING is a storage solution that's flexible, easy to maintain, and easy to grow at any scale required to meet our customers' business goals over the long term. We're really pleased to have Scality RING on Cisco UCS storage in our portfolio." The need for software-defined solutions for unstructured data extends far beyond medical imaging and healthcare. Around the globe, Scality and Cisco are winning together and adding many new customers (and expanding those deployments) with multiple use cases. From Thailand to the United States to Estonia, Scality and Cisco are addressing a variety of use cases like backup and archive for one of the largest banks in the world, email messaging for one of the biggest Service Providers in the world, video on demand for a local government in the U.S., video surveillance for a leading national government agency and more. Through a vast network of channel partners, Scality and Cisco together offer an infinitely-scalable storage solution for unstructured data that combines Scality RING software-defined storage with Cisco UCS servers, automation for easy deployment and Cisco Solution Support. With the power of the Cisco UCS management framework, the combined solution is cost-effective to deploy, easy to manage and will enable the next-generation cloud deployments that drive business agility, lower operational costs and eliminate vendor lock-in. And, all of this solution enrichment is becoming even easier to deploy and manage with a series of solution bundles available on Cisco's GPL for a true appliance-like experience. Zalando SE operates as an online fashion and lifestyle retailer. It offers a range of products, including shoes, apparel, accessories, and beauty products for women, men, and children, as well as free delivery and returns services. The company also sells its products through its Zalando Lounge; and brick-and-mortar stores in Berlin, Frankfurt, Cologne, Leipzig, Hamburg, Hanover, MAnster, Stuttgart, Mannheim, and Ulm. It serves in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The company has a strategic partnership with Sephora SAS to create the online prestige beauty destination. Zalando SE was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Berlin, Germany. Read More Zayo Group Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides bandwidth infrastructure solutions for the communications industry in the United States, Canada, and Europe. The company operates in six segments: Fiber Solutions, Transport, Enterprise Networks, Zayo Colocation (zColo), Allstream, and Other. The Fiber Solutions segment provides dark fiber, and fiber-to-the-tower and small cell mobile infrastructure services for carriers and other communication service providers, Internet service providers, wireless service providers, media and content companies, large enterprises, and other companies. The Transport segment offers lit bandwidth infrastructure solutions comprising wavelength, Ethernet, wholesale IP services, and SONET services through its metro, regional, and long-haul fiber networks for carriers, content providers, financial services companies, healthcare, government entities, education institutions, and other medium and large enterprises. The Enterprise Networks segment provides connectivity and telecommunications solutions comprising Internet, wide area networking products, managed products, and cloud based computing and storage offerings to medium and large enterprises. The Zayo Colocation (zColo) segment offers data center infrastructure solutions consisting of colocation space, and power and interconnection services to a range of enterprise, carrier, cloud, and content customers. The Allstream segment provides cloud VoIP and data solutions, such as voice offerings; and unified communications, as well as telecommunications services, including Ethernet, and IP/MPLS VPN solutions. The Other segment provides network and technical resources to customers in designing, acquiring, and maintaining their networks. Zayo Group Holdings, Inc. was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado. Read More Thu tuong Scott Morrison cung cho biet them ve ke hoach tang cuong cam ket ngoai giao va quan su voi cac quoc ao lang gieng voi Australia, trong luc cac nuoc nay ang gia tang muc o tim kiem ho tro tu Trung Quoc qua chuong trinh Mot vanh ai Mot con uong. Thu tuong Australia Scott Morrison. Anh: Reuters Mot quy au tu tai chinh ve co so ha tang tri gia 2 ty ola Australia (tuong uong 1,4 ty USD) se uoc tao cho rieng khu vuc Thai Binh Duong voi muc tieu cung cap cac khoan vay dai han cho cac hang muc au tu vao vien thong, nang luong, giao thong va co so ha tang ve nuoc, ong Morrison cho biet. Mot khoan khac tri gia 1 ty ola Australia (728 trieu USD) se uoc bom cho mot cong ty chuyen tin dung xuat khau cua Australia, e tao su linh hoat trong viec ho tro au tu cua khu vuc co loi cho Australia. Theo uoc tinh, khu vuc Thai Binh Duong se can en 3,1 ty USD au tu moi nam tu nay en nam 2030. Ngoai ra, Australia cung muon thiet lap mot nhom luc luong chuyen to chuc huan luyen nghiep vu trong cac hoat ong nhan ao, ung pho thien tai Australia se mo rong su hien dien ngoai giao o Thai Binh Duong, cu them nhan su toi Palau, Marshall Islands, French Polynesia, Niue va Cook Islands. Hoi thang 1 nam nay, Trung Quoc a co phan bac lai chi trich tu Australia cho rang cac chuong trinh ho tro cua Trung Quoc cho cac quoc gia ngheo tai Thai Binh Duong la e doa on inh kinh te va khong em lai loi ich gi. Tu 2016 en nay, so tien ma Trung Quoc o vao cac nuoc thuoc Nam Thai Binh Duong a len en con so 1,8 ty USD. Thang 7 vua qua, chinh phu Australia a co ky ket hop tac 3 ben voi mot cong ty au tu nuoc ngoai cua My va Ngan hang hop tac au tu cua Nhat Ban JIBC cho ke hoach au tu vao co so ha tang nay. Australia details investment in Pacific as China clout grows (AP) Australia's prime minister on Thursday outlined plans to increase investments in infrastructure in the South Pacific as China's influence in those nations grows. Prime Minister Scott Morrison also detailed plans for greater military and diplomatic engagement with Australia's island neighbors who are increasing looking to China for aid through Beijing's "Belt and Road" infrastructure program. "My government is returning the Pacific to where it should be front and center of Australia's strategic outlook, foreign policy and personal connections, including at the highest levels of government," Morrison said in a speech. The 2 billion Australian dollar ($1.4 billion) Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific will provide grants and long-term loans for investments in telecommunications, energy, transport and water infrastructure, Morrison said. Another AU$1 billion ($728 million) will be injected into the Export Finance and Insurance Corp., Australia's export credit agency, which will be given more flexibility to support investment in the region that would benefit Australia, he said. The Pacific region was estimated to need $3.1 billion in investment a year to 2030, he said. "It's in our interest, that's why we need to do it," he added. The Australian Defense Force would also establish an Australia-based Pacific Mobile Training Teams that would visit island neighbors to train their militaries in humanitarian and disaster responses, peacekeeping and infantry skills. Australia will also put diplomats in all 18 countries in the Pacific Islands Forum, with new embassies planned for Palau, Marshall Islands, French Polynesia, Nui and Cook Islands. In January, China protested an Australian minister's criticism that Chinese aid programs in poor Pacific island countries were creating "white elephants" that threatened economic stability without delivering benefits. Sen. Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, the-then minister for international development and the Pacific, told The Australian newspaper that China was lending to Pacific nations on unfavorable terms to construct "useless buildings" and "roads to nowhere." "You've got the Pacific full of these useless buildings which nobody maintains, which are basically white elephants," she told the newspaper. Fierravanti-Wells later said sustaining debt was a significant threat to economic stability of countries in the Pacific. China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang later said Fierravanti-Wells' published comments "show scant regard for the facts and are nothing but irresponsible," adding that China had made an official complaint to the Australian government. Chinese aid had "significantly fueled the economic and social development of these countries and delivered tangible benefits to the local people," assistance that has been warmly welcomed by those countries, Lu said. China transferred at least $1.8 billion in aid and loans to South Pacific countries in a decade through 2016, the Sydney-based Lowy Institute international policy think tank found. The U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corp., the Japan Bank for Investment Cooperation and the Australian government announced in July a trilateral partnership to invest in infrastructure in the region. The-then Trade Minister Steve Ciobo denied at the time the three-way initiative was a challenge to China, saying it only added to various regional programs already underway. A U.S diplomat revealed in September that the United States, Japan and Australia were cooperating on a domestic internet cable proposal for Australia's nearest neighbor, Papua New Guinea, as an alternative to an offer by Huawei, the Chinese telecommunications giant that the United States regards as a cybersecurity threat. The U.S. charge d'affaires to Australia, James Carouso, said the three Pacific defense allies were negotiating with the impoverished South Pacific island nation of 8 million people, mostly subsistence farmers, on its internet contract. Papua New Guinea Minister Justin Tkatchenko said his government was willing to work with Australia on the internet network if it offered a better deal than Huawei, The Australian newspaper reported. The Pima Air & Space Museum near Tucson, Arizona has just finished refurbishing Boeing-Vertol CH-46F Sea Knight Bu.156469 and placed it on display outside. This Sea Knight actually rolled off the production line in Morton, Pennsylvania during the summer of 1969. The military formally accepted her on August 12th, 1969, and the United States Marine Corps assigned the helicopter to her first unit, HMM-261 then known as the Bulls just a few days later on August 15th. Her time with the Bulls was short though, as HMM-365 Blue Knights received the aircraft at their home base, MCAS New River in North Carolina, on December 10th, 1969. 469 left the Blue Knights on February 4th, 1971 when she joined Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron 26 (H&MS-26), also at MCAS New River. A few months later, following maintenance, she joined the Black Knights of HMM-264 on June 10th, 1971, moving quickly to HMM-263 on August 12th that year at Turner Field, MCAF Quantico, Virginia. The Sea Knight moved back to H&MS-26 for another period of maintenance on March 14th, 1974, before returning to HMM-261, now named the Raging Bulls, on May 30th that year. 469s history is a little vague over the following three decades, but at some point she received an upgrade to CH-46E status. She is at least known to have been with HMM-261 during January, 2008. Her final operational squadron was HMM-163, the Ridge Runners. She went into storage at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base on September 2nd, 2010, before finally being struck off charge three months later on December 2nd. Once the Marines finally retired the remainder of their Sea Knights in 2015, their stock of mothballed aircraft at Davis-Monthan began thinning out. Pima Air & Space Museum received Bu.156469 on loan in March, 2017, when she joined the queue for refurbishment and formal display. The following gallery shows how her refurbishment progressed from this summer until today. For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser On Diwali morning, the soon-to-be-married couple Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone reached their mentor Sanjay Leela Bhansalis residence Magnum Opus in Andheri (Mumbai) to invite him to their destination wedding. Although the director made it very clear that he wont be able to accompany the couple for the wedding in Italy, they wouldnt take no for an answer. Says a source, Deepika and Ranveer have a special fondness for SLB, as they met and fell in love on the sets of SLBs Ram Leela. Later, when he cast them in Bajirao Mastani and Padmaavat their love was cemented further. The couple considers SLB their cupid, although he never asked them about their relationship and they never told him. Now with D-day around the corner, they are insistent that he accompany them to Italy for the wedding. Sanjay Leela Bhansali As things stand, Bhansali wont be going for the wedding. But he will be attending the wedding reception in Mumbai on December 1. A source close to SLB reveals that this wedding means a lot to him. Earlier, on his sets other couples, namely Salman-Aishwarya and Ranbir-Sonam, fell in love. But it never led to marriage. This is the first romance that blossomed on the sets of a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film which has actually led to marriage. HT03 Playing Christmas music too soon can be harmful to your health. (Photo: Pixabay) Christmas is almost around the corner and people are already getting into the festive season. However, you might want to hold off on listening to the classic holiday tunes like Jingle Bells and Silent Night. According to a music psychologists holiday jingles can make people feel overwhelmed, the Daily Mail reported. Experts say it can remind us all of the pressures of needing to feel jolly this time of year and our financial circumstance. "What is toxic about the holidays is that at this one time of year, you're expected to read people's minds and give them the perfect gift," Dr Peter Christenson, a professor of rhetoric and media studies at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, told the Daily Mail. "And the music plays into that." 61 percent of people reveaeled they felt stress during the Christmas season, found a 2006 survey from the American Psychological Association. A 2003 study from Washington State University found shoppers spent more money when exposed to Christmas music combined with a holiday scent like cinnamon. "If the music didn't perform a function, they wouldn't play it," Dr Christenson explained in the report. Adding, "It creates this ambiance of this warm, fuzzy Christmas feeling. I might buy a little more or stay in a store longer that is beautifully decorated or have a pianist playing Christmas carols in the lobby like Nordstrom's." South Korean first lady Kim Jung-sook attended the record-breaking event after meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a four-day visit to India. (Photo: AP) Ayodhya: The northern Indian city of Ayodhya broke a Guinness World Record on Tuesday by lighting 300,150 earthen lamps and keeping them burning for at least 45 minutes on the banks of the river Saryu as part of the annual celebration of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. South Korean first lady Kim Jung-sook attended the record-breaking event after meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a four-day visit to India. Her presence was significant because of a Korean legend that a princess from Ayodhya traveled to Korea and married a king, becoming a Korean queen in the year 48 AD. Yogi Adityanath, chief minister of the state of Uttar Pradesh, was given a certificate certifying the record by Guinness officials who had monitored the attempt with drone cameras. As dusk fell in Ayodhya, where Hindus believe the god Lord Ram was born and where he returned after 14 years in exile, volunteers lit lamps, called diyas, snaking along the river, through lanes and at houses. A similar attempt failed to break the record last year, when strong winds blew over many of the lamps. Tuesday's feat broke a record from 2016, when 150,009 lamps were lit. Purnima Shukla, a Saket Degree College student, was among 5,000 volunteers involved in the ceremony. "Last time we missed it by a whisper but this time we ensured that all the lamps were aglow. Oil was poured frequently, and we used sheets to block wind where it was very windy," she said. The Meerpet police identified the accused as G. Sravan Kumar, 22, a degree student and a resident of RN Reddy Colony in Meerpet Hyderabad: CCTV footage has helped the police nab a degree student who attempted to rob an ATM under Meerpet police station limits. The accused has been arrested by the police on Thursday. The Meerpet police identified the accused as G. Sravan Kumar, 22, a degree student and a resident of RN Reddy Colony in Meerpet. According to the Meerpet police, the accused tried to break open an Axis bank ATM near TKR college and steal money on Monday night. He then tried his luck again at VV Nagar in Saroornagar. N. Yadaiah inspector of police said, The Axis Bank staff situated in Mumbai noticed the suspicious moments and sent the CCTV footage to the police. Taking lead from the CCTV footage, the police succeeded in nabbing the student. The Meerpet police have registered a case under Section 380 of IPC and further investigation is underway. Kerala government should 'apply its mind' and show seriousness to end impasse at Sabarimala, BS Yeddyurappa said. (Photo: File | PTI) Kasargod: The BJP in Kerala on Thursday embarked on a rath yatra from Kasargod to "protect" the traditions and rituals of the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa at Sabarimala, which recently witnessed violent protests against the entry of women of menstruating age group. The main opposition Congress is also launching a series of yatras from Kasargod, Alappuzha, Thiruvananthapuram, Thodupuzha and Palakkad to protect the faith, fight communalism and explain to the people the "politicisation" of the Sabarimala issue by the CPI(M) and saffron parties. Speaking at the inaugural function of the 'Sabarimala Samrakshana Yatra', former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa sought the immediate intervention of the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government to end tensions at the hill shrine. The Kerala government should "apply its mind" and show seriousness to end the impasse at Sabarimala, he said. "We are not against the SC verdict. But sentiments of the people should be respected by one and all," he said, holding the ruling LDF and Congress-led opposition UDF responsible for the present impasse. The Karnataka opposition leader later flagged off the rath yatra being led jointly by BJP state president, P S Sreedharan Pillai and Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) president Tushar Vellapally, from Madhur Siddhi Vinayaka temple in Kasaragod. The rath yatra will conclude at Erumeli near Sabarimala on November 13, when the Supreme Court is to consider the review petitions against its September 28 verdict permitting women of all age groups to offer prayers at the Lord Ayyappa shrine. Meanwhile, Kerala PCC Working President, K Sudhakaran will take out a rally from Kasargod this evening which will be inaugurated by senior Congress leader, M M Hassan. Various Congress leaders will also be leading rallies from different districts in the coming days which will all culminate at Pathanamthitta, where the Sabarimala shrine is located, on November 15. During the yatra, Congress will inform the people how the Sabarimala issue was "politicised" by the ruling CPI(M) and BJP, KPCC President Mullapally Ramachandran said. BJP-RSS and various other Hindu outfits have been on the warpath against the Left government's decision to implement the apex court verdict. The main opposition Congress has also made it clear that they were with the devotees. The Ayyappa temple opened on Monday for the second time in three weeks for a two-day "Sree Chitira Atta Thirunal" special puja amid unprecedented security over apprehension of protests by those opposing the Supreme Court order, allowing women of menstrual age. Tension had prevailed at the temple Tuesday as nearly 200 frenzied devotees tried to prevent a woman pilgrim, whom they suspected to be of menstrual age, from entering, prompting police to register cases against 200 persons. CBI Director Alok Verma and deputy Rakesh Asthana have been sent on leave by the government. (Photo: File) New Delhi: CBI Director Alok Verma Thursday met Central Vigilance Commissioner K V Chowdary and denied corruption charges levelled against him by his deputy and special director in the probe agency Rakesh Asthana, officials said. Verma came to the CVC office in the late afternoon and stayed there for about two hours, they said. He met Chowdary and Vigilance Commissioner Sharad Kumar, the officials said, without giving any other details. The Supreme Court had on October 26 asked the Central Vigilance Commission to complete within two weeks its inquiry into allegations against Verma levelled by Asthana. Verma and Asthana have been sent on leave by the government. Officials said Asthana also met the CVC. The Commission had recently examined some CBI officials probing crucial cases which figured in Asthana's complaint of corruption against the probe agency's chief Verma, they said. The officials said CBI personnel from the rank of inspector up to the superintendent of police were called and their versions recorded before a senior CVC official. These officials, who had recorded their statements included those who had handled the Moin Qureshi bribery case, the IRCTC scam, involving former railway minister Lalu Prasad, the cattle smuggling case in which a senior BSF officer was caught with wads of cash in Kerala. The Supreme Court had directed that the CVC's inquiry into the allegations against Verma, who has challenged the government's decision divesting him of his duties and sending him on leave, would be conducted under the supervision of retired apex court judge Justice A K Patnaik and this was a "one-time exception". The feud between Verma and Asthana escalated recently leading to registration of an FIR against the latter and others including Deputy Superintendent of Police Devender Kumar, who is in CBI custody in an alleged bribery case. The CBI had on October 15 registered the FIR against Asthana for allegedly receiving a bribe of Rs 2 crore from Hyderabad-based businessman Sana Sathish Babu which was given through two middlemen Manoj Prasad and Somesh Prasad to sabotage the probe against meat exporter Moin Qureshi. On August 24, Asthana, in his complaint to the Cabinet Secretary, had levelled allegations against Verma that he got a bribe of Rs two crore from Sana to help him get some relief from questioning in the matter. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley also said the government first targeted the black money outside India and asset holders were asked to bring this money back on payment of penal tax. (Photo: File) Mumbai: On the second anniversary of demonetisation, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the decision never aimed to confiscate currency but to get it into the formal economy and make the holders pay tax. As the opposition targeted the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government on the move, Jaitley described demonetisation as a key step in a chain of important decisions taken by the government to formalise the economy. In a Facebook post, the Union Finance Minister wrote, "An ill-informed criticism of the demonetisation is that almost the entire cash money got deposited in the banks. Confiscation of currency was not an objective of demonetisation. Getting it into the formal economy and making the holders pay tax was the broader objective". He also said that the government first targeted the black money outside India and asset holders were asked to bring this money back on payment of penal tax. Those who failed to do so are being prosecuted under the Black Money Act. Details of all accounts and assets abroad which have reached the government, resulted in action against the violators, he added. Jaitley also said that following the note ban, it is now becoming increasingly difficult to evade the tax system. In May, 2014, when the present Government was elected the total number of the filers of income tax returns was 3.8 crore. In the first four years of this Government, it has increased to 6.86 crore. By the time the first five years of this Government are over, we will be close to doubling the assessee base, the finance minister wrote. Defending demonetisation, he further said, The system required to be shaken in order to make India move from cash to digital transactions. This would obviously have an impact on higher tax revenue and a higher tax base. On November 8, 2016, the Centre had declared Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes as non-legal and introduced new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 notes. Since then, several opposition leaders have highly criticised PM Modi while the members of the BJP and its allies have supported the decision. Bengaluru: Telugu Desam Party supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who is trying to unite opposition parties to take on BJP in the Lok Sabha elections next year, met former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy. Naidu met Gowda at his residence at Padmanabha Nagar on Thursday. Speaking to reporters after meeting Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy, Naidu said the initial steps for the formation of the alliance were yet to be finalised. Once the modalities were fixed, programmes would be chalked out later, he said. "I have spoken to Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav. I have met everybody. Tomorrow I am meeting Stalin (DMK president). We will decide how to take forward the alliance with consensus. It is an initial exercise. After that we will work together," he said. Former PM Deve Gowda said, "NDA rule under the leadership of PM Modi has created so many problems including destabilising constitutionally created institutes. Now, it is the responsibility of all secular parties including Congress to come together to replace NDA govt." Naidu hinted that the 1996 model of forming the government with Deve Gowda as prime minister with outside support of the Congress, could also be one of the experiments to form the government at the centre. Met with Sri @H_D_Devegowda, former Prime Minister of India & National President, Janata Dal(Secular) and Sri @hd_kumaraswamy, Chief Minister of Karnataka in Bangalore today. pic.twitter.com/rvtLSad2je N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) November 8, 2018 Naidu's meeting with the JD(S) supremo comes in the backdrop of Congress-JD(S) coalition resolving to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections together against the BJP, buoyed by the victory in the bypolls. The Congress-JD(S) coalition in Karnataka on Tuesday won two of the three Lok Sabha seats and both assembly constituencies in the fiercely fought by-polls, giving a shot in the arm to the ruling combine that faces frequent questions about its longevity. The electoral sweep by the ruling coalition comes as a boost to it as the by-polls were seen as a barometer of the public mood ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Naidu had called his Karnataka counterpart over the phone on Tuesday and congratulated the latter on the JD(S)-Congress combine's "spectacular victory" in the by-elections. JD(S) lawmaker Sharavana said Naidu's meeting with HD Deve Gowda's in continuation of the discussions the Andhra Chief Minister was holding with "secular" party leaders across the country. Naidu had also recently met NCP chief Sharad Pawar and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, among others. Bhopal: A Central Industrial Security Force jawan and four civilians were killed on Thursday as Maoists blew up a passenger bus by triggering a powerful improvised explosive device blast in Bacheli in Chhattisgarhs south Bastar district of Dantewada, four days ahead of the first phase of Assembly polls in the state. Two CISF other jawans travelling in the ill-fated private mini-bus were also injured. This was the fourth Naxal attack in Bastar in the last 10 days. Incidentally, the attack came a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Jagdalpur, headquarters of Bastar, on Friday, to campaign for the BJP before the first phase of voting on November 12. Four civilians and a CISF jawan were killed while two other security personnel were injured in the Maoist blast, said Bastar range inspector general of police Vivek Sinha. Apart from the mangled remains of the mini-bus at the explosion site, body parts of the victims and groceries could also be seen littered. No less than 60 kg of explosives must have been used to make the IED, sources in the state intelligence bureau said. Those killed in the blast were identified as CISF head constable D. Mukhopadhyay, bus driver Ramesh Patkar, helpers Roshan Kumar Sahu and Johan Nayak and a truck driver, Sushil Banjare, said Dantewada SP Abhishek Pallava. The truck driver had taken a lift in the bus, a police official said. CISF constables Pathare Satish and Pishal Suresh were injured in the attack, Mr Pallava said. The blast took place in a hilly area in Bacheli area when the jawans, belonging to CISFs 502 battalion, were returning to their camp at Akash Nagar after purchasing ration for their unit from a market, a police officer said. Hyderabad: Based on specific inputs, the Hyderabad police intercepted three vehicles on Wednesday morning and found Rs 7.51 crore in cash. It was one of the biggest hauls after the election code of conduct came into play in TS, and was made a day ahead of the second anniversary of the demonetisation of high value currency notes. The money was allegedly meant to be distributed as a bribe to voters in the elections. Police has so far seized Rs 40 crore of unaccounted cash, confirming that one of the biggest sources of black money is political parties. Two years down the road since the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes were scrapped, has the NDA governments biggest strike against stash failed in its objective given that such ill-gotten money still exists as seizures testify? Hyderabad: Thirty-one people reported to Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital with injuries to the eyes due to the bursting of firecrackers. Eight of those injured were critical. People started coming to the hospital from Wednesday afternoon and till early Thursday morning. They were mostly from Hyderabad city and Ranga Reddy areas. Other private eye clinics in the city administered to three or four cases of injury which were treated on out-patient basis. Dr Srinivas Prasad, senior eye surgeon at Sarojini Devi, said six are in-patients as their injuries are grievous and required surgical intervention. One of them has a critical injury to the cornea and has been put on medication and observation. Two of those admitted to the hospital are children. The other 23 were treated and sent home but have been told to come for a check up every day. Firecrackers burst during the Diwali festival can be dangerous if not handled properly, a warning that many people disregard. 71 cases against violation of SC orders The Hyderabad police booked 71 cases against those who violated Supreme Court guidelines in celebrating Diwali. The city police received complaints on the bursting of fire crackers beyond the permitted houses, between 8 pm and 10 pm, for which cases were booked under Sections 22 and 77 of Hyderabad City Police Act on the intervening night of Diwali festival on November 7 and 8, police commissioner Anjani Kumar said. People showed little respect for the order of the courts and the firecrackers were burst from as early as 5 am to well past midnight. There appeared to be no fear of a police complaint or legal action. About 100 complaints were received by the police from across the state in connection with the violations by the public while bursting crackers in connection with the celebrations of Diwali. The calls on Dial 100 were received more between 10 pm and 11 pm on Wednesday. The calls were regarding noise pollution and bursting of crackers. Police personnel were asked to visit the spot and review the situation, said sources. A senior police official from the city said, Some complaints were received regarding the violation of the SC guidelines. The complaints will be reviewed for further action based on the severity of the incident. The Cyberabad and Rachakonda police said no complaints had been received on the violations of the Supreme Court guidelines. Fire dept. gets 42 fire accident calls The fire department got 42 calls on Wednesday, most of them for incidents related to the bursting of fire crackers. Early Thursday morning, at around 3 am, a fire broke out in a timber depot near Bowenpally check post. Fire officer Durga Prasad said the wood stored in the depot could have caught fire due to firecrackers. It took 4 fire engines almost 4 hours to douse the fire. T.V. Rao, owner of the timber depot valued the wood that was gutted at `2 crore and `50 lakh damage to the premises. On Wednesday around 6.30 pm a small fire occurred in Malkajgiri. Police have booked a case against a grocery shop owner who opened a stall selling crackers in front of his grocery store without taking prior permission from the concerned authorities. According to Malkajgiri sub inspector of police L. Ramesh, the grocery shop owner N. Venkatesh had arranged the crackers in an open space in front of his shop. The crackers caught fire accidentally and went off in all directions, creating panic in the vicinity. Fortunately there were no casualties. Firecrackers also ignited the cotton waste stored in a cycle shop in Shamirpet. Abdul Razak, sub inspector of police said, The owner of the shop Shravan Kumar received simple injuries on his left knee and left hand and cycle tyres got burnt. Children were bursting firecrackers and accidently they fell on the cotton waste and a fire broke out in the shop at around 7 pm on Wednesday. Ballari: Central Crime Branch officials from Bengaluru swooped down on the palatial residence of mining baron and former minister Gali Janardhan Reddy in Ballari on Thursday in a money laundering case, in which Mr Reddy is accused of taking Rs 20 crore to strike a deal with Enforcement Directorate officials to drop the case against a Bengaluru-based firm involved in a Ponzi scheme. Sources said the sleuths entered the mansion at around 6 am when Mr Reddys wife Ms Lakshmi Aruna was inside, along with her father Mr Parameshwar Reddy and mother Ms Nagalakshamma. It is alleged that Syed Ahmed Fareed, founder of the firm, Ambidant Marketing Pvt. Ltd, paid Mr Reddy Rs 20 crore Rs 2 crore in cash and 57 kg in gold bullion worth Rs 18 crore by laundering it through two jewellery firms to escape from the EDs clutches. Soon after the arrival of CCB cops at Mr Reddys residence, his close confidante and Molakalmur BJP MLA Mr B. Sriramulu and former YSRC legislator from Rayadurg in AP Kapu Ramachandra Reddy arrived at the place. Sources said the CCB sleuths had a tough time with Mr Reddys mother-in-law Ms Nagalakshamma who reportedly picking up a quarrel for searching the residence on a festival. Mr Sriramulu too questioned the sleuths for conducting the search without proper intimation. New Delhi: The Congress on Thursday launched a multi-pronged attack on the Modi government over demonetisation, with former prime minister Manmohan Singh saying the scars and wounds it caused are getting more visible with time and party chief Rahul Gandhi describing the measure as a carefully planned criminal financial scam. In a scathing assessment of the demonetisation exercise, Dr Singh said the decisions second anniversary on Thursday is a day to remember how economic misadventures can roil the nation. In a statement, he asked the government not to resort to further unorthodox, short-term economic measures that can cause any more uncertainty in the economy. Congress president Rahul Gandhi also came out with a statement sharply criticising demonetisation and describing it as a tragedy that destroyed millions of lives. In a tweet, he also alleged that demonetisation was a planned brutal conspiracy and a shrewd scheme to convert the black money of Prime Minister Narendra Modis suit-booted friends to white. Senior Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram described demonetisation as the most ingeniously-designed official money-laundering scheme. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala asked why the BJP government did not issue any advertisement or congratulate people on the 2nd anniversary of demonetisation as they had done in the past. Hyderabad: In a dramatic development, balladeer Gaddar announced on Thursday that he would contest as an independent candidate against caretaker Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao from the Gajwel Assembly constituency in the forthcoming elections. Earlier, Gaddar had offered to contest against Mr Rao if all Opposition parties supported him. It is not clear if the Mahakutami will back him. Congress leader and former MLA Vanteru Pratap Reddy plans to contest from Gajwel as the Opposition candidate. The CPM-led Bahujana Front has extended its support to Gaddar. Speaking to mediapersons, Gaddar said he had written to TS Director General of Police (DGP) for police protection during the campaign. He said he would begin canvassing after he receives a reply from the police. Gaddar said he would campaign in the tribal tandas to bring awareness about the value of vote. If Gaddar and Mr Pratap Reddy both contest from Gajwel, it will help the TRS as the votes against the ruling party will get divided. Sources said Mahakutami leaders may speak with Gaddar and persuade him not to contest as it would help the TRS. Gaddar is critical of the TRS government and is supporting the Mahakutami. Hyderabad: With less than a month left for the elections, the Telangana state Congress candidates list has been further delayed, and the first list will be out on November 10. The Congress central election committee on Thursday cleared the names of candidates for 74 of the 93 seats the party will be contesting from, at a meeting chaired by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. After the meeting, AICC general secretary and TS Congress incharge R.C. Khuntia said the party had decided to give 26 seats out of 119 seats in the state to Mahakutami 14 seats to the TD, eight to the Telangana Jana Samiti, three to the CPI and one for the Telangana Inti Party. Mr Khuntia said the first list of candidates would be announced on November 10, the rest of the names would be finalised on November 11 or 12. The parties are left with just 28 days to woo the voters. The Election Commission will issue the notification on November 12. The TRS still has to name 14 candidates and party president and caretaker Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has taken a long break from the campaign. The Congress has said that it will announce its first list on November 10, and the Mahakutami candidates will start campaign only after filing the nominations. All Congress leaders who camped at Delhi for the last three days will return to Hyderabad on Friday morning. TPCC chief N. Uttam Kumar Reddy will leave for Dubai on Friday morning to attend an NRIs meeting and will return in the evening. Hyderabad: With less than a month left for the elections, the TS Congress candidates list has been further delayed, and the first list will be out on November 10. The Mahakutami has changed its plan of releasing the the full list of candidates at one go. While the Congress will release its first list on November 10, the Telugu Desam, Telangana Jana Samiti and the CPI will name their candidates separately. TPCC sources said the Mahakutami allies had agreed on the seat sharing formula. Telangana CPI secretary Chada Venkata Reddy said the party would take a decision at an executive meeting soon. Telangana Telugu Desam president L. Ramana said the party was yet to decide on the seats allotted to the party. TS TD leaders Ramana, Ravula Chandrasekhar Reddy, Nama Nageswara Rao and others went to Amaravati to finalise the candidates, and they travelled with Mr Naidu to Bengaluru. The party may name its candidates in a couple of days, after Mr Naidu completes his round of meetings. The selection of candidates to the CPI and the TJS will not be a problem if they continue in the Mahakutami. TRS president and caretaker Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had announced that he would address 100 meetings in 50 days. So far he was addressed only four. TRS sources said Mr Rao may start his campaign from November 12. That would leave him with just 23 days for the campaign, and it is unlikely that he will score the century. Hyderabad: The MIM has started town hall-like meetings to interact with constituents during the election campaign. In a first of its kind interactive session organised by the Habeeb-e-Millat Political Research Centre at Salar-e-Millat auditorium, Owaisi Hospital, party floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi detailed his vision to develop his constituency. Mr Owaisi said he would try to establish a housing board and industrial development corporation for the minorities. Muslims are not getting their due in housing schemes of the government due to various reasons, he said. Similarly, Muslims were not able to compete with others and were lagging in the industrial sector. He said the party had suggested that the government develop the area around the airport so that the Old City get the fruits of development. The MIM legislator said the MIM, from its inception, was not only striving to uplift the Muslim community but also providing them a strong political platform. He said the Owaisi Hospital & Research Centre was constructing a cancer research centre at an estimated cost of Rs 100 crore and another Rs 100 crore would be spent on getting state of the art equipment. Mr Owaisi said that he knew the pain of a dropout student which encouraged him to ensure that all students got an opportunity to continue their studies without any problem. He was providing not only free education, but also books and uniforms and all other facilities free of cost. He said his constituency had more flyovers than any other constituency. Bengaluru: Setting the pace for the formation of a front of opposition parties ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls to take on the ruling BJP, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu met JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda and son H.D. Kumaraswamy in Bengaluru on Thursday. All institutions have been destroyed. The CBI, a premier anti-corruption agency has been finished. Now, the RBI an autonomous institution is under pressure. Media reports suggest that the RBI governor wants to quit, Mr Naidu said. He also attacked the NDA government over the Income Tax and Enforcement Directorate raids on opposition leaders offices and houses. When his attention was drawn to the BJPs criticism of the opposition Mahagathbandhan saying it would come a cropper, Mr Naidu referred to the Congress-JD(S) experiment in Karnataka that had swept the recent Lok Sabha and Assembly polls winning four of the five seats. What happened in Karnataka reflects the mood of the nation, he said and recalled the bonhomie of 1996 when he was the convenor of the United Front and Mr Gowda was chairman of the front. We enjoy a good rapport. I came to seek his blessings and co-operation which he agreed to extend, the TDP chief said. Asked whether the TD would be dubbed opportunistic as it was part of the NDA for four years before splitting away, Mr Naidu said, We gave the BJP time but they did not implement a special package for AP or the provisions of the Special Act under which the new state was created. Later, Mr Deve Gowda said, Mr Naidu is making an honest effort to bring all regional parties together. His effort is to defeat the NDA in the 2019 parliament elections. He has met all leaders including Sharad Pawar and Farooq Abdullah. I would like to request the Congress party to co-operate with this effort. The Congress has a greater responsibility in this regard. Naidus Karnataka counterpart, H.D. Kumaraswamy said the political experiment of 1996 would repeat in 2019 with the entry of Mr Naidu, who is co-ordinating with all regional parties. Hyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address three public meetings in the Telangana state ahead of the December 7 Assembly elections, the first of them in the next couple of weeks. State BJP leaders want Mr Modi to address at least four public meetings. The BJP has organised two public meetings of party president Amit Shah so far, and wants more. The state party leadership is also inviting senior leaders and Union ministers to hold meetings to attract the public. We are trying to organise at least four public meetings of the Prime Minister and we have got clearance for three. We are very confident that Mr Modis tour will change the political picture. We will also organise pubic meetings of the Mr Shah separately, BJP state president Dr K. Laxman said. Meanwhile, the newly-formed Yuva Telangana Party has joined hands with the BJP, and seat adjustment talks are on. The BJP has announced a list of 66 candidates. Speaking to mediapersons, Yuva Telangana Party president Jitta Balakrishna Reddy said, Our party is new and we need the support of a strong national party. Our partys policy is the betterment of women and youth. We know how the Prime Minister is working for these sections. Dr Laxman said the BJP was being seen as the only alternative to the TRS. Hyderabad: Congress leaders kept up their focus on caretaker minister T. Harish Rao. After Congress Gajwel contestant Vanteru Pratap Reddy alleged that Mr Harish Rao had called him to defeat the caretaker CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao, TS Congress working president A. Revanth Reddy said Mr Harish Rao was planning to change his car driver. Speaking to mediapersons in Delhi on Thursday, Mr Revanth Reddy claimed that Medak MP Kotha Prabhakar Reddy had taken Mr T. Narsa Reddy of Gajwel to meet Mr Harish Rao on October 25 at the ministers official quarters. The day after the meeting, Mr Narsa Reddy went to Delhi and joined the Congress, he said. He said Mr Harish Rao should inform the public about what is happening in the party. He claimed that terms between Mr Harish Rao and his uncle Mr Chandrasekhar Rao were not that good. He said that if the TRS government released CCTV footage of the ministers quarters, the vehicles and the persons in them can be identified easily, he said. This will give clarity to KCR, K.T. Rama Rao and Harish Rao along with the public of Telangana. It is certain that the TRS will have huge disputes within the party and the family, Mr Revanth Reddy claimed. On Wednesday, Gajwel Congress aspirant Vanteru Pratap Reddy had claimed that he had met Mr Harish Rao twice. He said, Harish Rao and I met twice earlier and I have evidence for what Im saying. All the evidence will be revealed at the right time. He said he could promise in front of the god about their meeting. Can Harish say that no such meeting was there? TRS leaders are fearful of KCRs defeat in Gajwel, he said. It is salutary to recall that one of the most potent popular rebellions in Pakistan was sparked by goods worth Rs 5,000. Sure, that meant a great deal more 50 years ago, but even so it was a pretty paltry amount in comparison with what the chief beneficiaries of Ayub Khans the decade of development were presumably banking every other day. But it mattered a great deal to the bunch of students from Rawalpindis Gordon College who had ventured into Pakistans duty-free capital, Landikotal, in early November 1968 and bought goodies worth that much, only to have them confiscated on the way out. They were technically in breach of the law, but perfectly well aware that anyone with a modicum of influence could shop to their hearts content in the tribal territories outpost and usually bring the goods home without serious trouble. They complained to and consulted their fellow students, and agreement emerged on staging a protest on Nov 7, 1968. It so happened that on the same day students at a polytechnic on the outskirts of what served as the nations interim capital while Islamabad was being constructed were expecting a visit, and a characteristically fiery speech, from an estranged former stalwart of the Ayub regime. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was denied the opportunity of speaking at the polytechnic, and eventually drove on to Rawalpindis Inter Continental hotel, where a substantial delegation from Gordon College had gathered to greet him. One of the potent revolts in Pakistan was sparked 50 years ago: The police overreacted. A young man was shot dead. And the relatively restricted protests in Rawalpindi spiralled into mass action that within four months led to the end of the Ayub regime and, soon afterwards, to the promise of democracy based for the first time in the nations 21-year trajectory on universal adult franchise. This was a bigger achievement than had been secured anywhere in the world in that year of student-led tumult that had erupted in Paris and made its way pretty much around the world, often based, as in Pakistans case, on local and relatively inconsequential complaints feeding into a broader, albeit seldom clearly articulated, agenda for change. In Pakistans case, the students who initially revolted had no clue about its consequences, as fellow students across the country joined in, as did disaffected segments of the intelligentsia and substantial proportions of the working class, not least in East Pakistan. It took the generally more militant students in Dhaka about a month to cotton on to the fact that something unusual was afoot. A visit from Pakistans dictator was instrumental in sparking protests that spread throughout the province - and ultimately, it could be argued, led to the creation of Bangladesh. Meanwhile, in the western province - still a single unit at the time - there had been an assassination attempt on Ayub in Peshawar just a couple of days after the inauguration of the unrest in Rawalpindi. The protests spread pretty quickly thereafter, not only to obvious cities such as Karachi and Lahore but also to much smaller towns, although the vast rural tracts were largely immune. Not so in East Pakistan, though, where peasant leader Maulana Bhashani was first among that wings prominent political leaders to place himself in the vanguard of the resistance movement, calling strikes that were widely heeded. There were significant strikes in West Pakistan too, which offered the students an inkling of what they had unleashed. In the past, a mixture of bribes and repression had sufficed to sustain the status quo. But something different was afoot as 1968 segued into 1969, and in February, Ayub announced his intention to withdraw from politics. He made way the following month for army chief Yahya Khan. Yahyas reign, however short-lived, was ultimately a monumental disaster. He presided over Pakistans first general elections based on universal adult franchise, and then refused to cede power to the majority party, instead unleashing an unprecedented campaign of state violence, in which Bhutto was decidedly complicit. Sadly, hardly any students in West Pakistan deemed the massacres of their counterparts and so many others in East Pakistan worth protesting about. The subcontinents second divide within a quarter-century accounted for hopeful new beginnings on both sides, but led to further bouts of military rule. In the case of the Pakistani rump, the period from July 1977 onwards proved to be the most atrocious segment of its trajectory, echoed in misguided agitators baying for the blood of an innocent woman. The rebels of 68 were broadly on the right track, although the democracy that followed left much to be desired, and dark shadows thereafter rapidly consumed its virtues and expanded on its shortcomings. The awakening led in due course to election results that rattled the status quo. By arrangement with Dawn B08 On October 31, the worlds tallest statue, the Statue of Unity dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.The work on the 182-metre tall statue has been completed after round the clock work by 3,400 labourers and 250 engineers at Sadhu Bet island on Narmada river in Gujarat. Sadhu Bet, located some 3.5 km away from the Narmada Dam, is linked by a 250-metre-long long bridge. Unfortunately, for several reasons, scarce scholarly research has been done on the internal history of the Congress; the main cause is probably that a section of the party would prefer to keep history under wraps. Take the acute differences of opinion between Sardar Patel, the deputy prime minister, and Panditji, as Nehru was then called by Congressmen. In the last weeks of Patels life (he passed away on December 15, 1950), there was a deep split between the two leaders, leading to unilateral decisions for the PM, for which India had to pay the heaviest price. The most serious cause of discord was the invasion of Tibet by the Chinese Liberation Army in October 1950. In the course of recent researches in Indian archives, I discovered several new facts. Not only did several senior Congress leaders, led by Patel, violently oppose Nehrus suicidal policy, but many senior bureaucrats too did not agree with the Prime Ministers decisions and objected to his policy of appeasement with China, which led India to lose a peaceful border. On November 11, 1950, the deputy prime minister of India addressed a meeting organised by the Central Aryan Association to commemorate the 67th death anniversary of Swami Dayanand Saraswati. It was to be his last speech. What did he say? The Sardar spoke of the potential dangers arising from what was happening in Tibet and Nepal, and he exhorted his countrymen: It was incumbent on the people to rise above party squabbles and unitedly defend their newly-won freedom. He cited the example of Gandhi and Swami Dayanand. Sardar Patel then criticised the Chinese intervention in Tibet; he asserted that to use the sword against the traditionally peace-loving Tibetan people was unjustified: No other country in the world was as peace-loving as Tibet. India did not believe, therefore, that the Chinese government would actually use force in settling the Tibetan question. He observed that the Chinese government did not listen to Indias advice to settle the Tibetan issue peacefully: They marched their armies into Tibet and explained this action by talking of foreign interests intriguing in Tibet against China. The deputy prime minster added that this fear was unfounded; no outsider was interested in Tibet. The Sardar continued by saying that nobody could say what the outcome of Chinese action would be. But the use of force ultimately created more fear and tension. It was possible that when a country got drunk with its own military strength and power, it did not think calmly over all issues. He strongly asserted that the use of arms was wrong: In the present state of the world, such events might easily touch off a new world war, which would mean disaster for mankind. Did he know that it was his last message? Do not let cowardice cripple you. Do not run away from danger. The three year-old freedom of the country has to be fully protected. India today is surrounded by all sorts of dangers and it is for the people today to remember the teachings of the two great saints and face fearlessly all dangers. The deputy prime minister concluded: In this kalyug we shall return ahimsa for ahimsa. But if anybody resorted to force against us we shall meet it with force. He ended his speech citing Swami Dayananda: People should also remember that Swamiji did not get a foreign education. He was the product of Indian culture. Although it was true that they in India had to borrow whatever was good and useful from other countries, it was right and proper that Indian culture was accorded its due place. Who is ready to listen to this, even today? Days earlier, Patel had written a prophetic letter to Nehru, detailing the implications for India of Tibets invasion. In fact, Patel used a draft done by Sir Girja Shankar Bajpai, the secretary-general of the ministry of external affairs and Commonwealth relations. However, Nehru decided to ignore Patels letter. Witnessing the nefarious influence of K.M. Panikkar, the Indian ambassador to China, who ceaselessly defended Chinas interests, Bajpai, the most seasoned Indian diplomat, had lost his cool. On October 31, in an internal note, he detailed the sequence of events which followed Tibets invasion and the role of Panikkar, whose attitude was compared to Sir Neville Chamberlains towards Hitler. Bajpais anger demonstrates the frustration of many senior officers; the account starts on July 15, when the governor of Assam informed Delhi that, according to the information received by the local intelligence bureau, Chinese troops, in unknown strength, had been moving towards Tibet from three directions. Not only was Panikkar unable to get any confirmation, but he virtually justified Beijings military action by writing: In view of frustration in regard to Formosa, the Tibetan move was not unlikely. During the next three months, the Indian ambassador would systematically take the Chinese side. After receiving Bajpais note, Patel wrote back: I need hardly say that I have read it with a great deal of interest and profit to myself and it has resulted in a much better understanding of the points at issue and general, though serious, nature of the problem. The Chinese advance into Tibet upsets all our security calculations. I entirely agree with you that a reconsideration of our military position and a redisposition of our forces are inescapable. Some more details of the seriousness of the situation filters through Inside Story of Sardar Patel: The Diary of Maniben Patel, the daughter of the Sardar. In an entry on November 2, 1950, Maniben wrote: Rajaji and Jawaharlal had a heated altercation about the Tibet policy. Rajaji does not at all appreciate this policy. Rajaji very unhappy Bapu (Patel) did not speak at all. Later in the afternoon, Munshi complained about Tibet policy. The question concerns the whole nation said he had written a personal letter to Panditji on Tibet. Later, Patel told K.M. Munshi: Rajaji, you (Munshi), I (Patel), Baldev Singh, (C.D.) Deshmukh, Jagjivan Ram and even Sri Prakash are on one side, while Gopalaswamy, Rafi, Maulana (Azad) are on his side. There was a vertical split in the Cabinet; and it was not only about Tibet. The situation would deteriorate further during the following weeks. On December 12, Patel was divested on his portfolios. Nehru wrote: In view of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patels ill-health it is absolutely necessary that he should have complete rest and freedom from worry, so as to be able to recuperate as rapidly as possible. no work should be sent to him and no references made to him in regard to the work of these ministries. Gopalaswami Ayyangar, from the other side, was allotted the ministry of states and Nehru kept the ministry of home. The Sardar was only informed after the changes were made. He was a dejected man. Three days later he passed away. B09 Samsung has unveiled powerful new developer tools for its Bixby and SmartThings platforms, as well as new, powerful mobile experiences with One UI and Infinity Flex Display. To make connected living a reality, Samsung is making it easier for developers and partners to quickly build, launch and scale new experiences to millions of devices around the world. We have achieved significant advancements in AI and IoT, which will be crucial to bringing our connected living vision to life, said DJ Koh, President and CEO of IT and Mobile Communications Division, Samsung Electronics. The progress made to Bixby and SmartThings opens a new chapter where third party products and services can be integrated to the AI and IoT platforms at scale. The foldable display lays the foundation for a new kind of mobile experience. We are excited to work with developers on this new platform to create new value for our customers. We cannot wait to see where the technology and collaboration take us, Koh said. Bixby started as an intelligent interface, a practical way to use your voice to interact with your phone. Now, Samsung is evolving it into a scalable intelligence platform to support the diverse products and services in a consumers life. At SDC 2018, Samsung is unveiling new ways for developers to bring a more conversational, personal and useful intelligent assistant experience to more consumers. To make it easier for developers to scale services powered by Bixby, Samsung is introducing the Bixby Developer Studio. The collection of tools provides an intuitive way for developers and partners to infuse intelligence into more services and devices. Developers will be able to easily create Bixby Capsules features or services created for Bixby and make them easily accessible to consumers in the Bixby Marketplace. The Bixby platform will allow developers to easily adapt their capsules from mobile phones and televisions to home appliances and other products across the Samsung ecosystem. As part of its efforts to scale Bixby services, Samsung is expanding support to five new languages in the coming months, including British English, French, German, Italian and Spanish. Samsungs connected living vision is centred around an open IoT ecosystem that unites the growing number of connected devices on a single platform. Available in more than 200 markets around the world, SmartThings delivers a connected experience in a single app, bringing IoT beyond the smart home, into the car, office and everywhere in-between. Samsung is now making it faster and easier for developers to connect their devices and services to the SmartThings platform with a new suite of tools in the redesigned SmartThings Developer Workspace. These enhanced tools include SmartThings Cloud Connector, SmartThings Device Kit and SmartThings Hub Connector. Developers can build and launch on the platform, as well as easily integrate cloud-connected, Zigbee and Z-Wave devices. Additionally, the upgraded Works with SmartThings (WWST) certification program gives developers direct access to SmartThings experts and resources. WWST helps ensure devices and services are fully optimised for the platform, so consumers enjoy the best possible experience. Samsung introduces a new and intuitive interface design called One UI. Its clean and minimal design keeps the most relevant content on the bottom half of the screen making it more natural and comfortable for one-handed use. The experience was re-engineered to reduce clutter and distractions, allowing the user to better focus and quickly navigate their phone. Samsung continues to build on its legacy of category-defining form factor and display innovation that has paved the way for a breakthrough foldable smartphone form factor. The Infinity Flex Display together with One UI delivers a new kind of mobile experience allowing users to do things they couldnt do with an ordinary smartphone. Users now have the best of both worlds: a compact smartphone that unfolds to reveal a larger immersive display for multitasking and viewing content. The app experience seamlessly transitions from the smaller display to the larger display as the device unfolds. In addition, users can browse, watch, connect and multitask without losing a beat, simultaneously using three active apps on the larger display. Because the Infinity Flex Display is a next-generation platform, Samsung invites developers to participate in this journey from the beginning. Working collaboratively with Google and the Android developer community, Samsung will maximise the potential of this new form factor to create an optimised foldable user experience. Samsung and several rivals are preparing to roll out such screens to make devices more versatile for work and pleasure. The foldable screens could increase display space to the size of a mini-tablet but fold like a wallet so they revert to the size of regular phones. But there are questions about price and its durability. If the new phones fulfil their makers ambitions, they will become a leap ahead for an industry whose origins can be traced to the old flip phones that consumers once embraced as cool and convenient. Foldable-screen phones, though, wont need hinges because they have continuous displays that can bend. We have been living in a world where the size of a screen could only be as large as the device itself, said Justin Denison, Samsungs senior vice president of mobile product marketing. We have just entered a new dimension. In an indication of how difficult it is to make a flexible screen thats also durable, Samsung first announced plans to build a folding-screen phone five years ago. It wasnt until Wednesday, though, that Samsung finally provided a glimpse at what its been working on. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. A man, who said he was in the bar, told ABC news that he saw a man shoot into the crowd. (Photo: AP) Los Angeles: Ventura County sheriff Geoff Dean said 13 victims were killed in shooting at a crowded Southern California bar on late Wednesday, reported The Associated Press. A gunman who opened fire in the southern California bar and dance hall killing several people is also dead, the sheriff's office said. The incident happened at the Borderline Bar and Grill in the town of Thousand Oaks, a quiet, upscale residential suburb of Los Angeles. Ventura County Sheriff's Office Sgt Eric Buchow told the CBS affiliate in Los Angeles that there were "multiple fatalities" in the shooting and the gunman was dead inside the crowded venue. Police who responded to reports of a shooting rushed to the scene and engaged the gunman. A deputy sheriff is among the 13 people shot. The Los Angeles Times quoted a law enforcement official as saying at least 30 shots had been fired. An unnamed witness told the newspaper that someone ran into the bar around 11:30 pm and started shooting what looked to be a black pistol. "He shot a lot, at least 30 times. I could still hear gunshots after everyone left," the Times quoted the man as saying. The move capped more than a year of bitter criticism by Trump over Jeff Session's decision to recuse himself from Russia probe paving way for appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller. (Photo: File | AFP) Washington: US Attorney General Jeff Sessions was fired by Donald Trump on Wednesday, casting a cloud over the Russia investigation that has dogged the White House, a day after Republicans lost control over the lower house of Congress. The move capped more than a year of bitter criticism by the president over his legal advisor's decision to recuse himself from the probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election, paving the way for the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller. In announcing the resignation in a tweet that thanked the former Alabama senator "for his service" -- Trump right away named as acting attorney general Sessions' chief of staff Matthew Whitaker. That set off immediate alarm bells: Whitaker has been overtly critical of the broad scope granted to Mueller's team to probe beyond allegations Trump's campaign colluded with Russia in 2016, into other ties between Trump, his family and aides, and Russia -- an investigation the president calls a "witch hunt." In an op-ed in August last year he publicly urged Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein -- who oversees the probe -- to "limit the scope of his investigation to the four corners of the order appointing him special counsel." As acting attorney general, Whitaker now has the power to wrest oversight away from Rosenstein, and take charge himself. Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer immediately called on Whitaker to recuse himself from the probe as his predecessor had, "given his previous comments advocating defunding and imposing limitations" on it. - First casualty after midterms - Schumer and other leading Democrats were joined in their call for an unhampered probe by Republican Mitt Romney, a former presidential candidate and frequent Trump critic who won a US Senate seat in Tuesday's midterm. Thanking Sessions for his service, Romney said that it was "imperative that the important work of the Justice Department continues, and that the Mueller investigation proceeds to its conclusion unimpeded." Whitaker himself meanwhile offered little clue about his intentions in a bland statement to reporters thanking Trump for his appointment, praising his former boss as a "dedicated public servant" and adding he would work to leading a department that conformed to the "highest ethical standards." Sessions was the first casualty of a cabinet shake-up that had been expected from Trump following the midterm elections. But his departure was anticipated since early this year, after he endured withering and repeated criticism from the president over the legally troubled ban on Muslim travellers Trump sought when he came into office, and over the Mueller probe. "At your request, I am submitting my resignation," Sessions said in the first line of a letter addressed to Trump, released by the Department of Justice. - Trump's first backer - Sessions was the first US senator to back Trump's presidential run in 2016, giving the New York real estate billionaire credibility against a broad field of Republican stalwarts. The two were reportedly brought together by a shared wish to crack down on immigration. After taking office in January 2017, the former prosecutor launched tough law-and-order policies and a broad ban on Muslim travellers promised by Trump during the campaign. He was in the vanguard of administration pushes to expand the ranks of federal law enforcement, fill courts with conservative judges, and crack down on Central American gangs such as MS-13. But the president was infuriated when in March 2017 Sessions recused himself from the nascent Russia investigation, because of his own Russian contacts during the 2016 campaign. Instead, he gave Rosenstein that authority. When Trump weeks later fired FBI director James Comey in anger at the Russia investigation, Rosenstein stunned the administration by naming Mueller, a former FBI chief, to lead the probe as an independent prosecutor. That structure, with Sessions recused and Rosenstein supervising Mueller, has insulated the investigation from outside interference. Still, Trump has repeatedly accused Mueller of running an illegal investigation staffed by Democrats and threatened to shut it down. - Indictments looming - Matters though were clearly coming to a head after Mueller racked up indictments against 34 people and three companies, in direct and spin-off cases. Eight guilty pleas have resulted, and one jury trial conviction. Most notably, several top Trump aides have agreed to cooperate: former national security advisor Michael Flynn; former campaign chair Paul Manafort; former vice chair Richard Gates; and former Trump Organization vice president Michael Cohen, long Trump's personal fixer. Mueller was expected to unveil in the coming weeks new indictments, possibly against 2016 campaign consultant Roger Stone and Trump's son Donald Jr. Moreover, Mueller's team and the White House have been haggling for months over whether the president himself would answer questions. Mueller is known to be examining whether Trump obstructed justice in firing Comey -- and other acts. In addition, the White House has shown concern that Mueller is investigating the finances of the Trump Organization, and links to Russia. Blasphemy is an incendiary charge in Muslim-majority Pakistan, where even unsubstantiated allegations of insulting Islam can result in death at the hands of mobs. (Photo: AFP) Islamabad: A Pakistani Christian woman who spent eight years on death row for blasphemy has been freed from jail after an acquittal that triggered Islamist protests, but is still in Pakistan, officials said Thursday amid appeals for her to be offered asylum. Asia Bibi's conviction was overturned by the country's highest court last Wednesday, but she remained in prison as the government negotiated with hardliners who blockaded major cities and demanded her immediate execution. Islamist parties had already vowed to take to the streets of Karachi later Thursday to protest at her acquittal and numbers were now expected to swell sharply following news of her release. "She has been freed," lawyer Saif-ul-Mulook said in a text message to AFP. "I have been told that she is on a plane but nobody knows where she will land." Following protests at last week's ruling, the government agreed in a deal with Islamists to impose a travel ban on Bibi, and not to challenge a review of the Supreme Court's ruling. One of the most vocal groups in the protests -- the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) -- called for "mutiny" against the army's top brass and the assassination of the top court's justices. Following Bibi's release, the TLP vowed to return to the streets if she was allowed to leave the country. "If the promise is broken and she is sent abroad, then Allah willing, a movement will start and it will be decisive," said TLP leader Afzal Qadri, after an earlier message from the group accused the government of reneging on the agreement. Foreign ministry spokesman Muhammad Faisal on Thursday denied media reports that Bibi had left the country, telling AFP: "She is in Pakistan". Intelligence sources also told AFP that she had not left the country. An order for her release arrived Wednesday at the jail in the central city of Multan where she was held, a prison official told AFP. "Asia Bibi has left the prison and has been transferred to a safe place!" tweeted Antonio Tajani, president of the European Parliament. Another civil aviation official, in Multan, said a small plane arrived in the city with "a few foreigners and some Pakistanis" on board to fetch Bibi. Her case has underscored deep divisions between traditionalists and modernisers in the devoutly Muslim country. The conviction stemmed from a 2009 incident when Bibi was asked to fetch water while out working in the fields. Muslim women labourers objected to her touching the water bowl as a non-Muslim, and a fight reportedly erupted. A local imam then claimed Bibi insulted the Prophet Mohammed. Bibi has consistently denied the charges, and her prosecution rallied international rights groups, politicians and religious figures. Pope Benedict XVI called for her release in 2010, while his successor, Pope Francis, met her daughter in 2015. Incendiary charge Bibi's husband Ashiq Masih has appealed for Britain or the United States to grant the family asylum and several governments including those of Italy and France have offered to help. Her lawyer fled to the Netherlands on Saturday under threat to his life. Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini tweeted: "I will do everything humanly possible to guarantee this young woman's future." Blasphemy is an incendiary charge in Muslim-majority Pakistan, where even unsubstantiated allegations of insulting Islam can result in death at the hands of mobs. Mere calls to reform the law have provoked violence, most notably the assassination of Salmaan Taseer, the governor of Pakistan's Punjab province, by his own bodyguard in Islamabad in 2011. Taseer had called for Bibi's release, and his son Shahbaz tweeted "Pakistan Zindabad" ("Long live Pakistan") following last week's ruling. Thousands of Islamist hardliners poured onto the streets in protest after Supreme Court judges overturned Bibi's conviction last Wednesday. Demonstrations broke out in major cities across the country in the wake of the ruling, with club-wielding protesters blocking Islamabad's main highway and barricading roads in Karachi and Lahore. One resident in Multan, Rizwan Khan, told AFP that Bibi would not be safe wherever she went, while another, Qari Muneer, said the decision should be reversed and called for her to receive "strict punishment". Around 10 Indian workers die in Gulf countries every day and for every USD one billion remitted to India, 117 deaths occur, an analysis based on RTI replies and official documents show. At least 24,570 Indian workers have died in six Gulf countries Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE since 2012 till mid-2018, according to information collected by transparency activist Venkatesh Nayak of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI). This number could increase once the complete figures for Kuwait and UAE are made available. Saudi Arabia recorded the highest number of 10,416 deaths during this period while Bahrain accounted for the least at 1,317 deaths. This would come to around 10 Indians dying a day in Gulf countries since 2012, Nayak, who analysed this information with the remittance data, said. These deaths are a matter of concern. Workers are dying in their productive age. It should concern the government and it should conduct a study on the working and health conditions of workers going to Gulf countries, he said. Remittances from the Gulf countries accounted for $209.07 billion and Nayaks analysis of RTI data, parliamentary questions and economic data showed that there were more than 187 deaths for every $1 billion received from Oman during 2012-17. It was 183 deaths for Bahrain, 162 deaths for Saudi Arabia. Qatar accounted for more than 74 deaths for every $1 billion received while the lowest figure of 71 deaths was from the UAE, which interestingly was the source of the highest amount of remittances from Indian workers during this period. Bahrain which came at the bottom of the list in terms of total remittances during the same period ($7.19 billion), stands at the second place in terms of the number of deaths of Indian workers per USD billion remitted (183). In other words, every USD billion earned by Indian workers remitted from Bahrain cost much more in terms of deaths than a similar amount remitted from UAE, Nayak said. Comparing the remittances from Gulf countries at $72.3 billion since 2012 with other countries, the analysis said the remittance from the United States was only $68.37 billion while it was $23 billion from the United Kingdom and a mere $17.3 billion from Canada. However, the Indian diaspora in the developed world seems to wield more political influence in India than the Indian worker community eking out a living in Gulf countries. This phenomenon also needs a deeper examination from researchers and academics. It appears that blue-collared workers are contributing more to Indias forex kitty than the white-collared workers in the developed countries, he said. Popular Tamil actor Vijay on Thursday earned the tag of an extremist from the Tamil Nadu government which warned of appropriate legal action against him, the director and producer of his latest flick Sarkar that shows people throwing freebies like mixer grinders and wet grinders into a fire. Close to a dozen ministers tore into Vijay for his role in Sarkar the movie criticises the entire political leadership in Tamil Nadu and their policies for the past five decades, including the freebie culture and demanded that the producers, Sun Pictures owned by Kalanidhi Maran, remove the controversial scenes from the movie. While Law Minister C Ve Shanmugham said Vijay has shades of an extremist, his colleague and Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar said the actor cannot recreate the magic of the AIADMK founder M G Ramachandran the legendary superstar who ruled Tamil Nadu for 10 years without a gap. In the garb of acting, the movie has criticised the Tamil Nadu governments policies. By showing people throwing into fire freebies given by the government, the movie is trying to instigate people to subscribe to violence. He (Vijay) has behaved like an extremist and we have doubts as to whether he has links with organisations that are trying to disturb peace in the state, Shanmugam said. While other ministers also criticised Vijay, a few theatres in Madurai and southern districts were gheraoed by AIADMK supporters who demanded immediate stopping of screening of the movie. Immediately after calling Vijay an extremist, Shanmugham also held discussions with Advocate-General Vijay Narayan. This is not the first time that Vijays movie has landed into a controversy his previous film Mersal stoked a row when it had dialogues criticising GST and demonetisation. The movie, which hit theatres on Tuesday, begins with Sundar Ramasamy, donned by Vijay, a corporate honcho touching base in Chennai to cast his vote. And when Sundar finds that his vote has already been cast by someone, he takes the legal recourse and gets the election results declared null and void. In the process of taking on the political might of the rulers, the movie criticises almost every politician in Tamil Nadu and projects Vijay as the only alternative to rule the state. Though the movie has been produced by Maran, nephew of DMK president M K Stalin, it does not seem to spare the party either. It has politically-loaded statements that takes a dig at the DMK and its leadership as well. With the BJP ramping up the Ram temple rhetoric, the Opposition is cautiously approaching the issue as it does not want to "fall into the saffron game plan" ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Several Opposition leaders feel that the latest push for the Ram temple in Ayodhya at a time the Supreme Court is seized of the matter is part of a plan to draw them into a duel where their stakes are not at the highest. The thinking in the Opposition is "not to fall into the trap" and "it realises" that their responses would "only feed the Sangh Parivar's communal polarisation efforts" before the Lok Sabha polls. Over the past couple of weeks, especially after the Supreme Court set a January date for deciding on hearing, the RSS-led Sangh Parivar has been raising the pitch over the building of Ram temple in the disputed site in Ayodhya. While the RSS and other affiliates have demanded ordinance route for building the temple ahead of elections, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has renamed Faizabad district after Ayodhya while he also announced the building of a grand Ram statue in the holy town. The Opposition has also not lost the significance of the criticism of the Supreme Court by the Sangh Parivar and BJP chief Amit Shah on the delay in hearing the Ayodhya case as well as the Sabarimala issue. The RSS even held a press conference recently on the Ayodhya issue. A senior Opposition leader told DH, "we know the BJP is on the backfoot. The latest sign is the Karnataka bypoll results. They are trying to provoke us by asking us where we stand on Ram temple. That is deliberate. Whatever we say could put us in trouble. We will focus on exposing them." The Opposition parties want the process in Supreme Court to complete rather than rushing into the issue. CPI National Secretary D Raja said it showed the BJP-RSS combine is "jittery" and "desperate." He said the Karnataka results showed that there is anger among people and the BJP knows that they are losing it. They have stopped talking about development. For them, Lord Ram is not religious but just political tool. Hindutva is a political ideology which has nothing to do with religion, he said. JD(S) General Secretary Danish Ali told DH that the Sangh Parivar is raking up the issue as a "cover up" of the failures of Modi government. In its response, Congress has dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring an ordinance to build the temple while maintaining that the apex court is seized of the matter. The CPM has, in a statement, said alarming statements are being made by the RSS-BJP leaders and Central Ministers are threatening to "create a 1992 situation" that led to the demolition of Babri Masjid. "The effort to consolidate the Hindutva communal vote bank in the run-up to the elections, apart from seeking to divert peoples attention away from the all-round failure of the Modi government, poses grave dangers to our countrys unity and integrity," it said. It is now two years since Prime Minister Narendra Modi stunned the entire country in a public address by announcing that all bank notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 denomination would become invalid effective midnight on November 8, 2016. During his announcement, Modi proclaimed that Demonetisation would curb funding of terrorism and bring an end to the menace of black money, but two years down the line, not much seems to have changed. In fact, the exercise has become a strong contention point between the BJP and its arch-rival Congress, which has been steadily vying for alliances ahead of the 2019 General elections. The impact of the move Demonetisation, pegged as a move to clean India's cash-centric economic system with a digital-focused landscape, rendered 86% of the in-circulation currency invalid overnight. The immediate result was obvious: People queueing up outside banks to deposit whatever cash they had, leading to several nationwide reports of snake-like lines outside banks, which instantly felt the blow of the move as bankers were forced to work overtime to compensate for the new workload on them. The other impact was the political slugfest that occurred between the BJP and the Opposition. This was most apparent in poll-bound UP, where the SP and BSP raised questions about the timing of the move. Needless to say, the Congress also wanted a piece of the pie, and they started off with echoing Arvind Kejriwal's allegation that a select few were in on the demonetisation plan to help them clean out their coffers, bringing up reports of massive deposits occurring in West Bengal and Gujarat units of the BJP just ahead of the announcement. The then Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi even dared Modi to join him in a public debate on the move. Meanwhile, BJP president Amit Shah said that the government's move had nothing to do with polls, but said that the BJP will benefit politically going by the reactions of Opposition parties and Modi continued to insist that DeMo was a "crusade" against corruption and black money and asked his rivals to cooperate with his government on the matter. The third impact was the spontaneous growth of e-wallets. In the first two days, digital payment platforms like PayTM witnessed 7X increase in overall traffic and MobiKwik registered 18X growth in transactions. There were also reports that over 100 people had died while standing in queues across the country, which happened even as the RBI issued new, smaller Rs 500 notes and a new denomination: Rs. 2000. ATMs across India had to be recalibrated to accommodate the new notes, slowing down the already slow remonetisation even further. And as if the entire process of depositing notes in banks wasn't harrowing enough for people standing for days in queues, the Centre and RBI continually threw spanners into the gears by issuing over 74 notifications in just the first 50 days of the exercise, many of which involved restricting the amount that could be withdrawn from banks and ATMs in one day. Almost all banned money returned to system, RBI expenses skyrocket The biggest shock came when the RBI announced that 99% of all the banned notes had returned to the system, contrary to reported expectations that over one-third of notes would not be coming back. Additionally, the RBI incurred a cost of Rs 7,965 crore on printing currency notes in 2016-17, up from Rs 3,420 crore the previous year. It spent Rs 4,192 crore on printing new currency notes during remonetisation in the last one year. Shifting goalposts? While Modi had originally claimed that black money and terror funding were the targets of the Demonetisation exercise, many other reasons were brought up as time went on to justify the move. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, for instance, hit out at critics of demonetisation, saying that Modi chose the harder option for a better future of Indias economy and its people. When you are in a cusp of history, and you look at the long-term impact of these steps which are going to be taken, I think India is going to become a society in the long-term with a certainly better GDP, a cleaner ethics, a cleaner economy, Jaitley said during the Petrotech conference in New Delhi. When it was learnt that 99% of notes were back in the system, Jaitley was quick to defend Demonetisation, saying: The main aim of demonetisation was to squeeze the use of cash, increase digitisation, expand tax base, deal a blow to terror funding and formalise the informal economy, and I am sure we have achieved the objective to the extent possible." Protests planned Meanwhile, the Congress has announced plans to protest against the Modi government on Thursday against Demonetisation, which the party has repeatedly called a disaster. The Congress would like to demand that on November 8, 2018, exactly at that point in time when the prime minister two years ago had issued this 'Tughlaqi farmaan', he must stand up and apologise to the people of this country for ruining and wrecking the Indian economy, senior Congress leader Manish Tewari said. Govt targeting RBI reserves? The failure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's demonetisation drive, now exactly two years old, along with the general elections round the corner, are the main reasons the government is eyeing the Reserve Banks capital reserves, senior RBI officials told DH on condition of anonymity. The government has asked the RBI to funnel Rs 3.6 lakh crores into its hands in a move, the officials say, meant to use the money to fund populist schemes in election season without causing the fiscal deficit to widen further. Read more: Note ban @ 2: Was the exercise worth taking? The CPM on Thursday said the Indian economy is yet to recover from demonetisation, which it described as a "disaster" imposed on the country by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a statement, the party Polit Bureau said all claims that demonetisation would unearth black money and end corruption have proven to be utterly false. CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury tweeted, "Modi and his minions claimed demonetisation will end black money, finish corruption, terminate terrorism, and bring only digital transactions. Two years later, Modi is silent. The truth is that he singlehandedly destroyed the economy, lives and livelihoods." The statement said with 99.4% of the banned notes back in the system, it is clear that demonetisation has, in fact, been the "avenue to convert black money into white helping the most corrupt". "On the other hand, crores of people dependent on daily cash transactions have been devastated and more than 35 lakh workers in the unorganised sector have lost their livelihood. Similarly, the small and medium enterprises have suffered a huge loss in revenue. Nor has there been any impact on terrorist activities due to funding crunch as claimed by Modi at that time. On the contrary, official data reveals that incidents of terrorist attacks have more than doubled," it said. With Finance Minister Arun Jaitley defending the government decision through a Facebook post, the statement said it condemned the "shameless defence". It held Jaitley as "equally responsible for the mess" in the Indian economy. The Chinese governments strong endorsement of Pakistani positions on India-Pakistan issues should raise alarm in Delhi. The joint statement issued at the end of Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khans visit to China is robust in its support to Pakistans commitment and efforts to counter terrorism. This is clearly not just Pakistani but also Chinese duplicity. As countries like India and Afghanistan know through experience, not only has Pakistan done nothing to dismantle the infrastructure of anti-India terror on its soil but also, its support to such terror has intensified over the past year. Only a few months ago, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met for an informal summit at Wuhan, the two sides agreed on steps to reset bilateral relations derailed by the Doklam crisis. The process of rapprochement apparently set in motion at this summit, which came to be described as the Wuhan spirit, was expected to guide their relations. The recent China-Pakistan joint statement therefore casts a large shadow on the Wuhan spirit. China has applauded Pakistans efforts to counter terrorism, and chided countries for supposedly politicising the UN process of blacklisting terrorists a clear dig at Indias campaign to have Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar listed as a terrorist. This is an affront to Indias genuine concerns over Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. In addition, China has supported Pakistans engagement with the Nuclear Suppliers Group and welcomed its adherence to NSG guidelines. Chinas close ties with Pakistan arent new and go back several decades. Top-level visits routinely see the two sides gush about their all-weather ties and, indeed, bilateral co-operation is substantial. Still, ever since Rajiv Gandhis 1988 visit to China, Beijing had adopted, at least publicly, a position of non-interference in the subcontinents affairs. That position has now been dropped, with China explicitly backing Pakistan in a formal joint statement. In the past, China would have simply urged the two sides to improve bilateral ties but in the recent joint statement, Beijing says it appreciates Pakistans quest for peace through dialogue, cooperation and negotiationfor settlement of outstanding disputes (read Kashmir) between the two countries. Beijings commitment to rapprochement with India is clearly not as strong as the Modi government imagined it to be. Was the Wuhan spirit oversold to us? Khans visit to China, which came amidst domestic chaos in his country, was plugged at home as necessary to secure quick loans and investments from the Chinese to pull the economy out of crisis. It was not successful in this regard. Beijing made no concrete commitments and the joint statement was silent on any assistance package. In effect, Khan returned home empty-handed on these issues. Chinas explicit support to Pakistan on India-Pakistan issues is therefore doubly worrying. It was a historic night in Delaware County politics. And a historically bad night for the county GOP. Hows this for a little irony. Wednesday morning marked the date in 1916 when the first woman was elected to the U.S. Congress. Voters in Montana tapped Jeannette Rankin for the House of Representatives. It only took Delaware County a century to catch up. One hundred and two years later, Mary Gay Scanlon became the first woman in Delaware County history to represent the county in Washington. The Democrat rolled over Republican Pearl Kim in the race for the newly constructed 5th District seat. It was something of a double-dip for Scanlon, who also topped Kim in the special election to fill the vacant old 7th District seat. That seat has been empty and its constituents without a representative in Congress since Republican Rep. Pat Meehan resigned the seat in April amid reports he used taxpayer money to settle a harassment suit filed by a former staffer. Its likely Scanlon will be sworn in later this week. The special election win is important, in that it will give Scanlon seniority over every other new incoming member of Congress. When she does return to D.C. in January to represent the new 5th District, Scanlon wont be alone. Thats because three other women also made a little history Tuesday night, sweeping congressional races across the Philadelphia suburbs. Chrissy Houlahan easily won the newly shaped 6th District seat that is being vacated by Republican Rep. Ryan Costello, who decided not to seek re-election. She shares something with Scanlon. She also becomes the first woman ever to represent Chester County in Washington. In Montgomery County, two more Democratic women won their races. Susan Wild will represent the new 7th District, while Madeleine Dean will represent the 4th District. Before Tuesday, Pennsylvania had zero women in their congressional delegation. In its history, the state has sent just seven women to Washington, none of them to fill a seat in the U.S. Senate. Of those seven, three filled vacancies created by the deaths of their husbands.The state has never elected a female governor. Tuesday, voters backed four women candidates. Just call them the Fab Four. It was anything but a fab night for the Delaware County Republican Party. The GOP suffered historic losses. Pearl Kim, with little or no support from the national party, came up short vs. Scanlon. Even more shocking were losses in state House and Senate races. Incumbent Tom McGarrigle, R-26 of Springfield, lost his battle vs. Democratic mayor of Swarthmore Tim Kearney. It was not a good night for the Springfield GOP. State Rep. Alex Charlton, R-165, was upended by Democrat challenger Jenn OMara. In Upper Darby, popular incumbent Rep. Jamie Santora, R-163, was ousted by Democrat Mike Zabel. In the 162nd, where Democrat labor leader Dave Delloso and former Republican county sheriff Mary Hopper were battling to fill the seat being vacated by Rep. Nick Miccarelli, Delloso came out on top. You have to go back to the post-Watergate backlash in 1974 to find a similar rebuke for the Delco GOP. Ironically, incumbent Middletown Rep. Chris Quinn, R-168, who was under intense heat from groups opposed to Sunocos Mariner East 2 pipeline plan, appears to have survived, clinging to a narrow lead over Democrat challenger Kristin Seale. The only GOP holdover to post a convincing win was stalwart Rep. Steve Barrar, R-160, whose district covers parts of both western Delaware County and Chester County. The Delco delegation in Harrisburg has been transformed, now dominated by Democrats where once this was the solid turf of the GOP. Consider what has happened in just the last few years. Both House seats from Upper Darby, the 163rd and 164th, are now held by Democrats. The two seats were held for the better part of three decades by Republican stalwarts Mario Civera and Nick Micozzie. In Springfield, the 165th seat similarly held for decades by Bill Adolph has now gone Democratic. The Democratic gains come on the heels of last Novembers stunning wins by the party, when they captured both available seats on County Council, ousting a popular incumbent in the process, while also sweeping all three county row offices up for grabs. It implies the changing demographic of the county, and the Democrats increasing voter registration edge. After decades of enjoying an overwhelming edge in voter registration that they used to keep an ironclad grip on the county courthouse and many towns, the tide is changing. It has been evident for some time in Upper Darby. Now its being seen in Springfield and the Media Courthouse. And it was clear in the historic election of of four women to in the U.S. House of Representatives, including the first ever from Delaware County. Scanlon, Houlahan, Dean and Wild. Just call them the Fab Four. Somewhere, Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky and Allyson Schwartz are smiling. . NEW YORK Facebook is admitting that it didn't do enough to prevent its services from being used to incite violence and spread hate in Myanmar. The company "can and should do more" to protect human rights and ensure it isn't used to foment division and spread offline violence in the country, Alex Warofka, a product policy manager, said in a blog post. Facebook commissioned the nonprofit Business for Social Responsibility to study the company's role in Myanmar and released the group's 62-page report late Monday. It has come under heavy criticism for permitting itself to be used to inflame ethnic and religious conflict in the country, particularly against minority Rohingya Muslims. The report confirms this and offers recommendations, including preparing for "massive chaos and manipulation" in the country's 2020 parliamentary elections. "Facebook has become a means for those seeking to spread hate and cause harm, and posts have been linked to offline violence," the report says. "A minority of users is seeking to use Facebook as a platform to undermine democracy and incite offline violence, including serious crimes under international law." The Myanmar report comes as Facebook and other social media companies face a trove of problems in dealing with people, groups and nations intent on using their services for malicious reasons, whether that's inciting violence, spreading hate messages, propaganda and misinformation or meddling with elections around the world. Facebook is focused on rooting out misinformation in the U.S., but it's also dealing with people using its platforms to incite violence in Sri Lanka, India and elsewhere. Late Monday, Facebook said it shut down 30 Facebook accounts and 85 Instagram accounts for suspected "coordinated inauthentic behavior" linked to foreign groups attempting to interfere in Tuesday's U.S. midterm elections. Facebook and smartphones entered Myanmar quickly, and the report notes that this has led to a "steep learning curve for users, policymakers, and civil society." The report notes that Facebook "is the internet" for many in Myanmar and that it has played an important role in supporting freedom of expression and helping activists organize. At the same time, the report said, hate and harassment is leading to self-censorship among "vulnerable groups such as political activists, human rights defenders, women, and minorities." Facebook released the report on the eve of the U.S. midterm elections, prompting critics to question its timing when so many people are focused on other news. Facebook says the report was focused on "Myanmar stakeholders," for whom the U.S. elections are not a priority. It also said it had promised to share the results of the assessment once it had them. The report does acknowledge that Facebook has made progress, but adds that there is "more to do." In August, the company banned Myanmar's military chief and 19 other individuals and organizations from its service to prevent the spread of hate and misinformation. Facebook doesn't have any employees permanently based in Myanmar, but makes "regular trips" there with a range of employees. The company says that having employees there could pose risks to them and increase the Myanmar government's ability to request data on users. SALT LAKE CITY A Duchesne County nurse was charged Wednesday with murdering her 2-year-old foster son who investigators say she didn't want to adopt. Lisa Jo Vanderlinden, 41, of Neola, is charged in 8th District Court with aggravated murder, a first-degree felony. Vanderlinden and her husband were foster parents to a boy, only identified as L.C., and to L.C.'s 1-year-old sister. She believed the child was "difficult and challenging, and while she wanted to keep and adopt the sister, she did not want to adopt him," according to charging documents. In the days leading up to the boy's death, Vanderlinden "was overwhelmed and getting more and more frustrated" with the boy, friends and acquaintances later told investigators. On Aug. 4, L.C. "exhibited behavioral problems" during dinner. Vanderlinden said she became "mad and frustrated," the charges state. At one point, other family members heard a "loud bang" coming from the bathroom where Vanderlinden was taking care of the boy, according to court documents. "Thereafter, L.C. wasn't acting normal and wouldn't walk," the charges state. Other children told investigators they could hear the boy vomiting and heard yelling from Vanderlinden, whom they described as "mad," according to the charges. The next day, Duchesne County sheriff's deputies were called to the house on a report that the boy was deceased. They observed "multiple bruises" on the boy's face and a closer examination revealed bruises and cuts on the child's head, face, arms, hands, scalp, stomach, back and legs, as well as "significant internal injuries that resulted in his death," according to the charges. A pediatrician believes the injuries were caused by blunt force trauma, the court documents say. Vanderlinden is a "licensed practical nurse" and has provided foster services for several years and adopted foster children, the charges state, in addition to providing nursing services for the Children's Justice Center. "Despite her training as a foster parent and nurse, the defendant was completely indifferent to L.C.'s well-being and did not seek medical attention for the boy," according to charging documents. Prosecutors also noted in court documents that there have been "multiple unsupported/unsubstantiated allegations of abuse and/or neglect" against Vanderlinden that were reported to the Division of Child and Family Services, "specifically for hitting or punching a minor child." The Division of Child and Family Services issued a prepared statement Wednesday, saying "The loss of any child impacts and devastates us. This is tragic for so many from the family and the community to our staff and other foster parents." "Please know, we investigate every allegation of abuse and neglect of a child. When there is an allegation involving a child in our care, a conflict team outside the division conducts the investigation to ensure heightened objectivity when evaluating safety and practice. "We are seeking important answers through this investigation and are fully cooperating with the attorney general, law enforcement and the medical examiner through this case. We immediately opened our own internal investigation and have engaged a third-party to review this case to learn all we can to protect children we serve." Correction: An earlier version misspelled Lisa Jo Vanderlinden's last name as Canderlinden. By The Associated Press Nov. 07, 2018 | 06:26 AM | LOUISVILLE The Democrats' hopes for a "blue wave" in Kentucky hinged on their base overwhelming sluggish GOP voters by being fired up in opposition to President Donald Trump and an unpopular governor. Instead, Kentucky again proved its conservative bona fides by maintaining the GOP's grip. On a night when Democrats made gains in House districts across the country, Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Barr survived a fierce challenge from Democrat Amy McGrath in Kentucky's 6th District. The close race was likely won in Madison County, where Barr got nearly 60 percent of the vote following a visit by Trump in early October. Across the state, at least 36 teachers were on the ballot for state legislative seats, most of them Democrats angry at Republican-passed laws allowing charter schools and making changes to one of the country's worst-funded public pension systems. With Gov. Matt Bevin's approval ratings plummeting, Democrats attacked Republican candidates in ads by saying they would be "rubber stamps" for Bevin's agenda. But Republicans preserved their majorities in the House and Senate on Tuesday, winning or ahead in at least 60 out of the 100 seats in the state House of Representatives. "Democrats ran on what they wouldn't do for the state rather than proposing any real ideas to move Kentucky forward. The voters were not fooled," said Blake Brickman, Bevin's chief of staff. "They clearly see the results that Gov. Matt Bevin and the Republican majority have and will continue to deliver for the Commonwealth." House Democratic leader Rocky Adkins blamed the losses on "a nationalized climate and the unfortunate rise of dark money and negative attacks. "As we look ahead, the House Democratic Caucus will continue advocating for policies that benefit all Kentuckians, not just a select few," said Adkins, who is a potential candidate for governor next year. Incumbents also won in Kentucky's five other congressional districts, all Republican except for the Louisville-area 3rd District, where Democrat John Yarmuth was first elected in 2006. In the 6th District, which includes Lexington and state capital Frankfort, both parties saw the race as close. Barr hosted a rally with President Donald Trump, and McGrath campaigned at a high school gym with former Vice President Joe Biden. Olivia Renfro, a Centre College student, hugged McGrath and cried after her concession. "I'm feeling pretty devastated, I really believed in her campaign. I really thought she would pull out a win," said Renfro, who canvassed for McGrath during the campaign. But Renfro said she was inspired as a woman to run for office someday. Barr leaned heavily on the district's rural counties, winning Madison County, Lexington's neighbor, with 59 percent of the vote. President Donald Trump came to campaign for Barr in Madison County's largest city, Richmond, in mid-October. McGrath had hoped to flip a congressional district that has switched party control five times since 1978. But some voters said they liked the way things were going and stuck with Barr. "We are doing good now, so why change things up?" said Elizabeth Blythe, a 25-year-old from Georgetown in Scott County. "I think it's good to keep things the same right now." Its not unusual to hear Utahns worry that they dont want the state to become like California, where voters often face page after page of citizen initiatives on Election Day. So far, that has been an unfounded fear, but the three propositions, one non-binding question and three constitutional amendments this year were a lot for voters to consider. Given the varying results on Tuesday, it appears people took their task seriously and weighed each on its merits. Their choices, however, may be felt for years to come. In the end, the initiative legalizing a form of medicinal marijuana in Utah was not nearly the sensation some in the national media made it out to be. Utahns are compassionate, and they have an understandable desire to alleviate suffering. But a weakness in the citizen initiative process is that it requires an up-or-down vote on a particular idea, with no available avenue for compromises or amendments. Thanks to a remarkable agreement among key supporters and opponents of Proposition 2, announced weeks before Election Day, Utahns now may expect the governor to convene a special legislative session to modify what voters passed and write a law that provides medicinal relief without compromising public safety. Still, the success of Proposition 2 was a loud message about perceived legislative inaction, and it led the way in a remarkable array of citizen lawmaking on Tuesday. Voters overwhelmingly rejected the idea of raising gas taxes by 10 cents per gallon to fund public schools and higher education. That likely was the result of confusion, given that gas taxes typically dont go toward schools and that this hike would have been part of a complicated scheme to free up general fund money for education. The fear is that lawmakers now might consider Utahns emphatically opposed to higher taxes for schools. That question wasnt decided on Tuesday. Utahns passed Proposition 3, which will raise the sales tax slightly in order to expand Medicaid eligibility to households earning up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level. This is the full Medicaid expansion originally called for under Obamacare, and it comes with generous federal funding. The vote vindicates those who criticized state lawmakers for refusing to consider it in recent years. We may soon know, however, whether lawmakers were correct in worrying that this move would lead eventually to runaway costs. Voters also provided mixed results on three constitutional amendments lawmakers put on ballots. The most important of these was the overwhelming approval of a change allowing the Legislature to call itself into session during times of emergency. (Utah) maintains a high bar for getting proposed laws on the ballot. While it remains unclear exactly what problem this change was meant to solve, voters seemed persuaded by the argument that the Legislature was the only branch of state government lacking the power to decide when to work. One has to possess a vivid imagination, however, to foresee an emergency situation in which the governor would refuse to call lawmakers to action, even if the executive and legislative branches some day were divided by political party. Finally, Proposition 4, which would set up a commission to redraw Utahs political boundaries every 10 years, remained too close to call by press time. This one, if passed, may have the biggest effect on future politics in Utah. The commission would operate under a set of parameters requiring it to draw districts based on the need to keep neighborhoods and communities of interest intact. That undoubtedly would change the states political landscape, given that boundaries today are drawn mainly with political interests in mind. Despite this relatively jam-packed ballot, Utah still does not appear to be headed toward California-style direct democracy. The state maintains a high bar for getting proposed laws on the ballot. What voters did accomplish, however, was to send a message to lawmakers that they intend to impose the will of the people in situations where they feel repeatedly ignored. So, Utahns really dont want to fund public schools, right? I mean, for years weve heard people say the public gladly would support higher taxes to help Utahs overcrowded classrooms and underpaid teachers, if only given the chance. The Legislature, the thinking went, stood in the way of that. Well, voters had their chance Tuesday. A non-binding resolution asking them if they would add 10 cents per gallon to the gas tax, with most of the money being funneled to education, went down in flames. As I write this, the unofficial tally is 66 percent against, 33 percent in favor. That qualifies not just as a no, but one prefaced by the expletive of your choice. Put it together with passage of the medical marijuana initiative and you have a bit of a public image problem for the state. Utahns have lost their minds. They want to forget about schools and smoke dope. Which is why bumper stickers and tweets are horrible ways to interpret the world around you. If you think the gas-tax question was a referendum on public school funding, youre wrong. It was a referendum on a tangled and confusing mess of tax soup that even a group of adorable children couldnt salvage in television ads. What were we voting on again? Making gas more expensive so some money could go to schools, some to state colleges and universities and some to local roads? Isnt the income tax supposed to fund education? What do gas taxes have to do with schools? Some people in my neighborhood were confused by the non-binding part, thinking it meant the Legislature might decide to use the money for other things, instead. That wasnt the intent of last years Legislature, but technically next years Legislature could have done just that. Others worried the extra 10 cents, which would send the average price of a gallon near or above $3 again, would hurt the poor and elderly. Most of all, people were just confused, and when that happens, they tend to vote no. Ironically, this all started with a much simpler idea. The interest group Our Schools Now, led by some of the states most notable philanthropists and former political leaders, came up with an idea to raise the income tax from 5 percent to 5 7/8 percent, with all the increase more than $700 million going to education. That idea was beginning to catch on, which horrified many state lawmakers. They viewed an income-tax hike as bad for the states competitiveness and, thus, the economy. So instead, the group began circulating a petition that called for a more modest income tax hike and a sales tax increase. They were ready to qualify this idea for the ballot when lawmakers brokered a deal. If Our Schools Now dropped the petition drive completely, they would freeze property tax rates, allowing schools to receive more money as land values rise, index the states basic levy for schools and let voters decide whether lawmakers should raise the gas tax. The income tax the primary vehicle for school funding would be left untouched. I listened to the debates at the state Capitol. Many lawmakers felt this would be a perfect way to better connect roads to the gas tax. The 10-cent hike would allow the state to take money from the general fund, which had been used for roads, and put it toward education instead. But complicated accounting maneuvers do not make for great ballot questions. A straight income and sales tax idea might have passed; or maybe not. No one knows, now, just as no one really knows what happens next, even though the other components of the deal remain in place. Last March, I predicted the plan came with great risk. A rejection of the gas tax could be seen as a rejection of the notion for more school funding. Admittedly, the correlation between school funding and the performance of public school students is weak. Utah may rank consistently last in the nation for per pupil spending, but studies, such as one by the Cato Institute that recently was published in Reason magazine, show that the highest-spending states do not necessarily produce the best schools. Utah ranks toward the upper middle pack in terms of learning. This does not mean that carefully directly extra money for Utah schools is a bad idea. Unfortunately, the gas tax question was a ham-handed effort whose failure might set better solutions back for years. BOUNTIFUL A woman who police say suffers from mental illness forced an elementary school to temporarily go into lockdown Wednesday after a series of alleged threats, according to police. Aubrey Ellen Gabbott, 33, of Bountiful, was arrested Wednesday and booked into the Davis County Jail for investigation of stalking, threatening violence, disrupting a school, disorderly conduct, and three counts of electronic communication harassment. About 10:30 a.m., Gabbott went to Muir Elementary School, 2275 S. Davis Blvd., where she sat in the parking lot, blasted music from her car radio and continuously honked the car's horn, according to a jail booking report. "The suspect was also observed in a manic state, moving violently inside the vehicle and causing undue fear and concern for parents picking up children. Due to the suspect's behavior, the school was placed on lockdown as kindergarten students were about to be dismissed causing a disruption and undue concern for parents outside," the report stated. When officers approached Gabbott, she told them she "wanted the school to burn and activated a lighter indicating her intentions," according to the report. Gabbott has been harassing three teachers at the school this week "by email, sending music and other messages that indicated harm through the use of fire. The suspect also had sent a death threat and other threatening emails to another teacher at the school," according to the report. The teachers who were allegedly threatened all have Gabbott's child in their classes, the report states. Because of the prior threats, the school had already taken extra security measures earlier this week, the report states. Police noted in their report that Gabbott is bipolar, schizophrenic, "off her medications, obsessed by fire and in a manic state." On Monday, Gabbott was charged in 2nd District Court with disorderly conduct, an infraction, and making a threat of violence, a class B misdemeanor, for an alleged incident on Oct. 22. In May of 2017 she was convicted of assault, a class B misdemeanor, and ordered to continue mental health treatment, according to court records. She received a similar conviction and sentence in a separate case that same month, court records state. SALT LAKE CITY It's still far from a majority, but Utah Democrats are celebrating election wins in the Utah Legislature. Five new Democrats were elected to the Utah House of Representatives, taking them from 13 to 18 of 75 total seats, putting the party back to 2010 levels. "Our goal was to move the needle in a minimum of three state Legislature races," said Lucinda Kindred, leader of Utah Women and Politics, a local political action committee that pushes for progressive, moderate and more diverse candidates. She said the wins help "significantly." Democrats also picked up another seat in the Senate, giving them 21 percent of the vote there, as well. It's been eight years since they had so much control, even if it is less than half of what they would need to take control, said BYU political science professor Adam Brown, who closely tracks the Utah Legislature. "The Republicans are not losing their state majority anytime soon," he said, adding that Utah's been a largely Republican state since the late 1970s. But just as when the tea party peaked in 2010, Brown said, "there is a lot of movement" now. The driver, he said, is President Donald Trump, who never held much of the vote share in Utah to begin with. "He was toxic in Utah during the Republican nomination fight, he remained toxic in Utah in the general election, and he remains toxic in Utah now," Brown said. "As long as he continues pushing the particular buttons that make Utah Republicans different from other Republicans the way he speaks of those who oppose him and the things he says about women, clash with that." Party pushback could possibly continue throughout Trump's presidency, he said, just as it did through former President Barack Obama's when Republicans gained 10 seats in the Utah Legislature only in the opposite direction. "If Trump continues more of the same, then for as long as he's president, it is reasonable to expect the same kind of discontent and increasing willingness to move," Brown said. Utah Democrats are optimistic, even "energized by the election results showing we have grown our numbers and strengthened Utahns' Democratic voice in the House," according to a statement from the Utah House Democratic Caucus. All incumbent House Democrats who sought re-election were able to retain their seats, and preliminary vote counts show five new wins, and one race still too close to call. "By electing more Democrats, Utahns voted for civility, collaboration and more balance on Capitol Hill," the caucus states. Other progressive wins, the Utah House Democrats say, include a majority of voters choosing to legalize medical cannabis, create safeguards against gerrymandering, and to finally expand Medicaid, after years of legislative compromises. Brown said Utah Democrats have to make a strategic choice to either fight and never accomplish anything, or to get along where they can and get their ideas heard. They've traditionally chosen the latter. And it has paid off, as the two parties tend to pass close to the same percentage of bills that they introduce, according to Brown's "partisan batting averages," which he posted online at adambrown.info. "Because their strategy is to try to influence in committees and to try to persuade on the floor and to try to build up enough goodwill that they will be heard, even if they don't always win it doesn't hurt to have a few more voices helping you," he said. SALT LAKE CITY Merit Medical Systems Inc. will be adding up to 1,010 jobs, according to the Governors Office of Economic Development, as part of an estimated $505 million in capital investment in Utah operations. It is one of four companies that will receive tax incentives for expansion plans, GOED announced this week, promising to create more than 2,100 jobs. Merit Medical is a Utahbased manufacturer and marketer of disposable medical devices used in intervention, diagnostic and therapeutic medical procedures. The company has facilities in seven countries worldwide with headquarters in South Jordan. Merit Medical plans to create up to 1,010 jobs over the next 15 years with total wages exceeding 110 percent of the average county wage. Projected new state wages over the life of the agreement may be up to $984 million, which includes wages, salaries, bonuses and other taxable compensation. Projected new state revenues, as a result of corporate payroll and sales tax, are estimated to be more than $71 million over the 15-year period. The company may earn up to 25 percent of the new state taxes it will pay through a tax credit rebate. The rebate caps out at $17.8 million, according to a news release from the agency. The GOED board also approved incentives for San Francisco-based LendingClub Corp., which promises 860 jobs and $22 million in new state revenue. The company one of the nations top providers of unsecured personal loans plans to build its new center at Thanksgiving Station in Lehi. Under its agreement with the state, LendingClub may earn up to 20 percent of the new state taxes it pays, woth a maximum of $4.5 million. Each year the company meets the criteria in its contract with the state, LendingClub will earn a portion of the total tax credit rebate. Meanwhile, Bullfrog Spas announced plans to expand its headquarters in Utah adding up to 150 jobs, $2.2 million in state revenue and an estimated $20 million in capital investment. Founded in 1996, the Bluffdale-based company designs, manufactures and markets hot tubs and outdoor spas through dealers in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Brazil and Europe. Bullfrog may earn up to 15 percent of the new state taxes it will pay over the five-year life of the agreement with the tax credit rebate not to exceed $334,633. Additionally, global data and media agency Essence will open a regional office in Salt Lake City, adding up to 125 new positions, $1.9 million in new state revenue and an estimated $3.1 million in capital investment. Founded in London in 2005, the company provides digital advertising services for its clients and deploys campaigns in 71 markets via offices in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa as well as Asia Pacific. As part of its contract, Essence may earn up to 10 percent of the new state taxes the company will pay over the five-year life of the agreement in the form of a post-performance Economic Development Increment Finance tax credit rebate not to exceed $191,688. NORTH OGDEN Hundreds of neighbors and strangers gathered in front of the home of a fallen Utah soldier and mayor Wednesday night, breaking out in spontaneous hymns that filled the quiet, cold air. American flags lined the sidewalk in front of the home and candlelight illuminated the darkness. "Everybody in this community just loved Brent. We love Jennie, we love their family. We're going to miss him," Jeri Gale, a neighbor, told the Deseret News tearfully during the vigil for North Ogden Mayor Brent Taylor, a major in the National Guard who was killed in Afghanistan. Taylor, 39, took an unprecedented one-year leave of absence from his post as mayor for his deployment in January. He was killed in an apparent insider attack in Kabul on Saturday. He leaves behind his wife, Jennie, and seven children ranging in age from 13 years to 11 months. During the vigil, Taylor's relatives huddled together on the driveway, facing the crowd of mourners. As the neighbors sang, Taylor's children were hugged by family members. The feeling of love for the family was palpable among the mourners, both strangers and friends, bundled against the cold. Jennie Taylor, wife of the fallen soldier, spoke briefly, thanking community members for their support over the past few days. She said the family has felt "overwhelmed with love." "We love you, Jennie," an echo of voices in the crowd said following her comments. Gale told the Deseret News the community plans to "rally around and help her with those kids." "She's staying put, so we'll be right here to help her with the kids. That's what he would do for us, if the tables were turned, he would be there to help with our kids. It's the least we could do," Gale said. She said the community is a close one thanks to their mayor. "We were very divided with the politics of the community until he was selected. And he just brought everybody together. He had a vision for the community. And he wanted us to remember to love each other and to work together to better the community, and that's what we've been doing for the last five years," Gale recalled. Frank Hare knew Taylor for more than 10 years, working with him on the city's economic development committee and as members of the same congregation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "There's a hole in my heart," he said, pausing to hold back tears. "Something's missing. So right now, it's going to take time. Will that hole ever fill? No, but it may close off a little bit, or scab over if you will. He was a great person, a great mayor. Most of all he was a great father, and he did what he knew was right, not what he thought was right." Hare said the community has been deeply affected by the loss. "The community is hollow right now. And, as you can see, the people who are out here right now, we're all hurting. A lot, some more than others, some are closer to Brent than others, but we're all feeling hollow," he said. "We've cried a lot of tears," said Pleasant View City Councilwoman Sara Urry, who got to know Taylor while he served on the North Ogden City Council. She called him a "good, good, good man" and praised his wife's strength. "I can't even imagine. I have children of my own, but from one day to the next, all the sudden now everything is changed in her life forever. And I can't even imagine. But she is an amazing, strong individual. She truly is," Urry said. As the vigil ended, community members sang the Latter-day Saint children's song "Families Can be Together Forever" while the family trickled back into the home. CLEARFIELD A man was injured late Wednesday evening after leading troopers on a chase and then rolling his car, officials said. Troopers received about 15 calls about a reckless driver in a Hyundai Elantra traveling north on I-15, Utah Highway Patrol trooper Colton Freckleton said. When troopers tried to stop the vehicle, the driver fled, he said. As troopers pursued the car on I-15, the vehicle hit multiple barriers on the side of the road and then rolled near 650 North in Clearfield, Freckleton said. The Hyundai also hit another vehicle, Freckleton said, but that crash was believed to be minor as the other driver has not contacted troopers to make a report. The driver, who troopers suspect of driving under the influence, was taken to the nearest hospital, Freckleton said. He did not have additional details about the man's condition. After the man is released from the hospital, he is expected to be booked into jail for investigation of driving under the influence, the trooper said. SALT LAKE CITY A Moroni man has died from rabies, the first death of its kind in Utah since 1944. Gary Giles, 55, died Sunday, but struggled for weeks with a slowly progressing disease that doctors couldn't stop from infecting his brain and other organs, ultimately leading to his death. He and his wife, Juanita Giles, didn't realize that the bats that had frequented their home were carriers of a rabid and highly contagious virus. "The bats never hurt us, and we were always catching them in our hands and releasing them outside because you hear all the time about how bats are good for the insect population, and you don't want to hurt them," Giles said Thursday. "The bats would lick our fingers, almost like they could taste the saltiness of our fingers, but they never bit us." Gary Giles first had neck and back pain and went to the local emergency room on Oct. 19. He was sent home with steroids and other pain management treatment for a potential pulled muscle, his wife said; but that turned into numbness and tingling, and, eventually, wheezing. Juanita Giles called 911 and he was taken by ambulance to another local emergency room. He was again transported to Utah Valley Hospital, and then taken to the intensive care unit at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, where he died. "It's very scary and it is creating a bit of a panic," Giles said, adding that she is getting rabies vaccinations a series of four shots over two weeks just in case. Other family members are also getting vaccinated, though the supply of the very expensive vaccine is limited within the state. She wants others to be aware of the risk. "I had no clue," Giles said. "We would wake up in the night and they would be walking on our bed." "I've always thought bats were kind of cute, but I had no idea the kind of risk we were at." A fundraising page has been set up to help the family deal with the loss. "My dad has always been a giver," said Crystal Sedgewick, Giles' daughter who set up the page. "During the final 24 hours that he was still able to speak with us, he was in a delusional state, and he still couldn't stop talking about all the people that he needed to help and favors that he had yet to follow through with." She said it has always been difficult for the family to ask for or accept anything. "The only favor that I ask of everyone," she said, "is that you take the time to tell those that you love how much they mean to you. This is a very unexpected tragedy for our family. And what I wouldn't give to turn back time to show my love more." Bats are the most common source of rabies in Utah, Utah Department of Health epidemiologist Dallin Peterson said. He said a bite or scratch from a bat may not be felt because a bat's teeth and claws are very small. The disease, as is likely with the case of Gary Giles, can also be transmitted via an infected animal's saliva. Rabies, though very rare, Peterson said, is nearly always fatal once symptoms develop. The last deadly case in Utah was 74 years ago. After exposure to an infected animal, Peterson said it can take three to 12 weeks for symptoms to show up. From there, it can be less than a week until a person is in a coma. A person usually has some time before it is necessary to get the post-exposure prophylaxis vaccination. "Once (the infection) gets into the central nervous system, it advances quickly," Peterson said. "It's a terrible way to pass away." Between 150 and 200 bats are submitted to the Utah Department of Health every year to be tested. Migratory bats are found all over the state, most frequently along the Wasatch Front. A hibernating type of bat is also found in some local national parks, where they live long-term. "They like nooks and crannies or caves, dark areas or attics," Peterson said. So far this year, 14 bats tested by the health department have been found to have rabies. The state averages 20 to 25 positive rabies tests each year. In the fall of 2017, bat infestations were found at West and Layton high schools. Because bats are endangered, they could not be killed, but were dealt with by a professional. No one was harmed in that process, and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, which offers education on bats and other wild animals, commissioned houses to attract the bats to areas outside of the school. Because, Peterson said, they always return to familiar spaces. Giles said she hired someone to come to her home and find where the bats were getting inside. She will seal it off to prevent problems in the future, but was told the bats were seeking out a warm space, near the furnace in her home. Anyone exposed to bats, especially bats that exhibit odd behavior, should seek medical help to rule out any risk, Peterson said. "If you find yourself near a bat, dead or alive, do not touch, hit or kill it," he said. "Don't touch bats. Period." While no human-to-human transmission has been documented outside of organ transplantation, he said it is "theoretically possible" to spread rabies through contact with bodily fluids such as saliva and tears, as well as cerebrospinal and respiratory tract fluids. Rabies is not found in urine, blood, serum or feces. Peterson said the health department hasn't yet confirmed that the Utah man died from exposure to an infected bat, but a Center for Disease Control and Prevention laboratory in Atlanta is working to detect the species and results are pending. An estimated 40,000 people in the United States who might not be up-to-date on vaccinations get preventive treatment for rabies after a bite or scratch from a dog or cat. The Utah Department of Health advises keeping up on rabies vaccinations for all domestic animals, not only for the sake of human owners, but to avoid the heartache of unnecessarily euthanizing or treating pets. The health department advises people to not approach wild animals or strays, which can also carry the highly contagious and fatal viral disease. Domestic animals with rabies may exhibit behavior changes, general sickness, trouble swallowing, increased drool or saliva and biting at everything. Peterson said human rabies cases are "a rare ordeal," but, it can happen. The CDC reports one to two cases nationally each year. There is no increased risk of infection to the public and the health department is continuing its investigation into Giles' death. For more information on rabies, call the health department at 801-538-6191 or visit health.utah.gov/epi/diseases/rabies. SALT LAKE CITY His wife has lost much of her memory, and President Henry B. Eyring's effort to capture his memories with her makes a surprising new exhibit of his water colors especially poignant. For 40 years, President Eyring has used his paintings to augment his written journal, capturing the feelings of a memory in a scene, in light, in shadows. Most often, the feeling he has sought to preserve is about a moment with Sister Kathleen Johnson Eyring. "This is a journal of emotion," said President Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "I can't resist trying to capture a memory or a feeling of a memory." Watching him walk through the exhibit at the Church History Museum for the first time this week, it was clear that he has succeeded. Painting after painting animated him, bringing back a feeling of a memory. And most were about Sister Eyring. Exhibit curator Laura Allred Hurtado said 40 percent of his more than 1,000 water colors are ocean and sailing scenes, but President Eyring explained that each is tied to his wife. "I'm in a boat phase right now," he said. "That's again because I sailed with Kathy. The ones I'm doing now are not memories so much as general feelings of what it was like on sailboats with Kathy. I'm in my sailboat phase." Hurtado said the central theme of the exhibit, which opens Friday and runs through Jan. 21, is nostalgia and memories. "I think there is something really meditative about the practice and something rich about his desire to bring back memories," she said. "I think there's something poetic to me that he focuses on memory when he's kept a journal for so long and his wife has lost so much of her memory." President Eyring fully agreed that her memory loss adds to the exhibit's meaning. For example, the couple once took a trip to Washington, D.C., but stopped in the Bahamas on the way when they realized the cost of their flight would be the same. Sister Eyring suggested they go sailing, and he balked because they didn't have a boat. She said they could rent one. "It was only because of her enthusiasm that we went out," he said. "To this day I can't forget looking down out of that catamaran with her sailing in the Bahamas on the way to the White House because she said, 'We can do it, we've got time.' She was always that way. You're hoping that's what these can remind you, not just the wonderful times but the way she was, always into it and all the way in." He said that as his memories with her are obviously in the past, his desire is to capture in his paintings what their life together was and look ahead with hope to the afterlife together. "Now I don't know if there will be boats over there, don't get me wrong," he said, laughing, "but it's in the hope that if you really believe in sealings and if you really believe in the afterlife" he can relive these feelings with her again. "That's why it's a little emotional to look at it because it's memories, but it's also the hope that the kinds of feelings you had in these things can go on again." President Eyring lit up with joy at the sight of two paintings only to find himself crying as he told their stories. The first shows Sister Eyring with two of their six children. "That's how they really looked," he said. "That gets me!" It reminded him of his wife and what they often called their "second family," the two girls, Elizabeth and Mary, they had after four boys Henry, Stuart, Matthew and John. "Kathy with the two little girls," he said wistfully. "Those girls are now grown up and gone and Kathy's in failing health. What a moment, four sons and then this, two girls." The other was nearby on the same wall of the exhibit. It is from his imagination of what his wife might have looked like as an 8-year-old rowing her green rowboat. He was clearly moved by his love for her. "That's hard for me," he said softly. He began his journal 50 years ago, and included sketches in the margins. In 1979, he hurt his back surfing in Hawaii and bought a set of water colors. "I went to buy some paints my first paints and I painted as I waited in a van, watching the boys surf," he said. His first scene is of that beach. "It's the first water color I ever did," he said. "Not bad for never having done a water color." Annually, he printed his year's journal, bound it and gave it to his children. The exhibit of his paintings is now a companion piece, titled "A Visual Journal: The Artwork of Henry B. Eyring." "These water colors are a record of the blessings that have come to our family," he said. "They are a heritage to the family." Still, he said he is "embarrassed" to learn his pieces number more than 1,000 because of the time investment that represents. He has remained sensitive to the time he spends on each painting, the reason nearly all are the size of post cards. It's also the reason he chose water colors. "Literally because it's faster," he said. "With an oil you can go back and back. In fact, you need to go back and add layers. With a water color, if you haven't got it in 20 minutes, you're not going to get it." He said he first takes an idea and does a brief sketch, then does "a wash," lets it dry, and does another wash. In all, each piece takes about 20 minutes of painting. The results were first exhibited last year by a reluctant President Eyring at BYU-Idaho. The occasion was the inauguration of his son Henry J. Eyring as the school's president, a position President Eyring held in the 1970s when the school was known as Ricks College. The director of the Church History Museum said President Eyring was again reluctant at first to the idea of a second, larger exhibit in Salt Lake City. "We're thrilled," Alan Johnson said. "It's a privilege. It was a success up in Idaho and we're grateful to bring it to more people down here." The exhibit includes free postcard reprints of some of President Eyring's scenes that patrons will be able to take and send as thank-you notes. His apostolic travel is another theme of the exhibit, which includes paintings of scenes from Pago Pago to Zimbabwe and from New England to the Cotswolds, "where," he said, "every water colorist wants to go." He isn't done, either. During an interview on Monday, he mentioned that he exchanged emails that morning with a granddaughter serving a church mission in Kobe, Japan. She said something that sparked an idea for another water color. He said he hoped to go from the interview back to his office and work on the idea during his lunch hour, his normal practice. Hurtado curated the exhibit into seven major categories portraits, the West, emotive landscapes, memory, religion, the ocean and travel. In each, President Eyring said, he is trying to preserve a memory. "These paintings are not a message so much as a memory, something to take me or the people I love back to a time, a sweet time," he said. "I don't think of myself as an artist. I'm a guy who likes art and memories." SALT LAKE CITY Utahs Josh Holt responded to President Donald Trumps comments about Rep. Mia Love. As my colleague Lisa Riley Roche reported Wednesday, Trump said Love lost her election to Democratic candidate Ben McAdams which isnt true, as votes are still being counted because she gave me no love. "Mia Love. I saw Mia Love. She called me all the time to help with a hostage situation," Trump said, which was a reference to Holt, who was released this year from a prison in Venezuela. "But Mia Love gave me no love," he said. "She lost. Too bad. Sorry about that, Mia." Holt's thoughts: Holt said he was shocked by Trumps comments. "I didn't know that it was Mia's responsibility to need to ask the president to help one of their citizens," he said. "I thought that was the entire U.S. government's responsibility to get me out of that situation, not just Mia Love's and Sen. (Orrin) Hatch's." Holt spent nearly two years inprisoned before he was released in May. Go deeper: Timeline: How Utahn Josh Holt went from being jailed in Venezuela to an emotional D.C. reunion with family Did Venezuelan government release Josh Holt as ploy to win international favor? Josh Holt describes first few hours in Venezuelan prison during TV interview Utahn Josh Holt arrives in D.C. after release from Venezuelan prison SALT LAKE CITY One teen was injured and another arrested Wednesday night after the pair crashed the car they were in, according to police. Salt Lake City police were already in the area of 500 North and 300 West investigating a homicide, when about 11:20 p.m. a Honda was observed by officers driving on 400 West at a high rate of speed with no headlights on, according to a statement from police. The vehicle was traveling an estimated 85 mph, according to police. The car did not pull over when officers tried to flag it down. It crashed into several large trees behind a gas station at 965 N. Beck St., according to police. A 16-year-old passenger had to be extracted from the vehicle, police stated. The girl was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. A 15-year-old driver was booked into juvenile detention, according to police. Police said the boy was driving a stolen vehicle. SALT LAKE CITY Aaron Million is one of the least popular guys in Utah among water managers, conservation groups and environmental organizations with a likeability score not destined to change anytime soon. Million, through Water Horse Resources, is asking the Utah state engineer to grant a 55,000-acre-feet diversion of Green River water in Daggett County to pipe to the Front Range of Colorado. Raised in Utah and now an entrepreneur in Fort Collins, Colorado, Million says the Upper Basin states' share of the Colorado River remains underdeveloped, and that water could be put to use for growing populations in Colorado. In the first official hearing on the diversion application before the Board of Water Resources, opponents panned the project, which has been more than a decade in the making and undergone several revisions. The state of Utah formally opposes the project, as do Uintah and Emery county water districts, the Provo River Water Users Association, the Center for Biological Diversity and Trout Unlimited. Paul Burnett, Utah's water project biologist with Trout Unlimited, argued several points at the Wednesday hearing, including: The water diversion would cause environmental damage to the Green and Colorado rivers. Water is not available in the amounts claimed under the Colorado River Compact. The proposed diversion does not serve Utah, Colorado, Wyoming and other states in the Colorado River Basin. The downstream diversion of the Green River below Flaming Gorge would compromise critical riparian habitat in a project that Western Resource Advocates argues is overly vague and widely opposed. Million is proposing to divert water from Utah to the detriment of multistate water agreements, the recovery of endangered species and millions of dollars in recreation spending," said Ariel Calmes, Western Resource Advocates staff attorney in Utah and Wyoming. "Western Resource Advocates urges the state engineer to deny Millions latest application and prevent this wasteful and unaffordable project from proceeding, Calmes said. Multiple federal agencies, including the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management, also oppose the diversion. Million's project would pipe the water from Utah into Wyoming then Colorado and feature several hydropower components along the way. Marcie Larson, a spokeswoman with the Utah Division of Water Resources, said State Engineer Kent Jones wants more information on the petition for diversion of Green River water. Once that additional information is received, the new petition will undergo another round of review followed by more time for public comment. Larson added the petition review is in its infancy stage. UTAH STATE PRISON A man convicted a decade ago of brutally killing his estranged wife's alleged lover has been granted parole. The Utah Board of Pardons and Parole has set a release date for Trey Holloway-Brown, 39, for Jan. 22. The parole date was set with special conditions, including required completion of a domestic violence evaluation and intervention services through a Department of Human Services licensed provider, and Brown must complete cognitive behavioral therapy before his release. Holloway-Brown was convicted in 2007 of manslaughter. On June 10, 2005, he drove from Wyoming to his estranged wife's apartment in West Valley City, got into a heated argument with her and a woman he believed she had a relationship with. The confrontation ended with Holloway-Brown killing the woman, 29-year-old Norma Espinoza Hernandez, after he chased her into the parking lot, stabbed her and stomped on her. The autopsy showed Hernandez was stabbed six times. Despite the judge noting the level of brutality in the fatal assault, Holloway-Brown struck a deal with prosecutors, pleading guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter, a second-degree felony. His sentence was set to expire in March 2022. During his most recent parole hearing in October, Holloway-Brown said he is still married to his wife and has talked to her since being incarcerated, but is not sure if they will reconcile when he is released. In 2017, when Holloway-Brown made his first parole hearing appearance, he gave answers to the board member conducting the hearing that seemed to confuse her. But his rehearing last month went much smoother. And the parole board noted in its decision that Holloway-Brown has completed several treatment programs, earned his high school diploma and completed several college programs since being incarcerated. SALT LAKE CITY President Donald Trump recorded a last-minute robocall for fellow Republican Rep. Mia Love's re-election campaign in the final days of her still-undecided race against Democratic Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams. However, the president's recorded message on behalf of the two-term congresswoman was only sent out to a few thousand people identified as Trump supporters on Election Day, Love's campaign manager, Dave Hansen, said Thursday. A day earlier, Trump criticized Love and other Republican candidates for distancing themselves from him in the midterm election, accusing Love of calling "all the time" to help with the release of Utahn Josh Holt from a Venezuelan prison. "But Mia Love gave me no love," the president said during a White House news conference. "She lost. Too bad. Sorry about that, Mia." The 4th Congressional District race remains too close to call, as ballots are still being counted. New numbers released Thursday afternoon from the Salt Lake County portion of the district expanded McAdams' lead over Love there by 1,714 votes. The latest results from the largely by-mail election give McAdams just over a 3.5-point lead over Love, 51.77 percent to 48.23 percent, throughout the district that also includes a part of Utah County, as well as Juab and Sanpete counties. Love's campaign is counting on uncounted votes in those conservative areas to push her over the top. Utah County, which has reported nearly 89,000 uncounted ballots overall, is scheduled to release the first post-election night results on Friday. McAdams' campaign manager, Andrew Roberts, was upbeat about Salt Lake County's new numbers. We are encouraged by the fact that our lead in the balloting increased," Roberts said. "We appreciate the dedication and care from all elections officials and employees to ensure a fair and accurate vote-counting process. Love's campaign downplayed McAdams' increased lead. "We expected that," Hansen said. "There are still a lot of votes to be counted and released, especially those from Utah County. Let's wait until tomorrow and see what the numbers look like (that) they release." He also declined to release a copy of the robocall recorded by Trump or even a transcript. "The election's over. We are not going to pass out everything," Hansen said. The robocall was recorded a few days before the election, he said, and wasn't a slam on McAdams, but did say he's "a liberal and electing him would result in Nancy Pelosi becoming speaker. Nothing more than what we've said in the campaign." The president's message also referred to "how much Mia was involved in getting Josh Holt released and praised Mia for that, and talked about the job numbers and the economy, how strong it was," Hansen said. Trump also said "having Mia re-elected would be great for the country and great for Utah," he said. Asked why the president was suddenly so critical of Love the day after the election, Hansen said "you'll have to ask Trump. I have no idea." No concern was expressed by the White House about the limited use of the president's recorded message, Hansen said. "I don't know if he was upset," he said. "Nobody said anything else about it, and I sincerely doubt he was checking to see how many people it had been sent to or anything like that. We used it as we thought best." He said the president offered to record the call "at that point in time," but continued to decline to talk about what else Trump was willing to do, including adding Utah to his campaign stops around the country. McAdams' campaign had no comment on the Trump robocall. Chris Karpowitz, co-director of BYU's Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy, said because Trump is "a very polarizing figure," it made sense for Love to limit who received the call. "The 4th District turns on independents and moderate Republicans, and a message from the president may have actually had a negative effect on those voters," Karpowitz said. "So it's not surprising to me." He said Love was "smart not to make this election about Donald Trump. That was not going to be a winning strategy in the 4th District," where the president's popularity lags. Karpowitz said despite the new Salt Lake County numbers, he expects the race to tighten up in the coming days as more votes are counted. He said the election will come down to how many votes remain to be tallied in Utah County. "Everyone is still on the edge of their seats," he said. "It's not going to end up as a 3.5 point race. It's going to be a lot closer than that. I think both campaigns have reason for both hope and a great deal of anxiety." Holt, a Love supporter, said Thursday he was "shocked" by the president's reference during the White House news conference to the nearly two years Holt was held in a Venezuelan prison before his release in May. "I didn't know that it was Mia's responsibility to need to ask the president to help one of their citizens," he said. "I thought that was the entire U.S. government's responsibility to get me out of that situation, not just Mia Love's and Sen. Hatch's." Contributing: Annie Knox October 23, 2018 On October 23, DGA members living in the United Kingdom and Ireland received updates about the Guilds activities when the London Coordinating Committee (LCC) hosted its Twelfth annual general membership meeting in London. On his second trip to London as president of the Guild, Thomas Schlamme gave a report that detailed the Guilds efforts to improve the economic and creative rights for members who reside and work outside the United States. Speaking before the audience gathered in the David Lean Room at BAFTA, President Schlamme began by thanking the LCC for hosting the event and acknowledged his predecessor, DGA Past President and current Secretary-Treasurer Michael Apted, for being the driving force that brought the LCC to life to address the unacceptable conditions directors were facing in the UK. He also recognized the presence of the Guild executives who made the trip to London, National Executive Director Russ Hollander and Associate National Executive Director Bryan Unger, who serves as the chief executive liaison to the LCC. Schlamme spoke on a variety of subjects including: how the success of the last round of negotiations has translated into unprecedented gains for the Guild in multiple areas, how the DGA-Producer Pension & Health Plans continue to thrive, and the early preparations that are being made for the next round of contract negotiations. Speaking on issues specific to the UK and Ireland, Schlamme urged those present to continue the work of bringing more projects shot in the region under the umbrella of DGA protection and in closing, reminded them all how important they are to their Guild. A lot of people think the DGA is a building in Los Angeles but that couldnt be further from the truth, said Schlamme. Our Guild is our members. This is your union and distance will not divide our common goals, or our solidarity. Solidarity that is more important today than ever before. As the production companies and means of distribution become increasingly consolidated and international, so too must we as Directors and their team, stand together across borders and genres to protect our profession. We encourage you to get more involved. What weve found is when you do that, you get back what you put in and then some. The meeting ended with a dinner as Schlamme, Hollander and Unger circulated around the room to answer questions from the attendees. About the Committee The London Coordinating Committee (LCC) was established in 2007 by the DGA National Board, which recognized the need to create a coordinating committee in the same way it already has with similarly sized populations of Guild members in San Francisco and Chicago. The Co-Chairs are Michael Caton-Jones and Jim Gillespie. The members include Directors SJ Clarkson, Coky Giedroyc, Tom Hooper, Richard Loncraine, Roger H. Michell, Mike Newell, Chris J. Newman, Jim Sheridan, Matthew Vaughn, Richard Whelan, Susanna White, Stephen Woolfenden, and David Yates. For more information, photos by Rune Hellestad Fake news is by no means a boundary phenomenon right now. For all we know, it could have gotten a US President elected and led to a number of hate crimes in our own country. Social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp have been accused by their users and local governments of not doing enough to curb the menace of false sensational stories spreading like wildfire. On the other hand, the technology used to create convincing media to back up false, made-up stories that push an agenda or appeal to a certain group of people is only getting better. However, long before modern technology arrived on the scene, disinformation, or what we know today as fake news, was already making falsified waves on human history. The OG fakesters Traces of ancient rulers propagating the fake news about their achievements are spread across history. Rameses The Great did it, Octavian did it to malign Marc Antony, late third century AD Christian apologist Lactantius was guilty of it - the list goes on. The second on that list, Octavian, went on to become Augustus, the first Roman emperor, after successfully spreading slander against Marc Antony through precise, effective slogans printed on the back of coins, not too different from modern-day tweets. Parallels with modern technology apart, it didnt end well for Marc Antony as he ended his life after a defeat at the battle of Actium once he heard the news that Cleopatra had ended her life, falsely spread by Cleopatra herself. Marc Antony, one of the earliest known famous victims of fake news Unfortunately, over history, fake news has been used to target communities, on the basis of religion, nationality, and even political alignment. By the time the medieval ages were done, there had been quite a few instances of hate crimes propelled by fake news between Christians and Jews, often cited as the foundation of anti-semitism itself. But the true birth of fake news can be triangulated to be around the same time as the birth of the printing press in 1439. With the printing press, the number of publications increased exponentially, but there were no fixed set of rules or journalistic ethics to be followed. People who were actually looking for the facts had to pay close attention. During this time, the importance of leaks increased, especially when it came to government documents like the Venetian government correspondence. However, faking those wasnt difficult either. By the 17th century, notably around the time of Galileo's trial, historians had begun to cite verifiable sources in their work as the need for fact-checking, especially in the scientific community, increased. This didnt really curb fake news, however. That would be done, to some measure, by the Age of Enlightenment. Enlightenment and the years after The Great Lisbon earthquake occurred in 1755 and, along with a tsunami and subsequent fires, nearly wiped out Lisbon. Understandably, this was a sensitive and complex event to cover. As a result, this was another opportunity for religious propaganda - several pamphlets and documents emerged that claimed survivors had seen holy visions. Famed enlightenment philosopher Voltaire took it upon himself to attack religious explanations of natural events and emerged as a staunch critic of fake news itself. Voltaire was an early crusader against fake news However, his work and the work of others wasnt enough. An easily consumable format, the canard became quite popular in the 18th century. A reportedly popular one (falsely) documented the capture of a monster in Chile that had the head of a Fury, wings like a bat, a gigantic body covered in scales, and a dragon-like tail. However, not all instances were involved merely in harmless sensationalism. In the years leading up to the French revolution, a deluge of pamphlets found their way to Parisians. These pamphlets, arguably circulated by several political camps opposed to the then ruling monarchy, highlighted the financial mismanagement of the current reign with severely inconsistent numbers and claims. A few popular lots carried the face of Marie Antoinette printed on them and were most likely responsible for fueling public hatred against her leading up to her public execution during the revolution. Similar rebellions techniques were used across the ocean in America to justify atrocities against African Americans and to curb opposition to the war and the slave trade. Names like Benjamin Franklin are also involved. Artistic representation of the Great Moon Hoax In 1835, the New York Sun published a story attributed to the real-life astronomer. Sir John Herschel. According to the story, there was life on the moon in the form of weird man-bats and more. While this story was never intended to be taken seriously, it sold a lot of copies for the Sun and gained them almost twice their existing subscriber base. The story was debunked soon after and the Sun had to face the backlash of other publications. One good thing that came out of the widespread fake news problem back then was that people gradually became careful of what they read and share. World wars and the road to modern times Around the turn of the century, the impact of fakes news had begun to diminish. After the fake news fueled the Spanish-American War of 1898, the public demanded a verifiable source of information. The New York Times had been recently purchased by Adolph Ochs to fulfil that purpose. However, as the first World War drew closer, the rise of propaganda against rival nations also rose. The unverified story of a German corpse factory where the dead were boiled down for resources was circulated. This story was used by Goebbels during the second world war to dismiss the reports of mass execution of Jews by Hitler as British Propaganda. A radio broadcast of the War of the Worlds 'supposedly' sent people into panic A famous but unrelated instance was related to the radio broadcast of an adaptation of the War of the Worlds, which supposedly sent people into panic fearing a real war-like situation in 1938. The Cold War and the Vietnam War were also ripe grounds for the involved sides to use newly available radio technology to spread misinformation far and wide. In fact, press briefings during the Vietnam war were reportedly so unreliable that they had been dubbed as Five O'Clock Follies by members of the press. The internet The internet did the same thing to fake news as the Gutenberg press. If there were any signs that fake news was ebbing off over the years, by the time the internet was commonplace, those signs were long gone. There are way too many instances of fake news having a significant real-world impact on our lives over the last couple of decades to be documented in a single article. However, if anything, the most notable situation related to this has been the spread of fake news on Facebook. In 2014, there were reports of a well-paid Russian troll army operating on platforms like Facebook and Twitter. A ridiculous conspiracy theory about a child abuse ring led by a presidential candidate led to an actual shooting at the alleged location of the abuse, a pizza restaurant. Facebook itself has accepted that there have been paid campaigns running on its platform looking to influence the outcome of the 2016 elections. The Cambridge Analytica whistleblowing happened right on the heels of this. Facebook's estimates on users affected by Cambridge Analytica Our own country hasnt fared too well either. Along with several reports of public violence against individuals based on rumours spread on WhatsApp and Facebook, there was an instance of the United Nations calling on the Indian government to protect a journalist against attacks fueled by fake news and disinformation campaigns. Today, such campaigns go beyond the mere connecting power of social media. Unprecedented levels of accuracy in tools that can generate doctored images, videos and other forms of media are bringing into question the reliability of any and every form of information. Some solutions like the distributed ledger seem to be on the horizon, but for now, it is, unfortunately, safe to say that we understand too little of the potential solutions to do anything about it. Recommended reading Jet Air starts Mumbai-Manchester direct flights; extends discount sales Jet Airways today commenced a new non-stop service between Mumbai and Manchester, the third-largest city in the United Kingdom, further expanding the airlines connectivity in the UK. The new service also makes Jet Airways the largest flight service provider between Mumbai and the UK. Manchester is also the 21st international destination on the carriers network. Jet Airways also announced an extension of its 'Diwali Sale' offer till 11 November 2018. Under the offer, the airline is offering up to 30 per cent discount on domestic and international flight tickets. Guests can book one-way flights for as low as Rs1,998 onwards for Mumbai-Kochi and Rs6,723 onwards for Mumbai-Muscat flights, said the airline in a press release today. The offer is applicable on base fare in premiere and economy class flight tickets across the airline's network as well as on flights operated by carrier's codeshare partners Air France and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. "The launch of maiden flight between Mumbai and Manchester is a proud moment for us. Guests travelling to the United Kingdom will now have multiple options to travel to destinations of their choice. Our new 5 days-a-week non-stop service brings Manchester into our global network, expanding our footprint as well as the choice of connectivity to and from the United Kingdom for our guests. The new service will enable Jet Airways to offer over 8,500 seats every week, making it increasingly convenient for business guests, leisure travellers as well as students, to travel between India and the UK, strengthening commerce as well as tourism ties between the two countries," Raj Sivakumar, senior vice president, Worldwide Sales & Distribution, Jet Airways, said. "Manchester also becomes an additional gateway to North America with seamless connectivity to New York, Atlanta and other destinations with our code share partners Virgin Atlantic and Delta. Moreover, our Manchester based guests can seamlessly connect on Jet Airways flights to Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok and Colombo," Sivakumar added. The travel period of Jet Airways' offer is different for different routes. For travel to International destinations, flight tickets must be purchased on or after 30 October 2018. Travel to Manchester must commence on or after 5 November, 2018, said Jet Airways. For travel in premiere class flights within the country, Jet Airways flight tickets must be purchased a minimum of eight days prior to departure for travel on or after 7 November 2018. For travel in economy class of flights within the country, flight tickets must be purchased a minimum of 14 days prior to departure for travel on or after 14 November 2018. Guests from India can choose to travel across 66 domestic and international destinations served directly by the airline or to a host of onward destinations in Europe on flights operated by the airline's codeshare partners via its gateways in Amsterdam and Paris and vice versa, noted Jet Airways. Patanjali enters apparels market with brand `Paridhan' Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev-led Patanjali group has forayed into the branded apparel market with the indigenous brand 'Paridhan', projecting sales of around Rs1,000 crore by next fiscal. Patanjali Paridhan, an apparel store with a range of clothes and accessories, was officially launched in New Delhi on the auspicious occasion of Dhanteras. The showroom, with more than 3,000 varieties of mens, womens and kids wear opened at Netaji Subhash Place. The new range comes under three brands - `Livefit, `Aastha and `Sanskar. Patanjali Paridhan will have with 3,500 variants of apparel, home textile, shoes and accessorises. The Haridwar-based group plans to open around 100 outlets of Paridhan by the end of this fiscal and an expected network of around 500 stores by March 2020, mostly on franchise model. The three brands - Livfit, Aastha and Sanskarare targeted at customers across all age groups. "This year, we would have a network of 100 stores ranging between 500-2,500 sq feet. We are aiming a turnover of around Rs 1,000 crore in the next fiscal," said Baba Ramdev. He further added:"It would also be available online by next year. We are working on it." While Sanskar would be a range of menswear, Aastha is a women's brand and Livfit would have a range of sportswear and Yoga dresses. "Our target is to compete with multinational companies in this field such as adidas, Puma," he said adding the Paridhan range would be around 30-40 per cent cheaper and would target ordinary people. The company may plan to have standalone store of its three brands, depending on the catchment area and availability of space, said K M Singh, who is heading the apparel business of Patanjali. According to Ramdev, in textile industry, 90 per cent sales is through unorganised segment and the branded segment accounts only 10 per cent, in which there is hardly any Indian brand. "We want ordinary people to feel proud of wearing domestic brand," he added. Besides, Paridhan would have a range of artificial jewellery and wedding clothes which would be at least 40 per cent cheaper than rivals, he claimed. Range of Patanjali jeans would start from Rs500, shirt (Rs500-1,700). Paridhan would have around 1,100 options along with 3,500 SKUs of menswear, womenswear, kidswear, denim and accessories. The company is sourcing from 90 vendors across India and would encourage small and medium enterprises, Singh added. Patanjali is already into segments like herbal ayurved, natural pure products, cosmetics, personal care, cattle feed and biofertilisers, dairy products and frozen vegetables and packaged water. Patanjali, which had recorded multi-fold growth in the early years, witnessed only a marginal growth last fiscal hit by the implementation of GST, finishing at around Rs12,000 crore . In 2016-17, Patanjali clocked a turnover of Rs 10,561 crore, registering 111 per cent growth. Court orders Qualcomm to offer patent licenses to all including chip-making rivals Qualcomms woes continue to mount with a federal judge now directing it to offer patent licenses to all including chip-making competitors. San Jose-based US district judge Lucy Koh ruled that the company would be obstructing or limiting competing implementations of patented components if it did not license its patents for building modems to rivals including Intel, Samsung and Huawei. The company sells cellular chips to smartphone manufacturers and licenses its portfolio of 130,000 international patents. But Qualcomm refuses to license competitors including Intel and MediaTek. The American Federal Trade Commission (FTC) asked the district judge to rule that Qualcomms pledges to two standard-setting bodies require it to offer patent licenses to all including other chip-makers. The company had promised the Telecommunications Industry Association and the American National Standards Institute that it would offer licenses to chip-makers; by not giving it to competitors, it was violating its commitment. While agreeing with the FTC contention, the judge also referred to an earlier patent-infringement case in which Qualcomm had said that Ericsson, the network equipment-maker, was discriminating by not giving it a license. Qualcomm has just reported a fiscal fourth-quarter loss of nearly $500 million. If it is forced to license chip suppliers, it would no longer get patent royalties based on the price of a smartphone. If the latest verdict becomes final, others including Intel and Samsung are expected to break into the market and build their modems, boosting competition and hurting Qualcomm. Interestingly, even Apple is engaged in a legal war with Qualcomm and is seeking chip-level licensing. Apple had earlier used Qualcomms modem chips in its iPhone models to help subscribers to connect to wireless data networks. Last year, however, Apple sued Qualcomm in the federal court in San Diego, accusing it of illegally imposing a patent license fee by taking a part of the cost of an iPhone. Denying the charges, Qualcomm has said that Apple owes it $7 billion in unpaid royalties. The case will go for trial in a few months. Reliance becomes first in India to use blockchain for export transaction Reliance Industries has effected a trade finance transaction involving export to an American client using the blockchain, which massively reduced the time taken for processing the documents. British banking group HSBC, together with Belgian banking major ING, executed the trade finance transaction for Reliance Industries and the US importer. The blockchain-enabled letter of credit transaction facilitated a shipment between Reliance and the US-based Tricon Energy, a joint statement issued by HSBC India and Reliance said. The use of blockchain offers significant potential to reduce the timelines involved in exchange of export documentation from the extant seven-ten days to less than a day, the statement quoted RIL joint chief financial officer Srikanth Venkatachari as saying. The blockchain platform was integrated with the electronic bill of lading (eBL) platform to issue and manage an electronic bill of lading, it said, adding this allows a digital transfer of the title of goods from the seller to the buyer in the underlying trade. The solution is a significant improvement for an organisation involved in buying and selling goods internationally, as it brings together all parties onto one platform. Blckchain solutions is a distributed database that maintains a continuously-growing list of ordered records called blocks and is deemed to be very transparent as all the stakeholders can view progress real time. A slew of domestic lenders, including ICICI Bank, SBI and Yes Bank among others are working on blockchain solutions and count trade finance as one of the best use cases for the technology because of the ability to cut down on time. HSBCs head of global banking and markets Hitendra Dave said blockchain has a transformative impact on trade finance transactions and enables greater transparency and enhanced security in addition to making it simpler and faster. It may also ensure cost effectiveness, quicker turnaround and also potentially unlock liquidity for businesses, he added For this transaction between Reliance and Tricon, the LC was issued by ING Bank, Brussels for Tricon Energy US with HSBC India as the advising and negotiating bank for Reliance, it said, claiming the transaction validates the commercial and operational viability of blockchain as an alternative to conventional exchanges for paper-based documentation. India's nuclear submarine Arihant completes first deterrence patrol Arihant, India's first nuclear ballistic missile submarine, has competed its first deterrence patrol, completing the establishment of the country's survivable nuclear triad. "Dhanteras gets even more special! Indias pride, nuclear submarine INS Arihant successfully completed its first deterrence patrol! I congratulate all those involved, especially the crew of INS Arihant for this accomplishment, which will always be remembered in our history," Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Twitter. The indigenous development of Arihant and its operationalisation attest to the country's technological prowess and the synergy and coordination among all concerned, the prime minister said, even as he thanked the soldiers and scientists for their dedication and commitment in realising this pioneering accomplishment of enhancing the country's security. "In an era such as this, a credible nuclear deterrence is the need of the hour. The success of INS Arihant gives a fitting response to those who indulge in nuclear blackmail," said Modi. As a responsible nation, India has put in place a robust nuclear command and control structure, effective safety assurance architecture and strict political control, under its Nuclear Command Authority. It remains committed to the doctrine of Credible Minimum Deterrence and No First Use, as enshrined in the decision taken by the Cabinet Committee on Security in its meeting chaired by the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on January 4, 2003, said a press release from the PMO. The Prime Minister extended greetings to the participants and their families on the occasion of Deepawali, the Festival of Light. He expressed the hope that just as light dispels darkness and all fear, INS Arihant will be harbinger of fearlessness for the country. Two years after: Jaitley defends note ban, opposition tears it apart On the second anniversary of demonetisation today finance minister Arun Jaitley said the aim was not to confiscate cash but to get it into formal economy, while the opposition mounted concerted attacks on the issue. In a Facebook post, Jaitley described Prime Minister Narendra Modi's overnight ban on higher currency notes on 8 November 2016, as a "key step in a chain of important decisions taken by the government to formalise the economy". But the Congress called it a "black day", and said Prime Minister Modi should apologise to the nation for destroying the economy. On November 8, 2016, PM Modi had made the controversial announcement during a televised speech delivered at 8:15 pm, scrapping existing Rs500 and Rs1,000 notes with immediate effect. He said the objective of the exercise was to curtail black money and reduce the part played by counterfeit currency in funding terrorism and other illegal activities. "Confiscation of currency was not an objective of demonetisation. Getting it into the formal economy and making the holders pay tax was the broader objective. The system required to be shaken in order to make India move from cash to digital transactions," Jaitley said. In a blog post, Jaitley, while listing the number of reforms taken by the BJP-led NDA government to fight the black economy, said that demonetisation resulted in increasing the tax base and a higher tax collection (both .. direct and indirect) for the government, thereby improving its fiscal health. "The impact of demonetisation has been felt on collection of personal income tax. Its collections were higher in Financial Year 2018-19 (till 31-10-2018) compared to the previous year by 20.2 per cent. Even in the corporate tax the collections are 19.5 per cent higher. From two years prior to demonetisation, direct tax collections have increased 6.6 per cent and 9 per cent respectively" Jaitley wrote. "The consequences of demonetisation are catastrophic", said senior Congress leader P Chidambaram. Over 100 people died standing in queues, GDP growth fell by 1.5 per cent as predicted by the Congress party. The government no longer talks of Achhe Din. The only talk we hear is of Hindutva. Promise of Achhe Din lies in a shambles, PM Modi himself has resurrected divisive issues. I have no doubt people of the country have taken note and will respond, he added. Chidambaram further tweeted, FM says Confiscation of currency was not an objective of demonetisation. Will someone please remind him of what he told the media and what the AG told the Supreme Court? Dravida Munettra Kazhagam (DMK) president MK Stalin termed demonetisation as a "man-made disaster for India". Govt wants more than a third of RBI's Rs9,59,000-cr reserves The government wants the Reserve bank of India to transfer an amount equivalent to Rs3,60,000 crore, forming over a third of the central banks Rs9,59,000 crore reserves, to the government. Not just that, the finance ministry also wants joint control of RBI reserves, conditions that no central bank would agree to. The government sees RBIs annual dividend payment, or transfer of surplus to the government, as too short of expectations and this obviously is at the heart of the RBI-government standoff, according to reports. The existing economic capital framework, which governs the RBIs capital requirements and terms of transfer of its reserves to the government, is based on a very conservative assessment of risk by the central bank, according to the finance ministry. RBI views the governments attempt to make the central bank a cash cow like state-run enterprises and dip into its reserves can adversely impact macro-economic stability and has not accepted the proposed changes. The finance ministry argues that the current framework was unilaterally adopted by the RBI at a board meeting in July 2017 when both the government nominees on the board were not present. The government did not accede to this framework and has since then been constantly seeking discussions with the RBI. Last week, the finance ministry said while the autonomy for the RBI is an essential aspect, both the government and the RBI have to be guided by public interest and the requirements of the Indian economy. The government has proposed the use of these funds be decided to be used to recapitalise loss-hit banks and help them expand their loan book and come out of the Prompt Corrective Action framework. The RBI, however, says channeling RBI reserves does not tantamount to any fresh income, and is essentially in the nature of issuing new securities to fund government expenditure. This not only hurt the governments commitment to fiscal prudence, it also affects the confidence of the financial markets. The finance ministry has also raised objections to the staggered surplus distribution policy (SSDP) of the central bank, under which the RBI transfers its surplus to the government. The ministrys view is that RBI has been conservative and at times arbitrary, especially when it came to the transfer of the interim surplus. In 2017-18, the RBI transferred a surplus of Rs50,000 crore to the government (comprising an interim transfer of Rs10,000 crore), up from Rs30,659 crore in 2016-17, but lower than in the previous three years. The government believes that, when compared with global central banks, the RBI holds much higher total capital as a percentage of its total assets (at about 28 per cent). Countries including the US, the UK, Argentina, France, Singapore maintain much lower capital as a percentage of total assets, while the same for countries including Malaysia, Norway and Russia are much higher than India. WAPCOS, Doppelmayr sign MoU for ropeway projects in India Water and Power Consultancy Services (India) Limited (WAPCOS), a public sector consultancy organisation under the ministry of water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation, and Australian ropeway manufacturer Doppelmayr have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for providing end-to-end solutions for passenger ropeway projects. WAPCOS is a leading engineering consultancy organisation of the Government of India, which has grown into an Indian multinational with projects in over 45 countries across the world. Doppelmayr, Austria is the worlds largest ropeway manufacturers with cutting-edge ropeway technologies. It has set up more than 15,000 ropeway installations across the world. The MoU includes the entire gamut of preparing feasibility studies, detailed project reports, construction, equipment supply, operation and maintenance. It will enable development of ropeway projects in various states using globally accepted standards for passenger safety and reliability. These projects will not only reduce traffic congestion and pollution, but will also contribute towards development of tourism destinations and provide impetus to employment generation in the country, Nitin Gadkari, minister for road transport & highways, shipping, water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation, said. Speaking at the function, the minister stressed upon the need to cut down congestion and resultant pollution in cities. Reiterating his commitment for promoting transport innovations that are pollution free and cost effective, he said that ropeways, cable cars, funicular railways can be very useful means of transport for hilly and difficult terrains and act as last mile connectivity options in congested cities. He said these transport options would also be very useful for tier two cities and hoped these would motivate people to shift from personal to public transport. Gadkari said, cable cars and ropeways have already proven to be successful in countries like Bolivia, Vietnam, Switzerland. The government, he said, is exploring the use of new kinds of vehicles like hybrid aeroboats that combine land, water and aviation technology and can run on land, water and air at speeds greater than 80 km per hour. The minister informed that ten national waterways, including Ganga, are being developed for transport. It will soon be possible to carry goods from Varanasi right up to Bangladesh and the North Eastern states of the country on waterways. India may not commit to concluding RCEP pact by year-end India is unlikely to sign into a mega trade deal that it is negotiating with 15 countries of the Asia-Pacific region, including China, Japan and the 10-member ASEAN group, and it has some supporters this year. Member countries of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will be meeting in summit in Singapore on 14 November, where members will sign a joint statement to conclude an agreement by the year-end. However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have to do a balancing act by expressing support for the trade agreement, but not committing to conclude an agreement as proposed. While countries like China, South Korea, Japan and New Zealand want an agreement to the effect that the members have made substantial conclusion of the agreement, India and others may demand the words to be replaced by substantial progress. Reports say, India will not be signing into the joint statement being promoted by some member countries that could commit it to a pact by the year-end While India was alone in opposing a quick-fix RCEP at the Auckland round, some other members, including Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia joined in later, saying that things were not ripe enough to conclude a pact by the year-end. With support from like-minded members, Prime Minister Modi will now hopefully not be under pressure at the Singapore summit to commit to agree to a package agreement by the year-end. For one thing, the package agreement does not fully take care of Indias economic interests and could be damaging for the government with the general elections scheduled next year. A trade deal with countries like China could be debilitating for Indian industry and farmers. What most RCEP members, including Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, were trying to do at Auckland was to get the words substantial conclusion included in the joint declaration of the summit to be signed by the heads of state next week. The words substantial conclusion have a legal connotation. If countries agree to it, then there is no getting out of it, and the decision has to be announced to media and placed before Parliament for clearance. India refused to take on this commitment at the summit, and insisted that the words substantial progress be used instead. Mid-term polls: Trump widens majority in Senate, but loses House The Democratic Blue Wave didnt quite sweep aside the Republican Red Wall in the US mid-term elections, as liberals were hoping. A strong showing in Middle America allowed President Donald Trumps party to expand its slim majority in the Senate, even as the Democratic Party recaptured the House of Representatives after eight years in the opposition benches. Democrats won 223 seats in elections to the 435-strong House, whose members are proportional to the population of states, while the Republican Party extended its 51-49 majority to 54-46 the Senate, which elects two lawmakers per state. Many far-right Republicans were re-elected, i while old-school Republicans were replaced by more brazenly Trumpian ones as, for example, Katie Arrington in South Carolina (House of Representatives), Brian Kemp in Georgia (governor), and Ron DeSantis in Florida (governor). President Trump on Wednesday celebrated Senate gains for his party and immediately threatened Democrats, who won back control of the House and with it the power to investigate the president's personal and professional conduct. Trump has long felt aggrieved by the special counsel's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. He took to Twitter in the morning after the split election outcome to put Democrats on notice about their threats to investigate him and the administration. Democrats are also interested in Trump's tax returns, which he has declined to make public. "If the Democrats think they are going to waste Taxpayer Money investigating us at the House level, then we will likewise be forced to consider investigating them for all of the leaks of Classified Information, and much else, at the Senate level. Two can play that game!" Trump said. Hours earlier, the president had tweeted that "now we can all get back to work and get things done!" "Those that worked with me in this incredible Midterm Election, embracing certain policies and principles, did very well. Those that did not, say goodbye!" Trump said in a tweet that did not mention the loss of GOP control of the House. "Yesterday was such a very Big Win, and all under the pressure of a Nasty and Hostile Media!" he added. Widely viewed as a referendum on Trump's presidency, Tuesday's results offered a split decision that revealed deep tensions in the American electorate a rift that could easily widen during two years of divided control of Congress. Trump's aggressive campaign blitz, which paid off in some key victories, suggests he is likely to continue leaning into the fray. Control of the House gives Democrats the ability to launch investigations into the president and stifle his agenda. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders sought to minimise Democratic gains in that chamber, but called retaining control of the Senate a "huge moment and victory for the president." White House aides called on Democrats to work with Republicans in the next Congress. Said Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway, "I don't know that there will be much of an appetite for Democrat lawmakers to spend all of their time, or most of their time or even a fraction of their time investigating, instigating, trying to impeach and subpoena people." Trump had aggressively campaigned in the closing days of the race, his focus on boosting Republicans in states he carried in 2016. In the three races he targeted on the final day, Trump's picks won Tuesday night, with Republican Mike Braun defeating Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly in Indiana, Republican Josh Hawley defeating Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill in Missouri and Republican Attorney General Mike DeWine defeating Democrat Richard Cordray in the race for Ohio governor. The White House for days has stressed the historical headwinds it faced: in the last three decades, 2002 was the only midterm election when the party holding the White House gained Senate seats. And only twice in the past eight decades has the president's party picked up House seats in the midterms. Trump spent election night watching returns with family and friends at the White House, his shadow looming large over the results. Nearly 40 per cent of voters cast their ballots to express opposition to the president, according to AP VoteCast, a national survey of the electorate, while about 25 per cent said they voted to express support for Trump. The election served as a referendum of sorts on Trump's racially charged appeals and the strength of the coalition that powered him to the White House a group he will need again in just two years. Overall, more voters disapproved of Trump's job performance than approved a finding that is largely consistent with recent polling. Voters scored Trump positively on the economy and for standing up "for what he believes in". But the president received negative marks from voters on temperament and trustworthiness. Still, about one-third of voters said Trump was not a factor in their votes. Returning to his immigration-heavy 2016 playbook, Trump went on to unleash his full fury on a caravan of migrants slowly making their way to the southern border. His take-no-prisoners approach troubled many Republicans seeking to appeal to moderate voters in suburban House districts, but Trump prioritised base voters in the deep-red states that could determine the fate of the Senate. Pakistani bank accounts hacked into by cyber criminals Data from almost all Pakistani banks has been hacked by criminals who have also broken into the security systems of many lenders, while thousands of consumers have lost millions of rupees. The cybercrime unit of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said the attacks were launched on 27 and 28 October by hackers, who stole data relating to more than 8,000 customers of a dozen banks. According to a recent report we have received, data from almost all Pakistani banks has been reportedly hacked, Mohammad Shoaib, the Cybercrimes Director of FIA told Geo News. According to him, hackers based outside Pakistan had breached the security systems and stolen large amounts of money from the accounts. The agency has called a meeting of top bank officials and will be urging them to tighten their security. Banks are the custodians of the money people have stored in them, Shoaib was quoted in the local media. They are also responsible if their security features are so weak that they result in pilferage. The FIA is probing more than a hundred cases relating to the fraud. It has also arrested a few people involved in the crime and claims to have recovered some money. According to a report, members of one gang used to disguise themselves as army officials and con people into giving their banking details and withdrawing the funds. As news of the fraud spread, many banks in Pakistan have blocked all international transactions on their cards. BankIslami, which has also stopped such transactions, was among the first to report that Rs2.6 million was stolen from one of its international cards. A former scientist of the Khan Research Laboratories has also complained of Rs3 million being stolen from his account. State Bank of Pakistan though claims that banks have not been hacked. It has been noted with concern, news items reporting that the data of most banks has been hacked. SBP categorically rejects such reports, it said in a statement. Former RBI chief Raghuram Rajan backs RBI's autonomy call Former governor of the Reserve Bank of India, Raghuram Rajan, has defended the central banks call for greater autonomy from the government, comparing the governments position as a call for driving without a seat belt. Rajans comments come after the rift between the RBI and the government spilled into the public domain after deputy governor Viral Acharya said last month that undermining central banks independence could be "potentially catastrophic." There is widespread resentment in RBI circles, indicating the authority is pushing back against government pressure to relax its policies and reduce its powers ahead of a general election due by May. In an interview on CNBC-TV 18 telecast on Tuesday, Rajan said current rift between the central bank and the government can be resolved if both sides respect each others intent and autonomy. As far as possible, it is in the interest of the country that we respect the institutional autonomy of the Reserve Bank, as well as the traditions, Rajan, who was succeeded by current governor Urjit Patel in September 2016, said. While Rajan commended Acharya for warning of risks stemming from government meddling of central bank affairs, he said the RBI could inject liquidity to ease any cash crunch at financial institutions, backing governments view also in part. If its a liquidity problem, the central bank can flood the market with liquidity or give the liquidity to specific private entities that are healthy, and are willing to lend to these other entities that are in trouble, Rajan, a former chief economist at International Monetary Fund said in the interview. RBIs reluctance to bail out loss-making banks and non-banking finance companies and the governments demand for increased role in RBIs business heightened tensions between the two sides. Things came to a head last month after a scathing speech by deputy governor Viral V Acharya came out in the open stating the central banks position on monetary policy and procedures. Many viewed Acharyas comments as a sign that the RBI was pushing back hard against government pressure to relax its policies and reduce its powers ahead of a general election due by May. Finance minister Arun Jaitley, in turn, criticised the central bank for failing to check indiscriminate lending during 2008 and 2014 that has led to the present bad loan or non-performing asset (NPA) crisis in the banking industry. After Jakarta crash, warnings issued on Boeing 737 sensor flaw The US Federal Aviation Administration issued an emergency airworthiness directive on Wednesday to address how to handle erroneous data from a sensor on the new Boeing 737 MAX jet in the wake of last week's Indonesian jetliner crash. Boeing Co also issued a special bulletin Wednesday addressing the sensor problem flagged by Indonesian safety officials investigating the crash of a Lion Air 737 that killed all 189 people on board. Lion Air JT610 plunged into the Java Sea less than half an hour after taking off from Jakarta. Boeing Co said in a statement that it had alerted pilots to the issue. The FAA said it was mandating that airlines follow the Boeing bulletin. The US plane-maker said investigators probing the Lion Air crash off the coast of Indonesia had found that one of the "angle of attack" sensors on the Boeing 737 MAX jet had provided erroneous data. Boeing said local aviation officials believed pilots might have been given wrong information by the plane's automated systems before the fatal crash. "The Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee has indicated that Lion Air flight 610 experienced erroneous input from one of its AOA (Angle of Attack) sensors," Boeing said. "Boeing issued an Operations Manual Bulletin (OMB) directing operators to existing flight crew procedures to address circumstances where there is erroneous input from an AOA sensor." The US Federal Aviation Administration issued an order to domestic carriers to follow the new instructions on dealing with the erroneous sensor alert in 737-8 and -9 airplanes. This affects nearly 250 aircraft flown by US airlines like Southwest, American and United, the FAA said. There is no word yet on how many of these aircraft are in use by Indian carriers. The FAA emergency directive warns that the "erroneous inputs can potentially make the horizontal stabilisers repeatedly pitch the nose of the airplane downward, making the aircraft difficult to control." An AOA sensor provides data about the angle at which wind is passing over the wings and tells pilots how much lift a plane is getting. The information can be critical in preventing the plane from stalling. Experts have said the angle of attack is a crucial parameter that helps the aircraft's computers know whether its nose is too high relative to the current of air a phenomenon that can throw the plane into an aerodynamic stall and make it fall. The FAA said the "erroneous inputs can potentially make the horizontal stabilizers repeatedly pitch the nose of the airplane downward, making the aircraft difficult to control". The FAA directive ordered operators to revise the airplane flight manual to give flight crews horizontal stabiliser trim procedures to follow under certain conditions. Some modern aircraft have systems designed to correct the posture of the aircraft automatically to keep flying safely. There are also procedures for pilots to follow in the event of missing data from damaged sensors on the fuselage, but it remained unclear how much time the crew of flight JT610 had to respond at the relatively low altitude of around 5,000 feet. An angle of attack sensor had been changed by mechanics on the ground in Bali the day before the crash, Indonesia's National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) has said. The captain and first officer flying from Bali to Jakarta the night before the crash had indicators displaying differences in angle of 20 degrees, KNKT said, but that flight landed safely despite the issues in the air. Boeing said in a statement received at China's largest air show in Zhuhai that its bulletin to airlines underscored "existing flight crew procedures" designed to address circumstances where information coming into the cockpit from the sensors was wrong. The Boeing 737 MAX has three such blade-shaped sensors. Erroneous readings can in some circumstances cause the 737 MAX to point the nose down sharply to keep air under the wings and avoid a stall, according to a person briefed on the matter. Boeing's bulletin related only to the 737 MAX, the latest version of the world's most-sold family of aircraft, which has been in service for just over a year. Boeing has delivered 219 737 MAX jets to customers globally, with 4,564 orders for jets yet to be delivered. The Boeing 737 MAX is a more fuel-efficient version of the manufacturer's best-selling single-aisle 737 series. The Lion Air crash was the first involving the new version, which airlines introduced into service last year. Indonesian authorities have downloaded information from the flight data recorder that showed a cockpit indicator on the Lion Air jet was damaged for its last four flights. Authorities were still searching for the cockpit voice recorder, the second so-called "black box." KNKT said it would attempt to reconstruct the jet's last flight using Boeing simulators in Seattle. The angle of attack sensor replaced in Bali would be analysed at its place of manufacture in Chicago, the accident investigator said. The much-celebrated Eigse Sheaghain Bhain is taking place in Fintown from Friday, November 16 to Sunday, November 18. The Headmaster of Gairmscoil Chu Uladh, Ciaran Mac Ruaidhri, will officially open the eigse on Friday at 8.30pm in Aras Sheaghain Bhain. Aisling Ni Churraighin, Teelin will deliver the Eigse oration: Sean O hEochaidh agus Bailiu an Bhealoideas i dTir Chonaill. Record O hEochaidh worked as a fisherman in his youth. Despite a basic education, from an early age he made a written record of the oral folklore of his area. In 1935, James Delargy of the Irish Folklore Commission appointed O hEochaidh to be fulltime folklore collector for the Gaeltacht area of Donegal. He once estimated that he spoke to at least 1,500 people. The oration will be followed by the launch of the book Scealta as Tir Chonaill by Seamus Mac Manus. This is the sixth edition which has been translated to Irish by Micheal Mac Giolla Easbuic. Deis a Labhartha On Saturday the poetry competition Deis a Labhartha will take place in Aras Sheaghain Bhain starting at 11am. This competition is open to competitors from Naionrai up to class 6, as well as post primary students. Among the trophies awarded will be the Corn Bhacuis Ui Bhaoill, Corn Cuimhneachain Sheamuis Ui Chnaimhsi, Corn Raidio na Gaeltachta and Corn Cholaiste na gCruach. Corn Ostan Portobello will be presented to the Best Overall Competitor in the Gaeltacht Lar in the category from small infants to class two. Corn Sheaghain Bhain will be presented to the Best Competitor from the Gaeltacht Lar in the category from class three to six. Medals will be presented to the winners in 1st , 2nd and 3rd position and all competitors will be presented with a certificate. On Saturday night there will be night of music in Aras Sheaghain Bhain starting at 9pm. Music will be by Fergas Mac Aoidh and friends. Mass The eigse continues on Sunday with Mass in St Colmcille Church, Fintown celebrated by Fr. Donnchadh O Baoill, at 9.30am. Prayers will be offered after Mass at the grave of Seaghan Ban. The eigse committee wish to thank all those who have supported them in the running of this event. Additional information available from 074 95 46071 or email: arassheainbhain@gmail.com China and Russia agreed on Wednesday to further enhance political and strategic mutual trust while expanding economic and trade cooperation. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang shakes hands with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev on November 7, 2018, in Beijing. [Photo: gov.cn] The agreement came as Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev co-chaired the 23rd regular meeting between Chinese and Russian heads of governments in Beijing. The meeting is the first of its kind since the two countries formed new governments and it is of great importance, serving as a link between the past and the future, said Li. He said China and Russia are the biggest neighbors in the region and provide important development opportunities to each other. Noting that the presidents of the two countries have met multiple times and the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination has been maintained at a high level, Li said this is not only in line with the interests of the two countries and the two peoples, but also conducive to the stability of the world and the recovery of the global economy. "China is willing to work with Russia to continue deepening political and strategic mutual trust, expanding all-round cooperation and jointly contributing to world peace, stability and development," said Li. Li and Medvedev listened to reports by Chinese vice premiers Han Zheng, Sun Chunlan and Hu Chunhua, as well as Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Anton Siluanov, and deputy prime ministers Tatyana Golikova, Maxim Akimov and Yury Trutnev. Hailing the rapid development of China-Russia economic and trade cooperation since the beginning of this year, Li said the bilateral trade volume will hopefully exceed 100 billion U.S. dollars by year-end, and there is great potential in the future. He called on both sides to further improve trade facilitation, expand mutual investment, reinforce agricultural cooperation, boost cross-border e-commerce development and enhance cooperation in areas of innovation, especially the application of science, technology and basic research. Li also called for intensified people-to-people and local exchanges as well as cooperation in areas of media, youth, tourism, health and sports. China stands ready to work with Russia to be committed to upholding the basic principles and spirit of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and safeguarding free trade and multilateralism, Li said, adding that China will synergize the Belt and Road Initiative and the Eurasian Economic Union. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang holds talks with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev on November 7, 2018, in Beijing. [Photo: gov.cn] For his part, Medvedev spoke highly of the high-level mutual trust between the two countries, saying Russia is willing to intensify exchanges with China at all levels, further enhance substantial cooperation and expand trade scales. He encouraged both sides to strengthen cooperation in areas of innovation, e-commerce, agriculture, energy, nuclear energy and transportation. The two heads of government agreed to uphold multilateralism and free trade with the WTO as its core. Medvedev also called on both sides to enhance communication on the reform of the WTO and coordination and cooperation under the frameworks of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS. After the talks, Li and Medvedev signed the joint communique of the 23rd regular meeting between Chinese and Russian heads of governments and witnessed the signing of a series of deals in areas including investment, energy, local cooperation, cultural exchanges, agriculture, quality inspection and aviation. The two heads of government also jointly met with the press following the signing ceremony. Calling the meeting "pragmatic and efficient with fruitful results," Li said the dialogue that has run for 22 years without interruption is proof of high-level and stable China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination and bilateral cooperation in various fields. According to Li, the two sides agreed to continue exploring the potential of two-way trade and investment, strengthening cooperation in science and technology innovation, and enhancing local cooperation between China's northeastern provinces and Russia's Far East to cultivate growth points in areas of resources and agricultural products. The two sides will jointly work to put the agreement on economic and trade cooperation between China and the Eurasian Economic Union into effect at an early date, start negotiations on the Eurasian economic partnership in a pragmatic manner and lay a foundation for the building of an all-round and high-level trade and investment liberalization arrangement in the Eurasian region that will open up to other economies, Li said. Medvedev called on both sides to support cooperation between small and medium-sized enterprises and strengthen cooperation on oil and natural gas projects. Both sides expressed willingness to dovetail the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and Russia's Eurasian Economic Union. China's top legislator Li Zhanshu also met with Medvedev on Wednesday, calling on the two nations' legislative bodies to provide legal protection for the continued high-level development of bilateral ties. Medvedev is paying an official visit to China from Nov. 5 to 7 at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. During his stay in China, Medvedev also attended the opening ceremony of the first China International Import Expo on Monday in Shanghai and met with Chinese President Xi Jinping there. Gonna take a sentimental journey Gonna set my heart at ease Gotta take that sentimental journey Sentimental journey home Sentimental Journey Ella Fitzgerald (1947) Being Belgrade born and bred, I was a Yugoslavian and after the war, I felt the urge to visit my childhood homeland, to revisit those places I climbed, sailed or caved in my youth, in those formative years when I couldnt even imagine the possibility that my country may cease to exist. One caving friend from a Small Town, Croatia, later told me that it was coming, that it was visible on the horizon, but I lived in a cosmopolitan Belgrade. Deafened by the best rock Yugoslavia ever produced and blinded by the freedoms we enjoyed paradoxically, without democracy, I couldnt see it. Having said that, my sentimental journey started without a plan, more by accident, on an AGM of BirdLife Slovenia in Ljubljana in 2005. Possibly for the first time since 1980s, birders from the whole of former Yugoslavia sat together at the same table. I remember the look on the face of the RSPB representative at the meeting, seeing us all like that. He couldnt understand. Neither can I. The series of birding workshops and meetings continued across the map, through Ulcinj, Montenegro, then Samobor, Croatia and Stip (described here), North Macedonia, leading to Brussels, the unofficial capital of EU. One evening in Brussels, we realized that people from all countries that came out of former Yugoslavia were around the same table once again all countries but Kosovo. Overhearing that, the waiter came and introduced himself I am from Kosovo. Water Pipits landing on my car and sliding down the windscreen Yet, Bosnia and Herzegovina was the very heartland of former Yugoslavia, with Sarajevo in its geographical centre. And in the middle of a heatwave of the 2012 summer, I was heading to Sarajevo and Jahorina Mountain, a major venue of the 1984 Winter Olympics. While heading to the Croatian sea coast I did pass through the citys railway station a few times in the 1980s, the last time I spent some time in Sarajevo when I was still a kid. The road was new, the only sign of the recent times were bullet holes in a few abandoned houses, but that was a rare sight. No other scars were visible. Around mid-day, I was walking along the Bascarsija, the heart of old Sarajevo with pedestrians padding pale stone alleys and squares between coppersmith alleys, grand Ottoman mosques, caravanserai-restaurants and lots of inviting little cafes and chevapi serveries (Lonely Planet). The scorching sun was right above my head. Yet, due to stronger Islamic influences after the war, alcohol is rarely served even the local Sarajevsko brew was hard to find. And the day was tropical. Invited by the welcoming shade of an old plane tree, I sat in a corner cafe, enjoying the sound of water trickling down the small fountain and attracting House Sparrows and Feral Pigeons to come and drink, while waiting for a friend to join me. No, no, they do not serve beer. My friend is an ornithologist at the National Museum, Bosnias biggest and best-endowed museum of ancient and, especially, natural history. Although he goes to work every day, he hasnt received a single paycheck for a year already, and the museum was planned to be closed (and was closed for a while; by now it is reopened) because of the lack of a museum budget line in the dysfunctional states budget. From there, we continued to have lunch (chevapi, grilled skinless sausages a Balkan version of kebab, in kajmak, a type of clotted cream, all together served inside a somun, a round and soft flatbread) at the Vrelo Bosne Park. It is an extensive park shaded by large trees along the meanders of the Bosna River, by its moss-covered limestone cliff-mouth source. And to my surprise, finally yes, this restaurant does serve the Sarajevsko Beer, as cold as the Bosna River itself. In the crystal-clear water, there was a White-throated Dipper, joined by an early Willow Warbler, and a local Short-toed Treecreeper and an Eurasian Nuthatch. I followed the old road over the Trebevic Mountain Later, I followed the old road over the Trebevic Mountain (the last time I was here, I was picking wild-growing hazelnuts with my late uncle) towards Jahorina where, among firs and spruces forests I found Coal Tits mixed with Common Chaffinches, Willow Tits and a Goldcrest or two. There were also solitary European Crested Tit, Eurasian Treecreeper and the Red Crossbill, awaiting me in the same habitat. Before heading higher, above the tree-line, I asked our landlord if there were any minefields to be aware of. He said yes, there are, but way far, on the other side entirely. Encouraged, I follow the dirt track up. The forest edge will add Black Redstarts, European Robins, Eurasian Blackcaps and Tree Pipits, all of them towered by flocks of Common House Martins chasing insects. The open, higher grounds are inhabited by numerous(some landing on my car and sliding down the windscreen),(cover photo),and those strange red squares at the next ridge. I study one of them through binoculars it is far, but that drawing could depict a skull and crossbones? But it is far, lets go a bit further The next one is much closer, close enough not only to spot the skull, but also to read MINES above it. End of the road for me, I turn my car back. Yet by some of those signs, cars were parked, their owners walking and picking blueberries, for sale at the green market. One local birder offered to show me a Western Capercaillie, which would be a lifer for me, but I had to decline the offer: the site was within a minefield. Bosnian birders often bitterly joke that the only truly protected reserves in the country are minefields. A few days after my trip, a news item in the local media attracted my attention: near Sarajevo, a father and a son got killed while cutting firewood in a minefield. I was born a Yugoslavian, but that tribe is lost like the ten tribes. Hence, I had to adopt a new one. And I become a Birder. A Donegal man facing charges in relation to the killing of two Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) soldiers in Enniskillen in 1972, will be granted bail this afternoon pending an extradition hearing. Northern Irish authorities are seeking the surrender of John Downey (66) to face charges in relation to the 1972 bombing in Enniskillen which killed two British Army Infantrymen. Lance Corporal Alfred Johnston and Private James Eames were killed when a device exploded in a vehicle they were checking on the Irvinestown Road, Cherrymount. Mr Downey was arrested on foot of a European Arrest Warrant at his home address in Ards, Creeslough, Co Donegal on Monday and brought to the High Court the following day. The warrant was issued by northern Irish authorities and endorsed by the High Court on Monday morning. Det Sgt Jim Kirwan, of the Garda Extradition Unit, told Ronan Kennedy BL, for the State, that he arrested Mr Downey on foot of the warrant at his substantial residence on Monday and cautioned him. In reply, Mr Downey told the detective Id say it was the DUP and not the DPP who decided to charge him in relation to the matter, Det Sgt Kirwan said. High Court judge Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly said today that it was appropriate to grant bail on Mr Downeys own bond of 500 and two independent sureties of 15,000 each. She said 10,000 of each of those two sureties are to be lodged. The matter will be mentioned before the court again this afternoon. Ms Justice Donnelly said she had a concern in relation to Mr Downeys means. While Mr Downey has said he is on a State pension, Ms Justice Donnelly said she had no idea whether it was a contributory pension or a non-contributory pension. Ive no idea what hes been working at. She said there was evidence from Det Sgt Jim Kirwan that Mr Downey resided at a substantial property and for some reason the property was transferred out of his name to his wife last year. Ms Justice Donnelly said a cash sum of 5,000 raised by Mr Downeys wife and two adult children was also a concern to the court. The judge said she had to take the view that Mr Downey had access through his acquaintances to a greater level of surety. She noted that the proposed surety was an accumulation of cash quite distinct from having money in a bank account. Counsel for Mr Downey, Tony McGillicuddy BL, said he could see a substantial point being raised in favour of refusing his clients surrender. Mr McGillicuddy said Section 39(2) of the European Arrest Warrant Act states that a person shall not be surrendered where he or she has, in accordance with the law of the issuing state, become immune, by virtue of any amnesty or pardon, from prosecution or punishment in the issuing state for the offence specified in the European arrest warrant issued in respect of him or her. Mr Downeys trial in relation to the 1982 London Hyde Park bombing - in which four soldiers and seven horses were killed - collapsed in February 2014 over a letter sent to him and other alleged republican paramilitaries. The letters, issued by the Tony Blair government, told the republicans they were not wanted for prosecution of crimes committed during the troubles. The on-the-run scheme and letters, which fully emerged following the collapse of Mr Downeys 2014 Hyde Park trial, triggered a major political controversy and lead to an inquiry. Mr Downey is the first so-called on-the-run republican to be charged with offences since the scheme was found by a House of Commons Committee to have distorted the process of justice. Sheephaven divers enjoyed a weekend of snorkelling last week, with Saturday morning being of particular note for the clarity of the water. Water temperature continues to drop, now down to 11 degrees Celsius. However, if settled conditions allow it produces crystal clear visibility, providing a panoramic view throughout the snorkel. The depth of the sea around Portnablagh is never much deeper than 12 metres and on a good day the seabed will be clearly visible from just under the surface and with that the shoals of sand eels, juvenile fish and Sprat can be seen. Followed by seals As nature would have it these small marine creatures are predated by bigger ones, such as the large seal that followed the divers all Saturday morning long and was still there when the divers came back for their normal Sunday morning run out. Local fisherman John Perry was of the opinion that herring are in the bay, an event that is no longer taken for granted in Sheephaven, but once upon a time was the mainstay of the local economy for the local community. The herring fisheries of Donegal were so proficient in the late 19th and early 20th Century that special fishing boats were built for the area, the Zulus boats were provided for local men to fish the herring, with master fisherman brought in from Scotland to provide the necessary training. The demand of the protein hungry populations in Britain and America was serviced by the Donegal herring fisheries, with the building of the railways the essential element in delivering the product in prime condition. The key ingredient was the advent of the Congested Districts Board to finance boats and public works on the basis that local prosperity will follow, priming the economic pump of the day as it were. Cursed Sheephaven Bay is associated with the tragedy of a sudden storm that wrecked the fishing fleet of Scotch herring boats on the Dunfanaghy bar, with the local boats reportedly escaping due to their knowledge of the area. A mass grave of the lost fishermen is in one corner of the local graveyard and the story goes that one woman who had lost her husband, son and grandson in the drowning cursed the bay and the herring never came back in numbers again. Whatever the reason for the herrings demise the few occasions that they appear is always a reminder of what the sea can give- but a warning of its great danger. While snorkelling is a key feature of Sheephaven SAC diving activities in its own right, it also has a key role for scuba diving in that it builds up in-water stamina and is therefore used to demonstrate that a diver is fit to dive. A sandy hand Each year a diver has to do their water fitness test, 400 metres in 10 minutes, followed by a 6 metre free dive and finally a 50 metre tow of a simulated in-water casualty. Other clubs elect to do this in the comfort of a swimming pool but that will not do for the Sheephaven divers and the first round of fitness test was conducted on Sunday morning under the critical eye of the club Diving Officer, Ryan Ward. A free dive to the seabed at 9 metres was required, with the proof of a sandy hand to show that the test had been completed how else could a Sunday morning be bettered other than breakfast in Lizzies. Nov 8, 2018 | By Thomas Researchers at Yissum, the technology transfer company of Jerusalems Hebrew University, have developed a novel technology to create drug capsules using 3D printers, enabling a complex design of drug delivery systems currently unavailable in conventional pharmaceutical manufacturing techniques. This approach enables printing customized and personalized medications out of hydrogel objects which can expand, change shape, and activate on a delayed schedule. Prof. Shlomo Magdassi, head of the universitys 3D and Functional Printing Center, and Dr. Ofra Benny, a researcher at the universitys Institute for Drug Research, presented their cutting edge drug fabrication technology at the 2nd annual conference, 3D Printing and Beyond, November 7, 2018, at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. The custom 3D printed pills are made out of a hydrogel in which the medication is inserted. The technology enables the creation of pills with any complex designs, from star-shaped to crystalline to round, that can expand, change shape and be activated on a preset schedule. Besides the ability to achieve complex structures and release profiles of drugs, this novel technology allows doctors to tailor accurately the exposure and dosage levels for individual patients. Conventional manufacturing of pharmaceutical dosage forms (e.g. tablets, capsules) are typically restricted to certain designs. By fine-tuning the geometry, surface area and swelling index of tablets through 3D printing, the teams proof-of-concept prototype enables improved targeting of the site of drug release in the digestive tract as well as greater control of drug-release timing and duration. For example, a 3D printed capsule can be designed to swell in the stomach to give a feeling of fullness, or to release two or three drugs at a time, or with a delay. These 3D printed objects will be able to change shape through contact with water, or humidity enabling them to open only under certain conditions, said Magdassi. "Professor Magdassi and Dr. Benny's research is an excellent example of the kind of interdisciplinary transformational inventions that originate from the Hebrew University. This technology is bringing us closer to a future in which the medical field can offer personalized, patient-centered care," said Dr. Yaron Daniely, CEO and President of Yissum. The 3D Printing and Beyond conference will also look at other innovations in pharmaceuticals, electronics, and defense related technologies, along with 3D printed food, automotive parts and more. The conference is organized by Prof. Shlomo Magdassi and Dr. Michael Layani of the 3D and Functional Printing Center at the Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The conference is sponsored by the Jerusalem Development Authority, Yissum, the Technology Transfer Company of The Hebrew University and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Posted in 3D Printing Application Maybe you also like: Dundalk-based tech company Nova Leah Ltd has secured 2.25m in investment from Kernel Capital and Suir Valley Ventures, the company have announced today. The round was led by the Bank of Ireland Kernel Capital Growth Fund (RoI), with a 1.5m investment. Nova Leah has developed a pioneering cybersecurity compliance solution for medical device manufacturers and healthcare providers. It has been designed to improve the security of connected medical devices, improve patient safety and reduce associated regulatory costs. The platform has global deployments with a blue chip customer base. Connected medical devices represent a rapidly growing sector in healthcare. There are currently 10 15 million connected devices in use globally; cybersecurity spend in the healthcare sector is valued at $5.5Bn annually and is expected to reach $11Bn by 2020. We are very excited to be working with Kernel Capital and Suir Valley Ventures, said Anita Finnegan, CEO, Nova Leah. This investment milestone will see Nova Leah further expand on its existing success as we strive to become the number one provider of cybersecurity compliance solutions for the connected medical device industry. The proceeds of this investment will allow us to expand our team, further develop our product roadmap and build our presence in the marketplace. Niall McEvoy, Manager, High Potential Start-Ups ICT Accelerate, Enterprise Ireland praised the local firm for expanding in such a fast growing sector. In a world where connected IoT is increasingly the norm, the risks associated with security vulnerabilities are of enormous significance for patients and device manufacturers alike. Nova Leah has developed an impressive solution to improve security for device manufacturers while simultaneously improving patient safety. The company is delivering leading edge cybersecurity technology in one of the fastest growing sectors worldwide and Enterprise Ireland looks forward to continuing to support the company in achieving its global ambition. David McGeough, Head of Business Banking Louth, Bank of Ireland added that it was a strong indicator of the quality of business emerging from Dundalk IT. We are pleased to support Nova Leah with their exciting and ambitious plans. This is another example of the world-leading innovation thats emerging from DKIT and in Dundalk more widely. Dundalk Institute of Technology lecturer Alec Rolston, announced that he is absolutely delighted that he will be coordinating with The Pint of Science Festival's first ever event in Dundalk between May 20 - May 22, 2019. The Pint of Science festival invites scientists to your favourite local bars to discuss their latest research and discoveries over a drink or two. Festival organisers say the event is the perfect opportunity to meet scientists and ask questions and added: You have no excuse not to come and share a drink with us! The festival will take place in four counties across Ireland: Cork, Dublin, Galway and Limerick. Dundalk will also be included in May 2019 for the first time in the festivals history. The local lecturer also asked local science professionals to get in touch with him if they are interested in contributing to the Dundalk leg of the festival. Topics covered at the festival include astronomy, psychology, human biology, health, geosciences, zoology, biotechnology, law, history and politics, languages, plant sciences and politics. Contact Alec Rolston via Twitter @Water_DkIT. www.pintofscience.ie Acclaimed Writer, Poet and Performer Stephen James Smith will drop into The Spirit Store in Dundalk this Sunday, November 11 as part of his nationwide tour to promote his debut book of poetry entitled 'Fear Not'. The release of this highly anticipated collection of Stephen's Poetic works saw Stephen take to the road for a subsequent 14 date live 'My Ireland' tour with special guest Enda Reilly. The tour kicked off at the Watergate Theatre, Kilkenny November 7th and wrapping up with a hometown event at Dublin's Button Factory on November 24th. Stephen says: "As a dyslexic my confidence has been impacted when it came to writing this book. People tend to know me as a "performance poet", I'm not really a fan of that term, it sets up a binary. It is the oral side of poetry that drew me in. However, now I'm just too brazen to care what box people want to put me in anymore, time to send it out to the world and see what folks make of them on the page." Watch some of Stephen's work below: For tickets see: www.spiritstore.ie Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider subscribing to our ePaper and/or free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. By David Upton Breaks Through With New Model For Copper Under Cover Sydney, Nov 8, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - David Upton is one of Australia's leading writers on mineral exploration. He has BSc in Geology and is the author of The Olympic Dam Story.As a geology undergraduate in the 1980s, I had the opportunity to make a field trip to the Curnamona province in South Australia. The objective was to teach a bunch of city kids the basics of field mapping, although our weary lecturers had a hard time imparting much knowledge. For me, the experience of being immersed for two weeks in the beautiful landscape of the Olary domain encouraged too much daydreaming and not enough study.However, I never forgot being told by senior lecturer, Alex Grady: "There are pegmatites and there are pegmatites." It seemed to me as impossible as a bolt of lightning from the bright blue sky under which we all stood. But Dr Grady was simply saying there is more than one type of coarse-grained rock that went by the name of pegmatite, and we needed to look closer at what was actually before us. His words came back to me when asked for my perspective on Minotaur Exploration ( ASX:MEP ). For, while there are some 750 junior resource companies on the ASX, there are mineral explorers and there are mineral explorers.Minotaur is among a group of some 30 companies that I term the "high exploration" sector, defined by their high ambition, commitment to high science and high-concept exploration strategy. The group includes an even more elite subset of explorers who have made major discoveries, including Minotaur following the Prominent Hill discovery at the end of 2001.The division between this group and the rest of the market became clear to me after spending the best part of 18 months researching and writing the history of the Olympic Dam discovery by Western Mining. Many of today's high-exploration juniors are doing all the right things that could make them the next Western Mining.Unfortunately, most investors don't see positive differences between a high-exploration company and a junior drilling out a tired old gold deposit. In fact, the latter typically gets the price premium because investors see some prospect of cashflow in the short term and no value in exploring for Tier 1 greenfield deposits.In some ways, that point of view is understandable. Companies such as Minotaur that are looking for the next generation of discoveries are forced to explore under cover -a barren blanket of soils, sands and sediments that covers 75% of our continent. This has proved extremely challenging. Discoveries have been too few to teach investors that high-exploration companies, when they make a discovery, can create wealth faster (and much more sustainably) than a bitcoin bubble.As a nation, we are probably still five to 10 years away from being able to make meaningful difference to our success at exploring for multiple deposit styles under cover. However, it's a very different story at Minotaur, which this year has achieved remarkable success with an innovative new exploration model for blind copper deposits in the Mt Isa region.The ISCG modelMinotaur has quietly achieved a breakthrough based on a new deposit style known as Iron-Sulphide-Copper-Gold or ISCG. This new style is a relative of the Iron Oxide Copper Gold (IOCG) deposit type that shot to prominence in the 1970s with the discovery of Olympic Dam.An ISCG deposit is created when the metal-rich fluids that give rise to an IOCG find their way into a low-oxygen or reducing environment. The legendary Douglas Haynes - whose model for copper-depleted basalts led to the discovery of Olympic Dam - seems to be first person to suggest the idea of ISCGs back in 2000.The classic IOCG deposit is oxygen rich, leading to abundant oxides of iron hematite and magnetite. By contrast, an ISCG is formed in an oxygen-poor environment, where valuable metals become associated with sulphides of iron, such as pyrite and pyrrhotite.The most exciting aspect of Minotaur's new thinking is the sulphides in ISCGs are highly conductive. This opens up the possibility of detection by electromagnetic surveys, in much the same way EM is an indispensable tool in the hunt for nickel-copper sulphides (eg Kambalda, Nebo and Nova-Bollinger) and volcanogenic massive sulphides (eg De Grussa).The development of the ISCG deposit model and the EM techniques to penetrate the notoriously difficult cover of the Cloncurry region have taken Minotaur the best part of a decade. It began in 2010 at the Cormorant prospect, within an area known as Naraku, 30 km north of the Ernest Henry mine. Minotaur had struck a joint venture with Japan's JOGMEC, which was keen to trial a proprietary Squid EM system known as SquiTEM on the highly conductive style of mineralisation that Minotaur had come across.Trials of SquiTEM proved successful at penetrating Cloncurry's cover, but the system was cumbersome and not suited for the hot and dusty exploration landscape. Minotaur's geophysicists had soon assembled something similar with off-the-shelf Squid and B-Field technology and fine-tuned it at Naraku.Based on that, the company decided to look more broadly for ISCG style mineralisation. The best place to start was judged to be around the Eloise copper deposit, which was an oddity in the region, being neither an IOCG nor a basin-hosted (Mt Isa)-style deposit. However, Minotaur could see a great fit with its new ISCG style and now had the exploration toolkit to search for similar deposits nearby. (Eloise is a significant deposit in its own right, with +10 million tonnes at 2.2% copper and 0.9 g/t gold having been extracted. It is mined by an underground operation, owned by FMR Investments, formerly Barminco, from 1300m below surface).Results came quickly with the discovery of Artemis in July 2014, just nine months after Minotaur secured the ground through an agreed, all-scrip takeover of Breakaway Resources.The discovery hole intersected 22 metres at 3.02% copper, including 9 metres (from a downhole depth of 167 metres) at 5.2% copper, along with gold, zinc, lead and silver.Artemis was not only an emphatic proof of concept, it had the potential to be Minotaur's first ever production asset. However, OZ Minerals was eager to joint venture the ground on the condition that the search was refocused on even bigger deposits with the potential to move the dial for a company with a $3 billion market capitalisation.OZ entered the Eloise JV in December 2015, agreeing to spend at least $1.5m in 2016, then a further $3.5m over next two years to earn 51%. It could then invest a further $5m over the next three years to earn up to 70%.The decision to back Minotaur was bold for a number of reasons, despite the Artemis discovery. OZ was signing up to an exploration effort aimed at a deposit style that was unproven as far as the rest of the exploration community was concerned. And it was backing an exploration strategy for copper under cover that would be led by EM rather than magnetics and gravity. EM targets would be drilled even if there was no magnetic anomaly, which had been unthinkable until now. OZ also agreed that Minotaur would operate the JV. OZ might be 100 times bigger than Minotaur in terms of market cap, but it clearly respects its junior partner's exploration expertise.The financial backing of OZ allowed new freedom in the hunt for ISCGs. Previously, Minotaur had confined its search west of Eloise, where the cover thickness is only tens of metres. This allowed Minotaur to use heli-borne EM to screen a large area for targets, and cost-effectively follow up with deep penetrating ground EM. But with OZ's backing, Minotaur could now afford to refocus the search on the more deeply buried Levuka Shear Zone (LSZ), which runs north-south through Eloise and is known to be a regional-scale conduit for metal-rich fluids. Heli-borne EM would not be effective because of the thicker cover, but would be replaced by a series of transects along the 50km-strike length of the LSZ.EM transects and ground gravity surveys along the LSZ north of Eloise began in March 2016. By October, drilling at the new Iris prospect was underway and immediately struck ISCG mineralisation, with a best intercept of 38m @ 0.47% Cu and 0.08 g/t gold from a depth of 166m at Iris South. While that's not quite an economic grade, it was a remarkable result. Remember, this is mineralisation under cover, which is essentially blind to magnetics and gravity, hit with the very first drill hole at depths considered beyond the limits of EM just a few years earlier.Further drilling north of Eloise continued to produce highly encouraging results from Iris and a new prospect known as Electra, but nothing that appeared to have the size and grade to satisfy OZ's ambitions. The joint venture partners decide to switch the focus of the search to the south of Eloise. By August 2017, EM had identified several promising new targets, including Jericho (just 3km south of Eloise), which is actually three adjacent conductors, including the 3km-long J1 conductor.Drilling began at Jericho in October 2017, and immediately delivered outstanding results from J1 and J2. The best result of the maiden two-hole drill program was 27m at 2.42% copper and 0.71 g/t gold from 435m, including 6m at 4.23% Cu and 0.42 g/t gold from 440m and 9m at 3.83% copper and 1.73 g/t gold from 453m. It's important to note these are downhole depths from holes that have been inclined to intercept both conductors. Thickness of cover is 70 - 80m and shallow drilling to test upward extent of mineralisation is yet to be undertaken.Since then, a further 26 holes and a total of 12,840m have been drilled. Copper-gold mineralisation has been intercepted in every drillhole along 3.3km strike of the J1 conductor and 1.2km strike of the J2 conductor. This is an incredible success rate at this stage of exploration. Furthermore, most of the intercepts are not mere hints of copper-gold, but full-blooded drill hits of economic grades.The very large size of the system means much more drilling needs to be done to define a JORC resource, although that's a terrific problem to have. In the meantime, you can get a sense of how big Jericho might be by comparing it with Eloise, where the main lodes are just 200m in length. The comparison with Eloise suggests Jericho has the potential to be the most significant copper discovery in Queensland for decades. Remarkably, it has been sitting there undiscovered on the doorstep of the Eloise deposit for almost 30 years. No-one had drilled in the area immediately south of Eloise because there was no hint of a magnetic anomaly. Previous explorers had fixated on the magnetic signatures, but Minotaur has smashed that thinking with the success of its ISCG exploration model and the Jericho discovery.OZ is clearly excited about the Jericho discovery. Its enthusiastic spending under the joint venture means OZ is on track to spend $10 million and reach its maximum 70% earn-in threshold by early 2019, three years earlier than allowed under the agreement.The most recent batch of assays, released on 25 October, highlighted strong copper grades at shallow depths along a 1km of strike of J1. This is highly encouraging and is being followed up immediately with shallow drilling north of hole EL18D15. This area is known to be mineralised but access issues prevented drilling until now.After that, the impending wet season will force a break in drilling activity until April, but in the meantime the Eloise JV partners will conduct sophisticated analysis of drill core, including geochemistry. This could yield important insights about the nature of the mineralisation and help direct the next phase of drilling to the highest grade areas. The 2019 field season is also likely to include scout drilling of promising new targets within 30km of Jericho, recently revealed by a new series of ground EM surveys.While Jericho is the headline act at the moment, Minotaur is moving quickly to unlock the potential of other project areas with its breakthrough ISCG exploration model. In July, the company acquired 100% of the Highlands project - nine tenements covering 667km2 of ground, centred 50km northeast of Mt Isa. The project surrounds CopperChem's Barbara deposit (4.75Mt @ 1.6% copper, 0.15 g/t gold and 309 g/t cobalt) and is highly prospective for ISCGs. A five-hole program of reconnaissance RC drilling started mid-October.It will be fascinating to watch the results from Highlands, as well as an even more recent project known as Windsor, 200km southwest of Townsville. Windsor is prospective for volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS)-style deposits. The area is a proven location for high-grade polymetallic deposits, such as Thalanga and Highway-Reward, but has received scant exploration since the early 1990s because of the highly conductive cover. Minotaur's EM skills create a big competitive advantage for the company and could lead to a new wave of discoveries.There's even more to Minotaur than the projects covered in this review, including the Osborne joint venture with Japan's JOGMEC, another big partner with a lot of respect of Minotaur's exploration skills.But the most important assets for Minotaur (and why I rank it among an elite group of the high-exploration juniors) are a board of directors and a geoscience team that understand it takes persistence, excellence and innovation to make a discovery. Minotaur's founder, Derek Carter (now retired) and the company's long-standing geoscience leader, Tony Belperio, showed those attributes to discover Prominent Hill in 2001, after 11 years of doggedly pursuing their goal. Persistence, excellence and innovation are still hallmarks of Minotaur under the leadership of Andrew Woskett and are key to the brilliant ISCG story that is rapidly unfolding.5 November 2018About Minotaur Exploration Ltd Minotaur Exploration Ltd (ASX:MEP) is a public company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) under the market code MEP. MEP commenced trading on ASX on 25 February 2005. Minotaur has extensive minerals exploration tenements in South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia. The Company is governed by a Board of Directors according to Australian Corporate law and the Listing Rules of the ASX. Minotaur specialises in application of innovative geophysical techniques to locate virgin mineralisation deep below the surface. Often, economic mineral deposits are contained within basement rocks, buried below several hundred metres of transported cover (overburden) and cannot be located through conventional surface exploration methods such as soil sampling, geochemical assays and drilling. Minotaur's remote sensing and interpretative approach has proven very successful, time and time again. The directors and management of Minotaur each have over 30 years of exploration, mining and mineral resource experience and are eminently qualified in their respective fields of expertise. Under their direction, Minotaur has earned a strong reputation for technical excellence and a high profile within the Australian resources sector. Minotaur's share register comprises 3500 shareholders. Minotaur is actively exploring IOCG style targets in Australia, where geophysics have identified numerous sub-surface anomalies prospective for copper-gold mineralisation and other targets prospective for base metals such as zinc, lead, copper. RC Drilling Commenced Youanmi Vanadium Oxide Project Perth, Nov 8, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Venus Metals Corporation Limited ( ASX:VMC ) ( FRA:EZL ) is pleased to announce the commencement of a 6000m reverse circulation (RC) drilling programme at the Youanmi Vanadium Oxide Project, Western Australia (Figure 1 in link below). The RC drilling programme is expected to be completed at the end of November.- The drilling is designed to convert part of the JORC 2012 inferred mineral resource of 110.6 million tonnes @ 0.30% V2O5 into a large measured oxide resource from surface to 45m depth.- Once a measured resource is achieved it will support the Scoping Study that is currently in progress.- The majority of the drilling will be carried out on a 40 by 80m spacing over a strike length of 2km.- RC drill program will also deliver a 100 tonne bulk sample for advanced metallurgical test work.To view figures, please visit:About Venus Metals Corporation Limited Venus Metals Corporation Limited (ASX:VMC) is a West Australian based Company with a focus on gold and base metals exploration. The Company aims to increase shareholder value through targeted exploration success on its projects. The Company's major gold project is the Youanmi Gold Mine, located 500km north east of Perth. The Youanmi Gold Mine is now jointly owned by Venus Metals (30%) and Rox Resources Limited (70%) (OYG JV); Indicated and Inferred Resources of the mine is 1.7 million ounces of gold. Exciting new discoveries at the Youanmi Gold Mine have been made at the Grace prospect in footwall granites where very high grades of free milling gold have been intersected, including 25m @34.7g/t Au from 143m (RXRC 287) and 13m @60.49 g/t from 181m (RXRC 239). The Grace Prospect may substantially add to the Youanmi Gold Mine resources. The geography of the euro area current account balance Prepared by Michael Fidora and Martin Schmitz Published as part of the ECB Economic Bulletin, Issue 7/2018. The composition of the euro area current account balance in terms of its geographical counterparts has been fairly stable in recent years, with the euro areas most important trading partners accounting for the largest part of the bilateral surpluses and deficits (see Chart A). Newly available data on the geographical breakdown of the euro area current account balance reveal that the largest share of the euro areas external surplus of 3.5% of GDP in the year to the end of the second quarter of 2018 was accounted for by the United Kingdom and the United States, which contributed 1.4% and 1.0% of euro area GDP, respectively, followed by Switzerland (0.4% of euro area GDP). China, on the other hand, contributed negatively (about -0.6% of euro area GDP) to the current account balance of the euro area. At the same time, the impact of all other major trading partners for which a geographical breakdown is available was relatively limited, while a residual group of countries including major oil producers also contributed positively to the euro areas external surplus (about 1.3% of euro area GDP). Chart A Current account balance by geographical counterpart (percentages of euro area GDP) Source: ECB. Notes: Q2 2018 refers to the four quarters to the end of the second quarter of 2018. Other EU comprises EU Member States and EU institutions outside the euro area, excluding the United Kingdom. The bulk of the increase in the euro areas current account surplus of about 1.2 percentage points of GDP since 2013 was accounted for by improvements vis-a-vis the euro areas three largest trading partners (see Chart B). Over this period, the euro areas current account surpluses vis-a-vis the United States and the United Kingdom increased by 0.7 and 0.5 percentage point of euro area GDP, while the euro areas current account deficit with China narrowed by 0.2 percentage point of euro area GDP. Moreover, the euro areas current account balance also improved vis-a-vis non-euro area EU countries (excluding the United Kingdom) and Russia, while, for all other major trading partners, the euro areas current account balance deteriorated. Chart B Change in the main components of the current account balance by geographical counterpart (percentages of euro area GDP, change between 2013 and the four quarters to Q2 2018) Source: ECB. Note: Other EU comprises EU Member States and EU institutions outside the euro area, excluding the United Kingdom. The largest changes in the geographical breakdown of the euro area current account balances since 2013 were recorded for trade in goods and primary income (see Chart B). Improvements in the bilateral current account balances mostly reflected increases in balances of trade in goods and primary income balances, in particular in the cases of the United Kingdom and the United States. At the same time, decreases in the current account balances were mostly due to a deterioration in bilateral primary income balances,[1] in particular vis-a-vis Switzerland, Japan and the residual group of countries. Moreover, the euro area recorded an improvement in its secondary income balance[2] vis-a-vis the rest of the EU (excluding the United Kingdom) owing to a decline in contributions to the EU budget. Improvements in the balance of the euro areas bilateral trade in goods since 2013 were largely export-driven in an environment of buoyant global demand, while imports also picked up overall (see Chart C). The largest increase in net exports was recorded vis-a-vis the United States. This was due to a strong increase in exports to the United States, which exceeded a modest increase in imports into the euro area, reflecting stronger domestic demand in the United States and the appreciation of the US dollar against the euro. At the same time, net exports also increased significantly vis-a-vis Russia as the result of a strong reduction in trade values, including a significant decline in euro area imports in the light of the depreciation of the Russian rouble and falling commodity prices. For the other trading partners, changes in net exports were less significant. In particular, net exports to other EU countries and China changed only marginally, reflecting a relatively balanced, robust expansion of trade with those trading partners. The strong expansion of bilateral trade with other EU countries was driven by the economic recovery in the EU and, in particular, the resurgence of value chains since the trade collapse triggered by the global financial crisis. At the same time, net goods exports to the United Kingdom and Switzerland increased slightly, partly on account of a decline in imports from those countries. The euro area recorded a slight worsening of net exports vis-a-vis the residual group of other countries, reflecting an overall reduction in export and import values, the latter mostly related to the observed decline in commodity prices. Chart C Change in exports and imports of goods by geographical counterpart (percentages of GDP, change between 2013 and the four quarters to Q2 2018) Source: ECB. Notes: The inverse of the change in imports of goods is shown on the chart, so a negative value denotes an increase and a positive value a decrease. Other EU comprises EU Member States and EU institutions outside the euro area, excluding the United Kingdom. Developments in bilateral primary income balances since 2013 were largely driven by income on foreign direct investment (FDI) which evolved rather heterogeneously across geographical counterparts and income on portfolio debt investment (see Chart D). The euro areas FDI income balance is largely shaped by the operations of multinational enterprises (MNEs) resident inside and outside the euro area. In particular, MNEs investment decisions and profitability determine the evolution of FDI income. The largest improvement in the euro areas FDI income balance was recorded vis-a-vis the United States, followed by the United Kingdom. This mainly reflected a larger increase in FDI positions of euro area residents in the United States and the United Kingdom than in FDI positions of United States and United Kingdom residents in the euro area. Conversely, the euro areas FDI income balance declined most significantly vis-a-vis Switzerland, Japan and the residual group of countries. For the first two, this is in line with a relative increase in Swiss and Japanese residents FDI positions in the euro area. In the case of the residual group of countries, the decline in the FDI income balance was driven by lower (operational) profits recorded on euro area foreign direct investment in these destinations. The increase in the investment income balance on portfolio debt vis-a-vis the United Kingdom, the United States and Japan reflects the pronounced shift by euro area investors towards debt securities issued by entities resident in those countries in recent years, as well as a decline in yields on euro area debt securities.[3] Investment in intangible assets in the euro area Prepared by Malin Andersson and Lorena Saiz Published as part of the ECB Economic Bulletin, Issue 7/2018. Investment in intangible assets enables productivity gains. Intangible assets[1] are nonmonetary assets without physical or financial substance. They encompass a broad range of highly heterogeneous assets, including human capital, innovative products, brands, patents, software, consumer relationships, databases and distribution systems. Some of these assets enable firms to obtain productivity gains and efficiencies from new technologies and, as such, play a strategic role in a firms value creation. This box reviews the characteristics of intangibles and looks at a number of implications of their increasing importance. Investment in intangible assets has increased in importance in the euro area, both in absolute terms and relative to tangible assets, with several factors contributing to that development. In euro area countries and other advanced economies, investment in intangibles has grown strongly in recent decades. Over the last 20 years, growth in intellectual property products a group of intangible assets included in the national accounts[2] has outpaced growth in tangible investment in the euro area (see Chart A). Investment in those products has also made a significant contribution to annual growth in euro area non-construction investment over the last two decades (see Chart B). The fact that the growth rate of intangibles is higher than that of tangibles is being driven by factors such as the increase in global competition, the sectoral shift from industry to services, the expansion of the digital economy, changing international specialisations in the area of production, new business models (e.g. for tax optimisation purposes) and general technological advances. Chart A Intangible investment as a percentage of total investment (percentages) Sources: Eurostat and ECB calculations. Notes: Here, intangible investment refers to intellectual property products included in the national accounts. Volatility in Irish and Dutch data, which is mainly due to intellectual property-related transactions conducted by large multinational companies, makes a significant contribution to fluctuations in euro area data. Chart B Breakdown of growth in euro area non-construction investment (annual percentage changes and percentage points) Sources: Eurostat and ECB calculations. Note: Data for Belgium and Cyprus are not available; data for Ireland and the Netherlands have been excluded on account of their volatility. The specific nature of intangible assets makes them less easy to use as collateral, which may result in suboptimal investment. Intangible assets share some characteristics with tangible assets. For example, both are costly to acquire, but help to create future profits, and entail some risk-taking. However, intangible assets also have a number of specific characteristics that distinguish them from tangible assets,[3] with their scalability or non-rival nature, for instance, meaning that the benefits they provide to individual users are not dependent on the total number of users. At the same time, some intangibles have little market value and the cost of producing them is almost entirely a sunk cost, which makes them hard to trade,[4] more likely to be firm-specific, and associated with particularly high risks for firms undertaking such investment. Finally, they are productivity-enhancing, they are often more efficient when combined with other assets (e.g. training which helps workers to use software and computers more efficiently), and they tend to generate positive spillovers and benefits for people other than those developing them (i.e. they are non-excludable). Such characteristics make them less easy to use as collateral and may therefore mean that they are more reliant on internal financing (i.e. savings) than physical capital.[5] Overall, those features could lead firms to underinvest in such assets.[6] Analysis based on microdata for listed companies shows that intangible assets can explain part of the gap between firms investment in tangible assets and Tobins Q.[7] Since the financial crisis, euro area firms investment in tangible assets has been weaker than one would expect on the basis of Tobins Q (see Chart C, panel a). This may indicate either underinvestment or overvaluation in equity markets. Two recent publications have shown that intangible assets are able to explain some of that gap in the United States.[8] Regression analysis conducted for the euro area shows that including intangible assets that are not capitalised (i.e. not included in the balance sheet as assets) in both investment and Tobins Q[9] reduces the size of the gap between the two (see Chart C, panel b). The sensitivity of investment to Tobins Q also increases, albeit in all cases Tobins Q explains only one-third of total variation in investment. Chart C Investment and Tobins Q (median values) Source: Worldscope (listed euro area firms). Notes: Investment in tangible assets is defined as expenditure on property, plant and equipment over tangible fixed assets in the previous period. Tobins Q is defined as the firms market value plus total debt at book value minus cash and short-term investments over total assets at book value. Investment in intangible assets is defined as R&D costs plus 30% of sales, general and administrative expenses. In the lower panel, investment in tangible and intangible assets and Tobins Q both have as a denominator tangible fixed assets at book value plus capitalised R&D costs and 30% of sales, general and administrative expenses, using the perpetual inventory method and the depreciation rates that were used by Peters and Taylor[10]. The specific nature of intangible assets poses challenges as regards the measurement of activity, profits and capital stock, as well as the distribution of productivity across firms.[11] Measurement issues relating to activity stem from the fact that such assets are generally regarded as firm-specific intermediate consumption rather than investment in firms balance sheets, and they remain underreported in the national accounts to some extent.[12] Although the percentage of intangible assets that are reported in firms annual accounts is gradually increasing, particularly in the service sector (see Chart D), the underreporting of intangible assets could mean that real output is also being underreported. Moreover, the classification of intangibles as expenses to be deducted from earnings as opposed to assets is weighing on profits. As regards measurement of capital stock, while estimates of depreciation rates are associated with considerable uncertainty, the increasing share of intangible assets presumably implies higher overall depreciation rates. As a result, the amount of investment that is required to offset the consumption of capital and keep the capital stock at a constant level is rising. At the same time, it is possible that the capital stock remains underestimated owing to insufficient incorporation of intangible investment in the national accounts (see also the section on capital in the article on potential growth in the post-crisis period in this issue of the Economic Bulletin), which is particularly important when the contribution that capital makes to euro area potential output increases relative to that made by labour as labour force constraints grow. Also, a slowdown in intangible capital services growth could manifest itself in the data as a slowdown in total factor productivity growth. As regards the dispersion of productivity, intangible-rich firms appear to be scaling up investment dramatically, contributing to a widening gap between leading firms and those that are lagging behind. Chart D Intangible intensity (median values) Source: Worldscope (listed euro area firms). Note: This chart shows the ratio of intangible fixed assets to tangible and intangible fixed assets at book value. Specific policies in a number of areas would be helpful in order to foster further investment in intangibles and enable stronger potential growth, notably as regards questions of ownership, tax treatment, property rights, competition and product regulation. Enterprise IT Lead Generation Services Fuel Your Pipeline. Close More Deals. Our full-service marketing programs deliver sales-ready leads. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee! Learn more. Several us have become increasingly concerned about the lack of ethics on the part of market-leading companies at the moment. Kara Swisher's New York Times column is an eye opener, considering that she concluded that "too many digital leaders have lost their minds." She cited some frightening examples of poor leadership -- ranging from Saudi funding (concerning given the alleged murder of a reporter); to Facebook's Portal device, which appears designed to violate user privacy; to Elon Musk's increasing insanity; to Google's recent coverup of a massive user data breach that forced it to close Google+. Swisher's column points to the solution adopted by Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, who hired a chief ethical officer -- but I think that would just repeat the mistake we made with chief risk officers around a decade ago. In response to her piece, Scott Cleland, who runs Precursor Watch, commented that these huge firms and their CEOs have ethics problems following them around like the dirt that followed Pigpen in the Peanuts comic strip. These firms, through Section 230 of the U.S. Code, largely have been given immunity to civil law, which appears to have promoted wrong, unjust, dishonest, unethical, and/or uncivil behaviors by the firms' employees and leaders. While I think Cleland overemphasizes the impact of Section 230, which detracts from what is more likely a practice of hiring people who think ethics is optional, his proposed solution should work. He suggests these firms and executives need to be held more aggressively to the same laws we all must follow. I'll share my views on that and then close with my product of the week: a new video-conferencing solution that could evolve to make most business trips obsolete. Power Corrupts I'm sure you've all heard the saying, "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely," but I often think that as they come up the ranks, executives view this as a goal and not a warning. It is clear that at some point executives feel they have reached a level of power where the rules their companies have just don't apply to them. In a way I was lucky -- or unlucky, depending on how you look at it -- to have an extremely unethical father. I was lucky in that I saw the damage it did to his marriages, finances, opportunities and the quality of his life. I was unlucky because I was often collateral damage, as were my brothers, sister, and his wives. The amount of damage this behavior can cause, once it is discovered, can be devastating. It can wipe out the companies and the executives' personal fortunes, and in some cases it can even land them in prison. The thing is, it isn't as if these folks weren't already wealthy -- but it becomes a competition as to who has the most expensive car, the most yachts, the biggest island, or the prettiest mistress (even if she is an employee). They lose perspective -- placing physical things, often inanimate, as higher priority over the things they really should care about: their families, employees, image/reputation, and even their continued freedom. Ethics Officer Won't Work Over a decade ago, companies became concerned about taking on too much risk, and they came up with the not-so-brilliant plan of hiring risk officers. These folks had staff and were given the responsibility to ensure that the companies, generally financial institutions, didn't take on excessive risks. Instead, it was if these institutions suddenly felt that any risk was acceptable, and the U.S. market crashed catastrophically as a result of loans that weren't properly secured. What happened was that the risk managers had responsibility but no real authority, so while they were viewed as some kind of shield, they were in effect more like sacrificial goats. They became blame magnets, which actually didn't really work well either. Since they had no authority, the blame still flowed to the idiots making the bad decisions. Hiring ethics officers won't work either, because they won't have enforcement authority. Often, they won't have the necessary visibility into company practices to ensure that the firm complies with policies and laws -- let alone behaves ethically. If the government comes calling due to a CEO misdeed, there might be an attempt to throw the ethics officer under the bus, but law enforcement -- as with the risk managers -- likely will go after the decision maker and not the sacrificial goat ethics officer. Appointing an ethics officer might have the unintended impact of convincing the other executives that ethics is no longer their concern, and they might go off the ethical rails even more than before -- similar to what happened with financial institutions after they got risk officers. That, of course, most likely would be catastrophic, because governments and investors eventually react poorly to out-of-control CEOs. In fact, they tend to overreact with company-killing regularity. Internal Audit I think a better solution would to be to reinstate, fund, and once again empower internal audit operations in these firms, allowing auditors to function much as they did when internal auditing first came to be, largely after the market crash in the first half of last century. Internal audit can, and often does, operate like internal affairs in police departments. However, both of those operations often have been gutted over time, losing qualified people, funding and authority. Today -- particularly in some newer firms -- those functions are either nonexistent or assigned to an ineffective department of employee rejects who comply with the letter but not the intent of their mandate. Staffed, funded, and with adequate authority, internal audit not only would have the experience to root out bad behavior but also the ability to terminate those exhibiting it. The internal audit department also would have the added benefit of ensuring the quality of operations, something that firms like Tesla currently need badly. (Its plants are so badly run, the firm is hemorrhaging money.) When properly set up, internal audit's ability to prevent behavior ranging from just bad management to embezzlement and sexual harassment largely would be unmatched and could go a long way toward ensuring that a firm isn't taken out by its own employees. Wrapping Up Whether we are talking about the book Brotopia, which focuses mostly on misogyny at scale, or Technically Wrong, which focuses on idiotic product development practices, or on a slew of recent articles on related subjects, the common message is that these firms are largely out of control. Given that a number of us believe they are massively overvalued as well, the potential for a catastrophe driven by bad executive behavior is almost a given. Such a catastrophe could reset the market, likely wiping out jobs, 401Ks and savings tied to the segment. I think internal audit is the only type of organization that could be capable of fixing this problem in a timely way, and that the interim use of ethics officers actually would do the exact opposite of what was intended. I don't expect this will end well at all. I've been involved with video conferencing in some shape or form going well back to the 1960s, when I first saw the video call demonstration at Disneyland as a child. I was part of a joint Apple/IBM trial in the 1980s, which ended badly, and I've been involved with the technology since the mid-90s as an analyst. Generally, the cycle goes like this: The market gets really excited about technology that could reduce plane travel and increase employee collaboration, everyone and their brother jumps into it, companies buy the products, the employees avoid using them, the market consolidates, and in around five to 10 years, the market forgets and starts the cycle over. One of the more interesting recent attempts were telepresence robots with tablets that could display the faces of those remotely using them. They weren't that successful, even though they did attempt to deal better with creating the impression that the remote worker was there. Spatial, which launched last week, has an idea that, while not yet mature, could get us far closer to where we need to go. It uses augmented reality to create ghost-like avatars of the remote people, who then can move around the room and interact with others as if they were present. The remote workers also get avatars of those in the conference room, almost as if they dropped into the workers' homes to collaborate with them. Spatial Mission Planning Even though the technology is raw now, I can see that the increased application of artificial intelligence tech, better AR glasses, and improved rendering capability -- like what exists in the new Nvidia RTX platform -- could make this experience far more realistic. Even in its raw form, an impressive number of companies have seen the value and have signed up, because it seems to work better for a number of interactions than the technology they have. I really hate getting on planes, and I live in a resort town now, which means that I'm going to love anything that has the potential to make most of my air travel obsolete. As a result, Spatial is my product of the week. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ECT News Network. Rob Enderle has been an ECT News Network columnist since 2003. His areas of interest include AI, autonomous driving, drones, personal technology, emerging technology, regulation, litigation, M&E, and technology in politics. He has an MBA in human resources, marketing and computer science. He is also a certified management accountant. Enderle currently is president and principal analyst of the Enderle Group, a consultancy that serves the technology industry. He formerly served as a senior research fellow at Giga Information Group and Forrester. Email Rob. Enterprise IT Lead Generation Services Fuel Your Pipeline. Close More Deals. Our full-service marketing programs deliver sales-ready leads. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee! Learn more. Theresa Payton, CEO of Fortalice Solutions, is one of the most influential experts on cybersecurity and IT strategy in the United States. She is an authority on Internet security, data breaches and fraud mitigation. She served as the first female chief information officer at the White House, overseeing IT operations for President George W. Bush and his staff. With the U.S. midterm elections fast approaching, both Payton's observations about the current cybersecurity threat level and her advice about shoring up the nation's defenses carry special weight. In this exclusive interview, she also shares her views on social networking, privacy, and the changing playing field for women who aspire to leadership roles in technology. TechNewsWorld: What is the chief cyberthreat to the upcoming midterm elections? Theresa Payton: My biggest worry and concern is that citizens will not trust election results and that the election process will lose legitimacy. We know that the Department of Homeland Security, working with state election officials, have raced against the clock to secure voting systems. Our U.S. intelligence agencies have repeatedly been on the record stating there is no evidence that cybercriminals modified or deleted any votes in 2016. The next area of concern is for the communications, contacts, and digital campaigns of candidates being broken into and doxed. While the news focuses on securing the votes and the voter databases of the midterm elections, there is not a lot of attention on whether or not campaigns take threats targeting their campaigns seriously. Nothing would hit closer to home for a candidate than if their election was hacked and they lost -- or won. "Cyber" is certainly a buzzword, but it's not a word without meaning. With the onslaught of breaches, candidates should be laser-focused on cybersecurity. TNW: What should federal officials do to shore up election security? What should state and local governments do? Where does the buck stop? Payton: It's crucial that elected officials on the left and right not politicize an issue in the short term that will have grave long-term consequences for national security. Defensively, we need to harden our election infrastructure at the local level. This is the responsibility of the Department of Homeland Security. DHS needs to continue to work at the local level with state election officials, but also to provide much more robust cybersecurity capabilities for protection and detection at the campaign level. We also need to be sure that the intelligence and homeland security community is effectively sharing information and tools, techniques and tactics. TNW: How serious are concerns that election interference might be caused by tampering with back-end election systems? What can federal agencies do to address the problems of outdated voting equipment, inadequate election-verification procedures, and other potential vulnerabilities? Is there an argument to be made for some level of mandatory federal oversight of state and local voter systems? Payton: There are grave concerns about election interference and the race to secure them, globally, is under way. The idea that voter databases could be seeded with falsified data or modified has been around for decades, but the technical know-how and motive has caught up with that idea. Election officials in a race towards automation and efficiency may have helped criminals along, but it's not too late if we act now. Today, there are entire countries totally relying on electronic voting: Brazil, since 2000, has employed electronic voting machines, and in 2010 had 135 million electronic voters. India had 380 million electronic voters for its Parliament election in 2004. It is easy to see why electronic voting is the wave of the future and how the United States could model its own voting system after these countries. It's faster, cheaper and more accessible for those with disabilities. Also, would you miss the experience of, or the reporting of, the every-election-day headline of "Long Lines at the Polls Today"? Probably not. That is certainly less painful than a recount though. We are headed towards electronic voting as the sole system we use despite these facts: "The U.S. intelligence community developed substantial evidence that state websites or voter registration systems in seven states were compromised by Russian-backed covert operatives prior to the 2016 election -- but never told the states involved, according to multiple U.S. officials," NBC News reported earlier this year. Russia hacked the Democratic National Committee's emails with the intention to "interfere with the U.S. election process," according to the director of national intelligence, James R. Clapper Jr., and the Department of Homeland Security. As far as we know, despite the scans and alarm bells, no outside entity has changed any records in the registration database. Scams such as "text your vote" were more prevalent than ever, and will increase as electronic voting becomes more widespread. The good news is our government took this very seriously. Prior to the midterm elections, the Department of Homeland Security offered state election officials "cyber hygiene scans" to remotely search for vulnerabilities in election systems. They also conducted threat briefings and onsite reviews, as well as released a memo of "best practices" -- guidance how best to secure their voter databases. Some have called for more federal oversight and moving towards a more restrictive security model, but the states own the voting process. Providing year-round briefings from DHS, FBI, CIA, and NSA would prove to be very helpful over time. Also, we have to remember elections are decentralized. Sometimes there is security in obscurity. Each state in our country, plus the District of Columbia, run their own election operations, including voter databases. A hostile nation state could not feasibly wipe out each system with one wave of their magic wand. How we vote, though, is just one-way our elections could be compromised. Another concern going forward must be disruption of Internet traffic, as we saw occurred just days before the last presidential election cycle on Oct. 21st, 2016, when the Mirai botnet crippled part of the Internet for hours. A massive Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacked a host server causing major disruptions to some of the most highly visited websites in the United States. The attack was in two waves, first on the East Coast and then on the West Coast. As our country votes on Election Day in different time zones, and polling stations close at different times, the similarity is chilling. However, we need everyone to turn out to vote. The focus on bolstering our election security defenses is reassuring. What we know is the warning signs are there. As we move towards the future, and focus on creating and protecting a new system to collect our votes, we need to protect the one we already have. Two things you can be sure of after this year's election: Eventually, every vote you cast in a United States election will be electronic, and one of those elections will be hacked. No doubt about it. But the recount in 2016 in Wisconsin reminds us all why we need a backup. TNW: What are some ways candidates and campaigns can shore up their cybersecurity without draining their war chests? What are some of the practices they should implement in the very early days? A campaign that's very secure ultimately might lose due to lack of visibility. How can campaigns strike the right balance? Payton: Never before have campaigns collected so much essential information that would be lucrative to so many cybercriminals. Credit card numbers, bank account information, addresses, online identities. The assets go on and on, and cybercriminals are just like bank robbers in the old days: They follow the money. That is why in today's day and age, if you are on a campaign, whether it be state, national or local, you need to be as vigilant about protecting data as any business. Otherwise, you will lose your customers -- also known as constituents and voters. Anyone on a tight budget can follow these guidelines to protect their campaign assets: Make it as hard as possible on cybercriminals by separating donor information details onto a completely separate domain name with separate user IDs and passwords from the campaign. For example, your campaign domain might be VoteSallySue.com, but donor details would be stored at MustProtectDetails.com. Using that same practice, run all of your internal communications on a domain name that's not the campaign name -- i.e., email addresses should not be henry@VoteSallySue.com but rather henry@MustProtectDetails.com. Increase the level of protection for internal messages by using encrypted messaging platforms for internal communications, such as Signal or Threema. Also, be sure to encrypt all of your campaign's donor data. We have yet to hear a report of a campaign's donor data being hacked and used for identity theft, but we will -- of that I am sure. It would be too lucrative not to try. Once it is hacked, it will be hard to restore confidence in your operation. Just ask any major retailer, bank or organization who has recently been hacked, and they will tell you. I don't even need to use their names, you know the headlines. Train technology and campaign staff to spot spearphishing emails and scams. Oh, sure, you think everyone knows not to "click on that link," but recent studies illustrate doing just that is the No. 1 cause of breaches among employees. Another safeguard that raises the bar in terms of security is implementing two-factor authentication wherever feasible. When you use a platform that employs two-factor authentication, don't you feel safer? Possibly annoyed, as well, but certainly reassured that the extra step has been taken to secure your data. Don't you want the electorate to feel the same way? Finally, post a privacy policy that's easy to read, easy to find, and you'll find voters have more confidence in just your agenda. TNW: How well -- or poorly -- have Facebook, Twitter, Google and other tech companies addressed the problems that surfaced in 2016? Payton: I was encouraged to hear that with less than three weeks to go for the U.S. mid-terms, that Facebook has stood up a war room to combat social media community manipulation as the world heads into elections this fall and winter. They have also said they have war-gamed a number of scenarios to ensure their team is better prepared for elections around the globe. Much is at stake, so the fact that Facebook also integrated the apps they have acquired -- such as WhatsApp and Instagram -- into the mix of the war room is a great idea. If I were to give them advice, I would suggest that another great step to take would be to create a way to physically embed representatives from law enforcement, other social media companies -- including Twitter, Linkedin and Google -- and to allow election officials around the globe to have a "red phone" access to the war room. TNW: What are some of the most pressing cybersecurity problems facing social networks, apart from their use as political tools? Payton: The ability to change their business and moderator models, in real time, to morph quickly to shut down fake personas, fake ads, and fake messaging promoting political espionage, even if it means higher expenses and loss of revenue. Social media companies have made a lot of progress since the 2016 presidential elections and claims of global-wide election meddling, but the criminals have changed tactics and it's harder to spot them. On the heels of the August 2018 news that Microsoft seized six domains that Russian Internet trolls planned to use for political espionage phishing attacks around the same time that Facebook deactivated 652 fake accounts and pages tied to misinformation campaigns, Alex Stamos, the former Facebook security chief, posted an essay in Lawfare, and stated that it was "too late to protect the 2018 elections." TNW: What role should the government play in protecting citizens' privacy online? Payton: As the Internet evolves, laws and regulations must change more rapidly to reflect societal issues and problems created by new types of behavior taking place online. Never before has the world had access to statements, pictures, video and criticism by millions of individuals who are not public figures. The Internet provides us with places to document our lives, thoughts and preferences online, and then holds that material for an indefinite period of time -- long after we might have outgrown our own postings. It also provides places where we can criticize our bosses, local building contractors, or polluters. This digital diary of our lives leaves tattered pages of our past that we may forget about because we cannot see them, but they could be collected, collated, and used to judge us or discriminate against us without due process. The government needs to think ahead and determine which laws need to be enacted to protect our right to opt in and out of privacy features and to own our digital lives and footprints. TNW: What is your opinion of Europe's "right to be forgotten" law? Do you think a similar law would make sense in the United States? Payton: The European Union's "right to be forgotten" sets an interesting precedent, not just for its member countries but for citizens around the world. It is too early to know what the long-term impacts of the EU's decision to enforce a "right to be forgotten" with technology companies will be. However, it's a safe bet the law will evolve and not disappear. There are concerns that giving you or organizations more control of their Internet identity, under a "right to be forgotten" clause, could lead to [censorship] of the Internet. Free-speech advocates around the globe are concerned that the lack of court precedent and the gray areas of the EU law could lead to pressure for all tech companies to remove results across the globe, delinking news stories and other information upon an individual's request. A quick history lesson of how this law came about: A Spanish citizen filed a complaint with Spain's Data Protection Agency and indicated that Google Spain and Google Inc. had violated his privacy rights by posting an auction notice that his home was repossessed. The matter was resolved years earlier but since "delete is never really delete" and "the Internet never forgets," the personal data about his financial matters haunted his reputation online. He requested that Google Spain and Google Inc. be required to remove the old news so it would not show up in search engine results. The Spanish court system reviewed the case and referred it to the European Union's Court of Justice. Here is an excerpt of what the May 2014 ruling of the EU Court said: "On the 'Right to be Forgotten': Individuals have the right -- under certain conditions -- to ask search engines to remove links with personal information about them. This applies where the information is inaccurate, inadequate, irrelevant or excessive for the purposes of the data processing . A case-by-case assessment is needed considering the type of information in question, its sensitivity for the individual's private life and the interest of the public in having access to that information. The role the person requesting the deletion plays in public life might also be relevant." In the U.S., implementing a federal law might be tempting, but the challenge is that the ability to comply with the law will be complex and expensive. This could mean that the next startup will be crushed under compliance and therefore innovation and startups will die before they can get launched. However, we do need a central place of advocacy and a form of a consumer privacy bill of rights. We have remedies to address issues but it's a complex web of laws that apply to the Internet. Technology changes society faster than the law can react, so U.S. laws relating to the Internet will always lag behind. We have a Better Business Bureau to help us with bad business experiences. We have the FTC and FCC to assist us with commerce and communications. Individuals need an advocacy group to appeal to, and for assistance in navigating online defamation, reputational risk, and an opportunity to scrub their online persona. TNW: What is your attitude toward social networking? What's your advice to others regarding the trustworthiness of social networks? Payton: Social networking can offer us amazing ways to stay in touch with colleagues, friends and loved ones. It's a personal decision as to how involved you are online, how many platforms you interact with, and how much of your life that you digitally record or transact online. If you want to be on social media but don't want to broadcast everything about you, I tell my clients to turn off location tracking -- or geolocation tools -- in social media. That way you aren't "checking in" places. Cybercriminals use these check-ins to develop your pattern of life and to track your circle of trust. If a cybercriminal has these two patterns, it makes it easier for them to hack your accounts. Register for an online service that will give you a phone number, such as Google Voice or Talkatone. Provide that number on social media and forward it to your real cellphone. Avoid personality surveys and other surveys -- they are often very fun to do, but the information posted often gives digital clues to what you may use for your password. Always turn on two-factor authentication for your accounts, and tie your social media accounts to an email address dedicated to social media. Turn on alerts to notify you if there is a login that is outside your normal login patterns. The amount of personal information you choose to share is up to you -- and everyone has to find that limit of what is too much -- but at the very least, never give out personally identifiable information like your address, DOB, financial information, etc. TNW: As the first woman to serve in the role of CIO at the White House, under President George W. Bush, how did you feel about becoming an instant role model for girls and young women interested in tech careers? Payton: It's an honor to think about the opportunity to give back and to help along anyone that wants to pursue this career path, especially young women. Candidly, we need everyone to fight the good fight. My heart breaks when I see computer and engineering classes with very few women in them. We did not reach out to the women early enough, and when I talk to young women in high school and college about considering cybersecurity as a career, many of then tell me that since they have had no prior exposure they are worried about failing, and that it's "too late now to experiment." To which I tell them that it's always a great time to experiment and learn new things! Prior to taking on the role at the White House, I had been very active in women in technology groups and was passionately recruiting young women to consider technology careers. At the time I was offered the role and accepted, I candidly didn't have an immediate aha moment about being a role model for women because of that specific job. I was most focused on making sure the mission was a success. I see it now and it's an honor to be able to be a role model and I strive to live up to that expectation. The cybersecurity industry can do more to help women understand the crucial role that cybersecurity professionals play that make a difference in our everyday lives. Unfortunately, hackers, both ethical and unethical, are often depicted as men wearing hoodies over their faces, making it difficult for women to picture themselves in that role as a realistic career choice, because they don't think they have anything in common with hackers. Studies show that women want to work in professions that help people -- where they are making a difference. When you stop a hacker from stealing someone's identity, you've made a difference in someone's life or business. At the end of the day, the victims of hackers are people, and women can make a tremendous difference in this field. This is something the industry as a whole needs to do a better job of showing women. TNW: You're now the CEO of a company in the private sector. Can you tell us a little about what Fortalice Solutions does, its mission, and your priorities in guiding it? Payton: Fortalice Solutions is a team of cybercrime fighters. We hunt bad people from behind a keyboard to protect what matters most to nations, business and people. We combine the sharpest minds in cybersecurity with active intelligence operations to secure everything from government and corporate data and intellectual property, to individuals' privacy and security. At Fortalice, our strengths lie in studying the adversary and outmaneuvering them with our human-first, technology-second approaches. TNW: How have attitudes toward women in powerful positions changed -- for better or worse -- in recent years? Payton: Although thankfully this is beginning to change, I am typically the only woman in the room -- and that was common in banking as well as technology. I had to learn how to stand up for myself and ensure my voice was heard. I've had more than my fair share of times when my technical acumen has been discounted because I'm female. I've learned that grace and tact go a long way, and I'm very, very proud to say that my company is nearly dead-equal male/female. We even started an organization called "Help A Sister Up" -- you can find us on LinkedIn -- that's dedicated to advancing women in technology and serving as a rallying point for them and their male advocates. We post job openings, interesting articles, avenues for discussion. Please join us! TNW: What's your advice to girls and women entering technological fields about whether to seek employment in the private or the public sector? What are some of the pros and cons, particularly from the standpoint of gender equality? Payton: An April 2013 survey of Women in Technology found that 45 percent of respondents noted a "lack of female role models or [the encouragement to pursue a degree in a technology-related field]." It's been proven that professional mentorship and development dramatically increase participation in any given field, so the lack of women in cybersecurity is really a compounding problem -- we don't have enough women in cyber because there aren't enough women role models in cyber. While connecting with other women has had its challenges, there are wonderful women in cyber today. Look at Linda Hudson -- currently the chairman and CEO of The Cardea Group and former president and CEO of BAE Systems Inc. -- shattering the glass ceiling for women behind her. Also, up-and-comer Keren Elazari, a global speaker on cybersecurity and ethical hacker out of Israel. I've been very lucky to work with wonderful, inspiring women in cyber, but I recognize that my exposure might be more than women starting their career. This brings me to my next point: I recommend all cyber practitioners, and especially women, take advantage of all the amazing free tools out there from RSA, TED talks, and even YouTube. You can watch speeches from veteran cybersecurity professionals about their careers, hear their advice on how to succeed, and learn new skills to keep you competitive in the workplace. Consider free online courses in cybersecurity or popular programming languages like Python. Ask your colleagues to show you their favorite geek gadget or ethical hack. There are some excellent security frameworks and guidance available for free online, such as the NIST framework, CIS Critical Security Controls, SSAE 16, and discussions on GDPR. Leverage social media to hear what's on the minds of security experts. You must be a constant student of your profession in this field. Mick Brady is managing editor of ECT News Network. One of the biggest winning groups in Tuesday's midterm elections didn't even get to cast a ballot: the nation's farm animals. California's Proposition 12, which requires farmers to give more space for hens, pigs and veal calves, passed with 61 percent of the vote, as ABC 7 News reported Wednesday. But the new law could impact animals well outside California's borders, as The Huffington Post pointed out: Proposition 12, also known as the Farm Animal Confinement Initiative, also will eventually ban the sale of agricultural products in California that don't meet the state's new requirements. That means the new law may influence how farmers across the country raise their animals. The law will be implemented in two stages. 1. By 2020, all California egg-laying hens must have at least one square foot of space, and each veal calf must have at least 43 square feet of space. 2. By 2022, female breeding pigs must have at least 24 feet of space, all chickens must be raised cage-free with at least 1 square foot of space each, and all agricultural products sold in California must have been raised in conditions that meet these standards, even if they come from other states. California voters already tried to legislate more room for animals in 2008 with the passage of Proposition 2. But that law didn't end up being effective enough for animal rights advocates because it only called for more space without setting numbered requirements. That meant that state officials decided that farmers could still keep chickens in cages as long as they were large enough. But Proposition 2 provided a successful trial run to see whether its requirements for out-of-state farmers would hold up in court. Twelve states sued to stop the law from applying to producers in other states, and judges so far have rejected those suits, The Palm Springs Desert Sun reported. However, the implementation of both laws is threatened by a provision in the House version of the Farm Bill, as The Desert Sun explained: The so-called "King Amendment," introduced by Steve King, R-IA, whose district produces more eggs than any other in the nation, stipulates that states can't impose animal welfare standards onto products imported from other states. King says the law would mitigate "the serious economic harm the California law is currently causing to egg producers and consumers in Iowa and elsewhere." There is no guarantee that King's amendment will make it into the final draft, though. More than 30 senators have written a letter opposing the amendment, and the 2014 version of the Farm Bill excised similar language before passing. While Proposition 12 was supported by a wide coalition of animal welfare and environmental groups including the Humane Society of the United States and the Sierra Club California, not all animal lovers thought it was a good idea. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) opposed the proposition because, they argued, it would still allow birds to remain caged until 2022, and didn't mandate nearly enough space after that date. "We can't and don't consider it remotely humane to confine birds to a miserly 1 square foot of spaceand this wouldn't even be required until years in the future," PETA wrote in a blog post explaining its position. Rochester Hills, Mich. The hack started small, in 7th grade, when they bypassed their middle schools internet filters to watch YouTube during lunch. But by the time Jeremy Currier and Seth Stephens were caught, more than two years later, their exploits had given them extraordinary reign over the computer network of the Rochester Community Schools, a well-to-do suburban district about 45 minutes outside Detroit. The teens had access to the logins, passwords, phone numbers, locker combinations, lunch balances, and grades of all 15,000 of their classmates. They could view teachers tests, answer keys, and email messages. They could control the districts security cameras and remotely operate its desktop computers via their phones. The boys were even using district servers to mine for cryptocurrency . It wasnt anything malicious, said Jeremy, now 15. I mostly just wanted to figure out what else I could do. Thats not how Rochester school officials saw it. Though theres no evidence to date that Jeremy and Seth directly threatened anyone, the district expelled both boys, then referred them to the county sheriffs office. Now, the case is raising a number of big questions. Chief among them: How can schools better develop the potential of children with advanced computing skills and a penchant for probing boundariesbefore things go bad? With the nation facing mounting cyber threats and a severe shortage of qualified cybersecurity workers, the K-12 sector is under considerable pressure to make that a priority. But the reality is that many school districts are still struggling to protect their own networks, let alone prepare the high-tech workforce of tomorrow. Thats why Jeremy and Seth are the latest students to be featured for Education Weeks Faces of the Future series . Instead of finding themselves on track for advanced degrees and lucrative careers, the boys are at the center of a possible criminal investigation. I cant begin to fathom what they did or didnt know, said Michele Stephens, Seths mom. They were far more knowledgeable than we could ever keep up with. I Just Love Figuring Out Problems Having a young computer whiz in the family can be a mixed blessing. Just ask Jeremys grandmother. On a gray October afternoon, Jeremy perched on the edge of her sofa, hands wrapped around his knees in a vain attempt to keep from fidgeting. He sped through the process of helping the 82-year-old set up a new iPad, tossing out mile-a-minute explanations of how to set account preferences and send text messages via Siri. Do they have a language on here called Jeremy Speak? his grandmother asked. Now a lanky teen with a wispy mustache, Jeremy started taking computers apart when he was 9. He built his first machine from scratch when he was 11. Before long, he was trying to build computing rigs with enough processing power to mine encrypted digital currencies. After seeing what Jeremy had learned on his own via Reddit, an IT contractor offered him a job on the spot. I just love figuring out problems, Jeremy said. People turn on their computer and think its magic. But theres actually way more to it than that. Unfortunately, said Jeremys mother, Janet Currier, the local public schools didnt really tap into that passion for hands-on problem-solving. Teachers and counselors didnt seem to know what to do with him. The STEM classes offered in middle school felt far beneath Jeremys abilities. Potentially exciting computer science classes werent available until junior or senior year. Jeremy, focused intently on what he could accomplish right now, started bristling at the Rochester districts heavy emphasis on college prep. I never wanted to go to school in the morning, he said. Building stuff at home was my only interest. Making things more complicated, Jeremy had few friends. One of the few peers who shared his passions was Seth, a quiet boy who lived about 10 minutes away. Their families welcomed the connection. By 7th grade, the two were having regular sleepovers, staying up all night to play Counter Strike and mess around on their computers. Complete and Utter Access Seventh grade was also the year the boys noticed a sticky note attached to one of the public computers in the middle school library. It had a username and password on it, they said, in case students or staff wanted to look up books but had forgotten their own credentials. Jeremy and Seth discovered that by logging in with the information on the note, then closing out of the library software, they could access files that had been shared with the librarys adult staff. How Can Schools Support Cybersecurity Education? States, the federal government, and private businesses are all pushing the K-12 sector to start now with teaching students the foundational skills theyll need to protect the nations future information-technology infrastructure. Its a big lift for many districts, which often lack the money, curriculum, teachers, time, and expertise to introduce such a big topic into an already-crowded school day. But there are other ways to make sure students dont languish or fall through the cracks, said Davina Pruitt-Mentle, the lead for academic engagement for the National Institute for Cybersecurity Education, which is housed in the federal Department of Commerce. Among the resources available: independent cyberdefense competitions, statewide cyber ranges, and programs like CyberPatriots and Hacker High School. You have to figure out the aptitude of these students and grab them quickly so they can be put on the right track, Pruitt-Mentle said. Read more about the state of K-12 cybersecurity education. One of the files, they said, was a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet with a filename that included the school year and the word students. The file was unprotected. They opened it up. It contained the passwords for every student in the Rochester district. I was 12. I didnt want to go up to a teacher and say, Hey, I just found an entire list of student passwords, Jeremy said. We wanted to do a little more exploring. According to the boys, their next step was to access the network from home, via the districts online portal. Over the next two years, they also found a district program that allowed them to change passwords for everyone in the system. They browsed through selected teacher files containing lesson plans, emails, tests, and answer keys. They installed a software program called TeamViewer on a machine in the back of a science classroom, turning it into a slave computer that afforded them remote access to any PC in the district. After the district installed new internet-enabled security cameras, the boys found another sticky note with a username and password, left on the laptop of a school security guard. They used that information to access the camera system, figuring out how to pan, zoom, and watch old footage. The boys also installed crypto-mining software on the districts servers. It remains unclear whose idea it was, whether any money was generated, and who had access to any proceeds. Its also not clear if thats the full extent of the boys exploits. Citing the possible criminal investigation, both families declined to answer questions about the possibility of violations not referenced in the disciplinary documents they received from the Rochester Community Schools, copies of which they provided to Education Week. Regardless, Rochester technology officials bear considerable blame for what happened, said Douglas A. Levin, a K-12 cybersecurity expert who first published an account of the hack on his blog in September. By leaving its network essentially unprotected, Levin said, the district made it easy for Jeremy and Seth to execute a mind-boggling security breach. The notion that two 12-year olds were able to do this is honestly just extraordinary, he said.They had complete and utter access. It Was Very Much a Freakout But just as noteworthy, Levin argued, is what the boys didnt do. Theres no evidence they cheated or changed grades, disrupted classes or sold answers to tests, zeroed out lunch balances or broke into anyones locker, installed malware or deleted files, harassed people online or stole anyones identity. Through a bewildering ordeal, that reality has given Seths parents some solace. There are things in our everyday lives that we can all do, that we have access to do, but you just dont, because you know thats crossing the line, his father said. I think thats where Seth was. Scott and Michele Stephens met 17 years ago, while bowling. Not long after they were married, they moved to Rochester Hills, a suburban community subdivided into neighborhoods with names like Meadowbrook Valley and Heritage Oaks. The schools were a big reason why. Seths elementary years went smoothly enough. He did well in his classes and took care of his dog and developed a quirky fascination with the Weather Channel. He also showed an aptitude for coding, which eventually led to him using YouTube tutorials to teach himself programming languages like Javascript and Visual Basic. The Troubling State of K-12 Cybersecurity A spate of recent hackings and cyberattacks directed at K-12 schoolsmany by studentshas shone a harsh light on the weak cybersecurity practices in many districts. Even more worrisome: Surveys suggest district technology officials dont appreciate the magnitude of the threat and often arent taking even basic steps to protect their networks. From a larger perspective, one has to wonder why its been so easy for students to hack their schools, said Douglas A. Levin, who runs the K-12 Cybersecurity Resource Center. In this particular incident, [Rochester Community Schools] left their systems essentially wide open. Read more about schools struggles to fend of cyberattacks. By 6th grade, though, serious issues had surfaced. Seth was diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. He had trouble falling asleep. He would close himself up in his room, get lost in his computer, and refuse to go to bed. Explosive fights would ensue. Michele and Scott removed the door to his bedroom. Towards the end of 9th grade, they found out Seth was failing three of his classes. Scott and Michele felt their sons needs were going unmet. Worse, his computer talents seemed to be going unrecognized. They started seriously considering other options for the rest of high school. Still, the call from his principal, saying their son was in trouble, came as a shock. It was very much a freak-out, Michele said. Staring Into Uncertain Futures Officials from Rochester Community Schools declined to comment on the case or be interviewed about the districts cybersecurity practices, citing privacy concerns and the possible criminal investigation. But letters sent to the Stephens and Currier families as part of the disciplinary proceedings against their sons spell out the districts perspective. While the boys did not directly threaten the safety of staff or students, Rochester officials wrote, their breach of the districts network was pre-mediated [sic], deliberate, and ongoing. Giving Jeremy and Seth the chance to make amendsperhaps by helping the district better understand its cyber vulnerabilitieswould not undo the privacy violations suffered by staff or students, Rochester officials maintained. Nor would it compensate the district for time lost investigating the hack and rebooting its systems. Ultimately, the district said, expulsion was necessary to deter other students from similar misbehavior. That decision has left Jeremy and Seth staring into uncertain futures. How Should Student Hackers Be Disciplined? Theres no clear consensus in the field about how to discipline students who hack into their district computer systems, and educators across the country have handled incidents in very different ways. Research suggests that harsh punishments such as expulsion dont have the intended effect, Harper said, either on those who committed the offense or on the broader student body. The message you end up sending is that if students commit an offense, they should do everything in their power not to get caught, because theres no way to repair what they broke, she said. Read more about student hacking incidents. Their long-term employment prospects should have been bright. In the coming decade, for example, the federal government will be looking for thousands of skilled cybersecurity workers. The growing demand has only been underscored by a steady drumbeat of news stories about hacks, cyberattacks, and digital espionage. But the boys are unlikely to be eligible for many of those public-sector positions, said Davina Pruitt-Mentle, who helps head cybersecurity-education efforts at the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington. Will they be able to pass a background check and get a security clearance? she said, noting that the process includes a review of candidates moral character, not just criminal background. Im not a lawyer, but my money would probably be on No. Depending on how the possible criminal investigation unfolds, private-sector employers may be more accommodating. But even in the best-case scenario, the teens face a rocky road to the postsecondary degrees and credentials that will unlock more than entry-level IT jobs. Since getting kicked out of Rochester Community Schools, Jeremy has enrolled at Oxford Virtual Academy, a full-time online school run by the Oxford, Mich., school district. He started the year on a kind of probation; because of the nature of his expulsion, the school wouldnt give him a laptop to use at home. So twice a week, he heads to a storefront in a strip mall to work at one of Oxford Virtuals drop-in centers. Even before his expulsion, Janet Currier said, she felt on an island, trying to encourage her sons interests and talents, even though theyd long since exceeded her capacity. Now, she alternates between fury and exasperation at what she views as the Rochester districts scapegoating of Jeremy, as well as the criticism shes received on Facebook for not punishing him more harshly. What am I supposed to do? Lock him in his room? Set him on fire? Discourage him from his chosen career path? she asked. Seths education, meanwhile, now consists mostly of online Khan Academy courses. No longer allowed to have a computer in his bedroom, he works mostly downstairs, at a desk cluttered with game controllers and Tootsie rolls, in the room where his dad stores dozens of bowling balls. After working nightshifts as an electrician at the local Ford plant, Scott spends his days home-schooling Seth, trying to reach his son in a way that a 2017 National Blue Ribbon-winning school district apparently could not. With little idea how to proceed, Scott has leaned on what he knows. The main project hes assigned Seth this semester is to build a website and app that will allow bowlers to track their bowling equipment. Seth says he still hopes to go to college, to study computer science. His parents hope that opportunity hasnt been lost. Its like theres this big mature person inside of this little body, Michele said as her son hung his head quietly beside her. He showed very bad judgment. But theyre treating him like a criminal. Personalized learning has a big problem. Inside Americas schools, the term is used to mean just about anything. Algorithm-driven playlists? Grouping students based on digital data? Letting teens design projects based on their personal interests? Adaptive software that adjusts to each students skill level? Customized activities to help kids develop a growth mindset? Check, check, check, check, check. In the same way that Inuits have lots of different words for snow, I think these are all personalized learning, said Larry Berger, the CEO of ed-tech company Amplify. For some, such variety is reason for optimism. Common threads, such as a focus on giving students more say over their own education, run through the different versions. In addition, Berger said, the disparate strands of personalized learning are bound together by what they reject: classrooms in which all students listen to the same lecture, complete the same worksheets, take the same quiz, and get the same limited feedback on their learning. But skeptics warn such loose explanations could lead the movement down a well-worn path toward incoherence and ineffectiveness. The history of school reform is dotted with the debris of earlier instructional reforms that varied greatly in definition and practice, wrote Stanford University education researcher Larry Cuban in a September blog post outlining personalized learnings chameleon-like nature. To get a better sense of just how diffuse personalized learning is in practice, Education Week spoke with more than a dozen leaders in the field, including district administrators, school principals, officials from prominent personalized learning networks, researchers, advocates, and CEOs. The conversations focused on comparing and contrasting various personalized learning environments across three key dimensions: what a typical day looks like, the underlying philosophy of how children learn, and who makes decisions in the classroom. Those experts described a national landscape in which as many as 1,000 schools are trying to fundamentally reshape how they operate, while tens of thousands more are trying out new strategies within their existing structures. Its all being called personalized learning. But theres tremendous variation, sometimes within a single building. Take, for example, Chicago International Charter School West Belden, which is managed by Distinctive Schools. Over the past five years, the schools approach to personalized learning has morphed from a focus on flexible classrooms and multi-age student groupings, to incorporating competency-based progressions, to using the Summit Learning Platform, a software program developed with support from Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg. We dont believe that personalized learning is any one thing, said Principal Colleen Collins. Its a mindset. Thats as good a summary as any of where the nascent field stands. But what does such ambiguity mean for K-12 leaders around the country, many of whom are considering whether and how to bring personalized learning to their own schools? Here are three questions that can help educators and policymakers look beyond the buzzwords. What Does a Typical Day Look Like? Each day in San Jose, Calif., about 15,000 elementary students use a popular software program called Dreambox Learning. Math class starts with 20 minutes of whole-class instruction. Then students are split into small groups. For the next 40 minutes, they cycle between time with a teacher, time working collaboratively with peers, and independent work on Dreambox. Jessie Woolley-Wilson, the companys CEO, says that if schools are using her product, theyre doing personalized learning. Thats because the software is intelligently adaptive"it helps students who are behind catch up and lets students who are ahead move forward. If the software notices that a student is using an inefficient procedure to solve a particular problem, it might cut in with a targeted lesson. But thats dramatically different from life inside the countrys 65 Big Picture Learning high schools. There, personalization is about tapping into students passions through real-world internships. Relationships are cultivated through small advisory groups that stick together for four years. Tests are replaced with public displays of learning tied to students own interests. Personalized Learning: What Is It? (Video) Ask a dozen educators to define personalized learning and youre bound to get 12 different answers. Watch the video. And both differ in fundamental ways from the 39 schools, spread across the U.S., using a middle school math program called Teach to One. Here, classroom walls are torn down and new bell schedules are created so that 60 or more students can use a single large space for up to 90 minutes a day. Every afternoon, algorithms analyze each students performance and abilities, then recommend schedules and instructional plans for teachers and students alike to follow the next day. The term personalized learning is commonly applied to all three approaches. But it doesnt shed much light on the different activities that are actually occurring in each classroomor whether theres evidence to back them up. The right question is not, Does personalized learning work? said John Pane, a senior scientist and the distinguished chair in education innovation at the RAND Corporation. At this stage, we really need to be looking at the actual components of what people are trying to do and assess them each on their own. Whats the Philosophy of How Children Learn? Longtime observers say these various versions of personalized learning are shaped by a range of underlying philosophies. At one end of the spectrum are approaches that Berger, the Amplify CEO, describes as an engineering model of learning, predicated on the notion of an established body of knowledge that schools should help students master as efficiently as possible. Heres how he described this model in a letter published by Education Week in February: You start with a map of all the things that kids need to learn. Then you measure the kids so that you can place each kid on the map in just the spot where they know everything behind them, and in front of them is what they should learn next. Then you assemble a vast library of learning objects and ask an algorithm to sort through it to find the optimal learning object for each kid at that particular moment. Then you make each kid use the learning object. Then you measure the kids again. If they have learned what you wanted them to learn, you move them to the next place on the map. If they didnt learn it, you try something simpler. That philosophy animated Silicon Valleys early conception of personalized learning. Its still quite widespread today, Berger said, particularly among testing companies trying to sell instructional products to schools. At the other end of the personalized learning spectrum, meanwhile, are more student-centered approaches, rooted in the progressive notion that real learning happens when children are driven by their intrinsic curiosity. Heres how Kaleb Rashad, the head of High Tech High in San Diego, described the philosophy underlying his school: Human beings are born to learn and create and make sense of their world. I want my kid going to school where hes able to learn alongside other people, pursue important questions, hold a sense of curiosity and exploration, and learn to reflect on what hes tried. If your version of personalized learning leaves kids feeling less imaginative, less willing to take risks, less willing to test their ideas, then I have questions about that. So where do most examples of personalized learning fit? Somewhere in the middle, said Cuban, the Stanford researcher. Take, for example, the 11 charter schools operated by California-based Summit Public Schools. (The group is also behind the Summit Learning Platform, which is now in use by more than 380 other schools, serving more than 72,000 students around the country.) Summit students generally take the same courses at the same grade level. All students are expected to master the same standards, and the curricula consist of a set menu of lessons, activities, and projects. But within each lesson, students get targeted supports. They also have a fair bit of choicearound which topics to pursue within a given project, for example. And because Summit believes social-emotional development is key to learning, students work with mentors and teachers to track their individual progress in such areas as emotional intelligence and self-directed learning, as well as reading and math. The philosophy is built on teachers, when they have the right information in front of them, being able to know best what students need, said Andrew Goldin, Summits chief program officer. Why is that belief system important to know? The larger questions school and district leaders considering personalized learning should be asking, Cuban said in an interview, are: To what end? Do you want higher test scores? Or do you want kids to learn to be independent decisionmakers? Who Makes Classroom Decisions? Then theres the question of student agency. One of the more consistent ideas across the personalized learning field is that children should make more choices about their own learning. But here, too, theres tremendous variation on the ground. Take, for example, Teach to One, the middle school math program in which algorithms play a crucial role in setting daily schedules, determining what students have learned, and selecting lessons and activities for them. For students in these classrooms, greater agency generally means more flexibility to move at their own pace, as Joel Rose, who heads New Classrooms, the nonprofit group behind the program, described in an interview: Lets say our diagnostic shows that you dont know how to factor trinomials, and youre going to learn it next Tuesday. But you watched the videos and you think youve got it. If you take an on-demand assessment, and demonstrate that you do know it, that comes off your [playlist.] We give you the power to own your own learning and to demonstrate what you know, so we can use valuable classroom time to teach you the things you dont know yet. Compare that with Patrick Henry Elementary in Chicago, one of more than 120 area schools that has worked with a nonprofit called LEAP Innovations to implement personalized learning. During 60-minute literacy blocks, each Henry student operates at one of four levels of autonomy. At the first level, students are told where to go and what to do. By level four, they have near-free reign to decide where they want to workincluding in the hallways or outside the classroomand flexibility in choosing what they work on. In a video produced by LEAP, Henry teacher Diane Meloscia describes how this approach altered the types of decisions made by everyone in her classroom: I want [students] to be able to think about something before they do it. I want them to feel that ownership, to be able to start a task, know why its valuable, and then know how to get there. Thats been the biggest change Ive seen in our kids. They dont ask me anymore. They try to figure it out, they ask a friend, they ask someone in their group. A third approach to classroom decisionmaking can be found back at High Tech High, where each teacher designs his or her own curriculum and students pick the big questions they want to explore. There, cultivating student agency is about building in kids the capacity and desire to change the world around them. Its not, Hey, good job, you mastered this skill, said Rashad, the school leader. Its, Whose life have you made better? If those approaches to classroom decisionmaking seem to be all over the mapwell, thats because they are, said Andy Calkins, the director of Next Generation Learning Challenges, a prominent competition that awards schools grants for adopting personalized learning. (Calkins is a co-author of Next Gen Learning in Action, a blog hosted on edweek.org.) One set of reasons for the variability is structural. Age-graded schools, state standards, high-stakes tests, district pacing guides, and the mix of school improvement strategies any one school is likely pursuing at any given time all work as powerful counterweights to truly letting students shape their own educational experiences, Calkins said. Theres also the tension between personalized learning proponents enthusiasm for boosting student agency and what the research says about it. This idea about having the learner make their own decisions about the best way to learn something has not been proven to be productive, said Pane of the Rand Corp. Finally, theres the ongoing push and pull over the roles of humans and technology in personalized learning environments. The debate has shifted considerably over the past few years, but remains unsettled, contributing to the confusion in the field. Take, for example, AltSchool, founded in 2013 by two ex-Google employees. The company quickly raised more than $175 million in venture capital, largely on the strength of a vision for collecting massive amounts of data, using it to create algorithm-driven recommendations and playlists, and merging them with the judgments of teachers. But recently, said chief impact officer Devin Vodicka, the company has pivoted, embracing a new set of beliefs about how classroom choicesfrom student goal-setting to assigning lessonsshould be made. Now, theres a big focus on reminders and prompts, rather than automated decisions or algorithmic recommendations. What we are doing with technology, which we think is compelling, is more behavioral nudges to encourage the humans to be optimizing their decisionmaking, Vodicka said. Maybe that will be the idea around which the nebulous world of personalized learning finally crystallizes. Or perhaps it will be any of the myriad approaches currently playing out in schools. But for now, personalized learning continues to mean a little bit of everything, and nothing in particular. And thats leaving K-12 at the center of a blizzard, with a limited vocabulary for describing the new practices, old philosophies, and big questions swirling around them. Related Video Ask a dozen educators to define personalized learning and youre bound to get 12 different answers about why this approach to learning has strong benefits and real risks for students. Last semester, I was preparing a lecture on the politics of teachers, and I decided to incorporate an exercise, where I went around and asked all of my undergraduate students: That teacher who impacted you the most, what made that teacher so effective? As students responded aloud, I filled the white board with a constellation of intangibles: She was caring. He took a personal interest in me. She held high expectations. The unifying theme was that the great teachers are inspiring leaders. In fact, they sound just like the kind of inspiring leaders we need trying to solve the nations greatest problems. Teachers have realized this. It is no secret that teachers are now running for office at a record rate. According to Education Week reporting, more than 170 teachers ran for state legislatures in 2018. In yesterdays election, at least 41 of those candidates won their races. There are also stories of people like Jahana Hayesthe 2016 National Teacher of the Year who just won her race to represent Connecticut in the U.S. House of Representatives . In the wake of the 2018 midterm elections, I think its important to depart from the louder debate about a turnout surge signaling a backlash to a fear-mongering president, Democratic gains that fell short of a major blue wave, and the success of progressive female candidates. Instead, lets place context on a less-discussed but equally important group of new public officials: teachers. This isnt the first time that teachers have sought political office, but this is an extremely crucial political moment. As a political scientist, I offer a few strategies that teachers-turned-legislators need to pursue. Position yourself for re-election. Other than making policy, the most important thing for an elected official to do is to remain an elected official. Newly elected teachers must begin thinking about re-election early and often. The downside of this has been the constant fundraising needed to run campaigns, but people and votes are what decide electoral contests. Teachers are uniquely equipped to maintain and grow community ties. This has to be at the forefront of how they govern. Target agenda change. As teachers position themselves for successful re-election, their seniority will eventually breed opportunities to assume leadership on key committees and subcommittees. As teachers, committee positions related to education are the natural first step, but they shouldnt stop there. We also need audacious leadership in the chairperson positions of those committees. The committees are where bills get reshaped into more viable policy proposals. We need bold and compassionate leadership spearheading that process. Create a pipeline. Crafting quality policy proposals is but half of the battle. In order to ensure that teachers can actually increase the quality and quantity of government commitment to public education, teachers must begin the work of opening up leadership pipelines. We need legislative bodies that behave like our best teachers, not newly elected teachers who behave like previous members of legislative bodies. In order to change the look and focus of our decisionmaking bodies, elected teachers have to pave the way for others to come behind them. Make education the leading issue. The last strategy is the most obvious: Teachers have to make education the leading issue in American politics. This requires strategically reframing education as an issue that is both central to the strength of the economy, but also set apart from it. Studies routinely show that voters make decisions at the ballot box based on the conditions of the economy . Our leaders need to push us to reimagine education as an issue inseparable from how well address inequality, increase economic mobility, and improve the overall performance of our economy. However, according to polling this year by Gallup, the economy-related concerns are at the lowest since the turn of the 21st century . Economic anxiety has been replaced with government dissatisfaction and a list of factors like immigration and unifying the country that place social divides at the center. Meanwhile, only 3 percent of respondents rank education as the most important non-economic issue facing the country. To the extent that other issues are gaining national attention, education needs to be the leading non-economic issue. In particular, we should think of education as a way to create unity in times of division. Making education the top national concern in voters minds will require constant messaging from teachers reminding us of its importance. It will also require the teachers across cities and states to coordinate under the shared goal of disseminating that message. During that class exercise, one of my students made a comment that many of us who are fortunate enough to fill prestigious positions often utter: I wouldnt be here if it werent for my teachers. This inspiring batch of newly elected teachers have an opportunity to change the course of our politics and to give that statement an even larger meaning. The importance of sex in married life cannot be overemphasized. When a couple are in love, it connects them both in a very unique way unlike any other and aside from the obvious connecting part to having that special moment with your partner, there are some great medical benefits as well. According to a recent survey by the U.S. Travel Association, it was discovered that couples who travel together see significant benefits to the quality of their relationship most importantlyimprovements in their sex life. Spending quality time with your partner on an erotic vacation is the perfect recipe to spice up life your sex life and rather than opting for popular vacation spots like Paris, Hawaii and Dubai, pack your bags and head to the Oxygen Retreatan erotic resort in the Dominican Republicfor an adventurous adult couple vacation. This vacation gives you an opportunity to spend quality and uninterrupted time with your better half. Spending time in a wonderful setting strengthens the romance while bring you both closer together and re-igniting feelings of intimacy, which are often sacrificed during daily life. In a survey of 1,100 U.S. adults, 72% of themacknowledged that travel inspires romance, and 28% reported that taking a trip actually improved their sex lifeand of these respondents, 40% said the improvement was permanent. This spices up the romance, attraction, and leads to a healthy sex life. Traveling to the Dominican as a coupleespecially without kidscreates an opportunity to spend quality time together without the burdens and distractions that comes with everyday life. When youre on a trip, you probably arent worrying about getting the laundry done or whos going to cook dinner. Youre more relaxed, more in the moment, and are more likely to have your own enjoyment on your mind, said Dr. Dana Fillmore, Therapist and co-Founder of StrongMarriageNow.com in a report. At the Dominican resort, couples are greeted to a heightened sense of adventure and excitement from making love in an erotic location, and the quality of time spent with your spouse, both while traveling and at your destination. Unlike some other vacation spots, chances of being interrupted by any unexpected events or other tourists are extremely reduced. The resortsaim to ignite passion and inspire erotic fantasy between couples, being an all-inclusive and completely clothing optional location.Couples will be surrounded by world-class amenities, white sand private beaches and the kind of deluxe accommodations you would expect from an exclusive, top quality erotic vacation. There are various activities to indulge in such yoga, aqua fitness and even erotic workshops to help you and your partner explore your sexual potential a lot deeper. Spending a romantic weekend together with your partner at the Dominican is bound to leave a lasting effect on your connection to one another, even long after youve both returned from the trip. Chances are, youll feel closer than you did before the trip and those kinds of feelings have a way of perpetuating themselves. The closer you feel, the more affectionate you act. The more affectionate your actions, the closer you feel to your spouse, and so on, said Dr. Filmore. Couples will also have a new set of experiences together, and this has been proven to be more valuable than some couples think. After a trip to the Dominican,couples will have newer stories to tell, newer jokes, newer knowledge about their fantasies and a whole new place/event/experience to talk about with each other. A single trip is bound to resonate with a couple for several years. Iftheres a shared expectationbetween couples, vacationing together is a fantastic way to rekindle the sexual connection to one another and give themselves a chance to strengthen their love bond for weeks, months, and even many years to come. Tens of thousands of UK patients with type 1 diabetes are being denied the potential benefits of flash glucose monitoring devices because of a postcode lottery, an investigation by The BMJ has found. Abbott's Freestyle Libre is currently the only device available in the UK. But the investigation shows that a year after the device became available, around a quarter of clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in England are not recommending it for patients even if they meet NHS England criteria. There are roughly 400,000 people in the UK with type 1 diabetes, including the UK prime minister Theresa May, who uses Freestyle Libre and recently told parliament that it is available on the NHS. But Partha Kar, NHS England's associate national clinical director for diabetes, estimates that only around 3-5% of patients with type 1 diabetes in England currently have access to the sensor on the NHS. If CCGs were following guidance correctly, he believes this figure should be closer to 20-25% - if not higher. He said some CCGs were merely paying "lip service" to offering access to the devices, and that variation in how the criteria were being applied had led to an unacceptable postcode lottery. Consultant diabetologist Emma Wilmot, who treats patients who can access the device and others who can't, says some patients are considering moving to a different GP practice a few miles down the road to meet the criteria, while others were making "huge sacrifices" to fund Libre themselves. Data disclosed by CCGs to The BMJ in response to Freedom of Information requests show that some CCGs have made the devices available to hundreds of patients via GPs and have spent thousands on prescriptions, while some say that the devices are only prescribed by secondary care clinicians. And some CCGs are imposing stricter access criteria than those recommended by NHS England leading GPs to ignore this advice because they believe the device will help their patients. Meanwhile, official prescribing data collated by the diabetes campaigner Nick Cahm and shared with The BMJ suggests that only 2% of patients with type 1 diabetes in England are getting Libre on GP prescription, compared to 11% in Scotland, 16% in Wales, and 35% in Northern Ireland. As of July 2018, GP prescribing data showed that only only two out of 195 CCGs in England had prescribed Freestyle Libre to more than 20% of patients with type 1 diabetes, only 15 CCGs had prescribed it to over 10% of type 1 patients, and 25 CCGs had issued no prescriptions at all. Cahm told The BMJ: "Lots of the variation doesn't need to be there. Being a type 1 diabetic is the same whether you're in Birmingham, London, or Northern Ireland. It doesn't seem to be logical. Decisions should be made by a specialist advisory panel." The BMJ has also learnt that some GPs in areas where CCGs have not recommended flash monitoring are prescribing Freestyle Libre against their CCG's advice. Nick Cahm said that some CCGs were only thinking about their short term finances rather than long term gains that could occur if patients type 1 diabetes have better control of their condition, and suffer fewer complications in years to come. Emma Wilmot believes that Freestyle Libre is one of the biggest "life changing" advancements in type 1 diabetes care for many years, and that "by preventing people having access to the Libre you are compromising their quality of life compared to what it could be." Julie Wood, chief executive of NHS Clinical Commissioners, said: "Unfortunately the NHS does not have unlimited resources and ensuring patients get the best possible care against a backdrop of spiralling demands, competing priorities and increasing financial pressures is one of the biggest issues CCGs face." ### Against this background, the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) is organising two symposia dealing with microbial risks in food in November 2018: "Food-associated viruses" on 7 November and "Antimicrobial resistance in the food chain" on 8/9 November. "Microbial risks have arrived in public awareness," says BfR President, Professor Dr. Dr. Andreas Hensel. "Our current representative population survey, the BfR Consumer Monitor, showed that 97% of respondents have heard of salmonella in foods and 89% about antimicrobial resistance, with the majority of them stating that they are concerned about these topics. However, everyone is in a position to minimise personal health risks by assuring an adequate level of kitchen hygiene". There has been a clear reduction in the use of antibiotics in animal husbandry in recent years. Resistance rates are decreasing at the same time in many areas of livestock farming, albeit to different degrees and not in all areas. The number of foodborne diseases caused by viruses is increasing continuously. Hepatitis E, for instance, is transmitted via foods produced from infected domestic and wild pigs. Cases of foodborne infections with noroviruses and hepatitis A viruses are also on the rise. To do justice to the growing significance of these viruses, a European Reference Laboratory was set up for foodborne viruses. Even though the detection methods for viruses in foods have improved considerably in recent years, there is still a need for comprehensive research on how these viruses are transmitted and which measures can prevent their spread. There has been a sharp decrease in the use of antibiotics in livestock farming in Germany in recent years. Since 2011, records have been kept of the quantities of antimicrobial veterinary drugs sold to veterinarians. Ever since, these quantities have decreased by 57% from 1706 tonnes (t) in 2011 to around 733 t in 2017 despite a concurrent increase in meat production. There has also been a decrease in the frequency of the treatment of livestock with antibiotics in Germany, as the BfR's VetCAb (Veterinary Consumption of Antibiotics) research programme shows. During the same period, there was a reduction in antimicrobial resistance in several bacteria in the food chain. A study for the period from 2009 to 2016 shows that, with regard to naturally occurring E. coli in chicken and turkey production, the proportion of bacteria resistant to the majority of the antibiotics tested in the study dropped significantly. In particular, active substance classes administered to livestock frequently and/or in large quantities show a diminishing trend both in the quantities used as well as the resistance rates of E. coli. The study also shows, however, that resistance rates are still high in both poultry production chains, meaning that they can still be of considerable significance as a source of resistant bacteria and their resistance genes in humans. No all-clear can be given for the antibiotic group of fluoroquinolones. Resistance to them has risen in some bacterial species. As there has been no clear reverse tendency in the frequency of treatment either, scientists are recommending that a close eye be kept on this trend in future. Resistance to so-called antimicrobials of last resort poses a special challenge to the health system. They are used in human medicine when the efficacy of other antibiotics has already been discounted. An important representative of the antimicrobials of last resort is the polypeptidic antibiotic colistin. Due to an increase in resistance to other substances, the significance of this active substance has been upgraded by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Up to now, however, it has been one of the most commonly used substances in livestock farming. Due to its significance, coordinated measures are required worldwide to restrict the spread of colistin resistance. To this end, the restrictive use of this kind of antimicrobials will be absolutely essential in future. The control of antimicrobial resistance is a key issue for the BfR. In addition to the tasks of the National Reference Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance, as well as numerous research projects, conferences and symposia on antimicrobial resistance, the BfR is also involved in the recording of the use of antibiotics in animal stocks by species. It is endeavouring to estimate the effects in human medicine and to develop and validate concepts to reduce the frequency of resistant bacteria. All of this is being done within the framework of the "One Health" concept in collaboration with experts from the fields of livestock farming, veterinary medicine, biology and human medicine, both in Germany and abroad. In recent years, state authorities all over the world have taken measures to control the spread of antimicrobial resistance. The WHO has initiated the "Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance" and with the German Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy (DART 2020), the national government has developed concepts to reduce antimicrobial resistance. These include the 16th amendment to the German Drug Law of April 2014 which attempts to cover the use of antimicrobial veterinary drugs in livestock fattening businesses in a valid manner. Businesses which use more drugs than comparable businesses must draw up plans and take measures to reduce use. ### The 35th World Cultural Council (WCC) Award Ceremony, hosted in Hong Kong and the Greater China region for the first time, was successfully held at City University of Hong Kong (CityU) today November 8 The 35th World Cultural Council (WCC) Award Ceremony, hosted in Hong Kong and the Greater China region for the first time, was successfully held at City University of Hong Kong (CityU) today (8 November). The 2018 Albert Einstein World Award of Science and the 2018 Jose Vasconcelos World Award of Education were granted to two eminent scholars from France and South Africa, respectively. Also, nine young scholars from CityU received special recognition at the ceremony for their outstanding achievements. Over 300 distinguished guests attended the ceremony, which was officiated by, among others, Professor Way Kuo, President of CityU, Professor Sir Colin Blakemore, President of the WCC, and Dr Choi Yuk-lin, Under Secretary for Education, HKSAR Government. Speaking at the ceremony, President Kuo said "It is our great honour that CityU has this opportunity this year to host this influential academic award ceremony. We are proud that we are the first university in Hong Kong, and in the Greater China region in fact, to host such a major event." Professor Sir Colin Blakemore said, "Over the years, our distinguished jury members have identified an impressive list of prize winners, selected not only for their scientific, educational or artistic merits, but also for their contributions to the well-being of humanity and their qualities as role models who can inspire future generations." Guest of honour Dr Choi thanked CityU for bringing this signature event to Hong Kong. She said, "The development of science is indeed closely linked with school education. Nurturing talent with different science and technology expertise is not only essential for meeting the challenges of today's world, but also significant for enhancing the long-term development and competitiveness of Hong Kong." Widely acknowledged as one of the fathers of modern neurobiology and neuroscience, Professor Jean-Pierre Changeux, Emeritus Professor of Neuroscience at the Institut Pasteur and College de France, was granted the 2018 Albert Einstein World Award of Science for his exceptional scientific achievements and leadership in the field of neuroscience, and especially for his pioneering contributions to the understanding of neuroreceptors over the past 50 years. His work on the mechanism of neural networks has narrowed the gap between molecular biology and cognitive science, and has had a significant impact on healthcare and drugs related to illnesses such as neurological disorders. In his acceptance speech, Professor Changeux thanked the WCC for granting him the award and said the field of research that the Council had focused on this year was highly relevant. "Brain science is, in my opinion, one of the most important, if not the most important, area of scientific inquiry," Professor Changeux said. "The brain is the target of many disabling diseases such as Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, autism and depression," and these would require a deeper understanding of the "brain as a chemical machine" to pave the way towards identifying and designing new medications. Professor Malik Maaza of the University of South Africa (UNISA) and at iThemba LABS-National Research Foundation, South Africa, and the holder of the UNESCO-UNISA Africa Chair in Nanosciences and Nanotechnology, UNESCO, was granted the 2018 Jose Vasconcelos World Award of Education. The award acknowledges his efforts in promoting education for societal development and sustainability and recognises his international and humanistic approach to science education, as well as his commitment to training and mentoring young scientists in Africa. "I accept this unique recognition in the humblest manner and pledge to carry out the noble legacy of the late Honourable Jose Vasconcelos and instil it in the hearts, minds and souls of African youth and all those whose paths I cross from this moment on," said Professor Maaza after receiving the award. The WCC Award Ceremony also granted special acknowledgements to young researchers and scholars from Hong Kong who have achieved outstanding performances in the fields of science, education or the arts. "I am pleased to see nine of our own CityU scholars receiving special recognition diplomas from the WCC today," President Kuo said. "Coming from engineering, creative media, science and public policy disciplines, they have outstanding records of giving back to society through their research." The nine promising young CityU research leaders are Dr Ray Cheung Chak-chung, Associate Professor, Department of Electronic Engineering; Dr Johnny Ho Chung-yin, Associate Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering; Dr Lam Miu-ling, Associate Professor, School of Creative Media; Dr Patrick Lee Kwan-hon, Associate Professor and Associate Dean, School of Energy and Environment; Dr Eddie Ma Chi-him, Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences; Dr Shi Peng, Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering; Professor Wang Zuankai, Department of Mechanical Engineering; Dr Zhang Xiaoling, Associate Professor, Department of Public Policy; and Dr Zheng Bo, Assistant Professor, School of Creative Media. They were recognised with a commemorative diploma during the ceremony. ### Notes to editors: Photos will be emailed. Media enquiry: Karen Cheng Communications and Public Relations Office City University of Hong Kong +852 3442 6805 / +852 9201 8895 cheng.karen@cityu.edu.hk Lee Pik Kwan Office of the Vice-President (Research & Technology) City University of Hong Kong +852 3442 8925 pikklee@cityu.edu.hk Pilar Martinez, Public Relations Officer World Cultural Council +52 555 589 2907 pilar.martinez@consejoculturalmundial.org Social media echo chambers may reflect real-life conversations that are linked to the geographic locations of users, according to new research from City, University of London Social media echo chambers may reflect real-life conversations that are linked to the geographic locations of users, according to new research. The findings contradict the assumption that echo chambers - discussions which only involve people with the same views - are the result of online interactions alone. Conducted by City, University of London and published in the journal PLOS ONE, the study analysed 33,889 Twitter posts from the Brexit referendum campaign period. The average distance between users who sent pro-leave messages was just 22km (around 14 miles) and the average for remain supporters was 40km (around 25 miles). Lead researcher Dr Marco Bastos said: "Our study suggests that online echo chambers may be the result of conversations that spill over from in-person interactions. "It calls into question the assumption that echo chambers are a kind of disease created by social media, and instead suggests that people are bringing their pub conversations to online debate." The study analysed posts by 15,299 Twitter users on the subject of the Brexit referendum during the official ten-week campaign period, between 15th April and 23rd June 2016. It was found that 69 per cent of pro-leave messages were interactions with other pro-leave accounts, and 68 per cent of pro-remain messages were with other pro-remain accounts. Just 9 per cent of tweets by leave supporters were sent to remain supporters, who similarly only sent 10 per cent of messages to pro-leave users. The findings add more weight to the idea that there were significant social media echo chambers during the build-up to the UK's EU referendum. According to the study, remain-supporting users were more likely to speak to other remain supporters outside of their own geographic areas, whereas leave supporters were more restricted to interaction with users from nearby areas. Researcher Dr Dan Mercea said: "The differences between echo chambers involving leave and remain supporters can be explained by the distinct geographical clustering of their social networks where communication online represents part of their existing social relations." As shown in maps created by the researchers to show the locations of echo chambers, users who tweeted pro-leave messages were clustered around areas that voted strongly in favour of Brexit, including the Midlands, north and east of England. When the campaign period neared its final three weeks, the average distance between pro-leave users' messages decreased, while the average distance between remain supporters' tweets went up. Dr Andrea Baronchelli said: "Our study sheds light on the so-far largely unexplored connection between the online and offline dimensions of our society. "We expect more intricate relationships between physical ties and online interactions to be at play and I anticipate our results will spark more research in this direction. "For example, future studies should investigate whether participation in online echo chambers is motivated by talking to people offline who also share their political views or whether the directionality works the other way around." ### Notes to editors Read the full paper, The geographic embedding of online echo chambers: Evidence from the Brexit campaign: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0206841 Media contact at City, University of London: * Ed Grover: ed.grover@city.ac.uk; 0207 040 3062; 07972 113 628 City, University of London is a global higher education institution committed to academic excellence, with a focus on business and the professions and an enviable central London location. City's academic range is broadly-based with world-leading strengths in business; law; health sciences; mathematics; computer science; engineering; social sciences; and the arts including journalism and music. City has around 18,000 students (35% at postgraduate level) from more than 160 countries and staff from over 75 countries. In the last REF, City doubled the proportion of its total academic staff producing world-leading or internationally excellent research. More than 130,000 former students from over 180 countries are members of the City Alumni Network. The University's history dates from 1894, with the foundation of the Northampton Institute on what is now the main part of City's campus. In 1966, City was granted University status by Royal Charter and the Lord Mayor of London became its Chancellor. In September 2016, City joined the University of London and HRH the Princess Royal became City's Chancellor. Led by President, Professor Sir Paul Curran since 2010, City has made signi?cant investments in its academic staff, its estate and its infrastructure and continues to work towards realising its vision of being a leading global university: it has recently agreed a new Vision & Strategy 2026. New York -- November 8, 2018 -- Last night, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) founders Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg received the Double Helix Medal at an event held at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Priscilla Chan accepted the award on the couple's behalf. The Double Helix Medal, launched by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in 2006, recognizes individuals who boldly participate in the fight to find cures for the world's diseases. Previous winners include Alan Alda, Tom Brokaw, and David Botstein. "Mark and I are beyond honored to receive the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory's Double Helix Medal," said Priscilla Chan. "We feel privileged to help lift up and support the work of scientists and researchers who are on the front lines of helping to cure, prevent or manage all disease." "Curing disease takes people from all different fields--scientists, clinicians, engineers-- collaborating in new ways, and with the support of new ideas and technologies," said Mark Zuckerberg. "Priscilla and I are incredibly grateful to receive this award and to support the work of the scientific community who are making major leaps forward in disease management and eradication." Larry Norton, a medical oncologist and Senior Vice President of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, also received a Double Helix Medal for his work in breast cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. "Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is thrilled to be honoring Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg for their innovative philanthropic venture known as the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative," said President & CEO of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Bruce Stillman. "Their mission of supporting basic biomedical research mirrors that of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, and their goals of curing, preventing, or managing all diseases in their children's lifetime exemplifies what we look for in a Double Helix Medal honoree." More than 400 people attended the event, the proceeds of which benefit Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. The event was hosted by journalist Lesley Stahl. In September 2016, Chan and Zuckerberg launched CZI Science with the mission to support the science and technology that will make it possible to help cure, prevent, or manage all diseases by the end of the century. As part of this effort, they committed $3 billion to accelerate basic science research over 10 years. Since then, highlights from CZI's work in science include supporting the global Human Cell Atlas effort to map every cell in the healthy human body, and launching the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub to develop tools with and for scientists. One recent project is IDseq, an open-source, cloud-based tool that will enable researchers around the world to quickly identify pathogens at the root of disease outbreaks--before they spread across the globe. ### About Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Founded in 1890, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory has shaped contemporary biomedical research and education with programs in cancer, neuroscience, plant biology and quantitative biology. Home to eight Nobel Prize winners, the private, not-for-profit Laboratory employs 1,100 people, including 600 scientists, students, and technicians. The Meetings & Courses Program hosts more than 12,000 scientists from around the world each year on its campuses in Long Island and in Suzhou, China. The Laboratory's education arm also includes an academic publishing house, a graduate school, and programs for middle and high school students and teachers. About the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative: The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative was launched in December 2015 by Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Facebook, and Priscilla Chan, a pediatrician and founder and CEO of The Primary School in East Palo Alto. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative is a new kind of philanthropy that seeks to engineer change at scale. By pairing world-class engineering with grant-making, impact investing, policy, and advocacy work, CZI hopes to build a future for everyone. Initial areas of focus include supporting science through basic biomedical research and education through personalized learning. CZI is also exploring ways to address barriers to justice and opportunity--from criminal justice reform, to expanded access, to economic opportunity and affordable housing. UPTON, NY - By using an x-ray technique available at the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II), scientists found that the metal-insulator transition in the correlated material magnetite is a two-step process. The researchers from the University of California Davis published their paper in the journal Physical Review Letters. NSLS-II, a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science user facility located at Brookhaven National Laboratory, has unique features that allow the technique to be applied with stability and control over long periods of time. "Correlated materials have interesting electronic, magnetic, and structural properties, and we try to understand how those properties change when their temperature is changed or under the application of light pulses, or an electric field" said Roopali Kukreja, a UC Davis professor and the lead author of the paper. One such property is electrical conductivity, which determines whether a material is metallic or an insulator. If a material is a good conductor of electricity, it is usually metallic, and if it is not, it is then known as an insulator. In the case of magnetite, temperature can change whether the material is a conductor or insulator. For the published study, the researchers' goal was to see how the magnetite changed from insulator to metallic at the atomic level as it got hotter. In any material, there is a specific arrangement of electrons within each of its billions of atoms. This ordering of electrons is important because it dictates a material's properties, for example its conductivity. To understand the metal-insulator transition of magnetite, the researchers needed a way to watch how the arrangement of the electrons in the material changed with the alteration of temperature. "This electronic arrangement is related to why we believe magnetite becomes an insulator," said Kukreja. However, studying this arrangement and how it changes under different conditions required the scientists to be able to look at the magnetite at a super-tiny scale. The technique, known as x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS), available at NSLS-II's Coherent Soft X-ray scattering (CSX) beamline, allowed the researchers to look at how the material changed at the nanoscale--on the order of billionths of a meter. "CSX is designed for soft x-ray coherent scattering. This means that the beamline exploits our ultrabright, stable and coherent source of x-rays to analyze how the electron's arrangement changes over time," explained Andi Barbour, a CSX scientist who is a coauthor on the paper. "The excellent stability allows researchers to investigate tiny variations over hours so that the intrinsic electron behavior in materials can be revealed." However, this is not directly visible so XPCS uses a trick to reveal the information. "The XPCS technique is a coherent scattering method capable of probing dynamics in a condensed matter system. A speckle pattern is generated when a coherent x-ray beam is scattered from a sample, as a fingerprint of its inhomogeneity in real space," said Wen Hu, a scientist at CSX and co-author of the paper. Scientists can then apply different conditions to their material and if the speckle pattern changes, it means the electron ordering in the sample is changing. "Essentially, XPCS measures how much time it takes for a speckle's intensity to become very different from the average intensity, which is known as decorrelation," said Claudio Mazzoli, the lead beamline scientist at the CSX beamline. "Considering many speckles at once, the ensemble decorrelation time is the signature of the dynamic timescale for a given sample condition." The technique revealed that the metal-insulator transition is not a one step process, as was previously thought, but actually happens in two steps. "What we expected was that things would go faster and faster while warming up. What we saw was that things get faster and faster and then they slow down. So the fast phase is one step and the second step is the slowing down, and that needs to happen before the material becomes metallic," said Kukreja. The scientists suspect that the slowing down occurs because, during the phase change, the metallic and insulating properties actually exist at the same time in the material. "This study shows that these nanometer length scales are really important for these materials," said Kukreja. "We can't access this information and these experimental parameters anywhere else than at the CSX beamline of NSLS-II." ### This research was funded by the National Science Foundation, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and the University of California's Multicampus Research Programs and Initiatives. Related Links An electronic version of this news release with related graphics: https://www.bnl.gov/newsroom/news.php?a=113208 Scientific Paper: "Orbital Domain Dynamics in Magnetite below the Verwey Transition" Brookhaven National Laboratory is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov. One of ten national laboratories overseen and primarily funded by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Brookhaven National Laboratory conducts research in the physical, biomedical, and environmental sciences, as well as in energy technologies and national security. Brookhaven Lab also builds and operates major scientific facilities available to university, industry and government researchers. Brookhaven is operated and managed for DOE's Office of Science by Brookhaven Science Associates, a limited-liability company founded by the Research Foundation for the State University of New York on behalf of Stony Brook University, the largest academic user of Laboratory facilities, and Battelle, a nonprofit applied science and technology organization. Follow @brookhavenlab on Twitter and Facebook Media contact: Peter Genzer [genzer@bnl.gov], (631) 344-3174, or Karen McNulty Walsh [kmcnulty@bnl.gov], (631) 344-8350 At a glance: The $200-million commitment will fund: Fundamental curiosity-driven research and a therapeutics initiative to catalyze the development of new treatments Integrated data science and artificial intelligence capabilities and applications Cross-disciplinary research across the Harvard life sciences ecosystem LifeLab Longwood, an incubator for early-stage, high-potential biotech start-ups In honor of the gift--the largest in Harvard Medical School history--the School will name a research institute for the donor to recognize the pioneering work of its basic science and social science departments. BOSTON [Nov. 8, 2018]--Harvard University announced today that the Blavatnik Family Foundation has pledged $200 million to Harvard Medical School to accelerate the pace of therapeutic discovery and support initiatives aimed at solving some of humanity's most acute biomedical challenges. The gift, the largest in the School's 236-year history, will help propel Harvard's mission in transforming health through curiosity-driven research that stimulates the development of new therapies and tools to diagnose and prevent disease. School priorities supported by the gift include deepening fundamental discovery; accelerating the development of new treatments; spurring applications of data science toward the comprehension, diagnosis, treatment and cure of disease; recruiting data scientists, computational biologists, bioengineers and other experts; and catalyzing collaborative discovery across the broader Harvard life sciences ecosystem. Biomedicine is at a unique inflection point, marked by a dizzying pace of discovery and rapid proliferation of new technologies. The gift will enable Harvard Medical School to harness unprecedented opportunities for discovery and remove barriers that historically have stymied efforts to expedite the translation of basic insights into promising treatments. "We are deeply grateful to the Blavatnik Family Foundation--and Len Blavatnik in particular--for the resounding vote of confidence in Harvard Medical School," said Harvard University President Lawrence Bacow. "Len is one of this generation's greatest philanthropists. He understands that great strides in human health comprise many steps taken by many people over long periods of time." "This tremendous act of generosity will speed progress and generate profound and lasting contributions to science and human health," Bacow added. "In each aspect of the gift, one recognizes not only a deep commitment to supporting outstanding research, but also a fundamental understanding of and respect for the nature of the scientific enterprise--and the hope it holds for all of humanity." Led by business leader and philanthropist Len Blavatnik, who received his MBA in 1989 from Harvard Business School, the Blavatnik Family Foundation is well-known for its generous charitable activities that have advanced life-sciences innovation around the world, most notably the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists. "It has long been my goal to support innovative, breakthrough scientific research and to expedite the translation of scientific discovery into treatments and cures," Blavatnik said. "Harvard Medical School, with its unparalleled history of scientific achievement, creativity and science entrepreneurship, is the ideal partner to further this dream. I am confident that the School will make the most of this gift to build on its tradition of scientific greatness in the years ahead." The overarching goal of the gift is to accelerate the pace of therapeutic discovery by shortening the trajectory between basic discovery and transformation of insights into therapies. "The work that takes place in the labs and clinics across Harvard Medical School embodies the promise of curiosity-driven fundamental research to solve some of humanity's most confounding and pressing biomedical challenges. In that sense, this is a gift to medicine and, indeed, to patients everwhere," said George Q. Daley, dean of Harvard Medical School. "This transformational gift will bring us closer to solving the most intractable health challenges of our time," Daley added. "We are deeply grateful to the Blavatnik Family Foundation for its support." The gift will fund: A therapeutics initiative that catalyzes the development of new treatments as well as trains scientists to be more effective contributors to therapeutic translation. A central tenet of the initiative is that effective treatments emanate from deep insights into the fundamental mechanisms of disease that follow from curiosity-driven research, but the current system for translating discovery into therapies must be optimized. To achieve that, the therapeutics initiative will eliminate barriers to therapeutic optimization--common across academia--such as insufficient funding for therapeutic discovery, inadequate support for enabling technologies and a cultural divide between academic and industry scientists. Specifically, the gift will allow Harvard Medical School to: Boost the imaging and visualization capabilities of the Harvard Cryo-Electron Microscopy Center for Structural Biology. Cryo-EM is a revolutionary technology that has given science a more powerful magnifying glass, enabling an unprecedented level of visualization of life's exquisitely complex molecular machinery. The ability to see life at the atomic level is already allowing scientists to unravel biomolecular structures and behavior in disease and health. Cryo-EM is yielding new insights into the proteins that render tumors resistant to chemotherapy and make bacteria impervious to drugs, among other findings. Cryo-EM promises to enable the identification of new drug targets and to fuel the design of next-generation precision therapies for a range of diseases that arise from molecular aberrations. Enhance single-cell sequencing capabilities, allowing scientists to profile cellular behavior, one cell at a time and in the context of its immediate surroundings or microenvironment. Scientists traditionally have studied disease and health by analyzing masses of cells in complex tissues, but the approach obscures subtle yet critical variations within individual cells among a complex population. Single-cell analysis offers far greater precision and informs how the minutest of shifts in cellular behavior can shape biology, disease and health. Propel Harvard Medical School's work in the field of drug discovery by enhancing high-throughput screening capabilities that promise to accelerate precision therapies. High-throughput drug screening can advance the identification of new treatments by enabling scientists to rapidly sift through hundreds of thousands, even millions, of chemical compounds, looking for potential "hits." One such treatment approach is found in precision-targeted drugs for a particularly recalcitrant form of lung cancer. Emanating from research conducted at Harvard Medical School and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, these small-molecule treatments turn off a tumor growth-fueling gene present in a subset of patients with the disease. Collectively, these and other new and enhanced technology platforms will spark innovation in both fundamental and translational discovery, and bridge bench-to-bedside applications across the Harvard life sciences ecosystem. Spark fertile intellectual communities. Harvard Medical School will enrich its pool of scientific talent by recruiting the most promising bioengineers, physicists, quantitative analysts and computational biologists who have the specialized expertise needed to harness new data-rich technologies to advance biological research, build and manage new core technology facilities and train fellow scientists. The School will empower its biomedical informatics and data science initiatives to harness advances in artificial intelligence, machine learning and augmented reality to help scientists generate richer insights into a range of biological phenomena, ranging from the behavior of rogue cells in cancer development to improving diagnosis for mystifying disorders. To that end, HMS will create a new data science core facility that will enable the conceptualization, design and development of new computational and AI tools and technologies for use by researchers across the Harvard life sciences community. Build bridges across disciplines and areas of inquiry. Through a robust collaborative-grants program, Harvard Medical School will bring scientists together to solve challenging biomedical problems. The gift will fund promising partnerships among researchers based on the Harvard Medical School campus and at its 15 affiliated teaching hospitals and research institutions. These grants will bring together scientists with a wide range of expertise, skill sets and disciplines who will work to solve the most confounding biomedical challenges, and also accelerate interdepartmental and cross-institutional research partnerships across the broader biomedical ecosystem. Launch the Blavatnik Harvard Life Lab Longwood. Building on the success of the pioneering Pagliuca Harvard Life Lab in Allston, the Blavatnik Harvard Life Lab Longwood will provide collaborative workspaces for early-stage, high-potential biotech and life sciences start-ups founded by Harvard students, alumni, postdoctoral scholars and faculty. Situated on the Harvard Medical School campus, in the heart of the Longwood Medical Area, the planned Blavatnik Harvard Life Lab Longwood will foster collaborations with biotech industry experts, academics and investors. As part of the Harvard Innovation Labs, the new life lab will offer diverse resources, including business building, industry-specific programming and expert advisors and mentors. In recognition of this gift, HMS will name the Blavatnik Institute at Harvard Medical School--an umbrella research institute to encompass the School's 10 academic departments. The institute will recognize the unique identity of the scientific enterprise housed on the HMS Quadrangle, while supporting research infrastructure that will be a magnet for the broader life sciences community, including the 15 Harvard-affiliated teaching hospitals and research institutions, as well as other Harvard schools and peer institutions. The Blavatnik Family Foundation's history of support at Harvard originated a decade ago with a gift that established the Biomedical Accelerator Fund in 2007, followed by a $50 million gift in 2013 that created the Blavatnik Biomedical Accelerator at Harvard University and the Blavatnik Fellowship in Life Science Entrepreneurship at Harvard Business School. Many Harvard Medical School scientists from a range of disciplines--immunology, genetics, neurobiology and stem cell biology, among others--have received support from the Blavatnik Biomedical Accelerator to advance translational efforts in areas spanning cancer immunology, regenerative medicine, neuroscience, infectious disease and reproductive medicine. One of the early recipients of the Blavatnik Award for Young Scientists was Rachel Wilson, the Martin Family Professor of Basic Research in the Field of Neurobiology at Harvard Medical School. ### Imagine a day when - rather than being spewed into the atmosphere - the gases coming from power plants and heavy industry are instead captured and fed into catalytic reactors that chemically transform greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide into industrial fuels or chemicals and that emit only oxygen. It's a future that Haotian Wang says may be closer than many realize. A Fellow at the Rowland Institute at Harvard, Wang and colleagues have developed an improved system to use renewable electricity to reduce carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide - a key commodity used in a number of industrial processes. The system is described in a November 8 paper published in Joule, a newly launched sister journal of Cell press. "The most promising idea may be to connect these devices with coal-fired power plants or other industry that produces a lot of CO 2 ," Wang said. "About 20 percent of those gases are CO 2 , so if you can pump them into this cell...and combine it with clean electricity, then we can potentially produce useful chemicals out of these wastes in a sustainable way, and even close part of that CO 2 cycle." The new system, Wang said, represents a dramatic step forward from the one he and colleagues first described in a 2017 paper in Chem. Where that old system was barely the size of a cell phone and relied on two electrolyte-filled chambers, each of which held an electrode, the new system is cheaper and relies on high concentrations of CO 2 gas and water vapor to operate more efficiently - just one 10-by-10-centimeter cell, Wang said, can produce as much as four liters of CO per hour. The new system, Wang said, addresses the two main challenges - cost and scalability - that were seen as limiting the initial approach. "In that earlier work, we had discovered the single nickel-atom catalysts which are very selective for reducing CO 2 to CO...but one of the challenges we faced was that the materials were expensive to synthesize," Wang said. "The support we were using to anchor single nickel atoms was based on graphene, which made it very difficult to scale up if you wanted to produce it at gram or even kilogram scale for practical use in the future." To address that problem, he said, his team turned to a commercial product that's thousands of times cheaper than graphene as an alternative support - carbon black. Using a process similar to electrostatic attraction, Wang and colleagues are able to absorb single nickel atoms (positively charged) into defects (negatively charged) in carbon black nanoparticles, with the resulting material being both low-cost and highly selective for CO 2 reduction. "Right now, the best we can produce is grams, but previously we could only produce milligrams per batch," Wang said. "But this is only limited by the synthesis equipment we have; if you had a larger tank, you could make kilograms or even tons of this catalyst." The other challenge Wang and colleagues had to overcome was tied to the fact that the original system only worked in a liquid solution. The initial system worked by using an electrode in one chamber to split water molecules into oxygen and protons. As the oxygen bubbled away, protons conducted through the liquid solution would move into the second chamber, where - with the help of the nickel catalyst - they would bind with CO 2 and break the molecule apart, leaving CO and water. That water could then be fed back into the first chamber, where it would again be split, and the process would start again. "The problem was that, the CO 2 we can reduce in that system are only those dissolved in water; most of the molecules surrounding the catalyst were water," he said. "There was only a trace amount of CO 2 , so it was pretty inefficient." While it may be tempting to simply increase the voltage applied on the catalyst to increase the reaction rate, that can have the unintended consequence of splitting water, not reducing CO 2 , Wang said. "If you deplete the CO 2 that's close to the electrode, other molecules have to diffuse to the electrode, and that takes time," Wang said. "But if you're increasing the voltage, it's more likely that the surrounding water will take that opportunity to react and split into hydrogen and oxygen." The solution proved to be relatively simple - to avoid splitting water, the team took the catalyst out of solution. "We replaced that liquid water with water vapor, and feed in high-concentration CO 2 gas," he said. "So if the old system was more than 99 percent water and less than 1 percent CO 2 , now we can completely reverse that, and pump 97 percent CO 2 gas and only 3 percent water vapor into this system. Before those liquid water also functions as ion conductors in the system, and now we use ion exchange membranes instead to help ions move around without liquid water. "The impact is that we can deliver an order of magnitude higher current density," he continued. "Previously, we were operating at about ten milliamps-per-centimeter squared, but today we can easily ramp up to 100 milliamps." Going forward, Wang said, the system still has challenges to overcome - particularly related to stability. "If you want to use this to make an economic or environmental impact, it needs to have a continuous operations of thousands of hours," he said. "Right now, we can do this for tens of hours, so there's still a big gap, but I believe those problems can be addressed with more detailed analysis of both the CO 2 reduction catalyst and the water oxidation catalyst." Ultimately, Wang said, the day may come when industry will be able to capture the CO 2 that is now released into the atmosphere and transform it into useful products. "Carbon monoxide is not a particularly high value chemical product," Wang said. "To explore more possibilities, my group has also developed several copper-based catalysts that can further reduce CO 2 into products that are much more valuable." Wang credited the freedom he enjoyed at the Rowland Institute for helping lead to breakthroughs like the new system. "Rowland has provided me, as an early career researcher, a great platform for independent research, which initiates a large portion of the research directions my group will continue to push forward," said Wang, who recently accepted a position at Rice University. "I will definitely miss my days here." ### This research is supported with funding from the Rowland Fellows Program, the Center for Nanoscale Systems, NSERC, the National Research Council Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Province of Saskatchewan, Western Economic Diversification Canada, the University of Saskatchewan, the National Science Foundation, the China Scholarship Council and Rice University. Fontainebleau (France), Singapore, Abu Dhabi, November 7, 2018 - Thanks to a quirk in the way our brain evaluates goals, people feel it's easier to achieve a small incremental goal than to maintain the status quo, when both goals are assessed in isolation. This is especially true if the context is seen as unfavourable. This finding, which contrasts with the popular belief that no change is easier than any change, is the fruit of research led by marketing professors from INSEAD, IE Business School and Pamplin College of Business. "When evaluating goal difficulty, our brain first considers the gap between the starting point and the desired state. Usually, the bigger the gap, the more difficult the goal. However, if there is no gap to speak of, as in the case of a status quo goal, the brain starts scanning the context, anticipating potential reasons for failure," said study co-author Amitava Chattopadhyay, Professor of Marketing and the GlaxoSmithKline Chaired Professor of Corporate Innovation at INSEAD. For example, if your goal is to keep the same weight this year, you may start considering the odds of you regularly eating out due to a high workload, the number of your upcoming business trips, the fact that a new donut shop has opened in your neighbourhood, etc. "Our assessment of context is peculiar in the sense that it is greatly impacted by a negativity bias," says Antonios Stamatogiannakis, Assistant Professor of Marketing at IE Business School. Our brain has evolved over the millennia to be more sensitive to bad news than good news. Most of us instinctively give more weight to potential reasons for failure than reasons for success. When a status quo goal is directly compared to one that involves a modest improvement, objectivity prevails: The absence of a gap makes the status quo goal seems easier, as logic would dictate. Nevertheless, in such a direct comparison scenario, study participants still preferred to pursue a small incremental goal over a "maintenance" goal, as they expected this achievement to be more satisfying. These results are described in "Attainment versus Maintenance Goals: Perceived Difficulty and Impact on Goal Choice", a paper co-authored by Chattopadhyay, Stamatogiannakis and Dipankar Chakravarti, Professor of Marketing at Pamplin College of Business. Their paper was published in the November 2018 issue of Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes. A two-step process Across six studies, Chattopadhyay and his study co-authors showed that the brain assesses goal difficulty using a two-step process. First comes the size of the gap to be bridged. But if that gap is zero, the brain defaults to the second step, which is the context in which the goal is to be achieved. Context assessment usually triggers negativity bias, which is why, when judged in isolation, a maintenance goal is deemed more difficult than one involving a small increment. In the first studies, participants were split into groups that each evaluated the difficulty of a particular goal type. While the difficulty of the goal was generally correlated to the gap size, goals that involved a modest increment were rated as easier than those involving the status quo (rated separately). When asked to explain their ratings, participants evaluating status quo goals were quick to mention all the obstacles that could crop up. In later studies, participants were more interested in pursuing a modest-attainment goal than to maintain the status quo, even when real money was in play. Implications Managers setting goals such as sales quotas should be aware that status quo goals are less attractive than ones involving a slight increment. This may be especially true if the economy is in a downturn, as a status quo goal will precisely draw the staff's attention to the negative context and have a demoralising effect. "Marketing-wise, promotions requiring consumers to achieve modest attainment goals, such as a small increase in a customer's account balance in the case of a bank, may prove more popular than promotions involving no such goal," says Chattopadhyay. ### CAMBRIDGE, MA -- Schizophrenia, a brain disorder that produces hallucinations, delusions, and cognitive impairments, usually strikes during adolescence or young adulthood. While some signs can suggest that a person is at high risk for developing the disorder, there is no way to definitively diagnose it until the first psychotic episode occurs. MIT neuroscientists working with researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and the Shanghai Mental Health Center have now identified a pattern of brain activity correlated with development of schizophrenia, which they say could be used as a marker to diagnose the disease earlier. "You can consider this pattern to be a risk factor. If we use these types of brain measurements, then maybe we can predict a little bit better who will end up developing psychosis, and that may also help tailor interventions," says Guusje Collin, a visiting scientist at MIT's McGovern Institute for Brain Research and the lead author of the paper. The study, which appears in the journal Molecular Psychiatry on Nov. 8, was performed at the Shanghai Mental Health Center. Susan Whitfield-Gabrieli, a visiting scientist at the McGovern Institute and a professor of psychology at Northeastern University, is one of the principal investigators for the study, along with Jijun Wang of the Shanghai Mental Health Center, William Stone of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, the late Larry Seidman of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Martha Shenton of Brigham and Women's Hospital. Abnormal connections Before they experience a psychotic episode, characterized by sudden changes in behavior and a loss of touch with reality, patients can experience milder symptoms such as disordered thinking. This kind of thinking can lead to behaviors such as jumping from topic to topic at random, or giving answers unrelated to the original question. Previous studies have shown that about 25 percent of people who experience these early symptoms go on to develop schizophrenia. The research team performed the study at the Shanghai Mental Health Center because the huge volume of patients who visit the hospital annually gave them a large enough sample of people at high risk of developing schizophrenia. The researchers followed 158 people between the ages of 13 and 34 who were identified as high-risk because they had experienced early symptoms. The team also included 93 control subjects, who did not have any risk factors. At the beginning of the study, the researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure a type of brain activity involving "resting state networks." Resting state networks consist of brain regions that preferentially connect with and communicate with each other when the brain is not performing any particular cognitive task. "We were interested in looking at the intrinsic functional architecture of the brain to see if we could detect early aberrant brain connectivity or networks in individuals who are in the clinically high-risk phase of the disorder," Whitfield-Gabrieli says. One year after the initial scans, 23 of the high-risk patients had experienced a psychotic episode and were diagnosed with schizophrenia. In those patients' scans, taken before their diagnosis, the researchers found a distinctive pattern of activity that was different from the healthy control subjects and the at-risk subjects who had not developed psychosis. For example, in most people, a part of the brain known as the superior temporal gyrus, which is involved in auditory processing, is highly connected to brain regions involved in sensory perception and motor control. However, in patients who developed psychosis, the superior temporal gyrus became more connected to limbic regions, which are involved in processing emotions. This could help explain why patients with schizophrenia usually experience auditory hallucinations, the researchers say. Meanwhile, the high-risk subjects who did not develop psychosis showed network connectivity nearly identical to that of the healthy subjects. Early intervention This type of distinctive brain activity could be useful as an early indicator of schizophrenia, especially since it is possible that it could be seen in even younger patients. The researchers are now performing similar studies with younger at-risk populations, including children with a family history of schizophrenia. "That really gets at the heart of how we can translate this clinically, because we can get in earlier and earlier to identify aberrant networks in the hopes that we can do earlier interventions, and possibly even prevent psychiatric disorders," Whitfield-Gabrieli says. She and her colleagues are now testing early interventions that could help to combat the symptoms of schizophrenia, including cognitive behavioral therapy and neural feedback. The neural feedback approach involves training patients to use mindfulness meditation to reduce activity in the superior temporal gyrus, which tends to increase before and during auditory hallucinations. The researchers also plan to continue following the patients in the current study, and they are now analyzing some additional data on the white matter connections in the brains of these patients, to see if those connections might yield additional differences that could also serve as early indicators of disease. ### The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Ministry of Science and Technology of China. Collin was supported by a Marie Curie Global Fellowship grant from the European Commission. Transitory populations may also face greater obstacles to accurate diagnosis. Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a life-threatening disease transmitted by the bite of a sand fly. Between 3,700 to 7,400 people in Ethiopia are infected annually, particularly in the northern, agricultural regions with favorable climate and environment to sand fly vectors. A study published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases by Rebecca Coulborn from Epicentre, France, and colleagues suggests that transitory populations in Ethiopia may be particularly vulnerable to acquisition of and death from VL infections. Without treatment, VL is nearly always fatal and may increase risk of transmission to others. Using qualitative methods, researchers endeavored to learn more about mobile workers' exposure to VL and obstacles to diagnosis and treatment. A sample of mobile workers, VL patients, community leaders and healthcare workers participated in focus groups and in-depth interviews to discuss VL in mobile worker populations, including questions regarding disease risk and healthcare access. The authors found that mobile workers faced exposure to sand flies, due to sleeping outside and inconsistent use of protective clothing and bed netting in VL endemic areas. Once infected with VL, symptoms could be misdiagnosed or undetected due to a lack of diagnostic test kits available in rural health centers. Although the research sample comprised only 137 participants, it is the first of its kind in Ethiopia. The researchers suggest their results may lead to interventions tailored to the particular healthcare needs of mobile populations and others at risk for VL: "Our results may offer strategies allowing for earlier diagnoses and better prognoses for VL patients." ### Peer-reviewed / Survey In your coverage please use this URL to provide access to the freely available paper: http://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0006778 Citation: Coulborn RM, Gebrehiwot TG, Schneider M, Gerstl S, Adera C, et al. (2018) Barriers to access to visceral leishmaniasis diagnosis and care among seasonal mobile workers in Western Tigray, Northern Ethiopia: A qualitative study. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 12(11): e0006778. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0006778 Funding: The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support for this research from UK aid through the KalaCORE program (contract PO 6361) (http://www.kalacore.org). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the UK government's official policies. Competing Interests: The authors declare that no competing interests exist. UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles are well known as primary vectors of malaria. But a new study suggests that Anopheles species, including some found in the United States, also are capable of carrying and transmitting an emerging pathogen, Mayaro virus, which has caused outbreaks of disease in South America and the Caribbean. Mayaro virus -- which can cause fever, joint aches, muscle pains, headache, eye pain, rash, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea -- first was isolated from the blood of five symptomatic workers in Mayaro County, Trinidad, in 1954. Since then, it has caused sporadic outbreaks and small epidemics in several South and Central American countries. In addition, imported cases may be on the rise, with several reported recently in the Netherlands, Germany, France and Switzerland, according to researchers. "Because the symptoms of Mayaro infection are similar to those caused by other arboviruses [arthropod-borne virus] such as dengue and chikungunya, its prevalence in areas where these other viruses circulate may be higher than reported," said the study's senior author, Jason Rasgon, professor of entomology and disease epidemiology, College of Agricultural Sciences, Penn State. Rasgon explained that Mayaro virus is thought to be transmitted primarily by canopy-dwelling mosquitoes of the genus Haemagogus. Human infections are sporadic, he said, because Haemagogus species tend to live in rural areas in proximity to forests -- where they cycle the virus among nonhuman primates and birds -- and do not typically prefer to feed on people. However, when the virus is introduced into urban areas, other mosquito species potentially could trigger epidemics in human populations. "With the recent increase in imported cases, there are invasion concerns similar to those associated with Zika and chikungunya viruses," Rasgon said. "But little is known about the range of mosquito species that are capable vectors of Mayaro, so our aim was to address that knowledge gap." In this study, the researchers tested six mosquito species -- Aedes aegypti, Anopheles freeborni, An. gambiae, An. quadrimaculatus, An. stephensi and Culex quinquefasciatus -- for their ability to transmit two strains of the Mayaro virus. The four Anopheles species were selected to cover different geographical regions: North America (An. freeborni and An. quadrimaculatus), Africa (An. gambiae) and Southeast Asia (An. stephensi). Mosquitoes were allowed to feed on human blood spiked with the virus via a glass feeder. Researchers then assessed each species at seven and 14 days after infection to determine infection rate (rate of mosquitoes with infected bodies among those analyzed), dissemination rate (rate of mosquitoes with infected legs among those with positive bodies), transmission rate (rate of mosquitoes with infectious saliva among those with positive legs), and transmission efficiency (rate of mosquitoes with infectious saliva among the total number analyzed). They found that Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus were poor vectors of Mayaro virus, with either poor or null infection and transmission rates. However, the results, reported today (Nov. 7) in PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, demonstrated that all four Anopheles species were competent laboratory vectors of the virus. "The capacity of the two North American species of Anopheles to transmit Mayaro is particularly relevant to the United States, because the estimated geographic distribution of these species covers the entire country," Rasgon said. "The transmission cycle of Mayaro involves mostly nonhuman primates and birds, although there is some evidence of circulation in rodents and marsupials," he said. "We don't know about the capacity of North American mammal species to act as vertebrate reservoirs, but it's possible that Mayaro virus could be maintained in a human-mosquito-human urban cycle similar to what we've seen with chikungunya." In addition, the researchers noted, Anopheles mosquitoes tend to take multiple blood meals between egg-laying events, and this bite frequency increases their capacity to transmit viruses. "Despite the fact that Anopheles mosquitoes are widely dispersed worldwide, they currently are neglected as potential vectors of arboviruses," Rasgon said. "Our results suggest that Anopheles species may be important vectors driving the emergence and invasion of Mayaro virus across geographically diverse regions of the world, and more research is needed on their epidemiological role in virus invasions." ### Other researchers on the paper are Marco Brustolin, postdoctoral scholar in entomology, Sujit Pujhari, assistant research professor of entomology, and Cory Henderson, doctoral candidate in biology, all at Penn State. The National Institutes of Health supported this work. An international team of researchers has transferred certain structural characteristics of natural enzymes, which ensure particularly high catalytic activity, to metallic nanoparticles. The desired chemical reaction thus did not take place at the particle surface as usual, but in channels inside the metal particles - and with three times higher catalytic activity. A team from the University of New South Wales, Australia, and Ruhr-Universitat Bochum, Germany, reported on these nanozymes in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, published online on 23 September 2018. Active centres in channels In the case of enzymes, the active centres, where the chemical reaction takes place, are located inside. The reacting substances have to pass through a channel from the surrounding solution to the active centre, where the spatial structure provides particularly favourable reaction conditions. "It is assumed, for example, that a locally altered pH value prevails in the channels and that the electronic environment in the active centres is also responsible for the efficiency of natural enzymes," says Professor Wolfgang Schuhmann, head of the Bochum Center for Electrochemical Sciences. Channels produced in nickel-platinum particles In order to artificially imitate the enzyme structures, the researchers produced particles of nickel and platinum about ten nanometres in diameter. They then removed the nickel by means of chemical etching, whereby channels were formed. In the final step, they deactivated the active centres on the particle surface. "This enabled us to ensure that only the active centres in the channels participated in the reaction," explains Patrick Wilde, a doctoral candidate at the Center for Electrochemical Sciences. The researchers compared the catalytic activity of the particles produced in this way with the activity of conventional particles with active centres on the surface. Three times greater activity For the test, the team used the oxygen reduction reaction, which, among other things, forms the basis of the operation of fuel cells. Active centres at the end of the channels catalysed the reaction three times more efficiently than active centres on the particle surface. "The results show the enormous potential of nanozymes," sums up Dr. Corina Andronescu, a group leader at the Center for Electrochemical Sciences. The researchers now want to extend the concept to other reactions, such as electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction, and investigate the principles of increased activity in more detail. "We would like to be able to imitate the way enzymes work even better in the future," adds Schuhmann. "Ultimately, we hope that the concept will contribute to industrial applications in order to make energy conversion processes more efficient using electricity generated from renewable sources." ### For the fourth year, SWOG Cancer Research Network and its charity, The Hope Foundation for Cancer Research, are giving military veterans better access to cancer clinical trials by providing grant support to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers. Under the VA Integration Support Program, medical centers receive a one-time $50,000 grant to help them enroll veterans in trials run by SWOG and other members of the National Cancer Institute's National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN). This means more veterans get targeted treatments, immunotherapies, and other cutting-edge medicines tested in cancer trials. The NCTN offers dozens of trials for a variety of cancers, including lung, prostate, and colorectal cancers - the most common forms in veterans. VA Integration Support Program award winners for 2018 are: Dallas VA Medical Center, Dallas, TX George E. Wahlen VA Medical Center, Salt Lake City, UT Giving veterans better access to clinical trials is a priority of the National Cancer Institute, the primary source of funding for SWOG trials. This year, for the first time, the NCI and the VA's Office of Research and Development provided infrastructure grants to 12 VA medical centers that want to increase participation in NCI trials. The program, the NCI and VA Interagency Group to Accelerate Trails Enrollment (NAVIGATE), is aimed at creating a sustainable national network of sites that offer veterans new cancer treatment options through clinical trials. "Our program, and the NCI program, are complementary," said Charles D. Blanke, MD, SWOG group chair. "Both have a goal of getting more veterans into trials, and both provide infrastructure support in an effort to meet that goal. It may take years, but I believe that together, SWOG, Hope, and the NCI will make a positive difference for these centers and the veterans they serve." Offering clinical trials to patients is considered best practice among cancer physicians, because trials offer access to treatments otherwise unavailable. But offering cancer trials is time-intensive and expensive, requiring hospitals to have adequate staff to work with patients before, during, and after their treatment on a trial. Through the VA Integration Support Centers Program, centers use the grants to fund clinical research associates and oncology nurses, the support staff who discuss trials with patients, assist with paperwork, submit tissue samples, record treatment and safety data, and perform other tasks necessary to run safe and effective clinical studies. In 2015, 2016, and 2017, SWOG and The Hope Foundation funded these 14 VA centers: Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, Little Rock, AR Cincinnati VA Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY Orlando VA Medical Center, Orlando, FL Portland VA Health Care System, Portland, OR Richard J. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN South Texas Veterans Healthcare System, San Antonio, TX VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Denver, CO VA New York Harbor Healthcare System, Manhattan Campus, New York, NY VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA VA Central California Health Care System, Fresno, CA VA Medical Center New Orleans, New Orleans, LA W.G. (Bill) Hefner VA Medical Center, Salisbury, NC ### Since the SWOG and Hope VA Integration Support Program began in 2015, statistics from NCI's Clinical Trials Reporting Program show that at these 14 VA centers, 65 veterans have registered to SWOG and other NCI treatment and prevention trials. In 2014, before the program was launched, nine veterans at these 14 centers enrolled on NCI trials. So far in 2018, 23 veterans at these centers have enrolled. That's more than double the registrations to NCI trials. For information on the VA Integration Support Program, contact Morgan Cox at The Hope Foundation at (734) 998-6887 or morgan@thehopefoundation.org. DES PLAINES, IL -- Achieving high follow-up rates for a difficult-to-track violently injured emergency department population is feasible. That is the finding of a study to be published in the November 2018 issue of Academic Emergency Medicine (AEM), a journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM). The Flint Youth Injury (FYI) Study, a prospective study, demonstrated that tracking hard to reach, assault-injured, drug-using youth populations is possible through the use of established contact strategies and a variety of interview locations. The lead author of the study is Jessica Roche, MPH, a research specialist at the University of Michigan Injury Center. The findings of the study are discussed in a recent AEM podcast, Tracking Assault-Injured, Drug-Using Youth in Longitudinal Research. Roche, et al., suggest that future studies focusing on hard-to-reach populations should factor in the time needed to achieve successful follow-up retention and the number and types of contacts needed to ensure the continued involvement of as many participants as possible. The authors further suggest that newer developing methods of contacting participants through advancements in technology be explored, suggesting that using these methods to reduce attrition may improve the quality of hospital- and ED-based violence prevention programs and help promote evidence-based best practices. David G. Jacobs, MD, medical director, F. H. "Sammy" Ross, Jr. Trauma Center and chief, Trauma Section, Division of Acute Care Surgery, Department of Surgery at Carolinas Medical Center, commented: "This important paper dashes the myth that long-term follow-up in a trauma patient population is unachievable. Not only does it set the benchmark for what can be achieved in terms of follow-up in this difficult patient population, it, more importantly, outlines the methods and resources that we all must be willing to employ as we seek to honestly evaluate the long-term impact of our own violence prevention efforts." ### ABOUT ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE Academic Emergency Medicine, the monthly journal of Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, features the best in peer-reviewed, cutting-edge original research relevant to the practice and investigation of emergency care. The above study is published open access and can be downloaded by following the DOI link: https://doi.org/10.1111/acem.13495. Journalists wishing to interview the authors may contact Stacey Roseen at sroseen@saem.org. ABOUT THE SOCIETY FOR ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE SAEM is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to the improvement of care of the acutely ill and injured patient by leading the advancement of academic emergency medicine through education and research, advocacy, and professional development. To learn more, visit saem.org. PSMA PET/CT can detect prostate cancer that is outside of the prostate with higher sensitivity and specificity than standard imaging modalities Current standard imaging techniques for initial staging of prostate cancer often underestimate the extent of disease beyond the prostate. A study featured in The Journal of Nuclear Medicine's November issue demonstrates that prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) can pinpoint prostate cancer locations with superior accuracy. More accurate detection makes more precisely targeted treatment possible. Men with non-metastatic disease who chose radiotherapy could, therefore, improve their chances of a successful outcome with PSMA PET/CT imaging to more accurately define the areas targeted for irradiation. "The planning of radiotherapy for prostate cancer starts with precise delineation of the anatomic targets for delivery of radiotherapy," explains Nicholas G. Nickols, MD, PhD, of UCLA and the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System in Los Angeles, California. "The prostate is always included in the irradiated volume, but there is currently no consensus about whether pelvic lymph nodes that appear to be free of cancer on standard imaging should also be irradiated." He states, "Incorporation of PSMA PET/CT into the process of radiotherapy planning might improve the success rate of curative-intent prostate radiotherapy by identifying patients with occult (invisible to conventional imaging) metastatic disease or local (pelvic) disease that is not visible on conventional imaging and modifying target volumes and dose to adequately cover and control local disease." In this project, 73 patients with localized prostate cancer and no prior local therapy underwent gallium-68 (68Ga)-PSMA-11 PET/CT scans. All patients had PSMA-positive primary prostate lesions. In addition, 25 of the 73 (34 percent) had PSMA-positive pelvic nodal metastases, and 7 (9.5 percent) had PSMA-positive distant metastases. PSMA-positive lesions not covered by planning volumes based on the clinical target volumes from standard imaging were considered to have a major potential impact on treatment planning. Nickols reports, "We found that addition of the information from PSMA PET/CT to standard imaging had a major impact on the planning of curative-intent prostate radiotherapy for 16.5 percent to 37 percent of patients, depending on if one initially elects to target pelvic nodes that are free of disease on conventional imaging." He adds, "These findings represent another convergence of molecular imaging and precision radiotherapy. PSMA PET/CT offers unprecedented accuracy and sensitivity for detecting the location of prostate cancer within a patient, and modern radiotherapy offers a non-invasive and generally safe method for delivering a tumoricidal dose of radiotherapy to the targeted cancer." ### Authors of "Potential Impact of 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT on Prostate Cancer Definitive Radiation Therapy Planning" include Jeremie Calais, Amar U. Kishan, Minsong Cao, Matthias Eiber, Francesco Ceci, Robert E. Reiter, Matthew B. Rettig, John V. Hegde, Narek Shaverdian, Chris R. King, Michael L. Steinberg, and Johannes Czernin, UCLA, Los Angeles, California; Wolfgang P. Fendler and Ken Herrmann, UCLA and University Clinic Essen, Essen, Germany; and Nicholas G. Nickols, UCLA and VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System. This study was made available online on April 13, 2018, ahead of final publication in print on November 1, 2018. Please visit the SNMMI Media Center to view the PDF of the study, including images, and more information about molecular imaging and personalized medicine. To schedule an interview with the researchers, please contact Rebecca Maxey at (703) 652-6772 or rmaxey@snmmi.org. Current and past issues of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine can be found online at http://jnm.snmjournals.org. About the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) is an international scientific and medical organization dedicated to advancing nuclear medicine and molecular imaging, vital elements of precision medicine that allow diagnosis and treatment to be tailored to individual patients in order to achieve the best possible outcomes. SNMMI's more than 17,000 members set the standard for molecular imaging and nuclear medicine practice by creating guidelines, sharing information through journals and meetings and leading advocacy on key issues that affect molecular imaging and therapy research and practice. For more information, visit http://www.snmmi.org B cells are important in helping the immune system fight pathogens. However, in the case of the neurological autoimmune disease Multiple Sclerosis (MS) they can damage nerve tissue. When particular control cells are missing, too many B cells accumulate in the meninges, resulting in inflammation of the central nervous system. A team from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) demonstrated the process using animal and patient samples. The fight against illnesses and pathogens requires activation or deactivation of a large number of different cell types in our immune system at the right place and the right time. In recent years certain immune cells, the myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), have been receiving increasing attention in this context. They function as an important control mechanism in the immune system and make sure that immunoreactions do not become too strong. Impacts of the loss of control In the case of MS these controls in the nervous system appear to fail in part. Together with his team, Thomas Korn, Professor for Experimental Neuroimmunology at the TUM Neurology Clinic, succeeded in demonstrating this in a study published in the journal Nature Immunology. During MS the body attacks its own nerve tissue, resulting in damage and inflammations. This can in turn lead to paralysis as well as vision and movement disorders. "We were primarily interested in the control effect of the MDSCs on the B cells. Their function in the occurrence of MS is not yet clear. But they appear to play an important role, something we wanted to take a closer look at," says Korn, explaining the study's objective. B cells can develop into cells which produce antibodies, but they can also activate other immune cells by secreting immune messengers. Korn and his team used a mouse model in which the inflammatory disease can be triggered and develops much the same way as in the human body. MDSCs influence the B cell count The team removed the MDSCs from the meningeal tissue and then observed an increase in the accumulation of B cells there. At the same time inflammations and damage occurred, triggered by the high number of B cells in the nerve tissue. This phenomenon did not occur when enough MDSCs were present, controlling the number of B cells. In the future Korn and his team want to explain how the B cells destroy the nervous system. According to the researcher there are two possibilities: In the meninges B cells emit substances which attract immune cells that then incorrectly destroy the body's own tissues; or, B cells activate immune cells in the blood and lymph systems which then move to the meninges, where they cause damage. Patient tests confirm results Based on 25 tests of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of subjects with MS, the lack of MDSCs could also have a negative effect on the course of the illness in patients. When the researchers found large numbers of MDSCs in CSF, the patients usually also experienced milder symptoms with fewer episodes of inflammation. In contrast, patients with lower MDSC counts experienced stronger symptoms. "There are already approved therapies in which B cells are regulated and suppressed on a medicinal basis. Now we've provided an explanation of why this could be an effective treatment, at least in cases where the course of the disease is poor," says Korn. Since the number of subjects tested in this case was small, he and his team are planning larger patient studies for the future. ### Publication: Benjamin Knier, Michael Hiltensperger, Christopher Sie, Lilian Aly, Gildas Lepennetier, Thomas Engleitner, Garima Garg, Andreas Muschaweckh, Meike Mitsdorffer, Uwe Koedel, Bastian Hochst, Percy Knolle, Matthias Gunzer, Bernhard Hemmer, Roland Rad, Doron Merkler and Thomas Korn: Myeloid-derived suppressor cells control B cell accumulation in the central nervous system during autoimmunity, Nature Immunology, October 29, 2018, DOI: 10.1038/s41590-018-0237-5 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41590-018-0237-5 More information: Thomas Korn has been Heisenberg Professor for Experimental Neuroimmunology at the Neurology Clinic of the Technical University of Munich (TUM) since 2010. Profile of Thomas Korn Prof. Thomas Korn's research profile Thomas Korn's research group Contact: Prof. Thomas Korn Neurology Clinic at the university hospital TUM Klinikum rechts der Isar Tel.: +49-89-4140-5617 E-mail: thomas.korn@tum.de One of the world's premier diving destinations owes its reputation as a hotspot of marine biodiversity to being undisturbed over millions of years, according to a study led by UA ecologists Strap on a diving mask and fins and slip under the crystal-clear water near a coral reef in Indonesia, Papua-New Guinea or the Philippines, and you'll immediately see why divers and snorkelers from across the world flock to the area. Known as the Coral Triangle, the region is famous for its unmatched diversity of reef fish and other marine creatures. Fish of all shapes and colors dart in and out of crevices created by the dazzling shapes of corals, colorful sponges and other reef-building organisms. With a little luck, a diver might catch a glimpse of a shark patrolling the reef or a turtle soaring across the landscape of colors. While underwater enthusiasts have long known and cherished the biodiversity in the Central-Indo Pacific Ocean, scientists have struggled for more than half a century to explain what exactly makes the region the world's No. 1 hot spot of marine biodiversity and sets it apart from other marine regions around the world. Several hypotheses have been put forth to explain the Central-Indo Pacific region's extraordinary diversity. Some researchers suggested species emerge at a faster rate there compared to other parts of the world's oceans, while others attributed it to the region's central location between several species-rich swaths of ocean in the broader Indo-West Pacific. Still others pointed to the region's low extinction rates. Now, a study led by University of Arizona doctoral student Elizabeth Miller has revealed that Indo-Pacific coral reefs have accumulated their unrivaled richness of fish species not because of some unknown, elusive quality, but simply because they had the time. "People used to think that new species evolve more quickly in tropical marine areas, so you get the high diversity we see today very quickly," Miller said. "Instead, we found that diversity in the Central-Indo Pacific has slowly built over a long time." The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society of London on Oct. 10, is the first to show a direct link between time and species richness, according to Miller. Until now, Miller explained, it was widely believed that tropical coral reefs, similar to tropical rain forests, are hot spots of biodiversity because of an intrinsic propensity to diversify into more species than other regions. Her research showed that wasn't the case. The team discovered that speciation rates are actually higher in cold marine areas such as the Arctic and Antarctic. However, while changes in biodiversity in the Central-Indo Pacific region could be compared to a slow but long-burning flame, in colder ocean regions, they are more like fireworks. "There, species evolve relatively quickly, but each glaciation period clears out much of what was there before," Miller said. "Once the glaciers recede, they leave empty niches waiting to be repopulated by new species." Frequent environmental upheaval results in overall biodiversity being lower in colder ocean regions. In the Coral Triangle, on the other hand, new species have evolved less rapidly, but because conditions have been much more stable over long periods of geological time, they were more likely to stick around once they appeared and slowly accumulate to the biological diversity we see today. "This suggests that a region may need long-term stability to accumulate high species diversity," Miller said. "According to our study, the magic number appears to be 30 million years." In the Central-Indo Pacific, plate tectonics created a wide platform of shallow ocean, while its central location made it a target for colonization. It was the right place at the right time for the fishes that colonized the region. "Things haven't changed much there in the past 30 to 35 million years," Miller said. "In contrast, other marine regions, such as the Caribbean, underwent periods of instability and isolation, and therefore fewer colonizations and higher rates extinction of the lineages that were there previously - all those factors add up to less evolutionary time." For the study, Miller and her team used distribution data of almost all spiny ray-finned fishes - 17,453 species in total, representing about 72 percent of all marine fishes and about 33 percent of all freshwater fishes. They used several different statistical methods to reconstruct the causes of underlying species richness patterns among global marine regions. To disentangle how marine fish diversity unfolded over time, the team then used a published evolutionary tree of this fish group and performed biogeographic reconstructions. "Biogeographic reconstructions help us understand where ancestors were living at various places back in time, based on where species live today and how they are related," Miller said. "It's easy if you only compare two species that live in the same place, but if you have thousands of species and go back further and further in time, more ancestors come into play and things become more difficult." Evolutionary biologists rely on sophisticated computer algorithms to manage and interpret the extremely large data sets. The method used by Miller and her team created many hypothetical scenarios of where species evolved. The researchers then used these scenarios to test how different models explain today's biodiversity. "It's like drawing family histories, each slightly different," Miller said. "You start out with analyses and repeat them hundreds of times, each time based on some possible history to try and encompass uncertainty to see how they play out. In our study, it turned out the uncertainty is low, which is reassuring. It means it's a really robust result." The general idea that patterns of diversity can be explained by how long a group has been present rather than how quickly they proliferate is relevant to lots of different systems, according to the researchers. For example, biologists have observed that the timing of colonization explains the high diversity of certain animal groups in terrestrial ecosystems, such as treefrogs in the Amazon rainforests, salamanders in the Appalachian Mountains and lizards in the desert Southwest. "The general takeaway is that these patterns of high diversity may take tens of millions of years to arise, but can be wiped out in a few years by human impacts," said John Wiens, senior author of the paper and a professor in the UA Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. "Unfortunately, the high diversity of reef fish in the Coral Triangle may soon disappear because of the impacts of human-induced climate change on coral reefs. The diversity that gets lost in the next few years may take tens of millions of years to get back." ### Co-authors on the paper, "Explaining the ocean's richest biodiversity hot spot and global patterns of fish diversity," were Kenji Hayashi of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, and the University of California, Los Angeles, and Dongyuan Song of Fudan University in Shanghai, China. Wolfgang Fink has always had a knack for seeing how the pieces of a puzzle fit together. Once, when a team of researchers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory was stumped on how to fix a problematic planetary rover arm, he suggested using a method he'd developed to improve the function of proteins, pointing out something no one had thought of before: Both robot arms and proteins have joints. It worked. Today, it means that the electrical and computer engineering professor -- who has joint appointments in biomedical engineering, ophthalmology and vision science, systems and industrial engineering, and aerospace and mechanical engineering -- can continue finding connections across disciplines to solve a world of problems. "People always think I'm spread thin, but it's not like that, because I have tons of fields, and they all fit together," Fink said. "There's this horrible saying -- 'Jack of all trades, master of none' -- and I just don't believe that has to be true." Fink's latest accomplishment is really a series of accomplishments, all related to the Prognostics and Health Management, or PHM, Society. Not only did the society recently induct the UA Edward & Maria Keonjian Endowed Chair as a fellow -- an honor only achieved by a maximum of five people each year -- but it also selected him as a guest editor for a special volume of its journal on predictive health management and as general conference co-chair for the society's 2019 conference in Scottsdale, Arizona. The society also named him a sector lead for the area of "human asset health and performance," which makes him a nonvoting member of the society's board of directors. "Wolfgang is one of the most intelligent, energetic and broadly knowledgeable professionals that I have had the privilege of working with," said Andy Hess, PHM Society president and one of Fink's nominators for the award. "These traits, coupled with his experience and seemingly endless energy, were what led the PHM Society to award him by inducting him as a fellow." Proactive Prevention Fink's current work is focused on predictive health management, a field with an origin in aerospace engineering but, in fittingly Fink style, with wide-ranging applications. In lay terms, predictive health management is simply preventative maintenance. Rather than wait for some element of an aircraft to fail while it's in operation, engineers use models to predict what parts of a design might fail, when and why. Then technicians replace the parts with brand new ones -- well before the original parts actually stop working. It turns out, airplanes are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to applications for predictive health management. In fact, Fink says it's a near-omnipresent theme. For example, humans already take preventative health measures, such as eating healthy foods, exercising and getting enough sleep. But what if researchers and physicians could team up to take the ability to predict health outcomes a step further? "We are, in a way, very complex machines -- more complex than machines," said Fink, who leads the Center for Informatics and Telehealth in Medicine, or InTelMed, a partnership between the UA, industry and professional bodies such as the PHM Society. "What we're trying to do is gather data on patients and use it to make a prognosis as to where a patient is headed. Is a patient on the verge of developing prediabetes? Or having some sort of heart rhythm distortion that may point to heart problems or a stroke in the future? Can we suggest countermeasures early on to prevent these things from actually happening?" This research into preventative health maintenance for humans is starting in one of the areas where it's both most crucial and most complicated, where humans with lots of special training -- who are therefore difficult to replace -- need to stay healthy because they can't access a doctor: outer space. "Once you're in space flight to the moon or to Mars, with potential settlement on both, a quick return is not an option," Fink said. "You try to discover very early on that you may be coming down with a cold, and immediately hammer it with an antibiotic." Developing these systems requires some complicated engineering: Not only do researchers need to constantly monitor astronauts' vitals, but they need to use predictive modeling to determine exactly what today's vitals could mean for tomorrow's health. Then, a system must translate these complex medical statistics into information the astronauts can use. "We're talking about providing an astronaut a tablet that takes all of their complex data and comes up with simple recommendations, like 'you need an aspirin,'" Fink said. Bringing Tech Down to Earth For Fink, the sky -- or rather the reaches of outer space beyond it -- is not the limit. If engineers can perfect these predictive methods in space, then using them to monitor human health on Earth should be easy. From there, why not use it to plot the health of the crops on Earth that sustain human life? As one of the founding members of the Mars Agricultural Research Consortium, or MARSAG, Fink is a part of developing techniques to grow plants in Martian greenhouses. "Just like in 'The Martian,' if you manage to grow a plant on Mars, you can grow it anywhere on Earth," he said. "If we solve it for Mars, or in the wake of developing technologies which are applicable to Mars, we have made huge strides on Earth for precision agriculture and human health." ### Professor Maiken Nedergaard from the University of Copenhagen is this year's recipient of the prestigious prize Stora Nordiska Pris awarded by the Eric K. Fernstrom Foundation. She receives the prize for her discovery of and research into the brain's cleaning system, the glymphatic system. This year's Stora Nordiska Pris, one of the largest medical awards in Scandinavia, goes to Professor Maiken Nedergaard from the University of Copenhagen and the University of Rochester. The prize is awarded by the Eric K. Fernstrom Foundation and comes with one million Swedish kroner. Maiken Nedergaard has been chosen as this year's prize winner for her "revolutionary discovery of the brain's own cleaning system, the glymphatic system. Her discovery and study hereof has increased our understanding of how the brain during sleep gets rid of harmful substances and thus protects itself from disease," the foundation argues. Maiken Nedergaard, who is co-director of Center for Translational Neuromedicine (UCPH), is grateful for the prize and the recognition of her work. 'There is no doubt that research is incredibly important for our future. I am very happy that private individuals and organisations invest in research and wish to honour nerds like me stuck in long-term projects that we often cannot see the end of. We really appreciate it,' says Maiken Nedergaard. According to Maiken Nedergaard, who is president of the Danish Society for Neuroscience, research prizes are important because they bring focus on research. 'The society is striving to attract the greatest talents to neuroscience. Neuroscience has never been more relevant than it is today. Now that we have become better at treating heart diseases and several types of cancer, dementia is the disease reducing the quality of life of our senior citizens', she explains. Interest in Glial Cells Led to Discovery In 2012 Maiken Nedergaard and her research group were the first to discover and describe the brain's cleaning system, and they named it the glymphatic system. The system is partly similar to the lymphatic system in the rest of the body, hence the 'lymphatic', while the 'g' is for glial cells, which are responsible for the transportation of fluids. Among other things, the system plays a main role in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. It was Maiken Nedergaard's interest in glial cells, the brain's support cells, that led her to discover the glymphatic system, as she and her research group set out to understand glial cells' role at organ level. 'We simply began studying how the brain got rid of waste matter. It was a brand new, unknown system for transportation of water in the brain. Some aspects of the system had already been described, but no one had described the fact that fluids in the brain remove waste matter - mainly when we are asleep. We began by examining the cleaning system in animals subjected to anaesthesia. And we were surprised to learn that the transportation of fluids had more or less stopped when we began studying animals who were awake. There is probably a good reason why we do not clean the brain while awake - how could the nerve cells work in a dishwasher?', Maiken Nedergaard explains. The research of Maiken Nedergaard and her research group has paved the way for further work on the system by other researchers around the world, including two Scandinavian researchers, Per Eide from the University of Oslo and Vesa Kiviniemi from Oulo University. Their groups have done further research into the system and established the existence of the glymphatic system in humans. Per Eide has specifically studied the glymphatic system in a dementia disease called 'normal pressure hydrocephalus', while Vesa Kiviniemi has invented a new method for examining the system non-invasively using MRI. The researchers hope that Vesa Kiviniemi's MRI method can be used to diagnose Alzheimer's before the patient experiences dementia and there is still a chance of treating the disease. The Glymphatic System's Role in Cognition Glial cells still interest Maiken Nedergaard. These days she is researching, among other things, how the glymphatic system may be able to drive fluid congestion in the brain following traumatic brain injury or cardiac arrest. Another topic addressed by the group is the importance of the system to the brain and our cognitive abilities. 'Glial cells in the human brain help make the brain capable of so much more than apes even - which I find incredibly interesting. How does something that is just a cleaning process also affect our human abilities? In the future we need to learn not just how the glymphatic system is turned on during sleep, but also how the system affects the way the brain works, our cognition and whether disruption of the glymphatic system contributes to mental health disorders like depression', Maiken Nedergaard says. Stora Nordiska Pris is awarded on 7 November during a ceremony held in connection with Research Day in Lund in Sweden. Here Maiken Nedergaard will give a lecture on her research. Research Day is organised by the Faculty of Medicine at Lund University, Region Skane and the Eric K. Fernstrom Foundation. The annual Stora Nordiska Pris has been awarded to Nordic researchers since 1979. Researchers who have previously received the prize include Professor Jiri Lukas and Professor Jens Juul Holst from the University of Copenhagen. ### LAWRENCE -- As issues like climate change, resource scarcity and technological progress increasingly influence how nations relate to each other, a new book by a University of Kansas researcher takes a critical look at mainstream ideas that underpin the international dialogue about our environment. Shannon O'Lear, a KU professor with a joint appointment in geography & atmospheric science and the Environmental Studies Program as well as current director of the Center for Global & International Studies, is the author of "Environmental Geopolitics" (Rowman & Littlefield, 2018). O'Lear defines environmental geopolitics as "examining how environmental themes are used to support geopolitical arguments and realities." Her new book "looks at narratives about resources, overpopulation and climate security -- and takes those ideas apart to ask, 'Do those thoughts really make sense, and what assumptions do we make when we talk about something like climate security?' The book demonstrates how we can be more inquisitive about how we understand our relationship with the environment." "Environmental Geopolitics" centers around case studies and ideas that challenge long-standing notions about overpopulation, resource conflict, climate security and the communication of scientific ideas and imagery. As a starting point, O'Lear calls for critically questioning exactly what stakeholders mean when they discuss the very term "environment." "We've effectively created an artificial habitat for ourselves with things like irrigated agriculture and air conditioning and all the impacts of those," she said. "So, when we're talking about sustaining the 'environment,' it's often not clear what we're sustaining or where the environment ends and where people begin. Who gets to tell the story of what the environment is and what our relationship to it is?" O'Lear urges a close examination of conventional ideas. For example, she trains a critical lens on concepts of resource conflict that often suppose a scarcity of resources like water, food, energy and commodities -- some of which aren't actually scarce. "We seem obsessed with the idea that resources are connected to conflict," she said. "We can look at the example of diamonds and conflict in Sierra Leone. It's true you have rebel groups in Sierra Leone trying to control diamond mines because that's a way for them to buy weapons and fund their rebellion. Diamonds are related to that process. But you have to look back at the history of colonial times there and the elevation of a diamond economy over all others. Diamonds are actually very plentiful -- but we've bought into the idea that they're rare and unique and special. Really, they'd be best used for drill bits. There are a lot of processes that contribute to violent conflict, but we're often missing important pieces." O'Lear said one idea obscured by orthodox discussions about the environment is "slow violence," or structural harm to people caused by gradual environmental problems that are hard to pin on one cause. "We're talking about structural violence and ways that systems of society are violent when people are marginalized or left out -- not a direct 'I'm going to hurt you' kind of violence, but keeping people from health or benefits they could have, and harming them over time. These are creeping environmental problems like plastics in our bodies, and over time we're suffering from consequences. There's nobody specific to blame by the time the harm is evident. Nobody is going to be taking responsibility -- the harm is indirect and latent. Another example would be the buildup of seismic activity where wastewater from fracking has been pumped back into the ground. Slow violence is tricky because it isn't so visible. Sometimes you have to interview people over long periods to see how things have declined over time." The KU researcher said she intended for her book to inform policymakers and reframe current discussions of issues like climate change. "We think science is going to give us the answers, but it can't," O'Lear said. "We need to be figuring out what our questions are. It's one thing to say, 'We'll do more science,' but we also need to think about how we operate as a society. We could be having conversations about what we value in our social and political environments. Then, we can find the science that gets us there." O'Lear questions some atmospheric carbon and temperature-rise targets, such as the 2 degrees Celsius global temperature-rise mark offered by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Instead, she advocates more creative approaches. "It's like setting a speed limit, but then we become fixated with that number and how many tons of carbon we can emit," O'Lear said. "It becomes this carbon fetish. But no atmospheric scientist would give you that number without talking about ranges and conditions. We have taken science and dumbed it down for policymakers, so we sit around and talk about that number -- but not about how we got to it or what contributed to it. The IPCC collects a lot of great science, but it doesn't tell us what to do -- that takes society and politicians. We've been trained to be good consumers, but we need to be good citizens who take ownership of these issues." O'Lear wrote "Environmental Geopolitics" with her own students in mind, and she is using the book to teach a class this semester. However, O'Lear is mindful of meager student budgets. "We're using the book in my class," she said. "But I bought 50 copies of my own book and am loaning it out to my students. My effort here was about living the idea of buying less stuff. I plan to reuse these books with future classes of students until the books are too worn out or walk off on their own." ### On August 21, 2017, at 16 points along the path of last year's total solar eclipse, tiny microphones--each about the size of a USB flash drive--captured a unique biological phenomenon. As Earth fell into complete darkness, the bees stopped buzzing, according to researchers at the University of Missouri. "Getting dark in the middle of the day is not something that happens in a bee's normal life." said Candace Galen, professor of biological sciences in the MU College of Arts and Science and lead researcher on the study. "It's a behavioral miscue. Here darkness is a cue for night, that a bee is familiar with, but it's coming at the wrong time of the day. Did they use it as a cue or not, even if it is completely out of context? What we found is yes, they do." Millions of Americans paused that August afternoon to watch the eclipse. As it passed overhead, MU researchers buzzed into action assisted by approximately 400 people--scientists, volunteers and elementary school students and teachers in Missouri, Idaho and Oregon, including over 200 elementary school students and teachers from Columbia Public Schools in Missouri--gathering audio data on the behavior of bees. At each of the 16 locations, the microphones were placed near bee-pollinated flowers and away from human-generated traffic. Previous research conducted on bee behavior notes that bees commonly fly slower at dusk and return to their colonies at night. In this study, researchers found that while bees completely stopped buzzing during totality, they continued to fly during the periods of reduced light that occur in the phases of a partial eclipse. "It's a soundscape," Galen said. "What we have is a buzz that is longer. Either the bees were flying more slowly or making longer flights." ### The study, "Pollination on the Dark Side: Acoustic Monitoring Reveals Impacts of a Total Solar Eclipse on Flight Behavior and Activity Schedule of Foraging Bees," was recently published in the Annals of the Entomological Society of America. The work was supported by a Julena Steinholder Duncombe Mini-Grant from the American Astronomical Society. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the funding agencies. Samuel Holden and Michael Axe, undergraduate students at the University of Missouri, and Zachary Miller, Austin Lynn, Levi Storks, Eddie Ramirez, and Emilia Asante, graduate students at the University of Missouri, coauthored the study. Other collaborators include David Heise, associate professor of science, technology and mathematics at Lincoln University; Susan Kephart, professor of biology, and Jim Kephart, director of information services, at Willamette University in Oregon. Biologists in the School of Arts and Sciences paired physiological models with paleoclimate data to trace the evolution and expansion of C4 plants In the dramatically changing conditions of ancient Earth, organisms had to evolve new strategies to keep up. From the mid-Oligocene, roughly 30 million years ago, to the mid-to-late Miocene, about 5 million years ago, carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere fell by a roughly a third. This same period saw the emergence of a new form of photosynthesis in a subset of plants, the C4 pathway. Present in a subset of plants, the C4 pathway supplemented the earlier C3 photosynthetic pathway, meaning those species now reaped energy from the sun using two different strategies. Researchers have long believed that falling carbon dioxide levels drove the origin of plants with this innovation, but a new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, based on biochemical modeling by a group led by University of Pennsylvania biologists and paleoclimate modeling by a group at Purdue University, indicates that water availability may have been the critical factor behind the emergence of C4 plants. "The initial origin of C4, which happened when atmospheric carbon dioxide was still very high, seems driven by water limitation," says Haoran Zhou, a graduate student in the School of Arts and Sciences' Biology Department and first author on the paper. "Then later, about 5 to 8 million years ago, there's a large expansion of C4 grasslands. That's because carbon dioxide was getting lower and lower. Carbon dioxide and light intensity were actually the limiting factors favoring C4 at that time." "What we show," says Erol Akcay, an assistant professor of biology at Penn, "is that the increased water efficiency of the C4 pathway is enough to give it an initial ecological advantage in relatively arid environments. That's the benefit of doing this type of physiological modeling. If you were only looking at temperature and carbon dioxide, you might miss this role of water and light." The researchers' work also suggest that C4 plants may have had a competitive advantage over C3 plants even when carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere were still relatively high, in the late Oligocene. "The inference is that C4 could have evolved quite a bit earlier than we previously thought," says Penn's Brent Helliker, an associate professor of biology who, along with Akcay, serves as Zhou's advisor. "This supports some molecular clock estimates for when C4 evolved as well." In plants with a C3 photosynthesis pathway, the first stable compound produced in photosynthesis contains three carbon atoms; in C4 plants, the first compound has four carbon atoms. The C3 pathway evolved first, functioning efficiently when the atmosphere was rich with carbon dioxide. However, C4 plants evolved independently from C3 plants dozens of times, able to photosynthesize efficiently in spite of lower carbon levels thanks to an extra step in the process that serves to pump carbon from the air into an internal layer of cells where the rest of the cycle runs. By running this "closed" system, where the photosynthetic machinery doesn't interact directly with the outside air, C4 photosynthesis enables plants to make more food with less water loss than the C3 pathway. Today, roughly a quarter of the planet's vegetative cover is composed of C4 plants. Several important crop species, including maize and sugar cane, possess the C4 pathway. Findings from the fossil record and isotope studies have helped scientists estimate when this pathway evolved, though these estimates have been later than those suggested by molecular clock data from phylogenetic analyses of various plant species, leading to some confusion about when the pathway emerged and when it came to dominate in certain ecosystems. To look closer at the factors that may have favored the spread of the C4 photosynthetic pathway, Zhou, Akcay, and Helliker created a multi-layered model. They considered variables that affect photosynthesis along with those that influence the hydraulic system, in which plants "decide" to either devote more energy into growing roots to take up water, or into building more leaf matter that can help take in light and carbon dioxide but also exposes them to greater water loss. In addition, plants can determine the optimal balance of carbon gain and water loss. Coupling these two systems, the scientists' model included four factors that could either favor the C3 or the C4 lineages: carbon dioxide concentration, light, temperature, and water availability. According to their model, C4 evolution appeared to play out in two phases. When carbon dioxide was still high, C4 emerged in areas of the globe that had become warmer and drier. But it didn't reap its competitive advantage over C3 plants until several million years later, when carbon dioxide was very low and the expansion of grasslands provided open habitats with ample light. In these regions, C4 grasslands expanded and replaced C3 grasslands. To see how this model interacted with paleoclimate in the early days of C4 plants, the Penn team collaborated with Purdue University's Matthew Huber, a paleoclimate modeler funded by the National Science Foundation to model Miocene climate, and graduate student Ashley Dicks. Using climate model output and paleoclimate data including carbon dioxide levels, temperature, and rainfall, the researchers predicted the likely geographic distributions for C3 versus C4 plants through the period from the late Oligocene to the early Miocene, roughly 30 to 5 million years ago. They found two regions that had not previously been identified where C4 plants would have been likely to dominate after first evolving, thanks to their water efficiency: northwestern Africa and Australia. "These are two previously unrecognized pockets of the world where C4 plants could have had an ecological advantage and really taken over," Akcay says. "It was a really exciting opportunity," says Huber, "when the Penn group reached out to us because this is a really novel application of paleoclimate model output. It helps make the connection between what climate models tells us about past and future climates and verifiable patterns from the geological record." Though the study did not investigate what might happen in the future as atmospheric carbon levels rise once again, it can help boost an understanding of why plants are distributed the way they are today and how they might respond to future conditions. "The climate conditions that were present when C4 evolved are possibly still important today," says Helliker. "If a lineage of C4 plants evolved primarily because of water limitations when carbon dioxide was high, then those plants may be found in dry environments today, whereas if it was more carbon dioxide that led to their evolution and dominance then those plants might be found in wetter spots today." In addition, some scientists believe engineering other agriculturally significant species, such as rice, to have C4 photosynthesis, may help boost food production, so the model could help forecast where such plants could optimally grow. ### The study was supported by the University of Pennsylvania. Huber and Dicks also received support from the National Science Foundation P2C2 program. PHILADELPHIA (November 8, 2018) - In an effort to lessen readmission risk after discharge and achieve the best possible outcomes for patients, hospital-based clinicians are more intentionally planning discharge of those who require post-acute care (PAC). Yet, although hospital clinicians strive to effectively refer patients who require PAC, their discharge-planning processes often vary greatly and typically are not evidence-based. To optimize PAC decision-making, a team led by the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing (Penn Nursing) developed, validated, and tested a two-step clinical decision support (CDS) algorithm called Discharge Referral Expert System for Care Transitions (DIRECT). The DIRECT CDS helps clinicians identify patients most in need of PAC and suggests whether skilled home care or facility level care is best. An article in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association (JAMDA) explains how the DIRECT CDS was evaluated in two hospitals and its promising effects on PAC referrals and improved patient outcomes. The researchers developed the DIRECT CDS using values of structured patient data drawn from the electronic health record and knowledge elicitation from clinical experts as they reviewed de-identified case studies of actual patients. The team then conducted a four-month control phase of study without CDS with more than 3,000 patients aged 55 and older who were admitted and discharged alive, followed by a six-month intervention phase of study when clinicians received the DIRECT CDS advice for more than 5,000 patients. They compared readmission rates between the two phases after controlling for differences in patient characteristics. "While the proportion of patients referred to PAC between the two phases did not change significantly, the algorithm may have identified those patients most in need, resulting in significantly lower inpatient readmission rates for same day, 7-, 14- and 30-day intervals," explained Kathryn H. Bowles, PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI, Professor of Nursing, the van Ameringen Chair in Nursing Excellence, and a member of the NewCourtland Center for Transitions and Health. Bowles is the Principal Investigator and lead author of the JAMDA article "A Decision Support Algorithm for Referrals to Post-Acute Care." "Health care providers are increasingly pressured by policies and initiatives to decrease health care utilization and contain costs. Policy requirements and bundled payment programs seeking the least costly site of care may limit options and result in patients not getting the optimal level of PAC needed to prevent poor discharge outcomes," said Bowles. "We developed DIRECT to improve the patient-centered discharge process using an evidence-based, objective tool." During the test of the DIRECT CDS algorithm, it proved valuable in providing advice on whom to refer and the level of care. It also showed case managers the important patient characteristics that led to that advice such as fall risk, unmet caregiver needs, who declined in activities of daily living function and in which activity. "The DIRECT CDS indicates potential as a useful tool to optimize PAC decision-making and improve patient outcomes. It may also identify patients who need PAC but are unable to receive it because of policy or insurance barriers. Future studies examining the outcomes of these patients may have policy implications," said Bowles. ### Co-authors of the article include Sue Keim, PhD, Sheryl Potashnik, PhD, Emilia Flores, PhD, Christina R. Whitehouse, PhD, and Mary D. Naylor, PhD, all of Penn Nursing; Sarah J. Ratcliffe, PhD and John H. Holmes, PhD, both of the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine; and Diane Humbrecht, DNP, of Abington Memorial Hospital. Funding for this research was provided by the National Institute of Nursing Research (R01NR007674). About the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing is one of the world's leading schools of nursing. For the second year in a row, it is ranked the #1 nursing school in the world by QS University, and has four graduate programs ranked number one by U.S. News & World Report, the most of any school in the United States. Penn Nursing is currently ranked # 1 in funding from the National Institutes of Health, among other schools of nursing. Penn Nursing prepares nurse scientists and nurse leaders to meet the health needs of a global society through research, education, and practice. Follow Penn Nursing on: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube. PITTSBURGH, Nov. 8, 2018 - A genetic test developed by researchers at UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine can help avoid costly diagnostic surgery that involves removing one or both lobes of the thyroid gland, by reliably distinguishing between benign and cancerous thyroid nodules using a very small sample of cells, according to the results of an international clinical trial published today in the journal JAMA Oncology. The performance of the test, called the ThyroSeq Genomic Classifier, was assessed in a prospective double-blinded study conducted across 10 medical centers. The study involved 257 thyroid nodules with an ambiguous biopsy result evaluated by ThyroSeq and diagnostic surgery. The results showed that the test was highly sensitive, correctly identifying cancerous nodules as positive 94 percent of the time. The test also demonstrated a high specificity, correctly identifying benign nodules as negative 82 percent of the time. The researchers compared the performance of ThyroSeq with other molecular tests and showed that it can prevent the highest number of unnecessary diagnostic surgeries. "Our study showed ThyroSeq can help avoid surgery in the vast majority of patients with benign nodules where the initial biopsy returns an ambiguous result," said Yuri Nikiforov, M.D., Ph.D., professor of pathology at Pitt's School of Medicine and director of the UPMC Molecular & Genomic Pathology Division, and the senior study author. "With such a high proportion of preventable surgeries, this test should practically resolve the decades-long struggle and inefficiency of medical care for patients with indeterminate cytology thyroid nodules. In an era of overdiagnosis and overtreatment, ThyroSeq can improve quality of life for patients by sparing them a lifetime of synthetic thyroid medications and specialist visits, while significantly reducing health care costs." ThyroSeq was recently approved for Medicare coverage, making it accessible to more than 50 million Medicare patients nationwide. The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in the neck that is important to hormone regulation and development. Thyroid nodules are common, and approximately 600,000 patients with nodules undergo a fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy every year, where cells are extracted from the nodule and examined to determine whether it is benign or cancerous. While the biopsy test is mostly accurate, it returns an indeterminate finding in approximately one-in-four to -five cases, which forces patients to undergo either a repeat FNA, or diagnostic surgery where at least half of the patients' thyroid is removed for further assessment. ThyroSeq is a next-generation sequencing-based test that uniquely evaluates cells collected by FNA from a thyroid nodule for alterations in 112 genes linked to thyroid cancer. It is designed to diagnose all types of thyroid cancer, including Hurthle cell cancer, as well as medullary carcinoma and parathyroid lesions. "Beyond simply differentiating benign and malignant nodules, the study shows that ThyroSeq also provides a detailed genetic profile of the positive nodules," said David Steward, M.D., a professor of otolaryngology at the University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine and director of head and neck surgery at UC Health, and the first author of the study. "Since thyroid cancer is known to progress differently based on the mutation involved, ThyroSeq potentially allows physicians to employ a precision medicine approach, modifying treatment for each patient based on the mutations present." The impact on health care costs of adopting ThyroSeq could be significant, noted Nikiforov, pointing to an independent analysis by Mayo Clinic researchers recently published in the journal Endocrine Practice that found ThyroSeq testing saved thousands of dollars compared to when patients underwent diagnostic thyroid surgery. A full list of study authors and their affiliations, along with relevant conflict-of-interest disclosures, is available with the online version of the study. ### This study was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health grants P50CA097190 to the University of Pittsburgh and P50CA168505 to The Ohio State University. About UPMC A $19 billion world-renowned health care provider and insurer, Pittsburgh-based UPMC is inventing new models of patient-centered, cost-effective, accountable care. UPMC provides more than $900 million a year in benefits to its communities, including more care to the region's most vulnerable citizens than any other health care institution. The largest nongovernmental employer in Pennsylvania, UPMC integrates 85,000 employees, 40 hospitals, 600 doctors' offices and outpatient sites, and a 3.4 million-member Insurance Services Division, the largest medical insurer in western Pennsylvania. As UPMC works in close collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences, U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside on its annual Honor Roll of America's Best Hospitals. UPMC Enterprises functions as the innovation and commercialization arm of UPMC, and UPMC International provides hands-on health care and management services with partners around the world. For more information, go to UPMC.com. About the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine As one of the nation's leading academic centers for biomedical research, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine integrates advanced technology with basic science across a broad range of disciplines in a continuous quest to harness the power of new knowledge and improve the human condition. Driven mainly by the School of Medicine and its affiliates, Pitt has ranked among the top 10 recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health since 1998. In rankings recently released by the National Science Foundation, Pitt ranked fifth among all American universities in total federal science and engineering research and development support. Likewise, the School of Medicine is equally committed to advancing the quality and strength of its medical and graduate education programs, for which it is recognized as an innovative leader, and to training highly skilled, compassionate clinicians and creative scientists well-equipped to engage in world-class research. The School of Medicine is the academic partner of UPMC, which has collaborated with the University to raise the standard of medical excellence in Pittsburgh and to position health care as a driving force behind the region's economy. For more information about the School of Medicine, see http://www.medschool.pitt.edu. http://www.upmc.com/media Contact: Arvind Suresh Office: 412-647-9966 Mobile: 412-509-8207 E-mail: SureshA2@upmc.edu Contact: Allison Hydzik Office: 412-647-9975 Mobile: 412-559-2431 E-mail: HydzikAM@upmc.edu The University of Texas at El Paso will be a pivotal leader in the collection of critical performance data for the 3D-printing industry while offering immense benefits to students through an expanded agreement with America Makes. The announcement was made Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, at a joint press conference with America Makes held at the W.M. Keck Center for 3D Innovation at UTEP. The amended agreement is an expansion of one originally signed in April 2015, which made UTEP the first America Makes Satellite Center. The updated pact expands the Keck Center's national impact by providing additional services to America Makes member institutions that will add significant value to their association. The new agreement will help fill the tremendous need in the additive manufacturing (AM) community for access to critical performance data from AM-produced parts. "We are excited to announce this expanded collaboration with America Makes," UTEP President Diana Natalicio said. "This is a significant step in the effort to generate data that can be used to move the additive manufacturing industry forward. It is also a validation of UTEP, through the W.M. Keck Center for 3D Innovation, as a national leader in additive manufacturing. We look forward to addressing the needs of America Makes while offering our students opportunities to participate in groundbreaking work in a thriving technology industry." Managed by the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM), America Makes is the nation's leading public-private partnership to innovate and accelerate additive manufacturing technology. "Since our inception, America Makes has worked tirelessly to foster a highly collaborative membership community for the open exchange of additive manufacturing information and research with the singular goal of advancing our industry," said Rob Gorham, America Makes executive director. "Today's announcement of our newly updated agreement with UTEP further underscores our dedication to our industry and demonstrates the ongoing success of our collaboration with UTEP and the Keck Center. The goal of the new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is to expand our current Satellite Center relationship by incorporating services that will provide tremendous strategic value and competitive advantage to the America Makes membership community." In 2015, America Makes designated UTEP's Keck Center as its first America Makes Satellite Center with the goal of promoting America Makes' mission and expanding its regional, industrial and technological footprint to innovate and accelerate 3D printing as well as increase domestic manufacturing and economic competitiveness. Under the new MOU with America Makes, UTEP's Keck Center will be the focal point of an effort to provide America Makes' membership community with greater access to critical performance data for 3D-printed components. "The Keck Center's ongoing dedication to advancing additive manufacturing and all of the supporting technologies and creating a skilled workforce aligns perfectly with the mission of America Makes," said Ralph Resnick, America Makes founding director and NCDMM president and chief executive officer. "On behalf of all of us at America Makes, we are pleased to have our relationship with UTEP and the Keck Center enter this new phase. The America Makes membership community and industry at large will benefit greatly from the expanded services available at the America Makes Satellite Center." Additionally, workforce needs will be significantly addressed through the increased number of graduates who will have direct expertise in specific additive manufacturing and testing technologies. "Dr. Ryan Wicker, director of the W.M. Keck Center for 3D Innovation, has built an extraordinary facility, program and operation over the years," said Theresa A. Maldonado, Ph.D., dean of UTEP's College of Engineering. "The Keck Center is an international beacon for 3D manufacturing capabilities that support the fabrication of a range of components, from very large-scale aerospace fixtures to the most delicate biological elements for human health. At the same time, Dr. Wicker is deeply committed to developing a workforce with the technical and leadership skills required to advance this dynamic manufacturing environment for years to come." "UTEP has done an exemplary job growing the America Makes partnership for our students and community in El Paso," said U.S. Rep.-elect Veronica Escobar. "This program is not only expanding the skillset and opportunities in science and technology for our young minds but is also allowing us to be more competitive through advanced manufacturing research and innovation. UTEP is playing a leading role in economic development by connecting our talented workforce to job opportunities here in our region." An added benefit for America Makes members who seek services at the Keck Center will be an option to apply the costs incurred to build and test 3D-printed components toward membership fees through the @Program. "It's an arrangement that benefits all parties," said Ryan Wicker, Ph.D., founder and director of the Keck Center. "Through this initiative, America Makes members will be able to utilize our state-of-the-art equipment and generate significant data that can in turn assist our industry in determining how best to use 3D printing for designing and producing next generation products. We will be working with 3D printing equipment manufacturers and materials suppliers to maintain a high level of technological advancement at the Keck Center. Lastly, our students will benefit from the direct work they perform and through the research avenues that companies will pursue as they learn more about their products." Wicker added that the collaboration with America Makes will make UTEP an attractive institution to companies in the additive manufacturing sector seeking a locale near high-end expertise and performance. Wicker points to the recent announcement from Aconity3D -- one of the world's emerging technology leaders in the production of 3D printing equipment, which installed its North American base of operations at UTEP in July -- as evidence of the campus' rising prominence. "Every company that we work with will recognize the value UTEP adds," Wicker said. "We are confident that we will produce a substantial quantity of follow-on research, increase industry-sponsored activities and interest in our region, and build this initiative into a thriving workforce and economic development platform for this community." ### About the W.M. Keck Center for 3D Innovation Located at The University of Texas at El Paso, the W.M. Keck Center for 3D Innovation (Keck Center) is a unique multidisciplinary research facility focused on the use and development of additive manufacturing (AM) technologies with primary focus areas in AM Technology Development (large area and hybrid processes), AM-Enabled Materials Science (metals, polymers, and ceramics), and Advanced AM Applications (3D-printed electronics, biomedical, and others). Established in 2000, the Keck Center is home to more than 65 AM systems and more than 60 students, faculty and staff from various engineering disciplines. In 2015, UTEP became the first satellite center of America Makes as a result of the growing relationship between the Keck Center and the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM). In addition to its 13,000 square feet of on-campus research space, the Keck Center recently expanded its operations to a 17,000-square-foot off-campus facility, providing additional space for research, economic development and training. For more information, visit keck.utep.edu. About America Makes America Makes is the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute. As the national accelerator for additive manufacturing (AM), America Makes is the nation's leading and collaborative partner in AM and 3D printing (3DP) technology research, discovery, creation and innovation. Structured as a public-private partnership with member organizations from industry, academia, government, nongovernment agencies, and workforce and economic development resources, we are working together to innovate and accelerate AM to increase our nation's global manufacturing competitiveness. Based in Youngstown, Ohio, America Makes is the first Institute within the Manufacturing USA infrastructure and is driven by the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM). For more information about America Makes, visit http://www.americamakes.us. About NCDMM NCDMM delivers innovative and collaborative manufacturing solutions that enhance our nation's workforce and economic competitiveness. NCDMM has extensive knowledge and depth in manufacturing areas -- both commercial and defense -- to continually innovate, improve and advance manufacturing technologies and methodologies. Our experienced team specializes in identifying the needs, the players, the technologies, and processes to attain optimal solutions for our customers. We connect the dots. That's the NCDMM methodology. NCDMM also manages the national accelerator for additive manufacturing (AM) and 3D printing (3DP), America Makes -- the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute. For additional information, visit the NCDMM at http://www.ncdmm.org. The sequence of genes passed on to daughter cells or offspring isn't the only factor that determines the traits of cells and organisms. Chemical changes in the genetic material that do not alter the underlying DNA sequence also play a role in controlling which genes are active or inactive. Methylation is one such epigenetic mark, which involves the addition of small chemical groups to specific bases in the DNA. The role of the inheritance of epigenetic variation in humans and mammals is controversial; however, there are several examples of epigenetic inheritance in plants. Adaptability thanks to epigenetics Plant biologists at the University of Zurich have now demonstrated that naturally occurring epigenetic variation in mouse-ear cress (Arabidopsis thaliana) is subject to selection. The team of Ueli Grossniklaus at the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology also showed that newly selected traits - which are important for seed dispersal - are passed on for at least two to three generations even without selection. "Epigenetic variation thus contributes to the ability of plants to quickly adapt to changes in the environment without sequence changes in the genome," explains Grossniklaus. Selection of plants with effective seed dispersal In their experiment, the plant biologists simulated a rapidly changing environment. They selected Arabidopsis populations over five generations according to how far they dispersed their seeds. Only seeds that spread to locations a certain distance from the mother plant were used for the subsequent generation. The researchers then took the seeds of three independent populations featuring effective seed dispersal and grew them together with seeds of the original, non-selected population - but this time in an environment without selection pressure. The plant populations were examined in depth after a further two generations. Analysis of genetic activity, genome, and epigenome "We were able to show that in the selected plants, two traits that are important for seed dispersal were different compared to the original population. The plants flowered later and had a higher number of branches," says Grossniklaus. These changes could not be traced back to mutations in the genome of the plants. However, the researchers found significant differences in the epigenome: The state of methylation was altered at about 50,000 bases in the DNA. Differences were also found in the activity of genes that controlled flowering, for example. New opportunities for crop breeding Even under normal environmental conditions without selection, the new traits were maintained for at least two to three generations. "Like genetic variation, epigenetic variation is subject to selection and contributes to the diversity of plant traits. Since the genetic basis of crops is often very limited, epigenetics could be used to expand the material for plant breeding," emphasizes Grossniklaus. Climate change is likely to alter the environmental conditions in many of the world's regions within a short period of time. Plant species that can quickly adapt to changes are thus becoming increasingly important. ### A mass shooting Wednesday night in the city of Thousand Oaks in Southern California, has left 13 people dead including an officer and a gunman, and at least 11 injured, local authorities said. Police vehicles line a road in the vicinity of a shooting in Thousand Oaks, California, early Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. [Photo: AP] Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean told the press that deputies responded to multiple reports of gunshots fired at Borderline Bar and Grill around 11:30 p.m. local time (0730 GMT, Thursday). Deputy Sgt. Ron Helus went into the bar with another highway patrol officer. Helus was shot several times in confrontation with the shooter and died in hospital later, Dean said. According to witnesses at the scene, the shooter threw a smoke grenade into the bar before opening fire with a handgun. Madison Cummings, an eyewitness at the bar, told Xinhua that the shooter had a beard and short black hair, wore all black and held a black handgun. "At the first sight, I thought it was a joke, because the music did not stop. But later I smelled the gun fire, then I knew it's real," she said. "We immediately ducked down, freaking out," she said. As soon as the shooter was outside her eyesight, Cummings got up and went up to the door. She sat in her car parked in front of the bar for 45 minutes until the cops walked the patrons to a safe place. Helus was a 29-year veteran who was set to retire next year. "Ron was a hardworking, dedicated sheriff's sergeant. He was totally committed, he gave his all and tonight, as I told his wife, he died a hero. He went in to save lives, to save other people," Dean said, choking up. He said the identification and the motive of the shooter remain unknown, and it is unclear whether the shooting was terrorism related. This is the second deadly mass shooting within two weeks in the United States. At least 11 people were killed and six others injured after a gunman opened fire inside a synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Oct. 27. According to a study released in August by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, the United States has one of the highest gun-related death tolls in the world due to lax gun control laws. Share Article Retired Lt. Col. Dick Cole discussed the 1st Commando Group in an interview with Air Force Magazine. Staff video still by Mike Tsukamoto. Retired Lt. Col. Dick Cole, now 103, best known as the last surviving member of the famous Doolittle Raiders, later flew the humpthe Himalaya Mountainssupplying US troops in China during World War II. In a rare interview about the 1st Air Commando Group, Cole told Air Force Magazine about the first-ever aerial invasion, flying troops and supplies into Burma from March 1944 to November 1945, and the unique precursor to todays Air Force special operators. The Air Commandos included fighters, bombers, light planes, transports, and gliders, creating an Aluminum Highway and bypassing Japanese troops. Watch the video in full-screen here. A Poor SA Mining Output Brings the YoY Figure to a Woeful -1.8% - GBP to ZAR Exchange Rate Recovers Through this morning and afternoon sessions the Sterling has gained ground on the SA rand after posting a 2 month low of 18.229 late in yesterdays session. Prompted by a myriad of factors, not least the anticipation of a Brexit deal being finalised in the next two months, the SA Rand's decline was spurred on by poor mining output figures delivered this morning. Despite posting a month on month gain of 1.2% this did little to sway to bigger picture, year-on-year stats, delivering a poor -1.8%. With an economy intrinsically tied to mining output and associated exports, the inherent difficulty in gauging mining output poses a significant risk factor for the ZAR. Traders will be paying keen attention to tomorrow's manufacturing PMI. A disappointing result could see the Rand lose further ground, aiding the Sterling to pull away from local lows and return to the yearly uptrend. The value of the Pound Sterling (GBP) versus the South African Rand (ZAR) has continued its steady decline from its year-to-date high set at the beginning of September at 20.13422, hitting a 2 month low yesterday evening at 18.229. The bigger picture puts the GBP/ZAR exchange rate up overall in 2018 and considerably above the yearly low of 16.0798. Yesterdays drop takes the pairing below the 100 SMA into an area (18 18.35) which has proved to be a pivot point in recent months. Although the pair has recovered in the early morning session, bears will be looking for a break below 18.2 to continue the downtrend. Above: GBP/ZAR 4 Hour Exchange Rate Chart 2 Month Low Hit Ahead of Mining Figures Release A seemingly unlikely candidate to be in the cross-hairs during the US midterms, South African economists as well as the ZAR value welcomed the newly Democratic House of Representatives. With the USD and GBP hammering the Rand year-to-date, South Africa welcomes anything thatll put a spoke in the Greenbacks wheels. As Rand Merchant Banks Nema Ramkhelawan-Bhana puts it: Markets would look kindly on a gridlock in Washington as it would lessen the risk of radical policy and regulatory changes, which would favour risk assets the lira and rand being the obvious beneficiaries Despite gridlock being too strong a term to describe the midterm election fallout, the results have prompted fresh lows for the USD and GBP against the Rand. With this being the case, South African analysts and traders look to domestic news on both fronts. At 11.30 am this morning we have mining production increase/decrease for SA. With exceptionally poor mining production output for the first 2 months of Q3, Septembers figures are expected to bring little respite despite the projected increase. Absa predict that September mining outputwill print 1.5% m/m sa higher, equivalent to -1.7% y/y. leaving quarterly output down 12.8%. Despite poor figures recently the Rand has in short term made gains against both the USD and GBP since September. Any higher than expected output figures could help boost moves to the downside for the GBPZAR pairing. Eyes will also be on the FOMC statement and Fed Funds Rate released at 7pm. As mentioned, South African economists would welcome any hesitancy in the Greenbacks on-going expansion, being a prime candidate to benefit not only against the USD but other majors too. Privacy Settings This site uses functional cookies and external scripts to improve your experience. Which cookies and scripts are used and how they impact your visit is specified on the left. You may change your settings at any time. Your choices will not impact your visit. NOTE: These settings will only apply to the browser and device you are currently using. Welcome to the News Release Wire Selection Control Panel. Instant News Wire From: Joyce L. Gioia, CMC, CSP -- The Herman Group Austin , TX Wednesday, November 7, 2018 The Herman Trend Alert November 7, 2018 Pancreatic Cancer Breakthrough Though Pancreatic Cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer deaths and has just a seven percent five-year survival rate, a new breakthrough holds promise for a major improvement in the tricky treatment protocol. The problem is to target the cancer with radiation treatment. The unhealthy cells are often hidden behind the stomach or other organs so sometimes the healthy cells are accidentally being hit by radiation. The Results of the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of this new treatment is that it was invented by a 13-year-old middle-school student from Oregon named Rishab Jain. Interestingly, this breakthrough is an algorithm that uses artificial intelligence to find and track the healthy cells of the pancreas in real time. The young scientist's algorithm not only improves the accuracy of treatment but also increases the impact of the radiation treatment. As the winner of the contest, Jain received a check for $25,000 USD. Deadly Pancreatic Cancer + AI = Innovative Solution Last year when he discovered the lethal nature of pancreatic cancer, Jain started working on the project. As luck would have it, at the same time, he was also working on artificial intelligence (AI) programming and wondered if he could combine his knowledge of both fields to develop a solution. Exactly how it works Breathing and other bodily processes often causes the pancreas to move around the abdominal area and be masked by other organs. In the past, doctors have sometimes needed to utilize an "error circle" with radiation treatment to ensure they targeted the pancreas. However, using an error circle frequently killed healthy cells with the diseased ones. Using machine learning, Jain's algorithm helps doctors more precisely locate the pancreas. Jain's tool tracks the pancreas in the scan itself, so that the radiotherapy treatment is applied to kill only tumor cells. Adaptable Software Jain's software works with hospitals' existing radiotherapy equipment or may be incorporated directly into new machines. He is currently in communication with doctors at local Oregon as well as big-name national hospitals, including Johns Hopkins Hospital and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He hopes to tweak and eventually implement his idea. Jain will use some his winnings to advance his machine learning project and fund the nonprofit he created, Samyak Science Society, which will promote STEM learning for children with limited opportunities. The balance will go toward Jain's college fund, so he can study to become either a biomedical engineer or a doctor. He is interested in biomedical engineering, because it includes both fields; thereafter, he wants to attend medical school to become a doctor. Our young people are a valuable resource Jain is a shining example of the brilliance of our young people. Our ideal future will include our finding more ways to capitalize on their intelligence and enthusiasm for solving society's biggest challenges. Special thanks to Bob Prichard and Inside Edition for their reporting on this breakthrough. ********* Copyright 1998-2018 by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurist. 336-210-3548 or http://www.hermangroup.com. To sign up, visit http://www.HermanTrendAlert.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc." ********* The Herman Group is a firm of Strategic Business Futurists concentrating on workforce and workplace issues. We forecast the future and advise clients regarding relevant trends and how those trends may affect their lives. Applying our expertise as Certified Management Consultants, we advise corporate leaders regarding employee retention and organizational development to help them build workforce stability. We help organizations become Employers of Choice. We also work with Employer of Choice, Inc. to formally recognize employers that meet the stringent standards dictated by the labor marketplace. As authors of management books and as active professional speakers, we inform and inspire people to make a positive difference in the world of work. You did really get the ball rolling with our retention presentation, overall we have seen a move in the right direction with our turnover. In practice since 1980, we have served a wide variety of clients throughout the United States and in other countries. Our global affiliates assist us in sharing our expertise and advice with clients internationally. Our team of professional consultants and trainers is supported by an administrative staff that gets things done. We also have consultants certified to deliver our programs in your local area. Delivering to both small and large groups across 100 industries, The Herman Group has provided over 2,500 educational and informative keynote speeches and training seminars worldwide. Based in Greensboro, North Carolina, we travel extensively to meet the needs of our clients. We can always be reached through the support team in our office at (800) 227-3566. Overseas callers may reach us through 336-210-3547. Should you have any questions after touring our website, please call or e-mail us at info@hermangroup.com. Get started now on improving the stability and performance of your workforce and increase your chances for success in the future. Thursday, November 8, 2018 On Veterans Day, November 11, 1968, my husband departed for the Vietnam War. I was twenty-two and could not fathom that he might not return. That rainy Tuesday morning, fifty years ago, would be the last time I heard his voice. September 2018. Im at an airport hotel in Atlanta, Georgia, where three giant, air conditioned buses are loading veterans and family members for a trip to the Infantry Museum at Fort Benning, Georgia, a US Army post where many trained for the infantry. I have a front seat, right behind the driver. Most people have boarded already but the seat next to me is still empty and it seems Ill be traveling the one-hour plus journey without a seatmate. I know several veterans of the Vietnam Triple Deuce at this reunion of the 22thInfantry Regiment Society especially the guys of A Company who served in Vietnam during 68 and 69. They knew my husband, Captain David R. Crocker, Jr., as their beloved Company Commander. When he was killed in a booby-trapped Viet Cong bunker on May 17, 1969, the entire unit grieved and had to be taken from the field for several days. I didnt know any of them until we met, by chance, in 2006 and they opened a window to our shared past. Since that first reunion in Omaha, Ive met them at reunions around the country every eighteen months. More and more veterans of the Triple Deuce come each time as they situate their courage to reconnect with others who are their long-lost brothers. They have become my family, too. Their stories about my husbands courage, leadership, and humanity towards them, during a horrific war, revealed to me the healing power of shared memories. Before the first reunion, I worried that I might not be able to handle the stories. But hearing them became a tonic a truth serum that pierced the fog of confusion surrounding Daves final months on earth in the midst of jungle and heat in a dubious war thousands of miles away. A tall man suddenly boards the bus bound for the museum and sits down beside me. Its difficult to discern his age. Perhaps hes from a recent war. The Persian Gulf or Iraq. The history of the Regiment reaches back to wars from 1861. He opens a black leather portfolio with an impressive number of ballpoint pens neatly clipped inside. Im not shy about starting conversations. Have you been to reunions before this one?." I ask. No. This is my first. A buddy of mine told me it would be a good experience for me. But he didnt show up! Im hoping to see some guys from my old unit. What about you? My name is Joe, by the way.." When I told Joe who I was, he reeled back with a look of surprise and then a broad smile. How is this possible? Ive been thinking about Dave for years. I was commander of Headquarters Company when he commanded A Company at the same time. It was a terrible shock when he was hit. What a great guy he was! We mostly talked over the radio. An amazing leader with a great sense of humor I used to tease him that he was the second best Company Commander in Vietnam. He just laughed. You have made my day, my decade meeting you at this reunion unbelievable! Joe and I spent the rest of the day together at the museum surrounded by all facets of war and weaponry going back to the American Revolution. On the bus tour of Fort Benning, I recalled battling giant June bugs in my first apartment as a nineteen-year-old Army wife. He laughed, describing the perils of jumping from parachute towers and jogging with a backpack full of bricks to stay in shape. We were bonded by our memories of Dave, of challenges of military life, and being able to dip back into the past without having to explain our roles in an era that remains inexplicable. We simply passed the talking stick back and forth between us and enjoyed the comfort of being with someone who understood. Back at the reunion hotel that evening, Joe found others from his unit of fifty years ago. I saw him across the room beaming as he slapped someone on the back in happy recognition. Once again, I was glad I had come to another reunion. I appreciate the consensus among these veterans of the courage it takes for each person to approach their memories. They are still helping each other survive. Their courage is contagious. Ill be thinking about all of them this week as Veterans Day approaches for the fiftieth time since 1968. Im grateful to them for helping me to find courage and peace. Ruth W. Crocker is the author of Those Who Remain: Remembrance and Reunion After War, a memoir of the Vietnam War. Visit www.ruthwcrocker.com for more information and to subscribe to periodic essays about war, peace and the writing process. Struggling San Antonio-based global marketing firm Harte Hanks Inc. plans to refocus its attention on some its traditional services as part of an effort to return to profitability. Harte Hanks Chairman Andrew Tobia said in a conference call with investors Wednesday that those service lines, which are profitable, include direct mail, logistics and fulfillment. Previously, these service lines were not provided the attention, support and investment necessary for them to perform at their potential, Tobia said. The company is working to correct this mistake and reinvigorate these service lines. The services include digital printing, print on demand, shrink wrapping and specialized mailings. Logistics includes custom kits, product recalls and freight optimization, according to a regulatory filing earlier this year. The companys other service lines include database marketing solutions and business-to-business lead generation, digital marketing solutions and contact centers. A call to the company was not returned. Tobia is co-founder of Sidus Investment Partners, a New York hedge fund that pushed last year for two board seats at Harte Hanks. He joined the board in July 2017 and became its chairman in June. The new board and current leadership team recognizes that the deteriorating performance and lack of stability of the business during recent years has caused some concerns about our liquidity and sustainability, Tobia said. I am here today because I believe we have the foundation in place to restore growth and profitability at Harte Hanks. The first step in becoming profitable involved replacing CEO Karen Puckett and the companys chief marketing officer, Frank Grillo, in recent months, Tobia said. Wednesdays investor call was the first since their departure. Harte Hanks has established an office of the CEO, comprised of two board members and two executives, to provide strategic direction. In its first 60 days, Tobia said, the office has reduced corporate spending and eliminated ineffective corporate marketing expenses. The company cut operating expenses by $19.5 million in the third quarter, in part by reducing its workforce. The office will be in charge while the company searches for a new CEO. Harte Hanks had about 4,000 employees at the end of September, down from more than 5,000 at the end of last year. It expects to get even leaner, though. I believe there is significant unrealized value within Harte Hanks, Tobia said. The board and management are laser-focused on stabilizing the business while building on the companys strengths to unlock value for all shareholders. Harte Hanks third-quarter revenue plunged almost 33 percent to $63.6 million from $94.4 million in the same period a year ago. Part of that drop was due to the sale of a subsidiary in February. It also experienced customer losses at its contact centers. The company lost $10.1 million, or $1.62 a share, in the third quarter, versus $2.5 million, or 40 cents a share, a year ago. Chief Financial Officer Jon Biro said on the call that Harte Hanks ended the latest quarter with $10.4 million in cash, no debt and zero drawn on a credit line with $19 million available. Along with tax refunds expected before the end of the year and next year, Biro said Harte Hanks has adequate liquidity to fund our turnaround plan. Harte Hanks shares fell 3 cents to close at $5.72 Wednesday. It shares have fallen by half since hitting a 52-week high of $11.60 on June 11. Patrick Danner is a San Antonio-based staff writer covering banking and civil courts. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | pdanner@express-news.net | Twitter: @AlamoPD A judicial candidates win Tuesday night will open a vacancy on the Harlandale Independent School District board of trustees. Board member Carlos Quezada was elected judge of the 289th Judicial District, which handles juvenile cases in Bexar County. He must leave his school board position before he is sworn in as judge on Jan. 1 and said Wednesday he plans to stay a trustee until then. I can resign early but I wont be doing that. Im still a board member. Ill be at the board meetings, Quezada said. The board can appoint a replacement, call a special election for the District 6 seat or wait until the next regular election in May when Quezadas term ends. But trustees cant discuss their options when they meet on Monday because the agenda has already been finalized, Board President Juan Mancha said, meaning they will either wait until their December meeting or call a special meeting. RELATED: Results from the 2018 General Election in Texas My personal opinion is to let the voters decide, Mancha said Wednesday. I always feel its better to let the community decide than for us. Thats my personal opinion. I havent talked to any of the board members. Quezada, who was elected to the board in 2015, served as board president during a contentious two years. Last year, the Texas Education Agency announced it was investigating the district over governance issues, contract procurement and alleged nepotism and conflict of interest. The investigation is still ongoing, TEA spokeswoman DeEtta Culbertson said. Mancha said Quezada deserves praise for not skimping on his service to Harlandale ISD while campaigning for judge. Some trustees have missed board meetings when seeking another elective office, he said. He is a good leader. He did his part and I have a lot of respect for the man, Mancha said. Krista Torralva covers several school districts and public universities in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | Krista.Torralva@express-news.net | Twitter: @KMTorralva When newly elected Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales takes office Jan. 1, hell evaluate how to revive a seldom-used program known as cite-and-release. People suspected of certain low-level misdemeanors, including possession of small amounts of marijuana, could take a class and pay a fine rather than have an arrest on their record. Such a program could be a time-saver for law enforcement officers and courts. That is one the district attorney-elects top priorities, he said during an interview with the San Antonio Express-News on Wednesday, a day after he soundly defeated Republican Tylden Shaeffer in the election. That has been a pet project of mine, Gonzales, 59, said of cite-and-release. I want to know how to do it on a larger scale. Gonzales interest in cite-and-release in Bexar County comes almost a year after current District Attorney Nico LaHood, whom Gonzales defeated in the Democratic primary, announced his own plan. On ExpressNews.com: New program treats misdemeanors similar to traffic offenses It was marred by problems from the beginning. Two days before LaHood was to announce the program, officials in his office were still working to finalize policies, according to records obtained by the Express-News. The pilot program was first rolled out in partnership with the Bexar County Sheriffs Office. At the time, the district attorneys office said that within two months, it intended to provide guidelines to the dozens of other law enforcement agencies in Bexar County that might be interested in using it. But after two months, many department heads said they still had not received any guidance about it. In total, 31 citations were issued during the pilot program. On ExpressNews.com: Records show cite and release had rocky beginning Gonzales said he needs to speak with LaHoods staff to determine what exactly went wrong, but he suspects it has to do with a lack of leadership from the District Attorneys Office. Gonzales said he has already spoken to San Antonio Police Chief William McManus and Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar about reviving cite-and-release, which they support. He intends to reach out to officials with other police agencies in Bexar County. I want to go back in there and say Look, were going to start from scratch, Gonzales said. Were going to start anew. Lets work together. He outlined his other immediate priorities as district attorney. Combatting family violence: Gonzales plans to move the Family Violence Unit from under the White Collar Crime Unit, where it is currently housed, and make it a standalone unit. He would also add personnel from other divisions and hire a prosecutor with expertise in family violence cases to oversee the unit. Bail reform: Gonzales said there is an overwhelming number of inmates in jail while awaiting trial because they cannot afford to post bond. He said he will encourage his prosecutors to work with defense attorneys to see whether its appropriate to offer a personal recognizance bond to people accused of low-level crimes and who cant pay bail. Such a bond does not require the defendant to pay he or she simply must agree to appear in court as required. Some district attorneys in Texas have lobbied the state Legislature to eliminate cash bonds, which requires individuals to pay the full bail amount without the assistance of a bondsman, a measure Gonzales said he does not support. Im not there yet, he said. Well see. Staffing: Gonzales said there are a number of very talented staffers working at the District Attorneys Office now and that he does not intend to clear house, or bring on an entirely new staff. He said a handful of people would not be a good fit, and those staffers already know who they are. Gonzales, a former assistant prosecutor who is now a criminal defense lawyer in private practice, said he has already identified some qualified prosecutors he intends to hire. There are others, including Juanita A. Vasquez-Gardner, the chief administrative attorney in LaHoods office, who he plans to keep on board. We want to make this as smooth a transition as possible, Gonzales said. I want to make sure the voters realize were going to do everything we can to protect this community. Emilie Eaton is a criminal justice reporter in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | eeaton@express-news.net | Twitter: @emilieeaton A family dispute led to a shooting that left two sisters dead, one woman injured and the apparent suicide of their attacker, police said Wednesday. The Bexar County Medical Examiners Office identified the dead Wednesday as Alexander Hyde, 19, and sisters Delma Lou Ann and Cassandra Ann Pereida. The three were found shot to death just after 4 p.m. Tuesday at a home in the 10300 block of Cone Hill. A call from a neighbor about shots fired led San Antonio police to the residence Tuesday, according to preliminary information from a police report. READ ALSO: Three dead, one injured in far West Side shooting Officer Douglas Greene, an SAPD spokesman, said a second caller reported that one of the victims had been communicating with a friend via social media while the shooting occurred. When officers arrived, they heard someone inside the house calling for help and forced their way in. Inside, they found a man and two women dead and a wounded 52-year-old woman. The woman was shot in both arms and lost a lot of blood, Greene said. She was taken to University Hospital, where she remained in critical condition Wednesday. A family member said Wednesday evening that the woman was in her second surgery. Investigators said that Hyde came to the home unannounced and shot all three women before turning the gun on himself. READ ALSO: Family argument preceded murder-suicide that left 3 dead on far West Side There had been a recent family argument which caused the suspect to become disgruntled over the last few days, a preliminary report states. Delma Lou Ann Pereida, 19, was found with a shotgun wound to the head and neck. Cassandra, 17, had a shotgun wound to her torso, according to the medical examiner. Their deaths were ruled a homicide. Hyde died as a result of a shotgun wound to the head, the medical examiner said. His death was ruled a suicide. John Maglinte, who owns the home where the incident occurred, said the injured woman lives there with her two daughters. He said the three had been living there for about a year, and that they had just renewed their lease. The news caught neighbors by surprise. To me, its always been a quiet street, said Refugio Villafana, a 74-year-old who lives across the street from the family. Villafana said he knows most of the residents on the street, but did not know the victims of the shooting. They keep to themselves, he said. Villafana recalled hearing a few loud noises, but initially thought the neighbors were moving furniture around. I thought nothing of it, he said. About 20 minutes later, I looked outside and it was a whole different scene. Villafana said the shooting left him feeling concerned about the family. Thats kind of hitting close to home, he said. You dont like to see that or hear about it. Our prayers go out to them. Thats a big loss. WASHINGTON Former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro came away from the midterm election heartened by Democratic successes and seemingly intent on running for his party's nomination for president in 2020. "I'm hoping to run and will make a final decision in the next few weeks," Castro said. Castro, 44, who was housing secretary in the Obama administration, has given every indication he will join what likely will be a Democratic field bulging with candidates. With the midterms over, an array of party hopefuls is expected to declare candidacies later this year and early in 2020. From Oct. 1 to Nov. 1, Castro traveled to each of the first four Democratic primary and caucus states as of now -- Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina. His family biography, "An Unlikely Journey," published last month, and Castro told Rolling Stone magazine that a presidential candidacy is likely. For subscribers: Former San Antonio mayor energizes Latinos, draws interest in Iowa Castro is heading a PAC, Opportunity First, that serves as a hub for his political operations. On Wednesday he was calling to congratulate candidates around the country that his PAC endorsed and console those who lost. He said he likely will announce his decision early next year. Victories by younger Democrats, and minorities, offered encouragement. While capturing control of the U.S. House on Tuesday, Democrats sent the first two Texas Latinas to Congress Sylvia Garcia, of Houston, and Veronica Escobar, of El Paso, who won Beto O'Rourke's seat. "I'm encouraged about what happened here in Texas because Texas continued to move forward to being a very competitive state. I believe that the future for Democrats is 78 electoral votes in Arizona, Texas and Florida. All of those states had very close races," he said. Castro has said he believes he has a lane in which to pursue the nomination the status of a younger Democrat competing against a potentially older field and a candidate who can succeed in mobilizing younger voters. "I've said for a while now that people out there want a new generation of leadership. That seems to be what we're getting in 2018 and I'm convinced that's going to be the case in 2020," he said. O'Rourke, who ran a strong race against Sen. Ted Cruz in a losing effort, also is the subject of speculation as leading Democrats consider options. Asked about the potential of O'Rourke seeking the White House, Castro said: "I'm sure that he has a bright future. I don't want to speculate for him." Chuck McCarthy was hoping for a Beto ORourke victory when he lined up six hours before the Southwest University Stadium doors opened for an election night rally in El Paso. While he said he wasnt happy about Ted Cruzs victory in the U.S. Senate race, he believes this isnt the last time Texas will see ORourke on a ballot. Hes got it in his blood now. This guy is not giving up hes coming back, McCarthy said. I dont know where or when, but hes coming back. The thousands who gathered in central El Paso agreed, evident in the cheers of 2020 that echoed through the stadium as ORourke walked off the stage. A day after nearly producing the first Democratic victory in a statewide race in Texas in 24 years a feat that caught the nations attention ORourke wasnt making any statements about his future. His top campaign aides did not respond to interview requests Wednesday. But speculation about his prospects as a presidential contender in 2020 or beyond were inevitable after his record-breaking haul of $70 million, about half of it in small-dollar donations from energized supporters around the nation. The questions also arise amid a wide-open field of Democratic contenders. Other than Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and perhaps former Vice President Joe Biden few have the star power ORourke has developed over his improbable 19-month candidacy. All I can say is that Beto not only acquitted himself well as a candidate, but he inspired the nation, said Dallas lawyer Marc Stanley, a Democratic donor who formed the Fire Ted Cruz PAC for the 2018 Senate race. Hes got a future on the national stage. What that is, I dont know. Related: Democrats make gains in Texas Legislature, but Republicans still run the show When the question was put directly to ORourke during a CNN town hall last month in the Rio Grande Valley, a crowd made up mostly of young college students cheered wildly. ORourkes response was purposely brief: The answer is no, ORourke said, citing strains of public life on his wife and three young children. Its a definite no. Pressed by CNN host Dana Bash as to whether no meant never, ORourke seemed to put a potential expiration date on his promise not to run for president. Let me put it this way, ORourke said, I promise you, and most importantly to the people of Texas, that I will serve every single day of a six-year term in the United States Senate. Then, making a not-too-subtle comparison to Cruz, who launched his White House bid half-way through his Senate term, ORourke added, I wont leave the state to go run for president. If I dont win, the three-term congressman added, were back in El Paso his home town. In a CBS interview days before the election, he gave a similar answer, but only ruled out a run in 2020. With Tuesdays narrow loss to Cruz, questions about the political future of ORourke, 46, have only intensified. Intriguingly, the same questions surround Cruz, who has not ruled out another presidential run, though he has said he will not run against President Donald Trump in 2020. The prospect of a future ORourke rematch with Cruz on a national level has captivated media pundits for months. But with the 2020 election cycle just one-day old, analysts can only speculate. I think that he, without a doubt, distinguished himself as a fresh and a positive voice, somebody who, regardless of what his position is on a particular issue, is open to all sides and to solving problem, said Texas Democratic strategist Matt Angle, who heads the Lone Star Project. But some Texas Democrats also have their sights set closer to home, on the seat held by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, who will be up for re-election in 2020. Im not going to say whether he should be taken seriously as a contender for national office, Angle said of ORourke. Hes not asking my opinion, but I would kind of slow walk that if I were him. But I think hes a serious player in Texas, and we have a Senate seat up in two years. Nationally, Democratic excitement over ORourke is palpable. Texas Democratic consultant Colin Strother followed Tuesdays election results at a watch party with Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill in Washington. In the main ballroom, there were two huge jumbo screens, and anytime it showed an update with Beto in the lead, there was a huge roar from the crowd. Strother called ORourkes campaign monumental and unprecedented in Texas. As to whether he should be in the mix of Democratic contenders looking at the presidency, Strother said, if he isnt, he ought to be. Simon Rosenberg, president of NDN, a Democratic-aligned Washington think tank, also said hes sold on the idea of ORourke going national. He is among the most well-regarded Democratic politicians in the country right now, and he did it in a very short period time through his force of vision and his performance as a candidate. I dont know that he should do it, but I think he should look at it seriously, he said. That view is shared by some Texas Republicans who have seen ORourkes rise from the El Paso City Council to Congress. You cant underestimate Beto ORourke, said El Paso native Jacob Monty, a former member of Trumps National Hispanic Advisory Council. Monty quit Trumps advisory group over the presidents hard-line rhetoric on immigrants, but he supported Cruz in the Senate race. Monty believes that ultimately ORourke staked out positions that were too liberal for Texas. But he gives him credit for mobilizing new voters, many of the young or minorities. I didnt vote for him, but I wouldnt write this guy off, Monty said. Hes a dragon-slayer. Alejandra Matos contributed reporting from El Paso; Bill Lambrecht contributed reporting from Washington. AUSTIN Democrats made substantial gains in the Texas Legislature on Tuesday, winning more than a dozen seats and sweeping out of office several Republicans aligned with the tea party, including one who called immigration enforcement on protestors. Democrats exceeded expectations by flipping 12 seats in the Texas House in the Dallas, Houston and Austin areas. While not enough to claim a majority, they did narrow the GOPs control of the chamber and could wield considerable influence in selecting the next House speaker. The powerful role is being vacated by Rep. Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, who didnt run for another term. Republicans now hold the Texas House with 83 seats to Democrats 67. Eight GOP incumbents lost their re-election races including Rep. Matt Rinaldi, an Irving Republican who made headlines in 2017 for calling U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on protesters who held signs that read, I am illegal and here to stay. Rep. Ron Simmons, R-Carrollton, who in 2017 filed a version of the so-called bathroom bill affecting transgender people, lost to Democratic challenger Michelle Beckley. Also ousted Tuesday were Rep. Gary Elkins, R-Houston, who chairs the House Government Transparency & Operation Committee, Rep. Linda Koop, R-Dallas and Rep. Paul Workman, R-Austin. In the Senate, Democrats picked off two Republicans, Konni Burton of Colleyville and Don Huffines of Dallas. Democrats still fall one seat short, however, of having the votes needed to block or stall policies pushed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and the Republican majority. The scenario could set up another legislative session in 2019 with conservative bills pushed through the Senate hitting roadblocks in the House as in the 2017 legislative session, when the House was a foil to several controversial measures including the bathroom bill that would have required people to use the bathroom that corresponds with the gender listed on their birth certificates. Many of the Democrats pickups came in the Dallas area, where demographic changes and high voter turnout helped to boost the partys candidates. Similarly, a handful of Republican candidates in Williamson and Hays Counties traditionally red counties just outside of Austin lost. Texas Democrats faced a tough map, but we built the largest legislative battlefield in a decade and recruited incredible candidates, Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa said in a statement. Our Democratic nominees were victorious because they made their case to Texans on the issues that keep them up at night. Both state parties said they are already looking toward the 2020 election. Last night we saw the culmination of several years of concentrated effort by the left and the impact of over $100 million spent in their dream to turn Texas blue again. Thankfully, they failed to win a single statewide elected office, Texas Republican Party chair James Dickey said in a statement. While we recognize our victories, we know we have much work to do particularly in the urban and suburban areas of the state. In an effort to beat back Democratic gains, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott had pumped more than $1 million to vulnerable GOP state senate and House candidates in the months leading up to Election Day. Republicans didnt flip any state House or Senate seats, and in several races they held on with razor thin margins. Rep. Dwayne Bohac, R-Houston, won by fewer than 150 votes out of more than 48,000 cast, according to a preliminary tally on the Secretary of States website. The election also propelled Republican Angela Paxton, who is married to Attorney General Ken Paxton, to her first term in the Texas Senate. Ken Paxton, also a Republican, narrowly won his own re-election bid against Austin attorney Justin Nelson. Moderate Rep. Sarah Davis, R-West University Place, won her re-election bid. Abbott had targeted Davis in the Republican primary earlier this year. amorris@express-news.net Though it missed a planned springtime debut, developer Vito Catale has the finish line for his new Monroe shopping center in sight. The Monroe resident and partner John Chaves, of Easton, are preparing to open the Crossroads Center in coming weeks at 464 Main St. The 13,700-square-foot retail center will be across from the Cumberland Farms gas station and the Clock Tower Square plaza, adding to the towns string of businesses along its main commercial corridor. Its gateway to the north and its going to help bring more jobs and more opportunities for people to go with more shopping, Catale said. Developers had originally planned to open Crossroads in June, but the project hit a snag, which Catale said was due to construction changes. The project has been ongoing for the last two years since it was first approved at the end of 2016. The duo set out to bring eight new businesses to their 2-acre parcel along Route 25, which serves is home to a string of businesses. It was going slowly but we got there finally, Catale said. (Were) relieved that its going to be finally done. The developers have said they wanted to bring a mix of national brands and small businesses to the project. Though an official list of tenants hasnt been released, Catale said residents can expect a new pet store, bank branch, Verizon store and Mediterranean restaurant to be featured at Crossroads at opening day. He added that they are in ongoing talks with other potential tenants for the remaining spaces, including a new Chaves Bakery location. Chaves owns several bakeries under the brand throughout Fairfield County. Town officials are looking forward to the arrival of Crossroads Center and momentum it will create for business development in town. Raymond Giovanni, president of the Monroe Chamber of Commerce as well as the recently named chairman of the economic development commission, said the focus for officials and the existing business community has been on making the town more inviting for new businesses to set up along major corridors like Route 25 and 111. The chamber and economic development can work together now on this mission to move forward, so this is great news for us not only for the four tenants that are coming to that facility, but thats going to help create the momentum here in Monroe to foster more businesses coming to town, Giovanni said. Jordan.grice@hearstmediact.com FAIRFIELD The Connecticut Republican party needs to choose better candidates if it wants to win a race for governor, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said a day after Republican Bob Stefanowski lost to Democrat Ned Lamont. They need to go through a real self-evaluation, Christie, a Republican, told a crowd of about 500 people Wednesday night at Fairfield University. The single most important rule in winning an election: Candidates matter. Christie, whose close relationship with President Donald Trump has not apparently led to professional possibilities after he left New Jersey state government, praised and panned the president a day after Democrats won the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives and made huge gains in both houses of the Connecticut General Assembly. In addition to the partys choice of candidate, he blamed a resistance to the president for Stefanowskis loss. Stefanowski earned more votes than outgoing Gov. Dannel P. Malloy received when he won in both 2010 and 2014 elections, but still lost. Thats indicative of more than just the wrong candidate, Christie said. Christie, who campaigned on behalf of Republican Tom Foley in 2010 and 2014, said he is constantly disappointed by Connecticut voters. As he waited on the results of the Connecticut election Tuesday night, he was doubtful Stefanowski would win despite optimism from other Republicans early in the night, when Stefanowski held a lead. He knew after Foleys losses that Bridgeport, New Haven and Hartford would make the difference in the election. If it were up to me, Id just arrest the entire government in Bridgeport, New Haven and Hartford, Christie said. Now Im hearing about people who were registering to vote at 8:30 at night and wet ballots. Ive got to give Connecticut this. I have literally campaigned in every state in this country except for Hawaii and Alaska. ... You people come up with excuses that Ive never heard of in any other state. Never. Stefanowski said Lamont won the election fair and square, when he conceded Wednesday morning. Christie, who was twice elected governor of New Jersey, drew several laughs from the crowd as he landed jokes about himself, the president, Republicans and Democrats. Christie completed his second term in January 2018. Trump appointed Christie as chairman of the Presidents Commission on Combatting Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis in the spring of 2017. Christie became an ABC News contributor in 2018 after leaving office. kkrasselt@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2563; @kaitlynkrasselt FAIRFIELD Election Day didnt change who Fairfield is sending to Hartford, as all of the incumbents won re-election. What did change was the turnout. Results showed that Fairfield residents voted at near-presidential election rates on Tuesday. Of the 38,293 registered voters, 27,607 votes were tallied a 72 percent turnout. In the 2016 presidential election, Fairfield had 79 percent turnout out of 40,579 registered voters. In comparison, Fairfield won the Democracy Challenge Cup for a 2014 gubernatorial election turnout of 56.96 percent, and turnout was at 62 percent in 2010. By early evening Tuesday, all 10 districts had surpassed a 50 percent turnout, with several going over the 70 percent mark. District 4, which votes at Stratfield School, garnered the top spot with 76.4 percent of its 3,974 registered voters going to the polls. The lowest turnout was 61 percent in Holland Hill, District 7. There, 1,808 voters cast ballots, out of the 2,963 registered voters. I hope this year sets a trend for the years ahead, First Selectman Mike Tetreau said. I want to thank all the voters in our town for getting to the polls and making their voices heard. I am proud of our town. Tetreau said he believes there is nothing better for the community or the country than a large turnout on Election Day. This is the true voice of the people, he said. In the year of the woman, women made a very loud and strong statement becoming candidates for elected office, and by voting in record numbers. Republican Town Committee Chairman James Millington attributed the record turnout to voters looking to send a message. I spent a lot of time talking to people at the polls, Millington said. There was a large group of voters who voted Democrat for the first time to send a message to Washington. To those voters, Millington said, hes heard their message and will convey it. Going forward, we need to focus on Connecticut and Fairfield, he said. In Fairfield, throughout Connecticut, and across the country, yesterdays tremendous voter turnout was about standing up to the assaults this Republican administration has made on our democracy, Millingtons Democratic counterpart, Steve Sheinberg, said. Winning the majority in the House is an important step toward the checks needed to stop the Trump administrations abuse of power, and is a sign of changes to come in 2020. The local results left Sheinberg a bit disappointed, however. Locally, were, of course, disappointed not to have won the seats in the 132nd and 134th House districts or the 28th Senate district, he said, but proud of the campaigns run by Pereira, Gaudiano and McCabe. We know this is just the beginning for all of them, Sheinberg said. At the ballot box, Fairfield voters sent state Sen. Tony Hwang, R-28, state Rep. Brenda Kupchick, R-132, state Rep. Cristin McCarthy Vahey, D-133, and state Rep. Laura Devlin, R-134, back to Hartford. Despite the blue wave in Connecticut, the Fairfield Republican candidates earned their victories through a proven record of accomplishments and results, Millington said. The Democrats remain in control of the state and I hope and pray that they will listen to our Republican elected officials ideas and work together to get Connecticut back on track. While Democrat Michelle McCabe, a newcomer to local politics, came close to Hwang in Fairfield, it was voters in Newtown and Easton that put the incumbent over the top. McCabe was able to win the race in Westport and Weston. In total, Hwang received 25,128 votes compared to McCabes 23,142 votes. Voter turnout is a great reflection of political engagement, and on Tuesday, the people of 28th Senate District clearly showed that they are both interested and insist on being heard, Hwang said. The reality is that the challenges in front of us are massive. We do not have the luxury of a wait and see attitude. Hwang said he hopes the state and its residents are able to bridge any divide that slides between us, and work collaboratively to implement viable solutions. The lone Democrat in the towns state delegation, Vahey easily won re-election to another term, besting Republican challenger Sally Connolly by a vote of 6,068 to 3,436. On election night, Connolly said she had been reluctant to run, and knew it would be a battle to try and oust a popular incumbent. Devlin had the closest race in Fairfield, beating Democratic challenger Ashley Gaudiano by just 488 votes. The 134th district includes parts of Fairfield and Trumbull. In Fairfield, Devlin outpolled Gaudiano 3,177 to 2,765. In Trumbull, Gaudianos hometown, Gaudiano received 2,471 votes while Devlin garnered 2,547 votes. greilly@ctpost.com; 203-842-2582 iShares MSCI Netherlands ETF's stock was trading at $27.57 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 (Coronavirus) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, EWN stock has increased by 89.2% and is now trading at $52.16. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. iShares MSCI Switzerland ETF's stock was trading at $35.66 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, EWL stock has increased by 42.0% and is now trading at $50.64. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. I am no rocket scientist. I am, however, pretty savvy with software and navigating a website for fun and profit. Still, when it comes to hardware and wiring, Im still at the turn it on and off a few times and see if that helps phase of troubleshooting and repair. With that, it turns out I could, in fact, be a rocket scientist! From a NASA news release: In an attempt to correct the erroneously high rates produced by the backup gyro, the Hubble operations team executed a running restart of the gyro. I am assuming here that gyro is an important space type part and not a tasty Greek sandwich (although let us note that in either situation too much tzatziki sauce can definitely ruin the thing). These repair instructions sound like what I tell my family when the wireless printer at home has been struck dumb. Restart the thing. If that doesnt work maybe unplug it and try again? Generally, with printers and apparently with Hubble telescopes, that works. Struck dumb Anyone who has ever had to call for help to troubleshoot a computer component, printer, or flashing VCR back in the day knows that the most obvious question asked by Tech Support will always be Is it plugged in? Sure, we all feel offended (and stupid), but I have to assume they ask that for a really good reason? Having talked to a few Tech Support folks, I have come to understand that they come by their user trust issues honestly. The CD-Rom drawer (on older computers) mistaken for a coffee cup holder is the stuff of urban legend, but you just know it happened somewhere. You cant make that stuff up. Speaking of stupid human tricks, more than one computer guru has reported being asked if the Internet is broken today? As in the WHOLE internet? Uh, no, honey, thats just your connection. Its like assuming that if your driveway needs work the entire national highway system is down. I have personally known people to complain that the mouse they ran over with a desk chair no longer worked. That a keyboard should continue working because, and I quote, I turned it over real quick and shook all the coffee out or that a laptop computer should not need charged after years in storage since no one has used it since we put it away. All this eye rolling and I dont even make a living in technical repair. A tad impatient That said, dont let me front like Im the coolest of computer users. In all my years of computer work (I was an early adapter to internet addiction), I tend to be the person who believes that if my computer is frozen, then clicking everywhere all at once will somehow help the situation. For the record, it rarely does. Its a great way to enjoy dozens of open windows all saying not responding though. Im sure the scientists who repaired the Hubble with a quick restart will assure us laypeople that its a bit more technical than that. Still, its nice to think that you can fix a billion-plus-dollar telescope the same way you troubleshoot a cheap laptop. Cup holder not included. Though its OK to feed wild birds year round, many people prefer to feed only during the colder months. The colder months are here, so lets review the best foods to offer backyard birds. Sunflower seeds Black-oil sunflowers seeds are the best single food for wild birds. These small, thin-shelled seeds are easy to open, rich in fat and protein and inexpensive. Virtually every bird that visits a backyard bird feeder eats black-oil seeds. Striped sunflower seeds are larger and have thicker shells than oil seeds. They are favorites of cardinals, jays and woodpeckers, and can be cast on the ground or presented in tube or hopper style feeders. Hulled sunflower seeds, which are also called sunflower kernels or sunflower chips, are ideal for most birds because they are pure food no waste, no mess, no germination. The extra step of removing the shells, however, increases the cost. Also, hulled sunflower seeds spoil quickly when wet, so they should be placed in a feeder that keeps them dry. GoldCrests All-Weather Feeder is the only truly weather-proof feeder on the market, and its ideal for kernels. Nyjer is the tiny, black, oil-rich seed thats often erroneously called thistle. Finches love it, and doves and many native sparrows clean up the spillage beneath finch feeders. Because its imported from Africa and Asia, its expensive. Millet Several varieties of millet include white proso, red, golden, German and Japanese. All are eaten by a variety of ground-feeding sparrows, game birds, and waterfowl, but most backyard birds prefer white proso millet. One of millets best qualities is that its seed coat is hard enough to resist weathering, but not too hard for birds to crack. Corn Crows and game birds love whole corn. At backyard feeders whole corn also attracts jays and doves. Unfortunately, its also a favorite of pigeons, grackles and squirrels. Cracked corn appeals to many backyard birds, but it carries some serious disadvantages. Its dusty, it spoils quickly when wet, and it attracts some undesirable birds. Pigeons, starlings, house sparrows, cowbirds and grackles quickly find feeders filled with cracked corn, so use it sparingly if these birds are a problem. Milo is often used as a filler seed in cheaper seed mixes. The seed shell is too hard for most birds to crack. Wheat and oats are also common filler ingredients in cheap mixes. Read seed mix labels and avoid blends that contain cereal grains. Melon seeds rival sunflower seeds in popularity with many birds. Save and dry watermelon, cantaloupe, squash, and pumpkin seeds and offer them as occasional treats. Nuts Walnuts, pecans and almonds are natural, nutritious, high-energy foods for woodpeckers, jays, chickadees, titmice and nuthatches. Many seed packagers now offer mixes that include nuts, but theyre expensive. Peanuts are less expensive and provide an excellent source of protein and fat for nut lovers. Suet is animal fat, and woodpeckers, chickadees, titmice and nuthatches love it. I prefer buying pure suet cakes, but those mixed with sunflowers seeds and nuts are great, too. And for do-it-yourselfers, heres my favorite suet recipe, courtesy of Martha Sargent, an avid Alabama birder. Ive printed this recipe many times and get requests for it each fall. Live food Finally, for a treat birds cannot resist, offer live mealworms, the larval stage of harmless darkling beetles, on a shallow tray. Woodpeckers, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches and even cardinals love them. Mealworms are most economically purchased from mail-order sources such as www.grubco.com and www.thenaturesway.com. Better yet, buy a few thousand mealworms, then raise your own. Humanity depends on three critical threes: Without oxygen, most humans will die within three minutes; without water, life expectancy is three days; without food, weve got three weeks. Few Americans give three seconds thought of any of these life-ensuring elements because, here, food is safe and plentiful, air quality laws are in place and enforced, and water, for most of America, is safe, bountiful, and relatively cheap. In fact, water is so accessible and so cheap in the U.S. that the average American uses twice as much of it per year or about 740,000 gallons than the average person elsewhere around the world. The nation as a whole guzzles a staggering 322 billion gallons per day. Thats right; 322 billion gallons per day, according to the U.S. Geological Surveys June 2018 report on the nations water usage. Thats the equivalent of the state of Rhode Island, or 988,000 acres, covered with one foot of water. And thats every day. Heres the good part of that massive number: Its 9 percent less than we used in 2010 and, incredibly, 100 billion gallons, or nearly 25 percent, under the nations peak daily usage of 430 billion gallons in 1980. Indeed, we now use about the same amount of water each day as we did in 1965 when there were 133 million fewer of us. Unbelievable. Equally shocking is where exactly the largest cut in water usage across those decades has occurred. The decline in total [water] withdrawals in 2015 primarily was caused by significant decreases, 28.8 billion gals./day, in thermoelectric power, which accounted for 89 percent of the decrease In short, societys move to greener, renewable energy, especially solar and wind, combined with less and more efficient nuclear and fossil fuel electricity generation, is great for water conservation. Its an elemental and critical bonus rarely mentioned in any climate change debate. Still, USGS notes, thermoelectric power claims 133 billion gallons of the nations daily water use, or about 41 percent. Ag is big user The second biggest water user in the U.S. is, you guessed it, you. According to the most recent USGS survey numbers, American irrigators withdraw 118 billion gallons of water daily while the U.S. livestock sector slurps another 2 billion gallons a day. That 120 billion gallons per day easily outdistances the third largest user, the public, at 39 billion gallons per day. Like the power industry, however, irrigation withdrawals are now lower than the peak withdrawal of 150 billion gallons per day in 1980. The savings is almost entirely attributable to more efficient irrigation systems drip and micro- are two key technologies that use less water but irrigate nearly 56 million acres, or 10 percent more land than 40 years ago. None of these trends suggest we can get sloppy with how we use water. Thirsty corn Strikingly, the biggest irrigation user by acres, according to the Department of Agricultures July 2018 Irrigation and Water Use report, is corn, accounting for roughly 25 percent of total U.S. irrigated acreage in 2012, the latest numbers. Many of those irrigated acres, however, are also irrigated with government farm policies that underwrite irrigations extra costs. Key to todays corn economics are ethanol blending mandates, a sugar program that supports corn syrup production, and subsidized revenue insurance to backfill farm income holes. The reduction or loss of even one of these programs almost guarantees a substantial cut in irrigated corn acres. Infrastructure needs An even bigger threat to the nations water system is the ongoing failure to update its leaky, worn out infrastructure as population grows, climate change continues, and all government entities face more pressure to cut spending. A recent Environmental Protection Agency study estimates that the U.S. needs to spend $632 billion on its water and wastewater infrastructure in the next decade just to maintain todays service. Others estimate the cost at $1 trillion. Is there a singular, great option out there? Not really, but you have three days to think about it before nature decides for you. EDON, Ohio The Edon FFA traveled to the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis from Oct. 23 through Oct. 26. During the trip, students toured Fair Oaks Farms, Purdue University, Umbarger Show Feeds and Huntington University. Students also had the chance to participate in an escape room, the Buckeye Bash, bowling and laser tag. On Oct. 27, five Edon FFA members were also honored for earning the American FFA Degree. This years degree recipients were Levi Brandt, Evan Fisk, Paige Schaffter, Samantha Trausch and Eliza Zulch. PLYMOUTH, Ohio Plymouth FFA member Logan Myers sat amongst a record 4,255 FFA members who were recognized on-stage as American FFA Degree recipients at the 2018 National FFA Convention Oct. 27. Logan is the son of Cory Myers and Melissa Burrer Myers and the grandson of Ken and Charlene Bly Burrer and Dave and Brenda Myers. His brother, Levi Myers is also an American FFA Degree holder and an agricultural educator at Northwestern High School. During the convention, Plymouth chapter members were among only 10,000 of the 67,000 FFAers in attendance who were able to hear President Donald J. Trump speak. The speech was not part of the chapters original itinerary, but when trip chaperone Candy Echelbarger overheard a conversation from another attendee about needing special tickets to hear President Trump speak, Plymouth FFA Adviser Laura Ringler waited nearly three hours in a line to secure tickets for the students, only to be closed out. Undeterred, Ringler reached out to colleagues in other states and on the morning of the scheduled address, tickets were secured. After contacting parents about the updated itinerary and another two-hour wait in line, students were cleared by TSA and Secret Service Agents around three hours in advance of when Trump would address the crowd. President Trump was the sixth sitting president to speak in person at the convention. Although all U.S. presidents are invited to attend the annual convention, President Trump was the first in 27 years to accept the invitation, and spoke for over an hour at the National FFA convention. SPRINGFIELD, Ohio On Oct. 3, Ohio FFA State Vice President Holly McClay came to Northwestern High School to present workshops to the FFA members about resilience, adaptability, perseverance and positivity. On Oct. 13 and Oct. 14, the Wayne County Farm Tour was held at the Tegtmeier farm. During this event, people from the surrounding areas came to tour the farm. Northwestern FFA chapter members who volunteered to help were: Rilee Ammon, Jayden Berry, Cassidy Brown, Jeffery Guidetti, Lizzy Howman, Valerie Imhoff, Max Madrill, Carter Melicant, Mackenzie Nowell, Kaitlyn Praisler, Abby Ramseyer, Blake Riel, Beth Schaefer, Desiree Smith, Riley Stull and Brock Tegtmeier. Members helped by parking cars, serving food and working the agricultural stations. On Oct. 12, the Northwestern FFA officers and a handful of members ventured to the elementary school, where they taught the first grade students about the various types of trees. During this lesson, members took the students on a nature walk behind the school, to the Ag Laboratory. Members who helped with this lesson were: Austin Beegle, Arianna Borton, Alex Borton, Zoey Dudte, Avery Garver, Lizzy Howman, Valerie Imhoff, Kara McKay, Cody Morrow, Leeanna Ruegg, Tori Rogers, Riley Stull, Craig Wellert, and Haley Wilson. NEW CONCORD, Ohio The John Glenn FFA attended Sub-District Job Interview Contest Oct. 17 where Paige German, Hannah Watkins and Gillian Wood participated. All three individuals will be advancing to the district contest Nov. 8 at Buckeye Career Center. John Glenn FFA also held a meeting Oct. 17 at Howdys Garage, LLC. Where they played paintball and then held the monthly meeting. DELAWARE, Ohio The Buckeye Valley-DACC FFA had one National Proficiency Award winner, Sarah Lehner. She took top honors in the area of fiber and/or oil crop production. Sarahs road to this honor began with her involvement with the Buckeye Valley Land Lab, near Radnor, Ohio, where she began raising soybeans after her freshman year. Since then, she has spent hours learning about and keeping records on soil health, plant genetics, nutrition, pest management, machinery operation and marketing. Sarah competed against three other finalists from Alabama, Minnesota and Oklahoma before being announced a national winner. Sarah is continuing her education at The Ohio State University in Columbus, where she is majoring in animal science, with a minor in agribusiness. In addition to competitive awards, two Buckeye Valley-DACC FFA members were named as recipients of the American FFA Degree Hannah Edelbute and Elissa Huffman. ALLIANCE, Ohio Marlington FFA had 11 students attend the 91st FFA National Convention in Indianapolis Oct. 24-27. They watched students from all over the nation receive high honors in their proficiency area, and attended the Buckeye Bash, which is held for only Ohio FFA chapters. Students attended workshops that were centered around leadership, diversity, and finding your role in agriculture. On the final day of the convention, students attended the American Degree Session to cheer on two of their fellow FFA members, Staci Faverty and Nathan Faverty, who both earned their American Degree, the highest honor that you can earn in the FFA. While in Indianapolis, students were also able to attend a Garth Brooks concert at Lucas Oil Stadium, where they witnessed the entertainer receive his lifetime membership in the FFA and also his own Oklahoma FFA jacket. Students also toured Fair Oaks Farm. FAYETTEVILLE, Ohio The Fayetteville FFA held its annual Fall Fest at Shaw Farms Produce and Pumpkins Oct. 17. The Fayetteville FFA took 60 first graders from Fayetteville Elementary to Shaw Farms where the students were able to enjoy a hayride, corn maze, play area, and learned about the different produce raised on the farm. Upon leaving, the first-graders were able to take a pumpkin home with them. VINCENT, Ohio Warren FFA members attending the National FFA Convention Oct. 24-27, included: Faith Weyant, Allison Florence, Austin Hamrick, Garett Coffman, Holly McCoy, Jacob Hanlon, Jenna Haffner, Madison McKenzie, Mazie Coe, Olivia Shutts, Sarah Grace, Tori Wittekind and Ty Ellenwood. They accompanied three other schools from Washington County. During the convention, students were able to attend many leadership sessions, attend the Garth Brooks concert, along with a rodeo. WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. Inari, a plant breeding technology company that is part of the private equity and venture capital firm Flagship Pioneering, has introduced a Seed Foundry as part of the companys mission to reintroduce genetic diversity. The seed research facility will be located in the Purdue Research Park business complex, in West Lafayette, Indiana. There, the Cambridge-based Inari will focus on product development and innovation, enhanced by its proximity to the seed industry and the Purdue University College of Agriculture. Inari eyes customized seeds The company hopes to use the natural genetic diversity in plants, equipping crops to be more resilient to climate change, while significantly lowering product development costs and accelerating the timeline for introduction of new varieties. Inari plans to make precise changes to genes to deliver desired field performance through customized seeds for microclimates around the world. We are looking forward to tapping into the community and research prowess of Purdue. Establishing a base in Indiana will not only allow us to ramp up our product development efforts, but it puts this activity in close proximity to seed companies, which we view as the best partners to reintroduce genetic diversity in agriculture, said Inari CEO Ponsi Trivisvavet. Purdue University President Mitch Daniels said the Boston-area startup conducted a national search to find the best location. With joint goals to advance agriculture and provide sustainable food products for people around the world, Inari and Purdue are a natural fit, Daniels said. Karen Plaut, Purdues Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture, said working with Inari will create opportunities for faculty, students and others involved in agriculture. Inari is applying unique artificial intelligence and data sciences in its efforts to grow this high-tech agriculture company. These are all areas of excellence here at Purdue, so we welcome their arrival, Plaut said. Inari aims to revolutionize plant breeding by merging the latest technologies with leading-edge data analysis tools to bring top-performing plants to market faster with the aim of cutting breeding time by two-thirds and cutting development costs by up to 90 percent. The facility Inaris total 26,000 square feet at Purdue Research Park will consist of an office space, lab and a 6,000-square-foot greenhouse complex. Growing the Inari team, currently at 65 people, the team based out of Research Park will add another 50 people by 2023 and consist primarily of scientists and product development teams. It has been revealed that 400 staff have been moved from Natural England, the Environment Agency, Rural Payments Agency, and other Defra agencies to work on Brexit. A letter published on Thursday (8 November) by the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) from Defra Secretary Michael Gove shows what the EAC calls a "raid" on Natural England staff. The letter follows concerns raised by EAC Chair Mary Creagh MP in September about Natural Englands ability to deliver on its statutory responsibilities such as protecting Englands SSSIs (Sites of Special Scientific Interest). Ms Creagh, Chair of the EAC said: "Preparations for leaving the EU must not get in the way of protecting our treasured natural spaces and iconic British wildlife. It is disappointing that Defra has raided staff at Natural England, the organisation responsible for protecting some of the most highly valued wildlife areas in England to prepare for Brexit. She added: Natural England must not become a poor relation to Defra. Ministers must ensure the valuable work it does to promote biodiversity is given the priority it deserves. Mr Gove's letter confirms that more than 400 EU Exit posts created within the central department and the majority have been filled by staff from four agencies including Natural England and the Environment Agency. 50 staff have been moved from Natural England, 20% of whom had been working on SSSIs. The letter says that staff reallocations will mean some work which is not related to Brexit would stop. This could include work on maintaining Englands SSSIs. It says that other staff would absorb work on SSSIs. roles which are not deemed a high priority have been left unfilled and work reallocated or paused for now," the letter states. Figures from Natural England have shown a fall over the last 2 years in the proportion of SSSIs assessed as being in a favourable condition. Defra has recruited 1,200 people to help the department get through Brexit. The department has grown more than 65% since the EU referendum, according to a report by think tank Institute for Government. Scotlands world renowned seed potato industry risks losing its 13.5% EU market share in a no deal Brexit scenario, the Scottish Government has warned. In a letter to Secretary of State Michael Gove, Rural Affairs Minister Mairi Gougeon highlights that in this scenario Scotland would become a third country and would therefore be unable to export seed potatoes to the EU. But the ware potato and processing industry, which is of particular importance to other parts of the UK, could continue to import seed potatoes from the EU for one year following exit day. Such an outcome would represent a 'significant loss' to this industry, particularly as the UK has the potential to be self-sufficient in seed potatoes. And by allowing a one-way trading relationship that disadvantages Scottish seed potato growers, there would be little incentive to fill the internal UK market demand through the sourcing of Scottish seed potatoes, Ms Gougeon says. Scotland currently exports 13.5% of its marketed tonnage of seed potatoes to the EU, generating valuable income for the rural economy. On leaving the EU, the UK must seek third country equivalence status to be able to continue to export seed potatoes to the European market. It is now, at this late stage, unlikely that Defra will be able to secure third country equivalence status for seed potatoes in time for the 30 March 2019, Ms Gougeon says. There is the potential to mitigate the risk of this loss in the immediate aftermath of a disorderly exit by encouraging a greater UK market, where domestic importers would no longer be able to import from the EU. That is something the UK Government could choose to make happen, her letter to Mr Gove states. We now find ourselves in a situation where the EU will no longer allow imports of seed potatoes from the UK, but the UK will continue to allow imports of seed potatoes from the EU for an interim period. She adds: I struggle to understand why you have made the decision to unilaterally allow continued EU imports of seed potatoes during a one year period, which will cover two growing seasons, rather than put in place necessary and reasonable measures to absorb within the UK the excess production which can no longer access a European market. One of the largest cargoes of urea fertiliser to arrive in the UK this season has been unloaded at ABPs Port of Immingham. The 26,000t shipment, imported by international grain, fertiliser and seed merchant Gleadell Agriculture, arrived aboard the MV Montrose and originated from Egypt, one of the worlds highest quality producers of urea. The cargos arrival is particularly timely, said Gleadell fertiliser manager Calum Findlay. Although the UK nitrogen fertiliser market is running behind last year, autumn arable plantings are forecast to be at or above last years levels. This, together with a likely increased focus on early forage production following the 2018 summer drought, means demand from now into spring 2019 is likely to be higher than last year. He added: On-farm buying interest for nitrogen fertiliser is increasing. At the same time, importers are finding it difficult to buy new vessels of urea at competitive levels due to the firm global market. Stocks in the UK will remain tight. A firming global market is underpinning the outlook, driven by stricter environmental legislation in China, firm Asian demand (with India and Pakistan amongst those still with large tonnages to buy) and rising prices in Brazil. High gas prices also show no signs of easing. In addition, replacement costs of raw materials are firm on all fertilisers, and the commercial environment continues to be volatile, said Mr Findlay. There appears to be enough support for global pricing to keep edging higher and there are no signs of any downward pressure until at least Q2 2019 and beyond. Reinforcing that sentiment, one Egyptian producer recently announced a tender to sell 25,000t of urea for the second half of November and is targeting prices at the equivalent of 330/t on farm in the UK, about 20/t above current levels. Given all the above factors, plus potential trade sanctions, unpredictable weather and energy costs, the view remains that farmers should consider their next round of fertiliser purchasing, added Mr Findlay. The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you, we are excited to offer 4 weeks FREE Digital & Print access to all subscribers new and returning alike. We are dedicated to continuing providing reliable, high quality journalism. This is possible with the trust and support of our subscribers in the community we are proud to serve. Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category I Laughed At Amitabh Bachchan's Picture Back Then, Says Aamir Khan "I remember as a kid, a film magazine carried a double spread page filled with passport size photos of people who wanted to become actors. Once me and my siblings, along with the servants, opened the page and laughed at all the pictures." I Made Fun Of Amitabh Bachchan's Photo The Most "We were like, yeh hero banenge'. And you guys won't believe, one of the photos was of Amitabh Bachchan. I clearly remember that we made fun of his photograph the most." The Passport Size Photos Look Bad Anyway, Joked Aamir Khan "These passport size pictures anyways look a little bad. And as Amit ji started climbing the ladders of success, we would discuss how we made fun of him." I Shared This Story With Big B On The Shoot "Once on the shoot, I shared the story with sir. He was most amused and laughed at it." Aamir Khan Heaped Praises On Amitabh Bachchan "It was really amazing. We had planned on working together twice before but it didn't work out. I was very excited and nervous about working with him. Amit ji is a very warm and generous person. He makes you comfortable and is very easy to work with. He is so well behaved that you don't feel intimidated. However, he has got a very dry sense of humour. You don't know whether he is joking or not. It takes time to understand that." Thugs Of Hindostan Public Review: Aamir Khan | Amitabh Bachchan | Katrina Kaif | FilmiBea Rating: 2.5 /5 Star Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Katrina Kaif, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Ronit Roy Director: Vijay Krishna Acharya At one of the most crucial points in the film, Firangi Mallah (Aamir Khan) tells Khudabaksh (Amitabh Bachchan), "Dhoka Saubhau Hai Mera", to which the latter quickly quips, "Aur Bharosa Mera'. Thugs Of Hindostan pretty much oscillates between these two feelings for the viewers. Two heavyweight champions- Aamir Khan and Amitabh Bachchan coming together on screen for the first time. What more could we have asked for? Sadly, the lousy screenplay and poor direction plays the main villain. Set in 1795, Thugs Of Hindostan begins on an exhilarating note when Mirza Baig, the ruler of Raunakpur (Ronit Roy) and his wife and son are treacherously murdered by a tyrannical British officer named Clive (Lloyd Owen). The only surviving member of the royal clan is Zafira, who is rescued by her father's trusted general Khudabaksh (Amitabh Bachchan). Cut to eleven years later, we see Khudabaksh as a 'Messiah' of the realm, fighting against the British with a grown-up Zafira (Fatima Sana Shaikh) by his side, who is hell-bent on seeking revenge from her family's slayers. The duo marshall their people against the British clan under a group named 'Azaad'. To nab 'Azaad', Clive and his team seek help from a thug, Firangi Mallah (Aamir Khan). Beneath his outlandish appearance, he's a smooth-talker who repeatedly switches sides and won't even bat an eyelid when it comes to double-crossing his own pals, just for the sake of earning guineas. The rest of the plot revolves around how good triumphs over evil. To put it in Khudabaksh's words, "Do Din Ki Dupahari Chand Raat Amavas Ki... Shesham Ke Ghode Pe Hoke Sawar Aige Shamat Gunahgaro Ki." Two of Indian's cinema's finest talents- Aamir Khan and Amitabh Bachchan, a humongous budget and a Diwali release, director Vijay Krishna Acharya (Victor) had it all! Unfortunately, it's his bloated screenplay and shoddy execution which fails to make a good memory. The underwhelming feeling sinks in more when he takes the formulaic route to give you moments that's been done-to-death in Bollywood. Aamir Khan and Amitabh Bachchan deserved a better thug life than this drab fare called Thugs Of Hindostan. Speaking about the performances, Amitabh Bachchan's warrior act leaves a mark, but falls short of being a spectacle solely because of his limited screen-presence. Aamir Khan plays the sly Firangi Mallah with his own charm and flips between his character so flawlessly that it becomes difficult to understand if he's 'mahaan' or 'kameena'. Well, Firangi does have an answer to that. He's 'mahaan kameena'. The face-off between Aamir and Big B in one of the scenes too lacks a spark. Fatima Sana is lightening as an arrow in the action sequences, but fails to impress with her acting chops especially when it comes to the emotional parts. Katrina Kaif as the glamorous Suraiyya dances her way in and out of the frame and ends up as a mere glam prop. Just two songs and two scenes in the film- Katrina fans are going to be disappointed for sure! Thugs Of Hindostan impresses when it comes to visuals, barring a few VFX blotches. Some of the action sequences do make you hold your breath. The film could have been snipped short by a few minutes at the editing table. Coming to the music of the film, Thugs Of Hindostan falters miserably in this department as none of the songs have a recall value. This time, even Katrina's dance moves lack the zing to keep you hooked to them. All that glitters isn't gold, right? There's a dialogue in the film which goes like, 'Azad Ko Pakadne Ke Liye Koi Azaad Jaisa Thug Chahiye'. Unfortunately, the inconsistent direction and wafer-thin plot fails to do justice to the two acting stalwarts of Indian cinema and makes the audience feel 'thugged' instead. I am going with 2.5 stars. Sarkar, starring Thalapathy Vijay in the lead role, is indeed the movie of the moment. The film, which graced the big screens on the Deepavali day, has opened to mixed reviews but still, the movie had garnered the interest of the audiences. Apart from being an entertainer, the Vijay starrer, directed by AR Murugadoss, has also send out some important messages to the viewers. The section 49P, which is an important election law in India, is being discussed with due importance in the movie Sarkar. In fact, the information regarding the same has been sent out in one of the crucial sequences of the movie, which forms the base for the film. This partcular law allows a citizen of the country gives the righ to a person to get the ballot back and vote, if someone else has voted on his/her name. Upon Sarkar's release, there has been an increase in the google search for Section 49P and the people are indeed eager to know more about the law, much like in the movie. SUN Pictures, the production house of the movie, recently took to their Twitter account to send out a screenshot of the google search volume on the Section 49P. From the analytics, it is quite evident that a large number of people are indeed searching for Section 49P on the internet. Take a look at the tweet here. Vancouver, British Columbia.--(Newsfile Corp. - November 7, 2018) - GMV Minerals Inc. (TSXV: GMV) (the "Company" or "GMV") announces that at the request of IIROC, the Company wishes to clarify and amend certain cautionary disclosure in its November 7, 2018 news release titled "GMV Minerals Inc. Announces Positive Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) Study on Mexican Hat Gold Project". GMV Minerals Inc. is a publicly traded exploration company solely focused on developing precious metal assets in Arizona. PEA Highlights The base case assumes a gold price of US$1,325/ounce ("oz"). All figures are stated in U.S. Dollars ("$") unless otherwise noted. All tonnages are metric tonnes. Precious metal grades are in grams per metric tonne (g/t). The Technical Report pursuant to National Instrument ("NI") 43-101 guidelines for the Preliminary Economic Assessment will be filed on SEDAR within 45 days. Mine life of 5-years with a 1-year pre-production period Crushed ore will be conveyor stacked at a rate of approximately 15,000 tonnes/day on a conventional heap leach pad. Life of mine ("LOM") head grade of 0.66 g/t gold Low LOM Strip Ratio of 2.8 Total amount of gold recovered is estimated at 470,000 oz Average annual gold production of approximately 94,000 oz Peak annual gold production of approximately 118,000 oz LOM direct operating cash cost is estimated at $647/oz of gold recovered All-in sustaining cost is estimated at $747/oz of gold recovered LOM sustaining capital costs estimated at $36.4 million The Mexican Hat Mineral Resource is currently open in three directions and to depth Financial Indicators Before Taxes NPV @ 0% US$133.3 M NPV @ 5% US$101.0 M IRR % 33.0% Payback (years) 2.0 Financial Indicators After Taxes NPV @ 0% US$113.1 M NPV @ 5% US$83.9 M IRR % 29.0% Payback (years) 2.2 INITIAL CAPITAL EXPENDITURES ($ MILLIONS) Mine Initial Fleet Lease $14.9 Pre-Production Waste Removal $15.2 Process & Infrastructure $105.0 Owner's Cost $5.0 Total $140.1 OPERATING COSTS The mine operating costs were calculated to average $1.84 per tonne moved. Area Unit Cost (USD$/t moved) Drilling 0.26 Blasting 0.30 Loading 0.17 Hauling 0.43 Auxiliary Equipment 0.25 Mine and Maintenance General 0.18 Mine General and Administration 0.25 Total Cost 1.84 The life of mine operating costs were calculated to average $12.13/tonne ore. Cost per Tonne of Ore Processed Mining $6.62 Process $4.21 G&A $1.30 Total Site Operating Cost $12.13 MINERAL RESOURCES An updated Mineral Resource Estimate was prepared by Tetra Tech Inc. (Tetra Tech) with an effective date of June 22, 2018 and announced by GMV in a News Release dated July 17, 2018. Details of the Mineral Resource Estimate can be found in a Technical Report filed on SEDAR and announced by GMV in a News Release dated August 29, 2018. Category Cut-off (g/t Au) Grade (Au, g/t) Tonnes Gold Oz Strip Ratio Inferred 0.20 0.616 32,876,000 651,000 2.56 The Mineral Resource Estimate has been constrained to a preliminary optimized pit shell, using the following parameters: SG = 2.57 gm/cc based on testwork, mining costs = $1.50/tonne, mining recovery =98%, mining dilution = 2%, process cost = $3.25 per tonne, G&A = $0.55 per tonne, gold price = $1,300 per troy ounce, throughput at 15,000 tpd, discount rate = 7%. Top cut at 32 g/t. Mineral Resources constrained to optimized pit shells are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. Conforms to NI 43-101, Companion Policy 43-101CP, and the CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves. Inferred Resources have been estimated from geological evidence and limited sampling and must be treated with a lower level of confidence than Measured and Indicated Resources. All numbers are rounded. Overall numbers may not be exact due to rounding. There are no known legal, political, environmental, or other risks that could materially affect the potential development of the mineral resources. MINE PLAN The mine plan is currently conceived as a conventional hard rock open pit. There are two independent pits which are developed with 5 phase or pushback designs. The mine plan produces a nominal ore tonnage to the process plant of 5,475 Ktonnes of ore per year (15,000 tpd) from a total material movement of 20,880 Ktonnes per year (52,200 tpd). The preliminary economic assessment is preliminary in nature, it includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the preliminary economic assessment will be realized. There is no mineral reserve at Mexican Hat at this time. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability Over the course of the 5 year mine life, 25.1 Mtonnes of mineralization are planned for processing out of a total material movement of 96.4 Mtonnes. INFRASTRUCTURE & PROCESS PLANT The Mexican Hat Project is located in the southeastern part of the State of Arizona, approximately 115 km east-southeast of Tucson, and can be accessed from the Old Ghost Town Rd., a gravel road extending south of the Town of Pearce or north from Gleeson Rd. Groundwater will be used as the source of water for mining operations. No permitting restrictions or quantity issues are anticipated. A 69 kV powerline to site will be supplied by Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative. The power plant is located 30 km north of the site. The crushing plant will produce ore with a 25 mm top size to be stacked on the heap. Pregnant solution from the heap leach will be processed in a conventional adsorption desorption recovery (ADR) plant. The process plant includes a refinery that will produce dore bars. TECHNICAL REPORT A National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101) compliant technical report entitled "Mexican Hat Project NI 43-101 Technical Report, Preliminary Economic Assessment" prepared by the following Qualified Persons will be filed by the Company within 45 days of this release on www.sedar.com: Daniel Roth, PE, P.Eng. of M3 Engineering & Technology - Process Plant and Infrastructure Capital Costs, and Economic Analysis. Justin Black, PE of M3 Engineering & Technology - Recovery Methods and Process Operating Costs. Dave Webb, PhD., P.Geo., P.Eng. of DRW Geological Consultants Ltd - Property Description and Location, Accessibility, Climate, Local Resource, Infrastructure and Physiography, History, Geological Setting and Mineralization, Deposit Types, Exploration, Drilling, Sample Preparation, Analysis and Security, Data Verification. John M. Marek, RM-SME of Independent Mining Consultants, Inc. - Mining Methods, Mine Operating Costs, Mine Capital Costs. James Barr, P.Geo. of Tetra Tech - Mineral Resource Estimate. John Fox, P.Eng. of Laurion Consulting Inc. - Mineral Processing and Metallurgical Testing. Dawn H. Garcia, CPG, P.G. - Environmental. All Qualified Persons have contributed to their corresponding sections in Interpretation, and Recommendations. The Qualified Persons have reviewed and approved the scientific, technical, and economic information obtained in this news release. Ian Klassen, President of the Company states "We are pleased with these results as they demonstrate that the mineralization found to date is potentially economic with robust net operating revenues." The metallurgical results enable excellent recoveries at a coarse crush, keeping costs low. The Company wishes to confirm its internal economic assumptions to the public and can now focus on further expansion of the deposit. Development drilling will focus on: Extensions to the known resource by 6 to 8 step out holes totaling around 2,500 m. Infill drilling of two to three drill holes totaling 700 to 800 m to discover additional gold resources within the pit, currently considered waste, due to a lack of drill test data. In addition, the program is expected to confirm a higher-grade domain located approximately 100 m from surface and within the pit. To add expected positive infill drilling assays into the PEA model. In addition, certain recommendations regarding the collection of geotechnical, water, and environmental data can be collected with the next drill program enabling refinement of the economic model in future updates. A Preliminary Economic Assessment means a study, other than a pre-feasibility or feasibility study, that includes an economic analysis of the potential viability of mineral resources. About GMV Minerals Inc. GMV Minerals Inc. is a publicly traded exploration company focused on developing precious metal assets in Arizona. GMV, through its 100% owned subsidiary, has a 100% interest in a Mining Property Lease commonly referred to as the Mexican Hat project, located in Cochise County, Arizona, USA. The project was initially explored by Placer Dome (USA) in the late 1980's to early 1990's. GMV is focused on developing the asset and realizing the full mineral potential of the property through near term gold production. The Company recently updated its inferred mineral resource to 32,876,000 tonnes grading 0.616 g/t gold at a 0.2 g/t cut-off, containing 651,000 ounces of gold. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ______________________________________ Ian Klassen, President 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. For further information please contact: GMV Minerals Inc. Ian Klassen Tel: (604) 899-0106 Email: info@gmvminerals.com This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on assumptions and judgments of management of the Company regarding future events or results. Such statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to revise or update such statements except as may be required by law. CHENGDU, China, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The 5th Chengdu Creativity & Design Week will be held at the Chengdu Century City New International C&E Center, China from Nov. 9-12, 2018. Over 1,000 creative design companies from 30 countries and regions, including Germany, UK, Italy, Denmark, Israel, Canada, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, will participate at the event, showcasing over 23,000 works representing designers' wonderful ideas. European creative design companies will be a highlight at the event. An exhibition of Antoni Gaudi, the world renowned Spanish architect, will share his insights of natural architecture and provide references and inspirations for the construction development of Chengdu, a world famous cultural city. With the theme of "Traveling with Gaudi", the exhibition will include five sections: "About Gaudi", "Gaudi's Inspiration", "Traveling with Gaudi", "Enlighten by Gaudi", and "Gaudi's Influence on Modern Architecture", and consist of over 100 pieces of Gaudi's early prints, models, photographs, sculptures, a digital museum of the Cathedral of the Holy Family and other works. Furthermore, a VR exhibition of Gaudi's architectural images will create an interaction between the audience and Gaudi's architectures across time and space. As part of this event, a member of Gaudi's family, sculptor and jewelry designer JOAN SERRAMIA, the curator of Parish Museum of Barcelona, museum scientist and historian PERE JORDI FIGUEROLA, Gaudi's chief architect, XAVIER NIETO and others will visit the hosting city with the aim of building a Gaudi themed hotel in Chengdu, one of China's most famous tourist cities. Since the first cooperation with this event in 2016, the iF Design Award has brought the latest international award-winning works every year, showing the latest international design trends. This year, about 150 works (including 3 Gold Award works in 2018) from 13 countries will be showcased for the first time in China. The audiences may even have the opportunity to bring them home and make life better with design. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/781037/Chengdu_Creativity_and_Design_Week.jpg The Global Carrier Awards Recognize Innovation, Vision and Excellence in the Global Wholesale Telecom Industry NTT Communications Corporation (NTT Com), the global data and IP services arm of telecom leader NTT (TYO: 9432), announced that it has been named Best North American Wholesale Carrier at the Global Carrier Awards 2018, awarded by Capacity Media. This is the fifth year in a row that NTT Com received such award. The ceremony took place in London, United Kingdom, during the Capacity Europe 2018 Conference. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181107005967/en/ Best North American Wholesale Carrier 2018 (Photo: Business Wire) "Congratulations to all the nominees and to the very worthy winners of our 14th Global Carrier Awards. We congratulate NTT Communications on winning Best North American Wholesale Carrier, which underscores the high benchmark the company has achieved in the carrier space," said Rosalind Irving, CEO of Capacity Media. "We are honored to receive this recognition acknowledging NTT Com's performance and leadership in North America," said Michael Wheeler, executive vice president of the NTT Communications Global IP Network at NTT America. "This award further strengthens our commitment to delivering the most innovative solutions for our customers and expanding the connectivity options available in the region and around the world." "This was a fantastic, detailed entry, which strongly highlighted the role played by the carrier in the region," the judges said in a statement. "In the past year our winner has further expanded its Tier 1 global IP network with new PoPs and data centers, continued to deploy 100G technology, announced a new trans-Pacific submarine cable, and kept investing heavily on new technologies, including green initiatives." Over the past 14 years, the Global Carrier Awards has become the biggest and most prestigious awards event in the wholesale telecoms calendar. This year's event was attended by more than 400 attendees. Capacity Editor-in-Chief and head judge for the awards, Jason McGee-Abe, thanked all of the entrants for their record 246 submissions, congratulating the winners and the industry on their achievements. "We've seen a number of key innovations and developments in the wholesale market this year, so it was great to take the time to celebrate the exciting companies, projects and partnerships in today's dynamic wholesale carrier industry," McGee-Abe added. For more information about all the awards received by NTT Com, please click here. About NTT Communications Corporation NTT Communications solves the world's technology challenges by helping enterprises overcome complexity and risk in their ICT environments with managed IT infrastructure solutions. These solutions are backed by our worldwide infrastructure, including industry leading, global tier-1 public and private networks reaching over 190 countries/regions, and more than 400,000m2 of the world's most advanced data center facilities. Our global professional services teams provide consultation and architecture for the resiliency and security required for your business success, and our scale and global capabilities are unsurpassed. Combined with NTT Data, NTT Security, NTT DOCOMO, and Dimension Data, we are NTT Group. www.ntt.com Twitter@NTT Com Facebook@NTT Com LinkedIn@NTT Com About NTT Communications Global IP Network Consistently ranked among the top networks worldwide, NTT Com's Tier-1 Global IP Network covers North and South America, Asia, Europe and Oceania, and provides the best possible environment for content, data and video transport through a single autonomous system number (AS 2914). www.gin.ntt.net | Twitter@GinNTTnet globalipnetwork AS2914 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181107005967/en/ Contacts: NTT Communications NTT America Global IP Network Fernando Costantino, +1-425-250-7051 fcostantino@us.ntt.net Access the full press release (https://www.solvay.com/en/investors/financial-reporting/solvay-earningsEarnings-material) & financial report (https://www.solvay.com/en/investors/financial-reporting/solvay-earningsEarnings-material) Details to connect to the 2:00pm analysts & investors call (https://www.solvay.com/en/event/nine-months-2018-earnings) Underlying EBITDA: 1,725 million -1% (+6% organically [1]) Sales and underlying EBITDA grew 6% organically, driven by higher volumes in each operating segment and pricing power. Underlying EBITDA fell 1% overall due to forex conversion headwinds and a small reduction in scope. Third quarter volume growth was softer in Advanced Materials in specific end-markets. EBITDA margin was down slightly at 22%. Advanced Materials: 922 million -2% (+3% organically [1]) Volume growth continued in polymers and composites technologies for aeronautics, automotive and healthcare. Sales dipped in smart devices and fluorinated gases used in insulation, mainly in the third quarter, as anticipated. Advanced Formulations: 403 million +4% (+16% organically [1]) Volume growth was strong across end-markets, although the growth rate in the North American shale oil & gas market is stabilizing. Pricing power more than compensated for higher raw material prices. Performance Chemicals: 557 million -4% (+2% organically [1]) Solid demand and improving soda ash prices limited margin erosion. Peroxides volumes and prices rose in tight market conditions. Underlying EPS from continuing operations: 6.91 +11% The 19% reduction of net financial charges reflected continued deleveraging and optimization of Solvay's capital structure. Underlying tax rate was 2.5 percentage points lower at 25%. Free cash flow from continuing operations: 275 million vs 446 million in 2017 275 million vs 446 million in 2017 Free cash flow from continuing operations was lower than in 2017 due to higher working capital needs. Free cash flow to Solvay shareholders increased 7% to 271 million on a strong contribution from discontinued operations and lower financial payments. Interim dividend of 1.44 gross per share, a 4.3% increase [2], will be payable on January 17, 2019. 2018 outlook confirmed Under current circumstances, Solvay expects underlying EBITDA to grow organically at around 5% to 6%, within the range of its initial guidance. Free cash flow from continuing operations is still expected above the 2017 level. CEO Jean-Pierre Clamadieu: Volumes continued to increase throughout the nine-month period, resulting in 6% organic growth of sales and EBITDA. Advanced Formulations generated strong growth, Performance Chemicals proved resilient, and in Advanced Materials, robust growth in the aerospace and automotive markets compensated for the anticipated softness in smart devices toward the end of the period. While attentive to heightened macro-economic volatility, we expect EBITDA growth and free cash flow generation to range within our initial forecast. ----- [1] Excluding forex conversion and scope effects [2] As in previous years, the interim dividend corresponds to 40% of the full year dividend of the prior year. All comparisons are made with the equivalent period of the year before, except where mentioned explicitly otherwise. Follow us on twitter @SolvayGroup (https://twitter.com/SolvayGroup) Solvay is an advanced materials and specialty chemicals company, committed to developing chemistry that addresses key societal challenges. Solvay innovates and partners with customers worldwide in many diverse end markets. Its products are used in planes, cars, batteries, smart and medical devices, as well as in mineral and oil and gas extraction, enhancing efficiency and sustainability. Its lightweighting materials promote cleaner mobility, its formulations optimize the use of resources and its performance chemicals improve air and water quality. Solvay is headquartered in Brussels with around 26,800 employees in 61 countries. Net sales were 10.1 billion in 2017, with 90% from activities where Solvay ranks among the world's top 3 leaders, resulting in an EBITDA margin of 22%. Solvay SA (SOLB.BE) is listed on Euronext Brussels and Paris (Bloomberg: SOLB.BB - Reuters: SOLB.BR) and in the United States its shares (SOLVY) are traded through a level-1 ADR program. Financial figures take into account the planned divestment of Polyamides. Media Relations Caroline (mailto:caroline.jacobs@solvay.com) Jacobs (mailto:caroline.jacobs@solvay.com) Victoria Binoche (mailto:vbinoche@apcoworldwide.com) +32 2 264 1530 +33 1 44 94 86 72 Investor Relations investor.relations@solvay.com (mailto:investor.relations@solvay.com) Geoffroy Raskin (mailto:geoffroy.raskin@solvay.com) Jodi Allen (mailto:jodi.allen@solvay.com) Bisser Alexandrov (mailto:bisser.alexandrov@solvay.com) +32 2 264 2158 +32 2 264 1540 +1 6098604608 +32 2 264 3687 Read the full version of the press release (http://hugin.info/133981/R/2224563/872279.pdf) This announcement is distributed by West Corporation on behalf of West Corporation clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: Solvay S.A. via Globenewswire 2018 scale-up of Biom'up's manufacturing facility near Lyon (France) completed, allowing for a larger throughput and increased shipments of devices to the US and EU markets Six key manufacturing processes upgraded, thoroughly reviewed and approved by the FDA and EMA; a strong validation of the Company capability to efficiently execute a comprehensive and demanding regulatory plan Biom'up reaches a new important milestone in its growth strategy and continues to execute in line with commitments made at IPO Regulatory News: Biom'up (Paris:BUP)(the "Company"), a specialist in surgical hemostasis, announces today the completion of the 2018 scale-up of its manufacturing facility to meet commercial demand for HEMOBLASTTM Bellows, in the US and selected national markets in the EU. Approved in Europe in December of 2016, HEMOBLAST Bellows received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in December 2017, 7 months prior to the anticipated approval date. It was made available to a limited number of hospitals in France and Germany in 2018 and launched onto the US market in July of the same year with a list price of $270. To meet the encouraging market demand, the Company efficiently executed a rigorous scale-up of its manufacturing facility in France, including upgrading and fully validating 6 key internal and outsourced processes allowing for a much larger throughput and increased shipments of devices to the US and EU markets. As a consequence, the Company's product output grew to more than 4,000 units of HEMOBLAST Bellows in October 2018. This number is expected to grow to 7,000 units per month by H1 2019, fulfilling the Company's production commitment to investors made at the time of their IPO in October 2017. All updated processes were thoroughly reviewed and ultimately approved by the FDA and the European Medicines Agency (EMA), allowing for the release of the products manufactured under said upgraded processes to the US and EU markets. Philip Corcoran, M.D., surgeon at Johns Hopkins Community Physicians and one of the area's "Top Doctors" in cardiovascular and thoracic surgery according to Washingtonian magazine, said: "As one of the surgeons involved in the pivotal clinical trial that led to HEMOBLAST Bellows approval in the US market in December 2017, I am excited that Biom'up has now fully launched this hemostat onto the US market. Requiring almost no preparation time, effective in just minutes, and the sole hemostat approved for up to and including moderate bleeding, HEMOBLAST Bellows is a dramatic change in how surgeons will manage bleeding in the operating room. Etienne Binant, Chief Executive Officer, commented: "This is a watershed moment in the history of Biom'up. The increased availability of HEMOBLAST Bellows, in line with the business plan communicated at time of the IPO, demonstrates the Company's ability to execute a comprehensive and demanding plan, including meeting manufacturing, human resources, regulatory and financial challenges quickly and successfully. For this, my gratitude and congratulations go to the entire Biom'up staff and, in particular, to our Manufacturing, Industrialization and Quality teams who invested so much time and energy to ensure as many devices as possible could be provided quickly to patients and surgeons in the US and EU. About HEMOBLAST HEMOBLAST Bellows is an innovative hemostatic product to control bleeding in a broad range of surgical procedures, such as cardiac surgery, general surgery, and orthopedic surgery. The product is available in select European markets and was approved in the United States in December 2017, seven months prior to the anticipated approval date. The early FDA approval was based on Biom'up's successful clinical trial in the United States with 412 patients admitted to cardio-thoracic, abdominal or orthopedic (lower limb) surgeries which met all of its primary and secondary endpoints. Given the compelling preliminary results (93% effectiveness at 6 minutes, compared with 74% for the control arm), the Independent Data Monitoring Committee (IDMC) unanimously recommended to stop the study before the initially planned date after an interim analysis of the data. This allowed the Company to accelerate the submission of its filing for premarket approval (PMA) to regulatory authorities in June 2017. After obtaining FDA approval Biom'up's efforts have been focused on industrial and commercial activities including the recruitment of sales and marketing teams in the US to prepare the commercial roll-out of the Company's lead product in the United States. On July 12, 2018, Biom'up also obtained CE Marking for its HEMOBLAST Bellows Laparoscopic Applicator designed to deliver the HEMOBLAST Bellows powder in minimally-invasive procedures. This has opened the way for the Company in a new market segment representing approximately 500,000 surgeries annually in Europe. In addition, on July 2, 2018 the Company filed a PMA supplement to obtain approval for HEMOBLAST Bellows for all laparoscopic surgical procedures also in the United States. About Biom'up Founded in 2005 and based in the Lyon suburb of Saint-Priest (France), Biom'up designs innovative hemostatic products based on patented biopolymers that aim to simplify surgical procedures in numerous specialties (spine, cardiothoracic, general, orthopedic, plastic) and give patients a better quality of life. Since its creation, Biom'up has benefited from the support of prominent European investors such as Bpifrance, Innobio, Gimv, Lundbeckfond, Merieux Participation, SHAM and ACG, as well as all the Company's managers, who have invested 2 million in equity. Biom'up successfully completed its IPO on Euronext Paris, raising 42.5 million in October 2017. This was followed by a 16 million capital increase in February 2018 and a 25 million bond financing agreement with Athyrium, a US fund specializing in innovative companies in the healthcare sector in March 2018. Forward looking statement This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, all statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release about future events are subject to (i) change without notice and (ii) factors beyond the Company's control. These statements may include, without limitation, any statements preceded by, followed by or including words such as "target," "believe," "expect," "aim," "intend," "may," "anticipate," "estimate," "plan," "project," "will," "can have," "likely," "should," "would," "could" and other words and terms of similar meaning or the negative thereof. Forward-looking statements are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties beyond the Company's control that could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the expected results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. This press release has been prepared in both French and English. In the event of any differences between the two texts, the French language version shall supersede. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181107006043/en/ Contacts: Biom'up Chief Financial Officer Jean-Yves Quentel investisseurs@biomup.com +33 4 86 57 36 10 MC Services AG International Investor and Public Relations Anne Hennecke anne.hennecke@mc-services.eu +49 211 529252-22 Alize RP Investor Relations Caroline Carmagnol biomup@alizerp.com +33 6 64 18 99 59 OSP Series 2 Filters Protect Complex Electronics from Dust, Rain and Salt Fog ST. LOUIS, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Air Filter, the leader in electronics air filtration and EMI shielding, introduces the future release of its Series 2 Outside Plant Filter (OSP). Offering UL900 classification at increased air flow, OSP Series 2 delivers protection from dust, wind-driven rain and salt fog. "Our customers develop applications that need to perform in diverse conditions," said Dan Krupp, President of UAF. "With its performance, low pressure drop, UL compliance and flexible design, OSP Series 2 creates a lot of new design options for equipment operating in harsh environments." OSP Series 2 improves upon UAF's current OSP filter that the world's top telecom providers, power generation equipment producers, interactive signage manufacturers and dozens of 'Internet of Things' developers rely on today. "UAF's OSP filters deliver superior water and airborne contaminant protection for products such as interactive kiosk displays to communicate with residents and visitors in cities all over the world," said Chris Picha, UAF Lead Mechanical Engineer. "We're excited about the improvements in the 2nd Series OSP Filters." Custom OSP Filters keep dust, water, wind-driven rain and salt fog out of electronics enclosures utilizing direct air cooling systems. Cabinets for telecom, wireless, digital signage, and power applications can now use outside air vented cooling systems in place of costly, inefficient, closed-loop air-to-air heat exchangers. OSP Filters are compliant for use with industry standards including UL 900, GR 487, NEMA, and IP enclosure ratings. In addition to the OSP filters already available, UAF has other water-repellant solutions. UAF Quadrafoam with hydrophobic mesh provides water repellency in a low-profile assembly. For other indoor and outdoor environments, UAF offers a portfolio of filter media in a durable framed assembly - metal or flame-retardant, flexible polypropylene. UAF stands ready to provide engineering support with filter media selection, design specification assistance, 3D CAD models, and to size, to spec prototypes - all free of charge! About UAF and Filtration Group: Headquartered in Sauget, IL, UAF is in the Indoor Air Quality division of Filtration Group - the world's leading filtration company. Filtration Group is a globally recognized brand, serving many of the world's best-known companies throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Visit UAF at Electronica 2018 in Munich, Germany, November 13 - 16, or click to request more information or schedule a meeting. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/780727/Universal_Air_Filter_Series_2_Outside_Plant_Filter.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/780726/Universal_Air_FIlter_Logo.jpg TOKYO, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- During the 31st Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) Award Ceremony on November 2, Director Huang Huang won the Spirit of Asia Award by the Japan Foundation Asia Center for his film "Wushu Orphan". The award is bestowed on a promising director in the TIFF Asian Future section, chosen for its chances at international success beyond cultural and national borders. Accepting the award from the Japan Foundation President Hiroyasu Ando, Huang thanked the jury and TIFF filmgoers in English, Japanese and Chinese, adding, "I may someday become a part of the 'Asian past,' but for now, thank you for this Asian Future award." (Photo: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/release/201811060052?p=images) The Best Asian Future Film Award went to "A First Farewell," directed by Lina Wang. The festival's most prestigious award, the Tokyo Grand Prix, was given to Mikhael Hers for "Amanda." The Japan Foundation Asia Center and TIFF are now in their fifth year of collaboration. This endeavor aims to deepen mutual understanding within Asia by showcasing Asian films in Japan and Japanese films in Asia, and by bringing Asian talent to the world through TIFF. World Premiere of Asian Omnibus Film Series: Asian Three-Fold Mirror The world premiere of "Asian Three-Fold Mirror 2018: Journey," the second in a series of Asian omnibus films, was held on October 26. The co-production project aims to deepen interactions between neighboring countries within Asia, as well as to enrich cultural understanding and explore Asian identities and ways of life. At the world premiere screening, three young directors, Degena Yun (China), Daishi Matsunaga (Japan), and Edwin (Indonesia) presented their films along with their cast members: popular Indonesian actor Nicholas Saputra, acclaimed Chinese actress Jin Chen, up-and-coming actress Zhe Gong, striking Japanese actor Hiroki Hasegawa, Myanmar actress Nandar Myat Aung who is making her feature film debut, popular Indonesian actress Agni Pratistha, and her compatriot actor Oka Antara. The Japan Foundation Asia Center Presents CROSSCUT ASIA #05: Soundtrip to Southeast Asia The Japan Foundation Asia Center's CROSSCUT ASIA series showcases Asian films focused on particular countries, directors, actors or themes. This year, CROSSCUT ASIA #05: Soundtrip to Southeast Asia showcased films featuring a rich variety of musical genres, reflecting historical and present-day Southeast Asia. - Symposium: Directors Talk About Their "Soundtrip Cinema" On October 26, Garin Nugroho from "Chaotic Love Poems", Nguyen Quang Dung from "Go-Go Sisters" and Treb Monteras II from "Respeto" explained at the symposium that music has always been an integral aspect of filmmaking throughout the region. The 31st Tokyo International Film Festival unspooled from October 25 to November 3, 2018. Official Website: The Japan Foundation Asia Center: https://jfac.jp/en/ Tokyo International Film Festival: https://2018.tiff-jp.net/en/ "Asian Three-Fold Mirror 2018: Journey": https://asian3mirror.jfac.jp/en/ Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. GOTEBORG, Sweden, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Stockholm County Council (SCC) has resolved to extend Capio's contract to run Capio S:t Goran's hospital from January 2022 to January 2026. At the same time the SCC resolved to trust Capio to continue to run the acute geriatric activities at Nacka hospital and awarded Capio a new contract to run the acute geriatric activities at Lowenstromska hospital. Annual net sales of the S:t Goran contract is approximately SEK 2 billion while the two acute geriatric contracts have combined annual net sales of approximately MSEK 250. Capio has successfully been running hospital care at S:t Goran's hospital in central Stockholm since 1999. In 2012, Capio was awarded the contract to run the hospital during the period 2013-2022 with the right of the SCC to extend the contract for another four years. The decision to extend the contract until the final maturity date on 4 January 2026 was based on a review of the healthcare provided by the hospital. The review showed that Capio S:t Goran achieves good results in quality and availability as well as productivity and management. The overall conclusion of the review was that Capio S:t Goran provides high quality healthcare at a price that is beneficial for the county council. Capio looks forward to continuing to develop the healthcare provided at S:t Goran for the benefit of patients, employees and the Stockholm county council. At the same time, the SCC resolved to renew Capio's contract to run the acute geriatric activities at Nacka hospital and to award Capio the contract to run the acute geriatric activities at Lowenstromska hospital when the current contracts expire on 30 April 2019. The two new contracts are valid from 1 May 2019 to 30 April 2022, with options for the county to extend the contracts for up to another three years each. The decisions to award Capio the contracts were made based on healthcare quality, as prices were fixed in the tenders. The new contract to run the acute geriatric activities at Lowenstromska hospital extends Capio's geriatric footprint further north in Stockholm and provides a base for expansion of advanced home healthcare and outpatient rehab services for elderly patients in the area. The contracts strengthens Capio's position ahead of the introduction of Care Choice Geriatrics for healthcare providers with own facilities in SCC in spring 2019. For information, please contact: Kristina Ekeblad, IR manager Telephone: +46-708-31-19-40 This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/capio-ab/r/capio-awarded-an-extension-of-the-contract-to-run-capio-s-t-goran-s-hospital-and-two-acute-geriatric,c2667048 The following files are available for download: Connecting influencers, businesses, and consumers for a new social-commerce experience. Influbook, the first open-network for Influencers to build their social reputation, connect directly with the brands they love, and join forces to offer consumers a new way to discover products and services through the passionate storytelling of influencers around the world. The vast majority of influencer marketing budgets go to the top 1% influencers - Influbook empowers the remaining 99%. Without costly marketing services, businesses are challenged with finding, qualifying & connecting with relevant influencers. At the same time, influencers struggle to prove their value and monetize their social media audiences. We enable the perfect match for an influencer of any size with the marketing objectives and budget of any business. The goal is to open up the influencer ecosystem to a wider audience where influencers, marketers & consumers can easily discover, qualify, and connect for free to democratizes influence while generating new revenue opportunities for the sharing economy. Influbook empowers consumers with a network of shoppable blogs that combine brand descriptions with passionate influencer posts from any social network in a single place...At the moment of buying decision. Based on popular demand, Influbook has also adopted a strategy to white label its platform to companies, cities, and governments as a new way to invite qualified influencers to promote their services directly on their company websites. "Influencers enable MicroMania with an effective channel to communicate with its community of gamers and Influbook is well positioned to lead this activity", says Nicolas Bertrand, Senior Vice President, GameStop Europe, and Filip Soete, Chief Commercial Officer, Nice International Airport quotes "At the Nice Cote d'Azur Airport, we have thirteen million passengers a year that walk through our Duty Free shops and we are eager to work with influencers to promote the brands we represent. A collaboration with Influbook on a strategy to gain visibility on the social networks of their influencers would certainly be beneficial for the airport and our customers". Chaineum, a leading ICO boutique in Europe is assisting Influbook with its ICO and the tokenization of it cryptocurrency, the Fluence, an ERC20 utility token. Fluence can be used for payments and purchases on the Influbook platform with five strong utility cases: E-commerce, Influencer Marketing Campaigns, Community rewards, Cash-back rewards, Voting rights. For more information, visit our ICO website at www.influbook.io (http://www.influbook.io/) . Influbook was part of the Alpha startup program at WebSummit in Lisbon on Nov 5 - 8. Nathan Frey, the founder, was pitching on November 6. Also join us at many other conferences to include BlockShow Asia in Singapore on Nov 27 - 30, World Blockchain Summit Riyadh on Dec 5 - 6, and CryptoBlockCon Las Vegas Dec 11 -12. Company: info@influbook.com (mailto:info@influbook.com) Press: press@influbook.com (mailto:press@influbook.com) Main Website: www.influbook.com (http://www.influbook.com/) ICO Website: wwwinflubook.io Twitter: twitter.com/influbook Facebook: facebook.com/influblog LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/influbook Telegram: t.me/influbook Chaineum Capital Partners Founded by Laurent Leloup (https://www.laurentleloup.com/) , an expert in blockchain and corporate finance, Chaineum Capital Partners, specialized in decentralized economy and blockchain technology, provides strategic and financial advice, and also accompaniment to corporates, investors, family offices, financial sponsors, banks and governments. Chaineum Capital Partner is specialized in: - Financial and Crypto Financial Engineering, tokenomics, assets tokenization and cryptocurrencies ; - process of raising funds via token sale*, fundraising, funding, private placement; - M&A advisory, blockchain investments strategy. Chaineum Capital Partners, the bridge between old finance & crypto finance. Headquarters in Besancon + offices in Paris, Geneva & Neuchatel. www.chaineum.com (http://www.chaineum.com/) Contact : Laurent Leloup - CEO ll@chaineum.com (mailto:ll@chaineum.com) This announcement is distributed by West Corporation on behalf of West Corporation clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: CHAINEUM SAS via Globenewswire New customers include: ING, NATO, and Virgin Atlantic Textio, the developer of the world's first augmented writing platform, today announced that its remarkable momentum continues to extend across Europe in 2018. In the last 12 months, Textio has added companies such as British Airways, Booking.com, Credit Suisse, and Lloyd's Banking Group to its roster of customers, netting a 300% rate of customer growth in Europe over the last year. The top three countries leading the rapid European adoption of Textio are the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and The Netherlands. Textio's newest product, Textio Hire, has greatly accelerated the company's growth in 2018. Textio Hire extends Textio's core writing platform beyond job posts and into LinkedIn and Gmail for direct candidate communication. "Co-op started using Textio last year, and the platform gave us consistent, objective guidance that we had been looking for," said Matt Eyre, Candidate Marketing Manager at Co-op. "The science behind Textio is quite powerful, the platform gave us statistical evidence to say, 'This works,' and we've seen 17% more qualified candidates apply to our open roles." "We're delighted to partner with Textio to ensure that Heathrow recruits from a diverse and inclusive talent pool and hires qualified talent faster," said Fiona Tice, Heathrow's Talent and Development Director. "We were proud to be the first airport to adopt Textio. As we continue to refine our expansion plans and look to significantly increase the number of people working at our airport, Textio will help us to make sure that we can to attract the most talented individuals to Heathrow." "Textio Hire has made it possible for companies to see a measurable change in their hiring pipelines, which has driven incredible adoption across Europe," said Kieran Snyder, CEO of Textio. "Textio Hire continues to attract forward-thinking enterprises across finance, tech, retail, and much more in Europe." Textio's global growth across EMEA and Asia Pacific regions represents almost 30% of new customers this year. Textio joined ARM on stage at the CogX Conference in London where the company won "Best AI Product in HR." Last year, Textio won the disruptHR Award at the HR Tech World Conference in London. About Textio Founded in Seattle in 2014 by Kieran Snyder and Jensen Harris, Textio (@textio) is an augmented writing platform that tells you who will respond to anything you have written. As you write, Textio compares your language to millions of other similar documents and gives you real-time insights that will statistically improve your response rates. Textio Hire improves the language in job posts to speed up the time to fill a position by two weeks on average, and improves response rates to recruiting emails by 20% on average. Textio has been widely adopted by enterprises Johnson Johnson, NVIDIA, British Airways, and Credit Suisse. Textio raised $29.5 million from Scale Venture Partners, Emergence Capital, Cowboy Ventures, Bloomberg Beta, and Upside Partnership. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005040/en/ Contacts: Textio Marissa Coughlin press@textio.com MONACO and LONDON, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Dtex Systems today announced that Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP CISO Mark Walmsley and Dtex EMEA VP Mark Coates will share the stage at Cyber Security Connect UK to discuss the insider threat. CISOs and other security and risk professionals who attend the session will receive a real-world look at how highly-regulated organizations identify, detect and reduce insider risk. Freshfields is one of the globe's largest law firms. Known for supporting the world's leading national and multinational organizations on ground-breaking and business-critical mandates, the company has become adept at protecting sensitive information, detecting all forms of threats, and compliance with global regulations. Walmsley is a recognized insider threat authority and champion of the evolving role of the CISO. He makes regular appearances at trade shows and within industry media, providing the security community with actionable advice and insights. Dtex Systems provides public and private sector organizations, including the world's largest banks, government agencies and law firms, with advanced user behavior intelligence that scales across vast user groups to detect insider threats. With the only privacy patent awarded in its field, Dtex responds to privacy regulations such as the GDPR. Coates is an award winning cybersecurity leader, noted for his expertise in the insider threat field and knowledge of the pressures that privacy regulations add to the challenge. Session Details Title: Are You Protected Against Threats from Within? Detecting Insider Threats with Dtex, Freshfields When:Thursday, November 8, 2018, 3:30 PM - 4 PM Where: Cyber Security Connect UK, The Meridien Beach Plaza, Monaco Details: https://www.cybersecurityconnectuk.com/Program/Workshops-and-Round-Tables Register:https://www.cybersecurityconnectuk.com/ Learn more about Dtex: 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 Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP is a global law firm with a long-standing track record of successfully supporting the world's leading national and multinational corporations, financial institutions and governments on ground-breaking and business-critical mandates. Our 2,800 plus lawyers deliver results worldwide through our own offices and alongside leading local firms. Our commitment, local and multi-national expertise and business know-how means our clients rely on us when it matters most. About Dtex Systems Dtex Systems arms enterprises across the globe with revolutionary technology to protect against user threats, data breaches, and outsider infiltration. As the only solution combining unparalleled endpoint visibility with advanced analytics, Dtex is able to pinpoint threats with greater accuracy than traditional security methods without adversely impacting user productivity. To learn more, visit www.dtexsystems.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/680256/Dtex_Systems_Logo.jpg EDINBURGH, Scotland, November 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Seasoned CEO with 30 years' experience in the healthcare industry Edinburgh Molecular Imaging (EM Imaging), the optical molecular imaging company, today announces the appointment of Dr Bernhard Sixt as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Dr Sixt has 30 years of healthcare industry experience in the development and commercialisation of laboratory services, in vivo and in vitro diagnostics, and pharmaceuticals for industry leaders such as Amersham (now part of GE Healthcare) and Nycomed Pharma (now part of Takeda). Since leaving Amersham, Bernhard has led several companies. He is a co-founder of Agendia and served as its CEO from 2003 until 2011 and in 2005 founded Ipotuba, a pioneer for addressing the emerging need for pharmaceutical cryo-logistics. He also led ImmunID, an innovator in precision immuno-oncology, from 2013 until 2016. Dr Sixt holds a Master of Science degree in Biochemistry and Chemistry from Ludwig Maximilians University (LMU) and a PhD from the Technical University (TU), both in Munich, Germany. Roy Davis, Chairman of the Board of EM Imaging, said: "We are very pleased to have attracted someone of Bernhard's calibre and I warmly welcome him to EM Imaging. Bernhard's proven track record and experience in leading and growing companies will be invaluable in taking EM Imaging on its next stage of development. "The board would also like to thank Ian Wilson, a former Amersham colleague of Bernhard, for his contribution in building and leading EM Imaging to its current stage." Bernhard Sixt, Chief Executive Officer of EM Imaging, commented: "Throughout my industry career, I have always been excited by the potential that optical imaging modality offers. I am very pleased to join EM Imaging which has the opportunity to maximise the potential offered by advanced optical imaging. Our lead product, EMI-137, offers a 'real time in situ pathology vision' to physicians and surgeons and has the potential for improved cancer detection. It has been safely administered to 69 patients so far, demonstrating encouraging data and in a phase 1/2a colonoscopy study demonstrated a 17% increase in cancer lesion detection compared to standard colonoscopy, and increased detection of high risk lesions. Currently EMI-137 is also being trialled in several other cancer indications." About Edinburgh Molecular Imaging EM Imaging's highly novel molecular imaging technology platform targets disease detection in real-time during interventional procedures including surgery, providing more accurate treatment while sparing healthy tissue. With a portfolio focused on development and commercialisation, the company's optical imaging agents see disease in the body in real time, and help clinicians make time-critical diagnostic and treatment decisions. EM Imaging's 'SMART' optical agents visualise pathology in vivo by lighting up cells, enzymes and receptors present in disease, reducing the time to diagnose patients from days to seconds, enabling point of care treatment selection and early intervention. For more information, please visit http://www.emimaging.com. The company was formed in 2014 by lead investor Epidarex Capital, a venture capital firm specialising in early stage life science investments. For more information, please visit http://www.epidarex.com. About Optical imaging Optical imaging is a technique for non-invasively looking inside the body, as is done, for example, with x-rays. Unlike x-rays, which use ionizing radiation, optical imaging uses visible light and the special properties of photons to obtain detailed images of organs and tissues as well as smaller structures including cells. Further information: Edinburgh Molecular Imaging Bernhard Sixt, CEO: media@emimaging.com Tel: +131-(0)-658-5308 @edinimage CRCcure Konica Minolta's digital transformation continues as it releases new details around the innovative Workplace Hub platform. TOKYO, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new survey by Konica Minolta, Inc. (Konica Minolta) into small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) has revealed that the vast number of IT challenges experienced daily are actively hampering business' success. Linked to the latest release of its technology platform, Workplace Hub, Konica Minolta commissioned the research to further reinforce its understanding of SMBs as it transforms into an innovative solutions provider creating a truly connected office. As part of this endeavour, Konica Minolta has been aggressively investing in R&D, opening its labs to support co-innovation with customers. With a strong footprint of over 2 million customers, the team have actively placed customer research at the heart of all they do to ensure the most relevant solutions are developed. The multinational survey, conducted in August 2018, exclusively revealed that SMBs are currently settling for IT that under delivers. At least a third of respondents reported that technical issues can lead to increased costs, lower productivity and diminished quality of work. Despite this, 95% say they are satisfied with their current IT solutions. Konica Minolta, who have a clear Workplace of the Future vision, disagree that problem-filled IT should be the norm in a business setting. To help SMBs overcome these challenges, Konica Minolta created Workplace Hub, a category-defining range of connected office products and services built around how people work. "As organizations make progressive moves toward digital transformation, they encounter the significant challenge of managing multiple systems and connecting disparate data points whilst remaining compliant and competitive," said Mick Heys, VP European Imaging, Printing & Document Solutions at IDC. "This creates an increasing need for management platforms that offer centralized control, removing much of the IT burden. We are seeing several initiatives from IT vendors in this space, who are looking to help their customers on this journey by creating or integrating centralized platforms." Dennis Curry, Konica Minolta's Deputy CTO and inventor of Workplace Hub, also commented, "Our goal at Konica Minolta is to help organizations create the workplace of the future powered by IoT and AI. The first step on this journey is to simplify their IT with an all-in-one IT system that seamlessly integrates hardware, software and services into a multi-vendor, one-stop solution. We believe that Workplace Hub is this solution, seamlessly connecting people, spaces and devices and enabling the connected & intelligent office environment. In doing so, SMBs can focus on growing their business, creating new products and business models, and gaining a competitive advantage." With the research finding that 91% of SMBs say an all-in-one IT system that seamlessly integrates hardware, software and services into a multi-vendor, one-stop solution would be relevant to their organizations, Konica Minolta's Workplace Hub platform delivers what the customers need. Working with a stellar line-up of partners (Acronis, Canonical, Elastic, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Microsoft, Oracle Dyn, ScienceLogic, ServiceNow and Sophos), Konica Minolta have released Hub and Edge as the first two products to support SMBs in this category. The first product from this portfolio, known as the Hub, optimizes office space for those who need it, building an IoT infrastructure with servers and software in a 1 metre squared space. Edge, a solution for those looking to boost performance from their server room, is a managed IT service that can complement existing systems to manage specific operational tasks or replace and manage all IT. For Konica Minolta, these solutions are the natural continuation in its long line of innovation and world-firsts, and fully supports the transformative journey the company is taking. "Digital transformation is driving business innovation, increasing competitiveness, and creating the business leaders of tomorrow" said Konica Minolta's President and CEO, Shoei Yamana. "It has also led to an increasing demand to let people work anywhere they want using a variety of devices. We have long recognised that for many, IT rarely works as it should. In recognising the challenges SMBs face, we have been strategically transforming ourselves, establishing a platform business aimed at creating the first truly connected office." For more information about Workplace Hub, visit http://workplacehub.com . KEY RESULTS FROM THE SURVEY The SMB IT pain-point survey for Konica Minolta was conducted in partnership with Opinium, and targeted 200 SMB senior decision makers per country, across the United States, United Kingdom, France and Germany. Global highlights include the following: IT Challenges Although 95 percent of organizations across all markets say they are satisfied with their current IT solutions, they also report, in significant numbers, a variety of critical challenges. This includes: Hardware not working (27%) Admin IT problems (24%) Outdated software (24%) Poor internet connectivity (20%) Security risks (23%) Servers crashing (20%) Impact on the Business Nearly one in five SMBs (18%) say that problems with IT infrastructure are one of the three most significant challenges facing their business. The impact of these IT challenges on their businesses is also significant, including: Time required to fix the problems (41%) Lower employee productivity (37%) Cost to fix the problems (35%) Diminished quality of work (35%) Limiting Innovation While 84% of SMBs across the U.S., the UK, France and Germany feel positively about the impact of future technology on their business's productivity, many are struggling to implement new IT solutions. For example, over half of SMBs (56%) say they welcome the integration and adoption of AI and machine learning and believe a future that includes these technologies is exciting. An additional 37% say they are cautiously optimistic about the technology. However, many of the AI and machine learning solutions coming on the market today require the adoption of cloud technologies, and yet according to the survey, only 21% say they plan to adopt cloud infrastructure in the next 3 years and only 19% say they plan to adopt cloud applications. Of those not planning to adopt cloud infrastructure, the reasons include: Technology is too expensive or the budget isn't available (30%) Organization doesn't have a use for the technology (29%) Organization doesn't have the expertise to use it (21%) Simplifying IT Despite the claim of satisfaction with current IT infrastructure, 91% of SMBs say an all-in-one IT system that seamlessly integrates hardware, software and services into a multi-vendor, one-stop solution would be relevant to their organizations. ABOUT KONICA MINOLTA Konica Minolta, Inc. is a global technology company that provides innovative solutions to businesses and society. With its strengths in the combination of its core technologies in advanced imaging, optics, sensing, materials and nano-processing, Konica Minolta is committed to create new values that help customers address challenges in their operations and work processes. Advancing its expertise in digital technologies, the company has been going through business transformation into a digital company with insight into implicit challenges across the board as One Konica Minolta in the era of Internet of Things (IoT). Konica Minolta is also active in open innovation through various collaborations and alliances with academic, industrial and entrepreneurial partners. Headquartered in Tokyo, Konica Minolta has its Group companies in 50 countries with over 43,000 employees and offers products and services in 150 countries around the world. FOR PRESS & MEDIA ENQUIRIES, PLEASE CONTACT: Becca Cross Global Marketing Communications Specialist, Digital Workplace Business Unit, Konica Minolta Inc. becca.cross@konicaminolta.co.uk LONDON, November 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The World Gold Council today launched Goldhub, a market-leading source of data, insights and analytical tools aimed at helping investors understand gold's value as a strategic asset. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/779630/World_Gold_Council_Logo.jpg ) Goldhub will arm investors with a wide range of data that is necessary when making informed decisions in relation to gold investment. In addition, for the first-time, investors will now also have access to interactive tools and expert research in a single, convenient online resource. John Reade, Chief Market Strategist and Head of Research at the World Gold Council, commented: "We believe Goldhub will be transformative, as it will help investors better understand how gold works and how to evaluate its role in their portfolios. Last year, we commissioned two research studies among institutional investors, and both cited a lack of data as a key reason for not investing in gold. Goldhub will fill that gap." Goldhub provides users with: - Vetted and validated data, with detailed methodology notes, from multiple public and commercial sources as well as the World Gold Council's own market data, to power informed investment decisions -Interactive tools include the portfolio simulator, which enables new and seasoned investors to create virtual portfolios and compare their historical performance including risk-adjusted returns. In addition, visual analytics and data download options will allow users to analyse gold market data, helping them develop and verify their own insights -A wealth of research on the role, drivers and performance of gold, which form a rich resource to support strategic asset management. The range of material also provides research and insights into specific areas of the gold market, such as developments in key markets such as China and India, the potential effect of macro-economic variables on the outlook for gold, or buying trends among central banks, to name a few. Goldhub can be accessed here. You can follow the World Gold Council on Twitter at @goldcouncil and Like on Facebook. Note to editors: Goldhub Goldhub is operated by the World Gold Council, the market development organisation for the gold industry. The World Gold Council works to ensure that content (including tools) included on Goldhub is correct and of high quality but does not make any representation or warranty in relation to that content, including its fitness for any particular purpose. For more information please visit our Goldhub website terms and conditions at www.goldhub.com. World Gold Council The World Gold Council is the market development organisation for the gold industry. Our purpose is to be the global authority on the gold market, provide industry leadership, and stimulate and sustain demand for gold. We develop gold-backed solutions, services and products, based on authoritative market insight and we work with a range of partners to put our ideas into action. We provide insights into the international gold markets, helping people to understand the wealth preservation qualities of gold and its role in meeting the social and environmental needs of society. The membership of the World Gold Council includes the world's leading and most forward thinking gold mining companies. NET ASSET VALUE BLACKROCK COMMODITIES INCOME INVESTMENT TRUST PLC 54930040ALEAVPMMDC31 The unaudited net asset values for BlackRock Commodities Income Investment Trust plc at close of business on 7 November 2018 were: 78.94p Capital only 79.99p Including current year income Notes: 1. Investments have been valued on a bid price basis. 2. Revenue items included in net asset value, with dividends payable deducted on the ex-dividend date. 3. Following the Buyback of 37,897 ordinary shares on 22 October 2018, the Company now has 116,126,515 Ordinary Shares in issue (excluding 2,839,485 Ordinary Shares which are held in Treasury). 4. For the latest daily net asset value, previous month end performance statistics, asset allocation and ten largest holdings of the BlackRock managed Investment Trusts; see BLRKINDEX on Reuters or page 8800 on ICB (Topic 3). NET ASSET VALUE BLACKROCK GREATER EUROPE INVESTMENT TRUST PLC 5493003R8FJ6I76ZUW55 The unaudited net asset values for BlackRock Greater Europe Investment Trust plc at close of business on 7 November 2018 were: 347.19p Capital only (undiluted) 347.19p Capital only (Diluted for treasury shares) 347.34p Including current year income (undiluted) XD 347.34p Including current year income (Diluted for treasury shares) XD Notes: 1. Investments have been valued on a bid price basis. 2. Revenue items included in net asset value, with dividends payable deducted on the ex-dividend date. 3.Following the Tender Offer of 2,317,172 ordinary shares on 01 June 2018, the Company now has 86,459,691 Ordinary Shares in issue (excluding 23,869,247 Ordinary Shares which are held in Treasury). 4. For the latest daily net asset value, previous month end performance statistics, asset allocation and ten largest holdings of the BlackRock managed Investment Trusts; see BLRKINDEX on Reuters or page 8800 on ICB (Topic 3). NET ASSET VALUE BLACKROCK WORLD MINING TRUST PLC LNFFPBEUZJBOSR6PW155 The unaudited net asset values for BlackRock World Mining Trust plc at close of business on 7 November 2018 were: 400.43p Capital only (undiluted) 411.07p Including current year income (undiluted) Notes: 1. Revenue items included in net asset value, with dividends payable deducted on the ex-dividend date. 2. Following the buyback of 25,000 ordinary shares on 23 October 2018, the Company has 176,330,242 ordinary shares in issue, excluding 16,681,600 which are held in treasury. 3. For the latest daily net asset value, previous month end performance statistics, asset allocation and ten largest holdings of the BlackRock managed Investment Trusts; see BLRKINDEX on Reuters or page 8800 on ICB (Topic 3). 4. Investments have been valued on a bid price basis. NET ASSET VALUE BLACKROCK THROGMORTON TRUST PLC 5493003B7ETS1JEDPF59 The unaudited net asset values for BlackRock Throgmorton Trust plc at close of business on 7 November 2018 were: 534.59p Capital only 542.62p Including current year income 534.59p Capital only (adjusted for treasury shares) 542.62p Including current year income (adjusted for treasury shares) Notes: 1. Investments have been valued on a bid price basis. 2. The Company's issued share capital comprises 73,130,326 Ordinary Shares and 7,400,000 Treasury Shares. 3. Revenue items included in net asset value, with dividends payable deducted on the ex-dividend date. NET ASSET VALUE BLACKROCK EMERGING EUROPE PLC 549300OGTQA24Y3KMI14 The unaudited net asset values for BlackRock Emerging Europe plc at close of business on 7 November 2018 were: 432.21c per share (US cents) - Capital only 329.04p per share (pence sterling) - Capital only 443.91c per share (US cents) - Including current year income 337.95p per share (pence sterling) - Including current year income Notes: 1. Investments have been valued on a bid price basis. 2. Revenue items included in net asset value. 3. Following the cancellation of 400,000 treasury shares on 17 February 2017, the Company's share capital consists of 35,916,028 Ordinary shares (excluding 5,000,000 ordinary shares held in treasury) carrying one vote each. 4. As announced on 17 August 2018, the Company intends to put forward proposals which will result in the liquidation of the Company's assets. Effective 17 August 2018 the daily valuation includes an accrual in respect of expected costs associated with the liquidation. This accrual accounts for costs directly attributable to the liquidation. It is expected disposal costs will also be encountered while selling down the portfolio however such costs cannot be reliably estimated until the sale is executed. Consequently disposal costs have not been accrued in the valuation at this point." NET ASSET VALUE BLACKROCK NORTH AMERICAN INCOME TRUST PLC 549300WWOCXSC241W468 The unaudited net asset values for BlackRock North American Income Trust plc at close of business on 7 November 2018 were: 174.60p Capital only 176.19p Including current year income Notes: 1. Investments have been valued on a bid price basis. 2. Revenue items included in net asset value, with dividends payable deducted on the ex-dividend date. 3. Following the buyback of 75,000 ordinary shares on 14 June 2017, the Company has 68,874,044 ordinary shares in issue, excluding 31,487,261 which are held in treasury. NET ASSET VALUE BLACKROCK LATIN AMERICAN INVESTMENT TRUST PLC UK9OG5Q0CYUDFGRX4151 The unaudited net asset values for BlackRock Latin American Investment Trust plc at close of business on 7 November 2018 were: 677.54c per share (US cents) - Capital only 677.54c per share (US cents) - Including current year income XD 515.81p per share (pence sterling) Capital only 515.81p per share (pence sterling) - Including current year income XD Notes: 1. Investments have been valued on a bid price basis. 2. Revenue items included in net asset value, with dividends payable deducted on the ex-dividend date. 3. Following the Buyback of 20,000 ordinary shares on 24 May 2018, the Company now has 39,259,620 Ordinary Shares in issue (excluding 2,181,662 Ordinary Shares which are held in Treasury). 4. For the latest daily net asset value, previous month end performance statistics, asset allocation and ten largest holdings of the BlackRock managed Investment Trusts; see BLRKINDEX on Reuters or page 8800 on ICB (Topic 3). NET ASSET VALUE BLACKROCK INCOME AND GROWTH INVESTMENT TRUST PLC 5493003YBY59H9EJLJ16 The unaudited net asset values for BlackRock Income and Growth Investment Trust plc at close of business on 7 November 2018 were: 190.72p Capital only (undiluted) 195.42p Including current year income (undiluted) Notes: 1. Following the buyback of 41,500 ordinary shares on 08 October 2018, the Company has 24,059,668 ordinary shares in issue excluding 8,874,264 shares in treasury. 2. Investments have been valued on a bid price basis, with the exception of the holding in Patisserie Valerie which has been valued at a directors' valuation following its suspension from trading on AIM on 10 Oct. The portfolio's holding in Patisserie Valerie at 07 November 2018 represents 0.15% of the Company's total portfolio following this revaluation 3. Revenue items included in net asset value, with dividends payable deducted on the ex-dividend date. NET ASSET VALUE BLACKROCK SMALLER COMPANIES TRUST PLC 549300MS535KC2WH4082 The unaudited net asset values for BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust plc at close of business on 7 November 2018 were: 1425.74p Capital only and including debt at par value 1419.54p Capital only and including debt at fair value 1451.72p Including current year income and debt at par value 1445.52p Including current year income and debt at fair value Notes: 1. Investments have been valued on a bid price basis. 2. The total number of ordinary shares in issue excluding treasury shares is 47,879,792. The total amount of ordinary shares held in treasury is 2,113,731. 3. For the latest daily net asset value, previous month end performance statistics, asset allocation and ten largest holdings of the BlackRock managed Investment Trusts; see BLRKINDEX on Reuters or page 8800 on ICB (Topic 3). NET ASSET VALUE BLACKROCK FRONTIERS INVESTMENT TRUST PLC 5493003K5E043LHLO706 The unaudited net asset values for the ordinary shares of BlackRock Frontiers Investment Trust plc at close of business on 07 November 2018 were: 168.15c Capital only USD (cents) 128.01p Capital only Sterling (pence) 175.34c Including current year income USD (cents) 133.48p Including current year income Sterling (pence) Notes: 1. Investments have been valued on a bid price basis. 2. Revenue items included in net asset value, with dividends payable deducted on the ex-dividend date. 3. Following the share issuance of 250,000 ordinary shares on 16th October 2018, the Company has 203,491,108 ordinary shares in issue. LONDON, November 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Industrial and consumer goods giant partners with AI Advice Platform to make AI adoption more efficient and drive transformation Henkel has entered into a landmark partnership with CognitionX, a rich, comprehensive library of curated AI news and network of experts. Digital innovation platform Henkel X, part of German multinational Henkel, which owns brands including Persil, Loctite, and Schwarzkopf, is partnering with AI News and Advice Platform CognitionX to engage the Henkel X community with information, a network of expertise and knowledge around the deployment of artificial intelligence. As of 2019, Henkel X will syndicate curated AI news from CognitionX, which publishes handpicked updates across a range of industry sectors, to encourage its community and provide access to new solutions, opportunities for collaboration and the knowledge to embrace innovation. Henkel will also start to roll out the Enterprise Edition of CognitionX's AI Advice Platform, to access a Wiki of AI products, capitalise on the company's existing internal AI knowledge, and leverage a network of external AI experts through a single platform. Henkel X engaged with CognitionX as part of its mission to unite and accelerate Henkel's entrepreneurial transformation, inspired by the "Lean Startup" methodology of "build, measure, learn". The news comes at the same time as Founders Forum meets in Dusseldorf, Henkel's headquarter city. The premier community for global entrepreneurs, CEOs, and investors in the digital, media and technology sectors is being hosted in association with Henkel on November 7th and 8th. Dr. Rahmyn Kress, Chief Digital Officer at Henkel, said: "Henkel is proud to have been a family business for 140 years. Our challenge, like many major enterprises, is to embrace change. We are focused on solutions to grow internal collaboration and make more use of own enterprise knowledge. These latest investments will help Henkel drive a new, entrepreneurial digital culture and ensure we are able to respond to accelerating technological change." Charlie Muirhead, Founder and CEO of CognitionX, said: "It's now mission critical for organisations to have an AI strategy and start transformation. Getting that right means leveraging and developing internal knowledge, as well as accessing external expertise where needed." But many companies are stuck with the same age-old challenge: 'if we only knew what we knew, we would be three times more productive'. We're thrilled to be working with Rahmyn and the Henkel X team, who see the opportunity to catapult the company forward, by growing and capitalising on their internal AI expertise, as well as of those in our network." CognitionX's AI News and Advice Platform helps large organisations share knowledge by matching questions to both internal and external experts in a simple, fast and cost-effective way. Its initial focus is on AI, but there is potential to apply this model to advice on a whole range of other topics and domains. CognitionX recently announced a $4.1M funding round led by Unilever Ventures, Gary Gauba, Founder of Cognilytics and Founder of The CXO Fund, and Manoj Saxena, Chairman of CognitiveScale and former IBM Watson General Manager. Gauba and Saxena joined a list of existing tech angels including Brent Hoberman CBE, Executive Chairman at Founders Factory and Co-founder of lastminute.com, renowned start-up investor Esther Dyson, Joanna Shields, Group CEO of BenevolentAI, Lord Young, former UK Trade Secretary and entrepreneur along with William Tunstall-Pedoe, whose business, Evi, was acquired by Amazon and used to create Alexa. About Henkel Henkel holds leading positions with three business units in both industrial and consumer businesses thanks to strong brands, innovations and technologies. Henkel Adhesive Technologies is the global leader in the adhesives market - across all industry segments worldwide. In its Laundry & Home Care and Beauty Care businesses, Henkel holds leading positions in many markets and categories around the world. Founded in 1876, Henkel looks back on more than 140 years of success. In 2017, Henkel reported sales of 20 billion euros and adjusted operating profit of around 3.5 billion euros. Henkel employs more than 53,000 people globally. Its preferred shares are listed in the German stock index DAX. In 2018, the company has launched Henkel X, an agile, hyper-connected and entrepreneurial platform for collaboration and innovation, bringing together the smartest network and industry partners through open collaboration. Ambition is to unite and accelerate Henkel's entrepreneurial transformation across three pillars: Ecosystem, Experience and Experimentation (build, measure and learn). About CognitionX Founded in 2015 CognitionX's mission is to bring clarity to, and accelerate adoption of, AI across all organisations from global enterprises to startups, and help ensure a safe and responsible transition to an AI-driven society. In addition to running CogX (http://www.CogX.co), the world's leading Festival of AI and emerging technology, CognitionX's groundbreaking AI Advice Platform connects users and organisations in real-time with news, products and a global network of technology experts. CognitionX also delivers Custom Research for clients including the Mayor of London, Swedbank and Accenture. TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / November 8, 2018 / Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. (TSX-V: BAY; OTCQB: ATBHF) ("Aston Bay" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the completion of its previously announced transaction to acquire all of the issued and outstanding stock of Jack's Fork Exploration, Inc. ("JFE"), a private company incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware (the "Acquisition"). The Acquisition was completed by way of a reverse triangular merger of Blue Ridge Mining, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, into JFE, resulting in JFE being renamed "Blue Ridge Mining" and becoming a direct and wholly-owned subsidiary of Aston Bay. The new Aston Bay subsidiary will operate the existing business of JFE moving forward. Pursuant to the Acquisition, holders of JFE shares ("JFE Stockholders") are entitled to receive 0.57396868 of a common share of Aston Bay (each whole share, an "Aston Bay Share") in exchange for each JFE share of common stock held immediately prior to the effective time of the Acquisition, with an aggregate of 12,000,000 Aston Bay shares available to be issued to the JFE Stockholders. All required stockholder and regulatory approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, were obtained in connection with the closing of the Acquisition. Jack's Fork Exploration Inc. President Don Taylor stated "The closing of the merger is a very significant step for both Aston Bay and JFE shareholders as the closing sets the stage to expand the exposure to great projects and accelerated exploration. As an advisor to the merged Company I am looking forward to testing the numerous quality targets in the portfolio." "In the coming weeks Aston Bay expects to sign agreements with landholders on projects already well advanced by JFE. Coming from Don Taylor, the pedigree of the projects speaks well to their promising exploration potential for both base and precious metals in this underexplored mineralized belt," stated Thomas Ullrich, CEO of Aston Bay. "The company looks forward to presenting more detailed information on these projects in advance of anticipated drill programs in Virginia this winter." ABOUT ASTON BAY HOLDINGS LTD. Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. is a publicly traded mineral exploration company exploring for large, high-grade, sediment-hosted copper and zinc deposits in Nunavut, a mining-friendly Canadian jurisdiction. Aston Bay is 100% owner of the 1,024,345-acre (414,537-hectare) Aston Bay Property located on western Somerset Island, Nunavut. The Aston Bay Property hosts the Storm Copper Project and the Seal Zinc Prospect, with historical drilling confirming the presence of sediment-hosted copper and zinc mineralization. The Company also has exclusive rights to an integrated geophysical, geochemical and geological dataset over a 1.2 million-acre (0.5 million-hectare) area located in central Virginia, USA. The Company's public disclosure documents are available on www.sedar.com. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Statements made in this press release, including those regarding the completion of the acquisition, management objectives, forecasts, estimates, expectations, or predictions of the future may constitute "forward-looking statement", which can be identified by the use of conditional or future tenses or by the use of such verbs as "believe", "expect", "may", "will", "should", "estimate", "anticipate", "project", "plan", and words of similar import, including variations thereof and negative forms. This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect, as of the date of this press release, Aston Bay's expectations, estimates and projections about its operations, the mining industry and the economic environment in which it operates. Statements in this press release that are not supported by historical fact are forward-looking statements, meaning they involve risk, uncertainty and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Although Aston Bay believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which apply only at the time of writing of this press release. Aston Bay disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by securities legislation. We seek safe harbour. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Ullrich, Chief Executive Officer thomas.ullrich@astonbayholdings.com Telephone: (416) 456-3516 Sofia Harquail, IR and Corporate Development sofia.harquail@astonbayholdings.com Telephone: (647) 821-1337 SOURCE: Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/527492/Aston-Bay-Completes-Acquisition-of-Jacks-Fork-Exploration-Inc ROME, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- On November 8 and 9, 2018, Huawei holds its annual Eco-Connect Europe event in Rome, Italy, under the theme of "For a DigitALL INtelligent Europe". At the event, Huawei showcased its "Platform + Ecosystem" strategy, displaying a comprehensive range of the latest ICT products in emerging fields such as cloud computing, IoT, Big Data and digital platforms, also new industry solutions for Smart Cities and manufacturing. Ernest Zhang, President of the Huawei Enterprise Business Group in Western Europe, said: "Currently, Huawei has built two OpenLabs in Munich and Paris. By the end of 2018, Huawei will complete the expansion of the OpenLab in Munich. By the end of 2021, there will be three Huawei OpenLabs in Europe, with a total investment of US$50 million. Huawei will use these labs to carry out future-oriented joint innovations with European customers and partners in the areas of Smart Manufacturing, IoV and Smart Cities. Huawei will provide ICT platforms to help local partners in solution testing, verification and optimization. We will also work with partners to jointly develop industry solution and explore the market. Furthermore, OpenLab will also provide an excellent environment for training and solution experiencing." During this year's Eco-Connect Europe, Huawei announced a number of new collaborations with industry-leading companies to improve customer solutions. The new collaborations include: Huawei collaborated with Microsoft to release the all-flash Azure Stack solution to accelerate the development of hybrid cloud services. Huawei and TIM launched a joint SD-WAN solution for enterprises to build networks of optimal experience. Huawei and Digicom signed a MoU to work together on smart parking terminals and OpenCloud. Huawei and WAGO signed a MoU to develop an automation and energy efficiency management solution for smart factories. Huawei and Eluminocity signed a MoU to carry out joint innovation for smart city development. Ruiqi Fan, Vice President of Marketing and Solution Sales of Huawei Enterprise Business Group in Western Europe, said: "In the era of digital transformation, Huawei works constantly to enhance its platform capability. Guided by the Moore's Law, we drive product innovation and evolution. Focusing on the three fields of DC network switches, Wi-Fi access device and SW-WAN router, the latest generation of AI-empowered IDN products and solutions we have just released can help build user-centered, simplified ultra-broadband networks that enable enterprises' digital transformation." Together with more than 20 alliances and solution partners including SAP and Digicom, Huawei demonstrated its solutions and use cases in the four vertical sectors relating to Smart Cities, manufacturing, finance, and energy. For example, the innovative smart metering solution developed by both Huawei and Qloud gives traditional analog meters the power of intelligent metering, slashing the costs of meter replacement. To enable smart driving, Huawei provides a high-computing, high-security, energy-efficient, and low-latency vehicle-mounted Mobile Datacenter (MDC). Automobile manufacturers, tier-1 suppliers and third-party algorithm developers can adapt and develop automatic driving applications based on the MDC. The event saw the largest number of new products that Huawei has ever showcased in Western Europe. For example, the latest all-flash, high-performance system that provides storage resources for customers' multi-service bearing and an automated STaaS data governance solution. Furthermore, using AI, Big Data, the cloud-based IDN solution, and the CampusInsight solution, Huawei can help customers locate network faults in minutes, forecast potential risks, and perform preventive maintenance in response. Huawei is eager to work with customers and partners to make full use of platform capabilities to drive enterprise digital transformation and upgrade in a comprehensive, long-term manner. Currently, 211 of the world's top 500 companies (and 48 of the top 100 companies) have chosen Huawei as their digital transformation partner. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/781711/Huawei.jpg Includes all Elements to Simplify and Expedite Biometric Smart Card Technology MUNICH and OSLO, Norway, Nov. 08, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Infineon Technologies AG (FSE: IFX / OTCQX: IFNNY), the global leader in smart card payment solutions and NEXT Biometrics (Oslo Bors: NEXT), a global leader in fingerprint sensor technology, have joined together to create a reference design for biometric payment cards. The reference platform incorporates all necessary elements to develop and manufacture a smart card with a fingerprint sensor and helps card makers simplify their production processes and to shorten time-to-market for their offerings. The use of biometrics for second factor authentication is the next big thing in payment card innovation following signatures, embossing, magnetic stripe and secure chip technologies. Instead of entering a PIN or showing an ID, the card holder authenticates by using a fingerprint sensor embedded on the card. The fingerprint information is stored on the card's secure element and not shared with any third party, thereby protecting the user's privacy. Fingerprint authentication is faster and easier than standard PIN-based EMV* transactions. It will also further reduce fraud, especially when multifunctional cards are deployed for personal social security payments. The false rejection rate is a convenience feature that measures how often the fingerprint of the authorized user is reliably recognized and not incorrectly rejected. The biometric card reference design includes a biometric module, a secure element, an operating system with biometric and payment applets, as well as a recommended and proven pre-lamination and lamination method for manufacturing the card. This complete system solution enables secure biometric smart card payments with significantly reduced false rejection rates to below one percent. "Infineon is committed to enable a secure and convenient payment experience enhanced by fingerprint authentication," said Bjoern Scharfen, Head of the product line Payment & Wearables at Infineon. "As a turnkey solution, the reference platform that Infineon jointly developed with NEXT will drive biometric innovations in the smart card industry and help make digital transactions easier and safer." "By listening to our customers and focusing on their requirements, we've made it a priority to deliver the tools they need to speed the implementation and deployment of biometric smart card technology," said Ritu Favre, CEO of NEXT Biometrics. "With our leadership in large-area, flexible fingerprint sensor technology and Infineon's semiconductor expertise we're delivering a complete solution that can be used by smart card makers to add further innovation. By simplifying development, Infineon and NEXT are leading the way toward making the use of biometric smart cards pervasive worldwide." The biometric smart card reference design will be demonstrated by the two companies at the upcoming APSCA Digital Payments South Asia conference in Mumbai, India, 13-14 November 2018. About Infineon Infineon Technologies AG is a world leader in semiconductor solutions that make life easier, safer and greener. Microelectronics from Infineon is the key to a better future. In the 2017 fiscal year (ending 30 September), the Company reported sales of around 7.1 billion with about 37,500 employees worldwide. Infineon is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: IFX) and in the USA on the over-the-counter market OTCQX International Premier (ticker symbol: IFNNY). About NEXT Biometrics NEXT provides advanced fingerprint sensor technology that delivers uncompromised security and accuracy for the best possible user experience in the smart card, government ID, access control and notebook markets. The company's patented NEXT Active Thermal principle allows the development of large, high quality fingerprint sensors in both rigid and flexible formats. NEXT Biometrics Group ASA (www.nextbiometrics.com) is headquartered in Oslo, with sales, support and development operations in Seattle, Silicon Valley, Taipei, Prague, Bengaluru and Shanghai. *The EMV Chip Specifications define globally valid requirements for chip-based payment solutions and acceptance terminals. They enable secure contact- and contactless applications and the use of other emerging payment technologies. Further information is available at: www.emvco.com Media contact -- NEXT Biometrics: Tom Beermann tom.beermann@nextbiometrics.com Investor contact -- NEXT Biometrics: Knut Stalen knut.stalen@nextbiometrics.com Media Contact -- Infineon Technologies: Karin Braeckle karin.braeckle@infineon.com This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/next-biometrics/r/infineon-and-next-biometrics-introduce-biometric-smart-card-reference-design,c2666806 The following files are available for download: (Kongsberg, 8 November 2018) Today, Telenor Group launched the very first 5G pilot in Scandinavia. The pilot will serve as a testbed for the superfast fifth generation mobile network in Norway. The pilot was launched during the technology and innovation conference Kongsberg Summit and is a milestone in Norwegian telecommunications history. "We have been preparing for 5G for a long time and it's great to finally be able to share the technology with families and businesses in the technology-city of Kongsberg. We are looking forward to testing the technology and learning as much as possible together with our new pilot customers," says Sigve Brekke, President & CEO of Telenor Group. The development of mobile networks is faster than ever, with new generations launching roughly every decade since the introduction of analogue NMT (1G) in 1981. In 2012, Telenor launched 4G followed by 4G+, and according to Speedtest from Ookla, Telenor now has the fastest mobile network in the world. Today, Telenor is kicking off its test of 5G in Kongsberg. "5G is more than a new generation of mobile network - it unleashes a vast potential within data and telecom services and will improve most services and solutions across industries. With today's launch of the very first 5G pilot in Scandinavia here in Kongsberg we have a flexible toolkit in place, which will help accelerate digitalisation, both in Norway and other markets in which Telenor operates," says Brekke. The pilot project in Kongsberg Telenor's pilot project offers select residents of Kongsberg the chance to test 5G technology until summer 2019. Initially, five families will test broadband and TV services delivered via 5G in their homes. Subsequently, the pilot will be expanded to include more test users. Several Norwegian businesses are also involved, including Coop, The Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation and Applied Autonomy. "We are starting in Kongsberg and will expand to offer more pilot locations in 2019, while gradually preparing for the commercial roll out of 5G in 2020," says Bjrn Ivar Moen, acting CEO of Telenor Norway. 5G enables inconceivable solutions Compared to 4G, 5G is a far more advanced and innovative technology with even more capacity, higher speeds and faster response time. 5G will provide Norwegians with access to features and services that have not been seen before. The new mobile technology will enable fibre optic communication speeds in your handset. "5G technology could fundamentally impact several critical societal functions, such as traffic management, health services, and important communications services like emergency communication networks," says Moen. Digital transformation The 5G network will consist of several network slices, which are fundamentally several different logical networks on the same physical infrastructure. These networks can be adapted to serve different needs and use cases in a completely new way, and function as if they are independent networks despite belonging to the same physical 5G network. As a result, we can expect higher speeds, minimal latency and a more reliable network. "The 5G network is extremely fast, stable and secure, and will dramatically improve services critical to our society. The new network will be a driver of digital transformation and we are looking forward to continuing on that journey," says Moen. Press contact: Hanne Knudsen, Director, Media Relations, Telenor Group M: +4790804015 | hanne.knudsen@telenor.com (mailto:hanne.knudsen@telenor.com) Download high res image of the moment Telenor's 5G pilot was switched on here (https://www.flickr.com/photos/telenorgroup/45055231674%20) (from left; Bjrn Ivar Moen, acting CEO of Telenor Norway, Sigve Brekke, President & CEO of Telenor Group, and paramedic Anne Elisabeth Hengna. The road to 5G Zero-G : The first mobile service in Norway was given the not-so-catchy name "Public Land Mobile Service" (OLT or Offentlig Landmobil Tjeneste in Norwegian), but following its launch in 1966, it quickly became known as 'the Donald Duck phone' due to the distortion of voices using it. 1G : 1981 saw the launch of the NMT network, and the mobile phone suddenly began to appeal to high flying stock brokers and other people who wanted to make calls from their cabin, in the car or at the airport. 2G : The first text message was sent on 3 December 1992 and said: 'Merry Christmas'. 1993 saw the launch of the worldwide GSM system in Norway and the country stepped into the digital era. 3G : Nowadays, people consider the few occasions when experience 3G as a form of punishment, but when it was launched in 2004 the technology was revolutionary and the speed left users flabbergasted. The best-selling mobile of the year was the Nokia 2600, of which 150 million handsets were sold globally. 4G : Fourth generation mobile services provide customers with a bit of elbowroom. The focus is firmly on high capacity services such as mobile broadband, MMS, video calling and mobile TV with HD quality. 5G: On 8 November 2018, Telenor switched on its 5G network in Kongsberg, thus launching the first 5G pilot in Scandinavia with real customers. With potential download speeds of 1-10 Gbps, this network is way faster than 4G. However, the most important distinction is in how different user groups can obtain their public services via network solutions that use one and the same physical network. Examples of use cases include self-driving buses, eHealth and manufacturing. This announcement is distributed by West Corporation on behalf of West Corporation clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: Telenor via Globenewswire Company creates U.S. subsidiary and adds Dr. Jeffrey Jeddeloh as VP of Business Development, Commercial Strategy, Dr. Stephen Macevicz as VP of IP and Dr. Christine Peponnet as VP of Technology Development. DNA Script, the global leader in the development of enzymatic DNA synthesis, today announced the creation of DNA Script Inc., its U.S. subsidiary. The company also announced the expansion of its executive team in the U.S. Dr. Jeffrey Jeddeloh was appointed VP of Business Development and Commercial Strategy to facilitate partnering and strategy implementation. Dr. Stephen Macevicz was named VP of Intellectual Property. The appointment of Dr. Christine Peponnet as VP of Technology Development will strengthen the company's growing research and development organization. "Last month, we announced a major technology milestone for the nascent field of enzymatic DNA synthesis: the world's first synthesis of a 150-nucleotide (nt) strand of DNA using enzymes with up to 99.5 percent efficacy for each nucleotide added achieving parity with traditional chemical synthesis," said Thomas Ybert, CEO and cofounder of DNA Script. "In the last year, the company has increased secured financing to $27 million, was granted two patents, filed five new patent applications and grew its team to 35. This is only a beginning, as we intend to release the first commercial products to early adopters within 12 months. Given the importance of the U.S. market for DNA Script, crossing the ocean and structuring our executive team with industry veterans is absolutely key." Dr. Jeffrey Jeddeloh, 49, joins DNA Script as VP of Business Development and Commercial Strategy, bringing more than 20 years of experience commercializing technology and business leadership in the genomics and molecular biology tools space. He joined Roche after the NimbleGen Systems acquisition in 2007. Most recently, he served as Director of Business Development for Roche Molecular Solutions, where he lead six mergers and acquisitions for the emerging Sequencing Solutions business. Of particular note was his role in the Kapa Biosystems acquisition for Roche. Prior to joining Roche, Jeff spent six years at Orion Genomics, where he was both a technology developer and R&D director. He served in the U.S. Army as a Vaccine Development Officer at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases in Frederick, Maryland. Jeff holds both a Ph.D. from Washington University, as well as an MBA from the University of Wisconsin and is also the co-author of over 50 peer reviewed publications in the field of epigenetics, genetics and genomics. Dr. Jeddeloh will report directly to the CEO. "Having Jeff as a key executive will be very transformative for the company. He brings world-leading expertise in science as well as product strategy, business development and M&A. His hiring is the first step in building our commercial and marketing organizations. With Jeff's help, we are planning our early commercialization efforts and first partnerships by the end of next year." adds Ybert. Dr. Macevicz, 69, joins DNA Script as VP of Intellectual Property, bringing more than 40 years of experience in the genomics and molecular biology tools space. Most recently, he served as VP of IP at Sequenta and Ion Torrent and as a senior IP attorney at Becton Dickinson. His practice has included critical interaction with business development and strategic planning functions at these institutions. Steve has himself been an inventor of 20 issued patents and has personally drafted over 150 issued U.S. patents for others in wide range of fields, including molecular biology, analytical instrumentation, organic chemistry, software and opto-electronics; he has also negotiated and drafted numerous license, research collaboration, supply and related commercial agreements. Dr. Macevicz holds a Ph.D. in Biophysics from UC Berkeley and a J.D. from the same university (Boalt Hall). He will report directly to the CEO. "Stephen is one of the most experienced IP experts in the genomics and molecular biology fields. He has made major contributions to building key IP estates in the industry. His leadership will help us manage and expand our portfolio in order to strengthen it even further ahead of commercialization. We believe Stephen is the perfect match for us," said Ybert. Dr. Christine Peponnet, 54, joins DNA Script as VP of Technology Development, bringing more than 25 years of technology leadership in genomics and molecular biology. Most recently, she served as Head of the Biosystems Group at CEA the Center for Atomic Energy where she was one of driving forces behind the development of the EWOD microfluidic technology, licensed to Advanced Liquid Logic, later acquired by Illumina. Prior to CEA, Christine contributed to the development of SNP assays at Caliper Technologies. She also served as Head of the Genotyping R&D at Genset for 10 years. Dr. Peponnet will report to the CEO. "Christine's appointment to the executive team is a key milestone in scaling up the company and its leadership. Christine has had tremendous success in turning prototypes into production-ready technologies, and her experience working in the U.S. and in France with leading organizations is a strong asset for our research and development team," said Ybert. About DNA Script Founded in 2014 in Paris, DNA Script is the world's leading company in manufacturing de novo synthetic nucleic acids using an enzymatic technology. The company aims to accelerate innovation in life sciences and technology through rapid, affordable and high-quality DNA synthesis. DNA Script's approach leverages billions of years of natural evolution to enable genome-scale synthesis. The company's technology has the potential to greatly accelerate the development of new therapeutics, enhanced diagnostics, sustainable chemical production, improved crops and DNA data storage. www.dnascript.co View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005404/en/ Contacts: DNA Script Sylvain Gariel, COO sg@dnascript.co or Press contacts in Europe ALIZE RP Caroline Carmagnol and Tatiana Vieira +33 6 64 18 99 59 +33 1 44 54 36 65 DNASCRIPT@alizerp.com or Press contact in the US Seismic Eric Schubert 415-939-4366 eric@teamseismic.com LONDON, November 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Program achieved in 2 years, is a result of significant support from UK Space Agency and a close collaboration with the European Space Agency SatixFy UK is hosting a reception today to celebrate the completion of UK Space Agency backed, Prime and Beat activities implemented under the Core Competitiveness element of ESA's programme of Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES). SatixFy is pleased to announce the availability of functional samples of its Prime - digital-beam-former and Beat - Ku-band RFIC (Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit) ASICs starting today. In addition to the ASICs, SatixFy is pleased to announce availability of Prime and Beat Evaluation Boards (EVBs) and a Micro Antenna Test Range (AMTR), used to demonstrate system capabilities and design products based on those chips. Together, these new chips can create new generation of flat electronically steered antennas, with multiple beams and no moving parts, at sizes and price points that were never seen before. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/781727/Beat_RFIC_Evaluation_Board.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/781728/Prime_Beam_Former_ASIC.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/781729/Antenna_Micro_Test_Range.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/781730/Prime_ASIC_Evaluation_Board.jpg ) SatixFy will be launching a series of products based on Prime and Beat chips starting Q1 2019: antenna for short messaging mobility applications which can handle IP and has the smallest form factor in the market; In-flight connectivity and COTM (Communications On The Move) terminals capable of multi-beam and LEO satellites applications. Less than 3 years ago, SatixFy UK was an idea in the mind of its entrepreneurs and a paper proposed plan. "I met SatixFy late 2015 and was impressed with their technology and will to take on such challenges," says Terry Coxall, then DIT Space Specialist, "and was excited taking them through the appropriate entities in the UK." Catherine Mealing-Jones, Director of Growth at the UK Space Agency, said: "In a short space of time, SatixFy has become an important part of the UK space sector, creating high quality jobs in Farnborough and Manchester and developing world leading space technology. It is an excellent example of how we can bring investment to the UK and support innovative space companies to become really successful here, whilst driving export opportunities. "The UK Government's Industrial Strategy sets out a clear vision for the UK to become the world's most innovative nation and we are working with industry to capture 10% of the global space market by 2030." "We are pleased that SatixFy achieved this important milestone and is moving fast to fulfill their ambitions. The activity demonstrates the added value of ARTES CC in supporting Industry to develop innovative and competitive products," says Domenico Mignolo, Head of Ground Segment Technologies & Product section at European Space Agency. "SatixFy has been able to rapidly solve an issue that has remained one of the great challenges facing the satellite industry," says Fabrizio de Paolis, Ground Segment Engineer, European Space Agency. "There is now a concrete opportunity for the satellite industry to enjoy high-volume production and consequent low costs per unit for a variety of applications." SatixFy submitted its proposal in April 2016 and started its operation in August 2016 with 27 new employees on board from its first day. "It is remarkable what we have been able to achieve in just over 2 years," says Yoel Gat, CEO of SatixFy group. "The ex-Qualcomm group we hired with additional key employees headed by Moche Cohen did an astonishing job. Having 2 new chips and EVBs ready in 2 years is a world class achievement. I want to thank everyone who helped us achieve it." Prime is the first commercial digital beam former ASIC implementing true time delay for satellite communications. It intelligently combines the radiation pattern from 32 elements simultaneously, entirely in the digital domain and could be cascaded to any size of antenna. Prime beam former is at the heart of electronically steered antennas and can point, track and manage multiple beams at multiple polarizations simultaneously. Beat is a Ku-band RFIC supporting 4 antenna elements. Inside the Beat SatixFy implements 4 independents transmit and receive channels at any polarization. The chip realizes 8 PAs (Power Amplifiers) and 8 LNAs (Low Noise Amplifiers), thus making the implementation of Electronically Steered Antenna straight-forward, low power and low cost. It interfaces to the Prime on one side and directly to the antenna radiating elements on the other side. The design ingenuity lies in the fact that the number of chips can be increased in line with the number of antenna elements, making the architecture fully modular (the same 'building block' can be used for multiple applications) and scalable. This innovation not only has immediate benefits for the business, but has wide-reaching implications in its everyday application; facilitating the development of products and services which were not feasible until today. "We are excited with the opportunities this technology open," says Yoel Gat, CEO of SatixFy group. "For the first time in the satellite industry we can offer complete low cost integrated terminals and can truly address mass markets like connected cars and IoT. Our ASICs work in tandem to provide functionality such as lower power and higher performance." SatixFy's celebratory event will be held on Nov 8th at the Churchill War Room in London and will highlight 28 months of exciting growth in the UK - in both Farnborough and Manchester. About SatixFy SatixFy designs next-generation satellite communication systems based on in-house developed chipsets. With locations in Israel, UK and Bulgaria, SatixFy develops a line of satellite communication SDR modems and Electronically Steered Multi-Beam antennas that support the most advanced standards, such as DVB-S2X and RCS2. SatixFy's ASICs radically increase system performance and reduce the weight, size and power requirements of terminals, payloads and gateway equipment. With satellite communication expertise and full development capabilities, the company delivers the industry's smallest VSATs and multi-beam electronically steered antenna arrays for a variety of mobile applications and services such as Connected Car, IoT, consumer broadband, in-flight-connectivity, communication payloads and more. Media Contact: Helena Itzhak Helena.itzhak@satixfy.com Program Seeks to Promote Open Collaboration for Technology and Tools Supporting Common Uses of Data Across Financial Services NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / November 8, 2018 / FINOS (the Fintech Open Source Foundation) today announced a public call for contributions to projects and working groups in support of the foundation's public launch of its new Data Technologies program. The purpose of the Data Technologies ("DT") program is to promote open collaboration for technology and tools that support common uses of data across the full lifecycle of financial services, including but not limited to: data acquisition, storage, governance, processing, and distribution. The program has an active working group initially aiming to standardize and enhance use of kdb+ software and is expected to ultimately extend to other areas such as Hadoop-based time series solutions, projects related to Apache Spark, graph database technologies, data analytics libraries, and various governance tools. The DT Program has also recently approved a second working group, Security Reference Data, which will focus on curating reference data standards, structures, and symbology, facilitating collaborative development of a common set of securities reference data. FINOS members driving this DT program include Morgan Stanley, Citi, J.P. Morgan, Nomura, and Goldman Sachs. "Many of the major challenges in Fintech revolve around the ingesting, managing, and analysis of data that regularly sees order-of-magnitude increases in quantity and variety. FINOS opens the door for industry-specific code and standards to be shared, resulting in better solutions for our clients," said Alvin Shih, Executive Director, Morgan Stanley and the program's Project Management Committee (PMC) lead. "DT seeks participants who not only understand the interplay between scale, complexity, and the regulated industry they operate in, but also recognize how transformational open source can be." Use cases for the DT program include developing a library of loading modules and/or package managers to drastically reduce the time to implement kdb+ libraries, as well as providing standard logging and security tools to be used with kdb+ data rather than building them independently. Common standards, tools, and libraries are expected to improve usability and administration of kdb+ software in enterprise deployments. "Currently, the Data Technologies program is actively seeking additional participants, contributors, as well as new open source contributions. FINOS is eager to bring the Data Technologies program to our member companies and we extend an invitation for others to join," said Rob Underwood, Director of Programs at FINOS. "With our focus on kdb+ and reference data as a beginning, our DT program seeks to improve and standardize how leading financial organizations use and access data," added Tosha Ellison, Director of Member Success at FINOS. "Standardization is crucial to success in the financial services industry, and we aim to give our members, some of the world's top banks, the opportunity to improve and enhance how they do business with the help of this newly launched program." This Data Technologies program launch is the first in a series of announcements expected around the upcoming Open Source Strategy Forum, taking place November 14-15 in London. To participate in the Data Technologies program, please email the program participants at data-tech@finos.org. This news follows the expanded contribution from GreenKey Technologies to the FINOS Voice Program as well as a call for contribution to three other FINOS programs including Open Source Readiness ("OSR"), FinServ Developer Experience ("FDX"), and Financial Objects ("FO"). About Morgan Stanley: Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is a leading global financial services firm providing investment banking, securities, wealth management and investment management services. With offices in more than 41 countries, the Firm's employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, institutions and individuals. For more information about Morgan Stanley, please visit www.morganstanley.com. About FINOS: The Fintech Open Source Foundation (FINOS) is an independent nonprofit organization focused on promoting open innovation during a period of unprecedented technological transformation within financial services. FINOS believes that organizations that embrace open source software development and common standards will be best positioned to capture the growth opportunities presented by this transformation. The Foundation offers an Open Developer Platform (ODP), a compliant Open Source Readiness Program and The Open Source Strategy Forum (OSSF), the leading global event for financial executives and technologists dedicated to open innovation. Foundation OSS Projects are Apache 2.0 licensed and available on GitHub. For more information, visit www.finos.org. Media Contact: Grace Keith Caliber Corporate Advisers grace.keith@calibercorporate.com 202-294-2529 Source: FINOS View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/527494/FINOS-Announces-Launch-of-Data-Technologies-Program-with-Call-for-Contribution ATLANTA, GA / ACCESSWIRE / November 8, 2018 / Findit, Inc. a Nevada Corporation that trades under the stock symbol OTC PINK: FDIT) owner of Findit.com, empowers members of Findit giving them the ability to share their content posted through Findit to other popular social networking sites. Included in the sites that content can be shared to are Facebook (FB), Twitter (TWTR) and LinkedIn (MSFT) along with approximately 80 additional sites. Findit members can utilize the platform as a Social Networking Content Management Platform, whereby you can create content you want people to see, share that content as well as have it index in search engines that include Google, Yahoo and Bing. Clark St. Amant of Findit stated, "Findit, unlike many other social networking platforms, allows content to be shared from Findit to other social sites, whereas other social networking sites do not provide the option of sharing outside of those sites, only within. As a social media online marketing specialist, this is incredibly helpful for campaigns I work on to reach a wider audience in a much more efficient way that produces tangible results our clients can see." Visitors to Findit also can share posts they see on Findit without even having to join. By providing this feature, members reach a wider audience through social that they otherwise would not reach. Posts can be done through the Findit website or on your mobile devices with the Findit App. Google Play Findit App Download it Now Apple App Store Findit App Download it Now Findit offers members a content management dashboard that provides them the ability to create in-depth right now posts. A Right Now is a post that displays on the Right Now feed. Each Right Now post can include multiple content verticals. By having the various content verticals, the posts tend to be visually appealing and very often SEO friendly. Content that can be included in one single Right Now post: Your Message Pictures Video One Outbound Link An Audio File (which could be a podcast, music, or an interview) News or Press Release Members have the ability to post each Right Now status update instantly or schedule them, either by back dating them or post-date it to become live in the future. Check out Posts being done on Findit. Findit members can increase their followers on Instagram by posting to Findit and linking to their Instagram account to get more followers, that otherwise may not come across them on the popular platform. Calvin Corzine is a Brand Ambassador on Findit. Business Owners love the ease of posting in Findit and how their posts can be shared and often more importantly indexed in Google. CBD Unlimited a division of Endexx Corp. (EDXC) reaches more people with Findit. With Real Estate Listings and Vacation Rentals struggling for positioning to get their property noticed on Airbnb, Zillow and Trulia, adding your listings in Findit helps to get your listing in front of the right people. https://www.findit.com/abodeca/Property Customizing your Findit account with a Findit address in your URL: Findit offers members the option to have their unique address in Findit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFHv2ZiFQCE About Findit, Inc. Findit, Inc., owns Findit.com which is a Social Media Content Management Platform that provides an interactive search engine for all content posted in Findit to appear in Findit search. The site is an open platform that provides access to Google, Yahoo, Bing and other search engines access to its content posted to Findit so it can be indexed in these search engines as well. Findit provides Members the ability to post, share and manage their content. Once they have posted in Findit, we ensure the content gets indexed in Findit Search results. Findit provides an option for anyone to submit URLs that they want indexed in Findit search result, along with posting status updates through Findit Right Now. Status Updates posted in Findit can be crawled by outside search engines which can result in additional organic indexing. All posts on Findit can be shared to other social and bookmarking sites by members and non-members. Findit provides Real Estate Agents the ability to create their own Findit Site where they can pull in their listing and others through their IDX account. Findit offers News and Press Release Distribution. Findit, Inc., is focused on the development of monetized Internet-based web products that can provide an increased brand awareness of our members. Findit, Inc., trades under the stock symbol FDIT on the OTC Pinksheets. Safe Harbor: This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), including statements regarding potential sales, the success of the company's business, as well as statements that include the word believe or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Findit, Inc. to differ materially from those implied or expressed by such forward-looking statements. This press release speaks as of the date first set forth above, and Findit, Inc. assumes no responsibility to update the information included herein for events occurring after the date hereof. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated due to factors such as the lack of capital, timely development of products, inability to deliver products when ordered, inability of potential customers to pay for ordered products, and political and economic risks inherent in international trade. Contact: Peter Tosto Phone 404 443 3224 SOURCE: Findit View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/527493/Share-Content-to-Facebook-Twitter-LinkedIn-and-Other-Sites-from-Social-Networking-Content-Management-Platform-Findit Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - November 8, 2018) - Appia Energy Corp. (CSE: API) (OTCQB: APAAF) (FSE: A0I.F) (FSE: A0I.MU) (FSE: A0I.BE) (the "Company" or "Appia) is pleased to provide the remaining analytical results from surface channel samples collected from the Bell, Dante, Dylan and Ivan zones as part of the Company's completed 2018 Summer exploration program (the "Program") carried out on the Alces Lake Property (the "Property") in northern Saskatchewan. Surface channel sample line results for the Bell, Dante, Dylan and Ivan zones are provided in Table 1, Figure 1 and Figure 2. All zones exhibited high-grade rare earth element ("REE") mineralization; in particular, the Ivan and Dylan zones displayed the highest grade results returned on the Property to date. The highlights from each zone are as follows; Ivan zone - 22.35 wt% total rare earth oxide (" TREO ") over 6.21 m (Line 6), and 23.24 wt% TREO average grade * ") over 6.21 m (Line 6), and 23.24 wt% TREO average grade Ivan zone - 53.01 wt% TREO over 1.23 m (Line 4), which are the highest grades returned on the Property Dylan zone - 41.53 wt% TREO over 1.02 m (Line 10), and 31.83 wt% TREO average grade * Dante zone - 22.34 wt% TREO over 0.66 m (Line 1), and 13.76 wt% TREO average grade * Bell zone - 14.31 wt% TREO over 1.49 m (Line 4), and 10.24 wt% TREO average grade* Assay results for the 15 drill holes are still pending. They will be announced in the coming weeks as received and analyzed by the Company. Mr. James Sykes, Vice President of Exploration and Development for Appia comments: "We are extremely pleased with the final results from the surface channel sampling Program on the Alces Lake property. Not only do the results from the zones highlighted above compare favourably with previously reported results from the Charles (14.90 wt% TREO over 5.1 m) and Wilson (14.35 wt% TREO over 4.75 m) zones, but the Ivan and Dylan zones truly showcase the high-grade REE potential of the Property: these are some of the highest grade REEs reported in the World (see **Note later in the Press Release)." The high-grade REO zones have proven to be continuous along strike, which enhances the exploration potential of the Property. To date, only 0.5 hectares (1.2 acres) of the Property have been stripped of overburden, resulting in 7 zones of high-grade REEs having been exposed. An additional 9 prospective REE showings are within 400 m of the current REE zones, and at least 2 additional historic REE showing areas (Forget Lake and Oldman River) still require follow-up on the west side of the Property. Appia plans to continue exploration on the Alces Lake property during Summer 2019 with i) detailed ground gravity surveys exploring for subsurface REE zones, ii) continuation of overburden stripping and channel sampling of 9 known and 2 historic REE showings, and iii) an extensive drill program to further delineate the known REO zones at depth. Channel sample lines for each zone were spaced approximately 1.0 to 2.0 m apart. Sample lines ranged from 1.0 m to 7.33 m in length for all zones (average 2.61 m in length). A total of 223 samples were diamond sawcut and collected from 101.6 m of surface exposure. Individual sample length intervals ranged from 0.17 to 0.71 m in length (average 0.5 m), 1 inch wide, and 1 to 2 inches deep, with a range of 2 to 15 contiguous samples per line (average 6 samples per line). The Alces Lake Property encompasses some of the highest-grade total and critical REE mineralization in the world, hosted within seven surface showings that remain open in all directions. Critical rare earth elements are defined here as those that are in short-supply and high-demand for use in permanent magnets and modern electronic applications (i.e: Neodymium (Nd), Praseodymium (Pr) and Dysprosium (Dy)). The Alces Lake project area is 14,334 hectares (35,420 acres) in size, and is 100% owned by Appia. All sample results were provided by Saskatchewan Research Council's ("SRC") Geoanalytical Laboratory, an ISO/IEC 17025:2005 (CAN-P-4E) certified laboratory in Saskatoon, SK, for multi-element and REE analysis. All analytical results reported herein have passed rigorous internal QAQC review and compilation. The technical content in this news release was reviewed and approved by Thomas Skimming, P.Eng, a Director of Appia, and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. **Note: The Alces Lake REE grades were compared with global REE deposit grades.The global REE deposit information was derived from publicly available information as of January 31, 2018, from individual company websites, SEDAR technical report filings, and the Technology Metals Research Advanced Rare Earth Projects Index (http://www.techmetalsresearch.com/metrics-indices/tmr-advanced-rare-earth-projects-index/). About Appia Appia is a Canadian publicly-traded company in the uranium and rare earth element sectors. The Company is currently focusing on delineating high-grade critical rare earth elements ("REE") and uranium on the Alces Lake property, as well as prospecting for high-grade uranium in the prolific Athabasca Basin on its Loranger, North Wollaston and Eastside, properties. The Company holds 100% of the surface rights to exploration over 63,980 hectares (158,098 acres) in Saskatchewan. The Company also has NI 43-101 compliant Mineral Resources of 8.0 M lbs U 3 O 8 and 47.7 M lbs Total REE Indicated and 20.1 M lbs U 3 O 8 and 133.2 M lbs Total REE Inferred in the Teasdale Zone plus 27.6 M lbs U 3 O 8 Inferred in the Banana Lake Zone in the historic mining camp of Elliot Lake in Ontario (previously reported in the Company's news release dated August 14, 2013). The resources are largely unconstrained along strike and down dip. Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. Appia's technical team is directed by James Sykes, who has had direct and indirect involvement with over 450 M lbs. U 3 O 8 being discovered in five deposits in the Athabasca Basin. Appia currently has 58.4 million common shares outstanding, 76.6 million shares fully diluted. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This News Release contains forward-looking statements which are typically preceded by, followed by or including the words "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "estimates", "intends", "plans" or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance as they involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. We do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward- looking statements and shareholders are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such statements. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. For further information, please contact: Tom Drivas, President, CEO and Director: (tel) 416-546-2707, (fax) 416-218-9772 or (email) appia@appiaenergy.ca James Sykes, VP Exploration & Development, (tel) 306-221-8717, (fax) 416-218-9772 or (email) jsykes@uraniumgeologist.com Frank van de Water, Chief Financial Officer and Director, (tel) 416-546-2707, (fax) 416-218-9772 or (email) fvandewater@rogers.com Company wins awards for innovation in knowledge from TSIA and data metrics from the Community Roundtable as it grows to over 12,000 members WILMINGTON, North Carolina, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- nCino, the worldwide leader in cloud banking, today announced that it has reached an nCino Community milestone as more than 12,000 members are now on the Community, representing a 273% increase in year-over-year growth. In addition, nCino Community was recently recognized by two top industry associations for its commitment to customer success and innovation. nCino Community is a collaborative online ecosystem of resources and tools that support customers' success with the nCino Bank Operating System. In just over two years since its launch, the nCino Community has matured into a thriving network, providing a venue for nCino customers, employees and partners to collaborate, share best practices and solve problems in real time, while also serving as a tool to help shape the future of nCino's product solutions through a system of knowledge sharing and product feedback. "nCino Community is a great place for users of the nCino Bank Operating System to come together and engage in open conversations and support," said Jessica Brown, nCino administrator at Morris Bank, based in Dublin, Georgia. "The content available within Community, such as Knowledge articles and blogs, are also rich resources for questions I have about any topic relating to nCino such as an upcoming release or how to configure a new feature. I appreciate having the opportunity to ask questions and share best practices with other users, as well as having fast and easy access to someone at nCino, if needed. The Community has been hugely beneficial to me in my role at Morris Bank." The nCino Community was recently honored with the TSIA 2018 Star Award for Innovation in Knowledge Management, which recognizes companies that have demonstrated commitment to outstanding innovation, leadership and excellence. nCino was recognized for its impressive improvements in operational performance, service levels and overall customer experience, which is attributed to nCino's core tenants of knowledge-sharing and collaboration as a core part of the Company's culture. In addition, nCino was also awarded TheCR Connect Award for Best Community Dashboard. This award was created by The Community Roundtable as a means of recognizing a Community dashboard that exhibits the most engaging design and shares metrics in a way that contributes to the overall narrative of a business or community program. "Our vision for nCino Community was to create an innovative and collaborative platform that enables our customers' success as they use the nCino Bank Operating System," said nCino's executive vice president of customer success Sean Desmond. "We are honored that our users have embraced this tool and that our efforts have been recognized by such prestigious industry accolades. We look forward to growing nCino Community and continuing to provide a best-in-class experience for users to come together, collaborate and gain valuable insight." About nCino nCino is the worldwide leader in cloud banking. With its Bank Operating System, built on the Salesforce platform, financial institutions can deliver the speed and digital experience that customers expect, backed by the quality and transparency that bankers need. Follow @nCino or visit www.ncino.com. MOSCOW, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Chodiev Foundation (ICF), the charitable foundation established by Dr Patokh Chodiev, today announces that The Kubota Collection's new exhibition 'Itchiku Kubota: What Do the Mountain Spirits Ponder?' will be opening to the public on 22 November 2018 at the Art Gallery of Grande Prairie, within the Montrose Cultural Centre in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada. This will be the first time that Kubota's work has been shown in western Canada. This is also the last exhibition of the kimono in North America before they return to Japan. The exhibition features 45 kimono with brilliant designs brought to life by the creative genius of Itchiku Kubota (1917-2003), considered one of the most important Japanese textile artists of the 20th century. Kubota's work has been recognized for its pioneering approach to kimono, creating new uses for the garment as a wearable work of art or part of a unique multi-kimono landscape. Kubota's unconventional designs, distinctive use of color, and intense commitment to his art and craft were drawn from his interest in and revival of tsujigahana, a 16th century Japanese textile art form that had been lost for centuries. Kubota's revival of this technique and the evolution of his own unique style of Itchiku Tsujigahana were highly influential and Kubota's work has received great and growing acclaim both nationally and internationally. About International Chodiev Foundation (ICF) The International Chodiev Foundation is a charitable organization, established in 1996 by international businessman and philanthropist Dr Patokh Chodiev. The Foundation's work comprises a broad range of programmes focused on international relations, education, publishing, philanthropy and the arts and is based on the following three central pillars: fostering Russia-Japan relations; supporting The Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO); and aiding children. About The Kubota Collection The Kubota Collection is managed by the International Chodiev Foundation ("ICF"), the charitable foundation established by Dr Patokh Chodiev. Since 2013, the ICF has funded exhibitions of the kimono in 14 countries including Russia, Kazakhstan, The Netherlands, France, Belgium, USA and Canada. Due to the ICF's support, the unique collection of kimono has been viewed by more than a million connoisseurs of Japanese art around the world. For more information please visit: www.internationalchodievfoundation.org http://www.thekubotacollection.com/ Follow us on Instagram or Facebook @TheKubotaCollection PALM BEACH, Florida, November 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Financialnewsmedia.com News Commentary The cannabis sector as a whole is currently in the midst of a boom with the recent positive news of full legalization in Canada, but the medicinal sector of the market is also doing exceptionally well as companies develop new products leveraging CBD. The healthcare market has seen an uptick in consumers searching for alternative medicines, and cannabis has positioned itself very well to take advantage of this new demand. Leaders in the industry are expanding their market reach with new products and effective marketing campaigns in various states where medicinal cannabis is legal. Additionally, the loophole of CBD's ambiguity when it comes to legality has allowed companies to tap into markets where Cannabis is otherwise unavailable. The global medical cannabis market is expected to top $20 billion by 2025, according to data from Coherent Market Insights. Active Companies from around the market with current developments this week include: Pyramidion Technology Group, Inc. (OTC:PYTG), MariMed Inc. (OTC:MRMD), Aphria Inc. (NYSE:APHA) (TSX:APHA), Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE:ACB) (TSX:ACB), India Globalization Capial Inc. (OTC:IGCC). Pyramidion Technology Group, Inc. (OTCPK:PYTG) BREAKING NEWS: Pyramidion Technology Group today announces that Dr. Canasi, practicing internal medicine physician, advocate of medical marijuana, Cannabidiol (CBD), and other alternative medicines, is the latest addition to the specialist-comprised PYTG, Leafywell (Leafywell.com), Board of Advisors. Leafywell (Leafywell.com), a subsidiary of PYTG (OTC: "PYTG"), handles the production, manufacturing, and distribution of hemp-based Cannabidiol (CBD) products such as tinctures, creams, lotions, edible candies, at both the wholesale and retail level. In the retail market, products are found at Leafywell.com, and both select retail outlets and medical offices. The current advisory board composition of PYTG consists of multiple currently-practicing medical professionals including board-certified cardiologist and board-certified internal medicine physician, Dr. Mark Sabbota, family medicine specialist, Dr. Michael McKenzie, MD, Dr. David M. Feldbaum MD, FACS, certified in vascular surgery by the American Board of Surgery, and board-certified Surgical Neurophysiologist, Antonio A. Sama, in addition to other industry-specific board members. The latest board addition, Dr. Javier J. Canasi, is an internal medicine physician with an active patient-treating medical practice. Dr. Canasi is an advocate of alternative medicine including the both hemp-based CBD products, marijuana-based CBD, and medicinal marijuana, when appropriate for the particular medical condition. Dr. Canasi, when asked, "How do you view the role of CBD in medical treatment plans?", Dr. Canasi responded candidly, "I appreciate all types of medicine that help patients achieve their treatment goals and we are fortunate to live in a world in which we have options, healthy options. I am a strong advocate of incorporating CBD into a treatment, when appropriate, and in some cases, it is used as a stand-alone treatment and in others I suggest to my patients a mix of CBD along with a regimen of medicinal marijuana or other medicines. CBD can be incorporated to manage a selection of types of pain, including chronic pain." Dr. Canasi's medical practice offers for purchase a selection of Leafywell (Leafywell.com) products. The wide range of Leafywell products available at Dr. Canasi's office include tinctures ranging from low-concentration compositions to high-concentration compositions, edible gummy candies, lotions, creams, and others. Read this and more news for PYTGathttp://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-pytg In the industry developments and happenings in the market this week include: MariMed Inc. (OTCQB:MRMD) recently announced it has finalized the acquisition of BSC Group, a highly respected cannabis firm headquartered in New Jersey that over the last three years has been engaged in competitive licensing, consulting and operations management across the country. BSC founders and managing partners, Brian Staffa and Amber Staffa, will join the MariMed leadership team, bringing under the MariMed umbrella their extensive cannabis expertise, resources, intellectual property and a vast network of highly specialized affiliates spanning regulated fields of commercial cannabis, food and beverage, commercial agriculture, pharmaceuticals, regulatory compliance, consumer psychology, and the applied sciences. Brian and Amber will help guide MariMed's strategy for new markets like New Jersey, where lawmakers inch closer to consensus on adult use legislation. New Jersey represents just one of the markets being eyed by MariMed as they aggressively pursue new opportunities across the U.S. and abroad with their added bandwidth. Aphria Inc. (NYSE:APHA) (TSX:APHA) and Perennial Inc. ("Perennial"), a subsidiary of DATA Communications Management Corp. ("DCM") (TSX: DCM) announced they have closed the transaction announced on August 14 to establish a joint venture (the "JV") devoted to creating original, consumer-driven brands and products for the adult-use cannabis market. The JV will leverage Aphria's expertise as a leading global cannabis producer and Perennial's experience with international brand development and strategy to introduce new, cannabis-infused products to the Canadian and legal international markets. The JV will look beyond just edibles and beverages to a range of products designed to meet consumer demand in the cannabis and wellness space. Perennial has a successful track record of creating go-to-market strategies for major CPG and retail clients throughout North America and around the world. Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE:ACB) (TSX:ACB) earlier this week announced the official opening of its latest elite, high-tech cannabis production facility in Lachute, Quebec , known to the world as Aurora "Eau." At 48,000 square feet, with 11 purpose-built grow rooms, Aurora Eau will produce up to 4,500 kg of high quality cannabis per year, all in a facility with some of the lowest electricity costs in North America . It is designed to grow niche varieties of cannabis for the premium medical and adult consumer use markets in Quebec, Canada and around the world. Eau becomes Aurora's second production facility in Quebec , the first being Aurora Vie, a 40,000 square foot indoor grow facility in Pointe Claire, Quebec. "We're thrilled to officially open our latest technologically advanced facility in the Lachute Region and proud to continue to invest in Quebec ," said Terry Booth , CEO of Aurora. "There is incredible potential at Aurora Eau. It's designed to be a place where our expert cannabis cultivators have the flexibility and control to produce some very special high-end varieties that few commercial growers are prepared to tackle. We intend to make some very rare and exciting products there." India Globalization Capial Inc. (OTCPK:IGCC) came to a close up 22.37% on Wednesday after more than 2.3 million shares were traded on the day. India Globalization Capital was awarded a U.S. patent Tuesday on a cannabis-based composition for treating pain. The treatment includes cannabidiol, tetrahydrocannabiol and cobalamin. The substance can be used with a topical carrier such as shea butter and is 63 percent THC, 27 percent CBD and 10 percent cobalamin, also known as vitamin B-12. The patent was authored by Dr. Ramachandra Mukundra and Ranga Chelva Kirshna. DISCLAIMER: FN Media Group LLC (FNM), which owns and operates Financialnewsmedia.com and MarketNewsUpdates.com, is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. FNM and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. FNM's market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material. All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks. All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release. FNM is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers. Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks. For current services performed FNM has been compensated twenty five hundred dollars for news coverage of the current press release issued by Pyramidion Technology Group, Inc. by a non-affiliated third party. FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE. This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and FNM undertakes no obligation to update such statements. Contact Information: editor@financialnewsmedia.com +1(561)325-8757 Halifax, Nova Scotia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 8, 2018) - Sona Nanotech Inc. (CSE: SONA) has engaged the services of a leading expert in gold and nanotechnology to help develop its business proposition in Europe. Image 1: Trevor Keel To view an enhanced version of Trevor Keel, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5500/40922_Trevor_Keel.jpg UK-based consultant Trevor Keel has a degree in chemistry from the University of Kent, a PhD in nanotechnology from the University of Nottingham and a master's degree in management from University College London. His previous roles have included principal chemist at GlaxoSmithKline, one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies, and head of technology for the World Gold Council, the market development organisation for the gold industry. Dr Keel will provide business development services to Sona Nanotech Inc. in the UK and Europe, using his wide network of contacts to develop new business opportunities, collaborations and projects in the lateral flow market utilizing Sona's range of unique gold nanorods. Darren Rowles, Sona's CEO and president, said: "We are privileged to have secured the services of Trevor Keel, who is a well-known and respected figure in the fields of gold and nanotechnology. "Trevor's technical knowledge across the chemical and healthcare sectors is unrivalled, and this, combined with his experience of developing strategic relationships at the highest level, will be invaluable as we look to grow our business in the highly competitive markets of the UK, Europe and beyond." Trevor Keel said: "I am delighted to be working with such an ambitious, dynamic and innovative company. I have followed Sona Nanotech's recent growth and breakthroughs with keen interest, and it is clear to see that this is a company with an exciting future in the lateral flow sector. Sona's gold nanorod technology is truly unique in this market, and I know that there will be huge interest in its products and services from many European-based companies. I can't wait to get started." Dr Keel's first overseas trip for Sona will be to represent the company at MEDICA, the world's leading trade fair for the medical industry, in Dusseldorf, Germany next week. Anyone wishing to discuss Sona's products and services at MEDICA can contact Darren Rowles on (902) 442-7192. About Sona Nanotech Inc. Sona Nanotech Inc. is a nanotechnology life sciences firm that has developed two proprietary methods for the manufacture of rod-shaped gold nanoparticles. The principal business carried out and intended to be continued by Sona is the development and application of its proprietary technology for use in multiplex diagnostic testing platforms that will improve performance over existing tests in the market. Sona's gold nanorod particles are CTAB (cetyltrimethylammonium) free, eliminating the toxicity risks associated with the use of other gold nanorod technologies in medical applications. It is expected that Sona's gold nanotechnologies may be adapted for use in applications, as a safe and effective delivery system for multiple medical treatments, pending the approval of various regulatory boards including Health Canada and the FDA. Sona is a publicly listed company on the Canadian Securities Exchange existing under the laws of Nova Scotia, with its operations in Nova Scotia. For More Information: For more information about Sona, please contact: Darren Rowles President and Chief Executive Officer Telephone: (902) 442-7192 Email: Darren Rowles darren@sonanano.com FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION This press release contains forward-looking statements and information that are based on the beliefs of management and reflect the Company's current expectations. When used in this press release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. The forward-looking statements and information in this press release includes information relating to the Amalgamation (including the structure of the Amalgamation), the Amalgamation (including shareholder approval, shareholder support, and other terms), the Private Placement (including its completion and the use of proceeds from the Private Placement), the directors and management of the resulting issuer upon completion of the Amalgamation, and the implementation of Sona's business plan. Such statements and information reflect the current view of the Company with respect to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the following risks: risks associated with the completion of the Amalgamation and matters relating thereto; and risks associated with the marketing and sale of securities, the need for additional financing, reliance on key personnel, the potential for conflicts of interest among certain officers or directors, and the volatility of the Company's common share price and volume. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information. Such factors include, among others, risks related to Sona's proposed business, such as failure of the business strategy and government regulation; risks related to Sona's operations, such as additional financing requirements and access to capital, reliance on key and qualified personnel, insurance, competition, intellectual property and reliable supply chains; risks related to Sona and its business generally, such as infringement of intellectual property rights and conflicts of interest. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company has assumed a certain progression, which may not be realized. It has also assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. While the Company may elect to, it does not undertake to update this information at any particular time. THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE COMPANY AS OF THE DATE OF THIS PRESS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE THE COMPANY MAY ELECT TO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - November 8, 2018) - CannabisNewsAudio announces the Audio Press Release (APR) titled "Industrial Hemp Floodgates Open as CBD Demand Grows," featuring Marijuana Company of America, Inc. (OTC Pink: MCOA). To hear the CannabisNewsAudio version, visit: http://cnw.fm/zDn9n To read the full editorial, visit: http://cnw.fm/pw5TB The success of the company's hempSMART line comes from its innovative products, such as HempSMART Brain, a unique formulation of Ayurvedic herbs and botanical compounds with premium CBD designed to enhance brain function. The company's success also stems from its affiliate marketing program, which allows people to earn income via commissions and bonuses, assisted by a sophisticated networking architecture that was engineered to maximize customer loyalty and market penetration. MCOA has put together a noteworthy approach to the overall space, emphasizing immediate access to legal areas of the market. On one hand, Marijuana Company of America has a dynamic affiliate marketing program to promote and sell its legal hemp-based consumer products. In addition, the company has put together a growing property-based presence that looks to increasingly benefit its hempSMART brand's performance metrics. CBD continues to be costly to produce, and the demand for cultivation sites will likely continue to increase proportionally. About Marijuana Company of America Inc. MCOA is a corporation which participates in: (1) product research and development of legal hemp-based consumer products under the brand name "hempSMART", that targets general health and well-being; (2) an affiliate marketing program to promote and sell its legal hemp-based consumer products containing CBD; (3) leasing of real property to separate business entities engaged in the growth and sale of cannabis in those states and jurisdictions where cannabis has been legalized and properly regulated for medicinal and recreational use; and, (4) the expansion of its business into ancillary areas of the legalized cannabis and hemp industry, as the legalized markets and opportunities in this segment mature and develop. For more information, visit the company's website at www.MarijuanaCompanyofAmerica.com About CannabisNewsWire (CNW) CannabisNewsWire ("CNW") is a specialized information service that (1) aggregates cannabis news, (2) provides CannabisNewsBreaks that quickly updates investors in the space, (3) enhances corporate press releases, (4) helps companies with distribution and optimization of social media, and (5) delivers comprehensive corporate communication solutions. CNW is uniquely positioned in the cannabis market with a strong team of journalists and writers who can help private and public companies reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public through our ever-growing dissemination network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets. CNW is bringing unparalleled visibility, recognition and content to the cannabis industry. For more information please visit https://www.CannabisNewsWire.com Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the CannabisNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by CNW, wherever published or re-published: http://CNW.fm/Disclaimer Forward-Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain as they are based on current expectations and assumptions concerning future events or future performance of the company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are only predictions and speak only as of the date hereof. In evaluating such statements, prospective investors should review carefully various risks and uncertainties identified in this release and matters set in the company's SEC filings. These risks and uncertainties could cause the company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. CNW Corporate Communications Contact: CannabisNewsWire (CNW) Denver, Colorado www.CannabisNewsWire.com 303.498.7722 Office Editor@CannabisNewsWire.net Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 8, 2018) - Vendetta Mining Corp. (TSXV: VTT) ("Vendetta" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the last batch of drill results from the 2018 Resource Development program on the Pegmont Lead-Zinc project in Queensland. New Zone 3 Structure Pit Highlights: PVRD170: 6.00 metres of 11.43% Pb+Zn (8.50% Pb, 2.93% Zn); and PVD194: 9.02 metres of 12.85% Pb+Zn (9.05% Pb, 3.80% Zn); BHZ / Bridge Zone Highlights: PVD171: 5.30 metres of 9.05% Pb+Zn (6.60% Pb, 2.46% Zn); and PVRD191: 4.33 metres of 11.97% Pb+Zn (9.73% Pb, 2.24% Zn); Significant results from the last batches of samples from Vendetta's 2018 drilling program are summarised in Table 1, locations of the holes are shown on the map in Figure 1. Michael Williams, Vendetta's President and CEO commented: "The discovery of the new fold structure in the shadow of the planned open pit highlights the upside potential that remains at Pegmont. The corporate strategy to date has been to focus efforts on the development of mineral resources to support a 10-year mining inventory, we anticipate the PEA will demonstrate the economic potential of that. We will now start to broaden our approach to Pegmont, looking to identify and testing brown field exploration targets, the recently completed mapping exercise is the first step towards that." Zone 3 - New Fold Structure Drilling Several holes were drilled to better scope the geometry of a structure discovered in late 2017 following an intersection in geotechnical hole PVRD154. It is interpreted that PVD154 drilled through the upper fold of a recumbent fold intersecting 15.92 m at 12.12 % Pb+Zn (9.07% Pb, 3.04% Zn). Holes PVRD168 and PVD193 were drilled approximately 60 m along strike to the north east of PVRD154. PVRD168 deviated excessively in the RC pre-collar, the hole was abandoned. The target was later re-drilled with PVD193, cored from surface to aid targeting, intersecting the upper fold at a low angle and the steep limb. Holes PVRD169 and PVD170 were drilled 160 and 100 m respectively along strike the south west of PVRD154. PVRD169 deviated excessively in the RC pre-collar and the hole was abandoned. Due to the deviation in PVRD169, the next hole PVRD170 was drilled in core from surface and intersected the upper, flat laying limb of the new fold structure. Having successfully scoped the geometry of this new fold a program of 15 holes for 4,400 m has been designed to bring this new structure into a resource, this drilling is planned as part of the next program. Zone 2 - 3 "Z Fold" Drilling The fold that separates Zones 2 and 3, is a recumbent fold, called the "Z" fold. In the latter part of 2017 hole PVRD156 intersected 5.80 m of 10.31% Pb+Zn (7.36% Pb, 3.03%Zn) in the upper flat dipping limb and 36.61 m of 12.99% Pb+Zn (9.48% Pb, 3.51% Zn) passing through the steeply dipping limb at an acute angle and through the lower fold. These intersections were the most northerly intersection in the Z fold. A series of four holes were drilled to better define the geometry of the Z Fold on this section. On one section PVD192 intersected the lower flat limb, PVD193 first intersected 15 m of the top fold sub-parallel to layering in the low-grade halo before intersecting the steeply dipping limb also sub-parallel to layering and PVD194 successfully intersected the top flat limb of the Z Fold. PVRD190 deviated excessively and intersected an area modelled as being attenuated (stretched and low grade). Structural work on PVD195 is not complete however the hole may have intersected the steep limb of the Z fold. BHZ & Bridge Zone Drilling Two holes PVRD165 and 166 were drilled on the southern end of BHZ to test for the extension to the Bridge Zone outside of the mineral resource, both holes intersected BHZ mineralisation as planned but didn't intersect the host lithology at depth, the amphibolite dyke was intersected some 30 m lower than projected, this suggests that a fold may have dropped the Bridge Zone host beds down and that the holes should be deepened too investigate below the amphibolite dyke. PVRD164 drilled up dip of the Bridge Zone, the hole intersected 3.3 m of barren host banded ironstone, with classic garnet selvages on both hangingwall and footwall. The intersection is about half the average thickness for the Bridge Zone and implies that the up-dip connection back to Zone 2 is an attenuated area. PVD171 was a shallow cored hole, drilled to confirm transition material types at BHZ, in an area previously drilled with RC. Exploration Drilling Two vertical RC holes were drilled to test for host bed extensions at the northern and southern end of the pit main. PVR189, drilled in the north east of the main pit was investigating the presence of the host lithology between along strike from Zone 3 towards a projected position of Bridge Zone. The hole intersected two mineralised host units: 1 m at 2.17% Pb+Zn and 1 m at 3.64% Pb+Zn. This is an encouraging intersection and is not dissimilar to the results seen elsewhere in the attenuated host units between Zone 2 and the Bridge Zone. PVR185, drilled to the south of the main pit in Zone 4 is now understood not to have drilled deep enough to intersect the host unit, deepening this hole will be considered in future programs. Both of these holes were subsequently developed for ground water monitoring with the installation of gravel packed slotted PVC casing. Figure 1. Surface Map Showing 2018 Mineral Resource Block Model Contours, Pit Shell and Location of Current Results and 2018 Completed Holes To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2983/40953_259f06dc040ef941_001full.jpg Table 1. Summary of Significant Assay Results Bore Hole Dip / Azimuth From (m) To (m) Interval (m) True Thickness* (m) Vertical Depth Below Surface (m) Grade# Pb+Zn % Pb% Zn% Ag g/t BHZ / Bridge Zone PVD171 (transition) -89/255 32.70 38.00 5.30 3.7 32.7 9.05 6.60 2.46 14 PVRD164 -61/210 No Significant Result PVRD165 -57/207 82.00 85.00 3.00 3.0 66.9 8.25 4.75 3.51 8 PVRD166 -57/205 44.00 46.00 2.00 1.9 36.3 5.46 1.93 3.53 5 PVRD191 -52/206 251.10 255.43 4.33 4.2 219.2 11.97 9.73 2.24 34 Zone 3 - New Fold Structure PVD153 extension -74/139 No Significant Result PVD154 extension -65/063 298.60 300.65 2.05 1.8 276.1 4.58 2.08 2.50 8 PVRD168 Abandoned - No Significant Result PVRD169 -88/151 No Significant Result PVRD170 -81/145 182.00 188.00 6.00 176.1 11.43 8.50 2.93 11 including 183.00 188.00 5.00 177.1 13.09 9.78 3.31 13 PVRD190 -62/309 No Significant Result PVD192 -66/321 201.16 214.91 4.75 4.1 197.3 5.46 2.33 3.13 6 including and 201.16 213.16 3.00 2.6 197.3 7.06 2.44 4.62 6 227.16 229.16 2.00 1.7 212.7 4.97 1.76 3.21 7 PVD193 -86/150 262.14 267.14 5.00 3.0 261.2 5.72 5.26 0.46 11 including and and 263.14 266.14 3.00 1.8 262.2 7.48 6.95 0.54 15 278.93 280.93 2.00 1.1 277.9 4.51 4.23 0.28 10 282.93 284.93 2.00 1.0 281.8 5.66 5.11 0.56 10 PVD194 -51/320 137.43 150.43 13.00 10.7 105.4 9.48 6.74 2.74 11 including 137.43 146.45 9.02 8.3 105.4 12.85 9.05 3.80 14 PVD195 -55/348 205.36 207.40 2.04 <1 167.7 7.65 3.80 3.85 14 Exploration Holes PVR185 vertical No Significant Result PVR189 vertical No Significant Result * True thickness is estimated using structural measurements and three-dimensional geological modelling. # Drill intersections are summarized intersection lengths >2.0 m, using a combined 1% lead and zinc grade with maximum 1 m internal dilution. Intervals indicated as "included" are at a combined 3% lead and zinc grade with no internal dilution. Update on Pegmont Option and Pre-Paid Royally Agreements The Company would like to advise that it has made the final cash option payment totalling AU$1,000,000 to the vendor on the November 6, 2018, in accordance with the terms of the Option Agreement. The Company has been granted an extension to the Pre-Paid Royalty Agreement, the updated agreement terms are described below. Extension Terms The Option is not exercised until the Pre-Paid Royalty and any additional payments, as defined below are made. In the event the Pre-Paid Royalty is paid between November 1 and November 30, 2018 the Company will make an additional payment of AU$50,000 and the Companies credit against the future royalties will be reduced from AU$5,250,000 to $5,000,0000. In the event the Pre-Paid Royalty is not paid by November 30, 2018 the Company will make a payment of AU$100,000 on December 31, 2018 and in doing so the Vendor has been granted an extension to March 31, 2019. In the event the Pre-Paid Royalty is not paid by March 31, 2019, the Company will pay an additional AU$300,000 on April 1, 2019 and in doing do so the Vendor has granted an extension to May 6, 2019. In the event the Pre-Paid Royalty is not paid by May 6, 2019, the Company will pay an additional AU$350,000 and the Companies credit against the future royalty will be reduced from AU$5,000,000 to $4,500,0000 and in doing do so the Vendor has granted an extension to November 6, 2019. Applications for indicative approval for the transfer of the Project to Vendetta from the Queensland Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy are being prepared for lodging on Monday November 12, 2018. Field Work Complete Field work at Pegmont is now complete for 2018. A detailed mapping program has been completed and is currently being compiled. The company expects several exploration targets to be generated from this work. Update on Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) The latest guidance provided to the Company from the independent consultants is that the PEA will be complete in November. Notes on Drilling and Assay QA/QC The drilling involved holes either cored from surface PQ and HQ core sizes or with pre-collars drilled with reverse circulation ("RC") 5.75" diameter face sampling bit to depth prior to casing and continuing the hole in HQ2 diamond core. Diamond core samples were taken on nominal 1 m lengths but varied to match geological contacts. Samples of the core are obtained using a diamond saw to half cut the core, retaining a half for a permanent core record. Field duplicate samples were taken and blanks and commercially prepared certified reference materials (standards) were added into the sample sequence for every hole submitted. These were analysed by the Company and no issues were noted with analytical accuracy or precision. Samples used for the results described herein were prepared and analyzed at ALS Laboratory Group in Townsville, Queensland. Analysis was undertaken using a four-acid digest and ICP (ALS method: ME-ICP61 for 7 elements) with over limit (>10,000 ppm lead and zinc and >100 ppm silver) high grade samples being read with an atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS), (ALS methods: Pb-OG62, Zn-OG62 and Ag-OG62). Drill hole collars are initially located using handheld GPS, and the collars have since been surveyed by a licensed surveyor. Down hole surveys were undertaken using a true north seeking gyroscope with stations nominally every 6 m. All diamond core is orientated using digital core orientation systems, this data is incorporated into the 3D interpretations. Assay intervals shown in Table 1 are down hole intervals, and the true thickness noted are based on 3D interpretations of the host lithology, structure, and mineralization. About Pegmont Pegmont is a stratiform, Broken Hill-Type deposit that outcrops with an overall shallow dip to the south east and is hosted in a magnetite-rich banded iron formation within high grade metamorphic rocks. The project consists of three granted mining leases and one exploration permit that cover an area of approximately 8,290 ha. Pegmont is situated in the Mount Isa - McArthur Mineral Province, which hosts one of the world's richest endowments of lead-zinc-silver mineralization, including several world-class lead-zinc-silver mines. Pegmont is located 25 km west of South 32's Cannington silver-lead-zinc operation, one of the world's largest producers of lead and silver and 28 km north of Chinova Resources' Osborne copper-gold operations. Pegmont is proximal to existing infrastructure including public roads, mine haul roads, rail, and a natural gas pipe line for power generation. About Vendetta Mining Corp. Vendetta Mining Corp. is a Canadian junior exploration company focused on advanced stage exploration and development at the Pegmont Lead Zinc Project in Australia. Vendetta has an option to acquire a 100% interest by completing certain work requirements and making option and advance royalty payments. Additional information on the Company can be found at www.vendettaminingcorp.com. Qualified Person Peter Voulgaris, MAIG, MAusIMM, a Director of Vendetta, is a non-independent Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Voulgaris has reviewed the technical content of this press release, and consents to the information provided in the form and context in which it appears. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS "Michael Williams" Michael Williams President & CEO Email: info@vendettaminingcorp.com Tel: 604 484 7855 Forward Looking Information The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Certain statements within this news release, other than statements of historical fact relating to Vendetta Mining Corp., are to be considered forward-looking statements with respect to the Company's intentions for its Pegmont project in Queensland, Australia. Forward-looking statements include statements that are predictive in nature, are reliant on future events or conditions, or include words such as "expects", "anticipates", "plans", "believes", "considers", "significant", "intends", "targets", "estimates", "seeks", attempts", "assumes", and other similar expressions. The forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions which, while considered reasonable by Vendetta Mining Corp., are, by their nature, subject to inherent risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include: the interpretation of previous and current drill, further results from the 2018 drilling program, the accuracy of exploration results, the accuracy of Mineral Resource Estimates, the anticipated results of future exploration, the forgoing ability to finance further exploration, delays in the completion of exploration, delays in the completion of the updated Mineral Resource Estimate, the future prices of lead, zinc, and other metals, and general economic, market and/or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements and assumptions will prove accurate and, therefore, readers of this news release are advised to rely on their own evaluation of the information contained within. In addition to the assumptions herein, these assumptions include the assumptions described in Vendetta Mining Corp.'s Management's Discussion and Analysis for the three months ended August 31, 2018. Although Vendetta Mining Corp. has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual performance, achievements, actions, events, results or conditions to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements, there may be other risks, uncertainties and other factors that cause future performance to differ from what is anticipated, estimated or intended. Unless otherwise indicated, forward-looking statements contained herein are as of the date hereof and Vendetta Mining Corp. does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date on which such statements were made, except as required by applicable law. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 8, 2018) - TROUBADOUR RESOURCES INC. (TSXV: TR) (the "Company") announces a third highly prospective drill target, the 'Cap Anomaly', identified 1.6 kilometres north of the Trench Anomaly (detailed in a Company news release dated Sept. 12, 2018) and the Company's upcoming maiden drill program, focusing on the Trench Anomaly, is on track and targeted for completion by the end of 2018. Key Highlights of the Cap Anomaly: Textbook geophysical signature of a buried metal-rich porphyry system; 800m wide resistivity high capping a 400m wide strong chargeability core; Strong chargeability anomaly coincident with a complementary resistivity low; and An overlapping Cu, Mo, Bi, Pb and Zn soil geochemical anomaly. The Cap Anomaly was identified through an expanded induced polarization ("IP") geophysical survey that revealed a pronounced 800m wide and 150m thick resistivity anomaly draped over and around a 400m wide strong chargeable and conductive core (refer to Figures 1 and 2). Surface outcropping of a strong silica altered quartz feldspar porphyritic intrusion has been mapped in the area with the silica flooding interpreted as the cause of the resistive anomaly. The high chargeable anomaly, fully capped and not exposed at surface, is interpreted as a textbook example of a buried mineralized core zone within a classic porphyry model. The distinct geophysical features of the Cap Anomaly combined with a high degree of silica alteration denoting the strength of the impregnating fluids, a coincident Cu, Mo, Bi, Pb and Zn soil geochemical anomaly and a favourable host rock, all indicate a highly prospective metal-rich porphyry target. "The Amarillo Property continues to impress. It feels like every where we look there is further support for a major mineralized porphyry system underlying the property. With numerous high quality drill target areas presenting themselves our upcoming maiden drill program will focus on the most developed, the Trench Anomaly. We are clearly excited to begin drilling in the coming weeks," states Geoff Schellenberg, President and Director of the Company. Figure 1: Cross Section 6200E, 3D Inversion Resistivity and Chargeability Models of the Cap Anomaly To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5941/40955_ecfd016b442dcb44_001full.jpg Figure 2: Plan View, 75m and 200m Depth Slices of the 3D Inversion Resistivity Model of the Cap Anomaly To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5941/40955_ecfd016b442dcb44_002full.jpg About Troubadour Resources Inc. The Company has been engaged in the acquisition and preliminary exploration of its 100% owned Amarillo Project located approximately 30 kilometres west of the town of Peachland and 71 kilometres northeast of the town of Princeton, in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. The Amarillo Project consists of seven (7) mineral tenures totalling 4,178 hectares and is situated within the heart of a major mining district. The Amarillo Project exhibits anomalous enrichment in copper, molybdenum and gold; with skarn style mineralization highly anomalous in tungsten also present. The multi-element signature of the Amarillo Project is consistent with a large multi-phase mineralizing system and is acutely similar to some of the neighbouring world-class mining operations; such as the Brenda Cu-Mo-Ag-Au porphyry mine located 10 kilometres to the north that produced 278,000 tonnes of copper, 66,000 tonnes of molybdenum, 125 tonnes of silver and 2 tonnes of gold over a twenty-year mine life (source: Brenda Mines website). Troubadour's exploration team has worked diligently to define a 4 km long copper soil anomaly and IP chargeability anomaly that is coincident with a historic trench that was reported in 1966 grading 0.87% copper over 125m(1). Over the intervening period from the 1960's, the area received limited exploration such that the trench was subsequently mislocated. The opportunity was lost until recent when the Company rediscovered the trench, acquired the surrounding ground and is now intent on unlocking its potential. Patrick McLaughlin, P. Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release. (1) Trench Data Source: Philip, R.H.D. 1967; EMPR Assessment Report 01141 and Sutherland, Ian G. 1978; EMPR Assessment Report 07790. Historical information is presented for historical reference only and cannot be relied upon as the Company's QP, as defined under NI 43-101, has not prepared nor verified the historical information. Forward Looking Information Except for historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially. Except as required pursuant to applicable securities laws, the Company will not update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. More detailed information about potential factors that could affect financial results is included in the documents filed from time to time with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities by the Company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements. For further information please contact: Troubadour Resources Inc. 625 Howe Street, Suite 488 Vancouver, BC, V6C 2T6 Geoff Schellenberg, President Office: (604) 681-0221 geoff@troubadourresources.com NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. Continued growth in connectivity to Mexico's hub for international tourism comes amidst industry investments in expanded hotel properties and attractions QUINTANA ROO, Mexico, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Quintana Roo Tourism Board announced today that the region's global air connectivity continues to grow with new, direct international flights to the Cancun International Airport as well as increased capacity on several existing routes. This expansion comes as international tourists continue to flock to Mexico's most popular international destinations located across the state, which include Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, Riviera Maya, Holbox, Isla Mujeres, Puerto Morelos, Bacalar, Tulum, Mahahual, and Chetumal. Airline partners have recently announced the following expansions in air connectivity to Cancun's international airport: Aeromexico: New route from Medellin, Colombia Copa Airlines: Upgrading to larger 737 aircraft on its existing Panama City, Panama , route , route Frontier Airlines: New routes Raleigh-Durham and Las Vegas in the U.S. in the U.S. GOL Airlines: New route from Brasilia, Brazil Southwest Airlines: New routes from Indianapolis , Milwaukee , Pittsburgh , Raleigh-Durham, and San Antonio in the U.S. , , , Raleigh-Durham, and in the U.S. WestJet: New routes from Calgary , Saskatoon and Vancouver in Canada "This continued increase in international air connectivity demonstrates the growing demand for Quintana Roo's tourism destinations and high-quality attractions," said Dario Flota Ocampo, CEO of the Quintana Roo Tourism Board. "These recent expansions offer millions of travelers in the U.S., Canada, Brazil and Colombia new direct flights to Quintana Roo and its destinations, and we will continue to work closely with global airline partners to pursue new routes and in joint marketing initiatives." Last month, the Quintana Roo Tourism Board further strengthened relations with U.S. airline partners during a series of planning meetings with senior representatives of United Airlines in Chicago, American Airlines in Dallas, and Delta Air Lines in Atlanta. These airline partners expressed continued commitment to serving Mexico, which for many is their largest international market outside the U.S., and specifically to their desire to continue to grow their business serving Quintana Roo's International airports located in Cancun and Cozumel. The state of Quintana Roo welcomed more than 7 million international tourists in the first half of 2018, an increase of 8% compared to the same period the previous year. Through August of 2018, nearly 3 million Americans have visited Quintana Roo by air, putting its destinations on track to receive significantly more American tourists compared to the 4 million visitors welcomed in 2017. This growth is fueled by Quintana Roo's award-winning destinations, beaches, hotels and resorts, attractions, restaurant scene and traditional cuisine, as well as the ancient Mayan archeological sites and living Maya communities that travelers from around the world come to experience. Mexico is now the sixth most visited country in the world and welcomed 39.3 million international visitors in 2017. Mexico's strong commitment to increasing air connectivity to match traveler demand has led to investments in developing close partnerships with airlines, hotels, and the entire tourism industry in order to diversify tourism products, promote new and established destinations, and offer travelers Mexico's world-famous friendliness, hospitality and first-class service. Contact: Mackenzie Trumbullmackenzie.trumbull@qorvis.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/781518/The_Quintana_Roo_Tourism_Board_Beach_Resorts.jpg ISTANBUL, November 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Antalya is the world's third city in tourism with its blue and green colors and its long history. Sur Yapiadds value to Antalya with Turkey's biggest urban transformation project. Sur Yapi's Antalya project, with 8 billion TL investment amount, progress in full speed. Sur Yapi, already completing 50% of the basic structure, plans to deliver 93 blocks and 6417 apartments by 2019. Sur Yapi also offers advantageous prices starting from 600 USD for a square meter. Turkey's leading construction company, Sur Yapi has already finished the basic structure of the first phase of its Antalya project and is progressing significantly in the second phase. The project, covering a one million 300 square feet area, will be completed in 8 years with 8 billion TL allocated investment amount. The delivery of the first phase apartments will start in 2019. 23 tower cranes and more than 1500 workers are working on the construction site. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/657669/Sur_Yapi_Logo.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/781746/Sur_Yapi_CEO_Z_Altan_Elmas.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/781747/Sur_Yapi_Antalya_project.jpg ) Advantageous prices The prices of the apartments starting from 30,000 USD offer advantageous opportunities for both the investors and those who want to reside in Antalya. Sur Street: Antalya's new Champs-Elysees Sur Street, the main shopping area of the project, will be 1.3 kilometer long with shops, offices and apartments and a special trolley line. Foreign people are very much interested in the project 1800 apartments are already sold to both Turkish and foreign customers. Russian, English, South Koreans and people from Gulf countries are especially very interested in the project. "Antalya is a global brand" Sur Yapi's CEO Z. Altan Elmas said: "We build a very modern city with the intention of leaving it to the future generations. This city has its own schools, offices, shops, social areas, museums and parks. Since we have launched the project in last December, many people from all around the world are showing a genuine interest in it. And this proves people know Antalya and it's a global brand." Antalya, Turkey's second biggest city brand Antalya receives 10 million tourists every year. Apart from sun and sea tourism, Antalya is also a major destination for yacht tourism with its 6 active and 3 under development marinas. Antalya has a young population; nearly half of the people are aged between 25-65. And also 15,000 foreigners reside in Antalya. Contact: Bilal Ozturk +90(216)556-08-00 (Pbx) bilal.ozturk@suryapi.com.tr Loans from China 'shape Djibouti's economic development' BEIJING, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A senior Djibouti government official dismissed the accusation that the African country was "illegally induced" by a Chinese company to breach a contract with another foreign investor, stressing that Chinese investment is legitimate and helps build a foundation for its economic development. The remarks were made by Aboubaker Omar Hadi, chairman of Djibouti Ports and Free Zones Authority, after African media reported Tuesday that the Hong Kong-based China Merchants Port Holdings Co "unlawfully procured and induced" Djibouti into breaching agreements with DP World, a Dubai company. DP World filed a lawsuit against the Hong Kong-based company before the High Court of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Eritrean media Tesfa News reported on Tuesday. However, Hadi said, "China Merchants Port is a third party that has no connection with the Djibouti authority's decision to terminate the deal." The chairman said that as early as 2011, the Djibouti government had to turn to international courts to seek to terminate the deal, claiming it was a result of corruption and, therefore, invalid. Hadi added that in 2010, Djibouti also terminated an agreement with DP World on the management of the country's old port (PAID). All these legal actions started way before the China Merchants Port began investing in Djibouti, he stressed. Hadi was in Shanghai for the China International Import Expo, which is expected to last from Monday to Saturday.The Djibouti government in February terminated the 50-year concession agreement that allowed DP World control of the country's Doraleh terminal, one of the largest employers in the African country.The terminal was jointly owned by DP World (33.34 percent) and a Djibouti state-owned entity, PDSA (66.66 percent). In 2013, China Merchants Port Holdings bought 23.5 percent of PDSA from Djibouti and became a shareholder of the port until Djibouti announced it would nationalize the terminal in September.Djibouti accused DP World, which operates 78 ports in more than 40 countries and regions, of deliberately underusing the facilities in favor of other terminals along the Red Sea, Financial Times reported in October.The Dubai company insisted that the 2006 contract cannot be revoked, citing a ruling by the London Court of International Arbitration in August, which was slammed by the Djibouti government as "inconsequential.""The government of a sovereign state has the right to renegotiate or terminate agreements that it regards as violating national interests or development, and the Djibouti government is not the only one that has done so," Meng Guangwen, a professor specializing in free trade zones at the Tianjin Normal University, told the Global Times.But it has to weigh the loss, such as compensation and possible damage to national image and investor confidence, Meng noted.Hadi regards abolishing the deal as a worthy move, as he said the contract has made the terminal half empty while turnover at the terminal increased by 32 percent after terminating the deal.The senior Djibouti official also referred to the African media reports as part of a campaign from DP World to smear the Djibouti government and "scare away" foreign investors. "But Djibouti will resolutely protect the interests of foreign investors and they are welcome," he said.Hadi also dismissed talk that China is causing a "debt trap" in the country. He said that the money to pay back the loans from China will not come from the government budget or from taxpayers.He stressed that the loans, which are mostly spent on infrastructure and tied with projects, are helping stimulate consumption and building a foundation for the country's economic development as it virtually changed the investment environment of the country."What differentiates Chinese investment from US and European ones is that the investment comes with no political attachment and aims at developing, instead of merely taking advantage of Djibouti," Hadi told the Global Times on Tuesday night.With projects for the loans, Djibouti has a better capability of paying back foreign loans, said Hadi, noting that the debt-to-GDP ratio in Djibouti, which stands at around 85 percent, will drop to 35 percent in the next five years.The latest Doing Business 2019 Report released by the World Bank has named Djibouti as one of the economies with the most notable improvement, as the country jumped from 154th in 2018 to 99th in 2019 among 190 countries and regions. DALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE / November 8, 2018 / Justin Magnuson, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Alliance Family of Companies, LLC addresses the company making the Inc 5000 list for the fourth year in a row. In 2011 Justin Magnuson began with one partner and a small sleep testing company. Through their vision, this small company grew and expanded to include diagnostic electroencephalography (EEG) and electrocardiographic (EKG) testing, as well as software as a service solutions. Starting in Texas, the company expanded into Oklahoma and surrounding States, and is now operating in 38 states throughout the United States. Alliance earned its place for the first time on the 2015 Inc 5000 list, being listed as the 13th fastest growing healthcare company. Alliance was listed as the 16th fastest growing healthcare company in 2016, and 287th fastest growing company overall in 2017. This year, Alliance is listed at 1062 overall on the list and according to Justin Magnuson, 'Alliance employees are excited, proud and honored that their hard work has resulted in Alliance making the Inc 5000 list again.' In less than seven years, Alliance has grown into the world's largest provider of in-home video EEG testing with revenue projected to be over one hundred million in 2018. When asked how Alliance was able to grow so quickly, Justin Magnuson stated, 'We provide a vitally important service to people who need to be tested for epilepsy. Instead of patients having to wait on long lists to get into a hospital epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU), Alliance's in-home video EEG testing can be scheduled as soon as the day after a physician submits an order. Test results are delivered back to the patient's physician in as little as 7-10 days from the date the test was ordered by the physician.' Further, he claims, 'The video EEG testing done by Alliance is as effective as the testing done in an EMU and is done at a lower cost in the convenience of the patient's home.' 'Our vision for Alliance is to continue its growth by creating better technology and processes. While doing this, our company remains dedicated to serving each patient with compassion and dignity.' Justin Magnuson affirmed. To learn more about Alliance Family of Companies, LLC visit: https://www.afcompanies.com/about/ About Alliance Family of Companies, LLC Alliance Family of Companies, LLC has the audacious goal of innovating the delivery of healthcare services that enable physicians to create treatment plans and improve our patients' quality of life. Such testing reduces the patient care cycle and improves clinical outcomes. CONTACT: Conor Butts 817-430-5885 conor@afcompanies.com SOURCE: Alliance Family of Companies, LLC View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/527499/Alliance-Family-of-Companies-LLC-Makes-Inc-5000-for-4th-Time Data presented explores kinase inhibitor targeting approach using HSP90 binding conjugate platform Tarveda Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company discovering and developing Pentarins as a new class of potent and selective medicines to treat a wide range of cancers, today announced that the company will present at the European CanCer Organisation (ECCO) EORTC-NCI-AACR Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics Symposium occurring November 13-16, 2018 in Dublin, Ireland. Samantha Perino, from Tarveda, will present at the Molecular Targeted Agents PART II poster session from 10:00-2:00 PM GMT on Friday, November 16. The poster is entitled, "Leveraging the Pentarin Platform to Selectively Deliver PI3K Inhibitors to Solid Tumors Leading to Superior Efficacy in Preclinical Models." "Our presentation at the Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics Symposium will detail how we are leveraging our HSP90 binding conjugate platform to mask the activity of the conjugated payloads in the circulation while accumulating HSP90 binding conjugates in the tumors. The resulting sustained release of active anti-cancer payloads in the tumor, such as phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors, then drives the efficacy," said Richard Wooster, Ph.D., President of Research and Development and Chief Scientific Officer at Tarveda. "The power of targeting potent therapies to tumors is exemplified by our first HSP90 binding conjugate, PEN-866, which carries the topoisomerase I inhibitor SN-38 as its payload. PEN-866 is currently in a Phase 1/2a trial to assess safety and efficacy across a range of tumor types. The data with a PI3K inhibitor in our presentation demonstrates the potential to significantly enhance kinase inhibitor performance using our HSP90 binding conjugate platform." About Pentarins Tarveda is developing Pentarins, potent and selective miniature drug conjugates with high affinity for specific cell surface and intracellular targets. Pentarins are engineered to bind to their tumor cell targets and provide sustained release of their potent therapeutic payloads deep into solid tumor tissue. Comprised of a targeting ligand conjugated to a potent cancer cell killing agent through a tuned chemical linker, Pentarins are designed to overcome the deficits of both larger antibody drug conjugates and small molecules that limit their therapeutic effectiveness against solid tumors. Together, the components of Tarveda's Pentarins have distinct, yet synergistic, anticancer attributes: the small size of Pentarins allows for rapid and deep penetration into the tumor tissue, the ligand's targeting ability allows for specific binding and retention in tumor cells, and the chemical linker is tuned to optimize the release of the potent, cell killing payload inside the cancer cells for efficacy. About Tarveda Therapeutics, Inc. Tarveda Therapeutics, Inc. discovers and develops Pentarins, a new class of potent and selective miniature drug conjugates with enhanced targeting capabilities for the treatment of a wide range of solid tumor cancers. Tarveda's lead Pentarin drug candidate, PEN-221, is a miniature drug conjugate that targets the somatostatin receptor 2 (SSTR2) for treatment of patients with neuroendocrine, small cell lung, prostate, and other cancers that express SSTR2. PEN-221 comprises a highly selective peptide for SSTR2 conjugated to the potent cytotoxic payload, DM1, through a tuned cleavable linker. Tarveda is also advancing its Pentarin HSP90 drug conjugate platform with lead drug candidate PEN-866, which is a miniature drug conjugate that selectively binds to the intracellular target, Heat Shock Protein 90 (HSP90) and is linked to the payload SN-38, a potent topoisomerase I inhibitor. Tarveda's strategy includes developing its own proprietary Pentarins as well as applying the Pentarin platform to enhance the effectiveness of the targeting moieties and novel payloads of pharmaceutical collaborators. http://www.tarvedatx.com/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005485/en/ Contacts: MacDougall Biomedical Communications Amanda Houlihan, 781-235-3060 ahoulihan@macbiocom.com Blockchain platform leader Kaleido, in collaboration with ConsenSys and Amazon Web Services, is launching the first full-stack platform with a marketplace of plug-and-play services, integrations and partner software to accelerate enterprise blockchain projects from proof-of-concepts to live production business networks. LISBON, Portugal, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Web Summit -- Kaleido, a ConsenSys company, in collaboration with Amazon Web Services, is helping enterprises break through the proof-of-concept stage to live production blockchain networks with the announcement of its next major step forward. The newly launched Kaleido Marketplace extends its Blockchain Business Cloud to become the first full-stack enterprise platform available today. The new marketplace includes trusted tools and services from Kaleido, AWS, and members of the new partnership program, all offered as plug-and-play. Early adopters of the Kaleido Marketplace have said that it eliminates 80 percent of the custom code required to build their blockchain project. Clients now have access to native AWS integrations, popular services such as HD wallets for privacy and ID registries for organizational identity, as well as industry products such as Chainlink for smart contract oracles, Viant for supply chain management, OpenLaw and Clause.io for real-time legal contracts, and many others-all at the click of a button. With the business value-add of blockchain technology expected to exceed $3.1 trillion by 2030 ( Gartner ), it's easy to see why blockchain is one of the most talked about technologies in business today. In fact, 84 percent of executives said their companies were "actively involved" with blockchain when surveyed by PwC in August 2018. However, to date, most companies have struggled to build complete, production-ready blockchain solutions, compounded by a shortage of blockchain skills and talent across the industry. Since its launch in May , Kaleido has helped organizations create over 1,000 blockchain networks with its Blockchain Business Cloud. Now, Kaleido is going even further, offering the first full stack of blockchain capabilities needed to build a complete solution, get to live production state and keep the solution up and running. "We've seen successful patterns of deployment as enterprise networks go into production and we've baked these best practices into the Kaleido Marketplace services, to help radically simplify the adoption of blockchain and eliminate some of the specialized blockchain expertise needed," said Kaleido Founder and COO, Sophia Lopez. "The reality is only about 10 percent of an enterprise blockchain project is the blockchain itself. There are many other application, data and infrastructure components required to go into production," said Kaleido Founder and CEO, Steve Cerveny. "I'm very excited that we have a whole cloud of blockchain technologies pre-integrated for our clients to use. The Kaleido Marketplace is a one stop shop for all things enterprise blockchain." One Kaleido client is Komgo , a cutting edge commodity trade and finance network comprised of global institutions like Citi, ING, Koch Supply & Trading, MUFG Bank, Societe Generale, Credit Agricole Group, BNP Paribas, Shell and others. "By building on an open blockchain system, Komgo can select from the best protocols in development across the ecosystem and use existing building blocks for an optimized solution," said Souleima Baddi, Chief Executive Officer of Komgo. "Now with the proof of concepts and pilots behind us, Kaleido will help us deliver production ready products for a large number of participants at a very fast pace." Kaleido is also launching its Partnership Program in tandem with the marketplace, providing significant opportunities for third-party providers to join the ecosystem by promoting their offerings in the Kaleido Marketplace, embedding Kaleido in their own blockchain solutions, or accelerating client engagements by using Kaleido in their consultations. "Having our legal smart contract solution promoted in the Kaleido Marketplace creates an instant channel to bring our technology to a global audience and immediate access for new clients," said OpenLaw Co-founder Aaron Wright. Greenfence Consumer and Radiant Earth are embed partners and are using Kaleido to enhance their own blockchain networks; Greenfence to help Hollywood studios such as Sony and Fox revolutionize digital marketing for movie fans, and Radiant Earth to equip NGOs with aggregated open Earth imagery and geospatial data. On the consulting side, systems integrators such as ConsenSys Solutions are now using Kaleido to accelerate their clients' blockchain engagements. Kaleido's Blockchain Business Cloud and the new Marketplace are available now, try it for free at Kaleido.io. About Kaleido: Kaleido, a ConsenSys Enterprise Business, is dedicated to making blockchain radically simple for organizations to adopt so that our societies will fully benefit from decentralized models and technologies. Kaleido is collaborating with Amazon Web Services to offer its Blockchain Business Cloud, an all-in-one SaaS platform built for Enterprise Blockchain. For more information, visit www.Kaleido.io Integrated offerings simplify data performance management for cloud-based databases on Amazon Web Services or Microsoft Azure SentryOne has expanded offerings for migrating and optimizing SQL Server databases on hosted cloud services, enabling companies to shift to the cloud while accelerating data performance during and after the transition. SentryOne solutions for migrating and optimizing performance of cloud-based workloads on the Microsoft Data Platform include: A marketplace offering on Amazon Web Services, with support for Amazon RDS for SQL Server as well as Amazon EC2 A marketplace offering on Microsoft Azure, with support for Azure SQL Database and Azure SQL Data Warehouse Support for monitoring Azure SQL Database Managed Instance, a deployment model of Azure SQL Database released by Microsoft that provides near 100 percent compatibility with on-premises SQL Server Public preview of SentryOne Test, a SaaS-based automated testing framework that simplifies data testing and validation and includes LegiTest, the previous testing framework from SentryOne that will continue as a Visual Studio extension SentryOne Workbench, which includes DOC xPress for database documentation, metadata discovery, and data lineage analysis; BI xPress for monitoring and auditing data packages; and DBA xPress for comparing data schema With these new offerings, SentryOne is addressing cloud migration challenges particularly for customers who have delayed cloud transitions because of dependencies on key on-premises SQL Server capabilities and difficulties in rationalizing the opportunity cost of moving databases to cloud-based architectures. "New cloud services from Amazon and Microsoft are making cloud migrations more feasible, but every company-now more than ever-needs to ensure that business-critical data successfully makes the transition," said Douglas McDowell, SentryOne Chief Strategy Officer. "With increased data privacy regulations, every business has to be 100 percent confident in the integrity of its data. And once that data is in the cloud, the need to optimize it for high performance is paramount. SentryOne provides the solutions to make that journey to the cloud both fast and accurate." SentryOne will continue to focus on solutions that help companies optimize cloud databases. "SentryOne has always led the way in helping customers accelerate the performance of their cloud databases," said Jason Hall, SentryOne VP of Product Management. "By continuing to deepen our strategic technology partnerships with major cloud providers Amazon and Microsoft, we're able to provide the most capable, actionable performance management for cloud-based Microsoft Data Platform workloads." A complete description of SentryOne cloud migration and optimization capabilities is available at sentryone.com/cloud-data-performance-management. About SentryOne SentryOne empowers Microsoft data professionals to build, test, document, and monitor SQL Server, Azure SQL Database, and the Microsoft Data Platform. We help companies accelerate performance across the data lifecycle with unmatched scalability, best-in-industry customer support, and the most powerful data performance management capabilities available. Our team includes more than 160 employees located in Charlotte, NC, Jacksonville, FL, Salem, NH, and Dublin, Ireland. Learn more at SentryOne.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005501/en/ Contacts: SentryOne Megan Keller Communications Manager media@sentryone.com or Matter for SentryOne Erik Arvidson, 978-518-4542 sentryone@matternow.com LONDON, November 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sales & Marketing and Software Product Management leaders, Oliver Obitayo and Vikas Seth join IDnow in CSO and CPO roles respectively Melanie Jungbluth leaves Gartner to take up role as Head of Legal IDnow, nominated to the 2018 FinTech50 list of hottest European start-ups, has announced today the addition of three senior industry executives to new roles within the business as it scales into the global market. Vikas Seth joins as Chief Product Officer (CPO), Oliver Obitayo as Chief Sales Officer (CSO) and Melanie Jungbluth is also joining from a VP role at Gartner to become Head of Legal. Collectively these hires bring almost six decades of experience as the five-year-old company manages rapid growth into new international markets. These hires follow IDnow's recent launch of the industry's first combined video and automated verification-as-a-service platform that will enable companies to verify the identities of more than seven billion potential customers online, easily and securely, in compliance with regulatory Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements across Europe and beyond. Already trusted by several hundred companies across Europe, including UBS, Commerzbank and Telefonica, the new team will bring valuable industry experience to the IDnow team as it expands into new sectors and countries, within Europe initially. "The fact that we have attracted such senior talent to the company is testament to the opportunity for, and success to date of, IDnow," explained Rupert Spiegelberg, CEO of IDnow. "These fantastic hires will significantly enhance our ability to deliver a first class client experience as we accelerate towards becoming the number one player in the global digital identity market." Vikas Seth, CPO, has almost 20 years of experience in product management working for companies such as Honeywell, EMC Data Storage Systems and AVG Technologies. He joins from Friedrichshafen-based security software vendor, Avira, where he spent three years as Director of Product Management and Engineering. Vikas will assume direct responsibility for IDnow's product strategy, product marketing and user experience design in addition to the delivery of its roadmap in the coming months and years. Reporting into the CEO and managing all product management personnel, the engineering and infrastructure teams in Germany and Vietnam will continue to report into CTO and co-founder, Armin Bauer. Oliver Obitayo, CSO, joins from EY where he was head of DACH marketing, sales business development and digital transformation. Prior to EY, Obitayo held a number of CMO and other, senior sales and marketing roles at Hewlett Packard, Siemens, Unify and Testo AG. At IDnow, Oliver's focus will be to manage the growth and expansion of the company across industry sector and geographies, maximizing the potential of an increasing number of use cases as companies expand their go-to-market channels to include digital end user engagement. Melanie Jungbluth, Head of Legal, brings almost 20 years of legal experience, most recently as VP of legal affairs at leading industry analyst institution, Gartner. At IDnow, Melanie will focus on all legal, corporate and contractual aspects of the company as well as playing a vital role in ensuring the platform continues to meet the high security and fraud detection requirements of strictly regulated environments. These key hires are in addition to several other recent hires in the development, operations, channel and sales teams in the last month. All new employees will be based in the company's Munich headquarters. Further information available at www.idnow.io. NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AUSTRALIA OR JAPAN OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE DOING SO WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. Themis Bioscience N.V. ("Themis" or the "Company"), a biopharmaceutical company focused on immunomodulation therapies for infectious diseases and cancer, announced today that it has decided to postpone its listing on Euronext Amsterdam due to adverse market conditions, concluding that an IPO would not be in the interest of the Company or its shareholders at this time. Themis will continue to investigate all strategic options, including financings, for the development of its programs. About Themis Themis is developing immunomodulation therapies for infectious diseases and cancer. Through advanced understanding of immune system mechanisms, the Company has built a sophisticated and versatile technology platform for the discovery, development and production of vaccines as well as other immune system activation approaches. Initially focused on preventing infectious diseases, Themis has demonstrated the potential of its versatile platform through the rapid progression into Phase 2 clinical development for a vaccine against Chikungunya, a debilitating disease with global outbreak potential. Funded to date by leading Europe-based VCs, Themis has also gained prestigious non-dilutive funding for emerging infectious disease indications. The Company will apply its platform and commercial manufacturing capabilities to diseases with high market potential both alone and for its partners. For more information, visit http://www.themisbio.com. Important Legal Information These materials are not for release, distribution or publication, whether directly or indirectly and whether in whole or in part, into or in the United States (including its territories and possessions, any state of the United States and the District of Columbia), Canada, Australia or Japan or any other jurisdiction where to do so would constitute a violation of the relevant laws of such jurisdiction. These materials are for information purposes only and are not intended to constitute, and should not be construed as, an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy the securities of Themis Bioscience N.V. (the "Company", and such securities, the "Shares") in the United States, Canada, Australia, or Japan or in any other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration, exemption from registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. The Shares mentioned herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act"). The Shares may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an exemption from or in a transaction not subject to the registration requirements of the Securities Act. The Company has no intention to register any part of the offering in the United States or make a public offering of Shares in the United States. In the United Kingdom, these materials are only being distributed to, and are only directed at, and any investment or investment activity to which they relate is available only to, and will be engaged in only with, "qualified investors" (as defined in section 86(7) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000) and who are (i) persons having professional experience in matters relating to investments who fall within the definition of "investment professionals" in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order"); or (ii) high net worth entities falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). Persons who are not relevant persons should not take any action on the basis of these materials and should not act or rely on them. The Company has not authorised any offer to the public of Shares in any Member State of the European Economic Area other than the Netherlands. With respect to any Member State of the European Economic Area, other than the Netherlands, which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each a "Relevant Member State"), no action has been undertaken or will be undertaken to make an offer to the public of Shares requiring publication of a prospectus in any Relevant Member State. As a result, the Shares may only be offered in Relevant Member States (i) to any legal entity which is a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Directive; or (ii) in any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive. For the purpose of this paragraph, the expression "offer of securities to the public" means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the Shares to be offered so as to enable the investor to decide to exercise, purchase or subscribe for the Shares, as the same may be varied in that Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Member State and the expression "Prospectus Directive" means Directive 2003/71/EC, as amended. This document does not constitute or form part of any offer or invitation to sell, or any solicitation of any offer to purchase and does not constitute a prospectus for the purposes of the Prospectus Directive. The offer to acquire securities pursuant to the proposed offering will be made, and any investor should make his investment decision, solely on the basis of information that will be contained in the prospectus to be approved by the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (Stichting Autoriteit Financiele Markten) (the "AFM") and to be made generally available in the Netherlands in connection with such offering. This document should not be published, reproduced, distributed or otherwise made available, in whole or in part, to any other person without the prior consent of the Company. When made generally available, copies of the prospectus may be obtained at no cost from the Company and through its website (www.themisbio.com). No action has been taken by the Company that would permit an offer of Shares or the possession or distribution of these materials or any other offering or publicity material relating to such Shares in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. The release, publication or distribution of these materials in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law and therefore persons in such jurisdictions into which they are released, published or distributed, should inform themselves about, and observe, such restrictions. Failure to comply may violate securities laws of any such jurisdiction. This announcement does not constitute a prospectus. An offer to acquire Shares pursuant to the proposed offering will be made, and any investor should make his investment, solely on the basis of information that will be contained in the prospectus to be made generally available in the Netherlands in connection with such offering and the admission to listing and trading of the Shares on Euronext in Amsterdam. When made generally available, copies of the prospectus may be obtained at no cost from the Company or through its website. This announcement may include statements, including the Company's financial and operational medium-term objectives that are, or may be deemed to be, 'forward-looking statements'. These forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms 'believes', 'estimates', 'plans', 'projects', 'anticipates', 'expects', 'intends', 'may', 'will' or 'should' or, in each case, their negative or other variations or comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy, plans, objectives, goals, future events or intentions. Forward-looking statements may and often do differ materially from actual results. Any forward-looking statements reflect the Company's current view with respect to future events and are subject to risks relating to future events and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to the Company's business, results of operations, financial position, liquidity, prospects, growth or strategies. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Each of the Company and the Underwriters (as defined below) and their respective affiliates expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update, review or revise any forward-looking statement contained in this announcement whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. Each of NIBC Bank N.V., Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited and Erste Group Bank AG (collectively, the "Underwriters") is acting exclusively for the Company and no-one else in connection with any offering of Shares. They will not regard any other person as their respective clients in relation to the offering and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to their respective clients, nor for providing advice in relation to the offering, the contents of this announcement or any transaction, arrangement or other matter referred to herein. None of the Underwriters or any of their respective subsidiary undertakings, affiliates or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, advisers, agents, alliance partners or any other entity or person accepts any responsibility or liability whatsoever for, or makes any representation, warranty or undertaking, express or implied, as to the truth, accuracy, completeness or fairness of the information or opinions in this announcement (or whether any information has been omitted from the announcement) or any other information relating to the group, its subsidiaries or associated companies, whether written, oral or in a visual or electronic form, and howsoever transmitted or made available or for any loss howsoever arising from any use of this announcement or its contents or otherwise arising in connection therewith. Accordingly, the Underwriters disclaim, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, all and any liability, whether arising in tort or contract or that they might otherwise be found to have in respect of this announcement and/or any such statement. In connection with the Offering, each of the Underwriters and any of their affiliates, may take up a portion of the Shares in the Offering as a principal position and in that capacity may retain, purchase, sell, offer to sell for their own accounts such securities and other securities of the Company or related investments in connection with the Offering or otherwise. In addition, each of the Underwriters and any of their affiliates may enter into financing arrangements (including swaps or contracts for differences) with investors in connection with which each of the Underwriters and any of their affiliates may from time to time acquire, hold or dispose of securities. None of the Underwriters or their affiliates intends to disclose the extent of any such investment or transactions otherwise than in accordance with any legal or regulatory obligations to do so. In connection with the Offering, NIBC Bank N.V. (the "Stabilization Manager") (or persons acting on behalf of the Stabilization Manager) may over-allot Shares or effect transactions with a view to supporting the market price of the Shares at a level higher than that which might otherwise prevail. However, there is no assurance that the Stabilization Manager (or persons acting on behalf of the Stabilization Manager) will undertake stabilisation action. Any stabilisation action may begin on or after the date of commencement of trading of the Shares on the regulated market and, if begun, may be ended at any time, but it must end no later than 30 days after the date of commencement of trading of the Shares. Any stabilisation action or over-allotment must be conducted by the Stabilization Manager (or persons acting on behalf of the Stabilization Manager) in accordance with all applicable laws and rules. There is no obligation on the Stabilization Manager or any of its agents to effect stabilising transactions and there is no assurance that stabilising transactions will be undertaken. Such stabilisation, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time without prior notice. Save as required by law or regulation, neither the Stabilization Manager nor any of its agents intends to disclose the extent of any over-allotments made and/or stabilisation transactions under the Offering. Information to Distributors Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements contained within: (a) EU Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended ("MiFID II"); (b) Articles 9 and 10 of Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2017/593 supplementing MiFID II; and (c) local implementing measures (together, the "MiFID II Product Governance Requirements"), and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any "manufacturer" (for the purposes of the MiFID II Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the Shares subject of the Offering have been subject to a product approval process, which has determined that such Shares are: (i) compatible with an end target market of retail investors and investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties, each as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all distribution channels as are permitted by MiFID II (the "Target Market Assessment"). Notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, "distributors" (for the purposes of the MiFID II Product Governance Requirements) should note that: the price of the Shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; the Shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an investment in the Shares is compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom. The Target Market Assessment is without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the Offering. For the avoidance of doubt, the Target Market Assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of MiFID II; or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect to the Shares. Each distributor is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the Shares and determining appropriate distribution channels. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005547/en/ Contacts: For Themis: Dr. Erich Tauber, CEO Phone: +43 1 236 7151 erich.tauber@themisbio.com or Media & Investor Inquiries for Themis: Gretchen Schweitzer or Dr. Stephanie May Trophic Communications Phone: +49 89 2388 7730 or +49 171 185 56 82 may@trophic.eu CHICAGO, November 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research "Gene Expression Analysis Market by Product and Services (Consumables (Reagents, DNA chips), Instruments (PCR, NGS), Services (Gene Expression Profiling)), End User (Pharma and Biotech Companies, Research Centers) - Global Forecasts to 2023", The global gene expression analysis market is expected to reach USD 4.9 billion by 2023 from USD 3.2 billion in 2018, at a CAGR of 8.8%. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg ) Don't miss out on business opportunities in Gene Expression Analysis Market. Speak to our analyst and gain crucial industry insights that will help your business grow: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalyst.asp?id=156613968 The major factors driving the growth of the gene expression analysis market include decreasing cost of sequencing, rising prevalence of cancer, growing application areas of genomics, and the availability of gene expression databases. The consumables segment is expected to account for the largest share of the products & services market in 2018 On the basis of products and services, the global gene expression analysis market has been segmented into consumables (reagents, DNA chips), Instruments (PCR, NGS, Microarray, others), and services (gene expression profiling services, bioinformatics solutions). The consumables segment is estimated to command the largest share of the market in 2018 and is also projected to register the highest CAGR. The high growth in this segment can be attributed to the growing decreasing sequencing costs leading to increased adoption of sequencing and other gene expression analysis techniques. Browse and in-depth TOC on "Gene Expression Analysis Market " 131 - Tables 34- Figures 186- Pages View more detailed TOC @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/gene-expression-analysis-market-156613968.html Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are expected to grow at the highest CAGR in the global gene expression analysis market during the forecast period Based on end user, the market has been segmented into pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academic institutes and research centers, and other end users. The pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies segment is expected to command the largest share of 54.8% of the market in 2018. The large share and high growth of this segment can be attributed to factors such as high volume of research studies involving gene expression analysis and huge capital for high end analysis instruments and consumables. North America is expected to dominate the gene expression analysis market during the forecast period Geographically, North America is expected to dominate the global gene expression analysis market in 2018, while the Asia Pacific region is expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The high growth in this region can be attributed to domestic manufacturing of sequencing systems, western partnerships to improve healthcare, high R&D intensity, government focus on cancer and other life science research, and flourishing bioresearch centers Request for Free Sample Report @https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsample.asp?id=156613968 The Vaccines Market is highly competitive with the presence of several small and big players. Some of the players in the Vaccines Market are GlaxoSmithKline plc (UK), Pfizer, Inc. (US), Merck & Co., Inc. (US), Sanofi Pasteur SA (France), CSL Limited (Australia), Emergent BioSolutions, Inc. (US), Johnson & Johnson (US), MedImmune, LLC (US), Astellas Pharma Inc. (Japan), Serum Institute of India (India), Bavarian Nordic (Denmark), Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation (Japan), and Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited (Japan).. Browse Adjacent Markets @Biotechnology Market Research Reports & Consulting 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, "Knowledge Store" 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 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/gene-expression-analysis-market.asp Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com FISHERS, IN / ACCESSWIRE / November 8, 2018 / American Resources Corporation (OTCQB: AREC), a mining company focused on the extraction, processing, transportation and selling of metallurgical and premium thermal coal, is pleased to announce the closing of its previously-announced acquisition of all the assets of Synergy Coal, LLC located in Wyoming County, West Virginia. The acquisition includes all coal mining permits (including the associated reclamation bonds), governmental approvals, a coal processing facility, a rail loadout, over one thousand acres of mineral and surface ownership, and all other assets owned by Synergy Coal. In a substantially all-stock transaction, American Resources will pay 1,727,273 common equity shares valued at approximately $22.1 million, based on yesterday's closing stock price of $12.79 per share to acquire the assets. The finalization of this deal provides American Resources with its fourth operating hub within the Central Appalachian coal region, and its first in the state of West Virginia. American Resources will operate the metallurgical coal complex as a newly-formed, wholly-owned subsidiary called Wyoming County Coal LLC. "We are very pleased with the timely closing of this acquisition and look forward to integrating and expanding Wyoming County Coal into our portfolio of metallurgical coals under our efficient, low-cost operating strategy," stated Mark Jensen, Chief Executive Officer of American Resources Corporation. " The addition of the mid-vol quality coal will both enhance our product offering to our customers and provides another attractive growth platform for our shareholders. American Resources Corporation continues to focus on its growth objective by efficiently leveraging its large number of core mining permits and through identifying strategic, supplemental acquisitions. The company is committed to being one of the lowest cost operators in CAPP and throughout all its coal mining, processing, and transportation operations. About American Resources Corporation American Resources Corporation is a mining company focused on the extraction, processing, transportation and selling of specialty coal qualities serving the metallurgical, industrial, pulverized coal injection (PCI), and premium thermal coal markets. The company is primarily focused on the Central Appalachian coal basin of eastern Kentucky and south-western West Virginia. The company's business model is to capitalize on the changing coal markets to redefine how to create efficient coal mining operations to thrive and prosper in an industry that has less scale and production. By adjusting its operations to fit the market, American Resources Corporation is flexible and dynamic to adjust rapidly to expanding and contracting coal markets. Website: http://www.americanresourcescorp.com CONTACT: Institutional/Retail/Individual Contact: RedStone Communications, LLC Anthony D. Altavilla, President 317-569-1617 - Office 317-590-3780 - cell tony@redstonecommunications.com www.redstonecommunications.com Company Contact: Mark LaVerghetta 317-855-9926 ext. 0 Vice President of Corporate Finance and Communications investor@americanresourcescorp.com Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other important factors that could cause the Company's actual results, performance, or achievements or industry results to differ materially from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The words "believes," "may," "will," "should," "would," "could," "continue," "seeks," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "intends," "estimates," or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. Any forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date of this release. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. The Company cannot assure you that the projected results or events will be achieved. SOURCE: American Resources Corporation View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/527511/American-Resources-Corporation-Announces-Closing-of-Synergy-Coal-Acquisition HONG KONG, November 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In a bold and strategic move to help strengthen its regulatory footprint and presence in Europe, trade.io has entered into an agreement to acquire FCA regulated, Primus Capital Markets UK Ltd, which currently holds an IFPRU 125K Matched Principal License. (Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/592785/trade_io_Logo.jpg ) The company will be rebranded as TIO Markets and will offer the powerful combination of FX trading utilizing crypto assets as base currency. Clients will initially be able to utilize Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, along with trade.io's native utility token, TIOx, to access the FX platform. Those using TIOx will be offered substantial commission discounts, tighter spreads and other incentives. trade.io's CEO Jim Preissler commented,"The acquisition of Primus Capital Markets will allow the company the opportunity to aggressively expand into the UK and the European region. With an FCA regulated business, it also provides management the opportunity to display to our clients that we are striving for a higher standard and welcoming regulation rather than avoiding it." Preissler continued,"There are many similarities to crypto and FX trading, and by marrying the two and offering it under one of the most respected regulatory regimes in the world, it makes for the perfect acquisition." Managing Director of Primus Capital Market, Damian McDowell, who also serves as Director at trade.io, also commented,"My staff and I are very excited about this acquisition. The team at Primus Capital Markets has extensive experience in the FX industry and has built a significant database of traders that will benefit from this relationship. "trade.io is becoming a major player in the crypto space, and our clients will be extremely impressed with the Forbes CryptoMarkets partnership and other value adds they have in the pipeline. This was a natural fit for both firms, respectively." Further details of TIO Markets, the FX platform and offering will be shared closer to launch which is expected during Q4, 2018. Along with its crypto exchange, trade.io also offers the industry leading liquidity pool which allows clients to participate in the company's success. A portion of revenue from TIO Markets will be allocated to the liquidity pool, adding yet another source to enhance the liquidity pool performance. About trade.io trade.io is a next-generation financial institution based on blockchain technology, comprised of its Exchange, Consulting Services, Incubator and Liquidity Pool which allows holders of its utility token "TIOx" the ability to participate in the growth of the company. By leveraging decades of experience in the investment banking, trading, fintech and compliance and combining them with the power and transparency of the distributed ledger, trade.io has created a truly unique platform built to grow and adapt as the blockchain industry continues to mature. trade.io is an equity investor in Forbes CryptoMarkets along with Forbes and NewCity Capital. BRUSSELS, November 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- An opportunity to connect with virtual refugees and meet the entire international aid and development community At AidEx, taking place at Brussels Expo next week on 14 and 15 November, over 2,000 people will gather at the world's largest event for the international aid and development community to explore how technology can contribute to a positive social impact within the age of digital revolution. In an exhibition involving UN agencies, NGOs and 200 commercial organisations, participants will have the opportunity to experience various unique and immersive features which promise to transport individuals to realms that evoke empathy and education. Take a seat on the 'Red VR Bench' and watch the Red Cross' prize-winning virtual reality film where participants will meet Syrian refugees who will speak about their daily lives, challenges and dreams of the future. Watch the Aid Innovation Challenge Live Final where three inventors battle to win the award for the best product that will increase the efficient delivery of aid. Put on a pair of headphones and have a look around the World Food Programme's pop-up refugee shop which has travelled from Paris to Warsaw, Berlin, Amsterdam and now Brussels to connect people across Europe with refugee families in Turkey through celebrating the right to live an incredible yet ordinary life. REGISTER TO ATTEND FOR FREE HERE View UN Women's inspiring comic and cartoon exhibit called 'Gender Equality: Picture it!', put together by creative young people from around the globe in a bid to become global champions for women and girls. An interactive digital and safeguarding communications workshop will host some of the most important aid sector players in safeguarding including from Save the Children, the NRC and the UN. AidEx also features a high-level conference that sets out to cultivate discussion around aid and development effectiveness, as experts in the field debate topics from the power of technology to safeguard a future for all, achieve global digital inclusion and enable better Sustainable Development Goals. Keynote speakers include Director General of European Commission, Monique Pariat, Head of Innovation in the Office of the Director General for the ICRC Nan Buzard and Sir Stephen O'Brien, Former UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. Qatar Charity, the leading NGO shaping the Middle-East will be present alongside the US Ambassador for Belgium who will be one of 30 Ambassadors from around the world visiting the event. This is a unique opportunity to connect and collaborate with professionals from across the sector under one roof. For full details of speakers and sessions, visit the conference programme page here. Register for a free ticket to attend AidEx 2018 here For further information, contact: Anastasia Kyriacou AidEx PR Officer +44-(0)20-7886-3076 anastasia .kyriacou@montex.co.uk LONDON, November 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Health & Hygiene Ltd UK is launching a new product, designed to give consumers a complete care system for oral health. Protector announces the world's first " Complete Antibacterial Toothbrush " for Oral Hygiene that incorporates pioneering d 2 p Antibacterial Technology. Health & Hygiene Ltd is a British Company working with Symphony Environmental Technologies Plc to develop the Protector range of products. The new Antibacterial toothbrush will be sold under the registered brand "Protector" Health & Hygiene Limited. The Protector toothbrush is a cleaner and safer alternative to the standard toothbrush. Protector antibacterial toothbrush incorporates Symphony's d 2 p technology in the head and handle together with DuPont[ ]Tynex StaClean Antimicrobial Bristles, to offer complete protection by disrupting the bacterial cell, preventing cell replication. Bacteria and microbes are killed upon contact with the Toothbrush surface, providing safe and healthy brushing throughout the life of the toothbrush. Protector Toothbrush is a Complete Antibacterial Toothbrush from its bristles and head to the tip of the handle, minimizing the risk of external threats by 99.99% when tested in accordance with ISO 22196 and ASTM E2149. Health & Hygiene Ltd UK is exclusively incorporating innovative d 2 p technology, placing the Protector Toothbrush in a class of its own. The launch took place at the Holiday Inn London Elstree and will be attended by representatives from the High Commission of Pakistan, as well as senior figures from healthcare and personal care industries. Health & Hygiene Limited has also developed an extensive range of healthcare and personal care products, incorporating d2p technology, the first of which was launched in May of this year. Notes to Editor Symphony has developed a range of additives, concentrates and master-batches marketed as d2p which can be incorporated in a wide variety of plastic and non-plastic products and applications so as to give them protection against many different types of bacteria, fungi, algae, mould and insects. In addition, Symphony has developed controlled-life plastic technology which turns ordinary plastic at the end of its service-life into biodegradable materials. It is then no longer a plastic and can be bioassimilated in the open environment. The technology is branded d2w and appears as a droplet logo on many thousands of tonnes of plastic packaging and other plastic products around the world. In some countries oxo-biodegradable plastic is mandatory. For a video of d2w plastic degrading see here. In addition, Symphony has developed the d2Detector, a portable device which analyses plastics and detects counterfeit products. Symphony's d2t tagging and tracer technology is also available for further security. See http://www.d2t.net Symphony has a diverse and growing customer-base and has established itself as an international business with distributors around the world. Products made with Symphony's plastic technologies are now available in 97 countries and in many different product applications. Symphony is certified to ISO9001 and ISO14001. Health & Hygiene Ltd in association with Symphony is committed to promote safer, healthier and hygienic living and has developed a wide range of Antimicrobial products for household, personal care and healthcare environments under the brand Protector. The Protector product range includes toothbrushes, cling-wrap, and disposable items. For more information, please contact marketinglive@d2w.net. Photos are available on request. Natalie Jenkins: DL: +44-(0)-20-8207-7611/Tel: +44-(0)-20-8207-5900 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 8, 2018 / GREAT ATLANTIC RESOURCES CORP. (TSX-v: GR) (FRA: PH01) (the "Company" or "Great Atlantic") is pleased to announce that its optionee Fort St. James Nickel Corp. (TSX-v: FTJ) has completed the 2018 diamond drilling program at its Porcupine Base Metal - Precious Metal - Rare Earth Element (REE) Property, located in central New Brunswick. The program was conducted in the central region of the property targeting an area of base metal and silver mineralization discovered previously by Great Atlantic. Four shallow drill holes were completed (227 total meters), all intersecting local base metal sulfide mineralization. Property highlights include: Channel Sample: 5.48% zinc & 1.08% lead over 1 meter (Line 4W Trench). Boulder Sample: 20.7% lead, 6.89% zinc and 122 G/T silver (Line 3W Trench). Multi-element soil geochemical anomalies in central and southern regions. Induced polarization (IP) geophysical anomalies in central and southern regions. Vein with base metals sulfides in drill hole PO-18-4 (To view the full-sized image, please click here) The 2018 diamond drilling program tested under a mineralized exposer in a 2012 trench (Line 4W Trench). A one meter channel sample collected from this exposure in 2012 was reported to return 5.48% zinc and 1.08% lead. A qualified person has not verified this data as the sample location is no longer evident in the trench. A qualified person has verified lead, zinc and copper sulfide mineralization in stringers / veins within this approximately 25m long east-west trending trench. A boulder sample collected during 2012 in an adjacent trench (Line 3W Trench) was reported to return 20.7% lead, 6.89% zinc, 2.04% copper and 122 grams / tonne (g/t) silver. A qualified person has not verified these boulders / data as this trench has been reclaimed. The 2012 trenching was conducted by Great Atlantic in an area of base metal geochemical anomalies and IP geophysical anomalies. Each of the 2018 diamond drill holes intersected local, near-surface base metal sulfide mineralization, occurring as disseminations in host rock and in veinlets / veins. Drill core samples are currently being cut for multi-element analysis. Veins with base metals sulfides in drill hole PO-18-1 (To view the full-sized image, please click here) The Porcupine Property occurs within the Miramichi terrane which trends northeast-southwest through New Brunswick. The Miramichi terrane hosts numerous volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits in northeast New Brunswick in the famous Bathurst Camp. Many of these deposits were mined, including the historic Heath Steele Mine, located approximately 40 kilometers northeast of the Porcupine Property. Volcanic rocks are reported locally within the Porcupine Property. Lead and zinc sulfide mineralization in 2012 Line 4W Trench (To view the full-sized image, please click here) The Porcupine Property is located approximately 50 kilometers west of the city of Miramichi. Access is excellent with logging roads transecting the property. The property currently covers an area of approximately 2,830 hectares. David Martin, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, is responsible for the technical information contained in this News Release. Mr. Martin is a consultant for Fort St. James Nickel Corp. and VP Exploration for Great Atlantic Resources Corp. On Behalf of the board of directors "Christopher R Anderson" Mr. Christopher R. Anderson " Always be positive, strive for solutions, and never give up " President CEO Director 604-488-3900 - Direct Investor Relations: Kaye Wynn Consulting Inc.: 604-558-2630, Toll Free: 888-280-8128 E-mail: info@kayewynn.com About Great Atlantic Resources Corp.: Great Atlantic Resources Corp. is a Canadian exploration company focused on the discovery and development of mineral assets in the resource-rich and sovereign risk-free realm of Atlantic Canada, one of the number one mining regions of the world. Great Atlantic is currently surging forward building the company utilizing a Project Generation model, with a special focus on the most critical elements on the planet that are prominent in Atlantic Canada, Antimony, Tungsten and Gold. This press release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address future exploration drilling, exploration activities and events or developments that the Company expects, are forward looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. 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. Great Atlantic Resource Corp 888 Dunsmuir Street - Suite 888, Vancouver, B.C., V6C 3K4 SOURCE: Great Atlantic Resources Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/527516/Great-Atlantic-Optionee-Completes-Diamond-Drilling-Program-at-Porcupine-Base-Metal--Precious-Metal--REE-Property--Central-New-Brunswick Invitation to Claranova SA's Annual Ordinary and Extraordinary General Shareholders' Meeting on November 29, 2018 Regulatory News: Firmly set on a growth path, the Claranova (Paris:CLA) group recently announced Q1 2018/2019 revenue of 48.2 million, up 61%. This excellent performance, driven by the consolidation of the Avanquest's division Canadian acquisitions and especially the acceleration of organic growth (+33 %), once again demonstrated that all the Group's businesses are on the right course. Confident in the Group's future and outlook, Pierre Cesarini and Sebastien Martin, Chairman and member of the Management Board, respectively, wish to accompany this strong momentum. They have therefore decided, in agreement with the Supervisory Board, to forego the grant of the 18,185,000 free shares1 reserved for them. This decision aims to reduce the accounting impact of these grants on Claranova's financial performance. These grants would have led to the recognition of employer social security contributions estimated2 at over 5 million, automatically reducing Claranova's operating profitability, without any link to the development of its activities. The Group's cash position can more than cover this transaction without worsening its financial position, however management considers this amount could be better used to push forward the Group's growth. In return, the Supervisory Board approved the payment of an exceptional bonus of K1,700 for Pierre Cesarini and K430 for Sebastien Martin, as partial compensation for the loss resulting from this waiver. Payment of these exceptional bonuses remains contingent on their approval by shareholders at the Annual Ordinary and Extraordinary General Shareholders' Meeting on November 29, 20183 Procedures for providing preparatory documents Claranova group shareholders are hereby invited to the Annual Ordinary and Extraordinary General Shareholders' Meeting to be held at 10 a.m. on November 29, 2018, at the Company's head office located at 89 boulevard National, Immeuble Vision Defense, 92250 La Garenne-Colombes. The preliminary notice of meeting with the agenda and resolutions presented to the General Shareholders' Meeting was published in the Bulletin des Annonces Legales Obligatoires (BALO) (French Journal of Mandatory Legal Announcements) of October 24, 2018. The procedures for participating and voting at this Meeting are presented in this notice. The notice of meeting will appear in the coming days in the BALO and a legal notices gazette. The notice of meeting and all the documents and information stipulated in Article R.225-73-1 of the French Commercial Code may be consulted on the company's website: http://claranova.fr/investors/shareholder-meeting.php A Supervisory Board report supplementing the corporate governance report may be consulted from today at the Company's head office and in its website: www.claranova.com. The other documents and information relating to this Meeting are also available to shareholders under the applicable legal and regulatory conditions. About Claranova: Claranova is a French technology group operating in three major business sectors: mobile services through its PlanetArt division, Internet of Things (IoT) through its myDevices division and monetizing Internet traffic through its Avanquest division. A truly global internet and mobile player, Claranova reported annual revenue in excess of 160 million, generated over 90% internationally. Its businesses are: PlanetArt: A world leader in mobile printing, specifically via its FreePrints and Photobook applications the cheapest and simplest solutions in the world for printing photos and creating photo albums from a smartphone; myDevices: A global platform for IoT (Internet of Things) management, myDevices allows its partners to commercialize turnkey solutions ("IoT in a Box") to their customers. Ready-to-use solutions are available for roll-out in the medical, hotel, food and beverage, retail and education sectors thanks to these offerings; Avanquest: A specialist in monetizing Internet traffic through cross-cutting solutions, Avanquest boosts its customer impact through cross-selling offerings that maximize Internet traffic while ensuring the most efficient monetization possible. 1 14,548,000 shares for Pierre Cesarini and 3,637,000 shares for Sebastien Martin. 2 Based on the average share price over the 30 trading days preceding the Board's decision approving the bonus. 3 Claranova recalls that Pierre Cesarini and Sebastien Martin respectively hold, directly and indirectly, 24,956,885 and 330,500 Company shares, representing 6.34% and 0.08% of the share capital and 8.08% and 0.08% of voting rights, respectively. CODES Ticker: CLA ISIN : FR0004026714 www.claranova.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005703/en/ Contacts: Claranova ANALYSTES INVESTISSEURS +33 1 41 27 19 74 contact@claranova.com or COMMUNICATION FINANCIERE AELIUM +33 1 75 77 54 65 skennis@aelium.fr 'Dando en el Blanco' campaign combining Thinfilm NFC tags and CNECT Cloud Platform recognized for strategy, creativity, results Thin Film Electronics ASA ("Thinfilm") (OSE: THIN; OTCQX: TFECY), a global leader in NFC (Near Field Communication) mobile marketing solutions, today announced that Bodegas Barbadillo's 'Dando en el Blanco' bottle campaign received a 2018 Smarties Spain Award from the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) in recognition of the campaign's outstanding strategy, execution, creativity, and results. The MMA Smarties program recognizes the best mobile-first marketing campaigns, as judged by an independent jury of brand and agency experts. The 2018 Smarties Spain jury consisted of marketing leaders from Coca-Cola, L'Oreal, Telefonica, and leading Spanish media firm Vocento. Barbadillo's campaign used Thinfilm's NFC solutions to promote a contest built around the company's signature Castillo de San Diego white wine. The nationwide campaign added NFC functionality to 126,000 bottles that were distributed to over 200 major retail outlets across Spain. Thinfilm's CNECT Cloud Platform managed and analyzed consumer interaction with every smart bottle, allowing Barbadillo to understand consumer behavior, including when, where, and how consumers engaged with the mobile campaign. Analysis revealed that Thinfilm's NFC solution delivered more users and more engaged users than traditional digital marketing methods. The NFC-enabled bottles drove ten times the amount of traffic compared to Barbadillo's promotion on social platforms, and when interacting with Barbadillo's mobile content, users from NFC engaged nearly three times as long as users from social platforms. The full case study is available to download from Thinfilm's website: 'Tap and Win' Campaign Boosts Wine Sales and Consumer Engagement. "As a family-owned Spanish brand with nearly 200 years of history, it is an honor for Barbadillo to be recognized as a leading innovator in mobile marketing," said Alvaro Ales, Director of Marketing and Communication at Bodegas Barbadillo. "Our goal was to appeal to new customers and encourage engagement, and Thinfilm's NFC solutions allowed us to attract more customers who also spent more time with our brand." "Barbadillo's groundbreaking campaign illustrated how NFC can improve the effectiveness of mobile marketing, and we gratefully acknowledge MMA Spain's recognition of that achievement," said Davor Sutija, CEO of Thinfilm. "Now that NFC technology is supported by over two billion smartphones and integrated into all major mobile platforms, innovative marketers can build on these kinds of successful campaigns to improve their omnichannel consumer engagement." About Thin Film Electronics ASA Thinfilm is enabling the Internet of Everything through our NFC (near field communications) solutions. We provide consumer-focused NFC mobile marketing as well as industrial and supply chain solutions, including blockchain applications. Thinfilm provides end-to-end support throughout the entire process. This starts with the manufacturing of NFC tags through our ground-breaking, roll-to-roll printed electronics production process, integration support to get those tags on physical objects, and our CNECT cloud-based software platform which captures data and provides actionable insights into consumer behavior and business logistics. Thin Film Electronics ASA is a publicly listed company in Norway with global headquarters in Oslo, Norway; US headquarters in San Jose, California; and offices in Linkoping, Sweden; San Francisco; London; Singapore; and Shanghai. For more information, visit www.thinfilmNFC.com About Barbadillo Barbadillo Wineries was founded in 1821 in Sanlucar de Barrameda and celebrates a nearly two-hundred-year tradition as a 100% family owned winery producer for the products Jerez-Xeres-Sherry, Brandy de Jerez, Vinagre de Jerez, Vinos de la Tierra de Cadiz and D.O. Manzanilla-Sanlucar de Barrameda, and is a leader whose supply quotas exceed 50%. Barbadillo has currently evolved into a large international projection group, which, besides developing new products within its geographic zone, has incorporated wineries in other Denominaciones de Origen [Wine Appellations], including Bodegas y Vinedos Vega Real located in Ribera de Duero and Bodegas Pirineos, located in Somontano. For more information, visit www.barbadillo.com This information is subject of the disclosure requirements acc. to 5-12 vphl (Norwegian Securities Trading Act). View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005711/en/ Contacts: For more information on Thinfilm, please contact: Thinfilm Andrew Scott, +1-408-503-7366 VP Marketing andrew.scott@thinfilmNFC.com or For more information on Barbadillo, please contact: Barbadillo Alvaro Ales, +34 956 38 55 00 Director, Marketing Communications alvaro.ales@barbadillo.com BARCELONA, Spain, November 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The founder and former president of Red Points, Josep Coll, offers mentoring to entrepreneurs with difficulties in exchange for donations to the NGO Sense Sostre The entrepreneur Josep Coll, founder of one of the most successful startups, Red Points, of which he was president, has launched a solidarity project with a double objective: to help entrepreneurs and homeless people. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/781912/Josep_Coll.jpg ) This is 'Nightmare in your startup', a novel idea that offers free mentoring to all entrepreneurs who have difficulties to move forward with their project. "I want to give birth, provide these brave entrepreneurs with a 'red telephone', so that when they have problems they can count on advice to solve them and continue climbing the mountain," explains Josep Coll. How does 'Nightmare in your startup' work? According to Coll, the entrepreneur can hold a 45-minute video conference meeting with him, private and confidential, in which he can expose his problem and receive a solution. "As it happens, I made several attempts of the same idea, of an anti-piracy solution, until it turned out well," he said. If at the end of this mentoring session, the entrepreneur is satisfied, he does not have to pay anything, but just make a donation of the amount he wants to the NGO Sense Sostre, which feeds people who sleep on the street in the city of Barcelona. The project will last until June 2019, the same period in which he is preparing his new project in New York City. About Josep Coll Josep Coll Rodriguez is a Catalan entrepreneur and lawyer specialized in intellectual property and is professor at the University of Girona. He founded in 2011 one of the most successful startups, Red Points, with an initial share capital of 3000, after seeing how every day closed cinemas and bookstores, and how it began a new world where parallel industries nourished and lived on the contents of others. His career is supported by several awards and recognitions, including the award "Mejor Idea de Futuro" of Catalunya Radio in 2018 and at the corporate level the "Emprendedor XXI", best Startup 2014 by the Generalitat, and best Startup 2016 by ESADE. During his time as president, Red Points closed series A and series B rounds of financing with 22 million euros and grew to 160 professionals. More information about the NGO Sense Sostre: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1q3678XFXcw DENVER, CO / ACCESSWIRE / November 8, 2018 / Medicine Man Technologies Inc. (OTCQB: MDCL ) ("Medicine Man Technologies" or "Company"), one of the United States' leading cannabis branding and consulting companies today provided financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2018. During the three months ending September 30, 2018, the Company generated operating revenues of $4,647,163, an increase of approximately 400% as compared to revenues of $928,264 in the three months ending September 30, 2017. Other income for the three months ending September 30, 2018 increased to $2,605,672 as compared with losses in the three months ending September 30,2017 of . This substantial increase in the Company's overall revenue stream is related to both internal revenue source growth as well as the Company's Canada House Wellness (CHV) Master Licensing Agreement as announced in July of this year. The Company reported cost of goods and services totaling $459,280 during the three months ended September 30, 2018. This is compared to $297,185 during the same time period in 2017. The increase is primarily due to an increase in overall product sales volume. Operating expenses during the three months ended September 30, 2018, increased by $892,051 to $1,824,876 over the prior period of $950,825, ended September 30, 2017 noting $673,500 of this expense increase was related to stock compensation. The Company reported net income related to the three months ending September 30, 2018 of $4,950,679 or $0.18 per share as compared with losses of as related to the three months ending September 30, 2017. Year to date total income performance increased dramatically to $9,917,476 for the nine months ending September 30, 2018 as compared to total income of $2,585,479 as reported for the nine months ending September 30, 2017. Year to date net income performance increased dramatically to $5,157,717 or $0.19 per share for the nine months ending September 30, 2018 as compared to losses of or per share as reported for the period ending September 30, 2017. While the Company continues to grow its organic revenues, the Master Licensing Agreement as noted was responsible for a large portion of this revenue growth however, organic growth still increased to $3,782,921 in the nine months ended September 30, 2018 from $2,485,479 as related to the nine months ended September 30, 2017. "We continue to prove out our path to profitability model and demonstrate strong organic as well as one-time revenue growth as we conclude our third consecutive profitable quarter, followed closely by achieving our seventh quarter of consecutive revenue growth," Brett Roper, Medicine Man Technologies' co-founder, and CEO stated. "We are also exploring other globally sourced master license agreement opportunities and are pleased to also acknowledge our Company's move to QX status on the OTC markets as achieved this past September." Joshua Haupt, Medicine Man Technologies Chief Operating Officer added, "With this exceptional progress and the lack of any debt, I am very excited about what our future holds as we move into 2019. With our Grow Ohio Pharma client's Zanesville Ohio facility coming online coupled with our Calypso client's Erie Pennsylvania facility planned for operational status in the second quarter of 2019, we have many new opportunities ahead for the Company. I also look forward to attending next week's MJ Business Conference in Las Vegas Nevada and connecting with my many colleagues in the industry." Andy Williams, Medicine Man Technologies' Chairperson of the Board stated, "With the Colorado Governorship going to Jared Polis, a seasoned advocate of the cannabis industry and states' rights this provides new momentum for the continuation of the industry's success which has continued to bolster the state's economy, generating record-setting revenue and creating thousands of jobs for the citizens of Colorado. As a result of regulatory advancements made by legislative bodies on the local, federal and international levels, the national cannabis market place continues to expand as further evidenced by this week's election cycle. Medicine Man Technologies' multi-jurisdictional business model has positioned the Company to leverage this dramatic growth nationally setting a clear path to Colorado based public company ownership in 2019." Conference Call Instructions The Company will host a conference call on Friday, November 9, 2018 at 10:30 AM Eastern Time to discuss the results. Participant Dial-In Numbers: TOLL-FREE 1- 877-407-9716 TOLL/INTERNATIONAL 1-201-493-6779 Participants should request the Medicine Man earnings call or provide confirmation code 13684963. Investors are invited to listen via webcast available on the Medicine Man Technologies investor section of the Company's website at http://www.medicinemantechnologies.com/investor-calendar.html . Please visit the website 15 minutes prior to the call to register, download, and install any necessary audio software. For interested individuals unable to join the conference call, a replay of the call will be available through November 23, 2018, at 1-844-512-2921 (U.S. Toll Free) or 1-412-317-6671 (International). Participants must use the following code to access the replay of the call: 13684963. The online archive of the webcast will be available on the investor section of the Company's website for 30 days following the call. Brett Roper, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Medicine Man Technologies, and Jonathan Sandberg, Chief Financial Officer, will be answering shareholder questions at the conclusion of the call. Should you have questions prior to the conference call please send an email to MDCL@kcsa.com with 'MDCL Question' in the subject line. Management will answer as many questions as time will allow. About Medicine Man Technologies, Inc. Established in March 2014, the Company secured its first client/licensee in April 2014. To date, the Company has provided guidance for several clients that have successfully secured licenses to operate cannabis businesses within their state. The Company currently has or has had active clients in California, Iowa, Oregon, Colorado, Nevada, Illinois, Michigan, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio, Maryland, New York, Massachusetts, Puerto Rico, Canada, Australia, Germany, and South Africa. We continue to focus on working with clients to 1) utilize its experience, technology, and training to help secure a license in states with newly emerging regulations, 2) deploy the Company's highly effective variable capacity constant harvest cultivation practices through its deployment of Cultivation MAX, and eliminate the liability of single grower dependence, 3) avoid the costly mistakes generally made in start-up, 4) stay engaged with an ever expanding team of licensees and partners, all focused on quality and safety that will "share" the ever-improving experience and knowledge of the network, and 5) continuing the expansion of our Brands Warehouse concept through entry into industry based cooperative agreements and pursuing other acquisitions as they prove suitable to our overall business development strategy. Safe Harbor Statement This press release may contain forward-looking statements which are based on current expectations, forecasts, and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those anticipated or expected, including statements related to the amount and timing of expected revenues and any payment of dividends on our common and preferred stock, statements related to our financial performance, expected income, distributions, and future growth for upcoming quarterly and annual periods. These risks and uncertainties are further defined in filings and reports by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Actual results and the timing of certain events could differ materially from those projected in or contemplated by the forward-looking statements due to a number of factors detailed from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Among other matters, the Medicine Man Technologies may not be able to sustain growth or achieve profitability based on many factors including, but not limited to, general stock market conditions. Reference is hereby made to cautionary statements set forth in the Company's most recent SEC filings. We have incurred and will continue to incur significant expenses in the expansion of our existing and new service lines, noting there is no assurance that we will generate enough revenues to offset those costs in both the near and long-term. Additional service offerings may expose us to additional legal and regulatory costs and unknown exposure(s) based upon the various geopolitical locations where we will be providing services, the impact of which cannot be predicted at this time. To be added to the Medicine Man email distribution list, please email, MDCL@kcsa.com with MDCL in the subject line. For more information, visit us at www.medicinemantechnologies.com ; www.threealight.com Contact Information: Brett Roper via info@medicinemantechnologies.com Telephone (303) 371-0387 MEDICINE MAN TECHNOLOGIES, INC. CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS Expressed in U.S. Dollars September 30, 2018 December 31, 2017 Assets Current assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 529,674 $ 748,715 Accounts receivable 1,009,170 461,343 Accounts receivable - related party 53,839 25,719 Litigation receivable 990,864 - Short-term note receivable, net of allowance 188,550 191,111 Inventory 441,960 106,091 Other assets 34,582 42,819 Total current assets 3,248,639 1,575,798 Non-current assets Fixed assets, net accumulated depreciation of $131,405 and $82,038 $ 84,493 $ 150,047 Intangible assets, net accumulated amortization of $12,275 and $7,388 82,825 87,712 Goodwill 12,304,306 9,304,306 Investment 5,260,840 - Other non-current assets 26,317 14,500 Total non-current assets 17,758,781 9,556,565 Total assets $ 21,007,420 $ 11,132,363 Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity Current liabilities Accounts payable $ 172,360 $ 123,251 Accounts payable - related party 53,000 155,177 Accrued expenses 47,684 - Other liabilities - 56,495 Total current liabilities 273,044 334,923 Long-term liabilities Note payable - related party $ - $ 58,280 Total long-term liabilities - 58,280 Total liabilities 273,044 393,203 Commitments and contingencies, note 13 Shareholders' equity Common stock $0.001 par value. 90,000,000 authorized, 27,578,310 and 22,991,137 were issued and outstanding September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively $ 28,766 $ 23,113 Additional paid-in capital 20,283,174 13,997,441 Additional paid-in capital - Warrants 2,054,369 3,508,256 Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) - - Retained earnings (1,631,933 ) (6,789,650 ) Total shareholders' equity (deficit) 20,734,376 10,739,160 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 21,007,420 $ 11,132,363 MEDICINE MAN TECHNOLOGIES, INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS) AND INCOME For the Three and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 Expressed in U.S. Dollars Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, 2018 2017 2018 2017 Operating revenues Product sales, net $ 280,737 $ 278,495 $ 797,381 $ 506,900 Product sales - related party, net 143,761 61,768 425,499 184,711 Litigation revenue 180,000 - 1,015,154 - Cultivation Max 88,933 - 304,090 - Master licensing fees 3,518,322 - 3,518,322 - Licensing fees 237,700 347,504 663,414 848,816 Consulting fees 163,147 238,480 486,747 805,086 Reimbursements 29,840 - 72,920 - Services - related party 4,479 - 13,437 - Seminars and others 244 2,017 4,279 6,239 Total revenue 4,647,163 928,264 7,301,243 2,351,752 Cost of goods and services Cost of goods and services $ 421,055 $ 282,894 $ 1,091,386 $ 694,018 Cost of goods and services - related party 38,225 14,291 121,808 40,327 Total cost of goods and services 459,280 297,185 1,213,194 734,345 Gross profit $ 4,187,883 $ 631,079 $ 6,088,049 $ 1,617,407 Operating expenses General and administrative $ 170,117 $ 331,764 $ 417,467 $ 735,018 Professional services 177,103 144,796 657,694 384,278 Acquisition costs - 42,600 - 141,301 Stock based compensation expenses 837,500 164,000 837,500 4,644,318 Officers and directors bonuses 145,104 90,823 196,157 90,823 Advertising 32,110 49,592 109,650 136,436 Conference and travel expenses 57,595 - 183,530 - Salaries 423,347 127,250 1,144,567 220,365 Total operating expenses $ 1,842,876 $ 950,825 $ 3,546,565 $ 6,352,539 Income from operations $ 2,345,007 $ (319,746 ) $ 2,541,484 $ (4,735,132 ) Other income/expense Interest (income) $ (7,562 ) $ (7,562 ) $ (22,439 ) $ (22,439 ) Net loss on derivative liability - 136,088 - 4,706 Interest expense related to convertible notes - 22,636 - 66,965 Loss on sales of assets - - 4,316 - Loss on management fee contracts - - - 70,257 Net loss on available for sale securities - 14,719 - 14,457 Unrealized (gain)/loss on investments (2,598,110 ) - (2,598,110 ) (219 ) Total other expense (2,605,672 ) 165,881 (2,616,233 ) 133,727 Net (loss) income $ 4,950,679 $ (485,627 ) $ 5,157,717 $ (4,868,859 ) Earnings per share attributable to common shareholders: Basic and diluted (loss)/earnings per share $ 0.18 $ (0.02 ) $ 0.19 $ (0.22 ) Weighted average number of shares outstanding - basic and diluted 27,578,310 21,883,853 27,578,310 21,883,853 Other comprehensive (loss), net of tax Net unrealized (loss) on available for sale securities - - - - Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax - - - - Comprehensive (loss) gain $ 4,950,679 $ (485,627 ) $ 5,157,717 $ (4,868,859 ) MEDICINE MAN TECHNOLOGIES, INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS For the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 Expressed in U.S. Dollars 2018 2017 Cash flows from operating activities Net income for the period $ 5,157,717 $ (4,868,859 ) Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities Loss (gain) on investment, net - 4,706 Stock based compensation 837,500 4,644,318 Depreciation and amortization 54,253 43,650 Changes in operating assets and liabilities Proceeds from note receivable 2,561 (22,439 ) Accounts receivable (1,566,811 ) (373,902 ) Inventory (335,869 ) (87,685 ) Other assets (3,580 ) (65,331 ) Accounts payable and other liabilities (61,879 ) 68,490 Net cash earned (used) from operating activities 4,083,892 (637,052 ) Cash flows from investing activities Sale of assets 16,187 (242,685 ) Short term debt (58,280 ) - Acquisition investment - 233,357 Investment proceeds (5,260,840 ) - AFS securities investment, net - 4,305 Net cash earned from investing activities (5,302,933 ) (5,023 ) Cash flows from financing activities Sale of common stock 1,000,000 1,058,658 Cash raised by sale of convertible debt - 179,777 Net cash earned from financing activities 1,000,000 1,238,435 Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents (219,041 ) 576,360 Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period 748,715 351,524 Cash and cash equivalents - end of period $ 529,674 $ 927,884 SOURCE: Medicine Man Technologies Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/527570/Medicine-Man-Technologies-Reports-Record-Quarterly-Operating-Revenue-of-46M-Quarterly-Investment-Related-Income-of-26M-and-its-Third-Consecutive-Quarter-Profit-Posting-of-49M Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 8, 2018) - Maritime Resources Corp. (TSXV: MAE) ("Maritime") On the completion of the recently closed $3.5 million financing with Dundee Resources Ltd. and Sprott Inc., Maritime is pleased to announce the appointment of three new independent board members to further enhance the team. The new appointees include Mr. John Hayes as Director who will also serve as Chair of the Board, Mr. Garett Macdonald and Mr. Mark Ashcroft as directors of the Company. The new directorships take effect immediately and will work with our existing team as the Company advances the high grade Hammerdown gold project and further develops its Whisker and Orion exploration projects. Brief biographies of the directors are highlighted below. Mr. John Hayes, M.Sc., MBA, P. Geo - Chair of the Board, Director John is a professional geologist with over 17 years of industry experience ranging from regional surveys to advanced exploration. In addition, John has many years of capital markets experience. John graduated from Memorial University of Newfoundland with an Honours Bachelor of Science in Geology (1989) and a Master of Science in Geology (1997). He also holds an MBA from Dalhousie University (2003). He is a member (P. Geo.) of the Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Newfoundland and Labrador. John was a mining analyst and Managing Director for BMO Capital Markets from 2003 until his retirement in April 2014. In his role with BMO, John covered precious and base metal companies globally from exploration to production stages. John joined Osisko Mining Inc in June 2016, where he served as the Senior Vice President of Corporate Development until March 2018. Mr. Garett Macdonald, MBA, P. Eng. - Director Garett is a professional mining engineer with extensive experience in project development and mine operations with over 22 years of industry experience. He has managed large technical programs through the concept, feasibility and into construction stages and has senior management and board level experience with several public companies. Most recently as Vice President of Project Development for JDS Energy and Mining, Garett was responsible for leading the Curraghinalt Feasibility Study for Dalradian Resources, a high grade, narrow vein Curraghinalt gold project in Northern Ireland, recently acquired by Orion Mine Finance for $537M. Garett also held roles in mine operations and engineering earlier in his career with senior Canadian mining firms Suncor Energy, and Placer Dome Inc. From 2009 to 2013 he served as Vice President of Operations for Rainy River Resources prior to the $310M sale of Rainy River to New Gold Inc. Garett is currently the President & CEO of Tower Resources and a director of First Cobalt, Aurelius Minerals and Gungnir Resources. He holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Western University's Ivey Business School and a Bachelor of Engineering (Mining) from Laurentian University in Sudbury. Mr. Mark N.J. Ashcroft, P. Eng. - Director Mark has been involved in various capacities in the global mining industry and the North American and European debt and equity markets since 1990. Mark is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Aurelius Minerals Inc. Previously, Mark served as President and Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Stonegate Agricom Ltd. from August 2008 to September 2014. From 2007 to 2008, Mark worked at Versant Partners, where he was responsible for successfully developing their mining finance business in sales, trading and corporate finance. Prior to joining Versant Partners, Mark had been employed since 2003 with Toll Cross Securities Inc., a boutique institutional firm in Toronto where he became Managing Director and Head of Investment Banking. From 2001 to 2003, Mark was a member of the Mining and Metals Team at Standard Bank's New York office where he was responsible for providing metals trading and project financing solutions to mid-tier developers and producers in Canada and Latin America. From 1999 to 2000, he was a member of the Mining and Metals Team of Barclays Capital, a leading provider of project finance to the mining industry. From 1996 to 1998, he worked in Mines Technical Services at Inco Limited's Ontario Division, where he qualified as a Professional Engineer in Ontario. various operating roles in North and South Mark holds his Bachelor of Engineering (Mining) from Laurentian University and a Master of Science (Finance, Regulation and Risk Management) from the ISMA Centre of the University of Reading. Mr. Fulcher, President and CEO commented: "We are extremely pleased to be moving Maritime forward in such a positive way with both the financing for $3.5 million completed by two significant groups in Dundee and Sprott and the additions to our board. The three new members have board expertise in all aspects of the mining and financial industry and come with a proven track record of developing, financing and operating mining projects. With these new board members joining the Maritime team we will continue to diligently advance our 100% owned Green Bay Hammerdown gold project towards production." The Company would also like to announce that Mr. Alan Williams has resigned as Chairman and Director of the Company effective October 29th, 2018. Alan was one of the original founding directors of the Company in 2007 and became Chairman in 2017, he has remained active both on the board and as the Company's Chairman since then. On behalf of the board and employees of the Company, we thank Alan for his years of dedication and wish him all the best on his future endeavors. Alan will continue to act as an advisor to the Company. About Maritime Resources Corp: Maritime Resources holds 100% of the Green Bay Property, located near Springdale, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The property hosts the past producing Hammerdown gold mine and the nearby Orion gold deposit. As well the Lochinvar base metals/precious metals deposit sits to the north east end of the Rumbullion deposit. Based on the scenario presented in the Company's March 2017 PFS, the Hammerdown mine is expected to produce approximately 180,000 ounces over a 5 year life at a cash cost of $558 CDN with an all in cost (including capital, sustaining capital and operating cost) of $955 CDN per ounce of gold. Total estimated upfront capital is $35M CDN, and the project has a pre-tax NPV 8% = $72M CDN with an IRR of 47% based on a toll milling arrangement at the nearby Nugget Pond Mill. The after tax NPV 8% = $44M CDN with an IRR = 35% based on a $1250/oz gold price. Further information on the Green Bay Gold Property can be found on our website along with the NI43-101 compliant Technical Report filed on SEDAR on July 11, 2013 at www.maritimeresourcescorp.com. Bernard H. Kahlert, P.Eng. is the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this release. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Doug Fulcher President, CEO Forfurther information, please call: Doug Fulcher Telephone: (604) 336-7322 info@maritimeresourcescorp.com The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Statements in this press release, other than purely historical information, including statements relating to the Company's future plans and objectives or expected results, may include forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions and are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties inherent in resource exploration and development. As a result, actual results may vary materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Caution Regarding Forward Looking Statements: Certain information included in this press release, including information relating to future financial or operating performance and other statements that express the expectations of management or estimates of future performance constitute "forward-looking statements". Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding copper, gold and silver forecasts, the financial strength of the Company, estimates regarding timing of future development and production and statements concerning possible expansion opportunities for the Company. Where the Company expresses or implies an expectation or belief as to future events or results, such expectation or belief are based on assumptions made in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis. Such assumptions include, without limitation, the price of and anticipated costs of recovery of, copper concentrate, gold and silver, the presence of and continuity of such minerals at modeled grades and values, the capacities of various machinery and equipment, the availability of personnel, machinery and equipment at estimated prices, mineral recovery rates, and others. However, forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed, projected or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks include, but are not limited to, interpretation and implications of drilling and geophysical results; estimates regarding timing of future capital expenditures and costs towards profitable commercial operations. Other factors that could cause actual results, developments or events to differ materially from those anticipated include, among others, increases/decreases in production; volatility in metals prices and demand; currency fluctuations; cash operating margins; cash operating cost per pound sold; costs per ton of ore; variances in ore grade or recovery rates from those assumed in mining plans; reserves and/or resources; the ability to successfully integrate acquired assets; operational risks inherent in mining or development activities and legislative factors relating to prices, taxes, royalties, land use, title and permits, importing and exporting of minerals and environmental protection. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements and the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained herein are made as at the date hereof and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or revise any such forward-looking statements or any forward-looking statements contained in any other documents whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable security law. Concern America and Canopy Life Academy Win $5,000 to Serve Impoverished Communities INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- International Medical Group (IMG) is pleased to announce Concern America and Canopy Life Academy as winners of the second annual Leave Your Mark essay contest! Each organization will receive $5,000 to fund their global outreach efforts. "The work that these organizations do is truly inspiring," said IMG Executive Vice President Steve Paraboschi. "The Leave Your Mark essay contest aims to create a better future for communities around the world, while giving back to those who've dedicated their lives to serving others." Concern America was founded in 1972 and works to develop long-term solutions to poverty through self-reliance and sustainability. Canopy Life International was founded in 2003 and is a residential school in Kenya that provides quality education and prepares students to succeed. To qualify for the Leave Your Mark essay contest, mission organizations submitted a 500-word essay answering the question: If your organization were to win, what would be your human impact? Concern America plans to use the contest winnings to provide health care services to an additional 1,000 people in Colombia. Canopy Life Academy will use the funds to improve their facilities and provide training for new counseling positions. Essays were judged by third-party representatives including Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy Chief Operating Officer Marilyn H. Kuhn and Eskenazi Health Foundation President and CEO Ernest Vargo II, CFRE. Each judge scored the essays on a 100-point scale, allowing a maximum of 25 points for content (relevance of topic), passion (interest in helping others), human impact (social good for community) and completeness (level of detail). International Medical Group has been insuring mission organizations worldwide for over 25 years, and we're proud to help fund the global outreach efforts of those who live and work internationally through our Leave Your Mark essay contest. About International Medical Group For nearly 30 years, International Medical Group, headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.A., has provided global insurance benefits and assistance services to millions of members in almost every country. We are committed to being there with our members to provide them with Global Peace of Mind. Our full-service approach includes 24/7 worldwide assistance, medical management services, and highly trained, multilingual customer service professionals. IMG delivers the insurance products and assistance services members need, backed by the services they want. IMG's global family of companies includes AkesoCare Management, Global Response Ltd., and ALC Health. LONDON, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- On November 8, Wealth and Society held its inaugural Global Wealth and Society Awards at the Courthouse Hotel Shoreditch, London. Three sets of awards were presented during the night, Product and Service Achievement, Business Achievement and Leadership Achievement in Wealth and Society Awards. A total of 8 awards were given during the awards ceremony. DBS Bank remains committed to environmental, social and governance (ESG) and digitalisation to achieve tangible and significant outcomes Private wealth management bank across regions demonstrated extensive focus in meeting customers' financial, lifestyle and social needs Regional players have shown great appetite for engaging with trusted advisory partners The recipients of the Global Wealth and Society Awards underwent a stringent and comprehensive evaluation process, demonstrating high understanding of client's personal aspiration as well as family and business interests. Winning institutions depicted the verve to deploy wealth in ways to bring about positive impacts on the society and at the same time made positive financial return on client investments. DBS Bank was recognised as the Best Private Bank for Wealth and Society in Asia Pacific For achieving tangible and significant outcomes for its business, customers and communities at large and most successfully demonstrating a clear strategic vision of the Future of Wealth around the core pillars of ESG, Estate Planning, Ecosystem, alternative investments and external asset management, DBS Bank was recognised as the Best Private Bank in Wealth and Society for Asia Pacific at the Global Wealth and Society Awards 2018 dinner. The bank scored high across all criteria, in meeting performance standards in the Value of Franchise, Financial Performance, Social Impact and Technology and Efficiency (Digitalisation). Operating the largest and fastest growing private banking business among the region's domiciled banks, the bank significantly improved its profitability, reduced cost-to-income and elevated return-on-equity through a series of successful acquisitions and digital enhancements. The seriousness of its ESG focus was validated by delivery of extensive and holistic range of products and services and key customer and community initiatives around social impact investments. Continuing to scale up in meeting customers evolving needs Private wealth management banks have continued to scale up in meeting evolving financial, lifestyle and social needs by either digitalising key aspects of businesses or innovating their investment product suites. For fostering core values of simple, transparent, convenient and caring through its "Young Banker Officer" program, the bank undertook best practices to ensure financial intermediation and successful transfer of wealth for its clients. Taishin International Bank was awarded the Best Private Bank for Wealth and Society in Taiwan. A great appetite for engaging with trusted advisory partners The reversal of flows from traditional centres of wealth to domestic wealth management centres has expedited the onshoring of wealth management services. Regional banks have taken the opportunity to partner with old and sophisticated private wealth institutions. Bank Mandiri strengthened investment services for family offices to offer a rich private banking experience through a strategic partnership with Lombard Odier. The bank enunciated a clear focus in meeting the Indonesian Government's ESG targets through impact investment bonds. The Best Private Bank for Wealth and Society in Indonesia was awarded to Bank Mandiri. While a dominant market share and wide branch network helped KB Kookmin secure significant share of high and ultra-high net worth population, partnership with Lombard Odier was key in meeting Korean Private Banking customer's global investment needs. KB Kookmin Bank was recognised as the Best Private Bank for Wealth and Society in South Korea. About Global Wealth and Society Awards Programme The Global Wealth and Society Awards Programme seeks to recognise high and ultra-high net-worth individuals who use their wealth to bring about positive impacts on the society that they operate in, and the institutions that help them do so. Around the world opportunities in wealth are being created in different ways, driven by new innovations, and the growth of wealth in different societies can be a force for good. Individuals who have successfully build their businesses or managed inherited assets have an important role in building sustainable societies. Through this programme, we have measured wealth not by the people who are wealthy but by the people who are useful to the society they operate in. Click here for specific details relating to description of the awards, evaluation criteria and process, http://www.wealthandsociety.com/theglobalwealthandsocietyawards/criteria. The Global Wealth and Society Awards is powered by the research capability of The Asian Banker, one of the leading international strategic business intelligence, research and consulting service providers that is focused on the financial services and wealth management industries. Established since 1996, The Asian Banker has built extensive presence, developed strong industry networks and generated significant goodwill among players and their clients in the major countries of Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa over more than 20 years. For media enquiries, please contact: Alfred Labiccasi Marketing Manager Wealth and Society Tel: +44 1823 711134 alabiccasi@wealthandsociety.com Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - November 8, 2018) - James Bay Resources Limited (CSE: JBR) ("James Bay" or the "Company") announced that its Board of Directors has approved an investment (the "Investment") of US$1.5 million to acquire 3,333,334 common shares from the treasury of Cerrado Gold Inc. ("Cerrado Gold"), a privately owned Ontario company. James Bay will hold approximately 14% of the issued and outstanding common shares of Cerrado Gold after the Investment, which was completed on November 7, 2018. Cerrado Gold has executed an agreement to acquire a gold exploration project in Brazil (the "Acquisition"). The Acquisition is expected to close in mid November 2018. Upon closing of the Acquisition, James Bay will hold approximately 8.89% of the issued and outstanding common shares of Cerrado Gold. The dilution of James Bay's ownership percentage will be the result of Cerrado Gold's issuance of shares from treasury to the third party sellers as part of the agreed terms of the Acquisition. Related Party Transaction Mr. Stephen Shefsky, President, Chief Executive Officer and a director of James Bay, is also a director and a shareholder of Cerrado Gold, holding 2,000,000 common shares and 1,000,000 warrants in the capital of Cerrado Gold, representing approximately 8%. Mr. Mark Brennan, a director of James Bay, is also a director and a shareholder of Cerrado Gold, beneficially holding 2,972,222 common shares and 1,000,000 warrants in the capital of Cerrado Gold, representing approximately 12%. As a result, each of Mr. Shefsky and Mr. Brennan has declared a conflict of interest and abstained from voting on any matters relating to the Investment by the James Bay Board. The Board of Directors of James Bay appointed an independent committee, consisting of three independent directors, to review the proposed Investment in Cerrado Gold. In reaching its conclusions and formulating its recommendations, the independent committee considered, among other factors: (i) information in respect of Cerrado Gold with respect to its assets and operations contained in a Cerrado presentation presented to the Independent Committee; (ii) the information provided by the common directors about Cerrado; (iii) the ongoing offering of Cerrado common shares with participation by arm's length investors on the same terms of the Investment; and (iv) current industry, economic and market conditions and trends. Pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"), the Investment by James Bay in Cerrado Gold, given the interest in each company of Messrs. Shefsky and Brennan, is a "related party transaction". James Bay is exempt from the requirements to obtain a formal valuation in connection with the Investment in reliance on sections 5.5(b) of MI 61-101, as James Bay is not listed on a stock exchange specified in section 5.5(b) of MI 61-101. About Cerrado Gold Inc. Cerrado Gold Inc. ("Cerrado") is a private junior mining company focused on the exploration of the Serra Alta gold deposit at the Monte do Carmo property in Tocantins, Brazil, an agricultural region with good infrastructure and topography. Cerrado is developing Serra Alta as a potential large, open-pit, high grade, low cost mine. Cerrado is currently focussed on an extensive exploration program to produce an updated Technical Report and Resource Estimate prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards for Disclosure for Mineral Projects by the end of 2018. The Monte Do Carmo project hosts 5 concessions totaling 17,353 hectares with multiple analogous targets identified from historical mining workings. About James Bay Resources Limited James Bay is a Canadian resource company with 46,697,405 shares outstanding and trades on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol "JBR". Please visit the James Bay website at www.jamesbayresources.com. Disclaimer This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the Corporation's operations, exploration and development plans, expansion plans, estimates, expectations, forecasts, objectives, predictions and projections of the future. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "projects", "intends", "anticipates", or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or "variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "can", "could", "would", "might", or "will" be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of James Bay Resources Limited to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: risks related to the Company's business generally and the Investment in Cerrado Gold, risks related to operations, construction delays and cost overruns, the actual results of exploration, development and construction activities, conclusions of economic evaluations, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, future commodity prices, as well as those factors discussed in the sections relating to risk factors of our business filed in James Bay Resources Limited's required securities filings on SEDAR. Although James Bay Resources Limited has attempted to identify important factors that could cause results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results to be materially different from those anticipated, described, estimated, assessed or intended. There can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements will prove 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. James Bay Resources Limited does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. For further information about James Bay, please contact: Stephen Shefsky President and CEO Tel:416-366-4200 sshefsky@jamesbayresources.com The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Two years ago, on this day, Modi launched demonetisation with three core objectives to begin with--terminating black money in cash, killing fake currency and putting an end to cash-based corruption. Not even in their wildest imaginations, Indians would have given a serious thought that more than three-fourth of the currency in the system would vanish overnight--till the evening of 8 November 2016. Even for economists, this wasnt a likely possibility in the economy. No one thought that any political leadership serious about its future prospects would go for a such a high-risk gamble. But Narendra Modi found a big political opportunity here and presented note ban as the biggest attack on Indias parallel economy ever. India had demonetised notes in the past too, but that was a minuscule compared to what Modi had in mind. Two years ago, on this day, Modi launched demonetisation with three core objectives to begin with--terminating black money in cash, killing fake currency and putting an end to cash-based corruption. The objectives were noble and welcome in an economy where a parallel economy was thriving. The operation itself was unheard of in such a huge scale in any comparable economy. About 86 percent of the cash in circulation vanished in one go when Rs 500, Rs 1,000 notes were declared invalid. Till date, there is no hard evidence that demonetisation achieved any of the three initially stated objectives in the desired manner. On the other hand, the costs the economy had to pay were huge. The list of objectives was expanded in the subsequent months after the launch of note ban. From the initial three, the goal was later shifted to digitisation of the economy, which was announced by Modi in one his Mann ki baat programmes. Subsequently, the whole banking system and government machinery was pressed into action to create a 'cashless' or 'less cash' economy. Since then, digital transactions have picked up particularly through channels like Unified Payments Interface (UPI). This was a notable shift in a cash-dominated economy. Surely, cash in circulation dipped in the subsequent months. But cash returned with a vengeance in the period after. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data shows that the currency in circulation spiked to Rs 19.6 lakh crore as on 26 October 2018, registering a growth of 9.5 percent from two years ago and compared with Rs 17.9 lakh crore on 4 November 2016, the week before the note ban. Further, ATM withdrawals too have picked up. This further tells us that cash is clearly back and is unlikely to go off the scene in India that is dominated by an informal economy and a cash-intensive labour force. 'Less cash economy' remains a dream despite a massive one-off shock treatment on cash. What suffered worst during the attack on cash was the cash-intensive industries and small and medium enterprises (SME), and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). When cash significantly disappeared from the system for a good three to four months, supply chains took a major hit and labour force was cut down in many small firms. Things began improving when cash returned to the system but many failed to survive. Reports emerged of several micro-units shutting shop which inevitably meant job losses and, in turn, demand slowdown. The biggest disappointment was when the RBI data showed almost all of the demonetised notes came back to the bank counters. This poured cold water on the initial expectations that a significant chunk of the unlawful money will return and that amount can be put in use for productive purposes in the future economy. The RBI took a very long time to finish the mammoth task of physically verifying and counting the demonetised notes. The RBI governor received a lot of flak for this delay, including from a Parliamentary Standing Committee, in making the information public. Demonetisation was a political move, almost entirely. The RBI had only a secondary role to play throughout the demonetisation episode.While its role in deciding the launch of demonetisation was understandably limited, the unenviable task of implementing the programme was completely entrusted with the RBI. This wasn't easy for the central bank. Scores of circulars were issued on various rules and some of them were rolled back. Most of the decisions were taken on the go. The huge public unrest that followed in the later months on account of mega problems in depositing and withdrawing money put the regulator, and the banking system as a whole, in a spot. The mayhem continued for a long time. Those who criticised the central bank heavily for its handling of note ban included former RBI governor Y V Reddy, and one of the former deputy governors, Usha Thorat. They cited the reputation loss RBI as an institution suffered throughout the whole episode. Politically, however, demonetisation never proved to be a major setback for PM Modi. The BJP continued its victory run in the subsequent state elections. The Uttar Pradesh assembly polls that followed not very long after the note ban was considered as the litmus test for the BJP on the demonetisation reception. The party achieved a grand victory in the state poll, silencing demonetisation critics. Having highlighted these points, it is unfair only to look at the negatives of demonetisation. Regardless of the tangible results, this was the biggest crackdown on parallel economy modern India ever witnessed and no one doubts the intention of the exercise. Without doubt, this led to a creation of more formalised economy. Most of the money in circulation can be now traced to the sources and taxmen have a better grip on those who have deposited illicit money in their bank accounts. There is a fear on the ground about getting caught if you deal in unaccounted cash. The notable positives of the demonetisation include the fact that an increasing number of people are now familiar with digital modes of transactions and the fact thatwe now have a more formalised economy. When seen against the pain it inflicted on the economy, did the move make sense is the larger question. After two years, the Indian economy is largely past the demonetisation impact. Of course, the jury is still out on whether demonetisation was amasterstrokee of the Narendra Modi-government or an economic blunder. But so far, the costs of demonetisation, one can argue, have far outweighed the gains in the economy. In 2017, the total sales during Diwali stood at Rs 25,000 crore, CAIT secretary general Praveen Khandelwal said in a statement on Thursday. Mumbai: The national traders body CAIT has said there was a 20 percent volume growth during Diwali sales across the country at Rs 30,000 crore. In 2017, the total sales stood at Rs 25,000 crore, CAIT secretary general Praveen Khandelwal said in a statement on Thursday. "During last four years, there was a slump during Diwali sales. However, this year traders did good business during compared to last year," Khandelwal said. In Delhi alone, sales volume crossed over Rs 5,000 crore, he added. Consumer durables like electronics and electrical items and FMCG products like decoration and gift items, dry fruits, sweets & namkeens, readymade garments, biscuits, confectionary items etc, did brisk business, he said, adding traders of computer and computer peripherals, paints, hardware, and kitchen appliances & equipments also saw spike in their volumes. Khandelwal reiterated that widening e-commerce without any regulations is causing loss to offline trade and demanded setting up of a regulatory authority. "In absence of a proper e-commerce policy, online companies are doing business without any checks and balances. Government should frame an e-commerce policy immediately and set up a regulatory authority to regulate and monitor them," he said. One thing that can indeed be said with certainty is that the effort by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2016 was a gamble. What new lesson can possibly be drawn about the controversial demonetisation of high-value currency notes carried out two years ago in a stealthy manner that has already been analysed to death from various angles: political, economic, social and conceptual? One thing that can indeed be said with certainty is that the effort by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2016 was a gamble. But more than a gamble, it was a measure that showed that this government was not afraid to take hard decisions where necessary. Coming as it did in the backdrop of Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs UPA government that was accused of policy paralysis, the note ban was as much a political gamble as it was an economic gamble. Alas, what happened in the weeks that followed the 8 November 2016 demonetisation was an exercise that demonstrated the dubious genius of the Indian tax evader gamester who could put 99 percent of the so-called dirty cash back into the banking system at what seems like a relatively small cost to himself. I had asked then two questions: "Can you cast a net to catch whales? Or worse, are there black money sharks out there who can bite their way out of the net?" In retrospect, the answer seems a "No" to the first question, and a resounding "Yes" to the second. More important, the hardships caused to small businesses and ordinary citizens and daily wage workers showed a social cost not amenable to the simplistic arithmetic of the hold'em-up economics to catch tax thieves. This turned out to be another Bollywood movie in which the police arrived too late on the scene. However, we just had the finance minister tweeting on what critics were hashtagging as a "Dark Day" to claim that the demonetisation exercise set the economy on a path to formalisation. In plain English, the formalisation is ostensibly a combination of a push towards electronic cash on the one hand and a crackdown on shell companies that faced some heat in the toothcombing of cash deposits that followed the end of the demonetisation drive. We are yet to see any smoking gun evidence of significance to prove that the shell companies brought some tax cash into the exchequer's account. What the government has offered now is a vague claim that things have changed for the better. As for cash, the economy is back to its old ways of dealing in paper currency after a forced honeymoon with mobile wallets. If indeed formalisation of the economy was the issue, there was no need for Modi to ask India's citizens to give him "50 days" to combat black money as he ushered in the demonetisation drive. With anecdotal evidence, I had within two days of the launch described the time-frame as a 50-day 'hawala window' for those who wanted to game the note ban to launder unexplainable cash. The government has since shifted goalposts, changed its tactics and put a fine spin on its gamble. The trouble with gambling is that it can be addictive. As I argued three weeks into the exercise, the government was twisting itself into jalebi-like knots to explain its position and behaving more like a local cop desperate to catch an elusive pickpocket than the administrator of the world's fastest growing economy. Agreed there is a romantic populism to a midnight swoop or a surgical strike, agreed that black money was something the BJP had promised to eradicate, agreed that the intentions of the government were noble, but nonetheless, there seems to have been a naivete bordering on foolhardiness in the manner in which the NDA government overran the advice of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) headed by governor Raghuram Rajan to eschew its cowboy approach to lasso in Black Buck Gangsters. The moral of the story is that you cannot play poker in an economy that needs hands seasoned in Bridge. Maybe, we don't need bells and whistles. Maybe the crackdown on shell companies could have begun well in advance and adequate stacks of swap currency notes kept ready in stealth to make it all work without a shortage of notes. After all, this is a country that staged two nuclear tests, one in 1974 and another in 1998 in perfect secrecy. Could it be that Modi trusted just a couple of lieutenants who he could trust and presented everybody else with a fait-accompli? It seems so. Even if the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government had its heart in the right place with the best of intentions, there is an old saying by Voltaire that comes to mind: "Perfect is the enemy of the good." Perhaps, there was a perfection that the Modi sarkar was seeking from an array of players including bureaucrats, bankers and administrators that it could neither manage nor control. The BJP is right in criticising rival Congress on the ground that it is not sincere in fighting corruption but it is equally true that there is a "system" that is larger than both parties together. It is the system that needs to be fixed. This needs long-term thinking with deeper insights, not a Bollywood-style hold-up. (The writer is a senior journalist and commentator. He tweets as @madversity) The Karnataka High Court has ordered the high-handed and willfully defiant service tax official to cough up a hefty Rs 1 lakh as fine from out of his personal sources i.e. without burdening the department. It is common knowledge among the cognoscenti that the arrears of taxes, be they direct or indirect, are invariably exaggerated, what with tax officials making high-pitched assessments to cozy up to their administrative and political bosses as well as to steer clear of auditors ire. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has the tendency to highlight loss to the revenue even of genuine assessments so much so that tax officials playing safe err on the side of revenue and caution. Small wonder then that the tax department in the vast majority of the cases has to look sheepish before the high court which turns down the departments stand, vindicating the taxpayer. Between 2012-13 and 2017-18, as a result, tax arrears rose 2.3 times, from Rs 4,86,180 crore to Rs 11,22,752 crore, while direct taxes collections rose at a much slower 1.8 times. The government, to be sure, has done its best to rein in this dangerous proclivity by providing for Advance Price Agreement being cleared by the CBDT as well as Advance Ruling by the high-powered Advance Ruling Authority whose opinion is binding on the department up to the tribunal level. But exaggerated assessments continue unabated with multi-national companies (MNCs) bearing the brunt of the tax officials high-handedness. The Karnataka High Court has hit where it hurts. It has ordered the high-handed and willfully defiant service tax official to cough up a hefty Rs 1 lakh as fine from out of his personal sources i.e. without burdening the department. Parenthetically, it may be pointed out that in the US, citizens can sue the US government as well as the state governments for official highhandedness including for wrongful arrests and trespass by the police. But what the Karnataka High Court has done is a good start that would slow down bureaucratic tyranny and cussedness. XL Health Corporation was charged with profiteering under the erstwhile Service Tax law by the Commissioner of Appeals. This was turned down by the CESTAT - the appellate forum -- with the clear observations that the Commissioners order went beyond the show-cause notice and in any case there was no unjust enrichment. The High Court which was seized of the same matter in a subsequent years proceedings found to its dismay that the same officer had wilfully disobeyed the CESTAT order and observations which strangely met with support from his department which blamed XL Health Corporation for adopting dilatory tactics despite the fact that it was armed with findings in its favor in the previous years assessment. The High Court did well to reiterate the importance of judicial precedence. An appellate authoritys views are binding on its subordinates. Otherwise, there wont be any judicial and administrative discipline in addition to there being no finality to an issue with the self-same matter being raised again and again. The High Court has directed the Revenue Secretary to take disciplinary action against the erring high-handed official if he fails to deposit Rs 1 lakh as fine. One wishes the honorable high court had not shown this indulgence but instead ordered attachment of his properties to recover the fine. Be that as it may, the refreshing thing is tax officials would now fear similar hefty penalties and mellow down while doing assessments instead of being more loyal than the King! It is nobodys case that the tax officials should discard revenue interests but when cast in the role of quasi-judicial officers, they must act impartially and not harass the assessees. CAG should also cease to have revenue fixation to the exclusion of fairness and justice. If bank managers while processing even genuine loans are hobbled by the fear of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) snapping at its heels, even honest tax officers fear the adverse remarks of the CAG resulting in their Confidential Report (CR) getting smudged and smeared with adverse remarks by their superiors. (The author is a senior columnist and tweets @smurlidharan) Moody's has placed on review for downgrade the 'Baa3' issuer and senior unsecured rating of Bharti Airtel and the ratings on the backed senior unsecured notes issued by Bharti's wholly-owned subsidiary, Bharti Airtel International (Netherlands) B V, the US-based agency said in a statement New Delhi: Moody's Investors Service on Thursday placed Bharti Airtel's rating on review for downgrade, following low levels of profitability and expectation of weak cash flow. Moody's has placed on review for downgrade the 'Baa3' issuer and senior unsecured rating of Bharti Airtel and the ratings on the backed senior unsecured notes issued by Bharti's wholly-owned subsidiary, Bharti Airtel International (Netherlands) B V, the US-based agency said in a statement. 'Baa3' is the lowest investment-grade bond ratings, and any downgrade would put the rating in speculative grade. "The review for downgrade is primarily driven by our expectation that Bharti's cash flow generation will remain weak and leverage elevated," Moody's VP and Senior Credit Officer Annalisa DiChiara said. The review also reflects the company's low levels of profitability, particularly from its core Indian mobile operations, negative free cash flow and higher debt levels to fund capital spending, it said. "Because we believe a more rational competitive environment in India's telecommunications market is unlikely over the next 12-18 months, the review also reflects uncertainty as to whether the company's profitability, cash flow situation and debt levels can improve sustainably and materially over the same period," said DiChiara, who is also Moody's lead analyst for Bharti. The review on Bharti's rating will focus on the company's commitments and plans to substantially reduce debt levels significantly over a short period of time; and plans to turnaround the underlying Indian mobile operations. While the majority of the $1.25 billion raised from the pre-IPO of its African business will be used to reduce debt, leverage will only improve marginally, Moody's said. At the end of September, Bharti's consolidated net debt rose to Rs 1.13 lakh crore, compared to Rs 1.02 lakh crore for the previous quarter. Moody's views positively management's plans to engage in further capital-raising activities - including asset sales - which aim to reduce debt levels significantly. "However, Bharti is becoming increasingly dependent on a significant turnaround of the underlying Indian operations to ensure a sustainable level of financial health supportive of an investment grade rating," it said. Moody's said the ratings could be downgraded if the company fails to use proceeds received from its recent pre-IPO of its African business or its proposed capital-raising activities for debt reduction. Moreover, any further deterioration in its operating performance, particularly in the Indian mobile segment, such that earnings and cash flows or revenue market share contracts from current levels, would also lead to a downgrade, the agency added. A bruising price war sparked by the entry of richest Indian Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio into the telecom sector with free voice calls and SMS bundled with cheap data has led to pressure on margins of incumbents, which have scrambled to match competition. Bharti Airtel recently reported a drop in consolidated net profit for the tenth straight quarter as losses on mainstay India business widened due to pricing pressure from aggressive competition. Overall, the consolidated net profit of Rs 118.8 crore in July-September represented a drop of about 65 percent from Rs 343 crore in the year-ago period. The loss from India operations (before exceptional items) mounted to Rs 1,646.4 crore in the second quarter of the current fiscal compared to about Rs 940 crore in the preceding three-month period. The company had clocked a net income of Rs 649.4 crore in the July-September quarter of 2017. Prime Minister Narendra Modi can take heart from the fact that the biggest reveler in cash, the real estate industry has been humbled The real estate market which had been characterised by shady cash deals to the extent of around 60 percent in Delhi and Mumbai today wears a humbled look. Buyers are reluctant to pay cash. Home loan companies are not disbursing the loan unless all payments to builders hitherto have been accounted for through banking channels. Sellers are afraid of taking cash lest next round of demonetisation might hobble them. Prime Minister Narendra Modi can take heart from this fact alone---the biggest reveler in cash, the real estate industry has been humbled. In the process, it might have slowed down but that cannot be forever. Of course, this is not enough. It is a work in progress. Several rounds of demonetisation might be needed till cash loses its lustre to crooks. Yes, it is the crooks who are wistfully looking back to the cash economy. The poor and the middle class are warming to the idea of non-cash payments, be they through mobile wallets, cards or BHIM. Goldsmiths and jewelers, another revelers in cash, are now more circumspect, insisting on PAN from those offering more than Rs 2 lakh in cash. The third set of revelers in cash, the medical profession and hospitals are wearing a doleful look what with Ayushman Bharat depriving this sector of cash. Traders, hitherto, accepting cash are seeing the merit and comfort in swiping machines that spares them the agony and burden of handling cash. Yes, Modi has done something seminal through demonetisation---instilling in the nation respect for non-cash payments and contempt for cash for large transactions. Modi should, however, cleanse his own Augean stables---the political parties, the largest in the world of which he is the supremo. He and his government did well to end cash donations to political parties beyond Rs 2000. But this is not enough. He must mandate complete ban on cash donations given the Indian proclivity at taking a foot when an inch is given----the Indian ingenuity lies in splitting and splintering. A wily donor wanting to give Rs 1 crore in political donation would laugh up his sleeve and ask the political parties to note the largesse in the names of 5,000 fictitious persons. To be sure, this was a lot easier when the limit was Rs 20,000. Nevertheless, Modi will have to go the whole hog because political funding is the gangotri of cash economy of India. Cash should be gradually sucked out of the economy. When net banking and card payments gain ascendancy, the pernicious role of cash will come down. In step with such reduction in role for cash, ATMs must be dismantled because they beckon cash guzzlers by their sheer existence. Banks must prevail upon their trader-account holders to install swiping machines at their establishments as it is a win-win in the sense that both are spared the agony of handling cash. When bank accounts become universal, payments must be made through banking channels including to farmers by the procurement agency the Food Corporation of India (FCI). Small-scale industry (SSI) units and micro units must be encouraged to dispense with cash and instead embrace banking transactions. The Income Tax Act rightly encourages small traders with an attractive incentive---just 6 percent deemed profit on turnover up to Rs 2 crore to the extent it is through banking channels. Demonetisation by itself would not have mainstreamed the economy. The credit for this must go to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) which was ushered almost back-to-back with demonetisation. One doesnt know if the Modi government planned the two in advance and sequenced them to perfection but the truth is even if the two panned out one after another serendipitously, they have together ended the countrys mental sickness in reveling in cash. That is the crowning glory of demonetisation. Let the naysayers and quibblers say anything. The poor bore the brunt in the early days of demonetisation when they stood in serpentine queues before ATMs. But they have given their thumbs-up to the exercise. And it is their blessings that count. (The author is a senior columnist and tweets @smurlidharan) Preventing oil prices from rising any further has been a relentless rise in US crude output, which hit a record 11.6 million bpd in the week ending 2 November Singapore: Oil prices were stable on Thursday, supported by rumblings from within OPEC that production curbs may become necessary again to prevent a return of global oversupply. But soaring US crude output, which hit a record 11.6 million barrels per day (bpd) last week, kept a lid on prices. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil futures were at $61.75 per barrel at 0120 GMT, up 8 cents from their last settlement. Front-month Brent crude oil futures were up 6 cents at $72.13 a barrel. A group of producers around the Middle East-dominated Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) as well as Russia decided last June to relax output curbs in place since 2017, after pressure from US President Donald Trump to reduce oil prices and make up for supply losses from Iran. But with Iran sanctions now in place and oil still in ample availability, OPEC-led production cuts next year cannot be ruled out, two OPEC sources said on Wednesday. OPEC and Russia may use cuts to support $70 per barrel, said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank. "The introduction of US sanctions earlier this week against Iran failed to lift the market given the announcement that eight countries, including three of the worlds biggest importers, would receive waivers to carry on buying Iranian crude for up to six months, Hansen said. US crude oil output hits record 11.6 mln bpd. Only way is up Preventing oil prices from rising any further has been a relentless rise in US crude output, which hit a record 11.6 million bpd in the week ending 2 November, according to Energy Information Administration (EIA) data released on Wednesday. Thats a threefold increase from the US low reached a decade ago, and a 22.2 percent rise just this year. It makes the United States the worlds biggest producer of crude oil. That has impacted US crude inventories, which rose by 5.8 million barrels in the week ending 2 November to 431.79 million barrels, the EIA said. Crude stocks moved back above their five-year average levels in October. By David Gaffen NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices slipped on Wednesday, continuing a recent slide after surging U.S. By David Gaffen NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices slipped on Wednesday, continuing a recent slide after surging U.S. crude output hit another record and domestic inventories rose more than expected. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said domestic crude inventories rose 5.8 million barrels in the latest week, more than double analysts' expectations. Crude output hit 11.6 million bpd, a weekly record, though weekly figures can be volatile. Most recent monthly data for August showed overall production at more than 11.3 million bpd.[EIA/S] U.S. crude futures fell 54 cents to settle at $61.67 a barrel, nearly 20 percent below a peak close of $76.41 a barrel in early October. The market has yet to prove that it can hold onto a rally, so the short-term mood is still very negative," said Phil Flynn, analyst at Price Futures Group in Chicago. Brent crude , the global benchmark, settled down 6 cents to $72.07 a barrel, bouncing off its post-EIA session low on support from earlier reports that Russia and Saudi Arabia are discussing whether to cut crude output next year. While Iranian oil exports are expected to fall after U.S. sanctions took effect on Monday, reports from OPEC and other forecasters have indicated the global oil market could have a surplus in 2019 as demand slows. Also, the United States granted waivers on Iranian sanctions to eight countries who import that country's crude. "The market is now going to look to OPEC and non-OPEC producers to rein in production as the U.S. has granted eight countries waivers from sanction, which in essence adds to supply," said Andrew Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates in Houston. Russia and Saudi Arabia, top producers in an OPEC-led alliance, started bilateral talks on a return to production cuts next year, Russia's TASS news agency reported, citing an unnamed source. In June, the producer group decided to relax output curbs in place since 2017, after pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump. Analysts said those countries may be more willing to cut output now that the U.S. midterm elections are over. Trump, whose Republican party was fighting to retain control of congress, had complained of higher gasoline prices. "OPEC was feeling the Trump pressure but producers took action with the thinking that they just needed to get past the U.S. election," said Joe McMonigle, analyst at Hedgeye in Washington, in a note Wednesday. "We expect to start hearing public comments from OPEC ministers this weekend" about pulling back on production. A ministerial committee composed of some members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies meets on Sunday in Abu Dhabi to discuss the outlook for 2019. Graphic: Iran's crude, condensate exports (https://tmsnrt.rs/2PMqQgS) (Additional reporting by Henning Gloystein; Editing by David Gregorio and Bernadette Baum) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. The relaxations in the ECB norms follow other moves by the RBI, including last week's permission to banks to use credit enhancement to help NBFCs raise medium to long-term funds. Mumbai: The Reserve Bank has liberalised the norms governing foreign borrowings for infrastructure creation "in consultation with the Government". The minimum average maturity requirement for ECBs (external commercial borrowings) in the infrastructure space raised by eligible borrowers has been reduced to three years from earlier five years, a notification said. Additionally, the average maturity requirement for mandatory hedging has been reduced to five years from earlier ten years, the central bank announced. The provisions have been reviewed and decisions taken "in consultation with the Government of India," it added. The move comes amid concerns surrounding the availability of funds following a liquidity squeeze and the difficulties being faced by non-bank lenders, especially those facing asset liability issues due to heavy reliance on short-term funding for long-term assets. This, along with defaults by infra lender IL&FS, has hurt the credit markets. The Government has been unequivocal in suggesting remedial measures which will address the needs of the economy. Some measures reportedly suggested by the Government include a special window for NBFCs, and the RBI does not seem to be amenable for undertaking the measures. The relaxations in the ECB norms follow other moves by the RBI, including last week's permission to banks to use credit enhancement to help NBFCs raise medium to long-term funds. Varanasi's Mokulpur village gets its electricity from a criss-cross of high voltage wires delicately balanced on flimsy bamboo sticks thrust into the ground. Fields for toilets, quacks for doctors, and now, bamboo sticks for electricity poles seems like rural India is having to wing it in more ways than one. With electricity poles being alien to their village so far, the residents of Varanasi districts Mokulpur have had to improvise in ways that render the term jugaad redundant. The outcome is that the village gets its electricity from a criss-cross of high voltage wires delicately balanced on flimsy bamboo sticks thrust into the ground. While some of us take things like electricity and running water for granted, life is not so simple when you are someone navigating rural India on a daily basis. Take Mokulpurs Babu Nishad for instance, for whom the gaping absence of electricity poles, and the resultant danger of loose electricity wires, is just another everyday problem to deal with. Yes, such an arrangement of having electricity wires hanging from bamboo sticks poses a threat to our lives, but do you see any electricity poles in our village? What can we do in a situation where we are not provided with anything that can stand support for electricity wires? Left to their own devices, the villagers have resorted to sharing the electricity pole of a neighbouring village, to which they have attached wires which bring the electricity back to their Mokulpur. The dangers of such an arrangement are several. The villagers have had to use whatever quality of wires are available, and not those which are particularly made to carry such high voltages of electricity. This will not only lead to electricity supply being highly erratic, but also has the potential to cause short circuits and electrical fires. Every time Chandas husband or children venture out of the house, she is fraught with worry that the wire passing over their house may fall and injure one of them. One end of the wire is tied to our gate, can you imagine how dangerous that is? It can fall anytime on any of us. They should provide us proper electricity poles so that we can finally live in peace. The mission statement of the Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana, popularly called Saubhagya, is to achieve universal electrification by providing electricity to all remaining un-electrified households and reducing dependency on kerosene in rural as well as urban areas of the country. The scheme envisages providing free electricity connections or, in the alternate, providing solar packs with battery banks to households situated in remote and inaccessible areas of the country. While beneficiaries are to be identified using socio-economic and caste census data from 2011, household surveys are also to be conducted through mobile apps. The Saubhagya website already boasts of having electrified 1.91 crore households out of the 3 crore identified households since October 2017. The statistics also claim that the remaining un-electrified households only comprise 5% of total rural households in the country. But if the example of Mokulpur is anything to go by, electrified here seems to carry the crudest possible meaning of the word, i.e. providing electricity in any odd way, without paying heed to standard safety protocols. Mokulpur is already seeing the dangers of having loose electricity wires running solely on the support of feeble bamboo sticks in their village. In addition to the numerable people who have lost their lives over the last few years, a wire recently fell on two young men passing by on a motorcycle as well. However, they miraculously managed to escape unscathed since there was no current running in the wires at the time. Considering this must be a routine occurrence, Golu, who witnessed the incident, did not seem very shocked as he explained that the wire fell because of a strong wind. The villagers have found creative ways to deal with this too. For example, they have tied heavy bricks and stones to the wires to keep them stable and balanced against strong winds or flying birds. Moreover, now they have begun tying the wires over open fields and farms, instead of houses, so as to prevent exposure of people to this constant danger. The local official, Chandrashekhar Kumar, seemed too busy to answer our queries about the fate of Mokulpur. It will be fixed in 10-15 days, he said, without once looking up from his desk. Everything is temporary here, we have had to make do with whatever we can, says a tired-looking Shankar, speaking for all of Mokulpur. Ballari-based mining baron and former Karnataka minister G Janardhan Reddy was absconding as police were on the lookout for him in connection with a money transaction worth crores of rupees allegedly linked to a Ponzi scheme, top officials said on Wednesday. Bengaluru: Ballari-based mining baron and former Karnataka minister G Janardhan Reddy was absconding as police were on the lookout for him in connection with a money transaction worth crores of rupees allegedly linked to a Ponzi scheme, top officials said on Wednesday. The Central Crime Branch Police here is also hunting for Reddy's close aide Ali Khan, who allegedly struck a Rs 20 crore deal with Syed Ahmed Fareed of Ambidant Marketing Pvt Ltd, a company accused of involvement in the Ponzi scheme, to bail him out from Enforcement Directorate investigation. Bengaluru Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar said Reddy was absconding and police were looking for him to question him in connection with the case. "Based on the information gathered the investigation is going on further...CCB is after Ali Khan and Janardhan Reddy," he told reporters here. CCB sleuths conducted a search at Reddy's Bengaluru residence and seized some documents, Deputy Commissioner of Police Girish S said. He also said teams of CCB had gone to various places, but declined to divulge more details. The development comes a day after Reddy's close confidant Sriramulu's sister J Shantha, a BJP candidate, lost in the by-polls from Ballari Lok Sabha constituency, considered a stronghold of the Reddy brothers. The Congress won the seat breaking BJP's grip over Ballari since 2004. However, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Alok Kumar said there was no political connection to the probe. He said his team had been working on the case for the last 20 days, but waited till November 3 for the bypolls to be over for further action, so that it was not politicised. Reddy, a minister during the previous BJP rule, had been arrested by the CBI in 2011 over alleged multi-crore illegal mining scam and granted bail three years later. Reacting to the latest development, Sriramulu claimed he did not have any information about the case and whereabouts of Reddy, but added and no one was above law. "I don't have complete information...I have been saying no one is above law. Let the law take its own course," he said. Asked whether Reddy was an accused or a suspect, the police commissioner said, Fareed's claim is that he paid the money, because he was promised help by Janardhan Reddy in connection with the ED probe and Reddy will have to respond to these claims. "We also have to verify whether it is a fact, whether ED has got any cases registered against Fareed... we have to recover the public money that was part of the transaction," he added. The commissioner, however, clarified that as of now there was no evidence to prove about Reddy bribing any ED official. He said "we will have to investigate it and will get in touch with ED... We cannot straight away say that ED officials are involved. If there is solid evidence, we will not spare anybody." Detailing about the case, police said Fareed set up Ambidant around 2017 promising returns of about 40 to 50 percent for investment. Responding to this, thousands of people invested their money into the company, which initially paid good returns, attracting more and more investors. On the company failing to pay returns as promised, cases were registered against it, officials said, adding that, during January or February ED had also raided it. They said, meanwhile, Fareed had met Reddy through Ali Khan requesting for help in bailing him out of ED the case, and Rs 20 crore was demanded in the form of gold through a jeweller known to them in Ballari. Explaining about the investigation, the Commissioner said, during investigation CCB found a particular transaction of Rs 18 crore being paid by Ambidant to one Ramesh Kothari, who runs Ambika Jewellers in Bengaluru. Kothari on questioning said he had given 57 kg of gold to a jeweller named Ramesh, who runs Raj Mahal Fancy Jewellers in Ballari. Ramesh had claimed that the gold was handed over to Reddy's associate Ali Khan, he said. He said there was no arrest warrant against Reddy, adding that CCB officials have conducted searches at a few places in Bengaluru and Ballari in connection with the case. On reports about Reddy and associates trying to get anticipatory bail in Hyderabad, he said, he got to know about it only through the media. Police said they have photographs of some meetings to prove Reddy's direct link to this case, about which they will seek clarification from him during the investigation. Reddy would soon be issued a summons in the course of the investigation. Police said they have arrested Ramesh and gathered several 'crucial' documents from him. Fareed was also arrested, but currently out on bail. Chhattisgarh Police has been claiming a decline in Naxal incidents and the number of surrenders of Maoists, but the deliberate targetted attacks point towards an aggressive posturing and change in tactics. In spite of high security arrangements involving drones and sophisticated trackers and the deployment of a large number of police and Central paramilitary forces personnel in Bastar just four days ahead of the first phase of Chhattisgarh Assembly polls, the Maoists succeeded in blowing up a vehicle at Dantewada on Thursday that killed one CISF personnel and four civilians. The message is clear. The Maoists are hell bent in executing their warning -- to force people boycott elections in Chhattisgarh. And to achieve their goal, they seem willing to go to any extent. Besides giving poll boycott calls, the Naxals warned locals to stay away from accompanying police and security forces or face dire consequences. In one of their threats, they cautioned that they would detonate public vehicles if shared by cops. This is the most dangerous takeaway from Thursdays attack that should make the government intelligence network sit up and take note. The ultras are matching the police and security forces step for step in strengthening their intelligence system. Every attack whether the recent one in Bijapur or Aranpur or at Bacheli in Dantewada on Thursday are indicative of their intelligence gathering dexterity. Maoists have a strong local intelligence network. Its almost impossible to identify a Maoist, as he/she gets easily mixed up with local tribal villagers. Every movement of security forces is being closely monitored by them and they wait for the opportune moment to strike. A mesh of landmines and IEDs across Bastar comes handy, which they trigger with precision at their will, counter-terrorism analyst Anil Kamboj told Firstpost. Pre-election Maoist violence on the rise This is not the first pre-election incident in Dantewada or entire Bastar, comprising seven Naxal-infested districts. Besides issuing warnings to tribal villagers to boycott polls, the Maoists in the last one month blew up a mine protected vehicle (MPV) in Bijapur that killed four CRPF personnel and had laid an ambush at Aranpur in Dantewada that killed three -- a Doordarshan cameraman and two policemen. Both the incidents took place in October. Thursdays attack on a bus is not the first incident of its kind in Bastar. Way back in May 2010, the Maoists blew up a public bus carrying villagers at Chingawaram, which is now in Sukma district, as there were a few special police officers (SPOs) on board. Chhattisgarh Police employs tribal youth as SPOs to counter Maoists in Bastar. In that IED attack, 44 passengers including SPOs had got killed. After that incident, CPI (Maoist) had expressed regret at killing civilians. But after eight years, Thursdays incident proves that Maoists are determined to kill anyone whosoever comes in their way or fails to follow their diktat. One may recall, a week ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Jangla in Bijapur in April this year, the Maoists had blown up a bus carrying security force personnel in Bijapur amid tight security. Two jawans were killed in that incident. Though the government and police claimed to have pushed Left Wing Extremists (LWEs) in the Maoist-hotbed Bastar on the backfoot, a series of gruesome attacks over the past one year speaks otherwise. Chhattisgarh Police has been claiming a decline in Naxal incidents and more number of surrenders of Maoists, but the deliberate targetted attacks point towards an aggressive posturing and change in tactics. New leadership, new aggression It has become clearer with the elevation of Nambala Keshava Rao alias Basavaraj the second in command in the CPI (Maoist), to the top post replacing general secretary Muppala Laxmana Rao alias Ganapathy that the ultra-Left insurgents would be more aggressive and ruthless now than before. Almost every attack had been carried out with surgical precision, causing maximum damage to lives and property. Basavaraj (63), whos known for strong military skills and expertise in the use of explosives whether landmines or improvised explosive devices (IEDs) has been heading the Central Military Commission of CPI (Maoist) for quite some time. Both the security force personnel and LWE experts believe that in comparison to Ganapathy, who was more inclined towards ideology, Basavarajs leadership would infuse strong military tactics on the ground, as hes at the helm of military planning, operations and execution. Nambala Keshav Raos USP has been his strong military tactics in the form of guerrilla warfare and use of new forms of IEDs. His engineering qualification provides him with an edge and use of weaponry. Over the past one year, weve witnessed more aggressive and well-planned attacks by using IEDs in different forms, an intelligence agency source dealing with LWE told Firstpost, on condition of anonymity. According to sources, with the shrinking of Maoist base across the Red Corridor, Basavarajs immediate objective is to strengthen the military wing of CPI (Maoist) thats Peoples Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) and thereafter expand its base through a large recruitment drive in the Maoist cadre. Due to his technical background and his long-standing experience of heading PLGA, Basavaraj is expected to bring more aggression and change in tactics in the Maoist war against the state of India. Basavarajs aggressive military tactics are not limited to Chhattisgarh alone; even the killing of a Telugu Desam Party legislator K Saraveshwar Rao at Araku in Andhra Pradesh is attributed to Basavaraj. After all, Maoists are determined to establish a state within a state -- Janatana Sarkar (Peoples council) in the Dandakarnya area, which according to the LWEs could be executed as prescribed by Mao Zedong, political power grows out of the barrel of a gun and not through plebiscite. What is worse the effects of the iron ore sludge pollution are not restricted to the productivity or fertility of farmlands. Hemla Bhima, a 60-year-old farmer in Chhattisgarhs Dantewada district, dreads the monsoon season. He has been fighting an uphill battle to save his farmland from Shankhani rivers lal paani ever since he started farming. Every monsoon, the river swells and washes into Bhimas land carrying iron ore sludge particles which turn the water red and get deposited in the soil. The chemical pollution has slowly and surely killed the fertility of his farm. Almost half of Bhimas 13-acre land in Padhapur village at the foot of the Bailadila hills range has been destroyed by chemical waste from the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC)s iron ore mining projects in the area. Around 26 villages within a few kilometres of the mines have been affected by lal paani over the past 5 decades since the first NMDC project was built. NMDC is the countrys largest public sector iron ore producer and exporter. In the poll-bound states insurgency-hit Bastar division, Bhima and 46 other farmers in villages around the Bacheli mining township have lost at least two to five acres of land and are suffering reduced crop production due to iron ore sludge pollution. I grow paddy, maize, and sugarcane among a few other crops. The quality and quantity of the yield have reduced significantly over the last decade. I depend on paddy for my livelihood, but the crop is weak now due to the pollution in the soil and groundwater, says Bhima, who is the deputy sarpanch of the village. Surveying his sparse paddy field discoloured by grey-black patches of sludge deposits, he says, Loha-pathar mein nahi hota hai na dhaan, nahi hota hai na, nahi hota (Paddy cannot grow on iron and rocks, it just cant), highlighting the despair that is echoed by most farmers in the areas settlements. Pandu Kunjam, 35, owns five acres of land in Patalpada, a neighbouring hamlet. I have lost around an acre of my land. There is no irrigation facility, so largely, we follow the rain-fed system. Most of the hand pumps in our settlement also give only lal paani. We are facing a scarcity of water, he says. Every year, the farmers equip their land with protection against the polluted water by building mud bunds around parts which are in the vicinity of the rivers multiple nullahs or streams. However, the bunds are not able to withstand the abundant flow of water during the monsoon and get washed away. Budhru Kunjam, 30, points at a wall made of rocks built as reinforcements in a neighbouring field across the stream in the Bhandapada hamlet. The farmer over there has built a wall as an added layer of obstruction against the water. We have to look out for ourselves and try to save as much of our farms as possible, he says. The farmers say that the Raman Singh-led state government provided a cement wall along one stream after protests from the locals a few years ago. There is only one stream in an area of around 26 villages which has a boundary wall made of cement so that the water cannot enter the soil. But even that is incomplete, says Pandu. However, NMDC chief of communications Rafique Ahmed Jinabade, says that the company has taken steps to stop the pollution in the area. We have put in places systems to dispose the mud residue from the mines by planting trees in those sections to prevent soil erosion. Tailing dams, which are walls that are built for the purpose of stopping iron ore and sludge particles from continuing downstream in the river, have also been built in the immediate area around the mines, he says. The effects of the iron ore sludge pollution are not restricted to the productivity or fertility of farmlands. Madhe Mandhavi, a farmer in the Pandupada hamlet, lost at least 10 animals from her livestock this year. She was unable to provide clean drinking water. Six goats and four cows died this year after continued consumption of the water from the river. Sometimes, the water we use from the river even has oil residue. So eventually, they fell sick and died, she says. Two bore wells with clean drinking water were installed in our village two to three months ago by the NMDC. Mandhavi owns less than half an acre of land, of which half has been rendered infertile by the polluted water. Neither we have not registered a complaint in the district collectors office nor have we complained to the company. Even if we do what is the use? she asks. However, in spite of receiving compensation only twice in the past 50 years, most of the farmers have not accepted the pollution as part of their daily lives and still steadfastly fight against it. Bhima says, Three or four years ago, I received a compensation amount of Rs 10,000. Since then there has been nothing. He adds, In 2017, Padhapur villages sarpanch Sukhram Kunjam and I had met with NMDC DGM Ashok Shukla to ask about compensation and he said that he had released the amount to the collector. But we have not received any compensation money yet. Bhima also says that the district administration conducts a survey of the affected area every year and promises affirmative action for those who have lost their livelihood due to the mining activities, but the assurances only remain on paper. Every year they come for a survey and say they will fix this situation and give us compensation, but they forget, he says. Bastar, which is a tribal division of Chhattisgarh, is scheduled to vote in the first phase of the states Assembly elections on 12 November. Among the farmers in the Bacheli area of Dantewada, the opinion is divided about which party to support in the upcoming polls. Older farmers have refused support for any party due to the lack of solutions for their problems, however, farmers in the age group of 25-30 say they will decide based on farmer-centric promises in the campaigns of the parties in the running. I am not supporting any party in the elections. I have not put up flags of any party around my house. They will not ask about us after they win, said Budhru Netam, a 65-year-old farmer. On the other hand, Balram Bhaskar, 22, who has received a diploma in software engineering, is a third generation farmer. He says, I will vote for the party that has promised betterment for farmers. Delhi defied Supreme Court deadline to burst firecrackers as air quality dropped to 'very poor', Donald Trump fires attorney general Jeff Sessions, Chandrababu Naidu to meet HD Deve Gowda today - here are the day's top stories Delhi defies SC deadline to burst firecrackers, air quality drops to "very poor" The air quality in the National Capital once again dropped to "very poor", with the PM2.5 levels being recorded at 301 as of Thursday morning, and the PM10 levels recorded at 339. A thick haze also engulfed the National Capital on Wednesday night as Delhiites continued to burst firecrackers long after the deadline set by the Supreme Court, the authorities said. The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 302 at 11 pm, which fell in the "very poor category", according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The Supreme Court had allowed bursting of firecrackers from 8 to 10 pm only on Diwali and other festivals. It had also allowed the manufacture and sale of only "green crackers", which have a low light and sound emission and less harmful chemicals. The court had asked the police to ensure that banned firecrackers were not sold and said in case of any violation, the station house officer (SHO) of the police station concerned would be held personally liable and it would amount to committing contempt of the court. But despite the apex court order, there were reports of its violation from many areas long after 10 pm. Donald Trump fires Attorney-General Jeff Sessions US attorney-general Jeff Sessions was fired by Donald Trump on Wednesday after enduring more than a year of bitter criticism from the president over his decision to step aside from the Russia investigation that has dogged the White House. Sessions became the first casualty of a Cabinet shakeup that had been expected from Trump following the midterm elections on Tuesday. "At your request, I am submitting my resignation," Sessions said in the first line of a letter released by the Department of Justice. The departure of Sessions, who was the first US senator to back Trump's presidential run in 2016, was long expected, and came a day after Republicans lost control of the House of Representatives, but boosted their Senate majority. Chandrababu Naidu to meet HD Deve Gowda, HD Kumaraswamy today Telugu Desam Party (TDS) supremo and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who is trying to unite opposition parties to take on BJP in the Lok Sabha elections in 2019, will meet former prime minister HD Deve Gowda and Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy on Thursday. Naidu will meet Gowda at his residence at Padmanabha Nagar and Kumaraswamy would also be present during the meeting, JD(S) said on Wednesday. Naidu's meeting with the JD(S) supremo comes in the backdrop of Congress-JD(S) coalition resolving to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections together against the BJP, buoyed by the victory in the bypolls. US midterm elections: Democrats take control of House, GOP retains Senate Opposition Democrats captured the House of Representatives on Wednesday in the crucial midterm elections while President Donald Trump's Republican Party retained its majority in the Senate, an outcome likely to intensify the political bitterness and fighting between the two major parties in the run-up to the 2020 presidential poll. Breaking the Republican monopoly on power, Democrats picked up over two dozen seats in the House more than the 23 needed to take control of the House for the first time in eight years. Initial statements coming from the Democratic party leaders indicated it would make it tough for Trump, who wants major legislative changes on some of his signature issues including immigration, tax and healthcare reforms. Describing the midterm poll results as a "tremendous success", Trump said his Republican party defied history by performing much better than what the ruling parties have done in the past in such elections. US postpones talks with North Korea US secretary of state Mike Pompeo on Tuesday abruptly shelved plans to meet a top North Korean official in New York, the latest twist in diplomacy to secure a potentially landmark peace deal. The talks between Trump's top diplomat and the North Korean delegation, which had been due on Thursday, "will now take place at a later date," state department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said. "We will reconvene when our respective schedules permit," she added in a statement. State department officials gave no further reasons for the delay in the meeting, although North Korea has stepped up its demands that the United States lift sanctions. Gujarat deputy CM makes pitch for renaming Ahmedabad as Karnavati Hours after Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath announced the renaming of Faizabad district as Ayodhya, the Gujarat government on Tuesday said it was keen on rechristening Ahmedabad as Karnavati, if there were no legal hurdles. Speaking to reporters in Gandhinagar, deputy chief minister Nitin Patel said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government was willing to change Ahmedabad's name if it gets past the legal hurdles and receives required support. Slamming the BJP government over the issue, state unit Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said the promise to rename Ahmedabad was just another "poll gimmick" by the ruling party. Sensex rallies on Diwali The benchmark Sensex gained 248 points or rose 0.7 percent to 35,237.68, while the broader Nifty climbed 64.75 points or 0.65 percent to 10,598.40 in a special trading session on the occasion of Diwali on Wednesday. The S&P BSE Sensex, which opened at 35,301.88 points, traded at 35,240.15 points (at 6.15 pm) up 248.24 points or 0.71 percent from Tuesday's close at 34,991.91 points. In Samvat 2074, the S&P BSE Sensex gained eight percent on a year-on-year basis, while the Nifty50 rose 3.8 percent. Broadly positive global markets along with lower crude oil prices pushed the key equity indices higher during the special "Muhurat" trade session. Gold, silver prices fall Gold prices dropped by Rs 210 to Rs 32,400 per 10 grams in special 'Diwali Muhurat' trading at the bullion market on Wednesday. Tracking gold, silver too fell by Rs 300 to Rs 39,000 per kilogram. Bullion traders said the slide in gold prices was mostly due to the absence of worthwhile activity as jewellers and retailers made token purchases to mark the auspicious occasion of 'Diwali' and beginning of Hindu Samvat year 2075. Globally, gold rose 0.51 percent to $1,233.80 an ounce and silver climbed 0.17 percent to $14.77 an ounce. Samsung unveils smartphone with folding display At its annual developers conference, following weeks of leaks and teasers, Samsung unveiled a smartphone with a folding display. When folded, the device looks like a chunky Android smartphone, when unfolded, youre treated to a 7.3-inch, tablet-sized display. The display itself uses a form of flexible OLED technology called Infinity Flex. To take advantage of the design, Samsung says that the phone will be able to run three apps simultaneously. Google has also announced that Android will natively support such folding display designs. The device is currently just a concept, but Samsung claims that it can begin production of the Infinity Flex display in a matter of months. Delhi does not care for the Supreme Court, worse it does not care for itself. Despite the ruling that the bursting of firecrackers on Diwali and other festivals can only take place between 8 pm and 10 pm, Central Pollution Control Board's data suggested that the PM 2.5 was 697 and shudders from firecrackers near and far could be heard all night. Delhi does not care for the Supreme Court, worse it does not care for itself. In its 23 October order, the Supreme Court ruled that the bursting of firecrackers on Diwali and other festivals can only take place between 8 pm and 10 pm. Near Sector 8, Dwarka, where Central Pollution Control Board's data suggested that the PM 2.5 was 697, shudders from firecrackers near and far could be heard all night. The suburb in South West Delhi is home to hundreds of gated colonies. Some residents of Sector 8 said that because these are several gated areas that share boundary walls, it's hard for the police to zero in on those who are defying the Supreme Court order. The residents also wondered if that many police personnel were even patrolling on Diwali night to especially keep a check on festivities in each and every locality. AirVisual, an air quality monitoring website which gets the data off the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, suggested that the PM 2.5 levels in the same zone was a striking 2000 at 1 pm. There's a marked inconsistency between the two data sources but the pollution levels have swung from 'unhealthy' to 'hazardous' through the night. At 7 am, the CPCBs data on pm 2.5 near Dwarka sector 8 was 646 and Delhi Pollution Control Board estimated the figure to be 420. While the smog build up was less visible around 7 to 7: 30 am, the air was heavier than it has been all week. At the same time, it was 999 around PGDAV college in Lajpat Nagar and around Wazirpur in Chandni Chowk District. Presently, the sanctioned strength of Delhi Police is 83,762. The Police Control Room of Delhi Police has a fleet of 800 PCR Vans stationed all over the capital besides 122 motorcycles. While the number may seem enough to be concentrated around key zones during critical events but is it enough to take on operations that require them to be dispersed in all pockets of a 1,484 km large city with a population of over 18 million? Dwarka is a fairly green locality, with trees lining wide roads that have neatly built apartment complexes on either side. Last month, the Environmental Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority confirmed that they noticed red spots suggesting localised waste burning around Dwarka in the satellite imagery when they were tracing satellite imagery. Adding to this, it is impossible for them to curb cracker bursting in Gurgaon, Noida and Ghaziabad. Gurgaon and Faridabad, both in Haryana, featured on WHOs 2018 list on the 20 most polluted cities in the world. A part of the problem lies in the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, which doesn't have provisions to deal with leaf or wood burning on the street which is a daily affair. At 5 am, the PM. 2.5 near Sector 8, Dwarka was a devastating 999. Those who broke the law did what they had to and went into their homes at the end of a long night. Environmental lawyer Rahul Chaudhary had earlier told Firstpost that catching somebody who has committed a crime against clean air is extremely difficult. Think about air for a second, its disposition changes every hour, every day. How will evidence be recorded? "Virtually nobody has been convicted in the air act until now. Just like traffic police issues a chalaan on skipping a red light, punishment should be instant." While eleven people have been booked in connection with seizures of illegal firecrackers by the Delhi police, an FIR has been registered against one person in Ghazipur for bursting crackers in the National Capital. The Ganga judgment of 2017 took cognisance of the absence of a transparent and consistent enforcement mechanism and recommended that the Water act and Air act provide for various regulatory responses in terms of directions, prosecution that are based on Precautionary Principle and Polluter Pays Principle. In a country of 125 crore residents, National Crime Records Bureau data from 2014 to 2016 shows that under the Air Act, there were 48 incidents registered in 2014, 50 in 2015 and 25 in 2016. How much can a Supreme Court ban hope to achieve? On the morning after Diwali, the capital is waking up to a deadly mix of toxics they call air. Hundreds of frenzied devotees had tried to attack and prevent the 52-year old woman, from offering prayers at the Sabarimala temple. Thiruvananthapuram: A 29-year old man was Wednesday arrested in connection with the incident relating to the alleged assault of a woman pilgrim at the Lord Ayyappa Temple in Sabarimala, suspecting her to be of menstrual age. Sooraj, hailing from Elanthur in Pathanamthitta district, was one of the main accused in the incident which took place Tuesday when the hill shrine was opened for the two-day-long Chithira Atta Thirunal, a special ritual. Hundreds of frenzied devotees had tried to attack and prevent the 52-year old woman, Lalitha Ravi, from offering prayers at the temple. "The man was arrested under non-bailable charges - IPC 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) and 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty)," police said. "Investigation is on to nab the remaining accused," Pathanamthitta SP, T Narayanan, told PTI. "The man was arrested on the basis of digital evidence and photographs," he said. Police had registered cases against 200 "identifiable" persons for trying to prevent Lalitha, who had come for the choorunu (rice-giving) ceremony of her grandchild, from praying at the temple. Clapping and chanting Ayyappa Saranam, a huge crowd of devotees surrounded Lalitha suspecting her to be of menstrual age, but police intervened and escorted her out. The woman showed her Aadhaar card to them to prove that she did not belong to the "traditionally barred" age group of 10-50 years. Police later escorted her to the shrine to offer prayers along with other women relatives. It was the second time in the last three weeks that the doors of the hill temple opened after the Supreme Court had allowed entry of women of all age groups into Sabarimala. The Supreme Court order imposed certain conditions on selling, purchase and bursting of firecrackers: a tradition among a large number of Indians, not just Hindus. The Supreme Court ban on crackers during Diwali except for a two-hour window between 8 and 10 pm has been flouted across the country. Revelers were seen bursting crackers (including noisy ones) well past midnight. Real time tracking on social media and detailed reportage by traditional media indicates that Indians across the length and breadth of the country paid scant regard to the judgment delivered by the highest court of the land. In Delhi, violations were reported from different areas including Anand Vihar, ITO, Jahangirpuri Mayur Vihar Extension, Lajpat Nagar, Lutyens Delhi, IP Extension and Dwarka (among others) and in the NCR as citizens burst crackers with gusto. India Today reported ear-splitting fireworks being put up for sale at Modinagar and Farrukhnagar warehouses in Ghaziabad district. In Kolkata, according to reports, pollution on Wednesday was worse than in Mumbai or even Delhi as revelers threw Supreme Court guidelines to the wind and burst high-decibel firecrackers with gay abandon. Tamil Nadu Police registered over 2,100 cases and made 650 arrests against those who burst crackers outside the deadline. Similarly, the SC ruling made little impact on Hyderabad where most residents started fireworks from dusk and continued late into the night. It is easy to blame the administration or law enforcement for the pickle, but ultimately pointless. Mass-scale open defiance of an apex court order is worrisome. It raises deeper questions about unimplementable rulings and the deleterious effects of judicial activism. The key question is this: Can law force a change in societys religious and cultural mores (unless the practices represent social evils)? It is also worth pondering whether in seeking to usurp the role of the executive and the legislature and govern by legal decree, the judiciary is at risk of lowering its prestige by making itself vulnerable to defiance, criticism and even ridicule. The separation of powers in a democracy is designed to ensure that elected representatives do the business of governance at the risk of getting ousted by the people in case of non-performance. When the judiciarythat is not accountable to the peopleintrudes upon the domain of the executive and legislature, makes laws and tries to govern, it does an inadvertent trade-off with its moral authority. All problems cannot be fixed through judicial intervention. Some are made worse. To recall, the Supreme Court order imposed certain conditions on selling, purchase and bursting of firecrackers: a tradition among a large number of Indians, not just Hindus. The top courts judgment also covered the types of crackers allowed or disallowed. Series crackers (called laris) were banned, green crackers were permitted in Delhi and NCR, but since no one had any idea about what these were, the order caused more confusion than clarification. Some traders in Delhi reportedly placed firecrackers inside vegetables (mooli phuljhadi, pyaaz chakri) to mock the Supreme Courts ruling. Judiciarys activism didnt end here. The Supreme Court also tried to encourage community bursting of crackers in a designated area and asked the central and state governments to identify spaces for it. Banning of crackers, of course, isnt the only instance of judicial overreach. We have seen similar instances of intervention in Sabarimala verdict where the learned judges tried to rationalise faith armed with their codes of morality and equality. The on-ground resistance against court order on Sabarimala cannot be attributed to political maneuvering alone. Politics cannot whip up passion if theres no popular support. Intrusions into matters of national security were witnessed on the recent Supreme Court order asking the Centre to submit all strategic and confidential details of the Rafale contract to the apex court within a period of 10 days. One wonders whether the learned judges are well-equipped to assess the technical details of the deal and ascertain anomalies, if any, or take informed decisions on the proficiency of the fighter aircraft and the potency of its weaponry. Major General Mrinal Suman (Retd), who retired from the Indian Army in 2003, wrote in Swarajyamag, Courts should come in only when the prima facie case exists of any wrongdoing and not on the basis of vague and concocted allegations the judges are not even sure as to what they want to ascertain. Initially, they wanted to know only about the procedure followed but changed their mind within 10 days. Now they want the cost breakdown with justification. At this rate, they will soon demand to vet the complete field trials process as well. Is this the task of judiciary to decide which weapon system the country should buy and what should be the fair and reasonable price for the same? Such interventionism exacts a heavy price. Judiciarys encroachment tampers with the division of powers and weakens the structure of the State. But it does more. The greatest harm is caused to the judiciary itself. Laws are enforced by the State, but such enforcement is not merely a matter of implementation by force. It is incumbent on compliance by citizens. That compliance recognises the moral authority of the judiciary in passing verdicts. Judges views are considered sacrosanct by people not just because there is a danger in non-compliance, but also because people want to comply. Judgments that seek to force a change in religious, socio-cultural or socio-economic issues end up challenging the compliance. The result is evident. Verdicts are subjected to political wrangling or open defiance and it cannot hold good portends for the judiciary. As former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju wrote on Supreme Courts unimplementable orders on Facebook: I am abroad, and I see that the time in India is 11.35 pm. (I won't tell the time here because then you will locate where I am). I telephoned a lady in Delhi to wish her Happy Diwali, and she told me crackers are still bursting all around. I said what about the Supreme Court judgment which prohibited bursting crackers after 10 pm. She laughed, and said, Who cares for Supreme Court orders? Such overreach also gives rise to what is called the Streisand Effect. Social media is awash with accounts of citizens who have never been enthusiastic about bursting crackers till Supreme Court expressly forbade them from doing so except within the deadline. If the apex court sought to force people into compliance, it likely achieved the opposite. The spike in instances of non-compliance was as much a resolve to continue with tradition as open defiance of a ruling that many interpreted as an intrusion upon their liberty. It became an expression of dissent. A large section of the media is interpreting the defiance as an instance of cutting off the nose to spite the face. They point out that bursting of crackers will worsen the already wretched pollution levels of Indian cities, especially Delhi, and this logic alone should be enough to enforce the ban. This view seeks to justify judicial interventionism in this context. But this is a flawed argument. The causal effect relationship between deadly pollution in Delhi and bursting of firecrackers in Diwali is contested and inconclusive. Exhaustive studies such as the one done by IIT Kanpur, which submitted its report to the Delhi government in 2016, indicated that pollution levels are incumbent on a host of factors such as secondary particles (25-30 percent), vehicles (20-25 percent), biomass burning (17-26 percent), MSW (municipal solid waste) burning (8-9 percent) and to a lesser extent soil and road dust in winter and coal and fly ash (26- 37 percent), soil and road dust (2627 percent), particles (10-15 percent), biomass burning (7-12 percent), vehicles (6-9 percent) and MSW burning (78 percent) in summer. We trivialise the problem and treat symptoms not the disease through policies like #OddEven and #firecrackerban . Example: is the #CropBurning picture from 1st week of November 2017. It is a public good problem - need multiple governments to coordinate. pic.twitter.com/XKf7o9UXAn Shamika Ravi (@ShamikaRavi) November 5, 2018 Pollution in Indias urban spaces are a complex phenomenon that should be solved through an integrated, long-term approach that must include all stakeholders. Band-aid solutions will likely fail and banning of crackers through legal diktat may turn counterproductive. The larger question, however, pertains to the judiciarys penchant for issuing unimplementable orders. As Katju points out, Which section of the IPC is violated if young people burst crackers after 10 pm? Traders in Delhi's Sadar Bazar on Wednesday stuffed old firecrackers inside vegetables to protest the Supreme Court's order on use of green crackers this Diwali. New Delhi: Traders in Delhi's Sadar Bazar on Wednesday stuffed old firecrackers inside vegetables to protest the Supreme Court's order on use of green crackers this Diwali. Members of the Sadar Bazar Welfare Association sold firecrackers inside bitter gourds, cauliflowers, capsicums and ladies' fingers. Last month, the top court had said people in the country can burst firecrackers from 8 pm to 10 pm on Diwali and other festivals. While issuing the order, it had allowed manufacture and sale of just "green crackers" which have a low emission of light, sound and harmful chemicals. The Supreme Court order should have come earlier. This would have given time to traders to procure licences to sell green firecrackers, Sadar Nishkarm Welfare Association, president, Harjit Singh Chabbra, said. "These are the green firecrackers that one can eat later," the association said showing the crackers stuffed with vegetables. They said if these do not burst, these can be used for eating. Another trader, who participated in the protest, said their sale has been very poor this year and they are very disappointed with the authorities. "Most of us do not even understand what green crackers mean," he said. Most traders have complained the order of being last minute which did not give them time to get the license. The BMC is expected to soon appoint urban development experts to create a Geographic Information System (GIS) map and a comprehensive database of all parking slots. The residents of space-starved Mumbai may have a reason to rejoice soon. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is expected to soon appoint urban development experts to create a Geographic Information System (GIS) map and a comprehensive database of all parking slots in the city. This will be a step forward towards creating the country's first special parking authority. The move comes over six months after the development plan 2034 the blueprint for the megapolis' development was unveiled. The development plan had envisaged the setting up of an independent parking authority. A proposal for setting up a team of experts for this purpose was sent to officer on special duty (OSD), Ramanath Jha recently, The Indian Express reported. The process is slated to take about a year. After the development plan was unveiled, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had spoken of the possibility of setting up such an authority in a written answer to the Legislative Assembly. The BMC had also subsequently told the Bombay High Court that a special authority to regulate parking would be set up. This was as per the decision of a committee to address issues of traffic congestion in the city. According to a report in Mid Day, the authority will have members from the traffic police, NGOs, Regional Transport Office representatives, BMC officials, experts and public representatives. Parking problems In a city that has 33 lakh vehicles but only 60,000 parking spaces, parking has always been a cause for concern. A report by Hindustan Times quoted experts as saying that the increase in the number of vehicles on Mumbais roads from 20.28 lakh to 33.52 lakh in six years is also contributing to the city's traffic woes. Authorities have taken several measures in an attempt to alleviate the situation such as making the Elphinstone and Lower Parel bridges one-way. However, these measures have worked only to a limited extent. In the past, numerous civil society organisations in Mumbai have sought to shed light on parking woes. For instance, the BMC's allocation of Rs 1 crore in the budget estimates 2018-19 has been criticised as 'insignificant' by Praja Foundation, which pointed out that the city has a shortage of space. Another NGO, Watchdog Foundation, has alleged the existence of an illegal pay-and-park racket underneath many of the city's flyovers. However, pay-and-park schemes conceived by the authorities have also run into stumbling blocks. As per a report in The Times of India, spots identified for paid parking in well-populated areas like Fort and Churchgate have received no bids from contractors after the BMC invited tenders last month. Four, including one CISF personnel, on Thursday were killed in a Naxal attack near Bacheli in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district. Three others, including one jawan, were injured in the encounter. Five, including two Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel, on Thursday were killed in a Naxal attack near Bacheli in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district. Three others, including one jawan, were injured in the encounter, CNN News18 reported. The Naxals, reportedly blew up a civilian bus which was being used by CISF troops for election duty. Improvised Explosive Device (IED) were used for the attack, sources told Firstpost. The troops were reportedly returning to their camp after buying vegetables. The injured have been taken to NMDC Central Hospital in Dantewada's South Bastar for treatment. D Ravi Shankar, the officer-in-charge said that improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were the "biggest difficulty" for the security forces. "The biggest difficulty is the IED. Encounters are next to none, and they (Naxals) are dependent only on the IEDs," Shankar told ANI. The attack comes a day ahead of PM Modi's rally in Jagdalpur and three days before the first phase of the polls is scheduled to start on 12 November. "This is an isolated incident between no man's land... all security arrangements have been made for PM Modi's visit," he said when asked about the security preparations for the prime minister's rally. Naxals have put up posters and pamphlets across the poll-bound Chhattisgarh warning locals to steer clear of the elections. India Today reported that the Naxals threatened to cut off the fingers of people who are spotted with the voter ink on their hands. In view of the tension in the state, election officials are considering not inking voters. With inputs from Hitesh Sharma, a reporter based in Chhattisgarh and a member of 101Reporters.com Some soldiers had allegedly vandalised the Bomdila police station and assaulted police personnel and civilians last week. Bomdila: Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday took stock of the situation arising out of clashes between Army and Arunachal Pradesh Police personnel in Bomdila. Some soldiers had allegedly vandalised the Bomdila police station and assaulted police personnel and civilians last week. "The Defence Minister (Sitharaman) and I looked into the ongoing conflict between the army and state police personnel. I appeal everyone not to treat it as army versus police and civil administration issue," Rijiju, the Union minister of state for home, told PTI. Rijiju, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, said the unfortunate incident that happened at Bomdila on 2 November should be settled amicably through proper understanding. "Both the army and the police are serving the nation with utmost dedication. An incident can't be allowed to tarnish the image of the great institutions," he said. Both Sitharaman and Rijiju also met members of the civil society as part of confidence building measures. Sitharaman is visiting Arunachal Pradesh to celebrate Diwali along with soldiers posted in the forward areas along the Sino-Indian border. The incident happened when a group of soldiers allegedly misbehaved with civilians and police personnel at the Buddha Mahotsav celebrations in Bomdila, officials said. Following this, the local station house officer went to the spot and two soldiers were brought to police station. After that some soldiers allegedly vandalised the Bomdila police station, assaulted police personnel and civilians, they said. INS Arihant successfully completed its first deterrence patrol this week, taking India into a club of a handful of countries which have the capability to design, construct and operate such a submarine or SSBN. Islamabad: Pakistan on Thursday expressed concern over the recent deployment of India's nuclear submarine INS Arihant, saying there should be no doubt about Islamabad's resolve and capabilities to meet the challenges in the nuclear and conventional realms in South Asia. "This development marks the first actual deployment of ready-to-fire nuclear warheads in South Asia which is a matter of concern not only for the Indian Ocean littoral states but also for the international community at large," Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said. INS Arihant successfully completed its first deterrence patrol this week, taking India into a club of a handful of countries which have the capability to design, construct and operate such a submarine or SSBN. The spokesperson said the "bellicose" language employed by the top Indian leadership highlights the threats to strategic stability in South Asia and raises questions about responsible nuclear stewardship in India. He said the increased frequency of missile tests by India, aggressive posturing, and deployment of nuclear weapons calls for an assessment of the non-proliferation benefits resulting from India's membership of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). The spokesperson said Pakistan is committed to the objective of strategic stability in South Asia and believes that the only way forward for both countries is to agree on measures for nuclear and missile restraint. "At the same time, no one should be in doubt about Pakistan's resolve and capabilities to meet the challenges posed by the latest developments both in the nuclear and conventional realms in South Asia," he said. Replying to a question about the follow up of Prime Minister Imran Khan's recent visit to China, Faisal said a high-level Pakistan delegation will have talks with their counterparts in Beijing to sort out technical matters and finalise the modalities for further enhancing the existing bilateral and strategic cooperation between the two countries in diverse fields. On the proposed Afghanistan peace talks in Moscow, he said a Pakistan delegation led by an additional secretary will attend the dialogue. The spokesperson said Taliban leader Mullah Baradar was released to give an impetus to the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan. He said Pakistan has always been emphasising the need for seeking a negotiated settlement on the Afghan issue with the participation of all stakeholders. He said it is a matter of concern that a recent American report points out that the Afghan administration and the foreign forces are losing control over the security situation in the war-torn country. Responding to questions on Christian woman Aasia Bibi who was recently released from jail, Faisal said she is still in Pakistan at a safe location. Dr Bhure Lal, chairman of the Supreme Court-appointed EPCA for the NCR of Delhi, has been entrusted with the challenging responsibility of reducing pollution levels. The morning after Diwali, pollution levels have crossed the hazardous level with PM 2 and PM 4 being forty times above the normal level. If that is not bad enough, doctors at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi did a simulation with a pair of clean lungs, which were hung outside the hospital. Within 24 hours, the lungs had become black because of pollution. Dr Bhure Lal, chairman of the Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) for the National Capital Region (NCR) of Delhi, has been entrusted with the challenging responsibility of reducing pollution levels. He has been on this task for many years. One of his key initiatives has been the spearheading a campaign for the switch-over of public vehicles to CNG from diesel to provide green fuel. But that was in 2002. He is trying to implement a multi-layered system to tackle this problem. His hands remain tied as neither he enjoyed the support of the state governments of Punjab and Haryana nor of the people in the NCR who continued to burst crackers even after the stipulated of 10 pm by the Supreme Court. Excerpts from the interview: The air quality in the NCR, which has a population of about 30 million people, is in the red zone. Why has this become an annual feature? There is no doubt that the situation is grave. Last year, at this time, air quality levels had reached severe and emergency levels for quite a few days. This year, air quality levels in the Delhi NCR have reached severe. If it reaches emergency levels, we will have to restrict the use of private vehicles. What is wrong with it? This is what the Graded Response Action (Plan GRAP) warrants. GRAP is being implemented in Delhi, Haryana, and parts of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. But we have already implemented a number of measures in the national capital and the NCR region. These measures include the shutting down of the Mundka industrial area, we have banned all construction and digging activities, shutting down of industries that run on coal and biomass. Fuel helps in the degeneration of air quality so we have stopped use of biomass as fuel as also pet coke, furnace oil and rubber oil. We have also put a ban on diesel generators. The Badarpur power plant was shut down on 15 October when GRAP came into force. The EPCA has also warned that we could introduce odd and even and road rationing in the coming days after consulting with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). These measures are pre-emptive and go beyond what is stipulated in GRAP. But these could be introduced keeping in mind the forecast and the need for emergency actions to combat pollution. You have had 52 teams going around in the NCR to ensure there are no violations. But the fact is that we are still being forced to breathe bad air ? We have set up 52 teams comprising officials from the central and state pollution control bodies besides civic authorities on last Thursday to cover Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad. Four of these teams were deployed in Delhi, while two each have been deployed in these four satellite towns. For the first time, EPCA members have been asked to visit at least one hot spot such as Punjabi Bagh, DTU, Mundka and the landfill sites of Ghazipur and Bhalswa to submit reports on what is triggering pollution and to suggest solutions. I myself visited Anand Vihar, which is one of the worst polluted areas of Delhi. I plan to monitor the situation there personally. These local sources of pollution are responsible for 36 percent of the pollution in the city. These interventions are good but not enough effort has been directed to stop farmers from burning paddy stubble in Punjab and Haryana? Why are you directing this question to me? You should direct this question to the state governments of Haryana and Punjab. The EPCA has been directed to monitor pollution levels in the NCR and that is where our jurisdiction extends to. This year, the government of India directed Rs 100 crore to be dispersed. The burning of paddy stubble has increased because harvesting of wheat and paddy has become mechanised by using a combined harvester, which leaves behind a stubble of straw. The government is now insistent that a super straw management system be attached to every self-propelled combined harvester. This super straw management system helps replant the leftover straw into the soil which has the additional benefit of improving soils quantity. It costs Rs 1.25 lakh and is being given on a community basis at 80 percent subsidy while it is being given to individual farmers at a 50 percent subsidy. Quite a large number of farmers have applied for these subsidies.It has become compulsory for those who use combined harvesters to purchase these straw management systems. You also have the huge problem of open fires at the Narela and Bawana dumps? This burning is taking place where garbage is being dumped. People, who live in these places need to co-operate. Rag pickers often set afire this waste. We have come up with very stringent laws by imposing fines of up to Rs 5 lakhs on those who are not following the law. We have imposed fines of Rs 10 lakh on two private companies responsible for picking up waste in Narela and Bawana dumps and Rs 5 lakh on the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC). We in Delhi are blaming crop burning for pollution but people are spreading more poison in the air. We had received falsified reports that no burning is taking place in this area but when we checked, mounds of plastic and rubber were being burnt openly and we had to call the fire brigade to douse the flames. If we see even a single pile of waste or any instances of burning, we will levy fine on the industries and the penalties will be doubled. All this waste is taken to the Ramky plant, where it is converted to electricity. And despite all these efforts, why does the air quality remain severe? India also enjoys the notoriety of having sixteen of the most polluted cities in the world. The reasons for this are manifold. One crore vehicles ply in Delhi with 45 lakh vehicles coming in from our neighbouring states. Look at the kind of pollution these vehicles bring. Of course, the eastern and western peripheral roads have been constructed whereby lakhs of trucks will be bypassing Delhi. During the 1970s, Delhi had eight lakh vehicles. A decade later, the number increased to 28 lakhs and presently it has over one crore vehicles. Obviously this enormous increase in vehicular traffic is going to aggravate pollution levels. Of course the problem gets worse during winter when PM 2.5 and PM 10 get suspended in the air and with the cool air stagnating over the city, pollution levels are kept close to the ground where people breathe. Wind velocity is at almost zero. These winds are coming from Punjab. A comprehensive action plan (CAP) is being prepared by the Ministry of Environment and Forests to tackle pollution problem across India. The MoEF will administer this plan. The CAP has been notified but it is imperative that we should step up implementation of the long-term actions that have been listed in the plan. These will include a thrust towards intercity public transport and the augmentation of intra-city transport. The inherent logic behind providing representation to every person is to safeguard the legal system. The Madras High Court recently discharged a lawyer from a criminal case and opined in para 31 of the judgement that appearing for a Maoist is not a crime rather if a Maoist accused of an offence seeks the professional assistance of a lawyer, it is the lawyers duty to defend. This posits a fundamental question -- should lawyers be guided by ethical values and notions of justice while selecting to represent any client? The rule that is to be followed by lawyers in common law jurisdictions for this is the Cab Rank rule. This rule simply put states that a lawyer cannot deny any person legal assistance who approaches him or her. The logic underlying this rule is that the services of a lawyer should be akin to that of a carriage driver at the head of a queue of taxicabs who is supposed to take the first passenger requesting a ride. Therefore, just as taxi cabs have to pick up the first customer who approach them, such that the next cab can pick up the next customer and keep the procession going, a lawyer is mandated as an officer of the court to defend the client who approaches him for legal assistance. This is done to keep the system intact wherein the access to the court of law is not denied to any person. In India, the Cab Rank Rule finds its mention in Chapter II, Part VI of the Bar Council of India Rules. The cab rank rule forms a part of the rule of law as every person has a right to be represented by a lawyer in the court of law. This right to be represented is quintessential to the legal system and has taken various forms over the years like the right to free legal aid to people with financial difficulties. In that respect, the court has even gone on to say that the failure of the State to provide legal aid would lead to the vitiation of the trial as it leads to inadequate representation. The only rider to this rule is when the advocate is aware of the individuals moral turpitude and guilt in the crime without any real ground of defence. The inherent logic behind providing representation to every person is to safeguard the legal system. Every person is presumed innocent until proven guilty. If a person is not provided with legal representation and is not allowed to present his case in the court of law, then his right to fair hearing suffers and thus the pristine system suffers a fall. This is not to say that terrorists who have committed the most depraved acts against mankind, should not suffer the punishment that is provided by law at the time in force. If the court finds the person guilty, then according to the due process of law, the requisite punishment should be imposed. But, to send them straight to the gallows without providing them the chance to present their case, will be a slap on the face of our legal system which has to treat everyone as an equal and is duty bound not to be discriminatory or act arbitrarily against anyone. What can be done is that the time of the trial should be expedited and not unnecessarily prolonged. But, within that timeframe, what is to be ensured is that the person facing trial should be provided with the right to put forth his case and thereafter adjudicate accordingly. Finally, the words of the legal luminary, Ram Jethmalani should be revisited. In an interview to CNN-IBN, he stated - I decide according to my conscience who to defend. A lawyer who refuses to defend a person on the ground that people believe him to be guilty is himself guilty of professional misconduct. Indeed, the refusal of a lawyer to represent a client is an indication of his failure to discharge his duty as an officer of the court. Raghav Pandey is an assistant professor of Law at Maharashtra National Law University, Mumbai and Neelabh Bist is a Fourth Year student of Law at Maharashtra National Law University, Mumbai. The protester was arrested at Sabarimala during protests against the entry of women in the age group of 10 to 50, effectively opening up the shrine to all women. Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Thursday turned down a bail plea by a man arrested in October, saying protests against the entry of women to the Sabarimala temple were unacceptable. "The protests at Sabarimala are not acceptable as it is against the verdict of the Supreme Court," a high court bench said, rejecting the request for bail by Kochi resident Govind Madhusudhan. "If the bail application is considered, it will send wrong signals and similar incidents will recur again," the court said. Madhusudhan was arrested at the temple town during protests against the entry of women in the age group of 10 to 50, effectively opening up the shrine to all women. The police have arrested over 3,500 people and registered close to 540 cases. Around 100 people are still in judicial custody. The protesters in October prevented 12 women from entering the temple. Similar protests were seen when the temple opened for a day on 5 November when three women were forced to return without offering prayers. Employees at Air India Air Transport Services Limited (AIATSL), Air India's subsidiary for ground services, called for the strike after the airline reportedly refused to reinstate some sacked contract workers. A few ground staff of national carrier Air India went on strike in Mumbai on Wednesday night, causing several flights to be delayed. Specifically, eight domestic flights and 16 international flights were delayed on Thursday due to the strike at the Mumbai airport, ANI quoted a Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) official as saying. The airline is assessing the situation and making efforts to minimise further delays or disruptions, ANI quoted an Air India spokesperson as saying. Employees at Air India Air Transport Services Limited (AIATSL), Air India's subsidiary for ground services, called for the strike after the airline refused to reinstate some sacked contract workers, The Economic Times reported. However, The Times of India reported that the workers on strike were protesting not being given a Diwali bonus. "Due to a sudden industrial situation at Mumbai by AIATSL employees, some flights have got delayed," reports quoted an airline spokesperson as saying. "All Air India flights are being hit. Some like the Mumbai-Bangkok flight AI 330 are still on ground," The Times of India quoted a source as saying. According to the report, AI 330 was scheduled to depart at 1.45 am on Thursday morning, but the Mumbai-Bangkok flight departed at 8.18 am after a delay of nearly seven hours. A flight from Mumbai to Newark departed at 4.08 am instead of the scheduled 1.30 am. Despite these delays, the airline said early morning flights from Mumbai were delayed only by two hours, ANI reported. "Air India's permanent employees have been deputed to normalise the flights," the carrier added. Several Air India employees who were on leave have been "called from home" to help manage the situation. These delays have severely inconvenienced passengers travelling during the festive season. Flights Delayed In Mumbai After Strike By Air India Contract Ground Staff pic.twitter.com/9b5pM9Bsvk Amit Biswas (@AmitBis60289124) November 8, 2018 One of them tweeted: "It's shameful for the government to run Air India anymore. Passengers stranded in Mumbai airport due to strike! Strike in airline services...that too sudden! Serious threat" Another passenger tweeted, saying there was "utter chaos" at the Mumbai airport because of the strike by Air India's workers. "Passengers like us stuck waiting and clueless," she added. Narendra Modi launched demonetisation in 2016 with three objectives terminating black money in cash, killing fake currency and put an end to cash-based corruption. Political leaders across the spectrum responded to the scheme completing two years of implementation on Thursday. Narendra Modi's demonetisation scheme on Thursday completed two years of implementation, which has sparked threats of protests from the Opposition, especially the Congress, across the nation. Congress said that it will observe a nationwide protest on Friday to mark the second anniversary of the note ban. Political leaders across the spectrum on Thursday responded to the scheme completing two years of implementation. While the Opposition condemned the move calling it a 'dark day' for democracy and economy, finance minister Arun Jaitley said the decision to demonetise was"a key step in a chain of important decisions taken by the Government to formalise the economy." The Congress said that the cost and "destruction" caused by demonetisation was endured by every Indian, barring a "few crony capitalist friends of Narendra Modi." "Demonetisation was a black day for our democracy and our economy," the party tweeted. Calling the exercise "ill-fated and ill-thought", former prime minister Manmohan Singh also expressed his concerns in a statement. "The havoc that it unleashed on the Indian economy and society is now evident to everyone. Notebandi impacted every single person, regardless of age, gender, religion, occupation or creed," he said. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said that demonetisation was a "disaster" for the country on its second anniversary. The chief minister said she had been describing it as a "dark day" since demonetisation was announced. She tweeted: #DarkDay The government cheated our nation with this big #DeMonetisation scam. It ruined the economy and the lives of millions. People will punish those who did this Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) November 8, 2018 The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) called the scheme "the biggest scam" that India has seen. The party tweeted: Today is the 2nd anniversary of #DemonetisationDisaster - the biggest scam in the history of our Nation when Modi unleashed #DestructionByDemonetisation of our Economy! pic.twitter.com/5T48vKR3go CPI (M) (@cpimspeak) November 8, 2018 The party also said on Twitter that the scheme has had disastrous consequences on the economy, and imposed unprecedented burdens on common people. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal echoed the CMP's claims of it being a scam. He tweeted: "Though the list of financial scams of Modi govt is endless, demonetisation was a self-inflicted deep wound on Indian economy which even two years later remains a mystery why the country was pushed into such a disaster?" Congress data analyst Praveen Chakravarty said that the anniversary is a "grim" one, "to remind us the need for genuine, competent economic expertise to steer Indias $2.6 trillion economy and the catastrophic consequences of quackery in economic policymaking." On the opposite side of the spectrum, the BJP was tweeting out statistics depicting the success of demonetisation. Using the hashtag # CorruptCongressFearsDemo, the saffron party said that the scheme resulted in stringent actions against corruption and black money, higher tax compliance, and unprecedented growth in IT returns. Jaitley supported demonetisation, saying that it "is a key step in a chain of important decisions taken by the Government to formalise the economy." In a blog post on his official Facebook page, Jaitley said demonetisation resulted in "more formalisation, more revenue, more resources for the poor, better infrastructure, and a better quality of life" for citizens. He said that the scheme curbed cash transactions, which can easily bypass the banking system and enable its possessors to evade tax. Union minister Piyush Goyal also expressed his support for demonetisation, saying that it was part of a series of decisive and bold steps by the prime minister to "free India from the shackles of corruption." Atul Bhatkhalkar, the general secretary for the Maharashtra unit of the BJP, lauded the scheme as well. #Demonetisation led to a digital #India. Cashless economy gave citizens the ease of transactions, no need to carry cash, no danger of stealing & thus resulting in no black money. #CorruptCongressFearsDemo #Demonetisation pic.twitter.com/V8C4hl8inM Atul Bhatkhalkar (@BhatkhalkarA) November 8, 2018 Follow LIVE UPDATES on the second anniversary of demonetisation With inputs from PTI The US has taken a well-thought-out decision to exempt India from sanctions regarding the development of the strategically-located Chabahar port in Iran The US has taken a well-thought-out decision to exempt India from sanctions regarding the development of the strategically-located Chabahar port in Iran. The construction of the railway line connecting Afghanistan with Iran will also remain exempt from Washington's punitive sanctions. This significant decision by the Donald Trump administration is a clear vindication of the role India has been playing in developing Chabahar, and its strategic value for Afghan reconstruction and development. Trump's decision will undeniably go a long way in safeguarding both Indian and American interests in Afghanistan. According to a US state department spokesman, "(T)he president's South Asia strategy underscores our ongoing support of Afghanistan's economic growth and development as well as our close partnership with India... This exception relates to reconstruction assistance and economic development for Afghanistan. These activities are vital for the ongoing support of Afghanistans growth and humanitarian relief." This is certainly welcome news for India that has already committed significant political and diplomatic resources to the Chabahar project. Kabul, New Delhi and Tehran have been making concerted efforts to improve energy security and regional connectivity by developing the Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman. It may be recalled that in 2003, New Delhi signed a deal with Tehran to renew the Chabahar port project. Pakistan was denying India access to Afghanistan, including the ability to send supplies to Kabul. India responded by building a road from Zaranj, on the AfghanistanIran border, to Delaram, getting vital access to Kabul from the southwest. However, India still needed a port to send supplies: Chabahar was the answer. After a long set of discussions, India, Iran and Afghanistan signed a pact in May 2016 that entailed the establishment of a transit and transport corridor among the three countries using Chabahar port as one of the regional hubs. The first trilateral meeting reviewing the implementation was held last month in Tehran. It is also hoped that once fully operational, the Chabahar port will be able to counter Pakistan's Gwadar port, which is backed by China. India is anxious about the Gwadar port as it gives Pakistan and China the ability to threaten Indian naval activity and maritime interests in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea. The Pakistanis view Chabahar emerging as a road-and-rail transit hub to serve Afghanistan and the landlocked Central Asian states, which threatens the commercial prospects of Gwadar. Tehran seeks to benefit the most from the Chabahar port as it will be able to connect Iran with international community and recover from the crippling sanctions that have been re-imposed upon it. Afghanistan is keen to renew ties with India, besides becoming less dependent on Pakistan in terms of trade. Pakistan sees its relations with Afghanistan through the prism of its relations with India. Its military seeks a veto on Afghanistans relations with India something Kabul does not accept. Changing this dynamic requires getting rid of Pakistans stranglehold on Afghan politics and economy. As Pakistan continues to refuse Indian goods access to travel overland to Afghanistan, the Chabahar port ensures that Pakistan has no role to play in India's access to Afghanistan, Central Asia and then Russia. Indias first major shipment of 1,30,000 tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan through Chabahar Port was dispatched from the western seaport of Kandla in October 2017, launching a trade route bypassing Pakistan. India's external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj had termed the shipment as "a gift from the people of India to our Afghan brethren" as well as the "the starting point of our journey to realise the full spectrum of connectivity from culture to commerce, from traditions to technology, from investments to information technology, from services to strategy and from people to politics". India was therefore involved in intense negotiations with the Trump administration as it tried to secure a waiver for the Chabahar project. When the defence and foreign ministers of India and the US held talks under the two-plus-two format, Chabahar was one of the topmost agendas. That the US was favourably inclined towards Indias request had became obvious when US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of South and Central Asia Region Alice Wells mentioned India's positive role in Afghanistan with particular reference to Chabahar. When asked about the impact of the American sanctions on the Chabahar project, Wells said, "We very much appreciate what India has done to provide both assistance to Afghanistan, including through using Chabahar for the delivery of wheat. We also very much appreciate what India has done to allow Afghanistan to diversify its trade relationships, and again Chabahar has played a role there. So those factors will certainly be taken under consideration." It was widely speculated that Trumps ill-fated decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal would have far-reaching implications on both India and Afghanistan. Kabul's interests could have become vulnerable in the event of sanctions on Chabahar. It is important to understand the context. The Taliban has been historically considered by Tehran as one of its enemies. During its initial military campaign to take control of Afghanistan in the 1990s, the Taliban used to target the Afghan Shia population due to its religious affiliation. It may also be recalled that Iran had almost declared a war against the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan when 11 Iranian diplomats and a journalist were killed by the outfit in 1998. Iran was also a part of the regional grouping (that included India and Russia) that had supported the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance. Tehran has historical ties with the Shias and Hazaras of Afghanistan, which gives Tehran the capacity to act as a 'spoiler' in the US-led efforts aimed at ensuring peace and stability in Afghanistan. An important factor that seems to have motivated the Trump administration to grant a waiver to the Chabahar port is that if Afghanistan becomes a theatre of US-Iranian confrontation, any politically-negotiated settlement with the Afghan Taliban will become even more difficult. Facing severe security threats from both the Afghan Taliban and Islamic State-K, the Afghan government cannot afford to become another battlefield between the US and Iran. Clearly, it is in the interest of the US to prevent this worst-case scenario from happening. With terrorists doing all they can to underline the growing vulnerabilities of the Afghan State, the Ashraf Ghani governments capacity is already under siege. If the US had not made the exemption on Chabahar, the impact of sanctions regime on Iran would have been visible on Afghanistan which needs Iran's continued support for the much-needed infrastructure development. Thinking strategically, the Trump administration has been wise in not imposing sanctions on the Chabahar port, as its successful operation would bring Afghanistan and India closer, theoretically curtailing the influence of Pakistan and China. Thirty-five Yemeni and international NGOs has called for an 'immediate cessation of hostilities' in Yemen, where they warned 14 million people were now 'on the brink of famine'. Paris: Thirty-five Yemeni and international NGOs has called for an "immediate cessation of hostilities" in Yemen, where they warned 14 million people were now "on the brink of famine". The joint appeal was signed by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Action Against Hunger, CARE International, Oxfam, Doctors of the World, and Yemeni organisations, according to a statement. "With 14 million men, women and children on the brink of famine half the country's population there has never been a more urgent time to act," the statement said on Wednesday. It called on governments to "secure an immediate cessation of hostilities" and "suspend the supply of arms at risk of being used in Yemen". The most impoverished country in the Arab world, Yemen has been gripped by war since 2015, when a regional military coalition led by Saudi Arabia joined the government's fight against Huthi rebels. "The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is manmade and a direct consequence of the warring parties' severe restrictions on access to food, fuel, medical imports and humanitarian aid," the statement added. "The collapse of the Yemeni rial and the non-payment of public sector workers is adding to the catastrophe. "We call on governments to redouble their efforts to guarantee unimpeded access to essential items... including through the lifeline port of Hodeidah, where civilians have been caught in renewed fighting over the past few days." Pro-government forces pressed even closer Wednesday to the heart of Hodeida, the Red Sea city controlled by Huthi rebels and under blockade by Saudi Arabia and its allies. International aid groups have appealed to both the rebels and the alliance to allow civilians to escape the densely-populated city of 6,00,000 people. Nearly 10,000 Yemenis have been killed in the conflict since 2015, according to the World Health Organization. Naidu had called his Karnataka counterpart over the phone on Tuesday and congratulated the latter on the JD(S)-Congress combine's 'spectacular victory' in the by-elections. JD(S) MLC Sharavana said Naidu's meeting with Gowda is in continuation of the discussions the Andhra chief minister was holding with 'secular' party leaders across the country. Bengaluru: TDP supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who is trying to unite opposition parties to take on BJP in the Lok Sabha elections next year, will meet former prime minister HD Deve Gowda and chief minister HD Kumaraswamy here on Thursday. Naidu will meet Gowda at his residence at Padmanabha Nagar and Kumaraswamy would also be present during the meeting, JD(S) said on Wednesday. Interestingly, Naidu's meeting with the JD(S) supremo comes in the backdrop of Congress-JD(S) coalition resolving to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections together against the BJP,buoyed by the victory in the bypolls. The Congress-JD(S)coalition in Karnataka on Tuesday won two of the three Lok Sabha seats and both assembly constituencies in the fiercely fought by-polls, giving a shot in the arm to the ruling combine that faces frequent questions about its longevity. BJP had managed to hold on to the Shivamogga Lok Sabha seat. The electoral sweep by the ruling coalition comes as a boost to it as the by-polls were seen as a barometer of the public mood ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Naidu had called his Karnataka counterpart over the phone on Tuesday and congratulated the latter on the JD(S)-Congress combine's "spectacular victory" in the by-elections. JD(S) MLC Sharavana said Naidu's meeting with Gowda is in continuation of the discussions the Andhra chief minister was holding with "secular" party leaders across the country. "The bypolls results that have come is a good development as people of the state have understood the need for secular forces. He (Naidu) is expected to seek Deve Gowda's cooperation," he added. Naidu had also recently met NCP chief Sharad Pawarand National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, among others. The new case against Reddy has come as a timely stick for Congress to beat the BJP with in the 2019 Lok Sabha election run-up. Congress will try to hit BJP where it will hurt most. Congress will punch holes in BJPs proclamations on being a scam-free outfit and an epitome of lily-white innocence. The "King" has not only abdicated the throne but is also on the run to escape arrest. We are talking about the King of the Republic of Ballari, as Karnatakas mining baron and former BJP minister Gali Janardhana Reddy was once called by the states Lokayukta. Reddy disappeared on Wednesday, when the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Karnataka police began to look out for him. The new case has nothing to do with any iron-ore fraud but is related to a Rs-600-crore Ponzi scam. The mining don allegedly struck a Rs 18-crore deal with the scamsters apparently to use his good offices with BJP and save them from the clutches of Enforcement Directorate (ED). The police have formed special teams to trace Reddy and others involved in the Ponzi scheme in which some 15,000 people were allegedly cheated out of their investments after they were offered high returns. Coming just day after the BJPs crushing defeat in the by-election to the Ballari Lok Sabha constituency, the new case against Reddy adds to the partys troubles when the 2019 Lok Sabha election is only months away. The BJP candidate (Shantha) who lost the Ballari seat is the sister of B Sriramulu, a party MLA and a close associate of Reddy. Despite BJPs clumsy efforts to distance itself from the mining mafia, its common knowledge that Reddy is a key wheeler-dealer of the party in the state. Links with Congress too Reddys mining kingdom was linked not only to BJP but even with the Congress in the past, as well as late Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy (not related to him), whose son YS Jaganmohan Reddy, now, heads YSRP Congress in the neighbouring state. Its another matter that Jaganmohan Reddy is now cosying up to BJP in Andhra Pradesh. But its the alleged nexus that Janardhana reddy has with the Karnataka BJP, especially its state president and Lingayat veteran BS Yeddyurappa, that appears to be strongest and most direct. Congress in Karnataka has been accusing Yeddyurappa of hobnobbing with the mining mafia especially since 2008 when Reddy helped BJP win the state assembly election and the Lingayat leader became the chief minister. Janardhana Reddy, his brother Karunakara Reddy and his friend B Sriramulu became ministers, while another brother Somashekhara Reddy was made the chief of the states powerful milk federation. In 2011, scams led to Yeddyurappas resignation as chief minister and Reddys arrest by CBI. Reddy came out after nearly four years, but Siddaramaiah, who became chief minister in 2013, sent him back to jail in 2015. He got out on bail, one of the conditions being that he should not enter Ballari. This forced him to operate from a village close to the Ballari border. BJPs reliance on Reddy Though BJP national president Amit Shah publicly disowned Reddy during the May 2018 Assembly election, the party relied on him heavily. Reddy himself was not given a party ticket, but eight of his family and friends were. They included Sriramulu, who was even tipped to become BJPs deputy chief minister if the party won the election. Even Congress and JD(S) shamelessly fielded several mining scamsters as candidates, but it was kingpin Reddys direct involvement with BJP that got the party in trouble. Reddy promised BJP he will win a good number of seats for the party in the assembly poll, but delivered only a few. Of the nine seats in Ballari district, the party won only three. This should have made it clear that his political influence was on the wane, but BJP ignored the warning bells, and fielded Sriramulus sister as the Ballari by-election candidate. The new case against Reddy has come as a timely stick for Congress to beat the BJP with in the 2019 Lok Sabha election run-up. Congress will try to hit BJP where it will hurt most. Congress will punch holes in BJPs proclamations on being a scam-free outfit and an epitome of lily-white innocence. At national level, Congress has been desperately trying to use the Rafale deal to charge Prime Minister Narendra Modi with corruption without any shred of hard evidence, but the Reddy affair is a relatively sharper weapon it could use against BJP in Karnataka in the weeks and months to come. Yeddyurappas position as the state BJP chief, which came under a cloud after this weeks humiliating by-election defeat in Ballari, may become even more untenable after Reddys implication in the Ponzi scam. While the by-election disaster came in handy for Yeddyurapas enemies within the party to once again scream for his scalp, the latest scam only makes Amit Shahs task of cleaning up the state unit even more urgent. Your CBI versus our police? Chief minister HD Kumaraswamy of Janata Dal (Secular) and former chief minister Siddaramaiah of Congress, who made a spectacle of their differences after their parties formed the coalition government six months ago, became united in fighting the five Lok Sabha and Assembly by-elections on 3 November. Having notched up an impressive 4:1 victory, Kumaraswamy and Siddaramaiah now have another reason to be even more united in their mission of going after Reddy. Both were once Reddys personal targets. The Ponzi episode also gives the Congress-JD(S) combine to taunt BJP with the jibe your-CBI-versus-our-police. The Modi government is being accused of using central agencies against political rivals, the latest among them being Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and BJPs ally-turned-enemy Chandrababu Naidu of Telugu Desam. Naidu is trying to forge an anti-BJP alliance along with parties that include JD(S) and Congress. Congress may also use the Reddy affair to sling some mud on External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, pointing out that he campaigned for her in Ballari Lok Sabha seat, where she was a candidate against Sonia Gandhi in 1999. The partys trolls are already doing that on social media, ignoring the fact that Reddy got his first mining license many years after 1999. But its Yeddyurappa who must be wary of whats in store for him. The author tweets @sprasadindia Of the 90 Assembly constituencies in Chhattisgarh, polling will be held for 18 in the first phase of the elections on 12 November, while voting for the remaining 72 is scheduled for 20 November. As many as 1,291 candidates will fight it out for 90 seats in the upcoming Chhattisgarh Assembly elections. Besides the Bharatiya Janata (BJP) and the Congress, smaller regional parties have also thrown their hat into the ring. In the two-phase elections, voting for 18 seats spread across eight Naxal-affected districts will be held on 12 November. Polling for the remaining 72 seats is scheduled for 20 November. The votes will be cunresults will be on 11 December. This time, it's a triangular contest between the BJP, Congress and the new coalition between the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), former chief minister Ajit Jogi's Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC) and the Communist Party of India (CPI). This alliance has added another dimension to the electoral politics of Chhattisgarh, which has always been dominated by the ruling BJP and the Opposition Congress. After much back and forth about who will get tickets and who won't, as well as much debate about whether incumbent representatives of constituencies should be fielded or new faces must be brought into the fray, all contesting parties have submitted their final lists, and the deadline to file nominations (2 November) has passed. Here is the complete list of candidates field by the BJP: These are the Congress candidates contesting the Chhattisgarh polls: Here is the final list of candidates released by the state electoral officer from all parties contesting the 18 constituencies in the fray in the first phase of the elections: This is the final list of candidates in the fray for the 72 constituencies that will go to the polls in the second phase of the Chhattisgarh elections: Ajit Jogi's JCC is contesting 55 of the 90 seats in the Assembly, the BSP is contesting 33 seats and the CPI, two seats Sukma and Dantewada. Ajit Jogi is contesting from Marwahi, his wife Renu Jogi from Kota and his daughter-in-law Richa Jogi is a BSP nominee from Akaltara. Follow news updates on the Chhattisgarh Assembly Election 2018 here Tata Steel signed a memorandum of understanding with the Raman Singh-led Chhattisgarh govt in 2005 to set up a Rs 19,500 crore plant in Bastar. It involved acquiring 5,000 acres of land across 10 villages for the plant that proposed to create 5.5 million tonnes of steel per annum. The state started acquiring land 2008-09 onwards. Deepak Baij believes it was a steel plant which played a crucial role in him entering the Chhattisgarh Assembly in 2013. And he is confident it is the same plant that would ensure he remains there in 2018. Tata Steel signed a memorandum of understanding with the Raman Singh-led Chhattisgarh government in 2005 to set up a Rs 19,500 crore plant in the tribal district of Bastar. It involved acquiring 5,000 acres of land across 10 villages for the plant that proposed to create 5.5 million tonnes of steel per annum. The state started acquiring land 2008-09 onwards. It met with severe resistance from the 1,700-odd affected tribal families. In 2009, residents of Bedanji village submitted a letter to the collector of Jadgalpur which said, "We will not move". The same year in June, Maoists shot Vimal Meshram, an influential tribal leader and a vocal supporter of the project, at a busy market in broad daylight. Tata backed out of the project in 2016, citing unfavourable law and order situation. Baij, who contested the 2013 Assembly elections on a Congress ticket, says he mobilised the protesters and campaigned against the project democratically. "The voters believed I had their best interests in mind," he adds. However, even though the project has not taken off, the land acquired from Adivasi farmers have not been returned to them. "I have promised them they will get their land back within months, says Baij, sitting MLA from the Chitrakoot Assembly constituency in which the land was acquired in the block of Lohandiguda. According to the rule, if the project does not take off within five years of land acquisition, the land is supposed to be returned to the original owner." His counterpart from the BJP, Lachchu Ram Kashyap, has taken a pro-industry stand, saying if he were elected, he would bring in industries that would lead to job creation and development. The affected villages do not seem to be buying that currently. Kuldhar Nag, a farmer belonging to the Madia tribe in the village of Belar, one of the 10 affected villages, says the administration and officials coerced him to forgo his four-acre land. The companies wanting to set up projects in our forests should leave us alone, he says, sitting on a two-wheeler in the verandah of his hut in the densely forested village. They are only here to exploit us. We were offered compensation, but we dont want money. We want the right over jal, jangal, jameen (water, forest and land)." Even though the acquired land is still in the possession of farmers, Nag says he loses out on several government schemes because technically he is not the landowner. "I cannot sell my paddy harvest at the cooperative society, because the registration mandates land ownership, he says. The bank would not give me loan. It is my land, and I dont want to be at the mercy of others. Rich in resources, the tribal division of Bastar is on the radar of several multinational companies. Constitutionally, they cannot directly procure the land belonging to tribals. It has to be acquired by the state government and handed over to the corporations. Even though the Forest Rights Act and the PESA Act are in place to protect tribal rights, Lawyer and Activist Sudha Bharadwaj had written earlier this year how the corporate land grab is legitimised in Chhattisgarh by misusing legal framework. Initially, after the state of Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh in 2000, only the NMDC was involved in those projects. Under the leadership of Raman Singh in the last 15 years, Adivasi land and forests have been opened up for commercial exploitation to the private players, resulting in widespread displacement, measly compensation, and exploitation and pollution of resources. The tribals of Bastar are commonly fighting battles, like the one in Chitrakoot. Local observers believe it is probably one of the reasons why the BJPs vote has steadily shrunk in the division of Bastar, which has 12 seats across seven districts, 11 of them are reserved for Scheduled Tribes. In 2008, the BJP had won 11 out of the 12 seats here, which dramatically came down to 4 in 2013 assembly elections. They go to polls in the first phase on 12 November. The Congress is harping that the state government led by BJP is not concerned about tribals, and is mainly batting for the urban rich. Arvind Netam, a veteran tribal Congress leader and a former union minister, says the BJP has its own definition of development, which does not conform to the tribals. "BJP has their own mindset, he says. We do not like big industries. We care deeply about our roots." Kashyap, however, says there is a generation gap between the tribals. "Tribal youth is longing for better opportunities. Industries would create jobs for them," he says. Netam disputes the theory of industries bringing in employment opportunities for the youth. "Look at the Nagar Naar plant," he says, giving example of another steal project by NMDC in Bastar. Everyone that is currently employed is a migrant. Contractors are from outside, the workers are from outside. It has hardly generated local employment. Youth in the 10 affected villages around Tata plant say they would like better opportunities but do not trust the corporations or the state to have their interests in mind. Karma Mandavi, 26, from Takraguda village, says the likelihood of the projects worsening their lives is far more than the other way round. They do not follow the norms of basic rehabilitation or compensation, he says. When most of the projects forge consent, how do we trust them? It is better to work hard for ourselves on our lands than to be treated like slaves. Bimla Nag, another resident of Belar, who lost 4 acres of land, slams her forehead as a mark of bad fortune at the mention of Tata plant. "This project ruined our lives," she says, clad in blue sari, sitting on the platform outside her one room hut. "My father and uncle both participated in the agitations against the project. They passed away, but our land still belongs to the state government. Upon asked who she would vote for, she says, "Whoever that saves our land." Of the 90 Assembly constituencies in Chhattisgarh, 51 are general, while 10 are reserved for Scheduled Castes and 29 for Scheduled Tribes. With the first phase of the Chhattisgarh Assembly elections days away, the battlefield is set and campaigning by political parties is on in full swing. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is seeking to win its fourth term, while the Congress is aiming to dethrone Chief Minister Raman Singh's government. Polling will be held in two phases in Maoist-affected Chhattisgarh. In the first phase on 12 November, voting will be held in 18 constituencies in the southern part of the state and in 72 constituencies in the second phase on 20 November. Of the 90 Assembly segments in Chhattisgarh, 51 are general, while 10 are reserved for candidates from Scheduled Caste (SC) communities and 29 from Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities. Here are some of the key constituencies of the 90-seat House: Bilaspur Bilaspur is a high-profile seat as it seen as a BJP stronghold. It is a commercial hub with large railway settlements, as it houses the headquarters of both the South East Central Railway Zone and South Eastern Coalfields Limited. Shailesh Pandey of the Congress will face sitting MLA and Chhattisgarh Minister of Urban Development Amar Agrawal in Bilaspur. The Congress' Bilaspur unit spokesperson, Abhay Narayan Rai, protested in front of the party office after Pandey's candidacy was announced, alleging that Pandey was an outsider. Dantewada The Dantewada constituency is infamous for encounters between the Naxals and security personnel. The Congress fielded sitting MLA Devati Karma, the wife of Congress stalwart Mahendra Karma who was killed in a Naxal attack on 24 May, 2013, for the second time. In the 2013 Assembly elections, the NOTA (none of the above) share from Dantewada was higher than the winning margin. Devati had defeated her BJP rival Bhima Mandavi, but NOTA votes had come to 9,677. The Dantewada constituency is also a reserved ST seat. Kanker Rich in natural resources and also affected by Naxal violence, Kanker district has three Assembly constituencies, all of which are reserved for candidates from ST communities. The Congress has fielded former president of Adivasi Congress Sishupal Sori. The former IAS officer hails from this region, and the party gave him a ticket bypassing sitting MLA Shanker Dhurv. Bastar Rebels in this Naxal-hit constituency in Chhattisgarh have threatened people against voting in the polls. The Bastar Assembly constituency is also an ST seat. Of the 18 seats that go to the polls in Chhattisgarh in the first phase, 12 are in the Bastar region. Bastar will be closely-watched to see whether the BJP can recover the seats it lost to the Congress in 2013 the Congress had won eight of the region's 12 seats in the last elections. Healthcare is a major concern in this tribal dominated region. Rajnandgaon Besides the 12 Naxal-affected constituencies in the Bastar division, the other six Maoist-hit constituencies that go to the polls on 12 November are in Rajnandagoan district. The Congress has fielded former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's niece Karuna Shukla as its candidate against Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh for the Rajnandgaon seat. Although Shukla is a vocal BJP critic, Singh has a good hold over Rajnandgaon, his hometown. He made his Lok Sabha debut from Rajnandgaon in 1999 after defeating Congress leader Motilal Vohra. During campaigning for the elections, the chief minister assured voters he would turn Rajnandgaon into a "Smart City" and "get prosperity back" in the region. Bhilai Located in the Durg district of Chhattisgarh and officially known as Bhilai Nagar, the city is known for its steel and chemical industry, notably the Bhilai Steel Plant. Bhilai Nagar is the stronghold of the Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha (CMM), which was founded by labour leader Shankar Guha Niyogi in 1986 to fight for the rights of miners and factory workers in Bhilai's Dilla Rajhara, where the Bhilai Steel Plant's captive mines are located. Bhilai has been the face of friction on labour issues between activists and the Chhattisgarh government for years. Lawyer activist Sudha Bharadwaj has worked with the CMM for several decades and enjoys support from this city. With her arrest by the BJP-ruled Centre in August, Bhilai will be a constituency to watch. The Congress fielded Bhilai municipal corporation mayor and youth leader Devendra Yadav against state minister and sitting BJP MLA Premprakash Pandey. Raigarh Raigarh is a city and municipal corporation in Chhattisgarh's Raigarh district. The constituency is also an ST seat. Parts of Raigarh face the issue of man-elephant conflict, and remote villages of Raigarh face rail and road connectivity issues. The state had come up with the East Rail Corridor Phase-I project, the implementation of which aims to provide railway systems to interior areas. In 2017, the state government had taken up two-laning work for roads measuring 586 kilometres and spread over Raigarh, Surguja, Korba and Jashpur districts, which face road connectivity issues. Ambikapur Leader of Opposition in the Chhattisgarh Assembly and Congress leader TS Singh Deo filed his nomination papers from Ambikapur in Sarguja division. When the Assembly seat was unreserved in 2008, the Congress turned to the royals of Chhattisgarh, fielding Deo, who went on to defeat BJP's Anurag Singh Dev by 980 votes. In 2013, Deo repeated his win against Dev by a huge margin of 19,558 votes. Following his massive victory, Deo was made the Leader of Opposition in the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly. Ambikapur has witnessed logjams between local villagers and Adani Mining Pvt Ltd over issues of proper compensation, rehabilitation and jobs because of the land acquisitions the company undertook for mining. Raipur City South and Raipur City West Both these constituencies are urban power centres. The Congress fielded Kanhaiya Agrawal, a new face, from Raipur City South against sitting BJP MLA and minister Brijmohan Agrawal. Supporters of Congress leader Ejaz Dhebar, who was seeking a ticket from the Raipur City South constituency, vandalised the party office after Dhebar was not named a candidate. The BJP fielded minister Rajesh Munat from Raipur City West, and Vikas Upadhyaya from the Congress will contest against him. Jagdalpur Rekhchand Jain from the Congress will contest from Jagdalpur, whereas sitting MLA Santosh Bafna has been given a BJP ticket. Located in the tribal-dominated Bastar district, Jagdalpur was the focus of the Centre's Bastar development plan, for which the Jagdalpur airport was touted to solve the region's development and medical emergency woes. But months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Jagdalpur airport, it became inoperational. It is a widely believed myth that the party that wins from this constituency forms the government in Chhattisgarh. Korba Congress leader Jaisingh Agrawal will contest the Assembly polls from Korba. The BJP has fielded Vikas Mahto, son of party leader Banshilal Mahto, from the Korba Assembly seat, considered a Congress bastion. Korba is also a battleground for anti-mining groups. Village councils that had opposed mining in the district have complained that two to three years of mining activity has depleted ground water levels in the region. Moreover, the thickly forested northern Chhattisgarh region, comprising the districts of Surguja, Korba, Raigarh and Jashpur, is notorious for incidents of human-elephant conflict. In the past few years, wild elephants have killed several people and damaged houses and crops in the region. Marwahi An ST seat, the Marwahi constituency has come under the spotlight as Janata Congress Chhattisgarh chief Ajit Jogi will contest the polls from this seat. The Marwahi Assembly constituency, which falls in the Korba parliamentary seat, is the traditional stronghold of the Jogi family. Ajit Jogi had won from Marwahi in 2003 and 2008. His son Amit is the current MLA representing the constituency. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani's remarks on renaming Ahmedabad as Karnavati come after Yogi Adityanath said Faizabad district will be renamed Ayodhya. Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani on Thursday said the state government will take "concrete steps" to change the name of Ahmedabad to "Karnavati" after assessing "legal and all other angles". We are contemplating changing the name of Ahmedabad to Karnavati, the talks of which have been going on since a long time. Concrete steps will be taken after looking at it from legal and all other angles. We will think about it in the time to come: Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani pic.twitter.com/9bVJiHo4ED ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2018 His statement comes on the heels of Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel saying that the BJP government in Gujarat would be ready to rename Ahmedabad as Karnavati if it got the required support from people. "People still have a feeling that Ahmedabad should be renamed as Karnavati. If we get the required support to overcome legal hurdles, we are always ready to change the name of the city," Patel had said, adding that they would rechristen Ahmedabad "whenever the time is appropriate". The Congress, however, called the promise to rename Ahmedabad just another "poll gimmick" by the ruling party. "For the BJP, issues like the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya and renaming Ahmedabad as Karnavati are means to get Hindu votes," said Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi, "BJP leaders dump such issues after coming to power. They only cheated Hindus all these years." The remarks on renaming Ahmedabad come after Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath announced on Tuesday, a day before Diwali, the state's decision to rename Faizabad district as Ayodhya. On the day of Diwali, Adityanath also confirmed plans to construct a Ram statue in Ayodhya. This was not the first time the Uttar Pradesh chief minister made such a decision. The move to rename Faizabad district Ayodhya followed the state government's move to rechristen Allahabad "Prayagraj" and the iconic Mughalsarai Railway Station Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Junction. With inputs from agencies Congress has decided to field former Union minister Arun Yadav against Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Congress has decided to field former Union minister Arun Yadav against Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Congress releases a list of 7 candidates for upcoming assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh. Arun Yadav to contest from Budhni, to fight against Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. pic.twitter.com/MMKdwaM3z6 ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2018 Arun, who became the state Congress chief in January 2014, served as an MP from 2007 to 2009 and from 2009 to 2014. He had also served as the Union minister of state, agriculture and food processing industries in the erstwhile Congress-led UPA government. Ironically enough, in April, when former Union minister Kamal Nath had replaced Arun as the new president of the Madhya Pradesh Congress, he said that he would not contest the upcoming Lok Sabha or Assembly elections, but would continue to work for the party. "The party president will decide on my future responsibilities and I will work accordingly," he said. Arun is the son of former Congress leader Subhash Yadav, who served as deputy chief minister in former chief minister Digvijaya Singh's cabinet. He is considered popular among the state's Yadavs. An article in The Times of India pointed out that Subhash Yadav was once recognised as the most important farmer leader in Madhya Pradesh during the Congress regime. Being the son of a deputy chief minister hailed as the most important farmer leader at one point of time may give Arun the opportunity to present himself as a suitable alternative to Chouhan. "This way, Arun Yadav is a near replica of BJP mascot Shivraj Singh Chouhan who openly claims he is the son of a farmer and hails from a rural agrarian background," the article stated. Chouhan filed his nomination papers Monday from Budhni seat in Sehore district in the poll-bound state. Madhya Pradesh goes to polls on 28 November and votes will be counted on 11 December. Budhni, over 60 kilometres from Bhopal, is Chouhan's home turf: from where he was first elected as MLA in 1990. This will be the fifth time he is contesting from the seat close to his ancestral village of Jait in Sehore. With inputs from PTI and Debobrat Ghose The BJP had appealed for an extension, claiming that a number of their candidates could not file their nominations owing to the recent protests seeking the removal of the state's chief electoral officer SB Shashank. New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (EC) on Thursday turned down the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) request for extending the last date for filing nominations for the Mizoram Legislative Assembly elections. The Election Commission had set 9 November as the last date for filing nominations. However, the BJP had appealed for an extension, claiming that a number of their candidates could not file their nominations owing to the recent protests seeking the removal of the state's Chief Electoral Officer SB Shashank. Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla had earlier written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding Shashank's removal following the sacking of principal secretary L Chuaungo. Chuaungo had been removed after Shashank brought the interference of the state in the ensuing Assembly elections to the notice of the Election Commission. He also mentioned Chuaungo's alleged involvement in the revision of the electoral rolls. The people of Mizoram have been protesting against Shashank, alleging that he is biased in conducting the forthcoming state Assembly elections. The BJP has so far announced 27 candidates out of a total of 40 Assembly seats in the state. Mizoram, the only state in the north-east where the Congress is currently in power, will go to polls on 28 November. Results will be declared on 11 December. TDP president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu said that the reason behind his visit to Bengaluru was 'to seek Deve Gowda's blessings and support for this great path'. As part of his bid to unite Opposition parties to take on BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu met JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda, and Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy at their Bengaluru residence. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu meets former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy in Bengaluru pic.twitter.com/bm0TFpndrn ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2018 Naidu was accorded a ceremonial welcome after the meeting. The leaders then addressed the media. "For the past four years, the NDA government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has created so many problems, including the destabilisation of certain constitutionally-created institutions. It is the responsibility of all secular parties to comes together to replace the NDA government," Deve Gowda said. "Naidu has taken the lead. He's doing his best to consolidate all secular parties to remove the NDA government in 2019. For the same reason, he has come today to meet us to workout strategy to consolidate all these forces. We have discussed steps for the future. He is going to work hard to secure leaders, and the Congress should also cooperate. The country is paramount. Congress has a great responsibility." Gowda claimed that although Congress isn't in power in several states, it will win the upcoming bypolls in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh. Naidu said the reason behind his visit to Bengaluru was "to seek Deve Gowda's blessings and support for this great path". "We had great relations from the beginning. I cannot forget in my lifetime the amount of respect he has given me. All the leaders have to come together to save the nation and save democracy," he said. Naidu targeted the NDA government, saying that their several institutions had been "destroyed" under Modi's rule. "The CBI is in trouble. The RBI, which is an autonomous, is under threat. Even the RBI governor is unable to solve the problems that the government has created. They (NDA government) are using these institutions against the Opposition to conduct raids and for total harassment of Opposition leaders. The economy is in doldrums. No results have come from demonetisation. Petrol prices are increasing day by day. The farmers are in trouble. Even minorities are insecure. It is our responsibility to protect this nation and save the Constitution." Responding to a question on the grand alliance's candidate for the 2019 election, Naidu said, "You are interested in the prime ministerial candidate, I am interested in saving the Constitution and the democracy. We will decide on the candidate, but first, we want to protect democracy. Congress is a major Opposition party. Tomorrow(Friday), I'm meeting DMK president MK Stalin. I am interested in consensus. I have taken some initiative. After that we will have a meeting to discuss how to go about it." Kumaraswamy said that Gowda and Naidu met to "strengthen the hands of all secular forces in the country". "They have discussed several issues. After Naidu's entry (in the move to form alliance to oust the BJP), 1996 will again be repeated in 2019 election," he said. As the meeting took place in Bengaluru, TDP leader Lanka Dinakar told CNN-News18, "The expectation (from this meeting) is nothing but to remove Modi and save democracy... Naidu is a tall leader, while Deve Gowda is the former prime minister of the country. These two people are the inseparable part of the mahagathbandhan. We are starting with south India... Definitely this dream is going to come true." Responding to Dinakar's remarks, BJP leader Krishna Sagar Rao said, "It is not a dream but a nightmare. He (Naidu) is brokering alliances in south India. This is all driven by his political desperation and compulsions." Rao further said that Naidu is taking efforts to strengthen the mahagathbandhan because "Rahul Gandhi cannot accomplish this". The meeting came days after the Congress-JD(S) won two of the three Lok Sabha seats and both the Assembly constituencies in the fiercely-fought bypolls. Buoyed by the victory, Kumaraswamy and Karnataka Congress president Dinesh Gundu Rao asserted that the two parties will contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections together against the BJP. Naidu had called Kumaraswamy over phone on Tuesday and congratulated the latter on the JD(S)-Congress combine's "spectacular victory" in the by-elections. Naidu also recently met NCP chief Sharad Pawar and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, among others. At a joint press conference on 1 November, they said they were looking to work out ways to come together and put up a collective front "to protect the future of the nation". With inputs from agencies RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav, who met his father Lalu Prasad in Ranchi on Saturday regarding his decision to divorce his wife, did not return here as expected but left mid-way for an unknown destination, sources close to the family said on Tuesday. Patna: RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav, who met his father Lalu Prasad in Ranchi on Saturday regarding his decision to divorce his wife, did not return here as expected but left mid-way for an unknown destination, sources close to the family said on Tuesday. Yadav had met his father for a couple of hours at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences hospital in Ranchi, where the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo is lodged in custody in connection with a fodder scam case, Saturday and checked in at a Bodh Gaya hotel Sunday night, local MLA Kumar Sarvjeet said. He left the hotel Monday afternoon, saying he was going to Patna, Sarvjeet added. "I met Yadav, along with other party leaders, over dinner Sunday. He was looking exhausted. He bade us goodbye Monday, saying he was returning home. I have the knowledge of his movements only till his departure from the Royal Residency hotel," the MLA told PTI over the phone. The mercurial elder son of Prasad and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi, however, was yet to reach Patna, his family sources said. Yadav had told reporters after meeting Prasad that he stood by his decision to give divorce to his wife of six months, Aishwarya Rai. "No person can live a stifled life," he had said. Yadav is said to be fond of visiting places of pilgrimage like Vrindavan and Varanasi for spiritual solace and one of his grouses against his wife is that she has not been able to adjust to his way of life. Yadav, a former Bihar health minister, had recently spent a number of days in Vrindavan, where he was reportedly seen playing the flute with a peacock feather tied to his head in the midst of a herd of cows. Neither Aishwarya, who is the daughter of RJD MLA Chandrika Rai and granddaughter of former Bihar chief minister Daroga Prasad Rai, nor any member of her family has spoken on the matter so far. She had tied the knot with Yadav on May 12 and the RJD leader had moved an application seeking divorce on November 2, citing incompatibility. Yadav has also been dropping hints that he is not getting along well with younger brother Tejashwi, who has emerged as the party's de facto leader in their father's absence. Prasad, who is serving sentences in fodder scam cases, had flown in from Ranchi after obtaining parole from a court to attend Yadav's wedding, which was attended by the leaders of virtually all the political parties, including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan. Setting political acrimony aside, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said it wished that the young couple resolved their differences and reunited on the auspicious occasion of Deepawali. "It is a family matter, which has to be resolved by both sides. One should refrain from making political statements on the issue. It is unfortunate for a young couple to have experienced such a discord. Best wishes to Aishwarya, who is the daughter of the society, and hopes for her happy reunion with Tej Pratap by Deepawali," state BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand said. Reuters U.S. President Donald Trump said he would consider working with Democrats to regulate social media companies, after he and other conservatives accused companies such as Twitter Inc, Facebook Inc and Alphabet Incs Google of allegedly stifling right-wing views. In an extended news conference on Wednesday, Trump, however, urged caution in an effort to regulate the social media and technology companies. He did not spell out any specific rules that he would advocate. Believe it or not, Im one that really likes free speech. A lot of people dont understand that, but I am a big believer. And when you start regulating, a lot of bad things can happen, Trump added. Asked whether he would consider working with Democrats to regulate social media companies, Trump said, I would do that, yeah. I would look at that. Creating new regulations would be inconsistent for a president who has made reducing regulation a goal of his administration. His officials have made numerous such efforts, in particular, towards cutting environmental and financial rules. Just last month, Trump suggested that Twitter was biased against him and accused the company of deleting many of his followers and making it harder for users to follow him. In a tweet, he said that the company had stifled growth to a point where it is obvious to all. Twitter said then that any reduction was likely due to its recent moves to remove millions of suspicious accounts after it and other social media services were used in misinformation campaigns attempting to influence voters in the 2016 U.S. presidential race and other elections. Despite his attacks, Trump remains an avid user of Twitter, which allows him to bypass TV news and newspapers in order to communicate directly with supporters. tech2 News Staff Dutch police claim to have broken encryption in IronChat, a formerly secure, encrypted chat service that was apparently endorsed by NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden. IronChat runs on IronPhones Android phones running a custom, secure OS and requires a subscription. This can cost thousands of dollars per account. The service is apparently very popular with criminals, who clearly love the idea of communicating via channels that the cops have no access to. According to a statement released by Dutch police, however, they have managed to break IronChats encryption and snoop in on hundreds of thousands of conversations involving hundreds of criminals involved in some sort of money-laundering scheme. It turns out that the owner of the service, and his partner, were involved in the scheme. They have since been arrested. IronChat routes data via a central server and encrypts it. Police were able to pinpoint the location of the server, which somehow allowed them to intercept over 258,000 messages sent via the service. Simply being aware of the location of a server does not help break encryption, and the police havent revealed how they broke it. Police were tipped off when they found a man selling these cryptophones to criminals. Dutch police claim that breaking the encryption allowed them to make several drug busts, including one involving MDMA and cocaine as well as automatic weapons and 90,000 in cash. The criminals involved believed the service to be secure and started suspecting each other of leaking information. When the threat to life started escalating, Dutch police decided that it was time to reveal their hand. The service has since been shut down and the servers taken offline by police. In an interview with Dutch website Telegraaf, a security expert speculates that there was some inherent flaw in the way encryption was implemented in IronChat. If end-to-end encryption is properly implemented, it will be impossible for anyone, even the owners of the service, to decrypt the messages. Reuters EU regulators are close to wrapping up their third case against Alphabet unit Google involving its AdSense advertising service, Europes antitrust chief said on 7 November, suggesting the company may soon be hit with another hefty fine. The comments by European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager come four months after she levied a record 4.34 billion ($5 billion) fine against Google for using its popular Android mobile operating system to block rivals. That followed a 2.4 billion fine imposed on the company last year after it thwarted rivals of shopping comparison websites. The European Commission in 2016 opened a third case when it accused Google of preventing third parties using its AdSense product from displaying search advertisements from Googles competitors. We are approaching the end of that investigation, Vestager told reporters at the Web Summit in Lisbon when asked for an update on the investigation. Google has denied the charges. Vestager can fine companies up to 10 percent of their global turnover for breaching EU rules. Press Trust of India Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has rejected a request to appear before an international parliamentary committee delving into the questions around fake news. The rebuff came after Damian Collins, the head of the UK Parliaments media committee, joined forces with his Canadian counterpart in hopes of pressuring Zuckerberg to testify, as he did before the US Congress. Facebook rejected the invitation to appear before the so-called international grand committee session 27 November, arguing it wasnt possible for Zuckerberg to appear before all Parliaments. Collins says pressure is building, with counterparts in Australia, Argentina and Ireland having joined the grand committee in the time since Zuckerberg was invited. He says five Parliaments are now calling on you to do the right thing by the 170 million users in the countries they represent. Reuters Public databases that shine a light on online political ads launched by Facebook and Google before Tuesdays US elections offer the public the first broad view of how quickly the companies yank advertisements that break their rules. The databases also provided campaigns unprecedented insight into opponents online marketing, enabling them to capitalize on weaknesses, political strategists told Reuters. Facebook Inc and Google, owned by Alphabet Inc, introduced the databases this year to give details on some political ads bought on their services, a response to U.S. prosecutors allegations that Russian agents who deceptively interfered in the 2016 election purchased ads from the companies. Russia denies the charges. American security experts said the Russians changed tactics this year. Reuters found that 436 ads 375 on Facebook and 61 on Google from May through October related to 34 US House of Representatives contests declared competitive last month by RealClearPolitics, which tracks political opinion polls. Of the 258 removed ads with start and end dates, ads remained on Google an average of eight days and Facebook 15 days, according to data Reuters collected from the databases. Based on ranges in the databases, the 436 ads were displayed up to 20.5 million times and cost up to $582,000, amounting to a fraction of the millions of dollars spent online in those races. Asked for comment, Google said it is committed to bringing greater transparency to political ads. Facebook said the database is a way the company is held accountable, even if it means our mistakes are on display. In some cases, the companies automated scans did not identify banned material such as hateful speech or images of poor quality before ads went live. Ads that are OK when scanned may also become noncompliant if they link to a website that later breaks down. Googles database covers $54 million in spending by U.S. campaigns since May and Facebook $354 million, according to their databases. Facebooks figure is larger partly because its database includes ads not only from federal races but also for state contests, national issues, and get-out-the-vote efforts. The databases generally do not say why a particular ad was removed, and only Facebook shows copies of yanked ads. The American Conservative Union political organization, which had 136 ads removed through Sunday on Facebook, said some commercials contained a brief shot of comedian Kathy Griffin holding a decapitated head meant to portray U.S. President Donald Trump. Removing the bloody image resolved the violation for sensational content, and the organization said it had no qualms about Facebooks screening. Some removals were errors. The Environmental Defense Action Fund said Facebooks automated review wrongly misclassified one of its ads as promoting tobacco. Ryan Morgan, whose political consulting firm Veracity Media arranged attack ads for a U.S. House race in Iowa, said Google barred those mentioning white supremacy until his team could explain the ads advocated against the racist belief. Five campaign strategists told Reuters they adjusted advertising tactics in recent weeks based on what the databases revealed about opponents spending on ads and which genders, age groups and states saw the messages. Ohio digital consultant Kevin Bingle said his team reviewed opponents on Facebooks database daily to take advantage of gaps in their strategy. Morgan said his team tripled its online ad budget to $600,000 for a San Francisco affordable housing tax after Facebooks database showed the other sides ads were reaching non-Californians. That political intelligence let us know that digital was a place we could run up the score, he said. tech2 News Staff The foldable display future is finally here and no we are not talking about little-known company Royon's FlexiPai. Samsung, who has been teasing about its foldable smartphone for well over a year now, has finally unveiled the device at its developer conference today. The South Korean giant did not outright show the device to the audience but, as per a report from The Verge, kept the lighting dim so as to "protect elements of the design". What Samsung did show was quite promising in nature and as per Justin Denison, SVP of mobile product marketing, the device was "Stunning". Denison showed a device as per The Verge, which was a tablet but could be folded into a candy bar-like device. Samsung describes its folding phone technology as Infinity Flex Display and said that mass-production of the device should begin in a "matter of months", as per the report. The phone can run three apps simultaneously, but how exactly will it do something like that is still a mystery. As a matter of fact, most of this phone's specs are still shrouded in mystery and no one knows as to what kind of pricing Samsung has in mind for the phone. We don't even have a name for the device, although most rumours point towards the designation Galaxy F. As per a tweet by CNETs Shara Tibken, the main display on the tablet happens to be of the resolution 1536 x 2152 which gives it a 4.2:3 aspect ratio and a screen size of 7.3 inches. When folded we see an 840 x 1960 display with a tall aspect ratio of 21:9 and screen size of 4.58-inches. No one knows anything else about the phone, but as of a few hours ago, Google has announced its support for the Android platform on foldable smartphones. Currently, there is no clear idea on how many iterations would be required before the final product is out for sale, but looking at how the technology is still maturing, it is safe to assume quite a few iterations will be in place. tech2 News Staff While every other smartphone manufacturer was happily boarding the notch-express, Samsung defiantly stayed away, going so far as to mock notched phones. However, at Samsung's developer conference on 10 November, the company revealed the future of its smartphones, and notches are a part of that future. This doesn't mean that Samsung will be putting a notch in all its smartphones. The likes of the upcoming Galaxy S10 and perhaps even the Note 10 are likely to remain notch-free, while mid-range devices could be the first Samsung devices to come with notches. As per a report by The Verge, Samsung showed a presentation slide which showed several notch designs that we can expect to see on upcoming Samsung smartphones. Were going to keep going. The bezels are going to shrink even further, said Hassan Anjum, a director of product marketing at Samsung. The different notch designs shown on the slide were called Infinity U, Infinity V, Infinity O, and New Infinity. The Infinity U and V are small notches cut on the centre of the display's top and is nearly identical to the notches seen on the Vivo V11 Pro and Oppo F9 Pro. The Infinity O looks to be a hole in the display on the left side and we have seen such an implementation in the renders of the upcoming Galaxy A8s. The last one, called the New Infinity, seems to be the most interesting of the lot as it promises a bezel-less screen without a notch, however, as per the report, Anjum didnt discuss this one onstage. Samsung, the company that made such a mockery of Apple's notched smartphones, is now in the uncomfortable position of having to eat its own words. So far, it seems that Sony is the only manufacturer that has stayed true to the notch-less ideal. But for how long? tech2 News Staff Tesla Inc said board member Robyn Denholm will replace Elon Musk as its chair, more than a month after the billionaire had to step down as the electric-car makers chairman as part of a settlement with U.S. regulators. Tesla had until Nov. 13 to name an independent board chairman under its agreement with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which said Musks tweets about taking the company private were fraudulent and that the billionaire should quit as chairman but could retain his role as CEO. Musk, who has been on Teslas board since 2004, tweeted in August he was considering taking the company private for $420 per share and had secured funding for a deal that was later scuttled but attracted scrutiny from several government agencies. The appointment of Denholm caps months of turbulence for the company and its stock as investors called for stronger oversight of Musk, whose erratic public behaviour raised concerns about his ability to steer the company through a rocky phase of growth. Denholm is currently chief financial officer at Australian telecoms operator Telstra Corp Ltd and has been an independent director on Teslas nine-member board since 2014. Denholm takes over as Tesla's chair immediately and will leave her role as CFO and head of strategy at Telstra once her six-month notice period with the company is complete, Tesla said bit.ly/2D92OGf late on Wednesday. She was appointed as Telstra's CFO in July. (reut.rs/2PiVX4k) Tesla said Denholm, one of the two women on its board, will serve as chair on a full-time basis and will temporarily step down as chair of the companys audit committee until she leaves Telstra. "Would like to thank Robyn for joining the team. Great respect. Very much look forward to working together," Musk tweeted here early on Thursday. Announcing Robyn Denholm as Teslas New Board Chair https://t.co/emWyb7rUx8 Tesla (@Tesla) November 8, 2018 The Financial Times had in October reported that outgoing Twenty-First Century Fox Inc Chief Executive James Murdoch was the lead candidate for the job, citing two people briefed on discussions. Musk later tweeted that this was incorrect. Murdoch is also an independent director on Teslas board. The carmaker last month quieted some critics after it reported a net profit and positive cash flow in the third quarter as higher production volumes of its crucial Model 3 sedan began to pay off, delivering on Musks promise to turn the company profitable. A Tesla spokeswoman said Denholm would receive an annual cash retainer of $300,000 and 8,000 stock options annually. The spokeswoman also said Tesla was actively looking for two additional independent directors. tech2 News Staff A team of astronomers and physicists has confirmed the 5-decade-long theory that dust clouds orbit the Earth. These elusive dust clouds move with the Earth and Moon like three edges of a triangle at a stable 4,00,000 kilometres from the Earth. The study picks up from a 1961 study by Polish astronomer Kazimierz Kordylewski, who reported that he saw patches at the L4 and L5 Lagrange points. He speculated that these patches were dust clouds. That speculation could only now be confirmed. Over many further studies, the dust clouds were traced to one of five Lagrange points near the Earth-moon system. Lagrange points are located near two large celestial bodies (like the Earth and Moon, or Earth and Sun). At these points, the combined gravitational pull of the two large objects perfectly cancels out the centripetal force of an object at that location. These points aren't always stable but are of immense value for space research. A spacecraft at a Lagrange point will need a minimal amount of fuel to maintain position. As zany as it sounds, scientists have even considered relocating pollution from the Earth to those points. Two such points in space L4 and L5 form an equal-sided triangle with the Earth and Moon, where the Kordylewski clouds confirmed by the new study are located. Lagrange points in space are neither fixed nor stable and are affected by external forces like fly-by comets or variations in the Suns gravitational pull. In the Earth-Moon system, earlier research has identified L4 and L5 as places where space dust may collect at least temporarily. While these celestial dust bunnies were theorized in 1961 by Kordylewski, the task of confirming their existence as the Earth and Moon's constant companion proved tough till recently. The Kordylewski clouds are two of the toughest objects to find, and though they are as close to Earth as the Moon, are largely overlooked by researchers in astronomy, Judit Sliz-Balogh, one of the studys authors from the Royal Astronomical Society, told the press. It is intriguing to confirm that our planet has dusty pseudo-satellites in orbit alongside our lunar neighbour. The team behind the study is looking into exactly how stable these clouds are and whether the dust poses a threat to astronauts or spacecraft that pass through them. The shooting took place at the Borderline Bar & Grill in the city of Thousand Oaks, Ventura County, in Southern California. The gunman who killed at least 13 people and injured ten in a bar in Southern California late on Wednesday has been identified as 28-year-old Ian David Long, a former Marine, the local sheriff said Thursday. The suspect, who was armed with a .45-caliber handgun, was found deceased at the Borderline Bar and Grill, the scene of the shooting in the city of Thousand Oaks northwest of downtown Los Angeles. "We believe he shot himself," Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said. "We have had several contacts with Mr Long over the years, minor events, a traffic collision," Dean told a news conference. Deputies were called to Long's house in response to a disturbance in April, 2018 and "felt he might be suffering from PTSD," he said. Long was "somewhat irate. Acting a little irrationally," he said. However, mental health specialists who were called in "talked to him, and cleared him." Investigators have not established a motive for the shooting, and knew of nothing that connected Long to the shooting site. Reports said there were around a 100 patrons inside the nightclub when the shooting began. The bar was hosting its weekly "College Country Night" when the incident was reported around 11.20 pm. The Los Angeles Times quoted a law enforcement official as saying that at least 30 shots were fired inside the bar. Police officers are working to secure the scene of crime amid reports of "multiple injuries", the Ventura County Fire Department had said earlier. "Please stay away from the area. Active law enforcement incident. Multiple injuries reported. Details still being determined. Multiple ambulances requested." #OaksInc: Ongoing active shooter incident reported at Borderline in @CityofTO . Please stay away from area. Active law enforcement incident. Multiple injuries reported. Details still being determined. Multiple ambulances requested. @VCFD pic.twitter.com/4X3b8KMisc VCFD PIO (@VCFD_PIO) November 8, 2018 Law enforcement agencies, firefighters and other first responders, along with several ambulances, additional units from the California Highway Patrol, Simi Valley and the FBI, reached the spot soon after the shooting was reported. Gunshots were heard even as officers were responding to the incident. With inputs from Agence France-Presse Dand-e-Ghori was captured by Taliban two years ago and since then has been regarded as a Taliban stronghold in the northern Baghlan province. The ongoing operations against the Taliban in Dand-e-Ghori would last until the area was cleansed of the insurgents. Kabul: Afghan forces killed 16 Taliban militants and injured 19 others while evicting them from several villages in Dand-e-Ghori area in Baghlan province, police said on Thursday. "The security forces have recaptured several villages including the main base of Taliban militants over the past four days," police chief Ekramudin Sari told Xinhua news agency. Dand-e-Ghori was captured by Taliban two years ago and since then has been regarded as a Taliban stronghold in the northern Baghlan province. The ongoing operations against the Taliban in Dand-e-Ghori would last until the area was cleansed of the insurgents, Sari said. Taliban militants were yet to comment on the development. Bangladesh Chief Election Commissioner Nurul Huda made the announcement hours after his meeting with four election commissioners to finalise the poll date. Dhaka: Bangladesh will hold its general election on 23 December, the country's electoral body announced on Thursday amid an impasse between the government and the main Opposition alliance over the timing of the polls. "The polling date is 23 December," Chief Election Commissioner Nurul Huda said in a televised address. Huda made the announcement hours after his meeting with four election commissioners to finalise the poll date which came amid calls from the newly-floated National Unity Front (NUF) to defer the election schedule while the ruling Awami League urged the commission to stick to its plan. The election commission earlier said it was constitutionally obligated to hold the election by 28 January, as the countdown to the polls began. Opposition parties have expressed concerns that the polls will not be democratic and have threatened protests. Huda urged all political parties to take part in the election to continue Bangladesh's "development efforts and put democracy on a stronger footing". By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions was fired on Wednesday after receiving unrelenting criticism from President Donald Trump for recusing himself from an investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 presidential race. In a step that could have implications for the investigation led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, Trump replaced Sessions with Matthew Whitaker, who will be acting attorney general. He had been Sessions' chief of staff. The top Democrat in the U.S. Senate immediately called on Whitaker to recuse himself from the Mueller probe. Given his previous comments advocating defunding and imposing limitations on the Mueller investigation, Mr. Whitaker should recuse himself from its oversight for the duration of his time as acting attorney general, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement. In an opinion piece for CNN that appeared on Aug. 6, 2017, while he was a commentator for the network, Whitaker, a former U.S. attorney, said Mueller would be crossing a line if he investigated the Trump family's finances. The piece was titled: Muellers investigation of Trump is going too far. Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani told Reuters on Tuesday that he assumed Sessions' departure was "not going to affect" the Mueller investigation. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who is supervising the Russia investigation and has also faced criticism from Trump, was seen by Reuters entering the White House on Wednesday afternoon. A spokesman for the special counsels office declined to comment on Sessions resignation and what it means for Muellers probe. Trump announced Sessions' departure on Twitter and thanked him for his service. Sessions said in a letter to Trump that he had resigned at the president's request. Sessions' exit had been widely expected to come soon after Tuesday's congressional elections, in which Republicans retained their majority in the Senate but lost control of the House of Representatives. Never in modern history has a president attacked a Cabinet member as frequently and harshly in public as Trump did Sessions, 71, who had been one of the first members of Congress to back his presidential campaign in 2015. Democratic Representative Jerrold Nadler, expected to chair the House Judiciary Committee starting in January, demanded answers in a tweet about Trump's reasons for firing Sessions. "Why is the President making this change and who has authority over Special Counsel Muellers investigation? We will be holding people accountable," Nadler asked on Twitter. Mueller's probe, operating under the auspices of the Justice Department, already has yielded criminal charges against several Trump associates and has clouded his presidency for many months. Republicans had repeatedly urged Trump not to oust Sessions, a former conservative Republican senator from Alabama, before the elections lest it create political fallout. They had also argued that Sessions should be allowed a graceful exit after he doggedly carried out Trump's agenda on illegal immigration and other administration priorities. RECUSAL OVER RUSSIA Trump was only a few weeks into his presidency in March 2017 when Sessions upset him. Rejecting White House entreaties not to do so, Sessions stepped aside from overseeing the FBI's probe of potential collusion between the Trump presidential campaign and Moscow. Sessions cited news reports of previously undisclosed meetings he had with Russia's ambassador to Washington as his reason for recusal. Rosenstein took over supervision of the Russia investigation and appointed Mueller in May 2017 as the Justice Department's special counsel to take over the FBI's Russia probe after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey. A permanent replacement for Sessions must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate, which Trump's Republicans will continue to control as a result of Tuesday's midterm elections. Mueller is pursuing an investigation into whether Trump's campaign colluded with Russia, whether Trump unlawfully tried to obstruct the probe, and possible financial misconduct by Trump's family and associates. Mueller has brought charges against Trump's former campaign chairman and other campaign figures, as well as against 25 Russians and three firms accused of meddling in the campaign to help Trump win. Trump has denied his campaign colluded with Russia. Trump publicly seethed over Sessions' recusal and said he regretted appointing him. On Twitter, he blasted Sessions as "VERY weak" and urged him to stop the Russia investigation. In July 2017, he told the New York Times that if he had known Sessions would recuse himself, he never would have appointed him attorney general. Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward wrote in his book "Fear" that Trump, talking to a White House secretary, disparaged Sessions as "mentally retarded" and a "dumb Southerner" while mocking his accent. There were news reports in the weeks after Mueller's appointment that Sessions had offered to resign. Sessions usually remained quiet on Trump's criticism, but defended himself in February 2018 after a Trump tweet criticizing his job performance by saying he would perform his duties "with integrity and honour." RESPONDING TO TRUMP In August, Sessions punched back harder after Trump said in a Fox News interview that Sessions "never took control of the Justice Department." Sessions issued a statement saying he "took control of the Department of Justice the day I was sworn in" and vowed not to allow it to be "improperly influenced by political considerations." As for his own involvement with Russia, Sessions was questioned in January by Mueller's team and has offered shifting public accounts. He has said nothing improper transpired in his meetings during the campaign with Ambassador Sergei Kislyak. In congressional testimony in November, he said he now recalled a meeting during the 2016 campaign in which a campaign adviser, with Trump present, offered to use connections with Moscow to arrange a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Writing by Bill Trott and Kevin Drawbaugh; Editing by Will Dunham and Peter Cooney) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. The US State Department said on Wednesday that the encounter between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and top North Korean official Kim Yong-chol, initially scheduled for Thursday, had been shelved for 'a later date'. No further explanation was given, but Pyongyang is demanding sanctions imposed on it over its weapons programmes are eased, while Washington insists they should stay in place until it denuclearises. Seoul: North Korea asked the United States to delay planned high-level talks in New York this week, Seoul's top diplomat said on Thursday, a day after Washington abruptly announced the meeting's postponement. The US State Department said on Wednesday that the encounter between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and top North Korean official Kim Yong-chol, initially scheduled for Thursday, had been shelved for "a later date". No further explanation was given, but Pyongyang is demanding sanctions imposed on it over its weapons programmes are eased, while Washington insists they should stay in place until it denuclearises. South Korean foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said it was Pyongyang that had asked for a delay. "The US told us that it received a message from the North to postpone the meeting," Kang told lawmakers, according to Yonhap news agency. South Korean reports said that Kim one of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's right-hand men had been scheduled to catch a lunchtime flight from Beijing to New York on Wednesday. But his reservation was repeatedly cancelled and rebooked on Tuesday, the Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported, until it was cancelled for good. The sudden postponement came only two days after the US State Department announced Pompeo would meet the North Korean in New York to discuss progress towards denuclearisation and plans for a second summit between President Donald Trump and leader Kim Jong-un. Trump and Kim held a historic summit in June in Singapore the first ever between the two countries where they signed a vaguely worded deal on denuclearisation. Little progress has been made since then, with the two countries sparring over the exact meaning of the agreement. Despite warm words from Trump since meeting Kim in Singapore, his administration has insisted on maintaining pressure on Pyongyang until a final agreement is reached. North Korea, which is subject to multiple UN Security Council sanctions over its weapons programmes, warned last week that it would "seriously" consider returning to nuclear weapons development unless Washington lifts the restrictions. Koo Kab-woo of the University of North Korean Studies said that the differences over sanctions were probably the "biggest reason" for the postponement. "Kim Jong-un needs a visible outcome that can be felt by the ordinary people, and for that, North Korea desperately needs sanctions to be lifted," Koo told AFP. "If there was a problem, it's possible there was a clash between Pyongyang's demand for sanctions to be relaxed even by a little bit and Washington's firm stance that the restrictions will remain," he added. Americas most economically productive Americans are the majority; yet we are ruled by a regressive minority In America, democracy has never been but a dream deferred. The 'founding fathers' owned and raped those human beings they deemed subhuman because of their race; seized land from Native populations in what can only be described as genocide and believed that only white male landowners should vote. America was literally founded upon white, Christian cis male supremacy. It has never atoned for its founding sins of slavery and genocide. In fact, many white Americans including President Donald Trump do not think doing so is even necessary. Meanwhile, the rest of us have been fighting and clawing for our rights since the founding of our republic. Republicans are seeking to steal the precious gains we have made in what can only be described as a war on democracy. Unfortunately, many Democrats though that this battle could be fought and won at the ballot box on 6 November. They were wrong for several reasons. First, demographic change coupled with our constitutional provisions ensures that the current tyranny of the minority, which rules over the majority, will expand. There is little that can be done to stop it. Currently, the majority of the Senate, which is our upper House and the most powerful of the two legislative Houses, is elected by a slight minority. By 2040, demographers predict that a meagre one-third of Americans will elect two-thirds of this powerful institution. This is because Americans are fleeing to coastal states where jobs are and are likely to remain. Equally, young persons who bristle at xenophobia, homophobia, misogyny and other bigotry that are common in their rural and peri-rural hometowns are flocking to Americas more cosmopolitan locales. Those left behind in the 'red states' are the most regressive Americans, most of whom vote Republican. While many democracies with a bicameral legislature provide for equal representation of the federating units in the upper House, these have little power. In the United States, the Senate holds the most significant powers to appoint justices to the Supreme Court and federal judiciary as well as to confirm Cabinet picks. The anti-Democrat Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, abused his power in the last term of the Barack Obama administration to prevent any of the president's judicial appointments from coming to a vote. Consequently, Trump has had the opportunity to appoint more than 100 judicial officials who have been vetted by the noxious Federalist Society to ensure that the nominees oppose a woman's right to choose, support pro-business interests, and back the tycoon's autocratic tendencies. Appallingly, McConnell declared that no judicial confirmations shall be made by a president unless his (sorry, ladies) party also controls the Senate. Second, the same demographic future also ensures the dominance of the Republican Party in the selection of the president. The United States is not a direct democracy, but an indirect democracy through the system of the electoral college, which was devised to appease slave states after the Civil War. The number of electoral college votes for each state is equal to the number of congressional representatives. Astonishingly, most states award all the electoral votes to the winning presidential candidate: Only Maine and Nebraska have a variation of 'proportional representation'. This system of 'winner takes all' helps explain why presidents like Trump lose the popular vote but become commander-in-chief by winning the electoral college. Third, the House of Representatives is the only body where some modicum of competition remains in principle. In practice, these races are not competitive. In 2016, only 20 percent of the congressional races were competitive. This is due to gerrymandering, selective sorting of residents into ideologically coherent neighbourhoods and myriad outright racist efforts by the Republican Party to prevent people of colour from voting. Fourth is the courts. Many Americans who are disgusted by the tyranny of this regime offer the Panglossian platitudes that our "courts will protect us". The Supreme Court has been remade by Trump. Most observers expect this Republican court to overturn the Roe versus Wade ruling, which protects a woman's right to choose, eviscerate hard-earned protections for LGBTQI community, rubber-stamp Trump's abuse of power and further erode protections for American consumers and natural resources. Our courts will not protect the freedom of that majority of Americans who are not white cis males. Fifth, the United States lacks an independent election commission or any dedicated body that can evaluate malfeasance in a race, declare results null and void, and order a do-ever. This job falls to the courts and requires aggrieved parties to muster financial resources and file suit Americas anemic Federal Election Commission only monitors campaign finances. To make all of these structural outrages all the more discomfiting, the 'red states' labour under the delusion that the 'blue states' live off them nothing is further from the truth. Blue states are the economic engines of the United States: They literally subsidise the red state residents. They are so rich they can literally import their arugula. The red states have human development indicators that are more on par with developing nations than our developed peers. Americas most economically productive Americans are the majority; yet we are ruled by a regressive minority. There are no easy remedies to resuscitate Americas choking democracy. The demographic shifts will not be halted because the people go where the opportunities are. Surely, a shift of power between the two Houses of the Congress would restore some modicum of democracy as would eliminating the anachronistic electoral college. But why would the Republicans ever consider actual democratic reforms when the current tyranny secures their interests perhaps in perpetuity? If the Republicans won't desist from gerrymandering and robbing people of colour of their franchise, this treasonous party will surely resist constitutional change to rebalance power. Another welcome innovation would be introducing term limits to Supreme Court justices' tenures instead of the current system of lifetime appointments. Both parties will likely resist this change because they view such life-time appointments as part of a president's legacy. Without serious constitutional reforms, America has no hope of becoming a democracy. Americans cannot expect this to change with 'get out the vote' initiatives. What is needed is massive civil disobedience until these changes are enacted. If Americans are unwilling to mobilise to secure these changes, they deserve this tyranny, which will continue to masquerade as democracy. The writer has authored the books Fighting to the End: The Pakistan Armys Way of War (OUP, 2014) and In Their Own Words: Understanding Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (forthcoming 2018). By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats will use their new majority in the U.S. By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats will use their new majority in the U.S. House of Representatives to reverse what they see as a hands-off approach by Republicans towards President Donald Trump's foreign policy, and push for tougher dealings with Russia, Saudi Arabia and North Korea. Representative Eliot Engel, the Democrat in line to head the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said they may also seek congressional authorisation for the use of military force in places like Iraq and Syria. But on some hot-button areas, like China and Iran, he acknowledged there was little they could do to change the status quo. As the majority party, Democrats will decide what legislation is considered in the House and have a bigger role in setting spending policy and writing legislation. "I don't think we should challenge something just because it's put forth by the administration, but I do think we have an obligation to review policies and do oversight," Engel told Reuters in a telephone interview. Since they must still work with a Republican-controlled Senate to pass any bills, the Democratic majority's greatest influence will be oversight, the ability to call hearings and, if necessary, subpoena witnesses, as they lead committees like Foreign Affairs as well as Armed Services and Intelligence. HOW DO THE DEMOCRATS SEE RUSSIA? Democrats plan Russia-related investigations, such as a probe of possible business ties and conflicts of interest between Trump and Russia. From a policy perspective, a Democratic-led House will push to punish Russia for interference in U.S. elections and activities including its aggression in Ukraine and involvement in the Syrian civil war. The House could push for more sanctions, including measures targeting new Russian sovereign debt. It could also try to pressure Trump to enact all of the sanctions in a sweeping bill he reluctantly signed into law in August 2017. Members of Congress have also vowed to push harder, using subpoenas if necessary, to obtain information about Trump's summit last summer with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The White House has released few details about the meeting. "It's ludicrous that there could be such a high-level meeting between the two leaders and Congress should be in the dark about it," Engel said. He said the issue of Russia's interference in the 2016 election "hasn't been at all resolved." WILL KHASHOGGI'S KILLING INFLUENCE SAUDI TIES? The furore over the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul has added to lawmakers' frustration with Saudi Arabia over the war in Yemen and human rights. A Democratic-led House could vote on legislation to block arms deals with Riyadh, make it difficult to win congressional approval of a nuclear energy deal and consider a measure to stop U.S. aircraft refuelling and other support for the campaign in Yemen. While Engel still views Saudi Arabia as a counterweight to Iran's influence in the Middle East, he said Washington must demand more. "If the Saudis want our support, then they have to address some of the things that concern us," he said. DON'T DEMOCRATS WANT PEACE WITH NORTH KOREA? Democrats say they are determined to obtain more information about meetings by Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo with North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un, worried that Trump is so eager to make a "great deal" that he will give Kim too much. Engel plans to call administration officials to testify about the status of talks. But Democrats also will walk a fine line, because they do not want to be seen as interfering with diplomacy and efforts to prevent a nuclear war. "I think it's good to have some kind of a dialogue with them. But we shouldn't be deluded in thinking that they're going to have any major changes," Engel said. CAN DEMOCRATS CHANGE CHINA POLICY? Democratic House control is not expected to yield significant changes in China policy. Democrats will hold more hearings and demand more briefings, but criticism of Beijing has so far crossed party lines and that is not expected to change. Prominent Democrats, such as Representative Adam Schiff, who is in line to chair the House Intelligence Committee, have joined Republicans backing measures to clamp down on China, like legislation treating ZTE Corp <000063.SZ> and Huawei Technologies Co Ltd technology and phones as major cyber security threats. But Engel and others acknowledged the need for China as a partner, particularly in dealing with North Korea. "I think we need to be careful not to lash out," Engel said. WILL DEMOCRATS CHALLENGE TRUMP TRADE POLICY? Like Republicans, Democrats are divided on Trump's trade war with China. Some party members see free trade as a generator of jobs, while others back tariffs to protect workers in industries such as steel and manufacturing. While the president has considerable latitude on trade policy, Democrats have said they want more accountability on Trump's actions, including sharp tariff hikes on China that have affected farm and manufacturing states, particularly in the Midwest. Even if they do not come down hard on Trump on trade, Democrats will ask him to ensure that any trade deal sets labour and environmental standards. CAN DEMOCRATS REVIVE THE IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL? Democrats were infuriated by Trump's withdrawal from the international nuclear deal with Iran that Democratic President Barack Obama's administration reached in 2015. But there is little they can do to change the policy as long as Republicans occupy the White House. Lawmakers also are wary of seeming too friendly to Iran, especially given hostility to Tehran by the government of Israel. While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has worked increasingly closely with U.S. Republicans, strong ties to Israel remain a top priority for both parties. Engel was among Democrats who opposed the Iran deal, but he said Trump should work with important allies, like the members of the European Union, on that and other issues. "I think what we should do is try to repair the damage with our alliances that has been done," he said. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Mary Milliken and Peter Cooney) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Marine Pennetier CHARLEVILLE-MEZIERES, France (Reuters) - President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday it was 'legitimate' to pay tribute to Marshal Philippe Petain, who led the French army to victory in World War One's Battle of Verdun but decades later collaborated with Nazi Germany during World War Two. By Marine Pennetier CHARLEVILLE-MEZIERES, France (Reuters) - President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday it was "legitimate" to pay tribute to Marshal Philippe Petain, who led the French army to victory in World War One's Battle of Verdun but decades later collaborated with Nazi Germany during World War Two. Macron's plan to honour Petain alongside seven other French marshals who directed military campaigns during World War One, which ended 100 years ago on Nov. 11, has unleashed criticism from Jewish groups, political opponents and on social media. "I consider it entirely legitimate that we pay homage to the marshals who led our army to victory," Macron said in the eastern town of Charleville-Mezieres that once lay on the front line between French and German troops. "Marshal Petain was a great soldier in World War One." Macron's office appeared to backtrack later on Wednesday. "Petain won't be honoured on Nov. 10," an Elysee official said, adding that only the five marshals who were buried at the Invalides monument in Paris would receive an official tribute. Macron himself later told reporters his intention was not to excuse the crimes committed by Petain during World War Two but to ensure French history was accurately remembered. "I don't forgive anything but I don't erase anything from our history," he said. "I will always fight against antisemitism." Renowned as a "soldier's soldier", Petain was promoted to commander-in-chief of the French armies in mid-1917, after victory at Verdun, rebuilding troop morale after a series of mutinies and other setbacks. Verdun was the longest battle of World War One, killing more than 300,000 French and German soldiers during 10 months of trench battles. Petain emerged from the Great War as a national hero with streets in towns and cities across France named after him. Two decades later, with France poised to fall to Nazi German forces in World War Two, Petain was appointed prime minister of France. His administration, based in the unoccupied part of the country known as Vichy France, collaborated with Nazi Germany and its deportation and extermination of the Jews. After the war, Petain was sentenced to death for treason, though then-President General Charles de Gaulle, a longtime admirer of Petain's military feats of arms, reduced the punishment to life in prison. "It is shocking that France can pay tribute to a man deemed unworthy of being French in a trial held in the name of the people," said Francis Kalifat, president of Crif, the body that represents France's 400,000-strong Jewish community. Jean-Luc Melenchon, head of the hard-left France Insoumise (France Unbowed) party, wrote on Twitter: "Marshal Joffre was the military victor of the 1914-18 war. Petain was a traitor and an anti-Semite. His crimes and his betrayal cannot be erased from history. Macron, this time, you've gone to far." Petain died in prison in 1951 aged 95. (Reporting by Marine Pennetier in Charleville-Mezieres and Richard Lough in Paris; Writing by Richard Lough and Michel Rose; Editing by Luke Baker/Mark Heinrich) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. The Pakistan government ordered the removal of Arshad Khan from the post of managing director of Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) subsequent to a major goof-up. Thin-skinned bureaucrats and even thinner-skinned politicians get all huffy about goof-ups that are, in themselves, not such a big deal. But when the public reaction is so out of proportion to the crime, and the issue balloons into a major faux pas, someone has to pay the price. The Pakistan government ordered the removal of Arshad Khan from the post of managing director of Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) subsequent to a major goof-up during prime minister Imran Khan's visit to Beijing. For 20 seconds, a live broadcast showed the place line as "Begging" instead of "Beijing." Of course, the incident was unfortunate, especially since Khans visit was to seek funds. The error couldn't have been a more ill-timed one. But it would have been much more salutary to just ignore it, or make a joke about it and release the tension, rather than order heads to roll. For one, the managing director is hardly sitting there writing out place lines. Two, several staffers may be shown the door, and they will not get a job again. Already, letters of abject apology to the prime minister's office have been dispatched. One needs to take into account that English is not the most widely spoken language in Pakistan, and texting has badly affected language. Recall how Doordarshan in 2014 sacked an announcer for referring to Chinese president Xi Jinping as Eleven Jinping. While the mistake was absolutely hilarious, no nuclear war broke out. Indian TV news channels and their anchors massacre the English language on a nightly basis. Their sins of commission are a collectors dream. A whole movie has been made on anchors across the world trying to pronounce Xis first name, with the Chinese leader being referred to as Sisi, DJ and Shill. Bloopers, unless done with malice, should be simply laughed away. The fact is that we have forgotten how to laugh, or accept that human beings are imperfect. Slips and stumbles of words can have terrible consequences. If all of us can suffer from this problem, why not television journalists? In captions, subtitles and slugs, the scope for gaffes is immense. Add to this the fast-paced news environment and the mysteries of auto correct, and the results can be hilarious. Reliance on machines and the high pressure of work can all add up to poor speech and writing. On one occasion, the BBC reported: Prince William and the badgers of Cambridge attended the event. (Instead of badgers, read Duchess). On ABC covering an election: Heinz, of course, is rubbing against Governor Pat Quinn in the primary. (Instead of rubbing, read running). Many a news anchor has been sacked for using expletives, and after KSN channels Justin Kraemer was removed for just that, he said: I did something extraordinarily unprofessional. It is something drilled into us the minute you start in this business to always consider the microphone hot. Even the royals have made such gaffes. On one occasion, Prince Philip ran out of patience at a reception to commemorate the Battle of Britain. Irked over the delay, he yelled, "Oh damn it, take the fucking picture." Sri Lanka Speaker Karu Jayasuriya's remarks came two days after he slammed President Sirisena, saying it was 'anti-democratic' to sack Ranil Wickremesinghe and suspend the Parliament, and asserted that he will not recognise Rajapaksa as the premier unless it is proved by a floor test. Colombo: Sri Lankan Speaker Karu Jayasuriya said on Wednesday that he wanted a floor test in Parliament to resolve the issue of two prime ministers in the country which arose following the sacking of Ranil Wickremesinghe and replacing him with Mahinda Rajapaksa. The Speaker's remarks came two days after he slammed President Maithripala Sirisena, saying it was "anti-democratic" to sack Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and suspend the Parliament, and asserted that he will not recognise Rajapaksa as the premier unless it is proved by a floor test. Jayasuriya said he had met party representatives to finalise the agenda for 14 November when the current suspension of parliament by President Sirisena would end. He said the government argued that parliament should not vote for a floor test on the day and should limit its sessions to day's business. "After giving a fair hearing to both sides, the speaker expressed his stand. The need for the determination of majority, as requested by 116 members previously in writing to suspend standing orders of parliament, after the conclusion of the day's business to allow each side to display their majorities in order to have a stable government," a statement from Jayasuriya's office said. When contacted, a Sirisena source denied that they had agreed with Jayasuriya for a floor test. Jayasuriya, earlier in the week, said when parliament was to be reconvened he would have to consider the pre-26 October status quo with regard to the two prime ministers. Jayasuriya's stance has caused ire among the Sirisena and Rajapaksa factions. He accuses the Speaker of being biased towards his party, the United National Party (UNP) led by the ousted prime minister Wickremesinghe. Sirisena suspended parliament immediately after his 26 October sacking of Wickremesinghe, a move that was being seen as to allow Rajapaksa to muster the 113 seats required for a majority. Rajapaksa has so far won 9 defections, still short of 113 to prove his majority in the 225-member House. Wickremesinghe continues to claim he is the lawful prime minister citing the 19th amendment to the Constitution under which the president's powers to sack the Prime Minister had been stripped. The unity government was formed in 2015 when Sirisena was elected President with Wickremesinghe's support, ending a nearly decade-long rule by Rajapaksa. Democrats thus regained their lost standing and are moving towards rebuilding ahead of the 2020 election The results of the 2018 midterm elections are a referendum against US president Donald Trumps policies with the Democratic victory in the House of Representatives with 223 seatsresults in five seats are still pendingand the Republicans narrowly expanding their majority in the Senate. The Democrats also picked up seven new governorships, thus revitalising their party ahead of 2020. Going into the election, there was great deal of hope for the Democrats. In the 115th Congress, the Republicans controlled the House 235 to 193 and the Senate 51 to 47 with 2 Independents (both of whom caucus with the Left). The Democrats therefore needed to flip 23 seats in the House to gain a majority. The Democrats, in fact, gained 28 seats (and counting) which put them well past the 218 seats needed to control the House. The Senate was always an uphill battle for Democrats, who needed to defend 26 of the 35 seats in play, compared to just 9 for the Republicans. Many Democratic incumbents were in states Trump won in 2016, and they therefore faced a tough fight. The end result: a tale of two Houses, with the Democrats making major gains in one and the Republicans solidifying their grip on the other. That the Democrats took back the House is not a new phenomenon: the president's party tends to lose seats during a midterm. Several factors are attributed to this loss: in most cases, midterms aren't as exciting as presidential elections and the president's coattails is absent during the midterms. By the time the midterm rolls around, the popularity of the president (or lack thereof) is reflected on his party. Most past presidents have suffered reversals during the midterms. In 1962, the then president John F Kennedy lost four seats (the fewest ever). In 1894, Grover Cleveland lost an astounding 116 seats (the most ever). The 1994 Republican revolution was considered a referendum on Bill Clinton. Likewise, the 2006 election, considered a referendum on George W Bushs war on terror and unpopular foreign policies, delivered a thumping victory for Democrats who regained both Houses of Congress. The 2010 and 2014 elections were considered referendums against Barack Obamas domestic policy, especially with respect with the stimulus package, the auto bailout and The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). The 2010 election resultseven more than the 2014 pollswas voters expressing their dissatisfaction with Obamas policies, healthcare in particular. The rise of the Tea Party was a sign of the level of opposition against Obama. Tea Party candidates were even able to displace traditional Republicans. Voter turnout in the 2016 election dipped to 55.4 percent: a two decade low. However, though the turnout this time did not match 2016, turnout was high for a midterm. Compared to the 2014 midterms, Democratic turnout was greater in several states: namely Arizona, Georgia, Texas and Florida. This was a defining moment for them, as they saw the election as a way to regain a modicum of control over government. The polls also show Trump was a major factor: a minority of voters voted for Trump and his policies while the majority of voters displayed an anti-Trump sentiment. The turnout this time around was 'historic' (in terms of midterm elections). Approximately 114 million votes were cast in House races in 2018, compared to 83 million in 2014. In Florida, more than eight million voters cast ballots: up from six million in 2014. Virginia saw 3.3 million votes compared to 2.2 million in 2014. A record breaking number of female candidates were elected to the House and Senate, further shattering the glass ceiling. This was especially true in states south of the Mason-Dixon Line that elected their first-ever African-American governors. In Michigan and Minnesota, women were vying to become the first Muslim women in Congress. Native American women threw their hat into the ring in Kansas and New Mexico. On the East Coast, 29-year-old Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is set to become the youngest woman elected to the House. According to data compiled by The Associated Press, 237 women ran for the House as major-party candidates and 100 women will be sworn in come January 2019. House Democratic leader and prospective Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the party would use its newly-won majority to pursue a bipartisan agenda for the country, adding Americans have had enough of division. Checks and balances The election also signalled a check on the powers of president Trump. The basic premise is that when government is unified, members of Congress are more likely to vote with the president rather than adhere to its constitutional role of checking presidential power. Therefore, with the midterm gains for the other party, there is hope of maintaining a balance in the policy making scenario. In winning the House, there is hope among Democrats, as well as voters, that presidential power amassed during unified government will be curbed. In the past, midterms have either acted to preserve the presidency by strengthening the presidents party in Congress or to punish co-partisans. The 2018 election seems to be the latter. For the most part, Republicans of the 115th Congress handed Trump a 'blank cheque'. Which is usually the case (post-Cold War) whenever government is unified. In the final analysis, after being out of power in the House for the better part of a decade, Democrats are looking ahead to curbing Trumpism. One downside of the Democrats taking the House is the age old problem of deadlock. With Congress divided, the Senate might become even more protective of the president, thus providing a buffer against the onslaught of the Democrats (if they find it politically viable). It could very well lead to a far more polarised Senate. This would mean that Democrats and Republicans will lock horns, and the policy making process as well as passage of bills would be limited. Looking ahead The Democrats were successful in rebuilding the Blue Wall with victories in the rust belt states of Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. In 2016, Trump was able to break through rust belt and win by a razor-thin margin. However, once again, these states are proving they are the bell weathers. Democrats also won in Indiana, Missouri and North Dakota: states Trump won by large margins in 2016. The Democrats picking up governorships in Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, New Mexico and Wisconsin, but had a heartbreaking loss in battleground Florida. The Democrats thus regained their lost standing and are moving towards rebuilding that much coveted Blue Wall. Which only further strengthens their position for the 2020 election. The author is a doctoral candidate at the School of International Studies, JNU. She was also a Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Scholar 2017-2018 at the American University, Washington DC WARSAW (Reuters) - Warsaw's mayor has banned a far-right march planned for Sunday to mark the centenary of Polish independence, citing the risk of violence and expressions of hatred. Organisers said they would defy the ban. They lodged a court appeal against the decision to shut down the annual Nov WARSAW (Reuters) - Warsaw's mayor has banned a far-right march planned for Sunday to mark the centenary of Polish independence, citing the risk of violence and expressions of hatred. Organisers said they would defy the ban. They lodged a court appeal against the decision to shut down the annual Nov. 11 event commemorating the anniversary of Poland's independence at the end of World War One. Tens of thousands of participants had been expected to attend, including far-right activists from elsewhere in Europe, with organisers claiming the event could be the biggest such march in Europe in years. Last year's event caught the attention of the world's media because some of the 60,000 participants carried banners bearing racist and xenophobic slogans such as "pure blood, clear mind" and "Europe will be white or uninhabited". "Warsaw has already suffered enough due to aggressive nationalism," Mayor Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, a centrist opposition politician, said. "Poland's 100th anniversary of independence shouldn't look like this, hence my decision to forbid it." The eurosceptic Law and Justice (PiS) party government said it would organise its own march instead, under the auspices of President Andrzej Duda, a PiS ally. Officials did not clarify whether far-right groups would be allowed to attend. Duda had earlier decided to stay away from the event. "We don't understand the decision of Mayor Gronkiewicz-Waltz ... Even if the courts confirm her decision, we will still meet ... The march will take place," said Tomasz Dorosz, the leader of Poland's National Radical Camp, one of the groups involved in organising the march. Earlier this week Gronkiewicz-Waltz said she would consider banning the march "if there was any element of hatred", according to local Polish broadcaster TVN24. PiS, a socially conservative group with a nationalist agenda, taps into the same frustrations with western liberal values and anti-establishment sentiment that galvanise far-right voters throughout Europe. It has also refused to take in Middle Eastern and North African migrants, despite European Union demands to do so, citing public safety worries. However, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, who heads the ruling party, condemned the racist messages during the 2017 march. "Polish tradition - the one we invoke - has nothing to do with anti-Semitism, we are as far as possible from that, nothing to do with racism," he said. On Nov. 11 Poles commemorate the establishment of the second Polish republic in 1918 from territory seized in the 18th century by the Russian, Austrian and Prussian empires. (Reporting by Joanna Plucinska and Pawel Sobczak; Editing by David Stamp and Gareth Jones) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. They began sparring after Acosta asked Trump about the caravan of migrants heading from Latin America to the southern US border. When Acosta tried to follow up with another question, Trump said, 'That's enough!' and a female White House aide unsuccessfully tried to grab the microphone from Acosta. New York: The White House on Wednesday suspended the press pass of CNN correspondent Jim Acosta after he and President Donald Trump had a heated confrontation during a news conference. They began sparring after Acosta asked Trump about the caravan of migrants heading from Latin America to the southern US border. When Acosta tried to follow up with another question, Trump said, "That's enough!" and a female White House aide unsuccessfully tried to grab the microphone from Acosta. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders released a statement accusing Acosta of "placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern," calling it "absolutely unacceptable." The interaction between Acosta and the intern was brief, and Acosta appeared to brush her arm as she reached for the microphone and he tried to hold onto it. "Pardon me, ma'am," he told her. Acosta tweeted that Sanders' statement that he put his hands on the aide was "a lie." CNN said in a statement that the White House revoked Acosta's press pass out of "retaliation for his challenging questions" Wednesday, and the network accused Sanders of lying about Acosta's actions. "(Sanders) provided fraudulent accusations and cited an incident that never happened. This unprecedented decision is a threat to our democracy and the country deserves better," CNN said. "Jim Acosta has our full support." Journalists assigned to cover the White House apply for passes that allow them daily access to press areas in the West Wing. White House staffers decide whether journalists are eligible, though the Secret Service determines whether their applications are approved. The post-midterm election news conference marked a new low in the president's relationship with journalists. "It's such a hostile media," Trump said after ordering reporter April Ryan of the American Urban Radio Networks to sit down when she tried to ask him a question. The president complained that the media did not cover the humming economy and was responsible for much of the country's divided politics. He said, "I can do something fantastic, and they make it look not good." His exchanges with CNN's Acosta and NBC News' Peter Alexander turned bitterly personal, unusual even for a forum where the nature of their jobs often put presidents and the press at odds. "I came in here as a nice person wanting to answer questions, and I had people jumping out of their seats screaming questions at me," said Trump, who talked for nearly 90 minutes despite the run-ins with reporters. Acosta asked Trump why the caravan of migrants was emphasized as an issue in the just-concluded midterm races, and he questioned Trump's reference to the caravan as an invasion. "You should let me run the country," Trump said. "You run CNN and if you did it well, your ratings would be much better." After Acosta asked about the investigation of Russia's involvement in the 2016 election, Trump tried to turn to Alexander, but Acosta continued to ask questions. "CNN should be ashamed of itself having you work for them," the president said to Acosta. "You are a rude, terrible person. You shouldn't be working for CNN. The way you treat Sarah Sanders is horrible. The way you treat other people is horrible. You shouldn't treat people that way." Alexander came to his colleague's defense. "I've traveled with him and watched him," Alexander said. "He's a diligent reporter who busts his butt like the rest of us." "I'm not a big fan of yours, either," Trump replied. "I understand," Alexander said, attempting to ask a question. Acosta stood back up and noted the explosive devices that were recently sent to CNN and some of the president's political opponents. "Just sit down," Trump said. "When you report fake news, which CNN does a lot, you are the enemy of the people." CNN said Trump's attacks on the press have gone too far. "They are not only dangerous, they are disturbingly un-American," CNN tweeted after the exchange. "While President Trump has made it clear he does not respect a free press, he has a sworn obligation to protect it. A free press is vital to democracy, and we stand behind Jim Acosta and his fellow journalists everywhere." In announcing Acosta's suspension, Sanders said, "The fact that CNN is proud of the way their employee behaved is not only disgusting, it is an example of their outrageous disregard for everyone, including young women, who work in this administration." The White House Correspondents Association released a statement Wednesday saying it "strongly objects to the Trump Administration's decision to use U.S. Secret Service security credentials as a tool to punish a reporter with whom it has a difficult relationship. Revoking access to the White House complex is a reaction out of line to the purported offense and is unacceptable." The WHCA called on the White House to "immediately reverse this weak and misguided action." During the news conference, Trump also turned on reporter Yamiche Alcindor of PBS' "NewsHour." She said that "on the campaign trail, you called yourself a nationalist. Some people saw that as emboldening white nationalists." Trump interrupted her, calling it a racist question. Alcindor pressed on: "There are some people who say the Republican Party is seen as supporting white nationalists because of your rhetoric. What do you say to that?" "What you said is so insulting to me," he said. "It's a very terrible thing you said to me." Alcindor moved on to a different topic. Later, via Twitter, she said that she has interviewed white nationalists who say they are more excited by Trump than they have been about other presidents. "Even if President Trump doesn't intend it, some see him as directly appealing to the racists," she wrote. Trump told Ryan, of American Urban Radio Networks, repeatedly to sit down when she attempted to ask Trump about accusations of voter suppression. He said she was rude for interrupting another reporter, though he did briefly answer one of Ryan's questions. By Nidal al-Mughrabi GAZA (Reuters) - A seasonal shift in the weather and intensified international diplomacy are prompting Palestinians mounting protests along Gaza's border with Israel to rethink their tactics. Since the demonstrations started more than seven months ago, protesters routinely made attempts to breach Israel's frontier fence and launched incendiary balloons and kites that have burned forests and crops inside Israel. On Thursday, Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian at the frontier whom the military said was sabotaging the fence By Nidal al-Mughrabi GAZA (Reuters) - A seasonal shift in the weather and intensified international diplomacy are prompting Palestinians mounting protests along Gaza's border with Israel to rethink their tactics. Since the demonstrations started more than seven months ago, protesters routinely made attempts to breach Israel's frontier fence and launched incendiary balloons and kites that have burned forests and crops inside Israel. On Thursday, Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian at the frontier whom the military said was sabotaging the fence. His death brought to 220 the number of Gazans killed at the border since the protests began there, according to Gazan officials. An Israeli soldier was also killed by a Palestinian sniper. The protests draw tens of thousands of people after Muslim prayers on Fridays. But last week was the quietest so far, according to journalists who regularly cover the demonstrations. Smoke from burning tyres wafting towards Israel provided a measure of cover for Palestinian youngsters approaching the barrier, but a wintry change in wind direction sent the thick black clouds back into Gaza and Israeli tear gas deeper into the crowd of protesters, forcing their retreat. Stepped-up efforts by Egypt to craft a long-term ceasefire between Gaza's ruling Hamas group and Israel that could ease an Israeli blockade are also putting a damper on the protests. A ceasefire, said one official familiar with the talks involving Egypt, Qatar and the U.N., would include a gradual end to the rallies, or an agreement to hold them far from the fence, as well as an easing of Israeli restrictions on the movement of goods and people at the border. Organisers have made clear the protests would continue until the long-standing Israeli border restrictions were lifted. Dubbed the "Great March of Return", the campaign demands the rights to lands Palestinian families fled or were driven from during fighting around Israel's founding in 1948. One protester, wearing a black mask, said demonstrators were weighing new ways to confront the Israeli military now that seasonal rains have begun. "We may use fire crackers, noisy horns and we will try to cut through the fence. We will surprise them with things we will not make public now," said the 23-year-old, who gave his name only as Hakim. One idea, he said, was to build a giant slingshot to launch rocks across the barbed wire barrier. A statement by a Palestinian group which claimed balloon launchings said it would allow time for diplomacy to work before escalating action again. "We will give a chance for an agreement to be reached that will ease the bitterness of the blockade imposed on our people," said the Sons of Zwary group, named after a Hamas engineer killed in Tunisia in an alleged Israeli assassination. In the meantime, it said, it was preparing hundreds of incendiary devices. Daoud Shehab, of the National Committee supervising the protests, said five assembly areas were being prepared for winter. "We are placing plastic sheeting to cover large areas and we are also going to pave the ground where people usually gather," he said. (Editing by Jeffrey Heller, Raissa Kasolowsky, Richard Balmforth) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Samsung at its annual Samsung Developer Conference (SDC) in San Francisco confirmed that its flagship Galaxy Note9, Galaxy S9 and S9+ smartphones will get Android 9.0 (Pie) update in January 2019. The company is calling it One UI that helps you focus on what really matters to you. With hardware and software working together in harmony, see only what you need, using and viewing your phone with an experience that feels second nature, said the company. Samsung also announced that Android 9.0 One UI Beta will start later this month in the United States, Germany and South Korea. More countries in Europe and Asia including China, India, France, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom will also get the open beta program in the second phase. While undergoing final testing, beta software may include errors or bugs, and may not include the same features as commercially available software, added the company. To become a beta tester, users need to download the Samsung Members application from Galaxy Apps or the Google Play Store. After logging in, go to Notices and select One UI Beta Program Registration to submit an application. Once signed up, go to Settings and then Update Software to select the Download Updates Manually option. This will allow the software to update and load the beta version. Samsung also said that it will use the feedback from the beta testers before the firmwares official release for the public in January 2019. At the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA, Google has announced support for a foldable smartphone as Android manufacturers are gearing up to launch this new flexible display technology as early as 2019. There are two variants; two-screen devices and one-screen devices. When folded, foldable smartphones resemble a phone that fits in your pockets and when unfolded, it becomes a tablet which it calls screen continuity. As you unfold, the app seamlessly transfers to the bigger screen without missing a beat. Google is optimizing Android for this new form factor. On another note, JetBrains released the latest version of Kotlin, 1.3, which brings new language features, APIs, bug fixes, and performance improvements including Inline classes which allow you to create a type which doesnt allocate unless boxed. Unsigned numbers, Multiplatform code is previously written for Android or the JVM can now also target Javascript or native. This unlocks the possibility of reusing parts of your codebase on even more platforms. Coroutines support is now stable. All of these new features of Kotlin 1.3 will be integrated into the Kotlin-specific APIs a majority of which is through KTX extensions as part of Jetpack. At I/O this year Google introduced Slices, a new way to bring users to your app. Slices are like a mini snippet of your app, where you can surface content and actions. You can book a flight, play a video, or call a ride. Google announced that it is moving into public EAP this month with Doist, Kayak, and others. The company will experiment with surfacing Slices in Google search results. Finally, Google is launching an In-app Updates API. Google is testing the API with early access partners and will be launching it to all developers soon. Youll have two options with this API; the first is a full-screen experience for critical updates when you expect the user to wait for the update to be applied immediately. The second option is a flexible update, which means the user can keep using the app while the update is downloaded. You can completely customize the update flow so it feels like part of the app. Source The U.S. federal court in a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which monitors acts of commerce, ruled against Qualcomm over the alleged anti-competitive practices and abuse of FRAND patents. This means that Qualcomm must license its modem patents to competitors. The motion was strongly supported by the rest of the industry and potentially weakens its stranglehold on the market. The ruling came out of a Federal Trade Commission lawsuit against Qualcomm, which was filed near the start of 2017. The key highlight of the ruling is whether Qualcomm has to license standard-essential patents to competitors and the court has ruled that it should do. Until now, Qualcomm has only offered licenses to companies that directly manufacture smartphones. Qualcomm seems to have done that only when it was directly selling the chips to them. This means that companies like Intel which is badly trying to compete with Qualcomm had to work around Qualcomms patents to sell its modems of its own and brands like Apple and Samsung also had to play by Qualcomm to sell its smartphones. This is definitely bad news for Qualcomm and a sign of relief for rest of the industry. What doesnt change with this ruling is how much Qualcomm charges for those patents. The FTC has also accused Qualcomm of charging too-high fees for its patents. Apple is suing Qualcomm over the very same issue, but courts have yet to rule on this. Source Investors recently learned that Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.A) (NYSE:BRK.B) invested $600 million in two foreign financial technology companies. In this Industry Focus: Financials clip, host Jason Moser and Fool.com contributor Matt Frankel, CFP, discuss the company's recent investments, its third-quarter earnings, and how investors know that Warren Buffett thinks Berkshire's stock is attractively priced. A full transcript follows the video. This video was recorded on Nov. 5, 2018. Jason Moser: We're going to start the week with Uncle Warren, his latest investment in the payments space. Berkshire Hathaway earnings came out over the weekend, as well. We have a lot to talk about with Berkshire Hathaway. Let's go ahead and get started first and foremost with Berkshire buying into fintech. Matt, this was something that I don't think a lot of us were expecting, but it's also not terribly surprising. He likes investing in those market opportunities. I think, more than anything, the most interesting part was the companies he decided to invest in. Matt Frankel: Just to be clear, first of all, this wasn't initiated by Warren Buffett himself. He doesn't understand these companies well enough by any stretch to make an investment in them. This was by Todd Combs, one of Buffett's two main stock pickers, and he's definitely the more techie of the two. Buffett gives him a stamp of approval, so we can consider it a Warren Buffett investment. The two companies are both foreign companies. There's Paytm, an Indian mobile payments company, and StoneCo, which is in Brazil. At first glance, these might sound weird. Like, why would Berkshire be looking at some foreign fintech companies? But they do both have a bunch of Berkshire-like qualities. First and foremost, they are market leaders in their economies. They both have big market shares. They're both very well-known in their local markets. They do have that going for them. It's like how Berkshire invests in Coca-Cola because it's the leading soft drink provider, same idea there, just on a more fintech-y and more rapidly growing scale. And StoneCo is the only public one out of the two. These are both relatively small investments for Berkshire, $300 million a pop. That sounds pretty big, but it's not when you're talking about a $500 billion company. I'm glad to see Berkshire finally putting more of its cash to work in outside-the-box ways. They've had a real issue building up cash. They still have more than $100 billion after spending some of their money on a bunch of new stock investments and things like that. I'm really excited that they're finding ways to put their money to work in ways that could actually end up moving the needle if these companies prove really successful. Moser: Yeah. It's no secret, we obviously love these payment companies all over the world. Plenty of opportunity out there. Even he noted it -- payments are a huge deal worldwide, is what he said. Berkshire already owns stakes in Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. It's neat to see them get some of these smaller firms in there that are a bit more based on technology, like you said. Definitely a little bit more difficult to understand. I think this is also a testament to the kind of team that he's building there at Berkshire Hathaway. I think investors need to feel really good about that. I wanted to mention a little bit about the earnings that came out for Berkshire Hathaway this weekend. It was, generally speaking, a pretty good quarter. They saw a nice bump in operating income there. It did seem like the insurance underwriting profit saw a nice boost vs. last year. There were some natural disasters last year that hit them on that line, of course. But, another quarter of big share repurchases for Berkshire Hathaway, as well, wasn't it? Frankel: This was the first time they've been allowed to repurchase shares under the new plan that allows Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger to pretty much buy back shares whenever they both agree it's a good time. Berkshire bought back $928 million worth of shares this quarter. That sounds like a lot, but the takeaway here is not that this is a real needle-moving thing. Like I said, Berkshire is a $500 billion company, buying back less than $1 billion worth of stock isn't anything to get that excited over. But, the new buyback policy says that they can only buy it when Buffett and Munger both agree that the stock is trading at a substantial discount to its intrinsic value. The takeaway here is that Buffett really considers Berkshire cheap at the current levels. Moser: Yep. And I think right now, it's about 1.4X book, right? Frankel: Yeah, which is actually pretty low for Berkshire. If you look at the history, Berkshire oscillates between 1-2X book. So, it's not that expensive in a historic context. Moser: The former benchmark that they had given themselves was 1.2X book, which seemed very reasonable. But by the same token, I don't have any problem with them lifting that benchmark and just saying, essentially, "We'll do it when we feel like it makes sense," because that's ultimately what they're doing. They've got a pretty good track record so far, so I think we can trust them. I do wonder how some shareholders may feel about that vs. dividends. Certainly, dividends are something that they're going to hear more and more about as time goes on. I wonder if they're going to feel a little bit more pressure to cave into at some point. But I haven't really gotten any sense of anything like that in regard to dividends yet. Have you noticed anything? Do you have any feelings there? Frankel: As the cash was starting to build up Warren Buffett for the first time ever, I think, mentioned dividends as a real possibility. Then he walked it back over the next few quarters. His attitude is pretty much, "If you want a 3% dividend from the stock, just sell 3% of your shares every year." He said, "Trust me to do what I will with the profits. If you want income off Berkshire, just start gradually selling your stock that way." Moser: That's a fair point. Frankel: It's tough to argue with that. I mean, I'm a financial planner and I trust my money with Warren Buffett. I trust him to make the best decisions with Berkshire's income. Moser: Well, if he's good enough for you, he's good enough for me, and he should be good enough for all of our listeners. That's the takeaway. Signarama to Celebrate A Grand Opening in St. George, Utah November 13th November 08, 2018 // Franchising.com // ST. GEORGE, UT - November 08, 2018 /24-7PressRelease/ - Signarama St. George, a new franchise location that is a part of the world's largest sign franchise, is celebrating their grand opening on Tuesday, November 13th. The 1800 sq. ft. facility will kick off its Grand Opening Event at 10:30 a.m. at 1316 S. 400 E. Unit B-1, St. George, Utah. "St. George is one of the fastest growing areas in the country. There is so much demand in this area and we are excited to provide signage solutions to fulfill customer's needs. I chose this location because of its easy access from the freeway, making it convenient for customers," said franchise owner, David Swensen. Signarama offers extensive marketing and promotional services. The grand opening of Signarama St. George will take place on November 13th and is in partnership with the St. George Chamber of Commerce. Festivities will include an official ribbon cutting to commemorate the opening, tours of the facility, refreshments, giveaways and more. Signarama has proven track records in business success internationally with a solid business plan that demonstrates rapid growth potential. Signarama headquarters based in West Palm Beach, Florida provides unparalleled corporate and field support for all franchisees. This provides access to proven systems which guides franchisees on a path to success. The new Signarama St. George will open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday and by appointment. David Swensen has a degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master's in Business Administration, with a technology management focus. Swensen is versatile and has experience with over 30 years in engineering, product and business development. David has traveled to more than 65 countries and visited every continent. Signarama is a new venture for David, and he is proud to bring Signarama to this growing community. About Signarama Signarama, the world's largest sign franchise, offers branding and messaging solutions in addition to comprehensive sign and graphic services to consumers and commercial customersfrom business signs, vehicle wraps, and digital signs, to advertising and marketing services. Signarama is part of a successful system of business-to-business franchise brands and development services under the United Franchise Group (UFG). As part of a $49-billion-plus worldwide sign market, Signarama has been at the forefront of the sign industry for over three decades. Signarama was ranked Number 35 on Entrepreneur Magazine's Top Global Franchises list in 2016. With more than 800 locations in 60 countries, the company expects to have more than 1,500 locations worldwide by the end of 2020. About UFG "The Global Leader for Entrepreneurs." United Franchise Group is a group of affiliated companies and brands. Led by CEO Ray Titus, United Franchise Group is home to a variety of internationally recognized brands including Signarama, Fully Promoted, Experimac, Jon Smith Subs, Venture X, SuperGreen Solutions, Transworld Business Advisors and The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill. With over three decades in the franchising industry and more than 1600 franchisees in 80 countries, United Franchise Group offers unprecedented leadership and solid business opportunities for entrepreneurs. Media Contact: Barbara Rodriguez Ink Link Marketing Voice: 305.631.2283 SOURCE Signarama ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus News City rife with speculation about ill mayor's future Dorothy Childress Sam Collins III Randy Stricklind HITCHCOCK Some residents are speculating Mayor Dorothy Childress, who for about a year has led an ailing city without a professional administrator, is set to resign after undergoing surgery for a broken leg and a second surgery for a heart problem. City Secretary Lucy Dieringer, however, said Wednesday she hadnt heard that the mayor has any plans to do so. As far as I know, shes coming back, Dieringer said. As soon as she can get around. Dieringer didnt have a timeframe for Childress return, however. The mayor about a month ago fell and broke a bone in her leg, and learned she needed heart valve replacement surgery before doctors could operate on her leg, Dieringer said. Childress, 75, is out of the hospital and going through physical rehabilitation, but cant put weight on her leg, Dieringer said. Childress took over as head of the financially struggling community of about 8,000 north of Galveston Bay more than a year ago and has overseen a commission that passed a balanced budget and kept the citys tax rate flat for 2019. Anthony Matranga, the mayor who Childress replaced, resigned in November 2017 for health reasons. The balanced budget came with deep cuts to city expenses, accomplished in part by reducing the number of city employees, particularly from the police department, which caused backlash from among residents. A group of residents, for instance, has been pursuing a recall campaign against Childress because of what theyve called a lack of transparency, mismanagement of funds and because of her decision to fire John Hamm, who had been chief of police. The search for an administrator to lead Hitchcock is moving ahead despite the mayors absence, however, officials said. Mayor pro tem Randy Stricklind appointed six residents to review applications for a city administrator and police chief, said Sam Collins, one of the members of the committee. The city received more than 10 applications for each position, Collins said. The committee will narrow down the applications to a list of candidates the city commission will then interview, Collins said. The commission might be able to vote on a new administrator by the end of the year, but it could be 2019 before someone is chosen, Collins said. Officials arent likely to have a new police chief in place before 2019, Collins said. The city commission since July has been searching for someone to fill a city administrator position. Hiring a professional, trained and experienced administrator to lead the city could help solve problems and keep the community operating smoothly in the years to come, commissioners said. Childress served as mayor of Hitchcock in the 1980s when the city had an administrator, but subsequent city commissions eliminated the position, she said in a previous interview with The Daily News. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Nokia 6.1 Plus gets Hide Notch feature in Android 9 Pie update News oi-Abhinaya Prabhu Nokia 6.1 Plus notch can be hidden once again. Nokia 6.1 Plus was launched with a display notch. It also came with an option to hide the notch in the Settings menu. This way, users who aren't big fans of the notch display can remove it and fill the space on top with a black strip leaving no traces of a notch on the screen. Unfortunately, this option to hide the notch was removed by an update that was rolled out to the smartphone in September. This update also brought the August security patch to the device along with other improvements. While this left many users perplexed, the company has assured that it will bring back the option sometime soon. Now, after two months, it looks like HMD has brought back the option to the Nokia 6.1 Plus via the Android 9.0 Pie update. A few days back, the smartphones received the stable Android Pie update. Along with the usual features of the latest iteration of the OS, it also brought back the ability to hide the notch. How to hide notch on Nokia 6.1 Plus While it is possible to hide the notch after the Pie update, the catch is that it can be done only in Developer Options. So, the Nokia 6.1 Plus users have to first enable the Developer Options by heading on to Settings About Phone System and tap on the build number seven times. Now, users have to go to Developer Options from System Settings and look for the 'Full Bezel' option. You need to set this toggle on to hide the notch and off it to keep the notch enabled. Earlier, when responding to the users' complaints of not being to hide the notch, HMD said that they had to remove the option to hide the notch in order to adhere to Google's requirement. The comment was not pulled down from the forums but it revealed that Google decided not to give the option to hide the notch. Eventually, the same has been included as the full bezel mode. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications One UI will be available for the Galaxy Note9 and Galaxy S9 in January 2019: Beta testing started News oi-Vivek One UI is the newest Android 9 Pie based OS from Samsung At the ongoing SDC 2018 (Samsung Developers Conference), Samsung has made some significant announcements regarding the upcoming smartphones from the brand and the features offered on these smartphones. On a similar line, the company has also made an important announcement regarding the current generation Samsung smartphones as well. Samsung has officially confirmed that the Samsung Galaxy Note9, the Samsung Galaxy S9, and the Samsung Galaxy S9+ will receive the Android 9 Pie update in January 2018, probably after the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S10. Additionally, the best-testing for the Android 9 Pie based OS will be open for general public by the end of November 2018. One UI for the flagship Samsung smartphones The Samsung Galaxy Note9 and the Galaxy S9 series of smartphones currently run on Android 8.1 Oreo-based Samsung Experience UX. With the release of the Android 9 Pie OS, the company will release the One UI based operating system, which should improve the overall user experience of a Samsung flagship smartphone to a great extent. One UI beta testing The One UI beta testing will be available by late November 2018 in United States, Germany and South Korea in the first phase. The company will roll-out the 2nd phase of beta testing in the December 2018 in India along with China, France, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom. How to sign-up for One UI beta testing? Go to Google Play Store or Galaxy Apps (Samsung's own app store) and download the app named "Samsung Members" and sign-in into the app using the Samsung account credentials. Go to notices and select "One UI Beta Program Registration" and submit the application. After signing up for the beta testing programme, update your smartphone, which enables to flash beta ROMS manually using the settings menu. As of now, there is no information on the rollout of the Android 9 Pie based One UI operating system for the non-flagship Samsung smartphones. However, the company is most likely to update some of the mid-tier smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy A7 2018, Samsung Galaxy A8 Star Pro, and other devices by the Q2 of 2019. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications State Dept: US to Impose New Set of Sanctions Against Russia Over Skripal Attack Sputnik News 23:08 06.11.2018(updated 12:47 07.11.2018) WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States intends to move forward with imposing additional sanctions against Russia for the attack against Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal as required by law, State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert told Sputnik on Tuesday. "Today, the Department informed Congress we could not certify that the Russian Federation met the conditions required by the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991," Nauert said. "We intend to proceed in accordance with the terms of the CBW Act, which directs the implementation of additional sanctions." Nauert added that the State Department is consulting with Congress about the sanctions, as is also required under the law. The United States has accused Russia of involvement in the March 4 nerve agent attack on Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the English town of Salisbury, a claim repeatedly denied by Moscow. "The Chemical Biological Weapons Act mandates that the State Department certify to the Congress whether Russia has met conditions required by the law three months after the initial determination of the Skripal case. That initial determination was made August 6, and that takes us to November 6," State Department Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino said in a press briefing last week. The conditions imposed by Washington on Moscow include Russia ceasing its alleged chemical weapons and assuring it will not use them, as well as allowing international inspectors to verify those assurances, according to the State Department. Palladino also said there is no timeline associated with the State Department's consultations with Congress on the new wave of sanctions against Russia. Russian Envoy to the United States Anatoly Antonov said Moscow has seen conflicting information about the types of new US sanctions that could be put in place. On August 24, the United States announced that it was imposing sanctions on Russia under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991. The law allows for the termination of foreign assistance and arms sales, denial of US government credit or other financial assistance, prohibitions on exports and a suspension of diplomatic relations, among other possible measures. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Among the thousands of recounts that have been undertaken in modern U.S. elections, there are just a handful of high-profile ones that have turned a loser into a winner. No presidential race has ever been overturned by a recount, one of several reasons the Green Party-led/Hillary Clinton-backed recount in Wisconsin is such a long shot. It's very, very rare for recounts to succeed at the federal level, or in statewide races, said Robert David Johnson, a history professor with Brooklyn College. The recounts that did work were in races with very small margins. Here are the three most famous. 1. The 2008 Minnesota Senate race U.S. Democratic senatorial candidate Al Franken and Republican Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) (Eric Miller/Reuters) The stakes: Minnesota's razor-thin 2008 U.S. Senate race, which was the tipping point for Democrats' filibuster-proof supermajority in the Senate. Initial result: On election night, Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) was ahead of challenger Al Franken (D) by just 206 votes out of more than 2.9 million cast, a slim enough margin to automatically trigger a recount. Recount process: A months-long recount of all the state's votes put Franken ahead of Coleman by 312 votes. Franken declared victory and started hiring Senate staff. But Coleman challenged the recount's results in court, a challenge that went on for another six months and all the way to the state Supreme Court. Finally, in June, the state Supreme Court upheld the original recount and declared Franken the winner. The Supreme Court has spoken. I will respect its decision, and abide by its results, Coleman said. Franken officially took the Senate seat seven months after the election. 2. The 2004 Washington state governor's race Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire (D). (Elaine Thompson/AP) The stakes: An open governor's mansion in Washington in 2004 and one of the closest governor's races in history. The initial results: On election night, results showed Republican former state senator Dino Rossi leading Democratic Attorney General Christine Gregoire by 261 votes out of some 3 million ballots cast. The recount: There were several different recounts, which found several different results. (This election is a really good example of why different types of recount can matter, Johnson said.) First, a legally required electronic re-scan of ballots reduced Rossi's lead to just 42 votes. Then the state Democratic Party requested a hand recount (Washington's first), which gave Gregoire a 10-vote lead. The hand recount uncovered hundreds of missing ballots, and the Democratic Party had to go to the state Supreme Court to get those votes counted, which gave Gregoire a 129-vote lead. This is the biggest display of democracy I have ever seen, Gregoire said amid the recount. 3. The 1974 New Hampshire Senate race John A. Durkin. (James K.W. Atherton/The Washington Post) The stakes: An open Senate seat in a swing state (New Hampshire, 1974) and what ended up being the longest contested election in U.S. Senate history, plus a unique appeal to the Senate itself to try to solve the race. The initial results: On election night, GOP Rep. Lewis Wyman was leading Democrat John Durkin by 355 votes. Durkin and Democrats immediately demanded a recount. The recount: It became a nearly year-long headache. The first recount declared Durkin the winner by 10 votes. This time it was Wyman's turn to demand a recount. (Sensing a trend here?) This next recount had Wyman ahead by two votes. By this time, the outgoing GOP senator had resigned his seat, and the governor, also a Republican, appointed Wyman to fill his spot. Durkin's last-ditch effort was to file a request to the U.S. Senate to have the chamber determine the results. His logic was that Congress is the final arbiter of its own elections and how convenient for him, the Senate was Democratic-controlled. This was the first (and so far only) time a Senate election was thrown to the Senate. And we can see why it hasn't happened since: The Senate spent some six months reviewing thousands of ballots and debating what to do. No surprise here: They couldn't decide on anything. Eventually Durkin and Wyman ended up deciding that the race was just too close to call and agreeing to just start over and hold a new election(!). The special election was held in September, and Durkin beat Wyman by 27,000 votes. But Durkin never was able to overcome the taint of that nasty election and was easily beaten in the next one. In 2008, he told the Associated Press he wouldn't have wished the experience on his worst enemy. 1st Cavalry Division puts a Shadow in the sky By Sgt. Lisa Vines November 7, 2018 Trzebien, Poland -- The RQ-7B Shadow tactical unmanned aircraft system's engine roared as it slingshots off a mobile launch ramp at Horsemen Flight Landing Strip in Trzebien, Poland, Nov. 2 and into the bright horizon during another day of training for Soldiers assigned to Delta Company, 91st Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. The "Horsemen Platoon" is creeping closer to its goal of attaining 270 flight hours during their Atlantic Resolve rotation. "We're coming up on 270 flight hours in Europe, which is significant because that is what the unit previous to us got, so it shows we're able to keep pace in a challenging rotation," said U.S. Army 1st Lt. Austin J. Collell, the Shadow platoon leader assigned to Delta Company, 91st Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. Just outside of a small village, Soldiers are currently living and working at Horsemen FLS, a camp obscured by camouflage netting in the wood line of a training area accessible only by a dirty road. The platoon is training an influx of new Soldiers on TUAS technology repurposed for a near-peer fight. "Shadow is a really unique force multiplier because it was designed for Iraq and Afghanistan," said Collell. "We had to repurpose Shadow in a different direction from what it was originally designed for." With a team made up of mostly recently enlisted, junior Soldiers, the training tempo has been high as seasoned operators train their Soldiers in an effort to close the knowledge gap. "They're drinking through a fire hose shadowing our senior guys. You cannot mass produce operators," said Collell. "Even if they're not flying, they are here at the airfield." U.S. Army Pfc. Carlos A. Castillo, an unmanned aircraft systems repairer assigned to Delta Company, Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, is one of those new Soldiers. "Being a newer Soldier and coming out here, it was on who takes the initiative to get things done," said Castillo. "If you're going to learn, now's the time to learn." Almost all of the Soldiers in the Horsemen Platoon are working in positions well beyond their rank's typical responsibilities. "They all perform one level up. I think it's very unique for my guys to be able to have maturity and the knowledge base where they can succeed in these kinds of roles to make the mission happen," said Collell. With a diverse team in such an austere training environment, everyone is making the most of their time in the field. They are the first platoon to fly on the Horsemen FLS and to validate the airstrip for the Polish government and every rotational force that follows, which makes their mission a significant milestone. "The Polish government and the U.S. Army engineers built this airstrip specifically for the Shadow," said Collell. "It's not designed for any other airframe." The Shadow UAS can be deployed as part of expeditionary forces due to its ability to launch off tactical runways. "Shadow can move out further and further away from the flock. It allows us to move away from the comforts of home, and a lot of the logistical support packages that we have, and move out to where the enemy might not expect us to be," Collell said. One of the Horsemen Platoon's leaders and mentors, Warrant Officer Brandon C. Dupuis, the UAS operations officer, has 1,300 flight hours under his belt, with experience in Iraq, Jordan, and Syria. "A TUAS is mainly used as a hastily employed reconnaissance platform. This way can give the commanders at all levels a picture of the battlefield, so they can more easily deploy their troops," said Dupuis. Whether the TUAS is employed within aviation or armored brigades, it serves a unique purpose. The Shadow can coordinate with crewed aircraft or artillery to destroy the target. When Soldiers on the ground have an unmanned system such as the Shadow RX-7B on their team, they do not have to risk their lives for reconnaissance. "One of our biggest jobs out here, and in any deployed environment, is to keep the forces on the ground safe," said Dupuis. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EU Extends Sanctions on Venezuela for Another Year - Statement Sputnik News 15:22 06.11.2018 BRUSSELS (Sputnik) - The European Union decided on Tuesday to renew economic restrictions on Venezuela for another 12 months until November 14 next year, the EU Council said on Tuesday. "In view of the continuing deterioration of the situation in Venezuela, the Council decided today to renew the targeted restrictive measures currently in place until 14 November 2019," the council said in a statement. On May 20, Venezuela held its presidential election, with four candidates in the running. According to the National Electoral Council (NEC), incumbent leader Nicolas Maduro was re-elected as Venezuelan president for his second term, having secured 68 percent of votes, with slightly over 46 percent voter turnout. A number of states, including the EU members, have slammed the vote as either unfair or illegitimate. In 2017, EU foreign ministers adopted the new measures against Venezuela without debate at a regular meeting. The bloc's member-states stopped short of sanctioning individuals in order to prevent Venezuela from plunging into a deeper economic crisis, according to Spain's Foreign Minister Alfonso. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Almost 60 People Killed During Parliamentary Elections in Afghanistan - UN Sputnik News 13:39 06.11.2018 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Almost 60 people were killed and over 370 sustained injuries as a result of the attacks perpetrated by anti-government militants during the recently-held parliamentary elections in Afghanistan, a report prepared by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) revealed on Tuesday. "The '2018 Elections Violence' report documents how on 20 October and subsequent days when delayed polling took place, UNAMA verified 435 civilian casualties (56 deaths and 379 injured). Most civilian casualties occurred on 20 October, with 388 civilian casualties (52 deaths and 339 injured) from election-related violence. This is the highest level of civilian harm compared to the four previous elections held in Afghanistan," the report said, as quoted on the UNAMA official website. According to the report, the attacks were perpetrated mainly by the Taliban movement, which intended to intimidate voters. A total of 23 children have fallen victims of the attacks and almost 80 others were injured, the report added. "The report documents grave concerns over the numerous attacks by Anti-Government Elements, mainly Taliban*, directed at civilian objects and populated civilian areas during the elections, including attacks against schools used as polling centers. These attacks were mainly carried out using indirect-fire systems such as rockets, grenades and mortars, as well as improvised explosive devices (IEDs), all of which have indiscriminate effects," the report said. Almost 40 percent of all civilian casualties were inflicted by indirect fire, while improvised explosive devices accounted for 23 percent of casualties and another 12 percent were caused by gunfire, according to the report. "The report also highlights a pattern of threats, intimidation and harassment, including abductions, carried out by the Taliban prior to the elections. These incidents, taken together with a series of public statements made by the Taliban on the elections, reveal a deliberate campaign intended to disrupt and undermine the electoral process, and deprive Afghan citizens of their right to freely participate in the political process without fear," the report added. Afghanistan held its first parliamentary election since 2010 on October 20-21, after postponing the vote for security reasons. The election was opposed by the Taliban militants, who refused to recognize it and announced their intention to sabotage the electoral process. The parliamentary election in the southern Kandahar province was not held until October 27 due to the unstable security situation in the region. *Taliban is a terrorist organization, banned in Russia Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address French President Emmanuel Macron Proposes Creation of 'Real European Army' Sputnik News 09:57 06.11.2018(updated 11:10 06.11.2018) French President Emmanuel Macron gave a candid interview to the French radio station Europe 1, in which he spoke about school violence, European elections, and the EU's military policy. Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that the EU should create a "real European army" and called the bloc the main victim of Washington's decision to scrap a 30-year-old nuclear arms treaty with Russia. "We will not be able to protect Europeans if we don't decide to have a real European army," he told Europe 1's Nikos Aliagas, insiting that Europe should be defending itself in a "more souvereing way," without depending "only on the United States." Macron called for "protection from China, Russia, and even from the United States of America," suggesting that Donald Trump's recent decision to pull the US from the INF Treaty would endanger European security. "Who is going to be the main victim [of US President Donald Trump decision to leave the INF]? Europe and its security," the president said. US President Trump announced on October 20 that the United States would withdraw from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty), claiming that Russia had violated the agreement, which prohibited ground-based intermediate-range systems. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refuted Trump's accusations and warned that Russia would be forced to take measures to ensure its security if Washington started developing weapons that had been banned under the agreement. The French President also called for a "stronger, protective Europe," as well as bemoaned that the continent is becoming "increasingly fractured" and that nationalism is on the rise these days. This mirrors his November 1 interview to Ouest-France newspaper, in which he warned that the resurgence of nationalism across Europe may eventually plunge the region into a situation similar to that which arose in the 1930s. He also insisted that both nationalism and the influence of foreign powers pose a threat to Europe's sovereignty, adding that he seeks to promote "a more sovereign and multilateral" Europe. For years, the European Union has exerted efforts to strengthen own defense capabilities, including via defense spending increase. Earlier this year, the European Commission announced that the bloc's 2019 budget stipulated allocation of 245 million euros (about $287 million) for the European Defence Industrial Development Programme. At the same time, the US defense industry has also been putting a lot of pressure on EU nations to equip themselves with imported US equipment. France is also subject to such pressure. But in France, the industrial and defense industry strengthened under Gaullism is still powerful enough to resist this influence. Meanwhile, German-French plans to design a true European defense, with certain independence from Atlantic influences, will have to take into account the current difficulties of the German defense industry. Without improvements, the future defense of Europe risks remaining in the hands of the US industry, anchored in NATO and depending on the goodwill of the Pentagon. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Guam National Guard, Navy join forces for relief efforts By Petty Officer 1st Class Oliver Cole | Joint Region Marianas November 7, 2018 NAVAL BASE GUAM, Guam -- Naval Beach Unit (NBU) 7 and the 1224th Engineering Support Company, Guam Army National Guard worked together to load heavy equipment vehicles onto the amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) for transport to Saipan in support of disaster relief efforts after Super Typhoon Yutu Nov. 6. Sailors and Soldiers loaded 18 vehicles, including high-mobility excavators, 10-ton dump-trucks, and light-medium practical vehicles onto Navy Landing Craft, Utility (LCU) 1634, attached to NBU-7, at the Reserve Craft Beach in Guam. "This is an involved evolution," said Chief Boatswain's Mate Jason Wommack, assigned to NBU 7. "We're here on the beach working with the Guam National Guard to get the equipment to the USS Ashland. We're just doing our job and our part to serve our country, and in this case help the people in Saipan." Once the vehicles were on LCU 1634, they were transported across Apra Harbor to the USS Ashland, pier side at U.S. Naval Base Guam. Ashland pulled in solely to assist the Guam National Guard its transport mission. "USS Ashland with her two Landing Craft Utility from Navy Beach Unit 7 bring immense capability and logistic support to the effort in Northern Mariana Islands," said Capt. Jim McGovern, commodore for Amphibious Squadron 11. "She has already delivered almost 50 31st MEU vehicles to support FEMA and civil authorities on Tinian. This combination ... provides great flexibility in transporting a variety of equipment to include the movement of Guam Army National Guard equipment to Saipan with minimal support from shore facilities. This is an important mission and we are privileged to be supporting our fellow citizens." This marks the first time vehicles attached to the Guam National Guard were transported via a surface ship. Usually the Air Force provides transportation for National Guard equipment and personnel to required locations. These vehicles were shipped because they we too large to be flown at this time, said Maj. Josephine Blas, Guam National Guard Public Affairs Officer. Guam National Guard is sending 22 heavy equipment operators to Saipan, along with the vehicles. The vehicles and operators will provide the capability to move and clean large amounts of debris more efficiently. "We sent 130 Soldiers to Saipan earlier this week," said Maj. Gary Tanaka, assigned to the 1224th Engineering Support Company. "Now we're sending equipment and more personnel on the Ashland that can expedite the disaster relief efforts." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary General's Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security visits NATO's KFOR Mission NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 07 Nov. 2018 Clare Hutchinson, Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security, visited NATO's peace-keeping mission in Kosovo (KFOR) on Wednesday (7 November 2018). Ms. Hutchinson discussed the promotion of the Women, Peace and Security agenda with the commander of KFOR, Major General Salvatore Cuoci. The commander briefed the Special Representative on the many initiatives to ensure a gender perspective is incorporated across all KFOR operations and training. NATO has extensive pre-deployment training for soldiers and civilians in the field, and deploys gender advisers to operations. NATO will work to strengthen existing training on combatting sexual violence. Monitoring and reporting is a core task for NATO commanders, and the Alliance will work to be faster and more systematic in ways so that perpetrators can be brought to justice. During her visit to Kosovo, Ms. Hutchinson also addressed a meeting of the Kosovo Women's Network on "NATO's Implementation of UNSC Resolution 1325 - Advancing the Women, Peace and Security Agenda." Ms. Hutchinson also met senior officials with the United Nations Mission in Kosovo. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Crown Prince of Norway Visits Iwo Jima Navy News Service Story Number: NNS181107-11 Release Date: 11/7/2018 3:30:00 PM By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Travis Baley, USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) Public Affairs NORWEGIAN SEA (NNS) -- His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon, crown prince of Norway, visited Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) Nov. 7. During the visit, Haakon toured the ship, observing Sailors and Marines at work and how the ship is operated. "I am very grateful to be able to come aboard and experience how things are done onboard," said Haakon. "I was very impressed with the personnel I met and their professionalism throughout the entire day. It is great seeing the United States and Norway come together and continue our alliance together as nations." Haakon also remarked about how great it is seeing the Unites States and Norway coming together. During his visit to Iwo Jima, Haakon dined with some of the Sailors. "Having lunch with the crown prince was the experience of a lifetime," said Electronics Technician 2nd Class Shawn Collins. "I never thought this would happen while I was in the Navy, but it's something I'll never forget. It's easily one of the best moments of my career." Iwo Jima is currently underway participating in Trident Juncture 2018, which is a NATO-led exercise designed to certify NATO response forces and develop interoperability among participating NATO Allied and partner nations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Guam National Guard, Navy Join Forces for Relief Efforts in Saipan Navy News Service Story Number: NNS181107-06 Release Date: 11/7/2018 1:45:00 PM From Commander, Amphibious Force, U.S. 7th Fleet Public Affairs SANTA RITA, Guam (NNS) -- Naval Beach Unit (NBU) 7 and the 1224th Engineering Support Company, Guam Army National Guard worked together to load heavy equipment vehicles onto amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) for transport to Saipan in support of Task Force-West (TF-W) disaster relief efforts after Super Typhoon Yutu, Nov. 6. Sailors and Soldiers loaded 18 vehicles, including high-mobility excavators, 10-ton dump-trucks, and light-medium practical vehicles onto Navy Landing Craft, Utility (LCU) 1634, attached to NBU-7, at the Reserve Craft Beach in Guam. "This is an involved evolution," said Chief Boatswain's Mate Jason Wommack, assigned to NBU 7. "We're here on the beach working with the Guam National Guard to get the equipment to the USS Ashland. We're just doing our job and our part to serve our country, and in this case help the people in Saipan." Once the vehicles were on LCU 1634, they were transported across Apra Harbor to Ashland, pierside at U.S. Naval Base Guam. Ashland pulled in solely to assist the Guam National Guard its transport mission. "USS Ashland with her two Landing Craft Utility from Navy Beach Unit 7 bring immense capability and logistic support to the effort in Northern Mariana Islands," said Capt. Jim McGovern, commodore for Amphibious Squadron 11. "She has already delivered almost 50 31st MEU vehicles to support FEMA and civil authorities on Tinian. This combination ... provides great flexibility in transporting a variety of equipment to include the movement of Guam Army National Guard equipment to Saipan with minimal support from shore facilities. This is an important mission and we are privileged to be supporting our fellow citizens." This marks the first time vehicles attached to the Guam National Guard were transported via a surface ship. Usually the Air Force provides transportation for National Guard equipment and personnel to required locations. These vehicles were shipped because they were too large to be flown at this time, said Maj. Josephine Blas, Guam National Guard public affairs officer. Guam National Guard is sending 22 heavy equipment operators to Saipan, along with the vehicles. The vehicles and operators will provide the capability to move and clean large amounts of debris more efficiently. "We sent 130 Soldiers to Saipan earlier this week," said Maj. Gary Tanaka, assigned to the 1224th Engineering Support Company. "Now we're sending equipment and more personnel on the Ashland that can expedite the disaster relief efforts." TF-W was stood up by U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and is responding to the devastation caused by Super Typhoon Yutu, which struck Oct. 24 over the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Super Typhoon Yutu was the second-strongest system to hit U.S. soil in recorded history. TF-W is providing support to CNMI's civil and local officials as part of FEMA-supported recovery efforts, which began Oct. 25 immediately following the storm. TF-W is divided into Task Group Saipan and Task Group Tinian, and comprises more than 800 active-duty, Reserve and National Guard service members from more than 20 different units across all branches of services within USINDOPACOM. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Commander, Task Force 72 Participates in Keen Sword 2019 Navy News Service Story Number: NNS181107-05 Release Date: 11/7/2018 1:35:00 PM From Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet Public Affairs YOKOSUKA, Japan (NNS) -- Patrol Squadron (VP) 46, VP-16 and VP-47 are currently participating in exercise Keen Sword 2019 (KS19) within the U.S. 7th Fleet (C7F) area of operations Oct. 29Nov. 8. Keen Sword is a biennial exercise in a series of joint training exercises since 1986 designed to increase combat readiness and interoperability of U.S. forces and the Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF) at military installations throughout Japan and surrounding waters. "This exercise will enhance our ability to work with the JMDSF (Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force) more effectively," said Lt. Cmdr. Meredith Trezise, commander, Task Group 72.2 tactics officer. Commander, Task Force 72 (CTF-72) is the U.S. Navy's Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) operating platform within C7F. The training objectives for CTF-72's MPRA assets within KS19 are to demonstrate bilateral coordination and interoperability with air and surface forces and the ability to effectively operate as a combined naval force and to defeat adversarial maritime forces. "Creating a positive relationship with 7th Fleet (anti-submarine warfare) communities is extremely important for maritime patrol forces," said Lt. j.g. Conner Ferguson, VP-16's plans and exercises officer. "Due to Japan's location, partner interoperability is imperative for the safety and protection of the western Pacific region." CTF-72 will execute 13 flights, consisting of both P-3C Orion and P-8A Poseidon aircraft in support of a joint war-at-sea event within KS19. "Like any high-level exercise, there's always a lot of moving pieces to ensure safety and mission effectiveness," said Trezise. Approximately 10,000 U.S. service members from commands such as U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. Forces Japan, C7F, 5th Air Force, 374th Airlift Wing, 18th Wing, 35th Fighter Wing and III Marine Expeditionary Force are taking part in the exercise. CTF-72 leads patrol, reconnaissance and surveillance forces in support of C7F, promoting regional security and enhancement of theater security operations through multilateral engagements to build, reconnaissance and surveillance capability within C7F and partner forces NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Nigeria court refuses to release Zakzaky on bail Iran Press TV Wed Nov 7, 2018 05:36PM A Nigerian court has refused to grant bail to top Muslim cleric Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, days after more than 40 of his supporters were killed during protests demanding his release. Zakzaky, the leader of Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), has been held in detention since December 2015 and was charged just in April with murder, culpable homicide, unlawful assembly, disruption of public peace and other accusations. He has pleaded not guilty. "The court refused to grant him bail," Zakzaky's lawyer Maxwell Kyon said. His legal team had urged his release, saying he is suffering from health issues that require urgent medical care abroad but the court denied the request. But the state high court in the northern city of Kaduna said on Wednesday that no substantial medical evidence was provided to grant Zakzaky bail. Zakzaky would remain in custody throughout the period of his trial. The upcoming hearing will take place on January 22. "We are disappointed with the court's decision," said Ibrahim Musa, an IMN spokesman. He stressed that Zakzaky should have been granted bail due to poor health, adding that "We will keep on with our protests in Abuja and other cities." The hearing comes after several peaceful protests staged by IMN supporters last month in demand for Zakzaky's release. Nigerian security forces opened fire with live ammunition on IMN members in the capital, Abuja, leaving 47 people killed. Before Zakzaky was charged, the Nigerian government has refused to set him free despite the ruling of a Federal High Court, which ordered Zakzaky's unconditional release in 2016. The top cleric, who is in his mid-sixties, lost his left eyesight in a raid which was carried out by the Nigerian army on his residence in the northern town of Zaria in December 2015. During the raid, Zakzaky's wife sustained serious wounds too and more than 300 of his followers and three of his sons were killed. Zakzaky, his wife, and a large number of the cleric's followers have since been in custody. A judicial inquiry after the 2015 brutal raid concluded that the military had killed 347 IMN members in Zaria. Soldiers buried the bodies in mass graves. Several international organizations and human rights groups have denounced "the Zaria massacre." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemen condemns Saudi airstrikes on civilian structures in Hudyadah Iran Press TV Wed Nov 7, 2018 10:52AM Yemen has condemned an ongoing wave of Saudi air raids targeting civilian structures including grain silos in the port city of Hudaydah, a lifeline for millions of people in the impoverished country. In a statement released on Wednesday, the Ministry of Human Rights said the continuation of "immoral actions" by the Saudi-led coalition in Hudaydah exposed the alliance's "criminal intent to deliberately annihilate the Yemenis, control and exploit strategic facilities." The ministry particularly denounced the US-backed collation's targeting of Hudaydah's grain silos, where tens of thousands of tons of wheat and flour are being stored. It further noted that the latest Saudi airstrikes targeting Yemeni civilians in their homes as well as the urban infrastructure in Hudaydah's Kilo 16 and 7th of July neighborhoods are "criminal practices," whose perpetrators lack religious and human values. The ministry called for the establishment of an independent international commission to investigate the massacres and crimes being committed by the Saudi-led coalition against the Yemeni nation. Saudi Arabia and its allies launched a brutal war against Yemen in March 2015 in an attempt to reinstall the country's former Riyadh-allied regime. The Houthi Ansarullah movement, which runs state affairs in the absence of an effective government, has been defending Yemen against the aggression. Back in June, the Saudi-led coalition launched the Hudaydah offensive despite international warnings that it would compound the war-torn nation's humanitarian crisis. The coalition stepped up the campaign in September following the collapse of UN-mediated talks to end the conflict. Saudi Arabia claims that the Houthis are using the port city for weapons delivery, an allegation rejected by the Yemeni fighters. So far, the aggressors have been unable to penetrate Houthi defenses in Hudaydah. Saudi attacks continue across Yemen Separately on Wednesday, Saudi mercenaries fired artillery at Yemeni houses in Hudaydah's 7th of July district. Meanwhile, Saudi jets conducted several airstrikes on the Razih district in Sa'ada Province. Additionally, at least six Yemenis were killed and three others injured in Saudi aerial assaults on the town of Mastaba in the northwestern Hajjah Province. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Cameroon's president calls on separatists to lay down arms Iran Press TV Wed Nov 7, 2018 06:29AM Cameroon's president has called on Anglophone separatists in the country to lay down their arms, shortly before the release of 79 boys and girls who had been abducted in an Anglophone region in the French-speaking West African country. President Paul Biya, who was sworn in for his new seventh term in office on Tuesday, ruled out independence for the restive, English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon but promised policies of decentralization. "I have carefully examined the frustrations and aspirations of the great majority of our fellow citizens," Biya said in his inauguration speech. He nevertheless warned the separatists to renounce violence. Referring to the rebels, who he said were plotting "terror and desolation," he noted, "They need to know that they will face the rigor of the law and the determination of our defense and security forces. I appeal to them to lay down their arms." The 85-year-old president, who has ruled the West African nation for 35 years, however, made no mention of the 79 boys and girls who had been abducted in Bamenda, the capital of the Northwest Region, on the eve of his inauguration. Students released Meanwhile, Cameroon's Communications Minister Bakary Tchiroma said on Wednesday that "all 79 students have been released." He confirmed the news to AFP, without providing details of the circumstances under which they were set free. The children, along with the school principle and driver, had been abducted by assailants who entered the Presbyterian Secondary School in Bamenda and took them away on a school bus on Monday. An army spokesman had blamed separatists for the kidnapping, while a separatist spokesman had denied involvement in the incident. He had accused the government of having kidnapped the kids to discredit the rebels. AFP said it had seen a six-minute video which could not be independently verified in which 11 boys, apparently aged above 15, are seen giving their identity and name of the school in English. The boys were also seen saying that they were kidnapped by the "Amba Boys," a name used for Anglophone separatists in the region. A minister of the Presbyterian Church, Samuel Finke, who earlier said that he had been mediating with the kidnappers for the children's release, also confirmed their release on Wednesday. He said that another 11 schoolchildren had been kidnapped by the same armed group on October 31 but that the school had quietly paid a ransom of $4,400 for their release. UN calls for the children's release Also on Tuesday, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for the children's "immediate release and return to their homes and families." UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Guterres also renewed his appeal for an end to the crisis in the restive regions. "There can be no justification for these crimes against civilians, particularly minors," Guterres said via his spokesperson. Violence in the separatist regions has been on the rise recently. The armed separatists have gunned down government troops and police, imposed curfews, and closed schools as part of their rebellion against the government, which has in response launched a massive crackdown on them. Guterres renewed his call for a peaceful solution to the crisis and offered UN help to broker dialog. Some non-governmental groups say at least 400 people have been killed in the violence. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Democratic House Brings Uncertainty To Trump Foreign Policy By Mike Eckel November 07, 2018 WASHINGTON -- For the past two years, U.S. foreign policy has been roiled by Donald Trump's presidency as he questioned long-standing tenets of Washington's alliances and relationships. Now it's about be roiled yet again as Democrats, having won control of the lower chamber of Congress, the House of Representatives, are poised to wield more influence on foreign and domestic policy. The way the U.S. political system is structured, the executive branch -- the White House -- is dominant where U.S. foreign policy is concerned. But congressional legislators have the most influence where money is concerned, controlling the budget strings to fund war, diplomacy, and intelligence operations, among other things. Democrats in the House will be able to determine what bills can be considered in the chamber, and will have a bigger role in setting spending policy and writing legislation. That may include harder positions on Russia, Saudi Arabia, and elsewhere. To be sure, the Democrats' victory in the House is counterbalanced by the Republicans' hold on the Senate, a hold that only tightened with the outcome of the November 6 vote. At the very least, according to Marvin Kalb, a research fellow at the Brookings Institute and a former foreign correspondent, it may mean more confusion, and less coherence for foreign policy. "There will be a great deal of talking, a great deal more of investigations, and meetings. But the more you have of those, the less chance there is of a formulated, counterargument, or counter-strategy that could be suggested to the president," he says. David Wade, a former chief of staff to Secretary of State John Kerry, said in a commentary published before the vote that Democrats will have to lay out a vision of their own. "The Democrats will have to define a foreign policy...navigating thorny issues that include articulating an alternative to Trumpism globally while still reconnecting with persuadable Trump voters who feel left behind by globalization," he wrote. Ian Bond, who served as ambassador to Russia, NATO, and other posts in the British Foreign Office, says the U.S. midterms are seen in Europe as an indicator of where Washington is headed. "Those in London, in Brussels who believe in the decades-old transatlantic relationship between Europe and North America are hoping that the midterms produce a Congress that values America's European allies and puts some limits on President Trump's ability to disrupt the transatlantic partnership," he said. Here's a look at some foreign-policy issues that may or not shift in the new Congress. Russia Under Republican control, the two chambers of Congress had largely been united on the question of Russia going back to 2014, when Moscow annexed Ukraine's Crimea Peninsula and fomented separatism in eastern Ukraine. The 2017 Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions bill (CAATSA) was passed nearly unanimously by each chamber of Congress. Under a Democratic-controlled House, that unity is unlikely to change. Representative Eliot Engel (Democrat-New York), an outspoken critic of the Kremlin and defender of Russia's beleaguered human rights community, is likely to take chairmanship of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Another Russia critic, Adam Smith (Democrat-Washington), is likely to take over as head of the House Armed Services Committee. Prior to the election, the Senate was already losing a key figure in the effort -- pushed by Republicans and Democrats alike -- to keep pressure on Moscow. Bob Corker (Republican-Tennessee), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, decided to retire rather than face a challenge in the primary election. As the senior Republican on that committee, Jim Risch of Idaho is widely expected to succeed Corker. He is not considered to be as hawkish on Russia policy as Corker, or as the other Republican who has expressed interest in the chairmanship -- Marco Rubio of Florida. Risch is not known for challenging the White House, whereas Rubio ran against Trump in 2016 and may run again in 2020. The Senate also lost one of its most authoritative voices on Russia -- John McCain (Republican-Arizona), who died in August. As the chairman of the chamber's Armed Services Committee, he also helped steer U.S. defense policy, including in Europe, where Washington has conducted a slow buildup of forces and equipment in response to Russian actions in Ukraine and elsewhere. Chairmanship of that committee was taken over by James Inhofe (Republican-Oklahoma) following McCain's death, and he's expected to remain in that position. Inhofe has voted alongside his Republican colleagues in favor of CAASTA, but is not nearly as outspoken as was McCain. Some Senate Democrats, including Robert Menendez of New Jersey, who barely won reelection, have pushed to ratchet up pressure on Russia by, among other things, making it harder for Russia to issue sovereign debt. Little change, if any, is expected in the congressional approach toward Ukraine, which has had mostly solid backing from both Republicans and Democrats over the past two years. House Democrats may consider funding for more weapons supplies to Ukraine's armed forces. Iran The U.S. approach to Iran took a sharp tack to the right not long after Trump took office. Many Republican lawmakers, as well as many of Trump's top advisers, were deeply skeptical of President Barack Obama's approach toward Tehran, which included the landmark 2015 nuclear deal. Many Democrats were supportive of the deal, under which world powers lifted crippling economic sanctions in exchange for Iran curbing its nuclear ambitions. Trump has since reimposed the U.S. measures dropped under the 2015 deal, and further targeted Iran's ballistic-missile program and involvement in the Middle East with what his administration has called the "toughest-ever" U.S. sanctions against Tehran for its actions in the Middle East. Even with the Democrats in control in the House, given that the authority to impose economic and other sanctions falls primarily to the White House, Trump is expected to continue tightening the screws on Iran. Still, as with other matters, House Democrats will be able to call in Trump advisers to testify and explain the administration's reasoning -- potentially under oath -- regarding Iran-related policy. In Congress, Iran was included in the CAATSA legislation, and leading Republican senators such as Tom Cotton of Arkansas have endorsed the hard-line approach and pushed for even more punitive measures. Still other Republican senators, such as Rand Paul of Kentucky and Mike Lee of Utah, have been adamantly against any financing for any war effort that Trump's most anti-Iranian advisers may be pushing. The White House And The House Of Saud Saudi Arabia is Washington's closest Muslim ally in the Middle East, buying billions of dollars in U.S. armaments, keeping world oil markets stable, and playing an often behind-the-scenes role in the Middle East's conflicts. But relations with the United States have been severely strained following the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist who was a critic of Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman. Khashoggi, who also had legal residency in the United States, was allegedly killed by a special team of Saudi agents after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on October 2. Trump is facing bipartisan pressure to take action against Riyadh. Last month, 20 senators, Democrat and Republican, signed a letter to the White House suggesting that sanctions be imposed on Saudi officials linked to Khashoggi's killing under human rights legislation known as the Global Magnitsky Act. As with other foreign-policy areas under Trump, relations with the Saudi kingdom have been managed largely through the White House; Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner has had the portfolio over managing a large part of U.S. policy in the Middle East, and he cultivated close ties with Saudi leaders. On the House side, expect Democrats to not only push the White House on the Khashoggi killing, but also pry deep into Kushner's dealings with the Saudi leadership and business leaders. Meanwhile, the civil war in neighboring Yemen -- where U.S.-supplied jets are used by the Saudi Air Force to attack Iranian-backed Huthi rebels -- is increasingly becoming a humanitarian disaster. A growing number of lawmakers have spoken about reining in Saudi-led operations, including Engel, the likely next chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. A Democratic-led House could do myriad things to punish Riyadh, including voting to block arms deals or stymie any effort by the Saudis to reach a nuclear energy deal with the United States -- something that has reportedly been discussed in the administration. Still, in a further indication that the administration's attitude to the Yemeni war may have already started shifting, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis on October 31 called for a participants in the Yemen war to agree to a cease-fire. The Mueller Factor Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 presidential election -- as well as interactions between Trump associates and Russian officials -- is the darkest shadow hanging over the Trump administration. Mueller took over an existing FBI investigation that was started four months before the November 2016 election and his continuing efforts have infuriated Trump. To date, Mueller's team has netted seven guilty pleas or convictions and brought indictments against 26 more individuals and three Russian companies. House Republicans have shown little inclination to buttress Mueller's probes. Some Republicans have asserted that Mueller's team is biased against Trump because, for example, some may have made campaign donations to Democratic political candidates in the past. Under the leadership of Mike Conaway of Texas, House Republicans ended the Intelligence Committee investigation in March, concluding there was "no collusion" between Trump's election campaign and Russian officials. Democrats on the panel largely boycotted the findings. That will change immediately under House Democratic leadership. Representative Adam Schiff of California is expected to take over leadership of the Intelligence Committee, and with many House Democrats -- not to mention Democratic voters -- pushing hard for aggressive digging, he'll be under pressure to start subpoenaing witnesses and documents. On the Senate side, the Intelligence Committee has worked more diligently, as the Republican chairman, Richard Burr of North Carolina, and the ranking Democrat, Mark Warner of Virginia, have forged a collegial relationship. Warner is expected to assume control of the panel; Burr's presence may or may not continue. Regardless, the first test of the willingness of House Democrats and Senate Republicans to push back against Trump is expected to come within weeks. Trump has signaled he plans to fire, or push out, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who angered Trump when he recused himself from oversight of the Mueller probe. If Sessions is forced out, the fate of his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, who does have authority over Mueller's probe, will also become an open question. And if Trump moves to fire or otherwise pressure Mueller, House Democrats can be expected to initiate impeachment proceedings. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/democratic-house- brings-uncertainty-to-trump-foreign -policy/29587470.html Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Democrats Win Control Of U.S. House, As Republicans Retain Senate RFE/RL November 07, 2018 WASHINGTON -- Democrats have won majority control of the House of Representatives, vowing to hold U.S. President Donald Trump accountable, while Republicans have retained their control of the Senate, according to official results from the November 6 midterm elections. House Democrats were on track to gain more than two dozen seats in the 435-seat House, bringing an end to the Republicans' control over both chambers of the legislature and raising the likelihood that Trump will face increased pressure over the next two years. That's because Democrats will have ways to check his executive powers -- including opportunities to block legislation and launch investigations into issues like Trump's tax returns, possible business conflicts of interest, and allegations of links between Trump associates and Russian officials during the 2016 presidential election. A simple House majority would be enough to impeach Trump if evidence emerges that his 2016 campaign colluded with Russia or that he obstructed justice. But Trump can't be removed from office without a vote against him by a two-thirds majority in the Republican-controlled Senate. Late on November 6, Trump declared on Twitter that the vote was a "tremendous success" in an election widely seen as a referendum on his presidency. Despite the Republican loss of the House, Trump late on November 6 declared victory on Twitter where he described the results as a "tremendous success" in an election widely seen as a referendum on his presidency. "Those that worked with me in this incredible Midterm Election, embracing certain policies and principles, did very well. Those that did not, say goodbye!" Trump wrote on Twitter on November 7. "Yesterday was such a very Big Win, and all under the pressure of a Nasty and Hostile Media!" 'Historic' Gains With Republicans on track to expand their narrow majority in the Senate by at least two seats, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Trump called the Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell "to congratulate him on the historic Senate gains." Trump was scheduled to give a post-election news conference in Washington at 11:30 a.m. local time. Meanwhile, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi -- seen as the likely next House speaker -- declared victory for Democrats in a speech late on November 6, saying "tomorrow will be a new day for America." "Today is more than about Democrats and Republicans," Pelosi said. "It's about restoring the Constitution's checks and balances to the Trump administration." Still, Pelosi said Democrats will seek to cooperate with Trump and the Republican-controlled Senate in areas like infrastructure, where they share similar goals with the president. "We will have accountability and we will strive for bipartisanship. We have all had enough of division," she said. Trump Tweeted later on November 7 that if the Democrats plan to "waste Taxpayer Money investigating us at the House level," then Republicans "will likewise be forced to consider investigating them for all of the leaks of Classified Information, and much else, at the Senate level." "Two can play that game!" Trump said, without clarifying what leaks he was referring to. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on November 7 that relations between Russia and the United States cannot get much worse, but also suggested that prospects for improvement are hard to discern following the U.S. midterm elections. Peskov did not predict that relations would deteriorate further. But, he said, "one can suggest with a high degree of certainty that, of course, rosy prospects for the normalization of Russian-American relations are not visible on the horizon." U.S. midterm elections usually draw fewer voters to the polls than presidential elections, but this year the turnout was significantly higher than usual. There were scattered reports of problems in some places around the country, including long lines and malfunctioning computer scanners. Still, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen told reporters there was no indication of "compromise to our nation's election infrastructure." In addition to U.S. congressional posts, voters in many states also cast ballots for governors and new members of state legislatures. Democratic candidates flipped control of governor's offices by winning in Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Maine, and Nevada. Democrats also retained the governor's offices in California, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Oregon, Hawaii, and Colorado. In Colorado, voters elected Democrat Jared Polis as governor -- making him the first openly gay man to be elected governor of a U.S. state. Republicans retained control of the governor's offices in Iowa, Idaho, Vermont, Florida, Massachusetts, and South Dakota. Some states were also holding referendums on specific issues such as taxes, animal cruelty, legalizing marijuana, or increasing the minimum wage. With reporting by Mike Eckel in Washington, AP, Reuters, dpa, AFP, CNN-TV, NBC-TV Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/democrats -win-control-of-u-s-house-republicans- retain-senate/29587223.html Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemeni Army Defeats Houthi's Militias, in Several Areas Eastward of Hodeidah Saudi Press Agency Wednesday 1440/2/29 - 2018/11/07 Aden, Safar 29, 1440, Nov 7, 2018, SPA -- Yemeni National Army managed here today to defeat Iranian-backed Houthi militias, in several areas eastward of the city of Hodeidah. According to the Media Center of Amaliqa (giants) brigades, they liberated today some factories' complexes to the east of the city of Hodeidah, following fierce battles against the militias, in the eastern neighborhoods of the city, inflicting them heavy losses. The center pointed out that the brigades targeted a number of snipers who were occupying the roofs of buildings as they were stationed inside billboards, in the streets and shops and killed dozens of them. Forces of the brigades continued advancing towards the center of the city of Hodeidah, under support and back up of the forces of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy, in Yemen, to liberate the city of Hodeidah, which is under control of the Iranian-backed Houthi militias. -- SPA 20:26 LOCAL TIME 17:26 GMT 0027 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'Real European Army': Macron's Initiative is Taking Shape Step by Step Sputnik News 19:48 07.11.2018 French President Emmanuel Macron continues to push ahead with the idea to reduce dependence on the US and NATO and create an EU defence force. Macron's recent statement has received support from the European Commission and criticism from the UK. However, step-by-step the EU military force is taking shape. It appears that the pipe dream of a European army has a chance to become a reality: French President Emmanuel Macron, an ardent proponent of the EU common defene forces, has yet again called upon the bloc to form a "real European army." "We have to protect ourselves with respect to China, Russia and even the United States of America," Macron told Europe One radio on November 6. "When I see President Trump announcing that he's quitting a major disarmament treaty which was formed after the 1980s euro-missile crisis that hit Europe, who is the main victim? Europe and its security," the French president underscored, referring to Donald Trump's intention to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty signed by the US and the USSR in 1987. Macron's remarks have prompted a lively debate among European politicians. Thus, Greek socialist MEP Eva Kaili voiced her support to Macron, saying that the bloc needs its own defence force: "You know, we are the borders of Europe, so Greece and Italy suffered the most from the migration and refugee crisis. The threat we have also from a NATO ally, like Turkey, I think it's something that if we want to deal with we have to be together with the rest of Europe," she told Euronews' Raw Politics program on Wednesday. Chief Spokesperson of the European Commission Margaritis Schinas echoed Macron by saying that "this is the Commission that put forward lots of initiatives and proposals to start building gradually a more meaningful and assertive defence identity in these difficult geopolitical times." The Commission's benevolent attitude towards the European army concept is no news: European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has endorsed the idea of creating the EU armed forces since 2014. "In the very long run, we will need a European army," he tweeted on May 20, 2014. "Because we have to be credible when it comes to foreign policy." In September 2017, Juncker stressed that "by 2025, [the EU] needs a functioning European defence union" while delivering an annual State of the Union address to the European Parliament. Three months later, the EC president hailed the launch of the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), the prototype of a unified military structure enshrined in the Lisbon Treaty of 2007. German flag and French flag are pictured in front of the War Memorial 1914-18, on May 27, 2016 in Verdun, eastern France In June 2018, Angela Merkel also signalled her support to Macron's proposal to create a joint European military "intervention force": "I am in favour of President Macron's proposal for an intervention initiative. However, such an intervention force with a common military-strategic culture must fit into the structure of defence cooperation," she told Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung. The same month, nine EU countries namely, France, Germany, Britain, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Estonia, Spain and Portugal joined European Intervention Initiative (EII), a European military force to react to potential crises without help from NATO or Washington. However, the UK has traditionally opposed the plan of creating a full-fledged European army. Thus, it was hardly surprising that on November 7, Nigel Farage, former leader of the right-wing UK Independence Party (UKIP), denounced Macron's concept as "dangerous." "I think a European army is very dangerous. What an insult, and what a worry this is for those that believe in cooperation with America and others in NATO," Farage told the radio program Leading Britain's Conversation (LBC). Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Blocks $199Mln in Assets Belonging to Iran, Syria, N Korea in 2017 - Treasury Sputnik News 19:46 07.11.2018(updated 19:47 07.11.2018) WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States blocked nearly $200 million in assets belonging to Syria, Iran, and North Korea in 2017 as a result of the sanctions imposed on the three countries, the Treasury Department said in its annual report to Congress released on Wednesday. "Approximately $199 million in assets relating to the three designated state sponsors of terrorism in 2017 have been identified by OFAC as blocked pursuant to economic sanctions imposed by the United States," the report said. The statement comes days after the US fully reinstated sanctions against Iran, including measures that curb Tehran's oil industry. At the same time, the United States temporarily exempted eight nations China, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Turkey from the sanctions on importing oil from Iran. In May, US President Donald Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, and reimpose sanctions against Tehran that were previously lifted under the accord, including secondary restrictions. The first round of the US sanctions was reimposed in August, while the second round, targeting over 700 Iranian individuals, entities, banks, aircraft and vessels, came into force this week. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO Begins Anakonda-2018 Drills in Poland Sputnik News 09:13 07.11.2018(updated 09:14 07.11.2018) WARSAW (Sputnik) - NATO's major military drills, dubbed Anakonda-2018 and involving troops from 10 countries, will begin Wednesday in Poland. The key goal of the exercises is to integrate national and allied command structures and troops so that they could conduct a strategic defensive operation in conditions of conventional and hybrid threats. NATO troops will, in particular, work out the interaction of military bodies with civilian bodies and individual elements of NATO command structures. Anakonda is set to become the biggest military maneuvers for the Polish Armed Forces this year. The drills will approximately involve 12,500 troops on Polish territory and some extra 5,000 troops in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and in the Baltic Sea. About 5,000 units of military hardware, 45 warships, 150 aircraft and helicopters will be involved in the maneuvers. The main phase of the maneuvers includes large-scale Live Exercise (LIVEX) on November 7-16 and the Command Post Exercise (CPX) on November 26-December 6. The exercises will, in particular, include a crossing over the Vistula river, training of combat aviation landing on highways and an operation to liberate a captured sea vessel. Separate episodes of the exercises will be organized in urban areas, including in Bialystok, Chelm and Wielbark. During the exercises, the forced relocation of civilian population from a combat zone will be performed for the first time. Such training will be held in the city of Bialystok bordering Belarus. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Forces Hit Al-Qaeda in Yemen With 2 Unreported Airstrikes in September Sputnik News 06:11 07.11.2018 WASHINGTON (Sputnik) US armed forces carried out two previously unreported air strikes against al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) targets in Yemen in September, Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a press release on Tuesday, raising its tally of strikes for the month to 36. "US Central Command conducted two counter-terrorism air strikes targeting al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in Yemen in September, bringing the total number of air strikes to 36," the CENTCOM release said. "In October, there were zero air strikes." The two air strikes took place on September 9 in Abyan governate and on September 18 in Al-Bayda governorate, the release noted. AQAP is outlawed in Russia. "Despite a decline in counter-terrorism air strikes against AQAP, they continue to pose a significant threat," CENTCOM spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Earl Brown said in the release. CENTCOM forces remained vigilant and would continue to work by, with and through US regional partners to disrupt, deter and destroy AQAP, Brown added. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sudan Commits To Strengthening Cooperation and Meaningful Reforms Press Statement Heather Nauert Department Spokesperson Washington, DC November 7, 2018 Yesterday, during bilateral meetings in Washington, D.C., Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan and the Sudanese Foreign Minister Dirdeiry Mohamed Ahmed discussed the launch of the "Phase II" framework for our bilateral engagement. Phase II is designed to expand our bilateral cooperation, facilitate meaningful reforms to enhance stability in Sudan, and achieve further progress in a number of areas of longstanding concern. The United States welcomes Sudan's commitment to making progress in key areas. Those key areas include expanding counterterrorism cooperation, enhancing human rights protections and practices, including freedoms of religion and press, improving humanitarian access, ceasing internal hostilities and creating a more conducive environment for progress in Sudan's peace process, taking steps to address certain outstanding terrorism-related claims, and adhering to UN Security Council resolutions related to North Korea. As part of this process, the United States is prepared to initiate the process of rescinding Sudan's designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism if the determination is made that all of the relevant statutory criteria have been met, and if Sudan makes progress in addressing each of the six key areas of mutual concern prioritized by the Phase II framework. The United States is ready to cooperate with Sudan and to monitor progress as we seek meaningful developments for the benefit of the Sudanese people and the region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address International crime gangs amass 'staggering' profits in conflict zones, expert tells Security Council 7 November 2018 - During a Tuesday briefing to the Security Council, Tuesday Reitano, Deputy Director of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, described the problem as a "global and accelerating phenomenon, and a threat to international peace and security," that, in conflict areas alone, is generating around $31.5 billion in illicit profits. Ms. Reitano's address was delivered as part of the annual briefing by UN Peacekeeping operations, led by Alexander Zuev, Assistant Secretary-General for the Rule of Law, at the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and included presentations from UN Police Commissioners, on the work being carried out by Missions in South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Haiti. Mr. Zuev said that the growing risks associated with organized crime which he described as striking "at the heart of the United Nations' core business", have been recognized at the highest levels of the UN, including by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The link between conflict areas and organized crime was described by Ms. Reitano as undeniable: she added that the scale of money being illicitly generated by organized crime in these areas is "staggering." This phenomenon, said Ms. Reitano, is actually sustaining conflicts worldwide, with illegal exploitation and taxation of gold, oil and other natural resources overtaking traditional "threat finance" sectors, such as kidnapping for ransom and drug trafficking. The actual combatants in conflict zones only receive a small fraction of illicit funds: "By far the larger share of the 31.5 billion dollars goes to political actors at all levels, and associated transnational criminal networks. These, therefore, are the main beneficiaries from instability, violence and lack of state capacity for enforcement, and who thus retain an interested in the perpetuation of conflict Where crime thrives, there can be no sustainable peace" Awale Abdounasir, UN Police Commissioner for the UN stabilization mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) known by its French acronym, MONUSCO, also addressed the Security Council during the annual briefing session. He explained that the police component of the Mission is assisting the DRC Government in combating organized crime by armed groups, with a mandate to work closely with the national Congolese police force to develop strategies for prevention, as well as the frontline fight. Mr Abdounasir went on to say that governments of countries weakened by crises too often look to a military solution fighting crime syndicates, whereas strengthening of the judicial system by making it more transparent and rigorous would be a more appropriate strategy. Ms. Reitano noted that UN police units are not sufficiently integrated with other areas of UN Missions, including political functions and other peacekeeping activities, and are significantly under-resourced. Even if peace operations do not actively fight crime, she said, they need to be crime-sensitive: "the way in which criminal actors have become embedded in conflict zones suggests that policing must be a strategic consideration at all stages of a mission's planning and deployment." She warned the Security Council that recent analysis carried out by partner organizations, including the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime and INTERPOL, shows links between illicit trafficking routes in conflict zones in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas and international terrorism, and concluded by stating the UN System needs a coherent, streamlined and strategic approach to addressing organized crime. The Security Council briefing took place during the 2018 UN Police Week, from November 5 to 9, when UN Peacekeeping Operations and Special Political Missions come to New York to discuss strategic police priorities, including the UN Police contribution to the Secretary-General's reform initiatives, including Action For Peacekeeping (A4P). NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Aid Groups Plead Safe Passage for Yemenis Trapped in Hodeida By VOA News November 07, 2018 International aid groups pled Wednesday for the residents of a Yemeni port city trapped between warring government forces and Iranian-backed rebels to be allowed safe passage out of the crossfire. The non-governmental organization Save the Children said one of its medical clinics had been damaged in the fighting in the densely-populated Red Sea city of Hodeida, home to a population of about 600,000. One of the city's biggest hospitals is now "meters away from an active frontline," according to a spokeswoman for the International Committee of the Red Cross. Spokespeople for UNICEF and Doctors Without Borders expressed similar concerns that the fighting had reached too close for comfort to the civilian population, obstructing their humanitarian efforts. Yemen, the poorest country in the Arab world, has been wracked by brutal infighting since a Saudi-led coalition joined forces with the government in 2015 against Houthi rebels, an armed theological movement of mostly Shi'ite and some Sunni Muslims. Regime forces have ended Houthi control of a string of coastal towns, but the rebels still hold Hodeida and Sanaa, Yemen's largest city and capital. Hodeida, whose port receives the vast majority of the country's aid deliveries and food and fuel imports, is a critical location in the conflict. Years of heavy fighting have exacted a heavy toll on the country's population. The United Nations has said that 14 million Yemenis, half the population, are on the brink of starvation. UNICEF says 30,000 children die every year from malnutrition, and 400,000 children under age five are currently at risk of the same fate. Malnutrition rates, among the world's highest before the conflict, have soared higher. The U.N. has called the conflict the worst humanitarian and security crisis in the world. VOA's Lisa Schlein contributed to this story. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN: 400,000 Malnourished Children at Risk of Dying in War-Torn Yemen By Lisa Schlein November 07, 2018 U.N. agencies warn hundreds of thousands of severely malnourished children in war-torn Yemen could die because of food shortages and lack of money to provide life-saving therapeutic treatment. Years of prolonged conflict in Yemen are taking a heavy toll, especially on the children. The United Nations calls Yemen the worst humanitarian and security crisis in the world. It warns 14 million people, or one half of the population, are on the brink of famine. The main casualties are the children. Before the war, the country had one of the highest rates of malnutrition in the world. Since the Saudi-led coalition began its campaign of airstrikes against Houthi rebels in support of the government in March 2015, malnutrition levels have soared. The U.N. children's fund warns 400,000 children under age five are suffering from severe acute malnutrition and are at risk of dying. UNICEF spokesman, Christophe Boulierac said every year, 30,000 children under age five are dying from malnutrition related diseases. He said one half of Yemen's young children are chronically malnourished. "One-point-one million pregnant or lactating women are anemic and that is a vicious cycle. When giving birth, these women know that their children will be of low birth-weight starting that cycle of malnutrition. And, as we all know, chronic malnutrition has an incredibly important impact on child brain development. Every 10 minutes a child is dying from diseases that can be easily prevented," he said. Fighting in Yemen has led to the almost total collapse of the country's health system. It also has prevented the import of food, fuel, medicine and other supplies critical for the well-being of the population. For example, the World Health Organization reports the current supply of fuel imports through the port of Hudaydah only cover about half of the country's needs. It adds the fuel is vital to keep hospitals running. It says these hospitals house the therapeutic feeding centers that could save the lives of severely malnourished children. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump Ousts Attorney General Sessions By Masood Farivar November 07, 2018 U.S. President Donald Trump forced out the country's top law enforcement officer on Wednesday, a move Democrats warned could be a prelude to stopping the special counsel investigation. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, in a resignation letter to Trump, said he was stepping down at the president's "request," suggesting he'd been pushed out of a job he'd refused to leave despite enduring a steady onslaught of presidential humiliations and insults over his recusal from the probe of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Trump, in a pair of tweets, said the attorney general's chief of staff, Matthew Whitaker, would take over as the Justice Department's acting head; thanked Sessions, whom he once called his "embattled attorney general"; and said a permanent replacement would be named later. The firing of Sessions, 71, a former Republican senator from Alabama and an early supporter of and adviser to Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, fueled Democratic fears that Trump may be maneuvering to shut down special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. Congressional probe urged Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, the top Democrat on the House oversight committee and a frequent Trump critic, urged Congress to investigate "the real reason" for the attorney general's "termination." Cummings, in light of Whitaker's past vocal criticism of the Russia probe, also pushed Congress to "confirm" that Whitaker will recuse himself from overseeing the Russia investigation. At a testy White House press conference earlier Wednesday, Trump said he could end the Mueller investigation "right now," but "I stay away from it ... I let it just go on." Other Democratic leaders also urged Whitaker to give up oversight of the investigation. "Given his previous comments advocating defunding and imposing limitations on the Mueller investigation, Mr. Whitaker should recuse himself from its oversight for the duration of his time as acting attorney general," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, tweeted. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California fired off a similar tweet: "Given his record of threats to undermine & weaken the Russia investigation, Matthew Whitaker should recuse himself from any involvement in Mueller's investigation. Congress must take immediate action to protect the rule of law and integrity of the investigation. #FollowTheFacts." In an opinion piece for CNN.com in July 2017, two months after Mueller's appointment, Whitaker took Mueller to task for what Whitaker saw as exceeding his mandate by investigating "non-Russian-related leads" as part of the probe. Whitaker then urged Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who oversaw the special counsel's investigation after Sessions' recusal, to limit Mueller's mandate. 'In charge of all matters' Asked whether Whitaker would take control of the Russia probe, Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said, "The acting attorney general is in charge of all matters under the purview of the Department of Justice." Flores did not directly answer questions about whether Whitaker had consulted or planned to consult Justice Department ethics experts on whether he should recuse himself from the Russia probe. "We're following regular order here," she wrote via email. But John Malcolm, a former federal prosecutor now with the Heritage Foundation, a conservative research group, said he saw no reason for Whitaker to step aside from the Russia probe. "He is the acting attorney general. He has no reason to recuse himself," Malcolm said. Whitaker, a U.S. attorney during the administration of former President George W. Bush, joined the Justice Department as chief of staff and senior counselor in late 2017. It remains to be seen whether Trump will tap him for the job permanently and send his name to the Senate for confirmation. Republican support Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a Republican member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and close Trump ally, tweeted that he looked "forward to working with President Trump to find a confirmable, worthy successor." Graham, whose name has been mentioned as a possible candidate for the top Justice Department post, defended Sessions against Trump's criticism last year. But in recent months, as Trump's relationship with Sessions deteriorated, Graham said Trump was entitled to have an attorney general he could trust. Sessions' departure capped a turbulent 20-month tenure at the helm of the Justice Department that got off to a rough start when he recused himself from overseeing the Russia investigation in March 2017. He did so on the advice of Justice Department ethics officials, who said he should not be involved in the investigation of any presidential campaign of which he was a part. The move led to the swift appointment of the special counsel, infuriating Trump, who repeatedly blamed Sessions for allowing a "witch hunt" to occur during his watch and refusing to defend him. Sessions' refusal to politicize the investigation in the face of intense pressure from Trump won him plaudits even from his critics. While steadfastly implementing the president's tough-on-crime and immigration agendas, Sessions grew increasingly isolated from Trump in recent months, to the point that Trump told an interviewer earlier this year, "I don't have an attorney general." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump Declares Midterm Victories, Warns Democrats About Probes By Steve Herman November 07, 2018 At a combative, lengthy news conference Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump congratulated himself for achieving what he termed a "tremendous success" in the previous day's midterm elections. "History will see what a good job we did in getting people over the finish line," Trump said, noting that nine of the 11 candidates for whom he campaigned in the past week were victorious. Earlier Wednesday, he had tweeted: While the Republicans comfortably kept their majority in the Senate, the Democrats wrested away enough seats to take control of the House of Representatives. That means, come January, the gavels for key congressional committees will pass from Republican legislators to Democrats, who are certain in a target-rich environment to issue subpoenas and hold hearings on matters ranging from alleged collusion between Russia and Trump's 2016 election campaign to questionable spending on travel by members of the president's Cabinet. Trump also vowed a "warlike posture" if the Democrats pursue such investigations. "They can play that game, but we can play better because we have a thing called the United States Senate and a lot of questionable things were done between leaks of classified information and many other elements that should not have taken place," Trump said during the nearly 90-minute session with reporters in the White House East Room. The president expressed hope that he and his fellow Republicans in Congress could work on legislation across party lines. "Now we have a much easier path because the Democrats will come to us with a plan for infrastructure, a plan for health care, a plan for whatever they're looking at and we'll negotiate," Trump said. He portrayed his party's retention of the Senate and picking up gubernatorial seats in key states as victories by an outgunned underdog. "We did this in spite of a very dramatic fundraising disadvantage driven by Democrats' wealthy donors, and special interests, and a very hostile media coverage, to put it lightly," he said. During the news conference, Trump sparred with White House correspondents when they posed questions he did not like. Some interrupted his remarks, pressed forward with unwelcome follow-up questions or shouted queries even though he had not called on them. Although Trump has regularly insulted reporters, his remarks Wednesday reached a fresh nadir. Journalists repeatedly were ordered to desist and accused of asking racist and insulting questions. The president also ordered microphones taken away from those he no longer wanted to hear from. CNN's Jim Acosta was repeatedly admonished by Trump as a rude person who should not be working for the network and accused of treating White House press secretary Sarah Sanders and others in a horrible manner. "When you report fake news, which CNN does a lot, you're the enemy of the people," the president told Acosta. Later Wednesday, Acosta's permanent press credentials for White House entry, known as a hard pass, were pulled. The White House Correspondents' Association did not immediately comment on either the president's comment or Acosta's credentials. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Frontline workers vaccinated in Uganda over Ebola fears, as top UN officials visit outbreak epicentre in DR Congo 7 November 2018 - The World Health Organization (WHO), and Ugandan Ministry of Health, have begun vaccinating frontline health workers in the country against Ebola, in a bid to stop an outbreak in the neighbouring Democratic of Congo (DRC) from crossing the border. The exercise, which began on Tuesday, is centred around five high-risk districts of Uganda that border the DRC (Bundibugyo, Kabarole, Kasese, Ntoroko and Bunyangabu) and involves the administering of 2,100 doses of vaccine to health workers, protecting them against the particular strain of Ebola currently circulating in some parts of DRC. No cases of Ebola have so far been reported in Uganda, but the authorities are implementing the plan in order to avoid the fatal consequences of previous outbreaks, which saw health workers contract the disease and die as they cared for patients. WHO said in a statement released on Wednesday that it is "highly likely" that Ugandans in districts near the border will be infected with the virus, due to their close proximity to the epicentre of the outbreak, and high population movements due to trade, social and cultural connections and the relatively easy access to health services. Dr Yonas Tegegn Woldemariam, WHO Representative in Uganda, referred to the vaccination as a huge step in mitigating the risk of Ebola among health care workers, and assured them that it would provide effective protection. The deteriorating security situation in the DRC has complicated efforts to get the Ebola outbreak under control: across the country, local populations and humanitarian workers assisting them have come under attacks by armed groups, necessitating the deployment of a large UN peacekeeping mission. A WHO assessment of the situation in DRC released on 22 October, warned of the potential for the virus to spread into Rwanda, South Sudan and Burundi, as well as Uganda, and called on these countries to step up readiness efforts. Other preparatory activities underway in Uganda to prevent the spread of the disease include health facility and community-based surveillance; collection and testing of blood samples; and cross-border monitoring. UN Peacekeeping, WHO chiefs praise courage of Ebola responders, at epicentre of outbreak Both WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and Peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix were in the epicentre of the outbreak area on Wednesday, Beni, in DRCs North Kivu district. They met local authority leaders, UN agencies, civil society and first responders to assess the situation on the ground and to discuss ways to strengthen the response. So far there have been 311 reported cases of Ebola since the outbreak in the restive east began. The Director-General and Mr. Lacroix praised the responders' courage and determination and emphasized the numerous challenges, including security, particularly for women. Mr. Lacroix said that health workers in the affected zones do crucial work amidst a difficult security environment and that the UN Mission in the country (MONUSCO) is actively supporting the Government to improve security. "It is first and foremost the work of a very close-knit team comprised of WHO, MONUSCO and other agencies with the DRC government authorities who are very mobilized," he said. "It is starting to produce results even if , as the Director General of the WHO said earlier, there are still cases every day, but the slope suggests that we will be able to contain the epidemic. The problem is that the security environment has worsened." He added that the continuing actions of armed groups "calls for a stronger closely coordinated response, and we are working in a very coordinated manner with the Congolese security forces, but the adversary is a more difficult adversary that knows the ground that is blending into the population. The peculiarities of the terrain also make the operations very complex. We are working to improve the effectiveness of our response, the means, the training, and the knowledge of the groups. I think we will obtain results." Mr. Tedros said the work being done around the clock to end Ebola made him proud and confident that the outbreak would be defeated despite the numerous challenges. On Thursday, the top UN officials will travel to Goma and then to Kinshasa, where they are expected to hold a press conference. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia to Deliver Su-35, S-400 to China No Later Than 2020 - Rostec Sputnik News 09:21 06.11.2018 ZHUHAI (Sputnik) - Russia and China have concluded contracts on deliveries of weapons to be used in operations on the ground, in the air and in the sea, Viktor Kladov, the head of the delegation of Russian state corporation Rostec at the Zhuhai airshow, told Sputnik on Tuesday. "We are actively cooperating with China in all defense sectors: land, air and water. In addition to the successful implementation of two contracts for the S-400 and Su-35, we have a lot of other projects. I would not like to go into details, but I'll say that we have recently signed three more [weapons] contracts with the Chinese side," the official said. According to Kladov, Russia will complete the contracted deliveries of 24 Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 air defense complexes to China on time, until 2020. China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition started in the city of Zhuhai on Tuesday and will last through Sunday. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Must Alter Military Posture if North Korea Talks Succeed - Dunford Sputnik News 06:14 06.11.2018 WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States must change its military posture on the Korean peninsula as talks to denuclearize North Korea progress, US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Joseph Dunford said during remarks at Duke University. "The more successful we are in the diplomatic track, the more uncomfortable we will be in the military space," Dunford said on Monday. "Over time this negotiation will take a form where we're going to have to start making some changes to the military posture on the peninsula." Dunford highlighted that although North Korea's testing and nuclear development has ceased, its missile and nuclear capabilities have not changed. Earlier on Monday, the US Department of State announced US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet with North Korea's Vice Chairman Kim Yong Chol in New York City on Thursday to discuss making progress on four pillars of the Singapore summit statement, including achieving the final and fully verified denuclearization of the country. The long-standing tensions on the Korean Peninsula started to ease after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un expressed his commitment to denuclearize the country, and held historic summits with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and US President Donald Trump earlier in the year. During the Singapore summit with Trump in June, Kim secured Washington's commitment to suspend US-South Korean drills in exchange for its promise to denuclearize. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Nuclear talks between US and North Korea postponed Iran Press TV Wed Nov 7, 2018 04:19PM US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has abruptly canceled plans to meet a top official from North Korea in New York, throwing stalemated diplomacy over the North's nuclear weapons into further uncertainty. The US State Department said in a short statement Wednesday that Pompeo and Kim Yong Chol would meet later "when our respective schedules permit." It offered no reason for the cancellation. The talks between the top US diplomat and the North Korean delegation, which had been due on Thursday, "will now take place at a later date," State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said. "We will reconvene when our respective schedules permit," she added in a statement. The State Department had just one day earlier confirmed that Pompeo would meet in New York with Kim to discuss progress toward a denuclearization pact and to work to arrange a second summit following landmark talks between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in June. Trump and Kim pledged to work toward denuclearization at the meeting, but the agreement was short on specifics. Negotiations have made little headway since, with the North falling short of US demands for irreversible moves to abandon a weapons program that potentially threatens the United States. Pompeo has traveled four times this year to North Korea in hopes of securing an accord. The diplomacy comes a year after fears mounted of war, with Trump threatening "fire and fury" after Pyongyang's nuclear and missile tests. News of the postponement came after North Korea's Foreign Ministry criticized the US on Friday for its continued support of sanctions and hinted it may resume nuclear development. Members of Trump's Republican Party lost their majority in the US House of Representatives on Tuesday after the Democrats rode a wave of dissatisfaction with his presidency at US mid-term congressional elections. Some analysts suggest a domestically weakened Trump may impact his foreign policy and test his North Korean diplomatic gambit. Democrats say they are determined to obtain more information about meetings between Trump and Pompeo and Kim, worried that Trump is so eager to make a "great deal" that he will give Kim too much with little in return. North Korea has for years pursued nuclear and missile programs in defiance of UN Security Council and US resolutions but the bellicose rhetoric from both the North and Trump has eased this year. The UN Security Council has unanimously imposed several rounds of tough sanctions on North Korea since 2006 in an attempt to choke off funding for Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. North Korean authorities have complained about continued US and international sanctions on their country, calling them a source of mistrust. They have also denounced what they have called "gangster-like behavior" by the US. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pompeo Meeting With North Korean Officials Postponed - US State Department Sputnik News 08:40 07.11.2018(updated 08:47 07.11.2018) WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - A meeting planned between US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and North Korean officials in New York later in the week has been postponed, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a press release. "Pompeo's meeting with officials from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, scheduled for this week in New York, will now take place at a later date," Nauert said. "We will reconvene when our respective schedules permit. Ongoing conversations continue to take place." Earlier in October, during the meeting in Pyongyang, the US state secretary and North Korean leader agreed to create a joint working group to discuss in the near future the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and another possible North Korean-US summit. Over the last few months, the situation on the Korean Peninsula has significantly improved with the North Korean leader pledging to give up his nuclear aspirations after several rounds of talks with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in and a historic summit with Trump this summer. The first summit between the US and North Korean leaders took place in Singapore in June. During the meeting, the two sides reached an agreement stipulating that Pyongyang would make efforts toward the promotion of complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula in exchange for security guarantees for North Korea. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Meeting With DPRK Officials Press Statement Heather Nauert Department Spokesperson Washington, DC November 7, 2018 Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo's meeting with officials from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, scheduled for this week in New York, will now take place at a later date. We will reconvene when our respective schedules permit. Ongoing conversations continue to take place. The United States remains focused on fulfilling the commitments agreed to by President Trump and Chairman Kim at the Singapore Summit in June. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump: 'No Rush' to Drop Sanctions Against North Korea By Nike Ching November 07, 2018 President Donald Trump says he is in "no rush" to finalize a deal with North Korea and remove sanctions. "I would love to take the sanctions off, but they have to be responsive too. It's a two-way street," Trump said during a lengthy White House news conference Wednesday. He told reporters he has made more progress with North Korea than any other administration and that he still plans another summit with Kim Jong Un early next year. Trump spoke just hours after Thursday's scheduled meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and senior Kim adviser Kim Yong Chol was called off. Neither side gave any firm reason why the talks were postponed other than State Department deputy spokesman Robert Palladino calling it "purely a matter of scheduling." "We're in a pretty good place right now. We are confident going forward," Palladino told reporters. "We're not going to be driven into artificial timelines." The talks in New York were largely seen as paving the way for the second Trump-Kim summit. They first met in Singapore in June. In announcing the now postponed meeting, the State Department said the two men would discuss "making progress on all four pillars of the Singapore Summit joint statement, including achieving the final, fully verified denuclearization" of North Korea. Kim and Trump signed an agreement in June to rid the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons. However, the two sides have been at odds over the pace of Pyongyang's efforts to end its nuclear weapons program. North Korea warned last week that it will consider reviving its nuclear weapons program if the United States fails to lift its crippling economic sanctions against the regime. North Korea is also seeking a peace treaty with the United States and South Korea that will formally end the 1950-53 Korean War that split the communist North from the democratic South. The fighting ended with an armistice. The North and South never signed a peace treaty and are still technically at war. Meanwhile, Russia has asked the U.N. Security Council to meet Thursday to discuss U.N. sanctions against the North. It is unclear exactly why Russia called the meeting and what it wants to talk about. Both Russia and China have said they believe the North should be rewarded for stopping missile tests and opening a dialogue with the United States. Inter-Korean relations While both the U.S. and South Korea want peace and stability on the Korea peninsula, there is a "fear" that fast-developing inter-Korean relations may get out of step with Washington, according to former U.S. officials and experts. "The fear from America's perspective would be that the South Koreans might go too fast and agree to things that would involve, for example, our troops, our economic postures that we wouldn't be prepared to give [at this stage], without perhaps getting significant concessions on reductions of weapons testing," retired U.S. Ambassador Kristie Kenney said Wednesday. "You could have a situation that South Korea and North Korea come to some kind of agreement and then suddenly there's an expectation that we would fall into line with that we would be willing to put scarce budget dollars into helping North Korea economically ... without having laid the groundwork or gotten enough concessions to make that possible," Kenney said at an Asia Society event that discussed U.S. policy toward Asia after the midterm elections. "Keeping these things in sync is always a challenge," said former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Danny Russel. "It's a lot easier when the North Koreans are misbehaving, that tends to promote solidarity between Washington and Seoul," Russel said. "When the North Koreans are seemingly opening the door, then those differences in priorities and perspective can create tensions." "The immediate priorities of reconciliation, family visit, and potential for infrastructure and trade between North and South [Korea] look a lot different from Seoul and from Washington as does the global non-proliferation agenda," he added. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US to Southeast Asian Bloc: Continue Maximum Pressure Campaign Against North Korea By Nike Ching November 07, 2018 The United States is rallying Southeast Asian countries to continue a maximum pressure campaign against North Korea, until the Korean Peninsula achieves complete denuclearization. Ahead of the annual ASEAN summit that begins November 11 in Singapore, Washington is urging the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) not to ease United Nations sanctions, and instead continue to deny the revenue streams that North Korea has enjoyed around the region. "The United States continues to work with governments around the world, including the countries of ASEAN, to ensure all nations are fully implementing U.N. sanctions obligations," a State Department spokesperson told VOA recently. "The pressure campaign will continue until the DPRK denuclearizes." Washington warned it would continue the enforcement to punish companies and individuals that engage in illegal trading with Pyongyang. "We expect all member states to fully implement U.N. sanctions, including sectorial goods banned under U.N. Security Council resolution, and expect all nations to take their responsibilities seriously to help end the DPRK's illegal nuclear and missile programs," added the State Department spokesperson, who used the official name for North Korea. The comments come as the talks this week between U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and North Korean official Kim Yong Chol in New York were postponed, with no reason given. On October 25, the U.S. Treasury Department designated and accused two Singapore-based entities and one individual of money laundering through the U.S. financial system to evade sanctions against North Korea. As a result, their interests in property in the U.S. are blocked and Americans are generally prohibited from dealing with the designated persons. Most ASEAN members maintain good relations with North Korea. Many of the nations host North Korean embassies and five have embassies in Pyongyang. And experts say ASEAN has not seen it as a priority to entirely cut off North Korean access to economic activities. "ASEAN has been great at taking verbal positions at its vacuous regional fora, but has not been so helpful in cutting access to North Korea. Even in Singapore, we have seen incidents where North Korean operatives conducted business" and had free reign gathering intelligence," said Robert Manning, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. A recent ASEAN statement was seen as toning down language on North Korea's nuclear program. On August 4, a joint statement by foreign ministers from the Southeastern Asian bloc urged North Korea to fulfill its stated commitment to "complete denuclearization," and dropped the terms "verifiable" and "irreversible," which were found in a 2017 statement. The seemingly toned down language comes after U.S. President Donald Trump met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in a June summit at Singapore. Harry Kazianis, director of defense studies at the Center for the National Interest in Washington, says many ASEAN diplomats in Washington do not know what to make of the Trump administration's stance on North Korea. "On the one hand, they see Washington continuing to push the maximum pressure sanctions campaign, but at the same time, the administration is eager for meetings and dialogue while South Korea presses for stronger ties with the Kim regime," Kazianis said. "ASEAN leaders, at best, see a lot of mixed signals and little clarity coming out of the Trump Administration, and I think that worries them." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Meeting Between Top US Diplomat, N. Korean Official Postponed By VOA News November 07, 2018 U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's planned meeting with a senior North Korean official Thursday in New York City has been postponed. The State Department issued a statement early Wednesday morning saying the meeting "will now take place at a later date. We will reconvene when our respective schedules permit." The statement did not give a reason why the meeting was called off. "We are going to make it another day," President Donald Trump said Wednesday when asked about the development at a news conference. He added that "there is no rush whatsoever" to conclude a denuclearization pact with North Korea, adding that he hopes to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un again sometime early next year. Pompeo was slated to hold talks with Kim Yong Chol, a senior adviser to the North Korean leader. In announcing the meeting earlier this week, the State Department said the two men would discuss "making progress on all four pillars of the Singapore Summit joint statement, including achieving the final, fully verified denuclearization" of North Korea. Kim and Trump signed an agreement at their landmark summit in June to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons, but the two sides have been at odds over the pace of Pyongyang's efforts to end its nuclear weapons program. North Korea warned last week that it will consider reviving its nuclear weapons program if the United States fails to lift its crippling economic sanctions against the regime. It is also seeking a peace treaty with the United States and South Korea that will formally end the 1950-53 Korean War that split the communist North from the democratic South. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US exempts Iraq in further retreat on Iran sanctions Iran Press TV Wed Nov 7, 2018 08:05AM Iraq will continue importing electricity and natural gas from Iran under an exemption from US sanctions, the special representative for Iran at the US State Department Brain Hook has said. The waiver marks a further retreat by the Trump administration after it exempted eight countries - but not Iraq - from its unilateral trade sanctions on the Islamic Republic. It came after the United States issued formal waivers for Iran's Chabahar on the Sea of Oman which is being developed jointly by India to crack open a trade and transport route to landlocked Afghanistan. Iraq has extensive trade ties with Iran and depends on Iranian natural gas imports for electricity generation. Basra in southern Iraq was hit by violent protests which spread to other cities this summer, partly because of a halt of Iranian electricity exports. On Tuesday, Iraq's former prime minister and leader of the al-Wataniya faction in parliament Ayad Allawi warned that new US sanctions on Iran would have deep impact on the Iraqi economy. Allawi said like the Iraqi government and other political leaders, he was opposed to unilateral US sanctions on the Islamic Republic, Iraq's al-Maluma news agency reported. Meanwhile, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said his country's position with regard to the US sanctions was similar to those by the European Union, Russia, China and Japan. He said official delegations have been negotiating with both American and Iranian parties for some time, with the message that "Iraq will not be part of the sanctions regime, as it will not be part of aggression against any country." Abdul Mahdi said his country will consider both its own interests and the interests of others, "and if the United States makes a decision, it must implement it through its own means and not by other countries." Iran is currently Iraq's top trade partner, with annual turnover standing at about $12 billion, according to Iraqi officials. Foodstuff, livestock, construction material and plastic products constitute the bulk of Iran's exports to Iraq where Iranian vehicles and food items are a ubiquitous sight. The two neighbors are currently working on the supply of Iranian gas to Sadr, Baghdad and al-Mansuriya power plants through a 270-kilometer pipeline and to Basra near the Iranian border via a separate pipeline. Iraq and Iran have also been exchanging oil through a swap deal under which crude from the Kirkuk field in northern Iraq is shipped by truck to Iran which uses it in its refineries and delivers the same amount of oil to Iraq's southern ports. A spokesman for Iraq's oil ministry was quoted on Sunday as saying that Baghdad would "temporarily" halt Kirkuk oil exports to Iran and use it for domestic consumption. There was no immediate explanation from the two sides, but one reason could be the cold weather as winter is setting in. On Saturday, Iraq rejected what it called US interference in its affairs after the American embassy in Baghdad accused Iran of not permitting the disarming of militias in the Arab country. Iranian officials have said Tehran was pushing forth with a 2025 vision plan to raise exports to Iraq to $20 billion a year despite US pressures on Baghdad to keep Tehran at its arm's length. Iran's business adviser at the country's embassy in Baghdad was quoted as saying last month that the Islamic Republic was already ahead of the plan, with non-oil exports standing at $4.5 billion. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. Exempts Iran's Chabahar Port From Sanctions In Nod To Afghanistan RFE/RL November 07, 2018 The U.S. State Department says it is exempting Iran's big port project in Chabahar from sanctions in recognition of its importance to landlocked Afghanistan. President Donald Trump's "South Asia strategy underscores our ongoing support of Afghanistan's economic growth and development as well as our close partnership with India," a State Department spokesman said on November 6. Iran late last year inaugurated the port on the Indian Ocean, which is being built largely by India and is expected to provide a key supply route for Afghanistan while allowing India to bypass rival Pakistan to trade with Central Asia and Africa. The State Department said it was carving exemptions from its sanctions on Iran's economy for the development of Chabahar along with an attached railway project and Iranian petroleum shipments to Afghanistan. Iran has plans to link the port by railway through Zahedan on the Pakistani border up to Mashhad in the northeast, near the borders with Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. "This exception relates to reconstruction assistance and economic development for Afghanistan. These activities are vital for the ongoing support of Afghanistan's growth and humanitarian relief," the spokesman said. The U.S. sanctions had threatened India's ability to obtain financing for the development of Chabahar, which could potentially end Afghanistan's dependence on Pakistan's port of Karachi. The effort to build up Afghanistan's economy is also aimed at reducing Kabul's dependence on foreign aid and putting a major dent in the illicit opium trade that has been a major source of revenue for the Taliban insurgency. The United States has been building closer relations with New Delhi since the late 1990s and also temporarily exempted India from sanctions on Iran's oil sector which took effect on November 5. The sanctions are intended to exert pressure on Iran to renegotiate its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, which Trump walked away from this year. India has warm relations with Iran and has joined China and European powers in saying it was not obligated to comply with the unilateral U.S. sanctions, although it has sought to appease Washington by curbing some of its Iranian oil imports. New Delhi has poured $2 billion into development in Afghanistan since the 2001 U.S.-led overthrow of the Taliban government. It sees the Chabahar port as a key way of both sending supplies to Afghanistan and stepping up trade with Central Asia and Africa. With reporting by AFP and Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-exempts-iran -chabahar-port-project-from-sanction-in- nod-to-afghanistan-india/29586874.html Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkish Leader Vows Not To Honor U.S. Sanctions On Iran After Waiver Expires November 07, 2018 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says that Turkey will not honor renewed U.S. sanctions on Iran's oil and shipping industries when waivers granted by Washington expire in six months. "These are steps aimed at unbalancing the world. We don't want to live in an imperialist world," Erdogan told reporters in Ankara on November 6. "We will absolutely not abide by such sanctions. We buy 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas. We cannot freeze our people in the cold," he said. Washington reimposed the sanctions on November 5 after abandoning Iran's 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers. Erdogan suggested he would discuss the matter when he meets with U.S. President Donald Trump at a summit to commemorate the end of World War I in Paris over the weekend. Turkey was one of several major Iranian oil customers that was granted a temporary waiver from the sanctions, enabling it to continue buying Iranian crude for another six months. NATO member Turkey depends heavily on imports to meet its energy needs and neighboring Iran has long been one of its main suppliers of oil and natural gas. Speaking in Japan earlier on November 6, Turkey's foreign minister said it would be dangerous to isolate Iran and it was not easy for countries like Turkey and Japan to find other suppliers for their fuel needs. "We do not believe any result can be reached with sanctions. I think meaningful dialogue and talks are more useful than sanctions," Mevlut Cavusoglu said. The United States is hitting Iran's economy with sanctions to try to force Tehran to further curb its nuclear activities and stop supporting allied militant groups in Syria, Yemen and Lebanon. Based on reporting by AP and Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/turkish-leader -erdogan-vows-not-honor-us-sanctions-on-iran -after-waiver-expires/29586822.html Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Afghans Hail Exemption of Iran Port from US Sanctions By Ayaz Gul November 07, 2018 Officials in Afghanistan have hailed a U.S. decision to exempt from anti-Iran sanctions the development of the Iranian port of Chabahar in recognition of its role to grow the Afghan economy. The exception granted by the Trump administration on Tuesday will allow the construction of a railway line connecting the port to Afghanistan. In addition the war-shattered country will be allowed to continue importing petroleum products from Iran. President Ashraf Ghani's engagement with the U.S. government "in the past six months in regards to Chabahar has accomplished the objective," his spokesman tweeted (@hchakhansuri) Wednesday. Monday, Washington reimposed the sanctions on Iran's oil exports, financial, shipping and ship building sectors that had previously been lifted as part of the 2015 international nuclear deal with Tehran. The India-led development of Chabahar port is aimed at opening a new transportation corridor for Afghanistan's international trade and reduce the country's dependence on Pakistan's land routes and sea ports. Kabul's tense relations with Islamabad are blamed for hampering Afghan trading activity through the neighboring country. U.S. officials argued the sanctions exception granted to Chabahar underscored Washington's support of Afghanistan's economic growth and development as well as the close partnership with India. But the sanctions threatened New Delhi's ability to obtain funds for the development of the Iranian port. Moreover, an intensified Taliban-led insurgency also poses a major challenge for international-backed efforts aimed at stabilizing and developing Afghanistan. Insurgents have staged fresh attacks across the country during the past few days, killing scores of Afghan security forces and overrunning important military bases in several Afghan provinces. The Taliban controls or hotly contests nearly half of Afghanistan. U.S. backed international efforts to initiate a peace dialogue between the Afghan government and the Taliban have not produced results. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Rohingya still face 'persecution' in Myanmar: UN envoy Iran Press TV Wed Nov 7, 2018 09:08AM The United Nations (UN)'s special envoy to Myanmar has urged Bangladesh to drop plans for a hasty repatriation of hundreds of Rohingya Muslim refugees to their homeland, where they are still facing a "high risk of persecution." More than 700,000 Rohingya refugees have taken refuge in Bangladesh since last year, when Myanmar's armed forces, backed by Buddhist extremist mobs, launched an intensified crackdown against the Muslim community in Myanmar's Rakhine State. Thousands of Rohingya Muslims have been killed, and those who have survived by fleeing to Bangladesh are now living in severely-overcrowded camps in southeast Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar district. Myanmar and Bangladesh first reached an agreement last year to begin the repatriation of the refugees, but the process has been delayed. Officials from both countries met earlier this week and announced they would start the process with 2,000 returnees in mid-November. UN Special Rapporteur Yanghee Lee said on Tuesday that she had not seen any evidence of the government of Myanmar creating conditions conducive to the return of the Rohingya. She said in a statement that the government in Naypyidaw had "failed to provide guarantees they (the Rohingya) would not suffer the same persecution and horrific violence all over again." Lee also said that according to credible information from the refugees in Bangladesh, the Muslims "are in deep fear of their names being on the list to be repatriated, causing distress and anguish." Thousands of Rohingya Muslims were killed, injured, arbitrarily arrested, or raped by Myanmarese soldiers and Buddhist mobs mainly between November 2016 and August 2017. The UN has concluded that the atrocities constitute genocide. Myanmar, however, has blatantly denied the violence. However, massive evidence has been collected by international observers, medics, and journalists. In an interview with Press TV on Wednesday, international human rights lawyer Edward Corrigan also confirmed concerns over an "ongoing persecution" of the minority community, saying that, "It would be very dangerous for the Rohingya Muslims to return to Myanmar." Corrigan said that even if a return did take place, there would be other unresolved matters. The repatriation of the Rohingya refugees to Myanmar, he said, is "only a partial solution because you still need to deal with the whole issue of citizenship and whether the Myanmar Muslims are entitled to Burma citizenship." Corrigan was referring to Myanmar's refusal to grant citizenship to the Muslim community, who has lived in the country for generations. They are branded illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, which likewise denies them citizenship. "Even though they have lived there for hundreds of years, the government is refusing to acknowledge that," he said. "Myanmar Muslims are essentially stateless and this is what is at the core of their vulnerability." Chris Melzer, the UN Refugee Agency's (UNHCR) senior external officer based in Cox's Bazar, has also warned "against imposing any timetable or target figures for repatriation in respect of the voluntary nature and sustainability of return." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Halt 'rushed plans' to return Rohingyas to Myanmar, pleads UN expert fearing repeated abuses 7 November 2018 - A United Nations human rights expert has implored Bangladesh to shelve "rushed plans" to repatriate Rohingya refugees back across the border into Myanmar's Rakhine State for fear that without safety guarantees from the Burmese Government, persecution and horrific violence could begin all over again. "Not only did the Rohingya face horrific violence at the hands of security forces in 2016 and 2017 with no accountability, they have been subjected to decades-long systematic discrimination and persecution in Myanmar," Yanghee Lee, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar said on Tuesday. After a reported military-led crackdown, widespread killings, rape and village torchings, nearly three-quarters of a million Rohingya fled Myanmar's Rakhine state in August 2017 to settle in crowded refugee camps in neighboring Bangladesh. In December 2017 both Bangladesh and Myanmar agreed on a repatriation plan that would begin the process of returning hundreds from the camps in mid-November. Ms. Lee has repeatedly said that any returns before the root causes of the crisis were dealt with was highly premature and unjust. Moreover, she received credible information from refugees in Cox's Bazar expressing their deep fear their names will be on the repatriation list causing distress and anguish. "I have not seen any evidence of the Government of Myanmar taking concrete and visible measures to create an environment where the Rohingya can return to their place of origin and live there safely with their fundamental rights guaranteed," said the Special Rapporteur. Ms. Lee reiterated that the refugees must be given the opportunity to participate in the process, as it was their decision alone to return to Myanmar. "Any returns under current conditions where there is high risk of persecution, may violate obligations under customary international law to uphold the principle of non-refoulement," she asserted. While the Government of Myanmar has reportedly been developing the Rohingya area, building physical infrastructure to house returnees does not resolve the issues, stressed the Special Rapporteur. "Living safely and in a dignified manner includes a right to citizenship, freedom of movement, and access to services, health, education and livelihoods," argued Ms. Lee. "I urge the Governments of Bangladesh and Myanmar to halt these rushed plans for repatriation, to ensure the protection of the Rohingya refugees and to adhere to their international human rights and refugee law obligations to ensure any returns are safe, sustainable, voluntary and dignified," concluded the Special Rapporteur. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kremlin rules out better Russia-US relations Iran Press TV Wed Nov 7, 2018 03:01PM The Kremlin says it saw no "rosy prospects" for an improvement in relations between Russia and the United States in the near future. "Rosy prospects for the normalization of Russian-US ties are not visible on the horizon," Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday. His remarks came after US Democrats took control of the House of Representatives for the first time in eight years in a rebuke to US President Donald Trump during midterm elections. Peskov, however, stressed that Moscow is still seeking dialogue to resolve outstanding problems. "But that does not mean that we are not aiming for dialogue, that we don't want dialogue, because we are facing a lot of problems," he said, pointing to arms control as one of the outstanding issues. "These problems will not disappear without talks," the spokesman stressed. He also played down the midterm outcome would further complicate Russia-US ties, noting that bilateral relations were already tricky and reiterating that Moscow had not interfered in the US vote. Since late 2016, US spying agencies have been accusing Russia of meddling in the American presidential election. Back then, Washington alleged that Russia had influenced the election in favor of Donald Trump, running a massive secret social media trolling and targeted messaging operation, an allegation Moscow strongly denied. The US has imposed a series of unilateral sanctions against Moscow over the claims. On Tuesday, the Trump's administration said it will impose new sanctions against Moscow over the poisoning of a former spy in Britain. London accused Moscow of ordering the poisoning attack, which it says was carried out using a sophisticated Soviet-era military-grade nerve agent. Russia has denied any involvement and even some officials in Moscow believe the entire story, which led to a serious political fallout with the Western countries, was fabricated by the British intelligence agencies to target Russia. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian State Missile Firm's CEO 'Funnels Business' To Hairstylist Daughter RFE/RL November 07, 2018 Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman sought to cast doubt on a newspaper's allegations of top-level corruption at Tactical Missiles Corporation, the state-controlled weapons manufacturer known as KTRV. Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters on November 7 that the government is aware of the report and that law enforcement authorities will look into the matter "if it presents some interest to them" to do so. Peskov did not comment on the substance of the report but said that people should "retain sobriety and not...believe unsubstantiated declarations." The independent Novaya Gazeta newspaper earlier reported that the 29-year-old daughter of the missile corporation's director owns a large stake in the business from which the state-controlled organization makes much of its supply purchases. The report said that Olga Zorikova, daughter of KTRV Director Boris Obnosov, works as a makeup artist and hairstylist at weddings and fashion shows, but also owns 20 percent of TRV-Engineering through a complicated series of ownership structures under the Zvezda-Strela name. In the past five years, it said, TRV-Engineering had signed contracts with KTRV worth about $91 million. The newspaper cited a court ruling that indicates TRV-Engineering collects a 12 percent broker's fee for every contract with a KTRV-connected factory. It alleged that on one occasion, goods delivered to a defense plant proved to be counterfeit. The 65-year-old Obnosov has frequently met with President Vladimir Putin and advised him on new weapons, the report said. "It is his relatives and subordinates who get the billions of rubles that the state allocates for the production of the latest high-precision weapons," Novaya Gazeta alleged in its report. Neither Obnosov nor his daughter has responded to the newspaper's request for comment, it reported. The report also alleged that another 20 percent of TRV-Engineering is owned by Vladimir Maslensky, who is also a board member of KTRV. Maslensky has not responded to a request for comment from the newspaper. KTRV, founded in 2002, develops and produces hypersonic weapon systems, aviation circuitry for air-to-air weapons, and naval armament systems for the Russian military. Novaya Gazeta said its report was the result of a months-long investigation into public-source information on the activities of KTRV and affiliated companies. With reporting by Novaya Gazeta, AP, TASS, and Meduza Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russian-state -missile-firm-s-ceo-funnels-business-to- hairstylist-daughter/29587988.html Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'Can't Get Much Worse, Probably Won't Get Better': Kremlin On U.S. Ties After Elections RFE/RL November 07, 2018 Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman says that relations with the United States cannot get much worse, but also suggests that prospects for improvement are hard to discern following the midterm elections in the United States. Dmitry Peskov spoke on November 7, after results from the U.S. election showed that the Democratic Party has won a majority of seats in the House of Representatives but President Donald Trump's Republican Party has retained control over the Senate. "It would be hard to make [the relationship] much more difficult," Peskov told reporters when asked whether the results -- which had been widely predicted ahead of the November 6 elections -- could complicate Russia's ties with the United States. "Everything is pretty difficult as it is." Substantial unity on sanctions against Russia over its interference in Ukraine and other actions is unlikely to decrease when the Democrats take control of the House in January. Representatives Eliot Engel and Adam Smith, both Kremlin critics, are likely to head the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Armed Services Committee, respectively. Peskov did not predict that relations would deteriorate further, but said "one can suggest with a high degree of certainty that, of course, rosy prospects for the normalization of Russian-American relations are not visible on the horizon." "But this does not mean that we are not seeking dialogue or don't want dialogue," Peskov said. "There are many issues that demand Russian-American communication -- the issues of strategic stability and arms control," he said. "These issues will not fade away [on their own] without a conversation." Trump has repeatedly expressed hope for improvement in ties with Russia, which have been badly strained by disputes over issues that also include Moscow's military interference in Ukraine and the poisoning of ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Britain. But his term has been clouded by investigations into the alleged Russian meddling and whether his associates colluded with Moscow during and after the campaign. Trump faced widespread criticism for comments at a July 16 summit in Helsinki in which he suggested that he believed Putin's denials about alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election that put him in office, contradicting conclusions by the U.S. intelligence community. The Helsinki summit is the only full-scale meeting the two presidents have held since Trump took office in January 2017. Tentative plans for a substantive meeting on November 11, during ceremonies in Paris commemorating the end of World War I, have been abandoned. A foreign policy adviser to Putin, Yury Ushakov, told journalists on November 7 that the United States and Russia have agreed that Trump and Putin "will talk only briefly in Paris. It will be a standing meeting." One U.S. House lawmaker who has praised Putin and called for warmer ties with Russia, Republican Representative Dana Rohrabacher of California, lost his seat to a Democrat in a close race after nearly 30 years in the lower house of Congress. With reporting by AP, TASS, and Interfax Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/u-s-midterms -russian-reaction-peskov-kremlin -putin-trump/29587556.html Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Moscow, Riyadh in Talks on S-400 Delivery Date Saudi Envoy Sputnik News 00:08 07.11.2018 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia and Saudi Arabia are discussing a date for the agreed delivery of S-400 air defense systems to Riyadh, the Saudi ambassador said Tuesday. "The talks are still ongoing. They are not over yet," Raed bin Khaled Qrimli told reporters in Moscow after he was asked when the deliveries would begin. The sale was part of accords inked last year during Saudi King Salman's historic visit to Moscow, the first such trip by a reigning Saudi monarch. Qrimli said in September there were outstanding technical issues. The S-400 Triumph is Russia's next-generation mobile surface-to-air missile system. It can carry three different types of missiles capable of destroying a variety of aerial targets at a short-to-extremely-long range, from reconnaissance aircraft to ballistic missiles. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Joint US-Kurdish Patrols in Northern Syria 'Unacceptable' - Erdogan Sputnik News 21:18 06.11.2018 ANKARA (Sputnik) Joint patrolling by the US military and members of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in northern Syria is unacceptable and could lead to negative consequences, Erdogan said Tuesday. "Joint patrolling of the US military and YPG members in Syria is unacceptable and could cause serious negative consequences on the border," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters. Erdogan said he believed that US President Donald Trump would "stop that." US-Turkish relations have suffered a setback amid Ankara's concerns over US support for the YPG, which is viewed by the Turkish authorities as an affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a terrorist organization, outlawed in Turkey. Ankara has also repeatedly accused Washington of failing to fulfill its promises regarding the withdrawal of the YPG from Syria's Manbij. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel threatens to target Russia-manned S-300s in Syria Iran Press TV Wed Nov 7, 2018 08:01AM The Israeli regime has threatened to hit the Russia-made S-300 missile defense launchers in Syria, even those manned by the Russian military itself, should the launchers target Tel Aviv's warplanes. Speaking during a press conference for Russian media on Monday, Israeli Minister of Environmental Protection Ze'ev Elkin said Moscow's supply of the S-300 system to Damascus was "a big mistake" that "might lead to destabilization of the situation." He then questioned the Syrian army's ability to use the system properly. "The Syrian military are not always capable of correctly using the hardware transferred to them. In case of improper operation, civilian aircrafts may be harmed," Elkin said. He further warned that the Israeli regime would take "practical action" in response to alleged attacks from Syria and stressed that Russia "bears partial responsibility" for Syria's use of the system. "Actions would undoubtedly take place, should [an attack] occur, against the launchers used to attack" the occupied territories or Israeli planes, he said, adding, "I hope greatly that there would be no Russian military specialists [at S-300 sites]." The S-300 missile defense system known as one of the most advanced in the world -- is capable of striking short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles as well as tactical and strategic aircraft. Russia signed an agreement to sell the system to Syria back in 2010, but later scrapped the plan. In September 2018, however, Moscow decided to bolster Syria's air defense capability by deploying the modern S-300 system to the country. The announcement came in the wake of the accidental downing of Russia's Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft with 15 servicemen on board by Syria's S-200 launchers, which were at the time responding to a wave of Israeli strikes on state institutions in Latakia Province. Moscow held Israel responsible for the incident, saying the regime's pilots had intentionally used the Russian plane as cover to conduct air raids, effectively putting it in the crosshairs of the Syrian air defenses. Israel frequently attacks military targets inside Syria in what is considered as an attempt to prop up Takfiri terrorist groups that have been suffering heavy defeats against Syrian government forces. The Russian military, on the contrary, has been helping Damascus in the fight against those terrorists. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'Who Will Control Them?' US 'Very Concerned' About S-300s in Syria - Envoy Sputnik News 19:14 07.11.2018(updated 19:33 07.11.2018) Earlier, an Israeli official called Russia's S-300 deliveries to Syria "a big mistake" and warned that Israel would target the air defenses if they fired on Israeli jets. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned Israel that new attacks in Syria would not resolve Tel Aviv's security concerns, but only serve to increase regional tensions. "We are concerned very much about the S-300 system being deployed to Syria. The issue is at the detail level. Who will control it? What role will it play," US special representative for Syria engagement James Jeffrey said, speaking at a press conference on Wednesday. Russia started deploying its S-300 air defense systems to Syria on October 2 in response to a September 17 incident involving the downing of a Russian recon plane by Syrian forces defending against an Israeli air raid. The S-300s were part of a series of measures taken by the Russian military aimed at bolstering Syria's air defenses against future air attacks and assuring the safety of Russian military personnel in Syria. "Our immediate effort is to try to calm that situation down and then move on to a long-term solution," Jeffrey said, commenting on the downed Russian plane, adding that the incident points to the dangers of having multiple militaries concentrated in a small area. Washington Hopes Moscow Will Allow Israel to Resume Attacks on 'Iranian Targets' in Syria "Russia has been permissive, in consultation with the Israelis, about Israeli strikes against Iranian targets inside Syria. We certainly hope that that permissive approach will continue," the US diplomat noted. According to Jeffrey, Tel Aviv "has an existential interest" in blocking Iran from deploying long-range missiles in Syria which can be used inside Syria, with the US fully supportive of Israel's need to defend itself against this alleged threat. For its part, Washington will put financial and other pressure on Iran to 'more actively contest' its alleged activities, "particularly in Iraq, Syria and Yemen," the diplomat said. Israel and its US allies have repeatedly accused Tehran of deploying troops and advanced equipment in Syria. Iranian officials have denied the claims, stating that Iran's deployment is limited to military advisers assisting the Damascus government in its fight against the jihadists, and that their presence, unlike that of the US, is legitimate under international law. Israel conducted over 200 missions in Syria over a year and a half period up to early September 2018, but has not been reported to have done so since the September 17 raid. Long-Term US Goal Removal of Foreign Military Presence in Syria According to Jeffrey, the long-term US goal is to regularize the existing ceasefires in Syria and move toward a political solution, including the eventual withdrawal of Israeli, Turkish, Iranian and US forces in the country, but not Russian ones. In the meantime, US troops will stay in the country "until the enduring defeat of ISIS*," which includes dealing with concerns about the terrorist group's "ability to infiltrate back into areas as a terrorist force both in Iraq and in Syria in particular," Jeffrey said. *Aka Daesh, a terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address MOFA to "do its best" to set up APEC meets with U.S., China reps ROC Central News Agency 2018/11/07 13:23:17 Taipei, Nov. 7 (CNA) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) will do its best to have Taiwan's representative meet with his American and Chinese counterparts at the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' summit, Foreign Minister Joseph Wu () said Wednesday. "We would not rule out any possibility and will do our best to make it happen," Wu told lawmakers when asked at a legislative hearing to comment on the possibility of such meetings. Morris Chang (), founder of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) has been named as Taiwan's representative to attend the APEC leaders' summit in Papua New Guinea from Nov. 12 to 18. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Chinese President Xi Jinping (), meanwhile, are expected to represent their respective countries. Asked what Chang would discuss if he met with those leaders, Wu said Chang would probably raise Taiwan-U.S. trade and investment issues with Pence and extend some "goodwill gesture" to Xi, without elaborating on what kind of gesture could be made. Previously commenting on whether Chang would meet with Pence, the top U.S. representative to Taiwan, Brent Christensen, did not give a direct answer. "We anticipate that he (Chang) will, in fact, as is always the case, interact with other leaders at the summit. But at this point we don't have specific information about how that might happen," Christensen, the new director of the American Institute in Taiwan's (AIT) Taipei office, said on Oct. 31. Christensen also praised the selection of Chang as an "inspiring choice." "He represents everything that is good about Taiwan, a really outstanding and very prominent figure in Taiwan society," he said. (By Joseph Yeh) Enditem/ls NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address '1992 consensus' key to maintaining cross-strait status quo: Ma ROC Central News Agency 2018/11/07 19:39:20 Taipei, Nov. 7 (CNA) Former President Ma Ying-jeou () said Wednesday that if Taiwan wants to maintain the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, it cannot reject the "1992 consensus," which allows each side their own interpretation of "one China." Ma was speaking at a symposium on cross-strait relations, on the third anniversary of his historic meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping () in Singapore Nov. 7, 2015. He noted that at the Singapore meeting, the first between leaders of Taiwan and China since 1949, they jointly endorsed the "1992 consensus." The consensus is a tacit agreement reached between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait in 1992, when Taiwan was governed by a Kuomintang administration, that there is only one China and each side is free to interpret what that means. Ma said his meeting with Xi achieved several important positive results, including an explicit endorsement of the consensus by the two leaders for the first time since it was reached 23 years ago and recognizing it as the common political foundation for advancing the development of cross-strait ties. The meeting helped build a bridge of peace across the strait and establish a new model for the leaders on both sides to engage in face-to-face dialogue on an equal basis, Ma said. However, if the current Democratic Progressive Party administration does not accept the "1992 consensus," it would mean Taiwan's unilateral abolition of the consensus, which could lead to the loss of mutual trust between the two sides, he said. As a result, cross-strait relations could deteriorate, official interactions between the two sides could be halted completely and Taiwan could suffer adverse effects on the economic, political and diplomatic fronts, Ma said. He said the "1992 consensus" is vital to the development of cross-strait ties and if the government does not recognize the consensus, the status quo is not likely to be maintained. (By Lee Shu-hua and Evelyn Kao) Enditem/pc NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkey will take US bounty on senior PKK leaders cautiously: Presidential spox Iran Press TV Wed Nov 7, 2018 12:26AM Turkish Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin has described the US State Department's decision to offer rewards in exchange for information on three key figures of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militant group as a "late" move that the Ankara government will take "cautiously." "They (Americans) say they are making a distinction between the PKK, and the People's Protection Units (YPG) and Democratic Union Party (PYD). But they cannot fool us. We have told them many times that the organic link between them [the PKK and YPG/PYD] is not [purely] instrumental," Kalin said on Tuesday. "We will take this cautiously. It is a late decision," the senior Turkish official noted. Kalin went on to say that if Washington's intention is to obscure its ongoing support to the YPG, the truth will soon come out. Earlier in the day, the US Department of State's Rewards for Justice program authorized up to $12 million of rewards for information leading to the identification or location of PKK's acting leader Murat Karayilan, founding member Cemil Bayik, and senior leader Duran Kalkan. The US Embassy in Ankara announced in a statement that a bounty of up to $5 million had been approved for Karayilan, $4 million for Bayik and $3 million for Kalkan. Karayilan has been the PKK's acting leader ever since the militant group's founder and leader, Abdullah Ocalan, was captured by Turkish security forces in 1999. Bayik is a member of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), an alliance of pro-Kurdish groups. He is also the mastermind of a car bomb attack at Ankara's central Kizilay Square in March 2016. At least 35 people lost their lives in the bombing. Kalkan is responsible for an attack that killed seven Turkish soldiers in December 2009. Top Kurdish PKK terrorist 'neutralized' in southeastern Turkey Meanwhile, Turkish government forces have "neutralized" a high-ranking PKK militant during a counter-terrorism operation in the country's southeastern province of Sirnak. Turkey's Interior Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that Bedirhan Abo, better known by the nom de guerre Masiro, was neutralized during an operation supported by military aircraft in the mountainous Cudi area of the province. The statement added that the militant had a bounty of 4 million Turkish lira ($746,000) on his head, and was in the red category of the ministry's wanted terrorists. The Turkish military generally uses the term "neutralize" to signify that the militants were killed, captured or surrendered. PKK militants regularly clash with Turkish forces in the Kurdish-dominated southeast of Turkey attached to northern Iraq. Turkey, along with the European Union and the United States, has declared the PKK a terrorist group and banned it. The militant group has been seeking an autonomous Kurdish region since 1984. A shaky ceasefire between the PKK and the Turkish government collapsed in July 2015. Attacks on Turkish security forces have soared ever since. Over the past few months, Turkish ground and air forces have been carrying out operations against PKK positions in the country as well as in northern Iraq and neighboring Syria. More than 40,000 people have been killed during the three-decade conflict between Turkey and the autonomy-seeking militant group. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump Blames Obama 'Regime' For Ukraine's Loss Of Crimea RFE/RL November 07, 2018 WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Donald Trump blamed the "regime" of former President Barack Obama for Ukraine's loss of its Crimean Peninsula, which was seized and annexed by Russia in 2014. Trump made the comments during a wide-ranging and sometimes hostile news conference at the White House on November 7 to comment on the U.S. midterm election results. When asked about his relations with Russia, Trump reminded reporters of the face-to-face meeting he had with President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki in July. "The fact is I had a very, very good meeting with President Putin," he said. "A lot was discussed -- about Syria, about security, about Ukraine." "About the fact that President Obama allowed a very large part of Ukraine to be taken [by Russia]," he added. When a reporter stated that "it was President Putin who annexed Crimea," Trump responded by saying, "That was President Obama's regime. That was during President Obama. Right? "It was President Obama that allowed it to happen," he said. U.S. and other Western countries criticized Moscow and imposed sanctions on Russia over its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region in March 2013 and its backing of separatists in eastern Ukraine, where fighting has killed more than 10,300 people since April 2014. During the two leaders' last meeting in Helsinki, Trump was widely criticized, by Democrats and Republicans alike, for not taking a harder line with Putin and for refusing to press him on several matters, including Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. election. At the White House news conference, Trump reiterated that he had no meetings scheduled with Putin at the November 11 commemoration ceremonies in Paris marking the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. He also repeated that he will likely meet the Russian leader during a G20 summit in Argentina later this month. In Moscow, the Kremlin said Russian and U.S. officials agreed not to hold a summit in Paris to avoid causing a distraction during the WWI commemorations. With reporting by AP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-blames-obama-regime- for-ukraine-s-loss-of-crimea/29588249.html Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address VANCOUVER, Nov. 08, 2018 - Aton Resources Inc. (AAN: TSX-V) (Aton or the Corporation") is very pleased to update investors on the status of proposed changes to the terms of the Mineral Resources Act in Egypt. Highlights: It was today announced by Prime Minister Madboulys Cabinet that it has approved the long awaited changes to the Mineral Resources Act, and will be moving away from the oil and gas focused Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) model and abolishing the requirement for a 50:50 Joint Venture with EMRA. The Government hopes to have the changes ratified by the Parliament by the end of the year. For further information please refer to https://enterprise.press/stories/2018/11/08/egypt-cabinet-approves-amendments-to-mineral-resources-act/. This is wonderful news, not only for Aton shareholders, but for the future of investment into the Egyptian mining sector and the Egyptian economy as a whole remarked Mark Campbell, President and CEO. The recognition by the Government of Egypt that mineral exploration and mining are wholly different businesses to oil and gas has been a long time coming. Aton believes the effect that these changes will have on investment in exploration and mining will be significant -- the scrapping of the PSA, for a transparent tax, rent and royalty system, along with getting rid of the requirement for a 50:50 joint venture with EMRA, should be of great interest to exploration companies all around the world. Egypt has vast unexplored areas and is one of the last untouched mineral exploration frontiers in the world. One only has to look at what occurred in Ecuador after its Government amended the mining law, to get an idea of what could transpire in Egypt. Aton understands that the Government plans to streamline and simplify the acquisition of exploration licences and do away with oil and gas style bid rounds. It is a testament to the vision of President El Sisi and the Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Tarek El Molla that these changes are being made, and in short order too, and also in choosing Wood Mackenzie to advise the Government on amendments and to help implement them. Aton expects to benefit from the proposed changes - within our 738 km2 Abu Marawat licence area, we have a development project at Hamama and 17 solid exploration targets, including our major exploration project at Rodruin. I am confident that the future for Aton and the Egyptian exploration and mining business is very bright indeed. About Aton Resources Inc. Aton Resources Inc. (AAN: TSX-V) is focused on its 100% owned Abu Marawat Concession (Abu Marawat), located in Egypts Arabian-Nubian Shield, approximately 200km north of Centamins Sukari gold mine. Aton has identified a 40km long gold mineralised trend at Abu Marawat, anchored by the Hamama deposit in the west and the Abu Marawat deposit in the east, containing numerous gold exploration targets, including three historic British mines. Aton has identified several distinct geological trends within Abu Marawat, which display potential for the development of RIRG and orogenic gold mineralisation, VMS precious and base metal mineralisation, and epithermal-IOCG precious and base metal mineralisation. Abu Marawat is over 738km2 in size and is located in an area of excellent infrastructure; a four-lane highway, a 220kV power line, and a water pipeline are in close proximity. For further information regarding Aton Resources Inc., please visit us at www.atonresources.com or contact: MARK CAMPBELL President and Chief Executive Officer Tel: +202-27356548 Email: mcampbell@atonresources.com Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Some of the statements contained in this release are forward-looking statements. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such "believes", "should"," could" , "expects", "understands" and "plans". Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions; by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results in each case could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. BSNL Introduces Alternate Digital KYC For New Customers Business oi-Roshni Agarwal Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), state-run telecom major, has introduced alternate digital KYC (know your customer) procedure for new customers across different circles. Anupam Shrivastava, Chairman and Managing Director of BSNL is quoted in a PTI report as saying, "We have conveyed that we have launched the new system across all our circles and it has stabilized". The company has informed about the roll out of the new KYC system to the Department of Telecom (DoT). Other telecom companies including Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea too have initiated the process of rolling out 'alternate digital KYC' procedure for issuing new connections that will be replacing the Aadhaar-backed electronic verification process. In the current regime, as per Vodafone Idea remarks the DoT has allowed provisional launch of digital KYC. Further, the private telecom player confirms that its new digital KYC plan is being launched on a nation-wide basis. Reliance Jio also gave its clarity on the alternate digital KYC process and as per sources it will soon roll out its plan. Another telecom major Airtel has begun with the process of introducing new digital KYC in some of the circles that include Delhi, UP (West) and UP (East) and soon will extend to other circles. Nonetheless it remains unclear as to whether or not, telecom operators are still going by the Aadhaar eKYC process for verifying new customers. Until the alternate digital KYC is in place, telecom service providers have asked the government to provide some relaxation on the premise and allow them to use Aadhaar-backed eKYC till November 20. The new digital KYC process is being rolled out by telecom companies after the Supreme Court verdict in September on Aadhaar that puts curbs on using Aadhaar for the purpose of authentication by private players in the absence of a legal provision. Goodreturns.in For investment related articles, business news and mutual fund advise Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, November 8, 2018, 17:21 [IST] Haas driver Kevin Magnussen has revealed that his team don't fully understand why they struggled with their tyres in Mexico. Magnussen was a furious figure during the race in Central America, describing the tyres as a "discrace". Haas had a bit of a nightmare at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, with Magnussen finishing 15th and his team-mate Romain Grosjean a place below him. Magnussen was asked in Thursday's FIA press conference if his team had figured out what went wrong with their tyres two weeks ago, and the Belgian replied: "Not quite. "But I think we understand that it's probably to do with tyres as we hadn't changed the car so the only thing that can really be such a factor is tyres. "I think in Mexico, you have these factors like you have very little downforce because of the altitude and that kind of has a lot of knock-on effects on different things. Cooling as well. You run the car in a different window in Mexico and I think we got the tyre performance a little bit wrong so we suffered a lot in Mexico, and that was a weekend to forget, definitely." Magnussen did admit, though, that Mexico City's track has been a weak circuit for his team in the three years since its debut there. "We need to learn from it because last year, and the year before that, the team also had a bad weekend in Mexico. So hopefully next year we can learn a bit more and get there a little bit more prepared to not have such a big 'off weekend'." Which Disease Naidu Is Suffering From? There has been a talk in the media circles for quite some time that Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has been suffering from symptoms of Alzheimer (memory loss) and that he had gone to the United States in the past to get the treatment for the same. The talk was that Naidu had not been able to immediately identify people who he had met long ago. Many a times, he had spoken incoherently while addressing public and named wrong people. For example, he said at a public meeting that he was the one who had suggested the name of Alexander for the President of India post, while the person he was referring to was actually Dr A P J Abdul Kalam. He even claimed that he was the one who had inspired Satya Nadella to join the Microsoft because of which the latter could ultimately become its CEO. Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member K V P Ramachandra Rao alleged that Naidu had lost his mental balance completely and he needs to be taken to Switzerland for treatment, as local hospitals like the one at Erragadda did not have the capacity to treat him. He was reacting to Naidus comment that the Polavaram project was his brainchild and he had compared himself with Jawaharlal Nehru who laid foundation stone for the Nagarjunasagar project. Your Alzheimer disease must be in the final stages, the Congress MP said. On Thursday, YSR Congress party MP V Vijay Sai Reddy went a step ahead and said the TDP president was suffering from a psychological disorder pathological lying. He said because of this disorder, Naidu was habituated to lying on every issue. People suffering from such a disorder will never tell truths. They tend to believe that whatever they say is a fact and they will try to convince others also saying the same, Reddy said. Some of the examples of this habitual lying, as quoted by Sai Reddy are: controlling Hud Hud cyclone, minimizing the impact of Titli, preventing tsunamis in Bay of Bengal and conduct of Olympics in Amaravati. Psychologists describe this pathological lying as a disease, but it is curable if given proper treatment. However, Naidu has converted this disease into his life style, Sai Reddy said. Click Here for Latest Direct-to-OTT Releases (List Updates Daily) In secret, behind locked gates, our Nation's Oldest City dumped a landfill in a lake (Old City Reservoir), while emitting sewage in our rivers and salt marsh. Organized citizens exposed and defeated pollution, racism and cronyism. We elected a new Mayor. We're transforming our City -- advanced citizenship. Ask questions. Make disclosures. Demand answers. Be involved. Expect democracy. Report and expose corruption. Smile! Help enact a St. Augustine National Park and Seashore. We shall overcome! Update 7:40 p.m.: Samsung provided a few more details about the display in a session following the keynote. After more than an hour of tiring Bixby announcements, cursory Galaxy Home details, and long-winded IOT speeches during the opening keynote to its developers conference, Samsung finally showed us what we were all waiting for: its new folding phone. Except it wasnt really a phone at all. Samsungs big innovation is the Infinity Flex display, and we still dont know much about what Samsung is going to do with it. Senior vice president Justin Denison waxed poetic about an advanced composite polymer and reduced thickness that paves the way for rollable displays, foldable phones, and thinner handsets. Except he didnt actually show us any of that. Samsung If youu blinked while Senior Vice President Justin Denison showed off Samsungs new folding phone you wouldve missed it. The brief glimpse we got of the phone revealed a super thick handset with giant bezels and an obvious hinge. Presumably we were looking at a dummy case that concealed the real product. At least I hope we were. Because if not, its going to be the phone that launched a thousand memes. We dont even really know how or if it works. The 10-second glimpse we got of it didnt show off any functionality, and Denison made sure to keep the UI and design under wraps. Samsung even dimmed the lights on the stage so people couldnt get a real clear look at it. More questions than answers So what do we know? Not a whole lot. Samsung boasted that the Infinity Flex display represents a new mobile platform, but the only thing we know for sure is that you can run three apps on it thanks to a new feature called multi-active window. Based on the demo, the three windows are interchangeable, with one large box flanked by two stackable smaller boxes. Samsung You can run three apps when the folding screen is opened. We also officially know that Google is on board. In a rare appearance by the Android maker at a Samsung event, Google announced that it will be officially supporting foldable displays, allowing Android apps to run seamlessly as the device folds and bringing screen continuity. Thats developer speak for the API that lets apps dynamically adjust to the various Android display sizes, but its usually not seen in action on the fly. So it will definitely require a new set of tools. But we dont really know how that works either. Presumably, if youre working in an app with the phone open, it will remember your place when you close it and vice versa. But Samsung didnt demonstrate that either. Based on the peek we got of the phone, however, it seems as though it will fold inward like a book. That means theres a smaller display on the outside of the phone and a larger one on the inside, though Samsung says the Infinity Flex tech will allow for both inward and outward phones. In the fold As far as the UI of the new phone goes, it will be related to Samsungs new design language, OneUI. Before showing off the new phone, Samsung took a few minutes to show off its new smartphone interface, the third rebranding in as many years, following TouchWiz and the Samsung Experience. OneUI is a dramatic change for Samsungs Galaxy phones with a cleaner interface that pushes the controls toward the bottom of the screen and creates a content area at the top of the screen. Samsung Samsungs folding phone concept isnt exactly thin. For example, in the Messages app, your conversations will start in the middle of the screen so you dont have to reach as high to respond to a new text. And pop-ups will also be pushed to the bottom of the screen for easier access with one hand. OneUI will also include a system-wide dark mode as well as a new color scheme to match the color of the device. Samsung says it designed OneUI to keep your focus on the task at hand and minimize distractions on the screen. Its not entirely clear how any of OneUI will relate to the new folding phone, but presumably the new interface was designed with the flexible display in mind. Close to the vest Back to what we dont know. Among the questions we still have about Samsungs folding phone: When it is coming out: Samsung said its ready to begin manufacturing Infinity Flex displays in the coming months, but it didnt say whether they would be attached to phones. How big it is: Samsung didnt discuss the size of either the inside display or the outside one, though it certainly looked like a small tablet when opened. If it will run regular Android apps: Samsung talked in broad strokes about the foldable UI, but we dont really know how it will work with the millions of existing apps in the Play Store. If it will work in either orientation: Samsung showed a portrait-heavy UI, but it didnt mention whether the phone has an accelerometer so it can be turned like a tablet. How much it costs: There was no mention of price during the discussion of the phone. What it will be called: Rumors suggested that the new phone would be called the Galaxy F, but Samsung declined to name the device it showed off. And there are a bunch of other questions too. Whats the battery life? Whats the screen resolution? How much RAM is inside it? What are the storage options? Can you answer calls when its opened? Is there a headphone jack? And on and on. Samsung Samsungs new folding phone looks like a 2001 phone when closed. The only real specs about the display were revealed at a developers session after the keynote. As reported by CNET, the front display is 4.58 inchesincredibly small for a 2018 phonewith a resolution of 1960x840 and a pixel density of 420. The inside display is a great deal bigger than any smartphone on the market today, measuring 7.3 inches with a 2152x1536 resolution and the same 420ppi. The closed display would have a funky 21:9 ratio, while the inside is a more standard 4.2:3. But even with a clearer picture of the size, all Samsung really proved at its developers conference was that the thing its been working on for the past four years is actually a thing thats going to come out next year. But whether thats actually going to become a phone youre going to want to buy remains to be seen. This story, "Samsung's folding Galaxy phone reveal was a giant disappointment" was originally published by PCWorld . The falling cost of batteries is set to drive a boom in the installation of energy storage systems around the world in the years from now to 2040, according to the latest annual forecast from research company Bloomberg NEF (BNEF). The global energy storage market will grow to a cumulative 942GW/2,857GWh by 2040, attracting $620 billion in investment over the next 22 years, according to BNEF forecasts. [The dollar investment figure was corrected from $1.2 trillion after BNEF discovered a totaling error. The GW and GWh capacity figures are not affected, and neither are the overall findings. BNEF apologizes for the mistake. -Ed.] BNEFs latest Long-Term Energy Storage Outlook sees the capital cost of a utility-scale lithium-ion battery storage system sliding another 52% between 2018 and 2030, on top of the steep declines seen earlier this decade. This will transform the economic case for batteries in both the vehicle and the electricity sector. We have become much more bullish about storage deployments since our last forecast a year ago. This is partly due to faster-than-expected falls in storage system costs, and partly to a greater focus on two emerging applications for the technologyelectric vehicle charging, and energy access in remote regions. Yayoi Sekine, energy storage analyst for Bloomberg NEF and co-author of the report We see energy storage growing to a point where it is equivalent to 7% of the total installed power capacity globally in 2040. The majority of storage capacity will be utility-scale until the mid-2030s, when behind the meter applications overtake. Logan Goldie-Scot, head of energy storage at BNEF Behind-the-meter, or BTM, installations will be sited at business and industrial premises, and at millions of residential properties. For their owners, they will perform a variety of tasks, including shifting grid demand in order to reduce electricity costs, storing excess rooftop solar output, improving power quality and reliability, and earning fees for helping to smooth voltage on the grid. China, the US, India, Japan, Germany, France, Australia, South Korea and the UK will be the leading countries. These nine markets will represent two thirds of the installed capacity by 2040. In the near-term, South Korea will dominate the market, the US will take over in the early 2020s, but will be overtaken by China in the 2020s. China will then lead throughout to 2040. Global cumulative storage deployments Especially developing countries in Africa will also see rapid growth in battery storage. Utilities are likely to recognize increasingly that isolated assets combining solar, diesel and batteries are cheaper in far flung sites than either an extension of the main grid or a fossil-only generator, the report says. BNEF analysis estimates energy storage build across multiple applications to meet variable supply and demand and to operate the grid more efficiently, while taking into account customer-sited economics for using storage as well as system-level needs. Aggregating BTM energy storage could be a viable alternative to utility-scale for many applications but it will take years before regulatory frameworks in some countries fully allow this. There is significant opportunity for energy storage to provide flexibilityto help balance variable supply and demandand systems will undoubtedly be used in complex ways. Energy storage will become a practical alternative to new-build generation or network reinforcement. Behind-the-meter storage will also increasingly be used to provide system services on top of customer applications. Despite the rapid growth from todays levels, demand for batteries for stationary storage will make up only 7% of total battery demand in 2040. It will be dwarfed by the electrical vehicle market, which will more materially impact the supply-demand balance and prices for metals such as lithium and cobalt, BNEF said. Greenlots, a global provider of EV charging software and solutions, will collaborate with Volvo Trucks to deploy charging infrastructure for electric trucks operating out of warehouses in Southern California. This is the first heavy-duty fleet-charging project stemming from a significant public-private partnership with the California Air Resources Board (CARB). CARB awarded $44.8 million to the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) for Volvos Low Impact Green Heavy Transport Solutions (LIGHTS) project. As part of this project, Greenlots will outfit warehouses with heavy- and light-duty charging infrastructure, integrate the chargers with onsite solar PV and energy storage systems and leverage Greenlots charging network management software to deploy Volvos first electrified trucks in North America. All of the charging equipment for the projectincluding both Level 2 chargers and 150kW DC fast-chargerswill operate on Greenlots SKY enterprise software platform to enable seamless management of Volvos fleet, charging stations and energy storage systems. Volvo Trucks connectivity system will also be integrated to provide truck operators with a comprehensive view of their vehicles operational and charging readiness. Greenlots will work with ABB and other charging station manufacturers to provide the equipment, while partnering with Burns & McDonnell to engineer, construct and install the new EV charging stations. The project will be one of the first in North America to demonstrate a new heavy-duty vehicle charging standard, SAE J3068 (earlier post), in real-world applications. SAE J3068 is a recommended practice for conductive charging of EVs and supply equipment that use three-phase AC power. SAE J3068 standardizes an AC three-phase-capable coupler and digital control protocols. This new standard was designed to offer a single vehicle charging coupler solution for three-phase and single-phase AC and DC charging for a class of vehicles. We wanted to combine this new approach for AC charging with 1000V DC charging based on existing SAE communication standards. Rodney McGee, Chief Engineer of EV Projects, University of Delaware, and SAE Medium and Heavy Duty Vehicle Conductive Charging Task Force Chair Specifically, SAE J3068 provides for the following: A higher power version of an existing charge coupler; e.g., 133 kW at 480 VAC 160 A three-phase. Bi-directional digital communication between the EV and the EVSE via single wire baseband signaling for local control. Grid supply voltage is signaled before the EV and SE agree to charge. For example, in Canadaa 600 VAC is more common that 480 VAC but not all EVs can utilize 600 VAC. Independent control of current limits on a phase-by-phase basis. The EV may signal requested current to enable a power management system to balance loads better. Only symmetric three-phase AC suppleis are supported in the first edition; asymmetric supplies such as corner-grounded Delta and High-Leg-Delta maybe supported in the future. Volvo LIGHTS is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy and improving public health and the environmentparticularly in disadvantaged communities. Eric Bingham and his wife, Elizabeth, concentrate as they stand amongst a group of county residents watching election returns at the Sweetwater County Courthouse Tuesday night. Republicans made huge gains in Sweetwater County Tuesday night. All three Republicans vying for seats on the Sweetwater County Board of County Commissioners won their electoral bids, while the Republican challengers for county sheriff and county clerk also made successful election bids. Incumbent Randy Wendling received the most votes of the three Republicans, earning 7,987 according to unofficial results from the Sweetwater County Clerk's Office. Jeffery Smith and Roy Lloyd were only separated by three votes, with the two earning 5,612 and 5,609 respectively. Democrats Joe Barbuto and incumbent Reid West earned 5,135 and 4,659 receptively. For Smith, the next few months will be devoted to learning more about the role a county commissioner has and to introduce himself to more residents and county employees. He said he knows a lot of people voted for him, but understands a lot also did not and wants to let people know he represents all county residents. Lloyd said he was pleasantly surprised and humbled by the results, saying he plans to continue meeting with department heads to get himself up to speed by January. He admits there is a learning curve to the position, but plans to start by building relationships with both residents and county departments. "It's about taking care of the citizens of Sweetwater County," Lloyd said. Barbuto, despite not winning his election bid, said he is proud of the campaign he ran and is grateful for the support he received. "They've got a big job ahead of them, but they're up to the challenge," Barbuto said. Other county offices Republican John Grossnickle earned a victory over Democrat incumbent Mike Lowell, securing 6,786 votes to Lowell's 6,040. Grossnickle said the support he received shows residents are ready for a different approach to law enforcement than the sheriff's office arresting their way out of situations. Grossnickle's campaign focused on proposing a community partnership between the sheriff's office and the county's residents, proposing outreach campaigns which give residents both a means to voice their concerns and an opportunity to work with the office to address those concerns. Sweetwater County Attorney Daniel Erramouspe, who endorsed Grossnickle for sheriff last week, said it's a different era for law enforcement and many common problems require a different approach. He said Grossnickle has the ability and knowledge to do the job. "I think he can bring a lot to law enforcement," Erramouspe said. Republican challenger Cindy Lane defeated incumbent Democrat Dale Davis in her bid to become the next Sweetwater County Clerk. Lane received 7,580 votes, while Davis received 5,080. For Clerk of District Court, Republican incumbent Donnalee Bobak defeated her Democrat challenger Annette Eychner to receive another term in office. Bobak received 8,751 votes, while Eychner received 3,781. Bobak said she had a good opponent in the election, but said the county voters have spoken, saying she is appreciative by the support she received Tuesday. At the county level, the Democrats sole victory in a contested race came when incumbent Dave Divis defeated Republican Perri Rubeck to remain Sweetwater County Assessor. Divis received 6,472 votes, while Rubeck received 5,966. Erramouspe won his second term as the Sweetwater County Attorney in an uncontested race. Democrat incumbents Robb Slaughter and Dale Mahjanovich won re-election to Sweetwater County Treasurer and Sweetwater County Coroner respectively, with both men running uncontested. Other elections Republican challenger Tom James pulled off an upset by defeating longtime Democrat Senator John Hastert in Senate District 13. According to unofficial results from the Wyoming Secretary of State's Office, James received 2,625 votes to Hastert's 2,108, while independent candidate Ted Barney secured 889 votes. Many local house races were uncontested, with Democrats John Freeman and Stan Blake winning re-election in Green River. Sweetwater County also showed a lot of support to retain and increase the county's lodging tax. Residents supported the proposal to charge 4 percent, with 10,130 votes in favor of the tax to 2,362 against. The three judges on the ballot were allowed to retain their positions. Voters supported Craig Jones' retention with 8,453 votes to 2,606 against, while John Prokos received 8,593 in favor of his retention to 2,447 against, while Frank Zebre received 8,478 supporting his retention to 2,520 votes against it. The Sweetwater County Commission will not support funding the Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport commercial terminal without a guarantee that it will receive federal grant funding. During the Commission meeting Tuesday morning, the Commissioners were split on the issue. A motion was made by Randy Wendling to approve a budget resolution request for $133,333 to pay for the schematics of the project, but it almost died for a lack of a second. Chairman Reid West asked if he could second it, but then Commissioner Wally Johnson said he would second the motion so they could vote on it. It was a 3-2 vote against the motion. Commissioners Wendling and West voted in favor, while Commissioners Wally Johnson, Don Van Matre and John Kolb voted against. Airport Manager Devon Brubaker said he heard the concerns of the board and others about the plan sitting on the shelf and decided to ask for a smaller amount to only cover the design schematics of the project, which wont have a shelf life. James Wamsley, Rock Springs-Sweetwater County Joint Powers Airport Board chairman, said the funding would support the future growth of the airport, which he believes is vital to the community. West said the initial request was much higher at about $711,111, which was to complete the design phase. Brubaker said the city of Rock Springs already approved a reduced request of $200,000 to cover the entire cost of the schematics, however if the Commissioners approve the $133,333 request, Rock Springs would be reimbursed for the extra it provided. I just want to make sure that my position on this is clear, Johnson said. My position wasnt whether I approved of the modification of renovation of the commercial terminal or not. My problem with it is that were betting on throwing dollars on the table trying to enhance our position for success relative to the grant application. Brubaker said in the short term, thats the plan, but in the long team the work will need to be done in the future. He said they also need to find out exactly how much the entire project will cost, which as of now are just estimates. If the grant application is successful, I have no problem with this whatsoever, whatever the amount of money that would be required for matching funds, Johnson said. My problem is the gamble Im being asked to take to enhance the probability of success for that grant. He asked why the airport already has engineers for the project. Wamsley said federal regulations require the airport to have a firm for planning and one for engineering. TO Engineers out of Cody is the firm for both. He said the airport isnt jumping the gun. Johnson then questioned why the airport didnt pick an engineering company that was in Sweetwater County. Brubaker said there were only three companies in the state that did this type of work: JFC, TO Engineers, Morrison-Maierle Engineers. He said the board chose to go with TO. Money should be spent in Sweetwater County, then in the state of Wyoming and then as a last resort out of state of Wyoming, Johnson said. Kolb said this project is beyond normal operations and the general public doesnt know the scope of the project. He said he thinks its in the master plan, but no one talked about it. Youve already got an application submitted, Kolb said. So that phase is done. I dont know what this gets us. Brubaker said he had to submit the application to meet the Oct. 31 deadline, which is why the city of Rock Springs decided to cover the entire amount to help the airport stand out above other airports applying for the funds. Kolb said he just doesnt know what the money will get them and doesnt have enough answers. He also brought up unrelated issues accusing Brubaker of making derogatory comments about the Commissioners and using the local media to push his plan. Brubaker denied making any comments and said he didnt know what Kolb was talking about. Kolb said the courthouse employees have been talking about it. Id appreciate a professional attitude in the future, Kolb said. He said Brubaker needs to stop having a war in the newspaper. Van Matre said hes always tried to be supportive to the airport board, but he has some problems with what they want to do. He said the Commissioners have a capital projects budget for things like this, but this isnt following that process. Wendling asked Brubaker when he knew about the funding. Brubaker said he knew in March that the funding was available, but information on which airports would qualify wasnt released until June or July, which was after the budget was approved. Kolb said he still could have came to the meeting and gave the Commissioners information about it, instead of waiting. Brubaker said he didnt even know if the airport would qualify yet. He said they are receiving guidance on the grant every week. The matter was then opened up for a public hearing, but no comments were made. In July 2017, Interior Secretary Zinke signed Order 3354, directing the BLM to streamline their oil and gas leasing process. Five months later, the BLM Washington Office issued Instruction Memo 2018-34 in partial fulfillment of that order. The BLM memo, among other things, instructs that the BLM will not routinely defer leasing when waiting for an RMP amendment or revision to be signed. That phrase of the Instruction Memo opened the floodgates which had been holding back numerous parcels in the BLM Rock Springs Field Office (who is supposed to be finishing up a revised Resource Management Plan). Parcels which had been on hold because they overlap the Sublette Mule Deer Migration Corridor would no longer be deferred waiting for the Rock Springs RMP. So, the BLM offered several dozen lease parcels overlapping the Sublette Mule Deer Migration Corridor in their October 2018 sale. More migration corridor parcels have been advertised for the BLM December lease sale coming up a month from now, and reportedly still more Migration Corridor leases will be made available in the BLM March 2019 sale. What comes on these leases is a notice requiring the lessee to work with the BLM and Wyoming Game and Fish Department to take reasonable measures to avoid and minimize impacts to maintain big game migration corridor functionality. What does not appear is a No Surface Occupancy stipulation which is routinely applied around hawk and burrowing owl nests, sage grouse strutting grounds and the like. No Surface Occupancy is a lot stronger and clearer a statement than directions to work with agencies to take reasonable measures. There are many ways to more strongly protect migration corridors than this measly lease notice. If nothing else, Gov. Mead could request adding a plain English sentence to the notice, like, It is our intent that no above-ground facilities be built in or within 500 feet of the mapped corridor. Do this right. Carmel Kail Pinedale Four percent - the unemployment rate in Sweetwater County. Ninety-six percent of us are working. Four percent - the percentage of public land in Sweetwater County being considered for wilderness. Ninety-six percent of our public lands are working and available for development. But ninety-six percent is not enough. Rep. Liz Cheneys bill wants it all for development. With the stroke of a federal pen, Cheneys bill, HR 6939, would release Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs) in Sweetwater, Lincoln, and Bighorn Counties. The bill opens them up to mining, oil and gas development, and gravel pits. It would also release roadless areas statewide. Further, it prevents the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) from ever inventorying for wilderness on public land in the future. Entitled the Restoring Public Input and Access to Public Lands Act of 2018, Cheneys bill instead mocks public input by bypassing the Wyoming Public Lands Initiative sponsored by the Wyoming County Commissioners Association. Cheney did not hold one public hearing or meeting in the state to get feedback from Wyoming residents. Instead, she asked development-friendly county commissioners. True, the Sweetwater County Commission declined to participate in the initiative, preferring to wait for the BLM planning process to play out. Why then did the Sweetwater County Commission narrowly approve a measure to release the WSAs, instead of waiting for the BLM plan? While the bill may have support from industry and other consumptive users, it sure didnt consider sportsmen and sportswomen, anglers, hikers, and hunters. The written comments submitted to the Sweetwater County Commissioners indicate an overwhelming majority of Wyoming residents, including Sweetwater County residents, disapproved of Cheneys bill. Why wilderness at all? In three words, demand, rarity and science. As population increases, the number of people seeking wilderness experiences increases. Wilderness is important because it is rare. Wilderness is important for science. I once hosted two young European glacier researchers in the Fitzpatrick Wilderness. After supper, one student climbed a nearby peak and started cheering. Upon returning, he elatedly expressed his astonishment that as far as he could see in any direction, he could not see a single light. Such rare wilderness experiences should also be preserved in Sweetwater County. Wilderness is important because it belongs to more than just us the WSAs are held in trust for all Americans. WSAs are important because they contain ecologically unique and undiscovered scientific information. There is only one Adobe Town on the planet. Our fast-shifting Sand Dunes are unique in North America. Devils Playground is the only place like it in the world. But these places are fragile. Our WSAs are not resilient for many reasons aridity being one. A mine, a road, a pipeline or a gravel pit would destroy these lands, and the WSA would be gone forever. Gone like the bison from the Red Desert. I ask the public and our commissioners, why not protect our remaining wild country - the four percent? I oppose Cheneys bill and ask Wyoming to advocate for the wilderness we have left. Craig Thompson Rock Springs Dont look now, but Wyoming just dodged a fiscal bullet. The smart thing to do would be to count ourselves lucky, then get out of the line of fire before the next round comes flying down range. But if history is any guide, I expect our Legislature will keep the state right where it is. Wyoming state government has once again been delivered from a huge budget deficit, this time by a combination of unexpectedly higher oil prices and investment returns. Thats obviously good news, but in the long-term it will likely postpone (again) a serious review of the states tax structure and efforts to diversify our economy both of which are desperately needed for our future security. If theres ever been a time when the state needs to break the boom-and-bust cycle, it is now. The revenues that state government are projected to receive for the next biennium should save us from some of the draconian cuts the Legislature had been eyeing in anticipation of a looming $1 billion structural deficit. But it wont keep the inevitable next deficit at bay. Wyoming cant keep pinning its future on found money, whether its renewed fossil fuels development, continued high stock prices or the types of manna from heaven that have bailed it out in the past. (Inheritances left to the state by wealthy residents in the 1990s come to mind as a particularly notable miracle.) When the Legislature convenes in January, there will still be some who maintain that cuts to public education funding are necessary. They will also target social safety nets that have already endured budget reductions in recent years. Lawmakers embarked on a weak effort to review our tax structure in recent years, directing the Joint Revenue Committee to find ways to generate up to $300 million a year in new funds. Despite the efforts of House Revenue Chairman Mike Madden (R-Buffalo) and his Senate counterpart, Ray Peterson (R-Cowley), to take their charge seriously, it was generally conceded from the outset that whatever the committee came up with would never make it past the full Legislature. This was despite Madden literally begging members of the panel to move some reasonable tax measures forward, including ones on liquor and tobacco, so they could at least be discussed on the floor of the House. Peterson, meanwhile, predicted his own political demise when he noted at a meeting that he would not possibly be able to explain to constituents why he wanted to raise their taxes. It was a wasted two years for committee members and the lobbyists who followed them around the state arguing against any tax hikes. The Senate, led by its president Eli Bebout (R-Riverton), was never going to allow any tax legislation to be discussed, period. That included tax increases on liquor and cigarettes which admittedly wouldnt have put much of a dent in the deficit as well as property tax hikes that would. And forget any talk of creating either a personal or corporate income tax. The topic is considered political suicide by most legislators even though its the best opportunity to give Wyoming the stable revenue needed to wean itself from the volatile minerals extraction industries. Today they fund up to 70 percent of state government and carry us helplessly through their highs or lows. The last serious effort to review the states revenue options, the Tax Reform 2000 Commission, issued its final report in 1999 after nearly two years of research and statewide meetings. Its top recommendation was creating a state income tax on individuals and corporations. But then came the next natural gas boom. The lean times were forgotten and the report was shelved. When the Joint Revenue Committee began its work three years ago, the sole voice speaking on behalf of such a move was Rep. Cathy Connolly (D-Laramie). The idea went nowhere. A state income tax on individuals, contrary to popular belief, would not empty their wallets. Thanks to a 1973 constitutional amendment advanced by House Speaker Nels Smith (R-Sundance), an income tax would have no effect on the vast majority of people who make less than $50,000 a year because of a credit they would receive on sales, use and property taxes. No, the bulk of the revenues produced by a personal state income tax would be paid by the states wealthiest residents the same ones who just received a massive federal tax cut. What is so wrong with asking the super-rich to help fund state government? Wyoming is one of only seven states without a corporate income tax, yet there is no stampede of industries that wants to move to Wyoming because of its ultra-business friendly tax structure. The Wyoming Business Council has had some successes since the 1990s and the ENDOW Initiative holds promise, but there has not been anything close to the business development needed to serve as a replacement for the minerals industry when times get tough. Worse yet, if there had been such a stampede it would have bankrupted us. Because our current tax system is so dependent on energy production, new workers in other fields actually cost the state more in services than they contribute in taxes. Instead of doing everything in their power to promote the renewable resources that Wyoming has in abundance, like wind and solar power, our state and congressional leaders keep bemoaning the so-called war on coal. They refuse to recognize what the free market figured out a long time ago: The days of king coal are behind us, and theyre not coming back. I dont expect the Legislature or the new governor to go on a spending spree because of the latest budget bailout. Neither will be that foolhardy. Thats the good news. The bad news is theyre also unlikely to act on the opportunity weve been given. Since were no longer staring down the barrel of a massive deficit, its time to pass legislation that could both improve health care and raise stable revenues for the future. That includes passing Medicaid expansion and approving medical marijuana. The Legislatures unconscionable failure to expand Medicaid to more than 20,000 low-income residents since 2013 was one of the worst decisions it has ever made. Medicaid expansion had the strong support of businesses, hospitals, social service agencies and religious organizations all interests that lawmakers usually listen to in earnest. In addition to keeping an estimated 20,000 low-income residents from enrolling in the health insurance program, it sacrificed more than $120 million in federal funds annually. Become a supporting member today. Those funds would have gone a long way to reducing the states budget deficit. We missed the boat on 100 percent reimbursement but the state could still have the federal government pay at least 90 percent of the costs of Medicaid expansion. Wyoming also has an opportunity to raise significant tax revenues by finally approving medical marijuana, which has the support of 86 percent of Wyoming residents, according to a new poll by the Wyoming Survey and Analysis Center at the University of Wyoming. The state could bring in even more tax revenue by following the example of Colorado and approving recreational marijuana, which the poll found 49 percent support for. The percentage backing recreational use has increased by 12 percent in the past four years, and that trend is sure to continue. The Legislature will have a lot on its plate in the next session. But in addition to following the will of its residents and passing popular revenue-producing measures, it must face reality and come to grips with the overwhelming need to look beyond the minerals industry and the rise and fall of the stock market. Lets lift Wyoming to a place where we dont need to rely on miracles for our economic security. With the General Election officially over, Sweetwater County will have two new commissioners starting next year. A lot can be learned in the defeat suffered by John Kolb and Reid West. Before I explain further, it should be pointed out that both are good county commissioners. Neither man was lax in their duties and the commissioners as a group have done a lot to make Sweetwater County a better place. They saved Castle Rock Hospital District from failing, secured funding for the construction of the Sweetwater County Justice Center and re-organized the Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County Board of Trustees, among other actions. Kolb, West and the other members have a lot to be proud of. This election cycle had an interesting twist as candidates found an area to criticize the incumbents: their treatment of county staff. Jeffrey Smith specifically told voters that he would allow department heads to do their jobs without interference from the commissioners. Other candidates made similar statements. An example of this can be seen when the commissioners decided to eliminate the chief deputy positions in many county offices, including the county assessors office, which can be seen as meddling in other elected officials affairs. For Kolb, a lot can be attributed to how he has spoke about issues over the years. For example, there was the time he made a report to the other commissioners about a trip he made to Washington D.C., to represent the commissioners and spoke at length about how funny it was that another Wyoming county commissioner had fallen asleep during a speech delivered by former Vice-President Joe Biden. Kolb has also shown a willingness to spew barbed comments and criticism when discussing situations and comments he doesnt agree with, regardless of if the situation involves something pertaining to county business or something that irritates him. Look no further than yesterdays rant against airport manager Devon Brubaker and Kolbs public allegations regarding things Brubaker had allegedly said about the commissioners. The biggest contributor for Kolb is likely over the fallout from the hospital boards reorganization nearly two years ago. That reorganization and the removal of the hospitals CEO had to happen. The improvement in the hospitals finances support those actions. But, with Kolb, the issue is likely how he came across, acting as the big hero of the day for being the first to point out the problems MHSC faced more than being a commissioner concerned with the future of the hospital. This also explains why voters gave Randy Wendling a second term with the Sweetwater County commissioners. Wendling has avoided the same pitfalls that Kolb and West have stumbled on. Perception has a lot to do with if a candidate will get re-elected or not. Sure, West, Kolb and the other commissioners have a lot to be proud of, but if voters dont like how they conduct business, they will find other people to do the job. The election returns say it all. Brexit v Peter Gouldstone: Lets blame Remainers for granny bashing gone mainstream The tabloids are tucking into the brutal attack on Peter Gouldstone, a 98-year-old beaten by burglars at his home in Bounds Green, North London. The burglars one or two; Mr Gouldstone cannot be certain how many people brutalised him in his own home took a telly (estimated value: 50) and some other personal possessions. The Mirror leads with a question: WHAT HAVE WE BECOME? We? Us? Me and you? We didnt change into violent thugs. Wed like the sods caught and punished. Wed like Mr Gouldstone to make a speedy recovery. Wed like more people to check on their elderly neighbours. Wed like more respect for the aged. And, no, no-one has yet blamed Brexit for this crime but lets not let the opportunity pass. If racist incidents can be pinned on Brexit, why not crimes against the aged? Did granny-bashing go mainstream when the older (and wiser) voted for Brexit? The novelist Ian McEwan said Breix was secured by a gang of angry old men whod soon be dead, blessedly. He calculated: By 2019 the country could be in a receptive mood: 2.5 million over-18-year-olds, freshly franchised and mostly Remainers; 1.5 million oldsters, mostly Brexiters, freshly in their graves. Lord Heseltine was totting up the bodies. Of course what you then find is that every year a serious number of elderly people die who are Brexiteers, he told LBC. Their place is taken by a group of younger people who are pro-European. So I dont believe that there is a majority anymore, so if we have all this talk of democracy lets put it to work. Alastair Campbell said its time the youth was heard on Brexit. Esquire magazines voice of reason noted that some of the oldest and whitest people on the planet leapt at a chance to vote against the monsters in their heads. GQ broadcast the argument for a total ban on anyone of retirement age voting in the EU referendum We take pensioners driving licences away why not their right to vote? The wrinkly bastards stitched us young uns up good and proper on Thursday, wrote Times critic Giles Coren. We should cut them off. Rewrite the franchise to start at 16 and end at 60 and do this thing all over again. And we can identify which oldies to deride by asking them one question: Vat did you do in der var?: And dont go telling me that we owe at least a debt of respect to the elderly. Respect for what? Dont confuse the elderly of today with the elderly of the recent past. This lot did not fight a war (not many of them). They didnt free us from the yoke of tyranny. They didnt live in modesty and hardship and hunger so that future generations might thrive. They just enjoyed high employment, good pay, fat benefits, enormous pension privileges, international travel, the birth of pop music and lashings of free sex. We dont owe them a thing. The Sun says Peter Gouldstone is a war hero. Best he wear his war medals from now on so the righteous, fair-minded youth and their middle-aged enablers can identify which oldies to hate. And on it went. TV presenter James Corden chimed: I cant get my head around whats happening in Britain. Im so sorry to the youth of Britain. I fear youve been let down today. The Daily Record offered: The generation aged between 18 and 30 have been done precious few favours by the ballot-box activities of their elders. They have inherited international uncertainty, low wages, zero-hour contracts, and a political system which, at times, looks broken beyond repair. Louise Ridley told Huffington Post readers, the young had been screwed by older generations. I saw this older couple in the street and just felt this sudden, enormous wave of fury towards them and their generation. It was almost physical, said a knowing Guardian writer. Owen Jones wanted the young to ring your grandparents and tell them to vote Labour. The old, bigoted enemy within ruined the world. Get the old! Ageism is good. Maybe Peter Gouldstones ordeal has nothing to do with Brexit. Maybe the people who attacked Peter Gouldstone have no-one to blame but themselves. Maybe broken bones are not the same as harsh words, and equating physical violence and offensive language is wrong; to claim that a speaker or writer can be held directly responsible for the actions of others infantilises the listeners. Maybe just maybe each of us is an individual who just account for their own actions. Lets not give the bastards who attacked Peter Goulstone any excuse. It wasnt us. It was them. Anorak Posted: 8th, November 2018 | In: Key Posts, News Comment | TrackBack | Permalink (ANSA) - Brussels, November 8 - The European Commission on Thursday revised its forecasts for Italy's budget deficit to 2.9% of GDP in 2019 and 3.1% in 2020. This was because, it said, of expensive measures in the 2019 budget including a basic income, reform of the Fornero pension reform, and public investments, all of which, the EC said, "will significantly increase spending". The EC said the figures do not take into account the so-called safeguard clauses, that is a VAT hike, given its "systematic sterilisation" by successive governments. The Commission said in its autumn forecasts that Italy's public debt would "remain stable around 131% (of GDP) throughout all the period of the forecasts, that is from 2018 to 2020. This was due, it said, to the "deterioration of the deficit, united with the risks of lower growth". European Commission Vice President for the Euro Valdis Dombrovskis said "uncertainty and risks, both internal and external, are on the rise and are beginning to weigh on the pace of economic activity". Italy's planned efforts to boost growth could "prove to be less effective" than hoped, the EC said. The Commission said they could have "a lower impact on growth". The EC said that Italian growth would lag the rest of the eurozone, as it has done for the last few years - contrary to optimistic government forecasts of stronger growth. As well, the EC said, a higher bond-yield spread with Germany could pose risks to Italian banks. The revised deficit forecasts, compared to the government's estimate of 2.4% next year, could change if the 2019 budget does, European Economic Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici said. "Our forecasts differ from the government's, because of our growth forecasts, which are more conservative, and spending forecasts that are higher in particular for the higher spending on interest," he said. "These forecasts are made on the basis of the Budgetary Planning Document received on October 16, but the situation could be different when the answer comes" from the Italian government, he said. The government must reply by November 13 to the EC's letter asking for a revised package due to an "unprecedented" deviation from the Stability and Growth Pact. photo: Dombrovskis (R) with Economic Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici. The European Commission is painting unrealistic scenarios on Italian public accounts with its forecasts of budget deficits of 2.9% next year and 3.1% in 2020, Premier Giuseppe Conte said Thursday. The EC forecasts, he said "underestimate the positive impact of our budget and our structural reforms," he said. "We are going forward with our forecasts on public accounts, on growth that will rise and on the debt and deficit that will fall. "There are no premises to call into question the soundness and sustainability of our forecasts. "For this reason we deem absolutely unrealistic any other type of scenario on Italian public accounts." He added that Italy was "not a problem" for the EU and would contribute to European growth. GREENWICH UPDATED WEDNESDAY 10:30 PM Greenwich Republicans are angry over an election night remark made by a Democratic candidate late on election night. Laura Kostin, who lost her bid to unseat Republican state Rep. Fred Camillo in the 151st District, took to the microphone at the Democratic Town Committees gathering Tuesday to congratulate fellow Democrat Stephen Meskers for defeating Michael Bocchino in the 150th House District. In doing so she took a shot at the incumbent Republican. I have never been more excited to congratulate a wonderful candidate on defeating such a douche, Kostin said, getting loud laughter and applause from the small crowd still present. Kostin immediately joked that she was sorry for the remark and that DTC Chair Tony Turner said I was classy (but) he hasnt known me that long. Her remarks came after most of the crowd had gone home. But they were recorded by local media and posted online. Bocchino said it was a sad statement that Greenwich Democrats wanted Kostin to represent them and said there was no place for that kind of language in local politics. I think she should resign from the RTM and any other capacity she is serving the town, Bocchino said. But Kostin said she would not resign from the towns Representative Town Meeting. Right now, Im focused on putting this election behind me, she said. First Selectman Peter Tesei also demanded action from Kostin, though he did not call for her to resign from the RTM. "Ms. Kostin must publicly apologize to Mr. Bocchino and his family, as well as to the Greenwich residents whose support she sought and received," Tesei said. "Politics aside, this type of insensitive, uncivil discourse is what this town has not and will not tolerate. I, for one, am glad that Ms. Kostin will not be a voice for Greenwich in our state legislature." Kostin and Bocchino have clashed in the past even though they were not running against each other. At the League of Women Voters debate in October, when all four of the state representative candidates were on the stage at the same time, Kostin was asked a question about national politics. Bocchino interrupted her to say that their races were about the state of Connecticut. Kostin chastised Bocchino for the interruption, telling him, Youre not the moderator of the debate. Bocchino responded by saying, Just reminding you what were running for. On Wednesday, Kostin cited that exchange in her response to the criticism. I will not be bullied by Mike Bocchino during a debate, during a political run or any other time, she said. Camillo also weighed in, calling Kostins comment one of the most classless things Ive ever seen. In 10 years of running for office, Ive never seen that, especially here, Camillo said. We pride ourselves on usually having civil debate here in Greenwich. And what really upset me about that wasnt just what she said, but that you could see people applauding and cheering when she said it. I hope she will call Mike up and apologize. Mike is a family man with two young children, and hes given most of his life, not just by running for office but through volunteering, to the town of Greenwich. Those who cheered the comment should be ashamed, he said. In September, Kostin criticized Board of Human Services member Jeffrey Medina when the RTM was considering his reappointment to a new term. She called out comments Medina had made on social media that heavily criticized liberals and others who disagreed with him politically. At the time, Kostin called for better vetting of candidates for town boards and commissions and said people should expect to be held accountable for our words. Ultimately, Medina was reappointed to the board as RTM members said he deserved another chance. Medina was one of the Republicans criticizing Kostins comments about Bocchino. Bocchino noted that and said it was ironic given Kostins past criticism of Medina. Tesei brought Medina up as well, saying he and the other members of the Board of Selectmen had considered the fallout a teachable moment about civil discourse in public comments. "It is apparent that that teachable moment was lost on Ms. Kostin, a former journalist," Tesei said. "On Election Night she resorted to using a caustic, vulgar and insensitive word to characterize Republican state Representative Mike Bocchino, a father, a husband and selfless, dedicated community leader. Ms. Kostin does not practice what she preaches." Before Kostin spoke Tuesday night, Meskers had praised Bocchino for his call to concede the race. And he repeated that praise Wednesday, saying Bocchino had been gracious and willing to help. In regard to Kostins comment, Meskers said it should be taken with a grain of salt especially after the long campaign. I wouldnt want to judge someone on what they said during the heat of the moment, Meskers said. kborsuk@greenwichtime.com GREENWICH The young, graduating women wore white and cradled flowers in a 1942 portrait of Goucher Colleges May Court. For two of them, life would change forever with just two questions. Do you like crossword puzzles? Are you engaged to be married? The women who answered Yes to the first and No to the second would later become the code-breakers who shortened the United States involvement in World War II by one year and saved countless lives. But no one knew about them at the time. The government had sworn them to secrecy. The Goucher women and others like them tell their stories for the first time in Code Girls, the book Greenwich Reads Together chose for 2018. Award-winning author and former journalist Liza Mundy captivated her audience at the Cole Auditorium of the Greenwich Library Wednesday night as she told listeners about her book, the culminating event in a series of community programs based on the work. World War II was a moment of what we would now call inclusion, Mundy said. It was a moment where we needed all hands on deck. Code Girls is part of a trend in books and movies that tell stories of important minority involvement in American history. Mundy referenced Code Talkers, the story of Navajo Indians recruited by the Marines to develop an unbreakable code that clinched American victories in the South Pacific, and Hidden Figures, about the African-American women who were the brains behind launching astronaut John Glenn into space during the Space Race. I think theres a new receptivity to the role these groups played in U.S. history, Mundy said. Mundy explained the prejudices facing women who yearned for higher education in a culture fixated on marriage, and how code-breaking offered to women the chance to deviate from the mold and serve their country. A lot of people think that war is just for men, Greenwich Academy sixth-grader Mairin Anderson said after the talk. If every single person in the world could read this book, it would change the whole worlds view of women. Anderson read Code Girls, and later learned the library recommended middle schoolers read Mundys version for young readers. She is glad she opted for the advanced level, however, even though it took her a long time and she did not understand some parts. These 10,000 women got so far with no one knowing at all how this war has been affected by them, she said. The women who comprised more than half of Americas code-breaking forces never received any credit after the war. Congress recognized a group of code-breaking men soon after the war, effectively writing women out of history, Mundy said. The government prevented the women from talking long after it declassified memos with information about their contributions because it never told them they could speak up. No one bothered to tell them that they could tell anyone, Anderson marveled. She was not the only member of the packed audience captivated by Mundys talk. Shes an amazing speaker, said attendee Lori Jackson, who was delighted by the small connections between her life and those of the characters in Code Girls. Her mother graduated during the time of books setting, 1943, and Jackson attended Chatham Hall, a private school in the same town as Chatham High School, where one of the code breakers taught. The societal expectations the code girls faced, such as earning an Mrs. Degree during college, feel so remote, she said. History seems so short when looking at it from this side, she said. jo.kroeker@hearstmediact.com JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - As cars clogged the parking lot outside Highlands Public Library, Tony Maxwell was certain his state was on the cusp of electing Florida's first black governor. "It's nice to see black people doing something early," said Maxwell, 53, an African-American retired naval officer, voting two days before Election Day. Gillum's candidacy elicited an excitement on Jacksonville's predominantly black north side that was unseen since the election of Barack Obama as president. "When we vote, we win," was one of Gillum's trademark phrases, and Maxwell and his friends believed it. They voted. Still, their candidate lost. Democrats in Florida and Georgia awoke Wednesday feeling a complicated mix of emotions after two rising black political stars and would-be governors appeared to fall painfully short of victory. That pain was even more acute in African-American communities, which sought to show how powerful they could be as a voting bloc in a divisive political period. There was deep disappointment, of course, and in some cases defiance and anger, over racist attacks had targeted both black candidate, and, at times, hope that perhaps important lessons were learned for future candidacies. "He ran a good race, but I don't think we'll see the last of him," Maxwell said Wednesday. "All I can do is continue to push how important it is for young people to vote. We have to get there." In some ways, Gillum, 39, the mayor of Tallahassee, and Stacey Abrams, 44, a longtime Georgia state lawmaker, represented two of the Democratic Party's biggest letdowns of Tuesday's elections. Both received help from former President Barack Obama and other African-American figures in the final days. That support included an Abrams town hall hosted by Oprah Winfrey. The efforts helped spark unusually high turnout - but it wasn't enough. Abrams and her supporters were defiant Wednesday, accusing Georgia Republicans of seeking to suppress the black vote. Her campaign held out hope that ongoing counting of absentee and provisional ballots would narrow the lead of Republican Brian Kemp enough to force a runoff - though by late in the day Wednesday, Kemp still remained above the 50-percent threshold. Kemp, who as secretary of state presides over Georgia's election system, declared victory late in the day. Georgia election officials' actions had been "either incompetence or corruption or both," said longtime civil rights leader the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who had campaigned for Abrams and Gillum in the closing days of the campaigns. He said it was inexcusable that at several polling sites in Atlanta, including at Morehouse College, not enough machines were provided, resulting in hours-long waits to vote. Jackson said Abrams is right to protest the results. "There's nothing honorable about being robbed. It's not something you do with dignity and compliance," Jackson said. "When you're robbed, you should cry out, and she's crying out, and she deserves support." Felicia Davis, an activist in Forest Park, just outside Atlanta, said she was dismayed by the voting problems but took solace in the large turnout by African Americans in Florida and Georgia. She also pointed to the candidacy of Democrat Ben Jealous, a former NAACP leader, who lost his bid for Maryland governor on Tuesday. "In these two candidates, in Abrams and Gillum, and even Ben Jealous, they are young," she said. "To come this close, if they stay in, they're going to be winners." Another Abrams supporter, Brandi Underwood, said the candidate deserves a recount, but she felt that regardless of the outcome, the campaign was in some ways a success. "Even if she loses, it's like, wow, there is a Democratic presence in Georgia, whether they want to acknowledge it or not," said Underwood, 30, a stay-at-home mom and communications director for a local church who lives in suburban Augusta. Gillum's loss was something of a shock to some. He had been leading Republican Ron DeSantis in several polls, and anticipation was building among liberals nationwide that he would make history in a state that had backed President Donald Trump and had not elected a Democratic governor since 1994. After all, Florida had also backed Obama twice, proof that the state could vote for a black candidate. Instead, Gillum's narrow loss prompted soul-searching among Flrorida Democrats, who wondered whether the candidate might have done more to mobilize voters in liberal South Florida - or if, in his quest to energize the liberal base, he failed to connect with the broader, multiethnic coalition that had lifted Obama. "We were so close," said Florida Senate Minority Leader Audrey Gibson, whose district includes the north side of Jacksonville. "What could we have done to drive out more votes? I don't know. I don't know what we could have done to make a difference." It is also possible, Gibson said, that Gillum's candidacy had energized voters who were uneasy about having a black governor. "The coalition that does not vote by race, the one that elected Obama, is not falling apart, but the people who do vote by race is coming out," she said. "I hate to say that, but that's what's happening in this country." Even before the polls closed Tuesday, there were small signs that Gillum was not reaching everyone. Maxwell knocked on the door of his next-door neighbor. He had been badgering the 18-year-old high school dropout to ride with him to the polls. The young man told Maxwell he did not have a state ID and had no intention of getting one. "Voting doesn't change anything," he told Maxwell. "I don't know how to get through to him," Maxwell said afterward. The Gillum campaign planned to win Florida with a two-prong strategy. He would harness the energy among black voters about the possibility of a historic election in the urban counties, while gathering support of nonvoters and conservatives who are uneasy with the negative tone and divisions in politics. On the day before the election, Gillum's campaign bus skipped the liberal bastions in south Florida and rolled past the Old Country Store and Hickory Hill Auctions in rural Madison County, where Trump got 57 percent of the vote in 2016. Fifty-nine percent of the county is white, according to census data, and 40 percent is black. An overwhelmingly African-American crowd of hundreds waited in a pavilion that evening to see Gillum. The local Democratic Party fired up the grill and made hamburgers. "An-Drew! An-Drew! An-Drew!" voters shouted as their children climbed on a monument dedicated to Confederate soldiers. "No one ever thinks about coming to a place like this and asking us to vote," said Mary Ealy Stephens, 62, a registered nurse, who is black. "So it shows that he knows our lives matter." Gillum barely mentioned possibly being the state's first black governor - the "obvious history," he called it - and noted that one of his last stops in the campaign was before a memorial to those who fought in the Civil War on the side of states that owned slaves. "How poetic is that?" he said. Courtney Cooper, 36, was the type of resident that the Gillum campaign hoped to attract: an independent Trump voter who has grown concerned about the president's bullying tone. But she ended up voting for DeSantis, partially because she wanted to see an end to racial divisions. In Cooper's eyes, tensions between races in Madison only worsened after Obama's election in 2008. Black neighbors just started seeing everything differently, she said. They seemed consumed with Obama as the first black president and less concerned about how he was affecting the economy in Florida. "That trickled down to everything," Cooper said. "Now everyone is so worried about the other race." She said she felt that a vote for Gillum, who had accused DeSantis of using a racist slur after he warned Florida voters on TV not to "monkey up" the state, would worsen those tensions. Back on the north side of Jacksonville, Florida, Bridget Waters and a friend sat outside Waters' home, where Waters said she was relieved that the voting was over. "I threw out a garbage bag full of mail about the election," she said. "People had been chasing me on my phone for weeks." The hectoring worked: She voted in her first midterm election in more than a decade. She acknowledged that she didn't know much about Gillum but cited two major factors in her support for him. "I knew he was black," she said. "I also knew I didn't like Trump, and Republicans have to be stopped. They are trying to take away food stamps and my disability. How will I eat?" As Waters spoke, her friend, Ieisha Rogers, 40, fiddled on her cellphone. "I stay out of politics," Rogers said. "Nothing ever changes." "If you don't vote, you can't complain," Waters said. "They say voting changes things." "I can't, anyway, because I'm a felon," Rogers responded. Waters also then told her about the amendment to return voting rights to those with criminal records. Rogers put down her phone. "Really?" she said. "That might change my mind." In what many have called the Year of the Woman, female candidates in Connecticut caused some of the biggest upsets in General Assembly races on Tuesday. In three of the five races in which Senate incumbents lost their seats, women running for office for the first time were victorious. In five of the 11 House races in which incumbents lost, female candidates triumphed. I felt like women played a huge role in this election, said Democrat Julie Kushner, a former labor leader who defeated state Sen. Michael McLachlan in Danbury. Women are going to take the lead and be at the forefront of the change we bring to Hartford. Women were not only behind upsets, they also won open seats in high numbers. Of 25 open seats for the House and Senate, 10 were claimed by females. These wins mean when the General Assembly reconvenes in January, 62 state legislators will be women, 10 more than now. I didnt realize until getting into the race that our legislature is only 27 percent women, said Lucy Dathan of New Canaan, who unseated Rep. Fred Wilms of Norwalk, becoming the first Democrat to ever win in the 142nd House District. That was really shocking to me. When I saw that, I said, Hey actually we are 51 percent of the population. We need to be better represented. We need to stand up. Victories by women were also key to helping Democrats secure majorities in the House and Senate. Of the 17 new female candidates who won seats Tuesday, 15 were Democrats. Democrat Alex Bergstein defeated Republican state Sen. Scott Frantz on Tuesday, claiming a Senate seat that covers Greenwich and parts of Stamford and New Canaan and has not been represented by a Democrat since 1930. To me this race was not about gender, said Bergstein, who founded a gender equality nonprofit called Parity Partnership. It is about a new style of leadership that is more inclusive and collaborative and productive. Thats the reason I did this. Thats the reason I will continue to do this. Kathy Kennedy of Milford was one of two Republican women to win an open House seat. I hope (women) can be a voice of some reason and bring us together, that we can work in a bipartisan manner, said Kennedy, who will represent the 119th District in January. Im not saying men cant do it. Its just something were not used to yet, but hopefully we are getting more and more comfortable with women being in highly elected positions. At the state level, Susan Bysiewicz, Democratic lieutenant governor-elect, and two-term Secretary of the State Denise Merrill won office Tuesday. Republicans also had two women on their statewide ticket. The surge of women in Connecticut politics is part of a national trend. In the midterms, women broke records by winning 100 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, with votes still being counted Thursday. That number includes Democrat Jahana Hayes who triumped in Connecticuts 5th District, who is the first black woman to represent the state in Congress. Women in the General Assembly 2018 Total: 52/187 Senate Democrats: 7 Senate Republicans: 2 House Democrats: 21 House Republicans: 22 2019 Total: 62/187 Senate Democrats: 10 Senate Republicans: 1 House Democrats: 29 House Republicans: 22 Source: Office of Legislative Management, Secretary of the State's office See More Collapse Twelve women won U.S. Senate races and nine women won gubernatorial bids. Across the country, women were on the ballot in record numbers. The women who won in Connecticut are not uniform. Democrat Mary Abrams, who defeated Sen. Len Suzio in Meriden and Middletown, is a retired special education teacher. A social worker at the Bridgeport-based Jewish Senior Services, Democrat Anne Hughes of Easton won over state Rep. Adam Dunsby. Democrat Maria Horn, a former federal prosecutor from Salisbury, squeezed a narrow victory over Republican state Rep. Brian Ohler. Democrat Patricia Wilson Pheanious was the commissioner of the Department of Social Services under the Gov. John Rowland administration and defeated Republican State Rep. Samuel Belsito of Tolland on Tuesday. They also hold different ideas on what priorities the state should pursue first, ranging from paid family leave and environmental initiatives, to a state Medicare-for-all plan, to cutting taxes and funding opioid interventions. I think we need to come up with a financial strategy, a plan for Connecticut, something that is not reactionary like a budget, said Dathan, a 25-year financial executive. Some of the female winners participated in the Womens March in Washington after President Donald Trumps inauguration in 2017. Many were united by the fact that they were first time candidates. Im not sure my feet have quite touched the ground yet, Kennedy said. emunson@hearstmediact.com; Twitter: @emiliemunson The Android platform nowadays can be seen running on multiple devices, not only on smartphones. And naturally, with the push of flexible smartphones, Google is adding support for that form factor and it's gearing up for the future. No wonder Samsung and Google were working together creating the new One UI for Samsung's phones. For now, Android developers are focusing on the two-screen and the one-screen devices as shown in the .gif below. Either way, Android will strive for the so-called continuity so that the content transitions from the folded screen to the unfolded state without interrupting. Watching a video can be one of those things. The blog post also mentions that more than one manufacturer is looking into creating flexible phones. Aside from Samsung, other makers such as Huawei, LG, Xiaomi, Oppo, Lenovo and Motorola are all said to be working on a version of their own and the new handsets will start pouring as early as next year. There are other interesting changes that await Android developers and if you are interested, you should check out the source link below. Source (ANSA) - Brussels, November 8 - The European Commission on Thursday revised its forecasts for Italy's budget deficit to 2.9% of GDP in 2019 and 3.1% in 2020. This was because, it said, of expensive measures in the 2019 budget including a basic income, reform of the Fornero pension reform, and public investments, all of which, the EC said, "will significantly increase spending". The EC said the figures do not take into account the so-called safeguard clauses, that is a VAT hike, given its "systematic sterilisation" by successive governments. The Commission said in its autumn forecasts that Italy's public debt would "remain stable around 131% (of GDP) throughout all the period of the forecasts, that is from 2018 to 2020. This was due, it said, to the "deterioration of the deficit, united with the risks of lower growth". European Commission Vice President for the Euro Valdis Dombrovskis said "uncertainty and risks, both internal and external, are on the rise and are beginning to weigh on the pace of economic activity". Italy's planned efforts to boost growth could "prove to be less effective" than hoped, the EC said. The Commission said they could have "a lower impact on growth". The EC said that Italian growth would lag the rest of the eurozone, as it has done for the last few years - contrary to optimistic government forecasts of stronger growth. As well, the EC said, a higher bond-yield spread with Germany could pose risks to Italian banks. The revised deficit forecasts, compared to the government's estimate of 2.4% next year, could change if the 2019 budget does, European Economic Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici said. "Our forecasts differ from the government's, because of our growth forecasts, which are more conservative, and spending forecasts that are higher in particular for the higher spending on interest," he said. "These forecasts are made on the basis of the Budgetary Planning Document received on October 16, but the situation could be different when the answer comes" from the Italian government, he said. The government must reply by November 13 to the EC's letter asking for a revised package due to an "unprecedented" deviation from the Stability and Growth Pact. photo: Dombrovskis (R) with Economic Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici One of four Mate 20 models announced by Huawei at its special event last month is the Mate 20 RS Porsche Design, and this has the honor of being by far the most expensive of the bunch. We've already seen it go up for pre-order in the UK with an expected shipping date of November 16. Today the company itself has unveiled the official release date for the smartphone in its home market of China. If you've saved up the cash, know that you'll find the Mate 20 RS Porsche Design in stock in its online store on November 17 at 10:08 AM. It's priced at CNY 12,999, which roughly translates into $1,874 or 1,649. What you get for that amount of cash is the Porsche Design logo on the back, which is two thirds leather and one third glass. It has a 6.39-inch 1440x3120 AMOLED touchscreen, the Kirin 980 chipset, 8GB of RAM, 256 or 512GB of storage (expandable via Nano Memory cards), and a 4,200 mAh battery. It runs Android 9 Pie underneath Huawei's EMUI 9.0. On the back there's a triple camera system with one 40 MP sensor, one 20 MP ultrawide lens, and an 8 MP telephoto lens. If you're interested in this device, take a peek at our hands-on review. Via Haiti - Agriculture : The national production of rice does not exceed 25% of the needs ! This week Jobert C. Angrand, the Minister of Agriculture has proceeded to the installation of agronomist Jocelyn Jean as the new Director General of the Development Agency of the Valley of Artibonite (ODVA). In his speech, Jean Jocelyn recalled the importance of the Valley of Artibonite on the agricultural level. "Of the 70,000 hectares of irrigated land in the country, 32,000 are located in the Valley of Artibonite. Considering the small irrigated perimeters, 55% of the irrigated land in the country, ie 44,000 hectares are in this department [...]" To address the problems related to the sustainable increase in rice production in the Artibonite Valley, Jean stressed the need for reform within the ODVA and the obligation to support farmers in providing agricultural inputs. In addition, he hoped that the Government would give ODVA the necessary means to fulfill its mission. For his part, Minister Angrand quoted some statistical data from the rice sector to expose to the new Director the challenges "Annual consumption of rice is around 520,000 metric tons, yet national production is only 120,000 metric tons [...] With an average price of $450 per tonne, excluding transportation and insurance costs, these imports represent $180 million per year, which represents a significant burden on Haiti's trade balance," encouraging new Director General to work towards better targeting of groups and work areas and to achieve better synergy between partners' actions for better coordination of rice production programs. To increase rice production, the Minister advocates a redesign and revitalization of the ODVA. He encourages Jocelyn Jean to maintain good relations with local authorities, parliamentarians of Artibonite, other ministries, including the Ministry of Public Works, the Ministry of Economy, NGOs, donors, farmers' organizations and other partners to discuss issues and work together to find appropriate and sustainable solutions. See also: https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23775-haiti-agriculture-support-project-for-rice-producers-of-artibonite.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23537-haiti-agriculture-distribution-of-52-additional-tractors-in-the-artibonite.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22435-haiti-politics-jovenel-moise-distributes-48-tractors-to-12-cooperatives.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23346-haiti-agriculture-jovenel-gives-40-rice-mills-to-farmers-of-artibonite.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23088-haiti-news-zapping.html HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Social : No pretext no limit Within the framework of its mandate and taking into account its exit strategy aimed at a gradual transfer of responsibilities to the Haitian Government and development actors, the United Nations Mission for the Support of Justice in Haiti (Minujusth) through its human rights section through its Community Violence Reduction (CVR) projects, supported the project "No pretext no limit" presented by the organization "Union of Women with Reduced Mobility of Haiti" (UFMORH) and launched at the end of October. This project, which will be implemented in Cap-Haitien and Port-au-Prince over a period of 6 months, aims to promote respect for human rights and the inclusion of people with reduced mobility. It aims specifically at strengthening the capacity of the UFMORH regional office in Cap-Haitien, enabling it to play its full role for the benefit of women and men with disabilities in the North department. It will also allow a better perception of the population in relation to women and men with disabilities, through awareness-raising and training. The project will reach 40 direct beneficiaries including 10 men and 30 women. To achieve this goal, awareness-raising meetings will be held for women, parents of persons with disabilities, representatives of human rights organizations and organizations of women with and without disabilities. Media awareness and promotion campaigns for the inclusion of people with disabilities will also be carried out as well as a roundtable discussion on the issue of exclusion of women and women's groups in the feminist movement. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Bahamas : 4 Haitians arrested, accused of conspiracy and visa fraud After an investigation started in October 2016, for fraud against VISA in the Bahamas, the US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), uncovered a corruption network between senior Bahamas immigration officials and a so-called Justice of the Peace for a long-term fraudulent work permit. In addition, the FBI paid nearly $50,000 to three Haitian nationals to participate as informants in a clandestine covert operation that led to the arrest and indictment of four Haitians (Kevin Desir, Johnlee Paul, Edna St Fleur and a fourth person whose identity is confidential) living in the Bahamas and Bahamian Pauline Pratt and Pauline Johnson face charges of conspiracy and visa fraud. Edward Israel Saintil a Bahamian suspected of being the leader of the network holding a Bahamian passport and a Haitian passport was arrested last September in the District of Columbia (USA) during a trap set by the FBI while he came to collect 14,000 US dollars to smuggle a Haitian national into the country and organize a marriage with a US citizen. SL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... Ti Manman cheri" : No mother "zombie" The Economic and Social Assistance Fund (FAES) has purged the list of 120,000 mothers benefiting from the program "Ti Manman cheri", for the moment, some 57,930 vouchers were delivered. On November 30, vouchers not delivered by Unitransfert will be returned to the FAES to be returned to the Treasury pending the enlistment of other mothers in need whose children are in school, said Chatelier Charles Ernst the Director General who said that there were no "zombie" mothers in the program. Consulate Orlando Notice The Consulate of the Republic of Haiti in Orlando informs the Haitian community of Central Florida that the payment of services requested at the consulate will be made exclusively by "money order" from Thursday, November 8, 2018. PetroCaribe : Lamothe and Bellerive convened Government Commissioner Clame Ocnam Dameus extended a new invitation to former Prime Minister Laurent S. Lamothe https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25923-haiti-petrocaribe-laurent-lamothe-did-not-show-up-at-the-prosecutor-s-office.html as part of the open investigation into the management of PetroCaribe funds. He is expected at the public prosecutor's office at 1:30 pm on Friday. Former Prime Minister Jean Max Bellerive (under Preval and Martelly) is also expected the same day. Increase in fuel prices, the Government contradicts itself While Ronald G. Decembre, the Minister of Finance spoke this week of a future Fuel Price Adjustment https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26037-haiti-economy-the-budget-deficit-2017-2018-a-sinkhole-close-to-26-billion.html Eddy J. Alexis the Secretary of State for Communication ensures that there will be no increase on fuel prices under the Government of Ceant... Prohibited workers demonstrations The protests planned for November 5-7 by the Haitian Autonomous Workers' Union (CATH) to demand a minimum wage of 1,000 gourdes have been banned by the Departmental Directorate of the West (DDO) of the National Police of Haiti (PNH) which justifies its decision by explaining that Boulevard Toussaint Louvertute is not a place conducive to demonstrations. Fignole Saint-Cyr the Secretary General of CATH deplores this decision and promises protests in the form of work stoppage in factories... Tabling of the Elections Act, postponed Contrary to the announcement of the Government, the draft electoral law was not tabled on Wednesday in the Senate of the Republic for security reasons. The tabling of the document should not be done until next week, the President of the Senate having asked the Director General of Police to take measures to strengthen the security in the area of the Parliament at bicentenary. HL/ HaitiLibre Benachrichtigung aktivieren Durfen wir Sie in Ihrem Browser uber die wichtigsten Nachrichten des Handelsblatts informieren? Sie erhalten 2-5 Meldungen pro Tag. Fast geschafft Erlauben Sie handelsblatt.com Ihnen Benachrichtigungen zu schicken. Dies konnen Sie in der Meldung Ihres Browsers bestatigen. (ANSA) - Novi Ligure, November 8 - Chocolate maker Pernigotti said Thursday it plans "to externalise its productive activities solely on national territory". It said it was looking for "industrial partners in Italy, to whom to entrust the production, in accordance with the aim of trying to relocate the maximum number of staff involved with firms operating in the same sector, or third parties". It said "the company is already talking to some major Italian companies in the confectionery sector". The mayor of Novi Ligure near Alessandria on Wednesday voiced his opposition to the closure of the main plant of the loss-making historic local chocolate maker. Rocchino Muliere said the decision was "absurd and unacceptable". Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have identified the ion channel known as Kv1.2 as a new target for reducing certain Fragile X syndrome (FXS) symptoms. The research team, led by Dr. Lu-Yang Wang, Senior Scientist in Neurosciences & Mental Health at SickKids, found that these Kv1.2 channels are receptive to DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid commonly found in fish oils. The interaction between Kv1.2 and DHA has therapeutic potential for patients with FXS. Wang and co-authors, Drs. Yi-Mei Yang and Jason Arsenault published their findings in Molecular Psychiatry. FXS is the most common type of genetic intellectual disorder, and shares some behavioural traits with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). FXS symptoms include repetitive behaviour, intellectual disability, shyness, limited eye contact and memory problems. In some cases, FXS can also cause seizures. These symptoms are life-long and can range from mild to severe. FXS is caused when there are low levels of the Fragile Mental Retardation Protein (FMRP), which is a type of protein that is essential for cognitive development. The lab team found that DHA can compensate for lowered levels of FMRP in FXS. This could ultimately reduce certain Fragile X symptoms such as social interaction deficits. This study focused on the cerebellum, an area of the brain that is often overlooked in ASD research. The cerebellum is a part of the brain that is largely responsible for motor movements, including several that are involved in social interaction such as eye contact and language. Low levels of FMRP cause excessive inhibition of neurons in the cerebellum. Wangs lab discovered that FMRP regulates the release of GABA neurotransmitters, which are responsible for making neurons less electrically excitable. FMRP regulates GABA release by directly interacting with the Kv1.2 ion channels, which are valves on the membranes of neurons that open and close to allow the passage of potassium ions. These channels regulate the excitability of nerve endings to control GABA release. FXS patients have lower levels of FMRP, resulting in a decrease of Kv1.2 channels. This causes too much GABA to release, increasing inhibition in the brain. This is the first time this new FMRP function has been identified. In Figure A, there are enriched Kv1.2 ion channels at GABA nerve endings, compared to Figure B, which shows a specific decrease of Kv1.2 channels. Less Kv1.2 channels, due to lower levels of FMRP, cause an overabundant release of GABA, which causes inhibition in the brain. In addition to revealing a new function of FMRP, Wangs lab discovered a compelling interaction between DHA and Kv1.2 ion channels. DHA is a fatty acid that is commonly found in omega-3 fish oils and is recommended as a supplement to support neurodevelopment. It was found to increase channel activity in Kv1.2 channels when FMRP levels are low. This inhibits GABA release and reverses behavioural deficits caused by low levels of FMRP. This interaction helps keep the neural networks of the brain balanced between inhibition and excitation. A majority of neurological and psychiatric disorders result from an imbalance of excitation and inhibition in the brains neural networks. This balance is really the yin and yang of the brain state, says Wang, who is also a Professor in the Department of Physiology at the University of Toronto. Excitation is important to keep the brain awake and attentive but too much can lead to seizures. Inhibition refers to the brain state being less active or sedated, for example during sleep or anaesthesia. This study shows why such an imbalance exists in the cerebellum of patients with FXS and how DHA, a nutritional supplement, has the potential to reinstate the balance by acting on Kv1.2. The research identifies Kv1.2 as an entirely new molecular site that can be targeted by drugs or gene therapy in the future and the findings indicate the possibility of DHA being recommended for improving select FXS symptoms. Wangs team is now conducting a larger study to precisely determine the effects of DHA in animal models and screen for new drug candidates to target Kv1.2 channels. They are also looking to expand the scope of their study by using DHA supplements in the treatment of children with FXS. This research was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Canada Foundation for Innovation, start-up fund from University of Minnesota, the SickKids Centre for Brain & Mental Health Chase an Idea grant and the SickKids Foundation. This is an example of how SickKids is making Ontario Healthier, Wealthier and Smarter (www.healthierwealthiersmarter.com). The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) When it comes to furniture, we Irish are a lazy lot, favouring the day bed as our top pick from furniture store Ikea. The Swedish company ann-ounced yesterday that sales in Ireland grew 7.4pc in the company's last financial year, to 181.5m. Prolonged record temperatures during the summer had a big hand in soaring revenues, and outdoor furniture was the biggest area of growth in Ikea Ireland, with a total sales increase of 29pc. The best-selling product online was the Hemnes day bed, and the most popular products in store were the white Kallax shelving unit and the white Ribba frame. Despite an impressive performance in Ireland, the company said it had no plans to open any more stores here. It said the recent introduction of online shopping had helped to boost revenues in Ireland. Ikea Ireland market manager Claudia Marshall said the company was focused on investing in its so-called multi-channel approach, meaning online sales as well as physical store sales. Strongly "We have no plans to open additional stores in Ireland at present," she said. Ms Marshall said the online focus "has been a great success and has performed strongly in its first 10 months in operation, giving customers the opportunity to shop with Ikea whenever and wherever they want". Dublin-based online shoppers were the biggest group for volume of online orders on Ikea.ie, followed by Cork, Galway and Kildare. The sales figure covers the financial year to the end of August. The company also said it had been boosted by investment in its two outlets here - the full-sized store in Ballymun and its "order and collection" point in Carrickmines, south Dublin. It said price reductions and the hot summer had also helped. "Ikea's seasonal sales saw a bumper boost, and as a res-ult outdoor furniture was the biggest area of growth in Ikea Ireland this year, with a total sales increase of 29pc," the company said. Joseph OConnor had pleaded not guilty to the charges. Photo: Collins Courts A jury has convicted a garda of possessing images and videos of children being subjected to sexual acts. Joseph O'Connor (58), of west Dublin, had pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to five counts of possessing child pornography at his home on dates between July 30 and August 2, 2011. During a search of his home, gardai investigating other allegations seized a laptop and found videos in its 'recycle bin' depicting boys aged under 10 being subjected to sexual acts. Two videos depicted boys under 17 being subjected to sexual acts with a man. There were also multiple copies of 16 images of children sexually exposed or being subjected to sexual acts. Explicit After a little over two hours of deliberations, the jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on four counts. O'Connor was acquitted of one count dealing with 56 duplicates of two images. However, he was found guilty of possessing the original images, which were found in a computer folder named 'Spanked Boys'. He was also convicted of possessing 15 explicit videos of child sex and possessing 56 images and 42 videos of children being subjected to explicit sexual acts and 41 images of children being sexually exposed. Paul Carroll SC, defending, said O'Connor was a long-term garda and had been suspended since these matters arose. He asked for time for his client to be able to gather reports for the sentence hearing. Judge Elma Sheahan remanded O'Connor on continuing bail to next Monday. After his arrest, O'Connor told gardai that he had never seen the material before and said somebody else must have downloaded the files. He said he believed that a man called Patryk Farrell, who came to his home for sex days before the laptop was seized, had corrupted his computer. Closing the State's case, Alice Fawsitt SC told the jury there was no evidence of any virus on the laptop and no evidence of anything happening to it the weekend before it was seized. Mr Carroll said his client told gardai that hundreds of men had come back to his home for sex and that any of them could freely use his laptop. Counsel said that on the day after they met for sex at O'Connor's home, Mr Farrell texted O'Connor and told him he was bruised and that he was going to gardai and would "destroy" him. O'Connor went to gardai to report that Mr Farrell had stolen his garda ID, handcuffs and cash from his home. Assault During legal argument in the absence of the jury, the court heard that gardai went to O'Connor's home in August 2011 to investigate allegations of assault by Mr Farrell. They seized the laptop in connection with this investigation and subsequently found the illegal images on it. The jury was told that Mr Farrell's allegations were also forwarded to the Garda Ombudsman but Mr Farrell did not co-operate with this investigation and it was dropped. The jury also learned that an investigation by Inspector Colm Fox, who has since died, found there was no basis for the allegations of false imprisonment, rape or sexual assault. In his report, Insp Fox said the injuries alleged by Mr Farrell, who has also since died, were consequences of sexual acts. Ryanair and long-time chief executive Michael O'Leary is being sued in New York by a shareholder. The action said Europe's largest airline defrauded investors and inflated its share price by overstating its ability to manage staff relations and keep costs down. The complaint was filed in the US District Court in Manhattan by an Alabama pension fund, seeking class-action status and damages for investors in Ryanair's American depositary shares from May 30, 2017, to September 28, 2018. Ryanair did not immediately respond to requests for comment yesterday. The complaint said Ryanair misled investors in regulatory filings and conference calls about its labour stability, including "industry leading" contracts with pilots and cabin crews, and its positive impact on operations. It said the truth came out as staff unrest forced the Dublin-based low-cost carrier to recognise unions for the first time last December, and led this summer to costly strikes that stranded thousands of passengers in several countries. "Unbeknownst to investors, the company's historical profit growth was built on an undisclosed and unsustainable foundation of worker exploitation and employee turnover," the complaint said. Fraud "The decline in the price of Ryanair ADSs was the direct result of the nature and extent of defendants' fraud finally being revealed to investors and the market." Ryanair cited labour issues on October 1 when it cut its full-year profit forecast. Its share price closed that day more than one-third below its level in mid-March. Mr O'Leary, Ryanair's chief executive since 1994, said last month that he hoped to reach agreements with all of the carrier's major unions before Christmas. The lawsuit was filed by the City of Birmingham Firemen's and Policemen's Supplemental Pension System. Its law firm, Robbins Geller Rudman and Dowd, specialises in securities fraud. It is common for shareholders to sue companies in the US after what they consider to be unexpected share price drops. In a statement today Ryanair said that it had not received any such documentation. "However these claims are doomed to fail as they have no basis in fact or reality. Ryanair shares are one of the best performing airline shares in 2018, despite significantly higher oil prices and lower fares which are affecting all EU airlines." "Contrary to these invented claims, Ryanair has experienced very little industrial action this year from its staff. Over just eight days (five days of action by just 25pc of Irish pilots, and three days of action by less than 25pc of cabin crew and pilots across five other EU countries) Ryanair continued to operate more than 90pc of its published schedule with minimal customer disruptions." "Most of Ryanairs flight disruptions (like all other EU airlines) this year were caused by ATC strikes and staff shortages, mainly in France, Germany and the UK, which are an industry problem afflicting all EU airlines and their passengers. "Ryanair will vigorously defend and defeat these bogus ambulance chaser claims." Footage shows members of the garda Special Crime Task Force detaining the men in an operation in west Dublin This is the moment armed detectives swooped on three Dublin men as part of a garda operation in the capital. The cash bust, involving elite members of the Special Crime Task Force (SCTF), was carried out in west Dublin on Tuesday night. Three men were detained and searched by detectives, and gardai recovered around 4,000 from one of them. Video One of the men was later brought to Clondalkin Garda Station, where he was questioned in relation to the cash seizure. The operation was carried out off the N4 dual carriageway at Clondalkin. The Herald has learned that one of the men is a close associate of a Finglas cartel mobster known as 'Mr Flashy', and was previously investigated after a video of him carrying out an assault in a car went viral. This criminal, aged in his early 30s, has also been targeted as part of a Finglas feud during which his house was shot up. On that occasion, a six-year-old child had a lucky escape after gunmen burst into the west Dublin home and fired three shots indiscriminately in the house. The other man arrested with the cash this week, originally from the Clondalkin area, is understood to be the same individual who recorded the sickening footage of the car assault. A third man from the Blanchardstown area was also arrested this week during the cash seizure. Dramatic footage of the arrest shows detectives grappling with the men and ordering them onto the ground during the planned operation. A source said that the operation was part of an ongoing investigation into organised crime in the capital. The Herald previously revealed how two of the men targeted in Tuesday's operation were at the centre of a garda probe after video of the car assault went viral. Officers were investigating whether the assault was carried out over a 140,000 debt. During the minute-long clip, the man is struck a total of 25 times in the head and body, including being struck in the face with a knee. The footage, circulated on social media, shows one thug repeatedly punch and kick the victim in the head and body while threatening him over the alleged debt. Smirking As the attack is carried out, the man taking the video can be seen smirking while sitting in the passenger seat of the car. During the clip, which lasts just under one minute, the victim is asked "where's the money? Get the f**king [money] sorted, man", before being struck in the head repeatedly. "One hundred and forty grand, 140 f**king grand. How did you lose that?" he added. Tuesday night's operation was carried out by the SCTF, a unit set up more than two years ago following the outbreak of the Hutch/Kinahan feud. As well as being made up of several sergeants and detectives, the specialist unit includes several asset profilers who liaise with the Criminal Assets Bureau. Donald Trump yesterday forced out Attorney General Jeff Sessions a day after congressional elections and vowed to fight if the House of Representatives' new Democratic majority launches probes into his administration. Sessions, who ran afoul of the president by recusing himself from an investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 White House campaign, said in a letter to Trump that he had submitted his resignation "at your request". The 71-year-old former senator was told yesterday morning by White House Chief of Staff John Kelly in a phone call that it was time to go. In an eventful day, Trump threatened to go to war with Democrats if they tried to use their new majority to probe his administration and personal business affairs. Combative The president let rip during a combative news conference hours after the Republicans lost control of the House in the midterm elections. A record number of Americans voted in a ballot widely seen as a referendum on Trump's two years in office - and the rhetoric he ramped up on the campaign trail. However, despite Repub- lican gains in the Senate, it was the Democrats who were left celebrating seizing power in the House for the first time in eight years. The outcome means Democrats will now head House committees that can stifle Trump's agenda for the remaining two years of his presidential term. Top of the agenda will be a probe into the president's tax returns, which he has refused to turn over, possible business conflicts of interest and any links between his 2016 election campaign and Russia, a matter under investigation by US Special Counsel Robert Mueller. A majority vote in the House would be enough to impeach Trump if evidence surfaced of collusion by his campaign, or of obstruction by the president of the federal investigation. However, Congress could not remove him from office without a conviction by a two-thirds majority in the Senate, an unlikely scenario. More likely is the prospect of Democrats blocking Trump's flagship immigration policy to build a wall along America's southern border with Mexico and blocking manifesto immigration policies as the country is gripped in political gridlock. Trump, though, was typically defiant over the results, hailing them as a victory for Republicans and vowing to adopt a "war-like posture" and jettison any attempt to forge bipartisan links in Washington. "They can play that game, but we can play it better," he said of the possibility of Democratic investigations. "All you're going to do is end up in back and forth and back and forth, and two years is going to go up and we won't have done a thing." US stocks surged on the back of the results as investors, who often favour Washington gridlock as it preserves the status quo and reduces uncertainty, bought back into a market that had its worst month in seven years in October. Alliances Trump held out an olive branch to his political enemies by suggesting bipartisan alliances on key issues. These include a package to improve infrastructure, protections against prescription drug price increases and the push to rebalance trade with China. "It could be a beautiful bipartisan situation," said Trump, who also shot down suggestions he would fire Mueller amid reports that the Russian probe is nearing a critical point. Democratic veteran Nancy Pelosi is tipped to be Speaker of the House, a position she held between 2007-2011. She said: "Today is more than about Democrats and Republicans, it's about restoring the Constitution's checks and balances to the Trump administration." Syria in spotlight at MedFilm Festival inauguration 'The Day I Lost My Shadow' on Friday evening in Rome (ANSAmed) - ROME, NOVEMBER 8 - A film on Syria will open this year's MedFilm Festival, which will run through November 18. The film chosen to inaugurate the festival, 'The Day I Lost My Shadow', will be screened at 8 PM at Cinema Savoy. It was the winner of the Lion of the Future award at the Venice Film Festival. The film focuses on the Syrian population and its sufferings in the seven years of a war that is still ongoing. Director Soudade Kadaan, born in 1979, set aside her way of making documentary films and delved into how to make feature films for the undertaking. A Syrian born in France, Kadaan shot the film in Lebanon amid numerous difficulties. She told ANSAmed that ''the difficulties of this film are those typical of an independent film and those of losing one's country - ie, everything: the people that must be found and the places we had to create, but it was very stimulating. I wanted the film to have as its protagonist my community of Syrians scattered around the world. I had to do the casting in different countries and bringing the main actors together and getting Lebanese visas for them was no easy task.'' On the highly suggestive title of the work, Kadaan said that it was in reference to the images of Hiroshima the day after it was hit by a nuclear bomb. ''I saw shocking black-and-white photos that showed people transformed into shadows and not only the destruction of the city. At that moment I thought of those living under the bombs in Damascus, an even harder situation because they are still walking but no longer have their shadow,'' she said. Kadaan said that he had to experiment with a new way of telling stories for the film. ''The language of cinema helped me to speak about the loss generated by war, but my background as a documentary maker enabled me to keep a more realistic approach. The borders between action, fiction and human experience are very thin in this film,'' she added. The director said that she had watched many films in preparing for the work, such as 'Bicycle Thief', Hiroshima Mon Amour' and 'West Beirut', that showed suffering in war. The director will be present at the screening on Friday, in the original version but subtitled in Italian. (ANSAmed). ANSAmed - Today's events in the Mediterranean (ANSAmed) - ROME, NOVEMBER 8 - The following are the main events scheduled for today in the Euro-Mediterranean area: BRUSSELS - Meeting between Serbian president Aleksander Vucic and his Kosovo counterpart, Hashim Thaci, as part of dialogue between the two countries with participation by EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. RIACE - Visit by a delegation of French left-wing politicians to show support for Riace mayor Mimmo Lucano, accused of aiding illegal immigration and banned from living in the town, who has become a symbol for migrant reception in Italy. (ANSAmed). Free web developer course in Rome for migrants Application deadline November 19 (ANSAmed) - ROME, NOVEMBER 8 - The central migrant reception service in Rome is offering 10 young migrants and refugees the chance to participate in a free training course to become web programmers. Starting on November 22, the training will provide participants with the tools and know-how to create the foundations for online and app programming. The deadline to apply for the course is November 19, 2018. The cooperative Programma Integra, which is sponsoring the initiative, said the course aims to train students in building websites on their own and in learning about opportunities for online independent study on the topic. The course will consist of 18 four-hour lessons, one each week, for a total of 72 classroom hours. Course modules include basic knowledge regarding the Internet and personal computing, research on resources for online training, web architecture, the world of Open Source, the basics of HTML and CSS, as well as an overview of databases, Wordpress, and PHP programming. The course is open to a maximum of 10 migrants and refugees hosted in the SPRAR migrant reception system, ordinary migrant reception centres, or foreign residents not using reception services. Participants must have a good level of Italian (equivalent to or higher than B1) and basic computer knowledge. Access to the course requires a selection meeting on November 22, 2018 from 9:30 a.m. to 13:30 at the office of the Rome central migrant reception service (Sportello Unico per l'Accoglienza Migranti). To participate, the course application must be submitted by November 19, 2018 to the email address inclusione@immigrazione.roma.it. (ANSAmed). Seven days of horror end with two ex-cops and two little girls dead news Italy development only with unity - Mattarella Close North-South gap, president tells Knights of Labour (ANSAmed) - ROME, NOVEMBER 8 - President Sergio Mattarella said Thursday "the country's sustainable development is closely linked to its unity". He said "Italy will become stronger if it succeeds in reducing the gaps existing between North and South, between cities and internal areas, between areas equipped with modern and efficient infrastructure and structurally more disadvantaged areas". Mattarella made his remarks to the new Knights of Labour, business people rewarded for their services to the economy. He added that work was a priority, and the basis of national unity. (ANSAmed). The controversial Jewish Nation-State Bill is gaining negative attention every passing day. The Bill passed after a stormy debate in Knesset officially defined Israel as the national homeland for Jewish people and asserts that the realisation of the right to national self-determination is unique to the Jewish citizen. The law also enshrines united Jerusalem as the capital and Hebrew as its State language, stripping Arabic of its former status as an official language. While Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu applauded the Bill as historic, it has sparked outrage among the Arab community of Israel and from the international community as well. The European Union, the Muslim World League and all Arab nations collectively opposed it as it disregards the 21% of Arabs in the country. The new law is also against the spirit of democratic Israel which promises to treat all its citizens with equal political and social rights. The Right wing government under Benjamin Netanyahu has made a series of irrational, unconstitutional decisions since it came into power. In December last year, US President Donald Trump also announced the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Though it was rejected by a majority of world leaders and the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the motion was vetoed by the United States. In May this year, the Trump administration officially opened its embassy in Jerusalem. This decision sparked protests and worldwide criticism. In addition, David Friedman who supports West Bank Settlement construction was appointed as the US Ambassador to Israel, just after entering the White House. Many of the Presidents key advisors including his son-in-law Jared Kushner are Jewish. The US government has also announced its cutting of over $200 million in aid to Palestine, after which a total of 250 employees in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip are expected to lose their jobs. From the Temple Mount of the Jews to Haram al-Sharif of the Arabs, the country is a stronghold for two religious identities. The al-Aqsa Mosque is also the third holiest site for Muslims. Palestinians view east Jerusalem as occupied territory and have been claiming it for their state capital. Banning Palestinians entry into the mosque, firing tear gas at worshippers and conducting raids by Israeli forces have become routinely activities. But it is true that the Palestine movement has become weaker in the recent past. A number of seminars have been organised in solidarity with Palestine but the unmatched leadership of Yaseer Arafat seems to be missing. There was a time when this movement had the support of leaders including the Indias first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. India was also the first non-Arab country to establish diplomatic relations with Palestine. Most of the world leaders even today stand in solidarity with Palestine. The United Nations and other international forums should look into arbitrary acts of Israel and help establish peace in the region. It will bring peace to the region and give justice to millions of people stranded in an unending blood bath. KC Tyagi is a senior JD(U) leader and spokesperson. The views expressed are personal Actor-producer Priyanka Chopra has been partying like theres no tomorrow ever since she kick-started her pre-wedding celebrations. After a high-profile bridal shower in New York, followed by a bachelorette and a pyjama party in Amsterdam, the desi girl came home to celebrate Diwali with her family. The actor was spotted with cousin sister Parineeti Chopra upon her return. The diva shared a few pictures from her Diwali festivities along with mother Madhu Chopra and brother Siddharth Chopra. Wishing everyone on the occasion, the Quantico girl wrote on her social media account, Happy Diwali. So happy to be home to celebrate with my loved ones. I wish for the world to be bestowed with love, light and happiness. Priyanka Chopra celebrated Diwali with her mother and brother in Mumbai. (Facebook) Looking lovely in a traditional yellow ensemble complete with bangles and a bindi, the former Miss World proved yet again she can rock any outfit. She was joined in by her mom in a pink embroidered sari and brother in a simple white kurta. The family kept their Diwali celebrations an intimate affair even as the former Miss World is set to tie the knot with her musician fiance Nick Jonas on December 2 in Jodhpur. Priyanka and Nick will get married in a grand wedding ceremony which will also include a fun-filled sangeet ceremony. While the actor is reportedly set to perform on a few of her hit dance numbers, the groom-to-be is said to be prepping to perform a medley of his hit numbers at the event. Nick had proposed to Priyanka on her birthday in London and had shut down Tiffany to choose the perfect ring for the lady. The two then took part in a traditional roka ceremony held at her residence in Mumbai in August. While Nicks parents had flown to India for the roka, Priyankas mom had flown to New York for her bridal shower. Parineeti recently teased Nick on Instagram asking him to pay $5 million as a shoe-hiding fee as part of a marriage ritual. Follow @htshowbiz for more As Bollywood was busy with star-studded parties and celebrations on Diwali, soon-to-be married Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh made a quick visit to director Sanjay Leela Bhansali on the occasion. With a few days to go to their wedding on November 14 and 15, the couple met the filmmaker to personally wish him on Diwali. While Ranveer was in a festive mood in a bright printed green kurta, Deepika looked simple in a white shirt and denims as she stepped out with him. The two have made a hat-trick of films together, all three under the direction of the filmmaker. Deepika and Ranveer shared the screen for the first time in his film Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela in 2013. This was followed by Bajirao Mastani in 2015 and Padmaavat in 2018. Deepika Padukone waves to the paparazzi. (Viral Bhayani) Ranveer Singh at Sanjay Leela Bhansalis residence on Diwali. (Viral Bhayani) The pre-wedding celebrations have already begun in their households amid the countdown to their wedding which is set to take place reportedly in Italy. A Nandi Puja was performed at Deepikas Bengaluru residence on November 2 for the longevity and good health of the couple. The diva had donned a bright orange Sabyasachi ensemble in silk for the puja and had topped it with huge chand balis. A picture from the ceremony was shared online by stylist Shaleena Nathani and had love and happiness written all over it. On the other hand, a haldi ceremony was held at Ranveers house on November 4 in Mumbai. The groom-to-be had chosen a white kurta pyjama for the occasion. The couple had made their last major public appearance at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2018 in Delhi, days ahead of making their wedding announcement. Follow @htshowbiz for more The Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) on Tuesday issued directions to the Delhi government to ban entry of trucks in the capital post-Diwali between November 8 and 10. It has also asked the government to appeal to commuters to not use diesel-run cars during this period. There will be a complete ban on entry of trucks in city limits during this period except for those carrying essential commodities, according to EPCAs letter to the Delhi government. The directions were issued as emergency measures, as central governments pollution monitoring agencies have predicted that Delhis air quality is likely to deteriorate sharply after Diwali. The forecast has said adverse weather conditions and crop stubble burning in neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana are likely to hit Delhis air quality over the next few days. We have sent a letter to Delhi government to issue a public notice regarding the emergency measures to be taken as directed during the post-Diwali period. Delhi-NCR could see a sharp deterioration in air quality on account of winds from northwest direction bringing pollutants from crop stubble burning and low dispersion because of wind speed remaining almost zero, said Bhure Lal, chairperson, EPCA. Under the SC-enforced Graded Response Action Plan (Grap), drastic measures such as the ban on entry of trucks, odd-even road rationing scheme and shutting of schools are enforced when the severe plus level of pollution persists for 48 hours. The severe plus levels is an emergency situation when the Air Quality Index (AQI) breaches 500, the highest value on the scale or when particulate matter PM2.5 and PM10 crosses the value of 300 and 500 microgrammes per cubic metre. On November 5, PM2.5 levels in the city entered severe plus category for a few hours in the morning after which EPCA had asked the city government to intensify enforcement of all Grap measures. This is the second time that a ban has been enforced on the entry of trucks in Delhi. The first instance of ban on entry of truck was in 2017 during the second week of November after pollution levels had plunged to severe plus category. EPCA on Tuesday also directed governments of neighbouring Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan to stop the entry of trucks coming into Delhi. The state governments. are requested to direct all authorities, particularly the police to coordinate action on this so that trucks are turned around before entry into Delhi. Also, the governments are requested to issue public notices appealing to people to not use diesel cars, the letter stated. According to government data, over 80,000 trucks enter city limit every day. Diesel emissions are extremely toxic and add to the severity of air pollution. Also, post-Diwali, the air quality is likely to worsen because of bad weather conditions. If fire crackers are burst despite a Supreme Court ban, then it would deteriorate further, central governments pollution monitoring agencies have predicted. The directions were issue after the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)-led taskforce suggested these measures based on the air quality forecast during this period. The directions will be reviewed after November 10. The predominant wind direction is likely to remain north-westerly from November 7 to November 8 with calm winds. Also, shallow fog and haze during daytime is expected, which can further lead to rise in pollution levels, said, a CPCB official, not wishing to be named. CPCB mulls artificial rain CPCB officials said the agency is looking into the option of inducing artificial rain in the capital after Diwali in order to wash away pollutants. However, officials, said, it could only be done once meteorological conditions are stable and cloud seeding could be done. According to CPCB officials, they may consider it as an option to clear the air and are in talks with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Kanpur and the India Meteorological Department (IMD). In 2016, when pollution levels had reached alarming levels, the government had proposed cloud seeding but the plan could not take off. The government had also proposed sprinkling water from helicopter to reduce dust. The education divide in India with respect to quality and accessibility has existed for far too long. The Indian education system has remained more or less the same, since last 150 years. It is difficult for the existing physical infrastructure to meet the learning needs of the burgeoning population of our country which will touch 1.5B by 2030 and 1.7B by 2050 (equal to the population of China and USA combined). Digital is gaining acceptance across numerous sectors and it is only right that the education sector too reaps benefits of this digital transformation. In a country as diverse as India, along with overcoming the infrastructure barrier, there needs to be a focus on overcoming the barriers of language and content. It is impossible to have great teachers in each and every village/district in India. Similarly, the best teachers should not be restricted to certain institutes of the world. This is where e-learning comes in. It can level the playing field for all students. Students, in both rural and urban areas, can get access to the best learning resources, learn at their own pace and in the comfort of their own homes. Another key advantage with e-learning is that it is much easier to design courses with the latest online reference material than publishing crores of books. With the significant rise in internet penetration and the drop in the prices of smartphones in India, access to online learning resources will soon become ubiquitous. Today, whether it is finding a new word on Google, or watching a photography video, without realising it, we are already using the internet to constantly learn. A major chunk of learning is already happening on the internet, with the governments push we can expect it to grow to exponential levels. The launch of the second phase of the Digital India campaign with a renewed focus on education is a welcome step towards the faster development of the education sector. Online education is also receiving its due importance in the New Education Policy drafted by the Kasturirangan Committee. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) under the governments SWAYAM initiative have the tremendous potential to make higher education accessible to Indias youth, that forms more than 50% of our population. The governments push for e-learning reinforces the efforts of online education providers to empower both learners and educators, create more engaging learning experiences and foster personal development. With the push, students will also realise that the accessibility to great teachers can take their learning to the next level. Going forward, the e-learning space will witness new developments with respect to unconventional methods of learning. Availability of unique courses across categories will encourage students to expand the breadth of the content they consume. Gamification will ensure that the learning process is more interactive and fulfilling. Students will be able to set goals, measure their progress and celebrate their learning achievements. Live online interaction between the students and educators can offer personalised learning that will benefit students in remote areas as well as overcrowded schools. The role of AI and technology in all of this will be huge. AI Bots can act as Study Assistants, that will accompany you along your learning journey. It will know your strengths and weakness inside out and will even recommend what you should read on a given day to maximise your learning outcomes. The future of e-learning in India is promising. Location, language and financial resources will no longer be a barrier to a great education. (The author is co-founder and chief educator of Unacademy. Views expressed here are personal) British fashion company Pretty Little Thing is gaining accolades from all over for their new and rather progressive campaign called #EveryBODYinPLT. This is a big step forward for a fashion brand as it shows inclusivity and spreads the important message of body positivity. The picture thats gone viral features two models of different sizes standing alongside one another, wearing the same silver bodycon dress. The dress belongs to the brands latest partywear collection, modelled by Hailey Baldwin on the site. Twitter saw a wave of support for the brands promotion of body positivity. The fashion industry in recent years has become a tad more inclusive of different body types. While Pretty Little Thing isnt the first brand to promote body positivity (other names include ASOS, Madewell and more), the campaign is gaining popularity because of its sensitivity while showcasing the bodycon dress. The descriptor only states the size the petite model is wearing and refrains from mentioning the size the plus-size model is wearing. Take a look at some of the comments from users of the site and what more they would like to see as worthy additions: PLT have started showing two sizes in their pictures pic.twitter.com/T1NBxBmTok S (@skyfordd) November 6, 2018 @haileybaldwin thank you for also including PLUS SIZE WOMEN in your campaign for @OfficialPLT Zoe Airelle (@Zmoneymill) November 7, 2018 Next more darker skin tones so I can see how it might look on me Tina (@SSESTINA) November 7, 2018 Why should this be an amazing thing and not the norm? Shouldnt discriminate against any size be it bigger or smaller. https://t.co/gO1TZeVwuI laurenn (@lollyb_x) November 7, 2018 Recently Australian model Robyn Lawley had launched a petition calling for a boycott of this years Victorias Secret Fashion Show. She said that the well-known lingerie brand has dominated the space over nearly 30 years promoting only one kind of body beautiful. The petition has about 9000 signatures uptil now. In September this year, the brand Revolve and LPA released fat-shaming sweatshirts that was received with much controversy and social media lashback. It was later revealed that the fat-shaming quotes were an attempt to reclaim comments from Instagram trolls. Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter Mission Team Opposition took Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu today to Bengaluru, where he met his Karnataka counterpart HD Kumaraswamy and his father and former prime minister HD Deve Gowda of the Janata Dal (Secular). The hour-long meeting, scheduled earlier, came two days after results of by-elections to five seats in the state were announced. The Congress-JD(S) coalition won four seats, defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party even in its stronghold of Ballari. The partners are holding up the victory as a glimpse of the impact that an opposition alliance can have next year, with the Congress describing it as a teaser for 2019. Naidu - currently meeting opposition leaders of all hue in an attempt to build a national alliance to take on the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha election - said after todays meeting that the bypoll results in Karnataka had boosted his endeavour to unite the opposition. What happened in Karnataka? [The coalition] swept the elections and that shows the mood of the nation. We will all discuss together how to take this forward, he said. All three leaders addressed reporters together after their meeting at Deve GOwdas residence. This meeting was conducted to strengthen the hands of all secular forces for the nation. After Chandrababu Naidus return to national politics, I feel 1996 will be repeated again in 2019, Kumaraswamy said, referring to a third front government formed that year with Deve Gowda at its head. He said that the meeting was part of a series of initiatives being taken by regional leaders and that they had also been invited to attend a public event planned by west Bengal chief minister Mamata Bannerjee in January. Deve Gowda said it was the responsibility of secular parties to band together to defeat the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of destabilisingconstitutional institutions. In this regard, Chandrababu Naidu has taken the lead and has met Rahul Gandhi, regional leaders like Sharad Pawar (Nationalist Congress Party), Farooq Abdullah (National Conference), Mayawati (Bahujan Samaj Party), Mamata Bannerjee (Triamool Congress) and MK Stalin (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam), the xx-year-old former PM said. Naidu, who met Rahul GAndhi last week in what the latter called the meeting momentous, has been in touch with the JD(S) since Kumaraswamy became chief minister in May and had held talks with Deve Gowda before the assembly elections. The Andhra CM, who is the boss of the Telugu DEsam Party, was a BJP ally till March this year, when he exited the NDA over his state not being granted special status. Today he said the economy is in the doldrums, highlighting that it was the second anniversary of the prime ministers decision to demonestise Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes in 2016. Two years ago, they did the demonetisation and no results have come. On the other hand, the economy is in trouble, with petrol prices increasing day by day. The devaluation of the rupee has meant that it is trading at 73 to a dollar and economists expect it to reach 76. Devaluation and demonetisation have ensured that the economy is in doldrums, he said. He also said that the primary task at the moment was protecting democracy and the nation, and autonomous institutions, which he alleged were under threat. People like us have to join together to save the nation and democracy. All institutions are being destroyed, the CBI, which was a premier instution for probing corruption, he said. The Reserve Bank of India was an autonomous regulatory body, but it, too, is under threat now, Naidu said. He also alleged that the ruling BJP is using institutions to harass the opposition, adding, We have seen this in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) Bengal unit has decided to move Calcutta high court against the Mamata Banerjee government, alleging that the state home secretary has not responded to the partys letters seeking an appointment to discuss the route and programme of the partys rath yatra scheduled in December and January. The rally of three raths that has been labelled as Ganatantra Bachao Yatra (Rally for Saving Democracy) is so far the most high-profile political programme to be undertaken by the saffron party in the state. Bengal is a focus state where the party wants to win at least 22 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 general elections and is depending on this programme to rally public opinion in the state.+ The yatra is supposed to be inaugurated on December 5 by party president Amit Shah from the Kali temple at Tarapith, in Birbhum district, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to deliver an address at a public rally in January when the Yatras will culminate after 43 days. We suspect the administration is planning to foil our event by denying permission, or making the process of obtaining permission difficult. We are preparing to move court, said BJP national executive member Mukul Roy, who is the head of the partys Lok Sabha election management committee for West Bengal. He said a letter was sent to home secretary Atri Bhattacharya on October 29, seeking an appointment with him by November 5. As it yielded no response, a second letter was sent on November 5, seeking an appointment by November 9. We need the meeting with you to pursue with the state administration for the required permission (if any) for the proposed peaceful political programme In case the government of West Bengal fails to respond to our plea, we shall have no other alternative than to approach appropriate court of law to enforce our democratic rights, reads BJPs second letter to the home secretary on November 5. It was signed by state unit vice-president Jay Prakash Majumdar. I can tell you about this only after I am back in office, said Bhattacharya on Thursday, which was a government holiday on the occasion of the immersion of idols of goddess Kali. The state secretariat will open on November 12. Majumdar dubbed Bhattacharyas excuse as a lame one. There were six working days between October 29 and today (November 8), enough for sending a reply and fixing the appointment after November 12, if they desired so. Moreover, apart from the official mail, we sent the letter through WhatsApp to the home secretarys mobile number and also sent him text messages, he said. We are moving court next week. Chief ministers of various BJP-ruled states, Union ministers as well as popular central-level leaders of the party are slated to attend the three yatras that aim to cover nearly 11,000 km in 43 days. Over the past four years, the BJP had to move court a few times to obtain permission for holding rallies in the state. Most cities across the country failed to enforce the Supreme Court order to burst firecrackers only within a two-hour window with police action against violators not serving as a deterrent, reading to a smoky and noisy Diwali night, according to ground reports and multiple government officials. The top courts order set 8pm to 10pm as the stipulated time for firecrackers in most states, while Tamil Nadu and Puducherry allowed the crackers to be used from 4am to 5am and 9pm to 10pm in keeping with how the two places celebrate Diwali. A check by HT across cities, however, showed that firecrackers were used well beyond the window despite fines being imposed in some cities and arrests made in some others. On Thursday, monitoring agencies said air pollution levels doubled in Kolkata, Guwahati, Ahmedabad, Agra, Hyderabad and Chennai, primarily due to the use of crackers. For north Indian cities, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)s air quality index (AQI) bulletin on Thursday showed that Patna, Lucknow, Bulandshahr, Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad were in severe category with the readings going past 400. The air at these very poor (AQI 301-400) and severe (AQI 401-500) levels becomes hard to breathe even for healthy people. The administration has failed to enforce the courts guidelines. About 1-2% people put paid to all the efforts, said Kolkata-based green activist Subhas Dutta, who added that an intense awareness campaign was needed to make people cautious of the hazards of firecracker smoke. In Bhubaneswar, where 127 were fined for violating the SC order, the police admitted it was difficult to monitoring firecracker bursting. But compared to previous years, there were lesser number of firecrackers shops open, and people mostly burst crackers between 8pm and 10pm, said the citys deputy commissioner of police Anup Sahoo. In Assam, police enforced prohibitory orders in Guwahati, but firecrackers could be heard well past midnight across the state. We have apprehended more than 100 people from various parts of the city, Guwahatis commissioner of police Pradip Chandra Saloi said. The arrest numbers from Chennai (120), Hyderabad (200) and Bengaluru (50) were also inconsequential given that millions of people were bursting crackers beyond the stipulated time, said a police officer who asked not to be named. This is the first time any action is being taken for bursting firecrackers. In Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra, not a single arrest was made. In Goa, also ruled by the BJP, four people were arrested. The PM2.5 (particulate matter of less than 2.5 microns) level on Diwali went up by 61% compared to a normal day, said S Prasad, a Telangana Pollution Control Board official, on the rise in pollution in his state. Dr Dipankar Saha, scientist and divisional head of the air lab at the CPCB, said pollution levels in most cities cannot be compared with last years because an extended monsoon is leading to a quicker dispersal of pollutants. This will result in a situation where the last years reading will be far lower despite the violations, he said. But the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) warned that the dispersal of pollutants in the northern cities may be affected from due to adverse meteorological conditions from Friday. The conditions are not favourable for dispersal of pollutants in north India now.Its getting colder, wind speed is less than 5km per hour, cold from the mountains will affect the region, said IMDs deputy director general, BP Yadav, adding that the northern states may get a prolonged period of poor air quality. The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), scrambling to meet the Supreme Court mandated two-week deadline to complete its inquiry into allegations levelled by CBI special director Rakesh Asthana against his boss and agency chief Alok Verma, worked on the occasion of Diwali on Wednesday and recorded the statement of one the of the key characters in the whole saga, Hyderabad-based businessman Sana Satish Babu, said officials familiar with the matter. The commission was supposed to examine CBI chief Alok Verma on Thursday but he refused to be examined as one of the vigilance commissioners, TM Bhasin, was not present in office, which meant the examination was postponed till Friday. Sana Satish Babus examination is crucial. He was first called on Tuesday by the CVC and his examination continued on Deepavali day as well, and well into Thursday, said an official having direct knowledge of the matter who asked not to be identified. According to special director Asthana, Sana Satish Babu paid a bribe of ~2 crore to save himself from CBI action in the Moin Qureshi case. CBI was probing meat exporter Qureshi on charges of extortion. The case against Qureshi was being investigated by a special investigation team under the supervision of Rakesh Asthana. Asthana first approached the cabinet secretary on August 24 claiming that Babu paid ~2 crore to CBI director Verma to save himself in the case. The cabinet secretary referred the matter to CVC which has jurisdiction over CBI in matters related to corruption. Even as CVC was examining the matter, Babu, on October 15, lodged a complaint with CBI claiming two Dubai-based brothers Manoj Prasad and Somesh Prasad, allegedly acting on behalf of Asthana, struck a deal with him for ~5 crore to save him in the case. Following his complaint, the agency, moving quickly, registered a FIR against Asrthana on the same day . The contual sparring between Asthana and Verma forced the government to, on October 23, divest both of their responsibilities. . Verma challenged this in the Supreme Court, following which the top court asked CVC to conduct a probe supervised by a former SC judge, and complete it within two weeks. The top court appointed retired SC judge AK Patnaik to supervise the inquiry. Verma was asked to appear at 3pm on Thursday before CVC but he refused to be examined since one of the vigilance commissioners TM Bhasin was not present in the commission. Verma made it clear that he wants to be examined only before the full commission consisting of central vigilance commissioner KV Chowdary and two vigilance commissioners , Sharad Kumar and TM Bhasin. Therefore, his examination was postponed to Friday when the full commission will be present, added the government official. The official clarified that the supervisory officer and former SC judge AK Patnaik was present in the commission when Verma asked for examination before full commission. Vermas examination was fixed for Thursday after he replied to a questionnaire sent by CVC on Tuesday. Verma informed CVC that Sana Satish Babu was a witness and not an accused in the case against Qureshi. Therefore there was no question of saving him from any CBI action, he added. Neither CBI chief Alok Verma nor CVC KV Chowdary replied to phone calls and messages from HT. Following the complaint by Sana Satish Babu, the case against Moin Qureshi was transferred from Asthanas team and handed over to another team under the supervision of agency joint director AK Sharma. But after both Asthana and Verma were divested of their charges, a new investigation officer was appointed by the acting director M Nageswar Rao. The officials said CVC has examined Rakesh Asthana too in the matter owing to his status as a complainant in the matter. His examination too place on Tuesday along with other members of his team who was probing the Moin Qureshi case under him. It is yet not clear whether he was examined on Thursday too. Asthana too didnt reply to phone calls and messages. Heavy and medium goods vehicles will be banned from Delhi roads for three days starting 11 pm tonight, the Delhi government said on Thursday after air quality in the national capital deteriorated sharply post-Diwali. A government order said the Supreme Court mandated Environment Protection (Prevention and Control) Authority, or EPCA, had recommended keeping all trucks out of Delhi for three days after Diwali. Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Alok Kumar said, only vehicles carrying essential goods are exempted. The ban has come at a time when the air quality in the city reached the hazardous level due to Diwali, as residents of the national capital woke up to a thick blanket of smog leading to low visibility. The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi at 8.30 am was recorded at 458, which falls under the severe category, according to the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR). Last month, the Supreme Court allowed the use of green firecrackers for Diwali, but only for two hours in the evening. There were, however, no green fireworks available for sale and countless fireworks were let off through the evening. The government has been unable to enforce a ban on bursting fireworks in most places. The Supreme Court order on fireworks was not followed and health warnings from the government were limited to few newspapers and some websites, Greenpeace campaigner Sunil Dahiya told news agency Reuters. Tiny particulate matter can cause major health problems. Adding to the smog has been smoke from the surrounding countryside, where farmers at this time of the year burn the stubble in their fields to prepare for winter sowing. More gentle winds and cool air, which can trap pollution, exacerbate the problem. The BJP on Thursday released its third list of 32 candidates, dropping former chief minister Babulal Gaur, for the upcoming assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh. However, Gaurs daughter-in-law Krishna figured in the list and will fight the election from Govindpura seat in Bhopal. Akash Vijayvargiya, the son of the Bharatiya Janata Partys national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, has also found a place. Akash will contest from Indore-3 seat. Earlier, the saffron party had announced its second list of 17 candidates, retaining seven including minister Sharad Jain, and dropping five of its MLAs. MLAs Pandit Singh Dhurwey from Bichhiya, Chandrashekhar Desmukh from Multai, Veer Singh Panwar from Kurwai, Jaswant Singh Hada from Shujalpur and Mukesh Pandya from Badnagar were denied tickets. The BJP had announced its first list of 177 candidates on Friday but later made a correction, reducing the number by one. The Congress on Wednesday released its fourth list of candidates for the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections. Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhans brother-in-law Sanjay Singh Masani, who joined the party last week, also figures in the 29-name list. The first list of 155 names was released late on Saturday night, while the second and third lists with 16 and 13 names came out on Sunday and Monday. Elections to the Madhya Pradesh assembly will be held on November 28 to elect members of the 230 constituencies. Counting of votes will be held on December 11. Leading social activist Agnes Kharshiing was on Thursday afternoon brutally assaulted by a group of unidentified assailants, suspected to be from the coal mafia, in Meghalayas coal-rich East Jaintia Hills district while she was apparently checking out reports of illegal mining. Kharshiing, president of the Civil Society Womens Organization (CSWO) and her friend A Sangma received critical head injuries in the attack which took place at Sohshrieh in Tuber village, about 80 km from here. Meghalaya director general of police R Chandranathan, who only took charge today, told HT that he has ordered a case to be registered and investigation to be launched immediately. Ive instructed that even if its a mob, the culprits must be identified and arrested immediately, he said. No one will be spared. According to doctors at Jowai Civil Hospital in neighbouring West Jaintia Hills district, Kharshiing suffered cuts on her skull, scalp, and other body parts causing profuse bleeding. Though she was conscious, she was too weak to speak. Later in the evening, Kharshiing was shifted to the super-specialty North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) in the state capital. She is presently being stabilised in the hospital ICU, NEIGRIHMS deputy director D Umdor told HT over phone. East Jaintia Hills district police chief Silvester Nongtynger said upon receiving information about the assault at around 1.30-1.40 pm, two police teams were immediately dispatched to the area. Our team found both of them in a critical condition after being attacked by a mob and were immediately rushed to the nearby hospital for medical attention, he told HT. He, however, added that he was unaware of the purpose of the activists visit to his district. She (Kharshiing) did not inform me about her visit, he said. However, sources said that she was in the district to check reports of illegal coal mining. The anti-corruption and women and child rights activist has been raising her voice against illegal coal mining and transportation from the state over several years. She upped her ante after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed a blanket ban on coal mining in Meghalaya since April 17, 2014. According to sources privy to the incident, Kharshiing, who came from Shillong to East Jaintia Hills, had stopped at several places to take photos of stocked coal in certain locations. On her way back, as she stopped at Sohshrieh on seeing coal trucks, a group of 30-40 people blocked her cab, pulled her and Sangma out and started beating them up, the source added. The cab driver was taken away and told to leave the area immediately. He fled but upon reaching Jowai, informed the first police man he came across, a traffic constable who then sounded the alert. Sources also point towards coal mafia being involved in the attack as Kharshiing had shared several pictures of trucks ferrying coal illegally and some dumping grounds as well. However, authorities are yet to confirm the identity of the attackers. Chief minister Conrad K Sangma who is on an overseas trip, condemned the attack We have issued necessary directions to the police and district administration to investigate the matter and arrest those behind the attack, he said in an email statement. The Election commission of India on Wednesday set up a high-level committee headed by a deputy election commissioner to hold talks with protestors seeking ouster of the Mizoram poll panel chief. In a statement, the ECI said it has accepted the broad contours of the resolution passed by the Mizorams NGOs coordination committee, spearheading the protest, after its delegations deliberations with the EC. The Election Commission has also decided to depute a high-level team led by Mizoram Deputy election Commissioner Sudeep Jain to hold further deliberations on their resolution, the statement said. Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer Lalbiaktluanga Khiangte, who is also a Mizo, has been included in the EC panel. The ECI set up the panel hours after the protests demanding the ouster of Mizoram Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) S B Shashank were called off in Aizawl by the NGO Coordination Committee Wednesday. The protests were called off at 1 pm after the state election officials, including the Mizoram CEO, summoned by the ECI, left for New Delhi, state NGOs coordination committee chairman Vanlalruata said. The CEO left for New Delhi by an evening flight. Earlier in the day, Shashank said he has been summoned by the Election Commission and would meet the poll panel in the national capital Thursday. The agitation demanding his removal was launched Tuesday. It was resumed Wednesday morning by a large number of Young Mizo Association members demonstrating in front of the CEOs office from 8 am. The protestors later dispersed. The Mizoram is slated to go to polls November 28 to elect its new assembly. Vanlalruata said the NGOs coordination committee would wait and watch the decision taken by the Election Commission of India on the state CEO. If Shashank comes back, the agitation will be relaunched, Vanlalruata said. The state NGOs coordination committee, the apex body of civil societies and students organisations of the north-eastern state, has been demanding that Shashank be replaced and transferred outside the state. It has also demanded that 11,232 Bru voters lodged in six Tripura relief camps be allowed to exercise their franchise at their respective polling stations in Mizoram and not in Tripura as committed by the poll panel in 2014. The committee had called for Shashanks exit from the state shortly after the Election Commission (EC) removed the states Principal Secretary (Home) Lalnunmawia Chuaungo. He had allegedly sought deployment of additional central armed police forces (CAPF) in the state which did not go down well with the committee. On Monday, Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that as people have lost faith in him (Shashank), the only solution for the smooth conduct of the 2008 assembly elections would be removal of CEO S B Shashank from office forthwith. The meeting of a visiting three-member EC team, state government officials and the leaders of the NGOs coordination committee on the current standoff here Tuesday night had remained inconclusive as the team said the final call would be made by the commission. The team members said they would submit their findings to the commission. The agitators were also protesting against the removal of Chuaungo, a Mizoram native and Gujarat-cadre IAS officer. Thousands of people from Bru community had fled Mizoram in 1997 following ethnic clashes. They have since been lodged in six relief camps in Tripura. In the past too, the civil society organisations had opposed the Election Commissions decision to conduct electoral revision of Bru voters in Tripura relief camps. They urged the EC to defranchise all Bru voters who chose to stay back in Tripura and did not return to Mizoram. A 12-hour bandh was observed at Mamit town on Tuesday along the Mizoram-Tripura-Bangladesh border to support the agitation against the Mizoram CEO. Rallies and pickets were organised by the NGO Coordination Committee across the state. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday strongly defended the centres demonetisation decision two years ago, asserting that the system needed to be shaken to make India move from cash to digital transactions. Political sparring between the ruling party BJP and the opposition has marked the second anniversary of the notes ban. An ill-informed criticism of the demonetisation is that almost the entire cash money got deposited in the banks. Confiscation of currency was not an objective of demonetisation, Jaitley said in a blog post that comes ahead of nationwide protests planned by the Congress tomorrow. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the sudden decision to cancel Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes on November 8 two years ago. The move sucked out 86 per cent of currency notes, leading to a huge cash crunch in the economy for months. Jaitley said getting the money into the formal economy and making the holders pay tax was the broader objective of the notes ban decision. There were 3.8 crore filers of income tax returns when the NDA government came to power in May 2014. In the first four years of this Government, it has increased to 6.86 crore, he said. By the time the first five years of this Government are over, we will be close to doubling the (tax) assessee base, he said, attributing the sharp increase to the notes ban decision. Despite an annual income tax relief of Rs. 97,000 Crore given to the smaller tax payers and a Rs. 80,000 Crore relief given to the GST assesses, tax collections have gone up. Rates of taxes, both direct and indirect have been reduced, but tax collections have gone up. The tax base has been expanded. GST rates on 334 commodities which were paying an effective 31% tax pre-GST have witnessed a tax reduction, he wrote. The government, he stressed, has used these resources for better infrastructure creation, social sector and rural India. More formalisation, more revenue, more resources for the poor, better Infrastructure, and a better quality of life for our citizens, he said. Read: Scars of demonetisation more visible: Manmohan Singh on 2 years of demonetisation Independent analysis of the data over the last years has led indicated that the decision did help formalise the economy but there are many indicators that small businesses did get hit. On the second anniversary of the invalidation of high-value currency notes, finance minister Arun Jaitley rose to the defence of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government on Thursday in the face of a barrage of criticism by Opposition leaders, including former prime minister Mahmohan Singh who said the scars on the economy were becoming more visible, and Congress president Rahul Gandhi who called it a day of infamy. Jaitley, in a blog post, wrote that the ban on old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes was needed to shake up the system and move India from cash to digital transactions. An ill-informed criticism of demonetisation is that almost the entire cash money got deposited in the banks. Confiscation of currency was not an objective of demonetisation, Jaitley said in the post that coincides with protests planned by the Congress to mark the anniversary. Late in evening on November 8, 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 banknotes would cease to be legal tender from midnight the same day, rendering worthless 86% of the currency in circulation by value. The move, aimed at unearthing untaxed income, weeding out fake currency and curbing terrorist finance, led to a cash crunch that lasted months and hit small businesses hard. Jaitley said moving money into the formal economy and making the holders pay tax was the broader objective of the note ban, noting that the number of income tax return filers had increased from 38 million when the NDA came to power in May 2014 to 68.6 million four years later. By the time the first five years of this government are over, we will be close to doubling the (tax) assessee base, he said, attributing the sharp increase to the note ban. Despite an annual income tax relief of ~97,000 crore given to the smaller tax payers and a Rs 80,000 crore relief given to the GST (goods and services tax) assesses, tax collections have gone up. Rates of taxes, both direct and indirect have been reduced, but tax collections have gone up. The tax base has been expanded. GST rates on 334 commodities which were paying an effective 31% tax pre-GST have witnessed a tax reduction, Jaitley wrote, summing up the end result of the note ban as more formalisation, more revenue, more resources for the poor, better Infrastructure, and a better quality of life for our citizens. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) posed a list of questions to the Congress to answer, challenging it to cite even one step taken by the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to eliminate corruption and black money or benefit small businesses, why it chose to defame India and create an atmosphere of gloom, why it was unhappy with global recognition of Indias economic prowess, and why it opposed formalisation of the economy. The offensive came in the face of trenchant criticism of demonetisation, which Gandhi termed a tragedy. India has faced many tragedies in its past. Many a time have envious, external enemies tried to hurt us. But demonetisation is unique in the history of our tragedies because it was a self-inflicted, suicidal attack that destroyed millions of lives and ruined thousands of Indias small businesses. The worst hit by demonetisation were the poorest of the poor, forced to queue for days to exchange their meagre savings, the Congress leader said in a statement. More than a hundred and twenty Indians died in those queues. We must never forget them. Millions of small and medium businesses were smashed and the entire informal sector devastated, Gandhi said. Former prime minister Singh said the invalidation of high-value banknotes was ill-fated and ill-thought. The havoc that it unleashed on Indian economy and society is now evident to everyone, Singh said in a statement on Thursday. We are yet to understand and experience the full impact of the demonetisation exercise. With a depreciating currency and rising global oil prices, macroeconomic headwinds are also starting to blow now. Singh said the note ban had an impact on every person, regardless of age, gender, religion, occupation or creed. Its often said that time is a great healer. But unfortunately, in case of demonetisation, the scars and wounds of demonetisation are only getting more visible with time. He said that this has had a direct impact on employment as the economy continues to struggle to create enough new jobs for our youth. The financial markets are volatile as the liquidity crisis wrought by demonetisation is taking its eventual toll on infrastructure lenders and non-bank financial services firms. Advising the government to not resort to further unorthodox, short-term economic measures that can cause uncertainty in the economy and financial markets, Singh said, Today is a day to remember how economic misadventures can roil the nation for a long time and understand that economic policymaking should be handled with thought and care. Former finance minister P Chidambaram said demonetisation was essentially a money laundering exercise and none of its original objectives had been achieved. Demonetisation did not put an end to generation or use of black money. Almost on a weekly basis, the Income Tax Department claims to have seized black (or unaccounted) money, he said. * Demonetisation did not put an end to fake currency. On the contrary, counterfeiters have successfully counterfeited the new ~2,000 and the new ~500 notes. Demonetisation did not render any currency notes worthless and the government did not reap a bonanza of ~3 lakh to ~4 lakh crore. All the demonetised notes actually 99.30% were returned to the RBI (Reserve Bank of India). Practically every single currency note was officially exchanged at bank counters. It was the most ingeniously designed official money laundering scheme. Days before the Supreme Court takes up review petitions against its Sabarimala judgment allowing entry of women of all ages, the BJP and Congress on Thursday launched protest marches through the state in support of traditions of the hilltop temple. With the annual pilgrimage season to the temple in Pathanamthitta starting November 16, the apex court will November 13 hear a set of petitions challenging its verdict, and many in Kerala, including police, hope that it will give the state reasonable time for implementing the order. The temple had witnessed violent protests when it opened twice after the verdict for monthly pooja on October 17 and just-concluded one-day Sree Chithirayattam festival, with devotees foiling various womens attempts to trek to the hilltop temple. The state crime branch and other security agencies have warned if the protests continued during the pilgrimage season, it may lead to a disaster. Sabarimala is a ticking bomb. If it continues to burn, it is a recipe for a major disaster, said a senior crime branch official who did not want to be identified. The temple had witnessed two major accidents that claimed over 200 lives: On January 14, 1999, a stampede in the foothills left 53 dead and in 2011, 104 pilgrims died on Makara Jyothi Day at Pullumedu in another stampede. Police face another peculiar problem. Many senior officials admit that a major section of personnel have a mental block in discharging their duty due to deep-rooted religious beliefs. Some of them are torn between their duty and belief, said the official adding if the violent situation continued, the state may seek deployment of central paramilitary forces. While the Left Democratic Front government supported the entry of the women to the temple and vowed to implement the verdict, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress have backed the devotees protesting against violation of traditions. On Thursday, senior BJP leader and former Karnataka chief minister BS Yedyurappa flagged off the NDA yatra to Pathanamthitta, jointly led by Kerala BJP state president PS Sreedharan Pillai and party ally Bhartiya Dharma Jana Sena president Tushar Vellapally from Kasargode in north Kerala. Five senior Congress leaders, including K Sudhakaran and K Muralidharan, are leading rallies from five places in the state. Both the BJP and Congress blame the state government, saying its affidavit in the apex court had resulted in the verdict. But after initial outbursts the Congress has mellowed a bit but the saffron party hardened its position eyeing a split in majority votes, say political pundits. In a recent trip to Kerala, BJP president Amit Shah had pledged support to Sabarimala agitation and blamed courts for delivering verdicts that are not practical and feasible on the ground. Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court said the ongoing protest against women entry was unacceptable and it will set a bad precedent. Its observation came as it rejected the bail plea of one of the accused arrested in connection with violent incidents. Police have arrested more than 3700 people and registered 600-odd cases in connection with violence. Kerala police booked Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president PS Sreedharan Pillai for his speech claiming credit for the Sabarimala agitation, on a day his party launched a rath yatra (chariot campaign) to protect the Lord Ayyappa temples traditions and rituals and the Congress announced rallies covering the entire state. The case was registered in Kozhikode on Thursday on a complaint by journalist Shybin alleging that Pillai had recently instigated activists to protest against the entry of women of child-bearing age into the hill shrine, police said. Reacting to this, Pillai accused the CPI(M) and the Congress of witch hunting and trying to tarnish his image. On September 29, the Supreme Court had allowed entry of all women into the temple, triggering protests by various groups that kept them out on October 17 when the doors were thrown open. Addressing youth leaders later, Pillai had claimed that the protests were planned and executed by his party. On Thursday, within hours of former Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa flagging off the rath yatra aimed at expanding the BJP influence in the state before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, stones were pelted in Payyanur in the evening. Immediately, the BJP called for a statewide protest on Friday. Pillai and Tushar Vellapally, leader of Bharath Dharma Jana Sena, an ally of the NDA in Kerala, are leading the Sabarimala Samrakshana Rath Yatra. The Congress too announced five rallies across the state. Five senior leaders, including K Sudhakaran and K Muralidharan, will be leading the rallies. On Thursday, the Kerala high court rejected the bail application of Kochi resident Govind Madhusudhan, arrested in connection with the Sabarimala protests. The protests at Sabarimala are not acceptable as it is against the verdict of the Supreme Court, the court said. If the bail application is considered, it will send wrong signals and similar incidents will recur. Police have arrested at least 3,700 people in connection with the violence. On the second anniversary of demonetisation, former prime minister Manmohan Singh called it an ill-thought move that unleashed havoc on the Indian economy. He has advised the Narendra Modi government against any more unorthodox measures. Today marks the 2nd anniversary of the ill-fated and ill-thought demonetisation exercise The havoc that it unleashed on Indian economy and society is now evident to everyone, Singh said in a statement on Thursday. The former prime minister, also a noted economist, warned that the impact of the note ban was beginning to manifest now. We are yet to understand and experience the full impact of the demonetisation exercise. With a depreciating currency and rising global oil prices, macro-economic headwinds are also starting to blow now. Singh said the notes ban had impacted every person, regardless of age, gender, religion, occupation or creed. Its often said that time is a great healer. But unfortunately, in case of demonetisation, the scars and wounds of demonetisation are only getting more visible with time. Singh said that beyond the steep drop in headline GDP growth numbers after demonetisation, the deeper ramifications of notebandi were still unraveling. He added that small and medium businesses that are the cornerstone of Indias economy were yet to recover from the demonetisation shock. This has had a direct impact on employment as the economy continues to struggle to create enough new jobs for our youth. The financial markets are volatile as the liquidity crisis wrought by demonetisation is taking its eventual toll on infrastructure lenders and non-bank financial services firms, he said. Advising the government to not resort to further unorthodox, short-term economic measures that can cause uncertainty in the economy and financial markets, Singh said, Today is a day to remember how economic misadventures can roil the nation for a long time and understand that economic policymaking should be handled with thought and care. Read: Needed to shake system, says Arun Jaitley on demonetisation anniversary In the late evening order on November 8, 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that all Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes, comprising more than 85% of the total value of the currency in circulation at that time, would no longer be recognised as legal tender. In an attack on the Congress for criticising the NDA governments demonetisation decision, the BJP on Thursday posed 10 questions to the party about its politics and anti-development mindset Why does Congress find merit in protesting against every anti-corruption measure of the Government of India? What do they fear?#CorruptCongressFearsDemo, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) questioned on Twitter. Why is it that wherever black money is there, the Congress is not far behind #CorruptCongressFearsDemo, it asked. This came after the Congress posted #DestructionByDemonetisation posts on Twitter and its senior leader Manmohan Singh called it an ill-thought move that unleashed havoc on the Indian economy. He also advised the Narendra Modi government against any more unorthodox measures. The Congress has also planned protests across the country on November 9 to mark the second anniversary of demonetisation. Before the questions, Union finance minister Arun Jaitley strongly defended the Centres demonetisation decision, asserting that the system needed to be shaken to make India move from cash to digital transactions. An ill-informed criticism of the demonetisation is that almost the entire cash money got deposited in the banks. Confiscation of currency was not an objective of demonetisation, Jaitley said in a blog post. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced on November 8, 2016, that all Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes, comprising 86%of the total value of the currency in circulation at that time, would no longer be recognised as legal tender. Independent analysis of the data over the last years has pointed the decision did help formalise the economy but that there are many indicators that small businesses were hit by the sudden decision. Tej Pratap Yadav, RJD leader and Bihars former health minister, is giving his family anxious moments by not returning to Patna, after days of high drama played out publicly over his decision to file for a divorce. He even skipped Diwali celebrations at home. I think, Tej Pratap is in Varanasi. He is probably introspecting and wants solitude, said Rajya Sabha MP Misa, Tej Prataps eldest sister. Their father Lalu Prasad, chief of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and a former chief minister of Bihar, is in jail on corruption charges. Misa was emphatic that all is well within the family, asserting that too much of attention is being given to this divorce episode. It is a family matter and it will blow over. She would, however, not divulge whether her 29-year-old brother has been persuaded to reconsider divorce and work towards a patch-up with his wife of six months Aishwariya Rai, the daughter of senior RJD leader Chandrika Rai and grand daughter of former chief minister Daroga Rai. Tej Pratap, who filed for divorce in a Patna family court on November 2, has not been in Patna since Friday last week amid speculation that he is avoiding coming home as he is apprehensive that his family might persuade him to withdraw the divorce petition before it is heard on November 29. Tej Pratap is a bit adamant and has already talked of pursuing the divorce. This is perhaps why he wants to come to Patna only before November 29 to appear before the court. It looks like he is even taking legal advice, said a close family aide who asked not to be named. He has meanwhile, seemingly cut off contact even with his supporters and leaders of the youth wing of the party. One such leader, Akash Yadav, said he has been unable to contact Tej Pratap. The student union election is slated in December in all universities. But, we have to not been able to finalise the candidates list of the party because Tej Pratap is not being reached, he said. Tej Pratap left Patna on Friday and met his father at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences ( RIMS) in Ranchi on Saturday, before leaving for an unknown destination. Lalu Yadav is undergoing treatment at RIMS, where the RJD supremo is lodged in custody in connection with a fodder scam case. There are reports that the former minister is in Varanasi for religious activities including havans. Tej Pratap wed 25-year-old Aishwariya on MAy 12 this year. Last week he shocked his family and political circles in Bihar by filing a divorce petition seeking separation, citing compatibility issues Sources said Tej Prataps family including father Lalu, mother Rabri Devi, a former chief minister herself, and younger brother Tejashwi have tried hard to convince the young leader to withdraw the divorce petition, but without success. Tej Pratap told reporters in Ranchi on November 3 that he would not go back on his decision to seek separation from his wife and had accused his parents of forcing him to marry Aishwariya. Even my family is not supporting me after I filed for divorce. I am firm on my decision to seek divorce and nobody can force me to change it, he had said. Amid the marital discord, reports said Diwali celebrations at Rabri Devis 10, Circular Road residence in Patna were low key. While one Mumbai grand dame insists they have been together for the past 3-5 years, pictures of the current hot new couple, Malaika Arora and Arjun Kapoor spotted together on the eve of Diwali, after dining at BKCs popular Asian restaurant Yautcha, have gone viral. Apparently, the Diwali date night with close friends (who included Varun Dhawan and producer Arti Shetty amongst others) ended with the couple being ambushed, on their exit from the restaurant, by a group of waiting paparazzi and fans. As is known, the same restaurant was also the venue from where Priyanka and , what was then her rumoured hot new beau, Nick Jonas, were clicked together, going on to create a media frenzy of are theyarent they? Which brings us to the matter on everyones mind. How on earth do the media get to know about the comings and goings of stars and when they are planning their carefully-dishevelled airport looks and their on-point perfectly coiffured post-gym exits? Do the stars or their staff inform the media as one more exercise in brand building? And more pertinently, would they even need to given that most stars command huge social media presence themselves? Or is it the press which maintains a network of sources who tip them off? Information suggests that its a bit of both. The stars need the media and the media needs the star, so who tips off whom varies from case-to-case. Whats more, in some cases its neither of them, but the other establishments which stand to gain from the exposure and association, such as restaurants, hotels and clubs, which tip off the media when a star visits and the stars are caught unaware in a potentially-dangerous frenzied situation with bystanders equally vulnerable. Luckily, clips show that Kapoor kept his cool on Tuesday night and exchanged friendly banter with the shutterbugs, after making sure that Arora was in her car, and safe, informs our source, adding, But it could have become ugly and there was a shocking lack of security. Apparently, in this case, the media had received a tip off from one of the establishments staff members. TchTch. Overheard Journalists by their very nature are not in awe of anyone. Editors are held in genial contempt and so it should be. Editors were never supposed to be matinee idols and journalists star-dazzled teeny boppers. Journalists were supposed to question everything and everybody; cynicism our best insurance policy. -Veteran editor and columnist, Bikram Vohra, commenting on media trends then and now. WTSWTM WTS The Sheikh said he paid $3.4 million to spend time with four stars before telling Ahmed in April 2016 that he didnt want him to arrange further meetings. -Reports in yesterdays papers, about a case involving an acutely star-struck Sheikh and a fixer. WTM Lets face it: after the initial few meetings with them, he must have been a bit sheikh-en and stirred. Lungi Man? Rahul Akerkar Rahul Akerkar has been one of SoBos most popular and celebrated chefs/restaurateurs for the past two decades or so. Akerkar, who started Indigo Colaba, the flagship standalone eatery, had introduced Mumbai (and later on the rest of India) to high-quality continental and wholesome dining. And though he has long parted ways with DeGustibus Hospitality, the company hed created and parted ways with in 2015, and is on his way to introduce his latest venture in Mumbais Lower Parel, this week, the chef was spotted in an exuberant new avatar during the Diwali luncheon he had hosted at his home with wife-designer Malini Akerkar. There was a delightful spread of South Indian dishes. The fish curry was to die for. But the highlight of the occasion was evidently Rahuls lungi dance, which we all took videos of, informs a source. Friends will tell you that Akerker is quite the showman, especially when the camera lens is pointed at him. For years, he has popularised his signature running man pose and has even managed to get other restaurateurs to join him in it. A quick glance on his Instagram will show you that the pose has travelled around the world with him. Now, given this, perhaps it is a turning point, and it is now the turn of Akerkar lungi dance, which will be the order of the day and his preferred camera stance? Meanwhile, the city awaits the opening of what is described as its most hotly anticipated restaurant of the year from his stable. Actor Akshara Haasans private pictures were leaked on social media on November 5. Following this, the actor took to her social media handle to respond to the incident and shared a statement on Wednesday. In the statement, Akshara expressed hurt and concern and said, Recently, some of my private pictures were leaked on the Internet. Who did this or why is not known to me yet. But what I do know that it is deeply unfortunate to make a young girl the victim of such an act only for a pervert minds enjoyment. And each time someone shares it with eye-catching headlines to draw more traction, it scars me deeper and adds to everyones participation in my harassment and helplessness. Earlier, it was speculated that the pictures were morphed, but the actor confirmed they were original in a statement. She added, Its particularly disturbing and deeply upsetting to see that at a time when the nation has woken up to the #metoo movement, there are still people out there who would harass and attempt to share private pictures of a young girl in the public eye only to derive some perverse pleasure that appeals only to them. The actor also said that she has already filed a complaint with the Mumbai police and the cybercell team to track down who shared the pictures online. She said, I have reached out to the Mumbai Police and the cycbercell to seek their help in tracking the person/s responsible for this leak and hope to get to the bottom of this soon. Till then, I can only request that we all learn to live and let live with dignity and privacy and hope that the Internet wont continue actively participating in my harassment. #Metoo. Aksharas sister, Shruti Haasan showed support for her sister by retweeting the statement online. Father Kamal Haasan is yet to comment on the same. On the work front, actor Akshara Haasan is a part of Vikrams upcoming film titled Kadaram Kondan, which is being directed by Kamals production banner Raj Kamal Films in collaboration with Trident Arts. She was earlier seen in Ajiths Viswasam and has been a part of Dhanush and R Balkis film Shamitabh. Follow @htshowbiz for more ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop After several rounds of hectic deliberations, the four alliance partners of the Maha Kootami (grand alliance) in Telangana on Thursday came to an agreement on sea-sharing for the December 7 assembly elections. Congress general secretary in-charge of Telangana affairs RC Khuntia announced in New Delhi that the Congress would contest 94 seats in the 119-member assembly, leaving 25 seats for the allies - 14 for the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), eight for Telangana Jana Samithi and three for Communist Party of India. In effect, however, the Congress will be contesting only in 93 seats, as it allotted one seat to Telangana Inti Party president Cheruku Sudhakar. He would be contesting on the Congress symbol, as his party has not got the official symbol from Election Commission, the Congress leader said. Khuntia said the first list of 74 Congress candidates, along with that of Maha Kootami partners, would be released in New Delhi on Saturday morning. We are in the process of finalizing the candidates for the remaining 20 seats and it would be done shortly, he said. In the morning, the TDPs Telangana leaders met party president N Chandrababu Naidu at Amaravati and discussed the Congresss offer allocating 14 assembly seats for the party. While there is no issue with regard to the number of seats, discussions are still going on with regard to a couple of seats for which both the TDP and the Congress are staking claim, Telangana TDP leader and former MP Ravula Chandrasekhar Reddy said. He said Maha Kootami would be a reality and was going to give sleepless nights to the Telangana Rashtra Samithi. TJS president M Kodandaram did hard bargaining for at least 10 seats, but was forced to remain content with eight seats. We have asked for those seats where we have the strength to win, a TJS leader said on condition of anonymity. The CPI, which was offered three seats by the Congress, is demanding at least another two seats, but the Congress is firm. In lieu of the assembly seats, the Congress offered the Left party two seats in the legislative alliance in the coming days. Not just the big Bollywood stars, but many other celebs, particularly from the television industry also celebrated the festival of lights with much fanfare. It was light, diyas, puja and sweets for these stars while some took to social media to wish everyone for Diwali. Among them was talented actor Vikram Massey, who started out with TV serials like Balika Badhu and has successfully graduated to Bollywood films, in a video clip wished everyone a cracker-less and pollution free Diwali. The newly married couple, Yuvika Chaudhary and Prince Narula, too celebrated their first Diwali post marriage. Sharing a picture of the two of them, he wrote: Happy Diwali everyone spread love n happiness. Prince also put up Instagram stories of Yuvika lighting sparklers with his the rest of family. Yuvika too put up an identical picture. Kumkum Bhagya actor Shabbir Ahluwalia too posted a picture with his actor wife Kanchi Kaul (known for Ek Ladki Anjaani Si) and wrote: Happy diwali #mypataka #festive. His wife Kanchi too shared a picture with their kids and wrote: #happydiwali from our home to all of our insta fam !! ???? #aboutlastnight #festive #homeiswheretheheartis #myeverythings #happynewyear @shabirahluwalia. Actor Karan Patel too was spotted with his wife and so was the couple, Jay Bhanushali and Mahi Vij. Sharing a family photo, Jay Bhanushali wrote, May The Beauty Of Deepavali Season, Fill Your Home With Happiness, And May The Coming Year, Provide You With All, That Bring You Joy! From Bhanushali and Family to all. Naagin actor Anita Hassanandani too shared a picture with her husband Rohit Reddy, Anita wrote: Happy Diwali from us! Kishwer Merchant posted a picture of herself and wrote: Happy Diwali. She also posted picture with husband Suyyash Reddy and wrote: Diwali Celebration with @suyyashrai at @onboardfilms. she also posted Instagram story of them doing puja. Check out all the pictures here: Follow @htshowbiz for more Survivors of the shooting that left 13 dead, including the gunman, in a crowded bar in California on Wednesday described the moments of panic and heroism as the attacker turned a dance floor into a killing zone. Nineteen-year-old Tayler Whitler, who was at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, says she was dancing and her friends were at a table by the door as the gunman opened fire. She says everyone yelled Get down! and it was silent for a couple of seconds, then she heard Get up, hes coming! and people were trampling on each other to get out. Erika Sigman,19, found herself hiding with a group of strangers, and they were holding her hands. She says there is a lot of bad in this world, but there is also a lot of good and people will help. Witnesses told CNN that patrons were there for the College Country night with line-dancing, music, drinks and food, and the place was packed with a young crowd. Sheriffs sergeant was among those killed. Authorities did not say how the gunman died. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said around 10 other people were shot and wounded. No other information on the victims was immediately known. Some social media accounts said a bearded man wearing a dark trenchcoat walked in and started shooting. When the shots started, some people smashed windows with chairs to escape, witnesses told CNN. Other witnesses and people posting on social media said that the man might have fired up to 30 times. Others reported fewer shots, and he might have tossed smoke bombs A gunman killed 12 people, including a deputy sheriff, when he opened fire in a bar in Southern California on Wednesday night, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said on Thursday. The gunman was also killed, Dean said, without saying how he died. Many other people were wounded in the attack in Thousand Oaks, a Los Angeles suburb. The Sheriffs Office Sgt Eric Buchow said hundreds of people were inside the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks at 11:20 pm (12.50 pm Thursday IST), and shots were still being fired when deputies arrived. The bar was hosting a college country music night. Nick Steinwender, student body president at nearby California Lutheran University, rushed to the scene when he heard about a shooting at the bar where he knew friends and fellow students were inside. It was chaos, people jumping out of windows, people hopping over gates to get out Steinwender told KABC-TV. He said he heard from people inside that they were hiding in bathrooms and the attic of the bar. It has been quite some time since there was a shooting of any kind in Thousand Oaks, a city of about 130,000 people about 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of Los Angeles, just across the county line. At least 25 inmates and two security officers have been killed in a riot at a high-security prison in the northern Tajik city of Khujand, security sources said on Thursday. Local authorities confirmed there had been a riot on Wednesday at the prison known for housing people convicted on extremism charges, but provided no other information. The ex-Soviet countrys government has yet to confirm the prison riot or the deaths. The prison in Khujand, located some 300 kilometres (186 miles) to the north of the capital Dushanbe, has seen prison breaks in the past. In 2016, a guard and a prisoner were killed after three inmates initiated a jailbreak. At the time the interior ministry said the prisoners had planned to join the ranks of ISIS. Israeli Muslims will not be able to reach Mecca for the annual hajj pilgrimage because of a change in passport regulations made by Saudi Arabia, the Haaretz newspaper reported. The new rules close a loophole that allowed passage from Israel, which does not have diplomatic relations with the Saudi kingdom, home to Islams two holiest shrines. Saudi authorities announced they will no longer accept the temporary passports that Jordan had issued to Israeli Muslims to facilitate the trip, Haaretz said. An Israeli foreign ministry spokesman said in a text message that the government is checking the situation. Jordanian religious authorities in Jerusalem declined to comment. According to Haaretz, the change also affects those Palestinians in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza Strip who hold temporary Jordanian passports, though not those with Palestinian travel documents. Palestinian Authority officials did not respond to requests for comment. Ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel have been growing stronger, with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying recently that the killing of Saudi government critic Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey shouldnt be allowed to destabilize the kingdom. Sri Lankan Speaker Karu Jayasuriya said Wednesday he wanted a floor test in parliament to resolve the issue of two prime ministers in the country which arose following the sacking of Ranil Wickremesinghe and replacing him with Mahinda Rajapaksa. The Speakers remarks came two days after he slammed President Maithripala Sirisena, saying it was anti-democratic to sack Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and suspend the Parliament, and asserted that he will not recognise Rajapaksa as the premier unless it is proved by a floor test. Jayasuriya said he had met party representatives to finalise the agenda for November 14 when the current suspension of parliament by President Sirisena would end. He said the government argued that parliament should not vote for a floor test on the day and should limit its sessions to days business. After giving a fair hearing to both sides, the speaker expressed his stand. The need for the determination of majority, as requested by 116 members previously in writing to suspend standing orders of parliament, after the conclusion of the days business to allow each side to display their majorities in order to have a stable government, a statement from Jayasuriyas office said. When contacted a Sirisena source denied that they had agreed with Jayasuriya for a floor test. Jayasuriya, earlier in the week, said when parliament was to be reconvened he would have to consider the pre-26 October status quo with regard to the two prime ministers. Jayasuriyas stance has caused ire among the Sirisena and Rajapaksa factions. He accuses the Speaker of being biased towards his party, the United National Party (UNP) led by the ousted prime minister Wickremesinghe. Sirisena suspended parliament immediately after his October 26 sacking of Wickremesinghe, a move that was being seen as to allow Rajapaksa to muster the 113 seats required for majority. Rajapaksa has so far won 9 defections, still short of 113 to prove his majority in the 225-member House. Wickremesinghe continues to claim he is the lawful prime minister citing the 19th amendment to the Constitution under which the presidents powers to sack the Prime Minister had been stripped. The unity government was formed in 2015 when Sirisena was elected President with Wickremesinghes support, ending a nearly decade-long rule by Rajapaksa. President Donald Trump fired attorney general Jeff Sessions on Wednesday, a day after he was handed a mixed mid-term verdict, which he sought to spin as a victory, despite Republicans losing the House of Representatives, one of the two chambers of US Congress, and several governorships. The president also warned Democrats, who won the House handily, against launching investigations against him and his presidency, as some of them have indicated they will, saying at a White House news conference he will retaliate with his own probes, which, he added, could lead to a warlike situation. Sessionss firing, which was long in the making and was expected after the mid-terms, may have set up the presidents first confrontation with the new House that he was referring. Many Democrats explicitly warned after the announcement that the dismissal should not become the first step towards shutting down special counsel Robert Mullers Russia meddling probe that the president has called a witch-hunt. A key reason for their alarm was the man the president picked to succeed Sessions in an interim capacity, Mathew Whitaker, the former attorney generals chief of staff, and not the official number two, deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein, who instituted the special counsel probe. Whitaker, on the other hand, is a known sceptic and critic of the investigation and has suggested choking it out of business by squeezing its budget. We are pleased to announce that Matthew G. Whitaker, Chief of Staff to Attorney General Jeff Sessions at the Department of Justice, will become our new Acting Attorney General of the United States, Trump said in a mid-afternoon tweet. We thank Attorney General Jeff Sessions for his service, and wish him well! A permanent replacement will be nominated at a later date, he added. Sessions had been on the US presidents exit list for most of his term, ever since he recused himself from overseeing the Russia probe on account of his own interactions with Russian officials that he failed to acknowledge at his confirmation. A livid Trump had publicly belittled him at every opportunity he could. Trump announced Sessions exit on Twitter and also the interim arrangement. But had his chief of staff John Kelly call up the former attorney general to deliver the decision and ask for his resignation. Sessions sent in his resignation shortly, making it clear he was quitting because he had been asked to. The pushback from Democrats buoyed by their victory overnight was swift and sharp. It is impossible to read Attorney General Sessions firing as anything other than another blatant attempt by @realDonaldTrump to undermine & end Special Counsel Muellers investigation, tweeted Nancy Pelosi, the senior-most Democrat in the outgoing House who expects to head the new House as Speaker, a position that is second in line to the presidency (the first is the vice-president). Other Democrats called on Whitaker to recuse himself from the probe given his public opposition to it, which will be a hard ask for him to deliver given that his criticism of the probe may have been the reason who he got the job. A confrontation appears likely, with Democrats determined to pursue the Houses oversight mandate aggressively. Democrats took the House winning 222 seats, four more than they needed; and picked up seven new governorships. Republicans retained the Senate with an expanded lead but lost seven gubernatorial races. The congressional verdicts were along expected lines, as forecast by multiple agencies. It was a big day yesterday, incredible day, Trump said to reporters at the news conference. And last night the Republican Party defied history to expand our Senate majority while significantly beating expectations in the House. He added: I thought it was very close to a complete victory. Trump seemed unconvinced by his own bluster and sunny spin. Clearly unhappy about the loss of the House, which could hurt his legislative agenda at the least and threaten his presidency with the possibility of impeachment, he proceeded to name and shame Republicans who lost. They lost, he complained, because they distanced themselves from him, his presidency and, most significantly, the sharp rhetoric he had deployed to rally his base. I saw Mia Love, Trump said, referring to Ludmya Mia Love, a Republican who lost her re-election bid from Utah. Shed call me all the time to help her with a hostage situation. Being held hostage in Venezuela. But Mia Love gave me no love, and she lost. Too bad. Sorry about that, Mia. The United States is determined to push Iranian oil exports to zero, US special representative Brian Hook said on Wednesday, through a calibrated approach using maximum economic pressure without lifting oil prices. The United States resumed sanctions on Irans oil, shipping and banking industries on Monday after US president Donald Trump pulled out of a 2015 nuclear deal earlier this year. It granted temporary exemptions to eight countries allowing them to continue importing Iranian oil, although it said the ultimate goal is to completely halt exports from Iran. Hook declined to give details of the confidential bilateral deals with the countries, which include China, India, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Greece, Italy and Turkey. Also Read: US exempts India from sanctions at Chabahar port in Iran The deputy head of Irans elite Revolutionary Guards, brigadier general Hossein Salami, said on Wednesday that his country can flourish under sanctions and would defeat the United States in the economic war. We have been very careful about applying maximum economic pressure (on Iran) without lifting the price of oil and we have done that successfully, Hook told reporters. We are going to be continuing our path to zero, Hook said. We do want to achieve maximum pressure without harming friends or allies and we dont want to lift the price of oil. ... We have calibrated this very well. Irans exports peaked at 2.8 million barrels per day (bpd) in April, including 300,000 bpd of condensate, a lighter form of oil. Overall exports have since fallen to 1.8 million bpd, according to energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie, which estimates volumes dropping to 1 million bpd. Also Read: China vows to continue bilateral trade with Iran despite new US sanctions Oil prices in October rallied above $85 per barrel on fears of a steep decline in Iranian exports and have fallen since then. On Wednesday, oil slipped after US crude output hit another record and domestic inventories rose more than expected. Asked if the administration had a target in reducing Iranian oil exports in the next six months, Hook said, I cant tell you what our target is; we do have a target. He added that the ultimate aim was to halt Iranian exports entirely. He said the United States expected increased global oil supply in 2019, surpassing demand, which would better position Washington to ask Iranian oil importers to reduce purchases to zero. Washingtons maximum pressure strategy would also apply to the escrow accounts holding Iranian oil revenues, Hook said, adding that the treasury department would ensure that the accounts are never used for illicit goods. We will police these very aggressively, he added. Also Read: We are in a war situation: Iran responds to US sanctions with air defence drills FLOATING LIABILITY Hook raised the possibility that countries and port operators could face US penalities for facilitating Irans illicit activities if they allowed Iranian ships access to international waterways and port facilities. Iran regularly shipped millions of barrels of crude to Syria in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, he said. Hook said Iranian vessels would lose access to international insurance markets under US sanctions. From the Suez Canal to the Strait of Malacca and all choke-points in between, Iranian tankers are a floating liability, Hook said. Self-insured Iranain tankers are a risk to the ports that permit them to dock, the canals that allow them to transit and the boat that corss their path. This exposes the entire maritime shipping network to immense liability. T he Creative Craft Show November 15-17 at Hall N5, ExCeL, One Western Gateway, Royal Victoria Dock E16 (ichfevents.co.uk). Release your creativity at this craft event, left, with embroidery, knitting, leather embossing, paper crafts and stained-glass ornament making. Browse tools and materials and make jewellery, decs and Christmas cards.Artist Rosalind Freeborn will help you do a paper collage to go on a lamp shade. Julie Peasgood and Wendy Turner Webster from TVs Crafty Beggars will host workshops. Hidden November 16-20, noon to 6pm at the Royal College of Art Courtyard Galleries, Kensington SW7 (rca.ac.uk). The RCA has been named four years running as the worlds top university of art and design, and its students summer degree shows are always hot tickets. Less known is the large band of technical staff who teach the vital skills for career success, from digital technologies to making by hand. They are skilled artists, designers and craftspeople in their own right, and this is their show. See and buy original work from more than 50 technical and non-academic staff. We like Debbie Stacks embroidered Wiggle cushions,65. Getty Images/iStockphoto Handmade in Britain Friday to Sunday at Chelsea Old Town Hall, SW3. Tickets 10, under-14s free. Reader offer: quote STANDARD18 online or show this page at the door to get two tickets for the price of one (handmadeinbritain.co.uk). This popular fair is timed just right for Christmas gifts and decorations. Meet 100 UK-based designer-makers and shop for textiles, jewellery, ceramics, glass, furniture, fashion accessories and more. Nick James is bringing distinctive furniture from Newcastle, textile designer Sophie Darling will launch custom-printed wallpaper panels and always in demand are mouth-blown glass baubles by Adam Aaronson. New Scandinavian Glass November 8-December 22 at Vessel Gallery, 114 Kensington Park Road, Notting Hill W11 (vesselgallery.com). Scandinavia was an acknowledged leader in the making of modern glass last century but as production costs soared, many well-known brands decamped to countries where labour was cheaper. Now Scandinavia is re-emerging as a glass pioneer and this show will please connoisseurs and collectors alike. It features work by 25 new and established artists, dramatically displayed in Britains leading gallery for contemporary glass. Prices for these one-off sculptures start at 2,500. This Peter Hermansson piece is 14,750. Lost Treasures of Strawberry Hill Until February 24 at 68 Waldegrave Road, Twickenham. Public guided tours are on Saturdays and Sundays, 10am. Christmas fair, November 25. Tickets 16, with free entry for up to four under-16s (strawberryhillhouse.org.uk). Gothic revival masterpiece Strawberry Hill House, restored at a cost of 10 million, was built by obsessive collector Horace Walpole between 1748 and 1790. His precious objects were dispersed across the globe in a 28-day sale of the century in 1842 but after a three-year treasure hunt, 150 paintings, sculptures and curiosities culled from 55 public and private collections worldwide are now back in their original flamboyant settings. In the Great Parlour, portraits include Joshua Reynoldss painting of Walpoles nieces, The Ladies Waldegrave, right. Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here. Appointment 8 November 2018 Marriott Syracuse Downtown has named Melissa Oliver as its new director of sales and marketing. A native New Yorker, Oliver brings to her role a decade of leadership experience in the hospitality industry. Oliver most recently served as director of sales and marketing at the Crowne Plaza Syracuse where she effectively oversaw all sales, marketing and social media efforts. While leading a team of sales managers, conference services and administrative staff, she also created special events to drive revenue, acted as a main point of contact for the sales team and hotel ownership, and worked with the general manager to execute top-level projects in the hotel's various departments. Prior to that, she held the position of general manager at Lake Placid Summit Hotel Resorts & Suites in Lake Placid, New York. Among her many accomplishments therein addition to improving hotel operations and implementing new quality control standardsOliver significantly grew average daily rates (ADR) in her first six months and maintained a year-round occupancy rate of 75 percent. Previously, she served in various sales and operations roles with Courtyard Lake Placid, DelMonte Hotel Group, Holiday Inn Waterloo/Seneca Falls, Holiday Inn Downtown Ithaca and Holiday Inn Syracuse. Appointment 8 November 2018 Hilton Charlotte University Place, a contemporary hotel committed to an innovative approach towards products, amenities and service, is excited to announce the appointment of Lena Sanok to Director of Business Travel. Lena brings exceptional leadership and expertise to the property and its guests in an effort to uphold the world's most famous hotel brand's standard of excellence. Hilton Charlotte University Place exceeds far beyond traditional southern hospitality. The hotel staff is devoted to its guests and strives to make each stay a memorable experience. Due to her impressive resume, the Hilton staff is proud to welcome Lena and is confident she will continue to enhance the experience for each business guest during their stay. Lena ignited her passion for hospitality at The Westin Charlotte in 2004 and has continued to flourish in the industry since. Prior to joining Hilton Charlotte University Place, Lena served 2 years in the Global Business Travel Association Ladders mentoring program. During the course of her career, she has been highly active in the North Carolina Business Travel Association, working her way onto the board as Secretary and currently serving as an Allied Board Member. She has even had the honor or representing the organization four separate times at the Global Business Travel Association's annual Legislative Summit. In addition to these accolades, Lena had been awarded Hilton's prestigious Circle of Excellence Award and was selected to attend Hilton's Annual Top Performers Club Summit in 2016. Lena has undoubtedly earned a promising reputation in the industry due to her passion for travel and commitment to excellence, which makes her a perfect fit for Hilton. Lena's competitive spirit and determination helps to paint a picture of success with whatever challenges come her way. When Lena is not working, she is spending time with her husband and two sons, and during those rare instances of free time, you might find her recovering from a long run with a glass of wine and a good book. Supplier News 7 November 2018 Known for years as the data protection team that sports the orange blazers at events and has a never-ending supply of adorable stuffed Rocky dogs, VENZA is yet again setting itself apart from the competition. Increasing its client base well over 1700 properties in the last 12 months and more than doubling its staff in the processwith additional new hires to come VENZA continues on its trajectory to accomplish great things. As part of 2018's wave of growth and development, and to support its overarching drive for excellence, VENZA recognized the need to bring on an additional layer of leadership. This week, VENZA announced the appointment of Josh Bergen, CHAE, CHTP, to the position of President. Jeff Venza, formerly President & CEO, will remain with VENZA as CEO and Chairman of the Board. The move to President will leverage Bergen's hospitality background, leadership skills and financial expertise and help to position VENZA at the forefront of data protection in the hospitality industry. Jeff's focus will now be on the creation of the VENZA Board of Directors and the securing of additional strategic business partners to continue growing the business. Josh has been employed with VENZA for just over a year, and in that time, moved from VP of Marketing to Corporate Controller to the new role as President. What has been behind this quick rise through the VENZA ranks? A resume that reads like a who's who in the hospitality industry, for starters, with Josh having held several executive roles since 2006. In his esteemed career, he's also held many different positions within the hospitality industryfrom operations and finance/accounting to SaaS-based sales. Hailing from Florida and having graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor of Science in hospitality management and accounting, as well as a Master of Science in Hospitality Management, his academic prowess is perfectly aligned with VENZA's goals and strategic vision. And for those who have attended the annual HITEC conventions, his street cred is legendary, having danced onstage with Wyclef Jean and Flo Rida at successive events. Bergen's diverse hospitality background, team-building skills and exceptional leadership style have been an asset to VENZA thus far and will now be fully utilized within his role as President. "As President, Josh will provide leadership to position the company at the forefront of data protection within the hospitality industry, as well as develop a strategic plan to advance the company's revenue, profitability and growth. This will all be accomplished while maintaining our company's mission to guide good people to do great things," says Jeff. "He will work in conjunction with Diona Reeves, our COO, to ensure production efficiency, quality, customer service and cost-effective management of our resources." VENZA's focus will not change with this new parsing of corporate duties, "The success of our customers is the lifeblood of our company, everyone should be doing their part to protect sensitive data in this age of identity theft, using our training hotel staff are able to protect guest data on a daily basis just as the VENZA staff focusses on solving real-world data protection/compliance challenges for our hospitality clients." said Josh Bergen, President. Opinion Article 8 November 2018 Travel is an ever-shifting industry; how visitors adapt in their preferences is a challenge for any tourism and hospitality professional to identify and meet their requirements in order to stay relevant. These trends differ from continent to continent, so it's necessary to maintain a global perspective when marketing to different source markets. According to the Euromonitor Megatrends Report 2019, global inbound international arrivals are expected to grow by 5% to 1.4 billion trips in 2018. This amounts to total travel sales that are expected to fall just short of US$2.5 trillion for the year. We must utilise all our resources in tapping into the immense potential this represents. The same report lists what it terms "Megatrends", i.e., trends that are more than mere fads that have an impact on how people travel and how they approach in-destination experiences. Seamless experiences One such trend is for visitors to be able to have an entirely seamless visitor experience from start to finish. This extends to points of entry and departure from a country. This has been an ongoing struggle of ours in tourism, since unwieldy processes hinder access for visitors, although we are assured by Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom that this challenge is being addressed. For us, it's more than a trend, it's a critical point that speaks to sustainability in tourism for the country - after all, if it's easier to access a country, then why would potential visitors go to a country that's tricky to enter? Aspects relating to seamlessness include biometric en try point measures, facial recognition cameras in hotels, online check-in and keyless entry, holistic mobility solutions and other smart city initiatives, as well as frictionless payment facilities. The digital traveller has increasingly come to expect such solutions, and we are steadily managing to meet their expectations. For example, SnapScan's development in Africa allows travellers to benefit from a mobile, cashless and cardless payment product; while the continent is coming online at a faster rate than any other continent on the planet, there are many parts of Africa and South Africa that need such solutions, since infrastructural challenges may impede payment processes. It's simple: travellers don't necessarily want to carry around large amounts of currency, so this solution addresses the challenge well. Trading down Another trend addressed in the report is that of "trading down". The author compared world travel markets in this s ense: for developed countries, the middle class is battling to maintain an economic status quo enjoyed for decades, but in developing regions such as Africa and Asia, there a booming growth of the middle-class market, translating into a greater desire to travel for leisure purposes, as well as boosting business travel. While previously the tourism industry in Africa has historically catered to the wealthy international traveller, resulting in a strong focus on inter-regional flight networks and high-end lodging, there's room for diversification. Opportunities to meet the demand for low-cost carrier flights and more segmented accommodation exist to cater for this growing market. These trends are just a couple that are moving the bar for the tourism sector, but it's a bar that must move to ensure that we act on our future-forward strategies for tourism growth and sustainability. Opinion Article 8 November 2018 We aren't just living in a mobile age we are living in an 'on-demand' economy, and it is revolutionizing business models and the corresponding consumer experience across every industry. With digital platforms and apps empowering instant gratification, paired with efficient and intuitive technological properties to cater to a personalized and data-driven experience, the supply which meets the demand of customers is readily available, 24/7. The modern consumer has become accustomed to the ease of uninhibited access to messaging, e-mail, social media, e-commerce, and general online functionality through the use of their mobile device, tablet, laptops and more. Of course, with this access comes a learned preference for fast and convenient service. In fact, reports studying consumer behavior surrounding the adoption of online grocery shopping noted "convenience of delivery" as the primary motivator. Studies also show that 58% of consumers consider 'the ability to find what I want quickly and easily' as the most important factor that determined which brands win their business. Further, Harvard Business Review Centre notes that the number one factor in delivering a great customer experience is not delighting customers, but reducing their efforts. Consider this the 'culture of convenience.' This becomes especially apparent within the hospitality industry, as we witness the ways in which guest expectations are rapidly evolving with convenience and personalization as paramount factors to success. With this in mind, it's more important than ever before for hoteliers to focus on yielding to guest demands and desires for convenience and control, across every touch-point of service. Is Your Online Experience Accountable? According to Forrester , 66% of customers think that valuing their time is the most important element to consider to provide a good online customer service. Further, 53% of customers will abandon a mobile site that takes over 3 seconds to load, and for every second delay in mobile page load, conversions can fall by up to 20%. While digital platforms (PMS, CRM, apps, self-service kiosks and more) open a world of opportunity to connect with both current/prospective guests and provide immediate access, this can only be effective if the tools are virtually foolproof. Essentially, getting on board with the digital trend doesn't just mean buying into technology that almost or sometimes meets demand it needs to offer the complete experience to every guest, every time. If your property offers self-service kiosks , for example, is the platform user-friendly? Does it offer seamless load times and effective communications and prompts? Does your mobile check-in system work most of the time or all of the time? Does your PMS effectively empower your staff to offer guests the best possible experience? Ultimately, it is every hotelier's responsibility to effectively vet digital solutions and ensure they are investing in technology vendors that not only offer robust and tested platforms but on-going support and scalability. So, as a hotelier, ask yourself can you rely on the technology you have in place? And if not, what's missing? Because the ongoing curation of a reliable, seamless online guest experience will undoubtedly be integral to a hotel's success both now and in the future. Empower Your Guests With Choices No two guests are the same whether they are traveling for work or leisure, with family, on a wellness vacation or in town for an event guest preferences and corresponding service expectations vary. As such, it's ever-important to offer guests a choice in service to ensure your service offering is entirely accountable to each individual guests' needs and expectations. While many guests may prefer the traditional, high-touch interaction with hotel staff at each touch-point of their stay, others may opt for a more low-touch, digital-forward experience. In fact, reports predict that by 2020, customers will manage 87% of their customer relationships without interacting with humans. So, while in-person engagement will never cease to be an integral part of the hospitality experience, the curation of a truly efficient and intuitive digital guest experience is equally paramount in the modern landscape. Find New Ways to Enhance Guest Experience s You can thank the likes of Uber, Lyft, and Amazon Prime for inspiring the on-demand economy. People expect not just information now, but the actual products and services too. Hotels must cater to how guests' demands are evolving to design fast, frictionless, mobile-centric experiences that engage today's increasingly impatient travelers. Considering that 80% of businesses believe they provide excellent customer service, but only 8% of customers agree, there is a significant disconnect between brands and their customers, and a missed opportunity to establish long-term loyalty. By increasing customer retention rates by just 5%, hotels can increase profits from 25% to 95%. Bottom line; guest service translates to revenue, and utilizing the power of intuitive digital platforms will enhance a hotels' ability to maximize that revenue opportunity. Leverage Technology That Drives Hospitality The solution? Invest in a mobile hotel management system that offers mobile access and cross-departmental communications to enhance productivity, seamless interfaces to centralize guest data from all touchpoints, revenue-enhancing features like rate management, channel management, group management, and marketing capabilities like automated up-sells, integrated booking engine to drive direct bookings, and more. With data-backed insights making personalization easy and frictionless interactions while on the property, guests can trust in your hotel for a unique and memorable experience one that keeps them coming back time and time again. A recent study by H2C revealed that only 38% of respondents plan on staying with their current PMS strategy, with cloud solutions and integration (e.g., with CRM technology) as driving factors for a strategy shift. When asked about their biggest concerns with their existing PMS, 30% of respondents say lack of support from their PMS vendor, with more than half (57%) of hotel chains rating their PMS vendor as average or poor for their support services. When it comes to guests, only one-third (38%) said they could use the PMS in a 'guest-facing' way, be that managing bookings or letting them access hotel services. So how do you provide guests with what they want in the emerging era of on-demand service and the culture of convenience? Ultimately, by giving your staff the tools and technology they need to optimize services, which includes an innovative, modern PMS backed by a responsive support partnership, they can better provide your guests with everything they want, every stay, to keep them coming back! To learn more watch this complete mobile guest journey "THE NEW WAY... TO HOTEL!" You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.You should upgrade or use an alternative browser Other Hosting Offers This forum is intended for web hosting companies to publish their special hosting offers for services that don't fit in any other advertising category: email, backup/storage, streaming, adult, website builder solutions, SEO hosting, etc. NOTE: 10 days of membership and 15 relevant and valuable posts are required in select community forums in order to start a thread in this forum. Non-value posts, added with the sole purpose of increasing your post count, will be deleted and infraction issued. Revenue per available room up 0.4 Percent to CAD86.85 The Canadian hotel industry recorded mixed year-over-year results in the three key performance metrics during the week of 28 October through 3 November 2018, according to data from STR. In comparison with the week of 29 October through 4 November 2017, the industry reported the following: Occupancy: -0.3% to 59.5% Average daily rate (ADR): +0.8% to CAD145.94 Revenue per available room (RevPAR): +0.4% to CAD86.85 Among the provinces and territories, British Columbia registered the only double-digit jump in RevPAR (+15.5% to CAD94.25), due in part to the largest increase in ADR (+8.7% to CAD157.72). Saskatchewan experienced the highest rise in occupancy (+6.7% to 58.9%). New Brunswick reported the second-largest increase in RevPAR (+7.7% to CAD67.89). Prince Edward Island saw the largest decrease in RevPAR (-21.7% to CAD42.20) because of the steepest drop in occupancy (-21.5% to 34.6%). Newfoundland and Labrador reported the largest decline in ADR (-4.2% to CAD133.13) and the second-largest decreases in occupancy (-13.0% to 51.6%) and RevPAR (-16.7% to CAD68.71). STR provides clients from multiple market sectors with premium, global data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights. Founded in 1985, STR maintains a presence in 10 countries around the world with a corporate North American headquarters in Hendersonville, Tennessee, and an international headquarters in London, England. For more information, please visit str.com. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource Ronald R. McCord, Certified Hotel Broker (CHB) and Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA) with Milmark Hotel/Motel Investments, LLC, West Bend, WI, and member of the Commercial Association of Realtors of Wisconsin (CARW), 250 E. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI, has been awarded the unique honor of REALTOR EMERITUS status by the National Association of Realtors at the groups 2018 Legislative Meetings and Trade Show. Ronald R. McCord, Certified Hotel Broker (CHB) and Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA) with Milmark Hotel/Motel Investments, LLC, West Bend, WI, and member of the Commercial Association of Realtors of Wisconsin (CARW), 250 E. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI, has been awarded the unique honor of REALTOR EMERITUS status by the National Association of Realtors at the groups 2018 Legislative Meetings and Trade Show. Milmark Hotel Motel/Investments, LLC was founded as Milmark Realty in 1954. McCord joined the firm in 1971 and became the firms Broker in 1976. The firm specializes in the sale of lodging properties. The family run company has been in operation for 64 years. It is now in its third generation with its new President, Jennifer Church, who took the helm in 2015. The REALTOR EMERITUS award is presented for over 40 years as an active Realtor reflecting myriads of activities and efforts on behalf of the association, including leadership roles, as well as participation in educational and social events. McCord served on the Public Relations Committee of the Milwaukee Board of Realtors for many years and was its chairman for ten years. The award also recognizes related organization participation and community service activities. McCord served as President of Hotel Brokers International (HBI) and was only the second person to serve two terms in that capacity in the organizations history up to that time. Earlier in his career he served as President of Nationwide Hotel Brokers. McCord was also President of the Wisconsin Hotel & Lodging Association, as well as Wisconsins representative on the Board of Directors of the American Hotel & Lodging Association for about ten years. McCord was a long-time resident of Elm Grove and Brookfield, WI. He was owner of Sleepy Hollow Motel, Elm Grove, WI for 28 years, as well as five other lodging properties throughout Wisconsin and Texas. McCord currently resides in Menomonee Falls, WI. Milmark Hotel/Motel Investments, LLC is a proud member of Hotel Brokers International (HBI). HBI members lead the industry in hotel real estate sales. HBI hotel brokerage specialists have successfully negotiated more than 10,000 hotel real estate transactions and consistently account for the largest share of all select-service and economy hotel sales in the United States. Contact: Ronald R. McCord, CHB, CHA Milmark Hotel/Motel Investments, LLC 1-920-474-3871 rmccord@milmark.com Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource Its a known fact that Google has goals of becoming the complete funnel for many of the searches and transactions we make online. Theyve already made great strides with their airline system and they have their sights squarely aligned with the hotel/travel space. Its a known fact that Google has goals of becoming the complete funnel for many of the searches and transactions we make online. Theyve already made great strides with their airline system and they have their sights squarely aligned with the hotel/travel space. In this last double-digit episode of the Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast we are going to dive into what Google has done this year alone in setting the stage to become the Hotel Demogorgon (cue the spooky Stranger Things music). This transition is not new, Google has been working for years to reach farther down the funnel. However, as they announced in a February 2018 blog post theyre making a focused effort on the travel space and now these upgrades are reaching critical mass. TripAdvisor, Expedia, Booking Holdings They all need to pay attention to these big hotel updates we have seen in 2018. In this article, we are going to look at the 7 Battlefronts that Google is establishing that may very well crush TripAdvisor and several OTAs Battlefront #1: Google Continues to Improve the Hotel Listing Experience On October 31, 2018, Google made a significant announcement that they are rolling out a suite of design and functionality improvements to the hotel shopping experience. You can learn more about this at blog.google/products/flights-hotels/new-way-to-browse-hotels-on-google/, however, the gist of the announcement is the information you can find within Googles own environment rivals that of TripAdvisor. Personally, the information is better organized and easier to digest on Google. In doing so, Google is putting the finishing pieces on what may very likely be the most complete hotel shopping and booking system available. As an OTA, you should be shaking in your boots. As a hotel, you should be gearing up to put your best foot forward. Just in case you have not listened to Episode 91 of the Fuel Hotel Marketing Podcast, Google My Business is going to be the place to start for any hotelier. By ensuring you have an optimized hotel listing, compelling photos, and are responding to guest reviews you will put yourself in a position to reap the early rewards. Battlefront #2: Improved Hotel Searching and Filtering Search Engine Roundtable grabbed some amazing screenshots of an improved hotel search and filter system in a June article. Data has already proven that a vast majority of hotel decisions begin with a search and, based on the new hotel SERP tools, customers will very likely stay on Googles system for much longer as they slice and dice to find their perfect hotel. Googles push to gather more and more reviews makes searches even more valuable. To put this in perspective, the Breakers Resort in Myrtle Beach, SC has 5,024 reviews on TripAdvisor. Google is quickly catching up though with that same resort showing 2,300 reviews. Yes, TripAdvisor is still leading in reviews, but both systems have dozens of reviews from the previous seven days and offer more than enough guest evidence to make a booking decision. Battlefront #3: Hotel Price Insights Google Flights is the most convenient and most accurate way to search and find the best airline deals. Over the years Google has been trying to bring this same level of convenience to the hotel space. Recently Google has upped their game with several new tools: Hotel price alerts Price comparisons to other nearby or related properties Ability to save and track rates for a location Ability to see hotel price trends over time (still in testing), examples can be seen at this Search Engine Land article. More information can also be found on Search Engine Lands December 2017 article here. Battlefront #4: Booking Direct On Google Yes, technically booking direct was quietly rolled out in 2015, but has always been a hard-to-find feature in the Google hotel landscape. In 2018, we have seen Google bring this more toward the forefront as an option within Google Hotel Ads. Meaning, if your hotel is integrated with the Google Room Booking Module a customer can go through the entire booking process, including payment, without ever visiting your hotel site. If you are familiar with TripAdvisor InstantBook yeah, its the same thing. Google already has a huge advantage in this space with their integrated Google Pay platform which is included in Android devices as well as billions of users who are already registered. We know the biggest roadblock on the conversion funnel is the payment and when Googles book direction option becomes more widespread it may very well be a crippling blow to the OTAs that rely on pulling users out of Google to get their traffic. Battlefront #5: Google Steadily Improving Hotel-Centric Advertising Opportunities Making it easy to spend money within GHA has been an ongoing struggle for Google. Many of our clients want to increase their GHA budgets, but thus far have not been able to spend as much as they like. Were starting to see this change and the GHA integration into the new consolidated Google Ads platform means more granularity and a greater opportunity to spend and optimize. This is a big deal for Google, seeing the other major player in the hotel CPC game is TripAdvisor. And if youre familiar with the TripAdvisor bidding and management system you know that it well, it sucks. If Google can get this right it will land a devastating left-right combo by allowing hotels to spend more effectively and pull advertiser revenue away from one of TripAdvisors most lucrative platforms. Google has also completely overhauled there GHA display making it easier to use and more transactional, which you can read more about in detail on https://www.koddi.com/googles-new-look-for-mobile-hotel-ads/. Googles full suite of hotel-centric ads include: Google Hotel Ads GHA Callouts Search PPC Display PPC Gmail Ads YouTube Video Ads Call Ads App Promotion Ads Battlefront #6: Google Trips App Continues To Improve We havent heard much from Google regarding their Trips app, though that is not to say they have not been working hard on making updates and improving the platform. Several updates have been pushed to the app to improve performance, the most recent being July 30, 2018. Customer reviews are not all glowing for the app and it is clear that improvements need to be made. However with over 500,000 Android downloads (unknown iOS downloads), once the app becomes more functional it will position Google to have a completely captive audience throughout the entire travel cycle. Battlefront #7: TripAdvisor Is Really Screwing Up TripAdvisor is notoriously hard to deal with from an advertiser perspective and we continually are battling issues with system performance, errors, and reporting problems. Heres where Google will really be able to grow their market share, particularly on the advertiser side. Google is clearly following the quote by Napoleon Bonaparte, Never Interfere With an Enemy While Hes in the Process of Destroying Himself. If Google is able to get their system producing the volume of bookings TripAdvisor currently does, hoteliers will happily shift budgets to the service that offers fewer headaches and better reporting. Unfortunately, were not there yet but once Google is able to market their hotel platform capabilities to customers and booking volumes increase, TripAdvisor had better watch out. Conclusion and Key Takeaways The Hotel Marketing Demogorgon is starting to take shape and a hotelier will be well-served to keep an eye on this beast and be ready to take advantage of the market shakeups that are coming in its wake. Expect TripAdvisor and the OTAs to create programs to retain their market share. Hoteliers should also be prepared to capitalize on the upcoming changes with these recommendations: Make sure your Google My Business listing is optimized and you are taking full advantage of this platform. Work with your agency to make sure you are pushing your traditional PPC to its limits. Review your GHA campaign and make sure you are fully utilizing the platform. Google is lagging behind TripAdvisor in reviews, but not by much. Have a plan to grow your Google reviews. Review your budget for 2019 and make sure you are positioning your efforts to take advantage of Googles push into the hotel space. About Fuel At Fuel, we think a little differently. We believe that were making the world just a little bit better by connecting people with the right products and services. Travel Marketing Simplified. Thats our motto and our commitment. Headquartered in the heart of the travel and tourism industry in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Fuel provides all digital services in-house through a team of experts who understand the potential of well-executed, effective online marketing. To learn more about Fuel and to take your travel marketing to the next level, call (843) 839-1456, visit our website or check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google+. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource The Cleveland Cavaliers have today revealed their 2018-19 "City Edition" uniform, as well as a special edition court, that will debut on November 13 when the Cavs host the Charlotte Hornets at Quicken Loans Arena. "The Land" City Edition uniforms feature an orange and blue wave design as a call back to the jerseys worn by the Cavaliers in 1994 during their first season in the new arena when they returned to downtown Cleveland. According to the press release: "The wave pattern splitting the orange and blue across the chest represents Lake Erie and the power and energy generated from this body of water that defines the shoreline of the City of Cleveland. A force of nature, The Great Lake Erie symbolizes the perseverance and fortitude of a community of people who stand strong together and proudly call themselves Clevelanders." "The jock tag on the lower left of the jersey reads 1 OUT OF 5 GREATS, in reference that Lake Erie is one of the five Great Lakes." The "City Edition" home court matches the new uniforms from the script wordmark to the split orange and blue wave design along the sidelines. The team will wear the alternate uniform during six home games this season. Friday, December 7 vs. Sacramento Kings 7:30 p.m. (Destination Cleveland Cleveland script desk sign giveaway) Sunday, December 23 vs. Chicago Bulls 6:00 p.m. Saturday, January 5 vs. New Orleans Pelicans 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, February 13 vs. Brooklyn Nets 7:00 p.m. (ESPN) Tuesday, March 26 vs. Boston Celtics 7:00 p.m. Check out the unveiling video, as well as some additional photos, in the tweets embedded below. https://twitter.com/_/status/1060562805504516101 https://twitter.com/_/status/1060564207551295489 https://twitter.com/_/status/1060564999813451776 https://twitter.com/_/status/1060582787001040896 CNN reporter Jim Acosta and Donald Trump got into an argument on Wednesday (November 7) that led to the former having his press credentials suspended. Acosta joined a room of other journalists in questioning the president after the mid-term elections, and the topic of immigration came up. Acosta decided to ask Trump why he seemingly "demonized" the immigrants traveling to the American border at the moment. Trump has called the move an "invasion," although the group is nowhere near the US border. Trump kept his answers short, taking shots at Acosta several times before moving to end the questioning. Instead, Acosta continued with a second question about the Russian investigation, which Trump shrugged off with another curt answer. In between the two questions, Trump attempted to move on, but Acosta refused. A White House staffer attempted to grab the mic from the reporter, but he easily fended her off. After Acosta finally gives the mic up, Trump chose to attack him personally. "CNN should be ashamed of themselves, having you work for them," he said. "The way you treat Sarah Huckabee [Sanders] is horrible." When Acosta attempted to return to the White House later on in the day, he was instructed by a secret service member to hand over his press credentials. Sanders released a statement from the White House after the incident, stating, "President Trump believes in a free press and expects and welcomes tough questions of him and his Administration. We will, however, never tolerate a reporter placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern. This conduct is absolutely unacceptable. It is also completely disrespectful to the reporter's colleagues not to allow them an opportunity to ask a question. ... As a result of today's incident, the White House is suspending the hard pass of the reporter involved until further notice." Acosta and CNN responded by refuting the claim that he placed his hands on the staffer, using photo evidence as proof. CNN released a statement via Twitter, as did The White House Correspondents Association. https://twitter.com/_/status/1060350746703597568 https://twitter.com/_/status/1060342568024711169 https://twitter.com/_/status/1060357961359519745 It seems as though things with Sofia Richie and Scott Disick have only gotten more serious since Kourtney Kardashian met with her ex and his girlfriend for dinner at Nobu in Malibu on Sunday, PEOPLE reports. Kourtney left in a separate vehicle and the publication details how the meetup was seen as necessary on Kourtney's part, being as she and Scott share three kids together. Sofia spends time with Kourtneys kids, so Kourtney wants to make sure they are all on the same page, a source told the publication. Scott and Sofia tend to get into arguments. Kourtney wants to make sure the kids are in a positive environment when they are at Scotts house. She is setting up rules for how things needs to be when the kids are with Scott. The source added: It was a quick dinner. It seemed a bit tense. It wasnt like they are all friends and were hanging out for fun. It looked more like a business dinner. Scott joined Kourtney and their kids, as well as the extended Kardashian family, on their recent family trip to Bali after getting back from Austrailia with Sofia. Twelve people, including a police officer, were slaughtered late Wednesday night (November 7) in Thousand Oaks, California. As reported by The New York Times and CNN, the suspect is dead. The shooting took place at Borderline Bar & Grill, a western style establishment. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean told CNN that the crime scene was "horrific," citing multiple injuries of varying levels on top of the 12 that were killed. "Its a horrific scene in there, there is blood everywhere and the suspect is part of that, and I didnt want to get that close and disturb the scene and possibly disturb the investigation," Sheriff Dean affirmed. "Right now as far as we know there was only one handgun, but that could certainly change as we do a more thorough search of the building." Sgt. Ron Helus was among those killed in the massacre. He was one of the first to respond to the 9-1-1 call for help. "Ron was a hardworking dedicated sheriff's sergeant. He was totally committed, he gave his all and tonight, as I told his wife, he died a hero; he went in to save lives, to save other people," Sheriff Dean declared. He claims that the suspect has yet to be identified, and that it was unclear if he had taken his own life. Shaquille O'Neal and Kim Jeong are teaming up for a TBS reality series pilot called "Unqualified," in which the odd couple will try their hands at a variety of jobs. For instance, Shaq and Jeong will see what it's like to be a substitute teacher, mall cop and train conductor, among others. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jeong and O'Neal "will be summoned to temporary employment via a digital portal, with their employers having no idea who's coming." Additionally, there will be times when the duo are unaware of what job they're taking on until they arrive for their day's work. "We are built to hustle," said O'Neal and Jeong in a statement. "We're thankful to TBS for giving us the opportunity to embrace any challenge that comes our way, and we hope to surprise everyone with our ability to learn the ropes on the fly." According to THR, Jeong and O'Neal will executive produce Unqualified along with Heidecker, Wareheim, Jensen Karp, Perry Rogers, Colin Smeeton, Mike Perris and Brett Carducci. Icon Comics is a subsidiary of Marvel Comics. It was created as a publisher that focuses on creator content, allowing Marvel's writers to release their own original stories without having to leave the company. Kick-Ass and Kingsman are two comics from Icon that made it to the big screen. 21st Century Fox was behind the Kingsman franchise, but the Disney merger has placed the film back under Marvel's umbrella. Kingsman 3 is slated to hit theaters in 2019, but the film's main actor won't be a part of it. Taron Egerton blew up off the success of the Kingsman franchise, but in a recent interview, he revealed that he won't be in the third film. Speaking with Yahoo!, Egerton stated, I dont know how hot off the press this is, and I think Im allowed to say it, but Im not in the next Kingsman movie." Although that may discourage fans of the film, he continued on to hint at returning for another movie in the franchise. That doesnt mean I wont be in Kingsman ever again. I was with Matthew [Vaughn] as little as a few days ago, were still very much in business together, but his next journey in that world doesnt involve me. Young Thug has been put in jail effective immediately after failing a drug test linked to a 2017 arrest. The Blast originally reported that Young Thug failed the aforementioned drug test at a scheduled arraignment hearing this morning. The lingering charges count against a spot-check that occurred in September of last year in which Thugger was found holding marijuana, and methamphetamine, as well as enough hydrocodone, to suggest an "intent to distribute." He was also found with codeine (on two counts), a gun, tabs of Xanax, and an amphetamine, all in his possession, although it's unclear how those charges figure into the grand scheme of things, at this juncture of the case. The bond posted by the judge was implicated in his booking a year, on the eve of his participation on a North American tour with J. Cole, Jaden Smith, and EarthGang. When the bust went down, Young Thug was held for two days before gaining his clearance on September 13th. Pitchfork has since cleared up the confusion emanating from the disparate timelines circulating in the original report. Young Thug has complied with the court-ordered process(es) every step of the way. Neither Young Thug or his reps have yet to file a statement in accordance with this recent setback. Free Thugger. In the course of a recent afternoon, interior designer Pamela OBrien picked up porcelain tile samples at Thorntree, ordered samples of wallpaper from Fabric House, shopped for office furniture at Johnson Simon, and checked orders for plumbing parts at Fixtures and Fittings. She then visited three more building specialty stores, all found within the same a half-mile radius. You really could build a house here, she said, going from shop to shop. OBriens shopping spree represents just a smattering of the design-related businesses squeezed into a square-mile wedge of west Houston bordered by Interstates 10 and 610 and the former MKT railroad. At least 95 businesses ranging from flooring to lighting to architectural services have cropped up here, with more on the way, including custom home builder Frankel Building Group Studio, stone and tile provider Pomogranit+ADR and wood flooring company Vision Wood. The area, which some have dubbed the Houston Design District, has become a classic example of what economic development specialists call a cluster, a dense concentration of similar companies that testifies to the enduring benefits of physical proximity, even in the Internet age. Clusters think movies in Hollywood, technology in Silicon Valley and, of course, energy in Houston provide the kind of access to customers, talent pools, support services and the exchange of knowledge that attracts more companies, talent and investment in the kind of virtuous circle that drives economic growth. For example, Scott Frankel, co-president of Frankel Building Group, said he decided to relocate from Woodway to the Design District because he recognized the advantages of being closer to services that his company and customers need. He said he envisioned a future in which people wanting a custom home could chat with architects in the office, then walk next door to the Ladco Design Center, where Frankel has a showroom, to consult with designers. We look at this as more of a campus approach, Frankel said.We want to be where the action is. The development of the design district holds lessons for efforts aimed a spurring new clusters, including Houstons attempts to build a tech sector. Clusters dont pop up overnight, but rather grow over decades, fertilized by an almost magical mix of capital, talent and entrepreneurial vision, research shows. They build on the particular strengths and advantages of a region and typically develop around anchor companies and institutions. Silicon Valley grew up near Stanford University and the tech pioneer Hewlett Packard while Bostons biotechnology cluster took root near Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and leading research hospitals. Gaby Rowe, CEO of the local startup hub Station Houston, is trying to build a local technology hub by providing a central location where entrepreneurs and investors can get togehter, whether by appointment or serendipity. Ideally, Rowe said, a cluster brings interaction among different people trying to solve similar problems, leading to unexpected innovations. Having those moments of physical overlap is the final magical ingredient that gives each member an exponential boost, Rowe said. The Design District can trace its roots to the 1980s, when both Ladco Design Center and the Houston Design Center moved to the area, then filled with warehouses along the railroad. Ladco was originally a furniture warehouse that used the railroad to receive shipments, but eventually evolved from a distributor into a showroom, where designers could browse and purchase furniture. Ladco later launched an in-house team of designers to help people reimagine their homes and began offering an expanded selection, including textiles and lighting fixtures. The Houston Design Center, originally known as the Resource Center, rented space for vendors to show and sell furniture, flooring and other materials to interior designers. Those businesses attracted an even wider range of tenants to the Houston Design Center, including architects, commercial developer, and the suppliers artwork to grace a corporate lobby. Some of the Houston Design Centers businesses served as incubators for new ones. Leighton Hale, for example, worked at the front desk of Memorial Antiques and Interiors, which leases space from the design center and subleases it to small antique dealers selling everything from Country French antiques to mid-century modern furnishings and art. After several years, Hale launched his own antiques company, leasing space at Memorial Antiques, before opening his own 12,000 foot-store, Back Row Home, nearby in 2012. Hale said it was important for him to stay in the area because thats where designers shop. Usually the way it works, he said, is they come out and hit all of us at one time. The concentration of companies that share customers and use one anothers services also creates a hospitable environment for specialty businesses. For example, the firm Silsby Nunes represents furniture companies that sell their products through architects and designers. One of the founders, Beth Silsby, said the company moved to the Houston Design Center a year ago because architects, designers and other furniture dealers are located nearby, with more moving to the area soon. Silsby added that the variety of specialty businesses is an added perk that allows her to provide extra levels of services to her clients. When a client needs something outside of her specialty, she can just walk them over to an expert, as she recently did for an energy company that also needed patio furniture and umbrellas. We tend to share and recommend and work together on things, she said. Pomogranit+ADR, which sells stones ranging from subtle grays to fantastically striated greens and golds, recently signed a lease to open a location in the Design District for similar reasons. We do business with a lot of architects and designers whose offices are 10 minutes of there, said the owner, Jay Sethia. For us, the most important thing, trying to find a location, is its proximity to the actual Design Center. As the Design District has gathered momentum, the Houston Design Center and Ladco Design Center have made further investments in the area. Ladco, for example, is adding 20,000 square feet to its 80,000 square-foot facility and has partnered with two other companies to redevelop an additional 67,000 square feet in adjacent properties that it acquired. The redeveloped space will be leased to architects, flooring providers and other tenants, including Frankel Building Group. The plans also call for attracting a restaurant, where architects and designers could bring clients to discuss their visions over a quiet bite and a beer. On a recent visit to his new office, Frankel he reflected on a experience he had about 13 years ago, while touring one of his buildings with a real estate agent. The agent pointed to window frames, counters and other details that had gone out of style within the previous year. And Im telling you this guy was right, Frankel said. As a home builder, you fall into a repetition. Frankel doesnt want to fall behind on the most current trends in homes again. Thats part of the edge he hopes to gain from the move at the end of October into the Design District. We want to continue to evolve, Frankel said. And it requires our architectural staff and our interior design staff and, most importantly, the other designers we collaborate with and people like the good people at Ladco to help us keep tabs on whats evolving and how things are flowing. Because the interior design space it doesnt slow down. Paul Takahashi contributed to this story. rebecca.schuetz@chron.com twitter.com/raschuetz Based on sales prices in his neighborhood, Bill Schaefer figured his League City home was worth between $250,000 and $260,000. So when he decided last month to put his property on the market, he went online to try a new real estate company that, instead of listing homes, buys them in cash. Lets just see if their offer is in line with what we expect, Schaefer told his wife. He sat down at his computer and answered a series of questions about the home: What year was it built? Were the living room floors wood or carpet? Did it have a pool? Within 24 hours, the company emailed an offer: $256,400. The couple accepted. The Schaefers, scheduled to close on the sale of their home Tuesday, are taking part in a growing industry of tech-savvy real estate companies buying homes directly from consumers and then quickly putting them back on the market, aiming to sell them for slightly more than they what they paid. The companies, which charge sellers fees of as high as 10 percent instead of the traditional 6-percent commission are coming into the Houston market, touting convenience as their advantage. Once an offer is made, a seller can choose a closing date, from as little as five days to as many as three months. Selling to one of these companies means a homeowner doesnt have to clear out for constant showings and open houses. And if sellers can close quickly, they save hundreds or thousands of dollars by avoiding a month or two of mortgage payments Opendoor, the San Francisco company buying the Schaefers house, began purchasing homes here over the summer and quickly declared Houston its most successful launch market yet, averaging 1.5 contracts a day within the first month. Offerpad, a Phoenix company that has directly bought and sold homes since 2015, is expanding to Houston in January. And Seattle-based Zillow, which launched a direct buy model in April called Zillow Offer, said this week it will bring the service to Houston next year, as well. These companies, sometimes called iBuyers, pose the latest challenge to traditional real estate agents, already contending with cut-rate services such as Rex, which charges a 2 percent commission, and Door, which charges a flat fee of $5,000. Katie Day, an agent with Coldwell Banker United, said new business models are ultimately good for consumers because they offer more choice. Theres more than enough real estate to go around, Day said. Knowing a home will sell in a week or a month may work out better for some people. Traditional real estate companies are also getting into the iBuying business. Coldwell Bankers parent company recently launched a pilot program in Dallas and Atlanta that gives some sellers listing properties the option of receiving cash offers from the agency. Keller Williams is testing its own iBuyer program, too. Over the past year, the company has closed nearly 100 transactions, said spokesman Darryl Frost. IBuyers might seem a high-tech version of investor groups that advertise We buy houses for cash on busy intersections. But iBuyers tend to be more discerning, avoiding distressed homeowners and properties that might need extensive renovations. Opendoor, for example, buys homes in the $100,000 to $500,000 range that were built in 1960 or later. Opendoor, which operates in 20 cities, aims to be in 50 markets by 2020, said Julia DeWahl, a general manager at Opendoor. The company charges around 6.2 percent to buy homes, then allows sellers to choose when they want to close and move out. If a homeowner, after getting an offer decides to sell the traditional way, Opendoor will connect the owner with a real estate agent for a referral fee. But, she said, more than half the sellers move forward with Opendoor.. Were finally giving buyers and sellers what they want delivering on convenience and certainty, things sellers couldnt have before, DeWahl said. Offerpad, which employs more than 400 people and operates in nine metropolitan areas, generally targets homes built after 1960 with values of no more than $600,000. The company make its offers according to national, state and local sales and price trends, refining them based on the recommendations of a team of experts in each local market Zillow launched its Offers program in the spring and now has operations in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Atlanta and Denver, with plans to expand into Charlotte and Raleigh, N.C. later this year. Zillows fees typically range between 6 and 9 percent and generally cover the cost of the transaction, said Zillow President Jeremy Wacksman. Sellers of homes that that need improvements or may take longer to sell will likely pay higher fees Zillow estimates it could potentially earn $1 billion annually if its able to gain five percent of the market, hold properties for no longer than 90 days and make $3,500 on the sale of each home. Brian Spitz, founder of Houston real estate company Big State Home Buyers, said he believes iBuyers are trying to grab market share by initially offering generous prices, but ultimately will cut those prices once they gain a large slice of local markets. Spitz, who bought and sold homes in the Houston area for 15 years, targets a different type of customer people having difficulty selling for reasons such as complex title problems who are willing to part with a home at a discount. But he has kept his eye on iBuyers, even selling one of his companys homes to Opendoor to see how the service works. His conclusion? They pay a too-good-to-be-true price, Spitz said. They really honestly pay too much for their homes. Their profit is hard to pin down. Rob Barber, the CEO of real estate data company Attom, said he doesnt see the iBuyer model replacing traditional home buying, but could think of an example from his own life when speed, simplicity and certainty were worth paying higher fees. When his father moved into a senior community, Barber was more worried about timing than getting the best price. I would have been very interested in selling that home to an iBuyer, he said, even it it meant getting a few thousand less than what I got, if I had the certainty of closing in 30 days. The Schaefers paid an $18,000 fee to sell their League City home to Opendoor, about 7 percent of the sales price. They will also pay 1 percent in closing costs. After accepting the offer, a team from Opendoor came to the Schaefers house to take pictures for an evaluation of the homes condition. A couple days later, the Schaefers received a report that the air conditioning system needed a $2,700 repair. They could fix it themselves or Opendoor could make the repair, subtracting the amount from their offer price. They opted to let Opendoor do the work. The Schaefers may still come out ahead. Opendoor estimates the Schaefers will end up with $5,128 more than if they went the traditional route. That assumes the house would take 35 days to find a buyer, 50 days to close and cost the sellers 3.9 percent in closing costs. Schaefer said if he had listed the house through a traditional real estate broker, it may have taken a couple of months to sell, meaning additional mortgage payments and the hassle of showings and open houses. Hes recently noticed homes in his area are taking longer to sell. Its not bad, he said, but theyre not selling in a day. nancy.sarnoff@chron.com twitter.com/nsarnoff rebecca.schuetz@chron.com twitter.com/raschuetz Cheniere Energy, the Houston liquefied natural gas exporter, said Thursday that it signed a long-term supply contract with Poland's state-run energy company, a deal touted by the Trump administration as helping to reduce Europe's reliance on Russian gas. The value of the 24-year-contract was not disclosed, but Cheniere said it would help support its expansions in Corpus Christi and its Sabine Pass complex in Louisiana, from where the first U.S. shipments of LNG left in early 2016. European nations have long depended on natural gas shipped via pipeline from Russia, but tensions between the West and Russian President Vladmir Putin have raised concerns that his government could use its control of natural gas supplies as way to pressure Europe. As a result many European nation's are seeking LNG from the United States, Australia and Qatar to diversify their supplies. U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry, who was in Poland as part of a trip to Central and Eastern Europe to promote U.S. energy exports, said Cheniere's deal would help Poland and Europe improve their energy security. "This is a sign across Europe that this is how your energy security will be developed," Perry said before the deal was signed. RELATED: Cheniere to expand Corpus Christi complex Cheniere has led the burgeoning U.S. LNG industry, fed by record natural gas production from Texas and other U.S. shale plays. Only one other company, Dominion Energy of Richmond, Va., has begun exporting LNG from the United States, but others are expected to follow in the coming months, including two Houston firms, Kinder Morgan, which is completing an export terminal in Georgia, Freeport LNG, which will operate a Gulf Coast terminal at Quintana Island The Gulf Coast is attracting billions of dollars in investment in LNG processing and export facilities along the Gulf Coast. Several companies, including Sempra Energy of San Diego and Tellurian of Houston, are working on projects expected to start up in the coming years. In an earnings report Thursday, Cheniere said its fifth LNG processing facility, called a train, at its Sabine Pass terminal near the Texas border is expected to come online in the first quarter of 2019. Cheniere said it contracted with California-based Bechtel Corp. to handle the engineering and construction on a planned sixth train there. Cheniere said its Corpus Christi LNG export terminal is expected to commence commercial operations in early 2019 when the first train comes online. The second train is slated for startup in the second half of 2019. And a third train won't be completed until the back half of 2021. Cheniere said it earned $65 million profit in the third quarter, swinging from a $289 million loss a year ago. Cheniere's revenues jumped 30 percent from last year up to $1.82 billion. For years, no one knew with certainty who created the moody painting, hanging in a River Oaks mansion, of a servant with her eyes cast downward pensively. While Kitchen Maid was clearly in the style of the 17th century Spanish master Diego Velazquez, experts long considered it a minor copy of Velazquezs larger Kitchen Scene at the Art Institute of Chicago and his Kitchen Maid with the Supper at Emmaus at the National Gallery of Dublin. All date to the artists early years in Seville, before he became a well-established painter for Madrids royal court. Carroll and Harris Masterson III donated the painting to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston soon after they bought it in the 1950s. Because of its questionable status, the work hung inconspicuously for years in a hallway at Rienzi, the former Masterson estate where the museum displays European decorative arts. When Soni Bomford joined the conservation staff six years ago, however, Kitchen Maid caught her attention, even though it looked less than thrilling, she said. An expert who has restored several significant works by Velazquez, Bomford saw the canvas was damaged but recognized the brushwork of the subjects white headwear and the sensitivity of her expression. She also saw what looked like a pentiment, a visible trace of change made by the artist, near the subjects hand. As soon as she saw it, Bomford thought Kitchen Maid could be authentic. That was an audacious hunch; but if she was right, the MFAH would join just a handful of U.S. museums that own a Velazquez. More Information Museum of Fine Arts, Houston When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thursdays, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursdays, 12:15-7 p.m. Sundays Where: 5601 Main Details: $7.50-$15 (free on Thursdays); 713-639-7300, mfah.org See More Collapse When time between other projects allowed, Bomford began to dive into the painting with all the tools of the 21st century conservators trade. For about two years, off and on, she analyzed it with with X-ray florescence to confirm that the pigments were consistent with Chicagos Kitchen Scene, which was restored about a decade ago. She also used infrared spectrometry to see changes beneath the surface layers. She and her staff also made perfect tracings of the figure, took them to Chicago and compared them with the other canvas. To Bomford, that element of the project is perhaps the most important: It changes perceptions about how Velazquez and other 17th century artists worked. As she reported in a scholarly study published last month, he very likely used tracings, or cartoons, to reproduce elements of compositions more than once. For generations, there was this post-Romantic bias that a brilliant artist can only make one great version of a painting that sense of the fury of creation, she said. In the early 17th century, a young Velazquez in Seville did need to make his living. If youve come up with a lovely composition, it makes a lot of sense to keep a method for replicating it. Why do all the work over again? By 2014, Bomford and others were convinced Kitchen Maid was high quality, in all likelihood a work by Velazquez that warrented a full restoration. Any 400-year old painting has been through a lot of hands, locations and even climate changes. Most Velazquez paintings from this period have got a lot of condition issues. Ours is no exception, Bomford said. Even in the mid-20th century, techniques were not as advanced as they are now. Ideas about how much to mess with a canvas have evolved. The MFAH sent Kitchen Maid to Americas top conservators in the 1950s, but the industry wisdom of that day was to stabilize a work by coating it with about a millimeter of wax resin, not removing a glue lining applied sometime during the 19th century. Through about 300 hours at her easel, Bomford undid as much of that as she could and retouched Kitchen Maid with her own tiny brushes, dot by dot. It was a balancing act in terms of making the damaged bits seem less important so that the well-preserved bits could come through, she said. She finished the restoration in the spring of 2017. Its no fluke that the face and headwear still look the best. White remains stronger because its composed of lead salt that shifts less than other pigments, Bomford said. Even if a picture is never touched by anyone in 400 years, the whites come forward because all the other colors turn more transparent. That just happens with the aging of an old painting. Friday, Kitchen Maid finally was hung in the main museums European galleries alongside treasures by other Spanish masters, with a label that reads, attributed to Diego Rodraguez de Silva y Velazquez the full name of the painter who lived from 1599 to 1660. It looks crisp and beautiful in Velazquezs signature, limited palette. Part of his conceit was, look what nice art I can make using just a few basic colors, Bomford said. Visitors to the San Antonio Museum of Art last summer actually had the first preview. Kitchen Maid appeared there until mid-September in a landmark show of about 40 Spanish masterpieces. Katie Luber, that museums director, had the good fortune to visit Bomfords studio more than a year ago when Kitchen Maid was on an easel. Luber was there for another project, but also in the throes of securing works for her Spanish show. She remembers Bomford initially explaining it as just a little project Im working on. Luber applauded the MFAH for being so generous. What a fantastic opportunity for our visitors to get to see it, she said. Velazquez paintings are always prized but not easily acquired, she added, because museums dont let go of them. You can still go buy a Monet, but not a Velazquez. Cairah Watt and her two youngest daughters gravitated toward Kitchen Maid Friday because they were curious about the figure in the painting. They had just passed Murillos The Virgin of the Annunciation, which Watt declared the first pretty woman she had seen that day on their annual home school field trip to the museum from Plantersville. But that Virgin is lily white, and the subject of Kitchen Maid is clearly not. Like Watt and her daughters, she is woman of color. Watt checked the label, surprised to see that it dated to the early 17th century. It looks like a more modern piece, she said, not like my stereotype of what an African woman would have looked like then. Minutes before, Natalia Calderson and her home school teacher Olivia Gross, from Cypress, had the same reaction. Was the figure Moorish? African? Was she a model or was the scene real? Velazquez did indeed paint people of all classes, treating them with great respect; and Seville was the epicenter of the world slave trade during his time there. More curators will likely need to see and write about Kitchen Maid before the attributed to phrase on the label goes away. It needs to kind of build up its CV again, Bomford said. The Dublin version is undergoing technical study now. Luber said she is not the only curator who finds Bomfords scholarship convincing. Her chops for this are very, very strong, she said. Mike Anderson and his wife, Fanny Rodriguez-Anderson, who live in Atlanta, were among those at the MFAHs galleries Friday. Anderson said he has been an avid fan of Spanish masters since the late 1970s, when he first visited the Prado Museum in Madrid. He estimates hes seen 95 percent of Velazquez known works in the years since, including the kitchen servant paintings in Chicago and Dublin. He didnt know Kitchen Maid had just been attributed, but he recognized the style immediately. You look at it one second, and it doesnt take much to figure out its Velazquez, he said. For Carl Sevier, a 50-year-old former military intelligence non-commissioned officer and software engineer, the hardest day of his 2,190.9-mile thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail this past summer was in the Grayson Highlands of Virginia. Some know the spot for its band of roving ponies and Appalachian vistas, but Sevier hiked through and spent the night in the middle of a blizzard. Snow was blowing sideways, and blazes or trail markers were painted on rocks somewhere under that snow. He describes the hike in freezing weather and walk through icy water to get out as horrible. For Mark Maynard, an outdoorsman who worked at Bass Pro Shop before quitting to make the hike, the hardest day is also an easy call: Mahoosuc Notch in western Maine. Hikers make part of the climb on all fours, over boulders the size of buildings. The deep gap in the Mahoosuc Range has been dubbed by others as the hardest mile on the AT. And thats saying something about the trail that goes through 14 states, from Georgia to Maine, across mountain ranges with postcard-perfect views. Back home, the two San Antonians, who finished their thru-hikes about a month apart, met up for the first time since their adventure at an outdoor table at Bakery Lorraine at The Pearl. Hugs are followed by a lot of laughs and tales about great days on the AT and the colorful characters they met. Sevier, called the professor on the trail, and Maynard, known as 50 cent, are back to enjoying the things they missed on the trail especially family and good food. They hiked with people with nicknames like Granite Man, Moose, Beast and Rambo. You make friends for life, for sure, said Maynard. Sevier lost 30 pounds during his 162 days on the trail, which ended when he summited Mount Katahdin on Aug. 14. Hes gained the weight back but his 6-foot-1 frame is still lanky. At trails end, he ate three lobsters right off the boat in Maine and raves about his girlfriends home-cooked pot roast, which hes enjoying these days. Maynard dropped 20 pounds on the AT and came home to barbecue at the Smoke Shack in San Antonio and fajita tacos at La Botana in Harlingen. They hit the trail the first week of March on Springer Mountain, Ga., with their eye on the finish line five or six months later. They both admit they thought of quitting along the way, after hiking through 28 days of rain, or listening to fellow hikers cry in their sleeping bags as winds whipped the rustic shelters on the coldest nights. They both suffered foot or ankle injuries, and both lost feeling in their big toes. About the Appalachian Trail The Appalachian Trail gets about 3 million visitors a year. States along the AT are Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy's mission is to preserve and manage the AT. More info at appalachiantrail.org See More Collapse You just have to not quit that day, said Maynard. Added Sevier, I never thought about not finishing, but I thought about quitting. You know you can do it, but in that moment, you dont want to be there. You want to go home. They said it was mental toughness that kept them going. Its not a physical thing, said Sevier. Its literally a mental drive you have to have. One of those bad days was when he lost his memory stick full of months worth of photos and video he shot on the trail, Sevier said. But a couple of hikers came up behind him with the stick, asking if he had dropped it. Both describe trail magic, great things happening on the AT. Like when a local offers a hiker a sausage biscuit and a cup of coffee, or an orange or beer or roasted nuts. Or a ride into town to get off the trail. Or when hikers run across an ice chest along the roadside containing peanut butter fluff sandwiches left for them. It really turns the day around, Maynard said. When they describe some of the best things about the hike, the taste of fresh water right out of the ground makes both of their lists. So does scenery, of course. Places like the Smoky Mountains or the often-photographed McAfee Knob in Virginia over the Shenandoah Valley. Big shared meals steaks, sandwiches or soup also make their lists. Sevier often repeated his mantra, No snakes, no bears on his videos recorded as he walked. He saw just one small bear late during the hike. Maynard saw 20 bears, and a moose bluff-charged him, stopping short. About 50 percent of people planning thru-hikes quit by the time they get to the Smoky Mountains, said Sevier. According to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, only about 1 in 4 attempting the thru-hike finishes it, with a typical hiker taking five to seven months. On the day Sevier reached the AT northern terminus on Mount Katahdin, Maine, It was a perfect day, he said. I started early, so I was done early. The days 10-mile hike started about 4 a.m. It ended with a scramble up the rocks to the sign that marks the end of the trail. Video of the happy moment is now posted on his website, sevierconditions.com. He was the first to arrive there that day, and he made coffee and breakfast before having his photo taken in the iconic spot when others arrived. For Maynard, The worst day of the whole trip was the last day. By the time he got to Mount Katahdin on Oct. 12, it was 40 degrees at the base of the mountain, colder higher up the trail, and the wind was blowing hard. The sign on the top of the mountain that famous photo spot was in the clouds. But, at age 25, he had finished and someone took a photo. Maine was really pretty, said Sevier. At the time youre in Maine, you just want to get done. It was gorgeous, added Maynard, describing the fall colors of mid-October. Theyre each planning new adventures. Maynard plans to hike the Pacific Coast Trail, a longer trek at 2,650 miles, in 2020. For Sevier, a trip to Alaska and the Arctic Circle is next. But for now, Sevier is back teaching school as a substitute in the Northeast ISD, where he worked before leaving for the hike in March. Hes writing a book about his hike and has posted a lot of video from it on his website. Maynard is considering employment options, maybe buying some land and thinking about what new equipment he wants to get before his next hike. For anyone considering a hike like the AT, they have this advice: Go with realistic expectations. Have a plan, but dont be afraid to change the plan. And hike at your own pace. It was a wonderful adventure, Sevier said. You find yourself using lessons you learned on the trail every day. Terry Scott Bertling is a travel writer and teaches journalism classes at Texas State University. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram: @TerryBertling. I was born and raised in Southern California and identify as third-generation Mexican-American. My story is less about life's challenges and more about how key people played a role in my becoming a first-generation college student, which helped pave the way to a successful career. My parents divorced when I was young. My sisters and I lived with our mother, but our lives were unstable. We had little money, though my father worked multiple jobs and did all that he could to provide for us. At some point, my mother was no longer able to care for us, and we found ourselves moving from place to place, living with different extended family members. From second to fourth grade, I attended many schools. There was never time to make friends, establish routines or start focusing on schoolwork before we had to move again. All this time, my father was working to find a place where we could live with him. He finally met a friend who would make this possible and change our lives forever. "Nino," as he would come to be known by all the children in our family, had just moved to Southern California from Minnesota and was an elementary school teacher. He met my father at a social gathering and was looking for a roommate. They quickly became friends and decided to put their money together and rent a small place. Eventually, they were able to buy a house together. Nino somehow didn't mind that his new roommate had children. In fact, he helped provide the stability we needed. When my dad was working long hours late into the night, Nino always made sure we were fed and got to bed on time. He was passionate about education and quickly realized that we were lagging far behind our peers academically because of the many disruptions and challenges. For years, each summer Nino prepared an ad hoc summer school program for us at home instruction in spelling, math, reading, homework assignments and tests were all part of the routine. Going to college Though I excelled with Nino's help, no one in school ever talked to me seriously about going to college. I didn't know anyone with my background who had graduated from college. It was at home where I learned that going to college was possible. Nino taught me the skills I needed to apply and succeed in college, and my father instilled the belief and self-confidence that I could do it. I eventually attended Pitzer College, a private liberal arts college in Claremont, California, and earned an undergraduate degree in psychology. There were few people like me at Pitzer at that time. I knew few students of color, few first-generation students and few who received financial aid and worked full-time while attending school. I was a serious and driven student always studying, sitting in the front row of my classes and doing extra work. I worked excessively hard, in part, because I deeply understood how precious the opportunity was for me, and I was paying for it. I gravitated toward other nontraditional students, often students who were older than I and who were working to pay for college, too. I was ultimately able to graduate in four years, with honors. Lessons learned My father didn't have the lived experience to help guide me through the college years, but he did teach me confidence and instilled in me the belief that I could do anything if I put my mind to it. This acted as a buffer against the creeping self-doubt I experienced about whether I really deserved to be in college. He also taught me the values of working hard and advocating for myself. As a first-generation student, I often felt everyone else had knowledge about how things worked that I didn't have. Advocating for myself meant asking for help and pressing for access to this insider knowledge. Though my father couldn't relate to my success in college or to my career, he has always expressed being proud of me. I remember talking to him the first time I had a scientific paper published in a prestigious journal. I said, "Dad, I just got this paper published!" My dad said, "Mijo, I'm proud of you." I said, "But, Dad, you don't understand. This is a big deal." He simply said, "Good for you." Charles Martinez To me, he didn't seem to understand just how important these things were to me. I thought that maybe it was simply because he had no direct way from his experience to appreciate what these achievements meant to me. I finally asked him about it and shared my sadness that he wasn't fully celebrating with me. What he said next surprised me: "I am very proud of you and your achievements. But, while those things may be important to some, the successes that matter most to me are about the person you are. That you haven't forgotten where you have come from. That you're a good husband and father and a loving son." My advice If you are a first-generation student, I say you are not attending college by accident. You are not an exception to a rule. You have earned this opportunity through your hard work. Like me, you also had key people in your life at critical moments who provided the foundational skills and mindset for your success. They changed your life's trajectory and are in your corner, even now, rooting you along. Your background as a first-generation student is a strength to harness. It will help you persist toward reaching your goals and maybe help keep you grounded in what's really important. Don't just have a dream for your future life. Truly see yourself achieving that dream, and seek the knowledge and tools you need to accomplish each step along the way. Charles Martinez is the dean-designate of the College of Education at The University of Texas at Austin. He currently serves as the Philip H. Knight Professor in the Department of Educational Methodology, Policy, and Leadership at the University of Oregon. Get the Gray Matters newsletter. It will always make sure you are fed and get to bed on time. Four apartment units were damaged in southwest Houston after a possible electrical fire early Thursday, according to Metro Video. The fire broke out sometime before 1 a.m. at the apartments on South Braeswood and Sapling Way, near South Gessner. Houston firefighters rescued a worker trapped in a collapsed trench Wednesday afternoon. The man, in his 30s, was working about 12 feet below the ground along Cook Road near Corona Lane when a trench he was in collapsed around 1:30 p.m., according to the Houston Fire Department. Heavy rescue specialists and several other firefighters worked for hours to free the worker. #ICYMI: Trapped pony rescued from storm drain in southwest Houston Paramedic professionals were on site giving the man treatment as firefighters manually dig the dirt out from around him. Now Playing: The worker, in his 30s, was working about 12 feet below the ground along Cook Road near Corona Lane when a trench he was in collapsed around 1:30 p.m., according to the Houston Fire Department. Video: Houston Fire Department Firefighters say they were unable to use mechanical equipment to dig the man out, fearing the vibration from the equipment could cause another collapse. The extent of his injuries are unclear, but he is conscious, HFD said. Crews with Houston Public Works and the Houston Police Department assisted firefighters in their rescue. 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 Sen. Ted Cruz survived the most competitive U.S. Senate race in 40 years in Texas thanks to three key parts of the state. Cruz targeted the Texas Panhandle, a half-dozen counties in East Texas and the Houston suburbs as he closed his campaign. He held rallies in each of those areas, pleading with conservative supporters to vote in big enough numbers to counter the record turnout in Texas cities that powered Democrat Beto ORourke. And those conservative voters delivered, providing Cruz with almost 250,000 more votes than ORourke slightly more than Cruzs margin of victory statewide. As of late Wednesday, the Texas Secretary of State had Cruz winning the U.S. Senate race over ORourke 50.9 percent to 48.2 percent. It is the first time any U.S. Senate race has been decided by less than 10 percentage points since 1978. Millions across the state were inspired by his campaign, Cruz told supporters of ORourke at his victory celebration in Houston on Tuesday. They did not prevail and Im glad the people of Texas chose a different path. No region was more important to Cruz than the Harris County suburbs. In Montgomery, Waller and Chambers counties, Cruz built a nearly 100,000-vote margin of victory there, claiming almost 73 percent of the vote, and nearly half of his overall margin of victory. That was critical for Cruz as ORourke pounded him in Harris County. ORourke won nearly 200,000 more votes than Cruz in Harris, even though that is Cruzs home county and Cruz won it outright in 2012. Related: Democrats have edge as Harris County shatters voting records While ORourke won 19,000 more votes in Montgomery County than Democrat Paul Sadler got in his race against Cruz in 2012, his margin of defeat in Waller and Chambers was actually worse than Sadlers by about 2,000 votes. Cruz needed all of those votes to counter what he called an assault that was unprecedented from Democrats and ORourke. ORourke cleaned up along I-35 The Interstate 35 corridor shows the unprecedented nature of ORourkes campaign. In the 19 counties on I-35 from Laredo to the Oklahoma border, ORourke won about 450,000 more votes than Cruz. Its a shocking turnaround from 2012 when Cruz had a 200,000-vote lead in those counties. ORourke pulled it off by winning Tarrant and Dallas counties while dramatically cutting into the Republican advantage in Collin and Denton counties to the north. Around Austin, ORourke won not just Travis County, but picked up bordering Hays and Williamson too something no Democrat has done in any of the last four U.S. Senate races in Texas. And in San Antonio, ORourke won Bexar County by more than 100,000 votes. For Cruz, a major part of countering ORourkes wins along I-35 was the 13-county Texas Panhandle. While none of those 13 counties has even 50,000 votes, when combined they became a potent one-sided region in Cruzs back pocket. ORourke had hoped to chip into those margins with his much-hyped travels to all 254 Texas counties. ORourke often talked on the campaign trail of meeting with people in the Panhandle and understanding their issues. But ultimately, Cruz defeated ORourke in those 13 counties with 80 percent of the vote. That gave Cruz a 70,000-vote margin of victory in the Panhandle, critical to offsetting ORourkes successes. Cruz almost predicted that result last week while campaigning in Pampa, in Gray County, just miles from the Oklahoma border. He warned more than 1,000 supporters at a rally that liberals were going to show up in droves in places like Austin and he needed them to do the same. We need the good people of the Texas Panhandle to stand up for common sense values and keep Texas bright, bright red, Cruz said. Video: Ted Cruz and Beto ORourke on Texas values Almost as important for Cruz was Northeast Texas. Cruz made frequent stops in places like Tyler, Texarkana and Longview where he also was advertising early and often in the campaign. The payoff was clear on election night. In Smith County, where Tyler is the county seat, Cruz won about 70 percent of the 77,000 votes cast nearly identical to his haul in 2012. In some counties in East Texas, Cruzs margin of victory actually increased over 2012. In Cass and Bowie counties, which border Arkansas, Cruz won 74 percent of the vote, 8 percentage points better than his first campaign. Six of the larger counties in East Texas combined to provide Cruz with another 80,000-vote margin of victory. Even as he survived ORourkes push and the so-called Blue Wave, Cruz acknowledged the intensely competitive election was something he and other Texans are not used to seeing. Texas saw something this year weve never seen before, he said. jeremy.wallace@chron.com The perils of straight-ticket voting were on full display Tuesday in Harris County. Longtime County Judge Ed Emmett, a moderate Republican whos arguably the countys most respected public official, was ousted by Lina Hidalgo, a 27-year-old graduate student running her first race. She is bright, determined and obviously fearless. Shes also got her work cut out for her as the chief executive-elect of a county more populous than 26 states. We hope she succeeds but residents can be forgiven for being squeamish about how Hidalgo will lead the county and, by extension, the regions 6 million people, through the next hurricane. Over at the courthouse, State District Judge Marc Carter, a caring Republican jurist and former Army officer who pioneered a court that gave countless military veterans a second chance, was defeated by Democrat Frank Aguilar, who didnt even appear to be running a formal campaign. We attempted to reach him for an endorsement screening but couldnt find so much as a campaign website. In 2010, while working as a magistrate judge, Aguilar was placed on unpaid leave after being charged with assaulting a woman he was dating. He was later acquitted, but that doesnt mean hes somebody we should elevate to a state district judgeship. Sure, plenty of the judges who got the boot had a swift kick coming. Among them is a slew of Republican criminal court-at-law judges who have demanded that the county waste millions in taxpayer money on private lawyers to defend their use of an unconstitutional bail system that discriminates against the poor. But among the defeated is Mike Fields, the only Republican judge who declined pricey legal counsel in the case. Chief among the judges who got his comeuppance: Juvenile Court Judge John Phillips. For years, straight-ticket voting helped the ill-tempered Republican retain his bench, but this time, it cut the other way. Phillips once took away children from grandparents he deemed too old, and another time took away a newborn, still-nursing baby from a rape victim he deemed too young to help raise the child. In 2014, Phillips Facebook page was mixed with posts encouraging people to vote straight-ticket Republican and other posts depicting undocumented immigrants as fat and lazy, disparaging Islam and linking President Barack Obama to terrorists. Last month, the Chronicles Keri Blakinger reported how Phillips and another juvenile court judge who lost his bench, Glenn Devlin, sent a troubling number of teens, nearly all of color, to juvenile prison at younger ages and for less-serious offenses than their fellow judge down the hall, Mike Schneider. Devlin seems to have responded to his loss with a judicial temper tantrum, recklessly releasing offenders en masse and simply asking them whether they planned on killing anyone before letting them go. Apparently he was saying thats what voters wanted, public defender Steven Halpert told Blakinger. Unfortunately, Schneider a dedicated judge with a reputation for fairness was swept out of office as well. This is the price we pay for the drive-thru convenience of straight-ticket voting. Of course, this year it wasnt just about convenience. People were fed up. In Harris, a large urban county that leans Democratic, the frustration produced a blue wave locally. Voters said they wanted to voice their outrage about the presidents divisive policies and rhetoric by punishing any incumbent who dared run under the same banner. Nationally, that strategy helped the Democrats retake the U.S. House. Locally, our zeal to throw out the bums cost us some of our best servants leaders who routinely do whats right, leaders who put people before party. On Tuesday, many voters put party before the leaders. That sends a message, too and not an encouraging one to decent, qualified people who are thinking of getting involved in politics. They need to know a job well done will be rewarded, that their familys sacrifice will be appreciated, that merit is still a currency in public service. The good news is that straight-ticket voting will be banned in Texas as of the 2020 election. Hopefully, that will encourage more Texans to work their way through the ballot, selecting each candidate individually. Hopefully, it will encourage voters to do their homework. The Houston Chronicle editorial board will have our endorsements ready to help, just as we did this year. The state and county have to do their part, too, by ensuring that the election process has enough locations, booths and workers to accommodate a burdensome ballot that cant be completed with one click. Legislators should treat the end of straight-ticket voting as one step toward the elimination of judicial selection via partisan elections. The historic turnout in the midterms was inspiring, but we cant lose sight of the point of these elections. Its not merely to win. Its to pick good, capable people to be our voice in Austin, in Washington and over on county commissioners court. We should choose our spokespeople carefully. Voting is a right. Voting well is our civic responsibility. Lina Hidalgo long had insisted she was the frontrunner in the Harris County judge's race. She said she was on track to win even though her opponent, Ed Emmett, widely was considered the most popular local elected official. She repeated her prediction at public forums, even when it drew chuckles from some in the audience. Her campaign included the claim in emails, even as Emmett drubbed her in fundraising. Then, on Tuesday night, the 27-year-old rode the Democratic wave that swamped most of the county's elected Republicans to defeat Emmett in the most unlikely upset of the evening. Hidalgo's victory was the product of a superb get-out-the-vote effort by Democrats, a massive burst of straight-ticket voting and smoldering anger by some at the Republican Party and President Donald Trump. In addition to Emmett, Democrats ousted incumbent Republicans for county clerk, district clerk, treasurer, and Precinct 2 commissioner. Democrats now control every countywide post and swept all of the county's 59 judicial races. Even statewide Republican leaders, who continued their two-plus-decade dominance at the ballot box, came up short in Harris County. Among them, Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, all of whom at one time called Houston home. "It was not an accident," Hidalgo said of her victory Wednesday following a whirlwind day of interviews with television reporters who now wanted to know more about her. "We saw it coming, and it took a lot of hard work." SHOCKING UPSETS: The winners and losers of the election in Houston Hidalgo, a graduate student and community advocate who returned to Houston this past summer determined to find a position to campaign for, has less than two months to prepare to lead the third most populous county in the United States. She has yet to attend a meeting of Commissioners Court or meet with the two Republican commissioners with whom she will work. Hidalgo also lacks the elected experience of her predecessors, Emmett and Robert Eckels, both of whom were state legislators before becoming county judge. "People don't think the experience we've had has been working," Hidalgo said. "They're ready ... to get something else." Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis, the lone Democrat currently on the court, said Hidalgo is a quick study who will settle into the role quickly. "She's smart and was very bold to make the decision to run, and to make a commitment to public service," Ellis said. Hidalgo said her immediate focus is recruiting a top-flight staff and pledged to announce a transition plan in coming weeks. Depending on how many Emmett holdovers Hidalgo retains, she could have as many as 30 positions to fill. Eckels, who served as county judge from 1995 to 2007, urged Hidalgo to focus on building relationships with the four county commissioners. Unlike the mayor of Houston, who has significantly more power and far more leverage over city council, the county judge can accomplish little without the support of commissioners. "The county judge position is by nature a weak position," Eckels said. "One vote is one vote. Three votes can change the world." Eckels said the mild-mannered Emmett was successful because he was able to manage the sometimes outsized personalities of commissioners. Hidalgo said she would welcome Emmett's advice during the transition. She said a top priority is to make county government more transparent, and suggested holding regular town halls. She also is eager to settle the federal lawsuit brought by poor criminal defendants brought two years ago, in which they argue Harris County's cash bail system is unconstitutional. She emphasized the importance of flood control, and said she has yet to determine whether to make changes to the projects list for the $2.5 billion flood protection bond voters approved in August. Unlike Emmett, Hidalgo views the county judge's position as a platform to speak up on behalf of Harris County residents, even on issues that are outside of the court's purview. During the campaign, she said Emmett insufficiently had stood up to Gov. Greg Abbott on issues such as immigration. Hidalgo was born in Colombia in 1991 and immigrated with her parents and brother to Houston in 2005. She earned a degree in political science from Stanford University in 2013, and later enrolled in a joint master's program at Harvard University and law program at New York University, which she said she will now put on hold or cut short. Her work experience includes internships with the New Orleans public defender's office and an inmate mental health project in New York. In Houston, she spent two summers at Ben Taub Hospital translating for Spanish-speaking patients. Though she planned a career improving government from the outside, the election of Donald Trump in president in 2016 inspired her to seek office herself. She returned from Massachusetts to Texas this past summer, on the hunt for a position to seek. She settled on county judge because of the county's role in flood protection, which she said has been inadequate. She also benefited from the fact that many more experienced Democrats sat out the race, believing Emmett could not be beaten. With the election of Adrian Garcia in the Precinct 2 commissioner's race, Democrats will have a 3-2 majority on Commissioners Court, starting in January. The Republican commissioners, Steve Radack and Jack Cagle, said they looked forward to working with Hidalgo. Radack, who has served under three county executives since he first was elected in 1988, said he expects court members to continue to work well together with Democrats in charge. Cagle said he would not be bothered if Hidalgo used her new pulpit to speak out on statewide and national issues like immigration and criminal justice, so long as the county continues to serve its largely nonpartisan functions, like maintaining infrastructure and providing health services. "When you fix a pothole, there's no R or D that goes on it," Cagle said. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said Wednesday morning he was surprised Hidalgo won. He praised Emmett, with whom he worked closely during storm events including Hurricane Harvey and the Tax Day Flood, as a treasured partner. "The reality is that for all of us, we're not indispensable," Turner said. "I can be here, tomorrow I can be someplace else and the city will go forward, the city will go on." Judges, who are far down the ballot and little known among voters, are particularly susceptible in wave elections. Republicans had controlled most of the county's 23 seats on the district judge bench, 13 on the family court, four on the county civil court, four for probate court and 15 on the county misdemeanor bench. Now they control none. Voters made no distinction between jurists who drew criticism, such as a pair of judges who were found to disproportionately send children of color to juvenile detention, and those who are held in high regard by prosecutors and defense lawyers. Scott Murphy, president of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association, expressed worry that the judicial sweep could create significant short-term uncertainty regarding criminal justice reforms. "It will take some time for the new judges to get a handle on how they want to run their courts. We just lost a lot of continuity," Murphy said. "There are also a lot of people within the Harris County administration that may change as a result of (the election)." Staff writers Jacob Carpenter and Mike Morris contributed reporting. Zach Despart covers Harris County for the Chronicle. You can follow him on Twitter or email him at zach.despart@chron.com. Did Chart Topper Kris Wu Just Game iTunes? Kris Wu, a Chinese-Canadian actor, singer and former member of EXO, topped the iTunes song chart on Monday. For almost 24 hours, Wu had all 5 tracks in the Top 5 with the exception of Ariana Grandes just released single Thank U, Next." But Wu's success appeared under some unusual circumstances and according to one source, won't count towards this week's chart tabulations. Kris Wu is wildly popular in China, but not well known elsewhere. Here's how Variety describes the scheme: "First, his album hadnt yet been released in China, where the label purportedly purposely held it back so it could come out on Wus birthday, Tuesday, Nov. 6. Typically, albums come out on Fridays worldwide, as per the global release date change instituted in 2015. But in the U.S., it was already available on iTunes, released by Interscope Records on Nov. 2" "Its not hard to see how fans from China, with a population of more than 1.3 billion, could impact a chart so swiftly but how were those living in the famously curtained country, which doesnt even have access to Twitter, able to make a purchase on a U.S. platform? And was it a grassroots fan effort to flood the iTunes store or did the albums backers manipulate the system in order to generate buzz for their new act? Another source surmises that there was a plan to game the U.S. system to gain traction in the U.S. and mobilize a new audience.' Either way, Variety is reporting that these sales will not count toward the Nielsen Billboard charts. Apple has not yet commented. Scooter Braun, whose client Ariana Grande's release was overshadowed by Wu's stunt, first expressed consternation in a now deleted tweet, and then seemed to accept another explanation. Share on: iciHaiti - Justice : Spontaneous and violent demonstrations prohibited In a note, Jean Roody Aly the Minister of Justice, while recognizing the right of every citizen to demonstrate peacefully, deplores many drifts in the organization of these demonstrations and insists on the respect of the prescribed of the Constitution and conditions of realization of the latter "The Ministry emphasizes for everyone's attention the provisions of Article 31-2 of the Constitution relating to the prior notification of any demonstration on the public road, as well as the prescriptions of Article 2 of the decree of 23 July 1987 on public meetings stating that : Anyone wishing to organize peacefully a meeting or demonstration on public roads must give notice forty-eight hours before the meeting, to the police force of his locality. adding that the organizer is required to identify himself and provide relevant information on the proposed public meeting. Minister Aly, prohibits all spontaneous and violent demonstrations, capable of harming the lives and property of others while calling on the National Police of Haiti (PNH) and the Public Prosecutor to act and sanction all troublemakers. TB/ iciHaiti iciHaiti - Politic : The Majority Group of the Lower House could drop the Executive According to the deputy of Leogane Jean Wilson Hippolyte, President of the majority group (Parliamentary Alliance for Haiti - APH) of the Lower House, it is urgent that the Executive considers a real reorganization of the Government to promote the integration of other sectors. Regarding the exclusion of 16 advisors from the Cabinet of President Moise https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25903-haiti-flash-president-moise-reports-4-orders-concerning-the-appointment-of-16-advisers.html "We take note of this gesture of the Head of State to remove from his cabinet some people suspected of being accountable in the context of the PetroCaribe file. We demand he continue to get rid of them." Moreover, the President of the APH demands that the Government put at the disposal of justice all the necessary means in ordder it will be able to carry out its work towards the PetroCaribe trial. The APH puts pressure on the Executive, deputy Hippolyte launches a warning to the Head of State to his Prime Minister that if they want to continue to have the support of the Majority Group "We demand concrete actions and the taking account in the totality of our requirements in order taht we remain in solidarity to the Government." TB/ iciHaiti iciHaiti - Social : 756 Haitians deported to Haiti The Directorate General of Migration (DGM), informs that migration control operations have been carried out in several Dominican provinces: Azua, La Vega, Montecristi, Santiago de Caballeros, San Pedro de Macoris, Valverde, the National District and the municipalities of Santo Domingo East, North and West, during which 1,088 foreigners were controlled. Migration control teams were composed of inspectors, agents of the Directorate General of Migration (DGM) with the support of the military, the National Police in coordination with the Public Ministry of the Provinces concerned. After verification using biometric readers and consultation with the DGM database, 756 Haitians were declared in irregular migration situation and led to the border posts of Dajabon and Elias Pina, to be registered and deported to Haiti. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25987-haiti-dr-the-deportations-of-haitians-continue-at-a-continuous-pace.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-25934-icihaiti-social-dr-deports-1-126-haitians.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-25874-icihaiti-dr-1-500-haitians-controlled-796-deportees-in-haiti.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-25805-icihaiti-social-the-hunt-for-illegal-haitians-continues-in-dr.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-25756-icihaiti-dr-nearly-11-400-haitians-deported-or-turned-back-to-haiti-sept-2018.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25700-haiti-rd-71-of-haitians-controlled-illegal-820-haitians-deported.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25598-haiti-dr-1-600-haitians-controlled-in-less-than-24-hours-more-than-60-deported-to-haiti.html S/ iciHaiti Secretary of State Pompeo's Call With Foreign Minister of Denmark Anders Samuelsen Washington, DC - Secretary Michael R. Pompeo spoke by phone with Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen. They discussed Denmarks public announcement of an arrest related to an Iranian plot to assassinate members of an Iranian dissident group living in Denmark. They also discussed the importance of strong collective EU action to hold Iran accountable for its continued use of terrorism on European soil. Secretary Pompeo praised Denmarks swift and strong response and reiterated that the U.S. maximum pressure campaign against Iran is in response to this type of abhorrent behavior from the Iranian regime. Secretary Pompeo stressed that the United States stands with our European allies and partners in addressing the threat of the Iranian regimes support for terrorism. U.S. Concerned Over Violence Uptick in Cameroon Washington, DC - The United States condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the November 5 kidnapping of students and staff from the Presbyterian Secondary School of Nkwen near Bamenda, Cameroon. We call for the immediate and safe return of these students and staff to their families. The United States expresses grave concern over the burgeoning Anglophone Crisis in Cameroons Northwest and Southwest regions. We urge an immediate halt to the indiscriminate targeting of civilians and burning of houses by Cameroonian government forces and to attacks perpetrated by both Anglophone separatists against security forces and civilians. The systematic intimidation based on ethnic and religious affiliation, including in Yaounde and Douala, must stop. In memory of American missionary Charles Wesco and all others who have lost their lives in the Anglophone Crisis, we urge all sides to end the violence and enter into broad-based reconciliatory dialogue without preconditions. If you love desserts--and who doesn't?--chances are you've heard of French pastry chef Dominique Ansel and his delicious creations. Ansel is best known for inventing the cronut, a trademarked croissant-donut hybrid that takes three days to make. Visit a Dominique Ansel bakery in New York, London, Los Angeles, or Tokyo, and you'll find customers lining up around the block to buy cronuts and other unique treats like the cookie shot and frozen s'more. But something you won't find at those locations? Bad attitudes among the staff. "Swearing is absolutely forbidden," Ansel says, by way of describing the culture in his kitchens. In a video interview with Inc. executive director of editorial Jon Fine, he offers insight into how he manages his businesses, and how he rose to fame in the culinary world and beyond. "I'm relentless in doing the right thing for the team. In our kitchen, there's no yelling. There's no screaming. There's no bad temper. I hate that all," Ansel says. "If I see any of our chefs [are] moody or have a temper, I sit down with them and have a conversation with them. I fix them immediately." When the bad moods are nipped in the bud, Ansel says, things are calmer and, as a result, more organized. It all leads to a better culture. As if running a business wasn't hard enough. The 2018 election featured a record number of women candidates. At least three women who ran for U.S. Congress--Cindy Axne (D) of Iowa, Tedra Cobb (D) of New York, and Candius Stearns (R) of Michigan--also happen to be founders. Inc. chronicled their respective journeys of balancing the two duties in the magazine's October issue. Unfortunately for two of them, the juggling act came to an end Tuesday night. Cobb, who runs Canton, New York, consulting firm Tedra L. Cobb & Associates, lost to incumbent Elise Stefanik in the state's 21st District. Stearns, meanwhile, who owns two companies--benefits brokerage DFBenefits and third-party benefits administrator DFB TPA Services--lost to Democrat Andy Levin, whose father held the seat for 35 years and announced his retirement earlier this year. But Axne, co-founder of West Des Moines, Iowa, digital design firm Creation Agents, is headed to the House. Axne won her district, which includes Des Moines and much of southwestern Iowa, by a margin of 5,000 votes, according to the Associated Press. Along with the 1st District's Abby Finkenauer, she was one of two women in the state to beat male incumbents for House seats. They're the first two women elected to Congress in Iowa's history. They'll be representing the state alongside Steve King, an Iowa Republican whose racist remarks have drawn criticism from both sides of the aisle and led companies like Land O'Lakes and Intel to announce in recent weeks that they would no longer contribute to his campaign. Inc. reached out to Axne's campaign manager to find out what the victory means for Creation Agents when she heads to Washington but didn't receive a response. Axne co-founded the company with her husband; she previously spent a decade working in several state departments. Heather Hiles founded ed tech company Pathbrite in 2008 before selling it to one of her investors in 2015. From there she went on to found Imminent Equity, a venture capital fund dedicated to nurturing entrepreneurs. Here, she talks raising money, selling her company, and Silicon Valley's diversity problem. How did Pathbrite start, and when did you seek outside funding? I worked in education technology and investing for 25 years, and I saw how portfolios--a digital way to organize images and other types of media--could be used as a learning tool. I saw an opportunity for educational institutions to use them to help students, and I wanted to provide an easy way for people to archive or showcase their work. Stanford was our first customer. I had used my own capital to build a prototype of my product, but to get security clearances to have access to student data like transcripts, we needed a new level of stability that required us to raise outside funds. Pathbrite is in San Francisco, but you found your investors in New York City. Why did you decide to raise money on a different coast? The investor community in Silicon Valley likes patterns they can recognize. Maybe they think the best entrepreneurs are dudes of a certain age who wear hoodies and come out of certain schools. But I don't look like Mark Zuckerberg and I never will, because I am a proud black gay woman. I thought I could get more respect and acknowledgment for my experience, so I went to New York to raise money. Why did you decide to sell Pathbrite to Cengage Learning? Cengage had invested in us and was using our engineering talent. And its CTO became chair of my board. I learned a good lesson: When you take money from and have relationships with strategic organizations, chances are they'll want to buy you. Take deals with investors only if you think you would have a good exit with them. This year, you've started a private equity fund, Imminent Equity. What have you taken from your experience at Pathbrite into your new role? Euwyn Poon got the idea to start Spin, the dockless bike company being acquired by Ford, after visiting Beijing in 2016. Poon saw the rent-by-the-minute, app-enabled bikes for the first time in the Chinese capital and thought the ridesharing platform could work back in the U.S. Poon and his co-founders Derrick Ko and Zaizhuang Cheng started Spin in San Francisco and first launched in Seattle's pilot program in the summer of 2017. But within a year, the company would ditch its bikes and pivot to electric scooters. Spin is now available in approximately 12 cities, including Long Beach, California, Detroit, and Coral Gables, Florida. Ford is investing about $200 million in Spin, a source close to the deal says. Since founding, the company raised $8 million from Grishin Robotics, Exponent, and others--a small sum compared to more formidable competitors in the red-hot e-scooter industry. Spin is small fry compared to competitors Bird and Lime, which are both in more than 100 cities. Lime, which raised $467 million from the likes of Uber and Alphabet at more than a $1 billion valuation, and Bird, which raised $415 million and valued at more than $2 billion. Spin markets itself as an e-scooter company that "asks for permission" before launching, but it is perhaps best known for taking part in what is referred to as "Scooter-geddon" in San Francisco. In March, Lime, Bird, and Spin deployed about 3,000 e-scooters on the streets and sidewalks and chaos ensued. Many people started riding the scooters on the sidewalks and breaking other traffic laws. A community backlash led to public hearings, cease and desist letters, and eventually the city issued a temporary ban on e-scooters. This summer, the city issued permits for its e-scooter pilot program to lesser-known companies Skip and Scoot, but regulators denied Lime, Bird, and Spin. Ford confirmed the deal, via a blog post, on Thursday. Sunny Madra, vice president of Ford X, the car company's startup incubator, wrote that the acquisition is a way to diversify its offerings and capture customers who do not want to own a car. "Spin adds an exciting new offering to Ford's mobility portfolio as we try to help our customers get places more easily, more quickly and less expensively," writes Madra. The female comedian who opened for Louis CK during a recent show in Paris admits she was conflicted after being offered the gig. Sarah Donnelly, an American performer who does stand-up in France, told The Guardian she felt an enormous responsibility to speak up against the disgraced comedian. CK admitted last year that allegations of sexual misconduct made against him by several women were true. He has been staging a comeback in recent months an attempt billed by many as premature and tone-deaf, which attracted protesters outside of a venue in New York City last month. CK real name Louis Szekely took his comeback abroad when he performed at a venue in Pariss Pigalle neighbourhood on Tuesday. Donnelly opened for him in front of a mostly French audience. As comedians its our job to address the elephant in the room, Donnelly told The Guardian. And as a woman I felt an enormous responsibility to speak up. But of course its my job to be funny without committing career suicide. Forgotten Women: The sisters fighting for human rights in Pakistan Show all 5 1 /5 Forgotten Women: The sisters fighting for human rights in Pakistan Forgotten Women: The sisters fighting for human rights in Pakistan Forgotten Women: The sisters fighting for human rights in Pakistan Human rights activist Gulalai Ismail was apprehended by Pakistan officials upon landing in Islamabad after a flight from London Forgotten Women: The sisters fighting for human rights in Pakistan Forgotten Women: The sisters fighting for human rights in Pakistan Forgotten Women: The sisters fighting for human rights in Pakistan The comedian explained she eventually accepted to open for CK because she believed that if she didnt, a male comedian would get the job. Ultimately I took the gig because if it wasnt me it was going to be another man, and that didnt seem fair either, she added. Donnelly, according to The Guardian, didnt address CKs behaviour verbally during her set. Instead, she pointed out that she was the only female performer of a five-person line-up, and made a quick reference to the #MeToo movement. Sarah Silverman tells Howard Stern Louis CK used to masturbate in front of her with her permission CK has been accused of masturbating in front of several women without their consent. On stage, the comedian didnt directly address his past misconduct. At the beginning of his set, he asked the audience: What kind of year have you guys had?, with the crowd clapping supportively in response according to The Guardian. Right before that, he had shared his view of the French capital, telling the audience: Ive been in Paris four days, its a nice place, a place where any s***** American is welcome. KABC-TV(THOUSAND OAKS, Calif.) -- The shooter in a killing rampage at a country western bar in Thousand Oaks, California, has been identified as former U.S. Marine Ian David Long, officials said. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said Long was 28 years old and appeared to take his own life after being confronted in the Borderline Bar & Grill by a sheriff's deputy and a California Highway Patrol Officer. He said police had several minor run-ins with Long, including an incident last April in which deputies were called to his home in Newbury Park on a report that he was acting erratically. He said detectives are investigating whether Long suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. "In April of this year, deputies were called to his house for a subject disturbing [the peace incident]," Dean said. "They went to the house, they talked to him. He was somewhat irate, acting a little irrationally. They called out our crisis intervention team, our mental health specialist, who met with him, talked to him and cleared him." Dean said that the mental health specialist didn't feel Long was qualified to be taken "51-50," a California penal code designation for someone that needs to be involuntarily committed for psychiatric evaluation to protect themselves or others. "He was left at that scene last April," Dean said. In January 2015, Long was the victim of a battery at another bar in Thousand Oaks that deputies were called to investigate, Dean said. Long was also involved in a traffic collision that his department investigated. He said Long was armed with a Glock 21 .45-caliber handgun that was equipped with an extended ammunition magazine. The sheriff said the gun normally holds 10 bullets and one in the chamber. He said it was unclear how many rounds the magazine held. "We don't know if he reloaded his weapon or not," Dean said. Dean added, "PTSD might be a part of the conversation" officers had with Long when they responded in April to the disturbance call at his home. Neighbors told ABC station KABC-TV that Long lived with his mother and appeared not to have a job. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, Nobvember 7) The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) said it is currently investigating Pines City Colleges in Baguio City after reports of its policy requiring students to undergo mandatory pregnancy tests surfaced on social media. "As Gender Ombud, the Commission through its CAR office is investigating the case motu propio, according to the institution due process and verifying the existence of the policy," its statement on Tuesday said. The CHR said it is "alarmed" by the policy and cited the Magna Carta on Women, which states that expulsion and non-readmission of women faculty and students on the basis of pregnancy out of marriage is against the law. "Women and girls should not be denied exercise and full enjoyment of basic rights, they should not suffer negative consequences in educational and work spaces, simply because they are pregnant," the CHR said. The policy also prohibits students from taking certain classes such as clinical and hospital dentistry, endodontics and other subjects that would "endanger both mother and child." Twyla Rubin from the CHR Center for Gender Equality and Women's Rights added that they are currently in the process of reaching out to Pines City College to confirm and clarify the details of the policy in question due to conflicting reports. "Ito ay kailangang linawin muna kung una kung talagang nag-eexist 'tong pulisiyang ito, kanino nag-aapply 'yung polisiyang ito at ano ang basehan nila sa pag-iimpose sa polisiyang ito. Medical ba? at ito ba ay ginagawa sa lahat ng mga medical colleges as well? Kasi wala tayong nababalitaang ganitong mga practice na 'to," Rubin told CNN Philippines' Balitaan. [Translation: We need to clarify firstly why this policy exists and who does it apply to , and what is their basis to impose this policy. Is it medical? And does this policy apply to other colleges? Because we haven't received reports of other institutions implementing the same policy] The Philippine Commission on Women welcomed the CHR's move to investigate the case, adding that they will coordinate with the agency to address the situation. "We question the true intent of the school requirement in the context of the Magna Carta of Women," its statement said. However, Pines City Colleges stands by its policy despite the backlash. They maintained that their rule ensures the safety of their students. "Pines City Colleges abides by its policy of pregnancy tests for female students who are enrolling in any subject that would endanger both mother and child. It is a policy agreed to by our students upon their enrollment in this institution. We believe it is a policy protective of our students while they are in our care and are deployed to internship programs in hospitals and to clinical practice," its statement said. The school did not address criticisms of the policy supposedly requiring students to pay for their own tests. Women rights group Gabriela earlier slammed the policy, calling it discriminatory, violative of the law, and "[perpetuating] an old view and stigma that pregnancy is socially unacceptable and against the norm." Netizens also decried the rule as sexist, urging for male students who impregnated their classmates to also be subjected to the policy. READ: Gabriela slams Baguio college for mandatory pregnancy test Rajagopal PV told said he plans to begin his long trek from New Delhi next Oct 2 and should arrive in Geneva on Sept 25, 2020. The aim is to draw international attention to the links between a growing number of conflicts around the world and dwindling natural resources. (Representational image) New Delhi: An Indian activist said on Wednesday that he expects thousands of people to join his March for Justice and Peace, a 9,500-kilometre hike from New Delhi to Geneva next year. Rajagopal PV told reporters in Geneva that he plans to begin his long trek from New Delhi next October 2 and should arrive in the Swiss city on September 25, 2020. The departure date is the 150th birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, which Rajagopal said India is celebrating in a big way against a backdrop of an intensification of conflicts around the world. The 70-year-old engineer and advocate for the rights of landless peasants in India said the idea was to cross through Pakistan, Iran and Turkey on the way towards the Swiss city of peace. The aim is to draw international attention to the links between a growing number of conflicts around the world and dwindling natural resources. If land, forests and water are taken away from the poor people, then that will lead to unrest in the society, that unrest will lead to conflict and that conflict can evolve into large-scale of violence, he said. In a world where conflict is increasing, peace is in great demand, so we thought probably we can offer the idea of peace-building to the world at large. Rajagopal acknowledged that there were many challenges ahead. He said there could be problems obtaining visas for the walkers to some of the countries in their path, and that they may choose to take a boat from Bombay to Greece, and continue their walk from there. The man often dubbed the New Gandhi - a title he says he is uncomfortable with - said he hoped to get the Dalai Lama and former US president Barack Obama involved in his cause. From now until next October, he said he planned to travel around the world to seek support from organisations and cities, in the hope that thousands of walkers from other corners of the globe will also set off on a trek towards Geneva. Once they arrive in Geneva, the walkers plan to organise a week of discussions on peace and non-violence in the city. There is a seemingly inexhaustible supply of Second World War films. In the past few years alone, weve had Christopher Nolans epic ensemble drama Dunkirk, Mike Newells The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and Mel Gibsons Hacksaw Ridge. But what about the great war films about the Great War? As The Guardian points out, Wikipedias compilation of First World War cinema lists just over 130 films; there are 10 times more about its 1939 successor. Perhaps the lack of easy moral clarity, and the gruelling but often inert nature of trench warfare, just doesnt appeal to Hollywood as much as an indisputable triumph against evil. But those who have waded into the quagmire of the war to end all wars have created some masterpieces. As we reach the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War, here are some of the best examples of Great War-themed cinema. All Quiet on the Western Front trailer A Very Long Engagement (2004) At once a romance, a war film and a detective drama, Jean-Pierre Jeunets A Very Long Engagement follows Audrey Tautous Mathilde as she attempts to find her fiance, who was among five men sentenced to death for attempting to self-inflict injuries that would have them removed from the front line. Jeunet is best known for the almost unpalatably whimsical Amelie (in which Tautou also stars), yet this, its follow-up, is a very different beast stylish but unflinching, and with depictions of trench warfare that film critic Philip French deemed to be among the most terrifying and viscerally affecting ever filmed. Alexandra Pollard Gallipoli (1981) Australia lost eight and a half thousand men in the bloody and ultimately futile Gallipoli Campaign against the Ottoman Turks during the First World War. The battle to take the peninsula by British Empire forces raged throughout 1915. The great Australian director Peter Weir, who had already made Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) and would go on to make Witness (1985) and The Truman Show (1998), captured an elegiac image of life before the recruits found themselves in hellish conditions in the Middle Eastern theatre. Its a devastating portrayal of lost innocence, with a strong performance from a young Mel Gibson. The battle scenes are gruelling and painful. Chris Harvey The best films of 2018 (so far) Show all 17 1 /17 The best films of 2018 (so far) The best films of 2018 (so far) The Guardians From its slow-burning beginning, The Guardians develops into an epic melodrama. Its a wartime story in which, for a change, the men are relegated to supporting roles. It follows in a tradition of French rural family sagas like Jean De Florette or Manon Des Sources. The landscapes and the changing seasons play as much of a part in the story as the main characters. The best films of 2018 (so far) Dark River Dark River offers little such consolation. It has some lyrical and delicate moments but the mood is generally overwhelmingly bleak and lugubrious. Incest and abuse dont leave much space for any comic interludes. This is a powerful film with a grinding intensity about it. Light relief it isnt but Dark River still has quite an impact. Alamy The best films of 2018 (so far) Zama Late on in Argentinean director Lucrecia Martels startling, highly original new feature, Zama, a character who has just had both his arms cut off, is advised to shove your stumps in the sand if you dont bleed out, youll survive. Its a grisly, darkly humorous moment in a film that continually surprises us with both its brutality and its lyricism. The Match Factory The best films of 2018 (so far) The Breadwinner The most dispiriting aspect of this otherwise enrapturing Oscar-nominated animated feature is that its storyline still seems so current. The film depicts an Afghan society in which women dont have a face. It is set during the Taliban rule, which lasted from the mid-1990s until late 2001, but this doesnt feel like a period piece. Seventeen years after the Taliban were ousted from power in Afghanistan following the US invasion, the plight of women in the country appears hardly to have improved. GKIDS The best films of 2018 (so far) BlacKkKlansman Spike Lees work sometimes risks sensory overload. He fires off so many different ideas and storytelling styles that audiences can become bamboozled by his scattergun approach. BlacKkKlansman is one of his very best films because the digressions are as entertaining as ever but dont get in the way of the main story. AP The best films of 2018 (so far) Early Man Much of the pleasure in Aardman films has always lain in their gently ironic, Alan Bennett-like humour. They take very exotic characters and subject matter but then deal with them in a matter-of-fact fashion. They make a virtue out of their own relative modesty. Early Man isnt the flashiest animated feature that youll see this year but it is certainly the most likeable. The best films of 2018 (so far) Isle of Dogs Like all of Wes Andersons work, Isle Of Dogs is very stylised, very offbeat and characterised by its extremely dry and often ironic humour. This Japanese-set stop-motion fable is also gorgeous to look at packed full of intricate visual detail. It deals with some weighty themes (ethnic cleansing, fascism and corruption) but does so in an idiosyncratic fashion. The best films of 2018 (so far) Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri Writer-director Martin McDonagh has a host of award-winning plays behind him but his movies havent always lived up to his stage work. This one certainly does. It shares some of the dark and nihilistic humour found in McDonaghs previous film, Seven Psychopaths. The best films of 2018 (so far) A Quiet Place In an era of wearisome poltergeist movies, haunted house stories and torture porn, A Quiet Place is a refreshingly pared-down and very original affair. Director John Krasinski relies on editing, sound effects and off-screen action to crank up the tension. We do see the creatures from time to time, sometimes even in extreme closeup. They are very grotesque, bigger versions of the polyp-like succubus which exploded out of John Hurts stomach in Alien. However, the most terrifying moments here come when the humans are waiting for them to appear, desperately hoping that they wont. Paramount Pictures The best films of 2018 (so far) Lady Bird Lady Bird is one of the best American coming-of-age films since Barry Levinsons Diner. Written and directed by Greta Gerwig, it offers an utterly winning mix of humour, poignancy and sharp-eyed social observation. Gerwig approaches her subject matter with the same tenderness and affectionate irony with which the adolescent Lady Bird regards Sacramento. Gerwig also shows Lady Birds heroism as the young heroine strives against the odds to become the very best version of herself she can be. A24 The best films of 2018 (so far) Phantom Thread If Phantom Thread is indeed Daniel Day-Lewiss final film as an actor, he is going out on a wondrously bizarre note. This must be the oddest film in his career, one in which he gives a typically commanding but very idiosyncratic performance. Almost everything here is jarring but generally in a very positive way. The best films of 2018 (so far) First Reformed It is not so long ago that Paul Schrader seemed to be giving up on cinema. The American writer-director (whose credits include Taxi Driver, American Gigolo and Affliction) had taken to making movies like the sour Hollywood satire The Canyons with Lindsay Lohan and the cartoonishly violent Dog Eat Dog, shot cheaply, aimed at a VOD audience. The former had a montage of closed-down movie theatres. In interviews, Schrader struck a gloomy note about the future of the industry. This is why First Reformed is so refreshing. This is not just Schraders best film in a very long while. It is also a re-affirmation of the directors belief in the medium. Rex The best films of 2018 (so far) The Happy Prince Oscar Wilde goes to ruin in Rupert Everetts debut feature as director. Everett also wrote and stars in the film, giving a grandstanding performance as the Irish writer at the end of his life, after his release from prison, where he has been doing hard labour for gross indecency. This is a moving and surprising biopic that squeezes out every last drop of pathos from its subject matter. BBC Films The best films of 2018 (so far) Black Panther Black Panther is not only one of the most entertaining recent superhero films but has an intelligence and a political dimension that such inchoate offerings as Suicide Squad and Justice League completely lacked. It is an action movie which touches on Pan-Africanism and which owes as much to Malcolm X as it does to Batman or Captain America. Marvel Studios/Disney The best films of 2018 (so far) Sicilian Ghost Story Sicilian Ghost Story is a genre-bending affair that combines elements of teen romance, gothic psycho-drama and political thriller. It is loosely based on a true story of a boy called Giuseppe Di Matteo whose father, an ex-member of the Sicilian Mafia, turned grass against his erstwhile associates. The Mafia responded by kidnapping Giuseppe and keeping him in captivity for nearly 800 days. Altitude The best films of 2018 (so far) First Man First Man is all about understated heroism. Its affecting precisely because Armstrong (played with quiet intensity by Ryan Gosling) doesnt feel the continual need to boast about his mission. The film is a tearjerker but a very subtle one. AP The best films of 2018 (so far) Dogman Dogman is one of the best Italian films of recent times, a modern day neo realist fable that bears comparison with the great work of Fellini, Rossellini, De Sica et al. Its main character, the dog groomer Marcello (Marcello Fonte), is a wonderful creation: loveable, vulnerable, seedy and comic all at the same time. Curzon Artificial Eye White Ribbon (2009) Michael Hanekes enigmatic parable about the roots of evil took more than ten years to come to fruition, with more than 7,000 children being seen for the films central roles but in the end, the Funny Games directors meticulousness was worth it. The film is set in the fictitious German village of Eichwald a village which, even before it is torn apart by the outbreak of war, is beleaguered by unexplained acts of violence. Mysterious and deeply unsettling, Hanekes masterpiece resists easy interpretation, and is all the more affecting for it. AP La Grande Guerra (1959) This bitter satire of the First World War, in which a comically bumbling duo played by Vittorio Gassman and Alberto Sordi reluctantly sign up to fight, won the Golden Lion at the 1959 Venice Film Festival, despite an initial campaign to ban it. Director Mario Monicellis film may at first appear comedic in tone, but tackles, full-on, the grim horrors of the trenches. It examines the darkness of innocent citizens being sucked into the brutality of a war which killed 650,000 in Italy and was one of the few Italian films to do so. Elisa Bray Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) Russian-born Lewis Milestone made a bold attempt to adapt Erich Maria Remarques superb novel about the physical and mental duress of German soldiers in the trenches of First World War into a Hollywood epic. Its sensitive, anti-war narrative helped it win both Best Picture and Best Director Oscars. Banned in Nazi Germany (where it was considered anti-German) and in Australia, Italy, France and Austria, it remains the definitive First World War movie. CH Paths of Glory (1957) Kirk Douglas in Paths of Glory (1958) (United Artists/Kobal/REX) Director Stanley Kubrick, fresh from the narratively experimental flop The Killing, applied a straightforward treatment to this tale of a failed First World War attack on the Germans. Kirk Douglas gives an infallible performance as the officer who refuses to let another man be court-martialed after the attack. Although the auteurs later work contains increasingly visceral scenes, Paths of Glory is often restrained, with multiple scenes based in boardroom settings. When Kubrick lets loose, its all the more enthralling, with one iconic tracking shot through no mans land particularly unforgettable. Jack Shepherd The Grand Illusion (1937) La Grande Illusion may not be Jean Renoirs masterpiece, but its certainly one of the most subtle and beautifully-crafted anti-war films in existence. By uniting soldiers from warring nations in one base a prisoner of war camp Renoir highlighted the futility of war: when theyre away from the battlefield, its their humanity that shines through regardless of their background Renoir should know: he was a pilot in the First World War. Three years later, the Nazis would ban the film after invading France. Jacob Stolworthy William A Wellmans gallant and sentimental tale set the standard for how we depict the battles of the skies. The winner of the very first Academy Award for Best Picture in 1929, the film follows two rival pilots, Jack (Charles Buddy Rogers) and David (Richard Arlen), who put their differences aside and become heroes while fighting in France. The original it girl, Clara Bow, is also on hand to provide the films star power. Clarisse Loughrey Lawrence of Arabia (1962) David Leans depiction of British Army colonel TE Lawrences experiences as a military advisor in Arabia during the First World War won seven Academy Awards in 1963, including Best Picture and Best Director. The 6ft 2in Peter OToole memorably portrayed the 5ft 5in Lawrence as a heroic figure, while the historical accuracy of the 1917 Attack on Aqaba leaves much to be desired, but the film remains a widescreen epic unlike anything else in cinema. CH Shoulder Arms (1918) A testament to Charlie Chaplins ability to find comedy and humanity in the bleakest of circumstances, later put to such famous use in The Great Dictator (1940), Shoulder Arms managed to capture the reality of the trenches while still providing comfort to a world trying to process its horrors. The film stars Chaplin as a hapless recruit to the awkward squad, although the majority of the movie is revealed to be a dream sequence. CL Ezra Miller has publicly recalled a story of harassment that occurred while he was underage. During an interview, the Fantastic Beasts actor opened up about how an unnamed director and producer attempted to get him on board a movie about gay revolution. They gave me wine and I was underaged, Miller told The Hollywood Reporter. They were like, Hey, want to be in our movie about gay revolution? And I was like, No, you guys are monsters. While the 26-year-old decided not to go into more detail, he reflected on the positive influence of the #MeToo movement. Its a great f**kin age of being like, You know what? That s**ts unacceptable, and its amazing for a lot of us to watch, he said. Cause, like, we all knew it was unacceptable when we f**king survived it. Thats what Hollywood is. I thought we all knew we were sex workers. Miller recently spoke about the #MeToo movement with GQ, saying: Lets rehabilitate men. Lets drop men like flies. Im with it. And then lets rehabilitate them when theyre on the ground. This is some Wonder Woman shit right here. Whats the Amazonian solution to this? The best films of 2018 (so far) Show all 17 1 /17 The best films of 2018 (so far) The best films of 2018 (so far) The Guardians From its slow-burning beginning, The Guardians develops into an epic melodrama. Its a wartime story in which, for a change, the men are relegated to supporting roles. It follows in a tradition of French rural family sagas like Jean De Florette or Manon Des Sources. The landscapes and the changing seasons play as much of a part in the story as the main characters. The best films of 2018 (so far) Dark River Dark River offers little such consolation. It has some lyrical and delicate moments but the mood is generally overwhelmingly bleak and lugubrious. Incest and abuse dont leave much space for any comic interludes. This is a powerful film with a grinding intensity about it. Light relief it isnt but Dark River still has quite an impact. Alamy The best films of 2018 (so far) Zama Late on in Argentinean director Lucrecia Martels startling, highly original new feature, Zama, a character who has just had both his arms cut off, is advised to shove your stumps in the sand if you dont bleed out, youll survive. Its a grisly, darkly humorous moment in a film that continually surprises us with both its brutality and its lyricism. The Match Factory The best films of 2018 (so far) The Breadwinner The most dispiriting aspect of this otherwise enrapturing Oscar-nominated animated feature is that its storyline still seems so current. The film depicts an Afghan society in which women dont have a face. It is set during the Taliban rule, which lasted from the mid-1990s until late 2001, but this doesnt feel like a period piece. Seventeen years after the Taliban were ousted from power in Afghanistan following the US invasion, the plight of women in the country appears hardly to have improved. GKIDS The best films of 2018 (so far) BlacKkKlansman Spike Lees work sometimes risks sensory overload. He fires off so many different ideas and storytelling styles that audiences can become bamboozled by his scattergun approach. BlacKkKlansman is one of his very best films because the digressions are as entertaining as ever but dont get in the way of the main story. AP The best films of 2018 (so far) Early Man Much of the pleasure in Aardman films has always lain in their gently ironic, Alan Bennett-like humour. They take very exotic characters and subject matter but then deal with them in a matter-of-fact fashion. They make a virtue out of their own relative modesty. Early Man isnt the flashiest animated feature that youll see this year but it is certainly the most likeable. The best films of 2018 (so far) Isle of Dogs Like all of Wes Andersons work, Isle Of Dogs is very stylised, very offbeat and characterised by its extremely dry and often ironic humour. This Japanese-set stop-motion fable is also gorgeous to look at packed full of intricate visual detail. It deals with some weighty themes (ethnic cleansing, fascism and corruption) but does so in an idiosyncratic fashion. The best films of 2018 (so far) Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri Writer-director Martin McDonagh has a host of award-winning plays behind him but his movies havent always lived up to his stage work. This one certainly does. It shares some of the dark and nihilistic humour found in McDonaghs previous film, Seven Psychopaths. The best films of 2018 (so far) A Quiet Place In an era of wearisome poltergeist movies, haunted house stories and torture porn, A Quiet Place is a refreshingly pared-down and very original affair. Director John Krasinski relies on editing, sound effects and off-screen action to crank up the tension. We do see the creatures from time to time, sometimes even in extreme closeup. They are very grotesque, bigger versions of the polyp-like succubus which exploded out of John Hurts stomach in Alien. However, the most terrifying moments here come when the humans are waiting for them to appear, desperately hoping that they wont. Paramount Pictures The best films of 2018 (so far) Lady Bird Lady Bird is one of the best American coming-of-age films since Barry Levinsons Diner. Written and directed by Greta Gerwig, it offers an utterly winning mix of humour, poignancy and sharp-eyed social observation. Gerwig approaches her subject matter with the same tenderness and affectionate irony with which the adolescent Lady Bird regards Sacramento. Gerwig also shows Lady Birds heroism as the young heroine strives against the odds to become the very best version of herself she can be. A24 The best films of 2018 (so far) Phantom Thread If Phantom Thread is indeed Daniel Day-Lewiss final film as an actor, he is going out on a wondrously bizarre note. This must be the oddest film in his career, one in which he gives a typically commanding but very idiosyncratic performance. Almost everything here is jarring but generally in a very positive way. The best films of 2018 (so far) First Reformed It is not so long ago that Paul Schrader seemed to be giving up on cinema. The American writer-director (whose credits include Taxi Driver, American Gigolo and Affliction) had taken to making movies like the sour Hollywood satire The Canyons with Lindsay Lohan and the cartoonishly violent Dog Eat Dog, shot cheaply, aimed at a VOD audience. The former had a montage of closed-down movie theatres. In interviews, Schrader struck a gloomy note about the future of the industry. This is why First Reformed is so refreshing. This is not just Schraders best film in a very long while. It is also a re-affirmation of the directors belief in the medium. Rex The best films of 2018 (so far) The Happy Prince Oscar Wilde goes to ruin in Rupert Everetts debut feature as director. Everett also wrote and stars in the film, giving a grandstanding performance as the Irish writer at the end of his life, after his release from prison, where he has been doing hard labour for gross indecency. This is a moving and surprising biopic that squeezes out every last drop of pathos from its subject matter. BBC Films The best films of 2018 (so far) Black Panther Black Panther is not only one of the most entertaining recent superhero films but has an intelligence and a political dimension that such inchoate offerings as Suicide Squad and Justice League completely lacked. It is an action movie which touches on Pan-Africanism and which owes as much to Malcolm X as it does to Batman or Captain America. Marvel Studios/Disney The best films of 2018 (so far) Sicilian Ghost Story Sicilian Ghost Story is a genre-bending affair that combines elements of teen romance, gothic psycho-drama and political thriller. It is loosely based on a true story of a boy called Giuseppe Di Matteo whose father, an ex-member of the Sicilian Mafia, turned grass against his erstwhile associates. The Mafia responded by kidnapping Giuseppe and keeping him in captivity for nearly 800 days. Altitude The best films of 2018 (so far) First Man First Man is all about understated heroism. Its affecting precisely because Armstrong (played with quiet intensity by Ryan Gosling) doesnt feel the continual need to boast about his mission. The film is a tearjerker but a very subtle one. AP The best films of 2018 (so far) Dogman Dogman is one of the best Italian films of recent times, a modern day neo realist fable that bears comparison with the great work of Fellini, Rossellini, De Sica et al. Its main character, the dog groomer Marcello (Marcello Fonte), is a wonderful creation: loveable, vulnerable, seedy and comic all at the same time. Curzon Artificial Eye The actor will next appear on the big screen in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald which reaches cinemas 16 November. Although the Kingsman series may have made Taron Egerton an international star, the actor will not be returning for the upcoming sequel. Speaking to Yahoo Movies, the actor promoting his latest movie Robin Hood said: I dont know how hot off the press this is, and I think Im allowed to say it, but Im not in the next Kingsman movie. That doesnt mean I wont be in Kingsman ever again. I was with [director] Matthew [Vaughn] as little as a few days ago, were still very much in business together, but his next journey in that world doesnt involve me. Egerton played the series leading character Gary Eggsy Unwin, a James Bond-like spy who works for a secret service, in both Kingsman and its sequel Kingsman: The Golden Circle. Vaughn directed both instalments and gave Egerton an insight about what's to come. The best films of 2018 (so far) Show all 17 1 /17 The best films of 2018 (so far) The best films of 2018 (so far) The Guardians From its slow-burning beginning, The Guardians develops into an epic melodrama. Its a wartime story in which, for a change, the men are relegated to supporting roles. It follows in a tradition of French rural family sagas like Jean De Florette or Manon Des Sources. The landscapes and the changing seasons play as much of a part in the story as the main characters. The best films of 2018 (so far) Dark River Dark River offers little such consolation. It has some lyrical and delicate moments but the mood is generally overwhelmingly bleak and lugubrious. Incest and abuse dont leave much space for any comic interludes. This is a powerful film with a grinding intensity about it. Light relief it isnt but Dark River still has quite an impact. Alamy The best films of 2018 (so far) Zama Late on in Argentinean director Lucrecia Martels startling, highly original new feature, Zama, a character who has just had both his arms cut off, is advised to shove your stumps in the sand if you dont bleed out, youll survive. Its a grisly, darkly humorous moment in a film that continually surprises us with both its brutality and its lyricism. The Match Factory The best films of 2018 (so far) The Breadwinner The most dispiriting aspect of this otherwise enrapturing Oscar-nominated animated feature is that its storyline still seems so current. The film depicts an Afghan society in which women dont have a face. It is set during the Taliban rule, which lasted from the mid-1990s until late 2001, but this doesnt feel like a period piece. Seventeen years after the Taliban were ousted from power in Afghanistan following the US invasion, the plight of women in the country appears hardly to have improved. GKIDS The best films of 2018 (so far) BlacKkKlansman Spike Lees work sometimes risks sensory overload. He fires off so many different ideas and storytelling styles that audiences can become bamboozled by his scattergun approach. BlacKkKlansman is one of his very best films because the digressions are as entertaining as ever but dont get in the way of the main story. AP The best films of 2018 (so far) Early Man Much of the pleasure in Aardman films has always lain in their gently ironic, Alan Bennett-like humour. They take very exotic characters and subject matter but then deal with them in a matter-of-fact fashion. They make a virtue out of their own relative modesty. Early Man isnt the flashiest animated feature that youll see this year but it is certainly the most likeable. The best films of 2018 (so far) Isle of Dogs Like all of Wes Andersons work, Isle Of Dogs is very stylised, very offbeat and characterised by its extremely dry and often ironic humour. This Japanese-set stop-motion fable is also gorgeous to look at packed full of intricate visual detail. It deals with some weighty themes (ethnic cleansing, fascism and corruption) but does so in an idiosyncratic fashion. The best films of 2018 (so far) Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri Writer-director Martin McDonagh has a host of award-winning plays behind him but his movies havent always lived up to his stage work. This one certainly does. It shares some of the dark and nihilistic humour found in McDonaghs previous film, Seven Psychopaths. The best films of 2018 (so far) A Quiet Place In an era of wearisome poltergeist movies, haunted house stories and torture porn, A Quiet Place is a refreshingly pared-down and very original affair. Director John Krasinski relies on editing, sound effects and off-screen action to crank up the tension. We do see the creatures from time to time, sometimes even in extreme closeup. They are very grotesque, bigger versions of the polyp-like succubus which exploded out of John Hurts stomach in Alien. However, the most terrifying moments here come when the humans are waiting for them to appear, desperately hoping that they wont. Paramount Pictures The best films of 2018 (so far) Lady Bird Lady Bird is one of the best American coming-of-age films since Barry Levinsons Diner. Written and directed by Greta Gerwig, it offers an utterly winning mix of humour, poignancy and sharp-eyed social observation. Gerwig approaches her subject matter with the same tenderness and affectionate irony with which the adolescent Lady Bird regards Sacramento. Gerwig also shows Lady Birds heroism as the young heroine strives against the odds to become the very best version of herself she can be. A24 The best films of 2018 (so far) Phantom Thread If Phantom Thread is indeed Daniel Day-Lewiss final film as an actor, he is going out on a wondrously bizarre note. This must be the oddest film in his career, one in which he gives a typically commanding but very idiosyncratic performance. Almost everything here is jarring but generally in a very positive way. The best films of 2018 (so far) First Reformed It is not so long ago that Paul Schrader seemed to be giving up on cinema. The American writer-director (whose credits include Taxi Driver, American Gigolo and Affliction) had taken to making movies like the sour Hollywood satire The Canyons with Lindsay Lohan and the cartoonishly violent Dog Eat Dog, shot cheaply, aimed at a VOD audience. The former had a montage of closed-down movie theatres. In interviews, Schrader struck a gloomy note about the future of the industry. This is why First Reformed is so refreshing. This is not just Schraders best film in a very long while. It is also a re-affirmation of the directors belief in the medium. Rex The best films of 2018 (so far) The Happy Prince Oscar Wilde goes to ruin in Rupert Everetts debut feature as director. Everett also wrote and stars in the film, giving a grandstanding performance as the Irish writer at the end of his life, after his release from prison, where he has been doing hard labour for gross indecency. This is a moving and surprising biopic that squeezes out every last drop of pathos from its subject matter. BBC Films The best films of 2018 (so far) Black Panther Black Panther is not only one of the most entertaining recent superhero films but has an intelligence and a political dimension that such inchoate offerings as Suicide Squad and Justice League completely lacked. It is an action movie which touches on Pan-Africanism and which owes as much to Malcolm X as it does to Batman or Captain America. Marvel Studios/Disney The best films of 2018 (so far) Sicilian Ghost Story Sicilian Ghost Story is a genre-bending affair that combines elements of teen romance, gothic psycho-drama and political thriller. It is loosely based on a true story of a boy called Giuseppe Di Matteo whose father, an ex-member of the Sicilian Mafia, turned grass against his erstwhile associates. The Mafia responded by kidnapping Giuseppe and keeping him in captivity for nearly 800 days. Altitude The best films of 2018 (so far) First Man First Man is all about understated heroism. Its affecting precisely because Armstrong (played with quiet intensity by Ryan Gosling) doesnt feel the continual need to boast about his mission. The film is a tearjerker but a very subtle one. AP The best films of 2018 (so far) Dogman Dogman is one of the best Italian films of recent times, a modern day neo realist fable that bears comparison with the great work of Fellini, Rossellini, De Sica et al. Its main character, the dog groomer Marcello (Marcello Fonte), is a wonderful creation: loveable, vulnerable, seedy and comic all at the same time. Curzon Artificial Eye His idea for the new one is incredibly exciting, Egerton continued. Im sad that I wont be on that journey with him but its not the last youve seen of Eggsy. Kingsman: The Golden Circle concluded with Eggsy marrying a princess, which many presumed meant the sequel would see the character awkwardly balance home-life and undercover work. Perhaps Eggsy has settled down for good with his new bride? Kingsman 3 currently has a release date of 8 November, 2019 Stormzy reportedly claimed that the scholarship he launched to help black British students attending Cambridge was originally proposed for Oxford University, only for the idea to be rejected. Oxford University has since denied the allegation, a spokesperson saying they "admire Stormzy's commitment" to higher education but had "not received or turned down any offer." Appearing at the Barbican Centre in London last night (7 November), the grime star spoke with fellow rapper and author Akala, poet Benjamin Zephaniah and guests including Malorie Blackman as part of the launch for his new publishing imprint #MerkyBooks, which is a partnership with Penguin. Journalist Dan Hancox, who has written a forthcoming book about the story of grime, attended the event and tweeted: "Tonight at the Barbican Stormzy revealed that the much-discussed scholarship he's funding at Cambridge Uni was first proposed to Oxford University, and they told him to get lost?! Incredible." Oxford University said: We admire Stormzy's commitment to inspire and support black students to succeed in higher education. We have not received or turned down any offer or proposal to fund undergraduate scholarships at Oxford." We have contacted to Stormzy's representatives today to clarify we would welcome the opportunity to work together on inspiring students from African-Caribbean heritage to study at Oxford. The Stormzy Scholarship will pay the tuition fees of two students, something the rapper announced on A-level results day at his old school in south London. The scheme will also provide a maintenance grant for a four-year undergraduate course for two students this year and another two in 2019. It's so important for black students, especially, to be aware that it can 100% be an option to attend a university of this calibre, the rapper said as he announced the scholarship in August. We're a minority, the playing ground isn't level for us and it's vital that all potential students are given the same opportunity." Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Stormzy's own book Rise Up, about the story of his life and success so far, is out now. Katherine Ryan is set to star in her own Netflix series, which she will also write. The Canadian-Irish comedian will play a single mother in The Duchess, an upcoming six-part show, Variety reported. The Duchess will be executive-produced in part by Clerkenwell Films, the British company that previously worked on the acclaimed dark comedy-drama The End of the F***ing World. Ryan, who has an eight-year-old daughter with a former boyfriend, will star as a "fashionably disruptive single mum" who adores her daughter Olive and is considering having another child with Olive's father despite their conflictual relationship. The performer has a well-established relationship with Netflix. She taped a stand-up special titled Katherine Ryan: In trouble for the streamer last year and is scheduled to record a new one in the US. Ryan, a regular guest on panel shows, will also be a permanent team captain in Netflix's upcoming unscripted comedy show The Fix, which will be hosted by Jimmy Carr. The Fix will see guest comedians and experts attempting to solve some of the biggest issues the world is currently facing, Variety previously wrote. The 20 best horror films on Netflix Show all 20 1 /20 The 20 best horror films on Netflix The 20 best horror films on Netflix The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016) The 20 best horror films on Netflix Bram Stokers Dracula (1992) Moviestore Collection/Rex/Shutterstock The 20 best horror films on Netflix Cabin in the Woods (2012) The 20 best horror films on Netflix Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh (1995) The 20 best horror films on Netflix Carrie (1976) The 20 best horror films on Netflix Christine (1983) The 20 best horror films on Netflix Creep (2014) The 20 best horror films on Netflix Dont Breathe (2016) Stephen Lang and Dylan Minnette in Don't Breathe Moviestore/Rex The 20 best horror films on Netflix February (2015) The 20 best horror films on Netflix Freddy vs Jason (2003) The 20 best horror films on Netflix From Beyond (1986) The 20 best horror films on Netflix Hostel (2005) The 20 best horror films on Netflix Insidious (2010) Patrick Wilson in Insidious Rex The 20 best horror films on Netflix Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988) The 20 best horror films on Netflix Mama (2013) Jessica Chastain and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau in Mama Kobal/Rex The 20 best horror films on Netflix Ravenous (2017) The 20 best horror films on Netflix The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986) The 20 best horror films on Netflix Under the Shadow (2016) The 20 best horror films on Netflix Veronica (2017) The 20 best horror films on Netflix Wake Wood (2009) Ryan will also act as an executive producer on The Duchess. Each episode will run for a half hour. She's set to tape her upcoming Netflix special on 11 December at the Belasco Theatre in Los Angeles, as a continuation to her successful UK Glitter Room Tour. There may be 47 days left until Christmas, but some are already itching to get into the festive spirit. One way to do that is by watching Christmas films, which has been made easier than ever thanks to a Netflix workaround. The codes make it possible to browse the company's full Christmas-related categories, even though they are not yet being promoted on the platform's homepage just yet. While users can still search for a specific film (for example, if they already know they want to watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas for the 50th time), the codes are a great source of inspiration for those looking to flip through several options. As reported by The Sun, those who watch Netflix on a laptop should start with this URL: http://www.netflix.com/browse/genre/INSERTNUMBER Then, "INSERTNUMBER" can be replaced by the appropriate code, depending on which category people want to take a look at. For the "Romantic Christmas Films" category, type 1394527 into the address bar, hit the return key, and get ready to choose between A Christmas Prince, the acclaimed romantic comedy released by Netflix last year, and a re-run of Love Actually. Similarly, you can access the "Christmas Children & Family Films" category with the code 1474017, and the "Family-friendly Christmas Films" section by typing 1394522. Those watching with a young audience might want to try code 1477206, which will unlock the "Christmas Children & Family Films for ages 11 to 12" category; 1477204 for "Christmas Children & Family Films for ages 8 to 10"; or 1477201 for "Christmas Children & Family Films for ages 5 to 7". Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up For a morale boost, try 1475066 the magic number for "Feel-good Christmas Children & Family Films" or 1475071, which corresponds to "Goofy Christmas Children & Family Films". All the Netflix Original films coming out in 2018 Show all 8 1 /8 All the Netflix Original films coming out in 2018 All the Netflix Original films coming out in 2018 Tiempo compartido - 30 November Two haunted family men join forces in a destructive crusade to rescue their families from a tropical paradise, after becoming convinced that an American timeshare conglomerate has a sinister plan to take their loved ones away. Netflix All the Netflix Original films coming out in 2018 A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding - 30 November A year after Amber helped Richard secure the crown, the two are set to tie the knot in a royal Christmas wedding - but their plans are jeopardized when Amber finds herself second-guessing whether or not she's cut out to be queen, and Richard is faced with a political crisis that threatens to tarnish not only the holiday season, but the future of the kingdom. Netflix All the Netflix Original films coming out in 2018 Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle - 7 December Acclaimed actor and director Andy Serkis reinvents Rudyard Kiplings beloved masterpiece, in which a boy torn between two worlds accepts his destiny and becomes a legend. Mowgli (Rohan Chand) has never truly belonged in either the wilds of the jungle or the civilized world of man. Now he must navigate the inherent dangers of each on a journey to discover where he truly belongs. Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Benedict Cumberbatch, Andy Serkis, Freida Pinto, Rohan Chand, Matthew Rhys and Naomie Harris lead an all-star cast in this visually spectacular and emotionally moving adventure. Netflix All the Netflix Original films coming out in 2018 Natale a 5 Stelle - 7 December Christmas is coming. An Italian political delegation, led by our Premier, is on an official visit to Hungary. In addition to his political commitments, the Premier intends to spend, secretly, a few happy hours in the company of a young member of parliament traveling with the delegation. Everything seems to proceed for the better until the two clumsy lovers find themselves with a mysterious corpse in the suite of the luxurious hotel where they stay. Netflix All the Netflix Original films coming out in 2018 Dumplin' - 7 December Dumplin (Danielle Macdonald) is the plus-size, teenage daughter of a former beauty queen (Jennifer Aniston), who signs up for her moms pageant as a protest that escalates when other contestants follow her footsteps, revolutionizing the pageant and their small Texas town. Netflix All the Netflix Original films coming out in 2018 ROMA The most personal project to date from Academy Award-winning director and writer Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity, Children of Men, Y Tu Mama Tambien), ROMA follows Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio), a young domestic worker for a family in the middle-class neighborhood of Roma in Mexico City. Delivering an artful love letter to the women who raised him, Cuaron draws on his own childhood to create a vivid and emotional portrait of domestic strife and social hierarchy amidst political turmoil of the 1970s. Cuarons first project since the groundbreaking Gravity in 2013, ROMA will be available in theaters and on Netflix later this year. Netflix All the Netflix Original films coming out in 2018 Bird Box - 21 December When a mysterious force decimates the worlds population, only one thing is certain: if you see it, you take your life. Facing the unknown, Malorie finds love, hope and a new beginning only for it to unravel. Now she must flee with her two children down a treacherous river to the one place left that may offer sanctuary. But to survive, they'll have to undertake the perilous two-day journey blindfolded. Academy Award winner Sandra Bullock leads an all-star cast that includes Trevante Rhodes, with Sarah Paulson, and John Malkovich in Bird Box, a compelling new thriller from Academy Award winner Susanne Bier. Netflix All the Netflix Original films coming out in 2018 Girl With the support of her father, a 15-year-old transgender girl pursues her dream of becoming a professional ballerina. Winner of the Camera dOr for best first film at this years Cannes Film Festival as well as the Best Actor Prize for Un Certain Regard. Netflix Those feeling a pinch of nostalgia might want to go for 1476024 for a selection of "Christmas Children & Family Films from the 1990s". The codes also enable viewers to browse films based on their location. "British Christmas Children & Family Films" can be accessed with the code 1527064, while their European counterparts are under the code 1527063. The "Canadian Christmas Children & Family Films" category opens with the code 1721544. Netflix users who prefer to use the streamer on their TV set can also enjoy the convenience of the Christmas-related categories. All they have to do is enter the exact name of the genre they're looking for in their search bar. In recent years, the Great Barrier Reef has grabbed headlines after several people claimed the natural wonder to be dead. In a 2016 article Obituary: Great Barrier Reef (25 Million BC- 2016) , writer Rowan Jacobsen pronounced the jewel of the Australian coastline dead after a long illness. With such extraordinary diversity of life and landscape, it provided some of the most thrilling marine adventures on earth to humans who visited. Its otherworldly colours and patterns will be sorely missed, writes Jacobsen. No one knows if a serious effort at the time could have saved the reef, but it is clear that such no effort was made, writes Jacobsen. Writer Rich Landers of The Spokesman-Review also announced that scientists had pronounced the Great Barrier Reef dead. However, both claims could be misleading: there is a huge difference between dead and dying. The Reef is the worlds largest natural living structure. Covering over 1,429 miles of the Queensland coast, the reef stretches from the north tip of Cape York Peninsula down to the south city of Bundaberg. It is home to over a thousand different types of marine life: 1400 types of hard coral, one third of the worlds soft coral, 1,625 species of fish, over 3000 species of molluscs, 630 types of starfish/sea urchins, 14 species of sea snakes, 215 types of birds, 133 different types of sharks and rays, 30 species of whales and dolphins, six out of seven species of marine turtles, and many species still undiscovered. Due to the colourful marine life, the Reef is also one of the most popular tourist sites for scuba divers visiting Australia. The Reef supports a huge variety of marine biodiversity and an estimated 69,000 Australian jobs, and provides $7 billion to the Australian economy every year, reads a report from the Australian Climate Council. With the massive variety of aquatic life both making up and living in the Reef, it is hard to image something so great having such a sudden death. In fact, the damage is not sudden, but is a result of ongoing harm inflicted on the Reef by multiple factors. And the Great Barrier Reef is not dead, but it is dying. According to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, the human influence has caused a 50% decline in the overall coral bed from 1985 to 2012. The cumulative effect of these threats weakens the Reefs resilience, affecting its ability to recover from serious disturbances predicted to become more frequent in the future, writes the foundation. Natural occurrences, such as Cyclone Debbie on 28 March 2017, have also added to the rising damage to the Reef causing breaking and uplifting of the coral. However, these do not account for the intense coral bleaching events that have occurred in recent years. The National Ocean Service defines coral bleaching as the expelling of the symbiotic algae living in the corals tissue, resulting in the coral turning completely white. Coral bleaching can occur when the typical summer temperature of local waters increases an exceed maxima by 1C. C Mark Eakin of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the United States explains, Climate has warmed rapidly in the past years, first making El Ninos dangerous for the corals, and now were seeing the emergence of the bleaching in every hot summer. The ocean temperature has increased by about 1 degree Celsius since the 1800s. In 2016, an aerial and underwater survey conducted by the Australian Climate Council revealed that of the 911 reefs surveyed, 81% of the northern sector, 33% of the central sector and 1% of the southern sector experienced severe bleaching. The current, ongoing mass bleaching event is the worst in the Great Barrier Reefs history, reads the report. In 2017, the Australian Climate Council released a second report following the Reefs second wave of mass coral bleaching. It was the first time in history the Reef experienced two consecutive bleaching occurrences. The council concluded that the warming oceans are a result of the rising temperatures caused by the burning of coal, oil and gas. Human activities, primarily the emission of greenhouse gases from the combustion of fossil fuels, are driving climate change, states the council. Climate change is the greatest threat to the Great Barrier Reef. The back-to-back bleaching events in 2016 and 2017 has sent the Reef in a downward decline leaving parts of the coral beds completely unsalvageable. According to a briefing released by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the events in 2016 and 2017 increased the percentage of dead coral from 22% to 29% with an anticipated morality rate of 19%. UNESCO has criticised the Australian Government for not taking greater steps to preserve the Reef since it was placed on their watch list in 2015. As a result, the Australian Government adopted the Reef 2015 Plan, a $100 million project which looked to improve the water quality on the Reef. However, in 2017, the government declared the project impossible and leaving the plan to be reviewed sometime in 2018. Meanwhile, the Australian Government continues to heavily subsidies the fossil fuel industry and is considering a loan of up to $1 billion to facilitate the construction of the Carmichael coal megamine, writes UNESCO. The Reefs only chance for salvation sits with the Australian Government. Government funding for new fossil fuel mining must come to a halt, the Reef 2050 Plan needs to be rewritten, and the country should adopt a climate change policy that would reduce the emission levels by 40-60% followed by 60-80%. Otherwise, the health of the Reef will continue to decline until it eventually stops dying and is officially declared dead. Dame Jenni Murray, presenter of BBC Radio 4s Womans Hour, has pulled out of a talk at Oxford University following accusations of transphobia. The broadcaster had been invited by the universitys History Society to speak on the topic of Powerful British Women in History and Society on Saturday November 17. LGBTQ+ students heavily condemned her scheduled appearance, citing an article that she wrote for The Sunday Times magazine in March 2017 in which she expressed what they have termed transphobic views. Recommended Caitlyn Jenner drops support for Trump over stance on trans rights Oxford SU LGBTQ+ campaign believe that inviting publically transphobic speakers to the university, without challenge, further marginalises and unnecessarily compromises the welfare of trans students and staff, the Oxford SU LGBTQ Campaign writes in a statement. She has told trans women dont call yourself real women, that it takes more than a sex change and makeup, and repeatedly insinuated that transgender women and girls are not women and can only pretend to be women. Her views, which clearly reflect a lack of engagement with the vast majority of actual trans people, and are in sum deeply harmful to trans women and trans feminine people, contributing to and exacerbating the harassment, marginalisation, discrimination, and violence that they already face. The article that Murray wrote last year was titled: "Be trans, be proud - but don't call yourself a 'real woman'." Jenni Murray talks with Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall at Buckingham Palace in 2016 (Getty Images) She opened with the question: "Can someone who has lived as a man, with all the privilege that entails, really lay claim to womanhood?" She then stated that she is "not transphobic or anti-trans", and that she is not a "trans-exclusionary radical feminist." On the Facebook event for the talk, Oxford University's History Society explains that Murray had been invited to speak due to her "prominent role as a presenter of BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour, as well as for her historical writings." Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan Show all 35 1 /35 Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan Participants take part in the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taipei, Taiwan, 27 October 2018. AFP/Getty Images Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan Thousands of people attended the march in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan. REUTERS Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan Participants walk in the parade. REUTERS Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan The march took place ahead of a landmark vote next month on LGBT+ rights in Taiwan. REUTERS Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan On May 24 2017, the Constitutional Court in Taiwan ruled that same-sex couples have the right to marry in the state. AP Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan After making its ruling on same-sex marriage in May last year, the court stated that its decision must be implemented in two years. AP Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan On November 24, a public vote will be held in Taiwan on same-sex marriage. AFP/Getty Images Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan A participant of the march poses next to a wedding studio. REUTERS Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan A young woman from Chongqing in mainland China holds a fan reading "free writers" before the start of the march. AFP/Getty Images Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan Participants with Pikachu-styled costumes pose as they gather at the square outside the presidential office for the start of the march. AFP/Getty Images Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan Thousands took part in the parade in support of same-sex marriage. REUTERS Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan Participants in the square outside the presidential office before the start of the parade. AFP/Getty Images Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan A couple take part in the march with their baby. AFP/Getty Images Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan Members of Tokyo Rainbow Pride walk in the parade. AFP/Getty Images Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan The parade was awash with rainbow-coloured paraphernalia. AFP/Getty Images Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan A participant of the march poses with a fan. AP Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan A participant from Japan holds a banner before the start of the march. AFP/Getty Images Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan Young women display rainbow flags. EPA Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan A person taking part in the march waves a rainbow flag. EPA Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan A man, decorated with balloons and a rainbow flag, takes part in the celebrations. EPA Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan An American man and his Japanese partner, both wearing headbands saying 'Japan' in Japanese, kiss each other during the march. EPA Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan Thousands of people attended the annual march. EPA Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan Taiwan gay rights activist Chi Chia-wei attends the march. Chi became the first person in Taiwan to come out as gay on national television in 1986. EPA Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan Participants take part in the march, organised by Taiwan LGBT Pride. AP Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan Participants hold up a large rainbow flag. EPA Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan People walking in the parade. EPA Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan A person stands in front of a rainbow-coloured flag. EPA Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan A Japanese couple hold a sign saying 'You Are My Safe Harbour' in Chinese. EPA Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan A man, decorated with balloons and rainbow flags, takes part in the march. EPA Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan The first Taiwan Pride march was held in 2003. EPA Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan Participants display a huge rainbow flag during the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March. EPA Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan Two men take a selfie in front of a rainbow flag. EPA Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan A man waves a rainbow flag during the march. EPA Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan The annual Taipei Gay Pride March is the largest in East Asia. EPA Best pictures from the 2018 Taipei Gay Pride March in Taiwan The Rainbow City Symphonic Band performs during the march. EPA The society also states that its members "condemn any transphobia and do not necessarily endorse the views of our speakers." Yesterday the society announced on Facebook that Murray had cancelled her appearance at the event due to "personal reasons." It hasn't been made clear whether the presenter's decision to no longer attend the event has been caused by the accusations of transphobia being made against her by the Oxford University LGBTQ Society, the Oxford SU LGBTQ Campaign and the Oxford SU Women's Society. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Oxford University's guidelines on transgender and gender identity outlines that the institution "aims to anticipate and respond positively to the needs of trans and gender variant students, staff and alumni, enabling all members of the university to feel welcome, safe, valued and supported in achieving their potential and contributing as a member of the university." The Independent has contacted Murray for comment. Amid the sea of Christmas adverts which centre around food, Heathrows annual festive offering has often been praised for giving us something different. This years campaign stays true to form, and features the beloved teddy bears Doris and Edward Bair, who first warmed the nations hearts in the London airports 2016 Christmas ad, which received widespread praise. The short film, set to Paul Youngs Everytime You Go Away, depicts the happy couple enjoying their retirement in Florida before returning home to the UK in a bid to have a quintessential British Christmas. It opens with a very relaxed looking Edward, who is wearing sunglasses and yellow swimwear, reclining on a lilo alongside a mince pie and some tanning oil, naturally. Then we see dear old Doris, who seems to have taken to retirement life like a fish to water, putting up Christmas tree decorations wearing a Hawaiian shirt and a retro visor. But things take a turn for the worse when Edward, in search of a festive treat, opens the fridge to find only a boxed turkey dinner made by someone called Auntie Cherry - this doesnt seem to appeal much to him, and he walks away, appearing forlorn. Then, because things really dont seem to be going so well across the pond for the teddy bears, the Christmas tree that poor Doris spent so long decorating falls over. Desperately searching for some respite, they decide to speak to some relatives back home in the UK over Skype, but the sight of a cosy British Christmas, complete with knitwear and fairy lights, makes the Floridian setting pale in comparison. So, the bears decide to abandon the balmy climes of the sunshine state and head home for the holidays to surprise their family, which makes for rather adorable viewing. One of the most touching moments is when we see the very in love couple walking through Heathrow, which is where their romance first blossomed, as we saw in the airport's 2017s ad, holding hands. Ross Baker, Heathrows chief commercial officer said: The nations love for Doris and Edward is overwhelming and has been since we first met them in 2016. For many people, being close to the ones we love is what really makes Christmas special. This is why we see The Bairs return to their family from warmer climes, as many of Heathrows passengers make similar journeys home for the festive season. Fans of PewDiePie in Bangladesh have joined a campaign to help him maintain his position as the most popular channel on YouTube, despite him mistaking their country for an area of India. The Swedish YouTuber, whose real name is Felix Kjellberg, has been the most-subscribed-to channel on YouTube since 2013, however in recent months the Indian channel T-Series has been growing at a much faster rate. The Indian record label and film production firm was predicted to overtake PewDiePie in October, however a surge of support has seen him hold onto the top spot. 11 YouTube features you didn't know existed Show all 11 1 /11 11 YouTube features you didn't know existed 11 YouTube features you didn't know existed Play in the background One of the YouTube apps most frustrating shortcomings is the inability to play music videos in the background or when youre phones locked. There is a way around this, but only on iOS. Open the YouTube website in Safari, play a video and then press your iPhones home button. After that, launch the Control Centre by sliding up from the bottom of the screen and tap play. 11 YouTube features you didn't know existed Loop videos YouTubes looping option on desktop is really useful, but nowhere near as easy to find as it should be. To loop a video, right-click it while its playing and select Loop. Even if you have Autoplay enabled, your video will replay itself as soon as it finishes. 11 YouTube features you didn't know existed Enable Dark Theme YouTube recently introduced a black-and-red Dark Theme on the desktop, which is much easier on your eyes than the regular version of the site. Enable it by clicking the account symbol, selecting Dark Theme and turning Activate Dark Theme on. 11 YouTube features you didn't know existed Simplify YouTube Another alternative YouTube user interface is available to access at youtube.com/tv. Its a really simple, no-frills UI thats incredibly easy to navigate. 11 YouTube features you didn't know existed Try out new features You can test upcoming and experimental features early by signing up to YouTube TestTube. 11 YouTube features you didn't know existed Read When you want to watch a YouTube video but dont have your headphones and dont want to disturb anyone around you, turn on Captions. Theyre also really handy if youre trying to watch a video in a foreign language. Transcriptions, meanwhile, break down exactly when certain things take place, so you can skip to the part you want to watch accurately and easily. In the More tab under the video title, launch the dropdown menu and select Transcript. 11 YouTube features you didn't know existed Use shortcuts You can lean back in your seat and control YouTube videos with your keyboard if you want to. J and L let you rewind and fast-forward 10 seconds, K is pause/play, M is mute/unmute and the 0-9 keys let you jump through various stages of the video, from 0 per cent to 90 per cent. On the app, you can fast forward or rewind 10 seconds by double-tapping the right or left side of a video. 11 YouTube features you didn't know existed Limit data use If youre on a limited mobile data plan, there are easy ways to save yourself some money. In Settings on the YouTube app, hit General and enable Limit Mobile Data Usage and disable Autoplay. 11 YouTube features you didn't know existed Keep things private Unless you make them private, other people can see your Liked videos, your saved playlists and subscriptions. If you want to hide them, go to Settings and Privacy. You can also clear or pause your History. On either desktop or the mobile app, go to History and select Clear All Watch History or Pause Watch History. 11 YouTube features you didn't know existed Make sharing clearer Sometimes you want to share a video with a friend, but want them to watch a specific part, rather than the whole thing. Instead of sending the timestamp through as a separate message, make the video automatically play from the right place. Just pause it at the right moment, click the Share button, tick the Start At box and copy the URL. 11 YouTube features you didn't know existed Get nerdy Stats for Nerds shows you technical data for YouTube videos, including video format, audio format and bandwidth. On desktop, you can find the info simply by right-clicking the video player and selecting Stats for Nerds. On mobile, you have to enable it first in General Settings. Once thats done, open a video, hit the menu button in the top-right corner and tap the Stats for Nerds option. T-Series' popularity has proved controversial among some YouTubers, who object to a major corporate brand overtaking a so-called indy creator. PewDiePie fans in the US have previously paid for advertising campaigns to help him remain the top channel, and now people in Bangladesh have begun distributing posters asking people to subscribe to PewDiePie. "So we were distributing the pewds posters today in public and we met two adult guys and gave them the posters telling them to subscribe... the second guy was a bit clueless but the coolest thing was that he actually then handed us his own phone and told us to go to YouTube and subscribe to pewds from his phone," Rokonujjaman Konok wrote across various social media platforms, including Facebook and Reddit. "Really this is working. We are doing our part and you should too. Remember YOU INDIA, YOU LOSE." PewDiePie acknowledged the efforts in a video posted to his YouTube channel, though he appeared to mistake Bangladesh for an area of India rather than a country in its own right. "Thank you, we have people working from the inside," PewDiePie said. "This is perfect, I've never been more proud of Indian bros... this is what we need to do, we need more people working from the inside." Text overlaid on the video acknowledged his error, stating: "Felix does not realise that Bangladesh is a completely different country to India. His geography knowledge is non existant [sic]. Save this man by subbing." Some Bangladeshis took to Twitter to admonish PewDiePie, with one user writing: "Hey @pewdiepie Bangladesh is an actual country. And that was really rude for us that you thought we were Indians." Another was more forgiving, tweeting: "Hey, Felix... Bangladesh isn't a part of India. It's a country itself... But we are doing our part to beat T-series, bro... Bro fist. Love and support from Bangladesh." In his battle to retain the top spot on YouTube, PewDiePie also released a bizarre rap video addressing the popular Indian channel. The song, titled 'B*tch Lasagna', included the lyrics: "You've got a population of 1.32 billion but most your videos can't seem to hit even a million," and "B*tch Lasagna, b*tch Lasagna, T-Series ain't nothing but a b*tch lasagne." Naidu's meeting comes in the backdrop of Congress-JD(S) coalition resolving to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls together. Bengaluru: Telugu Desam Party supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who is trying to unite opposition parties to take on BJP in the Lok Sabha elections next year, met former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy. Naidu met Gowda at his residence at Padmanabha Nagar on Thursday. Speaking to reporters after meeting Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy, Naidu said the initial steps for the formation of the alliance were yet to be finalised. Once the modalities were fixed, programmes would be chalked out later, he said. "I have spoken to Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav. I have met everybody. Tomorrow I am meeting Stalin (DMK president). We will decide how to take forward the alliance with consensus. It is an initial exercise. After that we will work together," he said. Former PM Deve Gowda said, "NDA rule under the leadership of PM Modi has created so many problems including destabilising constitutionally created institutes. Now, it is the responsibility of all secular parties including Congress to come together to replace NDA govt." Naidu's meeting with the JD(S) supremo comes in the backdrop of Congress-JD(S) coalition resolving to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections together against the BJP, buoyed by the victory in the bypolls. The Congress-JD(S) coalition in Karnataka on Tuesday won two of the three Lok Sabha seats and both assembly constituencies in the fiercely fought by-polls, giving a shot in the arm to the ruling combine that faces frequent questions about its longevity. The electoral sweep by the ruling coalition comes as a boost to it as the by-polls were seen as a barometer of the public mood ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Naidu had called his Karnataka counterpart over the phone on Tuesday and congratulated the latter on the JD(S)-Congress combine's "spectacular victory" in the by-elections. JD(S) lawmaker Sharavana said Naidu's meeting with HD Deve Gowda's in continuation of the discussions the Andhra Chief Minister was holding with "secular" party leaders across the country. Naidu had also recently met NCP chief Sharad Pawar and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, among others. Regularly drinking coffee could decrease your risk of developing Alzheimers or Parkinsons disease later on in life, a study has claimed. While many people rely on their morning cup of Joe for a much-needed boost of energy, the research conducted by scientists at the Krembil Brain Institute in Canada highlights the beneficial impact that coffee consumption can also have on ones overall health. The researchers used light roasted, dark roasted and decaffeinated dark roasted coffee to carry out their investigation. Recommended Costa Coffee stores can refuse to sell caffeinated drinks to children They were able to identify a group of compounds in the coffee called phenylindanes that appear during the coffee roasting process. Not only do phenylindanes cause the recognisable bitterness associated with coffee, but they also impede the merging of amyloid-beta and tau proteins, which are found in the brains of patients suffering from Alzheimers and Parkinsons. In the opinion of Dr Ross Mancini, a research fellow in medicinal chemistry who took part in the experiment, these findings are significant for the prevention of these degenerative diseases. Its the first time anybodys investigated how phenylindanes interact with the proteins that are responsible for Alzheimers and Parkinsons, he says. The next step would be to investigate how beneficial these compounds are, and whether they have the ability to enter the bloodstream, or cross the blood-brain barrier. Dr Donald Weaver, co-director of the Krembil Brain Institute, also pointed out the importance of using natural ingredients in the research. Mother Nature is a much better chemist than we are and Mother Nature is able to make these compounds. Portraits of people living with dementia around the world Show all 8 1 /8 Portraits of people living with dementia around the world Portraits of people living with dementia around the world South Africa Heidedel Community Centre - A community centre dedicated to taking care of people displaced by mental illnesses and disabilities. It mostly houses people living with dementia. Many traditional healers tell family members that if they have dementia or other disorders they are cursed. These people do not have family to care for them, and this centre is one of the first centres that is privately funded in a township with limited government support Leah Beach Portraits of people living with dementia around the world Guatemala This is a family from Antigua in Guatemala. After undergoing surgery the father lost his ability to walk and also had amnesia, which developed into dementia. His wife who is a full time teacher had to make sacrifices to care for him. The daughter also left her job to care for him full time, while the mother works. They all adore him and would do anything and sacrifice anything for him Leah Beach Portraits of people living with dementia around the world South Africa Heidedel Community Centre - A community centre dedicated to taking care of people displaced by mental illnesses and disabilities. It mostly houses people living with dementia. Many traditional healers tell family members that if they have dementia or other disorders they are cursed. These people do not have family to care for them, and this centre is one of the first centres that is privately funded in a township with limited government support Leah Beach Portraits of people living with dementia around the world Guatemala ERMITA is an adult day-care centre located in the heart of Guatemala City. It is a privately funded organization that allows families to not only drop off loved ones for physical therapy and alternative therapeutic treatment methods, but also offers medications at a huge discount, and training classes for care partners. They have even established a dementia carers programme at the local university, as well as providing outreach in local homes Leah Beach Portraits of people living with dementia around the world South Africa Heidedel Community Centre - A community centre dedicated to taking care of people displaced by mental illnesses and disabilities. It mostly houses people living with dementia. Many traditional healers tell family members that if they have dementia or other disorders they are cursed. These people do not have family to care for them, and this centre is one of the first centres that is privately funded in a township with limited government support Leah Beach Portraits of people living with dementia around the world South Africa This woman is cared for by her son. The photograph captures the moment he brought out a pot that she had left on the stove which caught fire. As you can see in the photos shes so embarrassed. He says he worries to leave her on her own and is so sad to see her lose her independence Leah Beach Portraits of people living with dementia around the world India This woman is a member of the Parsi community, a cultural group in India which has Persian ties. People with Persian heritage are considered to be a race in India and there are often separate hospitals and community centres. This woman, who asked to remain anonymous, is an inhouse patient in the Parsi ward of a public hospital. She is living with dementia and her family hardly ever come to visit her. Most patients living in this ward are abandoned by their family, or have no family to look after them Leah Beach Portraits of people living with dementia around the world India Mrs Roop Chungani, 72 years old. Mrs Roop was a hairstylist in her youth and was known to be one of the most famous hairstylists in Mumbai, working with celebrities and high-profile stars of Bollywood. She worked in one of Bombays most famous beauty parlours. After her dementia diagnosis, she says that her husband was very hard on her because of the change in her behaviour Leah Beach What this study does is take the epidemiological evidence and try to refine it and to demonstrate that there are indeed components within coffee that are beneficial to warding off cognitive decline. The researchers used Starbucks brand 100 per cent Arabica instant coffee for the study, preparing the stock solutions of coffee extracts in water. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events While the scientists found that dark roasted coffee seemed to provide the most protection against Alzheimers and Parkinsons disease, they have stated that more research needs to be conducted before coffee can be used for medical treatment. Its interesting but are we suggesting that coffee is a cure? Absolutely not, Dr Weaver says. Jeremy Corbyn has recently proposed that British school children should be taught about the history of the realities of British imperialism and colonialism. This would include the history of people of colour as components of, and contributors to, the British nation-state rather than simply as enslaved victims of it. As Corbyn rightly notes: Black history is British history and hence its study should be part of the national curriculum, not segregated in a single month each year. This is a welcome proposal because, as an academic who teaches modules on South Asian, imperial, colonial and global history, I face an uphill struggle at the start of each new academic year. Many of the undergraduates who greet me know virtually nothing about any of the subjects I teach. These are students who are educated through a school history curriculum that focuses almost entirely on English political and religious history with bits of 20th century European history thrown in. These are the bits with figures who can easily be cast as evil Hitler or Stalin, for example. The students who I encounter know very little about Britains past, let alone Britains connections with the wider world or the history of the world outside Europe. They therefore know practically nothing about empire and its legacies including in Britain. The histories they have studied and texts they have read were virtually all about or by white men, so they also know nothing about the history of women or the histories of people of colour, either. This includes those who have played important roles in shaping Britains past. Black history is British history Corbyns proposals would not only begin to redress the phenomenal gulf between academic history and the English school curriculum. They would also help students to see people of colour as historical agents. The proposals may also help to challenge the exclusivist and essentialist ways in which students are taught to view both Britain and the wider world. Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower Show all 15 1 /15 Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower Kandy Freeman participates in a Black Lives Matter protest in front of Trump Tower in New York City, U.S. January 14, 2017. Stephanie Keith/Reuters Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower People participate in a Black Lives Matter protest in front of Trump Tower in New York City, U.S. January 14, 2017. Stephanie Keith/Reuters Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower Hawk Newsome, a Black Lives Matter activist, leads a protest outside Trump Tower in New York City on January 14, 2017. Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower Hawk Newsome (C) leads a chant during a Black Lives Matter protest in front of Trump Tower in New York City, US. January 14, 2017. Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower People participate in a Black Lives Matter protest in front of Trump Tower in New York City, U.S. January 14, 2017. Stephanie Keith/Reuters Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower An NYPD officer speaks with a Black Lives Matter leaders during a protest in the snow outside Trump Tower in New York City on January 14, 2017. Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower Kandy Freeman participates in a Black Lives Matter protest in front of Trump Tower in New York City, U.S. January 14, 2017. Stephanie Keith/Reuters Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower An NYPD officer speaks with a Black Lives Matter leaders during a protest in the snow outside Trump Tower in New York City on January 14, 2017. Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower Carol Garza, a Black Lives Matter supporter, protests outside Trump Tower in New York City on January 14, 2017. Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower People participate in a Black Lives Matter protest in front of Trump Tower in New York City, U.S. January 14, 2017. Stephanie Keith/Reuters Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower A Black Lives Matter supporter protests in the snow outside Trump Tower in New York City on January 14, 2017. Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower Black Lives Matter activists march in front of Trump Tower on January 14, 2017 in New York City. Kevin Hagen/Getty Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower Black Lives Matter activists march in front of Trump Tower on January 14, 2017 in New York City. Kevin Hagen/Getty Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower Black Lives Matter supporters protest in the snow outside Trump Tower in New York City on January 14, 2017. Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images Black Lives Matter organises march to Trump Tower Black Lives Matter Kandy Freeman marches in front of Trump Tower on January 14, 2017 in New York City. Kevin Hagen/Getty These proposals, however, have been met with the type of outrage many have come to expect from white, middle-aged, right-wing Conservatives. According to the bullish Brexiteer and Conservative MP Tim Loughton, Corbyns proposals demonstrate he was ashamed of his own country and was more interested in talking down Britain rather than celebrating the immense amount of good we have done in the world over many centuries. Bad things, according to Loughton, undoubtedly happened in the name of empire, but Britain should be proud of its many legacies including its role in abolishing the global slave trade. Not to be outdone, the equally bullish Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg trotted out Britains abolition of the slave trade on Nick Ferraris LBC show. He also notes that while there were blots on Britains colonial history, it had some good bits that were really wonderful. Denial about empire Such responses demonstrate a profound ignorance about British imperial and colonial history, particularly about the impact of empire on not only the colonised but also the colonisers as well. But it is a state of denial about empire that makes views like those of Loughton and Rees-Mogg possible. To say that empire had good bits is to deny what empire entailed namely the conquest, subjugation and exploitation of millions of people. It is to erase the tremendous structural and symbolic violence that empire unleashed. To praise Britains role in abolishing the slave trade is only possible if we deny the various forms of economic, political, social and cultural violence that enabled the perpetuation of such a trade in Britain and its empire as well as the ongoing legacies of such forms of violence. To view empire as having good and bad bits also entails viewing the past in simplistic terms. And to claim students should only study the good bits of the past also begs the question: whose good bits, exactly? Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events It also assumes that to teach schoolchildren the bad bits is to make them ashamed of their countrys past. Yet as Germany has demonstrated, teaching children to interrogate difficult histories does not make them hate their country. It can serve, instead, to promote an anti-nationalist nationalism, in which the very tenets of nationalist thinking including viewing the past in nationalistic terms are critiqued. As my own students tell me, being able to interrogate difficult histories, such as that of empire, to explore the myriad connections between people in different parts of the planet, or to study the writings of Indian thinkers and actors has given them a much better understanding of themselves and their place in the world. Or, as one student put it, it has enabled them to grow as a person. And that, surely, is what education is supposed to do. Deana Heath is a senior lecturer in Indian and colonial history at the University of Liverpool. This article first appeared on The Conversation (theconversation.com) Since their conception, robot sex dolls, many of which are eerily realistic, have raised concerns about whether they could erode the accepted importance of consent. Now, a company is attempting to address those concerns by creating the worlds first "consent-focused" sex robot brothel - where customers have to engage in conversation with the robots before having sex with them. The brothel, which will be named Eves Robot Dreams if it opens, is currently in the crowd-funding stage, according to its Indiegogo page - but plans to open in California by 2019. And the point, according to founder Unicole Unicron, a robot ethicist, is to build a world where robots are treated with the respect they deserve, thus not contributing to a potential robot rebellion in the future. To ensure a harmonious relationship between visitors and their bionic partners, guests are required to get to know their robots before spending time in a private setting - either at Eves or before they arrive, via an app. Guests can begin building a relationship with their new companion by downloading the Realbotix app on their phone, the site reads. When they visit Eves they can either interact with the companion bot that they have already started to get to know, or with one who they havent met yet. If a customer prefers to flirt with their robot in person - prior to having sex with it - they can do so in the brothels cafe. Once a relationship exists, however, the brothel will function like a typical one - with a private session costing customers $122 (93) to have sex with a robot, or $10,000 (7,600) if a customer wishes to be the robots first. Inside the Realbotix sex robots factory Show all 10 1 /10 Inside the Realbotix sex robots factory Inside the Realbotix sex robots factory Harmony and creator Matt McMullen Rex Features Inside the Realbotix sex robots factory Rex Features Inside the Realbotix sex robots factory Rex Features Inside the Realbotix sex robots factory Rex Features Inside the Realbotix sex robots factory Rex Features Inside the Realbotix sex robots factory Rex Features Inside the Realbotix sex robots factory Rex Features Inside the Realbotix sex robots factory Rex Features Inside the Realbotix sex robots factory Rex Features Inside the Realbotix sex robots factory Rex Features Dolls which cannot interact are also available for $60 (45). Despite the "consensual" aspect of the brothel, there are still concerns - especially with the virginity option, which has been referred to as "creepy" on Twitter. But according to the campaign, the brothels main concern at the moment is sanitation and cleaning - as the robots must be properly sanitised prior to each new guest by staff. To ensure cleanliness and safety, guests can also purchase their own vaginal or anus insert to place in the robots that is theirs and theirs alone. There will be staff on hand to sanitise the robots (YouTube) As for the types of robots that guests will be able to have sex with at Eves, they represent the current male-centric desires in the field of sex dolls, according to Unicole Unicron, with Harmony, the robot face of Eves, created based on the most commonly ordered body and face style at Real Doll. However, there will be various female "inert silicone sex dolls with robot heads" to choose from when Eves opens, according to the campaign, in addition to robots that have a female form and a penis. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Currently, the campaign for consensual android sex has raised just $2,634 (2,009) with the help of nine backers - one per cent of the $155,000 (118,265) goal. Prince Charles has tried his hand at speaking Pidgin, the lingua franca used in west and central Africa, while on a visit to Lagos in Nigeria. The Prince of Wales spoke to some of the citys leading politicians and former heads of state at a reception at the deputy high commissioners residence on Wednesday. He began his address by asking How you dey?, speaking to a crowd which also included prolific figures in Nigerias music, fashion and art industries. Recommended Prince Harry describes asking Prince Charles to walk Meghan down aisle I find it hard to believe that nearly 30 years have passed since I first came to this city, the 69-year-old royal said, before referring to Lagos as Lasgidi. According to AFP reports, he went on the explain his admiration for the Lagos, saying: As they say, God don butta my bread, which translates to: God has blessed me. Britain's Prince Charles speaks with Commonwealth Walkway representatives, during a reception at the Deputy High Commissioners Residence in Lagos (Reuters) Pidgin is a simplified form of language which combines elements from local languages. Its nobodys first language and varies between regions. Prince Charles use of it come in the run up to his 70th birthday on 14 November, which is being marked by a special BBC documentary. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events It will include an in-depth interview with the Prince of Wales, which preview clips have shown him speaking openly about how his role in the public eye will change once he becomes king. He acknowledged he would not be able to do the same things Ive done as heir, adding that he would no longer meddle in political issues when he makes the transition. Prince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70 trailer You know, I've tried to make sure whatever I've done has been non-party political, and I think it's vital to remember there's only room for one sovereign at a time, not two, he continued. So, you can't be the same as the sovereign if you're the Prince of Wales or the heir. But the idea somehow that I'm going to go on in exactly the same way, if I have to succeed, is complete nonsense because the two - the two situations - are completely different. The film, Prince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70, is due to air on BBC One on Thursday evening. A supermarket in north London has become one of the first in the world to introduce plastic-free zones to encourage shoppers to lead more sustainable lives. The Thorntons Budgens store, which is located in Camdens Belsize Park, now offers customers more than 1,700 products encased in plastic-free packaging. Beechwood nets, pulp, paper, metal and glass are just some of the alternative materials that have been used to wrap foods such as bread, cheese and vegetables. (Thornton's Budgens (Thornton's Budgens) With the help of campaign group A Plastic Planet, Thorntons Budgens was able to create the plastic-free zones in the store in just 10 weeks. Andrew Thornton, founder of Thorntons Budgens, said that reducing and raising awareness of plastic pollution is a matter of great importance. We believe in taking a strong stance on major issues that affect our wellbeing and our planet, he says. (Thornton's Budgens (Thornton's Budgens) The issue of plastic is one that can no longer be ignored so weve chosen to be the first mainstream supermarket in the UK to introduce Plastic Free Zones. This means our customers will be able to do a comprehensive shop without the need to use any plastic packaging. While larger supermarket chains such as Lidl and Co-op have made efforts to reduce the amount of plastic used by customers, some believe that they could be doing more to remove plastic from their stores once and for all. Plastic is totally nuts, says Sian Sutherland, co-founder of A Plastic Planet. Thorntons Budgens are disrupting the market and showing that wrapping something as fleeting as food in something as long-lasting as plastic is the definition of madness. While big retailers claim it will take 10 years to create real plastic-free change, Thorntons Budgens has shown that we can start to wean ourselves off plastic in 10 weeks. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Mr Thornton states that his supermarket is the second in the world to unveil plastic-free zones, following an Ekoplaza supermarket in Holland. Earlier this week, it was announced that Collins Dictionary had dubbed single-use its word of the year, demonstrating the worlds increased concern over environmental issues. Last month, the European Parliament voted to ban all single-use plastics in order to prevent the worlds oceans from becoming more polluted. The highly-anticipated Victorias Secret Fashion Show is tonight, which sees models strutting the runway in life-size angel wings and lingerie. The runway show, which combines bras, wings and jewels, is the most-watched fashion event of the year, with 800 million annual viewers - success that is understandable considering the $12m it takes to put the show together each year. This years show promises to feature memorable musical performances, supermodels, and lots of feathers. This is everything you need to know. When is it? The Victorias Secret Fashion Show will take place today, November 8. However, it will not be aired on TV or online until December 2. The show is always pre-taped and this year is no different. Where is it? The fashion show has returned to New York City after previous years saw the models walking the runway in London, Paris, and Miami. Last years show took place in Shanghai. The show will take place in New York City (Getty) The global venues mean all of the angels get to arrive together on a pink jet, however, issues over visas have arisen in previous years, forcing some models to opt out of the show. Who will be walking in the show? To secure a coveted spot walking in the VS show, models must first go to castings at the Victorias Secret headquarters in New York. Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai Show all 16 1 /16 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2017 Alessandra Ambrosio on the catwalk Rex Features Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2017 Adriana Lima on the catwalk Rex Features Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2017 Lais Ribeiro wears the $2 million Champagne Nights Fantasy Bra by Mouawad AP Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2017 Romee Strijd on the catwalk Rex Features Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2017 Miguel sings as Leomie Anderson walks the runway Getty Images for Victoria's Secr Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2017 Cindy Bruna presents a creation AFP/Getty Images Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2017 Ming Xi presents a creation AFP/Getty Images Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2017 Adriana Lima leads out of the other Victoria's Secret models AFP/Getty Images Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2017 Maria Borges presents a creation REUTERS Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2017 Bella Hadid walks the runway Getty Images for Victoria's Secr Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2017 Martha Hunt walks the runway Getty Images for Victoria's Secret Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2017 Harry Styles performs as Blanca Padilla walks the runway Getty Images for Victoria's Secr Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2017 Sanne Vloet walks the runway Getty Images for Victoria's Secr Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2017 Sara Sampaio presents a creation AFP/Getty Images Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2017 Elsa Hosk walks the runway Rex Features Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2017 Victoria's Secret models on the catwalk together Rex Features Occasionally, the models confirm the news on social media. Although all of the 60 models names have not been released, certain angels have announced they will be walking - including Toni Garrn and Shanina Shaik. This year, Winnie Harlow will be making her debut on the catwalk while big names such as Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid and Bella Hadid have been confirmed to be returning. The show will also feature recognisable angels, such as Martha Hunt, Adriana Lima, Candice Swanepoel, Taylor Hill, and Sara Sampaio. Who will be performing? In addition to a fashion show, the runway also functions as a concert venue - with artists performing onstage as the models walk past. This year, performers include Bebe Rexha, The Chainsmokers, Halsey, Kelsea Ballerini, Rita Ora, Shawn Mendes, and The Struts. Ariana Grande performed during the show (Getty) Justin Bieber performed previously (Getty) In previous years, stars such as The Weeknd, Seal, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, and Rihanna have performed. What outfits will be worn and what about cultural appropriation? The show is known for turning lingerie into works of art and this year will likely be no different. We can expect to see themes incorporated into the outfits, which are typically variations of bras, underwear, and wings weighing up to 60lbs. The show has been accused of cultural appropriation on numerous occasions (Getty) In previous years, there have been numerous controversies surrounding certain themes and looks from the shows, with multiple outfits accused of cultural appropriation. In 2012, a Native American headdress sparked outrage, while a 2016 Chinese-inspired theme called Road Ahead was also deemed incredibly offensive. Who will be wearing the fantasy bra? One of the biggest honours of the show is getting to wear the fantasy bra - a bedazzled bra made of jewels and usually valued around $1m. This year, Victorias Secret announced Elsa Hosk will be wearing the bra, designed exclusively for Victorias Secret by Atelier Swarovski. The bra and chain took over 930 hours to create. Why is the show controversial? In addition to accusations of cultural appropriation, the Victorias Secret Fashion Show is frequently criticised for refusing to feature models who represent the average consumer. The models are all thin and tall - and it wasnt until recently that models with short hair or natural hair were allowed down the runway. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events This year, it will likely be more of the same - despite the shows executive producer, Ed Razek, referring to it as the most ambitious yet. Amnesty International has unveiled a new collection of T-shirts in recognition of female activists who are fighting for womens rights around the world. The range, which has been launched in collaboration with online retail marketplace Everpress, marks 100 years of womens suffrage in the UK. The T-shirts have been created by nine female and non-binary artists, with the designs representing various important topics such as womens reproductive rights, online abuse and intersectional feminism. The 'Rebellion' T-shirt project (Amnesty International/Everpress - Photo by Claudia Rocha) (Amnesty International/Everpress) The collection, titled the Rebellion T-shirt project, has been released as part of Amnesty Internationals Write for Rights campaign, an annual letter sent out by the organisation that raises awareness for women who are currently imprisoned or experiencing harassment due to their dedication to human rights. Some of those women include those in Northern Ireland affected by the countrys abortion law, and those whove received threatening messages on social media. Sexual harassment, the denial of reproductive freedoms and gender-based online violence are just a few of the abuses women, trans and non-binary people face every single day. But around the world people are rising for their rights, says Kate Allen, director of Amnesty UK. Amnesty International's 'Rebellion' T-shirt project Show all 9 1 /9 Amnesty International's 'Rebellion' T-shirt project Amnesty International's 'Rebellion' T-shirt project 'Together We Rise' "I'm inspired by memories of the women from my childhood. Every woman has a voice, and it's through using our voices that we rise." - Ali Mapletoft, Age of Reason Studios Amnesty International/Everpress Amnesty International's 'Rebellion' T-shirt project 'The Future is Queer' "The quote 'The Future is Queer' and image of hands sporting nails adorned with queer symbols are an invocation of change, LGBTQIA empowerment and criticality of the creeping rise in white supremacist, hetero-patriarchal, ableist values." - Jacob V Joyce Amnesty International/Everpress Amnesty International's 'Rebellion' T-shirt project 'Keyboard Warriors' "I have formed and am part of so many incredible online spaces for women online, who always have each other's backs and I thought my illustration would be a great way to demonstrate this allyship and women coming together on the internet to help create communities." - Alice Skinner Amnesty International/Everpress Amnesty International's 'Rebellion' T-shirt project 'My Choice' "Pregnancy, birth, and motherhood are by far the most physically and emotionally demanding experiences in a woman's life, and it should be our choice if we want to go through it." - Camilla Perkins Amnesty International/Everpress Amnesty International's 'Rebellion' T-shirt project 'Stop the Twits' "The issue of online violence was something that I hadn't seen tackled much before so this subject matter intrigued me." - Hazel Mead Amnesty International/Everpress Amnesty International's 'Rebellion' T-shirt project 'Rebel Suffragette' This T-shirt was designed by Nomad Clan, a street art muralist duo based in Manchester. Nomad Clan has been named 'one of street art's finest female duos' by Widewalls magazine. Amnesty International/Everpress Amnesty International's 'Rebellion' T-shirt project 'Suffragette Vandal' This T-shirt was designed by a British street artist who goes by the pseudonym Bambi. Bambi recently received global attention for her street art depicting Theresa May and Donald Trump in the dancing pose made famous by film 'La La Land'. Amnesty International/Everpress Amnesty International's 'Rebellion' T-shirt project 'I am deliberate' "I wanted to depict unity in the face of adversity in this piece, which is why I named it after the Audre Lorde quote 'I am deliberate and afraid of nothing ' in order to demonstrate the unity we embody when we engage in truly intersectional feminism." - Leyla Reynolds Amnesty International/Everpress Amnesty International's 'Rebellion' T-shirt project 'Our Bodies, Our Rights - It's Time' "The idea for this illustration was born from the brainstorming for a direct action, and shows characters that also have children with them. This is to counter the fake narrative that is sometimes heard from anti-choicers, arguing that pro-choice activists are against life, or against newborns. It is quite the opposite." - Margarita Rebolledo Hernandez Amnesty International/Everpress The movement for gender justice and equality is strong, powerful, brave, courageous and determined. Were delighted to be collaborating with Everpress and this exciting group of artists to create a range of T-shirts so that people can wear their rebellion, protest or statement with pride. One of the artists, who goes by the pseudonym Bambi, chose to depict suffragette on Emily Davison on her T-shirt design. The 'Rebellion' T-shirt project (Amnesty International/Everpress - Photo by Claudia Rocha) (Amnesty International/Everpress) The suffragette Emily Davison is my hero, she says. Davison was a woman of almost unimaginable courage who repeatedly ran the gravest personal risks in pursuit of the campaign for womens votes. Ali Mapletoft, a designer at Age of Reason Studios, created a powerful image of three mouths shouting Together We Rise! in unison. Im inspired by memories of the women from my childhood, she says. Every woman has a voice, and its through using our voices that we rise. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The T-shirts are available to purchase for 25 each from everpress.com, and will only be on sale for three weeks. 50 per cent of the profits from the T-shirt sales will go towards Amnesty. Toshiba has announced it is pulling out of the construction of a nuclear power station in Cumbria, putting the overall future of any project going ahead at the site in doubt. The Moorside plant was projected to create up to 21,000 jobs over its lifetime, and produce nearly 7 per cent of the country's future electricity requirements. However, due to a lack of support the Japanese firm said it would wind up its UK nuclear arm completely, taking a 15bn Japanese yen (100.5m) hit after closing its NuGeneration subsidiary. In a statement the company said it was taking the economically rational decision after failing to find a potential buyer during an 18-month negotiation period. The decision puts a massive dent in the UKs nuclear ambitions, but has been welcomed by green energy experts as an opportunity to move towards cheaper and easier-to-build renewables. Greenpeace UK executive director John Sauven said: The end of the Moorside plan represents a failure of the governments nuclear gamble. Their flawed approach to making our economy low carbon has dashed the hopes of prospective workers and businesses in Cumbria that should have been centred around renewable technologies. The Moorside site in Cumbria remains a site designated by the government for a new nuclear plant, and it now falls to them and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to determine its future. 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Show all 10 1 /10 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A group of emperor penguins face a crack in the sea ice, near McMurdo Station, Antarctica Kira Morris 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Floods destroyed eight bridges and ruined crops such as wheat, maize and peas in the Karimabad valley in northern Pakistan, a mountainous region with many glaciers. In many parts of the world, glaciers have been in retreat, creating dangerously large lakes that can cause devastating flooding when the banks break. Climate change can also increase rainfall in some areas, while bringing drought to others. Hira Ali 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Smoke filled with the carbon that is driving climate change drifts across a field in Colombia. Sandra Rondon 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Amid a flood in Islampur, Jamalpur, Bangladesh, a woman on a raft searches for somewhere dry to take shelter. Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable places in the world to sea level rise, which is expected to make tens of millions of people homeless by 2050. Probal Rashid 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Sindh province in Pakistan has experienced a grim mix of two consequences of climate change. Because of climate change either we have floods or not enough water to irrigate our crop and feed our animals, says the photographer. Picture clearly indicates that the extreme drought makes wide cracks in clay. Crops are very difficult to grow. Rizwan Dharejo 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Hanna Petursdottir examines a cave inside the Svinafellsjokull glacier in Iceland, which she said had been growing rapidly. Since 2000, the size of glaciers on Iceland has reduced by 12 per cent. Tom Schifanella 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A river once flowed along the depression in the dry earth of this part of Bangladesh, but it has disappeared amid rising temperatures. Abrar Hossain 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A shepherd moves his herd as he looks for green pasture near the village of Sirohi in Rajasthan, northern India. The region has been badly affected by heatwaves and drought, making local people nervous about further predicted increases in temperature. Riddhima Singh Bhati 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change A factory in China is shrouded by a haze of air pollution. The World Health Organisation has warned such pollution, much of which is from the fossil fuels that cause climate change, is a public health emergency. Leung Ka Wa 10 photographs to show to anyone who doesn't believe in climate change Water levels in reservoirs, like this one in Gers, France, have been getting perilously low in areas across the world affected by drought, forcing authorities to introduce water restrictions. Mahtuf Ikhsan Workers' unions have attacked the government for not intervening to ensure the plants construction went ahead. They said the region was home to a wealth of nuclear experience, and thousands of jobs would be on the line in North West England if the Moorside project was not secured. Justin Bowden, national officer of the GMB union, said a new nuclear power station in west Cumbria remains vital for the UKs future energy security and requires urgent action. Government has ultimate responsibility for ensuring a secure and stable supply of energy throughout the UK. The truth is that ministers have dithered and delayed for far too long. We now need urgent action. Sue Ferns, senior deputy general secretary of Prospect union, called the decision devastating. Government has ultimate responsibility for ensuring a secure and stable supply of energy throughout the UK, she said. The truth is that ministers have dithered and delayed for far too long. We now need urgent action. Our analysis shows that if the Government were to take a 50 per cent stake then there would be a net benefit to the public purse, so there really is no excuse not to. Shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey said Labour supports Moorside as they see nuclear as a key part of the UKs energy mix, but said the government should have stepped in to support it. A Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy spokesman said Toshibas withdrawal was entirely a commercial decision. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Nuclear has an important role to play as part of the UKs diverse energy mix as we transition to a low-carbon economy, but in each case projects must provide value for money for consumers and taxpayers, they said. This government remains committed to new nuclear through the Industrial Strategy Nuclear Sector Deal as well as consenting the first new nuclear power station in a generation at Hinkley Point C. Critics of nuclear power said the government should see the new circumstances as an opportunity to move away from nuclear to cheaper technologies such as wind and solar power. Shifting away from expensive, complicated technology towards cheaper and easier-to-build renewables gives the UK the opportunity to build an electricity system that will keep bills for homes and businesses down for years to come, said Dr Jonathan Marshall, head of analysis at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit. Cancelling Moorside does leave a gap in the UKs decarbonisation plans, but one that is more likely to be filled with the technologies of the future rather than the past. Additional reporting by PA. Sainsburys has reported a 20 per cent lift in profits in the first half of the year, which it said was due to its tie-up with Argos, which delivered a strong performance sooner than expected. The supermarket posted underlying pretax profit of 302m, up from 251m in the same period of last year, as group sales rose 3.5 per cent to 16.9bn. Like-for-like sales, excluding fuel, rose 0.6 per cent. Mike Coupe, Sainsburys group chief executive, said the market was still very competitive, which was forcing the group to transform to meet rapidly changing customer needs. We have fundamentally changed how our 135,000 Sainsburys store managers and colleagues work, and I would like to thank them for their ongoing hard work through this period, he said. One of those changes includes adding Argos stores to Sainsburys supermarkets. Mr Coupe added: We have delivered a solid first half performance and profit has increased because we have delivered significant Argos synergies ahead of schedule. Sales of food and general merchandise were boosted by the hot summer, but general merchandise margins remain under pressure. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Our strategy of offering customers a distinctive range of high quality and great value food has driven like-for-like sales growth at Sainsburys. Where we have invested to [reduce] prices, volumes and transactions have increased. However, Mr Coupe also warned Brexit was likely to push up costs. The reality is that it is a challenge, in the sense that we currently bring things in from the European Union about 30 per cent unencumbered, and anything that gets in the way of that will either add cost or reduce freshness, he told the BBC. And of course it is impossible to stockpile fresh food products ... we have 20 very large distribution centres around the country and they carry roughly a weeks stock, so you can do your own arithmetic, but we would urge the government to get to a settlement. Sainsburys is in the process of merging with Walmart-owned Asda in a 12bn deal that is the subject of an investigation by the competition watchdog. Mr Coupe said: Our proposed combination with Asda will create a dynamic new player in UK retail, with the ability to further lower prices and to reduce the cost of living for millions of UK households. Dyson has won a legal battle with the European courts over energy labelling of vacuum cleaners. The electricals giant began its case against the EU in 2013, when it challenged labelling laws on the basis that efficiency tests carried out on empty machines do not reflect conditions as close as possible to real-life use. The company argued that products should be tested in real-world conditions because vacuum cleaners using bags and filters can become clogged, leading in some cases to a loss of suction and meaning a consumer could buy an A-rated machine that drops to G-grade efficiency as it is used in the home. Dyson is famous for its bagless vacuum cleaner. The UK firms argument was dismissed in 2015, but Dyson appealed in 2016 and last year the European Court of Justice upheld that appeal in part. The case was then sent back to the General Court for a new assessment and on Thursday, Dysons argument was upheld. A Dyson spokeswoman said: This is welcome news and a win for consumers across Europe. We have been arguing consistently that the Commission committed two legal violations to the detriment of European consumers and Dyson. The spokeswoman said that lab tests for energy labels do not reflect real use, and said the EU labelling system flagrantly discriminated against a specific technology Dysons patented cyclone. This benefited traditional, predominantly German, manufacturers who lobbied senior Commission officials. Some manufacturers have actively exploited the regulation by using low motor power when in the test state, but then using technology to increase motor power automatically when the machine fills with dust thus appearing more efficient, she added. This defeat software allows them to circumvent the spirit of the regulation, which the European Court considers to be acceptable because it complies with the letter of the law. In these days of Dieselgate, it is essential consumers can trust what manufacturers say about their products. But the Commission endorsed a measure that allowed Dyson competitors to game the system. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The legal process has been long, distracting and expensive, with the odds stacked against us. Most businesses simply do not have the resources to fight regulations of this nature. It is appalling that this illegal and fundamentally anti-competitive behaviour has been endorsed for so long. Dyson founder Sir James Dyson was a vocal supporter of Brexit in the run-up to the EU referendum in 2016, and said leaving the bloc would not hamper the UKs economy. Last month the company said its new electric car plant would be opened in Singapore. Additional reporting by newswires Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday also visited disputed Ram Janmabhoomi site and several ancient temples in Ayodhya. Yogi Adityanath's visit to Ram Janmabhoomi site came a day after the three-day Deepotsav ended, in which Korean First Lady Kim Jung-sook was the chief guest on the last day. (Photo: PTI) Ayodhya: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday visited the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi site and several ancient temples in Ayodhya, besides inspecting a probable location near Sarayu river for a planned statue of Lord Ram. His visit to Ram Janmabhoomi site came a day after the three-day Deepotsav ended, in which Korean First Lady Kim Jung-sook was the chief guest on the last day. "He arrived in Ayodhya this morning around 8:30 am from Faizabad where he stayed at the Circuit House last night. First, he visited Hanuman Garhi, and then the Ram Janmabhoomi, where he spent some time," Faizabad BJP president Awadhesh Pandey said. Pandey said he accompanied the chief minister at a few of the temple visits, during which Yogi also interacted with several religious leaders. Security was stepped up at the Ram Janmabhoomi site, where a large number of people from cross the country on Wednesday visited on Diwali. A police official said about 20,000 people visit the site on Diwali, almost double the footfall recorded on regular days, adding Yogi Adityanath went in the morning. Local residents said the chief minister had visited the birthplace of Lord Ram after last year's Deepotsav as well. Yogi's visit to Ram Janmabhoomi site came at a time when the chorus has grown within the party and the Sangh Parivar, seeking construction of a temple through an ordinance. At present, a statue of Ram Lalla (child avatar of Lord Ram) is kept at the site, which attracts devotees from far and wide. The Supreme Court recently fixed the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute cases for the first week of January next year before an appropriate bench, which will decide the schedule of hearing. As many as 14 appeals have been filed against the 2010 Allahabad High Court judgement that suggested that the 2.77 acres of disputed land be partitioned equally among three parties - the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla. Pandey said after visiting the Ram janmabhoomi, Adityanath went to Kanak Bhawan temple and then to Sugriv Kila, located in the heart of Ayodhya. He then visited Maniram Das Ki Chavni and Digamber Akhada. "Yogiji also inspected a site near Sarayu river for a planned statue of Lord Ram there. He later went to Gorakhpur where he met children of a tribal village and attended a programme there," he said. Pandey said one of the probable sites is a patch of land between the Ram Ghat Halt and railway-bridge on Sarayu, which Yogi inspected. Incidentally, Ayodhya Mayor Rishikesh Upadhyay had recently said that plans are afoot to install a statue of Lord Ram on the banks of the Saryu river. Yogi's Wednesday visit comes a day after he announced that Faizabad district will now be renamed as Ayodhya. Pandey had on Tuesday said that the option to resolve the Ayodhya dispute through community dialogue is "over" and the BJP will work towards the construction of a Ram Temple here through constitutional or legislative means. The Faizabad BJP chief also claimed that majority population of Ayodhya want to see the temple getting built as it is a "matter of faith" for them and "BJP is the only party that raises this issue for them". Many experts have said that the Ayodhya land dispute matter should be taken up by the court after the 2019 elections, as it might affect the voters. The Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti, an umbrella body of Hindu seers, in New Delhi on Sunday had "directed" the Narendra Modi government to bring in legislation or an ordinance to build the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Facebook is quadrupling the size of its international headquarters in Dublin. The company said on Thursday that it had acquired a long-term lease on a 14-acre site that will allow it to take on another 5,000 staff in the Irish capital. Facebook already employs 4,000 people in Dublin and would have one of the biggest presences of any international technology firm in Ireland if it fills the new site. Apple and Google each have around 4,000 employees in the country. Recommended Facebook blocks 115 accounts ahead of US midterm elections The new campus will be on the site of Allied Irish Banks headquarters, with staff moving in over three years as the buildings are renovated. Minister for Business Heather Humphreys hailed the acquisition as a landmark day for Facebook which established its Dublin office a decade ago. Without a doubt, this expansion is a huge vote of confidence in Ireland and our pro-enterprise policies, Ms Humphreys said. Above all, it is a testament to the calibre of our rich pool of talent, who have contributed so positively to the companys global growth in the last decade. Gareth Lambe, Head of Facebook Ireland said: Were investing here for the long term. This significant investment in a 14-acre campus with capacity for thousands more employees demonstrates our commitment to Ireland, our desire to grow our business here and continue to contribute to the economy. Ireland has been a magnet in recent years for multinational technology and pharmaceuticals firms, many of whom have moved their European headquarters to Dublin, in part because of its low corporation tax rate. Banks have also expanded their existing offices in the city, with many moving staff from London, to ensure they maintain access to the EU single market after Brexit. Facebook announced on Thursday that it would delay plans to make people who buy political adverts verify their identity. The delay is necessary, Facebook said, because some people were trying to game the system. Tens of thousands of people with type 1 diabetes are being put at increased risk of serious complications by short-sighted rationing of a blood sugar patch used by Theresa May, an investigation has found. The prime minister is one of 400,000 type one diabetics in the UK. She told Parliament in last month that NHS patients would be prescribed the same Freestyle Libre monitor she uses to maintain a healthy blood glucose levels. The wearable sensor which sits on the arm can feed continuous glucose levels to a smart phone or reader, doing away with the need to do the finger prick blood test. However, NHS Englands associate national clinical director for diabetes, has said only around one in five patients who could benefit from the monitors, have access to them, one year after they first became available. Dr Partha Kar spoke out after an investigation in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) found prescription of the monitors in England was significantly behind the other home nations. It also revealed that a number of NHS clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) have put strict restrictions on devices. I think some of it CCGs resistance] is financial," he said. But also some people are just finding a reason to say no. One CCG said to me, We dont think the evidence is there. And I said, Well, how is the evidence there for London, Manchester, Liverpool, Brighton but not for you? How does that work? Thats just ridiculous. He added that they were paying lip service to guidelines set by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Campaigners have also claimed it is compromising diabetics quality of life and creating extra costs for the NHS in the long-run from limb amputations and other complications of poorly controlled blood sugar. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events NICE recommends treatments for the NHS in England and has called the Libre device cost effective in many patients with severe diabetes in need of frequent monitoring. If they were followed correctly, Dr Kar estimates as many as 25 per cent of type 1 diabetics would be prescribed the device. Currently that number is 5 per cent at most. In some areas GPs are flouting the restrictions placed on them by their CCGs because of the transformative effect other device can have to their patients, but others face real barriers. Dr Emma Wilmot, a consultant diabetologist in Derby said some of her patients have considered moving house to fall within the catchment area of a CCG which will prescribe the device. NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary Show all 18 1 /18 NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary Labour Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, addresses demonstrators following the march AFP/Getty NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary EPA NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary Reuters NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary REUTERS NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary EPA NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary REUTERS NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary PA NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary REUTERS NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary REUTERS NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary PA NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images Ive had to say to patients, Im really sorry, you dont meet the criteria because your GP is not in the right area. They are absolutely gutted. My worry is the people who arent in a position to self-fund it. The most deprived people in the population often have the least access. She added: The reason that we strive to reduce complications is to maintain quality of life. And actually, by preventing people having access to the Libre you are compromising their quality of life compared with what it could be. Data disclosed to the BMJ under the Freedom of Information Act shows that some areas have invested heavily in making the devices available, but only two of 195 CCGs had prescribed to more than 20 per cent of their type 1 diabetics. Twenty-five CCGs had issued no prescriptions at all. Diabetes campaigners claim just 2 per cent of patients in England have a GP prescription for Freestyle Libre, compared to 11 per cent in Scotland, 16 per cent in Wales and 35 per cent in Northern Ireland. Julie Wood, chief executive of NHS Clinical Commissioners, which represents CCGs, told the BMJ: Unfortunately the NHS does not have unlimited resources, and ensuring patients get the best possible care against a backdrop of spiralling demands, competing priorities, and increasing financial pressures is one of the biggest issues CCGs face. A Mexico senator has introduced a bill that would legalise recreational marijuana. Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is the president-elect of Mexico, and his soon-to-be interior interior minister Olga Sanchez Cordero proposed a bill to legalise marijuana. If it passes, each person will be allowed to have up to 20 plants at a time for personal consumption. The bill would also include regulating and monitoring production, sales, and consumption. Recommended Canada is running out of marijuana two days after it became legal In five separate court cases, Mexicos supreme court has ruled in favour of private citizens suing for their rights to consume recreational marijuana. If this law passes, it would no longer require a lawsuit for each citizen to smoke. Individuals can also partake in public places and produce no more than 480 grams per year if the law passes. Ms Obrador also suggested negotiating peace and amnesty for some involved in the drug trade who security forces are currently targeting, Reuters reports. Mexico famously struggles with the violence of drug cartels, and the government has been viciously fighting a war on drugs since 2006. Thousands have died in the drug war. Former Mexican president Michael Vincente Fox has argued that legalisation would reduce profits for dangerous Mexican cartels, and in turn, would reduce drug-related violence. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Globally, laws regarding marijuana are slowly relaxing. The only other countries that have formally legalised cannabis are Uruguay and, as of June, Canada. Slowly, US states are legalising medical or recreational marijuana as well. The recent midterm election involved several marijuana-related propositions, as long as sales are still regulated and documented. North Dakotas proposition failed, but Missouri and Utah voted to allow medical marijuana. Michigan voted to allow it recreationally as well. Ruth Gates was the British coral reef biologist and marine conservationist best remembered for advocating the breeding of a super coral that could resist the effects of global warming and replenish rapidly deteriorating reefs worldwide. Gates, who died of cancer aged 56, was director of the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She is survived by her wife Robin Burton-Gates. Gates grew up in Kent and said she first became transfixed by coral reefs through the colour TV films of sea explorer Jacques Cousteau. Even though Cousteau was coming through the television, he unveiled the oceans in a way that nobody else had been able to, she told the New Yorker in 2016. By 11, she said she knew she wanted to be a marine biologist. She went on to obtain a doctorate in marine biology, publish dozens of scientific papers and, in 2015, become the first woman elected president of the International Society for Reef Studies. She also appeared in last years Emmy-winning Netflix documentary Chasing Coral and became a frequent commentator in the media on reef conservation as well as the effects of climate change. Corals seem to be the most complicated organisms on the planet, so if I can understand them, I can understand everything else, she explained earlier this year in a video for the University of Hawaii Foundation, a fundraising organisation for the UH system. Like all coral biologists, Gates studied a vanishing organism. Over the course of her career, she witnessed the death of roughly one third to one half of the worlds reefs as the species was battered by pollution, acidifying oceans and rising temperatures, according to scientific estimates. Corals are tiny, anemone-like animals that often live in huge colonies made from thousands of genetically identical individuals or polyps. Like their kin, coral polyps have tentacles armed with stinging cells that can capture microscopic bits of food from the water. Most corals have a symbiotic relationship with tiny algae that live inside their tissues. And like plants, these algae are able to use the energy from sunlight to build sugars that they share with their animal hosts. It was this intimate relationship between such different species that perplexed and fascinated Gates, so she decided to study corals specifically to try to understand the symbiosis at the molecular level. Gates arrived in Jamaica for graduate fieldwork in 1985, just in time to witness this symbiotic relationship break down. In 1987, the Caribbean had one of the first major coral bleaching events, where the normally colourful animals suddenly lose their algal partners, and their white calcium carbonate skeletons become visible through their relatively clear tissues. Gates early work on the animals helped biologists understand that such bleaching was a severe version of a normal temperature-driven process. She held academic positions at the University of California at Los Angeles before moving in 2003 to the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology (Himb), where she became director in 2015. In Hawaii, having a living coral reef right in her backyard meant immediate access for research experimentation. The boldest of her endeavours involved super corals ones that have been specifically selected and bred for their abilities to withstand the warmer, more acidic waters predicted to occur in the future because of climate change. Its an idea that stemmed from Gates early work on coral bleaching, and her observations that no matter how bad a bleaching event was, some individual corals always survived. In 2013, she won a $10,000 (7,618) essay competition sponsored by a foundation run by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen to develop innovative ideas to mitigate rapidly acidifying oceans. Buoyed by the win, she later submitted a detailed plan with Madeleine van Oppen of the Australian Institute of Marine Science that in 2015 garnered them a $4m grant from the foundation. Knowing that time is short to save corals and humanity, Ruth saw opportunity in breeding corals that have not only survived prior hardships, but thrived under tough conditions, said Brian Taylor, dean of the University of Hawaii at Manoas School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, which oversees the Hawaii Institute. Her lab is determining what traits make some corals better survivors than others, and reinforcing those traits through selective breeding. Gates referred to it as accelerating natural selection. The rates of change in the environment have essentially outpaced the capacity of the corals themselves to adapt, she said in the 2018 UH Foundation video. She identified the toughest coral by choosing ones that survived hotter waters in the lab and was working on breeding those to create corals that are even more resilient. Its much like the process by which farmers bred hardier crops. Ultimately, she said, these super corals could be used to replenish reefs after mass die-offs, like the ones experienced in recent years by the Great Barrier Reef off northeastern Australia. The project is in its fourth year and had led to several scientific publications but, according to Himb colleagues, it was just getting off the ground. In addition to the selection and breeding of resilient corals, members of the project are continuing to study how resilience is passed from generation to generation and investigating the possibility of inoculating corals with more heat-tolerant strains of algae and other symbiotic organisms (a sort of coral probiotics). The projects are now in the hands of her students and colleagues. Gates vision drew criticism from some in the scientific community. I find it implausible that were going to succeed in doing in a couple of years what evolution hasnt succeeded at over the past few hundred million years, Ken Caldeira, a researcher at the Carnegie Institution for Science at Stanford University, told the New Yorker in 2016. Theres this idea that there should be some easy techno-fix, if only we could be creative enough to find it. I guess I just dont think thats true. Others thought super corals distracted from more important goals, such as cutting carbon emissions. Lets put our energy and resources into something that we know will make a difference, the late Paul Jokiel, an Himb colleague, told Newsweek in 2016. Gates was driven but did not consider her plan the only viable option, friends told publications. I dont really care about the me in this, she told the New Yorker. I care about what happens to corals. If I can do something that will help preserve them and perpetuate them into the future, Im going to do everything I can. Ruth Deborah Gates was born in Akrotiri, Cyprus, on March 28, 1962. She grew up mostly in Kent where she attended a boarding school while her parents travelled for her fathers work in military intelligence. Her mother trained as a physical therapist. At the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, near the North Sea, she received a bachelors degree in 1984 and received a doctorate in 1990, both in marine biology. In September, she married her companion of four years. In addition to her wife, survivors include a brother. Gates often noted the resistance she encountered as a young woman aspiring to a career in science, and she became a staunch advocate for her students regardless of sex. When elected president of the International Society for Reef Studies, one of her first actions was to diversify its staff. She was known in the community for her disarming charisma, a soothing English accent tempered by fierce grit through her training as a martial artist. She had attained a black belt in karate. I have watched some reefs disintegrate before my eyes, she told the Times Higher Education Supplement in 2016. I just cant bear the idea that future generations may not experience a coral reef. The mission is to start solving the problem, not just study it. Ruth Gates, biologist, born 28 March 1962, died 25 October 2018 Washington Post A massive study of ancient remains spanning two continents has revealed the movements of the first people to colonise the Americas. Scientists sequenced the genomes of 15 ancient Americans from across North and South America, six of which were more than 10,000 years old. Among the specimens examined were remains from a Brazilian site called Lagoa Santa, the most ancient bodies found in Patagonia, and the worlds oldest natural mummy from Spirit Cave in Nevada. Using the evidence which stretched from Alaska to Chile, researchers were able to demonstrate the astonishing speed at which people colonised the region after they diverged from their East Asian ancestors. Conducting DNA analysis, the scientists were also able to conclusively prove that the Spirit Cave mummy was related to Native Americans living today in the Nevada. The Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe had requested repatriation of the remains, which they claimed belonged to one of their own, but were denied due to the bodys disputed ancestry. Science news in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Science news in pictures Science news in pictures Pluto has 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen Pluto has a 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen that is doing strange things to its surface, Nasa has found. The mysterious core seems to be the cause of features on its surface that have fascinated scientists since they were spotted by Nasa's New Horizons mission. "Before New Horizons, everyone thought Pluto was going to be a netball - completely flat, almost no diversity," said Tanguy Bertrand, an astrophysicist and planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center and the lead author on the new study. "But it's completely different. It has a lot of different landscapes and we are trying to understand what's going on there." Getty Science news in pictures Over 400 species discovered this year by Natural History Museum The ancient invertabrate worm-like species rhenopyrgus viviani (pictured) is one of over 400 species previously unknown to science that were discovered by experts at the Natural History Museum this year PA Science news in pictures Jackdaws can identify 'dangerous' humans Jackdaws can identify dangerous humans from listening to each others warning calls, scientists say. The highly social birds will also remember that person if they come near their nests again, according to researchers from the University of Exeter. In the study, a person unknown to the wild jackdaws approached their nest. At the same time scientists played a recording of a warning call (threatening) or contact calls (non-threatening). The next time jackdaws saw this same person, the birds that had previously heard the warning call were defensive and returned to their nests more than twice as quickly on average. Getty Science news in pictures Turtle embryos influence sex by shaking The sex of the turtle is determined by the temperatures at which they are incubated. Warm temperatures favour females. But by wiggling around the egg, embryos can find the Goldilocks Zone which means they are able to shield themselves against extreme thermal conditions and produce a balanced sex ratio, according to the new study published in Current Biology journal Ye et al/Current Biology Science news in pictures Elephant poaching rates drop in Africa African elephant poaching rates have dropped by 60 per cent in six years, an international study has found. It is thought the decline could be associated with the ivory trade ban introduced in China in 2017. Reuters Science news in pictures Ancient four-legged whale discovered in Peru Scientists have identified a four-legged creature with webbed feet to be an ancestor of the whale. Fossils unearthed in Peru have led scientists to conclude that the enormous creatures that traverse the planets oceans today are descended from small hoofed ancestors that lived in south Asia 50 million years ago A. Gennari Science news in pictures Animal with transient anus discovered A scientist has stumbled upon a creature with a transient anus that appears only when it is needed, before vanishing completely. Dr Sidney Tamm of the Marine Biological Laboratory could not initially find any trace of an anus on the species. However, as the animal gets full, a pore opens up to dispose of waste Steven G Johnson Science news in pictures Giant bee spotted Feared extinct, the Wallace's Giant bee has been spotted for the first time in nearly 40 years. An international team of conservationists spotted the bee, that is four times the size of a typical honeybee, on an expedition to a group of Indonesian Islands Clay Bolt Science news in pictures New mammal species found inside crocodile Fossilised bones digested by crocodiles have revealed the existence of three new mammal species that roamed the Cayman Islands 300 years ago. The bones belonged to two large rodent species and a small shrew-like animal New Mexico Museum of Natural History Science news in pictures Fabric that changes according to temperature created Scientists at the University of Maryland have created a fabric that adapts to heat, expanding to allow more heat to escape the body when warm and compacting to retain more heat when cold Faye Levine, University of Maryland Science news in pictures Baby mice tears could be used in pest control A study from the University of Tokyo has found that the tears of baby mice cause female mice to be less interested in the sexual advances of males Getty Science news in pictures Final warning to limit "climate catastrophe" The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued a report which projects the impact of a rise in global temperatures of 1.5 degrees Celsius and warns against a higher increase Getty Science news in pictures Nobel prize for evolution chemists The nobel prize for chemistry has been awarded to three chemists working with evolution. Frances Smith is being awarded the prize for her work on directing the evolution of enzymes, while Gregory Winter and George Smith take the prize for their work on phage display of peptides and antibodies Getty/AFP Science news in pictures Nobel prize for laser physicists The nobel prize for physics has been awarded to three physicists working with lasers. Arthur Ashkin (L) was awarded for his "optical tweezers" which use lasers to grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells. Donna Strickland and Gerard Mourou were jointly awarded the prize for developing chirped-pulse amplification of lasers Reuters/AP Science news in pictures Discovery of a new species of dinosaur The Ledumahadi Mafube roamed around 200 million years ago in what is now South Africa. Recently discovered by a team of international scientists, it was the largest land animal of its time, weighing 12 tons and standing at 13 feet. In Sesotho, the South African language of the region in which the dinosaur was discovered, its name means "a giant thunderclap at dawn" Viktor Radermacher / SWNS Science news in pictures Birth of a planet Scientists have witnessed the birth of a planet for the first time ever. This spectacular image from the SPHERE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope is the first clear image of a planet caught in the very act of formation around the dwarf star PDS 70. The planet stands clearly out, visible as a bright point to the right of the center of the image, which is blacked out by the coronagraph mask used to block the blinding light of the central star. ESO/A. Muller et al Science news in pictures New human organ discovered that was previously missed by scientists Layers long thought to be dense, connective tissue are actually a series of fluid-filled compartments researchers have termed the interstitium. These compartments are found beneath the skin, as well as lining the gut, lungs, blood vessels and muscles, and join together to form a network supported by a mesh of strong, flexible proteins Getty Science news in pictures Previously unknown society lived in Amazon rainforest before Europeans arrived, say archaeologists Working in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, a team led by archaeologists at the University of Exeter unearthed hundreds of villages hidden in the depths of the rainforest. These excavations included evidence of fortifications and mysterious earthworks called geoglyphs Jose Iriarte Science news in pictures One in 10 people have traces of cocaine or heroin on fingerprints, study finds More than one in 10 people were found to have traces of class A drugs on their fingers by scientists developing a new fingerprint-based drug test. Using sensitive analysis of the chemical composition of sweat, researchers were able to tell the difference between those who had been directly exposed to heroin and cocaine, and those who had encountered it indirectly. Getty Science news in pictures Nasa releases stunning images of Jupiter's great red spot The storm bigger than the Earth, has been swhirling for 350 years. The image's colours have been enhanced after it was sent back to Earth. Pictures by: Tom Momary It was only after Professor Eske Willerslev of the University of Cambridge and his team conducted their genetic analysis that they were able to prove a connection with the modern tribe. Spirit Cave and Lagoa Santa were very controversial because they were identified as so-called Paleoamericans based on craniometry it was determined that the shape of their skulls was different to current day Native Americans, said Professor Willerslev. Our study proves that Spirit Cave and Lagoa Santa were actually genetically closer to contemporary Native Americans than to any other ancient or contemporary group sequenced to date. With the results confirmed, the remains were returned to the tribe in 2016, where they were given a private reburial. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events A statement from the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe said they had a lot of experience with members of the scientific community, mostly negative. It added: However, there are a handful of scientists that seemed to understand the tribes perspective and Eske Willerslev was one of them. His new study confirms what we have always known from our oral tradition and other evidence that the man taken from his final resting place in Spirit Cave is our Native American ancestor. By combining the wealth of evidence, the scientists revealed a story of ancient movement that spanned millennia. Recommended European arrival in Americas wiped out native dogs alongside people A striking thing about the analysis of Spirit Cave and Lagoa Santa is their close genetic similarity which implies their ancestral population travelled through the continent at astonishing speed, said Dr David Meltzer from Southern Methodist University. Thats something weve suspected due to the archaeological findings, but its fascinating to have it confirmed by the genetics. These findings imply that the first peoples were highly skilled at moving rapidly across an utterly unfamiliar and empty landscape. They had a whole continent to themselves and they were travelling great distances at breath-taking speed. The findings were published in the journal Science. A former member of the pop band JLS has denied raping a woman after a concert. Oritse Williams, not guilty on Thursday at Wolverhampton Crown Court, where he spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and nationality, and to deny the charge. The 31-year-old was arrested on suspicion of attacking the fan at a hotel in Wolverhampton, in December 2016 Mr Williams, of Croydon, south London, was granted unconditional bail until his trial at the same court on 14 May at the same court. During a 36-minute hearing, co-defendant Jamien Nagadhana, 31, from Hounslow, west London, also denied assault by penetration in connection with the same incident. He was also bailed. After the allegations came to light, Mr Williams said he would be stepping back from charity work, adding: "Press speculation is likely to be unhelpful to the charities I work with." After leaving court, he posed for photos with fans and smiled for their cameras. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The pop star picked one child up for a selfie and laughed and joked with members of the public who recognised him. JLS rose to fame on ITV reality series The X Factor, on which they finished runners-up in 2008. The boy band went on to release four albums before they split in 2013. Mr Williams has since released music as a solo artist under the name OWS and appeared on the ITV dancing show Stepping Out. Police have reacted with fury after being told to step up their response to knife crime by the home secretary, a day after MPs warned that cuts could have dire consequences for public safety. Sajid Javid called the Metropolitan Police chief Cressida Dick after five people were stabbed to death in the space of a week in London. The Home Office said he told the Commissioner: We must act together, and I stand with you as we face this challenge. Alongside tough law enforcement we will not let up on our work to prevent young people getting drawn into knife crime in the first place. But we must step up the police response to get the situation under control so that these measures have time to work. The home secretary made clear that police must make full use of their powers, including targeted stop and search, the department said. His comments sparked outrage just days after MPs said police across England and Wales were struggling to respond to crime because of government cuts. And Ken Marsh, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, told politicians to leave police alone and let us do our jobs. He told The Independent: We are not the cause of all these deaths, we are doing our utmost to deter them. Cressida Dick: 'Naive' to think cuts to police haven't had impact on rising crime Violence cant be tackled purely by police we turn up when someone has been killed or seriously injured and theres an awful lot that happens before that point. Echoing comments made by senior police officers warning of Wild West violence at a conference last week, he pointed to the loss of social clubs and youth centres hit by budget cuts. What do the youth now do? Mr Marsh asked. Weve created a society where Ive never seen this sort of ruthlessness thats taking place. He called on the government to give funding to allow more bobbies on the beat to engage with local communities and ensure that people do not feel they can walk round with 3ft knives with impunity. Mr Marsh accused the government of washing its hands of wider societal problems and pushing responsibility on police. Mr Javid, who is currently in the US for talks with social media companies about online child abuse, told Ms Dick he was deeply worried by the level of violent crime on the streets and reiterated his commitment to focus on driving it down, the Home Office said. He also stressed his determination to make sure police have the powers and tools they need and said he would do everything within his power to support them, the department added. Home Office figures released last month revealed that forces in England and Wales conducted 282,248 stops and searches in the 12 months to March this year the lowest number since current data collection started 17 years ago. A sharp decline started in 2014, when Theresa May introduced reforms to ensure stop and search was used in a more targeted way following criticism of its disproportionate use against black people. The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Show all 21 1 /21 The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Oluwadamilolda Odeyingbo Oluwadamilolda Odeyingbo, 18, was killed in a fight in Chislehurst on 10 January 2018 Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Hasan Ozcan Hasan Ozcan, 19, was stabbed to death on the Gascoigne Estate in Barking on 3 February 2018 Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Sabri Chibani Sabri Chibani, 19, was stabbed fatally in the chest in Streatham on 11 February 2018 Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Promise Nkenda Lord Promise Nkenda, 17, was stabbed to death in Canning Town on 14 February 2018 Facebook The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Lewis Blackman Lewis Blackman, a 19-year-old rapper from Kentish Town, was stabbed to death in Kensington on 18 February 2018 Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Abdikarim Hassan Abdikarim Hassan, 17, was stabbed to death near his home in Camden's Peckwater estate on 20 March - less tahan two hours before another man was stabbed to death nearby Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Kelvin Odunuyi Kelvin Odunuyi, a 19-year-old rapper known as DipDat and Lampz, was shot dead in Wood Green on 8 March Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Lyndon Davis Lyndon Davis, 18, was chased down and stabbed to death in Chadwell Heath on 14 March Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Tanesha Melbourne-Blake Tanesha Melbourne, 17, was killed in a drive-by shooting in Tottenham on 2 April PA The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Amaan Shakoor Amaan Shakoor, 16, was shot dead in Walthamstow on 2 April Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Israel Ogunsola Israel Ogunsola, 18, was stabbed to death in Hackney on 4 April Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Rhyhiem Ainsworth Barton Rhyhiem Ainsworth Barton, a 17-year-old rapper and aspiring architect, was shot dead in a Kennington Street on 5 May Handout The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Jordan Douherty Aspiring rapper Jordan Douherty died of his injuries outside a birthday party in Romford on 23 June Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Katrina Makunova Katrina Makunova, 17, was stabbed to death in Camberwell on 12 July 2018 Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Latwaan Griffiths 18-year-old Latwaan Griffiths was fatally stabbed on 25 July and died in hospital after being thrown off the back of a moped in Camberwell Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Guled Farah Guled Farah, 19, was shot in Walthamstow on 22 September Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Ethan Nedd-Bruce Ethan Nedd-Bruce, 18, died after he was shot outside a party at a flat in Greenwich, south-east London, on 22 October. He had also been stabbed, but the gunshot wound was the cause of death. Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Jay Hughes Jay Hughes, 15, died was fatally stabbed outside a chicken shop in Bellingham, south-east London, on 1 November Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Malcolm Mide-Madariola Malcolm Mide-Madariola, 17, was found suffering from a stab wound outside Clapham South Tube station on 2 November Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 John Ogunjobi John Ogunjobi, 16, died in front of his parents after he was stabbed in Greenleaf Close, Tulse Hill, on 5 November Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Aron Warren Aron Warren, 18, was found stabbed in a flat block in Greenwich on 8 December and died at the scene Metropolitan Police Mr Javid has since backed a boost in the use of the powers and the government has proposed extending them to target acid, drones and laser pointers. Mr Marsh said police were using stop and search in a legal and proportionate way and added: It is a good tool but its not a panacea its not the answer to what is happening across the whole of the UK. A report released by the Public Accounts Committee on Wednesday found that funding for policing was down by almost one-fifth since 2010-11, and there are nearly one-fifth fewer officers and staff in England and Wales. As well as slashes to central funding, police forces have now been told that they may have to plug a 600m funding shortfall caused by proposed pension changes out of existing budgets. Ministers have been warned that up to 10,000 officers jobs could be cut as a result of the change, taking numbers to a record low. In October, the Home Affairs Committee warned of dire consequences for public safety and criminal justice if the government does not increase police funding and change the way it is divided up. Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said: Police have the powers but what they dont have is the resources. Police chiefs, rank and file officers and even Home Office officials are telling the Home Secretary the problem is cuts to the police which have hampered their ability to tackle the surge in violence. Cuts he voted for time and time again. Home secretary Sajid Javid has vowed to fight for more police funding from the Treasury (PA) Evidence based stop and search is an important tool in fighting crime but random stops poison police community relations. The government must urgently bring forward the resources to increase police officer numbers by 10,000 to keep our communities safe. Mr Javid has vowed to fight for more police funding in next months financial settlement and a government wide-spending review, saying the chancellor is listening. Knife crime currently stands at a record level in England and Wales, and so far in London this year there have been 119 homicides. A third of the cases involve victims aged 16 to 24, while 20 were teenagers. The total is nearing that seen for the whole of last year. The mayor of London has said it could take a generation to turn the tide on violent crime in the capital. Sadiq Khan said government cuts had made the complex causes of violent crime far worse and left the Met with one hand tied behind their back. He added: Ms Mays clampdown on spending has forced the Met to make 1bn of cuts since 2010 leaving them with no choice but to take thousands of police and community support officers off the street. This is on top of the deep cuts by this government to preventative and youth services which help keen young people away from crime the government need to fully reverse the cuts they have made to the Met police since 2010. Citizens from more than 60 countries have been referred to the Windrush taskforce investigating mistreatment of immigrants who have lived in Britain for decades. Legal experts warned a huge part of the iceberg remains under the surface after the Home Office revealed 64 nationalities may have been affected by the Windrush crisis, despite the focus being on Caribbean immigrants. People from six European countries, including France and Germany, as well as dozens of Commonwealth nations including Nigeria, Canada and Australia, have been referred to the taskforce after contacting the Home Office with concerns about their status, according to a freedom of information response. Labour said the new information exposed the true scale of the Windrush scandal and accused ministers of attempting to give the impression that it affects only people from the Caribbean. The government has made numerous statements committing to righting the wrongs that have been committed against Caribbean nationals but there has been little reference to other nationalities who have been affected. Home Office figures from September showed 66 per cent of people granted status after being referred were from Jamaica, Barbados, Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago, while 106 (4 per cent) were from India, and the remaining 30 per cent 715 people were classified as other nationalities. While some of this cohort are likely to be from other Caribbean nations, campaigners said a considerable number of these were likely to be from other Commonwealth nations. One Nigerian woman who has lived in the UK for 30 years said she and her husband were left unable to work or access healthcare after the government revoked their UK status because they were unable to provide their passports from 1988. Modupe Ayo-Adeyemo, 49, who has been referred to the taskforce, said she believed the immigration issues contributed to her husbands death in March after he was denied a specialist health assessment due to his lack of status. I try not to delve too much into the situation. I feel Ive lost so much, including my husband. I just want my life to move on. I need to know Im not going to just be uprooted. Theyre toying with peoples life and peoples emotion, said Ms Ayo-Adeyemo, who is mother to two UK-born children. Everywhere you turn, they ask for more proof. Its that hostile environment. Theyre saying its just the Windrush generation, but it spans much wider. I know loads of Nigerian families that have been affected. The Windrush taskforce was set up in the wake of the scandal in April. it applies to Commonwealth citizens who have lived in the UK since before 1973 and people of any nationality who arrived before 1989 and have indefinite leave to remain. Individuals that are referred to the taskforce are not all, after closer consideration of their circumstances or documents, considered to be Windrush migrants. Andrew Jordan, immigration manager at Lewisham Refugee and Migrant Network, said: This is a much wider issue than what is being reported. There are multiple different nationalities. Theres a huge part of the iceberg still under the surface that just hasnt been dealt with. The focus in the Home Office at the moment is very much on putting out these little fires before they escalate. Windrush is an example of this. They are on the call not in terms of dealing with substantive problems, but with bad publicity. Thats what theyre focused on. He added that, with Brexit on the horizon, there were significant problems looming. Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Show all 15 1 /15 Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK The ex-troopship 'Empire Windrush' arriving at Tilbury Docks from Jamaica, with 482 Jamaicans on board, emigrating to Britain. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Jamaican immigrants being welcomed by RAF officials from the Colonial Office after the ex-troopship 'Empire Windrush' landed them at Tilbury. PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Alford Gardner who arrived in Britain in 1948 on the first Windrush ship to dock in Tilbury, Essex, speaking at his home in Leeds PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Alford Gardner in Leeds shortly after he arrived in Britain in 1948 on the first Windrush ship to dock in Tilbury, Essex PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Gardner was 22 years old when he boarded the ship in Kingston, Jamaica, with his brother Gladstone before they and hundreds of Caribbean migrants called on to rebuild post-war Britain disembarked the ship in Tilbury Docks PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Alford Gardner (right), during his RAF service in 1947 PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK The son of Ruth Williams, a Windrush-generation immigrant, wants to the leave the country after threats of deportation. According to his mother, Mr Haynes applied for British citizenship in 2016 but was rejected, despite Ms Williams having lived in the UK almost permanently since arriving from St Vincent and the Grenadines in 1959. Ruth Williams, 75, said she felt "betrayed" by Britain after the Home Office twice turned down applications for her 35-year-old son, Mozi Haynes, to remain in the country. Ms Williams is understood to have cancer and said she relies heavily on her son for support. PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK The British liner 'Empire Windrush' at port in 1954. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Ruth Williams, 75, with her British passport. "I feel betrayed and a second class citizen in my own country," she said. "This makes me so sad and the Home Office must show some compassion. "I am unwell and almost 75, I live on my own and I need my son to stay here. I need my family around me and I cant face being alone. He has applied to the Home Office and been refused twice." PA Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK From the top, hopeful Jamaican boxers Charles Smith, Ten Ansel, Essi Reid, John Hazel, Boy Solas and manager Mortimer Martin arrive at Tilbury on the Empire Windrush in the hope of finding work in Britain. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Jamaicans reading a newspaper whilst on board the ex-troopship 'Empire Windrush' bound for Tilbury docks in Essex. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK After half a century in Britain, Anthony Bryan decided it was time to go abroad. But the decision set off a nightmare that saw him lose his job, detained twice and almost deported to Jamaica. AFP/Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Jamaica-born Anthony Bryan poses outside his home in Edmonton, north London. Now 60 and a grandfather, Bryan thought the issue could be resolved swiftly, as he legally moved to Britain with his family as part of the Windrush generation of Caribbean migrants after World War II. In 1948, the ship Windrush brought the first group of migrants from the West Indies to help rebuild post-war Britain, and many others followed from around the Commonwealth. A 1971 law gave them indefinite leave to remain, but many never formalised their status, often because they were children who came over on their parents' passports and then never applied for their own. AFP/Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Three Jamaican immigrants (left to right) John Hazel, a 21-year-old boxer, Harold Wilmot, 32, and John Richards, a 22-year-old carpenter, arriving at Tilbury on board the ex-troopship 'Empire Windrush', smartly dressed in zoot suits and trilby hats. Getty Windrush generation: threat of deportation from UK Newly arrived Jamaican immigrants on board the 'Empire Windrush' at Tilbury in 1948. Getty They want to improve public opinion, but the hostile environment still exists. Substantive issues are not being dealt with, he said. Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said: This is important information showing just how widespread the Windrush scandal really is. Government ministers frequently try to give the impression this only affects people from the Caribbean, almost that you had to have been on the Empire Windrush to qualify. This is completely untrue and it is clear that victims come from all over the Commonwealth. But it is equally clear that any remedy is painfully slow. The government still refuses to provide any hardship payments for victims. And unless it ends its hostile environment policy, this scandal and others like it will continue. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events A Home Office spokesperson said: The home secretary and the immigration minister have been clear that they want to right the wrongs experienced by the Windrush generation. Our taskforce is helping to ensure that those who have struggled to demonstrate their right to be here are supported to do so. We have launched a public consultation on a compensation scheme for those affected and a lessons-learned review to look at what led to this occurring and ensure that nothing like it happens again. Information about the Windrush Scheme, including the nationalities and groups including under Commonwealth citizen for the purposes of the scheme, can be found here. A Conservative councillor is accused of being among members of a Kent primary schools parent teacher association who blacked up while taking part in a bonfire night parade. Some spectators branded the group from Hever Primary School in Edenbridge highly offensive over the costumes, which accompanied a Caribbean-inspired float at the towns annual fireworks celebrations. Members of the group took part in the march walking alongside the float dressed in colourful outfits, with some wearing what appeared to be blackface makeup. Participants were reported to include Trevor Bryant, a Tory member of Edenbridge Council, with pictures from the event appearing to show him wearing a frilly shirt, hat and brown face paint. The Guardian quoted the councillor as confirming he was the man in the photographs, but he declined to comment to further media requests. Joanna Stratton, head teacher at Hever Primary School, apologised for the incident, insisting no offence had been intended. Recommended The Sussex town famed for burning effigies of hated public figures We are very much a multicultural school with respect, love and wisdom as our motto, she told Kent Live. We do not tolerate racism or bullying in our school. This was run by the PTA - it is not to do with staff at the school. However, they represent the school. We do not feel they blacked up but were wearing costume. They put makeup on because of what they were wearing. One of the organisers is of Bajan heritage herself and did not intend any offence or disrespect. It was the same as putting on a hat or scarf or beard and was innocently done - it was as simple as that. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Edenbridge has developed a reputation for putting on one of the most spectacular bonfire night displays in the country, similar to the perhaps more famous event staged every year in Lewes, East Sussex. The celebrations see a giant effigy of a controversial public figure burned, with organisers selecting former foreign secretary Boris Johnson to be placed on the bonfire this year. In previous years, caricatures of disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and Donald Trump have been torched at the event. Ex-Brexit secretary David Davis has said there will be "some hiccups" in the coming year if Britain fails to reach a deal with the European Union. His remarks - ridiculed by pro-EU MPs - came after cabinet minister Matt Hancock said the government is increasing its refrigerated capacity to stockpile medicines as a precaution for a no-deal Brexit. Speaking to Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Davis also increased the pressure on Theresa May to publish the government's full legal advice on any Brexit deal agreement to both cabinet ministers and parliament. The Tory MP, who resigned from the government over Ms May's blueprint and said he would vote against it, claimed it is "looking like a probability" the prime minister's deal will fall if MPs are asked to vote on it in the coming weeks. But, he added, this would result in renegotiating the deal with Brussels in a "slightly different atmosphere" with both the UK and the EU "staring" at the possibility of a no-deal. He continued: "I don't think and I've said publicly, I don't think a no-deal is as frightening as people think, but the government is obviously nervous of it and the European Commission and nearly all member states are nervous of it. So I think that would force a very, very different, and actually, I think, rather better deal." Asked about a no-deal, Mr Davis said there would be "some hiccups in the first year" but the UK would have "all the rights and controls over our own destiny." "We're a big country, we can look after ourselves," he added. Pressed on the publication of the government's legal advice - regarding any deal Ms May will present to the cabinet - Mr Davis said that while it is "convention" the legal advice is not released to the public, he added it is the "biggest decision" the current cabinet and parliament will make. He said: "What we must see is the complete legal advice - not a summary, not something which just glides and glosses over all of the different issues, but the actual legal advice. Matt Hancock says that the Government shouldn't release the Attorney Generals legal advice on the prime ministers Brexit deal "He [attorney general] should provide the advice to the people who make the decision. Normally, that's the cabinet... there is no argument whatsoever on convention or on common sense or on tactic to withhold it from the cabinet and in my view from parliament as well." Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Conservative MP who chairs the Eurosceptic European Research Group, said the information should "certainly be made available" before ministers sign up to any deal. But on Wednesday, Mr Hancock, the health and social care secretary, insisted it is "not normal" for government to publish full legal advice, adding that a decision to do so would be one in "exceptional circumstances" by the prime minister. The study on several women found some evidence for a causal link between sleeping for longer and breast cancer. Researchers at the University of Bristol found that a preference for mornings reduced the risk of breast cancer by 40 to 48 percent. (Photo: Pixabay) Washington DC: Turns out, early to bed and early to rise can also lower your risk of developing breast cancer. The research was presented at the 2018 NCRI Cancer Conference. The study on several women, which was investigating whether the way people sleep can contribute to the development of breast cancer, also found some evidence for a causal link between sleeping for longer and breast cancer. Researchers at the University of Bristol found that a preference for mornings reduced the risk of breast cancer by 40 to 48 percent compared with being an evening type (an 'owl'). It also found that women who slept longer than the recommended seven to eight hours had a 20 percent increased risk of the disease per additional hour slept. Dr Rebecca Richmond of the University of Bristol, UK said, "We would like to do further work to investigate the mechanisms underpinning these results, as the estimates obtained are based on questions related to morning or evening preference rather than actually whether people get up earlier or later in the day. In other words, it may not be the case that changing your habits changes your risk of breast cancer; it may be more complex than that." "However, the findings of a protective effect of morning preference on breast cancer risk in our study are consistent with previous research highlighting a role for night shift work and exposure to 'light-at-night' as risk factors for breast cancer," she said. "We also found some evidence for a causal effect of increased sleep duration and sleep fragmentation on breast cancer, assessed using objective measurements of sleep obtained from movement monitors worn by participants," she added. The researchers believe their findings have implications for policy-makers and employers. Dr Richmond said: "These findings have potential policy implications for influencing sleep habits of the general population in order to improve health and reduce the risk of breast cancer among women." Cliona Clare Kirwan, from the University of Manchester, who was not involved in this research, said: "These are interesting findings that provide further evidence of how our body clock and our natural sleep preference is implicated in the onset of breast cancer." "We know already that night shift work is associated with worse mental and physical health. This study provides further evidence to suggest disrupted sleep patterns may have a role in cancer development," she said. Irelands EU Commissioner has said a summit to finalise a Brexit deal is now unlikely to be held until December, pointing to further slipping in the negotiating timetable. Phil Hogan said if he was a betting person he would wager that there would be no deal this month. But his comments come amid reports in an Austrian newspaper suggesting a deal could be imminent. "I think if we don't get proposals in the next few days it's unlikely we'll have a deal in November, so the pressure is on the UK to make those proposals, Mr Hogan, the EUs agriculture chief, told Irish public broadcaster RTE. But I would say if I was a betting person we would have a December Council to discuss the final outcome. But hopefully we can do a deal. At a meeting in October EU leaders decided to hold off planning a previously suggested November summit amid a lack of progress on the Irish border issue. EU officials say the ball is now in the UKs court and that Theresa Mays Cabinet needs to agree to a backstop to prevent a hard border in Ireland or come up with better proposals. Discussions held at Cabinet earlier in the week were inconclusive, Downing Street said. Der Standard, an Austrian newspaper, however on Thursday afternoon cited EU sources suggesting a deal was now in the works and leaders were preparing for a summit in late November, possibly on the 25th day of the month. The claims were allegedly made by officials in Helsinki, where a summit of centre-right EU leaders from the blocs ruling party are taking place. Austria is chairing the European Council so Austrian officials may be better-placed than others to know how preparations are going. Mr Hogan, who predicted the deal would be pushed back to December, was speaking from the same summit, however. EU officials have formally gone into a communications tunnel, giving few definitive clues about how talks are going in order to help along negotiations. Phil Hogan is Ireland's EU Commissioner (FILE) (Reuters) Speaking at the start of the week Michel Barnier the EUs chief Brexit negotiator, said a deal on the Irish border was not close. On Thursday he re-iterated that he would stick with the task of negotiating until it was complete. Even if a deal is struck between negotiators in Brussels Theresa May will still have to get it through the House of Commons a difficult task given she lacks a majority. Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures An abandoned shop is seen in Mullan, Co Monaghan. The building was home to four families who left during the Troubles. The town was largely abandoned after the hard border was put in place during the conflict. Mullan has seen some regeneration in recent years, but faces an uncertain future with Brexit on the horizon Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures A defaced Welcome to Northern Ireland sign stands on the border in Middletown, Co Armagh Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Mervyn Johnson owns a garage in the border town of Pettigo, which straddles the counties of Donegal and Fermanagh. Ive been here since 1956, it was a bit of a problem for a few years. My premises has been blown up about six or seven times, we just kept building and starting again, Johnson said laughing. We just got used to it [the hard border] really but now that its gone, we wouldn't like it back again Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Farmer Gordon Crocketts Coshquin farm straddles both Derry/Londonderry in the North and Donegal in the Republic. At the minute there is no real problem, you can cross the border as free as you want. We could cross it six or eight times a day, said Crockett. If there was any sort of obstruction it would slow down our work every day Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures John Murphy flies the European flag outside his home near the border village of Forkhill, Co Armagh Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Potter Brenda McGinn stands outside her Mullan, Co Monaghan, studio the former Jas Boylan shoe factory which was the main employer in the area until it shut down due to the Troubles. When I came back, this would have been somewhere you would have driven through and have been quite sad. It was a decrepit looking village, said McGinn, whose Busy Bee Ceramics is one of a handful of enterprises restoring life to the community. Now this is a revitalised, old hidden village Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Union Flag colours painted on kerbstones and bus-stops along the border village of Newbuildings, Co Derry/Londonderry Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Grass reflected in Lattone Lough, which is split by the border between Cavan and Fermanagh, seen from near Ballinacor, Northern Ireland Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Donegalman David McClintock sits in the Border Cafe in the village of Muff, which straddles Donegal and Derry/Londonderry Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures An old Irish phone box stands alongside a bus stop in the border town of Glaslough, Co Monaghan Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Billboards are viewed from inside a disused customs hut in Carrickcarnon, Co Down, on the border with Co Louth in the Republic Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Seamus McQuaid takes packages that locals on the Irish side of the border have delivered to his business, McQuaid Auto-Parts, to save money on postal fees, near the Co Fermanagh village of Newtownbutler. I live in the south but the business is in the North, said McQaid. "I wholesale into the Republic of Ireland so if theres duty, Ill have to set up a company 200 yards up the road to sell to my customers. Ill have to bring the same product in through Dublin instead of Belfast Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures A disused Great Northern Railway line and station that was for customs and excise on the border town of Glenfarne, Co Leitrim Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Alice Mullen, from Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland, does her shopping at a former customs post on the border in Middletown, Co Armagh. Id be very worried if it was a hard border, I remember when people were divided. I would be very afraid of the threat to the peace process, it was a dreadful time to live through. Even to go to mass on a Sunday, youd have to go through checkpoints. It is terribly stressful, said Mullen. All those barricades and boundaries were pulled down. I see it as a huge big exercise of trust and I do believe everyone breathed a sigh of relief Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures A bus stop and red post box stand in the border town of Jonesborough, Co Armagh Reuters Labour looks increasingly likely to vote against her deal. Keir Starmer, the partys Brexit chief, told reporters in Brussels on Wednesday that the negotiated outline of the future relationship produced by the PM needed to be detailed and that is party would not back a blind Brexit. Slippages in the negotiating timetable, which was supposed to be concluded in October, mean that serious negotiations about the future relationship have barely begun, however with Ms Mays so-called Chequers proposal having been roundly rejected by EU leaders. Dominic Raab has been ridiculed after saying he hadnt quite understood the importance of cross-Channel trade to the UK economy. The extraordinary admission came as the Brexit secretary also warned shoppers to expect less choice of goods if leaving the EU damages the trade route from France. Speaking at an event for tech firms, Mr Raab said Theresa May was pursuing a future trade deal that recognised the peculiar geographic economic entity of the UK, as an island nation. Recommended Cabinet ministers demand full legal advice before agreeing Brexit deal I hadnt quite understood the full extent of this, but if you look at the UK and look at how we trade in goods, we are particularly reliant on the Dover-Calais crossing, he said. And that is one of the reasons why we have wanted to make sure we have a specific and very proximate relationship with the EU, to ensure frictionless trade at the border. The comment drew scorn from scientist and broadcaster Brian Cox, who tweeted: How could it possibly come as a surprise to Dominic Raab that our most important trade gateway is that which is closest geographically to our most important market? Nicky Morgan, the former Conservative cabinet minister who advocates a soft Brexit, tweeted simply: Gulp #enoughsaid. A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Show all 65 1 /65 A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit An estimated 700,000 people marched through London to demand a final say on the withdrawal agreement Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Red smoke from a canister hangs in the air as around 100,000 demonstrators march through London during a People's Vote anti-brexit demonstration savings banners and placards Anti-Brexit People's Vote March for the Future in London Rex A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Mayor of London Sadiq Khan takes part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 Protesters wearing final Say shirts and holding placards Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit MP Chuka Umunna (left) and MP Vince Cable (right) as MP Anna Soubry (centre) addresses Anti-Brexit campaigners at a rally after the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A Peoples Vote march attendee calls for a Final Say Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators with banners 'We're with EU' during the People's Vote March for the Future in London, Britain, 20 October 2018. Reports state that the 'March for the Future' is to be led by a column of young people and call for a Peopleas Vote on the Brexit deal. After marching through central London, there will be a rally on stage in Parliament Square, including speeches from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. EPA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Protesters at Londons march for the future in October The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Editor of The Independent Christian Broughton speaks to demonstrators in Parliament Sqaure after they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A poster at the March for the Future in October The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators hold placards as they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 campaigner wrapped in EU flag Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators pass Trafalgar Square as they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators wave Union and European flags and hold up placards as they pass Trafalgar Square, taking part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators hold placards as they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A demonstrator holds a message during a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators take part in the 'People's Vote March for the Future,' in central London, Britain, 20 October 2018. Reports state that the 'March for the Future' is to be led by a column of young people and call for a Peopleas Vote on the Brexit deal. After marching through central London, there will be a rally on stage in Parliament Square, including speeches from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan EPA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A protester brandishes an Independent t-shirt during the Brexit March Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Tens of thousands of people take part in People's Vote March for the Future in central London. The march organised by the People's Vote campaign is led by young people calling for a People's Vote on the Brexit deal Rex A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum PA And Jo Stevens, a Labour supporter of the anti-Brexit Best for Britain group, said: These comments are shocking. We finally have an admission of what weve known all along that the Brexiteers hadnt really thought through any of the impacts of leaving the EU. British jobs, supplies and services rely on key border crossings like the Dover strait and the fact that the Brexit Secretary is only just realising this is a serious cause for concern. The gaffe comes after Mr Raab was forced to backtrack on a claim that the Brexit agreement would be in place by 21 November. In the speech on Wednesday evening, Mr Raab also dismissed the risk of major shortages if the UK failed to preserve frictionless trade with the EU. But he said: I think probably the average consumer might not be aware of the full extent to which the choice of goods that we have in the stores are dependent on one or two very specific trade routes. Meanwhile, Dominic Grieve protested at hints that MPs will be denied an analysis of the economic impact of Ms Mays deal in comparison with EU membership. The former Conservative attorney general wrote to the cabinet secretary after a leaked government plan proposed setting out what it means for the public, comparing it to no deal, but not to our current deal. Mr Grieve wrote: It is of concern that the Cabinet Office seems to be under instruction to keep from the public and from parliament any ability to make a comparison between the deal and the arrangements we already have inside the European Union. It is of the utmost importance that parliament and the public can compare any arrangement the prime minister agrees, against the benefits of European Union membership and make clear the impact that the deal proposed would have on every single area of the economy, public services, finances, security and opportunity. Liam Fox has become the first cabinet minister to openly challenge Theresa Mays Brexit plan by insisting the UK must be able to decide alone when it can break free of the Irish border backstop. The judgement should be made by the sovereign British government, the international trade secretary said two days after the cabinet was asked to back a joint review mechanism with the EU. Significantly, Dr Fox missed that meeting, because he was on a trade trip to China, so missed the opportunity to give his views to the prime minister. On his return, asked if a mutually agreed withdrawal was acceptable, he suggested it would fail to deliver the instruction from our voters given by the referendum. That decision cant be subcontracted to somebody else - that needs to be an issue for a sovereign British government to be able to determine, he insisted. At stake is the fear of pro-Brexit Tories that the UK risks being locked indefinitely into the EU customs union unable to sign its own trade deals unless it can end the backstop unilaterally. But Ms May has warned the cabinet that the demand must be dropped if the UK wants to secure an agreement with the EU within the next few weeks. The backstop would keep the UK in the customs territory, after the transition period ends in December 2020, until an alternative solution is found to avoid Irish border checks something dependent on unproven technology. Dr Fox also insisted the cabinet must be given the fullest possible information before being asked to back the prime ministers reworked plan, at a meeting now put back until next Tuesday. A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Show all 65 1 /65 A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit An estimated 700,000 people marched through London to demand a final say on the withdrawal agreement Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Red smoke from a canister hangs in the air as around 100,000 demonstrators march through London during a People's Vote anti-brexit demonstration savings banners and placards Anti-Brexit People's Vote March for the Future in London Rex A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Mayor of London Sadiq Khan takes part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 Protesters wearing final Say shirts and holding placards Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit MP Chuka Umunna (left) and MP Vince Cable (right) as MP Anna Soubry (centre) addresses Anti-Brexit campaigners at a rally after the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A Peoples Vote march attendee calls for a Final Say Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators with banners 'We're with EU' during the People's Vote March for the Future in London, Britain, 20 October 2018. Reports state that the 'March for the Future' is to be led by a column of young people and call for a Peopleas Vote on the Brexit deal. After marching through central London, there will be a rally on stage in Parliament Square, including speeches from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. EPA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Protesters at Londons march for the future in October The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Editor of The Independent Christian Broughton speaks to demonstrators in Parliament Sqaure after they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A poster at the March for the Future in October The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators hold placards as they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 campaigner wrapped in EU flag Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators pass Trafalgar Square as they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators wave Union and European flags and hold up placards as they pass Trafalgar Square, taking part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators hold placards as they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A demonstrator holds a message during a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators take part in the 'People's Vote March for the Future,' in central London, Britain, 20 October 2018. Reports state that the 'March for the Future' is to be led by a column of young people and call for a Peopleas Vote on the Brexit deal. After marching through central London, there will be a rally on stage in Parliament Square, including speeches from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan EPA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A protester brandishes an Independent t-shirt during the Brexit March Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Tens of thousands of people take part in People's Vote March for the Future in central London. The march organised by the People's Vote campaign is led by young people calling for a People's Vote on the Brexit deal Rex A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum PA Many other cabinet ministers are demanding to see full legal advice on the power to be conceded over ending the backstop, after Ms may indicated only a legal summary would be made available. Meanwhile, in France, Jeremy Hunt played down the prospect of an imminent deal on Brexit, without which there is little chance of an emergency summit this month, to sign it off. Seven days is probably pushing it, but I am optimistic that there will be a Brexit deal but I wouldn't want to be drawn on a specific timescale, he told an audience at the British embassy in Paris. EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier warned Wednesday that more work is needed in the talks, attempting to calm the speculation. Mr Hunt faced suggestions that Britain is trying to withdraw from the EU, while retaining its trading advantages, but insisted the government was not trying to have our cake and eat it. Brexit will be discussed between Ms May and Emmanuel Macron, the French president, on Friday, when they meet in northern France for a ceremony to mark the end of World War I. Dr Fox insisted he would not accept a Brexit unless no part of the United Kingdom is treated differently and that the cabinet must see the full legal advice. It is really important that we feel we have the fullest possible information on which to make a decision that will have profound consequences for the future of our country, he said. Brussels has released data showing it expects Britain to have the weakest growth in the EU over the next two years, heaping pressure on Theresa May as she seeks their agreement for a Brexit deal. European Commission officials warned that the UKs economy will slump even if Brexit is smooth, while a disordered withdrawal would pull the countrys forecasts down even more severely. The move to highlight the dire consequences of a messy Brexit come just as British negotiators try to convince their counterparts in Brussels that they are ready to strike both a withdrawal deal and come to an agreement on a future relationship. But the prime minister is also now under intense pressure from her own ministers ahead of a crunch cabinet expected on Monday and her DUP partners in government not to concede too much in negotiations. With talks both in London and Brussels reaching the critical moment, one EU commissioner suggested a deal was unlikely to be signed off by the blocs leaders until December, leaving little time for it to be approved before Christmas by the House of Commons. In its autumn projections the commission estimated that UK growth this year will come in at just 1.3 per cent, down from 1.7 per cent in 2017. It expects growth in 2019, the year in which Britain is due to leave the EU, to slump to 1.2 per cent, with the same again in 2020. No country in the EU except Italy, in a standoff with Brussels over its finances, is projected to have weaker growth in 2019 but in 2020 the UKs projected performance is the worst of the blocs current 28 states. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The UK forecasts are also worse than those made by the Office for Budget Responsibility, which in last weeks Budget projected growth in 2019 of 1.6 per cent, followed by 1.4 per cent in 2020. The commission also stressed that its downbeat outlook was based on a benign scenario of UK trade with the rest of the European Union continuing uninterrupted. It said consumer confidence surveys suggested weak spending by households, adding that Brexit uncertainty was likely to keep business investment subdued. It expects net trade to continue to drag on UK growth and sees the UK unemployment rate rising to 4.7 per cent by 2020, up from 4 per cent today. The commission also projected eurozone growth to slow between 2018 and 2020, due to rising global uncertainty, Donald Trumps trade wars and higher international oil prices. A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Show all 65 1 /65 A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit An estimated 700,000 people marched through London to demand a final say on the withdrawal agreement Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Red smoke from a canister hangs in the air as around 100,000 demonstrators march through London during a People's Vote anti-brexit demonstration savings banners and placards Anti-Brexit People's Vote March for the Future in London Rex A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Mayor of London Sadiq Khan takes part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 Protesters wearing final Say shirts and holding placards Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit MP Chuka Umunna (left) and MP Vince Cable (right) as MP Anna Soubry (centre) addresses Anti-Brexit campaigners at a rally after the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A Peoples Vote march attendee calls for a Final Say Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators with banners 'We're with EU' during the People's Vote March for the Future in London, Britain, 20 October 2018. Reports state that the 'March for the Future' is to be led by a column of young people and call for a Peopleas Vote on the Brexit deal. After marching through central London, there will be a rally on stage in Parliament Square, including speeches from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. EPA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Protesters at Londons march for the future in October The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Editor of The Independent Christian Broughton speaks to demonstrators in Parliament Sqaure after they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A poster at the March for the Future in October The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators hold placards as they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 campaigner wrapped in EU flag Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Angela Christofilou/The Independent A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Final Say campaigners take part in the peoples vote march for the future in London 20/10/2018 Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators pass Trafalgar Square as they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators wave Union and European flags and hold up placards as they pass Trafalgar Square, taking part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators hold placards as they take part in a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A demonstrator holds a message during a march calling for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal, in central London on October 20, 2018. - Britons dreading life outside Europe gathered from all corners of the UK to London on Saturday to try to stop their country's looming breakup with the EU. AFP/Getty A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum. PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Demonstrators take part in the 'People's Vote March for the Future,' in central London, Britain, 20 October 2018. Reports state that the 'March for the Future' is to be led by a column of young people and call for a Peopleas Vote on the Brexit deal. After marching through central London, there will be a rally on stage in Parliament Square, including speeches from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan EPA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit A protester brandishes an Independent t-shirt during the Brexit March Angela Christofilou A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum PA A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Tens of thousands of people take part in People's Vote March for the Future in central London. The march organised by the People's Vote campaign is led by young people calling for a People's Vote on the Brexit deal Rex A historic moment: thousands march to demand Final Say on Brexit Anti-Brexit campaigners take part in the People's Vote March for the Future in London, a march and rally in support of a second EU referendum PA But the implication for Brexit and what will happen if it is disordered was clear, with a separate official EU document previewing a council meeting on Monday stating that parts of the withdrawal agreement still require further negotiation, particularly to avoid a hard border in Ireland. Negotiators have been deadlocked over what happens to the Irish border if a new trading relationship has not yet been agreed by the UK and EU by the end of the transition period in December 2020. That decision cant be subcontracted to somebody else that needs to be an issue for a sovereign British government to be able to determine Dr Liam Fox, international trade secretary Under these circumstances Brussels wants at least Northern Ireland to remain in the EUs customs union until a trade deal is set in stone, in order to keep the border with the republic open, but Ms May wants a solution where the whole UK remains in a customs arrangement for a time-limited period. Tory Brexiteers are demanding that Britain must be able to leave this proposed backstop arrangement unilaterally, but Ms May has argued that this could leave the UKs decision open to challenge in the courts and is instead attempting to convince cabinet Eurosceptics that the only legally viable approach is a specially constructed review mechanism, built into the backstop, that would allow Britain to leave it in a joint decision with the EU. But it is far from clear whether Ms Mays own cabinet ministers are convinced. When international trade secretary Liam Fox was asked on Thursday if a mutually agreed withdrawal from the backstop was acceptable, he suggested it would fail to deliver the instruction from our voters given by the referendum. That decision cant be subcontracted to somebody else that needs to be an issue for a sovereign British government to be able to determine, he insisted. Cabinet members have demanded to see the legal advice the government has received on the mechanism, with one source telling The Independent ministers want to be sure there are no other credible options from a legal point of view. Former Brexit Secretary David Davis: there will be 'some hiccups' in coming year if Britain fails to reach deal with EU The cabinet insider said: The legal advice still hasnt been provided. There is sense that ministers have been given a verbal brief, but they want to see it written on paper. Verbal briefs have been known to change. Another cabinet level source said: We need to be able to see in black and white that there is no other way. If it turns out that there is, and what the PM has been saying is a political, not a legal, argument, then there might well be a disagreement on Monday. Ms May will also have to convince her Northern Irish partners in government that the review mechanism and the backstop more generally meets their requirements. But DUP MP Sammy Wilson poured cold water on it on Thursday, telling The Independent: The review mechanism is not something which shes going to get past her party let alone ourselves. It leaves the final decision partly in the hands of the EU and that is never something that will be to the advantage of the UK. The EU will always find reasons and excuses to maintain the continuous backstop, the idea of the mechanism in itself is an excuse to keep us in the backstop indefinitely thats the reason that the full legal advice has been sought by ministers and ourselves. Branding the way the negotiations have been handled as incompetent, he added: [The PM] seems to think that the deal that she has to strike is a deal with the EU without realising she has got to bring her own party along. Its totally blinkered to the domestic difficulties, it doesnt deliver on the premises that she has set out, which requires a totally different mindset. Close Thousand Oaks Shooting: victims recall being inside venue during gunfire Details are emerging of the identities of victims after at least 12 people were killed and around a dozen more injured in a mass shooting at a bar in Thousand Oaks, California. The shooting began late Wednesday night in the Borderline Bar & Grill, sending people diving under pool tables and other furniture for cover. Witnesses and victims said that stools were thrown through windows to enable bar patrons to get away from the hail of bullets. A college country music night was underway when the gunman - dressed in black - shot a security guard who was standing outside the bar before entering. Witnesses suggested a smoke grenade may have been thrown. Officials identified Ian David Long, of nearby Newbury Park, California, as the suspected shooter. Long was killed at the bar, and police said he carried out the massacre with a legal .45-calibre handgun that he had fitted with an extended magazine illegal in California. He had apparently shot himself. Police first began identifying victims of the Thousand Oaks attack less than 12 hours after the gunmans last shot rang out, including Sergeant Ron Helus, a 29-year veteran of the Ventura County Sheriffs Office. In a press conference on Thursday, Mr Dean praised the work of his office including the sacrifice from Mr Helus for working fast in response to the shooting at the packed college night bar. At least five off-duty law enforcement officers helped to protect people. (EPA) Cody Coffman, 22, was also killed, according to his father Jason. Mr Coffman broke down as he told reporters how his last words to his son as he went out that night were not to drink and drive and that he loved him. He added: Oh Cody, I love you son. The family of 23-year-old Justin Meek said he was also killed, according to California Lutheran University President Chris Kimball, who said in a statement that Mr Meek heroically saved lives. Another victim, Alaina Housley was just 18, and was a promising student at Pepperdine University with plans to study law, her family said. Other victims include Noel Sparks who was a youth camp leader and Moorpark College student. The death was announced by United Methodist Church Westlake Village. "It is with heavy hearts that we notify you that Noel Sparks was among the victims of last night's shooting. We grieve with Tony Sparks and Wendy Anderson," the church said in a statement. Thousand Oaks shooting: in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Thousand Oaks shooting: in pictures Thousand Oaks shooting: in pictures Emergency services attend the scene AP Thousand Oaks shooting: in pictures People walk away from the scene EPA Thousand Oaks shooting: in pictures Emergency service vehicles flood the scene Reuters Thousand Oaks shooting: in pictures Police officers secure the road EPA Thousand Oaks shooting: in pictures Police block an intersection by the scene of the shooting AP Thousand Oaks shooting: in pictures A woman hugs with her father at the scene EPA Thousand Oaks shooting: in pictures Survivors are interviewed at the scene EPA Thousand Oaks shooting: in pictures Police officers interview people at the scene AFP/Getty Thousand Oaks shooting: in pictures People wait near the scene of the shooting AP Thousand Oaks shooting: in pictures People walk away from the scene of the shooting AP Daniel Manrique, 33, was a Marine veteran and focused on helping other veterans adjust to civilian life, according to friends. I have no doubt that he died a hero, shielding others from gunshots. He will forever be our hero, son, brother, and the best uncle anybody could ever ask for, Gladys Manrique Kosack, a family member said. Telemachus Orfanos was identified by his mother who said the he had survived the mass shooting in Las Vegas last year. Jake Dunham and Blake Dingman, both 21, were identified by local Los Angeles outlet ABC7. Sean Adler, a bouncer at the bar and former wrestling coach at Simi Valley High School, perished in the California shooting and was remembered by the local wrestling community. Follow how events unfolded in our live blog below: Please allow a moment for the live blog to load Twelve people have been killed and around a dozen more injured after a gunman opened fire in a packed bar hosting an event for students in southern California. The suspect entered the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, 40 miles northwest of Los Angeles, at 11.20pm local time and started firing into a crowd of around 200 people. A sheriff's sergeant responding to reports of the shooting died after being "struck multiple times with gunfire", Ventura County sheriff Geoff Dean said. :: Follow live updates from the Thousand Oaks shooting :: The 29-year-old suspect, described as dressed all in black with a mask covering his face, died inside the bar. His death took the total number of fatalities to 13. "It is a horrific scene in there, there is blood everywhere, and the suspect is part of that," Mr Dean said. The sheriff added that around 10 other people were shot and injured and an additional 10-12 were walking wounded. No other information on the victims was immediately known. "We don't know who shot anybody at this point," Mr Dean said, adding that the suspect was yet to be identified. Authorities do not yet know how the gunman, who was armed with a .45-caliber handgun, died, or what his motive might have been. Witnesses said the suspect shot a security guard standing at the door of the bar before entering the building and throwing "smoke grenades all over the place". He then fired into the crowd, apparently at random. A female cashier was said to be among the victims. Thousand Oaks shooting: in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Thousand Oaks shooting: in pictures Thousand Oaks shooting: in pictures Emergency services attend the scene AP Thousand Oaks shooting: in pictures People walk away from the scene EPA Thousand Oaks shooting: in pictures Emergency service vehicles flood the scene Reuters Thousand Oaks shooting: in pictures Police officers secure the road EPA Thousand Oaks shooting: in pictures Police block an intersection by the scene of the shooting AP Thousand Oaks shooting: in pictures A woman hugs with her father at the scene EPA Thousand Oaks shooting: in pictures Survivors are interviewed at the scene EPA Thousand Oaks shooting: in pictures Police officers interview people at the scene AFP/Getty Thousand Oaks shooting: in pictures People wait near the scene of the shooting AP Thousand Oaks shooting: in pictures People walk away from the scene of the shooting AP At least 30 shots were fired before people inside the bar began using chairs to smash windows to escape, the witness said. Police were at the scene three minutes after the first 911 call was made. Teylor Whittler is hugged by her father after she fled the Borderline Bar (EPA) Donald Trump said he had been "fully briefed on the terrible shooting" and praised law enforcement, saying "great bravery" had been shown by the police. Sergeant Ron Helus, the police officer killed outside the bar, had a wife and son and was due to retire within the next 12 months after 29 years service. "Ron was a hardworking, dedicated sheriff's sergeant who was totally committed," Mr Dean said, "and tonight, as I told his wife, he died a hero because he went in to save lives." Teylor Whittler, 19, was on the dance floor when the shooting started. She said: "I heard the gunshot, turned around and saw him shoot a couple more times. "Within a split second everyone yelled get down. I ran to where the back door is, and everyone dog-piled on top of each other. It was silent for a couple of seconds and then all of a sudden a couple of guys started running to the back door and said get up hes coming. "It was a huge panic, everyone tried getting up, and some guy came behind me, lifted me up and said lets go. I got a bar stool thrown at my head because they were trying to use it to get out. Father takes daughter away from Thousand Oaks shooting scene Nick Steinwender, student body president at nearby California Lutheran University, rushed to the scene when he heard about a shooting at the bar where he knew friends and fellow students were inside. "It was chaos, people jumping out of windows, people hopping over gates to get out," he told KABC-TV. The White House has suspended the press pass of Jim Acosta, the CNN reporter embroiled in an argument with Donald Trump during Wednesdays post-midterms press conference, until further notice. Mr Acosta had placed his hands on a female aide trying to retrieve a microphone at the request of the president as the pair clashed over Mr Acostas repeated questioning, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders claimed in a statement posted to Twitter. The CNN reporter tweeted in response: This is a lie. Ms Sanders said: President Trump believes in a free press and expects and welcomes tough questions of him and his Administration. We will, however, never tolerate a reporter placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern. This conduct is absolutely unacceptable. It is also completely disrespectful to the reporters colleagues not to allow them an opportunity to ask a question. President Trump has given the press more access than any president in history. Contrary to CNNs assertions there is no greater demonstration of the presidents support for a free press than the event he held today. Only they would attack the president for not supporting a free press in the midst of him taking 68 questions from 35 different reporters over the course of 1.5 hours including several from the reporter in question. The fact that CNN is proud of the way their employee behaved is not only disgusting, its an example of their outrageous disregard for everyone, including young women, who work in this administration. As a result of todays incident, the White House is suspending the hard pass of the reporter involved until further notice. Video of the incident posted by CNN showed Mr Acosta attempting to retain the microphone while questioning Mr Trump on his immigration rhetoric and Robert Muellers investigation into alleged collusion with Russia. As the female aide tries to take it from him he can be seen to briefly block her arm with one hand. Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference Show all 10 1 /10 Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference Donald Trump launched an extraordinary tirade against CNN reporter Jim Acosta during a press conference following the midterm elections Reuters Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference The US president ordered the journalist to put down his microphone and just sit down AFP Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference The row began following a question about the migrant caravan approaching the US, when Mr Trump was asked by CNNs Jim Acosta if he thought he had demonised migrants by calling the group an invasion EPA Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference I think you should let me run the country, you run CNN, and if you did it well, your ratings would be much better, said the President AFP/Getty Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference After Mr Acosta attempted to follow up his question with a second on Robert Muellers Russia probe, Mr Trump added, pointing angrily: Thats enough. Thats enough. Thats enough. Excuse me, thats enough. Mr Trump said he was not concerned about anything because the investigation was a hoax. Continuing to berate Mr Acosta, he added: Thats enough. Put down the mic. As the reporter continued to quiz him, Mr Trump became more agitated and stepped away from the podium. EPA Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference Returning to the podium, Mr Trump said: Ill tell you what, CNN should be ashamed of itself having you working for them. You are a rude, terrible person. You shouldnt be working for CNN REUTERS Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference Trump continued: 'The way you treat Sarah Huckabee is horrible and the way you treat other people are horrible. You shouldnt treat people that way. She was sitting in the room listening on REUTERS Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference A second reporter, Peter Alexander, was called on by the president and said: In Jims defence Ive travelled with him a lot, hes a diligent reporter. EPA Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference Mr Trump cut him off, telling the NBC News journalist that Im not a big fan of yours either, prompting laughter in the room AP Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference Mr Acosta continued to try to ask questions without his microphone, causing Mr Trump to tell him: Just sit down, please. When you report fake news no when you report fake news, which CNN does, a lot, you are the enemy of the people. REUTERS Mr Trump has long feuded with CNN and accused it of peddling fake news the channel is one of his favoured punching bags. During the ill-tempered press conference on Wednesday he singled out Mr Acosta as rude. He has also threatened to revoke the broadcast licences of outlets whose content he dislikes, and stoked anger against journalists by denouncing them as the enemy of the people. Speaking on CNN to colleague Anderson Cooper, Mr Acosta said: I was just trying to ask a question of the president. It was obviously a question they didnt like. I do think this is a test for all of us. I do think theyre trying to shut us down. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events In a statement, CNN said the revocation of Mr Acostas credentials was done in retaliation for his challenging questions at todays press conference. The company said Ms Huckabee Sanders had provided fraudulent accusations and cited an incident that never happened. It added: This unprecedented decision is a threat to our democracy and the country deserves better. Jim Acosta has our full support. A former US representative from Texas was sentenced to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay about $1m (872,425) in restitution after being convicted of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars meant for charity and using it to pay for personal expenses and his political campaigns. A federal jury found the former congressman, Steve Stockman, 61, guilty on 23 counts including money laundering, conspiracy and making false statements in April, after prosecutors alleged that he had orchestrated a years-long scheme to defraud charitable donors. Two of Stockmans former aides also pleaded guilty last year to multiple counts connected to the case. Recommended First congressman to back Trump indicted on insider trading charges At trial, the government proved to the jury that former Congressman Stockman ran his campaign and fraudulent charities to simply enrich himself and defrauded well-meaning donors, Ryan K Patrick, US attorney for the Southern District of Texas, said in a statement. This type of corruption by public officials gives our entire democratic system a black eye. Marlo P Cadeddu, a lawyer for Stockman, said that the government had asked for a 210-month sentence, so this is better than it could have been and were gratified by that. She added that in the coming weeks, her team plans to appeal Stockmans conviction to the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals. Stockman, a Republican, served one term in the mid-1990s and another from 2013 to 2015. He also ran unsuccessfully for US Senate in 2014. Throughout his latter days in politics, Stockman stood out for being intensely anti-Obama. In 2014, he walked out of Obamas State of the Union address in protest. He also sold Obama barf bags as a campaign fundraiser. US Midterms 2018: Four things we learned At trial, prosecutors alleged from May 2010 to February 2014, Stockman and his aides solicited about $1.25 million in charitable donations based on false pretences, then used a series of sham non-profit organisations and dozens of bank accounts to launder the money, a Justice Department statement said. Specifically, prosecutors alleged that in 2010, Stockman and one of his aides solicited an elderly donor for $285,000, which the pair said would be used for legitimate charitable and educational purposes. Instead, they used a sham charity to funnel the money such that it could be used for a variety of personal expenses. In the years that followed, prosecutors said Stockman and the aide received an additional $165,000 in charitable donations from the donor, much of which Stockman used illegally to finance his 2012 congressional campaign. Such behaviour continued after Stockman took office in 2013, according the Justice Department. He and the aide used the name of another sham non-profit entity Life Without Limits to solicit a $350,000 charitable donation, which he said would be used to create an educational centre called the Freedom House. Instead the money went to a variety of personal and campaign expenses, prosecutors said. Prosecutors also showed at trial Stockman did not pay taxes on the fraudulently acquired donations. At one point, Stockman even directed one of his aides to flee to Cairo so the aide could not be questioned by law enforcement agencies, the Justice Department said. Recounting the sentencing from inside the courtroom, Courthouse News Service reported that Judge Lee Rosenthal of US District Court admonished Stockman, saying he had shown a willingness to exploit others and ruin their lives. And after handing down Stockmans 120-month sentence, she reportedly quipped: Thats a long time, but Mr. Stockman, I think you earned it. The Washington Post Thousands of people have signed a petition calling for a group of teachers who dressed up as Donald Trump's border wall for Halloween to be sacked, while thousands more have signed a petition calling for their reinstatement. In total, 14 members of staff at Idaho's Middleton Heights Elementary School were placed on paid administrative leave, after the photos of their costumes were posted on the school district's Facebook page. One group of six were dressed as the border wall, with Mr Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan written across it. Others wore patriotic outfits, decorated with US flags. The images have since been taken down, after they caused outcry online. A second group of staff were photographed in stereotypical Mexican costumes. The school district is investigating the events behind the photos and several parents have been upset by the images. Middleton School District Superintendent Dr Josh Middleton said that he was "deeply troubled by the decision" and that the photos were "clearly insensitive and inappropriate". Over 16,000 people have also signed a petition in support of the Middleton teachers, staff and head teacher. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events "Unfortunately, the photos were very controversial," a post introducing the petition begins. "However, we believe its been blown out of proportion, as this was a team building exercise done after school with no students present or involved." A rival petition supporting an effort to "provide awareness and consciousness of systemic racism" at the school has gained over 12,000 signatures. "The gross display of dehumanisation of Latino children and the outrageous harm caused by trusted adults that they learn from and look up to cannot be ignored and swept under the rug with a simple apology," the petition declares. A Republican judge released nearly every juvenile defendant who appeared before him the morning after he lost his re-election campaign in the US midterms. Glenn Devlin reportedly said it was what the voters wanted to justify his actions. After asking the offenders if they planned on killing anyone, when they responded with a negative, he is said to have let them go. The juvenile court judge in Harris County, Texas, sparked concern among criminal justice advocates about his decision making. In court, state prosecutors raised concerns over the releases of the juveniles, who were accused of everything from misdemeanours to violent crimes, The Houston Chronicle reported. "We oppose the wholesale release of violent offenders at any age. This could endanger the public, Harris County district attorney Kim Ogg said in a statement. Prosecutors said at least seven young offenders were released, including four facing aggravated robbery charges. Public defender Steven Halpert said he saw only one kept in detention. "He was releasing everybody," Mr Halpert told the newspaper. "Apparently he was saying that's what the voters wanted." US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Show all 20 1 /20 US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democratic candidate Ilhan Omar is celebrates with her husband's mother after she won a congress place, becoming the first Muslim woman to be elected into congress alongside Rashida Tlaib Reuters US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democratic House candidate, from Kansas, Sharice Davids (left) and her mom Crystal celebrate after she won. Davids is the first lesbian Native American Congresswoman by beating Republican incumbent Kevin Yoder. Davids is one of several first-time female candidates that helped the Democratic Party takeover in the House of Representatives EPA US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Republican Marsha Blackburn celebrates after winning the race for senate in Tennessee. In doing so she became that states first female senator AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Democratic House candidate Sharice Davids cheer and cry after learning she won EPA US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Ayanna Pressley beaome Massachusetts first black congresswoman by defeating 10-term Republican Michael Capuano AFP/Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Republican candidate Young Kim has become the first Korean-American woman elected to Congress AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democrat Jared Polis won his seat and became the USs first ever openly gay governor AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Jean Kasselman (left) and Teresa Booker, supporters of Democratic candidate for Kansas' 3rd Congressional District Sharice Davids, react to election results Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Republican Kristi Noem hugs a supporter after being announced as the new governor of South Dakota. Noem made history by being the first female governor of the state AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Gabierla Martinez and Cesar Delgado cheer on Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jared Polis REUTERS US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the youngest women ever elected to Congress, representing New Yorks 14th congressional district AFP/Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democratic congressional candidate Rashida Tlaib celebrates with family and friends at her midterm election night party in Detroit after won and also became the nations first Muslim woman to congress alongside Ilhan Omar who was also elected Reuters US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Democratic candidate for Kansas' 3rd Congressional District Sharice Davids react to election results Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Already having become the first Native American woman to chair a state political party, Deb Haaland has now become the joint-first Native American woman to be elected to congress, alongside Sharice Davids Reuters US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez cheer during her election night party in the Queens Borough AFP/Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Young Kim hugs her son Alvin after she won a seat in congress AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez cheer AFP/Getty Images US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Asma Mohammed and Ashley Fairbanks celebrate as results come in at Democratic congressional candidate Ilhan Omar's election night headquarters AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democrat Deb Haaland hugs a voter REUTERS US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Democratic House candidate from Kansas Sharice Davids cheer and cry after learning she won her race EPA The releases came despite Mr Devlins reputation for favouring incarceration. By law, youths waiting for their cases to be decided are entitled to hearings every 10 working days to decide whether they should continue their detention or be released under supervision. Mr Devlin would sometimes release juveniles charged with aggravated robbery, Mr Halpert said, but nobody has seen this before. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Elizabeth Henneke, of Lone Star Justice Alliance, which works to get young offenders into treatment programmes, branded Mr Halperts decisions disappointing and shocking. "Judge Devlin appears to be abdicating the basic responsibility of any sitting juvenile judge," she said. "I'm not sure that I can wrap my arms around what he's actually doing," said the countys chief public defender, Alex Bunin. "It's a huge change and the only thing that has happened is that he was not elected so I don't know what to attribute it to other than that." Harris County District Courts and Mr Devlin have been contacted for comment. Healthcare providers and parents should discuss key aspects of healthy relationship, including respect, communication and value of health. Obstetrician-gynecologists, in particular, should screen their patients routinely for intimate partner violence and sexual coercion and be prepared to discuss it. (Photo: Pixabay) Healthcare providers and parents should begin talking to adolescents in middle school about healthy romantic and sexual relationships and mutual respect for others, a doctors group urges. Obstetrician-gynecologists, in particular, should screen their patients routinely for intimate partner violence and sexual coercion and be prepared to discuss it, the Committee on Adolescent Health Care of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advises. Our aim is to give the healthcare provider a guide on how to approach adolescents and educate them on the importance of relationships that promote their overall wellbeing, said Dr. Oluyemisi Adeyemi-Fowode of Texas Childrens Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, who co-authored the committees opinion statement and resource for doctors published in Obstetrics & Gynecology. We want to recognize the full spectrum of relationships and that not all adolescents are involved in sexual relationships, she said in an email. This acknowledges the sexual and non-sexual aspects of relationships. Adeyemi-Fowode and her coauthor Dr. Karen Gerancher of Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, suggest creating a nonjudgmental environment for teens to talk and recommend educating staff about unique concerns that adolescents may have as compared to adult patients. Parents and caregivers should be provided with resources, too, they write. As individuals, our days include constant interaction with other people, Adeyemi-Fowode told Reuters Health. Learning how to effectively communicate is essential to these exchanges, and it is a skill that we begin to develop very early in life. In middle school, when self-discovery develops, parents, mentors and healthcare providers can help adolescents build on these communication skills. As they spend more time on social networking sites and other electronic media, teens could use guidance on how to recognize relationships that positively encourage them and relationships that hurt them emotionally or physically. Primarily, healthcare providers and parents should discuss key aspects of a healthy relationship, including respect, communication and the value of peoples bodies and personal health. Equality, honesty, physical safety, independence and humor are also good qualities in a positive relationship. As doctors interact with teens, they should also be aware of how social norms, religion and family influence could play a role in their relationships. Although the primary focus of counseling should help teens define a healthy relationship, its important to discuss unhealthy characteristics, too, the authors write. This includes control, disrespect, intimidation, dishonesty, dependence, hostility and abuse. They cite a 2017 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study of young women in high school that found about 11 percent had been forced to engage in sexual activities they didnt want, including kissing, touching and sexual intercourse. About 9 percent said they were physically hurt by someone they were dating. For obstetrician-gynecologists, the initial reproductive health visit recommended for girls at ages 13-15 could be a good time to begin talking about romantic and sexual health concerns, the authors write. They also offer doctors a list of questions that may be helpful for these conversations, including How do you feel about relationships in general or about your own sexuality? and What qualities are important to someone you would date or go out with? Health providers can provide confidentiality for teens but also talk with parents about their kids relationships. The committee opinion suggests that doctors encourage parents to model good relationships, discuss sex and sexual risk, and monitor media to reduce exposure to highly sexualized content. Without intentionally talking to them about respectful, equitable relationships, were leaving them to fend for themselves, said Dr. Elizabeth Miller, chief of adolescent and young adult medicine at Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, who wasnt involved in the opinion statement. Miller recommends FuturesWithoutViolence.org, a website that offers resources on dating violence, workplace harassment, domestic violence and childhood trauma. She and colleagues distribute the organization's "Hanging Out or Hooking Up?" safety card (bit.ly/2PQfxEM), which offers tips to recognize and address adolescent relationship abuse, to patients and parents, Miller said. More than 20 years of research shows the impact of abusive relationships on young peoples health, Miller said in a phone interview. Unintended pregnancies, sexually-transmitted infections, HIV, depression, anxiety, suicide, disordered eating and substance abuse can stem from this. Donald Trump has dismissed the potential for impeachment proceedings against him and Mike Pence in an ill-tempered press conference the day after the midterm elections. The president referred to those who have called for his impeachment as sick, suggesting members of the Democratic Party supported ousting him and his vice president, as well as new Supreme Court judge Brett Kavanaugh. The press conference arrived shortly after Democrats regained control of the US House of Representatives, seemingly causing Mr Trump to defend his own influence on an election he hoped would serve as a positive referendum on his presidency. He said he had not discussed potential impeachment proceedings when speaking with Nancy Pelosi this week, before rhetorically asking reporters, What do you do? Do you impeach somebody because they created the greatest economic success in the history of our country? Recommended Trump attacks CNN reporter in angry White House press conference No, but lets impeach him anyway! he continued. I hate to say this, but after him, were going to impeach the vice president. Were going to impeach Mike Pence. Mike Pence doesnt get impeached for anything. Mr Trumps press conference was an immediate controversy, as the president engaged in a tense fight with CNNs Jim Acosta, smacked down reporter April Ryan, repeatedly suggested he could not understand foreign reporters due to their accents and refused to acknowledge the Republican Partys shortcomings with female voters on Tuesday. US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Show all 20 1 /20 US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democratic candidate Ilhan Omar is celebrates with her husband's mother after she won a congress place, becoming the first Muslim woman to be elected into congress alongside Rashida Tlaib Reuters US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democratic House candidate, from Kansas, Sharice Davids (left) and her mom Crystal celebrate after she won. Davids is the first lesbian Native American Congresswoman by beating Republican incumbent Kevin Yoder. Davids is one of several first-time female candidates that helped the Democratic Party takeover in the House of Representatives EPA US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Republican Marsha Blackburn celebrates after winning the race for senate in Tennessee. In doing so she became that states first female senator AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Democratic House candidate Sharice Davids cheer and cry after learning she won EPA US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Ayanna Pressley beaome Massachusetts first black congresswoman by defeating 10-term Republican Michael Capuano AFP/Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Republican candidate Young Kim has become the first Korean-American woman elected to Congress AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democrat Jared Polis won his seat and became the USs first ever openly gay governor AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Jean Kasselman (left) and Teresa Booker, supporters of Democratic candidate for Kansas' 3rd Congressional District Sharice Davids, react to election results Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Republican Kristi Noem hugs a supporter after being announced as the new governor of South Dakota. Noem made history by being the first female governor of the state AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Gabierla Martinez and Cesar Delgado cheer on Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jared Polis REUTERS US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the youngest women ever elected to Congress, representing New Yorks 14th congressional district AFP/Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democratic congressional candidate Rashida Tlaib celebrates with family and friends at her midterm election night party in Detroit after won and also became the nations first Muslim woman to congress alongside Ilhan Omar who was also elected Reuters US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Democratic candidate for Kansas' 3rd Congressional District Sharice Davids react to election results Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Already having become the first Native American woman to chair a state political party, Deb Haaland has now become the joint-first Native American woman to be elected to congress, alongside Sharice Davids Reuters US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez cheer during her election night party in the Queens Borough AFP/Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Young Kim hugs her son Alvin after she won a seat in congress AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez cheer AFP/Getty Images US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Asma Mohammed and Ashley Fairbanks celebrate as results come in at Democratic congressional candidate Ilhan Omar's election night headquarters AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democrat Deb Haaland hugs a voter REUTERS US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Democratic House candidate from Kansas Sharice Davids cheer and cry after learning she won her race EPA He went on to lambaste his opponents on several occasions, including during his response to Daily Mails Francesca Chambers, who asked about whether or not he had spoken about impeachment proceedings with Democratic leadership. These people are sick and you know what? They have to get their bearing. Really. They have to get their bearing, he added. And when you ask about division, theyre the ones that cause division, they cause tremendous division. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Meanwhile, Ms Pelosi, slated to become the next speaker of the House, has shied away from expressing support for the presidents impeachment. Shortly before her partys election victories, the House minority leader said she would not seek to immediately impeach Mr Trump if the Democrats regained control. I get criticized in my own party for not being in support of it, she said. But I'm not. If that happens, it would have to be bipartisan, and the evidence would have to be so conclusive. CNN journalist Jim Acosta has received messages of support from around the world after Donald Trump banned him from attending White House briefings. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders earlier claimed Mr Acosta had placed his hands on a female aide trying to retrieve a microphone at the request of the president as the pair clashed during a news conference. Footage of the incident shows Mr Acosta apparently brushing the womans arm as she reaches for the microphone and he tries to hold onto it. Pardon me, maam, he says. Journalists and press organisations disputed Ms Huckabee Sanders version of events and claimed the White House decision to ban the CNN correspondent was weak and misguided. The White House Correspondents Association (WHCA), a coalition of journalists stationed at the government building, said it strongly objects to the US administrations decision to use US secret service security credentials to punish a reporter with whom it has a difficult relationship. Journalists assigned to cover the White House must apply for passes to access press areas in the West Wing. White House staff then decide whether they are eligible, although it is the secret service that decides whether their applications are approved. The WHCA statement continued: Journalists may use a range of approaches to carry out their jobs and the WHCA does not police the tone or frequency of questions its members ask of powerful senior government officials, including the president. Such interactions, however uncomfortable they may appear to be, help define the strength of our national institutions. We urge the White House to immediately reverse this weak and misguided action. Reporters Without Borders, which campaigns for press freedom internationally, said in a Twitter post: @PressSec decision to revoke @CNN @Acosta White House credentials appears to be blatant retaliation against his attempts to question the president at a briefing this afternoon. (The White House) blames Acosta for an 'assault' against a (White House) intern, which video clearly shows never happened. The organisations were joined by PEN America, a group representing writers that strives to protect free expression, which said the decision to revoke Mr Acostas press pass was a clear attack on the first amendment. PEN America is already suing the US president over his decision to disinvite another CNN reporter from a White House press event after she asked President Trump questions about Vladimir Putin and Michael Cohen. Mr Trump has also threatened to revoke press passes from other White House correspondents in retaliation for the editorial decisions that reporter had made, according to the group. Responding to the White House revoking Mr Acostas pass, former White House Correspondent for CBS News Dan Rathe said: News the White House pulled Jim @Acostas credentials is not an attack on one journalist but all of the press. There should be complete solidarity. This is a moment for any Republican who says they believe in the constitution to stand up. Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference Show all 10 1 /10 Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference Donald Trump launched an extraordinary tirade against CNN reporter Jim Acosta during a press conference following the midterm elections Reuters Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference The US president ordered the journalist to put down his microphone and just sit down AFP Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference The row began following a question about the migrant caravan approaching the US, when Mr Trump was asked by CNNs Jim Acosta if he thought he had demonised migrants by calling the group an invasion EPA Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference I think you should let me run the country, you run CNN, and if you did it well, your ratings would be much better, said the President AFP/Getty Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference After Mr Acosta attempted to follow up his question with a second on Robert Muellers Russia probe, Mr Trump added, pointing angrily: Thats enough. Thats enough. Thats enough. Excuse me, thats enough. Mr Trump said he was not concerned about anything because the investigation was a hoax. Continuing to berate Mr Acosta, he added: Thats enough. Put down the mic. As the reporter continued to quiz him, Mr Trump became more agitated and stepped away from the podium. EPA Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference Returning to the podium, Mr Trump said: Ill tell you what, CNN should be ashamed of itself having you working for them. You are a rude, terrible person. You shouldnt be working for CNN REUTERS Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference Trump continued: 'The way you treat Sarah Huckabee is horrible and the way you treat other people are horrible. You shouldnt treat people that way. She was sitting in the room listening on REUTERS Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference A second reporter, Peter Alexander, was called on by the president and said: In Jims defence Ive travelled with him a lot, hes a diligent reporter. EPA Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference Mr Trump cut him off, telling the NBC News journalist that Im not a big fan of yours either, prompting laughter in the room AP Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference Mr Acosta continued to try to ask questions without his microphone, causing Mr Trump to tell him: Just sit down, please. When you report fake news no when you report fake news, which CNN does, a lot, you are the enemy of the people. REUTERS Conservative political commentator Ben Shapiro agreed with the decision to revoke Mr Acostas press pass, but said he did not lay hands on the intern. This is not what happened, he said in a Twitter post. "You could have banned him simply for refusing to abide by any of the normal rules of the press room. No need to state something happened that didnt. CNN said in statement: The White House announced tonight that it has revoked the press pass of CNNs Chief White House Correspondent Jim Acosta. It was done in retaliation for his challenging questions at todays press conference. In an explanation, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders lied. She provided fraudulent accusations and cited an incident that never happened. This unprecedented decision is a threat to our democracy and the country deserves better. Jim Acosta has our full support. With Democrats taking control of the US House, but Republicans tightening their grip on the Senate, the split congress means a new political reality that both parties will have to get used to. This could lead to a number of things. Impeachment proceedings could begin against President Donald Trump in the House, and his tax returns could be requested and viewed. And given the fact congress is more diverse after the midterms, there could be a push to change some of the presidents most divisive policies surrounding immigration. But how likely are each of these things to happen? Democrats may use control of the House to push for Trump to publish his tax returns Democrats needed to flip 23 House seats from the Republicans to take control of the House, eventually managing it even before results from traditionally Democrat-leaning California came in. There is some debate whether House Democrats will be able to ask for Mr Trumps tax returns, a point of contention throughout his campaign for president. It has become tradition for presidents to make their returns public, however Mr Trump has said repeatedly the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) was auditing him and he would have to wait until the audit was complete for the returns to be made public. Tax returns are rarely leaked because the penalty for it is a federal crime, punishable by up to five years in prison. This chart shows the Battle for US House of Representatives after the 2018 midterm elections (The Independent) That has yet to happen, and it is IRS policy not to discuss matters like that publicly. One set of returns, for 2005, was made public last year but it revealed little in terms of sources of income or ties with any Russian entities, on which critics have been seeking transparency. Theres ample justification for the Ways and Means Committee to go after Mr Trumps personal and business tax returns, Texas Democratic congressman Lloyd Doggett has said. He added: We need to act on this promptly. A 1924 law allows the chairman of the committee to examine anyones tax returns in private, without their permission, and to share the information with committee members. US Midterms 2018: The five big questions Democrat Richard Neal, the likely incoming chair of the committee, said he would pursue the IRS filings, however legally it may be difficult to make them public. The request also has to pass through the Treasury Department, whose head Steve Mnuchin is a noted supporter of Mr Trump. The agency said in a statement: Secretary Mnuchin will review any request with the Treasury general counsel for legality. Democratic congressman Elijah Cummings, who is set to become the chair of the House Oversight Committee, said about requesting Mr Trumps tax returns: Tax returns may tell you something else thats why we would like to see them. Right now, we have a president who is accountable to no one, he told CNN. House members would have to actually vote to make the filings public, which could happen with Democratic control of the chamber. It is not an unprecedented move, either. US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Show all 20 1 /20 US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democratic candidate Ilhan Omar is celebrates with her husband's mother after she won a congress place, becoming the first Muslim woman to be elected into congress alongside Rashida Tlaib Reuters US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democratic House candidate, from Kansas, Sharice Davids (left) and her mom Crystal celebrate after she won. Davids is the first lesbian Native American Congresswoman by beating Republican incumbent Kevin Yoder. Davids is one of several first-time female candidates that helped the Democratic Party takeover in the House of Representatives EPA US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Republican Marsha Blackburn celebrates after winning the race for senate in Tennessee. In doing so she became that states first female senator AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Democratic House candidate Sharice Davids cheer and cry after learning she won EPA US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Ayanna Pressley beaome Massachusetts first black congresswoman by defeating 10-term Republican Michael Capuano AFP/Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Republican candidate Young Kim has become the first Korean-American woman elected to Congress AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democrat Jared Polis won his seat and became the USs first ever openly gay governor AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Jean Kasselman (left) and Teresa Booker, supporters of Democratic candidate for Kansas' 3rd Congressional District Sharice Davids, react to election results Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Republican Kristi Noem hugs a supporter after being announced as the new governor of South Dakota. Noem made history by being the first female governor of the state AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Gabierla Martinez and Cesar Delgado cheer on Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jared Polis REUTERS US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the youngest women ever elected to Congress, representing New Yorks 14th congressional district AFP/Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democratic congressional candidate Rashida Tlaib celebrates with family and friends at her midterm election night party in Detroit after won and also became the nations first Muslim woman to congress alongside Ilhan Omar who was also elected Reuters US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Democratic candidate for Kansas' 3rd Congressional District Sharice Davids react to election results Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Already having become the first Native American woman to chair a state political party, Deb Haaland has now become the joint-first Native American woman to be elected to congress, alongside Sharice Davids Reuters US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez cheer during her election night party in the Queens Borough AFP/Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Young Kim hugs her son Alvin after she won a seat in congress AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez cheer AFP/Getty Images US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Asma Mohammed and Ashley Fairbanks celebrate as results come in at Democratic congressional candidate Ilhan Omar's election night headquarters AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democrat Deb Haaland hugs a voter REUTERS US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Democratic House candidate from Kansas Sharice Davids cheer and cry after learning she won her race EPA President Richard Nixon had his returns made public by congress in 1974. Here is where classic Washington politics come in: Mr Trump and the administration can protest and tie up the issue in the court system for years, well past the incoming Houses two year terms. Democrats could retaliate in the short term by cutting budget items to the Treasury Department. Impeachment proceedings are now a real possibility but not inevitable A number of Democrats have said they are prepared to open several investigations into the president and his administration, but will likely be wary of pursuing impeachment immediately. Devin Nunes, the congressman from California, is the current chair of the House intelligence committee, which has ended its investigation into Russian election meddling and alleged collusion between Donald Trumps 2016 campaign team Russian officials. It is thought when his California colleague, Democrat congressman Adam Schiff, takes over that investigation could be reopened, in a potential route towards impeachment proceedings. However, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi told PBS Newshour: For those who want impeachment, thats not what our caucus is about. Ms Pelosi added that she will wait for the outcome of Special Counsel Robert Muellers federal investigation into the election meddling and possible collusion before deciding what move to make. She noted that a call for impeachment would have to be bipartisan, and the evidence would have to be so conclusive. A push for impeachment could backfire in 2020, in states and districts that were carried by Mr Trump in his 2016 run. Congressman Cummings told CNN that although Democrats were eager to get to work, he did not want to give voters the impression the new House would rush in and beat up on Trump. However, the will of the people around 40 per cent of voters in the 2018 midterms, according to a CNN exit poll want impeachment to be on the agenda, and those proceedings start in the House of Representatives. Mr Trump has all but dared the new congress to try to impeach him, saying he would adopt a warlike posture against any new investigations. He added: They can play that game, but we can play it better, because we have a thing called the United States Senate...I could see it being extremely good for me politically because I think Im better at that game than they are, actually, but well find out. Despite the partys hesitation, New York congressman Jerry Nadler issued a warning to the president on election night. He said: This election was about accountability. [Mr Trump] may not like hearing it, but for the first time his administration is going to be held accountable. Hes going to learn that hes not above the law. But even he argued its way too early to discuss impeachment, preferring to see what is found in thorough investigations. Congresswoman Maxine Waters has been calling for impeachment since Mr Trump entered office, but she may have to go along with the party for the sake of maintaining control and possibly passing some legislation on their agenda. Republican control of the Senate foreshadows Trumps 2020 run With republicans having gained at least two seats in the Senate, they have strengthened their grip on the chamber and so can block legislation that can come from the Democrat-controlled House. Control of the Senate means Mr Trump can keep getting conservative federal judges confirmed something his administration has already been doing in record numbers. As Mr Trumps cabinet appointments are also confirmed by the Senate, any changes will likely face little difficulty in being approved. The chamber could also block full impeachment proceedings. And by gaining, rather than losing, Senate seats it means Republicans have a vastly improved chance of keeping control through 2020, when they will be defending 22 of 34 seats up for grabs. The tables have been turned from this years election, when Democrats had to defend 26 of 35 seats. The new Year of the Women means a slightly more representative Congress More than two decades ago, in 1992, a Year of the Women was declared as the most women ever were elected to the US congress. What followed was blocked legislation and condescension from male colleagues, as female members jockeyed for political power and legitimacy. This year could very well be different as we saw the most women ever running for office around the country, and winning. Several of these women, many of them under-represented minorities, have made history in other ways as well. Rashida Tlaib becomes the first Muslim woman to be elected to the US congress, in Michigan and just a bit later, and not to be outdone, Minnesota voted Ilhan Omar to join her. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Both women will represent their states growing Arab-American and Somali-American immigrant populations, respectively. Two of the first Native American women to serve in Congress were elected as well: Sharice Davids of Kansas and Deb Haaland of New Mexico. Their election wins mean all the more since North Dakota, just days before the election, barred Native American voters who lived on reservations from voting in the state, saying they needed an address that was not a post office box, the address which was issued to them while living on the federal, protected land. In New York, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made history as the youngest woman to ever be elected to Congress, at the age of 29. Ayanna Pressley became the first black female to represent Massachusetts, and she is from John F Kennedys former seat. Marsha Blackburn became the first female senator to represent Tennessee. Texas will send its first Latina women to congress, as Veronica Escobar heads to Washington. Republican Brian Kemp's campaign declared victory in the race for Georgia governor on Wednesday, even as election officials continued counting thousands of absentee and provisional ballots, narrowing his lead and prompting Democrat Stacey Abrams to insist she could have the votes to force a runoff election. As the vote-counting continued, voting rights advocates accused Mr Kemp who as secretary of state is Georgia's top election officer and local officials of disenfranchising thousands of voters on Election Day. Hundreds of complaints flooded in about hours-long lines brought on by broken equipment, a shortage of voting machines and insufficient quantities of printed provisional ballots. On Wednesday evening, Mr Kemp was ahead with 50.3 per cent of the vote to Ms Abrams's 48.7 per cent. Ms Abrams and the libertarian candidate would need to gain at least 25,000 votes more than Mr Kemp to bring his share of the vote below 50 per cent and trigger a runoff. Recommended Emergency lawsuit filed to stop Brian Kemp presiding over his race "We believe our chance for a stronger Georgia is just within reach," Ms Abrams, who if elected would be the nation's first black female governor, told supporters early on Wednesday. "We cannot seize it, however, until all voices are heard. And we are going to make sure that every vote is counted because in a civilised nation, the machinery of democracy should work everywhere for everyone." The secretary of state's office reported late on Wednesday that fewer than 3,000 regular ballots remained to be counted state-wide and a total of 22,000 provisional ballots had been cast numbers that would likely close off any path to victory for Ms Abrams. The office did not certify a winner and said votes could be counted into next week. Yet Cody Hall, a spokesperson for Mr Kemp's campaign, said: "Abrams does not have a mathematical formula to victory, based on our calculations. We have a clear path to victory. We're declaring victory and we are moving forward with the transition process starting tomorrow." In a statement on Wednesday, the Abrams campaign claimed that nearly 100,000 ballots, and possibly more, remained uncounted. Among the calls logged at a voter hotline run by a consortium of voting rights groups including the NAACP, the American Civil Liberties Union and Common Cause were complaints from hundreds of voters who said their requests for absentee ballots went unanswered. Voters and advocates said they were chagrined at how many of those reports came from communities with large minority populations. "From our vantage point, this was an intentional system failure in targeting communities where African-Americans made up a high percentage of active voters," said NAACP President Derrick Johnson. Peggy Xu, 23, was one of those voters. Ms Xu provided emails to The Washington Post showing she requested an absentee ballot from Fulton County on 6 October and said she later saw on the secretary of state's website that one had been sent to her. But she never received it, she said. She tried again, did not receive the second ballot either and was not able to vote, she said. "I'm furious," she said. "I was genuinely excited to vote for her. But now, seeing this razor-thin margin and seeing how many voter suppression issues are going on, it is driving me a little crazy, especially knowing that this has affected so many voters." Asked about the range of voter concerns, Candice Broce, a spokesperson for the secretary of state's office, noted the turnout shattered midterm records. "I stand confident that we had a successful Election Day," she said. US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Show all 20 1 /20 US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democratic candidate Ilhan Omar is celebrates with her husband's mother after she won a congress place, becoming the first Muslim woman to be elected into congress alongside Rashida Tlaib Reuters US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democratic House candidate, from Kansas, Sharice Davids (left) and her mom Crystal celebrate after she won. Davids is the first lesbian Native American Congresswoman by beating Republican incumbent Kevin Yoder. Davids is one of several first-time female candidates that helped the Democratic Party takeover in the House of Representatives EPA US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Republican Marsha Blackburn celebrates after winning the race for senate in Tennessee. In doing so she became that states first female senator AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Democratic House candidate Sharice Davids cheer and cry after learning she won EPA US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Ayanna Pressley beaome Massachusetts first black congresswoman by defeating 10-term Republican Michael Capuano AFP/Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Republican candidate Young Kim has become the first Korean-American woman elected to Congress AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democrat Jared Polis won his seat and became the USs first ever openly gay governor AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Jean Kasselman (left) and Teresa Booker, supporters of Democratic candidate for Kansas' 3rd Congressional District Sharice Davids, react to election results Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Republican Kristi Noem hugs a supporter after being announced as the new governor of South Dakota. Noem made history by being the first female governor of the state AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Gabierla Martinez and Cesar Delgado cheer on Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jared Polis REUTERS US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the youngest women ever elected to Congress, representing New Yorks 14th congressional district AFP/Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democratic congressional candidate Rashida Tlaib celebrates with family and friends at her midterm election night party in Detroit after won and also became the nations first Muslim woman to congress alongside Ilhan Omar who was also elected Reuters US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Democratic candidate for Kansas' 3rd Congressional District Sharice Davids react to election results Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Already having become the first Native American woman to chair a state political party, Deb Haaland has now become the joint-first Native American woman to be elected to congress, alongside Sharice Davids Reuters US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez cheer during her election night party in the Queens Borough AFP/Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Young Kim hugs her son Alvin after she won a seat in congress AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez cheer AFP/Getty Images US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Asma Mohammed and Ashley Fairbanks celebrate as results come in at Democratic congressional candidate Ilhan Omar's election night headquarters AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democrat Deb Haaland hugs a voter REUTERS US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Democratic House candidate from Kansas Sharice Davids cheer and cry after learning she won her race EPA In addition, election monitors from civil rights groups said hundreds of voters whose registrations had been suspended under a strict new law, one championed by Mr Kemp, were improperly turned away. The law requires personal information on registration applications, even down to the hyphen, exactly match other government records. In late October, a federal judge ordered the state to alert such voters before removing them from the rolls and to allow them to vote with proper identification. Another problem was the limited number of voting machines in some locations. More than 1,800 machines sat idle in storage in three of the state's largest and most heavily Democratic counties. In Fulton County, according to figures provided by elections director Rick Barron, the ratio of machines to registered voters was lower than it had been in 2014, despite predictions that turnout was likely to break records for a midterm election. While some voters waited in hours-long lines in Fulton County, 700 of those machines sat in stacks in a warehouse in downtown Atlanta, Mr Barron said. The machines were side-lined because they are evidence in a lawsuit alleging the equipment had been exposed to the threat of hacking in 2016. The federal judge in the case had ordered state and local election officials including Mr Kemp and the plaintiffs to weigh the demands of upcoming elections in deciding how many machines to set aside. In an interview, Mr Barron said more machines "would have made a huge impact on operations yesterday" and acknowledged "it would have been a good idea" to push for the use of more machines before Election Day. "The lines were long in the morning and we just didn't have any machines to throw out there," he said. Ms Broce, too, said additional machines "would have really helped with the long lines." She blamed the litigation for tying up those machines. One attorney for the plaintiffs, Bruce Brown, called that "rubbish" and said officials could have sequestered fewer machines, or later decided to put some back into service. Daniel White, an attorney representing Cobb and DeKalb counties, said both counties kept more machines out of circulation on Tuesday than required by the judge "out of an abundance of caution" that they were complying with the spirit of the court agreement. Mr White said he suspected the sequestered machines contributed to long lines at his polling place on Tuesday. At a school in Marietta, where Mr White said he usually sees eight to 12 machines, he saw just five or six. Tuesday's ballot was long, with five constitutional amendments across the state and additional measures in select locations. One precinct near Pittman Park in downtown Atlanta started the day with just three machines, despite a registered voter roll of more than 3,000. Similar equipment problems were reported elsewhere in Fulton County and in three other large counties of the Atlanta metro area - Cobb, DeKalb and Gwinnett. Ms Abrams's campaign manager Lauren Groh-Wargo said the problems were Mr Kemp's responsibility. "Machines were breaking down and counties did not get guidance from the secretary of state and didn't have adequate paper ballots - let's be clear about where the blame lies," she said. Ms Broce said local officials make those decisions, not the secretary of state. "Counties are the custodians of the equipment and are responsible for deploying it," she said. The Washington Post Republican Representative Jason Lewis of Minnesota made headlines this summer when it was revealed he made bigoted remarks about women on a radio show before he took office. On a syndicated show he hosted in 2012, Mr Lewis spoke up in defence of Rush Limbaugh, who had been criticised for calling a Georgetown University student "a slut" for petitioning the school to pay for her birth control. Mr Lewis wondered why it was no longer acceptable to use the word to refer to women. On Tuesday, Mr Lewis was among a large group of Republican men who were defeated by Democratic women challengers. When it convenes next year, the new Congress will have more than 100 women in its ranks for the first time in history. Democrat Angie Craig won her bid to unseat Mr Lewis in the suburban district south of Minneapolis by about 5 percentage points. Mr Lewis, who voted with President Donald Trump's positions about 91 per cent of the time, had run on his votes for the tax cuts and the effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Ms Craig, a former health-care executive, is being included on the lists of Democrats who represent various demographic firsts in Congress. According to NPR, she is the first lesbian mother and, for Minnesota, the first openly gay woman to be elected to Congress. Mr Lewis' remarks were unearthed by CNN in July. "Well, the thing is, can we call anybody a slut? This is what begs the question," he said on the show. "But it used to be that women were held to a little bit of a higher standard. We required modesty from women. Now, are we beyond those days where a woman can behave as a slut, but you can't call her a slut?" US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Show all 20 1 /20 US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democratic candidate Ilhan Omar is celebrates with her husband's mother after she won a congress place, becoming the first Muslim woman to be elected into congress alongside Rashida Tlaib Reuters US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democratic House candidate, from Kansas, Sharice Davids (left) and her mom Crystal celebrate after she won. Davids is the first lesbian Native American Congresswoman by beating Republican incumbent Kevin Yoder. Davids is one of several first-time female candidates that helped the Democratic Party takeover in the House of Representatives EPA US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Republican Marsha Blackburn celebrates after winning the race for senate in Tennessee. In doing so she became that states first female senator AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Democratic House candidate Sharice Davids cheer and cry after learning she won EPA US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Ayanna Pressley beaome Massachusetts first black congresswoman by defeating 10-term Republican Michael Capuano AFP/Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Republican candidate Young Kim has become the first Korean-American woman elected to Congress AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democrat Jared Polis won his seat and became the USs first ever openly gay governor AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Jean Kasselman (left) and Teresa Booker, supporters of Democratic candidate for Kansas' 3rd Congressional District Sharice Davids, react to election results Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Republican Kristi Noem hugs a supporter after being announced as the new governor of South Dakota. Noem made history by being the first female governor of the state AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Gabierla Martinez and Cesar Delgado cheer on Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jared Polis REUTERS US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the youngest women ever elected to Congress, representing New Yorks 14th congressional district AFP/Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democratic congressional candidate Rashida Tlaib celebrates with family and friends at her midterm election night party in Detroit after won and also became the nations first Muslim woman to congress alongside Ilhan Omar who was also elected Reuters US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Democratic candidate for Kansas' 3rd Congressional District Sharice Davids react to election results Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Already having become the first Native American woman to chair a state political party, Deb Haaland has now become the joint-first Native American woman to be elected to congress, alongside Sharice Davids Reuters US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez cheer during her election night party in the Queens Borough AFP/Getty US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Young Kim hugs her son Alvin after she won a seat in congress AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez cheer AFP/Getty Images US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Asma Mohammed and Ashley Fairbanks celebrate as results come in at Democratic congressional candidate Ilhan Omar's election night headquarters AP US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Democrat Deb Haaland hugs a voter REUTERS US midterm results: more diverse, more female and more progressive Supporters of Democratic House candidate from Kansas Sharice Davids cheer and cry after learning she won her race EPA The comments are part of a long trail of statements he has made that have drawn scrutiny. In the run-up to the 2016 election, the Atlantic called him "Minnesota's Mini-Trump" and noted his history of incendiary remarks on issues of race and gender. On another show in 2012, Mr Lewis tried to explain support among women for President Barack Obama by saying they were "guided by emotion, not reason." "We all know that women tend to vote more liberal than men," he said. "It is the women who are guided by more emotion than reason." Mr Lewis also mocked women who were traumatised by unwanted sexual advances, such as being inappropriately kissed or having their thigh touched, CNN reported in October. The Washington Post Now that the midterms are over, Democrat voters are clear on one of the priorities for the leaders of their party when they take control of the House of Representatives next year - impeaching Donald Trump. According to a Reuters/Ipsos national opinion poll, 43 per cent of respondents who identified as Democrat wanted impeachment to be top priorities for Congress. Aligned with that, one in four Democrats said they would like to see Congress protect the ongoing investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller into whether Mr Trumps 2016 presidential campaign team colluded with Russia to meddle with the election. Both Mr Trump and Moscow have denied that charge. The investigation has been cited as a possible path to impeachment, Democratic leadership has said impeachment is not a priority and that any evidence of improper conduct much reach a level that would also gain support of Republicans. The American public at large was far less supportive of impeachment proceedings, with just 24 per cent of overall respondents listing it among their top three goals for the new Congress. The poll asked 904 Democrats and 840 Republicans throughout the US what their primary goals were for Congress to address in 2019-2020. The first priority in Congress for the Democrats is to address the US healthcare system, which may be a more likely goal - 54 per cent of respondents said it was what their party should be concentrating on. Democrats passed the Affordable Care Act, sometimes called Obamacare, in 2010. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events In spite of other contentious political issues flooding 2018, health care has been a priority for democrats this year. In 2017, the GOP tried and failed to repeal the Affordable Care Act, and Democrats are still on the defence. 55 per cent of Republicans also said that they wanted to focus on healthcare. However, the poll did not specify exactly if and how respondents wanted it changed. In an interview at the beginning of this week President Trump was asked whether he would have done things differently during his first two years in office, if he could have his time over again. I would say tone, he replied. I would like to have a much softer tone. Two days later, with the results of the midterm elections proving that the US is as divided now as it was when Trump came to office, the president seemed to prove that any ambition to soften his tone had lasted about as long as Jeff Sessions hopes of staying in his job. Residents of Delhi have awoken to a toxic smog cloud after a night of Diwali celebrations in which rules restricting the use of fireworks were widely ignored. The US embassy tweeted that levels of small air pollutants (PM 2.5) hit 689 in its part of the capital, while AirVisual, which monitors air pollution around the world, said levels hit 980 in one part of the city at 4.30am. Levels of 50 or lower are defined as safe, while prolonged exposure to 300 or more is considered hazardous to human health. Recommended Deadly smog hits Delhi ahead of feared Diwali pollution spike Despite that, most Delhiites went about their business on Thursday morning as usual and unprotected by face masks, the use of which has not caught on here as it has in major Chinese metropolises. The Supreme Court of India had ordered that only green fireworks be used to celebrate Diwali on Wednesday night, and that they only be set off between 8pm and 10pm. But question marks remained over what actually constituted a green firework and where they could be bought, and the blast of rockets and bang of crackers could be heard across the city for hours both before and after the allotted window. As a result, pollution levels were about the same on Thursday morning as at the same time in 2017, when PM 2.5 levels hit around 1,000 roughly 10 times worse than the average in Beijing at the time. This is not good, said Mohammad Shahid Raza, a young student living in south Delhi who said he was kept up by fireworks until 1am. It was very noisy, and on top of that the pollution level was so high, that when I went outside my house to buy some water, I could see dark clouds, and everything was completely dark. For a second year, Delhis chief minister has likened the city to a gas chamber. Arvind Kejriwal hit out at the failure of neighbouring states to prevent the burning of crop stubble in the lead up to Diwali, saying that as a result, the farmers will suffer on one hand and Delhi will become a gas chamber soon. A task-force under the federal pollution control board was scheduled to meet at 11am to assess the situation, a city government spokesman told Reuters. Many citizens took to social media to express their exasperation with the widespread use of fireworks, even within the allotted time window. Police had said plainclothes officers would be out on the streets to ensure the Supreme Court restrictions were met. But in a city of more than 20 million, enforcement seemed all but impossible. And authorities generally have been reluctant to take stricter measures against fireworks, seen by so many as an essential element of enjoying Diwali, for fear of offending the countrys majority Hindu community. Measures have been taken this week to try to reduce dust and pollution levels from inside Delhi itself, with water sprinkled on roads in many neighbourhoods and construction projects halted. And according to the Press Trust of India, the Central Pollution Control Board is considering cloud-seeding measures to induce artificial rain if the air isnt clearer by next week. The treaty of friendship signed in 2005 was a standard one that China was signing with all other countries in its region. The joint statement released at the end of the visit by Prime Minister Imran Khan to China last week was one of the most detailed and comprehensive such statements that I have seen in this relationship, at least since CPEC got going. It is a mark of the massive shift that CPEC, as well as the larger body of Pakistan-China relations, is about to undertake. In 2003, Pervez Musharraf visited China and the two countries issued the Joint Declaration on Directions of Bilateral Cooperation, in which language began to appear pointing towards mutually beneficial economic and trade cooperation. In 2005, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited Pakistan and the two countries signed the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Good Neighbourly Relations, as well as launching the talks on the first Pakistan-China Free Trade Agreement (FTA). These three treaties and agreements form the core of the relationship around which everything is now developing. What was being discussed in that meeting back in 2003 sounds very much like a precursor to what eventually became the CPEC long-term plan. The treaty of friendship signed in 2005 was a standard one that China was signing with all other countries in its region. It simply outlined that China and its neighbours will respect each others sovereignty, refrain from using economic pressure against each other, and will respect and work with each other within the UN Charter. Every joint statement issued by China and Pakistan since then has reiterated these principles. There is one thing that is new in the latest one. The two sides agreed that JCPOA is an important outcome of multilateralism and a good model of negotiated settlement of complex issues through dialogue and diplomacy, says the latest joint statement. Clearly, China is concerned about the rising belligerence being shown towards Iran by the United States. The language can even be read to suggest that China views with concern the possibility that Pakistan may veer too far into the Saudi Arabian orbit, and become too enmeshed in the diplomatic push by the kingdom to isolate Iran in its own region. The Pakistan-China FTA was signed in 2006, and the next joint statement came in 2008, as an economic crisis was engulfing the country. In 2011, this was followed by the creation of the rupee-yuan swap agreement. This was the background to the beginning of what we now call CPEC that has become the lens through which all Pakistan-China relations are now viewed. CPEC built on this past history, but it is not where these priorities originated. They were formally incorporated in the long-term plan that was finalised by both parties in November last year. Since then, Pakistan has been in the grip of political uncertainty and held a general election. A new government emerged from this election, and in its early days promised greater transparency, greater disclosure, of all CPEC agreements, as well as a review and possible change. None of that happened. The visit to Beijing was a sobering moment for Imran Khan, whose body language appeared diminutive, fidgety and nervous through it all. At the Shanghai Expo, he even read his speech from a piece of paper, something he and his followers had berated Nawaz Sharif for doing as if it were a sign of weakness. The Chinese stage is too heavily adorned with agreements, treaties and all manner of understandings to be changed significantly now. The momentum behind the relationship is virtually unstoppable. One feels that inexorable momentum in the pronouncements emerging from the Chinese side. The latest joint statement does not herald a new era in Sino-Pak relations, but it certainly shows that gears are changing, and many of the terms of the long-term plan are now ready to be activated. By arrangement with Dawn Two adults, both aged 19, and their three-year-old son have been found dead after their car broke down on a remote road in the Australian outback. Police said the bodies were found 4.5km from the vehicle, around 1,000km (620 miles) south of Darwin on Wednesday. Northern Territory Police said a search was also underway for a 12-year-old boy who was believed to be a passenger in the car. The deaths are not being treated as suspicious. Authorities are investigating whether heat may have been a factor in their deaths as temperatures had reached 40C in the area over recent days. The group was last seen on Friday leaving Willowra, a small settlement 210 miles north of Alice Springs. Police were alerted to the deaths when a man entered a local health clinic and raised the alarm just after midday on Wednesday, ABC News reports. They did not say who had alerted authorities, but police believe he will be crucial to the investigation, and was quite distraught from what hes found. Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms Show all 16 1 /16 Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms Farmer Ash Whitney stands atop a tree as he cuts off branches to feed his cattle Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms A cow walks away from a water tank near the town of Tamworth in New South Wales Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms Farmer Scott Cooper drops hay for his cattle next to a dried-up creek on South Park farm Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms Tyre tracks from farmer Jimmie McKeown's truck can be seen on his drought ravaged land near the town of Walgett in New South Wales Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms Dead trees on Scott Cooper's South Park farm Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms Farmer Ash Whitney stands on the back of his truck as he feeds his cattle on his land near the town of Gunnedah in New South Wales Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms An irrigated paddock can be seen next to a ploughed paddock on a farm located on the outskirts of the town of Mudgee in New South Wales Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms A windmill and solar panels on Scott Cooper's South Park farm Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms An old bus used for storing farming equipment stands on farmer Ash Whitney's land near the town of Gunnedah in New South Wales Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms A kangaroo casts a shadow as it drinks from a water tank on Ash Whitney's farm Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms An old Sydney tram sits on Jimmie and May McKeown's land near the town of Walgett in New South Wales Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms Patterns created by a plough can be seen on Ash Whitney's farm Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms Farmer Ash Whitney stands in the middle of a dried-up dam Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms Sheeps eat grain on a farm near Tamworth in New South Wales Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms A road can be seen next to tracks leading to a water tank on Ash Whitney's farm Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms A lone tree stands near a water trough on Jimmie and May McKeown's farm Reuters Northern Territory Police Superindendent Jody Nobbs said: Initially we thought it was the result of a car crash, however were confident its not. We dont believe the circumstances are suspicious. Police said they would continue investigations and prepare a report for the coroner. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Support free-thinking journalism and subscribe to Independent Minds They also warned about the dangers of travelling through remote areas of the country. This does serve as a timely reminder to anybody travelling on the Northern Territory roads, when you do travel, your vehicle is in a fit state for travel, Superintendent Nobbs said. And that you have sufficient supplies including water and a first aid kit, and someone is aware of what your travel itinerary is. There was the blue and yellow of the Ukrainian trident, for if there was one thing Kateryna Handzyuk fought for it was to ensure her Kherson region did not follow the route of neighbouring Crimea. And then there were the stars of the EU, for if there was anything she wanted more, it was that the new Ukraine aligned itself with European values. Ms Handzyuks death on Sunday came three agonising months after being attacked with a concentrated solution of sulphuric acid. The activist and mayoral aide suffered 30 per cent burns and underwent a dozen operations, before eventually succumbing to a blood clot. Prosecutors initially caused public outrage by classifying the acid attack as hooliganism, and have been accused of a sluggish investigation. In an interview given from her hospital bed little over a month before her death, the activist and mayoral aide offered her own rebuke of that probe. Yes, I look bad now, but Im being cured by good, Ukrainian doctors. And I know this: I look a lot better than the state of Ukrainian fairness and justice today. Friends at Wednesdays funeral told The Independent that Ms Handzyuk stood out for her directness and honesty in a country much more used to compromise. People knew her as incorruptible and immovable, says local businessman and long-time friend Alexander Savich, 28. Pre-Maidan politicians havent gone anywhere ... They a green light to do whatever they want so long as they remain loyal. Lawyer Yevgeniya Zakrevskaya Katyas values were quite distinct from the material values that the local corrupt elite still thinks in. For many of them, she was the woman you could never reach a deal with. Another friend, Katya Mola, 36, says Ms Handzyuks profile and media skills had made local corruption issues national news. She campaigned against illegal forest felling and the misappropriation of weapons intended to be used on the frontline. All of these interventions caused problems for certain local interests. It isnt clear which of these issues provoked the attack. Ms Handzyuks lawyer, Yevgeniya Zakrevskaya, instead prefers to describe it as a consequence of systemic conflict. The activist was part of a new generation of pro-reform politicians, forged by the idealism of the Euromaidan revolution. She had tried to change local politics, and was a prominent figure in the region. But she belonged to a layer of new politicians co-existing in parallel and in conflict with the old guard. Pre-Maidan politicians havent gone anywhere, says Ms Zakrevskaya. The old layer of regional elites remains, and have been given a green light to do whatever they want provided they stay loyal. Ukrainians take part in the funeral ceremony of Kateryna Handziuk in Kherson, Ukraine, on Wednesday (EPA) Ukraines vulnerable coalition with power resting on votes from the security bloc has meant its leaders rarely depart from the most pragmatic and cynical considerations. In some Ukrainian regions, this can look like a modern version of feudalism, with regional tough guys able to operate with impunity. In the last two years alone, there have been 55 attacks on activists, many of them linked to local political and security figures. Few have been properly investigated. Ms Zakrevskaya says clans and alliances have got in the way of this police investigation too. Five men believed to be involved in the attack have already been arrested, and four of them have already pleaded guilty. But police have not yet established who ordered the attack, and the political will to do so does not seem to be there. Several lines of inquiry lead back to police authorities themselves. Ms Handziuk had complained about police surveillance in the months before her attack, her friend Katya Mola says: She told me in hospital that she had become so used to it that when the attack happened, her guard was down. Other reports claim to have evidence that an aide to a local MP with strong police links passed money to those who carried out the attack. Lawyer Zakrevskaya says both claims have yet to be investigated properly. Demonstraters dismantle fencing around 'illegal construction project' on Odessa seafront On Monday, several dozen local NGOs signed a letter criticising the apparent failure of the law enforcement system to investigate attacks on civil society activists. It called on the resignations of Interior Minister Arsen Avakov and Prosecutor General Yuri Lutsenko, both of whom have been criticised for obstructing the investigation. For a fleeting moment, it seemed at least one of the men would answer that call. On Tuesday, Mr Lutsenko addressed parliament and said he would indeed offer his resignation amid the outrage. But a short while later, he showed his full hand: the offer was summarily rejected by the presidential bloc with which he is usually aligned. It was a cynical sleight first demonstrated by his predecessor Viktor Shokhin three years ago. Then, the controversial prosecutor resigned several times, was unresigned several times, before eventually being forced out amid Western pressure. At Wednesdays ceremony, friends suggested that the West has not always been consistent in applying pressure on the Ukrainian elite to do the right thing. Indeed, in pushing activists to do dangerous work, perhaps Ms Handziuks beloved Europe even shouldered a portion of the blame for the attack? The West wants to promote its values and civil society, says Alexander Savich. But is that not senseless if the people it trains are then murdered for holding those very values? An artwork by Salvador Dali has been damaged after a group of visitors taking a photograph sent it crashing to the floor at a gallery in Russia. Three women were apparently snapping a picture at Glavny Prospekt International Arts Centre in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg when they knocked over a stand on which the work was mounted. Dali's picture was displayed alongside a work by Francisco Goya. Goyas work had its frame and glass broken, a gallery official told Russian news agency Tass. As far as Dalis artwork is concerned, apart from shattered frame and protective glass, it also suffered damage to the picture itself. The works were etchings from Goyas Los Caprichos series and Dalis interpretation of the piece. Experts are examining the damage. CCTV footage released by Russias Ministry of Internal Affairs shows visitors to the exhibition crowding around after the stand crashes to the floor. The gallery, which displays modern art and regional artefacts, said the women had behaved inadequately and asked police to bring charges. However, the footage appears to show the stand they knocked down was not properly secured to the wall. Ministry spokeswoman Irina Volk said the women had "explained the stand was touched by chance when they tried to take a photo with the paintings in the background". Police confirmed they were investigating. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Last year woman has caused $200,000 (152,000) damage at a US exhibition after knocking over a display while taking a selfie. The museum where the works were being displayed said three pieces of art were permanently damaged in the accident. Houthi rebels have turned a medical centre in Yemens contested city of Hodeidah into a sniper position, a sign the Iran-backed group is militarising hospitals, and using civilians as human shields, Amnesty International has warned. The report came as more than a dozen aid groups sounded the alarm about the catastrophic impact of renewed fighting between the rebels and a Saudi Arabia-led coalition over the Red Sea city. Just a day before, the United Nations warned that dozens of starving children being treated at Hodeidahs largest hospital, Al-Thawra, were at imminent risk of death because the building was just metres from the front line. Meanwhile, a Save the Children-supported clinic in another part of town was hit by gunfire on the same day, destroying a pharmacy that held lifesaving medicines. Amnesty said Houthi gunmen in a pickup truck forced staff out of a hospital in Hodeidahs 22 May district on Friday and placed a team of snipers on the roof, turning it into a potential target for air strikes, in violation of international law. This is a stomach-churning development that could have devastating consequences for the hospitals medical workers and dozens of civilian patients, including many children being treated there, said Samah Hadid, Amnesty Internationals Middle East director of campaigns. Placing gunmen on a hospital roof blurs lines which should never be blurred. Hospitals are not a target: the sick and injured have an absolute right to safe medical treatment at all times, and medical workers must be allowed to carry out their lifesaving work, Ms Hadid added. Placing gunmen on a hospital roof blurs lines which should never be blurred. Hospitals are not a target Samah Hadid, Amnesty International Hodeidah has become the latest and arguably most fierce battleground between the Iran-backed Houthi rebels and a Saudi Arabia-led coalition who have been fighting over the country for three and a half years. The ruinous war has ripped apart Yemen, which is now on the brink of famine and in the grips by the worlds largest humanitarian crisis, in terms of numbers. The UN has warned that 13 million people could die from starvation if the fighting continues; around 23 million, meanwhile, rely on outside aid to survive. Fighting first erupted in the spring of 2015 when Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies, including the UAE, launched a bombing campaign to reinstate Yemens recognised president Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, who had been ousted by the Houthis when they swept control of the country months earlier. Nearly four years later, there is little hope of an end to the conflict. Over 30 local and international charities released a joint statement on Thursday calling for an immediate ceasefire. A separate statement signed by 14 charities, including Save The Children and Care International, warned that civilians were being used as human shields in Hodeidah as the fighting has intensified over the last few days. More than 150 people have been killed as the Gulf coalition has pounded the Houthi rebels with coalition artillery, helicopter gunships and airstrikes in an apparent rush to take the strategic city before the end of a US-set deadline to enforce a ceasefire. At the end of last month, the Trump administration called on all sides to agree to a truce within the next 30 days, in order to reboot the peace process that collapsed in September. Despite the massive increase in violence, Saudi coalition officials claimed in interviews with The Independent they had not launched a full offensive but were merely setting up defensive positions. They added that the coalition was fully committed to peace talks should the Houthis participate and agree to relinquish their weapons. Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Show all 17 1 /17 Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Doctors take some blood of Yemeni Yousef Abdullah Bakhit Ali, 13, suffering from severe acute malnutrition. With ongoing and unending conflict in Yemen, humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate across the country Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen A doctor weighs Yemeni baby Yahya Hamoud Ali Al Huzef, 9 months suffering from malnutrition Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal,12 years old and suffering from severe acute malnutrition. He arrives with his family at a Unicef supported treatment centre in a hospital in Sanaa Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen A doctor measures the arm of Yemeni Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal, 12, who is suffering from malnutrition at a treatment centre in a hospital in Sanaa Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen There are over 400,000 severely malnourished children in need urgent lifesaving assistance in Yemen Unicef/Abdulhaleem Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal is weighed Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen A doctor measures the arm of baby Yahya Hamoud Ali Al Huzef Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are currently working to reach 275,000 malnourished children with critical life-saving supplies and care for over 5 million people with safe and clean water to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Yahya Hamoud Ali Al Huzef with his family in his house in the outskirts of the capital Sanaa Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen The country is on the brink of famine and children's chances of survival are becoming slimmer by the day Unicef/Abdulhaleem Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal has his arm measured Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are currently working to provide nearly 1 million children with vaccines and healthcare Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are working with partners around-the clock to save children suffering from malnutrition and disease Unicef/Abdulhaleem Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are currently working to provide 9 million people with emergency cash assistance to help families buy basic commodities so they can survive Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal is suffering from malnutrition Unicef Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef/Abdulhaleem However, the Houthi rebels chief Abdulmalik al-Houthi vowed on Wednesday never to surrender, even if they were outnumbered. Does the enemy think that penetrating this or that area, or seizing this or that area, means we will be convinced that we should surrender and hand over control? the rebel leader said in a televised address. This is not happening and will not happen ever, he added. In Thursdays joint charity statement, the rights groups warned that civilians were now trapped in Hodeidah. Most routes out ... are now blocked by fighting, severely impeding humanitarian agencies ability to transport aid and supplies to those in need across Yemen, and preventing residents from fleeing to safety, the statement read. On the same day, the International Committee of the Red Cross said that the upcoming peace talks cannot be an excuse to disregard the laws of war. Were running out of words to describe how wretched the situation is. Its time to see a glimmer of hope in Yemen, the group said. A Flybe flight that nosedived at a rate of 4,300 feet a minute was down to an incorrect autopilot setting, according to an incident report this morning. The aircraft dropped 500 feet in 18 seconds, according to the report from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), falling to 928 feet. During the steep descent, the crew were able to see the ground, it said. Forty-four passengers and crew were onboard the Flybe aircraft that was flying from Belfast to Glasgow on 11 January 2018. Recommended Ryanair passenger cheats new free hand luggage policy with giant coat According to the AAIB flight incident report, the autopilot was engaged when the aircraft reached 1,350 feet, but at a height of 1,500 feet the aircraft started to gradually pitch nose-down. During the next 15 seconds, the aircraft descended at an increasing rate. At 1,300 feet, the pilot disconnected the autopilot and applied nose-up pitch to arrest the rate of descent, which had reached a maximum of 4,300 feet a minute. The pilot reacted promptly in accordance with the trained sequence of actions and returned the aircraft to a safe flight path. During the event the aircraft lost about 500 ft in 18 seconds, with a maximum rate of descent of 4,300 ft/min and having reached a minimum height of 928 feet. The flight eventually continued onto Glasgow, where it made an uneventful landing. A Flybe spokesperson said in a statement: Flybe maintains a rigorous approach to ensuring the very highest flying standards are maintained. We thank the AAIB for concluding its constructive investigation and report on the incident which took place on 11 January 2018. As reported by the AAIB, Flybe implemented remedial actions quickly in response to the incident and our training and procedures have been amended to minimise the risk of a reoccurrence. Flybe operates over 158,000 flights a year and the safety of our passengers and crew remains our number one priority. When five journalists were shot dead in their own newsroom, we thought the rhetoric would change. It was June 2018, and the Capital Gazette was added to the long list of workplaces marred by gun violence in the United States. President Trump said the shooting shocked the conscience of our nation. But it wasn't shocking. The leader of the United States habitually demonises the media, referring to us as the enemy of the people. Even after the shooting, he hasn't stopped belittling the work of journalists that which is essential to democracy. Its no secret that President Trumps coining of the term fake news created a war on honest reporting, allowing him to challenge any assertion or indeed statistic that he doesn't like. And frankly, journalists are sick of it. Evidently, Jim Acosta is sick of it. In an acrimonious exchange yesterday at the Presidents post-midterms press conference, the tension between Acosta and Trump was tangible. Acosta asked the president about his demonising of immigrants by referring to the caravan of migrants as an invasion. Theyre hundreds of miles away, insisted Acosta. Trump fired back with, I think you should let me run the country; you run CNN. And if you did it well, your ratings would be much better. Ding that was round one. It escalated from there. It's significant that Trump moved beyond a personal insult to attacking the whole of CNN, a newsroom still reeling from a pipe bomb sent to its New York office last week. CNN should be ashamed of itself, having you working for them, Trump continued. Trump then closes with his signature point: When you report fake news, which CNN does a lot, you are the enemy of the people. Its here that the President continues to widen the chasm he's worked hard to create between the media and its consumers. By refusing to engage in civil discourse with Acosta and journalists as whole, really Trump is engaging in a dangerous game. Were far beyond him planting the seed of distrust in the media. The notion has grown roots. In this context, what was most shocking about the midterms press conference was Acostas refusal to back down. Journalists have, after all, been bombarded with attacks for almost the entirety of Trumps political career. Attacks about their disabilities. Attacks about their nationalities. Attacks about their gender. And truly, there havent been any reporters who publicly refused to put up with the rhetoric Trump spews daily. That all changed yesterday. Trumps framing of Jim Acosta as devoid of all moral character and journalistic integrity is frightening on a number of levels. Whats worse is that Acosta is now having his press pass to the White House revoked. As far as I'm concerned, that's a direct threat to all of our democratic rights. Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference Show all 10 1 /10 Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference Donald Trump launched an extraordinary tirade against CNN reporter Jim Acosta during a press conference following the midterm elections Reuters Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference The US president ordered the journalist to put down his microphone and just sit down AFP Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference The row began following a question about the migrant caravan approaching the US, when Mr Trump was asked by CNNs Jim Acosta if he thought he had demonised migrants by calling the group an invasion EPA Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference I think you should let me run the country, you run CNN, and if you did it well, your ratings would be much better, said the President AFP/Getty Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference After Mr Acosta attempted to follow up his question with a second on Robert Muellers Russia probe, Mr Trump added, pointing angrily: Thats enough. Thats enough. Thats enough. Excuse me, thats enough. Mr Trump said he was not concerned about anything because the investigation was a hoax. Continuing to berate Mr Acosta, he added: Thats enough. Put down the mic. As the reporter continued to quiz him, Mr Trump became more agitated and stepped away from the podium. EPA Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference Returning to the podium, Mr Trump said: Ill tell you what, CNN should be ashamed of itself having you working for them. You are a rude, terrible person. You shouldnt be working for CNN REUTERS Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference Trump continued: 'The way you treat Sarah Huckabee is horrible and the way you treat other people are horrible. You shouldnt treat people that way. She was sitting in the room listening on REUTERS Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference A second reporter, Peter Alexander, was called on by the president and said: In Jims defence Ive travelled with him a lot, hes a diligent reporter. EPA Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference Mr Trump cut him off, telling the NBC News journalist that Im not a big fan of yours either, prompting laughter in the room AP Trump attacks CNN's Jim Acosta in angry White House press conference Mr Acosta continued to try to ask questions without his microphone, causing Mr Trump to tell him: Just sit down, please. When you report fake news no when you report fake news, which CNN does, a lot, you are the enemy of the people. REUTERS Let me be frank: I study and report journalism all day, every day. I believe Acostas interaction with the President was absolutely necessary. It may not have been the most respectful. It was awkward and hard to watch. But it was also a power move. Acosta was doing his job. From the first day we step into a journalism class, we are told, You are the watchdog for the people. We are told incessantly that our responsibility is to the people and to disseminate the truth because thats what journalists do. Acosta was being Americas watchdog. Above all, to be lectured on morality by a man whos spent the last three years fighting off allegations of sexual misconduct, blatantly expressing xenophobic remarks, defending neo-Nazis and destroying confidence in the entire US media would be laughable if it weren't so infuriating. And I know journalists are supposed to be unbiased. Those are just facts and not the alternative kind. You shouldnt treat people that way, Trump said to Acosta. You shouldn't treat people that way. Amen to that. In the US midterms, more women stood in the elections or went out to campaign than ever before. Sharice Davids and Deb Haaland have become the first Native American women, and Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar the first Muslim women elected to Congress. As we cheer those pioneering women across the Atlantic, its time to mark the progress made, to focus on what more needs to be done for womens empowerment and equality, but also to challenge the misogynistic backlash that has arisen, which aims to silence women in public life. That is the purpose of todays conference in parliament bringing together more than 100 women MPs from across the world in the centenary year of the first votes for women in Britain. This conference isnt just about speaking out for women, it is about standing up for democracy itself. Recommended Record number of women elected as Democrats seize House As Harriet Harman, who first proposed todays event, has argued, women are still pioneers in male-dominated parliaments. New Zealands prime minister Jacinda Arden has just brought in paid domestic violence leave and became the second prime minister in the world to give birth while in office. Icelandic prime minister Katrin Jakobsdottir was among scores of women who walked out of their workplaces to protest against sexual harassment. But lets be honest. Alongside progress, weve also seen attempts to intimidate and shut women down. A global survey of women politicians in 39 countries concluded that almost half have experienced serious abuse, including threats of murder, rape, assault and abduction. While social media has often been empowering, helping many women campaign, it has too often provided platforms for threats and intimidation aimed at drowning womens voices out. Donald Trump has attacked individual women as dogs, fat pigs and slobs. Here at home, it is truly appalling that Britains first black woman MP, Diane Abbott, should be the target for unprecedented online abuse including racist threats, and also that Jewish and Muslim women MPs and councillors face some of the worst abuse too. The attacks arent just online. A far-right Trump supporter has been charged with sending bombs in the post to some of the public figures targeted by the presidents most vitriolic tweets. We should remember Marielle Franco in Brazil and Angiza Shinwari in Afghanistan women politicians murdered in recent years for speaking out. Neo-Nazi activists have been convicted of plotting to kill Lancastrian MP Rosie Cooper. And todays conference in the Commons will sit beneath the coat of arms painted for Jo Cox, murdered for her views just two years ago. Threats and violence towards people based on their views or identity are deeply corrosive. There is a responsibility on every one of us, here and across the globe, to challenge the vitriol, misogyny and prejudice that is degrading our politics. Here in Britain, it brings shame on the Tory party that some of its MPs have used threatening violent language about nooses and killing towards the prime minister, normalising threats in public life. It brings shame upon my party that Labour members are being investigated by the police for hate crimes, and my brilliant colleague Luciana Berger was assessed by the police as needing protection during the Labour Party conference, showing we must do more to tackle abuse and antisemitism. In the conference today, women will debate how we challenge bullying and harassment in public life. All of us should show solidarity with women across the world exercising their democratic rights and demanding change. Abuse and violence in politics has for too long been excused as a reflection of anger or radical demands for change. Women know it is the opposite. These are the weapons used to silence women or to prevent social transformation. Todays conference is a chance for women to come together to show how bringing humanity back into our politics, greater equality for all and radical change go hand in hand. Yvette Cooper is the Labour MP for Normanton, Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley The economy is growing at its fastest pace since 2006 and while Brexit will hit goods and services exports, the country has emerged as the most popular destination for companies looking for a post-breakup base in the European Union, Goodbody Stockbrokers said in a report. The investment house said the economy's gross domestic product would grow 5.9pc this year and by 3.3pc in 2019 and that unemployment would fall this year to 5pc, close to the average levels of the boom years. "The current level of savings does not suggest that consumers are spending beyond their means. Growth is buoyant but showing no signs of froth," said Goodbody chief economist Dermot O'Leary. The big unknown is the terms of Britain's divorce from the European Union, where negotiations are bedevilled by disagreement over a backstop for Northern Ireland. UK prime minister Theresa May is looking to patch together a deal that she can sell to her Unionist coalition partners and hard-liners in the Conservative Party, as well as one that reassures Dublin that there will be no return to a "hard border" with the North. Offsetting this to some extent is a surge in firms based in Britain rebasing here to retain access to the single market. "Indeed, there is already evidence that Ireland is becoming the most popular destination for firms looking for an EU base in the post-Brexit world," Mr O'Leary said As the economy grows, however, it will start hitting constraints - with wages set to rise. In addition, new housing is still desperately needed and even with supply growing by a quarter this year it needs to double again to meet demand, especially in the affordable sector, Goodbody noted. "Recent population trends suggest that a minimum of 35,000 units are needed per annum, thus there remains a long way to go in the recovery," Goodbody said. In the past, Apple used Qualcomms modem chips in its flagship iPhone models to help them connect to wireless data networks. A source familiar with the situation said this week that there are no settlement talks between Apple and Qualcomm. Apple is not in talks at any level to settle its wide-ranging legal dispute with mobile chipmaker Qualcomm Inc, according to a source familiar with the matter. In the past, Apple used Qualcomms modem chips in its flagship iPhone models to help them connect to wireless data networks. But early last year, Apple sued Qualcomm in federal court in San Diego, alleging that the chip companys practice of taking a cut of the selling price of phones as a patent license fee was illegal. Qualcomm denied the claims and has alleged that Apple owes it USD 7 billion in unpaid royalties. A source familiar with the situation said this week that there are no settlement talks between Apple and Qualcomm. There is absolutely no meaningful discussion taking place between us and Qualcomm, and there is no settlement in sight, the person said. We are gearing up for trial. Qualcomm did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The case is to go to trial early next year and has spawned related legal actions in other courts around the world. In July, Qualcomms chief executive, Steve Mollenkopf, told investors on the companys quarterly earnings call that the two companies were in talks to resolve the litigation. We continue to talk. We also have a number of ... legal strategies that are in flight, Mollenkopf said on the call. And we hope that through the combination of either those paths, we could get to a resolution, and were confident that we will. In addition to its dispute with Apple, Qualcomm is in a dispute with another phone maker, widely believed by analysts to be Chinas Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, that is withholding payments. But talks with Huawei appear to be progressing. In July, Qualcomm received what its patent licensing chief, Alex Rogers, called a good faith partial payment of USD 500 million from the non-paying phone maker, which Qualcomm executives said was a sign of progress in the talks. Qualcomm is slated to receive USD 200 million more in such payments, the executives have said. Qualcomm is also trying to settle an antitrust lawsuit brought against it by the US Federal Trade Commission days before Apple filed its lawsuit. But that effort suffered a setback on Tuesday, when a federal judge in San Jose, California, issued a preliminary ruling saying that Qualcomm must license some patents involved in making modem chips to rivals such as Intel Corp, a move that could jeopardise Qualcomms existing licensing practices. (Source) Finland's Prime Minister Juha Sipila, right, and Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar at the Prime Minister's official residence Kesaranta in Helsinki, Finland (Antti Aimo-Koivisto/Lehtikuva via AP) European leaders will have serious reservations about the deal on offer to the United Kingdom, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has warned. While insisting the entire EU is behind Irelands demand to maintain an open border, Mr Varadkar cautioned that strict rules for how it will operate must be in place. It seems likely that UK Prime Minister Theresa May will wait until next week before making her final play in the Brexit negotiations. She is currently working on the detail on a UK-wide customs arrangement that would see the whole of UK tied to EU trading rules until the future relationship is clarified. However, Mr Varadkar said this arrangement has merit but must come with a guarantee that the UK will adhere strictly to all EU rules relating to employment and environmental. Otherwise, he said, the UK would be able to undercut countries, including Ireland. He said when the Irish question was first raised, other European countries were very happy to accept that there would be special arrangements for Northern Ireland. Its a relatively small place with 1.8 million people and a relatively small economy. And also it has a unique and difficult history and geography so there was a willingness to make special arrangements and give special treatment to Northern Ireland. But when you start to extend elements of that to all of the United Kingdom then naturally other European countries and capitals get quite interested in the detail, the Taoiseach said. Their major concern would be giving the UK access to the single market in a way that wouldnt require it to meet European standards around labour laws, health and safety, environmental protection. I have to say I share that concern. We couldnt have a situation whereby UK firms, after the UK leaves the EU, undercut us in terms of labour rights or health and safety, or environment standards or state aid, Mr Varadkar added. Speaking in Helsinki, where he met with the EUs chief negotiator Michel Barnier, the Taoiseach also said that the backstop review clause being sought by the UK would come with conditions attached. We havent had many redlines in these negotiations, but one we have had is that we must have a legal guarantee that a hard border will not emerge on the island of Ireland, he said. I have to be very clear on one point. It couldnt enable the United Kingdom to cancel the backstop unilaterally. The whole point of having a backstop is thats its an insurance policy. Its a parachute. A failsafe mechanism that gives us a guarantee that there wont be a hard border on the island of Ireland. Meanwhile, a UK Brexit deal will only be struck if there is a comprehensive agreement on no hard border being introduced on the island of Ireland, European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic has said. In an interview with Independent.ie, he said the State could count on absolute European solidarity during difficult negotiations, adding that a deal would only arise if the border issue was settled. Speaking at the fringes of the Climate Innovation Summit in Dublin Castle, organised by Sustainable Nation Ireland, he said negotiations were ongoing. All of us would prefer to have a deal, and all of us know this deal could be achieved only if there is a comprehensive agreement on the backstop, on no hard border, is found, he said. You can count totally on absolute European solidarity that all 26 countries are with Ireland on this end. There is a now Farage in every country, the EUs chief negotiator Michel Barnier has warned. The man charged with defending Irelands interests in the Brexit talks has said the threats to the EU now stretch beyond the UKs exit. In a wide-ranging speech to the European People Partys conference in Helsinki, Mr Barnier also committed to bringing the Brexit negotiations to a conclusion. There has been some speculation that the former French minister would seek to replace Jean Claude Juncker as president of the European Commission next year. Opening his address, Mr Barnier said there was no time for jokes, dear friends, the clock is ticking not only for Brexit. He told delegates, including Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Hungarys Prime Minister Viktor Orban: Well have to fight against those who want to demolish Europe with their fear, their populist deceit, their attacks against the European project. There is now a Farage in every country. This was a reference to MEP and former UKIP leader Nigel Farage, who led the charge for the UK to leave the European Union. Mr Barnier said the job of defending Europe cannot be done by one party. We need our nations to fight nationalism. We need our nations to build Europe. Europe is at a moment of truth, he said. Mr Barnier told a story of being at an event in Dublin five years ago when a student told him Europe has taken my future. He had good reason to say so, said Mr Barnier, adding that the past five years have been spent restoring confidence in Europe. But he said the European project is fragile, under threat, it is perishable. The future is now, not tomorrow. The time to act is now. We must stand up for Europe, he said, citing key issues including climate change and migration. Shortly after Mr Barniers address, the Taoiseach thanked the same audience for their solidarity on Brexit. He said it had been unswerving, adding: We need more Europe, not less. Mr Varadkar said Irelands priority in the Brexit talks is to protect peace on the island. We cannot allow that to falter now, said. On the future relationship between the EU and UK, the Taoiseach said he wants it to be as close as possible. But he added that integrity of the European single market must be upheld and the UK must be prepared to provide a level playing field. The five-star Sheen Falls Lodge hotel in Co Kerry is set to change hands in the coming weeks following an agreement by its current owners to sell it to a group of Thai investors for a figure of between 16m and 17m, the Irish Independent can reveal. While the sale of the Kenmare property has yet to be concluded, the deal, which is being handled by JLL, is expected to deliver a significant profit for the UK-based luxury hotel group, Palladian Hotels. The company acquired Sheen Falls Lodge in 2013 for 5m, and is understood to have spent a further 5m on refurbishment works since then. Developed in the late 1980s by Danish shipping businessman, Bent Hoyer, the hotel opened for business in 1991. Built around an 18th century hunting lodge by the River Sheen, beside Kenmare Bay, the property had already come close to being sold in 2011. While Sheen Falls Lodge sits on 300 acres of land, its sale on each occasion involved just a portion of those grounds. In other news for the hotel sector, the Irish Independent has learned that CBRE's hotel division and Eastdil Secured have been retained to advise on the sale of Tifco's hotel site at Portobello Harbour in Dublin city centre. While the selling agents are believed to be in the process of targeting a list of potential buyers both here and overseas, it is understood they are guiding a price in the region of 15m for the site. The disposal of the property is being conducted separately, and is unrelated to Tifco's recent agreement to sell its hotel business to US private equity giant, Apollo Global Management in a deal said to be worth up to 600m. A source familiar with the detail of the Portobello site sale said the property had been removed from the portfolio which Apollo is set to acquire. Tifco's portfolio comprises 18 hotels in Ireland, several of which operate under the Crowne Plaza and Travelodge brands. The company also manages a number of high-profile hotels including Clontarf Castle in Dublin, the Heritage Resort at Killenard, Co Laois, and the Metropole in Cork. The Portobello hotel site is being marketed by CBRE and Eastdil Secure on the strength of its location next to the Grand Canal, its proximity to the busy areas of Rathmines and Camden Street, and its branding potential. Parties are being invited to submit offers for the site, subject to two potential planning permissions being secured. While the site's owners had lodged a planning application for a 175-bedroom hotel, Dublin City Council gave a preliminary grant of permission for a reduced number of 149 rooms, which excluded the proposed development's fourth floor. The final number of rooms will depend on the outcome of a ruling from An Bord Pleanala, which is expected to be delivered by the end of this year. WORKERS in traditionally-polluting industries such as turf production cannot be "abandoned" in the transition to a low-carbon future. European Commission vice-president for energy union, Maros Sefcovic, told the Climate Innovation Summit in Dublin Castle that a new economic future was needed for the midlands and other parts of the EU reliant on mining and industries incompatible with tackling climate change. And he said the move to a world with zero emissions would require societal change. The biggest challenge will be to overcome the silo mentality, he said. When we are talking about climate change, we have to go beyond power generation and heavy industry. We have to talk about buildings, transport, agriculture, public procurement and climate financing." Last month, Bord na Mona last month announced plans to move away from turf production by 2025 - five years earlier than previously stated - which will result in the loss of 430 jobs across the Midlands. Expand Close European Commission vice-president for energy union, Maros Sefcovic, told the Climate Innovation Summit in Dublin Castle that a new economic future was needed for the midlands and other parts of the EU reliant on mining and industries incompatible with tackling climate change. (File Photo) (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp European Commission vice-president for energy union, Maros Sefcovic, told the Climate Innovation Summit in Dublin Castle that a new economic future was needed for the midlands and other parts of the EU reliant on mining and industries incompatible with tackling climate change. (File Photo) (AP) Mr Sefcovic said people in vulnerable industries including peat production, mining and heavy industry could not be left behind. How do you make this very challenging transition fair? We cannot just abandon the people who have worked in the mines or peat-fields in Ireland or traditional heavy-energy use industries. We cannot say we are moving to a new stage and we don't care. That's the wrong approach and it will slow us down. We (European Commission) are working with all regions which feel they have to build a new economic future. We work with local leaders to develop a set of projects, and then we look for the financing for these projects. We will have to enlarge this beyond the coal region and move to all regions which face anxiety in jumping on the train of sustainable economics. He also said a report published last month by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned that emissions would have to dramatically fall between now and 2030 if there was to be any chance of keeping average global temperature rises to no more than 1.5C. It was not a surprise, he said. We, as a global human community, are not doing enough. We needed scientists to put it in very stark terms. We have to do a lot. It's not just a simple change, we're talking about a paradigm shift which is probably the biggest change for mankind in a century. Annual investment of 180bn was needed, most of which would come from private finance. Around 75pc of the total funding will be required for investment in retrofitting domestic, retail, commercial and industrial plant and buildings; 20pc on transport and the remainder on renewable energy. These are not costs, he added. They are investments into our future, into the health of our citizens. It's important to use the advantage Europe has in being first movers in this respect. Europe has shown it can grow and cut emissions at the same time. The cost of renewables is coming down. This is a very compelling business case. It's a sound investment. We need a mission to the moon approach. The mission for us Europeans should be to preserve Earth. It's a mission where Europeans can excel. Total intervention Skimmed Milk Powder (SMP) sold to date by the European Commission is now around the 200k mark. The latest tender for the product saw 30,067 t of SMP sold from intervention at 1251/t. Again this was an increase in tonnage and price from 2 weeks ago. In the period January to July, EU SMP production grew by close to 3pc compared with the same period last year, supported by higher milk supply. In mid-September, the SMP price was 1,580/t, over 13pc higher than in January. It had been increasing since April and levelled out at 1,630/t at the beginning of September, still 19pc below the last five-year trimmed average. In the first seven months of the year, EU exports decreased by 1pc. Nevertheless, exports to the Middle East (which includes some of the EUs main export destinations) grew significantly, according to the EU Commission. Exports to Algeria (+16pc) and Egypt (+66pc) grew the most. By contrast, exports to the main Asian markets (Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam) continued to fall. Those to some other markets (e.g. China) improved slightly, but still remained below last years levels. Given the recent trends, EU exports are expected to grow by just 2pc for the whole year. With the upcoming seasonal slowdown in milk collection, overall SMP production growth in 2018 is expected to be only slightly above last years level, partly as a result of the lower protein content of milk and higher processing demand for other protein-based products with strong export potential (infant formula, fat-filled powders). So far, despite the production increase in a context of stable exports, around 141,000t of SMP have been sold from intervention stocks. As a working hypothesis, moderate production growth, a 2pc increase in exports and 4pc more domestic use would allow the release of an additional 24,000t. In this scenario, private stocks could increase to 155 000 t, while intervention stocks would decline to 211,000t. Members of the Oireachtais Climate Action committee have hit out at the Department of Agriculture for not being ambitious enough when it comes to reducing agriculture emissions. Agriculture currently accounts for over 33pc of overall emissions in Ireland. Green Party Leader Eamon Ryan told representatives of the Department of Agriculture at an Oireachtais meeting that it cant keep calling Irish agriculture efficient when emissions are rising. The truth is agriculture emissions are rising and there are no plans to cut them. We are not ambitious enough on what we are doing. Lets not go with this story that we are the most efficient. Farmers are not served well in current systems, its the PLCs and not the people who are benefitting, he said. Fine Gael Senator Michelle Mulherin called on the Department to prioritise certain home truths around agriculture and urged that it reassesses its FoodWise 2025 targets to increase production to 19bn. Labour TD Sean Sherlock also pointed out the need for greater urgency on reducing emissions. Department of Agriculture Secretary General Brendan Gleeson acknowledged that the industry needs to do more but that it should not back down on its ambitions to increase production. Theres a fixation on the target, when we talk about ambition it is an ambition that has been set by the industry for itself with broad approval. There is some commentary saying we should resign from that ambition but we need to focus on ambition and do it in way that doesnt exacerbate emissions, he said. We need to do more, we accept that, but its complex stuff. Theres a variety of economic and social considerations that doesnt obviate the need for agriculture to make positive contributions but we need to stop the negativity around agriculture if we want to bring farmers with us. Mr Gleeson also told members of the committee that the Irish dairy setcor is the most efficient in Europe and if Ireland was to reduce its dairy herd demand would be filled less efficiently elsewhere. If more needs to be done in lets say dairy sector it would require you to take a perverse step to reduce production in the most efficient milking system in world. Earlier this year, Ireland committed to reducing its emissions by 30pc by 2030. In 2017 the Citizens Assembly recommended for a carbon tax to be introduced in agriculture to incentivise emissions reduction. When asked by Mr Ryan if a carbon tax should be introduced in the sector, Mr Gleeson said he would not agree or disagree with a policy that may not arise but that you have to ask yourself are there alternative options (to a carbon tax) to get farmers to improve or change their behaviour Ornua's Chief Executive John Jordan has said that the prospect of Glanbia's 'Truly Grass Fed' cheese on supermarket shelves will erode the value of the Kerrygold brand. Jordan was speaking at the ICOS National Conference where in he said Were passionate about the Kerrygold brand. Its a farmer owned brand." Ornua, he said has invested hundreds of millions in the past 25 years in the marketing the brand abroad. "The fact is it (Glanbia's Truly Grass Fed cheese) is being retailed at a discounted price, beside the Kerrygold butter, and our concern is that it will erode value on the Kerrygold brand and the Irish brand. Glanbia recently launched a 'Truly Grass Fed' range of dairy products in the US, but it has come in for server criticism from some quarters on the move. IFA said it was "extremely concerned" at the move, while ICMSA said that Irish companies competing with each other in a very valuable export market was not in the interest of the farmer-producer. Ornua reacted to the move with temporary price promotions in a small number of retailers it said earlier this week. Kerrygold is the number two butter brand in the US. What does it take to become the world's best female chef? And where did it all begin? Antrim-born Clare Smyth won that coveted title in Bilbao last June. And she was the first woman to hold and retain three Michelin stars when she worked as Gordon Ramsay's Chef Patron in his flagship restaurant Chelsea in London. Her own restaurant, Core, in Notting Hill, was this year awarded two Michelin stars. So it might surprise you to learn that Smyth left school at the age of 15. Her first part-time job, as a 14-year-old, in a local hotel was what started her dream of becoming a chef. Here, she watched Michelin star chefs who'd travelled over from London in action, and she listened, rapt, to their tales of working in top restaurants across the water. That was when the headstrong teenager decided she wanted a piece of the pudding too. Expand Close Clare and Gordon Ramsay / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Clare and Gordon Ramsay A year later, she left school and went to train in Grayshott Hall in Surrey, an exclusive health farm. By the time she was 17, she was working in Bibendum in London's south Kensington which didn't have the two Michelin stars it has today, but was nevertheless one of the best restaurants in the city at the time. In spite of all her culinary training and experience though, Smyth says it was her upbringing on a farm in Northern Ireland that primed her for long working days in kitchens. "It gave me a good work ethic, being a farmer. You work all the time, you don't stop. When you were lambing sheep, you worked all night, and you worked 365 days of the year. That work ethic, I grew up with. Hospitality is difficult for some people but for me, it wasn't - I was already used to it." For Smyth, there is no work-life balance because her work is her life and she loves what she does. "I've always worked all the time, I never really don't work to be honest I really love what I do, and it's something that's just very much a part of who I am." From an early age, Smyth saw how animals were butchered for the freezer, and different cuts of meat lent themselves to different cooking styles. Every part of the animal was used - offal and braising cuts included, and thus Smyth's culinary education had already begun. "Mum would slow-cook overnight, she was cooking for a family and the people working on the farm. So there had to be a good quantity of it, and it needed to be hearty." Smyth, who lives in London with her husband and west highland terrier, was in Galway recently to discuss "Fair Trade In The Food Trade" at the Food On The Edge symposium, but for the moment, she says she has no plans to open a restaurant closer to home. Her own restaurant in Notting Hill, Core, where 18 chefs send out 120 meals a day, consumes all of her time. "Core was about being a modern British fine-dining restaurant. British food isn't necessarily fine dining, it's more rustic, and it's not necessarily an art form I really wanted to make British food fine dining. Core is all about the story of the producers and the growers and what we do." Last May, the 40-year-old did the private catering for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's evening wedding reception, a feat she described as an honour. "It was really fantastic being able to work with them. The fairytale story was my lasting memory from the wedding they were so happy," she said. Smyth seems to take everything in her stride and admits that though a pressure-cooker stereotype exists around professional kitchens, she doesn't hold any truck with bullies. Bullies ultimately don't survive in the best kitchens, she says. "I detest bullying, I hate it. I've been cooking for over 20 years and I've never seen people like that succeed. It never took long before they were gone and you had beaten them. All those people just fall by the wayside." She added: "Now I just feel like everyone is a bit more focused on the love of food and what we do. But it wasn't just the hospitality industries, it was all industries at the top level [that experienced bullying]." Ramsay himself adapted a military-style persona for his TV series Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares where he was seen lashing failing restaurant owners with scathing criticism and whipping them back into shape. But Smyth insists he is a consummate professional and even offered her solid advice on how to deal with tough personalities. (Though he did, Smyth has said, also tell her when he promoted her to chef patron of his flagship Chelsea restaurant: "If you screw up, it's your fault".) "One of the things Gordon told me," she says, "was 'don't worry about me, don't worry about other people, focus on yourself'. Why would I lose my opportunities for them?" Ramsay is "very easy to work with", Smyth says, and is a brilliant businessman who has 35 restaurants globally and seven Michelin stars, and whose approach to food is constantly evolving all the time. "There is a TV thing. There's always going to be shouting in kitchens, but it's never bullying, it's always about the food, it's always for a reason. It was never picking on someone for no reason. I always found Gordon very easy to work with - you know where you stand with Gordon." The pair were so close by the time Smyth left Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in 2016 to open Core, that he read her business plan and taste-tested her dishes before she opened its doors. Within a year, it had won two Michelin stars. "It was difficult [telling him that I was leaving his restaurant]. He was obviously disappointed but happy at the same time. He always thought I was going to stay, he'd given me partnership. At all stages, he gave me good feedback." The 40-year-old chef is resolute on the idea that success is not easily won; she was cooking for two and a half decades before she opened her own restaurant. "You've got to learn it from the best chefs in the world. It's 10 years' worth of work and training before you can head up your first kitchen." The European Commission says some 177bn will be needed between 2021 to 2030 to invest in clean energy and other mitigation measures, aimed at keep. Photo: PA Dublin will become the European base of a UN fund aimed at financing the transition to a low-carbon economy. The Financial Centres for Sustainability (FC4S) programme was founded by the United Nations Environment Programme, and encourages global financial centres to place sustainable and green finance at the heart of their operations. The new European secretariat will be based in Dublin, with network members including London, Paris, Frankfurt, Milan, Luxembourg, Stockholm, Zurich and Casablanca. It was formally launched at the Climate Innovation Summit in Dublin Castle, which is part of Climate Week Ireland. The European Commission says some 177bn will be needed between 2021 to 2030 to invest in clean energy and other mitigation measures, aimed at keeping average global temperature increases to well below 2C as agreed in the 2015 Paris Climate Accord. Scientists say ambition needs to be scaled-up to limit increases to no more than 1.5C, to prevent catastrophic warming. The EU has pledged to help deliver the transition to a low-carbon and more resource efficient economy, including developing innovative ways of financing projects. The FC4S network is supported by an investment of 1.5m over three years from Europe's EIT Climate-KIC agency. Sustainable Nation CEO Stephen Nolan has been appointed as strategic adviser to the body. Ireland has a track record in this space, last month selling 3bn of green bonds, where demand hit more than 11bn, making it just one of four nations to provide an environmental finance product. Communications, Climate Action and Environment Minister Richard Bruton said that in Ireland alone, some 50bn was needed over the next 20 years to retrofit housing stock. Government would only be able to fund around 5bn of this, so private sector financing would be required. "There is an appetite for investment to transform the line of travel for our country," he said. "I am delighted to welcome the launch of Dublin as the European node of FC4S. Global financial centres will have a key role to play in advancing the expansion of sustainable and green finance. "They will be pivotal in driving the transformation of the financial sector so that capital allocation decisions, product development and services provision are truly aligned with the sustainable development and the green agenda." Climate-KIC CEO Kirsten Dunlop said new business models and ways of accounting, reporting and understanding social and environmental value would also be required to drive investment in low-carbon projects. Federal and state officials could still force companies to change their data practices and even pay restitution under the proposal. Big data collectors, such as Facebook Inc and Alphabet Incs Google, are among the top buyers of Intels lucrative computer server chips. Chipmaker Intel Corp said it is seeking a sponsor in Congress for a US data privacy bill it drafted that would shield companies from fines if they attest to the US Federal Trade Commission annually that they take strong measures to protect consumer data. Federal and state officials could still force companies to change their data practices and even pay restitution under the proposal, which Intel wrote and began talking to Congress members about this week in an unusual step for a corporation. But the protection from civil actions would constitute a major win for Silicon Valley tech companies that would come at the cost of being more forthright about how they process user data. Repeat offenders could lose protection, and executives who falsely certify their compliance could face criminal prosecution, according to the proposed legislation provided by the company. David Hoffman, Intels global privacy officer, told Reuters on Tuesday that executives fear of imprisonment would drive the best privacy protection you can get. Intel itself does not collect much consumer data. Big data collectors, such as Facebook Inc and Alphabet Incs Google, are among the top buyers of Intels lucrative computer server chips. Hoffman said increasing consumer privacy concerns over the last five years have to lead to pushback on electronic health records and education data systems. Thats all bad for our business, he said. Marc Groman, an adjunct law professor at Georgetown University and former White House senior adviser on privacy, said Intels proposal should be taken seriously. He described the safe harbour from fines as reasonable and the grant of rulemaking authority to the FTC as crucial for the legislation to keep up with new technology. Data privacy has become a pressing political issue in the United States, with major technology companies Facebook, Google and Twitter Inc questioned by Congress on their practices. In Europe, a General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, took effect in May. Breaking privacy laws in Europe can now result in fines of up to 4 per cent of a firms global revenue. The Intel proposal caps fines at USD 1 billion and unlike GDPR, does not have a provision requiring companies to notify victims of data breaches. In the United States, California this year passed tough new privacy rules that tech companies say will be difficult to comply with. In September, Apple Inc, Amazon.com Inc and other companies told Congress they would support a federal law overriding Californias rules, which go into effect in 2020. (Source) A Barack Obama-style plaza has been given the green light at a Laois site, part of the development of an enterprise park which aims to boost the region's economy. Laois County Council have given conditional approval to planning, lodged by Supermac's owner Pat McDonagh, to build a two-storey retail building including a drive-thru and a six-pump forecourt. The plaza, which is similar to the larger one based at Monegall, is expected to bring the second Supermacs outlet to Portlaoise. It is part of a wider council-created plan for the Togher Enterprise Park, located at Junction 17 on the M7 Dublin-Limerick motorway. The council said that the proposed development "represents a unique opportunity to develop a cluster of complementary enterprises and a larger, more robust and diverse economic basis for the town, county and region". Mr McDonagh told Independent.ie that the granting of planning for the new plaza is a step in the right direction of the project's development. "Any development has to start somewhere; this is an essential piece of infrastructure needed to secure the towns role as the regional location for economic growth in the Midlands Area," he told Independent.ie. "It's important for any venture like that to get the first few businesses up and running, so that the area can be seen on a wider scale as a good location." Earlier this year, Glanbia selected the locality for their latest venture into mozzarella cheese production. The company revealed that a new 130m manufacturing facility is to be built at Togher National Industrial Estate. Read More The new facility will create around 78 full time jobs and is expected to begin production in 2020. "When the development is up and running, it will provide a real alternative to help reduce the pressure on the Dublin region in terms of over development of the capital city," Mr McDonagh said. Mr McDonagh is expecting that the planning decision as regards the new plaza will be appealed but, "all going well, we hope the full grant will be approved, allowing us to start construction in four months' time". With an estimated completion date of early 2020, the new plaza is expected to create 60 construction jobs directly during this first phase, sub contractors excluded. When the plaza is complete, at an expected cost of 10m, Mr McDonagh expects that between 80 and 100 employees will be required full-time. "We'll hopefully develop that site down the line and there's potential for a hotel and event centre; one step at a time," he said, Separately, the owner of the Applegreen brand is leading the charge against plans by Supermac's supremo Pat McDonagh to build a plaza serving the Limerick to Galway motorway. The owner of the network of Applegreen service stations, Petrogas Group, has lodged a strident objection against the McDonagh plan. It is bidding to locate a service station just off the motorway at Skehanagh outside Ennis on the M18. As part of the proposal, Supermac's is planning to create 100 jobs during the project's operation phase. In its objection to Mr McDonagh's fresh plan, consultants for Petrogas claim that the proposal is contrary to national policy for motorway service stops. Mortgage servicing and lending firm Pepper Ireland paid 3.7m in back tax to the Revenue Commissioners last year after it failed in its efforts to offset 129m in historic losses against future tax liabilities. (stock image) Mortgage servicing and lending firm Pepper Ireland paid 3.7m in back tax to the Revenue Commissioners last year after it failed in its efforts to offset 129m in historic losses against future tax liabilities. It was reported last year that Pepper Ireland, part of the Australian Pepper Group which is owned by private equity giant KKR, had lost a case brought to the Tax Appeals Commission, which resulted in the payout. The amount of the settlement made with the Revenue Commissioners as a result of losing that case was not revealed at the time. Pepper bought a mortgage loan book with a face value of 600m from GE Ireland in 2012. The loan book was distressed, and was reportedly sold for about 40pc of its face value. Pepper subsequently looked to utilise losses in the loan book as a deferred tax asset, which would have enabled it to offset future tax liabilities against those losses. That could have seen Pepper Ireland having no effective tax liability until such a time as it had used up the 129m deferred tax asset. The Revenue Commissioners objected to Pepper's plan in 2014. The finance firm then appealed that decision, with a determination made at the end of 2016. "I have determined above that the trade that gave rise to the loss is not the same trade as the trade which gave rise to the income against which the Appellant [Pepper] sought to offset the loss and I have determined that loss relief is not available," said the appeal commissioner. The latest set of accounts for Pepper Ireland, which have just been filed, show that the firm paid 3.7m last year as a result of an underprovision for corporation tax. The accounts also show that pre-tax profits at the firm fell by a third last year to 5.6m as revenue from its loan servicing activities declined from 46m to 42m. Pepper Ireland manages about 16bn of loans for customers including Danske Bank and Bank of Scotland. "Adjusted for one-off non-recurring items, these are a strong set of financial results at a pre-tax operating profit level and continue to recognise Pepper's position as one of the most successful servicers in the Irish market," said Pepper Ireland CEO Cormac Ryan. The 16.1bn of assets under management at the end of 2017 compared to 17bn at the end of 2016. However, during 2018 the company has secured significant additional servicing mandates, with lenders such as Leeds Building Society. Last month, Pepper Ireland exited the residential mortgage market in Ireland, having entered the business in 2016. It sold a 200m portfolio (face value) of mortgages, held by about 900 borrowers, to Finance Ireland, the company founded by Billy Kane, a former CEO of Irish Permanent. Finance Ireland is backed by the State's Ireland Strategic Investment Fund. The 200m of residential mortgages that Pepper had at the time the sale was announced last month compared to 113.1m in residential mortgages it had in issue at the end of 2017, and 27.6m at the end of 2016. In 2017, Pepper also launched mortgage lending activity aimed at commercial properties and professional buy-to-let borrowers. It continues to be involved in that activity. Setting standards: The Central Bank has taken a more hands-on approach to ensuring suitably qualified people are managing our banks and also that board directors know what they are doing. Photo: Bloomberg "I do not think you can trust bankers to control themselves. They are like heroin addicts." - Charlie Munger, vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway "Irrational lenders come and go - mostly they go!" - John Stumpf, chairman and CEO of Wells Fargo The first quote above sums up the feelings that many may have about the stereotypical "untrustworthy" banker who doesn't have the customers' best interest at heart. The second carries the warning about the perils of taking too many risks in banking. Right now, there is a significant sea change taking place in how banks and bankers are regulated. The focus for regulators and banks themselves is on changing culture. The first wave of regulatory change came after the 64bn banking crash which was characterised by foot-to-the-floor lending and risk-taking more than it was about breaking the law. Naturally legislators, regulators and taxpayers want to make sure that isn't allowed to happen again. The second wave has come more recently from the 1bn tracker mortgage scandal where the interests of customers were not put first. This one was about the culture of banks. Now there is a big push to try and change that culture. The Central Bank has responded to the first issue by ensuring greater scrutiny of balance sheets, lending practices and setting boundaries on practices like mortgage lending. It has also taken a more hands-on approach to ensuring suitably qualified people are managing our banks and also that board directors know what they are doing. The regulator is responding to the tracker issue by introducing new rules around individual accountability among bankers for the decisions that they make, as well as introducing very specific codes of conduct dealing with behaviour and culture. The industry itself is responding by setting up a new Banking Culture Board. And now the Institute of Banking is running courses in conjunction with UCD, on leading cultural change and ethical behaviour in financial services. Can you teach ethics in a course to a bank chief executive? Can you change the culture of an industry by attending a course? Mary O'Dea, CEO of the Institute of Banking, believes this kind of education can form part of the solution, but on its own, won't achieve all of those goals. Junior staff in banks may feel let down by their leaders in recent years, as they had to take a lot of the front-line flak from customers. One might think that only the top executives, who set the tone in an organisation, need to learn about these things. But the courses are geared towards staff at all levels and will examine things like group-think, group dynamics and how decisions get made. The institute has come up with two courses. One is a certificate course aimed at more front-line staff dealing with customers and the other is a diploma which should be attractive to middle and senior management. The courses will deal with issues like ethical practices and conflicts of interest, and will instil an understanding of the importance of culture in ensuring good customer outcomes. They will also deal with ethics and what it means to be ethical in financial services, and the obligations financial services companies have to customers. The brochures refer to case studies from the industry and how they will examine issues like understanding organisational culture and mindsets, as well as instilling a culture of empowerment and accountability. It all sounds like good stuff but will it work in changing banks' culture? The impact of the courses stands or falls on how the banks respond to the content. So you can teach any number of bankers about ethical behaviour, their obligations to customers and the importance of diversity of opinions, but how does the organisation respond when somebody sees something going on that doesn't meet those standards? Ms O'Dea says the ability to speak up goes right to the heart of an organisation and there is no point teaching these skills unless there is real leadership when it comes to how you respond to staff when they speak up about something. There is another positive point to the courses. Just getting bank staff and management to spend time studying, reading and talking about these issues, will surely prompt some of them to raise questions when they see behaviour that falls short of these standards. But the industry will have its work cut out. In 2010, Peter Nyberg was asked to conduct an investigation into the banking crash. He blamed group-think, a lack of questioning within banks and sheer recklessness in lending policies. He concluded that among the litany of banker failures and mistakes was that banks had "forgotten the very nature of credit". He went on to say: "It appears now, with hindsight, to be almost unbelievable that intelligent professionals in the banking sector appear not to have been aware of the size of the risks they were taking." Fast forward nine years after the crash and the Central Bank has had to conduct a report into the tracker mortgage scandal. It said it was "clear that consumer-focused cultures in the banks remain under-developed and that banks need to overcome obstructive patterns of behaviour in order to transition to maturity". There is something in the culture of banking, not just in Ireland, that makes it very difficult to bring about deep lasting change from within. It often has to be forced on banks from the outside. Now the industry is at least taking its own steps to bring about some change. This isn't an Irish banking problem. It goes a lot further. You only have to look at the sub-prime mortgage scandal in the US, the scandal around Wells Fargo bank or the foreign exchange and Libor scams in London. In some ways, they were a lot worse than anything we have seen in Ireland. The British Banking Standards Board did a survey of 28,000 bank staff across 22 lenders last year. It found that one in eight bankers said it is difficult to progress their careers without "flexing their ethical standards". More than one-third worried about the negative consequences of voicing any concerns. Six out of ten agreed that "our internal processes and practices are a barrier to our continuous improvement" and one in eight had seen unethical behaviour being rewarded. These are not encouraging statistics. Another survey conducted by the 'Guardian' newspaper saw 200 bankers in the City of London interviewed. It found the language used in the profession consistently side-stepped the possibility of ethical discussion. The banks' use of tax loopholes to help clients cut tax bills was described as 'tax optimisation'. Lawyers and regulators who went along easily with bank proposals were described as 'business friendly'. Cases of proven fraud were referred to as 'mis-selling'. On ethics, bankers were found to be amoral rather than immoral. They really did not want to break any rules and were afraid to do so. But they felt that as long as something was compliant with regulations, then it didn't matter. Being amoral on some issues means that terms like good or bad do not play a part in the decision-making process. When it comes to organisational culture and ethics, most banks in the UK have a form of in-house training. Mary O'Dea says the new courses here in Ireland are different and go further because they are externally accredited. Non-executive bank board directors in Ireland have had courses available to them since 2012 - another follow-on from the crash. Trust in banking has been hugely damaged by the events of recent years. Anything the industry can do to rebuild that trust and begin the long road towards cultural change has to be welcomed. Ms O'Dea said culture is being looked at in banks partially because we don't know what the next major financial crisis might be. She wants the courses to encourage a culture where people will feel they can speak out rather than sit back and say: "This is the way we do things around here." The Institute of Banking courses begin in February. Pictured are some of the speakers at the conference, from left, Chartered Accountants manager of tax and public policy Crona Clohisey, Standard Lifes Gillian Ryan and UK financial adviser Gary Briggs from Vintage Corporate. Accountant have a powerful role to play in prompting the planned auto-enrolment pension scheme, a conference was told. The Chartered Accountants Ireland conference, chaired by Dr Brian Keegan, the organisation's director of tax policy, was told of the success of a similar pension scheme for low and middle earners in the UK. Pictured are some of the speakers at the conference, from left, Chartered Accountants' manager of tax and public policy Crona Clohisey, Standard Life's Gillian Ryan and UK financial adviser Gary Briggs from Vintage Corporate. Thousands of pensioners are in line for a boost of up to 30 a week after the completion of a review of how their payment is calculated. It comes after a controversial 2012 change to the State pension which left thousands out of pocket, and was labelled bonkers by Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe. Now the Department of Social Protection has begun to write to almost 80,000 pensioners to explain how a new way of working out their entitlement to the State pension will affect them. The review is expected to lead to increases of up to 30 a week for a large number of pensioners. Those set to benefit from the new method of assessing pensions, known as a total contributions approach, are mainly women who took time out to mind children. Social Protection Minister Regina Doherty said she has included enabling legislation for the new total contributions approach for assessing pension entitlements in the Social Welfare Bill, which was approved by Cabinet this week. The Minister said she had included the legislation in the Bill to hasten the changes for anyone who reached pension age on or after September 1st, 2012 and were awarded less than maximum rate, on post-Budget 2012 rate bands. The new assessment method gives credit for time spent in parenting or caring duties. Minister Doherty said her department has begun to issue letters to over 70,000 Irish resident contributory pensioners, with a further 8,000 letters to non-resident pensioners planned to issue in December. The letter will explain the review process and inform pensioners that the department will contact them directly with the outcome of their individual personal review. Additional staff are being recruited to implement the individual pension reviews and the first review outcomes will be notified to pensioners in early 2019. Personal pension entitlement rates will not be reduced as a result of this review, Ms Doherty said. Anyone moved to a higher pension rate will have their payment backdated to March this year. The department said that if the new calculation method disadvantages a pensioner, they can continue to receive their current payment. Eligibility for the State pension is based on an averaging system, with total PRSI contributions divided by the number of years since the person began work. However, the 2012 rule changes negatively affected people who left the workplace before 1994 for a period of time, particularly women. Controversy erupted after 2017s Budget when Minister Donohoe admitted on radio that it was bonkers and unbelievable that women were losing out in this way. Nova Leah has developed a cybersecurity compliance solution for medical device manufacturers and healthcare providers. The solution has been designed to improve the security of connected medical devices, improve patient safety and reduce associated regulatory costs. Stock image Nova Leah has secured a 2.25m investment from Kernel Capital and Suir Valley Ventures. The funding round was led by the Bank of Ireland Kernel Capital Growth Fund, with a 1.5m investment. Nova Leah has developed a cybersecurity compliance solution for medical device manufacturers and healthcare providers. The solution has been designed to improve the security of connected medical devices, improve patient safety and reduce associated regulatory costs. The Dundalk-based company said that the platform has global deployments with a blue chip customer base. "We are very excited to be working with Kernel Capital and Suir Valley Ventures," Anita Finnegan, CEO of Nova Leah, said. "This investment milestone will see Nova Leah further expand on its existing success as we strive to become the number one provider of cybersecurity compliance solutions for the connected medical device industry." The company will use the funding to expand its team, further develop its product roadmap, and build its market presence. Kernel Capital meanwhile is the manager of the Bank of Ireland Kernel Capital Venture Funds. This comprises 210m of funds raised through six separate venture capital funds. The funds are supported by Bank of Ireland, Invest NI, Enterprise Ireland, UL founcation, NUIG foundation and New York State common retirement fund. The EU is considering a probe into Facebooks European tax arrangements, with Irelands tax treatment of multinationals again in the spotlight, Politico reported. Politico cited a former Irish official as saying the EU requested documents relating to the social media giants business here, as part of a trawl of a number of companies including Apple. The probe would be spearheaded by Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager. But one Politico source predicted the Commission wouldnt find enough material for a formal investigation to be opened. Facebook declined to comment. The Department of FInance said: "The European Commission has been gathering information from all EU Member States on tax rulings since 2014. So far, it has examined over 1,000 rulings across Europe. "This exercise has been ongoing since this time and has not been limited to Ireland. Ireland has always co-operated in respect of these requests and will continue to do so. "It is not appropriate to comment on the nature of such requests, as such enquiries are a confidential correspondence between Ireland and the Commission." The European Commission declined to comment. Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe has said that he is not shying away from a fresh report into digital tax. Speaking at an Oireachtas Committee on Thursday the Minister said that the yield involved in such a tax "could be a lot lower than may be expected." Minister Donohoe was responding to questions from Deputy Joan Burton who said that there is a need for a fresh report as there has been a huge change in digital landscape. "I think it is a reasonable approach that we should be given a report on it. By trying to shy away from it, it will not do Irelands case any good," Deputy Burton said. Minister Donohoe said that the OECD was already engaged in "intense work" in this area. "I believe change will happen, the best way is through the OECD. Yes this is going to be a new area of change. Certain countries have already identified difficulties on this, for example Sweden with gaming taxation." In a robust exchange between the two, Deputy Burton accused the Minister of giving a "bland, brush off answer" on the matter. However the Minister refuted this saying that he was "not shying away from anything." He added that also of concern are the many principles involved in developing such a tax. "The principle of a group of countries going down this path while we dont have agreement with other partners on how it is implemented, these trading partners could made decisions regarding trade that could have very serious consequences for EU and Ireland, and Ireland needs to be very clear on best route." "Other small service economies are now saying the same thing as Ireland." He added that if there were any matters that committee wanted regarding the negotiations he would will supply them promptly. Deputy Burton said that the Minsters statement was "deeply regrettable." "The fact that he is unwilling to put an updated report before the Irish people is deeply regrettable," she said. Earlier this week it was reported that French-led plans to tax big internet firms like Google and Facebook on their turnover are on the verge of collapse after other member states rejected them and announced national initiatives instead. That's a boost for Ireland which has opposed the plan, amid fears from Revenue that it could cost the Exchequer as much as 160m a year. Under the proposal, a 3pc levy would be put in place on digital revenues of large tech firms. They would be able to write it off against corporation tax - which could hurt Ireland as many of the companies are based here. Elon Musk had to step down as the electric-car maker's chairman as part of a settlement with US regulators. Tesla said board member Robyn Denholm will replace Elon Musk as its chair, more than a month after the billionaire had to step down as the electric-car maker's chairman as part of a settlement with US regulators. Tesla had until November 13 to name an independent board chairman under the settlement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, which said Musk's tweets about taking the company private were fraudulent and that the billionaire could retain his role as CEO but should quit as chairman. Musk said in August he was considering taking Tesla private in a $420 a share and that he had secured funding for a deal that was later scuttled but attracted scrutiny from several government agencies. The appointment of Ms Denholm caps months of turbulence for the company and its stock and investors called for stronger oversight of Musk, whose recent erratic public behaviour raised concerns about his ability to steer the company through a rocky phase of growth. Ms Denholm is currently chief financial officer at Australian telecoms operator Telstra and has been an independent director on Tesla's board since 2014. Ms Denholm will leave her role as CFO and head of strategy at Telstra once her six-month notice period with the company is complete, Tesla said late on Wednesday. She was appointed as Telstra's CFO in July. Tesla said Ms Denholm will be serving as chair on a full-time basis and that she will temporarily step down as chair of the company's audit committee until she leaves Telstra. The carmaker last month quieted some critics after it reported a net profit, positive cash flow and wider-than-expected margins in the third quarter, delivering on Musk's promise to turn the company profitable. A Tesla spokeswoman said that Denholm will receive an annual cash retainer of $300,000 and 8,000 stock options annually. The spokeswoman also said Tesla was actively looking for two additional independent directors. Technology and the internet are key battlegrounds in a trade war between China and the United States. The official opening of the World Internet Conference, which last year attracted Apple Inc CEO Tim Cook and Alphabet Inc head Sundar Pichai, was more muted this year and did not include previous calls for a more open internet. China should have a more prominent role in shaping the future of the global internet, President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday in remarks that underscored how battle lines for control of the web have hardened amid a biting trade war with the United States. The official opening of the World Internet Conference, which last year attracted Apple Inc CEO Tim Cook and Alphabet Inc head Sundar Pichai, was more muted this year and did not include previous calls for a more open internet. The official speeches spoke a lot less about openness and a lot more about strategic and pragmatic cooperation, said Rogier Creemers, a China governance expert at Leiden University in the Netherlands and regular conference attendee. It indicates they are less convinced about successful broad-based cooperation, particularly - if not expressed explicitly - with the United States, he told Reuters. Xi, like last year, did not attend the event in person in the town of Wuzhen. In a speech read out for him at the event, Xi said there was an urgent need for us to speed up the internet economy and work for governance that is more fair and equitable. China and Xi have pushed for a bigger role in global internet governance even while calling on nations to respect Beijings cyber sovereignty, an idea that countries should be free to control and censor their internet as they see fit. Technology and the internet are key battlegrounds in a trade war between China and the United States, with a spotlight on US complaints about intellectual property theft and Chinas ambitions to become a global leader in cutting edge tech. Foreign websites such as Alphabets Google and Facebook Inc are blocked in China, where authorities also tightly control online content and censor or punish those who post material seen as opposed to core socialist values. Xis comments come as Chinas technology and internet firms have taken a hit from rising uncertainty linked to the trade tensions between Washington and Beijing, and also greater involvement of the Chinese state in online industries. While the heads of Apple and Alphabet did not attend this year, conference delegates did hear from the chief executives of US chipmaker Qualcomm Inc and Chinese tech giant Tencent Holdings Ltd. Tencent chief Pony Ma said Chinas economy was resilient and the countrys internet sector had a bright future despite hurdles. Tencent has seen its stock fall nearly 30 percent this year amid a crackdown on gaming, one of its main profit drivers. We have suffered from twists and challenges in the past, he said. Going forward we still want to realise the dream of making China a powerful internet country. (Source) Apple's Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives Lisa Jackson speaks during the Web Summit 2018 in Lisbon, Portugal. Photo: Rita Franca/NurPhoto via Getty Images Its the final day of the 2018 Web Summit and you can watch it all live here on Independent.ie With an estimated 70,000 visitors to the Lisbon arena throughout the week, including some of the biggest tech CEOs, entrepreneurs and influencers, its been another successful Web Summit and the final day highlights include: 10:30-10:50 Fighting on the front line of the cyber war Do we have the tools to save democracy from potentially the biggest threat it has ever faced? Raffi Krikorian, CTO of the Democratic National Committee with Hadas Gold, Reporter, Media and Business, CNN, discusses the frontline battles being fought. 11:45-12:05 The global cannabis craze: Boom or bust? With many investors jumping on board and a big surge in share prices, it begs the question: is the cannabis industry the next big thing? Brendan Kennedy, CEO of Tilray, the first cannabis-producing firm to IPO on a major U.S. exchange, speaks to Robert Hackett, Senior Writer, Fortune. 14:00-14:20 Net positive: Happiness and the internet Does social media really bring you happiness in a world filled with fake news, social isolation and trolls? Alan Schaaf, CEO of Imgur outlines how you create an uplifting experience on the internet. 15:20-15:40 Can we battle back against tech addiction? Technology was supposed to give us freedom. Instead, some of us have become slaves to the screen. There are no simple solutions to tech addictionbut what can be done to curb our screen time? Louise Matsakis Staff Writer, Security & Platforms, Wired, chairs the panel discussion with Sairah Ashman, CEO, Wolff Olins, Dame Til Wykes, Professor of Clinical Psychology and Rehabilitation, Kings College London, and Michael Acton Smith, Co-founder & Co-CEO, Calm. 15:40-16:05 Disrupting defense: How tech can, and should, support national security The Founder of Oculus and Anduril joins CNNs Laurie Segall to discuss the future of AI, VR/AR, autonomous systems and how they can make us safer for the future. *Independent.ie's coverage of Web Summit 2018 is in association with PWC Luxury fashion brand Burberry said its transformation plan is on track to deliver cost savings of 100m (115m) this year, as it hailed an "exceptional" reception for its new head designer. Cumulative cost savings reached 80m (92m), with the group confirming a goal for the full year of 100m (115m). Adjusted operating profit fell by 4pc on a reported basis but was up 8pc at constant currency. Comparable store sales rose 3pc in the first half, as new creative director Riccardo Tisci took the helm. Chief executive Marco Gobbetti said the reception of Mr Tisci's first collection for the house had been "exceptional". Burberry's overall revenue was down 3pc, reflecting a move to take beauty products out of house through a strategic partnership with Coty last year. Excluding the impact of last year's beauty wholesale income, revenue climbed 3pc to 1.22bn. Higher like-for-like sales in stores included growth in the UK, despite concerns of weaker consumer demand and lower tourist spend. Asia Pacific also saw mid-single digit growth, as Chinese spend shifted to tourist destinations such as Hong Kong and Korea. The region has been a concern for investors as the threat of a trade war between China and the US weighs on consumer sentiment. Mr Gobbetti said the company was "energised" by early results of the transformation process. "Mindful that we are only in the first phase of our multi-year plan, we continue to manage dynamically through the transition," he said. The company is in the process of closing some shops and pulling out of department stores as it targets high-end shoppers. Ryanair Holdings Plc and longtime Chief Executive Michael O'Leary have been sued in New York by a shareholder that said Europe's largest airline defrauded investors and inflated its share price by overstating its ability to manage labor relations and keep costs down. The complaint was filed on Tuesday night in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan by an Alabama pension fund, seeking class-action status and damages for investors in Ryanair's American depositary shares from May 30, 2017 to Sept. 28, 2018. The complaint said Ryanair misled investors in regulatory filings and conference calls about its labor stability, including "industry leading" contracts with pilots and cabin crews, and its positive impact on operations. It said the truth came out as labor unrest forced the Dublin-based low-cost carrier last December to recognize unions for the first time, and led this summer to costly strikes that stranded thousands of passengers in several countries. "Unbeknownst to investors, the company's historical profit growth was built on an undisclosed and unsustainable foundation of worker exploitation and employee turnover," the complaint said. "The decline in the price of Ryanair ADSs was the direct result of the nature and extent of defendants' fraud finally being revealed to investors and the market." Ryanair cited labor issues on Oct. 1, when it cut its full-year profit forecast. Its share price closed that day more than one-third below its level in mid-March. O'Leary, Ryanair's chief executive since 1994, said last month he hoped to reach labor agreements with all of the carrier's major unions before Christmas. ADSs on June 30 accounted for 43.7 percent of Ryanair's issued ordinary shares, assuming all were converted into ordinary shares, the company has said. Ryanair's market value is roughly $16 billion, according to Refinitiv data. The lawsuit was filed by the City of Birmingham Firemen's and Policemen's Supplemental Pension System. Its law firm Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd specializes in securities fraud. It is common for shareholders to sue companies in the United States after what they consider unexpected share price declines. The case is City of Birmingham Firemen's and Policemen's Supplemental Pension System v Ryanair Holdings Plc, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 18-10330. In a statement today Ryanair said that it had not received any such documentation. "However these claims are doomed to fail as they have no basis in fact or reality. Ryanair shares are one of the best performing airline shares in 2018, despite significantly higher oil prices and lower fares which are affecting all EU airlines." "Contrary to these invented claims, Ryanair has experienced very little industrial action this year from its staff. Over just eight days (five days of action by just 25pc of Irish pilots, and three days of action by less than 25pc of cabin crew and pilots across five other EU countries) Ryanair continued to operate more than 90pc of its published schedule with minimal customer disruptions." "Most of Ryanairs flight disruptions (like all other EU airlines) this year were caused by ATC strikes and staff shortages, mainly in France, Germany and the UK, which are an industry problem afflicting all EU airlines and their passengers. "Ryanair will vigorously defend and defeat these bogus ambulance chaser claims." Hollywood actress Dakota Fanning has touched down in Dublin to shoot new movie Sweetness In The Belly. The drama is due to film in the capital over the coming weeks before production heads to Ethiopia. Based on the novel of the same name, the film tells the story of an orphan in Africa who escapes as a refugee to England. Twilight Saga actress Dakota will play the lead character, Lily Abdal. Expand Close Dakota Fanning / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dakota Fanning When she grows up, she works to help immigrants and refugees to reunite with their families. Passionate It's not her only motive though, as she also has a passionate love affair with an idealistic doctor. The flick will also star Kunal Nayyar, who is best known for his role as Raj Koothrappali on US sitcom The Big Bang Theory. Saoirse Ronan was originally linked to the role in 2017 before it ultimately went to the 24-year-old American actress. Dakota looked almost unrecognisable when she was spotted in character on the chilly streets of the capital this week. Video of the Day The actress donned a Muslim hijab along with a knee-length baby blue dress and a brown coat. World sales of the film are being handled by HanWay Films. The company's MD, Gabrielle Stewart, told ScreenDaily: "The spin of this refugee originally being British and Caucasian, yet raised Muslim in Africa, makes this perspective incredibly fresh and timely. "We are all thrilled to have caught Dakota Fanning at a really exciting point in her career." The film is being produced by Alan Moloney and Susan Mullen of Parallel Films, while Irish cinematographer Tim Fleming is director of photography. Dakota is not the only A-list actress filming in Dublin lately. Former Gossip Girl star Blake Lively was spotted around the capital filming scenes for upcoming thriller The Rhythm Section. Filming was temporarily shut down after she injured her hand. Chloe Grace Moretz was also filming in Dublin recently. The actress was in Ireland in September shooting The Widow. She spent her downtime with boyfriend Brooklyn Beckham, with the pair fitting in a visit to the Guinness Storehouse and watching a rugby match at the Aviva Stadium. Saoirse has also been busy working on a new project lately. The Irish actress is starring in Little Women with Emma Watson and Meryl Streep. Based on the popular 1868 novel, Saoirse plays Jo March, a feisty teenager known for her temper and strong personality. The film is directed by Greta Gerwig, who previously worked with Saoirse on Lady Bird, which garnered the Carlow woman her third Oscar nomination earlier this year. It ranks among the best reviewed films on movie website Rotten Tomatoes. The leading Irish musician and composer Micheal O Suilleabhain has died at the age of 67. The native of Clonmel, Co Tipperary, was the Emeritus Professor of Music at the University of Limerick and the founder and director of the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance. He collaborated with the RTE orchestra and the broadcaster said he was celebrated for his fusion of Irish traditional and classical music in particular for his unique style of piano playing. He passed away last night at the Milford Hospice in Limerick. President Michael D Higgins leads tributes with a statement issued on Thursday morning: "Music lovers all over the world will have heard with great sadness of the passing of Professor Micheal O Suilleabhain, performer, musician, composer, academic and broadcaster. "Proud of his roots in Clonmel and Murroe, and a close associate of famous musicians and musicologists such as Sean O Riada, Aloys Fleischmann, John Blacking and John Baily, Professor Micheal O Suilleabhain was renowned as a unique pianist and composer. "His music and outstanding work will for ever be enjoyed by countless people, celebrating his humour, his fearless sense of exploration and his talent for harmony, joy and mobilising the peerless power of music. "More than 20 years ago he was associated with the move of the Irish Chamber Orchestra to Limerick and at that time, as Minister for the Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, I saw the enthusiasm with which he delivered that project and the commitment that led to the establishment of the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance which he founded at the University of Limerick. "A representative of much what is Irishness at its best, Micheal O Suilleabhain has left us with an indelible legacy, both through his music and through the Academy, which he led for over 2 decades. Video of the Day "Sabina and I send our deepest condolences to his wife Professor Helen Phelan, his children Luke, Eoin and Micheal, to Dr Noirin Ni Riain, to his brother John and to all members of his family and his wide circle of friends." A number of well-known musicians and academics, University of Limerick students and fans paid tribute to the musician online. Orchestral musician Liam Lawton paid tribute, writing; "Tonight one of the great legends of Irish music has gone to his eternal reward. "Micheal O Suilleabhain was a unique artist whose music brought together so many strands of Irish music. "His vision and and talent created a roadway that so many of us travelled over the years but nobody could ever emulate the gift that was Micheal O Suilleabhain. His music carved a niche that will be remembered long after all of us." "The Irish Chamber Orchestra wrote; "It is with a heavy heart that we at the ICO have learned of the passing of Micheal O Suilleabhain, musician,composer, leader and great friend. "Micheal was instrumental in the relocation of the orchestra to Limerick and indeed the ICO is an integral part of the Irish World Academy founded by Micheal. "We extend our deepest sympathies to Helen, Eoin, Moley, Luke and Noirin on their terrible loss. May he Rest In Peace." Tipperary County Councillor Siobhan Ambrose described Mr O'Suilleabhain as an "acclaimed Irish musician, performer and composer." She wrote; "It is with great sadness that I just heard of the passing of one of Clonmels most famous sons Micheal O' Suilleabhain. "Micheal passed away this evening in Milford Hospice in Limerick... He was a very proud Clonmel man." A spokeswoman for the University of Limerick paid tribute to Mr O Suilleabhain, saying there is "enormous sadness" following his death. She said: "O Suilleabhain left a rich legacy through his own music, as well as the Academy he founded which attracted students from over 50 countries who enrolled on undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Music Therapy, Contemporary Dance Performance, Irish Traditional Dance Performance, Community Music, Festive Arts, Irish Traditional Music Performance, Classical String Performance, Ethnomusicology and others. "He was hugely instrumental in the relocation of the Irish Chamber Orchestra from Dublin to its current home at the University of Limerick. "Awards included Honorary Doctorates of Music from University College Cork, (2005) and The Royal conservatoire of Scotland (2017), Ollamh na hEigse (Inaugural award by Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann in 2006); Honorary Alumnus Award (Boston College) and the ODonnell Chair of Irish Studies from the University of Notre Dame (2012). "He studied at University College Cork (B.Mus.1972, MA 1973) with the composers Aloys Fleischmann and Sean O Riada, and in Queens University Belfast (PhD 1987) with the ethnomusicologists John Blacking and John Baily. "He produced a series of CD recordings in America, the UK, and Ireland on the traditional music of the Shetland Islands, Donegal, Cape Breton Island and on Irish traditional musicians in the USA and in England." Minister Josepha Madigan TD said she was "very saddened to hear the news", adding that the late musician "played a hugely significant role in, and has left an indelible mark on Irish music through his performances, recordings and collaborations". She added, "Through his founding of, and work in, the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at UL his role in education and mentoring has realised further generations of artistic talent in Ireland." Rory Cowan delivered a heartfelt speech at the funeral of his mother Esther Cowan. The former Mrs Browns Boys (59) actor was joined by family and friends at the Church of the Ascension of the Lord in Balally Parish, Co Dublin. Mrs Cowan (85), who struggled with dementia, passed away on Monday at St Vincents Hospital, Dublin. Her son told several stories about his mother during the service, including meetings she had with the likes of Cliff Richard and President Michael D Higgins. Expand Close 8/11/2018, Rory Cowan at the funeral of his mum, Esther at the church of the ascension of the lord in Balally parish, Co. Dublin. Pic: Damien Eagers / INM / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp 8/11/2018, Rory Cowan at the funeral of his mum, Esther at the church of the ascension of the lord in Balally parish, Co. Dublin. Pic: Damien Eagers / INM Her whole life was her family, I think that comes from that generation. What was going on in the world didnt matter, it was the family that mattered, he said. The Dublin native had the congregation laughing when he remembered his mothers meeting with Cliff Richard. I worked in a record company, she wanted me to work in the bank. I deliberately failed maths in my leaving so I wouldnt get a job in the bank, he said. She always thought some day Id settle down and get a proper job. That was until I took her to dinner one night with Cliff Richard. She was chatting to him for hours. I said to her afterwards, what were you talking about? And she said, the trade union movement. I went to him and said, Im sorry about my Ma. He said, No I loved it, she was brilliant. For the first time in over 40 years, I was able to go out and talk about ordinary things, not about what I do for a living. Video of the Day The actor believes her conversation with President Higgins, during the interlude of a play, was likely a similarly refreshing one for him. I was watching to make sure the bodyguards that were with him werent going to be rough with her. He invited her to sit down. With no other head of state in the world would this be allowed, he said. They were having an animated conversation. She said, I had a lovely conversation with him and I said, what were you talking about? And she said, I was telling him that our parish priest has the flu. They had a conversation about getting the flu jab and he went over to her before the second half of the play and said, Mrs Cowan, promise me youll get the flu jab. I think he liked that conversation because it was something other than politics. That was my mother. Cowan became emotional toward the end of his speech as he continued to pay tribute to his mother. When I thought about what I really wanted to say about her, what tribute can you pay to your mother? The only thing I can think of is that I am so glad she was my mother. A notice on RIP.ie reads: Peacefully while surrounded by her loving family in the care of the wonderful staff at St. Vincents University Hospital. Sadly missed by her children Rory, Gerard and Maebh, grandchildren Cian, Eoin, Oran and Evan, extended family and a wide circle of friends. Mrs Cowan, from Rathfarnham, will be laid to rest in Mount Venus Cemetary. An asylum seeker who became pregnant following a relationship with a security guard at a Direct Provision centre has settled a High Court action over a refusal to register the father's surname on the child's birth certificate. The father's surname been registered on the birth cert since she brought legal proceedings, the court heard. The man had refused to consent to the boy being registered using his surname, the court was told earlier this year when the mother got leave to bring the proceedings over the refusal of the State registry authority to put his name on the cert. When the matter returned before the High Court, Mr Justice Michael McGrath was told the case had been resolved and could be struck out. The African woman, who has been in Ireland since 2014, fled her native country in 2010 and gave birth to the child in 2016. The court previously heard she had been in a relationship with her son's father, a security guard at the Direct Provision Centre where she still resides. The relationship ended before the boy was born, and she has a maintenance order naming the man as the father of their child. She had been married but divorced from her former husband before arriving in Ireland. One of the reasons she wanted to register her son with the father's name was because she did not want the child to have the surname of her ex-husband and it would not reflect the boy's true origins. After her son's birth, she made several unsuccessful attempts in 2016 and 2017 to register the boy using his father's surname. She claimed she was informed she could not give the boy the father's surname without the father attending at the office the Registry of Births, Marriages and Deaths. She then obtained the assistance of the Citizen's Information Services (CIS), which dealt with the office of the Registrar General, An tArd Chlaraitheoir, on her behalf. If the father was not willing to attend the office she could only give the child the surname she is currently using, she was allegedly informed. The CIS, in July 2017, asked An tArd Chlaraitheoir for details and legislation which requires a father to attend the registry office, as it was unable to find it. A representative of An tArd Chlaraitheoir informed the CIS it was unable to cite the relevant legislation, and added there was no discretion to give the boy his father's surname, she claimed. In August 2017 the CIS asked An tArd Chlaraitheoir to give the boy his father's surname because of the exceptional circumstances that applied in the case, she claimed. In a reply, which resulted in the bringing of the High Court action, An tArd Chlaraitheoir said there is no provision in the Civil Registration Act to allow the mother register her son's birth using any other surname than her own one. In her action on both her and her son's behalf, they sought an order compelling An tArd Chlaraitheoir to register the boy's surname in accordance with the 2004 Civil Registration Act. Warning: Mr Justice Peter Kelly said unqualified people were being given jobs and were a danger to patients. Picture: Damien Eagers People with little knowledge of the basics of medicine are being allowed to work in hospitals here due to defective recruitment in the HSE, a leading judge warned. High Court President Mr Justice Peter Kelly warned starkly of the obvious danger to patients as doctors lacking basic skills are being employed. The judge will now contact Health Minister Simon Harris and the head of the HSE over the alarming concerns about recruitment of medical staff. He made the startling comments in the case of a junior doctor in a maternity unit who was suspended from practising by the High Court. Other doctors had raised serious concerns, within days of his starting work, that he lacked basic medical competency and was a danger to patients. Criticism of recruitment in the health service came as the winter trolley crisis kicked in early, with almost 600 patients left languishing yesterday. A row raged as Taoiseach Leo Varadkar refused to apologise for demanding staff work full whack at Christmas. The Taoiseach has said he is very concerned by the High Court case. Speaking in Finland, he said:Its absolutely essential that if people come into the country from other countries that no matter what job they apply for, whether its as a doctor or teacher or social worker or a driver, its essential that their qualifications are actually valid. Employers have an obligation to make sure thats the case. They have to put the safety of patients and children and consumers first. Mr Varadkar noted that Health Minister Simon Harris has sought a report from the HSE on the case. However, the sharp focus is now also on HSE interview and recruitment procedures, after the case of the junior doctor who was never taught how to examine a pregnant woman. Mr Justice Kelly concluded the public interest required the doctor, who graduated from medical school in an east European country in 2015, be suspended from practice pending further order. The judge wondered how the interview panel could have awarded him 55 out of 100 marks for clinical medical and diagnostic skills when his lack of those "was so obvious within days of his coming to work in the hospital". He also wondered how the interview panel concluded the doctor was "short on experience" when he had "none at all". The suspension order was sought by the Medical Council, and granted by the president of the High Court, to protect the public. It applies pending a fitness to practise inquiry into complaints by two obstetricians about his methods. Mr Justice Kelly said it was not an isolated incident and he had encountered other cases where registered medical practitioners "with little knowledge of the basics of medicine" were recruited to work in hospitals here. He warned that "defective" recruitment and interview procedures have led to employment of persons "wholly unsuitable for appointment and an obvious danger to patients". His judgment expressing serious concerns should be sent to the Minister for Health Simon Harris and the acting CEO of the Health Services Executive, he directed. The judgment noted the doctor never previously worked in any paid capacity in any other hospital anywhere and two consultants said he did not meet the "most basic" standards of competence of doctors practising "at this very junior level". Some of his junior colleagues here said they witnessed "wild" clinical assessments by him, made without taking any history or examining a patient. The application for the order was heard and granted in private last month but yesterday the judge directed his judgment be made public on condition the doctor is not identified. The doctor had attended an earlier meeting with the Medical Council but did not attend the court hearing or provide sworn evidence. The judge said while the doctor had described himself as having been a senior house officer in a UK hospital, a letter from the NHS made clear he was merely an observer in a department of medicine and was to have no hands-on contact with patients. Two consultants here had then raised concerns about his basic competencies, including history-taking, taking blood tests, insertion of IV cannulas, how to prescribe drugs and knowledge of drugs. The doctor had told the Medical Council he made clear when interviewed here he lacked experience and that it was an observership he held in the UK. He also said he was nervous and overwhelmed when asked by the consultants here about his medical knowledge. He added there were "gaps in my training" but he was still studying and going to courses. Responding to the story, a spokeswoman for the Minister Harris said: "Recruitment of doctors is a matter for the HSE, as acknowledged by the judge in his judgement yesterday. However, Mr Justice Peter Kelly has said he will be sending his judgement to the Minister and the Minister will reflect very carefully on its contents, which highlight a number of concerns in a range of areas. "The Minister is aware there is a detailed review of the recruitment process underway by the HSE with a view to introducing a revised model in 2019. "The Minister intends to seek an urgent response from his Department and the HSE on the circumstances of this specific case, the implications of Mr Kellys judgement and the implementation of actions arising from it." Fianna Fail TD Dara Calleary said today that people who are sick badly need to be reassured that there are no more dangerous doctors working in the health services. He said the comments by the High Court President about doctor recruitment procedures raised very serious concerns among people who are ill and their families. The Fianna Fail deputy leader said just two years ago very serious questions were raised about the competence of four doctors but he claimed the latest case in the High Court showed this serious problem persisted. We need answers and guarantees that there are no more doctors of this calibre in the health services that more have not got through, Mr Calleary said. Replying for the Government, Tanaiste Simon Coveney said the Health Minister had sought an urgent report from his department on the matter. Mr Coveney said the HSE was responsible for doctor recruitment and hospital groups were also charged with carrying out the assessment of potential doctor recruits. Mr Coveney said the HSE was currently reviewing doctor recruitment procedures and the result of this was due next year. He added that all these concerns would be taken into account in that HSE review. Deputy Calleary said more urgent action was needed immediately. An urgent report thats the usual reply in cases like this. Seek an urgent reply, and then hope the media will go away, Mr Calleary said. The Tanaiste also rejected allegations by Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty that the Taoiseach had abused frontline staff when talking about the need to have more hospital workers on duty over the Christmas holidays. Mr Coveney said the Taoiseach was merely raising important issues around the health service problems and these included rostering issues. A former Fine Gael town councillor who received the longest prison sentence for corruption ever handed down by the Irish courts has won his Supreme Court appeal over his conviction. By a four to one majority today, the court quashed the conviction of Fred Forsey Junior. He has already served his sentence and the matter has been put back for two weeks to allow the DPP decide whether to seek a retrial. Mr Forsey (46), of Coolagh Road, Abbeyside, Dungarvan, Co Waterford, was convicted under the Prevention of Corruption Act in connection with receiving 60,000, 10,000 and 10,000 in 2006 in three corrupt payments from a property developer, who had an interest in a planning permission for the development of land at Ballygagin, Co Waterford. He was also accused of behaving corruptly in trying to persuade officials and councillors in Waterford County Council to grant permission for the development, and when that was refused, attempting to alter the zoning of the land in the Waterford Co Development Plan. It was further alleged he tried to get Dungarvan UDC, which he was formerly an elected member of, to bring the lands into its control. He denied the charges and claimed the monies were loans. In 2012 a jury at Waterford Circuit Criminal Court found him guilty and he was sentenced to six years imprisonment with the final two suspended. In July 2016 the Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal against his conviction but he later got permission to bring a further appeal to the Supreme Court. In his appeal, Mr Forsey, represented by Remy Farrell and Hugh McDowell BL, disputed the legality of a presumption of corruption against a holder of public office contained in Section 4 of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The prosecution relied on the presumption in arguing the section imposed an obligation on Mr Forsey to disprove corruption. Giving the majority court judgment today, Ms Justice Iseult OMalley said, as a result of a mutual legal error on the part of the defence, prosecution and trial judge, Mr Forsey was subject to a trial process that breached his right to be presumed innocent. The interpretation of Section 4 adopted in the case was contrary to legal authority, she said. In the circumstances, she could not conclude the trial was conducted in due course of law. Dissenting, Mr Justice John McMenamin considered the prosecution case was overwhelming and the defence evidence concerning the alleged loan was discredited to the extent not jury could have concluded Mr Forsey was not guilty. The family of a soldier killed in a bomb attack four decades ago has welcomed the arrest of suspect John Downey. Mr Downey was detained by gardai in Co Donegal on Monday under a European arrest warrant. It related to three offences including a bomb in Co Fermanagh in 1972 which killed two Ulster Defence Regiment members. Alfred Johnston (32) and James Eames (33) died when an IRA bomb exploded at Enniskillen, on August 25, 1972. A spokesman for Mr Johnston's family said yesterday: "John Downey has for a long period of time been suspected to have been involved in the murder of our father and his colleague." Mr Downey (66) was remanded in custody after he appeared before the High Court in Dublin on Tuesday. Sinn Fein TDs Pearse Doherty, Martin Ferris, Sean Crowe and Dessie Ellis attended the brief hearing. There is to be an extradition hearing on November 23. Labour leader Brendan Howlin argued that the sight of Sinn Fein TDs attending the hearing "underscores for anyone in any doubt that although the packaging of Sinn Fein has changed, the contents have remained the same". Mr Downey's previous trial on charges in connection with the 1982 Hyde Park bombing collapsed after it emerged he received a written assurance from the British government that he was not wanted by the authorities. A Sinn Fein spokesperson insisted his arrest was "out of order" due to a previous British commitment that he "was not wanted in relation to any offences". They said their TDs attended the hearing to support Mr Downey, who was described as "a supporter of the peace process over many years". There were 'multiple fatalities' in the shooting inside a crowded venue in the upscale residential suburb of Thousand Oaks. A man, who said he was in the bar, told ABC news that he saw a man shoot into the crowd. (Photo: AP) Los Angeles: Ventura County sheriff Geoff Dean said 13 victims were killed in shooting at a crowded Southern California bar on late Wednesday, reported The Associated Press. A gunman who opened fire in the southern California bar and dance hall killing several people is also dead, the sheriff's office said. The incident happened at the Borderline Bar and Grill in the town of Thousand Oaks, a quiet, upscale residential suburb of Los Angeles. Ventura County Sheriff's Office Sgt Eric Buchow told the CBS affiliate in Los Angeles that there were "multiple fatalities" in the shooting and the gunman was dead inside the crowded venue. Police who responded to reports of a shooting rushed to the scene and engaged the gunman. A deputy sheriff is among the 13 people shot. The Los Angeles Times quoted a law enforcement official as saying at least 30 shots had been fired. An unnamed witness told the newspaper that someone ran into the bar around 11:30 pm and started shooting what looked to be a black pistol. "He shot a lot, at least 30 times. I could still hear gunshots after everyone left," the Times quoted the man as saying. A Garda will be sentenced next week after a jury found him guilty of possessing images and videos of children being subjected to sexual acts. Joseph O'Connor (58), of west Dublin, had pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to five counts of possession of child pornography at his home on dates between July 30 and August 2, 2011. During a search of his home on August 2, gardai investigating other allegations seized a laptop. Analysis of the laptop found videos in the computer's "recycle bin" showing boys under the age of 10 being subjected to sexual acts. Two depicted boys under 17 being subjected to sexual acts with a male adult. There were also multiple copies of 16 different images of children sexually exposed or being subjected to sexual acts. The jury of 10 men and two women returned unanimous verdicts of guilty on four counts. The jury acquitted him on one count, which dealt with 56 duplicates of two images. He was found guilty of possessing the two originals, found in a computer folder labelled 'Spanked Boys'. He was also convicted of possessing 15 explicit videos of child sex around August 2011. He was also convicted of possessing 56 images and 42 videos of children being subjected to explicit sexual acts and 41 images of children being sexually exposed. Paul Carroll SC, defending, said O'Connor is a long-serving garda. He is suspended. Judge Elma Sheahan remanded O'Connor on continuing bail to next Monday for sentencing. After his arrest, O'Connor told gardai he had never seen the material before and denied downloading it. He said he believed that a man, Patryk Farrell, who came to his home for sex just days before the laptop was seized, had corrupted his computer. Closing the State's case, Alice Fawsitt SC told the jury there was no evidence of any virus on the laptop and no evidence of anything that might have happened to it the weekend before it was seized. Counsel for O'Connor told the jurors they must consider if it was possible the files were put on the computer by somebody else. He said O'Connor told gardai hundreds of men had come back to his home for sex and any of them could freely use his laptop. Mr Carroll said that on the day after they met for sex at O'Connor's home, Mr Farrell texted O'Connor and told him he was bruised and he was going to gardai and would "destroy" him. O'Connor went to gardai to report Mr Farrell had stolen his Garda ID, handcuffs and cash from his home. Counsel asked if it was reasonable his client knew Mr Farrell had made allegations to gardai and didn't destroy his laptop knowing there was illegal material on it. During legal argument in the absence of the jury the court heard gardai went to O'Connor's home in August 2011 to investigate allegations of assault by Mr Farrell. They seized the laptop and subsequently found the illegal images on it. Mr Farrell's allegations were also forwarded to the Garda Ombudsman but Mr Farrell - since deceased - did not co-operate with this investigation and it was dropped. Rioad crash fraudsters have been warned by a judge of An Garda Siochana's intention to set up a special squad to investigate them. The warning was issued by Judge Jacqueline Linnane in the Circuit Civil Court, after she threw out three claims for a total of 180,000 damages. These were for personal injuries allegedly suffered by three men in a rear-ending incident on July 7, 2016. Judge Linnane said the court had not been convinced Piotr Czaderski, Eugeniusz Perkowski and Maciej Kostka had suffered any injury in the low-impact collision on Crumlin Road, Dublin. The judge told barrister Conor Kearney, counsel for motorist Aisling Kelly, The Ward, Co Dublin, and Aviva Insurance, there was low impact contact between Ms Kelly's car and the Volkswagen Passat of Czaderski. However, she believed he and his work colleagues, Perkowski and Kostka, together had planned taking proceedings against Ms Kelly. Judge Linnane, referring to the proposed new fraud squad, said the court claims had been orchestrated by Czaderski. The court heard Czaderski (38) of The Moyle, Prospect Hill, Finglas Road, Dublin; Perkowski (67), Addison Road, Dublin 3 and Kostka (25) The Plaza, Coultry Road, Ballymun, Dublin, were fellow workers in a waste collection company. Mr Kearney, who appeared with BLM Solicitors, said the three men, and a fourth man who had not gone through with a claim, worked for Panda Waste and had gone to work directly after the collision. He put it to each of them that they had afterwards got together and decided to bring claims. According to medical reports all of them had reported pain in their upper back and neck. Counsel said Ms Kelly's 78-year-old mother had been in her daughter's car at the time and had not been injured. He told Judge Linnane he was prepared to call her to give evidence, but the judge said it would not be necessary. Following the dismissal of all three 60,000 claims, Rob Smyth, head of fraud at Aviva said it welcomed the decision. "As part of our zero tolerance strategy to fraud, we intend to take all necessary steps to recover all our costs and will also make a formal criminal complaint," he said. One of two Dublin schools closed amid concerns over structural defects is bringing all pupils back today, but there is only a limited return at the other. Tyrrelstown Educate Together is re-opening its ground floor for some classes, while others are being bussed to alternative accommodation at Hansfield Educate Together. However, neighbouring St Luke's National School is not opening because of concerns among parents, some of whom are planning a protest today seeking safety assurances. It means no return today for junior pupils at St Luke's, but third to sixth classes have been invited back to be walked to nearby Le Cheile secondary school where rooms are being made available. There was a heated meeting between parents and building engineers at the schools' site yesterday which turned "hostile" after parents were not satisfied the schools were safe for pupils to return. The two schools were found to have both internal and external structural issues after assessments were conducted on 42 schools built by Western Building Systems. Terence Wallace, whose son Logan (6) is in the senior infants class at the Educate Together school, said safety concerns led to people shouting over each other at the meeting yesterday morning. "It was all very angry and very heated and it was mainly parents from St Luke's because they weren't getting answers," he said. "There were fire exits being blocked and then they were being unblocked so people were asking why that had happened. "People were shouting over each other and asking questions and not getting answers, and people being asked questions were not getting the chance to answer. They were just being shot down." A number of parents who attended the meeting with their children said they left feeling "intimidated" and "scared" due to the visible building works and the temporary supports around walls. Junior and senior infants as well as the special needs units return to the school today as the ground floor is deemed structurally safe, after additional braces and supports were installed. First to sixth class pupils will move to Hansfield on a temporary basis. The last of the pupils waiting to return to school after the discovery of structural safety concerns in their buildings will be back at their desks tomorrow. St Lukes National School, Tyrrelstown, west Dublin is reopening its ground floor, which will accommodate junior infants, senior infants and first and second classes. The schools more senior pupils returned today, although they are being transferred to the nearby Le Cheile secondary school, pending further structural investigations at St Lukes. The re-opening of the school has been delayed since Monday because of concerns by parents yesterday about the protective measures put in place over the weekend, including the quality of finish. In a statement today, principal Vivienne Bourke said the school patron and Board of Management had made the informed decision that the ground floor would be safe for pupils to return to school tomorrow. St Lukes and the neighbouring Tyrrelstown Educate Together were deemed to need precautionary protective measures, both internally and externally following a recent structural assessment. Both schools are restricted to opening their ground floors only, for the time being, and Tyrrelstown Educate Together has relocated senior classes to nearby Hansfield Educate Together. In the statement posted on the St Lukes website, the principal has advised that children have a coat and warm clothing for tomorrow, and a change of clothes/socks for wet days, especially the older children, who must walk to and from Le Cheile every day. She has also asked that children bring adequate food and drink so that there is as little disruption to the school day as possible, and that, if a child is sick, or has an appointment, that they are kept at home. The two Tyrrelstown schools are among 42 built by the same contractor, Western Building Systems, which have undergone structural assessments after worrying discoveries at Ardgillanj Community College, Balbriggan, Co Dublin last month. Some 23 of the schools been confirmed as needing remediation work or, at least, precautionary protective measures, pending further investigations. Education Minister Joe McHugh thanked the school communities, and the companies involved in installing protective measures, and noted particular logistical challenges for schools in which only the ground floor is reopening this week. He said an immediate priority was to facilitate the safe and timely opening of the upper floors of those buildings, and said they would also move as quickly as possible to the next phase of structural investigations at other schools and implementation any remediation works required. I can assure the school communities involved that no effort will be spared in ensuring these issues are comprehensively and permanently resolved, he said. People who are sick badly need to be reassured that there are no more dangerous doctors working in the health services. Fianna Fail TD Dara Calleary said the comments by the High Court President about big flaws in doctor recruitment procedures raised very serious concerns among people who are ill and their families. Mr Calleary said Mr Justice Kellys scathing comments about Health Service Executives deficient recruitment procedures raised the most serious questions about patient safety. The Fianna Fail deputy leader said just two years ago very serious questions were raised about the competence of a doctor working in four hospitals. But the latest case in the High Court, in which a junior doctor was suspended from a maternity hospital due to lack of training and experience, showed this serious problem persisted. We need answers and guarantees that there are no more doctors of this calibre in the health services that more have not got through, Mr Calleary said. Replying for the Government, Tanaiste Simon Coveney said Health Minister, Simon Harris, had sought an urgent report from his department on the matter. Mr Coveney said the HSE was responsible for doctor recruitment and hospital groups were also charged with carrying out the assessment of potential doctor recruits. Mr Coveney said the HSE was currently reviewing doctor recruitment procedures and the result of this was due next year. He added that all these concerns would be taken into account in that HSE review. The Fianna Fail deputy leader said more urgent action was needed immediately. An urgent report thats the usual reply in cases like this. Seek an urgent reply, and then hope the media will go away, Mr Calleary said. The Tanaiste rejected allegations by Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty that the Taoiseach had abused frontline staff when talking about the need to have more hospital workers on duty over the Christmas holidays. Mr Coveney said the Taoiseach was merely raising important issues around the health service problems and these included rostering issues. Bugs resistant to treatment with antibiotics could kill millions over the next three decades, estimates suggest. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) warned that superbug infections will kill around 2.4 million people across Europe, North America and Australia by 2050 unless more is done to limit antibiotic resistance. This includes around 1.3 million deaths across Europe. The report estimates 90,045 people in the UK will die over the next 30 years from infections which are resistant to treatment. Simple measures such as hand-washing and more prudent prescriptions of antibiotics could avert some of the deaths, the authors said. Better hygiene, ending the "over-prescription" of antibiotics and enhancing rapid testing for patients to ensure they are being prescribed the right drugs are some of the measures that could overcome the threat, the OECD said. Three out of four deaths could be averted by spending just $2 (1.75) per person a year, the OECD calculated. A short-term investment would save money in the long run, they added, saying that dealing with antimicrobial resistance complications could cost up to $3.5bn each year on average across the 33 countries included in the analysis. Resistance is already high and projected to grow even more rapidly in low and middle-income countries. The report warns that southern Europe risks being particularly affected, with Italy, Greece and Portugal forecast to top the list of OECD countries with the highest mortality rates from antimicrobial resistance. It adds that resistance to second and third-line antibiotics - used as back-ups to treat infections when common antibiotics do not work - is expected to grow over the coming decades. The report comes after health officials in England launched a campaign to try to prevent people from asking for the drugs when they do not need them. Public Health England said antibiotics are essential for treating serious bacterial infections but the drugs are frequently used to treat coughs, sore throats and ear aches, which usually get better without the medication. The health body's latest campaign reminds people that if they are feeling unwell, "antibiotics aren't always needed". Tim Jinks, head of the Wellcome Trust's drug-resistant infections priority programme, said: "This new OECD report offers important insight into how simple, cost-effective surveillance, prevention and control methods could save lives globally. "Drug-resistant superbugs are on the rise worldwide and represent a fundamental threat to global health and development." Up to two-thirds of GPs say they are not in a position at this time to provide medical abortions because of a range of issues including workload, resources or conscientious objection. However, 43pc said they would refer a woman to a colleague who is participating. One quarter said they would not provide abortion and would prefer not to refer a woman to another doctor. One third of GPs say they will provide the service once it becomes law. The findings have emerged in a consultation process by the Irish College of General Practitioners, which has 3,500 members. The consultation showed that GPs strongly believe that the provision of a suitably-staffed 24-hour helpline is a vital element of the service, as it will be a mechanism to ensure that those who do not wish to provide the service will not be required to do so. The online consultation process was carried out during August and September, and the responses reflected the demographic and geographic profile of the College membership. There was a 26pc participation rate in the online consultation process. The consultation process provided substantial feedback from members, which is assisting the College in designing its clinical guidelines for the termination of pregnancy services, said Dr Tony Cox, Medical Director of the ICGP. The data indicates that the majority of GPs are either willing to provide the service or refer a patient to another doctor who will. The 24-hour helpline will help women seeking a termination of pregnancy to be referred to a GP or other provider in the community, who is able to provide the service to them. Of those who do not wish to provide a service, resourcing and workload is a major concern, Dr Cox added. Our feedback shows that there is genuine worry that the promised rapid access to ultrasound scans and hospital care, will not be delivered. The findings also demonstrate that there is a cohort of GPs who will not opt to provide services due to concerns related to conscientious objection. Both in the development of guidelines and in advocating for the necessary resources the Colleges primary concern is patient safety and quality of care, said Dr Cox . The College will hold an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of its members on 2nd December to discuss the provision of termination-of-pregnancy services by GPs. This EGM was called by the Board to discuss the concerns raised by some members. Ireland can expect more heavy snow during the winter with climate change having an effect, according to Met Eireann's Evelyn Cusack. Ms Cusack was speaking following the launch of the Government's 'Be Winter Ready' initiative. Despite saying adverse weather conditions take place irrespective of climate change, Met Eireann's head of forecasting explained that heavier snow could be anticipated in the coming years. "There is a chance of more snow even though the climate is warming up and that's because there's more moisture in the atmosphere," Ms Cusack said. "There's more evaporation because of the higher sea temperatures and then in winter, instead of rain, it turns to snow. So in fact, snow events could be heavier." Ms Cusack said because of the different weather conditions experienced in the past 12 months, she expects the public to take real notice this year. "The message is prepare yourself for all eventualities and listen out for the warnings and the local forecasts as well," she said. Asked if there was a fatigue from weather warnings due to the number of them issued, Ms Cusack said: "There is an idea of warning fatigue or yellow warning fatigue, but we only issue warnings when there are specific issues around." As part of the 'Be Winter Ready' initiative, 258,000 tonnes of salt will be made available. Rural and Community Development Minister Michael Ring said the uptake in a senior alert alarm scheme has increased by 122pc on last year. "This community-led scheme enables people over 65 to live securely in their homes with confidence, independence and peace of mind," he said. "There is a steep increase in personal alarms being triggered during the winter months when older people feel particularly vulnerable." Pat Kenny has banded with his neighbours to oppose plans to build 26 homes in south Dublin. Residents in Dalkey have hired planning consultants and traffic experts in a bid to prevent three apartment blocks and seven houses being built on a site in their neighbourhood. Bartra Capital Property, headed by developer Richard Barrett, paid 3.17m last July for Maple Tree House, owned by solicitor Gerard Charlton and his wife Maeve Charlton. The couple were previously embroiled in a protracted legal dispute with Mr Kenny over ownership of a 0.2-acre strip of land, which became known as the 'Battle for Gorse Hill'. But Bartra has also acquired a neighbouring site called Yonder on Ulverton Road, which was owned by the Charlton's daughter Gearoidin and her husband Corry McMahon. Both sites total almost 1.5 acres and are the subject of a planning application lodged with Dun Laoghaire- Rathdown County Council, seeking permission to build 19 apartments in three blocks of up to four storeys, along with seven houses. One of Ireland's best-known broadcasters, Mr Kenny and his wife, Kathy, are among 18 objectors, and are opposed on the grounds of density, scale and massing, impact on residential amenity and traffic grounds. But eight householders, including the Kennys, have also hired Kieran O'Malley town planners to oppose the plans. In a submission, the planners say the scheme constitutes "overdevelopment" of the site, is "poorly conceived" and lacks adequate parking. A submission from TrafficWise transport planners, also acting for the eight households, claims the traffic assessment from the developers "does not provide an impartial" description of the likely impacts, and access to the site is "woefully substandard", being served by a private lane. This is not the first attempt to develop the site. In October 2007, Gearoidin Charlton and Corry McMahon were granted permission to demolish the existing house at Yonder and develop two detached properties. The homes, opposed by the Kennys, were never built. The latest move to develop the site has been in train since the summer when Bartra Properties met with the local council. Two letters of consent, both dated June 14, are on the planning file. The first is signed by Maeve Charlton and relates to Maple Tree House at Bullock Harbour, and gives permission to Bartra to engage with the council in relation to a "residential proposal on the property". Land Registry records show, on September 4 last, Maple Tree was registered in the name of Bartra Properties Ltd. It was in the name of Maeve Charlton to that point. The second letter, from Gearoidin Charlton, and Corry McMahon says they are the owners of Yonder at 62 Ulverton Road in Dalkey, and gives consent to Bartra Property to engage with the council. There has been a resurgence in demand for "party" drugs in Ireland as the economy has improved, a new report has warned. The Cross Border Organised Crime Threat Assessment report for 2018 says cocaine use is nearing its 2007 peak, and crack cocaine and prescription drug abuse will require more focus from gardai and the PSNI. The report, which gives an insight into organised criminal activity, says cocaine is second only to cannabis in its attractiveness for gangs. The drug, which retails at approximately 70 per gram, is in constant demand across a wide variety of areas from urban centres to rural villages, the report notes. "It is as yet unclear if the consumption of cocaine has returned to its 2007 peak and stabilised, but anecdotal evidence suggests that such a return is likely to occur soon if that has not already happened," it states. "In a similar vein, MDMA and related drugs have seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years resulting from the economic recovery." Meanwhile, while "still not a drug of national scale," the report notes crack cocaine will require increasing attention into the future. It says that "while the more traditional drug importation routes remain in place on both sides of the Border, the advent of the 'dark net' as well as the development of numerous, bespoke, psychoactive substances and the abuse of prescription medications" has led to significant diversification in both drug abuse and organised crime groups activity. The report was released as the 16th annual cross-border organised crime conference opened yesterday at the Slieve Donard Hotel in Newcastle, Co Down. The conference brings together representatives from government departments, An Garda, the PSNI, the Criminal Assets Bureau, the National Crime Agency, HM Revenue and Customs and Revenue Commissioners. Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan, who attended the meeting, said he was committed to ensuring very close North-South co-operation on criminal justice matters. "I am keenly aware of the threat posed by criminals who seek to exploit the Border," he said. Among the issues highlighted in the report is the use of "mules" by criminals to launder money. This involves a person's bank account being used to receive monies which have resulted from a criminal act. The stolen money is then transferred into the "mule" account where it is withdrawn and transferred back to the criminal, with a fee being paid in most cases to the account holder. The report also warns the "dark web" is likely to see an increase in firearms availability for use by criminals. The gardai and PSNI said issues such as human trafficking will remain at the top of their agenda. The report notes "the exploitation of human beings poses significant societal and law enforcement challenges in both jurisdictions". This year, Ireland has seen a larger proportion of human trafficking cases, involving trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation, which is "of concern", particularly in certain industries, with the fishing industry being especially susceptible. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 7) President Rodrigo Duterte welcomed the latest player to the local auto industry Wednesday, saying its entry would give consumers more choices, which in turn would cause manufacturers to ensure the quality of their products. Speaking at the launch of Guangzhou Automobile Group Motor Co., Ltd. (GAC Motor), the President said the Philippine motor market was among the fastest growing in Southeast Asia. "Its annual growth rate of 22 percent in the last five years make it a conducive place for trade and business," he said. Duterte said the government remains hopeful about the growth of the auto industry and mentioned recent studies that local demand could reach 1 million units in 2028. The President said the government is working to ensure a level playing field for all investors, local and foreign. Duterte mentioned having signed the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018, or Republic Act 11032, a law that aims to cut down red tape in government transactions. He also again reiterated that his administration would not tolerate corruption. "I'd like to encourage, urge and move businessmen, especially foreigners and locals, that if there's anything that bothers you in the course of your business, in the application to do your business, or in the running of your business and you run into something like attempts or demands amounting to corruption, everybody is put on notice that you can have an audience with me in my office by the Pasig River," he said. CNN Philippines' Regine Cabato contributed to this report. Trump thanked Jeff Sessions 'for his service' and right away named Matthew Whitaker as acting attorney general. The move capped more than a year of bitter criticism by Trump over Jeff Session's decision to recuse himself from Russia probe paving way for appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller. (Photo: File | AFP) Washington: US Attorney General Jeff Sessions was fired by Donald Trump on Wednesday, casting a cloud over the Russia investigation that has dogged the White House, a day after Republicans lost control over the lower house of Congress. The move capped more than a year of bitter criticism by the president over his legal advisor's decision to recuse himself from the probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election, paving the way for the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller. In announcing the resignation in a tweet that thanked the former Alabama senator "for his service" -- Trump right away named as acting attorney general Sessions' chief of staff Matthew Whitaker. That set off immediate alarm bells: Whitaker has been overtly critical of the broad scope granted to Mueller's team to probe beyond allegations Trump's campaign colluded with Russia in 2016, into other ties between Trump, his family and aides, and Russia -- an investigation the president calls a "witch hunt." In an op-ed in August last year he publicly urged Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein -- who oversees the probe -- to "limit the scope of his investigation to the four corners of the order appointing him special counsel." As acting attorney general, Whitaker now has the power to wrest oversight away from Rosenstein, and take charge himself. Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer immediately called on Whitaker to recuse himself from the probe as his predecessor had, "given his previous comments advocating defunding and imposing limitations" on it. - First casualty after midterms - Schumer and other leading Democrats were joined in their call for an unhampered probe by Republican Mitt Romney, a former presidential candidate and frequent Trump critic who won a US Senate seat in Tuesday's midterm. Thanking Sessions for his service, Romney said that it was "imperative that the important work of the Justice Department continues, and that the Mueller investigation proceeds to its conclusion unimpeded." Whitaker himself meanwhile offered little clue about his intentions in a bland statement to reporters thanking Trump for his appointment, praising his former boss as a "dedicated public servant" and adding he would work to leading a department that conformed to the "highest ethical standards." Sessions was the first casualty of a cabinet shake-up that had been expected from Trump following the midterm elections. But his departure was anticipated since early this year, after he endured withering and repeated criticism from the president over the legally troubled ban on Muslim travellers Trump sought when he came into office, and over the Mueller probe. "At your request, I am submitting my resignation," Sessions said in the first line of a letter addressed to Trump, released by the Department of Justice. - Trump's first backer - Sessions was the first US senator to back Trump's presidential run in 2016, giving the New York real estate billionaire credibility against a broad field of Republican stalwarts. The two were reportedly brought together by a shared wish to crack down on immigration. After taking office in January 2017, the former prosecutor launched tough law-and-order policies and a broad ban on Muslim travellers promised by Trump during the campaign. He was in the vanguard of administration pushes to expand the ranks of federal law enforcement, fill courts with conservative judges, and crack down on Central American gangs such as MS-13. But the president was infuriated when in March 2017 Sessions recused himself from the nascent Russia investigation, because of his own Russian contacts during the 2016 campaign. Instead, he gave Rosenstein that authority. When Trump weeks later fired FBI director James Comey in anger at the Russia investigation, Rosenstein stunned the administration by naming Mueller, a former FBI chief, to lead the probe as an independent prosecutor. That structure, with Sessions recused and Rosenstein supervising Mueller, has insulated the investigation from outside interference. Still, Trump has repeatedly accused Mueller of running an illegal investigation staffed by Democrats and threatened to shut it down. - Indictments looming - Matters though were clearly coming to a head after Mueller racked up indictments against 34 people and three companies, in direct and spin-off cases. Eight guilty pleas have resulted, and one jury trial conviction. Most notably, several top Trump aides have agreed to cooperate: former national security advisor Michael Flynn; former campaign chair Paul Manafort; former vice chair Richard Gates; and former Trump Organization vice president Michael Cohen, long Trump's personal fixer. Mueller was expected to unveil in the coming weeks new indictments, possibly against 2016 campaign consultant Roger Stone and Trump's son Donald Jr. Moreover, Mueller's team and the White House have been haggling for months over whether the president himself would answer questions. Mueller is known to be examining whether Trump obstructed justice in firing Comey -- and other acts. In addition, the White House has shown concern that Mueller is investigating the finances of the Trump Organization, and links to Russia. IRISH Rail plans to introduce more than 70 additional services every day on busy commuters routes into the capital. Peak and off-peak services will be provided on the Maynooth, Drogheda and Phoenix Park tunnel services from next month, along with an additional train every day between Dublin and Sligo. The company said while it was operating at maximum capacity during the morning and evening peaks, it could provide additional services in off-peak times and at weekends. Customers are being asked to provide feedback on the proposals before they are implemented next month. The service alterations, which are outlined on irishrail.ie, are subject to approval from the National Transport Authority. Separately, Irish Rail is also increasing capacity on four Dart services in each of the morning and evening peaks, which will be complete by the end of November. These proposed changes will give much greater flexibility and options to customers travelling throughout the day, including more weekend and later evening services, a spokesman said. The expansion of the hugely successful Phoenix Park Tunnel service from a peak only service to off-peak on weekdays will be very welcome to customers on the service between Hazelhatch and Grand Canal Dock. Expanded Sligo frequency is also being delivered, and we are also responding to feedback from customers to better balance demand for services in North Dublin where we have seen major growth in demand. Irish Rail expects to carry record passenger numbers in 2018, exceeding last years record total of 45.5 million journeys by 6pc. It said it will review all suggestions received, and suggested alterations which cannot be implemented will be considered in future timetable reviews. It added that peak frequency could not be increased, as all fleet was in use. The main changes are: Dublin/Maynooth/M3 Parkway/Longford New earlier 05.58hrs Maynooth to Connolly service. Six additional off-peak services each way daily between Connolly and Maynooth between Monday and Friday, with a service every half-hour at off-peak times up to 9pm. 13 additional off-peak services each way on Saturday between Connolly and Maynooth, with services every half hour between 8am and 7pm. 11 additional off-peak services each way on Sunday between Connolly and Maynooth, with a service from Maynooth at 8am, trains every half hour between 11am and 7pm and services operating until 11pm on Sundays. M3 Parkway hourly service extended on Sunday evenings to provide connections at Clonsilla to and from later Maynooth services Northern Commuter Three additional services from Connolly to Drogheda on Mondays to Fridays at 07.50hrs, 09.10hrs and 15.22hrs Additional 06.52hrs Dart Connolly to Malahide, to connect to northbound Northern Commuter service for customers from intermediate DART stations Three additional services from Drogheda to Connolly on Mondays to Fridays at 09:00, 10:10 and 16:28 For most of the day, there will be at least two additional trains per hour in each direction. 22.05hrs Connolly/Drogheda service on Saturdays advanced to 21.45hrs. New service on Saturdays from Connolly to Dundalk at 22:45 11 additional services on Sundays, delivering hourly service all day in each direction. Phoenix Park Tunnel (Grand Canal Dock to Hazelhatch) Hourly off-peak service on Mondays to Fridays between Grand Canal Dock and Hazelhatch during the day and up to 23.20 at night. Dublin / Sligo Additional service from Connolly to Sligo, Monday to Friday, at 06.55hrs and 09.05hrs, replacing existing 08.00hrs Connolly to Sligo Saturday only 09.05hrs Connolly to Sligo will operate, replacing existing 08.00hrs Connolly to Sligo Additional service Sligo to Connolly Monday to Saturday at 16.55hrs (17.00hrs Saturday) and 19.00hrs Sligo to Dublin Connolly, replacing existing 18.00hrs Sligo to Connolly Dublin / Rosslare Europort Monday to Friday: 17.33hrs Connolly to Wexford extended to Rosslare Europort, but 18.35hrs Connolly to Rosslare Europort will terminate at Wexford DART Nama says it has exceeded its target to deliver 2,000 social housing units. Up to the end of June this year, Nama had identified 6,984 of its residential units as potentially suitable for social housing and local authorities took 2,717, the agency said. The agency says its second quarter profit was 223m. Cash of 1.5bn generated in the first half of this year means total cash raised since the agency was established stands at 42bn. The vast bulk of that has been used to repay Nama's debt, which it racked up in order to purchase bad loans from the banks. The move was designed to free up the banks by removing the toxic debts from their balance sheets. Investec chief economist Philip O'Sullivan said the numbers published yesterday mean Nama will eventually return more cash to the exchequer than its own forecasts suggest. The Government has repeatedly said any money that is returned will be used to pay down the national debt, rather than for spending on things like housing or healthcare. "The agency's guidance of lifetime earnings of 3.5bn is too low - we see Nama returning at least 4.5bn to the Exchequer," Mr O'Sullivan said. The agency said its principal objective for next year is to press ahead with funding projects in the Dublin docklands, and in residential property. It is increasingly under pressure to play a major role in the housing market. The agency said it has so far delivered either directly or indirectly in excess of 10,000 residential units between the start of 2014 and August 2018. Nama has directly funded 7,881 completed units, while another 11,000 units are either under construction or have secured planning permission. Sites with capacity for a further 8,000 units are either filed for planning or are expected to be within 12 months. Nama is due to be eventually wound up by 2020. An Irishman became the first posthumous recipient of the highest British honour for his efforts in World War I, new records have revealed. Research by Ancestry.ie has uncovered records detailing a number of the Irish soldiers who were killed during the war. It is estimated that some 49,000 Irishmen died during World War I. One of the men was Maurice James Dease, from Coole, Co Westmeath. Mr Dease was a member of the 4th Battalion Royal Fusiliers and was killed in action in Mons, Belgium, on August 23, 1915. He was honoured with the Victoria Cross for continuing to defend his position despite numerous wounds, the research revealed. Also among those to be fatally wounded in battle was Arthur Moore O'Sullivan. During the Christmas truce of 1914, Mr O'Sullivan and others from his regiment went into no man's land to meet German soldiers and exchange gifts. Mr O'Sullivan fired his pistol at midnight, ending the truce and resuming the war. Six months later, on Sunday, May 9, 1915, he was killed in battle. Around 3,500 of the men who died during the war were killed during the Battle of Somme, in which more than a million soldiers were killed in total. Eamon O Cuiv has been sacked from the Fianna Fail front bench over his involvement in unveiling a candidate in a Northern Ireland election without the partys permission. Yesterday, Kerry Senator Mark Daly was stripped of his title as Fianna Fails deputy leader in the Seanad for his role in the event. Mr Daly also lost his title of Fianna Fails Seanad spokesperson on Foreign Affairs. Mr Daly along with Fianna Fail TD Eamon O Cuiv used an event in Tyrone to unveil former Sinn Fein councillor Sorcha McAnespy as the partys first election candidate in the North. Soon after the unveiling, Fianna Fail issued a statement saying no decision had been made to put forward candidates for next years Northern Ireland local elections. Expand Close Launch: Fianna Fails Eamon O Cuiv TD (left) and Senator Mark Daly (right) with Sorcha McAnespy in Omagh last week. Photo: PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Launch: Fianna Fails Eamon O Cuiv TD (left) and Senator Mark Daly (right) with Sorcha McAnespy in Omagh last week. Photo: PA In a statement this evening, Fianna Fail said: "Party Leader and Spokesperson on Northern Ireland Micheal Martin TD met last evening with Deputy Eamon O Cuiv. "During the course of that meeting Deputy O Cuiv made it clear that he was aware in advance of plans to hold an unauthorised launch of a candidate and agreed to participate in the event. "In light of this information, regretfully, Deputy O Cuivs continued membership of the Partys Front Bench is no longer tenable. His portfolio responsibilities will be reassigned in the time ahead." Mr O Cuiv, whose grandfather Eamon De Valera was a founding member of Fianna Fail, has been a TD since 1992. He held a number of ministries during his long career as a Fianna Fail TD. In recent time, he has clashed with Mr Martin on a number issues such as the presidential elections and the possibility of Fianna Fail forming government coalition with Sinn Fein. In comment posted in Irish on Twitter, Mr O Cuiv said he accepts it is Mr Martins decision to choose who is on the Fianna Fail frontbench. "I refer to decision of Micheal Martin to remove me from the frontbench," he said. "I accept that it is a matter for him alone to choose who will be on the Front bench of Fianna Fail. "I wont be making any additional comment on this issue and the media should direct any questions on the subject to the Fianna Fail party," he added. Long-serving Fianna Fail TD Eamon O Cuiv was in the firing line last night over his involvement in the apparent unveiling of the party's first candidate for a Northern Ireland election. Mr O Cuiv was central to organising an event which claimed to be the unveiling of former Sinn Fein councillor Sorcha McAnespy as Fianna Fail's first election candidate in the North. Fianna Fail issued a statement soon after the announcement, saying it was not an official event and insisted the party had not made a decision on running candidates in the North. The party later issued disciplinary proceedings against Mr O Cuiv and Fianna Fail senator Mark Daly. The Galway West TD, whose grandfather Eamon de Valera was a founding member of Fianna Fail, was called before party leader Micheal Martin to discuss his role in the fiasco. Before the meeting Senator Daly was stripped of his role as deputy leader of the Seanad over his involvement in an event. Mr Daly has also been stripped of his title as Fianna Fail's Seanad spokesperson for foreign affairs as part of the disciplinary action taken against him the party leadership. Mr Daly and Mr O Cuiv used an event pitched as a Brexit meeting in Fermanagh to unveil Ms McAnespy as the party's first election candidate in the North. A statement issued by the party's head office yesterday said: "Fianna Fail leader and spokesperson on Northern Ireland, Micheal Martin TD has reassigned a number of responsibilities in the party's Seanad Eireann team. "Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee will become the group deputy leader, while Senator Ned O'Sullivan will take responsibility for foreign affairs, the Irish overseas and diaspora. "Deputy Martin has wished both senators well in their new roles," it added. In a statement after the announcement, Mr Daly said he accepts the party leader's decision and "will continue to work hard on behalf of my constituents". "In my position as foreign affairs spokesperson, for the last number of years I have worked closely with John Deasy in his role as the Government's US envoy, our party spokespersons on foreign affairs, members of the US Congress, as well as the White House on the proposed visas for Irish citizens," the Kerry senator said. He added he hopes to "continue to assist in this important issue and if necessary go to Washington DC, as we work to reach an agreement in the coming weeks". Meanwhile, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael negotiators met yesterday to discuss housing as part of the review of the confidence and supply agreement which underpins the Government. It is understood senior Department of Housing officials made a presentation and answered questions posed by members of the Fianna Fail negotiating team. Discussion on reviewing the three-year deal will continue in the coming days. The parties have not completed their review of the health service but they have been focusing on the housing crisis during talks this week. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will not be backing down from calls for the HSE to restrict holiday leave over the Christmas period, saying it "makes sense". Mr Varadkar doubled down on his demand for health chiefs to rework their rosters amid fears that the country is on the verge of its worst ever trolley crisis. Opposition parties are united in their objections to the Taoiseach's assessment of the situation - but he claims to "speak the truth". Fianna Fail launched a blistering attack on Mr Varadkar, claiming he was acting like "a radio chat show panellist". But replying to questions from the Irish Independent while attending a series of meetings in Finland, Mr Varadkar gave a lengthy defence of his position. "The situation is as simple as this: Every business, every industry, every service has a peak period of demand. "If you're working retail, it's the week running up to Christmas. If you're in education, it's the first week or two of September. If you're in politics, it's budget week and the few weeks around the budget. "If you're in tourism, it's the summer period and bank holidays. And it makes sense...to always make sure that you match peak demand with peak resources." He said his original statements "shouldn't be controversial". "No bed should be closed because people are on leave. The emergency department and medical consultants should be there. The surgeons can take their holidays during that period because operations get cancelled anyway. "So it's a question of meeting peak demand with peak resources. That's the norm across industries. It's the norm across services. It should be the norm in the health service as well," he said. Asked whether he intended to issue a direction to the HSE in order to back up his words, Mr Varadkar said: "I wish I had the authority to do that. This is one of the biggest difficulties we have in our health service. Politicians and government have certain responsibilities but ultimately under law the health service is run by the HSE. "What I'm saying to the HSE is what I think should be done." He said the Irish people should know that the HSE has record financial resources, 1,500 more nurses than two years ago, more emergency department consultants and 250 additional beds than last year. "So it should be obvious to everyone more money, more staff and more beds on their own won't work. We need to properly manage and deploy those resources when they are most needed. That's what I'm saying to the HSE," Mr Varadkar said. However, back in Leinster House there were calls for the Taoiseach to publicly apologise to hospital workers. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said Mr Varadkar had insulted the frontline hospital staff when he was asked why a winter health plan had not been published by the agreed deadline of last July. Frontbench spokesperson Billy Kelleher described the Taoiseach's comments as "flippant and insensitive" to health service workers "who go above and beyond the call of duty every Christmas". And in a statement, Labour's health spokesman Alan Kelly said the Taoiseach was "completely out of touch". "The Taoiseach and the Minister for Health are showing a lack of leadership by refusing to present a winter initiative plan to workers in our health service. "The comments by the Taoiseach come in the backdrop as nurses in the INMO prepare to ballot to take industrial action over their pay. "Taoiseach Varadkar's inexperience is coming to the fore yet again [by] making naive comments like this," Mr Kelly said. He added: "It is a bit rich for Taoiseach Varadkar to criticise people taking annual leave at Christmas time, when the Dail itself will take four weeks off over the Christmas period." Condemned: The group in KKK garb outside the mosque in Newtownards Two men have been arrested in connection with a police probe into a group of people dressed up as Ku Klux Klan members around Halloween in a town in Northern Ireland. A police investigation was launched after a gang of people posed for photos wearing clothing associated with the hate group outside the Islamic Centre in Newtownards, Co Down. The incident, which drew widespread condemnation, took place on the evening of October 27. Images have been beamed around the world, making headlines on CNN international news and in The Washington Post and The Guardian. A 33-year-old and 36-year-old have been arrested in connection with the incident. Police conducted a number of planned searches at addresses in the Newtownards area on Thursday morning. A number of items were seized and have been taken away for further examination. The 33-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of displaying written material to stir up hatred or arouse fear, and on suspicion of possession of a Class C controlled drug. The 36-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of displaying written material to stir up hatred or arouse fear. Both men have since been released on bail pending further enquiries. Following the incident churches across the community in the north condemned the actions of the group of men. The Rev Norman McAuley of Greenwell Street Presbyterian Church, which is next door to the Islamic centre, appealed to the men to identify themselves. "If it was just a Halloween prank, then come forward and explain it - hold your hands up and say so," he said. "Just admit it was a joke that in hindsight was in very poor taste. "We regard these members of the Islamic community as our neighbours and our Christian faith teaches us to love our neighbours," Rev McAuley added. "These men stood with wooden crosses and from our point of view the cross is a symbol of the unconditional love of God," he said. "What we saw at the weekend was sacrilege." Ards Churches Together has offered its full support to those in the Muslim community who feel intimidated after "symbols of hate" appeared outside their place of worship and "hurt a whole community". "We stand with you," it added. Little Jack got the toddler training toilet seat stuck around his neck Cork mum Caroline Lynch has a mischief maker on her hands. With her three-year-old son Jack in the house, she says theres never a dull moment. Little Jack, who is currently toilet training, came home from preschool last Monday and told his mum he was going to use the loo. Within a few minutes, he emerged from the bathroom with the travel-sized toilet training seat wedged down over his head. It was quite the event, one for the memory box, she tells Independent.ie. He came home on Monday, went into the loo, next thing he calls me to say hes stuck. And I go into him and he has a toilet training seat over his head, and onto his neck like a necklace. I have no idea how he managed to do it. Hes a bit of a monkey, thats his personality, he thought this was hilarious. I went to grab the camera not thinking that it wasnt going to come off. We took a picture and had a giggle and then we set about taking it off, but it wasnt coming off. You couldnt make it up, I was trying to use water and oil and even a scissors to cut it off, but it was hard plastic. It wasnt coming off, he was getting red marks round his neck. It was like a comedy sketch, there we were on a Monday at lunch time, you dont expect to be doing this. Caroline sent the photo of Jack to some of her friends to see if they could help find a solution. Eventually, she settled on bringing Jack to a local fire station. It wasnt an emergency but at the same time it was quite clear that I wasnt getting it off, he had red marks on his neck. We rang the fire service and they said to go to the Cork station or the Ballyvolane station as a walk-in thing. He had to collect his brother from school and he was sitting in the back seat with the toilet seat on his head, and then off we went up to Ballyvolane up to the fire station. I really did feel a bit embarrassed at this stage, like a numpty is what Id call it. These guys are doing serious work and then Ive a three-year-old in the car with a toilet seat on his head. But they were all dads with young kids; it was the first time theyd ever seen something like it. While the fire officers used a cutter to break the seat, they played Fireman Sam for Jack on their phones. He was a bit afraid that he wasnt going to get it off his head, this is what was going on in his three-year-old head. The whole time he was going around trying to get it off. And then I told him, oh the fireman will get it off. They were really good, they put Fireman Sam on the phone for him, and even when it was off, they gave us a tour of the fire station allowing him to try on the helmets. The NGOs called on govts to 'secure an immediate cessation of hostilities' and 'suspend the supply of arms at risk of being used in Yemen'. The most impoverished country in the Arab world, Yemen has been gripped by war since 2015, when a regional military coalition led by Saudi Arabia joined the government's fight against Huthi rebels. (Representational image | AFP) Paris: Thirty-five Yemeni and international NGOs called on Wednesday for an "immediate cessation of hostilities" in Yemen, where they warned 14 million people were now "on the brink of famine". The joint appeal was signed by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Action Against Hunger, CARE International, Oxfam, Doctors of the World, and Yemeni organisations, according to a statement. "With 14 million men, women and children on the brink of famine -- half the country's population -- there has never been a more urgent time to act," the statement said. It called on governments to "secure an immediate cessation of hostilities" and "suspend the supply of arms at risk of being used in Yemen". The most impoverished country in the Arab world, Yemen has been gripped by war since 2015, when a regional military coalition led by Saudi Arabia joined the government's fight against Huthi rebels. "The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is manmade and a direct consequence of the warring parties' severe restrictions on access to food, fuel, medical imports and humanitarian aid," the statement added. "The collapse of the Yemeni rial and the non-payment of public sector workers is adding to the catastrophe. "We call on governments to redouble their efforts to guarantee unimpeded access to essential items... including through the lifeline port of Hodeidah, where civilians have been caught in renewed fighting over the past few days." Pro-government forces pressed even closer on Wednesday to the heart of Hodeida, the Red Sea city controlled by Huthi rebels and under blockade by Saudi Arabia and its allies. International aid groups have appealed to both the rebels and the alliance to allow civilians to escape the densely-populated city of 600,000 people. Nearly 10,000 Yemenis have been killed in the conflict since 2015, according to the World Health Organization. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex enjoying a walkabout at Trinity College after visiting the Book of Kells. Pic Steve Humphreys 11th July 2018 Composite image of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (Photo: Getty) with Trinity College's Old Library in the background (Photo: Failte Ireland). Trinity College's Book of Kells and Old Library Exhibition has surpassed one million visitors for the first time in a single year. Cassie Clemans was the visitor singled out as No. 1,000,000 for 2018. She was visiting Dublin with her husband Andy from Bend, Oregon, to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary this week. "My husband and I were sure to make this part of our itinerary in Dublin as we own a bookshop in Bend and we are very interested in all things book related, she said. Visitors to the the ninth-century manuscript, exhibition and Long Room have grown 9pc over the past year, Trinity College said. Among this year's guests were Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who travelled to Dublin on July 11-12. Expand Close Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex enjoying a walkabout at Trinity College after visiting the Book of Kells. Pic Steve Humphreys 11th July 2018 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex enjoying a walkabout at Trinity College after visiting the Book of Kells. Pic Steve Humphreys 11th July 2018 The news makes the Book of Kells the sixth attraction in Ireland to draw more than a million visitors a year, according to 2017 figures from Failte Ireland. Ireland's Top 5 Visitor Attractions 2017 Guinness Storehouse, Dublin - 1,711,281 Cliffs of Moher, Co. Clare - 1,527,000 Dublin Zoo - 1,264,300 National Aquatic Centre, Dublin - 1,099,756 National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin - 1,065,929 Overall, visitor numbers are up 50pc in the last four years, Trinity College said, with US tourists its single most popular grouping at 36pc. Irish visitors make up 12pc of the total. Expand Close The Book of Kells / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Book of Kells Housed in the Old Library on the Trinity College campus, the Book of Kells has been on display since the mid-19th century. Entry for adults costs from 11 to 14. The continuing fascination with the Book of Kells is a reminder that people from all countries draw inspiration from Ireland's past," said Librarian and College Archivist at Trinity College Dublin, Helen Shenton. "We are very conscious of being stewards of probably the most famous medieval manuscript in the world. We are introducing the rotation of other important manuscripts from our collection to complement the Book of Kells and further enhance the exhibition as a major visitor experience in Dublin. "We are equally conscious that visitors from around the world are awed and inspired by the Long Room, often called the most beautiful room in Ireland. Read more: "The worst possible outcome of Brexit for Ireland would be the UK crashing out of the EU without a deal next March." These were the first words of former Taoiseach John Bruton in these pages yesterday. His opinion is widely shared. Yet just such a no-deal outcome is, in my view, now considerably more likely than an agreed exit next March. Some insiders and observers are more optimistic. They believe that London will concede to the demands of Dublin and Brussels and that Theresa May will ram a deal through Westminster. However, all observers of the Brexit negotiations, now stalled for a full 12 months over the Northern Ireland backstop, see a considerable risk of a no-deal exit taking place 141 days from today. Thinking about this eventuality and making preparations for it are essential. Hopefully it won't come to pass, but such is the potential for disruption that people, organisations and the various parts of government need to plan and prepare for it. This column has stressed in the past that while exporters to the UK face real problems, and those problems have been much discussed, more attention needs to be paid to importers and the goods they ship in from Britain. Almost everyone in the Republic consumes goods imported from Britain in one form or another. Not everyone is involved in exporting to Britain. More consideration is needed of possible shortages of food and other essentials in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Another issue that has had even less attention is Ireland's place in the EU's single market. Frictionless access to a market of 500 million consumers has been the primary reason so many foreign exporting companies have located in Ireland over decades. Most people in Ireland are aware of the central role EU membership has had in creating the northern European levels of prosperity which are enjoyed today. It is in large part for this reason that support for membership is among the highest in Europe and why those advocating following Britain out the EU door have won so little backing. But a no-deal Brexit indirectly threatens Ireland's position in the EU's single market. From March of next year, if no deal is reached and the 21-month "transition" period (continued membership in all but name) does not come into effect, the Border on this island will become an external border of the EU's single market overnight. Member countries who have such borders are obliged to police them on behalf of all other members. They must, for instance, collect the EU's "common external tariff" - a uniform tax imposed on goods imported from countries outside the bloc. They must also check that goods coming into the EU meet EU laws and standards. The Irish Government's stated position is that it will not change how the Border currently operates under any circumstances. It has publicly rejected any suggestion that Irish customs officials would make checks and collect tariffs on goods crossing from Northern Ireland. This raises the prospect of Ireland becoming a back door into the EU market. To see the possible consequences of this, consider the oft-used example of Brazilian beef. If the UK, unconstrained by EU policies, decides to cut the EU's (high) tariff on meat products from other countries, British importers would switch from expensive Irish beef to cheaper south American beef. Supermarkets in Newry and Derry would sell this meat. Individuals, restaurateurs and others in the Republic would have every incentive to buy this much cheaper product and transport it across an invisible border. Enterprising burger-makers would see the opportunity of selling it into the continental market, under-cutting EU farmers and meat producers. French farmers' representatives have been long alive to this possibility. So is the French government. While Paris has been staunchly behind Ireland in its backstop demands, its support is not motivated solely by solidarity with another EU member country. France sees itself as a leader in Europe. Leaders provide leadership on protecting the integrity of the wider system. Allowing Britain the best of both worlds - the benefits of EU membership without the costs and obligations - would pose a threat to that system. This is an important factor in France's hard line with the British. But French President Emmanuel Macron is more concerned about 60 million of his own citizens than he is about six million people on this island, many of whom never go near the Border. If the Irish Border becomes a back door into the EU's single market then it is very likely that goods arriving at French ports from Ireland will eventually be subject to checks to ensure that products, such as Brazilian beef, do not find their way onto the French market. Such checks would raise questions about Ireland's de facto membership of the single market. Ireland's world has been turned upside down in recent years. Relations with two of our three most important partners have been transformed: Donald Trump has made the US an unreliable ally, while Brexit has convulsed relations with the UK. The EU is the third strand of Ireland's three most important ties with the rest of the world. The EU single market (excluding the UK) is by far Ireland's largest trading partner. One of the many huge downsides of Brexit is that Ireland will face a choice if there is no deal with the UK. It will have to introduce some form of checks on goods coming from Northern Ireland or, eventually, continental countries will start checking goods coming from the Republic. If questions arise over Ireland's position in the EU's single market, the many companies which use Ireland as a base to service that market will start to question their presence here. Companies considering locating here will look elsewhere. Brexit was always going to be very bad for Ireland. If it ends up undermining the country's place in the EU's single market, it will be economically disastrous. 'No firearms allowed on premises" read the sign at the school which was used as a polling station. The Republicans hadn't bothered to send anyone to catch voters on their way into this particular station in the city of Roanoke in Virginia, so the Democrats had it all to themselves. Canvasser Peter Volosin was trying to convince them to vote for his party despite the fact that he was still recovering from an attack by a pit bull terrier who bit him when he was knocking on doors the previous afternoon. He was initially buoyed up by the brisk voting in the state which returned former vice-presidential candidate Tim Kaine to the Senate, defeating the right-wing Republican Corey Stewart. But the margin of victory was much less than expected. The party also failed to get its local candidate Jennifer Lewis into the House of Representatives, losing to Ben Cline, another strong Trumper. Cline gave a rousing victory speech to an almost exclusively white audience at the Holiday Inn. Shakespeare's dictum about recognising people by the way they dress - "for the apparel often proclaims the man" - was never more evident than at the separate election night events organised by the two parties. One wealthy looking woman at the white-linen-table-cloth Republican get-together wore a studded broach inscribed with the immortal slogan "MAGA" - Make America Great Again - while a fair number of the conservatively dressed men sported jackets and ties. At two Democratic events I attended the melting pot that made America great was much more in evidence with Hispanics, blacks, Asians and whites casually dressed, mixing together, drinking beer and watching the TV updates. Virginia's varied results matched what was happening elsewhere. Nationally, the hoped-for blue wave of Democrats crashed up against the red wall of Republicans and the wall is still standing. The Dims, as Trump has scathingly called them, regained one of the two Congress chambers - the House of Representatives - but the Senate remains in Republican hands. The Republican Senate winners included a number of strong anti-abortion candidates. Everyone knew this was a crucial 'hinge' election. After the most toxic two years imaginable in US politics, voters were left with a single question - will they allow the Trump style of free-wheeling, insulting, racist, polarising, misogynistic and lying politics to become the new normal? The mid-term elections were billed as a referendum on Trump but the voters' verdict was not clear-cut, with both sides claiming comfort from the results. The House defeat and the loss of key governorships were clearly a rebuke, but Trump has a consolation prize with the slight increase in the Senate. Several records were smashed in these mid-term elections. More money was raised and spent - more than $3bn (2.6bn) - on them than previously. One Washington insider who had worked with a number of administrations told me this was partly because some wealthy business people who had 'buyers' regret' over plumping for Trump in the presidential election had switched to the Democrats. A record number of women candidates stood, and won office, mainly for the Democrats. Two Muslim women, both Democrats, were elected to Congress. The first openly gay governor was elected in Colorado for the Democrats. More insults were traded between the parties and more lies uttered than ever before. The 'attack' ads on TV by both sides were much tougher than previously and up 51pc on the last election. One of the Republican ads was so awful the TV networks refused to show it. Many people are already distrustful of the media and the president's tactic of dismissing reports he doesn't like as 'fake news' has had a corrosive effect. Just 11pc of strong Trump supporters believe the mainstream media, while 91pc of them believe him instead, according to a CBS News poll during the summer. The 'New York Times' has a regular column correcting his numerous misstatements, or lies if you will. The 'Washington Post' claims he has told more than 5,000 whoppers since his inauguration and the latest issue of the 'Economist' says he "lies with abandon". But who cares anymore? Certainly not his legion of supporters. The post-mortems began immediately for both parties. The Democrats, who are slowly recovering from the shock of the 2016 presidential election defeat, have to find a way back to appeal to the middle ground, or else turn left along the lines suggested by Bernie Sanders, who ran a radical campaign for the soul of the party against Hillary Clinton in 2016. A possible warning sign of the dangers of going too far left was the unsuccessful challenge in Virginia by Jennifer Lewis, who is regarded as a 'Berniecrat'. Elsewhere other candidates from the so-called progressive wing of the party also fell short of victory. Now they have the House back the Democrats will be tempted to start impeachment proceedings against Trump. But that's a long, drawn-out process which did not work well for the Republicans when they tried to impeach Bill Clinton. The more sage advice will be to concentrate on healthcare costs, infrastructural development, decent jobs, equality in the workplace, electoral and other reforms, but most importantly raise a new set of leaders to replace the current ageing top tier. Comedian Katherine Ryan will star in her first self-penned TV series about a problematic single mother on Netflix. The Canadian comic, who is based in the UK, will also return to the streaming service for a second comedy special, Glitter Room. Ryans series The Duchess, which she will also executive produce, follows the powerful and problematic choices of a fashionably disruptive single mum living in London. Her characters daughter Olive is the love of her life, so she considers having a second child with her ex-partner, her greatest enemy to see if two wrongs can make another right. The Duchess, a six-part series of 30-minute episodes, will premiere in 2019. Earlier this year, Ryan, 35, told Digital Spy that she was writing her first sitcom and joked: Comedians just want to tell their story in any way that they can. But who knows? Im a pretty bad actress when Im playing anyone but myself. Ryan, known for her appearances on panel shows including Mock The Week and 8 Out Of 10 Cats and for hosting the rebooted version of Your Face Or Mine alongside Jimmy Carr, moved to the UK permanently around 10 years ago. She has a daughter, Violet, from a previous relationship. Video of the Day Ryan will also bring her sold-out 2018 tour Glitter Room to Netflix, following her first special for the service, 2017s Katherine Ryan: In Trouble. The hour-long special will be recorded in December in Los Angeles and will debut next year. Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex walk on South Melbourne Beach where they met community groups in Melbourne on October 18, 2018 Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend a gala performance of "Hamilton" in support of Sentebale at Victoria Palace Theatre on August 29, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Dan Charity - WPA Pool/Getty Images) Queen Elizabeth II, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, Savannah Phillips, Prince George of Cambridge and Isla Phillips on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping The Colour on June 9, 2018 in London, England Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge (L) Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (2L), Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex react during the wedding ceremony of Britain's Princess Eugenie of York and Jack Brooksbank at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in Windsor, on October 12, 2018. (Photo by Owen Humphreys / POOL / AFP) (Photo credit should read OWEN HUMPHREYS/AFP/Getty Images) (L-R) Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge watch the RAF flypast on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, as members of the Royal Family attend events to mark the centenary of the RAF on July 10, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Chris Jackson/Getty Images) (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are expected to break from Kensington Palace after their first child is born next year as the "relationship has changed" between the royal brothers. On a personal level, Prince William and Harry remain close, but as far as their royal duties are concerned, the pair are headed in different directions and they have their own families to consider in their decision making going forward. As of now, all four are represented by Kensington Palace, but it's expected that Meghan and Harry will create a new court next year to focus on their specific agendas and responsibilities, as reported by the Sunday Times. Royal expert Sally Bedell Smith said that Harry's recent wedding "changed the dynamic" as he begins to forge his own path separate to that of his brother, who is second in line to the British throne and therefore has a clearer path of what's expected in comparison to his younger brother. The arrival of Meghan has changed the dynamic of the relationship in a fairly significant way, Ms Smith told People.. It is inevitable and practical because it gives Harry and Meghan some freedom to build up their own collection of interests and charities. Meghan has very strong views on what she is interested in and that may be what Harry shares, but not what William and Kate share. Last month, after the article was first published, Smith told Vanity Fair that the brothers' closeness was always as an "anomaly", especially compared to Prince Charles and his siblings. Expand Close Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex walk on South Melbourne Beach where they met community groups in Melbourne on October 18, 2018 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex walk on South Melbourne Beach where they met community groups in Melbourne on October 18, 2018 It was always an anomaly for Harry and William to be so close, Smith said. When you look at Charles and his siblings, there was never that closeness. Because of Charless status as heir, he has inevitably been in a separate category, and now I think the same will be the case for William. His life is moving along a different path from Harrys. "Its sad to see the team break up, but I think this was always inevitable and probably makes sense. The Fab Four was a nice construction, but they will only appear as a foursome from time to time." Th original Sunday Times reported that the brothers have a "gulf in style and approach to the style of work" that's expected of them. Friends and colleagues of an Irish father-of-four found dead in South Africa have described a "profound sense of shock, sadness and disbelief" at the news of his death. John Curran, aged in his sixties, was discovered yesterday in his Cape Town apartment. South African investigators confirmed to Independent.ie that the incident is being treated as murder. Mr Curran held a senior position for the Mellon Educate charity in Cape Town - and had previously worked as a school principal in Dublin. He was well-known in education circles on a national level in Ireland and tributes poured in following news of his death. "We are all indebted to him for all his work over many years, all of which was completely voluntary. On a personal level, we will greatly miss his wonderful sense of humour, his infectious laugh and his ability to lighten the most serious topic," the Irish Primary Principals Network said in a statement today. Expand Close John Curran / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp John Curran "It is with a profound sense of shock, sadness and disbelief that we acknowledge the sudden passing of John Curran, highly esteemed colleague and friend." Mellon Educate also posted a tribute to their "dear colleague" this afternoon. With great sadness we learned yesterday that our dear colleague and friend John Curran was killed during a robbery in his apartment in Cape Town South Africa," they wrote on Facebook. They wrote that John had only recently completed a two-year contract as Director of Education for Mellon Educate in South Africa and was staying on vacation in Cape Town for a number of weeks. Niall Mellon, CEO said Mr Curran was "much loved" by everyone who met him: "I know our many volunteers and supporters will be very sad to hear this tragic news. John was much loved by everyone who met him and especially by the thousands of children he helped during his time with Mellon Educate. "We are assisting his family in every way we can and your warm wishes of empathy are sincerely appreciated." Expand Close John Curran had held a senior position for the Mellon Educate charity in Cape Town / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp John Curran had held a senior position for the Mellon Educate charity in Cape Town And the Good Shepherd National School, where Mr Curran was principal for 14 years, also paid tribute, describing Mr Curran as an "innovative educator". "Johns vision and enthusiasm still influence our ethos and can be seen at work throughout our school today. "We are proud to continue the work he began here in 1989," they added. Investigation Police in South Africa confirmed to Independent.ie that they have begun a murder investigation following the discovery of Mr Curran's body. It is understood that police were called after a colleague had gone to the apartment when Mr Curran hadn't been seen in some time. His family has been informed. It is understood the victims phone was missing but police in South Africa havent confirmed whether it was robbery or not. It is also understood that a person was seen on CCTV footage leaving the apartment with their face covered in the early hours of yesterday morning. We can confirm that police arrived at the apartment block and found a body with stab wounds, to the body," Captain Ezra October of the Cape Town Central police department said. We have assigned a senior detective to the case and carried out a forensic investigation of the apartment and sampling. This is definitely being investigated as a case of murder." The senior officer added that CCTV footage of the apartment complex where Mr Curran had been living would be reviewed. His body was today formally identified by a colleague and the company he worked with are liaising with his family in Ireland, Cpt October said. Mr Curran, aged in his 60s, was living in the apartment. A post-mortem will be carried out on the deceased either tomorrow or on Monday, according to investigators. In a statement the Department of Foreign Affairs said it is aware of the situation and is is providing consular assistance". 'Visionary' Speaking on RTE News at One earlier today, IPPN President David Ruddy said Mr Curran was a "visionary" and an "exceptional leader" with an "infectious smile" who was very much loved". Mr Ruddy said that Mr Curran found his work in South Africa "very rewarding and equally very challenging". He then recited a famous quote by former South African leader Nelson Mandela - "education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world" - and said that Mr Curran "lived and embodied every piece of that statement". Mr Ruddy further said Mr Curran and his family had experienced great sorrow before when they lost their son Eoin in a sailing accident in New York. Eoin Ruddy was just 30 at the time of the tragedy in July 2010. He was working for Google at the time of his death. John Curran had held a senior position for the Mellon Educate charity in Cape Town POLICE in South Africa have begun a murder investigation after an Irishman was found dead at his apartment. John Curran had held a senior position for the Mellon Educate charity in Cape Town. Expand Close John Curran / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp John Curran The father-of-four had previously worked as a school principal in Dublin, and was well-known in education circles on a national level in Ireland. He was found dead yesterday morning at his apartment. It is understood that police were called after a colleague had gone to the apartment when Mr Curran hadn't been seen in some time. His family has been informed. It is understood the victims phone was missing but police in South Africa havent confirmed whether it was robbery or not. It is also understood that a person was seen on CCTV footage leaving the apartment with their face covered in the early hours of yesterday morning. South African investigators confirmed to Independent.ie that the incident is being treated as a murder. We can confirm that police arrived at the apartment block and found a body with stab wounds, to the body We have assigned a senior detective to the case and carried out a forensic investigation of the apartment and sampling. This is definitely being investigated as a case of murder, Captain Ezra October of the Cape Town Central police department said. The senior officer added that CCTV footage of the apartment complex where Mr Curran had been living would be reviewed. His body was today formally identified by a colleague and the company he worked with are liaising with his family in Ireland, Cpt October said. Mr Curran, aged in his 60s, was living in the apartment. A post-mortem will be carried out on the deceased either tomorrow or on Monday, according to investigators. In a statement the Department of Foreign Affairs said it is aware of the situation and is is providing consular assistance. Mellon Educate posted a tribute to their "dear colleague" this afternoon. With great sadness we learned yesterday that our dear colleague and friend John Curran was killed during a robbery in his apartment in Cape Town South Africa," they wrote on Facebook. They wrote that John had only recently completed a two-year contract as Director of Education for Mellon Educate in South Africa and was staying on vacation in Cape Town for a number of weeks. Niall Mellon, CEO said: "I know our many volunteers and supporters will be very sad to hear this tragic news. John was much loved by everyone who met him and especially by the thousands of children he helped during his time with Mellon Educate. "We are assisting his family in every way we can and your warm wishes of empathy are sincerely appreciated." Meanwhile, the Irish Primary Principals Network also issued a lengthy statement on Mr Curran's passing. "It is with a profound sense of shock, sadness and disbelief that we acknowledge the sudden passing of John Curran, highly esteemed colleague and friend to all in IPPN, in South Africa today, 7th November. "We are numbed and finding it very hard to process the information," they said. They added that he had been predeceased a son, who died in an accident accident in 2010, and is survived by his wife and three children. "Our hearts go out to his family, his very wide circle of friends, his colleagues and all who knew him," it adds. "A founding member of IPPN, John served on the IPPN Executive Committee (now the Board of Directors) from 2000 to 2007 and was PRO from 2005 to 2009. During his sixteen years as Principal of Good Shepherd NS, Churchtown, Dublin 14 until his early retirement in June 2005, John was involved in numerous projects with IPPN, including advocating in relation to principals workload, boards of management and school funding, as well as supporting fellow school leaders directly and in the development of services through his role on the Executive Committee." "We are all indebted to him for all his work over many years, all of which was completely voluntary. On a personal level, we will greatly miss his wonderful sense of humour, his infectious laugh and his ability to lighten the most serious topic. "John was so passionate about his recent work in South Africa, as Director of Education for Mellon Educate, a role he began in October 2016. He was tireless in empowering teachers and principals." And the Good Sheperd National School, where Mr Curran was principal for 14 years, also paid tribute; "We received some very sad news yesterday evening. Our founding Principal, Mr John Curran died tragically in South Africa. In recent years he was the Director of Education at Mellon Educate, a non-profit organisation, where he has worked tirelessly to renovate schools and improve the standard of education for those less fortunate in townships in South Africa. "John was Principal of the Good Shepherd National School from 1989 -2005. An innovative educator, Johns vision and enthusiasm still influence our ethos and can be seen at work throughout our school today. "We are proud to continue the work he began here in 1989. "We know that many of you share our fond memories of John. He will be sadly missed by parents, staff, past pupils and all those in the wider Good Shepherd school community. "A book of condolence will be open in the school foyer from 11.00am Thursday 8th November. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Johns family at this incredibly difficult time. "Ar Dheis De go raibh a anam dilis," they added. Mr Curran was also instrumental in bringing Irish teachers and principals to Africa as part of the Teachers Blitz projects in 2017 and 2018, to build schools, improve existing school infrastructure, and support school leaders professional development. Speaking on RTE News at One, IPPN President David Ruddy said Mr Curran was a visionary and an exceptional leader with an "infectious smile" who was very much loved. Mr Ruddy said that Mr Curran found his work in South Africa "very rewarding and equally very challenging." He then recited a famous quote by former South African leader Nelson Mandela - education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world" - and said that Mr Curran "lived and embodied every piece of that statement." Mr Ruddy further said Mr Curran and his family had experienced great sorrow before when they lost their son Eoin in a sailing accident in New York. Eoin Ruddy was just 30 at the time of the tragedy in July 2010. He was working for Google at the time of his death. One Ryanair customer took matters into his own hands in hilarious fashion after the airline changed its hand luggage rules for the second time this year. From November 1 the Dublin-based airline introduced charges for passengers flying with a small suitcase, saying the measure is necessary to reduce delays. And while customer Lee Cimino told the Press Association: I love Ryanair, he also added: Its just this new charge is a bit too far really. Lee was flying to Belfast with Ryanair for a birthday night out with a friend, and it was on this journey he decided to perform his own minor protest. I fly with them a lot and theyre always great, its just a bit annoying, said Lee of the charge. I just thought: I wonder if theres anything I can do to get around it? I found an old coat and took it to a tailors in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent called Sew Wot? They were brilliant. They came up with most of the ideas. They must have thought: What on Earth is this all about?! but they did an amazing job. With the coat prepared and the idea in place, Manchester Airport was the location of Lees stunt. But was there ever a moment the plan looked doomed to fail? We got to Manchester Airport at about 6am and I didnt get as many funny looks as I thought I would, said Lee. My mate said I just looked like a hipster! The coat only had a few clothes in it and I just put it in the tray like you normally would. I dont know how close I came but as I understand it, Im not doing anything wrong with wearing the coat. Airport charges are a common source of irritation for tourists, so how has his video been received? The reaction has been good, Lee said. Some people think Im tight but its not about that. I think it strikes a chord with people as everyone has had an experience with the airlines. Id encourage more people to try it, otherwise how far will they go? As I say, this is not me having a go at Ryanair. I love them, its just raising a point. Lee also told the Press Association he is considering auctioning the coat to raise money for charity, offering to give an amount to a charity of Ryanairs choice. In response, Ryanair told the Press Association: Thanks to our larger free small bag allowance (40% bigger) and cheaper checked-in bag option (8 for a 10kg bag), Ryanair customers can bring all they need without having to board the aircraft looking like the Michelin Man or Joey from Friends. Weve received lots of positive feedback from customers and airports across Europe on our new bag policy, which is leading to faster check-in, security and boarding, and improved punctuality. Is this the last over-sized coat Ryanair will have to deal with? Luxury fashion brand Burberry said its transformation plan is on track to deliver cost savings of 100 million this year, as it hailed an exceptional reception for its new head designer. Cumulative cost savings reached 80 million, with the group confirming a goal for the full year of 100 million. Adjusted operating profit fell by 4% on a reported basis but was up 8% at constant currency. Comparable store sales rose 3% in the first half, as new creative director Riccardo Tisci took the helm. Chief executive Marco Gobbetti said the reception of Mr Tiscis first collection for the house had been exceptional. Burberrys overall revenue was down 3%, reflecting a move to take beauty products out of house through a strategic partnership with Coty last year. Excluding the impact of last years beauty wholesale income, revenue climbed 3% to 1.22 billion. Higher like-for-like sales in stores included growth in the UK, despite concerns of weaker consumer demand and lower tourist spend. Asia Pacific also saw mid-single digit growth, as Chinese spend shifted to tourist destinations such as Hong Kong and Korea. The region has been a concern for investors as the threat of a trade war between China and the US weighs on consumer sentiment. Expand Close Burberry is in the process of closing some shops and pulling out of department stores as it targets high-end shoppers (Jonathan Brady/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Burberry is in the process of closing some shops and pulling out of department stores as it targets high-end shoppers (Jonathan Brady/PA) Mr Gobbetti said the company was energised by early results of the transformation process. Mindful that we are only in the first phase of our multi-year plan, we continue to manage dynamically through the transition, he said. The company is in the process of closing some shops and pulling out of department stores as it targets high-end shoppers. Rubric China Economy Freedom of religion India Islam Social Doctrine of the Church Vatican Geographic area Afghanistan Africa Armenia Azerbaijan Bahrain Bangladesh Bhutan Brunei Cambodia Central America Central Asia China East Asia East Timor Europe Georgia Hong Kong India Indonesia Iran Iraq Israel Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Lebanon Macau Malaysia Middle East Mongolia Myanmar Nepal North America North Asia North Korea Oceania Oman Pakistan Palestine Philippines Qatar Russia Saudi Arabia Singapore South America South Asia South East Asia South Korea South West Asia Sri Lanka Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Thailand Turkey Turkmenistan United Arab Emirates Uzbekistan Vietnam Yemen A Christian woman acquitted after eight years on death row for blasphemy has been released but her whereabouts in Islamabad remain secret after demands by radical Islamists that she be publicly executed. Asia Bibi was with her family and under heavy security after being transferred to the Pakistani capital overnight from a detention facility in southern Punjab. The European Parliament has made an offer to protect her family. For the moment she is still in Pakistan, according to two people who are close to her. Ms Bibi left the Punjab facility amid tight security late on Wednesday and was flown to Islamabad. Troops guarded the roads leading to the airport from which she departed, Pakistani officials said. Expand Close Protests against Asia Bibis acquittal in Karachi (Fareed Khan) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Protests against Asia Bibis acquittal in Karachi (Fareed Khan) Information minister Fawad Chaudhry confirmed later on Thursday that Ms Bibi was still in Pakistan. Radical Islamists have been demanding her death as well as the death of the three Supreme Court judges who acquitted her last week. Following her acquittal, the hardline Tehreek-e-Labbaik Party forced a country-wide shut down as their supporters took to the streets for three days to protest against her release. Scores of protesters were arrested for damaging vehicles and property during the rallies, and bank accounts of some of the leaders of the party were reportedly frozen. The rallies only dispersed after prime minister Imran Khans government promised a court would review a motion to challenge the acquittal and deny Ms Bibi permission to leave Pakistan. Expand Close Imran Khan (Aly Song/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Imran Khan (Aly Song/AP) Critics immediately accused Mr Khan, who came to power after elections last summer riding in part on an Islamist agenda, of capitulating to the radicals. Ms Bibis acquittal initially seemed to bring an end to her ordeal, which began on a blistering hot day in 2009 when the 54-year-old mother of five, a farm worker, went to fetch water. An argument took place after two fellow farm workers refused to drink from the same container as a Christian. Nearly a week later, the two women said Ms Bibi had insulted the Prophet Muhammad and she was charged with blasphemy a controversial issue in Pakistan, where mere accusations of blasphemy can cause riots. The charge carries the death penalty and Ms Bibi was sentenced to death in 2010. Her case garnered worldwide attention and brought sharp criticism of Pakistans blasphemy law. European Parliament president Antonio Tajani has invited Ms Bibi and her family to Europe. In a letter, he told her husband Ashiq Masih that the European Parliament is extremely concerned for your safety as well as your familys, due to the violence by extremist elements in Pakistan. Mr Masih appealed on Sunday to President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Theresa May to help the family leave Pakistan. Mr Tajanis letter was an indication that Ms Bibi and her family may be leaving for Europe imminently, although their destination has not been confirmed. Earlier, Spain and France had offered her asylum. Last month, while she was still in custody, Pakistani authorities said they arrested two prisoners for allegedly conspiring to strangle her and additional police and troops were deployed to the facility in Punjab. People comfort each other after the shooting (Mark J. Terrill/AP) President Donald Trump has offered condolences after a mass shooting at a southern California bar. Mr Trump said on Twitter that he has been fully briefed on the terrible shooting. He praised law enforcement, saying Great bravery shown by police and said God bless all of the victims and families of the victims. A gunman opened fire on a crowd at a country dance bar holding a weekly college night on Wednesday night. The mass shooting killed 12 people and sent hundreds fleeing in terror. The gunman was later found dead at the scene. Law enforcement said the dead from the shooting included 11 people inside the bar and a sheriffs sergeant who was the first officer inside the door. Mr Trump later ordered that the US flag be flown at half mast in respect for the victims of the shooting. Mr Trump ordered the flag be flown at half mast until sunset on Saturday at the White House and on all public buildings, military posts, naval stations and aboard all US naval vessels. JK Rowling is suing her former PA for 24,000 (27,000) over claims she went on shopping sprees with a business credit card. The 'Harry Potter' author claims Amanda Donaldson (35) broke strict working agreements to buy items including cosmetics and Harry Potter gifts for personal use. Donaldson, from Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, Scotland, worked for Ms Rowling between February 2014 and April 2017, before being dismissed for gross misconduct. Legal papers lodged at Airdrie Sheriff Court allege she wrongly benefited to a value of 23,696 by making use of a company credit card. The author is using her married name, Joanne Murray, in the civil action. Ms Donaldson is said to have been provided with a credit card and claims all the bills were business-related. Discrepancies were allegedly picked up in February last year revealing a high volume of personal spending. She was suspended after meeting an accountant to discuss the use of the card. She is alleged to have spent 823 at Bibi Bakery, 1,482 with the luxury candle company Jo Malone, 264 in Boots, 115 in Costa Coffee and 3,629 with the cosmetic firm Molton Brown. Ms Rowling is seeking damages for further claims, including that Ms Donaldson spent 2,139 in the card shop Paper Tiger, 1,636 in Starbucks and 235 in Waterstones. Ms Donaldson, who controlled memorabilia requests from fans, has denied the claims and says the author has "not suffered any loss and is not entitled to damages". The civil case is due to return to court next month. Victim: Nut allergy sufferer Megan Lee died following an asthma attack after eating a takeaway meal. Photo: PA Two takeaway restaurant bosses have been jailed over the manslaughter of a 15-year-old girl who suffered an allergic reaction to a meal. Nut allergy sufferer Megan Lee died from an asthma attack after she ate food from the Royal Spice takeaway in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, England. She had ordered online and wrote "prawns, nuts" in the notes section. The meal was later found to have the "widespread presence" of peanut protein. A jury at Manchester Crown Court found owner Mohammed Abdul Kuddus (40) and manager Harun Rashid (38) guilty of unlawfully killing Megan by reason of gross negligence. They were jailed for two and three years respectively. A gunman has shot a sheriffs deputy and around 10 other people in a country and western bar and dance club in southern California, authorities said. Ventura County sheriffs Captain Garo Kuredjian said he could not confirm whether any of those shot on Wednesday night were dead. He described the situation as still active. Were still looking for the shooter, Mr Kuredjian said. We cant confirm that the shooter is in custody. He said hundreds of people were in the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks at 11.20pm, and shots were still being fired when officers arrived. It was college night and country two-step lessons were being offered on Wednesday at the Borderline, according to its website. Expand Close Police at the scene (KABC/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Police at the scene (KABC/AP) It has been quite some time since there was a shooting of any kind in Thousand Oaks, a city of about 130,000 people around 40 miles west of Los Angeles. Nick Steinwender, student body president at nearby California Lutheran University, rushed to the scene when he heard about a shooting at the bar where he knew friends and fellow students were. It was chaos, people jumping out of windows, people hopping over gates to get out Mr Steinwender told KABC-TV. He said he heard from people inside who were hiding in toilets and the attic of the bar. The Hungarian government is sending out forms that ask voters 10 questions about family policies. The first question asks if they agree that Hungary should address its population decline by increasing support for families instead of through immigration. Other topics on the questionnaire include subsidies for young married couples; whether family subsidies should continue to be tied to employment; recognising mothers raising at least four children as having full-time jobs; and the right of children to a mother and father. Expand Close The Hungarian Parliament Building on the banks of the Danube (Adam Davy/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Hungarian Parliament Building on the banks of the Danube (Adam Davy/PA) Since returning to power in 2010, Hungarys prime minister Viktor Orban has carried out national consultations on issues ranging from migration to a new constitution. Mr Orban said they strengthen democratic practices. Expand Close Hungarys Viktor Orban (Markku Ulander/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Hungarys Viktor Orban (Markku Ulander/AP) Critics say the questions and possible answers are one-sided and politically biased. The forms must be returned by December 21. Spanish police say they have arrested a man who they believe intended to attack Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez over his controversial decision to exhume the remains of late dictator General Francisco Franco. Police say the 63-year-old former private security guard was arrested in the town of Terrassa in the Catalonia region on September 19 after a brief investigation. He remains in custody and has not been charged. Expand Close General Francisco Franco (PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp General Francisco Franco (PA) The case was revealed on Thursday by Spanish newspaper Publico. Police found 16 firearms in the suspects home, ranging from handguns to sniper rifles, but did not explain how he had managed to amass such an arsenal. This person had a clear intention and will to take actions against the prime minister, Catalan regional police spokesman Albert Oliva told journalists during a press conference. A man has been taken to hospital after he suffered a head injury in a suspected catapult attack. The victim, who is in his mid-20s, is in a serious condition after he was assaulted as he sat with another man in a parked car near Dover in the UK. Police said the window was smashed and the man was struck in the head by a small object believed to have come from a catapult a short distance away. He was taken to a local hospital before being transferred to London where he is still receiving treatment. The other man in the car suffered minor injuries. Detectives are looking at CCTV and appealing for any witnesses to the attack on October 28 at around 3pm near to Sweetbriar Lane in Elvington. Kent Police arrested a 21-year-old man from the village on suspicion of grievous bodily harm, criminal damage and possession of an offensive weapon last Friday. He has been released pending further investigation. Investigating officer Pc Matthew Johnston said: "This happened close to a ball park and we believe there would have been a number of people there at the time of the alleged assault that might have seen something. "Anyone who witnessed this or has information that could assist our investigation is urged to get in touch as soon as possible." A Moscow square is being named after Kim Philby (PA) The mayor of Moscow has decreed that a square near the headquarters of Russias foreign intelligence service should be named after British double agent Kim Philby. Sergei Sobyanin signed the order amid tensions between Russia and Britain over the nerve agent poisoning of Russian former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury. Philby joined MI6 in 1940, eventually heading its counter-espionage division and serving as intelligence liaison with the United States. Expand Close Kim Philby is being honoured in Moscow (PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kim Philby is being honoured in Moscow (PA) He resigned in 1951 under suspicion that he had tipped off two other double agents, who fled to Moscow. Philby defected to the Soviet Union in 1963, where he died in 1988. The head of the State-owned Asset Supervision and Administration Commission made the announcement. The government wants to improve the management of big state companies, increasingly shaken by scandals related to bad management and corruption. Vietnam is following the same path. Shanghai (AsiaNews/Agencies) The Chinese government has asked private investors, including from abroad, to take part in the reform of state-owned enterprises (SOEs). For China, this is a Copernican revolution since the countrys authorities have always kept a tight grip on these companies. In all likelihood, according to analysts, the decision stems from the need to restore SOEs accounts, increasingly shaken by scandals linked to bad management and corruption. Xiao Yaqing, head of the State-owned Asset Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC), made the announcement at the China International Import Expo, an economic forum underway in Shanghai. In his statement, Xiao said that China welcomes all types of Chinese and foreign companies to make equity investments and set up strategic partnerships with central SOEs to promote corporate restructuring, industrial consolidation, technological innovation and industrial transformation. SASAC directly oversees the countrys nearly 100 centrally administered SOEs, which had combined assets of 76.2 trillion yuan (US$ 11 trillion) at the end of 2017. Since 2014, SASAC and other ministries have orchestrated more several mergers in various sectors that involved more than trillion in assets as part of a campaign to consolidate state assets. As of June, SASAC directly supervised 96 central SOEs. China is not alone on this path. At the beginning of October, Vietnam announced its intention to remove the limit of 49 per cent on investors in state industries. However, the authorities made it clear that foreigners can manage only companies that are not considered of strategic importance for national security. Multiple people have been injured in a shooting at a bar in southern California, authorities said. Police told the Los Angeles Times that at least 30 shots were fired at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, about 40 miles west of Los Angeles. The extent of the victims injuries has not yet been released. Witnesses said a man fired several shots from a handgun before throwing smoke bombs into the crowded bar. Authorities said there were multiple injuries including one police officer. Police and emergency crews flooded the scene. Authorities urged the public to avoid the area. First responders are seen outside Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California Nick Steinwender/via REUTERS First responders are seen outside Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California Photo: Nick Steinwender/via REUTERS Police cars are seen outside a country music bar and dance hall in Thousand Oaks, west of Los Angeles, after a gunman barged into a large, crowded venue and opened fire: Photo by Javier TOVAR / AFP A GUNMAN killed 12 people including a sheriff's deputy when he opened fire on revelers in a crowded country and western bar in Los Angeles late on Wednesday night, police said. The gunman also died, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean told a news conference on Thursday. The shooter has been identified as Ian David Long, a 28-year-old former US Marine with mental health problems. The sheriff said Long was believed to have killed himself late on Wednesday at the Borderline Bar and Grill in the city of Thousand Oaks. Mr Dean said his department had several previous contacts with the former Marine including a call to his home in April, when deputies found him acting in an irate and irrational manner. The sheriff said a mental health crisis team was called at that time and concluded that Long did not need to be taken into custody. Expand Close A witness talks to reporters outside a country music bar and dance hall in Thousand Oaks, west of Los Angeles (Photo by Javier TOVAR / AFP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A witness talks to reporters outside a country music bar and dance hall in Thousand Oaks, west of Los Angeles (Photo by Javier TOVAR / AFP) Mr Dean said the other prior encounters were a traffic accident and an incident when he was the victim of a beating at a bar. Long was found dead in the Borderline Bar and Grill after 12 people were shot to death late on Wednesday. An unknown number of people were wounded after the shooting at the bar, a popular venue with college students and local young adults for parties and dancing. It was the third mass shooting in the United States in under two weeks, six days after the death of two women at a yoga class in Tallahassee, Florida and 12 days after a gunman killed 11 worshippers at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, shouting "All Jews must die". "It's a horrific scene in there," Dean said. "There is blood everywhere and the suspect is part of that. "We dont know who shot anybody at this point." The dead officer was identified as Sergeant Ron Helus, a 29-year veteran of the department, Dean told reporters. Helus and a California Highway Patrol officer were the first to arrive at the bar and went inside just before 11:30 p.m. PST (0730 GMT). After a lull of about 15 minutes, more officers went inside and found the suspected gunman dead of a gunshot wound. It was not clear whether he killed himself or was killed by officers, Dean said. President Donald Trump, who has resisted a surge in calls for tougher gun controls since 17 students were shot dead at Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida earlier this year, said on Twitter that he had been "fully briefed on the terrible shooting in California." "Great bravery shown by police," Trump tweeted. "God bless all of the victims and families of the victims." Jerry Nadler, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said lawmakers would get to work on legislation including universal background checks when the House of Representatives convenes in January with a Democratic majority. "We must find a way to stop the senseless, and many times preventable killings that are robbing our country of innocent lives," he tweeted. BLACK MASK A witness to the shootings, Taylor Von Molt, 21, who said she was a promotor at the bar, said the gunman wore a black mask with a bandana covering the bottom of his face, and a black hoodie. "I heard what I thought was a balloon pop," she told CNN. "I was confused because we didnt have any balloons. I saw him, then I saw him fire his weapon one more time. I ran to the nearest exit and tripped and fell on the way and people kept running on top of me." Von Molt said she and others from nearby California Lutheran University often gathered on Wednesday night to line dance to country music. Many of those at the bar were regulars, she said. Witness John Hedge told ABC News he was near the front door of the California bar when the shooting began. "I just started hearing these big pops. Pop pop pop," he said. "There was probably three or four. I hit the ground. I look up. The security guard ... was shot, he was down. The gunman was throwing smoke grenades all over the place. I saw him point to the back at the cash register and he just kept firing." Dean estimated that 10 to 15 people, including one with a gunshot wound, had gone to area hospitals. He said he thought their injuries were minor, and that most of them were likely injured as they escaped, some by breaking windows. "There were people hiding in restrooms, people hiding in attics," Dean said. Dean said that the shooter had a handgun and that at this early stage in the investigation he believed he had only one gun. Witnesses described a rapid sequence of shots that it made them think he was using a semi-automatic weapon. Thousand Oaks was named the third-safest city in the United States for 2018 by the website Niche. "Ive learned it doesnt matter what community youre in," Dean told reporters when asked if he was surprised this happened in Thousand Oaks. "It doesnt matter how safe your community is. It can happen anywhere." None of the civilian victims were identified. Helus died while being treated at an area hospital several hours after he was shot, Dean said. Democratic congressional candidate Richard Ojeda reacts after delivering his concession speech during his election night party in Yuma, West Virginia, U.S. November 6, 2018. Picture: REUTERS/Lexi Browning West Virginia: Donald Trump won West Virginia's 3rd district by 30 points. But it is the Democratic candidate running in the district, which has a long history of coal mining, that is gaining national attention. Richard Ojeda says he voted for Mr Trump in 2016, opposes universal background checks for gun buyers, and is pro-coal. Mr Ojeda was running against Republican Carol Miller in the open-seat race after the incumbent Republican Evan Jenkins vacated the seat to run for the Senate. Analysts kept a close watch to see if a populist Democrat in a pro-Trump area is a winning formula. It wasn't. Ms Miller was projected to defeat Mr Ojeda. California Republican Representative Mimi Walters was battling to keep hold of her seat against Democrat Katie Porter in the state's 45th district, Orange County. The number of registered Republicans in the county has consistently declined as its population becomes more diverse. Ms Walters was one of seven Republicans representing districts in California which Hillary Clinton won in 2016. The Democrats needed to take several of these in order to regain a majority in the House. Pundits were viewing a win in this race as a sign they will do well across southern California - picking up crucial Republican-held seats. But with almost half the votes counted, Ms Walters was in the lead. Minnesota Minnesota's 8th district was considered one of the Democrats' most at-risk seats in November. It is a traditionally Democrat area - former president Barack Obama won the district twice but it swung heavily to Donald Trump in the 2016 election. Democrat candidate Joe Radinovich, a former state legislator, was facing a tough battle against Republican Pete Stauber, a county commissioner, and the Republican ended up defeating his opponent. Texas The race in Texas' 23rd district largely focused on one of the Trump administration's main concerns - immigration. The district contains a third of the US-Mexico border and has the second highest population of 'Dreamers' - the term given to undocumented migrants who arrived in America as children and have been granted temporary protection. The incumbent, Republican Will Hurd, was a former CIA agent who has chosen to distance himself from Mr Trump. His Democratic rival, Gina Ortiz Jones, was a Filipina-American, openly LGBTQ and an Iraq veteran. Mr Hurdwas tipped to win by a narrow margin and, with more than 85pc counted, he was projected to fend off his Democratic rival. Florida Moderate Republicans were looking to Florida's 26th district to see whether they could keep hold of a largely Hispanic area. The incumbent, Carlos Curbelo, was well-liked but Republicans feared his Democrat opponent, Latin immigrant Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, could sweep to a surprise victory. Ms Mucarsel-Powell proved their fears well-founded, defeating her rival. Kim Yong Chols meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has been delayed (Andrew Harnik/AP) South Koreas foreign minister quoted US officials as saying that it was North Korea that cancelled a meeting this week between US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a senior North Korean official on nuclear issues. North Korea sent a notification to Washington to call off the meeting aimed at discussing the Norths denuclearisation and setting up a second summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said on Thursday. Ms Kang provided no reason on why North Korea cancelled the meeting in New York. Ms Kang told politicians she planned to discuss the matter with Mr Pompeo over the phone. Expand Close South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha (Kim Ju-hyung/Yonhap/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha (Kim Ju-hyung/Yonhap/AP) South Koreas presidential office earlier said that the meetings postponement would not affect the momentum of talks between Washington and Pyongyang. We were notified by the United States that North Korea explained that (the meeting) should be postponed because both sides have busy schedules, Ms Kang said. I think it would be excessive to read too much into the postponement of the meeting. Mr Trump told reporters at the White House that the United States is in no rush and that the meeting between Mr Pompeo and his North Korean counterpart Kim Yong Chol would be rescheduled. US State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said the postponement was purely a scheduling issue but refused to elaborate. Expand Close The meeting between Mike Pompeo and his North Korean counterpart Kim Yong Chol will be rescheduled (Andrew Harnik/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The meeting between Mike Pompeo and his North Korean counterpart Kim Yong Chol will be rescheduled (Andrew Harnik/AP) He did not provide a straightforward answer when asked whether a discord over US-led sanctions against the North, which Pyongyang says must be removed before any progress in nuclear talks, has made it more difficult to set up meetings. Timing, timing, Mr Palladino said. This has to do with timing as a matter were talking about scheduling. And Ill leave it at that. Seoul has worked hard to revive nuclear diplomacy between Washington and Pyongyang, which removed war fears among South Koreans following a provocative run in North Korean weapons tests and Mr Trumps threats of military action last year. Mr Kim shifted to diplomacy in 2018, meeting Trump in June between three summits with South Korean President Moon Jae-in. But the North has been playing hardball since the summits, fuelling doubts about whether Mr Kim would ever deal away a nuclear programme he may see as his strongest guarantee of survival. North Koreas Foreign Ministry last week criticised the United States for its continued support of sanctions and hinted it may resume nuclear development if the measures are not lifted. Mr Trump has been showing signs of slowing the pace of his diplomacy with North Korea, seemingly pivoting closer to his partys mainstream on North Korea issues. Mr Trump recently said he will not play a time game with the North over a denuclearisation deal. Tens of thousands of people have been ordered to evacuate after a fast-moving wildfire exploded in size. The blaze threatened several northern California communities and forced panicked residents to race to help neighbours who had to drive through walls of flames to escape. Butte County Sheriffs spokeswoman Miranda Bowersox said that all of Paradise, a town of about 27,000 people 180 miles north east of San Francisco, was ordered to evacuate. Its bad, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea told the Enterprise-Record. Were trying to get as many people out as quickly as possible and save as many lives as we can. He confirmed reports that evacuees had to abandon their vehicles as they fled the scene. Were getting them on other vehicles with room. Were working very hard to get people out. The message I want to get out is if you can evacuate, you need to evacuate, he said. Rick Carhart, a Cal Fire spokesman, said the wildfire was reported at 6.30am, affecting about 30,000 people in the towns of Paradise, Concow and other small communities. My husband tried his best to get everybody out. The whole hill's on fire. God help us!Shari Bernacett The blaze is being driven by fairly strong winds, Mr Carhart said. Its really dry and we have low humidity and unfortunately those are great conditions for a fire to spread. Thick grey smoke and ash filled the sky above Paradise and could be seen from miles away. The Adventist Health Feather River Hospital in Paradise evacuated all of its patients and staff, given its close proximity to the fire, and transported them safely to hospitals in neighbouring towns. Four of the hospitals employees were briefly trapped in the basement and rescued by California Highway Patrol officers. Shari Bernacett said she and her husband tried to get people to leave the mobile home park they manage in Paradise and had minutes to evacuate as flames reached the east side of the town. Ms Bernacett said she and her husband knocked on doors, yelled and screamed to alert as many of the residents of 53 mobile homes and recreational vehicles as possible to leave. My husband tried his best to get everybody out. The whole hills on fire. God help us! Ms Bernacett said before breaking down crying. She and her husband grabbed their dog, jumped in their pick-up truck and drove through flames before getting to safety on Highway 99, she said. Mr Carhart said officials were sending as many crews as they could gather. Every engine that we could put on the fire, is on the fire right now and more are coming, he said. There are dozens of strike teams that were bringing in from all parts of the state. The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings for fire dangers in many areas of the state, saying low humidity and strong winds were expected to continue through Friday evening. People comfort each other near the scene (Mark J. Terrill/AP) Twelve people including a sheriffs sergeant were killed in a mass shooting inside a crowded southern California bar by a gunman who is then believed to have taken his own life. The killer was identified as Ian David Long, a 28-year-old former US Marine with mental issues, with investigators trying to find the motive for the attack at a venue hosting a country music evening for students. The hooded killer used a smoke bomb and a handgun, sending hundreds of people fleeing in terror. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said his department had several previous contacts with Long, including a call to his home in April, when deputies found him angry and acting irrationally. The sheriff said a mental health crisis team was called at the time and concluded Long did not need to be taken into custody. Patrons at the bar screamed in fear, shouted Get down! and used bar stools to smash second-floor windows and jump to safety as gunfire erupted at the Borderline Bar & Grill, a Thousand Oaks venue popular with students from nearby California Lutheran University. Today we mourn the loss of Sergeant Ron Helus who gave his life serving the community. Please keep his family and the families of the victims in your thoughts and prayers. pic.twitter.com/EwDsnPRDCs Ventura County Sheriff (@VENTURASHERIFF) November 8, 2018 The dead included 11 people inside the bar and a sheriffs sergeant who was the first officer inside the door, the sheriff said. Its a horrific scene in there, Mr Dean said in a press conference at a car park. Theres blood everywhere. The killer deployed a smoke device and used a .45-calibre handgun. Expand Close A victim is treated near the scene (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A victim is treated near the scene (AP) It was the deadliest mass shooting in the US since 17 students and teachers were killed at a Parkland, Florida, high school nine months ago. It also came less than two weeks after a gunman massacred 11 people at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. That, in turn, closely followed the series of pipe bombs mailed to critics of President Donald Trump. Mr Trump praised police for their great bravery in the California attack and said, God bless all of the victims and families of the victims. Expand Close People comfort each other as they stand near the scene of the shooting (Mark J. Terrill/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp People comfort each other as they stand near the scene of the shooting (Mark J. Terrill/AP) The gunman was tall and wearing all black with a hood and his face partly covered, witnesses told TV stations. He first fired on a person working the door, then appeared to shoot at random at people inside, they said. I dropped to the floor, Sarah Rose DeSon told ABCs Good Morning America. A friend yelled, Everybody down! We were hiding behind tables trying to keep ourselves covered. He (Sergeant Ron Helus) went in there to save people and paid the ultimate priceSheriff Geoff Dean Sheriffs Sergeant Ron Helus and a passing highway patrolman arrived at the Borderline around 11.20pm in response to several 911 calls, heard gunfire and went inside, the sheriff said. Sgt Helus was immediately hit with multiple gunshots, Mr Dean said. The highway patrolman pulled Sgt Helus out, then waited as a Swat team and scores more officers arrived. Sgt Helus died early on Thursday at a hospital. By the time they entered the bar again, the gunfire had stopped, according to the sheriff. In light of the tragic events that occurred last night in Thousand Oaks, classes have been canceled today. University offices remain open. Visit our emergency page for more resources and updates at https://t.co/lXis049Ii9 Cal Lutheran (@CalLutheran) November 8, 2018 They found 12 people dead inside, including the gunman who apparently took his own life, the sheriff said. Theres no doubt that they saved lives by going in there and engaging with the suspect, said Mr Dean, who was set to retire on Friday. He praised the murdered officer, a close friend, as a hero, saying: He went in there to save people and paid the ultimate price. Shootings of any kind are extremely rare in Thousand Oaks, a city of about 130,000 people about 40 miles west of Los Angeles, just across the county line. The Borderline, which includes a large dance hall along with several smaller areas for eating and drinking, was holding its regular College Country Nights when the attack took place. Expand Close Police at the scene (KABC/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Police at the scene (KABC/AP) The bar is also close to several other universities, including California State University Channel Islands in Camarillo, Pepperdine University in Malibu and Moorpark College in Moorpark. Nick Steinwender, Cal Lutheran student union president, told KTLA-TV he immediately started receiving messages about the shooting, and he and his roommate went to the scene to offer rides back to campus or moral support. Its going to be a very sombre day, Mr Steinwender said. I know we dont have all the details in yet, but you know, it just feels like its an attack on our community. You know, I think its going to be something that were going to have to come together and move past. Expand Close An FBI agent (Mark J. Terrill/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp An FBI agent (Mark J. Terrill/AP) Cole Knapp, a freshman at Moorpark College, said he was inside the bar when the shooting began, but he thought at first that it was just someone with an M-80, just kind of playing a prank. Then he said he saw the gunman, wearing a small black head covering and black hoodie and holding a handgun. I tried to get as many people to cover as I could, Mr Knapp said. There was an exit right next to me, so I went through that. That exit leads to a patio where people smoke. People out there didnt really know what was going on. Expand Close People walk away from the scene (Mark J. Terrill/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp People walk away from the scene (Mark J. Terrill/AP) Theres a fence right there so I said, Everyone get over the fence as quickly as you can, and I followed them over. He said a highway patrol officer who happened to be pulling someone over was nearby. I screamed to him, Theres a shooter in there! He was kind of in disbelief, then saw that I was serious, Mr Knapp said. He said he had friends who had not been accounted for. Tayler Whitler, 19, said she was on the dance floor with her friends nearby when she saw the gunman shooting and heard screams of Get down! Expand Close Sheriffs deputies speak to potential witnesses (Mark J. Terrill/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sheriffs deputies speak to potential witnesses (Mark J. Terrill/AP) It was really, really, really shocking, Ms Whitler told KABC-TV as she stood with her father in the car park. It looked like he knew what he was doing. The dead sheriffs officer was a 29-year veteran of the force with a wife and son and planned to retire in the coming year, said the sheriff, who choked back tears as he talked about the sergeant who was also his long-time friend. Ron was a hardworking, dedicated sheriffs sergeant who was totally committed, Dean said, and tonight, as I told his wife, he died a hero because he went in to save lives. In this edition of India Briefing Magazine, we make the case for why now is the right time for foreign firms t... by Georges Sabe* According to Marist Fathers, the city is struggling to get back to normal. But getting refugees home is still far away. Those who remained showed courage and strength. People hope to see the conflict end across the country. Christians are involved in many initiatives for residents. Aleppo (AsiaNews) The return of refugees and those who fled violence would mark the end of war and a return to life, this according to the Blue Marists, in the 34th Letter from Aleppo sent to AsiaNews. Despite the citys reunification and the restoration of basic services (water and electricity), the need to revive hope remains; otherwise, it will be impossible to stop the ongoing flow of people who still leave the country. In addition to aid programmes, it is essential to heal people, bringing peace to the whole country and end Western sanctions. Here is an edited version of the 34th letter from Aleppo, translated from the French by AsiaNews. In recent weeks, we saw several friends come back after they left the country during the war. They were often alone. Seeing the blinds of their house open or meeting them in the street revived hope in us; the long-awaited hope of their return would mean the end of the war, the end of the nightmare of emigration, and would especially mark a return to life. We visited the city with them. We became tour guides for the destroyed souks and neighbourhoods ravaged by hatred. It was necessary to explain to them the suffering of those who had stayed behind. Many expressed their astonishment at such desire to live and survive. When we asked them "Do you plan to stay?", the negative or oblique answer brought us back to the bitter reality of emigration. It is true that December 2016 saw the end of the division of the city into two parts. It is true that since then, reconstruction has become a priority for both government and residents. It is true that some families who had fled the eastern part of the city, and whose house is more or less habitable, have returned home. It is true that water and electricity services have improved. But what counts are people. Those who fought the war and those who endured it. What about them, in what state of mind are they? Did they come out of it OK? How can the wounds of war be healed? How can we move towards reconciliation? How do we react to the violence of some people? What educational path should the children of war follow? What discernment can we propose to young people old enough to make decisions for their future? How can we support couples and families? And above all, how can we revive the flame of hope? We still hope that peace will reign over the entire country and that there be no more pockets of war like Idlib province and the countryside west of Aleppo and in northeastern Syria. We still have hundreds of thousands of families living in tents in refugee camps in the country and in neighbouring nations. The fact remains that the West must lift the sanctions that penalise the population. The Special Rapporteur on the negative effects of unilateral coercive measures on human rights, following his recent visit to Damascus, said: "I am deeply concerned that unilateral coercive measures are contributing to the suffering of the Syrian people. Given the economic and human suffering caused by these measures, it is difficult to believe that they exist to protect Syrians or to encourage democratic transition." The friends who came back, for a time, to put their house in order or settle some problems, left us with a big question: "Are we destined to leave the country?" In fact, the flow of families or people who want or leave the country has not stopped. [. . .] Without waiting for any recommendations, we, the Blue Marists undertook for several years plans of education, human development and creation of work opportunities. The month of September was devoted to teacher training in our two educational programmes "I Want to Learn" and "Learn to Grow". Soumaya Hallak, Swiss of Syrian origin, trained them in post-traumatic body and music therapy. Bahjat Azrieh, a psychologist, introduced them to the "skills of life". Finally, Veronica Hurtubia of the Catholic University of Milan led a first stage of training in resilience in collaboration with the Bureau Internationale Catholique de lEnfance (Catholic International Bureau of Childhood). The 90 children in the "I Want to Learn" programme started their year in early October 2018. The 55 children in "Learning to Grow" joined them in late October. During the summer months, their teachers came up with a programme adapted to the situations of our children. Seeds, a new team has come to boost our psycho-educational work. Five people will work with different age groups: from preschool to adults to young adolescents. The "Women Development " programme brings together some forty women around several weekly training courses on important topics such as health, psychology, cooking ... [. . .] So far, we have funded 70 micro-projects. The medical programme continues. This is a great service provided to sick people. We, the Blue Marists, and other charitable organizations, help patients seek treatment or surgery, or buy the medicines they need. [. . .] Every Wednesday and Sunday, about twenty of our volunteers, go to the camp the Al-Shahba camp for displaced people, located 25 km from Aleppo. About 120 families are housed in tents. Our presence and actions with everyone have improved their living conditions. The little ones can play and burn energy. Children of school age learn to read and write. Teenagers are followed by a group of volunteers who allow them to reflect on issues that affect their lives and conditions of displacement. [. . .] Christmas is just around the corner, bringing hope for peace and reconciliation. For our city Aleppo, for our country Syria, for our people, we hope that Christmas will be the time of coming together and not goodbyes. We work for a civilisation of love and peace, that it may reign over our land and hearts. * Marist Brother in Aleppo SAFAR National capital Delhi woke up to a morning of smog and low visibility as the smoke from the firecrackers burst the previous night for Diwali, pushed the air quality to 'hazardous' levels. Across the national capital, various locations including Anand Vihar, Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium and Mandir Marg have all clocked a reading of 999 on Thursday morning, the maximum level available on the monitors. Read More. Here's More Top News For The Day: 1) Monstrous Man Bursts 'Sutli Bomb' In 3-YO Girls Mouth In UP, Victim Critical With 50 Stitches In a shocking incident, a three-year-old girl in UP's Meerut was left in a critical condition after a man burst a Diwali cracker inside her mouth. According to Shashi Kumar, the father of the girl, the incident happened on Wednesday evening, when his daughter was playing outside the house. Read More. 2) If You Ever Wanted To See An Example Of Irony, You Should Have Been In Delhi Last Night If you ever wanted to see a living example of irony, you should have been in Delhi last night. As the city is grappling with existential anxiety in terms of high pollution levels, people just refused to take preventive measures to curb pollution. Well, some actually did; they were out in the open, bursting firecrackers with pollution masks covering their noses. Those who were really concerned were left baffled at the sheer hypocrisy of such people. Read More. 3) Two Years After Note Ban, Finance Minister Says Confiscation Of Old Notes Wasn't Its Objective On the second anniversary of demonetisation, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, has defended the controversial move, saying the system required to be shaken to help India move from to a digital economy.Read More. 4) In A Hurry To Take Off From Hyderabad, IndiGo Leaves Behind CAT Boss Who Was Following Protocol Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) Chairman, Justice L Narasimha Reddy said on Tuesday that he wasnt allowed to board an IndiGo flight to Hubli from Hyderabad via Bengaluru alleging that the airline had taken off well-before in advance. He said that despite having the boarding pass for the Hyderabad flight, he was denied entry. Read More. 5) Former PM Manmohan Singh Reminds The Damage Demonetisation Has Done To Country's Economy Hitting out at the Narendra Modi government for the 2016 demonetisation, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has urged the Centre to restore certainty and visibility in its economic policies.Read More. Hitting out at the Narendra Modi government for the 2016 demonetisation, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has urged the Centre to restore certainty and visibility in its economic policies. Singh also asked the current NDA regime not to indulge in any further unorthodox, short-term economic measures that could cause any more uncertainty in the economy and financial markets. Terming demonetisation an ill-fated and ill-thought exercise, Singhs statement said: Today marks the second anniversary of the ill-fated and ill-thought demonetisation... The havoc that it unleashed on the Indian economy and society is now evident to everyone. bccl Notebandi (demonetisation) impacted every single person, regardless of age, gender, religion, occupation or creed, Mr. Singh said in a statement. I urge the government to restore certainty and visibility in economic policies. Today is a day to remember how economic misadventures can roil the nation for a long time and understand that economic policymaking should be handled with thought and care. He also said that even after two years, the economy was yet to recover from the demonetisation shock. It is often said that time is a great healer. But unfortunately, in the case of demonetisation, the scars and wounds of demonetisation are only getting more visible with time. bccl Beyond the steep drop in headline GDP growth numbers after demonetisation, the deeper ramifications of notebandi are still unravelling. Small and medium businesses that are the cornerstone of Indias economy are yet to recover from the demonetisation shock. He also said that the step had a direct impact on employment as the economy continues to struggle to create enough new jobs for our youth. Mr. Singh said the financial markets are volatile as the liquidity crisis wrought by demonetisation is taking its eventual toll on infrastructure lenders and non-bank financial services firms. bccl We are yet to understand and experience the full impact of the demonetisation exercise. With a depreciating currency and rising global oil prices, macroeconomic headwinds are also starting to blow now. It is therefore prudent to not resort to further unorthodox, short-term economic measures that can cause any more uncertainty in the economy and financial markets. In a sudden move that took everyone by surprise, Mr. Modi had on this day in 2016, announced a ban on the currency notes of 500 and 1,000. Samsung has been experimenting with foldable displays for years, and at its developer conference yesterday it finally had something to show off. In darkness, to preserve the secrecy of details, Samsung unveiled its first foldable smartphone for the first time. Images courtesy: Samsung It's more of a display technology breakthrough than a finished phone, and it's called Infinity Flex. It's a tablet-sized screen that folds up into a regular phone size that fits into your pocket. It's actually composed of two different displays: The main 7.3-inch display is the screen on the inside of the device, that acts as the unfolded screen. Meanwhile, a smaller 4.5-inch display sits on the outside of the device as a sort of cover screen. Also Read: Meet The Rs 95,000 Flexpai, The World's First 4-Inch Smartphone That Folds Into A 8-Inch Tablet By the looks of it, the outside display is only on when in phone mode, while the apps open swap to the larger display when you unfold them. Apparently, the device can currently run up to three apps simultaneously, using what Samsung calls a multi-active window. The company will reportedly begin mass-producing the Infinity Flex Display within "a matter of months", but there's no word on when we can see it in an actual commercial device launch. At the very least though, in a separate announcement, Google has said Android will soon support these kinds of foldable devices, so it'll just be up to hardware manufacturers to polish their builds. China already has a plethora of security systems making it an Orwellian nightmare, from social credit systems to CCTV face recognition and more. But now, the country is testing out another piece of technology to monitor people, one that recognises them based on the way they walk. Watrix is a China-based company that makes the AI gait recognition software. According to their CEO Huan Yongzhen, the neural network can identify people from up to 50 metres away, even if their backs are to the camera. Also Read: China Will Track People's Cars Using Mandatory RFID Chips, As Citizen Surveillance Gets Worse "You don't need people's cooperation for us to be able to recognise their identity," he told AP. "Gait analysis can't be fooled by simply limping, walking with splayed feet or hunching over, because we're analysing all the features of an entire body." It's not too surprising either, considering this kind of AI was recently built by researchers at the University of Manchester. Their system was able to identify people by their walk with nearly 380 percent higher accuracy than traditional methods. There some obstacles to overcome for Watrix though. For one, the computers required to process all of this footage and analyse it need to be very powerful, and therefore expensive. After all, where facial recognition is in essence comparing data to an image, gait-analysis is doing the same for moving video. It's still unclear just how widely China will be able to roll out a system. But given its commitment to closely monitoring citizens, they may be willing to spend the money to do this. In the past few years, artificial intelligence (especially computer vision) has made such leaps that it's only natural it be applied to pretty much everything. As evidence of that, I present to you Xinhua, China's state-owned press agency, which has a new 'AI anchor' on air. It's unclear just what technology has been used to create the anchors, but it seems very close to the process used in the recent past by AI like DeepFakes, with the addition of a synthesised voice. By the looks of it, Xinhua has used stock footage of anchors on air, and then used their AI system to animate parts of the mouth and face. That way, they can have manipulate the anchor into saying whatever they need it to without too much difficulty. Also Read: How A $500 AI App Is Better At Removing Superman's Moustache Than Multi-Million Dollar CGI Tech The end result is pretty convincing too, except for what appears to be a slight swelling in his jaw. In reality, that face he's pulling is a side effect of animating his mouth and lips but not the cheeks too. But as opposed to CGI, which takes a lot of post production to make, this technique can create a have an AI anchor reading the latest news in the matter of an hour. Xinhua says it built two anchors, one for English and one for Chinese broadcasts, in collaboration with local search engine Sogou. Their hope is to use the virtual anchors to quickly and cheaply generate news reports for the agency's web portals, mobile app, and TV channel. After all, the anchors can be on call 24 hours a day, and don't need to be paid a penny, though the AI engineers behind them will need a salary. It probably still works out less expensive though, and it's certainly more efficient. Also Read: Always Wanted To Act? This Porn Company Will Make You A Virtual Porn Star One drawback is that, thanks to the method use, the facial expressions the anchors can replicate are limited, though advances in AI should change that very soon too. The other is that these can obviously only be used for straightforward news reports, as they don't have any interactivity to handle an interview or breaking news situation. Then again, that last bit shouldn't be a problem in China, considering how much the press in the country is censored. It's almost impossible to get unfiltered news from the outside world before government agencies have clamped down on it, so Xinhua can always be exactly sure what their anchor has to say. In that light, creating virtual anchors to aid the government's propaganda reports takes on a whole new look, and a much darker one at that. Since the dawn of man, we've held our Moon is a special. Maybe because of how beautiful it is, or the fact that it's the only one we have. However, after more than 50 years of arguments and hypotheses, we finally know that it's actually not our only moon. Janez Volmajer According to a new study from the Eotvos Lorand University in Hungary, Earth actually has three moons orbiting. While one is the star of many a movie, song, and viral photo, there are two others passing silently through the night. And we've never really noticed them because they're essentially just dust clouds. The research team managed to capture what looks like mysterious clouds, hovering about 402336 km away from us. That's about the same distance our Moon keeps too. And even if you're hearing about this for the first time, scientists have known about them for decades. The dust clouds were first seen in 1961, but experts had previously theorised about their existence long before. They were named the Kordylewski clouds, after the Polish astronomer Kazimierz Kordylewski who first spotted them. "The Kordylewski clouds are two of the toughest objects to find, and though they are as close to Earth as the moon, are largely overlooked by researchers in astronomy," the study's coauthor Judit Sliz-Balogh told National Geographic. "It is intriguing to confirm that our planet has dusty pseudo-satellites in orbit alongside our lunar neighbour." Gabor Horvath In the new study, the researchers found that each Kordylewski cloud measures about 15 by 10 degrees wide. That means they cover an estimated area about 105,000km by 72,000km, almost nine times wider than the Earth. But though the clouds themselves are massive, they're composed of particles so small they measure only about a micrometre across. When sunlight reflects off these particles, they glow slightly, but that glow has always been faint, which is why we had trouble finding them. We only managed to properly study them this time around thanks to the advancement of technology, using special polarising filters These dust moons, instead of scattering, are trapped in what we call Lagrange points. These are specific points in space where the gravitational pull of two orbiting objects is balanced out by the centripetal force of their orbits. Kordylewski was studying some of these Lagrange points looking for a solid object back in the 1950s. Instead, he found giant balls of dust. The dust in the Kordylewski clouds is both old and new at the same time. After all, the dust keeps getting cycled out thanks to shifts in the gravity of the Earth or Moon. however, it's also always gathering dust from other sources like the Perseid meteor shower each year. Far from just being an interesting discovery, this find could also have an impact on future space missions. Some of these, like the James Webb Space telescope launch, involve parking at these Lagrange points in order to remain stable while also saving fuel. Scientists now may not only have a chance to study the clouds up close, they may have to tweak the spacecrafts to also deal with the massive amount of dust. To be in tune with the theme of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, meaning, the world is one family, the Federation of Indian Associations collaborated with the Empire State Realty Trust to illuminate the New York Empire State Building orange to mark Diwali. In an online statement, organisers said, "This incredible illumination has won the hearts of growing Indian American community as well as global tourists." "The mainstream American Society and U.S. Congress have already recognised the majestic contribution of the Indian American community in all areas with distinction and as a result, the U.S. Postal Department issued a Special Diwali Stamp, few years back, FIA states in a press release. Empire State Realty Trust and FIA together have already illuminated Empire State Building in each August symbolising celebration of Indias Independence Day for almost over two decades. Here's how New Yorkers reacted to the news. #1 Excited to see the Empire State Building lit in the color orange for the celebration of Diwali, the Festival of Lights! Thank you @EmpireStateBldg....means a lot Happy Diwali! #Diwali2018 #nyc #empirestatebuilding @ABC7NY pic: @davealter pic.twitter.com/hwcSexvgSh Naveen Dhaliwal (@NaveenDhaliwal) 8 November 2018 #2 Empire State Building lit orange for Diwali pic.twitter.com/CSeqXr1jur Sandeep Burugupalli (@sandeepburug) 8 November 2018 #3 Lily Logsdon (right) joins with other activists in front of the office of Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Florida to ask him to help recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) The Taipei seminary currently has ten seminarians. Evangelisation is important to overcome the lethargy that prevails among Christians in a society taken hostage by secularisation and the desire for wealth and affluence. The goal must be to make young people discover the person of Jesus Christ. Fr Etienne Frecon, a priest with the Foreign Missions of Paris, speaks about his experience. Taipei (AsiaNews/EdA) The Church in Taiwan shows signs of true vitality, this according to Fr Etienne Frecon, a member of the Foreign Missions of Paris (Missions etrangeres de Paris). On the island since 2012, he gives as an example National Youth Day, which is celebrated every year in August. For Fr Etienne, the China-Vatican agreement signed last September has been a source of fear on the island for it could lead to the breaking of diplomatic relations between Taiwan (Republic of China) and the Vatican. In his view, a new missionary push is needed in a secularised society that has been taken hostage by the race for profit. What follows is an edited version of the interview he gave to Eglises dAsie (EdA), translated by AsiaNews. How did Taiwanese Catholics react the new agreement between Beijing and the Holy See? Taiwan accompanies the Church in China, especially through translations and training ... Many Chinese priests and nuns come to Taiwan to learn, and a number of people from the mainland come for ideas. However, the Taiwanese are looking at the rapprochement between Beijing and the Vatican with real anguish, because they are afraid of being abandoned by Rome. Today, Taiwan has diplomatic relations with the Vatican, even though its diplomatic representative is a charge daffaires and no longer a nuncio. [. . .] But whatever happens, I think the Church in Taiwan will continue to help the Church on the mainland, even if they are two very different realities. In Taiwan, we are very free, everything is possible. How is the Church in Taiwan? There are real signs of vitality. There are young people who are really motivated, who live off the Gospel and who want to be missionaries. For example, in August, like every year, we had National Youth Day, and this year, the event was driven by the momentum created by Asian Youth Day in Indonesia. Organisers decided for something international and invited several Asian countries to come and take part in the meeting. [. . .] In my old parish, several young people have founded a group whose goal is to evangelise among young people. They organise many activities inside and outside of schools to attract non-Christian youth and share their faith with them. Of course, there are also signs of dullness, since some communities are very small and often inward looking, with many rules and rituals. Thus, sometimes dynamism and missionary spirit are lacking. We swing a little between these two tendencies, but the missionary field is open wide. You will take over the Taipei Seminary ... Indeed! It is an inter-diocesan seminary for the whole island, run by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Taiwan, with ten seminarians. We are a team of four priests from four different countries. I am French. There is a Taiwanese, a Korean and a Chinese from the mainland who spent twenty years in Freiburg. We had no new vocation this autumn. But ten seminarians for 300,000 Christians is quite significant, not so bad. A third of them come from the Diocese of Hualien, the indigenous diocese founded by Bishop Verineux, of the Foreign Missions of Paris. The others are Han, i.e. Chinese. Vocations come either from traditional Catholic families who have been Catholic for two or three generations, or from converts who became Catholic in their late teens or early twenties, before entering the seminary a few years later. In this seminary, we have a structure that works. Courses are taught at the Faculty of Theology, but I think there is a great effort to give a missionary impetus to the training of priests, so that it is contagious and challenging for young Taiwanese. This could breathe new life into Christian communities that are small and often old, in need of pastors who can lead them out of their comfort zone. Finally, since we are talking about vocations, I think that, as the person in charge of vocations for Taiwan, it is really a matter of working with those who deal with young people in the different dioceses of the island so that the latter can discover the relationship to Christ. A real dynamism can come from this, which, for some, could lead to the seminary. Is there a tendency towards secularization? Yes, I think Taiwan's dullness is also due to that. The Catholic Church developed a lot starting in the 1950s after the arrival of Chiang Kai-shek. Since then, she has experienced real growth, with numbers going from 10,000 to about 300,000. There have been many conversions among indigenous Taiwanese and ethnic Chinese because with Chiang Kai-shek came bishops, priests and missionaries. Thus, the Church has truly progressed. This has also coincided with the islands economic boom, a period during which many converted. But today we find ourselves with quite old communities because there has not been much renewal. Economic development and the resulting well-being have slowly led Christians to eschew religious practice. Thus at present, evangelisation and missionary work depend heavily on the newly baptised who have experienced a true conversion when they discovered the figure of Christ. Converts are the ones on which we can rely for evangelisation in parishes. In fact, in Taiwan, we live well, caught in a kind of dynamic routine around work and the many demands of society, but we do not take the time to develop our spiritual life. And without a spiritual life, it is difficult to hear the call of the Lord. In fact, we live in a highly secularised society despite the presence of Taoism with its rituals, and to a lesser extent, Buddhism. The race for profit and wealth prevails ... So being Christian and entering the seminary are major gestures. There is a lot of work to do in terms of accompaniment and discernment in order to develop spiritual life in a context that is not very conducive to it. Switch the Market flag Open the menu and switch the Market flag for targeted data from your country of choice. for targeted data from your country of choice. by Fady Noun At the end of the monthly assembly the Maronite Church expresses concern for the internal political situation. Words and verbal confrontations can hurt "more than bullets". A cabinet is needed before Independence Day, one that is "free from both local and foreign constraints". Beirut (AsiaNews) - A catastrophic picture has been painted of the internal situation in Lebanon yesterday in some passages of the final communique of the Assembly of the Maronite bishops at the end of their monthly meeting. The prelates, led by the Patriarch launched the alarm for an "internal war" that brings to mind the clashes preceding the signing of the agreement of national understanding or Taef [which put an end to the various wars that followed in Lebanon from 1975 to 1990, ed.]. And they stress with concern that "words can have the same effect as bullets". Faced with a complex and alarming situation, the Assembly appealed for the formation of a government before the independence day celebrations. The prelates also denounce the "foreign interference" that have recently blocked the formation of a new executive. To begin with, the Assembly denounced the obstacles facing the formation of a new government saying these must be urgently overcome, in a spirit of national responsibility and ethics". They note with sadness that "the spirit (of the Lebanese people) has been annihilated by yet another eleventh-hour problem that has interrupted the government formation process" and hopes that its birth will be offered to the Lebanese as "a gift for the Independence Day "of 22 November. The Assembly criticized the bartering of ministerial portfolios which have been a source of division. They call for the formation of a "homogeneous" government, asking the various ministries "not to act alone, as if they were the absolute masters of their function", and to those who have the task of "making decisions for the community" to not " distort justice, so that the law is not applied in a discretionary manner ". In anticipation of a "future government free from both local and foreign constraints", the bishops have appealed to the government to carry out current affairs in a dynamic way "to regulate, as far as possible, the affairs of the state and citizens, in particular regarding their daily life and problems related to electricity, pollution, the environment, etc ". "The internal war continues through the media", underlines the Assembly, which declares itself "worried about the violent verbal escalation that manifests itself through the media, as well as on social networks". "It is as if the internal struggle - they say that has not stopped following the 1989 agreement the goal of which was to put an end to it". "The verbal exchanges between barricades in the media - the statement strongly notes - are certainly no less dangerous than bullets, moreover they open the path for them, something that the Lebanese strongly reject". "This is why - concludes the text - the Assembly implores the parties concerned to fear God and respect each other and to engage in dialogue, especially because internal closures are produced in more than one sector, not to mention the negative regional developments that threaten to unfortunate consequences of the free decision and the interests of Lebanon and the Lebanese ". In its submission, ASIC said it considers that there are certain insurance products that should not be sold and that a lack of effective competition and demand-side pressure associated with complex products like insurance means that, in some instances, market forces alone will not drive poor products from the market, The Australian Financial Review reported. ASICs call for a ban on general insurance commissions expands on the Future of Financial Advice (FoFA) reforms of 2013, which bans commissions for the sale of financial products excluding general and life insurance products. ASIC so far has not recommended banning life insurance commissions. ASICs view is that the negotiation, payment, and acceptance of conflicted remuneration has contributed to poor consumer outcomes, such as sales of products with little or no value to consumers, or which do not meet consumer needs, ASIC wrote in the submission. ASIC did not support banning the sale of add-on insurance through car yards a major focus in the commission hearings but called for better supervision and a deferred sales model to prevent mis-selling in the future, AFR said. The Insurance Council of Australia was quick to oppose the blanket ban on commissions, saying it was not warranted. The Insurance Council is supportive of exploring reform options to ensure commissions do not exceed acceptable levels, Campbell Fuller, ICAs general manager of communications, told AFR, adding the ICA would review ASICs submission and await Commissioner Haynes final report. And while ASIC did not support banning the surveillance of customers who had made mental health-related disability claims, it wanted tougher rules to be set out to regulate the practice. The corporate watchdog also wanted to ban some insurance products that are unlikely to be consistent with the needs and objectives of consumers in most cases. ASIC said accidental death insurance offered dubious benefits to consumers because the definition accidental death allowed for too many exclusions. This cover has a claims ratio of just 16%, meaning that for every dollar an insurer receives in premiums, it pays out just 16 in claims. The regulator also tagged tyre and rim insurance as a poorly designed negative or low-value product, saying the amount paid out in claims is five times less than the commissions paid to brokers. ASIC also called for more powers to intervene in the claims-handling process, the reclassification of funeral insurance as a financial product under the Corporations Act, and a ban on companies cold-calling consumers to sell products, AFR said. The new NRMA Insurance Group was listed on the ASX and, in 2002, took on the moniker of IAG now, the breakaway firm has the largest share of Australias general insurance market. IAG: Market penetration While IAG is arguably the most well-known insurer in Australia, its not a customer-facing brand but rather an umbrella organisation under which many other brands operate these include CGU and Swann in Australia as well as State and Ami in New Zealand. IAGs businesses underwrite over $11 billion of premium every year, selling a wide range of both personal and commercial products directly to customers as well as indirectly via intermediary channels, including insurance brokers. In Australia, IAGs commercial products are sold under the CGU, WFI, RACV, SGIO and SGIC and Swann. Its business offering has a strong SME emphasis and a leading market share in rural areas. Its commercial products cover motor fleets, property, construction and engineering, consumer credit, D&O, farm, crop and livestock, marine, professional indemnity and public and product liability among others. IAG: Innovation IAG has also shown a clear commitment to innovation in 2017, the firm announced the launch of Firemark Labs, an InsurTech hub in Singapore which is intended to connect the insurer to Singapores global innovation network and entrepreneurial community. According to IAGs website, the hub was launched to act as an incubator for IAG to work with top talent, start-up, research and technology partners to co-create new products and services. A second innovation incubator was launched in Australia later that year, as part of IAGs strategy to generate customer-led and data-driven business growth. IAG: Corporate social responsibility IAG is the founding member of the Australian Business Roundtable for Disaster Resilience & Safer Communities, which was established in 2012, following an unprecedented number of severe weather events across Australia. In addition to IAG, members are the Australian Red Cross, Investa Property Group, Munich Re, Optus and Westpac Group, which all collaborate with governments and stakeholders to build more resilient communities. The firm also has a strong focus on combatting climate change and, in 2018, IAG bolstered its Climate Action Plan and announced it would be holding members of its senior executive team directly accountable for results. The Climate Action Plan scorecard outlines targets and deadlines around five key areas that include current and future actions to help mitigate climate risk. Headquartered in York, PA, Glatfelter is known for offering services for specialty programs and retail operations. The broker has more than 500 associates serving 30,000 clients across both the US and Canada. Glatfelters strong underwriting culture and deeply experienced management team with expertise in North American programs will help us deliver sustainable, profitable growth as we continue to build value for our stakeholders, said AIG CEO Brian Duperreault. We are very pleased to welcome Glatfelter to AIG. Glatfelter is a terrific strategic fit for us. We look forward to working with Tony Campisi and the Glatfelter team to expand our Programs business and deliver differentiated value to our clients and partners, commented AIG CEO of general insurance Peter Zaffino. AIG posted its third quarter results last week, reporting a net loss for the quarter driven by catastrophe losses in both Japan and North America. Lawyers from Keating OGara Nedved and Peter Joel Bacon and Joel Nelson approached the county boards meeting this week to discuss the case, Beatrice Daily Sun reported. The lawyers said the board only has the next three weeks to decide if it wanted to appeal, or if its case against its insurer would end. The Beatrice Six were Joseph White, Thomas Winslow, Ada JoAnn Taylor, Debra Shelden, James Dean and Kathy Gonzalez. The six were falsely found guilty of the rape and murder of a woman in Beatrice, NE in 1985. In 2008, DNA evidence implicated another suspect in the murders, and all six were later exonerated. White died in 2011, but the remaining five are still engaged in a lawsuit against Gage County. In 2016, a federal jury awarded the six a total of $28.1 million. Gage County claimed that it has up to $4 million in coverage and reimbursement of fees in the case, through EMC. One of the attorneys, Nelson, noted that the main issue in the case is whether or not sheriffs deputies are considered professionals for purposes of coverage by EMC. The federal court in 2016 determined that they are considered professionals, thus coverage exclusions apply. We certainly think that appealing the decision in the EMC case makes sense, Nelson explained. If you think about the potential recovery, lets say an upside of $4 million plus the attorney fees, which were over $1 million in the underlying case, we think it does make sense that we have a good faith argument that its a relatively narrow legal issue. The other attorney, Bacon, said he would file a petition to bypass the Nebraska Court of Appeals, taking the case directly to the Nebraska Supreme Court. Following the deal, Cambridge Consultings leadership will remain intact; all 65 employees will also be retained. Cambridge Consulting CEO Daniel Cornwell added that he expects his companys branding to transition to NFPs in the next three to six months. Early on, brand was a big deal to us, but ultimately if we have [4,700] people behind us, we might as well have their name, said Cornwell. Cornwell also told Crains that under NFP, Cambridge plans to grow via acquisition. With the current leadership team being in their mid-40s, we approached the marketplace looking for a growth strategy to acquire other firms, he said. This acquisition scales our presence in Michigan, expanding our benefits and wealth platform to a previously underrepresented market for NFP, commented NFP managing director of central region Mike Schneider. We are also excited about the opportunities to offer a broader suite of products to existing corporate and high net worth clients ... We look forward to leveraging Cambridges established management team and strong producer base to drive organic growth in the larger Central region. by Vladimir Rozanskij It is an open battle between Rawil Gaynetdin, head of the Mufti Council, and Kamil Samigullin, Tatar Mufti of Kazan. For the former there is no persecution of Uighurs in China; the latter accuses him of acting as a sounding board for the Chinese government. Divisions also on the verification of halal food and on relations with foreign Muslim communities. Moscow (AsiaNews) - The division between Muslims in Russia is growing wider, including those referring to Rawil Gaynetdin, head of the Mufti Council of Russia in Moscow, and the Tatar Kamil Samigullin, one of the leading Mufti of Tatarstan , the Tatar-Muslim region of Russia on the edge of the Ural mountains. The most evident conflict occurred last October in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, where the VI World Congress of Leaders of Traditional Religions was celebrated on October 10th. The Congress was attended by representatives of many communities, from Eastern to Christian religions (the Holy See sent Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio as its representative). Several Muslim religious leaders, including the leaders of the main associations of Russian Islam. Their declarations caused a sensation in the homeland and among umma worldwide. Rawil Gaynetdin (photo 1, the first from the right), spoke about the condition of Muslims in the People's Republic of China, denying awareness of any form of persecution against them, indeed: the Chinese faithful with whom he is in contact, including those belonging to the ethnic Uyghurs, have assured him they live in absolute peace. These statements were however denied on Instagram by his Tatar compatriot Kamil Samigullin (photo 2). Criticizing the measures taken by the Chinese government against the inhabitants of the Uighur region, he said: "How can a religious leader not react to anti-religious policies? We in Russia have treasured the lessons of history, and the negative consequences of the fight against religion for the whole society ". His words were echoed by the president of the World Uighur Congress Reebiya Kadeer, who asked Gaynetdin in an open letter to pay attention to the testimonies of journalists, and not to act as a sounding board for the Chinese government. A statement by the vice-president of the Spiritual Administration of the Mufti of Russia, Damir Mukhetdinov, went on to clarify the words of Gaynetdin, who in his opinion is "the only one capable of acting as a mediator with the Chinese government in favor of Uighur Muslims, not like those who shout without knowing what they are talking about ". Uighurs are considered by the Tatars "blood brothers" for their distant Tatar-Mongolian origins. Besides the persecution of the Uighurs, various topics have been arousing reactions and opposition such as the diffusion of the halal shops in Tatarstan and in Russia and the opening in the Country of a Center for Verification of Standards, accredited by the authorities of Saudi Arabia, by some considered irregular and "scandalous". These controversies have also involved various Muslim personalities in Syria, a country largely controlled by the Russians, who criticize the protagonism of the Tatar associations. All these polemics highlight the existence of various "currents" within Russian Islam, and also a certain confrontation between the Muslim leaders and "capital" of the country: Gaynetdin is the oldest leader, very close to President Putin, and leads the Islamic community from Moscow; the youngest Samigullin is the main mufti of the historical Islamic republic of Kazan, capital of Tatarstan, who does not want to cede primacy on Russian Muslims to Moscow. This tension between the two capitals is permeating to other regions and other cities of the northern Caucasus of Chechnya, Ingushia and Dagestan or those of the other Tatar region on the border between Europe and Asia, the Bashkortostan and its capital Ufa. Gaynetdin also claims to be the "foreign minister" for Islam in Russia, especially towards the countries of Asia and the Middle East, but the other leaders are not willing to bestow this honor upon him, and the competition between them seems destined to become more heated in the coming years. An elevator technician who was injured while working on a six-story building in New Jersey has settled his lawsuit against the buildings owner for more than $2 million. Lawyers for Brett Riccio tell NJ.com the settlement was reached late last month. Riccio was injured in 2014 when he stepped onto a metal grating on the roof of the building in Clinton that his lawyers said wasnt properly secured. The grating came off its support, and Riccio hyper-extended his shoulders and sprained his knee while trying to save himself. The firm says Riccio had surgery to repair his injuries and can no longer do his job. Information from: NJ.com Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits New Jersey Criminal charges have been announced against 60 Pennsylvanians following investigations by the Attorney Generals Insurance Fraud Section. As a result, 23 people were charged in Eastern Pennsylvania, 10 in Central Pennsylvania and 27 in Western Pennsylvania. The charges came about after a statewide sweep conducted by the Insurance Fraud Section during the months of September and October 2018. A release issued by the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office noted a sampling of the charges, pointing first to the eastern region of Pennsylvania, where Jermond Harper was charged with theft by deception, insurance fraud, forgery and other charges. It is alleged that Harper filed a theft claim on November 13, 2017, claiming 18 items were stolen from his vehicle and submitted receipts for multiple mink coats and jackets valued at over $43,000 to support his claim. An investigation revealed that Harper provided three fake receipts for mink coats totaling more than $20,000. The owner of the mens clothing store listed on the receipts confirmed that they were fake and had not given anyone permission to create receipts, and that his store did not sell coats of that high-end value. Harper was arrested on October 29, 2018. We will aggressively prosecute anyone who breaks the law by providing false information to an insurance company. In the central region of Pennsylvania, the release noted Brenda Avellino was charged with theft by deception and insurance fraud. It is alleged that Avellino misrepresented prior damage to her vehicle as new damage in an attempt to obtain more than $2,000. On May 29, 2014, Avellino purchased a car and noted on sale documents that she was purchasing a vehicle with hail damage and that the vehicle was reduced in price due to the damage. On April 8, 2016, Avellino reported to Erie Insurance that her car had been damaged due to a hail storm on April 7, 2016. An investigation revealed that the last hail storm in Bloomsburg, Penn., was on May 22, 2014, there were no records of a hail storm on April 7, 2016, and the damage was never repaired when she purchased the car in 2014. Avellino was arrested on October 15, 2018. The release added that in Pennsylvanias western region, Shane Valentine was charged with theft by deception and insurance fraud. It is alleged that Valentine filed an auto accident report with his auto insurer, Progressive Insurance, on January 19, 2018, after he purchased auto insurance online on December 21, 2017. In his accident report, Valentine advised that his vehicle was parked at a trailer park in Pennsylvania while he went out with some friends and the vehicle was damaged when he returned. An investigation revealed that a police accident report from the Ohio State Highway Patrol indicated Valentine was involved in a hit and run accident in December 9, 2017, which included extensive damage to the drivers side rear of the vehicle. This contradicts the accident reported on January 19, 2018. The attempted amount of theft is $5,172. Valentine was arrested on September 17, 2018. Since Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro took office in January 2017, the Office of the Attorney Generals Insurance Fraud section has charged 367 people with insurance fraud cases, the release stated. Insurance fraud is a serious crime that impacts consumers and policyholders across our commonwealth, Attorney General Shapiro said in the release. We will aggressively prosecute anyone who breaks the law by providing false information to an insurance company. When people commit insurance fraud, it causes premiums to rise for the folks who do follow the rules. Its wrong, and were taking action to stop it. The charges announced November 2, 2018, involve some of the most common types of insurance fraud. All cases are still pending. Source: Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General Topics Auto Fraud Abuse Molestation Pennsylvania Italys top insurer Generali said on Thursday its net profit in the first nine months of the year rose 26.8 percent to beat expectations, lifted by stronger life premiums and disposals. Net profit reached 1.86 billion euros ($2 billion), above a consensus analyst forecast provided by the company of 1.83 billion euros [$2.1 billion]. Gross premiums rose 6.1 percent to 49.7 billion euros [$56.9 billion], with a 7.8 percent increase in its life business. The groups economic solvency ratio a measure of financial strength came in at 221 percent, in line with levels at the end of June, but below 230 percent at the end of last year. Chief Financial Officer Cristiano Borean said the insurers capital position remained solid, despite volatility in the financial markets during the year. Government bonds have come under pressure as Italys new ruling coalition looks to borrow to fund increased welfare spending and tax cuts. Generali, which is due to present its new plan on Nov. 21, holds around 60 billion euros [$68.7 billion] of Italian state bonds. The European Commission has asked Italy, which is targeting a deficit of 2.4 percent of gross domestic product next year, to modify its draft budget, but so far Rome has shown no sign of complying. ($1 = 0.8747 euros) (Reporting by Giulio Piovaccari; editing by Stephen Jewkes and Mark Potter) Topics Profit Loss Generali Life Assurance (Thailand) Plc. A network of private railroads more than three times the length of the New York subway system is the key lifeline for Australias A$61.3 billion ($44.5 billion) iron ore export industry. So when theres a derailment in the biggest shipper global markets, as well as the ground, shudder. A runaway train that derailed this week after traveling 92 kilometers (57 miles) without a driver, forced BHP Billiton Ltd., the third-largest iron ore exporter, to halt railway operations. The company said Wednesday that it expects to restore partial operations in about a week and it is in talks with customers over contractual commitments as stockpiles at Port Hedland arent expected to cover the period of disruption. BHP and authorities are investigating how the incident occurred. The driver was inspecting an issue with the train when the locomotive ran away, according to the company. Along with other safety measures, most freight trains in Australia are fitted with a dead-man switch that requires the driver to push a button or a pedal every 45 seconds to keep the train moving. Between them, BHP and rival exporters Rio Tinto Group, Roy Hill Holdings Pty and Fortescue Metals Group Ltd., own a total of about 3,664 kilometers of individually-operated private track in the vast Pilbara, the worlds biggest iron ore exporting region. Without working rail, their mines would be stranded, with some more than 400 kilometers away from the closest port along Australias rugged northwest coastline. On the other side of the country, a further 3,120 kilometers of combined rail deliver coal to export ports. Australia is also the biggest exporter of coal. Companies consider the railways a crucial part of their production line and both BHP and Rio fought a years-long battle to keep Fortescue from accessing any part of its tracks in a proposed infrastructure-sharing arrangement. Rio is spending $940 million upgrading its railways to become driverless, reducing operating costs. BHP has not switched to autonomous trains and said the affected train was not part of any driverless trial. Australia is lifting exports of iron ore. Total exports to countries led by China may reach a record 878 million metric tons next year, up from 858 million tons this year, according to Australian government statistics. Related: Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics Australia Hub International Ltd., the Chicago-based insurance broker, announced it has acquired the assets of Tri-Line Agencies Inc. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Tri-Line Agencies is a full-service, independent insurance brokerage headquartered in Rose Valley, Saskatchewan, Canada, offering personal and commercial insurance solutions, as well as specializing in government automobile and farming solutions. Eugene Danko, owner of Tri-Line Agencies, will join Hub Manitoba. Hub said it is committed to growing organically and through acquisitions to expand its geographic footprint and strengthen industry and product expertise. Source: Hub International Ltd. Topics Mergers Agencies October was a deadly and costly month due to natural catastrophes, with the the U.S. and Europe being hit particularly hard, according to Aons Impact Forecasting. Total U.S. economic losses from Octobers Hurricane Michael including physical damage and net loss business interruption was forecast to exceed $15 billion, with public and private insurers likely to incur payouts of at least $8 billion. According to Aons Impact Forecasting teams monthly Global Catastrophe Recap report, while the Florida Panhandle was most severely impacted by the hurricane, additional wind and flood-related damage was recorded throughout parts of Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland. Hurricane Michael killed 45 people in the United States, as it became the strongest tropical cyclone on record to strike the Florida Panhandle and the fourth strongest hurricane to make landfall on the U.S. mainland. In early October, Hurricane Rosa led to flooding in parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and California which had been coping with severe drought conditions.Total economic damage is likely to reach into the millions of dollars. Severe thunderstorms in the Northeast on October 2 caused widespread damage, most in Pennsylvania, where no fewer than 14 tornadoes touched down. Additional tornadoes were confirmed in New York and Connecticut. Further non-tornadic damage due to straight-line winds or hail was noted in Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Total economic and insured losses were expected to reach into the tens of millions of dollars The Aon report evaluates the impact of the natural disaster events that occurred worldwide during October 2018. A complex severe weather outbreak impacted much of Italy and other countries across Southern and Central Europe during the last week of October and early November, killing 29 people in Italy alone as flooding, landslides, severe winds, and strong waves left widespread damage in the hardest-hit Italian regions of Liguria, Veneto, Lazio, and Trentino-Alto Adige. Total economic losses were expected to exceed $3.4 billion, including a minimum of $1.1 billion in Veneto alone. Additional economic impacts of at least $270 million were registered in Austria. Other costly and deadly flood events swept through Europe during the month including the extratropical remnants of Hurricane Leslie coming ashore in Portugal with a combined economic loss likely to minimally reach into the hundreds of millions of dollars. While the majority of the headlines in October centered around the significant impacts from Hurricane Michael, other regions of the globe additionally endured notable catastrophes, said Michal Lorinc, an analyst within Impact Forecastings Catastrophe Insight team. He said Europe, which has been marked by numerous windstorms, severe drought conditions, and prolonged flood events, is currently on track to have its costliest year for weather disasters since 2013. October also featured several significant typhoon events in Asia-Pacific, with the most notable being Super Typhoon Yutu, Yutu one of the strongest tropical cyclones to ever impact a U.S. territory. Yutu would later make landfall in the Philippines. Japan was struck by multiple landfalling storms Typhoon Trami and Typhoon Kong-Rey as aggregated economic losses were expected to exceed $1 billion. India faced landfall by Cyclone Titli as storm surge, high winds and inland flooding prompted economic damage topping $920 million. At least 85 people were killed A magnitude-5.9 earthquake off the northern coast of Haiti killed at least 18 people, injured more than 540 others, and damaged or destroyed nearly 20,000 homes. Source: Aon Impact Forecasting Topics Catastrophe USA Profit Loss Flood Europe Hurricane Aon The Arkansas State Plant Board (ASPB), a division of the Arkansas Agriculture Department (AAD), announced it has begun the process of reviewing the announced EPA label changes for the herbicide dicamba and will be considering the appropriate framework for the use of the products by farmers in Arkansas. A recent EPA ruling clears the path for Arkansas farmers to use the herbicide dicamba on soybeans and cotton, ending a state-wide ban on the weed killers use, according to an Associated Press report. Arkansas banned in-crop use of dicamba this year after the states Plant Board received nearly 1,000 complaints of crop damage last year. The ban began in April and ran through October. The ban sharply divided farmers and prompted a lawsuit from herbicide maker Monsanto. Some famers have said the herbicide is essential to curb the spread of pigweed, which has become resistant to other herbicides. But critics argue that the weed killer destroys vegetation and ecosystems. The Plant Board has scheduled public meetings to discuss the use of dicamba products in Arkansas and the need, if any, for changes to Arkansass current dicamba regulations. It held one meeting on Nov. 5 to consider a petition to amend current Arkansas dicamba regulations. The remaining meetings will be held: Thursday, Nov. 15 at 9:30 a.m. The ASPB Pesticide Committee will meet to take action, if needed, on the petition being considered on Nov. 5. The Committee will discuss dicamba regulations in Arkansas and prepare any recommendations to be considered by the full board. Thursday, Dec. 6 at 1 p.m. The regularly scheduled quarterly meeting of the ASPB. All meetings are open to the public and will take place at the Arkansas Agriculture Department located at 1 Natural Resources Drive, Little Rock, AR, 72205. Approximately 3.28 million acres of soybeans and 480,000 acres of cotton were planted in Arkansas in 2018. Agriculture is Arkansass largest industry, contributing more the $21 billion annually to the states economy. The AAD is dedicated to the development and implementation of policies and programs for Arkansas agriculture and forestry to keep its farmers and ranchers competitive in national and international markets while ensuring safe food, fiber, and forest products for the citizens of the state and nation. Source: AAD, Associated Press Related: Topics Legislation Agribusiness Pollution Both 408(k) and 401(k) refer to sections of the Internal Revenue Code that outline employer-sponsored retirement plans. Both provide guidelines for plans that allow employees to set aside a portion of their paychecks before taxes are taken out to be invested in a special account meant for retirement savings. That's where these two alphanumeric codes diverge. While 401(k)s have become synonymous with a widely available retirement savings vehicle, 408(k)s set the guidelines for what is more commonly known as the simplified employee pension or SEP IRA. Key Takeaways 408(k)s and 401(k)s are both retirement savings plans that employers can offer to employees. 401(k)s are the most common type of plan. A SEP is only available to companies with 25 employees or fewer. Unlike a 401(k), employee contributions are not permitted as part of the SEP contribution limits. 408(k)s According to the IRS, "SEPs were authorized by Congress in 1978 to provide employers with a simpler, less complicated manner of providing retirement benefits for themselves and their employees." Section 408(k)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code defines a SEP as an individual retirement account or individual retirement annuity with respect to certain participation, contribution, discrimination, and withdrawal requirements being met." Employers may contribute to SEP IRAs even when the employee is also the employer. Employers may make tax-deductible contributions on behalf of eligible employeesincluding the business ownerto their SEP IRAs. The employer is allowed a tax deduction for plan contributions that do not exceed the statutory limit. 401(k)s A 401(k) is the most common type of retirement savings account offered. It is a qualified, employer-sponsored savings plan. Employers offering a 401(k) plan may make matching or non-elective contributions to the plan on behalf of eligible employees and may also add a profit-sharing feature to the plan. Earnings in a 401(k) plan accrue on a tax-deferred basis. 401(k) plans are slightly more complex than 408(k)s, as they generally contain a number of investment options chosen by the employer. With a SEP IRA, employees choose their own investments. Key Differences Essentially, what differentiates the 408(k) SEP IRA from the 401(k) is that it's only available to companies with 25 or fewer employees. Here are some other distinguishing features. VANCOUVER - November 7, 2018 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Body and Mind Inc. (CSE: BAMM) (US OTC: BMMJ) (the "Company" or "BaM" ) is pleased to announce the launch of the King Cannabis brand. The King Cannabis brand is being produced and distributed through Body and Mind and sold throughout dispensaries in Nevada. Robert Hasman, BaM director stated, "King Cannabis has been launched in response to focus groups and feedback from years of working with Body and Mind medical and recreational customers. Body and Mind consumers have become accustomed to premium quality, award winning Body and Mind products and have communicated there are times when a more moderate experience is desired. King Cannabis offers users a milder cannabis experience at value pricing and enables the Company to expand sales through our strong distribution network." The King Cannabis brand currently offers Royal Oil distillate packaged in top of the line CCELL cartridges for use in CCELL Vape hardware. The cartridges are offered in flavours comprising of Gelato, Do-Si-Do, Blackberry, Watermelon and Cantaloupe. Royal Oil cartridges are offered in half gram and one gram sizes and are being supported through pop-up promotions at Nevada dispensaries. Additional King Cannabis brand offerings include flower products and may expand into pre-roll and edible offerings in the future. The King Cannabis brand is currently being offered in Nevada with expected expansion to Ohio when the Body and Mind affiliated production facility is complete. Visit the King Cannabis web site at http://www.kingcannabis.club. About Body and Mind BaM is a publicly traded company investing in high quality medical and recreational cannabis cultivation and production and retail. Our wholly-owned Nevada subsidiary was awarded one of the first medical marijuana cultivation licences and holds cultivation and production licenses in Nevada and partial ownership of a production and dispensary license in Ohio. BaM products include dried flower, edibles, topicals, extracts as well as GPEN Gio cartridges. BaM marijuana strains have won numerous awards including the Las Vegas Hempfest Cup 2016, High Times Top Ten, the NorCal Secret Cup and the Emerald Cup. BaM continues to expand operations in Nevada and Ohio and is constantly reviewing accretive expansion opportunities. Safe Harbor Statement Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein, the information presented in this news release constitutes "forward-looking statements" as such term is used in applicable United States and Canadian laws. These statements relate to analyses and other information that are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management. Any other statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans, "estimates" or "intends", or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and should be viewed as "forward-looking statements". Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors include, among others, the actual results of activities, variations in the underlying assumptions associated with the estimation of activities, the availability of capital to fund programs and the resulting dilution caused by the raising of capital through the sale of shares, accidents, labor disputes and other risks. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such 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 contained in this news release and in any document referred to in this news release. Certain matters discussed in this news release and oral statements made from time to time by representatives of the Company may constitute forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be achieved. Forward-looking information is subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Many of these factors are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially and that could impact the Company and the statements contained in this news release can be found in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company assumes no obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities. The CSE has in no way passed upon the merits of the Financing and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the CSE nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Body and Mind Inc. For further information: Michael Mills, +1-778-389-0007, mmills@bamcannabis.com Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions. More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ and tickertagstocknews.com Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp Washington - November 8, 2018 (Investorideas.com Newswire) New Frontier Data, the authority in data, analytics and business intelligence on the global cannabis industry has released a special Election Day update to official growth projections based on the results from several cannabis ballot initiatives. The legalization of medical cannabis in Utah and Missouri and legalization of adult-use in Michigan will result in new markets that are projected to account for more than $1.2 billion in additional sales for a combined total of $2.1 billion in total legal sales by 2025. This increase will create more than 30,000 additional cannabis jobs over the same period. "Cannabis legalization in some form has occurred in nearly 60% of the United States, and based on our research, legal retail sales revenues are currently estimated to be $10.3 billion in 2018; we now project the market to grow to more than $25 billion while supporting more than 642,000 jobs by 2025," said Giadha Aguirre de Carcer, Founder and CEO of New Frontier Data. The revised projections take into consideration the outcome of four state ballot initiatives: Michigan passed Proposal 1, legalizing recreational use and making Michigan the fifth largest legal U.S. cannabis market; combined with medical, annual sales are projected to reach $1.9 billion in total legal sales by 2025. Missouri passed Amendment 2, legalizing state-wide medical cannabis; resulting annual retail sales are projected to reach $111 million by 2025. Utah voters passed Proposition 2, legalizing medical cannabis; annual retail sales are projected to reach $63 million by 2025. North Dakota voted down Measure 3, which would have allowed adults to grow, consume and possess as much cannabis as they want, without government oversight and without state taxation; annual recreational sales could have reached $67.5 million by 2025. About New Frontier Data: New Frontier Data is an independent, technology-driven analytics company specializing in the cannabis industry. It offers vetted data, actionable business intelligence and risk management solutions for investors, operators, researchers and policymakers. New Frontier Data's reports and data have been cited in over 69 countries around the world to inform industry leaders. Founded in 2014, New Frontier Data is headquartered in Washington, D.C. with additional offices in Denver, CO, London, UK, Bogota, Colombia, and Hong Kong. New Frontier Data does not take a position on the merits of cannabis legalization. Rather, its mission and mandate are to inform cannabis-related policy and business decisions through rigorous, issue-neutral and comprehensive analysis of the legal cannabis industry worldwide. For more information about New Frontier Data please visit: http://www.NewFrontierData.com. Media Contact: media@NewFrontierData.com 1-844-420-3882 ext. 3 Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions. More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ and tickertagstocknews.com Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp Las Vegas, Nevada - November 8, 2018 (Newsfile Corp.) (Investorideas.com Newswire) Freedom Leaf Inc. (OTCQB: FRLF) announced today that it will be debuting its new corporate branding structure, centered around providing natural, full-spectrum hemp CBD health and wellness products to a growing global marketplace. The Company intends to exhibit our corporate pivot towards health-focused, pharmaceutical-grade hemp products to tens of thousands of potential buyers and investors at MjBizCon 2018, November 14th to 16th. The Marijuana Business Conference, hosted each November in Las Vegas by Marijuana Business Daily, is the largest business-focused cannabis conference in North America. Freedom Leaf Inc. will be utilizing this opportunity to launch our health and wellness portfolio and branding initiative, pushing Freedom Leaf Inc. to the forefront of the professional hemp and cannabis industries. Clifford J Perry, CEO states: "Our ability to expand into a Hemp Health and Wellness Organization has been enhanced substantially by both the investment and ongoing advice of Merida Capital Partners, the leading Cannabis Industry Institutional Investment Company." All of the Freedom Leaf Inc. portfolio brands will be on full display in MjBizCon booth #1869, including Hempology, Leafceuticals, Irie CBD, and shared alongside premium vaporizer line Accuvape as well as Plants to Paper. Each of FRLF's premium brands will be presenting new and exciting products for the hemp and cannabis markets, including: Calming Cat and Horse CBD Treats from Hempology, Bio-Alive CBD Water from Irie CBD, and Accuvape will be introducing its brand-new Dragon X vaporizer. Each brand represented in the new Freedom Leaf Inc. 20 x 20 island booth will feature full-color graphic wall panels, upgraded lead capture systems, promotional product videos on LED displays, and digital order processing on iPad tablets for maximum effectiveness at generating bulk orders to wholesale distributors from all over the world and marketing email lists at the show. Every professional in the hemp and cannabis industry is invited to see what is new and exciting from Freedom Leaf's portfolio at MjBizCon Booth #1869, from November 14th to 16th. About Freedom Leaf Freedom Leaf Inc. (OTCQB: FRLF) is a group of diversified, international, vertically-integrated hemp businesses concentrating on health, wellness, and education as well as cannabis media companies. Freedom Leaf, Inc. has been a leading go-to resource in the cannabis, medical marijuana and industrial hemp industries since 2014, founded by professionals with decades of combined experience in marijuana legalization advocacy. FRLF is building a diverse portfolio of valuable businesses through strategic mergers, acquisitions, and acceleration projects across the industry. Freedom Leaf, Inc. does not handle, grow, sell, or dispense marijuana or related products. All of our European activities are in full compliance with relevant EU laws. Investor relations information can be found on the FreedomLeafInc.com company website. Safe Harbor Statement Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical are "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by phrases such as Freedom Leaf, Inc. or its management "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "foresees," "forecasts," "estimates" or other words or phrases of similar import. Similarly, statements herein that describe the Company's business strategy, outlook, objectives, plans, intentions or goals also are forward-looking statements. All such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to differences include the uncertainty regarding viability and market acceptance of the Company's products and services, changes in relationships with third parties, and other factors described in the Company's most recent periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K dated June 30, 2016 and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Contact: Raymond Medeiros PR and Business Development Director Phone: 415-601-1974 ray@freedomleaf.com Freedom Leaf, Inc. Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions. More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ and tickertagstocknews.com Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp Vancouver, British Columbia - November 7, 2018 (Newsfile Corp.) (Investorideas.com Newswire) GMV Minerals Inc. (TSXV: GMV) (the "Company" or "GMV") is pleased to release the results of its preliminary economic assessment (the "Study") for the Mexican Hat Project gold deposit located in Cochise County, Arizona ("Mexican Hat" or the "project"). GMV Minerals Inc. is a publicly traded exploration company solely focused on developing precious metal assets in Arizona. PEA Highlights The base case assumes a gold price of US$1,325/ounce ("oz"). All figures are stated in U.S. Dollars ("$") unless otherwise noted. All tonnages are metric tonnes. Precious metal grades are in grams per metric tonne (g/t). The Technical Report pursuant to National Instrument ("NI") 43-101 guidelines for the Preliminary Economic Assessment will be filed on SEDAR within 45 days. Mine life of 5-years with a 1-year pre-production period Life of mine ("LOM") head grade of 0.66 g/t gold Low LOM Strip Ratio of 2.8 Total amount of gold recovered is estimated at 470,000 oz Average annual gold production of approximately 94,000 oz Peak annual gold production of approximately 118,000 oz LOM direct operating cash cost is estimated at $647/oz of gold recovered All-in sustaining cost is estimated at $747/oz of gold recovered LOM sustaining capital costs estimated at $36.4 million The Mexican Hat Mineral Resource is currently open in three directions and to depth Financial Indicators Before Taxes NPV @ 0%: US$133.3 M NPV @ 5% : US$101.0 M IRR %: 33.0% Payback (years): 2.0 Financial Indicators After Taxes NPV @ 0%: US$113.1 M NPV @ 5%: US$83.9 M IRR %: 29.0% Payback (years): 2.2 INITIAL CAPITAL EXPENDITURES ($ MILLIONS) OPERATING COSTS The mine operating costs were calculated to average $1.84 per tonne moved. The life of mine operating costs were calculated to average MINERAL RESOURCES An updated Mineral Resource Estimate was prepared by Tetra Tech Inc. (Tetra Tech) with an effective date of June 22, 2018 and announced by GMV in a News Release dated July 17, 2018. Details of the Mineral Resource Estimate can be found in a Technical Report filed on SEDAR and announced by GMV in a News Release dated August 29, 2018. The Mineral Resource Estimate has been constrained to a preliminary optimized pit shell, using the following parameters: SG = 2.57 gm/cc based on testwork, mining costs = $1.50/tonne, mining recovery =98%, mining dilution = 2%, process cost = $3.25 per tonne, G&A = $0.55 per tonne, gold price = $1,300 per troy ounce, throughput at 15,000 tpd, discount rate = 7%. Top cut at 32 g/t. Mineral Resources constrained to optimized pit shells are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. Conforms to NI 43-101, Companion Policy 43-101CP, and the CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves. Inferred Resources have been estimated from geological evidence and limited sampling and must be treated with a lower level of confidence than Measured and Indicated Resources. All numbers are rounded. Overall numbers may not be exact due to rounding. There are no known legal, political, environmental, or other risks that could materially affect the potential development of the mineral resources. MINE PLAN The mine plan is currently conceived as a conventional hard rock open pit. There are two independent pits which are developed with 5 phase or pushback designs. The mine plan produces a nominal ore tonnage to the process plant of 5,475 Ktonnes of ore per year (15,000 tpd) from a total material movement of 20,880 Ktonnes per year (52,200 tpd). Over the course of the 5 year mine life, 25.1 Mtonnes of mineralization are planned for processing out of a total material movement of 96.4 Mtonnes. The reader is cautioned that this mine plan is based on a mineral resource which includes inferred category mineralization. The reader is further cautioned that mineral resources are considered too speculative geologically to have economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves. There is no certainty that the mineral resources will be realized or that they will convert to mineral reserves. There is no mineral reserve at Mexican Hat at this time. A component of the mineral resource, inclusive of inferred mineralization has been designated as potentially minable material for this PEA. This material does not constitute a mineral reserve and any reference to the word "ore" is for convenience of defining material that is planned for processing in the Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA). INFRASTRUCTURE & PROCESS PLANT The Mexican Hat Project is located in the southeastern part of the State of Arizona, approximately 115 km east-southeast of Tucson, and can be accessed from the Old Ghost Town Rd., a gravel road extending south of the Town of Pearce or north from Gleeson Rd. Groundwater will be used as the source of water for mining operations. No permitting restrictions or quantity issues are anticipated. A 69 kV powerline to site will be supplied by Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative. The power plant is located 30 km north of the site. The crushing plant will produce ore with a 25 mm top size to be stacked on the heap. Pregnant solution from the heap leach will be processed in a conventional adsorption desorption recovery (ADR) plant. The process plant includes a refinery that will produce dore bars. TECHNICAL REPORT A National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101) compliant technical report entitled "Mexican Hat Project NI 43-101 Technical Report, Preliminary Economic Assessment" prepared by the following Qualified Persons will be filed by the Company within 45 days of this release on www.sedar.com: Daniel Roth, PE, P.Eng. of M3 Engineering & Technology - Process Plant and Infrastructure Capital Costs, and Economic Analysis. Justin Black, PE of M3 Engineering & Technology - Recovery Methods and Process Operating Costs. Dave Webb, PhD., P.Geo., P.Eng. of DRW Geological Consultants Ltd - Property Description and Location, Accessibility, Climate, Local Resource, Infrastructure and Physiography, History, Geological Setting and Mineralization, Deposit Types, Exploration, Drilling, Sample Preparation, Analysis and Security, Data Verification. John M. Marek, RM-SME of Independent Mining Consultants, Inc. - Mining Methods, Mine Operating Costs, Mine Capital Costs. James Barr, P.Geo. of Tetra Tech - Mineral Resource Estimate. John Fox, P.Eng. of Laurion Consulting Inc. - Mineral Processing and Metallurgical Testing. Dawn H. Garcia, CPG, P.G. - Environmental. All Qualified Persons have contributed to their corresponding sections in Interpretation, and Recommendations. The Qualified Persons have reviewed and approved the scientific, technical, and economic information obtained in this news release. Ian Klassen, President of the Company states "We are pleased with these results as they demonstrate that the mineralization found to date is potentially economic with robust net operating revenues." The metallurgical results enable excellent recoveries at a coarse crush, keeping costs low. The Company wishes to confirm its internal economic assumptions to the public and can now focus on further expansion of the deposit. Development drilling will focus on: Extensions to the known resource by 6 to 8 step out holes totaling around 2,500 m. Infill drilling of two to three drill holes totaling 700 to 800 m to discover additional gold resources within the pit, currently considered waste, due to a lack of drill test data. In addition, the program is expected to confirm a higher-grade domain located approximately 100 m from surface and within the pit. To add expected positive infill drilling assays into the PEA model. In addition, certain recommendations regarding the collection of geotechnical, water, and environmental data can be collected with the next drill program enabling refinement of the economic model in future updates. A PEA, as defined under the terms of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101), is an economic analysis intended to examine the potential viability of a mineral project. A PEA analyzes and assesses geological, engineering, and economic factors to reach its conclusions. About GMV Minerals Inc. GMV Minerals Inc. is a publicly traded exploration company focused on developing precious metal assets in Arizona. GMV, through its 100% owned subsidiary, has a 100% interest in a Mining Property Lease commonly referred to as the Mexican Hat project, located in Cochise County, Arizona, USA. The project was initially explored by Placer Dome (USA) in the late 1980's to early 1990's. GMV is focused on developing the asset and realizing the full mineral potential of the property through near term gold production. The Company recently updated its inferred mineral resource to 32,876,000 tonnes grading 0.616 g/t gold at a 0.2 g/t cut-off, containing 651,000 ounces of gold. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ian Klassen, President 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. For further information please contact: GMV Minerals Inc. Ian Klassen Tel: (604) 899-0106 Email: info@gmvminerals.com This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on assumptions and judgments of management of the Company regarding future events or results. Such statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to revise or update such statements except as may be required by law. More Info: This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire - a global digital news source for investors and business leaders Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions. More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ and tickertagstocknews.com Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp By Eamon Quinn Shares in Kerry Group have risen 2.5% after the food firm said it was in good financial shape to continue its worldwide acquisitions drive and to withstand fast-flowing changes in consumer preferences. In an interim management statement, Kerry said that it increased sales volumes and revenues and maintained its profit margins, with pricing having fallen only slightly in the group in the third quarter. Volumes were up 3.5% in the three months to the end of September, revenues rose 2.2% boosted by recent acquisitions, and margins were maintained despite the firm facing an average fall in prices of 0.2% and currency translation headwinds. It also said that progress was good in integrating its recent 365m acquisitions of Fleischmanns Vinegar Company in the US and Oman-based Aatco Food Industries. Despite the acquisitions, its net debt was unchanged from 1.4bn at the end of 2017, which means the groups consolidated balance sheet remains strong which will facilitate the continued organic and acquisitive growth of group businesses. In summary, we are encouraged by the progress we have made in 2018 and reaffirm our full-year 2018 guidance of adjusted earnings growth of 7% to 10% in constant currency, it said. Its taste and nutrition division secured good growth it said, with solid growth in developed markets and strong broad-based growth posted in developing markets. Volumes in the consumer foods division rose 1.2%. However, growing trading margins were hit by currency translation costs. While the UK consumer landscape had been resilient in the first half of 2018, demand softened in a number of categories in the third quarter, Kerry said, adding that its plans to insulate itself from the worst effects of Brexit were continuing. However, it repeated that its convenience meal solutions products were again challenged. Cheestrings and Fridge Raiders performed well, however. Chief executive Edmond Scanlon said: We are pleased with our performance to date in 2018, with volume growth well ahead of our markets and underlying margin expansion in line with expectations. In the third quarter, we have delivered good volume growth against very strong comparatives. Kerry shares have risen 12.5% in the past year, valuing it at over 16.57bn. There is no treatment or vaccine for African swine fever (ASF), the only way to keep the virus out of your herd is with strict biosecurity measures, especially external biosecurity, farmers were told at the recent Teagasc Pig Farmers Conference. Never detected in Ireland, ASF has spread to nine EU states Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and more recently, Belgium. According to a conference presentation by Eithne White, DAFM, and Ciaran Carroll, Teagasc, Moorepark, ASF does not affect any other animal species and it does not affect humans, but has a devastating impact on domestic pigs, causing mortality rates approaching 100%. The virus survives well in the environment, particularly at low temperatures. It can survive in chilled and cured meats for months and in frozen meat for several years. The main routes of transmission of the virus relevant to Ireland are contact with infected pigs and wild boar; ingestion of infected pork or pork products by pigs (for example, in food waste containing salami, sausages, etc; contact with contaminated vehicles, clothing, footwear, equipment; or use of infected reproductive material such as semen, ova and embryos. Increased farm biosecurity is essential to stop the spread of ASF to domestic pigs in Europe. Farmers were told to work closely with their private veterinary practitioner to develop a biosecurity farm plan, and to use ASF as an opportunity to create farm biosecurity awareness amongst staff. The Teagasc BioCheck project noted that Irish farms scored higher than the EU average for external biosecurity, but this is no reason to become complacent, because the Irish score of 79% (versus an EU average of 71%) indicates room for improvement. And while the the average Irish score may be good, the minimum in some farms is low, and those farms are a risk for the rest of the population. With regards to internal biosecurity, Irish scores were lower than the external ones. Some of the main internal deficiencies included: 97% rarely changed clothing between compartments. 100% rarely check the efficacy of cleaning and disinfection. 70% rarely wash hands between compartments Some biosecurity measures that have specific relevance to ASF include: Visitors or personnel from ASF affected regions should not bring pork or pork products back to Ireland. Visitors or staff that return from affected countries should observe a pig-free period of at least 72 hours before entering a pig farm, if they had contact with other pigs or wild boar. Only essential visitors should be allowed onto a pig farm and they should wear clean or disposable overalls and footwear and wash their hands (or shower if possible). All vehicles and equipment should be cleaned and disinfected before being brought on to a pig farm. Pigs and porcine reproductive material such as semen should be from reliable sources of known health status. All live pigs should be quarantined on arrival for at least four weeks. Never allow food waste (swill) to be fed to pigs. When the disease is confirmed in an EU Member State, EU legislation requires culling and disposal of pigs on the infected holding; 3km and 10km control zones with increased animal health control measures and movement restrictions; cleaning and disinfection of premises, vehicles etc; and increased surveillance. For a guide to biosecurity, and a a risk-based scoring system, see the www.biocheck.ugent.be website. Animal Health Ireland will fund vets to assess a pig farms biosecurity using the BioCheck system. The treaty talks between the EU and Mercosur (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay) were already at a standstill, with agricultural quotas among the main stumbling blocks to progres, writes Stephen Cadogan The political trends that brought Brexit and Donald Trump arent all bad for farmers here. Brexit is definitely bad news. And the global trade war which Donald Trump may trigger could bring a huge economic shock. But EU dairy farmers could yet come out on the winning side of that war, because Trump has left his own countrys dairy industry (the worlds second biggest) isolated, and is likely to halt its milk production increases every year this century, to reach nearly one fifth of the worlds estimated total production. Now, disruptive political trends have brought a new Trump of the Tropics, in the shape of Jair Bolsonaro, the newly elected President of Brazil, by a substantial electoral margin. He will take office in January, after an election in which his Lets make Brazil great motto copied Trumps election slogan. He has pledged to copy one of Trumps most contentious foreign policy actions by moving the Brazilian Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to the contested city of Jerusalem. Like Trump, Bolsonaro has also strongly criticised the United Nations. His two biggest challenges are pulling the country out of its economic doldrums, and cracking down on rampant crime and corruption. But the good news for farmers here is that Bolsonaro seems uninterested in a free trade deal between the Mercosur group of South American countries and the EU. Instead, he has said he wants to reduce Brazils engagement with regional trade blocs such as Mercosur, favouring improved ties with Washington. As a result, the president of Uruguay, Tabare Vazquez, has predicted as very difficult agreement on a free trade treaty between Mercosur and the EU. The treaty talks between the EU and Mercosur (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay) were already at a standstill, with agricultural quotas among the main stumbling blocks to progress. EU trade negotiations with the Mercosur countries have been going on since 1999, and have failed time after time. Now, Bolsonaros election (a seismic shift to the political right in a country governed by leftist parties for most of the past 15 years) could be the obstacle to jinx them once again. Thats music to the ears of EU farmers, after EU negotiators anxious to agree their most lucrative trade deal ever offered the South Americans 99,000 tonnes of beef access to the EU at low import tax rates. With Irish farmers already facing the Brexit loss of the UK market for 52% of their beef, a Mercosur trade pactwould have been the last straw. Lucky for them, the South American negotiators asked for more, apparently seeking preferential access to EU markets for 150,000 tonnes per year of their beef. The deal would also include the EU taking 150,000 tonnes per year of Mercosur sugar, free of tariffs. Now, it may all come to nothing, with Bolsonaros comments including hints about pulling his country out of the Paris climate Accord. With the EU saying it will sign trade deals only with Paris climate change accord signatories, that would blow trade talks right out of the water unless Europe is really desperate to swing the estimated 21-29 billion it could gain through increased exports of industrial goods to South America. With Bolsonaro also making election promises to farmers that hed curb the policing of the sector by Brazils environment agency, and perhaps open up protected indigenous territories in the Amazon to farmers and loggers, he is distancing himself further and further from EU principles, and EU farmers can breathe an even deeper sigh of relief, as Mercosur trade talks prospects dwindle, not for the first time in 19 years. Like the US and the UK, Bolsonaro seems set to isolate his country from influences such as the United Nations, China and large negotiating blocs like the European Union. But this time, it is good news for EU farmers Provision of Corks largest single student accommodation development, with 600 beds, is promised by a UK-based company, which has just taken over the moth-balled Coca Cola bottling plant by County Hall on the Carrigrohane Road. In its first move into Ireland, UK-based firm Future Generation a partnership involving the Southern Group with Bahrain-based financiers, via the Islamic bank-related Tadhamon Capital has just confirmed its acquisition of the Cork site by the Lee Fields, close to UCC and CIT, to create a flagship 600-bed student accommodation scheme. It says it aims to be on site by spring 2019 and could complete the project by the start of the 2021 academic year. At the quoted 600 beds, it is considerably larger than any other scheme delivered or proposed in Cork City to date. The brownfield Coca Cola bottling site has been unused since 2007. Planning was granted in May 2017 to the Gainstar Partnership Ltd for 484 bed spaces. Last month, Gainstar asked Cork City Council to allow amendments, reducing car parking spaces and adding extra bike parking. Last night, in response to a query, a spokesperson acknowledged the move from 484 to 600 beds will need planning approval. The location is across the Carrigrohane Road from the River Lee and the Kingsley Hotel and is next to the Curraheen river and just beyond new and further planned student accommodation sites on the Western Road and at Victoria Cross/Crows Nest. Future Generation is a partnership between London-based Southern Grove and Tadhamon Capital. The latter is based in Bahrain and is a wing of the Yemen-founded Tadhamon International Islamic Bank, which invests under Muslim Shariah-compliant principles. Future Generation is active on eight UK locations. This year it is completing a 300-bed project in Milan in Italy. It has also targeted Galway, Limerick, Prague, and Venice, to add to its British sites. The Cork Coca Cola site acquisition marks the start of a major European student accommodation development programme, said Andrew Southern, chairman of Future Generation. Ireland is one of the fastest-growing destinations for international students in the EU and we are thrilled to kick-off our European development programme here in Cork, said Mr Southern. Our vision and plans for the cola factory will certainly put the fizz back into student housing in Cork. The investment for what it says will be 600 high-quality bedrooms, together with Future Generations signature sky lounge, includes a technology tie-up partnership with Samsung which it says will provide air-con, appliances, wifi and virtual reality headsets. Ambulance cover in Cork city was severely curtailed yesterday as paramedics withdrew from overtime in a row between the HSE and their union. A spokesperson for the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) said the Cork city fleet was down 50% from six ambulances to three, for an extended period. At one stage, just two ambulances were covering the city when one of the three in operation left for Dublin to transport a transplant patient. The spokesperson said Midleton was also hit by the overtime ban, with its cover reduced from two to one ambulance, while a rapid response vehicle was also unavailable from 7am-7pm. The PNA also said that the HSE was redeploying personnel who were due to undergo training yesterday to instead crew ambulances in Cork. Asked if services were disrupted, the HSE said: The HSE can confirm there was no interruption in service delivery today. We are continuing to monitor the situation closely. However the PNA said services in the Northeast were also curtailed, across Cavan, Navan and Drogheda, where they were down two ambulances. The spokesperson said crews were deployed from Cavan to Drogheda. There were concerns that Cork county would also be affected last night. The HSE said there was no interruption in service delivery yesterday and that it is monitoring the situation closely. The PNA is in dispute with the HSE over its refusal to engage with NASRA (the National Ambulance Service Representative Association), the branch of its union that represents ambulance personnel. The union claims the HSE is refusing to allow its ambulance personnel members to be represented by the PNA or to make payroll deductions of union subscriptions for PNA/NASRA members. As a result of the row, about 500 paramedics and emergency medical technicians about 30% of ambulance personnel nationally have withdraw since yesteday from working overtime. The number of cervical cancer victim legal cases has almost doubled since mid-summer, despite Taoiseach Leo Varadkars promise that no woman will be needlessly hauled before the courts to prove their case. The State Claims Agency will admit the surge in cases today during a meeting on Irelands response to medical negligence claims and payouts. In an opening statement to the Dails public accounts committee, the agencys director, Ciaran Breen, will say that, to date, there have been 85 cases lodged against cervical check over the recent smear tests scandal. Of this figure, Mr Breen will confirm that 73 cases are still active, six are considered potential claims, one has closed and five more have been settled. The 85 cases rate is almost double the 49-cases rate in mid-summer and is far higher than the 22 claims made against the State at the end of May a surge that is set to put significant pressure on Mr Varadkar amid claims he broke his promise to victims. This is because, in the immediate aftermath of Vicky Phelans High Court revelations in April, Mr Varadkar said no other woman would be forced to go through the trauma of a stressful court case to prove she was a victim of avoidable mistakes. Speaking on RTEs Six One News on May 11, Mr Varadkar said: What we propose to do is to offer mediation in every case so that women can avoid having to go to court and the trauma of a court hearing. What we will do in this situation is the State will settle and pursue the lab later. So essentially the State will be on the side of the plaintiff, on the side of the woman. In later comments in July, Mr Varadkar attempted to backtrack, saying he should have been clearer in his promise and that ultimately anyone can take a case while the US labs which are also defendants have a right to protect themselves. Corks largest business representative group has launched a new gift card to promote more shopping in the region. Cork Chambers Gift Card, which will be operated by the One4all multi-store gift card company, will be accepted by hundreds of retailers and businesses. It can only be used in Cork as part of a specific effort by the Chamber to support local businesses and jobs - especially in the run-up to Christmas. In development for months, it has been unveiled this week amid renewed concerns about the impact of the St Patricks St afternoon car ban on afternoon trade. FF Cllr Tim Brosnan has criticised the lack of enforcement of the new measure and said he is prepared to call for its suspension unless hard data proves its working. Cork Chamber chief executive, Conor Healy, said the Chamber has spent several months working with One4all on the gift-card initiative: A strong city centre adds to the dynamism of the region - with retail, hospitality, pharma, IT, financial services all part of the business ecosystem which has massive potential to work together. Our intention with this gift card is to build support for local businesses and we encourage all corporate entities in the region to consider this gift card as a staff reward." The prepaid card can be loaded with any value from the minimum 15 to the maximum 500 and is tax-free to the recipient. It will be accepted by some 300 outlets in the region, from small independent coffee shops to big brand stores, including Keanes Jewellers, Ballymaloe House Hotel, Fitzgerald Menswear, Skechers, the Rochestown Park Hotel, and The Elm Tree Bar and Restaurant. There are tax benefits for employers who load a card with the maximum 500, with savings under the Governments benefit-in-kind or annual once-off small benefits exemption of up to 653.65 per employee. The Chamber's new card is available directly from PostPoint outlets in Cork and through corkchamber.ie The Tanaiste says local councils didn't spend a large amount of the money given to build Traveller accommodation in the last 10 years. It's after Labour leader Brendan Howlin called on the Government to do more to offer education to the travelling community. By Liam Heylin A wedding day had a dark cloud hanging over it thanks to a jeweller who kept a ring with great sentimental value that was entrusted to him for redesign for the big day. Detective Garda Colin Greenway said yesterday at Michael Walls sentencing hearing that the accused only pleaded guilty to the theft-related charge on the third day of his trial at Cork Circuit Criminal Court. The ring in question was returned to the couple during this trial. Judge Brian OCallaghan gave Wall a suspended two-year jail sentence yesterday. In a victim impact statement prepared by the couple, they said they saved for three years for the perfect wedding day. However, they said Wall was responsible for a dark cloud hanging over the day because of the absence of the ring that was entrusted to him. They paid him 1,200 for his work on the ring and for the purchase of a second ring. They had to come up with 1,700 three weeks before the wedding to buy the rings elsewhere. Sgt Greenway said it was the sentimental value of the ring, belonging to the late father of the groom, that caused them most distress. On March 10, 2016, the couple who were planning their wedding called to Walls jewellers at Winthrop Arcade in Cork enquiring about rings. The groom wanted his late fathers wedding ring to be used and redesigned for himself so this had particular significance for him. Wall quoted 1,500 for the rings but said that if they paid up front it would be 1,200 and that this was because the jewelsmith wanted to be paid upfront. Wall told them the rings would be ready in two weeks. The couple paid the 1,200. A short time later, they heard negative coverage in relation to Wall on the radio. They made numerous attempts to get in touch with him and got one email in reply saying he was in poor health. They never got the rings or their money back. Wall did not co-operate with the investigation and refused to say what had become of the ring belonging to the mans father. Enquiries with the jewelsmith who was to do the work confirmed that this man had not been commissioned by Wall to do the work at any time. When the plea of guilty was made on the third day of the trial, Wall handed the ring to the detective, saying he had not given it back before now because he had been instructed to have no contact with the injured parties. The detective said the accused would have had ample opportunity to return the ring through gardai many times. The detective said Wall had previous convictions of a similar nature. Wall had an address at Marionville, Alexandra Rd, St Lukes, at the time. By Cate McCurry A top addiction specialist said he is ashamed of his profession as it has failed families in Ireland who are forced to travel abroad to access cannabis-based medicinal products. Garrett McGovern, a doctor who specialises in drug and alcohol addiction, said it was a disgrace that parents have to fight for medication that is immeasurably changing the lives of their sick children. Dr McGovern, a medical director of the Priority Medical Clinic in Dublin, was speaking as medicinal cannabis campaigners and mothers of sick children called for Health Minister Simon Harris to lift the effective embargo on a bill that would legalise the drug. A year ago, the Dail passed the Medicinal Use Regulation Bill on to the detailed scrutiny stage, but there has been a delay in rolling out the scheme. In an emotional plea, Vera Twomey, mother of eight-year-old Ava, who has epilepsy, called for greater access to medicinal cannabis. The mother, from Co Cork, is forced to travel to Holland every three months to access the medication. Without it, Ms Twomey said, there would be catastrophic consequences for Avas health. Dr McGovern said: As I sit here today, watching this emotional panel, I am actually ashamed to be a doctor. I am ashamed of my profession today. They have let the women at this top table down. Its a human rights issue and its an absolute disgrace. We need to proliferate the number of people around this table and we need to make it a mainstream issue. In Ireland, we have a history of exporting problems out. Im proud of all of you. I dont think anyone in this room can understand what you guys are going through. Its bad enough to be going through this but actually to have to fight in this way to be denied medication that is immeasurably changing the lives of your family and your children is disgraceful. Ms Twomey, whose daughter suffers from a severe form of epilepsy called Dravet syndrome, secured a licence so Ava could receive cannabidiol (CBD) oil and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) oil. She called for Mr Harris to provide legislative change so that parents and children can access the medication locally. Our family has to leave the country every three months, we have to reapply for our licence for medical cannabis every three months, she said. This is very distressing and disturbing to the whole family environment to be leaving every 12 weeks. Any disruption in supply to Avas medication could have catastrophic consequences for her health if there is a breakdown in supply in Holland. We are not getting support and being driven out of the country. Thats not good enough. We want THC and we want CBD in the proper format because we want the best for our kids. My daughter is as important a person as any other person in this State and she has the right to be respected. I want Simon Harris to do the right thing. People Before Profit TD Gino Kelly said: This unnecessary hold up is preventing children and others who could benefit from access to medicinal cannabis from obtaining it. What is needed is for the Medicinal Cannabis Bill to be allowed progress to the committee stage where it can be scrutinised and if necessary amended. Fianna Fail Galway West TD Eamon O Cuiv appears to have escaped sanction from party leader Micheal Martin after the pair met face to face last night. It had been expected that Mr O Cuiv would be sacked as the partys rural affairs spokesman after senator Mark Daly was relieved of his double position of deputy Seanad leader and foreign affairs spokesman. However, party sources said that Mr O Cuiv was not likely to be demoted, despite being a persistent thorn in the side of Mr Martin. The decision comes after Mr Daly and Mr O Cuiv participated in an apparent launch of a party candidate in Northern Ireland last month. Mr Daly said he accepted the decision of his party leader Mr Martin to sack him as Seanad deputy leader. Speaking to the Irish Examiner, he said: I accept the decision of the leader and I will continue to work hard on behalf of my constituents. In my position as foreign affairs spokesperson, for the last number of years I have worked closely with John Deasy TD in his role as the Governments US Envoy, our party spokespersons on foreign affairs, members of the US Congress, as well as the White House on the proposed visas for Irish citizens. I have been working closely with all sides and hope to continue to assist in this important issue and if necessary go to DC, as we work to reach an agreement in the coming weeks. It is understood that Mr Daly was privately less than happy to be sanctioned while Mr O Cuiv seened to be spared. Mr Martin has replaced Mr Daly as deputy leader with Fingal-based senator Lorraine Clifford Lee. Senator Ned OSullivan has been given responsibility for foreign affairs, the Irish overseas, and diaspora. The news was confirmed by way of a statement this morning. Deputy Martin has wished both senators well in their new roles, added the statement. Last month, Mr O Cuiv and Mr Daly were photographed attending the election launch of councillor Sorcha McAnespy, who is an independent councillor in Fermanagh. The two men were pictured with Ms McAnespy alongside Fianna Fail- branded election posters only for party headquarters to issue a statement to insist that no decision had been taken as to whether it would contest elections in the North. It follows then that it has selected no candidate to contest these elections, added a statement at the time. Discussions between the party and the SDLP are ongoing and a statement on our future intentions will be made in due course, said the statement. Fianna Fail and the SDLP have been in discussions about a possible merger but those talks have not concluded. During the summer, Mr O Cuiv courted controversy when he was linked with being nominated to contest the presidency, despite the party deciding to back Michael D Higgins. In August, it emerged that Mr O Cuiv had ignored the view of Mr Martin and met with a number of councillors who wanted him to be Fianna Fails presidential candidate. Commenting on her promotion, Ms Clifford Lee said: Im delighted to have been appointed deputy leader of the Fianna Fail group in the Seanad today by party leader Micheal Martin. Along with Senator Catherine Ardagh and our colleagues in the Seanad we will continue to highlight issues such as housing, health, transport, and childcare, and will work constructively towards An Ireland for All. The Fianna Fail leader, Michael Martin, has accused the Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, of a cynical attack on doctors and nurses. It comes after Mr Varadkar suggested they should not be allowed to take time off over the busy Christmas period. Earlier this week in the Dail Mr Varadkar called on hospital consultants, nurses and other medics to forego extended leave over Christmas and New Year to manage peak demand. Opposition parties have called for him to apologise following the comments. Mr Martin thinks the Taoiseach is trying to blame someone else for the Government's failures in the health service. He said: "It was an outrageously cynical ploy by the Taoiseach to attack nurses and consultants around the Christmas break. "He was deflecting and also trying to blame somebody else for his own failings and the failings of his government in not having a plan." A clinical director at Cork University Hospital has said the Taoiseach's comments are bordering on being disingenuous and insulting. Dr Mike OConnor, who is a consultant geriatrician, said he did not know of any senior consultants who are rostered off in early January. He is on call himself on December 25 and December 26. He told RTEs Morning Ireland that he could absolutely and categorically say that fewer consultants will be on leave in January than at any other time of the year. Dr OConnor said that hospitals work full whack during the holiday break, he said. Were very proud of our staff. Some have been rostered to work over Christmas and others have volunteered, he added. Dr OConnor said that at Cork University Hospital they see 70,000 emergency department admissions per year, thats nine people every hour of the year. There are always pressures on the service winter has nothing to do with it. He acknowledged that it will be a little more tense with the number of weekends and bank holidays coming together, but that as part of the hospitals winter plan there will be serious decision makers on duty including anaesthetists and specialist surgeons. That doesnt change, they will be on call or on site. He said it was bordering on being disingenuous and insulting to suggest that significant tranches of the HSE roster themselves to be off at Christmas. I dont know of any consultant rostered off in early January. When pressed, he said he thought less than 10% would be on leave in early January. Dr OConnor said that Irish hospitals deal with 1.3 million attendances per year, a growth of 5% per year. That figure includes 40,000 patients who spend more than 24 hours on a trolley. There is not a cogent, collective, collaborative plan to address this problem that has been going on for 15 years. It is bogus to categorise this as a November to January problem. By Ray Managh Anyone thinking of chancing their arm by taking potentially fraudulent claims relating to traffic accidents have been warned by a judge of An Garda Siochanas intention to set up a special squad to investigate such frauds. The warning was issued by Judge Jacqueline Linnane in the Circuit Civil Court after she threw out three claims for a total of 180,000 damages for personal injuries allegedly suffered by three men in a rear-ending incident on July 6, 2016. Judge Linnane told Conor Kearney, counsel for motorist Aisling Kelly, The Ward, Co Dublin, and Aviva Insurance, that the court had not been convinced that Piotr Czaderski, Eugeniusz Perkowski, and Maciej Kostka had suffered any injury in the low-impact collision on Crumlin Rd, Dublin. The judge said that while there was low-impact contact between Ms Kellys car and the Volkswagen Passat of Mr Czaderski, she believed he and his colleagues, Mr Perkowski and Mr Kostka, together had pre-planned the taking out of court proceedings against Ms Kelly. Judge Linnane, referring to the proposed new fraud squad, said the court claims had been orchestrated by Mr Czaderski. The court heard that Mr Czaderski, 38, of The Moyle, Prospect Hill, Finglas Rd, Dublin; Mr Perkowski, 67, Addison Rd, Dublin 3, and Mr Kostka, 25, The Plaza, Coultry Rd, Ballymun, Dublin, were fellow workers in a waste collection company. Mr Kearney, who appeared with BLM Solicitors, said the three men, and a fourth who had not gone through with a claim, all worked for Panda Waste and all had gone to work directly after the accident. He put it to each of them that they had afterwards got together and decided to bring claims. According to medical reports, all of them had reported pain in their upper back and neck. Counsel said Ms Kellys 78-year-old mother had been in her daughters car at the time and had not been injured. He told Judge Linnane he was prepared to call her to give evidence but the judge said it would not be necessary. Following the dismissal of all three 60,000 claims, Rob Smyth, Head of Fraud, at Aviva said: Aviva welcomes the decision of Judge Linnane. As part of our zero-tolerance strategy to fraud, we intend to take all necessary steps to recover all our costs and will also make a formal criminal complaint to the gardai. He said that although it was possible that appeals may be lodged, he wished to reassure Aviva customers that the company would not change its strategy in defending such claims. In fraud cases the claimants, who are interested only in financial gain, should face the consequences of their actions, he said. We are committed to taking all steps to recover our costs and, as suggested by Judge Linnane, we will be making a formal complaint to the gardai about these claims. A former advertising executive says junk food advertising has become a monster. Dan Parker, the founder of Living Loud UK, which encourages people to live healthier lives, is concerned that advertising of unhealthy foods and drinks online had become more insidious. Advertisements have become so ingrained in online content now that children and adults are not even aware that they are being advertised to, he said. Mr Parker, who once worked with big food corporations before developing obesity-related type 2 diabetes, was speaking at the launch of the Irish Heart Foundations (IHF) Stop Targeting Kids campaign. The foundation found that seven out of 10 adults here favour an outright ban on advertising unhealthy foods and drinks to children. Almost eight out of 10 adults believe advertising is a big contributor to childhood obesity, an issue that almost nine out of ten rate as a big concern. Mr Parker said junk food marketers went to extraordinary lengths to influence childrens food choices. Junk food advertising has become a monster, manipulating young peoples emotions, he said. An explosion of digital marketing and a ruthless exploitation of loopholes in broadcast regulations by junk food brands meant that children were being bombarded daily by impossible-to-resist advertisements. But there should be no circumstances where junk food marketing directed at children is acceptable, said Mr Parker. A petition at irishheart.ie/stoptargetingkids calls on the Government to regulate digital marketing aimed at Irish children and close gaping loopholes in broadcasting restrictions. The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland banned junk food advertising in 2013 during childrens programming up to 6pm when children make up 50% of the audience. The regulations are not working, according to IHF, with children aged between three and five still seeing more than 1,000 junk food advertisements every year on Irish television. IHF has urged a watershed ban up to 9pm because many children watch television between 6pm and 9pm even if they do not make up 50% of the audience. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 7) The government would review the cost of securing the new jeepney fare matrix, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chairman Martin Delgra said on Wednesday. Speaking to CNN Philippines' The Source, Delgra denied reports that his agency was charging ?610 to jeepney operators and drivers across the board for the matrix, which is needed for jeepneys to start charging the 1 fare hike. The chairman and later, the Department of Transporation said regulatory fees cost 510. It added there was also a 10 legal research fee. The matrix, printed on a single sheet of bondpaper to be displayed in the vehicle, costs an additional 50 for administrative costs. "Kaya kung operator ka na may tatlong jeepney uint sa prangkisa, magbabayad ka ng 520.00 plus 150.00 para sa kopya ng fare matrix ng tatlong jeep," a DOTr graphic explained. (Translation: So if you are an operator with three jeepney units in one franchise, you have to pay 520.00 plus 150.00 for each of the fare matrix copies for three jeeps.) Under this set-up, a franchise with only one operator should have to pay 570 to get a fare matrix. However, the receipt LTFRB gave to operators in Metro Manila shows an additional 40 charge for franchise verification. Despite the error, Delgra does not see return the extra money to jeepney operators. "I do not want to assume that there was an erroneus charging," Delgra told CNN Philippines in a separate interview. "Hihimay-himayin kung paano umabot sa 610 na yon... Kapag nakita natin, na-i-clarify natin, baka there's no need for a reimbursement." (Translation: We have to dissect how it reached 610... If we see and clarify that, there might be no need for reimbursement.) An estimated 30,000 drivers and operators in Metro Manila are expected to avail of the fare matrix, on top of about 21,000 in Region IV and 20,000 in Region III. The DOTr maintained that the 520 fee follows Department Order 2001-82, and the collections are remitted to the National Treasury. Delgra said the agency was open to going over the fees and adopting a predetermined fare matrix. When asked whether the fee was still too expensive, he answered, "We will take that up in the review." Other issues with LTFRB, Delgra The cost of fees was only one of the complaints operators raised, after putting up with long queues at the LTFRB National Capital Region (NCR) Office. Although Delgra maintained that the agency was prepared for the distribution, he also apologized for any inefficiency and said they have since transferred operations to their larger NCR Central Office. "This is regretful to say the least. That's why I have to apologize," said Delgra. "Starting today until we will be able to distribute and release all the fare (matrices) for Metro Manila," he added. Some groups have called for Delgra's resignation. On top of the issue of fare matrices, some in the transport sector are slamming the government's jeepney modernization program as they believe it does not assist drivers enough in the transition. "Nilalabag niya yung kagustuhan ng presidente natin na pakinggan ang ating mga mananakay," said RJ Javellana of the United Filipino Consumers and Commuters. (Translation: He's going against the President's will to listen to commuters.) "Magpalagay po kayo ng tinatawag na intelligence... at makikita niya po kung gaano kabagal ang transakyon sa loob ng LTFRB," said Efren De Luna, President of the transport group Acto. (Translation: Put in intelligence... and you will see how slow transactions are in LTFRB.) Another transport group, Piston, urged Delgra to explain why the LTFRB pushed for a permanent fare increase, instead of a provisional hike. However, the chairman brushed aside calls for his resignation. He stands by a statement he made on Tuesday: "Gusto mo ng soundbite?" Delgra told the press. "Trabaho lang." CNN Philippines Correspondent Triciah Terada contributed to this report. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and senior EU officials have given Britain a December deadline to finally solve the Brexit crisis, warning the clock is ticking and that it would not be a good thing if the stand-off dragged into the new year. Mr Varadkar and the EUs chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier drew the latest line in the sand on the long-running negotiations, as they effectively ruled out any prospect of a November deal being brokered. As British prime minister Theresa May came under Brexiteer pressure to reveal her private backstop legal advice and as the Scottish parliament formally backed calls for a public vote, Mr Varadkar said a deal can still be struck. However, during a press conference in Helsinki, Finland, as European Parliament president Donald Tusk yesterday held an unscheduled phone call with Ms May, the Taoiseach said an agreement must happen in December. I think its possible for us to come to an agreement in November with a view to having a summit in November, but I do think as every day that passes, the possibility of having a special summit in November becomes less likely, said Mr Varadkar. What we do have is one scheduled anyway for December 13-14, so not getting it done in November doesnt mean we cant get it done in the first two weeks of December, but beyond that then I think were into the new year. It wouldnt be a good thing. The Taoiseachs comments were mirrored by Mr Barnier at a similar press conference with Finnish prime minister Juha Sipila before the same European Peoples Party meeting. To be frank, we are not there yet. The choices need to be made now on the UK side. The clock is ticking. I will not give you a date. I cannot give you a date. There are still important issues outstanding. Britain has claimed in recent days a potential review of the Northern Ireland backstop at a future date has heralded a key breakthrough this week which could see a November Brexit sign-off, with Downing Street hinting at a special cabinet meeting this week to agree a deal by November 19. However, EU and Irish officials have questioned the timeline, with a senior Irish Government source saying last night Britain is at risk of repeating its Salisbury and Chequers problems by presuming solutions without first putting them to the EU officials they need to convince. In addition, the DUP and hardline Brexiteers have demanded that Ms May publish her attorney generals backstop review legal advice as part of any backstop arrangement before agreeing any position. It is a demand that may be ignored. Meanwhile, Scotlands devolved parliament in Holyrood has formally backed, by 66 votes to 28, the holding of a peoples vote on any Brexit deal after a Liberal Democrats-forced ballot, increasing the pressure on Ms May. The Scottish Parliament has sent out a strong message and I urge the UK government to listen, warned rebel Scottish Labour voter and the partys former leader, Kezia Dugdale. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin has sacked Galway West TD Eamon O Cuiv from a senior frontbench post, after it had appeared he had decided to spare him. Mr Martin relieved Mr O Cuiv of his role as rural affairs spokesman after he and Senator Mark Daly was involved in an attempt to launch a candidate to run for the party in next years Northern Ireland local elections, against the wishes of headquarters. The party on Thursday released a statement confirming Mr O Cuiv's sacking a day after Mr Daly was sacked from his position as Seanad party deputy leader and foreign affairs spokesman. Party Leader and Spokesperson on Northern Ireland Micheal Martin TD met [on Wednesday] with Deputy Eamon O Cuiv. During the course of that meeting Deputy O Cuiv made it clear that he was aware in advance of plans to hold an unauthorised launch of a candidate and agreed to participate in the event. In light of this information, regretfully, Deputy O Cuivs continued membership of the Partys Front Bench is no longer tenable. His portfolio responsibilities will be reassigned in the time ahead, the statement said. The two men met after Mr Martin had already demoted Mr Daly and the Irish Examiner has confirmed that Mr Martin was willing to allow Mr O Cuiv remain in his post. This was because he believed Mr Daly as being the chief instigator of the unauthorised launch of Cllr Sorcha McAnaspey. Rather, it was suggested he had attended on the understanding that the evening in Omagh was focussed on Brexit. Yet, it has emerged during his meeting with his leader, Mr O Cuiv is said that he was fully aware that an election launch was planned. Mr Martin concluded that he had no option but to sack him from the party's Dail frontbench. Mr O Cuiv responded to the Irish Examiner by text merely to say he had issued a comment via his Twitter account. His tweet, written in Irish, said: Tagraim do cinneadh M Martin me a bhaint den brines tosaigh. Glacaim gur ceist do sin amhain a roghnu ce ta ar bhinse tosaigh Fhianna Fail. Ni bheidh me ag deanamh aon raiteas breise faoin sceal agus ba cheart do na meain aon cheist faoin abhar seo a chur ar @fiannafailparty. He said he concurred it is solely a matter for Mr Martin to choose who will be on the frontbench of Fianna Fail. I wont be making any additional comment on this issue and the media should direct any questions on the subject to the Fianna Fail party, he said. The health minister has waded into the row over medics Christmas leave, saying the Taoiseach was right to call on hospital staff to cancel holidays over the festive period. As the war of words escalated, Simon Harris said Leo Varadkar was entirely correct. However, he shifted responsibility for implementing the measure to the HSE, saying: Hospital management is charged with ensuring this takes place. Mr Varadkar specifically referred to nurses and hospital consultants, particularly emergency medicine consultants, in his call to curtail leave. He doubled down on his comments yesterday, on a day when nearly 600 patients were left on hospital trolleys. Mr Harris decision to add his support has drawn the ire of health unions, among them the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), whose members are currently gearing up towards strike action. The INMO, the Irish Association of Emergency Medicine (IAEM), and the Irish Hospital Consultants Association accused Mr Varadkar of trying to deflect from the real crisis, including the absence, to date, of a winter plan and inadequate bed capacity. President of the IHCA, Donal OHanlon, said the Taoiseach comments were an attempt to trivialise the very serious issue of the hospital bed shortage. He said the trolley crisis was not just a Christmas problem but was a year-round crisis due to the lack of capital investment in public hospitals. Dr OHanlon said that hundreds of thousands of patients were on trolleys and waiting lists as there isnt enough beds and becayse over 500 permanent hospital consultant posts are unfilled. INMO general secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha said the comments were purely to divert from the real issue, which is that there is no winter plan. She said they had been seeking a meeting of the ED taskforce for some time, but that the first available date for the HSE and Department of Health was November 19. The HSE said it is at present examining the options in terms of deliverability and impact for this winter in the context of the additional 10m once off funding, and a final plan will be submitted to the Department of Health for approval this week. IAEM president Emily OConor said she was at a loss as to why Mr Varadkar was being so inflammatory and that focusing on EDs and cancelling leave was absolutely the wrong end of the stick. I dont know if its a political ploy to deflect from the lack of bed capacity, she said, adding that it would do nothing to attract staff back to work for the HSE. She said the structure of the health service is such that most services apart from EDs function five days a week, and until it changes to a seven day a week service, there would always be problems with overcrowding. Consultant oncologist and former senator John Crown, said hospital workers were entitled to public holidays. For the Taoiseach to suggest they cancel holidays when the Dail is taking three weeks off is kind of rich, isnt it? The Taoiseach said: It makes sense if you are running your service or your business well to always make sure that you match peak demand with peak resources. Mr Harris said it was important staffing levels across the hospitals, including in emergency departments, for diagnostics services and in community and primary care services, are sufficient to enable staff provide the services that patients require over the period. He said ensuring this happens helps avoid a very significant surge at the start of the new year period. He said lessons learned from last years winter crisis meant this time signed off staffing rotas were part of the planning process for the winter and holiday period. This is all part of the discussions that are ongoing between the department and the HSE, he said. A potential breakthrough in the Brexit negotiations can't be taken for granted, according to the Tanaiste Simon Coveney. Mr Coveney has warned just because a proposal on the backstop may be agreed by British Ministers it does not mean a final deal is done. A Cabinet meeting to approve Theresa May's plans has been delayed after tensions among Ministers in the UK. Speaking to the Irish-Canada Business Association this morning, Mr Coveney urged caution that a deal can be done soon. The Foreign Affairs Minister said: "An imminent breakthrough is not necessarily to be taken for granted, not by a long shot. People seem to make the same mistake over and over again, assuming that if the British Cabinet agrees something, well then that's it then, everything is agreed. "This is a negotiation and needs to be an agreement, of course between the British government, but also the European and the 27 countries." The UK's Shadow Minister for Northern Ireland, Stephen Pound has said he believes that British Prime Minister Theresa May can get her Brexit backstop plans through the House of Commons. However, the Labour MP for Ealing North, says that the British parliament cannot vote until they see all the documents including legal advice. The Conservative government has been under growing pressure to publish its legal advice on a backstop deal as ministers are expected to meet in the next few days to approve it. Conservative Brexiteers have joined Labour, the DUP and the Liberal Democrats in calling for the advice given to the prime minister by attorney general Geoffrey Cox to be made public. Mr Pound told Newstalks Pat Kenny show that leaping off a cliff cannot be contemplated because of the possible damage to the Good Friday Agreement. He said the reality is that government leaks like a sieve and that politicians will see the legal advice anyway. Theresa May should be upfront and show it to us now. Parliament cannot be expected to vote without first seeing the full picture. It would be like buying a pig in a poke. The Northern Ireland Shadow Minister said that putting a time-frame on any possible compromise does not help. He said: The EU is not a grim monolithic body. I think its open to all sorts of deals. There is a possibility to recast the UKs relationship with the EU, he said. At the end of the day, we could have a better EU, a bespoke EU. I think theres hope for us Europeans. There are plenty of opportunities. He added that he thinks the Prime Minister can get a backstop deal through the House of Commons if only because the alternative of leaping blindfolded off a cliff is not good. Alys Tomlinsons pictures of local devotion to St Gobnait in Baile Mhuirne, Co Cork, helped her win the World Photographer of the Year prize, writes Pet OConnell LOURDES attracts around six million visitors per year, while every August more than 10,000 make the pilgrimage to Mount Grabarka, Polands biggest Orthodox Christian holy site. Devotion to St Gobnait has yet to put the Cork village of Baile Mhuirne on the world map in terms of pilgrimage numbers, but its significance has not been lost on Alys Tomlinson. The 2018 Sony World Photographer of the Year focused on these three European pilgrimage sites as subjects for her Ex-Voto project which earned international acclaim and the $25,000 (21,800) top prize in the Oscars of the camera world. The tokens of faith, the offerings of religious devotion found at Christian pilgrimage sites are the Ex-Voto which in Alys work create a tangible narrative between faith, person, and the landscape. If the rosary beads, ribbons, and holy pictures left by those praying to St Gobnait in Baile Mhuirne caught the eye of the London-based editorial and fine art photographer, so too did the pilgrims themselves and the rugged landscape surrounding the Gaeltacht village. Her ethereal portraits of people at prayer, her large format landscapes, and detailed studies of crosses etched into stones by passing pilgrims reflect the mysterious, timeless quality present at these sites of great spiritual contemplation. People and landscape merge as place, memory and history entwine, according to Alys. Though all three sites have a very specific calm and peace and are great places for contemplation, Alys observed a distinct difference between Baile Mhuirne and the French and Polish locations. The scale of it is much smaller than Lourdes or the one in Poland. The people who go there are people who live very locally, she said. Its very much embedded in their everyday lives, whereas at the other sites people were coming there often from abroad, so the sense of journey is slightly different. But in terms of what it offers photographically and visually, hopefully the [three sites] complement each other. Although large crowds gather to venerate Gobnait on her feast day each February, the shrine, church, and holy well associated with the 6th century patron saint of bees attract a steady flow of visitors on a daily basis, many performing the rounds of pilgrim prayer. People come to do the rounds in a way that they dont in the other sites, Alys noted. In Lourdes you also get the sick coming, but they dont have the same everyday aspect [to their prayer] as in Baile Mhuirne. Lourdes was the starting point for Alys exploration of pilgrimage as visual art. From an atheist background, she describes her project as a journey, trying to understand the great devotion people have in their faith. Betsy Ni Shuibhne is also in the exhibition opening in Baile Mhuirne next week. She became interested in the concept of pilgrimage after watching the Jessica Hausner film Lourdes, going on to complete an MA in anthropology in which her dissertation was a study in pilgrimage, centred on the French shrine. She then broadened her scope to look at Grabarka, where pilgrims have erected thousands of crosses on the Polish hillside. Seeking an Irish subject for her self-funded study, Alys initially considered the larger Knock shrine in Co Mayo. However, the peaceful, intimate atmosphere of St Gobnaits shrine endeared it to Alys, who sought to explore visual contrasts and similarities between her three subjects. Winning the Sony World Photography Awards has, said Alys, brought international attention both to her project and to Baile Mhuirne as a place of pilgrimage. I think its nice that somewhere thats quite small on a global scale has been recognised for offering something visually and spiritually, she said. People have really taken to this series, partly because it offers a kind of solace from an urban environment, and people really seem to appreciate the stillness and quiet which is consistent over the three sites. My emphasis is on the visual representation, added Alys, who was struck by the motif of ribbons, both tied near St Gobnaits well, and stretched along the length of a 13th century wooden statue of the saint as devotees take St Gobnaits measure on her feast day. There were ribbons on a twig, or tied around a tree trunk, and I noticed an intertwining of the ribbons with nature, she said. Patrick OConnell prays at Reilig Ghobnatan Local people whom Alys met on her Cork visits recounted the traditions associated with Gobnait, who is reputed to have been inspired by the sighting of nine white deer to choose Baile Mhuirne as the site of her religious settlement. St Gobnait means something to everyone, said Alys. I got to know the community in a different way, that was impossible at the other sites because of their scale. The project was shot entirely on analogue, black and white, large format film, using an old fashioned 5x4 plate camera, which Alys believes reflects the thoughtful nature of Ex-Voto. This slows the process down and produces very beautiful images, rich in detail and texture, she said. It also produces the occasional accidental effect, such as a ghostly image of two men working in St Gobnaits cemetery. This is one that went wrong, but I liked the haunting feel, so I kept it in, said Alys. I accidentally double-exposed the sheet of film, which is very easy to do with a 5x4 camera. You have to concentrate so carefully and there is a rhythm to working with the camera. I think the light was fading, so I was in a rush. I had no idea Id done it until I got the contact sheets back, but I quite liked the results. The image will be among more than 20 brought by Alys back to Baile Mhuirne for her Ex-Voto exhibition, opening on November 15 (7.30pm) at the villages Ionad Culturtha and running until February 12, 2019, coinciding with the feast day of St Gobnait on February 11. Joe Kelly at Reilig Ghobnatan, Baile Mhuirne Ex-Voto won the 2018 Sony World Photographer of the Year award, also taking first place in the discovery category. Second place in the competitions professional landscape section went to Kinsale-based Rohan Reilly.A book of Ex-Voto is in production, thanks to a Kickstarter campaign.See alystomlinson.co.uk A powerful new Netflix documentary looks at the bond between two Catholic priests, a friendship forged in compassion in the wake of two horrific mass shootings. Donal OKeeffe spoke with one of those priests, Cork man Monsignor Basil OSullivan You drop your five-year-old to school, and half an hour later, theyve been murdered. How do you ever get over that? asks Monsignor Basil OSullivan, speaking from his home in Dunblane. Monsignor OSullivan is 86 now, and has lived in Scotland since he was ordained in 1956, but his Cork accent is still clear. On the cold, grey morning of Wednesday, March 13, 1996, 43-year-old Thomas Watt Hamilton entered the grounds of Dunblane Primary School. He had, the night before, cut the telephone lines of adjacent houses but had failed to cut the schools line. Hamilton had been blacklisted by the British Scouting Association, following numerous complaints about his inappropriate behaviour around children. Hamilton had complained in letters to Queen Elizabeth and to his local MP that rumours about him had caused his shop to fail in 1993. Around 9.35am, Hamilton walked into the school, carrying four legally-held handguns, and 743 cartridges of ammunition. Almost quarter of a century later, details of what people in Dunblane call the school incident remain deeply distressing, and dont need to be repeated here. Suffice to say that when Hamilton had completed his attack, 16 children, aged between five and six, were dead, as was one of their teachers. A further 15 were left seriously injured. Hamilton then took his own life. As the Catholic chaplain of the non-denominational school, Basil OSullivan was one of the first people on the scene in Dunblane. In a new Netflix documentary, Lessons from a School Shooting: Notes from Dunblane, he is shown in 1996 footage trying to make sense of what had happened. Monsignor OSullivan meets Monsignor Weiss Now, Monsignor OSullivan reflects on the Snowdrop campaign, which resulted eventually in Britain passing some of the strictest gun laws in the world. The parents of Dunblane wouldnt take no for an answer. What really added insult to injury was that their children were murdered with lawfully-held guns. Hamilton had four guns, and over 700 rounds of ammunition, and he did nothing illegal until he started shooting. The parents of Dunblane were insistent this had to change. They lobbied John Majors government, and then Tony Blairs government, until they achieved their goal. Sixteen years after the Dunblane massacre, on the morning of Friday, December 14, 2012, around 9.35am, 20-year-old Adam Lanza who had earlier that morning murdered his mother entered the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, carrying a semi-automatic assault rifle, two handguns, and 10 magazines of 30 rounds each. When Lanza had completed his attack, 20 children, aged between six and seven, were dead, as were six adult staff members. Two more people were seriously injured. Lanza then took his own life. The parallels are striking, but the contrast with Dunblane is upsetting. Fifteen injured people survived Dunblane. Only two survived their injuries in Sandy Hook. The weapons Lanza used were even deadlier than those used by Hamilton. In the film, Monsignor Bob Weiss, pastor of Saint Rosa of Lima in Newtown, is shown in the throes of post-traumatic stress, as he tries to be a priest in the face of monstrous evil. At Mass the Sunday after Sandy Hook, Monsignor OSullivan prayed in Dunblane for the people of Newton. Afterward, one of his parishioners, Pam Ross, came into the sacristy in tears. Pam had lost a beautiful little girl, Joanna, at the shooting in Dunblane all those years ago, and she said we should get in contact with the priest. Going online, Monsignor OSullivan found Monsignor Weisss contact details and emailed him a few hours before Weiss would be saying Mass. Notes of support I knew what it would be like, because he would be devastated by the evil, and his congregation would be too, and I was hoping he would get my message before he would go out to Mass. We sent out our love and our prayers to him and his congregation. To my surprise, he answered me there and then. I knew hed be traumatised, but he still answered me. Their correspondence culminated in Monsignor OSullivans visiting Newtown for the first anniversary of Sandy Hook. A film-maker got to hear about it, Kim Snyder, in New York. She was very interested in Dunblane, and somehow she heard about my letter. She came to Dunblane, and she interviewed a few people here, including me, and she saw the connection between the two communities, the Holy Family parish church in Dunblane, and Saint Rosa of Lima in Newtown. And thats how the film came about. All I did was write a letter! says Monsignor OSullivan, with a gentle laugh. It was obviously a very important letter, I suggest, and it arrived to Monsignor Weiss precisely when it was most desperately needed. He was very devastated, the poor man, as I knew he would be, because we were devastated too. It gets to your heart. I mean, I was bereaved when I lost my parents, but I wasnt affected as I was affected by the shootings in the school. We were all traumatised. The whole community was. Its not easy to get rid of that. Monsignor Basil OSullivan was born in Fishguard an accident of birth, he says to an Irish mother and father, and grew up in Blackpool in Cork, the youngest of nine children. Of his parents, and siblings, he says wistfully: Theyre all in Heaven now. The much-loved uncle of many nieces and nephews here, he visits Cork every year, and when home he says daily Mass in Blackpool church. Two years after his diamond jubilee as a priest, he still works full-time, running two parishes in Dunblane and Auchterarder. Monsignor Bob Weiss in a still from the film Only 23 minutes in length, Notes from Dunblane is a very moving documentary. If it has a fault, it is too short. In its opening minutes, we see a distressed Barack Obama steeling himself before addressing the White House press corps. The film might have benefitted from the space to examine in greater depth the disparity between UK gun politics and those of the US; and contrast in greater detail the success of the Dunblane families in achieving meaningful gun control laws and the sad truth that the US has had over 1,600 mass shootings since Sandy Hook, and, as the documentary notes, in the US, 19 children are shot every single day. At its heart, the film tells a gentle and terribly moving story of two kind men struggling against unimaginable grief, even as they try to help others. The documentarys focal point is the correspondence between Basil OSullivan and Bob Weiss, initiated in the immediate aftermath of the Sandy Hook attack. Kindness came to Monsignor Weiss at exactly the moment he needed it most, in the depths of Newtowns darkest days. Pam Ross, who had 16 years earlier lost her beloved five-year-old daughter, Joanna, in Dunblane, came to Monsignor OSullivans sacristy and insisted he contact Monsignor Weiss. Sometimes, even in the midst of despair, it is possible to believe in the existence of angels. Lessons from a School Shooting: Notes from Dunblane is on Netflix now. By Alex Green RIDING high after finishing their fourth album and halfway through recording their fifth, Mumford & Sons are at a crossroads. Looking back, the folk rockers recognise a time they were restricted by the music that made them famous. Looking forward, they see a 60-date world tour that takes in Ireland, and a new-found creative freedom. Recorded with super producer and mad genius Paul Epworth (Adele, Rihanna, Florence And The Machine) in Londons Church Studios, new album Delta sees the group settle into their new identity as post-Americana troubadours. After two albums of banjo-forward rabble-rousing songs and one of unobjectionable indie rock, the groups latest effort sees them embrace a wider range of sounds. Their most recent effort was influenced by the idea of self-serving modern love, the power of nature and, most poignantly, the spectre of death. Ive felt much closer to death over the last couple of years, band leader Marcus Mumford says. Partly personally, my family, but also with some trips with the charity War Child, who I am an ambassador for. After returning from a trip to Mosul in Iraq, Mumford looked out the window of his west London home to see Grenfell Tower burning. Like most of the community who live in that part of the city, I went down and stayed involved. Thats really, properly changed my life, he declares. Ive been listening lots and Im starting to do a bit more. Its been very affecting. Since then, Mumford has remained involved, helping the survivors of the fire that claimed 72 lives. Delta was also influenced by the birth of Mumfords second child with his wife, actress Carey Mulligan. The stakes get higher. I think it probably expands your capacity for empathy, he says of his childs birth last year. Especially seeing other peoples children in really hard situations. But I think being away from family is something you have to do when you work. Three years ago, Mumford & Sons released Wilder Mind, where they eschewed the folk sound to which they owe their success. Instead, they recorded an album of what many critics considered mild-mannered indie rock. The reception was lukewarm and sometimes scathing, and Wilder Mind sold only 500,000 copies - one million less than their charts-slaying debut Sigh No More. But on Delta the band have dusted off the banjos, the source of their success and also ridicule by parts of the press. Now, they are using the instrument in subtler ways. Delta is a complex, multi-layered affair that could only have been made in the wake of Wilder Mind. But the group have no regrets, denying that their third record even divided their fan base. Mumford suggests it was only the press who had been surprised by their change of direction. The more we played it, the more people have understood it. I think you are always a couple of years ahead of your audience, he maintains. Mumford & Sons play 3Arena, Dublin, on Friday, November 16 By Tommy Barker One of Cork citys longest established suburban bars, the Rendezvous, has changed hands, for close to 1.5 million. Making over its initial asking price of 1.25m, the bar and food facility in the western suburbs, near CUH, CIT and UCC, was expected to face contrasting bidding from developers and publicans, with its future use in the balance. In the heel of the hunt, it is to continue as a bar, also doing food. The new owner is identified as Joe OSullivan, with previous pub/club experience, and it is understood that he bought after seeing off bids from three or four other parties, before going to best bids with agent James ODonovan of Savills, Cork. The Rendezvous last changed hands back in 1999, when bought by the ODonovan family whod owned the Darby Arms and the Westpark Hotel in Ballincollig. It was being run by a second generation of the family when it shut, unexpectedly just two weeks after last Christmas, with the loss of 30 jobs. On a 0.4 acre site, well-kept and stretching over 6,750 sq ft, the two-storey premises is on the Model Farm Road, long regarded as one of Corks finest addresses, and well located at the city end on the junction with Farranlea Road, noted Savills when putting it for sale. A number of new housing developments are in train, and in the pipeline, further out the Model Farm Road, between Dennehys Cross and the Poulavone Roundabout at Ballincollig. Proximity The proximity of UCC and CIT, and burgeoning student accommodation demand, raised prospects of demolition and redevelopment of the primely-set property, with medical facilities also touted as a possibility given the ease of access to the ever-expanding CUH campus via Highfield, but now its reopening as a bar once more under its new ownership. Its one of the strongest bar sales in the greater Cork area in some time. Last year, an equivalent, the Briar Rose in Douglas, sold for a sub-1m sum via Barry Auctioneers, and a year before, the purpose-built Traceys in Ballincollig sold to a consortium, for over 2m, via Behan Irwin Gosling (BIG). Meanwhile, due now for sale by public auction is the former Clancys Bar, in Cork city centre, spanning 12,000 sq ft and stretching between Marlboro Street and Princes Street. Long-time owner Colin Ross recently secured planning for conversion to a 27-bedroom niche aparthotel with facilities. Set for sale by auction November 29, via Behan Irwin Gosling, and with a 200-year hospitality tradition, Clancys has a 2.25m guide. Ironically, it was previously owned by the OSullivan family, and the entrepreneurial Dan OSullivan sold Clancys in the late 1990s to develop the Maryborough House Hotel, near Douglas. Coincidentally, the OSullivans also owned the western suburban Rendezvous for a period. In Dublin, the former Foxhunter pub site, of over three acres by the N4 between Palmerstown and Lucan, has come for sale, guiding 3m, via Savills Dublin. It sold at market peak in 2007 for 17m to a consortium, and the bar closed in 2012. The site later sold via a receiver in 2014 to the Avoca group whod planned an outlet there. But Avocas plans were dropped by 2015. It has speculative potential in the longer term, and had previous planning for housing. Savills say it will suit retailing/forecourt/food and beverage, motor sales etc. Details: Savills, 021-4271371, BIG 021-4270007 It is easy to forget there are real people behind the homeless statistics. In an attempt to put that right journalist Rebecca Stiffe took to the streets to gain an insight into the real stories behind the people who are presently living on the streets of Ireland. THE LUAS rolls by, its windows fogged up from the swarm of people inside. Hands are shoved in pockets, coats are zipped up and high street shopping bags litter the floor. The jingle of collection buckets blends with the traffic and the music filtering out from the stores either side of the Spire. Eighteen year old Louise (not her real name) waits for her friends on Henry Street, her tent and belongings packed tight next to her. She had been homeless for three years, having dropped out of school after her Junior Certificate and turning to a life of drugs. Im clean for the last year now, she beams. Its very hard for a girl. Youd think being so young, youd get something quicker but you dont get anything any quicker than anybody else. Its just the way life is up in Dublin. Because Louise moved from the Midlands, she cant get on the Dublin Housing Waiting List. Though she believes by being in the capital city, she at least has a chance at survival. You see the real reality of the world, you dont see the things hiding behind it. Its a horrible life to live but all you can do is keep going. Keep strong, dont let anyone out you down, thats what I say. Some people just dont like seeing homeless people. They think, oh, its all excuses with them or whatever when the majority of people are genuinely homeless not from drink or drugs, but they get wrapped into that because its all over the place. You walk down a back alley, all you see is needles. Each night, Louise and her boyfriend along with some friends sleep outside of the Garda station in case anything happens to them. She doesnt feel safe in the hostels because of her age and gender but insists that there are genuine people who look out for her in them. In Merchants Quay, you have a mat on the floor and no blanket, she says. No pillow. Then in some hostels, youre up at 06:45am and out by 07:30am. So youre up, youre walking the streets everyday and when the Guards see you, they tell you to move off the streets when you have nowhere to go. Like many teenagers her age, Louise fought with her parents growing up, regularly sneaking out only to return days later. She expresses regret at how things turned out and a desire to go back in time. If I could go back, it would be so different, she says. Id probably be driving an Audi now! No. You make stupid mistakes and when youre that age you always fight with your parents. And I did. I was really bold. But I dont look for sympathy off anybody. I kind of made this life for myself so Im going to have to deal with it now and keep going. Its all I can do now. Louise smiles as her friends and boyfriend arrive. They gather their things and head towards Phoenix Park. Minus the bags of belongings and tents, they would appear like any other group of young people. Eugene Eugene (not his real name) sits in front of the Bank of Ireland on OConnell Street, Limerick, meticulously working on his paintings he hopes he might sell to a passer-by. One in particular is of a Limerick crest on a green background. It isnt finished, he says. I have to keep going over it until Im happy with it. Prior to becoming homeless, he had done exhibitions for a number of charities including childrens hospitals. Two years ago he had exhibited his art in aid of a homeless charity, but just a couple of months later he found himself in a similar situation as those he was hoping to benefit. Some people dont see, it can happen to anybody, being homeless. Out of the blue. Some people cant pay mortgages these days, its happening everywhere. You see people out in the country losing their houses, with no work there. Their houses are gone after years of work, penniless. Eugenes family know about his situation, but he doesnt want to ask them for help or use their homes. I dont hassle them, he says. I wouldnt be able to. Its not the same. My mother isnt well. Shes sick, so bad enough. She doesnt need more worries. He rinses his paintbrush in a small plastic cup and continues tracing the outline of the Limerick crest. Maksim On the corner of Arthurs Quay, Maksims (not his real name) focus is on his dog. Originally from Estonia, he was a well-respected pastry chef before moving to Ireland. Now, he reveals how he makes himself black out when he cant switch off his mind. Even now, its lovely weather, but inside I dont know, Im feeling disturbed. But I have the dog now nearly two years, he says. Great company. Thats me not alone anymore. The dog belonged to a homeless friend of Maksims who passed away. Due the regulations with hostels and homeless accommodation services, he chooses to sleep on the streets rather than leave his dog. But he says its not an issue. Some rooms, some hostels, they have people with addiction, people with an alcohol problem, so theres no point. I cant complain, Im very glad. Maybe some person has a more worse situation than me. No point in to cry, or whatever. I just have to try cope with myself now. Nothing is easy, just dont give up. Tomorrow is another day, who knows? Yesterdays history, tomorrows mystery! That means I have only today. Enjoy every moment. Maksims words are full of hope and linger in the cold air as he half sighs, but theres a solemnness to his tone. He catches the eye of a few pedestrians and offers a nod and a smile, but it goes unnoticed. Its not long before his smile wavers and his gaze drops. Rebecca Stiffe is a freelance journalist with a BA in Journalism and New Media at the University of Limerick. She has worked in the past with the Connacht Tribune, TV3 and RTE. Ireland and the rest of the EU are in the position of spectators to a colossal act of national self-harm in the UK, says Michael Burleigh. LONDON On Brexit day March 29, 2019 the HMS Buccaneer Britannia will set sail in search of the riches of the Anglosphere. But there is a hitch: Someone has forgotten to raise the anchor, which remains planted firmly in Ireland. This isnt surprising. Of all the Euroskeptic Conservative politicians I know, not one has ever mentioned Northern Ireland, let alone the sovereign country to the south of it. The only thing on the Brexiteers minds is the quest for parliamentary sovereignty and liberation from the supranational superstate in Brussels. This blinkered view may simply reflect ignorance. Even an erstwhile Remainer like Karen Bradley, the current Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, recently confessed that, [] when I started this job, I didnt understand some of the deep-seated and deep-rooted issues that there are in Northern Ireland. In other words, until very recently, she has been incurious about one of the central issues of nineteenth- and twentieth-century British history. Karen Bradley Conservative politicians who find themselves in such a position would do well to know that conflicts over the Irish question have resulted in more than 3,600 violent deaths. They might also benefit from knowing that successive Conservative prime ministers, from Edward Heath to Margaret Thatcher to John Major, struggled and failed to resolve the issue before it was put to rest by the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. In addition to military decommissioning, the Good Friday Agreement brought together antagonistic communities by mandating smooth trade between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, under the aegis of the EU customs union. The fact that 55.8% of Northern Irish voters backed Remain in the 2016 referendum partly reflects this astonishing achievement. Anyone with an ounce of foresight should have known that the status of Northern Ireland would become a stubborn conundrum at the center of the Brexit negotiations. In fact, the problem is so intractable that conspiracy-minded Brexiteers now suspect EU negotiators of using it to delay or stymie Buccaneer Britannias glorious departure. Ironically, many in the EU also think that a plot is afoot. The EU has long insisted that a legally binding divorce settlement must be concluded before there can be any discussion of future UK-EU relations. But now Britain is suspected of exploiting the Irish question to insinuate a detailed political declaration about future relations into the formal exit agreement. The key problem is the so-called Irish backstop, which would prevent the establishment of a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in the absence of a wider deal on the future of UK-EU relations. In December 2017, all parties concurred that such a backstop was necessary to preserve the peace under the Good Friday Agreement. But there has been disagreement over the translation of this into legally binding language. Failing an agreement, the territory of Northern Ireland would be part of the customs territory of the European Union. For its part, the UK government insisted that it can address the border issue by remaining in close alignment with EU customs rules and deploying customs-monitoring technologies that have yet to be invented which is to say, by magic. Yet the Irish government has insisted that every detail of the backstop be nailed down and included in the legally binding withdrawal treaty. But this preliminary agreement immediately posed a problem for May, whose majority in the House of Commons depends on ten Democratic Unionist MPs from Northern Ireland. And, because her own party and the cabinet are divided on the kind of Brexit they want, Ireland and the rest of the EU are in the position of spectators to a colossal act of national self-harm. If the province were to remain in the EUs customs and regulatory orbit, there would have to be a border in the Irish Sea. That would jeopardize not just the workings of the UKs internal customs union, but also the constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Worse, the fudging language invited a we, too riposte from Scottish nationalists, who rightly argued that if special arrangements were going to be made for Northern Irelands Remain majority, then the Scots, who also voted to remain, should be offered a similar deal. Failing that, they would demand a rerun of the 2014 Scottish independence referendum. This time, however, Scottish nationalists would not have to worry about the Unionist argument that independence implies a de facto withdrawal from the EU. The EU rejected British offers to remain temporarily in the customs union after Brexit, because that would allow the UK to enjoy the benefits of tariff-free trade without having to permit the free movement of EU citizens. On this occasion, the EU once again suspected the UK of using Northern Ireland as a Trojan horse to gain an unfair advantage, and the Brexiteers accused May of capitulating to the extortionist gangsters in Brussels. Mays Brexit secretary, David Davis, immediately resigned, and he was soon followed out the door by then-Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson (who needed a moment to consider his own prospects of replacing May). Negotiators have since been exploring the surreal idea of a backstop to the backstop in the event that the first backstop ends up being time-limited instead of all-weather, to use their deadly jargon. Emphasis has now shifted to how the entire UK can remain in the customs union, with the proviso that one day it might be able to escape. But the basic point remains: Predominantly English Brexiteers have given no serious thought to the Irish question, nor even to the likelihood that crashing out of the EU might take the UK back to the dark ages. Many of them would rather lose Northern Ireland and Scotland than forgo Brexit. Instead, they have been busy constructing a fanciful world of limitless possibility, based on a national mythology featuring Sir Francis Drake, Sir Walter Raleigh, the British Raj, and standing alone in 1940. Psychologically, some of them seem to be reliving an imaginary war with our closest neighbors and trading partners. Most sensible people live in the present. And wherever one looks, from Trumps trade wars to Russia and Moldova vowing to block Britains post-Brexit accession to the World Trade Organization, reality is ineluctably crushing Brexiteers fantasies of English importance. Michael Burleigh, CEO of the global political risk consultancy Sea Change Partners, is a historian and author. His books include Small Wars, Faraway Places: The Genesis of the Modern World, Blood and Rage: A Cultural History of Terrorism, The Third Reich: A New History, and The Best of Times, the Worst of Times: A History of Now. Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2018. www.project-syndicate.org The centenary of the end of World War I comes as the UK is seeking to finalise the terms of its exit from the European Union. There is a strong historical resonance between both events. The issue of Irelands relationship with the UK, the nature of the Irish border, and the exertion of Ulster unionists in Westminster are as central to British politics today as they were in 1918, writes Marie Coleman The final details of the UKs divorce from Europe are complicated by the Irish border. And the origins of that border lie in a previous secession from a wider political union that of the independent Irish state from the United Kingdom in 1921. The process which led to the partition of Ireland and Irish independence owed much to political and military developments within the United Kingdom as a direct result of the end of the Great War. When the war ended in 1918, the British government had to resolve the issue of devolved government for all or part of Ireland. Legislation to do this had been passed in September 1914 but was sidelined at the outbreak of war. By November 1918, it was not simply a question of seeking to implement the suspended legislation. Public opinion in nationalist southern Ireland had changed during the war. Resentment at the suppression of the 1916 Easter Rising and the abortive effort to introduce conscription in Ireland earlier in 1918 had radicalised Irish nationalist opinion. The limited offer of devolution that had been acceptable in 1914 was no longer adequate to satisfy Irish demands for greater self-determination. That was especially true in a post-war context, in which new nation states were emerging from the ruins of European empires. The post-war general election in the UK, held in December 1918, revealed the extent to which Irish political opinion had changed. The pro home-rule Irish Parliamentary Party (IPP), which had held the majority of Irish seats at Westminster in the preceding 1910 general election, was reduced to holding just six of the 105 Irish seats in parliament. Sinn Fein, meanwhile, took 73 of the Irish seats, interpreting the result as a mandate to establish a republic by withdrawing from Westminster and founding an alternative constituent assembly in Ireland. This was achieved the following year with the inaugural sitting of the Dail Eireann. The establishment of an alternative administration in Ireland between 1919 and 1921 coincided with the Irish Republican Armys (IRA) guerrilla campaign for independence. But Ulster unionists also did well in the 1918 election, taking 23 of the 30 seats contested in what would become Northern Ireland. The election outcome was significant for the Irish settlement that would emerge in 1921. Liberal leader David Lloyd George was returned as prime minister but his coalition government was dominated by the Conservative Party, which would ensure that the best interests of Ulster unionists were protected. As a result, when Ireland was partitioned, the six (of nine) Ulster counties that comprised Northern Ireland were selected to protect the unionist majority. Skillful exploitation of political allies in Westminster ensured that unionists achieved the deal that they felt offered the best protection of their status within the UK. The border distanced them further from disloyal southern nationalists. Many unionist Brexit supporters also saw the 2016 referendum as an opportunity to reinforce that distance. End of empire Events in Ireland are not adequately recognised when we talk about how the war affected the United Kingdom. The defeated powers saw their empires broken but the UK did not emerge territorially intact either. The political entity that entered the war in 1914 would emerge in 1921 minus over one-fifth of its landmass. The UK that had been created in 1801 (when Ireland was added) had begun to break up. Whats more, the Irish served as an example to other colonial nationalists seeking independence, especially in India. In this sense, the war can be seen as marking the beginning of the end of the empire not a strengthening of it. An Irish partitionist settlement that evolved in 1921, as a consequence of the wars end, and which was later replicated with equally problematic consequences in India in 1947, continues to cause geo-political and economic problems for Anglo-Irish and wider European relations, as evidenced by the current impasse over Brexit. The nature of Irish partition was the result of unionists capitalising on their political influence at Westminster to ensure the most favourable delineation of the boundaries of Northern Ireland. A century later, their political descendants are exerting similar influence to ensure the continuation and strengthening of that border. This article was written by Marie Coleman of Queen's University Belfast and was originally published on The Conversation Read the original article here. We are families of children with disabilities, or people living with a disability, and we are asking Simon Harris to amend the abortion bill to ensure that abortion on disability grounds is outlawed in Ireland. Otherwise, our communities will be wiped out by the same abortion rates that have led to 98% of babies diagnosed with Down syndrome being aborted in Denmark. We are asking that the bill be amended by adding this head to the current proposal: A procedure to terminate a pregnancy shall be unlawful if carried out solely on the ground that the foetus is diagnosed as having or is apprehended as having a disability. In Britain, 90% of babies diagnosed with Down syndrome are aborted before birth. Speaking at the Citizens Assembly, Peter McParland of the National Maternity Hospital observed that not one baby with Down syndrome had been born in Iceland over a four-year period. They had all been aborted. In Germany, the law does not specify that abortion can be carried out on the grounds of a disability, but, just as in the current proposal, neither is it outlawed. More than 90% of babies diagnosed with Down syndrome in Germany are aborted on grounds of a threat to the mental health of the woman, and a similar clause is also included in the Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy Bill. This trend is not confined to babies diagnosed with Down syndrome. Three studies examining abortion after a prognosis of spina bifida showed that between 66% and 78% of babies were aborted across Europe, while studies also suggest that 47% of babies diagnosed with congenital heart disease have their lives ended by abortion. Surely, as a compassionate, progressive nation, these heart-breaking outcomes should give us pause. We have yet to hear one valid reason as to why the amendment we propose should not be included. The eradication of people with disabilities may not be a stated objective of the abortion bill, but if Simon Harris does not act, this will be its assured outcome. Vicky Wallon behalf of the 101 parents and families for Disability Voices for Life Yoma already operates KFC fried chicken outlets in Myanmar. KFC first opened in Yangon in 2015, marking the first foray of a U.S. fast-food chain into the country. KFC now has 26 shops across Myanmar. We are seeing considerable growth in the market for freshly baked goods. While many street vendors do offer traditional Myanmar alternatives, the addition of an iconic international brand will only enrich the local foodscape, Yoma Strategic CEO Melvyn Pun said in the joint release. Founded in 1988, Auntie Annes has more than 1,800 outlets in 30 countries and has established a strong presence in Asia, gaining popularity in markets such as Singapore, Japan, Thailand, China, South Korea, the Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia and Malaysia. In a joint release, the companies said Myanmars first branch of the worlds largest hand-rolled soft pretzel franchise is scheduled to open in Yangon in the coming months, with more outlets to be rolled out over the next five years. Local partner Yoma Strategic and Auntie Annes parent company, Focus Brands Inc., on Wednesday announced the signing of a franchise agreement to bring the chain to Myanmar. YANGONMyanmars first outlet of Auntie Annes, the U.S. chain of pretzel shops, will open in Yangon next year. Food US Pretzel Chain Auntie Annes to Open in Yangon Next Year Bangladesh PM to Have Unprecedented Talks with Opposition Before Poll Prisons Are Not for Journalists, Farmers and Activists For New Album, Punk Band No U Turn Grows Up NLD Used RCSS Leaders Face on Campaign Material Without Permission, Group Says Military Frees Last of Baptist Group Members in Kachin, NGO Says Facebook Says Human Rights Report Shows It Should Do More in Myanmar China Says Ready for US Talks, Sees No Winners in Trade War Indonesia Jet Had Damaged Airspeed Indicator on Last Four Flights: Official Ten Things to do in Yangon This Week Officials Still Using Telecom Law to Silence Critics Despite Amendments Too Soon to Send Rohingya Back to Myanmar: UN Rights Envoy Cambodia to Boost Clean Energy Use But Coal Plants Planned Too Thai Junta Says No Need for Foreign Observers at Next Year's Election US Pretzel Chain Auntie Annes to Open in Yangon Next Year We do not encourage viewing this site in this width. Please increase the size of your window. Asia Cambodia's Hun Sen Eases Pressure on Unions, as EU Sanctions Threat Looms Garment workers attend a rally with Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen in Kandal province, Cambodia, July 4, 2018. / Reuters PHNOM PENH Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen told his ministers to ease pressure on labor union leaders on Wednesday, after threats by the European Union to remove the Southeast Asian countrys duty-free trading access. The EU began a formal procedure last month to strip Cambodia of its Everything but Arms (EBA) initiative, following a July general election that returned Hun Sen to power after 33 years in office and gave his party all parliamentary seats. In a speech to 20,000 factory workers on Wednesday, Hun Sen urged his ministries of justice and labor to speed up or drop any pending court cases against union leaders. Cases that should be handled, handle them quickly. Cases that are not being handled, drop them, finish them, so that those union leaders dont feel like hostages, Hun Sen said. This will open up some freedom space for the unions, he said. Lets make reconciliation and understanding of each other a priority. Hun Sen did not refer to the EU threat to remove trade preferences. The worlds largest trading bloc has launched a six-month review of Cambodias duty-free access, meaning its garments, sugar and other exports could face tariffs within 12 months, under EU rules. Representatives from major apparel and footwear companies, including Adidas, New Balance, Nike, Puma, Under Armour, and VF Corporation, met Cambodian government ministers on Oct. 19. The companies urged the government to drop what are widely seen as politically motivated criminal charges against trade unionists. The prime minister has made a step towards honoring human rights obligations under the EBA agreement with the EU while wooing workers support for his rule, said political analyst Lao Mong Hay said. The repercussions of any EU sanctions on Cambodian garments could devastate an export industry, which accounts for about 40 percent of the countrys gross domestic product (GDP). Ath Thon, the president of the Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers Democratic Union, who has 7 pending lawsuits against him and another 50 against his colleagues over labor strikes, said he welcomed Hun Sens comments. Lets wait and see how they will resolve this, Ath Thon told Reuters. It could be that, firstly, the election is over and the situation is better so they want to solve problems and, secondly, that they want to respond to what development partners want. Asia Golden Triangle's Drug Production Expands, Diversifies Amid Opioid Concerns Police in Myanmar's Tamu District show a test kit used to identify pseudoephedrine in Myanmar's Chin State, near the border with India, where huge quantities of Indian-made pseudoephedrine, the main ingredient for the highly addictive drug methamphetamine, or "meth," is smuggled over the border into Myanmar, on May 11, 2016. / Reuters JAKARTA Organized crime groups are expanding and diversifying drug production in Southeast Asias Golden Triangle amid fears the region could emerge as a hub for synthetic opioids like fentanyl, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Asia Pacific counter-narcotics police met in Myanmars capital, Naypyitaw, on Wednesday to negotiate a new strategy to strangle the supply of chemicals used in synthetic drug production. The Golden Triangle, centered on Myanmars conflict-ridden north, has exported illicit drugs to the world for decades. While opium cultivation and heroin trafficking has slumped in recent years, synthetic drug manufacturing especially methamphetamine has soared. UNODC regional representative Jeremy Douglas said the boom was like nothing we have ever seen before, and it has required a matching surge in precursor chemicals. Seizures of methamphetamine sourced from the region have leapt since 2016, with consignments of the highly addictive drug intercepted in South Korea and New Zealand and most countries in between. The price of methamphetamine both in crystal and pill form has fallen in many countries according to UNODC data, indicating that large amounts of synthetic drugs are still hitting the streets undetected by law enforcers. While we are a significant source of illicit drugs, we are not a source of the chemicals, said Myanmar Vice Minister of Home Affairs Major General Aung Thu in a press release. The flow of precursor chemicals to northern Myanmar has continued mostly unimpeded. Precursors come mostly from neighboring China, although significant volumes of chemicals and cutting agents from India, Pakistan, Vietnam and Thailand have also been detected in Myanmar. Synthetic opioids fear Drug gangs are also starting to produce ketamine in Myanmars north, a party drug that requires different technical expertise to produce than methamphetamine, said Douglas. We have seen drug syndicates in the Golden Triangle scale up methamphetamine and add ketamine to their repertoire. There is increasing concern amongst officials here that they will soon go into manufacturing synthetic opioids, Douglas told Reuters. Given their sophistication, we think it is only a matter of time they do it. They are ruthless and the region has the conditions necessary for production and pre-existing market demand to capitalize on, he told Reuters. China, along with Mexico, is the major supplier of extremely potent opioids to North America, according to the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The DEA said in a report last week the country was gripped by an ongoing fentanyl epidemic. There were more than 63,000 drug overdoses in the United States in 2016, a record high. Drug poisoning deaths are the leading cause of injury death in the United States and synthetic opioids are the most lethal contributor, the DEA report said. China, which shares a border with northern Myanmar, has begun to crack down on illicit opioid production. It follows a largely successful campaign to clear out methamphetamine labs in southern China in 2013 and 2014. Myanmars surge in methamphetamine production followed the China crackdown. Opioids have yet to have much impact on the Asia Pacific drug market, although fentanyl has been imported into Australia recently, Douglas said. Law enforcement agencies from China, India, Southeast Asia, the US, Canada and Australia are attending the Naypyitaw conference. Burma EU Commits $13.7M to Expand Peace Program In Kachin, Shan States Nyein Foundation Executive Director Ja Nan Lahtaw speaks at the launch of the second phase of the Durable Peace Program in Myitkyina, Kachin State, on Wednesday. / Nyein Foundation / Facebook CHIANG MAI, Thailand The European Union has committed 12 million euros ($13.7 million) to fund the second phase of its Durable Peace Program in Kachin State and expand it into northern Shan State through to February 2022. The Durable Peace Program was launched in February 2015 to promote peace and development in Kachin with 7 million euros from the EU for seven local and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) helping families in the state displaced by the countrys civil war. Contacted by email on Thursday, EU Ambassador Kristian Schmidt said the need for peace was particularly urgent for the ethnic Kachin community, which has been caught up in renewed fighting between the Myanmar military and Kachin Independence Army since 2011. Since then, more than 105,000 people have been displaced by the fighting in both Kachin and Shan states and taken shelter in 170 camps, according to figures the UN released in September. The NGOs involved in the program have been teaching the camp managers how to run the facilities and foster peace and providing internally displaced people (IDPs) with a host of services, from vocational training to trauma counseling and legal aid. Nang Raw Zahkung, director of policy and strategy at the Nyein Foundation, said the program has helped her group continue its work and even expand some of its services, namely trauma counseling. We have been working closely with the IDP communities in the camps, and starting this year we will work closely with both the IDPs and their host communities, like the churches, where many of the families are sheltering, she told The Irrawaddy. Some of the IDPs who have received training are now even helping the program as volunteers and staff, one of the highlights of their work, Nang Raw Zahkung said. With the EUs continued support, she added, the NGOs can also expand their services for IDPs into northern Shan, where until now they have been shouldering much of the burden on their own. And of the new 12 million euros, a quarter will be granted to 25 local organizations to promote womens empowerment and dialogue between the areas many ethnic and religious communities. Schmidt said the program has done a great job in raising awareness among displaced communities on their stake in the peace process. The program also gave these people opportunities for a better livelihood. This is crucial without the opportunity to make a living, displaced communities will lose their dignity and hopes for a better future. At the launch of the programs second phase on Wednesday in Myitkyina, the Kachin capital, the ambassador said the first phase had reached 85,000 people in 18 townships across the state. With Kachin State Chief Minister U Hket Aung in attendance, he urged authorities to remove any unnecessary and unjustified restrictions on access for humanitarian and development assistance. Military restrictions have prevented aid groups from reaching some of the war-torn areas of Kachin and Shan for the past few years. Civilians, women and children cannot become the main victims of this conflict. Nor is this a way to obtain a ceasefire agreement and peace eventually, Schmidt said. The EU has committed a total 688 million euros ($786.3 million) to support peace and development in Myanmar between 2014 and 2020. Burma Govt Inks Agreement with Chinese Firm to Develop Kyaukphyu SEZ The framework signing ceremony for the Kyaukphyu SEZ is held in Naypyitaw on Nov. 8, 2018. / Htet Naing Zaw / The Irrawaddy YANGONAfter many rounds of negotiations, the Myanmar government and a Chinese company have inked a framework agreement for the development of a special economic zone (SEZ) in Rakhine State. The project will offer China access to the Bay of Bengal while enhancing its regional connectivity as part of Beijings Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Thanks to its strategic location between three economically vibrant and dynamic marketsChina, India and ASEANthe Kyaukphyu SEZ is uniquely positioned to serve as a trade corridor connecting the three economies. Identifying the SEZ project, which includes a deep seaport, as a part of the BRI, Commerce Minister U Than Myint said the signing of the agreement between the Kyaukphyu SEZ Management Committee and the China International Trust and Investment Corporation (CITIC) was an initial success. According to the initial master plan, the Kyaukphyu SEZ will cover a total of 520 hectares20 for the port, 100 for housing and 400 for an industrial park. Some 50 percent of the land is allocated to fisheries, 30 percent to garment factories and the rest to other small enterprises. We are ready to proceed on many fronts. For those, we will have to negotiate for the good of both parties. I hope those negotiations will happen, the minister said at the signing ceremony in Naypyitaw on Thursday. Since the 2015 elections that swept the National League for Democracy (NLD) to power, the government has been negotiating with the China International Trust and Investment Corporation (CITIC) to raise Myanmars stake in the Kyaukphyu SEZ in Rakhine State. CITIC struck a shareholders agreement with the previous government under President Thein Sein just before the 2015 election. It gave the Chinese developer an 85 percent stake in the project and Myanmar the rest. Critics of the project raised concerns that the deal could land Myanmar in a debt trap with China. After negotiations under the NLD government, China agreed that Myanmar would hold 30 percent of the shares. The initial agreement called for a project worth US$9 billion or $10 billion, but current SEZ chairman Deputy Planning and Finance Minister U Set Aung earlier told The Irrawaddy that the two sides had since agreed that the project would start out on a small or medium-sized scale. CITIC chairman Chang Zhenming said the framework agreement reflected the Myanmar governments wish to promote economic and social development in Kyaukphyu and attract foreign investment. This framework agreement is a major step for the SEZ and the deep seaport. Its historic, he said. According to the framework agreement, Chang Zhenming said, a joint Myanmar-Chinese consortium will have concession rights to operate the port. He added that the first phase of the project would be carried out after environmental and social impact assessments are conducted. Phase 1 will involve the construction of two jetties with a total investment of not more than $1.3 billion. The term of the project was initially agreed at 50 years. Once the seaport and SEZ are in operation, they are expected to provide 100,000 jobs for local people. The government will earn $7.8 billion in revenue from the SEZ and $6.5 billion from deep seaport, according to CITIC. Burma Military Chief Asks Visiting Chinese Diplomat for Continued Support Song Tao and Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing during their meeting on Nov. 7 in Naypyitaw. / Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing website YANGONMyanmars military chief told a visiting senior Chinese official that he hoped China would further promote its stand on political reforms in Myanmar and foster good relations between political forces, the public and ethnic groups in the country. Song Tao, the head of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, has been visiting Myanmar since Tuesday at the invitation of State Counselors Office Minister U Kyaw Tint Swe. During his stay in Naypyitaw, the Chinese official met with State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, military chief Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing and the chairman of the countrys main opposition Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), U Than Htay. Song Taos trip to Myanmar is his third since 2016. During his first trip, he held talks with several key leaders including former military supreme leader Senior-General Than Shwe, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, former President U Thein Sein, National League for Democracy (NLD) spokesperson U Win Htein and representatives of the USDP, according to the official statement from the Chinese Embassy at the time. In his meeting with the Myanmar military leader, the Chinese official said the political role of Myanmars military (or Tatmadaw) was important for stability and development. The Communist Party of China emphasizes relations with the Myanmar Tatmadaw, he said, according to the military-run Myawady Daily. During the meeting, the senior general called on China to provide assistance necessary for Myanmars development, the paper added. China has played an active role in Myanmars politics and economy. When Western nations, including the U.S. and those in the European Union, imposed sanctions and condemned Myanmars former military regime, China was the pariah governments main backer and largest investor. And when Myanmar was condemned by other nations on the UN Security Council over the exodus of Rohingya to Bangladesh in the face of alleged atrocities committed by security forces, China continued to support Naypyitaw by blocking measures initiated by other member countries. On the countrys peace process with ethnic armed organizations (EAOs), Chinese Special Envoy Sun Guo-xiang has urged the groups to attend the governments peace conferences, including groups still engaged in fighting with the Tatmadaw and who have refused to sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). In May 2017 and July this year, Sun flew members of non-signatory groups from Kunming, China to Naypyitaw on a chartered Chinese plane. Many representatives of the EAOs said they attended solely because China pressured them to do so. China has also provided Myanmar with aid and investment, much of it to help build strategic infrastructure projects including oil and gas pipelines, ports, and dams as part of Beijings Belt and Road Initiative. With several clear strategic interests in Myanmarranging from stability on its shared border to access to the Indian Ocean to a wide variety of economic interestsBeijing has played a key role in Naypyitaws internal security affairs and in peace negotiations with ethnic armed groups. It has both a direct and indirect influence on the dynamics of conflict and peace in northern Myanmar. Beijing supports the Myanmar government and its peace process, but at the same time provides shelter, weapons and other assistance to some of the EAOs, according to a recent report by the United States Institute of Peace (USIP). On Thursday, Special Envoy Sun made a donation of USD300,000 on behalf of the Chinese government to benefit Myanmars peace process, the National Reconciliation and Peace Center said. Burma Too Soon to Send Rohingya Back to Myanmar: UN Rights Envoy Rohingya refugee girls walk along the Kutupalong camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, October 13, 2018. / Reuters GENEVA The United Nations human rights investigator on Myanmar urged Bangladesh on Tuesday to drop plans to start repatriating hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees to Rakhine state this month, warning they would face a high risk of persecution. More than 700,000 Rohingya refugees crossed into Bangladesh from western Myanmar, UN agencies say, after Rohingya insurgent attacks on Myanmar security forces in August 2017 triggered a sweeping military crackdown. The two countries agreed on Oct. 30 to begin the returns to Myanmar in mid-November. The UN refugee agency has already said that conditions in Rakhine state were not yet conducive for returns. Yanghee Lee, UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, said in a statement that she had received credible information from the refugees in Coxs Bazar that they are in deep fear of their names being on the list to be repatriated, causing distress and anguish. She had not seen any evidence of the government of Myanmar creating an environment where the Rohingya can return to their place of origin and live in safety with their rights guaranteed. It has failed to provide guarantees they would not suffer the same persecution and horrific violence all over again, Lee said. The root causes of the crisis must first be dealt with, including the right to citizenship and freedom of movement, she said. Myanmar does not consider the Rohingya a native ethnic group. Many in the Buddhist-majority country call the Rohingya Bengalis, suggesting they belong in Bangladesh. Thursday, November 8th, 2018 (8:40 am) - Score 6,496 A Sky News report has today claimed that TalkTalks proposed 1.5bn plan to roll-out a new 1Gbps Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband ISP network to cover 3 million UK premises may have stalled, which allegedly stems from a valuation dispute with investment partner Infracapital. According to Sky News, talks between the Joint Venture partners are still on-going but they have reached a stumbling block. Banking sources are said to have claimed that the ISP was disappointed by the value that Infracapital had attributed to their full fibre trial in the City of York, which is said to cover 20,000 premises and is aiming to reach around 54,000 by the end of 2019. The York deployment has been slow going since it was first announced all the way back in 2014 (here). It was supported by an initial investment of 5 million from each of Sky Broadband and TalkTalk, while the network itself was then built by Cityfibre who already had an existing 10Gbps capable and 103km long fibre optic ring in the city (The York Core). On top of that first 10m, the later expansion (i.e. building beyond the original commitment of 14,000) to reach 54,000 premises was estimated to require another 20 million (here), which ultimately had to come from TalkTalk since by that stage Sky Broadband had reduced their interest to that of a mere wholesale partner. Despite this TalkTalk has previously stated that their roll-out in York had so far produced take-up of 35% for the first 14,000 premises and that build costs had come in below 500 per home passed, which is roughly where they wanted it to be. But clearly theres some disagreement over how all of this should be valued and where the payback point will come. Under the new 1.5bn plan announced on 8th February 2018 (here), TalkTalk proposed to establish a new company (Infraco), which in turn would be 20% owned by TalkTalk and 80% by Infracapital (the infrastructure equity investment arm of M&G Prudential). The latter would contribute 400m and TalkTalk 100m (plus they expected take on c.1bn in debt). However, as we reported last Saturday (here), there have been no truly significant updates on the Infracapital project since it was announced. At the time we were hearing similar whispers to Sky News and warned that TalkTalk was at risk of being overtaken by rivals that had already made stronger commitments (Summary of UK Full Fibre Plans). But TalkTalk told us not to worry. A TalkTalk Spokesperson told ISPreview.co.uk (3rd Nov 2018): TalkTalk plans to be at the heart of Britains full-fibre future. As the leading value-for-money provider, we want to ensure all our customers can access it at affordable prices. Weve outlined our commitment to roll-out full-fibre to three million homes via a new infrastructure company, and we have already appointed a new CEO and Chairman. Well provide further updates shortly. Suffice to say that Skys report casts further doubt on the planned deployment and TalkTalk will need to resolve this quickly or risk their deal with Infracapital collapsing. If that did happen then Sky News suggests that TalkTalk would simply try again with a different partner. As we said on Saturday, we think TalkTalk would have done better to partner up with Cityfibre again or somebody else who is already building such networks, particularly given the known shortage of skilled telecoms engineers and the rising level of competitive build ambitions between operators. But getting into bed with Cityfibre again, particularly now that Vodafone have secured prime position, could be tricky. All eyes will now be on the ISPs forthcoming financial results, which we hope will provide some closure to these concerns and put TalkTalk back on the right track. Thursday, November 8th, 2018 (12:01 am) - Score 1,238 Mobile operator O2 (Telefonica UK) has signed a new collaboration agreement with the Wireless Infrastructure Group (WIG), which will support the development of what is expected to be Europes largest fibre connected small cell network and trials of driverless vehicles using 5G tech in the West Midlands. The scheme, which is due to be launched in 2020, will see O2 provide connectivity and related engineering support along a 50-mile (80km) route that runs through Birmingham and Coventry. All of this will be used to underpin the 25m Midlands Future Mobility project for testing and developing the next generation of driverless cars etc. The UK government has previously said that it wants the country to be at the forefront of self-driving cars and in 2018, proposed that autonomous cars will be in use commercially by 2021. In keeping with that their 5G Urban Connected Communities Project (worth up to 75m) is also proposing to setup a large-scale test bed of next generation Gigabit speed capable 5G wireless technology in the West Midlands (here). Brendan OReilly, CTO at O2, said: Following our successful deployment of the UKs first centralised radio network (C-RAN) in Aberdeen, in partnership with WIG, we will be using this same cutting-edge technology across what we expect to be Europes largest fibre connected small cell network. Mobile powers our modern world and 5G has even more potential to move Britain forward which is why were excited to be working together with WIG to continue to build this technology into the fabric of our cities and communities. Scott Coates, CEO of WIG, said: We are delighted to be working with O2 to build this 5G ready neutral host infrastructure. The new infrastructure will enable services by O2 and will also be open to other mobile operators to join. We should point out that O2s new network is only described as being 5G ready, which without more detail could cover a multitude of sins. Mind you driverless cars dont strictly need 5G technology to work and the latest 4G infrastructure would be more than capable of helping to facilitate such a service. Thursday, November 8th, 2018 (1:24 am) - Score 652 The community built and 1Gbps capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) based broadband ISP network for Michaelston-y-Fedw in Wales (here) has been named as the only UK finalist in this years forthcoming 2018 European Broadband Awards event. We first reported on the Myfi scheme earlier this year and the build phase has recently completed. Since then the effort, which mirrors B4RNs community approach in England, has gained widespread recognition (including among senior politicians) and a number of similar roll-outs now look set to follow elsewhere in Wales. Even the European Commission (EC) appears to have taken notice because the project has been named as a finalist under the Innovative models of financing, business and investment category in their annual European Broadband Awards event. Brin Richards, Myfi, told ISPreview.co.uk: Myfi have completed this years programme, on time and on budget! We have made 175 connections with only a few delayed for various reasons. This would not have been possible without the 1000s of hours of work done by the volunteers we have. Thanks [also] to the farmers (free wayleaves) and the Welsh Government for their help and support. Equally important has been the wonderful community spirit generated by this project. The person who deserves vast praise and recognition is David Schofield, who has carried this project from start to finish, inspiring [and] leading us like the Pied Piper of Michaelston. Without him this stupid but inspiring idea would never have happened. According to the related information page, the Myfi project had a budget of roughly 300,000 (c.262K at todays rate) and this works out to a cost of around 1.5K per premises passed, which is similar to a number of other remote rural FTTP deployments that weve seen (weve also seen a few that go well above and also below that figure). The initial capital of 170,000 was invested by local residents under an SEIS Scheme and further funding then came from the Welsh Governments subsidy schemes (i.e. Access Broadband Cymru and Ultrafast Connectivity Vouchers). Happily theyve also done a new video to help showcase the effort (below). The winners of this years awards will be announced on 19th Nov and we wish Myfi the best of luck. Thursday, November 8th, 2018 (7:31 am) - Score 6,130 The latest financial update (calendar Q3 2018) from cable ISP Virgin Media (Liberty Global) has seen them add a further 109,000 UK premises to their ultrafast broadband and TV network coverage, while their internet access subscriber base hit 5,202,900 (up by 36.4k in Q3 vs 30k in Q2 and 31.2k in Q1). Unfortunately the past quarter has delivered some turbulence for the national cable operator, which has seen disagreements over UKTV channels (here), annual price hikes (here) and concern over the slower than expected pace of their 3bn Project Lightning network expansion (here) occupying the headlines. Speaking of the network expansion, Virgins FTTP and Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) based EuroDOCSIS cable broadband and TV network has reached an additional 1.4 million UK premises since Project Lightning began in 2015/16 (around 300,000 of those have adopted it). The original aim was to cover 4 million extra premises (17 million total or c.60% of the UK) by the end of 2019 or 2020 but 3 million+ now seems to be a safer bet. Quarterly (Calendar) Project Lightning Rollout Q3 2018 = 109,000 Premises Q2 2018 = 118,000 Premises Q1 2018 = 111,000 Premises (likely impacted by heavy snow) Q4 2017 = 159,000 Premises Q3 2017 = 147,000 Premises Q2 2017 = 127,000 Premises Q1 2017 = 102,000 Premises Meanwhile the operator also confirmed that they had a total Mobile (EE MVNO) customer base of 3,031,200 (down from 3,034,400 in the last quarter) and 77% of their broadband base is now on an ultrafast (100Mbps+) capable package (up from 76%). We should also add that they have 4,540,700 telephone customers in the UK (up from 4,486,100) and 3,901,400 video / TV users (up from 3,888,400), while 68% of their broadband base is using the Hub 3.0 (SuperHub v3) router (up from 61%). Mike Fries, CEO of Liberty Global, said: The continued operating and financial momentum at Virgin Media helped fuel our Q3 results. With respect to our U.K. subscriber growth, we generated over 100,000 net additions, which represents a record third quarter performance. This achievement was supported by strong volume growth in both our Project Lightning and legacy footprints. From a product perspective, we continue to reap the benefits of our next-generation V6 set-top box and Hub 3 WiFi router deployments, as we saw meaningful year-over-year improvement in churn. We also announced a 4.5% average U.K. customer price rise, which should underpin our results in the coming quarters. Sadly the update doesnt give us any hints about their upgrade plans for the future Gigabit capable DOCSIS 3.1 broadband technology (the underlying network is currently being upgraded to support it), although we have separately heard some unofficial whispers that Virgin Media may be preparing to trial a new 1Gbps residential service using their FTTP network to a small number of new build premises. Likewise weve longed suspected that they might be able to squeeze a little bit more speed out of their existing EuroDOCSIS 3.0 network, possibly reaching as high as 500Mbps, although realistically we think theyd do better to focus on improving their weak upload performance. So far the hints weve had point to 500Mbps appearing first for Virgin Media Business customers during H1 2019. One other big question mark concerns Virgins next Hub 4.0 (SuperHub v4) router, which hasnt been announced but seems likely to be based on Liberty Globals new Gigabit Connect Box (Connect Box 2) or possibly a re-branded version of AVMs similarly featured FRITZ!Box 6591 Cable router (2533Mbps WiFi speed Intel chipset). Both are DOCSIS 3.1 devices and are being used in other parts of Libertys cable network around Europe. The previous Hub 3.0 router was also called the Connect Box elsewhere in Europe, which arguably makes the Gigabit Connect Box the most likely candidate for the UK. By comparison the FRITZ!Box is more aimed at SME business users. The GCB, which is pictured below, features 4 x Gigabit LAN ports, as well as the usual 2 x Analogue Telephone ports (handy for VMs VoIP phone service) and we understand that the theoretical WiFi peak speed via 5GHz and 2.4GHz is 2183Mbps (slower in the real-world, as per usual). Sadly there are no USB ports but we understand that it may have support for Bluetooth, which is something that you dont often see in routers. We did ask Virgin Media about the talk of a 1Gbps FTTP trial for new builds and the possibility of them launching a Gigabit Connect Box, albeit re-branded and coloured black in the UK. The official response on both counts is that they have nothing to announce at this time. Finally, on the financial front, the operator reported quarterly UK geographic revenue of 1,184.0m (up from 1,137.7m at the same time last year). UPDATE: Corrected the previous quarters figures for TV, Mobile and Phone above as we accidentally included the UK/Ireland ones for those. UPDATE 11th Nov 2018 Liberty Globals CEO has stated that Virgin Medias Project Lightning is currently building in the 650 to 700 cost per premise range were hitting 30% to 35% penetration after 3 years, and were getting better every quarter at selecting high-return build products. November 7, 2018 POCATELLO Pocatellos First Avenue is now home to larger-than-life hummingbirds and honeybees thanks to the work of Idaho State University Department of Art painting students. The students installed three murals on the side of a building on the corner of First Avenue and Carter Street as part of the Terry First project, a collaboration between ISU and Old Town Pocatello. The murals, unlike the rest of the Terry First project, are permanent, said Hannah Sanger, a member of the Terry First leadership team. They are a lasting impact of this collaboration between the city, ISU, local landowners and community volunteers. Undergraduate and graduate painting students from all levels, art alumni, professors Laura Ahola-Young and Naomi Velasquez, adjunct professor Rebecca Merkley and local artist Lana Gribas worked on the murals. The murals were completed over four days and took over the floor in two studio classrooms. Students designed the entire display, composed of plant and animal species native to Idaho. Kianna Spillman researched and designed the flora and Bill Bybee the native bees. Ahola-Young wanted students to have artistic control over the murals. The installation was intended to be temporary, but once building owner Don Aslett saw the finished product, he requested it become a permanent fixture and helped fund materials. President Kevin Satterlee, Associate Vice President for Facilities Services Cheryl Hanson and Facilities Services Director Jason Adams provided additional university support for the project. The murals are just one design improvement installed in Old Town as part of the Terry First project, which aims to improve the streetscape of Terry Street and First Avenue and create a lively, traversable corridor between ISU and Old Town. The murals are also beautifulthey show us all how beauty can transform an area and are already inspiring ideas for more public art and ISU-city collaborations, Sanger said. It was magical to watch the murals plus a few trees, and the illusion of a green space, transform a block and draw in community members to engage with each other one Saturday afternoon. November 6, 2018 POCATELLO The Idaho State University College of Business student team participating in the D.A. Davidson Student Investment Program earned $4,732 with a portfolio that was well above the return for the S&P 500. The advisor for the team was D.A. Davidsons Aaron Buckalew. Since joining the program in 2005, ISU has earned more than $20,650 through the program, which provides hands-on learning and a real-life experience in investing. The ISU teams portfolio generated a 29.3 percent return on its investment, sixth best among the 20 participating schools. Ten of the participating schools generated returns above that of the S&P 500. The team from Gonzaga University had the top-performing portfolio, enjoying a total return of 50.4 percent; next was the University of Idaho with a 36.0 percent return; and third was the University of Washington at 29 percent. The student teams were able to capture many of the impressive returns that could be found in markets over the last year, said Brent Williams, wealth management research analyst for D.A. Davidson and co-head of the companys Student Investment Program. This program provides a unique opportunity for aspiring financial professionals to learn a range of valuable skills, and were honored to partner with these schools. For the program, D.A. Davidson provides student teams from senior-level investment courses at 20 Western and Midwestern colleges and universities with $50,000 to invest in the stock market, for a total $1 million commitment annually. Each team makes investment decisions with the guidance of a local D.A. Davidson financial advisor and manages the portfolio for one year, starting Sept. 1. The program is designed to provide a hands-on experience in finance, stock research, portfolio management and investment topics. The top-performing teams receive a check for their college, earning half of any portfolio gains above 5 percent. D.A. Davidson absorbs any losses. For the 2017-2018 program recently ended, 18 of the 20 participating teams earned checks for a total D.A. Davidson donation of $70,758 the second largest total donation since the programs inception including an $11,356.84 check to Gonzaga. In the 24 years since D.A. Davidson began sharing program profits, the company has donated $623,722 in profits to participating institutions. The Student Investment Program was launched in 1985 at Montana State University and gradually added colleges throughout the West and the Midwest since that time. D.A. Davidson Companies is an employee-owned financial services firm offering a range of financial services and advice to individuals, corporations, institutions and municipalities nationwide. Founded in 1935 and headquartered in Montana, with corporate offices in Denver, Los Angeles, Portland and Seattle, the company has approximately 1,350 employees and offices in 25 states. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission will not oppose a proposed merger between Fairfax Media and Nine Entertainment announced in July. In a statement on Thursday, the ACCC said it had examined a number of markets that would be affected by the proposed merger. Australian news, including online news, current affairs news and investigative journalism, was the key issue on which it focused. The competition watchdog said it had looked at whether the merger would substantially lessen competition in the sector. More than 1000 submissions were examined, in addition to internal documents that the ACCC obtained from both companies. While the merger between these two big name media players raised a number of extremely complex issues, and will likely reduce competition, we concluded that the proposed merger was not likely to substantially lessen competition in any market in breach of the Competition and Consumer Act, ACCC chair Rod Sims said. This merger can be seen to reduce the number of companies intensely focusing on Australian news from five to four. Post the merger, only Nine-Fairfax, News/Sky, Seven West Media and the ABC/SBS will employ a large number of journalists focused on news creation and dissemination. With the growth in online news, however, many other players, albeit smaller, now provide some degree of competitive constraint. These include, for example, The Guardian, The New Daily, Buzzfeed, Crikey and The Daily Mail. While there are important barriers to building trust and scale, significant new entry into the Australian online news market has already occurred and made a noticeable difference. Due to the difficulties in monetising journalism online, however, it is hard to predict the future landscape with any certainty. The ACCC said it had also looked at potential competition issues in provision of regional news, specifically concerns about combining two key newsrooms in the Hunter/Newcastle region. It determined that in this region, Fairfax and Nine did not compete sufficiently closely with each other. The ACCC recognises there will likely be changes to the way Fairfax and Nine operate in future, either due to the changing media landscape more generally or due to the merger itself. However, we reached the conclusion that if such changes do occur, they would not be, to a significant extent, caused by the merger lowering the level of competition, Sims said. Smartphone shipments fell by 7% in the third quarter of 2018, the fourth straight quarter of declines and the worst third quarter showing since 2015, the technology analyst firm Canalys says. The company said China shipped 100.6 million units, a year-on-year decline of 15.2% and a sequential fall of 2.9%. While India overtook the US to become the second largest marketm, both countries were affected by weaker seasonal performances compared to 2017. Seven of the top 10 markets recorded year-on-year declines, caused by growing replacement cycles, worse trading conditions and competition from major Chinese vendors. Earlier this week, an IDC reportglobal smartphone shipments in the third quarter showed a year-on-year decline of 6%. Among the vendors, Samsung posted a year-on-year decline of 14%, which resulted in its market share falling from 22% in Q3 2017 to 20.4% a year later. Huawei came in second, shipping 52 million units, with growth of 33% year-on-year. Apple followed, with 47 million units and growth of just 0.4%. Xiaomi and OPPO were fourth and fifth, with 33 million and 31 million units shipped respectively. The Chinese vendors made up 52% of the worldwide shipments, the highest share they have recorded. "China's market showed no improvement in terms of smartphone sell-in, and 14 of the top 20 brands in China declined in Q3," said Canalys Shanghai-based analyst Mo Jia. "This has continued to put tremendous pressure on vendors amid rising component and labour costs in China. Chinese vendors are more focused than ever on overseas expansion in South Asia, Africa, and Central and Eastern Europe, to hedge against their business at home. "But the current international trade environment and geopolitical issues are not great for business either. Only a few are likely to survive the tough winter." The company said Greater China including Hong Kong and Taiwan was the worst performing region in Q3, down 14.6% annually. On the other hand, Central and Eastern Europe continued to be the top performer, growing 2.2% year-on-year, followed by Africa at 0.4%. Graphics: courtesy Canalys Microsoft and partner companies are working with the NSW Department of Education and the Aboriginal Education and Communities Directorate in a program aimed at safeguarding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and language, through Australias first augmented reality and digital skills initiative, The Njulgang Project. The Njulgang project was launched as a pilot program in June and involves the NSW Department of Education working with Microsoft plus partners Indigital, Shared Path, the Eastern Zone Gujaga Aboriginal Corporation and Design, Learn, Empower to create an innovative technology skills program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. The program consisted of four workshops, where 20 gifted and high potential Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from five primary schools in south-western Sydney, learned about local culture and language from a group of Dharawal Elders. The students brought to life what they learned by creating an augmented reality language learning resource based on the Dharawal Dreaming Story "How the Animals Came to Dharawal Country". The participating schools are Briar Road Public School, Bradbury Public School, Campbelltown East Public School, Rosemeadow Public School and Thomas Acres Public School. By bringing the Dharawal cultural heritage and language to life in an innovative way, the students developed new skills using Microsoft tools such as Paint 3D and Minecraft: Education Edition, both of which are available to all students in NSW Government schools. Mark Scott, secretary of the NSW Department of Education, said the collaboration was a wonderful learning opportunity for students. The opportunity for our Aboriginal students to work closely with Dharawal Elders, Aboriginal digital entrepreneurs and Microsoft to bring this innovative learning resource to life is invaluable. The new technology has been developed under the guidance of Aboriginal people and presents the Dharawal Dreaming Story as augmented reality where students can learn about the Dharawal language. This year gifted and high potential Aboriginal students are refining their skills using sleek new technology while learning important lessons from Aboriginal Elders about their culture. Steven Worrall, managing director, Microsoft Australia, said, The Njulgang Project is incredibly important. With many spoken Aboriginal languages at risk of being lost, it was important that we worked together to develop a culturally appropriate program that celebrated language, while equipping students with the skills, knowledge and collaborative environment in which to succeed. Not only has the program ignited the students passion for science and technology, it has provided them with a deeper understanding of Aboriginal language and culture and introduced them to the soft skills that are fundamental to learning in the 21st century. Worrall citied McKinsey & Co predictions that by 2030 up to 375 million people would need to switch from the work they are doing today, and as such, students needed to be equipped with a myriad of skills that will prepare them for the future digital economy. From genetics to robotics, from neuroscience to climate science, the opportunities in science and technology fields have never been greater. Encouraging students to embrace and enjoy science and technology is therefore a key priority for educators across Australia as talented students become the lifeblood of a strong economy. The Njulgang Project represents a commitment by Microsoft to build the skills required for Australias future workforce, he said. Microsoft is now working on scaling the program nationally, so additional schools and language groups can preserve and promote their culture through technology while providing more students with the skills they need for the future. Indigital founder Mikaela Jade whose company uses mixed and augmented reality to translate and preserve the history and culture of some of the oldest communities in the world worked closely with the Department of Education and Microsoft on the Njulgang Project. Jade is also one of Microsofts Reconciliation Action Plan Advisers and teamed with Microsoft Learning Consultant Pip Cleaves from Design, Learn, Empower to bring the program to life in the classroom. Cleaves experience in designing professional learning opportunities through new and innovative practices enabled students to use the latest technologies while becoming familiar with essential tech skills. The project was made possible through a collaboration with Shared Path, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social enterprise that incubates small businesses and uses them as a training ground for other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 7) The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) signed a deal with the Embassy of Japan Wednesday for the rehabilitation of the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT-3) Wednesday. The Exchange of Notes was signed by DFA Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. and Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda, and witnessed by Transport Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan, along with officials from the DFA, Department of Finance, the Embassy of Japan and Japan International Cooperation Agency. Under the deal, an 18-billion loan facility will be used to cover for investments in track replacement, train and power supply overhaul, among others. The signing of the loan agreement for the rehabilitation project will be on November 8. Sumitomo-Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will be taking over the maintenance and rehabilitation of the rail line. In a statement, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said the project will last 43 months, with the rehabilitation works to be completed in the first 26 months, and the general overhaul of the 72 light rail vehicles to be completed in the 43rd month. Locsin said, "With the Exchange of Notes for the MRT-3 rehabilitation, we secure a better and safer commuting experience for our riding public. We shall see improvements, service efficiency, security and convenience." Haneda said they were happy the country chose to partner with Japan to handle the problems concerning the MRT-3. "I am delighted that the Philippine government chose Japan as its partner to tackle the problems of the MRT-3, and along with it, ease the traffic congestion along EDSA, one of the most important traffic lines in Metro Manila," he said. The DOTr said, "The MRT-3 Rehabilitation Project involves the complete restoration of the MRT-3 back to its design capacity and reliability, covering among others the general overhaul of the MRT-3's entire fleet of 72 Light Rail Vehicles and day-to-day maintenance." Summerville, SC (29483) Today Cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 50F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 50F. Winds light and variable. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Asanko Gold Inc. (Asanko or the Company) (TSX, NYSE American: AKG) reports its third quarter (Q3) 2018 operating and financial results. On October 17, 2018 the Company released its Q3 2018 production and revenue results for the Asanko Gold Mine, (AGM), located in Ghana, West Africa. The AGM is a 50:50 joint venture (JV) with Gold Fields Ltd (JSE, NYSE: GFI) which is managed and operated by Asanko. All amounts are in US dollars unless otherwise stated. The Company will host a conference call and webcast today, Thursday, November 8th at 9am Eastern Time, further details below. Q3 2018 Highlights of the JV (100% basis): Record quarterly gold production of 61,599 ounces and year to date production of 163,329 ounces, tracking the higher end of 2018 production guidance of 200,000-220,000 ounces Quarterly gold sales of 65,267 ounces, generating $78.2 million in gold revenue at an average realized price of $1,198 per ounce Mining operations ahead of plan, bolstered by resumption of steady state operations at Nkran Strong quarterly mill performance, processing 1.3 million tonnes of ore with recoveries of 94% Esaase pre-production program on schedule, with bulk sample planned in Q4 2018 No LTIs for the quarter, continuing industry-leading safety Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate performance on a rolling 12-month basis of zero Quarterly operating cash costs per ounce 1 of $743 (Q2 2018: $582) and total cash costs per ounce 1 of $803 (Q2 2018: $646) of $743 (Q2 2018: $582) and total cash costs per ounce of $803 (Q2 2018: $646) AISC 1 were $971 (Q2 2018: $1,068) for the quarter, within H2 guidance and $1,072 for the year to date, tracking the lower end of 2018 AISC 1 guidance of $1,050-$1,150 were $971 (Q2 2018: $1,068) for the quarter, within H2 guidance and $1,072 for the year to date, tracking the lower end of 2018 AISC guidance of $1,050-$1,150 Approximately $33.4 million held by the JV in unaudited cash and immediately convertible working capital balances, as at September 30, 2018 Q3 2018 Asanko Consolidated Highlights: On July 31, 2018, the JV Transaction with Gold Fields was completed and the Red Kite debt repaid in full; Asanko now debt-free Consolidated results of the Company include consolidation of the JV results for July and equity accounted results of the JV for August and September Reported Adjusted EBITDA 1 of $13.3 million (Q2 2018: $28.1 million) of $13.3 million (Q2 2018: $28.1 million) Asanko cash balance $14.3 million as at September 30, 2018 Commenting on the results Peter Breese, President and CEO, said: At the end of July we completed our JV transaction with Gold Fields and transitioned to managers and operators of the Asanko Gold Mine. The timing of the completion of the transaction is reflected in our financial statements where we changed to equity accounting from August 1, 2018 for our interest in the JV as joint owners. The proceeds from the JV transaction were used to repay the Red Kite debt in full and we are now a debt-free company. The mine delivered its third consecutive quarter of strong operational results, with Nkran back at steady-state operations for the full quarter, following completion of the Eastern portion of the Cut 2 pushback, and the mill continuing to outperform against its throughput design of 5Mtpa. AISC1 continued to decrease quarter on quarter to $971, which is towards the lower end of H2 2018 cost guidance, despite the impact of a recent change in Ghanaian VAT levies, equating to approximately $20/oz, that were implemented during the quarter. Although the average realized gold price was around $88/oz weaker than the prior quarter at $1,198/oz, all-in sustaining margins for the mine remained strong at $227/oz. As we enter the final quarter of the year, with production of 163,329 ounces and AISC1 of $1,072 year to date, the mine is well positioned to meet the top end of 2018 guidance of 200,000-220,000 ounces at AISC1 of $1,050-$1,150. The development of the Esaase mine is progressing to plan. We have commenced site operations with bush clearing and grade control drilling. As part of our pre-production risk mitigation strategy, we will mine a bulk sample of ore during Q4 2018 and commercially test the sample through the mill. The JV partners are expected to make an investment decision during Q4 2018 on whether to proceed with a mining and trucking operation which, if approved, would commence in Q1 2019. This news release should be read in conjunction with Asankos Management Discussion and Analysis and the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, which are available at www.asanko.com and filed on SEDAR. Key Operating and Financial Highlights Asanko Gold Mine (100% Basis) Q3 2018 Q2 2018 Q3 2017 Waste mined (000t) 9,084 9,814 7,339 Ore mined (000t) 1,730 945 1,181 Strip ratio (W:O) 5.3:1 10.4:1 6.2:1 Average gold grade mined (g/t) 1.4 1.5 1.8 Mining costs ($/t mined) 3.63 3.65 3.35 Ore treated (000t) 1,299 1,374 862 Gold feed grade (g/t) 1.6 1.4 1.9 Gold recovery (%) 94 94 94 Processing costs ($/t treated) 11.26 9.95 12.94 Gold production (oz) 61,599 53,501 49,293 Gold sales (oz) 65,267 51,785 50,241 Average realized gold price ($/oz) 1,198 1,286 1,265 Operating cash costs1 ($/oz) 743 582 485 Total cash costs1 ($/oz) 803 646 549 All-in sustaining costs1 ($/oz) 971 1,068 975 All-in sustaining margin1 ($/oz) 227 218 290 All-in sustaining margin1 ($m) 14.8 11.3 14.6 Revenue ($m) 78.4 66.8 63.7 Income from mine operations ($m) 0.6 16.1 17.9 Net income (loss) after tax ($m) (128.8) 3.5 8.1 Adjusted net income (loss) after tax1 ($m) (2.1) 3.5 8.1 Cash provided by operating activities 21.1 18.4 42.7 Consolidated Results for Asanko Gold Inc. Revenue ($m) 30.7 66.8 63.5 Production costs, including royalties ($m) 21.7 33.8 28.0 Income (loss) from mine operations ($m) (2.7) 16.1 17.9 Share of net earnings related to JV ($m) 0.3 - - Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders ($m) (0.3) (142.3) 4.2 Net income (loss) per share attributable to common shareholders ($0.00) ($0.63) $0.02 Adjusted net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders1 ($m) (1.6) 2.3 4.2 Adjusted net income (loss) per share attributable to common shareholders1 ($0.01) $0.01 $0.02 Adjusted EBITDA1 ($m) 13.3 28.1 31.8 Attributable all-in sustaining costs1 ($/oz) 997 1,068 975 Attributable all-in sustaining margin1 ($/oz) 201 218 290 Attributable all-in sustaining margin1 ($m) 8.7 11.3 14.6 Q3 2018 Operating Results of the AGM (100% basis) Record quarterly gold production of 61,599 ounces and 163,329 ounces year to date, on track to meet top end 2018 production guidance of 200,000-220,000 ounces. Quarterly gold sales of 65,267 ounces generating gold revenue of $78.2 million at an average realized gold price of $1,198 per ounce. No lost time injuries (LTI) were reported during the quarter, and the AGM has now achieved over eighteen months and more than 9.2 million man hours worked without a single LTI. During the quarter, the AGM sourced ore from Nkran, Nkran Extension, Akwasiso and Dynamite Hill, as well as on-surface stockpiles. Ore mining rates for Q3 2018 averaged 576,667 tonnes per month (tpm) at an average mining grade of 1.4 g/t and a strip ratio of 5.3:1. Ore tonnes mined increased from Q2 2018 as Nkran operated at steady state levels of ore production during the quarter, following the substantial completion of the Eastern pushback in June 2018. At Nkran, 1,104,000 tonnes of ore was mined at an average grade of 1.5 g/t with operations returning to steady state levels of ore production following the substantial completion of the Eastern Cut 2 pushback. The Akwasiso satellite deposit delivered approximately 402,000 tonnes of ore at a grade of 1.1 g/t and Dynamite Hill delivered 218,000 tonnes of ore at an average grade of 1.7 g/t. The processing plant delivered another strong milling performance of 1.3 million tonnes (Mt) for the quarter, which exceeds the design throughput rate of the recently upgraded 5Mtpa processing plant, at a plant feed grade of 1.6g/t. Gold feed grades processed through the mill were higher than those mined during the quarter due to the differential stockpiling and feed arrangement process, in line with the ongoing Life of Mine planning. Gold recovery continued to exceed design at 94% despite the elevated mill throughput rates and lower feed grade. Q3 2018 Financial Performance of the AGM (100% basis) The AGM recognized revenues of $78.4 million in Q3 2018 compared to $63.7 million in Q3 2017. The $14.7 million increase in revenues was a result of higher sales volumes, partially offset by lower average realized selling prices. Total cost of sales (including depreciation and depletion and royalties) amounted to $77.8 million in Q3 2018, an increase of $32.0 million from Q3 2017. The increase in cost of sales was predominantly due to a $16.5 million impact of higher cash cost, which in large part was driven by an adjustment to the carrying value of the JVs stockpile inventory in order to reflect the net realizable value of lower-grade stockpile ore. In addition, cost of sales was also higher due to 30% higher sales volumes which had a $7.4 million impact on cost of sales. Depreciation and depletion also increased by $7.3 million in Q3 2018 compared to Q3 2017 as a result of a higher asset cost base being depreciated, as well as increased ore tonnes mined and higher mill throughput. Income from mine operations was $0.6 million for Q3 2018 compared to $17.9 million in Q3 2017. The decrease in mine operating income was primarily due to higher cash operating costs driven primarily by an adjustment to the carrying value of the JVs stockpile inventory in order to reflect the net realizable value of lower-grade ore, as well as higher depreciation expense in Q3 2018. Mining costs averaged $3.63/t mined during Q3 2018 compared to $3.35/t in Q3 2017. Mining costs per tonne were higher than Q3 2017 partly as a result of a new non-refundable 5% levy on goods and services that was introduced by the Ghanaian government effective August 1, 2018. In addition, fuel and supply costs were higher due to price increases over the 12-month period, while ore rehandle costs also increased and the AGM mined a higher proportion of fresh material during Q3 2018 compared to Q3 2017, which required more drilling and blasting. Of the mining costs incurred during Q3 2018, a total of $8.0 million was deferred as stripping costs. Processing costs averaged $11.26/t milled in Q3 2018 compared to $12.94/t in Q3 2017. Processing unit costs were lower than Q3 2017 due to the very strong operating performance of the plant, which on an annualized basis surpassed the recently upgraded throughput levels of 5Mtpa. As a result, there was a 51% increase in treated tonnes compared to Q3 2017, which had the impact of decreasing fixed processing costs on a per unit basis. In addition, the Company benefitted from a reduction in the unit price of power. In Q3 2018, the AGM incurred operating cash costs per ounce 1 of $743 and total cash costs per ounce 1 of $803 compared to $485 and $549 respectively for Q3 2017. These costs included a $122/oz impact associated with an adjustment to the carrying value of the JVs stockpile inventory in order to reflect the net realizable value of lower-grade stockpiled ore. of $743 and total cash costs per ounce of $803 compared to $485 and $549 respectively for Q3 2017. These costs included a $122/oz impact associated with an adjustment to the carrying value of the JVs stockpile inventory in order to reflect the net realizable value of lower-grade stockpiled ore. AISC 1 were $971 for the quarter and $1,072 for the year to date, tracking 2018 AISC 1 guidance of $1,050-$1,150, compared to $975 and $955 for the same periods respectively in 2017. Relative to Q2 2018, AlSC 1 decreased by 9%, despite the higher total cash cost per ounce 1 , due to the significant reduction in attributable sustaining stripping costs as the Eastern portion of Cut 2 was substantially completed in the prior quarter, while the attributable general and administrative expense and sustaining capital expenditures were also lower in Q3 2018. were $971 for the quarter and $1,072 for the year to date, tracking 2018 AISC guidance of $1,050-$1,150, compared to $975 and $955 for the same periods respectively in 2017. Relative to Q2 2018, AlSC decreased by 9%, despite the higher total cash cost per ounce , due to the significant reduction in attributable sustaining stripping costs as the Eastern portion of Cut 2 was substantially completed in the prior quarter, while the attributable general and administrative expense and sustaining capital expenditures were also lower in Q3 2018. As at September 30, 2018, the JV had cash of $30.4 million on hand, $1.2 million in receivables from gold sales and unrefined gold dore at a cost of $1.8 million (and a market value of $2.2 million). Q3 2018 Corporate Developments On July 31, 2018, the Company announced the completion of the JV Transaction with Gold Fields under which Gold Fields acquired a 50% interest in the JV. Concurrent with the closing of the JV Transaction, the Company repaid the Red Kite debt in full, including all outstanding debt principal and accrued interest, totaling $163.8 million, and is now debt-free. Following the completion of the JV Transaction, the Company no longer consolidates the results of the AGM but rather equity account for its interest in the JV from August 1, 2018 onwards. Q3 Key Consolidated Financial Information for Asanko Gold Inc. Cash provided by operating activities in Q3 2018 was $2.9 million, a 93% decrease from Q3 2017, as the Q3 2018 cash flows only include one month (July 2018) of operating cash flows from the AGM. Following the completion of the JV Transaction on July 31, 2018, the Company no longer consolidates the cash flows from the AGM in its consolidated statements of cash flows, but rather equity accounts for its interest in the JV. Similarly, operating cash flow before working capital changes was $5.9 million in Q3 2018, 81% lower than Q3 2017 of $31.7 million. The Company recognized revenues of $30.7 million in Q3 2018 compared to $63.7 million in Q3 2017, as the Companys consolidated results for Q3 2018 only include one month (July 2018) of the operating results of the AGM. Following the completion of the JV Transaction on July 31, 2018, the Company no longer consolidates the results of the AGM in its consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income, but rather equity accounts for its interest in the JV for the period August 1, 2018 to September 30, 2018. Loss from mine operations was $2.7 million for Q3 2018 compared to income from mine operations of $17.9 million in Q3 2017. The decrease in mine operating income was a result of the Company commencing equity accounting for its interest in the AGM effective July 31, 2018. Notwithstanding the aforementioned, the decrease in mine operating earnings was further impacted by higher total cash costs per ounce 1 in Q3 2018 when compared to Q3 2017. in Q3 2018 when compared to Q3 2017. The Company reported a net loss attributable to common shareholders of $0.3 million in Q3 2018 compared to net income of $4.2 million in Q3 2017. The reduction in net income for Q3 2018 was predominantly a result of lower mine operating earnings in the JV as previously explained, while the Company commenced equity accounting for its interest in the AGM effective July 31, 2018, resulting in the financial results of the AGM only being consolidated for the period July 1, 2018 to July 31, 2018. In addition, production costs and depreciation for the AGM were higher than in Q3 2017 as previously explained. Reported Adjusted EBITDA 1 of $13.3 million for Q3 2018 compared to $31.8 million in Q3 2017. The decrease in Adjusted EBITDA 1 quarter-on-quarter was largely due to higher cash costs per ounce and lower realized sales prices, partly offset by the positive impact of higher sales volumes. of $13.3 million for Q3 2018 compared to $31.8 million in Q3 2017. The decrease in Adjusted EBITDA quarter-on-quarter was largely due to higher cash costs per ounce and lower realized sales prices, partly offset by the positive impact of higher sales volumes. As at September 30, 2018, the Company had unaudited cash of $14.3 million and is scheduled to receive a further $20.0 million in cash related to the JV transaction by no later than December 31, 2019. 2018 Guidance and Outlook The Asanko Gold Mine is on track to meet the top end of its 2018 guidance of 200,000 - 220,000 ounces at AISC1 of $1,050-$1,150 for 2018, with production of 163,329 ounces at AISC1 of $1,072 for the year to date. In H2 2018, with the Nkran Cut 2 pushback yielding steady-state levels of ore production, the AGM is expected to achieve production and cost guidance of 110,000-120,000 ounces at AISC1 $950-$1,050. Development of a fourth deposit at the Asanko Gold Mine, the large greenfields deposit Esaase, has started with a pre-production program underway in preparation of commencing mining operations. This program includes an extensive core relogging and infill drilling exercise to refine the Mineral Resource Estimate and update the life of mine plan, which is expected to be published in H1 2019. In addition, a bulk sample will be mined in Q4 2018 to confirm previous co-leaching test work results and will feed into updated Esaase pit designs and performance expectations. The JV partners are expected to make an investment decision in Q4 2018 regarding a mining and trucking operation at the greenfield Esaase deposit, part of the AGM, with mining operations expected to commence in Q1 2019. The JV partners continue to review the longer-term ore transportation and development options for Esaase and expect to update the market in H1 2019. Notes: 1 Non-GAAP Performance Measures The Company has included certain non-GAAP performance measures in this press release, including working capital, operating cash costs, total cash costs, all-in sustaining costs per ounce of gold produced, all-in sustaining margin, adjusted net income attributable to common shareholders, adjusted net income per common share and adjusted EBITDA. These non-GAAP performance measures do not have any standardized meaning. Accordingly, these performance measures are intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with GAAP. Refer to the Non-GAAP Measures section of Asankos Management Discussion and Analysis for an explanation of these measures and reconciliations to the Companys reported financial results in accordance with IFRS. Operating Cash Costs per ounce and Total Cash Costs per ounce Operating cash costs are reflective of the cost of production, adjusted for share-based payments and by-product revenue per ounce of gold sold. Total cash costs include production royalties of 5%. All-in Sustaining Costs Per Gold Ounce The Company has adopted the reporting of all-in sustaining costs per gold ounce (AISC) as per the World Gold Councils guidance. AISC include total cash costs, corporate overhead expenses, sustaining capital expenditure, capitalized stripping costs and reclamation cost accretion per ounce of gold sold. Adjusted net income attributable to common shareholders The Company has included the non-GAAP performance measures of adjusted net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders and adjusted net income (loss) per common share. Neither adjusted net income nor adjusted net income per share have any standardized meaning and are therefore unlikely to be comparable to other measures presented by other issuers. Adjusted net income excludes certain non-cash items from net income or net loss to provide a measure which helps the Company and investors to evaluate the results of the underlying core operations of the Company and its ability to generate cash flows and is an important indicator of the strength of our operations and the performance of our core business. Adjusted EBITDA EBITDA provides an indication of the Companys continuing capacity to generate income from operations before taking into account the Companys financing decisions and costs of amortizing capital assets. Accordingly, EBITDA comprises net income (loss) excluding interest expense, interest income, amortization and depletion, and income taxes. Adjusted EBITDA adjusts EBITDA to exclude non-recurring items and to include the Companys interest in the adjusted EBITDA of the JV. Other companies and JV partners may calculate EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA differently. Qualified Person Statement Frederik Fourie, Asanko Senior Mining Engineer (Pr.Eng) is the Asanko Qualified Person, as defined by Canadian National Instrument 43-101 (Standards of Mineral Disclosure), who has approved the preparation of the technical contents of this news release. Q3 2018 Operating & Financial Results Conference Call & Webcast - 9am ET on November 8, 2018 US/Canada Toll Free: 800 771 6781 UK Toll Free: 0800 496 0830 International: +1 212 231 2913 Webcast: Please click on the link: Click Here Replay: A recorded playback will be available approximately two hours after the call until December 8, 2018: US/Canada Toll Free: 800 558 5253 UK Toll Free: 0800 692 0831 International: +1 416 626 4100 Passcode: 21895203 Enquiries: For further information please visit: www.asanko.com, email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or contact: Alex Buck - Manager, Investor and Media Relations Toll-Free (N.America): 1-855-246-7341 Telephone: +44-7932-740-452 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Andrew J. Ramcharan SVP, Corporate Development and Investor Relations Toll-Free (N.America): 1-855-246-7341 Telephone: +1 647 309 5130 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. About Asanko Gold Inc. Asankos vision is to become a mid-tier gold mining company that maximizes value for all its stakeholders. The Companys flagship project, located in Ghana, West Africa, is the jointly owned Asanko Gold Mine with Gold Fields Ltd, which Asanko manages and operates. Asanko is managed by highly skilled and successful technical, operational and financial professionals. The Company is strongly committed to the highest standards for environmental management, social responsibility, and health and safety for its employees and neighbouring communities. Forward-Looking and other Cautionary Information This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address estimated resource quantities, grades and contained metals, possible future mining, exploration and development activities, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements should not be in any way construed as guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices for metals, the conclusions of detailed feasibility and technical analyses, the timely renewal of key permits, lower than expected grades and quantities of resources, mining rates and recovery rates and the lack of availability of necessary capital, which may not be available to the Company on terms acceptable to it or at all. The Company is subject to the specific risks inherent in the mining business as well as general economic and business conditions. For more information on the Company, investors should review the Companys most recent AIF and 40-F filings, available under the Companys profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and EDGAR at www.sec.gov. Neither Toronto Stock Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. VANCOUVER, B.C., Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GT Gold Corp. (GT Gold, GT, or the Company) (TSX.V: GTT) is pleased to announce that it has completed 24,749m of diamond drilling at its Tatogga property in northwest B.C. The original 18,000m program was expanded following the discovery of extensive and high-grade Au-Cu porphyry-style mineralization at GT Golds Saddle North occurrence. The Company is excited by the many successes achieved this season and looks forward to announcing further drill results over the next several months, as analytical work is completed. GT Gold also recognizes that its accomplishments were largely the result of hard work put in by our exploration team and its key partners, including the Tahltan First Nation. Key objectives that were met in this seasons program included: successfully drill-testing and expanding the Saddle North porphyry system, first identified late in the 2017 drill campaign extending the Saddle South Au-Ag mineralized zones along strike and successfully identifying additional high-grade Au mineralization at depth implementing an oriented core program to better aid in understanding ore controls at Saddle completing a more detailed sampling and geologic mapping program at Saddle expanding reconnaissance-scale geological mapping southward 6-8km to the exciting Quash-Pass occurrence, where continued grid geochemical and geophysical work further defined a high-potential precious metals-bearing hydrothermal system. initiating route planning and permitting for a road to the Saddle area from Highway 37 Saddle South Mineralization at Saddle South has been extended to well over 1000m along strike. It remains open to both east and west, and at depth, and a new trend with high-grade intercepts was intersected at depth to the south. Implementation of our oriented core program has yielded a better understanding of the structural controls at Saddle South and this enabled us to more successfully target Au-mineralized zones (see GT press release dated September 4, 2018). Saddle North Airborne magnetic ground Induced Polarization (IP) surveys completed in 2018 indicated an extensive, strongly magnetic zone coincident with a chargeabilty anomaly, centred on the Au-Cu porphyry intercept drilled in late 2017. Drill testing this anomaly gave us our second major discovery in as many seasons. A new Au-Cu-Ag porphyry discovery, known to come to surface beneath thin overburden, has now been intersected in twelve holes along a strike length of over 600m, across a width of approximately 500m, and to a depth of greater than 1100m (see Figure). Mineralization at Saddle North remains open along strike and at depth and grades and widths generally appear to increase with depth (see GT press releases dated September 10, 2018 and October 10, 2018). Charles Greig, Vice-President of Exploration for GT Gold, commented: The Management and Board of GT Gold are very proud of the discoveries our team has made at Saddle South and North. We were fortunate to be able expand on our planned 18,000 metre program, and with our capable crew and the cooperation of unseasonably mild weather, we were able to extend the drill season into November. With the amount of data collected over the past two seasons our team will have a busy off-season as we continue to build upon our understanding of our two very significant discoveries. Figure 1 Qualified Person Charles J. Greig, M.Sc., P.Geo., Vice President, Exploration for GT Gold Corp. and a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information in this press release. The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. About GT Gold GT Gold Corp. is focused on exploring for gold in the geologically fertile terrain of British Columbias renowned Golden Triangle. The Companys flagship asset is the wholly-owned, 44,206-hectare Tatogga property, located near Iskut, BC, close to roads and grid power. The Company achieved, in 2017, a major new gold-silver discovery at its Saddle prospect, located up a gentle valley only 10 kilometres off highway 37. The Saddle discovery comprises two parts: a high-grade, near surface, epithermal gold-silver vein system at Saddle South and, close by at Saddle North, a largely covered, porphyry gold-copper-silver mineralized system. Geophysical surveying suggests that both may be large in scale, and current 2018 drill results indicate that Saddle North bears strong similarities to the nearby Red Chris deposit. The Saddle South discovery was internationally recognized for its significance in November 2017 with the Mines and Money Exploration Discovery Award. The Company has the backing of major institutions and key Canadian investors and is fully funded for the 18,000-metre program of expansion drilling now underway on this exciting new discovery. For more information please contact: GT Gold Corp. GT Gold Corp. GT Gold Corp. Steve Burleton Charles J. Greig, P.Geo Amandip Singh President and Chief Executive Officer Vice President, Exploration Director, Corporate Development Tel: (647) 256-6754 Tel: (250) 492-2331 Tel: (647) 256-6754 Website: www.gtgoldcorp.ca Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (together, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as "plans", "expects', "estimates", "intends", "anticipates", "believes" or variations of such words, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors disclosed under the heading Risk Factors and elsewhere in the Companys filings with Canadian securities regulators, that could cause actual results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing these forward-looking statements are reasonable based upon the information currently available to management as of the date hereof, actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. Readers are therefore cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed times frames or at all. Except where required by applicable law, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. TORONTO, Nov. 8, 2018 /CNW/ - First Cobalt Corp. (TSX-V: FCC; ASX: FCC; OTCQX: FTSSF) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has commenced testing cobalt hydroxide material as feedstock for the First Cobalt Refinery. Highlights SGS Canada retained to test suitability of different cobalt feed material using the First Cobalt Refinery's current flowsheet retained to test suitability of different cobalt feed material using the First Cobalt Refinery's current flowsheet Cobalt hydroxide material to be assessed as a source of feed for the refinery to produce cobalt sulphate or metallic cobalt products for sale into the North American market hydroxide material to be assessed as a source of feed for the refinery to produce cobalt sulphate or metallic cobalt products for sale into the North American market Discussions are underway with cobalt miners and commodity traders to explore options for ethically sourced cobalt hydroxide Cobalt Camp muckpile sampling and ore sorting programs indicate potential as incremental feed Trent Mell, President & Chief Executive Officer, commented: "Our objective is to enter into a long-term agreement for a reliable source of ethically-mined cobalt. The cash flow potential from restarting the refinery in as little as 18 months could allow us to fund a significant amount of work to advance our flagship Iron Creek Cobalt Project in Idaho, USA while also providing a much-needed North American source of cobalt. In parallel with these tests, management has commenced discussions with third party sources of capital that would minimize or eliminate any equity dilution associated with a restart of the First Cobalt Refinery." The First Cobalt Refinery is a hydrometallurgical cobalt refinery in the Canadian Cobalt Camp, approximately 500 kilometres from the US border. On October 10, the Company released the results of three independent studies undertaken to estimate capital requirements, operating costs, permit renewal timelines, potential feedstock options and offtake opportunities. At a 24 tonne per day feed rate and using the current flowsheet, the capital cost of the restart is estimated at US$25.7M (including a 30% contingency) and a permitting review concluded that a restart is possible within 18 months of selecting a feedstock. The Company is exploring various sources of feed for the refinery, which could include cobalt concentrate from mining operations, cobalt hydroxide and recycled battery materials from North America. With some flowsheet modifications, the refinery could produce a cobalt sulphate for the lithium-ion battery market or cobalt metal for the North American aerospace industry or other industrial applications. Current market conditions indicate that pricing for cobalt sulphate is in line with cobalt metal. The Company has engaged SGS Canada, a leading firm in mineral processing, metallurgy and process design, to test cobalt hydroxide and other material using the existing flowsheet of the First Cobalt Refinery and make recommendations on changes to the flowsheet to accommodate refining of cobalt hydroxide feed. Test work includes processing cobalt hydroxide using the First Cobalt Refinery flowsheet to a finished cobalt sulphate product. The test work will also examine the steps necessary to produce cobalt metal that would be produced through electrowinning. The Company is also engaging in discussions with companies specializing in the marketing and sourcing of concentrates to secure sources of ethically produced cobalt as feedstock for the First Cobalt Refinery. The Refinery historically produced cobalt carbonate, nickel carbonate and silver precipitate which can be smelted to produce dore. In order to produce cobalt sulphate, the flowsheet would be modified to include a cobalt crystallization circuit. A final decision on whether to put the Refinery back into production has not been made at this time and any decision is contingent on the outcome of the foregoing studies and discussions, as well as the sourcing of viable feedstock. Muckpile Sampling and Ore Sorting Programs First Cobalt has sampled a number of historic muckpiles in the Cobalt Camp to determine whether this material could be concentrated and used as incremental feedstock for the First Cobalt Refinery, depending on the flowsheet. In late 2017 and the first half of 2018, over 400 samples were collected from a number of muckpiles on First Cobalt's patented ground to study the potential for processing lower grade material from historic mining operations. Samples were collected using an excavator to create a cross section through each muckpile and taken at various depths from within. In tandem with the sampling program, three one-tonne samples were collected to test ore sorting technology with the intent of increasing the head grade of feed material. Ore sorting techniques have been particularly effective in increasing head grade without a significant loss of payable minerals. Sampled muckpiles had an average grade ranging from 0.04% to 0.10% Co and from 10 grams per tonne (gpt) to 60 gpt Ag before ore sorting. After ore sorting, the average feed grade was increased from 0.081% Co and 46 gpt Ag to an average of 0.575% Co and 190 gpt Ag, representing a 7.1-times increase in cobalt grade and 4.1-times increase of silver grade. The ore sorting process provided an estimated 85% cobalt recovery and 58% silver recovery. Average results are based on five assayed ore sorting tests that were conducted in Austria during October 2018. A total of 20 high priority muckpiles have been identified in Cobalt North, where total tonnage is estimated at 190,000 to 290,000 tonnes depending on thickness assumptions. These sampled muckpiles represent a portion of the muckpiles situated on First Cobalt's properties and across the entire Cobalt Camp. Muckpiles in Cobalt Central and Cobalt South have yet to be surveyed to the same degree of confidence, however the majority of muckpiles are found in Cobalt North, where most of the historic mining occurred. Preliminary ore sorting tests indicate average weight recovery of sorted material to be approximately 14%. While testing of historic muckpiles in the Cobalt Camp remains ongoing, and this historic material may in the future provide an incremental source of feedstock to the Refinery, further work is required and at this time the Company anticipates sourcing all feedstock from third-party sources. Quality Assurance and Quality Control First Cobalt has implemented a quality control program to comply with industry best practices for sampling, chain of custody and analyses. Muckpile samples were collected using an excavator to dig a cross section through each muckpile. Samples were collected in ten-litre pails and were taken at various depths from within the trench. Muckpiles for which safety reasons precluded use of this procedure were similarly sampled with a number of test pits. Blanks, duplicates and standards are inserted at the processing sites as part of the QA/QC program. Muckpile samples were prepared at PolyMet Labs in Cobalt, Ontario and analyzed by Bureau Veritas in Vancouver, British Columbia. At PolyMet, samples were dried, weighed crushed to 85% passing -6 mesh, roll crushed to 85% passing -10 mesh, split 250 gram pulps, then pulverized in a closed bowl ring pulverizer to 95% passing -150 mesh. Prepared samples were shipped to Bureau Veritas where they were analyzed by a 4-acid digestion for ICP analysis. Run-of-muckpile samples for ore sorting tests were prepared and analyzed by SGS Canada in Lakefield, Ontario. The samples were crushed using a jaw crusher to minus 2" (50 mm). The crushed material was then screened at " (12.7 mm). Each fraction was separately blended and approximately 10 kg split out for assaying. Samples for assaying were crushed to nominal 10 mesh and a subsample riffled and pulverized for assaying. Ore sorting tests were conducted by REDWAVE ROX Mineral Sorting in Brodingberg, Austria. Sorted streams were riffle split by REDWAVE and sent to ALS OMAC Laboratories Limited in Ireland where the samples were pulverized for assaying. Qualified and Competent Person Statement Peter Campbell, P.Eng., is the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 who has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release. Mr. Campbell is also a Competent Person (as defined in the JORC Code, 2012 edition) who is a practicing member of the Professional Engineers of Ontario (being a 'Recognised Professional Organisation' for the purposes of the ASX Listing Rules). Mr. Campbell is employed on a full-time basis as Vice President, Business Development for First Cobalt. He has sufficient experience that is relevant to the activity being undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the JORC Code. The term "Competent Person" is not recognised by Canadian securities regulatory authorities, and the term is used by the Company with reference to the JORC Code, and to ensure compliance with the ASX Listing Rules and applicable reporting requirements in Australia. About First Cobalt First Cobalt a North American pure-play cobalt company whose flagship asset is the Iron Creek Cobalt Project in Idaho, USA, which has Inferred mineral resources of 26.9 million tonnes grading 0.11% cobalt equivalent. The Company's other assets include 50 past-producing mines in the Canadian Cobalt Camp and the only permitted cobalt refinery in North America capable of producing battery materials. On behalf of First Cobalt Corp. Trent Mell President & Chief Executive Officer Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Estimates of Resources Readers are cautioned that mineral resources are not economic mineral reserves and that the economic viability of resources that are not mineral reserves has not been demonstrated. The estimate of mineral resources may be materially affected by geology, environmental, permitting, legal, title, socio-political, marketing or other relevant issues. The mineral resource estimate is classified in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum's "2014 CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves" incorporated by reference into NI 43-101. Under Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies or economic studies except for Preliminary Economic Assessment as defined under NI 43-101. Readers are cautioned not to assume that further work on the stated resources will lead to mineral reserves that can be mined economically. An Inferred Mineral Resource as defined by the CIM Standing Committee is "that part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity and grade or quality are estimated on the basis of limited geological evidence and sampling. Geological evidence is sufficient to imply but not verify geological and grade or quality continuity. An Inferred Mineral Resource has a lower level of confidence than that applying to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration." Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (together, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as "plans", "expects', "estimates", "intends", "anticipates", "believes" or variations of such words, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance and opportunities to differ materially from those implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements are set forth in the management discussion and analysis and other disclosures of risk factors for First Cobalt, filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although First Cobalt believes that the information and assumptions used in preparing the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed times frames or at all. Except where required by applicable law, First Cobalt disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Press Release Highlights: Exploration drilling at Florida Mountain continues to demonstrate high-grade nature of the gold (Au)-silver (Ag) deposit with intercept of: IFM18_001A, 5.23 grams per tonne (g/t) gold equivalent (AuEq) over 21.33 meters (m) intercepted in the Trade Dollar Black Jack Vein including 20.44 g/t AuEq over 3.04 m High grade intercept lies roughly 200 m beneath current inferred resource boundary, indicative of future exploration potential Wider, lower grade disseminated gold-silver mineralization encountered in drilling helping to confirm the current inferred resource: IFM18_004, 0.57 g/t AuEq over 46.78 m With the H1 2019 drill program now fully funded by the close of the recent successful financing, drilling to resume at Florida Mountain in H1 2019 Drilling currently ongoing at the DeLamar Deposit, further testing the Sullivan Gulch and Sullivan Knob Targets VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Integra Resources Corp. (TSXV:ITR ; OTCQX:IRRZF) (the Company or Integra) is pleased to announce the remaining drill results from Integras 100% owned Florida Mountain Gold-Silver Deposit (Florida Mountain), located 5 kilometers (km) east of Integras DeLamar Deposit in southwestern Idaho. A total of 2,920 meters (m) was completed in 9 drill holes at Florida Mountain during the 2018 drill campaign, designed to test both the low-grade disseminated mineralization and select high-grade veins on the Deposit. While these results signify the end of the 2018 Florida Mountain drill campaign, one exploration drill remains active on Integras neighbouring DeLamar Deposit and will remain active throughout the winter. Drilling is scheduled to continue in H1 2019 at Florida Mountain. George Salamis, President and CEO of Integra Resources, stated, The assay results announced today from Florida Mountain highlight some of the immense potential of the Deposit to host high-grade gold-silver mineralization, well beneath the current inferred resource model. Mr. Salamis added, These latest results from the Florida Mountain Deposit outline a significant high-grade gold-silver intercept located roughly 200 meters down-dip beneath the current pit-constrained inferred resource shell, showing the Trade Dollar - Black Jack Vein to be open for expansion. Both the discrete vein hosted mineralization as well as the more disseminated bulk style gold-silver potential at Florida Mountain continues to excite our exploration team, who look forward to returning with drill rigs in the Spring of 2019. Over the coming winter months, drill core from this recently completed program will be incorporated into the ongoing metallurgical testing program. In addition, detailed logging and digitizing of the abundant historical records currently in Integras possession will help to shape the 2019 drill program and drive further resource expansion potential. This high-grade intercept further underscores the need for Integra to conduct more drilling down-dip and on extension as we look to return to Florida Mountain in the first half of 2019. Florida Mountain - Drill Results Summary The following table highlights selected intercepts from this set of Florida Mountain drill results. The first two reported intercepts were first disclosed in the news release titled Integra Announces Initial Drill Results From the Florida Mountain Deposit dated September 24, 2018. The assays from todays release were sent to the laboratory in a subsequent shipment, hence why they were not disclosed in the previous Florida Mountain news release. Drill Hole Number From (m) To (m) Interval (m) (1) g/t Au g/t Ag g/t AuEq(2) IFM18_001A (previously reported) 39.01 56.39 17.38 0.55 75.92 1.45 IFM18_001A (previously reported) 75.59 87.48 11.89 0.84 2.91 0.88 IFM18_001A 292.00 313.33 21.33 1.90 283.36 5.23 Incl. 311.81 313.33 3.04 7.68 1085.32 20.44 IFM18_004 84.89 131.67 46.78 0.34 19.74 0.57 Downhole thickness; true width varies depending on drill hole dip; most drill holes are aimed at intersecting the vein structures close to perpendicular therefore true widths are close to downhole widths (approximately 80% conversion ratio) Gold equivalent = g Au/t + (g Ag/t 85) Florida Mountain Deposit Geology Florida Mountain Deposit Geology Florida Mountain Deposit Geology As a well-known low-sulphidation gold-silver epithermal system, the geology of the Florida Mountain Deposit is generally similar to that of the DeLamar Deposit with the important exception that the Late Cretaceous Idaho granodiorite crops out on the flanks of Florida Mountain, and was extensively entered by workings of the historic underground mines. Discrete low-sulphidation epithermal related fissure veins and more widely disseminated mineralized zones are both present at Florida Mountain, and have contributed to past gold and silver production. Florida Mountain exhibits significant exploration upside, remaining open at depth and on strike. In more recent history, the gold and silver mineralized material from Florida Mountain was processed during the 1990s at the neighboring DeLamar Mill, with material being transported by truck along a haulage road that Integra currently uses to access the project. Historical mill records show mill recoveries of 95% gold and 75% or better silver, in addition to column leach test studies demonstrating gold recoveries as high as 85% and silver as high as 54%, are indicative of the excellent metallurgical nature of the deposit The existing Florida Mountain metallurgical data demonstrates the potential of both conventional milling and heap leach options for any future development, subject to further studies and assessment that are currently underway. In February 2018, the Company reported a maiden Florida Mountain Deposit inferred mineral resource employing a 0.3 g/t AuEq cut-off, outlining 36,605,000 tonnes grading 0.57 g/t Au and 14.12 g/t Ag, for a total of 675,000 ozs of Au and 16.6 M ozs Ag, or 871,000 oz AuEq at a grade of 0.74 g/t AuEq. To view a copy of the full NI43-101 Technical Report outlining the current inferred resource estimate at the DeLamar Project, please click the following link: Click Here DeLamar Exploration Ongoing Though the company has completed its budgeted drilling for the year at Florida Mountain, further exploration work is ongoing at Integras DeLamar Deposit, situated 5 km to the west of Florida Mountain. One drill rig remains active, testing a number of targets including Sullivan Gulch and Sullivan Knob, the later representing the highest geophysical induced polarization (IP) signature on the property. The exploration program for H1 2019 is now fully funded, following the recently completed financing. Further guidance regarding the 2019 planned exploration program will be released in the coming months. Sampling and QA/QC Procedure Thorough QA/QC protocols are followed on the Project, including insertion of duplicate, blank and standard samples in the assay stream for all drill holes. The samples are submitted directly to American Assay Labs in Reno, Nevada for preparation and analysis. Analysis of gold is performed using fire assay method with atomic absorption (AA) finish on a 1 assay ton aliquot. Gold results over 5 g/t are re-run using a gravimetric finish. Silver analysis is performed using ICP for results up to 100 g/t on a 5 acid digestion, with a fire assay, gravimetric finish for results over 100 g/t silver. Qualified Person The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by E. Max Baker PhD. (FAusIMM), Integras Vice President Exploration, of Reno, Nevada, and is a Qualified Person (QP) as defined in National Instrument 43- 101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. About Integra Resources Integra Resources Corp. is a development-stage company engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties in the Americas. The primary focus of the Company is advancement of its DeLamar Project, consisting of the neighbouring DeLamar and Florida Mountain Gold and Silver Deposits in the heart of the historic Owyhee County mining district in south western Idaho. The first exploration program in over 25 years is currently underway on the DeLamar Project with more than 20,000 meters planned for 2018. The management team comprises the former executive team from Integra Gold Corp. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS George Salamis President, CEO, and Director CONTACT INFORMATION Corporate Inquiries: Chris Gordon, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Company website: www.integraresources.com Office phone: 1 (604) 416-0576 This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate, among other things, to: statements about the estimation of mineral resources; magnitude or quality of mineral deposits; anticipated advancement of mineral properties or programs; future operations; future exploration prospects; the completion and timing of mineral resource estimates; the length of the current market cycle and requirements for an issuer to survive in the current market cycle; future growth potential of Integra; and future development plans. These forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of Integra at the time such statements were made. Actual future results may differ materially as forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Integra to materially differ from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include: possible variations in mineralization, grade or recovery rates; actual results of current exploration activities; actual results of reclamation activities; conclusions of future economic evaluations; business integration risks; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; fluctuations in spot and forward prices of gold, silver, base metals or certain other commodities; fluctuations in currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar to United States dollar exchange rate); change in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; 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 and flooding); inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); and title to properties. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of Integra believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, Integra cannot assure its shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Except as required by law, Integra assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law. Amnesty International accused Yemeni rebels on Thursday of deliberate militarisation of hospitals in the battleground city of Hodeida and called on warring parties to protect civilians. The human rights group said the Huthi Shiite rebels recently stationed fighters on the roof of a hospital in the May 22 district of the Red Sea port city, calling the action a stomach-churning development. It said the move risked devastating consequences for the hospitals staff and patients given the repeated use by the Saudi-led coalition supporting the government of air strikes on civilian areas. The presence of Huthi fighters on the hospitals roof violates international humanitarian law, but this violation does not make the hospital and the patients and medical staff lawful targets for Saudi Arabia and UAE-led coalition air strikes, Samah Hadid, Amnestys Middle East campaigns director Samah Hadid said. Anyone attacking a hospital under these conditions risks responsibility for war crimes. A medical source told AFP on Wednesday that the rebels had forced medical staff out of the May 22 Hospital one of Hodeidas main medical facilities and posted snipers on the roof. Pro-government forces pressed closer to the heart of Hodeida, whose port serves as the entry point for nearly 80 per cent of commercial imports and nearly all UN-supervised humanitarian aid. Aid groups have appealed to both the rebels and the coalition to allow civilians to escape the city of some 600,000 people. Amnesty warned that civilians in Hodeida will pay a terrible price unless the warring parties act immediately to protect them from the fighting. The rebels have controlled Hodeida since 2014 when they overran the capital Sanaa and then swept though much of the rest of the country triggering Saudi-led military intervention the following year and a devastating war of attrition. Government forces backed by significant numbers of United Arab Emirates ground troops launched an offensive to retake the city in June. Eight former soldiers fighting with Bosnian Muslim forces were arrested Thursday on charges of murdering Croat civilians and military prisoners during the 1990s inter-ethnic war, authorities said. The suspects, which include former military commanders, are accused of killing two women and at least a dozen Croat soldiers detained in the Bosnian village of Krizancevo Selo in 1993, the state prosecutor said in a statement. A quarter century after the war, no one has ever been convicted for the mass killings that took place there, one of the worst atrocities carried out against Bosnian Croats during the conflict. The village was attacked on December 22, 1993 by the Bosnian Muslim troops, as well as a unit of foreign Islamic volunteer fighters who fought on their side during the 1992-1995 war. On the same day 34 Croat soldiers and civilian detainees, including women and elderly people, were killed in the village. Around 30 other detained soldiers were taken to the foreign units camp and to the town of Zenica. They were all killed. The bodieshad traces of torture and mutilations, according to the prosecutor. Although Croats and Muslims joined forces to battle Bosnian Serbs during the war, they also fought against each others for 11 months in 1993 and 1994. The conflict claimed 100,000 lives and displaced millions. The trial of former Ivorian leader Laurent Gbagbo and his so-called Street general Charles Ble Goude before the International Criminal Court (ICC) will resume next week to examine the request of the defence to declare that there is no case to answer and acquit both accused. The prosecution insists that they have a strong case but people who follow the trial closely question if the prosecutions much vaunted insider witnesses have done enough to link the former president to the crimes committed. The fact that the judges agreed to hear the no case to answer motion may indicate that the judges are not convinced either. And this is not the only sign. The prosecution ended the presentation of its evidence in January this year. In an unusual step the judges then asked chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda to file a mid-trial brief focusing on the evidence submitted to support the charges laid out in the pre-trial prosecution brief. The fact that presiding judge Cuno Tarfusser essentially asked the prosecutor to clarify her scenario suggests that the judges are not too sure what the prosecutions story for this case is, said Thijs Bouwknegt, assistant professor of the University of Amsterdam who has followed the trial closely. The farfetched scenario of a common plan It is in reaction to the mid-trial brief that in April the defence filed a no case to answer motion. Such a request is a bit of an anomaly in international tribunals. In a 2016 article Ady Niv then a legal officer at the Yugoslav international tribunal argued that such motions make sense in common law where judges are only triers of law while the jury are the triers of fact. But at international tribunals like the ICC judges take both roles. Indeed, there is no provision for such motion in the ICC rules of procedure. Some trial chambers have allowed it, like the judges in the Gbagbo trial and those in the Ruto and Sang case over Kenyan election violence. Others, as in the ongoing case against Ugandan rebel commander Dominic Ongwen, denied it and ordered the defence to present its case. ICC judges have only few precedents to look at and those are often open for several interpretations. Every situation at the ICC is different and trials are kind of mini-tribunals on to themselves, said Bouwknegt. According to Gbagbos defence the prosecution has not proven beyond a reasonable doubt that there was a common plan in the close-knit circle around Gbagbo to use violence to cling to power. It is a farfetched scenario where Ggagbo and Ble Goude and others made a pact in October 2000 to stay in power by all means and then, over ten years later, use violence (after the elections) to further this common plan, said Bouwknegt. The prosecution did get quite a few high-ranking military and police officials to come and testify in The Hague, and it made much of these insider witnesses. But they all came assisted by their own lawyers and seemingly wary of implicating themselves, and thus Gbagbo in any crime. A real link is hard to establish. The trial does not seem to have established, beyond a reasonable doubt, a direct line from the soldiers on the ground to Gbagbo, said Bouwknegt. Having many insider witnesses alone is not enough, it also depends on what they say. An implosion in slow motion? The defence insists Gbagbo was merely carrying out his tasks as president and instructed the army and security forces to deal with armed rebels and did not overstep his power in doing so. For Ble Goude the prosecution even conceded it had not proven two counts in the indictment and suggested they be removed. However, the bulk of the charges should stay, they told judges at a hearing this month. So are we watching the implosion of the Gbagbo trial in slow motion? Judges are trying to keep a close rein on the case but it has taken ten months to get from the end of the prosecution case to this no case to answer hearing. A decision could be months off. The pressure on the tribunal to have this case be a success for the prosecution is enormous. Gbagbo, a former head of state, is the highest-ranking accused to ever be on trial before the ICC. In 2014 the prosecution was forced to withdraw the charges against the only sitting head of state ever to appear in the dock at the ICC, Kenyas president Uhuru Kenyatta. Sixteen years in existence the court has only carried three convictions for the courts core crimes, all of them for relatively minor figures two militia commanders from the Democratic Republic of Congo and an Islamist from Mali. Gbagbos trial follows the acquittal on appeal of Congolese former vice-president Jean-Pierre Bemba in June this year. And the ICC has no major trial due to start any time soon. It will be very bad for the court if the Gbagbo case collapses, said Bouwknegt. By ANDREW SELSKY , Associated Press SALEM, Ore. (AP) The election gave Democrats a three-fifths supermajority in Oregon's Legislature with greater power to impose taxes, but the Senate president said Wednesday he'll still seek bipartisan support, noting that Republican lawmakers could doom revenue-raising bills if they sit out the votes. Senate President Peter Courtney told The Associated Press he felt Oregon Democrats' celebrations Tuesday evening were too strong. Not only did they win supermajorities in the state House and Senate, but Democratic Gov. Kate Brown defeated her Republican challenger, a victory she called "a slam dunk." And last but not least, we defended and expanded our Oregon Democratic majorities in both houses of the legislature in Salem. Oregon Democrats (@ORDems) November 7, 2018 "I worried last night because of the celebration. Somebody lost last night, and they lost pretty good," Courtney said in a telephone interview. "When you really beat someone and you really put them down, you know, you can train an anger and a hatred that's so violent, that they'll go to every extreme they can think of to stop you." If Republicans lawmakers feel irrelevant, they could resort to sitting out votes, said Courtney, a Democrat who's the longest-serving legislator in Oregon history. "It's a very difficult situation to have happen, you've got anarchy, you've got legislative anarchy," Courtney said. Quorum rules say 20 senators must be on the Senate floor and 40 representatives on the House floor for votes to take place, Courtney said. Democrats fell short of those numbers even though they'll have at least 18 Senate seats and 36 House seats in the 2019 session. House Speaker Tina Kotek said stronger Democratic majorities in the House and Senate will help Democrats focus on school funding, climate change and a housing crisis. The Democrats achieved a supermajority in the House when Rachel Prusak, a nurse, beat Republican Rep. Julie Parrish to represent a district south of Portland. Parrish had backed a ballot measure defeated by voters in January that would have eliminated a new tax to provide health care for low-income Oregonians. Prusak ran for office "to protect the rights of her patients." In southern Oregon, Democrat Jeff Golden, a river guide and public television production manager, edged Republican Jessica Gomez to take Republican Sen. Alan DeBoer's seat, giving Democrats a supermajority in the Senate. Gomez had been DeBoer's legislative aide. Courtney said he was relieved voters defeated a measure on Tuesday that would have amended the state Constitution to require a legislative supermajority for bills that raise revenue through tax exemptions, deductions, credits or fees. Passage would have made it almost impossible to create a budget, Courtney said. In the 2019 legislative session, which starts in January and runs to early July, Democrats will aim to pass a multibillion-dollar revenue measure to fund public education. Courtney said it would be a value added tax or a gross receipts tax, but not a sales tax. Having a supermajority doesn't mean Democrats will act in unison to pass tax bills, said Christopher Shortell, associate professor of political science at Portland State University. For example, Golden, who will be sworn in along with other winners on Jan. 14, will have to be mindful he's from a fairly conservative district, Shortell said. "Any time you're a Democrat in a seat that was held by a Republican ... if you come in and join the Democratic supermajority to enact some tax bill that's very unpopular with your constituents, that's a problem for you," Shortell said. "A supermajority does not guarantee that all those Democrats will join in." SALEM, Ore. Governor Kate Brown has ordered that all the flags at Oregon public institutions be flown at half-staff until sunset on Nov. 10, 2018 in honor of the victims of a shooting at the The Borderline country bar in Thousand Oaks, California. "Waking up to news of the mass shooting in Thousand Oaks, I am heartbroken, once again, for those who have lost their loved ones," said Governor Brown. "Haven't we learned that nowhere in our country will be immune to gun violence until action is taken? Congress, please act now." The White House has also issued a national flag-order, and the full presidential proclamation will be available here. GRANTS PASS, Ore. UPDATE: The man severely burned in an explosion on Wednesday night and later died in the hospital has now been identified as 65-year-old Kirt Morrill. Grants Pass Department of Public Safety (GPDPS) said that they have contacted Morrill's next of kin and informed them of the situation. Meanwhile, officers are trying to locate a woman known to associate with Morrill for a welfare check. 54-year-old Kellie Parker [pictured below] is "know to associate frequently" with Morrill, but she has not been seen or heard from since the day of the explosion and resulting fire. "Right now, [there's] no indication that anybody else was down there, just him," Deputy Chief Jim Hamilton said. "But we want to make sure. We want to make sure we didnt miss anything when we were down there." If anyone knows Parker's whereabouts, they are asked to call GPDPS at 541-450-6260. Witnesses surrounding the area say the explosion caused their car alarms to go off. Hamilton added the windows of the Grants Pass Public Safety Center shook. Witness Annette Biencourt Landis said she could hear people screaming after the first explosion went off. Hamilton adds the heat was so intense they couldn't get to the victim right away. Eventually they wrapped him in a sleeping bag and smothered the flames. He later died at the hospital. Hamilton adds because of the traumatic expereince, his officers are talking to mental health professionals to help them process it. (Updated 11/8/18 at 5:30 p.m.) UPDATE: Deputy Chief Hamilton has confirmed that an unidentified man found severely burned following two explosions on Wednesday night has died of his injuries. Investigators have yet to release any more details regarding the man's identity or the cause of the explosions however, the victim is believed to be a transient and photos from the scene show what appears to be a transient camp-site where the explosions and fire originated. (Updated 11/8/18 at 12:37 pm.) INITIAL REPORT: Police officers and firefighters rushed to the scene of an intense fire close by the Parkway Public Safety Station after hearing and feeling a pair of loud explosions last night, according to the Grants Pass Department of Public Safety (GPDPS). It was just before 10:30 p.m. when the incident began. "Officers were inside of the facility at the time and could feel the explosion in addition to hearing it," GPDPS said in a statement this morning. The first explosion was soon followed by a second. Soon after, the 911 center began fielding rush of calls. Meanwhile, police officers went down near the Rogue River where they believed the explosion to have originated. Requesting support from firefighters, the police officers ran down to the area on foot, according to GPDPS. They soon encountered a man with extensive burns positioned next to an intense fire. "Officers attempted to control the fire, however the fire behavior was too extreme and fire extinguishers did little to slow the fire progression," GPDPS said. Using a nearby sleeping bag, the officers were able to cover the man to keep the flames from him and eventually pulled him away from the flames. Firefighters and paramedics from AMR arrived soon after to begin treating the man and transport him to the hospital. A trooper from Oregon State Police also assisted with those life-saving efforts. GPDPS said that the source of the explosion remains under investigation, but there were signs that small propane tanks may have caused them. The situation that led them to explode is still unknown. Detectives and fire investigators will be continuing to look into the incident throughout Thursday. The burned man is at Three Rivers Medical Center in critical condition and remains unidentified. GPDPS plans to release more information once he is identified. Anyone with further information regarding this matter is asked to call the Grants Pass Department of Public Safety at (541) 450-6260. CHICO, Calif. UPDATE: By Tuesday evening, the Camp Fire death toll rose even higher to 81 most of them still as-yet unidentified. The fire has now burned 153,336 acres but has jumped to 80 percent containment. With rains coming down, fire activity is expected to bottom out over the next several days. But the same rains will make the search for human remains even harder than it has been. (Updated 11/21/18 at 5 p.m.) UPDATE: Eight more bodies have been found in the Camp Fire. That brings the total to 71 deaths. The list of missing people has grown to 1,011. The Butte County Sheriff warns this list may be inaccurate. It's compiled from multiple sources. There could be duplicate names on list. Cal Fire says the Camp Fire has grown to 146,000 acres. It's 50% contained. (Updated 11/16/16 at 6:39 p.m.) UPDATE: The Butte County Sheriff says 63 people have now died in the Camp Fire. Seven more bodies were found Thursday. The Sheriff also updated the number of buildings destroyed. A toatl of 11,862 buildings and homes have been burned to the ground. The Camp Fire is 141,000 acres. It's 40% contained. (Updated 11/15/18 at 6:39 p.m.) UPDATE: The Butte County Sheriff has confirmed that eight additional bodies have been discovered in Paradise due to the Camp Fire. The official death toll is now at 56. There are still 130 people who remain unaccounted for. The Camp Fire has now burned 138,000 acres and is 35 percent contained. 8,650 homes are confirmed destroyed by the fire. (Updated 11/14/18 at 7 p.m.) UPDATE: Today, 6 more bodies have been found in the Camp Fire. That brings the total to 48. The fire is now at 130,000 acres and 35% contained. (Updated 11/13/18 at 6:27 p.m.) UPDATE: 13 more bodies have been identified in the Camp Fire burn area today. That brings the total to 42. It also makes this the deadliest wildfire in California history. The Butte County Sheriff's office has positively identified 3 victims. The fire is now 30% contained and 117,000 acres. (Updated 11/12/18 at 6:30 p.m.) UPDATE: By Monday morning, fire officials estimated that the Camp Fire covered 113,000 acres and was 25 percent contained. Casualties from the fire had climbed to 29 people killed. In total, fire officials say that 15,500 structures are threatened, 6,453 homes are destroyed, 36 homes are damaged, 260 businesses are destroyed, 22 businesses damaged and 389 other minor structures destroyed. Cal Fire expects full containment by November 30, 2018. In terms of crew, Cal Fire says there are 4,555 total personnel assigned to the Camp Fire. There are 571 engines, 59 water tenders, 21 helicopters, 91 hand crews, 88 dozers and a number of air tankers. Meanwhile, members of the community are rallying to help those displaced or harmed by the Camp Fire's brutality. Tri Counties bank has started a Camp Fire fund with an initial deposit of $25,000 to benefit the victims. There are multiple other places to donate funds or to drop off needed items in the Chico area. UPDATE: Nine fatalities are confirmed as a result of the Camp Fire near Chico. Around 35 people are reported missing. This fire is being called one of the most destructive wildifre's in California's history. It is currently burning 90,000 acres of land. 52,000 people had to evacuate, and more than 6,000 homes have been destroyed. 80-90 percent of homes in Paradise, California are destroyed by the Camp Fire. The fire is only 5 contained at this time. (Updated 11/10/18 at 10 a.m.) UPDATE: A sixth fatality is now confirmed as a result of the Camp Fire, the Butte County Sheriff said on Friday afternoon. While the body was found in the ruins of Paradise, authorities will not yet disclose an exact location. Meanwhile, CAL FIRE says that the fire is now burning on both sides of the Feather River, south of the Jarbo Gap. It has also destroyed the Honey Run Bridge in Chico. One small bit of good news emerged throughout the day town councilor Melissa Schuster confirmed that the Feather River Hospital in Paradise was not completely destroyed by the fire's passage, just damaged. Some buildings on the campus did burn, but the primary structure remains standing. Paradise High School and the Town Hall are also reported to still be standing. Hundreds of people continue to look for loved ones that are still unaccounted for following the rushed evacuation. Many of those people are elderly, some disabled, often without cell phones or computers even prior to the evacuation. (Updated 11/9/18 at 5:30 p.m.) UPDATE: At least five people are confirmed dead from the Camp Fire, according to a statement from the Butte County Sheriff's Office (BCSO). Investigators came upon the bodies on Thursday around Edgewood Lane in the devastated town of Paradise. BCSO said that they believe the victims were in vehicles that "were overcome by the Camp Fire." Due to the extent of the victims' burn injuries, investigators have yet to identify the bodies. BCSO said that autopsies will be conducted to determine the circumstances of those deaths and begin identifying the victims. "The Butte County Coroner's Office has formed an interagency team to investigate and identify additional fatalitis. We understand that many people are very anxious to locate loved ones and we encourage residents to check safeandwell.org, check with family and friends, and if you're still not able to locate loved ones, please contact BCSO at (530) 538-7322 to request a welfare check or to file a missing person's report," BCSO said. (Updated 11/9/18 at 11:45 a.m.) UPDATE: The devastating Camp Fire has grown to 70,000 acres and is now 5 percent contained, Butte County CAL FIRE said on Friday morning. Updated fire maps show the fire line encroaching on the outskirts of Chico. California Office of Emergency Services said they will be having another press conference at 9 a.m. to update on what state agencies are doing now to combat the fire. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea also reiterated that there is a possibility of civilian casualties however he could not yet comment on the specifics. Cal Fire officials said the 5 percent containment is due to a containment wall built along Highway 32, blocking the fire from spreading to Chico. Now firefighters are working to build containment walls along the north to the Magalia area and south along the Concow area. Firefighters worked throughout the night battling the Camp Fire on multiple fronts. Many people have reported being unable to contact their loved ones in the area since the evacuations began in earnest. For an ongoing list of the missing, visit the page here. (Updated 11/9/18 at 9:20 a.m.) UPDATE: Be advised we have received confirmation from units on the ground in Butte County that Feather River Hospital has been destroyed by fire, said John Lord, Associate Director of the Sierra-Sacramento Vally EMS Agency via Mike Mangas of Mercy Medical Center. (Updated 11/8/18 at 5:30 p.m.) UPDATE: In a live press conference on Thursday afternoon, authorities delivered updates on the Camp Fire's seemingly unstoppable progress since that morning including an acknowledgment that there have been unconfirmed reports of fatalities from the fire. "This is a very serious fire, a rapidly moving fire," said Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea. Sheriff Honea described working within the town of Paradise that morning as the fire quickly spread toward the town, with heavy black smoke filling the air like a solid wall. "Although it was early morning, it seemed like midnight," Honea said. As deputies worked to issue evacuation orders, they reportedly received 1,038 individual 911 calls related to the fire. Hundreds were from people reporting that they could not get away or had loved ones that they could not reach. Honea said that deputies had addressed roughly 200 of those calls with 400 remaining unresolved. CAL FIRE officials confirmed that two firefighters have been injured in the response. There have been no confirmed civilian injuries however, Sheriff Honea said that there have been multiple reports of potential fatalities. Deputies are still working to confirm those reports, but in many cases cannot get to the reported areas safely. Evacuation order remain in effect for the communities of Magalia, Paradise, Butte Creek Canyon, Concow, Polga, Yankee Hill, Jarbo Gap and a number of surrounding areas. As is often the case, some people refused to heed the initial evacuation orders. "Lives are on the line when we issue these orders. If you stay we can't guarantee that we can get to you," Honea said. Sheriff Honea also said that he had requested aid from the Governor's office and surrounding agencies. The fire began around 6:30 a.m. on Thursday near Jarbo Gap and Polga. The first firefighters on the scene reported more than ten acres aflame with "critical rate of spread," and issues accessing the fire. Stiff winds quickly caused those flames to race and spread westward toward Paradise. Although specifics are not yet available, CAL FIRE confirmed significant destruction of property in the area with "several hundred" structures destroyed. "Looters will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," Honea said. He also admonished business-owners against price-gouging evacuees forced to flee to neighboring towns. According to PG&E there are 34,000 customers are without power in Butte and Plumas counties due to the Camp Fire. For safety, PG&E has also shut off natural gas service to all 12,000 gas customers in Paradise. Additionally, Butte College's main campus in Oroville is closed Nov. 8 and 9. Classes schedule tonight at the Chico Center, Skyway Center and Cosmetology Center are cancelled Nov. 8 and 9. The Glenn Center will remain open. The College's main campus is being used as a staging area for Cal Fire. (Updated 11/8/18 at 4:30 p.m. UPDATE: California Highway Patrol (CHP) reports that the Camp Fire is working its way westward toward the city of Chico. Fire officials have now confirmed that the fire covers an estimated 18,000 acres still with no containment. Troopers are working to close down all northbound traffic on SR-99 to prevent access into Chico. CHP is also stopping all northbound traffic on Hwy 99 at Hwy 149. All lanes of Hwy 99 from Skyway south to Hwy 149 are being turned for southbound traffic fleeing the fire. "It's a very dangerous and very serious situation," Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea told The Associated Press. "I'm driving through fire as we speak. We're doing everything we can to get people out of the affected areas." The Associated Press also reports that some evacuees were forced to abandon their vehicles as they fled the scene of the fast-moving fire. Children evacuated from the Paradise School District have been taken to the Mormon Church of Chico located at 2430 Mariposa Avenue, Chico. "The whole lower side of Paradise is completely engulfed in flames right now," said Kevin Winstad, a Paradise resident who evacuated to Chico. "The Pacific, Princeton area, Feather River Hospital all is engulfed in flames right now. Not one home will be left standing." Meanwhile, the number of evacuation zones continues to multiply, based on frequent updates from the Butte County Sheriff's Office. (Updated 11/8/18 at 2 p.m.) UPDATE: Authorities now estimate that the Camp Fire covers more than 8,000 acres with no containment. Butte College in the town of Oroville has been closed as a precaution, and will remain closed for the rest of the day. The Chico, Glenn, and Skyway Center branches remain open. Oroville and Chico remain the primary destinations for a mass exodus of evacuees fleeing the evacuated area of Paradise. Evacuation orders have been added along Highway 70 from Concow south including all of Yankee Hill on both sides of the highway. Paradise and multipe surrounding areas remain on evacuation orders. (Updated 11/8/18 at 12 p.m.) INITIAL REPORT: Authorities have ordered the evacuation of an entire town in Northern California after a runaway wildfire began rushing toward the town. At last report, the Camp Fire covered 5,000 acres and has no containment. Paradise is a community of more than 26,000 residents, located just east of Chico in Butte County. By 9 a.m. on Thursday morning, authorities had ordered the evacuation of the entire town. #Campfire [Update], This Fire is very dangerous, please evacuate if asked to do so! pic.twitter.com/zIBNYVqW1M CAL FIRE Butte Unit/Butte County Fire Department (@CALFIRE_ButteCo) November 8, 2018 The fire has grown so quickly that details remain sparse at this time. Authorities had prioritized the evacuation of Feather River Hospital in Paradise presumably because the hospital lay directly in the fire's path. Evacuees are being ushered to the nearby towns of Oroville and Chico, where a evacuation shelter is now open. Police have opened up both directions of highways for traffic fleeing the fire, with as many as five lanes of traffic all headed away from the fire. Evacuees described a "tunnel of flames" as they fled the area near the hospital in Paradise, and a wall of black smoke is visible on the horizon from the outskirts of Chico. 10 Shares Share Sondor is a made-up internet neologism that captures the fleeting but poignant sense of the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own populated with their own ambitions, friends, routines, worries and inherited craziness. I think about this word often when I see my patients. Everyone is the main character of his or her life, and during the third year of medical school, I had the privilege of listening to countless patient tales at the many places I saw them, including hospitals and free clinics. As I listened, I was aware that I would be just an incidental character in my patients sagas that one medical student during a clinic visit or hospital stay. Despite my bit part, I still had the privilege of watching some of these characters struggle through one of the worst chapters of their lives, and I was professionally privy to some of their deepest secrets including their sexual practices, substance use, and psychological history to get a detailed overview of their health. So far, I have crossed paths with people from a wide swath of humanity: a young Tibetan college student with a strange cluster of symptoms later found to be lupus, an Ethiopian septuagenarian coming in for her first female pelvic exam, a patient with a drug addiction repeatedly hospitalized for severe skin infections. Despite the diversity of their origins, their goals were uniform: They wanted someone who cared, someone who would listen to their worries and concerns and address them. Listening to patients stories isnt just a social nicety, its a necessary part of coming up with a diagnosis and a proper treatment plan. The physicians role, then, is to understand those stories and help guide the patients to better endings for their conditions. Of course, physicians are not editors; they are supporting characters who can make suggestions on how the plot ought to go. In the end, the patients themselves are the authors. However, there is no guarantee of a happy conclusion, and often, Ive seen patients stories end much too soon. Storytelling is also a vital skill among physicians. For instance, on-the-job information sharing involves summaries spoken during rounds with other members of the treatment team or written up in a patient chart in the electronic health record. All the specialties have their unique flavor and template to explain what is happening to a patient, but the ones that I appreciate the most are the ones that depict the patient as a person, someone that I can care about, rather than reducing them into their lab values or disease. Furthermore, physicians tell stories back to their patients, to connect with them and to explain the complex conditions they may have. To paint a picture appropriate for the patients level of understanding is critical in enabling the patients to make informed decisions about their health. Besides, many physicians have taken it up to themselves to write and speak to inform the public to foster an educated citizenry, particularly in the face of misinformation and pseudoscience. Thus, my plans are inspired by stories those of patients and doctors. As a story-listener, I will learn how to understand my patients and suggest the appropriate treatment for each. As a storyteller, I want to educate my patients in a way that will make sense for them. Ultimately, I want to revise the narratives of peoples lives by helping them take back control of their stories. By intertwining my story with those of others, I want to enrich the chapters that have yet to be written. Yoo Jung Kim is a medical student who blogs at Scope, where this article originally appeared. Image credit: Shutterstock.com 359 Shares Share While riding shotgun in the family minivan on the way home from a fall break water park trip, I received the following text message: I thought of you today! One of the residents here had done a great job with a complex (and really sad) labor and delivery patient, and the nurse was telling me how awesome she was so I thought to myself that I should do what you do and tell her that she did a great job and not just write it on an eval. It was also one of those cases where I was so thankful that we had resident debriefings and we talked about dealing with hard things and what it means to be a doctor. I know that helped me teach her! So thanks for being a great example of a physician and teaching attending! This was from a recent graduate of my pediatric residency program who was four months into her new life as an attending. Of course, it made me smile, and it reaffirmed what I had been thinking about while my kids were sleeping or iPad-ing in the back seat. So I replied: Thank you for sharing! Riding home from Kansas right now and thinking random thoughts, one of which is my belief that working with residents has protected me from burnout. So thank you, too, and I cant even imagine how many people you will touch during your career! I completed my first Maslach Burnout Inventory last summer as part of a professional development series. The questions were phrased in terms of recipients rather than patients. When our results were passed out and discussed several months later, I was pleased (and a little surprised) that my numbers were so favorable. When I thought back to the day I filled it out, though, I realized that I had been mostly picturing my recipients as the residents and students that I teach and mentor. I think my results would have been different had I thought only in terms of patients-as-recipients. I have had several occasions over the past year to reflect upon my work do I like it? What do I like about it? What do I want to spend more time doing? And I keep circling back to my hospitalist partners (they really get me) and the residents (I really want to get them). In some ways, they force us to be better. To use more evidence-based medicine, to role model more empathy, to find ways to keep ourselves from burning out because they are watching us and counting on us and hoping that they didnt make a mistake with their lives and careers. And, for me at least, that has turned out to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. What I didnt necessarily suspect, though, is that the resident-student relationship could also be protective. I received this reply from my former resident: Yes! I felt really burned out between second and third year, but getting to teach medical students in the NICU and PICU made everything so much better. I totally agree that its protective! And thanks it still feels weird to be the boss sometimes but its also really fun. Usually. I have started to consider what each learner is teaching me in addition to worrying about what I should be teaching them. I have learned so much from our residents: how to mindfully prepare for the future, how to seize the opportunities that life has to offer, how to smile graciously under pressure, how to keep on trucking despite the profound stress and sadness and injustice. So if I cannot muster empathy and evidence and resiliency just because they are the right things to muster, maybe I can muster them because I am being watched and imitated. Maybe our burned out residents can muster these things because they are being watched and imitated by the medical students. Maybe, just maybe, we can fake it for others until we truly make it. Lisa Sieczkowski is a pediatrician. Image credit: Shutterstock.com UPDATE: One of the victims killed in Wednesday night's mass shooting at a Southern California bar has been identified as Cody Coffman, 22 years old, according to the victim's father. "This was my first-born son. I am speechless and heartbroken. My life has changed forever," Coffman's father said. A law enforcement procession could be seen Thursday morning escorting the body of Ventura County Sheriff's Sergeant Ron Helus from Los Robles Hospital to the Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office in the city of Ventura. Sgt. Helus was the first officer inside the Borderline Bar & Grill to respond to the shooting, according to sheriff's officials. Sgt. Helus later passed away at the hospital. The gunman, in Wednesday night's mass shooting at a bar in Southern California, has been identified as Ian David Long, 28 years old, a former machine gunner and decorated combat veteran of the United States Marine Corps, sheriff's investigators said. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- A popular bar, hosting a college country night, became the scene of the country's latest mass shooting late Wednesday night. The gunfire began around 11:20 p.m., according to law enforcement. It was at the Borderline Bar & Grill. Authorities said hundreds of people were inside the bar at the time. Among the victims who died is Ventura County Sheriff's Sergeant Ron Helus, a 29-year veteran of the department. Authorities said Sgt. Helus was considering retiring within the next year. During the chaos, one witness said the gunman was throwing smoke bombs into the front of the bar. Colleges around the Borderline Bar & Grill are California Lutheran University and California State University, Channel Islands, as well as Moorpark, Ventura, and Oxnard College. The gunman died at the scene, according to law enforcement officers. An emergency information hotline has been set up for family and friends trying to locate loved ones. That phone number is 805-465-6650. A family reunification center has been established at 1375 E. Janss Road in Thousand Oaks. PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A former Corvallis attorney pleaded guilty to federal tax evasion and money laundering charges in connection with allegations that she embezzled from her clients and defrauded investors to live beyond her means. The Corvallis Gazette-Times reports Pamela Sue Hediger, who entered the plea Tuesday, admits she pilfered more than $1.1 million from client and business accounts at her former law firm, Evashevski, Elliott, Cihak & Hediger, and duped investors out of their money. She also acknowledges filing a false federal income tax return for 2011 and failing to file federal tax returns for the years 2012-17. As part of the plea deal, the U.S. Attorney's Office agreed to recommend a sentence of 46 months - just shy of four years - in prison. The maximum potential term on the charges is 15 years. Hediger is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 19. SPRINGFIELD, Ore. -- Springfield's Main Street is consistently ranked as one of the most unsafe city streets in Oregon because of the severity and frequency of traffic crashes. The Oregon Department of Transportation and the city are hoping the Main Street Safety Project will save lives, reduce injuries and lessen property damage due to crashes. They're gathering community input in hopes of making it safer for people who are walking, biking, driving and riding the bus. Springfield resident Blue Owens takes the bus to work on Main Street every day. He said he's had close calls with drivers who run red lights in the past and is now more careful. "Every time I cross the street, I make sure all the cars are gone by before I just go," Owens said. An online open house went live on Wednesday. Community members can give input on what infrastructure safety improvements are needed to support the economic viability of the corridor, accommodate current bus service and future transit solutions, and complement ongoing traffic safety education and enforcement. You can give your input here. "We at the city of Springfield and the city council want our decisions to be informed decisions," said Tom Boyatt, the interim director for Springfield Development and Public Works. In 2015, three children were struck and killed while in a crosswalk at the intersection of 54th Street and Main Street by a driver who ran a red light. Boyatt said that tragedy was taken into account by the state, which is funding the project, but that's not the only reason for the upgrades. "I don't want to shine a bright light on that family and say that's the reason because it's been a much longer trend and issue that the state looks at when they prioritize their funds for safety improvements," Boyatt said. Another component of the community engagement effort was to create a Main Street Safety Project Strategic Advisory Committee. It's made up of 12 members, including residents, business and property owners, employees and advocates from within the Main Street corridor and from the wider Springfield community. They'll provide feedback and guidance to staff and put together a set of recommendations for the Springfield Planning Commission to consider in forming their recommendation to the city council. Corvallis, Ore. -- Oregon State defensive coordinator Tim Tibesar speaks with the media during Wednesday's availability. Tibesar talks about the progress on the defensive side of the ball, third down struggles, and how they plan to defend Stanford's passing attack. Oregon State will visit the Stanford Cardinal November 10th, at 6:00 p.m in Reser Stadium. The Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan, today launched the Heritage Councils new Strategic Plan, Heritage at the Heart 2018-2022. The aim of the strategic plan is to engage with issues relevant to Ireland in 2018-2022, and to bolster the heritage sector so that it is better able to deal with contemporary challenges. Heritage is rich in our culture and landscape and belongs to us all nationally and individually. The Heritage Councils drive for the next five years will be to bring heritage to the heart of Irish society and decision making. Put simply, to make heritage count! Speaking about the new Strategic Plan, Minister Madigan said: The Heritage Council consulted widely in developing Heritage at the Heart, and the plan has been shaped and enriched by the variety of submissions received. This partnership approach is a recipe for success in bringing the economic, social and environmental benefits of caring for our heritage to old and new communities. In keeping with the theme of partnership, my Department welcomed the Heritage Councils contribution to Heritage Ireland 2030, and its support for the newly-launched public consultation process. It will be an ambitious and forward-looking strategy that will value and protect our built and natural heritage for future generations. While drafting Heritage at the Heart, the Heritage Council, whose headquarters are based in Kilkenny, surveyed post primary students about their priorities for heritage in the next five years. The majority agreed that they would like to play a more active role in its preservation and promotion, especially within their local communities. This is reflected in Heritage at the Heart, which aims to expand the successful Heritage in Schools initiative for primary schools into second level. It also plans to create more opportunities for young people to participate in and lead heritage projects, ensuring an intrinsic appreciation and knowledge of heritage in our future generations. Alert to contemporary issues, the Heritage Council also aims to respond to the challenges of Brexit and questions of identity where heritage has relevance and to assist in improving the housing situation by developing strategies with local authorities that deal with unused historic buildings. Commenting on the new Plan, Michael Parsons, Chairman of the Heritage Council said: Heritage is relevant to every aspect of life in Ireland and this new plan comes at an exciting but critical time. At local level, heritage drives economies, stimulates innovation and is a focal point for local pride and well-being. At national level, it remains a touchstone for identity. In order to ensure the continuing relevance of heritage in Irish society and economy, we must foster a coherent heritage sector that is resourced, trained, connected and capable of taking care of our heritage. This is our goal for the next five years. Launched during the European Year of Cultural Heritage, Heritage at the Heart reiterates the importance of managing and conserving our natural, built and cultural heritage to enrich the lives of people now and in the future. UPDATE: The Winnebago County Emergency Notification Network says Michelle Swearingen has been found. Previous story below LAKE MILLS, Iowa The Lake Mills Police Department is asking for the publics help to find a missing woman. The Department says Michelle Swearingen was last seen in Lake Mills early Wednesday morning and could be with Kristofer Voigt of Mason City. Police say Voigt may be armed. Anyone with information on Michelle Swearingen or her whereabouts is asked to call 641-592-2188. KIMT NEWS 3- Congressman Steve King, who was re-elected by Iowa voters on Tuesday, said he plans to take legal action against some of his critics. In a phone interview with KIMT Wednesday afternoon, Congressman King explained he was worried watching early results on Election Day as urban areas favored his opponent, J.D. Scholten. He said once the later results favored him and it was announced he had won he gave a victory speech where he said he would be going after his critics. He said he is think about filing lawsuits against a number of media outlets but would only name the Washington Post and the Weekly Standard. He said too much false information is being published and they need to be held accountable. When you get to that place where even if you know the truth and you cant find the truth in these articles and they refuse to correct them because it doesnt fit their narrative, they need to be held accountable, he said. Congressman King said there is more homework that needs to be done before he is willing to take action. He said he has staff that have been tracking internet bullies for the last several years. King said he would also not be opposed to calling out media sites on the house floor, but said he will not block someones First Amendment right. MASON CITY, Iowa A Linn County man is accused of stealing from the Mills Fleet Farm in Mason City. Timothy Charles Williams, 29 of Springville, was charged with 2nd degree theft on Tuesday. Law enforcement says thats when he entered Mills Fleet Farm, got a mailbox, opened the box containing the mailbox, and then put $1,273.64 cents worth of tools inside. Court documents say Williams then taped up the mailbox, bought it, and left the store without paying for the tools. NORTHWOOD, Iowa A violent confrontation over fishing poles produces a guilty plea. Steven Duane Strand, 68 of Forest City, pleaded guilty Wednesday to misdemeanor charges of assault and assault on a peace officer. The Worth County Sheriffs Office says Strand stole some fishing poles from a home in Fertile on June 29, punching a man who live there. Strand is also accused of resisting arrest when deputies arrived. He is due to be sentenced on December 3. ROCHESTER, Minn. The 2018 Midterm election is making history with not just how many people came out to vote, but also with who was voted into office. A record-breaking number of women were voted into office. As of November 7, 95 women had won or are projected to win House races. 13 women won seats in the Senate, while 10 women are already in the Senate who were not up for re-election this year. Minnesota and Iowa are part of the history with Rochester electing its first ever female mayor, Kim Norton, and with Kim Reynolds being the first female to be elected governor of Iowa. Valerie Guimaraes of Rochester said she believes women are well-equipped for politics and can bring something men can't. Also bring that, which is uniquely ours, the ability to see holistically and have compassion, she said. Guimaraes, who is Native American, is also celebrating another piece of history being made: the amount of indigenous people being elected into office. Deb Haaland of New Mexico and Sharice Davids of Kansas are the first Native American congresswomen. Minnesota also elected its first Native American Lt. Governor, Peggy Flanagan, who is running with Governor-elect Tim Walz. For Guimaraes, seeing indigenous people like Flanagan voted into office is inspiring. We were here and our situation has not improved as much as I would have liked, as much as my grandmother would've liked, you know, so Im more hopeful that she can bring that perspective that is so needed, she said. KIMT-TV 3 NEWS More Iowans and Minnesotans voted Tuesday than any midterm election in either states history. The Iowa Secretary of States office says theyre counted more than 1,320,000 votes as of Wednesday morning, smashing the previous record set in 2014 at 1,142,311. I am very proud that so many Iowans across the state came out and made their voices heard in record numbers, says Secretary Paul Pate. They have once again proven that we are a leader in voter registration and participation. In Minnesota, the Secretary of States Office says at least 2,593,922 cast a ballot Tuesday, also setting a new record. Minnesota elections are a model for the nation, says Secretary Steve Simon. Not only do Minnesotans value civic engagement, but you have demanded from your government a voting system that makes it as easy as possible for Minnesotans to exercise their voice and power at the polls. Whether or not our participation rate this year means we will maintain our #1 in the nation status, I will always consider you the best voters in our great country. Almost 61 percent of Iowas registered voter participated in Tuesdays election, while that number was nearly 64 percent in Minnesota. Vote totals will not become official until county canvassing boards certify the results. MASON CITY, Iowa - The Mason City Police Department has identified the pedestrian involved in this incident as Jason Garcia of Mason City. He was walking north with another person on South Eisenhower Avenue and police say Garcia was in the traveled portion of the roadway when he was hit. The other person was not struck. Garcia was taken to Mercy Medical Center - North Iowa and then transferred to Mayo Clinic in Rochester for treatment, where he is listed in critical condition. The driver of the truck that hit Garcia, Jay Paulsen of Mason City, has been cited for driving under suspension. Previous story below MASON CITY, Iowa - A pedestrian suffered serious injuries after being hit by a vehicle late Wednesday night. Mason City police said the collision occurred at 10:47 p.m. at 19th St. and S. Eisenhower Ave. A 43-year-old male was walking northbound on the east side of the road when he was struck by a northbound vehicle driven by 45-year-old Jay Paulsen, of Mason City. The pedestrian was transported by ambulance to Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa. The driver was uninjured. The name of the pedestrian is not being released at this time pending notification of family members. The case remains under investigation. OLMSTED COUNTY, Minn. - Around 15-20 boulders each weighing 1,200-3000 pounds were stolen from the an Oronoco residence. Authorities said the theft was reported Nov. 1 in the 800 block of Territory Lane NW. The owner said the boulder are distinctive because they were quarried out of Wisconsin and arent common in southeast Minnesota. The value of the boulders is estimated at $4,000. MASON CITY, Iowa A missing north Iowa woman was located Wednesday night in Mason City and the man she was with was taken into custody. Mason City police said at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Mason City PD, the Cerro Gordo County Sheriffs Office and the North Central Iowa Narcotics Task Force went to 334 9th St. NE to investigate a missing female and an assault case. The woman was located and transported to Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa, and 38-year-old Kristofer Voigt, of Mason City, was taken into custody. Voigt was wanted on two arrest warrants for violating a pre-trial release and violating parole. Lake Mills police asked for the publics help and said that Michelle Swearingen was last seen in Lake Mills early Wednesday morning and could be with Voigt. Lake Mills police said Voigt may be armed. Voigt was arrested in August in Cerro Gordo County for allegedly stealing a jet ski. WASHINGTON (AP) Attorney General Jeff Sessions was pushed out Wednesday as the country's chief law enforcement officer after enduring more than a year of blistering and personal attacks from President Donald Trump over his recusal from the Russia investigation. Sessions told the president in a one-page letter that he was submitting his resignation "at your request." Trump announced in a tweet that he was naming Sessions' chief of staff Matthew Whitaker, a former United States attorney from Iowa, as acting attorney general. Whitaker has criticized special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into potential coordination between the president's Republican campaign and Russia. The resignation was the culmination of a toxic relationship that frayed just weeks into the attorney general's tumultuous tenure, when he stepped aside from the Mueller investigation. Trump blamed the decision for opening the door to the appointment of Mueller, who took over the Russia investigation and began examining whether Trump's hectoring of Sessions was part of a broader effort to obstruct justice and stymie the probe. Asked whether Whitaker would assume control over Mueller's investigation, Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Flores said Whitaker would be "in charge of all matters under the purview of the Department of Justice." The Justice Department did not announce a departure for Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller more than a year and a half ago and has closely overseen his work since then. Whitaker once opined about a situation in which Trump could fire Sessions and then appoint an acting attorney general who could stifle the funding of Mueller's probe. "So I could see a scenario where Jeff Sessions is replaced with a recess appointment and that attorney general doesn't fire Bob Mueller, but he just reduces his budget to so low that his investigation grinds to almost a halt," Whitaker said during an interview with CNN in July 2017. Asked if that would be to dwindle the special counsel's resources, Whitaker responded, "Right." In an op-ed for CNN, Whitaker wrote: "Mueller has come up to a red line in the Russia 2016 election-meddling investigation that he is dangerously close to crossing." The relentless attacks on Sessions came even though the Alabama Republican was the first U.S. senator to endorse Trump and despite the fact that his crime-fighting agenda and priorities particularly his hawkish immigration enforcement policies largely mirrored the president's. But the relationship was irreparably damaged in March 2017 when Sessions, acknowledging previously undisclosed meetings with the Russian ambassador and citing his work as a campaign aide, recused himself from the Russia investigation. The decision infuriated Trump, who repeatedly lamented that he would have never selected Sessions if he had known the attorney general would recuse. The recusal left the investigation in the hands of Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller as special counsel two months later after Trump fired then-FBI Director James Comey. The rift lingered for the duration of Sessions' tenure, and the attorney general, despite praising the president's agenda and hewing to his priorities, never managed to return to Trump's good graces. The deteriorating relationship became a soap opera stalemate for the administration. Trump belittled Sessions but, perhaps following the advice of aides, held off on firing him. The attorney general, for his part, proved determined to remain in the position until dismissed. A logjam broke when Republican senators who had publicly backed Sessions began signaling a willingness to consider a new attorney general. In attacks delivered on Twitter, in person and in interviews, Trump called Sessions weak and beleaguered, complained that he wasn't more aggressively pursuing allegations of corruption against Democratic rival Hillary Clinton and called it "disgraceful" that Sessions wasn't more serious in scrutinizing the origins of the Russia investigation for possible law enforcement bias even though the attorney general did ask the Justice Department's inspector general to look into those claims. The broadsides escalated in recent months, with Trump telling a television interviewer that Sessions "had never had control" of the Justice Department and snidely accusing him on Twitter of not protecting Republican interests by allowing two GOP congressmen to be indicted before the election. Sessions endured most of the name-calling in silence, though he did issue two public statements defending the department, including one in which he said he would serve "with integrity and honor" for as long as he was in the job. The recusal from the Russia investigation allowed him to pursue the conservative issues he had long championed as a senator, often in isolation among fellow Republicans. He found satisfaction in being able to reverse Obama-era policies that he and other conservatives say flouted the will of Congress, including by encouraging prosecutors to pursue the most serious charges they could and by promoting more aggressive enforcement of federal marijuana law. He also announced media leak crackdowns, tougher policies against opioids and his Justice Department defended a since-abandoned administration policy that resulted in parents being separated from their children at the border. His agenda unsettled liberals who said that Sessions' focus on tough prosecutions marked a return to failed drug war tactics that unduly hurt minorities and the poor, and that his rollbacks of protections for gay and transgender people amount to discrimination. Some Democrats also considered Sessions too eager to do Trump's bidding and overly receptive to his grievances. Sessions, for instance, directed senior prosecutors to examine potential corruption in a uranium field transaction that some Republicans have said may have implicated Clinton in wrongdoing and benefited donors of the Clinton Foundation. He also fired one of the president's primary antagonists, former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe, just before he was to have retired a move Trump hailed as a "great day for democracy." Despite it all, Sessions never found himself back in favor with the president. Their relationship wasn't always fractured. Sessions was a close campaign aide, attending national security meetings and introducing him at rallies in a red "Make America Great Again" hat. But the problems started after he told senators during his confirmation hearing that he had never met with Russians during the campaign. The Justice Department, responding to a Washington Post report, soon acknowledged that Sessions had actually had two encounters during the campaign with the then-Russian ambassador. He recused himself the next day, saying it would be inappropriate to oversee an investigation into a campaign he was part of. The announcement set off a frenzy inside the White House, with Trump directing his White House counsel to call Sessions beforehand and urge him not to step aside. Sessions rejected the entreaty. Mueller's team, which has interviewed Sessions, has been investigating the president's attacks on him and his demands to have a loyalist in charge of the Russia investigation. Sessions had been protected for much of his tenure by the support of Senate Republicans, including Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, who had said he would not schedule a confirmation hearing for another attorney general if Trump fired him. But that support began to fade, with Grassley suggesting over the summer that he might have time for a hearing after all. And Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, another Judiciary Committee member who once said there'd be "holy hell to pay" if Trump fired Sessions, called the relationship "dysfunctional" and said he thought the president had the right after the midterm to select a new attorney general. OSCEOLA, Iowa (AP) A southern Iowa county attorney accused of being drunk in a courtroom has lost her bid for another term in office. Clarke County election records say Michelle Rivera, a Democratic incumbent, received a little over 29 percent of the vote in her loss Tuesday to Republican Adam Ramsey. Court documents say the 42-year-old Rivera is charged with public intoxication . A sheriff's deputy says in a criminal complaint that he noticed Rivera "slurring her words and stumbling on her feet" in the Osceola courtroom last month. She issued a statement in which she said she's "taking every step necessary to get help, to fix this problem and to make sure that nothing like this ever happens again." Her next court hearing is scheduled for Nov. 20. TOKYO, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Japan's Sumitomo Metal Mining Co Ltd posted a 52 percent jump in half-yearly pre-tax profit on Thursday but cut its full-year forecast, blaming lower-than-expected metal prices amid the U.S.-Sino trade spat, and reduced nickel output. "It doesn't seem that there will be a quick settlement in the U.S.-China trade conflicts, which suggests no quick recovery in prices of metals," Kunihiko Miyamoto, deputy manager of Sumitomo Metal Mining, told a news conference. Pre-tax profit rose to 73.21 billion yen ($644 million) for the six months through September, bolstered by increases in prices of copper, nickel and cobalt from a year earlier, and a one-off gain from the sale of its stake in Pogo gold mine in Alaska. But the Japanese miner and smelter slashed its pre-tax profit prediction for the year to March 31 to 107 billion yen from its May guidance of 121 billion yen as it lowered its assumed prices of metals such as copper and nickel. The revised figure missed a consensus estimate of 138.1 billion yen in a poll of 11 analysts by Refinitiv. Sumitomo Metal now expects an average copper price of $6,294 per tonne for the current financial year, against its May estimate of $6,500, and nickel price $5.89 per pound against its earlier forecast of $6. The company said boiler and other system troubles at its Taganito nickel ore processing plant in the Philippines earlier this year reduced its refined nickel output to 28,200 tonnes from 30,967 tonnes a year earlier. "We missed to fully benefit from higher metal prices in the first six months due to lower production of nickel," Miyamoto said. The company also trimmed its annual dividend forecast to 89 yen per share from its May estimate of 103 yen as it cut its profit forecast. Sumitomo Metal has made a series of investments over the past four years to boost capacity of the nickel-cobalt-aluminium (NCA) cathode materials used in Panasonic Corp's lithium-ion battery that powers Tesla Inc's Model 3 and Model X. Sumitomo Metal's estimated profit from materials businesses for the year is unchanged from its May estimate, the company said. ($1 = 113.6800 yen) (Reporting by Yuka Obayashi; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu) Messaging: yuka.obayashi.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee said on Thursday that a hearing planned for Nov. 14 on reports of engine fires involving Hyundai Motor Co (005380.KS) and Kia Motors Corp (000270.KS) vehicles was on hold, but could be rescheduled for a future date. Last month, the committee invited the U.S. chief executives of the two Korean automakers after safety advocates raised concerns about fires in vehicles not involved in collisions. The non-profit consumer advocacy group Center for Auto Safety said last month 103 fire complaints had been filed with U.S. safety regulators since June 12 and urged an immediate recall of nearly 3 million vehicles. While the committee does not anticipate convening a hearing on vehicle fire safety next week as previously contemplated, discussions among the committee and two auto manufacturers about participation at a future date remain ongoing, Frederick Hill, a spokesman for Senator John Thune who chairs the Commerce Committee, said on Thursday. Hyundai and its affiliate Kia together the worlds No. 5 auto group both said they had cooperated with Senate Committee staff on the issue and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in its ongoing investigation. Kia said in a statement that to quickly and effectively address non-collision fire incidents, (the company) is using in-house and third-party fire-investigation companies and has engaged an independent senior fire expert to evaluate the results of such fire event investigations. The company has consulted with Frank Borris, who until 2016 headed the NHTSAs Office of Defects Investigation to evaluate the organizations response to these incidents, Kia said. It would take any necessary corrective action in a timely manner, Kia added. Hyundai said separately it unequivocally (shares) the committees goal of assuring the safety of (its) vehicles. Hyundai welcomes a more comprehensive review of non-collision fires among all automakers. In May 2017, the NHTSA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation, opened a formal investigation into the recall of nearly 1.7 million Hyundai and Kia vehicles over engine defects. A South Korean whistleblower in 2016 reported concerns to the NHTSA, which has been probing the timeliness of three recalls carried out in the United States and whether they covered enough vehicles. Hyundai said it has fixed an above-average of number of recalled vehicles to date. In 2015, Hyundai recalled 470,000 U.S. Sonata sedans, saying engine failure would result in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash. At the time, Kia did not recall its vehicles, which share the same Theta II engines. In March 2017, Hyundai expanded its original U.S. recall to 572,000 Sonata and Santa Fe Sport vehicles with Theta II engines, citing the same issue involving manufacturing debris, the NHTSA said. * China's Oct rare earth exports at 3,100 tonnes -customs* Monthly total is lowest since Sept 2015 -Eikon data* Volatile exports could reach new highs in Dec -analyst (Updates throughout) By Tom Daly BEIJING, Nov 8 (Reuters) - China's exports of rare earths fell by 37.4 percent from the previous month to their lowest in more than three years in October, according to customs figures released on Thursday and Refinitiv Eikon data. The world's largest producer of rare earth minerals, a group of 17 elements used in electric vehicles and consumer electronics, shipped 3,100 tonnes last month, versus 4,950 tonnes in September, the General Administration of Customs said. The exports were down 10.6 percent year-on-year and marked the lowest monthly total since 3,033 tonnes were shipped overseas in September 2015, according to Refinitiv Eikon. "China's rare earth exports are volatile and cyclical, with October being a traditionally slow period for the market as a whole," Ryan Castilloux, managing director of research firm Adamas Intelligence, said by email. China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said last month that a low rare earth output quota for the second half of 2018, which sparked fears of supply restrictions, was due to an unusually high quota for the first half. The ministry launched on the same day a one-month nationwide crackdown on illegal rare earth mining in China. China's key export market the United States had in July threatened to slap import tariffs on rare earth elements, as part of a trade dispute between the world's top two economies, before removing them from a revised tariff list published in September. Castilloux noted that exports remain 3 percent higher year-to-date and expects them to "gain a few more points as buyers commence re-stocking before year-end." For January-October, rare earth shipments were up 2.7 percent year-on-year at 43,080 tonnes, customs said. "While October exports are at multi-year low levels, we saw record high export levels in February, June and September of this year that will offset last month's lull," Castilloux said. "We expect December export levels to reach new heights, coming in somewhere between 5,500 to 6,000 tonnes." (Reporting by Tom Daly; Additional reporting by Gavin Maguire in SINGAPORE; Editing by Tom Hogue) ABC journalist Ashleigh Raper has made the following statement: In November 2016 I attended an official Christmas function at New South Wales Parliament House for state political reporters, politicians and their staff. This is what happened on that night. The party moved from Parliament House to Martin Place Bar after a number of hours. Later in the evening, Luke Foley approached a group of people, including me, to say goodnight. He stood next to me. He put his hand through a gap in the back of my dress and inside my underpants. He rested his hand on my buttocks. I completely froze. This was witnessed by Sean Nicholls, who was then the state political editor at the Sydney Morning Herald and is now an ABC journalist. Mr Foley then left the bar. Sean and I discussed what happened. A sign at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education shows that employees are only allowed to drive cars with license plate numbers ending in an odd number, Wednesday, after all public institutions and firms in Seoul and nearby metropolitan areas followed an alternate driving ban policy in response to fine dust. / Yonhap By Kim Jae-heun The local governments of Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province implemented an alternate day driving ban for civil servants based on even and odd last numbers of license plates, Wednesday, as a move to curb fine dust. However, people are questioning the effectiveness of the policy, as they have not noticed any improvement in the fine dust problem. "Seoul City has put forward various countermeasures to fight fine dust but they have been ineffective. Most of the measures only inconvenienced people," said Kang Ho-jin, 43, who works in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul. "I can see half of the people working in the public sector have to take public transportation on the alternate no driving day, but for ordinary citizens, they don't care. The policy is also only a recommendation," Kang said. A 24-year-old Korea University student surnamed Yoon said the country as a whole should tackle major causes of the dust such as domestic coal- and oil-burning power plants and fine dust coming from China, rather than forcing citizens to deal with efforts that bring minor effects. "The government doesn't say anything to China and is only inconveniencing the people," he added. Rep. Lee Jun-seok of the minor Bareunmirae Party agreed the government is shifting the responsibility to the people rather than fighting the major source. "Chinese firms' effects are enormous and predominant with regard to the ultrafine dust and fine dust affecting the Korean Peninsula. But the President and the Seoul mayor have said nothing to the neighboring superpower," Lee said. "The ruling Democratic Party of Korea should also ask China why it is building factories along its east coast, which send great amounts of fine dust to Korea," he said. According to the National Institute of Environmental Research, a lot of ultrafine dust polluting the country's air comes from northeastern China and mixes with airborne pollutants already here. However, the Ministry of Environment said the amount of fine dust produced locally and from overseas is always changing according to the timing and weather conditions. "The amount of external fine dust can range from 32 percent to 68 percent. It is irregular. Also, the average level of fine dust in the air does not affect citizens equally," a ministry official said. "Obviously, those standing behind an old diesel car, breathing in fine dust directly, are exposed to more deadly air pollution. "I cannot say people will be free of fine dust problems if they follow government policy. But if we try hard, for example if half of citizens use public transportation and all local firms cut dust production by 10 percent to 20 percent, we can reduce the total fine dust produced domestically by 15 percent to 20 percent. That is 89 tons of fine dust a day, which is not a small amount." The ministry, together with the Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi local governments, called for special measures to take effect from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, when fine dust levels reached "bad" levels and alerts were issued. The government issues emergency alerts when the concentration level of airborne ultrafine dust surpasses 50 micrograms per cubic meter. The level peaked at 88 micrograms Tuesday but went down to 50 micrograms Wednesday morning, which is still considered unhealthy. Some 527,000 workers at 7,408 public institutions or firms in the three regions had to follow the obligatory alternate day driving policy. Seoul also closed 360 parking facilities at its office buildings and affiliated organizations to encourage residents to take the bus or subway, while banning people from driving old diesel cars into the capital. It imposed a 100,000 won ($88) fine on those who failed to follow the rule. Nearly 12,000 people died due to diseases caused by fine dust here last year, according to a ministry report revealed by Rep. Hong Chul-ho of the Liberty Korea Party. Los Muertos Beach Fishing Tournament November 9-10 Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - You don't have to be rich to enter the 11th Annual Los Muertos Beach Fishing Tournament! Scheduled to take place on Friday and Saturday, November 9 and 10, this fun and friendly fishing competition has attracted anglers from all over Mexico for the last 10 years. The tournament began back in 2007, when a group of friends decided to determine which of them was the best fishermen. With a total of 20 boats entering the contest for just $50 pesos each, the Los Muertos Beach Fishing Tournament was born - and soon became an annual tradition. Over the years it has become so popular that, in 2017, 103 boats registered to compete in the 10th edition of this one-of-a-kind fishing tournament. If you are into great sportfishing, but don't have a lot of money to enter the professional fishing tournaments held in and around Banderas Bay, this is the one for you! The 11th Annual Los Muertos Beach Fishing Tournament has an entry fee of just $3000 pesos per boat, and any type of boat can enter the competition. But, wait, there's more! Whether you are fishing from a panga or a yacht, the number of anglers on your team is only limited by your boat's capacity. To participate in the 11th Playa Los Muertos Fishing Tournament, all boats must register at the booth on the beach in front of the San Marino Hotel, where more information, tournament logistics, exit permits, and event souvenirs will be distributed from 5:00 to 10:00 pm on Friday, November 9. The easiest way to get to the registration booth is from Francisca Rodriguez, the closed street that leads from Olas Altas to Los Muertos Pier on the south side of Puerto Vallarta. The tournament begins at 7:00 am on November 10th, when participating fishermen board their boats and head out to sea to "reel in the big one" in the Marlin, Sailfish, Dorado, Tuna and Open Water categories. All boats must return to shore no later than 3:00 pm, which is when each boat's catch is weighed. Minimum weights in each category are as follows: Dorado: 7 KG Sailfish: 25 KG Marlin: 60 KG Tuna: 5 KG Open Water: No Weight Limit The first place winner of each category will win a portion of the registration fees. Second and Third place winners will receive in-kind prizes. The cash prizes, like every year, consist of 85% of the money collected for registration fees (15% is used for event logistics) so, with more than 100 boats expected to participate this year, the amount to be distributed among the First Place winners could be in excess of $200,000 pesos. After the winners have been determined and prizes are awarded, a fiesta will be held with all of the fish caught in the tournament cooked on the beach and served free to the public. This is the party of the year on Playa Los Muertos, so don't miss it! Xem them ... Tin bai cuoi cung Khong con du lieu e load Lahore, Nov 8 (PTI) A Christian woman who was convicted of blasphemy and acquitted by Pakistan's Supreme Court last week, has been released from a jail in Multan and taken to Noor Khan Airbase, Rawalpindi, from where she would be shifted to the Netherlands, local media reported. However, a Punjab government spokesperson refused to comment on the matter. A Lahore-based TV news channel reported that Asia Bibi was released from New Jail for Women in Multan (around 350km from Lahore) late on Wednesday night and taken to Noor Khan Airbase, Rawalpindi, from where a chartered plane would take her to the Netherlands. Asia Bibi, a 47-year-old mother of four, was convicted in 2010 after being accused of insulting Islam in a row with her neighbours. She always maintained her innocence, but has spent most of the past eight years in solitary confinement. Earlier, Italy had said that it was working to help Asia Bibi leave Pakistan, amid warning from the woman's husband that her life was in danger. Her husband, Ashiq Masih, had also urged US President Donald Trump, and the UK and Canada premiers to help her leave Pakistan. Tehreek-i-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) spokesperson Hafiz Shahbaz Attari, in a statement, said, "The Imran Khan government has released Asia Bibi as the Netherlands Ambassador in Islamabad reached Multan jail along with government officials to ensure her release. She is being transported to the Netherlands." He said the party workers who are gathering in Islamabad and Rawalpindi have been asked to stop the government from allowing Asia Bibi from leaving the country. The Pakistan Supreme Court's landmark verdict acquitting Asia Bibi of blasphemy charges had sparked countrywide protests and death threats from hardline groups. Protestors led by Tehreek-i-Labaik Pakistan and other groups had blocked major highways and roads in different parts of the country. However, the TLP later called off its agitation following an agreement with the government that assured initiation of a legal process to place the woman on the exit control list that will prevent her from flying abroad. It was also agreed upon that the government would also not oppose a review petition filed against the Supreme Court's judgement in the Asia Bibi blasphemy case. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Nov 8 (PTI) The Cabinet Thursday approved the signing and ratifying of an extradition agreement between India and Morocco. The decision was taken at the Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The agreement will be signed during a proposed VIP visit from Morocco from November 11-18, an official statement said. The agreement will provide a strong legal base for the extradition of fugitive offenders who are accused of economic offences, terrorism and other serious offences in one state and found in the other state. The Cabinet also approved the agreement between India and Morocco on mutual legal assistance in civil and commercial matters. This agreement between India and Morocco will enhance cooperation in the service of summons, judicial documents, letters of request and the execution of judgments decrees and arbitral awards. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Brussels, Nov 8 (AFP) Former Ecuador leader Rafael Correa, who is wanted in his homeland on suspicion of kidnapping, has requested political asylum in Belgium, two well-placed sources said. Correa has lived near Brussels with his family since 2017, and requested asylum on June 25 this year. The request has been under consideration since August by Belgium's CGRA refugee agency, one source told AFP. A left-wing former economist, Correa was president of his Andean nation between 2007 and 2017. On Wednesday, an Ecuadoran judge demanded he return home to face charges related to the 2012 kidnapping of an opponent. Correa insists he is innocent, and on Thursday in an interview with AFP he accused the new authorities in his homeland of "political persecution," and his successor Lenin Moreno of a plot against him. Fearing that he would not be given a fair trial if he return to Ecuador, Correa pre-empted the issuance of an arrest warrant against him by asking for asylum in Belgium, AFP has learned from two sources. One of the sources told AFP that Correa had attended an asylum hearing in late summer. The 55-year-old politician would neither confirm nor deny this. A spokesman for CGRA, Damien Dermaux, said the agency would not comment on individual cases, but said that in Belgium an asylum request is decided on average in about three months, but could take longer. Correa has lived in Belgium, where his wife has citizenship and where he had studied before his political career, since July 2017. He is accused of ordering the 2012 kidnapping in the Colombian capital Bogota of exiled former lawmaker Fernando Balda, who was forced into a car by a gang intending to return him to Ecuador. Colombian police intervened to save him. (AFP) KUN (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Chennai, November 8: DMK President M.K. Stalin and PMK Founder S. Ramadoss on Thursday criticised the Central government for demonetising the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 rupee notes in 2016. In a tweet M.K. Stalin termed the demonetisation as "one man made disaster for India". On November 8, 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a television broadcast announced demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 rupee notes. In his tweet Stalin said: "People were brought on streets with their money declared illegal. Indians stood in endless lines and many died outside banks, millions of jobs were lost, small industries shut and the economy hit irreversibly." Demonetisation Anniversary: Scars of 'Ill-Fated' & 'Ill-Thought-Out' Notebandi Are Getting More Visible With Time, Says Manmohan Singh. On the other hand, Ramadoss said the day marks the second anniversary of not only demonetising Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 rupee notes but also of hurting the economy severely. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 08, 2018 03:25 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). New Delhi, November 8: In a first, the representatives of Indian government will be part of a multilateral dialogue which includes the Taliban as a member. The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday confirmed that two former diplomats will be sent to Russia to engage at "non-official" level in the talks being hosted by Russia in a bid to resolve the dispute in Afghanistan. Ex-Indian envoy to Afghanistan Amar Sinha and former Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan T C A Raghavan would be part of the delegation to be sent by New Delhi, confirmed MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar. Taliban are in Russia for Talks after 17 Years of War in Afghanistan. "We are aware of the Russian Federation hosting a meeting in Moscow on 9 November on Afghanistan. India supports all efforts at peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. Our participation at the meeting will be at the non-official level," he said. Promoted as the "Moscow Format" talks for peace, the Russian government had issued an invite to their counterparts in Pakistan, Afghanistan, the United States, China, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. To make the peace process effective, the Vladimir Putin-led administration also decided to include the insurgent Taliban in the multilateral dialogue. In a major diplomatic win, the Russian side succeeded in convincing the Islamist extremist group to come to the table for negotiating the dispute. India has for long been a votary for peaceful resolution of all disputes in Afghanistan. The West Asian nation was destabilised in the late 1980s, when Soviet Russia's invasion was challenged by the army of Mujahideens formed in Pakistan with the aid of United States. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 08, 2018 09:56 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Itanagar, November 8: The Indian Army and the Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) celebrated Diwali along Indo-Sino border in Arunachal Pradesh on Wednesday. Both the armies held Ceremonial Border Personal Meeting (BPM) to commemorate joint celebrations of the festival of lights. The meeting was organised by the Indian Army at Bum-La. It was the last ceremonial meeting of this year. Colonel Prasenjit Kar led the Indian Army delegation, while the PLA team was headed by Colonel Yang Zi Ming. Independence Day 2018: The Wars That Indian Armed Forces Fought Since 1947 Both the delegations interacted and exchanged greetings in a cordial atmosphere which is a sign of improving military-to-military ties at ground level. The meeting began with the hoisting of the national flags and lighting of traditional Diwali lamps. Both sides highlighted the importance of maintaining peace along border areas. The highlight of the border personnel meeting was the colourful and impressive performances by cultural troupes showcasing Real India. A celebratory Border Personal Meeting between the #IndianArmy and Chinas People Liberation Army (PLA) was held at Bum La in Tawang Sector on 07 Nov 18 to celebrate Diwali Festival showcasing Indian culture and with an aim of enhancing mutual trust and promoting border Peace. pic.twitter.com/srz6KZp53F ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) November 7, 2018 Similarly, On August 15, The Indian Army and the PLA jointly celebrated Indias Independence Day at Nathu La, Sikkim. The two armies held special border personnel in the sector to boost mutual trust and promote peace. The meeting was part of a "joint" celebration to commemorate the 72nd Independence Day of India. The PLA delegation, comprising several officers and soldiers, attended the celebration. The meeting aimed at enhancing the atmosphere of peace at the border between the two armies. Last Year, both the armies were also locked in a 73-day standoff in Bhutans Doklam Plateau. The Indian Army stalled the construction of the road by the Chinese troops in the area. Doklam Plateau is the strategic location from where Chinese troops could have kept a watch on Indias narrow corridor connecting Indian mainland to the North Eastern states, also popularly known as Chickens Neck. (With inputs from IANS) (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 08, 2018 03:37 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Mumbai, November 8: Nowhera Shaikh, managing director of investment firm Heera Gold, blamed demonetisation and imposition of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) for non-payment of dividends to investors. Nowhera Shaikh was arrested in connection with the Heera Gold scam after more than 150 people from Mumbai, and other parts of the country accused her of cheating them. During interrogation, entrepreneur-politician Nowheera Shaikh said that she was forced to stop paying monthly dividends after losses from note ban in November 2016 and the implementation of the GST regime in July 2017. She said that she had been paying out dividends for nearly a decade, but stopped payments since early 2017. An officer associated with the case told Indian Express that Shaikh had promised her investors to pay quarterly dividends in May 2017, but she stopped payments since early this year. She confidently asked investigators to check her bank statements to verify her claims, the officer added. She is heading 15 companies under different names under the Heera Group of companies. Nowhera Shaikh was first arrested by the Hyderabad police on October 16. The arrest was made during the investigations into a case booked against her at Banja Hills police station in Hyderabad for cheating, criminal breach of trust and criminal intimidation. The Heera Group would give 36 per cent to 42 per cent profit to investors from buying and selling of gold. After she was released on bail by a court, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai police arrested her on October 26. She also floated All India Mahila Empowerment Party, which contested recent assembly elections Karnataka but drew a blank. On October 23, a case was registered against Ms Shaikh and officials of Heera Gold Exim Ltd, Heera Retail Pvt Ltd, Heera Textiles and Heera Foodex in Mumbai. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 08, 2018 07:35 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). New Delhi, November 7: Shooter Shafat Ali Khan, whose son Asghar Ali killed the man-eating tigress 'Avni', said those criticising the forest department's operation are short on facts. A thorough probe, he added, would expose the "baseless allegations" being levelled by animal rights' activists. Specifically hitting out at Union Minister Maneka Gandhi, who referred to the officials involved in the neutralisation of tigress Anvi as "murderers", Shafat said he would pursue a legal battle if required to clear the defamatory charges levelled against his son. Tigress Avni Killing: Maneka Gandhi Asks for Maharashtra Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar Resignation. "My son killed Avni tigress in self-defence as attempt to tranquillise failed and tigress was going to attack. We are going to take legal opinion and we are thinking of suing Minister Maneka Gandhi for making baseless allegations against us," he said. "People sitting in AC rooms and levelling allegations against us is not right. There is no FIR in any police station or any case in court against me. Till now I havent killed any animal without proper government order," he further told news agency ANI. The deceased tigress, officially known as T1, was killed on November 2 in a village in Maharashtra's Yavatmal district. On her death, the villagers celebrated with firecrackers as she had hunted down 13 human beings so far. Her neutralisation, thus, came as a major relief for the villagers. According to Asghar Ali, the team he led had attempted to tranquilise and capture the man-eater till the end. "A forester had fired the dart (to tranquilise her). But in a fraction of second she charged towards us with a roar. If I had not opened fire, it would have killed 2-3 people," said Asghar Ali Khan recalling that the big cat was just 6-8 meter away. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 08, 2018 12:24 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). New Delhi, November 8: On the second anniversary of the demonetisation drive, key leaders of the Opposition adopted a similar strategy while deriding Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They reminded him of the 50-day deadline he had imposed to ascertain the success of his note ban policy. "I have just asked for 50 days from the country. 50 days. Give me a chance till December 30, brothers and sisters. If by the night of December 30, I fall short, you find out I was wrong, you find I had some questionable motive, I will be prepared for the punishment that the country decides for me wherever you choose to give it," the Prime Minister had said while addressing the nation 48 hours after turning larger currency notes into non-legal tender. Scars of 'Ill-Fated' & 'Ill-Thought-Out' Notebandi Still Visible: Ex-PM Manmohan. Former Union Minister and Congress leader Manish Tewari said 730 days have passed but still the Prime Minister has not presented the success report on demonetisation. He demanded Modi to apologise the nation today at "8pm" -- the time he chose on this day two years ago to announce the invalidity of the then existing 500 and 1000-rupee notes. We of course are not going to do that!For we are civilised. However @narendramodi 730 days later dont you think you should stand up at 8 PM today evening and just apologise to the nation. After all it is but human to err- It is another matter that over 100 people died due to it pic.twitter.com/DZYPFJ7AQy Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) November 8, 2018 CPI(M general secretary Sitaram Yechury tweeted the video of the speech, in which the Prime Minister confidently asserted that demonetisation would yield positive measures in the near future, and the pains linked to it will cease to exist over the next 50 days. Modi has clearly forgotten what he said. It is our duty to remind him of what he did to India and us Indians. #DemonetisationDisaster #November82016 pic.twitter.com/zEa2JjVESX Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) November 8, 2018 Responding to the flak, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the people of this nation have already approved the demonetisation policy. For critics, he said, the basis of assessment should be the formalisation of economy and not how much of confiscated cash has returned into circulation. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 08, 2018 05:59 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Bengaluru, November 8: The Karnataka government has said that celebrations for the 18th-century king Tipu Sultan will be held on schedule despite protest by the opposition BJP. According to reports, BJP and Sri Ram Sena supporters have been protesting against the Karnataka government's move to mark November 10 as Tipu Jayanti. No Procession Allowed For or Against Celebrations, Says Karnataka Govt as Political Scene Heats up. DK Shivakumar, Karnataka Minister on BJP's decision to oppose Tipu Jayanti celebration said, "Tipu Sultan has a long history and there is nothing wrong in conducting Tipu Jayanti. BJP has its political agenda. They want to create some differences between Hindus and minorities." The BJP has described the Mysore king as a tyrant, and there is no need to celebrate a tyrant, and an anti-Hindu. Earlier, Parameshwara, who holds the Home portfolio as well, said the BJP protests over Tipu Jayanti for no reason. The BJP raises protests over Tipu Jayanti without reason. Tipu fought against the British, and we will ensure that the celebrations are held peacefully irrespective of protests by any group, he was quoted as saying. Meanwhile, minister of state for skill development and BJP leader, Ananth Kumar Hegde requested the state government not to include his name in the invitation card for Tipu Jayanti celebration event. Hegde, who claims Tipu Sultan was "against Kannada language and anti-Hindu", made the same request in 2016. He was also arrested for threatening to disrupt celebrations in Uttara Kannada district. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 08, 2018 03:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Indians are celebrating one of the biggest occasions of Diwali. The festival of lights and new beginnings is being celebrated with much enthusiasm. It is one festival that is celebrated unanimously by all the diverse communities in the country. But it holds a significance even in the lives of those Indians who are residing abroad. Indians residing in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia or the world over mark the Diwali festivities. Indians living in the cities of New York, Chicago, California, London, Sydney, Melbourne, etc make sure they bring in the Diwali celebrations with all the joy and jubilation along with doing the Lakshmi Puja. Diwali 2018 will be celebrated on November 7 in India. On the day of Badi Diwali, Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped for seeking wealth and prosperity. Lakshmi Puja is the main celebration of Diwali festival. There is a specific Lakshmi Puja muhurat (auspicious time) that is followed. But according to the timezones of US, UK and Australia, the shubh muhurat timings for Diwali differ. Let us tell you the shubh muhurat for Lakshmi Puja in UK, US and Australia time zones. Diwali 2018 Greetings & Wishes: WhatsApp Stickers, Free GIF Image Messages, Facebook Status & Cover Photos to Share Online on Deepavali Festival. The festival of Diwali may be prominently from India, but over the years, the attraction for lights and colours has spread even beyond the borders. A symbolism of light over dark and victory over evil, the festival has specific rituals for each day in India. The main day of Diwali is the Lakshmi Puja on November 7. Many families keep a fast for the day and break it only after the puja in the evening. People decorate their houses, wear new clothes and feast on delicious Diwali snacks post the puja. Check Lakshmi Puja Muhurat Timings in India. Lakshmi Puja Shubh Muhurat in the United States Lakshmi Puja in New York will be celebrated on November 6, Tuesday. The shubh muhurat for Lakshmi Puja here will be for 1 hour 48 mins. The shubh muhurat will start at 17:11 to 18:59 in the Pradosh Kaal. Lakshmi Puja muhurat in Chicago will be from 17:03 to 18:50 on November 6. Lakshmi Puja muhurat in California will be 3 minutes longer. The muhurat here will be for 1 hour 51 mins. The shubh muhurat timings for Lakshmi Puja in California city are 17:20 to 19:11. Lakshmi Puja Shubh Muhurat in the United Kingdom Diwali is celebrated in equal enthusiasm in the land of the British. A lot of Indians are residing in Britain and bring in traditional Diwali celebrations. Diwali will be celebrated in UK on November 6, Tuesday. The Lakshmi Puja muhurat in London will be from 16:57 to 18:20, lasting for 1 hour 22 mins. Lakshmi Puja Shubh Muhurat in Australia Diwali in Australia will be celebrated on the same date as India, on November 7. The Lakshmi Puja shubh muhurat in Sydney will be from 20:07 to 21:29. And the Lakshmi Puja muhurat in Melbourne will be from 20:40 to 21:59. The shubh muhurat will last for 1 hour 18 mins. Indians have elaborate ways of celebrating their festivals so people living abroad may not be able to come back home for the celebrations, but that does not stop them from carrying out the traditions. The festival of Diwali has thus travelled abroad and enjoyed in equal enthusiasm. Respective families send their Diwali snacks to their relatives staying abroad, so that the main essence of the festival is still retained. It is a very happy and positive feeling to see the traditional rituals being carried out well in foreign lands. We wish you all a very Happy Diwali 2018! (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 07, 2018 11:42 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Baghdad, November 8: The United States has granted Iraq a waiver to allow it to keep importing electricity from neighbouring Iran despite renewed American sanctions on Tehran, a US official said Wednesday. Baghdad relies heavily on Tehran to provide it natural gas and Iranian-generated electricity, and feared that supply would be endangered by Washington's measures against Iran's energy sector. The US State Department's representative on Iran said Wednesday that Iraq had been granted a special permission. "We granted Iraq a waiver to allow it to continue to pay for its electricity imports from Iran. We are confident that this will help Iraq limit electricity shortages in the south," Brian Hook told reporters in Washington. "Iraq is a friend and a partner, and we are committed to its stability and prosperity." Iraq is now expected to demonstrate to the US how it would wean itself off Iranian gas, a well-informed Iraqi source told AFP. US Sanctions: Donald Trump's Administration Will Regret The Decision, Says Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. "The US gave us 45 days to give them a plan on how we will gradually stop using Iranian gas and oil," the source said. On Monday, the United States re-imposed tough sanctions on Iraq's financial institutions, shipping lines, energy sector, and petroleum products. Iraq has a strong relationship with the United States, coordinating on security, politics, and governance. But its economy is profoundly intertwined with that of Iran, from which it imports consumer goods amounting to around USD 6 billion (five billion euros) in 2017. It also pipes in natural gas and 1,300 MW of Iranian-generated electricity to cope with power shortages. Most of Iraq's 39 million people only get a few hours of state-provided electricity per day and rely on power generators. Chronic power outages were a key driving factor behind weeks of massive protests in southern Iraq during the summer. Nigerian fashion designer, Michael Black, has taken to social media to social media to reveal how his life changed for the better ever since Nigerian TV personality, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu wore one of his designs. It is clear that Ebuka has got the Midas touch and this Nigerian designer has proof. Black who recently got his wife a new car, attributed the success of his business to Ebuka who patronized him by wearing one of his Agbada designs. Black took to his Instagram page to share a photo of the car, thanking the TV personality and fashion enthusiast for believing in his Agbada collection. According to the post, he has been getting numerous orders ever since Ebuka rocked the look. He wrote: "Just want to thank God for his grace over me and my family as well as business. Just bought this car for my wonderful wife..All thanks to God and my boss @ebuka who believed in my Agbada Royal collection, wore it few months ago...since then i have been getting orders around the world!! To my wife pls i no be @davidoofficial ...manage this one, soon i go buy you latest Porsche!!" READ ALSO: Ebuka finally apologises for disappointing fans at Agbada Challenge READ ALSO: Personal letter from the Editor-in-Chief of Legit.ng (former NAIJ.com) NAIJ.com (naija.ng) upgrades to Legit.ng We keep evolving to serve our readers better Going through Black's Instagram page, there are pictures of celebrities who have rocked his designs and it seems business is only getting better for the lucky and talented fellow. Ebuka became the unofficial ambassador for Agbada in Nigeria after he broke the internet appearing in a phenomenal design for Banky W and Adesua Etomi's traditional wedding ceremony that left many people on social media in awe. Ebuka Obi-Uchendu is a fashion god in every sense of the word as he is not only setting trends but is blessing businesses as well! PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News on Legit.ng News App Get the hottest gist on Africa Love Aid Teddy A interview at Legit TV Star Chat: The Nigerian Music Industry is a Monster | Legit TV Source: Legit - Prince Sunny Elijah has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom state - Governor Udom Emmanuel reportedly appealed to the politician not to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) - Elijah was reportedly offered a cash of N5m and other promises which he rejected Prince Sunny Elijah, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader in Nsit Atai of Akwa Ibom state has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), after reportedly rejecting all moves by Akwa Ibom state governor Udom Emmanuel to keep him in the party. He was said to have defected at a grand rally attended by Senator Godswill Akpabio and other APC chieftains in the state on Monday, November 5. He was said to have rejoined PDP in August after his disagreement with some Nsit Atai APC leaders over the local government chairmanship nomination, The Sun reports. READ ALSO: Southwest governors reportedly divided over bid to remove Oshiomhole The news outlet reports that Governor Emmanuel sent five of his commissioners to beg Elijah to remain in PDP with an immediate cash offer of N5 million and other promises. However, Elijah was said to have rejected and consequently defected with immediate past house of assembly member for Nsit Atai, Mrs Sarah Elijah, another former House of Assembly member, Obong Asuquo Darby Udo, a former local government chairman, Prince Sunny Ossom. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app The event which was held at the Unity Hall of Essien Udim local government council headquarters reportedly witnessed massive declaration of support for Governor Udom Emmanuel by former and serving chapter and ward executive council members of the APC. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have updated to serve you better 'Nigeria Needs a Leader That is Not Bigger Than the Country' - Nigeria Street Gist | Legit TV. Source: Legit.ng - Atiku Abubakar said the Buhari administration must stand by its promise to implement the minimum wage - The PDP presidential candidate said the administration has not made good economic policies - He claimed the country is on the verge of another recession The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has claimed that the Muhammadu Buhari administration cannot be trusted to implement the N30,000 minimum wage. Premium Times reports that Atiku in a statement by his media office said the economic policies of the Buhari administration have not been consistent, claiming it has led to the country plunging into recession. READ ALSO: Police dismiss drunken officer caught on video (photo) Our attention has been drawn to a statement from the Presidency denying President Buharis earlier pledge to pay the new minimum wage of 30,000 agreed with the Nigerian Labour Congress and other labour affiliates in a signed communique. This approbation and reprobation is characteristic of the Buhari administration and is evidence of the lack of leadership at the very top that is putting our economy in peril. Just two weeks ago, two of the worlds largest banks, HSBC and UBS, pulled out of Nigeria citing lack of policy stability as their reason. This same reason was given by Procter and Gamble when they pulled out last year. In the span of the three years that this administration has been in office, more than 500 companies have pulled out of Nigeria for similar reasons. Nigeria under President Buhari has become synonymous with policy flip-flopping. A government is only as reliable as its word and if its word is not reliable then nothing else about the government will be stable. This is why Nigeria suffered from a recession under this administration and is right now at risk of another recession. At the risk of repeating ourselves, we urge the Buhari administration to note that Nigerian workers are the goose that lays the golden egg that top members of this government are enjoying to the detriment of those laying the egg. We are aware that both President Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo, despite living and feeding at the public expense, collect a hardship allowance of 50 per cent of their annual basic salary, whereas, the long-suffering Nigerian workers, who are the main sufferers of the hardship caused by the incompetence of this administration, do not have any hardship allowance and are expected to live on the unlivable minimum wage of the Buhari government. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app It is a testament to how badly we have treated our workforce over the last three years that Nigeria was officially declared the world headquarters for extreme poverty by the World Poverty Clock and the World Economic Forum. We can only change this by paying our workers a living wage as opposed to the starvation wages now paid to them by the Buhari administration. We, therefore, call on President Muhammadu Buhari to keep faith with the agreement his government freely reached with labour and affirm the new minimum wage. Meanwhile, the presidency has reportedly frowned at what it calls a misinterpretation of President Muhammadu Buharis remarks when he received the report of the tripartite committee on the review of national minimum wage from the chairman, Ama Pepple, on Tuesday, November 6. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted a presidential source, who preferred not to be named, as saying the president did not endorse N30,000 as proposed by committee as being reported by some sections of the media. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have updated to serve you better. Who should get higher salary - doctors or teachers? | Legit TV Source: Legit - Six persons suspected of kidnapping and killing a monarch in Kaduna were arrested by the SSS - The suspects also killed a police officer during the kidnap operation - The security outfit said the suspects have confessed to the crime The Kaduna state command of the State Security Services (SSS) said it had arrested six suspected kidnappers and killers of Agwom Adara, the paramount ruler of Adara Chiefdom in Kaduna, Maiwada Galadima. The director of the command, Mahmud Ningi, made the disclosure when he paraded the suspects before newsmen on Wednesday, November 7, in Kaduna. According to Ningi, on October 19, a gang of armed hoodlums blocked the road near Idon village in Kajuru Local Government Area and robbed commuters. READ ALSO: N30k minimum wage: We have treated our workforce badly for the past 3 years - Atiku Unfortunately during the operation, the convoy of the late Galadima, ran into the hoodlums who subsequently abducted the Monarch, his wife Victoria, and driver, Timothy Katari. The hoodlums also killed the police orderly, Sgt Isua Clement, and one palace guard Amos Zamani," he said. He also recounted that three days later on October 21; the wife of the royal father was released by the kidnappers, presumably because of her deteriorating health condition. Subsequently, the kidnappers contacted the family by getting numbers from the monarchs wifes phone which was confiscated by the abductors and demanded for N100 million as ransom. Unfortunately in spite of the intense negotiations, five days later, on Oct. 26, the Royal father was killed by the abductors after receiving N6.850 million from the family," he said. READ ALSO: Legit.ngs team share their thoughts on the rebranding of NAIJ.com The director said the service had been keeping track of the activities of the criminals during the negotiation but could not make arrests as it had to consider the safety of the victims. He also disclosed that immediately after the monarchs body was discovered, the service tracked down and arrested six members of the syndicate at different locations across the state. During the preliminary interrogation, they made confessional statements about their involvement in the crime," he added. He identified the six suspects as Adamu Sani, 36, who was arrested in Rigasa, Igabi local government area, and the mastermind of the operation, Adam Said, 25, a marked Boko Haram member, arrested at Soba Local Government Area. Others were Adam Isya, 25, a suspected cattle rustler for the past five years, Yusuf Bello, 32, Dahiru Bello, 28, and Mohammed Aminu, the supplier of arms to the gang. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Ningi assured Nigerians that the service will ensure proper prosecution of the suspects, while efforts were being made to arrest other members of the gang. I will like to use this opportunity to thank the military who provided necessary support during the operation; as well as other security agencies, Ningi said. Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, October 30, said that he was closely monitoring the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) as violence was growing more rampant in the country. President Buhari urged the force to remain vigilant and dogged in securing communities and prosecuting criminal offences. He said: The Nigerian Police are in the frontline of securing communities. For the judiciary, unless the investigations are credible and rapidly done, there is nothing they can do. From now on, the Nigeria police, you better watch it, I am going to watch you closely." NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have updated to serve you better. National Day of Mourning for Victims of Violent Killings Across Nigeria | Legit TV Source: Legit - The governor of Ebonyi, David Umahi, said most states in the country cannot pay the proposed minimum wage - Umahi said the federation account has to be reviewed to benefit more states - He also emphasized that the oil subsidy issue be reviewed too Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi state on Wednesday, November 7, in Abakaliki, declared that 95 per cent of states in the country cannot pay the proposed N30,000 minimum wage to workers. Umahi, who is the chairman of the Southeast Governors Forum, said this while inaugurating a 36-member fact-finding committee to ascertain the mode of workers promotion arrears payment in states across the six geo-political zones of the states. According to Umahi, the payment of the N30,000 can only be realised if the federation account allocation formula is reviewed to offer more earnings to states. READ ALSO: Why I killed my mum, slept with her corpse - Teenager The federal government collects 52 per cent of the revenue from the federation account and when I tried to put the N30,000 figure to Local Government Areas (LGA) it means they will borrow N1billion to add to their allocation, in paying salaries. I will definitely not be a governor to govern such a state and will never preside over a state that will allocate 100 per cent of its earnings to pay salaries," he said. The governor recommended that the issue of petroleum subsidy in the country should also be reviewed as had been noted by the state and federal governments. We must presently have the courage to say this because a lot of money can be saved from the subsidy if properly distributed. When 100,000 litres of petrol is allocated to me for instance and deducted from my allocation, it is then my business to ensure that there is no leakage. There is no governor or political office holder that signs cheques but civil servants as the countrys leaders and labour are just putting water inside a basket and praying God to hold it with this minimum wage issue, he said. He urged the countrys leaders and labour to liaise and decide on the percentage of the federation account that should be voted for salaries and other sectors. READ ALSO: Legit.ngs team share their thoughts on the rebranding of NAIJ.com We should determine how much should be allocated to education, health, infrastructure among others if 100 per cent of earnings are used to pay workers salaries. Many states are experiencing various problems and cannot pay salaries but the people condemn their governments over their inability to provide good roads and other amenities. People dont understand the problems being experienced by these states and the governors have kept quiet for long and need to speak presently, he said. Umahi regretted that the issue of promotion arrears for workers in the state had lingered for long and urged the committee to be sincere with their findings to find an amicable solution to it. We have been setting up committees on this issue and getting no results with people not being sincere and resorting to all sorts of things, he said. Dr Hyginus Nwokwu, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), noted that the issue made the governor to institute a 36-man member committee to tour states in the six geo political zones and ascertain the mode of payments. The members are drawn from critical elements of state with the organised labour having 12 nominees, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) 12 nominees and the government-12 nominees. The committee will tour three states in each of these zones, ascertain relevant facts, analyse and present them to enable government take disposable and final actions on the matter, he said. "Mr Leonard Nkah, the Acting Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in the state and Chairman of the committee pledged to ensure the actualisation of the committees aims. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app We pledge to assiduously discharge our duties and make recommendations that will permanently solve the problem for a healthy government and labour relationship, he said Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has claimed that the Muhammadu Buhari administration cannot be trusted to implement the N30,000 minimum wage. Premium Times reports that Atiku in a statement by his media office said the economic policies of the Buhari administration have not been consistent, claiming it has led to the country plunging into recession. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better. Who should get higher salary - doctors or teachers? | Legit TV Source: Legit Nigeria Some Boko Haram terrorists attempted to launch a deadly attack against a military location but met with stiff resistance from gallant troops. According to a couple of tweet by the army, the attempted attack occurred at Kagarko about 41km North of Buni Yadi in Yobe state on Wednesday, October 7. READ ALSO: 95% of states cannot pay N30k minimum wage - Governor Umahi The attack was however repelled and the army said reinforcement was sent to the location. Legit.ng had reported that suspected Boko Haram terrorists allegedly attacked Katarko town, located 20km to Damaturu, the capital of Yobe state. According to Daily Trust, a resident who fled to a safe location, disclosed that the attackers stormed the town around 5:06pm, in a convoy of three RPG-laden Hilux vans. The resident reportedly stated: They were shooting sporadically, setting our houses on fire. As we are talking, I dont know the condition of my wives and children because they ran and left me while trying to pick my 7-year-old boy from the house." PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app He further reportedly stated that residents and security operatives have fled the town to safe locations. Meanwhile, the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Lafiya Dole on Monday, November 5, destroyed a Boko Haram camp and neutralised several terrorists at Ngwuri Gana in Borno state. This is in continuation of operations to seek out and destroy remnants of Boko Haram terrorists in Nigeria's Northeast region. According to a statement sent to Legit.ng by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) director of public relations and information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, the operation was carried out based on human intelligence reports. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng: Same great journalism, upgraded for better service! Survivors of Boko Haram - on Legit TV: Source: Legit.ng - The interrogation of Adams Oshiomhole by the DSS operatives has created friction in the ruling APC - The development has also caused division among APC governors - The governors accused two of their colleagues of sending the DSS after Oshiomhole The interrogation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, by the Department of the State Services (DSS) has reportedly created a deeper crisis among the governors of the party. Governors in support of Oshiomhole were reportedly rebuking two of their southern colleagues who reportedly orchestrated the national chairman's interrogation. READ ALSO: Minimum wage: Labour threatens fresh strike as FG denies approving N30,000 Vanguard reports that a source claimed that the governors fumed that two of their colleagues want to melt the party because of their interests. However, the national publicity secretary of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, claimed ignorance of the interrogation. He said: We do not have any information on this rumour. More so, the Chairman is not around in the country to confirm or deny this. As soon as we have any relevant information, youll be updated." PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Legit.ng earlier reported that Oshiomhole had on Monday, October 22, dismissed as untrue the reported gang-up by APC governors against his leadership of the party. The APC national chairman, in a statement alleged that conservatives within the party are ganging up to pass a vote of no-confidence in him. He said his sin was his refusal to allow continued impunity and circumvention of due process being perpetuated in some states. He also said he was not surprised by the gang up, as he never had the illusion that the process of reforming the party was going to be an easy one. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better Why President Buhari May Not Defeat PDP In 2019 - Agbor Residents Speak | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit Nigeria - Afenifere in Ekiti state said Fasoranti group lacks moral to speak for the Yoruba race - The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organization disclosed this while reacting to the suspension of Senator Iyiola Omisore by the Fasoranti-led faction - The group maintained that Omisores purported suspension is embarrassing The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organization, Afenifere, in Ekiti state while reacting to the suspension of former deputy governor of Osun state, Senator Iyiola Omisore, said Fasoranti-led faction can not speak for the people of Oduduwa. Vanguard reports that a national leader of the group in Ekiti, Senator Ayo Fasanmi, on Wednesday, November 7, said it was unbelievable that Fasoranti faction could suspend Omisore for working for APC in the last governorship election in Osun state. Fasanmi described Omisores purported suspension as the most embarrassing action taken by anyone or group since the death of the late sage. READ ALSO: Labour threatens fresh strike as FG denies approving N30,000 In a statement by the state publicity secretary, Chief Biodun Akin-Fasae, Senator Fasanmi said the Fasoranti-led group had crossed the red line with its action. The statement read: The Fasoranti/Adebanjo group must henceforth stop talking on behalf of the Yoruba race because they have derailed. I am warning them that they should not put the Yoruba race on sale. The Yoruba race is comfortable with the progressives as being represented by the All Progressives Congress, APC, where the Yoruba is having the chunk of appointments. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda This has never happened even when Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was President. I wonder what Fasoranti and his group wanted by their anti-Buhari posture except they want to tell us they are now against Chief Awolowos legacies which all Yoruba are still proud to associate with. Anyway, many of those working for PDP within Afenifere never stood for any election all through their political life. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that the Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere's leader, Ayo Adebanjo said the group will support the presidential ambition of Atiku Abubakar in 2019 because of his campaign for Nigeria to be restructured. The group announced its support for Atiku on Sunday after hosting him in an event in Lagos. Adbanjo, who spoke for the group said Atiku's call for restructuring seems to be the only genuine one among the aspirants. He said: You (Abubakar) have been writing about restructuring over a decade ago. You gave me your commitment to restructure Nigeria within six months in one of our meetings several years ago.'' NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have upgraded to serve you better 2019 Presidency: Nigerians reveal why they prefer Atiku to President Buhari on Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit - The minister of information, Lai Mohammed, said it costs the government N3.5 million per month to feed El-Zakzaky - The minister made the claim in a viral video but had reportedly told journalists he was speaking off the record - The video, however, made it to the public and has attracted wide reactions on social media - El-Zakzaky, leader of the Shiite group, Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), has been detained since December 2015 Nigerias Information minister, Lai Mohammed, has claimed that the government spends about N3.5 million monthly to feed the Shiite leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, who has been detained by the government for over two years. El-Zakzaky, leader of the Shiite group, Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), has been detained since December 2015 after soldiers clamped down on his supporters, allegedly killing at least 347 of them. The Nigerian Army accused them of blocking a public road being used then by the Army chief, Tukur Buratai. READ ALSO: Oshiomhole's interrogation by the DSS worsens crisis within APC The massacre has been condemned by local and international rights groups and is currently being investigated by the International Criminal Court (ICC), Premium Times reports. The government also ignored a court ruling that ordered that he be released and paid compensation alongside his detained wife, Zinat. El-Zakzaky was initially held for about two years alongside his wife, Zinat, without trial. He was later charged before a Kaduna court for alleged conspiracy and abating culpable homicide. The information ministers statement on the Shiite leader is believed to have been made on Wednesday, November 7, the same day the Kaduna court denied El-Zakzaky bail. A video of the minister making the claim while addressing some journalists has gone viral. Mohammed did make the claim, as seen in the video, but he had reportedly told journalists he was speaking off the record, Premium Times notes. However, the video still made its way to the public and has since gone viral, drawing wide criticisms of the minister on several social media platforms. The issue of whether, where he (Mr El-Zakzaky) is, at least lets keep it off record, that he is in a residence and you know eating at the It costs the government about N3.5 million every month to feed him, Mohammed said in the video. The information minister was at that point interjected by someone sitting beside him, alleged to be the transport minister, Rotimi Amaechi, who jokingly mocked the figures saying then you people need to take me in o. Mohammed, then defended the figure he announced, saying Honestly, dont quote me, but these are the facts. At this point, Amaechi joked further that he can take N500,000 monthly to be held in prison by the government." Mohammed then explained that he asked from relevant people to arrive at his information. So please. We dont want to inflame passion. The issue is a very sensitive matter. But that is the situation. The Islamic Movement of Nigeria are a different kettle of fish, he said. At N3.5 million monthly, it would mean the government claims it spends about N115,000 daily to feed the forced prisoner. The video has gone viral on social media attraction heated reactions from Nigerians. See some of the reactions below. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app Meanwhile, the information and culture minister had said Nigerias campaign against fake news had received a boost from the Facebook which plans to partner with the federal government to check the menace. A statement made available to Legit.ng said that Mohammed announced the planned cooperation in Abuja on Tuesday, October 9, when he visited Daar Communications, owners of AIT and Raypower, in furtherance of the campaign. The minister said the national campaign, which was launched on July 11, 2018, has succeeded in bringing the phenomenon to the front burner of national discourse. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better Why President Buhari May Not Defeat PDP In 2019 - Agbor Residents Speak | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - Igbo monarchs from Anambra have written to President Buhari to look into an alleged EFCC persecution of Innoson motors boss - The monarchs berated the way EFCC is putting the Innoson boss under pressure, calling on EFCC to follow laid down rules and regulation - The Igbo monarchs, who described Innocent Chukwuma as a true business man, called on the president to caution Magu and his officers Following a legal dispute involving the Economic and Finance Crimes Commission (EFCC), chairman of Innoson motors, Innocent Chukwuma and a a bank, President Muhammadu Buhari has been called to prevail on the crisis. Vanguard reports that not less than 30 traditional rulers from Anambra South senatorial zone met at the palace of Igwe Kenneth Orizu of Nnewi and called the attention of the president to the rules laid by EFCC for Innoson boss. Legit.ng gathers that the monarch said they are all aware of an attempt to persecute Chukwuma who they described as a man raised to help boost the country's economy. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda In a statement unanimously made by the monarch, the alleged persecution and treatment of the Innoson boss by EFCC was rejected. The statement read: "As leaders and elders of the land, knowing fully well, the roles and activities of EFCC, we have decided to call on you, president, to call EFCC to order on this matter so as not to allow this little crisis degenerate into a level that will be difficult and costly to resolve. We wonder why EFCC would go to arrest a man who provides direct jobs to over 7,000 workers and indirect jobs to over 15, 000 people, and a revered industrialist who made Nigeria proud by establishing the first vehicle manufacturing plant in West Africa. It is on record that EFCC never extended any invitation to Chukwuma prior to the invasion of his house to bundle him out like a common criminal. This, to us, is an insult to the Igbo race and the nation in general. "Soon after his house was invaded, EFCC filed a criminal charge against Chukwuma and his company, Innoson Nigeria Ltd, in Lagos high court irrespective of the fact that there was an existing case on the same subject matter and transactions as the one filed by the EFCC, which as of then and till now, is being prosecuted by the attorney general of the federation at the Federal high court Ikoyi Lagos. This amounts to gross abuse of court process by the EFCC. We therefore wonder whose bidding EFCC is doing by not following due process of the law. "In view of the foregoing, we, the Anambra South Senatorial Traditional Rulers Forum (ASSTR) therefore resolve that: President Muhammadu Bugari calls on the chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Magu to call his officers to order to follow laid down rules and regulation in handling its prosecution. The president should tell EFCC to stop displaying elements of bias in the business dispute between Innoson Nigeria Ltd and bank. Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that EFCC fraud case against Innocent Chukuwuma, chairman of Innoson Motors Nigeria Limited, was on Wednesday, October 10, struck out. Justice Olusola Williams of Ikeja high court struck out the case after EFCC failed to produce Innoson in court to face trial. The justice noted that the EFCC had the responsibility to produce Innoson but never did. PAY ATTENTION: NAIJ.com (naija.ng) upgrades to Legit.ng to serve its readers right Whistle blowing in Nigeria on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - The minister of education has announced that 115 Nigerian students have benefited from the 2017/2018 Bilateral Education Agreement Scholarship Programme to Russia and Algeria - He also urged them to study hard so they could finish with excellent results that would make the country proud - The minister also stated that passages in form of one-way tickets to the country of study and return ticket at the end of the course would be paid through the Nigeria mission No fewer than 115 Nigerian students have benefited from the 2017/2018 Bilateral Education Agreement Scholarship Programme to Russia and Algeria. Malam Adamu Adamu, minister of education, during an orientation programme held for the scholars in Abuja on Wednesday, November 7, said 94 scholars will be going to Russia while 21 of them would be going to Algeria, NAN reports. Adamu, represented by Dr Lami Amodu, director, Basic and Secondary Education, Federal Ministry of Education, urged the scholars to be of good character and abide by the laws of the countries they were going. READ ALSO: Customs operatives allegedly kill farmer during search for smugglers in Ogun community Legit.ng gathers that he also urged them to study hard so they could finish with excellent results that would make the country proud. I wish to inform you that for this Bilateral Education Agreement Scholarship Award, tuition fees, accommodation and little stipend will be provided by the donor country. Nigeria will provide supplementary allowance of $6,000 per annum for feeding, local transportation, maintenance, equipment and books to the beneficiaries. The federal government will also give beneficiaries warm clothing allowance of $250 per annum, health insurance of $200 annually, take-off grant of N60,000 at departure for undergraduates as well as N100,000 before departure for postgraduate students," he said. The minister added that passages in form of one-way tickets to the country of study and return ticket at the end of the course would be paid through the Nigeria mission. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the United States Embassy in Abuja said over 110 Nigerian students had been awarded scholarships worth 5.3 million dollars (about N2 billion) by more than 15 leading U.S universities, starting in the Fall 2018 Academic Calendar. The embassy explained that the scholarship, which would afford both rich and poor students to study in various universities of their choices in the US, was facilitated through Education USA Abuja. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng: Same great journalism, upgraded for better service! Top 3 world universities and their African students - on Legit TV: Source: Legit - The Prince of Wales performed the laying of wreath in honour of late Nigeria's servicemen - Charles, who is on an official visit to Nigeria, performed the laying of the wreath at the national cemetery in Abuja - Also in attendance were the minister of defence, Brigadier General Mansur Dan-Ali, as well as other service chiefs The Prince of Wales, Charles, on Thursday, November 8, performed the laying of the wreath in remembrance of the nations servicemen who died in the first and second World Wars, at the national cemetery in Abuja, the nations capital. Channels TV reports that Prince Charles, who arrived Nigeria on Tuesday, November 6, was at the Naval Dock Yard in Victoria Island, Lagos state, where he was honoured by the Nigerian Navy. READ ALSO: Oshiomhole's interrogation by DSS worsens crisis within APC The prince, while, visiting the national cemetery on Thursday, was accompanied by the Minister of Defence, Brigadier General Mansur Dan-Ali, as well as the service chiefs and top military officers in the country. Prince Charles at the National Cemetery. Source: Channels TV Source: UGC Prince Charles is in Nigeria with his wife, Prince Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. Legit.ng earlier reported that the Oba of Benin recently asked Prince Charles to support the agitation for the return of ancient Benin artifacts which were taken in 1897. According to the Oba of Benin, the return of these artifacts would enable his kingdom establish Oba Palace Museum, which will assist the promotion of tourism in Benin City, Edo state. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app He made this demand during a closed door meeting with Prince Charles at the UK high commissioners residence in Maitama, Abuja on Tuesday, November 6. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better Why President Buhari May Not Defeat PDP In 2019 - Agbor Residents Speak | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng - The poor state of the National Youth Service Corps orientation camp in Niger state is a source of concern for the chairman of the governing board of the scheme - The chairman, Ambassador Fatima Abubakar, says the camp is not conducive for corps members and NYSC staff - She says the camp is a secondary school, adding that it is necessary for the state government to complete the permanent orientation camp it is currently building The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has decried the poor state of the schemes orientation camp in Niger state. Chairman of the NYSC governing board, Ambassador Fatima Abubakar, made this known during an inspection of the camp located in Paikoro local government area, NAN reports. Legit.ng notes that Abubakar said: We normally go on camp inspections as a board. We have been to several other states before coming here and we usually do it during the orientation exercise. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda You can see that it is not a permanent camp. What we always ask for is for state governments to establish permanent orientation camps with adequate facilities." Abubakar said the present makeshift camp was not conducive because it was a secondary school. It is not convenient and conducive because even the NYSC staff are living in a place like a hostel. It is a secondary school and their activities get disrupted anytime there is an orientation programme for new corps members." According to her, the completion of the permanent orientation camp by the state government had become necessary to enhance the schemes operation. She said: Until and when a permanent camp is provided, we are not really impressed by what we have seen. We met with the governor before coming here and told him what the situation of the camp is. He has taken note of what is needed and promised to do something immediately to change the situation." She maintained that the scheme has played a great role in uniting the country. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Abubakar added: The scheme has more than achieved its objective as one of the reasons for its establishment was to bring Nigerians together. And more than that, they are being equipped with various skills in camp, which they can put to use in the wider society." Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the director general of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig General Suleiman Kazaure, revealed that the scheme would not allow serving members to perform ad-hoc duties in areas considered volatile in 2019. Kazaure gave the assurance during a working visit to the NYSC 2018 Batch C stream 1 orientation camp in Sagamu, Ogun on Tuesday, November 6. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better NYSC members doing little wonders | Legit TV Source: Legit - The Senate has adjourned the plenary till Tuesday, November 13 - The move was to allow senators to attend the ongoing African Parliamentary Union meeting in Abuja - President Buhari declared the APU meeting open The Senate has adjourned plenary to allow members attend the ongoing African Parliamentary Union meeting in Abuja. The 73rd Executive Committee Session and the 41st Conference of the African Parliamentary Union (APU). The Punch reports that the lawmakers resumed to adopt the Votes and Proceedings of the last legislative day (Wednesday, November 7) and thereafter adjourned till Tuesday, November 13. Meanwhile, the Senate plenary was thrown into rowdiness on Wednesday, November 7, when the minority leader, Senator Biodun Olujimi alleged bias in the Social Intervention Programme of the federal government, which was introduced by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration. READ ALSO: Minimum wage: Labour threatens fresh strike as FG denies approving N30,000 Olujimi alleged that beneficiaries of the programme were being asked to provide details of their Permanent Voter Card in the application form. While presenting a copy of the form, she further alleged that I Stand with Buhari was written on it. Before the majority leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, who defended the Buhari-led administration and the programme could speak, the chamber had become noisy as the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party exchanged words across the divide. The APC lawmakers also forced the Senate to resolve that the SURE-P policy of the immediate past PDP government led by former President Goodluck Jonathan be probed. PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news update In a related development, Shehu Sani, representing Kaduna Central, has urged the government to rise up to its responsibility and ensure that the lingering demand of ASUU are responded to. He said: Nigeria has been dealing with strike with strike. The issues raised by ASUU are genuine. It is to the best interest of education in Nigeria. I demand and call on the federal government to concede to the demands of ASUU." NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better Nigeria Latest News: Buhari Reacts To APC Senators Betrayal | Legit TV Source: Legit - Two students of Benue State University have been reportedly killed - The two victims in 300 and 400 level, were killed during separate inter-cult clashes - According to the police, one of the suspected killers has been arrested In what was reported to be separate incidents of cult clash, two students of Benue State University have lost their lives, The Punch reports. According to an eyewitness, the first incident happened on Tuesday, November 6, when a 300L student of the institution was reportedly gunned down around High Level area in Makurdi. The eyewitness recounted: "It was around 8pm when a group of people attacked the young man and shot at him, the attackers ensured that the man died before they left the place." Legit.ng gathers that the second killing took place opposite the second gate of the university where the victim, a 400 level student of Theatre Art of the university was shot dead. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda The report also has it that the attackers, numbering 17, trailed the young man to the spot where he was killed. According to another eyewitness: "The young man was a 400 level student of Theatre Arts of the Benue State University, he was a resident of Gyado villa, he was going to have his hair cut when he was attacked. The attackers were armed with guns, axes, cutlasses, and stones, they rushed at him and shot him dead." Confirming the incident, the police public relations officer, DSP Moses Yamu, said that two students were killed during rival cult clashes. He also added that one of the suspects has been arrested and brought for investigations on whereabouts of other fleeing suspects. He said: It is true that two students were killed at separate areas in the town, one happened around High Level and another at the second gate of Benue State University (BSU) With little information, it is like the killing was as a result of rival cult group clashes because the second one that was killed was said to have participated in the killing of the 300 level student of the university." PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news update Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the police in Lagos state, on Friday, March 30, said they had arrested two suspected cultists, simply identified as Kanmi and Alami Samuel. The spokesman of the command, SP Chike Oti, in a statement, confirmed the arrest to newsmen, stressing that they were nabbed on Thursday, March 29, while trying to attack a rival gang member at Illasamaja area of Lagos. PAY ATTENTION: NAIJ.com (naija.ng) upgrades to Legit.ng to satisfy its readers more Police Parade Over 50 Suspected Cultists in Lagos | Legit TV Source: Legit.ng The Allentown School District made school counselors and psychologists available beginning Wednesday following the death of a student Tuesday night. Leslie Pena, 14, suffered a fatal gunshot wound about 5:30 p.m. at her home in Allentown, Lehigh County Coroner Scott Grim said Wednesday. Grim's office and Allentown police were continuing to investigate what happened, and there was no immediate ruling on whether the death was accidental, suicide or homicide. A death may also be ruled natural or undetermined. Pena was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital, Salisbury Township, where she was pronounced dead at 6:13 p.m. A report from the response to the gunshot showed it occurred in the 700 block of South 10th Street. Asked if the death was considered suspicious, city police Capt. Bill Lake said there is "no need for the public to be concerned." Pena was a student at Dieruff High School. The school district on Wednesday assigned its crisis team to the school to support all staff and students affected by her death, according to a statement from the district. The team is scheduled to be on-site as long as necessary to provide grief counseling before and during school hours. The district has directed students or staff in need of counseling outside school hours to call the Lehigh County Crisis Center at 610-782-3127. Reporter Tony Rhodin and freelance photographer Mike Nester contributed to this article. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. One of the Lehigh Valley's hottest craft brewers is opening a second tap room in Bethlehem on Main Street in the Moravian Book Shop. Lost Tavern Brewing announced on Facebook Wednesday night that it will be opening its second location in a fully-renovated section of the historic book seller. The brewery will share the space with Dave's Deli and Gelato in an open market concept starting in the spring of 2019. "So apparently, a handful of years back some hip fellas were told to follow a star to Bethlehem... thanks to your unbelievable support in Hellertown we too are following that advice," according to the post. It marks the start of an exciting new chapter for America's longest continually operating bookstore, which was bought by Moravian College in June. The sale left many afraid the store, now operated by Barnes & Noble, would lose its local roots and charm as a community hub. The shop is in the midst of a massive exterior and interior renovation as crews ready it for the holiday season. The tap room and eatery are slated for the portion of the store that once housed Christmas decorations and a pet bakery. Renovations on that side of the shop will begin once the other areas are complete. Tonight, we come to you with some big news we have been anxious to share with you for some time!!!! So apparently,... Posted by Lost Tavern Brewing on Wednesday, November 7, 2018 Moravian College spokesman Michael Corr said they're shooting for an April/May opening. "The operating hours are still being worked out, but will they'll try and match up with other businesses on Main Street," Corr said. " There will be separation between the retail area of the Book Shop and where the deli/tavern will be located, so the business hours can be different." In 2016, Lost Tavern opened its brewery and tap room at 744 Main Street in Hellertown. Dave's Deli and Gelato is located at 310 Stoke Park Rd. in Hanover Township, Northampton County. "We will be opening the tasting room with a wide variety of LTB beers along with some other craft options from PA breweries in the LV and beyond," Lost Tavern said in its post. "We plan to offer to-go sales in the same fashion as we do today along with a larger fridge space to house a number of cans to take out." Dave's Deli said in its own Facebook post that this will be its second location. "We will have our signature sandwiches, homemade gelato along with some new ideas just for the downtown crowd," according to the post. Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @sarasatullo and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Bethlehem City Council is holding off on a request to hike city parking violation fines until it can get more information from the city's parking authority. The authority is asking council to raise fines $5 to $15 per violation in concert with Mayor Bob Donchez's decision to raise meter rates 50-cents an hour. The authority hopes the dual increases will get more people to feed the meters, encourage long-term visitors to park in garages and help fund repairing or replacing the Walnut Street parking deck as well as building a new garage at East Third and Polk streets. A majority of council was reticent to back the ordinances that would hike the fines on first reading Wednesday evening and voted 6-1 to postpone them indefinitely. Donchez said the authority wanted more time and planned to come back to council in early 2019 to discuss the fines and the financing options for a new parking garage planned for the corner of East Third and Polk streets. The authority is now exploring whether it will finance Polk Street independently or with bonds backed by a city guarantee, Donchez said. "Once they complete an analysis, I will make a recommendation to council," he said. Last month, council tabled acting on the fine proposals and asked the authority for a comprehensive business plan. Council members Wednesday night said they were disappointed by the responses and wanted a more robust discussion on the future of city parking and the authority's finances. "There's not a lot of confidence currently in what is the long-term plan for the parking authority," Council President Adam Waldron said. "It kind of feels like they are making it up as they go." Waldron noted that's likely more reflective of poor communication, rather than poor planning. Councilman Bryan Callahan, who is the liaison to the parking authority, adamantly opposed postponing votes on the measures indefinitely. He argued at length about how crucial it was to hike the fines and the meter rates at the same time. Otherwise, long-term parkers are likely to roll the dice, not pay the meters and risk getting a $10 fine, he said. This will hurt businesses that need meters to turn over, Callahan said. "All we are voting on is a ticket fine, not the Polk Street garage," he said. "They (the authority) are willing to wait until we get our act together. They're into parking. They're not into politics. They get a mandate from the mayor. The parking authority director works at the will of the mayor." He criticized other council members for using the fines as "leverage" over the authority and making them political. "This is our first opportunity to be a part of the conversation," Waldron countered.. Waldron emphasized that parking authority Executive Director Kevin Livingston himself requested the matter be tabled, which was echoed by Donchez. Most council members indicated they will eventually back increasing the fines and agreed they needed to be linked with the meter rates rising. But there wasn't support for moving them forward Wednesday. The mayor does plan to still make the parking meter rate hike effective Jan. 1. Councilwoman Paige Van Wirt suggested the Jan. 1 date is arbitrary and the city could opt to hold off on raising meter rates until council is ready to pass the fine increase. Donchez did not respond to the suggestion during the meeting. Councilman J. William Reynolds said council is hoping to bring more transparency to the discussions and more public understanding about the relationship between a city and its authority. He pressed Donchez to lay out a vision and be clear on the impetus for some "large scale decisions." "The administration's job is to stand up and say,'This is what we think is best,'" Reynolds said. The mayor reiterated how crucial the Polk Street parking deck is to the ongoing redevelopment of East Third Street in South Bethlehem and to the success of Northampton Community College, The Factory, St. Luke's Health Network and Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts. NCC and Charter Arts have committed to 265 spaces in the garage. All of the surrounding lots are owned by private entities, which allow the nonprofits to park there, and those agreements could be rescinded with 60-day notice, Councilman Callahan said. The project dates back to the early years of Mayor John Callahan's administration when the garage was first spearheaded by the city's redevelopment authority. The project was approved by the city planning commission in December 2014 and then handed off to the parking authority in 2015 when negotiations over a land lease stalled with the Sands casino. It was quite frustrating because the Sands would not budge from its position regarding the property and it stalled the garage, Donchez said. In the meantime, Donchez asked a parking study be commissioned to develop a plan to improve the parking system before taking on any more major capital projects, he said. Once the Sands casino sale was announced, the mayor said the land was up for grabs again. The parking authority board has approved a $2.1 million agreement of sale and hopes to obtain financing and begin construction in mid-2019. Construction is expected to take 16 to 18 months, Donchez said. Council members have been concerned about the authority's ability to pay for another parking garage -- about $2.5 million in grants have been secured -- and questioned the planning and financing process for the Polk Street garage. The original plans call for an almost 600-space garage estimated to cost $13.3 million. Last week, many were surprised to learn that the redevelopment authority awarded an $800,000 grant from the city's tax increment finance district fund to a private developer for environmental remediation of the site where Five10Flats, a luxury apartment building, now sits across the street from the planned garage site. The same developer -- Michael Perrucci-- is a partner in the investment group that owns the land slated for the parking lots with Sands. The 2017 grant award was made after an application process in a public meeting and meeting minutes were forwarded to council members, but most learned of it during an annual financial incentive review in a meeting last week. Council members were caught off guard because several said they thought the TIF fund was basically empty. Redevelopment authority Executive Director Tony Hanna defended the award saying the $22 million project is estimated to generate about $225,000 in real estate taxes annually. He noted Peron is one of only two property owners in the TIF that could even apply for the funds. Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @sarasatullo and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. The chairman of the board tasked with overseeing Bethlehem's lucrative CRIZ won't get another term because city council is worried his work as a lawyer presents a conflict of interest. Local attorney Jim Broughal is the solicitor for the Bethlehem Parking Authority, but he's also the chair of the authority tasked with overseeing the City Revitalization and Improvement Zone, Bethlehem's lucrative special tax zone. Former Mayor John Callahan appointed Broughal and four others to the board in 2013 and tasked them with securing the sought after redevelopment incentive. Broughal was part of the team that selected the 130-acres and the projects to be included in the zone, which allows property owners to use certain future state and local taxes -- including sales and liquor-- created by CRIZ projects to pay off construction loans. And Broughal was named chairman of the fledgling authority at its first meeting. On Wednesday night, Mayor Bob Donchez recommended that Broughal be reappointed to the board effective Nov. 7, 2018, through October 2023. Broughal co-chaired Donchez's transition team after he was first elected. No one on council disputed Broughal's credentials or his work as chairman, but a majority were concerned about the appearance of a conflict of interest and felt the two roles were consistently at odds. Broughal's reappointment failed in a 4-3 vote. Councilmen J. William Reynolds, Bryan Callahan and Shawn Martell all supported the appointment while Council President Adam Waldron, Councilman Michael Colon and Councilwomen Olgan Negro and Paige Van Wirt opposed it. "It is not about the person," Van Wirt said. "It is about the dual position and the dual allegiances they are being asked to serve." Council members pointed out that the majority of the projects in the CRIZ intersect with the parking authority. So, that means Broughal is being asked to represent two different sides in negotiations repeatedly, Van Wirt said. Since this was his recommendation, Colon asked the mayor if the concern been raised previously. Donchez said it had not. Although, it was brought up during the Bethlehem Revitalization and Improvement Authority's meeting regarding a proposed $37-million Hotel Bethlehem expansion. At that time, board Solicitor Valentino DiGiorgio III, of Stradley Ronon Stevens and Young, LLP, said Broughal had no conflict. Wednesday evening Donchez noted Broughal had been the parking authority's attorney for many years and Callahan appointed him to the CRIZ board. Councilwoman Olga Negron said she 100 percent agreed with Van Wirt. She believes there are many citizens who wish to serve their government by joining committees and more people should be given the opportunity. If Broughal was reappointed it'd be like "Where's Waldo," Negron said. "There's Jim Broughal on every committee," Negron said. Several residents asked council not to reappoint Broughal to the CRIZ board. Resident and blogger Ed Gallagher said he's found Broughal to be a very active and aggressive solicitor for the parking authority and also the chair of the CRIZ. "It seems to me a contradiction," Gallagher said. Resident Martin Romeril, who said the city shouldn't have someone serving more than one board, was a bit more blunt about his opinion of Broughal. "He's just rude sometimes," Romeril said. "People shouldn't be treated like that." Resident and Hotel Bethlehem Managing Partner Bruce Haines clashed with Broughal repeatedly during his quest to obtain CRIZ-backing for his hotel expansion. Haines dealt with Broughal both in his role as parking authority solicitor and the CRIZ board and those roles were at major odds, he said. One CRIZ meeting became especially contentious when Broughal indicated the board was not ready to award the designation to the project at that moment. Broughal famously told Haines, "It is the Bruce Haines way or the highway." Later in that meeting, Haines withdrew the project from consideration. Eventually, BRIA voted to include the project in the CRIZ. Wednesday night Haines said there's almost no CRIZ program that doesn't intersect with the parking authority in some way. If Broughal stepped down as authority solicitor, Haines said, he has no issue with him sitting on the board. Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @sarasatullo and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Downtown Easton's shared kitchen and restaurant incubator is no more, but another foodie-friendly concept is ready to take over the space. A year and a half after it first opened, Common Space at 154 Northampton St. is giving over its entire kitchen and storefront to The Farmer & the Chickpea, a North Jersey farmers market fixture with a popular shop in the Whitehouse area of Readington Township, New Jersey. The Farmer & the Chickpea plans to debut in Easton with previews on Nov. 23 and 24 before opening in earnest on Dec. 1, serving a build-your-own pot pie bar, hot chocolate, salads, sandwiches, desserts and more. "When we saw the kitchen, I heard God speak to me," said Ashley Stratton, who co-owns The Farmer & the Chickpea with Jillian Kressley. In addition to regular service at its Whitehouse location, The Farmer & the Chickpea appears at six farmers markets weekly, so Stratton said the massive kitchen at 154 Northampton St. was perfect for the volume of food the business needs to produce. It's also a convenience for the business's owners -- Stratton lives in Upper Saucon Township and Kressley lives in Whitehall. The Farmer & the Chickpea's arrival follows a turbulent stretch at Common Space. In recent months, the shared space has seen vendor turnover and the close of its restaurant incubator FoodWorkz, which shut down on Oct. 1 after just three months of hosting pop-up restaurants in the space. Bernadette Fennimore, who owned Common Space with her husband Swain, said FoodWorkz shut down abruptly because of personal reasons among its founders, three Northampton Community College culinary graduates. Kaycie Stem of FoodWorkz did not return calls for comment. "It was a great idea. We loved the concept," Fennimore said. The remaining Common Space vendors -- about five, Fennimore said -- will be asked to leave the space to make way for The Farmer & the Chickpea. Fennimore said that while she had been excited to provide a space for local food entrepreneurs to experiment, the shared kitchen and storefront had not been lucrative. She expressed confidence that The Farmer & the Chickpea's proven model would lend more stability to the space. Even with Common Space ending its operations, Fennimore will continue to be involved at 154 Northampton St. "We're not kicking her out. We've pulled her into our company," said Stratton, the Farmer & the Chickpea's co-owner. The business has been running for nine years and has served food out of its Whitehouse location for the last three and a half. Stratton said that she already has customers in Pennsylvania for whom the Easton outpost will be more convenient. With the slogan "every bite takes you home," The Farmer & the Chickpea specializes in hearty portions of rustic, Mediterranean-inspired food. The eatery's specialties include kale salad, eggplant pie, chicken pot pie, Tuscan kale stew, cauliflower pancakes and more. The dishes aim to spotlight their farm-fresh ingredients. "I'm not a trained chef. I only know so many ingredients," Stratton said. "That's what keeps it real. I just make the food I made for my kids when they were growing up, but then I throw chickpeas and kale in it." In the Easton space, she envisions serving hot chocolate at the bar closest to the front entrance, with prepared foods for sale across from it. In the back area, customers will find a pot pie bar and a dessert bar. There will be seating for about 50 people. "I have always wanted huge kitchen with rows and rows of tables," she said. "This fit everything I had been saying for the last four years." With the soft opening just a few weeks away, The Farmer & the Chickpea is busy overall the space to look like "someone's home kitchen," Stratton said. This is no pop-up restaurant -- Stratton said they're in it for the long haul. "We're throwing everything we have at this thing," she said. Andrew Doerfler may be reached at adoerfler@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @adoerfler or on Facebook. The Diocese of Allentown will set up a compensation and reconciliation program for victims of past clergy sexual abuse, according to a news release. The release issued Thursday by the diocese says plans to fund the program are underway and a timetable for implementation will be released in the future. Thirty-five diocesan priests were named as "offenders" in a Pennsylvania grand jury report released in August. The diocese made a commitment in September to set up a program to help those victims, the release says. "The diocese recognizes its responsibility to provide victims and survivors with an opportunity to share their experiences and receive compensation in a compassionate forum as one aspect of their healing and recovery," the release says. Compensation determinations will be made by an independent administrator overseen by an independent board, the release says. "The Diocese of Allentown deeply regrets the pain caused by the abusive actions of some members of the clergy. Compensation alone cannot repair the damage caused to those who were harmed by clergy. This program will meaningfully assist in recovery and healing for victims and survivors, and for their families," the release says. The church asks victims of abuse or those who know of abuse to report it to: The state ChildLine at 1-800-932-0313 The state attorney general's hotline at 1-888-538-8541 The Diocesan Victim Assistance Coordinator provides assistance to anyone who, as a minor, was abused by a priest, deacon or employee or volunteer of the diocese or its parishes, the release says. Her direct line is 1-800-791-9209. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook. A Bucks County man lied about his war medals and claimed he served in combat when he was just a junior enlisted service member, according to Pennsylvania's attorney general. Tapan Patel of Bucks County allegedly lied about his service to obtain jobs. He violated the Stolen Valor Act by lying about his status as an officer and lying about serving in combat, according to a news release. He claimed to have won the Medal of Honor, Purple Heart and "Navy War Medal," which is not an actual award of the U.S. Navy, the release says. "This man's decision to lie about military service and awards for personal gain is disgraceful," said Attorney General Josh Shapiro. "His actions not only violate the Stolen Valor Act, they dishonor the heroic women and men who have sacrificed to serve our country." Patel agreed to a $10,000 civil settlement, $2,500 of which is suspended, the release says. As part of his Assurance of Voluntary Compliance he will be subject to a $2,500 civil penalty for future violations of the Stolen Valor Act. He is also subject to a $5,000 enhanced penalty if he violates the act. If you are solicited by someone like Patel indicating that they are a service member or a veteran and this consideration is fundamental to your decision to hire them or make a donation, the attorney general recommends you ask them about their service. To report suspected stolen valor or if you are a victim of a veterans scam, file a complaint with the Office of Attorney General's Military and Veterans Affairs by calling 717-783-1944 or emailing PAvets@attorneygeneral.gov. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook. The Eagles-Cowboys rivalry is among the most notable in the NFL. The bad blood runs deep and longtime Philadelphia offensive linemen Jason Peters and Jason Kelce have no love for their competition from Dallas. Both players unloaded on the Cowboys and their famously extensive fan base on Wednesday. During an interview with local media, Peters bashed the franchise's hubris. "They're just arrogant," Peters said. "The organization, everybody, 'America's Team.' Right now, they're not winning. Let's see how many people jump off their bandwagon and stay with them. We'll see Sunday and try to get that 'W' on them." Peters has plenty of experience playing against the Cowboys. The longtime left tackle has been working in the NFC East since 2009. The Eagles are 8-11 (0-1 in the postseason) against the Cowboys since Peters was acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Bills. Kelce, the team's veteran starting center, has also had his fair share of battles with the Cowboys. He called out their fan base during an interview with the 94WIP Morning Show. "I've just never really appreciated what the organization--and what its fans really stood for," Kelce said to host Angelo Cataldi. They are "a lot of fair-weather people from across the country that just kind of fell in love because they're winners instead of having any type of emotional connection to the team whatsoever." As if this rivalry needed anymore intrigue. Mike Kaye may be reached at mkaye@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Mike_E_Kaye. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Over 200 people attended a meeting Wednesday regarding a proposed sewage sludge processing plant. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection held a question-and-answer session, followed by a testimonial hearing, at the Wind Gap Middle School regarding the proposed Slate Belt Heat Recovery Center in Plainfield Township. Synagro Technologies Inc., in coordination with Waste Management and the Green Knight Economic Development Corp., has proposed building a plant at the Grand Central Sanitary Landfill off Route 512. The facility would convert municipal sewage sludge into Class A biosolids, using heat fueled primarily by the methane gas generated by the landfill. The treated material can be used as fertilizer or industrial fuel. People asked questions at a Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection hearing Nov. 7, 2018, regarding the proposed Slate Belt Heat Recovery Center in Plainfield Township. The DEP is considering four permit applications for the project. There have been multiple informational meetings and township planning commission meetings regarding the project. The overall sentiment of people attending the meetings has been against the project. More than 25 people spoke Wednesday. Questions ranged from concerns about biosolids' safety, proposed plant processes, stormwater runoff, truck transportation into the facility and odor control. For years, many people who live near the proposed project have complained of malodorous smells emanating from the landfill that negatively impact their lives and property values. Several people said a new facility, which would bring in sewage, shouldn't be built while existing conditions at the landfill already affect the area. "If 10,000 people live in the area and don't want it," one man asked DEP representatives, "does that weigh into the decision to issue the permit?" "If 99.9 percent of the people do not want this, does that matter?" another woman asked. Though the meeting was held to receive public input, DEP Environmental Manager Roger Bellas said people's opinions about the project are not a factor for the DEP's decision to issue any permits. If the proposed facility can operate in compliance with local, state and federal regulations, the DEP would issue the permits, Bellas said. If a member of the public could provide scientific evidence that the project would not be in compliance, that could be considered, he said. However, Bellas noted that existing conditions at a site can be considered in the DEP's decisions. Public input on three of the permits will be accepted by the DEP until Nov. 21. The project continues to go through the township's planning process and the township has appealed DEP's decision to waive permits for a former quarry collecting stormwater near the proposed facility. John Best is a freelance writer. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A 24-year-old Easton man was shot Saturday night in Phillipsburg, the Warren County prosecutor reports. There are no suspects at the moment, Richard Burke said Thursday morning. A male fired the shot before running off, Burke said. Tashawn Hunter, of the 600 block of West Berwick Street, sustained a single gunshot wound to the body about 8:15 p.m. near an alley in the 300 block of South Main Street, Burke said. He was flown to St. Luke's University Hospital in Fountain Hill, where he underwent surgery and was later released, Burke said. Phillipsburg police and the prosecutor's office continue to seek witnesses and are reviewing cameras in the neighborhood, Burke said. The prosecutor said it took a long time to release information because the investigation didn't progress as expected. Authorities at the town or county level were contacted each day by lehighvalleylive.com, but information was not forthcoming. If anyone knows anything about the shooting, they are asked to call county Detective Sgt. Scott Imboden at 908-475-6620. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. The Minister for Health has promised he will appoint an external facilitator to oversee consultation on the future of the hospital nearly a year since plans to downgrade Portlaoise hospital first emerged. The commitment by Simon Harris to appoint someone 'within weeks' comes months after it was announced consultation would begin. The Minister committed to consultation last December after meeting Laois TDs following a big protest march against downgrade in Portlaoise. A HSE plan which is with the Minister proposes the removal of A&E, ICU, paediatrics, maternity and most surgery from the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise. Minister Harris gave an update on consultation to Laois Sinn Fein TD Brian Stanley in the Dail. I intend to appoint an independent external facilitator for the consultation process in the coming weeks. The outcome of the consultation process will be a submission from my Department to me as Minister, setting out the key findings from the consultation process and recommended a response to inform me in making a final decision on the draft Action Plan, he said. Deputy Stanley welcomed the renewed commitment but said the process should not be used for political reasons. While this announcement is very welcome, it has taken 11 months to get things moved to this stage and this has been an unnecessary delay. The Minister has confirmed that the following groups will be consulted the following groups will be consulted, Midoc, Medical Board, Portlaoise Hospital, ICGP, Portlaoise Hospital Management Team, Mental Health Group, Portlaoise Hospital Action Committee, Irish Prison Service, councillors and TDs. This consultation process must be expedited in a timely manner and should not be used as an exercise to drag the process to get the Government out to the far side of a general election. I intend to keep the pressure on the Minister to ensure this does not happen," he said Laois/Offaly TD and Minister for Justice & Equality, Charlie Flanagan announced in July 2018 that the consultation process was underway and an external facilitator would lead a consultation team. He said he had been assured that the required multi-annual investment in services, and infrastructural and staffing capacity, will be advanced before any decision is taken in relation to core services. He urged the various stakeholders and interest groups to fully engage in this process. Despite weeks of rain and wet weather, Laois is still going to pay the price of the drought in summer as 28,000 people in Portlaoise may have to have nighttime restrictions on water due to a shortage in supply, according to Irish Water. Irish Water (IW) has said water levels in the area "continue to drop" and restrictions may be "unavoidable". IW has appealed to people on the Portlaoise Water Supply Scheme to conserve water and report any leaks. In a statement issued by Irish Water on Thursday, it said: "Reduction in demand, along with prolonged, heavy rainfall, are necessary to avoid ongoing restrictions that may be necessary into next Spring". "Water restrictions may be necessary in the coming weeks, as water levels continue to drop in the aquifers that supply water to the Scheme. "Homes and businesses on the public water supply in Portlaoise and surrounding areas are supplied by groundwater that comes from a number of local aquifer sources. "The aquifers are underground lakes from which water is extracted via well fields and then piped to the water treatment plant at Kilminchy before being delivered to customers. "After the exceptionally dry summer, the aquifers that feed the Scheme currently do not have sufficient storage to sustain a full water supply to the population dependent on it over the coming months. "Approximately 28,000 customers depend on the Portlaoise Water Supply Scheme for their residential and business needs," IW has stated. John ODonoghue is the Irish Water Operations Manager for the East and Midlands. "Under normal weather conditions, water levels would drop over the summer but then start to replenish in September and October. "This has not been the case this year. Continued low rainfall levels mean the water supply is at an historic low. Even if there was a prolonged spell of heavy rain, it would take a number of months for that rain to percolate through soils and bedrock to recharge the aquifers and become available for abstraction," he said. Irish Water has said: "It is looking more and more likely that restrictions may be unavoidable and people need to be aware of what may be coming down the line. "We are appealing to customers to conserve water wherever possible and report any leaks they see, immediately to Irish Water on 1850 278 278. The levels of water in wells serving almost 30,000 people in Portlaoise are critically low according to Irish Water. The concern over the lack of water drove the water management company to issue a statement to the public on Thursday appealing for help in conserving water in the coming weeks. Irish Water engineer John Gavin told the Leinster Express why Portlaoise is experiencing a historic low in water supply levels. The wells are quite deep, it might rain today but it takes a long time to go deep down where wells are through the layers of rock. Met Eireann reported a moisture deficit of 80 percent in the ground during the summer drought and that has to be replaced before water goes down deeper. What is more concerning is the rain we are getting isn't a huge amount and any rain that does fall is still just covering the deficit. From May to now there has been 50 percent of the rain that would normally fall. This is very low and has not been experienced before. The amount of water available has greatly diminished. There hasnt been a huge amount of rainfall restoring soil moisture in the last couple of months, he said. The wells are not expected to fill up anytime soon as it can take a long time for water moisture to be restored in the ground and then for water to soak down through the many layers of rock and into the wells deep below the ground. This water would usually be pumped to be treated and then pumped to homes and businesses but it has not been replenished since the drought in summer. The amount of water lost through leaks in Portlaoise is around 30 percent which is lower than it has been in the past. Irish Water found the water levels so concerning that it issued an appeal to people on the Portlaoise Water Supply Scheme to conserve water in order to reduce the demand on the increasingly lowering supply of water for the area. While it has not made a definite decision yet, nighttime cuts to the water supply are highly likely in the coming weeks and throughout winter. Reduction in demand, along with prolonged, heavy rainfall, are necessary to avoid ongoing restrictions that may be necessary into next Spring Irish Water has said it can prioritise the cuts for services like hospitals, schools, businesses or the prisons. Large housing estates are generally first to be cut at nighttime. Nighttime cuts are usually from 10pm to 6am. John ODonoghue is the Irish Water Operations Manager for the East and Midlands. "Under normal weather conditions, water levels would drop over the summer but then start to replenish in September and October. This has not been the case this year. Continued low rainfall levels mean the water supply is at an historic low. Even if there was a prolonged spell of heavy rain, it would take a number of months for that rain to percolate through soils and bedrock to recharge the aquifers and become available for abstraction," he said. Read the statement from Irish Water below: "Irish Water is appealing to customers on the Portlaoise Water Supply Scheme to conserve water. The Utility is advising that water restrictions may be necessary in the coming weeks, as water levels continue to drop in the aquifers that supply water to the Scheme. "Homes and businesses on the public water supply in Portlaoise and surrounding areas are supplied by groundwater that comes from a number of local aquifer sources. The aquifers are underground lakes from which water is extracted via well fields and then piped to the water treatment plant at Kilminchy before being delivered to customers. "After the exceptionally dry summer, the aquifers that feed the Scheme currently do not have sufficient storage to sustain a full water supply to the population dependent on it over the coming months. Approximately 28,000 customers depend on the Portlaoise Water Supply Scheme for their residential and business needs." "It is looking more and more likely that restrictions may be unavoidable and people need to be aware of what may be coming down the line. We are appealing to customers to conserve water wherever possible and report any leaks they see, immediately to Irish Water on 1850 278 278. "Irish Water continues to carry out a range of works in order to avoid the implementation of restrictions. These include: Finding and fixing leaks on the Portlaoise Water Supply Scheme. Replacement of aging water mains in order to combat the leakage Irish Water is also currently at design stage of a project to put in additional wells into production at the Coolbanagher Wellfield including the laying of 1.4 kms of pipeline to connect the wells to the existing network. It is planned to award a contract for this work before the end of this year with works due to be completed in early 2019." For tips on how to conserve water go to water.ie. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 8) Extending martial law in Mindanao should be a "last resort", National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon said Thursday. In a media briefing in Malacanang, Esperon noted that talks of an extension is not a priority, despite calls of some Mindanaoans for it to push through. "We would like to think that the extension of martial law is the last-resort basis," Esperon said. "(But) majority of the people in Mindanao want it." "It is an instrument for us that will be considered as last resort, but if it is needed, then so be it. Susundin natin 'yun. (We will follow it)" Palace officials earlier said the decision whether to extend martial law would depend upon the recommendation of the security cluster-- particularly the police and military on the ground. While there is no recommendation or decision yet, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief Carlito Galvez Jr. noted several local government units in the region are in favor of the extension. "Apparently, most of the local government units are in favor of the martial law in eastern and western Mindanao," Galvez added during the briefing. Martial law was declared in Mindanao in May 2017 following the attempted takeover by ISIS-inspired Maute Group of Marawi City in Lanao del Sur. The declaration lapsed on July 23 that year, before Congress first voted to extend martial law until the end of December 2017. The Philippine National Police on Monday meanwhile said it will support another extension of the rule, should President Rodrigo Duterte decide to extend it again. The Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa's Total Magazine circulation decline continued in Quarter 4 by 1% on the previous quarter, and by 13.7% on the prior year. However, this decline is less than Q2's decline of 3.9% on the previous quarter, and by 15.1% on the prior year. Consumer magazines Arts, Culture and Heritage Publication Name Period Paid circulation Free circulation Total circulation % change quarter % change year Islam Today KZN Jul-Sep 0 10,000 10,000 0.0% 0.0% Jewish Life Jul-Sep 101 12,263 12,364 2.8% -3.9% Val de Vie Magazine Jul-Jun 1,835 9,344 11,179 0.0% Business and News African Business Quarterly Jul-Jun 655 1,237 1,892 0.0% Business Brief. Jan-Jun 49,256 214 49,470 0.0% 49.4% Entrepreneur Jul-Sep 13,165 0 13,165 -11.5% -9.7% Financial Mail Jul-Sep 13,134 0 13,134 0.4% -1.0% Finweek Jul-Sep 13,856 2,713 16,569 -3.6% -11.6% Forbes Africa Jul-Sep 6,958 6,663 13,621 -8.7% -29.4% Green Economy Journal (formerly Green Business Journal) Jan-Jun 362 5,999 6,361 0.0% -6.0% Noseweek Jul-Sep 10,283 0 10,283 -13.9% -9.8% Personal Finance Jan-Dec 0 0 Changed Publisher SA Real Estate Investor Magazine Jul-Sep 525 13,786 14,311 -1.7% -3.7% Your Business Magazine Jan-Jun 6,268 1,304 7,572 0.0% -19.2% Celebrity People Jul-Sep 26,567 185 26,752 -9.6% -23.2% Conservation and Wildlife African Birdlife Jan-Jun 8,758 306 9,064 0.0% 5.0% Entertainment Eat Out Jan-Dec 15,159 5,800 20,959 0.0% 10.6% Hello Johannesburg Jul-Sep 0 5,740 5,740 0.3% -52.5% TV Plus (Afrikaans) Jul-Sep 24,111 0 24,111 -4.0% -20.6% TV Plus (English) Jul-Sep 12,306 0 12,306 -7.2% -26.6% Family Interest Bona Jul-Sep 57,752 1,539 59,291 -0.4% -16.4% Drum Jul-Sep 28,865 0 28,865 -9.5% -29.0% Huisgenoot Jul-Sep 177,380 13 177,393 -5.0% -6.9% LIG Jul-Sep 17,042 460 17,502 -5.2% -15.3% Plus 50 Jan-Jun 5,540 797 6,337 0.0% -3.8% Taalgenoot. Jan-Dec 138,118 104 138,222 0.0% 1.0% The Big Issue Jul-Sep 8,548 232 8,780 0.4% -14.7% The Crest Jan-Jun 0 12,070 12,070 0.0% -1.2% The Ridge Jan-Jun 0 19,051 19,051 0.0% -7.1% Things to do with kids Magazine Jan-Dec 0 10,347 10,347 0.0% 3.9% You Jul-Sep 88,076 4 88,080 -8.5% -9.7% Farming Farmer's Weekly Jul-Sep 10,522 95 10,617 -3.2% -12.5% Landbouweekblad Jul-Sep 24,272 7 24,279 -2.9% -15.0% Landbouweekblad Boereplanne Jul-Jun 15,599 420 16,019 0.0% 7.3% Landbouweekblad Vee Jan-Dec 9,384 0 9,384 0.0% -18.9% Marktoe! Jul-Sep 0 11,233 11,233 -0.4% 5.6% Veeplaas. Jul-Sep 5,648 3,065 8,713 12.2% 13.1% Health & Wellbeing Fatloss Jan-Dec 22,112 60 22,172 0.0% 13.5% Fitlife Jul-Sep 0 0 Moved Sector Longevity. Jan-Jun 0 0 Changed Freq. Muscle Evolution Magazine Jan-Jun 0 0 Resigned Home Conde Nast House & Garden Jul-Sep 20,334 7,128 27,462 5.9% -15.7% Easy DIY Jul-Jun 6,878 6,142 13,020 0.0% 12.1% Elle Decoration Jan-Jun 0 0 Changed Frequency Elle Decoration. Jul-Sep 13,632 4,670 18,302 -0.6% Food and Home Entertaining Jul-Sep 14,934 2,726 17,660 -7.5% -23.9% Green Home Jan-Jun 0 0 No issue Habitat Jan-Jun 12,880 379 13,259 0.0% -0.9% House & Leisure Jul-Sep 15,365 1,621 16,986 7.2% -13.8% Idees/Ideas Jan-Jun 19,417 80 19,497 0.0% 13.7% Kuier Combo Jul-Jun 56,626 0 56,626 0.0% -19.7% Landbouweekblad Boerekos Jul-Jun 34,200 696 34,896 0.0% 5.6% Living Space. Jul-Sep 0 0 Moved Sector Lose It. Jan-Jun 20,765 0 20,765 0.0% -24.1% My Kitchen. Jul-Sep 0 0 Moved Sector Plascon Spaces. Jan-Dec 8,530 5,183 13,713 0.0% -23.1% Real Estate. Jul-Sep 0 0 Changed Frequency SA Garden and Home Jul-Sep 37,416 3,845 41,261 -1.2% -12.6% SA Home Owner Jul-Sep 24,509 6,449 30,958 -4.7% -19.7% Sarie Kos, Jul-Jun 28,391 1,045 29,436 0.0% Sarie Kos. Jan-Jun 0 0 Changed Frequency Sarie Woon Jul-Jun 16,795 860 17,655 0.0% -2.1% The Gardener / Die Tuinier Jul-Sep 27,098 14,184 41,282 2.8% 6.4% Tuis Home Jul-Sep 78,420 8,620 87,040 4.2% 8.7% Tuis Kombuis / Home Kitchen Jan-Dec 0 0 No issue. Tuis Opknap / Home Renovations. Jul-Jun 24,803 0 24,803 0.0% 6.9% Tuis Verf / Home Paint Jul-Jun 22,222 0 22,222 0.0% -14.6% Tuis Werf / Home Yard Jul-Jun 25,647 0 25,647 0.0% Visi Jan-Jun 16,825 480 17,305 0.0% 10.2% Leisure African Green Elements Jan-Dec 0 0 Suspended Joburg Style Jan-Dec 607 5,211 5,818 0.0% -21.3% Prestige Magazine, Jan-Jun 0 0 Digital only South Africa Deluxe Jan-Dec 0 0 Suspended Southern Vines Jan-Dec 0 12,779 12,779 0.0% 20.4% The Coffee Mag Jul-Jun 1,625 2,290 3,915 0.0% -14.4% The Ultimate Braai Jul-Jun 5,642 5,788 11,430 0.0% 53.7% Male Destiny Man, Jan-Jun 10,396 2,176 12,572 0.0% Destiny Man. Jul-Sep 0 0 Changed Frequency GQ. Jul-Sep 0 0 Changed Frequency Men's Health Jul-Sep 23,547 4,033 27,580 8.9% -0.1% Men's Health Belly Off Guide Jan-Dec 0 0 No issue. Popular Mechanics Jul-Sep 23,910 5,819 29,729 11.3% 8.2% Stuff. Jan-Jun 10,206 2,146 12,352 0.0% -11.3% Tech. Jul-Sep 0 0 Moved Sector Very Interesting (former Braintainment) Jan-Jun 12,760 5,397 18,157 0.0% -0.3% Motoring Bakkie & Car (formerly Bakkie & Truck) Jan-Jun 0 0 Resigned Bike SA Jul-Sep 0 0 Changed Publisher Car Jul-Sep 60,290 4,658 64,948 0.5% 4.5% Caravan & Outdoor Life / Kamp & Karavaan Jul-Sep 19,088 1,037 20,125 17.5% 10.8% Drive Out Trail Guide / Wegry Roetegids. Jul-Jun 0 0 No issue Driven Magazine Jul-Sep 0 16,255 16,255 0.1% -9.2% Land Rover AFRICA Magazine Jan-Jun 0 0 Digital Only Leisure Wheels Jul-Sep 13,239 4,046 17,285 0.4% 20.2% Motor. Jul-Sep 0 0 Moved Sector SA4x4 Jul-Sep 11,839 1,152 12,991 -5.7% -12.7% Speed and Sound Jul-Sep 26,617 2,795 29,412 20.3% 21.4% Super Bike Jul-Sep 4,053 4,796 8,849 7.5% -8.3% Parenting Baba & Kleuter. Jan-Jun 12,320 2,818 15,138 0.0% -2.6% Baby's and Beyond Jan-Dec 0 15,271 15,271 0.0% -2.1% Child Magazine-Cape Town. Jan-Jun 0 47,771 47,771 0.0% -0.1% Child Magazine-Durban. Jan-Jun 0 40,084 40,084 0.0% 0.1% Child Magazine-Johannesburg. Jan-Jun 0 55,364 55,364 0.0% 0.2% Child Magazine Pretoria. Jan-Jun 0 40,052 40,052 0.0% 0.0% Expectant Mothers Guide Jul-Jun 0 0 No submission Living and Loving Jul-Sep 7,893 2,349 10,242 11.6% -7.3% MamaMagic Milestones Jan-Dec 0 50,000 50,000 0.0% -0.4% Mamas & Papas. Jul-Sep 6,676 4,702 11,378 -4.8% -17.2% Mother & Child Jan-Jun 666 0 666 0.0% Your Baby. Jan-Jun 8,300 2,335 10,635 0.0% -10.5% Your Pregnancy. Jan-Jun 13,844 5,038 18,882 0.0% -3.2% Pets Animaltalk Jul-Sep 7,113 3,266 10,379 0.9% 21.0% Dog Directory Jan-Dec 6,011 2,470 8,481 0.0% 9.4% Sport and Hobby Bicycling Jan-Jun 10,131 1,968 12,099 0.0% 15.4% Compleat Golfer Jul-Sep 5,943 3,671 9,614 -3.5% -6.3% Fitness His Edition Jan-Jun 0 0 Resigned Game & Hunt/Wild & Jag Jul-Sep 24,287 83 24,370 22.9% 154.6% Golf Digest Jul-Sep 8,951 1,248 10,199 -19.3% -16.0% Gun Africa Jan-Jun 0 0 Discontinued HQ. Jul-Sep 4,787 1,450 6,237 -1.4% 3.4% Kick Off Jul-Sep 24,340 1,095 25,435 0.4% 40.9% Magnum Jul-Sep 10,792 0 10,792 -7.4% -8.4% Modern Athlete Jul-Sep 630 80,405 81,035 2.1% 18.0% Ride Magazine, Jul-Sep 0 0 Changed Frequency Ride Magazine.. Jan-Jun 3,169 3,334 6,503 0.0% Rock Surf and Deep. Jan-Jun 2,957 65 3,022 0.0% 1.2% Runners World Jul-Sep 10,744 1,449 12,193 -0.3% -3.9% SA Cricket. Jan-Dec 6,247 5,790 12,037 0.0% 16.9% SA Flyer Jul-Sep 4,692 702 5,394 7.0% -12.1% SA Hunter/Jagter Jul-Sep 0 0 Moved Sector SA Rugby Jul-Sep 20,428 3,141 23,569 3.7% 6.6% Signature Golf Jan-Dec 0 30,556 30,556 0.0% 0.1% Sowetan Magazine Jan-Dec 0 0 Discontinued Sports Club Jul-Sep 0 0 Moved Sector The Bank Angler / Die Oewerhengelaar Jul-Sep 7,207 3,831 11,038 -4.5% -5.4% The Bass Angler / Die Baarshengelaar Jul-Sep 1,524 1,618 3,142 1.6% 2.2% Wildland Magazine Jul-Sep 27,881 633 28,514 1.9% 302.9% Travel, Tourism & Hospitality African Safaris Jul-Jun 682 1,074 1,756 0.0% Cape Etc. Jan-Dec 888 7,926 8,814 0.0% -2.5% Getaway Jul-Sep 29,317 11,760 41,077 0.1% -3.6% go! Drive & Camp and Weg! Ry & Sleep Jul-Sep 32,324 4,058 36,382 5.0% -2.8% SA Country Life Jul-Sep 25,178 2,902 28,080 -5.0% -5.6% The Great Outdoors Guide / Die Groot Buitelewegids Jan-Dec 43,422 0 43,422 0.0% -0.1% Weg / Go Platteland Jul-Jun 29,176 0 29,176 0.0% -10.9% Weg Namibie / Go Namibia Jan-Dec 34,827 0 34,827 0.0% 13.9% Weg! Kruger / Go! Kruger Jan-Dec 30,090 0 30,090 0.0% Weg/Go Jul-Sep 54,037 5,471 59,508 1.0% 10.4% Wegsleep Kampgids Jul-Jun 0 0 No issue Wegsleep Oordgids Jan-Dec 17,261 0 17,261 0.0% 9.4% Woman's General Cosmopolitan Jul-Sep 30,707 3,382 34,089 10.9% -8.2% Destiny Magazine Jul-Sep 20,434 5,599 26,033 -0.4% 3.6% Elle Jul-Sep 14,822 6,988 21,810 -2.6% -2.7% Essentials Jul-Sep 16,555 2,912 19,467 -2.2% -24.8% Fairlady Jul-Sep 30,735 4,014 34,749 8.9% 5.4% Finesse. Jan-Jun 0 0 Resigned Fitness Magazine Jan-Jun 16,940 932 17,872 0.0% -15.7% Glamour Jul-Sep 0 0 Changed Frequency Glamour. Jan-Jun 26,480 8,601 35,081 0.0% Good Housekeeping / Goeie Huishouding Jul-Sep 37,453 4,089 41,542 14.1% 10.0% Kuier Jul-Sep 87,262 0 87,262 -1.4% -4.8% Marie Claire Jul-Sep 15,094 1,618 16,712 17.5% -24.3% Move! Jul-Sep 56,846 0 56,846 -5.2% -18.9% Rooi Rose Jul-Sep 55,824 1,839 57,663 -1.3% -9.7% Sarie Jul-Sep 54,757 9,078 63,835 -2.5% 11.5% True Love Jul-Sep 27,732 5,405 33,137 -2.1% 19.7% Vroue Keur Jul-Sep 43,360 446 43,806 -4.1% -9.7% Woman and Home Jul-Sep 52,790 7,446 60,236 -4.3% -17.8% Women's Health. Jul-Sep 23,071 5,360 28,431 -4.2% -9.8% Your Family Jul-Sep 20,719 2,427 23,146 1.4% -22.3% Woman's Special Bruidgids Jan-Dec 11,642 4,880 16,522 0.0% 0.3% Fairlady Bride Jul-Jun 0 0 No issue Forbes Woman Africa Jan-Jun 5,666 4,295 9,961 0.0% -14.1% Intiem. Jan-Jun 0 0 Digital Only Nubian Bride Jan-Dec 7,404 0.0% -16.9% SA Wedding Album Jan-Dec 14,203 0.0% -20.2% Sarie Bruid Jul-Jun No issue True Love Bride Jul-Jun No issue Wedding Guide Jul-Jun 17,489 0.0% 35.7% Wedding Inspirations Jul-Jun 4,800 0.0% -31.6% Youth Barbie Magazine Jul-Sep 11,382 -1.9% -9.1% Kids Super Club Jul-Sep Moved Sector Post Matric Jan-Dec 131,095 0.0% -2.3% The Official Safeways K53 Learner's and Driver's Manual Jan-Jun Changed Frequency B2B magazines Arts, Culture and Heritage Publication Name Period Paid circulation Free circulation Total circulation % change quarter % change year Islam Today KZN Jul-Sep 0 10,000 10,000 0.0% 0.0% Jewish Life Jul-Sep 101 12,263 12,364 2.8% -3.9% Val de Vie Magazine Jul-Jun 1,835 9,344 11,179 0.0% Business and News African Business Quarterly Jul-Jun 655 1,237 1,892 0.0% Business Brief. Jan-Jun 49,256 214 49,470 0.0% 49.4% Entrepreneur Jul-Sep 13,165 0 13,165 -11.5% -9.7% Financial Mail Jul-Sep 13,134 0 13,134 0.4% -1.0% Finweek Jul-Sep 13,856 2,713 16,569 -3.6% -11.6% Forbes Africa Jul-Sep 6,958 6,663 13,621 -8.7% -29.4% Green Economy Journal (formerly Green Business Journal) Jan-Jun 362 5,999 6,361 0.0% -6.0% Noseweek Jul-Sep 10,283 0 10,283 -13.9% -9.8% Personal Finance Jan-Dec 0 0 Changed Publisher SA Real Estate Investor Magazine Jul-Sep 525 13,786 14,311 -1.7% -3.7% Your Business Magazine Jan-Jun 6,268 1,304 7,572 0.0% -19.2% Celebrity People Jul-Sep 26,567 185 26,752 -9.6% -23.2% Conservation and Wildlife African Birdlife Jan-Jun 8,758 306 9,064 0.0% 5.0% Entertainment Eat Out Jan-Dec 15,159 5,800 20,959 0.0% 10.6% Hello Johannesburg Jul-Sep 0 5,740 5,740 0.3% -52.5% TV Plus (Afrikaans) Jul-Sep 24,111 0 24,111 -4.0% -20.6% TV Plus (English) Jul-Sep 12,306 0 12,306 -7.2% -26.6% Family Interest Bona Jul-Sep 57,752 1,539 59,291 -0.4% -16.4% Drum Jul-Sep 28,865 0 28,865 -9.5% -29.0% Huisgenoot Jul-Sep 177,380 13 177,393 -5.0% -6.9% LIG Jul-Sep 17,042 460 17,502 -5.2% -15.3% Plus 50 Jan-Jun 5,540 797 6,337 0.0% -3.8% Taalgenoot. Jan-Dec 138,118 104 138,222 0.0% 1.0% The Big Issue Jul-Sep 8,548 232 8,780 0.4% -14.7% The Crest Jan-Jun 0 12,070 12,070 0.0% -1.2% The Ridge Jan-Jun 0 19,051 19,051 0.0% -7.1% Things to do with kids Magazine Jan-Dec 0 10,347 10,347 0.0% 3.9% You Jul-Sep 88,076 4 88,080 -8.5% -9.7% Farming Farmer's Weekly Jul-Sep 10,522 95 10,617 -3.2% -12.5% Landbouweekblad Jul-Sep 24,272 7 24,279 -2.9% -15.0% Landbouweekblad Boereplanne Jul-Jun 15,599 420 16,019 0.0% 7.3% Landbouweekblad Vee Jan-Dec 9,384 0 9,384 0.0% -18.9% Marktoe! Jul-Sep 0 11,233 11,233 -0.4% 5.6% Veeplaas. Jul-Sep 5,648 3,065 8,713 12.2% 13.1% Health & Wellbeing Fatloss Jan-Dec 22,112 60 22,172 0.0% 13.5% Fitlife Jul-Sep 0 0 Moved Sector Longevity. Jan-Jun 0 0 Changed Freq. Muscle Evolution Magazine Jan-Jun 0 0 Resigned Home Conde Nast House & Garden Jul-Sep 20,334 7,128 27,462 5.9% -15.7% Easy DIY Jul-Jun 6,878 6,142 13,020 0.0% 12.1% Elle Decoration Jan-Jun 0 0 Changed Frequency Elle Decoration. Jul-Sep 13,632 4,670 18,302 -0.6% Food and Home Entertaining Jul-Sep 14,934 2,726 17,660 -7.5% -23.9% Green Home Jan-Jun 0 0 No issue Habitat Jan-Jun 12,880 379 13,259 0.0% -0.9% House & Leisure Jul-Sep 15,365 1,621 16,986 7.2% -13.8% Idees/Ideas Jan-Jun 19,417 80 19,497 0.0% 13.7% Kuier Combo Jul-Jun 56,626 0 56,626 0.0% -19.7% Landbouweekblad Boerekos Jul-Jun 34,200 696 34,896 0.0% 5.6% Living Space. Jul-Sep 0 0 Moved Sector Lose It. Jan-Jun 20,765 0 20,765 0.0% -24.1% My Kitchen. Jul-Sep 0 0 Moved Sector Plascon Spaces. Jan-Dec 8,530 5,183 13,713 0.0% -23.1% Real Estate. Jul-Sep 0 0 Changed Frequency SA Garden and Home Jul-Sep 37,416 3,845 41,261 -1.2% -12.6% SA Home Owner Jul-Sep 24,509 6,449 30,958 -4.7% -19.7% Sarie Kos, Jul-Jun 28,391 1,045 29,436 0.0% Sarie Kos. Jan-Jun 0 0 Changed Frequency Sarie Woon Jul-Jun 16,795 860 17,655 0.0% -2.1% The Gardener / Die Tuinier Jul-Sep 27,098 14,184 41,282 2.8% 6.4% Tuis Home Jul-Sep 78,420 8,620 87,040 4.2% 8.7% Tuis Kombuis / Home Kitchen Jan-Dec 0 0 No issue. Tuis Opknap / Home Renovations. Jul-Jun 24,803 0 24,803 0.0% 6.9% Tuis Verf / Home Paint Jul-Jun 22,222 0 22,222 0.0% -14.6% Tuis Werf / Home Yard Jul-Jun 25,647 0 25,647 0.0% Visi Jan-Jun 16,825 480 17,305 0.0% 10.2% Leisure African Green Elements Jan-Dec 0 0 Suspended Joburg Style Jan-Dec 607 5,211 5,818 0.0% -21.3% Prestige Magazine, Jan-Jun 0 0 Digital only South Africa Deluxe Jan-Dec 0 0 Suspended Southern Vines Jan-Dec 0 12,779 12,779 0.0% 20.4% The Coffee Mag Jul-Jun 1,625 2,290 3,915 0.0% -14.4% The Ultimate Braai Jul-Jun 5,642 5,788 11,430 0.0% 53.7% Male Destiny Man, Jan-Jun 10,396 2,176 12,572 0.0% Destiny Man. Jul-Sep 0 0 Changed Frequency GQ. Jul-Sep 0 0 Changed Frequency Men's Health Jul-Sep 23,547 4,033 27,580 8.9% -0.1% Men's Health Belly Off Guide Jan-Dec 0 0 No issue. Popular Mechanics Jul-Sep 23,910 5,819 29,729 11.3% 8.2% Stuff. Jan-Jun 10,206 2,146 12,352 0.0% -11.3% Tech. Jul-Sep 0 0 Moved Sector Very Interesting (former Braintainment) Jan-Jun 12,760 5,397 18,157 0.0% -0.3% Motoring Bakkie & Car (formerly Bakkie & Truck) Jan-Jun 0 0 Resigned Bike SA Jul-Sep 0 0 Changed Publisher Car Jul-Sep 60,290 4,658 64,948 0.5% 4.5% Caravan & Outdoor Life / Kamp & Karavaan Jul-Sep 19,088 1,037 20,125 17.5% 10.8% Drive Out Trail Guide / Wegry Roetegids. Jul-Jun 0 0 No issue Driven Magazine Jul-Sep 0 16,255 16,255 0.1% -9.2% Land Rover AFRICA Magazine Jan-Jun 0 0 Digital Only Leisure Wheels Jul-Sep 13,239 4,046 17,285 0.4% 20.2% Motor. Jul-Sep 0 0 Moved Sector SA4x4 Jul-Sep 11,839 1,152 12,991 -5.7% -12.7% Speed and Sound Jul-Sep 26,617 2,795 29,412 20.3% 21.4% Super Bike Jul-Sep 4,053 4,796 8,849 7.5% -8.3% Parenting Baba & Kleuter. Jan-Jun 12,320 2,818 15,138 0.0% -2.6% Baby's and Beyond Jan-Dec 0 15,271 15,271 0.0% -2.1% Child Magazine-Cape Town. Jan-Jun 0 47,771 47,771 0.0% -0.1% Child Magazine-Durban. Jan-Jun 0 40,084 40,084 0.0% 0.1% Child Magazine-Johannesburg. Jan-Jun 0 55,364 55,364 0.0% 0.2% Child Magazine Pretoria. Jan-Jun 0 40,052 40,052 0.0% 0.0% Expectant Mothers Guide Jul-Jun 0 0 No submission Living and Loving Jul-Sep 7,893 2,349 10,242 11.6% -7.3% MamaMagic Milestones Jan-Dec 0 50,000 50,000 0.0% -0.4% Mamas & Papas. Jul-Sep 6,676 4,702 11,378 -4.8% -17.2% Mother & Child Jan-Jun 666 0 666 0.0% Your Baby. Jan-Jun 8,300 2,335 10,635 0.0% -10.5% Your Pregnancy. Jan-Jun 13,844 5,038 18,882 0.0% -3.2% Pets Animaltalk Jul-Sep 7,113 3,266 10,379 0.9% 21.0% Dog Directory Jan-Dec 6,011 2,470 8,481 0.0% 9.4% Sport and Hobby Bicycling Jan-Jun 10,131 1,968 12,099 0.0% 15.4% Compleat Golfer Jul-Sep 5,943 3,671 9,614 -3.5% -6.3% Fitness His Edition Jan-Jun 0 0 Resigned Game & Hunt/Wild & Jag Jul-Sep 24,287 83 24,370 22.9% 154.6% Golf Digest Jul-Sep 8,951 1,248 10,199 -19.3% -16.0% Gun Africa Jan-Jun 0 0 Discontinued HQ. Jul-Sep 4,787 1,450 6,237 -1.4% 3.4% Kick Off Jul-Sep 24,340 1,095 25,435 0.4% 40.9% Magnum Jul-Sep 10,792 0 10,792 -7.4% -8.4% Modern Athlete Jul-Sep 630 80,405 81,035 2.1% 18.0% Ride Magazine, Jul-Sep 0 0 Changed Frequency Ride Magazine.. Jan-Jun 3,169 3,334 6,503 0.0% Rock Surf and Deep. Jan-Jun 2,957 65 3,022 0.0% 1.2% Runners World Jul-Sep 10,744 1,449 12,193 -0.3% -3.9% SA Cricket. Jan-Dec 6,247 5,790 12,037 0.0% 16.9% SA Flyer Jul-Sep 4,692 702 5,394 7.0% -12.1% SA Hunter/Jagter Jul-Sep 0 0 Moved Sector SA Rugby Jul-Sep 20,428 3,141 23,569 3.7% 6.6% Signature Golf Jan-Dec 0 30,556 30,556 0.0% 0.1% Sowetan Magazine Jan-Dec 0 0 Discontinued Sports Club Jul-Sep 0 0 Moved Sector The Bank Angler / Die Oewerhengelaar Jul-Sep 7,207 3,831 11,038 -4.5% -5.4% The Bass Angler / Die Baarshengelaar Jul-Sep 1,524 1,618 3,142 1.6% 2.2% Wildland Magazine Jul-Sep 27,881 633 28,514 1.9% 302.9% Travel, Tourism & Hospitality African Safaris Jul-Jun 682 1,074 1,756 0.0% Cape Etc. Jan-Dec 888 7,926 8,814 0.0% -2.5% Getaway Jul-Sep 29,317 11,760 41,077 0.1% -3.6% go! Drive & Camp and Weg! Ry & Sleep Jul-Sep 32,324 4,058 36,382 5.0% -2.8% SA Country Life Jul-Sep 25,178 2,902 28,080 -5.0% -5.6% The Great Outdoors Guide / Die Groot Buitelewegids Jan-Dec 43,422 0 43,422 0.0% -0.1% Weg / Go Platteland Jul-Jun 29,176 0 29,176 0.0% -10.9% Weg Namibie / Go Namibia Jan-Dec 34,827 0 34,827 0.0% 13.9% Weg! Kruger / Go! Kruger Jan-Dec 30,090 0 30,090 0.0% Weg/Go Jul-Sep 54,037 5,471 59,508 1.0% 10.4% Wegsleep Kampgids Jul-Jun 0 0 No issue Wegsleep Oordgids Jan-Dec 17,261 0 17,261 0.0% 9.4% Woman's General Cosmopolitan Jul-Sep 30,707 3,382 34,089 10.9% -8.2% Destiny Magazine Jul-Sep 20,434 5,599 26,033 -0.4% 3.6% Elle Jul-Sep 14,822 6,988 21,810 -2.6% -2.7% Essentials Jul-Sep 16,555 2,912 19,467 -2.2% -24.8% Fairlady Jul-Sep 30,735 4,014 34,749 8.9% 5.4% Finesse. Jan-Jun 0 0 Resigned Fitness Magazine Jan-Jun 16,940 932 17,872 0.0% -15.7% Glamour Jul-Sep 0 0 Changed Frequency Glamour. Jan-Jun 26,480 8,601 35,081 0.0% Good Housekeeping / Goeie Huishouding Jul-Sep 37,453 4,089 41,542 14.1% 10.0% Kuier Jul-Sep 87,262 0 87,262 -1.4% -4.8% Marie Claire Jul-Sep 15,094 1,618 16,712 17.5% -24.3% Move! Jul-Sep 56,846 0 56,846 -5.2% -18.9% Rooi Rose Jul-Sep 55,824 1,839 57,663 -1.3% -9.7% Sarie Jul-Sep 54,757 9,078 63,835 -2.5% 11.5% True Love Jul-Sep 27,732 5,405 33,137 -2.1% 19.7% Vroue Keur Jul-Sep 43,360 446 43,806 -4.1% -9.7% Woman and Home Jul-Sep 52,790 7,446 60,236 -4.3% -17.8% Women's Health. Jul-Sep 23,071 5,360 28,431 -4.2% -9.8% Your Family Jul-Sep 20,719 2,427 23,146 1.4% -22.3% Woman's Special Bruidgids Jan-Dec 11,642 4,880 16,522 0.0% 0.3% Fairlady Bride Jul-Jun 0 0 No issue Forbes Woman Africa Jan-Jun 5,666 4,295 9,961 0.0% -14.1% Intiem. Jan-Jun 0 0 Digital Only Nubian Bride Jan-Dec 7,404 0.0% -16.9% SA Wedding Album Jan-Dec 14,203 0.0% -20.2% Sarie Bruid Jul-Jun No issue True Love Bride Jul-Jun No issue Wedding Guide Jul-Jun 17,489 0.0% 35.7% Wedding Inspirations Jul-Jun 4,800 0.0% -31.6% Youth Barbie Magazine Jul-Sep 11,382 -1.9% -9.1% Kids Super Club Jul-Sep Moved Sector Post Matric Jan-Dec 131,095 0.0% -2.3% The Official Safeways K53 Learner's and Driver's Manual Jan-Jun Changed Frequency Custom Electrical Engineering Publication Name Period Paid circulation Free circulation Total circulation % change quarter % change year WattNow.. Jul-Sep 2,244 11,561 13,805 -12.7% 8.2% Entertainment DSTV Premium Mag / Tydskrif Jul-Sep 0 299,641 299,641 -1.1% -43.1% Prive Jul-Jun 0 25,716 25,716 0.0% -1.0% Family Interest Crawford Times Jan-Dec 0 10,410 10,410 0.0% 2.1% Taalgenoot.. Jan-Dec 138,118 104 138,222 0.0% 1.0% Trinitonian Jan-Dec 0 5,850 5,850 0.0% 12.9% Farming Dairy Mail, The. Jul-Sep 26 3,782 3,808 -0.3% -3.4% Rooi Vleis / Red Meat, Jan-Jun 2 12,141 12,143 0.0% 1.0% Wolboer / Wool Farmer. Jan-Jun 0 5,043 5,043 0.0% 2.8% Health & Wellbeing Fitlife. Jul-Sep 26,807 6,027 32,834 9.0% 48.4% Journal of Endocrinology, Metabolism & Diabetes SA Jul-Jun 0 1,534 1,534 0.0% -13.9% Jump Jul-Jun 0 123,916 123,916 0.0% 9.4% Life Healthcare Jul-Jun 0 85,714 85,714 0.0% -1.1% SA Family Practice. Jan-Jun 4 2,387 2,391 0.0% 1.1% SA Journal of Gynaecological Oncology Jul-Jun 0 1,075 1,075 0.0% -5.9% SA Pharmaceutical Journal. Jan-Jun 7 6,636 6,643 0.0% -0.8% SA Pharmacist's Assistant (SAPA) Jul-Jun 0 4,919 4,919 0.0% 0.3% South African Medical Journal Jul-Sep 472 14,225 14,697 0.9% 0.5% Southern African Journal of Anaesthesia &Analgesia Jan-Jun 1 2,151 2,152 0.0% -2.3% The South African Journal of Clinical Nutrition Jul-Jun 4 1,793 1,797 0.0% -5.8% Wound Healing Southern Africa (WHSA) Jul-Jun 2 1,687 1,689 0.0% -10.1% Home Living Space.. Jul-Sep 60,065 4,913 64,978 0.3% -5.6% My Kitchen.. Jul-Sep 105,207 4,994 110,201 1.6% 12.4% Industry Specific Forum Tydskrif Jan-Dec 0 140,941 140,941 0.0% -14.8% J S E Jan-Dec 678 17,082 17,760 0.0% -4.1% Lifting Africa Jan-Jun 0 4,168 4,168 0.0% 2.3% SA Franchise Warehouse. Jan-Jun 0 0 Resigned Sea Rescue Jul-Jun 0 84,010 84,010 0.0% 3.5% Servamus Jul-Sep 12,044 93 12,137 -2.2% -10.9% Solidarity Magazine / Solidariteit Tydskrif Jan-Jun 0 158,891 158,891 0.0% 45.7% Sonke Magazine, Jul-Jun 0 47,999 47,999 0.0% 0.7% TAPPSA Journal. Jan-Dec 16 512 528 0.0% In-flight High Life SA Jul-Sep 0 16,490 16,490 0.0% -0.1% In Flight Magazine Jul-Sep 0 15,765 15,765 5.5% 3.8% Indwe Jul-Sep 0 0 No issue Kulula Khuluma Jul-Sep 0 20,973 20,973 0.1% 0.0% Mango Juice Jul-Sep 0 20,496 20,496 38.1% 26.3% Sawubona Jul-Sep 0 87,891 87,891 -0.7% -0.8% Skyways Jul-Sep 24,004 0 24,004 0.0% 0.0% Leisure Cheers Jan-Jun 0 34,750 34,750 0.0% -0.4% Equinox Jan-Jun 0 36,328 36,328 0.0% -2.6% Fancourt Lifestyle and Leisure Jan-Dec 0 4,901 4,901 0.0% -4.4% Fresh Living / Kook en Kuier Jul-Sep 394 436,614 437,008 -0.5% -5.3% Good Taste Jan-Jun 0 0 Discontinued Legacy Inspires Jul-Jun 0 22,903 22,903 0.0% 24.7% Nedbank Golf Challenge Jul-Jun 0 15,800 15,800 0.0% -10.7% onRoute Jul-Jun 0 12,283 12,283 0.0% -0.2% Pam Golding Properties: Imagine. Jan-Dec 0 0 No Submission Private Edition Jul-Jun 0 14,494 14,494 0.0% -8.8% Signature : Diners Club Jan-Dec 0 52,582 52,582 0.0% -18.3% Slow Magazine Jul-Sep 0 12,056 12,056 0.3% -15.3% Taste. Jul-Sep 25,669 3,501 29,170 0.9% 18.3% Team SA former (Road To Tokyo) Jan-Dec 4,120 6,835 10,955 0.0% 1.5% Wild Jul-Jun 64,333 110 64,443 0.0% -0.7% Male Man Jul-Sep 53,292 5,756 59,048 -0.8% -10.0% Tech.. Jul-Sep 54,907 3,448 58,355 -2.6% -11.7% Medical and Allied Health Bounce (Formerly Bankmed) Jul-Jun 0 107,632 107,632 0.0% -34.7% Medi-Clinic Family Jul-Jun 0 64,843 64,843 0.0% 9.3% Motoring Motor.. Jul-Sep 32,700 4,082 36,782 -4.8% -10.4% Professional Accountancy SA Jul-Sep 0 23,950 23,950 43.9% -16.2% Acumen, Jul-Jun 2 14,700 14,702 0.0% -0.5% Architecture Journal of SA Institute of Architects Jan-Jun 296 4,294 4,590 0.0% 0.2% De Rebus Jul-Sep 150 22,403 22,553 -0.3% -2.0% Digest of South African Architecture Jan-Dec 1,476 7,275 8,751 0.0% 1.5% Strategic Marketing Magazine. Jan-Dec 208 5,657 5,865 0.0% -27.4% TAXtalk Jan-Jun 59 6,024 6,083 0.0% 31.2% The Journal Of The SAIMM Jul-Sep 22 3,751 3,773 0.0% -0.1% Retail Ackermans Club (formerly A-Plus) Jan-Jun 0 181,677 181,677 0.0% -15.7% Clicks Club Card. Jan-Jun 15,546 452,795 468,341 0.0% 19.0% Club Magazine Jul-Sep 433,124 10,345 443,469 -1.0% -11.4% Edgars Club Magazine Jul-Sep 0 193,612 193,612 -0.5% -60.9% Jet Club Jan-Jun 0 450,583 450,583 0.0% -7.0% Spur's Secret Tribe Magazine Jan-Dec 0 0 Discontinued Sport and Hobby SA Hunter/Jagter. Jul-Sep 46,258 0 46,258 2.5% -3.5% Soccer Club Jul-Sep 70,918 4,113 75,031 2.1% -0.1% Sports Club. Jul-Sep 139,904 3,194 143,098 -3.4% -7.0% Travel, Tourism & Hospitality AA Traveller Jan-Dec 58,016 2,067 60,083 0.0% 1.5% Best of Cape Town Central City. Jan-Dec 0 59,795 59,795 0.0% 0.0% Escapes Jul-Sep 44,818 3,876 48,694 -2.6% -13.6% Moments magazine Jan-Dec 0 2,979 2,979 0.0% Premier Jul-Sep 0 13,858 13,858 -0.4% -16.7% Woman's General Balanced Life Jul-Sep 74,105 7,564 81,669 -3.4% -13.4% Youth ClubX Jul-Sep 99,423 1,863 101,286 1.3% -7.4% Kids Super Club. Jul-Sep 120,730 5,062 125,792 7.5% 6.0% Free magazines Publication Name Period Circulation % change quarter % change year Botswana Advertiser. Jul-Sep 92,271 2.6% 2.6% Get It (Ballito to Umhlanga) Jul-Sep 19,674 0.9% -2.4% Get It (Bloemfontein) Jul-Sep 14,764 0.0% 0.0% Get It (eMalahleni-Middelburg) Jul-Sep 14,906 -0.1% 0.1% Get It (Highway) Jul-Sep 19,769 0.8% 0.1% Get It (Joburg East) Jul-Sep 24,383 0.0% 0.0% Get It (Jo'burg South) Jul-Sep 24,659 -0.2% 0.0% Get It (Jo'burg West) Jul-Sep 24,260 -1.4% 1.1% Get It (Lowveld) Jul-Sep 14,325 0.0% 0.0% Get It (Northern KZN) Jul-Sep 12,680 -14.9% 6.0% Get It (Northern Suburbs Joburg) Jul-Sep 29,771 -0.3% 0.1% Get It (Pretoria) Jul-Sep 19,331 0.0% -1.6% Get It Kids (Ballito to Umhlanga) Jan-Dec Discontinued SANParks Times Jul-Jun 99,900 0.0% 0.1% Stokvel Voice. Jan-Dec Discontinued The Bay Magazine Jul-Sep Resigned Web traffic and email newsletter net delivery Following the lead of the total magazine circulation, consumer magazine also declined by 1% on the previous quarter-a big improvement on Q2s 6.2% decrease. The category declined by 11.5% on the prior year, the same percentage as the Q2s decline.There were a number of movers in the category. Game & Hunt/Wild & Jag, Caravan & Outdoor Life, Speed & Sound, Fairlady, Veeplaas, and Popular Mechanics all increased on the prior quarter and the prior year. Mens Health increased its circulation over the prior quarter but was static over the prior year.Magazines that increased their circulation percentage over the prior quarter but declined over the prior year include Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, House & Leisure, and Living & Loving.B2B declined both on the previous quarter (by 1.7%) and on the prior year (by 8.5%).As in Q2 once again a number of publications showed good increases both on the prior quarter and prior year. Mims, Stockfarm, Leadership and Refrigeration & Airconditioning all increased their circulation over the prior quarter and prior year. Mims, in particular, showed an increase of nearly 23% over the prior quarter and nearly 38% over the prior year. Stockfarm also increased its circulation by over 30% over the prior year.Custom had a small decline of 0.3% on the prior quarter, but a 15.9% decline on the prior year. This is an improvement on Q3 which saw a decline of 1.7% over the prior quarter and by 20.5% over the prior year.Fitlife increased its percentage by 9% over the prior quarter and gained a whopping 48.4% over the prior year. Mango Juice also showed a good increase, with a 38.1% increase over the prior quarter and a 26.3% increase over the prior year.The category declined by 0.7% on the prior quarter, and by 11% on the prior year.105 titles submitted web traffic data and 40 titles submitted email newsletter net delivery data. The father of a little Laois girl who suffers from a rare form of epilepsy appeared on RTEs Winning Streak at the weekend and took home 57,000 in prizes and money. His Winning Streak appearance could not have come at a better time as Anthony Knowles had stated that the family may need to move to the Netherlands for little Mary-Claire to get treatment for her life-threatening condition. Two-year-old Mary-Claire Knowles from Ballyroan, Laois has Dravet Syndrome. She suffers from repeated seizures and is often rushed by ambulance to Portlaoise hospital for life-saving treatment. Her struggle came to national attention this year when the family featured on The Town television series. On this programme, Anthony and his partner Rose spoke of the harrowing prolonged seizures that their daughter Mary-Claire has and how they could be forced to move abroad for treatment as medicinal cannabis treatment is not legal in Ireland. Her father, Anthony Knowles, made a television appearance for a happier reason on Saturday evening on the National Lottery Winning Streak game show. The nation held its breath as Anthony was chosen as the contestant to spin the big wheel at the end of the show. He had already won a car worth 25,000 and 8,000 in cash when he spun the wheel to secure another 24,000. Anthony spoke to the Leinster Express on Monday and said the shock was only sinking in two days later. We are going to get Mary Claire on the right road we can't see past that right now. This is what we were waiting for. Everyone in the country and the others players on Winning Streak were delighted that I got to spin the wheel. It is only hitting me now today, he said. Anthony is going to use the money to travel to the Netherlands on his own to see what treatment is available for Mary-Claire. They will decide from there the next steps they need to take to care for her. They have stated before that travelling puts Mary-Claire in a vulnerable position to have seizures. Mary-Claire is doing well at the moment but she has had many intense seizures in her two and a half years. Despite this, she is miraculously not brain damaged. Anthony has lived in Ballyroan with his wife Rose and three children Mary-Claire (2), Daniel (6), and Anthony (4) for the last decade. Both boys enjoyed supporting their dad from the audience last Saturday. Mary Claire was excited to watch her daddy on the television at home. Anthony thanked all of the people who have supported the family particularly those in Ballyroan and anyone who has held fundraisers for Mary-Claire. It has been two big weekends in Ballyroan. Scullys had a fundraiser and the whole community came out and raised almost 20,000 for Mary-Claire. It is unbelievable and a great feeling off genuine people who have been wishing us well, especially as we are blow-ins to the area, he said. He also thanked anyone who has had local fundraisers including Claire Duggan who raised 3,500 and Yvonne Culleton who raised 2,500. Anthony bought the Winning Streak scratchcard from Bernie Worrell of Worrells Gala, in Kildangan, Co Kildare, and posted it from Ballyroan. A week after it emerged that a Laois resident donated 6 million to cancer care a Portlaoise group has helped raise thousands of Euro for the Irish Cancer Society. The Irish Cancer Society has thanked the Portlaoise Daffodil Day committee who has raised 13,500 to fund free supports for people affected by cancer. The committee presented the cheque to Emma Hayden, Irish Cancer Society, at a recent event held in the Killeshin Hotel. The money was raised by street sales and coffee mornings/evenings, all of which were generously supported by local people. The Society receives just 2 per cent of its funding from the State and needs to raise one-fifth of its income through Daffodil Day donations alone to meet the growing demand for support. Locally, the Society provides a number of services including Night Nursing which cares for terminally ill cancer patients at home. Last year 49 cancer patients in Laois received 193 nights of care, a service made possible by public donations. Emma Hayden, Community Fundraiser with the Irish Cancer Society thanked people for their generosity. We are so thankful and heartened by the generosity of the committee and members of the public for the support they have shown for our most crucial fundraiser. Money raised on Daffodil Day funds lifesaving cancer research and vital support services for people with cancer. "This money is essential to ensure we can meet the growing demand so that no one has to face cancer alone, she said. The cancer society announced last week that a 6 million donation from Elizabeth Kelly, who lived in Stradbally near Portlaoise, was the biggest ever single sum received in the charity's history. The number of IDA site visits to Leitrim for the first six months of 2018, have equaled the total visits to the county for all of 2017 according to figures released by Leitrim County Council. Cllr Enda Stenson had sought an update on the number of IDA visits to the county this year. He was told that there were 2 visits in Quarter 1 2018 and 3 site visits in Quarter 2 2018. Figures for Quarter 3 have not yet been made available but, by comparison, there were 8 site visits in 2016 and 5 site visits in 2017. "In regard to the creation of further foreign direct related jobs in the County, IDA Ireland continues to highlight the benefits of expanding or locating in all parts of Ireland including Co Leitrim. Leitrim County Council endeavours to engage actively with the IDA and property owners in this regard on an ongoing basis and is currently completing additional promotional material for the County. It is important to remember however, that the final decision as to where to invest always rests with the company concerned," noted Director of Services at Leitrim County Council, Joseph Gilhooly. It is also the case that site visit activity does not necessarily reflect investment potential, he said, pointing out that almost 70% of all new foreign direct investment comes from existing IDA Ireland client companies. "Indeed there are very successful IDA client companies in the county in both Manorhamilton and Carrick-on-Shannon who are expanding and increasing their staff numbers," he added. "It is also important to note that the growth of jobs in Leitrim occurs across numerous sectors - for example in 2017 Local Enterprise Office supported businesses created 31 jobs while 51 people took part in start your business course and 24 grants were also approved." A JUDGE has requested further submissions after the State objected to the opening of a new pub in Rathkeale by members of the Travelling community. Gardai are opposing the application which is being made by a limited company Five Lamps Inn Public House Limited which has a registered address at Fairhill, Rathkeale. The company, which was first registered in May 2017, is seeking to open a pub at Main Street in the town at a former hardware store which is located adjacent to Manns Hotel. The directors of the company are Patrick Kealy and his wife Breda Kealy who both live at Red Brick House, Fairhill, Rathkeale. Patrick Kealy, who also has an address in the UK, has been described as a respected international antique dealer and a shrewd businessman. If the company is granted a certificate of suitability, it can then apply for a seven day licence as per the provisions of the Intoxicating Liquor Act. It is alleged by the State that Patrick Kealy is the Patriarch of the Kealy family which is involved in a long-running feud with a number of other Traveller families in the Rathkeale area. This has been disputed by Mr Kealy who told the court the feud has been resolved and that there are no ongoing difficulties between the families. Details of the State objection were heard during a lengthy circuit court hearing in Newcastle West last month. Further submissions were due to be heard by Judge Eoin Garavan this Wednesday but the case has, instead, been adjourned to next week. A number of gardai, including Superintendent Eamon ONeill, expressed concerns in relation to the suitability of the premises which was acquired a number of years ago. Specific concerns were raised in relation to fire safety and the proposed location of emergency exits from the premises. It is also the view of the State that there is no requirement for a new pub in Rathkeale as there are already seven pubs in the town as well as an off-licence which State solicitor Aidan Judge submitted is adequate given the local population. The court heard there are a further four pubs on the outskirts of the town. Mr Aidan Judge submitted the granting of the licence to the company would contribute significantly to law and order issues in the locality which would place additional demands on local gardai. It is the contention of the company directors that more than 100,000 has been spent refurbishing the premises which was bought by Patrick Kealy some time ago. The application, which first came before the court in July, is due before Judge Garavan against next Wednesday. Its unclear when he will deliver his judgment. UNEMPLOYMENT in Limerick is now lower than before the financial crash, according to Fine Gael TD Tom Neville and the level of unemployment is continuing to decline in line with the national trend. The number of people on the live register in June 2009 was 10,710, he revealed this week but by February 2012 this had almost doubled to 20,327. The figure for unemployment now stands at 7,988. In Co Limerick the number of people on the Live Register has declined 61% since Fine Gael launched its Action Plan for Jobs in 2012, said Deputy Neville who is vice chairperson of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Business and Enterprise. Nationally, he pointed out, the CSO has reported that the unemployment rate has now fallen to 5.3%. It is almost 11 years since the unemployment rate was so low. But he continued, the government and Minster for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Regina Doherty are continuing to highlight a number of initiatives to support and help people to enter, or return to, the workforce. The Youth Employment Support Scheme for example was launched in September and is targeted exclusively at young jobseekers, aged 18 to 24, who are either long-term unemployed or face significant barriers to employment, he explained. JobsPlus, which was introduced in July 2013, provides a direct monthly financial incentive to employers who offer full-time employment opportunities to long-term unemployed people, Deputy Neville added. The scheme was further enhanced from 1 January 2018 to support workers aged 50 or over. Almost 16,000 have been employed through the scheme in 2017 and so far in 2018 . In addition the Department continues to provide valuable work experience for those who are long-term unemployed through the community employment and TUS schemes. These schemes also provide important local services in towns and villages throughout the country. At present there are approximately 28,000 participants on these schemes who are benefiting from work experience and training. Only a strong economy supporting people at work can provide the public services needed to deliver the kind of society we all want to live in, Deputy Neville continued. We are at a crucial point in the economic cycle and the choices that we make now will set the tone for the coming years. However, he concluded: The recent CSO figures are really positive for communities across Co Limerick as every job created has a positive knock on effect for local businesses and services. SHOCK and sadness has greeted news of the death of renowned Irish pianist and composer Micheal O Suilleabhain, who founded the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick. The family of Professor Micheal O Suilleabhain said it was with enormous sadness that they were announcing his death after a prolonged illness. He was 67. One of Ireland's best-known musicians, composers and academics, he was originally from Clonmel but lived on the Murroe road to Newport. He is survived by his wife Professor Helen Phelan and their son Luke; sons Eoin and Micheal (Moley), and their mother Dr Noirin Ni Riain, and by his brother John. UL president Dr Des tweeted that it was with enormous sadness that the family of Professor Micheal O Suilleabhain, Emeritus Professor and founder/Director of the @UL Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, has announced his death. It is with enormous sadness that the family of Professor Micheal O Suilleabhain, Emeritus Professor and founder/Director of the @UL Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, has announced his death. Ar Dheis De go Raibh Se pic.twitter.com/zC2PvVtVui Dr Des Fitzgerald (@ULPresident) November 8, 2018 The Irish World Academy said it was with profound sadness that we have learned of the passing of our Founding Director, Emeritus Professor Micheal O Suilleabhain. Our thoughts are with our colleague, Professor Helen Phelan, and all Micheals family. Ni bheidh a leitheid ann aris. It is with profound sadness that we have learned of the passing of our Founding Director, Emeritus Professor Micheal O Suilleabhain. Our thoughts are with our colleague, Professor Helen Phelan, and all Micheals family. Ni bheidh a leitheid ann aris. pic.twitter.com/E20wdW6VMY Irish World Academy (@IWorldAcademy) November 8, 2018 Likewise, the Irish Chamber Orchestra said it was with a heavy heart that we at the ICO have learned of the passing of Micheal O Suilleabhain, musician,composer, leader and great friend. It is with a heavy heart that we at the ICO have learned of the passing of Micheal O Suilleabhain, musician,composer, leader and great friend.... https://t.co/pZ9aRBeT5i Irish Chamber Orch (@ICOrchestra) November 7, 2018 ULs inaugural Chair of Music, he was recruited by then president Ed Walsh for the position in 1994. He officially retired as founding director at the Irish World Academy in late 2016 after 22 years leading the institution, with then UL president Professor Don Barry hailing him as a dynamic, creative force at UL, whose unique cultural vision has drawn talented students and staff from all over the world. He had played a key role in the development of a purpose built, state of the art 20m building for the Academy, which opened in 2011. With the building intact and legacy ensured, he had however spent some time four years stepping back from the Academy, safe in the knowledge that the structures existed for a safe handover, with his friend and long time colleague Mel Mercier taking the reins. He told the Limerick Leader in 2016: When I did come to Limerick, I found an amazingly fertile atmosphere, a university very good at fundraising, a very bright and snappy young university, ready for new ideas, ready to prove itself and compete at international level. It was a young university of course, hungry for new ideas and that was a big advantage and the idea (of a chair of music) was accepted as something central, so that was great. As a pianist and composer, O Suilleabhain was famed as having developed a unique Irish piano style that fuses other, more global, music forms. Much like his stewardship of the Academy, which boasts graduates from over 50 countries. Not everybody actually realises that, but it is a global centre that is in Ireland, for the world and that is the way to think about it. We have always thought, from the very word go, of a global context in terms of reaching potential students, he said. Even where our building is, you come off the Living Bridge and it is right there beside the river it has a centrality and a visibility which lifts it up and hopefully lifts up the University, Limerick city and whole area. In my own music, from very early on in my early 20s, once I realised that I was kind of stuck with the piano, that was my instrument, in a way I used it to allow almost like a cultural crossroads lots of different voices to meet and to interact with each other. My own musical personality or whatever drives me on a creative level, has overspilled, pretty deeply, into my educational work. There is a big connection between the two, without myself being absolutely conscious of what that connection is. Awards included Honorary Doctorates of Music from University College Cork, (2005) and The Royal conservatoire of Scotland (2017), Ollamh na hEigse (Inaugural award by Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann in 2006); Honorary Alumnus Award (Boston College) and the ODonnell Chair of Irish Studies from the University of Notre Dame (2012). He studied at University College Cork (B.Mus.1972, MA 1973) with the composers Aloys Fleischmann and Sean O Riada, and in Queens University Belfast (PhD 1987) with the ethnomusicologists John Blacking and John Baily. He produced a series of CD recordings in America, the UK, and Ireland on the traditional music of the Shetland Islands, Donegal, Cape Breton Island and on Irish traditional musicians in the USA and in England. I'm sad to learn that Micheal O Suilleabhain has died. This has been a favourite piece of music for years, and it got me through many a long dark night of the soul. #RIP https://t.co/Id2eCdkwVQ Philip Nolan (@philipnolan1) November 7, 2018 Just heard of the passing of legendary Irish musician Micheal O Suilleabhain... I never got the chance to meet him in person and that will always be a regret! My thoughts are with his family and friends this evening. Ar dheis De go raibh a anam. #michealosuilleabhain Shane Hennessy (@ShaneHennessy) November 7, 2018 Very sad to hear of the passing of Micheal O Suilleabhain - a great musician and composer, an inspiring teacher and lecturer, and a wonderfully kind and generous man. It was an honour to study with him. My thoughts are with his family. Ar dheis De go raibh a anam Sile Ni Dhubhghaill (@silenidsocdems) November 7, 2018 So deeply sad to hear about the passing of Micheal O Suilleabhain. He was a great artist and incredible character. My condolences to his family and his extended music family. RIP. https://t.co/g1pUocEKfJ David Bolger (@_DavidBolger) November 8, 2018 One of his many beautiful compositions. RIP Micheal O Suilleabhain.https://t.co/S7jPRR7AgF Tommy Conlon (@TConlonthecouch) November 8, 2018 Ar dheis De le Micheal O Suilleabhain. Legendary pianist & composer. A student of my father's and always spoke highly of him. Micheal left a great legacy of wonderful compositions & arrangements. Suaimhneas siorai. Liadh Ni Riada MEP (@LiadhNiRiadaMEP) November 8, 2018 So sad and shocked to hear of the passing of the great pianist, composer and teacher Prof. Micheal O Suilleabhain. Suaimhneas siorai air. MuireannNicAmhlaoibh (@MuireannNic) November 7, 2018 THE Taoiseach has insisted he is committed to progressing projects such as the Adare Bypass. Leo Varadkar made his comments in the Dail on Tuesday in response to Deputy Eamon Ryan who called for all road expansion projects on the approach to Dublin to be stopped and high-quality public transport solutions developed instead. The Taoiseach said he disagreed with the Green Party's proposal to divert money from transport projects in the rest of Ireland to Dublin. As somebody who is from Dublin but is a Taoiseach for all of Ireland, I will not be diverting transport funding from the rest of Ireland to Dublin because Virginia needs a bypass, Adare needs a bypass, we need to upgrade the motorways through Kildare, we need a ring road for Galway and we need to get Dunkettle started, he said. Separately, Limerick City and County Council has this week put in place a project delivery team for the 1bn M20 Limerick to Cork motorway. The appointment of the project delivery team is a key milestone in getting this strategic infrastructure moving to unlock new social and economic opportunities along the Atlantic Corridor. We look forward to working with the delivery team and the appointed project contractors to ensure the M20 gets moving as quickly as possible, said Dee Ryan, CEO of Limerick Chamber. PRESIDENT Michael D Higgins has led the tributes to renowned Irish pianist and composer Micheal O Suilleabhain, who founded the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick and has died at the age of 67. O Suilleabhains family announced his death with enormous sadness late on Wednesday night after a prolonged illness. President Higgins said: Music lovers all over the world will have heard with great sadness of the passing of Professor Micheal O Suilleabhain, performer, musician, composer, academic and broadcaster. Proud of his roots in Clonmel and Murroe, and a close associate of famous musicians and musicologists such as Sean O Riada, Aloys Fleischmann, John Blacking and John Baily, Professor Micheal O Suilleabhain was renowned as a unique pianist and composer. His music and outstanding work will for ever be enjoyed by countless people, celebrating his humour, his fearless sense of exploration and his talent for harmony, joy and mobilising the peerless power of music. More than 20 years ago he was associated with the move of the Irish Chamber Orchestra to Limerick and at that time, as Minister for the Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, I saw the enthusiasm with which he delivered that project and the commitment that led to the establishment of the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance which he founded at the University of Limerick. A representative of much what is Irishness at its best, Micheal O Suilleabhain has left us with an indelible legacy, both through his music and through the Academy, which he led for over two decades. Sabina and I send our deepest condolences to his wife Professor Helen Phelan, his children Luke, Eoin and Micheal, to Dr Noirin Ni Riain, to his brother John and to all members of his family and his wide circle of friends. Mayor of the City and County of Limerick Cllr James Collins also offered his condolences following the death of the renowned musician and composer. On behalf of the people of Limerick I would like to express sympathy to the family of Micheal following his death. Our thoughts are with his wife Helen, their son Luke, sons Eoin and Micheal (Moley), their mother Noirin, and his brother John at this very sad time. His love of music was infectious with the University of Limerick quickly becoming an important centre for the teaching and learning of music and dance worldwide. Limerick has been made all the better for having Micheal here. His passion and drive for music and performance have been woven into the fabric of Limericks rich cultural tapestry while he was hugely instrumental in the relocation of the Irish Chamber Orchestra from Dublin to Limerick. Micheal was awarded a Mayoral Reception in June 2017, in recognition of his major contribution to the musical cannon of Ireland and his contribution to the cultural life in Limerick. He will be sadly missed. Ar dheis De go raibh a anam dilis. An outpouring of sympathy has followed the sad news of the death of one of Ireland's best-known musicians, composers and academics, who was originally from Clonmel but lived on the Murroe road to Newport. Metropolitan Mayor of Limerick Daniel Butler tweeted that it was with great shock & sadness I learned of the passing of Micheal O Suilleabhain. Truly one of Ireland's greatest composers and indeed the world's who created music that touched the soul & warmed the heart. My thoughts with his family, friends & @UL colleagues. It was great shock & sadness I Iearned of the passing of Micheal O Suilleabhain. Truly one of Ireland's greatest composers and indeed the world's who created music that touched the soul & warmed the heart. My thoughts with his family, friends & @UL colleagues. https://t.co/ZEFyoSOeUe Mayor Daniel Butler (@DanielButlerFG) November 8, 2018 Labour TD Jan OSullivan said he would be greatly missed for his huge contribution to Irish music but his spirit will live on through all who have heard his music, learned from him and experienced his energy, enthusiasm and warmth. Micheal OSuilleabhain will be greatly missed for his huge contribution to Irish music but his spirit will live on through all who have heard his music, learned from him and experienced his energy, enthusiasm and warmth Jan O'Sullivan (@JanOSullivanTD) November 8, 2018 Sheila Pratschke, Chair of the Arts Council said: Micheal made a great and distinctive contribution to Irelands cultural life through his many gifts as a composer, musician, academic, broadcaster and educator. Interweaving his classical music training with a deep love, respect and knowledge of traditional music and song, he was a distinctive and important voice in Irish music and music education. A dynamic personality, full of positive energy and humour and with a great gift for communication and friendship, Micheal leaves a rich body of work and a great legacy of inspiration as a musician, educator and friend which will undoubtedly carry through generations to come. Ar dheis De go raibh a anam uasal. Fianna Fail Leader Micheal Martin has also expressed his deep sadness at the news. Micheal O Suilleabhain was an extraordinary musician and true pioneer. We have lost a very special artist. His understanding of our music and his ability to fuse traditional and classical forms captured audiences in Ireland and around the world. His talent as a teacher was also unparalleled, inspiring generations of young men and women with a love of music to embrace and explore their craft. As a founding member and director of University of Limericks Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, Micheal leaves a great legacy behind him and his talent will live on through the students who pass through its doors. I want to extend my sympathies to Micheals family and friends and to the wider music and arts community. UL president Dr Des tweeted that it was with enormous sadness that the family of Professor Micheal O Suilleabhain, Emeritus Professor and founder/Director of the @UL Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, has announced his death. The Irish World Academy said it was with profound sadness that we have learned of the passing of our Founding Director, Emeritus Professor Micheal O Suilleabhain. Our thoughts are with our colleague, Professor Helen Phelan, and all Micheals family. Ni bheidh a leitheid ann aris. Likewise, the Irish Chamber Orchestra said it was with a heavy heart that we at the ICO have learned of the passing of Micheal O Suilleabhain, musician,composer, leader and great friend. ULs inaugural Chair of Music, O Suilleabhain was recruited by then president Ed Walsh for the position in 1994. He officially retired as founding director at the Irish World Academy in late 2016 after 22 years leading the institution, with then UL president Professor Don Barry hailing him as a dynamic, creative force at UL, whose unique cultural vision has drawn talented students and staff from all over the world. He had played a key role in the development of a purpose built, state of the art 20m building for the Academy, which opened in 2011. Professor Micheal O Suilleabhain left a rich legacy through his own music, as well as the @IWorldAcademy he founded which attracted students from over 50 countries. The UL Community extends its condolences to his family at this difficult time. https://t.co/YhLwUt8C4N UniversityOfLimerick (@UL) November 8, 2018 When we celebrated 20 years of the @IWorldAcademy @ul, we published a beautiful interview between Professor Micheal O Suilleabhain and artist Fiona Hallinan - his wonderful character and pioneering spirit evident throughout - I always loved this point about welcoming children pic.twitter.com/2SjEzYGMhd Dr Niamh NicGhabhann (@Niamh_NicGhabh) November 8, 2018 @IWorldAcademy tribute to me on retirement from @BlueoftheNight - the b/w pic caused such a commotion. Pic with Sandra Joyce, @Eeebee1 & Micheal O Suilleabhain- deeply saddened tonight. Sincere condolences to Helen, de boys,family, friends and colleagues pic.twitter.com/2bRwhzFS0E Carl Corcoran (@corcorc) November 8, 2018 What sad news. RIP Micheal O Suilleabhain. His office was across mine for five years at @UL. He made everywhere alive with music - the lunchtime FB sessions, in the evenings at the Church in the city, his family. Even the UL bridge is musical in structure. Dr Elaine Byrne (@ElaineByrne) November 8, 2018 We are deeply saddened on the passing of our colleague and friend Prof Micheal O Suilleabhain. He has created a profound and singular musical and cultural legacy in Ireland, and globally, and we are all the richer for it. Rest in peace. Suaimhneas siorai air. https://t.co/GohpT68SmA Arts & Humanities@UL (@ResearchArtsUL) November 8, 2018 Very rarely we encounter people that breathe creativity and vision, who inspire and change the world around them... beyond and through music, education and just being. A profound loss to us, @UL @IWorldAcademy #MichealOSuilleabhainhttps://t.co/X0VICeBoOG Dr. Anca Minescu (@ancaminescu) November 8, 2018 The newspaper category suffered its first decline for 2018 in the Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa (ABC) Quarter 3 2018 newspaper circulation, with a decline in the previous quarter of 2.9%. The 2018 Q2 was static and 2018 Q1 was up by 0.8% on the previous quarter. Daily newspapers Publication name Circulation % change prev period % change year Daily Sun 122,011 -6.0% -21.7% Daily Nation 108,827 0.5% -13.0% Isolezwe 78,220 -2.0% -8.8% Star, The 76,418 5.6% 1.5% Sowetan 70,188 0.2% -4.7% Son (Daily) 56,199 -5.5% -15.7% Bukedde 44,767 10.4% 29.8% Burger, Die Daily 42,363 -9.8% -8.7% Citizen, The (Daily) 41,898 -1.6% -5.2% Burger, Die Daily 38,526 -2.9% -1.6% Beeld, Daily 34,677 -4.2% -7.7% Namibian, The 33,991 -6.7% -12.8% Cape Times 29,626 0.1% 0.1% Cape Argus 27,348 0.0% -1.1% New Vision 26,343 -2.8% -2.2% Mercury, The 25,130 0.3% 0.0% Daily News 23,153 0.1% -0.6% Times of Swaziland 21,871 1.1% -0.1% Business Day 20,084 -0.3% 0.3% Daily Monitor 17,608 1.0% -0.7% Herald, The 16,395 1.1% -9.8% Daily Dispatch 15,523 -6.2% -14.2% Volksblad - Daily 14,023 -2.0% -1.7% Pretoria News 13,033 2.7% 3.7% Taifa Leo 12,200 -1.6% -13.4% Witness, The 11,057 -0.7% -7.0% Diamond Fields Advertiser 7,401 -0.3% -2.1% Zambia Daily Mail 6,812 0.0% -12.7% Burger, Die Daily 3,839 -47.4% -46.9% The Times. Discontinued Weekly newspapers Publication name Circulation % change prev period % change year Soccer Laduma 250,231 6.1% -11.2% Ilanga 57,652 0.5% -9.5% Post, The 37,692 0.4% 2.7% Mail & Guardian 23,052 -2.5% -17.0% Voice, The 16,209 1.1% 3.2% Botswana Gazette , The 10,090 1.7% -2.6% Lesotho Times 7,709 -2.2% -1.1% African Times Newspaper 1,338 Botswana Guardian Terminated Confidente Terminated Midweek Sun, The Terminated Mmegi Reporter, The Suspended The Monitor (Formerly Mmegi Monitor) Suspended Weekend newspapers Publication name Circulation % change prev period % change year Sunday Times 250,368 -0.1% -4.0% Sunday Nation 120,513 2.4% -16.6% Rapport 110,441 -1.7% -4.6% Isolezwe ngoMgqibelo 66,117 0.7% 1.4% Isolezwe ngeSonto 63,809 -1.9% -5.5% Sunday Sun 51,758 -5.7% -31.8% Weekend Argus 51,156 0.1% -1.0% Burger, Die Saturday 50,669 -13.7% -14.2% Sunday Tribune 50,514 0.3% -1.9% Burger, Die Saturday 49,617 -2.9% -2.7% City Press 47,824 -4.7% -24.0% Saturday Star, The 44,124 9.2% -1.8% Sunday World 43,178 -4.5% -21.3% Beeld, Saturday 35,775 -2.3% -3.2% Independent on Saturday 35,281 -2.6% 0.5% Ilanga Langesonto 35,160 4.2% -6.9% Weekend Argus 32,852 -0.1% -1.8% Son op Sondag (formerly Sondag Son) 32,467 -2.6% -14.7% Citizen, The (Saturday) 30,651 -2.5% -6.1% Weekend Argus 18,306 0.5% 0.6% Sunday Vision 16,937 -1.6% -3.8% Weekend Post 15,445 -1.5% -6.2% Daily Dispatch Weekend Edition (formerly Saturday Dispatch) 14,041 5.4% -14.2% Volksblad - Saturday 13,263 -0.8% -1.5% Sunday Monitor 11,307 -5.2% -1.5% Weekend Witness 10,533 -3.3% -10.8% Taifa Jumapili 9,837 -4.5% -24.2% Pretoria News Saturday 7,302 5.3% -3.0% The Southern Cross 7,046 -4.0% -9.0% Sunday Mail 4,650 4.4% -10.8% Burger, Die Saturday 1,053 -86.1% -86.9% Local newspapers Publication name Circulation % change prev period % change year African Reporter 22,456 -0.1% 1.7% Witbank News, Fri 16,386 -4.7% -11.6% George Herald (Thursday) 14,645 -2.0% -2.1% Rustenburg Herald 14,085 -7.9% -22.9% Middelburg Observer, Fri 13,575 -2.1% -5.7% Klerksdorp Rekord 12,725 -2.7% -5.7% Lowvelder, The / Laevelder, Die (Friday) 11,688 -12.5% -10.1% Paarl Post 11,459 -0.1% -2.8% South Coast Herald 10,766 -7.2% -11.8% Lowvelder, The / Laevelder, Die ( Tuesday) 10,645 -11.7% -11.4% The Mail 9,937 -3.5% -6.8% Weslander, The 9,753 1.6% -4.4% Zululand Observer Weekend (Formerly Friday) 8,980 6.4% 4.7% Worcester Standard 8,924 4.4% 3.6% Limpopo Mirror 7,567 2.7% -5.4% Gemsbok 6,784 -0.9% -13.8% Mosselbay Advertiser 6,643 -6.9% -7.6% District Mail 6,524 3.0% -3.9% Mpumalanga News 6,411 -20.4% -18.3% Vaalweekblad 5,948 -6.1% -12.7% Hermanus Times 5,691 4.6% 0.7% Zululand Observer Monday 5,113 5.8% -5.3% Potchefstroom Herald 5,085 1.1% -11.6% Polokwane Observer 4,886 -8.1% -9.8% Representative 4,828 -4.5% -14.2% Newcastle and District Advertiser 4,313 -9.0% -11.5% Eikestadnuus 4,272 7.3% 5.4% Stellalander 4,170 -20.3% -2.7% Capricorn Voice 4,098 -3.8% -30.7% Brits Pos 3,981 -4.4% -9.9% Die Noordwester 3,624 -7.7% 3.0% South Cape Forum/Suid Kaap Forum 3,621 -5.8% -4.4% Northern Review Weekend 3,617 -5.8% -21.3% Middelburg Observer, Tues 3,303 8.4% -7.2% Knysna Plett Herald 2,689 -0.1% -4.7% Ladysmith Gazette 2,367 11.8% -0.7% Bosvelder Review 2,351 -4.2% -6.1% Carletonville Herald 2,270 -12.5% -19.3% Northern Natal Courier 2,259 -1.7% -6.3% Tembisan 2,233 1.8% -18.6% Talk of the Town 1,994 1.2% 3.4% Mid South Coast Mail 1,950 -6.5% -8.6% Vryheid Herald 1,899 -3.2% -7.7% Daller, Die 1,758 1.5% -2.3% Graaff Reinet Advertiser 1,728 -4.4% -7.2% Oudtshoorn Courant 1,580 -8.6% -15.8% Streeknuus 1,525 -2.6% -3.9% Estcourt and Midlands News 1,364 -6.9% -17.0% The Courier 914 -3.1% 0.4% Streeknuus Delmas 859 -3.3% -9.5% Grocotts Mail Resigned Free newspapers Publication name Circulation % change prev period % change year PE Express 119,962 0.0% 0.0% Sedibeng Ster 100,985 0.0% 0.0% Plainsman 89,718 0.0% 1.3% People s Post Mitchells Plain 83,340 0.0% 0.0% Vukani 81,100 0.0% 0.0% Rekord East/Oos 78,780 0.0% 0.2% Tabletalk 70,323 0.0% 4.1% Tame Times - Weekly 69,207 -6.0% -36.2% Rekord Centurion 60,100 0.0% 0.1% Randburg Sun 59,999 0.1% 0.0% Mthatha Express 59,985 0.0% 0.0% The Rising Sun. 59,960 0.0% 0.0% Maritzburg Echo 59,339 -0.2% 1.3% Phoenix Tabloid 55,980 0.0% 8.0% Athlone News 55,937 0.0% 0.0% Kempton Express 55,014 0.0% -0.9% Highway Mail 54,600 0.1% 0.1% Kathorus Mail 54,492 -0.2% Northern News - Kraaifontein, Brackenfel, Kuils River 53,350 0.0% -0.3% Chatsworth Tabloid 52,133 4.3% 4.3% Chatsworth Rising Sun 51,148 0.0% 0.0% AWSUM Newspaper 50,933 -1.3% Roodepoort Record 50,635 -0.2% -1.6% City Vision (Khayalitsha) 50,453 0.0% 0.0% Southern Mail 50,360 0.0% 0.0% The Central Weekly Gazette 49,980 0.0% 0.0% My Line 49,900 0.0% 0.0% Sandton Chronicle 49,752 0.1% -0.2% City Vision (Langa/Gugulethu) 49,634 0.0% 0.0% Southern Suburbs Tatler 48,660 0.0% 0.0% Bloemfontein Courant (formerly Krant) 47,425 13.2% 13.2% Cornubia and Phoenix Sun 47,410 0.0% 0.0% Bedfordview & Edenvale News 46,346 -0.2% 0.2% Bloemnuus 44,915 0.2% 0.2% Overport Rising Sun 44,900 0.0% 0.0% Boksburg Advertiser 43,378 -0.1% -0.2% East London Rising Sun 42,448 Go & Express 42,170 0.4% 0.6% Ethekwini Times 40,980 0.0% 0.0% Umlazi Times 40,980 0.0% 0.0% Taxi Times (former Tame Times - Fortnightly) 39,950 -65.1% 0.0% Rekord North/Noord 39,850 0.0% 0.2% Bonus Review 39,834 0.0% 0.0% North Coast Courier 39,743 0.0% 0.0% Southern Courier 39,417 0.4% 0.2% South Coast Herald Bonus 39,167 -0.3% -0.4% Northern News Bellville/Durbanville formerlyTygertalk Bellville/Durbanville 38,840 0.0% 0.0% Benoni City Times 38,780 -0.1% 0.0% Express 38,700 0.0% 0.0% Alberton Record 38,316 1.1% 1.2% Fourways Review 36,887 0.0% 0.1% UGU Eyethu 36,850 0.0% 0.0% Maritzburg Fever (formerly Mirror, The) 35,000 0.0% 0.4% Vista 34,962 0.0% 0.0% Ridge Times 34,950 0.0% 0.0% South Coast Fever 34,950 2.3% 0.0% Msunduzi Eyethu (former Edendale) 34,879 0.0% 0.0% Rekord Moot 33,530 0.0% 0.0% Maseru Metro 33,339 23.5% Tygerburger Elsiesrivier 33,085 0.0% 0.0% Rising Sun Lenasia 32,925 0.0% 0.0% Dobsonville Urban News 32,666 0.0% 0.0% Southern Star 31,980 0.0% 0.0% Tongaat & Verulam Tabloid (former Northern Star) 31,980 0.0% 0.0% Constantiaberg Bulletin 31,900 0.0% 0.6% People s Post Claremont/Rondebosch 31,834 0.0% 0.0% Helderberg Gazette. 31,450 0.8% 0.8% Tygerburger Table View 31,445 0.0% 0.0% False Bay Echo 31,440 0.0% 0.0% Atlantic Sun 31,350 0.0% 0.0% Bolander 31,000 0.0% 0.0% People s Post False Bay 30,972 0.0% 0.0% Makhulu News. 30,826 0.0% 0.0% Northcliff & Melville Times 30,502 -0.3% -1.1% People s Post Athlone 30,252 0.0% 0.0% Diepkloof Urban News 30,166 -7.1% 0.0% Eldorado Urban News 30,166 0.0% 0.0% Orlando Urban News 30,166 0.0% 0.0% Zola Urban News 30,166 0.0% 0.0% Germiston City News 30,160 -0.1% -0.1% People s Post Constantia/Wynberg 30,069 0.0% 0.0% Eyethu Bay Watch (Formerly Baywatch) 30,067 0.0% -0.4% Dolphin Coast Mail 29,948 0.0% 0.0% East Coast Mail 29,943 0.0% 0.0% UD Express 29,932 0.0% -0.1% Coastal Weekly 29,930 1.2% 0.0% Issue Mangaung 29,900 0.0% 0.2% Maritzburg Sun 29,879 0.0% 0.0% Public Eye 29,859 0.0% 0.0% Boland Gazette 29,850 0.0% 0.0% Rekord Mamelodi 29,800 0.0% 0.0% Northern News Goodwood / Parow formerly Tygertalk Goodwood 29,730 0.0% 0.0% Soweto Express 29,500 0.0% 0.0% Krugersdorp News 29,390 0.0% -3.5% People s Post City Edition 29,246 0.0% 0.0% Roodepoort Northsider (FormerlyNorthside Chronicle 28,888 -0.4% -0.7% Rekord Noweto 28,820 0.0% 0.0% Tygerburger Ravensmead/Belhar 28,696 0.0% 0.0% Midrand Reporter 28,219 0.2% 0.2% Tygerburger Eersterivier/Blue Downs 27,968 0.0% 0.0% Jabavu Urban News. 27,666 0.0% 0.0% Meadowlands Urban News 27,666 0.0% 0.0% Northglen News 27,610 0.1% 0.1% Berea Mail 27,179 0.0% 0.0% Stanger Weekly 26,734 0.0% -10.6% Rosebank Killarney Gazette 26,640 0.1% -0.5% Vanderbijlpark Ster 26,486 0.0% 0.0% Springs Advertiser 26,056 0.0% 0.0% Chiawelo Urban News 25,166 0.0% 0.0% Pimville Urban News 25,166 0.0% 0.0% Protea Urban News 25,166 0.0% 0.0% Xpress Times 24,949 0.0% 0.0% Kalahari Buletin (Formerly Kuruman Bulletin) 24,927 0.0% 0.0% Tongaat & Verulam Sun 24,900 0.0% North Eastern Tribune 24,326 0.0% -0.4% North Western Bonus 24,035 -1.7% -1.4% People s Post Retreat 23,423 0.0% 0.0% Merebank Rising Sun 22,400 0.0% 0.0% Issue, Eastern Free State 21,900 0.1% 0.0% People s Post Grassy Park 21,838 0.0% 0.0% Noordkaap 21,716 -0.3% -0.6% People s Post Landsdowne 21,130 0.0% 0.0% Comaro Chronicle 20,868 0.2% 0.4% Tygerburger Durbanville 20,720 0.0% 0.0% South Coast Sun 20,140 0.0% 0.1% Mid South Coast Rising Sun 20,075 0.0% 0.0% Rekord West News/Wes Nuus 20,040 0.0% 0.2% Isolomzi Express 19,985 0.0% 0.6% Kouga Express 19,981 0.0% 0.0% Queenstown Express 19,955 0.0% 0.1% Echo, The 19,949 0.0% 0.0% Hillcrest Fever (formerly Forest Express) 19,945 0.0% 0.0% Umgungundlovu Eyethu (former Umngeni) 19,859 0.0% 17.8% Alex News 19,774 0.8% 0.4% NewsHorn Mpumalanga 19,685 -1.0% Upper Highway Mail (Incorporating The Hilltop) 19,645 0.0% 0.0% Randfontein / Westonaria Herald. 19,612 1.1% -0.4% Tygerburger Kuilsrivier 19,288 0.0% 0.0% Tygerburger Brackenfell 19,253 0.0% 0.0% Tygerburger Bellville 19,042 0.0% 0.0% Brakpan Herald 18,993 0.1% -0.3% Swartland Gazette (formerly Swartland Monitor). 18,988 0.2% 0.1% Tygerburger Milnerton 18,688 0.0% 0.0% Tygerburger Kraaifontein 18,637 0.0% 0.0% TygerBurger De Grendel 18,522 0.0% 0.0% Rekord Central/Sentraal 18,480 0.0% 0.0% Midweek Rekord 18,432 0.0% 0.5% Highvelder, The 17,988 0.1% 0.0% Southlands Sun 17,929 0.0% 0.0% Johannesburg Eastern Express 17,461 -0.1% -0.6% Express Northern Cape 17,451 0.0% 0.1% TygerBurger Tyger Valley 17,399 0.0% 0.0% Steelburger 17,300 0.0% 0.0% Midweek Herald (formerly Noordwes Gazette) 16,995 0.0% 0.2% Herrie, Die 16,955 0.0% -0.4% Vereeniging Ster 16,916 0.0% 0.0% People s Post Woodstock 16,391 0.0% 0.0% West Side Urban News 16,166 0.0% 0.0% Laudium Sun 16,000 0.0% 0.0% Cosmo City Chronicle 15,950 0.0% 0.0% Northern Eyethu 15,860 0.0% 0.0% Nelspruit Post 15,813 0.0% 0.0% Full Sus 15,750 0.0% 1.1% Midvaal Ster 15,687 0.0% 0.0% Times of Ladysmith 15,030 0.0% 0.0% Newcastle Sun 15,005 0.0% 0.0% Capetowner 15,000 0.0% 0.0% Uthukela Eyethu 15,000 0.0% 0.0% City Vision (Lwandle / Nomzamo) former Kasi Vision Helderberg 14,950 0.0% 0.0% Weskus Nuus 14,950 0.3% 0.3% Sasolburg Ster 14,882 0.0% 0.1% Amanzimtoti Fever (formerly Uppercoast Fever) 14,864 0.0% 0.1% Midkaroo Express 14,850 19.8% Theewaterkloof Gazette (Formerly Kontreinuus Gaz.) 14,845 1.6% 1.6% Northern Business Review 14,800 0.0% East Griqualand Fever 14,690 0.0% 0.0% Lentswe 14,527 0.0% -0.1% Tygerburger Parow 14,322 0.0% 0.0% Tygerburger Goodwood 14,054 0.0% 0.0% Queensburgh News 13,096 0.0% 0.0% Vrystaat Nuus/News 11,945 -0.7% 0.8% Tribune 11,942 0.0% 0.0% Village Talk 11,869 9.2% 9.2% Zululand Eyethu (formerly Eshowe Watch) 11,852 0.0% 0.0% Amajuba Eyethu 11,775 -21.6% -21.6% Breederivier Gazette. 11,550 -0.1% 0.5% SA Jewish Report 11,447 -0.1% -0.3% Standerton Advertiser. 11,141 -25.7% -25.7% The Village NEWS 9,969 0.3% Highlands Panorama News 9,968 0.0% 5.7% CXpress 9,900 0.0% 0.0% White River Post 9,860 0.4% 0.4% Idinga 9,855 0.0% 0.0% Kroonnuus 8,943 0.0% 0.0% Corridor Gazette 8,810 0.1% 0.1% City Buzz 8,775 0.3% -24.8% Greytown Gazette 8,529 -5.7% -10.1% Die Ghaap - Kimberly Gazette 7,988 -0.1% -0.1% Mossel Bay Home Ads News 7,895 0.0% 0.0% Parys Gazette 7,494 0.0% 0.0% Public Eye Free State 7,402 18.7% -49.2% Sentinel News 7,145 0.0% 0.0% Umlazi Eyethu 6,922 -76.7% -76.9% Intshonalanga Eyethu 6,910 -76.7% -76.9% The Weekly Free State 4,950 -25.2% -50.3% Free State Sun 4,750 0.0% 0.0% The Insight 3,916 -20.9% -20.1% Hazyview Herald 3,324 -0.2% 0.0% Game Reporter 2,990 0.0% Maluti News 2,475 0.0% 0.0% Quarter 3 2018 total newspaper circulation declined 4% on the prior year. The quarters decline, while bigger than the 2018 Q2 decline on the prior year (2.5%), is slightly less than 2018 Q1s 4.4%.Dailies continued their decline on the previous quarter, declining by 2.2% on the previous quarter. This is an improvement on the Q2 percentage decline of 4.2%. In Q1 Dailies saw an increase of 0.4%. For the year the category declined by 13.6% - less than its Q2 (15.1%) and Q1 (15.7%) declines previously.Gauteng-based dailies,andboth had positive figures over the previous quarter and the prior year.rose 5.6% on the previous quarter and the3.7% up on the prior year. However, the category star is, which had a 10.4% increase on the prior quarter and 29.8% increase on the prior year.Bucking the last two-quarters trend, Weeklies increased by 8.7% on the previous quarter but continued its decline this quarter on the prior year by 9.6%.recovered from its decline in the previous quarter to increase by 6.1%. Its losses over the prior year continued, however, with an 11.2% decline over the prior year.Despite an overall decline of 1.5% on the previous quarter and by 8.3% on the prior year several Weekend papers increased their percentage over the prior quarter.was the star mover with an increase of 9.2%, followed by the(5.4%),(5.3%) and(4.2%). However, all of these lost out over the prior year, with thethe biggest loser with a loss of 14.2%.only lost 1.8% on the prior year.Local newspapers pulled back on the previous quarters (Q3) losses of just under five percent to a decrease of 3.5% in Q4 on the previous quarter but increased its losses to 8.3% on the prior year this quarter, an increase on the 5.5% loss of Q3.The big mover in the category with an increase of 11.8% over the prior quarter is, followed by(7.3%) and the(6.4%) both of which also increased by 5.4% and 4.7% on the prior year.The category reversed the gains it made in Q3 both on the prior quarter and year on year with a decline of 3.9% on the previous quarter and 1.2% on the prior year. Two new members saw a good increase over the prior quarter.andincreased by 19.8% and 23.5% respectively.andalso show good gains over the prior quarter, with the Free state-based paper up by 13.2% over the prior quarter and prior year andup by 9.2% for both the prior quarter and year. Last night, the Democrats regained a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, and with it, leadership of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology. What will this change mean for science? The current committee chair, Lamar Smith, R-Texas, who will retire at the end of this term, has repeatedly denied that humans play a role in climate change. He also challenged climate scientists (such as by asking them to release documents and communications they sent amongst themselves regarding a study about the increased rate of global warming) as well as National Science Foundation (NSF). Smith "not only ignored the problem [of climate change] but abused his authority as committee chair to launch attacks on climate scientists," said Michael Mann, a distinguished professor of meteorology at Pennsylvania State University and an outspoken advocate of combating human-caused climate change. [8 Ways Global Warming Is Already Changing the World] With the change in congressional leadership, "now, we finally have a chance to move forward, though we have lost valuable time due to fossil fuel industry-funded politicians more interested in doing favors for their corporate funders than protecting the interests of the people they are supposed to represent," Mann told Live Science. One of the major focuses of the committee should now be to make sure that "the agencies that are responsible for worrying about climate and the environment are doing their jobs," said Jonathan Moreno, a professor of bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania. That means, for example, respecting scientific evidence, he said. Further, "there are major public health issues" that will arise with as the planet warms, Moreno told Live Science. "So the connection between climate change and new public health challenges needs to be made." These issues include an increase in the spread of mosquito-borne diseases, as warming temperatures expand their range. Indeed, the U.S. is already starting to see this, and "it's going to get worse," he added. And as countries such as China accelerate the pace of their own research and development, the committee needs to address their plans to keep the U.S. in the lead globally, Moreno said. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, a former nurse, will most likely take Smith's place, becoming the first science committee chair since the 1990s to have a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) background, according to The Washington Post. First elected to the House in 1992, Johnson is the first registered nurse to have held a seat in Congress and the first African-American and female ranking member of the Committee on Science, Space and Technology. In a statement released on Election Day (Nov. 6), Johnson revealed a glimpse of how she saw the future of the committee. "If I am fortunate enough to be elected chair of the Committee on Science, Space and Technology, a committee that I like to call the 'committee of the future,' I know that there is much that we can accomplish as Democrats and Republicans working together for the good of the nation," she said. Her agenda includes addressing "the challenge of climate change, starting with acknowledging it is real." Her agenda also includes keeping the U.S. at the forefront of innovation such as by "defending the scientific enterprise from political and ideological attacks" and "challenging misguided or harmful administration actions," the statement said. Johnson added that she intends to "restore the credibility of the Science Committee as a place where science is respected and recognized as a crucial input to good policymaking." Indeed, the committee "had, until recent years, maintained a reputation for bipartisan policy work focused on the health of America's science and technology enterprise and the U.S. space program," said Neal Lane, a senior fellow in science and technology policy at Rice's Baker Institute for Public Policy in Houston. "Regrettably, under the committee's recent leadership, it became just another partisan political tool to attack certain fields of science and the scientists themselves." Lane, who served as the director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy from 1998 and 2001 and as the director of the NSF from 1993 to 1998, told Live Science that though "much damage was done," Americans can now expect the committee to "return to serious policy matters in need of real attention." These areas include increasing the support for scientific research, restoring scientific advice in policymaking, and creating initiatives to address problems facing scientists and universities around the U.S., he said. Originally published on Live Science. Zoom in on the waters off the coast of Edinburgh on Google Earth, and your eye may catch something strange. Is that a plane? Underwater? There does seem to be an airliner at the bottom of the sea off Scotland's coast. But this isn't the case of a mysterious plane crash cover-up. Rather, it's the result of Google's system of stitching together satellite imagery to create continuous cover of most of the globe. The ghost plane, which sits at the coordinates 55 degrees 57 minutes 26 seconds north latitude and 3 degrees 05 minutes 35 seconds west longitude, was first reported by the Mirror Online, which was alerted to the weird artifact by Robert Morton, a mechanical fitter from South Yorkshire, England. Morton told the tabloid that he was exploring Google Earth on Monday (Nov. 5) when he stumbled across the plane. [15 Secretive Places You Can Now See on Google Earth (And 3 You Can't)] A Google spokesperson told the Mirror that the find was the result of a process the company uses to create a seemingly seamless view of Earth using a mosaic of satellite and aerial imagery. The images used in any given area are often a composite of several shots, a method that allows Google Earth's developers to get the sharpest possible picture, unobscured by clouds or shadows. When an object (like a fast-moving plane) happens to be in one of those shots, it can end up in the final picture as a ghostly, washed-out version of the original image. That image of a plane near Edinburgh isn't the first time an artifact like this has appeared on Google Earth or Google Maps. Last year, redditors noticed an airplane caught midflight including a capsized vessel in Iraq and the USS Utah, lost in the Pearl Harbor attack of 1941. Ghost images can also appear anywhere Google Earth and Google Maps have three-dimensional imagery. Because these 3D views are created by stitching together multiple photographs from different angles, anything that moves between photos can appear as a translucent blur. The Google Earth Blog has examples, including two more "sunken" ghost planes from lakes in Minnesota, which look exactly like the one off Scotland's coast. Originally published on Live Science. There are snakes, and then there are "SSSSNNNNAAAAAAAAKES!!!!" Florida resident and professional python bounty hunter Kyle Penniston caught and killed one such SSSSNNNNAAAAAAAAKE earlier this week in the Florida Everglades, according to a news release from the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD). The gargantuan Burmese python measured 17 feet 5 inches (5.3 meters) long and weighed about 120 lbs. (54 kilograms). It is survived by many children's nightmares. [7 Shocking Snake Stories] Penniston caught and "humanely euthanized" the snake as part of the SFWMD's Python Elimination Program, which pays a team of 25 mercenary snake hunters to track and kill invasive pythons and deposit the reptiles at designated drop-off locations around several counties in southern Florida. (The program website does not specify what "humane" euthanasia means, but does say that firearm use on snakes is permitted, consistent with local, state and federal regulations.) Burmese pythons are an invasive species in the Everglades (Florida's extremely biodiverse wetland preserve that spans 1.5 million acres, or 1 million hectares). They were likely introduced to the ecosystem by careless pet owners, the SFWMD wrote. These snakes breed rapidly and pose a serious threat to the area's birds, rodents, deer and even alligators. "The Everglades is a beautiful buffet for an apex predator like that," David Penning, a snake biologist at Missouri Southern State University, previously told Live Science. "Since the snakes have shown up and increased in number, we have seen a prominent drop in basically every animal that can be consumed by those snakes." Thus, the state wants the serpents dead. Hunters like Penniston are paid $8.25 an hour to prowl the wetlands in the SFWMD's jurisdiction, earning on-the-spot bonuses that rise with the size of any snakes they fell. Pythons up to 4 feet long (1.2 m) net hunters $50, with every additional foot earning an extra $25. Penniston's near-18-foot quarry earned him a bonus of $375. According to the SFWMD, the Python Elimination Program has removed nearly 1,900 invasive snakes since March 2017, with Penniston's latest catch setting a new record for the longest snake poached in this program. Pythons, for the record, get very, very big. Per Guinness World Records, the longest snake ever caught is a 25-foot-long (7.6 m) python named Medusa, currently owned by a Kansas City, Missouri, company that produces haunted houses. Originally published on Live Science. It's a case of cross-species bonding for an emu and a donkey in North Carolina. According to the Carolina Waterfowl Rescue, a female emu and a male donkey rescued from an abandoned farm in Kershaw, South Carolina, are "in love." "They like to cuddle and even sleep together," Jennifer Gordon of the rescue told The Charlotte Observer. The rescue is now looking for someone willing to adopt both a donkey and an emu, she said: "That may not be easy." According to a Facebook post on the rescue's page, the duo has now been dubbed "Jack and Diane." The endearing pair were living on a farm with dogs, cats and chickens when the owner vanished last week, The Charlotte Observer reported. The rescue has taken in all the animals, but the donkey and the emu appear most tightly bonded. Gordon suspects they've been kept together for years. When the rescue tried to separate them in different pens, the emu started pacing frantically and the donkey began crying, she said. Jack, the donkey, has also attacked other donkeys at the rescue, including one that got near Diane, the emu, according to the rescue's Facebook page. When the Carolina Waterfowl Rescue tried to separate Jack and Diane (an emu and donkey, respectively), the emu started pacing and the donkey began crying. (Image credit: Carolina Waterfowl Rescue) Cross-species "friendships" are rare in the wild, though plenty of animals develop symbiotic relationships. Warthogs in Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda, for example, allow mongooses to groom them. In return, the mongooses get to eat whatever insects they find in the warthogs' fur. This sort of mutually beneficial anti-parasite relationship is common between birds and mammals, and even among fish species, but it's unusual between two mammal species. In captivity, though, odd animal couples sometimes form. Earlier this year, a clip of a dog and a rescued lion "shaking hands" went viral. The two were confiscated together from an apartment in Mexico and are housed at an animal rescue there. Both lions and dogs are pack animals, so they are naturally social; this is true of the animals in many cross-species couples. At the Myrtle Beach Safari park in South Carolina, Bubbles the elephant bonded with an abandoned black Labrador named Bella. In Australia, a seal named Miri and a dolphin named Jet became best buddies after being raised together, according to Today. Sometimes, extreme circumstances lead to even odder animal pairings. American black bears are typically loners, with the exception of mothers caring for their cubs. Bengal tigers are also loners. But at Noah's Ark Animal Sanctuary in Georgia, a bear, a tiger and a lion were an inseparable trio for 15 years. The threesome was rescued in 2001 from a drug dealer who abused them, according to the sanctuary's website. The bear, Baloo, had to undergo surgery to remove a too-tight harness that had dug deep into his flesh. Shere Khan, the tiger, was malnourished. Perhaps because of their traumatic pasts, the three animals would play together and groom one another, according to the sanctuary, and were rarely apart until Leo the lion's death in 2016. Originally published on Live Science. To Obama: With Love, Joy, Anger, and Hope By Jeanne Marie Laskas Random House. 401 pp. $28 --- On Christmas Eve in 2014, Ashley DeLeon attempted to restrain her father, Rosendo DeLeon, while he shot up their family home. "He just kept shooting and kept shooting." A decorated Marine veteran who had served 22 years before retiring as a master sergeant, Ashley's father suffered from severe post-traumatic stress disorder. After he was admitted to the hospital, on Christmas Day, Ashley wrote a 2 1/2 -page letter to President Barack Obama. "I didn't care if I died Mr. President. I'm 21 years old and I would sacrifice myself without a second thought to save the man who raised me from taking his own life." When she received a handwritten response a few weeks later from the president himself, she was shocked. "Please know that beneath the pain, your father still loves his daughter, and is surely proud of her." Who writes letters to the president of the United States, and what happens to these letters after they are sent? In her latest book, "To Obama: With Love, Joy, Anger, and Hope," Jeanne Marie Laskas, the author of eight books, including "Concussion," follows the path of constituent letters to the White House - and what happens then. There is little documentation of how previous administrations handled constituent mail. George Washington replied to the five or so letters he received every day. William McKinley spearheaded the creation of the Office of Presidential Correspondence (OPC) to manage the hundreds he received every week. Bill Clinton read a stack every few weeks. George W. Bush seemed more interested in reading the replies the OPC would send on his behalf than the letters themselves. When Obama moved into the White House in January 2009, he instituted a formal policy to read 10 letters a day - "10LADs," as they became known. The 10LADs came from the unemployed: "My generation was always told that if we worked hard and did well in school and stayed out of trouble we'd have secure futures. We were lied to, or at the very least misled"; the undocumented: "I feel like you voted for me with DACA and all your efforts with the DREAM act. Thank you"; and those pleading for marriage equality: "I kept telling myself that I 'knew' you supported us, even if it didn't make political sense for you to say so." In the mail room of the OPC, an operation that ran as seamlessly and precisely as a ballet, 50 staff members, 26 interns and hundreds of volunteers culled, categorized and curated the 10,000 letters they received each day. The 10LADs sent to the president reflected the joys, fears and struggles of Americans. Obama carried them to the residence wing every night, where he either penned replies on White House notecards or passed them on to the writing team to respond. Obama was a president deeply affected by the suffering of the nation's people, and the concerns expressed in the letters he received were reflected in his speeches and policies. Case in point, less than two months after he received Ashley's letter, he signed the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act into law. (Sadly, Rosendo DeLeon would die later that spring in a motorcycle accident.) "To Obama" is an insightful study of a president who listened to even his harshest critics with grace and humility. "I know things are tough out there right now," Obama replied to the unemployed letter-writer, "and I won't try to pretend that I've got a guaranteed solution to your immediate situation." This is a story, too, about the keen judgment of the staff who appreciated the intimacy and the power of the written word, and who knew their president well enough to recognize what he not only wanted to read but also needed to read. Curiously absent from the book are letters the OPC must have received from birthers, tea partyers and other pre-MAGA prototypes questioning Obama's U.S. citizenship and misidentifying his religion - no doubt bigoted missives that captured the racial hatred and resentment many harbored for the black president in the Oval Office. (Letters containing direct threats to the president and his family were siphoned off and delivered to a specific full-time staffer at the OPC to be assessed further.) The OPC may have refused to share these letters with Laskas, or perhaps the authors of the letters refused to grant her permission to print them. Regardless, their inclusion would have provided insight into that constituency. If there is a singular lesson about the White House letters during the Obama administration, it is that for eight years the distance from a constituent's abode to the Oval Office was short and that the president who signed his name with a rotund "B" and a generous "O" approached correspondence from the people with tenderness, awe and respect. At the end of each presidential day, Obama saw himself as one of them. "We have this idea that the president is so much larger than us and that he's this other type of person," said Ashley DeLeon. "But he's exactly like we are." --- Enjeti is an essayist, critic and board member of the National Book Critics Circle. WASHINGTON - Responding to protests from Washington artists and arts leaders, the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities has reversed a controversial new measure to censor its grant recipients. On Monday, the city's arts agency added sweeping language to already approved grants requiring that artists and arts organizations avoid producing work that could be considered lewd, vulgar or political or be at risk of losing their funds. The arts community protested, saying the amended contract infringed on their First Amendment rights. The DCCAH capitulated. "This was an ill-advised idea. It should not have been sent out," DC Councilman Jack Evans said. The short-lived controversy sent shockwaves through the city's arts community and had many recalling the 1980s culture wars that pushed the National Endowment for the Arts to stop funding individual artists. "My first reaction was just astonishment," said Sarah Browning, co-founder and executive director of Split This Rock, which has been awarded $70,000 in two grants from the commission. Browning herself won a $3,500 grant for poetry. "It's far outside the reach of anything that I've ever seen," Browning said. "To put it at risk is a huge problem for small organizations like ours. That said, we can't possibly sign this." In a rare step made after millions of dollars in public funding was approved last month, DCCAH Interim Executive Director Angie Gates sent an amendment to the grants contract originally sent in early October that said the commission would terminate any grant supporting work that it deemed "lewd, lascivious, vulgar, overtly political, or excessively violent, constitutes sexual harassment, or is, in any other way, illegal." The DCCAH provides grants and other support to city music, theater, dance and other organizations, using money from the District government and the National Endowment for the Arts. Comprised of 15 volunteer members who are appointed by the mayor, the commission approved more than 400 grants to individuals and arts organizations totaling about $12.9 million for 2019, according to its website. The commission was reacting to criticism to an exhibition at the Reeves Center on 14th Street NW last month that was intended to raise awareness of domestic violence. The DCCAH awarded $50,000 to artist Marta Perez Garcia to create the work, which included cloth dolls made by survivors of abuse that were suspended in a way that made at least one visitor upset because it seemed to depict a lynching. The amendment's vague language is troubling for many reasons, said Deepak Gupta, a constitutional lawyer who is working with the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of local artists. For example, Gupta said an artwork or poem that criticizes President Donald Trump could be considered "overtly political" and thus in violation of the grant contract. "What (DCCAH) is saying is, if you take this money, we reserve the right to essentially censor your work," Gupta said. "That's an affront to basic First Amendment values. If there's one thing we know about the First Amendment, it's that the government doesn't have the right to tell you what you can say regarding politics or sex." Arts groups and other organizations, including the National Coalition Against Censorship, describe the amendment as "an attack on artistic freedom" that could have a chilling effect on artistic expression. Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts President Joel Wachs described the requirement as "a direct threat" to those who produce challenging work. "The DCCAH's revised language defies the First Amendment, censoring artistic freedom in the city in which we live and make our art. This new grant agreement flies in the face of the freedoms that our democracy was founded upon, and we strenuously object to it," Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company leaders Maria Manuela Goyanes and Meghan Pressman said in a statement. Washington Project for the Arts Executive Director Peter Nesbett said his organization could not agree to the amendment even if it jeopardized the almost $113,000 in funding it was awarded for 2019. "Its' a big deal for us to not sign it. It's a lot of money. But as an organization we are totally committed to protecting the rights of artists," he said. A judge denied a motion Wednesday for judgment of acquittal in the re-trial of Bernadette Perusquia, who is accused of fatally shooting her husband in 2003. The motion means that after the prosecution presents all of their evidence, the defense can ask the judge to grant an acquittal because a reasonable jury wouldn't be able to return a guilty verdict based on insufficient evidence provided by prosecutors. Perusquia's attorney, Robin Norris, argued that his client feared her husband would take the gun she had from her and shoot her. He said prosecutors had the burden to prove it isn't true beyond a reasonable doubt. READ MORE: Laredo woman on trial again in husband's 2003 shooting death Webb County Chief Assistant District Attorney Marisela Jacaman told 49th District Court Judge Joe Lopez that Perusquia had no justification to use deadly force against her husband. "The elements for self-defense or to prove self-defense don't show that she reasonably believed that she had to use deadly force," Jacaman said. She added, "He had hit her and she called his mother. They had calmed down and then she got the gun and then he came after her and that's when she shot him." Wednesday was day two of Perusquia's second re-trial. A mistrial was declared in the case in 2006 due to a hung jury. In 2011, during the first re-trial, she was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. She later won an appeal with the Texas Criminal Court of Appeals, which ruled that her attorneys failed to provide evidence of the physical and sexual abuse she allegedly endured by her husband. Wednesday began with the jury listening to the 911 call Perusquia made to police after the shooting. Perusquia's voice could be heard on the call saying she shot her husband. "I need an ambulance," Perusquia said. "I just shot my husband." In the call, she alleges that her husband, Juan Perusquia, was coming at her so she put the gun in her waistband. "He came toward me, so I shot him," she said in the call. LPD Officer David Buenrostro testified that he responded to the scene. He told the court that when he spoke with Perusquia, she seemed calm and normal. He read aloud the affidavit Perusquia had submitted to Laredo police. "I grabbed some socks out of the bag and threw them on the floor," Buenrostro read. "He pushed me against the recliner we have in the room." The affidavit also states that at some point after Juan pushed her on the bed, "(she walked) over to the dresser and put the gun in (her) waistband because (she) was scared he would hurt (her) or (her) daughter." Buenrostro added that he didn't see any injuries anywhere on Perusquia's body. The victim's brother, Jesse Perusquia, testified that he had only met Bernadette three times since her relationship with Juan. "They appeared OK as a couple," he said. "In my eyes, we really didn't have much conversation with Bernadette. In my opinion, they appeared to be OK." READ ALSO: Police: Candidate for mayor of Laredo arrested again He testified that the day after the shooting and when Juan died, he went to Bernadette and Juan's house to pick up his brother's belongings. "I was the only one allowed in the residence," Jesse said. "(I) went inside to gather my brother's belongings. Bernadette's mom had already started the process." According to his testimony, Bernadette's mom was visibly upset, crying and apologizing for what happened. Prosecutors presented all of their evidence and rested their case. Defense will begin their opening statements this morning. Maria Salas may be reached at 728-2580 or msalas@lmtonline.com Laredo police released details Wednesday on the arrest of a mayoral candidate on Election Day. Authorities said that about 9:25 a.m. Tuesday, they responded to a disturbance report at the Stripes convenience store at 1101 San Bernardo Ave. Employees said that the suspect causing the disturbance had left the area. They told police he was wearing a blue shirt. Officers located the suspect not far away and identified him as Randell Walden, 54. A background check revealed that Walden had been given a previous criminal trespass warning not to return to the Stripes, according to police. READ ALSO: Promise not to kill anyone? After losing election, TX judge wholesale releases juvenile defendants An investigation showed that when Walden arrived at the store, employees asked him to leave, LPD said. But he refused, according to police. Walden was then arrested and charged with criminal trespass. Custody records showed he remained behind bars at the Webb County Jail as of Wednesday afternoon. Walden had another encounter with law enforcement last month. RELATED: Records detail corruption allegations against former city, county officials On Oct. 24, he was arrested and charged with robbery after a woman accused him of stealing $62 from her. Police said he told her he was running for mayor and wanted to know how much money she had. LPD said he tried to ram her with a shopping cart numerous times. She feared for her safety and gave him money, according to police. Walden then snatched the cash out of her hand and walked away, LPD said. Final voting results show Walden finished last in the mayoral race, garnering 825 votes, or 2 percent of the 45,562 ballots cast in the race. A man has been arrested for assaulting a person, Laredo police said. Gilbert Balderas, 30, was arrested and charged with assault, family violence at about 11:15 p.m. Tuesday in the 2800 block of Maryland Avenue. On Tuesday, a man reported to police that he had been assaulted. LPD said he had visible injuries to his face and head. He also showed officers injuries on his upper torso, according to police. READ ALSO: 21-year-old man arrested in central Laredo fatal shooting case He alleged that Balderas had assaulted him. As officer spoke to him, Balderas also called LPD wanting to speak to police. Officers responded to the 2800 block of Maryland Avenue. Police determined that Balderas was the assailant, according to a report. WASHINGTON - District of Columbia police arrested a priest from a Washington Catholic Church on Wednesday on charges that he sexually abused a teenager at the parish in 2015, officials said. Urbano Vazquez, 46, of Washington was charged with second-degree child sexual abuse in connection with an incident at the Shrine of the Sacred Heart in May of that year. According to a District police report, a 13-year-old girl told police that Vasquez put his hand down her shirt on two occasions on her bare skin. Vazquez was identified as a "pastor of that church that abuse occurred at," the police report said. Vasquez is identified on the church website as Fr. Urbano Vazquez, a parochial vicar. Vasquez is a member of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, a fellowship of priests, and was not ordained by the Archdiocese of Washington. The archdiocese grants some Capuchins permission to work in its churches, including Sacred Heart, a large parish in Columbia Heights. In a written statement Wednesday night, the archdiocese said "additional allegations against Father Vazquez were reported" since the teenager came forward last month. Church officials released no further details about those allegations. The statement directed anyone with information to contact police. Chieko Noguchi, a spokeswoman for the archdiocese, said the Capuchins informed the archdiocese and police about the allegation involving Vasquez on Oct. 26. The archdiocese cannot discipline Vasquez because he is not one of its priests, but it immediately revoked his permission to work at Washington churches. He has lost his position at Sacred Heart, Noguchi said. Noguchi said that the archdiocese did not inform parishioners at Sacred Heart until Wednesday to avoid disrupting the police investigation. During the investigation, she said, the archdiocese learned that the Rev. Moises Villalta, a pastor at Sacred Heart and another Capuchin priest, had known earlier about the allegation and had failed to report it. That is a violation of archdiocese guidelines, and Villalta's permission to work in the Washington archdiocese also was revoked, Noguchi said. Archdiocese policy requires "criminal background checks, applications and education for all employees and volunteers who work with young people," and Vazquez cleared the background check and other requirements, the statement said. Vazquez is in police custody and could not be reached. It was unclear whether he had a lawyer. Contact information for Villalta could not immediately be obtained. Vazquez has been a parochial vicar at the church since 2014, church officials said. The charges come soon after Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who had headed the archdiocese. Wuerl had been criticized for not acting strongly against abusive priests when he headed the diocese in Pittsburgh. Wuerl's immediate predecessor, Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, was removed from ministry by the Vatican following allegations that he molested a teenage altar boy nearly 50 years ago, before he was in Washington. Subsequently, The Washington Post and other media reported that McCarrick had been accused of sexual misconduct with one other minor and with several young adult priests and seminarians - including two cases involving adults in which his previous dioceses in New Jersey had known about and settled out of court. The allegations had been rumored for years, leading Washington parishioners to question whether Wuerl knew about McCarrick's behavior. Wuerl came under further condemnation later in the summer, when a Pennsylvania grand jury released a major investigation into decades of clergy sexual abuse. The report in part focused on Wuerl's approach to handling abusive priests while he was bishop of Pittsburgh for 18 years. Some parishioners signed petitions calling for Wuerl to resign. Catholic schoolteachers made the same demand outside their back-to-school Mass. Francis has not named a successor yet, and has kept Wuerl on as the acting administrator of the archdiocese. Immediately after his resignation was confirmed, Wuerl released a list of 31 clergy who had been accused of abuse in the archdiocese over the past 70 years, including three who were members of religious orders serving in archdiocese roles, such as Vasquez. Vasquez was not on the list, which was released less than two weeks before his abuse was reported to the archdiocese. The author of a novel critical of President Xi Jinping's slogan touting the Chinese Dream said he has been barred from speaking at the main venue of the Hong Kong International Literary Festival. The writer, Ma Jian, said he was told that the Tai Kwun arts complex had canceled his two events scheduled for Saturday. While Ma said he wasn't given any explanation, he has previously complained about censorship of his works, including "China Dream," a new book satirizing one of Xi's signature campaigns. "Just been told that my two events at the Hong Kong International Literary Festival this week can no longer be held at Tai Kwun," the London-based writer said in a tweet early Wedneday. In an email Thursday, Ma said he planned to arrive at about 4 p.m. Friday. "I am concerned that my entry will be blocked," he said. "It would not be wise to block my entry - it would merely prove that everything I wrote about in my new novel is true." Tai Kwun - occupying the the site of a former colonial police barracks and jail -- is administered by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, which renovated it in a HK$3.8 billion ($485 million) project completed this year. The club is the city's largest taxpayer, holds a monopoly over local horse racing and gambling, and runs charities for the "betterment" of Hong Kong. "We do not want Tai Kwun to become a platform to promote the political interests of any individual," Timothy Calnin, the complex's director, said in a Thursday afternoon statement. "We have therefore worked closely with the Hong Kong International Literary Festival to find a more suitable alternative venue." The website of the Literary Festival advertised late Wednesday that Ma would speak at two events at Nan Fung Place, a venue in central Hong Kong, on Saturday. Jason Ng, the president of PEN Hong Kong, the local chapter of a global writers' association that advocates for freedom of expression, said the cancellation by Tai Kwun "appears to be at the very least an act of self-censorship, which would add to a growing list of incidents of suppression of free expression in Hong Kong." The move comes amid growing concern about efforts to tame dissent in the former British colony. In recent months, Hong Kong authorities have issued an unprecedented ban against a pro-independence party, and took the unusual step of denying a work visa renewal to a Financial Times journalist who presided over a talk by the banned party's leader. Ma said he has been prevented since 2011 from entering mainland China, where his books are banned. He tweeted Nov. 1 that "China Dream" wouldn't be translated into Chinese in Hong Kong, alleging publishers were "too afraid." The reported ban follows the cancellation last weekend of an exhibition featuring an artist critical of China due to what the organizer called "threats" by Chinese authorities. Hong Kong's No. 2 official, Matthew Cheung, defended Hong Kong this week after some United Nations member countries -- and local civil society organizations, including the city's Foreign Correspondents' Club -- alleged Hong Kong's rule of law and its human rights environment were deteriorating. Cheung told the UN Universal Periodic Review in Geneva that such concerns were "unwarranted, unfounded, and unsubstantiated," according to media reports. "I don't know whether Tai Kwun came to this decision themselves, or whether China put pressure on them," Ma said. "But whether it was censorship or self-censorship, it is yet another sign of the slow death of Hong Kong's freedom." The news conference was beaming live across the nation. The country's leader was hunched over a podium before reporters. CNN's Jim Acosta gripped a microphone and fired off a tough question. "Why do you have Cuban political prisoners?" Acosta asked. "And why don't you release them?" It was March 2016 in Havana. Then-President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro were holding a joint news conference to mark the American president's historic visit to the island nation. Castro, the longtime, strongman head of an oppressive regime infamous for squashing dissent and muzzling the press, was clearly uncomfortable fielding questions from a journalist. As the New York Times reported at the time, it was a first time a foreign reporter had addressed Cuban leadership since the 1950s. But handlers did not swoop in to grab Acosta's microphone. The reporter - whose own father was a Cuban exile - was not hauled out of the room. His credentials were not tossed. Instead, the Cuban leader grumbled out a non-answer. "Give me a list of the political prisoners and I will release them immediately," Castro said. Fast-forward two years, and Acosta had a very different experience Wednesday tangling with presidential power on-air. Following the mixed-results of this week's midterm elections, President Donald Trump held a news conference that quickly descended into a full-contact grudge match against Democrats, failed Republicans candidates and the press. "CNN should be ashamed of itself having you working for them," Trump thundered to Acosta after the reporter asked a question about the president's inflammatory rhetoric on immigration. "You are a rude, terrible person. You shouldn't be working for CNN." Hours later, Acosta announced the White House had suspended his press credentials. In a statement, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Acosta had lost his hard pass after "placing his hands on a young woman" who was trying to take away the reporter's microphone during his testy back-and-forth with Trump. "This is a lie," Acosta stated on Twitter, later explaining to CNN's Anderson Cooper that the White House was "trying to shut us down. I think they're trying to send a message to my colleagues." Acosta's yanked credentials have created a firestorm in media circles - and pulled much of the press focus off the midterm results and the abrupt dismissal of Attorney General Jeff Sessions. It's also the latest cycle in the reporter's complicated relationship with administration. Depending on your political stripes, the move was either a dangerous attack on the First Amendment, or a showboating reporter's comeuppance. Since 2016, Acosta has become one of the press corps' most high-profile members, regularly sparring with administration officials, such as Sanders and White House adviser Stephen Miller. For Trump - who repeatedly vents his anger at the press and CNN in particular - Acosta is a convenient foil. But the reporter's bulldog reporting style has made him a household name. "I probably receive more death threats than I can count," Acosta told Variety this year. "I get them basically once a week." If there's a precursor to Acosta's style in the White House media landscape, it was Sam Donaldson. During the latter part of the Reagan administration, the president would go months between taking questions from the press. The ABC White House correspondent began lobbing questions at President Ronald Reagan during public appearances. "Donaldson has been both praised and panned for his aggressive reporting on a distanced President, for shouting questions at Reagan in a megaphone voice that can be heard even above the helicopter rotors when the Reagans take off for Camp David," the Christian Science Monitor wrote in 1987. Acosta, who grew up in Washington, D.C., area and graduated from James Madison University, first landed at CNN in 2007 after a number of years working for local and network television stations. For the network, he began covering political stories, including Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign and the Obama White House, according to a Politico profile published last year. The reporter's first memorable on-air brush with Trump set the stage for much of their later relationship. In May 2016, Acosta asked them candidate about media attention. "I've watched you on television," Trump responded. "You're a real beauty." Acosta has not wilted when faced with Trump's jeremiads against his press coverage. Rather, like his encounter with Castro, he doubles down by challenging Trump's statements in on-air confrontations that are packed with tension and barely buried anger - TV-ready exchanges that perfectly encapsulate the president's fraught relationship with the press. "When the president of the United States calls the press 'fake news' and 'the enemy of the American people,' . . . I think that's when you have to get tough and ask the hard questions," Acosta told The Washington Post in 2017. A perfect example arrived just days before Trump's inauguration in January 2017, when the reporter and president-elect sparred over the allegations contained in the infamous Steele dossier published by BuzzFeed. "Not you. Your organization is terrible," Trump said to Acosta, as the reporter attempted to ask a question. "Since you're attacking us, can you give us a question? Mr. President-elect, since you're attacking our news organization, can you give us a chance?" the reporter replied. "I'm not going to give you a question," Trump shot back. "You are fake news." Since then, Acosta has regularly sparred with Trump. Following the violent "Unite the Right" hate rally in Charlottesville, Va., last year, Acosta checked Trump when the president asserted there were "some very fine people on both sides." "No, sir, there are no fine people in the Nazis," Acosta retorted. The reporter similarly lobbed pointed questions at Trump during the president's summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June. The exchange led Trump's 2020 campaign manager Brad Parscale to call for Acosta to "immediately have his press credentials suspended." Acosta tapped out a quick retort on Twitter. "Dear Brad," he wrote. "[D]ictatorships take away press credentials. Not democracies." In 2017, retail holiday season sales in the United States totaled over $1 trillion; and Deloitte predicts this year's total will go even higher. Deloitte also predicted that U.S. ecommerce sales alone would reach $134 billion in 2018. Thats a rise of 22 percent over the previous year. Related: 6 Ways to Retain Ecommerce Customers For Shopify store owners, the peak shopping season represents an opportunity to boost revenues and win over new customers. While gaining new customers is a key component to a successful business, studies have shown that retaining them is a far more effective strategy. Amy Gallo from the Harvard Business Review pointed out how effective: "Increasing customer retention rates by 5 oercent increases profits by 25 percent to 95 percent (depending on the industry)," Gallo wrote. And, according to Khalid Saleh at Invesp, it costs five times as much to attract a new customer than to keep an existing one. All of these figures mean that the peak shopping season is not only the perfect opportunity to win over new customers, but also to build long-term loyalty. As Matthew Draper from Liferay has noted, The average repeat buyer spends 33 percent more than a new customer. So, if retaining customers leads to a higher return on investment, and a potential increase in profits, how should you prepare your business to boost this desired retention? Acquire your customers -- the right way. When a visitor comes to your site for the first time, its essential that you offer him or her a positive impression. The average conversion rate of ecommerce sites stands at just under 3 percent. But, as a Shopify store, you could do better than that by using a tool like GrooveJar to boost your conversion rates. GrooveJar allows you to create customizable pop-ups, triggered when the customer takes specific actions, like scrolling or hovering over the back button. You might think pop-ups are annoying, but they work. As one Aweber test found, pop-ups in one study led to 1,375 percent more email signups on one site than did a sidebar. If you too employed pop-ups, you would be able to send targeted, personalized content to your subscribers. Remember, email can be one of the most effective forms of marketing, often generating an ROI of $44 for every $1 spent, according to Campaign Monitor's 2016 Year in Review. Related: 4 Strategies to Keep Customers Coming Back Use live chat to improve customer service. As Shopifys Alex McEachern told me, Customers see fast, friendly and consistent service as the gold standard. For ecommerce stores, offering live chat via a tool like Tidio is one way to quickly and effectively respond to customer queries. Whether the customer is talking to a real person or a bot, live chat tools have been proven to drive up sales at ecommerce stores. By engaging with people in real time and resolving their issues, you could impress customers enough that 52 percent of them might make another purchase at your store (according to a Campaign Monitor study). The one caveat is that you need to ensure your live chat features are personalized and truly resolve customer issues. Personalize your products. Most successful ecommerce businesses embrace personalization to some degree. Given that 48 percent of customers -- according to a MyBuys survey -- spend more online after a personalized experience, you should be embracing some of the more useful personalization tools available to you. One way of getting ahead of your competitors is to offer customers the chance to personalize their products. Tools like ShopStorms Product Customizer enable you to do this. It could prove particularly handy during the holiday season, as shoppers look to add a personal touch to gifts for loved ones. By taking personalization to the next level, you can deliver a more memorable experience for your customers. Engage customers with user-generated content. People dont actually connect with your brand; they connect with the other people that connect to your brand," said Mariel Bacci, director at BVAccel, a brand consultancy based in San Diego. Her words were a healthy reminder of the value of community, whether the term describes your niche, products or brand. In order to build affinity of any type, you need to enable your customers to connect with one another. So, encourage your customers to create content on your site and to engage with your forums, social media and blogs. Product reviews are one such form of user-generated content. Theres plenty of evidence to support the claim that product reviews, including better reviews, are the number one factor driving customers toward higher-priced products. As a business, you should engage with customers who leave product reviews, particularly negative ones. By being proactive and sincere, you'll be giving yourself the chance to resolve that negative reviewer's issue -- and show that resolution publicly. Then, even if you don't manage to solve an individual case, other customers will see you care and feel more confident about making purchases from you. Enable customers to build wishlists. For ecommerce stores, wishlists can be invaluable marketing tools. Without customers actually making a purchase, you can build a picture of their thoughts and interests. You can then use this information to refine your content marketing strategy. Wishlists also allow you to alert customers to restocked products or special offers. By offering this service, you will be improving your customer retention rate and revenue. Wishl Favorites Wishlist is an example of one such Shopify tool you can use with your store. Final thoughts Theres no secret to customer retention. As happens with any retail scenario, it comes down to providing excellent customer service. In this digital age, it can be easy to fall into the trap of simply providing an online shop and letting automation take care of everything. But don't do that, because todays shoppers are tech-savvy and fully aware of the choices available to them. They will turn away from an impersonal shopping experience and know when a store isnt up to standard. Related: Bringing Online Shopping to Life: How Etsy Experiments With Retail as a Brand Experience For this holiday season, take your store to the next level by focusing on retaining new customers. Use the latest tools and technology to deliver peerless customer service, and youll be reaping the rewards well beyond January 2019. Related: Retain the Shopify Customers You Attract this Peak Shopping Season How Customer Conversations and Feedback Helped This Photo Company Improve Its Business Model Four Strategies To Help Small Businesses Increase Customer Retention Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Illinois farmers are dealing with the effects of a retaliatory tariff imposed by China on soybean imports. A 25 percent Chinese tariff on American soybeans was imposed by the country in response to the Trump administrations steel tariffs on China. For Illinois farmers, the impact could be severe because they face depressed soybean prices even if they find a buyer. I can tell you that the day they announced the tariff, we lost $20 an acre on our farm, and that was not the full impact of the tariff, said Doug Schroeder, vice chairman of the Illinois Soybean Association and owner of a 4,000-acre soybean and corn farm near Mahomet. It is really tough. Twenty-five percent of Illinois soybeans used to go to China and now virtually none of them do, he said. Farmers are scrambling to find storage space for the soybeans they cant sell, which is creating more challenges and raising costs. Its really been devastating, said Schroeder. There hasnt been a demand for the beans to go anywhere, so they just pile up. While Illinois soybean farmers are still selling their harvest to Indonesia, Taiwan and Mexico, the demand just isnt there for what is expected to be a record soybean crop this year. The bottom line is if you add up all the other countries, it doesnt amount to what China used to buy, and thats how big of an impact that one country had on our industry, said Schroeder. Illinois is the top producer of soybeans in the U.S. Soybeans are also the second-largest export for the state. Schroeder said that if Illinois were a country, it would be the fourth-largest producer of soybeans in the world. After losing his bench in a Democratic sweep, Harris County Juvenile Court Judge Glenn Devlin released nearly all of the youthful defendants that appeared in front him on Wednesday morning, simply asking the kids whether they planned to kill anyone before letting them go. "He was releasing everybody," said public defender Steven Halpert, who watched the string of surprising releases. "Apparently he was saying that's what the voters wanted." In court, prosecutors voiced their concerns about the seemingly indiscriminate release of those accused of everything from low-level misdemeanors to violent crimes. "We oppose the wholesale release of violent offenders at any age," Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said in a statement later. "This could endanger the public." In total, at least seven kids were released, prosecutors said, including four facing aggravated robbery charges. When reached by phone Wednesday, Devlin declined to comment. READ MORE: 2 Harris County judges responsible for 1 in 5 children sent to state juvenile prisons The longtime Republican jurist whose seat was among 59 swept by Democrats in Tuesday's election is one of two juvenile court judges in Harris County whose track records favoring incarceration contributed heavily to doubling the number of kids Harris County sent to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department in recent years, even as those figures fell in the rest of the state. A Houston Chronicle investigation last month found that Devlin and Judge John Phillips accounted for more than one-fifth of all children sent to the state's juvenile prisons last year. The two jurists not only sent more teens to juvenile prison, but they also sent them younger and for less-serious offenses than the county's third juvenile court, where Judge Mike Schneider presides. But despite the differences in their courtroom practices, all three of the juvenile court judges all Republicans lost their benches to Democrats in Tuesday's election by at least 10-point spreads. With the dust still settling from a massive shake-up in the local judiciary, Devlin showed up for Wednesday's detention hearing docket apparently ready to surprise. By law, youths who are waiting in local lock-ups before their cases are resolved are entitled to detention hearings every 10 working days to decide whether they need to stay behind bars or can safely be released under supervision. It's not abnormal for Devlin to release juveniles facing serious charges, as long as they've behaved in detention and have adequate supervision in place on the outside, according to Halpert. "He's not one of those that never releases a kid charged with an aggravated robbery," he said. "But nobody has seen this before." Some of the children didn't have parents present in court Wednesday. Of the juveniles who appeared before the judge, Halpert said he only saw one detained. All of the cases, he said, were reset to Jan. 4, the first Friday after Devlin's replacement takes the bench. That replacement, newly elected jurist-to-be Natalia Oakes, did not immediately respond to a request for comment and the State Commission on Judicial Conduct declined to clarify whether Devlin's actions would constitute any violation of judicial canons. Criminal justice advocates, however, were critical of the decision. "Judge Devlin appears to be abdicating the basic responsibility of any sitting juvenile judge," said Elizabeth Henneke of the Lone Star Justice Alliance, a group that works to get young people out of the justice system and into treatment programs. She called Devlin's post-election actions "disappointing and shocking" and something she'd never seen in a Texas juvenile court. To Alex Bunin, the county's chief public defender, the sudden leniency was simply baffling. "I'm not sure that I can wrap my arms around what he's actually doing," he said. "It's a huge change and the only thing that has happened is that he was not elected so I don't know what to attribute it to other than that." To Jay Jenkins, a policy attorney with the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition, the post-election spate of releases reinforces the decision the local electorate made Tuesday. "The voters of Harris County clearly wanted a change in the juvenile courts and Judge Devlin today is showing us why the voters may have wanted change," he said. "We're hoping now the juvenile courts can be a much fairer and more equitable place." UVALDE One by one, the names of the 13 elderly church members who died last year in one of the states worst traffic accidents were read aloud Wednesday in the sentencing hearing of the driver who plowed into their bus. They were all killed by Jack Dillon Young, District Attorney Daniel Kindred said after naming the victims before District Judge Camille DuBose and more than 50 spectators. This was a mass killing, not an accident, he added, while also asserting that Young was in state of severe intoxication when he drove his large pickup truck into the small church bus on March 29, 2017. Young, 21, of Leakey, pleaded no contest in June to 13 counts of intoxication manslaughter and one count intoxication assault. His sentencing hearing here could last several days. He faces up to life in prison. RELATED: SAPD releases new details in murder-suicide of 3 teens The National Traffic Safety Board concluded recently that Youngs drug-impaired driving led to the crash. The agency said he lost control of his truck on U.S. 83 north of Uvalde because he had misused the prescription anti-depressant clonazepam and had smoked marijuana. The sentencing hearing will include testimony from family and friends of the victims. Obviously, since the accident, they have been waiting for a judicial outcome. Im hoping that this chapter of the entire event will be closed, said Brad McLean, pastor of First Baptist Church in New Braunfels. The victims were returning from a church retreat in the Hill Country. In his opening remarks, Youngs lawyer, Rogelio F. Munoz asked for mercy, calling Young a boy and describing the crash as an accident. He also shared intimate details of his clients tragic childhood and blamed his doctors. RELATED: 1 killed when ongoing S.A. neighborhood feud turns violent My client has accepted responsibility for each and every one of these charges. We are not here to make excuses, Munoz began. But he said that as the child of alcoholics and the victim of a sexual assault, Young suffered from depression and was prescribed anti-depressant drugs. But, Munoz claimed, the doctors failed to monitor Youngs intake, leading him to over-medicate himself. Thats the tragedy of this situation. It was a terrible accident, and all these wonderful people died, but he took the medication because the doctors told him to take it, Munoz said. Wearing a black suit jacket and white shirt, Young sat next to his lawyer at the defense table. His father and other family members attended the hearing. Across the room sat several dozen church and family members. Tears flowed on both sides of the aisle during testimony of the horrific accident. It began with the first witness, Jody Kuchler, who with his wife had been driving behind Young. They were so alarmed by his driving they made a 14-minute video of the veering truck, and also tried to call police to intervene. Kuchler testified that the video, which was played in court, ended just 12 seconds before the fatal accident. Fighting his emotions, Kuchler told of running to the smashed van and looking inside for survivors. You couldnt even tell there was a driver. There were two people on the floor dead, he began. No one in that van was crying. They never asked me for help. Two ladies were conscious. They looked at me. I said, Hang on, Ive got help on the way. Only one passenger in the van survived. Kuchler said that when he approached Young, trapped in his truck, he asked him, Do you know what you just did? And he said, Im sorry, I was texting. The NTSB later found that his cell phone use did not cause the crash. At the close of his testimony, Kuchler turned to Young and addressed him again. You arent a boy. You are a grown man. You make choices. You made wrong choices, he said Emergency workers and law enforcement officers who had responded to the scene or later worked to analyze it also testified. Lt. Aaron Fritch, leader of the Department of Public Safetys state crash reconstruction team, described some of the contents of the cell phone that was seized from Young. Although the phone did not show Young to be texting at the time of the accident, it revealed another side of him. The phone contained numerous text messages about bud, smoke, bars, green, shroons, X and oxys, as well as exchanges about drug transactions involving Young as the seller. Seated in the second row, Betty McLean, no relation to the preacher, wore a picture pinned to her chest of her deceased sister, Avis Scholl Banks. She said Banks, who was 83, always went to the church retreats in Leakey. I have asked myself what I actually feel. I dont want to see him go free. There are hard feelings, but Im approaching it from a Christian standpoint, she said of Young. I would like to stick my finger in his face, and say, Im hurt and all of the grandchildren are hurt more. They dont have her anymore, she said of her sister. Im curious if he understands the extent of the suffering and pain. jmaccormack@express-news.net Jurors were unable to reach a verdict Thursday in the federal criminal trial of a Lubbock businessman accused of conspiring to bribe a West Texas county judge using former state Sen. Carlos Uresti as a conduit. The jury, which began deliberating around 11:30 a.m. Thursday, is scheduled to reconvene Friday morning. Prosecutors have alleged Vernon Trey Farthing III was persuaded by then-Reeves County Judge Jimmy Galindo to hire Uresti as a consultant so that Farthings company Physicians Network Association could get a 2006 contract to provide medical services at the Reeves County Correctional Center in Pecos. Over the course of the 10 years of the contract with PNA, Uresti and Galindo shared more than $800,000 in kickbacks, prosecutors alleged. Uresti used his own consulting company and his law firms accounts to pay Galindo and conceal the conspiracy, prosecutors contend. During closing arguments Thursday, defense lawyer Gerald Gerry Goldstein told jurors that the payments to Uresti were for consulting work he did for PNA and that no bribery occurred. Each and every payment was on the companys books, Goldstein said. They prepared and filed with the IRS 1099s. I mean, are you going to do that with a bribe? Come on. Each and every payment was paid by check. Im old school, I guess. I always thought you paid cash under the table (in a bribe), he added. You didnt book it. Farthing had no knowledge that Uresti was splitting with Galindo half of the $10,000 monthly payments from PNA, Goldstein said. If there wasnt a deal in place among the trio, Assistant U.S. Joseph Blackwell wondered, then why was Uresti paying Galindo? Its because it would have raised a lot of eyebrows if it was discovered Galindo was being paid directly by PNA, Blackwell said during his closing arguments. Imagine the questions that would have been asked if its discovered that hes being paid directly, he said. It may take the whole deal and make it go away. PNA needed the lucrative contract because the company was for sale. Farthing later collected $10 million from the 2010 sale of the company, Blackwell said. Galindo and Uresti already pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery. They are scheduled to be sentenced separately in January. Farthing is the only one to fight the charges of conspiracy to commit bribery and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The former charge carries a maximum prison sentence of five years, while the latter carries a maximum term of 20 years. Galindo testified Oct. 24 that he persuaded Farthing to hire Uresti as a consultant at $10,000 a month, or $120,000 a year, and even proposed the name of Urestis consulting firm, Turning Point Strategies. Galindo also said he told Farthing he would work out how he would be paid from the deal with Uresti. But Farthing disputed Galindos account. Farthing testified Monday that he, not Galindo, was the one who mentioned the $10,000 monthly fee. Blackwell alleged Farthing knew Galindo was getting paid by Uresti; and during trial, the prosecutor brought up an email Farthing sent to another PNA official that mentioned Galindo asking about a past due check. Farthing acknowledged writing the email. He also acknowledged that Uresti received payments despite not having a signed contract. Uresti also never had provided PNA invoices until September 2010, Farthing said. Correctional Healthcare Cos. acquired PNA that year. When there were questions about that with CHC, you told the people at CHC that they would not agree to provide a contract or invoice, correct? Blackwell asked, emphasizing they. Yes, thats accurate, Farthing said. Asked if by they he was referring to Uresti and Galindo, Farthing responded, No, I mean Uresti. But defense lawyer Goldstein countered that PNA relied on pricing guidelines provided by the county because PNA was never at the negotiating table with the Bureau of Prisons. Farthing, Goldstein argued, offered a proposal with pricing that was nearly identical to services at other prisons where PNA had contracts at the time. Goldstein also said Galindo was lying to save himself from a lengthy prison sentence, highlighting variations in two of Galindos five interviews with the feds, some of which were not memorialized with transcripts or recordings. Galindo also pleaded guilty to failure to file his 2013 tax return. Guillermo Contreras covers federal court and immigration news in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | gcontreras@express-news.net | Twitter: @gmaninfedland | Patrick Danner is a San Antonio-based staff writer covering banking and civil courts. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | pdanner@express-news.net | Twitter: @AlamoPD When newly elected District Attorney Joe Gonzales takes office Jan. 1, hell review how to revive a seldom-used cite-and-release program that allows individuals suspected of certain low-level misdemeanors to take a class and pay a fine rather than have an arrest on their record. That is one the district attorney elects first priorities for his first few days in office, he said Wednesday, a day after he soundly defeated Republican Tylden Shaeffer in the election. That has been a pet project of mine, Gonzales said of such a program, which would likely include possession of small amounts of marijuana. I want to know how to do it on a larger scale. Gonzales detailed plan to implement cite and release in Bexar County comes almost a year after current District Attorney Nico LaHood, whom Gonzales defeated in the Democratic primary, announced a plan of his own. On ExpressNews.com: New program treats misdemeanors similar to traffic offenses But LaHoods program was marred by problems from the beginning. Officials with the his office were working to finalize the policy two days before LaHood announced it was available for use, according to records obtained by the San Antonio Express-News. The pilot program was rolled out in partnership with the Bexar County Sheriffs Office first, and within 60 days, the district attorneys office said it intended to provide guidelines to the dozens of other law enforcement agencies in Bexar County so they could use the program, too, if they so chose. But at the end of 60 days, many department heads said they still had not received any guidance regarding the program. In total, 31 citations were issued during the pilot program. On ExpressNews.com: Records show cite and release had rocky beginning Gonzales said Wednesday he needs to speak with LaHoods staff to determine what exactly went wrong, but he suspects it has to do with a lack of guidance from the District Attorneys Office. Gonzales said he has already spoken to San Antonio Police Chief William McManus and Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar about reviving the cite and release program, which they support. He said he intends to reach out to officials with other police agencies in Bexar County to discuss the program with them, too. Said Gonzales: I want to go back in there and say Look, were going to start from scratch. Were going to start anew. Lets work together. Emilie Eaton is a criminal justice reporter in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | eeaton@express-news.net | Twitter: @emilieeaton Candidates should compete on ideas, not on how effectively they block their opponents voters from casting ballots. Normally, in a democracy, this goes without saying. Yet its not so obvious in the United States anymore. From Florida to North Dakota, elected officials seemed to increasingly view this election and all election not as a way to tabulate public preferences, but rather as a tool for forcing their own preferences upon the public. Theyve introduced hundreds of measures making it harder for citizens to vote, using as an excuse the imagined scourge of voter fraud. Such policies include restrictions on voter registration, cuts to early-voting hours, closed polling locations in minority neighborhoods and voter-roll purges. And lately whether because of who holds the White House, or because of the Supreme Courts gutting of the Voting Rights Act the suppression has become especially flagrant. In Georgia, Secretary of State Brian Kemp (R) was overseeing elections while simultaneously running for governor. He stalled 50,000 voter registrations, from black voters disproportionately, for discrepancies with other official records as small as a dropped hyphen in a name. He fought rules giving voters a way to appeal if a bureaucrat throws out their mail-in ballot because of a possible signature mismatch. Then, two days before the election, with zero evidence, Kemp wildly accused Democrats of a failed hacking attempt of the state election system. Certainly there were races where the number of people being blocked from voting this election cycle was larger than the entire margin of victory last time around. But we should care about voter suppression or manipulation policies even if an election result is likely to be unanimous. Efforts to rig the system dilute confidence in the electoral process, and in government more broadly. To that end, here are four big-picture principles which should be nonpartisan for making our democracy work better. 1. You shouldnt be able to count the ballots for a race in which youre running. This seems obvious. Politicians have a huge conflict of interest if they get to decide which polls are open and when, or which ballots seem suspicious. Kemp is hardly the only one to abuse his power this way. A federal court sanctioned Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R), who was also running for governor in his state, multiple times related to unconstitutional election policies. (Kobach recused himself from handling his own primary recount in August but was overseeing his tight general election race Tuesday.) In fact, running elections should not be the job of politicians, period. 2. Voting, and voter registration, should be easy. We have the technology! Thirteen states and the District have already approved automatic voter registration. Its about time that Election Day became a federal holiday, too. 3. Voters should pick their representatives. Representatives should not pick their voters. Neither federal lawmakers nor the Supreme Court seems inclined to do anything to reduce gerrymandering. But around the country, voters have taken action, reflecting widespread public antipathy for the practice. In May, Ohio voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment to require a bipartisan redistricting process. On Tuesday, Colorado, Michigan, Utah and Missouri voted on their own redistricting reform ballot measures. Todays politicians dont know which party will be in charge of redrawing districts in 2021, after the next decennial census. Perhaps risk-averse Democratic and Republican state lawmakers could be persuaded to get on board now, with the fairer redistricting process that the public wants. 4. There should be stronger repercussions when officials try to rig the system. The courts are playing whack-a-mole, striking down laws that unconstitutionally suppress votes; after one law gets blocked, another often pops right up. It sometimes takes months or even years to get a remedy through the courts. Short of getting voted out of office, policymakers responsible for mass disenfranchisement are usually shielded from punishment, too. As a result, theres no real incentive for bad actors to stop suppressing votes. That cost-benefit analysis needs to change by, for instance, making it easier for officials to be held liable for monetary damages if theyve illegally denied someone the right to vote. I get it: Were a divided country. But having good election hygiene is not a liberal or a conservative goal. Its about making sure our democracy remains democratic. crampell@washpost.com Ever since the financial crisis, elected officials have debated the efficacy of financial market stress tests. Consequently, the bank stress tests incorporated in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 are more controversial than ever. Despite the massive accumulation of debt at all levels of government, however, there has been little debate regarding fiscal stress tests for the federal government. Fiscal stress tests have been conducted by the Federal Reserve and the International Monetary Fund. The Federal Reserve study, using simulation analysis of fiscal policy, reveals that in a major recession, the federal government could experience even greater fiscal instability than that during the recent financial crisis. The International Monetary Fund study estimates that in a major recession, the federal governments net asset position could deteriorate by 26 percent of GDP. In short, these stress tests suggest that the greatest threat to fiscal, and financial market, stability is not weakness in the balance sheets of private financial institutions but rather in the growing debt burden and balance sheet of the federal government. Other developed countries have enacted fiscal rules to constrain spending and deficits, and have reduced public debt to sustainable levels. An important part of the fiscal rules enacted in these countries is the incorporation of fiscal stress tests on a continuous basis, using deficit and debt brakes. These countries set a target level for debt consistent with a sustainable fiscal policy in the long run. Spending limits are imposed to achieve the debt targets within a reasonable time frame. Tolerance levels are set for deficits and debt that can trigger more stringent spending constraints in the short term. In other words, the deficit and debt brakes are continuous stress tests, or guardrails, designed to keep fiscal policy from going off-track. With these fiscal rules in place, countries can not only achieve debt targets in the long run but also pursue fiscal stabilization policies in response to financial crisis and other economic shocks. In our research, we simulate similar fiscal rules to estimate their potential impact on deficits and debt in the United States over the next two decades. We find that over this period, with these fiscal rules in place, the United States could balance the budget and reduce debt to sustainable levels. But this would require stringent spending limits that significantly reduce the rate of growth in total spending and virtually freeze discretionary spending. Furthermore, the United States would have to generate an additional $800 billion each year to pay down the debt. In short, there is no way that the United States could achieve a sustainable fiscal policy without fundamental reform in entitlement programs, and downsizing the federal government through privatization and assets sales with the proceeds earmarked for debt reduction. Our simulation analysis with these rules in place estimates the impact of a minor recession on revenue and spending. This stress test reveals that the United States has the fiscal space to pursue fiscal stabilization in response to a minor recession and still reduce debt to a sustainable level by the end of the period. However, this would require more stringent spending constraints and additional savings earmarked for debt reduction. The United States now has little fiscal space to respond to a major recession. Over the past half-century the federal government has continuously incurred deficits, accumulating a debt that now totals more than $21 trillion. Addressing this massive public sector failure will require fundamental reform of our fiscal rules and policies. It will take decades for the federal government to balance the budget and restore a sustainable fiscal policy. The debate in Congress between Republicans and Democrats is whether to cut defense spending or domestic programs. After the failed attempt to reform entitlement programs during the George W. Bush administration, the parties no longer even debate this fundamental driver of the debt. Fiscal stress tests reveal that solving the debt crisis will require all of the above, i.e., effective constraints on all spending, including entitlement programs. If Congress cant even agree on a budget resolution for the next fiscal year, it is not surprising that it wont discuss the essential reforms in fiscal rules and policies required to solve the debt crisis. Perhaps we have passed a tipping point, such that Congress is now incapable of solving the debt crisis. John Merrifield is professor of economics at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Barry Poulson is emeritus professor of economics at the University of Colorado, Boulder. On Nov. 5, 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed a joint resolution passed by Congress that designated November 1988 as National Alzheimers Disease Month. The resolution referred to the two and one-half million Americans affected by Alzheimers disease and the $25 billion annual cost of nursing home admissions. Today, 5.7 million Americans have Alzheimers disease, which costs the nation $277 billion a year. Nearly one-third of our seniors die with a form of dementia, and every 65 seconds, someone in our great nation develops Alzheimers. Texas ranks fourth nationally in the number of Alzheimers cases at 380,000 and is second in Alzheimers-related deaths (9,135 in 2016). Mirroring a national trend, deaths among Texans with Alzheimers rose 180 percent between 2000 and 2015. Hispanics, who account for 40 percent of the states population, have a 30 to 50 percent higher risk of developing Alzheimers. More troubling, this tidal wave is intensifying. Unless effective prevention and cures are discovered, the number of Americans living with Alzheimers disease is expected to nearly triple to 13.8 million by 2050. By that time, Texas families may be assisting 1 million of their loved ones affected by the disease. Earlier this year, I discussed these issues at a meeting of the University of Texas System Board of Regents. Responding to the Alzheimers Tsunami was the theme, which was fitting because we truly face a health care storm of immense proportions. The loss of memories and decision-making skills by those who have Alzheimers is only part of the toll on families. Caregivers who manage their loved ones affairs and daily needs experience untold stress and anxiety. For more than two decades Ive worked as a researcher of dementia, and I am a senior investigator in the Framingham Heart Study. This New England-based study has enrolled three generations of people since 1948. We are learning valuable insights by analyzing the health outcomes of these participants, including associations between heart health and dementia. In December 2017, I joined UT Health San Antonio to serve as the founding director of the new Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimers and Neurodegenerative Diseases. The Biggs Institute, backed by $50 million raised from the San Antonio community, will tackle the Alzheimers challenge from all sides by caring for caregivers, by providing novel therapies in clinical trials, by understanding risk factors in Hispanics, and by identifying molecular signatures of the disease and new pathways to prevent and treat it. The Biggs Institute is an all-out commitment to quelling the rising tsunami. We do it for patients and families, in memory of a great friend to the San Antonio community, Glenn Biggs. Known for his dedication and service to the community, Mr. Biggs was a prominent figure whose leadership influenced economic development across San Antonio. When he was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease, he and his family struggled to find comprehensive care. This search led him to approach UT Health San Antonio President William L. Henrich and many other community leaders to address the need for a comprehensive center dedicated to understanding Alzheimers disease. His vision of a center to transform care and advance discovery is now the Biggs Institute at UT Health San Antonio. Partnering with the community, we at the Biggs Institute will respond to the Alzheimers tsunami by understanding the biology of this complex disease, which will lead us to ways of preventing it and delivering personalized treatment. Our children and grandchildren will be the beneficiaries. Sudha Seshadri, M.D., is professor of neurology at UT Health San Antonio and founding director of the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimers and Neurodegenerative Diseases. Dr. Seshadri holds the Robert R. Barker Distinguished University Chair for the Director of the Institute for Alzheimers and Neurodegenerative Diseases, and the USAA Foundation Presidents Distinguished University Chair in Neurosciences. Longford County Council in partnership with Westmeath County Council is currently developing a scheme for the improvement of the N55 between Ballymahon and Athlone, and this week it has emerged that six route options have been identified. These latest developments will be presented at a public meeting later this month where locals will also be invited to make submissions in respect of matters. ALSO READ: New Ballymahon to Athlone route sparks fears of Center Parcs headache Meanwhile, Cllr Paul Ross (FG) said, that while the scale of the project has become massive, it remains to be seen whether or not the finance will be made available to bring it to fruition. Speaking to the Leader this week, Cllr Ross said the efforts so far have been very badly publicised. We know now there are six different routes and the corridor of interest has narrowed, he added. These are six full length routes and the meeting at the end of the month will allow for the public to make submissions and eventually one route will be chosen. Sean Clancy, assistant engineer with Westmeath Co Council posted on Facebook that no decision on the final route would be made until March of next year. Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and the NRA will still consider any submission that anyone wants to make in regard to each route, he said. However the final selection will be based on economics, minimal disruption, archaeology, geography and ecology. Cllr Ross subsequently told the Leader that while the latest developments are positive, it is the first time since the process began that a full length route has been identified. The important thing now is that everyone will get the opportunity to have their say on the final route and this is very positive, he continued. Im a bit sceptical though about this project, I have to say; it has become so big and we could be a long time waiting for the money to bring it to completion. Meanwhile, Westmeath Co Council said these latest developments are as a direct result of a process that has been going on since as far back as last April. These route options will now undergo further detailed appraisal in order to select the preferred route option, the local authority stated. The announcement of the preferred route is expected in early 2019. Updated drawings are now available to view on our website or in the Westmeath National Roads Office, Culleen Beg, Mullingar, Co Westmeath. The WNRO staff continue to be available to the public to respond to any issues or queries they may have regarding the scheme. Local News, Crime, Business & Finance, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: November 08 2018 Owner and Four Employees of Wego Taxi Tours, Inc. Arrested for Allegedly Stealing Tens of Thousands of Dollars from Medicaid by Illegally Billing for Phony Rides and Paying Off Medicaid Recipients. New York, NY - November 8, 2018 - Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood today announced the arrests of Sadat Khan, 29, Kashif Pervez, 36, Marcus Mathis, 41, Chester Haugabook, 48, and William Medina, 35, all of Niagara Falls, for their roles in an alleged scheme to steal over $50,000 from Medicaid by paying off Medicaid recipients in order to fraudulently bill for transport rides. The Attorney Generals ongoing investigation into Medicaid transit scams dubbed Operation Ghost Ride revealed that Wego Taxi Tours, Inc. submitted claims and received payment from Medicaid for rides that were not provided as claimed. When taxi companies falsely report medical transports, New York taxpayers end up footing the bill, said Attorney General Underwood. My office will not tolerate fraudulent practices that steal Medicaid resources from vulnerable New Yorkers and we will continue to bring scammers to justice. According to the felony complaint, owner of Wego Taxi Tours, Inc. Sadat Khan allegedly obtained approval for Wego to bill Medicaid by falsely representing to Medical Answering Services (MAS), the transportation manager for western New York, that he was the driver for various Medicaid recipients transportation to and from their medical appointments. Some of the recipients for which Wego billed were allegedly not picked up or dropped off; additionally, the false pick up addresses were located substantially farther away from the drop off location than the Medicaid recipients actual pick up addresses would have been. By using false address information, Wego Taxi Tours, Inc. and Khan allegedly stole over $50,000 from Medicaid by billing for and receiving higher monetary reimbursement for increased mileage than they would have been entitled to had they provided accurate address information. Wegos corporate secretary Kashif Pervez was charged as a co-defendant for allegedly engaging in the same fraudulent criminal scheme of attesting to MAS that he drove recipients from fraudulent addresses. Khan and Pervez were each charged in Niagara Falls City Court with one count of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class C felony, and one count of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, a class E felony. If convicted of the most serious charge, Khan and Pervez face between 5 and 15 years in prison. In separate felony complaints, Wego Taxi Tours, Inc.s drivers Marcus Mathis, Chester Haugabook, and William Medina were charged with allegedly paying Medicaid recipients to call MAS at their behest to change their pick up location to a different fraudulent address. The three drivers each allegedly then caused Wego to fraudulently bill Medicaid in excess of $7,500 for transportation from the new pick up locations for medical appointments when, in fact, these transport rides were never provided. All three defendants were charged with one count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a class D felony, and one count of Medicaid Assistance Provider Prohibited Practices, a class E felony, If convicted of the most serious charge, Mathis, Haugabook, and Medina face between 2 1/3 and 7 years in prison. The charges are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. The Attorney General thanks the United States Marshals Service and the Niagara Falls Police Department for their assistance in this matter. The investigation by the New York State Attorney Generals Medicaid Fraud Control Unit was conducted by Investigator Jaimie Krzyskoski, under the supervision of Supervising Investigator James Zablonski, Senior Auditor-Investigator Mary Henry, and Regional Chief Auditor Frank Zeffiro. William Falk is MFCUs Deputy Chief Investigator-Upstate. Local News, Crime, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: November 08 2018 Defendants Allegedly Trafficked Narcotics throughout Long Island & New York City. Hauppauge, NY - November 8, 2018 - Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy D. Sini was joined by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Nassau County Police Department, and the Long Island Heroin Task Force, comprising officers from the Suffolk County Police Department, Nassau County Police Department, New York State Police and Homeland Security Investigations, to announce the indictment of 19 individuals in connection with an alleged narcotics distribution ring operating in Suffolk and Nassau Counties and in New York City. These defendants, like all drug dealers, were just out to make a profit with no regard for human life, District Attorney Sini said. They poisoned our communities with every gram of narcotics they sold. It is clear that the world of drug dealing on Long Island is without borders, which is why the sharing of intelligence among the various law enforcement agencies, like the collaboration that made this investigation possible, is critical. All 19 co-defendants on the indictment are charged with one count of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a B felony. The following 14 defendants are in custody: Sheron Davis a/k/a Money Ron, 31, of Baldwin Charles Davis a/k/a Rock, 27, of Hempstead Calvin Honegan a/k/a .40 Caliber, 30, of Freeport David Ortiz a/k/a Big Poppy, 30, of Rockville Centre Katie Gallagher, 28, of Wantagh Shawn Daniels, 34, of Hempstead; Quamel Key a/k/a Qua a/k/a Reckless, 27, of Hempstead; Jhakim Marson a/k/a Mula, 25, of Hempstead; Jeremy McFarland a/k/a Germ, 30, of Baldwin; Tyrik Reese a/k/a Freak, 29, of Freeport; Russell Neiderman, 32, of Freeport; Cesar Julio Diaz Bautista, 31, of Freeport; Gerard Lombardo a/k/a Bones, 27, of Farmingdale Taiquan Cullum a/k/a Ta Ta, 29, of Hempstead. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of eight and one-third to 25 years in prison. The multi-agency investigation, dubbed Operation Moneygram, into the defendants alleged narcotics trafficking began in October of 2017 with a focus on Sheron Davis. Davis is alleged to have supplied drugs to dealers linked to heroin overdoses in both counties, including two in Suffolk County and one in Nassau County that resulted in death. To date, the investigation has resulted in the seizure of more than 425 grams of heroin, or approximately 15,000 individual doses of heroin, which has a street value of approximately $150,000. The alleged narcotics distribution ring was operational throughout Long Island and New York City and sold heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, opioid pills and other controlled substances. They also manufactured narcotics for distribution, including cooking crack cocaine and pressing pills, which are counterfeit opioids made of dangerous and lethal controlled substances crafted to look like pharmaceutically manufactured pills, District Attorney Sini said. Several of the defendants, including Sheron Davis, have been identified by law enforcement as members of the Nine Trey Gangsters set of the Bloods street gang. The investigation involved the use of electronic and physical surveillance. On Nov. 5, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at five locations in connection with the alleged drug operation, including residences in Baldwin, Hempstead and Freeport. The search warrants resulted in the seizure of cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, various cutting agents, assorted pills, a hydraulic kilo press, numerous digital scales, packaging materials, approximately $4,000 United States Currency, blenders containing narcotics, and sophisticated counter-surveillance equipment. Law enforcement officers also seized a loaded .45 caliber pistol, a .38 caliber revolver, and two .9 mm magazines and assorted ammunition. Investigators also seized a 2018 Toyota Camry belonging to Diaz Bautista that was outfitted with two electronic traps, or secret compartments commonly used for covert drug trafficking. They also seized two BMWs used in the commission of narcotics transactions. DEAs Heroin Enforcement Team investigations quickly and efficiently identify drug traffickers at all levels in order to shut down their operations and save lives, said Keith G. Kruskall, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEAs New York Division. This week we arrested a group of violent drug offenders who were threats to public health and public safety. Law enforcements collaborative effort is tantamount to communities educational efforts to inform the public of the dangers of drug abuse while putting those responsible in jail. ATF stands committed to working with all of its state, local and federal partners to curb the spread of illegal narcotics and the death and violence it brings to our communities. I would like to thank all of our law enforcement partners for their collaboration and communication that made this case possible. I would also like to thank the District Attorneys office for their work in prosecuting the case, said Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of ATFs New York Field Division. The 19 indictments that were announced through Operation Money Gram is another clear example of how this multi-jurisdictional investigation by the Long Island Heroin Task Force and other agencies are tackling criminal activity on Long Island, said Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder. Law enforcement arrested gang members, removed large amounts of illegal drugs from our streets and confiscated illegal weapons, thus keeping our residents safe. Through the combined efforts of these investigative agencies, we will continue to remove these criminals from our communities and I congratulate all on a job well done. The collaborative efforts of these agencies brought a successful end to a narcotics distribution ring operating on Long Island and New York City, said Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart. The Suffolk County Police Department is committed to pursuing traffickers and ridding our communities of drug supply. It is imperative that these dealers are brought to justice as they are spreading poison and ruining the lives of those who are addicted as well as their families. I would like to thank the investigators involved in Operation Moneygram as their dedicated work is certainly saving lives as well as the Suffolk County District Attorneys Office for their dedication in prosecuting these individuals. The Hempstead Village Police Department also assisted in the investigation and arrests. This case is being prosecuted by Bureau Chief Christiana McSloy and Assistant District Attorney Erin Cho, of the Enhanced Prosecution Bureau. This weekend saw the annual, national school of Revolution, the Swedish section of the International Marxist Tendency, which took place in Gothenburg. Over 90 enthusiastic revolutionaries from all over the country gathered to prepare for a rise in the class struggle in the coming period, which will offer great possibilities for Marxists. The weekend was packed with exciting sessions. Topics like Class struggle and the emancipation of Women, Marxism and art and Imperialism aroused great interest. This school was the biggest so far for Revolution, with participants from all over Sweden: Gothenburg, Stockholm, Malmo, Umea, Lund, Halmstad, Helsingborg, Skovde, Jonkoping, Ljungby, Trelleborg and Linkoping. The mood of enthusiasm and optimism was noticeable both during the sessions and in the breaks, which were all filled with lively discussions. The thirst for Marxist theory could be seen in the record-breaking sales on the bookstall. This shows the enthusiasm and fighting spirit of everyone who participated. Yet more proof of this was the collection on Saturday, when the comrades together contributed over 6,500 euros to the building of the International Marxist Tendency. The hall was filled with knowledge-hungry revolutionaries / Image: Revolution The German Revolution Rob Sewell, editor of the British Marxist paper, Socialist Appeal, has just published a new book on the German revolution: Germany 19181933 Socialism or Barbarism. As part of launching the book, he was invited to a rainy Gothenburg. He explained how the working class came very close to taking power in Germany, and only failed due to the betrayals and mistakes of their own leaders. Rob Sewell explaining that what we are discussing is not history, but how we are going to change society today / Image: Revolution In a rousing speech, Rob Sewell not only explained the historic events, but also showed how they are relevant today. For Marxists, the study of history does not arise out of academic interest, but is a necessary part in preparing for future struggles and revolutions. It is our duty to learn the lessons in order not to be doomed to repeat history and the mistakes of past generations. This was met by enthusiastic approval and a lively discussion. The Finnish Revolution, imperialism and Karl Marx One revolution we dont hear much about is the Finnish revolution of 1917-1918, which also celebrates its centenary this year. For the discussion on this very important event in the Nordic working class history, we focused on the most important lessons. Namely: the incapability of reformism and its inherent betrayals, and the importance of having a revolutionary leadership that is prepared to go all the way to complete the revolution. The Finnish Revolution shows us how brutal the ruling class can be when it comes to defending capitalism, but also how the working class is prepared to make great sacrifices to change society during a revolution. The struggle of the Finnish working class is a legacy that Marxists today must learn from. On Sunday, one of the sessions was on imperialism, where Niklas Albin Svensson explained how the early, competition capitalism has been replaced with monopoly capitalism, in which the world economy is dominated by a few hundred multinational companies. The competition between companies has been replaced with competition between countries, and the majority of humanity is being held in poverty and misery by a shrinking and ever-richer, imperialist bourgeoisie. Victor Madsen gave a leadoff on the life and ideas of Karl Marx, which are more relevant now than ever. He explained how Marx and Engels developed socialism from a utopian idea to a science. As Victor explained: The only utopia is the faith in the capitalist system. Attendees listened carefully to the discussions / Image: Revolution There has never been a better time to be a Marxist Stefan Kangas summarised the weekend in a rousing speech, emphasising the need to organise for a socialist revolution. Since the crash of 2008, we have seen attacks on the working class all over the world. It is the system of the ruling class that has caused the crisis, but it is the working class that is forced to pay for it with austerity and falling living standards. Today, 10 years after the beginning of the financial crisis, nothing has gotten better. On the contrary, a new and even deeper crisis, that will shake the world economically, politically and socially, is on our doorstep. This situation has created a new generation of revolutionary youth, not least in countries like the USA, where 58 percent of so-called millennials prefer socialism over capitalism. The Russian Revolution of 1917 proves that the working class can take power and run society, provided there is a revolutionary leadership that has embraced the important historical lessons and the methods and ideas of Marxism. The Russian workers had the Bolshevik Party and could only succeed because of this. Both the Finnish and the German revolutions, by contrast, were crushed due to betrayals and errors. But what all revolutions have in common is the spirit of self-sacrifice expressed by the masses. When the workers move to change society, nothing can stop them. The working class has never been larger or stronger. Capitalism has never had a deeper crisis. Capitalism means horror without end war, environmental destruction, exploitation, oppression, misery and suffering, and only the socialist revolution can offer a solution and liberate humanity. The bookstall sold more than ever / Image: Revolution Milestone for the Swedish Marxists The IMT is a small but fast-growing tendency within the international working class movement. There has never been a better time to be a Marxist. Several attendants of the school have already decided to join us in the struggle for socialism. The whole weekend was filled with revolutionary optimism. It was a milestone in the building of the Marxist tendency in Sweden and shows how Revolution and the IMT are growing and evolving. More and more people are joining, which reveals a thirst for our explanations. It is impossible to achieve great things alone, but when we organise, our efforts are combined and directed. The challenge now is to use everything we have learned during the weekends discussions to build the revolutionary forces of Marxism both in Sweden and internationally. Made in Massachusetts is an ongoing feature taking you inside the products made right here in the Bay State and the people who make them. __________ Down a series of winding dirt roads in the Plymouth County town of Wareham sit a cluster of picturesque cranberry bogs, filled with circles of bobbing red fruit ready for the fall harvest. On a recent fall afternoon, crews at A.D. Makepeace Company used mechanical pickers to pull the berries from their vines and flooded the bogs with water to bring the fruit to the surface, corralling the fruit and pumping it into tractor-trailers destined for an Ocean Spray processing facility where they will become jellied cranberry sauce, juice concentrate or dried cranberries. A.D. Makepeace has been harvesting in Southeastern Massachusetts since the 1800s, currently operating about 2,000 acres of cranberry bogs in the towns of Carver, Middleborough, Plymouth, Rochester and Wareham. Founded by Abel D. Makepeace in 1854, the company was the first to cultivate cranberries on a large scale and created the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers' Association in 1888. Four decades later, Makepeace's grandson, John C. Makepeace, founded the Ocean Spray Cranberry Co. with Marcus Urann and Elizabeth Lee. Today, A.D. Makepeace Company is Ocean Spray's largest owner-grower and one of about 375 growers in the state. "To be a cranberry farmer you have to wear a lot of different hats. You have to be a horticulturalist, an amateur mechanic, an advanced mechanic if you have it in you -- I don't - you have to be a meteorologist, definitely, an entomologist, too," said Cranberry Foreman Alex Manchester, who has been working for the company since 2011. "There's plenty of life out here besides cranberries." Every autumn from mid-September to mid-November, cranberries reach their peak of color and flavor and are ready for harvest. Along with the blueberry and the Concord grape, cranberries are one of North America's three native fruits that are commercially grown. Cranberries are harvested in the fall, but growing the fruit is a year-round affair. "The cranberry begins its life as a cranberry bud on the end of that fruiting cranberry upright. Bud development happens in the month of August, so even though we're harvesting the cranberry currently, that bud for next year is there," Manchester said. That bud will begin to grow toward the middle of April and into May, becoming a pinkish pod that will open into a pinkish-white flower. "That flower is said to resemble the head of a crane, that's where we believe the word 'cranberry' came from," Manchester said. "If that flower is visited four or so times by a honey bee, a bumble bee or a native pollinator, it will take full pollination. The pedals will fall off and it will start as a little green cranberry which will enlarge through September." The September sun reddens the top of the cranberry and October's cool mornings and evenings will finish the pigmentation, turning the berry a deep red color. "Taste wise, the white cranberries taste the same as the red cranberries and the same is true for baking," Manchester explained. "You don't necessarily have to throw away your white cranberries." To prepare the fruit for harvest, the bogs are flooded with a few inches of water and mechanical pickers drive in circles, loosening the berries from the vines. Then, the water level is elevated waist-deep using a lock system, allowing the hollow berries to bob to the surface. Workers corral the cranberries using a material similar to life preservers and then pull the fruit toward an open-mouth vacuum using aluminum rakes. The cranberries are pumped onto tractor trailers bound for the Ocean Spray Fruit Processing Cooperative, where they're tested and dumped onto a water conveyer and frozen for storage. A small amount of A.D. Makepeace's crop - just under 10 percent - is dry-harvested, meaning no water is used. That fruit is sold as whole, fresh berries. Now a Thanksgiving staple, cranberries were used for thousands of years before the first European settlers arrived in North America. The Wampanoag people of southeastern Massachusetts have enjoyed the annual harvest of wild cranberries for 12,000 years, eating fresh berries, using them as fabric dyes or drying them to make "pemmican" - a mixture of berries, dried meat and animal fat that could last for months. Commercial cultivation of the cranberry began in 1816 when Revolutionary War veteran Capt. Henry Hall noticed that the wild cranberries in his bogs grew better when sand blew over them. He began transplanting cranberry vines and spreading sand on them, and when news of his successful technique spread, the number of commercial growers increased steadily. Today, the cranberry is recognized as Massachusetts' state berry and the state ranks second in the nation in cranberry production with more than 14,000 acres in production. For Manchester, the variety is one of the best parts of the job. "As you're bringing a crop throughout the growing year, all the different tasks and the conversations we have around them change every six weeks or so, so it keeps you fresh and interested. There's a lot of different avenues to go down with it," he said. "If you have a wide variety of interests, I think it can be a wonderful and fulfilling career." LONGMEADOW -- Big Y Foods Inc. on Thursday celebrated completed renovations and expansion at its store at 802 Williams St. with a cake cutting and donations to schools in town. "It was a long time coming," said Big Y President and chief operating officer Charles L. D'Amour. Construction began in April following months of regulatory approvals. Big Y kept the store open during construction. "It's not easy to stay open during construction," D'Amour said. "We'd like to thank our customers and the staff for making it work. We feel our responsibility to stay open. We're the central market for the town. We have a pharmacy here." D'Amour pointed out the new LED lighting and energy-efficient refrigerator and freezer cases. The store was built out to about 23,000 square feet of selling space from 20,000 and totals 29,000 square feet including basement-level storage. Larger Big Y stores, like the Wilbraham location, have 55,000 square feet of total space, and the average is in the 40s, said Vice President of Corporate Communications Claire D'Amour-Daley. The Longmeadow store has all the amenities, though, including a pharmacy, bakery, deli, florist, coffee station and small dining area. "We've gotten better at squeezing and moving things so we can fit them together," she said. She said the Longmeadow store has expanded kosher deli and butcher foods. The store has 147 employees. It's open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday to Saturday, and 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays. D'Amour said Big Y is building and stocking stores now with a focus on fresh and locally grown or locally produced products and ready-to-eat or prepared meals. "That's what our customers expect. They expect to come into one of our stores and find food in all stages of preparation," he said. That includes ingredients, ready-to-eat entrees and sides and the new Ready. Chef. Go! meals where Big Y puts its proteins and other ingredients in a bag that can be microwaved, baked or grilled at home for an easy meal. The Longmeadow location was built in 1961 as part of another supermarket chain. Big Y took it over in 1972. The most recent renovation before this one was in 2011. Big Y once shared the building with other retailers. It delayed renovations to allow Alex's Bagel Shop time to move to a new Route 5 location. Brightwood Hardware, which also once shared the building, was sold to Pittsfield's Carr Hardware and moved to a new building just south of the state line at 481 Enfield St., Enfield, Connecticut. Today, Big Y shares the location only with a Big Y Express gas station and convenience store across the parking lot from the supermarket. Springfield-based Big Y operates 80 locations throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut including 70 supermarkets, 39 pharmacies, Fresh Acres Market, Table & Vine Fine Wines and Liquors and 8 Big Y Express gas and convenience locations with over 11,000 employees. Expansion plans include a new from-the-ground-up store in Marlborough, Connecticut, that Big Y hopes to open soon. In 2019, Massachusetts law will allow Big Y to take on two new liquor licenses under rules for how many liquor licenses can be held under the same ownership. Charles D'Amour said the company is still considering where it will use those new licenses. Brothers Paul and Gerald D'Amour, Charles and Claire's uncle and father, founded the store in 1936 and named it after an intersection in Chicopee where two roads converge to form a "Y." A funeral Mass was held Thursday for Boston gangster James "Whitey" Bulger, the Boston Archdiocese said. The Mass was held inside St. Monica's Church, in the city's South Boston neighborhood. The body was present. There were no details available on the private burial. According to the Boston Globe and Herald, Bulger's brother, former state Senate President Bill Bulger, was among the attendees of the Mass. Margaret McCusker, who is the twin sister of Catherine Greig, Bulger's girlfriend, also attended. Authorities are investigating James Bulger's death after he was found beaten in his prison cell. "At the request of and out of pastoral care for the Bulger family, I offered a Mass today at St. Monica Church in Boston for James Bulger," Father James Flavin, pastor of St. Monica/St. Augustine Church, said in a statement released by the Archdiocese. "Out of respect for the family and those who were hurt, it was a private service just for the immediate family," he added. "The Church is a spiritual home for any person or family seeking God's Wisdom and peace in a time of crisis and grief." The statement continued: "The Church is certainly aware of the deep pain that innocent victims of crime and violence live with every day. Whenever we celebrate Mass we remember in prayer all victims of violence." Final judgment rests with God, Flavin's statement said. No one told Ceridwyn Carlton why the campus was in lockdown. Was it a drill? Was it not a drill? Sitting in a classroom with the lights turned off with her instructor and classmates, Carlton, a student at Greenfield Community College could only imagine the worst. "I texted my family and friends," she said. "I told them I didn't know what was happening, I didn't know what was happening, and I told them that I loved them." Greenfield Community College was locked down briefly on Thursday after a phone call was made to Brattleboro, Vermont, police at 11:21 a.m. that threatened violence on campus. According to a statement by campus police, the lockdown was made "out of an abundance of caution." State police said they were notified of the emergency at around 11:30 a.m. Classes were cancelled, no one was allowed to enter the campus, and no one on campus was allowed to leave. The lockdown was lifted roughly an hour later, but classes remained cancelled for the day. While the emergency was short lived and was ultimately a false alarm. Carlton, some 40 minutes, later said she was still shaken up by the ordeal. The word she used to describe how she felt was "traumatized." "I know that even in a small town, you're not 100 percent safe," she said. "But this is definitely giving me a lot more anxiety." She also said she was angry about how the college handled the situation and how she and her students were literally left in the dark. In the event of emergencies on campus, students are supposed to get a text alert that describes what is happening and for people to take action. The course instructor is also supposed to get an email relaying the same information. "None of that happened," she said. According to the college website, Greenfield Community College uses an emergency alert system that is supposed to notify all students, faculty and staff of emergencies. Alerts are sent by phone, text and emails. Alerts are sent "during actual emergencies such as,but not limited to, dangerous weather approaching, bomb threats and suspicious packages, and incidents that threaten the safety of the community." The campus statement notes that campus Public Safety issued an emergency alert for everyone to shelter in place until further notice. Carlton said she never received any alert, and neither did anyone else in the class. Carlton said the class first learned of it when someone entered the classroom and talked briefly to the instructor. The instructor then turned off the lights, closed the door and had everyone assemble quietly in the front of the room, like they were supposed to do. "No one knew what was going on," she said. Everyone was under the impression that it was some kind of a drill because they could hear talking in the classroom lecture next door, and people were still walking up and down the halls. She said it wasn't until she texted her mother about what was happening and her mother called Greenfield police. "My mom texted me back and said 'It's not a drill." She showed the text to the instructor and the class. After that things got serious really quickly. While they sat quietly in the dark, they could still hear the lecture next door. After about an hour, they heard the next class adjourn and begin to file out of the classroom. Her instructor went into the hallway to ask, and when he came back he said the lockdown was over and everyone could leave. There was still no text alert notification from Public Safety that the lockdown was over, she said. "They didn't know we were in there," she said. If the instructor hadn't gone to investigate, there's a chance they would still be sitting there in the dark, she said. "It's (expletive deleted) how they dealt with it," she said. "I felt everyone should have gotten the message. The fact that they didn't is ridiculous." A law enforcement official says authorities have identified the gunman and weapon he used to kill a dozen people and himself at bar in California. The shooter has been identified as Ian David Long, a 28-year-old man known to police. Law enforcement says he used a .45-caliber handgun when he opened fire inside the Borderline Bar & Grill late Wednesday in Thousand Oaks, north of Los Angeles. Witnesses reported he deployed a smoke device in the shooting, a detail that has yet to be confirmed by police. "We have no idea what the motive was at this point," Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said during a news conference early Thursday morning, saying it is not believed to be a random attack. The handgun was purchased legally by Long, law enforcement says. It is believed he walked in and fired first at employees, Dean said. Authorities and witnesses say the gunman wore dark clothing and didn't say anything as he fired inside the bar. Hundreds of people fled, some breaking windows and jumping out of second-floor windows to escape. He opened fire on a crowd at a country dance bar holding a weekly "college night" Wednesday night. The mass shooting killed 13 people, including the gunman, and sent hundreds fleeing in terror. The gunman was later found dead at the scene. Patrons screamed in fear, shouted "Get down!" and used barstools to smash second-floor windows and jump to safety as gunfire erupted at the Borderline Bar & Grill, a hangout popular with students from nearby California Lutheran University. The dead included 11 people inside the bar and a sheriff's sergeant who was the first officer inside the door, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said. "It's a horrific scene in there," Dean said in the parking lot. "There's blood everywhere." It was the deadliest mass shooting in the U.S. since 17 students and teachers were killed at a Parkland, Florida, high school nine months ago. It also came less than two weeks after a gunman massacred 11 people at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. That, in turn, closely followed the series of pipe bombs mailed to critics of President Donald Trump. The President praised police for their "great bravery" in the California attack and said, "God bless all of the victims and families of the victims." The gunman was tall and wearing all black with a hood and his face partly covered, witnesses told TV stations. He first fired on a person working the door, then appeared to shoot at random at people inside, they said. "I dropped to the floor," Sarah Rose DeSon told ABC's "Good Morning America." ''A friend yelled, 'Everybody down!' We were hiding behind tables trying to keep ourselves covered." Sheriff's Sgt. Ron Helus and a passing highway patrolman arrived at the Borderline around 11:20 p.m. in response to several 911 calls, heard gunfire and went inside, the sheriff said. Helus was immediately hit with multiple gunshots, Dean said. The highway patrolman pulled Helus out, then waited as a SWAT team and scores more officers arrived. Helus died early Thursday at a hospital. By the time they entered the bar again, the gunfire had stopped, according to the sheriff. They found 12 people dead inside, including the gunman. It was not immediately clear how he died, Dean said. Shootings of any kind are extremely rare in Thousand Oaks, a city of about 130,000 people about 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of Los Angeles, just across the county line. The shooting happened on college night at the Borderline, which according to its website was offering lessons in country two-step dancing Wednesday. The bar, which includes a large dance hall with a stage and a pool room along with several smaller areas for eating and drinking, is also close to several other universities, including California State University Channel Islands in Camarillo, Pepperdine University in Malibu and Moorpark College in Moorpark. Nick Steinwender, Cal Lutheran student body president, told KTLA-TV he immediately started receiving messages about the shooting, and he and his roommate went to the scene to offer rides back to campus or moral support. "It's going to be a very somber day," Steinwender said. "I know we don't have all the details in yet, but you know, it just feels like it's an attack on our community. You know, I think it's going to be something that we're going to have to come together and move past." When the gunman entered, people screamed and fled to all corners of the bar, and a few threw barstools through the windows and helped dozens to escape, witnesses said. Video accessed by the AP showed law enforcement officers and vehicles speeding to the scene and people running from the bar. Rapid-fire gunshots could be heard as officers crouched behind a police vehicle, weapons drawn. Three people were seen carrying someone, and paramedics applied bandages to the man, who had blood on his back. Cole Knapp, a freshman at Moorpark College, said he was inside the bar when the shooting began, but he thought at first that it was "just someone with an M-80, just kind of playing a prank." Then he said he saw the gunman, wearing a small black head covering and black hoodie and holding a handgun. "I tried to get as many people to cover as I could," Knapp said. "There was an exit right next to me, so I went through that. That exit leads to a patio where people smoke. People out there didn't really know what was going on. There's a fence right there so I said, 'Everyone get over the fence as quickly as you can,' and I followed them over." He said a highway patrol officer who happened to be pulling someone over was nearby. "I screamed to him, 'There's a shooter in there!' He was kind of in disbelief, then saw that I was serious," Knapp said. He said he had friends who hadn't been accounted for. Tayler Whitler, 19, said she was on the dance floor with her friends nearby when she saw the gunman shooting and heard screams of "Get down!" "It was really, really, really shocking," Whitler told KABC-TV as she stood with her father in the parking lot. "It looked like he knew what he was doing." The slain sheriff's officer was a 29-year veteran of the force with a wife and son and planned to retire in the coming year, said the sheriff, who choked back tears as he talked about the sergeant who was also his longtime friend. "Ron was a hardworking, dedicated sheriff's sergeant who was totally committed," Dean said, "and tonight, as I told his wife, he died a hero because he went in to save lives." GREENFIELD - A lockdown that went into effect at Greenfield Community College Thursday morning, apparently based on a telephone threat, has been lifted, officials said. The college tweeted about 12:30 p.m. that the lockdown has been lifted, however, classes have been cancelled for the rest of the day. Lt. Thomas Ryan, spokesman for Massachusetts Police, said he believes the lockdown was prompted by a telephone threat. State police were notified of the threat at approximately 11:30 a.m. Greenfield Community College, on its website, reported that the Brattleboro Police Department notified it Public Safety Office of a potential threat to the One College Drive campus. Here's the notice in its entirety: "At 11:21am today, GCC Public Safety was notified by the Brattleboro Police Department of a potential threat to the One College Drive campus. Out of an abundance of caution, Public Safety issued an emergency alert to students and staff to shelter in place until further notice. In consultation with state and local police, the lockdown has since been lifted. However, all classes are cancelled and all buildings in Greenfield are closed. We thank GCC Public Safety, the Greenfield Police Department and Massachusetts State Police for their rapid response." Greenfield police could not immediately be reached for comment. Liberal activists have planned rallies in over 40 different communities across Massachusetts to protest President Trump's recent decision to replace Rod Rosenstein as head of the Russia investigation. In a controversial move, Trump fired Attorney General Jeff Sessions Wednesday, replacing him with acting AG Matthew Whitaker. As a result, Whitaker is expected to replace deputy AG Rosenstein as the head of the investigation into Russia's meddling in U.S. elections. Critics of Rosenstein's dismissal have suggested it is a way for the President to subvert investigation into potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian agents during the 2016 campaign. Activists paint his replacement, Whitaker, as "a partisan loyalist who has publicly stated his hatred for Mueller" and has called the investigation a "witch hunt," as one activist group in Northampton put it. Whitaker previously served in the U.S. Justice Department during the George W. Bush administration. Before his recent appointment Whitaker called for a limiting of the scope of the Russia probe, even writing an op-ed for CNN that argued the investigation was "going too far." We are pleased to announce that Matthew G. Whitaker, Chief of Staff to Attorney General Jeff Sessions at the Department of Justice, will become our new Acting Attorney General of the United States. He will serve our Country well.... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 7, 2018 Now a coalition of progressive political organizations have organized the "Nobody is Above the Law" rallies -- a mass political action designed to protest Trump's recent decision. The groups in the coalition include left organizations Indivisible, Common Cause, the Women's March, and Moveon.org. Moveon.org, a political action committee that left organizers typically use to promote activism, is spreading the word about the protests through its website. Protests have been planned across the Commonwealth, including a number of Western Massachusetts communities like Springfield, Belchertown, Northampton, Amherst, and Greenfield. Most are scheduled for Thursday. The point of the protests is to ensure that "Whitaker immediately commit not to assume supervision of the investigation," or recuse himself from it, as former AG Sessions did. However, the Washington Post has reported that Whitaker "has no intention of recusing himself." The coalition of groups said Thursday that the President had compromised the investigation by replacing Rosenstein: Donald Trump has installed a crony to oversee the special counsel's Trump-Russia investigation, crossing a red line set to protect the investigation. By replacing Rod Rosenstein with just-named Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker as special counsel Robert Mueller's boss on the investigation, Trump has undercut the independence of the investigation. Similarly, organizers for a Northampton rally scheduled for Saturday called Trump's recent move a "constitutional crisis for our country." "It demands an immediate and unequivocal response to show that we will not tolerate abuse of power from Donald Trump," the group said. "This is our moment to stand up to protect our democracy. Let's mobilize to show that we won't let Donald Trump become the authoritarian that he aspires to be." The Russia investigation was formed in May of 2017 after U.S. intelligence agencies released a report suggesting that Russia had meddled in the 2016 U.S. Presidential election. The investigation includes a probe of possible collusion between the Trump campaign and foreign powers, such as Russia. Rosenstein's tenure with the investigation came with some amount of controversy, including a New York Times report that suggested he considered taping conversations between himself and Trump, as well as invoking the 25th amendment to remove the President from office. Rosenstein denied the allegations. For a complete list of the rallies and protests in Massachusetts, readers can visit Moveon.org. SPRINGFIELD -- City councilors sharply criticized a New York-based developer Wednesday after city inspectors halted work for the second time on the SilverBrick Square housing project for alleged plumbing violations. Council President Orlando Ramos said he believes that after two stop orders on the project in the past month, it is time to begin revocation of local tax incentives previously granted by the council to the developer, SilverBrick Group LLC. "I have contacted the Law Department to begin the process of immediate revocation of the existing tax break for Silverbrick LLC," Ramos said. Councilors Jesse Lederman and Adam Gomez joined in criticizing the developer, with the comments following a statement by Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, who pledged a city investigation and "appropriate sanctions." "This is total BS and it's unacceptable," Sarno said. Ramos said it was made clear to SilverBrick officials at an October meeting that the alleged plumbing issues uncovered then, including use of unlicensed plumbers and alleged substandard materials, would not be tolerated. Ramos said it was made clear that if such an incident or similar incident was to occur again, that he personally would ask for immediate revocation of tax breaks. "They've had plenty of warnings and it's time to revoke the tax break," Ramos said. Aaron J. Papowitz, founder and managing principal for the SilverBrick Group, was contacted by The Republican, but did not provide comments on behalf of the company. In the latest stop order, Code Enforcement Commissioner Steven Desilets said the improper plumbing work included unlicensed workers and sealing off work without inspections. While the October order just halted plumbing work temporarily until a new plumber was hired, the latest order stopped all work because there was other work also sealed off without city inspections, he said. Lederman and Gomez are calling for a committee hearing for councilors to be briefed about the latest code violations and for a full review of the tax incentive agreement with the city's Board of Assessors, economic development director and Law Department. The property tax incentive will save SilverBrick Group a total of $150,000 over a 10-year period on the new development valuation, not the valuation of when purchased by SilverBrick last year. "This appears to be continued flagrant disregard for our building code," Lederman said. ""Frankly, I am appalled that we need to call a second oversight meeting in less than one month related to this project. The administration should initiate a full review immediately." Gomez said the developer had promised in October that issues would be fixed. "This seems to be complete disregard to the seriousness of what officials asked this developer," Gomez said. "I stand firm that I can't trust their word or even believe they want to do good by the City of Springfield. This is strike two and this has to be the last straw." Gomez, who is chairman of the Economic Development Committee, said a meeting will be scheduled to discuss the most recent violations as soon as possible. The Most Extensive and Reliable Source of Information Related to the Mexican Drugs Cartels. You will not find this level of coverage anywhere else, join us! Send information, pictures or videos, you remain 100% anonymous. Envia fotos, videos, notas, enlaces o informacion todo 100% Anonimo. Want to be a contributor or citizen reporter for Borderland Beat? We love to have you in our team, send Sol Prendido or HEARST an email! WARNING: Posts may contain strong violent material, discretion is advised. COMMENTS: We do not publish all comments, and we do not publish comments immediately. SPRINGFIELD -- City officials, veterans and police crowded a City Hall meeting room Wednesday to honor Officer Jose L. Feliciano as the 2018 veteran of the year and Todd Crevier as 2018 Veterans Day Parade marshal, praising both for their service to their country and community. Charly Lawrence, chairwoman of the Springfield Veterans Activities Committee, in presenting the Veteran of the Year Award to Feliciano, described him as having "community volunteerism off the charts." Mayor Domenic J. Sarno issued mayoral citations to both men, saying they are humble and genuine "in their DNA, and their families' DNA." Both men will lead the Veterans Day Parade on Sunday, beginning at 11 a.m. at Springfield Technical Community College on Federal Street and ending with a ceremony at Court Square. The Veterans Activities Committee and and Springfield Department of Veterans' Services sponsor the Veteran of the Year Award, which is given to a Springfield resident who is a veteran and continuously volunteers his or her personal time to better the community and never asks for recognition, Lawrence said. The parade marshal is an individual "who strives to increase the quality of life for our community's veterans through their personal and professional work," Lawrence said. The Massachusetts Senate and House of Representatives and the City Council also issued citations to Feliciano. Councilors Adam Gomez, Kateri Walsh and Timothy Allen took part in Wednesday's ceremony, also congratulating Crevier. Feliciano said it was a great honor to be chosen for the award, and said he proudly accepts it on behalf of all veterans. Feliciano enlisted in U.S. Army in 1984 and served for 27 years, including service with the Army National Guard, before his retirement in 2011. He has been a Springfield police officer since 1995. Crevier also served in the Army. He was praised for supporting veterans and their families, including efforts by his nonprofit organization, New England Adventures. Update: Springfield Public Schools now say that Corbeil will no longer be employed by the district as of November 9, 2018. A facilities worker for Springfield's public schools has been accused of soliciting sex from a minor. Raymond Corbeil, a 48-year-old Springfield resident, is facing a count of enticing sex from a child under the age of 16. He was charged following a report from the concerned parents of an East Longmeadow 11-year-old boy that led police to discover explicit conversations with Corbeil on the boy's cell phone, according to a criminal complaint. Two other men -- 19-year-old Nathaniel Paulo of Longmeadow and 67-year-old Springfield resident Kenneth Gullotti -- were also charged in connection with the investigation. Paulo is facing nine counts of distributing obscene matter to a minor and Gullotti is facing two counts of kidnapping of a child and two counts of enticing sex from a child under 16. On Oct. 10, East Longmeadow Police Det. Michael Ingalls met with the parents of the boy, who told Ingalls they had discovered two gay social network applications on their son's phone. "Upon looking through their son's profile on the application Hornet it was found he was in multiple conversations with adult males, some sharing pornographic photos of themselves with the young 11-year-old male and also enticing him for sex," Ingalls wrote in his statement of facts. "It appears that in some of the conversations, the 11-year-old male portrays himself as someone older in the beginnings of the conversations, but in three chats the victim tells the adult males he is chatting with an age under 16 at which time they continue talking with him." One of those chats was with a man using the Hornet profile name Ray. Investigators allege that profile belonged to Corbeil. "It should be noted that Mr. Corbeil is an employee of the City of Springfield where he serves as a janitor for various city schools and is around under age children on a daily basis," Ingalls wrote. Azell Cavaan, Chief Communications Officer for Springfield Public Schools, confirmed that Corbeil is a facilities tradesman for the district and is on leave pending investigation. In the chats, the victim initially portrayed himself as an older man interested in having oral sex, according to the police report. But his story changed, police said; at one point the victim identified himself as a 13-year-old, before claiming he was in fact the father of the 13-year-old-boy. Corbeil allegedly expressed interest in giving oral sex to the 13-year-old, prompting Ingalls to visit Corbeil's home. Corbeil accompanied Ingalls to the police station, where he told police he believed he was speaking to a man who was of age, according to Ingalls' report. Detectives then read him a message in which he allegedly attempted to set up a meeting to have oral sex with a person identified as a 13-year-old boy, Ingalls wrote. "He stated that he did send that message but didn't meet the victim," Ingalls wrote. Michael Kollack, Corbeil's attorney, declined to comment when reached by MassLive. Corbeil was released without bail, but on a series of conditions - including no contact with the victim, no unsupervised contact with anyone under 18, and no use of social media or dating apps. On Tuesday, the Springfield Public Schools Office of Safety and Security requested a copy of Corbeil's docket sheet and release conditions from Palmer District Court. Steve Wynn, the former casino magnate whose namesake company is under investigation by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, has filed suit against the Gaming Commission in an attempt to prevent the release of the findings of the its investigation into him and the company he founded. Gaming Commission Executive Director Edward Bedrosian told the commission Thursday that Wynn filed the suit in Las Vegas late Wednesday and that the commission has retained outside counsel to review the suit and litigate it in Nevada. "Steve Wynn filed a lawsuit in Nevada against the director of the Investigations and Enforcement Bureau, the commission and Wynn Resorts. This new lawsuit, among other things, seeks to prevent the release of the investigation and enforcement bureau's investigatory report," Bedrosian said. "We were not surprised by this development, in fact, we had already retained local counsel in Nevada to help us litigate these issues as quickly as possible so we don't delay finishing the report and then having an appropriate adjudicatory hearing." Commissioners will not be given a copy of the Investigations and Enforcement Bureau's report on Wynn and Wynn Resorts until the suit is resolved, Bedrosian said. "You will not be able to see the report until these issues are resolved," he said in response to a question from Commissioner Enrique Zuniga. "We need to resolve these issues to make sure the report that is given the commission is the report you will use in the adjudicatory hearing." Late last month, Bedrosian said the investigation that began in January was almost complete and that he expected the findings of the investigation would be made public at the start of a public hearing on the topic sometime in early December. Since January, the commission has been looking into sexual misconduct allegations against the former Wynn Resorts president and CEO and the handling of those allegations by Wynn Resorts. A January 2018 Wall Street Journal story detailing an alleged "decades-long pattern of sexual misconduct" by the casino mogul, including claims he had pressured employees to perform sex acts, sparked the commission's inquiry. Karen Wells, head of the commission's investigations bureau, told the commission earlier this year that she confirmed that Steve Wynn had paid a private $7.5 million settlement to a manicurist to resolve a sexual harassment allegation and that the payment was not previously disclosed during the licensing process. A police chase on the Massachusetts Turnpike involving a stolen U-Haul truck ended Wednesday after the use of stop sticks. A pair of men went into the Sears at the Auburn Mall seeking to purchase items when store employees became concerned the card used was stolen and called police. Police Chief Andrew J. Sluckis, who told the Telegram & Gazette he was near the store at the time of the call, responded and chased the men as they ran to a vehicle. He lost sight of the pair but spotted a U-Haul truck speeding away from the mall and called for backup. Massachusetts State Police joined three Auburn cruisers in the pursuit, which traveled into Millbury, Worcester, Oxford and Charlton. Troopers in position west of the chase on the Massachusetts Turnpike deployed stop sticks and were able to disable the vehicle, which was identified as stolen, Massachusetts Police spokesman David Procopio said. One of the suspects ran across the Mass. Pike through the eastbound lanes towards the Charlton Service Plaza, where he was arrested. Sean McKenzie, a 28-year-old from Springfield, was arrested on charges of operating a motor vehicle after a prior suspension for an OUI, operating recklessly to endanger, using a motor vehicle without authority, receiving stolen property over $250, failure to stop for police, disorderly conduct and trespassing. Paul B. Mock, a 20-year-old also from Springfield, was arrested as well, on charges including receiving stolen property, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. McKenzie is accused of driving the truck during the chase. They are scheduled to be arraigned in Central District Court in Worcester on Thursday. Self-described Antifa protestors chanted insults outside the Washington D.C. home of Fox News personality Tucker Carlson on Wednesday evening and publicized his address on social media. Roughly 20 people protested outside Carlson's residence, said Lt. Jon Pongratz of the D.C. police. Authorities received a call at about 6:30 p.m. and responded "within a few minutes," Pongratz told The Washington Post. Smash Racism D.C., which describes itself an "anti-fascist," or Antifa, group, claimed responsibility for the protest on social media. It has previously targeted U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen, and other conservatives. In since deleted videos uploaded to Twitter by the group on Wednesday, and reported on CNN, participants were heard saying "Tucker Carlson, we will fight! We know where you sleep at night!" They called him a "racist scumbag" and hurled epithets. The Twitter account shared Carlson's address, which is a violation of Twitter rules, and it has since been suspended. There were no arrests but police confiscated several signs, according to a police report obtained by The Associated Press. It lists the incident as a "suspected hate crime" on the basis of "anti-political" bias. Neither Carlson nor his four children were home at the time, but his wife, Susie, was there alone, according to Fox News. Carlson said his wife locked herself into a pantry and called police. "Here's the problem, I have four children," he told Fox News. "I never thought twice about leaving them home alone, but this is the reaction because this group doesn't like my TV show." In response to the protest, Suzanne Scott, CEO of Fox News and Jay Wallace, president, Fox News issued the following statement on Thursday afternoon: "The incident that took place at Tucker's home last night was reprehensible. The violent threats and intimidation tactics toward him and his family are completely unacceptable. We as a nation have become far too intolerant of different points of view. Recent events across our country clearly highlight the need for a more civil, respectful, and inclusive national conversation. Those of us in the media and in politics bear a special obligation to all Americans, to find common ground." (Updated at 4:15 p.m.to include statement from Fox News officials.) A driver was ordered held on $10,000 bail Wednesday on charges of sexually assaulting a female passenger in his vehicle. Prosecutors say Michael J. Squadrito, a 40-year-old man living in Everett, was driving for Uber when he picked up a fare outside a Boston karaoke bar early Tuesday. The woman had been drinking, celebrating her birthday, the Boston Globe reports. The driver took her to a location in Dorchester he sexually assaulted her in the vehicle, Boston police said in a statement released Wednesday. A plea of not guilty was entered on Squadrito's behalf, who alleges the encounter was consensual. The woman told police otherwise. "The officer observed that [the] victim's eyes were red and puffy and had tears welled up in them as she spoke," the Globe reports, citing court documents. "The victim stated repeatedly that she wanted to wash her mouth out and do whatever necessary to get the suspect 'out of her body' immediately." Uber issued a statement after Squadrito's arrest, saying, "The driver's access to the app has been removed and we will continue to cooperate with law enforcement." The company added that their "thoughts are with the rider during this difficult time." Thousands of drivers were rejected last year after failing background checks, including drivers with inactive licenses, arrests for operating under the influence and sex crimes. AMHERST - University of Massachusetts police are investigating the appearance of flyers and stickers from an organization, which is listed as a white nationalist hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, that were found posted on campus property Wednesday. "The university denounces these acts of hate and intimidation," UMass said in a statement. "University of Massachusetts Police were notified and are investigating the matter. UMass Amherst is dedicated to the values of diversity, inclusion and equity, and it rejects anything associated with white nationalism. "This hateful organization is known for undertaking such provocative actions on college campuses across the country." The group, "Identity Evropa," is said to be aiming to recruit college-aged men on college campuses across the United States. The appearance of their materials on campus this week wasn't the first time they have been seen at UMass Amherst. In 2017, "Identify Evropa" stickers and materials were found on campus, and the group bragged online about distributing its materials at colleges and universities across Western Mass. By Shira Schoenberg and Shannon Young Ann Lagasse, a real estate developer from Newburyport, is an independent voter. On Tuesday, she cast her ballot for U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a progressive Democrat considering a presidential run, and Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican. "I love what Charlie's doing locally," Lagasse said. "I hate what's happening on a national front." Lagasse said she wants Warren in office as another Democrat to balance the U.S. Senate and oppose Republican President Donald Trump. But in Massachusetts, she sees Baker as a "commonsense governor" who works with people from all parties and understands the challenges facing the state. She noted that the Democratic Newburyport mayor endorsed Baker. Lagasse is not unique. On Election Day, Baker earned 67 percent of the vote, or 1.75 million votes, with 98 percent of precincts reporting. Warren got 60 percent, or 1.6 million votes. That means a sizable number of voters split their ballot to support both Baker and Warren. Springfield-based political strategist Tony Cignoli said while voters do not typically vote for both high-profile Democratic and Republican candidates on the same ballot, it has become a trend in Massachusetts politics. "In a lot of states, this is unheard of, but it's Massachusetts, and in Massachusetts, we love checks and balances in power," Cignoli said. "We love a Democratic Legislature with a Republican governor." For some voters, the difference came down to the distinction between federal and state office. Kathy Nakamoto, an accountant from Winchester, is a Democrat who also voted for Warren and Baker. Nakamoto opposes Trump's policies. "We need all the Democrats we can get in Washington," she said. But Nakamoto said she believes Baker "is doing a great job in Massachusetts." "He has distinguished himself (from Trump)," she said. Baker made an effort in his campaign to reach out to Democratic and independent voters. In Massachusetts currently, Democrats make up 33 percent of the electorate, Republicans make up 10 percent, and unenrolled voters are 55 percent. Baker also made a point of distancing himself from Trump, who is unpopular in Massachusetts. Asked on Election Day how his campaign will be affected by Democrats turning out to vote against Trump's Republican party, Baker said he thinks voters will distinguish between him and the president. "I do believe voters, based on what I hear and what I've been hearing the past month, are making their decisions about (Lt. Gov.) Karyn Polito and me based on us," Baker said. "I hear all the time from people when I'm out that the way they think about us has to do with our work and our record, and I think that's why so many mayors, Democrats and independents, as well as other local officials, have come out and endorsed our ticket." Baker said he had four years to prove himself to voters, and he believes voters will be looking at his record rather than his party. "Voters have had a chance to kick the tires on us for four years. And they've kicked them pretty hard in some cases," he said. "But I really do feel this will be an election where the decisions are going to be about us, which is how it should be." Since 1990, Massachusetts voters have routinely supported candidates running from both sides of the aisle in the same election, with Republican Govs. William Weld, Paul Cellucci, Jane Swift and Mitt Romney all serving with Democratic-controlled Legislatures. "In Massachusetts, folks will vote the individual or the person when it comes to top-ticket decisions," Cignoli said. Cignoli said it is partially attributable to Massachusetts voters being socially progressive but fiscally conservative. "Democrats -- even liberals and progressives -- will be true to their social values, but when it comes to their pocketbooks, sometimes they like to have someone there who may be fiscally conservative," Cignoli said. Tim Vercellotti, director of the Western New England University Polling Institute and a political science professor, said Warren and Baker's respective victories "were not unexpected." He noted that polling showed three out of 10 voters planned to vote for both Warren and Baker, including many voters who identified as Democrats. But Vercellotti offered that it has been awhile since Massachusetts had a Republican governor and a Democratic U.S. senator win by large margins on the same ballot. The closest was in 1994, when Weld won with 71 percent of the vote and Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy won with 58 percent. Vercellotti said he believes Baker was able to win support from Democrats for a variety of reasons. His Democratic challenger, Jay Gonzalez, had limited name recognition, with Democrats focusing most of their attention on the more well-known figures of Warren and Attorney General Maura Healey. A number of Democrats endorsed Baker, and Baker was able to distance himself from Trump. "Baker has skillfully distanced himself from Trump on a number of issues and is able to do that because Republicans only make up (a small portion) of the electorate, and they have nowhere to go," Vercellotti said. Baker was able to rely on voters like Margaret Ings, of Brookline, who works for a college. Ings is an independent who leans Democratic. She voted Democratic in the federal races. "We need to have the party vote to take back the House of Representatives and the Senate," Ings said. "If you don't have your Democratic numbers, you're not going to do it." Ings said she broke with the party to vote for governor. She said Massachusetts is "in good shape," and she wants that to continue. Ings added that she appreciates that the Baker administration turned a budget deficit into a surplus and is trying to address the state's infrastructure needs. "For the state I was born and raised in, I went with what I thought was best for the state," Ings said. Abbott (U.S.), Agilent Technologies (U.S.), ARUP Laboratories (U.S.), F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG. (Germany), Myriad Genetics Inc. (U.S.), QIAGEN N.V. (Germany), and Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (U.S.). and others are some of the prominent players at the forefront of competition in the global companion diagnostics market and are profiled in MRFR Analysis. global companion diagnostics market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 15.4% during forecasted period 2017-2023 Companion Diagnostics is the as a bio-analytical method designed for the assessment of the patient to check whether patient responds to a specific medical treatment or not. Companion diagnostics are used to determine which patients are benefited from a certain type of medication or which therapies are best suited for the patients with certain medical conditions. Companion diagnostics involves tests and devices or tools which provide information about the safe and effective use of the specific therapeutic product. It not only provides information about the efficacy of the drugs but also the side effects that are associated with the drug. To control the rising cost of the drug discovery and development for the deadly and chronic diseases, the need for companion diagnostics is increasing; and with the increasing demand for the companion diagnostic tools and techniques, the global market for the companion diagnostics is growing. Avail Sample for this report at: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/3077 Among all the regions in the world, the U.S. has been the first choice for a suitable deployment of companion diagnostic solutions due to the availability of established healthcare system and technological advancement. Moreover, a number of CDx initiatives, research & development programs, product launch and diagnostic tools have emerged and lot many are still in the pipeline. The U.S. has gained significant pharmaceutical developments along with FDA approvals; patents and licensing that enable it to position itself in the global companion diagnostic market. Industry Updates December, 2016 Agilent Technologies announced the acquisition of Multiplicom N.V., a Leading European Diagnostics Company. The acquisition of Multiplicom significantly strengthens our presence in the genomics market August, 2016 Abbott announced the introduction of its new Alinity, a family of next generation systems across immunoassay, clinical chemistry, point of care, haematology, blood and plasma screening and molecular diagnostics. May, 2016 Myriad completes acquisition of Sividon Diagnostics. With this deal, company believes to strengthen its market leading oncology portfolio of high value personalized medicine products. April, 2016 Abbott received FDA approval for its companion diagnostics Vysis CLL FISH probe kit in Leukemia. The kit is used to detect the 17p deletion in chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients, the target population of a new drug from AbbVie. August 2015 Roche Holdsing AG Roche acquires GeneWEAVE to strengthen offerings in microbiology diagnostics. Roche will pay GeneWEAVE shareholdsers $190 million upfront and up to $235 million in contingent product related milestones. Access Complete Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/companion-diagnostic-market-3077 Global Companion diagnostics Market Regional: Geographically, the regional market is segmented into America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa. The North America includes the U.S., and Canada; and presently, they together dominate the global companion diagnostic market. Further, South America comprises of countries such as Brazil, Peru, Columbia, and Panama among others, and they all contribute a very small share in the global companion diagnostic market. Europe, accounts for the second largest, in the global companion diagnostics market. The European region includes both Western and Eastern European countries which are involved in development of companion diagnostics. The major countries in the Western Europe are Germany, France, UK, Italy, and Spain. These companion diagnostic solutions are increasing the efficiency of the healthcare workforce and systems driven by the increasing adoption of precise diagnostic tools, electronic healthcare records and drugs prescribed particularly for a disease. Asia-Pacific region is estimated to be the fastest growing market due to continuous developments in developing countries like India and China. These countries are increasingly involved in the research and development of the companion diagnostic tools for the better medical outcomes, educating people regarding awareness, and also for treatment of crucial genetic diseases.On the other hand, there are some concerning factors such as lack of infrastructure with proper amenities for medical diagnosis and treatment, few healthcare workers, physicians, and health practitioners over large population may decelerate the growth of the companion diagnostic market to an extent. The Middle East & Africa companion diagnostic market is in early stage. The efforts are being taken to spread the awareness about the importance of the Companion Diagnostic tools in these regions. However, at present, the growth in the Middle East & Africa companion diagnostic market is limited but steady. Inquire for Discount Here About Market Research Future: At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions. In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members. Contact Market Research Future +1 646 845 9312 Global Stem Cell Therapy Market is expected to witness tremendous growth owing to the rising prevalence of cancer, heart diseases, stroke, and osteoarthritis. Other key factors such as the change to sedentary lifestyle, growing consumption of alcohol, and an increase in smoking are contributing towards the growth of the market. Global Stem Cell Therapy Market is expected to reach an approximate CAGR of 10.3% during the forecast period. The use of stem cell for treating medical conditions is referred to as stem cell therapy. However, factors such as high cost of surgical procedures, expensive chemotherapy treatments, the risk of rejecting cells by patients body as the cells are derived from embryos these factors can restrict the market growth during the forecast period. Some of the key players are Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. (US), MEDIPOST Co., Ltd. (South Korea), Anterogen Co., Ltd. (South Korea), Pharmicell Co., Ltd. (South Korea), Holostem Terapie Avanzate S.r.l. (Italy), JCR Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (Japan), NuVasive, Inc. (US), RTI Surgical, Inc. (US), and AlloSource (US), and Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc Get Sample for this Report at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/6422 Segmentation Global Stem Cell Therapy Market, by Technique, Primary (Direct) Stem Cell Therapy Secondary (Indirect) Stem Cell Therapy Salt split technique Antigenic mapping method Double staining method Micro Immunofluorescence Global Stem Cell Therapy Market, by Product Type Antibodies Kits and reagents Instruments Microscopes Imaging Analysis Systems Labeling dyes Species Product Type Global Stem Cell Therapy Market, by Application Clinical research Clinical Diagnostics Infectious Diseases Cancer Cardiovascular Diseases Autoimmune Diseases Neurological Diseases Research & Development Global Stem Cell Therapy Market, by End-User Biotechnology Companies Hospitals & Research Institutes Contract Research Organizations Diagnostic centers Americas is the largest in the market owing to the increasing prevalence of heart diseases and growing healthcare expenditure. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in November 2017, report every year 735,000 Americans have a heart problem. Europe (UK, Belgium, France, and Netherlands) is the second largest global stem cell therapy market during the forecast period. The increasing occurrence of stroke, cancer, and osteoarthritis drives the market in this region. According to Anthony Nolan organization 2017, annual review 1.4million people register for donating stem cell in 2017. Also, more than 2,200 searches for a lifesaving stem cell transplant were made in 2017 by UK people. Such a high demand for Stem cell transplantation in this region promotes the market. Browse Complete 108 Pages Premium Research Report Enabled with 121 Respective Tables and Figures@ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/stem-cell-therapy-market-6422 Asia-Pacific was projected to be the fastest growing region for the global stem cell therapy market in 2017. The market is expected to witness growth owing to the rising prevalence of smoking in this region. According to the American Cancer Society, Inc 2018, report China 48.9%, India 16.2%, Japan 11.2% accounts of cancer cases in this region. Such a high cancer rate in this region favors the stem cell therapy market in this region. The Middle East and Africa accounts for the least share due to low per capita income and lack of availability of well-trained healthcare professionals. However, the rising oncology and technology both at the hospital level and in the community are expected to influence the market in a positive way. About Market Research Future: At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. Contact: Market Research Future +1 646 845 9312 Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com 510(k) clearance for artificial intelligence software developed to enhance an acute care physicians ability to identify and prioritize brain bleed stroke or head trauma Tel Aviv, Israel and Andover, MA November 7, 2018 MaxQ AI, a clinical diagnostics intelligence platform company, today announced that its revolutionary Accipio Ix intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) detection software has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The clearance paves the way for healthcare providers and physicians in acute care settings to have access to this artificial intelligence (AI) software designed to aid in prioritizing the clinical assessment of adult non-contrast head computed tomography (CT) cases that exhibit indications of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), commonly known as a brain bleed. We are very pleased to receive FDA 510(k) clearance for Accipio Ix, which we believe will be a transformative solution for medicine, said Gene Saragnese, Chairman and CEO of MaxQ AI. MaxQs Accipio application, of which Accipio Ix is the first part of the ecosystem, provides physicians with actionable intelligence, improving their future ability to make a timely, accurate and more confident diagnosis of a brain bleed. Earlier this year, MaxQ announced CE Mark approval and commercial availability in the European Union. Now, Accipio Ix, is cleared for commercial sale within the United States. Accipio Ix leverages artificial intelligence technology to automatically analyze non-contrast head CT images without workflow impact to the reader, altering the original series or storing Protected Health Information (PHI). The AI-powered Accipio Ix, part of MaxQs unique Accipio INSIGHT platform, is designed to be highly sensitive to the presence of ICH, identifying and prioritizing patients with ICH for the treating physician. It provides a capability for rapid escalation and prioritization of the patient and can be natively integrated into CT and PACS systems using the imaging industry-standard DICOM, installed both on-premise and cloud-capable. Accipio Ixs ability to greatly increase suspected bleed detection, improve escalation and time to review is a game-changer. Further, our partnerships with top CT and PACS companies including GE Healthcare, Samsung Neurologica and other organizations prior announced, make deployment and adoption of Accipio straightforward, added Saragnese. The potential impact is massive only one patient diverted from acute stroke to wellness in the 13,000 U.S./E.U. hospitals represent $2 billion savings in a single year, and a lifetime of difference to the patient and their families. MaxQ will be demonstrating Accipio Ix along with the full suite of Accipio platform solutions during the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) 2018 Annual Meeting in Chicago (Booth #6161 in the North Hall). About MaxQ AI, Ltd. MaxQ AI is at the forefront of transforming healthcare by empowering physicians to provide smarter care with artificial intelligence (AI) clinical insights. Based in Tel Aviv, Israel and Andover, MA, our team of deep learning and machine vision experts have developed clinical diagnostic intelligent software solutions that enable timely and more accurate diagnosis. Working with world-class clinical and industry partners, we are raising the level of acute care in hospitals around the world to improve patient outcomes and lower costs. To learn more, please visit www.maxq.ai or follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn . ### by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, November 7, 2018 A lower court's ruling that TVEyes's video clipping service infringes Fox News' copyright carries severe practical consequences for free speech, TVEyes argues in new court papers. Fox has an outsized role in the political life of the United States, as Fox host Sean Hannitys recent appearance with President Trump on the campaign trail reinforces, TVEyes argues, referring to Hannity's controversial presence onstage this week at Trump's rally in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The decision below casts a chill over both the nations political discourse and a host of other transformative uses, especially for new technologies, TVEyes adds in papers submitted Wednesday to the Supreme Court. TVEyes makes the argument as part of its effort to convince the Supreme Court to hear an appeal of a ruling that the online clipping service infringes Fox News' copyright. advertisement advertisement The fight dates to 2013, when Fox News alleged that TVEyes infringed copyright with its $500-a-month online monitoring service -- used by journalists, the White House, politicians and the U.S. military, among others. TVEyes records and indexes news programs from 1,400 stations, and allows subscribers to search for news clips by keywords and access portions of the shows. A federal district court judge in Manhattan issued a mixed ruling in the case. He ruled that TVEyes makes fair use of Fox's material by indexing its news clips and providing snippets of them to subscribers, but also ruled that other TVEyes features infringed copyright. Both companies then appealed to the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals in New York. Fox News argued that its ability to market its clips, or to create a market for clips in the future, was being thwarted by TVEyes. TVEyes countered that its service was protected by fair use principles because it's "transformative," offering the ability to analyze companies' approach to the news. A three-judge panel of the appellate court sided with Fox News. Those judges said that TVEyes' service was transformative, but nonetheless not protected by fair use because it harms Fox's ability to monetize its content. (A third judge said in a separate opinion it wasn't necessary to decide whether TVEyes was transformative.) TVEyes and its supporters -- including digital rights groups and media critics -- recently asked the Supreme Court to hear an appeal. Among other arguments, they say TVEyes' database of video clips enables observers to analyze and critique televised news programs. Fox News urged the Supreme Court to leave the decision in place. Among other arguments, Fox says that enabling researchers to analyze programs isn't in itself a fair use, and that TVEyes' business model threatens companies like Fox that depend on receiving fees for their content. TVEyes counters in its newest court papers that Fox doesn't attempt to monetize its news programs by offering comprehensive clips to critics or researchers. Fox makes just 16% of broadcast content available online as clips on its website or through syndicated partners, TVEyes writes. These clips are all hand-selected by Fox to reflect its editorial preferences, not to enable objective research. Not only do the clips differ from what was broadcast, but Fox restricts the use of its website to 'personal use only' and it 'may not be used for commercial purposes.' The Supreme Court is expected to consider the matter later this month. by Larissa Faw , November 7, 2018 American Cancer Society (ACS) and agency The Richards Group have launched a new holiday fundraising and awareness campaign that features patient-centered stories. "Both of the new ads focus on an interesting nugget: cancer patients and caregivers frequently call our helpline even when theyre not sure what their specific needs are," says Irma Shrivastava, senior vice president, strategic marketing and alliances, ACS. Plan of Attack depicts a patient who transitioned from focusing on the worst-case scenario for her family to a plan for managing her illness after connecting with ACS. Another ad, More Than Medicine, highlights a survivor recalling his reaction to learning about how the ACS is much more than a funder of cancer research. advertisement advertisement The campaign will span TV, online video, digital ads and radio. It will also do outreach via select iHeart and Westwood One DJ personalities to articulate the ACS brand position while fundraising on-air and through social media. Print placements in Forbes, Fortune, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Time and The Wall Street Journal are planned to connect with potential donors who make substantial gifts that represent a large proportion of public support at the end of each year. The multimedia approach is similar to the year prior, with a slight modification to align with the target consumers evolving media consumption habits, such as using more digital video, connected TV platforms and streaming audio to ensure "reach against cord cutters and people who use less traditional media," says Shrivastava. "We saw positive results and we believe consistency is vital for a message to break through." ACS reports that last fall's campaign resulted in a 47% increase in cancer.org revenue during the critical last week of December over the same week in 2016 and an uptick in three key metrics: awareness, charity of choice and intent to donate. by Wendy Davis , Staff Writer @wendyndavis, November 8, 2018 Prager University, which sued Google's YouTube for allegedly censoring video clips based on their conservative political views, may have a legitimate bone to pick with the company. But Prager doesn't have grounds to sue. That's the gist of new legal papers filed by the digital rights group Electronic Frontier Foundation. YouTubes moderation of Prager Universitys content was faulty on many accounts, but it was not unconstitutional, the EFF writes in a friend-of-the-court brief filed Wednesday with a federal appellate court. The EFF is weighing in on a battle dating to October 2017, when Prager sued Google for allegedly censoring conservative videos on YouTube by applying the restricted mode filter, which made the clips unavailable to some students and library visitors. advertisement advertisement Google countered that as a private company, it can't be sued for allegedly discriminating against clips. U.S. District Court Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, California agreed with Google's argument and dismissed Prager's lawsuit in March. Prager is now asking the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to revive the lawsuit. For its part, Google denies that it engaged in political viewpoint discrimination, but says it has the right to remove or restrict clips for any reason. The EFF is siding with Google on the legal issue, but also criticizes the company's procedures. The law is clear that private entities that operate online platforms for speech and that open those platforms for others to speak enjoy a First Amendment right to edit and curate the content," the EFF writes. But, the group adds: "YouTube is far from perfect when it comes to implementing its content moderation policies." The digital rights group goes on to note that Google has taken down countless videos documenting atrocities in Syria, and has restricted and demonetized LGBTQ content. The EFF adds that YouTube isn't the only tech company to take down perfectly legal and valuable speech. It's worth noting that the EFF isn't the only one questioning how tech platforms make decisions. Conservative politicians have also criticized web companies for allegedly blocking right-wing speech, and the Justice Department recently went so far as to float the possibility of investigating whether tech companies are stifling right-wing views. But unlike the Justice Department, the EFF isn't suggesting governmental action against the web platforms. Instead, the group proposes that tech companies voluntarily adopt new moderation practices, including notifying users about the precise policy their material violated, and allowing them to appeal removals. It is not clear whether YouTube would have made a different decision regarding Prager University had it followed this process, the EFF writes. But YouTube should have tried. New research finds that people who develop cardiogenic shock as a complication of broken heart syndrome have an increased risk of death, both in the short-term and in later years. Share on Pinterest Broken heart syndrome may feel very similar to a heart attack. Stressful life events can sometimes put a strain on the heart, quite literally. A large-scale study from 2018, for example, has confirmed that psychological distress caused by anxiety or depression can boost a persons risk of a heart attack and stroke. The link between depression and cardiovascular disease is not new. Recently, however, researchers have identified biochemical pathways behind the association, and stress appears to play a key mediating role. One adverse cardiovascular event that can result from intense stress is broken heart syndrome, a rare condition that mimics the symptoms of a heart attack. It tends to affect women more commonly than men. People with broken heart syndrome also called takotsubo cardiomyopathy or stress-induced cardiomyopathy experience sudden, intense chest pain, along with shortness of breath. Although this can feel similar to a heart attack, the syndrome does not cause blocked arteries. Instead, part of the heart enlarges and does not pump correctly. Some researchers believe that stress-induced hormones, produced in response to extremely stressful emotions, such as intense grief, anger, or surprise, cause this effect. Although broken heart syndrome can be life-threatening, most people fully recover within weeks. However, 1 in 10 people develop complications such as cardiogenic shock which occurs when the heart cannot pump enough blood to the rest of the body. New research has examined the risk of premature mortality among people who developed cardiogenic shock as a result of broken heart syndrome. The leader of the team was Dr. Christian Templin, Ph.D., the head of acute cardiac care at University Hospital Zurichs University Heart Center in Switzerland. He will present the findings at Scientific Sessions 2018 , held by the American Heart Association (AHA) in Chicago, IL. The new study will also appear in Circulation, the journal of the AHA. A protein that plays a key role in early neural development is also essential for learning and memory in the adult brain. Share on Pinterest A protein called netrin may boost learning and memory by strengthening neural connections in the adult brain. The protein, called netrin, strengthens connections between brain cells. This is according to recent research led by the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (The Neuro), a teaching and research institute of McGill University in Canada. Scientists already knew that netrin is essential for the development of the embryonic and infant brain, where it helps make connections between brain cells, or neurons. The recent research reveals that the protein also strengthens those neural connections, or synapses, in the adult brains hippocampus, an area that is involved in memory and learning. The journal Cell Reports recently published a paper on the study, which the team conducted on cells from developing and adult rat brains. It was a mystery, comments senior study author Dr. Timothy E. Kennedy, who runs a research laboratory at The Neuro, why neurons would continue making netrin in the adult brain after all the connections had already been made in infancy. Molecule key for synapse strengthening According to Dr. Kennedy, the scientists saw that a neuron releases netrin when it becomes active. The protein strengthens the connection to a neighboring neuron by signaling the two neurons to make the synapse stronger. The recent study follows a long train of work that started nearly 7 decades ago when Donald Hebb, a psychology professor at McGill University, proposed his ideas of how the brain learns and makes memories. What later acquired the title Hebbian Theory, his ideas aimed to explain how neural circuits develop as a result of experience. Hebb maintained that the strength or weakness of synaptic connections depends on how often they are used: the more they are used, the stronger and faster they become. In his 1949 book The Organization of Behavior: A Neuropsychological Theory, he described how he imagined the process of synapse strengthening. When one neuron is close enough to another and keeps firing it, some growth process or metabolic change takes place in one or both cells. Were saying, explains Dr. Kennedy, that this new molecular mechanism, which we discovered 69 years later, is central to this theory. Synaptic changes underlie memory, learning It was the publication in 1957 of a groundbreaking paper by Brenda Milner, who completed a doctorate at The Neuro under Hebbs supervision, that introduced the idea that the brains hippocampus plays a crucial role in some types of memory and learning. If you boil it down to one molecule, Dr. Kennedy continues, the regulated release of netrin is essential for the kind of synaptic changes that underlie the changes in the neuron that are involved in learning and memory, which was what Milner was talking about. He and his colleagues also observed that, in order to strengthen the synapses, netrin has to be released into extracellular space. This made them wonder what additional opportunities to interact with other neurons this might provide. Gene studies have implicated netrin involvement in diseases that destroy brain tissue, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinsons disease, and Alzheimers disease. However, these have not identified any underlying mechanisms. Retired Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin lends name to arthritis research VANCOUVER, Nov. 8, 2018 /CNW/ - Arthritis Research Canada is excited to announce that Beverley McLachlin, O.C., P.C., will be the first Honourary Patron of Arthritis Research Canada/Arthrite-recherche Canada. McLachlin served 28 years on the Supreme Court, including 17 years as Chief Justice, and has had a resounding impact on rights and freedoms in Canada. Beverley McLachlin Brian Mulroney Beverley McLachlin John Esdaile Sean Fine Canada's Beverley McLachlin CANADA "Arthritis afflicts many people and diminishes countless lives. I am delighted to be associated with an organization devoted to research into its causes and treatment," said former Chief JusticeMcLachlin became a British Columbia Supreme Court judge six months before the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms took effect. In 1989,appointed her to the Supreme Court, and in 2000 Jean Chretien appointed her Chief Justice.has left an impressive mark on our justice system and country as a whole," said Dr., Arthritis Research Canada's Scientific Director. "We are truly honoured to have her join our organization in an honourary capacity to help promote life-changing arthritis research."McLachlin's court has touched all Canadians in the 35 years since the Charter of Rights took effect. Most can probably recall a decision from her court that they agreed or disagreed with and certainly debated among friends.In aarticle about McLachlin's life and career,, the paper's justice reporter, wrote: "Her legacy, covering virtually every area of the law from strong protections of due process for suspected terrorists and criminals, to a new legal footing for Indigenous peoples, to the resounding independence ofhighest court, to the vibrant growth of the 'living tree' of constitutional rights is now part of the country's foundations."McLachlin has been recognized internationally for her contribution to the law and holds more than 30 honorary degrees.is an extraordinary Canadian who has done much to promote and protect the rights of every Canadian through clear interpretation of the law," Esdaile said. "Arthritis Research Canada is truly blessed to have such an accomplished person as its first honourary patron."Arthritis Research Canada is the largest clinical arthritis research centre in North America. Our mission is to transform the lives of people living with arthritis through research and engagement. Led by world-renowned rheumatologist, Dr. John Esdaile, Arthritis Research Canada's scientific team of over 100 are creating a future where people living with arthritis are empowered to triumph over pain and disability. Within British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec, Arthritis Research Canada is leading research aimed at arthritis prevention, early diagnosis and treatment, and quality of life issues.SOURCE Arthritis Research Canada RAMAT GAN Israel Nov. 8, 2018 Cyprus Israel's Cyprus Israel Israel Middle East Israel Tel-Aviv University /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- A 6-month-old Syrian refugee has returned toafter recovering from major heart surgery atSheba Medical Center in late October. Just days after the surgery, doctors said he was wide awake, smiling and crying like any other baby. The life-saving procedure was performed by Dr. David Mishaly, Director of Sheba's Department of Pediatric and Congenital Cardiothoracic Surgery at Sheba Medical Center.Mishaly is the world's foremost authority in treating congenital heart defects in children, having invented a revolutionary surgical technique that yields 99% healing rates and 100% aesthetic satisfaction in patients."There is no question that without this operation, this little boy would have died. The surgery was very complex, but we are hopeful with some additional surgery in a few years, he will live a normal life," said Mishaly.The young child whose name is being withheld for security reasons is the youngest member of a refugee family who fled from Aleppo toto escape the Syrian civil war. The child has received treatment previously at Sheba for his serious heart issues.The father of the baby, who stayed at Sheba, was extremely happy with the treatment. The family received help and support from other Jewish and Palestinian parents who were at Sheba seeking treatments for their own children.Due to the highly complicated nature of the heart defect, Cyrpus authorities reached out to the renowned medical experts at Sheba directly, as it was the only chance the child would have at survival. Arrangements were immediately made to bring the sick baby to. This is all part of Sheba Medical Center's mission to provide cutting edge medical care to all those in need across the globe.About Sheba Medical Center, Tel HaShomer Born together within 1948, Sheba Medical Center, Tel HaShomer is the largest and most comprehensive medical center in the. Sheba is the only medical center inthat combines an acute care hospital and a rehabilitation hospital on one campus, and it is at the forefront of medical treatments, patient care, research and education. As a university teaching hospital affiliated with the Sackler School of Medicine at, it welcomes people from all over the world indiscriminately. To learn more, visit: eng.sheba.co.ilSOURCE Sheba Medical Center Young babies at two to three months of age laugh in a manner identical to non-human primates such as chimps. However, this alters as the baby develops to resemble adult human laughter, reveals a recent study. The findings of the study may have application in determining babies at risk of developmental disorders. Young Babies Found to Laugh Similar to Chimps How do Babies Laugh? Sauter and her colleagues studied laughter clips of 44 infants and children between 3 and 18 months of age. The recordings were obtained from online videos captured while the babies were interacting playfully The recordings were analyzed by 102 listeners, drawn from across psychology students, who determined the degree to which the laughter in each clip was produced during inhalation versus exhalation The study found that the youngest babies at around three months of age laughed during both inhalation and exhalation, similar to non-human primates such as chimps. However, older babies laughed predominantly during exhalation similar to older children and adults Adult humans sometimes laugh on the inhale but the proportion is markedly different from that of infants' and chimps' laughs. We are currently checking these results against judgments by phoneticians, who are making detailed annotations of the laughter." Further Research The team is also examining if there is a link between the proportion of laughter produced during inhalation and exhalation and the reasons why people laugh, which also change with age. Typically, infants and younger babies laugh as the result of physical interaction like tickling. However, in older individuals, laughter occurs both due to physical play and social interactions About Developmental Disorders Developmental disorders, such as affect learning, speech development and other milestones, social interactions with others, ability to understand and think independently and can prevent children from achieving their full potential. The reasons for developmental disorders are unclear, but it is important to recognize these early so that intervention measures can be started sooner with better outcomes in the long-term Summary Dr.Sauter in conclusion said, "I'd be interested in seeing whether our findings apply to other vocalizations than laughter. Ultimately, the research could offer insight into vocal production of children with developmental disorders." If it is known how normally developing babies sound like, it would be interesting to study infants at risk of development disorders to find out if there are any early signs of atypical development in their nonverbal vocalizations of emotion. Advertisement References : Acoustical Society of America - (https://acousticalsociety.org/) Human babies laugh like chimpanzees - (https://tech2.org/human-babies-laugh-like-chimpanzees/) Early child development - Disabilities and developmental disorders - (http://www.who.int/topics/early-child-development/disability-developmental-delay/en/) Source: Medindia Sauter said, "Typically,. However, in older individuals, laughter occurs both due to physical play and social interactionsDevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disabilities usually begin during childhood, but persist into adulthood. They canThe reasons for developmental disorders are unclear, but it is important to recognize these early so that intervention measures can be started sooner with better outcomes in the long-termDr.Sauter in conclusion said,If it is known how normally developing babies sound like, it would be interesting to study infants at risk of development disorders to find out if there are any early signs of atypical development in their nonverbal vocalizations of emotion.Source: Medindia Disa Sauter, a psychologist and associate professor at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, during a discussion at the Acoustical Society of America's 176th Meeting, organized in conjunction with the Canadian Acoustical Association's 2018 Acoustics Week in Canada presented the findings of the study.It is unclear why only humans among primates laugh during exhalation but it may be due to the voice control they develop with speech. The shift in pattern of laughter is gradual and not associated with any specific developmental milestones. Also the current laughter pattern analysis was performed by non-expert listeners Unless you have decided not to watch any non-Radhika Apte Netflix series, you will know that Chris Hemsworth will mark his Netflix debut with the movie 'Dhaka'. Hemsworth is currently in India, not as a tourist, but shooting for his upcoming project, 'Dhaka' directed by the Russo Brothers. But Hemsworth's social media is proof that Thor is having a better time than any other tourist, as he continues to excite his fans and followers with his posts. After getting stuck in traffic or as he calls it 'beautiful chaos' and spending some quality time with his Indian fans, Thor recently celebrated and wished all his fans on the occasion of Diwali. Tapping into his inner 'Desi Munda' avatar, Chris recently shared a video on Instagram, where he and Randeep Hooda wished their fans a Happy Diwali and said, "Happy Deepavali to everybody. We are here in India shooting and having a wonderful day. Namaste!" In the video, Hemsworth is seen wearing a kurta with a tilak smeared on his forehead. While we are loving this desi Thor, we can't wait for 'Dhaka' to release already, which also stars Randeep Hooda and Manoj Bajpayee. The meeting between Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Terence Quick, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, Geoffrey Onyeama, in Abuja, as well as the business mission under the Greek Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, held these last two days in Lagos, have created a new momentum in the diplomatic, political and economic relations between Greece and Nigeria. It was the first official Greek ministerial visit after five decades. At the meeting between Mr. Quick and Mr. Onyeama issues of international and bilateral interest were discussed. More precisely, agreement was reached to start political consultations, following a proposal made by the Greek Deputy Minister. The Ministers also agreed on the presence of a link in the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs so that the collaborations resulting from the B2B meetings, between Greek businessmen and their Nigerian colleagues in Lagos, can proceed smoothly. Speaking to the Nigerian media, Mr Quick underscored that Greece acknowledges the efforts the Nigerian Government has made to counter terrorism. Indeed, he described it as a key player in the consolidation of security and development, not only in its own country, but also in the wider Sub-Saharan African region. For his part, the Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, praising the Greek government, remarked that his country can learn a great deal from the way in which Greece, over the past 10 years, has transformed and rebuilt its economy to the benefit of its people. He also spoke very warmly of the Greek business firms, which have been active in Nigeria since the beginning of the last century, and of the strength of Greek shipping. "With regard to the business mission, a product of collaboration between the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV), the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), and the Greek-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce, the owners and representatives of the companies that came to Lagos were particularly pleased with the results of the B2B meetings", said Mr Quick, adding: "It is very important to help and encourage the openness of Greek businesses, and especially in developing markets such as in Sub-Saharan Africa, for it is self-evident that such actions make a major contribution to parent companies established in our country." Nigeria is classified as a mixed economy, according to the World Bank, with abundant natural resources, developed economic sectors, telecommunications, transport and a stock exchange representing the second largest in Africa. It is ranked 30th in the world in terms of GDP, which for the year 2016 was estimated by the IMF to 1.166 trillion US dollars (22nd worldwide), the biggest of any African country. In 2011, Citigroup reported that Nigeria will have the largest average GDP growth in the world between 2010-2050. It represents, finally, the 12th largest oil producer in the world, and the 8th largest exporter. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 8) Authorities on Thursday arrested a consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), which represents communist rebels in peace talks with the government. Vicente Ladlad, along with two companions, are now at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig to face charges of illegal possession of firearms, police said. A joint operation of the police and the Armed Forces seized high-powered firearms and ammunition, grenades and "subversive documents" from the suspects, according to the Quezon City police. Authorities served the search warrant past 12 midnight at Dona Tomasa Subdivision, Barangay San Bartolome in Novaliches, Quezon City. NDFP legal counsel Edre Olalia gave the media a copy of the November 6 search warrant issued by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court. Police said they requested for one following reports of "suspicious" individuals in the neighborhood. Ladlad was among the NDFP consultants released in 2016 to participate in peace negotiations. He was jailed for the supposed mass murder of 15 members of a communist faction in an alleged bid to purge their own ranks of military informers. Violation of JASIG? Despite an impasse in the peace talks, Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison stressed that Ladlad could not be arrested since he is protected by the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG). That document, signed in 1995, provides safety guarantees to all participants in the peace talks. "There is no valid warrant of arrest against him. But in the Duterte scheme, he is likely to be framed-up as a combatant with firearms and explosives planted despite his serious health condition," Sison said in a Facebook post. But Malacanang justified Ladlad's arrest, saying JASIG is not in effect now that the peace talks have been terminated through President Rodrigo Duterte's November 2017 proclamation. "The crime of rebellion is a continuing crime and therefore no warrant of arrest is needed for that," Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a Malacanang press briefing. When asked if other consultants freed for the peace talks can be rearrested amid the botched peace talks, Panelo said yes. The police earlier rearrested NDFP consultants Rafel Baylosis and Adelberto Silva for illegal possession of firearms and explosives. Duterte ordered the NDFP consultants' arrest as early as February 2017, following his first withdrawal from the peace talks. In June 2018, the Manila Regional Trial Court allowed Ladlad and other NDFP consultants to travel to participate in talks with the government in the Netherlands. Duterte postponed the negotiations, which have not resumed until now as the government pushes localized peace talks instead. Planted evidence? Ladlad's wife, Fides Lim earlier took to Facebook to ask for help in finding her "missing" husband, whom she said was abducted. Sison quoted Lim's post accusing members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of tailing her last week. "And to those who abducted him, he is a chronic asthmatic which has degenerated into emphysema, he needs his medicines badly," she said. "And don't plant any firearms or explosives on him," she added. Olalia also accused the police of planting or fabricating evidence to justify the detention of Ladlad and other NDFP consultants - a claim denied by authorities. "These serial arrests on peace consultants and activists complicate even further the prospects and status of the peace negotiations," Olalia said in a statement. UPPER THUMB On Tuesday, voters supported Dan Lauwers in his race for Michigan's 25th District Senate seat. Now, he is looking to return the favor. The goals are all about opportunities, Lauwers said. To do all we can to create an environment of opportunity. What Im looking forward to the most, people ask me about this job and I say, if you like helping people and fixing problems, this is a great job and thats really what the service in the State House is all about in my opinion. The best part is, working closely with the people of the Thumb, helping them solve problems when they have issues. Legislation is fun and its part of the job, but really only half of the job. Taking care of the constituency and getting to know people better in a broader area is going to be one of the more rewarding part of the job. Lauwers, a Republican from St. Clair County's Brockway Township, received 66,923 votes, defeating St. Clair County Democrat Debbie Bourgois, who received 37,715 votes, according to Tuesdays unofficial election results. Id like to thank them (the voters) sincerely, Lauwers said. Its quite a vote of confidence to be elected, especially by the margin. It means that people think that youre going to do great things for them. Im very pleased. Lauwers previously was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives, where he represented the 81st District, was the majority leader and assumed office in January 2017. Ive still got to serve my time out here in the House, Lauwers said. As majority floor leader, Ill be as busy next month as Ive been all year. Theres a change in the administration in Michigan and theres a lot of people that are leaving office that have a sense of urgency to get things done. Its a little bit hard to look beyond the job before me, in the House, towards what I will be doing in the Senate, but I have Senate orientation starting tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon. Lauwers feels that his experience in the House will benefit him as he moves into the State Senate. The term limits are very brief in Michigan. Getting to know kind of how Lansing works and sometimes how it doesnt work and learning all of the different interests that are involved there, its going to be a benefit having had some experience with that moving into the Senate, he said. He said the three issues the Michigan Senate should address are auto no-fault reform, increasing skilled trades job training, and high-speed internet access. All three are important because it really speaks to the future of the health of Michigan, especially rural Michigan, Lauwers said. The Thumb, of course, is probably affected by those things more than others just because the Thumb is the peninsula within the peninsula. Were a lot more rural than a lot of other areas of Michigan. I think those are the ways we can retain our talent, and we keep our communities strong. With auto no-fault reform, he feels that it will help bring talented workers back to the state. The high cost of auto insurance is becoming a competitive issue for Michigan, Lauwers said. People are moving back to the state, having left years prior, and then they find out that their auto insurance is going cost two to three times what it did in another state, thats not going to help us get people back into the state of Michigan. Increasing skilled trades job training and high-speed internet will help not only employers, but future job seekers as well, according to Lauwers. With skilled trades, we need talent, Lauwers said. You talk to anyone in any of the trades, theyre looking for people and cant find them. Were about agriculture and manufacturing in the Thumb and a lot of our citizens work in those fields and thats important to keeping our economy healthy moving forward. Rural broadband, or high-speed connectivity, however thats done, Lauwers added. I dont know enough about it to say that it needs to be broadband or anything, but I know that when I talk to employers, they are the one pointing it out to me that, hey, good internet is part of retention. Especially when were looking at young talent. Employers are telling me that its an issue that weve got to solve because it is really affecting their ability to attract and retain young talent. Lauwers is a farmer who resides in Brockway Township. Moths are a mainstay food source for bats, which use echolocation (biological sonar) to hunt their prey. Scientists from the University of Bristol are studying how moths have evolved passive defences over millions of years to resist their primary predators. While some moths have evolved ears that detect the ultrasonic calls of bats, many types of moths remain deaf. In those moths, Dr Thomas Neil has found that the insects developed types of "stealth coating" that serve as acoustic camouflage to evade hungry bats. Dr Neil will describe his work during the Acoustical Society of America's 176th Meeting, held in conjunction with the Canadian Acoustical Association's 2018 Acoustics Week, [5-9 November] at the Victoria Conference Centre in Victoria, Canada. In his presentation, Dr Neil will focus on how fur on a moth's thorax and wing joints provide acoustic stealth by reducing the echoes of these body parts from bat calls. Dr Thomas Neil, Research Associate in the School of Biological Sciences, said: "Thoracic fur provides substantial acoustic stealth at all ecologically relevant ultrasonic frequencies. The thorax fur of moths acts as a lightweight porous sound absorber, facilitating acoustic camouflage and offering a significant survival advantage against bats." Removing the fur from the moth's thorax increased its detection risk by as much as 38 per cent. Dr Neil used acoustic tomography to quantify echo strength in the spatial and frequency domains of two deaf moth species that are subject to bat predation and two butterfly species that are not. In comparing the effects of removing thorax fur from insects that serve as food for bats to those that don't, the research team found that thoracic fur determines acoustic camouflage of moths but not butterflies. Dr Neil added: "We found that the fur on moths was both thicker and denser than that of the butterflies, and these parameters seem to be linked with the absorptive performance of their respective furs. The thorax fur of the moths was able to absorb up to 85 percent of the impinging sound energy. The maximum absorption we found in butterflies was just 20 per cent." The research could contribute to the development of biomimetic materials for ultrathin sound absorbers and other noise-control devices. Dr Neil explained: "Moth fur is thin and lightweight and acts as a broadband and multidirectional ultrasound absorber that is on par with the performance of current porous sound-absorbing foams." Paper: 'Stealthy moths avoid bats with acoustic camouflage' by Thomas R. Neil, Zhiyuan Shen, Bruce W. Drinkwater, Daniel Robert and Marc W. Holderied presented at the Acoustical Society of America's 176th Meeting A Connecticut woman has been sentenced to 18 months behind bars for her role in using the U.S. Mail to ship cocaine to Connecticut. Alba Lorengie Filomeno-Gomez, 23, of New London, was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford. Once out of jail, she will have five years of supervised release, for her role in a cocaine trafficking ring. EAST HAMPTON - The police and fire departments will join forces Saturday to help re-stock the East Hampton Food Bank. Firefighters and police officers will be on hand outside the Stop & Shop store at 11 East High St., from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday as part of the annual Stuff a Cruiser food drive program. NEW HAVEN Students at ACES Educational Center for the Arts dreaming of careers in theater were introduced to a face to which they can grow accustomed Wednesday. Television and stage actress Lauren Ambrose, a 1996 alumna of the arts magnet school in New Haven, was nominated for Best Actress in a Musical at the 2018 Tony Awards for her performance as Eliza Doolittle in the My Fair Lady revival on Broadway. She stopped by the program to run a workshop for students. My goal is to make (the workshop) an exercise in making the work as personal as possible, Ambrose said. I want to talk about making sure they know that they are enough and they are unique. Because thats what we need. Ambrose said she was excited to work with the high school students because they have feelings and emotions in every pore of their skin, something she knew she could harness and develop. When she was a student, she said, she was grateful to the program for giving her somewhere to harness and develop her own feelings. Ingrid Schaeffer, chairwoman of the schools theater department, said she remembers Ambrose from her days as a student as being passionate and incredibly creative with a strong emotional instrument. Ambrose said she was always intent on a career in theater, and she credits ACES ECA for pushing her outside of her comfort zone and instilling in her the fundamentals of acting. When I was here, it was a crumbling synagogue, she said, marveling at the buildings facade. Schaeffer said the program grew grown from 24 students to 60 in the time since Ambrose graduated. Several of the students in Ambroses Wednesday workshop expressed emotions ranging from humility to excitement at being able to hear from the actor. I havent met a lot of people who have been on Broadway, said New Haven sophomore Sam Crumlish. Senior Elena Keogh from Madison said it was an honor to meet someone she had seen on the Tony Awards. Its nice that we have that alumni connection and support, she said. The timing of having the lead actor in My Fair Lady visit the school just as they are rehearsing a production of the same musical was optimal, Crumlish and Keogh said. Hannah Stein and Justyn Velez, both juniors from Wallingford , said they recognized studying under Ambrose would be a great experience. I saw her in My Fair Lady this summer and met her after and we talked about what it was like at ECA, Stein said. Shes someone who is now a star. Velez said he felt Wednesdays exercise was an opportunity to be part of something great. Its really wonderful for them to hear her story and to learn whats possible to do if they apply themselves, said ECA instructor Carolyn Ladd. Its an opportunity to ask questions about what her world is like. In addition to her Broadway role, Ambrose is known for her role as Claire Fisher in the HBO series Six Feet Under, Denise Fleming in Cant Hardly Wait and Jilly Kitzinger in the TV series Torchwood. She has also had roles in Party of Five, Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and The X-Files. brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com NEWTOWN >> Newtown will celebrate the holiday season on Sunday, Dec. 5 with a festive, hometown holiday parade. Presented by the Newtown Business Association (NBA), the annual McCaffreys Newtown Holiday Parade is scheduled to step off at 2 p.m., rain, snow or shine, with an estimated 1,600 participants. Featured in this years parade will be the Council Rock High School... If the new legislature wants to use $650 million held in a special reserve to mitigate a big budget deficit, 60 percent of the House and Senate must agree. Despite their biggest gains in a decade, majority Democrats in the General Assembly have almost no margin for error if they hope to solve Connecticuts next budget crisis without Republican votes. How can this be when Democrats outnumber the GOP by 33 votes in the House and by 12 in the Senate, based on unofficial election results? The answer rests with a multi-billion-dollar budget deficit and a little known rule, called the volatility cap, that is designed to force the state to save more money. More specifically, it would take 60 percent - and not a simple majority - of the new legislature to tap hundreds of millions of dollars stashed away this year that could play a crucial role in solving a $4.4 billion problem. On paper, all it takes to adopt a state budget in the 151-member House is 76 votes, a simple majority. The same is true in the Senate, where 19 out of 36 votes are necessary. House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz, D-Berlin, says Democrats, who controlled 80 seats entering Tuesdays election, pushed their majority to 92. According to Senate President Pro Tem Martin M. Looney, D-New Haven, the Senate which currently is split 18-18 now breaks down 24-12 to the Democrats advantage. If all thats needed to balance the budget is a simple majority, Democrats could sustain defections in both chambers and still craft the next state spending plan by themselves. But theres this small hitch the deficit. According to the legislatures nonpartisan Office of Fiscal Analysis, state finances unless adjusted will run 10.5 percent or $2 billion in deficit in the first new fiscal year after the election. By the second year of the next biennium, the potential gap hits 12 percent or $2.4 billion. Traditionally, the first place legislatures have turned when facing multi-billion-dollar shortfalls is the emergency reserve, commonly known as the rainy day fund provided it holds any money. Connecticut currently has $1.2 billion socked away. And while Gov.-elect Ned Lamont has said he doesnt plan to tap those funds, lawmakers from both parties have said privately the new governor has almost no chance of keeping the legislature from tapping those funds. Comptroller Kevin P. Lembo is projecting the current budget will close with a $170 million surplus, and that also could be used to mitigate the impending deficit. But even if a $4.4 billion, two-year deficit is reduced to $3 billion by emptying the rainy day fund and this years surplus, that smaller potential gap equal to roughly $1.5 billion per year still is large enough to force major spending cuts, tax increases, or both. Theres one more piggy bank legislators could break into, but thats when the second variable the new rule to promote savings comes into play. Legislators voted last November, by a large, bipartisan margin, to create what has become known as the volatility cap. It requires the state to save, rather than spend, any income tax receipts from quarterly filings which are derived chiefly from capital gains and other investment earnings in excess of $3.1 billion per year. This segment of the state tax stream tends to surge rapidly in good times and shrink drastically in bad times. The volatility cap is in place to stop the state from spending too much of these revenue surges on new programs only to find the surge has vanished, and the program must go on without it, a year or two later. Connecticut has another $648 million in this volatility cap piggy bank, but lawmakers cannot crack it open until the end of next September three months after the fiscal year has ended when Lembos office completes its audit of the 2018-19 fiscal year. If this money could be applied to the deficit, the potential biennial shortfall would fall to $2.4 billion, or $1.2 billion per year. Thats still high. But coming off an election season in which all gubernatorial candidates announced plans for major tax cuts, reducing the potential budget pain often is top priority. And there is a loophole in the volatility cap rules that allows legislators to tap the funds early. This can be done only if: The governor signs a declaration of fiscal exigency, which is essentially a budget emergency. And if 60 percent of both the House and Senate agree. To achieve a 60 percent endorsement, that means 91 votes in the House and 22 in the Senate. And now the Democrats new majorities 92-59 in the House and 24-12 in the Senate appear much slimmer. If a few moderate or conservative Democrats dont like a proposed budget, or if the partys most liberal wing objects, then Democrats might need Republican votes to get a budget done. Even without the volatility cap, neither party could assemble enough votes alone in 2017 to pass a budget that Gov. Dannel P. Malloy would sign. It took a nine-month debate before the two parties settled on a budget compromise last year. Democratic legislative leaders opted Wednesday not too look too far ahead. But both Aresimowicz and Looney said the prospect of another bipartisan budget debate was real but not necessarily scary. When you close your mind to other peoples ideas, youre doing the entire state a disservice, Aresimowicz said. We know that acting together, taking the D for Democrat off and the R for Republican, we get better results, Aresimowicz said Its too soon to say how this might work out, Looney said. That is an issue well have to look at. When asked two days before the election about the prospect of needing another bipartisan compromise to solve the impending deficit, the top Republicans in the legislature said, if necessary, it certainly could be done. We can always do a bipartisan budget, Senate Republican leader Len Fasano of North Haven said. Look at what we did in 2017. We could certainly do it again. I think you always have to be open to compromise, said House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, R-Derby. Everyone has to put out their own vision for the budget, but then we certainly could try to work together. The U.S. Army's top official said Thursday that he wants to see sergeants making regular visits to the barracks on weekends to help reduce the number of soldiers who die by suicide. Suicide is a problem that every service struggles to prevent. In calendar year 2017, 509 U.S. military personnel died by suicide, according to Defense Department numbers. Of that number, the Army suffered 298 deaths by suicide across the active duty, National Guard and Reserve. "It's a tragedy that we have suicide in our ranks, but it's coming into our ranks from society writ large," Army Secretary Mark Esper told an audience at the American Enterprise Institute. "Every week, I am signing letters to families offering my condolences for soldiers who have taken their lives." The problem typically affects younger soldiers and is usually "related to personal financial problems, relationship problems and career concerns," Esper said, adding that alcohol consumption can be a factor as well. It's also "typically a Friday night though Sunday morning problem," he said. "I am pushing very hard to get NCOs back in the barracks on the weekends, walking the hallways, checking in on soldiers, knocking on doors, seeing who is the loner out there," Esper said. "The real push I am trying to do is to really ... get the chain of command back involved, getting to know [their soldiers], engaging them, understanding what their problems are, understanding their family, their backgrounds -- all of that. We've just got to get to know our soldiers better ... if we are to bring this number down." As of March 31, the Army had suffered 35 deaths by suicide in the active force this calendar year, according to Defense Department numbers. The National Guard lost 20 soldiers to suicide and the Army Reserve lost 12 in that time frame, DoD numbers state. "We can do a whole lot better because I don't want to lose anybody, and every soldier lost is a loss to readiness," Esper said. -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. Despite roadblocks and an unconventional process, the Global War on Terror Memorial Foundation is pressing ahead with a plan to build the first-ever tribute to veterans of an ongoing conflict on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. "We're doing something that's never been done before, building a memorial to a live war," said retired Green Beret Sgt. 1st Class Michael "Rod" Rodriguez, president and chief executive officer of the foundation and a veteran of nine deployments in his military career. In a phone interview Nov. 7, Rodriguez did not give any numbers but said the foundation is making progress on raising the estimated $50 million in private donations needed for the memorial, with a groundbreaking projected for 2022 and a formal dedication in 2024. Before that, the plan will have to pass a 24-step approval process by several federal agencies overseen by the National Capital Planning Commission on site selection and design. A separate National Desert Storm and Desert Shield Memorial on the National Mall is well ahead of the proposed Global War on Terror (GWOT) memorial in this process. A site for the Desert Storm Memorial has already been chosen near the Lincoln Memorial. Former President George H.W. Bush, who was commander-in-chief when Desert Storm was fought, is honorary chairman for that project. The GWOT memorial got past a significant roadblock last year when Congress agreed to waive a requirement that construction of war memorials on the Mall must wait until 10 years after the conflict ends. In the floor debate on the waiver, Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wisconsin, a former Marine captain who deployed twice to Iraq, said, "This conflict will have no end date, no V-E [Victory in Europe] Day, no V-J [Victory in Japan] Day." Another crucial test for the GWOT memorial will come early next year, when the proposal goes before the National Capital Planning Commission, Rodriguez said. "We haven't got a site yet," he explained. The foundation has hired the Winstanley Architects & Planners firm to do the site selection and serve as architects for the eventual construction. There also is no design yet for the GWOT Memorial, which will come from an artists' competition that the foundation eventually plans to hold, Rodriguez said. He also touched on concerns that the Mall, which already has memorials to World War II, Korea and Vietnam, may have reached a saturation point on war memorials. Earlier this year, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund dropped plans for an expansion of the Vietnam memorial to include an underground education center when donations failed to materialize. On Thursday, the World War I Centennial Commission will host ceremonies for the first National World War I Memorial in Washington, D.C., but that site is off the Mall on Pennsylvania Ave. and 14th St. near the White House at the existing Pershing Park, a small park named for Gen. John J. Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Force in World War I. "One of the challenges we face is educating people," Rodriguez said, "explaining what it is about." He stressed that "this is not a 9/11 memorial." Memorials to 9/11 already exist in Washington, New York City and Pennsylvania, he said. The GWOT Memorial is meant, he said, to honor and recall the spirit of unity in "the response the nation had after 9/11" and the sacrifices of those who fought, and will fight, in the continuing wars that began more than 17 years ago. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at richard.sisk@military.com. YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan -- Additional details released this week about a drug ring run by USS Ronald Reagan sailors revealed that the number of service members involved totals 15. Stars and Stripes reported Tuesday that two Ronald Reagan sailors face charges of possession and distribution of a controlled substance, including LSD and anabolic steroids, in connection with the operation. Another three sailors could face charges as they are "involved in the Article 32 process," said 7th Fleet spokesman Lt. Joe Keiley. Article 32 hearings are similar to preliminary hearings in civilian courts used to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to warrant a trial. Keiley said Wednesday that an additional 10 Reagan sailors received nonjudicial punishment in the case. He could not reveal further detail about those sailors as the Navy "does not discuss the outcomes of administrative actions." Fourteen of the 15 sailors implicated in the drug operation were assigned to the aircraft carrier's nuclear reactor department, which has a staff of more than 400, Keiley said. Those suspected of involvement were taken off from their duties as the investigation got underway. Keiley said there was no evidence to suggest the sailors' alleged criminal involvement damaged their work and that "propulsion plant operations are supervised by senior personnel." "Out of an abundance of caution, Ronald Reagan leadership reviewed the work previously performed by the accused Sailors and no improper work was identified," he said. "Due to the defense in depth of the design and operation of the propulsion plants, the reactors aboard CVN 76 remain safe." The sailors facing courts-martial are Petty Officer 2nd Class Andrew Miller, a machinist's mate, who is accused of using, possessing and distributing LSD from January to February 2018, and Petty Officer 2nd Class Sean Gevero, an electrician's mate, who is accused of distributing LSD and possessing anabolic steroids in February, according to their charge sheets. The three undergoing the Article 32 process include a seaman apprentice and petty officer second class. Another unnamed sailor attended an Article 32 hearing in September for wrongful use and possession of a controlled substance and is awaiting further legal proceedings. Japanese authorities were also involved in the investigation when suspicions surfaced that the drugs were being sold to locals off base. However, they dropped the case in June. California's senators have sent a letter to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and the head of a public-private partnership providing on-base housing, calling on them to improve housing conditions for Marines after an explosive new report detailed squalid conditions and deterioration. The letter, sent by Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Kamala D. Harris, both Democrats, cited a Nov. 1 investigation by Reuters that reported serious deficiencies and health hazards in base housing at Camp Pendleton, California. Interviews with 100 families turned up reports of mouse infestations, severe mold outbreaks, cockroaches, roof leaks and more. Families said Lincoln Military Housing, the contractor that manages most on-base housing, took some mitigating actions, but did not do enough to address concerns and keep houses livable. "We are deeply concerned and disappointed about recent reports of unsuitable housing conditions at Camp Pendleton. Members of our military and their families sacrifice greatly to keep our nation safe, and the very least we can do in return is ensure their housing is safe and sanitary," the senators wrote to Mattis and Tim Byrne, CEO of Lincoln, in a Nov. 5 letter. "We urge Lincoln Military Housing to work with the Department of Defense (DOD) to immediately resolve the issues identified in these reports." Feinstein and Harris called for a response by Nov. 15 regarding the military and Lincoln's strategy to address existing problems and implement corrective actions at Pendleton and other military bases with similar problems. They asked whether the Defense Department would provide a plan to offer medical treatment to those whose health had been affected by bad housing conditions and called for a report on military housing partner companies "that have been similarly unable to meet the minimum health and safety standards" required for military families. "As long as these disturbing living conditions are allowed to continue, many Camp Pendleton Marines will be unable to deploy with the peace of mind that their families are safe at home," they wrote. "We are extremely troubled that a culture has developed that appears to prize profit at the expense of the health and safety of our military families. In spite of current policy limitations, cooperation between the military and privatized housing companies should provide the best protection of our military families possible." The president of Lincoln, Jarl Bliss, did not dispute Reuters' report about the condition of certain homes, but told the outlet that they represented exceptions to the rule. "We can't run 36,000 homes and do all the services that we provide across these branches of government and have a 100 percent success rate," he told Reuters. " ... The families have a choice. [...] They don't have to live with us." There are 7,900 total housing units on base at Pendleton, according to the report. -- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck. Joseph V. Micallef is a best-selling military history and world affairs author, and keynote speaker. Follow him on Twitter @JosephVMicallef. "Make no mistake: The current situation, with Russia in blatant violation of this treaty, is untenable. Russia must return to compliance with the INF Treaty or the U.S. will need to match its capabilities to protect U.S. and NATO interests." -- U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, Oct. 4, 2018 On Oct. 20, the Trump administration announced that it intended to withdraw from the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. Coupled with President Donald Trump's criticism of the New START Treaty, the most recent arms limitations agreement between Russia and the U.S., it's possible that over the next several years the United States will withdraw or allow to expire all of the main nuclear arms control limitations agreements it had previously negotiated with the Soviet Union and Russia. Are the U.S. and Russia on the verge of a new nuclear arms race? What are the violations of the INF Treaty and what are the strategic consequences of dismantling the nuclear arms limitations agreements between Russia and the United States? Structure of U.S.-Soviet-Russian Nuclear Arms Control Agreements Between 1950 and 2010, the United States signed several dozen arms limitation agreements with the Soviet Union and then with Russia, although not all these agreements were subsequently ratified. These agreements ranged from banning the manufacture and use of biological and chemical weapons (Biological Weapons Convention, Chemical Weapons Convention) to limitations on the placement of nuclear weapons on the moon or on the seafloor (Outer Space Treaty, Seabed Arms Control Treaty). The most important arms control agreements, however, dealt with the control of the nuclear weapons arsenals of the U.S. and the USSR/Russia. These agreements consisted of 8 key treaties: SALT I & II, the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), START I & START II, SORT and the New START Treaty. Some of the latter treaties superseded earlier agreements. The three key agreements, which largely provided the framework for nuclear arms limitations between the U.S. and the USSR/Russia, were the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty and the New START (NS) Treaty and its predecessors. The U.S. has already withdrawn from one treaty, announced its withdrawal from a second and expressed its displeasure with the third. The ABM Treaty was an outgrowth of the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks held between 1969 and 1979. Signed in 1972, at the Moscow Summit between U.S. President Richard Nixon and the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Leonid Brezhnev, the agreement limited the deployment of ABM systems to just two ABM complexes -- one around the capital and one to safeguard an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) site. Each complex was limited to a maximum of 100 anti-ballistic missiles. An additional protocol, in 1974, reduced the number of permissible sites to one each. The U.S. deployed an ABM system around the North Dakota Safeguard Complex, and the Soviet Union did the same around Moscow. U.S. President Ronald Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), popularly called Star Wars, ratcheted up spending on anti-missile defense. This initiative was not a violation of the agreement. The ABM Treaty limited the deployment of ABM systems, it did not prohibit research on anti-missile defense. It was the George W. Bush administration that withdrew the U.S. from the ABM Treaty. On December 31, 2001, pursuant to the six-month notice provision required to terminate the agreement, the Bush administration gave Russia notice of its intent to withdraw. This was the first instance when the U.S. had withdrawn from a nuclear arms limitation agreement with either Russia or the USSR. At the time, the Bush administration justified its decision on the need to build a national missile defense system to protect the U.S. from a nuclear attack or nuclear blackmail from a rogue state. The INF Treaty was signed in 1987, by Reagan and General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev. The agreement eliminated all nuclear and conventional missiles with ranges of 310 to 620 miles (short range) and ranges of 620 to 3,420 miles (intermediate range), as well as their launchers. The agreement did not cover sea-launched or air-launched missiles. A total of 2,692 missiles were subsequently decommissioned. The agreement also specified 10 years of on-site verification inspections. On Oct. 20, 2018, Trump announced that the U.S. was withdrawing from the INF treaty due to repeated Russian violations of the agreement. Political opponents of the Trump administration have argued that the president cannot withdraw the U.S. from a Senate-approved treaty without congressional authorization. It is likely that a legal challenge will be forthcoming. The U.S. Supreme Court has not ruled on whether the president has the constitutional authority to withdraw from a treaty without congressional approval. The legal authority for the Bush administration's decision to withdraw from the ABM Treaty was challenged by a bipartisan group of senators and congressman in federal district court. The lower court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, that the president did not have the authority to abrogate a treaty without congressional approval. The decision was reversed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, when it held that the president has broad constitutional authority with respect to foreign affairs. The Supreme Court vacated the lower court's decision and remanded the case back to the appellate court with instructions to dismiss the case, but left the central issue unresolved. The New START Treaty, signed between the U.S. and Russia in April 2010, is the latest agreement in a series of treaties designed to first limit and later reduce the nuclear arsenals of the U.S. and the USSR/Russia. These treaties included the SALT I, SALT II, START I, START II and the SORT treaties. SALT I was ratified in 1972. SALT II was never ratified because of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, but both sides adhered to its provisions nonetheless. START I was signed in 1991, entered into in 1994, and continued until its expiration in 2009. START II was signed in 1993, was ratified in 1996, by the U.S. and by Russia in 2000. Russia withdrew in 2002. SORT was signed in 2002, entered into force in 2003, and expired in 2012. The New START Treaty was signed by the U.S. and Russia in April 2010, and went into force in February 2011. The agreement is set to expire in 2021, unless it is extended by both parties for an additional five years. The New START agreement reduced the number of strategic nuclear missile launchers by 50 percent. It also limited the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads to 1,550. This is down by almost 66 percent from the allowed number of nuclear warheads in the original START I agreement signed in 1991. The agreement limits the number of deployed missiles and bombers to 700, and further limits deployed and non-deployed launchers, i.e. ICBMs, submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and heavy bombers equipped to carry nuclear weapons, to 800. The treaty also allows for satellite and remote monitoring, and up to 18 on-site yearly inspections to verify limits. The treaty does not cover the use of tactical or so-called battlefield nuclear weapons or their delivery systems. As of February 2018, Russia has 527 ICBMs, SLBMs and heavy bombers deployed, carrying a total of 1,444 warheads. The U.S. had 652 deployed ICBMs, SLBMs and heavy bombers carrying 1,350 nuclear warheads. From a practical standpoint, the actual number of nuclear warheads exceeds the stated 1,550 limits since bombers are counted as the equivalent of one missile, even though they can carry multiple nuclear weapons. According to the Federation of American Scientists, Russia possesses 4,350 nuclear warheads, while the United States has 3,800. The reduction in the nuclear arsenal of the U.S. and Russia is remarkable when you consider that as recently as 1985, the U.S. and the Soviet Union had more than 60,000 warheads between them. Still, all it takes is a dozen well-placed warheads to wreak incomprehensible destruction to either country. The Putin government has raised the issue of extending the START Treaty beyond its current expiration date of 2021. It was one of the first items raised by Russian President Vladimir Putin in his first 60-minute phone call with Trump on Feb. 8, 2017. According to news reports, Trump denounced the New START Treaty, calling it "a bad deal for the United States," and claimed that it was "one of several bad deals negotiated by the Obama administration" and that the agreement favored Russia. Alleged Violations of the INF Treaty Both the U.S. and Russia have accused each other of violating the terms of the INF Treaty. These accusations are not new, going back more than a decade. The U.S. first raised the issue of treaty violations in 2008. In 2014, the U.S. formally accused Russia of breaching the INF Treaty by conducting flight tests of a ground-launched cruise missile (GLCM) whose range exceeded 300 miles. The INF Treaty does not ban research and development, but prohibits flight testing. Russia denied the charges and threatened to withdraw from the INF Treaty. Russian threats of withdrawal from the treaty are nothing new. Putin had declared, as far back as 2007, that the INF Treaty "no longer served Russian interests"; a claim echoed by the then-Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Gen. Yuri Baluyevsky. Eventually, the U.S. identified a GLCM, designated the SSC-8, as a violation of the INF treaty. The Kremlin has confirmed the existence of a new missile system it has designated the 9M729, but denied that the new missile is in violation of the INF Treaty. It's possible that the SSC-8 may be a ground-based version of the Kalibr sea-launched cruise missile. Starting in 2014, these charges were also flagged in the State Department's yearly report on Russia's Adherence to and Compliance with Arms Control, Nonproliferation and Disarmament Agreements and Commitments (Compliance Report). In 2016, the Obama administration called for a meeting of the Special Verification Commission, which had been established pursuant to the INF Treaty, to address the issue of Russian compliance with the agreement. Two separate meetings of the SVC failed to resolve the issue. The Trump administration has charged that, in 2017, the Kremlin deployed two fully operational battalions of nuclear-armed SSC-8s. One battalion was located at the Russian missile test site at Kapustin Yar near the southern Russian city of Volgograd. The location of the second battalion is unconfirmed, although there have been reports that it might be deployed in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea. If confirmed, that would bring Western Europe in range of the missiles. Moscow had previously confirmed that there are nuclear-capable Iskander missile batteries in Kaliningrad, but has refused to confirm their payloads. The range of the Iskander cruise missiles is under 300 miles, compliant with the INF Treaty. That range is sufficient to cover most of the eastern Baltic and northeast central Europe as far as Berlin. Russia has denied that the SSC-8 cruise missile is deployed there. Each SSC-8 missile battalion is believed to consist of four mobile launchers, each of which would have six nuclear-tipped cruise missiles. The challenge posed by the SSC-8 is that its mobile launchers are difficult to distinguish from those used by the Iskander, except by on-site visual inspection. In addition, the U.S. has charged that Russian tests of the RS-26 ICBM at ranges below 3,300 miles are also a violation of the INF Treaty. It's unclear whether the shorter flight trajectory of the RS-26 was the result of different missile payloads, heavier payloads from the addition of systems designed to evade anti-ballistic missile defenses or simply the result of being flown on a flatter, depressed trajectory or a higher lofted trajectory. It does raise the possibility, however, that Russia could field a force on intermediate-range ballistic missiles prohibited under the INF Treaty in the guise of ICBMs, although the deployment of such missiles would still come under the limit of delivery vehicles mandated by the New START Agreement. In March 2018, Putin, in his annual state of the nation address, announced that Russia had developed and is now ready to deploy six new weapons systems. These consist of a cruise missile with a nuclear engine, since named Burevestnik; the RS-28 Sarmat Intercontinental Ballistic Missile; a nuclear-tipped hypersonic boost-glide vehicle named Avangard, with a programmable flight path that would allow it to make unpredictable sharp maneuvers and which, according to Putin, would make it "absolutely invulnerable to any missile defense system"; a nuclear-armed unmanned undersea drone since named Poseidon, which has been described as a sort of nuclear torpedo; a dual-purpose nuclear and conventional air-launched hypersonic cruise missile called Kinzhal; and a short-range, directed-energy weapon described as a "laser cannon," intended for ballistic missile defense. If true, these new super-weapons systems could dramatically alter the strategic balance between the U.S. and Russia, allowing Moscow to deploy nuclear-armed ICBMs capable of avoiding American anti-ballistic missiles, while at the same time providing Russia with an ABM capability that would make it invulnerable to a nuclear missile attack by the U.S. The Pentagon was quick to dismiss the Russian claims, announcing that there was nothing new in the weapons systems that Putin had unveiled, that their capabilities were grossly exaggerated and that U.S. defense planners were already aware of these systems. It's unclear how these new weapons systems fit into the existing framework of nuclear arms agreements. Since some of these weapons systems can be used in a dual role, both tactical and strategic, they would presumably be a violation of the INF Treaty. In turn, Moscow has contended that there are three U.S. military programs that violate the INF Treaty. Russia has claimed that the use of target missiles capable of flying to intermediate range during anti-ballistic missile tests violates the INF Treaty. The U.S. has countered that the target missiles were never equipped with warheads and were meant for research and not as a new weapons delivery system, and that such uses are allowed under the INF Treaty for purposes of testing ABM defenses. Russia has also claimed that unmanned aerial drones, equipped to carry precision-guided weapons to attack ground targets, are also violations of the INF Treaty. Such drones, according to the Kremlin, fit the definition of a cruise missile defined in the treaty since they are "unmanned, self-propelled vehicles that sustain fight through the use of aerodynamic lift over most of its flight path" and "is a weapons delivery vehicle." The U.S. has countered that drones are not missiles but are "two-way, reusable systems" and that the INF Treaty "imposes no restrictions on the testing, production or deployment of reusable armed UAVs." The MK-41 (Aegis Ashore) launchers for SM-3 missile interceptors that the U.S. has deployed in Romania and Poland could, Moscow claims, also be used to launch long-range cruise missiles, which are prohibited by the INF Treaty. The MK-41 is used to launch sea-based cruise missiles (SBCMs), such as the Tomahawk. There is no reason why a Tomahawk could not be launched from land. It appears Moscow has a valid point here. On the other hand, the INF treaty only bans GLCMs of short- or intermediate-range, not all cruise missile of those ranges. Potentially, this is a loophole in the INF treaty. According to the Trump administration, however, it's a moot point because the MK-41 missile batteries that are deployed in Poland and Romania are sufficiently different from the shipboard version that they could not be used to launch SBCMs like the Tomahawk. Moreover, the potential loophole notwithstanding, there is no evidence that the U.S. is deploying SBCMs on land in violation of the INF Treaty. Strategic Consequence of US Withdrawal from the INF Treaty Russia claims that the INF Treaty is unfair because it is surrounded by several countries that have intermediate-range nuclear weapons, while the U.S. has no such threats. These countries include Israel, Pakistan, India, North Korea and China. In addition, Iran has intermediate-range missiles, although it does not have nuclear warheads. That's a valid point, although it's hard to imagine that any of these countries pose a military threat to Russia. Moreover, Russia's nuclear arsenal is substantially larger than any of its neighbors. Russian objections do underscore a legitimate point, however. The U.S.-Soviet/Russian arms control agreements were negotiated at a time when almost all the nuclear weapons were possessed by the two Cold War rivals or countries allied with them. Nuclear proliferation over the last several decades means that there are many more countries capable of fielding short- and intermediate-range nuclear weapons. These nuclear powers have largely focused on developing precisely the short- and intermediate-range tactical nuclear weapons that the INF agreement was designed to eliminate. According to the former head of U.S. Pacific Command, retired Adm. Harry Harris, "roughly 95 percent of China's nuclear arsenal would be rendered obsolete if China was a party to the INF Treaty." That means that both Washington and Moscow must either try to include other countries with short- and intermediate-range nuclear weapons as part of their arms control agreements; consent to the proliferation of such weapons, while denying them to themselves; or simply abandon the prohibition on short- and intermediate-range nuclear weapons. The likelihood that other countries would consent to limitations on short- and intermediate-range weapons is very low. The Chinese government has already made it clear that it would not be coerced into agreeing to any such ban. U.S.-Soviet/Russia arms limitations agreements were hard enough to negotiate; multilateral agreements will be a whole order of magnitude harder. While the U.S. and Russia can continue to negotiate reductions in their nuclear arsenals, banning entire categories of weapons is going to be less likely if other countries will be able to deploy such weapons. The immediate consequences of a U.S. withdrawal from the INF Treaty is that both sides will now be free to manufacture and deploy short- and intermediate-range nuclear weapons. Essentially, this is a return to the status quo of the late 1970s and early 1980s, when the USSR was planning to deploy the SS-20 intermediate-range nuclear missile in Europe. At that time, the U.S. responded with a dual track strategy, proposing the deployment of Pershing II ballistic missiles and adding new GLCMs, while at the same time pursuing nuclear arms limitations talks that eventually yielded the INF Treaty. A total of 108 Pershing II and 464 GLCMs were slated for deployment, each carrying a single nuclear warhead. This proposed deployment was highly controversial in Europe, prompting significant political unrest and public demonstrations against their presence. A similar response, today, would be even more controversial and would create significant tensions within NATO. Given Europe's fractured political landscape, building a political consensus in support of such a policy will be difficult. It's likely that the newer members of NATO, the Baltic states and many of the former members of the Warsaw Pact, would prove receptive to stationing such weapons systems on their soil. In doing so, however, they would spur a comparable Russian deployment, one that would threaten NATO members further west and which would be highly controversial within the alliance. The Trump administration may be using the threat of withdrawal from the INF Treaty to stoke Russian fears that the U.S. is prepared to launch a nuclear arms race -- a race that Moscow does not want and which it cannot finance. This would be a repeat of the Reagan strategy that many believe ultimately bankrupted the Soviet Union and led to its collapse. Washington does share with Moscow the concern over the proliferation of short- and intermediate-range nuclear missiles. In Washington's case, this deals primarily with the deployment of such weapons systems by North Korea and China, since they threaten key U.S. allies in east Asia. It seems unlikely, however, that the U.S. would succeed in basing such weapons in the region. Such a deployment would be politically controversial in a host country. It would also bring a sharp reaction from Beijing and likely threats of economic retaliation against any country hosting such systems. In early 2017, the Trump White House indicated it would consider a range of potential military, diplomatic and economic responses, including additional economic sanctions, in response to Russian violations of the INF Treaty. There was little interest in Europe in imposing additional economic sanctions against Russia, but European Union attitudes may change if the alternative is a complete U.S. withdrawal from the INF Treaty. The Kremlin's unwillingness to be more transparent on its new weapon deployments raises legitimate fears about its commitment to the existing network of arms control agreements. In this environment, it is hard to imagine that the U.S. and Russia will be able to negotiate any additional arms control agreements or that any such agreements would get congressional approval. There is one larger question. Do arms control agreements matter? As the noted geopolitical strategist George Friedman has noted, it is not nuclear arms agreements that prevent nuclear war, it is the horror of such a war that is the most effective deterrent. Such agreements are important confidence-building measures. Still, do countries have confidence in one another because they have signed such agreements, or do they sign such agreements because they have confidence in one another? Like most "chicken and egg arguments," it's a little bit of both, one that can give rise to both positive and negative feedback loops. Fear is a powerful and a dangerous emotion. Transparency as to motives and intent is the ideal antidote. In that regard, such agreements make it less likely that one side will stumble into a nuclear conflict due to a miscalculation or misunderstanding. The challenge of nuclear arms control going forward is that while the management of the U.S.-Russian nuclear arsenals remains at the center of the arms control discussion, the conference table is getting increasingly crowded with participants that are not part of that dialogue but who can shape it by their actions. While the U.S. and Russia can continue to reduce their nuclear arsenals, admittedly difficult in the current environment, the spread of nuclear weapons will continue unabated. So, while it's possible that the U.S. and Russia could rebuild the framework for nuclear arms limitations and reduce the aggregate number of nuclear warheads, ownership of what's left will be more diffuse and outside the control of either Washington or Moscow. The Russian-American nuclear arms limitations agreements are important because they are at the center of arms control and nuclear proliferation and are a prerequisite for any broader multi-party agreement limiting nuclear weapons. Russian behavior, with respect to the INF Treaty, is troublesome because it underscores what is increasingly seen in Washington as the Kremlin's provocative, combative and reckless policies. Under such conditions, maintaining the existing structure of arms control agreements is especially important, but such an outcome is unlikely unless both sides are convinced of the other party's willingness to abide by those agreements. Barring that, U.S.-Russian relations will continue to deteriorate into an increasingly dangerous and unpredictable condition. -- The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com. If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration. Would a "blue wave" in the House stifle progress of nuclear modernization efforts? The Democrats' takeover of the lower chamber may create aggressive oversight of nuclear programs in development, at least for the next two years, according to a strategic arms expert. "Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., the soon-to-be chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, has made it clear that he believes the United States has more nuclear weapons than it needs for its security and can realistically afford," said Kingston Reif, the director of disarmament & threat reduction policy at the Arms Control Association. Reif told Military.com Wednesday that other lawmakers are likely to follow suit in calling for additional oversight. Rep. Pete Visclosky, a Democrat from Indiana, who is in line to take over as chairman of the defense appropriations subcommittee, and Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, who is in line to take over as chairwoman of the energy and water appropriations subcommittee, could also raise concerns about the status of current modernization programs and the need for new low-yield capabilities. If these lawmakers are unsatisfied with the Defense Department's recapitalization efforts, it's likely they will push to require "much greater transparency from DoD and the [National Nuclear Security Administration] on the cost of the effort, and the president's sole authority to order the use of nuclear weapons," Reif said. Related content: Democrats have already taken issue with the new Long Range Stand Off weapon, known as LRSO, a nuclear cruise missile that will be launched from aircraft such as the B-52 Stratofortress to provide an air-launched capability as part of the nuclear triad. It is intended to replace the AGM-86B Air Launched Cruise Missile, known as ALCM, a program scheduled to end by 2030. Last year, nine Senate Democrats said they would cap funding on the LRSO program in an effort to slow its development, according to Defense News. The senators argued the modernizations would lead to a new, expensive arms race and would counter a peaceful resolution to ongoing conflicts. Sen. Ed Markey, a Democrat from Massachusetts and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced the bill, which was co-sponsored by eight other senators. The legislation would limit funding for a new nuclear-armed air-launched missile "at 2017 levels until the Trump administration submits a Nuclear Posture Review to Congress." The Pentagon's Nuclear Posture Review was published in February. "I would expect Smith to continue to question the redundant rationale for the LRSO and perhaps seek to slow down or even stop the program," Reif said. The program by no means is fast-paced. The U.S. Air Force last year awarded Lockheed Martin Corp. and Raytheon Co. contracts valued at $900 million apiece to begin preliminary work on LRSO. But the pace of which the warhead is developed drives the pace which the weapon is developed, explained Frank St. John, Lockheed's executive vice president of Missiles and Fire Control. "The program of record remains 54 months, [another] 54 months, and then five years of production ... nine years of development," St. John said in an earlier interview. Other recap programs that could be in the crosshairs include the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent, known as GBSD, Submarine-launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) and Submarine-launched Cruise Missile (SLCM) programs, Reif said. The strategic arms expert said the deployment of a low-yield SLBM warhead could also be slowed, and that lawmakers may instead pursue extending the life of the current Minuteman III missiles. "I would expect [Smith] to continue to question the rationale for 400 deployed missiles and urge, including through conditions on funding, a more thorough examination of the feasibility of extending further the life of the Minuteman III as a less-expensive alternative to GBSD," Reif said. The Air Force last year awarded two contracts to Northrop Grumman Corp. and Boeing Co. for preliminary work on its Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program to replace its Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile system. The two contracts are not to exceed $359 million each, the service said, though Boeing was awarded a $349 million agreement and Northrop received a $328 million deal for the early stages of work. How the future programs will progress will surely lead to contentious debates between lawmakers in the Democratic-led House and Republican-led Senate. The Senate Armed Services Committee, for example, is likely to "even more strongly support the Trump plans" under Sen.Jim Inhofe, a Republican from Oklahoma who recently replaced the late Sen. John McCain from Arizona as chair, Reif said. Inhofe "is an extreme hawk on the issue," Reif added. But Democrats will use their majority leverage in the House to curtail spending if they see fit, he said. "I expect much stronger and louder Democratic opposition to Trump's plans to augment the role of nuclear weapons in U.S. policy, expand U.S. nuclear capabilities, and retreat from the longstanding U.S. leadership role on arms control and nonproliferation," Reif said. That said, Reif doesn't put it past lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to create roadblocks for future nuclear programs. "To date, there has been a fragile bipartisan consensus in support of recapitalizing the U.S. nuclear arsenal, or at least there was during the Obama administration. But in the wake of the Trump NPR and last night's election, that consensus is on the verge of unraveling," he said. -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @oriana0214. The Marine Corps has put out a request to learn whether defense firms can build an unmanned robotic vehicle designed to carry extra ammo, packs, food and water for infantry squads. The effort follows an Army initiative to select an unmanned squad vehicle that can partner with infantrymen to lighten their loads. "The Marine Corps Rapid Capabilities Office plans to investigate unmanned vehicle technologies to displace the load currently carried by Infantry Marines at the squad level. Capabilities of interest include ground vehicles with tele-operation capability ... and fully autonomous operation," according to an Oct. 31 request for information posted on the government contracting website FedBizOpps. While this is not a request for proposal, the intent is to define what it will take to prototype and deliver such a vehicle. Contractors will need to build and deliver up to three prototype unmanned systems for evaluation by the rapid capabilities office, the draft statement of objectives reads. The Marine effort "will evaluate systems capable of maneuvering with a foot-mobile squad (12 Marines) from the assembly area to the objective area," according to the solicitation. Firms have until Nov. 28 to respond. The Corps is looking for proposed systems with the following: Ability to operate in a variety of terrains, including unimproved road or off-road. Ability to avoid obstacles during a operation, whether it's remotely piloted or features autonomous operation. Ability to carry a minimum of 500 pounds as a threshold requirement and up to 1,000 pounds for an objective requirement. System endurance of eight hours to three days. Capable of maintaining 3.5 miles per hour with full combat load in various terrain conditions. The Army is on a similar path with the Squad Multipurpose Equipment Transport, an effort to develop an unmanned robotic vehicle that can take the load off infantrymen. It selected four prototypes of the SMET after a "fly-off" event late last summer at Fort Benning, Georgia. The Army is doing a technology demonstration that involves fielding four prototypes each to a brigade in the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and a brigade in the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, New York. Fielding is expected to be completed by mid-November. Units will then evaluate them for six months. Army program officials may down-select one prototype for future development or use the feedback from the demo to help guide future requirements, according to officials at Benning's Capabilities Development and Integration Directorate. -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. How to use the mindat.org media viewer Click/touch this help panel to close it. Welcome to the mindat.org media viewer. Here is a quick guide to some of the options available to you. Different controls are available depending on the type of media being shown (photo, video, animation, 3d image) Controls - all media types Zoom in and out of media using your mousewheel or with a two-finger 'resize' action on a touch device. Use the mouse or your finger to drag the image or the view area of the image around the screen. < and > at the left and right hand side of the screen move forwards and backwards for the other images associated with the media you selected. Usually this is used for previous/next photo in a gallery, in an article or in search results. Keyboard shortcuts: use shift + the left and right arrow keys. < and > in the bottom center are used for switching between the photos of the same specimen. Keyboard shortcuts: use the left and right arrow keys. > in the bottom center, raises the information box giving details and further options for the media, < at the top of this box then hides it. Keyboard shortcuts: use the up and down arrow keys. ? opens this help window. Keyboard shortcuts: use the H key or the ? key. Other keyboard shortcuts: 1 Fit image to screen 2 Fill screen with image 5 Display at full resolution < Make background darker > Make background lighter space Hide/dim titles and buttons Scalebar If the field of view (FOV) is specified for the photo, the scalebar appears in the left bottom corner of the viewer. The scalebar is draggable and resizeable. Drag the right edge to resize it. Double click will reset the scalebar to it's default size and position. If the scalebar is in default position, double click will make it circular. Controls - Video Video files have a standard set of video controls: - Reset to start, - Skip back, - Play, - Pause, - Skip forwards. Keyboard shortcuts: You can stop/start video play with the P key. Controls - Animation (Spin Rotation) Animation (usually 360 degree spin rotations) have their own controls: - enable spin mode. Note that while images are loading this option will not be available but will be automatically activated when the animation has loaded. Once active you can spin the image/change the animation by moving your mouse or finger on the image left/right or by pressing the [ or ] keys. The button switches to move mode so that you can use your mouse/fingers to move the image around the screen as with other media types. The button, or the P key will start playing the animation directly, you can interrupt this by using the mouse or finger on the image to regain manual movement control. Controls - 3D Stereoscopic images If a stereoscopic 3D image is opened in the viewer, the 3D button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "3D settings" menu. The 3D images can be viewed in several ways: - without any special equipment using cross-eyed or parallel-eyed method - with stereoscope - with anaglyph glasses. - on a suitable 3D TV or monitor (passive 3D system) For details about 3D refer to: Mindat manuals: Mindat Media Viewer: 3D To enable/disable 3D stereo display of a compatible stereo pair image press the 3 key. If the left/right images are reversed on your display (this often happens in full-screen mode) press the 4 key to reverse them. Controls - photo comparison mode If a photo with activated comparison mode is opened in the viewer, the button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "Comparison mode settings" menu. Several layouts are supported: slider and side by-side comparison with up to 6 photos shown synchronously on the screen. On each of the compared photos a view selector is placed, e.g.: Longwave UV . It shows the name of currently selected view and allows to select a view for each placeholder. Summary of all keyboard shortcuts 12 White Hurricane of 1913 GULL ROCK, LAKE SUPERIOR - When people talk in awed tones about the Great Storm of 1913 that exploded over the Great Lakes like a four-day meteorological bomb, their words are often laced with death. They tell of the giant waves that rolled huge ships before sucking them underwater, sinking at least a dozen. They describe the snow squalls whipped up by cyclone-force winds that pushed other ships right out of the lakes, leaving them stranded on rocky beaches. They talk of the 250 sailors and crew believed lost in our inland seas while this storm raged. This famous "White Hurricane" would go down in the books as the worst natural disaster in the Great Lakes. But looking back more than a century ago, perhaps what stands apart is a nail-biting drama that played out just off the tip of Michigan's northernmost peninsula. It's the story of a shipwrecked crew who refused to die - and the stubborn determination of men from two U.S. Life-Saving stations in the Upper Peninsula who overcame nearly impossible odds to save them. "When you look at the Waldo rescue, that crew was stuck on that ship for over 90 hours, not knowing whether they were going to be rescued or not," said Mark Rowe, trustee and maritime chairman of the Keweenaw County Historical Society who has done presentations on the wreck. "I think a lot of people were amazed that they were rescued, and what the rescuers went through." The Waldo up on the rocks in 1913, her distress flag flying. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. "AN INSANE WIND SCREAMING MURDER IN THE DARKNESS" The story of the freighter L.C. Waldo made international headlines 106 years ago this week. She had started out the trip with some unseasonably warm temperatures, according to the National Weather Service. At that time, the Great Lakes were busy with big freighters and a mix of smaller boats making late-season shipping runs. The Waldo, a 470-foot steamer, was loaded with iron ore. She'd left Minnesota on Lake Superior's western end and planned to cross the lake, downbound for Ohio. She had 22 crew on board, two women and the ship's dog. She was on the initial leg of that journey on Nov. 7, 1913 when the first of two colliding storm fronts struck the big lake. Gale and storm warning flags were hoisted in harbor towns. A nasty cold front turned violent. Big waves began to roil Lake Superior. The squalls came mixed with snow and icy spray. At that point, Captain J. W. Duddleson was just trying to find someplace the Waldo could get a break from the winds, estimated to be howling at 60 mph. In his book "Great Lakes Shipwrecks and Survivals," author William Ratigan gives a dramatic account of the scant hours the Waldo had left to remain afloat. And lest you think this sounds a bit too dramatic, remember this was about the time that the Great Lakes began swallowing other ships and conditions were becoming more hurricane-like by the minute - a chaos that would last for the next four days. "Huge waves broke over the Waldo's bow and raked her decks with spray that froze and encased her with tons of ice. At nine o'clock that night, Captain John Duddleson, a real blue-water sailor, born at the Soo, stood in the pilothouse whose windows were blind with frost. It was like being in the solitary cell of a madhouse, with an insane wind screaming murder in the darkness. At visibility zero, he steered by compass alone and prayed for his guardian angel to keep a sharp lookout." "At midnight Captain Duddleson bent over his chart, laying a compass course for Manitou Island, off the Indian arrow-point of Keweenaw Peninsula, hoping to gain the island's shelter before the wind blew the Waldo off the map." Early in this maritime battle, the Waldo had suffered a crippling blow. As the steamer approached Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula, a monster wave had broken over the stern and smashed down on the full length of the ship, reportedly damaging the pilot house. The ships' navigational equipment also was lost. "Supposedly there was some type of compass in a lifeboat," Rowe said. "A mate went to get the compass, crossed the icy deck, and set that compass on a stool. With a lantern light, that's what they were steering by." Now the Waldo was headed for Manitou Island, a 1,000-acre expanse off the tip of the Keweenaw. But before it could reach that windbreak, it smashed into Gull Rock, a tiny islet just west of the island. Some have described it as the tip of an underwater mountain peak, jutting up from the lake and likely invisible overnight in a furious storm. The Waldo wrecked on the rocks in the wee hours of Saturday, Nov. 8, starting the clock ticking on a life-or-death struggle for the sailors - and for the rescuers who were duty-bound to try and save them. Gull Rock, next to Manitou Island, off Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula. A CLEVER ENGINEER, A BATHTUB AND A FROZEN TOMB "When they ran aground, they kept the engines running. The only safe place to shelter was the very front of the ship, below the pilot house level," Rowe explained. "While they were up there, the ship broke in two and it flooded out the engines, so they had no heat." The ship's engineer came up with an ingenious solution for a temporary stove. "He came up with the bright idea of taking the captain's bathtub," Rowel said. "They ripped it out of the captain's quarters and brought it into this room." Huddled together in a small space in the bow of the ship, the survivors turned the tub upside down, kicked the bottoms out of some metal fire buckets, stacking them together to make a stovepipe out of one of the portholes. Then they lit a fire. The captain directed them to start burning up the wood off the ship's walls and door casings. "He had part of the crew tearing out the wood, and the others doing exercises to keep warm," Rowe said. This tiny space was all the survivors had. As each wave battered the broken ship, the Waldo became encased in ice. The crew could not risk going to other parts of the ship to search for supplies. The food they had with them was nearly non-existent. Someone had managed to grab a one-gallon container of either peaches or tomatoes, depending on the account you read. They were left to wait in these hellish conditions, wondering if anyone even knew they were missing - or how to find them. "THOSE BOYS ARE NEVER COMING BACK" It was late Saturday by the time the Waldo's rescuers got word that she was in trouble. It's unclear if the first details reached the peninsula's U.S. Life Saving stations via crew from a ship that had passed her wreck site, then made it to harbor, or from locals who spotted her. Surfmen from the Eagle Harbor and Portgage stations both were alerted to the ship's plight. The Eagle Harbor station, which had opened the year before because of the number of calls for help near the tip of the peninsula, was the closest to the Waldo. Their surfmen got underway early Sunday, taking their smaller 26-foot motorized boat because their larger one was being repaired. They pushed off into the storm, propelled by the U.S. Life Saving motto: "You have to go out but you don't have to come back." By now the storm had ramped into a fury, the wind and blizzard-like conditions even worse than when it had dashed the Waldo against the rocks. Watching them leave, local resident Dave Kingston of Agate Harbor made a grim prediction: "You better wire Washington. Those boys are never coming back." On this first try, the Eagle Harbor rescuers made it only eight miles out into the storm. Ice began to encrust the small boat. The storm was coming out of the northwest, with winds topping 70 mph at their stern. The rescue boat's captain decided to turn around, fearing for the safety of his crew. They went back to get the 34-foot boat, which was being repaired for them. When they arrived back at Eagle Harbor, they had frozen to their seats and had to be freed with small axes, according to reports. At the Portage Life-Saving Station on the other side of the Keweenaw, that crew tried to set out on the north side of the peninsula, also to be turned back by the gale. Instead, they used the inland waterway that cuts across the peninsula to reach the south side. The Portage crew traveled over 80 miles to reach the wreck site, while the Eagle Harbor crew's trip was just over 30 miles. Within hours of each other, both Life Saving crews eventually made it to where the Waldo lay wrecked, Rowe said. By then it was Tuesday, and the ship's survivors had been on the edge of survival for days. The boathouse at the U.S. Coast Guard Station at Eagle Harbor, which replaced the original Life-Saving station. A TRICKY RESCUE, THE SHIP GETS A NEW NAME Once rescuers arrived, there was no safe way to tie their smaller boat to the Waldo. The Portage crew feared their rescue boat had already scraped bottom and might be taking on water. Eagle Harbor's crew was able to maneuver their boat next to the Waldo, and a surfman named John Beck took off his boots and prepared to climb aboard the wreck in his wool socks. "He knew he'd have a better chance of sticking to the icy deck in his socks," Rowe said. Once the surfmen located the Waldo's survivors, they had to free them from their White Hurricane tomb in the ship's small windlass room. "With the waves and spray, it encased (that part of the ship) in ice," Rowe said. "When the rescuers got there, they had to chop from the outside and the crew was chopping from the inside, so they could get off the ship." The Portage station rescue boat ended up taking about 10 of the people, with the rest going with the Eagle Harbor crew. Not one life was lost in this incredible rescue. Their heroics became part of Great Lakes lore. The Life-Saving stations even got some national recognition. Both the Eagle Harbor and Portage crews were awarded Gold Medals, the service's highest honor, for their work saving those aboard the Waldo. And what of the freighter? She stayed hung up on Gull Rock until the next spring, when a May 1914 blurb in the Detroit Free Press mentioned she'd been towed into the Peninsula's Portage Lake area. But that wasn't the end of her. Even though insurance underwriters later listed the $300,000 ship a total loss, records show she was salvaged and rebuilt by American Ship Building in Ohio and sold in 1915 to Canadian company that renamed her the Riverton. In 1943, she reportedly wrecked on Lottie Wolf Shoal off Hope Island in the Georgian Bay and again was listed on insurance forms as a total loss. Refloated and resold the next year, she was renamed the Mohawk Deer. In 1967, she was finally sold for scrap and was to be towed to Europe. On Nov. 5, nearly 54 years to the day she ran aground Gull Rock as the Waldo, the Mohawk Deer broke loose from her Yougoslavian tugboat escort. She "grounded on the rocks off Portofino, Italy in the Gulf of Genoa just short of her destination," according to a profile of the ship on BoatNerd.com. "She broke up during the night of November 6-7. Parts of her were salvaged and was taken to La Spezia on December 31, 1967." "She eventually slipped off and sank with the bow in 80 feet of water and the stern deeper at 170'. The wreck has become a popular dive site in the Portofino Marine Park." Want to know more about the wreck of the Waldo and the heroic efforts of two Life-Saving crews? Visit the Eagle Harbor Lifesaving Station, part of the Keweenaw County Historical Society. You'll find a display and artifacts that have been shared by the surfmen's families. WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT GREAT LAKES MARITIME HISTORY? Here are some stories for you to check out: ANN ARBOR, MI -- A proposal for a downtown central park and civic center commons had Ann Arbor voters divided, but it mustered enough to pass with 53 percent support. An interactive map on the county's election results website shows how voters in different areas cast their ballots on Tuesday, Nov. 6. The results are mixed, showing large chunks of the city in green (in favor of the park proposal) and other areas in red (opposed). It had more than 70 percent support in some areas near the center of the city, including where many University of Michigan students live, and 55 percent or more opposition in some single-family neighborhoods, such as precincts including the Old West Side and Lansdowne areas. In the central precinct for the Burns Park area, the neighborhood where Mayor Christopher Taylor lives, nearly 62 percent were opposed to the park, siding with the mayor on the issue. The mixed results sparked a discussion on Reddit, where one user concluded: "My fellow YIMBYs successfully campaigned to persuade the homeowners against Prop A. They either ignored, or didn't campaign effectively to renters and students -- and left them to vote against their own interests. If you want to win a citywide vote on something, you should think about campaigning to reach the entire community, not just the politically aware longtime residents." Ann Arbor voters were part of a blue wave that swept Democrats into higher offices in Michigan, with a lot more people than usual voting in a federal midterm election, including in student areas. Nearly 55,000 people in Ann Arbor voted, a 54 percent turnout. That's up considerably from 37 percent in the last midterm in 2014 when about 37,000 voted. In 2010, turnout was 40 percent, about 14 percent lower than it was for this week's election. The long morning lines and voter counts seen on Tuesday were just shy of the type of turnout normally seen in a presidential election. For the last three presidential elections, turnout in Ann Arbor has ranged from 56 to 60 percent. The surge in voter turnout here, some observers on both sides of the park issue believe, may have helped Proposal A, as some voters came out mainly to weigh in on state-level races and issues without knowing too much about the central park proposal. Will Hathaway, one of the leaders of the Central Park Ballot Committee, believes voters who didn't follow the heated debates over Proposal A and have their heads filled with a lot of "confusing information" from opponents were in a better position to make a choice on the question of a new downtown park. "People coming to the question kind of fresh, I thought, would vote in favor of the proposal," he said, adding he thought some of the arguments from Prop A's opponents who campaigned aggressively against it were unfair or untrue, and mixed issues such as affordable housing into the debate, making it more complicated. The question on the ballot was whether the city-owned land on the block bound by Fifth Avenue and William, Division and Liberty should stay in the city's hands in perpetuity and become an urban park and civic center commons known as the "Center of the City." It did not mention that could halt the city's pending deal to sell the main piece of land in question to Chicago developer Core Spaces for $10 million to allow a 17-story high-rise to be built along with a developer-funded plaza, rather than a city-funded park, or that the city was counting on putting $5 million from the sale toward affordable housing and the rest to help cover the costs of the city recently repurchasing the Y Lot across the street for another potential new development including affordable housing. The City Council tried to put some of that information on the ballot earlier this year after the Central Park Ballot Committee got the proposal on the ballot via a petition effort, but the city lost that fight in court when challenged by the central park campaign. The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled in August that the City Council exceeded its discretion under state law when it tried to add 200-plus words of extra text to the ballot because it did not serve the purpose of making the ballot question plain or understandable. Taylor said "we live in a distracted information environment" these days and it wouldn't surprise him if some voters cast a yes vote for the park proposal without fully understanding "the serious consequences associated with a yes vote." He said the goal of trying to add the extra ballot wording that the court rejected was to provide voters with factual information "front and center." "The facts speak for themselves. The city loses a great deal with the passage of Proposal A," Taylor said. Taylor has supported selling the city-owned Library Lot along Fifth Avenue to Core Spaces and believes it's a missed opportunity if it doesn't happen now because of Proposal A's passage. Core Spaces has proposed a 17-story high-rise including a hotel, market-rate and workforce apartments, retail and office space and an outdoor plaza slightly larger than Liberty Plaza. Taylor and his allies are losing their majority on the City Council following this election and new council members who have been critical of the Core Spaces development and supported Proposal A will be seated starting with the Nov. 19 council meeting. ANN ARBOR, MI - A deal with Bird electric scooters could wing its way through Ann Arbor City Council on Thursday. A resolution to approve an "interim right-of-way license agreement" that would allow Bird to operate in the city, under several conditions and regulations, is on the council's Nov. 8 meeting agenda. The council meets at 7 p.m. on the second floor of Larcom City Hall, 301. E. Huron St. City leaders spent a month negotiating with the electric scooter brand that has flocked all over Ann Arbor, Detroit and East Lansing and decided Bird would have to: Make a one-time $5,000 payment to Ann Arbor and a $1-per-day scooter charge. Provide a safety and instructional video approved by the city. Assume liability for illegal operation and placement of scooters. Allow the city to decide locations for scooter deployment. Ann Arbor would also have the authority to seize any improperly-used or parked scooters and has the right to charge Bird. The company will also provide Ann Arbor with scooter-use data. Bird deployed scooters on the University of Michigan's campus in September for its university pop-up series. But the city was quick to threaten tickets for anyone using them on city sidewalks or leaving them in streets. The city also confiscated several scooters that were either left in bicycle lanes, streets or on sidewalks that were considered an impedance to pedestrian, bicycle or vehicular traffic. ANN ARBOR, MI - Voters said yes to all but two of 14 questions on the ballot Tuesday in various parts of Washtenaw County. That includes a contentious proposal for a downtown central park that won approval with more than 53 percent of Ann Arbor voters on Tuesday. Ypsilanti-area voters approved a sinking fund millage for Ypsilanti Community Schools, as well as a millage that will allow the Ypsilanti District Library to move forward with building a new branch on North Harris Road in Superior Township. Here's how voters across Washtenaw County decided on 11 local proposals, as well as three statewide proposals that appeared on Tuesday's ballot: Washtenaw County Parks Proposal Voters on Tuesday, Nov. 6 approved the renewal of the tax limitation for Parks and Recreation purposes that was set to expire Dec. 31, 2019. The millage renewal proposal passed with 74.7 percent of votes. City of Ann Arbor Proposal A More than 53 percent of voters were in favor of building a downtown central park on the city-owned Library Lot along 5th Ave. Prop A's approval could halt the city's plans to sell the Library Lot for $10 million to Chicago developer Core Spaces, which sought to build a 17-story high-rise with apartments, retail and office space, a hotel and a developer-funded plaza. City of Ann Arbor Proposal B More than 83 percent of Ann Arbor voters approved an amendment to alter the procedure for filling a vacancy in elective offices. Currently, a vacancy in an elective office is filled by appointment of City Council, regardless of how long is left of the term. With the passing Prop B, a vacancy that occurs with more than half of the term remaining will be filled by appointment until the next regular City election, at which the rest of the term will be contested, so long as the filing deadline for the primary election is thirty days or more after the vacancy occurs. City of Ann Arbor Proposal C Nearly 75 percent of voters supported the Ann Arbor parks millage renewal. Prop C passed with a vote count of 36,689 to 12,428. City of Milan Library Renewal Millage Proposal More than 73 percent of Milan voters approved a proposal to renew the Milan Public Library millage, which is projected to collect approximately $39,000 in revenue in 2019. By law, the revenue from the millage will be disbursed to the Milan Public Library. Proposed Amendment to the Saline City Charter About 55 percent of voters in Saline were in favor of a millage that will raise an estimated $434,743 to be used by the City for street and right-of-way repairs and improvements. The vote count was 2,686 to 2,151. Augusta Charter Township "Headlee" Override Millage Increase Proposal A proposal to renew and increase the general fund millage for Augusta Charter Township was rejected by 65 percent of voters in Augusta Township. The final tally Tuesday was 2,065 'no' votes on this proposal, compared to 1,109 votes to approve it. Clinton Community Schools Operating Millage Proposal Renewal of Clinton Community Schools' operating millage passed with more than 67 percent approval. Ypsilanti Community Schools Sinking Fund Millage Proposal The Ypsilanti Community Schools sinking fund millage passed with support from 67.79 percent of voters. The 3-mill property tax will generate about $16.2 million over 10 years to demolish vacant school buildings, fix school roofs, resurface parking lots, upgrade technology and address other infrastructure needs. Ypsilanti District Library Library Millage With 67 percent of voters in support, the Ypsilanti District Library will soon begin construction on a new branch in Superior Township. The millage proposal passed with 23100 voters in favor, while 11372 voted no. Schoolcraft Community College Millage Restoration Authorization About 58 percent of Washtenaw County voters voted 'no' on a millage restoration for Schoolcraft Community College. The vote count in Washtenaw County was 309 to 226, but with more support from voters within the district in Wayne and Oakland counties, the measure passed. State Proposal 18-1 The legalization of recreational marijuana, which passed statewide Tuesday, had 68 percent support in Washtenaw County, 116,152 to 55,347. Counting all precincts, marijuana legalization had support in every municipality in the county except for Saline Township. State Proposal 18-2 An anti-gerrymandering proposal to create an independent redistricting commission was also passed statewide, with 77 percent support in Washtenaw County, 129,801 to 39,537. State Proposal 18-3 Michigan voters approved Proposal 3, which enacts sweeping election reforms. About 80 percent of Washtenaw County voters supported Prop 3, with a final vote count 135,336 to 34,330. ANN ARBOR, MI - A prospective $5 million investment in affordable housing in Ann Arbor was taken off the table Tuesday when voters approved a ballot proposal calling for the creation of a central park downtown. City council pledged to invest in affordable housing 50 percent of proceeds from the $10-million sale of the Library Lot to Chicago-based developer Core Spaces. Core Spaces' 17-story mixed-use high-rise planned for the site on Fifth Avenue would have included a hotel, market-rate and workforce apartments, retail and office space and an outdoor plaza. But in the Tuesday, Nov. 6 election, Ann Arbor voters passed a central park proposal intended to halt the Core Spaces plan and designate the Library Lot as a park and civic center in perpetuity. Proposal A passed with 53 percent voter support, by a margin of 3,128 votes, according to unofficial results from the Washtenaw County Clerk's office. The ballot language asked whether the city charter should be amended to require all city-owned land on the downtown library block to remain under public ownership in perpetuity and to be developed as an urban park and civic center commons known as the "Center of the City." "This is a gut punch," said Mayor Christopher Taylor, who was joined by the Washtenaw Housing Alliance and Ann Arbor District Library board in urging voters to oppose Proposal A. Taylor said the central park proposal took away critical funding for affordable housing in Ann Arbor. The city's affordable housing fund now "functionally is zero," he said, because the approximately $150,000 in the fund has already been allocated. Proponents of the central park proposal argue the city should have a mechanism for funding affordable housing beyond banking on one-time revenue from selling public property. "If the city actually wanted to do affordable housing ... they would say that a fixed percent - 30 percent, 50 percent - of all new income, not just when they sell this public property ... goes to affordable housing. So there is a constant income stream," said Alan Haber, one of the leaders of the Central Park Ballot Committee. "That would show a real commitment by the city to deal with affordable housing." Taylor disagreed that using development deals like the Core Spaces agreement to fund affordable housing is inadequate. Using public funds to leverage public capital in the form of affordable housing is appropriate, he said. "Some have suggested that the use of one-time funds to leverage affordable housing is somehow improper," Taylor said. "Nothing could be farther from the truth." Haber said opponents of Proposal A unfairly pitted affordable housing against the central park concept, but he's glad the debate brought affordable housing to the forefront of community discussion. City councilman Jack Eaton, D-4th Ward, agreed that funding for affordable housing is a separate issue from the debate over the future of the Library Lot. "It was unfortunate that this became a discussion about affordable housing," he said. "(The Core Spaces deal) just wasn't a winning proposition. So I think that just looking at it as a loss of $5 million (for affordable housing) is too narrow." The city entered into a purchase agreement with Core Spaces in May after a year of negotiations, but two city council members - Anne Bannister and Sumi Kailasapathy - filed a lawsuit against the city in June that challenges the legality of that agreement. That lawsuit is still pending, and it's unclear how the outcome will affect the city's existing purchase agreement with Core Spaces. "The bottom line is we are in uncharted legal territory, and no one knows the full ramifications of the passage of Proposal A," Taylor said. Ann Arbor Housing Commission Director Jennifer Hall said every dollar of city funds could be leveraged to bring in another $25 for new housing developments through Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and grants. That means the Core Spaces deal could have led to $130 million in affordable housing funds, which would translate to about 520 units, Hall said. "We're at the same spot we were before, which is not enough funding," she said. In 2015, Ann Arbor adopted the goal of creating 2,787 new affordable housing units by 2035, which averages out to 140 new units each year. The goal came in response to a study of the health of Washtenaw County's housing market. Ann Arbor is on track to add 50 new affordable housing units over the past three years by the end of 2018. In the meantime, some affordable housing properties reached the end of their rent-control obligation and are transitioning to market-rate apartments. The current city council pledged to spend $880,000 a year on affordable housing from its $2.2 million share of new tax revenue from a county-wide mental health and public safety millage voters passed in November 2017. The millage will be levied for the first time in December. Eaton said city council - with four new members elected Tuesday - will revisit that plan in upcoming work sessions on the 2019-20 budget. "I expect that we'll take a second look at how we use that millage money," he said. The previous council's plan was to put 25 percent of the new affordable housing funds toward the Ann Arbor Housing Commission's support services and operating shortfalls, while the other 75 percent would go into the city's affordable housing fund. That money potentially could be used to fund new affordable housing projects and other efforts. Ann Arbor's Downtown Development Authority also provides funding for affordable housing through its Tax Increment Financing from downtown developments. In 2016, the DDA awarded $200,000 to the Ann Arbor Housing Commission. Earlier this year, the DDA contributed $25,000 to study potential uses of the Y Lot, and on Wednesday, it approved a resolution dedicating $745,000 to developing affordable housing on the Y Lot. ANN ARBOR, MI - The University of Michigan has removed the Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity from its Interfraternity Council after an investigation discovered members took part in forced alcohol consumption and violent physical hazing. Alpha Sigma Phi is removed from the university and IFC for a minimum of five calendar years, effective immediately. The sanctions resulted from a Hazing Response Team investigation that found substantial evidence of dangerous recurring practices within Alpha Sigma Phi's new member process, the IFC announced Wednesday, Nov. 7. UM's Student Organization Advancement and Recognition review process, conducted by the justices of the Greek Activities Review Panel, led the IFC to unanimously vote to affirm the disciplinary actions. "These sanctions result from a Hazing Response Team investigation that found substantial evidence of dangerous recurring practices within Alpha Sigma Phi's new member process, including forced alcohol consumption and violent physical hazing," the IFC said in a statement. Although the fraternity chapter opted to disaffiliate from the IFC in September, the complaint against it occurred while it was an active member, said Nicole Banks, UM's assistant dean of students and interim director of Fraternity & Sorority Life. "The university was investigating a complaint against Alpha Sigma Phi that occurred while the chapter was an active member of the Interfraternity Council," Banks said in a statement. "Alpha Sigma Phi's intention to disaffiliate voluntarily did not absolve the chapter of accountability for the pending complaint." Alpha Sigma Phi was one of six UM fraternities that opted to disaffiliate from the university in September, instead opting to operate as the independent Ann Arbor Interfraternity Council. Ann Arbor Interfraternity Council President Michael Salciccioli said he was not aware of the fraternity chapter violating any of its constitution or bylaws. "Additionally, they are in good standing with their national headquarters," he said. The group hoped to challenge recent decisions to institute a winter rush at UM and a city zoning change impacting fraternity housing. The decision was influenced by the city's July 16 decision to approve new regulations for fraternity and sorority houses, requiring them to maintain an affiliation with UM or another college or university in order for their houses to be specially permitted, the IFC said. The announcement of Alpha Sigma Phi's removal comes nearly one year after the IFC announced it was suspending all social activities and new member pledging after it revealed allegations of hazing and sexual misconduct were taking place among member fraternities. The IFC has since began allowing social activities to resume, with some changes in place. Alpha Sigma Phi is the latest fraternity to be removed from the IFC after it was discovered hazing had been taking place. The former Zeta Beta Tau fraternity's international headquarters voted to remove recognition of the UM colony after an investigation with UM's Office of Greek Life and Division for Student Life revealed hazing had taken place. Following ZBT's removal, Alpha Sigma Phi had also been renting the former fraternity's house at 640 Oxford Road in an effort to expand its presence in Ann Arbor. The fraternity also owns the property at 920 Baldwin Ave. The university and Alpha Sigma Phi's national organization could not be reached for additional comment. BAY CITY, MI -- Firefighters extinguished a house fire in Bay City's East Side. The call of the fire at 908 N. Farragut St. came in about 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 7, said Bay City Public Safety Deputy Director Ed Bromberg. The fire began in an upstairs bedroom, Bromberg said. The residents were outside before emergency personnel arrived, Bromberg said. "They knocked the fire down pretty quickly," he added. No mutual aid was needed and the situation was handled by on-duty firefighters and public safety officers. No civilians or emergency personnel were injured, Bromberg said. The American Red Cross was notified to assist the family, Bromberg said. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. FLINT, MI - Amor Ftouhi cried when he learned that he didn't complete his mission and failed to kill a Bishop Airport police officer, a federal agent testified during Ftouhi's trial on Thursday, Nov. 8. The third day of Ftouhi's trial included testimony from federal agents and others who responded to the airport on June 21, 2017, and testimony from a Royal Canadian Police officer who searched Ftouhi's apartment in Montreal. Ftouhi plotted the attack because of financial difficulties and wanted to kill a police officer and then be killed to get into heaven, federal prosecutors allege. He picked Bishop Airport because it would allow the world to learn of his support of al-Qaida and embolden others, according to testimony. He is accused of stabbing airport police Lt. Jeff Neville with a 12-inch serrated knife Ftouhi bought for $15 after vendors wouldn't let him buy a firearm at a gun and knife show. After an airport maintenance man stopped Ftouhi's attack on Neville, the suspect was handcuffed and escorted into a holding cell within the airport. "He asked us if the officer was dead. I responded with 'I didn't know,'" said Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Shadi Elreda, one of three agents who interrogated Ftouhi. "He put his head down and was crying. He said his intention was to kill the officer." Neville survived the attack and is expected to testify during the trial. "He said there was significance in an international airport -- that the whole world would see what he did," Elreda said. "He wanted all the Muslims to see what he did -- to not be afraid and to act against the enemy." Ftouhi told investigators he visited a few mosques in Flint before heading to Bishop Airport. Investigators learned during the interrogation that Ftouhi lived in Canada with his wife for about 20 years. The couple had three children together, according to testimony. Canadian investigators who searched his apartment a day after the stabbing also found a list of gun and knife shows across Michigan and one in Virginia in a backpack that was found during a search of Ftouhi's apartment. Ftouhi's handwritten will and testament was found in a safe in an apartment closet. The document said Ftouhi loved his wife and children, but he was struggling finding a job and was feeling shame, humiliation and remorse that he had a large amount of debt. Ftouhi wrote in the will that he has loved his wife for 20 years, but his love for Jihad was stronger. "This is what a Muslim is born for," Maryse Robert, a federal investigator with the Royal Canadian Police said Ftouhi's will stated. "You have been a good wife for more than 20 years. My love for God Almighty and the jihad for his sake is greater. "I suggest that you use the life insurance policy to return to Tunisia." Defense Attorney Bryan Sherer suggested during cross-examination that the document in the safe was a letter from Ftouhi to his wife suggesting regret for his financial woes and telling her Ftouhi loved her. Ftouhi grew up in Tunisia and told federal agents he was in the North African country and celebrated following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States. Ftouhi told prosecutors he was not allowed to purchase a gun in Michigan because he wasn't an American citizen. He decided he would use a knife to complete the attack on an airport officer, take their gun and continue shooting people. "He said that he was here for his mission -- his mission was to kill a United States government employee," Elreda testified. "His mission was to kill and be killed. He said his mission was not over." The date of June 21 was especially important to Ftouhi because it was "laylat al-qadr" - which means night of power -- during Muslim's holy month of Ramadan, prosecutors said. That is believed to be when the first verses of the Koran were brought to the Prophet Mohammad. "He said he would have a better chance of success and enter into heaven," Elreda said. "He said they needed to act against the enemies of Allah. He blamed the United States government for their support of Israel." Elreda told the court that Ftouhi asked Elreda to kill him multiple times during the interrogation. Elreda told Sherer that he asked Ftouhi during the interrogation why he didn't use a bomb or car to conduct his attack. "He said he didn't want to hurt innocent people," Elreda testified during Sherer's cross-examination. "He admitted that he had no communication with al-Qaida or Isis. He said he had no communication with any terrorist organization." Ftouhi faces up to life in prison and is charged with committing an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries, violence at an international airport and interference with airport security. The trial in U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Leitman's court is expected to continue on Friday, Nov. 9. FLINT, MI - Two Flint City Council members called for the removal of the finance committee chair at a Thursday, Nov. 8 press conference at City Hall. Fourth Ward Councilwoman Kate Fields and 9th Ward Councilwoman Eva Worthing called on their constituents to pressure council President Herb Winfrey to remove 1st Ward Councilman Eric Mays from his position as finance chair. "The voices of at least two councilpersons in this city are deliberately being silenced by finance chair Eric Mays almost every time he convenes a meeting," Worthing said. "The council president, Herb Winfrey, appointed Mr. Mays and can remove him as chair. To date, he has refused to do so and has allowed this unacceptable behavior to continue, unabated." Following the press conference, Mays approached the podium and addressed the media. "If they go low, I go low, too," Mays said. "These are unfounded allegations. I think what they're doing is showing the citizens who they really are. I feel personally attacked about these false accusations they're making." The press conference followed an investigative hearing chaired by Mays on Wednesday, Nov. 7. The hearing was held to understand how state funds are flowing in to and out of the city for water line replacements. According to Worthing and Fields, Mays repeatedly tried to remove them as well as 7th Ward Councilwoman Monica Galloway for "no other reason than he didn't want us to speak and effectively muzzling us. We had not violated any codes of conducts," Worthing said. "He would give us the floor and as we began to speak would immediately interrupt us and thus prevent us from speaking," Worth said. They also claim Mays used parliamentary techniques incorrectly. Mays was also accused of being sexist and racist. "They don't speak for all of council," Mays said. On Monday, Nov. 12, city council will vote on a new president and Mays said he thinks the press conference was a political move. Worthing and Fields said they're not sure how the vote will go on Monday. "We are asking you, city residents and our constituents to stand up with us and demand that this behavior stop," Worthing said. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan and Michigan Immigrant Rights Center have joined calls for Kent County to end its jail contract with federal immigration authorities. "We are calling on the county today to stop the voluntary practice of working with (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement)," said Hillary Scholten, an attorney with the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. "We're not asking that the county stand in the way of ICE doing its job, simply that (the county) not stand up and offer our county resources to help ICE in this way." The groups petitioned the Kent County Board of Commissioners at its Thursday meeting for the following actions: 1. Proclaim that Kent County is a county that welcomes immigrants; 2. Call on the Sheriff to end the contract with ICE and its voluntary and harmful practice of aiding ICE's deportation efforts; 3. Prohibit any county funds from being used for federal immigration enforcement efforts; and 4. Commit to engage the community on other steps the county can take to make Kent County a more welcoming county. The call to action was signed by hundreds of area residents, along with more than a dozen businesses, religious groups and organizations. In 2017, the county held 185 ICE detainees, according to jail records. In 2016, there were 90, preceded by 107 in 2015, 182 in 2014, and 151 in 2013. The county's contract with ICE, which formalizes lodging reimbursement and length of detainment, was brought to the forefront in late June, when protesters blindsided county commissioners with their demand that the county withdraw the contract. Protesters have since showed up to nearly every full board meeting, briefly shutting some down. They've argued the county's contract and cooperation with ICE incentives racial profiling of Latinos and the number of immigrants arrested for minor infractions or nonviolent crimes, thereby exposing them to deportation. Scholten said the county's cooperation with ICE is taking from county coffers. Under the contract, the jail is reimbursed $85 by ICE for each day of detainment. The average cost of housing an inmate each day was around $100 in 2016, sheriff's office officials previously said. Detainment requests are issued by ICE after a person is booked in the jail and that person's information is transmitted to federal authorities. Kent County Sheriff's officials previously said they do not conduct immigration arrests. MLive previously reported that drunk driving, domestic violence and driving with a suspended license arrests prompted more federal immigration detainments last year at the Kent County Jail than any other charges. Kent County Board Chairman Jim Saalfeld made clear at the meeting the board will not issue directions or recommendations about the contract to Kent County Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young. "The Board of Commissioners does not have the ability to direct policy under those other areas of elected officials," Saalfeld said. "I know that there's other elements that have been talked about being look at, short of trying to direct the sheriff to do something, which we don't have the right to do." Kent County Administrator Wayman Britt said he's putting together a panel of officials and citizens to discuss some of the issues surrounding immigration and what the county can do. "Hopefully, we'll pull something together in the next week or two ... to deal with this in a way that's effective, that really identifies what are the issues that we can have control over, influence over in a way that produces results," Britt said. LaJoye-Young framed honoring ICE detainment requests as following federal law. "It's not for us to determine if the legal process that Congress set out is fair or if it's appropriate or sufficient," she said. "It's my job to facilitate the legal execution of those laws of Congress." Scholten and ACLU of Michigan attorney Miriam Aukerman stressed that ICE detainment requests, which are issued by ICE and not signed by a judge, are not mandatory. Aukerman and Scholten have previously had conversations about the contract with former Sheriff Larry Stelma and said they look forward to further talks with LaJoye-Young, who was appointed after Stelma stepped down Nov. 1. Gema Lowe, a volunteer organizer with Movimiento Cosecha GR, said she wants to hear where all the commissioners stand on the contract. Some Democrats on the board have voiced their opposition to it. "We'll continue to speak up because we can't stand seeing families being separated," Lowe said. Lowe's daughter attends a Spanish-English immersion school in Kent County. At the school, she sees first hand the fears children have of being separated from their parents. "Children are having trauma, having nightmares, not performing in school," Lowe said. MIDDLEVILLE, MI -- State regulators sought to allay concerns Wednesday night about plumes of toxic chemicals in Middleville groundwater discharging into the Thornapple River. The presentation and question period held by Michigan Department of Environmental Quality staff on the chlorinated solvents plumes drew about 50 people Wednesday, Nov. 7, to the Thornapple Kellogg High School Auditorium in Middleville. Jake Blough bought his Middleville home in 2000 but only recently became aware of the plumes. Because chlorinated solvents, specifically vinyl chloride, can migrate upward through groundwater and into homes, causing illnesses when regularly inhaled, Blough wanted assurance he and his family were OK. "The concern is that we've got this really old house that's full of holes and are we sucking in bad gas?" Blough said. "I think they've kind of assuaged me that it's not the case, that (the chlorinated solvents are) down deep enough and we don't have to worry about it." DEQ officials previously said groundwater sampling hasn't indicated vinyl chloride is migrating upward toward the surface. However, no Middleville homes have been tested for vapor intrusion. The contamination plumes are from degreasers previously used at water-heater manufacturer Bradford White Corporation to clean metal parts prior to painting. The chemicals were last used in the mid-1980s. Cleanup began in 2004. The groundwater plumes began underneath the plant and eventually spread west toward the river and south to residential areas of Middleville. The volatile organic compounds entering the river are vinyl chloride, trichlorethylene (TCE) and ethylene dichloride. The Environmental Protection Agency considers vinyl chloride and trichlorethylene to be carcinogens, and ethylene dichloride a probable carcinogen. At the area where groundwater enters the river, vinyl chloride was detected this year at 62 parts per billion (ppb). Ethylene dichloride was detected at 1,510-ppb and TCE was detected at 830-ppb. Those concentrations are above the state's criteria for contamination at the groundwater-surface water interface (GSI). Attendees asked upwards of a dozen questions about the contamination, from what the risk is to recreational river users to when homeowners atop the plumes were notified. Some wondered why a representative from Bradford White wasn't in attendance. According to DEQ officials, Bradford White notified residents about the migrating plumes with letters in 2002. Blough said he never recalls getting one. Dave Wierzbicki with the DEQ remediation division in Grand Rapids said conversations from DEQ staff about the issue has largely been with village leaders and "stakeholders." In early October, Bradford White pulled its request to establish a contamination "mixing zone" in the river in response to public concerns. Bradford White's decision came two weeks after MLive published a story about the plan and how the public could weigh-in. The contaminant discharges are currently above the state's Part 201 environmental cleanup criteria, but a "mixing zone" in the river allow the discharge so long as dilution is taken into account. Under a mixing zone designation, discharges would be acceptable so long as concentrations of chlorinated solvents in the river don't exceed acceptable state surface water thresholds, Wierzbicki previously said. He said DEQ gave Bradford White figures that show the current discharge into the river is likely being diluted enough to be in compliance with state surface water thresholds. Because Bradford White is in compliance with state surface water thresholds under a proposed mixing zone, DEQ isn't pushing the company to take corrective action, according to David O'Donnell, field operations manager with DEQ. "We'd probably be interested in having them pursue the next steps a little quicker (if they didn't have proposed mixing zone figures)," O'Donnell said. A map of eastern Middleville detailing monitoring and extraction well locations as well as portions of the groundwater plumes. The company's mixing zone application stated the discharge wouldn't degrade the river because it's already happening. According to the application, the "majority" of polluted groundwater is already being captured by a trench and treated by an air stripper system. Wierzbicki said that based on measurements from monitoring wells, the plumes have not affected the village water supply. DEQ spokesperson Scott Dean later said Middleville water had been tested and that it came back negative for chlorinated solvents. He did not respond to questions about when the testing took place. Bradford White has tried to remediate the plumes by pumping and treating contaminated water and using bacteria, Wierzbicki said. Pockets of contaminated groundwater remain that are above acceptable levels. | BY Ricki Green | Following the organic growth of its existing client base, the addition of key partners such as iSelect and Totally Workwear as well as the successful launch of start-up Pointsbet in both Australia and the US, Melbourne independent, Fenton Stephens, has announced a number of new hires to cap off another strong year. Senior account manager, Shakira Park-Stewart, returns home from Digitas UK, having previously worked at Ogilvy Action, and senior social media manager, Shy Ganglani, moves to the agency from Ogilvy Dubai. Art director, Elsa Caruso, joins the agency from Clemenger BBDO to partner with copywriter, Isabel Evans, who recently finished top ten at AWARD School. Joining them in the studio are designers, Sophia Banfield and Edivaldo Araujo, account executives, Elise Taylor and Jake Lane, digital strategist, Seb Sharp, and junior office dog, Peanut. GRAND RAPIDS, MI - As police investigated the 1999 killing of Jessica Ledford, 17, her friend, Marc Osborne, grieved with her family and signed the guest book at the funeral home. He passed a polygraph test, too, her mother recalled. Kristie Medina said Osborne was so supportive that "I had a funny feeling the killer was close." Osborne, now 37, was two months shy of his 18th birthday when he stabbed and strangled Ledford at Highland Park. Her partially nude body was set up to appear she had been raped and robbed. Osborne eventually confessed to the killing. Osborne, a juvenile lifer sentenced to a mandatory term of life in prison without parole, on Thursday, Nov. 8, sought to have his sentenced reduced. The U.S. Supreme Court earlier determined that mandatory life sentences without parole for juveniles convicted of first-degree murder amounted to cruel and unusual punishment. Kent County Circuit Judge Mark Trusock said Osborne has been a model prisoner, and worked to educate himself. Osborne's head dropped when the judge said the sentence would stand. He said Osborne was only 50 days from turning 18, when the automatic life sentence would take effect. Then, there is the crime itself. Osborne stabbed the victim then would have spent three minutes strangling her before she died, the judge said. Before the ruling, Osborne took the witness stand, and, for the first time, apologized to the victim's family. "I want them to know how terrible I feel for what I have done," he said. "I'm ashamed. Seeing what this has done to my family, I can only imagine what's going through yours." He offered no explanation for the killing. When his attorney, Charles Boekeloo, asked why he killed the girl, he said: "That's the big question I've asked myself for the past 20 years." He said the killing resulted from a "series of events that spun out of control." Ledford had befriended him months earlier. She always saw the good in others. Her family thinks Osborne raped her and covered up the crime by killing her. Osborne told police that they had consensual sex but she became upset because she cheated on her boyfriend. If the judge had sided with Osborne, Osborne would have been sentenced to a minimum of 25 years to 40 years in prison, with a maximum of 60 years, under state law passed after the Supreme Court ruling. Medina said after the hearing she was grateful for the judge's ruling. She didn't trust anything Osborne said. "He's very calculated. He's very smart." The victim's stepmother, Vickie Ledford, said the death was "the most horrific thing any parent could go through." Grand Rapids police Lt. William Nowicki, who investigated as a detective in 1999, said he interviewed Osborne multiple times before he confessed. A homeless man had found Osborne's discarded bloody clothing, including a shirt with a distinctive symbol that he was known to wear. "He was a suspect from the very beginning but we didn't have any evidence (implicating Osborne) up to that point." He told Assistant Kent County Prosecutor Travis Early that Osborne "was relieved being able to get that off his chest." He said Osborne was mature for his age. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Kent County voters flocked to the polls in droves Tuesday, propelled by Michigan's gubernatorial race, controversial ballot proposals to end partisan gerrymandering and legalize recreational marijuana, and contests to fill open state House and Senate seats. So high was the interest that turnout reached 61.5 percent - the highest record for a midterm election in at least two decades, said Kent County Elections Director Gerrid Uzarski. It was close but not quite high enough to match the county's 2000 presidential election turnout of 67.9 percent. "Voters are invigorated," Uzarski said, noting that he didn't examine midterm election turnout prior to 1998. "They're participating because they can't help it. It's on TV. It's on their social media. It's constant." High turnout could be felt across the state in an election widely framed as a referendum on President Donald Trump, and which came on the heels of eight years of complete Republican control - on a statewide level - in Michigan. Statewide, nearly 4.3 million ballots were cast, blowing past the 2006 record -- for a gubernatorial election -- when nearly 3.9 million voters went to the polls. In Ottawa County, 64 percent of registered voters cast ballots, a figure that Elections Coordinator Steve Daitch said was "really extraordinary for a midterm election." That's up from 51 percent turnout in the November 2010 midterm election, the last time Michigan had an open governor's race that did not feature an incumbent candidate. And it was within "striking distance" of the 2016 presidential race, where 72 percent of the county's registered voters cast ballots, Daitch said. "It's remarkably close," Daitch said. In Newaygo County, voter turnout was about 64 percent, said County Clerk Jason VanderStelt. That's higher than the November 2012 presidential election, when roughly 61 percent of registered voters cast ballots, according to unofficial results on the election magic website, the former service the county used to display results. VanderStelt attributed the high turnout to the three ballot proposals, which gave voters a say on whether to legalize recreational marijuana, change how U.S. congressional districts are drawn, and provide automatic voter registration. All three proposals were approved. "We had some interesting proposals to be voted upon, and I think that brought a lot of people out," he said. GRAND RAPIDS, MI - A Grand Rapids school's security officer accused of slapping a Westside Middle School student in October will not be charged due to insufficient evidence, according to Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker. Two other Grand Rapids school officers contradicted the allegation that the student was slapped, the prosecutor said in a statement. The officer was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of law enforcement's investigation and the district's internal review of the incident, according to John Helmholdt, district communications director. He said GRPS officials are still reviewing the case. The police were called to Westwood Middle School at 10 a.m. on Oct 2, for "trouble with a person," which was an 11-year-old male student. He was handcuffed in the office with district security when police arrived and later released to his mother. The case was reclassified Oct. 9 as an assault after the mother said he was slapped. She emailed a cell phone picture to police of alleged finger marks on her son's cheek, but not of the best resolution, according to the police report. The officer denies slapping the student and other security staff didn't see or hear a slap. The student was described as being unruly in the hallway, got caught in a sweep, and was sent to the media center to be signed up for detention, according to the police report. But the student was said to be uncooperative by staff and directed to the main office and later the security office. In the office, the report says he was swearing and yelling, and became more upset after his cell phone was taken for playing loud music. During this time, he was asked to sit down several times and reportedly walked up to the security officer a few times within an inch or so of his chest and later attempted to grab the phone back, according to the police report. The officer told police he took the student down using a "straight armbar takeover," and he was handcuffed. The student told police that after being handcuffed the officer gave him a backhanded slap. "There is insufficient evidence to show he was slapped during the incident," said Becker, in a statement to MLive/The Grand Rapids Press. "Myself, and others in the office, reviewed the body camera video of the GRPD officers who responded to the scene and we were unable to see any marks on the child's face. The photo provided to us was blurry at best, there was nothing that could be used from the photograph." Becker said the child said he was slapped, but the two GRPS officers present denied that occurred, so there was simply not enough evidence to charge in this case. Regarding a separate incident, the prosecutor's office is still determining whether to pursue charges against a Kent Hills Elementary teacher also accused of assault. Robert Spaeth, who was placed on administrative leave, was accused of choking a second-grader in October. Last year, he was suspended after a similar accusation but not charged. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- For the first time in at least two decades, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate has won Kent County. Voters across the county turned out in favor of Governor-elect Gretchen Whitmer over Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette by a vote of 140,855 to 129,549, according to unofficial election results. According to online state election records that date back as far as 1998, the Democratic win is the first in at least 20 years for the county. Longtime Michigan political pundit Bill Ballenger, who publishes The Ballenger Report, said he's not surprised the misconceived Republican stronghold followed much of the state. Ballenger labelled Kent County a "marginally-Republican county" that, in the "right circumstances," can swing the other way. Some of the factors in play last night, according to Ballenger, was Whitmer's strong momentum across the state and a pushback against President Donald Trump, who backed Schuette. "It's not the Republican stronghold that it once was," Ballenger said. "Most people in Michigan and throughout the country, they think of Grand Rapids and Kent County as Ottawa County (a reliably Republican county)." In 2016, Kent County voters backed Trump over Hillary Clinton by a vote of 148,180 to 138,683. Ballenger pointed to the suburbs of Wyoming and Kentwood as places of a burgeoning Democratic base adding to Grand Rapids. He speculated that Kent County might've gone blue with the state for former Governor Jennifer Granholm if not for big West Michigan names running at the top of the Republican ticket. Granholm was challenged by Alto-native and longtime state politician Dick Posthumus in 2002 and then Dick DeVos in 2006. Lisa Posthumus Lyons, who is a former state representative, the current Kent County clerk and Posthumus' daughter, was on the ballot Nov. 6 as Schuette's running mate. When asked why that didn't swing the county, Ballenger said her name wasn't at the top of the ticket. "Voters go to the polls to vote for governor," he said. "They don't got to vote for lieutenant governor." Although the majority of Kent County voted Whitmer, Republican Tom Leonard for attorney general won the county by about 10,000 votes and U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow narrowly fended off Republican John James by about 600 votes in the county, according to the unofficial results. It's not the first time the majority of Kent County voted through a Democrat for either the state or country's top spot. In 2008, former President Barack Obama won the county. The following election, the county went with Republican Mitt Romney. Democrat's gains Nov. 6 didn't stop at the governor's office. At the county level, Democrats scooped up two seats on the Kent County Board of Commissioners and maintained two others that, historically, could've been close. Democrat Stephen Wooden ousted Republican incumbent Dan Koorndyk by a vote of 6,816 to 5,277 for the county seat covering the northern part of Grand Rapids and a portion of Plainfield Township. Democrat Monica Sparks took home the seat vacated by longtime Republican commissioner Harold Mast. Sparks won 5,393 of the vote to Republican Jill Martinez' 4,171. The seat covers the eastern edge of Wyoming and the western edge of Kentwood. Frank Lynn, the Kent County Democratic Party chairman, said the wins were a "huge statement on the party of Trump.'' The Kent County GOP could not be reached for comment. Republican voters frustrated with Trump played into the gains, Lynn speculated. "I don't think it was a blue wave," he said. "Let's face the facts. The guy who lives in the White House is an objectionable person. There's a lot of Republicans who find him hard to stomach." Lynn said there wasn't one key issue in play Nov. 6 that favored Democrats but argued concerns about PFAS water contamination could've tipped votes in his party's favor. Google officially unveiled its new office space complete with some beautiful views inside Little Caesars Arena in Downtown Detroit on Thursday morning, Nov. 8. It now represents the fifth Alphabet office -- Google's parent company -- in Michigan, and joins Ann Arbor and Birmingham spaces as making up the tech giant's presence in Southeast Michigan. The Detroit office is located at 52 E. Henry St. inside the arena, and operates with about 30,000 square feet. "We're excited about growing in Michigan and being in a city like Detroit renowned for its spirit, grit, culture and innovation," Danielle Russel, Google Detroit's Site Lead, said. "Those are the same traits that help fuel Google. We're more than committed to being a good and active neighbor and doing work that can help the city and all who live, work and do business here thrive." Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan provided a statement in a Google news release, and said that having one of the most influential tech companies choose the Motor City is yet "another sign that our city is a great place to be for technology and innovation." The building includes a modern workspace design, massage rooms, exercise rooms, a Stroh's lounge, deck showcasing the Downtown Detroit and Canadian skyline, and even a view from inside of Little Caesars Arena. A unique perk for employees is the fact that if there is a concert going on, they can take a sit in the Stoh's lounge and hear every single word. Google first announced the move to Detroit back in November 2017, saying more than 100 employees would call the 29,178 square-foot space inside LCA home. Employees include some relocating from the Birmingham office that works in media sales and technical support. U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Michigan, Rep. Brenda Lawrence, D-Michigan, and Christopher Ilitch were some notable guest speakers on hand to celebrate the grand opening. "We are exceptionally proud to have a world-class organization like Google be one of our first main tenants in the District Detroit," Ilitch, president and CEO of Ilitch Holdings, said. "Google's move into the city was exactly the type of economic development we were hoping to spur with the District Detroit, a move which contributes to the city's resurgence by bridging jobs and innovation to the benefit of all Detroiters." Google also celebrated the open house-style opening by awarding $1 million in grants to STEM organizations based in Detroit in the Michigan Engineering Zone (MEZ) at the University of Michigan's Detroit Center and SMASH Wayne State University. These grants of $250,000 to MEZ and $750,000 to SMASH were award by Google.org, which is the company's philanthropic wing. The tech company says in a news release that the grant will help MEX expand its STEM and robotics programs to 350 students year-round. As for SMASH, Google says the grant will specifically focus on supporting the organization that "works to eliminate barriers and empower underrepresented youth of color with rigorous" STEM coursework and its new site in Detroit. Google has had a presence in Michigan for more than 12 years now, from Google to Alphabet offices to its self-driving car company, Waymo, having a massive presence in Novi. The company claims to have had a hand in $3.85 billion in economic activity in Michigan last year alone. On top of that, Google says it has given more than $12 million in free advertising to nonprofits and $4.6 million to STEM education and other nonprofits in Michigan. "Google's investment can help make a real and meaningful difference in expanding economic opportunity for Detroiters, our communities, and in attracting and retaining talent across the region," Lawrence said. LANSING, MI - Incoming Michigan lawmakers on Thursday settled on new leaders for their respective caucuses, choosing who will lead them in the 2019-2020 legislative session. Those selections are: Senate Majority Leader-elect Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, D-Flint House Speaker-elect Lee Chatfield, R-Levering House Democratic Leader-elect Christine Greig, D-Farmington Hills New House leaders The new House Speaker-elect is Lee Chatfield, a Republican who has been in office since 2015. He was a teacher at his alma mater, Northern Michigan Christian Academy in Burt Lake, before joining the legislature. This session he serves as chair of two committees. Unlike the past several House Speakers, he will be working with a Democratic governor, Gretchen Whitmer, next year. He expressed a willingness to work with her and House Democrats, as well. "The fact is that every single one of us were elected to improve our state, to make sure we're moving in the right direction, and we're going to be working as House Republicans with anyone and everyone who has that same objective," Chatfield said. As far as priorities go, he said the entire caucus would get together to form an action plan in the coming weeks. He said Michigan needed to put more money into roads, improve government accountability and make changes to the state's auto insurance system. On the other side of the aisle, House Democratic Leader-elect Christine Greig also came into the legislature in 2015. She comes from a business background and got her start in politics by being highly involved in her local parent teacher association. She currently serves as the House Democratic Floor Leader. She said Michigan voters turned out in great numbers and have priorities. "The message was clear. We need to return to policies that put people at the center," Greig said. "We have to have great schools, we have to have clean water, we have to have wonderful roads, as well, and people have to have great jobs. We are going to be working on this and working hard." Shirkey, Ananich to lead Senate Shirkey, the incoming Senate Majority Leader, said Senate Republicans planned to keep working on a variety of issues mostly around freedom and opportunity. "The Senate Republicans are not going to change course in what we've been on for the last eight years. Everything we do is going to be oriented and focused on making sure that we create an environment that is attractive to capital investment, the creation of jobs and maximizing opportunities," Shirkey said. A former member of the House of Representatives, Shirkey has served in the Senate since 2014. Some of his signature issues have included Right to Work legislation, which he sponsored, and more recently the bill he sponsored putting work requirements on Medicaid recipients. Ananich, who already serves as Senate Minority Leader, said the political dynamics, with a Democratic governor and five additional members of the Democratic caucus, would be different. "I think it's going to change quite a bit. I mean we're obviously going to be a relevant caucus, and a lot of issues that families in Michigan care about that were kind of silenced sometimes are going to be a part of the discussion now," Ananich said. During next year's session, which starts in January of 2019, Democrats want to address issues like safe drinking water, roads and transparency, Ananich said. He acknowledged that some Democratic priorities, like repealing Right to Work or reinstating prevailing wage, are likely off the table given the fact that Democrats are still in the minority. EMMET COUNTY, MI - A Michigan faces multiple felonies for an incident in which he allegedly shot a dog. Troopers from the Michigan State Police Gaylord Post arrested Scott Lindberg, 32, of Levering for Larceny in a Building, Larceny of Firearms, and Animals-Killing/Torturing, as well as a Habitual Offender charge. The underlying incident occurred in May of 2017 when a Gaylord trooper was dispatched to investigate the shooting death of a dog and the theft of firearms and other items from a residence. Lindberg subsequently left the state for several months. Lindberg was arrested on Nov. 4 shortly after police learned that he had returned to the state. He is lodged in the Emmet County Jail and was arraigned in the 90th District Court on Nov. 5. Soon after polls closed Tuesday, television commentators were reporting early results from Texas. From Pennsylvania. From Ohio. From Florida. Michigan? Nothing. It took more than an hour and a half for the first major race to be called in Michigan -- Gretchen Whitmer's victory over Bill Schuette for the governor's seat. In most of Michigan's statewide contests, results weren't available until close to midnight or after. It's not your imagination: Compared to many other states, Michigan is slow in reporting election results. The big reason is Michigan's decentralized election system, said Chris Thomas, former director of the state's Bureau of Elections. In most states, elections are run by county officials, Thomas said. Michigan is one of eight states where elections are overseen by city, township and village clerks -- and Michigan is the largest of the eight in both population and geography. That means Michigan's election system involves 83 county clerks, 280 city clerks and 1,240 township clerks -- a total of 1,603 county and local election officials, "making it the most decentralized elections system in the nation," said a 2011 report by the Michigan Secretary of State office. Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum said decentralization makes it much harder to hack Michigan's election system, thus providing more security, and also allows "more eyes" to be involved in the process. But it also can make the process more cumbersome on election night, Thomas said. "No question, that's a big part of it," he said. "Instead of being a one-step process, where election results go directly to the county, it's a two-step process." Moreover, Michigan is "particularly fastidious about balancing," or making sure that the number of ballots counted exactly matches the number of voters recorded in the polling book, Thomas said. Failing to account for a spoiled ballot can hold up reporting results from that precinct as election workers scramble to reconcile their numbers. "That can slow things down," Thomas said. Another factor that slows the reporting of election returns: The Secretary of State's office doesn't post results from a county until all the results are in, and a hiccup in one precinct can delay things for hours. In fact, the Secretary of State office didn't report complete results from Tuesday until late afternoon Wednesday. The last to report was Wayne, the state's largest county, where officials issued a press release noting that the county is collecting results from 34 cities and nine townships, saying that "should be taken into account when awaiting voting results." "The Wayne County Elections Division cannot report 100 percent unofficial results until each municipality has transmitted their respective results to us," the press release said. Another problematic aspect of Michigan decentralized system: In many communities, elections aren't administered by a trained professional but an elected local official who may or may have the organizational and technical skills needed. And if a local clerk isn't particularly good at administering elections, there's not much a county clerk can do: Local clerks aren't in his or her employ and, to complicate matters, elected clerks don't have a boss who monitors his or her performance. County clerks "don't have control over us," said Scott Borling, Kalamazoo city clerk. "They're depending on us to be collegial and cooperative." Election officials point out that Michigan is far from the slowest start in reporting election returns. "I wouldn't say that Michigan's results take longer to come in," said Fred Woodhams, spokesman for the Michigan Secretary of State office. "I'm sure there are many states still counting, such as California, Colorado and Washington," which are still collecting ballots sent by mail. (In Michigan, postmarks don't count -- ballots must be in the hands of election officials by 8 p.m. Election Day.) "Sometimes people think ballots are still being counted when it's really one communities took longer on one or two precincts," Woodhams added about Michigan. The local nature of Michigan's election system is a point of pride for people such as Dan Kasunic, Kentwood city clerk and president of the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks. "It's a great system and it works well," Kasunic said. LANSING, MI - Governor-elect Gretchen Whitmer plans to live in the governor's residence in Lansing, a spokesperson said Thursday. Whitmer, who won Michigan's gubernatorial contest Tuesday and takes office next year, "is planning to live at the residence with her family," spokesperson Zach Pohl said on Thursday. It's a return to the governor's residence serving as a full-time living space after current Gov. Rick Snyder broke with tradition, choosing to keep his main residence in Ann Arbor instead of at the Lansing home. However, Snyder spokesman Ari Adler said it was incorrect to describe the building as unoccupied. "Despite media reports to the contrary, it's not an unoccupied building. The Governor uses the residence, he just does not live there full-time," Adler said. The residence is sometimes used for special events, as well. Before Snyder, governors as recently as former Gov. Jennifer Granholm did live mainly at the residence, which is managed by a nonprofit. Pohl said he did not have an exact date but expected Whitmer and her family would complete the move after she takes office on Jan. 1, 2019. The Michigan governor has access to two residences; the one in Lansing near the state capitol and another on Mackinac Island. From the first time she heard Democrat Elissa Slotkin speak, Dawn Jaggers of Independence Township said she knew this was the 8th Congressional District candidate she'd been waiting for: "We knew that we could flip this district." It was a hotly contested race that came down to the wire on election night, but Slotkin - a first-time political candidate from Holly who'd served in the CIA and in national security positions under Presidents Bush and Obama - ultimately declared victory over incumbent U.S. Rep. Mike Bishop, R-Rochester. Jaggers said Slotkin's qualifications and authenticity on the campaign trail led scores of women - many of whom had never been involved in politics before - to begin volunteering and supporting her campaign. She thinks it was their efforts that ultimately pushed Slotkin over the edge. "Women just got out there canvassing, phone banking, and they didn't look for approval or wait for approval from anybody - they just did it," Jaggers said. "I've been seeing more women talking to women, more women wanting to be a part of it...now they're doing things they never thought they would do. It's been pretty incredible." In Michigan and nationally, women candidates saw successes up and down the ballot. Democrats put up an all-female statewide ticket, and won. Gretchen Whitmer, Jocelyn Benson and Dana Nessel were elected as governor, secretary of state and attorney general, respectively. At the federal level, incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow won reelection, albeit by smaller margins than her previous reelection campaigns, against Republican challenger John James. In the U.S. House, Slotkin, Haley Stevens and Rashida Tlaib will bring the number of women in Michigan's Congressional delegation from two to five, joining incumbent U.S. Reps. Debbie Dingell and Brenda Lawrence. Tlaib will also be one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress along with Ilhan Omar of Minnesota. Nationally, a record number of women are projected to win Congressional seats. Michigan also saw a record voter turnout for a midterm election cycle, with the Secretary of State's unofficial results showing more than 4.3 million voters cast a ballot statewide this year. Virginia Kase, CEO of the League of Women Voters, said in a statement that she believes the 2018 midterms will continue to inspire future generations of women to run for office. "It's not just that women won big this year, but it's how they ran and won," Kase said. "These are powerful, amazing women who ran strategic, smart campaigns, and they ran as their authentic selves. This year we saw women of all walks of life - women of color, veterans, doctors, mothers - who stood up and said it is our time to lead." The support of women in office was apparent up and down the ticket, with female candidates also making gains in the state House and Senate. Currently, four women serve in the state Senate. Next session, 11 women - eight Democrats and three Republicans - will serve in the chamber. And in the state House, 25 Democrat and 17 Republican women were poised win election or reelection for next term based on the most recent unofficial results. That's up from 15 Republican and 17 Democrat women currently serving. Shannon Garrett, a consultant at SMG Strategies who frequently works with women running for office, said Michigan voters made a big statement by supporting an all-female slate at the top of the ticket and by electing so many women to the state Legislature. She said she sees the 2018 midterms as "just the beginning" of women rising through the ranks of political office, adding, "we need our government bodies to be more reflective of the people they're representing." "I don't think it's a one and done," she said. "I think we're going to see this continue." John Clark, Chair of Political Science and Professor of Political Science at Western Michigan University, said one distinguishing feature of Michigan's female candidates is they had a lot of experience, either with prior elected office or leadership positions. "One of the interesting and important themes that we saw in this election is that most of the female candidates that won, at least for major offices...these are not political novices," Clark said. He pointed to nonpartisan races as particularly favoring female candidates, as in the Supreme Court race, where the two women pulled ahead. Same with the Kalamazoo Valley Community College board near where he is, where three of seven candidates were women and they won the three available seats. "My guess is that there were some voters who voted for the women candidates because those candidates were women. And some of those voters were probably men... they saw that as an opportunity to make a difference, to breathe fresh air into the political system," Clark said. He said seeing so many women run and be elected has a long tail, even if men win some of these seats in the future. "It doesn't mean that it's going to start a new trend, but it does mean that it changes the landscape for future candidacies. And oftentimes it inspires folks who maybe hadn't thought of themselves as candidates to become candidates," he said, adding that Hillary Clinton's candidacy likely spurred some women to run this year. MLive reporter Emily Lawler contributed to this report. | BY Ricki Green | The POOL COLLECTIVE is pleased to welcome director Matthew Thorne, who has returned to Australia after a year of shooting several projects overseas. This work, shot from East Baltimore to the South Australian Desert, will be released over the coming months. Before joining POOL, Thorne collaborated with RSA London and 3AM in LA, through which he directed a global brand TVC for Audi attached to Alien: Covenant, and shot a photography series for Huawei with Scarlett Johansen and Henry Cavill. He has also recently joined Stink for representation out of its Berlin office. View Thornes Lexus Step Forward film here. View Thornes Lilydale Join the Free Range TVC here. Says Cameron Gray, managing director at POOL: We were first inspired by the work Matthew is pursuing outside of the traditional commercial realm, including his film and photography series The Sand That Ate The Sea. This kind of artistic ambition is extremely important to us as a collective. Its our core philosophy: the influence and application of art in commerce and communicating a brands message with a distinctive artistic language. Matthews commercials for CommBank, Lexus, Lilydale they all do this, which is a great indicator to me that holding onto this ideal and cultivating these projects is meaningful in our creative industry. The Sand That Ate The Sea, to be released this December, is a multi-format work that Thorne developed over the course of three years while living on-and-off in Andamooka, a red-dirt opal-mining town. Encompassing a narrative film and accompanying photography series which will tour separately from the film with a sculptural instillation the work is focused on grief, loss and Australian masculinity. The narrative film is designed to be presented with live orchestra accompaniment. Luke Howard, the films composer, will also be releasing a new album of music from the film. Says Thorne: I always wanted to make a work that captured that feeling I felt growing up around the desert that examined our place within the endless horizon and looked at how that land worked on the people that lived there. For me, its a portrait of the frontier in its magic, melancholy and mysticism. Its a work about our relationship to time and how can be moved by grief and whether we are destined to repeat the mistakes of our family in our own time. In many ways, the project was an homage to my birthplace. It served as a farewell to that land and the energy it invoked in me as well as a thank you to my father for the lessons he imparted on me there. Thornes film work has been awarded a Gold Lotus at Adfest, A Bronze Lion and Gold Young Director Award at Cannes Lions Festival, a Silver Spikes, a Silver and Bronze Clio, a One Screen Award, and has been an Official Selection of LA Music Video Festival. His photography has been exhibited in Melbourne, Sydney and Berlin. To read a recent interview with Thorne about The Sand That Ate The Sea visit theheavycollective.com. KALAMAZOO, MI -- A contract with the state of Michigan to administer an independent indigent criminal defense office will come before Kalamazoo County officials this month. Wednesday, Administrator Tracie Moored said Kalamazoo County plans to contract a local group of attorneys, judges and advocates to operate a nonprofit public defenders office. Kalamazoo County will move away from contracting public defenders by May 2019, Moored said. Commissioner Julie Rogers said it would be a "huge step forward" in providing equitable representation for county residents. Kalamazoo County Defender Inc. is Moored's choice to run the indigent defense office. The entity was formed in September specifically to respond to a request for proposals. The Board of Commissioners expects to vote on contracts with the state and KCDI during its next meetings in November and December. Indigent defense services will be grant-funded and administered by an independent board of directors. It's required to be up and running six months after receiving funding from the state. The Michigan Indigent Defense Council was established in 2013 to address lawsuits and reports that counties were failing to provide legal defense to poor people. It issued a state mandate requiring counties to comply with a set of standards last year. Commissioners worry the county will be left with the bill. Commissioner John Gisler stressed the need for a plan to fund indigent defense if the state funding disappears. "When I have nightmares that's usually what they're about," Gisler said of unfunded mandates. For now, indigent defense will be funded through a $3.3 million annual state grant. Kalamazoo County is expected to kick in $1.17 million annually, an amount based on a three-year average of contributions to indigent defense. A proposal submitted by KCDI budgeted $2.47 million in salaries for an executive director, 24 public defenders, and 9 other staff positions. An executive director could be paid $115,000, according to the proposal. Office space is being sought so indigent defenders would no longer share a building with the prosecutor's office. Around $400,000 would go to create meeting rooms and other renovations in the county's courthouses. A nonpartisan executive board would consist of five to seven members, including two nonvoting liaisons from the Board of Commissioners. Commissioners were pleased with the proposal submitted by KCDI. Moored said the group has reached out to members of Western Michigan University's Cooley Law School and other Michigan law schools to recruit talent and train staff. Commissioner Michael Seals said an independent public defender's office has been in the works for years. He was happy to see plans close to fruition. For me this is a huge deal, Seals said. Im glad to see we finally came up with a way to do it. SAGINAW, MI -- Two years ago, a one-time community activist shot an ex-lover, only to plead guilty as charged and receive a prison sentence. He later withdrew his pleas and stood ready to face a trial, but he's now entered new pleas that will result in him serving four months fewer in prison than his initial sentence. MyKing L. Smith, 46, on Monday, Nov. 5, appeared before Saginaw County Circuit Judge Andre R. Borrello and pleaded guilty to felonious assault and felony firearm, and no contest to assault with intent to cause great bodily harm less than murder. On Aug. 24, Smith pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm from a vehicle, felony firearm, felon in possession of a firearm, and felonious assault. In a Cobbs hearing, Borrello indicated he would sentence Smith to a minimum 82 months -- or 6.83 years -- in prison, as well as a consecutive two-year stint on the felony firearm convictions. A Cobbs hearing sees a judge outline the likely penalty a defendant will face if convicted. Smith's credit for time served, however, will exceed 500 days, according to Saginaw County Assistant Prosecutor Daniel G. Van Norman. Smith is currently lodged in the Saginaw County jail. Smith's trial was slated to begin Nov. 14. Smith in July 2017 pleaded guilty as charged to nine counts he faced. The following month, Saginaw County Circuit Judge Robert L. Kaczmarek sentenced Smith to seven to 20 years in prison, in addition to a flat two-year term to be served before the longer stretch. Before the end of 2017, Smith filed a motion to withdraw his pleas on the grounds that Kaczmarek had neglected to inform him of each of his rights at his plea hearing. Borrello granted the motion in April. Defense counsel William D. White shortly thereafter filed a motion seeking Smith's release from custody on a personal recognizance bond, espousing Smith's record of community involvement. "Throughout his life, Defendant has been a high profile activist for good in his community, participating in the Saginaw County African American Leadership Training Institute sponsored by Jimmy Greene and Dick Garber, as well as their CAC Headstart Male Involvement Committee from 2001-2004," White wrote. "He helped found the first Black Studies Curriculum at SVSU with Professor Dr. Kenneth Jolly; he was chosen to be a delegate in 1994-1995 to go to Little Rock, AR, as a main speaker in the 'Bangin' in Little Rock Peace Treaty' program for the Bloods and Crips; he's been active as a sponsor at First Ward Community Center; and worked with churches and many other programs to help steer kids off the streets and teach them to sway away from gang life in Saginaw." Smith on Sept. 5, 2016, is accused of shooting a 26-year-old woman after she pepper-sprayed him during an altercation outside a house on North Bond and West Remington. The victim testified during a preliminary examination she had been driving to her aunt's house when she passed Smith, with whom she was "friends with benefits" about six years prior. Smith, who was driving the opposite direction, did a U-turn and began following her, she said. Smith followed her to her aunt's house and parked just feet behind her, she said. The woman said she got out of her vehicle and told her 7-year-old daughter to stay inside. The daughter did not listen, though, and got out of the car, she said. The two of them walked around the back of her vehicle, and Smith began insulting her and claiming she was stalking him, the woman testified. The woman testified she assumed Smith was angry about a Facebook post of hers that included a video in which she talks about a man she said many people believed was Smith. The woman testified she could see Smith holding a handgun. "(Expletive), I'm going to blow your brains out," the woman said Smith told her. Smith turned his head and the woman pulled out her pepper spray and sprayed it at Smith, who was sitting next to his son, she testified. She testified she then turned to run away, only to hear a gunshot and feel a burning sensation on the side of her right arm. Smith then "sped off really fast," the woman testified. Smith is also a sex offender. In 2005, he received three years of probation on a conviction of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct with a victim between the ages of 13 and 15. Judge Borrello is to sentence Smith on Dec. 19. The first accumulating snow is coming, and that means winter driving. Does having snow tires on your vehicle really make a difference when it comes to traction on snow and ice? There are studies rating the snow and ice traction of certain tires. Most of these compare how many feet it takes for a vehicle to get up to a certain speed on snow and ice, with a specific tire. The studies also test how many feet it takes for a braking vehicle to stop on snow and ice. Chris Hall, owner of Grand Traverse Collision, Brake and Tire in Traverse City, says, "If you want maximum safety in winter driving, snow tires are the way to go." Hall says most all-season tires are not specifically designed to grip snow. Snow tires are made of softer rubber, which grips the cold roads better. Snow tires also have razor thin slices in the rubber, called sipes. The more sipes, the better the griping on snow and ice. As the tire turns, the sipes open up and give maximum traction in winter weather. Hall says it depends on what kind of vehicle you drive. He says when it comes to passenger cars, snow tires will really help add traction. He recommends putting on snow tires in November and taking them off in April. The softer rubber will wear out more quickly during warm weather. In its collection of winter driving tips, AAA recommends snow tires for motorists in regions with heavy snow. "In areas with heavy winter weather, installing snow tires on all four wheels will provide the best winter traction. All-season tires work well in light-to-moderate snow conditions provided they have adequate tread depth." Farther south in Michigan, Frankenmuth Car Care's Rob Gwisdala says the variable winter conditions in the last eight or nine winters have changed the mindset of mid-Michigan residents. He says customers inquiring about snow tires will often wait until winter weather gets bad. Gwisdala cautions that tire makers only make so many snow tires in a season, and can run out of supply by mid-December. He added the increase in leased vehicles causes most people to not want to buy another set of tires. Hall says it comes down to budget. He says there is usually a good, better and best options for snow tires, with prices tracking accordingly. | BY Lynchy | BBH China has been appointed for creative duties for Mengniu Zhen Guo Li, a milk beverage brand owned by Chinas leading dairy product manufacturers Mengniu. As part of this appointment, BBH China will be responsible for managing strategy, creative, integrated marketing communications and packaging design for Mengniu Zhen Guo Li, a category leader in China. Xu Ying, Head of Marketing at Mengniu Zhen Guo Li, said, We were really impressed with the quality of ideas presented by BBH team. The agency was appointed for its sharp local insight and a strong creative 360 idea, offering a well thought through campaign proposal. Christine Ng, CEO, BBH China (pictured) said, We are pleased to have won the creative brief of Mengniu Zhen Guo Li, which is not only a market leader in its category but a hugely interesting brand. Together with the client we are looking forward to elevating the creative potential of the brand in China. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 8) After coming under fire for a suspected "rape culture" among its personnel, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has apprehended another set of erring officers who reportedly molested their suspects. A police report Wednesday detailed the arrest of PO1 Jayson Portuguez y Cudiamat and PO1 Severiano Montalban III who allegedly extorted sexual intercourse from a female suspect in exchange for her release. The victim, who hid by the name "Maria", along with five female companions, were apprehended by the officers in question on November 2 in the Novaliches Plaza Mall for alleged violation of Presidential Decree 1602 or for "illegal gambling." Maria was transferred to the Quezon City General Hospital for medical examination where she pleaded the officers to let her go. PO1 Montalban replied that he would release her if should would have sexual intercourse with him, to which the victim agreed. According to Maria's testimony, she was brought to a dark portion of the hospital where she engaged in sexual acts with Montalban and Portuguez. Maria reported the incident to the Regional Women and Children Protection Desk (RWCPD) on Monday. Portuguez was arrested the next day while Montalban, who failed to report to work that day, surrendered hours later. The two officers were charged for the violation of Republic Act 8353 or The Anti-New Rape Law of 1997. Metro Manila Police Chief C/Supt. Guillermo Eleazar vehemently condemned the case. "The timing of this incident comes at the worst time. As police critics are still hitting the organization for the recent rape incident involving another policeman whom we arrested, this one now comes as if to confirm what some critics are saying," Eleazar said. The incident comes after an officer was accused of raping a 15-year-old girl whose parents were detained on drug charges in Manila. Eleazar maintained that they will continue cleansing their ranks of erring personnel. "I encourage more victims of police abuse to come forward so we can really send the message to our policemen that reform is at hand. The PNP with our Chief, PNP PDG OSCAR DAVID ALBAYALDE leading the way, is determined to rid our ranks of undeserving policemen," he added. PNP Chief Dir.Gen. Oscar Albayalde earlier staunchly denied the proliferation of "rape culture" among his ranks. "Hinding-hindi po natin tinotolerate yang mga ganyang gawain (We do not tolerate these acts)," Albayalde said on October 31. [Translation: We absolutely do not tolerate those kinds of acts.] The Center for Women Resources records at least 33 cases of violence against women attributed to police officers since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office in 2016. About 60 policemen were named respondents in the cases, more than a dozen of which involved minors as victims, the report showed. The abuses included rape, acts of lasciviousness and sexual harassment. READ: PNP chief: No 'rape culture,' we don't tolerate abuses PNP female recruitment The growing number of harassment reports from the PNP also led to a call to hire more women to handle cases involving children. However, Albayalde said they will retain their current female recruitment quota of 10 percent, due to "restrictions," citing the latest move to extend the maternity leave for pregnant women. "Remember there are restrictions kapag minsan babae lalo na kapag nag-asawa 'yan, nabuntis 'yan lalo ngayon 'yung maternity leave napakahaba... In-extend pa yata 'yan 'yung maternity leave, so you could just imagine hindi mo magamit 'yung pulis for that span of time," Albayalde said. [Translation: Remember there are restrictions sometimes especially if the woman is married. If she gets pregnant, especially now, because of the long maternity leave, and they might even extend it so you could just imagine not being able to use the police officer for that span of time.] The Expanded Maternity Leave Bill, approved by a bicameral conference committee composed of lawmakers from the Senate and the House of Representatives, raises to 105 days the paid maternity leave for women employed in both the public and private sectors. Albayalde's comments did not sit well with the Commission on Human Rights (CHR). In a statement Thursday, the CHR said the Magna Carta on Women requires an increase of female hirees to reach 50 percent in five years time since the magna carta's passage. The Magna Carta on Women is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2019, the CHR added. Moreover, the CHR said limiting the number of female hirees and criticizing the extended maternity leave is a form of discrimination and a failure to recognize the rights of pregnant women. On November 2, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a quick loan approval scheme for medium and small enterprises looking to borrow up to Rs 1 crore. Packaged as a Diwali gift for mid-sized businesses still coming to terms with the Goods & Services Tax (GST), it underlined the advantages of the new tax system. Owners of small businesses, upbeat on this new loan window to address their liquidity issues, logged on to the platform to log in their applications. On completing the process, many got spooked by confirmation mails coming from a private domain: capitaworld.com. Fears over data privacy the platform requires GST log in details, KYC documents, bank statements, business ownership details, information about directors, income tax returns and other personal particulars for processing applications had many applicants and prospective applicants worried. Why should a private enterprise have access to their data? How can they be sure the information wont be misused? These were the questions top of the mind for the small business community. One-Year-Old Company A little research revealed that Ahmedabad-based CapitaWorld was reportedly born out of the vision of Jinand Shah, a young CA and CFA, Aviruk Chakraborty, a budding techie (who isnt listed among the management team any more) and Vinod Modha, a seasoned CA with links with several business houses. The venture commenced operations in 2017 and has been working with NBFCs to speed up their credit assessment process through use of algorithmic analytics for a fee. The questions this raised were around the capacity of the fledgling entity to manage the national loan assessment process, the privacy of data, the reason for such an exclusive arrangement (with the government batting for a private platform) and the revenues accruing to the platform for this monopoly service. Every applicant requires to pay a fee of Rs 1,000. Image source: CNBC-TV18 Does all of this go to CapitaWorld? To give you a sense, for just one lakh applications the fee would amount to Rs 10 crore. India is estimated to have over 36 million MSMEs (c), though a large number are unregistered, and that offers a context of the scale. What The Government Says The growing concerns started spreading through social media among small businessmen and to get to the core of the matter, CNBC-TV18 checked with sources in the government on whether these fears were legitimate. The sources pointed out that CapitaWorld was majority (56 percent) owned by public sector institutions and banks (SIDBI, State Bank of India and Bank of Baroda), and that there was a plan to increase the stake to 76 percent in due course. They also looked to allay fears around data privacy saying that no third-party data is stored on the platform. Responding to privacy concerns, SIDBI said in a tweet that a rigourous process was followed for shortlisting and selection of the platform and capitaworld including third party validations and oversight. a rigourous process was followed for shortlisting and selection of the platform and capitaworld including third party validations and oversight. @SBIChairman @rkumar1958 @pnbindia @SBIofficial @MyIndianBank @VijayaBankIndia @bankofbaroda Small Industries Development Bank of India (@sidbiofficial) November 6, 2018 The company capitaworld owned and controlled by sidbi and 5 PSBs. 4 out of 7 directors are public sector shareholders nominee. @SBIChairman@rkumar1958@pnbindia@SBIofficial@MyIndianBank@VijayaBankIndia@bankofbaroda Small Industries Development Bank of India (@sidbiofficial) November 6, 2018 While the public institutional shareholding is comforting, there still remain many unanswered questions around the process of selection of CapitaWorld, its credentials, revenue model, privacy and security standards. Clearly, the government will need to be more transparent to allay the concerns of prospective borrowers and reinfuse confidence in the platform. Source: CNBC-TV18 live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Arvind, one of Indias biggest conglomerates, is engaged in businesses across verticals such as textiles (fabric and garment manufacturing cum sale), branded apparel retailing, engineering, advanced materials (home textiles for infra, healthcare, energy, aviation and automotive clients) and water treatment. Recently, the NCLT (National Company Law Tribunal) allowed Arvind to demerge the branded retail and engineering divisions into Arvind Fashions and Anup Engineering, respectively. The effective date of demerger and record date for allotment of shares is likely to be November 29. The demerged companies (Arvind Fashions, Anup Engineering) are likely to be listed on the bourses in February next year. Q2 FY19 snapshot As far as continuing operations are concerned, Arvinds Q2 numbers pertain to businesses such as textile (fabric and garment manufacturing cum sale), advanced materials and water treatment only. Segment-wise review Textiles Revenue growth in this segment was largely driven by sale of garments and woven fabric. Reduced drawback rates and high operating costs (pertaining to new garmenting capacities) led to a margin reduction. Advanced materials Higher realisations per unit in connection with value-added products (such as carbon fibre variants), coupled with efficiencies in processing and economies of scale, helped deliver a positive set of numbers. Branded apparel Weak consumer sentiment, subdued Onam sales and delay in festive purchases (postponement of Diwali to Q3 this fiscal) took a toll on like-to-like sales growth in this segment. Online sales continued to gain momentum on the back of discounting and improved market penetration. Engineering Despite flattish revenue traction YoY, margins witnessed an upmove because of good project execution and cost control initiatives. What lies ahead ? Textiles To move up the value chain, Arvind is gradually transitioning itself from a fabric manufacturing company to an apparel maker-cum-retailer. Moreover, the management is adding garmenting units in Jharkhand, Ahmedabad, Andhra Pradesh and Ethiopia (exports to North America and Europe) to nearly triple its existing garment manufacturing capacity (of 30 million pieces per annum) over the next 3 years. To save costs and reduce dependence on external suppliers, Arvind aims to increase the captive consumption of fabric (i.e. fabric manufactured and used internally to manufacture garments) from 10 percent at present to 25-30 percent over the next 2-3 years. Currency benefits (owing to Rupees depreciation vis-a-vis the US dollar) in respect of garment export orders will start accruing from Q4 FY19. Arvinds cash flows are hedged till then. Branded apparel Power brands, which have been registering double-digit growth YoY (in the range of 10-20 percent) steadily over the quarters, will be crucial in determining this segments revenue trajectory. Growth prospects in the branded innerwear category (Hanes, Calvin Klein, US Polo Association) also appear promising. To capitalise on this uptrend, marketing spends are likely to increase in due course. Benefits of operating leverage, network expansion, brand extensions and product positioning should augur well in terms of margin. Advanced materials Arvind has entered into a tie-up with a European firm for cured-in-place-pipe technology (CIPP). Going forward, the management expects sales growth of 20-30 percent YoY. As the companys portfolio of mature products gain scale, margin should gradually move upward too. Engineering This segment designs and manufactures critical process equipment (heat exchangers, pressure vessels, reactors, columns/towers, centrifuges, etc) for industries such as petrochemicals, fertilizers and power, among others. Anup Engineering, Indias third largest heavy fabrication player and an entity with a cash positive balance sheet, aims to tap opportunities in global markets, while simultaneously strengthening its operational capabilities domestically. The managements ambition is to reach the Rs 1,000 crore turnover mark over the next 5-7 years. Major hurdles for the textile segment Slowdown in denim fabric offtake has resulted in an oversupply situation, thus placing downward pressure on realisations. Stiff competition from unorganised players only adds to the difficulties. A 3-6 month delay in setting up new garmenting capacities (to the tune of 44 million pieces) will keep sales growth fairly modest (at 5-6 percent YoY, versus 8-10 percent that was initially guided) for FY19. Is Arvind investment-worthy ? Business reorganisation in the aftermath of the demerger should unlock value for investors. We remain enthused about Arvinds branded apparel, advanced materials and engineering businesses, given their revenue visibility (attributable to favourable industry factors) and ability to perform consistently well. However, a lot would depend on how quickly the textile arms proposed capex of Rs 1,500 crore (over the next 3-5 years) begins to contribute noticeably towards improving Arvinds overall returns on capital. In the branded apparel segment, it will be equally important to watch out for the financials of Unlimited (erstwhile loss-making stores that have been going through a restructuring phase of late) and the pace at which brands maximise their sales potential to facilitate margin accretion. After the demerger is effected, Arvind Fashions and Anup Engineering will, in all likelihood, list at a premium. In comparison, Arvind (excluding branded apparel and engineering) may continue to trade at lower valuation multiples till there are indications of a visible improvement in performance. Nevertheless, after a sharp correction over the past year, the stock offers decent upside from current levels. Follow @krishnakarwa152 Foreign exchange earnings totaled USD 24 billion in January-October 2019, with a growth (year-on-year) of two percent. The Australian government on November 7 warned it intends to block a Hong Kong and Chinese consortium's 13 billion Australian dollar (USD 9 billion) takeover bid for an energy infrastructure company because it conflicts with Australia's national interest. The CK Consortium needed approval of Australia's Foreign Investment Review Board to take over APA Group, which owns more than 43,700 kilometers of gas pipeline in Australia. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said he had told the consortium on November 7 of his preliminary view that the takeover was not in Australia's interests. In practice, the decision to block the sale is final. "I have formed this view on the grounds that it would result in an undue concentration of foreign ownership by a single company group in our most significant gas transmission business," Frydenberg said in a statement. The Foreign Investment Review Board was unable to reach a unanimous recommendation, expressing concerns about the national interest implications of such a dominant foreign player in the gas and electricity sectors over the longer term, Frydenberg said. Peter Jennings, executive director of the government-established Australian Strategic Policy Institute think tank, had been advocating for weeks for the government to veto the sale on national security grounds. "My sense is that if the FIRB and the treasurer are taking national security considerations seriously into account, they should say 'no' to this particular proposed takeover," Jennings said in September. The consortium is led by Hong Kong-registered Cheung Kong Infrastructure Group, better known as CKI. CKI and Chinese state-owned State Grid Corp. were in 2016 blocked on classified national security grounds from leasing for 99 years a 50.4 per cent stake in Ausgrid, a Sydney electricity grid, for more than AUD 10 billion. That decision was made by Prime Minister Scott Morrison when he was treasurer. While reasons were not detailed, there was speculation that the consortium was blocked because Ausgrid included an electricity node that was connected to the secretive joint US-Australian intelligence facility at Pine Gap in central Australia. Jennings said the finding that the sale of APA to Chinese interests was not in Australians' interest was a "no-brainer." "If the takeover proceeded, we'd have about 70 per cent or more of electricity and gas infrastructure would be owned by either CKI, a Hong Kong company, or State Grid, a Chinese state-owned entity," Jennings said. "I just think that's a risk that no country would really find acceptable," he added. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More JSW Steel has made an elaborate, three-phase turnaround plan for Monnet Ispat, the distressed steelmaker that was referred to insolvency courts last year for defaulting on loan repayments. The plan includes restarting many of the units at Monnet's facility in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh; utilise its capacity of 1.5 million tons, and eventually look at expanding the facility. "If you see the strategy of JSW Steel right from beginning in acquiring the stressed assets, is that to keep the stressed asset in an SPV until turnaround happens, after that only we would like to bring it into the fold of JSW Steel. So in the case of Monnet Ispat, we followed same policy..." said Rao. JSW Steel plans to commission the closed units by December, said Seshagiri Rao, Joint Managing Director and Group CFO of JSW Steel. The Sajjan Jindal-company, along with Aion Investments, had acquired Monnet Ispat in September after the end of the insolvency proceedings. The combine was the only bidder for Monnet and paid Rs 2,875 crore. Monnet owed banks Rs 11,000 crore. While Monnet is EBITDA positive, Rao underlined that it is not "sufficient to cover interest and depreciation." The plan thus is to revive the unit and generate cash. At present, only the DRI plant is functional. DRI, or direct reduced iron, is a steelmaking process where iron ore pellets or fines are processed using gas to make steel. "We would like to commission billet plant, sinter plant, blast furnace, caster and TMT, bar mill. These are units we would like to commission. That is phase 1," said Rao. Once these units are operational, the facility will generate cash. In the second phase, JSW Steel wants to bring the facility to its full capacity of 1.5 million tons. In the third phase, the plan is to explore the possibility of expanding the capacity beyond 1.5 million tons. "These are three phases we are working for turning around Monnet. So our effort in the Q2, Q3 that is October to December is to commission these units, which were operational earlier that is how we are working on Monnet," said Rao. A spokesman for Volkswagen on November 8 denied a media report that said the car-maker was prepared to fully cover the costs of diesel hardware retrofits, which would come in at 3,000 euros ($3,426.30) per vehicle. Manager Magazin had reported that German car-makers Daimler and Volkswagen were prepared to fully cover the costs of the retrofits, which would reduce emissions to within permitted limits. The Volkswagen spokesman said the report was false, adding that Volkswagen had not made such an offer. Manager magazin later updated its report to say that Volkswagen was sticking with its position that it was willing to cover 80 percent of the costs. Car executives are meeting with German Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer on November 8 to discuss how to tackle diesel emissions in Germany. Scheuer is due to make a statement on the outcome of the talks. Daimler declined to comment on the manager magazin report. BMW said it would comment after talks with Scheuer had concluded. The group has so far said it is not prepared to take part in a diesel hardware retrofit scheme. German Chancellor Angela Merkel's government last month presented plans to cut pollution from diesel vehicles and fend off diesel driving bans in cities by asking car-makers to offer owners trade-in incentives and hardware fixes. ($1 = 0.8754 euros) 3. International Monetary Fund | At 2,814 tonnes gold in its reserves, the IMF is on the third spot. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said it feared the consequences of a possible "contagion" of Italy's economic woes to European countries with "weaker macroeconomic fundamentals." Noting the "four-year high" in Italian sovereign bond yields, the IMF said "spillovers to other markets have been fairly contained." "But there is appreciable uncertainty, and contagion from future stress could be notable, especially for economies with weaker macroeconomic fundamentals and limited policy buffers," the IMF said in its autumn forecast for Europe. Italy is under massive pressure since the European Commission on October 23 rejected its 2019 budget in a historic move, giving the ruling populist coalition in Rome until November 13 to present changes. Failing that, Brussels could put Italy into something called the "excess deficit procedure", a complicated process that could eventually lead to a fine of 0.2 percent of the country's GDP. The Italian government -- a coalition of the far-right League and the anti-establishment Five Star Movement -- plans to run a public deficit of 2.4 percent of GDP, three times the target of its centre-left predecessor. The coalition's 2019 budget is based on an estimate of annual growth of 1.5 percent -- a figure considered optimistic by the IMF, which has forecast only one percent, and the Commission, which expects 1.2 percent. Italian leaders insist the low growth rate is all the more reason to kickstart the economy through a spending spree, but Brussels fears the rising deficit could further feed Italy's exploding debt. Italy already owes 2.3 trillion euros ($2.6 trillion), a sum equivalent to 131 percent of its GDP. Even if Brussels fails to punish Rome, many assume the markets will. Italy, as well as Turkey the IMF noted, "should prioritise measures that reduce fiscal deficits toward their medium-term targets and lower debt. Representative image On November 8, 2016, in a sudden move, the government banned Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes. During the address making the announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the move was aimed at tackling black money and counterfeit currency. But the shock move that in one stroke rendered 86 percent of the countrys cash in circulation worthless is even today seen as having divided opinions sharply as to whether it was able to achieve what was intended of it. Any assessment of demonetisation has to be weighed on two aspects: whether it was economically or politically successful. The opinion continues to remain split on both. Economic impact The immediate economic impact of demonetisation was almost certain to be negative. PM Modi stressed on the fact that any short-term negatives were the hardships that were undertaken while cash in the system was brought back in. Recently, Congress leader P Chidambaram said that the Indian economy had lost 1.5 percent of GDP in terms of growth. That alone was a loss of Rs 2.25 lakh crore a year, he tweeted. The former Finance Minister, a vocal critic of demonetisation, said this after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently data on demonetisation, saying 99.3 percent of notes were back in the system. Over 100 lives were lost. 15 crore daily wage earners lost their livelihood for several weeks. Thousands of SME units were shut down. Lakhs of jobs were destroyed," Chidambaram said. Further, an analysis of RBIs report also highlighted the central banks expenditure to print new notes. The report said that nearly Rs 13,000 crore was spent in the span of two years to remonetise the economy. This also impacted RBIs profit. This in turn led to lower dividend paid by the central bank to the government. In 2015-2016, RBI paid the government Rs 65,876 crore. The amount came down to half, Rs 30,659 crore, in 2016-2017. The Opposition Congress demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi after RBIs report. Other leaders from the party also did not leave a chance to question the government. The ruling BJP on its part says that the long-term benefits of demonetisation have clearly started becoming visible. Economists believe the cash ban led to increase in financialisation of savings, more income-tax compliance, and propelled India towards becoming a more cashless economy. The number of people filing income tax also increased: going up from 2.24 crore during the same period of 2017-18 to 3.43 crore as on July 31 this year. According to one report, counterfeit notes too came down 31.4 percent after the cash ban. There were as many as 7.62 lakh pieces of fake notes in 2016-17. The quantity went down to 5.23 lakh in 2017-18. Further, the BJP says that demonetisation helped the government ferret out shell companies. According to spokesperson Sambit Patra, as many as five lakh companies were shut down, thanks to demonetisation. Political impact Demonetisation also has to be seen through the political prism. Indeed, having been announced months before the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, it was also seen by analysts as having a clear political goal as well: to cement PM Modis image as an anti-corruption crusader. For some, it was even a move to drain out opposition parties cash chest ahead of the key elections in UP. Whatever be the motive, the elections saw the BJP sweep the state in a landslide victory. Since then, however, the BJP has tuned down references to demonetisation as one of its key steps. Its mention was even missing during the PMs recent Independence Day speech. The Congress, meanwhile, has looked to increase its attacks on the government, and has even labelled the move as a Modi-made disaster and a Tughlaqi farman. "We would like to ask the prime minister about who is responsible for all this. The prime minister should take moral responsibility for this. Had it been any other country, the prime minister would have resigned. Prime Minister Modi should also have resigned from his post on moral grounds, but expecting that from him would be too much, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala recently said. Surveys of public opinion, however, seems to be veering towards the opposition view. In a survey conducted by LocalCircles, more than 50 percent Indians think that black money still exists in the country. According to LocalCircles, 60 percent of the 15,000 participants in the survey said that black money has not reduced and will increase ahead of 2019 general elections. For now, there are no easy answers to whether or not demonetisation was a success. Perhaps the 2019 general elections will settle the debate. (With inputs from PTI) The Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Rs 444-crore public issue to list on BSE, NSE as on 12 October 2020. It witnessed an overwhelming response from investors as it was subscribed to 157.4 times, which is the top response in 2020 so far. Experts in the US have welcomed the Trump administration's decision to exempt India from imposition of certain sanctions for the development of the strategically-located Chabahar Port in Iran, along with the construction of the railway line connecting it with Afghanistan. The decision taken on Tuesday by the Trump administration, which a day earlier imposed the toughest ever sanctions on Iran and is very restrictive in giving exemptions, is a seen as a recognition by Washington of India's major role in the development of the port on the Gulf of Oman, which is of immense strategic importance for the reconstruction of war-torn Afghanistan. "This was the right call. India's ability to not just continue its development assistance to Afghanistan but also to scale up, will be vastly enhanced by the development of the Chabahar port," Alyssa Ayres, a senior fellow for India, Pakistan, and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations think-tank, said. Ayres, who had worked in the State Department in the Obama administration, said as Kabul and New Delhi seek ways to increase trade connectivity for Afghan exporters to the enormous Indian market, an overland and sea supply chain will be helpful as everything cannot be exported economically via air freight. "Increasing opportunities for economic activity in Afghanistan will be crucial for the country's stability, and India is the most important economy in the region to provide that ballast," she said. According to Anish Goel, who was part of the White House's National Security Team during the Obama regime, the exception for the Chabahar port is a reflection of the "competing priorities at play". "As much as the (US) administration wants to squeeze and isolate Iran, it also does not want to do anything to damage or restrict the ongoing efforts in Afghanistan. The port, when finished, will be vital for shipping goods to Afghanistan," he said. "But it is clear that the exception was written to be as narrow as possible and focus only on those activities that will be beneficial to Afghanistan," Goel added. The Chabahar Port is considered a gateway to golden opportunities for trade by India, Iran and Afghanistan with central Asian countries besides ramping up trade among the three countries after Pakistan denied transit access to India. The exemption provided to India is a much welcome and necessary step in the right direction, noted Bharath Gopalaswamy, director of the South Asian centre in the think-tank, Atlantic Council. The exemption underscores that the US understands the opportunities that India offers by being an important partner and player in the region, he said, adding, "This was the right step in the right direction." In May 2016, India, Iran and Afghanistan inked a pact which entailed establishment of Transit and Transport Corridor among the three countries using Chabahar Port as one of the regional hubs for sea transportation in Iran, besides multi-modal transport of goods and passengers across the three nations. The port in the Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich nations southern coast is easily accessible from India's western coast and is increasingly seen as a counter to Pakistan's Gwadar Port, which is being developed with Chinese investment and is located at distance of around 80 km from Chabahar. Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on November 8 approved divestment of its entire 73.44 percent stake in Dredging Corporation of India to a consortium of four ports. #CCEA approves strategic disinvestment of 100% Govt. of Indias equity in the Dredging Corporation of India Ltd.#CabinetDecisions pic.twitter.com/Qdeo7k8PCP Sitanshu Kar (@DG_PIB) November 8, 2018 The government's divestment target for the fiscal was Rs 80,000 crore and so far it has garnered over Rs 15,000 crore from PSU stake sales. Speaking to the media, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also stated that the cabinet has given in-principle approval for the development, operation and management of six airports using the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, among other measures. The six airports to be leased are Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram and Mangaluru. The cabinet has also finalised the sale of 65,075,877 enemy property shares worth Rs 3,000 crore in 1968. These include movable and immovable shares of 996 companies. An amendment to the 49-year-old Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Act ensures the heirs of those who migrated to Pakistan and China during Partition and afterwards will have no claim over the properties left behind in India. The cabinet has approved the policy to invite international companies to invest in strategic oil reserves in India using the PPP model. This is expected to bring in Rs 10,000 crore of savings. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Ashish Chaturmohta Apollo Tyres has given a breakdown from the major support level of Rs 230 in the month of September this year and touched a low of Rs 192. Since then, the stock has seen a bounce back towards Rs 230 which is now acting as a resistance for the stock. The price formed a shooting star candlestick pattern at the 50-day moving average. The stochastic oscillator has given a negative crossover with its average on the daily chart. Thus, the stock can be sold at current level and on the rise towards Rs 218 with a stop loss above Rs 225 and a target of Rs 192 levels. The author is Head of Technical and Derivatives at Sanctum Wealth Management. The views and investment tips expressed by investment expert on moneycontrol.com are his own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. Two years ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced demonetisation of high-denomination currency notes. The announcement, whose primary purpose was to curtail the shadow economy, received a mixed response. While it garnered support from several bankers and international commentators, it was criticised for being planned poorly and being unfair. Data reveals that several stocks have done quite well since demonetisation. Here are top ten stocks that have rallied the most since November 8, 2016: live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More HEG posted another strong quarterly result along with improved utilisation guidance and expectation of higher contract prices in the upcoming contract cycle. Higher availability of needle coke for the near term and Supreme Court relief on petcoke ban adds to earnings visibility. However, volume growth expectations in the medium term remains limited, but favourable end-market opportunities are expected to provide pricing support. Read: Graphite electrodes supply demand dynamics: Lets do the math, again! Source: Moneycontrol Research In Q2 FY19, HEG witnessed another strong quarter, with sales up 13 percent sequentially, aided by higher volumes (4 percent quarter-on-quarter), currency benefit and sustenance of higher product prices. It realised blended graphite electrodes sales of around $14,000-15,000 per tonne (similar to Q1 FY19). It is noteworthy that 80 percent revenue accrues from better grade electrode (ultra-high power) used in electric arc furnaces. Exports contribute 70 percent of revenue and commands higher realisations. In the quarter under review, capacity utilisation improved to 85 percent from 82 percent in Q1. Raw material prices surged 50 percent sequentially as new contracts for needle coke kicks in. However, inventory gains resulted in higher gross margin. Higher operating leverage led to earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) per tonne of 11 percent QoQ and more than seven times jump on a year-on-year (YoY) basis. As we mentioned in our earlier notes, imbalance in demand-supply balance for graphite electrodes is governed by static supply and higher demand on account of increasing usage of electric arc furnace (EAF) for steel manufacturing globally. Lower Chinese steel manufacturing on account of stringent pollution controls have led to lower exports. This resulted in higher steel manufacturing in the rest of the world, preferably by the EAF method. The management said Chinese governments anti-pollution campaign is stricter in the current year. This year winter restriction for steel production has been lengthier (October 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019) compared to last year (October15, 2017 to March 15, 2018). Steel exports are already lower for the nine months of 2018 by 11 percent. Source: HEG,World Steel Association Within China, EAFs are increasingly replacing induction furnaces/blast furnaces, thus acting as another important support for graphite electrode prices. Steel production in China through the EAF route is expected to increase by three times in 2020 to 160 MT (20 percent of total) versus 52 MT (5 percent) in 2016. The management said improved availability of needle coke in H2 FY19 is because of capacity debottlenecking (50-60,000 tonne) by ConocoPhillips. HEG expects around 90 percent capacity utilisation in H2. In the longer term, the companys tentative plan for a 25 percent increase in graphite electrode capacity hangs on availability of new supply of needle coke in future. The management is hopeful of further improvement in product prices in the new contract cycle (January-March CY19 quarter), for which contracts would be signed in the next 4-5 weeks. With the US allowing India to continue importing oil from Iran, risk of emerging Iran sanction extending to other industrial products has also waned for the time being. It may be noted that HEG has a revenue exposure of 6-7 percent from Iran. Risk with respect to petcoke imports has been eliminated. The Supreme Court in its September order has included graphite electrode industry as one of the five industries where petcoke imports are allowed as a feedstock. We remain constructive on the stock (4.6 times FY20 estimate) given the end-market opportunities, preference for the EAF route for steel manufacturing and Chinas supply-side reforms. In the short term, additional earnings accretion is on account of the improved availability of needle coke. In the longer term, given the long gestation period for greenfield projects, cash flow visibility is expected. Follow @anubhavsays The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has asked the broadcasting industry to launch 999 channel across all TV-viewing platforms. According to a report by DNA, a senior TRAI official said that the channel will offer consumers audio/video assistance to help them with network-related queries, lodging complaints, subscriptions, and many others. He added that operators will have the flexibility to allot any number for the channel but they have been requested to have the same number to make it easier for the customers. The telecommunications regulator also has plans for outreach programmes, which could help consumers be aware of the recent tariff framework for TV channels upheld by the Supreme Court. The framework will allow consumers to choose and pay only for channels they want to watch and not pay for channels they do not watch. TRAI secretary SK Gupta said that the programmes would be carried out over the next two months and would most likely start from Delhi. maoists_soldiers_attack_terrorist_1280x720 A Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh on November 8 killed at least five people, including a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel. Two other were injured in the attack. It was the fourth such attack in the past two weeks, in the region. The attack came a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state's Jagdalpur district. PM Modi is scheduled to address an election rally there. The first phase of the Chhattisgarh Assembly polls is scheduled for November 12. In this phase, 18 assembly constituencies will head for polls in largely Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected areas. Another attack on October 30 in Dantewada, had killed two police personnel and a Doordarshan cameraman. On October 27, four Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed when the anti-landmine vehicle they were traveling in was blown up by Naxals in Bijapur district. Two days after that, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader was attacked, also in Dantewada. An attack earlier in May had killed seven security personnel. The attacks, usually an ambush or as in the case of the latest attack, triggered by an improvised explosive device (IED) come after rebels in the state's Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected districts reportedly warned people not to vote during the first phase the elections. The attack reflects a trend in which Maoist violence, before the state heads for elections, has become common. "As soon as elections approach they do something to affect it. Their goal is to spread terror," Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh had said after the October 30 attack. In 2013, a Maoist ambush, months before the state was scheduled to head for polls in Darbha valley, had killed state Congress units top leadership, including former minister Mahendra Karma. The attack, which claimed 25 lives, was termed as one of the worst in years. The same year, journalists Sai Reddy and Nemichand Jain were killed by Maoists, eight months apart. Almost a year after the ambush, two separate attacks on the same day had led to the death of 13 people, including security personnel and polling officials. The first attack, which killed five CRPF personnel, took place close to the place where the rebels had killed the senior Congress leaders. The second attack, on a bus carrying officials on election duty took place in Bijapur, happened an hour later. Around a month before the twin attacks, as many as 15 security personnel were killed in a Maoist attack in the state's Sukma district. Delhi continues to grapple with alarming levels of pollution as citizens are angered and concerned over the deteriorating air quality in the city. It recorded its worst air quality of this season on October 28, as a thick haze engulfed the national capital. Read on to see how life in the nation's capital has been affected by worsening conditions. Pictured is Indira Gandhi International Airport as seen shrouded in smog in New Delhi on October 30 (Image: Reuters) Residential buildings shrouded in smog in Noida on the outskirts of New Delhi on November 5. (Image: Reuters) India's presidential palace Rashtrapati Bhavan is covered in smog on November 5 (Image: Reuters) An under-construction building is barely visible as smog engulfs the air in New Delhi on November 1. (Image: Reuters) People pass by an installation of an artificial model of lungs to illustrate the effect of air pollution outside a hospital in New Delhi. (Image: Reuters) A bird is pictured as Humayun's Tomb is barely visible due to smog in the capital on October 29. (Image: Reuters) People use masks to breathe as pollution levels rose in Delhi ahead of Diwali. (Image: Reuters) Residential buildings are seen shrouded in smog. (Image: Reuters) Women receive treatment for respiratory issues at a hospital in New Delhi. (Image: Reuters) India said it will participate in the meeting being hosted by Russia on Afghanistan at a "non-official level" in Moscow where representatives of the Taliban will be present. The Moscow-format meeting on Afghanistan will be held on November 9 and representatives of the Afghan Taliban radical movement will take part in it, the Russian Foreign Ministry had said last week. In response to queries regarding India's participation in the meeting, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, "We are aware that the Russian Federation is hosting a meeting in Moscow on 9 November on Afghanistan." "Our participation at the meeting will be at the non-official level," he said. India supports all efforts at peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan that will preserve unity and plurality, and bring security, stability and prosperity to the country, he said. "India's consistent policy has been that such efforts should be Afghan-led, Afghan-owned, and Afghan-controlled and with participation of the government of Afghanistan," Kumar asserted. According to Russian news agency TASS, this is for the second time, Russia is attempting to bring regional powers together while discovering ways for establishing peace in war-torn Afghanistan. The first such meeting, proposed for September 4 of this year, was called off at the last moment after the Afghan government pulled out, describing its involvement in the Moscow meeting as "unnecessary" as the Taliban had "disrespected internationally-sanctioned principles and rejected the message of peace and direct negotiations." According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, invitations to take part in the event had been sent to Afghanistan, India, Iran, China, Pakistan, the US and some other countries. The meeting comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks a host of global issues. After the talks, in a joint statement, the two sides declared their support to the Afghan government's efforts towards the realisation of an Afghan-led, and Afghan-owned national peace reconciliation process. Both sides had called upon the international community to join efforts to thwart any external interference in Afghanistan, to restore its economy, contribute to sustaining peace and security, economic and political development of a stable, secure, united, prosperous and independent Afghanistan. India and Russia had resolved to direct their activities towards launching joint development and capacity building projects in Afghanistan. Pakistan expressed concern over the recent deployment of India's nuclear submarine INS Arihant, saying there should be no doubt about Islamabad's resolve and capabilities to meet the challenges in the nuclear and conventional realms in South Asia. "This development marks the first actual deployment of ready-to-fire nuclear warheads in South Asia which is a matter of concern not only for the Indian Ocean littoral states but also for the international community at large," Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said. Nuclear-powered submarine INS Arihant successfully completed its first deterrence patrol this week, taking India into a club of a handful of countries which have the capability to design, construct and operate such a submarine or SSBN. The spokesperson said the "bellicose" language employed by the top Indian leadership highlights the threats to strategic stability in South Asia and raises questions about responsible nuclear stewardship in India. He said the increased frequency of missile tests by India, aggressive posturing and deployment of nuclear weapons calls for an assessment of the non-proliferation benefits resulting from India's membership of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). The spokesperson said Pakistan is committed to the objective of strategic stability in South Asia and believes that the only way forward for both countries is to agree on measures for nuclear and missile restraint. "At the same time no one should be in doubt about Pakistan's resolve and capabilities to meet the challenges posed by the latest developments both in the nuclear and conventional realms in South Asia," he said. Replying to a question about the follow up of Prime Minster Imran Khan's recent visit to China, Faisal said a high-level Pakistan delegation will have talks with their counterparts in Beijing to sort out technical matters and finalise the modalities for further enhancing the existing bilateral and strategic cooperation between the two countries in diverse fields. On the proposed Afghanistan peace talks in Moscow, he said a Pakistan delegation led by an additional secretary will attend the dialogue. The spokesperson said Taliban leader Mullah Baradar was released to give an impetus to the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan. He said Pakistan has always been emphasising the need for seeking a negotiated settlement on the Afghan issue with the participation of all stakeholders. He said it is a matter of concern that a recent American report points out that the Afghan administration and the foreign forces are losing control over the security situation in the war-torn country. Responding to questions on Christian woman Aasia Bibi who was recently released from jail, Faisal said she is still in Pakistan at a safe location. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) may set-up an ombudsman for digital payments by March to reduce the burden on banking ombudsman because of a rising number of complaints, The Economic Times reported. Owing to a rapid adoption of digital payments across the country, the number of complaints related to digital transactions have shot up. The central bank, in its Annual Report for 2017-18, said it was considering a plan to establish a separate ombudsman to handle such complaints. "The increasing volume of complaints involving digital payments being received by the offices of the banking ombudsman and a large number of prepaid payment instruments issued by banks and non-bank issuers have necessitated the establishment of a separate ombudsman for digital transactions," RBI said in its report. At present, RBI is in the process of creating a scheme for establishing offices across the country for the digital payments ombudsman, the report said. "We could have these offices set-up by early next year. The central bank is working on creating a scheme and it should function very similar to the banking ombudsman," a banker familiar with RBIs plans told the paper. RBIs banking ombudsman scheme 2006 lays down various criteria under which consumers can lodge complaints with the ombudsman. A similar structure will be drawn up for the payments ombudsman, two bankers told the paper. RBI aims to reduce instances of fraud and ensure that consumer's confidence in the digital payment systems goes up. "The central bank is also trying to draw up a framework to collect information on the various types of frauds that are being reported in the overall payments space," a banker told the paper. Last year, RBI issued instructions to mobile wallet issuers and non-banking payments entities to establish a publicly disclosed customer grievance redressal framework. In a circular issued in October last year, RBI said, "(PPIs will be) designating a nodal officer to handle the customer complaints, the escalation matrix and turnaround time for complaint resolution. The complaint facility, if made available on website/mobile, shall be clearly and easily accessible." New Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi (R) with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu during a meeting, in New Delhi, Thursday, Nov 01, 2018. (PTI Photo)(PTI11_1_2018_000114B) Seat-sharing deal among partners of the Congress-led grand alliance for the December 7 Assembly elections in Telangana has been finalised, a key AICC functionary said. The AICC in-charge of Telangana affairs, R C Khuntia told PTI, "Seat-sharing has been finalised. It will be announced after its approval by Congress President Rahul Gandhi." This ends weeks of negotiations that the Congress had with its electoral partners--the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) and the Communist Party of India (CPI). Khuntia did not say how many seats the Congress would contest in the polls for the 119-member Assembly but party sources indicated that it would not be less than 90. A TDP leader claimed that his party may get 14 to 18 seats. The founder-President of TJS, Prof M Kodandaram said the Congress has offered his party eight to ten seats, whereas he is seeking a minimum of 12 but expressed hope that the issue would be settled. "Some adjustment has to happen but we are more worried about the delay (in finalising the seat-sharing formula). Delay is the major issue," he told PTI. The CPI has been offered three seats. "We are going to discuss the offer tomorrow at our state executive meeting and decide about it," CPI General Secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy said. In addition, the party has been offered two MLC seats. He termed the offer "comparatively good in the present circumstances", but said the feeling among the party cadre is that it should have got two more Assembly seats. The TRS and the BJP are going it alone in the poll, the notification for which would be issued on November 12. On November 6 2018, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced that Faizabad district would henceforth be known as Ayodhya. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi site and several ancient temples in this pilgrim town, besides inspecting a probable location near Saryu river for a planned statue of Lord Ram. His visit to Ram Janmabhoomi site came a day after the three-day Deepotsav ended, in which Korean First Lady Kim Jung-sook was the chief guest on the last day. "He arrived in Ayodhya this morning around 8:30 am from Faizabad where he stayed at the Circuit House last night. First he visited Hanuman Garhi, and then the Ram Janmabhoomi, where he spent some time," Faizabad BJP president Awadhesh Pandey said. Pandey said he accompanied the chief minister at a few of the temple visits, during which Yogi also interacted with several religious leaders. Security was steeped up at the Ram Janmabhoomi site, where a large number of people from across the country Wednesday visited on Diwali. A police official said about 20,000 people visit the site on Diwali, almost double the footfall recorded on regular days, adding Yogi went in the morning. Local residents said the chief minister had visited the birthplace of Lord Ram after last year's Deepotsav as well. Yogi's visit to Ram Janambhomi site came at a time when the chorus has grown within the party and the Sangh Parivar, seeking construction of a temple there through ordinance. At present, a statue of Ram Lalla (child avatar of Lord Ram) is kept at the site, which attracts devotees from far and wide. The Supreme Court recently fixed the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute cases for the first week of January next year before an appropriate bench, which will decide the schedule of hearing. As many as 14 appeals have been filed against the 2010 Allahabad High Court judgement that suggested that the 2.77 acres of disputed land be partitioned equally among three parties - the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla. Pandey said after visiting the Ramjanmabhoomi, Adityanath went to Kanak Bhawan temple and then to Sugriv Kila, located in the heart of Ayodhya. He then visited Maniram Das Ki Chavni and Digamber Akhada. "Yogiji also inspected a site near Saryu river for a planned statue of Lord Ram there. He later went to Gorakhpur where he met children of a tribal village and attended a programme there," he said. Pandey said one of the probable sites is a patch of land between the Ram Ghat Halt and railway bridge on Saryu, which Yogi inspected. Incidentally, Ayodhya Mayor Rishikesh Upadhyay had recently said that plans are afoot to install a statue of Lord Ram on the banks of the Saryu river. Yogi's Wednesday visit comes a day after he announced that Faizabad district will now be renamed as Ayodhya. Pandey had Tuesday said that the option to resolve the Ayodhya dispute through community dialogue is "over" and the BJP will work towards construction of a Ram Temple here through constitutional or legislative means. The Faizabad BJP president also claimed that majority population of Ayodhya want to see the temple getting built as it is a "matter of faith" for them and "BJP is the only party that raises this issue for them". Many experts have said that the Ayodhya land dispute matter should be taken up by the court after 2019 elections, as it might affect the voters. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More India's fourth-largest drugmaker Cipla plans to increase focus on private market segment across core geographies and review participation in low margin tenders, besides addressing issues of supply disruptions at its plants, as it tries to bounce back after weak Q2. On November 5, Cipla said its second-quarter profit fell 11 percent to Rs 377 crore while revenues were off 1.5 percent to Rs 4,012 crore. The quarter was impacted by flat sales in India, South Africa and lower tender offtake especially for HIV/AIDS and antimalarial drugs. In an interview with Moneycontrol, Kedar Upadhye, Global Chief Financial Officer of Cipla, talked about the company's strategy going forward. Edited excerpts: Q: Cipla's management has warned about multiple headwinds facing the company. Could you explain us what are these headwinds and what these mean to the company going forward? A: We have referred two to three headwinds in our presentation. All those are genuine issues. We are seeing funding cut (from multilateral agencies and various local governments) in some of markets, where tenders are floated to supply drugs. Around 40 percent of sales from South Africa comes from public tenders, in other emerging market it is about one-third. In many of these geographies either because of the commoditised portfolio or because of the constraints of the funding situation, we are unable to increase our business. Secondly, we spoke about the price escalation of Chinese sourced materials and commodities. And thirdly, the US sanctions on some countries (like Iran) impose certain limitations. While medicines are allowed (to be exported) the banking channels are not allowed. You can not effectively participate in those markets. Q: What is the strategy to beat the headwinds that you are facing? A: We chose to talk about in a very open and transparent manner, there is no doomsday scenario here. But beyond that, our work is cut-out for private market. So private market segments in India, South Africa, emerging market continues to be very strong, we are gaining in ranking. In the US, we are working on filing robust ANDAs (abbreviated new drug applications). Our work on cost-cutting is moving ahead, and so is our work on boosting working capital cash flow. We may or may not want to fully participate in tenders because of margin considerations. We have an internal threshold for margins, anything below the threshold we may not participate. There were several priorities for us, where we're focusing. Q: While some of the issues you have highlighted are industry-wide issues, but the company also said it's having internal supply problems. How are you rectifying it and is there any timeline? A: We took a hit in this quarter due to our inability to fully service and supply the demands that we get from various markets. We got couple of approvals where we are not able to launch these products, so there's a loss of revenue there, sometimes we have launched but were not able to service the repeat orders. So I think there are a multitude of issues. I think we might need more capex. It could be debottlenecking, it could be some of the operational practices in those plants. I do expect one or two quarters to resolve the issues. I think in any case the loss of revenue per quarter is not going to be more than Rs 100-150 crore. Q: Cipla traditionally enjoyed lower margins compared to peers, but over the last two years, the company was able to increase EBITDA margins by 400 basis points through cost optimisation and sale of non-core assets. What kind of margins can we expect by the end of this year? A: As a company, we need to balance both revenue and profitability. There is a scope for improvement of margins. In the quarter we were 18.8 percent in terms of EBITDA. Now we are in the zone of what is considered to be acceptable by India pharma's EBITDA margins, which is somewhere between 18 and 21 percent. We desist from giving any forward-looking guidance but aspirationally yes. Q: There is criticism that you unable to break the $100 million revenue run rate in US for last several quarters. Any movement on that front? How much is pricing pressure impacting you? A: This quarter we are 108 million, we have come out of it. We had meaningful launches in the second quarter and interesting set of launches in the second half. The price erosion sort of stabilised. It ranges from product to product. But we factor in between 6 and 10 percent. November 21, 2018 / 07:34 AM IST Turnout dips as compared to 2013 A total of 74.17 percent of the over 1.85 crore electors cast their votes in the Chhattisgarh polls, which is less by nearly 3 percent as compared to the last elections, the Election Commission said yesterday. In the second phase of polling which took place yesterday, the voter turnout was recorded at 71.93 percent till 6 pm. The first phase the poll percentage was 76.42. Shivamoga: JD(S) Supremo H D Devegowda, Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy (L), former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah (R) and others during a lok sabha by-poll election rally in favour of party candidate Madhu Bangarappa, in Shivmoga, Tuesday, Oct 30, 2018. (PTI Photo) (PTI10_30_2018_000220B) Ramakrishna Upadhya Considering that the Congress is looking at Karnataka as a sort of laboratory for working out alliances at the national level during the crucial Lok Sabha election next year, the recently held by-election to three LS seats have given enough fodder to all parties to fine-tune their strategies for the 2019 polls. Many who were criticising the Election Commission of India (ECI) for scheduling elections to Mandya, Ballari and Shivamogga Lok Sabha seats -- as the winners will have less than six months tenure -- will be thanking the ECI after the results came. On October 6, when the bypoll results were announced, the Janata Dal (Secular) retained Mandya by winning it with a huge margin, the BJP held on to Shivamogga with some difficulty, but surprisingly lost Ballari to the Congress, which won the seat by the biggest ever margin of 2.28 lakh votes. After the Congress high command took the decision to form an alliance with the JD(S) to break the impasse produced by the assembly elections in May and hand over chief ministership to HD Kumaraswamy -- in order to keep the BJP out of power -- the rumblings of discontent within the Congress continued unabated, threatening the survival of the government. However, the direct channel between Kumaraswamy and JD(S) chief HD Deve Gowda with Congress President Rahul Gandhi helped stave off many a crisis in the last five months. The same channel was used to get on board former chief minister Siddaramaiah, who never reconciled to the alliance with the JD(S). During the election campaign HD Deve Gowda and Siddaramaiah not only shook hands publicly after a gap of 12 years, but also campaigned together, signalling that the Vokkaliga and Kuruba leaders had joined hands. Siddaramaiah had to persuade his colleagues to campaign for the JD(S) candidate in Mandya -- a seat which Congress workers have been building for more than three decades. For instance, in the 2013 polls, the JD(S) candidate scraped through by a margin of around 5,000 votes. This time the JD(S) candidate defeated his BJP rival by a margin of 2.89 lakh votes. Though the Congress-JD(S) combine lost Shivamogga, it showed how effective the alliance is. The Congress has won 11 of the 15 elections from Shivamogga so far. Former chief minister S Bangarappa held sway over this region. However, since 2000, BJPs BS Yeddyurappa has converted it into his stronghold. In 2013, Yeddyurappa won Shivamogga by a margin of 3.6 lakh votes. This time, Yeddyurappas son BY Raghavendra was BJPs candidate and Madhu Bangarappa, S Bangarappas son was the JD(S)-Congress candidate. The alliance was able to reduce the BJPs victory margin to just about 52,000 votes. The BJPs defeat in Ballari to Congress VS Ugrappa, who was seen as an outsider, is said to be the result of an outpouring of public anger against mining baron Janardhana Reddy and his associates, including backward class leader Sriramulu. The Congress-JD(S) alliance has realised that with better coordination and better selection of candidates, they can give the BJP a run for its money in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Currently, the BJP holds 16, the Congress 10 and the JD(S) two seats, which may change dramatically, when the BJP is confronted with one-on-one fight. The JD(S) has marginal presence in areas outside south Karnataka to help Congress with transferrable votes, but what the Congress will certainly gain from aligning with the JD(S) is that it will benefit from Deve Gowdas vast political knowledge and tactical brilliance in working out the caste combinations in winning the elections. The JD(S), in all likelihood, will bargain for more seats to contest in 2019 and the Congress may well concede them in the interest of opposition unity and defeating the BJP. Through Karnataka, the Congress may also be sending out a message to all its other potential allies across the country that it is ready for any sacrifice to defeat the NDA at the Centre. Ramakrishna Upadhya is a senior journalist. Views are personal. U.S. President Donald Trump rallies with supporters in a hangar at Missoula International Airport in Missoula, Montana, U.S. October 18, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst - RC1ABB606CE0 US President Donald Trump said he gave temporary exemptions to India and seven other major importers of Iranian oil as they sought "help" and he did not want to drive oil prices "up to $100 a barrel or $150 a barrel". The US on November 5 imposed "the toughest ever" sanctions on a defiant Iran aimed at altering the Iranian regime's "behaviour". The sanctions cover Iran's banking and energy sectors and reinstate penalties for countries and companies in Europe, Asia and elsewhere that do not halt Iranian oil imports. However, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that eight countries -- India, China, Italy, Greece, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Turkey -- were temporarily allowed to continue buying Iranian oil as they showed "significant reduction" in oil purchase from the Persian Gulf country. "I gave some countries a break on the oil. I did it a little bit because they really asked for some help," Trump told reporters at a press conference in the White House on November 7. The President said he also did it "because I don't want to drive oil prices up to $100 a barrel or $150 a barrel". "I am driving them (oil prices) down. If you look at oil prices, they have come down very substantially over the last couple of months," he asserted. Trump said the sanctions may "get tougher as time goes by", but he does not want them to have any effect on the global oil prices worldwide as he "consider that to be a tax, and I don't like taxes". Later at another press conference, the State Department said its goal is to go down to zero oil import from Iran and during the next six months, it will monitor the diplomatic progress and the price of oil to ensure that the imposition of the sanctions was calibrated in the right way. "We have an adequate oil supply market. We have to ensure that we advance our national security objectives without injuring our economic interests. If we were to increase the price of oil, it would be bad for American consumers, it would be bad for the global economy, and it would give an advantage to Iran," Deputy State Department Spokesperson Robert Paladino said. He claimed that in 2019, there will be more oil supply than demand, which will put US in a "much better position to bring all countries importing Iranian crude to zero". business Demonetisation exemplifies characteristics of Modi doctrine, says Varghese K George If PM Modi's surprise decision shook India's financial and economic health, another global development on the same day meant there were more prominent changes up ahead. A voter displays her voter identity card as others wait for their turn to cast their ballot during an assembly election at a polling booth in Aizawl, capital of Mizoram, December 2, 2008. (Image- Reuters) The Election Commission on Thursday rejected a plea of the BJP to extend the last date of filing nominations for the November 28 assembly polls in Mizoram. The party had moved the plea citing the law and order situation in the northeastern state. In a letter to state BJP chief J V Hluna, the poll panel said his plea has "not been acceded to on account of peace and normalcy in the state today." November 9 is the last date of filing nominations. There have been protests demanding the ouster of Mizoram Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) S B Shashank by the NGO Coordination Committee. But the protests were called off Wednesday after the officer left for Delhi. The NGO Coordination Committee, the apex body of civil societies and students' organisations in the north-eastern state, has been demanding that Shashank be replaced and transferred outside the state. It also demanded that 11,232 Bru voters lodged in six Tripura relief camps be allowed to exercise their franchise at their respective polling stations in Mizoram and not in Tripura as committed by the poll panel in 2014. No 1 | United States of America | Contribution: $115.8 million | Wealth: $105.99 trillion (Image: Reuters) Attorney General Jeff Sessions was pushed out Wednesday after enduring more than a year of blistering and personal attacks from President Donald Trump, who inserted in his place a Republican Party loyalist with authority to oversee the remainder of the special counsel's Russia investigation. The move has potentially ominous implications for special counsel Robert Mueller's probe given that the new acting attorney general, Matthew Whitaker, until now Sessions' chief of staff, has questioned the inquiry's scope and spoke publicly before joining the Justice Department about ways an attorney general could theoretically stymie the investigation. Congressional Democrats, concerned about protecting Mueller, called on Whitaker to recuse himself from overseeing the investigation in its final but potentially explosive stages. That duty has belonged to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller and closely monitors his work. The resignation, in a one-page letter to Trump, came one day after Republicans lost control of the House of Representatives and was the first of several expected post-midterms Cabinet and White House departures. Though Sessions was an early and prominent campaign backer of Trump, his departure letter lacked effusive praise for the president and made clear the resignation came "at your request." "Since the day I was honored to be sworn in as attorney general of the United States, I came to work at the Department of Justice every day determined to do my duty and serve my country," Sessions wrote. The departure was the culmination of a toxic relationship that frayed just weeks into Sessions' tenure, when he stepped aside from the Russia investigation because of his campaign advocacy and following the revelation that he had met twice in 2016 with the Russian ambassador to the U.S. Trump blamed the recusal for the appointment of Mueller, who took over the Russia investigation two months later and began examining whether Trump's hectoring of Sessions was part of a broader effort to obstruct the probe. The investigation has so far produced 32 criminal charges and guilty pleas from four former Trump aides. But the work is not done and critical decisions await that could shape the remainder of Trump's presidency. Mueller's grand jury, for instance, has heard testimony for months about Trump confidant Roger Stone and what advance knowledge he may have had about Russian hacking of Democratic emails. Mueller's team has also been pressing for an interview with Trump. And the department is expected at some point to receive a confidential report of Mueller's findings, though it's unclear how much will be public. Separately, Justice Department prosecutors in New York secured a guilty plea from Trump's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, who said the president directed him to arrange hush-money payments before the 2016 election to two women who said they had sex with Trump. Trump had repeatedly been talked out of firing Sessions until after the midterms, but he told confidants in recent weeks that he wanted Sessions out as soon as possible after the elections, according to a Republican close to the White House who was not authorized to publicly discuss private conversations. The president deflected questions about Sessions' expected departure at a White House news conference Wednesday. He did not mention that White House chief of staff John Kelly had called Sessions beforehand to ask for his resignation. The undated letter was then sent to the White House. The Justice Department did not directly answer whether Whitaker would assume control of Mueller's investigation, with spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores saying he would be "in charge of all matters under the purview of the Department of Justice." Rosenstein remains at the department and could still be involved in oversight. He has previously said that he saw no basis for firing Mueller. Trump said Wednesday that he did not plan to stop the investigation. Without Sessions' campaign or Russia entanglements, there's no legal reason Whitaker couldn't immediately oversee the probe. And since Sessions technically resigned instead of forcing the White House to fire him, he opened the door under federal law to allowing the president to choose his successor instead of simply elevating Rosenstein, said University of Texas law professor Stephen Vladeck. "Sessions did not do the thing he could have done to better protect Rosenstein, and through Rosenstein, the Mueller investigation," Vladeck said. That left Whitaker in charge, at least for now, though Democrats, including Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Chuck Schumer, said he should recuse himself because of his comments on the probe. Rep. Jerry Nadler, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said he wants "answers immediately" and "we will hold people accountable." Whitaker, a former U.S. attorney from Iowa who twice ran unsuccessfully for statewide office and founded a law firm with other Republican Party activists, once opined about a scenario in which Trump could fire Sessions and then appoint an acting attorney general who could stifle the funding of Mueller's probe. In that scenario, Mueller's budget could be reduced "so low that his investigation grinds to almost a halt," Whitaker said during an interview with CNN in July 2017 before he joined the Justice Department. In a CNN op-ed last year, Whitaker wrote, "Mueller has come up to a red line in the Russia 2016 election-meddling investigation that he is dangerously close to crossing." Trump's relentless attacks on Sessions came even though the Alabama Republican was the first U.S. senator to endorse Trump and despite the fact his crime-fighting agenda and priorities, particularly his hawkish immigration enforcement policies, largely mirrored the president's. He found satisfaction in being able to reverse Obama-era policies that conservatives say flouted the will of Congress, encouraging prosecutors to pursue the most serious charges they could and promoting more aggressive enforcement of federal marijuana law. He also announced media leak crackdowns and tougher policies against opioids, and his Justice Department defended a since-abandoned administration policy that resulted in migrant parents being separated from their children at the border. But the relationship was irreparably damaged in March 2017 when Sessions, acknowledging previously undisclosed meetings with the Russian ambassador and citing his work as a campaign aide, recused himself from the Russia investigation. Trump repeatedly lamented that he would have never selected Sessions if he had known the attorney general would recuse himself. The recusal left the investigation in the hands of Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller two months later after Trump fired then-FBI Director James Comey. In piercing attacks, Trump called Sessions weak and beleaguered, complained that he wasn't more aggressively pursuing allegations of corruption against Democratic rival Hillary Clinton and called it "disgraceful" that Sessions wasn't more serious in scrutinizing the origins of the Russia investigation for possible law enforcement bias even though the attorney general did ask the Justice Department's inspector general to examine those claims. The broadsides escalated in recent months, with Trump telling an interviewer that Sessions "never had control" of the Justice Department. Sessions endured most of the name-calling in silence, though he did issue two public statements defending the department, including one in which he said he would serve "with integrity and honor" for as long as he was in the job. Sessions, who likely suspected his ouster was imminent, was spotted by reporters giving some of his grandchildren a tour of the White House over the weekend. He did not respond when asked why he was there. Mike Pompeo North Korea asked the United States to delay planned high-level talks in New York this week, Seoul's top diplomat said on Thursday, a day after Washington abruptly announced the meeting's postponement. The US State Department said Wednesday that the encounter between Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and top North Korean official Kim Yong Chol, initially scheduled for Thursday, had been shelved for "a later date". No further explanation was given, but Pyongyang is demanding sanctions imposed on it over its weapons programmes are eased, while Washington insists they should stay in place until it denuclearises. South Korean foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said it was Pyongyang that had asked for a delay. "The US told us that it received a message from the North to postpone the meeting," Kang told lawmakers, according to Yonhap news agency. South Korean reports said that Kim -- one of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's right-hand men -- had been scheduled to catch a lunchtime flight from Beijing to New York on Wednesday. But his reservation was repeatedly cancelled and rebooked on Tuesday, the Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported, until it was cancelled for good. The sudden postponement came only two days after the US State Department announced Pompeo would meet the North Korean in New York to discuss progress towards denuclearisation and plans for a second summit between President Donald Trump and leader Kim Jong Un. Trump and Kim held a historic summit in June in Singapore -- the first ever between the two countries -- where they signed a vaguely worded deal on denuclearisation. Little progress has been made since then, with the two countries sparring over the exact meaning of the agreement. Despite warm words from Trump since meeting Kim in Singapore, his administration has insisted on maintaining pressure on Pyongyang until a final agreement is reached. North Korea, which is subject to multiple UN Security Council sanctions over its weapons programmes, warned last week that it would "seriously" consider returning to nuclear weapons development unless Washington lifts the restrictions. Koo Kab-woo of the University of North Korean Studies said that the differences over sanctions were probably the "biggest reason" for the postponement. "Kim Jong Un needs a visible outcome that can be felt by the ordinary people, and for that, North Korea desperately needs sanctions to be lifted," Koo told AFP. "If there was a problem, it's possible there was a clash between Pyongyang's demand for sanctions to be relaxed even by a little bit and Washington's firm stance that the restrictions will remain," he added. Answer: Uber Eats. Starbucks Corp said on Wednesday it was partnering with UberEats to deliver coffee and food in Tokyo starting Friday, as the world's largest coffee chain looks to boost sales in Japan, one of its major Asia-Pacific markets. Starbucks has been facing intense competition in the United States and China, its two largest markets, and has been exploring newer avenues to help drive sales. The company tied up with Alibaba Group Holding Ltd earlier this year to deliver its coffee in Chinese cities after regulators cracked down on third-party delivery services in the country. Starbucks said it planned to open 100 new outlets every year in Japan that would take its store count to 1,700 by the end of 2021. The company said the delivery program with UberEats would be available in three stores in Tokyo, two in Shinjuku and one in Roppongi. It will also collaborate with social media platform LINE on technologies, including digital payments, Starbucks said in a statement. The US Commerce Department said it would impose final anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on Chinese common alloy aluminum sheet products of 96.3 percent to 176.2 percent. The decision marks the first time that final duties were issued in a trade remedy case initiated by the U.S. government since 1985. The Trump administration has promised a more aggressive approach to trade enforcement by having the Commerce Department launch more anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on behalf of private industry. "We will continue to do everything in our power under U.S. law to restrict the flow of dumped or subsidized goods into U.S. markets," said Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in a statement. The final aluminum sheet duties, however, were reduced from those first imposed in April and July. The initial combined range was 198.4 percent to 280.46 percent. In 2017, imports of common alloy aluminum sheet from China were valued at an estimated $900 million, the Commerce Department said. The flat-rolled product is used in transportation, building and construction, infrastructure, electrical and marine applications. The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) is scheduled to make its final injury determinations on Dec. 20 after it voted 4-0 in January to authorize the investigation. U.S. aluminum industry firms including Aleris Corp, Arconic Inc, Constellium NV, Jupiter Aluminum Corp, JW Aluminum Company and Novelis Corp testified in December 2017 about what they termed a surge "in low-priced, unfairly traded imports of common alloy sheet from China." The firms said the volume of aluminum sheet product imports had increased by nearly 750 percent over the last decade and by more than 91 percent between 2014 and 2017. This resulted in "significant market share gains by Chinese imports at the direct expense of the U.S. industry." Heidi Brock, president and CEO of the Virginia-based Aluminum Association, said in a statement the body and its members were "extremely pleased" with the decision. Wen Xianjun, vice president of the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association, whose department leads aluminum anti-dumping negotiations with the United States, told Reuters on Thursday even the reduced final U.S. duties made common alloy sheet exports to the country impossible. The association is lodging a no-injury legal defense in a bid to overturn the duties. "We think we are causing no harm to the United States. We are just waiting for the USITC to judge," Wen said. China's aluminum exports fell by 3.6 percent from September to 482,000 tonnes in October, the lowest since May, according to customs data released on Thursday. U.S. President Donald Trump welcomes Chinese President Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago state in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., April 6, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RTX34GO6 A meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump at a G20 summit this month will be of great significance to both sides, the Chinese government's top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, said on Thursday. From an intra-day high of 11,760 on 28th August, the Nifty fell to a intra-day low 10,004 on 26th October, a steep decline of 14.9%. Since this was a period of liquidity crisis, especially among housing finance companies and real estate lenders, some stocks, such as Dewan Housing, have fallen by as much 70% during this period. However, during the same period of strong decline, there were... The Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) has directed Skyline Construction Co, part of the RNA group, to refund Rs1.58 crore along with an interest of 10.55% to a homebuyer for delay in possession. The authority, while giving the judgement accepted as valid, the allotment letter issued by the builder even though there was no sale agreement. In the order, BD Kapadnis, member and adjudicating officer of MahaRERA, stated, It is correct that there is no formal agreement for sale and in allotment letter as well as in expression of interest there is no mention of the date of possession. However, the complainant has produced the respondents' letter from May 2016 addressed to RNA Exotica Members showing that the possession would be handed over by December 2017. The respondents could not deny these contents of the letter. In this case, an allotment letter received by the complainant contained terms and conditions of the you cant lose (YCL) scheme promoted by Skyline. On perusal of the allotment letter and letter of intention, Mr Kapadnis pointed out that the respondents had indeed agreed to sell the flat to the complainant by accepting Rs1.59 crore as cost of the flat. The case is related with one Manish Mody, who had bought a flat in RNA Exotica project of Skyline Construction Co. When he failed to get possession on the due date, he approached the MahaRERA. In its contention, Skyline said that it has not signed any agreement with Mr Mody or given any assurance on agreed date for possession. It further claimed that the construction was being monitored by the Bombay High Court and the agreed date of project completion is 31 October 2019, therefore the complaint is premature and not maintainable. Skyline further stated the delay in construction was due to illegal encroachments on the plot of land plus a host of sanctions that need to be taken from various authorities. One of the reasons it cited, was not receiving no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Airport Authority of India till August 2015. Subit Chakrabarti, counsel for Skyline Constructions also informed that the developer had to reduce height of the building by five residential floors, permission for which had to be sought from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). Skyline received approval from MMRDA only in August 2017; the counsel said emphasising that such delays were beyond the developers control. Mr Kapadnis from MahaRERA said, as information available from the documents, the complaint squarely falls under Section 18 of RERA. Even though the delays are genuine and are taken for granted; the builder cannot claim an extension of more than six months of date of possession in view of section 8(b) of Maharashtra Ownership Flats Act and is liable to pay the complainant the refund plus the interest at the prescribed rate, he concluded. QNet, the controversial multi-level marketing (MLM) scheme, and its franchisee Vihaan Direct Selling (India) Pvt Ltd, both of which often try to hide behind the 'direct selling or product company' tag have failed to make an entry into the list of direct selling entities in India. The list, released by the department of consumer affairs under the ministry of consumer affairs, food & public distribution on 31 October 2018 has names of 327 entities mentioned as provisional direct selling entities The list has names like Amway India Enterprises Pvt Ltd, K-Link Healthcare (India) Pvt Ltd, and eBiz.com Pvt Ltd against whom there are some cases registered or probe is going on. For Amway, the list states one case is under investigation by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. "Several criminal cases against Amway India Enterprises Pvt Ltd and its functionaries are pending or under investigation in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Kerala. These are only those cases which have been brought to the notice of department of consumer affairs," the portal says. Moneylife had earlier reported about eBiz.com. As per department of consumer affairs, there is a pending first information report (FIR) against eBiz.com at Hanamkonda Police Station at Warrangal in Telangana, which was registered in the year 2008. ( Read: eBIZ.com uses MLM route to dupe students with IT package offer However, despite trying very hard to establish itself as direct selling or direct product selling company in India, QNet and its franchisee Vihaan have failed to make a cut in the list issued by the department of consumer affairs. As reported by Moneylife in December 2016, while a few powerful members were not allowing QNets entry into the Indian Direct Selling Association (IDSA), its franchisee Vihaans application too was rejected by other association, Federation of Direct Selling Association (FDSA). While rejecting Vihaan's membership application, the FDSA had said, "The Federation is repeatedly being approached by Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai Police seeking various information regarding the company (Vihaan). The (Scrutiny) Committee feels it has collected the information about the pending court cases and is serious on the sub-judice status of the company. The Committee feels that the sub-judice status of the company (Vihaan) will jeopardise the faith of the government/ industry bodies in the Federation, hence recommends that the company need to come out clean before being considered by the Federation." ( Read: QNet: FDSA too rejects Vihaan's membership application QNet, the Hong Kong-based controversial MLM scheme has been facing backlash from several other countries as well. Earlier this year, QNet had to cancel its high-profile, flagship annual even called V-Con that that was scheduled to be held in Dubai between 8th to 12th September. In an email response, Zaheer K Merchant, director for corporate affairs at QNet, told Moneylife that, As stated in the Facebook post, we had to make a decision to postpone the event due to circumstances beyond our control. You will note that several other large events were cancelled or rescheduled in Dubai in recent months, including the Dubai International Film Festival. We have no further comment here. QNet did not mention what these 'circumstances were, for cancelling its prestigious event. According to sources, the V-UAE 2018 was cancelled after Saudi Arabia declared QNet as haram and activities of the MLM company as misleading activity. On 1 September 2018, the ministry of commerce and investment (MCI) in Saudi Arabia issued a warning against QNet saying that its activities are prohibited in the country. From India alone, there were about 10,000 independent representatives (IRs) who have booked flight tickets to Dubai and also bought tickets at $350 each for the V-Con event. ( Read: QNet Cancels V-Con Dubai Leaving Thousands of Agents in Soup On 1 September 2018, the Ministry of Commerce & Investment in Saudi Arabia had issued a warning against QNet (https://mci.gov.sa/en/MediaCenter/News/Pages/01-09-18-01.aspx) saying that its activities are prohibited in the country. Later in mid-September, the MCI from Saudi Arabia raided meeting places of QNet in that country. QNet marketing activity aims to mislead and deceive dealers and clients with quick profit. Therefore, they try to raise money illegally by claiming that they are investing such money. This kind of activity is considered illegal because it depends on deceiving, cheating, fraud and manipulation, the Ministry had said in a release. ( Read: QNet: Saudi Arabia Raids Meeting Places of the Banned MLM Back home, there are several court cases and probe going on against QNet, its franchisee Vihaan and many people associated with the MLM scheme. In fact, two year ago, the Bombay High Court, in its judgement has observed "the deceit and fraud is camouflaged under the name of e-marketing and business". While rejecting anticipatory bail applications of five accused in the multi-crore QNet scam, Justice Mridula Bhatkar, in a hard-hitting order on 6 May 2016 had said, "The motto of the company 'sell more, earn more' appears very attractive and innocuous. However, this motto is fully camouflaged. The company stands on a basic statement that people can be fooled. Thus, the true motto is 'sell more earn more' by fooling people. In fact, it is a chain where a person is fooled and then he is trained to fool others to earn money. For that purpose, workshops are conducted where study and business material is provided with a jugglery of words, promises and dreams. Thus, the deceit and fraud is camouflaged under the name of e-marketing and business." "The claim that the wellness products i.e., Biodisk and Chi Pendent are medicinal and spiritual products, are after all, a matter of faith. However, the applicants/ accused have launched these wellness products with ulterior motive and with correct judgment of vulnerability of the people. The holiday packages, which were sold or offered, without any choice left to the buyers. The entire business was Internet based and, therefore, the persons who are responsible i.e., the top brass i.e., the applicants/ accused, were not approachable to the persons who were aggrieved. The nature of the business was knitted in the interest of the directors and shareholders in such a manner that the persons who are at the lower level of the pyramid cannot get any access to put up their grievances. The manner in which the persons were contacted, incentives offered, the workshops were conducted, are best examples of inducement," Justice Bhatkar had remarked. ( Read: QNet: It is a chain where a person is fooled and then he is trained to fool others to earn money says Bombay HC order Gurupreet Singh Anand, a computer consultant from Lokhandawala, Andheri in his first information report (FIR) stated that his wife was duped for Rs30,000 by some people who had introduced themselves as the independent representatives (IRs) of QNet. While arguing before the HC in person, he had contended that the illegal money circulation scheme is being conducted in India by changing names from GoldQuest to QuestNet to the current QNet. Umesh Baveja, founder-chairman of RAHI (Regional Aviation Holdings International), will never forget his milestone 50th birthday. Life, as he knew it ended that day, as he lay on the floor at Arthur Road jail (Mumbai), among rows of under-trials with space of less than 3x7 feet per person. He, and his chartered accountant, remained there for 180 days from 22 September 2014 until 21 March 2015. Mr Baveja was a victim of the vicious machinations of Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS) to gain control of his company, by converting a civil dispute into a criminal matter. This is probably the worst of the horror stories about IL&FSs misuse of State machinery and another case study of how the legal system can be exploited by powerful corporates with malevolent intent. So, who was Umesh Baveja and how did he get embroiled in IL&FSs machinations? A former vice-chairman of Cairn Energy, he is a lawyer, management graduate and alumnus of IIT-Delhi and counts RBI governor Raghuram Rajan and civil aviation minister Jayant Sinha among his college-mates. Mr Baveja turned entrepreneur through a company called Comet Infra, which became RAHI in December 2009. RAHI had the vision of developing 99 regional airports by 2025 to serve industry clusters in smaller cities. Earlier that year, Ramalinga Raju of Satyam Computers had famously confessed to Indias biggest corporate fraud and, in the resolution that followed, IL&FS acquired its infrastructure company Maytas -- later renamed IL&FS Engineering and Construction Company Limited (IECCL). Since Maytas was already developing regional airports, such as Gulbarga and Shimoga in Karnataka, IL&FS noticed Mr Bavejas ambitious aviation infrastructure company soon after. IL&FS sought collaboration with RAHI, and also agreed to a minority holding of 40%, even though it had its own plans to develop airport infrastructure as a portfolio. A joint venture (JV) between RAHI and IL&FS Transportation Networks Limited (ITNL) was signed in March 2010 and the company formed by the end of the year. But ITNL and RAHI began working together on the airport projects even earlier. RAHI acquired the languishing Shimoga and Gulbarga projects from IECCL as its first two, privately developed, greenfield airports. Several payments were made to various entities for work done prior to the formal agreement. These included payments to IECCL (for the Gulbarga airport) and Comet group company (Rs4.5 crore for development expenses). RAHI was paid a project management fee for developing Gulbarga airport which was set up as a SPV (special purpose vehicle). These payments were made from the equity capital of Rs30 crore brought in by RAHI and Rs20 crore by ITNL. In line with IL&FSs template, its financial arm, IL&FS Financial Services (IFIN), was to syndicate the debt, which it did through a consortium led by Bank of Baroda (BoB), for a hefty fee. According to Mr Baveja, the pace of development and its future potential enhanced RAHIs value. A valuation report by SPA Capital had then valued RAHI at Rs600 crore. While Mr Baveja was flying high and even planned a regional airline (in 2012), his success was souring things with IL&FS which now wanted majority control. In the past, IL&FS has used its enormous clout to unilaterally change equity holdings or cut partners out of projects (this has been documented earlier). Naturally, Mr Baveja resisted; but he didnt realise how malicious IL&FS could get. Ramachand Karunakaran with Mukund Sapre managed the venture with RAHI. In the past, IL&FS has used its enormous clout to unilaterally change equity holdings or cut partners out of projects (this has been documented earlier). Naturally, Mr Baveja resisted; but he didnt realise how malicious IL&FS could get. Ramachand Karunakaran with Mukund Sapre managed the venture with RAHI. IL&FSs strategy was to squeeze RAHI financially while harassing it from multiple directions. Mr Sapre, who was its nominee on the board, would not attend board meetings when the disputes began. His presence was necessary for approval of further capital injection. The financial squeeze naturally delayed projects and led to pressure from the government. Eventually, things reached a point where RAHI and ITNL decided to part ways. But it wasnt so simple. IL&FS did not plan to let the project go. It used its influence with BoB to halt the disbursement of sanctioned payments to RAHI. MD Mallya, who was the BoB chairman then, has not responded to my message seeking his comments. IL&FS blocked RAHIs attempt to seek arbitration against IECCL which was stalling its capital raising plans. It also lobbied with the Karnataka government to take over the projects from RAHI (with a view to getting them back later). Having starved the Gulbarga project of funds, it got Corporation Bank to declare it a wilful defaulter. At the same time, IL&FS misused its vast resources to get IECCL to game the judicial system to block RAHIs attempt to take the issue to arbitration, as per the contract. Its petition was dismissed by the Karnataka High Court on 23 July 2013; it approached the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the High Courts order. The apex court dismissed it on 23 August 2013. Undeterred, IL&FS went back to the Karnataka High Court with a review petition which was also dismissed on 22 November 2013. Given the expense of legal proceedings in India, this strategy is aimed at coercing the capitulation of financially weaker entities. In this case, RAHI was nicely cornered by starving it of money. Even when an arbitrator was appointed, ITNL blocked payments to the arbitrator and went on to file a petition before the company law board. Another, now-discredited, bank chairman was used to threaten Mr Baveja to fall in line. I have perused an exchange of angry emails between Mr Baveja and Mukund Sapre, which corroborate much of this. Finally, in March 2014, ITNL initiated criminal proceedings against Mr Baveja and others (including his chartered accountant who was also jailed) on the basis of a report commissioned by KPMG. The role of auditors and lawyers, and their many conflicts of interest, is a matter that requires strong action by our reluctant regulators. The report questioned several approved payments made by RAHI, helped buttress IL&FSs charges and, according to Mr Baveja, left out several important facts. The scope and objective of the KPMG report was not told to him, or whether it was even an audit under accepted accounting principles. Mr Baveja says, a full audit of RAHI and the two project companies from inception to March 2013 has given them a clean chit; but that report was ignored. The Bandra-Kurla police station is conveniently located a stones throw from IL&FSs grand corporate headquarters. On a complaint by IL&FS, the Mumbai police zipped off to Bengaluru to arrest Mr Baveja and his chartered accountant. Although the magistrate initially denied police custody on the grounds that it was a civil dispute, IL&FS piled on the pressure at every level (including at the sessions court) to ensure that bail was denied for four months. Stunningly, even after bail was granted, Mr Baveja was kept in jail for two more months by rejecting his sureties on technical grounds, such as the fact that assets secured against bail were not located in Mumbai! This, in a country where film-stars stashing arms for a serial bomb blast get furlough at will, and a security guard who murders the daughter (Pallavi Purkayastha case) of a high profile IAS couple, can vanish from jail. What is outrageous, in the light of IL&FSs subsequent financial collapse, is that its attempt to teach Mr Baveja a lesson was at a big financial cost to itself! When RAHI failed, the Karnataka government took over the projects, causing a loss of Rs45 crore. There was no internal inquiry. Ramanand Karunakaran, who was part of Ravi Parthasarathys close cabal, and Mr Sapre, who was made managing director of IECCL, resigned only recently. I had sought Mr Sapres comments on the RAHI matter just a day before the IL&FS board was sacked and replaced by the one headed by Uday Kotak. He replied: The matter referred in mail is sub-judice as it is pending in the Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Mumbai. Based on forensic audit reports and other evidences Courts have consistently found prima facie serious economic offences such as forgery of Government Stamp Paper. Therefore, we urge you to go through these public documents to get full picture and not rely only on selective information in the form of single email. Thanks for giving us opportunity to clarify. Accordingly, I have asked for, and perused dozens of emails between Mr Sapre and Mr Baveja and others which tell a different story. All IL&FS related dealings have multiple payments to multiple related entities, favoured contractors; it makes no sense to get into the messy details, except to say that they probably need a full, independent audit. I also spoke to Mr Kotak to find out what he planned to do on various such allegations involving several IL&FS group entities. He said that the serious frauds investigation office (SFIO) would go into allegations of wrongdoing and worse, while the board headed by him is primarily mandated to find the best possible solution to the financial debacle caused by its massive outstanding debt. The tragedy is that the consequences of IL&FSs machinations remain intact. These include the onerous bail conditions imposed on Mr Baveja, such as regular trips from Bengaluru to Mumbai, to report to the Bandra-Kurla police. His bank accounts also remain frozen for over four years. Is it any wonder that people are still unwilling to talk about the humiliations they faced on falling out with IL&FS? A senior IAS officer, who headed Tamil Nadus road development work, was blocked from his office by company security guards on the instructions of Ravi Parthasarathy. He is still reluctant to talk about it. So, what can one expect from those outside the powerful protective circle of the IAS? Months after the systemic turmoil caused by the IL&FS scandal (banks and lenders are expected to lose over Rs30,000 crore) there is no action against the crony cabal, headed by Ravi Parthasarathy, who ran this company for 30 years. They have been allowed to resign and go away, while the Union government is busy with highly controversial actions with regard to the banking regulator as well as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Vanessa Hudgens set her name as one of the Disney Channel greats when she starred as Gabriella in the uber successful High School Musical. And while she hasn't been in too many big productions, apart from a stellar performance in 2016's Grease: Live, she is now debuting on popular streaming service Netflix. The film is tipped to be a Christmas version of the 1998 Parent Trap that starred a young Lindsay Lohan. Vanessa Hudgens stars in a dual role and while she doesn't find her long-lost sister, she does stumble across an identical stranger and they do, of course, pull the switcharoo. In the film, Hudgens plays both Stacy, a Chicago baker, and Margaret, the Duchess of Montenaro. After being invited to compete in a Christmas baking competition, Stacy and her co-worker travel to the European country Belgravia for the holidays. Excited but longing for love, Stacy runs into the Duchess on the competition set and they're mirror images of each other. All we can do is look back and say this is whats been happening and try to bring some sanity to whats driving it, said van Oosterhout. There are lots of reasons lenders wont approve a deal, price being one reason, but not the only one. According to Laura Martin, COO of Matrix Mortgage Global and director of Private Lending Hub, more discernment is required in todays GTA market. While many brokers have been frustrated by lenders killing deals, but she says theres a good litmus test to determine whether or not one should keep their fingers crossed. A standard term within appraisal reports to use as a rule of thumb for expected value is if the property conforms well with the developments in the general surrounding area, she said. What this means is that if the property is in reasonably good condition and is accessible to the demographicaverage income, net worth, ageof potential buyers for that area, the value will come in what would generally be expected. As of 2016, the two municipalities with the highest concentration of investor activity are Richmond Hill and Newmarket, and they have both witnessed the biggest valuation decline, with declines of 27% and 25%, respectively. This could indicate that the areas where there was the most investor speculation were prone to coming back to more reasonable levels, said Martin. Oshawa got hit hardest where new builds are concerned. Preconstruction sale prices were sometimes upwards of $1 million, which is high for Oshawa. Current Oshawa MLS stats indicate an average house price of $496,496. While an Oshawa appraisal for an average priced home will come in as expected, if its above or below the standard distribution of value it will show more volatility. Two banking groups have petitioned banking agencies and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for a formal rulemaking regarding the use of supervisory guidance. In September, the CFPB joined the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, National Credit Union Administration, and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency in an interagency statement clarifying that supervisory guidance does not have the force and effect of law, and is not a proper basis for an enforcement action. Now, the Bank Policy Institute (BPI) and American Bankers Association (ABA) are asking regulators to formalize the statement in the form of a binding regulation to ensure it endures over time and is followed consistently across the country. A Florida man previously convicted in a mortgage-related fraud case has been sentenced to an additional three months imprisonment for avoiding his restitution obligation, according to the US Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Florida. US District Judge Virginia Covington sentenced Jason Martinez of Tampa for lying to the US Attorneys Offices Financial Litigation Unit and US Probation. His prison sentence now totals 27 months. In addition, he was sentenced to an additional two years of supervised release, extending his post-incarceration supervision to a total of five years. Martinez was convicted of a mortgage-related fraud case following a plea agreement. He was ordered to pay approximately $3 million in restitution. Mark Makela/Getty Images(PARKLAND, Fla.) -- Lucy McBath felt compelled to "stand up" and protect children after the Parkland, Florida high school shootings. McBath's 17-year old son, Jordan Davis, was shot and killed in 2012 by a stranger at a Georgia gas station who said the teenager was playing his music too loud. McBath has defeated incumbent GOP Rep. Karen Handel in the race to represent Georgia's 6th Congressional District. Handel conceded to McBath in a statement posted to Facebook on Thursday morning, saying "After carefully reviewing all of the election results data, it is clear that I came up a bit short on Tuesday. Congratulations to Representative-Elect Lucy McBath and I send her only good thoughts and much prayer for the journey that lies ahead for her." McBath, who got a $2.79 million boost from pro-gun control group Everytown for Gun Safety in her run for Congress, also reacted to the news of her win this morning on Twitter, writing "This win is just the beginning. We've sent a strong message to the country. Absolutely nothing -- no politician & no special interest -- is more powerful than a mother on a mission." This is the same district that played host to the most expensive congressional election in U.S. history, when Handel defeated Democrat Jon Ossoff in a 2017 special election to represent the district vacated by GOP Rep. Tom Price, who stepped down to lead the Department of Health and Human Services in the Trump administration. A former flight attendant and spokeswoman for Everytown for Gun Safety, McBath beat out Handel, who narrowly won the seat in 2016. McBath said she never saw a foray into politics in her life plan, but she's now made history as the only black woman in Georgia's congressional delegation. Georgias 6th Congressional District hasn't been represented by a Democrat since 1979. In 2016, however, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton nearly turned it blue, losing by less than 2 percentage points to President Donald Trump. Over the course of McBath's campaign, she received influential endorsements from several prominent Democrats, including Sens. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga. "We know the eyes and ears of the nation are here, were really trying to make sure that democracy works here in our state and make sure that it works for everybody," McBath said in May. With this win, Democrats have now picked up 30 seats in the House, with some races still outstanding, ABC News can project. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 8) Malacanang on Thursday denied allegations that links between President Rodrigo Duterte and Mislatel Consortium abetted its winning bid for the country's new major telecommunications player. "I think it's a baseless assumption because given the character of this President, it is far-fetched," Presidential Spokesperson Sal Panelo said in a press briefing. Davao tycoon Dennis Uy's Udenna Corporation and Chelsea Logistics Holdings, state-owned China Telecom, and the Mindanao Islamic Telecommunications (Mislatel) formed a consortium and bagged the provisional spot as the third telco player on Wednesday. Uy is a known supporter and campaigner of the President. "The President's policy is not to interfere with its departments," he said. In an earlier statement, Panelo said the selection process by the National Telecommunications Commission was fair. "There was a transparent, fair, public and open selection process, done in accordance with laws, as well as with pertinent rules and regulations," he earlier said. Mislatel was selected from three bidders. The two others were Philippine Telegraph and Telephone Corp. (PT&T) and SEARS Telecom, the consortium of the LCS Group of Companies by Luis Chavit Singson and TierOne Communications. Both, however, were disqualified on the grounds of alleged lacking documents. Singson on Thursday said he will file a motion for reconsideration for the disqualification of SEAR, adding that Udenna Corporation has a standing partnership with their consortium. PT&T also plans to appeal the NTC's ruling. On Thursday, Senator Grace Poe called on the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to lay out the considerations that qualified the bidder. "There were security concerns earlier raised over the participation of a foreign firm and these should not be sidestepped," she said. In November 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte had earlier given Beijing permission to operate another telco player in the country to break the duopoly of Globe Telecom and PLDT-Smart. Waters has long been a fierce opponent of President Donald Trumps deregulatory agenda. She has repeatedly demanded increased regulation for big banks, and last fall led committee Democrats in calling for Wells Fargo to be shut down following a number of scandals, CNBC reported. Shes pledged to pursue tougher fines on financial institutions that violate the law. Waters was also a vocal critic of Trumps decision to pick Mulvaney as interim head of the CFPB, going so far as to file an amicus brief in an unsuccessful court action to block Mulvaneys appointment. While its unlikely that Democrats will be able to make any major legislative changes while the Senate and the executive branch remain in Republican hands, some investors worry that Waters could use her subpoena power to harry financial institutions, CNBC reported. Waters is also vocal in her distaste for Trump even for a Democrat. She has repeatedly called for the president to be impeached, according to CNBC. Trump, meanwhile, has called Waters crazy and an extraordinarily low IQ person. I dont care what he calls me, Waters said at a recent CNBC Capital Exchange event. I know who I am. I know what I do. I am perfectly comfortable with me. He can call me whatever he wants to he does not intimidate me, and I am not going to stop talking about him. I didnt even really know what to expect when I actually decided to jump in. More than anything, I knew that my dad and I were similar enough, so I felt like whatever he could do well, I could probably do well, Mahoney said. I knew I was driven enough to learn whatever I needed to do. Mahoney had a built-in teacher in her dad, and she learned far more by sitting in on calls and appointments with him than she did from any pre-licensing training that she received. She also has the unique advantage of being in an office where most of the other originators have been in the business for decades, and have known her for most of her life. So in addition to her dad, she had the knowledge of everyone in the company at her disposal, as well as a personal connection with other employees. The more she learned, the more she was attracted to the customer-facing aspect of origination. Becoming an originator in a family businessas a member of the familyhas some thorns to navigate that dont exist when people are entering origination through other avenues. For starters, Mahoney wanted the work environment to be free of nepotism. I told my dad, I want the crappiest computer, I want the crappiest office, I dont want any extra privilege whatsoever, and I want to prove that I earned my place here and not just that it was handed to me, Mahoney said. She never felt that anyone treated her differently, but was very aware of the potential issues from the beginning. She was also aware that shes much younger than anyone else in her office, which colors her approach to origination as well. Several years ago, Anadarko Petroleum decided to simplify its onshore U.S. business, high-grading its portfolio. The acreage it retained in the Delaware Basin has been transformative for the company, Chad McAllaster, the company's vice president, Delaware Basin Development, told attendees at the Executive Oil Conference last week. "There are numerous foundational components," he said, listing among them local workforce and the ability to trade acreage to allow for longer laterals. OIL REPORT: Permian loses some momentum Anadarko has 600,000 gross acres containing 8,000 feet of stacked pay in the Delaware, and that acreage contains an estimated 4 billion barrels of oil equivalent of resources, he said. The company estimates its break even cost at $20 to $30 per barrel. In addition to the $1.35 billion it's spending in 2018 on Delaware development, Anadarko expects to spend about $600 million on oil, gas and water infrastructure in the Delaware Basin in 2018, McAllaster said. The company has shifted its rig fleet to pad drilling and has conducted a number of flow tests across its position as it works to delineate its core Wolfcamp A position. The company has been testing targeting practices and completion designs in its wells, which have resulted in improved output, he said. "We're testing development recipes, optimizing spacing, target landing lines and completion design in varied geologic settings," he said. He detailed as an example spacing tests in the company's Silvertip "A" lease, where 12 extended lateral wells were drilled. One was in the Bone Spring, and the remaining 11 were in the Wolfcamp A. Five wells have been placed online and the others are expected to be put online by the end of the year. Anadarko has also joined an industry-joint project, the Hydraulic Fracturing Test Site No. 2 project to test hydraulic fracturing techniques. OIL REPORT: Shell manager: iShale is vision of future shale fields Alongside another spacing test in its Outrigger prospect, McAllaster said the three projects will give Anadarko's team critical data to improve its operations moving forward. This year has also been transformative for Anadarko as it completes its infrastructure buildout, a project that has seen nearly 5,000 contractors in the field. That includes the addition of 120,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day oil treating, 400 million cubic feet of additional gas processing capacity, 700,000 barrels a day of water disposal and 800 miles of oil, gas and water pipeline infrastructure. A regional oil treating facility helps reduce storage tanks, reduces truck traffic, improves Anadarko's environmental footprint and lowers operating expenses, he said. The oil fields of West Texas don't sit still for long. Take Carrizo Oil & Gas Inc.'s operations, for instance. Just three months after moving drill rigs out of the Permian Basin because of pipeline shortages, the Houston-based explorer is already talking about bringing them back in the middle of next year. That's one of several signs the end may be near for a self-imposed slowdown executives call a "frack holiday." The result: Carrizo will reach an "inflection point" in 2019 where both production and cash flow begin to rise together, Chief Executive Officer Chip Johnson said on a conference call Tuesday. In other words, things will soon be booming again. RELATED: RRC: Midland tops 10 million barrels in August Carrizo is among many smaller operators forced to slow activity in the U.S.'s biggest oil field towards the end of this year after the Permian's rapid production growth overwhelmed pipelines. The lack of conduits left oil almost trapped, lowering in-basin prices to almost $18 a barrel, or 26 percent, below the U.S. benchmark in September. But with at least three major pipeline projects scheduled to come online next year, producers are now seeing the problem as a mere footnote in the basin's ongoing story of surging production growth. "It will be a series of events throughout 2019 that occur" to ease the bottleneck, Halliburton Chief Executive Officer Jeff Miller told Bloomberg TV this week. "It'd be easy to see, as we finish the year, things being perfectly normal." This year, the number of wells drilled but waiting to be fracked has increased 50 percent to 3,722, indicating a new wave of production is set to be unleashed once the pipes are ready, spending budgets are approved and frack crews are available. This matters to world oil markets. West Texas Intermediate has tumbled almost 20 percent since the beginning of October as fears over U.S. sanctions against Iranian ease. Added production from the Permian would further this trend. Indeed, it bolsters the view that American oil production is in an exponential growth phase. The U.S. surpassed Russia in August to claim the title of the world's top oil producer after posting the largest year-on-year output increase in its history. The Permian accounts for about a third of the country's output and is the world's fastest-growing major oil field. Consultant Rystad AS sees U.S. production climbing another 45 percent to as much as 16.5 million barrels a day by 2030. Permian legend Mark Papa, who was a pioneer of U.S. shale as CEO of EOG Resources Inc. from 1999 to 2013, agrees that pipeline shortages "should go away by year end 2019" and may even turn into a surplus. However it's not all plain sailing thereafter, Papa, who's now CEO of Centennial Resource Development Inc, said in an interview last month. "Some of the other issues like personnel and water handling issues are some of the more long term issues," he said. There are "insufficient people to get the work done." Geopolitical tensions around the globe are creating uncertainty that could impact Permian Basin oil and gas producers. Tom Petrie, founder of Petrie Partners, told those attending Wednesday's Executive Oil Conference presented by Hart Energy that geopolitical uncertainty was greater in intensity than he had seen in a number of years. He cited headlines just from October, including the disappearance and presumed murder of Saudi Arabian Journalist Jamal Khashoggi, President Donald Trump reinstating full sanctions on Iran and announcing plans to withdraw from a nuclear arms treaty with Russia, not to mention reports Permian producers were burning $1 million a day in natural gas. Those increased uncertainties have retriggered price volatility, he said. RELATED: Executives: Permian will be booming again "I do believe the position we have today exceeds the positions we've seen in my four-decade career," Petrie said, citing the nation's surge in production to more than 11 million barrels of oil per day. In several months, that has exceeded the output of the top two producers, Saudi Arabia and Russia. He said another piece of good news is that the industry is on the path to easing the takeaway capacity constraints keeping Permian Basin crude from reaching markets on the Gulf Coast and at Cushing and is addressing the challenges that could hinder increased exports of domestic crude to international markets. But what Petrie called a remarkable balance comes with challenges. One is the discipline exhibited by Saudi Arabia, other members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies such as Russia in 2017 to cut production and lift prices. He said that will be challenged by Trump's hard-line stance with Iran and his request that other members of OPEC increase production to ensure sufficient crude supplies. Petrie said the controversy surrounding Khashoggi will put another nail in the coffin of Saudi Arabia's plans for a public offering of a stake in Saudi Aramco. Yet another challenge will be the result of this week's elections and how the administration works with a Democratic-controlled House and environmentalists opposed to fossil fuel development and how that will affect the administration's energy strategies. Specifically to Permian Basin operators, he said excess natural gas is an issue because there is a need to move the natural gas associated with crude production from the Permian Basin to the Gulf Coast. There needs to be the infrastructure in place to turn that natural gas into liquefied natural gas for export. Without that infrastructure, he said, "you're just moving the bottleneck." In terms of crude oil takeaway bottlenecks, he said new pipelines coming online in late 2019 into 2020 to move Permian crude to the Gulf Coast won't solve the problem without the export infrastructure to efficiently put that crude on Very Large Crude Carriers bound for international markets. A 59-year-old Midland man was sentenced this week to 78 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to bank robbery, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Texas, Jose Cruz Iglesias pleaded guilty on Sept. 17 to one count of bank robbery for stealing about $200,000 from Community National Bank of Stanton on Dec. 23, 2016, according to the release. Iglesias, who said he was brandishing a revolver during the incident, has been in federal custody since he was arrested by FBI agents in Odessa on June 22. A Fine Arts teacher at Wessendorff Middle School in Rosenberg died this week after the school principal said the teacher harmed himself in his classroom. Jordan Halane was found alone and unconscious on Monday when he was taken to Oak Bend Medical Center. He was officially pronounced dead at the hospital, and Rosenberg police determined his death to be a suicide, said Rosenberg police Lt. Justin Crocker. RELATED: Spike in mental health issues, suicidal thoughts alarms Texas school counselors Crocker said he could not comment on the exact nature of Halane's death, but he said no weapons were found on campus. Linda Drummond, a spokesperson at Oak Bend Medical Center, said she could not release any information about patients at the hospital. In the letter to parents, Principal Sonya Sanzo said the school believes "it was the teacher's intent to harm himself." The letter also said the students were never in danger. A spokeswoman for the district, Lindsey Sanders,said she could not release more details about what, if anything, Halane used to harm himself. "Due to the sensitivity of the issue, we can't release that information," she said. The letter added that students were asked to remain in class during the incident. They were eventually allowed to continue their day on a slightly modified schedule with minimal disruptions, according to the letter. "[The students] were unaware of the medical response," the letter said, adding that crisis counseling teams will be available to respond as needed throughout the week. Julian Gill is a digital reporter in Houston. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | julian.gill@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message A Harris County jury Wednesday agreed on a 25-year prison sentence for Terry Bryan Thompson, the husband of a county deputy who last year fatally choked a young Houston father outside a Crosby-area Dennys restaurant. The high profile murder case triggered street protests and charges of police favoritism after video showed Thompson, with help from his wife, restraining John Hernandez in a chokehold. Thompson, 42, faced up to life in prison after being convicted on Monday of murder. After the sentencing, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg spoke outside the courtroom and said she hoped the resolution would give comfort to the Hernandez family and Houstons Hispanic community. There are no second-class victims in Harris County, she said. Everybody gets treated equal. SENTENCED: Teen who recorded himself sexually assaulting and murdering his girlfriend learns his fate During closing arguments earlier on Wednesday, a prosecutor asked the jury to return a life sentence because of the death of Hernandez, a 24-year-old glass installer who got into a struggle with Thompson. There was a day in our county when the life of a John Hernandez would not be considered worth as much as the life of the husband of a sheriffs deputy, Assistant District Attorney John Jordan told jurors. Sadly, I cant tell you that your verdict will change the past. But, to our community, it will forever define it. Since Thompson, the husband of a fired sheriffs deputy, refused to show mercy and took a life, Jordan argued, jurors should not show mercy and should hand down a life sentence. Scot Courtney, Thompsons defense lawyer, asked jurors to consider a verdict agreeing that the railroad worker was acting in sudden passion which would cap his sentence at 20 years. Thompson did not testify in the trial. Additionally, Courtney asked that the father of four be sentenced to even less than the cap. Terry Thompson is a good man, Courtney said. Did he make a bad decision? Absolutely. You need to give him a sentence that will allow him to, one day, return to his family and the responsibilities that he has taken care of. Jurors deliberated about seven hours before deciding that Thompson did not act in sudden passion and that he should be sentenced to 25 years in prison. He has to serve at least half of that time before he is eligible for parole. Hernandezs mother and his widow both gave victim impact statements in the courtroom where they told Thompson they forgave him despite being deeply hurt. I forgive you for what you cost us, said Maria Elena Hernandez, the mother. You said your children were the love of your life. John was the love of my life and you have taken him from me. Maria Toral, the young widow, said she visits Hernandezs grave with their young daughter. She stands on one foot and looks up to the sky and says, Look at me daddy, Im a big girl now. Toral said in tears. No man is ever going to love her the way he did. Thompson broke down in tears as both women spoke to him. When the verdict was announced, he doubled over and his attorney caught him by the crook of his arm and guided him to sit. The trial lasted almost three weeks in state District Judge Kelli Johnsons court. Thompson was convicted on Monday of murder for fatally choking Hernandez during a late-night altercation at a Crosby-area Dennys on May 28, 2017, the Sunday before Memorial Day. Hernandez, who was intoxicated, was apparently urinating outside the restaurant when Thompson arrived with his teenage daughter and her friends. Thompson confronted Hernandez who punched the older man in the eye. However, Thompson was able to get on top of the young father and put him in a chokehold. Cell phone video of the 53 seconds of the 13-minute long fight showed Thompson and his wife, former deputy Chauna Thompson, holding Hernandez down. When the cell phone video was released, it ignited a series of protests in downtown Houston about race and how the case had been handled. Originally, Hernandez was charged with assaulting a peace officer, even though he later died of his injuries. After the video surfaced, both Thompsons were indicted for murder, and Chauna Thompson was fired. Her trial is pending. She was in the courtroom with the couples children when the sentence was announced. She did not comment as they left the courthouse. The jurors, three men and nine women, two of whom are black, did not answer questions from reporters after the sentencing. The Morgan County League of Women Voters will be hosting a presentation next week about proposed legislation that would influence more gun regulations within Illinois. Jane Masters, president of the Morgan County League of Women Voters, said the presentation Gun Violence: Where Weve Been and Where Were Heading, will look at the organizations stance on gun violence and prevention. We have always tried to help curb irresponsible use and ownership of handguns, Masters said. We look at things including manufactures, the selling and importing of guns. We are also in favor of restricting access to automatic assault weapons. Mary Klonowski and Holly Fingerle, League of Women Voters of Illinois specialists on gun violence prevention, and Mark Walsh, campaign director for the Illinois Coalition for Gun Violence Prevention, will be speaking about gun violence prevention measures, as well as proposed legislation for gun regulation. Masters said the league has often supported legislation that works towards reducing gun violence and increasing gun regulations. The current piece of legislation that the group will be speaking about Wednesday would mandate that all gun dealers be licensed and monitored by the state. The league favors restrictive measure at both the state and federal levels, Masters said. At the moment, guns are regulated by federal law. Licensing for gun dealers does not exist in Illinois. Masters said the presentation will go over the new legislation, give its background and information about those supporting it. We are doing this in hopes of the prevention of gun violence, she said. The presentation will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the council chambers at the Jacksonville Municipal Building, 200 W. Douglas Ave. It is open to the public. Samantha McDaniel-Ogletree can be reached at 217-245-6121, ext. 1233, or on Twitter @JCNews_samantha. Gary Hershorn | Getty Images Illinois College will be honoring veterans Monday during a Veterans Day event. Mary Tallouzi, a spokeswoman for the Wounded Warrior Project, will be speaking. She is the mother of two sons who served in the Army and were both deployed to Iraq. She provided full-time care for one of her sons after he was severely injured while deployed to Iraq in 2006 until his death in 2009. Congressman McClintock answers a question at TuCare Natural Resources Summit View Photos Sonora, CA District 4 Congressman Tom McClintock thanked voters for his re-election to a fifth-term noting that he will continue to pursue issues important to the Mother Lode with increased vigor and confidence. His full statement is below: The people of the Sierra have spoken and I want to thank them for the continued confidence they so strongly expressed in this election. Our communities value freedom the freedom to live our lives with a minimum of government interference the freedom to enjoy the fruit of our own labor without high taxes that destroy our dreams and the secure borders and safe neighborhoods in which freedom can flourish. These are the policies I have pursued in Washington and will continue to pursue with increased vigor and confidence knowing that these positions are the clear and decisive will of the vast majority of voters in this district. Rep. Tom McClintock We contacted Democratic challenger Jessica Morse to get her remarks regarding the election, but have not yet heard back. Midterm Election ballot View Photos Sonora, CA While voters responses across California to a slate of state propositions were split, every local measure on ballots in Calaveras and Tuolumne counties passed. As reported here, Californians as a whole considered nearly a dozen state measures ranging from whether or not to repeal the so-called gas tax to added regulatory controls on kidney dialysis clinics and farm animal management. Locally, Tuolumne County voters overwhelmingly supported Measure M, creating a means to collect taxes on future cannabis sales in the county, such as on deliveries, if state cannabis regulators force local jurisdictions, including those without dispensaries, to accept them. Sonora residents voted 68 percent to 32 percent to adopt Measure N, increasing the citys business license tax to 15 percent. In Calaveras County, different districts had at least one local measure to ponder. Countywide, Measure G, which sought to increase the transient occupancy or tourist tax to 12 percent, passed 63 to 37 percent. In Angels Camp, Measure C, which asked voters to consider raising the local sales tax by a half-percent passed 63 to 37 percent. Measures D and F, which respectively solicited voters support to provide more operating revenue to Calaveras Fire and Rescue (CFR) and West Point Fire Protection District also passed. Measure D, which asked for a parcel tax increase, passed 63 to 37 percent. Measure F, which sought an appropriations limit adjustment, passed 79 to 21 percent. Measure E, a bond measure placed on the ballot by Vallecito Union School District for maintenance and improvement financing, was approved 79 to 21 percent. For the latest elections results, including updates on races yet too close to call, click here. The season of tamales is upon San Antonio and while Thanksgiving tables across the city will get a sneak peek at masa madness, things will really start revving up in December, when San Antonians start unwrapping husks before they unwrap their gifts. Tamaladas will join families throughout San Antonio as they stock their tamal reserves, but there are a number of public events happening throughout the month where residents can celebrate the favorite with fellow foodies. San Antonians can search for ghosts other than those of Christmas Past, Present and Future this holiday season. The organizer behind the citys popular Nightmares of San Antonio Paranormal Fest and Haunted Toy Exhibit and the House of 7 Deaths Tour and Ghost Hunt has scheduled three Holiday True Crime & Ghost Tours early next month. GREENWICH A day after making history, Stephen Meskers was thinking about the future, not the past. We have to get to work in fixing whats wrong with this state and this is going to take all of us in the Legislature. Im very eager to get started, Meskers said Wednesday, hours after becoming the first Democrat elected to the state House of Representatives from Greenwich in more than a century. Im elated, not just because I won but because in winning I am now going to be able to be part of the solutions to Connecticuts problems. Like Alexandra Bergstein, who on Tuesday became the first local Democrat elected to the state Senate in 88 years, Meskers was a first-time candidate. Also like Bergstein, he achieved history by a slim margin. In the race for the 150th state House District, Meskers won 4,841 votes to Republican incumbent Michael Bocchinos 4,451. Where Meskers, a retired financial analyst in emerging markets, will be doing most of his legislative work in his new role is still an open question. In his second term, Bocchino serves on the Energy and Technology, Housing, and Labor and Public Employees committees. Meskers said he is interested in serving in areas of finance and transportation but committee assignments have not yet been discussed. Meskers said he did get a phone call Wednesday from the Democratic leadership in the state House to congratulate him. It was a very humorous conversation because I think they were, I shall say, skeptical that the 100-year cycle would be broken, Meskers said. He credited his win to an aggressive campaign of getting out to knock on doors and meet with voters. With 14 years on the Representative Town Meeting, Meskers said he felt he had some name recognition to build upon, and felt his experience working in finance gave him an edge because of voters focus on the economy, and their concern about the impact the states struggles are having on Greenwich. I think voters saw me as a good, sane voice that would bring a lot of experience to the discussion, Meskers said. Bocchino ran unopposed in 2016, but the 150th has seen narrow margins in the past, and has been considered the closest Greenwich has had to a true swing district given the demographic makeup of the towns shoreline. In 2014, Bocchino defeated Democrat Jill Oberlander by less than 250 votes. Meskers will be part of a politically split Greenwich delegation in Hartford, something very few people in town can remember. He and Bergstein will join Republican state Reps. Fred Camillo, who won a sixth term in the 151st District, and Livvy Floren, who ran unopposed for a tenth term in the 149th District. Camillos win was a bright spot at the local Republicans watch party Tuesday night. Im always grateful for the endorsement and the support you get on Election Day, Camillo said. Its a great feeling when youre meeting with people at the polls and they say that theyre voting for you. It really inspires you. But Greenwich Republicans said they were surprised with the other results. We didnt see it coming, Bocchino said during his concession speech at the annual party at the Milbrook Club. On Wednesday he addressed Democrats win in the governors race and gains the party made in the state House and Senate. It was a very disappointing day for Republicans and for the state of Connecticut, Bocchino said. And Im concerned about what it could mean for the town of Greenwich. Bocchino congratulated Meskers on his win, but said a focus on national issues could have helped push his opponent to victory. The demographics of his district are changing, he said, with more transient populations moving in who care more about national politics than local issues. This became a national campaign, Bocchino said. And were victims of that. On Wednesday, he said he would look back at his four years in Hartford fondly. At the end of the day I am incredibly proud of the work we were able to accomplish, he said. kborsuk@greenwichtime.com BINARVILLE, France - At the top of a ravine in this remote forest sits a stone marker - hidden by shrubbery and easily missed - that reads "LOST BATTALION" with an arrow pointed downward into the gorge. One hundred years ago, near the end of World War I, my great-great uncle Samuel Marcus spent six days in these dense woods, starved and surrounded by German troops. He was a sergeant in B Company of the 308th Infantry and a member of that Lost Battalion, a group of 554 American soldiers trapped behind enemy lines during the massive Meuse-Argonne offensive. But the name "Lost Battalion" is a misnomer, generated by New York newspapers. The troops' location was always known. They weren't "lost" - they were neglected, first by their commanders and then by history. "Nothing can ever seem hard to me after what I have gone through," Sam wrote in his journal. Yet the monumental struggle of the Lost Battalion - their deprivation, neglect, and heroic sacrifice that changed the outcome of the war - has almost faded from our collective memory. Before World War I, the U.S. military was 140,000 strong; by the end of the war, the military's ranks swelled to 2 million. Seventy percent of the ranks were new draftees: One of them was Sam. He left behind his family and girlfriend, Ann, and was totally unprepared for what he found when he arrived in France. My father inherited the diary Sam kept during the war. It's a faded blue pocket daybook, and the cloth binding it is now held together by a few stitches. Unable to decipher Sam's tight, loopy handwriting, my father kept it for years in the back of his bureau. Finally, when I was in high school, he asked for my help transcribing it. I was 16 years old, and I didn't know much about my great-great uncle, but it seemed important to my dad, so I agreed. We spent hours poring over Sam's faded pencil scribble - locations were the hardest to decipher. I visited the map division at the New York Public Library, trying to find the five-house towns Sam described, with little luck. Not being able to pinpoint the locations made it all seem like a fable, instead of something my great-great uncle lived through. I understood little about him, but I knew even less about World War I. Perhaps my high school history teachers overlooked it in favor of World War II, a longer conflict with a clearer impact on the American home front and our contemporary society. But World War I triggered the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman empires and ushered in the modern era. When Sam and the U.S. troops entered the war in early 1917, bloody trench warfare had left the opposing armies at a standstill, and the Allies were praying for something to successfully pierce the German line. It was the Lost Battalion that ultimately stumbled across the German front, a crucial event in the 47-day Meuse-Argonne Offensive, the largest military campaign in American history, involving more than one million troops. Fought until the armistice on Nov. 11, 1918, the Meuse Argonne Offensive claimed 26,000 American lives in just over a month. Sam was drafted in 1917 at age 26 - the age I am now. He served in the 77th "Liberty" Division and proudly wore the Statue of Liberty insignia on his shoulder tag. In the opening pages of his journal, he described his excitement having his hair "cut off by the machine" for the first time and joked about the quality of the food: "Had stew etc., but did not eat the 'etc.'" But the light tone of his early entries wore off as soon as he was shipped over to France in the spring of 1918 after a long, miserable boat trip across the Atlantic. His meticulous tallies of army base gambling winnings were quickly replaced by an equally pragmatic recounting of daily life-or-death scenarios. "Two Germans came over bearing a stretcher between them," Sam wrote in the summer of 1918. "A large Red Cross on their arms and a man on the stretcher covered by a blanket. Our boys open fire, however, and they immediately gave themselves up. They found a machine gun under the blanket, which would have done considerable damage if we had not captured them." Even what seemed to be the most benign things were not to be trusted. As they marched through the northern countryside of France, troops had to contend with mustard gas - yellow artillery shells of sulfur mustard that could cover the ground in an oily liquid and incapacitate troops for days. "One shell burst near our dugout. Drove the gas right in my face," Sam wrote. "I swallowed some before I could get my mask on. My throat was parched all the time." The gas changed everything: tactical strategies, the conventions of war and the trajectory of my uncle's life. For his battalion and others, the barrage was nonstop. "We were baptized this morning by the largest barrage of gas and shell fire that this company has experienced in two years. Sure was hell," he wrote one morning as they moved toward the front. "Many of our platoon were gassed, being foolish enough to take their mask off too soon. I have only two men left in my squad." Commanders often came from a higher social class and showed little regard for the welfare of the troops. Internally, the battalions were plagued by poor relations between soldiers and officers, especially as commanders pushed ineffective and deadly full-frontal attacks. Sam didn't keep his true opinions from the pages of his journal, describing how commanders marched the troops back-and-forth until their throats were sore from cursing. "We did nothing but swallow dust and gas fumes all along the road for 5 hours," Sam wrote. They trekked on, with heavy packs full of ammunition, no choice but to follow orders. The long-term effects of such prolonged gas exposure may not have been known at the time. The short-term effects, however, were painfully clear: "Boiled my feet which were in a bad state after that hike of last night. Actually criminal the way they treated us on that journey. No eats for 24 hours. And then, hike about 15 miles with heavy packs." The wavering of his commanders and the impracticality of marching soldiers back-and-forth without proper sustenance drove Sam crazy. His resilience was rooted in a deep pragmatism that often ran counter to his commanders' decisions. After a rainy night without proper shelter, he engineered better accommodations for his fellow soldiers by pitching their tent using a young tree as their tent pole. "Made our quarters more roomy," he wrote. Then he cut down a large tree and chopped it into four supports for a long table. Despite the heavy rain and notoriously leaky and crowded tents, his squad slept soundly. My father's stories about Sam highlight the same pragmatism and resourcefulness. In the art of fishing, using live bait is cheating, but my dad recalled, "Sam wasn't interested in the art of fishing, he was interested in catching fish." So they strung dobsonflies on the line, and while he taught my father to fish, he terrified my father with stories about how the big fish fed in the shallows at night. No matter how often my father asked Sam about his experiences in France, he wouldn't talk. But his journal tells the whole story: The final push into the German stronghold in the Argonne Forest took place in early October 1918. The Lost Battalion was the first "over the top" - the first soldiers to clamber over the rim of the defensive trenches, drawing concentrated fire from the enemy. Believing the French troops were supporting on their left flank, they moved well past the rest of the Allied line. But the French troops were delayed, and the Germans were quick to surround Maj. Charles W. Whittlesey's troops, blocking their escape with barbed wire. Weak from lack of food and medical supplies, illness and infection were rampant. The first-ever airdrop relief efforts, undertaken by the 50th Aero Squadron, dropped most of the supplies out of reach due to erroneous coordinates from the carrier pigeons, the Lost Battalion's only method of communication. Despite their ever-diminishing numbers, the Lost Battalion held strong, creating enough distraction to the German troops for the Allies to break through German lines and force a German retreat. One month later, the Germans surrendered. But there was a cost to the victory: Out of 554 members of the Lost Battalion, only 194 of them walked out of the Argonne Forest on Oct. 8, 1918. One of them was Sam. "We cut our way through wire entanglements, fought machine gun nests, laid in holes, hastily dug, wet, cold, hungry, pushed ahead without any relief," Sam wrote, "being encircled by the Germans and attacked and starved for 6 days when at last we were rescued, a sorry lot of men." The road to recovery was long - one my uncle never completed. Returning to camp on Oct. 10, 1918, he described convulsions and aches in his limbs. "The pain is awful. However, there are men here who suffer more than I do, so I must not complain." Yet, weeks later, he was still in the field hospital, detailing severe symptoms in his journal as a result of the gas exposure: "My feet seemed to have shrunk to half their size and if I scratch my leg enough to make it bleed, why it takes weeks before it heals up." The remaining pages of his journal describe five months of disappointment at being added to and removed from sailing lists back to America. Though Sam rarely complained (in the pages of his journal, and in real life, I'm told), he felt the injustice of the situation deeply and wrote a letter home concerning this mistreatment. "Hope some newspaper gets hold of the letter and publishes it," he wrote in his diary. "France may be good enough for French but damn anyone who keeps a man over there one day more than is necessary." The bad food that had been a source of humor in his early entries turned into a point of contention, indicative of a broader disregard for lowly soldiers' welfare: "One had only to look in the second-class cabin to see the officers eating the finest of dishes, pastry and ice cream, and we were eating slime not fit for pigs. It does not seem fair, but so it has been all along. We who have done the fighting . . . just being tolerated, it seems to me, and those at home getting all the gravy. But I guess they do not know how things are over here." Sam finally arrived home, months after the war ended. "I'll never turn my back on the statue of liberty again," he wrote. "States are good enough for me." Sterile from gas exposure, he told his girlfriend Ann that he couldn't marry her and consign her to a life without children. She waited, however, and convinced him to marry her years later. He opened a leather shop in Upstate New York and built a cabin on Great Sacandaga Lake to fill with all their great nieces and nephews, including my father, who inherited Sam's diary. My father likes to recount how Sam returned from fishing trips with a bucket of live catch. He'd pull a fish out by the tail, lay it on a wooden board, and whack the fish's head with the handle of a leather knife he kept in his belt. Then, he flipped the knife and cut back the layers of scale, flesh and muscle around the fish's heart to show my father that, through all the trauma, it was still beating in a steady rhythm. "I have not written all things that came to my mind, and I am sorry now that I did not do so," Sam wrote in the final pages of his journal. "Yet, it is better so, for it would not be fit for the eyes of others if I would express my true feeling about how we were treated over in France." So, he closed the wartime chapter of his life, never to reopen it. Standing where Sam stood - and almost died - one hundred years ago is the most alive he has ever been for me. Without a place for them to inhabit in my imagination, the dead are frozen in sepia-toned images. But here, in this forest, I can see the steepness of the ravines that trapped the soldiers, the density of the forest that protected them, the calm of the spring where my uncle found water. The terrain is a monster, the bees hum, the dragonflies glide over the water; the place is real, and so were the people. Eleven miles northwest of the site of the Lost Battalion, in the largest American cemetery in Europe - filled with fallen soldiers from the Meuse-Argonne Offensive - members of B Company are buried among 14,246 fellow soldiers in the longest stretch of white cross-marked graves you've ever seen. The Lost Battalion is one with few descendants: So many young men were killed before having children and many who survived were sterile from gas exposure. Preserving a collective history is a challenge made even more difficult and urgent by the lack of surviving generations. Sam had no children, and to this day, my father and I are the only two people who have read his diary. I spent hours in the woods and even longer in the cemetery without seeing a single person. Few may be left to visit these graves. These young men gave their lives and their future - descendants they never had - in a military offensive that reshaped our world, but has nevertheless been largely forgotten. These graves are a testament to the bravery and sacrifice that my uncle's words resurrect. - - - Video link: The Meuse-Argonne Offensive in WWI started on Sept. 26, 1918. The battle in northern France left 26,000 American service members dead over 46 days. https://wapo.st/2OFQoJ3 ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - The release from prison of a Christian woman acquitted of blasphemy against Islam, and unconfirmed reports that she was then secretly airlifted abroad, are roiling Pakistani Muslims and intensifying fears in the country's minority Christian community. The government on Thursday confirmed the release of Asia Bibi, whose acquittal by the Pakistani Supreme Court last week sparked violent protests and death threats against authorities. But officials denied Pakistani media reports that she was then secretly flown out of the country. Pakistani news media reported widely Thursday that Bibi, whose lawyer fled the country earlier this week, was covertly freed from prison in the city of Multan under a high court order, driven to a military air base near the capital and flown to the Netherlands on Wednesday, accompanied by her family and the Dutch ambassador to Pakistan. Pakistani officials insisted throughout the day Thursday that she had not been freed. The government, in a frantic and successful effort to stop the spreading violence last week, agreed in negotiations with protest leaders that it would not allow her to leave the country. A Foreign Ministry spokesman said Thursday that Bibi has been released from prison but remains "in a safe place in Pakistan." He cautioned the news media to verify all speculative reports of her leaving "to prevent needless sensationalism and controversy." The Muslim religious group leading the protests, which brought the country to a near-standstill for three days after the Oct. 31 verdict, has demanded her death and threatened to take to the streets again if the state abetted her escape. In a statement released Thursday afternoon, the group said Bibi's reported release and flight violated the agreement, brought "pain and sorrow" to the nation and has "written a black chapter in history." But in a video message, a senior leader of the group, Pir Afzal Qadri, said: "We have been assured by the government that she is in the custody of law enforcement agencies . . . and has not been flown out of the country." He said officials told the group that Bibi would not be allowed to leave until the Supreme Court rules on their appeal of her acquittal. There were no immediate signs of further unrest, but tension and uncertainty was evident in a series of terse official statements, along with public confusion about Bibi's status and whereabouts. Since the protests broke out, anxiety has run especially high in Christian communities, where people were elated by her acquittal last week but horrified by the violence that greeted the ruling. "We were all praying for this lady. When we heard she was free, we thought God had answered our prayers," said Aslam Massih Hassan, an elder of the Jesus Calls Christian Ministry, a brightly painted cinder-block church in a maze of alleys that is home to several thousand poor Christian families in the capital. But within hours of the Oct. 31 court order that overturned Bibi's conviction, word spread in the community that thousands of Muslim protesters, angry at the verdict, were blocking major roads across the country. By next day, the swelling crowds had grown violent. Rashida Mores, a housemaid who lives close to the church, said her daughter was supposed to report for night duty as a hospital nurse in Rawalpindi, 10 miles away. "I begged her not to go, but she insisted," Mores said. "She took a taxi on some back roads. I prayed all night until she came home." The spate of enraged protests, provoked by a crusading anti-blasphemy group, was abruptly called off after officials hastily negotiated an agreement with its top leaders. But the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan, who issued a strong warning to the protesters but then backed off, has been criticized for capitulating to an extremist religious movement with growing political ambitions. Analysts predict that the group's leaders, who come from Pakistan's largest Sunni Muslim school and are gaining fervent new support, will feel emboldened to act more aggressively. And activists in the Christian population, estimated at about 3 million in the Muslim-majority country of 208 million, worry that the outbursts could easily flare again and that Christians and other minority groups could be singled out for attack. "It seems like we have jungle law now. It is deeply disturbing that this one radical group has gotten so much power that they can take the whole country hostage, and no one can stop them," said Nelson Azeem, a former Punjab province legislator and Christian leader. "This has caused great fear in the hearts of Christians and other minorities, who feel they could be targeted anywhere on charges of blasphemy and no one could protect them, no matter how baseless the charges are." Pakistan's strict blasphemy laws are often used maliciously, with false accusations made against Christians and Ahmadis, a tiny minority that reveres a modern-day prophet from India. In recent years, numerous minority neighborhoods and places of worship have been attacked by frenzied mobs, enraged by rumors that someone had torn or defaced a Koran. Ahmadis are reviled by many Pakistani Muslims, who believe fervently that Muhammad was the "final" prophet. Bibi, a peasant field worker and mother of four, was accused of blasphemy in 2009 after an argument with Muslim co-workers over sharing water. She was swiftly convicted and sent to prison. Even after the Supreme Court ruled, in meticulous detail, that the case against her was based on flimsy and contradictory evidence, the emotionally charged protesters demanded that the illiterate mother of four be killed. "We are all very much scared," said Mahnaz Massih, 38, a beautician in a Christian neighborhood. "The pastor told us to hurry home after services and not linger outside. If we hear people talking about religion, we say nothing. We respect Islam, and Muslims should respect us, but some Muslims are scared, too," she added. "They don't like what is happening, but they don't dare go against it." One reason for the wider unease is that the leader of the protesters, a rabble-rousing cleric named Khadim Hussain Rizvi, also urged them to violently attack government officials, including the Supreme Court justices, and for soldiers to rise up against the national army chief, in the name of defending Islam. The threat had a chilling precedent, which stemmed from the Bibi case and could potentially turn any overwrought Muslim believer into an assassin. After the then-provincial governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer, publicly criticized the harsh treatment of Bibi, he was shot dead by his own bodyguard, 26-year-old Mumtaz Qadri, whose personal "martyrdom" for Islam became the rallying cry of Rizvi's movement. "With the killing of Salman Taseer, the issue of blasphemy became a weapon on their hands," said Zahid Hussain, a writer and columnist on public affairs. "When you work on the people's religious sensitivities and justify killing in the name of faith, you create an atmosphere of fear, and it works." There is another, more complex reason for the government's reluctance to put the brakes on the anti-blasphemy crusade. Its storm troops may be mostly working-class Muslims, but it enjoys considerable, if mostly tacit, sympathy in high places. A senior Punjab minister visited the shrine to Qadri, who was hanged for murder in 2016, and other officials attended his funeral. Security troops congratulated Rizvi's forces during protests last year over alleged official failures to protect the "finality of the prophethood" in federal law. And Khan's party, then competing with the ruling Pakistan Muslim League in elections, made tactical alliances with Rizvi's. Army leaders have been especially concerned, in part because of persistent insinuations by Rizvi's group and others that Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, 58, the army chief, is connected to the ostracized Ahmadi minority. In Khan's get-tough speech after the court ruling, he particularly denounced threats against the army, which took pains to publicly distance itself from the crisis. With his race still unresolved, Georgia Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp resigned his position as the state's top election official and declared victory, drawing a strong rebuke from Democrat Stacey Abrams, whose campaign estimated that there were thousands of ballots outstanding or unaccounted for. Kemp announced at a news conference with Republican Gov. Nathan Deal that he had submitted his resignation as secretary of state and would begin preparing to take over as governor. "We won the race," Kemp told reporters. "It's very clear now. We are moving forward with the transition." Kemp had 50.3 percent of the vote to Abrams's 48.7 percent as of midday Thursday, according to the Associated Press. But the Abrams campaign argued that balloting had been grossly mishandled, citing reports of voting hurdles and problems with vote-counting. A similar debate is emerging in Florida, where Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum appeared to back off his election-night concession to Republican Ron DeSantis, citing reports of uncounted ballots. "Our campaign . . . is monitoring the situation closely and is ready for any outcome, including a state-mandated recount," the campaign said Thursday in a statement. Reports of voting problems were prevalent in both Georgia and Florida, where Abrams and Gillum ran to be their states' first black governors. Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez said that Democrats had "boots on the ground" in Georgia and were monitoring the possibility of recounts in Florida. In both states, they were coordinating with campaigns to see whether provisional ballots, or absentee ballots rejected because signatures didn't match - an election standard that Democrats consider to be voter suppression - were being counted. "We've got folks on our voter protection team right now, chasing provisional ballots," Perez said at a breakfast roundtable sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor. "They claim there are something like 22,000 or 25,000 provisional ballots still out in Georgia. I'll be honest with you; I don't believe them. I think there's more. The problem is that the fox is guarding the henhouse; the person who wants to be governor is overseeing the integrity of the election." Perez also suggested that the close statewide races in Florida could change if every vote cast was counted, a process that could well involve lawsuits. "There's an army of lawyers down there now that are working on the recount, and I'm glad they're doing that," said Perez. "Voter suppression is a permanent staple in the [Republican] playbook and that's a lesson that we have to learn as a party." In Georgia, Kemp's margin had narrowed Wednesday as election officials counted outstanding ballots. If his share of the vote falls below 50 percent, he and Abrams would face each other in a runoff election. At a news conference, lawyers for the Abrams campaign announced that they were filing a preliminary lawsuit in Dougherty County over problems with mail-in ballots and weighing other possible litigation. "We are not stopping until we are confident that every vote has been counted," said Abrams campaign manager Lauren Groh-Wargo. Georgia voters described hours-long lines Tuesday and polling places that struggled with a shortage of voting machines, broken equipment and a dearth of printed provisional ballots. Noting that many of the reports came from communities with large minority populations, voting rights advocates charged Kemp with using his power as the state's chief election official to interfere with the race. Kemp has strongly denied claims of impropriety. "The integrity of the process has been clear in Georgia," he said Thursday. "The election integrity is beyond doubt." Nonprofit group Protect Democracy said Kemp's resignation came just before a federal court hearing in its lawsuit seeking to stop him from overseeing the governor's race. "This is a huge victory for democracy and the rule of law," Larry Schwartztol, counsel for Protect Democracy, said in a statement. "It is a basic constitutional principle that a person may not be a judge in their own case and that's what Brian Kemp was attempting to be here." Kemp called the lawsuit, as well as others filed in the race, "quite honestly, ridiculous." "We're going to continue to fight that," he said. "The votes are not there for her." Wrangling over gubernatorial balloting in Florida and Georgia came as several key races remained unresolved around the country, including Senate races in Arizona and Florida and close to a dozen House races. In the Florida Senate race, Republican Rick Scott had 50.1 percent of the vote as of Thursday afternoon, while Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson had 49.9 percent, according to the AP. Marc Elias, a prominent election lawyer representing Nelson's campaign, predicted a recount and an eventual Nelson victory. He said the margin between the two campaigns was now less than 22,000 votes. "I think it's fair to say right now the results of the 2018 Senate election are unknown, and [the media] and elections officials should treat it as such," Elias said on a conference call with reporters. Elias said he was not sure whether Nelson would be in the lead going into a recount. "I would say, you know, it's a jump ball," he said. "We may be up by 5,000 votes, we may be down by 5,000 votes. I think either way, we're going to be in a recount." Scott's campaign - as well as Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio - painted Elias as a hired gun from Washington, D.C., whose intention was to "steal" the election. "It is sad and embarrassing that Bill Nelson would resort to these low tactics after the voters have clearly spoken. Maybe next, he'll start ranting that Russians stole the election from him," Scott's campaign said in a statement. Elias is known for his ties to leading Democrats and served as general counsel for Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign. A handful of House races were called Thursday. In Georgia, Democrats triumphed in a tight Atlanta area congressional race after Republican Rep. Karen Handel conceded to anti-gun violence advocate Lucy McBath. Handel, who won her seat last year in a special election, wrote on Facebook that she "came up a bit short" in Tuesday's midterms. "Congratulations to Representative-Elect Lucy McBath and I send her only good thoughts and much prayer for the journey that lies ahead for her," Handel wrote Thursday. McBath will come to Congress as part of the House's new Democratic majority. Her victory marked the party's 29th pickup in the lower chamber, with several races still undecided, according to a tally by The Washington Post. McBath was a first-time congressional candidate who jumped into the race at the last minute, citing February's mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, that left 17 dead. She became an activist after her 17-year-old son was fatally shot in 2012 by a man who had argued with the teen and his friends about loud music coming from their car. Several political forecasters had moved the race in Georgia's 6th Congressional District from "leans Republicans" to "toss-up" over the weekend. The Associated Press reported that McBath got 50.5 percent of the vote to Handel's 49.5 percent, with 100 percent of precincts reporting. Handel's short-lived tenure in the House came after she beat Democrat Jon Ossoff in the 2017 special election to replace outgoing Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.), who left to become President Trump's first secretary of health and human services. The race drew national attention as an early referendum on Trump in a district Republicans had held since 1979. - - - The Washington Post's Amy Gardner, Sean Sullivan and David Weigel contributed to this report. SANAA, Yemen - Despite U.S. calls for a cease-fire, fighting is escalating in a strategic Yemeni port city, threatening the lives of hundreds of thousands of civilians and deepening a humanitarian crisis in which millions are at risk from a looming famine. The clashes in Hodeida, pitting a U.S.-backed regional coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates against northern Houthi rebels, have caused numerous civilian casualties over the past week, according to residents, health workers and aid agencies. The violence is also edging closer to medical facilities, threatening the safety of patients and medical workers. The fighting has particularly intensified near Hodeida's port, through which passes more than 70 percent of all food, fuel, medicine and other essential supplies destined for the northern part of the country, where the large majority of Yemenis live. If the port is damaged, it could be catastrophic for millions of Yemenis, aid workers said. "Hodeida is once again trapped in violence with hundreds of thousands of Yemenis caught in the middle," Fabrizio Carboni, a senior official with the International Committee of the Red Cross, said in a statement Thursday. Residents said they remain confined inside their houses as battles rage outside. Houthi rebels have dug in, patrolling the streets in machine-gun-mounted pickups and deploying fighters in buildings, houses, even hospitals, prompting fears that they are using civilians as human shields. The coalition, meanwhile, has conducted scores of airstrikes and deployed U.S.-made helicopters to target areas in and around Hodeida, including residential neighborhoods. "We have been receiving a lot of civilian casualties," said Mareb Almahweeti, a surgeon at a military hospital in the city, adding that many of the injured were struck by shrapnel from airstrikes. "The Apache helicopters are bombing many areas around the city most of the day," he added. "We also hear airstrikes most of the day. The bombing is closer than before." After besieging Hodeida over the summer, the coalition launched a new offensive a week ago, two days after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called for a cease-fire and peace talks within 30 days. An array of militias, aligned with the UAE and the embattled Yemeni government, pushed forward into the city, backed by airstrikes and heavy artillery. The coalition of Sunni Muslim countries is seeking to oust the Shiite rebels and restore Yemen's internationally recognized government, not least because the Houthis are widely said to be backed by Iran. The United States is aiding the coalition by refueling its warplanes and through intelligence and billions of dollars in arms sales. A senior Yemeni government official said the goal of the Hodeida offensive is to militarily weaken the Houthis and push them into negotiations. Hodeida's port is a vital source of funds and supplies for the rebels, and losing control over the city could deliver a hard blow to their military operations. "The goal is to take over Hodeida before the 30 days," said Moammar al-Eryani, Yemen's minister of information. "If Hodeida is freed, the Houthis will be forced to come and sit with us at the table." On Wednesday, the rebels' top leader, Abdulmalik al-Houthi, vowed in a televised address to fight back at whatever cost and urged supporters to "move seriously to counter the aggression on all fronts." The rhetoric and escalating bloodshed are alarming the United Nations and Western aid agencies, which in most parts of Yemen are the sole institutions assisting the 14 million people - nearly half the population - who are on the brink of famine. More than 3 million Yemenis have fled their homes; hundreds of thousands more could soon follow if the battle for Hodeida continues, aid workers said. "The upcoming talks cannot be an excuse to disregard the laws of war that protect the lives of the Yemeni people," Carboni said. "Wars have rules, and parties to the conflict must respect them, even in the fiercest battles." "This new attack on Hodeida is brushing away the hope sparked by the recent announcement of the peace talks," he added. Inside Hodeida, anxiety is growing. The clashes have largely unfolded in the southern and eastern parts of the densely populated city, residents said. In the affected areas, shops are either closed early or shuttered altogether. Movement is limited. "There is a sense of fear among people from being hit by mortars or airstrikes," said Mazen Mujammal, a 21-year-old resident. In the first six days of the new offensive, Doctors Without Borders treated 24 civilians for war injuries in Hodeida and 50 in the town of Mokha, the medical charity said in a statement. The aid agency Save the Children said that more than 150 people have been killed in recent days. Soon, aid workers worry, there could be fewer places to assist the population. The fighting is increasingly edging toward hospitals and health centers. On Wednesday, Save the Children reported that clashes damaged a pharmacy at one of its health facilities, adding that shelling also hit residential areas. "The lives of hundreds of thousands of people, roughly half of them children, are in danger," Save the Children said in a statement. "Artillery shelling is being used heavily by all sides." Of particular concern is al-Thawra hospital, the biggest medical facility in the city. It is mere yards from a front line where clashes are erupting daily, aid workers said. The United Nations Children's Fund said this week that the fighting is putting 59 children at the hospital, including 25 in the intensive-care unit, "at imminent risk of death." "Medical staff and patients in the hospital have confirmed hearing heavy bombing and gunfire," UNICEF said in a statement. "Access to and from the hospital, the only functioning one in the area, is now imperiled." More children could be endangered. Hodeida and neighboring provinces are at the epicenter of the hunger crisis, accounting for 40 percent of the 400,000 children who suffer from severe malnutrition in Yemen, UNICEF said. The sickest are often taken to al-Thawra. At Hodeida's 22nd May Hospital, there have been interruptions in medical services because of fierce fighting, the ICRC said. Now, there's a fresh concern. Last week, Houthi rebels arrived at the hospital and took up positions on its roof, making it a potential target of the Saudi-led coalition, said Amnesty International, the watchdog group. Scores of hospitals and health clinics have been destroyed or damaged by airstrikes or shelling since the war in Yemen began more than three years ago. "The hospital is full of injured civilians who have nowhere else to go for lifesaving medical care," said Samah Hadid, Amnesty's Middle East director of campaigns. "Anyone attacking a hospital under these conditions risks responsibility for war crimes." "The laws of war demand that hospitals are not used for military purposes," she added. More than half of Hodeida's 600,000 residents have fled the city, mostly in the summer before the initial offensive. But many of those who remain are finding it difficult to leave. According to Save the Children, temporary roadblocks erected by the warring parties were "preventing people from leaving or entering the city overnight, in effect trapping them in an active conflict zone." Clashes on shifting front lines also have blocked escape routes to the south of the city, while the rebels have planted mines along other paths out of the city, Amnesty said. That leaves only one northern road out. But with fuel prices rising, and the Yemeni currency collapsing because of the war, many residents don't have the means to escape. Among them are those who returned last month during a lull in the fighting, residents said. "Those who have come back cannot afford to leave again because they have exhausted their financial reserves," said Nabil Almahdi, 44, a resident. The civilians in Hodeida are "completely powerless and can only stay put to await their fate," Hadid said. "Their lives are in the hands of warring parties who have shown little or no regard for their duty to protect civilians." Lise Grande, the top U.N. humanitarian official in Yemen, said: "The most vulnerable people in the whole country are sitting there in Hodeida. These are the poorest of the poor. And they can't get out." If the offensive continues, she added, many of the sickest could die not only of hunger but also disease. "Cholera remains probably the biggest threat to people in Hodeida," Grande said. "The humanitarian programs that are operational there are making the difference in keeping them alive." - - - Raghavan reported from Cairo. NEW MILFORD Monty Robson peered at a computer screen at the John J. McCarthy Observatory, examining a streak at the bottom of the image of a recent night sky. Thats the moon and that might be something, Robson, the observatorys director, said as he clicked to play the video of the night event. Yeah, thats a meteor. Observing meteors is one of three areas of focus at the observatory and the topic of this Saturdays program, which lasts from 7 to 9 p.m. It specializes in asteroid confirmation and meteorite studies. The facility, which is funded only by donations and grants, began observing meteors with the Leonid Meteor Storm of November 2001, drawing a crowd of about 1,000 people just less than a year after opening. In 2013 the observatory installed its first all-sky camera. What we found with the camera is theres a heck of a lot more meteor activity than we thought, Robson said. About two meteors are observed each clear night and sometimes the camera will register four. Each one is broken out into a picture, video, spreadsheet and text file with time stamps. By using photos taken of the same portion of sky at the correct time, then factoring in the distance between the observatories, astronomers are able to determine the trajectory, orbit and rate of meteors and confirm asteroids through various networks. This can determine where the meteorite hits so pieces can be recovered. The McCarthy Observatory is known for being accurate in determining the sky positions. The observatory can capture 600 kilometers of night sky, covering most of New England, a portion of Canada, west to the Pennsylvania-Ohio border and south to Virginia. Robson said the Czechs have the best meteor and asteroid programs, determining accuracy within meters. I know we dont have the resources to be as good as the Czechs but we want to be as close as we can, Robson said. Were a near-sea level, amateur observatory thats open to the public and tops in the world in nearly everything we do. The McCarthy Observatory is only one of three locations in the northeast in the Sky Sentinel Meteor Network, which it joined this spring. The other two are in Pennsylvania, leaving a large area uncovered. Robson hopes to change that. A high-resolution digital camera and video camera are expected to be operational this year to improve the accuracy and quality of the observation programs. Once they get out the bugs, he hopes to encourage other observatories in the area to join a new network so that they could monitor this part of the country, which both the Sky Sentinel and NASA acknowledge are under covered. New Milford has a history with fireballs. A meteor was seen coming down from Albany, N.Y., in December 1807, exploding right over New Milford. Pieces fell and landed in Weston, dubbing it the Weston meteorite. This was North Americas first recorded fall, which means it was seen in the sky and then the meteorite was recovered on the ground. It shook the houses for 50 miles, especially to the north, Robson said. If there was a seismograph, it would have registered. A piece of that meteorite is at the observatory, just one of a robust collection that includes samples from 230 different locations. Its important to learn about the meteors, asteroids and meteorites because its inevitable something large will hit the Earth, Robson said. These are always monitored and NASA tracts them out in 100 year increments to determine the possibility and danger of something hitting the Earth. The more we know about it, the better prepared well be and the more we can predict, he said. Robson views the observatory as an important tool to get students interested in science. The facility is located at the high school and volunteers hold programs at the schools. Area schools and scouting troops also come to the site on field trips and students will team up with the observatory to do projects. Underlying all of that, our main goal is to excite students to the value of learning and to promote science literacy thats our mission, Robson said. kkoerting@newstimes.com; 203-731-3345 So many women roared to victories in Tuesday's elections that a record of more than 100 are slated to be in the U.S. House when it convenes in early 2019. That's a long way from 1917, when Jeanette Rankin joined the chamber as its first and only female member. The 36-year-old Rankin won election as a Republican in Montana after campaigning on horseback. She was nationally known as a leader in the suffrage movement and had helped women in Montana win the vote in 1914. She promised to work "for laws that women shall be paid the same wages as men for equal amounts of work." Rankin's arrival at Congress on April 1, 1917, was front-page news across the country. As a male Montana lawmaker escorted Rankin to her seat in the rear center of the House, all the members and spectators in the gallery rose to their feet cheering. Rankin wore a dark dress and no hat, the Associated Press reported. Congressmen treated Rankin politely, but one newspaper warned against venturing into the Republican cloakroom where she would have to endure "swear words and mingled grades of tobacco smoke." The new congresswoman made a splash with a vote on her first day. Congress held a joint session to hear President Woodrow Wilson call for a resolution of war against Germany to "make the world safe for democracy." Rankin, a pacifist, was one of 50 House members to vote against the resolution. Back home the Helena Independent labeled her a "a dupe of the Kaiser" and "a crying school girl." The congresswoman earned respect by pushing her women's rights agenda, but in 1918 she lost a bid to become the first woman in the Senate. As a lobbyist, she helped win passage of the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote, in 1920. She was elected to the House again in 1940. When male lawmakers referred to her as "the lady from Montana," she adopted a line from a female colleague: "I'm no lady. I'm a member of Congress." After Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, Rankin was the only lawmaker to vote against a resolution of war. Amid an angry outcry, she was given a police escort to her office. Rankin didn't run in 1942. She would later consider another House run from California in 1970 to protest the Vietnam War. She died in 1973 at the age of 92. Rankin's pioneering efforts inspired other women to seek political office. In 1920, 66-year-old Alice Robertson, an Oklahoma Republican, became the second woman elected to the House. Robertson was an advocate for Native Americans but opposed the women's rights movement. She was the first woman to defeat an incumbent but lost her seat after one term. In 1925, Florence Kahn, a California Republican, became the fifth female and the first Jewish woman in the House. At 59, Kahn won a special election to take over the seat long held by her deceased husband. She made a name for herself and became the first woman on the Military Affairs Committee. When asked the secret of her success, Kahn replied: "Sex appeal." She lost in 1936 when a Democratic wave led by presidential candidate Franklin D. Roosevelt swept the elections. In 1925, 50-year-old Mary T. Norton of New Jersey became the first female Democrat in the House. Known as "Battling Mary," she championed working men and woman. As chair of the Labor Committee, she led passage of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. The act established the 40-hour week and outlawed child labor. Norton stepped down in 1951. Women, meanwhile, were also advancing in the Senate. Technically, the first female senator was Democrat Rebecca Latimer Felton, an 87-year-old women's rights activist and white supremacist from Georgia. But she only served one day in October of 1922 to temporarily fill the vacancy of a senator who had died. The first elected female senator was Hattie Caraway, a 53-year-old Arkansas Democrat whom state party leaders picked to take the seat of her husband after he died in 1931. Caraway won the Senate seat on her own in 1932 after campaigning through Arkansas with supporter Sen. Huey Long of Louisiana in what was known as the "Hattie and Huey" tour. Though known as "Silent Hattie" because she rarely spoke on the Senate floor, Caraway became the first woman to chair a Senate committee in 1933. She also was the first woman in Congress to co-sponsor the Equal Rights Amendment. But she joined other Southern senators to oppose anti-lynching laws and to support the poll tax. She was defeated in 1944 by J. William Fulbright. In 1949, Margaret Chase Smith of Maine became the first woman to serve in both the Senate and the House. Smith, a Republican, first won election to the House in 1940 at age 42. One of her most memorable moments came in the Senate on June 1, 1950, when she denounced the red-baiting tactics of Wisconsin Sen. Joseph McCarthy. Smith served until losing reelection in 1972. Despite these gains women remained a "distinct minority" in Congress, according to House historians. By 1962 women accounted for less than 4 percent of all national lawmakers. The picture didn't change much until the "Year of the Woman" in 1992, when 27 women were elected to Congress. The gain was fueled in large part by the controversy over Anita Hill's sexual-harassment accusations against then-Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas. Those gains were swamped by Tuesday's results. The more than 100 women serving in the House will far exceed the previous high of 85 set in 2016, according to the Rutgers University Center for American Women and Politics. Women also will hold 23 of the 100 Senate seats, tying a record. Amid the celebrating women might want to raise a glass to Jeanette Rankin, who said after her election in 1916: "I may be the first woman member of Congress, but I won't be the last." - - - Shafer is a former Washington political features editor at the Wall Street Journal. WASHINGTON - A federal appeals court ruled Thursday that President Donald Trump cannot immediately end the program that shields from deportation young undocumented immigrants who were brought to the country as children. The unanimous decision by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit makes it more likely that the Supreme Court will settle the question. The Trump administration has asked the justices to add it to the docket for this term. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program was begun in 2012 by President Barack Obama and has protected nearly 700,000 people brought to this country as children. The Trump administration moved to end the program in 2017 after Texas and other states threatened to sue to force an end to the program. Then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions advised the Department of Homeland Security to end the program, saying it was probably unlawful and that it could not be defended in court. But a number of courts around the country have ruled that the administration's reasoning was incorrect and kept the program in place. Like the other courts, the panel did not question the administration's power but faulted its approach. "To be clear: we do not hold that DACA could not be rescinded as an exercise of Executive Branch discretion," Judge Kim McLane Wardlaw said in the opinion. "We hold only that here, where the Executive did not make a discretionary choice to end DACA - but rather acted based on an erroneous view of what the law required - the rescission was arbitrary and capricious under settled law." The panel of judges, all nominated by Democratic presidents, flatly rejected the administration's position that courts lacked the power to review the executive branch's immigration actions. "The government may not simultaneously both assert that its actions are legally compelled, based on its interpretation of the law, and avoid review of that assertion by the judicial branch, whose 'province and duty' it is 'to say what the law is,' " Wardlaw said, borrowing the language of the landmark Marbury v. Madison decision. Wardlaw said the Obama administration was within its powers to enact DACA because it had to make a choice about how to direct limited resources in deporting undocumented immigrants and decided to spare those who came as children, had not committed crimes and were students or in the military. "The reality is (and always has been) that the executive agencies charged with immigration enforcement do not have the resources required to deport every single person present in this country without authorization," she said. And while the opinion does not purport to decide the wisdom of the policy, Wardlaw was clearly sympathetic. "It is no hyperbole to say that Dulce Garcia embodies the American dream," is how she begins the opinion, telling the story of a woman brought to this country by her parents as a 4-year-old who now has a thriving law practice in San Diego. "Recognizing the cruelty and wastefulness of deporting productive young people to countries with which they have no ties, the Secretary of Homeland Security announced a policy in 2012 that would provide some relief to individuals like Garcia, while allowing our communities to continue to benefit from their contributions," Wardlaw said. The panel's decision keeps in place an injunction from the lower court that allows DACA recipients to renew their applications. According to California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, more than 187,000 people "have regained or extended their DACA protections as a result of the court's injunction, and hundreds of thousands of additional Dreamers are eligible to do so." The administration's actions on DACA were prompted by a threat by Texas and other states to sue to end the program. The states had been successful in stopping an extension of a different program proposed by Obama, called the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents program (DAPA). The administration had been impatiently awaiting the 9th Circuit's decision on DACA, after oral arguments last spring. It sent a letter to the circuit last month, saying that if the decision was not handed down by Oct. 31, it would ask the Supreme Court to take up the issue. It filed that request with the Supreme Court last week, but the justices have not acted upon it yet. The case is Regents of the University of California v. Department of Homeland Security. Photo: CTV Maxime Bernier Local organizers and founding members of the Peoples Party of Canada in Kelowna-Lake Country will hold their inaugural meeting in Kelowna on Saturday They'll meet at the Okanagan Regional Library in downtown Kelowna at 2 p.m. The meeting will include the election of officers and directors. Anyone interested in becoming a member is encouraged to attend. The party, founded by Quebec MP Maxime Bernier, has exceeded 30,000 members Canada-wide, and electoral district associations are being created in all ridings. The Peoples Party of Canada is a responsible, accountable and committed alternative for Canadian voters Canada-wide before, during and after the 2019 upcoming federal election, said founding member Glen Walushka. WEST HAVEN The city and the West Haven Veterans Council will hold a Veterans Day tribute at 10:45 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 11 on the Veterans Walk of Honor in Bradley Point Park, organizers said. All veterans are invited to take part in the annual ceremony, which will feature remarks from dignitaries and Steve Carney, vice president and treasurer of the Veterans Council, on behalf of council President Dave Ricci. Mayoral aide Ruth G. Torres will serve as the master of ceremonies, organizers said in a written release. Then, at 1:30 p.m., the West Haven Military Museum and Learning Center, 30 Hood Terrace near the West Haven Metro-North railroad station, will hold a reception for Korean War veterans, organizers of that event said. The public is invited. The Bradley Point event will begin at 10:45 a.m. with a presentation of the colors by the West Haven Police Color Guard and a flag-raising by the West Haven Fire Department Honor Guard. West Haven High School sophomore Nora Mullins will sing the Star-Spangled Banner and God Bless America and Sean P. Ronan, senior vice commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9422, will offer opening and closing prayers. The tribute also will include a bell-ringing at 11 a.m. and taps played by retired West Shore Fire Department Lt. Kevin McKeon. Veterans Day, formerly known as Armistice Day, is celebrated on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, marking the anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I in 1918. Mayor Nancy Rossi, in commemoration of the armistices centennial, will issue a proclamation declaring Bells of Peace: World War I Remembrance Day in West Haven. To coincide with the ceremony, the Veterans Council will launch the 12th phase of its popular Brick Campaign. In November 2006, the council began the first of 12 campaigns selling bricks to memorialize veterans on the 100-yard Walk of Honor between the William A. Soderman and Vietnam Veterans memorials. The bricks cost $75 and have charcoal lettering for personalized messages. More than 2,650 bricks have been installed so far, including 56 for the 11th phase, which was dedicated on May 26. Applications are due March 15, 2019 and are available at http://www.cityofwesthaven.com/DocumentCenter/View/1640/Veterans-Brick-Campaign-Application-2019-PDF and in the mayors office at City Hall, 355 Main St. For details, call 203-937-3510. mark.zaretsky@hearstmediact.com Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 8) Malacanang expressed support for the drug enforcement agency's proposal for mandatory drug tests among students ten years of age and above, contrary to their initial stand against the measure. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said a mandatory drug test for grade 4 students and above would ensure the safety of children against the influence of illegal drugs, adding that all parents would welcome the proposal. "I think that is a good idea because at least the parents would know whether or not their children are addicted or being used in the drug industry," he told the press Thursday. Panelo added that there is no need to amend the law to enact the provision allowing the tests. "I don't think there is a need for that [amendment], that is for the benefit of the family. I think all parents would welcome that. I would welcome that as a parent," He argued. This contradicts the Palace's initial statement that backed the Department of Education's (DepEd) stand saying the law should be changed for the tests to push through. "We concur with Secretary (Leonor) Briones that the Dangerous Drug Act limits possible drug testing to high school and not to grade school students," former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in June. The DepEd earlier rallied against the proposal, saying an amendment to The Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002 which only authorizes drug testing for secondary and tertiary level students is needed to enact the tests. READ: Briones: Law should be changed before PDEA can implement mandatory drug tests The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency earlier floated the idea of requiring schools to conduct mandatory drug tests among Grade 4 students and above in June this year. The proposal met criticism from a human rights watchdog, saying it may violate the students' dignity. "Taking a child's bodily fluids, whether blood or urine, without their consent may violate the right to bodily integrity and constitute arbitrary interference with their privacy and dignity," Human Rights Watch said. Philippine National Police Chief Dir. Gen. Oscar Albayalde also disagreed with the measure, contending that ten years old is much too young to be subjected to drug tests. "For me... I'll [say] probably masyado siyang bata. Personal opinion ko lang," he said in June. [Translation: For meI'll [say] that's probably too young. That's my personal opinion.] READ: PNP Chief on drug test for grade schoolers: 'Masyadong bata' Majority supports drug tests Panelo's statement was in response to the latest national survey results showing a majority of Filipinos agreed to the mandatory drugs tests among students about 10 years of age and above. Results from a Social Weather Stations survey on September showed 51 percent of respondents agreed to the mandatory drugs tests in schools for students on the fourth grade level and above. The results posted on Wednesday yielded a net agreement of +15, classified under the "very strong" category in agreement with the measure. Positive responses were particularly strong in Visayas with a net agreement of +47 (very strong), followed by Mindanao at +25 (moderately strong), Metro Manila at +17 (moderately strong) and Balance Luzon at a neutral -6. The survey also found that 76 percent of respondents were satisfied by the President Rodrigo Duterte's anti-drug campaign, while only 12 percent were dissatisfied leading to a +64 net satisfaction rating (very good). Agreement with the proposal soared among those satisfied by Duterte's performance with a +20 (moderately strong) net agreement. Meanwhile, 36 percent disagreed and 13 percent were undecided on the matter. Panelo lauded the results saying the drug problem in the country and the government's mandate to protect the youth, is basis enough to push for the tests. "There is a drug menace in this country, that would be the basis, parens patriae doctrine is another that the state is responsible for the safety of the citizens in the country, " he said. In legal terms, parens patriae refers to the power of the state to act as the parent of a minor who needs protection. Rob Gibson The Okanagan is getting ready to remember. Remembrance Day services will be happening across the valley this Sunday, and it's a great time to visit the many memorials and museums around the Okanagan. One of the biggest displays is at the Okanagan Military Museum in Kelowna, which is presenting the exhibit "A Time to Remember" all month. The museum is trying something new this year by inviting people to bring in their military memorabilia for identification and to learn how to safely display and store it. You can find details here. On a per capita basis, Peachland suffered the highest losses of any Canadian community during the First World War. Only about 300 people lived in the town 60 men enlisted,and 17 of them were killed. Communities are marking the 100th anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended the First World War. Peachland residents are encouraged to join the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 69 at the Peachland Community Centre. Doors open at 9 a.m., with the ceremony starting at 10:30 a.m. In Kelowna, a parade will start at 10:30 a.m. and march along Abbott Street towards the cenotaph in City Park for the ceremony. In Penticton, the ceremony will be held at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre starting at 10 a.m. with a parade from the curling rink. In Vernon, there will be a ceremony at Kal Tire Place, followed by a reception at the Legion on 25th Avenue. Castanet will be covering these ceremonies on Remembrance Day. The 176 cats and dogs that were seized from a home in Buda earlier this month were cruelly treated, a judge ruled Thursday morning, according to a news release from Hays County. The Hays County Sheriff's Department took the animals into custody on Nov. 1, the news release said. The 161 cats and 15 dogs were seized from a home on the 200 block of Towhee Drive in Buda and have been housed at the San Marcos Animal Shelter ever since. Along with battling declining sales in the face of streaming music, the owner of Flip Side Record Parlor is fighting cancer -- again. On Saturday, a burger sale benefit will be hosted at the store to help save the nearly 50-year-old business and assist owner Clarisa Pena in her fight against stage 4 colon cancer, she told mySA.com. "Business has been really slow, CD sales are down and although vinyl is back, it's not going to keep me afloat," she said of the Military Drive store. "It's really been a struggle." Pena, a McCollum High School graduate, said her time at the beloved record parlor started when she was 20, when she was hired on Black Friday 1993. After the former owner Doug Leasein died, Pena took over ownership in 2011. RELATED: South Side staple Rudy's Seafood adds DeMar DeRozan to growing Spurs mural "This is everything, this pays my bills, my home, this is my life," Pena said, adding that she noticed a decline in sales starting in 2008. Pena was diagnosed with cancer for the first time five years after she took over the store. She went into remission but the disease returned this spring. Along with helping the business, proceeds from the $7 cheeseburger, chips and drink sale at 840 S.W. Military Drive will help support Pena's medical expenses. Pena, who will celebrate her birthday next week, said she's looking forward to seeing her "generations" of regulars and feel their support on Saturday. "It would be an early present, everyone's support, smiles and love," she said. "That's all I want to do -- to support everyone that walks in here." "A lot of people love our store, they feel nostalgic when they come in, they feel happy and we always try to greet them with a smile," she said. "Even if they don't buy anything, we appreciate them remembering us." Those who are unable to attend the benefit can also donate online, via a Facebook fundraiser. Madalyn Mendoza is a breaking news and general assignment writer. Read her on our breaking news site, mySA.com and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | mmendoza@mysa.com |@MaddySkye Convicted felon Gary Cain, who was scheduled to begin serving a more than five-year prison sentence Friday, had his remaining days of freedom cut short. Senior U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra apparently ordered Cains arrest last Friday. The order was filed under seal, so the circumstances of what led to Cains arrest have not been made public. RELATED: Prosecutors name LaHood, father in restraining order Cain and former state Sen. Carlos Uresti were convicted by a jury in February on a total of 20 charges in connection with their roles in FourWinds Logistics a now-defunct oil field services company that defrauded investors. Ezra sentenced Cain to 68 months in prison, while Uresti received a 12-year prison term. The pair also were ordered to pay $6.3 million in restitution to victims. Cain is being held at the Central Texas Detention Facility in San Antonio. San Antonio attorney Stephanie Stevens, who is representing Cain in the appeal of his conviction, declined to comment when reached Thursday. Daryl Fields, a spokesman for the U.S. attorneys office in San Antonio, said he could not comment on the matter. In a court motion Monday, Stevens said Cain was arrested shortly after Ezra issued his order. Stevens wants Ezras order and any related motion if one was filed by prosecutors unsealed. RELATED: Uresti's co-defendant gets more than five years in prison A day before Cains arrest, the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals denied his request to remain free on bond pending the outcome of his appeal. Prosecutors alleged in a Sept. 21 court filing that Cain has used family and friends including Bexar County District Attorney Nico LaHood and his father, former Judge Michael LaHood to shield assets to avoid paying victims in the FourWinds fraud. Ezra subsequently issued a restraining order that bars Cain, the LaHoods and others from dissipating, transferring or concealing property belonging to Cain. The order also prevents them from saddling any debt on Cains property, including a Shavano Park house thats valued at $1.3 million by Bexar County. Its not known if the allegations against Cain regarding his assets figured in his arrest. Cain and LaHood were business partners in a company that did work for FourWinds. Before he became district attorney, LaHood successfully defended Cain against criminal charges that he had defrauded Rackspace Hosting Inc. in a 2007 land deal. RELATED: Texas state Sen. Uresti, co-defendant Cain found guilty on all charges in criminal fraud trial Not long after his acquittal, Cain was hired as a consultant for FourWinds. The company purported to sell sand used in hydraulic fracturing in oil production. Uresti served as FourWinds outside counsel and raised money from investors. He surrendered his law license and gave up his Senate seat following his conviction. Staff Writer Guillermo Contreras contributed to this report. | Patrick Danner is a San Antonio-based staff writer covering banking and civil courts. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | pdanner@express-news.net | Twitter: @AlamoPD Sen. Ted Cruz survived the most competitive U.S. Senate race in 40 years in Texas thanks to three key parts of the state. Cruz targeted the Texas Panhandle, a half-dozen counties in East Texas and the Houston suburbs as he closed his campaign. He held rallies in each of those areas, pleading with conservative supporters to vote in big enough numbers to counter the record turnout in Texas cities that powered Democrat Beto ORourke. And those conservative voters delivered, providing Cruz with almost 250,000 more votes than ORourke slightly more than Cruzs margin of victory statewide. As of late Wednesday, the Texas Secretary of State had Cruz winning the U.S. Senate race over ORourke 50.9 percent to 48.2 percent. It is the first time any U.S. Senate race has been decided by less than 10 percentage points since 1978. Millions across the state were inspired by his campaign, Cruz told supporters of ORourke at his victory celebration in Houston on Tuesday. They did not prevail and Im glad the people of Texas chose a different path. No region was more important to Cruz than the Harris County suburbs. In Montgomery, Waller and Chambers counties, Cruz built a nearly 100,000-vote margin of victory there, claiming almost 73 percent of the vote, and nearly half of his overall margin of victory. That was critical for Cruz as ORourke pounded him in Harris County. ORourke won nearly 200,000 more votes than Cruz in Harris, even though that is Cruzs home county and Cruz won it outright in 2012. Related: Results from the 2018 General Election in Texas While ORourke won 19,000 more votes in Montgomery County than Democrat Paul Sadler got in his race against Cruz in 2012, his margin of defeat in Waller and Chambers was actually worse than Sadlers by about 2,000 votes. Cruz needed all of those votes to counter what he called an assault that was unprecedented from Democrats and ORourke. ORourke cleaned up along I-35 The Interstate 35 corridor shows the unprecedented nature of ORourkes campaign. In the 19 counties on I-35 from Laredo to the Oklahoma border, ORourke won about 450,000 more votes than Cruz. Its a shocking turnaround from 2012 when Cruz had a 200,000-vote lead in those counties. ORourke pulled it off by winning Tarrant and Dallas counties while dramatically cutting into the Republican advantage in Collin and Denton counties to the north. Around Austin, ORourke won not just Travis County, but picked up bordering Hays and Williamson too something no Democrat has done in any of the last four U.S. Senate races in Texas. And in San Antonio, ORourke won Bexar County by more than 100,000 votes. For Cruz, a major part of countering ORourkes wins along I-35 was the 13-county Texas Panhandle. While none of those 13 counties has even 50,000 votes, when combined they became a potent one-sided region in Cruzs back pocket. ORourke had hoped to chip into those margins with his much-hyped travels to all 254 Texas counties. ORourke often talked on the campaign trail of meeting with people in the Panhandle and understanding their issues. But ultimately, Cruz defeated ORourke in those 13 counties with 80 percent of the vote. That gave Cruz a 70,000-vote margin of victory in the Panhandle, critical to offsetting ORourkes successes. Cruz almost predicted that result last week while campaigning in Pampa, in Gray County, just miles from the Oklahoma border. He warned more than 1,000 supporters at a rally that liberals were going to show up in droves in places like Austin and he needed them to do the same. We need the good people of the Texas Panhandle to stand up for common sense values and keep Texas bright, bright red, Cruz said. Almost as important for Cruz was Northeast Texas. Cruz made frequent stops in places like Tyler, Texarkana and Longview where he also was advertising early and often in the campaign. The payoff was clear on election night. In Smith County, where Tyler is the county seat, Cruz won about 70 percent of the 77,000 votes cast nearly identical to his haul in 2012. In some counties in East Texas, Cruzs margin of victory actually increased over 2012. In Cass and Bowie counties, which border Arkansas, Cruz won 74 percent of the vote, 8 percentage points better than his first campaign. Six of the larger counties in East Texas combined to provide Cruz with another 80,000-vote margin of victory. Even as he survived ORourkes push and the so-called Blue Wave, Cruz acknowledged the intensely competitive election was something he and other Texans are not used to seeing. Texas saw something this year weve never seen before, he said. jeremy.wallace@chron.com OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) A former Oklahoma zookeeper and candidate for governor already accused in a murder-for-hire plot has been indicted on 19 new counts accusing him of killing tigers and selling tiger cubs. A federal grand jury unsealed the charges Wednesday against 55-year-old Joseph Maldonado-Passage, who's known as "Joe Exotic" and formerly operated a zoo in Wynnewood, Oklahoma. Maldonado-Passage ran unsuccessfully for Oklahoma governor this year. A first-grade teacher in Kerr County was arrested Wednesday after he admitted to sexually touching two of his students, according to the Kerr County Sheriff's Office. Russell Lynn Berry, 36, faces a second-degree felony charge of indecent contact with a child. He was booked into the Bexar County Jail on a $50,000 bond. According to a statement from the Kerr County Sheriff's Office, Berry confessed to touching one student at Center Point ISD, where he has been employed since the 2017-2018 academic year, and another student at a previous place of employment. RELATED: SAPD: Gunmen at large following West Side shooting that hospitalized 1 The statement says Berry was previously employed at Northside ISD, but a sergeant at the sheriff's office declined to comment on whether the second alleged assault occurred at that school district or another. Northside ISD officials have been made aware of Berry's confession and San Antonio police are investigating. Center Point ISD Superintendent Cody Newcomb notified the Kerr County Sheriff's Office of the complaints made against Berry on Nov. 2 and placed him on administrative leave. Investigators with the sheriff's office then interviewed students, who "indicated inappropriate touching by Berry," according to the statement. They also interviewed Berry and he made is confession, authorities said. San Antonio police arrested Berry on Wednesday after he was released from an area hospital. Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com Caleb Downs covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County. Read him on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | cdowns@mysa.com | @calebjdowns Photo: Adage India It is time for Diwali a five-day festival of lights. A celebration of new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. Millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains around the world celebrate Diwali, which coincides with the Hindu New Year. Vernon is home to a large Sikh community and the celebration of Diwali has in recent years become more inclusive to the greater Vernon community. "The festival has different meanings for both Sikhs and Hindus," explains Dalvir Nahal who practices Sihkism. "For Sikhs, it marks the day that Guru Hargobind Ji, the Sixth Sikh Guru, was freed from imprisonment, and for Hindus, it is one of the major festivals of Hinduism, it spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness and good over evil." "Diwali" means rows of lighted lamps and it is known as the festival of lights because houses and shops are decorated with candles and colourful lights during the week. "Diwali is like Christmas to many," says Sucha Jassi, President of the North Okanagan Sikh Temple. "To be able to share food as is a great way to bridge communities and share the special day. All day long members of the community will be visiting the temple, where the members have been preparing food for the Sangat (members). The day began with a pakora lunch and later this afternoon we will be serving deep-fried pataras and curried chickpeas. Anyone is welcome to join us." Staff along with the mayor and councillors from the Village of Lumby and City of Vernon were treated on their first day of orientation. The Vernon Performing Arts Centre recently hosted its first annual Diwali festival, which was a sold-out success. San Antonio police arrested a woman who allegedly wrote fraudulent prescriptions to nonexistent patients. Vanessa Hernandez, 28, was taken into custody Wednesday on suspicion of obtaining drugs by fraud, according to jail records. In August, police were called by a doctor who said she was notified of a fraudulent prescription made in her name, according to the affidavit. Soon after, the doctor quickly discovered 20 other fraudulent prescriptions for Alprazolam, commonly sold under the brand name Xanax. RELATED: SAPD looking for suspect accused of taking pictures of women in Academy dressing room As they reviewed the prescription-writing software they use, the employees discovered that Hernandez had logged into the system several times, and those logins matched the time the prescriptions were written, the affidavit says. Hernandez would write the prescriptions for a patient named Maria Hernandez, according to the affidavit. The doctor told police that Maria Hernandez is not one of her patients. Hernandez was arrested on a $5,000 bond, according to jail records. Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County. Read him on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | fsabawi@mysa.com|@FaresInSA A man was hospitalized early Thursday after he was shot in his leg on the West Side, police said. Police responded to the shooting at about 12:20 a.m. at the intersection of SW 18th Street and Krocker Way, where they only found a few shell casings. San Antonio police are asking for the public's help identifying a a man they said took photos of women as they changed in an Academy store dressing room. The suspect entered the store at 11650 Bandera Road before 5 p.m. on Oct. 31, according to a tweet from the department. It was fitting that less than 24 hours after his party lost the House, President Donald Trump launched a purge of his administration by demanding the resignation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Despite being one of the administration's few capable top officials (as retrograde as his agenda was), Sessions had earned Trump's contempt by recusing himself from the Russia investigation, which as a member of the 2016 campaign with his own undisclosed contacts with Russian officials he had no choice but to do. The president has said publicly on multiple occasions that he was shocked and angry to discover that Sessions had a conception of the attorney general's job that went beyond personal loyalty to Donald Trump. By replacing Sessions on an acting basis with his chief of staff, Matthew Whitaker, Trump has given us a window into the coming bloodletting. Trump has a much better idea than he did two years ago about what he needs and wants in his underlings, so he has likely shifted his thoughts about personnel. The result will probably be an administration whose pathologies are even worse than they are now, as Trump adapts to a new phase in his presidency which, with Democrats taking over the House, will put him in much greater political peril. Whitaker is a perfect example of the change. A former U.S. attorney, he has spent the last few years as a far-right activist, starting an organization to hound Democrats with ethics complaints and oppose Democratic judicial nominees after an unsuccessful run for Senate in Iowa in 2014. That year he ran to the right of the extremely conservative eventual victor Joni Ernst; in one debate he was asked what his criteria for evaluating judicial nominees would be, and he said, "Are they people of faith? Do they have a biblical view of justice?" Whitaker has expressed the belief that the courts have virtually no power to constrain the other two branches of government, though his thoughts on this topic are utterly incoherent except insofar as they amount to the principle that whatever outcome conservatives like in any given case is what the Constitution demands. Whitaker also seems to share with the president a kinship of spirit. He was part of an invention-marketing company that featured a "time-travel scientist" on its board and was shut down by the Federal Trade Commission after the FTC determined it had scammed inventors out of millions of dollars. It's already being called "Trump University for inventors." But most importantly, Whitaker repeatedly criticized the Mueller investigation in print and on TV before joining the administration. That more than anything else is surely what convinced Trump that Whitaker would be his guy - and nothing is more important to Trump. The things Sessions was doing as attorney general, like cracking down on immigrants and restarting the War on Drugs, were all well and good. But especially now with Democrats holding a house of Congress from which they can restrain and bedevil the president, personal loyalty is the highest consideration. This was always important to Trump, but at first he may not have realized that he couldn't necessarily count on everyone around him to make it their top priority. Faced with the daunting task of filling thousands of positions in his new administration, Trump exercised only minimal oversight on the process, mostly farming it out to others. Apart from installing a few cronies here and there, he allowed allies and aides to populate the executive branch with Republicans who could be counted on to pursue the party's agenda. While candidates were screened for disloyalty and often excluded from consideration if they had spoken ill of the president during the primaries, there wasn't necessarily a requirement that they be enthusiastic Trumpites so much as that they couldn't have demonstrated any antipathy toward him. But because so many conservative policy wonks and professionals didn't want to stain their reputations by working for Trump, the Republican barrel had to be scraped to its bottom to find enough people to fill out the ranks, leading to an administration that has been populated by the incompetent, the buffoonish, and the corrupt. Trump usually acted as though as long as you didn't oppose him directly or do anything to embarrass him, he didn't much care how you went about your business. But Trump's attention is now focused on self-preservation. With his reelection campaign looming and Democrats in possession of subpoena power, more than ever before he'll want to be assured that he's surrounded by people who have no higher purpose than protecting him. Now he'll be looking at everyone who works for him and asking, "Is there anything this person cares about more than protecting me?" If the answer is yes, they won't last long. Of course, not every corner of the administration is the same - I'm sure Trump neither knows nor cares who the deputy undersecretary of agriculture is. Much of his attention is going to focus on the Justice Department, because by its nature law enforcement is a threat to him. But if I worked in the administration I'd be updating my resume just in case, or maybe drafting some op-eds about how Donald Trump is the most perfect human being to have ever walked the earth. Because a lot of people are going to be getting fired. When the president announced that he was sending the U.S. military to help secure our southern border, he received bipartisan praise from members of Congress. The Washington Post reported that the move was seen as smart politics. The year was 2011, and the president was Barack Obama. The National Guard troops Obama sent to the border as part of Operation Phalanx helped apprehend nearly 18,000 illegal immigrants and seized more than 56,000 pounds of illegal drugs. He was not the only president to deploy troops to the southern border. In 2006, President George W. Bush launched Operation Jump Start, in which U.S. National Guard troops assisted in 176,000 immigrant apprehensions, as well as the seizure of almost $900 million illegal drugs. Before that, in 1994, President Bill Clinton launched Operation Gatekeeper, deploying military personnel to help regain control of the San Diego-Tijuana border. Before that, in 1989, President George H.W. Bush established Joint Task Force Six, deploying the U.S. military to the southwest border region. But now, when President Trump announces that he is doing precisely what four of his Republican and Democratic predecessors did sending troops to help secure the southern border the liberal outrage machines crank into action, as 108 House Democrats sent a letter to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis declaring this effort is nothing short of a militarization of the southern border to score political points and stoke misleading fears among Americans regarding immigrants. Funny, they didnt say that about Obama, Clinton or either Bush. Trumps critics say pointing out this history is simply whataboutism. Sorry, if there was not so much rank hypocrisy among those castigating Trump, there would be no need to say what about? Similarly, when Trumps critics declare he is an anti-Semite because he criticizes liberal billionaire financier George Soros (who happens to be Jewish), it is perfectly legitimate to point out that they had no problem with Democrats attacks on GOP financier Sheldon Adelson (who also happens to be Jewish). Bernie Sanders castigated billionaires like Sheldon Adelson buying elections, and Elizabeth Warren declared Sheldon Adelson cant buy us off. Are they anti-Semites? How about when Obama and Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid castigated conservative billionaire financiers the Koch brothers? Reid referred to them as shadowy and called their political contributions un-American. Can you imagine if Trump said that about Soros? Why is Soros immune to criticism because he is Jewish, but the Kochs are fair game because they are not? And it is perfectly fair to point out that these critics were silent a few weeks ago when former president Clinton shared a stage with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, who has declared Hitler was a very great man, and warned Jews Dont you forget, when its God who puts you in the ovens, its forever!, and most recently compared Jews to termites. Some even defended Clinton by saying he was simply attending Aretha Franklins funeral and could not control the guest list. Would Trumps critics have had the same reaction if Trump had attended a funeral where he shared the stage with David Duke? And where was the outrage when Obama took a smiling photograph with Farrakhan, reportedly joking that He is much better looking than I am? Democrats have no problem attending and supporting the Womens March, whose leaders include Linda Sarsour, who declared American Muslims should not humanize Israelis, and Tamika Mallory, who has called Farrakhan the GOAT (Greatest of All Time). Yet they have the temerity to accuse Trump of anti-Semitism. The list of liberal hypocrisies goes on. Pointing these things out does not absolve Trump of anything. We can debate whether sending troops to the border is the right thing to do. And the fact that Democrats condone anti-Semites in their own ranks does not release Trump from his responsibility to condemn the bigots in the alt-right. But if Trumps critics want to be taken seriously, they might want to show some intellectual consistency and hold their own side to the same high moral standards they demand of the president. Otherwise, Americans may get the impression that they are simply using accusations of racism and anti-Semitism as a weapon to silence their political opponents. Follow Marc A. Thiessen on Twitter, @marcthiessen. Photo: Canadian Navy What began as a search for illegal drugs became instead a high seas rescue. Drama began as the Canadian navy ship HMCS Nanaimo was searching for drugs off the coast of Central America as part of Operation Caribbe. A lookout spotted something in the water, which turned out to be a fishing buoy. Officials on the ship investigated, looking for drugs, but instead found a sea turtle tangled in the buoy. The ship launched a boat to get close enough to free the turtle, and a boatswain was able to get it free. "The Royal Canadian Navy has a reputation for rescuing sea turtles ... and I didnt want to miss out on the opportunity on this deployment," Lt.-Cmdr. Jason Bergen said in a statement. "Some days we help keep drugs off the street, some days we help turtles. The best days, we get to do both," the boatswain said. with files from CTV Vancouver Island As Bexar Countys newly elected district attorney, Joe D. Gonzales joins a national movement. He is part of a growing cadre of reform-minded defense attorneys who have been elected as top prosecutors. If this sounds incompatible on the surface, it need not be. Gonzales began his career as a prosecutor in Bexar and Harris counties before joining the defense bar. He has promised to focus on violent crimes, particularly those involving family and domestic violence. But what always distinguished Gonzales as a potential top prosecutor is his commitment to criminal justice reform when it comes to nonviolent offenses. Heres how he can do that in Bexar County: Even before formally taking office, Gonzales should express his support for having the attorneys with the Bexar County Public Defenders Office at all bail hearings. He should also pledge to have prosecutors at these hearings. Representation at bail hearings is widely recognized as best practice. Done right, it should ensure defendants understand the proceedings and dont say anything that could be incriminating. Bexar County District Attorney Nico LaHood has opposed such representation for bail hearings involving magistrates with the city of San Antonio. Gonzales can immediately change this. As a candidate, Gonzales expressed support for cite-and-release for low-level marijuana arrests and other nonviolent offenses. Now he has the opportunity to make good. The county, under LaHood, flubbed cite-and-release, creating an onerous program that very few defendants have entered. Gonzales can fix this by removing a $250 fee to enter the program and by partnering with the city of San Antonio. LaHood never formed such a partnership and, in fact, undermined city efforts to institute a cite-and-release program. But the San Antonio Police Department is responsible for the majority of arrests in Bexar County. A partnership is crucial for success. There are myriad potential benefits to a meaningful cite-and-release program. It can keep people accused of certain nonviolent crimes out of jail, allowing them to remain employed and with their families. It can reduce the jail population, and allow prosecutors and police officers to devote resources to violent crime. It also can change lives if cite-and-release participants are funneled into meaningful diversion programs. Gonzales will need to shape those programs. Gonzales is taking office at a time when bail reform is sweeping the nation, and Texas is not immune. Ongoing lawsuits over unfair bail practices in Harris and Dallas counties have already prompted reforms and there is discussion at the state level about assessing defendants based on risk to the community, not wealth. At present, we have a system that too often detains defendants who are too poor to make bond, even though a wealthy defendant charged with the same crime can post bond and be released. This has tremendous repercussions for the determination of guilt and innocence. If the choice is languishing in jail or pleading guilty to be released for time served, its obvious what many people often choose. Gonzales has said he sees the inherent injustice in this dynamic. His office can advocate for a greater use of personal recognizance bonds for those accused of nonviolent offenses. Gonzales ascent from defense attorney to the countys prosecutor is a compelling and unusual story. He was once a supporter of LaHood, but all that changed after LaHood threatened to shut down Gonzales law practice during a murder trial. The threat was made in District Judge Lori Valenzuelas chambers. In a way, LaHood got his wish. Gonzales trounced LaHood in the primary, and then defeated Republican Tylden Shaeffer in the general. Now hes shutting down his law firm to be Bexars next district attorney. Gonzales can immediately restore integrity to an office that languished during LaHoods tenure. But his true mark will be measured by the reforms he implements. This doesnt mean being soft on crime. But it means being thoughtful. The criminal justice system is shaped by inherent inequalities, and Gonzales is now in a position to address them. Re: By approving Alamo plan, council waved the white flag, by R. Michael Berrier, Another View, Monday: Mr. Berriers op-ed concerning the Alamo plan is right on target. My business takes me to all parts of town and among all types of people. Its hard to find anyone be they liberal, conservative, middle of the road, rich, poor and of any race who likes this plan. I still cant believe a City Council would approve a plan that would give away our plaza, which has been the center of San Antonio for nearly 150 years; close the residents of San Antonios access so we have to pass like a tourist to visit it; move the Cenotaph, which does not block the view of the Alamo; and (possibly) tear down historic buildings. With this much dislike and controversy, this plan needs to be put to a vote of those who live in San Antonio. Perry Donop Pilots forced out Re: U.S. military, airlines are battling for pilots, Business, Monday: This article was informative but lacking. It never mentions that this whole problem could be resolved with a stroke of the pen. The article explains that the military is short of pilots mostly because of airlines surge in retirements. What few people know, however, is that the government forces airline pilots to retire when they turn 65 years old. Most airline pilots retire only for that reason. Bruce Billig, Cibolo Live longer and pay Last month I turned 65. My Veterans Group Life Insurance premium went up $21. Should I make it to age 70, my insurance premium will go up more than $100. Is this or any other insurance company to blame for not thinking that I, along with millions of others, would not live this long? Or is this just politics? Rolando Acevedo There was a lot going on at Trump's first press conference after Democrats took back control of the House of Representatives in the midterms. Wednesday's press conference in the East Room on Wednesday saw a series of meandering answers that at times veered into outright confrontation with reporters, as when Trump yelled at CNN's Jim Acosta and called him a "rude, terrible person" and called an African-American reporter racist for asking him about white nationalism. MORE: Trump goes off on CNN's Jim Acosta for defying him at presser "That's such a racist question," he said three times. "During this press conference, the president seemed to be time and again attacking journalists of color," Acosta later observed on CNN. Click through the gallery above to read about more standout moments from the press conference A bizarre assortment of topics was addressed. Trump broke a long stretch of calling on solely male reporters by asking a female reporter if she was "together" with a neighboring male colleague and told another female reporter to sit down. WHAT'S NEXT: House Dems plan to launch immediate investigation of Trump Asked about allegations that he called Lil Jon "Uncle Tom" during filming of The Celebrity Apprentice, he denied knowing who Lil Jon was, even though there is a picture of the two of them together from when Lil Jon was on the show. "I don't know who Little Jon is," he said. It wasn't all negative. Trump also had some compliments for Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who appears poised to retake her former role as Speaker of the House. During her victory speech on Tuesday night, Pelosi said the Democrats would strive for bipartisanship when possible, drawing condemnation from some in her own party but warm comments from Trump. MADAM SPEAKER: Why Pelosi's victory speech angered many Democrats "She's fought long and hard," he said of Pelosi. "She's a very capable person." Multiple times throughout the press conference, Trump complained that he couldn't understand questions in three cases, observers pointed out, the questions were asked by reporters with accents, prompting Trump to respond, "I can't understand you." After one such exchange, the next reporter to ask a question riffed on it. "Mr. President, I'm from Brooklyn, so you'll understand me," he said. "I understand you very well," the president replied. Filipa Ioannou is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at fioannou@sfchronicle.com and follow her on Twitter FORTY-SEVEN people 45 adults and two children were killed, while 70 others were injured when two buses collided head-on at the 166-kilometre peg along the Harare-Mutare Highway yesterday evening. The accident involving Bolt Cutter and Smart Express buses occurred at around 5.30pm. National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the accident. By the time of going to press, Asst Comm Nyathi said police were still attending the accident scene and the number of deaths could rise. The accident occurred at Torish Farm, about 3km outside Rusape. The accident occurred at the 166km peg on the Harare-Mutare Road, just after the Rusape tollgate drifting towards Harare, said Asst Comm Nyathi. The accident involved a Bolt Cutter bus that was heading towards Mutare which collided with a Smart Express bus which was going to Harare. Police are still attending the accident scene. Makoni district administrator and chairman of the district Civil Protection Unit (CPU) Mr Darlington Museka said Rusape General Hospital mortuary was overwhelmed and they had engaged Nyaradzo Funeral Services for assistance. District medical officer Dr Tendai Nyafesu said the general hospital mortuary had capacity for 16 bodies, but can be stretched to accommodate 36. This is horrific, said Mr Museka, who was coordinating the transportation of the bodies and the injured to hospital. It is not something easy to accept and we are very saddened by this sad development in our district. I cannot say much as I am running around with this burden. When The Herald crew arrived at the scene, the road had been rendered impassable with bodies, the injured and their luggage strewn all over the place. Well-wishers helped ferry the injured to hospital. According to an eyewitness, the driver of the Smart Express bus was trying to overtake a haulage truck and encroached into the lane of the oncoming bus, resulting in the head-on collision. The driver and conductor of the Smart Express bus survived and are said to have fled the scene. Death toll likely to rise Rusape mortuary overwhelmed Police investigations underway Herald Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa has vowed to proceed with his partys anti-government demonstrations despite threats of a ruthless crackdown from President Emmerson Mnangagwas government. Chamisas party secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora, however, said the party has no appetite to remove Mnangagwa from power, but wants key national questions resolved. We do have plans to demonstrate and the aim is to force authorities to address key national questions, including governance, legitimacy and devolution. Like all other previous demonstrations we have held in the past, these will be peaceful and the party leadership will go out of its way to make sure of that and exercise restraint, Mwonzora said yesterday. It has never been our intention to depose anyone from power. MDC Alliance organising secretary Amos Chibaya said the date for the demonstration will be announced this week. The demonstrations will be this month. We have a right and the Constitution gives us that right, Chibaya said. On Tuesday, Home Affairs minister Cain Mathema claimed government was aware that the opposition was plotting to unseat Mnangagwa. The government is fully aware that some elements want to register their displeasure on the recently announced economic austerity measures and whip up public emotion to aid their selfish political expediency, Mathema said. He warned that government would use force to break up any illegal demonstrations. While Mwonzora claimed Chamisa has never agitated for Mnangagwas removal, the youthful MDC Alliance leader has in the past few weeks been telling his supporters to prepare for a showdown with government. We are planning to have the peoples vote respected. We won the election on the ground and it was stolen, but the economys performance is testimony to what happened. You must ride on top of those trucks bringing flour into the country. You must find ways to get to Harare when we give the signal, Chamisa told supporters in the border town of Beitbridge last weekend. The MDC Alliance denied it was planning an insurgency and instead accused the national broadcaster ZBC of spreading hate speech. As a matter of fact, the MDC is not and will not plan any insurgence, but will continue to encourage Zimbabweans to exercise the right to demonstrate peacefully in line with section 59 of the Constitution, the party statement said. Meanwhile, Chamisa will this weekend hold thank you rallies in Mashonaland East province. Basically, we are holding rallies to thank the people who voted for our president. We got victory against all the odds in as far as the presidential vote is concerned, party spokesperson Jacob Mafume said. We are thanking them and explaining the efforts that we are making to get back the vote. We are asking what they want us to do going forward after we have been to the courts and engaged the international community. What we are doing now is to seek a mandate for peaceful demonstrations. So far the people want us to claim our victory in the streets and in the next two weeks, we should be done with the consultations. NewsDay Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News The trial of former President Robert Mugabes son-in-law Simba Chikore, who is facing charges of unlawfully detaining former Zimbabwe Airways (Zim Airways) legal head Bertha Zakeyo, has been set for November 14. Chikore, who is being represented by Chris Venturas is being charged together with Simbarashe Mutimbe and the two appeared before magistrate Elisha Singano yesterday. The State represented by Linda Gadzikwa successfully asked the court to merge the two dockets. Venturas opposed to the application, saying the State should have filed a notice to allow him to prepare and respond properly. Singano ruled in favour of the State, saying Chikore and Mutimbe allegedly committed the same offence at the same time and the facts were also the same. Allegations are that on June 7 this year, Mutimbe, who was on duty while acting in connivance with Chikore, unlawfully deprived Zakeyo of her freedom of bodily movement by refusing her exit from Zim Airways premises after she had been fired from work. Chikore, who was Zim Airways consultant, allegedly clashed with Zakeyo after he accused her of selling company secrets and being disloyal to the fledging airline. Zakeyo said she was kidnapped for more than two hours to force her to sign her dismissal letter. NewsDay Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News Norton MP Temba Mliswa and political rabble-rouser William Gerald Mutumanje squared off on Twitter in a nasty spat on Wednesday. Mutumanje, who also calls himself Acie Lumumba, fired back at Mliswa after the MP suggested the social media star was not normal. The continued public and political infatuation with Acie Lumumbas theatrics is very disturbing for us as a people. It speaks to a defective society that we have become, Mliswa charged in a three-part post. The guy is not normal and I blame all those who are continually dealing and infatuated with him for the mess. I have always been on record questioning his sanity. Mliswa went on to reveal how he had rescued Mutumanje at the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg whilst he was looking for money to go back home. He was looking like a destitute at a marketplace, Mliswa charged. Mutumanje hit back, dragging Mliswas daughter in a highly-personalised attack. I have also assisted your daughter at my apartment whilst she was looking for rent money, she was looking like a destitute, Mutumanje said. Before you look after grown men, why not look after your children? Happy to name her for you if you want kuti mutaure naye (so that you talk to her), its the lawyer. Twar Acie Lumumba suggested he bedded Mliswas daughter in exchange for money Mutumanje has captivated the country with tales of corruption at the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and alleged state capture by fuel cartels. He was later secretly recorded admitting to have been paid to smear certain individuals. ZimLive Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News Sex workers plying their trade in the mining town of Zvishavane have now resorted to foreign currency and basic commodities as forms of payment for services rendered as a reaction to the crunching economic status prevailing in the country. The situation left sex workers with no option than to change their forms of payment to strictly US dollars and in some cases demanding basic commodities like cooking oil and bathing soap. The move benefits them the most as risks of making loses while charging in bonds are now minimal. Speaking to this publication, a number of sex workers said they have changed the methods of payment so as to adapt to the prevailing situation in the country. They came up with standard payments which are variant to the clients demand. We are now charging US dollars for our services and at times we are given basic commodities like cooking oil and soap, said one of the sex workers. As every one is witnessing high prices in shops, the sex workers say that it has not been a problem to their clients to adjust to the new forms of payment. Clients are still coming the way they did before this situation, there is no problem so far because everyone knows what is happening in country and things are tough for everyone, said the sex worker. With the current economic situation in Zimbabwe, life is getting tougher everyday as prices are changing day by day. But most men who spoke to this publication said they would rather resort to masturbation than to part with their hard earned cash buying foreign currency at black market in order to bed hookers. Zimbabweans have witnessed the skyrocketing of prices and disappearance of basic commodities since the monetary policy presentation by the Minister of Finance, Mtuli Ncube last month, in which he said the bond note and RTGS were not at par with the US$. TellZim Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News Photo: Contributed Small business opportunities and challenges will be on the agenda as the Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce hosts a federal cabinet minister. Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion, will speak at a breakfast event at 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 17 at Kal View room Okanagan College. We are thrilled that the Honourable Minister will take time out of her busy schedule to meet with local business leaders, said Diana Wilson, Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce president. We will be discussing export markets, trade agreements, small business red tape and any issues that business is having that can be addressed at the federal level. While the event is on a Saturday, we would encourage local business owners and entrepreneurs to take advantage of this opportunity to meet with Ng. Ng was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Markham-Thornhill, Ont. in April 2017 and was appointed Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion in July 2018. As a member of the Standing Committee of Industry, Science and Technology, Ng worked with committee colleagues on intellectual property best practices, which led to enhanced support for the growth of Canadian businesses domestically while protecting their ideas globally. Prior to being elected, Ng was director of appointments in the Prime Ministers Office and she also served in the presidents office at Ryerson University. Ng has been a speaker and panellist on topics ranging from business, innovation, women in leadership and Canada-China relations. Register by calling the chamber of commerce at 250-545-0771 or e-mailing [email protected] Contributed by Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce It never rains but pours for Obert Mpofu, the Zanu PF secretary for administration who is being frustrated by a group of former liberation war fighters who want him out. The former Home Affairs minister is topping the list of under-fire Zanu PF functionaries that have received a hostile reception at the party headquarters in Harare where they were deployed after being thrown out of President Emmerson Mnangagwas Cabinet in September. An affiliate of the ruling party, the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) has been at the forefront of pushing for Mpofus ouster, along with his former Cabinet colleagues who were given full time jobs at the partys head office. Mnangagwa assigned 11 top officials to work full time at the party headquarters, among them Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo, finance secretary Patrick Chinamasa, legal secretary Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana, foreign affairs secretary Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, youth league deputy chairperson Lewis Matutu, Chris Mushohwe and Mpofu. A section of ZNLWVA has been holding meetings in Harare, Bulawayo and Mazowe to ratchet up pressure on these party heavyweights to vacate their offices, alleging they were undermining Mnangagwa and that they were corrupt. Last month, the group petitioned Mnangagwa and party chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, alleging the entire commissariat department needed a complete overhaul after presiding over chaotic party primary polls in May this year and sabotaging the Zanu PF leader in the presidential poll. Mnangagwa narrowly won the July 30 poll to avoid a run-off, beating his closest rival Nelson Chamisa of the MDC Alliance. A few weeks after sending through their petition, the war veterans who were led by ZNLWVAs Mazowe district chairperson, Efanos Mudzimunyi, besieged the Zanu PF headquarters, baying for the officials blood. Mpofu dismissed the former liberation war fighters yesterday as nothing but renegades. Why do you listen to those war veterans? I have never met them anywhere; that is nonsense. I dont just meet people, and you should also know that my office was never besieged by anyone, he told the Daily News. War veterans are just an affiliate of Zanu PF. The little I know about some of them is that they were in the Rhodesian army. But yes, on Monday I met a group of war veterans and we had a very amicable meeting at the head office. The war veterans were very excited, they apologised for what they did, he added. Top ZNLWVA leaders were not keen on commenting on the latest development, with the associations secretary-general Victor Matemadanda referring questions to the associations spokesperson Douglas Mahiya, whose personal assistant repeatedly claimed he was in meetings. ZNLWVA chairperson Chris Mutsvangwa could only say; I am convalescing, meaning he is recovering from an illness. On Sunday, the disgruntled war veterans who had previously besieged the Zanu PF headquarters, held a meeting in Mazowe where they vowed to approach Mnangagwa once he returns from Guinea with a list of top party officials whom they claim are hell-bent on sabotaging his reign. Mnangagwa was in Guinea, at the invitation of President Alpha Conde. At the (Mazowe) meeting, we were saying that people like Mpofu should take a rest, said the spokesperson of the faction, Philemon Mutongi a ZNLWVA member from Mashonaland East Province. He said it was made clear to Mahiya, who attended the Mazowe meeting, that there was no going back on their quest to have the officials fired, and that ZNLWVA spokesperson should pass the message to the superiors. Those people who were named will not go to the (Zanu PF) conference; these are the people who are behind the price hikes, he added. He confirmed that there was another meeting held in Bulawayo, attended by four representatives from Mashonaland East, Harare, Mashonaland West and Matabeleland South. On Monday, these war veterans had another meeting in Harare Our position is simple, we just want those who should go to go, we want to give the new dispensation a chance, free of corrupt elements. The new president should have new people around him, said Mutongi. DailyNews Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News School uniform prices have gone up by as much as 440 percent, depriving most parents and guardians of the cheer normally associated with the forthcoming festive season. With the year drawing to an end, it is highly unlikely that families would have excess cash to spend on firecrackers and other luxuries that brighten the Christmas and New Year holidays. Every little resource is likely to go towards the payment of school fees and acquiring uniforms, whose prices are now beyond the reach of many. A survey by the Daily News showed that the majority of retail shops are pegging prices of school uniforms in United States dollars, which is the most stable currency. This means that prices for those buyers using the bond or Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) transfer would be at the ruling parallel market exchange rate, which fetches a huge premium. School blazers which used to cost around $50 at the beginning of the year now cost between $170 and $270 (bond notes or RTGS), according to the survey. Those with access to US dollars are paying between $60 and $90 for the same product. Girls uniforms which were going for about $25 are now priced at between $85 and $102 (bond notes or RTGS) or US$25 to US$30, for those with greenbacks depending on size. On the other hand, boys uniforms that were priced at $25 previously are now fetching around US$30, with the bond or RTGS price ranging from $70 to $85, also depending on size. While school shoes were nowhere to be found in most outlets, the popular Toughies brand, manufactured by Bata, was going for $110 (bond notes and RTGS) from $35 at the beginning of the year. Tied to this development are increases in the price of other learning materials such as stationery. There are also ongoing discussions in schools to increase fees for the coming term while also asking parents and guardians to top up fees for this third term. Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers (CZR) president Denford Mutashu told the Daily News that sourcing of foreign currency on the parallel market is triggering the price hikes because it attracts a huge premium. The challenge is unavailability of the uniform material in the country and manufacturers have to import, which requires foreign currency, said Mutashu. However, CZR calls for responsible pricing and for retailers not to overcharge despite them sourcing forex from parallel market, because consumers can also buy from outside of the borders, he added. DailyNews Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News Yves here. Apologies for being short on original posts, but the elections plus the Trump outrages du jour ate the news. Kerala: 96-year-old who cleared literacy exam wanted to learn computer, education minister gifts her one Indian Express (J-LS) First retirement home for showbiz beluga whales BBC Nothing Like a Fight Over Dinosaur Bones to Put Things in Perspective Law.com Worlds oldest figurative painting discovered in Borneo cave Guardian (Kevin W) Runaway train blazes through Western Australia for more than 50 miles MPR (chuck4) David Attenborough has betrayed the living world he loves George Monbiot Guardian (Dr. Kevin) Human drugs flowing into the animal kingdom Times Union (J-LS) Changing temperatures improves corn yield in U.S. for now ScienceBlog (Dr. Kevin) What You Have To Fear From Artificial Intelligence Current Affairs (UserFriendly) Girl Scouts sue Boy Scouts for trademark infringement MarketWatch (Chuck L). Help me. A trademark is a visual image (think of the Nike swoosh), and it has to be registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office. Use of an English language word as part of your brand is not a trademark. Scrutiny in Lion Air 737 crash turns to automated systems that command planes pitch Seattle Times (furzy) China? Japan med school to admit dozens of unfairly rejected women Fox (furzy) Sydneys final auction clearance rate crashes to decade low MacroBusiness Brexit Argentina: More Lending Guarantees Creeping Austerity Triple Crisis Syraqistan Pakistan in the middle of Saudi, Iran and rival pipeline plans Asia Times (J-LS) Big Brother is Watching You Watch Chinese gait recognition tech IDs people by how they walk Associated Press. Help me. Put a half inch lift in one shoe and you change your gait. Imperial Collapse Watch British Empire is still being whitewashed by the school curriculum historian on why this must change The Conversation (J-LS) Sessions Defenestration Election Aftermath Monumental Hypocrisy Current Affairs (UserFriendly) Fargo, ND Makes History: First US City To Implement Approval Voting Center for Election Science (UserFriendly) October was worst month for hedge funds in 7 years Financial Times What Wells Fargos $40.6 Billion in Stock Buybacks Could Have Meant for Its Employees and Customers Roosevelt Institute (UserFriendly) Wells Fargo Executives Knew How Screwed Up Their Car Insurance Program Was for Years: Lawsuit Jalopnik (Kevin W) Companies are holding off hosting holiday parties this year and it may be because of #MeToo concerns Business Insider Guillotine Watch Class Warfare. See how all the political news crowded out class warfare stories? Thats a feature, not a bug. Antidote du jour (John N): And a bonus: Have the self belief of this llama taking a taxi. pic.twitter.com/aVYHgTdJAg James Glynn (@jamesglynn) November 5, 2018 See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here. Trumps inability to let almost sleeping dogs lie has kicked off yet another political firestorm. As you almost certainly know, Jeff Sessions, long a Trump punching bag, resigned Wednesday at Trumps request. Trump skipped what would be the logical path of succession, that of elevating Rod Rosenstein to be acting Attorney General, and instead installed Matthew Whitaker, who had been Sessions chief of staff. The Wall Street Journal reports that Whitaker would oversee Robert Muellers investigation of Kremlin influence on the Trump campaign, unless Department of Justice ethics officials decide Whitaker needs to recuse himself. Whitaker has been a vocal critic of the Mueller investigation, arguing that it could be curtailed to prevent it from becoming a fishing expedition. More detail from the Journal: In August 2017, after FBI agents raided former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manaforts home, Mr. Whitaker tweeted: Do we want our Govt to intimidate us? and linked to a Fox News story that said the raid was designed to intimidate. The same month, he tweeted a Philly.com column titled Note to Trumps lawyer: Do not cooperate with Mueller lynch mob, and added: Worth a read. In July 2017, Mr. Whitaker played down the notion that there was anything improper in a meeting at Trump Tower between Trump campaign officials and Russian individuals. You would always take that meeting, Mr. Whitaker said on CNN. He also told the network that if Mr. Sessions were replaced with an acting attorney general, he could imagine a scenario in which that person reduced Mr. Muellers budget so low that his investigations grinds to almost a halt. Bloomberg argues that if Trump indeed fired Sessions out, Mueller could challenge the installation of Whitaker: But Mueller could argue in court that Trump effectively fired Sessions after months of verbal abuse, a legal concept known as a constructive discharge, said Renato Mariotti, a former federal prosecutor who is a frequent Trump critic. Under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, Trump can appoint an acting official without Senate confirmation if he replaces someone who has been incapacitated or resigned. It doesnt apply if the previous official was fired. Sessions began his resignation letter by saying he was leaving at Trumps request. The Journal stated that Trump chief of staff John Kelly asked Sessions for a resignation letter on Wednesday. Sessions submitted an undated document. That sure doesnt sound voluntary. However, Bloomberg also said that legal scholars said it would be hard to oust Whitaker from a post he would hold for only seven months.1 Were left again with the usual, What was Trump thinking? Hed pretty much won the RussiaRussia controversy. Democrats dropped that a while back as a talking point for the midterms, which were widely seen as a referendum on Trump. The wisdom of that decision was confirmed by this article, flagged by Lamber: Exit Polls: Majority Say Russia Probe Politically Motivated. Vox had pointed out last May that the Mueller findings could well be buried. Bob Woodward admitted hed looked for two years for evidence of a connection and had come up empty-handed. The Muller investigation has retreated from the public eye and some media outlets have been managing down expectations for it. But with the easily-provoked Trump, it repeatedly looked like Trump would give Mueller his win by engaging in obstruction of justice. Installing the pugnacious Whitaker as Muellers minder puts the probe back in the spotlight. It creates the impression that Trump sees it as a live threat. And the Democrats will use this high-handed move to provide further support for what they intended to do anyhow, which is to use their control of House committees to go full proctological on Trump. So the day after the election, and Trump gives the Democrats a new target to shoot at. November 2020 looks like an awfully long way away. _____ 1 Whitaker looks either to have poor judgment or not to mind being associated with scam artists, which might explain his willingness to be a part of Team Trump. From the Guardian (hat tip allan): On Friday, 9 November 2018, the NATO Deputy Secretary General, the Honourable Rose Gottemoeller will meet the UN SGSR for Afghanistan, H.E. Mr. Tadamichi Yamamoto. There will be no media opportunity. Still images will be available on the NATO website after the event. Follow the Deputy Secretary General on Twitter (@Gottemoeller). Also follow us at @NATOPress. (Natural News) Attention all Americans, we may have a national emergency on our hands. Hazardous materials teams around the country may all have to respond at once to carefully dispose of all the mercury thats currently being held at doctors offices, clinics, and pharmacies for the multi-dose flu shots (labeled as thimerosal), before it gets injected into one hundred million unsuspecting people, including children, babies, and pregnant women. If its not disposed of before everyone gets injected with it, how will the hazmat teams ever get it out of all those human bodies and protect the world from deadly exposure? December 2009: Entire flu shot clinic closed due to mercury spill People worried about catching the flu in West Warwick, Rhode Island, were much more concerned about mercury exposure when a thermometer broke at Greenbush School, where a vaccine clinic was being held. Apparently, nobody at the clinic had any idea that many influenza vaccines contain up to 25,000 parts per million (ppm) of mercury, and they were all about to get injected with it, when they were serendipitously saved by the same hazardous material when it hit the floor. Thanks to a hazardous materials team equipped with protective gear and masks, no humans or babies touched or breathed in the deadly mercury and nobody was injected with it either. Little do these same health department workers realize that mercury is much more deadly to humans when injected, rather than touched or inhaled, because it bypasses the skin and lungs, key filters the human body uses to filter toxins before they invade the blood, cleansing organs, heart and brain. February 2008: Mercury spill at Agua Fria High School in Arizona costs $800,000 to clean up and safely dispose Two students pocketed a couple bottles of methyl mercury from their science class so they could show their friends in the gym locker room how cool it looks when it balls up on the floor. Teachers figured it out later that day and immediately called 911. Police alerted a hazardous materials squad to come in, evacuate the entire school, and clean up the most toxic non-radioactive element on earth, while parents worried if their kids touched it or breathed in the deadly vapors. Why were the parents so terrified of mercury? Once mercury enters the body, it damages the central nervous system. Even more toxic than fluorine, at microscopic levels, mercury damages the heart, kidneys, the brain, the lungs, and yes, the immune system. Short term symptoms of mercury poisoning are very similar to symptoms of extreme allergic responses to vaccinations, including shortness of breath, chills, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, hypertension and severe headaches. Make no mistake: Thimerosal is 50 percent mercury, and there is NO amount that is safe to inject into humans, ever. The Environmental Protection Agency considers even just 1/25,000th of the amount of mercury found in influenza vaccines to be a major threat to humans and the environment when found in fish or water, and warns pregnant women. Still, health care workers evacuate entire buildings when mercury is spilled, but proudly volunteer to be injected with it in hopes of avoiding the flu, which becomes much more of a life-threatening sickness when the human immune system is severely compromised after injecting mercury. Go figure. Why mercury spills and thimerosal (mercury derivative) in vaccines are such a grave problem Mercury spills rank 3rd highest on a list of 400 hazardous substance spills. A mercury spill cleanup has to be very thorough. Even microscopic residual beads or droplets left behind can increase contamination, lead to long-term exposure, and then more cleanup costs. When mercury is spilled indoors, sometimes entire schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and prisons are shut down and relocated. The main sources of mercury spills are reported to come from gauges and meters, private residences, sanitation industries, health care facilities (think vaccines), and schools. According to the CDC website pink book that displays currently approved vaccines and their ingredients, deadly mercury is still in vaccines, even though the CDC swore up and down more than a decade ago that it was removed from all childhood vaccines. Why then does the CDC recommend injecting mercury into pregnant women and 6-month-young infants with the influenza vaccine? Since when does the term childhood exclude infants and even children about to come out of the womb? Heres the ingredients list straight from the CDC website for three popular influenza vaccines that contain thimerosal (50% mercury content): Influenza (Flulaval) Trivalent & Quadrivalent: ovalbumin, formaldehyde, sodium deoxycholate, ?-tocopheryl hydrogen succinate, polysorbate 80, thimerosal (multi-dose vials). Influenza (Fluvirin): ovalbumin, polymyxin, neomycin, betapropiolactone, nonylphenol ethoxylate, thimerosal. Influenza (Fluzone) Quadrivalent: formaldehyde, egg protein, octylphenol ethoxylate (Triton X-100), sodium phosphatebuffered isotonic sodium chloride solution, thimerosal (multi-dose vials), sucrose. The CDC lied to us repeatedly and still lies today. Never get injected with mercury, because no hazmat team in the world can simply clean you up. Theres a reason one in every 50 kids today are suffering from autism, and its not because of some inherited gene, as the medical doctors would have us all believe. Sources for this article include: AutismOne.org Vaccines.news NaturalNews.com Health.NY.Gov NaturalNews.com TruthWiki.org (Natural News) Now that Democrats have regained the majority in the House there are a lot of changes coming that are going to be great for their party but terrible for the GOP and POTUS Donald Trump as well as the health and well-being of our republic. Thats because they are planning on using their newfound power to punish the president and, to a lesser extent his party, for daring to win the White House by beating the most corrupt candidate ever to run for the nations highest elected office. Here are just a few of the most important things that Democrats ought to help Republicans in addressing but wont because doing so will distract them from their objective of taking down a duly elected president and his family: Smaller government: Lo and behold, some members of the party were actually criticizing the Trump administration and the then-GOP-controlled Congress for spending too much money. You read that right; Democrats concerned about deficit spending. To be sure, the debt under POTUS Trump is rising and fast; when national debt doubler Barack Obama left office it stood at about $20 trillion and today it is nearly $22 trillion. During the tax cut debate in the fall of 2017, then-Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi actually said, we are going to borrow [our] children and grandchildrens future in order to go deeply into debt to fund more tax breaks at the high end. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., who was just defeated by Missouris Republican Attorney General Josh Hawley, added that that the tax legislation was a debt-inducing, make-rich-people-richer tax bill. On the plus side, POTUS Trumps administration has been slashing red tape and government bureaucracy at a faster clip than any previous administration. And the president has promised to erase the massive deficit. But heres a prediction: Democrats wont do anything to try to curb spending or shrink government. Take on the tech giants: As we saw throughout 2018 and into the midterm elections, Big Tech giants Facebook, Google, Twitter, and YouTube worked overtime to ban, censor, or downrate conservative/pro-Trump content and voices. But the Big Tech giants are as Left-wing as the Democratic Party. In fact, workers at the tech giants overwhelmingly gave to Democratic candidates in this years midterms, continuing a trend that really began with Obama and Hillary Clinton. Prediction: House Democrats arent going to bite the hands that feed them. Prosecuting the Deep State: Without question, Obama politicized the intelligence community and the Justice Department and FBI during his tenure. Thats how we got Spygate, the most brazen plot to use the power of government to undermine and destroy a rival presidential campaign. But of course, if POTUS Trump hadnt won in 2016 if Hillary Clinton had become president instead we would have never known about this massive scandal that is still unfolding. Thats in part because many of the key players, including Obama, former Attorney General Loretta Lynch, fired FBI Director James Comey, fired FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, and a host of other bad actors all wanted Hillary to win. Thats why they refused to prosecute her for very obviously violating national security statutes by mishandling classified emails. Now that Democrats are going to control key committees, we can kiss goodbye the still-ongoing Spygate investigations within the House Intelligence, Judiciary, and Government Oversight committees because after all, Democrats are not going to investigate their own. Prediction: Democrats will kill off all remaining Spygate probes and instead turn their efforts against the president because, you know, revealing his tax returns is far more important to national security and the future of our country than prosecuting those who weaponized our governing institutions for political purposes. To find out why you should be voting for more Republicans, go to VoteRepublican.news. Sources include: Politico.com TheNationalSentinel.com TheHill.com (Natural News) Thousands of transgenders who drastically altered their physical attributes in an attempt to become the opposite sex are now having buyers remorse, according to one of the worlds top genital reconstructive surgeons. So-called sex change regret, says Dr. Miroslav Djordjevic, also a professor, is now reaching epic proportions, as many of those who were sold a bill of goods about becoming themselves are coming to the shocking realization that mutilating their sexual organs and dressing in the stereotypical garb of the opposite gender isnt the cure for their gender dysphoria. Speaking to Canadas National Post, Dr. Djordjevic explained how he typically performs some 100 gender reassignment surgeries every year. But hes now seeing many of these same patients coming back to him, begging to be changed back to what they were at birth only to come to the stark realization that its not that simple. Those wishing the reversal have spoken to [me] about crippling levels of depression following their transition, and in some cases even contemplated suicide, he says, noting that reversing back to ones birth sex is both expensive and painful. It can be a real disaster to hear these stories, he adds, explaining that many such stories go unnoticed because of the potentially politically incorrect nature of bringing them up in todays climate of total gender madness. For more related news, be sure to check out Gender.news. Bath Spa University in U.K. rejects all de-transitioning research, citing ethical concerns Keep in mind that Dr. Djordjevic is one of the few gender reassignment surgeons who isnt necessarily in it for the money or for political reasons. He says hes very selective in who he performs surgery on, requiring from each accepted patient an extensive psychiatric evaluation, at least one year of supervised therapy, at least two letters of recommendation from third parties, and a strict post-surgical schedule of follow-up appointments. Its not something he takes lightly, in other words. And this is reflected in his deep concern for the phenomenon hes now seeing of transgenders coming back to him asking for help to go back, wishing they had never fallen for the lie that physical mutilation is the answer to mental illness. Dr. Djordjevics deep concern for the fate of transgenders with buyers remorse inspired psychotherapist James Caspian to try to publish a paper on the subject of de-transitioning. But after submitting his paper to Bath Spa University in the U.K., the university rejected it, just like it has other politically incorrect science, citing ethical concerns. [After] submitting the more detailed proposal to Bath Spa, [Caspian] discovered he had been referred to the university ethics committee, which rejected it over fears of criticism that might be directed towards the university, reported the National Post, adding that Bath Spa was scared of the powerful transgender lobby and how it might respond to the paper. But Dr. Djordjevic is more concerned about those who are suffering as a result of trying to change their genders. Real people, he says, are being left in the cold without answers or solutions, and some of them are suffering from extreme psychological harm that could potentially lead them to try to take their own lives. Definitely reversal surgery and regret in transgender persons is one of the very hot topics, he told the media. Generally, we have to support all research in this field. Dr. Djordjevic is also concerned about the more unscrupulous element within his field that isnt even trying to determine whether or not people asking for gender reassignment surgeries truly know what theyre asking for, including the many long-term and irreversible consequences. I have heard stories of people visiting surgeries who only checked if they had the money to pay, says Dr. Djordjevic. We have to stop this. As a community, we have to make very strong rules: Nobody who wants to make this type of surgery or just make money can be allowed to do so. Sources for this article include: DailyWire.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Every year, nearly half the worlds population uses Google. According to Internet Live Stats, Google processes over 40,000 search queries every second. In that same second, internet users view over 76,000 YouTube videos, a streaming service designed by Google. Across the globe there are now over two billion active android devices, a mobile operating system designed by Google. Google uses these services to track users and collect information about them. Its now reality: Google has monopoly power over the flow of information. Google has control over the dissemination and manipulation of information around the world. Google algorithms can either suppress information or promote it. Because of this, Google Inc. is susceptible to political and ideological censorship, affecting billions of users who use Google services annually. With this power, Google interferes with elections, business, and peoples livelihoods. There are industries and political agendas that influence Google, industries that will do whatever it takes to shut down truthful speech and manipulate how people think. (Related: Former Google engineers warn the evil corporation must be stopped.) Google refuses to be held accountable to First Amendment standards Google is not a neutral platform, so search results are engineered to highlight the viewpoints that matter most to Google executives and their cult culture. Rich and influential people, emboldened by their special interests, practically lobby Google to push their agendas while suppressing any dissent or competition on the web. While some ideologies are popularized by Google, others are pushed to the shadows, de-monetized and mocked. Google is under fire for censoring conservative website PragerU. Very few organizations have the legal firepower to fight back against Google, but PragerU has taken Google to court. Googles true intentions are being exposed. In a statement filed with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Google argues that government regulation would have disastrous practical consequences. In their statement, Google makes it clear they do not want to be held to the standard of the First Amendment. Google refuses to change for its users; Google refuses to guarantee users an equal platform for freedom of speech. The anti-American behemoth refuses to enforce the First Amendment across their services because this would undermine important content regulation. Google stated, If they are bound by the same First Amendment rules that apply to the government, YouTube and other service providers would lose much of their ability to protect their users against offensive or objectionable content including pornography, hate speech, personal attacks, and terrorist propaganda. U.S. should appoint third-party judicial commission to review censorship cases Google should still remain in control over its own content regulation, but the United States should appoint a third party commission to review Googles actions when complaints of political, business, and ideological censorship are brought forth. With so much power over information and with mounting complaints of censorship coming against Google, it is imperative that a judicial review committee hold Google accountable when they are violating the free speech rights of people on the internet. According to their legal statement, Google still believes their company can discriminate on the basis of political viewpoints, because they cant be forced to change. What Google does not understand is that, with the proper legal oversight, their monopoly can be forced to operate more fairly, without engaging in anti-competitive practices that benefit their own agendas and the goals of their highly influential friends. People and organizations that are censored by Google deserve the right to bring forth their case and have their voice be heard. Google can be forced to respect peoples First Amendment rights and can be legally required to correct their algorithms when they are using their technology to abuse content creators, advertisers, and search engine users. The rule of law should be upheld. Sources include: InformationLiberation.com InternetLiveStats.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) While vaccine makers and the mainstream media continue to deny that vaccines can be harmful, the vaccine court in the United States is quietly awarding money to victims of vaccine injuries, and after a protracted legal battle, the Department of Health and Human Services has even admitted the chickenpox vaccine caused one boys paralysis. The United States Court of Federal Claims Vaccine Court heard the case of a 13-year-old boy known as RD whose life was changed irrevocably after a well-child visit at which his doctor said he needed the chickenpox (varicella) and hepatitis A vaccines. Although his mother insisted to doctors that the boy had already been given the chickenpox vaccine dose required, they gave him a second dose nevertheless. Roughly two weeks later, he started to note excruciating shooting pains around his body and tingling and numbness in his legs and arms. He described to the court the horror he felt when neck pain he initially brushed off as possible soreness from riding his bike gave way to the inability to move his arm. His parents rushed him to the hospital after he fell off the sofa, where he was intubated and placed in a trauma unit while spinal taps and MRIs were given to reach the diagnosis of acute transverse myelitis. In transverse myelitis, a persons immune system becomes overactive, attacking the spines protective myelin coating and invading and damaging it. It rendered him a tetraplegic, completely unable to move from the neck down. He was then subjected to a slew of treatments including IVIG, plasmapheresis, and even chemotherapy. He also had to undergo six months of inpatient rehabilitation in New York City. The varicella virus was found in his spinal fluid. Transverse myelitis, the condition the vaccine gave the boy, is something that vaccines have been linked to since the 1920s when cases of the once-rare disease started to rise following the administration of smallpox and rabies vaccines. In fact, doctors who treat patients with this illness routinely ask if theyve had vaccination recently. It has been linked not only to the chickenpox vaccine but also MMR, TDAP, and hepatitis B. In RDs case, it was that second chickenpox vaccine dose that was determined to be the cause of his injuries and it was something it turned out he wasnt even required to get in the first place. All parents considering vaccines for their children need to be informed Although RD was awarded financial compensation for the pain and suffering he has experienced, the fact remains that a healthy 13-year-old boy is now unable to use any of his limbs simply because he got a vaccine. He told the vaccine court that he has been robbed of his chance at a normal life and misses his independence. His extended family has vowed never to allow anyone they love to get another vaccine, which they characterize as being like playing Russian roulette. It took five years of litigation before the Department of Health and Human Services, who is the respondent in vaccine injury cases of this type, admitted that the boys tetraplegic condition was caused by the vaccine. The boys mom has some advice for families who are struggling to decide whether or not they should get their children vaccinated. She suggests they go to a spinal cord injury center, where theyre likely to find quite a few people whose lives have been ruined by vaccines. She said that the physical therapists in these places wear masks because they refuse to get the flu vaccine after spending their days seeing the problems it can cause. At the very least, RD and his family want to spread the word that people should research the side effects of vaccines and ask to be tested first for antibodies in cases where a vaccine is being forced or mandated. Sadly, just a small fraction of adverse vaccine reactions are reported, and parents often dont know that they can file vaccine injury claims. This has led many people to falsely believe vaccines must be safe. The very fact that we need federal programs in place to compensate victims of vaccines should be enough to help you make the right decision for your family. See more true stories of vaccine damage at VaccineDeaths.com. Sources for this article include: NaturalHealth365.com NaturalBlaze.com Photo: pixabay Two men appeared in Penticton court Wednesday on charges of smuggling tobacco into Canada at the Osoyoos border crossing. Neil Shackelly and Dion Aljam are both charged with seven counts under the Customs and Excise Acts for a pair of incidents December 2017 and February 2018. The Canadian Border and Services Agency is alleging the two men attempted to smuggle unstamped tobacco into Canada, made false statements to border guards and avoided paying duties. The CBSA could not comment Wednesday on the amount of tobacco seized, but its is unusual for the agency to pursue prosecutions for reasonable quantities of tobacco seized at the border. Even more unusual, is the nine month delay from when the incidents are alleged to have occurred to when charges were sworn Oct. 11. The CBSA may release more details on the seizure later this week. The matter is back in court Nov. 28. The election of five American Muslims to local office in the Bay Area on Tuesday is a sign voters are ready for diverse leadership despite troubling increases in hate crimes nationwide, according to the Council on American Islamic Relations. Before Tuesday, only one elected official among hundreds of representatives on the region's local councils, panels and boards was Muslim, Bay Area representatives of CAIR said today. "These victories come in the face of CAIR's recent report revealing a 17 percent increase in bias-motivated incidents and a 15 percent increase in hate crimes against American Muslims since Trump took office," said Zahra Billoo, Bay Area executive director of CAIR. Nationwide, 55 American Muslim candidates won election to offices, 11 of them in California, according to CAIR. The American Muslim candidates elected Tuesday to Bay Area offices won seats on a variety of local panels. Sabina Zafar, a technology executive, was elected to the San Ramon City Council. Business information technology consultant Aisha Wahab won one of two seats open on the Hayward City Council. Maimona Afzal Berta, a special education teacher, ran successfully for the election to the Franklin-McKinley School Board. Cheryl Suddeth, a molecular biologist, won election to the West County Wastewater District Board. Attorney Javed Ellahie was elected to one of three open seats on the Monte Sereno City Council, in Santa Clara County. That election, however, is subject to an automatic recount. Before Tuesday, there was only one elected local elected American Muslim representative on a Bay Area board -- Aziz Akbari of the Alameda County Water District board of the directors. Actress Tamera Mowry-Housley and her husband, former Fox News correspondent Adam Housley, confirmed Thursday that their niece, Alaina Housley, was one of 12 victims killed in the Southern California mass shooting at Borderline Bar & Grill. "Alaina was an incredible young woman with so much life ahead of her and we are devastated that her life was cut short in this manner. We thank everyone for your prayers and ask for privacy at this time," the couple said in a joint statement to NBC. The Los Angeles Times reported Adam Housley arrived at Los Robles Medical Center, the nearest hospital from the bar, around 3:30 a.m. PT searching for information on his niece but was not allowed through. He told the Times her Apple Watch and iPhone still showed her location inside the Thousand Oaks bar. Hours later, Adam Housley tweeted out a statement from Alaina's parents, Arik and Hannah. They said she was "everything we could hope for in a child: kind, smart, beautiful and respectful." "We want to honor Alaina by focusing on how she lived her life," they said in the statement. "She would have enjoyed the public debate that is certain to happen after this tragedy. But she would have insisted that it be respectful with an eye toward solving these senseless shootings." Mowry-Housley, a co-host on the daytime talk show The Real, and Housley had taken to social media overnight frantically searching for information. Mowry-Housley had responded to a tweet from a college student who was looking for her suitemate. The student, Ashley, posted photos of Alaina and described what the 18-year-old Pepperdine University freshman was wearing when she was last seen at the country music event at Borderline Bar & Grill. Ashley this is her aunt Tamera Mowry-Housley. Can you please DM me your information? she replied to the post. Ashely this is her aunt Tamera Mowry Housley. Can you please DM me your information? Tamera Mowry-Housley (@TameraMowryTwo) November 8, 2018 The suitemate responded that she had been in touch with Mowry-Housleys husband and that Alaina was the only friend missing from their group of girls who went line dancing Wednesday night. Adam Housley wrote on Twitter that he was "staying positive and praying and hoping and wishing there was more I could do." The Sister, Sister star posted an update at about 9 a.m. ET that Alaina had not yet been located. Its been 7 hrs, she added. By Thursday afternoon, the couple confirmed they had "just learned that our niece Alaina was one of the victims of last nights shooting at Borderline bar in Thousand Oaks." "Our hearts are broken," they said. We havent found her yet. Its been 7 hrs since the shooting. Tamera Mowry-Housley (@TameraMowryTwo) November 8, 2018 Pepperdine University released a statement saying the college was "devastated" to report the loss of one of its students. "Our hearts are broken with the news of this profound loss. We offer our deepest condolences to the Housley family and ask that our community join us in keeping Alainas family, friends, and loved ones in their prayers during this incredibly difficult time," the university tweeted. Alaina Housley graduated in June from Vintage High School in Napa and turned 18 a month later. According to social media posts, by August, the college freshman had moved into the dorms at Pepperdine University in Malibu. Twelve people, including a Ventura Country sheriff's deputy, were shot and killed late Wednesday at the bar. The attacker, identified as a decorated 28-year-old Marine Corps veteran from the area, was found dead in an office at the bar after shooting himself, investigators said. [NATL-LA] Borderline Bar Shooting: College Night Party Turns to Terror in Thousand Oaks Borderline is a popular hangout for students from local colleges, including Pepperdine University, Moorpark and Cal State Channel Islands. Pepperdine confirmed in a tweet that multiple students were at the bar Wednesday night and the university is working to identify and provide support to those students. Ventura County set up a family reunification center down the highway from the Borderline, which the sheriff's department says is staffed with chaplains and Red Cross workers. Outside the center, Thousand Oaks City Councilman Rob McCoy and senior minister at GodSpeak Calvary Chapel, told reporters that families still waiting for information on those who are unaccounted are "just hoping against all odds." "The longer they wait it appears to be inevitable to many of them and you just hug them," he said. Jason Coffman speaks to the media after finding out his son Cody Coffman was among those shot and killed inside the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, California. This is so hard, he said tearfully. Earlier, Mowry-Housleys identical twin sister, Tia Mowry, also took to social media to express shock over the news and pleaded for information about Alainas whereabouts. "Alaina Housely we are praying. We love u! If you know anything or any information please let us know. We love you! #borderline," Mowry wrote on her Instagram page. An emergency hotline is available at 805-465-6650 for family and friends looking for information. CORRECTION (Nov. 8, 2018, 4 pm. ET): The headline on an earlier version of this story misspelled Tamera Mowrys last name. Photo: The Canadian Press Aerial view of Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain marine terminal, in Burnaby. The National Energy Board will hear oral traditional evidence from Indigenous groups in the coming weeks as part of its new review of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. The Federal Court of Appeal struck down the federal government's approval of the project in August, citing inadequate Indigenous consultation and the energy board's failure to review the project's impacts on the marine environment. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government ordered the energy board to review the marine impacts and submit a report no later than Feb. 22, and on Wednesday the board unveiled its schedule for oral traditional evidence. Thirty-one Indigenous groups or individuals from Canada and the U.S. are scheduled to participate and the hearings will be held in Calgary, Victoria and Nanaimo. Some First Nations that won the court battle in August, including B.C.'s Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish Nations, say the new process is too rushed and they're considering filing fresh court challenges. The energy board responds to concerns about the timeline in documents released Wednesday, saying there's already significant evidence on the record and legislation requires it to conduct proceedings within the time limit set by the federal government. The board includes oral traditional evidence because it "understands that Indigenous peoples have an oral tradition for sharing knowledge from generation to generation," it says in the documents. "This information cannot always be shared adequately or appropriately in writing," it says. The traditional evidence previously provided in the first Trans Mountain review remains on the record, it says, and board members will read transcripts prior to the new hearings. The board adds that Indigenous interveners should file any scientific evidence or expert reports as written evidence. Those scheduled to participate include the Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh, the pro-pipeline Cheam First Nation, a coalition of U.S. tribes and B.C. Green party member of the legislature Adam Olsen, who is Indigenous. For the past few years, the smartphone industry has been searching for a breakthrough to revive a market mired in an innovation lull and a sales slump. A potential catalyst is on the horizon in the form of flexible screens that can be folded in half without breaking. Samsung and several rivals are preparing to roll out such screens to make devices more versatile for work and pleasure. The foldable screens could increase display space to the size of a mini-tablet, but fold like a wallet so they revert to the size of regular phones. In an indication of how difficult it is to make a flexible screen that's also durable, Samsung first announced its plans to build a folding-screen phone five years ago. It wasn't until Wednesday, though, that Samsung finally provided a glimpse at what it's been working on. "We have been living in a world where the size of a screen could only be as large as the device itself," said Justin Denison, Samsung's senior vice president of mobile product marketing. "We have just entered a new dimension." Except for a fleeting look at a device he held in a hand, Denison provided scant information about the phone. Samsung says it will be ready to hit the market at some point next year. Smartphone makers are looking for something to excite consumers as they replace phones less often because new models are pricey and aren't that much different from their predecessors beyond slightly better cameras and batteries. That's the main reason worldwide smartphone sales have fallen from the previous year for four consecutive quarters, according to IDC. Add it all up, and smartphone sales declined by 4 percent during 12 months ending in September. Samsung, the world's leading seller of smartphones, suffered a 7 percent decline in shipments during that period, based on IDC's calculations. But it's not clear whether flexible-screen phones will have mass appeal, especially when the bendy devices are expected to cost more than $1,000. Royole Corp., a small Silicon Valley company, is hoping to sell early versions of its FlexPai foldable-screen phone for $1,300 to $1,500 once it comes to the U.S. something that won't happen until next year, at the earliest. For now, it will be available in China starting next month, at a price equivalent to about $1,300. Other foldable-screen phones running on Google's Android software are expected to be available, too. Huawei confirmed last month that it is working on a phone with a flexible screen. LG Electronics is widely expected to unveil one at the CES gadget show in Las Vegas in January. LG didn't respond to a request for comment. "Everyone has been thinking about the same question: 'What's next? Is there nothing more from a smartphone?'" said Bill Liu, CEO of Royole Corp. While the idea of a device being able to bend into different shapes may sound good, IDC analyst Ramon Llamas is skeptical about how practical and durable they will be. One of the biggest questions is whether the quality of the screens will degrade as they get repeatedly folded. "Are people really going to want to watch a Netflix show on these devices if there is a crease down the middle of it?" Llamas said. Royole's FlexPai can be bent more than 200,000 times without deteriorating, according to Liu. Tesla late Wednesday announced that Robyn Denholm would take over as the chair of the company's board, effective immediately. Denholm presently serves as the CFO and Head of Strategy at Australia's largest telecommunications company, Telstra, according to a news release. She will replace the company's CEO, Elon Musk. I believe in this company, I believe in its mission and I look forward to helping Elon and the Tesla team achieve sustainable profitability and drive long-term shareholder value, Denholm said in a statement. Musk gave up the chairman's role earlier this year under a settlement with the Securites and Exchange Commisison, but remains CEO of the company. Tesla said Denholm will temporarily step down as the chair of Tesla's audit committee as well, until she exits Telstra. She has been on the company's board as an independent director since 2014, Tesla said. "Robyn has extensive experience in both the tech and auto industries, and she has made significant contributions as a Tesla Board member over the past four years in helping us become a profitable company," Musk said in a statement. "I look forward to working even more closely with Robyn as we continue accelerating the advent of sustainable energy." Besides a new chair, Tesla was also ordered to appoint two new, independent members to its board. The settlement stemmed from a lawsuit the SEC filed charging Musk with misleading investors in August with a tweet that said he had "funding secured" for taking the company private. The Associated Press contributed to this report. What to Know Former New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman will not face charges over assault allegations against him, the Nassau County DA said Schneiderman was violent with four women he was romantically involved with, the women told The New Yorker Schneiderman resigned shortly after The New Yorker's story was published Former New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman will not face charges over allegations of assault, the Nassau County District Attorney's office said. In May, Schneiderman resigned from his post after four women with whom he'd been romantically involved accused him of physical violence in a story published by The New Yorker. Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas on Thursday said the women's accusations were credible, but maintained legal obstacles had kept the attorney's office from filing charges against Schneiderman after a six-month investigation. "I believe the women who shared their experiences with our investigation team," Singas said in a statement. "However, legal impediments, including statutes of limitations, preclude criminal prosecution." Schneiderman resigned several hours after the New Yorker story was published, saying that "while these allegations are unrelated to my professional conduct or the operations of the office, they will effectively prevent me from leading the office's work at this critical time." The probe found no misconduct by Schneiderman's staff in the attorney general's office, Singas said. Schneiderman said he didn't consider the decision an exoneration. "I recognize that District Attorney Singas' decision not to prosecute does not mean I have done nothing wrong," he said through a publicist. "I accept full responsibility for my conduct in my relationships with my accusers, and for the impact it had on them. "After spending time in a rehab facility, I am committed to a lifelong path of recovery and making amends to those I have harmed. I apologize for any and all pain that I have caused, and I apologize to the people of the State of New York for disappointing them after they put their trust in me." Schneiderman, a Democrat, resigned from office in May hours after The New Yorker published an expose saying that four women had accused him of slapping or choking them. Some of the women said Schneiderman was a heavy drinker. Schneiderman at the time didn't deny the allegations, but implied in a statement that his conduct was either welcomed or was not as the women described. His accusers included Michelle Manning Barish, a Democratic activist and writer, who was romantically involved with Schneiderman from mid-2013 through the end of 2014. She tweeted Thursday that she wanted an admission of wrongdoing, an apology and for Schneiderman to donate millions of dollars left in his campaign coffers to women's shelters and domestic abuse programs in the state, "or I will fight." Schneiderman's campaign fund had about $7.4 million as of July, according to a campaign finance report filed with the state. He had even more money stockpiled, but his campaign refunded about $1 million in donations in the two months after he quit. Gov. Andrew Cuomo appointed Singas as a special prosecutor, bypassing Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. because of a potential conflict of interest. At the time, the attorney general's office was investigating how Vance's office had handled a sexual misconduct allegation against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein. The Glock 21 .45-caliber handgun that a Marine Corps veteran used to kill at least 12 people, including a sheriff's sergeant, in a bar in Thousand Oaks, California, was bought legally, the Ventura County sheriff said Thursday. But a comprehensive ban on the large-capacity magazine with which it was equipped is being blocked by a federal lawsuit brought by the state affiliate of the National Rifle Association. The California State Sheriff's Association and other law enforcement groups are supporting the NRA lawsuit and none had comment after the sergeant was killed. To be sure, it appears that the gunman would have been unable to have legally obtained a large-capacity magazine in California regardless of the court fight. He would have been a child when California first prohibited magazines larger than 10 rounds in 2000 and grandfathered in ones people already owned. But Thursday's shooting drew attention to the legal battle. After the San Bernardino shooting, voters approved extending the ban to all magazines, with the new law to go into effect in July 2017. But that the lawsuit brought by the California Rifle and Pistol Association halted its implementation. The veteran, identified as 28-year-old Ian David Long, shot his way into the western-themed Borderline Bar & Grill and killed at least 12, including Ventura County Sheriff Sgt. Ron Helus. Helus, a 29-year veteran of the department and a member of its SWAT team, was one of the first officers to rush into the bar filled with college students. He exchanged gunfire but was struck multiple times and later died at the hospital. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said that the Glock 21 .45-caliber handgun was designed to hold 10 rounds and one in the chamber. The weapon did have an extended magazine on it, Dean said. We do not know at this time how many rounds were actually in the weapon or how many rounds the magazine could actually hold because it's still being processed as part of the evidence. It is believed that Long shot and killed himself, the sheriff said. Supporting the California Rifle and Pistol Associations lawsuit blocking the ban on larger magazines are the California State Sheriffs Association, the Western States Sheriffs Association, the California Reserve Peace Officers Association and other law enforcement groups. The California sheriffs association and the reserve peace officers association did not respond to request for comment about their participation. Jim Pond, the executive director of the Western States Sheriffs Association, when asked if he had a comment in light of Helus death, said, I dont at this time because Im really unaware of the events surrounding that one. So until I get some more information we wont have any information at this point. In a brief that the groups submitted, they argued that a ban on the grandfathered magazines would not increase public safety because it would affect only law-abiding gun owners and that magazines holding more than 10 rounds are not large-capacity but are standard-issue on commonly owned pistols and rifles. California is one of nine states and the District of Columbia that have enacted a ban on large-capacity magazines. In California, it is generally illegal to buy, make, sell, give, lend or import a magazine able to accept more than 10 rounds, according to the office of California Attorney General Xavier Becerra. After voters approved extending the prohibition, owners who had been grandfathered in would have had to destroy the magazines, send them out of state, sell them to a federally licensed firearms dealer or turn them in to police. Theres just a lot of data that shows that large-capacity magazines are particularly attractive to mass shooters and to individuals committing crimes against law enforcement, Ari Freilich, staff attorney for the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, told the Sacramento Bee last year. They do not have legitimate self-defense value. An extended magazine could have given the Thousands Oaks gunman 30 shots, perhaps even more if he reloaded, former New York Police Department Commissioner Bill Bratton, an MSNBC contributor, told NBC News. The Sacramento Bee reported that it was unclear how many larger-capacity magazines remained. Implementation of the extended ban was halted by a federal judge until a final ruling in the lawsuit was issued. Former Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who created the Giffords Law Center after she was shot and six others were killed, said in a statement Thursday that she was heartbroken and angry. Voters made clear Tuesday night that the days of the NRA blocking action to strengthen our gun laws are over, she said. Now is the time to come together and pass legislation that will start putting our country back on the right track. Legislation that will prevent guns from landing in the wrong hands. Legislation that will save lives. The Gun Violence Archive, an independent research and data collection organization established in 2012, called the Thousands Oaks shooting the 307th mass shooting of 2018. The group defines a mass shooting as one in which four or more people are shot or killed, not including the shooter. Do we really want to raise our children in a country where mass shootings are a weekly occurrence? Giffords asked. A country where every single day in America, more than 90 people are killed with guns? This level of gun violence doesnt happen in any other high-income country. The campaign is over, but the results will have to wait in Maine's 2nd Congressional District. Republican incumbent Bruce Poliquin is in a virtual tie with Democrat Jared Golden. No matter who wins, the race will make history. It will be the first time a U.S. Congressional race will be decided by ranked choice voting. "If we need to, we will start to send out the couriers tomorrow morning," said Secretary of State Matt Dunlap. All of the ME-2 ballots would have to be collected by the courier service and brought to a central location for instant run-off tabulations. Under this new system, voters were able to rank their choices in this four-way race for the House of Representatives. Because no candidate achieved 50 percent, ranked choice voting kicks in. Ballots for last place finisher, Independent Will Hoar, will be removed. The second choices on Hoar's ballots will be counted instead. If no candidate achieves 50 percent in that first round, a second round would remove the ballots going to third place finisher, Independent Tiffany Bond. The second choice candidate on Bond's ballots would be counted, giving either Poliquin or Golden a majority. "It's going to be interesting, to say the least," said Don Hebert, a voter in Lewiston who supported Golden. He was surprised to learn it could take a week before final results are tabulated. "I'm going to be glad that it's after." Maine became the first state to approve Ranked Choice Voting in 2016. Supporters hoped it would eliminate spoiler candidates and elect people who appealed to the majority. Neither the Golden nor Poliquin campaign released a statement about the state of the race Wednesday. With more than 80 precincts reporting, the difference between the two candidates is a few hundred votes. "I'm not surprised that it's that close," said John Stass, a Lewiston voter who supported Poliquin. "I think [Poliquin] would have done measurably better if he would have been more clear on support for Trump policies." President Donald Trump won Maine's 2nd Congressional District in 2016. Poliquin is the only Republican Congressman in the New England delegation. Republican Brian Kemp resigned Thursday as Georgia's secretary of state, a day after his campaign said he had captured enough votes to become governor. His Democratic rival, Stacey Abrams, refused to concede and her campaign demanded that state officials "count every single vote." As the state's top election official, Kemp oversaw the race, a marquee contest in the nation's midterms. His resignation Thursday morning came as a hearing began for a lawsuit in which five voters asked that he be barred from exercising his duties in any future management of his own election tally. Abrams' campaign had repeatedly accused Kemp of improperly using his post as secretary of state and had been calling for him to step down for months, saying his continuation in the job was a conflict of interest. Kemp made clear that he wasn't stepping down in response to that criticism, but to start on his transition to the governor's office. His resignation took effect just before noon Thursday. He said an interim secretary of state had been appointed to oversee the rest of the vote count. The Associated Press has not called the election. Shortly after Kemp's announcement, Abrams' campaign and its legal team held a news conference to announce that they would not give up the fight to have all ballots counted. They insisted enough votes remained uncounted to affect the outcome of the election. "This is all public information, ladies and gentlemen, public information," said campaign manager Lauren Groh-Wargo. "We demand that Secretary of State Kemp, his campaign ... they need to release all the data, all the numbers, and they need to count every single vote." The lawyers said they planned to file a lawsuit Thursday against officials in Dougherty County, where they said absentee ballots were delayed because of Hurricane Michael, which devastated parts of south Georgia. They also said they ask the court to ensure those votes are counted, and to require that elections officials preserve all potential evidence about the vote count. "How can anybody claim a victory when there are enough votes that have not been counted that could cause a runoff here?" Attorney John Chandler asked. "We will litigate until we have determined that every person's vote has been counted." Previously, Abrams had pointed to ballots that had yet to be counted in metro Atlanta counties where she won a large share of the vote. Her campaign has said she must pick up about 15,000 votes to secure a runoff in December. Kemp said Abrams is using "old math." Without providing specifics, he said in a WSB Radio interview that the number "is actually more like 30,000 votes." At a news conference with Republican Gov. Nathan Deal late Thursday morning, Kemp declared that there are only about 20,000 provisional ballots that have not yet been counted in the race. He did not offer any details, but in response to a question said he would ask about releasing county-by-county results. Of Abrams, he said, "Even if she got 100 percent of those votes, we still win." In fact, Kemp's office did release to the AP a county-level breakdown about the same time he started speaking in Deal's office Thursday. The office had not immediately shared that requested information the day before, however, even as Kemp's campaign cited the statewide estimate as his justification for declaring victory. The standoff continued to attract attention around the country, with the head of the Democratic National Committee applauding Abrams for pressing on and blasting Kemp as untrustworthy. "It is grossly unfair to any fox in America to compare Brian Kemp with a fox guarding the hen house. It is much worse in Georgia," DNC Chairman Tom Perez said in Washington. "I don't think that race is over. Every vote must be counted, and the integrity of that election is at stake." Late Wednesday afternoon after a day of the campaigns, news outlets and partisan observers scrambling for information about outstanding votes across Georgia's 159 counties Kemp aide Ryan Mahoney told reporters on a conference call, "We are declaring victory." Campaign official Austin Chambers added: "The message here is pretty simple: This election is over, and the results are clear." If a runoff is necessary, it will take place Dec. 4, extending Abrams' bid to become the first black woman elected governor in American history, while Kemp looks to maintain the GOP's domination in a state where Democrats haven't won a governor's race since 1998. Partisan observers nationally have watched intently for clues about just how much of a battleground Georgia can be in the 2020 presidential campaign. With reported votes exceeding 3.9 million almost 95 percent of Georgia's 2016 presidential turnout Kemp has just more than 50 percent. In 2016, with a slightly larger electorate, there were 16,739 provisional ballots. Of those, 7,592 were counted. State and campaign officials said they expected a much higher proportion to be counted this year. The lawsuit at issue Thursday morning in an Atlanta federal court came from voters who sued Kemp on Election Day alleging that his presiding over an election in which he is a candidate "violates a basic notion of fairness." The plaintiffs asked the court to block Kemp from having anything more to do with managing his election. The hearing ended shortly after it began with the announcement of Kemp's resignation. It's not immediately clear what Kemp's practical role was in the election tally. Local officials are responsible for counting the votes, including provisional ballots. County officials have until next Tuesday to certify their results and send them to Kemp's office. Statewide certification must come by Nov. 20. Democrat Stacey Abrams and Republican Brian Kemp are in a tense standoff as the fate of the Georgia governor's race remains unresolved, leaving the potential of litigation and a December runoff. Kemp's campaign declared victory in the race late Wednesday, with a spokesperson saying that the numbers show Abrams can't win and a runoff won't happen. But Abrams has yet to concede, maintaining that there are still enough votes yet to be counted to force the race into a runoff. Abrams' team is renewing its concerns that Kemp, the current secretary of state, remains the chief elections officer supervising his own election, a race already marked by disputes over the voting process. With reported votes approaching 3.8 million almost 95 percent of Georgia's 2016 presidential turnout Kemp has just more than 50 percent, but Abrams and her campaign insist there are enough uncounted ballots particularly absentee and mail-in ballots in heavily Democratic metro Atlanta counties where constituents had trouble voting to bring the Republican below the majority threshold required for victory. NBC News said the race remained too close to call Wednesday morning. "We are leaving all of our options on the table," including litigation, Abrams' campaign manager Lauren Groh-Wargo told reporters Wednesday. "We feel we owe a fight ... to every Georgia voter," she said, adding that the Abrams campaign and Georgia Democratic Party are engaged "in all 159 counties" as counting continues. Groh-Wargo estimated Wednesday morning that about 15,000 votes separate Kemp from a runoff. She says at least that many outstanding absentee and mail-in ballots remained to be counted. Kemp's spokeswoman in the secretary of state's office, Candice Broce, said that by Wednesday afternoon the number of uncounted absentee and mail-in ballots was less than 2,000 with her boss still above the 50 percent threshold. Broce said about 22,000 provisional ballots have yet to be processed, according to a canvass of county officials across the state. If a runoff is necessary, the second round would take place Dec. 4, extending one of the marquee races of the November midterms as Abrams tries to become the first black woman elected governor in American history while Kemp looks to maintain the GOP's domination in a state evolving into a genuine two-party battleground. Either way, Georgians are sure to see a new round of bitter recriminations over ballot access and voting rights that could leave some voters questioning the outcome of a contest both nominees have described as a "battle for the soul of our state." "This is why we had a steady drumbeat for him to resign," Groh-Wargo said Wednesday, noting Abrams' and others' warnings about the potential for chaos in a tight election. "Here we are," she said. Kemp told his supporters early Wednesday that "there are votes left to count, but we have a very strong lead. ... The math is on our side to win this election." His cushion for an outright majority later shrank after more ballots had been counted. So far, turnout exceeds the 2014 governor's race by about 1.3 million votes. Kemp's office, meanwhile, deflected the criticisms. Broce noted local elections authorities manage the voting process and ballot tabulation. "Counties have not completed certification and we are still waiting for counties to provide their tabulations leading up to that certification," she said. A nonprofit group, Protect Democracy, filed a lawsuit Tuesday seeking to keep Kemp from being involved in counting votes, certifying results or any runoff or recount. Broce called it a "twelfth-hour stunt." State law gives counties until next Tuesday to complete vote counts and certify results to state elections officials. The statewide certification must follow by Nov. 20. The indefinite extension in Georgia focuses a white-hot spotlight on a race that already has drawn massive investments of time, money and star power from President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama to media icon Oprah Winfrey. The tight returns and potential runoff come after weeks of wrangling over Georgia's election system and Kemp's performance as its chief executive. Kemp has steadfastly defended his job performance and refused calls to step aside. Abrams has called Kemp "an architect of suppression," and voting rights activists expressed concerns throughout Tuesday amid reports of technical malfunctions and long lines at polling stations across the state. The elections chief wasn't immune to the difficulties: When Kemp went to cast his own ballot, he had an issue with his voter card, but it was fixed quickly. Abrams, a 44-year-old Atlanta attorney, former state minority leader and moonlighting romance novelist, already has made history as the first black woman to be nominated for governor by either major party. She'd also be the first woman or nonwhite governor in Georgia history. Kemp, a 54-year-old businessman and two-term secretary of state, is vying to maintain the GOP's hold in a state where Republicans have won every governor's race since 2002, though by shrinking margins amid a growing and diversifying electorate. In the closing days, Kemp basked in Trump's glow, pulling out of a debate to attend a Sunday rally that drew thousands of boisterous Republicans to central Georgia to see Trump deplane from Air Force One. Abrams answered with Obama and Winfrey. Even if Abrams ultimately falls short, she has outperformed her fellow Democratic nominees from recent election cycles. That validates her strategy of reaching out to nonwhite and younger voters who don't usually cast midterm ballots instead of Democrats' previous focus on trying to convert older white voters who'd long drifted toward Republicans. Her success came at a cost, however, as unofficial returns showed Kemp expanding the GOP's advantage across rural and small-town Georgia. What to Know The latest numbers Thursday show Republican candidate Ron DeSantis with a lead of just under 43,000 votes over Andrew Gillum That number is within 0.52 percent, slightly over the half a percentage point needed to trigger a state-mandated recount As Florida's election for U.S. Senate tightened enough to require a hand recount, the race for who will be the states next governor appears to be headed to a recount as well. As of Friday morning, Republican candidate Ron DeSantis had a lead of just over 36,000 votes over his Democratic opponent, Andrew Gillum, out of more than 8 million votes cast, according to the latest tally by the Florida Division of Elections Office. That puts their vote totals within 0.43 percent of each other, just under the half a percentage point needed to trigger a state-mandated recount. The need for a recount will be determined this weekend by Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner after the canvassing boards in each of the state's 67 counties certify their returns. If ordered, the recount would likely begin Monday. Gillum conceded the election to DeSantis, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Jacksonville, who won in part due to the backing of President Donald Trump, but could still ask for the recount to continue under state law. His campaign said Thursday, before the race tightented to within the 0.5 percent mandatory recount requirement, that it is "ready for any outcome." "On Tuesday night, the Gillum for Governor campaign operated with the best information available about the number of outstanding ballots left to count. Since that time, it has become clear there are many more uncounted ballots than was originally reported," communications directior Johanna Cervone said in a statement. "Mayor Gillum started his campaign for the people, and we are committed to ensuring every single vote in Florida is counted." DeSantis continues to move forward as the presumptive governor. He appointed a transition team Wednesday and briefly addressed the recount possibility during an appearance in Hialeah Gardens Thursday. "I'm proud to have been elected on Tuesday night, it's a great honor, we're working really hard on the transition, we'll let the lawyers do what they gotta do, but we're good and I'm looking forward to serving," DeSantis said. In the Senate count, Republican candidate and current Gov. Rick Scott leads by just over 15,000 votes 0.18 percent over three-term Sen. Bill Nelson, a Democrat. If that number remains under one quarter of a percentage point, Detzner will order a manual recount in each county. Nelson's elections lawyer on Thursday predicted it would be a "jump ball" to decide the race. Elections officials in Broward County, where Democrats have a large advantage, were still counting votes Thursday and were scheduled to continue Friday afternoon. As outgoing governor, Scott said at a news conference Thursday night that he was ordering the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to investigate elections offices in the Democratic strongholds of Palm Beach and Broward counties, accusing officials of failing to certify results while they continue to seek ballots for the results they want, the Associated Press reported. Meanwhile, Senate candidate Scott filed a lawsuit demanding that the Broward County supervisor of elections be ordered to turn over several records detailing the counting and collection of ballots cast. Both Gillum and Nelson have the right to deny a recount, as state law allows the trailing candidate to concede. A third race, for the state's agriculture commissioner, is also likely heading to a recount. Republican Matt Caldwell had held a slim lead over Democrat Nikki Fried since Tuesday, but her vote total surpassed his on Thursday afternoon, when she led by nearly 3,000 votes, according to the Elections Office. Thousands of provisional ballots will begin to be counted Thursday across the state as well as mail-in votes and some early votes that have still yet to be counted. Rejected ballots will be examined by counting teams to determine if the voters' intentions were obvious. If either side objects to a counting team's decision or the team can't make a decision, the ballot will be forwarded to the county's canvassing board, with the three members voting on the final decision. The members are the county supervisor of elections, a judge and the chair of the county commissioners. The U.S. Senate race between Bill Nelson and Rick Scott is likely heading to a recount as less than half a percentage point separates the two. The process is expected to be finished by Nov. 18, with the state certifying results of the elections two days later. Chris Hartline, a spokesman for Scott's campaign, criticized the Nelson campaign for pushing for a recount instead of conceding. Scott gave a victory speech late Tuesday. "This race is over," Hartline said. "It's a sad way for Bill Nelson to end his career. He is desperately trying to hold on to something that no longer exists." Nelson and his campaign staff say they intend to let the process proceed and will have monitors in every county. Late Wednesday, an attorney for Nelson said he intends to aggressively examine and address reports of ballot problems. The Nelson campaign believes the results of the election are still unknown since there are ballots yet to be counted, Marc Elias said in a statement. "We're doing this not just because it's automatic, but we're doing it to win," Elias said. The process, if it goes forward, will be different than the one that gained international notoriety in 2000, when the Supreme Court ordered an end to vote counting in Florida after a month, allowing Republican George W. Bush to claim the presidency with 537 votes. At the time, each county had its own voting system. Many used punch cards voters poked out chads, leaving tiny holes in their ballots representing their candidates. Some voters, however, didn't fully punch out the presidential chad or gave it just a little push. Those hanging and dimpled chads had to be examined by the canvassing boards, a lengthy and tiresome process that became fodder for late-night comedians. NBC 6s Dan Krauth has more on one of the three races that could end up going to a recount in the Sunshine State. Now, all Florida counties use ballots where voters use a pen to fill in a bubble next to their candidate's name, much like a student does when taking a multiple-choice test. When voters finish marking their ballots, they run them through a scanning machine that records the count. The ballot is stored inside the machine. If the recount happens, each county will again run each Senate ballot through a scanner under the watchful eye of representatives of both sides. Ballots that cannot be read because they aren't marked or mismarked will be set aside. Facebook said it blocked 115 accounts for suspected "coordinated inauthentic behavior" linked to foreign groups attempting to interfere in Tuesday's U.S. midterm elections. The social media company shut down 30 Facebook accounts and 85 Instagram accounts and is investigating them in more detail, it said in a blog post late Monday. Facebook acted after being tipped off Sunday by U.S. law enforcement officials. Authorities notified the company about recently discovered online activity "they believe may be linked to foreign entities," Facebook's head of cybersecurity policy, Nathaniel Gleicher, wrote in the post. U.S. tech companies have stepped up their work against disinformation campaigns, aiming to stymie online troublemakers' efforts to divide voters and discredit democracy. Facebook's purge is part of countermeasures to prevent abuses like those used by Russian groups two years ago to sway public opinion ahead of the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The company based in Menlo Park, California, has been somewhat regularly disclosing such purges in recent months, most recently in October. More are likely going forward since, even as its systems get better at detecting and removing malicious accounts, the bad actors are sharpening their attacks, too. Gleicher said Facebook will provide an update once it learns more, including whether the blocked accounts are linked to the Russia-based Internet Research Agency or other foreign entities. Almost all of the Facebook pages associated with the blocked accounts appeared to be in French or Russian. The Instagram accounts were mostly in English and were focused either on celebrities or political debate. No further details were given about the accounts or suspicious activity. Also on Monday, Facebook acknowledged that it didn't do enough to prevent its services from being used to incite violence and spread hate in Myanmar. Alex Warofka, a product policy manager, said in a blog post that Facebook "can and should do more" to protect human rights and ensure it isn't used to foment division and spread offline violence in the country. Last month, Facebook removed 82 pages, accounts and groups tied to Iran and aimed at stirring up strife in the U.S. and the U.K. It carried out an even broader sweep in August, removing 652 pages, groups and accounts linked to Russia and Iran. Twitter, meanwhile, has said it has identified more than 4,600 accounts and 10 million tweets, mostly affiliated with the Internet Research Agency, which was linked to foreign meddling in U.S. elections, including the presidential vote of 2016. The agency, a Russian troll farm, has been indicted by U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller for its actions during the 2016 vote. Facebook, Twitter and other companies have been fighting misinformation and election meddling on their services for the past two years. There are signs they're making headway, although they're still a very long way from winning the war. Facebook, in particular, has reversed its stance of late 2016, when CEO Mark Zuckerberg dismissed as "pretty crazy" the notion that fake news on his service could have swayed the presidential election. In July, for instance, the company said that its spending on security and content moderation, coupled with other business shifts, would hinder its growth and profitability. Investors expressed their displeasure by knocking $119 billion off Facebook's market value. One problem is that it's not just agents from Russia and other nations who are intent on sharing misinformation and propaganda. There is plenty of homegrown fake news too, whether in the U.S. or elsewhere. Still, Facebook is seeing some payoff, and not just with the accounts it has been able to find and take down. A recent research collaboration between New York University and Stanford found that user "interactions" with fake news stories on Facebook, which rose substantially in 2016 during the presidential campaign, fell significantly between the end of 2016 and July 2018. On Twitter, however, the sharing of such stories continued to rise over the past two years. AP Technology Writer Barbara Ortutay contributed to this story. The commissioners in a northwestern Indiana county plagued by a mix of Election Day problems asked the FBI on Wednesday to investigate what they called "scores of alleged violations of Indiana Election Law" reported following Tuesday's election. Porter County has released no election results, and officials did not begin counting votes until Wednesday morning, more than 15 hours after the first polling places closed. The delay was holding up final election results in three state legislative races, those for House districts 4 and 19 and Senate District 7. The commissioners' office said in a statement late Wednesday afternoon that the commissioners had asked the FBI to investigate the alleged election violations reported "by poll workers, voters and the public." The commissioners' statement did not specify what those alleged violations involved. Messages left Wednesday seeking comment from the FBI were not immediately returned. County Commissioner Laura Blaney said the vote counting delay was caused by several problems, including the need for 12 county polling sites to stay open late Tuesday after those sites failed to open on time. Absentee and early ballots had also not been sorted in a timely fashion Tuesday, she said. County election board deputies who began counting election ballots sat around folding tables Wednesday in the county's voter registration office in the county seat of Valparaiso, about 15 miles southeast of Gary, The (Northwest Indiana) Times reported. The commissioners said they have ordered the sheriff's department to guard all of election ballots and to secure the county's election office. Sundae Schoon, the voter registration office's Republican director, said all votes cast between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Tuesday, as well as absentee ballots and early votes, would be counted Wednesday before any results will be released. Provisional ballots and those cast after 6 p.m. Tuesday at the dozen precincts where voting was extended would be counted Nov. 16. Schoon and her Democratic counterpart, Kathy Kozuszek, were appointed by the election board and political party chairs to monitor the vote tabulation. "We are being very thorough," Kozuszek said. Porter County Commissioner Jim Biggs attributed the county's woes to a variety of factors, including heavy voter turnout, but said "big changes" were needed to prevent a report of the situation in the county of about 170,000 residents. "What we have here is a total breakdown in the process," he said. Photo: The Canadian Press Premier John Horgan speaks at rally in support of proportional representation. The leaders of B.C.'s two main parties square off Thursday in a debate on electoral reform that experts say arrives after decades of electoral dysfunction that produced lopsided victories and made losers out of popular-vote winners. Voters need to mail in their ballots by the Nov. 30 deadline to either support moving to a form of proportional representation for the next election or to keep the current first-past-the-post system. A majority of 50 per cent plus one is needed to change the system. Premier John Horgan will debate in favour of reform, while Opposition Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson will make the case for keeping the current system. The referendum is B.C.'s third such question on electoral reform, with previous votes in 2005 and 2009. Both ended in defeat. Prof. Richard Johnston, an electoral system expert at the University of B.C., said current voter reform history dates back to B.C.'s 1991 election, in which Mike Harcourt's New Democrats won a majority that spelled the end of Social Credit rule. But more surprising was the rise of the Liberals under former leader Gordon Wilson, who shot from no seats to Official Opposition status, signalling a political shift to the centre from the traditional right-left parties. "That surge to the Liberals was as clear a centrist signal as you could ever imagine an electorate sending," said Johnston. Then came the 1996 election, where former Liberal leader Gordon Campbell received more votes but lost to the NDP's Glen Clark. Campbell promised to pursue electoral reform after his defeat, Johnston said. But in the subsequent 2001 election, Campbell's Liberals decimated Ujjal Dosanjh's NDP, winning 77 of 79 seats and capturing almost 58 per cent of the popular vote. Campbell, "much to his credit," went ahead with the 2005 reform referendum, which was tied to the provincial election campaign, Johnston said. The turmoil of those years provides the backdrop for the current vote, he said. "There we were from 1991 to 2005, one of the most dysfunctional electoral operations in the world," Johnston said. "Everything that could go wrong under first-past-the-post kind of did." Former Green leader Stuart Parker, also a former member of the NDP, said he agrees B.C.'s current push for electoral reform dates back to the 1991 election. "When the electoral reform movement is successful, it is multi-partisan, populist and principled," Parker said. "I would say when the movement is unsuccessful, as I'm pretty damn sure it is about to be, it is because it is partisan and self-serving in character, or worse." Johnston said both the Liberals and NDP are using this referendum to support positions that give them the best shot at electoral success, while publicly declaring their allegiance to democracy. "I don't fault them for that, just stop adjusting your halo is all I ask," he quipped. Governor-elect J.B. Pritzker said Wednesday he wants to move forward with his campaign proposal to legalize recreational marijuana in Illinois. When asked about generating revenue for the state, Pritzker first said he wants to grow jobs by bringing companies in and attracting more small businesses. "And then add to that there are things like legalizing marijuana, something I think will be important to bring $700 million of revenue to the state, maybe as much as $1 billion," Pritzker said, adding, "We've got to do that with a regulatory system that keeps our people safe." Before cruising to victory over incumbent Gov. Bruce Rauner, Pritzker had said several times that he wanted to legalize marijuana, which 10 states in the U.S. have already done, including most recently Michigan on Tuesday night. He said in an NBC 5 questionnaire last month that he planned to "put in place a framework to license businesses to sell marijuana to consumers for recreational use, placing an emphasis on intentionally including black and brown entrepreneurs in the planning and licensing of new marijuana businesses." When asked about a timeline on Wednesday, Pritzker did not detail specifics, saying that he wanted to work from bills previously introduced by state Sen. Heather Steans and state Rep. Kelly Cassidy. "We can work from that, but I want to make sure that we're looking at the regulatory systems of the other states that have legalized it," he continued. "One of the advantages that we have of not being the first state to do this is we can look at what's worked in other states. The state of Washington, for example, has one regulatory system that I think looks pretty good to me." "I want to protect our citizens while we're also looking at creating jobs and expanding opportunity for people with the legalization of marijuana," Pritzker said. Steans and Cassidy said in a Chicago Tribune op-ed last year that based on an analysis of the legislation they introduced, the fiscal impact of marijuana sales in Illinois would range from $350 million to $700 million. A pilot program for the use of medical marijuana was legalized in Illinois in 2013, while possession of small amounts of marijuana was decriminalized statewide in 2016. In a referendum question on ballots across Chicago in Tuesday's election, more than 88 percent of voters said they supported appropriating revenue from the sale of marijuana - if it were to be legalized - to increase funding for Chicago Public Schools and mental health services. That question was posed months afer the March primary, in which 68 percent of Cook County voters cast ballots in favor of legalizing the drug, though that referendum and the city's on Tuesday were solely advisory and non-binding. Unlike Pritzker's signature agenda item, switching Illinois to a progressive income tax system, legalizing marijuana would not require an amendment to the Illinois Constitution, but could be done through the legislature - where Democrats will have supermajorities in both chambers come January. What to Know The death toll from Michael's destructive march from Florida to Virginia stood at 19 Monday as recovery work continued Hundreds of thousands of homes remained without power in Florida and Georgia, where the president is visiting Some people in Bay County stranded by the storm managed to summon relief by using logs to spell out "HELP" on the ground, officials said Upon touring the damage in several towns along Florida's Panhandle, Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Brock Long called the destruction left by Hurricane Michael some of the worst he's ever seen. President Donald Trump marveled at the roofless homes and uprooted trees he saw Monday while touring Florida Panhandle communities ravaged by the force of Hurricane Michael. Trump toured devastated coastal communities by air, land and foot before he and the first lady helped hand out bottled water at a Federal Emergency Management Agency aid distribution center, where the needy signed up for temporary housing and picked up clothing, diapers, water and other supplies. The president said someone described Hurricane Michael to him as being "like a very wide, extremely wide, tornado." "Look behind you. I mean, those massive trees are just ripped out of the earth. This is really incredible," Trump said. Trump narrowly won Florida over Democrat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election, boosted by strong voter turnout in the Panhandle. The state is important to Trump not only for his hopes of being re-elected in 2020 but also as he campaigns aggressively to help Republicans expand their slim 51-49 majority in the U.S. Senate. Fellow Republican and Florida Gov. Rick Scott is running for the Senate, partly at Trump's urging, and is in a close contest against Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson just weeks before Election Day. Scott shadowed Trump throughout Monday's visit. Trump and his wife, Melania, initially saw uprooted trees and houses topped with blue tarps after his helicopter lifted off from Eglin Air Force Base near Valparaiso, his first stop after leaving Washington. But the severity of the damage worsened significantly as Trump approached Mexico Beach, which was nearly wiped off the map after taking a direct hit from the hurricane and its 155 mph (250 kph) winds last week. Many of the houses in the town of about 1,000 people had no roofs. In some cases, only the foundations were left standing. A water tower lay on its side, and 18-wheelers were scattered in a parking lot like children's toys. In Panama City, where Trump landed, power poles bowed toward the ground, pieces of metal roofing were scattered about and pine trees had been uprooted or snapped in half. The view on the drive toward Panama City included houses smashed by trees, bent billboards and a demolished trailer park. In nearby Lynn Haven, where the mayor said there was no loss of life, Trump walked up to a house where a massive pine tree lay on the front yard next to a palm tree that stood tall. Repairs were being made to the home, owned by Michael Rollins, who told Trump he rode out the storm there. "I knew I had made my commitment to stay with my animals. I have two dogs and a parrot," Rollins told Trump. More than 190,000 homes and businesses in Florida were without electricity as of Sunday, days after the hurricane hit. That's in addition to about 120,000 in Georgia, where Trump arrived later Monday afternoon and planned to survey hurricane damage. Residents also grappled with widespread cellphone outages. Throughout the day, the president profusely praised Scott's hurricane response. "The job they've done in Florida has been incredible," Trump told reporters. He told Scott: "You're a great governor." Scott said FEMA had granted all his requests and that he'd spoken with Trump "almost every day." "Every time I've called, he's come through," Scott said. The mood at the aid distribution center seemed lighthearted despite the surrounding devastation, as Trump bantered with a crowd that seemed more interested in selfies with him than in the bottled water he was offering in the heat and humidity. A woman carrying a toddler posed for a photo and then told Trump he should come back for barbecue. Another woman thanked the first lady for her anti-bullying campaign. Some in the affected area were lukewarm about the president's visit. About 5 miles from a neighborhood Trump visited, 57-year-old Sheila Vann sat on a cooler in her garage, taking a break from cleaning up. The hurricane tore off much of her roof in Panama City, and most of her ceiling collapsed after soaking up the storm's rain. Plus there were four freezers filled with fish and meat that were starting to spoil and smell. "You want to see the president?" Vann asked her husband, Joseph, with a dismissive tone. "I ain't got time, unless he wants to help clean up." Nanya Thompson, 68, of Lynn Haven, said of the president: "He's doing this, I believe, to project a different image of himself because of all the bad publicity he's had. He's not going in to get into the sewage water with other people and start digging." "If this is just going to be another reality show, I don't think he should come," she added. The death toll from Michael's destructive march from Florida to Virginia stood at 19 Sunday as crews worked to clear building debris along with the rubble from a collapsed section of the beachfront highway. In hurricane-flattened Mexico Beach, crews with backhoes and other heavy equipment scooped up splintered boards, broken glass, chunks of asphalt and other debris Sunday as Mayor Al Cathey held out hope for the 250 or so residents who may have tried to ride out the storm. "If we lose only one life, to me that's going to be a miracle," Cathey said. He said enough food and water had been brought in for the residents who remain. Even some cellphone service had returned to the devastated community. Mexico Beach City Clerk Adrian Welle told local media Sunday that 46 people were unaccounted for. That number had previously been 285, but officials think many left right before the storm hit. Other city officials told reporters that the number of unaccounted for was three. A Houston-based organization called CrowdSource Rescue that takes calls from worried family members and sends the details to rescue crews on the ground said it has helped find nearly 1,500 people across the region since Michael struck. But co-founder Matthew Marchetti said it was still looking for more than 1,350. A framed portrait of Jesus was propped Sunday facing out of the window of Diana Hughes' home in Mexico Beach. She rode out the hurricane on the couch huddled with her dog and her ex-husband. The storm peeled off a small section of the roof and a few inches of water got in the single-story house. But the pickup truck wouldn't start after getting swamped with water. Hughes still had her home, but no way to leave it. "We need a generator, but we just lack transportation," Hughes said on her front porch. "We've got food and we've got water. But we've got to keep ice in the refrigerator so the food won't spoil. You can only eat so many crackers." Four days after the storm struck, a large swath of the Panhandle was suffering, from little beach towns to the larger Panama City to rural communities miles from where the hurricane came ashore. "We are talking about poor people, many of them are older, miles from each other, isolated in many cases from roads, including some dirt roads that are cut off right now," Sen. Marco Rubio said on NBC's "Meet The Press." ''We haven't been able to reach those people in a number of days." In downtown Marianna, Florida, the facades of historic buildings lay in pieces on the ground across from the courthouse. Jill Braxton stopped with a pickup truck loaded with hay, saying many people in rural areas nearby had trapped animals and needed supplies for their livestock. "We're just trying to help some other people who may not be able to get out of their driveways for a couple of days," Braxton said. "There was a girl that had trapped horses, horses that were down, and horses that really needed vet care that could not get there. There's been animals killed. People lost their cows." Some victims stranded by the storm managed to summon relief by using logs to spell out "HELP" on the ground, officials in Bay County, which includes Mexico Beach, said in a Facebook post. Officials said someone from another county was using an aerial mapping app, noticed the distress message and contacted authorities. No details were released on who was stranded and what sort of help was needed. Meanwhile, Sen. Bill Nelson said Tyndall Air Force Base on the Panhandle was heavily damaged, but he promised it would be rebuilt. The Florida Democrat and member of the Armed Services Committee said older buildings on the base were demolished, while newer ones will need substantial repairs. The base is home to some of the nation's most advanced fighter jets, and Nelson said some hangars were damaged severely. But he gave no information on how many planes were on the base during the storm or how many were damaged. In a statement Sunday night, the Air Force said that, "Not one Airman or family member was injured during Hurricane Michael." Of its aircraft, the statement said that visually they all looked intact but that maintenance professionals will do a detailed assessment of the F-22 Raptors and other aircraft before they say with certainty that damaged aircraft can be repaired and sent back into the skies For the few residents remaining in Mexico Beach, conditions were treacherous. Steve Lonigan was outside his home, talking with neighbor Jim Ostman, when a loud cracking sound made both men jump. It was just a small wooden block shifting in the sand beneath the weight of the front end of Lonigan's camper trailer. "All this stuff is just dangerous," Ostman said, glancing at the destruction all around. "It's so unstable." Lonigan and his wife returned Sunday after evacuating to Georgia. Seawater surged into his home, leaving a soggy mess of mud and leaves, even though the house stands 12 feet (3.7 meters) above ground on concrete blocks. The single-story house had broken windows, and part of its roof and front steps were missing. Lonigan used a ladder to climb inside. "We've got a lot more left than other people," he said. "We were able to sleep in the bedroom last night." One way to help people affected by Hurricane Michael is by donating to the Red Cross. Find more information on how to donate here. What to Know Democrats took control of the U.S. House by taking the 23 seats they had needed to wrest from the GOP Republicans retained control of the U.S. Senate, beating Democrats in many of the top Senate battlegrounds A nationwide survey indicated that nearly two-thirds said Trump was a reason for their vote Two years into Donald Trump's presidency, Democrats grabbed control of the U.S. House on Tuesday as the country made a move to the left. Republicans retained control of the Senate but Trump now has a tougher path to implementing his agenda, including a border wall. The midterm election was widely seen as a referendum on Trump, and the results reflected a divided country. The mixed verdict in the first nationwide election of Trump's young presidency underscored the limits of his hardline immigration rhetoric in America's evolving political landscape, where college-educated voters in the nation's suburbs rejected his warnings of a migrant "invasion" while blue-collar voters and rural America embraced them. Still, the new Democratic House majority ends the Republican Party's dominance in Washington for the final two years of Trump's first term with major questions looming about health care, immigration and government spending. The president's party will maintain control of the executive and judicial branches of U.S. government, in addition to the Senate, but Democrats suddenly have a foothold that gives them subpoena power to probe deep into Trump's personal and professional missteps and his long-withheld tax returns. "Tomorrow will be a new day in America," declared House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who would be in line to become the next House speaker. There were signs of extraordinary turnout in several states, including Georgia, where voters waited hours in the rain to vote in some cases, and in Nevada, where the last voters cast their ballots nearly three hours after polls were scheduled to close. The Democrats picked up the 23 seats they had needed to wrest from the GOP, with more races to be decided. Women were assured of 85 seats in the House, a record. The road to a House majority ran through two dozen suburban districts Hillary Clinton won in 2016. Democrats flipped seats in suburban districts outside of Washington, Philadelphia, Miami, Chicago and Denver. The results were more mixed deeper into Trump country. In Kansas, Democrat Sharice Davids beat a GOP incumbent to become the first Native American and gay woman elected to the House. But in Kentucky, one of the top Democratic recruits, retired Marine fighter pilot Amy McGrath, lost her bid to oust to three-term Rep. Andy Barr. Trump sought to take credit for retaining the GOP's Senate majority, even as the party's foothold in the more competitive House battlefield appeared to be slipping. "Tremendous success tonight. Thank you to all!" Trump tweeted. Eric Schickler, a political science professor at University of California, Berkeley, said "the Democrats takeover of the House is really going to really change a lot of things for President Trump in terms of his relationship with Congress for the next two years." "Its the return to divide government like we had in the last years of Obama, but now with a president in Trump, who is much more likely to be very combative with the democratic House," he said. "We could be in for quite a lot of confrontation. History was working against the president in the Senate: 2002 was the only midterm election in the past three decades when the party holding the White House gained Senate seats. Democrats' dreams of the Senate majority, which was always unlikely, were shattered after losses in many of the top Senate battlegrounds: Indiana, Missouri, Tennessee, North Dakota and Texas. They also suffered a stinging loss in Florida, where Trump-backed Republican Ron DeSantis ended Democrat Andrew Gillum's bid to become the state's first African-American governor. "I want to encourage you to stick to the fight," said Gillum, who was thought to be a rising star with national ambitions. Trump encouraged voters to view the 2018 midterms as a referendum on his leadership, pointing proudly to the surging economy at recent rallies. Nearly 40 percent of voters cast their ballots to express opposition to the president, according to AP VoteCast, the national survey of the electorate, while one-in-four said they voted to express support for Trump. Overall, 6 in 10 voters said the country was headed in the wrong direction, but roughly that same number described the national economy as excellent or good. Twenty-five percent described health care and immigration as the most important issues in the election. Nearly two-thirds said Trump was a reason for their vote. The president bet big on a xenophobic closing message, warning of an immigrant "invasion" that promised to spread violent crime and drugs across the nation. Several television networks, including the president's favorite Fox News Channel, yanked a Trump campaign advertisement off the air on the eve of the election, determining that its portrayal of a murderous immigrant went too far. One of Trump's most vocal defenders on immigration, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, lost his bid for governor. Kobach had built a national profile as an advocate of tough immigration policies and strict voter photo ID laws. He served as vice chairman of Trump's now-defunct commission on voter fraud. The president found partial success despite his current job approval, set at 40 percent by Gallup, the lowest at this point of any first-term president in the modern era. Both Barack Obama's and Bill Clinton's numbers were 5 points higher, and both suffered major midterm losses of 63 and 54 House seats respectively. Democrats, whose very relevance in the Trump era depended on winning at least one chamber of Congress, were laser-focused on health care as they poured hundreds of millions of dollars onto surging anti-Trump energy to break up the GOP's monopoly in Washington and state governments. While Democratic losses were expected, particularly in the Senate, some hurt worse than others. In Texas, Sen Ted Cruz staved off a tough challenge from Democrat Beto O'Rourke, whose record-smashing fundraising and celebrity have set off buzz he could be a credible 2020 White House contender. Democrats' fate in high-profile governorships in Georgia and Wisconsin were at risk as well. In Wisconsin, Tony Evers defeated incumbent Gov. Scott Walker, denying the polarizing Republican and one-time presidential candidate a third term. Evers' win on Tuesday is a huge victory for Democrats, who couldn't find the recipe to take out Walker in three previous elections, including a 2012 recall. In Indiana, Trump-backed businessman Mike Braun defeated Democratic incumbent Joe Donnelly. In Missouri, Josh Hawley knocked off Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill. And in Tennessee, Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn defeated former Gov. Phil Bredesen, a top Democratic recruit. Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin in West Virginia and Tammy Baldwin in Wisconsin won re-election. And in New Jersey, Democrats re-elected embattled Sen. Bob Menendez, who, less than a year ago, stood trial for federal corruption charges. The Justice Department dropped the charges after his trial ended in an hung jury. Meanwhile, several 2020 presidential prospects easily won re-election, including Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Tuesday's elections also tested the strength of a Trump-era political realignment defined by evolving divisions among voters by race, gender, and especially education. Trump's Republican coalition is increasingly older, whiter, more male and less likely to have a college degree. Democrats relied more upon women, people of color, young people and college graduates. Women voted considerably more in favor of their congressional Democratic candidate with fewer than 4 in 10 voting for the Republican, according to VoteCast, a nationwide survey of more than 113,000 voters and about 20,000 nonvoters conducted for The Associated Press by NORC at the University of Chicago. In suburban areas where key House races were decided, voters skewed significantly toward Democrats by a nearly 10-point margin. The races ushered in a series of firsts. Women had won 76 seats and were assured of nine more, a record. The House was getting its first two Muslim women, Massachusetts elected its first black congresswoman, and Tennessee got its first female senator. Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, a Democrat, was in a fierce battle to become America's first black woman governor, though Democrats in Florida and Maryland lost their bids to become their states' first black governors. The race between Abrams and Republican Brian Kemp remained too close to call as of Wednesday morning. Paul Frymer, director of the Program in Law and Public Affairs at Princeton University, said the election results "will probably lead to more polarized gridlock." "With an election year coming up, Trumps reelection, thats just going to be more snipping and not a lot getting done, he said. Outside a Hartford Board of Education workshop Wednesday a small group of protesters tried to send a loud message to Hartford Public Schools superintendent: reinstate Freddie DeJesus at the Renzulli Gifted and Talented Academy and make him the schools leader. The issue is a man of color who speaks Spanish who has been at the school for a while is being replaced by a white person. A lot of people are upset about it because theres no reason to have that man replaced, said Hartford community activity Cornell Lewis. DeJesus was a longtime teacher and leader at Renzulli, but recently the school district opted not to appoint him the schools vice principal, choosing someone from outside instead. Parents said they respected DeJesus and want his leadership back. Hes well-respected. Hes the heart of the school. And we want somebody who looks like us in that position, Renzulli parent Latia Maldonado said. We want Mr. DeJesus reinstated to his position and we want more teachers of color in the Hartford school system, people who look like us and can represent us. The protestors werent allowed to speak to Superintendent Dr. Leslie Torres-Rodriguez, so they instead stood silently in Wednesdays school board meeting, then took their grievances to the school districts spokesperson. One parent said to have a Latino principal that is a privilege that should not be taken away. Others said DeJesus was like a father figure, and removing him hurts the students. The districts spokesperson said the superintendent has taken the concerns of the families seriously, but the matter is settled, and Dejesus will not be the schools leader. Theyre passionate and theyre committed to their school. And the district is committed to this program and growing this program and to those families who we view as partners in this process, said spokesperson John Fergus. There was a process that was conducted and it selected a candidate and that is the decision, he added. The protestors told NBC Connecticut they have gathered around 300 petition signatures in support of Freddie Dejesus, and while the district said the issue is decided, those protestors said theyre willing to take further action to keep the fight alive. At the former New Haven Clock Company factory on Hamilton Street, is time running out for the only remaining tenant? A housing developer has a $38 million plan to revitalize an old industrial building in New Haven, but Scores Gentlemens Club and Steakhouse is challenging an eviction notice. I think its good to develop a building thats been sitting dormant for a long time and we need affordable housing, Ellen Keane from New Haven said. Scores is located in one corner of the 130,000-square foot property purchased by Oregon-based Reed Realty at the end of June. I specialize in redeveloping historical buildings, local developer Bill Kraus told NBC Connecticut. Kraus said the plan is to transform the industrial building that became a home for artist and musicians into 130 new apartments. A significant portion of it will be for artists, musicians, creatives of all kinds, makers, as well as the general affordable housing community, Kraus said. In court documents, the developers lawyer said Scores lease became month to month after expiring on March 31, 2017. He argues Scores should be evicted because, as of July, the lease had expired due to a lapse of time. The attorney for Scores is pushing back as the case goes through court. We dont comment on ongoing litigation, Kraus said, but I will say our plan for that space is to create residential lofts. The project is receiving public funding from the city and state for environmental remediation that has already begun, Kraus said. He added construction on the new apartments should begin in the first quarter of 2019. NBC Connecticut spoke briefly with the attorney for Scores and is still waiting for comment on behalf of the clubs owners. Suffield Police Arrest 2 Suspected of Failure to Comply With Mandated Reporter Law The contents of this article have been removed. There was a political upset in the 26th Senate District after 22-year-old Democrat Will Haskell unseated Republican Toni Boucher, who was first elected in 2008. Boucher held other offices prior to her election to the 26th Senate District and has essentially served the state legislature for as long as Haskells been alive. But the senator-elect said someone needed to challenge the sitting incumbent, especially in a district where Hillary Clinton won by more than 20 percentage points. I decided this is a moment in my life but also in the nations history to do something thats difficult, perhaps a little unusual, because thats what this moment requires, Haskell said. More needs to be done in Connecticut about gun violence and getting young people to stay in the state, according to the senator elect, whos concerned the financial condition of Connecticut is forcing too many young people to move away. Im going to be a forward-thinking legislator. Somebody whos willing to work across the aisle to invest in transportation because people my age, they dont want to take a car to work, they want to take mass transit, if possible. I want to revitalize our cities, Haskell said. The 22-year-old received the endorsement of former President Barack Obama, and interned with Hillary Clinton for America and the Capitol Hill offices of Congressman Jim Himes and Senator Chris Murphy, who was with him Wednesday in Bethel thanking supporters and volunteers. I want Connecticut to be a state where lots of 22-year-olds want to start a career. I dont want it to be unusual that I decided to move back home. Haskell said. Haskell grew up in Westport where he attended Staples High School and just graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University. He put plans for law school aside to take on his newest roll. Theres a lot of proud teachers here to see one of our students take such civic pride and at such a young age, be able to make a difference, said James DAmico, principal of Staples High School. DAmico was the chair of the social studies department when Haskell was in school and said he knew one day Haskell would take on a roll where he could try to make a difference. Many young people helped get him elected. Haskells campaign manager is his college roommate from Georgetown. He also made sure to meet the people voting for him. I knocked over 4,000 doors. Our team knocked far more. I had 142 meet and greets, Haskell said, who knocked on George Paganos door. I think someone who is young and willing to try new things and kind of having a different view, said 27-year-old Pagano, who voted absentee in Connecticut. He just took a job in Boston and said he voted for the Democratic ticket. Many voters who spoke with NBC Connecticut said they did the same, citing a want to change the political climate. Its so needed to have the youth and millennials speaking up and really taking charge, said a Wesport resident. NBC Connecticut reached out to Toni Boucher, who said in an email her district had the greatest number of new Democratic voters in the state. She released a statement: I would like to congratulate Will Haskell for running a strong campaign and wish him much success in his new role as State senator for the 26th district. It is a big responsibility and I am sure he will devote his energies to serving the people well. I am deeply thankful to the voters for having given me the rare and extraordinary honor of serving them here at home, on local boards and in the legislature in Hartford. I have always put every ounce of passion, commitment and energy into these roles with the ultimate objective of serving my constituents well. Coming here as an immigrant with no money, education and not speaking a word of English at the age of 5, CT has had an incredible positive impact on my life and I am forever grateful. Thank you also to my family, wonderful husband and the many volunteers who stuck with me through this tough campaign season and over the years. I could not do this without you. You have my eternal gratitude. Thank you. Researchers took to the sky Wednesday in search of data. Data thats contained in radio collars that were fixed to several bobcats and lynxes in the South Okanagan and Similkameen this winter. The research, led by a PhD student from Trent University, is examining how the two species interact in the context of climate change by tracking the location of the cats through different habitats. The theory being, as the climate changes, bobcat range may expand and lynx may come into greater contact with them in the summertime, said executive director of the Southern Interior Land Trust, Al Peatt, who is assisting the student in the research. Because they compete for the same resources, the fear is bobcat will force lynx out of the traditional areas. Eleven cats were collared last winter in the area between Penticton and Vaseux Lake as well an area near Hedley. The collars track the locations of the bobcats and lynxes hourly, as well as temperature and accelerometer data. All that information is stored on the collar, meaning researchers need to track them down using the radio signal they emit. The majority of the collars simply fall off the cats in an area accessible by vehicle or foot, but in the cases where the collar failed to detach from the cat or it detaches automatically in a deep ravine or gully the researchers ground-based radio equipment cannot get a signal. That's where the airplane comes in. Fitted with a pair of radio antennas that can receive the blasts sent out by the collars, it allows teams to fly directly over rough and remote terrain to acquire a location of the collar. The aircraft and pilot has been donated by Lighthawk, a charity organization out of the United States that donates pilots and planes to conservation projects. I like to fly, but more importantly Im very active in the outdoors, said Lighthawk volunteer pilot Dave Riffle. This is a way that I can give back a little bit, its not cheap to operate an aircraft, but its something that I can help with. The data collected by the collars will hopefully help forest managers better manage habitat requirements for the big cats moving forward. Democrats in Connecticut are celebrating after huge gains in the Connecticut General Assembly and victories across all statewide offices. Governor-Elect Ned Lamont had a crowd of supporters cheering, chanting, Yes! when he asked if they would support him in his next role as Connecticuts 89th governor. Tomorrows a fresh start for the state of Connecticut, Lamont said during remarks at Dunkin Donuts Park in Hartford, site of his election night function, which turned into a post-election victory headquarters. Lamonts victory over Bob Stefanowski was the exclamation point on an evening that saw Democrats tighten their grip on state government in ways few could have predicted heading into Election Day. Republicans had picked up 41 legislative seats since 2010, and appeared to have growing momentum behind their gubernatorial nominee, who managed to harness the frustration of many voters with his anti-tax message. But, it was Democrats who overperformed, stealing numerous seats from the GOP in Fairfield County and beyond. Democrats started the evening with 80 seats in the Connecticut House of Representatives and are projected to start the January legislative session with 92. For the past two years, the Connecticut Senate had been tied 18-18, but Democrats flipped six seats and gave back none, providing them with a veto-proof supermajority in the chamber. Senator Martin Looney, (D-New Haven), the top member of the Senate, said the gains showed that the Democratic candidates won on other issues in addition to the economy over their Republican counterparts. Looney said while there is still deep division in the state with so many votes being cast for Republicans, ideas will only be a consideration moving forward. They didnt win the election, Looney said. We did. And they trust us to go forward with it, and thats whats happening. House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz, (D Berlin) struck a more conciliatory tone, saying the issues Republican Bob Stefanowski raised during the campaign about cost of living and tax burdens were legitimate concerns, and was even open to speaking with the former GOP nominee. I would meet with Bob Stefanowski tomorrow if he has ideas if he wants to lay out his plan, just like Ned offered, Aresimowicz said. When you close your mind to other peoples ideas, youre doing the state a disservice. The Democrat who emerged with a level of swagger following the elections was outgoing Gov. Dannel Malloy. The two-term incumbent, who announced last year that he would not seek a third term in office, was the primary focus of attack across all Republican candidates. He had a simple response to the attacks against him. The strategy was just stupid, he said. Whoever was responsible for that should raise their hand and never be hired again. Malloy said the decision to focus on a governor who was leaving office didnt make sense to him. He also said the strategy was suspect when Democrats were campaigning with attacks against Republicans, tying them to President Donald Trump, who has as many as six more years left in office. He said the fact that Connecticut voters sided with Democrats shows they have more optimism about the states future, than the Republicans who attempted to place all of Connecticuts problems on its outgoing governor. If people are as unhopeful about Connecticuts future as Republicans say they are then we should have lost a lot of seats. Instead, we gained a lot of seats. I think people in Connecticut are smarter than we give them credit for, Malloy said. During the final hours of Election Day, frustration filled New Havens City Hall as last-minute voters waited in long lines, including for Election Day registration. I would like to vote, Sam Howard from New Haven said. I think I have the right to vote and I dont understand why this process is stretched on for so long. In each city and town, the state only allows for one designated polling location for same-day voter registration. That is part of the reason the lines were so long in New Haven, which is one of the states largest cities and it has a big college student population. Defeated Republican candidate for governor Bob Stefanowski decided not to move forward with the legal challenge concerning same-day registration voters rushed through to meet the states 8 p.m. deadline in New Haven and in Mansfield near UConn. Given where the results came out plus 10,000 its not enough to really influence anything, so well let that go, Stefanowski told reporters Wednesday morning. Neds won this thing fair and square. Yale University student Alikiah Barclay said he had hoped to vote in his home state of Florida. But they had a change in policy where absentee ballots now required an affidavit that I would have to send them for them to send me their ballot, he explained, and then I would need to get them back my ballot by today. After encountering a long line in the morning for Election Day Registration, Barclay returned in the late afternoon to find even longer lines. Aldermen telling folks look its a four hour line, look if you dont make it all the way you might wait in vain, he said. Essentially, there was a sign up that said as much. We all could have done better, New Haven election monitor Kevin Arnold said. But Arnold told NBC Connecticut even if there were more properly trained staff on hand, long lines may have been inevitable late in the day. I dont think no matter how many people we had, we had enough to handle the crowds that came in at one time, Arnold said. Stefanowski said Governor-Elect Ned Lamont and his team should look at ways to improve Election Day registration. I think it should be more organized, he said. I dont think its helpful that we get lines out the door at 7:59. Somehow we need to facilitate it so people arent scrambling to get their vote in. Everybody who wants to vote should get the chance to vote. Arnold suggested one fix to make sure this does not happen again in November 2020. Lets make sure other people are registered and get to vote and not wait to the last minute so these things dont happen, he said. The ACLU of Connecticut would like to hear from eligible voters who intended to vote in New Haven, but were unable to do so. New Haven's repeated failure to staff its polling places with enough workers to ensure people's rights to vote is practically inviting a lawsuit. The long lines and discouraged voters we saw (Tuesday) were a completely avoidable situation, ACLU of CT legal director Dan Barrett said. Secretary of the State Denise Merill said Wednesday morning that some of the wet ballots from people coming into polls from the rain were in New Haven and that contributed to delays in counting the votes. Join NBC 5 and BAPS at the Diwali Celebration on Saturday, November 10, at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir from 11:30 a.m.to 8:00 p.m. in Irving. Diwali is one of the most important festivals of the Hindu calendar. It is commonly referred to as the Festival of Lights, which symbolizes enlightenment and good over evil. The five days of Diwali are rich in cultural traditions and rituals that symbolize new beginnings and a renewed commitment to families. Every year, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Dallas commemorates the festival of Diwali with an array of celebrations catered for children and families. This year, the Mandir will host a Diwali Celebration, which will include food, games, age-based educational activities and a fireworks display. The fifth day of the festival, which marks the New Year, will be celebrated by the traditional offering of Annakut to sacred images of Bhagwan, or God. This offering is a unique sight of devotion wherein devotees prepare vegetarian delicacies as well as western dishes as a symbol of their gratitude and love for Bhagwan. All are welcome to celebrate! For more information, visit www.baps.org/dallas Diwali Celebration 2018 Saturday, November 10 11:30 a.m. 8:00 p.m. BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir 4601 N. State Hwy 161 Irving, TX 75038 www.baps.org/dallas About BAPS The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) is a worldwide spiritual and humanitarian organization that is dedicated to community service, peace, and harmony. Motivated by Hindu principles, BAPS strives to care for the world by caring for societies, families, and individuals. Through various spiritual and humanitarian activities, BAPS endeavors to develop better citizens of tomorrow with high esteem for their roots and culture. Its 3,300 international centers support these character-building activities. Under the guidance and leadership of His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, BAPS aspires to build a community that is free of addictions as well as morally, ethically and spiritually pure. For more details, please visit www.baps.org. It was back to school Wednesday for Granbury High School senior Chris Willis, though he headed to class with a new responsibility as the districts newest school board member. Willis said he first got the idea to run over the summer when he learned Place Threes Micky Shearon was stepping down. I really started thinking about is this something I can do? Can I legally run for this position because Im so young? said Willis. While theres little precedence, at 18 Willis was clear to run. And he had made a bet with himself that as long as it was legal, he was going to take on the race. I felt like we needed more people in our community with good, I would say Christian, values. I realized, Hey. Thats kind of me. I have those Christian values. Im able to be that light for people, said Willis. He also believed it would be a way to support his school along with its teachers and students once he graduates in May. This whole thing hasnt been political for me. Its been, 'How can I help people? How can I help teachers? How can I help students? How can I help the administration?' It hasnt been, 'What can I gain from it'? said Willis. So with his parents' blessing, the teen took on a full campaign against two competitors running for the seat. While many of his classmates remained too young to vote, they supported him throughout by wearing his shirts, volunteering at the polls and encouraging their parents to vote for their peer. Tuesday night, Willis learned from the superintendent himself that their efforts had garnered a win. It was so real to get that phone call from him because it was like, I actually did it. Because most people dont think a young person can actually do something like this, said Willis. As he looks ahead to his three year term, Willis said it's that opportunity to be an inspiration that he's most looking forward to. Theres going to be a lot of people who dont like what youve got to say. But if you know its right, then you have to stand up and boldly say it. Because if you dont stand up and boldly say it, then no ones going to listen," said Willis. After graduation, Willis plans to take classes at Weatherford College or through online seminary so he can stay nearby throughout the duration of his three year term. A mother and son were arrested for running a prostitution ring out of Dallas. According to federal court documents, Helen Yu Kim and her son Daniel Mendoza Jr. tried to supply women for an undercover Dallas officer. Kims son had told the undercover cop about his mother running a prostitution ring during a drug exchange. After which, police set up a sting and asked for Kim to supply them with about 20 women for some visiting businessmen. The undercover officer met with Mendoza to discuss prices and was told that it would cost $2000 per girl if the meeting happened at a hotel. Mendoza also asked if any of the men would be needing cocaine, Cialis or Viagra and even claimed that he had seen a picture of one of the girls, saying she looked like "'a little K-Pop Asian girl.'" The arrangement was set up for Nov. 1 where both Mendoza and his mother were arrested and each charged with using a facility in interstate commerce to promote prostitution. $1 million raised by Sonic Drive-Ins 10th annual Fall Voting campaign will be donated to several classrooms in the Fort Worth Independent School District. The campaign was completed through Sonics Limeades for Learning program which has been a longtime supporter of public school teachers. "Through Limeades for Learning, teachers from all over the country can submit project requests to philanthropic partner DonorsChoose.org for the classroom resources they need to create an inspiring learning environment for their students," said Christi Woodworth, vice president for public relations for Sonic. "Sonic is proud to support public school teachers like those in the Fort Worth Independent School District, who make a positive impact in their students' lives and in their communities every day." The Fall Voting campaign, which took place from Oct. 1-28, allowed Sonic fans to vote daily for inspiring teacher projects at LimeadesForLearning.com. The project that earned the most votes received a piece of Sonics $1 million donation. Teacher projects ranged from materials like books, flexible seating, and art supplies to robotics kits and Chromebooks, reflecting the innovative learning solutions teachers provide to their students. For a full list of public school teachers whose projects were funded through Limeades for Learning, including those in the Fort Worth Independent School District, visit bit.ly/2OknEV7. What to Know The shooting began about 11:15 p.m. at the Borderline Bar & Grill. Twelve victims were killed, including a Ventura County Sheriff's sergeant. The gunman also died. An emergency information hotline was set up for the #BorderLineShooting at 805-465-6650. A gunman in a crowded Southern California bar sent people diving for cover and smashing windows to escape Wednesday night when he opened fire and killed 12 people, including a sheriffs sergeant who responded to the call for help. By early afternoon, 10 of the 12 victims had been identified. One of the victims, 27-year-old Telemachus Orfanos, who had survived the Las Vegas Massacre, was slain amid the barrage of gunfire Wednesday night. The gunfire began about 11:15 p.m. during College Country Night, a weekly event at the Borderline Bar & Grill. Hours later, parents and friends of those who remain unaccounted for were desperately searching for updates -- many in the crowd came from local colleges such as Pepperdine, Moorpark and Cal State Channel Islands. The attacker, identified as a decorated 28-year-old Marine Corps veteran from the area, was found dead in an office at the bar after shooting himself, investigators said. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said his agency received multiple calls of shots being fired at the bar, which has a large dance hall, pool room and eating and drinking area. About 150 to 200 people were inside at the time, Dean said. "It's a horrific scene in there," Dean told a news conference in the parking lot of the bar. Minutes after the first rounds were fired, sheriff's Sgt. Ron Helus, 54, and a California Highway Patrol officer went in to respond to the gunshots. Helus, a 29-year veteran looking forward to retirement soon, was speaking with his wife on the phone when he told her he needed to respond to an emergency. "He went in to save lives," Dean said, his voice cracking. "He went in to save other people." Helus was shot several times in an exchange of gunfire with the attacker, Dean said. There were about six off-duty police officers inside the bar from several different agencies. Dean said it appears they took action to protect others and help them escape. "I've already talked to a parent who came up and said, 'They stood in front of my daughter,'" said Dean. Witnesses told The Associated Press the hooded gunman used a smoke bomb and was wearing all black with his face partly covered. He first fired on a person working at the door, then appeared to open fire at random. The shooter was identified as 28-year-old Ian David Long, who served in the Marine Corps from August 2008 to March 2013 and was deployed to Afghanistan as a machine gunner in 2010. Deputies were searching his Thousand Oaks house early Thursday in connection with the shooting. Neighbors told NBC4 he lived at the home with his mother. The weapon was a legally purchased Glock 21 .45-caliber handgun equipped with an extended magazine, Dean said. California has banned large-capacity magazines since 2000, though a law that would have extended the ban to magazines possessed before then has been tied up in the courts. Dean added that the department has had "several contacts" with Long over the years. The most recent was in April when he was irate and acting irrationally, prompting a mental health crisis intervention team's involvement, Dean said. He was not taken into custody. It is believed the gunman shot himself, he added. The body was found in an office next to the entrance. There were no indications he specifically targeted anyone at the bar, Dean said. Some witnesses reported breaking through windows and ducking under tables to escape the fusillade. Sarah Rose DeSon of Whittier, a communications major at Cal State Channel Islands in Camarillo, was celebrating a friend's birthday at the bar when she heard the gunfire and noticed what appeared to be a smoke bomb. "All I remember was standing there with my friend and I heard the shots," she said. "I'm pretty sure I saw him. I'll never get that picture out of my head. We dropped, heard gunshots, a lot of gunshots. "Everyone was under the table so it was hard to get under there. By the grace of God I got to the front door." She ran down the stairs, got in a car, and circled the area, yelling her friend's name. She found her friend safe, hiding in the bushes. A bomb squad was combing through the scene after some reported smoke bombs going off during the gunfire. There was no word on what motivated the shooting. In the hours after the shooting, family members gathered a nearby unification center. After anxiously waiting all morning for word, Jason Coffman received confirmation that his 22-year-old son Cody was among the dead. "I've been here fighting for him all morning long, and we did just get the news that he was one of the 11 killed last night," a devastated Coffman said. "He was Cody Coffman, my first-born son." Family members confirmed the death of 18-year-old Alaina Housley, the niece of of actress Tamera Mowry-Housley. California Lutheran University said a 23-year-old recent graduate also was among the dead. Recent graduate Justin Meek, 23, was killed in the shooting. The bar is just a few miles from the campus in Thousand Oaks. The sister of Sean Adler also confirmed to NBC4 that her brother died in the shooting. He was working at the Borderline Bar on Wednesday nights to make extra money, she said. Daniel Manrique, a veteran who was at Borderline Bar & Grill meeting other members of the military in support, was shot and killed. The father of Telemachus Orfanos, known as Tel, said his son served in the Navy from 2011-2014. Tel, who loved to go to the popular Western-style bar and go line dancing, was among the several hundred people inside the venue around 11:15 p.m. He was shot and killed, his father told NBC4. Mitchel Hunter, 19, from Simi Valley, said he saw the gunman. He said he had a short-barreled semi-automatic pistol with a big magazine. He said he emptied the magazine and reloaded. The shooter was armed with a single handgun, according to a law enforcement source. "I saw him walk in," Hunter said. "And he started shooting." Hunter said his friend, Tim Munson, 19, also from Simi Valley, was hospitalized. He didn't know his condition. Hunter said he heard some 20 shots and it seemed to take awhile before the police arrived. "It took forever to get the cops there," he said. Carl Edgar, a regular at the bar, said his mind was spiraling out of control. "I'm grateful I wasn't there, but at the same time I wish I could've been there to help," Edgar said. "I don't have enough hands to count how many friends I have in there tonight. "It's been a bad night. Wednesdays (are) the most popular because it's college night, just a bunch of lively kids, different colleges all the way from Ventura, all the way down to the Valley." Edgar said his friends are OK. The shooting came one day before Sheriff Dean planned to retire after 41 years of service. Bill Ayub will assume the post Saturday. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families in the wake of this horrific tragedy. We are fully cooperating with local and federal law enforcement during their investigation. Please respect our privacy while we mourn the loss of so many lives," said the owner of the Borderline Bar, Brian Hynes. The massacre was the deadliest mass shooting in the United States since 17 classmates and teachers were gunned down at a Parkland, Florida school nine months ago. It also came less than two weeks after a gunman killed 11 people at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. In May, 10 people were killed and 13 others injured when a gunman opened fire at Santa Fe High School in south Texas. Beverly White, Jonathan Gonzalez, Robert Kovacik, Stephanie Marroquin and Oleevia Woo contributed to this report. Kayla Simmons was enjoying college night with friends at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks when gunfire broke out. They were dancing when they saw someone walk in and begin shooting. "It was such a blur, it just happened," she said. Her friend Summer said he was shooting everything. "And we just saw smoke and we saw the shots taking off so we just tried to get down as fast as we could and get out of there." They were among scores of people at the bar Wednesday night when a gunman threw what many thought were smoke bombs and fired bullets. Eleven people were killed along with a Ventura County Sheriff's sergeant who responded to the emergency. The gunman was also reported dead. As sheriff's detectives, the FBI and emergency personnel converged to investigate yet another mass shooting, victims told about the harrowing ordeal. Mitchel Hunter, 19, from Simi Valley said he saw the shooter. "I saw him walk in, and he started shooting," Hunter said. Cole Knapp, a freshman at Moorpark College, told The Associated Press that the shooter was wearing a black beanie and black hoodie and holding a handgun. "I tried to get as many people to cover as I could," Knapp said. "There was an exit right next to me, so I went through that. That exit leads to a patio where people smoke. People out there didn't really know what was going on. There's a fence right there so I said, 'Everyone get over the fence as quickly as you can, and I followed them over." He said that he saw a highway patrol officer nearby and yelled at him, "There's a shooter in there." Sarah Rose DeSon, a communications major at Cal State Channel Islands from Whittier, was celebrating a friend's birthday when they heard shots. "I'm pretty sure I saw him. I'll never get that picture out of my head," DeSon said. "We dropped, heard gunshots, a lot of gunshots." Other people who were at the bar broke windows and jumped out of them to escape the bar. "I know some people went in and knocked out, with a stool, through a window," Summer said. Summer said she spent time in the military years ago and instantly knew that what she heard were gunshots. "I heard 18 to 20 rounds at a time before I got out," she said. Summer and Kayla said their main concern was to take cover. They crawled behind a wooden stage inside the bar and waited until they heard more shots. As they were trying to hid from one place to another they got separated, but ended up finding each other again. "All we tried to do was get ourselves out safe and get everyone else out safe," Summer said. Large numbers of monarch butterflies have been seen moving through North Texas recently. They are migrating south for the winter, heading to Central Mexico. Monarch Butterfies before heading to Mexico, stopped in Benbrook. This plant is in my front flowerbed, the butterfies have been here everyday for the last 2 weeks. NBC 5 viewer Tina Hargrove shared video of butterflies stopping off in the flowering bushes of her front flowerbed in Benbrook. She says they've been there "everyday for the last two weeks." Its possible to see greater numbers of these butterflies directly behind cold fronts. The cold fronts bring with them a north wind that the butterflies use to help them fly south. The butterflies began their migration south in early fall starting in the Northern United States. They reach Mexico by December and spend the winter there. When the butterflies return to the Northern United States, it take about five generations to make it that far north. Each generation of butterfly lasts from three to five weeks. The trip south is made by stronger butterflies that can make the entire trip in one generation that can live as long as eight months. Alanna Kelly UPDATE: 10:25 a.m. B.C.s children's watchdog says 14 advocacy files have been opened, claiming a social worker stole money from aboriginal children and there could be more victims. Jennifer Charlesworth says in her experience she has never come across a case like this. These kinds of cases are heartbreaking because it is one persons actions that can cause tremendous harm to these young people, she said. Two lawsuits claim Kelowna-based Robert Riley Saunders misappropriated money that was meant for aboriginal children in government care. A class-action lawsuit filed in Vancouver involves numerous underage plaintiffs, and a civil claim filed in Kelowna involves a West Kelowna resident. Charlesworth says her office has been aware of the allegations since June. The ministry is eager to share information with us, but have unfortunately not been able to, she said, due to a sealing order on the file. Even though Charlesworth has significant power to request files, Attorney Generals Ministry lawyers have said nothing can be shared. Weve been hampered with gathering the information to understand the scope and duration, she said. While it is not clear how long Saunders was in his role as a social worker, Charlesworth says it has been for quite some time. There have been concerns raised in the past, she said. Okanagan College confirmed Wednesday night that Saunders now works in adult special education in a contract term position. I think the most important thing is that every effort be made by the government to provide the support and services to these young people who cant go back in time, but help them go forward in such a way that they receive the support to address the emotional harm and financial harm, Charlesworth said. Anyone who believes they might have fallen victim to Saunders is asked to the office of the Representative of Children and Youth at 1-800-476-3933. None of the allegations have been proven in court. ORIGINAL: 5 a.m. A Kelowna social worker accused of stealing money from aboriginal children under care of the provincial government is now working at Okanagan College in a role that again places him in a position of authority over vulnerable people. Public affairs director Allan Coyle confirmed Wednesday that Robert Riley Saunders is employed in a contract term position at the college in adult special education. A pair of unsettling lawsuits claim Saunders misappropriated money over multiple years that was meant for aboriginal children while they were in government care. Okanagan College says it is aware of the civil lawsuits and that Saunders is currently on leave. We take the safety of our students very seriously, and when we become alert to situations that are cause for concern, we take appropriate action, said Coyle. A class-action lawsuit filed in Vancouver involves numerous underage plaintiffs. The civil claim filed in Kelowna involves just one a West Kelowna resident. Both lawsuits are nearly identical in their allegations. When called at his number in the college directory, Saunders answered the phone, but said "sorry" and hung up when Castanet identified itself. Lawyer Michael Patterson, who is representing the West Kelowna plaintiff, says the amount stolen from his client totals $47,000, and there could be more than 50 victims. At times, the victim was homeless because of Saunders actions, states the lawsuit. In early 2016, Saunders moved the plaintiff from a stable home environment into an unstable residential or independent living arrangement in order to make the plaintiff eligible for payment of certain financial benefits by the ministry, the lawsuit claims. Saunders then opened a joint bank account with the plaintiff at Interior Savings. Saunders stole the funds deposited by the ministry into a joint bank account by moving them to his own bank account at Interior Savings and by paying his personal expenses by electronic transfer from the joint bank account. The ministry declined comment. The allegations have yet to be proven in court. - with files from Colin Dacre A fast-moving wildfire that ravaged a Northern California town Thursday sent residents racing to escape on roads and claimed the lives of an unknown nuber of people. The 70,000-acre blaze continue to destroy more structures Friday. The director of the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services Mark Ghilarducci said Friday that there are also injuries in the fire and that the magnitude of the destruction is unbelievable and heartbreaking. Witnesses reported seeing homes, supermarkets, businesses, restaurants, schools and a retirement home up in flames. Officials say the thousands of structures in the hard-hit town of Paradise were destroyed and at least 40,000 people have been displaced. Overall, Office of Emergency Services says fires across California, including two major ones in Southern California, have forced 157,000 people from their homes. "We were surrounded by fire, we were driving through fire on each side of the road," said police officer Mark Bass, who lives in Paradise, where harrowing tales of escape and heroic rescues emerged after the entire community was ordered to evacuate. Bass evacuated his family and then returned to the fire to help rescue several disabled residents, including a man trying to carry his bedridden wife to safety. "It was just a wall of fire on each side of us, and we could hardly see the road in front of us," Bass said. Cal Fire Capt. Scott McLean estimated that several thousand buildings were in Paradise, which is about 180 miles northeast of San Francisco. "Pretty much the community of Paradise is destroyed, it's that kind of devastation," he said. The National Weather Service issued red-flag warnings for fire dangers in many areas of the state, saying low humidity and strong winds were expected to continue through the evening. The Camp Fire in Paradise was reported shortly after daybreak in a rural area. As of Friday morning, it had consumed more than 70,000 acres, more than twice the size of San Francisco, and firefighters had contained 5 percent of the blaze, according to officials. In the midst of the chaos late Thursday, officials said they could not provide figures on the number of wounded, but County Cal Fire Chief Darren Read said at a news conference that at least two firefighters and multiple residents were injured. "It's a very dangerous and very serious situation," Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said. "We're working very hard to get people out. The message I want to get out is: If you can evacuate, you need to evacuate." Several evacuation centers were set up in nearby towns. Residents described fleeing their homes and then getting stuck on gridlocked roads as flames approached, sparking explosions and toppling utility poles. "Things started exploding," said resident Gina Oviedo. "People started getting out of their vehicles and running." Many abandoned their cars on the side of the road, fleeing on foot. Cars and trucks, some with trailers attached, were left on the roadside as evacuees ran for their lives, said Bass, the police officer. "They were abandoned because traffic was so bad, backed up for hours." Thick gray smoke and ash filled the sky above Paradise and could be seen from miles away. "It was absolutely dark," said resident Mike Molloy, who said he made a split decision based on the wind to leave Thursday morning, packing only the minimum and joining a sea of other vehicles. At the hospital in Paradise, more than 60 patients were evacuated to other facilities. Some buildings caught fire and were damaged but the main facility, Adventist Health Feather River Hospital, was not, spokeswoman Jill Kinney said. Some of the patients were initially turned around during their evacuation because of gridlocked traffic and later airlifted to other hospitals, along with some staff, Kinney said. Four hospital employees were briefly trapped in the basement and rescued by California Highway Patrol officers, Kinney said. Concerned friends and family posted frantic messages on Twitter and other sites saying they were looking for loved ones, particularly seniors who lived at retirement homes or alone. Chico police officer John Barker and his partner evacuated several seniors from an apartment complex. "Most of them were immobile with walkers, or spouses that were bed-ridden, so we were trying to get additional units to come and try and help us, just taking as many as we could," he said, describing the community as having "a lot of elderly, a lot of immobile people, some low-income with no vehicles." Kelly Lee called shelters looking for her husband's 93-year-old grandmother, Dorothy Herrera, who was last heard from on Thursday morning. Herrera, who lives in Paradise with her 88-year-old husband Lou Herrera, left a frantic voicemail at around 9:30 a.m. saying they needed to get out. "We never heard from them again," Lee said. "We're worried sick. ... They do have a car, but they both are older and can be confused at times." Meanwhile, portions of Southern California remained under siege early Friday as two large fires threatened numerous Ventura County communities. Acting California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in the area and requested a federal emergency declaration, saying that high winds and dry brush presented ongoing danger. The fire in Southern California was being whipped up Thursday evening by powerful winds that pushed it through canyons and to the edge of Camarillo Springs and Cal State Channel Islands, both of which were evacuated, The Los Angeles Times reported. The blaze broke out in the Hill Canyon area and in just 12 minutes jumped the 101 Freeway. By Thursday evening, it had scorched up to 8,000 acres and sent residents of more than 75,000 homes fleeing. Fire officials said they expected it to burn all the way to the ocean. Television reports showed several homes on fire in the Oak Park community. Authorities shut down the 101 Freeway in both directions at Camarillo Springs Road. Small animals evacuated due to the #CampFire can be taken to the Old County Hospital at 2279 Del Oro and Mon, Suite E @BC_PubHealth https://t.co/auiSo6Sd7f Butte County, CA (@CountyofButte) November 8, 2018 Associated Press writers Jocelyn Gecker, Paul Elias, Janie Har, Daisy Nguyen, Olga R. Rodriguez, Sudhin Thanawala, Juliet Williams, Sophia Bollag, Michelle A. Monroe and Jennifer Sinco Kelleher contributed to this report. What to Know The Autry Nov. 10 and 11, 2018 $14 adult (museum admission included) Journeying to a marvelous gathering that's filled with all sorts of bracelets and paintings and keep-forever treasures created by a host of Native American artists hailing from over 40 nations? You can discover such treasure-packed shows, if you set your sights on Santa Fe, in New Mexico, or Reno, Nevada, or one of the other cities fortunate enough to host such an awesome and inspiring annual event. But, come the autumn, it is all about the journey to Griffith Park, and The Autry Museum of the American West, for the many fans who adore, collect, and simply admire a host of works from a host of lauded creators. Those creators, over 200 artists hailing from over 40 nations, will appear at the American Indian Arts Marketplace, at The Autry, with a whole astounding caboodle of exquite items for purchase, including "... sculpture, pottery, beadwork, basketry, photography, paintings, jewelry, textiles, wooden carvings, mixed-media works, and more..." It is, in fact, "the largest Native American arts fair in Southern California." There are several more delightful doings connected with the marketplace, including "... food, performances, children's activities, artist demonstrations, and the annual Short Play Festival from Native Voices, the Autry's award-winning resident theatre company." In the noshables category? Mmm: Auntie's Fry Bread will be in the house, along with offerings from Crossroads West, the museum's cafe. The price to enter? It's $14, for an adult, and that includes entry to the museum, too. To peruse the film and performance schedule during the busy weekend, click. Reaching out, connecting, and doing something nice, helpful, and even wonderful for someone, or many someones? It's a daily goal, to give back and make the world a sunnier place, for so many people. And many people, numbering in the hundreds, pitched in during the annual Day of Giving, a philanthropic give-back event hosted by Universal Studios Hollywood. Employees gathered on the morning of Thursday, Nov. 8 to pitch in on behalf of Operation School Bell, an effort that "... provides more than 5,000 underserved elementary-age school children in LA Unified School District (LAUSD) with new school clothes and supplies, enhancing their self-esteem and chance to succeed." The long-running program, which is part of the Assistance League, was founded in 1965. The 300 children who visited the theme park during the 14th annual Day of Giving enjoyed an afternoon at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, a visit to the Despicable Me Minion Mayhem attraction, and a whirl through the theme park's Super Silly Fun Land play zone. Each child is received "... a selection of new clothing and school supplies." The philanthropic event, which helps connect Universal employees eager to volunteer with a host of charities around Southern California, was part of the Discover a Star Foundation. The foundation's mission? To "... empower individuals and families to lead more productive and fulfilling lives." Eager to help Operation School Bell, too? You can donate here, and help support this important organization. Universal Studios Hollywood and NBC-owned TV stations operate under the same parent company NBCUniversal. California voters on Tuesday rejected a ballot measure that would have capped dialysis clinics' profits in an effort to improve patient care. Proposition 8 would have limited profits for dialysis clinics that provide vital treatment for people whose kidneys don't work properly. The measure was the most expensive initiative on the 2018 ballot in California, generating more than $130 million in campaign contributions. A health care workers union, Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, funded the $18 million supporting campaign. Dialysis companies contributed more than $111 million to kill the initiative. The union argued Proposition 8 would stop the dialysis companies from cutting corners to make money and force them to invest more of their revenue into patient care. Supporters say the profit-hungry companies don't adequately clean clinics and overwork staff. Dialysis providers say the measure was actually a tactic to pressure the dialysis companies to let workers unionize and would have forced clinics to close. They say most California clinics provide high quality care. "Prop 8 would have made it more difficult for me and for all dialysis patients to get the life-sustaining treatment we need," DeWayne Cox, a dialysis patient working with the opposition campaign, said in a statement. "It's wrong that the UHW union was willing to put our lives at risk to further their organizing agenda." Dialysis companies' effort to kill the measure was the most expensive campaign on one side of a ballot initiative in the U.S. since at least 2002. Most of that money came from the two largest dialysis companies operating in California: Denver-based DaVita Inc. and Germany-based Fresenius Medical Care. "They used that massive spending to scare and mislead Californians," Emanuel Gonzales, a dialysis technician working with the Proposition 8 campaign, said in a statement. "We set out to hold the dialysis industry accountable... We won't stop until it is truly reformed." Proposition 8 supporters say they plan to try to pass the measure again in 2020 and in the meantime will lobby for it in the Legislature. The measure would have barred dialysis clinics from charging patients more than 115 percent of what providers spend on patient care and quality improvement. If clinics exceeded that limit, they would have to provide rebates or pay penalties. Although the measure didn't spell out exactly which expenses counted toward the limit, dialysis companies argued critical management expenses would be classified as profits and bankrupt clinics. The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office estimates dialysis companies currently make roughly $3 billion in annual revenue from their California operations. Dialysis patients typically undergo hourslong treatments three times a week when machines filter their blood, essentially performing kidney functions outside the body. Tens of thousands of patients receive dialysis treatment in California each month, according to the Legislative Analyst's Office. It was one of several health care-related measures on California ballots. Voters on Tuesday also approved Proposition 11, a measure that will let private ambulance companies require workers stay on-call during paid breaks. Voters also authorized $1.5 billion in bond funding for children's hospitals by passing Proposition 4. The measure will fund construction, renovation, expansion and new equipment in children's hospitals. The money will have to be paid back over time with interest. Sergeant Ron Helus of the Ventura County Sheriffs Office, one of the first officers to enter the Southern California bar where a gunman opened fire on revelers attending a weekly college night event, is being hailed as a hero after his death. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said Helus was struck multiple times by gunfire as he confronted the shooter. The sheriff said a highway patrolman pulled out Helus and waited for a SWAT team as scores of other officers converged on the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks. By the time they entered the bar again, the gunfire had stopped, and they found 12 people dead inside, including the gunman. He says Helus was later declared dead at a hospital. "He was willing to sacrifice his life to save others," Dean said in an interview with NBC's "Today" show. "He ran into danger, he didn't walk. He ran into danger hoping that he might be able to save someone else's life. And he made the ultimate sacrifice, but he did it as a hero." Helus was a 29-year veteran of the sheriffs department and was about a year away from retirement, Dean said. Helus, of Moorpark, leaves a wife and son. "I told his wife he died a hero," Dean said, choking back tears. "He went in to save lives, to save people." The sheriff said Helus was a longtime friend and his gym partner. Dean described Helus as hardworking and a dedicated sheriffs sergeant. "He was totally committed. He gave his all. And tonight, he died a hero," Dean said at an early morning news conference. "There is just no way to describe this. It saddens us all and it tears at our hearts," he added. The loss of the devoted sergeant led to a community outpouring of grief and support during a 25-mile procession that transported his body from the hospital to the county coroner's office. Residents, firefighters and other law enforcement officers lined streets and stood in salute on overpasses along the 101 Freeway as the motorcade passed. Firefighters also honored Helus with a giant U.S. flag draped between the towering ladders extended from two fire engines outside the hospital. The shooting began about 11:15 p.m. at the Borderline Bar & Grill, said Capt. Garo Karedjian, a spokesman for the Ventura County Sheriff's Office. Authorities said the hooded gunman, wearing all black with his face partly covered, deployed a smoke device and used a handgun when he opened fire on the crowd. Many of the attendees came from local colleges such as Pepperdine, Moorpark and Cal State Channel Islands. Terrified revelers used barstools to break through windows and jump to safety to escape the dance bar while others ducked under tables to dodge the fusillade. "It's a horrific scene in there," Dean said. "There's blood everywhere." Sgt. Helus and a passing highway patrolman were responding to several 911 calls when they arrived at the dance bar at about 11:20 p.m., the Sheriff Dean said. They heard gunfire and went inside. Helus was shot and killed. Dean said Helus was on the phone with his wife, as he does several times during a shift, when he received the call to respond to the shooting. "He said to her 'hey, I gotta go handle a call. I love you. I'll talk to you later,'" Dean said. Helus had a firearms training business in Ventura County. According to his website, Helus was an FBI certified instructor offering courses on how to use and maintain various types of guns and the laws for carrying in California. The 54-year-old was from West Hills, California, and studied at the University of Oklahoma, according to his personal Facebook page. He appeared to enjoy the outdoors, posting photos of fishing trips on the social media platform. On the site's "About" section, Helus includes the biblical quote from John 15:13: "No greater love can a man have than he who lays down his life for a friend." We hope people who love Ron will find comfort in visiting his profile to remember and celebrate his life, a message at the top of the Facebook page said Thursday. The dead in Wednesday's mass shooting included 11 people inside the bar and Helus. The gunman was identified as a 28-year-old former Marine who authorities believe killed himself. The massacre was the deadliest mass shooting in the United States since 17 classmates and teachers were gunned down at a Parkland, Florida, school nine months ago. It also came less than two weeks after a gunman killed 11 people at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Neighbors of Ian David Long described the man who shot and killed 12 people at a country music bar as distant in public but combative with his mother inside the suburban Los Angeles home the two shared. One ruckus in April was so extreme that they called law enforcement. Authorities brought in a mental health specialist who concluded that Long could not be involuntarily committed for psychiatric observation but worried the 28-year-old Marine veteran might have post-traumatic stress disorder. "The mental health experts out there cleared him that day," Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said Thursday, the morning after Long opened fire inside a bar that was hosting a night for local college students. Julie Hanson, who lives next door to Long's ranch-style home, described him as "odd" and "disrespectful" well before he left home a decade ago, got married and enlisted in the Marines, becoming a machine gunner. She could often hear him yelling and cursing, but several months ago unusually loud banging and shouting prompted her husband to call authorities. "I was concerned because I knew he had been in the military," Tom Hanson said Thursday, as federal and local law enforcement officers searched Long's house, where an American flag flew over the garage. Hanson described Long as an introvert and said he was "dumbfounded" by the massacre. Other than the call in April, Long's only other contact with authorities came after a traffic collision and after he alleged he was the victim of a violent encounter in 2015 at another bar in Thousand Oaks, the sheriff said. Long joined the Marines at 18 and was married as a 19-year-old in Honolulu in June 2009, according to military and court records. His military service lasted nearly five years, and he was honorably discharged with the rank of corporal in 2013, the Pentagon said. He was part of the infantry, responsible for hauling and shooting machine guns. Robert Neller, Commandant of the US Marine Corps, tweeted "That ex-Marine's despicable actions run counter to what the vast majority of veterans are rightfully known for: serving w/ honor then making positive contributions to society." During his service, Long's marriage fell apart. He and his wife separated in June 2011, while he was deployed on a seven-month tour in Afghanistan. The couple cited irreconcilable differences in divorce papers filed in May 2013, two months after Long left the Marines. Later, he enrolled at nearby California State University, Northridge, last attending in 2016, the school said in a statement. More recently he was living in a home where neighbors said they could hear frequent, aggressive shouting between Long and his mother, especially over the last year. About 18 months ago, Don and Effie MacLeod heard "an awful argument" and what he believes was a gunshot from the Longs' property. Don MacLeod said he did not call police but avoided speaking with Ian Long. "I told my wife, 'Just be polite to him. If he talks, just acknowledge him, don't go into conversation with him,'" Don MacLeod said Thursday. Sparse pictures on social media showed a happy family. Long's mother, Colleen, posted Facebook photos of her son in his military uniform in 2010 and 2011. "My Son is home, well sort of, back in Hawaii, soon to be in Cali come January, hooray!" she wrote on Dec. 14, 2012. Another photo from 2014 shows Ian Long with his arm draped around his mother in front of Dodger Stadium. The two were wearing Dodgers T-shirts and smiles. Authorities haven't identified what motivated Long to open fire during college night at Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, around 40 miles (64 kilometers) from downtown Los Angeles. The dead included 11 people inside the bar and a veteran sheriff's sergeant who was the first officer through the door. The Marine Corps said Long earned several awards, including a Combat Action Ribbon and a Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, Third Marine Division in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. Contributing were Michael Kunzelman, Tami Abdollah, Lolita Baldor, Alina Hartounian and Reese Dunklin. What to Know Thursday is here, South Florida and NBC 6 has the top six stories you need to know to start your day. Thursday is here, South Florida and NBC 6 has the top six stories you need to know to start your day. Weather wise, a passing shower is in the forecast for parts of the area as the humidity sticks around with high temps in the mid-80s. No. 1 12 people, include a veteran sheriffs department sergeant, were killed when a gunman opened fire inside a bar during college night in Southern California. The gunman, who has not been identified, was also found dead. No. 2 A bus full of children crashed with a pickup truck in Fort Lauderdale. At least one child and one adult are in serious condition. No. 3 Florida's agriculture commissioner race could also be going to a recount. Republican Matt Caldwell declared victory, but the latest numbers show him leading Democrat Nikki Fried by less than 13, 000 votes, which qualifies the race for an automatic recount. No. 4 Senator Bill Nelson is asking for a recount in his re-election bid. There are 30,000 votes separating both Nelson and Gov. Rick Scott, who has already claimed victory despite state officials not yet calling the race. No. 5 Jeff Sessions is no longer the US Attorney General. After two years on the job, Sessions resigned at the request of the President. Matthew Whitaker will be the acting attorney general for now. No. 6 Power is now fully restored to all the Florida counties affected by Hurricane Michael. More than 380,000 homes and businesses lost power after the Category 4 storm made landfall last month. Some neighbors in Hialeah say theyre tired of the noise that wakes them up and keeps them up. Theyre not complaining about wild parties, but roosters that run loose in the neighborhood. This year, the city has received about 50 animal-related complaints most about the birds. Maria Olivella manages an assisted living facility in Hialeah. She said she would like to see the city do something about the birds because of the mess they leave behind. The staff cleans in the morning between 8 and 10 in the morning. At noon time we have to clean again, said Olivella. The City of Hialeah doesnt allow homeowners to keep chickens, but its not hard to find the birds loose in some areas of the city. And its more than just a mess for Maria. The birds could cost the company she works for money. "They can fine us, said Olivella. During an inspection, the state of Florida blamed chicken droppings on the sidewalk when it said the home failed to provide a clean and decent living environment. Omar Pino who lives near the assisted living facility said hes frustrated by the bird poop all over his patio furniture, but hes even more annoyed by the noise they make overnight. The roosters start to crow at 3-4 in the morning, said Pino. Olivella said she tried looking for help. Im worried. Thats the reason I called the City of Hialeah, said Olivella. But she said city hall told her that she was on her own. They dont provide that kind of service, she said she was told. The only way that they can do something is that we know to whom belong the chickens, said Olivella. And since she doesnt know, her employees have taken the matter into their own hands catching more than two dozen chickens in two months. Someone has to get the responsibility to get rid of the chickens, said Olivella. Postal worker Stewart Ariza said he tries to help, too, by picking up stray chickens. But he said he gets pushback from people in the community. I say okay you dont want me to take those chickens, I say okay let me call the city. And when I say I call the city. Oh, theyre not the owner no more, explained Ariza. Ariza believes Hialeah should follow Miamis example. The City of Miami has a team designated to pick up chickens. NBC 6 Responds reached out to Hialeah city officials. Hialeahs mayor declined to talk to us about the chickens and referred us to the police chief. They seemed to be not owned by anybody thats part of the problem, said Chief Sergio Velazquez with the Hialeah Police Department. A city spokesperson told us the best approach is to file a complaint against a neighbor who has chickens. But if you dont know who the owner is, then you have to hire someone to remove them. While Chief Velazquez said picking up chickens isnt a job for the police department, he promised to respond to Omar and Marias neighborhood. Theyre illegal to have so you know the problem is still we still have to see what we do with the chickens, said Velazquez. The chief of police sent an officer to their neighborhood the day after our interview. The city told us they would hire a private company to remove the chickens but days later said they hadnt found a company willing to do the work for less than $100 per bird. Photo: FortisBC FortisBC is looking at several options to boost its stock of natural gas in an effort to get its customers through the winter after a pipeline blast squeezed off supply. Sean Beardow, manager of corporate communications with Fortis, says the flow through the Enbridge pipeline that exploded in flames near Prince George last month has reached about 55 per cent, far below what they'll need this winter. He says they're preparing for a potential acute shortage and are asking customers to step up their conservation measures. Read more Twitter has removed some accounts thought to be used to circumvent a ban on conspiracy-monger Alex Jones and Infowars, the company said Tuesday. A Twitter spokesman confirmed that the accounts had been removed but provided no additional comment. The company says it usually does not discuss specific accounts. Twitter permanently suspended @realalexjones and @infowars from Twitter and Periscope in early September, later than many other tech companies such as Apple and Facebook. It said it based that action in reports of tweets and videos that violated its policy against abusive behavior. The ban underscored the difficulty many social-media services face in trying to consistently apply their rules against harassment and other bad behavior. It was also likely from the start that Jones and his supporters would find ways to get around Twitter's ban by setting up new accounts or posting from existing accounts that were not part of the initial purge. Twitter said Tuesday it would continue to evaluate reports regarding other accounts potentially associated with @realalexjones or @infowars and would take action if it finds content that violates its rules or if other accounts are used to try to circumvent their ban. As of Tuesday afternoon, an account for Alex Jones podcasts was still up on Twitter, as was another called "InfowarsFeed" that hasn't tweeted since 2008. Other tech companies, including PayPal, YouTube, Apple and Spotify, have limited or banned Jones' activities on their sites. Infowars has said the moves are intended to sabotage the site just weeks before the midterm elections. On Twitter and elsewhere, Jones has done such things as describe survivors of a shooting in Parkland, Florida, "crisis actors" and saying the mass killing at Sandy Hook Elementary in 2012 was fake. He had about 900,000 followers on Twitter. Infowars had about 430,000. What to Know The U.S. district judge presiding over the case of alleged kingpin denied his request to hug his wife before the start of his trial According to a defense letter, the alleged Mexican drug lord, Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, just wanted to "embrace" his wife before trial U.S. District Judge Brian M. Cogan denied the request citing security and escape concerns The U.S. district judge presiding over the case of a notorious drug lord has denied his request to hug his wife before the start of his trial, citing concerns over a potential prison escape and security. According to a letter Defense Attorney Mariel Colon Miro sent the judge presiding over the case Tuesday, the alleged Mexican drug lord, Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, just wants to "embrace" his wife before his trial begins. In the letter addressed to U.S. District Judge Brian M. Cogan, Miro writes to request that Mr. Guzman be allowed to give his wife, Emma Coronel Aispuro, a brief momentary greeting to include perhaps an embrace on Tuesday, November 13th right before the beginning of the opening statements. It can be a brief embrace in open court with the courtroom railing between them. Miro says the humanitarian gesture request is being made given that Guzman has not been allowed any contact with his wife by telephone or in person since his arrival to New York. In Cogans reply letter, dated Thursday, the judge writes in part: The Court is sympathetic to the request. As defense counsel points out, defendants conduct during what are surely difficult proceedings and conditions of confinement for him has been exemplary, and he has displayed considerable grace under pressure. Nevertheless, having conferred extensively with the U.S. Marshals Service about defendants request, the Court is constrained to deny it. The Marshals have stressed that acceding to the request would be contrary to all the security procedures that have been put in place. The letter additionally states that the [Special Administrative Measures] involved in the case are tailored to the Governments legitimate objectives of preventing defendant from coordinating any escape from prison or directing any attack on individuals who might be cooperating with the Government. In the original request letter, Miro produced a glimpse into Guzmans life behind bars since his detainment of nearly two years at MCC in solitary confinement. Mr. Guzman has been confined to a very small, windowless cell for 23 hours a day Mondays through Fridays and 24 hours a day during the weekend. Except for legal visits, Mr. Guzman has been completely isolated. As a result, Mr. Guzmans mental and emotional health have deteriorated, a portion of the letter reads. It is well known that solitary confinement possess negative effect to a person's sanity. It is of dire concern that Mr. Guzman's deterioration of his mental and emotional health could lead potentially to a problem in his ability to effectively assist in his defense, Miros letter continues. Jury selection at the U.S. trial for Guzman was completed Wednesday. Guzman has pleaded not guilty to charges that his Sinaloa cartel smuggled tons of cocaine and other drugs, laundered billions of dollars and oversaw a ruthless campaign of murders and kidnappings. He faces life in prison if convicted. Opening statements in the trial are expected Nov. 13. What to Know Karina Vetrano's strangulation death shocked the city; her body was found by her father and police hours after she went missing Chanel Lewis, of East New York, is charged with murder and sexual abuse in her strangulation death; he has pleaded not guilty Lewis was connected to the case via DNA evidence that was obtained from underneath Vetrano's fingernails The father of Karina Vetrano let out a wail that he's never made before or since when he discovered her body in a marsh after she was strangled to death, he recalled during testimony at the trial of the man accused of murdering her. Chanel Lewis, now 22, was charged with murder and sexual abuse after Karinas was found violently sexually assaulted and strangled to death in a secluded, marshy section of Spring Creek Park in Howard Beach on Aug. 2, 2016. Karinas father, Phil Vetrano, often ran with her on the trails in the park, but decided not to go with her that evening because his back was hurting, he recalled during his emotional testimony in court on Wednesday. When the 30-year-old hadnt returned around 6 p.m., he felt like something was wrong, he recalled. ... I continued to watch the news and eat my dinner, [but] as every moment went by, that feeling got stronger and stronger, until it was 6:27, I called her, 6:28, I called her, 6:30, I called her and she didnt answer. So I yelled. I screamed. I yelled, Oh f---, Vetrano testified. Thats when Vetrano set out to look for his daughter in the park, he said. I was screaming, Karina, Karina, Karina. I just kept calling her name, he said. When Vetranos search turned up short, he called a police chief friend of his, who sent a patrol car to help, he recalled. The search party found Karinas phone first, Vetrano said. As the search continued, Vetrano noticed a matted area completely flattened out in the weeds, he testified. Vetrano discovered Karinas body after walking around 25 feet into that area, he said. I let out this sound that I that I never made before or since. It was I dont know. It was like a wail, he said. And then I screamed, My baby, my baby. Vetrano picked Karinas body up, but was immediately surrounded by police officers who demanded he put her down, he recalled. ... [O]ne of them said to me, You have to put her down, Vetrano said. And I said, No, I have to take her home. I have to take her home. And I dont know if I put her down or if they ripped me off. And then poof, I was on the trail. I dont know if they carried me out, if they dragged me out, or if I walked out myself, he added. During opening statements on Monday, Karinas mother cried and clutched a cross as prosecutors described her daughters death. Authorities have said Vetranos killer punched her, threw her to the ground, violently sexually assaulted her and strangled her to death. Lewis, who was arrested nearly six months later, admitted to killing and beating Vetrano in a taped confession, but denied sexually assaulting her. His attorneys, however, have argued that the tape that the confession shouldnt be admissible in his trial because it was wrongly obtained, and his family has insisted that hes innocent. If Lewis is found guilty, he faces life in prison. What to Know A lawyer wanted in the shooting death of his girlfriend inside their northern NJ home last month has been captured after weeks on the run James Ray III was being held in the Essex County Jail; details on his capture weren't immediately released The body of his girlfriend, Angela Bledsoe, was found in their Montclair home on Oct. 23; the child the two had was there but not hurt A lawyer wanted in the shooting death of his girlfriend inside their suburban New Jersey home last month has been captured in Cuba after weeks on the run, officials said Wednesday. James Ray III was captured in Cuba as he was set to go through customs, according to prosecutors. He was brought back to New Jersey Tuesday night and is being held in the Essex County Jail. It wasn't clear if he had an attorney. The 55-year-old Montclair man faces murder charges in the death of 44-year-old Angela Bledsoe. She was found shot to death Oct. 23 inside the home where they lived with their young child. Authorities say police responding to a wellness check found Bledsoe suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Ray wasn't at the home when police arrived. Authorities said Wednesday that after Ray allegedly killed Bledsoe, he dropped off their 6-year-old daughter with relatives in Pennsylvania, then fled southwest, crossing the border into Mexico. He then boarded a flight to Cuba. FBI and local law enforcement credited their relationship with Interpol that helped them capture Ray. "That cooperation with Cuba was not a first but defnitely an easing of relations at least in law enforcement," said FBI Special Agent Gregory Ehrie. Prosecutors say they plan to ask that Ray be held without bail when he faces a judge next week "because of the heinous nature of the crime and his propensity to flee." Neighbor Dave Kaplan says the family was very private, but he never would have expected anything nefarious. He says he last saw Ray taking out the garbage the morning before Bledsoe was found dead. Homicides in Montclair are relatively rare. There was a high-profile case there in 2016 -- that of Sarah Butler, a 20-year-old college student whose body was found in a state reservation eight days after she went missing. The man charged in that case has also been accused in the deaths of two other women. What to Know This year's Rockefeller Center Christmas tree hails from Wallkill, New York, which is in Orange County The tree was cut down Thursday; it will next make the roughly 75-mile journey to Manhattan It will be decorated with some 50,000 LED lights and a new Swarovski crystal star designed by Daniel Libeskind; it will be lit on Nov. 28 The 72-foot tall, 12-ton Norway Spruce that will be the 2018 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree was cut down from its home in upstate New York Thursday and will head to the city for its new home in the Plaza. The tree, which is 45-feet in diameter, comes from the Wallkill home of Shirley Figueroa and Lissette Gutierrez, who gave the spruce a last hug before it was chopped down. Crews then hoisted the tree on a flatbed to make its roughly 75-mile journey to midtown Manhattan, where it is expected to arrive on Saturday. "After we bought the house, the previous owner told us, 'Hey, by the way, the tree in the yard? Rockefeller Center has been scouting it," Figueroa told News 4. "When she told me that, I was like, 'Oh, that would be cool,' but I [didn't] believe it. Until they came knocking on the door." About 50,000 LED lights and a new Swarovski crystal star designed by Daniel Libeskind will adorn the tree, which will be lit on Nov. 28. It will remain on display until Jan. 7. Last year's tree, also a Norway Spruce, came from State College, Pennsylvania. The first Rockefeller Center Christmas tree was put up in 1931 by workers building the complex during the Great Depression. The first official tree lighting there was in 1933. Figueroa and Gutierrez said they plan to replace the tree with new ones. "I believe if you take something down, you gotta put something back, so we're definitely going to plant... a few more trees, because she took up a lot of space," Figueroa said. While the two homeowners said it was difficult to part with the tree, both were excited to see it in all its glory at Rockefeller Center. "It's been a little tougher for me," Gutierrez said. "But it's for a great cause and everybody's going to see it," she said, noting that the tree will be donated to Habitat for Humanity and used for home-building lumber after the Christmas season. "I grew up going to Rockefeller Center every year, and I've only missed a few years that I couldn't get down because of work," Figueroa added. "It's going to be really amazing to be down there and know that the tree came from our yard." What to Know Seven men face charges in connection with an alleged multi-million dollar national stolen car ring, New York prosecutors announced Thursday The alleged stolen car ring involved about 60 stolen car ring involved about 60 stolen cars worth approximately $3.1 million The men have been charged with conspiracy and the possession, sale, and transportation of stolen cars Seven men are facing charges in connection with an alleged multi-million dollar national stolen car ring, New York prosecutors announced Thursday. According to Geoffrey S. Berman, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, the alleged stolen car ring involved about 60 stolen cars worth approximately $3.1 million. Four of the men were arrested Thursday and will be presented in White Plains federal court, while the other three suspects were arrested and will be presented before federal judges in Florida, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. According to court documents, from October 2017 through November 2018, Marvin Williams, Nicholas Robbie Nixon, Jason Higney, Besar Ismaili, Steven Klein, Lashaumba Randolph and Abdurahamin Shabazz allegedly operated a stolen car ring during which they received stolen cars from Michigan and Florida, among other places. Prosecutors allege the men then transported the cars to New York and Connecticut, as well as other places, to resell and created or obtained false titles, registration and temporary license plates for the stolen cars. Allegedly, the ring used the false records to deceive car buyers and the South Dakota Division of Motor Vehicles and used online markets to find buyers for the stolen cars, including in New York. Williams, 32, of Torrington, Connecticut, Dixon, 43, of Tamarac, Florida, Higney, 39, of Terryville, Connecticut, and Klein, 55, of Easton, Connecticut, are each charged with the sale or transportation of stolen vehicles and conspiracy to do the same, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, according to authorities. Ismaili, 37, of Waterbury, Connecticut, Randolph, 44, of Atlanta, Georgia, and Shabazz, 45, of Providence, Rhode Island, are each charged with conspiracy to sell and transport stolen vehicles, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Attorney information for each of the men was not immediately available. They stole from rightful owners and used a criminal network of thieves, fraudsters, and forgers to line their pockets, all while driving themselves around in stolen Lamborghinis, Range Rovers, and other pilfered prizes, Berman said in a statement, adding, with our partners at the FBI and the State Police, we have slapped a boot onto these fast-paced heists, and will now tow the defendants off to justice. What to Know A 25-year-old man was shot and killed at Target store in Brooklyn late Wednesday, police said The alleged gunman was being chased by four men he had gotten into a dispute with; one of the men in the group had a machete, cops said A spokesperson for Target said the store is scheduled to open as normal Thursday, given the NYPD clears the scene in time A man being chased by a group of men armed with a machete shot and killed another man inside a Brooklyn Target minutes before the store was set to close, police say. The fury unfolded at the stores location at City Point, a multi-use shopping center on Albee Square in Downtown Brooklyn, around 11:30 p.m., when the alleged gunman stormed inside as he was being chased by at least four men he had just gotten into a dispute with, according to the NYPD. The victim, 25-year-old-year-old Carlton Spencer, tried to approach the shooter from the side when the gunman turned to the would-be attacker and shot him once in the chest, said police, who added the victim was unarmed. [NY ONLY] The Full 2019 List of New York City's 76 Michelin-Starred Restaurants The other three men in the group fled the area, but were quickly taken into custody, police said. The shooter was also taken into custody; their names have not yet been released. Spencer was rushed to an area hospital, but was unable to be saved. Police said he had a criminal history, with his most recent arrest happening just days ago. Sources say the store was immediately shut down and evacuated as police, already in the mall complex, rushed to the scene within minutes. No workers or customers were injured. Police said a gun was recovered and the investigation is ongoing. A spokesperson for Target said the store would be closed Thursday. Top Tri-State News Photos Brooklyn Borough President Erica Adams said the group is believed to be tied to previous robberies in the Fulton Mall area. "One should not enter Target and become a target of a crime," he said. "This is madness, the fact that this can happen now at Target," said store security guard Anthony Pearson, who missed the shooting by 10 minutes Wednesday night. He wondered whether he should find a new line of work. "I have a son. I don't want to go through this type of drama," he said. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 8) National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon on Thursday urged Filipinos not to be alarmed about supposed security issues regarding the country's third provisional major telco player as the government played a role in the selection process. In a media briefing in Malacanang, Esperon noted that communication security problems are well taken care of as the secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is a former military officer. "Sanay 'yan sa technology (He's used to technology)," Esperon said of DICT Secretary Eliseo Rio Jr., who also served the Armed Forces of the Philippines as a Brigadier General. "Meron siyang expertise, at may military. (With regards to) intelligence, I agree lagi nating titingnan (ang) security ng ating communications." [Translation: He has expertise, and then there's the military. With regards to intelligence, I agree we have to always look at the security of our communications.] The government on Wednesday decided to name the Mislatel Consortium as the provisional new major player in the Philippine telecommunications market. The consortium is composed of Dennis Uy's Udenna Corporation based in Davao City and its logistics arm, Chelsea Logistics Holdings, partnered with the state-owned China Telecommunications, and the Mindanao Islamic Telephone Corporation, Inc. (Mislatel). The confederation became the lone qualified bidder upon the selection panel's review of requirements. Esperon said authorities had put provisions in the selection process concerning national security upon the anticipated entry of the player. "(It's) well taken care of But we must say that the process has been transparent," he said. "It was meant to provide the consumers with cheap communications, high speed, with better coverage, and cheaper rates." "Secured po 'yun, huwag kayong mag-alala," he added. (It's secured, don't worry). He also addressed the criticized partnership with China Telecom, saying that most of our phone systems came from China. "Fair game lahat 'yun," Esperon said of the selections' terms of reference. "Ngayong pumasok ang China Telecom, bakit tayo ma-aalarma? Eh alam ba ninyo, sa mga telepono natin ngayon, 'yung ginagamit na system natin dyan ay (Huawei)? Eh saan ba galing yun?" [Translation: It's all fair game. But now that China Telecom has entered, why should we be alarmed? Do you know that our phones system is (Huawei)? Where did it come from?] SEARS Telecom consortium and the Philippine Telegraph and Telephone Corp. (PT&T) on Wednesday were disqualified by the National Telecommunications Commission for alleged incomplete documents. The two bidders said they will file a motion for reconsideration on Monday. CNN Philippines Digital Producers Alyssa Rola and Luchi de Guzman contributed to this report. Photo: The Canadian Press Tesla CEO Elon Musk speaks at a news conference in Chicago. Tesla's board has named one of its own as chairman to replace Elon Musk, complying with terms of a fraud settlement with U.S. securities regulators. The electric car and solar panel company's board on Thursday named Australian telecommunications executive Robyn Denholm as chairman, effective immediately. Denholm will step down as chief financial officer and strategy head at Australia's Telstra after a six-month notice period to work full-time at Tesla, where she has served on the board since 2014. Musk will remain as Tesla's chief executive as part of the settlement deal with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The U.S. agency filed a lawsuit alleging that Musk duped investors in August with misleading statements on Twitter about securing the funding to take Tesla private. "I believe in this company. I believe in its mission and I look forward to helping Elon and the Tesla team achieve sustainable profitability and drive long-term shareholder value," Denholm said in a statement. Tesla shares were down slightly in premarket trading Thursday to $347.22. Under the settlement, Tesla also is required to appoint two new independent directors, and it must review the sometimes-erratic Musk's posts about the company on Twitter. Musk and Tesla each had to pay a $20 million penalty under the September deal with the SEC, and he cannot return as chairman for three years. Denholm has auto sector and Silicon Valley experience. She was chief financial and operations officer at Juniper Networks for nine years, and worked at Sun Microsystems. She also has held financial management posts at Toyota Motor Corp. in Australia. Telstra is the largest telecommunications company in Australia. Musk cited Denholm's long experience in the tech and auto industries as strong advantages and said in a prepared statement that he looked forward to working with her. "She has made significant contributions as a Tesla board member over the past four years in helping us become a profitable company," Musk said. Tesla earned a $311.5 million net profit during the third-quarter, delivering on a promise from Musk to post sustainable profits. It was only the third time that Tesla has posted a quarterly profit in its eight-year history as a public company and the first time in two years. A big jump in Tesla's output of its mass-market Model 3 car powered the breakthrough. The manufacturing increase and moneymaking quarter are two things that Musk promised would happen. What to Know AAA is projecting the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday will see an increase in travel the highest number in more than a dozen years About 54.3 million people in the United States are expected to travel 50 miles or more during this years thanksgiving holiday On Tuesday prior to Thanksgiving from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., travel time from downtown NYC to JFK via LIE is expected to be 1 hour 19 minutes AAA is projecting the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday will see an increase in travel the highest number in more than a dozen years. About 54.3 million people in the United States are expected to travel 50 miles or more during this years thanksgiving holiday, which translates to a 4.8 percent or a 2.5 million increase over the last year and the highest rate since 2005, AAA Northeast says. The Thanksgiving holiday period is from Wednesday, Nov. 21 to Sunday, Nov. 25. Higher wages, more disposable income and rising levels of household wealth are fueling a busy holiday travel week said Robert Sinclair, Jr., AAA Northeast media relations manager. According to AAA Northeast, the vast majority of travelers, around 48.5 million, will drive this Thanksgiving an increase of nearly 5 percent compared to last year. However, the largest growth in holiday travel is by air, which has seen an increase of 5.4 percent, AAA Northeast says. Meanwhile, 1.48 million passengers will travel via trains, buses and cruises a 1.4 percent rise, according to the study. The increase in travelers will mean that travel times in the most congested cities in the country could be as much as four times longer than a normal trip, INRIX, a global traffic data and analytics company, predicts. New Yorkers will need to pack a lot of patience given that New York City will experience on of the worst airport travel times in the nation, according to INRIX data. On the Tuesday prior to Thanksgiving from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., travel time from downtown New York City to JFK Airport via the Long Island Expressway East will take about one hour and 19 minutes. Only a trip to OHare Airport in Chicago will take longer. What to Know Up to 330 inmates from the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna, Delaware, will be transferred to Pennsylvania. The agreement calls for Delaware to pay Pennsylvania $123 per inmate, per day, to house offenders who were sentenced in Delaware. DOC officials said the move would result in a savings of $8 per inmate, per day. Hundreds of inmates from Delaware's maximum-security prison, the site of a deadly inmate uprising last year, will be transferred to Pennsylvania in an effort to reduce overtime for severely understaffed correctional officers, officials said Wednesday. The head of the union representing Delaware correctional officers criticized the move, saying the department needs to commit to improving compensation and recruitment and retention of prison guards. Department of Correction officials said they have entered into a two-year agreement with the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections to accept up to 330 inmates from the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna. The agreement calls for Delaware to pay Pennsylvania $123 per inmate, per day, to house offenders who were sentenced in Delaware. DOC officials said the move would result in a savings of $8 per inmate, per day. "Reducing mandatory overtime will provide relief for Delaware's correctional officers, and help make our facilities safer for officers and inmates," DOC Commissioner Perry Phelps said in a prepared statement. Geoff Klopp, head of the Correctional Officers Association of Delaware, characterized the move as a half-measure. "This is just another Band-Aid on the situation," Klopp said. "It's a temporary fix. Until we're able to hire and retain correctional officers, we're going to continue to have issues when it comes to safety and security in the facilities." All of the inmates selected for transfers will have more than five years remaining on their sentences and will return to Delaware to complete their sentences when the correctional officer vacancy rate is projected to be "significantly lower." There are currently 237 vacancies statewide, according to prison officials. They did not specify what would constitute a "significantly lower" number. The vacancy rate remains stubbornly high despite efforts taken after the February 2017 riot to boost correctional officer salaries and offer recruitment and signing bonuses. DOC officials say they have hired 130 cadets since the salary increase became effective in July. A review ordered by Democratic Gov. John Carney after the riot found that the dismissal by DOC officials of warnings about trouble brewing was indicative of an overcrowded, understaffed facility plagued by mismanagement, poor communication, a culture of negativity, and adversarial relationships among prison staff, administrators and inmates. "For years, excessive mandated overtime and fatigue ... inconsistent management ... the lack of communication, adversarial relationships, and a general lack of respect at all levels ... have contributed to poor correctional officer morale and increasing hostility between inmates and correctional officers," the review stated. Carney noted that reducing mandatory overtime was among the report's key recommendations. "We have heard loud and clear that the high levels of mandatory overtime in Delaware's prisons creates hardships for correctional officers and real security concerns inside our correctional facilities," he said in a prepared statement. Wednesday's announcement comes amid the ongoing trial for three of the 18 inmates indicted on criminal charges after the riot. It also follows the filing of a class-action lawsuit last week on behalf of scores of inmates at the prison. The lawsuit alleges that they were subjected to inhumane conditions and physical and verbal abuse by guards both before and after the riot. Sixteen inmates were charged with murder, kidnapping and other crimes following the riot, during which prison guard Steven Floyd was killed and three other staffers taken hostage. Two other inmates, including one who pleaded guilty to riot and is testifying for prosecutors, were not charged with murder. The defendants are scheduled to be tried in groups over the next several months. What to Know A lawyer wanted in the shooting death of his girlfriend inside their northern NJ home last month has been captured after weeks on the run James Ray III was being held in the Essex County Jail; details on his capture weren't immediately released The body of his girlfriend, Angela Bledsoe, was found in their Montclair home on Oct. 23; the child the two had was there but not hurt A lawyer wanted in the shooting death of his girlfriend inside their suburban New Jersey home last month has been captured in Cuba after weeks on the run, officials said Wednesday. James Ray III was apprehended in Cuba before he could go through customs, according to the Essex County prosecutor. He arrived back in New Jersey Tuesday night and was being held in the Essex County Jail. He's expected to make his first court appearance Nov. 13. It wasn't clear if he had an attorney. The 55-year-old Montclair man faces murder charges in the death of 44-year-old Angela Bledsoe. She was found shot to death Oct. 23 inside the home where they lived with their young child. Authorities say police responding to a wellness check found Bledsoe suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Ray wasn't at the home when police arrived. The child wasn't hurt and was put in the care of family members. Neighbor Dave Kaplan says the family was very private, but he never would have expected anything nefarious. He says he last saw Ray taking out the garbage the morning before Bledsoe was found dead. Homicides in Montclair are relatively rare. There was a high-profile case there in 2016 -- that of Sarah Butler, a 20-year-old college student whose body was found in a state reservation eight days after she went missing. The man charged in that case has also been accused in the deaths of two other women. What to Know In July, a head-on crash in Delaware caused the deaths of Mary Rose Ballocanag's husband and four daughters. On Monday, the other driver was accused of criminal negligence, including charges of vehicular homicide, inattentive driving, and more. Ballocanag says she's still grieving, and explains that she wants justice for her family. Court records show a man involved in a head-on Delaware crash that killed five members of a New Jersey family has been indicted. The News Journal of Wilmington reports that 45-year-old Alvin Hubbard III of East New Market, Maryland, was indicted by a grand jury Monday on five counts of second-degree vehicular homicide, three counts of vehicular assault and other offenses. The family was returning from a trip to Ocean City, Maryland, in July, when a pickup driven by Hubbard crossed a median and hit their minivan, investigators said. The family's matriarch, Mary Rose Ballocanag of Teaneck, New Jersey, survived. Her husband Audie Trinidad and their four daughters died in the crash. "Part of me died that day," Ballocanag said about the crash. Hubbard and his passenger walked away without serious injuries. Investigators took more than three months to conclude the investigation leading to charges against Hubbard. The indictment alleges that Hubbard operated his truck in a criminally negligent manner when he exited his lane of travel, crossed the center median between a multi-lane highway, and crashed into oncoming traffic. The investigation did not reveal if drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash. "We're still grieving because the justice hasn't been served, yet," Daniel Trinidad, Audie's brother and a family spokesman, said last month to the News Journal. "We want this thing over." Ballocanag's attorney stated in October that she planned to file a civil suit against Hubbard after the investigation. It is unclear if Hubbard has a lawyer who could comment on his behalf. With a dominant win in the 181st District, Malcolm Kenyatta will make history by becoming the first openly gay person of color to join the Pennsylvania statehouse. Kenyatta, a 28-year-old Temple University graduate, takes over a district held for decades by Rep. W. Curtis Thomas, who did not seek reelection. The majority black district includes large portions of North Philadelphia and Northern Liberties. Temple University also falls within the district, injecting young voters into his constituency. "We decided to choose love over hate. We decided to choose the future over the past. We decided to choose innovation over stagnation. And we decided to choose a vision of our city and of our district where we get things done together," Kenyatta said of his historic win. During the campaign, Kenyatta positioned himself firmly against President Donald Trump's "racist, homophobic and hateful priorities." The rhetoric espoused by the president, Kenyatta said, has seeped into local politics. Kenyatta was the subject of homophobic attacks over the course of his run for office. Flyers that depicted a red "No" symbol superimposed over a picture of him and his ex-husband were distributed during the May primary. In the general election, homophobic slurs were directed at Kenyatta, according to Sean Meloy, senior director for the LGBTQ Victory Fund, which backed the candidate. Kenyatta, however, believes that his victory demonstrates that the majority of the electorate rejects such views. "People made it clear that bigotry has no place in our politics," he said. Running on a platform of better schools, housing security for seniors and raising the minimum wage, Kenyatta handily beat out Republican opponent Milton Street, garnering more than 95 percent of the vote. Kenyatta, who was also backed by Run for Something, a group dedicated to electing young progressive candidates, said he hopes he can serve as a beacon for other young people thinking of running for office and for marginalized groups who have not had role models to look up to in the past. "I really do hope that it inspires other kids who might be LGBTQ or young, or come from a poor background, or may feel left out and left behind, that they can run, that they can organize their communities and that they can win," he said. What to Know In mid-October, a caravan of at least 3,500 Central American migrants seeking asylum left Honduras for the United States border. A Pentagon risk assessment found that the caravan did not pose a threat to the United States, according to a person with direct knowledge. The move to deploy troops to the U.S.-Mexico border is shaping up to cost $220 million, according to two U.S. defense officials. More than a thousand U.S. Marines from Camp Pendleton have been deployed the U.S.-Mexico border south of San Diego Thursday, a U.S. Marines spokesperson confirmed. Official U.S. military vehicles used to transport troops were spotted near the pedestrian crossing at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. NBC 7 has learned 1,100 Marines are beginning their work with Operation Secure Line in support of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. #BREAKING: 1,100 marines from Camp Pendleton sent to border as migrant caravan seeking asylum from Central America approaches. https://t.co/mQH6eqrBNy pic.twitter.com/1J3NiiebRq Danielle Radin (@danielleradin) November 8, 2018 The Marines are part of Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force 7, 1st MEF, according to the Pentagon. We are putting up concertina wire to help make the wall less scalable, said Lieutenant Fredrick D. Walker, public information officer for the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force. Were here to support our friends at Custom and Border Protection. NBC 7 crews got a tour of operations Thursday morning, where marines were hard at work setting up barbed wire. Locals who walk along the border daily to get to work could see the stationed troops from a San Ysidro bridge nearby. "I think it's alright because it's for the United States security," said Jose Plascencia, who shops across the border. But for Lesley Sandoval of National City, the sight of the troops was concerning. "To me, it's insane," said Sandoval. "The people [on the migrant caravan] are probably not going to bring guns, they are trying to have an opportunity to live here." The troops will also be used to reinforce staffing in the event large groups move to cross the border into the U.S., CBP officials said in a prepared statement. Images: US Troops Deployed to U.S.-Mexico Border The Department of Defense estimates that more than 7,000 troops will be positioned in California, Arizona and Texas in support of the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection. There are currently 5,600 troops spread out across the three states, the marines confirmed Thursday. The troops included in the deployment are from Fort Carson, Colorado; Fort Detrick, Maryland; Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Knox, Kentucky; Fort Meade, Maryland; Fort Riley, Kansas; Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia; Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina; Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington;U.S. Transportation Command; Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, Fort Bliss, Texas; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Fort Campbell, Kentucky, Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia; and Peterson Air Force, Colorado. The border mission will have a larger U.S. military footprint than the combined efforts in Iraq and Syria. The Department of Defense estimates that ultimately over 7,000 troops may be deployed to the southern border. The White House has said the U.S. may send up to 15,000 troops to the border in order to deter a caravan of Central American migrants that is moving north from Honduras through Mexico. At one point, the United Nations estimated there were 7,200 people in the caravan. [NATL] US Agents Fire Tear Gas as Migrants Breach Mexico-US Border During March Students can now wear tribal regalia or recognized objects of religious or cultural significance as an adornment during school graduation ceremonies thanks to a new California law. Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 1248 into law in September, but it came a little too late for Jacob Brown. Brown graduated in June from El Capitan High School in Lakeside. Brown, a member of the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians, wanted to wear his tribal sash and eagle feather when he walked at graduation, but school policy prohibits students from adding anything to the school-issued caps and gowns. "When you get a feather, you earn that, it's part of you," said Brown, who explained the feather represents years of hard work and is a symbol of accomplishment. Used extensively in Native American cultural ceremonies, the eagle and eagle feathers, including eagle feet, are sacred to most Native American people, including the Kumeyaay. "I was so heartbroken and devastated we couldn't even celebrate," said Nancy Brown, Jacob's mom. "Even just a few decades ago natives didn't really graduate at all, so that's why it's such a huge celebration when they do." AB 1248 was authored by San Diego Assemblymember Todd Gloria. Gloria said as a Native American, the issue was personal, but took on a broader meaning. "This started out as a concern within the Native American community, but through the legislative process what we've come to understand is there were other communities that were impacted: African American students who'd want to wear a Kente cloth," he said. Gloria introduced a nearly identical version of AB 1248 during the 2017 legislative session, but it was vetoed by the governor. "We settled on some language that still provided some level of discretion for local administrators, particularly when they saw what could be augmentations to the cap and gown that incite violence," Gloria said. The Grossmont Union High School District sent NBC 7 a statement saying it would comply with the new law and address any specific needs for graduation. "People don't come in just one size shape and color," added Nancy Brown. "Everyone is different." Some of those differences can now be acknowledged and embraced during one of life's most defining moments. Photo: CTV UPDATE 6:45 a.m. Using a smoke bomb and a handgun, a hooded gunman dressed all in black opened fire during "college night" at a country music bar in Southern California, killing 12 people and sending hundreds fleeing in terror, authorities said Thursday. The gunman was later found dead. Authorities said the motive for the attack Wednesday night was under investigation. Patrons screamed in fear, shouted "Get down!" and used barstools to smash second-floor windows and jump to safety as gunfire erupted at the Borderline Bar & Grill, a popular hangout for college students. The dead included 11 people inside the bar and a sheriff's sergeant who was the first officer inside the door, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said. "It's a horrific scene in there," Dean said in the parking lot. "There's blood everywhere." A law enforcement official told The Associated Press that authorities had identified the gunman. The official said the 29-year-old man deployed a smoke device and used a .45-calibre handgun. The official was not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The massacre was the deadliest mass shooting in the U.S. since 17 students and teachers were slain at a Parkland, Florida, high school nine months ago. It also came less than two weeks after a gunman killed 11 people at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. That, it turn, closely followed the series of pipe bombs mailed to critics of President Donald Trump. Trump praised police for their "great bravery" in the California attack and said, "God bless all of the victims and families of the victims." The gunman was tall and wearing all black with a hood and his face partly covered, witnesses told TV stations. He first fired on a person working the door, then appeared to shoot at random at people inside, they said. Sheriff's Sgt. Ron Helus and a passing highway patrolman were responding to several 911 calls when they arrived at the Borderline at about 11:20 p.m., the sheriff said. They heard gunfire and went inside. Helus was immediately hit with multiple gunshots, Dean said. The highway patrolman pulled Helus out, then waited as a SWAT team and scores more officers arrived. Helus died early Thursday at a hospital. By the time they entered the bar again, the gunfire had stopped, according to the sheriff. They found 12 people dead inside, including the gunman. It was not immediately clear how the gunman died, Dean said. The shooting happened on college night. Two-step lessons in country dancing were being offered Wednesday at the Borderline, according to its website. The bar, which includes a large dance hall with a stage and a pool room along with several smaller areas for eating and drinking, is popular with students from nearby California Lutheran University who enjoy country music. It is also close to several other universities, including California State University Channel Islands in Camarillo, Pepperdine University in Malibu and Moorpark College in Moorpark. Nick Steinwender, a Cal Lutheran student body president, told KTLA-TV he immediately started receiving messages about the shooting, and he and his roommate went to the scene to offer rides back to campus or moral support. "It's going to be a very sombre day," Steinwender said. "I know we don't have all the details in yet, but you know, it just feels like it's an attack on our community. You know, I think it's going to be something that we're going to have to come together and move past." When the gunman entered, people screamed and fled to all corners of the bar, and a few threw barstools through the windows and helped dozens to escape, witnesses said. Video accessed by the AP showed law enforcement officers and vehicles speeding to the scene and people running from bar. Rapid-fire gunshots could be heard as officers crouched down behind a police vehicle, weapons drawn. Three people were seen carrying someone, and later paramedics applied bandages to the man, who has blood on his back. Cole Knapp, a freshman at Moorpark College, said he was inside the bar when the shooting began, but he thought at first that it was "just someone with an M-80, just kind of playing a prank." Then he said he saw the gunman, wearing a black beanie and black hoodie and holding a handgun. "I tried to get as many people to cover as I could," Knapp said. "There was an exit right next to me, so I went through that. That exit leads to a patio where people smoke. People out there didn't really know what was going on. There's a fence right there so I said, 'Everyone get over the fence as quickly as you can,' and I followed them over." He said a highway patrol officer was nearby who just happened to be pulling someone over. "I screamed to him, 'There's a shooter in there!' He was kind of in disbelief, then saw that I was serious," Knapp said. He said he had friends who hadn't been accounted for. Tayler Whitler, 19, said she was on the dance floor with her friends nearby when she saw the gunman shooting and heard screams to "Get down!" "It was really, really, really shocking," Whitler told KABC-TV as she stood with her father in the parking lot. "It looked like he knew what he was doing." Sarah Rose DeSon told ABC's "Good Morning America" that she saw the shooter draw his gun. "I dropped to the floor," she said. "A friend yelled 'Everybody down!' We were hiding behind tables trying to keep ourselves covered." Shootings of any kind are very rare in Thousand Oaks, a city of about 130,000 people about 40 miles (64 kilometres) west of Los Angeles, just across the county line. Helus was a 29-year veteran of the force with a wife and son and planned to retire in the coming year, said the sheriff, who choked back tears as he talked about the sergeant who was also his longtime friend. "Ron was a hardworking, dedicated sheriff's sergeant who was totally committed," Dean said, "and tonight, as I told his wife, he died a hero because he went in to save lives." -with files from CP UPDATE 6:30 a.m. Terrified people used barstools to break second-floor windows and jump to safety after a hooded gunman dressed in black set off a smoke device and opened fire in a crowded Southern California bar. The Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, about 60 kilometres north of Los Angeles, was packed with students for college night. Twelve people, including a veteran police officer responding to the shooting, were killed. The Associated Press is reporting the gunman was 29-years-old and armed with a .45-calibre handgun. ORIGINAL 5:44 a.m. There has been a shooting at a bar in Southern California which has left 12 people dead, including a sheriff's deputy and the gunman. Eyewitnesses report seeing a hooded gunman dressed in black opened fire on a crowd at a country dance bar holding a weekly "college night" in Southern California. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said, "It's a horrific scene in there," Dean told a news conference in the parking lot of the Borderline Bar & Grill. "There's blood everywhere." More coming. -with files from CTV Harry Jaffe, a longtime chronicler of the people and politics of Washington, D.C., writes a column for NBC Washington's First Read DMV blog. Call it the Nightmare on the Fifth Floor the wing of the John A. Wilson Building that Mayor Muriel Bowsers team occupies. The bad dream began with Attorney General Karl Racines re-election to a second term and got worse as the returns rolled in and crushed the mayors candidate for an at-large D.C. Council seat. The results portend a rough second term for Bowser, and a new lineup of mayoral hopefuls for 2022. WINNERS Karl Racine: Like Bowser, Racine ran unopposed for his second term as the Districts first elected attorney general. Bowsers political advisers have always seen Racine as a threat. Now they have good reason. Racine has slowly but surely built a record as the AG on a white horse suing landlords to protect aggrieved tenants, among other consumer protection actions. His suit against President Donald Trump for making money from his Trump International Hotel, perhaps in violation of the Constitution, has raised Racines national profile. Voters rewarded him with the most votes of anyone on Tuesday. In raw numbers, Racine trounced Bowser. He got 193,885 votes, compared to her 159,820. That means 34,065 voters who went for Racine chose not to vote for Bowser. Not that they were running against one another, head to head, but thats how Bowsers people see it. Plus, Racine backed Elissa Silverman, who won over Bowsers pick. Racine becomes the immediate front-runner for mayor in four years. The next mayoral election is four years away, but Karl Racine has already endeared himself to D.C. voters. When he took the podium at Council member at-large Elissa Silvermans victory party, supporters chanted "Our next mayor!" Judging from the nearly 194,000 votes cast for Racine in this election, hes clearly in position to succeed Bowser, who has indicated she will not seek a third term. Racine has yet to show much interest in being mayor, but that could change. If not, there are a few current Council members who see themselves as mayoral material, perhaps even Silverman, once she recovers from this bruising race. Elissa Silverman: The at-large Council member beat back two candidates hand-picked by the business community to take her out. Running for her second term, Silverman has built a strong record for performing basic oversight, as in making sure the District government was working to serve residents. This fundamental task is in short supply on the D.C. Council. Silverman backed a paid family medical leave law that made her the enemy of some businesses and of the mayor. Bowser and Silverman also clashed personally when the Council member called out mayoral insider Joshua Lopez for sponsoring a political event on Wilson Building steps that turned anti-Semitic. Rather than play peacemaker, Bowser chose to call Silverman to her home and threaten her. With her victory over Dionne Reeder, Silverman gains stature and power on the Council, where Bowser has scant support already. Phil Mendelson: The Council chair makes the winners' list by default, since he also ran unopposed. But he emerges from the election with more power in his combative relationship with the mayor. If Bowsers candidate had knocked off Silverman, she would have had a better base to challenge Mendelson. Now Mendelson has the opportunity to become a true leader in improving matters dear to his heart, such as public education, if he can keep control of the 12 Council members. Vincent Gray: The Ward 7 Council member also wins by default. He wasnt up for re-election, but Bowsers loss is his gain in their long-running feud. Trayon White: The first-term Ward 8 Council member found himself in the middle of the at-large race between Silverman and Reeder. The mayor and her allies played the race card, promoting Reeder, who is black, against Silverman, who is white. Whites ward is predominantly African American, and Reeders supporters pressured him to back her. Under intense scrutiny, White declined. He has built a strong working relation with Silverman and respected her support for working families. By not taking sides, White strengthened his own stature and gained a newly empowered ally in Silverman. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser hopes the Democrats' control of the House will help the District finally legalize sales of recreational marijuana. News4's Mark Segraves reports. Jauhar Abraham: A street activist in D.C.s most disadvantaged neighborhoods east of the Anacostia River, Abraham seemed to be a natural ally of Reeder. He partnered with Reeder to found Cheers Bar & Grill on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue. "I love Dionne as a person," he told me, "but I dont agree with her positions." Or her being beholden to Bowser. Abraham threw his support behind Silverman. "I always liked Elissa," he said. "She's fought against public corruption, worked with Trayon and refused to be a rubber stamp for the mayor." By taking the more principled position, Abraham has put himself in position to be Silvermans emissary in Wards 7 and 8. John Boardman and Dyana Forester: The Districts unions went head to head with the developers and the business community in the at-large race and beat them badly. Boardmans UniteHere Local 25 of the Hotel Workers union put feet on the ground for Silverman, along with Foresters United Food and Commercial Workers Local 400. Service employees (SEIU) and the Laborers union backed Silverman as well. In the coming political and policy battles, the unions put themselves in position to push around the business side, thanks to their support of Silverman. LOSERS Muriel Bowser: The mayors average in electing Council members is near zero. Shes lost every race but one. This time she backed two against Silverman. First, Kathryn Allen got thrown off the ballot for fudging her petitions. Then, Silverman dispatched Dionne Reeder. Bowsers chief political operative, John Falcicchio, directed campaign contributions to Reeder, all for naught. Bowsers only ally on the council, Ward 4s Brandon Todd, is seen as ineffectual. Bowser heads into her second term weaker than the first. "I have a great relationship with the Council," she said at a press conference after the vote. Actually, no. Born Before Women Could Vote, 104-Year-Old Woman Casts Ballot in DC Anthony Williams: The former mayor and current Federal City Council executive director led the charge against Silverman. First he backed Reeder, then switched to Kathryn Allen, then back to Reeder when Allen was forced off the ballot. During his two terms, Williams had a troubled relationship with the Council. After losing against Silverman, hes going to face even more opposition to his advocacy for the business communitys positions. Washington Post Editorial Page: It used to be that candidates for District office would genuflect for endorsements by the Posts opinion page, and readers would punch the ticket of the Posts approved candidates. Marion Barrys first mayoral victory in 1978 came in large part thanks to the Posts serial endorsements. That clout is much diminished. The Post has been in lock step with Bowser and her anointed candidates, most of whom have lost. The Posts endorsement of Dionne Reeder made the Post even less relevant. The Post also endorsed Petar Dimtchev, the challenger to Ward 3 incumbent Mary Cheh, for questioning mayoral control of the public schools. Few voters followed; Cheh won easily. Joshua Lopez: Coming out of his support in 2006 for Bowsers mentor, former mayor Adrian Fenty, Lopez could have built a base among the Districts Latino voters, who lack political voice and a seat on the Council. Lopez instead chose the private sector aided by political connections and a mayoral appointment by Bowser. Backing Reeder, Lopez helped turn the race between Reeder and Silverman mean-spirited and racially fraught. Lopez lost his mayoral appointment and then lost the Reeder campaign. He becomes toxic to both white and black voters. Dionne Reeder: The District needs more qualified, committed elected public officials, especially from the business community. With her experience running a small business, Reeder could have built name recognition in her first Council race and set herself up for future campaigns. But rather than debating Silverman on policy and governance, Reeder alluded to race. Speaking at one of her closing rallies, she told supporters, "Dont let nobody take our city over, yall," according to the Washington City Paper. Her naked appeal to stir up racial fear failed to win the seat and might narrow her chances for future campaigns. Harry Jaffe, a longtime chronicler of the people and politics of Washington, D.C., writes a column for NBC Washington's First Read DMV blog. Suburban women are getting a lot of the credit for helping Representative-elect Jennifer Wexton flip Virginias 10th Congressional District this elections. Kathy Shupe of Sterling knocked on hundreds of voters to turn out voters. I believe that women are the reason this happened and I believe that we will continue to be that reason to change all of this in the United States, she said. Wexton credited women and the groups they are aligned with like Indivisible and Moms Demand Action for her victory over Republican incumbent Rep. Barbara Comstock. Decision 2018: Live Election Results Mobilization of women and joining womens groups was huge in my race, she said. I mean it was one of the top things that set my race apart from a lot of others. Moms Demand Action members are determined to flip more seats. Political activism is new to some in this group. For years, Cindy McCoy had donated money, but after President Donald Trump's election, she realized she had to do more. It's not enough to just be upset and yell and cry, she said. You have to actually do something, so I realized I had to get on my feet and do more. Really investing our passion and interest in making sure we are protecting our kids for the future, Kristin Jones said They are already thinking about next years election for the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors and the Virginia General Assembly. Were forming this group of women and people are joining us every day, Elizabeth Coppage said, adding, Were all going to keep going. Its not over by far. A Catholic priest has been accused of abusing a child inside a church in Northwest D.C. and the archdiocese says it has removed another priest from the church for not taking proper actions in reporting the alleged abuse. Urbano Vazquez, 46, was arrested Wednesday and charged with second-degree child sexual abuse. Vazquez has worked at Shrine of the Sacred Heart in D.C.'s Columbia Heights neighborhood since 2014, according to the Archdiocese of Washington. A victim said Vazquez put his hand down her shirt and touched her breast at Sacred Heart in May 2015. She was 13 at the time. According to court documents, the girl's mother reported the incident to the church's head pastor, Father Moises Villalta, in 2015. Villalta translated the girl's parents' account from Spanish into English in a letter at the time. However, the alleged abuse was not reported to police until Oct. 26, 2018 after Villalta told another priest visiting the church about the allegations, documents say. "Since the initial claim to police, additional allegations against Father Vazquez were reported," the Archdiocese of Washington said in a lengthy statement Wednesday night. Investigators learned of two other complaints against Vazquez in 2015. A 16-year-old victim said Vazquez kissed her on her lips in the church dining room. When the girls mother walked in and saw him kissing her, Vazquez claimed he didnt know what came over him, according to documents. In another report, a 15-year-old girl said Vazquez rubbed her leg during confession. The archdiocese said Wednesday it immediately removed Vazquez from ministry and suspended his priestly faculties when it first heard of the allegations from the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin on Oct. 26. During a review of the allegations, the archdiocese said it found that Father Moises Villalta, pastor of Sacred Heart, failed to follow protocols in reporting abuse allegations to authorities and the archdiocese. Villalta was removed as pastor, the archdiocese said. Vazquez was released on his own recognizance under the conditions he stay away church, D.C. and juveniles, Telemundo 44's Karla Flores reported. He will stay in Pennsylvania in Order of Friars Minor Capuchin housing until a preliminary hearing Dec. 10. The archdiocese said the parish's child protection coordinator has also been placed on administrative leave. In October, D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine announced he is investigating whether the Archdiocese of Washington broke D.C. law in its handling of other church sex abuse cases. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia opened the Clergy Abuse Reporting Line for survivors of child sexual abuse by clergy in D.C. who want to share their experiences with law enforcement. Survivors can call 202-252-7008 or send an email to USADC.ReportClergyAbuse@usdoj.gov. Virginia's attorney general also opened a hotline for victims. The toll-free hotline 833-454-9064 and virginiaclergyhotline.com are available 24 hours a day. Fresh from a historic re-election victory, Gov. Larry Hogan said Wednesday the losses of other Maryland Republicans on Election Day were "a repudiation" of President Donald Trump. Hogan said his large win against Democrat Ben Jealous in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1 was the result of his moderate political course and voters' desire for bipartisanship and civility. He won about 56 percent of the vote to become the first Republican governor to be re-elected in Maryland since 1954. "We had President Trump say the election should be about him, even though he's not on the ballot and, in Maryland, that's exactly what happened," Hogan said. "It was a repudiation of the president who lost this state by 30 points, and people came out and expressed their frustration against just about all Republicans in our state with the exception of us." Republicans were hoping the governor would have coattails to enable the GOP to win enough seats in the Maryland Senate to end a supermajority held by Democrats that enables them to override Hogan's vetoes. However, for the most part, voter enthusiasm for Republicans in Maryland stopped with Hogan on Election Day. Decision 2018: Live Election Results In the Senate, Democrats blocked the GOP's "Drive for Five," which was an effort to pick up five seats to bring Democrats under the 29 votes they need to override a veto. In the House, Democrats padded their supermajority by about a half dozen seats. Sen. J.B. Jennings, the Senate minority leader, said the "Drive for Five" was "always a dream," and Republicans still managed to gain some ground. "In the Senate, we picked up a seat in not-a very-good climate, and I think that does say a lot for our efforts and our candidates," Jennings said. But in addition to losing seats in the House, three Republicans also lost county executive races, including two incumbents. Maryland voters didn't hold back in expressing their frustration with Trump and how their anger influenced their votes. Peter Stone, an independent who voted in Annapolis on Tuesday, said he voted for Democrats in protest of the president, though he made an exception for Hogan. "All the way down down to the register of wills," Stone said, after noting his exception for Hogan. "In my mind, the Republican Party should be basically hung out to dry." A majority of voters in Maryland said the country is headed in the wrong direction, according to a wide-ranging survey of the American electorate. AP VoteCast found a majority of voters in Maryland had negative views of Trump: 6 in 10 said they disapprove of how he is handling his job as president, while a third said they approve of Trump. House Speaker Michael Busch said Trump was clearly on voters' minds. "I think that people came out to vote against Donald Trump and the type of character he has displayed as president of the United States, so it's no doubt that he had an effect on the election, but you still have to have good candidates," Busch, a Democrat, said Wednesday. "You have to have good organization. You have to have the resources to do it, and we raised quite a bit of money to make sure that we funded the races we needed to." Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller said while Maryland voters like Hogan, they understand that Democrats are the ones who are doing the work in Annapolis. "They know who does what, and as a consequence they rewarded the people that had been responsive to their problems and needs, which was the legislature," Miller, a Democrat, told reporters. Democrats also maintained their 7-1 advantage in the U.S. House of Representatives. Democrat David Trone won the 6th congressional district, the only open seat due to the departure of Rep. John Delaney, who is running for president. U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, a Democrat, cruised to win a third term. A group of Democratic lawmakers gathered Tuesday in Baltimore's Port Covington to talk about their agenda over a working lunch and publicly commit themselves to working across party lines. Cardin was among a congressional delegation congratulating the Republican governor and pledged to work closely with his administration. "He had high popularity numbers, so I think the voters expressed their preference for governor of Maryland and we recognize that," Cardin said when asked what he believed voters were saying by emphatically returning Hogan to the governor's mansion. "And I think it is important now that all of us show that we can work together for the people of our state." The Metropolitan Grand Central bus terminal in this city where the migrant caravan traveling through Mexico originated more than three weeks ago is a place of crossing destinies for Hondurans dreaming of seeking a better life in the United States. Some of the dozens of people sleeping on the concrete floor or outside on the grass underneath palm trees bathed by the light of street lamps are awaiting buses to the Guatemalan border to begin the journey north. Others are arriving after failing to complete the trip and are being ferried back to the precarious lives they left behind. Hundreds of the mostly Honduran migrants who set out with the caravan that has traversed hundreds of miles through three countries before arriving in Mexico City this week have returned home, according to the Mexican government. Some grew disillusioned. Others simply wore out. Still others were detained and returned, or gave up on waiting for possible asylum in Mexico and accepted bus rides back home. Disembarking at the bus station in San Pedro Sula, nearly all of those returning said the same thing: Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but they intend to try again. "I would go 30 times more if possible," said Daniel Castaneda, an 18-year-old from the central city of Comayagua. He was detained shortly after migrants in a caravan following in the footsteps of the first one clashed with police on a bridge on the Mexican border with Guatemala late last month. "I can't say when, but I am going to keep going. ... This country is going to be left empty," he said. Reny Maudiel a fresh-faced 16-year-old in a green T-shirt, a mop of curly hair sticking skyward from his head, said he was turned off by the violence of last month's border clashes. He was also exhausted, and his feet hurt but already his mind was turning northward. "I hope another opportunity emerges," he said. While U.S. President Donald Trump seized on the caravan as a campaign issue for Tuesday's midterm elections and suggested that criminals had infiltrated the group, the migrants say they are fleeing poverty, lack of jobs and rampant violence. In a country that is one of the world's deadliest by homicide rates, San Pedro Sula is among the most violent cities as the Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13 street gang, fights street-by-street with the rival 18th Street gang for territory. It's also seen a harsh crackdown by security forces including documented abuses. Nationwide nearly two-thirds of Hondurans, or some 5.5 million people, live in poverty, according to the World Bank. Pablo Alba choked up thinking about how his 11-year-old son wrapped his arms around his neck and begged to be taken on the journey north. Alba said no, not wanting the boy to risk the arduous trek. "If there must be suffering, I will go alone," he said, recalling that Oct. 13 day when he set off to join the caravan with only the clothes on his back. The 64-year-old had never thought about emigrating before because he had always been able to find work. A trained veterinarian, he ended up selling tamales cooked by his landlady, and it wasn't nearly enough to support his family. Mexican authorities say some 3,230 migrants from the caravan have requested refuge. Alba used to be one of them. But shut in at an immigration center and unable to communicate with his children he had no money or cell phone he dropped his application and agreed to return to Honduras. Some 480 others have done the same, according to the Mexican government. He intends to try again in March only this time he will bring his kids. According to data from Mexico's National Immigration Institute, on average 136 Honduran migrants per day have been returned to their country this year. Women and children are taken directly to a shelter in San Pedro Sula. Men go by bus to the Caribbean coastal city of Omoa, and from there are transferred to the San Pedro terminal. Some days they're met at the bus station by government officials sitting behind a plastic table offering "solidarity bags" of basic goods such as rice and dried spaghetti, along with a photo of President Juan Orlando Hernandez and a note saying it comes from his government. Jorge Marquez said they were taking returnees' information to "follow up with them" and allow them to benefit from aid that Hernandez has promised in response to the caravan, which at its peak numbered more than 7,000 people. But such vows largely ring hollow in this deeply troubled and politically unstable country. In interviews with The Associated Press, most returnees said they faced only a bleak future if they remained in Honduras. However, some, like Gerardo Castillo, a 35-year-old mason, did find encouragement in promises by Mexico's President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who takes office Dec. 1, to give special visas to Central Americans to work in his country. Castillo, who left two children back home in Olancho and has two more in the United States, complained that immigration agents under the current Mexican administration were detaining migrants who separated from the main caravan, as happened to him. In Lopez Obrador, he sees a possible future in Mexico. "On Dec. 1, I will be in Tecun Uman," Castillo said, referring to the Guatemalan city across the river border from Mexico. Olvin Fernando Murillo, 20, made it almost 200 miles (300 kilometers) north of that crossing to the town of Arriaga still far from Phoenix, Arizona, where a brother lives. That's when his 16-year-old girlfriend got sick. When it became clear she wasn't getting better they decided to return to their Honduran hometown of El Paraiso on the border with Nicaragua. He sold his cellphone to raise a bit of money and had little more than a donated green backpack he picked up after crossing into Mexico. But his plans were clear. "To rest for a while, and in January, another caravan," he said. Rumors that yet more caravans will form are flying in every corner of Honduras. They're attractive for the perception that they provide safety in numbers, and because they're a way to avoid paying thousands of dollars to a smuggler. But the reality is far less certain. Those few who make it to the United States face a tough road to be able to stay legally; poverty and violence are not supposed to be considered as qualifying factors for asylum. Trump has talked of making asylum even more difficult, of detaining applicants in tent cities and of sending 15,000 U.S. troops to the southern border. Still, 27-year-old Claudia Noriega was determined to risk it, saying she can no longer make a living selling sweets since sugar prices have soared. She was aware she could end up back here in a few weeks' time, just like the men sleeping on the bus terminal floor. "The important thing is to try," she said. "And if you can't, you'll have to see what to do then." Records show a Massachusetts school bus driver charged with leaving a 5-year-old boy on his bus for hours has several traffic tickets in his past. The Salem News reports that 71-year-old David Boutros received six citations for failing to stop or yield between 1992 and 2016, was ticketed for speeding three times and was in an accident where he was deemed at fault in 1992. Boutros pleaded not guilty Wednesday to child endangerment after prosecutors say he left the child on the bus for hours in Beverly in September. Police say the boy was hit by a car while trying to walk home and suffered bruises. Boutros' attorney says his client never should have been charged. Beverly's school superintendent declined to comment when asked about Boutros' driving history. Two years after her mysterious disappearance, investigators are no closer to knowing what happened to 71-year-old Diana Estey. She was last seen around Oct. 31, 2016, near her home in Medford, Maine, a small town of fewer than 300 people. Its been a nightmare, said her brother, Paul Estey, at a press conference with Maine State Police Thursday. Estey said his sister wasnt in the best health, and couldnt have wandered far on her own. He said it would be out of character for her to leave without warning. Investigators say they have found no clues in the case, and have not ruled out foul play. I feel somebody came and took her, said Paul Estey. Police and Game Wardens have searched the area around her home on Medford Center Road as recently as last weekend. Now, they are appealing to the public for more information. People might have some information, no matter how small, said Sgt. Darryl Perry. Please come forward. Esteys friends and family have pulled their money together to offer a $12,000 reward for information. Paul Estey said people in the remote town are on edge, as this unsolved case turns cold. I know people are nervous, he said. It doesnt feel right. Photo: Center for Whale Research A Washington state task force on critically endangered Northwest orcas wants to temporarily suspend whale-watching boat tours focused on those whales, one of three dozen recommendations to save a population that is at its lowest in over 30 years. The group advising Gov. Jay Inslee voted Tuesday to recommend a three- to five-year moratorium on viewing southern resident killer whales by all boats in Puget Sound. Disturbances and noise from boats can interfere with the whale's ability to find food or communicate, and supporters said it would protect the whales. Critics said it doesn't address the larger issue of dwindling food supply and it would be devastating for the industry. The proposed moratorium would not apply to boats viewing other whales in the region, including grey or transient whales. The endangered orcas struggle from pollution, boat noise and lack of chinook salmon, which have been declining because of dams, habitat loss and overfishing. The task force plans to forward its recommendations to the governor next week. He'll consider the ideas as he proposes a budget and potential legislation that will also go before the Legislature. Among the more contentious ideas, the task force is recommending that the state set up a stakeholder process to address issues related to the possible breaching or removal of the four Snake River dams in eastern Washington. Some argue the best way to get more salmon to the starving whales is to tear down four dams on the lower Snake River, a tributary of the Columbia River, to help migrating fish. Critics say doing so would hurt the livelihood of many who depend on those dams for navigation, recreation and hydropower. AP A man was killed after he was struck by a car Wednesday evening in Lebanon, New Hampshire. Officials received a call of a crash involving a pedestrian at 6:25 p.m. and responded to the intersection of Evans Drive and Hanover Street. They learned that the 39-year-old driver was turning onto Evans Drive from Hanover Street Extension when she struck a pedestrian who was crossing the street on the crosswalk. The victim was rushed to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, where he died. The driver was not hurt in the crash, according to police. Police did not release the identity of the victim pending positive identification and notification of next of kin. Authorities are continuing their investigation on the crash. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Lebanon Police Department at 603-448-1212. A Massachusetts school custodian was held on bail Thursday following his arraignment on child pornography charges. Miguel Pereira, 35, of Somerset was charged with dissemination of child pornography and possession of child pornography at Fall River Justice Center. Pereira had been a custodian at Somerset-Berkley Regional High School for only a few weeks, according to police. Authorities said they were tipped off by investigators with the Internet Crimes Against Children task force, which had allegedly found child pornography being shared from the suspect's IP address. A search warrant was executed at his home just before his arrest at the high school Wednesday night. "My client is devastated by these charges. He denies these charges," said defense attorney Michael DiGioia. Pereira's family did not appear in court but prosecutors said they did contact authorities. "The defendant's wife contacted our office and indicated to us she does not want him back in the residence," said prosecutor Kyle McPherson. Outside of the school, students were shocked to hear of the charges. "It's honestly disgusting. That's not OK at all," said student Darien Munoz. "This is a school where there is children including mine and other ones and he has a child of his own so its very disturbing to hear," said one parent named Nancy. In a letter to families, the school district's superintendent called Pereira's arrest "disturbing," and said there does not appear to be any involvement of any high school student at the moment. Pereira has been placed on leave pending the results of the investigation, Superintendent Jeffrey Schoonover wrote. The school district also said Pereira successfully passed a background check, which included a criminal record check and national fingerprint background check, when he was hired about five weeks ago. s school custodian was held on bail Thursday following his arraignment on child pornography charges. Pereira is due back in court Nov. 27. Cutting mass shootings is the goal of a new partnership between a northern New England business and a Florida-based non-profit founded by the parents of a young victim of gun violence. Its such a crucial, emblematic issue, T-shirt designer Brian Carr said of mass shootings. Carr, who runs Solid Threads from his Burlington, Vermont headquarters, said he loves clothes that spark conversations. Two of his Ts are now taking on one of the toughest challenges of our times: mass shootings. Carr ships shirts nationwide, including one reading Books, not magazines, saying kids should be able to go to school without fearing violence. Another puts a pencil in the hands of Dirty Harry in place of his revolver, transforming the characters famous movie line to, Go ahead, change your way, with a call for sensible gun reform. I think a lot of people are afraid to bring politics into business and want to be careful of the bottom line. But these issues are bigger than that, Carr said Thursday, following a shooting at a bar in Thousand Oaks, California, that killed a dozen people. Its impossible to look away. Carr sends half the profits from these designs to the group Change the Ref, which just last week introduced an eye-catching billboard alongside the Massachusetts Turnpike in Boston. We have to make a change, implored Patricia Oliver at the unveiling on Nov. 1. The face of Patricia Olivers student son, Joaquin, is on that billboard. He was one of 17 people massacred at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in February. The victims dad told necn and NBC10 Boston at the unveiling in the Back Bay that Change the Ref aims to use urban art and activism to press for new policies and a more peaceful future. I think that the only thing that I can do now is prevent other parents to go through what Im going through, Joaquin Olivers dad, Manuel, said on Nov. 1 about his work with the advocacy group. Brian Carr said he wishes his shirts never had to be designed, but with people still dying, he said hes glad to lend his voice to the debate over guns in America. I hope people are drawn into it and whatever side youre on, it starts a productive conversation, Carr told necn and NBC10 Boston. A Massachusetts woman died after suffering a severe asthma attack, but it was a breakdown in communication that led to her death, according to her husband. "Our entire emergency response system failed her," Peter DeMarco told NBC News in an exclusive interview about his wife's 2016 death. Laura Levis, 34, was having an asthma attack and went to Somerville Hospital where she had trouble finding the emergency room entrance. She went to one door, which was locked. Panicking outside the emergency room, Levis called 911. The call went to a regional operator 18 miles away. "I'm having an asthma attack, I'm dying," Levis told the operator. The regional operator passed the call to local police, but without crucial details such as Levis' exact location. Eventually, a nurse stepped outside the door to look for Levis, but didn't see her on a bench 70 feet away. Five minutes later, a firefighter found Levis and administered CPR. She died about a week later. DeMarco detailed the events that led to his wife's death in a Boston Globe Magazine article and says he hopes to shed light on the system failure and save other peoples' lives. Rhode Island elections officials say one polling place in Providence did not see a single voter during the midterm elections earlier this week. Miguel Nunez, deputy director at the state elections board, told The Providence Journal that Precinct 2807 has just 11 registered voters, and none of them showed up Tuesday. The precinct votes at the Cathedral of St. John, the former mother church of the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island that stopped holding services in 2012. It is now home to other organizations. Four people voted at the site in the 2016 presidential election, three for Hillary Clinton and one for Donald Trump. No one voted in the precinct in the 2014 elections. Most IT professionals select cloud providers based on price or proximity to users, but network performance should also be considered. Because as we see in a new report from ThousandEyes, the underlying network architecture of the big cloud providers can have a significant impact on performance. And performance varies widely among cloud service providers. In its first annual public cloud benchmark report, ThousandEyes compared the global network performance of the big three public cloud providers Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and Microsoft Azure. The network management company looked at network performance (latency, packet loss, jitter) and connectivity architecture. It also measured user-to-cloud connectivity from 27 cities around the globe to 55 AWS, Azure, and GCP regions and measured the inter-AZ and inter-region connectivity within all three cloud provider networks. In addition, they measured inter-region connectivity between all 55 regions on a multi-cloud basis. Using AWS means more internet Perhaps the most intriguing finding in the ThousandEyes report was that the AWS network design forced user traffic to use the public internet for most of its journey between the users location and AWS region. This is in stark contrast to Azure and GCP, which ingest user traffic close to the user and ride their private network for as long as possible. There are some technical differences in network design that causes that, but the net result is that AWS routes user traffic away from its backbone until it gets geographically close to that region. In bandwidth-flush regions such as the U.S. and Europe, internet performance and private network performance dont vary that much, so users are not likely to notice a difference. In locals such as Asia where fiber routes are sparser, however, internet performance can vary, creating unpredictable performance. The tests showed that in Asia, the standard deviation on AWS network performance is 30 percent higher than GCP and Azure. Regional performance varies by cloud provider Another major finding was that there are some regional anomalies that vary by provider. For example, GCP has a robust global network but does not have a fiber route between Europe and India. That means traffic going from London to Mumbai would take three times as long to get there than traffic on Azure or AWS. This can have a big impact on the quality of real-time applications such as voice and video. ThousandEyes All three cloud service providers continue to invest in their networks to fill gaps like this, but there will always be variances in the different networks and its good to have the data to uncover what those are. Other regional differences include: Within Asia, AWS network performance was 56 percent less stable than Azure and 35 percent less stable than Azure. When connecting Europe to Singapore, Azure was 1.5 times faster than AWS and GCP. The time for multi-cloud is now One question thats always on IT leaders minds is how well do AWS, GCP, and Azure play together. They compete, but they also cooperate to ensure customers can employ a multi-cloud strategy. The test results showed extensive connectivity between the backbone networks of all three major cloud providers. Customers that embrace multi-cloud can be assured that traffic going between GCP, Azure, and AWS rarely traverses the public internet. Inter-region performance across the three are stable and reliable, so businesses should feel free to go big on multi-cloud. The study highlighted that the network matters with respect to cloud performance, and the only way to truly know whats going on is collect data and measure performance. The internet is always changing, and this ThousandEyes study is a good snapshot as to what things look like right now. But things are constantly changing. Businesses should continue to collect network intelligence and measure their own performance to ensure they are getting what they expect from their cloud providers. Photo: The Canadian Press Britain's Prince Charles, stands by a Commonwealth Walkway plaque during a reception at the British deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Nigeria, Wednesday Nov. 7, 2018. Britain's Prince Charles has pledged not to interfere in the affairs of state when he becomes king, seeking to dispel concerns about his past activism on issues ranging from global warming to architectural preservation. In an interview for a documentary marking his 70th birthday, the heir to the throne told the BBC that he understands he will have to act differently when he becomes king. Britain's monarch is barred from interfering in politics. "I'm not that stupid," Charles said when asked if his public campaigning would continue after he succeeds his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. "I do realize that it is a separate exercise being sovereign, so of course I understand entirely how that should operate." The prince has caused disquiet in the past by expressing his commitment to organic farming, traditional architecture and environmental causes. In 2015, he lost a long court battle to prevent the disclosure of 27 letters sent to government officials on matters such as badger culling, fish protection, military readiness and the preservation of historic buildings. The "black spider" memos, so called because of Charles' cramped handwritten greetings and closings, were controversial because some saw them as inappropriate lobbying by the heir to the throne. But Charles defended his past actions, including establishing the Prince's Trust in 1976 to help disadvantaged young people, saying he had always steered clear of party politics. He wondered aloud whether his interventions were really "meddling." "If it's meddling to worry about the inner cities as I did 40 years ago ... if that's meddling, I'm very proud of it," he said. The documentary captures the prince in both public and private, including images of him feeding vegetable scraps to his chickens and collecting their eggs at his Highgrove home. PM opens new manufacturing facility at Xtrac The Prime Minister Theresa May visited Thatcham today to open a new facility at a "beacon of global Britain". Mrs May spoke to staff and apprentices at Xtrac, which designs and manufactures high-performance transmissions for the motorsport and automotive industry manufactures. The PM then toured and opened a new 117,000 sq ft facility at the company's base in Gables Way. Xtrac supplies most of the worlds top motorsport teams, from MotoGP to Formula 1, and was subject to a multi-million pound buyout in October last year. The media were not invited to the event, something that Newbury MP Richard Benyon said he was frustrated about. Xtrac exports more than 75 per cent of its sales, including to Europe and the USA, where it has another facility. But amid the uncertainty of Britain's exit from the European Union next year Mr Benyon said that the company's decision to expand in Thatcham was "very positive." He said: "They are showing that they have a great belief in their production and workforce, and in the British economy. "They spoke very warmly to the Prime Minister about the measures the government have taken about capital allowances and the government's industrial strategy, which they think is positive for companies such as theirs." Mr Benyon said that Mrs May had enjoyed meeting staff, particularly the young apprentices and people who had joined the companies graduate scheme. He said: "I got to welcome the Prime Minister to Thatcham and for her to see this superb British company, with its very positive view of the future from a manufacturing company that exports 75 per cent of what it makes, and is a world leading engineering company, to be increasing its factory size and to be so positive about the future is a great thing." He said that Mrs May spoke of the company's "huge slice of the global market for transmission systems" and that it had a "great apprenticeship programme." Mr Benyon said: "She seemed really upbeat by the really positive message she got from everyone involved, including some of the members of the workforce, and paid tribute to a company that's prepared to invest in the future as a beacon of global Britain." Xtrac was subject to a buyout by funds managed by Inflexion Private Equity in October last year. Inflexion, which invests equity of 10m to 150m, said it was backing Xtracs well-established management team, who would remain with the business. See more on this story in next week's Newbury Weekly News. Photo: The Canadian Press The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce is one of the most commonly targeted brands used by cyberthieves in phishing attacks across North America, with a more than 600 per cent surge in fake email attempts in the third quarter, according to analysis by an email security firm. Vade Secure's research shows that during that period CIBC was the lone Canadian company among the top 25 brands used by cybercriminals trying to trick people into handing over their credentials and confidential data, according to the France-based company's engine. The Toronto-based bank was ranked 25th and used in an average of 5.3 new phishing links per day during the third quarter, an increase of more than 622 per cent from the previous quarter, the analysis showed. The email security firm's chief executive Adrien Gendre said each of these links, which typically mimic official webpages, can be sent to thousands of users. It's unclear what is behind the surge in phishing activity, but one factor could be CIBC's launch of its Simplii Financial direct banking brand last year, Gendre said. When users are less familiar with what interactions to expect, they are easier to deceive with a fake email, he said. "Every new service, it's a good target for phishing... People will click more on it," Gendre said. Vade Secure, based in Lille, France, protects more than 500 million inboxes and its conclusions were based on the phishing attacks detected by its artificial-intelligence powered platform. CIBC said "cyber security is an evolving space that we monitor closely. "We have multiple layers of security in place and continuously invest to safeguard our clients," spokesman Tom Wallis wrote in an emailed statement. The email security firm's analysis comes as Canadian banks continue ramp up their spending on technology, including cybersecurity defences, and months after BMO and Simplii said that thousands of customers may have had personal and financial data compromised. In May, BMO said hackers contacted the bank claiming to be in possession of the personal data of fewer than 50,000 customers, and that the attack originated outside of Canada. At the same time, Simplii also warned that "fraudsters" may have accessed certain personal and account information for about 40,000 clients. A leak of user data is often followed by a wave of phishing attacks or a malware attack months later, Gendre said. A few years ago, grammatical errors or language mistakes would easily signal that it was fraudulent, but now these fake webpages are often indistinguishable from the real thing, Gendre added. The three top targets in North American phishing attacks during the third quarter were Microsoft, PayPal and Netflix, but other large Canadian banks were also among the 86 brands tracked by Vade Secure. Bank of Montreal was in 33rd place with phishing activity up 317.5 per cent from the previous quarter, followed by Scotiabank in 47th place with activity up 53.1 per cent. Royal Bank of Canada and Toronto-Dominion Bank saw a drop in phishing activity, down 91 per cent and 57.6 per cent from the previous quarter, respectively, to put them in the 49h and 62nd spots. However, during the second quarter, RBC was in the 21st spot with an 767.3 per cent increase in phishing links, according to Vade Secure. Photo: CTV Fraser Health has issued a warning about a potential measles outbreak at a Surrey high school. Health officials indicate the potential exposure took place at Fleetwood Park Secondary School between October 30 and November 2, 2018. There is some concern that students and staff may have been exposed to the measles last week. Fraser Health is advising that any students who have never received a single dose of the mumps, measles and rubella vaccine which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella are being advised to stay away for approximately 21 days. Students and staff members as well as unvaccinated staff born after January 1, 1970, will not be allowed to return without proof of immunity. In extreme cases, measles can cause brain damage, deafness and/or convulsions and generally takes between 10 - 21 days to incubate. -with files from CTV Cell division is integral to understanding development, growth and disease states such as cancer. It has long been known that for replication, a complete new set of DNA and the formation of a septum, dividing the two cells, are necessary. New research changes perspectives of how these two processes influence the timing of cell division. Andrii Vodolazhskyi | Shutterstock The trigger for cell division was previously unknown, with theories suggesting that the trigger is either completed DNA replication or septum formation. The cell cycle has been seen as a series of cascade-dependent timed transitions, but research has not been able to find the final trigger. New analysis from researchers at the University of Milan, the Santa Fe Institute, ETH Zurich, and Sorbonne University has suggested both triggers need to occur simultaneously for cell division to occur. The research, carried out on models on preexisting data from E. coli bacteria, showed that the processes occur in a way that relies on each other. Co-author Gabriele Micali, of ETH Zurich, likened the process to a just in time supply chain, wherein the arrival of materials is coordinated with when they are needed. In cell division, this would mean that both DNA replication and septum formation are needed to trigger cell division, and that the slower of the two is the factor that limits how quickly cell division occurs. Researchers liken this to an AND gate, where the slowest processes sets the pace for division. Another study by the same team of researchers published in October complements the findings of the current one. There, they found that previous theories failed to account for the role of concurrent cycles in triggering cell division. While the previous study focused on the role of DNA replication, the new study highlights the role of septum formation as a vital synchronized process. While the data was carried out using models on bacteria, the researchers believe it can be extrapolated to more organisms. The next step in refining our understanding of cell division is to elucidate the mechanisms that coordinate DNA replication and septum formation. Understanding more about the coordination system of cell division can help researchers understand pathologies such as cancer, when there is a disturbance in control of cell division. When Chlamydia trachomatis, the bacterium that causes one of the most common sexually transmitted infections worldwide, infects a human cell, it hijacks parts of the host to build protective layers around itself. Inside this makeshift fortress, the bug grows and reproduces, eventually bursting out in search of a new target and killing the host cell. While scientists have known for years that Chlamydia protects itself in this way, they were missing the mechanics until now. Researchers from Duke University and the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, UK, have shown that one Chlamydia protein, known as ChlaDUB1, is capable of manipulating human cells in two different ways, at least one of which appears to be essential for thriving inside its host. The findings which appeared this week in Nature Microbiology could pave the way for treating Chlamydia with fewer antibiotics. Structural biologists led by David Komander of the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Chlamydia experts at Duke University collaborated on the study. Initially, Komander and postdoctoral fellow Jonathan Pruneda, now an assistant professor at Oregon Health & Science University, contacted Duke Professor Raphael Valdivia, Vice Dean for Basic Science, to discuss the ChlaDUB1 protein, which Valdivia's team had worked on before. ChlaDUB1 is one of a class of proteins generated by Chlamydia to disrupt host cell function. Komander, Pruneda, and colleagues found that the protein is an enzyme, a deubiquitinase, that removes ubiquitin, a small protein that human cells attach to other proteins to activate them or to indicate that those proteins should be torn up. Human cells use ubiquitin to send signals, many of which are important for inflammatory responses to pathogens like Chlamydia. Komander's group determined through further study of the ChlaDUB1 enzyme's shape that it can also modify proteins with acetylation to disrupt the alarms human cells raise to fight infection. "Instead of making two proteins, one that has the deubiquitinase activity and a separate one that has acetylation activity, they've combined that into the same protein," said coauthor Robert Bastidas, a research assistant professor who is part of Valdivia's group at Duke. Chlamydia is unlike other bacteria in that it can't survive on its own outside of a human cell, Bastidas explained. He said it is likely that the bug has cast off large parts of its genome in order to better survive inside host cells. He hypothesizes that the bacterium saves space with this mashed-together protein, the only Chlamydia protein that has been found to have these two functions. While it was clear that ChlaDUB1 was capable of both functions, Bastidas and his colleagues at Duke wanted to know what the enzyme was doing inside its host during Chlamydia infection. The researchers infected human cells with wildtype Chlamydia, as well as with mutant strains harboring defective copies of ChlaDUB1. Once Chlamydia has built its fortress within the host cell, it breaks up the host cell's Golgi apparatus and maneuvers the pieces around itself. The Golgi apparatus is a cellular compartment that typically stays close to the nucleus of the cell and modifies proteins by adding sugars that serve as baggage tags indicating whether the proteins should go to the plasma membrane or to some other cellular compartment. It's not clear why the bacterium surrounds itself with pieces of the Golgi, perhaps to use the sugars and fats for its own growth, but it's the only bacterium known to do so. In the scientists' infection trials, the wildtype Chlamydia chopped up the Golgi as usual. But when infected with a bug carrying a mutant enzyme, the human cells' Golgi remained intact, suggesting that ChlaDUB1's activity is necessary for this aspect of Chlamydia infection. Bastidas also hypothesizes that the ability for ChlaDUB1 to remove ubiquitin from host proteins protects Chlamydia from the host inflammatory response. Next, the researchers want to find a drug that will specifically disrupt the function of ChlaDUB1, thus slowing the bacteria's ability to fight off attack by the host immune system. "If we develop these inhibitors and they're specific enough, then we won't have to use antibiotics" or at least use fewer of them, said Bastidas. In a world where antibiotic use can lead to antibiotic resistance or to disruption of the delicate microbiome of the vagina and the urinary tract, where Chlamydia prefers to reside, Bastidas says a more tailored therapy could prove a better tool to fight infection. The winner of the Johanna Duermueller-Bol DBMR Research Award 2018 is Dr. Stephanie Ganal-Vonarburg. As a Senior Scientist, she conducts research in the Gastroenterology / Mucosal Immunology Research Laboratory at Bern University Hospital and at the Department for BioMedical Research at the University of Bern. Ganal-Vonarburg is being awarded for her research in the field of commensal microbiota - the microbes in the intestine. The Research Award, endowed with CHF 30,000, was presented at the "Day of BioMedical Research", on Wednesday, November 7, 2018. The prize serves to promote young researchers in biomedical research at the Medical Faculty of the University of Bern. Strengthening newborns' immunity Our internal and external body surfaces, such as the skin, respiratory tract and intestines, are colonized by a variety of microbes known as microbiota. These microbes are of great importance for the human body; they not only help us to digest food and to produce vitamins, but also mature our immune system so that we can defend ourselves better against pathogens. The unborn fetus in the womb is considered to be completely germ-free, since the colonization of the body with microbiota only takes place during and especially after birth. For a long time it was assumed that the positive influence of these benign microbes on the host organism does not begin until after birth. In her work, Stephanie Ganal-Vonarburg and her colleagues have been able to show that bacterial metabolites are transferred from the maternal microbiota to the child even earlier, in a process that takes place through the placenta during pregnancy, and through the maternal milk after birth, thus contributing to the maturation of the immune system. Changes in the child's immune response can be observed; for example, the colonization of the intestine by good bacteria after birth is accepted more easily. This kind of influence on the child's immune system was long-lasting and could still partly be detected in adulthood. In her future work, Ganal-Vonarburg hopes to use the prize money to investigate how the maternal microbiota can influence the immune system of children in the longer term on a molecular level. In particular, she is planning to investigate whether epigenetic mechanisms - which lead to molecular changes in the DNA structure and thereby to altered cell functions - play a role in this. In a second part of her work, she wants to identify bacterial products in breast milk that have positive properties with regard to the child's immune system. "Substances like this could be used in medicine in the future and help strengthen the immunity of newborns", says Stephanie Ganal-Vonarburg. Short biography on Stephanie Ganal-Vonarburg Stephanie Ganal-Vonarburg was born in Offenburg (Germany). From 2003 to 2009 she studied Molecular Medicine at the University of Freiburg, Germany, and at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. She subsequently completed her doctorate in molecular medicine and immunology in Professor Andreas Diefenbach's laboratory at the University of Freiburg and received her doctorate (Dr. rer. nat.) in 2013. Ganal-Vonarburg came to Switzerland as a postdoctoral fellow in 2013 with the help of a Marie Curie scholarship from the European Union and an EMBO scholarship. From 2013 to 2016, she worked on the role of maternal microbiota in the development of the child's immune system in Professor Andrew Macpherson's laboratory at the Department for BioMedical Research at the University of Bern. The results of this study were published in the journal "Science" in 2016. Ganal-Vonarburg has headed the Gastroenterology Research Laboratory at DBMR together with Andrew Macpherson since September 2016 and is involved in the management of the CMF Core Facility. Dr. Stephanie Ganal-Vonarburg is available to provide further information or for an interview. Video about her work: https:/ / www. youtube. com/ watch?time_continue= 108&v= 3ykF-8QjarY The Johanna Duermueller-Bol Foundation extends its commitment The research award was already donated by the Johanna Duermueller-Bol Foundation from 2012 to 2017, and it will continue to support the Department for BioMedical Research DBMR until 2021. The aim of the foundation is to motivate and support researchers early on in their career at the University of Bern Medical Faculty in its fields of medicine and science. More information about the Duermueller-Bol foundation: https:/ / fjdb. ch/ Department for BioMedical Research DBMR The Department for BioMedical Research DBMR (formerly DKF) is an institute that is part of the Medical Faculty and has the remit to provide the 45 research groups at Bern University Hospital with the ideal infrastructure and scientific support. The majority of these research groups are based at the university hospital clinics. The remaining groups are DBMR internal research groups that are involved in daily scientific support and coordinating the equipment and infrastructure. The DBMR is also responsible for running the technology and Tier Core Facilities. The Department's groups are supported by Central Services, which are responsible for administration, computer science, technical support and bioinformatics. More information: http://www. dbmr. unibe. ch/ index_ger. html Day of BioMedical Research Since 1996 the Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR) has held a "Day of BioMedical Research". This year's event took place on Wednesday, November 7. The DBMR provides the best possible conditions to the researchers of the Inselspital and of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Bern. The annual "Day of BioMedical Research" has established itself as a forum for researchers to present their work in a poster session and to get insights into the research projects of their colleagues. More information: http://www. dbmr. unibe. ch/ research/ the_day_of_biomedical_research_2018/ index_eng. html With age, our tissues lose their function and capacity to regenerate after being damaged. A study published today in Cell by scientists at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) and the Centro Nacional de Analisis Genomico of the Center for Genomic Regulation (CNAG-CRG) explains how dermal fibroblasts age. The main conclusion drawn is that these fibroblasts lose their cell identity, as if they had "forgotten" what they are, and consequently their activity is altered, thus affecting tissue. The study reveals the cellular and molecular pathways affected by ageing and proposes that they could be manipulated to delay or even reverse the skin ageing process. The skin Dermal fibroblasts are key for the production of collagen and other proteins that make up the dermis and that preserve the skin's function as a barrier. The activity of these cells is also crucial for the repair of skin damage. As we age, the dermis loses its capacity to produce collagen, and consequently its capacity to repair wounds is also significantly impaired. "The elderly face many problems in this regard because their skin does not heal properly and its barrier properties are decreased, thus increasing the risk of skin infections and systemic infections," explains Salvador Aznar Benitah, ICREA researcher at IRB Barcelona and leader of the study. " The notion that the loss of cell identity is one of the underlying causes of aging is interesting and one that we believe hasn't been considered before," he concludes. Holger Heyn, team leader at the CNAG-CRG and co-leader of the study, explains that "cutting-edge technologies allow molecular analysis of individual cells. In this study, we have applied advanced techniques to obtain high-resolution images of fibroblasts as they age". First-authored by IRB Barcelona PhD student Marion Salzer, the study demonstrates that, during ageing, skin fibroblasts start to acquire many traits that are characteristic of adipocytes (fat cells)."This leads to them losing their cell identify and they also stop producing and secreting collagen-like they should," explains Salzer. The single-cell analysis confirmed the loss of fibroblast identity in aged animals. Using sophisticated computational tools, the scientists observed that aged fibroblasts show a less defined molecular conformation compared to young fibroblasts and that"they resemble the undefined cell states observed in newborn animals," says Heyn. Although being basic research, Aznar Benitahcomments that"this new knowledge might not only have cosmetic applications, for example anti-aging skin treatment, but more importantly, also therapeutic applications aiming to help aged skin to form scar tissue faster and more efficiently after being damaged or after an operation". Source: http://www.crg.eu/en/news/skin-ages-when-main-cells-dermis-lose-their-identity-and-function The quality of medical certificates written by students of medicine was better when they were taught by using the flipped classroom approach instead of traditional lecturing. A randomly selected student from the flipped classroom group had an 85% probability to receive a better total score than a student from the traditional teaching group, according to a new study from the University of Eastern Finland. One of the goals of medial training is to provide students with good skills in writing medical certificates and medical statements. In Finland, permanent residents are covered by social security insurance administered by the Social Insurance Institution of Finland. In accordance with this social security scheme, patients with certain illnesses are entitled to special reimbursement of their medical costs. The procedure for obtaining this entitlement is initiated by a medical certificate written by the treating doctor. Hence, doctors must have good certificate writing skills and knowledge of the content and goals of the insurance scheme. Nowadays, medical education is increasingly geared towards methods that activate students, such as flipped learning in which students prepare for classes by, for example, viewing video materials in advance. The effects of flipped learning on medical certificate education hasn't been studied much before. The study compared the writing skill scores of students attending traditional lectures and students participating in flipped classroom teaching in medical certificate education. In medical education offered in Finland, skills in medical certificate writing are taught to fourth-year students as part of a more extensive introductory course in general practice. In 2015, teaching was delivered through traditional lectures. In 2016, the flipped classroom approach was used, and students familiarized themselves with video materials independently before each class. In both years, students used the same background material to write a medical certificate on the entitlement of a fictional patient to special reimbursement of diabetes medication. A random sample of 40 students from each year was selected for analysis, and two experts assessed the students' statements by giving scores to different sections. Photo: Library and Archives Canada The casualty record for Pt. George Lawrence Price Moments before the armistice ending the First World War took effect on Nov. 11, 1918, a sniper's bullet sliced the morning air. It struck a Canadian soldier in the chest as he emerged from the doorway of a house in a small Belgian village. Pt. George Lawrence Price died minutes later at 10:58 a.m. a mere two minutes before hostilities ceased. He became the last British Empire soldier to die in a war that claimed millions of lives, including nearly 67,000 Canadians and Newfoundlanders. It's unclear whether the 25-year-old was aware the war was so close to being over when he and five other members of 'A' Company, the 28th Battalion of the Saskatchewan North West Regiment, decided on their own to search a series of houses for Germans in Ville-Sur-Haine, east of Mons. "They had heard rumours for months that maybe the war was going to come to an end, but if you are a soldier on the front lines you tend to take that stuff with a grain of salt," said Ken Hynes, curator of the Army Museum Halifax Citadel. Price was posthumously awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. He is interred in a cemetery in Belgium not far from the war's first British Empire casualty, Pt. John Parr of the 4th Battalion Middlesex Regiment. Price's story has remained ingrained in the lore of succeeding generations of his surviving family, according to his niece, Beverly McLean, of Kentville, N.S. "My mom was his second youngest sister and from the time I was a little girl that's all I heard was about Uncle George," McLean said following the recent premiere in Halifax of a short documentary film about Price. Price, a native of Falmouth, now Port Williams, N.S., was working as a labourer in Moose Jaw, Sask., when he was conscripted on Oct. 15, 1917. He fought in the Battle of Amiens, the Battle of Cambrai and the Pursuit to Mons, and was gassed in the Canal-du-Nord area on Sept. 8, 1918. Upon his discharge from hospital, he returned to his unit on Sept. 26 and was on the line in Canal-du-Centre when he took part in the final action that led to his death. According to unit records, Price and his comrades crossed the canal to check on houses that appeared to be the site of a German machine gun post. They rushed one house and found only the owner and his family after the Germans ran out the back door. A second house was checked, and as Price stepped back into the street he suddenly slumped into the arms of Pt. Art Goodmurphy. He was dragged back into the house where attempts to save him proved futile. Inside the best The Flash story of all time with Mark Waid, Greg Larocque, and Brian Augustyn Looking back at the greatest Flash story of all time Photo: Contributed A low-fare airline that got its start in Kelowna has now gone international. Flair Airlines launched its first U.S.-bound flight today, from Edmonton to Las Vegas. The flight, according to company officials, was sold out. "Today is a momentous day in our history as it the first of our multiple new trans-border services," said executive chairman David Tait. The flight was welcomed in Vegas by a salute of water cannons, Elvis, and showgirls. The airline says about 30 delegates from Nevada will be on board the return flight. Those delegates are scheduled to attend an Alberta-Nevada B2B matchmaking event. In December, Flair will also begin flying to Palm Springs, Miami, Orlando and Phoenix/Mesa Sorry! This content is not available in your region Chelsea Powrie For the first time, Penticton Secondary School and Princess Margaret Secondary School joined together for an outdoor ceremony observing Remembrance Day, with a special tribute to a local man who died in service in Afghanistan 10 years ago. Organizers Grace Grant and Grace Robinson, in Grade 12 at Pen High and Maggie respectively, started work on the ceremony in August. On Thursday morning, their vision came to life at Gyro Park, with more than 1,500 students, members of the public and cadets in attendance. Grant and Robinson wanted to make this year's event extra special, because 2018 is the 100-year anniversary of the end of the First World War. So, Grant's older sister wrote a tribute song about a local man and Penticton Secondary graduate, Jonathan Snyder, who died while serving with the Canadian Army. "It was an original piece written by her, and it was based off just a general soldier, but we wanted to make it a little more personal for everyone here," Grant said. Grant sang the song, called "The Letter," and intermittently throughout, boys from both high schools stood up and read excerpts of letters home based on real letters that Snyder sent during his time overseas. "I think we really wanted to connect it to the kids. I think we did, there were a lot of tears," Robinson said. Leadership students at Princess Margaret also put on a memorial of sorts at their school, putting together a life-sized mock-up of a First World War trench and field hospital that students walked through before being bussed to the Gyro Park ceremony. At the conclusion of the ceremony, several memorial wreaths were laid in the bandshell, and the crowd observed an emotional moment of silence. Remembrance Day is Nov. 11, and the City of Penticton will be hosting a ceremony Sunday morning at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre. New Delhi: The unprecedented demonetisation drive announced by Narendra Modi-led BJP government has completed its two years on Thursday, November 8, 2018. Amid a full-blown Twitter war between the BJP and the Opposition parties on the second anniversary of demonetisation, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram gave another edge to the controversy. Stressing on RBI's role in the demonetisation fiasco, the former finance minister accused the Modi government of trying to 'capture' the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2019. "The government wants to use RBI reserves to step up expenditure in an election year. The government doesn't know what the consequences will be if the RBI defies it or if the RBI Governor Urjit Patel resigns," Chidambaram said, adding that any such move would be "catastrophic". Terming the demonetisation move an "ingeniously designed official money laundering scheme", the senior Congress leader said, "The government is planning to issue a direction under Section 7 of the RBI Act, 1934, directing the bank to transfer Rs 1 lakh crore to the Centre". Read | Two years on, demonetisation debate continues relentlessly "In such a situation, the RBI Governor will have only two options in this matter to act in line or resign. Therefore, one more crucial institution will fall from grace," Chidambaram claimed. The former union minister also trained his gun at that 'Acche din' promises of Narendra Modi, saying "Acche Din lies in shambles. People will take a decision when given opportunity and the Karnataka by-polls were a testimony to the same". Chidambaram's barb came ahead of the RBI board meeting on November 19, alleging that the government has packed the central bank's board with handpicked nominees and was making every attempt to push through its proposals at the crucial meet later in the month. Earlier in the day several other opposition leaders took to Twitter and orchestrated an attack against the Modi government over the demonetisation move that resulted in the slowdown of the economy and rise in unemployment. Read | Demonetisation 2nd anniversary: Opposition considers 'dark day' as 'a deep-inflicted wound' on Indian economy Take a look: What Modi achieved with his demonetisation disaster for the farmers. Why are no celebrations planned on its second anniversary by this only PR and tamasha organising govt? #DemonetisationDisaster #Jumlas pic.twitter.com/Jtm4pj5j0m Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) November 7, 2018 2 yrs after #DemonetisationDisaster, the country still hasnt overcome the economic setback caused by hasty decisions of BJP govt. Implemented in the name of destroying black money, demonetization succeeded in destroying employment, markets, business, liquidity & economic growth. N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) November 8, 2018 #DarkDay The government cheated our nation with this big #DeMonetisation scam. It ruined the economy and the lives of millions. People will punish those who did this Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) November 8, 2018 Today is the 2nd anniversary of #DemonetisationDisaster - the biggest scam in the history of our Nation when Modi unleashed #DestructionByDemonetisation of our Economy! pic.twitter.com/Y7TEIeEgL0 CPI (M) (@cpimspeak) November 8, 2018 On November 8, 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a ban on then in use Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 denominations with an immediate effect. For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel and four others were killed and two others injured on Thursday when Naxals triggered a blast on a bus near Bacheli in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada, according to reports. The tragic incident happened days before the state goes to polls for first phase on November 12. A bus carrying Central Industrial Security Force men was returning from Kirandul Dantewada market when an IED blast blew it up, killing four people, police said in a statement. Two people were injured in the attack and were rushed to a hospital in Bachel. "Morale of the forces will not be affected due to such attacks. The upcoming assembly elections will be conducted peacefully," said V Sinha, IG Bastar. ALSO READ | Oppo RX17 Pro, RX17 Neo with In-Display Fingerprint scanner launched #UPDATE 4 casualties in the incident where naxals triggered a blast on a bus near Bacheli in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada. 3 civilians and 1 CISF personnel have lost their lives. pic.twitter.com/nN21686y7o ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2018 Earlier, Union Home Ministry ordered the deployment of as many as 25,000 troops for election duty in poll-bound in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. These 250 companies of the forces are in addition to paramilitary forces deployed in these states for conducting anti-Naxal operations and assisting in other law and order duties. ALSO READ | Demonetisation 2nd anniversary: Opposition considers 'dark day' as 'a deep-inflicted wound' on Indian economy Chhattisgarh already has about 40 battalions (about 1,000 personnel in each) of the Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force and Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force deployed full-time to counter the LWE menace. New Delhi: Sonali Bendre, who is undergoing cancer treatment, celebrated Diwali with husband Goldie Behl and their son Ranveer in New York. The actor shared their unconventional Diwali celebration pictures on Instagram and explained how they enjoyed the festival with all heart. Also Read | Two years on, demonetisation debate continues relentlessly She wrote, Diwali in New York happens much later than in Mumbai... Hence the late wish! It was quite an unconventional one... We didn't have Indian clothes, we had a small puja... But it was all heart. The actor also extended Diwali wishes to her friends, family and fans. Happy Diwali everyone! May this year bring you good health, wealth and prosperity... Hope you celebrated this festival with your family and friends, and hope you cherish every moment of happiness with them! she further added. The actor was recently spotted at Priyanka Chopras dreamy bridal shower in New York, along with Neetu Kapoor. Sonali shared a picture of herself with Priyanka and Neetu, enjoying the bridal shower, in hot red dresses. Also Read | Kamal Haasan's youngest daughter Akshara faces cyber crime Sonali has been from time and again inspiring many through her social media posts. The actor shared news about her high-grade cancer that has metastasized through social media. Since then, she keeps sharing updates about her health and is brave enough to withstand any hurdle that life throws at her. For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) Thursday approved the signing and ratifying of an extradition agreement between India and Morocco. The decision was taken at the Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The agreement will be signed during a proposed VIP visit from Morocco from November 11-18, an official statement said. The agreement will provide a strong legal base for the extradition of fugitive offenders who are accused of economic offences, terrorism and other serious offences in one state and found in the other state. The Cabinet also approved the agreement between India and Morocco on mutual legal assistance in civil and commercial matters. This agreement between India and Morocco will enhance cooperation in the service of summons, judicial documents, letters of request and the execution of judgments decrees and arbitral awards. Read | On demonetisation anniversary, Chidambaram attacks Modi government; says Centre trying to capture RBI Besides that, the Cabinet cleared the strategic sale of government stake in Dredging Corporation of India to the consortium of four ports. The government currently holds 73.44 per cent in Dredging Corporation of India Ltd (DCIL). The CCEA has also given approval for setting up of 'Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh'. It will be established in Relli village of Vizianagaram District. The proposed university will come up after necessary amendment in the Central Universities Act, Law and Justice Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said. Other key approvals by the Centre during Thursday's Cabinet meeting include the operation, management and development of Jaipur, Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram, Guwahati, Ahmedabad and Mangaluru airports on PPP (Public-private partnership) model, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said. Read | CBI vs CBI: Alok Verma meets CVC, denies corruption charges against him Also, the Union Cabinet Thursday approved laying down procedure and mechanism for sale of enemy shares. Elaborating, Prasad said In principle approval has been accorded for sale of enemy shares under the Custody of Ministry of Home Affairs/ Custodian of Enemy Property of India (CEPI), as per sub-section 1 of section 8A of the Enemy Property Act, 1968. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: On the second anniversary of demonetisation, the argument regarding the success of it remains a continued controversy between the opposition parties. While the Opposition described it as a "disaster" the BJP said, it was a "stringent action against corruption". The Congress has called for a nationwide protest on Friday and the Trinamool said it will observe a 'Black Day' to mark two years of notes ban. Also Read | India's 'Dubbed Gandhi' Rajagopal to march 9500 km for Justice and Peace West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Thursday said that she has been describing the day as a dark day since demonetisation was announced by PM Narendra Modi in 2016. She took to her Twitter handle to share her views on demonetisation and wrote, #DarkDay The government cheated our nation with this big #DeMonetisation scam. It ruined the economy and the lives of millions. People will punish those who did this. #DarkDay The government cheated our nation with this big #DeMonetisation scam. It ruined the economy and the lives of millions. People will punish those who did this Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) November 8, 2018 Delhi Chief Minister on Thursday questioned the rationale behind the Modi governments note ban move and also termed it as a self-inflicted deep wound on the Indian economy. The Aam Aadmi Party convener tweeted, Though the list of financial scams of Modi govt is endless, demonetisation was a self-inflicted deep wound on Indian economy which even two years later remains a mystery why the country was pushed into such a disaster ? Though the list of financial scams of Modi govt is endless, demonetisation was a self inflicted deep wound on Indian economy which even two years later remains a mystery why the country was pushed into such a disaster ? Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) November 8, 2018 Describing demonetisation as an "ill-fated" and "ill-thought" exercise, former prime minister Manmohan Singh said that the havoc it unleashed on the economy and society is now evident. "Today is a day to remember how economic misadventures can roil the nation for a long time and understand that economic policy making should be handled with thought and care," Singh said in a statement. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 2016, announced a ban on then in use Rs 1000 and Rs 500 denomination bank notes with immediate effect. The effects of demonetisation including its role in culling black money and stemming terrorism and Naxalism as well as its impact on the economy are still being discussed with the opposition slamming the Modi government, terming its decision as "ill-advised" and "disastrous" for the country. The BJP-led government had defended the move, saying it was necessary to wipe out illegal money stashes. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: , 2016, marked a consequential (positive or negative the debate remains unabated till date) day in the history of India when all of a sudden, currency notes were made redundant. The country was taken aback when two years ago Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a hurried midnight announcement that the currencies in the denominations of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 will no more be valid. Also Read | Demonetisation 2nd anniversary: Opposition considers 'dark day' as 'a deep-inflicted wound' on Indian economy During the address to the nation, Modi promised that the aim of demonetisation was to eradicate black money from its root. The demonetisation will benefit to counterfeit currency and cease corruption. However, what came as a greater consequence is the shock move that in one stroke rendered 86 per cent of the nations cash in circulation worthless. Even opinions are sharply divided as to whether the move was able to achieve what was intended of it. While marks the second anniversary of demonetisation that has divided the countrys opinion, political parties continue to play their cat-and-mouse blame-game strongly. The move triggereda constant war between the BJP and the Opposition parties multiple times and till date remains a topic of heated debate. The Congress has called for a nationwide protest on and the Trinamool said it will observe a 'Black Day' to mark two years of notes ban. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in a statement said, "The havoc that it unleashed on the Indian economy and society is now evident to everyone. Notebandi impacted every single person, regardless of age, gender, religion, occupation or creed." The demonetisation can be assessed based on its political, economic and social impact on society. The economic impact of demonetisation The Indian economy is largely a cash-driven economy and demonetisation has affected to the very core of it. The GDP growth rate of 8.01 per cent in 2015-2016 fell to 7.11 per cent in 2016-2017 after demonetisation. Not only was GDP affected, but the jobs in this country was majorly disturbed. A major portion of the Indian workforce is a part of the informal economy. They make use of cash to meet their expenses and demonetisation resulted as a complete nightmare to their daily chores. According to CMIEs Consumer Pyramids Household Surveys (CPHS), approximately 1.5 million jobs were lost during the final quarter of the financial year 2016-17. The estimated employment during this period was 405 million as compared to 406.5 million during the previous four months. Moreover, the ultimate aim of demonetisation to uproot black money from the market remained a silhouette of a very distant dream. The Reserve Bank of Indias confirmation that most demonetised notes were returned to the central bank confirmed the last thread that ruled against the executive decision. The decision to ban specified notes not only failed in its stated objective of washing out hidden wealth but also ended up causing damage to the economy. Also Read | Disha Patani disables comments after being trolled for her Diwali outfit According to an RBI report, immediately after demonetisation, sales of consumer durables and appliances slipped by 40 per cent. In its latest Article IV Consultation report on India, released in , the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said: The impact on growth appears to have been more severe and longer-lasting than anticipated at the time of the 2017 Article IV Consultation with a disproportionate impact on the informal sector. However, economists believe the cash ban led to an increase in financialisation of savings, more income-tax compliance, and encouraged India to become a more cashless economy. More number of people have filed income tax: going up from 2.24 crore during the same period of 2017-18 to 3.43 crore as on , 2018. According to one report, counterfeit notes too came down 31.4 per cent after the cash ban. There were as many as 7.62 lakh pieces of fake notes in 2016-17. The quantity went down to 5.23 lakh in 2017-18. The Political impact of demonetisation The announcement of the demonetisation came three months before five Assembly elections, which hints towards a clear political agenda behind the decision. The decision has been weighed on upon the political prism, as it can also be called a move to leave the opposition parties high and dry without cash, ahead of the UP elections. However, after two years, the word seems to evaporate from the Prime Ministers speeches and has housed in the oppositions mentions. While the Opposition described it as a "disaster" the BJP said, it was a "stringent action against corruption". The winter session of Parliament, two years ago, was jam packed with angry protests from the opposition over demands for a vote on demonetisation. Despite the protests, this did not coalesce into a larger expression of protest against the government despite the pain caused by demonetisation to the poor who have suffered overwhelmingly because of it. The Social impact of demonetisation In a survey conducted by LocalCircles, more than 50 per cent Indians think that black money still exists in the country. According to LocalCircles, 60 per cent of the 15,000 participants in the survey said that black money has not reduced and will increase ahead of 2019 general elections. Also Read | India's 'Dubbed Gandhi' Rajagopal to march 9500 km for Justice and Peace Demonetisation has been praised as well as criticised on various grounds. There has been a lot of opposition regarding the implementation of this policy. In the short run, there have been problems related to liquidity crunch, unemployment, loss of growth momentum, and a temporary halt to major economic activities. All this is evident from the data provided by the RBI. After two years of demonetisation, the battle to assert whether it was a success continues. The 2019 general elections, perhaps, can shed some light on the decision that has impacted nation like never before. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Single people, obesity is now a lesser health concern in comparison to your being single. According to a study published in the New York Post, experts say that loneliness is deadlier than obesity and should be considered a public health risk. And this loneliness doesnt always have to be two people looking for love, it could be an elderly person, a divorcee or an introvert. People with bad social connections as such, have a 50 per cent increased risk of early death compared to those with busy social connections, according to the study on loneliness. Social isolation raised a persons risk of death by half compared to obesity To elucidate this issue, researchers in the United States analsyed at 218 studies into the health effects of loneliness and social isolation. They discovered that social isolation raised a persons risk of death by half compared to obesity, which raised the risk of death by 30 percent. The feeling of loneliness is speculated to deteriorate a persons well-being both worse mentally and physically. And this feeling of loneliness is said to heighten at worse symptoms when they are unwell. Also Read | How dashing Ranveer Singh splashed colours on Diwali Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad, lead author and professor of psychology at Brigham Young University, said: Being connected to others socially is widely considered a fundamental human need, crucial to both well-being and survival. Extreme examples show infants in custodial care who lack human contact fail to thrive and often die, and indeed, social isolation or solitary confinement has been used as a form of punishment''. ''Yet an increasing portion of the US population now experiences isolation regularly''. British people are the loneliest in Europe Great Britain which has one of the highest loneliest rates in the world saw a devasting increase of 34% of the population living in single person households. As such, there have now been many campaigns and programs to bring awareness on the effects of loneliness.And as per Campaign To End Loneliness, the UKs loneliness epidemic costs business $26 million per year for the costs associated with health outcomes and sick days. Also Read | A walk with the vultures and lapwings by the river Yamuna Holt-Lunstad added: There is robust evidence that social isolation and loneliness significantly increase the risk for premature mortality. Consequently, the magnitude of the risk exceeds that of many leading health indicators. ''With an increasingly aging population, the effect on public health is only anticipated to increase. Indeed, many nations around the world now suggest we are facing a loneliness epidemic. The challenge we face now is what can be done about it. Schools suggested to be taught social skills lessons As such, many experts have suggested that more research and resources should be conducted to the social issue of loneliness. They also went on to suggest that schools and public institutions should be taught social skills lessons on how to tackle this issue. New Delhi: The big red and orange bopped gently in the water as it quickly set in the evening sky. The water stood dark and still. Not a soul. Not a sound, except for the twiddling of the birds among the green groves and creaking creepers that hung wildly over the trees. A few monkeys hung around listlessly. They appeared harmless. They made no move towards any passer-by and seemed at peace. Life should be such. Peaceful. It's, indeed, peaceful here at Delhi's Okhla Bird Sanctuary by the river Yamuna. Also Read | bypoll results: Setback for BJP as Cong-JD(S) wins four of five seats The Sanctuary, situated at Okhla Barrage on the Noida-Delhi border by the river Yamuna opens at 7 am and closes at 5.30 pm. It's a quiet and long road inside, leading to the watchtower where one can watch hundreds of birds around. Over 300 bird species, especially waterbirds, are said to be found in the sanctuary. It was once home to some endangered species such as White-Rumped vulture, Indian vulture, Baikal Teal, Baer's Pochard, Sarus Crane and Sociable Lapwing. The cold has set in. It's early November. Perhaps, a little early for the migratory birds to reach here. One could spot just a few. Usually by this time the birds dot the river bank. "The din of heavy traffic on the highway may be the reason for less number of migratory birds this time," the guards say. Also Read | Malaika and Arjun Kapoor to tie the knot in April 2019: Report Although one may have to wait long for the birds to appear, the canopied pathways and trails inside the sanctuary are enchanting. The place could have been better maintained, but it's beautiful here. Apart from bird watching, one can sit by the river bank and blissfully watch the sunset in the Yamuna. It's a splendid sight. Or, take a long walk in the cool of the morning and be with one with nature, away from the dust and smog, and heavy traffic nightmare in the city. One can also hitch a cool rickshaw ride inside. Anytime you need a quick break from the chaotic environment of Delhi, you can get away here. How to reach Okhla Bird Sanctuary It is located in Noida, Gautam Buddh Nagar district, on Delhi-Noida border, near Kalindi Kunj. One can travel by car or the metro railway. The nearest metro station is the Okhla bird sanctuary metro station. And from there, you can catch an autorickshaw here. How much you have to pay for the entry? The tickets are priced at Rs 30 for locals and Rs350 for foreigners. When is the best time to visit Okhla bird sanctuary? Given the fact that it is a beautiful getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city, one can visit the place any time of the year. But winter months from November to February are the best. What is the visiting time to the sanctuary? Also Read | Ranveer Singh to go through Vidaayi ceremony after tying the knot with Deepika Padukone Okhla Bird Sanctuary opens from 7 am to 5.30 pm, all days. However, the ideal time to watch the migratory birds is early morning. Tips: Photo: RCMP A judge has found a man not criminally responsible for the stabbing deaths of two people at a northern Alberta work camp. Daniel Goodridge, 31, had pleaded not guilty due to a mental disorder to charges of first-degree murder, assault with a weapon and interfering with human remains. Experts testified during the trial that Goodridge had been hearing voices and believed his co-workers wanted to assault him. Court also heard he was diagnosed with a form of schizophrenia and had mental health issues dating back to Grade 7. "For half of his life, Mr. Goodridge clearly suffered from mental health issues," Court of Queen's Bench Justice Ken Nielsen said in his ruling Thursday. "Likely, for a combination of reasons, he did not get the help that he so desperately needed." David Derksen, who was 37 and from La Crete, Alta., and 50-year-old Hally Dubois of Red Deer, Alta., were killed at a Canada North oilfield site near Fox Creek in June 2015. The trial heard that Goodridge stabbed Derksen more than 70 times, cut off parts of his body and set him on fire. Some of his remains were never found. Witnesses said Dubois had tried to help Derksen. Her body was found curled up in a trailer. She had been stabbed or cut 11 times. Some workers hid in their rooms while others fled into the bush as Goodridge ran around the remote property with a large knife. "His desire was to 'kill or be killed,' and to slaughter anyone in his vicinity," said the judge. "He believed doing so was necessary to defend himself and to get rid of the angry voices he was hearing." When RCMP arrived, Goodridge refused to drop the knife and lunged at an officer. Mounties fired 12 shots and wounded Goodridge. Nielsen said Goodridge attempted to eat a portion of Derksen's body and gave bizarre explanations for interfering with the remains. "He described himself as being a surgeon or paramedic, that he was there to help Mr. Derksen from a surgical perspective or to help him pass on and that he wished to see a skull and a burned corpse," said the judge. Nielsen ordered Goodridge to be held at Alberta Hospital in Edmonton. He must appear within 45 days before the Alberta Review Board, which will determine if and how long he should be detained. New Delhi: Following the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi, an Indian activist is walking the path of justice and peace. Rajagopal PV also expects that thousands of people turn up to join his March for Justice and Peace. The 9,500-kilometre hike from New Delhi to Geneva in 2019 will set milestones for millions. Also Read | UP CM Yogi Adityanath flags BJP's Hindutva agenda, says 'Ayodhya is recognised from Lord Ram' The 70-year-old told reporters in Geneva that he is planning to begin his March from New Delhi on October 2 and will probably arrive in the Swiss city on September 20, 2020. The date of departure is set on the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, to pay a tribute to the Father of our Nation. According to Rajagopal, this is to highlight that India is celebrating in a big way against a backdrop of an intensification of conflicts around the world. Rajagopal has put his mind and heart to this long hike, and while he engineers and advocates for the rights of landless peasants in India, he plans to cross through Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey on the way towards the Swiss city of peace. The aim is to draw international attention to the links between a growing number of conflicts around the world and dwindling natural resources. Also Read | Chhattisgarh Assembly Polls: Jogi and Mayawati throw a spanner for Congress "If land, forests and water are taken away from the poor people, then that will lead to unrest in the society, that unrest will lead to conflict and that conflict can evolve into large-scale of violence," he said. "In a world where conflict is increasing, peace is in great demand, so we thought probably we can offer the idea of peace-building to the world at large." However, the engineers also acknowledge the hardships that will be encountered on his way to the 'peace' city. Some of the challenges that Rajagopal listed were obtaining visas for the walkers to some of the countries in their path, and that they may choose to take a boat from Bombay to Greece, and continue their walk from there. Often dubbed as the New Gandhi, the man feels it rather uncomfortable to adorn this title. He also hoped to get the support from Dalai Lama and former US president Barack Obama for this cause. Also Read | Sabarimala Temple Row: Man arrested for assaulting woman during 'Chithira Atta Thirunal' He asserted that from now until next October, he plans to travel around the world to seek support from various organisations and cities, in the hope that thousands of walkers from other corners of the globe will also set off on a trek towards Geneva. Once the walkers reach Geneva, they plan to organise a week of discussions on peace and non-violence in the city. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. CNN Philippines takes a closer look into the efforts made by residents of Guiuan, Eastern Samar to recover from the deadly supertyphoon. Guiuan, Eastern Samar (CNN Philippines) Yolanda was categorized as a supertyphoon when it first made landfall in Guiuan, Eastern Samar, on November 8, 2013. Winds almost hit 300 kilometers per hour, and severely damaged the city of Tacloban. Its heavy rain and storm surges killed more than 6,000 people, and left hundreds of thousands homeless. Here are images of the destruction, paired with the recovery Yolanda-hit areas have made five years since the calamity happened. The more than 400-year old Immaculate Concepcion Church caved in while Typhoon Yolanda barreled through the coastal town of Guiuan, Eastern Samar on November 8, 2013. Guiuan was the first of Yolanda's five landfalls. History has it, the church began construction in 1596 and was completed in 1768. It is classified as a National Cultural Treasure by the Philippine government. In 2014, the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation donated USD 300,000 grant for its rehabilitation and restoration. Incumbent Guiuan mayor Sheen Gonzales says public infrastructure in the town has improved significantly post-Yolanda. Aside from a new town hall, Guiuan also has a number of new government buildings, including a public market. It is still located across the renovated Guiuan port terminal. Several business establishments, mostly destroyed during Yolanda, have reopened to cater to residents both in the mainland and in the island barangays. The Guiuan East Central School is among the oldest government structures in this Eastern Samar coastal town. It has more than 50 classrooms, almost all damaged by Typhoon Yolanda in 2013. Residents used the school as an evacuation center. But since it was not spared by Yolanda, they were forced to scamper and seek shelter in other structures. Only the school's Gabaldon building (heritage classroom) has yet to complete its renovation. Photo: Contributed A judge has determined that an RCMP officer who was driving at almost 90 km/h over the speed limit shares most of the blame for a crash that destroyed a Calgary family's camper van. The B.C. Supreme Court decision says Const. Chad Gorman was going 147 km/h in a 60 zone as he responded to a priority call when he crashed into the van in a Langley intersection in July 2014. The driver of the van, Shiraz Meghji, his three family members and the officer all walked away from the crash in what Justice Bruce Butler says was a miracle. Butler says in his decision released this week that the officer should take 80 per cent of the blame for the crash because he was travelling at such a high speed. Twenty per cent of the blame goes to Meghji because he failed to drive through the intersection with sufficient care, although no damage award has been determined. The judge says Meghji entered the intersection because he didn't see the officers car as being an immediate hazard. "I have no hesitation in concluding that Const. Gorman breached the standard of care of a reasonable police officer in travelling on the Fraser Highway at 145 km/h on a weekday afternoon through a commercial and residential zone at a speed that was close to 90 km over the speed limit," the judge says, noting the officer passed a number of intersections without slowing. Butler says the fact that it was a high priority situation doesn't give the officer the privilege of travelling at a speed that creates an unreasonable risk to the public. WASHINGTON The long-awaited agriscience academy will soon be a reality, with construction starting Friday. The program, which opens next fall, will teach area students about agriculture with a STEM focus, which includes science, technology, engineering and math. It is expected to include 35,750 square feet of new construction at Shepaug Valley School while also using unused space within the school. So many people have carried this project to the place it is, Region 12 Superintendent Megan Bennett said. Im so grateful for the foresight people had for bringing this opportunity in for our students. We really are trying to design for the 21st century and beyond. Bennett sees the groundbreaking Friday morning as a celebration of this work. This has been three years in the making, Bennett said. Proving to everyone involved the need for the program, how innovative this project is and the benefits for the students has been nothing short of amazing. The project has been controversial at points, with some residents questioning if the costs were too high for the towns to absorb. Proponents tout the program though as a way to bolster declining enrollment. Staging for the construction began this week and bids were awarded last week to a variety of companies to handle different aspects of the project. O & G Industries is still serving as construction manager throughout the work, just as they did during the demolition phase, which was done over the summer. The project is expected to cost $29.9 million, with the state paying nearly $24 million. The state also awarded an additional $1.5 million to the district in the spring to purchase furniture and fixtures for the project. The school is also renovating the science labs, bringing the total cost to about $34.4 million. Some of the project details include adding a greenhouse, an agricultural mechanics facility and animal facilities. Bennett said the work is split between the north and south ends of the building, leaving the belly of the building intact and business continuing as usual. Work will start by the main entrance and pool. More Information Want to go to the groundbreaking? Where: Shepaug Valley School, 159 South Street, Washington When: 11 a.m. Friday If you plan to attend, please call the superintendent's office at 860.868.6100 or email blivend@region-12.org. See More Collapse She said the first phase of construction is slated to end next September and the second phase will wrap up January 2020. We fully recognize the building will not be 100 percent completed when we open the doors in 2014 but the program will be up and running, Bennett said. School officials have already organized the school around the affected classrooms and created a traffic and parking plan to avoid the construction. Updates are posted on the Shepaug website and extra staff are helping out with the traffic. The construction may affect pool access so people are advised to look for updates on the work. the campus will also be closed next summer so the workers can push the project forward as fast as possible. The program will serve 139 students from Region 12, Danbury, Brookfield, New Fairfield, New Milford, Newtown and Sherman. Bethel has not committed to joining the program. kkoerting@newstimes.com; 203-731-3345 Photo: CTV Two police cruisers collided trying to block a stolen car in Nanaimo. Brake failure caused one of the RCMP vehicles to hit the other during the pursuit of a stolen pickup on the Island Highway, Wednesday. Police surrounded the truck when it stopped at a red light, but as another cruiser moved into position, it slammed into the driver's side door of another police car. Two officers sustained minor injuries in the collision. The suspect was arrested, and police found a replica Uzi machine gun, ammo, knives and suspected cocaine in the vehicle. with files from CTV Vancouver Island Voters across the Danbury area supported Tuesday spending millions to renovate their library, build a new police station and upgrade wastewater treatment plants in their towns. In New Milford, residents approved a $6.5 million renovation to its library. The project had failed twice before, but passed 7,780 to 3,290 this time. We are so grateful to the town coming through for us, Library Director Sally Tornow said. It really shows were needed. The library will expand from 15,000 to 22,000 square feet, adding meeting space as well as expanding and relocating the children and young adult sections. The plan will also make the library compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The library will hear at the end of the month whether it will receive a $1 million state grant to help with the overall $8.5 million construction. Wastewater treatment Both Danbury and Ridgefield supported projects for their wastewater treatment plants. Danbury residents voted 15,207 to 3,222 in favor of the $102.6 million upgrades to the plant, which has not undergone major improvements in 25 years. New state environmental discharge regulations require a massive rebuild of the existing systems. City officials unsuccessfully battled those regulations in court for years and now must complete the upgrades by 2022, including having a complete design by July 1 to receive 10s of millions in state funding. Im glad the voters agreed with us that we have to move forward with this, Mayor Mark Boughton said. Were already into it in terms of design and to meet our goal of getting it into the state to meet its deadline and receive our state funding. Ridgefields $48 million project for the towns sewer system passed by a vote of 7,067 to 4,687. These upgrades will also make the system complaint with new state and federal guidelines. Under the plan, the Route 7 facility will be closed and the 120,000 gallons it treats per day will be pumped to the South Street facility, which will be upgraded. Wastewater infrastructure is often out of sight and out of mind, so we are grateful that people recognized its value as they came out to vote (Tuesday), Amy Siebert, chair of the Water Pollution Control Authority, said. The town is seeking $11.5 million in grants for the work, but the rest of the project will be covered by increased sewer rates and $8 million from the general taxpayers. Police station In Newtown, voters approved $14.8 million for a new police station, and to buy land on South Main Street and Pecks Lane for the new headquarters. The referendum passed with about 62 percent of the vote, First Selectman Dan Rosenthal said. Its a nice message to send to the men and woman of the police department that voters backed the plan, Rosenthal said. The existing building on South Main Street is in disrepair and too small for the department, which has more than doubled its officers since the old station was built in the early 1980s. Charter revisions In Ridgefield, voters resoundingly passed a controversial plan to separate the Inland Wetlands Board from the Planning and Zoning Commission. The current system has the same nine members acting as both the board and the commission. But three of the nine charter questions failed - including proposals to make the town treasurer and tax collector positions appointed instead of elected and a requirement to have 2 percent of the voter population present at the annual budget meeting to make a change to the town or school budget. Among other questions that passed was a rule prohibiting candidates from running for more than one elected office with overlapping terms at once, which had caused confusion after the 2017 elections. In New Milford, residents approved charter revisions that dealt with town finances and the finance board, with other changes cleaning up the language. Under one change, a failed budget will go back to the finance board and only the rejected budget would be changed. Previously, the Town Council could revise both the schools and town budgets if one of them failed. WASHINGTON - The future of the special counsel investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 campaign was thrown into uncertainty Wednesday after President Donald Trump ousted Attorney General Jeff Sessions, giving a political loyalist oversight of the probe. Trump named as acting attorney general Matthew Whitaker, Sessions' chief of staff, who as a legal commentator last year wrote that Special Counsel Robert Mueller appeared to be taking his investigation too far. A Justice Department official said Wednesday that Whitaker would assume final decision-making authority over the special counsel probe instead of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Since last year, Rosenstein has overseen the investigation because Sessions, a key Trump surrogate in 2016, recused himself from dealing with matters involving the campaign. It wasn't immediately clear what role, if any, Rosenstein may play in the probe going forward. As acting attorney general, Whitaker could sharply curtail Mueller's authority, cut his budget or order him to cease lines of inquiry. Within hours of his appointment, there were mounting calls by congressional Democrats and government watchdog groups for Whitaker to recuse himself, citing critical comments he made about Mueller's investigation. Furious Democrats, emboldened by winning control of the House in Tuesday's elections, also promised to investigate Sessions' forced resignation and suggested Trump's actions could amount to obstruction of justice if he intended to disrupt the criminal probe. "There is no mistaking what this means, and what is at stake: this is a constitutionally perilous moment for our country and for the President," Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., said in a statement. He is set to take over in January as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, the panel that would oversee any impeachment proceedings. Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut called Wednesday's events "a break-the-glass moment" and said he would be introducing legislation to protect Mueller's work. "Any attempt to limit his resources or the scope of his investigation is unacceptable," he said. "The world, and history, are watching." A spokesman for Mueller declined to comment. Trump's decision to push Sessions out conflicted with comments he offered during a news conference on Wednesday when he insisted he had a right to end the investigation but said that he would prefer to "let it go on." "I could fire everybody right now, but I don't want to stop it because politically I don't like stopping it," Trump said. "It's a disgrace. It should never have been started, because there is no crime." Justice Department officials said Whitaker will follow the regular process for reviewing possible ethical conflicts, a process that involves ethics lawyers reviewing an official's past work to see whether there are financial or personal conflicts that preclude them from being involved in particular cases. Whitaker, a former U.S. attorney in Iowa, once mused as a legal commentator about how a Sessions replacement might reduce Mueller's budget "so low that his investigation grinds to almost a halt." In an August 2017 tweet, he wrote that an opinion piece calling the special counsel investigation a "Mueller lynch mob" was "worth a read." Whitaker also wrote in a September 2017 column that Mueller had "come up to a red line in the Russia 2016 election-meddling investigation that he is dangerously close to crossing" after CNN reported that the special counsel could be looking into Trump and his associates' financial ties to Russia. He also has ties to Sam Clovis, who served as Trump's national campaign chairman and has been interviewed as a witness by Mueller's investigators about his interactions with foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos. Whitaker chaired Clovis' campaign for Iowa state treasurer in 2014. "We're currently friends," Clovis said of Whitaker in an interview with The Washington Post on Wednesday. "I texted him congratulations today." Whitaker has not been confirmed by the Senate and, by law, can serve for only 210 days before he must be replaced by someone who has been confirmed. That period could be extended if Trump nominates a replacement who is not immediately confirmed. If Whitaker takes over direct supervision of the Russia investigation from Rosenstein, he would assume budget authority for Mueller's work, giving him the ability to sharply reduce Mueller's staff and resources. His approval would also be required before Mueller could take major investigative steps, including asking a grand jury for additional indictments. Any report that Mueller issues describing his overall findings would be submitted to Whitaker, who could decide it contained privileged material that should not be made public. "Discretion is such a part of what prosecutors do," said former U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade. "He can't obstruct justice, but he would have the ability to make discretionary decisions that could in many ways influence the outcome of the investigation." Still, Whitaker faces some limitations. Justice Department regulations would allow him to fire Mueller, but only for misconduct, conflict of interest or other "good cause." The regulations would allow him to reject requests by Mueller to take major steps in the investigation. Should he do so, however, he would be required to provide the chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate Judiciary Committee a "description and explanation of instances" in which he overruled the special counsel. Whitaker's appointment comes at a particularly critical moment, just as Mueller was expected to end what has been a publicly quiet phase of his investigation. In the run-up to Election Day, there were no indictments or public pronouncements by the special counsel's office, in keeping with Justice Department guidelines that prosecutors should avoid taking steps that could be perceived as intending to influence the outcome of the vote. With the midterm elections now over, Mueller faces key decision points in his 18-month-old investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 campaign - a probe that has led to charges against 32 people, including 26 Russians. Four aides to Trump have pleaded guilty to various charges, most recently his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort in September. Among the most pressing matters now before the special counsel: a probe into longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone's activities and ongoing negotiations with Trump's legal team over a request to interview him. For months, Mueller has been seeking to question Trump as part of his investigation, which is also examining whether the president has sought to obstruct the probe. Mueller's prosecutors have laid out detailed allegations of how Russia sought to manipulate Americans through social media, break into state voting systems and hack the email accounts of Democratic committees and party leaders. But the special counsel's team has not indicated publicly that it has drawn any conclusions about whether Trump associates conspired with the Russians or whether the president obstructed justice. Behind the scenes, Mueller's investigators have been intensively gathering evidence and questioning witnesses in recent weeks. The grand jury hearing evidence in the Russia investigation has been seen meeting at a federal courthouse in Washington, D.C., on six of the last eight Fridays. Based on witnesses who have been called to the grand jury, the special counsel appears to be intensely focused on Stone. The longtime Trump friend and former adviser is under scrutiny for claims he made in the 2016 campaign that suggested he was in contact with WikiLeaks. In the final months of the White House race, the group published Democratic emails that prosecutors allege were hacked by Russian military operatives. Stone has repeatedly maintained that he was not in touch with WikiLeaks and did not have advance knowledge of its plans. He said he based his comments on publicly available interviews with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and tips from associates, including New York comedian and radio host Randy Credico, who interviewed Assange on his program in August 2016. Credico has denied serving as a back channel to Assange for Stone. In recent weeks, two more Stone associates testified before the grand jury - among at least nine people connected to Stone who have been contacted by prosecutors so far. Filmmaker David Lugo and lawyer Tyler Nixon both told The Washington Post last month that Credico acknowledged to them he gave Stone information from Assange. Lugo, who appeared before the grand jury Oct. 19, said he turned over text messages and emails to Mueller's team. Nixon said he testified last week. Separately, conservative writer Jerome Corsi was interviewed by investigators over three days last week and appears to be emerging as a key witness in the Mueller investigation into Stone's activities. In an appearance on his live-streamed Internet show Monday, Corsi told viewers that he has been in near-continuous contact with Mueller's team in recent weeks. "It's been two months, on a really constant basis in the Mueller investigation. It's been one of the biggest pushes of my life," said Corsi, who added that he could provide no specifics of his interactions with Mueller. David Gray, an attorney for Corsi, declined to comment. Meanwhile, the special counsel must decide whether to accept only written answers from the president or to fight for an interview. Such a move would probably require issuing a subpoena to the president, which would then draw a legal challenge from Trump's team. By mid-November, the president's attorneys plan to turn over Trump's written answers to roughly a dozen questions the special counsel has posed - including the president's knowledge of the hacked Democratic emails and his advisers' contacts with Russians during the campaign and transition, according to two people familiar with the decision. --- The Washington Post's Robert Costa, Devlin Barrett, Spencer S. Hsu, Manuel Roig-Franzia, Philip Rucker and Tom Hamburger contributed to this report. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is on the short list to replace Attorney General Jeff Sessions, according to news-media reports. Christie spoke Wednesday night at Fairfield University just hours after Sessions was fired by President Donald J. Trump, and said Sessions departure was not surprising in the wake of the midterms, when Democrats captured control of the House. Christie gave no indication he might be under consideration as a replacement. Its amazing it took that long, Christie said. The president has been beating him up for months and months and months. Its obvious that Jeff and the president have not been getting along for quite some time. So I think it was really just a matter of the two of them agreeing they didnt want this to be a distraction before the midterms. Christie said that Sessions departure was easy to predict. Now that the midterms are over, the president is going to reassemble his cabinet and this is the first one, I doubt it will be the last one, he said. I think everyone kind of knew Jeff Sessions tenure was going to end around the two-year mark. Sessions delivered his resignation letter to the White House at the request of the president, who tapped Sessions Chief of Staff, Matthew G. Whitaker, as acting attorney general. Sessions firing and Whitakers reputation as a loyalist immediately raised questions about the future of the inquiry led by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III. Christie, a former prosecutor and U.S. attorney general for New Jersey, believes the investigation should continue. I believe Mueller, his independence needs to be preserved, Christie said. He needs to be permitted to finalize his investigation, bring whatever remaining charges he needs to bring, file a report with the attorney generals office and let the public see it, and then lets move on from this. Christie does not believe the president will end the special counsels investigation, adding that if the investigation were going to be shut down, it would have happened already. Remember something about President Trump, Christie said. He has an exquisite sense of self-preservation. He knows how far he can go without endangering himself or his political ability to operate. He will not fire Bob Mueller. He has not fired him. It isnt because it hasnt crossed his mind. It is because he has decided that to do so would inflict such a political cost on him and his party that its just not sustainable ... Its going to be over soon and the stupidest thing to do at this point would be to fire Bob Mueller, and I just dont think hell do it because in the end he knows its the wrong thing to do and because he knows Republicans in the Senate will not not support him on that. Christie, who served as a U.S. Attorney in New Jersey from 2002 to 2008, completed his second term as the governor of New Jersey in January 2018. Since then, he has worked as an ABC News contributor. He has long had a personal relationship with the president, which he detailed Wednesday, and endorsed Trump after dropping out of the 2016 presidential campaign. Until now, his relationship with Trump has not led to professional possibilities in the administration. Trump appointed Christie as chairman of the Presidents Commission on Combatting Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis in the spring of 2017. The new attorney general is not expected to be chosen soon. The shortlist also includes Rudy Giuliani, outgoing Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and former Attorney General William Barr, who served under President George H.W. Bush. The list is expected to grow, CBS News reported. kkrasselt@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2563; @kaitlynkrasselt NAC is expected to have 3 cannabis retail locations in Manitoba open by November 9 , adding new locations in Opaskwayak Cree Nation and Long Plain First Nation Portage La Prairie , in addition to the META Winnipeg store opened on October 17, 2018 . NAC is looking to open to open a total of 10 recreational cannabis stores in Manitoba with an additional 5 stores in partnership with Manitoban First Nations, all under the META brand, by early 2019. OTTAWA, Nov. 8, 2018 /CNW/ - National Access Cannabis Corp. ("NAC" or the "Company") (TSXV: META), a best practices leader in delivering secure, safe, and responsible access to legal cannabis in Canada, today announced the opening of Canada's first legal recreational cannabis retail store on First Nation land in Opaskwayak Cree Nation ("OCN"), Manitoba. In addition, NAC expects to attend a pre-licence inspection relating to its proposed cannabis retail location in Long Plain First Nation Portage La Prairie, Manitoba on November 9, 2018 and be open shortly thereafter. It is expected that these two legal recreational cannabis retail stores will be staffed by First Nations members and operate in collaboration under NAC's retail brand Meta Cannabis Supply Co. ("META"). The retail locations are listed below: Open: Meta Cannabis Supply Co. Otineka Mall Hwy 10 N Opaskwayak, Manitoba R0B 2J0 Looking to Open Friday, November 9, 2018: Meta Cannabis Supply Co. 79 Keeshkeemaquah Drive Portage La Prairie, Manitoba R1N 4B1 "I'm especially proud to announce these new META locations," said Mark Goliger, CEO of NAC. "They represent the commitment and strength we have in our relationships with the Opaskwayak Cree Nation and Long Plain First Nation. These partnerships with First Nations represent a pivotal moment in our vision to build an expanding footprint of legal cannabis retail operations across Canada. Additionally, when added to the operational four NewLeaf branded stores opened in Alberta last week, it proves the power of our diversified retail strategy as we build momentum across Canada." "We have partnered with NAC to work toward further development for OCN and our community", said Onekanew (Chief) Christian Sinclair of Opaskwayak Cree Nation and NAC board member. "This META store launch is a historic and exciting moment for our industry and will create local jobs and proper education for the legal cannabis retail model, and we have invested time and financing to support NAC for their retail expansion, because we believe in it." The Manitoba government has previously awarded the Company authorization to operate ten privately owned retail cannabis stores, as well as an e-commerce platform, in the Province of Manitoba. Additionally, as part of an anticipated opening of up to 220 retail cannabis locations across Canada over the next 18 months, the Company continues to develop its retail strategy to open more legal cannabis retail locations in partnership with three Manitoban Indigenous First Nations (Opaskwayak Cree Nation, Long Plain First Nation, and Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation). These partnerships are expected to establish retail cannabis distribution on First Nation lands under Indigenous and NAC leadership. Previous announcements regarding NAC's Manitoba expansion may be found through the following links: October 16, 2018 National Access Cannabis kicks off "legalization day" with unveiling of first Meta Cannabis Supply Co. retail store September 20, 2018 National Access Cannabis Corp. Announces Execution of Cannabis Retail Organization Agreement with the Province of Manitoba July 3, 2018 National Access Cannabis Corp. Provides Update on Manitoba Retail Network February 16, 2018 Successful Response to Manitoba Private Cannabis Industry RFP About National Access Cannabis Corp. NAC is a best practices leader in delivering secure, safe, and responsible access to legal cannabis in Canada. Through its Canada-wide network of medical cannabis clinics, partner pharmacies, NAC Bio's clinical research division, Meta Cannabis Supply Co. and NewLeaf Cannabis recreational cannabis retail stores, NAC enables patients and the public to gain knowledge and access to Canada's network of authorized Licensed Producers of cannabis. NAC is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol (TSXV: META). For more information, visit: www.nationalaccesscannabis.com www.metacannabis.com www.newleafcannabis.ca www.nacbio.com www.nacmedical.com Cautionary Statements This news release contains forward looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words "expect", "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "objective", "ongoing", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe", "plans", "intends" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward looking statements or information. Forward-looking statements and information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the planned opening of cannabis retail stores and the planned opening dates of same, the number of cannabis retail stores anticipated to open, the locations of cannabis retail stores, the launch of an online cannabis retail store in Manitoba, and NAC's plans to establish retail cannabis distribution networks in Manitoba through partnerships with Indigenous First Nations. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements and information are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements and information because the Company cannot give any assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward looking statements and information address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those that are currently contemplated by these statements depending on, among other things, risks relating to the ability to obtain or maintain licenses to retail cannabis products; future legislative and regulatory developments involving cannabis; inability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favourable terms; the labour market generally and the ability to access, hire and retain employees; and the medical and retail cannabis industry in Canada generally. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of risks and uncertainties is not exhaustive. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statement or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so 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 or accuracy of this release. SOURCE National Access Cannabis Corp. For further information: National Access Cannabis: Mark Goliger, Chief Executive Officer, National Access Cannabis, 1-800-411-1126, [email protected]; Investor Relations: Emily Gibbs, LodeRock Advisors Inc., 416-546-8775, [email protected]; Media Inquiries: Jessica Patriquin, 416.640.5525 x 230, M 416.995.8496, [email protected] An Upstate New York mayor is standing by an offensive Facebook post, claiming he doesn't care if he costs him his job. Fort Ann Mayor Denis Langlois is under fire for calling Democatic voters "retarded" in a post on the social network. Langlois' Facebook page is private, but screenshots went viral showing he used the derogatory word. "If anyone that I know vote (sic) for a Democrat on Tuesday you should sign yourself into the Mental Health unit at your local Hospital because you are retarded and need help, Vote Republican and 'Keep America Great'!" Langlois wrote. The "R-word" is considered offensive by the Special Olympics, Best Buddies and more than 200 advocacy groups. The Glen Falls Post-Star reports Langlois initially claimed he didn't remember writing the Facebook post -- "I post things all the time. I really don't remember what I do half the time" -- but later changed his story. Langlois defended his words, saying he wrote it as a private individual and not as the mayor in Fort Ann, N.Y., a town of 6,500 people some 60 miles north of Albany. "I'm not doing it as an official, I'm doing it as a person. You can't quote me as the mayor, you can only quote me as a person. As a mayor I wouldn't say that, but as a person who believes in Republican values," he told the publication. "Most people don't even know I'm the mayor. Nobody cares anymore. That's the problem with America today. Everybody just goes around with their life, and if it doesn't affect them, they don't care. It's a terrible thing." WNYT reports the post has since been removed. Langlois' Facebook page is private, but several public posts show him supporting President Donald Trump and openly criticizing former President Barack Obama before Election Day on Tuesday. According to Newsweek, Langlois was a Canadian citizen for 63 years before getting his U.S. citizenship and successfully running for office. Langlois told The Post-Star he "won big time" when he was elected village trustee in 2017. He was appointed mayor five months ago when Russell Blair resigned. He told the newspaper that he doesn't worry if his politically incorrect words get him removed from office. "If you write something and it gets me out of the mayor, I don't care," Langlois said. "I live for myself and what I believe in... I have no regrets on what I say. I never have regrets on what I say. I believe what I believe. Whether it's politically correct or not, it's what I believe, and it doesn't matter. I talk from my heart and my soul, and that's all there is to it." Basil Seggos, the commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Conservation, has announced his resignation. In addition, Venetia Lannon, the DEC's deputy secretary for the environment, has also announced she is leaving, according to a press release from the Adirondack Council. Seggos confirmed his departure on Twitter Wednesday, but did not give a reason. (See later story that includes statement from governor's spokesman and statement by Seggos about his leaving) .@NYSDEC commissioner on his departure - enviro folks say he'll be sorely missed: https://t.co/SGRgYTJBH7 Marie J French (@m_jfrench) November 8, 2018 The Adirondack Council on Wednesday released the following statement: "All New Yorkers owe a huge debt to Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos for his faithful service to the governor and the state as the leader of the state's environmental and conservation efforts," said William C. Janeway, Executive Director of the Adirondack Council. "Seggos faithfully and effectively advances Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's agenda, including preservation of more Adirondack Wilderness and support for more vibrant towns. The Adirondack Council extends its appreciation and gratitude to Commissioner Seggos." The statement also noted: "The Adirondack Council has enjoyed working with Deputy Secretary for the Environment Venetia Lannon and we are saddened to hear reports that she will also depart state service," said Janeway. "She has been an outstanding partner and a strong voice for environmental protection within the administration, showing deep concern for the future of the Adirondack Park." Ken Lynch, executive deputy director of NYS DEC. John Sheehan, a spokesman for the Adirondack Council, said the news was broken on a Twitter in a tweet by Marie French, who covers the state capital for Politico. Seggos, who held the job since 2015, is the 15th Commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The job paid $136,000 a year. Seggos previously served as both Deputy Secretary for the Environment and Assistant Secretary for the Environment for Governor Andrew Cuomo. According to the DEC website: "Since 2012, Seggos has advised the governor on environmental policy and overseeing the operations of the state's environmental agencies, including DEC, the Office of Parks Recreation & Historic Preservation, the Environmental Facilities Corporation, and the Adirondack Park Agency. "Prior to working in the Governor's office, Seggos served as Vice President of Business Development at the clean-tech private equity company Hugo Neu Corporation, Chief Investigator and Attorney at Riverkeeper, Associate at the Natural Resources Defense Council, and as a legal clerk at the White House." The date of Seggos' departure was not announced. It's not clear who will run the DEC, with nearly 3,000 employees, in the wake of Seggos' departure. Ken Lynch, of Elbridge, N.Y., the former DEC regional director for Region 7 in Central New York, is currently executive deputy commissioner of the DEC - second in command at the state agency. NEW HAVEN Its November in New Haven and that can only mean one thing: its Big Sandy time at Cafe Nine! Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys are back for another Go Kat Go Presents show this Friday night. The joint will be jumpin as Sandy and the boys once again show us New Englanders what western swing, old-time country, honky tonk and vintage rock-and-roll done anew are all about. Rockabilly rockers Little Lesley & The Bloodshots open the show, which begins at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 at the door, available in advance at www.cafenine.com. For the uninitiated, Robert Big Sandy Williams and his band play perfectly vintage-sounding twangy, swingy music, most of which Sandy wrote himself. But when Sandy opens his mouth, the ghosts of Jimmy Martin, Bob Wills and dozens of other long-lost American rockabilly and honky-tonk artists of the past come rushing out. The Fly-Rite Boys one of the best roots rock n roll outfits in America today, as well as for the past quarter century ROCK! If youve ever seen them before, youre probably already planning to go. But if you havent, and you love rockabilly, roots and old honky tonk and country music, you owe it to yourself to give Big Sandy a listen. Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys visit New Haven often enough that you might just think theyre local. But in fact, Sandy makes his home out in Los Angeles and tour from sea to shining sea as well as overseas. The band formed in Anaheim during the California roots revival of the late 80s. Its members play vintage equipment as well as vintage music and Big Sandy & the Fly-Rite Boys have blown through two vintage tour buses over the years. Theres nothing neo-country or neo-Western swing about what Big Sandy and his Fly-Rite Boys do. Its the real stuff music that might as well have been written back in 1949 or 1950, yet somehow exists and is cool now. Sandy himself is a big guy with a great voice and a thing for the aforementioned Wills and Junior Parker and Ronnie Dawson and Little Esther and any number of others whom you may or may not know. He has one of the best voices in roots rock. Also at Cafe Nine: Its a busy weekend, with Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey of The DBs performing on Saturday night, with the Shellye Valauskas Experience opening. Showtime is 9 p.m. (doors at 8 p.m.) Admission is $20, available in advance at www.cafenine.com. Then on Sunday afternoon, The Manchurians return for The Sunday Buzz Matinee from Cygnus Radio, with New Londons Anne Castellano & The Smoke opening. Showtime is 4 p.m. (doors at 3 p.m.) Admission is free. On Sunday night, Portland, OR-based Y La Bamba takes the stage to play rock & roll born of the Mexican-American experience at 8:30 p.m., with Fernandito Ferrer opening. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door. BRANFORD The day after Election Day, there was some clarity about races that were too close to call late Tuesday night. Others, though, remained uncertain. Democrat Christine Cohen declared victory in the 12th District state Senate race over Republican Adam Greenberg. Results compiled by the Secretary of the States office state Cohen won by just over 1,300 votes, 25,238 to 23,924. Im in awe and humbled by the number of votes that were cast, said Cohen. Im so honored to serve the 12th District and the state of Connecticut. Greenberg did not immediately return a message seeking comment Wednesday. The 12th District includes Branford, North Branford, Durham, Guilford, Killingworth and Madison. In the 101st state House District, incumbent Republican Noreen Kokoruda and Democrat John-Michael Parker were separated by just 24 votes Wednesday afternoon, with Kokoruda earning 6,257 to Parkers 6,233. Parker announced late Tuesday an automatic recount was likely. According to state law, such a recount is triggered if candidates are separated by a margin of less than 0.05 percent of the votes cast in the race. I am proud that both of our campaigns have remained positive and respectful through to the very end, and I look forward to finding out the results once we ensure every vote has been counted correctly, Parker said on Facebook. Kokoruda did not immediately respond to a message requesting comment. The results of the 85th, 86th, and 102nd state House races also were too close to call Tuesday night. In the 85th, incumbent Democrat Mary M. Mushinsky beat Republican Don Crouch 5,100 to 4,051 to continue representing Wallingford, according to unofficial results. In the 86th, which includes Durham, Guilford, North Branford and Wallingford, incumbent Republican Vincent Candelora defeated Democrat Vincent Mase Sr. and Green Party candidate Colin Souney, according to the Secretary of the States office. Candelora received 6,799 votes to 3,957 for Mase and 144 for Souney. In the 102nd, Democrat Robin Comey came out ahead of Republican Robert Imperato to represent Branford, earning 6,097 votes to Imperatos 4,984. william.lambert@hearstmediact.com Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is preparing for the most direct step yet in a drive to subdue the country's judiciary, ignoring efforts by the European Union to push back against such moves. The Cabinet in Budapest plans to take political control over a newly created high court for public administration. The EU's top court just weeks ago ordered Poland to halt a court revamp that would open the way for the ouster of supreme court justices. The two illiberal allies are under monitoring for alleged rule-of-law violations, which may result in the suspension of their voting rights. The proposed court will be split from the supreme court and operate as a separate entity under the justice minister, according to a bill posted on parliament's website on Tuesday. The head of the new court will report directly to the minister, who will pick new judges and control the institution's budget. The bill cites the need for the minister to "take greater political responsibility" for the court's work. It also pledges to respect "the principle of judicial independence and separation of powers." Hungary's judiciary has been one the last state institutions to retain a measure of independence even after Orban appointed his lawmakers to the benches, sent some judges into early retirement and appointed a powerful court administrator to oversee appointments. The steps were part of an unprecedented consolidation of power in the EU that also saw crackdowns against universities and civil society as well as Orban's allies take over much of the media. Christian Wigand, a spokesman for the European Commission, wasn't immediately available for comment on the proposed legislation. Orban declared the end of liberal democracy in Hungary in 2014, defying the EU and converting him into an ideological ringleader of the continent's resurgent nationalists. Populist forces are angling to take control over the world's largest trading bloc in elections for European Parliament in May. The court bill's passage is assured as Orban's lawmakers hold a two-thirds parliamentary majority, which allows them to pass any law without opposition support. The new top court is planned to begin its work on Jan. 1, 2020. NEW HAVEN The New Haven 2018 Veterans Day Ceremony which will first observe the Bells Of Peace: A World War I Remembrance on the front steps of City Hall, 250 Temple St. will be held in the Aldermanic Chambers on Sunday, Nov. 11, at 11 a.m. All residents and the public are invited to attend this free event. The Bells of Peace, promoted by the United States World War I Centennial Commission, is a nationwide call for Americans and organizations to toll bells in their communities 21 on Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. local time, to honor the 116,516 Americans who died in the Great War and to commemorate the centennial of the armistice ending World War I. BRANFORD Town of Branford will hold a Veterans Day Parade. This years parade will be held on Sunday, Nov. 11, with a ceremony beginning at 1 p.m. on the front Green and the parade steps off at 1:30 p.m. We will have six musical marching units participating and there will be several floats, said Veterans Day Parade Committee chairman Bill OBrien. Not that it matters. Pundits dont suffer from being wrong. They arent rewarded for being correct. But there is something to be said for trying to understand politics in a public forum like the New Haven Register, and seeing the fruits of ones labor grow and ripen. Which is a fancy way of saying I was right. Ned Lamont Tuesday won the race for governor. Every Democratic candidate for statewide office won. William Tong will be the countrys first Asian-American state attorney general. Jahana Hayes will be Connecticuts first African-American member of the U.S. Congress. Chris Murphy won re-election. So did Reps. Rosa DeLauro, Jim Himes, and John Larson. Democrats won back the state legislature. They took open seats and beat longtime conservative incumbents. It was, in short, a blue wave. Why? Because anyone with an R next to her (or his) name was going to feel the down-ballot fury of a Democratic backlash against the most unpopular president in decades. Because state Republicans thought wrongly that an unpopular outgoing governor would make more difference to voters than an unpopular incumbent president. Because politics isnt local anymore, not with Donald Trump gobbling up all the media bandwidth, and pouring gas on the backlash inferno. With so much acrimony firing at the top, all politics is now national. It didnt matter that Dan Malloy raised taxes. It didnt matter that Connecticut is in a fiscal mess. It didnt matter that the state economy has stalled. (It didnt matter that Lamont had said that hed renegotiate contracts with public unions.) None of that mattered as much as sending a message to Trump, even if sending it meant burning otherwise decent Republicans whod spent years in public service. Connecticut voters said they were mad as hell and not gonna take it anymore. Whats curious is how Bob Stefanowski, the Republican candidate for governor, missed seeing any of this. It might be due to his being a Madison millionaire. He can afford to live in an environment cleansed of liberal outrage. But I think theres more to it. I think he really believed Trump wasnt going to impact the election as much as he did. He might have even believed that the president was more popular than he really is. Think about it. Stefanowski ran a campaign that was virtually sealed off from the rest of the state. Hed do appearances on friendly conservative talk-radio. He loved calling the morning-drive mooks at WPLR. He attacked the state press the way Trump attacks the national press. He refused to answer questions he didnt like. He barely stumped at all. He bought television ads. All the while, Stefanowski built a campaign on two sets of bunk. One, that Lamont was going to raise taxes. Thats scares the daylights out of Republicans who inhabit the same Fox News media bubble. Two, that Stefanowski was going to phase out the state income tax, thus ushering in a new era of peace and prosperity to one and all. It was bunk, all bunk, yet he kept at it, avoiding anyone who might see through it. The thing about that bubble is that it keeps you from going to where you need to go in this state if you want to win statewide office. Im talking about the cities. Its conceivable, though we cant know, that Stefanowski could have built bridges between the cities and the suburbs, where his base of power was strongest. But like the bubble inhabitants he was courting, Stefanowski looked on the cities to see the opposition. No use going there. Its no coincidence that cities are where most black and brown people live in this state. They were going to vote for the Democrats thanks to Trump. But he never gave them a reason to take a second look. Stefanowski is Trumps spiritual kin. Then again, maybe he didnt want to win. Stefanowski spent oodles of his own money before winning the state primary. But afterward, he started asking other people to pay for all those television ads. Thats not something you do when youre confident of winning. Thats what you do to hedge against losing. In September, I wrote: Why ask for nickels and dimes when youve been paying millions? It could be that Stefanowski doubts he can win. Why spend the money if its not worth it? I dont know if I was right about that. That would be weird. John Stoehr is the publisher of the Editorial Board, a daily newsletter about politics. He lives in Westville. SEYMOUR The town will honor the brave men and women of the military during its 34th annual Veterans Day candlelight vigil this weekend. The ceremony, which will honor all those who fought, and are still fighting, in the name of freedom, will take place at 4:30 p.m. Sunday at Broad Street Park, located at the corner of Broad and River streets. VFW Post 12084 Commander Al Yagovane is again organizing the vigil and encouraged folks to come and show their support. We always remember those who fought who didnt come home, and must honor the brave men and women who became wounded or disabled while fighting for our freedom, said Yagovane, a U.S. Army veteran. Yagovane said local attorney and longtime Board of Education member Fred Stanek will again serve as master of ceremonies for the event. Resident Kenneth Tripp, a retired U.S. Navy veteran/commander, who served in Operation Enduring Freedom, will serve as keynote speaker. Tripps wife Tracy, also a retired U.S. Navy veteran/commander, will also be on hand. The couple has each dedicated more than 20 years of service to the military, according to Yagovane. Area mayors, including Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti and Shelton Mayor Mark A. Lauretti, and First Selectman Kurt Miller, are expected to attend the ceremony. The Rev. Allyson Glass of the Seymour Congregational Church will give the invocation. Also on hand will be students from Seymour Middle School, who recently secured a prestigious award from the state Department of Education and state Department of Veterans Affairs for their involvement with local veterans. The Magnificent Brass horn band under the direction of Arthur Hilwa and local DJ Tony Castle will be on hand, playing a variety of patriotic songs. Yagovane said Broad Street Park serves as the perfect backdrop for the solemn ceremony. It was recently completed in 2013 by dozens of local volunteers, and serves as the gateway of sorts into downtown. Yagovane began work on the park in the early 1980s. It pays homage to veterans of all wars, and features a circular brick walkway, bearing the names of those who served in the various wars, a war memorial monument and gazebo, along with its latest feature, a plaque dedicated to all those volunteers who helped build the park. Well never forget the men and women who served and serve the greatest country in the worldwe have been blessed, Yagovane said. On Veterans Day, we will gather to honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, as well as those who became disabled as a result of their service to the country. Refreshments will be served at Seymour Congregational Church following the ceremony. jean.sos@snet.net. Open hearth cooking demo ANSONIA The Derby Historical Society will hold an open-hearth cooking demonstration from 1 to 4 p.m. Nov.17 at the David Humphreys House, 37 Elm St. Docents will prepare 18th century seasonal favorites over an open hearth and offer a tour of the house. Suggested donation is $5. Parking is available behind the house or on Thomas Street. Derby library to host monthly book discussion DERBY - The Derby Public Library will hold its monthly lunchtime book discussion at 12:30 p.m. Nov. 28. The book discussed will be A Redbird Christmas by New York Times bestselling author Fannie Flagg. Lunchtime Book Discussions are held the last Wednesday of the month and are free and open to the public. Multiple copies of the book will be available at the circulations desk. Drop-ins are welcome and registration is not required. For information contact the Reference Desk at 203-736-1482. Thrift store collecting winter gear ANSONIA My Sisters Place thrift store and donation center is collecting new and gently used winter coats and gloves. Winter gear is needed for all ages and all sizes. Donations can be dropped off at the store, located at 380 Main St. For more information call 203-734-2960. Animal shelter seeking blankets ANSONIA The Ansonia Animal Shelter is seeking donations of blankets for dogs. Blankets (no sheets ) may be dropped off at the Police Department, 2 Elm St., at any time, or at the Ansonia Animal Shelter, 2 N. Division St., before 2:30 p.m. weekdays. Griffin honors area women DERBY Griffin Hospital Vice President of Ancillary Services Marge Deegan, of Seymour, and Cardiac Rehabilitation Nurse Maria Cantito, RN-BC, of Middlebury, were recently honored with the Planetree Scholar Award at the 2018 Planetree International Conference on Patient-Centered Care held in Boston. The Planetree Scholar Award honors individuals whose works and deeds inspire everyone to greater heights in person-centered healthcare. Deegan has been with Griffin Hospital for more than 40 years and earned the award for exemplifying person-centered care on a daily basis through her commitments to Griffins patients, community and staff. In her eight years as a member of the Griffin Hospital Cardiac Rehabilitation Program, Cantito has shown exemplary dedication to the Planetree person-centered care philosophy every day. She was also recognized for her involvement in the 5K Walk/Run to Benefit the Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital, the American Heart Associations Heart Walk and the Womens Heart Wellness Committee. Ansonia collecting candy for troops ANSONIA Mayor David Cassetti and American Legion Post 50 are collecting treats for troops now through Nov. 14. Kids and their families are encouraged to donate some of their Halloween candy to deployed soldiers, wounded heroes and veterans. Candy can be dropped off from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday at the Mayors Office at City Hall, 253 Main St.. The American Legion will package it and deliver it to the troops. Last years effort produced more than 250 pounds of donated candy. Local dentist collecting turkeys SHELTON Dr. Bruce Sofferman and his family will hold their 32nd annual Thanksgiving food drive from 8 to 11 a.m. Nov. 14 at Smile Dental Center, 1000 Bridgeport Ave. Donations of frozen turkeys and nonperishable food items are needed to help feed thousands of Valley families in need this Thanksgiving. The annual food drive is held to benefit Spooner House and its Valley Food Bank The Soffermans will again don traditional pilgrim and Native American costumes to greet people as they stop by to make a donation. For more information call 203-712-7726. Turkey bingo at church ANSONIA St. Joseph Womens Guild of St. Josephs Church will hold their annual Turkey Bingo at 6 p.m. Nov. 17. The public is invited to attend. Bingo will take place downstairs in the church hall, located at 32 Jewett St. Annual turkey drive at Seymour schools SEYMOUR Seymour Middle School eighth-grade students will hold their 17th annual turkey drive Nov. 17. Students and staff will collect frozen turkeys from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Seymour Middle School, 211 Mountain Road, and Chatfield-LoPresti School, 51 Skokorat St. Turkeys will be donated to Seymour families, the Seymour-Oxford Food Bank and Spooner House in Shelton. Bus trips to Mohegan Sun SEYMOUR Seymour Ambulance Association will hold two bus trips to the Mohegan Sun casino in December. The first trip will be held Dec. 8. A bus will leave from the Seymour Community Center, 20 Pine St., at 9 a.m. and return at 5 p.m.. The cost is $40 per person and includes a $15 free bet and $15 store voucher. There will be a 50/50 raffle on the bus ride. A second trip will be held Dec. 15. A bus will leave from the parking lot across from SAA at 5 p.m. and return at 1 a.m. Tickets are $40 and include a $15 free bet and $15 store voucher. Tickets are available at SAA, located at 4 Wakeley St., from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Tree lighting in Shelton SHELTON Celebrate Shelton will host its 5th annual Community Tree Lighting at 6 p.m. Nov. 30 at Veterans Memorial Park. The event will feature hot cocoa and cookies, caroling and a visit from Santa The event is being sponsored by City of Shelton, Valley Community Foundation and Center Stage Theater. For sponsorship opportunities, email celebrateshelton@gmail.com. Compiled by Jean Falbo-Sosnovich; jean.sos@snet.net. A Democratic candidate and a party official in Burlington County said Wednesday that George Youngkin who won a seat on the county freeholder board in Tuesday's election will step down the day after he is sworn into office on New Year's Day. Youngkin suspended his campaign last month after police reports surfaced of a domestic violence incident in 2006 involving he and his wife. Youngkin's name remained on the ballot and he and running-mate Felicia Hopson won. Their victory signaled a surge that swept Democrats into power in Burlington County for the first time since 1975. Democrats also seized control of municipal governments in the GOP strongholds of Evesham and Moorestown. Joe Andl, the county Democratic party chairman, said Wednesday that Youngkin would step down on Jan. 2 after being sworn in the day before. He said the party would then name a replacement to hold the seat until the next general election in November 2019. Andl said there was no mechanism for Youngkin to step down before being sworn in. Youngkin was quoted in the Burlington County Times on Wednesday as saying he intended to serve as a freeholder. But a statement on his Facebook page Wednesday afternoon signaled a change of heart. "Last night, in a moment of revelry, I gave a statement that I plan to serve as a Freeholder," Youngkin's statement said. "While I am appreciative of the support, after speaking with Burlington County Democratic Chairman Joe Andl, this morning, I am concerned that my service as a Freeholder will affect the ability of our newly elected to advance the interests of Burlington County." Youngkin's statement never specifically said he would step aside. An effort to reach him for further comment Wednesday was not immediately successful. I have always maintained my commitment to service, from the Boy Scouts to my 16 years on the Medford Township Zoning... Posted by George Youngkin on Wednesday, November 7, 2018 Hopson will join Democratic freeholders Balvir Singh and Tom Pullion to form a majority on the five-member board. The remaining GOP member will be Latham Tiver. Freeholders Kate Gibbs, the board director, and Linda Hughes were defeated in Tuesday's election. Bill Duhart may be reached at bduhart@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @bduhart. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Democratic challenger Andy Kim declared victory Wednesday over Republican U.S. Rep. Tom MacArthur, R-3, although the tight race for the 3rd Congressional District remained uncalled. The district, which stretches between Burlington County in the Philadelphia suburbs and Ocean County along the shore, has largely been held by the GOP for the past three decades. The AP has not called the race. It was among the most closely watched in the country. Unofficial Burlington County returns posted late Wednesday showed Kim with a more than 2,000 vote lead over the two-term incumbent. MacArthur said Wednesday night via Twitter that he was not ready to concede the race. "This has been a hard fought campaign and like Andy Kim, I'm ready to see it come to an end," MacArthur's statement said. "I have always said that I will be guided by the voters of the district and there are nearly 7,000 more of them who haven't been heard from yet. We must ensure that their votes - and all votes - are counted in a transparent way that protects the integrity of the election." Officials have said they are still planning to count provisional ballots and additional mail-in ballots postmarked by election day that continue to arrive. Burlington County Board of Election Chairman Joe Dugan said there were about 26,000 mailed-in ballots. In the GOP-leaning part of the district, Ocean County Board of Election official Jason Varano says roughly 31,000 mail-in ballots are already reflected in results posted online. Officials say provisional ballots also remain to be counted. MacArthur backed Trump more often than any other member of the New Jersey congressional delegation, according to Nate Silver's FiveThirtyEight. He helped save the president's attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, by crafting a compromise for states to opt out of ending preexisting-condition requirements for insurance companies. The provision enabled patients with chronic, ongoing illnesses to not be denied insurance coverage. But MacArthur, 58, a former health insurance executive, stressed he's someone who has worked for bipartisan solutions in Congress and labeled Kim's campaign as a protest vote for Trump. He criticized Kim for being a liberal Democrat and for allegedly benefiting from television commercials paid for by a political action committee of U.S. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi. Kim had made a campaign promise to not accept corporate PAC money. Kim, 36, who had never run for elected office before, was a civilian advisor to military leaders in Afghanistan and Iraq and national security aide in Democratic President Barack Obama's administration. MacArthur accused Kim of embellishing his resume and labeled him as an "entry level" employee during his tours abroad. Kim criticized MacArthur for siding with Trump on the Obamacare repeal, which eventually died in the U.S. Senate with former Sen. John McCain's deciding vote. Kim also attacked MacArthur for voting for Trump's tax-cut plan which became law and eliminated all but $10,000 in deductions for state and local taxes, a favorite deduction for residents in the Northeast part of the country, especially New Jersey. The 3rd district includes Burlington and Ocean counties and the 40,000-acre Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. The major military facility has been an economic engine in the region since it opened in 1938. Democrats have captured at least 10 of 12 House seats in New Jersey, flipping three of them. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Bill Duhart may be reached at bduhart@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @bduhart. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips A 10-foot great white shark named Jane has apparently taken an interest in the Jersey Shore. Ocearch, the same research group that tracked the popular great white shark "Mary Lee," reported that there's a recently-tagged great white pinging away off Cape May County this week. Jane is a sub-adult shark weighing 521 pounds. Ocearch says Jane was tagged in Canada in October and has since traveled south along the East Coast to New Jersey. This is so exciting! My name is Jane and even though I might be young, Im still pretty wise. Cant wait to take you all on an adventure through the North Atlantic! pic.twitter.com/VM1FA4oPUA White Shark Jane (@GWSharkJane) October 9, 2018 Jane's latest ping occurred about 6:30 p.m. on Monday when the shark neared the surface long enough for the tracker to send a signal, according to Ocearch's site. Much like Mary Lee, the Ocearch crew has given Jane a social media presence with her own Twitter account. Mary Lee was a regular visitor to the the Jersey Shore during the five years her tracker remained active. Jane was tagged in Canadian waters in October and has since traveled toward the Jersey Shore. (OCEARCH) Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook. A Madison animal shelter has agreed to house Newark's rescues and strays through the end of the year, after the city's former shelter announced it would no longer accept Newark animals starting Nov. 8. St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center will now take in animals picked up by Newark's animal control. Residents who want to surrender a pet or need help locating an animal can also call the shelter for help. Newark was forced to find alternate animal sheltering after Associated Humane Societies accused the city of not paying its bills and ended its services. City officials fired back and said the shelter's former director, who was banned from the facility under a plea agreement involving animal cruelty charges, was obstructing contract negotiations. The shelter, the city said, reneged on previous agreements and wanted a 40 percent increase to its $675,000 annual fee. "The residents of the city of Newark cannot be held hostage by AHS, and will not be held hostage," Business Administrator Eric Pennington previously said. Associated Humane Societies is the largest sheltering facility in the state but its Newark facility on Evergreen Avenue was skewered in multiple state and local health inspections last year when officials found bags of carcasses covered in flies, sick animals not receiving basic vet care and questionable protocols for euthanizing animals. Pennington said the facility continued to violate health standards for the first few months this year. Under the city's new agreement, St. Hubert's will shelter animals through 2018 and Liberty Humane Society of Jersey City will take over those services next year until Newark develops its own animal shelter. Heather Cammisa, St. Hubert's President and CEO, said the nonprofit would also launch its community outreach programs in Newark to help residents address pet care needs and offer vaccinations and sterilization of free-roaming community cats. "The city of Newark looks forward to starting a new chapter of animal control services with its new partners ... where commitment to animal preservation and delivery of state of the art animal care services is a reality for the citizens of Newark," Dr. Mark J. Wade, Newark's director of health and community wellness, said. Residents can call 973-733-4311 for city animal control services and 973-377-2295 to reach St. Hubert's. Karen Yi may be reached at kyi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @karen_yi or on Facebook. The woman whose September arrest revealed a federal investigation into an alleged cash-for-votes scheme in Hoboken admitted in court Thursday that she promised voters $50 in exchange for their votes. The probe has also led to the indictments of real estate developer Frank Raia and one of his associates, Dio Braxton. Federal prosecutors allege Raia, who sought an at-large council seat in 2013 and was also supporting a referendum to weaken the city's rent control laws, oversaw the operation to pay voters to cast ballots for his slate and the ballot question using mail-in ballots. Lizaida Camis, 55, pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of conspiracy to promote a voter bribery scheme in front of U.S. District Judge William Martini. Camis faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 21. The allegations stunned Hoboken, where vote-buying is an open secret but where politicians dismayed by the practice thought the feds had taken a pass on filing criminal charges. Raia is expected to appear in court on his charges next week. His attorney, Alan Zegas, told The Jersey Journal that Raia is innocent. "We'll vigorously contest the charges in the indictment and we'll enter a plea of not guilty to each allegation contained in the indictment," Zegas said. "He's long been a giving and caring member of the community." A request for comment from Camis' attorney was not returned. Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop and Fire Department Chief Steven McGill hosted a ceremony at the fire headquarters on Marin Boulevard for the official blessing of the new Rescue Company 1 ladder truck on Wednesday. Fire Department Chaplain Father James Pagnotta performed the blessing. The new, custom built apparatus replaces a 2002 ladder truck which McGill said will be still be used as a backup. The new Rescue Company 1 ladder truck was immediately placed into service following the blessing. The Division of Fire maintains a fleet of 28 pieces of front line fire apparatus which include pumper trucks, ladder trucks, rescue trucks, a hazardous materials unit (HAZMAT) and a mask service unit (MSU). Scroll through the gallery above to see photos from the event. JERSEY CITY Dozens of union workers crowded inside the City Council chambers on Wednesday to show their opposition to a proposed payroll tax, with business owners telling the council to put the brakes on a tax plan they say will devastate the business community. Parents, meanwhile, urged council members to support the tax, saying the expected revenue is needed to stave off major budget cuts at the public school district. A form of state aid that brought the district about $170 million this year is being taken away in chunks starting in July. Wednesday's 90-minute public hearing was the first time the council heard from the public on the payroll tax, which would amount to 1 percent on any business's total payroll, with the wages of Jersey City residents exempt. The council is expected to hold a final vote on the plan by the end of the year. All the money would be set aside for schools. "Companies can easily leave this town and go elsewhere," said Frank Robinson, with the New Jersey Business and Industry Association. "Say goodbye to new jobs and businesses," said George Fontas, representing an organization called Partnership for Jersey City. Fontas is a lobbyist for LeFrak, the developer behind the city's Newport area. Nancy Pokler, a Heights woman and parent of two public school students, urged the council to pass the tax. Schools in Jersey City are so underfunded children must skip recess because there aren't enough teachers to watch them and students have to rely on bottled water because the pipes are so old the water is dangerous to drink, she said. "The city's been flourishing while the schools have not," Pokler said. Parent Kevin Gosa noted that the school district has been facing major budget cuts for months and yet the council debated paying for police horses before it debated the payroll tax. "We're running out of time to address this," Gosa said. The council introduced the payroll tax ordinance by a 7-0-1 vote on Wednesday, with Councilman Jermaine Robinson abstaining. It's not clear how much support the plan will have on the council for the final vote, which could come as early as Nov. 20. Robinson, who owns a restaurant on Randolph Avenue, said with this tax and a proposed hike in the statewide minimum wage, he is "not sure that I'll be able to stay in business." Councilman Rich Boggiano also expressed concern about escalating taxes. Business Administrator Brian Platt told council members at their Monday caucus that the city might end up hiring two people to ensure compliance with the payroll tax. "We're going to end up hiring people, hiring people, they're going to be political hacks," Boggiano said. "And the money's going to go out. It's not going to go to the board of ed." Brigid D'Souza, a parent of two public school students, told council members they are responsible in part for the district's budget crisis because of the dozens of tax abatements the council has approved for real-estate developments citywide. Revenue from tax abatements go almost entirely to the city and aren't shared with the school district the way traditional property taxes are. "You are culpable," D'Souza said, adding that the looming state aid cuts have been predicted for years and "no one planned for it." The only other New Jersey city with a payroll tax is Newark, which collects about $50 million annually from it. New Jersey lawmakers passed a bill this summer allowing Jersey City to collect a similar tax, around the time they approved the changes to school funding that are responsible for the impending loss in the $170 million in aid to Jersey City's schools. Tensions were high at Wednesday's meeting, which included a brief but loud spat between Lavarro and City Clerk Robert Byrne during the council's mid-meeting break. Lavarro accused Byrne of trashing him to other council members, a tongue lashing that caused Byrne to mock Lavarro by calling him "tough guy." "Time for you to retire," Lavarro told Byrne in response. Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. JERSEY CITY The City Council on Wednesday approved a slew of changes to the city's old obscenity law, changes supporters said will bring the law into the 21st Century and conform to modern community standards on what is obscene. The most eye-catching provision of the new obscenity law a plan to allow women to bare their breasts in public was removed when it became clear that a majority of council members would not support it. The version adopted on Wednesday continues the topless ban for women. Councilman James Solomon, who pushed for the obscenity law changes after the city threatened to shut down a Newark Avenue bar because of a planned appearance by burlesque star Lillian Bustle, called Wednesday's vote "an important step forward." The new law contains "much stronger and clearer protections for free speech. It allows for artistic performance in our community," Solomon said, adding that "it removes unreasonable and unconstitutional restrictions on people's private lives." That comment was a reference to the old law's ban on anyone owning six or more sex toys and six or more adult films, a ban erased from the new law. The old law, first adopted by the city in the 1980s as a way to keep strip clubs from opening in the city, said anyone with that many sex toys had the "intent" to distribute them. The council adopted the ordinance 7-1. Councilman Michael Yun voted no. Councilwoman Joyce Watterman was absent. Yun was roundly mocked in May when he referred to breasts as "those things" during a council discussion of the topless ban. Members of the public who spoke out against the new law appeared unaware that the topless ban remains unchanged and expressed fear that the changes would turn Jersey City's streets into Times Square circa the 1970s. Yvonne Balcer, a frequent critic of the administration, said she remembers seeing a man in New York City walking around with no shirt and a dog collar on. Richard Surazynski urged the council members to follow their religious beliefs. "Jesus Christ would never have repealed the obscenity laws," he said. Bustle noted to critics of the ordinance that the topless ban was not removed from the law's language. "People are not going to be traipsing around in flagrante delicto in Jersey City," she said. Councilman Daniel Rivera, before voting yes, said he was initially resistant to the obscenity law changes because he feared walking along the street with his infant granddaughter and encountering a woman with her top off. "I kind of felt a little uncomfortable with that," he said. "A couple of weeks ago I'm out with my daughter, who just had a baby, and my granddaughter started to cry. And boom, just, you know, she just took out her breast and she started to breastfeed. And that impacted me." The council on Wednesday also approved a measure that would lead to a return of police horses. The vote passed 5-3, with council members Rolando Lavarro, Michael Yun and Jermaine Robinson voting no. Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. JERSEY CITY Another twist in the Katyn monument saga occurred on Wednesday when Mayor Steve Fulop backed a plan to halt his planned relocation of the statue, handing an unexpected victory to the group of people who had opposed moving the monument from Exchange Place. Fulop's reversal irked some council members, including Council President Rolando Lavarro, a Fulop ally who has grown increasingly and publicly frustrated with the administration. At Wednesday's council meeting, Lavarro referred to the Katyn matter as an "escapade" and said administration officials are making council members look like "pawns." Fulop critic Councilman James Solomon called the episode a "charade" and a "joke" before storming off the dais during the discussion. The Katyn statue controversy erupted in April when Fulop revealed he wanted to move the monument from Exchange Place to make way for a new city park. Members of the Polish community objected, igniting a feud between the city and residents who want the statue to remain where it is. The monument commemorates the 1940 massacre of over 20,000 Polish people by the Soviet Union. The council at its June 13 meeting approved an ordinance that authorized moving the statue. But that measure was put on hold after opponents collected enough signatures to force a special election on the relocation, a referendum that had been scheduled for Dec. 11. Fulop on Tuesday first proposed putting a temporary halt to the brouhaha by suggesting the council reverse its June 13 ordinance, which would make the referendum moot. Fulop wants to cancel the Katyn referendum, he argued, because opposition to a proposed payroll tax might result in a similar referendum, one that might not come for a year because the Katyn election must happen first. Any delay in a potential payroll tax referendum would also delay collection of the tax, which is intended to offset tens of millions in state aid cuts to schools that will start in July. So at the council's Wednesday meeting, the administration asked council members to add an item to their agenda rescinding their June 13 action. Some council members, including Lavarro, balked at the last-minute request. On a motion to add the item to the agenda, the council voted 5-3 in favor, one vote shy of the six needed to add items. The motion failed. Councilman Rich Boggiano, a Fulop critic who wants the statue to stay at Exchange Place, said he would not support rescinding the June 13 ordinance because he feared the administration would revisit the statue relocation later. "Why doesn't the administration just drop this whole thing and let's cut it out?" he said to cheers from the crowd inside the council chambers. Over the course of the next few hours, there was a flurry of side conversations between council members and city officials, with some exchanging texts with an absent Fulop. At about 10 p.m., Fulop ally Councilman Daniel Rivera announced a deal: the council would re-consider adding an item to the agenda that would rescind the June 13 ordinance that authorized moving the statue, only this time there would be an amendment saying the statue would stay at Exchange Place "in perpetuity." That provision was enough to secure Boggiano's vote, the sixth needed to add the item to the agenda. The council then took four votes: to reconsider voting on adding the item; to add the item to the agenda; to amend the item to include the "in perpetuity" language; and to introduce the ordinance. All four motions passed. A final vote on the measure could come as early as Nov. 20. It was during the round of voting that Solomon erupted. He voted yes on all four motions but said he objected to an unadvertised, last-minute vote to keep the statue at Exchange Place forever. Residents in his ward who want it moved should be given time to have their say, he said. "This entire process from April to now has exempted those people and it's been politics, politics, politics and I'm tired of it," Solomon said. "My real vote is that this is a frigging joke." Fulop ally Councilman Jermaine Robinson also raised objections about the administration's handling of the statue matter, saying he, too, felt "like a pawn." "We're not going to be pushed around anymore or any further on this thing," he said. Asked to respond, city spokeswoman Ashley Manz said, "The mayor did the right thing last night. The mayor's goal is protecting our Jersey City schools and making sure that corporations pay their fair share in support of Jersey City's children. If a councilperson doesn't want to support this goal or wants to name call, that is his/her prerogative, but the mayor will not engage in that." The mayor has pitched the payroll tax as one on corporations. It would hit businesses of any size, with wages of Jersey City residents exempt. Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. A person was struck and killed Wednesday night in a crash in the area of Route 440 between 21st and 22nd streets in Bayonne, authorities confirmed Thursday morning. The crash just after 10 p.m. just south of the Bayonne Crossing shopping center, the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office said. The fatality is the 19th on Hudson County roadways this year, and the seventh since Aug. 31, according to New Jersey State Police statistics. At this point last year, there had been 22 fatalities in Hudson County. The prosecutor's office did not provide any details regarding the crash. The investigation is being handled by the HCPO's Hudson County Regional Collision Investigation Unit and the Bayonne Police Department. The fatal crash occurred about eight blocks south of the location where Tyler Sellers and Sabore Worrell were struck and killed on Nov. 2, 2018. Since 2014 there have been four deadly crashes and five fatalities on Route 440 in Bayonne. JERSEY CITY -- An appellate court has upheld the removal of a former Hudson County Corrections officer from a list of candidates vying to become a sheriff's officer because she had a relationship with an inmate at the jail and other infractions. Christie Monserrate worked as a corrections officer from 2001 to 2011 and was disciplined six times during that period, including separate suspensions of 20 and 45 days, according a New Jersey Superior Court Appellate Division decision rendered Wednesday. Monserrate could not be reached for comment on the ruling. In 2010, the county charged her with insubordination, conduct unbecoming an employee, and neglect of duty after an investigation revealed she was having a prohibited relationship with an inmate at the Hudson County jail, the decision states. It was also revealed that Monserrate gave the inmate's mother nearly $500 so she could pay a fine for him. In another incident, Monserrate failed to complete reports, resulting in three inmates being incorrectly released from custody, according to the appellate decision. She was eventually allowed to resign from the county's department of corrections in good standing. In November 2013, Monserrate took the test to become a sheriff's officer and passed, but when Hudson County asked the Civil Service Commission to remove her name from the list, because of her past as a corrections officer. Monserrate challenged the request. The commission's Division of Appeals and Regulatory Affairs eventually upheld her removal from the list in November 2016, finding that Monserrate's history "reflects poorly on the appellant's ability to perform [the] law enforcement duties," the decision states. The commission cited Monserrate's "extremely poor prior employment history in the criminal justice field" in its decision to uphold her removal from the list. Monserrate then took her case to the state's Appellate Division and represented herself. "This decision was not arbitrary, capricious, or unreasonable, is supported by substantial credible evidence, and is entitled to our deference," the appellate decision states. Students at the Valley View Elementary School in Lebanon Township participated in a Veterans Day program on Wednesday, Nov. 7. During the hourlong assembly, children from each grade level presented gifts to the 30 veterans in attendance. The preschoolers made poppies for each veteran, kindergartners and first-grade students sang patriotic songs, second graders wrote letters to the veterans and handed them to those in attendance, third graders recited a patriotic poem, and fourth-grade students wrote and read essays about the veteran heroes in their lives. Principal Patricia Bell hosted the event and organized a small reception after the assembly for the veterans and their families. Food and drinks for the reception were donated by staff and superintendent Jason Kornegay. EDITOR'S NOTE: Interested in the marijuana business industry? NJ Cannabis Insider is a premium intelligence briefing that features exclusive weekly content geared toward entrepreneurs, lawyers and realtors. View a sample issue. Since late 2017, elected officials in towns across New Jersey have been voting to ban marijuana businesses from their borders, should state lawmakers decide to make weed legal. More than 40 towns have already voted in opposition of marijuana, way more than the number of towns that are supportive. But on Tuesday, voters in three New Jersey towns got the chance to have their say on marijuana. Two of those municipalities, Union Township and Vineland, said they wanted marijuana in the town, while Bridgeton mostly voted against having weed businesses. All three votes are non-binding, meaning that town officials can still make their own decision on whether to allow weed businesses, but it does give them a good idea of how their constituents feel. Bridgeton voters had three questions on their ballots. They said no to the first two, which asked whether the town should allow retail pot shops, or permit growers and distributors to operate within its borders. The third question the Bridgeton ballot asked was whether such businesses should be relegated to industrial parts of town, if the city does allow them to operate. Voters said yes to that proposition. The mood was different in Union Township and Vineland. Nearly 54 percent of Union Township voters said the town should allow businesses that grow and sell weed to open in the town, if it becomes legal. More than 60 percent of Vineland voters said they wanted to allow medical marijuana dispensaries. These votes come as lawmakers have repeatedly delayed debate on legalization. They are now pushing for a vote before the end of the year. According to the bills that have already been introduced, each New Jersey municipality would have the freedom to allow or prohibit marijuana businesses from opening in their towns. Towns that ban businesses would not be able to prevent their residents from possessing or using personal amounts of weed. They would also likely miss out on tax revenue from marijuana. Support for legalization is fairly strong in New Jersey, with 58 percent of people saying they're in favor, while only 37 percent said they don't want legal weed, according to a recent Rutgers-Eagleton poll. "As marijuana legalization approaches reality in the state, New Jerseyans are fully on board," said Ashley Koning, assistant research professor and director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling at Rutgers. "Support has built up slowly in the past five decades, with this being the first time a majority has ever sided with legalization. "New Jerseyans are now almost three times as likely to support it as they were in 1971," Koning said. Are you interested in the N.J. cannabis industry? Subscribe here for exclusive insider information from NJ Cannabis Insider. Payton Guion may be reached at PGuion@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @PaytonGuion. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Growth continues to sow controversy in Asbury Park, where the sudden removal of a stretch of boardwalk and talk of a private pool and beach club at the city's north end have prompted calls for more environmentally friendly and socially inclusive development. Some residents were taken by surprise a month ago, when a work crew began ripping up a three-block stretch of boardwalk in Asbury Park's still largely undeveloped northeast corner, between Convention Hall and the border with Loch Arbour. "They came Oct. 8 and started putting up the fences," said Kathleen Mumma, a yoga instructor and surfer who moved to Asbury Park five years ago from Hoboken, and now is a member of Save Asbury's Waterfront, a coalition of residents, environmentalists and others concerned about the area's rapid development. "The boardwalk is long gone, and now they've been digging up the bulkheads." The coalition, which also includes members of the American Littoral Society, the New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance and other groups will hold a press conference outside Asbury Park's main post office at 5 p.m. on Thursday. At 6 p.m., the Asbury Park City Council will be briefed on the boardwalk replacement project, which includes paving a gravel parking lot, by representatives of the city's designated waterfront developer, iStar. Broadly speaking, city officials say the new boardwalk will curve along existing and man-made sand dunes, and be linked to what is now a gravel parking area used by fisherman and others who prefer to avoid the traffic and crowding farther south along Ocean Avenue, the city's teaming waterfront boulevard. This gravel parking area near the beach at Asbury Park's north end will be paved. The gravel lot will be paved and painted with lines delineating 100 parking spaces, which may be a welcome addition for motorists who in recent years have seen Asbury Park become the Hoboken of the Jersey Shore. But environmentalists are wary of such development near the water's edge. "Any time we add pavement or impervious surface, or infringe on dunes or create more human habitat, it's not good for water quality," said Cindy Zipf, director of the non-profit New Jersey Clean Ocean Action. Meanwhile, environmental worries have overlapped with concerns about beach access in the north end as word spreads that iStar is also planning to develop a private pool and beach club in the area. A private club is permitted under the city's waterfront redevelopment plan, said Asbury Park's city manager, Michael Capabianco. Public Trust Doctrine and other legal principles long upheld by New Jersey and federal courts prevent private property owners from denying public access to the sea even along stretches of beach they own. Even with that legal protection, the idea of a private beach club in Asbury Park is a concern for beach access advocates who worry it will discourage use of the beach near the club. "It gives kind of the appearance of a private beach," said Mumma, who is also a member of the Surfrider Foundation, a group that promotes environmentalism and beach access. A spokeswoman for iStar said she was not immediately able to comment on the beach club or boardwalk plans on Wednesday. iStar is also planning to build 15 townhouses in the north end, under a project known as Bradley Cove, named for Asbury Park's founder, James A. Bradley. The prospect of a private club on the beach in Asbury Park is only the latest instance in which the city's ongoing gentrification has generated controversy among longtime residents, including calls for ward-based city council seats to enhance representation of the city's economically depressed west side, and opposition to a ban on panhandling in certain neighborhoods. iStar's most recent project is the Asbury Ocean Club, a 17-story condominium tower on Ocean Avenue, scheduled to open in mid-2019, where one-bedroom apartments start at just under $900,000. Capabianco cautioned against conflating iStar's boardwalk and pool club plans, insisting the two were entirely separate, and noting that the developer has not even presented plans for the club at this point. If and when a private club is developed, Capabianco said, the developer would be obligated to build another pool for the public's use. However distant construction of a pool club may be, Mumma questioned the need for a pool on the beach, particularly when hurricanes are becoming more common and more severe along the Jersey shore. "Do we really need to be building swimming pools east of Ocean Avenue in a post-Sandy environment?" Mumma said. Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook A 35-year-old New Jersey man killed in a motorcycle crash on Route 33 Business in Monmouth County on Wednesday night wasn't found until the following morning, authorities said. James J. Florek, of Freehold, hit a guard rail on Route 33 Business in Howell sometime between 5:30 p.m. and midnight Wednesday, a crash no one knew about until sunrise the next morning, the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office said and Howell police said Thursday. Single-vehicle crash at Route 33 and Fairfield in Howell @AsburyParkPress pic.twitter.com/Fbsv8IX1iv Alex N. Gecan (@GeeksterTweets) November 8, 2018 The 2017 Honda CBR motorcycle Florek was operating went off the bypass near Fairfield Road and came to rest off of the eastbound lane of Route 33 Business, police said. He was discovered after not showing up to work the night before. Traffic was detoured for hours Thursday morning as police closed lanes and investigated. Anyone with information is asked to call Howell police 732-938-4111 or email patrolman John Louhier. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook. UPDATE: N.J. man killed in motorcycle crash in Monmouth County A section of Route 33 Business in Howell is expected to be closed all morning following a serious crash on Wednesday, police said. Single-vehicle crash at Route 33 and Fairfield in Howell @AsburyParkPress pic.twitter.com/Fbsv8IX1iv Alex N. Gecan (@GeeksterTweets) November 8, 2018 The single-vehicle crash took place around 7 a.m. on the eastbound side near the overpass with Fairfield Road. Detours are in place and Howell police are asking people to avoid the area. A spokesman for the prosecutor's office said investigators were en route but no details were available yet. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook. A driver was killed Thursday when he crashed into the rear of a truck moving slowly as part of a construction detail on Route 80, authorities said. The crash occurred shortly after 4 a.m. in the westbound lanes near mile marker 46.6 in Parsippany-Troy Hills, according to New Jersey State Police. The victim's car was headed west when he rear-ended the truck, which was traveling slowly in the right lane as part of a mobile construction detail, according to Sgt. Lawrence Peele. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. His name was withheld pending notification of relatives, Peele said. Peele did not know the nature of the construction detail. State Police did not release information about the registered owner of the construction truck. The accident resulted in heavy delays during the morning commute as police closed the right and center lanes of Route 80 West. All lanes reopened at 8 a.m. Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook. As a deadly virus started sweeping through a New Jersey pediatric-care facility in late September -- ultimately killing 10 children and infecting 19 others so far -- health care workers repeatedly asked why the sickest of their young patients were not being transferred out to hospitals. Two employees of the Wanaque Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, speaking on the condition of anonymity over fears of losing their jobs, claimed that senior administrators delayed sending kids to the hospital -- even as many started dying. The reason? They said senior staff at the for-profit facility have long been consumed by the need to keep the 92 beds in the pediatric unit full, to keep Medicaid funds flowing. At the same time, they claimed the facility was chronically understaffed to save money. "You would be surprised how slow they were to send these kids out, even after the deaths, even after the media knew. They are still delaying," said one employee. In fact, as child after child developed what appeared to be a stubborn respiratory infection and spiking fevers as high as 104 degrees, symptoms were merely "masked," not treated, the workers said. The pediatric workers said staff turned up the air conditioning on full blast in their rooms to bring down their fevers. In addition, they kept giving the children the same medications, even though they had not been effective for days. "It's been known for a while that they try to keep the kids there and treat the kids there as long as possible before having to send them out to a hospital ... so they have the bed full," one of the pediatric unit workers said. The Wanaque Center and other pediatric nursing facilities receive $519.46 per patient per day, and the money stops as soon as the patient is transferred to a hospital, according to the state Medicaid office. A spokesman for the Wanaque Center declined to comment. Eugene Ehrenfeld of New York, a co-owner for Continuum Healthcare, which operates the Wanaque Center, also declined to comment and hung up on a reporter. Continuum Healthcare operates seven other health care facilities in New Jersey and others outside the state, according to state records. The kids at the Wanaque Center started getting sick on Sept. 26, when the Department of Health said the first child was diagnosed with a respiratory ailment. It was later determined to be adenovirus, viruses that are rarely fatal and often mimic symptoms of the flu and common cold. While people typically recover in a matter of days, in some cases infections from adenovirus can be life-threatening, particularly to those with weakened immune systems. Four days after the first child became ill, and still more than a week before the New Jersey Department of Health knew anything about the growing outbreak, 4-year-old Dorcase Dolcin came down with a fever that would rise and fall over the next few days. Dorcase Ephraime Dolcin, 4, one of 10 children who died in the viral outbreak. (Photo courtesy of the family) Modaline Auguste of East Orange, Dorcase's mother, told NJ Advance Media in an interview last week that nurses gave her daughter cold sponge baths and applied ice to break her fever. "I said, send her to the hospital," Auguste said. "They said they were waiting for the doctor." It was an answer she would repeatedly hear for nearly a week, even after her daughter spiked a 102-degree fever on Oct. 3. On the evening of Oct. 5, Doracase was transferred to Saint Joseph's Regional Medical Center in Paterson. She died Oct. 8. Since then, nine others, from toddlers to teenagers, have died. One employee said there may have been other reasons Wanaque did not want to send children to the hospital for emergency care. "I think they were concerned about the Health Department being aware. They were concerned about the school that's in the facility reporting them to the Department of Health," the pediatric worker said. Records show the Wanaque Center has been repeatedly cited for deficiencies in hand washing and infection control, both before and after the outbreak, according to state and federal inspection reports. And while the state health department said it may never know how the virus was spread, medical experts say there is a high likelihood that the only way it would have moved from one bed-bound patient to another was by someone who was caring for the kids since the virus is not airborne. Since the outbreak, many staff members, as well as family members, have complained the facility has been chronically understaffed. Employees who agreed to talk to NJ Advance Media said the lack of adequate help on the pediatric floor often meant kids left in soiled diapers or routinely left unbathed. "There's this one point that keeps coming up -- how did it spread to so many patients? One thing is that ... we have a history of not having sufficient staffing that we consider to be safe," said one of those workers. An image of the adenovirus. (Yale Rosen | Flickr) Debbie White, who heads the Health Professionals and Allied Employees, which represents 70 nurses of HPAE Local 5107 at Wanaque Center, said the nursing staff, both registered nurses and licensed professional nurses, had worked diligently to contain the spread of the disease under difficult circumstances. But, she noted that nurses "have reported a shortage of nursing staff which may lead to poor infection control practices that can put patient safety at risk." She added that the staff had urged the administration to provide adequate supplies to protect patients from cross-contamination including protective gowns, gloves and masks which can reduce patients' exposure to the virus. A recent state inspection, though, said gowns, gloves and masks were available. Jacqueline Donker of Kinnelon, the aunt of one of the children at Wanaque who was hospitalized with adenovirus, said she had noticed the facility declined after the new owners, Continuum Healthcare, took over in 2014, with the pediatric unit becoming more run down and the nursing staff cut significantly. "The owners that took over ... let this happen," Donker said. In the wake of the viral outbreak, the state Department of Health has launched an investigation, and Gov. Phil Murphy has pledged to find answers. The Senate Health Committee has announced it will soon hold hearings. The state health department, following its own guidelines for viral outbreaks, state health department spokeswoman Donna Leusner said, did not send inspectors to the facility until two weeks after Wanaque notified the state on Oct. 9 of the outbreak and that two children had died. But Health Commissioner Shereef Elnahal said his office does not have the legal authority to investigate the medical decisions made by physicians or other Wanaque personnel to keep a child at the facility instead of sending them to the hospital. For those who cared for the kids, the deaths and widening investigation have left many at the Wanaque Center emotionally overwhelmed, and said the environment inside is bleak. The stench of eye-burning bleach is everywhere. And the children are still suffering. "It's excruciating to see the children who are confined to their beds, waiting for the virus to run its course," an employee said. Another employee said some kids who are very alert have been "more or less quarantined," unable to leave their rooms. And several, the worker added, remain in cribs that look like cages. Both said they feared for their own jobs. "We are risking everything," one said, of talking to a reporter. One, who began to cry as she spoke, described the staff as devastated. "You can't possibly understand the amount of heartache the staff are going through right now and are continuing to go through as children are out of the facility, in hospitals in critical condition." Staff writers Kelly Heyboer, Ted Sherman and Research Editor Vinessa Erminio contributed to this report. Editor's note: Do you have a family member on the pediatric unit at the Wanaque Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, or a child who has been affected by the viral outbreak there? NJ.com would like to hear from you. You may reach us at (732) 902-4559, or write to Susan Livio at slivio@njadvancemedia.com, Spencer Kent at skent@njadvancemedia.com, or Ted Sherman at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) -- Two men have been charged in the shooting deaths of two of their ex-roommates in a southwest Missouri home, and one of the suspects is accused of killing a woman the following day. Luis Perez, 23, was charged Tuesday with three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of 38-year-old Steven Marler, 23-year-old Aaron Hampton and 21-year-old Sabrina Starr. Perez, whom federal authorities believe was in the U.S. illegally, also faces eight other felonies counts. A second man, 19-year-old Aaron Anderson, was charged as an accomplice with two counts of first-degree murder in Marler and Hampton's deaths, and three other felonies. Perez and Anderson remain jailed without bond in Greene County. No attorneys are listed for them in online court records. Police said in charging documents that Perez had recently come to Springfield from New Jersey, where he had active warrants. According to the documents, Perez opened fire Thursday after he and Anderson were kicked out of a Springfield home. The documents said Anderson told investigators he could hear the victims "begging for their lives" as he listened to Perez on speaker phone while waiting outside in a sport utility vehicle with Starr. Authorities said Perez returned to the scene after seeing another man arrive there and fired more rounds. The trio then returned to Starr's home, where Perez had been staying with Anderson after they were kicked out of the victims' home. Days before the shooting, Starr gave Perez a gun that she had stolen and he gave her some tattoos. Police said it's unclear whether that gun was used in any of the killings. Starr had posted photos on Facebook of her with Hampton, including some with them embracing and kissing. Police said she was shot six times at her home on Friday. Her body was found the next day by a relative. Police obtained a warrant to search several Facebook accounts and found messages from Perez, trying to trade a handgun after the killings. Perez called it a "dirty" handgun because it "Got bodies," authorities said. Police also said Perez's girlfriend, Dalia Garcia, arrived on a bus from New Jersey on Friday and helped burn evidence. She is jailed on $75,000 bond on a charge of tampering with evidence. His was a campaign with little money and scant support from state and national Republican leaders, but Seth Grossman made an unexpectedly strong showing in the race to fill New Jersey's Second Congressional District seat. He says it was a campaign he could have been a victor in. "There's no doubt in my mind that if I did not have unnecessary distractions thrown into my path I would have won yesterday's election as a pro-Trump candidate because this is a pro-Trump district," Grossman said Wednesday. When the results were in, Democrat Jeff Van Drew beat Grossman by a percentage margin of approximately 52 to 46, much closer than pollsters had predicted in the House of Representatives contest. Grossman, 69, says his campaign stalled during the summer because of charges of racism against him which caused donations to dry up, and didn't really get going until mid-August. "I was (then) generating interest and activity, but the point is, it was too late," he said. "The way I see it is, from the very beginning, Van Drew was seen as an unbeatable force, the inevitable winner and logical successor to (retiring Republican U.S. Rep. Frank ) LoBiondo," Grossman said. Throughout the contest, Van Drew, 65, a Cape May County dentist, had party support, funding and name recognition thanks in part to his service as a state senator in the First Legislative District. Announcement - Your new Congressman for New Jerseys 2nd Congressional District is Congressman Jeff Van Drew. Congratulations Jeff! pic.twitter.com/um6GikTwKi Van Drew for Congress (@VanDrewForNJ) November 7, 2018 Van Drew preached bipartisanship as the key to getting things done in Washington and touted his independent streak, saying he isn't been afraid to buck his own party leaders. Grossman stuck to his conservative message saying he was needed in the House to help carry forward President Donald J. Trump's agenda. He said it was Democrat mischief that spread word he had forwarded via Facebook an article from a group known for promoting pro-white nationalist content. "I was distracted trying to prove I'm not a racist," he said. Also he was seen on video saying "diversity is a bunch of crap and un-American." Grossman said Wednesday he believes many in the Second District back him on the diversity statement. With that, state and national Republican groups cut off their support. "Democrats are just very good at getting Republicans to attack one another," he said. Grossman's momentum going into Tuesday's election may have been because of many factors, he and others believe. Grossman said the fact his campaign had finally kicked into gear and he was out in the district was one key, but time limits kept him from spending as many days as he needed to in his home territory, Atlantic County. "There was really a very strong Republican turnout that helped Grossman and made it much closer than anyone expected," said John Froonjian, senior research associate at the Stockton University Polling Institute. What was going on nationally with Trump trying to whip up his base may have played a role, too. "I think the movement was for the Republicans in that district. They seemed to have been energized," Froonjian said Wednesday. As for Van Drew, "he read the district's leanings pretty well, he did not campaign against Donald Trump," Froonjian said. "It didn't surprise me," said Van Drew about the gains Grossman made in the closing days of the campaign. He attributed it to "a lot fear tactics" and "untrue direct advertisements" from the Grossman camp claiming Van Drew supported caravans of immigrants coming into the U.S. Joe Wiessner is a real estate broker in South Jersey and lives in the Second District, says he voted for Grossman for a number of reasons. Someone just told me of an online betting site where a $17 bet on me against Democrat Van Drew pays $100. If it were legal and legit, I would bet $1K on myself in a heartbeat! https://t.co/RMAzX7SWdR Seth Grossman (@Grossman4NJ) November 6, 2018 "He was a staunch proponent of the Trump agenda," said Wiessner. "He is also a constitutional conservative, and he was going to support the tax cuts, the illegal immigration problem and the other items that were part of the Trump agenda. Tax cuts are driving the economy and creating opportunities. He would support new Supreme Court and federal judge selections made by the administration." "Whatever the Democrats did back in June, it was a smear campaign, and the smear worked for a few months and limited some of the funding," Wiessner said referring to the charges of racism against Grossman. Looking ahead, Van Drew said Wednesday he doesn't want the House to focus on impeachment of Trump or investigations of him. Instead, he said, the focus needs to be on improving America's infrastructure, reducing debt, taxes and jobs. "I'd rather us not do the political games," he said. Washington correspondent Jonathan D. Salant contributed to this story. Bill Gallo Jr. may be reached at bgallo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Bill Gallo Jr. on Twitter @bgallojr. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Pollsters who were shocked two years ago by President Donald Trump's victory had a much better night with their predictions on Tuesday. But, they blew one local contest, big time, although they picked the winner correctly. The U.S. House race in New Jersey's Second District between Democrat Jeff Van Drew and Republican Seth Grossman wasn't supposed to be a squeaker. But it was, long enough on Election Night to make the heavily favored Van Drew and his backers ready to wolf down antacids by the bottle. In the end, Van Drew, a popular state senator, notched a respectable 52 percent to 46 percent victory, besting the baggage-laden Grossman by about 14,000 votes. A final Stockton University pre-election poll put Van Drew ahead by 17 points, down from an earlier 23-point lead, but not close to the 5.8 percent win that Van Drew actually scored. So lopsided was this race supposed to be that many other polling organizations didn't bother with it. The small margin is important both for what it says about the district, and what it means for how the congressman-elect will have to conduct himself in the two years until the next congressional election in 2020. First, the assumption that this district was ready-made for Van Drew, a moderate/conservative Democrat who followed a moderate Republican (Frank LoBiondo, who is retiring) could be inoperative. Frankly, it's disconcerting that so many of our friends and neighbors would hear the divisive rhetoric of Grossman and still mark their ballots for him. The national Republican Party dropped its support of Grossman when a tape of an interview in which he remarked that "diversity is a bunch of crap and Un-American" surfaced. More recently, after the Pittsburgh synagogue massacre, Grossman stated on Twitter that American Jews need to arm themselves "instead of becoming a burden on taxpayers & law enforcement by demanding special protection ..." The best possible spin on Grossman's near success is that many voters wanted to show strongly their support of President Donald Trump through this Trump-backing surrogate, regardless of the objectionable things that Grossman has said. For the record, Van Drew has been less critical of the president than most Democrats. A dentist by trade, he based his House campaign more on health care issues than anything else. Grossman actually defeated Van Drew in Salem and Ocean county parts of the district, as well as in the small portions of Camden and Burlington county that are included. And, Van Drew won fairly narrowly in his home county of Cape May, and in Gloucester County, usually a Democratic stronghold. The point is, Van Drew can't regard this squeaker as an aberration. Once he's sworn in as a freshman in Washington, the former National Rifle Association darling who recently moderated his pro-gun positions will have to think hard before voting for even minor gun-control legislation likely to come up in a Democratic-led House. It might even be tough for Van Drew to support measures to return some of the civil rights protections that have been de-clawed by the Trump White House. As we offer him congratulations on his win, it's not for us to tell Van Drew what to do on every single vote in Congress. He should, however, remember that he did get the majority of his district's vote. One thing he definitely should not do is give too much weight to the dog-whistle signals and divisive aspects of his just-vanquished opponent's campaign. Send a letter to the editor of South Jersey Times at sjletters@njadvancemedia.com Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. The election is over. Let the infighting begin. For me it began Wednesday morning just after I awoke. I had spent the prior evening covering Republican senatorial candidate Bob Hugin's loss to Democratic incumbent Bob Menendez and didn't get to sleep until 2 a.m. After fortifying myself with some strong coffee, I checked my phone. There was a voicemail from the most prominent conservative Republican in the state Senate, Mike Doherty of Warren County. Doherty was upset at the comments in my election-night column from the most prominent moderate Republican in the Assembly, minority leader Jon Bramnick. Bramnick had pinned the blame for the Jersey Republicans' dismal day on President Donald Trump. "This is what happens when you piss people off," Bramnick colorfully remarked. Not at all, said Doherty. The problem was that the Republicans didn't unite behind their commander-in-chief. "Classic military strategy is you have to have a mission and have to stick together," said the West Point grad and former Army officer. "Our soldiers were scattered all over the battlefield. The base of the party was totally de-energized going into this race." Meanwhile the unarmed forces of the Democratic Party were totally unified. Even though Menendez had been "severely reprimanded" by his Senate colleagues last year, his fellow Democrats decided to "hold their noses" and vote for him anyway. With all those noses being held in places like Essex and Hudson counties, it's amazing no Democrats died of asphyxiation. The senator got more than 76 percent of the vote in both. The other Northeastern counties piled up margins just a bit lower. Meanwhile Republican results in the suburban and rural counties were literally all over the map. Hugin didn't crack the 60 percent barrier in key Republican strongholds like Morris and Hunterdon counties. The Republican nominee was lukewarm on Trump. But even if Hugin had been a big Trump backer, it's hard to see how he could have offset the votes from those Democratic machines. But when you get down to the level of Congressional races, Doherty has a good case to make for the pro-Trump side. One of the two Republican House members who may have survived the night, Tom MacArthur of the 3 rd District, supported Trump and even cast a key vote for his tax bill. That race is still too close to call but the Republican has a small lead. (The latest results show Kim is leading by a small margin as counting continues.) Meanwhile a key incumbent who was kept The Donald at arm's length, Leonard Lance of the 7th District, lost a close battle to challenger Tom Malinowski. Doherty recalled that Republican gubernatorial candidate Kim Guadagno won that district, which centers on Hunterdon County, by 14,000 votes last year, partly because she pushed such Trumpian policies as ending support for sanctuary cities. But Lance, who steered clear of the Trump stance on immigration, lost by about 5,000 votes. "I think the reason we had the losses we had is that everyone ran away from Trump," he said. He noted that one prominent exception was Seth Grossman, the former Atlantic County freeholder who ran as a Trump clone in the 2 nd district, which consists mostly of Atlantic and Cape May counties. The final Stockton University Poll had Grossman losing to Democrat Jeff Van Drew, a popular state senator, by a 17-point margin at 55-38. But on election night Grossman threw a scare into the Democrats by taking an early lead before losing by a mere six points. "Seth Grossman actually had a message," said Doherty. "He could have showed the Republicans a way to win." When I ran that by Bramnick, he said, "It is not helpful for a president to create an atmosphere that is divisive, at least in New Jersey." Maybe not. But one thing of which we can be certain is that the president of the United States is not going to change his tactics because he wants to please the minority leader of the New Jersey Assembly. Like it or not, Bramnick and his fellow Republican leaders are stuck with Trump for the foreseeable future. At the moment it looks like the president will be in office through the state Assembly elections next year and on the ballot for re-election in 2020. I asked Bramnick what he intends to do about that. "I didn't endorse him last time," he replied. "If he acts in that manner, I'm not gonna endorse him again." Doherty took the opposite view. "Whether you like it or not, you're a Republican and he's the president of the United States," he said. He is indeed. Former Gov. Chris Christie is on President Donald Trump's short list of less than a half-dozen people to be the nation's next attorney general, according multiple reports.. New Jersey's 55th governor has coveted the position. Now that Trump has pushed former Attorney General Jeff Sessions out of as the country's chief law enforcement officer Wednesday, Christie's name has emerged as a possible replacement. The White House confirmed to NJ Advance Media Christie was there Thursday and that he met with Trump adviser Jared Kushner to discuss prison reform. It was a previously scheduled meeting, according to the White House. Christie, along with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, outgoing Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and former Attorney General William Barr, who served under President George H. W. Bush, are being considered, CBS News and CNN reported. CBS News predicted the list of names is likely to grow in the coming days. Former NJ Gov. Chris Christie is currently at the White House; two people familiar with his visit tell @NBCNews that he is under consideration for US attorney general. NBC Politics (@NBCPolitics) November 8, 2018 The job of attorney general was one of only two that Christie said he would have accepted in the Trump administration that would have prompted him to resign as governor. The other position was to be Trump's vice president. But neither post was offered to Christie, who instead served the rest of his second term in office until Gov. Phil Murphy succeeded him in January. Christie has long said the president had been "ill-served" by some of his top advisers and has been equally critical of special prosecutors, saying in 2017 that "they are generally a bad idea" because they go off on tangents. Robert Mueller was tapped to lead an investigation into potential coordination between the president's Republican campaign and Russia after Sessions recused himself from the matter. Trump blamed the decision for opening the door to the appointment of special counsel on Sessions. Before he was elected governor, Christie served as a U.S. attorney in New Jersey for nearly seven years. Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook. New Jersey Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez overcame doubts about his character by winning enough votes from the state's suburban and younger voters for a third term, according to a wide-ranging survey of the American electorate. As voters cast ballots for U.S. Senate and members of Congress in Tuesday's elections, AP VoteCast found that even some voters who don't think he's honest looked past the Democrat's corruption scandal to support him. Here's a snapshot of who voted and why in New Jersey, based on preliminary results from AP VoteCast, an innovative nationwide survey of about 139,000 voters and nonvoters -- including 3,822 voters and 667 nonvoters in the state of New Jersey -- conducted for The Associated Press by NORC at the University of Chicago. Race for Senate Women favored Menendez by a 3 in 5 margin, enough to overcome a split of the vote among men. Blacks voters were another key to the Democrat's victory, giving Menendez enough of their support to offset his Republican challenger Bob Hugin's slight advantage among white voters. Suburban voters who made up a majority of New Jersey's voters also gave Menendez an edge. Menendez, who faced a 2015 federal corruption indictment that ended in a mistrial, won even though only a quarter of the voters said they thought he was honest and trustworthy. He even got support from one-third of the voters who didn't trust him. Samantha Bohr said she backed Menendez because she thinks he will protect health care and work for immigration reform. "At the end of the day it was a hard choice," said Bohr, of Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey. Voters under 45 also favored Menendez by a 6 in 10 margin while those ages 45 and older were more closely split. Control of Congress Tuesday's elections determined control of Congress in the final two years of Trump's first term in office. Almost all of the state's voters said that was an important factor when they considered their vote, with 7 in 10 saying it was very important. New Jersey's suburbs were a key battleground for House control with two open seats vacated by veteran Republicans, and a pair of competitive races in the state's 3rd and 7th districts. Trump factor Two-thirds of New Jersey voters said Trump played a role in their decision while one-third said the president wasn't an influence. Almost half of voters cast their ballots to express opposition to the president while about one in five said they voted to express support for Trump. Connie Stoerk, who lives in Parsippany-Troy Hills, said the votes she cast for Democratic candidates were a direct response to Trump -- despite the accusations against Menendez. "I can't vote for Hugin ... because he would vote for Trump," she said. "We can't take the risk of Trump. We just can't." A majority had negative views of Trump, with six in 10 saying they disapprove of how he is handling his job. "He creates so much bad tensions between people, in relationships. At work, you can't even talk politics anymore and I think that's not right," Stoerk said. In the U.S. Senate race, Menendez often pointed out that his opponent had been a prominent donor and supporter of the president. But Hugin said during the campaign that his views didn't mirror the president and he was "no Trump Republican." He promised to stand up to Trump when they disagree. The top issue: Health care Health care was the top issue facing the nation for most New Jersey voters followed by the economy and immigration. Ronald J. Hadley, 58, of Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey, said he embraces Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration and voted Republican so the president will have the support in Congress to continue his policies. "You've got to take this country back. We were built by immigrants. There's no reason we can't thrive with immigrants -- legal immigrants!" Hadley said. Making sure people have "decent health care" as well as standing up for immigrants were the top issues for Virginia Gollin, of Hopatcong, New Jersey, who described herself as a moderate Republican up until she switched parties. Her parents immigrated to the country from Italy and she said she views Trump as sowing "fear, xenophobic fear." The state of the economy New Jersey voters had a pretty positive outlook on the economy, with two-thirds saying it's in good shape. But just about the same amount said the country was on the wrong track. Staying at home In New Jersey, 6 in 10 registered voters who chose not to vote in the midterm election were younger than 45. A wide share of those who did not vote -- about two-thirds -- did not have a college degree. About as many nonvoters were Democrats as Republicans. AP VoteCast is a survey of the American electorate in all 50 states conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago for The Associated Press and Fox News. The survey of 3,822 voters and 667 nonvoters in New Jersey was conducted Oct. 29 to Nov. 6, concluding as polls close on Election Day. It combines interviews in English or Spanish with a random sample of registered voters drawn from state voter files and self-identified registered voters selected from opt-in online panels. Participants in the probability-based portion of the survey were contacted by phone and mail, and had the opportunity to take the survey by phone or online. The margin of sampling error for voters is estimated to be plus or minus 2.2 percentage points. President Donald Trump says New Jersey's defeated Senate Republican candidate Bob Hugin might be going to Washington in January had he embraced the president rather than run away from him. At a post-election press conference Wednesday, Trump named Hugin as one of several Republicans who lost their races after keeping their distance from him. Hugin lost to Democratic incumbent Robert Menendez by about 10 percentage points despite spending $36 million of his own money on the race. "Candidates who embraced our message of low taxes, low regulations, low crime, strong borders, and great judges excelled," Trump told reporters. "On the other hand, you had some that decided to 'let's stay away.' They did very poorly." Among the candidates Trump named was Hugin. "In New Jersey, I think he could have done well, but didn't work out too good," Trump said. "Bob Hugin, I feel badly because I think that's something that could have been won." Trump's approval rating in New Jersey was 37 percent in a pre-election Stockton University poll. Preliminary results from AP VoteCast, a survey conducted by the Associated Press, showed two-thirds of New Jersey voters said Trump played a role in their decision while one-third said the president wasn't an influence. Almost half of voters cast their ballots to express opposition to the president while about one in five said they voted to express support for Trump, according the AP. Rep. Tom MacArthur, R-3rd Dist., who supported Trump more often than any other New Jersey lawmaker, trailed in late returns, though no winner has been declared. MacArthur's Democratic opponent, Andy Kim, claimed victory Wednesday evening. Hugin spokesman Nick Iacovetta did not immediately respond to a request for comment. During the campaign, Hugin emphasized his differences with the president on issues such as abortion, immigration and federal funding for the Gateway Tunnel under the Hudson River. "I often hear, 'Will you stand up to President Trump?'" Hugin said in a closing ad. "The answer is yes." Even on the Trump-friendly "Fox and Friends" morning show on the Fox News Channel, Hugin refused to welcome the president's backing. "We made this race about New Jersey," Hugin said. "Listen, I'm independent. Been independent all my life." At the same time, Hugin contributed $200,000 to help elect Trump in 2016, and Menendez spent the campaign trying to connect the two Republicans "Bob Hugin will never stand up to Trump," read one final Menendez ad. "To stop Trump, stop Hugin." Trump endorsed Hugin in a tweet during Election Day. Bob Hugin, successful all of his life, would be a Great Senator from New Jersey. He has my complete and total Endorsement! Get out and Vote for Bob. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 6, 2018 The only reaction came from Menendez. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. Katie Brennan, the New Jersey official who accused another high-ranking staffer in the Murphy administration of rape during the 2017 campaign, will be the first witness to testify before a special legislative committee looking into government hiring practices. Brennan, chief of staff at the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, has accepted the committee's invitation to appear on Dec. 4, said Senate Majority Leader and committee co-chairwoman Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen. The special investigatory committee held its first, brief meeting Thursday to adopt rules and procedures for its work in reviewing the administration's screening of potential employees and handling of Brennan's rape allegation against Albert J. Alvarez, who resigned in October as chief of staff to the Schools Development Authority. The committee will also invite Alvarez to appear, Weinberg said. The Legislature's investigation is one of four lines of inquiry stemming from Brennan's allegation. Gov. Phil Murphy has launched reviews of how prosecutors investigate sexual assault, state policies on allegations of sexual misconduct, and an internal investigation of Alvarez's hiring. The committee is empowered to compel witnesses to testify and produce records. Attorneys for the committee have already distributed a memo to administration and transition officials requesting they preserve documents related to the investigation. Weinberg called this a standard step in an investigation. Recipients include the governor's office and his transition office; Brennan; Alvarez; Jose Lozano, executive director of Murphy's transition team; Chief of Staff Peter Cammarano; Chief Counsel Matt Platkin; Deputy Chief Counsel Parimal Garg; Lynn Haynes, deputy chief of staff for legislative affairs; Justin Braz, deputy chief of staff for legislative affairs; and Adam Alonso, a former deputy chief of staff. The names shed some light on the potential scope of the Legislature's investigation, and also include Joseph Kelley, the deputy chief of staff for economic development who threw a chair during the campaign; and Derek Green, an employee in the Secretary of State's Office whose employment has come into question. A spokesman for the governor, Mahen Gunaratna, said he was disappointed the names were released, saying "From the beginning, we've asked that the Legislature's inquiry stay focused on the issues at hand and not be politicized." Records related to the investigation will be accessible to members of the bipartisan committee on a secure platform, Weinberg said Thursday. "This is a fact-finding committee that will work to get a full and fair accounting of what happened or what didn't happen in the hiring practices that allowed government employees accused of sexual assault and other alleged misconduct to evade accountability," Weinberg said. "We need to determine what can be done to screen out those who pose a threat and what can be done to assure that sexual assault survivors are treated with respect and compassion so that they and the rest of us can trust our government." Brennan has said Alvarez raped her in her apartment after a campaign gathering in Jersey City last year. He was working for the campaign and she was a supporter at the time. Brennan said she notified or attempted to notify Murphy's inner circle, but Alvarez was hired on by the transition and then the administration. Alvarez has not been charged with a crime and through his attorney has denied the allegations. He resigned Oct. 2, the same day he was contacted by a Wall Street Journal reporter. Murphy has said he respects the Legislature's inquiry. "I think if their objectives are the same as ours, and I have no reason to believe they're not," he said last month. "That (is) making this a much better reality for the survivor for a sexual assault, then I'm all in and completely respect what they are doing." Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @samanthamarcus. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. The Washington Township Public Schools' elementary and middle school Future Acts clubs, in conjunction with Washington Township Rotary, the Washington Township Police Department and Mother's Cupboard, has begun collecting items for the annual "Gobble up Hunger" food drive. The groups plan to feed more than 200 local families this holiday season. They are accepting the donation of nonperishable items at each of the district's schools through Nov. 20. Suggested items to donate include turkey gravy, canned vegetables, instant or canned potatoes, stuffing, pasta, pasta sauce, rice, canned fruit, applesauce, peanut butter and jelly. Turkeys are also needed. To donate a bird email Kayla Berry at kberry@wtps.org so there can be an estimate of turkeys coming in for the drive. All turkeys must be brought to a school's main office on Tuesday, Nov. 20. Turkeys cannot be stored ahead of time. The groups also are looking for volunteers to deliver the food baskets. Contact Maddy La Voe if interested at mlavoe@wtps.org. Baskets will be ready for pickup and delivery between 1:30 and 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 21. The faculty member at a Cranford school who was arrested last week for allegedly making terroristic threats against the school where he works will undergo a court-ordered mental health evaluation. On Thursday, Matthew Acosta, 33, of Kenilworth, who works at Orange Avenue School, appeared in front of State Superior Court Judge Daniel R. Lindemann for a detention hearing. Lindemann granted prosecutors' motion to detain Acosta, pending a mental health screening for dangerousness, Mark Spivey, a spokesperson from the Union County Prosecutor's Office, said. Acosta will have another court hearing will following completion of the evaluation, he said. Neither Cranford Police nor Orange Avenue School officials have detailed the nature of the alleged threat toward the school. The affidavit of probable cause in the case, obtained Thursday, alleges Acosta "appeared to have a tough time adjusting to being a Special Education Teacher" and was angry at two other teachers who he worked with in the classroom. "Matthew was adamant that his co-teachers were out to get him and he should just bring a gun to school and shoot up the place," detectives wrote in the affidavit. Acosta also stated that he had guns, the affidavit says. When he said that in a conversation with a school employee, they asked if he was joking. Acosta replied, "not you, well, where are you during what period?" The co-worker asked Acosta again if he was just making a joke and he said "yeah, yeah." A close family friend who spoke with NJ Advance Media this week, with the condition of anonymity, said the situation must have arisen out of some sort of miscommunication. (NJ Advance Media talked to the friend before obtaining the affidavit.) "(Acosta) is not a violent person," the friend said. "It just doesn't make sense." Superintendent Scott Rubin has said a staff member reported the threat to the school's principal, who then contacted police. In an email to families in the district, Rubin called the incident "extremely unsettling," but added that there was no current threat to the school. -Reporter Joe Brandt contributed to this story. Paige Gross may be reached at pgross@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @By_paigegross. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry is turning complaints he receives about Catholic clergy sexual misconduct over to local sheriffs, documents received through a public records request show, even as attorneys general in 13 states and the District of Columbia are actively pursuing investigations. Landry says he doesnt have the authority or resources to investigate the matter himself. If you are a victim or a legally mandated reporter, we urge you to contact your local law enforcement agency. If our office may assist anyone in connecting them to the proper agency, please call the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation at 800-256-4506, Ruth Wisher, the attorney generals spokeswoman, wrote in a statement Friday (Nov. 2) accompanying the release of the public records. From Aug. 28 to Sept. 25, six individuals reached out to Landry about alleged Catholic clergy sexual abuse of minors or its coverup. Four were bringing specific cases of abuse to his offices attention, asking for assistance or an investigation. Two others, identifying as victims, asked Landry to looking into clergy sexual abuse more broadly and volunteered to testify in court proceedings, according to the records. The complaints involved alleged abuse that had taken place decades ago in Lafayette, New Orleans, Pineville and Alexandria. Two concerned the case of Richard Windmann, who publicly came forward in September to say he was abused by a janitor at Jesuit High School in the 1970s. Information about Windmanns case, including a settlement agreement and an audio recording relevant to it, was sent to Landrys office shortly before Windmann shared his story with the media in late September. Man claiming rape at Jesuit High asks AG, state police for help Landry, in a written statement, had said on Sept. 7 that his office had never received one single complaint" about clergy abuse since he took over in 2016. Records released by his agency last week show that isnt the case. At least two letters, including a request for a grand jury investigation, were received by his agency days before he made that comment. According to the records provided, Landrys office has followed up the complaints it has received by having an investigator or staff member try to contact the complainant and conduct an interview about the allegations. A letter was then sent to the person expressing condolences for the alleged abuse and directing them to reach out to local authorities for further assistance. Landrys staff then usually sent a letter, when possible, to the local sheriff or police department where the abuse allegedly occurred, explaining what his office knew about the accusations. Having local law enforcement handle clergy abuse allegations isnt sufficient, said Tim Lennon, a national spokesman for Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP). Abusive priests were moved around, meaning that the same person could have molested children across many jurisdictions in Louisiana, Lennon said. Its not just one place that needs to be investigated, said Lennon, who is based in St. Louis. The attorney general has the ability to centralize the information in a way that others cannot. Landrys approach to clergy abuse allegations is not as aggressive as that of other states attorneys general. Their increased scrutiny followed an explosive investigation from Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who found that about 300 priests had sexually abused more than 1,000 victims over 50 years in six of the states eight Catholic dioceses. The report, released in August, touched off another round of inquiries about clergy sexual abuse across the country because priests he identified had also worked in other states, including Louisiana. AG Jeff Landry says he has no authority to investigate Catholic church sex abuse Landry has said he cannot call a grand jury to look into the matter like Shapiro did. Even if a local district attorney chose to hand over an individual clergy abuse case to Landry, it wouldnt allow him to launch a multi-parish investigation. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Attorneys general in other states are finding a way around the same legal barriers Landry faces. In Missouri, Attorney General Josh Hawley, who just got elected to the U.S. Senate, also doesnt have the power to subpoena or prosecute. Instead, he requested cooperation from the church to investigate and asked dioceses to turn over documents. Kentuckys attorney general is asking his legislature to rewrite laws so that he has more power to look into Catholic Church sex abuse. Other attorneys general are setting up hotlines for victims, meeting with local bishops to discuss the matter or coordinating a joint effort with district attorneys who have prosecutorial authority the attorneys general may not possess. Lennon said a good first step for Louisiana would be to set up a statewide hotline to solicit tips, complaints and information about clergy sexual abuse. Lennon said many abuse victims may want to report what happened to them, but do not have a clear sense of where to go with the information. New Jerseys attorney general was flooded with calls after starting a hotline in September. Pennsylvania also received more than 1,000 new phone calls related to clergy sex abuse following the release of its report in August, according to Lennon. I believe if they established a hotline in Louisiana, they would be overwhelmed with calls, Lennon said. Do they think the church is more ethical in Louisiana than in other places? About 50 dioceses across the country have released lists of priests found to be credibly accused of sexual abuse in recent months. The Archdiocese of New Orleans put out its own list of 57 credibly accused clergy last week. Most, if not all, of Louisianas other dioceses are expected to do the same eventually. Here are the 57 clergy 'credibly accused' of abuse in the Archdiocese of New Orleans Its unclear if Landrys office has been handling any new allegations of Catholic clergy sexual abuse differently following the release of the New Orleans' list. His spokeswoman did not respond to texts, emails or phone calls with follow up questions since the list was made public Friday. In September, Landrys office said any state investigation of clergy abuse would best be handled by the Louisiana State Police, which is under the control of Gov. John Bel Edwards. Landry, a Republican, and Edwards, a Democrat, are political rivals who have feuded publicly. In all other states currently investigating clergy abuse, the attorney general not the governor is taking the lead on the issue. In September, Edwards said the state police will continue to handle allegations of clergy sexual abuse as they always have, on a case-by-case basis when asked for assistance. The governor has made no moves toward launching a statewide investigation into clergy misconduct from that agency. Since early 2014, the state police have conducted three investigations into clergy sexual misconduct, according to documents received through a public records request. They were asked to look into the matter by local law enforcement agencies and, in one of the cases, an official from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The cases involved three priests who served in Lafayette, Church Point and Youngsville. In one case, the priest ended up being convicted of possessing child pornography. In the two others, no charges were brought, either because the alleged abuse happened too long ago or alleged victims would not participate in the investigation, according to the records from state police. Before Troy Varnado Jr. was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday (Nov. 8), the mother of the woman hes convicted of murdering talked about the 911 call made the night her daughter, Lindsay Nichols, was killed. The recording of her 31-year-old daughter screaming for help will haunt her 'till the day I die, said Jolene Dufrene, who spoke Thursday (Nov. 8) from the witness stand at Varnados sentencing hearing. I hope it haunts you too, but I doubt it will." Justice for Dufrene, she told Varnado, would be to strangle you, beat you and stuff you in the trunk of your blue Jaguar, before setting the car on fire -- a reference to the circumstances of her daughters June 21, 2015, death. "The law, she said, dictated a different form of justice for a man she described as evil, and a monster. In 2015 slaying of young mother, 2nd man found guilty Jurors this week convicted a second man in the gruesome beating, shooting and burning death in New Orleans East of a young mother from Des Allemands. A jury found Varnado, 30, guilty on Sept. 19 of second-degree murder, second-degree kidnapping and obstruction of justice. Orleans Criminal District Judge Robin Pittman on Thursday sentenced him to life in prison for the murder charge, which is the mandatory penalty, as well as 40 years each for charges of second-degree kidnapping and obstruction of justice. Prosecutors Jason Napoli and Tiffany Tucker said at trial Varnado and Thayon Samson chased Nichols out of Samsons apartment in New Orleans East, brutally beat her, then stuffed her body in the trunk of her 2011 Honda Accord. They then shot her and set her car on fire on the side of the road in New Orleans East near Six Flags on June 21, 2015. Varnado maintained his innocence when he made a statement in court on Thursday. Condolences to the friends and family, Varnado said of Nichols' supporters, who filled two rows to his left in the courtroom gallery. He then told them how he lost the mother of his children about two years ago, adding, For what its worth, I know what youre going through. I want to also say that this isnt justice for Lindsay. Justice would be getting the people who done this." Troy Varnado found guilty in death of Lindsay Nichols Varnado stood in an orange jump suit as he made his statement and faced the judge, and did not appear to look directly at Nichols' survivors. A row of about seven people supporting Varnado sat on the opposite side of the courtroom gallery as Nichols' friends and family. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Prosecutors said at Varnados trial that he was angry because Nichols would not have sex with him. Varnados defense attorneys, John Fuller and Marcus DeLarge, argued at trial Varnado was OK with the fact that Nichols didnt want to sleep with him. New Orleans barber pleads guilty to killing young mother, soliciting murder of co-defendant A barber and exotic dancer pleaded guilty Friday to killing a young mother from Des Allemands whose body was found in a burning car in New Orl Samson pleaded guilty earlier this month to manslaughter, kidnapping and other charges in the case. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison. He was subpoenaed to testify at Varnados trial and took the stand, but refused to answer prosecutors' questions. Cellphone tower data showed Varnado was at the scene on Michoud Boulevard where Nichols' body was found inside her burned-out car, according to testimony from NOPD Homicide Sgt. Rob Barrere, who led the investigation at the time when he was a detective. Fuller and DeLarge argued Varnado was there because Samson forced him to go. During Thursdays hearing, Varnado gave the judge notice of his intent to appeal his conviction, and Pittman appointed the Louisiana Appellate Project to represent him until his family hired an attorney Nichols' childhood friend Jessica Barrios said the circumstances of the death of her friend, whose last moments on this earth were spent in complete fear and pain, told the kind of story she had previously only heard about in the news or saw in movies. That day has changed my whole opinion of the people in this world, she said. The murder left a 9-year-old boy with out a mother, Nichols' mother and friend said. Dufrene listed her grandsons future milestones, like basketball games, prom and graduation, for which Nichols will never be present. While Dufrene said she felt badly for Varnados family, who likely did not raise him to be this evil person, for Varnado, she said, I dont have one ounce of compassion. The night of Nichols death, Barrios said, she wished Varnado would have thought about her family, about your own family." She hoped he was grateful, she added, that he could see and talk to his family and friends, because you took that from us. None of us win this, Barrios said. Staff reporter Heather Nolan contributed to this report. Investigators have found no evidence of foul play in the death of a Metairie woman whose body was discovered near a Raceland sugarcane field last month, the Lafourche Parish Sheriffs Office said Wednesday (Nov. 7). Mia West, 43, was reported missing Oct. 7 from Jefferson Parish, authorities said. Nearly a week later, a sugarcane farmer found Wests car abandoned in a field along Louisiana 307. Authorities began searching the area for West, finding her body in a wooded area near the cane field. An Oct. 15 autopsy confirmed Wests identity, but the date and manner of her death could not be determined, the Lafourche Parish Sheriffs Office said in a news release. Investigators have since found evidence, from Wests cellphone and from interviews with her friends and family, that West may have killed herself, Lafourche authorities said. The investigation into Wests death continues as detectives are still reviewing forensic evidence, medical reports and tips. Anyone with any information on Mia Wests death is asked to submit a tip anonymously through Crimestoppers Bayou Region at 1-800-743-7433 or online at www.crimestoppersbr.org. Tips can also be submitted via the P3 Tips app on smartphones. Body found in Raceland believed to be missing Metairie woman New Orleans police jailed a 27-year-old man accused of shooting a 25-year-old man in the buttocks in the French Quarter on Oct. 26. James Morman was booked with aggravated battery by shooting and possession of a firearm or weapon by a felon Wednesday (Nov. 7), according to arrest records. Just before 7 a.m. Oct. 26, NOPD responded to a shooting at the intersection of Chatres and Governor Nicholls streets (map). Police believe that three friends were approached by two men one who was later identified as Morman on Bourbon Street, before they relocated to the scene of the shooting, police said. After an argument and a struggle over a wallet, police believe that Morman pulled out a gun and shot a 25-year-old man in the buttocks, police said. According to an arrest warrant, when the victim and his two friends were shown a lineup, Friend #1 positively identified Morman as the shooter, while the victim and the victims other friend at the scene were unable to identify him. The two friends told police that they found a cellphone at the scene of the shooting, according to the warrant. After unlocking the phone and looking at its settings, one of the friends found that the phone belonged to Morman. Morman was also charged with parole violation. His bond was set at $80,000 and he was appointed a public defender, according to court records. Anyone with additional information about this incident is asked to contact 8th District detectives at 504-658-6080. Celebrated bartender Chris Hannah recently left Arnauds French 75 Bar after 14 years. In December, he plans to open with fellow bartender Nick Detrich a new French Quarter bar and restaurant called Jewel of the South. Jewel of the South has hired London-born chef Philip Whitmarsh to run its kitchen. Whitmarsh, whose wife is from Louisiana, moved to New Orleans in 2015. He has been at Compere Lapin, where he was the sous chef working directly under chef/owner Nina Compton. Before coming to the United States, Whitmarsh was the chef at Daniel O'Connell, a restaurant in Adelaide, Australia, that took a nose-to-tail approach that used every part of pigs and cows. Jewel of the South is named after an early 19th-century restaurant owned by bartender Joseph Santini, who was known for his flamboyantly garnished drinks and the creation of the Brandy Crusta. The Crusta was one of the first New Orleans cocktails to be known around the world. "He's largely looked over because he was before his time," Detrich said. The more famous pre-Prohibition bartenders worked in the latter half of the 19th century. Food and restaurant news in your inbox Every Thursday we give you the scoop on NOLA dining. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Chris Hannah leaves Arnaud's French 75 Bar Little is known about the food Santini served at the Jewel of the South. Whitmarsh, since he arrived in Louisiana, has been exploring the state's cuisine. He has also gotten an education from his wife's Cajun family. The chef is just beginning to create the dishes for Jewel of the South. He plans to have a menu, mainly of shared plates, that looks to Western Europe for inspiration but also highlights the foods of those people who have settled in Louisiana. "Classically modern British with a little Cajun twang," he said. Jewel of the South: 1026 St. Louis St., New Orleans (opens December) The moment educators and parents have been waiting for statewide has arrived. The Louisiana Department of Education released the annual results for public schools on Thursday (Nov. 8). The results were released under Louisianas new accountability system, which now evaluates schools on how much progress their students have made over the course of a school year. The new system still takes into account student performance metrics such as state test results, graduation rates and college credit attainment among the roughly 700,000 students attending public schools statewide. Additionally, Gov. John Bel Edwards signed legislation in April that requires the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to give schools two letter grades to show how they performed under the current and former formula. Look up performance scores and letter grades in our searchable database below to see how your school fared during the 2017-18 school year. The complete report card for each school can be found here on the state's school finder website. Louisiana schools maintain B grade in new, tougher accountability system Wilborn P. Nobles III is an education reporter based in New Orleans. He can be reached at wnobles@nola.com or on Twitter at @WilNobles. Far fewer schools in Louisiana are receiving A letter grades in the states performance score system this year, as the state shifts to a new rating formula that incorporates more rigorous standards, according to data released Thursday (Nov. 8) by the state. Louisiana schools as a whole maintained a B letter grade under the new system for the 2017-18 school year. Thursdays information from the Louisiana Department of Education accounts for 1,338 schools in all. The results were released under Louisianas new accountability system, which now evaluates schools on how much progress their students have made over the course of a school year. The new system still takes into account student performance metrics such as state test results, graduation rates and college credit attainment among roughly 700,000 students attending public schools statewide. In a statement, state Education Superintendent John White said this years release marks an important step in Louisianas push for improvement. K-12 schools are beginning to step up to significantly higher expectations, White stated. The higher standards for Louisianas school system are designed to elevate a state thats historically behind the nation in education. The scores also matter because they determine whether charter schools stay open which affects most of New Orleans and whether traditional schools are subject to state intervention. Under the old formula, the state overall would have had a score of 93 points on a 150-point scale, up from 86.8 the year before. Under the new formula, the states numerical score is 76.1. The Zachary Community School District maintained its place as the highest-scoring school system statewide at 93.6 points under the new system. Livingston Parish didnt report last years scores due to flooding caused by the Louisiana Flood of 2016. Likewise, schools in East Baton Rouge Parish and other schools impacted by flooding displayed the better of the 2016-17 or 2015-16 school year scores for 2016-17 results. Ben Franklin High School in New Orleans also remained the top school statewide at 135.2 points, followed by Haynes Academy School for Advanced Studies in Metairie, Early College Academy in Lafayette, and Caddo Parish Magnet High School in Shreveport. Under the new system, 13 percent of schools statewide received an A grade versus 20 percent of schools last year. Thirty-one percent of schools statewide received a B grade, 30 percent of schools statewide received a C grade, 14 percent of schools statewide received a D grade, and 12 percent of schools statewide received an F grade. Two schools in the state are undergoing a turnaround process this year. The first table below displays the number of schools graded this year under the new system and former system. The second table displays how school districts have been graded since the 2012-13 school year. Louisiana ACT scores fall in 2018 Thirty-seven school systems in Louisiana outperformed the state overall under the new system, according to the data released Thursday. The new data will give educators in the New Orleans region the opportunity to study their results to see where they can take more action. Although the Plaquemines, St. Tammany, and St. Charles parishes each dropped to a B letter grade under the new formula, their school performance scores still surpass the state overall by 8 points or greater. Each would have been considered an A school system this year under the old formula. St. Bernard remained a B, though its score fell. If the state were to still use the old formula, most of the school systems in the New Orleans area would have seen increases in their numerical scores. For example, New Orleans' schools, which have reunited under the Orleans Parish School Boards authority this year, would have seen a 10-point jump from 70.6 to 80.8, according to state data. However, under the new formula, they scored 66.2, still maintaining a C letter grade. Jefferson Parish would have been a B school under the old formula, but maintained its C ranking under the new one. St. John also was ranked as a C district. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up White stated the results of Louisianas new school accountability system mark a significant step in the states compliance with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. As part of Louisianas ESSA plan, struggling schools are required to submit a plan to the state education department for improvement and an application for funding to support that plan. More than 500 struggling schools must now submit an improvement plan to the state. The data shows roughly 164 schools in Orleans, Jefferson and St. Tammany were identified as requiring state intervention this year. Schools can get extra funds to help implement those plans by submitting applications by Feb. 1, 2019 through the states Super App. The department stated the plans will be reviewed by the state for approval. From there, BESE will approve funding to support the plans in April 2019. Louisiana LEAP test scores show 'reasonable improvement,' but 'not extraordinary growth' Since 2014, the state Education Department has assigned school grades on a curve to protect schools during changes to Common Core and the different tests. However, that curve policy has expired this year. Gary Jones, president of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, in a released statement said this years results provide a more accurate snapshot of where schools truly stand today. The information will help schools in more clearly identifying needs and opportunities to put improvement strategies into practice, according to the statement. "This year's results are based on more comprehensive information on student growth and achievement than ever before," Jones stated. White Thursday said the states Student Progress Index, the newest metric added into the rating system, measures how well students are progressing toward mastery throughout the year, regardless of where they start at the beginning of the year, and rewards schools for that growth. Schools earn an A in the progress index for any student who is on track to reach mastery or higher by grade 8, or grade 10 for high schools. Schools also earn an A in the index for any student who scores higher than expected based on the scores of other students similar to them. The new standards had mixed results on the distribution of school performance scores this year, but White said Thursday that schools have demonstrated a steady performance over time. The Education Department stated more Louisiana students than ever before have graduated from high school in four years. The statewide four-year graduation rate increased from 77 percent in 2016 to 78.2 percent in 2017. Louisianas overall ACT score fell this year, but the department stated the number of Louisiana students meeting the exams college readiness benchmark of 21 and above has also increased by nearly 40 percent since 2012. Additionally, 48 percent of the class of 2017 earned early college credit or statewide career credentials valued in high-wage industries. The department stated that's up from 43 percent in 2016 and 37 percent in 2013. Overall, the department said the results on English and mathematics assessments remained steady in 2018. The percent of students demonstrating mastery on social studies also increased in the second year of the new standards-aligned assessment. Even so, White stressed the state will continue to raise expectations of what it means to be an A-rated school between now and 2025. Seven years from now, an A school in Louisiana will be one where the average student has fully mastered class content, White said. Those students will also be ready for the next level of study, and ultimately theyll have access to the same opportunities as their peers nationwide. Gov. John Bel Edwards signed legislation in April that requires BESE to give schools two letter grades to show how they performed under the current and former formula. The letter grades and scores for all schools can be viewed below in the searchable database. The complete report card for each school can be found here on the state's school finder website. Wilborn P. Nobles III is an education reporter based in New Orleans. He can be reached at wnobles@nola.com or on Twitter at @WilNobles. In the fall of 1977, my three brothers and I stood in a hot line with other well-dressed kids and endlessly patient parents waiting for hours to enter the Treasures of Tutankhamun exhibition at the New Orleans Museum of Art. The delay did not bother me, as I had no particular desire to be attacked by a mummy. My older brothers had assured me that such misfortunes often happened. The six-city King Tut exhibition led to the start of the blockbuster shows now common in our nation. As a boy, I didnt know that the exhibition was supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Now that I have the honor of leading the federal grant-making agency, I know firsthand how vital NEH is to underwriting historic preservation and heritage projects, driving cultural tourism and economic development and advancing civic engagement and public education. The bayou pharaoh: Remembering King Tut's New Orleans reign Over the past 10 years, NEH has awarded nearly $6 million in direct grants to the state of Louisiana, and an additional $7 million to our state partner, Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities (LEH), to fund its operational expenses, educational programming and grants across the state. In 2018, NEH established an infrastructure grant category to leverage federal dollars to spur private investment in our nations libraries, museums and cultural centers to ensure the long-term health and growth of these institutions. The result of our catalytic funding will be greater access to historical, cultural and educational resources for all Americans. We are pleased to have awarded $250,000 in matching funds to LEH to convert their first-floor meeting area into an interactive museum and community space. It also will serve as a gallery to present the artwork of John T. Scott. Other notable NEH grants in recent years include: A 2018 grant for a reinterpretation of Madame Johns Legacy, an 18th-century French colonial style house in New Orleans; A 2018 grant to Xavier University to design an undergraduate minor in digital humanities; A 2018 grant to Tulane University for summer workshops for 72 teachers on New Orleans: Music, Culture, and Civil Rights; A 2016 grant to Historic New Orleans Collection for the traveling exhibition Purchased Lives: The American Slave Trade from 1808 to 1865; A 2016 grant to LEH for weekly reading and discussion programs on the Constitution and civic engagement at 32 sites across Louisiana for at-risk children and their families; And funding since 2001 for American Routes, based at Tulane University, a nationally distributed radio program that celebrates American vernacular music and culture. As New Orleans celebrates its 300th anniversary, hundreds of humanities scholars and nonprofit leaders from across the country are in town this week for the National Humanities Conference. Im proud to join them. We will carry back to our states insights not only from discussions, but also from the cultural laboratory that spreads far beyond the French Quarter in every direction. This humanities conference is an ideal opportunity to showcase why so many of us who grew up in the Deep South think of New Orleans as a second home. With its singular blend of architecture, dance, music, literature and history, the city highlights the importance of place to a sense of true belonging. As an editor for much of my career, I could not imagine Southern literature without this city as muse. It welcomed William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, Tennessee Williams, Walker Percy, Ellen Gilchrist, Richard Ford and Jesmyn Ward from my native Mississippi for sojourns long and short. They joined Louisianas homegrown greats, from George Washington Cable to Kate Chopin, James Lee Burke to Anne Rice, John Kennedy Toole to Ernest Gaines. For NEH, the question is not whether we believe there is culture here worth funding. Rather, it is a matter of deciding what to fund next. We welcome new and repeat applicants even those that risk the inclusion of mummies. In most cities, a museum exhibition closes not with a bang but a whimper, to borrow a phrase from T. S. Eliot. But when the Tut exhibition finally ended after logging more than 850,000 visitors, the Boy King was sent off with a jazz funeral that included both the city coroner and the mayor. New Orleans isnt most cities. For 300 years, it has gone its own way. NEH exists to make sure that this tradition continues. Jon Parrish Peede is chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, a federal grant-making agency in Washington, D.C. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 8) After decades of struggle, Boracay's first settlers get to occupy more of their ancestral land. President Rodrigo Duterte distributed Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) to the Atis Thursday, which would allow the tribe to occupy 3.2 hectares of land on Boracay. RELATED: Duterte to distribute land titles to Boracay tribe on Nov. 8 DAR Over the years, the Atis have been pushed around to different parts of the island, and they currently occupy a two hectare village on Boracay. Lourdes Tamboon, a community teacher of the Ati tribe said, "Nung lumipas na yung mga panahon, naging sikat na yung Boracay, nawalan na kami ng area...kasi sabi daw nila, yung mga Ati nomadic naman yan, eh. Wala daw talagang pwesto para sa amin. Yun ang masakit." [Translation: Over time, Boracay became famous and we were left with little land because they said the Atis were nomadic. There was no place for us. That was hurtful.] In his speech during the awarding ceremony, President Duterte urged the tribe to develop the land. "Stick with the land. Make it productive. And some day, you can expect that when you sell it, at least yung mga anak at apo ninyo, milyonaryo [your children, grandchildren will be millionaires]," he said. Apart from Ati tribe members, hundreds of agrarian reform beneficiaries also get land ownership certificates covering a total 270 hectares of land in Aklan. Tamboon only hopes that the certificates of ownership will be enough to ward off possible claimants. The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) admits there are seven claimants to the 3-hectare plot of land given to the Ati tribe, But none of them are title holders to the properties which the agency stressed are owned by the government. "Wala na sila dapat ikatakot kasi itong mga ito, tax declarant lang sila [They have nothing more to feat because the others are just tax declarants]. And as I said, yung tax declaration is not a full proof of ownership," said DAR Secretary John Castriciones. North Augusta, SC (29841) Today Cloudy with occasional rain late. Low 53F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional rain late. Low 53F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. Lindsey Hodges is a general assignment reporter at the Aiken Standard and North Augusta Star. Follow her on Twitter at @LindseyNHodges. Pictures of the Sapphire Radeon RX 590 Nitro+ Special Edition have surfaced online. The exact specs of the card are still unavailable but we should be knowing more information close to the official announcement on November 15. The RX 590 is based on the new Polaris 30 architecture, which is being made in a 12nm process. Sapphire and other AIBs have retained the existing RX 580 designs for this refresh. 4 Reviews , News , CPU , GPU , Articles , Columns , Other "or" search relation. 3D Printing , 5G , Accessory , AI , Alder Lake , AMD , Android , Apple , ARM , Audio , Business , Camera , Cannon Lake , Cezanne (Zen 3) , Charts , Chinese Tech , Chromebook , Coffee Lake , Comet Lake , Console , Convertible / 2-in-1 , Cryptocurrency , Cyberlaw , Deal , Desktop , E-Mobility , Education , Exclusive , Fail , Foldable , Gadget , Galaxy Note , Galaxy S , Gamecheck , Gaming , Geforce , Google Pixel , GPU , How To , Human 2.0 , Ice Lake , Intel Evo / Project Athena , Internet of Things (IoT) , iOS , iPad Pro , iPhone , Jasper Lake , Lakefield , Laptop , Launch , Linux / Unix , Lucienne (Zen 2) , MacBook , Mini PC , Monitor , MSI , OnePlus , Opinion , Phablet , Radeon , Renoir , Review Snippet , Rocket Lake , Rumor , Ryzen (Zen) , Science , Security , Single-Board Computer (SBC) , Smart Home , Smartphone , Smartwatch , Software , Storage , Tablet , ThinkPad , Thunderbolt , Tiger Lake , Touchscreen , Ultrabook , Virtual Reality (VR) / Augmented Reality (AR) , Wearable , Windows , Workstation , XPS , Zen 3 (Vermeer) Ticker Over the past few weeks, we've seen a few leaked benchmarks of AMD's upcoming mid-range GPU, the Radeon RX 590. Now, we are getting to see pictures of new RX 590 offerings from the likes of PowerColor, Asus, HIS Digital, and Sapphire. Sapphire's offering is called the Radeon RX 590 Nitro+ Special Edition, which more or less resembles its existing Radeon RX 580 Nitro+ offering. From the pictures leaked by Videocardz, we see that Sapphire is using a large fin array for the RX 590. Like other AIB partners, Sapphire is reusing its existing Polaris GPU designs. The RX 590 is based on the Polaris 30 architecture that now uses a 12nm fabrication process. It will feature 2304 stream processors and 144 TMUs along with support for 8 GB GDDR5 256-bit VRAM. Information about base and boost clocks are not yet available but early 3DMark entries have pegged a 1,545 MHz base clock. Due to the crypto mining craze, gamers flocked to NVIDIA's camp as the prices of RX 500 series cards shot through the roof. Now that the dust has settled, the RX 590 is well poised to snatch the mid-range market from NVIDIA and it has already shown moderate performance benefits in preliminary synthetic and game benchmarks over the GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB. The new AMD Radeon RX 590 GPUs are expected to officially launch on November 15. Pricing information is not yet available but a few earlier leaks out of China hinted that the price could be around 235 plus VAT. Brenntag posted further growth in the third quarter of 2018, recording an increase in its two key performance indicators operating gross profit and operating EBITDA. In light of the generally sound performance, the Brenntag Group is confirming its forecast for full-year 2018. Brenntag generated sales of 3,221.8 million EUR in the third quarter of 2018, an increase of 12.1% on the prior-year figure on a constant currency basis (+11.4% as reported). The operating gross profit achieved by the Group came to 678.0 million EUR, a rise of 7.9% on a constant currency basis (+7.2% as reported). Operating EBITDA rose by 5.0% compared with the good prior-year quarter on a constant currency basis (+3.9% as reported) to 224.5 million EUR. Profit after tax was up on the prior-year figure of 100.8 million EUR to 110.5 million EUR in the third quarter of 2018. This translates into earnings per share attributable to Brenntag shareholders of 0.72 EUR (+10.8%). At 150.4 million EUR, free cash flow was significantly higher than the prior-year figure (146.0 million EUR). Chemical prices continued to rise in the third quarter of 2018, leading to an increase in working capital. Steven Holland, Chief Executive Officer of Brenntag AG, said, In the third quarter, we saw further growth in our existing business combined with positive contributions from our acquisitions. The business demonstrated resilience in a slightly more challenging environment. In light of this generally positive performance, we are confirming our guidance for full-year 2018, forecasting operating EBITDA of between 870 and 900 million EUR. EMEA lifts results Brenntag EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) achieved operating gross profit of 285.0 million EUR in the third quarter of 2018, a rise of 7.2% on a constant currency basis (+5.7% as reported). Operating EBITDA grew by 8.1% on a constant currency basis (+5.8% as reported) to 95.9 million EUR. This was supported by a positive contribution from the recent acquisitions. Further growth in North America The companies in the North America region posted operating gross profit of 290.2 million EUR in the third quarter, a rise of 8.3% on a constant currency basis (+9.3% as reported). Operating EBITDA increased by 7.5% on a constant currency basis (+8.0% as reported) to 111.9 million EUR. Almost all customer industries contributed to this performance. Brenntag Latin America holds its own in a volatile environment In Latin America, Brenntag posted a good quarter in an economic environment that remains volatile. Operating gross profit in the region grew by 4.2% on a constant currency basis (0.2% as reported) to 42.1 million EUR. Operating EBITDA reached 11.2 million EUR, an increase of 13.0% on a constant currency basis (+5.7% as reported). Slightly weaker quarter in Asia Pacific In Asia Pacific, Brenntag saw a slightly slower business performance in the third quarter of 2018. Operating gross profit rose by 14.3% on a constant currency basis (+12.5% as reported) to 57.5 million EUR. Operating EBITDA was down by 4.8% on the prior-year figure on a constant currency basis (-5.3% as reported) to 17.8 million EUR. Brenntag is keeping to its strategy for the region and during the quarter invested in the expansion of infrastructure and human resources. Forecast for 2018 In light of these results and the generally positive performance, Brenntag is confirming its guidance for full-year 2018, continuing to forecast clear growth in its key performance indicators operating gross profit and operating EBITDA. The Group confirms that it expects operating EBITDA to be in the 870 to 900 million EUR range, assuming that exchange rates remain unchanged over the period to year-end. More concerns over Boeing instruments. Aircraft problems may have played a role in the fatal crash of a brand-new Boeing 737 Max 8 in Indonesia last week, investigators said. An Indonesian official suggested that inaccurate readings could have prompted the Lion Air plane to enter a sudden, automatic descent. That added a new element to what investigators have been scrutinizing, including faulty airspeed indicators and possibly flawed maintenance. Boeing has issued a worldwide bulletin on how to respond to errant data to all operators of the plane, one of the most popular in commercial aviation. The developments suggested that multiple factors may have combined to cause the crash, which killed all 189 people aboard. Above, investigators examining engine parts. It takes an ad hoc war room at Facebook headquarters with dozens of staff members working round-the-clock shifts. It takes hordes of journalists and fact checkers willing to police the platform for false news stories and hoaxes so that they can be contained before spreading to millions. And even if you avoid major problems from bad actors domestically, you might still need to disclose, as Facebook did late Tuesday night, that you kicked off yet another group of what appeared to be Kremlin-linked trolls. Ive experienced Facebooks fragility firsthand. Every day for the past several months, as Ive covered the midterms through the lens of social media, Ive started my day by looking for viral misinformation on the platform. (Ive paid attention to Twitter, YouTube and other social networks, too, but Facebook is the 800-pound gorilla of internet garbage, so it got most of my focus.) Most days, digging up large-scale misinformation on Facebook was as easy as finding baby photos or birthday greetings. There were doctored photos used to stoke fear about the caravan of Latin American migrants headed toward the United States border. There were easily disprovable lies about the women who accused Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh of sexual assault, cooked up by partisans with bad-faith agendas. Every time major political events dominated the news cycle, Facebook was overrun by hoaxers and conspiracy theorists, who used the platform to sow discord, spin falsehoods and stir up tribal anger. Facebook was generally responsive to these problems after they were publicly called out. But the platforms scale means that even people who work there are often in the dark. Some days, while calling the company for comment on a new viral hoax I had found, I felt like a college R.A. telling the dean of students about shocking misbehavior inside a dorm hed never visited. (The freshmen are drinking what?) Other days, combing through Facebook falsehoods has felt like watching a nation poison itself in slow motion. A recent study by the Oxford Internet Institute, a department at the University of Oxford, found that 25 percent of all election-related content shared on Facebook and Twitter during the midterm election season could be classified as junk news. Other studies have hinted at progress in stemming the tide of misinformation, but the process is far from complete. Ms. Ocasio-Cortez said the transition period will be very unusual, because I cant really take a salary. I have three months without a salary before Im a member of Congress. So, how do I get an apartment? Those little things are very real. She said she saved money before leaving her job at the restaurant, and planned accordingly with her partner. Were kind of just dealing with the logistics of it day by day, but Ive really been just kind of squirreling away and then hoping that gets me to January. Ms. Ocasio-Cortez said she will skip a popular postelection meeting, which begins Friday, that draws many New York Democratic politicians to Puerto Rico because it conflicts with an orientation for new congressional members. And, as she put it, I need a minute. Campaign aides are focused on closely managing Ms. Ocasio-Cortezs time, in response to the enormous amounts of media obligations shes had the past few months. Shes also had a regular presence on social media, where she has more than a million followers. Thats likely to continue, along with all her appearances in Queens and in the Bronx. Ms. Ocasio-Cortez said its vital to meet people in person, for handshakes, selfies and conversations. Its not just about a photo-op, she said. People tell you things. And they tell you what they believe. And they tell you what they want for themselves, for you, they tell you their stories. We had almost four million pieces of paper pass through those scanners on Election Day, Mr. Ryan said. This was volume of an unprecedented proportion. Nonetheless, Mr. Ryan and the elections board suffered the brunt of the blame in the Election Day post-mortem, as elected officials and voters condemned the chaos and called for changes at the Board of Elections. Everything weve talked about these last weeks is about increasing participation in our democracy, and people did that in New York City, they came out in droves because they wanted to participate; that is very good news, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Wednesday at his weekly news conference. The really bad news is that the Board of Elections simply cant function. It cannot do its job. Mr. de Blasio reviewed the litany of Tuesdays problems: broken scanners at dozens of polling sites, including some sites where at some point all the scanners were down, and long waits to vote that lasted in some cases two or three hours. Its as if there was a purposeful plan to make voting as unappealing as possible, he said, although he added that he did not think that was the case. But he said that the board is making it harder for people to vote, not easier. It is part of the problem. It must change. The unexpected victory of Max Rose in the 11th Congressional district, which encompasses Staten Island and a sliver of southern Brooklyn, now means that the current president cannot count a single Republican in the House of Representatives from New York, the city that invented him. Staten Island, a Republican stronghold, skewed heavily for Donald Trump in 2016, but now even voters who remained loyal to the president were willing to give Mr. Rose, a 31-year-old former combat veteran and health care executive, a chance to prove he could reshape the fortunes of working people. The last time this district sent a Democrat to Congress was in 2008. In the weeks leading up to the election, I saw 15 Beto ORourke T-shirts for every one Max Rose T-shirt in brownstone Brooklyn, which is to say that the race failed to enrapture many New Yorkers despite the fact that it was happening in New York. In light of that, Mr. Roses accomplishment seems singularly impressive as well as instructive more so even than what Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez managed to do in her primary fight against a longtime Democratic Party loyalist, a feat that left her anointed as the future of liberal politics. But Ms. Ocasio-Cortezs gifts of charisma are not easily scalable. We might begin with what Mr. Rose had to overcome the lack of any telegenic appeal or especially inspired and passionate speaking style or a claim to Staten Island imparted by birth. If you were a Vogue editor, your first instinct upon seeing or hearing him would not be to commission a 3,000-word profile and dress him in Tom Ford for the portrait. He has already moved to potentially change the infrastructure of the Russia investigation being conducted by the special counsel, Robert Mueller. On Wednesday, Trump requested the resignation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and received it. Matthew Whitaker, Sessionss chief of staff, will replace him, at least on an acting basis. Before he became chief of staff last year, CNN described Mr. Whitaker this way: Matthew Whitaker is a CNN legal commentator and former U.S. attorney who directs the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT), a conservative ethics watchdog group. He ran in the Republican primary for Iowa Senate in 2014. In an article Mr. Whitaker wrote then for CNN under the headline Muellers Investigation of Trump Is Going Too Far, he complained: It does not take a lawyer or even a former federal prosecutor like myself to conclude that investigating Donald Trumps finances or his familys finances falls completely outside of the realm of his 2016 campaign and allegations that the campaign coordinated with the Russian government or anyone else. That goes beyond the scope of the appointment of the special counsel. In another part of the article Whitaker wrote: Any investigation into President Trumps finances or the finances of his family would require Mueller to return to Rod Rosenstein for additional authority under Muellers appointment as special counsel. If he were to continue to investigate the financial relationships without a broadened scope in his appointment, then this would raise serious concerns that the special counsels investigation was a mere witch hunt. If Mueller is indeed going down this path, Rosenstein should act to ensure the investigation is within its jurisdiction and within the authority of the original directive. It is unclear at this point how this staff change will affect Mueller and his investigation, now that oversight for his work is being taken away from Rosenstein. But there is no way to view this move and not worry about the future of the investigation. Trump now has at least two avenues to appoint a permanent successor to Jeff Sessions: Send a new nominee before a more favorable Senate with even more Republican votes, or make a recess appointment over the holidays. As Steve Vladeck pointed out last year in Slate: Article II, Section 2, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution empowers the president to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session. And as the Supreme Court concluded three years ago in the Noel Canning case, the Recess of the Senate can include just about any formal recess that lasts 10 or more days no matter whether its an intersession or intrasession recess and the vacancy at issue need not arise during the recess. (Both these holdings were over the nominal dissents of four of the more conservative justices.) As Vladeck explained, the Senate need only recess for 10 or more days with no formal business on the Senate floor for the Christmas holidays, for instance and Trump could simply recess-appoint whoever he wants to serve as attorney general until the end of the next Senate session. In this case, that next session would end in January 2020. The incoming Democratic majority in the House would have absolutely no say in this. Democrats did well in the elections for the House in part because representation there is a reflection of where people are. The Senate, on the other hand, is tied to land. Indeed, the fewer people in these states, many of them solidly Republican, the more weight each persons vote carries. The Electoral College lives between the two equations. The good news is that no one, including Mr. Whitaker, can stop the multiple prosecutions or litigation already in progress including the cooperation of Paul Manafort; the sentencing of Michael Flynn; or the continuing investigation of Michael Cohen, Mr. Trump's former lawyer, and the Trump Organization by federal prosecutors in New York. The courts will have the final say on what happens in each of those cases. Democrats will also soon be running the House, returning it to its place as a coequal branch of government and holding Mr. Trump to account for the first time since he took office. We are immediately issuing multiple letters to key officials demanding that they preserve all relevant documents related to this action to make sure that the investigation and any evidence remains safe from improper interference or destruction, Representative Jerrold Nadler, the New York Democrat who is expected to soon head the House Judiciary Committee, said in a statement on Wednesday. The bad news is, well, pretty much everything else. Mr. Whitaker who has been called the eyes and ears of the White House inside the Justice Department by John Kelly, Mr. Trumps chief of staff has expressed a Trumpian degree of hostility to the investigation he is now charged with overseeing. He has called it a witch hunt and, in its earliest months, wrote an opinion piece arguing that Mr. Mueller was coming dangerously close to crossing a red line by investigating the presidents finances. He has suggested there was nothing wrong in Mr. Trumps 2017 firing of James Comey, the F.B.I. director, and he has supported the prosecution of Hillary Clinton. In an interview last year he described a scenario where Jeff Sessions is replaced with a recess appointment, and that attorney general doesnt fire Bob Mueller, but he just reduces his budget to so low that his investigation grinds to almost a halt. In 2014, he headed the political campaign for Iowa state treasurer of Sam Clovis, who later became a Trump campaign aide and, more recently, a witness in the Russia investigation. Conflicts of interest like this are what led Mr. Sessions to recuse himself from the Russia investigation. That was the ethical thing to do, even if it sent Mr. Trump into a spiral of rage. Mr. Sessions, a veteran of the Senate, is an institutionalist at heart. The Department of Justice, he once said, will not be improperly influenced by political considerations. That sentiment was never going to survive long under Mr. Trump, for whom improper influence has been a central plank of governing philosophy. Ethics, not so much. Vic Zoschak, president of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America, was optimistic on the sudden resolution. I choose to believe yesterdays dialogue between the two camps will be but a start to improved communications and relations, each dedicated to a continued win-win association, he said. Experts in selling on Amazon said that such parity was difficult to achieve. I dont think anything like this has ever happened before with any part of Amazon, said Juozas Kaziukenas, chief executive of Marketplace Pulse, an e-commerce analytics firm. It would be much harder to have a strike on Amazon itself, just because there are so many sellers there and they are not part of an organized community. He added, Whoever owns the platform owns the power. As a seller you are a small module in a massively complicated system. If a thousand of you say you will not do something anymore, 2,000 others will replace you. This is the harsh reality of being a seller. For Mr. Brown of Eureka Books, the lesson of Banned Booksellers Week was clear. We are entirely subject to their whims, he said of Amazon. We need to spend more time focusing our energies on our own business outside of the Amazon ecosphere. There was recently an effort to organize Amazon sellers as a trade association called the Online Merchants Guild. It was largely focused on sales tax issues, but the group said on its website that the skys the limit in terms of how we can leverage our collective strength to improve the quality of life for all members. If nothing else, Banned Booksellers Week was the sort of public relations stumble for Amazon that seems a bit more common than it once was. The company thrives on secrecy, preferring to release minimal information. It began as a bookseller and is now the largest in the world, controlling more of the market than any bookseller has ever done, and yet the number of serious books about Amazon itself could be counted on the fingers of one hand. Monster's stock tumbled as much as 12 percent to $49.42 on Thursday, the biggest intraday slide in more than eight months for the energy-drink producer. The plunge came after Monster said on an earnings call late Wednesday that it has engaged in arbitration with Coke over the company's plans to produce its own line of drinks. SAN FRANCISCO Amazon may not be the only technology giant considering a big expansion in New York. Google is in discussions to move into a planned 1.3 million square foot office complex at the St. Johns Terminal building on Manhattans West Side, according to a person with knowledge of the companys plans but not permitted to speak about it publicly. The property, which is expected to be completed in 2022, would allow the internet giant to significantly increase its presence in the city. Google employs around 7,000 in New York, and a space that size could allow it to more than double its local work force. The potential expansion, reported earlier by The Wall Street Journal, comes on the heels of news that Amazon appears close to building a corporate office in the city. According to two people briefed on the negotiations, Amazon is close to naming Long Island City, a fast-growing neighborhood on the western edge of Queens, as one of two locations that would together house as many as 50,000 employees. A 24-year-old man who destroyed President Trumps star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame with a pickax in July reached a plea deal on Wednesday requiring him to pay nearly $9,500 for the markers replacement. The man, Austin Mikel Clay, pleaded no contest to one felony count of vandalism, according to a news release from the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office. Under the plea agreement, a judge ordered him to pay $9,404.46 to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which manages the Walk of Fame. That represents the actual cost of repairs to the star, said Leron Gubler, chief executive of the chamber. In a YouTube video published shortly after the vandalism, Mr. Clay said his destruction of the star was a one-man protest against the president and the Republican Party. For as long as that star remains on Hollywood Boulevard, theres going to be a really negative presence there, he said in the video. Mr. Clay, of Glendale, Calif., was also sentenced to three years of formal probation, one day in county jail (which he already served) and 20 days of community labor, according to the news release. He must also attend psychological counseling. HOLLYWOOD, Fla. After the shooting massacre at a high school in Parkland, Fla., survivors found themselves taking on the National Rifle Association as they crisscrossed the country rallying young adults to register and vote against candidates opposed to gun control. On Tuesday, the Parkland students got a dose of political reality. While their registration drives enrolled thousands of younger votes, the students were unable to turn key races in their home state. Ron DeSantis was elected governor and Rick Scott was leading the vote for United States senator. Both Republicans were endorsed by the National Rifle Association. Things didnt necessarily go our way but we know that this is the start, that its going to be a long road, one of the most vocal students, David Hogg, said on Wednesday. The Florida elections were very close, which is encouraging. For us, the loss in Florida is a call to action. In midterm elections dominated by health care and immigration, the results on Tuesday also showed that Americans are still wrestling with who should be allowed to purchase guns, how they should be regulated and what defines responsible gun ownership. Ive been organizing in New Mexico for close to 20 years, so its not like people werent familiar with me or what I stand for, Ms. Haaland, 57, said in a telephone interview on Wednesday. We have an extremely divisive president who disparages so many people. I felt like it was just time to stand up with a positive campaign. Another congressional race in New Mexico involving a Native American candidate was decided on Wednesday night, with the Republican, Yvette Herrell, a member of the Cherokee Nation, losing to Xochitl Torres Small, a Democrat and water rights lawyer, after absentee ballots were counted. Unlike many Native American politicians in other races, Ms. Herrell did not promote her indigenous heritage while campaigning. In Kansas, Ms. Davids can add another first to the record books: She is the first openly lesbian candidate to be elected to Congress from the state. She attended Cornell Law School and was a White House fellow in the Obama administration before mounting a campaign highlighting her heritage, sexual orientation and martial-arts mettle. Its 2018 and women, Native Americans, gay people, the unemployed and underemployed have to fight like hell to survive, Ms. Davids, 38, said in one of her campaign ads. Its clear Trump and the Republicans in Washington dont give a damn about anyone like me or anyone who doesnt think like them. Jean Schroedel, a professor of political science at Claremont Graduate University in California, who studies Native American voting rights, said Ms. Davidss campaign offered a blueprint for other candidates seeking to frame issues from a Native American perspective. Sharice not only won but just took out a rising star of the Republican Party, Professor Schroedel said, referring to Ms. Davidss opponent, Representative Kevin Yoder, a four-term incumbent who championed conservative causes. Democrats have been targeting that seat for several cycles and she showed them how to get it done. State Representative Jeanette Nunez, Mr. DeSantiss running mate on the governors ticket, said Republicans prevailed because Floridians were not ready to accept a candidate like Mr. Gillum who campaigned on hiking the corporate tax rate. It cant just be all charisma and a terrible platform, she said. Everyone, including Ron, talked about what a formidable opponent Andrew Gillum was in terms of his ability to appeal to certain audiences and his ability to communicate with average Floridians. But that will only get you so far. Democrats did have some reason to cheer: Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, a Democrat, ousted Representative Carlos Curbelo, a Republican, in the 26th Congressional District. Donna Shalala, a Democrat, will replace Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Republican who is retiring, in the 27th Congressional District. The two Miami victories helped national Democrats reclaim the House and showed the partys muscular strength in the states liberal southern end. And they helped illustrate a crucial aspect of Floridas seeming capriciousness. People have to remember that Florida is about five states in one, Mr. Curbelo said in an interview on Wednesday. South Florida and the Panhandle, for example, dont have very much in common, beyond environmental issues and broad economic issues. Culturally, theyre very different areas. Democrats ran up their numbers in the cities. Voila: Mr. Curbelo was out. Republicans outpaced Democrats everywhere else. Voila: The third consecutive governors race went Republican, but only by a single point. I dont think anybody can be thrilled or depressed with these results maybe except me, Mr. Curbelo said with a sad chuckle. At least one person was happy: President Trump, who mocked Mr. Curbelo (whose name he mispronounced as Cue-bella) for failing to embrace him. Instead, the president praised Mr. DeSantis and Mr. Scott, whom he campaigned for last week, as examples of what can happen when he decides to campaign in a state he considers his second home. A key nonpartisan campaign point was the idea of second chances. Advocates released a series of videos Mr. Ivey starred in one that presented the states ban as unfair to taxpaying Floridians who had criminal records. We believe that when a debt is paid, its paid, said Neil G. Volz, the political director of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition. People could unite behind that. Mr. Volz, a former Republican lobbyist, spoke of his own criminal record after pleading guilty in the 2006 Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal. Those who won the right to vote on Tuesday said the change made them feel far more connected. Now I feel like a part of society, said Clarence Office Jr., 61, a former addict with a long criminal record who has been out of trouble for a decade and is now getting his masters degree in public administration. I wanted to voice my opinion, but I couldnt. It didnt matter what I felt. Now it does. Mr. Office works at the Department of Veterans Affairs in Miami, where he does outreach with military veterans accused of crimes. He said many veterans would return from war, get into a fight or become involved with drugs and suddenly find out they could no longer vote. Theyd say, I can serve my country, go fight in Vietnam, go to Afghanistan, risk my life, come here and get in trouble over marijuana, and even though I did all these other things right, I cant vote. Karen L. Leicht, 61, who served 28 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit insurance fraud, said it was relatively easy for someone who has done a crime to be labeled a felon. She prefers to call them returning citizens. WASHINGTON Republican victories in crucial Senate and governors races this week have tightened social conservatives grip across American government, strengthening the partys power as it seeks to limit abortion rights and push harder to the right on a number of divisive cultural issues. Even as Democrats captured the House and promised to act as a check on President Trump and Republican policy priorities, conservatives were breathing a deep sigh of relief on Wednesday after strengthening their majority in the Senate. Their gains in the upper chamber could have a far-reaching impact on the remainder of the presidents term, particularly on his ability to continue shifting the ideological balance on the federal courts. The election of conservatives to Democratic-held Senate seats in Indiana, Missouri and North Dakota as well as to an open seat in Tennessee, and possibly in Arizona, Florida and Mississippi, where races have not been decided will almost certainly add to the Republicans one-seat majority. It will also dilute the votes of moderate Republicans like Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, both of whom are abortion rights supporters who have opposed judges on the grounds that they could threaten Roe v. Wade. President Trump, who has already filled vacancies on the federal bench at a faster pace than most previous presidents, and cemented a conservative majority on the Supreme Court with two appointments so far, is now in a stronger position to put forward even more conservative judicial nominees if he chooses to. The midterm elections on Tuesday laid bare the growing chasm between urban and rural America, leaving Republicans deeply concerned about their declining fortunes in the metropolitan areas that extinguished their House majority and Democrats just as alarmed about their own struggles to win over voters in states that strengthened the G.O.P.s grip on the Senate. For both parties, the election represented an acceleration of dizzying realignment along cultural lines. Districts that once represented the beating heart of the Republican Party rejected President Trumps avowed nationalism as a form of bigotry, while Democrats further retrenched from the agricultural and industrial communities where they once dominated. Democrats took control of the House not merely by making gains in coastal states that supported Hillary Clinton, but also by penetrating deeply into suburban corners of traditionally conservative states in the South and across the Plains, like Georgia, Texas and Oklahoma. The House results made clear that the Trump-induced difficulties Republicans are suffering with once-reliable voters are hardly limited to blue states and could make it substantially harder for the president to remake his upscale-downscale coalition in 2020. The party should be concerned when you look at what was once one of its bases and see how increasingly vulnerable we are with them, said Gov. Bill Haslam of Tennessee, an old-guard Republican who heads the Republican Governors Association, pointing to Democratic incursions into localities like Cobb County, Ga., that were once conservative bulwarks. What TRUMP Said Fifty-five is the largest number of Republican senators in the last 100 years. President Trump, in a White House news conference on Wednesday False. Republicans appeared to be on the verge of expanding their narrow Senate majority after Tuesdays midterm elections. But even wins in all three races that remained uncertain on Wednesday evening would get them to only 54 seats, a number they had as recently as last year. Even if they had reached 55, it would not have been the largest number in 100 years. There were 56 Republicans in the Senate from 1929 to 1931, according to the Senates website. And there were 59 from 1921 to 1923. Republicans also had 55 seats at least four times in the past 25 years: from 2005 to 2007, from 1999 to 2001, from 1997 to 1999 and from 1983 to 1985. What Trump Said This election marks the largest Senate gains for a presidents party in a first midterm election since at least President Kennedys in 1962. This requires context. At the time of Mr. Trumps comments, the Republicans had picked up a net gain of two Senate seats; several other races remained too close to call. Hi. Welcome to On Politics, your guide to the day in national politics. Im Lisa Lerer, your host. The midterms are over and things are already moving fast in Washington. President Trump gave a 90-minute news conference this morning, vowing to adopt a warlike posture if Democrats investigate his administration. Then, he fired Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Democrats, meanwhile, are plotting their next steps after a pretty good night. They won control of the House, picked up seven governors seats and flipped six state legislative chambers. Republican expanded their margin in the Senate. Like many of you, were wondering what happens next. Here are some of the questions were thinking about: Will Congress do, well, anything? Dont count on it. Even before the midterms, a lot of people including lawmakers argued that Congress was weakened, or perhaps even entirely broken. Expect Senate Republicans to use their expanded majority to do what they can, which will mostly involve continuing to confirm conservative judges at record numbers. With the House in Democratic hands, its hard to see how any legislation gets passed, though theres some chatter about bills to lower the cost of prescription drugs or rebuild the countrys crumbling infrastructure. Illinois was one of the first states to roll out a medical cannabis program with such stringent regulations. Fledgling vendors jumped through hoops to abide by state laws that mandated how far dispensaries must be from day cares and how to dispose of plant waste. There was also a much harsher stigma to deal with then, resulting in struggles to find banks, landlords and insurance companies that would work with a weed business. In North Dakota, where soybean farmers have struggled with Chinas retaliatory tariffs, 93 percent of Republican voters supported the presidents positions on trade, about the national average for Republicans, according to exit polls from CNN. Nationally, less than a third of all voters said that Mr. Trumps trade policies had hurt them. It is impossible to quantify the influence of the presidents trade policies, especially in industrial states like Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan, in which support for Democrats surged significantly. But Democratic consultants in those states said the tariffs contributed to a general anti-Trump sentiment, but were not a central issue in the midterm elections. An analysis by The New York Times of election results and economic data showed that Mr. Trumps party continued to perform strongly in agriculture-rich House districts which helped create a rural firewall that largely limited the partys losses to suburban areas. Republicans held onto 17 of the 25 districts that are the most dependent on agricultural jobs. Democrats retained the four they held, with two seats held by Republicans yet to be decided. Mr. Trumps overall popularity in rural America seems to be growing and it seems to have been stoked by the tactic, employed by China and other trading partners, of targeting retaliatory tariffs at Trump-friendly districts. I think our pain definitely has a purpose, said Doug Schroeder, a corn and soybean farmer from Mahomet, Ill., a district that voted Republican on Tuesday. I dont think the balance of trade with China has been fair for a long time. Someone needed to stand up and do something. In Washington States Fourth Congressional District, which includes much of the states wine-producing region, Representative Dan Newhouse, the Republican incumbent, defeated his challenger by 28 points on Tuesday. Two years ago, in a far more Republican-friendly environment over all, Mr. Newhouse won by just 16 points. The expansion of the Republican majority in the Senate, and the failure of the tariffs to ignite a political brush fire, is likely to embolden Mr. Trump as he contemplates additional tariffs on all Chinese imports before he meets with President Xi Jinping of China this month in Buenos Aires. WASHINGTON Republicans expansion of their Senate majority means that the conservative legal movement is poised to expand and entrench its influence over the federal courts, leaving Democrats with dwindling hopes of being able to swiftly diminish that imprint even if they win the White House in 2020. The net pickup by Republicans of about three seats leaves President Trump and the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, positioned to accelerate their already record-breaking pace of appointing federal judges through at least 2020. The White House and Mr. McConnell will now have more running room to get young and outspoken conservatives through even if a few Republicans break ranks, and they can consolidate the new conservative majority on the Supreme Court if a justice leaves during the next two years. But the midterm results have longer-term implications as well. By broadening their Senate majority from 51 seats to about 54 (some races have yet to be decided), Republicans have expanded their chances of retaining control of the chamber after 2020. Only a handful of Republican Senate incumbents will be up in states where Democrats are competitive, and they have their own vulnerable incumbents, too. As a result, even if a Democrat defeats Mr. Trump and takes over the White House in 2021, Mr. McConnell is likely to retain sufficient power in the Senate to prevent that president from appointing judges to start swinging the pendulum back. That situation would be similar to what happened in President Barack Obamas final two years in office, when Republicans, after taking control of the Senate, systematically blocked his nominees to fill vacancies on both federal appeals courts and the Supreme Court. WASHINGTON President Trump took the exceedingly rare step of suspending the White House credentials of Jim Acosta, the chief White House correspondent for CNN, on Wednesday after an intense verbal clash at a news conference earlier in the day. During a testy session with reporters after Tuesdays midterm elections, Mr. Trump recognized Mr. Acosta for a question. Their exchange grew heated when Mr. Acosta repeatedly challenged the presidents characterization of a Central American migrant caravan as an invasion. Mr. Trump responded by lashing out at Mr. Acosta, saying, Honestly, I think you should let me run the country you run CNN. Mr. Acosta, who was in the front row just feet from the president, refused several times to sit down or to return a microphone to a White House intern who sought to retrieve it. When he finally did give up the microphone, Mr. Trump said that Mr. Acosta was a rude, terrible person. You shouldnt be working for CNN, the president said. When Mr. Acosta tried to re-enter the White House on Wednesday evening for a live shot for his network, a Secret Service officer asked him to hand over his hard pass, which grants journalists access to the compound. Mr. Acosta captured the episode in a grainy video on his cellphone and posted it to Twitter. A former United States representative from Texas was sentenced Wednesday to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay about $1 million in restitution after being convicted of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars meant for charity and using it to pay for personal expenses and his political campaigns. In April, a federal jury found the former congressman, Steve Stockman, 61, guilty on 23 counts including money laundering, conspiracy and making false statements after prosecutors alleged that he had orchestrated a yearslong scheme to defraud charitable donors. Two of Mr. Stockmans former aides also pleaded guilty last year to multiple counts connected to the case. At trial, the government proved to the jury that former Congressman Stockman ran his campaign and fraudulent charities to simply enrich himself and defrauded well-meaning donors, Ryan K. Patrick, United States attorney for the Southern District of Texas, said in a statement on Wednesday. This type of corruption by public officials gives our entire democratic system a black eye. EL PASO Texas didnt turn blue Tuesday night. It didnt turn purple. But it is pinker now largely because of Beto ORourke. Whats the significance of color? In Texas, a whole lot the states politics are wrapped up in questions of identity, and red Texas and blue Texas have been at virtual war this election season over the future and soul of the countrys second-largest state. During Mr. ORourkes bid for a United States Senate seat, political yard signs Republican and Democratic alike were routinely stolen or defaced. In the lines that formed outside polling stations, there were often shouting matches. In one case, a volunteer for Mr. ORourkes campaign said she was putting up a sign outside an East Texas polling site, and a man threatened to get his gun if she didnt take it down. Color, in other words, matters. The midterm election in Texas was unlike any the state has seen in decades. Here are five takeaways as Republicans and Democrats try to understand what happened. The new two-party Texas Mr. ORourke lost on Tuesday by the narrowest margin in years for a Democrat running for statewide office. His Republican opponent, Senator Ted Cruz, won by a little more than two percentage points a difference of about 200,000 votes, according to state elections data. So even Mr. ORourkes defeat had tinges of victory for Democrats, helping to rekindle a notion that many had believed was years away from reviving in Texas: the two-party state. Abortion is illegal in Peru except in cases when the life of the mother is directly at risk. So that was not an option for this woman and she agreed to hand her child over in exchange for the equivalent of around $1,200, officials said. Jorge Chavez Cotrina, the coordinating prosecutor for the state attorneys office in Lima specializing in organized crime, said the group likely targeted poor women in desperate straits. He said the traffickers went to these places that exist in different cities where they perform abortions and offered to pay women to have the babies and give them up, or approached destitute women who were in the last months of their pregnancy and offered to pay for their expenses in exchange for the child. Prosecutors suspect two other children had been recently sold. He also said that the biological parents of the baby taken into custody have been detained for selling their daughter. Being in an economic crisis, these women are more easily convinced, Mr. Cotrina said. The arrests came a day before the American Embassy in Lima held an event highlighting a new program in which the United States and Peru would cooperate to provide protections for vulnerable women and children in an effort to prevent them from becoming victims of trafficking. Elvia Barrios Alvarado, a Supreme Court judge, said the countrys judicial system is committed to holding human traffickers accountable and highlighted the disproportionate toll that trafficking takes on women. Its main victims are women, she said. If victims do not find support, if they collide with an adverse judicial decision, the lack of confidence in justice will favor the business of traffickers and impunity to perpetuate this type of crime. Mr. Trudeaus apology came less than two weeks after a gunman opened fire in a Pittsburgh synagogue, killing 11 worshipers, and at a time when anti-Semitism is rising across North America. It was not lost on many that it was delivered the day after an American election campaign marked by refugee-bashing. The rhetoric we are hearing across the border is very similar to the rhetoric we heard in the 1930s the vilification of the other, the vilification of the press. Its really scary, said Danny Gruner, who attended Wednesdays apology with his mother, Ana Maria Gordon, the sole survivor of the St. Louis living in Canada today. Ms. Gordon, who met with Mr. Trudeau privately, was surrounded by many of her great-grandchildren and grandchildren. Last week, Mr. Trudeau apologized to a British Columbia First Nation for the governments treachery in inviting six Tsilhqotin chiefs to peace talks 150 years ago. Instead of talking, the government arrested them, put them on trial and hanged them. He has also apologized to Omar Khadr, the only Canadian who was held at the United States military base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He emotionally apologized to gay members of the army, the police and in public service who were persecuted some even imprisoned because of their sexual orientation. And he tearfully said sorry to indigenous people in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, where for much of the 20th century indigenous children were torn from their families and compelled to attend boarding schools, where many were abused. You will not remove the guilt from the perpetrators of the horror, Mr. Gruner said. But at least you can come to terms with what the country was at the time, and try to understand where we are at this particular time and where we want to be. Mr. van Dantzigs choreography, imbued with oddities here and there, was repetitive and frequently unmusical; it seemed to unfold in slow motion, and the cast responded with hesitant, mannered dancing. Perhaps it was the pressure, but they seemed tense and disconnected especially Ms. Melnik and as they strived for perfection of line, they seemed to lose the art of actual dancing. There were also quirks in the Act 3 folk dances, choreographed by Toer van Schayk. (He also designed the set and costumes.) The prospective brides for Siegfried had more character development than usual, especially in the case of one hopeful (Emi Uehara), who had to be pushed onto the stage; she was bashful and then danced her heart out. One of the Spanish dancers, Lea Foldi, seemed to know Rothbart from outside of the ballroom (they shared a kiss behind his hat); and Odile, at the start of her seduction scene, danced with six men in masks. In all, it was more fussy than inventive. Rothbart dressed in green scales and looking like a sea creature in a drag show made for a perpetually grim sight. His movement extended little beyond a furious flap of the wings and a scissoring leap. And his stage time was, lets say, abundant; if he wasnt cutting in between the swans, he was poised on a cliff directing their movements. As for Siegfried and Odette? In the end, their connection was tenuous. Mr. Leblanc, handsome but remote, seemed more drawn to the swirling harmony of the swans than to any one swan in particular. When Odette departed for the last time and he drowned in the lake, who was there to retrieve his lifeless body from the waves? Alexander. Odette never had a chance. Chris Dercon, the former director of Tate Modern in London, is to take charge of the Grand Palais in Paris, one of Frances most prestigious art venues, just months after being forced to resign from Berlins Volksbuhne theater in the face of mounting protests. On Wednesday, Frances culture ministry announced that Mr. Dercon will become the president of the Reunion des Musees Nationaux, an umbrella body that runs both the Grand Palais and the smaller Musee du Luxembourg. He will take office in January, the ministry said in a statement. The Grand Palais is known for its blockbuster exhibitions, and also hosts the FIAC and Paris Photo art fairs. Mr. Dercon, 60, is one of the art worlds highest-profile arts administrators. At Tate Modern he oversaw a significant expansion and staged hit exhibitions such as Matisse: The Cut-Outs, which transferred to MoMA in 2014. But his tenure as the head of the Volksbuhne, a storied Berlin theater, was dogged by controversy from the start. Mr. Dercon tried to overhaul the Volksbuhne known for its ambitious, political plays so that it hosted more interdisciplinary and international productions. Mount Sinai and South Shore hospitals said their failing grades were related to their decisions not to submit data to the nonprofit Leapfrog Group. Twice a year, the nonprofit grades hospitals on 28 measures of safety, including hand hygiene, intensive care unit physician staffing, bedsores and falls. States are then ranked based on the percentage of their hospitals that earned A's. Hospitals that earn high marks often tout them to attract patients. The shows curator, Rebecca Zorach, said she saw the exhibition, which she started working on five years ago, as an opportunity to belatedly give South Side artists the wider recognition they deserve. The Time Is Now! is part of a series called South Side Stories, which is backed by a grant from the Terra Foundations Art Design Chicago, a joint effort of more than 60 organizations with over 25 exhibitions and hundreds of public programs in the city. (The Terra Foundation is a privately run nonprofit that supports art exhibitions and projects.) It started as a broad survey of the South Side but then inescapable themes emerged like politics, unity, struggle, displacement, gentrification, and we decided to start focus on some of those, Ms. Zorach said. The Smart has been on the South Side since 1974, but its new director, Alison Gass, arrived at the museum last year and said she was determined to show the work of artists from a range of backgrounds. Were humbled to work with these artists who have been excluded from the canon and havent gotten their due, Ms. Gass said. We are course-correcting. The Smarts efforts go beyond a handful of exhibitions. Many of the museums paid docents are from the South Side, whose residents have long been underemployed; the universitys art history department is working closely with the museum to shift its curriculum to include artists who have typically been excluded from art history courses in Western universities. Intimations of mortality had always coursed through Warhols art and the 1970s brought new ones in eerie pictures of skulls, and, by implication, in Shadows, a 100-plus panel abstract tour de force in which darkness has no source and no end: Its just there, foreboding, miasmic, waiting. The artist specified that this wraparound painting, on loan from Dia Art Foundation, could be edited to fit differently sized spaces. In the version now on view at Calvin Klein headquarters at 205 West 39th Street, its reduced to 48 panels and has its sightlines interrupted by the spaces thick columns. Even with handicaps, though, its a stunner, and Dia gets full credit for the presentation. And, strange as it seems for an artist so absorbed in worldly matters, images of spiritual transcendence were a staple of his work too, from the Marilyn paintings onward. And Ms. De Salvo has given his retrospective a celestial conclusion. There are only four works in the large rectangular final gallery. At either end hang two giant examples of his abstract Rorschach paintings, one gold, one black. With their curves and flanges they could be giant examples of Julias rococo designs. On a long wall hangs a 25-foot long silk-screen painting of Leonardo da Vincis Last Supper, its sacred narrative of dread and redemption half-buried in camouflage patterning. And facing it is an even longer picture called Sixty-Three White Mona Lisas, in which repeat images of the most famous celebrity-sitter of all are dimly visible under washes of semi-translucent white paint. The work is both a nod to an old, fixed art history (Leonardo, Duchamp) and the statement of a new, open-ended one of simultaneous erasure and proliferation. And seen at the conclusion of Ms. De Salvos show the painting suggests a further reading: the image of a host of spirits benign? threatening? neutral? stirring behind a drifting bank of clouds. I never thought Id use the word exalted for Warhol, or transcendent, or sublime. And he probably never thought to use them either. But thats whats here. The project came together in early 2018. Well, sort of. Mr. Thomas and Ms. Shur planned to shoot the tableaus at the Into Action festival in downtown Los Angeles in January. But the morning of the shoot, they lost their space. The logistics were crazy, Ms. Shur said. He has the ideas and I have to execute. They were prepared to drop the project altogether, but within hours Mr. Thomas found an empty studio across the street. That weekend a parade of people streamed through the front doors to be photographed for recreations of Mr. Rockwells Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Worship. The actress Rosario Dawson showed up. So, too, did the rapper Chuck D, a founder of Public Enemy. Mr. Thomas said Gina Belafonte, the daughter of the actor and activist Harry Belafonte, came with a group of ecumenical leaders. Even Dolores Huerta, a co-founder of the United Farm Workers with the activist Cesar Chavez, stopped by. By the end of the weekend, more than 150 people had been photographed, Mr. Thomas said. They became the underpinnings for the final photographic compilations. All of these people have their own communities, he said of those photographed. Everyone wants to be a good person. The demonizing of people doesnt help. Thats what led Maggie Meiners, an artist from suburban Chicago, to create a series of her own. In 2008, she visited the Norman Rockwell Museum with her husband and was struck by the elderly couple at the head of the table in Freedom From Want. That year, Californians had voted to overturn an earlier decision of the California Supreme Court to legalize same-sex marriage. No matter how much free time you have this weekend, we have TV recommendations for you. Come back every Friday for new suggestions on what to watch. This Weekend I Have an Hour, and I Like Espionage Patriot When to watch: Season 2 arrives Friday, on Amazon. Season 2 of this oddball political dramedy is finally here, almost two years after the first season was released. Definitely start with Season 1 theres way too much story and style to pick up from recaps alone. Michael Dorman stars as John Tavner, a mediocre intelligence officer who this season has somehow lost a bag containing 11 million euros. Even as Patriot zooms through terrifically tense action sequences, the show is primarily character driven, and it revels in everyones weird hats, weird looks, weird turns of phrase, weird hobbies. an Hour, and I Like Domestic Dramas THE CRY on Sundance Now. Jenna Coleman, star of the British show Victoria, plays a young mother in this four-part psychological thriller, which is based on the Helen FitzGerald novel of the same name. The Australian actor Ewen Leslie plays her husband. The couples baby disappears, and the story focuses on the fallout as the authorities piece together what happened and the way the couple copes with the loss and questions that surround it. WEST-EASTERN DIVAN ORCHESTRA AT CARNEGIE HALL on medici.tv. The conductor Daniel Barenboims barrier-breaking orchestra was founded almost two decades ago with a simple idea: Bring musicians from opposing groups in the Middle East together to make music. The West-Eastern Divan Orchestras members include Israelis, Palestinians and musicians from various Arab countries. I always say to them, I expect all of you to agree on how to play Beethoven, Barenboim recently told The Times. I dont expect you to agree on the other sides narrative. But I do expect you to try to understand it and respect it. The orchestra is on a five-city American tour; it Carnegie Hall stop on Thursday will be streamed live, free, on medici.tv. KING OF THE HILL on Hulu. All 13 seasons of Mike Judges slow and sweet small-town Texas animated sitcom are on Hulu. Come for the propane, beer sipping and satire. Stay for the satisfyingly nuanced relationships. The most substantive revelations here, however, are the letters she wrote in the last eight months of her life to an American psychiatrist, Dr. Ruth Beuscher. She began her treatment with Beuscher in 1953, after the early suicide attempt chronicled in her novel The Bell Jar, and saw her again five years later, when Plath and Hughes had temporarily decamped to America. The poet remained close to Beuscher until the end of her life. These desperate letters, which until recently were privately held, provide astonishing insight into Plaths inner state in the troubled months when she wrote her strongest poems. These letters are more intimate, more raw, than the rest of her correspondence. To other people, even her mother, with whom she had an extremely close if tortured relationship, she carefully curates herself. In her letters to Beuscher, there is a kind of frantic rush of honesty, a thought process laid bare, a concerted effort to sort through and analyze her feelings. While she is writing to other people about doll prams or pork sandwiches, she is confiding in Beuscher about Hughes disappearing after a romantic night at an expensive hotel, or frankly describing the precise tenor of their sexual relations. Explore the New York Times Book Review Want to keep up with the latest and greatest in books? This is a good place to start. Learn what you should be reading this fall: Our collection of reviews on books coming out this season includes biographies, novels, memoirs and more. See whats new in October: Among this months new titles are novels by Jonathan Franzen, a history of Black cinema and a biography by Katie Couric. Nominate a book: The New York Times Book Review has just turned 125. That got us wondering: What is the best book that was published during that time? Listen to our podcast: Featuring conversations with leading figures in the literary world, from Colson Whitehead to Leila Slimani, the Book Review Podcast helps you delve deeper into your favorite books. Without much comment, she briefly mentions a disturbing incident in which Hughes beat me up physically in the days before a miscarriage. She says that at the time she felt this was an aberration that she had provoked by deliberately ripping a manuscript of his. Plath apparently wanted to view these letters as therapeutic sessions and offered to pay Beuscher to read and respond to them, but the psychiatrist refused payment and wrote back to her anyway. In confiding in Beuscher, after discovering her husbands affair with Assia Wevill, Plath seems to be trying to solve the problem of herself. How can she change to make the marriage work? She writes: How can I make these women unnecessary to him? And keep up my own sense of seductiveness and womanly power? I dont want to be sorrowful or bitter, men hate that, but what can I do in the face of these prospects? She also writes: Can you suggest a gracious procedure when you see some little (whoops, not little, big!) tart is after your husband at a party, or dinner or something? Do you leave them to it? Engage a hotel room? Smile & vanish? Smile & stand by? What I dont want to be is stern & disapproving or teary. But I am only human. I have to feel I have some ground-rights. Others say that the term comes from menteri, the Malay for court councilor or minister, and that the 16th-century Portuguese who used Malaysia as a steppingstone into China wrote it as Mandarin. The little duck in Central Park has been solo, but in China, its cousins are believed to be lifelong couples. There is a saying: A pair of Mandarin ducks is more enviable than an immortal. Amy Chang Chien wrote todays back story. It was first published in our new Chinese-language Morning Briefing. (Sign-up for that here.) _____ Your Morning Briefing is published weekday mornings and updated online. Sign up here to get it by email in the Australian, Asian, European or American morning. You can also receive an Evening Briefing on U.S. weeknights. And our Australia bureau chief offers a weekly letter adding analysis and conversations with readers. Browse our full range of Times newsletters here. What would you like to see here? Contact us at asiabriefing@nytimes.com. (Want to get this briefing by email? Heres the sign-up.) Good morning. Heres what you need to know: Deadly mass shooting at California bar At least 12 people, including a sheriffs deputy, were killed late Wednesday in a shooting at a country and western dance hall in Thousand Oaks, Calif., officials said. The gunman is also dead, officials said, adding that there was no longer a threat to the public after the shooting at the dance hall, the Borderline Bar and Grill, which was holding an event for college students. The location: Thousand Oaks, a relatively affluent city in Ventura County, is about 40 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Critic of Russia inquiry now oversees it President Trump replaced Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Wednesday with Matthew Whitaker, who has questioned the scope of the special counsels investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Get the DealBook newsletter to make sense of major business and policy headlines and the power-brokers who shape them. __________ Lenders shouldnt expect much help with their bad debts from Europes new senior financial watchdog. The European Central Bank on Wednesday nominated Andrea Enria as chair of its supervisory board, which oversees the continents 118 biggest lenders. Mr. Enria, from Italy, is currently the respected head of the European Banking Authority, and is unlikely to take a softer line on tackling lenders bad debts. The industrys chronic low profitability and poor money-laundering controls present bigger challenges. Some might hope that his promotion would lead to softer treatment of Italian lenders, many of which are still grappling with bad debts. They are likely to be disappointed. Colleagues joke that Mr. Enria, a former Bank of Italy economist, is sufficiently northern that he may as well be Austrian. His orthodox credentials, and his experience of dealing with large, international financial institutions as chair of the European Banking Authority since 2011, helped him secure the nomination over Sharon Donnery, the deputy governor of Irelands central bank. Six weeks after settling a securities-fraud lawsuit with federal regulators, Tesla and Elon Musk have made good on one of the agreements key provisions naming a new board chief to impose order on a company whose automaking has often been overshadowed by Mr. Musks behavior. The company said a current director, Robyn Denholm, would become its chairwoman immediately. Mr. Musk stepped down as chairman last month but remains Teslas chief executive. Ms. Denholm, 55, is the chief financial officer of Telstra, which dominates telecommunications in Australia. She is a longtime technology executive with experience in Silicon Valley, where Tesla is based, and once worked for Toyota in Australia. The move to replace Mr. Musk as chairman, announced late Wednesday night, was part of a settlement reached with the Securities and Exchange Commission in September to deal with the fallout from his assertion that he had secured funding for a private buyout of the company. That claim, in a Twitter post in August, quickly fell into doubt. (Mr. Musk later explained in a blog post that discussions with Saudi Arabias sovereign wealth fund led him to believe that it had both money and enthusiasm for such a deal.) Needless to say, these ciders and almost all the ciders I tasted would go beautifully with the fall harvest dinner otherwise known as Thanksgiving. Most range from roughly 7 to 9 percent alcohol, much less than the typical 12 to 14 percent of wine, for those concerned with overdoing it. Over in the Hudson Valley , nobody doubts the suitability of the region to apples. Mr. Soons, whose family has grown apples for more than a century, believes it is among the best regions in the country for the fruit. Its the nature of the soils, he said, very old, very rocky, decent natural pH and drainage. Apples like them, and the climate is right. Most apples, at least. Over the last few years, Mr. Soons has added almost five acres of English cider apples, which, as he and others have learned, are not so well adapted to the Hudson Valley. They are particularly susceptible to fire blight, a withering bacterial disease. With the English apples they were able to harvest in 2017, Orchard Hill made Bitters and Sharps, which is still aging at the cidery, but is taut, tart and lip-smacking, with great freshness and energy. Another cider, Gold Label, is gently sweet but well-balanced and refreshing. Orchard Hill also makes Ten66 Pommeau, a blend of apple brandy and juice that tastes like a buttery caramel apple. Mixed with tonic, it would make a fine Thanksgiving aperitif. Mr. Morgenthau at Fishkill Farms and Treasury Cider, too, has faced challenges growing European cider apples. When he returned to his family farm in 2008 with a degree in fine arts, he had intended to practice landscape painting. Instead, he fell in love with farming and apples. Fishkill was purchased in 1913 by his grandfather Henry Morgenthau Jr., who went on to serve as Treasury secretary under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. His son Robert Morgenthau kept the farm going even as he served from 1975 until 2009 as district attorney in Manhattan, and his son Josh Morgenthau is now in charge. It is staggering how much has changed for Los Angeles over the past six years. When I moved there in 2012, the citys reputation was still overwhelmingly based on lazy cliches: that its supposed cultural vapidity carried over into its restaurants; that its Hollywood artifice bled into the lives and onto the plates of its millions of non-movie-star residents. Very few people apart from those residents understood the culinary riches Los Angeles had to offer. Ignorance on the part of outside observers was mainly to blame, but the citys food scene was still in the process of blooming. Today? Ask almost anyone who eats widely in the United States, and theyll say that Los Angeles is the most exciting food city in America. I agreed with that sentiment when I left in 2017, and I agree now, having just returned for a visit. (The New York Times recently appointed Tejal Rao its first California restaurant critic.) As I ate my way through Los Angeles last month, I started thinking about Sydney, and all the things that other sunny city might learn from Los Angeless recent meteoric rise in culinary status. Why Sydney? There are lessons that Los Angeles could teach any other city, in Australia and beyond, but in Sydney I see a similar trajectory and search for identity. Both cities are often chided about their sun-drenched, health-obsessed culture, and Sydney is still in the process of blooming. Photography seems like a truthful medium. Photographs are used for scientific and forensic evidence for their supposed truthfulness. Even Edgar Allan Poe thought daguerreotypes disclosed a more absolute truth, a more perfect identity of aspect with the thing represented. So why did Charles Traub call his new book of photographs Taradiddle? A taradiddle is by definition a petty lie, a little falsehood or trifling told often to amuse or embellish a story, he said. As our world is full of them, seen and witnessed through advertising, P.R., propaganda, flirtations, staged events and presentations of all sorts, I simply came to the conclusion that even the straightest of photographs made in real-world witness was also such. Henry Hill in Goodfellas always wanted to be a gangster. In El Angel, wanting is beside the point. Introducing himself, Carlitos (Lorenzo Ferro) explains that it was his destiny to be a thief. Luis Ortegas 1970s-set crime feature is inspired by the real-life killer Carlos Robledo Puch, who has served more than 45 years in prison in Argentina. The movie opens with the willowy Carlitos, whose soft features and curls eventually earn him his nickname, breaking into a house, dancing in it and then stealing a motorcycle, which he tells his mother (Cecilia Roth) was a loan from a friend. (People are always lending you things, she remarks.) Our guide to film series and special screenings happening this weekend and in the week ahead. All our movie reviews are at nytimes.com/reviews/movies. DOC NYC at various locations (through Nov. 15). Its impossible to distill a documentary festival that crams more than 100 features into eight days. Pick your topic. Are you interested in the mental cartwheels of contemporary flat-Earthers (Behind the Curve, on Saturday)? The efforts of animal welfare activists (The Cat Rescuers, on Saturday and Thursday)? Why people might confess to crimes they havent committed (False Confessions, on Tuesday)? The post-structualist filmmaker Peter Greenaway (The Greenaway Alphabet, on Saturday)? The late attention-grabber, announced earlier this week, is the world premiere of the long-unreleased Amazing Grace (on Monday), in which the director Sydney Pollack captured the 1972 recording of that famous Aretha Franklin live gospel album. Franklin, who died this year, had sued to block the films release, but the legal issues have been resolved. docnyc.net In the South African crime thriller Number 37, a desperate paraplegic and a pair of binoculars propel a plot cribbed from Hitchcocks Rear Window yet crackling with its own lowlife energy. Set in a huddle of seedy housing blocks in a notoriously dangerous area outside Cape Town, the plot (by the first-time feature director, Nosipho Dumisa, and two others) circles Randal (Irshaad Ally), a bitter crook whose failed caper months earlier left him paralyzed. It also left him owing a great deal of money to a fearsome loan shark (Danny Ross) who enjoys torturing defaulting debtors. With only a week to find the cash, Randal is in a serious bind until, through his binoculars, he spies a vile gang boss (David Manuel) murder a crooked cop in an apartment across the way. Maybe theres a solution to his predicament after all. Normally, when the drifter youve given a lift offers you a road brew a beer for the drive you might think deeply about letting him ride shotgun for the next 1,000 miles. But for Nat (Tony Revolori), who is traveling from Texas to start art school in Los Angeles, Richard (Jason Mantzoukas) has a worldly allure. Besides, Nat owes Richard, who has already fixed his car. Richard is older than Nat, and much of The Long Dumb Road, directed and co-written by Hannah Fidell (whose mother is Linda Greenhouse, the longtime Supreme Court writer for The New York Times) is a solid movie about the wisdom of the intervening years. The ex-boyfriend went to her house with some companions and shot her dead. The mother came in running: Whats up? Whats up? He shot her dead. When the brother arrived to the house, he saw them both dead and went to the police. The police said: Were not going there, theyre better armed than us. The gang said the brother was next. He came to the United States and is asking for asylum. Its going to be very difficult, because thats a case of gang violence, and they are not accepting those anymore. How did the separation of families at the Mexican border affect your work? Several unaccompanied minors came to us. But these cases of abandonment have to be handled in family court, and our center is only accredited to go to federal court. So we told them exactly where to go and what to ask for. Family separation used to happen before this summer, but not to the level of this administration. In 2012, for example, this woman, her husband and their child came to the United States through Mexico. They were all separated at the border. She couldnt speak a word of English and was given a court order in Texas, but never went. Within weeks, the family reunited and ended up in New York. I went to court here and asked the judge: Could you unite them under the same judge? He said: No, shes got a deportation order for missing her court hearing. I went to the Board of Immigration Appeals, wrote up the whole thing. In 2017, they said that they agreed with me. I had to go back to the same judge. He said: I hope youre happy now! He wasnt happy. To have someone like me, a nobody, overturn a judge. The case is still pending. Theres been a lot of talk about the caravan of migrants headed from Honduras to the Texas border. Could some of them become your clients? Devah Pager, a Harvard sociologist best known for rigorously measuring and documenting racial discrimination in the labor market and in the criminal justice system, died on Nov. 2 at her home in Cambridge, Mass. She was 46. Michael Shohl, her husband, said the cause was pancreatic cancer. In her seminal work, Dr. Pager, who was the Peter and Isabel Malkin professor of public policy at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and a professor of sociology at the university, documented what she called the powerful effects of race on hiring decisions, which she said contributed to persistent inequality. Employers, she found, were more likely to hire a white man, even if he had a felony conviction, than a black man with no criminal record. This suggests that being black in America today is essentially like having a felony conviction in terms of ones chances of finding employment, Dr. Pager said in a video interview with the Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality. Her finding, which appeared first in her doctoral dissertation in 2003 at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, surprised many. Not all his pictures were of war zones and refugee camps; he documented a rehabilitation hospital in Laos, dissident artists in Moscow, a tour of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. Whatever the subject, the label humanist was invariably attached to him and his pictures; he had the ability to infuse an image with heart and respect. When he works with people, he becomes almost invisible, Mr. Berger, the critic, essayist and novelist who died last year, once noted. That is to say, after a few minutes, he is there, he is taking pictures and people (even people who are being photographed) do not know. And I believe that this gift because it is a gift to John comes because of an extraordinary discretion, a discretion that is related to how he can relate to others. So it gives people the opportunity to keep their own presence and their own soul. Image The Photograph Photographed, Jerusalem, 1979. Credit... Jean Mohr, via Musee de lElysee Mr. Mohr collaborated with Mr. Berger on three books: A Fortunate Man: The Story of a Country Doctor (1967); A Seventh Man, about migrant workers (1975); and Another Way of Telling (1982). All were praised for the intricacy of the collaboration. Jean Mohrs defining characteristic the one repeated by others, the one certainly in evidence every time I met him, and perhaps the one which made the eloquence of his photographs possible was his humility, Tom Overton, who has edited two books about Mr. Berger, said by email. John Berger admitted himself somewhat less humble when he claimed the three books they worked on together considerably extended the narrative dialogues that are possible between text and images in book form. Looking back now, they still havent really been surpassed. In 1986 Mr. Mohr was involved in a similar collaboration with Dr. Said, the literary scholar, called After the Last Sky: Palestinian Lives. He saw us as we would have seen ourselves, at once inside and outside our world, Dr. Said, an advocate of Palestinian independence who died in 2003, wrote in that book of Mr. Mohrs photographs. It has become my habit to check social media when I first wake up, a consequence of this modern age. I wasnt sleeping well, so this morning I checked my phone around 5 a.m., expecting to see continued analysis of the midterm elections and maybe a charming news item about Cardi B. I should have known better. According to statistics from the Gun Violence Archive, there have been 307 mass shootings in the 312 days of 2018. They are a commonplace occurrence. This is a horrifying thing to say, but it is the truth. We need to say this truth over and over. We need to face this horror without looking away. We live in a country where there are relatively few restrictions on gun ownership and where our cultural tolerance for mass murder appears to be infinite. Less than a month ago I visited California State University Channel Islands, not far from where the shooting on Wednesday night took place. I was greeted by a deeply engaged audience. We had a thoughtful discussion about sexual violence, justice, trauma and healing. Some of those students might have been at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, Calif., Wednesday night, doing what college students are supposed to be doing dancing and hanging out with friends, having fun. As I read the news Thursday morning, my chest tightened. I read quotes from students from that campus describing the sparks and the smoke they saw. I felt resignation creeping in. Over the past two years there has been increased security at my events, armed guards. Sometimes they are there because I have received a threat. Sometimes they are there because I am a black woman with opinions and the threat is already implied. Every time I go on stage, I look out into the audience and wonder if there is a man with a gun in the sea of faces. I am not scared of him. I am resigned to the inevitability of him pointing that gun at me, at the crowd, and pulling the trigger. I dont want to be this resigned. I dont want you to be, either. The problem here, however, is that exercise of the inherent power, while legally sound, has long been considered cumbersome, constitutionally suspect and politically unpalatable. For that reason, it hasnt been employed since 1935, and the new Democratic majority is very unlikely to dust it off. Second, the House can file criminal contempt charges with the local United States attorney under a statute that says that the prosecutor has the duty to bring the matter before the grand jury. The rub here is that the executive branch has taken the position that its duty is really its prerogative, under the argument that separation of power concerns preclude another branch from instructing it when to bring a case. Thus, a command from the president not to bring the case is a functional checkmate. That leaves a final tool, which has become the de facto sole option: Congress can bring a civil enforcement action under the 1978 Ethics in Government Act. If the district court agrees that the subpoena is valid, it can order compliance, backed by its own contempt powers in the event of continued intransigence, including jailing the offender until he complies. It seems straightforward. And in fact, until about 15 years ago, the House had never had to bring an enforcement action to prevail in a subpoena battle with the executive branch. Just the threat of a contempt action was sufficient to produce a negotiated compromise. But the political dynamic underwent a seismic shift in 2007, with the Houses investigation of the mass firing of United States attorneys by the George W. Bush administration. Congress pulled the trigger on a contempt action but the executive branch returned fire. The House issued a subpoena to Harriet Miers, by then the former White House counsel, and the White House asserted executive privilege. The district court held for Congress, but the appeal was still pending when the 110th Congress, the legal entity bringing suit, expired in January 2009. The parties reached a settlement under which Congress got some of the documents it was seeking. But it took two years longer than the life of the Congress. A similar protracted and mixed verdict occurred when the House brought suit to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt over his noncompliance with a subpoena in an inquiry into the Justice Departments handling of a gun trafficking investigation. For too long, Democratic leaders have convinced their fellow elected officials that bland, nonconfrontational and incremental centrism is the way to win elections and make progress. In truth, its just the easiest way to protect the balance of power in Washington. But by trying to meet a corrupt Republican Party halfway, instead of taking clear stands for whats right, they have failed to define the party and failed to protect their constituents. We see the same approach on impeachment: As a way to delay making a decision, Democratic leaders have insisted on waiting for the special counsel, Robert Mueller, to deliver his report. But now the investigation is at risk, because Mr. Whitaker could prevent the special counsels team from reaching a just conclusion or even releasing its findings to the public. The current, Republican-led Congress could have already taken action to shield Mr. Mueller or to put Mr. Trump in check. It still can. If it does not, House Democrats must prepare subpoenas, to be issued as soon as they take over, to ensure that the public learns the truth uncovered by the special counsel, and call on his team to testify under oath in public hearings. Should the establishment refuse to give up conventional orthodoxy and take up impeachment proceedings when the new Congress convenes, freshmen members many of whom ran and won because of their promise to stand up to the president must challenge the establishment and demand a say over the agenda. An overwhelming majority of people in this country elected them to hold this president accountable. There is no majority without them. That means no one has the votes for a leadership title without their support. At a moment when just one-third of all Americans trust their government to do what is right, winning a majority has to mean much more than just frustrating Republican legislative goals and scoring debating points. Democrats must stand up for the safety of the American people and our entire democratic system. We cannot allow this to be an argument about what Republicans will permit its about demanding the truth and protecting the foundations of our free society. Anything less would mean abandoning the Constitution. Tom Steyer is the founder of Need to Impeach and NextGen America. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram. Yesterday, all of Googles vice presidents met, and today, the company will deliver some answers. According to an internal memo from the head of human resources, Eileen Naughton, Google leadership will address the issues at a town hall at its Charlies cafeteria in Mountain View, Calif. Global offices can call in at 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. According to a just-released letter to employees from Sundar Pichai, the Google chief executive, that I obtained, Google will meet many of the protesters demands. Those protesters had a long list, which included: An end to forced arbitration when filing a sexual harassment allegation, which has become a tool to suppress the accuser instead of protecting him or her; equality in pay and opportunity, which, by giving a wider range of people money and power, would help stop these kind of abuses; a public report on sexual harassment (news flash: sometimes shame is a perfectly fine motivator of good behavior); a uniform process for reporting sexual harassment charges in offices worldwide, which would prevent a piecemeal approach from hindering best practices; a chief diversity officer who reports to the chief executive officer, because clout comes with access; and creating an employee representative to the board, which seems like the smartest idea of all. We recognize that we have not always gotten everything right in the past and we are sincerely sorry for that, Mr. Pichai wrote. Its clear we need to make some changes. His letter said that arbitration will no longer be mandatory, announced improvements to sexual harassment reporting and training, and emphasized the companys commitment to diversity. Its just unfortunate that it took a public protest by its employees for the company to move these issues to the front burner. Google shouldnt stop here. Next, and perhaps more painfully, all the executives who paid off their colleagues or let them off the hook should explain in detail to employees how that happened. That would include releasing all pertinent emails and other communications to help figure out how these decisions were made. While some think such disclosures are legally problematic, truth and reconciliation is the first step to true change. One of Silicon Valleys worst characteristics is an inability to reflect on itself. This is part of its laudable proclivity to push forward, but in this case, looking back is the best way to move ahead. Finally, these issues arent limited to Google, and the company now has a chance to become a real leader of changes across tech and all of business. Imagine if it took the tens of millions of dollars it had given to each of the problematic executives and instead handed it over to a range of public advocacy organizations that could hold companies like Google to account. To the Editor: Re Trump Replaces Sessions With a Loyalist; Vows Warlike Stance on House Inquiries (front page, Nov. 8): The firing of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the appointment of Matthew Whitaker as his replacement have brought this nation to the threshold of a constitutional crisis. Mr. Whitaker has said publicly, on multiple occasions, that the Mueller investigation was close to crossing a red line and should be curtailed. He has also defended Donald Trump Jr.s taking a meeting with Russians who offered to provide dirt about Hillary Clinton. Ethical standards would mandate that Mr. Whitaker recuse himself from any role in overseeing the Mueller investigation. That is not going to happen. While Mr. Whitaker may be foreclosed by law from firing Mr. Mueller without good cause, he is likely to claim falsely the existence of such cause. Alternatively, Mr. Whitaker will move to impede Mr. Mueller and ensure that his findings never see the light of day. The response to this unfolding outrage must be immediate and robust. Congress must enact protective legislation. The soon-to-be chairmen of the House Intelligence Committee and the Judiciary Committee should instruct Mr. Mueller to deliver his findings to their committees. Mr. Mueller must share his work product with the United States attorneys having jurisdiction over the subject matter of his investigation. Meanwhile, all respecters of the Constitution and the rule of law must take to the streets, en masse, to protest any attempt to subvert the critical work of the special counsel. To the Editor: I switched to Casablanca on TCM for large parts of the election returns on Tuesday night. A few moments of sublime romance seemed a fair reward for the debacle being played out on the other networks. The commentators seemed alternately pleased, dismayed and frustrated by the numbers rolling in from around the country. I had a simpler reaction I was shocked. I had assumed that the election of Donald Trump two years ago was a mistake, and that a large majority of people who voted for him deeply regretted it and would make it right in this midterm. I counted on Mr. Trumps being humiliated by the rejection of his bigoted, cruel, disastrous policies. I was grievously wrong, stupid and naive. Democrats won the House? So what? It is not enough to stop Mr. Trump and his Senate and his Cabinet and his Justice Department from continuing to destroy all that we once held sacred. This is no longer the America of which we were all so proud and no amount of slick lies can mask the truth. Worst of all, over 40 percent of Americans approve of the president. How can that be? More than 10.7 million low-income households in the United States lack access to quality internet service. In cities like San Jose, Calif., local governments are using streetlight poles to facilitate equitable access to high-speed internet to dramatically improve educational outcomes for low-income students and expand economic opportunity for their families. Unfortunately, a recent mandate by the Federal Communications Commission might halt the progress made by these cities. Access to reliable, high-speed internet service commonly referred to broadband has become a necessity, not a luxury. An overwhelming majority of public-school teachers assign homework that requires online access, leaving far too many students unable to perform the basic tasks critical for academic success. The sight of public-school students finishing their algebra homework in fast-food restaurants and coffee shops, where they have access to free public Wi-Fi, has compelled hundreds of cities and school districts to find ways to bridge what one official has called the cruelest part of the digital divide: the homework gap. Cities throughout the United States increasingly look to their own streetlight poles to meet this challenge. Because of their optimal height and access to power, the poles can enable emerging telecommunications technologies to deliver high-quality cellular and data service (and eventually 5G service) using small cell devices, and public broadband using Wi-Fi-transmitting hardware. In addition, the ubiquitous presence of streetlight poles can make it easier to deliver high-quality wireless and internet service more equitably throughout a city and connect those low-income neighborhoods that remain vastly underserved. Sensing this enormous opportunity, many mayors in the United States have welcomed the opportunity to partner with the private sector to equip their city-owned streetlight poles with these new technologies and achieve more equitable access in their communities. However, the telecommunications industry has quietly worked to usurp control over these coveted public assets and utilize publicly owned streetlight poles for their own profit, not the public benefit. What do these four have in common? They voted against Brett Kavanaugh. This fact will become a major problem for Chuck Schumer, the Senate Minority leader, when he tries to round up votes in opposition to Trump court and administration nominees next year or perhaps even more crucially, during the presidential campaign season the following year. Opinion Debate Will the Democrats face a midterm wipeout? Mark Penn and Andrew Stein write that "only a broader course correction to the center will give Democrats a fighting chance in 2022" and beyond. write that "only a broader course correction to the center will give Democrats a fighting chance in 2022" and beyond. Tory Gavito and Adam Jentleson write that the Virgina loss should "shock Democrats into confronting the powerful role that racially coded attacks play in American politics." write that the Virgina loss should "shock Democrats into confronting the powerful role that racially coded attacks play in American politics." Ezra Klein speaks to David Shor, who discusses his fear that Democrats face electoral catastrophe unless they shift their messaging. speaks to David Shor, who discusses his fear that Democrats face electoral catastrophe unless they shift their messaging. Ross Douthat writes that the outcome of the Virginia gubernatorial race shows Democrats need a new way to talk about progressive ideology and education. Compounding Schumers difficulty: Joe Manchin, Democrat of West Virginia, was the one red-state Democrat who voted for Kavanaugh, and he won re-election easily. Looking forward toward 2020, Democratic prospects of wresting control of the upper chamber are bleak. At the moment, only one Republican incumbent up for re-election in 2020, Cory Gardner of Colorado, looks vulnerable. And Gardners chances look better than those of Doug Jones, Democrat of Alabama, who may find himself running against former Senator Jeff Sessions, the Attorney General Trump forced to resign on Wednesday. Jim Newell, writing in Slate in October, described the situation well: The 2020 Senate election is shaping up to be the moment when the organic Republican majority within the Senate falls into place. Trump won 46 percent of the popular vote in 2016 but 60 percent of states, and states like Idaho and Wyoming get just as many senators as California. Unless a whole bunch of red states suddenly turn blue, Democrats will be stuck where they are: in the minority. The Republican structural advantage in Senate races is reflected in the votes received by each party in Senate contests on Nov. 6. As the political website 538 reported yesterday, Voters cast 44.7 million votes for Democratic Senate candidates and 32.9 million votes for Republican Senate candidates in other words 57 percent of Senate votes went for Democrats. Despite this huge gap Democrats won 11.8 million more votes than Republicans there will be at least a two-seat gain for Republicans. This pattern outraged Marc Hetherington, a political scientist at the University of North Carolina, who emailed me: If there is one thing the election underscores it is how malapportioned Americas representative institutions are. President Trump, of course, won the presidency while losing the popular vote by millions in 2016. Democrats in 2018 managed to eke out a 35-seat pickup while winning a national popular vote margin that is apparently going to be over 7 percentage points. A 7-point victory almost always produces a wave election type margin when translated into seats. But not this year. Hetherington cited the House election in North Carolina: In 2018, the GOP maintained their 9-3 majority despite the fact that the Democrats won roughly 100,000 more votes than Republicans did in these 12 contests combined. Democrats in red states felt good about increased turnout. They fielded good candidates in a lot of places, Hetherington said: And they came up exactly 0 Senate seat wins from the Great Plains to the Atlantic Ocean. Democrats need to figure out a way to win in places they havent been winning, and it is not clear that they got a template for that on Tuesday. Matt Grossmann, a political scientist at Michigan State, also wrote to me along similar lines: The Senate looks harder than ever as a long-term prospect for Democrats: without Red State senators, winning and holding the chamber will be near impossible. Grossmann argues that the ideological positioning of candidates this year had consequences, particularly in contested districts: Liberal insurgent House nominees who beat establishment alternatives in swing district primaries went 0 for 3 (NE-2, PA-1, CA-45) whereas establishment picks who defeated liberal alternatives went 3 for 3 (PA-7, KS-3, TX-7). The same factors were at play for the Republicans, who also paid for extremism, Grossmann wrote: Kris Kobach for governor in Kansas and Scott Walker for Wisconsin governor, but Republicans won both of the direct gubernatorial conflicts between candidates from the far left and right: Brian Kemp vs. Stacey Abrams in Georgia and Ron DeSantis vs. Andrew Gillum in Florida. (Abrams is not conceding defeat and still hopes to force Kemp into a runoff; she campaigned as a progressive, as did Gillum, not as someone on the far left.) Brian Schaffner, a political scientist at Tufts who helps run polling for the Cooperative Congressional Election Study, told me that suburban voters leaned Democratic by more than ten percentage points but that this pattern did not extend to the suburbs in the South where Republican candidates held a narrow advantage over Democrats. Everyone is delivering post-mortems on Tuesdays elections, so for what its worth, heres mine: Despite some bitter disappointments and lost ground in the Senate, Democrats won a huge victory. They broke the Republican monopoly on federal power, and thats a very big deal for an administration that has engaged in blatant corruption and abuse of power, in the belief that an impenetrable red wall would always protect it from accountability. They also made major gains at the state level, which will have a big impact on future elections. But given this overall success, how do we explain those Senate losses? Many people have pointed out that this years Senate map was unusually bad for Democrats, consisting disproportionately of states Donald Trump won in 2016. But there was actually a deeper problem, one that will pose long-term problems, not just for Democrats, but for the legitimacy of our whole political system. For economic and demographic trends have interacted with political change to make the Senate deeply unrepresentative of American reality. How is America changing? Immigration and our growing racial and cultural diversity are only part of the story. Were also witnessing a transformation in the geography of our economy, as dynamic industries increasingly gravitate to big metropolitan areas where there are already large numbers of highly educated workers. Its not an accident that Amazon is planning to put its two new headquarters in New York and the Washington D.C. metropolitan area, both places with an existing deep pool of talent. Obviously not everyone lives or wants to live in these growth centers of the new economy. But we are increasingly a nation of urbanites and suburbanites. Almost 60 percent of us live in metropolitan areas with more than a million people, more than 70 percent in areas with more than 500,000 residents. Conservative politicians may extol the virtues of a real America of rural areas and small towns, but the real real America in which we live, while it contains small towns, is mostly metropolitan. This degree of isolation leaves Mrs. May cut off from the insights that she needs for Britain to avoid calamity. Furious and frustrated politicians, experts, diplomats and business leaders have been blocked, sidelined or ignored when they have tried to brief the prime minister on the catastrophic complexities of Brexit. Even those she listens to rarely hear what she thinks. They often deduce it from how she acts afterward. By being so silent, Mrs. May has not made the case for the Brexit deal she wants. Even if she gets Brussels to agree to it, it will fail unless she can get the cabinet and members of Parliament to back it not by secrecy and shrewd bluffs, but by full-throated advocacy and persuasion. And that is the fatal flaw in Mrs. Mays punching-bag strategy. She needs support she has not bothered to build. Ever since taking power in 2016, she should have been telling Britain the truth: The Brexit you hoped for is undeliverable because it promised a fantasy. The Brexiteers lied to you. We cannot have all the benefits of the European Union and none of the costs. We must compromise or face disaster. Even some of Mrs. Mays close supporters say privately that her deal cannot survive. If it reaches the House of Commons, which must approve any Brexit agreement, many Conservative Euroskeptics will rebel, and not enough of the opposition will step in to save her. There will be uproar, chaos, talk of a second referendum and fears of no deal. This situation was never inevitable. It is the product of an overcautious leaders fundamental misjudgment of her partys politics. Mrs. May has always been stronger than she thought; she had defeated the Brexiteers to become prime minister, and none, despite all their sniping and plotting, has had the backing to replace her since. A more courageous leader would have argued publicly for the least disruptive Brexit from the start, persuading a divided country to follow her, avoiding the immense damage we have already inflicted on our businesses, our international reputation and our relationship with our alienated, exhausted European Union partners. Mrs. May has been inadequate, but she was the best her party could agree on. Would anyone else step up? an insider asked. Everyone wants her job after March, when Britain is set to leave the European Union. No one else wants it now. Jenni Russell (@jennirsl) is a columnist for The Times of London and a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 8) President Rodrigo Duterte apparently trying to quash speculation that he was grooming his daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio to be his successor said Thursday that she has no plans to run for President. "Si Inday, huwag kayo maniwalang tatakbo ng Presidente. Hindi yan mag-aaksaya ng panahon," he said in a speech at an event in Malay, Aklan. [Translation: Don't believe Inday will run for President. She won't waste her time.] Inday is the nickname of Duterte's daughter, the incumbent mayor of Davao City. She has formed her own regional political party, the Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), ahead of the 2019 elections. HNP has entered into alliances with other regional and national political parties. In a speech in September during his meeting with the Filipino community in Jordan, the President said should he be unable to fulfill his promises to the country, he was hopeful his daughter would in the future. "I won here, 73 percent of you voted for me. So I will remember that for all time. And kung hindi ako makabayad ng utang ko sa inyo, I hope in little ways, si Inday, Mayor man, she might be in the future. Pwede man ninyong malapitan. Inday is good. Marunong 'yan," he said. [Translation: I won here, 73 percent of you voted for me. So I will still remember that for all time. And if I am unable to repay my debt to you, I hope in little ways Inday, even as mayor, she might be in the future. You can approach her. Inday is good. She is clever.] In August, the President said he was confident his daughter would not run for any national post. "Ang anak ko, si Inday, I can tell you I know her. Hindi magtatakbo 'yan ng national. Ganun lang 'yan," Duterte said. [Translation: "My daughter, Inday, I can tell you I know her. She won't run for a national post. She's just like that."] And just last month, Duterte said among his three older children, Inday was the most formidable. Speaking at the 44th Philippine Business Conference and Expo in Manila on October 18, the President said it was Sara who moved to unseat Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez as House Speaker. "Be careful of that woman. She can oust even a Speaker. She operated in Davao as mayor, tignan mo nangyari [look at what happened] in Congress," Duterte said. Sara Duterte is seeking another term as Davao City mayor in the 2019 elections. Her brother, Sebastian, is running for vice mayor, while her other brother Paolo as the city's first district representative. Contractors who use drones should have permits to do so, and they should be using them only for the specific purposes for which they were hired, said Kara Cermak, senior vice president of learning and development and senior offsite community manager at RealManage LLC in Elgin. It means that Mr. Trumps installation of Matthew Whitaker as acting attorney general of the United States after forcing the resignation of Jeff Sessions is unconstitutional. Its illegal. And it means that anything Mr. Whitaker does, or tries to do, in that position is invalid. Much of the commentary about Mr. Whitakers appointment has focused on all sorts of technical points about the Vacancies Reform Act and Justice Department succession statutes. But the flaw in the appointment of Mr. Whitaker, who was Mr. Sessionss chief of staff at the Justice Department, runs much deeper. It defies one of the explicit checks and balances set out in the Constitution, a provision designed to protect us all against the centralization of government power. If you dont believe us, then take it from Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, whom Mr. Trump once called his favorite sitting justice. Last year, the Supreme Court examined the question of whether the general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board had been lawfully appointed to his job without Senate confirmation. The Supreme Court held the appointment invalid on a statutory ground. Justice Thomas agreed with the judgment, but wrote separately to emphasize that even if the statute had allowed the appointment, the Constitutions Appointments Clause would not have. The officer in question was a principal officer, he concluded. And the public interest protected by the Appointments Clause was a critical one: The Constitutions drafters, Justice Thomas argued, recognized the serious risk for abuse and corruption posed by permitting one person to fill every office in the government. Which is why, he pointed out, the framers provided for advice and consent of the Senate. What goes for a mere lawyer at the N.L.R.B. goes in spades for the attorney general of the United States, the head of the Justice Department and one of the most important people in the federal government. It is one thing to appoint an acting underling, like an acting solicitor general, a post one of us held. But those officials are always supervised by higher-ups; in the case of the solicitor general, by the attorney general and deputy attorney general, both confirmed by the Senate. Ross: Speak not of that awful show, which with or without Kevin Spacey shames the memory of the British original. As for soothsaying, were Trump a normal president, or person, you would expect him to seize this opportunity to return to his 2016 populism and triangulate against his own party by, say, finally doing that infrastructure bill. But again, you watched the news conference. Did that seem like a man ready to triangulate? I think not. Opinion Debate Will the Democrats face a midterm wipeout? Mark Penn and Andrew Stein write that "only a broader course correction to the center will give Democrats a fighting chance in 2022" and beyond. write that "only a broader course correction to the center will give Democrats a fighting chance in 2022" and beyond. Tory Gavito and Adam Jentleson write that the Virgina loss should "shock Democrats into confronting the powerful role that racially coded attacks play in American politics." write that the Virgina loss should "shock Democrats into confronting the powerful role that racially coded attacks play in American politics." Ezra Klein speaks to David Shor, who discusses his fear that Democrats face electoral catastrophe unless they shift their messaging. speaks to David Shor, who discusses his fear that Democrats face electoral catastrophe unless they shift their messaging. Ross Douthat writes that the outcome of the Virginia gubernatorial race shows Democrats need a new way to talk about progressive ideology and education. Frank: Im not sure Trump could define or spell triangulate, let alone try it. He would probably blush if you said it to him, mistaking it as counsel from the Kama Sutra. We will not have a big infrastructure bill, because we never get a big infrastructure bill, even though its the no-brainer piece of needed legislation and its absence is a complete betrayal of the American children who will inherit our crumbling bridges, cramped airports and constipated trains. But go back to Democrats and a possible subpoena-palooza. [Go beyond the headlines and behind the curtain with Frank Brunis candid reflections on politics, culture, higher education and more every week. Sign up for his newsletter.] Ross: I think the key for Democrats is to stay focused. That means going after corruption, both Trumps own and the shady doings of some of his functionaries, without going down every rabbit hole that the partys conspiracy theorists want investigated. It means getting the Trump tax returns, or trying to, while leaving the Russia stuff to Mueller as long as hes still allowed to do his work. It means resisting the temptation, which apparently is strong enough that The Federalists Mollie Hemingway overheard Jerrold Nadler going on and on about it in a phone call on the Acela today, to try to impeach Justice Kavanaugh for perjury and resisting a rush to impeachment for Trump as well. It means treating their newfound investigative power mostly as means to check Trumps behavior now and weaken him before 2020 and recognizing that it would take more extraordinary developments for a path to open to actually removing him. Thats my sense, at least. What do you think? Frank: I think that Nadler must just ride the Acela between New York and D.C. multiple times daily, because I rarely ride it without spotting him. More seriously: I think that what the most impassioned warriors of the Democratic base want is Trumps impeachment, because they recognize him rightly as a danger and a disgrace. But what most Americans want more is a government that seems to be doing its mature, earnest best to govern. The next two years will likely be stalemate, but if Democrats are wise, they will show voters that they are doing their damnedest to draft and move along sensible, helpful legislation. Bob Kerrey shared some thoughts about this with me for my Wednesday newsletter this week, and I think he made excellent points. Ross: Yes, I think thats right: If you assume that no big, beautiful deals are possible, it makes sense for Democrats to pick a few (but only a few) discrete pieces of potentially popular legislation and march them through the House so that they can attack the Republicans for obstructing them two years hence. (My zeal for family policy makes me wish for a House version of the Sherrod Brown-Michael Bennet child tax credit bill, but thats relatively unlikely.) My main caution for the Democrats is that despite all their wins this week, their most ambitious progressive candidates the Medicare for All endorsees, especially often fell short. Which might suggest that the public will respond better to liberal incrementalism (a minimum wage hike, a modest Obamacare fix) than some of the more sweeping ideas that the 2020 candidates are likely to endorse. Nearly 11,000 years ago, a man died in what is now Nevada. Wrapped in a rabbit-skin blanket and reed mats, he was buried in a place called Spirit Cave. Now scientists have recovered and analyzed his DNA, along with that of 70 other ancient people whose remains were discovered throughout the Americas. The findings lend astonishing detail to a story once lost to prehistory: how and when humans spread across the Western Hemisphere. The earliest known arrivals from Asia were already splitting into recognizably distinct groups, the research suggests. Some of these populations thrived, becoming the ancestors of indigenous peoples throughout the hemisphere. But other groups died out entirely, leaving no trace save for what can be discerned in ancient DNA. Indeed, the new genetic research hints at many dramatic chapters in the peopling of the Americas that archaeology has yet to uncover. Ts Nov. 11 Travel issue is dedicated to a series of five fairy tales written exclusively for us the kinds of stories that will inspire your own adventures, if not of the body, then at least of the mind. Read more in our letter from the editor. YOU HAVE LIVED longer than any child should. By now, your hair is locked tight and salt has pickled your eyes, your tongue, your throat. Like youre made of crystals. Youre not sure where your body went after you died maybe the fishes ate you away slowly, maybe a riptide collected your bones and flung them out into the deeper dark waters. All youve known is this thorned island, and now the drag of rocks that youre locked to, in this small, clear cove, a few feet under the surface. You cant remember how long youve been dead, or why you continued to live afterward, bound to these stained stones and the sound of the sea sluicing between them. They built a boardwalk over you a while ago, a stretch of lined wood, and the other children love it. They run along it, they race, they leap into the blue jewel that is the water, clear of the rocks and the shadow you share with a thousand small crabs tiptoeing around your bubbled mouth. They smell so free it hurts the kind of free thats never known iron against their ankles or seen it weigh down their mothers wrists. You are jealous. Read more: A Guide to Curacao, a Laid-Back Caribbean Island With Candy-Colored Houses Now there are cruise ships that come in instead of the other ones. These are the biggest boats youve ever seen; they clog the water and the sky. There is a dead girl who likes to follow them from island to island. Shes young, like you, and sometimes she comes to visit your little cove. She taught you what to call the big boats, but she never tells you how shes able to move so freely, no matter how many times you ask. If you try to follow her when she leaves, you only make it a few feet through the water before everything stops. Its not even darkness that wraps around you, its just nothing. When it starts again, youre always back under the boardwalk with the crabs and the tiny darting silver fish. This time, however, youve decided its going to be different. The conference, which ends Friday, also reflected some new challenges facing China. It was held at the same time as another big event: a six-day import expo in Shanghai aimed at showing China as a big buyer of foreign goods. With American tariffs threatening to slow a weakening Chinese economy, the countrys leader, Xi Jinping, spoke at the expo on Monday to proclaim that China could be a positive force in global trade. At Wuzhen, by contrast, Mr. Xi appeared only by proxy. The head of the Communist Partys propaganda department, Huang Kunming, conveyed a message of thanks from Mr. Xi and then delivered an opening address that extolled the world-changing power of internet access. Emissaries from Silicon Valley were also in short supply. Last year, the speakers at Wuzhen included Tim Cook, Apples chief executive, as well as Sundar Pichai of Google. This year, the sole Western tech executive to give a keynote address was Steve Mollenkopf, the chief executive of the chip maker Qualcomm. His appearance served as a reminder of American companies continuing travails in China, which could deepen as the two powers wrestle over high-tech supremacy. Qualcomm scrapped a $44 billion deal to buy a Dutch chip manufacturer this year after Chinas antitrust authorities declined to approve it, a move widely viewed as retaliation in the trade war. These forms of marginalization function together to police access to power and resources, the group said in a statement. Sexual harassment is the symptom, not the cause. If we want to end sexual harassment in the workplace, we must fix these structural imbalances of power. At a companywide meeting on Thursday, Eileen Naughton, Googles vice president of people operations, and Danielle Brown, its chief diversity officer, presented the changes announced by Mr. Pichai, said two people who attended and who were not authorized to speak publicly. Then Ms. Naughton and Ms. Brown, along with Susan Wojcicki, chief executive of Googles YouTube, and Ruth Porat, Googles chief financial officer, answered questions from employees, the people said. Mr. Pichai attended, but not Googles founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, who sometimes appear at staff meetings. The meeting lasted over an hour, the people said. Some workers asked why contractors did not get the same protection from harassment as full-time employees. In an answer to another question about how to change Googles executive culture, Urs Holzle, a senior vice president and one of the earliest employees, urged staff members to view executives as individuals and not as one group, the people said. Another employee said Mr. Pichai also seemed dismissive of the idea of an employee representative on the board. Mr. Pichai said that was a decision for the board to make, the person said. Google declined to comment on the meeting details. After The Times reported on how Google had generously treated executives accused of sexual misconduct, Mr. Pichai and Mr. Page apologized to employees. Mr. Pichai also said that Google had fired 48 people over two years in response to claims of harassment and that none had received an exit package. But their statements did little to quell growing employee anger. Many workers expressed their unhappiness on internal message boards and in meetings, as well as on Twitter and other social media. Some began to organize a walkout. NETWORK at the Belasco Theater (previews start on Nov. 10, opens on Dec. 6). The suave Belgian director Ivo van Hove has never seemed mad as hell, but he is taking an adaptation of the 1976 Paddy Chayefsky film to Broadway. When Ben Brantley saw the production in London last fall, he called it a a bravura exercise in torturously applied pressure. Bryan Cranston, in a state of radioactive meltdown, stars as the newscaster Howard Beale. 212-239-6200, networkbroadway.com THE OTHER JOSH COHEN at the Westside Theater (in previews; opens on Nov. 12). Hello again. In this show by Steve Rosen and David Rossmer, a lovable schlub has his heart broken and his apartment burgled. But with the aid of one Neil Diamond CD, his life might be looking up. When the production premiered in 2012, The New York Times described it as an endearing and consistently funny crowd pleaser. Hunter Foster directs the revival. 212-239-6200, otherjoshcohen.com THE PROM at the Longacre Theater (in previews; opens on Nov. 15). When one door closes, the double doors to a high school open. In this musical comedy from Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone) and Chad Beguelin (Elf), an out-of-work Broadway troupe descends on an all-American town to support a teenage girl who wants to pin a corsage on her girlfriend. Casey Nicholaw directs a cast that includes Beth Leavel, Brooks Ashmanskas and Christopher Sieber. Lets hope not all the dances are slow. 212-239-6200, theprommusical.com THE RESISTIBLE RISE OF ARTURO UI at Classic Stage Company (in previews; opens on Nov. 14). Its unfortunate that Bertolt Brechts 1941 parable on fascism always feels relevant. Its luckier that in this revival the 1930s gangster and cauliflower enthusiast Arturo Ui will be played by Raul Esparza. Classic Stage Companys production, directed by John Doyle, also stars Elizabeth A. Davis. 866-811-4111, classicstage.org The holiday season, starting from Thanksgiving up through the New Year, is a notoriously expensive time to plan a vacation. Its a case of supply versus demand, said Dr. Rummy Pandit, the executive director of the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism at Stockton University in New Jersey. Many people have time off during the holidays and want to get away, and, in turn, hotels charge premium prices. In fact, rates in high demand destinations can be four times than what they usually are. But there is a flip side: Dr. Pandit said that you can go on a fun-filled getaway for a good value if you do the research to find one. There are deals to be had if you look in the right places, and more destinations than ever want to lure budget-minded travelers for a late-year getaway. Here are some of them. An affordable winter wonderland in Rhode Island Summer is the peak tourist season in Newport, R.I., but prices go down in winter, and theres still a lot to see and do. By Thursday afternoon, the acting governor, Gavin Newsom, had declared a state of emergency, and hundreds of firefighters were on the scene or en route, said a spokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Lynne Tolmachoff. Mr. Newsom later sent a letter to President Trump asking for federal assistance to aid Butte County and other areas across the state that were frantically fighting infernos. By late Thursday, fire officials said perhaps as many as 1,000 structures had been damaged; as the fire roared just south of Chico, 15,000 structures were threatened. Jonathan Cox, a division chief with Cal Fire, said at least two firefighters had been injured, as had numerous civilians. In the meantime, the fire continued to rage totally uncontained. It was not clear if there had been any fatalities. More than 23,000 people across the county of 230,000 residents were told to evacuate through an automated notification system at the Butte County Sheriffs Office, but a spokeswoman for the sheriff said there were no firm numbers of how many had done so. Cal Fire, said on its website that the fire began early Thursday near the town of Pulga, which is on the western edge of the Plumas National Forest. California, where a gunman killed 12 people in a bar in Thousand Oaks on Wednesday night, has some of the strictest gun laws in the country. It was the first state to ban assault weapons in 1989 after a shooting at a Stockton elementary school left five students dead. In the wake of several recent mass shootings including one in February in Parkland, Fla., where a gunman killed 17 students and employees at a high school state legislators put forward at least nine new gun control bills in response. Heres a look at the state of gun regulations in California: Recent Legislation Raised the age for buying rifles and shotguns from 18 to 21. Imposed lifetime bans on gun ownership for those convicted of domestic violence or involuntarily hospitalized for mental illness more than once in a one-year period. Strengthened a law prohibiting multiburst trigger devices, including bump stocks. Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed two other measures. One would have prohibited the purchase of more than one long gun a month. The other would have allowed teachers and employers to petition the courts to have guns confiscated from people who are a danger to themselves and others. Previous Regulations All firearm and ammunition dealers must obtain a state license. Private gun sales must be completed through a licensed firearms dealer, requiring a background check and mandatory waiting period. The state maintains permanent records of firearm sales. In 2016, Governor Brown signed a law expanding the prohibition on assault weapons and regulating the sale of ammunition. With few exceptions, the possession, manufacture, transfer, sale, or lending of assault weapons is prohibited within the state. The state can issue permits for the possession of assault rifles to certain law enforcement agencies or other approved individuals. The classic model of beer sales six- or 12-packs of a single brew in 12-ounce cans or bottles will never disappear. But craft brewers are turning to ever-more-novel approaches to be more customer friendly while standing out in an ever-more-crowded market. In recent weeks, the Brewers Association said the U.S. is up to 7,082 breweries with more than 2,000 in planning. Five years ago, the nation was home to fewer than 3,000 breweries. Good morning. (Want to get California Today by email? Heres the sign-up.) More money for subsidized housing and a resounding defeat for rent control and activists: That was the message Californians seemed to send to state and local governments on Election Day. Housing issues were scattered across Tuesdays ballot, including a pair of bond measures that would raise billions for subsidized affordable housing and a much-debated rent control measure that landlords spent heavily to defeat. The bond measures both passed, as did Proposition C, a San Francisco initiative that will vastly increase the citys homeless spending (if it survives a legal challenge). Voters also defeated Proposition 5, a proposal that would have allowed homeowners to take lower property taxes with them when they move. At the same time, Californians voted overwhelmingly against expanding rent control by rejecting two local measures and a statewide initiative that would have allowed cities to broaden tenant protections. Activists were also out. In San Francisco, Matt Haney, a member of the local school board, crushed the insurgent campaign of Sonja Trauss, a housing activist, in a race for a seat on the board of supervisors. But across the Bay in Oakland, Buffy Wicks, a former staffer for President Barack Obama who pushed a pro-housing platform in a run for a State Assembly seat, defeated Jovanka Beckles, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. Proposition 10, the statewide rent control law that lost on Tuesday, was a key issue in that race. Ms. Beckles supported the measure; Ms. Wicks did not. In an interview on Thursday, Ms. Ogg said that the sentence would send a message that crimes committed against people in historically disenfranchised communities were dealt with fairly, even when law enforcement officials or their family members were involved. This verdict was a reflection of my administrations policy and commitment to equal protection of everyone, regardless of their economic or racial status, Ms. Ogg said. It is not historic, she added. But it is a sign that times are changing for the better. On Thursday, Maria Toral, Mr. Hernandezs wife, declined to comment when reached by telephone. In court on Wednesday, Ms. Toral told the court that she visits Mr. Hernandezs grave with their daughter, according to The Houston Chronicle. She stands on one foot and looks up to the sky and says, Look at me, Daddy, Im a big girl now, Ms. Toral said, in tears. Scot Courtney, who was Mr. Thompsons lawyer at trial and has filed a notice to appeal, said in court on Wednesday that his client was a good man who absolutely made a bad decision, according to The Chronicle. You need to give him a sentence that will allow him to, one day, return to his family and the responsibilities that he has taken care of, he said. In an interview on Thursday, Mr. Courtney said he had sought a two- to 20-year sentence based on a sudden passion argument, which suggests Mr. Thompsons actions were spontaneous as a reaction to being hit by Mr. Hernandez first. Race had nothing to do with this case, he said. Mr. Thompson confronted Mr. Hernandez on May 28 last year at around 11:40 p.m. after pulling into the Dennys parking lot with his children about 17 miles from downtown Houston, the authorities said. Mr. Thompson approached Mr. Hernandez, who was intoxicated and urinating outside the restaurant, which led to the fight that left Mr. Hernandez lying face-first on the sidewalk, the Harris County sheriffs office said. LAWRENCE, Kan. A decade ago, a Democrat was governor of Kansas. And Illinois. And Michigan. And Wisconsin. Since then, Republicans dominated, winning governors races across much of the Midwest and enacting conservative policies that reshaped the region in their image. On Tuesday, there were signs of a shift back toward the politics that had long defined the region. Though Republicans remain the more powerful party in the center of the country, voters flipped governors offices back to Democrats in those four states and sent Democrats to Congress in several suburban districts that had long been firmly Republican. Moderation plays well in the Midwest. The results suggested that the much-discussed demise of the Midwestern Democrat may have been exaggerated after President Trumps victory in 2016. What happened in the Midwest this week, bringing an end to total Republican control in three state capitals, was in some cases less a sharp shift on matters of national ideology and more a return to the once-familiar political middle. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Looming recounts in top Florida election contests, including the bitterly fought races for Senate and governor, erupted late Thursday into a fiery feud as Gov. Rick Scott, the Republican nominee for Senate who claimed victory on Tuesday, sued local elections officials in two of the states largest counties and accused them of rampant fraud. Standing on the steps of the Governors Mansion, Mr. Scott announced on Thursday night that his Senate campaign had sued the Democratic elections supervisors of Broward and Palm Beach Counties. He then asked the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which he helps oversee as governor, to investigate them. The people of Florida deserve fairness and transparency, and the supervisors are failing to give it to us, Mr. Scott said. Every Floridian should be concerned there may be rampant fraud happening in Palm Beach and Broward Counties. Weve all seen the incompetence and irregularities in vote tabulations in Broward and Palm Beach for years, he added, but here we go again. I will not sit idly by while unethical liberals try to steal this election from the great people of Florida. WASHINGTON It was solemn, dignified and brief the antithesis of the prolonged, bitter, circuslike spectacle that preceded it. Yet when the Supreme Court formally welcomed Brett M. Kavanaugh as an associate justice on Thursday, there were still echoes of the rancor his nomination to the court ignited. Justice Kavanaugh skipped the most public element of the ceremony, a traditional walk down the courts front steps with Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., out of an abundance of caution, due to security concerns, according to a spokeswoman for the court, Kathleen Arberg. Inside the majestic chamber, where members of Washingtons Republican establishment mingled amid the marble columns before the investiture began, there were reminders not just of the contentious confirmation process but also of the turmoil on the Trump legal team, which deepened this week after President Trump fired Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Around Justice Kavanaugh was a vivid tableau of Mr. Trumps Washington, a city rived by the battle over the Supreme Court and shadowed by questions about the rule of law. For about 15 minutes, many of the key players were gathered in the same room. Lucy McBath, the gun control and racial justice activist whose son was killed in a 2012 shooting, is now headed to Congress, after winning a razor-thin election decided Thursday morning. Ms. McBath defeated the Republican incumbent Karen Handel, who only last year won a closely watched special election in the same Georgia district. Though Ms. Handel did not concede the race until Thursday morning, Ms. McBath, who is also a former Delta flight attendant, claimed victory in a statement released Wednesday. The Associated Press officially called the race for Ms. McBath on Thursday morning, with her lead at just under 3,000 votes. Six years ago I went from a Marietta mom to a mother on a mission, she said, referencing her teenage sons death. Jordan Davis, Ms. McBaths son, was 17 when he was shot and killed by a white man at a gas station after refusing to turn down the volume of the rap music playing in his car. The man was later convicted of first-degree murder. WASHINGTON The acting attorney general, Matthew G. Whitaker, once espoused the view that the courts are supposed to be the inferior branch and criticized the Supreme Courts power to review legislative and executive acts and declare them unconstitutional, the lifeblood of its existence as a coequal branch of government. In a Q. and A. when he sought the Republican nomination for senator in Iowa in 2014, Mr. Whitaker indicated that he shared the belief among some conservatives that the federal judiciary has too much power over public policy. He criticized many of the Supreme Courts rulings, beginning with a foundational one: Marbury v. Madison, which established its power of judicial review in 1803. There are so many bad rulings, Mr. Whitaker said. I would start with the idea of Marbury v. Madison. Thats probably a good place to start and the way its looked at the Supreme Court as the final arbiter of constitutional issues. The interview was among evidence that shed new light on Mr. Whitakers views, including disparagement of the Russia investigation, which he now oversees, and an expansive view of presidential power. Congressional aides, journalists and other observers scoured his record after Mr. Trump fired Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Wednesday and replaced him with Mr. Whitaker, instantly raising questions about whether the president wanted a loyalist in charge at the Justice Department with the power to end the Russia investigation. The political news cycle is fast, and keeping up can be overwhelming. Trying to find differing perspectives worth your time is even harder. Thats why we have scoured the internet for political writing from the right and left that you may not have seen. Has this series exposed you to new ideas? Tell us how. Email us at ourpicks@nytimes.com. From the Right The Editorial Board of The Washington Examiner: We got a normal midterm election, in a year and with a president we were told was anything but normal. Democrats fell far short of the blue wave they had expected, the editors say, and even underperformed historically. Indeed, Republicans lost fewer House seats in this midterm election (28) than Democrats did under President Barack Obama in 2010 (63) and President Bill Clinton in 1994 (54). This wasnt a rebuke of President Trump, The Examiner argues, so much as a modest disagreement. Read more James P. Pinkerton in The American Conservative: On Tuesday, the voters showed that they prefer divided government; that is, they simply dont trust either party to have all the marbles in Washington, D.C. Its no surprise that voters put one party in charge of the House and another in charge of the Senate, Mr. Pinkerton writes: Americans dont like power to be too concentrated, despite the gridlock that can bring. But the results of this election dont necessarily predict what will happen in the next one. Divided government also gives both President Trump and House Democrats someone to blame the next time they run. Read more Megan McArdle in The Washington Post: Partisans seemed focused on the bright side: Democrats happily anticipating their House investigations, Republicans savoring their future judicial appointments. But eventually, these joys are likely to pall in the sight of the oppositions ongoing victories, and partisans attentions will turn to what might have been, if theyd been a little more focused on practical politics and a little less focused on instant, evanescent victories in the culture war. This election was one of missed opportunities, Ms. McArdle writes. While its normal for the presidents party to lose seats in the midterms, Republicans shouldnt have lost nearly so many given the strength of the economy. They werent helped by Mr. Trumps inflammatory style, which turned off voters and drove many Republican lawmakers to retire. The Democrats, she argues, would have done better if they hadnt been so insistent that Brett M. Kavanaugh was guilty of sexual assault. Read more WASHINGTON The night before he was fired, Attorney General Jeff Sessions was in high spirits. He was watching the midterm election results at the Justice Department with his wife and staff members, according to two people present, and enjoying a final, welcome evening of normalcy before President Trump abruptly ended his bumpy tenure on Wednesday as the United States highest law enforcement officer. While Mr. Sessions, 71, did more to carry out Mr. Trumps agenda than almost any other cabinet official, delivering on immigration and combating violent crime and opioids, he also soured their relationship after only weeks in the position by recusing himself from the Russia investigation. The president, who has made clear that he expected protection from his law enforcement officials, viewed the step as a betrayal. The one laudable thing he did was to recuse himself from the Russia investigation, and for that, he is being fired, said Vanita Gupta, a frequent critic of Mr. Sessions and the chief executive of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. Mr. Trump installed Mr. Sessionss chief of staff, Matthew G. Whitaker, who had served as a liaison to the White House and gained the presidents trust, as acting attorney general. Editors Note: This story was updated on Nov. 21. A night out at the Borderline Bar & Grill was a rite of passage for young adults in the Thousand Oaks area. With country music, line dancing, cowboy boots and American flags, it was a place where college students and recent graduates came together with those who left high school planning to join the military or law enforcement. The Borderline was so beloved that its regular customers wanted to work there, earning money to help pay for first cars or college tuition. This was the crowd that filled the Borderline on Nov. 7, when a gunman opened fire, killing 12 people. Many of those who died were young, in their 20s. There was a college freshman and a graduate who had received his degree in May. There was the bars sunny cashier. And two friends who loved souping up old trucks for off-roading. Among the others were a longtime sheriffs deputy who had rushed into the crowded bar to help and a 22-year-old patron whose friends said he had tried to help others escape, yelling, Everyone, run! If a thread binds the victims, it may have been their commitment to service. Several were active volunteers. One of the victims was a veteran, a 33-year-old who worked for an organization that helps veterans in their transitions to civilian life. Three women and nine men were killed. The youngest victim was 18; the oldest was 54. These are their stories. Sean Adler Image Sean Adler Sean Adler, 48, had been a coach with a high school wrestling team in Simi Valley, Calif., but had recently changed careers. This year he opened a coffee shop called Rivalry Roasters, realizing a long-held dream, one of his childhood friends said. He was also holding down a job as a bouncer at the Borderline Bar & Grill, Royal High Schools wrestling team said. Mr. Adlers death was confirmed by his sister. Chris Curtis, an owner of Rivalry Roasters, said Mr. Adler had children and had been working at the bar to help pay the bills. Danny Evans, one of Mr. Adlers childhood best friends, said that although he had not spoken to Mr. Adler recently, he recalled that in high school, his friend was the guy we all wanted to be: handsome, athletic and kind. When we were younger, I was an awkward kid, Mr. Evans said. I got picked on. And Sean was my protector, he continued, choking back tears. He stood up for me, and he showed me the kind of kindnesses I didnt get from other people. I needed that so badly at that time. Im so proud to have been his friend, he added. Its devastating that hes gone. Blake Dingman and Jacob Dunham Blake Dingman and Jacob Dunham, both 21, were close friends and off-roading enthusiasts who chronicled their adventures at local raceways on Instagram. Rest In Peace. Shred heaven, one user wrote on Mr. Dunhams last photo, posted June 8, from the Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino. Mr. Dingmans younger brother, Aidan, posted a photo of the two of them on Instagram, and described rushing to the bar with his parents when they got word of the shooting. We tried for hours and hours to get in touch with Blake and got no response, he wrote. At 12:00 this morning I was informed that my amazing brother was taken down by the shooter as well as his good friend Jake Dunham. Blake, I love you so much and I miss you more than you can imagine. #805strong. A local off-roading shop announced that it would hold a memorial for the two friends at a go-kart raceway in Thousand Oaks. I know were all heartbroken so lets send them off in a way theyd want! the shop wrote in an Instagram announcement. Mr. Dunhams mother, Kathy Dillon-Dunham, said that her son had faced health challenges, including hemophilia. But he always lived full throttle, she wrote in a Facebook message. He loved dirt biking which he started at age 7 on training wheels, jumping BMX bikes and everything else a child with hemophilia should not do, she wrote. Jake was also the instigator of fun. If someone said that sounds like a bad idea, Jake would say lets do it! Cody Gifford-Coffman Image Cody Gifford-Coffman Cody Gifford-Coffman, of Camarillo, Calif., had just turned 22 and was planning to join the Army, said his father, Jason Coffman, who confirmed his sons death in an interview with reporters that aired on CNN. A friend, Sarah DeSon, 19, said she believed she had survived the shooting because of Mr. Gifford-Coffmans quick reaction. He was protecting everyone, Ms. DeSon said. He got up and he just yelled, Everyone, run! Baseball was Mr. Gifford-Coffmans passion. He played on his high school team and was an umpire. He liked spending time with his younger siblings and often went fishing with his father. I talked to him last night before he headed out the door, Jason Coffman said in the interview outside the Thousand Oaks Teen Center, where families had gathered to await information. First thing I said was, Please dont drink and drive. The last thing I said was, Son, I love you. Ronald Helus Image Sgt. Ron Helus Members of the Ventura County Sheriffs Office said the death toll might have been higher if not for Sgt. Ronald Helus. As the shooting unfolded, Sergeant Helus ran inside. He went in to save lives, to save other people, Sheriff Geoff Dean said. Before entering the bar, the sheriff said, Sergeant Helus had a conversation with his wife on the phone. Sgt. Eric Buschow told CNN: I dont think there is anything more heroic than what he did. Sergeant Buschow described Sergeant Helus as a true cops cop. In 29 years on the force, he worked in various departments, including narcotics and SWAT, his colleague remembered. He had a natural instinct going after crooks, Sergeant Buschow said. He did it with enthusiasm and a great deal of intelligence. Sergeant Helus, 54, had been set to retire this year. He loved being outdoors and fishing with his son in the Sierra Nevada. On his LinkedIn page, he said that in addition to his policing job, he owned a firearms safety training business called Gun Control. Expressing condolences for those who died in the shooting, Gov. Jerry Brown singled out Sergeant Helus, who he said took heroic action to save lives last night. The morning after the shooting, as Sergeant Heluss body was taken from a hospital to the county medical examiners office, members of the sheriffs office accompanied him in a solemn procession. Alaina Housley Image Alaina Housley Alaina Housley, a freshman at Pepperdine University, loved music and soccer. Ms. Housley, 18, of Napa, Calif., was a graduate of Vintage High School. She had written on Facebook that she planned to major in English literature. She also said she hoped to be accepted into a vocal music program. 1) Join a guided tour of Encore! Encore! at the Swedish American Museum where youll learn about the Kungsholm Miniature Grand Opera, a famous puppet show from 1941 to 1970. At the museum, youll view the puppets and set pieces before heading to Lawrys The Prime Rib, which in its past life as the McCormick Mansion housed the historic Kungsholm restaurant for three decades (not to mention the puppet show). Lunch will include coffee or tea, salad, prime rib or beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, creamed corn, creamed spinach, whipped horseradish and Yorkshire pudding. The meal will end with a raspberry English trifle. Tickets $65/person and includes admission to the Swedish American Museum, lunch and a tour at Lawrys, but does not include transportation from the museum to the restaurant. 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday. 100 E. Ontario St., 312-787-5000, http://swedishamericanmuseum.org/2.0/event/kungsholm-package/ BEIJING Beijings latest urban preservation campaign swung like a wrecking ball this summer through the colorful shops along Yonghegong Street, a tree-lined road between two of the citys landmarks: the Confucius and Lama Temples. Workers wielding crowbars, jackhammers and written orders from the city knocked out tiled eaves and wooden columns decorated with red lanterns and Tibetan prayer flags. Then they bricked up and painted over spaces that had once been doors or windows. Yuan Hong, who a decade ago opened a hair salon on one of the distinctive alleyways known as hutongs not far from Yonghegong, showed up there early one morning recently to find workers knocking out her glass storefront. Can you wait for me to get my face washed first? she said she implored the workers. Can you slow down a little bit? Update: The Tai Kwun Center for Heritage and Arts said on Friday that it would host the Ma Jian events as scheduled. HONG KONG A cultural venue run by a nonprofit organization with close ties to the Hong Kong government has abruptly canceled plans to host two events featuring an exiled Chinese writer, in what some saw as the latest sign of eroding freedoms in the city. The cancellation came just days before the writer, Ma Jian, was scheduled to speak at the Tai Kwun Center for Heritage and Arts as part of the annual Hong Kong International Literary Festival. It left festival organizers scrambling to find a new venue for the Saturday events. We do not want Tai Kwun to become a platform to promote the political interests of any individual, Timothy Calnin, director of Tai Kwun, said in a statement sent to reporters on Thursday. We have therefore worked closely with the Hong Kong International Literary Festival to find a more suitable alternative venue. SYDNEY, Australia President Trump this week nominated a Republican lawyer to become the United States ambassador to Australia, filling the long vacant post with a Washington insider who helped the president select his 2016 running mate. The lawyer, Arthur B. Culvahouse Jr., who is expected to be confirmed by the Senate, will be the first American ambassador to Australia in two years. The delay in selecting an ambassador has been a sore point between the two countries, with one former prime minister saying the snub indicated Australia had become a second-class ally. Mr. Culvahouses nomination represents an effort to repair the relationship at a time when Australia is looking to the United States to help balance an emboldened China in the Asia-Pacific region. LONDON Prince Charles has not been afraid to speak his mind on topics like historical preservation, climate change and alternative medicine. But as king, should that come to pass, it would be a very different matter, he acknowledged. I do realize that it is a separate exercise being sovereign, the prince said about his activism in a documentary, expected to air on the BBC Thursday night, on the occasion of his 70th birthday next week. The idea, somehow, that Im going to go on in exactly the same way, if I have to succeed, is complete nonsense because the two situations are completely different, he said, referring to the roles of heir and king. The interview offers a rare glimpse of what Charles might be like as king, and is perhaps an effort to assuage critics who have worried that he would diverge from British monarchs, who are bound by tradition to reign, not rule, over their subjects. His aides have suggested in the past that he would be more outspoken as king than his mother has been. Another letter, dated Tuesday and sent by the American College of National Security Leaders, a group of former high-level military officers, said: The INF Treaty is a bedrock to our current arms control regime and serves rather than hampers American interests. There was no immediate comment from the Trump administration on the letters. The treatys fate may come up this weekend if Mr. Trump sees President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia during a memorial event in France celebrating the centennial of the end of World War I. But there have been conflicting accounts from the White House and the Kremlin on whether the two will even meet. Mr. Putin and his subordinates have warned of a new arms race should Mr. Trump make good on his pledge to renounce the accord. It would be the first time Mr. Trump has scrapped an arms-control treaty, American officials have said. Many European leaders also have objected to Mr. Trumps plan. Mr. Trump and his hard-line aides, particularly John R. Bolton, the national security adviser, have long disparaged the treaty, asserting that Russia has cheated on its terms and that it should include China, which is not a signatory. The treaty ended a crisis of the 1980s that had come to be seen as a hair-trigger for a nuclear war. The Soviet Union had deployed a missile in Europe called the SS-20, capable of carrying three nuclear warheads. The United States had deployed cruise and Pershing II missiles. All had the capability of reaching targets in as little as 10 minutes. JERUSALEM The Israeli police on Thursday recommended the indictment of one of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus closest confidants and three others from his inner circle in a sprawling bribery case involving the multibillion-dollar purchase of submarines and missile boats from Germany. Mr. Netanyahu was not a suspect in the naval-acquisition scandal, which has been called Case 3000, and in fact he was cleared months ago, though he was questioned. The police have recommended criminal bribery, fraud and breach of trust charges against Mr. Netanyahu in two other corruption investigations. The police said they had sufficient evidence to charge David Shimron, a second cousin of Mr. Netanyahus as well as his personal lawyer, with bribery and money laundering. Mr. Shimron, they said, had exploited his status and closeness to the prime minister to promote the submarine purchase on behalf of Michael Ganor, an Israeli agent working for ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, the shipyard that build the vessels. In exchange, Mr. Shimron was paid a reward for success of nearly $75,000 for opening doors and influencing officials in favor of the deal, the police said. Mr. Ganor turned states witness in 2017. Jean Banchet was Chicago's first celebrity chef, a prodigiously talented cook and gregarious personality who almost single-handedly raised Chicago's dining reputation from a steak-and-potatoes town to a serious restaurant city. Banchet, 72, died Sunday in his Jupiter, Fla., home after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Advertisement "It was three weeks ago today that we got the news," said Banchet's wife, Doris. "It went so fast it was unbelievable. February would have been our 50th anniversary." "It is sad," said Pierre Pollin, former chef/owner at Le Titi de Paris and a close friend. "He was the greatest chef we had in Chicago." Advertisement In 1973, Chicago's culinary reputation began and ended with steak. Then came Jean Banchet, who had been brought to the area by famed restaurateur Arnie Morton to head the kitchen at the Playboy Club in Lake Geneva. When Banchet was ready to strike out on his own, he selected a property in Wheeling the closest place to Chicago that he could afford. Morton presented Banchet with a turn-of-the-century street lamp, which stands outside the property to this day. Banchet opened Le Francais in February of 1973. The original building was destroyed by fire in 1975, and Banchet rebuilt, setting the new restaurant deeper into the property and designing it along the lines of a French auberge, or country inn. The Banchets built their home at the far end of the property; the chef's commute was a stroll through the grass, coffee cup in hand. Despite the restaurant's relatively remote location, lovers of fine dining found their way to Le Francais, and its reputation grew rapidly. In 1980, Bon Appetit magazine declared Le Francais "America's Best Restaurant," and reservations, which were already difficult to acquire without weeks of planning, became even harder to secure. Deep-pocketed guests from other cities would land their private planes at nearby Palwaukee Airport, flying in just to experience Banchet's food. "When you have people willing to travel 28 miles (from the city), to wait six months for a reservation, you know somebody's doing something remarkable," said Phil Mott, who purchased Le Francais in 2001 and operated it for two years. "He changed the landscape; he made it possible for Charlie Trotter and all the other great chefs." Chefs throughout the city made a point of eating in Le Francais. Jean Joho, chef/proprietor of Everest restaurant and a legendary chef in his own right, said Le Francais was the first fine-dining restaurant he visited when he arrived in Chicago in 1983. "He created a temple of gastronomy," said Joho. "He did something different from what everybody did at the time. Most of the food (elsewhere) was really conservative; Jean brought a new way to run restaurants and prepare foods. He used ingredients and preparations people hadn't seen before. He gave you a lot for the eyes before you ate." "It was amazing; it was food in a circus," said chef Didier Durand, of Cyrano's Farm Kitchen. "There was all this presentation, and a level of excitement that never disappointed." Naha and Brindille chef/owner Carrie Nahabedian called her two years at Le Francais "the greatest experience of my life," and said the lessons learned there are still with her and on her menus. Advertisement "The brioche we make is Jean's recipe," she said. "Everyone still trades that recipe because it's possibly one of the best brioche recipes of all time. All my sauces are based in the principles I learned from Jean. No one cooked like him." "Le Francais was the place to work in the United States," said Joe Doppes, who worked for Banchet for about a year in 1987 and today is chef/owner of Bistrot Margot. "He forged a path for us chefs today, by his love of cooking and nothing more than that. Here was a guy who became a celebrity because he was an incredible cook." And when Doppes was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1988, Banchet offered strong support, visiting the young chef often. After Doppes' recovery, Banchet brought a visiting friend the legendary chef Paul Bocuse to Doppes' restaurant for lunch. "When I was working for him," Doppes said, "I never got to see that side." "He was an absolute perfectionist to the point of driving everyone mad, including himself," said Michael Lachowicz, one of only four people to hold the head-chef title at Le Francais (Banchet, Roland Liccioni and Don Yamauchi are the others). "You walked into his restaurant and felt his presence. Every day I walked into that restaurant, whether I was a line cook or a partner, I felt reverence when I walked into Le Francais." "Banchet wasn't afraid to go into the dining room and shake hands," Lachowicz said. "He felt as comfortable in the dining room as in the kitchen, and that made him marketable when there was no Twitter or Facebook. In the kitchen, he was stomping everywhere, a dinosaur in a flower patch. In the dining room, he danced." Banchet's twin passions, other than cooking, were riding motorcycles and playing cards; his card games, usually with fellow chefs, were as notable for what Banchet served as they were for the card games. "He'd cook a pigeon, a baby chicken, make a few desserts and set out cheese," Pollin said. "It was amazing." Advertisement Banchet also had a ferocious sense of humor, as evidenced by this excerpt of a 1985 review by Tribune critic Paul Camp: "Recently, one experienced diner fell uncharacteristically silent at this point in the evening. A single glance revealed the reason he sat in shock: A container for a McDonald's Big Mac sat on his plate in place of his order. Little plastic packets of catsup and mustard lay to the side along with a fresh parsley sprig garnish. The waiter then carefully opened the top of the box as if it were a silver dome. There sat a plastic hamburger with a bite already taken out of it. A doggy toy! At a world class French restaurant! You've got to be kidding. After gales of laughter, the waiters quickly redressed themselves, whisked away the burger, squeaking it a couple of times for effect, and placed the dinerss order in front of him: a stuffed rabbit that proved to be the best selection of the evening." "I worked for Jean in the late '70s," recalled Mary Beth Liccioni, owner of Les Nomades. "It was my first important job. I went out in a taxi to ask if I could work for him; he'd never had a woman in his kitchen, but he hired me. It was a wonderful experience; he was a very intelligent man and very gifted. He had a fabulous personality, very charismatic, and whenever he walked into a room, people wanted to be around him." Banchet, for his part, relished his star status and loved to hold court. "I was always fascinated by the way he was able to talk with other chefs," said Mott. "You knew that they hated the way he bragged about his success, but they were unable to move away from him. Most realized that he truly meant no harm; he was just a chef who worked very hard and found great success, which paved the way for many of them to succeed here. Advertisement "I called him a scamp, and he readily admitted he was one," Mott said. "He may have let his ego show at times, but in the end, he was just a humble bus-driver's son with a golden touch in the kitchen." Born in Roanne, France (a small town near Lyon), in 1941, Banchet worked at many restaurants in Europe. He trained at La Pyramide, a legendary restaurant in Vienne owned by Fernand Point, who forged the careers of Paul Bocuse, the Troisgros brothers (Jean and Pierre), Georges Perrier and other famous chefs. Banchet served as chef at the Playboy Club in London, his last stop before coming to the U.S. to work at Lake Geneva Playboy Club in 1968. "He was quite a character," Liccioni said. "Just as Charlie (Trotter) inspired his generation of chefs, Banchet inspired and taught the chefs around him." Liccioni, with her then-husband Roland, eventually took over Le Francais in 1989, after Banchet's first retirement, and operated the restaurant for 10 years. Banchet returned to Le Francais in 1999 and ran the restaurant for three more years. Banchet retired for keeps in 2001, selling his restaurant to Mott. But he remained an influential figure among Chicago chefs. He helped establish the Jean Banchet Awards, which recognizes excellence among Chicago chefs, and raises money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Banchet was too ill to attend the announcement of this year's nominees; the foundation will present a tribunte to Banchet during January's awards gala. Banchet's last public appearance was in October, when he was inducted into the Chicago Chefs Hall of Fame. Advertisement Funeral services will be held Monday in Jupiter, but Doris Banchet said there will be a memorial service for the chef in Chicago in the near future. "Jean was one in a million nay, one in a billion," said Mike Moran, who was Le Francais' last owner. "He was my hero; he took a piece of my heart with him." Besides his wife, Doris, Banchet is survived by a brother, Lucien, and a sister, Monique, both living in Roanne. Tribune reporters Kevin Pang and Mark Caro contributed. philvettel@tribune.com Twitter @philvettel A nonconformist working within the New Hollywood studio system, even as he undermined it and disregarded his overseers ideas on what sort of movie they were making, the Oscar-winning editor-turned-director made seven features in nine years. The list starts with one nervy social satire The Landlord (1970) and caps Ashbys decade of beautiful dreamers with another one, Being There (1979). The rest of Ashbys 70s went like this: Harold and Maude (1971); The Last Detail (1973); Shampoo (1975); Bound for Glory (1976); and Coming Home (1978). In various keys of rue and longing, they spoke of alienation, isolation, bucking the system, relating, breaking up, race in America, class in America, war in Vietnam, post-Watergate cynicism and whatever else caught his lens. When youre a kid, its all about your dreams and your goals, and you can dream as audacious as you want, said Minda Harts, a former Chicagoan and founder of The Memo LLC, a career development company for women of color. Then somewhere along the line, disappointment meets us, and we stop dreaming, and we stop seeing whats possible for ourselves. Allowing ourselves the freedom to explore and not feeling guilty when we want to do that is key; I think we owe it to ourselves to explore some of those curiosities. Nichols also wrote that the costume was all in fun...Nobody was teased. Nobody was bullied. Nobody was ridiculed. Nobody was minimized. Nobody was marginalized. It was not racist. It was not homophobic. It was not sexist. It was not bigoted... Anyone that would be upset about this is merely looking to be offended and frankly, I am not inclined to waste the Districts time addressing the issue in any formal way any further than the response I am sharing with you. Looking at these incredible photos, youd be forgiven for thinking that theyve been edited to make the body of a spider look like a black dogs head, but this is what the tiny Bunny Harvestman actually looks like. Independent scientist Andreas Kay took these incredible photographs of a Bunny Harvestman in the Amazonian forests of Ecuador back in 2017, but they only recently went viral online, and for good reason. They show the bizarrely-shaped body of the tiny arachnid in such great detail that its hard to believe that this is a real creature and not the work of Photoshop. The Bunny Harvestman, or Metagryne Bicolumnata, was first described in 1959 by German arachnid specialist Carl Friedrich Roewer and named after the resemblance between its tiny body and the head of a rabbit. However, I personally think it looks more like the head of a German Shepherd. Not only does its dark abdomen feature two unusual protuberances that resemble pointy dog ears, but Kays photographs also show to perfectly placed yellow dots that look like freaky eyes. Its real eyes, however, are black and placed further down the body, forming what looks like the dogs snout. Interestingly, Metagryne Bicolumnata isnt technically a spider. It belongs to the order of Opiliones, commonly known as harvestmen, harvesters or daddy longlegs, of which there over 6,600 known species across the globe. Harvestmen cannot produce spider silk, so the only time you will see them on a spider web is if they have become stuck on it and about to become a spiders meal. They also lack venom glands or even fangs, so they are completely harmless to humans. Although scientist have yet to explain the bizarre appearance of the Bunny Harvestmans body, one theory is that it helps the tiny arachnid fool predators into thinking that it is larger than it really is. And if youre still not convinced that a spider with a body shaped like a dogs head actually exists, maybe this video recorded by the same Andreas Kay will convince you. Also, if youre interested in the fascinating creatures of Ecuadors Amazonian jungle, be sure to check out Kays Flickr profile, because it features some truly incredible wildlife photos. via Rumble A 12-year-old boy from Thailand has managed to reach celebrity status and make enough money to build his family a new house by showing off his makeup and cross-dressing skills on Instagram. Nes (@nes_tyyy), a boy from Thailands Phang-Nga province, reportedly started playing with his mothers makeup at a very young age, but instead of discouraging him, his parents not only supported his hobby, but also started giving him tips. Today, the 12-year-old boy has over 280,000 fans on Instagram alone and is able to support his family by posting makeup tutorials and photos of himself cross-dressing as a girl on the popular photo sharing platform. He recently made news headlines all over Asia after posting a photo of the new house he managed to build for his parents. Photo: @nes_tyyy/Instagram Nes is only 12-years-old, but Nes is able to build a house for his parents, the young Instagram star wrote on his profile. To all the generous people, thank you. View this post on Instagram A post shared by (@nes_tyyy) on Oct 27, 2018 at 4:59am PDT Although Nes isnt the only boy posting makeup tutorials online its actually becoming a strong trend all over Asia what sets him apart is his ability to use his skills to make himself look like a girl. He often poses in lavish dresses, wearing impressive wigs, fake eyelashes and expertly done makeup that puts some professional makeup artists to shame. View this post on Instagram A post shared by (@nes_tyyy) on Oct 14, 2018 at 8:52am PDT According to SETN, Nes is sometimes ridiculed by his schoolmates for his hobby, but he doesnt care, as this is what makes him happy. View this post on Instagram A post shared by (@nes_tyyy) on Sep 22, 2018 at 1:48am PDT Nes talents have not only earned him hundreds of thousands of loyal fans on Instagram, but also lucrative promotional deals and invitations to various events, both in Thailand and in foreign countries like China. View this post on Instagram A post shared by (@nes_tyyy) on Aug 30, 2018 at 11:35pm PDT View this post on Instagram A post shared by (@nes_tyyy) on Aug 28, 2018 at 6:49am PDT View this post on Instagram A post shared by (@nes_tyyy) on Aug 4, 2018 at 4:05am PDT View this post on Instagram A post shared by (@nes_tyyy) on Jul 25, 2018 at 5:11pm PDT View this post on Instagram A post shared by (@nes_tyyy) on Jul 23, 2018 at 5:41am PDT View this post on Instagram A post shared by (@nes_tyyy) on Jul 7, 2018 at 9:56pm PDT View this post on Instagram A post shared by (@nes_tyyy) on Jul 2, 2018 at 5:06am PDT Only nine percent of business journalists think an unconscious bias has affected their professions ability to report on the Trump administration. The vast majority 71 percent believe journalists remain committed to seeking the truth and reporting it fully, according to a recent survey of North American business journalists released by financial reporters association the Society for Advancing Business Editing & Writing and Miami-based PR firm rbb Communications. The survey, which sought to gauge journalists sentiments regarding the state of the media and how its been impacted by the Trump administration, focused, in part, on the practice of unnamed sources, which has seen increased use among the press in recent years. The majority of respondents 36 percent said while naming a source is always preferable, most readers and viewers today understand and accept why the use of unnamed sources is sometimes necessary. More than a quarter 26 percent said they dont currently feel compelled to use unnamed sources more than before. An additional 18 percent of journalists said the current political landscape has birthed a growing skepticism toward the use of unnamed sources, and theyre concerned that stories will now be viewed as less credible as a result. When asked to elaborate on todays journalism environment, the majority 37 percent said the most unpleasant part of the profession is its constant uncertainty and instability. Nearly a third 32 percent said they dislike todays emphasis on brevity and click-friendly content. An additional 11 percent cited the pressures of being expected to manage and navigate multiple platforms. The rbb/SABEW survey polled journalists and media professionals who are current SABEW members, and drew responses from 80 respondents. The survey, which was administered by SABEW, was conducted in September. Offaly has been included in a Status Yellow wind warning from Met Eireann. The national forecaster has issued a series of warnings covering most of the country with Offaly included in a wind warning specific to Leinster, Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal. "Southeasterly winds will reach mean speeds of 50 to 65km/h with gusts of 90 to 110km/hr. Gusts will exceed these values in exposed coastal areas and on higher ground, especially in the southeast," Met Eireann warns. This warning was issued on Thursday and is valid from 8am on Friday morning until 7pm on Friday evening. Munster and Connacht are included in a separate similar warning which warns of similar conditions. This warning is valid until 3pm on Friday. A more specific Status Yellow rainfall warning has also been issued for Dublin, Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Louth, Wexford, Wicklow, Galway, Mayo, Cork, Kerry, Tipperary and Waterford. Met Eireann warns that heavy rain will lead to accumulations of around 25 to 40mm but may exceed these limits in mountainous areas in these counties. This warning is valid from 6am on Friday until 6pm on Friday evening. Standing water will remain an issue for motorists beyond the warning. Following the drought of summer 2018 Irish Water will once again sponsor the An Taisce Green-Schools water theme for the sixth year running. School children across Ireland saved over 389 million litres of water last year, the equivalent of over 450 million cups of coffee, due to their participation in the Green-Schools programme. In the 2017/2018 academic year, seven Offaly schools were awarded the water flag which involved almost 1,400 students and over 150 teachers. The water theme encourages primary and secondary school children to develop their awareness of water conservation and how to effectively manage this important resource in our schools and homes. To date over 2,300 schools have been awarded the water flag since the beginning of the Green-Schools programme and there are currently 575 schools, with every county represented, working on this important theme. Speaking about the launch of this years campaign, Annabel Fitzgerald, Irish Water said: We are delighted to continue our sponsorship of the Green-Schools water award. This years conserve water theme is an extremely important message following our own national campaign this summer urging people to conserve water in every way possible as the drought had a severe impact on our raw water reserves." We are also looking forward to being co-sponsors of the 25th Anniversary International Eco-Schools Conference in November in Cork, which is being hosted by An Taisce Green-Schools, where over 100 delegates from 70 countries will attend. Green-Schools Manager Cathy Baxter added: This partnership with Irish Water has seen the level of support for schools working on the water theme increase dramatically over the years, with a particular highlight being the student Ambassador programme. We are so inspired by the work done each year on the water theme by teachers, caretakers and students all over the country and Im looking forward to another fantastic year ahead. "The Green-Schools water programme has an exciting academic year lined up with a series of Water Forums, Walk for Water events, Water Ambassador Support Sessions, a poster competition and a prestigious awards ceremony which will announce the Water Schools of the Year." An Taisce Green Schools and Irish Water visited St Nathys College, Ballaghaderreen in Co Roscommon to launch the 2018/2019 sponsorship of the water theme. St Nathys were the Western Regional Winners of the Water School of the Year in 2018 and to celebrate their continuation of the Green-Schools water theme, they were presented with a 210L water butt. The water butt, which will harvest rainwater during times of reduced precipitation, will enable the school to water the crops in their polytunnel grower. Irish Water this year revealed that the average person uses 129 litres of water per day and this water butt will help the St Nathys students save the equivalent of almost two days of an average persons water usage. As well as earning the title of Western Regional Water School of the Year, Marita OHanlon of St Nathys College was the overall winner of the 2018 poster competition for secondary schools. Her interpretation of the theme Water and the Environment was depicted through a surrealist image of a world in a water crisis. Marita joined the event to speak to Green-Schools and Irish Water about the poster competition and what tips she has for next years applicants. For five days each autumn in the northern hemisphere (spring in the southern hemisphere) pockets of the world shine brilliantly for Diwali. The Hindu festival of light celebrates good over evil and commemorates the return of Hindu deity Rama to his birthplace after victory against the demon king Ravana. Participants light oil lamps and candles, shop, decorate their homes, exchange gifts and pray. Here is a collection of photos from Diwali celebrations around the world. CUSTER STATE PARK, S.D. It was one of the most thrilling experiences of my life. After what seemed like hours waiting patiently for something to happen, the seismic shaking of the earth signaled the main show was about to begin. Riders on horseback fanned out across the top of the hill, while below in the valley the rest of us in rack trucks waited for our cue. As if a director had yelled, "Action," 1,300 American buffalo came careening down the hill, with both riders and trucks taking up their positions to help herd them into corrals. Welcome to the annual Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup. In this annual event, the shaggy bison are interrupted from their usual noshing on the park's lush grasslands, and rounded up for several days of sorting, branding, testing and tagging. With one of the largest American bison herds in the world, park staff use the roundup to keep the population in balance with available land and resources checking them out thoroughly before returning most of them to their grazing a few days later. Our group's driver volunteered that sometimes the bison annoyed at the interruption get pretty bad-ass and refuse to cooperate, but this year, with the exception of one frightened calf who went AWOL with its mother in hot pursuit, the herd was downright docile. In no time at all, they were safely corralled, and both participants and spectators headed off for a chuckwagon lunch of brisket and beans. Along with a group of national and international journalists, I had been invited to take part in the roundup, and to say that we were right in the center of the action is no exaggeration. The herd's headlong rush to the corral was a sight I won't soon forget. The general public is not left out either. While they are not allowed in the thick of things as we were, they can stake out a spot for optimal viewing as the herd comes thundering down the hill. (FYI: About 14,000 people attend every year; if you want to make plans for next year, the roundup is always held on the last Friday in September; which in 2019, is the 27th.) A WEALTH OF ATTRACTIONS The bison roundup was my main reason for coming to South Dakota this time, but a previous visit showed me the state has an embarrassment of riches, both natural and man-made. In the latter category are, of course, the massive stone heads of presidents at Mount Rushmore, and of Lakota Sioux warrior Crazy Horse atop his own mountain. Both never cease to amaze, but it's the natural wonders of the state that hold a special appeal for me. On the drive to Custer State Park, I went through the Needles of the Black Hills. Aptly named, the Needles are granite pillars and spires that reach up to stab the sky. The 14-mile Needles Highway, with its twists, turns and tunnels, is a scenic sight not soon forgotten. Beautiful any time, in autumn the starkness of the formations is alleviated by lush green pines and yellow quaking aspens. Another scenic wonder, the Badlands, in the southwestern part of the state, were no doubt bad to the unwary pilgrim trapped within the wasteland without water or means of survival, but for today's visitors, the only bad is in the name. The 243,000-acre National Park encompasses the largest mixed grass prairie in the United States as well as a lunarlike landscape of buttes, spires and pinnacles warped and twisted into fantastical shapes reminiscent of a science fiction film. If you're lucky enough to catch a vivid sunrise or brilliant sunset, the inhospitable terrain takes on a striking palette of gold, hot pink, red, lavender, indigo and purple. A TALE OF TWO CITIES No two cities could be more different than Deadwood and Rapid City, but they represent the yin and yang of the state the former a peek into its wild and wooly past, and the latter a symbol of its vibrant present. Fans of TV Westerns know that Deadwood in its heyday was about as wild as the West got. Gamblers and gunslingers, lawmen and ladies of the evening, cowboys and cattle barons all played their parts in making Deadwood the most colorful town between Dodge City and Cheyenne. The two most famous names associated with it were Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok, whose graves can be seen in the hillside Mount Moriah Cemetery, along with those of murderers, madams and pillars of the town's society such as it was. After touring the cemetery, a historic walking tour of Deadwood's 19th century buildings will help put their stories in context. Be sure to arrive early at Saloon #10 to grab a seat for the Wild Bill re-enactment (believe me, they fill up fast). Although the saloon was a favorite watering hole for colorful types such as Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, Poker Alice and Buffalo Bill Cody, it was Hickok who gave it its lasting fame. On the afternoon of Aug. 2, 1876, he sat down for a game of poker with three friends. It was to be his last. Positioning himself behind Wild Bill was a sidewinder named Jack McCall, who without warning, drew his gun and shot Hickok in the back of the head. That dramatic scene is re-enacted several times daily and campy as it is, never fails to draw enthusiastic responses from the assembled patrons. After you've watched Wild Bill meet his maker, you can adjourn upstairs for dinner at the Deadwood Social Club whose specialties are South Dakota buffalo and beef. Finally, you can try your luck at one of Deadwood's myriad casinos, including those in two of its historic hotels, the Bullock and the Franklin. If Deadwood is a paean to the past, Rapid City is modern and makes a perfect base for exploring the Black Hills and Badlands. Dubbed "the city of Presidents," there are life-sized bronze statues of all past U.S. presidents scattered throughout the downtown streets. One of these Franklin Pierce, the 14th president, stands like a bronze barker outside the door of Murphy's. He appeared to be urging me to enter the iconic Rapid City restaurant located in a renovated 1911 city garage building. Murphy's is known for buffalo meat loaf, but also try to wheedle the code from someone to get into its companion speakeasy, the Blind Lion. This place is a find that is if you can find it, and the Smoking Barrel (mint gin, rum, scotch and bourbon with a hint of tobacco smoke) is a libation worthy of its name. Other not-to-be missed attractions include the Journey Museum, a trek through the 2.5 billion-year history of the Black Hills and Badlands, and Prairie Edge Trading Co. and Galleries, where you can shop for the highest quality Plains Indian arts and crafts. A second visit to South Dakota only emphasized what I had learned the first time. From Deadwood to Rapid City, Black Hills to the Badlands, shootouts to scenic wonders, bison roundups to giant heads in granite this state has it all. IF YOU GO Where to stay: Frontier Cabins, Wall. Rustic and cozy, the cabins are an easy drive to Badlands National Park. frontiercabins.net Sylvan Lake Lodge, Custer State Park. Located in a splendid setting of pine and spruce forests overlooking its namesake lake, accommodations are in both the lodge and individual cabins, where you wouldn't be surprised to find a curious deer sharing your patio. custerresorts.com/lodges-and-cabins/sylvan.lake-lodge Grand Gateway Hotel, Rapid City. Family owned and operated for three generations with comfortable accommodations and a friendly staff. GrandGatewayHotel.com Where to Eat: Firehouse Brewing Company, Rapid City. Located in the city's first fire station, it has an extensive menu and a selection of beers from the onsite brewery. FirehouseBrewing.com Wall Drug Store, Wall. Don't be fooled by its name. No mere drug store, it's one of the country's most famous roadside stops, complete with frontier town, shops and a 520-seat restaurant. walldrug.com Dakotah Steak House, Rapid City. Steaks rule, but you can also sample dishes such as pheasant poppers, buffalo skewers and elk ravioli. DakotahSteakhouse.com FYI: TravelSouthDakota.com And now a larger Republican Senate majority has made it easier for the GOP to add even more conservative justices to federal district courts and the Supreme Court, and the impact of those judges will be felt long after Trump or whoever follows him is gone. Advani celebrates his 91st birthday; the BJP has come a long way from two to 282 seats India oi-Vinod Kumar Shukla New Delhi, Nov 8: Construction of the Ram Temple is in news for long but the person who has taken the matter to the public glare is more or less forgotten from the public memory. Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished L K Advani on his 91st birthday remembering his contribution but there was a time when the BJP veteran mesmerized people with his words. Once the most powerful man in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government is now living in uncertainty whether he will contest next Lok Sabha elections or not. The BJP became political face of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement under his leadership starting in early 1980s by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) for construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. As per a belief, Ayodhya is the place where Lord Ram was born but temple at his birth place was allegedly replaced by a mosque. Yes Advani will contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Gandhinagar So to built a temple on the lines of Somnath in Gujarat, Advani had undertaken a 'Rath Yatra' apparently to mobilise support so that construction of Ram Temple could be started. Rath Yatra starting from Somnath covered large portion of the Northern India until it was stopped by Bihar chief minister Laloo Prasad on pretext that it might lead to communal violence. But the arrest of the then BJP president catapulted his party to become second largest party in Lok Sabha after the Congress. Two years later in 1992, despite affidavit to the Supreme Court from the Kalyan Singh-led government in UP, the Babri Masjid was demolished allegedly due to complicity of the state government in which Advani is one of the main accused. Kalyan Singh served jail for contempt of court. Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has supported the claim that a Hindu structure once stood at the site. The BJP threw its support behind this campaign, and made it a part of their election manifesto, which provided rich dividends in the general elections of 1989. Despite the fact that the Congress winning maximum seat, it declined to form a government. The National Front government of VP Singh was sworn in with the support of the BJP that had 86 seats in the Lok Sabha. Deputy Prime Minister from 2002 to 2004 under Vajpayee. Advani served as Union home minister under NDA government from 1998 to 2004. He was Leader of the Opposition in the 10th Lok Sabha and 14th Lok Sabha. Advani began his political career as a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh activist. He joined Bharatiya Jana Sangh a political party founded in 1951 by Syama Prasad Mookerjee. Advani became Jana Sangh president in 1973 at the Kanpur session of the party. After emergency, the Jana Sangh and many other opposition parties merged into the Janata Party. Advani and Vajpayee fought the Lok Sabha Elections of 1977 as members of the Janata Party. Janata Party was formed by leaders, activists and parties after elections were called in 1977. The unpopularity and atrocities against political workers during emergency gave the Janata Party a landslide victory. Morarji Desai became Prime Minister of India, Advani became the Minister of Information and Broadcasting but due to dual membership Janata Party got split and Bharatiya Janata Party was born. Advani became a prominent leader of the newly founded BJP and represented the party in the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh for two terms beginning in 1982. But contribution of one of the tallest leader of the party cannot be forgotten. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, November 8, 2018, 17:21 [IST] Modi shares Diwali Surprise photos with Bibi Netanyahu had conveyed Diwali greetings to Modi on Tuesday. In reply, the prime minister had said he would celebrate the day with soldiers and share pictures of the same Wednesday evening. Taking to Twitter, Modi tweeted,"Dear PM @netanyahu, as promised yesterday, here are some glimpses of how I celebrated Diwali. I went to the magnificent state of Uttarakhand, where I paid a surprise visit to our brave troops in Harsil, followed by prayers at Kedarnath, one of the holiest places in India." Will ensure you a good life Modi said that Army and ITBP personnel's devotion to duty in the remote icy heights is enabling the strength of the nation. Greeting the jawans in the Harshil cantonment area, the prime minister said they, through their commitment and discipline, are securing the future and the dreams of 125 crore Indians and helping spread a sense of security and fearlessness among the people. He said that Diwali is the festival of lights, it spreads the light of goodness and dispels fear. The prime minister recalled that he has been visiting soldiers on Diwali ever since he was the chief minister of Gujarat. He also spoke of his interactions with the jawans of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), years ago when he was part of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. The prime minister said India is taking great strides forward in the defence sector. He spoke of various measures being taken for the welfare of ex-servicemen, including implementation of 'one rank, one pension' (OROP). Prime Minister offered sweets to the jawans and interacted with people Modi said that the Indian Armed Forces draw admiration and appreciation across the world, in UN peacekeeping operations. The prime minister offered sweets to the jawans. He also interacted with people from nearby areas who had gathered to greet him on Diwali. Harshil is a cantonment area situated at a height of 7,860 feet close to the India-China border in Uttarkashi district. "We are continuously shoring up our defences, be it the army, navy or air force. We are also ensuring that our ever watchful and dedicated soldiers lead a good life even after retirement," PM Modi said at Harsil, around 45 km from the India-China border. Modi offers prayers at Kedarnath The prime minister later reached Kedarnath to offer prayers and review the progress of reconstruction projects at Kedarpuri. Kedarpuri, the township situated close to the Himalayan shrine, had bore the brunt of the catastrophic floods of 2013, which killed thousands of people. A statement from the Prime Minister's Office said Modi extensively walked around the entire temple complex, where significant reconstruction works are in progress. He was briefed by senior officials about the progress of the works. He interacted briefly with several people present at the temple complex. Kedarnath Temple complex: The Kedarnath Temple complex is currently the focus of a major development and reconstruction effort, following the severe flood and landslide in 2013. The last time the Prime Minister had been to Kedarnath was in October 2017, just before the portals of the Himalayan shrine close for the winters. After becoming the prime minister in 2014, Modi had spent his Diwali at Siachen with jawans. In 2015, he had visited the Punjab border on Diwali. His visit coincided with 50 years of the 1965 Indo-Pak war. The next year, Modi was in Himachal Pradesh where he spent time with Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel at an outpost. Modi had spent his fourth Diwali as prime minister with soldiers in Gurez in Jammu and Kashmir last year. BJP using Tipu Jayanti to create divide between Hindus and minorities India oi-Chennabasaveshwar P Bengaluru, Nov 8: Karnataka Minister DK Shivakumar asserted that there was nothing wrong in celebrating birth anniversary Tipu Sultan in the state. In the wake of BJP's opposition to the Tipu Sultan Jayanti, DK Shivakumar, said, " Tipu Sultan has a long history and there is nothing wrong in conducting Tipu Jayanti. BJP has its political agenda. They want to create some differences between Hindus and minorities." Reddy in the dock: How gold became a cover to avoid a Rs 18 crore money trail The Karnataka government has given its consent to hold Tipu Jayanti celebrations in the state. However, no one will be allowed to hold processions on the occasion. The birth anniversary celebrations of Tipu Sultan, the 18th century ruler of the princely state of Mysore, have been held on November 10 by the state government since 2016. Janardhan Reddy case: Speaking on absconding mining baron Janardhan Reddy, he said, " A police investigation is going on since a long time, the govt has nothing to do with this type of investigation. We don't want to interfere as he is a BJP leader. Law will take its own course." Karnataka by-polls: How the BJP's vote share has collapsed The Central Crime Branch (CCB) unit of Bengaluru police on Wednesday launched a search for former BJP minister G Janardhan Reddy in connection with a cheating case in which Reddy is alleged to have received an amount of Rs 20 crore - in the form of gold - to allegedly help a private firm, Ambident Pvt Ltd, dodge a money laundering case being pursued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, November 8, 2018, 14:54 [IST] Counting of old notes still on and no one knows for how long Demonetisation anniversary: BJP enjoys something called 'benefit of doubt' India oi-Chennabasaveshwar P Bengaluru, Nov 8: The Congress is protesting on the second anniversary of demonetisation on Thursday. The grand old party has kept the controversial issue alive to reach out people ahead of 2019 General Elections. As an opposition party, Congress' criticism is expected, even distinguished economists did not endorse the decision of demonetization. In a continued attack against the Modi government, Congress tweeted, "The cost and 'Destruction By Demonetisation' was endured by every citizen of this country other than few crony capitalist friends of PM Modi. Demonetisation was a black day for our democracy & our economy." As per data provided by the Congress, Rs 8000 crore spent on printing new notes, 3.5 million jobs were lost, 15 million labour force shrank and 1.5 per cent loss in GDP. Scars from 2016 only getting more visible: Manmohan Singh on demonetisation When Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced demonetisation on November 8, 2016, to get rid of "black money", the entire nation welcomed the move. The other reasons were to the purge the network of counterfeit notes and break up the terror finance network. The objectives of the government were laudable, but the people and the economic system paid price for it. Indeed, rendering 86% of the country's currency invalid overnight delivered a big blow to the economy heavily dependent on cash. Bhaskar Chakravorti, Dean of Global Business at The Fletcher School at Tufts University, wrote, "Indeed, India subsequently suffered a dramatic drop in its GDP growth rate, which fell to 6.1% annualized during January-March 2017 after three quarters with the annualized growth rate staying in the range of 7.9% to 7%. It most recent GDP growth figure has fallen to 5.7%, and part of that, too, can be attributed to the policy move from last [2016] November." Nevertheless, BP government is pushing its own argument. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley talks about the achievements of the note ban. When cash is deposited in the Banks, the anonymity about the owner of the cash disappears. The deposited cash is now identified with its owner giving rise to an inquiry, whether the amount deposited is in consonance with the depositor's income. Accordingly, post demonetisation about 1.8 million depositors have been identified for this enquiry. Many of them are being fastened with Tax and Penalties. Mere deposit of cash in a bank does not lead to a presumption that it is Tax paid Money In March 2014, the number of Income Tax returns filed was 3.8 crores. In 2017-18, this figure has grown to 6.86 crores. In the last two years, when the impact of demonetisation and other steps is analysed, the Income Tax returns have increased by 19% and 25%. This is a phenomenal increase The number of new returns filed post demonetisation increased in the past two years by 85.51 lakhs and 1.07 crore and for 2018-19, advance tax in the first quarter has increased for personal income tax assesses by 44.1 percent and in the corporate tax category by 17.4 percent. The Income Tax collections have increased from the 2013-14 figure of Rs 6.38 lakh crore to the 2017-18 figure of Rs 10.02 lakh crore. The growth of income tax collections in the pre-demonetisation two years was 6.6 percent and 9 percent. Post-demonetisation, the collections increased by 15 percent and 18 percent in the next two years. The same trend is visible in the third year. Talking about expert views, RBI's former governor Raghuram Rajan said the note ban was 'not a good idea'. Raghuram Rajan said, "The positive impacts (of demonetisation) are out there in the future. We have no idea whether they will be important. To my mind, it was not a policy that was useful at that time." Govt will push RBI to hand over Rs 3.6 lakh crore even if it risks Urjit's resignation: Report Also, Gita Gopinath, Indian origin Chief Economist of IMF, did not approve of PM Modi's surprise move of note ban. In an exclusive interview to Business Standard, she said that not a single macroeconomist thinks demonetisation was a good idea. Comparing the cash circulation in India with Japan she said, "Japan has the highest cash per capita, way more than India. The cash in circulation, relative to the gross domestic product (GDP) for India was 10 per cent, whereas in Japan it is 60 per cent. That is not black money; that is not corruption." Still, BJP is a favourite: Ultimately, like in any other democratic system, election results are evidence of the success or failure of the policy decisions in India. But the BJP juggernaut is unstoppable except in by-elections, even after opposition parties high-voltage campaign against demonetization and especially, against Narendra Modi. After 2016, the BJP has won Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh assembly elections. In Karnataka, though the saffron party emerged as the single largest party, but failed to form the government. Moreover, BJP created history in Tripura by dethroning CPM. If we consider the number of states won by the BJP, it clearly shows that the note ban was not at all an issue for the voters as Congress and intellectuals think of. However, one cannot rule expert comments on the controversial issue which is difficult to comprehend by common people. The loss of Rs.3 lakh crores that cannot be recovered ever is no small issue to be ignored by experts not easy to be understood by the common people. 'Demonetisation' experiment proves that BJP enjoys the 'benefit of the doubt' among voters despite its flaws highlighted by the opposition of experts. No doubt, PM Modi-led BJP will successfully continue to ride on the 'doubts' created by the 'Demonetization' in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Why 2018 was a year of exits in the banking sector Govt will push RBI to hand over Rs 3.6 lakh crore even if it risks Urjit's resignation: Report India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Nov 8: Keeping up the heat on the RBI, The Centre intends to keep pressing demands for the country's central bank to relax lending curbs and hand over surplus reserves even if it risks provoking a resignation by the bank's governor. The government will turn up the heat at the bank's central board of directors meeting on November 19. "We want the RBI governor to accept the priorities of the economy and to discuss these with board members," news agency Reuters quoted one of the sources, a senior government official with direct knowledge of deliberations as saying. "If he wants to take decisions unilaterally, it will be better for him to quit." In recent weeks, the rift between the RBI and the government has been widening over various issues. RBI Governor Urjit Patel will be a key focus of the pressure from a group of directors who support the government's position, according to the New Delhi-based sources, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter. Information panel sends notice to RBI chief over wilful defaulters' list Recently, the government cited never-used before provisions of law that gives it powers to issue directions to the RBI on mattes of public interest to resolve certain issues. Citing Section 7 of the RBI Act -- an unprecedented move in the 80-year history of RBI -- the government wants RBI Governor Urjit Patel to address three prime concerns. They pertain to transfer of surplus funds, easing of NPA norms to kick start lending and support growth, and easing liquidity crisis facing non-banking finance companies (NBFCs), sources had said. Urjit Patel may resign as Jaitley's remarks widen RBI-govt rift: Report These issues may figure during the RBI's board meeting on November 19. The government would continue to press the RBI to relax norms to boost lending and transfer at least a third of its Rs 9.6 lakh crore reserve. The government wants the RBI to part with most of its profit as dividend. The central bank, however, feels that it needs to retain a share of profits to make its balance sheet stronger, as per media reports. The government wants Rs 3.6 lakh crore of surplus to be transferred to it, the reports said. In its attempt to clean up the banking system, the RBI introduced Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework that places curbs on lending, expanding branch network and dividend distribution on weak banks. RBI governor Urjit Patel to brief parliamentary panel on demonetisation on Nov 12 It has also mandated banks to declare a delinquent borrower even if payments were overdue by a day. The government wants some of these strictures to be eased to kick start lending and support growth, the sources said. One of the nominee director on RBI's Central Board S Gurumurthy has reportedly written to RBI Governor Urjit Patel regarding Deputy Governor Viral Acharya raising the issue of the bank's autonomy at a public event recently. Sources had said that the RBI's board meeting on November 19 was pre-scheduled and routine. The last meeting of the board was held in October. Apart from Patel and his four deputies, there are 13 nominated directors on the RBI's board. The reports of rift between the RBI and the government surfaced last month following the Finance Ministry reportedly started discussion with the RBI under the never before used Section 7 of the RBI Act. In a statement last week, the ministry said the RBI's autonomy is "essential" and will be "nurtured". Last week, Economic Affairs Seceretary Subhash Chandra Garg and government nominee on the Board took an apparent dig at Acharya's 'wrath of financial markets' comment in a tweet saying vital indicators of the economy were showing improvement. Acharya, in his much talked about speech last month, raised the issue of autonomy of the central bank and said that undermining the central bank's independence could be "potentially catastrophic". "Governments that do not respect central bank independence will sooner or later incur the wrath of financial markets, ignite economic fire, and come to rue the day they undermined an important regulatory institution; their wiser counterparts who invest in central bank independence will enjoy lower costs of borrowing, the love of international investors, and longer life spans," Acharya had said. The deputy governor's comment had generated controversy, hinting at the growing rift between the government and the central bank. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, November 8, 2018, 9:02 [IST] With 2 more arrests NIA steps up heat on terrorists targeting civilians in J&K Cleaning up the inside rot: The importance of gunning down Kashmirs white collared terrorists Hyderpora encounter: Bodies of two civilians exhumed, to be handed over to families Heroin worth Rs 200 seized, narcotics were being brought from Kupwara to Delhi in apple cartons India oi-Vikas SV Srinagar, Nov 8: The Narcotics Control Bureau on Thursday (November 8) seized Rs 200 worth heroin. The contraband substance was being brought from Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara in apple cartons, said reports. These cartons were being taken to Azadpur Mandi in Delhi. Azadpur mandi is one of biggest fruits and vegetables market in Delhi. The heroin laden apple cartons were intercepted and seized from a highway toll plaza in Jammu and Kashmir by narcotics Control Bureau from a truck, said reports. As per latest reports, the driver of the truck is being questioned. In July, four alleged drug peddlers were arrested in three separate incidents in Jammu and Kashmir and more than 450 grams of heroin and 250 intoxicant capsules were seized from them. [BSF guns down Pakistani smuggler, 10 kg heroin seized] On February 10, a Pakistani smuggler was killed while another was caught as BSF jawans thwarted an attempt to smuggle in heroin into the country through the Abohar sector in Punjab. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, November 8, 2018, 17:52 [IST] Jaish chief reserves best weapons for his nephews, while rest fight with SLRs India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Jammu, Nov 8: In a span of one year, the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir have gunned down two nephews of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief, Maulana Masood Azhar. The two nephews killed in separate encounters with the security forces were Talha Rashid and Usman Haider. While Rashid was killed in November 2017, Usman was shot dead during the Tral encounter on October 30 this year. Jaish chief Azhar's second nephew killed in Valley was deputy chief of sniper squad Interestingly, following the encounter, the police recovered the deadly M4 Carbine from both the nephews. The first recovery of the M4 Carbine was from Rashid who was killed in an encounter at Pulwama. The second one was at Tral this year. The recoveries clearly suggest that the best of the weapons have been reserved for the family of the Jaish chief. In both the encounters, the security forces had recovered the M4 Carbine from the nephews of the Jaish chief. The other terrorists who fought along with them possessed the AK-47 rifles. The terrorists in the Valley, especially those who are part of the Hizbul Mujahideen have been facing a weapon crunch. Outfits such as the Jaish and Lashkar-e-Tayiba have been fighting alongside the Hizbul for sometime now. The Hizbul in fact has the largest number of terrorists. However this number has not made them lethal automatically as many of them do not even have weapons with them. An Intelligence Bureau official points out to OneIndia that many of them are just social media stars. He also said that the photograph of Hizbul terrorist Samir Tiger posing with the M4 Carbine had worried them initially. It was only later that it was revealed that he had borrowed the weapon from Haider to pose with it and post it on the social media, the officer also revealed. In this context it would be interesting to re-visit the recent statement made by Hizbul commander, Riyaz Naikoo. In an audio message, he said that the biggest problem they were facing was regarding the lack of weapons. Why the killing of Masood Azhar's nephew is a 'bloody blow' to the Jaish Naikoo goes on to say that the biggest problem they are facing is with regard to weapons. The AK-47 was used in the 1990s by terrorists and till date this continues to be our weapon. In fact most of us do not have that as well, he goes on to say. In the 1990s terrorists would carry with them five magazines, but today we have only two or three. He said when their colleagues get killed in an encounter their parents ask if their son possessed enough weapons to fight. We have no words at that time. This year 40 of our colleagues have died. You shall know what we have got from our base camp. Our boys are fighting merely with pistols and SLRs. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, November 8, 2018, 15:32 [IST] Let Ayodhya disputed site become playground for children, feel many residents India pti-PTI Ayodhya (UP), Nov 8: As the chorus for early construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya grows ahead of next year's parliamentary election, many residents say the disputed site should be turned into a playground for children, and not politicians. Tired of living under the restive shadow of communalism, Ayodhya residents, be it Vijay Singh or Mohammad Azim, do not want any fresh political trigger for communal disharmony. Vijay Singh, a doctor who lives near the Ram Janmabhoomi, is a devout Hindu but he says he is not in favour of building a temple there if it leads ti acrimony between two communities. Ayodhya Deepotsav 2018 enters Guinness Book of World Records: Over 3 lakh diyas lit Ram Janmabhoomi is the place where, many people believe, Lord Ram The 48-year-old medic says he was present in Ayodhya on the fateful day of December 6, 1992 when Babri Masjid was demolished by right-wing activists and has seen the riots that ensued in the holy city. "People of Ayodhya have lived peacefully and in communal harmony for ages, but politicians stoke the fire to suit their agenda. Even in 1992, so many people had come from outside to bring the structure (mosque) down. It was a very tragic and unfortunate incident that affects Ayodhya till this day," Singh said. Like most of the people in the city, Singh is an avowed devotee of Lord Ram, and the iron gates of his clinic, neighbouring 'Sugriv Kila', displays the chant 'Jai Shri Ram' in Hindi. On way to the Ram Janmabhoomi, underneath a tree, he and his wife run a makeshift counter to offer medical help to devotees. Yogi in Ayodhya: Faizabad district to be called Ayodhya "We all have faith in Lord Ram, and I personally have no issue with a temple being built there, but if it leads to acrimony between two communities, then I am not in favour of it. Instead, I feel, the disputed site should be turned into a playground, where children of all faith can play together," Singh told PTI. The chorus for early construction of the Ram temple at the disputed site has been growing in the party and the Sangh Parivar. Many BJP leaders, including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, have been pitching for speeding the work towards construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh (UP), and some of them, including Union minister Vijay Goel, have suggested taking the ordinance route. Ayodhya native Vivek Tripathi, who worked as a software engineer in several parts of the country as well as abroad, was in town to attend the 'Deepotsav' celebrations with his family. He recalls the horrible memories of 1992 when he was a school kid. "I was living in Bhopal those days, and after the riots broke out in Ayodhya, it affected our city (Bhopal) too as it did in other parts of India. We were present in school when it was shut suddenly, and I had to run back home taking alleys and bylanes, avoiding the route I would generally take as it wasn't safe then," Tripathi told PTI. The software professional, whose last assignment was in Italy, has taken to permaculture farming practice in Himachal Pradesh, said he only understood the scale of the tragedy when "I grew up and read about the case". "I do not understand this temple-mosque rift. Why we are trying to revive an issue that might trigger something unpleasant. Communal harmony is important, and we do not need to build anything there, we can just make it a playground for children and not a playground for politics," Tripathi said. Mohammad Azim, a 46-year-old resident of the city, who also bore the brunt of the 1992 tragedy, said, "Hindus and Muslims have always lived in peace here. They still do," and alleged, "politicians and outside elements, driven by an agenda, try to drive a wedge between the two communities for political gains." Ram Lochan, 45, a tarot card reader who puts up his shop near a tree on way to Ram Janmabhoomi, said, "I want a temple to be built, but a playground for children would also be fine. Ram Lalla, after all is the child avatar of Lord Ram." UP Chief Minister Adityanath visited the Ram Janambhomi on Diwali and offered prayers there. Currently, a statue of Ram Lalla (child avatar of Lord Ram) is kept at the site, which attracts devotees from far and wide, including Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and West Bengal. A multi-layered security guards the heavily fortified zone while shopkeepers nearby sell religious artefact and merchandise, including a CD on 'Ayodhya Darshan' which has clips of the 1992 demolition incident, and a printed collage of photos which depicts an artist's rendition of a 'proposed Ram Temple'. A police official said about 20,000 people visited Ram Janmabhoomi on Diwali, almost double the footfall recorded on regular days. Aravind S and Vasanthi M, a couple from Eluru in Andhra Pradesh's West Godavari district, were among the devotees who visited Ram Janmabhoomi for the first time. "We both feel a Ram temple should be built here, it is the truth and a matter of our faith. But, people should go by the judgment of the Supreme Court," Aravind said. The Supreme Court recently fixed the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute cases for the first week of January next year before an appropriate bench, which will decide the schedule of hearing. As many as 14 appeals have been filed against the 2010 High Court judgement that suggested that the 2.77 acres of disputed land be partitioned equally among three parties the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla. PTI Kamal Nath likely to be the new CM of Madhya Pradesh: Reports Madhya Pradesh elections 2018: BJP releases fourth list of seven candidates India oi-Vikas SV Bhopal, Nov 8: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday released fourth list of seven candidates for the upcoming Madhya Pradesh legislative assembly elections. Earlier today, the BJP had released the third list of 32 candidates for the MP polls. Madhya Pradesh Minister and BJP leader Kusum Mehdele has not been given a ticket to contest from Panna, from where she is a sitting MLA. BJP's Brijendra Singh would be contesting from Panna in the upcoming assembly elections. BJP's fourth list: On November 5, the party had released the second list of 17 candidates, fielding Lok Sabha member Anoop Mishra, who is the nephew of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and two women nominees. Meanwhile, the Congress' fourth list released yesterday also included name of CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan's brother-in-law Sanjay Singh Masani. Congress has fielded CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan's brother-in-law from Waraseoni. Masani had joined the Congress on November 3 in the presence of state unit president Kamal Nath and the state's campaign committee chairman Jyotiraditya Scindia. [Madhya Pradesh elections: Congress releases fifth list of 16 candidates] Voting for Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections 2018 will be held on November 28. The counting of votes is scheduled for December 11. The tenure of the 230-member state Assembly ends on January 7, 2019. The BJP has been in power in the state since 2003 and is seeking a fourth straight term. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, November 8, 2018, 22:50 [IST] Madhya Pradesh elections: Congress releases fifth list of 16 candidates India oi-Chennabasaveshwar P New Delhi, Nov 8: Congress released the fifth list of 16 candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday. Sartaj Singh who has joined Congress from BJP to contest from Hoshangabad constituency. Congress releases fifth list of 16 candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh. Sartaj Singh who has joined Congress from BJP to contest from Hoshangabad constituency. pic.twitter.com/OynQEqTLcI ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2018 Smaller political parties to play important role in a closely contested MP Assembly polls The Congress on Monday (November 5) had released a list of 13 candidates for the Madhya Pradesh elections 2018. Winning the Madhya Pradesh elections is very crucial for the Congress as it is the biggest states among the five which are going to polls this year. The Congress would be mindful of the fact that this state is important in the context of the 2019 poll as well. MP Polls: BJP releases third list of candidates; fields Kailash Vijayvargiya's son from Indore-3 Voting for Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections 2018 will be held on November 28. The counting of votes is scheduled for December 11. The tenure of the 230-member state Assembly ends on January 7, 2019. The BJP has been in power in the state since 2003 and is seeking a fourth straight term. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, November 8, 2018, 17:31 [IST] (CNN) Dennis Hof, a Nevada brothel owner and reality TV star who died last month, won an election for Nevada's 36th Assembly District Tuesday night, the Nevada Secretary of State's office said. Hof, who ran as a Republican, defeated Democratic challenger Lesia Romanov by more than 7,000 votes, the office said. Nevada's 36th Assembly District sits in the southern portion of the state, and includes portions of Nye, Lincoln and of Clark counties. According to state law, county officials will now appoint a fellow Republican who also resides in the district to take Hof's seat. Hof, a self-proclaimed pimp, was found dead October 16 after celebrating his 72nd birthday at one of his ranches. The cause of death is still under investigation. Hof the star of HBO's "Cathouse" series who Republican consultant Roger Stone had called "Trump from Pahrump" had ousted a sitting Republican member of Nevada's State Assembly in a primary. This story was first published on CNN.com "Dead brothel owner wins Nevada state assembly seat" Chandrababu Naidu dubs meeting with Deve Gowda as 'an initial exercise to unite opposition parties' India oi-Deepika S Bengaluru, Nov 8: In the run-up to the next year's Lok Sabha elections, Telugu Desam Party supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who is trying to unite opposition parties to take on BJP, met former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Thursday. Naidu's meeting with the JD(S) supremo comes in the backdrop of Congress-JD(S) coalition resolving to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections together against the BJP, buoyed by the victory in the bypolls. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the Deve Gowda said "NDA rule under leadership of PM Modi has created so many problems including destabalising constitutionally created institutes. Now, it is the responsibility of all secular parties including Congress to come together to replace BJP govt." "Chandrababu Naidu has taken the lead and met several leaders to consolidate all secular parties to remove NDA govt in 2019. He met me & HD Kumaraswamy today to work out further strategy," he added. The Congress-JD(S) coalition in Karnataka on Tuesday won two of the three Lok Sabha seats and both assembly constituencies in the fiercely fought by-polls, giving a shot in the arm to the ruling combine that faces frequent questions about its longevity. "The meeting with former Prime Minister Deve Gowda and Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy was an initial exercise to unite the opposition parties," Naidu told reporters after an hour-long meet at Gowda's residence in the city's southwestern suburb. Karnataka by-polls: How the BJP's vote share has collapsed BJP had managed to hold on to the Shivamogga Lok Sabha seat. The electoral sweep by the ruling coalition comes as a boost to it as the by-polls were seen as a barometer of the public mood ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Naidu had called his Karnataka counterpart over the phone on Tuesday and congratulated the latter on the JD(S)-Congress combine's "spectacular victory" in the by-elections. Upset over TDP-Congress tie-up, NTR's wife wants husband's 'rebirth' JD(S) lawmaker haravana said Naidu's meeting with HD Deve Gowda's in continuation of the discussions the Andhra Chief Minister was holding with "secular" party leaders across the country. "The bypoll results that have come are a good development as people of state have understood the need for secular forces. He (Naidu) is expected to seek Deve Gowda's cooperation," he added. Naidu had also recently met NCP chief Sharad Pawarand National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, among others. Depression soon, heavy showers likely in several regions of TN; Puducherry Ready for bypolls in Tamil Nadu, Kamal Haasan says on 64th birthday India oi-PTI Chennai, Nov 8: Actor-politician Kamal Haasan on Wednesday said his party Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) is ready to face the bypolls for 20 assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu whenever they were held. "At this point of time, we can say bypolls may be conducted. I do not know whether it will be held definitely. Suppose, if it is conducted, Makkal Needhi Maiam is ready to face it," he said. Haasan was addressing reporters in Chennai on the occasion of his 64th birthday. Bypolls are due in the 20 constituencies, which have fallen vacant following the Madras high court last month upholding the disqualification of the 18 AIADMK MLAs who back Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam leader TTV Dhinakaran and in view of demise of two sitting members, including DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi. Answering a question, Haasan said his basic objective was to facilitate healthy politics. "When you say healthy politics, it also holds the meaning of being scam free. If we do healthy politics, everyone can strongly hope that all sectors will see growth," he said. The popular actor said, "I do not make any promises wherever I go. But, I receive it from them (people) instead. They all unanimously promised me that they made a mistake by accepting money for vote and that they will not do that again. I hope they will fulfil it," he said. He dismissed the allegation of local Congress leader 'Karate' Thiagarajan that his party was acting like a "mouth piece" of BJP. In his birthday message to his party members and followers released on Sunday, Haasan has slammed "existing political parties and politicians" for viewing welfare as 'alms' and charged that they indulge in corruption as if it is their full-time occupation. The actor had also exhorted them to take up welfare activities rather than meeting him to wish him on his birthday. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, November 8, 2018, 10:46 [IST] Reddy in the dock: How gold became a cover to avoid a Rs 18 crore money trail India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Bengaluru, Nov 8: Karnataka's former tourism minister, Janardhan Reddy has gone into hiding after the police launched a manhunt for him in connection with a ponzi scam case. The probe was being conducted after the main accused in the case alleged that he had paid Reddy a huge sum in the form of gold to get out of the clutches of an ED official is probing the case. These allegations were made by Ahmed Fareed, the prime accused in the ponzi scam. On the Janardhan Reddy had demanded Rs 20 crore in form of gold bullion What began as a routine investigation in November 2017 has turned out to be a major scam, with big names coming out. Another interesting aspect of this case is that the gold which the accused person speaks about has not been found. In fact there was never any gold transaction, a police source informed OneIndia. How it began: It was in November 2017 that some persons had lodged a complaint with the KG Halli police in Bengaluru. The investigations were immediately launched and this led the police to the prime accused in the Ponzi scam, Fareed. The complaint was that Fareed's company Ambidant Marketing Private Ltd had cheated as many as 15,000 investors with his scheme. He had promised them returns of up to 40 per cent per month on their investments. The police seized several documents and also his mobile phone. On the mobile phone, photographs of Janardhan Reddy were found. The police got suspicious and questioned Fareed about it, following which he revealed that he got in touch with Reddy to get out of an ED investigation. This was when the IT department and the ED were also roped in to probe the case. The matter was then taken up to the senior police officials, who decided to widen the ambit of the probe. The CCB was roped in and special teams formed to probe the case. Now there are four teams that have been formed to nab Reddy. Day after Ballary poll, why is Janardhan Reddy on the run The gold that never was: Fareed said that when the ED probe began, he got in touch with Ali Khan, who is a close associate of Reddy. He also said that he along with his son Afaq had held a meeting with Janardhan Reddy at the Taj West End hotel in March 2018. He alleged that to get out of the ED's net, Janardhan Reddy had demanded a sum of Rs 18 crore in the form of gold bullions. Following this meeting, Ali Khan introduced Fareed to Ramesh, a Ballary based jeweller. Ramesh then introduced Fareed to another jeweller based out of Bengaluru, Ramesh Kothari. Fareed is alleged to have purchased gold worth Rs 18 crore and then handed it over to Reddy. The interesting point here is that the gold is yet to be recovered. Sources say that the gold was just a cover to move the money to Reddy. It is a fact that Fareed paid Rs 18 crore to the jeweller. A receipt was prepared for the same, but no transaction in gold took place. Karnataka bypolls 2018: Why is victory in Bellary very special for Congress? Sources say that the intention was to drop off the money for Reddy at the jeweller. The gold was only a cover to avoid the money trail. The police have also recovered some crucial documents and are scrutinising the same. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, November 8, 2018, 11:30 [IST] Scars from 2016 only getting more visible: Manmohan Singh on demonetisation India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Nov 8: On the second anniversary of demonetisation of high value notes, former prime minister Manmohan Singh said the exercise was ill-fated and ill-thought. In a statement Manmohan Singh, said "Today marks the second anniversary of the ill-fated and ill-thought demonetisation exercise that the Narendra Modi government undertook in 2016". "The havoc that it unleashed on the Indian economy and society is now evident to everyone. Notebandi impacted every single person, regardless of age, gender, religion, occupation or creed" he said. He explained that as small and medium businesses are yet to recover, it has had a direct impact on employment for youth, financial markets and infrastructure lenders and non-bank financial services firms. Demonetisation: A bold step or a failed move? "The financial markets are volatile as the liquidity crisis wrought by demonetisation is taking its eventual toll on infrastructure lenders and non-bank financial services firms. We are yet to understand and experience the full impact of the demonetisation exercise. With a depreciating currency and rising global oil prices, macro-economic headwinds are also starting to blow now," he added. "It is therefore prudent to not resort to further unorthodox, short-term economic measures that can cause any more uncertainty in the economy and financial markets," Singh said. The Congress is holding nationwide protests Thursday, and has demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "ruining and wrecking" the economy. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, November 8, 2018, 11:23 [IST] Smaller political parties to play important role in a closely contested MP Assembly polls India oi-Vinod Kumar Shukla New Delhi, Nov 8: Elections to constitute the new Assembly in Madhya Pradesh are evenly poised between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at least for the moment but some local players and regional political parties might disturb the prospect of both the national political parties in the state. Interestingly if one is harming one party at one place then the other is harming the other political party at another place. The emergence of the tribal outfit Jai Adivasi Yuva Shakti (JAYS) in the Malwa-Nimar region is a cause of concern for the Congress and so it was trying to have an alliance with the tribal outfit but no headway was made. Besides that, the Congress is also banking on its tribal leader Kantilal Bhuria to keep the tribal vote bank intact with the Congress. MP Polls: BJP releases third list of candidates; fields Kailash Vijayvargiya's son from Indore-3 Actually, Malwa-Nimar region has been the pocket borough of the BJP but this time around, there is an anger against the party in view of farmers' agitation and in general three term's anti-incumbency but there is a possibility of Congress' gain being nullified by JAYS contesting Assembly elections from there. JAYS will be contesting 80 seats in the state and it is likely to give 33 tickets to non-tribal people to garner their support. They are focusing on such seats where tribal population is at least 40 thousand. Gondwana Gantantra Party has announced to contest 90 Assembly seats with a clear objective of defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party. The GGP is ready to join hands with anyone ensuring the defeat of the BJP but nothing has been done so far. Samanya, Picchada, Alpasankyak Varg Adhikari Karmachari Sanstha ( SAPAKS) is an organisation born out of protest against the government's reservation policy and amendment to the Atrocities Act. The SAPAKS has been officially registered by the Election Commission (EC) and many are claiming that it could wreck enough damage in constituencies with significant Brahmins, Rajputs and other non-reserved category voters. So it will majorly damage the BJP. MP polls: Congress eyes 15 districts where it was not a single seat Bahujan Samaj Party (BJP) that has sizeable influence in the region bordering Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh may damage the Congress as it has predominantly a Dalit party. Dalits traditionally support the Congress so is the case with Samajwadi Party which has minimal influence in Madhya Pradesh among OBC people as Madhya Pradesh chief minister is the biggest OBC leader in the state. But the elections which is being closely contested by the Congress and the BJP and it is expected that at least in 50 constituency the victory or defeat margin is going to be between 1000 to 2000 votes. In such a situation these political will not have a very crucial role to play but will also decide which way the election in Madhya Pradesh go. Tigress Avni killed: Post-mortem report reveals she hadn't eaten for days India oi-Deepika S Mumbai, Nov 8: The post-mortem report of tigress Avni, blamed for 13 deaths in Yavatmal reveals that she had not eaten for more than a week. The report states that the states she was starving for almost a week before she was killed. The 11-month-old cubs - a male and a female - have not been sighted since Avni's death. The question arises next is if her cubs too are starving over a week. The forest officers had earlier said that the cubs can survive without mother for 7-8 days. "We have a window of seven-eight days as the cubs can possibly survive on their own for that long with small kills, like pigs, neelgai fawns and hare. We are trying to capture them sooner than later. We cannot afford to let anything untoward to happen to the cubs," said Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife), Sunil Limaye. According to a Mid-Day report, the postmortem report of Avni says that the tigress' stomach was void of solid contents, indicating that the big cat had nothing to eat for days. Tigress Avni killed: NGO writes to PM Modi, demands CBI probe Forest Department officials have voiced concern that her cubs may be starving as it has been more than a week since Avni was killed. They have also placed baits at many places to try and keep the cubs from starving further. Skin samples from where Avni was shot have been sent to the Regional Forensic Laboratory in Nagpur for ballistic and chemical analysis, along with the dart used. The lab will test if the skin samples contained any traces of tranquilisers or anaesthetics were in the animal. Tigress Avni shot dead: Maharashtra forest minister hits back at Maneka Gandhi Meanwhile Shooter Shafat Ali Khan, whose son Asghar Ali killed the man-eating tigress 'Avni', said those criticising the forest department's operation are short on facts. A thorough probe, he added, would expose the "baseless allegations" being levelled by animal rights' activists. Specifically hitting out at Union Minister Maneka Gandhi, who referred to the officials involved in the neutralisation of tigress Anvi as "murderers", Shafat said he would pursue a legal battle if required to clear the defamatory charges levelled against his son. Tigress Avni shot dead, now question looms large on her cubs The six-year-old animal, officially called T1, a mother to two nine-month-old cubs, allegedly claimed at least 13 lives in Ralegaon forest in Yavatmal since June 2016. "Avni was shot dead by sharp-shooter Asgar Ali, son of famous sharp-shooter Nawab Shafat Ali, at compartment no 149 of Borati forest under the jurisdiction of the Ralegaon police station. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, November 8, 2018, 16:47 [IST] Weather forecast for Nov 9: Chennai rains to intensify by next week India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Nov 8: The feeble Low- pressure area lies over Comorin region. An upper air trough is extending from this system to South coastal Andhra Pradesh. Here is the weather forecast for Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai on November 9. Bengaluru: The Google weather update obtained shows that Bengaluru will be witnessing sunny day. Since the Winter is approaching, low night temperatures is said to continue. According to Skymet weather, during the next 24 hours, moderate rain will be witnessed at many places with heavy rain at few places over Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. However, the maximum temperature will be recorded around 31 degree Celsius and humidity will be around 46 per cent. Delhi: The day next to Deepawali has been a very severe one on account of Air Quality Index for Delhi-NCR region. As per Skymet Weather, no relief for Delhiites as pollutants would continue to linger around the earth surface for the coming 2-3 days. However, the maximum temperature will be recorded around 28 degree Celsius and humidity will be around 42 per cent Chennai: After remaining dry for the last 3-4 days, Chennai rains are ready to make a comeback. According to Skymet Weather, Chennai is likely to record light rain during the next 24 hours. As per Skymet weather, Chennai rains would pick up pace around November 13. The maximum temperature will be recorded around 31 degree Celsius and humidity will be around 68 per cent. Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala has been battling dry weather for last many days in absence of any significant weather systems over or around the region. But now, rains are all set to return over the southern state. According to Skymet weather, light to moderate rains and thundershowers are expected at many places over Kerala during the next 48 hours. The maximum temperature will be recorded around 28 degree Celsius and humidity will be around 83 per cent. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, November 8, 2018, 15:40 [IST] Chandrababu Naidu cries at press meet; vows to step into Assembly again only after returning to power Who is Nambala Keshav Rao, the new aggressive chief of the naxalites India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Nov 8: Gaganna alias Prakash alias Krishna alias Vijay alias Keshav alias Basava Raju alias BR alias Prakash alias Darapu Narasimha Reddy alias Narasimha. These are some of the aliases used by the new chief of the naxalites Nambala Keshav Rao, who took over from the 72 year old Muppala Lakshma Rao alias Ganapathy. Rao took over as the chief of the CPI (Maoist), which was formed in 2004, following the merger with the Peoples' War Group, CPI (Marxist-Lennist) and the Maoist Communist Centre of India. Rao, an aggressive planner and strategist hails from Andhra Pradesh. His address has been listed as, "VillageJiyannapet, PS & Mandalam-Kotabommali, Dist-Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh." He is the son of late N Vasudeva Rao. With a new chief at the helm, why the naxalites will get extremely aggressive now Who is Nambala Keshav Rao? He is an engineering graduate from the Regional Engineering College, Warrangal, which is now called the National Institute of Technology. He has been a second in command to Ganapathy and headed the Central Military Commission of the CPI (Maoists). Intelligence Bureau officials describe him as an aggressive cadre and a key strategist. He specialises in use of improvised explosive devices. He has been responsible for training several cadres in the use of IEDs. As the head of the CMC or Central Military Commission, he was responsible for planning and directing guerrilla activity. He was also in charge of chalking out the strategy and source arms and ammunition. He was also the overall in charge of the sub committees such as the Zonal Military Committee and Special Area Military Committee. Why is India's most wanted man a naxalite and not a jihadi He is also well versed with the key areas that the naxals control in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Chattisgarh. When asked if there were differences between Ganapathy and Rao, officials said that they are most likely to work together. The movement would continue to draw from the ideology of Ganapathy, while Rao would be used for his military skills. He would also be tasked with bringing in new cadres into the movement. For long now, the naxalites have been speaking about the need for a second rung leadership. With Rao at the helm, he would be responsible for building that as well, officials also said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, November 8, 2018, 6:45 [IST] Yogi seems to have cut out plans for him in UP for LS elections; his popularity on surge India oi-Vinod Kumar Shukla New Delhi, Nov 8: With the Lok Sabha elections coming closer by the day, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath is emerging a leader to reckon with for the entire state that sends 80 members to the Lok Sabha. There are many issues that are bringing him not only close to people of the state but making him more and more popular. So much so that he is in the maximum demand in five election-bound states after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah. Political analysts feel that Ram Temple issue, changing name of Allahabad to Prayagraj and now Faizabad to Ayodhya have been just adding to his popularity but the biggest credit that he is getting for is making law and order situation better in the state. Though there was some initial hick ups in the law and order situation, the way small-time and some big gangsters were dealt with by the Yogi administration, people are really appreciative of him. Some of the cities in western Uttar Pradesh where girls were dropping out due to anti-social elements have been rejoicing actions taken by the Yogi government. 'Mandir tha, mandir hai, aur mandir rahega', says Adityanath assures Ram temple will be built Around one and half years time since he has taken over as UP CM, electorally it has not been any good for him as three Lok Sabha by-elections was lost under him but now the task of cut out for him in 2019 Lok Sabha election is bigger and he is owning the responsibility with full vigor and conviction. Several rounds of meeting with the Rashtriya Swayamsevk Sangh (RSS) leadership has already taken place with the leaders of Uttar Pradesh and even with Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah too discussed 2019 Lok Sabha elections with them for several times. The UP CM has been unequivocally expressing his views on Ram Temple and the kind of programme being organised in Ayodhya, it seems that the CM has come of the age. Yogi had said in his speech that he has respect for the court on the Ram Temple issue. Sources said that actually the court decision to defer the matter for unspecified time has annoyed even such people who don't have any political leaning towards the BJP and even they are all praising decisions taken by the UP CM as Lord Ram is in the psyche of people of the country. Now they are all rallying behind him and if this continues there is a big political threat to other parties in the state. Sources said that Yogi has been saying in private that with all respect to the court I am ready to bear anything for the construction of magnificent temple of Lord Ram at his birth place. A section of upper caste community that was not happy with the BJP for its certain decision taken recently and looking at the Congress with hope but the court ruling that Ram Temple is not in the priority of the court and virtually creating a situation where the matter is not possible to be heard before 2019 Lok Sabha election has been linked with former Union minister Kapil Sibal's demand in the court to defer it to post 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Ayodhya Deepotsav 2018 enters Guinness Book of World Records: Over 3 lakh diyas lit The government's pro-active approach towards killing of Apple executive by the police and his wife getting employment in the Uttar Pradesh government too is appreciated for handling the matter well. Moreover, there is no possibility of corruption charges on him in a state which is marred by the successive corrupt government. Moreover, some political acumen shown by him in terms of electoral policy is making him more popular among masses so much so that it has gone way beyond from other UP leaders. Infrastructure development is also visible with roads getting better in the state giving him a good chance to emerge in the Lok Sabha elections. Indians most positive about teaching as a career for their kids International pti-PTI London, Nov 8: Indians are the most positive about their children taking up a career in teaching, a new global study has revealed. The UK-based Varkey Foundation's 'Global Teacher Status Index (GTSI) 2018 was released on Thursday and is described as the most comprehensive study of how society views teachers across 35 countries around the world. It revealed that over half (54 per cent) of Indian people polled said they encourage their children to become teachers more than in any other country surveyed, including China (50 per cent). By comparison, under a quarter of British people (23 per cent) would encourage their child to become a teacher, while only 6 per cent would encourage their child to become a teacher in Russia, the lowest of any country surveyed. Overall, India ranks eighth among the 35 countries surveyed in the 'Global Teacher Status Index 2018', in which China is the highest-ranked country and Brazil the lowest. Blow to India's soft power: Why Gandhi is hated in Malawi The index reveals, for the very first time, that there is a direct link between teacher status and pupil performance as measured by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) scores. "When we conducted the 'Global Teacher Status Index' five years ago we were alarmed by the weight of evidence pointing to the low status of teachers around the world. It was this that inspired us to create the Global Teacher Prize, which shines a light on the extraordinary work that teachers do around the world," said Indian-origin entrepreneur and philanthropist Sunny Varkey, Founder of the Varkey Foundation. Poop in hand, Bill Gates backs China's toilet revolution The survey is based on in-depth opinion polling and analysis by Professor Peter Dolton and the National Institute of Economic and Social Research of over 35,000 adults aged 16-64 and over 5,500 additional serving teachers across 35 countries. The 2018 index expands upon the first GTSI, which surveyed 21 countries back in 2013 and inspired the Varkey Foundation's annual USD 1-million Global Teacher Prize. The survey also found that over three-quarters (77 per cent) of Indian respondents think that pupils respect their teachers the third-highest of any country surveyed after Uganda (79 per cent) and China (81 per cent). By contrast, only 9 per cent of people in Brazil think pupils respect their teachers, lower than any other country polled. Indians believe strongly in their country's education system rating it 7.11 out of 10 the fourth-highest of any country polled, with only Finland (8), Switzerland (7.2), and Singapore (7.1) higher. By contrast, Egyptians rated their country's education system lower than any other surveyed at 3.8. When asked to rank 14 professions in order of respect (including headteachers, primary and secondary teachers, doctors, nurses, social workers, and librarians), Indian respondents ranked headteachers the fourth-highest of all the countries surveyed after Malaysia, Indonesia, and China. Indians ranked secondary school teachers the seventh-highest of all the countries surveyed, with China ranking them the highest. The latest index found that teacher status was rising globally and of the 35 countries polled, Asian nations of India, China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia and Korea rank higher in terms of teacher status than every European country and every Western nation including the US, New Zealand and Canada. PTI Wood stairs lead up to a porch and the front door on the second level of the home. Though the temperature was barely above freezing, the neighbor stood on the porch in only a thin jacket and watched as police in winter hats moved about the scene. Wait for visa appointment to be 'significantly' longer: US embassy COVID digest: US gives vaccine approval for children 5 to 11 Kamala Harris to become first woman with Presidential power: Here's why 13 dead in mass shooting at a bar in southern California International oi-Deepika S California, Nov 8: At least 13 people are dead after shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, which is about 40 miles west of Los Angeles. The gunman reportedly used smoke grenades before opening fire at the Borderline Bar and Grill, north of Los Angeles, at around 11.30pm local time. Reports said a gunman shot a security guard standing at the front of the bar before entering the building and throwing "smoke grenades all over the place". Ventura County sheriff's Capt. Garo Kuredjian said he could not confirm whether any of those shot were dead. He described the situation as still active. "We're still looking for the shooter," Kuredjian said. "We can't confirm that the shooter is in custody."It was college night and country two-step lessons were being offered Wednesday at the Borderline, according to its website. It has been "quite some time" since there was a shooting of any kind in Thousand Oaks, a city of about 130,000 people about 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of Los Angeles, just across the county line. Aasia Bibi It was reported in local media that she was taken to Noor Khan Airbase Rawalpindi, from where she would be shifted to the Netherlands. "Aasia Bibi was released from New Jail for Women Multan (some 350 kilometers from Lahore) on Wednesday midnight. She is taken to Noor Khan Airbase Rawalpindi where a chartered plane will take her to Netherlands, " 24News reported on Thursday. Some other news channels also reported the release of Aasia Bibi and her departure for Netherlands. However, Foreign Office spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal said there was no truth that the mother of five had left the country. "There is no truth in reports about Bibi leaving the country - it is fake news," he said. Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry also rejected the reports about her going out of the country. "It has become a norm to publish fake news for sake of headlines, #AsiaBibi case is sensitive issue it was extremely irresponsible to publish news of her leaving the country without confirmation, I strongly urge section of media to act responsible," he said. Khadim Hussain Rizvi Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) of Khadim Hussain Rizvi spokesperson Hafiz Shahbaz Attari issued a statement to media saying "the Imran Khan government has released Aasia Bibi as the Netherlands ambassador in Islamabad reached Multan jail along with the government officials to ensure her release. She is being transported to Netherlands." He said a call has been given to the workers who are gathering in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to stop the government to allow Aasia leave the country. The apex court verdict on Bibi prompted immediate anger from a Islamist party that has threatened to paralyse daily life countrywide with street protests if her acquittal is not reversed. A spokesman for the Punjab government however refused to comment. "The government cannot give any comment on this matter," a spokesman for the Punjab government told media. Earlier, Italy said it would help Bibi leave the country because her life in danger following charges of blasphemy that put her on death row for eight years. Protest against Supreme Court decision Her husband had also urged the US president, and the UK and Canada premiers to help her leave the country for her life. Bibi's husband Ashiq Masih in a video message had appealed to the world leaders to help Aasia leave Pakistan for her safety. "I request President Donald Trump to help us to leave Pakistan and I also request the prime minister of the UK and Canada to help us. Help us in getting freedom," said Masih. In a landmark judgment last week, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar overturned the conviction of Aasia Bibi facing execution for blasphemy. Her acquittal triggered street protests by radical Islamists paralysing Pakistan for three days, blocking roads, torching vehicles, damaging public and private properties and attacking policemen for three days. Maulana Samiul Haq However, hours after the killing of Godfather of Taliban Maulana Samiul Haq, the TLP Friday announced ending sit-ins across the country following reaching a deal with the government on the issue of acquittal of Bibi. As per the agreement, the government will immediately initiate a process to place the name of Bibi on the no-fly list (exit control list). Bibi was convicted in 2010 after being accused of insulting Islam in a row with her neighbours. She always maintained her innocence, but has spent most of the past eight years in solitary confinement Police had arrested over 1,000 workers of the TLP mostly from Punjab province but later released almost all of them on the threat of the radicals that they would block roads if the TLP workers were not released. PTI Parliamane suspension to end on Nov 14 Jayasuriya said he had met party representatives to finalise the agenda for November 14 when the current suspension of parliament by President Sirisena would end. He said the government argued that parliament should not vote for a floor test on the day and should limit its sessions to day's business. "After giving a fair hearing to both sides, the speaker expressed his stand. The need for the determination of majority, as requested by 116 members previously in writing to suspend standing orders of parliament, after the conclusion of the day's business to allow each side to display their majorities in order to have a stable government," a statement from Jayasuriya's office said. When contacted a Sirisena source denied that they had agreed with Jayasuriya for a floor test. Karu Jayasuriya, earlier in the week, said when parliament was to be reconvened he would have to consider the pre-26 October status quo with regard to the two prime ministers. Jayasuriya's stance caused ire Jayasuriya's stance has caused ire among the Sirisena and Rajapaksa factions. The Sri Lanka President accuses the Speaker of being biased towards his party, the United National Party (UNP) led by the ousted prime minister Wickremesinghe. President Sirisena suspended parliament immediately after his October 26 sacking of Wickremesinghe, a move that was being seen as to allow Mahinda Rajapaksa to muster the 113 seats required for majority. Rajapaksa has so far won 9 defections, still short of 113 to prove his majority in the 225-member House. Wickremesinghe continues to claim he is lawful PM Wickremesinghe continues to claim he is the lawful prime minister citing the 19th amendment to the Constitution under which the president's powers to sack the Prime Minister had been stripped. The unity government was formed in 2015 when Sirisena was elected President with Wickremesinghe's support, ending a nearly decade-long rule by Rajapaksa. I 100 percent stand behind the defense that I put on for Jason Van Dyke, said Herbert, himself a former Chicago police officer. I gave my heart and soul to this case, and as long as my appearance is still on file, Im going to continue to do everything I can to represent my client. They have a right to protection ... and the best person to argue that is their own lawyer, said Meg Garvin, director of the National Crime Victim Law Institute. Everyone else in the criminal justice system has a job and a client. The defense attorneys client is the defendant. The prosecutors client is the state. The victim is separate from those other two, and they need someone. The shootings happened blocks apart from one another within about 36 hours. Douglass Watts, 73, was killed just steps from his home in the 1400 block of West Sherwin Avenue while walking his dogs on the morning of Sept. 30. Eliyahu Moscowitz, 24, was shot around 10:20 p.m. Oct. 1 while walking on the lakefront bike path in the 1100 block of West Lunt Avenue. Pritzker has proposed implementing a graduated income tax that would charge Illinoisans different tax rates depending on their incomes. That requires changing the state constitution, something hell need voters to approve in 2020. He was asked about what tax rates he would propose, as he often had been during the campaign. Pritzker said his administration will have to work with lawmakers on specifics. I think there are things that I disagree with the speaker about that are progressive. I certainly worked hard to pass marriage equality and Im not sure that was a high priority for him until we were able to get the votes put together. There are other things that I would say the speaker may not have been ahead of the curve on that I will be, Pritzker told the Tribune. Preckwinkle said: The rumor related to Johns work in a campaign while he was on leave from the county at the end of March. John denied it vehemently and angrily. I went back to the person in whom the rumor had been confided (Cisek) and said: Look, (Keller) has denied it. I want you to go back to this person whos shared the rumor with you. I want you to ask her to get a victim or a witness to come forward, or to report this. Scores of people stood in line for hours to donate blood for the wounded, and all morning, people looking for missing friends and relatives arrived at a community center where authorities and counselors were informing the next-of-kin of those who died. Many people walked past TV cameras with blank stares or tears in their eyes. In the parking lot, some comforted each other with hugs or a pat on the back. "Fighting Tucker Carlson's ideas is an American right. Targeting his home and terrorizing his family is an act of monstrous cowardice," Colbert wrote. "Obviously don't do this, but also, take no pleasure in it happening. Feeding monsters just makes more monsters." (CNN) After sweeping to victory in the House, Democrats plan to use their investigative powers next year to reopen the House's Russia investigation, probe possible obstruction of justice and fight to ensure that special counsel Robert Mueller's findings are not hidden from the public. The renewed focus in a Democratic-run House on the key elements of the special counsel's probe will play out as Democratic leaders will face pressures both internally and externally to launch proceedings to impeach President Donald Trump. Democratic lawmakers and aides say planning is already underway for how they will use their committee powers from hearings to subpoenas to get the answers to their burning questions about matters ranging from Trump campaign contacts with Russian officials to the firing of former FBI Director James Comey. Potential probes into Russia and obstruction are just two of the numerous ways that Democrats are readying oversight of the Trump administration's actions as well as Trump's personal finances once they control the House. But they aren't planning to come out guns blazing come January, they say, because many of their questions may already be answered by the special counsel probe. Rep. Adam Schiff, for instance, who is expected to become chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, intends to wait to see what both Mueller and the Senate Intelligence Committee found before diving back into his panel's Russia investigation, according to a senior House Democratic aide. "The idea is not to do a full-blown investigation again, but to fill in the information gaps that remain," the aide said. The special counsel's investigation into Trump's team is believed to be nearing its conclusion, and activity is expected to ramp up after Mueller worked quietly ahead of the midterm elections. The looming question is what Mueller's team concludes when it comes to the President himself, whose legal team is preparing written responses to Mueller's questions. Trump's lawyers have argued that a sitting President cannot be indicted, pointing to Justice Department regulations, and it's still unknown whether an in-person interview of Trump will happen. What this could mean for impeachment The wild card for Democrats in their preparations for next year is they don't know yet when and in what form the special counsel will present his findings, which has them in a holding pattern as they anticipate the end of the Mueller probe could be near. When that end comes, the question will inevitably turn to impeachment, a topic Nancy Pelosi and other top House Democrats have strenuously avoided during the campaign. Democrats say they're cognizant of the fact there's a risk of overreaching with their investigations and an impeachment process that leads to the public to souring on them. "Saying he ought to be impeached right now is not the model. If we do that, we will permanently alienate his base, who are fellow Americans who voted for him," said Rep. Gerry Connolly, a Virginia Democrat. "I hope people stop and realize impeachment is sort of the culmination of a process, not the beginning of a process. It also needs to be fact-based and thoroughly vetted, and involve bringing the public along, if it comes to that." Pelosi said on "PBS NewsHour" Tuesday: "For those who want impeachment, that's not what our caucus is about." Of course, there's a vocal wing of the Democratic Party that argues the President has already crossed the impeachment threshold, and a small band of House Democrats last year forced the House to take procedural votes on the matter. The impeachment question is likely to be one chasing Democratic presidential hopefuls onto the campaign trail while House Democrats debate the matter on Capitol Hill. CNN's exit polling Tuesday found 77% of self-identified Democrats supported impeachment. "The question is, are you going to tell the truth or are you going to try to play a political game?" Tom Steyer, the billionaire Democratic donor who has called for Trump's impeachment, said in an interview. "They're looking at it in the framework of the next political election. We're saying this is a matter of right and wrong for the country." Any impeachment process is likely to be led by New York Rep. Jerry Nadler, the expected chair of the House Judiciary Committee in charge of impeachment. In the run-up to the midterms, Nadler has mostly avoided the topic. "I think it's way too early to talk about impeachment," Nadler told CNN. "We have to see what the Mueller investigation comes up with." There are still open questions, Nadler said, about whether Trump colluded with the Russians or obstructed justice. "If there are no longer open questions, then we will have to make judgment and we will go from there," he said. The Mueller factor Democrats are looking to Mueller's findings as a jumping off point for Russia, obstruction of justice and possibly impeachment. But there's no guarantee they'll even learn what the special counsel has uncovered. There's nothing in Justice Department regulations that requires Mueller to present his conclusions to Congress or the public, and Democrats are already preparing to fight any attempts to keep his findings hidden. They also are watching for what could be a more central threat to the Mueller investigation: the departure of either Attorney General Jeff Sessions or Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who supervises the Mueller probe with Sessions recused. Nadler said that if the President tries to interfere with the Mueller probe, his committee will try to protect the special counsel's inquiry and push the administration to preserve the records. Attorneys who have dealt with Mueller's investigators and other officials expect that the special counsel's efforts will include a report outlining what Mueller's investigators decided to prosecute and what they declined. "I expect his report based on his investigation will be more thorough and also broader in scope than what the Congress has done," said Rep. Joaquin Castro, a Texas Democrat. "And it could we don't know what will be in there lead the Congress to have other questions about the information that's presented." Not being 'Benghazi-like' Democrats on multiple congressional panels, including the Judiciary, Intelligence and Oversight committees, could play a role in reacting to whatever Mueller has uncovered. Congressional aides say it will be important politically for the speaker to coordinate so the committees aren't fighting to get the same information and witnesses. "What's important to me is that people know it's not the Democrats frothing to be Benghazi-like," said Illinois Rep. Mike Quigley, referencing the GOP-led investigation into the 2012 terrorist attack that Democrats say was a political attack on Hillary Clinton. "We'll see what (Mueller) does, how he is treated, and that'll tell us what we have left to do." Politically, Trump campaigned during the midterms on the idea that Democrats would try to impeach him, and there's concern among some Democrats that impeachment could be politically helpful to Trump in 2020 he'd claim he's the victim, that his political enemies were abusing their power to attack him. While Democrats could impeach Trump with a majority, it would require two thirds of the Senate to remove him from office. "America saw how divisive impeachment was when the Republicans impeached Bill Clinton for telling one lie," said Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Maryland Democrat. "I detect no bloodlust for impeachment on the Democratic side. ... (But) I do think all of us take an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution, and high crimes and misdemeanors are not something that can be swept under the rug." Investigative blueprints Top Democrats on multiple congressional committees laid out their investigative road maps through the dozens of letters sent to GOP committee chairmen over the past two years with requests for interviews, hearings and subpoenas. Schiff may have crafted the most comprehensive blueprint when Republicans ended their Russia investigation in March, releasing a 21-page status report with more than 60 witnesses, document requests and subpoenas he wanted to pursue to finish the investigation. Pursing all those leads isn't the Democrats' plan in January, because much of that work may have already been completed elsewhere, aides and lawmakers say. Schiff has said he wants a primary focus as chairman to be restoring comity and credibility on the Intelligence Committee after the Russia probe bitterly divided the panel. But the California Democrat has hinted at some areas of the Russia matter that he may address. "The question, though, that I don't know whether Mueller has been able to answer, because I don't know whether he's been given the license to look into it, is were the Russians laundering money through the Trump Organization?" Schiff told CNN's Wolf Blitzer last month. "That will be a very high priority to get an answer to." In addition to Russian money laundering, the committee may probe Trump's financial relationship with Deutsche Bank, social media interference, GOP operative Peter Smith's hunt for Hillary Clinton's emails and who Donald Trump Jr. called in between his calls setting up the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting with pop star Emin Agalarov, the Democratic aide said. "I don't believe in overkill, I don't believe in fighting just for the sake of fighting," Castro said. "But I do want to make sure we give the American people the investigation they deserve, get the answers they deserve." This story was first published on CNN.com "House Democrats plan to bring Russia back to the forefront" Even after he arrived at the Justice Department, Whitaker harbored frustration about the length of the special counsel probe and doubts about the scope of Mueller's authority, a person familiar with the matter said. He questioned Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein's ability to give Mueller such wide latitude and wanted to explore the bounds of what Mueller was examining, though Rosenstein kept Session's office "walled off" from the matter, this person said. Whitaker did, however, believe that Sessions had no choice but to recuse himself from the matter, the person said. Why would I raise a family in Illinois? Why should my hard-earned money be taxed to feed the bloated belly of Springfield and the dysfunction that is Illinois state politics? No one likes paying taxes, but I am OK with it if enough of those taxes go to help needy schools, poor neighborhoods or Illinois crumbling infrastructure. In Illinois, however, the inevitable tax increase will be a Band-Aid, a temporary fix on the long-term gaping wound of Illinois government. So as I sat in a cubicle in May 2017, I realized that I had to leave Illinois for a little while. Illinoisans are breathing easy that the barrage of political TV ads, mailers and phone calls has stopped following Election Day. The same cannot be said, however, for Republicans now worrying about the future of their party in Illinois. With Gov. Bruce Rauners defeat and steep losses across the state, Republican leaders will begin evaluating what comes next. Journalists and pundits will speculate, the party faithful will point fingers and the postmortem of the Republican Party in Illinois will begin. As with every major defeat, some Republicans will advocate for a shift from the center. Party leaders should reject the siren call: The Illinois GOP needs unity, not a race to the right. It's true the attorney general can deny Mueller the authority to take particular investigative steps. But the attorney general must notify Congress about any such denials and provide an explanation. If he wants to remove the special counsel, he could do so only for misconduct, dereliction of duty or other good cause, and again would have to provide an explanation to Congress. That notice goes to both the majority and minority parties and as of January, of course, the majority in the House will be the Democrats, who will not be shy about responding. Whats impossible to divine is Whitakers thinking. Before joining the Justice Department last year, Whitaker, a former U.S. attorney from Iowa, sounded skeptical about Mueller. He raised the notion of the investigation being a fishing expedition. Whitaker also used one of Trumps stock criticisms of Muellers work: witch hunt. Yet theres a big difference between opining as a private citizen and opining after being appointed, even temporarily, the nations chief legal officer. We presume Whitaker understands the stakes and his obligation to the Constitution, even if Trump sounds unclear on the concepts. Whitaker is scheduled to be on the job for up to 210 days. Based in Paris, Charlotte joined in September and reports to Gilles Guerin, CEO of BNPP CP. In this newly-created role, Charlotte will be responsible for developing BNPP CP's alternative offering with European investors, including pension funds, insurance companies, banks and family offices, with a key focus currently on BNP Paribas CP European Special Opportunities Debt Fund, a closed-ended fund of funds that recently held an initial closing. BNPP CP offers a range of alternative investment products including private equity, private debt and hedge funds, as well as services such as selection and consulting, multi-management, administration and incubation. Charlotte joined from Bedrock Asset Management, where she was Senior Vice President in charge of Business Development, leading the expansion of the funds business in Europe and developing bespoke investment solutions for institutions and family offices. Prior to this, she gained extensive experience of fixed income and capital markets sales, including roles at Commerzbank and Nomura. Charlotte holds an MSc in Finance from ESCP-EAP European School of Management and a BSc in Business Administration & Finance from Universite Paris Dauphine. Gilles Guerin, CEO of BNP Paribas Capital Partners, comments: "I am very pleased to welcome Charlotte Laurent to BNP Paribas Capital Partners. She has considerable knowledge of the institutional and private banking markets in France, Switzerland and Benelux, as well as extensive experience of developing fixed income- and derivative-based solutions to meet the specific requirements of clients in these markets. This will be invaluable as we expand our offering and capabilities across Europe." As a member of that Greatest Generation of service men and women serving in World War II with honor and great distinction, Pucinski flew 49 combat missions in the Pacific theater. He was a reporter and investigative journalist for the Chicago Sun-Times in the post-war world and served as the bilingual chief investigator for the congressional select committee uncovering the truth behind the horrific World War II atrocities against Polish prisoners of war during the 1940 Katyn Massacre. As a six-term U.S. congressman, Pucinski was instrumental in helping to pass the federal law to install black box flight data recorders on all commercial passenger airliners. As an 18-year member of the City Council representing the 41st Ward, Ald. Pucinski lived by the universal credo that in this lifetime we are all deeply connected by powers greater than us the powers of acceptance, understanding and compassion. Tissue and Hygiene Products Market Anticipated to Grow at a Significant Pace by 2025 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-528 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-528 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ The personal care products market comprises hair care, skin care, toiletries, fragrances convenience products and others. Among all these segments toiletries and skin care comprises the major segments for the market, constituting with high market value with favorable perspective in the near future. Tissue and hygiene is the sub-segment of toiletries segment. Tissue and hygiene products help consumers to maintain healthy and hygienic lifestyle in day to day schedule. Tissue and hygiene products are further categorized as disposable razor or blades, sanitary pads, nappies, cleansers, sprays, cotton wool and others.Tissue and hygiene Market Segmentation Tissue and hygiene market can be segmented on the basis of distribution channel which includes health and beauty stores, chemist/pharmacies/drugstores, supermarkets, convenient stores, e-retailing and others. Among all these distribution channel segments, sell out of tissue and hygiene products through supermarkets account for the highest market share in 2014 followed by convenience stores. Growing retail industry is fuelling the demand for sell out of tissue and hygiene products through supermarkets across the globe. Moreover, chemist/pharmacies/drugstores segment is also expected to show a potential growth in terms of sales of tissue and hygiene products during the forecast period. In addition, sell out through internet is expected to show a sustainable growth in the forecasted period. The growth of online purchasing is supported by the increasing penetration of internet and rising concern for convenience among the consumers across the globe.The tissue and hygiene market can also be segmented on the basis of product type. The segmentation includes cotton wool/buds/, incontinence products, nappies/diapers, sanitary protection, wipes and others. Among all these segments sanitary protection and nappies/diapers are collectively expected to account for the highest growth in terms of revenue followed by wipes. Increasing concern of women for healthy and hygienic lifestyle is expected to support the growth of sanitary protection product market across the globe. Moreover, wipes are also expected to show a tremendous growth in the forecast period due to continuous and aggressive promotion of the product.Request for Table of Contents @On the basis of geography, North America contributes to the largest in terms of revenue in tissue and hygiene market followed by Europe. In North America United States is the major contributor in tissue and hygiene market followed by Canada. In Europe, countries such as Germany and France accounts for the largest market share followed by United Kingdom. Whereas, Asia pacific is concerned it is expected to register a double digit CAGR growth by 2020. In Asia pacific region China is expected to be the most dominant market for tissue and hygiene followed by Japan. Rising awareness through various corporate advertisements and government educational campaigns coupled with increasing concern of women to be hygienic in their day to day life has fueled the growth of tissue and hygiene market in China.Moreover, women in China prefer for premium feminine hygiene product categories, which is expected to bolster the growth of feminine hygiene products in terms of revenue. In addition, India is also expected to witness a robust growth in tissue and hygiene market. Increasing number of working women in urban areas, rising awareness among the consumer for healthy and hygienic lifestyle has supported the growth of tissue and hygiene market in India. Furthermore, government educating and awareness campaigns in rural areas and in schools is expected to support the growth of tissue and hygiene market particularly in India.Tissue and hygiene Market Drivers Rising disposable income coupled with increasing consumer expenditure for health care products is driving the growth of tissue and hygiene market across the globe. In addition, consumer awareness through aggressive corporate advertisement and various government campaign programs in rural and urban areas especially in school and colleges is also fueling the tissue and hygiene market growth of tissue and hygiene market in the forecast period. In addition continuous launching of new product variant is expected to fuel the growth of tissue and hygiene market in the near future.Tissue and hygiene Market: Key Players The major international players operating in tissue and hygiene market includes Sterling Hygiene Tissue Procter & Gamble, Gulf Manufacturing EST, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Johnson & Johnson Limited, Unilever and Hengan International Group Company Limited. among others.Request Sample Report @About UsFuture Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centres in the U.S. and India.FMIs research and consulting services help businesses around the globe navigate the challenges in a rapidly evolving marketplace with confidence and clarity. Our customised and syndicated market research reports deliver actionable insights that drive sustainable growth. We continuously track emerging trends and events in a broad range of end industries to ensure our clients prepare for the evolving needs of their consumers.Contact UsU.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: 3D Imaging Market 2021 | Microsoft Corporation, Google Inc., Hewlett-Packard Corporation, GE Healthcare, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Panasonic Corporation, https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114563/3D-Imaging-Market https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114563/3D-Imaging-Market https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/rd/110114563/3D-Imaging-Market https://www.researchreportinsights.com/ Global 3D Imaging Market to Soar at Robust CAGR of 26.8% by end of 2021The 3D imaging market is to widen extremely owing to the enhancement and modernization of technology in this sector.Especially in the sector of imaging has given the global 3D imaging market a palpablerise. Today, 3D imaging is used for purposes such as 3D modeling, 3D rendering, 3D scanning, and gesture recognition among others. The ever growing scope of 3D imaging in areas such as construction, medical devices, healthcare, defense, manufacturing, construction, and entertainment have opened up several new boulevard for the market to generate higher worth of its own. Our Research predicts that the global 3D imaging market is likely to take a hike worth US$17.99 bn by 2021 from US$3.51 bn in 2014. During the forecast years of 2015 and 2021 the global market is estimated to deluge at a CAGR of 26.8%.An unique research is bought by our Analysts by which provides a profound understanding of the various market dynamics conducting the global 3D imaging market. It reveals about the drivers, restraints, opportunities, demerits and challenges impacting the various segments of the global market. Complete with an executive summary and a competitive landscape, the research report targets to be a guiding hand to market enthusiasts and capatalists in the coming decade.Request For Report Sample:3D imaging technologies have played a compellingaspect in the refining the prosperity of the imaging industry. Thus, 3D cameras, sonography, smartphones, and sensors are broadly being used in the healthcare and automotive industry. The ease of modeling, scanning, rendering, layout and animation, and reconstruction with the help of 3D technologies has truly segmented the global 3D imaging market in the past few years.Global 3D imaging market is segmented into healthcare, entertainment, industrial application, architecture and engineering, security and surveillance, and others (On basis of end use). Of these, the healthcare segment is the at the top of pack due to high enactment of 3D imaging in medical imaging industry. By end of 2021, the healthcare segment is calculated to grasp a whooping valuation of US$4.25 bn in the global 3D imaging market. Areas such as ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging are conventional to show high adoption of 3D imaging technologies in the coming years. These will be principally used in areas of cardiology, oncology, orthopedics, dentistry, and obstetrics among others.Global 3D Imaging Market : Regional EmphasisOn the basis of geographical sections, the global 3D imaging market is segmented into Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, and Rest of the World. Of these, North America has enjoys the giant share of innovative technologies, availability of products, and devices. Europe has also been a key regional market. As of 2014, North America holds a share of 38.72% in the global market, while the Europe 3D imaging market takes 33.03% in the same year.Request Report Discount:Researchesforesee that Asia Pacific will be partly responsible to the changing dynamics of the global 3D imaging market in the near future as it is poised to develop at a CAGR of 27.8% during the forecast period. The compliance of electronics and evolution of medical tourism industry in the emerging economies of Asia Pacific is expected to boost the regions position in the global market.Some of the leading Companies serving in the global imaging market are Microsoft Corporation, Google Inc., Hewlett-Packard Corporation, GE Healthcare, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Panasonic Corporation, and Philips Healthcare.Report Analysis:Research Report Insights (RRI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver a host of services including custom research reports, syndicated research reports, and consulting services which are personalised in nature. RRI delivers a complete packaged solution to clients; this combines current market intelligence, technology inputs, statistical anecdotes, valuable growth insights, 360-degree view of the competitive framework, and anticipated market trends.Contact Us:Research Report Insights (RRI)42 Joseph StreetPort carling P0B 1J0Muskoka, Ontario1Phone - +1-631-721-4201Website:Email: sales@researchreportinsights.com REFURNISHED Two park benches were recently donated to Birdsong Park by The Friends of Birdsong Parklands. They were rehabbed by Howy Holmes and Sandy Trampert. In the photo, Holmes stands by... Public hearing on marijuana licenses slated for Dec. 15 A public hearing on whether to allow or not allow marijuana on-site consumption licenses will occur at the Dec. 15 Town Board meeting. The hearing is occurring a few weeks... Town officials planning to shift regular Town Board meeting time come January Come the second Town Board meeting in January, a big shift will be coming to future regular meetings of the board. The meeting will be starting earlier than the usual... A 20-year-old man sought by police since July when he allegedly climbed through the bedroom window of a 10-year-old Beaverton girl and cut her neck while attempting to sexually assault her was arrested Tuesday in Washington. Robert W. Jackson was indicted the day before by a Washington County grand jury for the July 29 break-in and attack in the 13700 block of Southwest 6th Street. He was arrested on an outstanding warrant in Auburn, Washington, where he has relatives, said Officer Jeremy Shaw, a Beaverton police spokesman. Jackson remained held Wednesday in the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent, Washington on a fugitive hold. He is accused in Oregon of attempted aggravated murder, first-degree assault, first-degree attempted rape, first-degree attempted sodomy, first-degree sexual abuse, first-degree attempted sexual abuse, first-degree burglary, unlawful use of a weapon and coercion. The 10-year-old survived the attack, Shaw said. The girl was asleep in her room on the first floor when Jackson went through her open window and its screen, Shaw said. She awoke, began fighting Jackson off and screamed for her parents, according to Shaw. Jackson had a multi-tool with a blade and cut the girl during the attack, the police spokesman said. The girl's father came into the room and Jackson fled through the window, leaving the multi-tool behind. DNA found in the room was linked to Jackson in October, Shaw said. The officer also said Jackson is suspected of having suspicious contact with a woman around the time of the July attack and was living at the Stone Creek Apartments in 5000 block of Southwest Murray Boulevard at the time. Beaverton police ask anyone with information regarding any suspicious contact involving Jackson to contact Detective Maggie Brown at 503-629-0111. -- Everton Bailey Jr. ebailey@oregonian.com 503-221-8343; @EvertonBailey In 2010, nothing made more sense to John Gorham than opening his new brunch spot, Tasty N Sons, on North Williams Avenue. The former Simpatica chef lived right behind the restaurant, he sensed that the neighborhood was ready to take off and best of all, his first restaurant, the breakout Spanish hit Toro Bravo, was less than a mile away. Nearly 10 years later, many of those factors have changed. "When we opened Tasty N Sons, I really was paying attention to the lifestyle on Williams, the bike riders, the walkers," Gorham says. "But the last three to four years, Williams just really turned in a different direction than the neighborhood that I fell in love with. We used to have great nighttime business, great bar business. Now Williams just gets quiet at 8 o'clock at night. Gorham is referring in part to the North Williams Traffic Safety Project, which shifted the avenue's rush hour bicycle traffic from the east to the west side of the street in 2014. He had also grown tired of sharing bathrooms with other businesses in the building. The chef, who underwent successful brain surgery earlier this year, figured that when his lease was up at the end of 2018, Tasty N Sons would either move or close. At the end of the year, Tasty N Sons will close. About a month later, a new restaurant, Tasty N Daughters, will open in The Woodsman Tavern space on Southeast Division Street, offering both seven-day-a-week brunch service, dinner and more. The Oregonian first reported The Woodsman Tavern's closure Wednesday. "I see that neighborhood being very similar to what we saw on Williams from the beginning," Gorham says. The new restaurant will retain the look and feel of The Woodsman Tavern, long one of Portland's most attractive rooms. Gorham will also inherit the restaurant's 20-seat private dining room, found inside the former Woodsman Market space. Most of the real changes will come in the kitchen, where Gorham plans to add a new hood system and more equipment. Many of the dishes will come from the old Tasty N Sons menu, including the signature Israeli shakshuka and Burmese red pork stew, though Gorham says to expect a few additions as well, especially on the "Global tavern"-inspired dinner menu. That could include steaks cooked in the Woodsman's josper oven, house-made pasta from a new Italian extruder as well as dishes inspired by a recent trip to Istanbul. Oysters, ham and fried chicken will call back to the Woodsman days. As for the new name, Gorham says that just makes sense these days as well: He has two daughters, while his business partner, Ron Avni, has four. "One of the reasons why i wanted to go down this road with John is he's a great operator," says Duane Sorenson, the Stumptown Coffee Roasters founder and Woodsman owner. "John loves the space, he loves Southeast, and he's happy with the room. The rest fell into place." Tasty N Sons will close after New Year's Eve at 3808 N. Williams Ave. Tasty N Daughters will open as soon as Feb. 1 at 4537 S.E. Division St. -- Michael Russell By John Hummel On Election night this week, voters nationwide sent a message to Washington. But voters also laid bare a disturbing fact: Oregon became the last state that clings to a racist, Jim Crow-era law allowing non-unanimous jury decisions. It's time to repeal it. Louisiana had been the only other state with such a law, but voters there passed a repeal measure on Tuesday by an almost two-to-one margin. The Oregon Legislature has the opportunity in the 2019 session to refer a simple question to voters: Should Oregon repeal the constitutional provision that authorizes convictions and acquittals by non-unanimous jury verdicts? As Deschutes County's elected district attorney, I try to get it right every day. That's true of every member of the bar, every prosecutor, every defense attorney and every judge. But try as we might, we are sometimes wrong about a suspect's guilt or innocence. Our judicial system is built to recognize that challenge. We rely on impartial, unbiased and dedicated jurors to consider the evidence and arguments in individual cases and to render verdicts they believe are required by the evidence and their oaths. They go into a room and discuss what they learned at trial. By considering the viewpoints of fellow jurors and listening to their rationale for the verdict they propose, they maximize the chance they will not exonerate the guilty or convict the innocent. But that deliberative process breaks down when a majority of jurors can merely ignore the dissenting views of their fellow jurors. No longer are ideas challenged and defended. The integrity of the verdicts are diminished, and the odds of incorrect verdicts increases. If the Oregon Legislature does the right thing and refers this question to voters, we will all have the opportunity to repudiate a law that was passed in 1934 at the height of the KKK's reign of terror in our state. Lawmakers deal with many controversial and complex issues. Fixing the Public Employees Retirement System and improving our state's abysmal high school graduation rate will require give and take by all parties, and consensus may never be reached. However, I hope all legislators can agree that repealing an antiquated provision of our state Constitution that calls into question the concept of "proof beyond a reasonable doubt" is not similarly controversial or complex. Oregon is no longer in a notorious club with Louisiana. Voters there had the good sense to back out. Now Oregon has assumed the mantle of the sole state defending non-unanimous jury verdicts. It is long past time to give up that fight. I encourage the legislature to give Oregonians the opportunity to do the right thing. -- John Hummel was elected Deschutes County District Attorney in May of 2014. Share your opinion Submit your essay of 800 words or less on a highly topical issue or a theme of particular relevance to the Pacific Northwest, Oregon and the Portland area to commentary@oregonian.com. Please include your email and phone number for verification. I dont think that the values of the district changed as much as the Republican Party has changed, Casten said. The fact that this district went for Hillary (Clinton) in 2016 but was really solidly Republican down the ballot says to me that this district is not aligned with the values of Trump, but is aligned with the values of the Republican Party from 20 years ago. Thats not wildly different from my own views, frankly. By Sarah Sunshine Manning Special To The Washington Post History was made, twice over, in Tuesday's midterm elections, when two Native American women defeated their opponents. Deb Haaland, a Laguna Pueblo from New Mexico, and Sharice Davids, a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation from Kansas, are heading to Congress, the first Native American women to do so. Throughout Indian Country, as the interconnected community of Native Americans is affectionately known, indigenous people were overjoyed. On a night of many firsts (the first Muslim women were elected to Congress, and Davids is also the first openly gay woman elected to represent Kansas), the victories by Davids and Haaland were partly about representation. "I never imagined a world where I would be represented by someone who looks like me," Haaland said in her victory speech, to thundering cheers. These wins are profoundly personal for Native Americans, who were made citizens of this country only in 1924 and weren't afforded the right in some states to vote until 1948. The election of two Native American women is about more than a marginalized group seeing two of their own in Congress, as momentous as that is. For Native American women, this was also about asserting their ancestral right to leadership in a society that has overlooked and undermined the power of indigenous women. Native American women held tremendous power in pre-Colonial, egalitarian societies across the Americas. Yet as a result of generations of settler colonialism, indigenous women have been made invisible, virtually written out of history and out of leadership by Colonial officials. In pre-Colonial nations such as the Haundenosaunee Confederacy of the northeast woodlands, clan mothers played central roles in ensuring balance in governance and were responsible for appointing tribal leaders and chiefs. The clan mothers often had the first and the last say, sometimes being the deciding factor in determining whether the men went to war, and served as respected counselors for their clans and the communities. In fact, it was the Haudenosaunee Confederacy that largely inspired the formation of the nation's representative democracy. American democracy began tragically out of balance, though, because of the fatal flaw wherein women were written out of governance. Among the Dine of the southwest, a matrilineal nation, it was always the Dine women who owned property, and clans were and still are passed down through the women's lineage. As was with the Haudenosaunee and many other tribal nations during the point of contact with early settlers, Dine women were simply not given the same deference as men when it came to recognition from the settler officials. The delicate balance achieved in many tribal nations, where women and men each held valued roles in the community, was fractured by colonization. The spiritual lifeways of indigenous people, which deeply valued feminine life sources - Mother Earth above all - was also undermined by the forced assimilation of indigenous people by way of federal government policies. Men were designated heads of household by Indian agents in the early reservation era, and the patriarchal conference of last names through the father functioned to replace any semblance of traditional gender balance in the home. Settlers also saw indigenous women virtually in the same manner that they perceived the land: there for the taking. Thus, indigenous women have suffered generations of physical and sexual assaults at the hands of white men and Colonial forces. Today, Native American women remain the most likely demographic to experience sexual and physical assault. This bitter history of colonialism, brutality and forced assimilation brought once-thriving tribal nations to their knees. The United States is built on that legacy, however absent that legacy is from school textbooks and public conversation. The historic wins of Davids and Haaland, and the many other victories for Native American women in elections nationwide, are indicative of an ongoing movement among indigenous people today to decolonize and reconnect to the strength of who we once were: nations with strong women, with gender equity and with women as valued leaders in the community. Beyond gender, the wins of Davids and Haaland are significant for Native Americans. In addition to a long and sordid history of disenfranchisement, voter suppression continues to be a concern in tribal communities, most recently with legislation passed in North Dakota that created obstacles for Native American voters in the state. Anecdotally, there is a lingering apprehension among many Native Americans who struggle to fully trust in the American political system, as the federal government has eroded tribal sovereignty, stifled indigenous agency, and created federal policy that has disenfranchised tribal communities to the point of generational poverty and despair. In Albuquerque, Haaland spoke to some of those disparities. "Seventy years ago, Native Americans right here in New Mexico couldn't vote," she said. "I want to tell everyone in this room: People who have been under attack who deserve never to be erased, I see you, I'm listening." The Haaland and Davids victories, along with the dignified campaigns of other indigenous female candidates such as Paulette Jordan, who lost her bid to be governor of Idaho, have galvanized Indian Country. "Going to bed (tonight) a queer, Indigenous womxn who watched a womxn from her tribe, and a fellow queer Indigenous friend be elected as the first Native women to Congress," wrote Eryn Wise, a Jicarilla Apache and Laguna Pueblo who is an activist and organizer. "I'm so thankful to be Indigenous, and I'm so proud of these relatives! I hope all the grandmas in the spirit world are screaming, because I sure as hell am." It's not just about political power; it's about reconnecting to the power of indigenous women, and to the respect of all feminine life sources, including a foundational reverence to our Mother Earth. Imagine the world that sort of reverence and balance will create. With thoughtful and intelligent indigenous women at the helm of leadership once again, it's not out of reach. -- Sarah Sunshine Manning (Shoshone-Paiute) is a writer, producer and host of the "While Indigenous" podcast, and communications director for the NDN Collective. It seems clear that if you wish to commit a crime in Portland and want to get away with it, just dress in black and say you are a leftist. With Mayor Ted Wheeler's blessing, the police will let you do whatever you want. But woe to federal employees and conservatives just doing their jobs or legally holding rallies. It is no wonder people are starting to avoid coming to your city. -- Tom Tangen, Vancouver Share your opinion Fired up? ! Submit 250 words or less and please include your first and last name, hometown and a phone number for verification. The Center for Biological Diversity is asking a judge in Nevada to dismiss Cliven Bundy's latest lawsuit seeking state control of federal land, arguing his claims lack merit and have been rejected numerous times already. "If federal public lands in Nevada lose their current legal protections, as Bundy's suit requests, public access and enjoyment of these lands could be replaced with oil and gas, mining, logging, grazing and destructive recreational uses,'' attorney Christopher W. Mixson wrote in the center's motion. The center on Thursday filed a request to dismiss Bundy's lawsuit and a motion to intervene in the case in Clark County District Court in Las Vegas. The center is a nonprofit environmental organization that cites protecting endangered species and their habitats as its mission. The center called Bundy's arguments nothing more than his "rehashing of fringe legal theories'' that have been repeatedly rejected in court and an effort to "legitimize'' the illegal grazing of his cattle on federal land. Cliven Bundy and two of his sons, Ryan Bundy and Ammon Bundy, were indicted on conspiracy and other allegations in 2016, accused of rallying militia members and armed supporters to stop federal officers from carrying out a court order and impounding Bundy's cattle near Bunkerville, Nevada, two years earlier. The outnumbered federal contingent retreated and halted the cattle roundup on April 12, 2014. Cliven Bundy has argued for years that other ranchers who pay federal grazing fees are giving their money to the wrong government. He owes more than $1 million in grazing fees and penalties that he has refused to pay for two decades after federal authorities moved to limit his cattle's access to public land to safeguard the endangered desert tortoise. U.S. District Judge Gloria M. Navarro early this year dismissed the prosecution, citing "flagrant misconduct" by prosecutors and the FBI in not disclosing evidence before and during the trial. The senior Bundy still faces a 2013 order to move his trespassing cattle or not interfere with future attempts to impound them. On the same day of his federal criminal trial's opening statements in Las Vegas on Nov. 14, 2017, Cliven Bundy filed a civil motion to vacate the order enforcing the cattle grazing injunction against him. Federal lawyers responded that the motion has no merit. In July, Nevada's U.S. District Judge Larry R. Hicks denied Bundy's motion to vacate the order. Since his release from jail in January, Cliven Bundy has pledged to continue raising cattle, challenging federal authority over the land where his herd grazes and battling federal protections for the rugged mountains and sandstone surrounding his 160-acre ranch. "Given the unusual nature of this case, in which Bundy seeks to upset the apple cart of Nevada land tenure, the center seeks to protect the status quo and, by doing so, protect its own substantial interests in preserving Nevada's unique federal public lands,'' the center's motion says. -- Maxine Bernstein mbernstein@oregonian.com 503-221-8212 @maxoregonian The U.S. Bureau of Land Management intends to cancel plans to spay wild horses in an effort to address overpopulation on Oregon public lands, court records show. The development comes after U.S. District Court Judge Michael W. Mosman on Friday issued a preliminary injunction that blocked a BLM experiment to sterilize mares from the Warm Springs Management Area until a final ruling is made in a lawsuit filed by animal rights groups. The experiments were scheduled to start Monday at a horse corral facility in Hines, about two miles southwest of Burns. In court documents filed Wednesday, attorneys representing the BLM say the agency plans to not move forward with its spay study but would retain the ability to return horses to the Warm Springs Herd Management Area and remove "excess" horses from the range. The federal lawsuit was filed in September by the Animal Welfare Institute, American Wild Horse Campaign and other animal rights advocates claiming the BLM was violating environmental laws and the First Amendment. The lawsuit said the procedure being considered was inhumane and claimed the BLM wouldn't allow the experimental surgeries and horses' recovery to be observed and recorded by independent veterinarians and small video cameras installed in the surgical space. Mosman said Friday that the groups' claims that the federal government should allow someone to monitor the surgeries are likely valid. According to court documents, the BLM said their spay study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of removing ovaries on wild mares. The agency was planning to perform ovariectomy via colpotomy procedures on some of the horses, which involved a veterinarian reaching into the horse's abdomen via an incision in the vagina to sever and remove the ovaries. The experiment would've focused on 200 horses, with half receiving the procedure and the other half acting as a control, court documents said. Horses would've later been fitted with GPS collars or radio tags to be tracked after the procedures. The BLM said it's tried other methods in the past to reduce wild horse populations on public lands such as removing horses and giving them temporary fertility control vaccines, but none has been effective long-term strategies. The Warm Springs Management Area, which consists of more than 470,000 acres of BLM-managed land in Harney County, has around 852 wild horses, according to the BLM. The agency estimated the appropriate management level for horses in the area should be 96 to 178. The extra oversight proposed in the lawsuit could put BLM staff and the horses at risk by adding more people to small spaces at the corral facility, the BLM argued. The BLM proposed ovary removal in 2016, was also sued then in opposition and later dropped those plans as well. Everton Bailey Jr. Oregon's House majority leader said her Democratic caucus will attempt to scrap the state's unusual jury system during next year's legislative session. Lawmakers plan to introduce two bills in 2019 in an effort to overturn Oregon's non-unanimous jury law, Jennifer Williamson, D-Portland, told The Oregonian/OregonLive. The first would seek a legislative fix to the law that allows juries in most felony cases aside from murder to convict defendants with a 10-2 vote, she said. The second would refer the issue to voters, who would then decide whether to overturn an amendment in the state constitution enacted more than eight decades ago. Her announcement, first reported by OPB, came after voters in Louisiana this week overwhelmingly rejected their system of split-verdict convictions, making Oregon the only state to have such a law. The federal government and all other states require a 12-0 verdict for crimes such as manslaughter, rape and arson. "With the dubious distinction of now being the only state to have non-unanimous juries, there's a sense of urgency around this issue you wouldn't have found a couple of years ago," said Williamson, who plans to sponsor both bills. "It's one of the most racist parts of our criminal justice system." Critics have claimed that non-unanimous juries are deeply flawed and punitive toward nonwhite defendants, remnants from an era when discrimination toward racial and religious minorities was endemic to public life. Louisiana's majority verdict system, a relic of the Jim Crow era, was adopted during the state's 1898 constitutional convention to diminish the influence of black jurors upon verdicts, scholars say. In Oregon nearly four decades later, it was a sensational murder trial involving a Jewish suspect that prompted voters in 1934 to enshrine a non-unanimous jury system into the state constitution, according to advocates and legal scholars. That analysis captured the attention of state lawmakers last year after Lewis and Clark law professor Aliza Kaplan published an influential article in the Oregon Law Review. The article argued how non-unanimous juries undermined the state's criminal justice system and is a vestige of Oregon's less-tolerant past. Since then, the Legislature has held multiple hearings on non-unanimous juries, and Williamson began crafting potential legislation. In January, Oregon's powerful district attorneys association said it would lead a ballot initiative fight to repeal the state's split verdict jury system, though it abandoned its plans only weeks later. A number of Oregon district attorneys, including Multnomah County's Rod Underhill, remain vocal in their support of ending non-unanimous juries in the state. Others, however, embrace the current system and reject the characterization that it's rooted in racism. They say it helps reduce the number of hung juries, which ultimately benefits crime victims. Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum as well as the Office of Public Defense Services have both indicated they would like to see the state's jury law change. And with Democrats holding a three-fifths supermajority in both legislative chambers after this week's elections, the likelihood of such a change has increased. As for Oregon voters supporting an initiative to overturn non-unanimous juries, Williamson said she's optimistic. She pointed to the electorate's decision this week to reject a repeal to the state's pioneering sanctuary law that proponents say reduces racial profiling of immigrants and nonwhite residents. "I think that was an indicator that people believe we need to continuously improve our criminal justice system, especially when it disproportionately impacts on people of color," she said. "It was a resounding rejection of racism in our criminal justice system." -- Shane Dixon Kavanaugh skavanaugh@oregonian.com 503-294-7632 || @shanedkavanaugh The husband of a woman killed and left in a Marion County field was also found dead late Wednesday, authorities say. Tricia Carver Lemarr Carver, the husband, died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the Marion County Sheriff's Office. He was the primary person of interest in the death of his wife, Tricia Carver. Lemarr Carver a criminal defense attorney based in Beaverton was found dead while authorities executed a search warrant at his home in the 6700 block of Southeast Patricia Lane in Hillsboro, according to the sheriff's office. The body of Tricia Carver, an Albany woman, was found in a field near St. Paul on Monday, the same day she was reported missing. The sheriff's office said a criminal investigation remains underway. The agency disclosed no additional information about the circumstances of Tricia Carver's death in a news release late Wednesday. The sheriff's office has asked anyone who may have seen Tricia Carver before her death to contact Detective Michael Myers at 503-540-8096. Jim Ryan Everton Bailey Jr. of The Oregonian/OregonLive staff contributed to this report State officials handed down fines of more than $120,000 to two Oregon companies after bad documentation led to the improper disposal of roughly 7,200 pounds of hazardous waste, authorities said Thursday. Between July 2015 and July 2017, Patheon Development Services created chlorinated solvent waste at a facility in Bend where the company manufactures pharmaceuticals. That waste was handed over to another companyUnivar USA Inc., which was doing business as ChemCarefor transportation and disposal, according to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. The waste was improperly documented, though, and when it got to the disposal site, a US Ecology facility in Grand View, Idaho, it wasn't treated before it was dumped, the state agency said. "The waste should have been incinerated in a specialized hazardous waste incinerator prior to being deposited in a landfill," the state said in a news release. Untreated chlorinated solvents can breach landfill barriers and taint drinking water. They are also capable of emitting dangerous gasses into the air. Exposure can damage the nervous system and increase risk of certain types of cancer. The state fined Patheon Development Services $59,890 and Univar USA Inc. $60,948. Part of the penalty for Univar was for operating a solid waste transfer facility in Portland without a permit. A Pantheon representative said a response to the fines would be forthcoming. Both companies have until November 13 to appeal the penalties. -- Kale Williams kwilliams@oregonian.com 503-294-4048 A convicted Oregon sex abuser was sentenced Wednesday to 22 years in federal prison after he was caught living in a sex offender halfway house with a 14-year-old boy who had been reported missing from Vancouver in February 2017. Brendon Robert Louis Doyle met the boy through an online gaming app and started communicating by text messages and Skype, the prosecution said. Investigators found the boy in Doyle's room at the halfway house in Beaverton, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Natalie Wight. Doyle, who has prior convictions for sodomy and sexual abuse and had to start registering as a sex offender at age 13, was 25 at the time. Brendon Robert Louis Doyle When he began communicating with the 14-year-old, Doyle was on probation, having recently completed a sentence of six years and three months for sexually abusing a 13-year-old boy in 2010. Among the conditions of his probation, he was ordered to have no contact with minors. In federal court, Doyle, now 26, pleaded guilty in July to one count of transporting a minor across state lines to engage in criminal sexual activity. Doyle took a Lyft car to pick up the 14-year-old down the street from the boy's home in Washington on Feb. 4, 2017, suggesting he was going to help him run away, Assistant U.S. Attorney Natalie Wight wrote in a sentencing memo. Instead, Doyle took the young teenager back to his room at the halfway house, according to Wight. The boy stayed with Doyle for two weeks before investigators found him on Feb. 21 by tracking the Comcast IP address he was using on social media after he disappeared, Wight said in the memo. The IP address was under Doyle's name. When investigators from the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force discovered the boy in Doyle's room, Doyle wasn't there but continued to send the boy text messages, urging him to delete all his gaming apps, reset his phone and tell police nothing, according to the prosecutor's memo. Doyle's targeting of the boy through an online game was every parent's worst nightmare, Wight wrote. "Defendant was on probation as a registered sex offender and yet he sought out, manipulated and sexually assaulted a vulnerable 14-year-old boy,'' Wight wrote. "The facts of this case are distressing and undeniably devastating to all parties.'' In the 2010 sex abuse case, Doyle was 18, a Tigard High School senior preparing to attend the Art Institute of Portland following graduation. He was arrested three days before his prom on multiple sex-related charges, according to Washington County court records. At the time of his sentencing for second-degree sodomy and first-degree sexual abuse, his defense lawyer cited Doyle's difficult upbringing. According to court papers, Doyle's parents divorced when he was 1 years old and his mother died suddenly when he was 8 from an untreated serious skin disorder called Stevens- Johnson syndrome. He was then raised by his father. When Doyle was 12, he was found to have abused a younger relative and was sent to youth detention and ordered to undergo sex offender treatment. On Wednesday, the prosecutor requested a sentence of 24 years and five months, citing the seriousness of the crime. "Doyle has already shown that a term of imprisonment was not sufficient to deter his predatory conduct," Wight said. Defense lawyer Francesca Freccero sought a sentence of 20 years. U.S. District Judge Robert E. Jones sentenced Doyle to 22 years in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release. He recommended Doyle serve his time at a federal prison in Virginia, where he'll have access to a sex offender management program. -- Maxine Bernstein mbernstein@oregonian.com 503-221-8212 @maxoregonian A proposed ordinance that would give Mayor Ted Wheeler broad powers to restrict where, when and how protesters gather in Portland may not pass constitutional muster if challenged in court, said two constitutional law scholars who reviewed the ordinance at The Oregonian/OregonLive's request. The proposal, to be debated Thursday afternoon by the City Council, would allow Wheeler to issue orders telling demonstrators where they can protest, for how long and how many people may join in, among other restrictions. Violators would be subject to fines and arrest. Wheeler has said further regulating protests is a matter of public safety. The idea came about as a direct response to frequent demonstrations in the city that have turned violent and in particular the Aug. 4 clash between police and protesters, Wheeler and Police Chief Danielle Outlaw told The Oregonian/OregonLive in interviews Wednesday. "It allows us to put something in place, hopefully before the violence occurs," Outlaw said. Government officials like the mayor and police chief are limited by law in how they may regulate protests and other forms of free expression. But the U.S. Supreme Court has said governments may adopt reasonable restrictions on the time, place and manner of protests if the limits are narrow, free from bias and there are no alternatives. However, two legal experts say Wheeler's ordinance gives broad power to him alone to decide how protests may be limited, and it does not offer a method of appeal. That makes the ordinance "blatantly, dangerously unconstitutional," said Greg Magarian, law professor and free expression scholar at Washington University School of Law. The proposal, Magarian said, gives the mayor "unilateral authority to criminalize constitutionally protected speech before the speech happens, based on wildly subjective criteria." More: Restrict protests? Where Portland leaders stand Tim Zick, professor of law at William & Mary Law School, said giving one official vast power over regulating public gatherings "is historically problematic" and makes Wheeler's ordinance "constitutionally vulnerable." Zick, who studies free expression law, referenced Supreme Court cases from the 1930s and '40s striking down laws that allowed a single official to dictate the conditions of public gatherings. "The court routinely struck those things down because bias is inherent in them," Zick said, given that the laws are based ultimately "on a single individual's notion of what is permissible." Wheeler is not deterred. He said the city police force which he is in charge of as police commissioner will continue to arrest protesters that break the law. And Wheeler said he is "very comfortable" with his attorneys' assessment that the protest restrictions are lawful, though he acknowledged his "100 percent certainty" they will be tested in court if adopted. Even so, Wheeler may never get that far. Commissioners Amanda Fritz and Chloe Eudaly are opposed to the restrictions, while Commissioner Dan Saltzman supports the idea. That leaves Commissioner Nick Fish, an attorney, as the swing vote. Fish, who declined to comment Wednesday, has said he will watch Thursday's hearing before making up his mind. Magarian said Wheeler's ordinance is written with many First Amendment-friendly words and phrases, like "reasonable" and "content-neutral." But that has no legal weight, he said, and doesn't make its enforcement neutral. "You can call a pig a peacock all day long," Magarian said, "but at the end of the day it's still a pig." He said the system Wheeler wants to install isn't neutral because it puts it "completely in his discretion" whether to restrict protests. Another legal hiccup for the ordinance, Magarian said, is that it allows Wheeler to consider protesters' histories of violence or the perceived likelihood of violence to decide if restrictions are necessary. "Predictions about violence becomes problematic," Zick said, "because those predictions can be based on your view of particular groups." Basing decision about restricting protests on "the government's opinion about what's going to happen tomorrow" or past conduct presents an immediate legal problem, Magarian said. Portland was previously in legal trouble under similar circumstances, when activist Joe Walsh sued the city and then-Mayor Charlie Hales in 2015. Walsh claimed his weeks-long expulsions from City Council hearings for interrupting the proceedings violated his First Amendment rights, and he prevailed in federal court. Magarian and Zick said courts sometimes tell governments to enforce existing laws intended to keep the peace rather than create new regulations on public gatherings. "It's so tempting and easy for government to say, 'We can solve this problem before it ever happens.' But what government is supposed to do is actually find the bad actors and prosecute them under the laws that prohibit bad acts," Magarian said. Gordon R. Friedman KANSAS CITY, Mo. A woman who shot Wichita abortion doctor George Tiller and attacked abortion clinics in several states in the 1990s has been released from prison in Oregon, prompting concern in clinics across the country, according to a published report Wednesday. Rachelle "Shelley" Shannon was released from a halfway house in Portland, the U.S. Bureau of Prisons confirmed. She will be on supervised release for three years but the bureau said conditions of her release will not be revealed. Shannon spent 25 years in custody and had been living at the halfway house since May, The Kansas City Star reported. "We're extremely concerned," said Katherine Spillar, executive director of the Feminist Majority Foundation. "We're alerting providers, briefing them and making sure they have enough security precautions in place." The Rev. Donald Spitz, an anti-abortion activist who stayed in contact with Shannon, said abortion-rights activists should not be worried about Shannon's release. "I don't think she'll be doing anything violent," said Spitz, leader of Pro-Life Virginia and sponsor of the Army of God website. "Of course, no one knows, but I'd be very surprised." He said he talked to Shannon on Monday and described her as upbeat about her release but said he didn't know Shannon's plans. Shannon, now 62, was sentenced to 11 years behind bars for shooting and wounding Tiller, and 20 years for six firebombings and two acid attacks at abortion clinics in California, Oregon and Nevada. Stephen Peifer, a former assistant U.S. attorney who prosecuted Shannon in Portland in 1995, said Shannon could do something violent herself but it's more likely she would counsel other people to do so. "She's completely unrehabilitated and totally incorrigible," Peifer said. "She has the same mentality and goals that she had when she was convicted." On May 31, 2009, Tiller was shot and killed at his church in Wichita by Scott Roeder, an anti-abortion extremist who testified during his murder trial that he visited Shannon when she was imprisoned in Topeka. Julie Burkhart, a former employee of Tiller's and founder of Trust Women Foundation, which operates clinics in Wichita, Oklahoma City and Seattle, said Shannon's release "raises deep concerns." "She tried to murder my boss," Burkhart said. "And I absolutely do not believe under any circumstances that Shelley Shannon is reformed. She is still as dangerous today as she was in August of 1993." Shannon was an Oregon homemaker when she took a bus to Oklahoma City, where she rented a car and drove to Tiller's clinic in Wichita. The clinic, Women's Health Care Services, was bombed in 1986 and was the focus of Operation Rescue's 46-day "Summer of Mercy" campaign in 1991 that resulted in more than 2,600 arrests. Shannon shot Tiller as he drove out of the clinic parking lot. He was injured in both arms but returned to work the next day. After Shannon was arrested, police found a letter she'd written to her daughter describing the shooting and denying that it was wrong. "It was the most holy, most righteous thing I've ever done," she wrote. "I have no regrets." Investigators later found files on Shannon's computer detailing clinic arsons and acid attacks she had committed. -- The Associated Press GAINESVILLE, FLA. New research shows the number of butterflies and caterpillars in North Florida has been declining substantially over the last decade or so. The University of Florida study released this week says the number has declined by 80 percent since 2005. The Tampa Bay Times says researchers believe two major factors could be responsible. Milkweed is the favorite food of young monarchs, and its availability has been sharply reduced by development and by glyphosate, an herbicide widely used in agriculture to kill weeds. Researcher Jaret Daniels says Florida is a staging ground of sorts for the recolonization of butterflies on the U.S. East Coast. ___ Information from: Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Fla.), http://www.tampabay.com. Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Three men linked to the largest drug haul seized by Multnomah County sheriff's deputies -- 90 pounds of methamphetamine worth more than $2 million were sentenced this week to federal prison. The stash discovered in a locked safe inside a Gresham apartment in February 2017 marks not only the biggest drug bust by the Sheriff's Office but ranks among the state's top 10 drug seizures by a single police agency, authorities said. "These quantities are extraordinarily high and of themselves posed an extraordinary risk to the community,'' U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown said Wednesday. She sentenced Celso Marroquin-Benitez, 41, to 14 years in prison and Alejandro Lopez-Gonzalez, 26, to 10 years. Each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. On Tuesday, a third defendant in the case, Alfredo Narcisco Pineda, 35, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and received a five-year sentence. The drug haul stemmed from an investigation by the Multnomah County Sheriff's Special Investigations Unit, which had an informant make controlled drug buys of methamphetamine and heroin from Pineda between December 2016 and early 2017. Investigators learned of Pineda's co-defendants while listening to a phone call between Pineda and their informant. Pineda told the informant that he was awaiting a delivery for resupply, so deputies quickly arranged surveillance of Pineda's home in early February 2017. The deputies tracked a brown Chevrolet sedan that had stopped briefly at Pineda's home and then left. The Chevrolet was registered to Lopez-Gonzalez, who then drove to his Gresham apartment and picked up Marroquin-Benitez. At some point, the two men got into another car, a white Toyota Tacoma, which police continued to follow. The Toyota stopped in the parking lot of a Dick's Sporting Goods store in Gresham. Officers watched as an employee used a hand truck to help the two men load a large box into the car. That box contained the large safe that ultimately was used to hold the drug operation's stash, according to the prosecution. On Feb. 22, 2017, deputies executed warrants to search Pineda's residence in Portland and Lopez-Gonzalez's apartment in Gresham. As deputies were at the Gresham unit, Marroquin-Benitez and Lopez-Gonzalez returned to it and tried to run off but were arrested. After Lopez-Gonzalez's arrest, officers recovered a key to a small safe inside his apartment. Inside the small safe was a key to a much larger safe, where the huge cache of methamphetamine was found, according to court records. Ninety pounds of methamphetamine is equal to about 40 kilograms far beyond the highest federal offense level of 4.5 kilograms, used to guide sentencing of drug traffickers, according to the government. Inside the Gresham apartment, deputies also seized $14,800 in cash, about a pound of heroin from the small safe, drug records, digital scales and chemicals used for mixing with methamphetamine to make crystal methamphetamine, according to court records. The meth was imported from Mexico, likely in liquid form, and then converted to crystal in the Gresham apartment, according to investigators. Pineda admitted he possessed a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic handgun. He previously was convicted of heroin possession in 2013. Prosecutor Leah Bolstad argued that Marroquin-Benitez was more culpable than his co-defendants, noting he didn't enter a guilty plea until the eve of trial and was found with about $16,500 in his Rav4 SUV upon arrest. Bolstad said Marroquin-Benitez distanced himself from potential arrest by having Lopez-Gonzalez live at the stash house, while he lived elsewhere in Gresham with his family. Marroquin-Benitez's defense lawyer Gary Bartoni said it was unfortunate Marroquin-Benitez didn't resolve the case earlier with a plea but he did accept responsibility for his crime. Marroquin-Benitez told the judge that wasn't making any excuses, but that he didn't have a mother or father who could give him advice as he was growing up. He also said he suffers from depression. "I'd like to apologize to the country, my children, your government,'' he said, through an interpreter. All three men are expected to serve their full prison terms and then face deportation, the prosecutor said. -- Maxine Bernstein mbernstein@oregonian.com 503-221-8212 @maxoregonian A Portland woman complained that police retaliated against her by citing her for jaywalking last year after she crossed a street to take cellphone photos of the bureau's armored trucks pulling into North Precinct. Eight of nine members on the city's Citizen Review Committee agreed after reviewing police investigative reports and hearing directly from the woman cited. The committee hears appeals of police findings on citizen complaints. But Portland Police Chief Danielle Outlaw disagreed, upholding the bureau's finding that the retaliation complaint couldn't be substantiated. "It's too ambiguous to prove or disprove either way,'' the chief told the committee Wednesday night. She suggested more officer training to avoid similar confrontations. Now, the City Council will decide in one of the rare appeals of a police finding to be passed to the mayor and other council members for review. No date yet has been set for the council's consideration. Kristin Bowling, 47, told The Oregonian/OregonLive that she's glad the citizen committee supported her complaint. "I'm really pleased because the retaliation was at the heart of the whole incident,'' she said. Portland Police Chief Danielle Outlaw addresses members of the city's Citizen Review Committee Wednesday night at City Hall. Bowling said she crossed Northeast Emerson Street while taking photos of armored vehicles entering the precinct parking lot about 5:15 p.m. on May 15, 2017, across from the Blazers Boys & Girls Club. She said she was concerned by the demonstration of police power as parents were picking up children from the club. Bowling believes she was stopped for exercising her legal right to photograph the police, she said. She was threatened repeatedly with arrest if she didn't provide an officer her name and then was cited for jaywalking, she said. "Their approach that day was to identify me to intimidate me from taking those photos,'' she said. She challenged the $115 citation, and a judge reduced it to $85, which she's appealing. Officer Neil Parker told investigators that as he was driving the Special Emergency Reaction Team's armored truck, known as the Bear, into the precinct's lot, he noticed a woman on Northeast Sixth Avenue who seemed very interested in the truck. "She had a lot of disgust on her face, pulled out her phone and started following us down Sixth and onto NE Emerson. I watched in the passenger side mirror as the female walked out into Emerson Street to take photos or video of us,'' Parker told investigators, according to a summary report. Citing a concern about a spike in police ambushes and vandalism to police property and cars, the officer said he decided to identify the woman and cite her for being in the road. Because Parker wasn't in his standard police uniform, Lt. Leo Besner approached the woman and, according to Parker, told her that she'd be subject to arrest if she didn't identify herself for the purpose of a citation. Parker said the woman wouldn't get out of the road and wouldn't provide her name, and so he and Besner grabbed hold of her arms to bring her to the sidewalk. Once there, she presented her ID and police cited her for "improper placement on a highway." Members of the Citizen Review Committee said Parker's own explanation suggested he was retaliating against the woman for taking photos of police. "He wanted to find out her ID because she was taking a picture. He approached her because she was exercising her First Amendment rights,'' said committee member Andrea Chiller. Kristin Malone, the committee chair, said she was bothered that the officer made it clear he wanted to find out who the woman was because she was taking photos of police and their tactical truck. Eric Terrell, who served as an advocate for Bowling at the committee meeting, said he appreciated the discussion that her complaint provoked but he was disheartened by the chief's decision to uphold the bureau's "unsustained" ruling. "Retaliation is both perceived and felt. You feel it in your gut,'' he said. "If this matter is upheld, you may win the battle, but you lose the war in terms of the community having trust in officers.'' While the police chief said she couldn't sustain the retaliation complaint, she noted that the encounter pointed to a larger, systemic problem that should be addressed by providing additional training for officers on how to avoid such confrontations and complaints. Outlaw suggested the bureau could offer the training during annual in-service refresher courses or roll-calls and perhaps use Bowling's experience as a case study to ensure officers clearly communicate their intent and are mindful about how their language affects others. The last citizen's appeal of a police complaint to go before the City Council occurred in February 2017. The council overturned the bureau's exoneration of a police officer who used a Taser on a bicyclist six times within 15 seconds, but it didn't recommend any discipline. The council's decision came after a years-long process in which the citizen review panel and the bureau tried and failed to come to an agreement on the findings. That review marked the first appeal brought before the council in more than a decade. -- Maxine Bernstein mbernstein@oregonian.com 503-221-8212 @maxoregonian Six-year-old Portland startup Cozy sold its business Thursday for $68 million to CoStar Group, a major provider of online commercial real estate services. The rare tech company in North Portland, Cozy offers automated tools to help landlords manage their properties. Founded in San Francisco, the company opened a Portland office in 2013 and moved its headquarters here the following year. It struggled in its early days getting landlords to sign up for its monthly subscription service, which screens prospective tenants and automates the collection of rent checks. So Cozy changed course and started giving some services away for free. That immediately attracted more landlords, who then began paying for premium services including tenant screening reports, credit and debit card payments, rental insurance, rent estimates and expedited payment processing. Cozy says it handles online payments for 120,000 tenants, $1.4 billion altogether in the last 12 months. It says 50,000 landlords use its system. The buyer, CoStar, is a publicly traded company based in Washington, D.C., that operates like a Zillow for commercial real estate, providing property information and analytics. CoStar owns the LoopNet commercial real estate marketplace, Apartments.com and other websites. CoStar has a market value of $13.4 billion; it reported $965 million in revenue last year, and profits of $123 million. CoStar said it manages 200,000 commercial leases and wants to expand into multifamily properties with Thursday's deal. "Cozy's technology makes the renting and payments process simple, secure, and intuitive," CoStar chief executive Andrew Florance said in a written statement. "When combined with Apartments.com, the 40 million prospective renters that visit our network each month will be able to effortlessly locate, apply, lease and pay for their new rental home completely online." Cozy had raised $18 million in funding. It said CoStar will retain Cozy's 37 employees, all but one of whom works in Portland. "Our vision is incredibly well aligned with CoStar, and by joining forces, it drastically accelerates our mission to provide peace of mind to landlords and renters everywhere," Cozy founder and chief executive Gino Zahnd said in an email. This has been an eventful year in the Silicon Forest, with several notable deals at some of the region's biggest tech companies. Beaverton-based Exterro and Portland-based Jama Software sold to private equity companies for more than $100 million and $200 million, respectively. Meanwhile, Puppet, Urban Airship, SheerID, Rigado, Bumped and Lytics all announced eight-figure investment rounds. And also Thursday, a Portland company called Radar announced an unspecified investment from Vista Equity Partners, the firm that owns Zapproved. This article has been updated with additional information about the transaction and has corrected the description of Cozy's business model. -- Mike Rogoway | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699 SEATTLE -- Washington state voters have passed measures tightening gun regulations and making it easier to prosecute police for negligent shootings. A measure tightening state gun laws including enhanced background checks for people buying semi-automatic rifles won. Initiative 1639 had 60 percent of the vote. "Washington state made history by passing the most comprehensive gun violence prevention measure in state history," Stephen Paolini, campaign manager for Yes On 1639, said in a statement. The measure would also increase the minimum age to buy semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21, add a waiting period to get those weapons and add firearm storage provisions. Voters approved a measure designed to make it easier to prosecute police for negligent shootings. Initiative 940 is designed to improve police training in de-escalation tactics and eliminate a requirement that prosecutors prove officers acted with malice to get a conviction in negligent shootings. Meanwhile, the National Rifle Association and some law enforcement groups lined up against the gun measure, Initiative 1639. Opponents said the measure strips the constitutional rights of 18- to 20-year-olds and that forcing gun owners to lock away their firearms could put them in danger. Supporters said the goal is to curb gun violence and make schools and communities safer by putting safeguards in place. They say making the checks as thorough as the one used for buying a pistol will help ensure that weapons are kept out of dangerous hands. Initiative 940 is designed to improve police training in de-escalation tactics and eliminate a requirement that prosecutors prove officers acted with malice to get a conviction in negligent shootings. The initiative's sponsor, De-Escalate Washington submitted I-940 to the Legislature early this year after collecting nearly 360,000 signatures. Lawmakers passed I-940 and a compromise version of the legislation preferred by lawmakers, activists and police groups. The state Supreme Court ruled that I-940 in its original form would go on the November ballot while the compromise would not. Initiative sponsors have said they are focused on getting the measure passed and expect to work with police groups and others on compromise language. --The Associated Press WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump and newly empowered congressional Democrats appeared to be on a collision course over the release of the president's tax returns, as a top Democrat signaled he would demand the information under federal law and Trump insisted he would attempt to block any release. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., slated to become the chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, plans to insist Trump voluntarily release his tax returns, he said in an interview. If Trump doesn't, then Neal will file a legal request with the Treasury Secretary that would require the returns be disclosed to a small group of people on Capitol Hill. He predicted the matter would end up in federal court. At a news conference Wednesday, Trump said his tax returns were already under audit and therefore he would not release them. He said he might consider releasing them at a later date, something he has said since at least 2016. "Nobody turns over a [tax] return when it's under audit," Trump said during a news conference when asked about the returns. Later, though, he acknowledged the audit would not prevent the release of his tax returns. "I didn't say it prevented me, I said lawyers will tell you not to do it," he said. Then he asked the reporter to change the subject. Democrats have said they want to scrutinize Trump's tax returns to see if he has any conflicts of interest. The inquiry could potentially tie to a broader investigation into any connection between Trump's presidential campaign and Russian involvement in the 2016 election - a charge the president has repeatedly and vehemently denied. Neal said there was longstanding precedent of presidents and presidential candidates releasing their tax returns. He acknowledged, though, that the Treasury Department might not quickly provide the information, setting up a legal battle. "I assume that there would be some sort of a court case, but we'd have to wait and see," he said. He said he would defer to staff on the Joint Committee on Taxation in Congress to determine what information might be requested and who would have access to it. He said the information could be closely held within Congress, as they'd want to abide by any legal parameters that protect privacy. It's unclear what powers Trump might use to block the release of these filings, as the White House is not supposed to be part of the decision-making process that was set forth in the 1924 law that gives lawmakers the ability to demand the release of any tax return. If Democrats demand the returns and Trump refuses to release them, it could set off a series of legal challenges, with federal judges being asked to adjudicate the limits of the president's power. If Neal formally requests Trump's tax returns, the request would go to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. Federal law stipulates that Mnuchin "shall" turn over the tax returns, and doesn't appear to give him much flexibility. It also doesn't appear to give the White House the power to intervene. Treasury Department officials have been noncommittal about what would happen if Neal submits the request, and an agency spokesperson on Wednesday said "Secretary Mnuchin will review any request with Treasury's General Counsel for legality." Trump's main reason for saying he wouldn't allow the tax returns to be released is because "people don't understand tax returns." Neal dismissed that justification. "How do you do them if nobody understands them?" Neal said, adding, "tax staff over at Joint Tax [Committee], they're pretty capable people." "I think it's pretty obvious these are going to be complex documents," Neal said. Trump also said that if Democrats began using their new majority to investigate him, he would direct Senate Republicans to launch investigations targeting Democrats. The investigations, he said, would destroy any prospect of bipartisan cooperation next year. "All you are going to do is end up in back and forth and back and forth, and two years is going to end up and we won't have done a thing," Trump said. In first calling on Trump to disclose the records voluntarily, Neal could be setting up a scenario where Trump can disclose a limited amount of records and avoid having Congress comb through all of his past tax returns. In Tuesday night's midterm elections, Democrats won a majority of the seats in the House of Representatives. They will control the chamber beginning in January when new members are sworn in. Some leading Democrats have suggested they will use a 1924 law that allows the the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee to obtain the tax returns of any American from the Treasury Secretary. They have said they might do this because during the 2016 presidential campaign Trump became one of the only presidential candidates in recent history who refused to release his tax returns. The law Democrats would use to demand the tax returns was created during the Teapot Dome scandal in the Harding administration, when lawmakers were investigating conflicts of interest during the White House at that time. The law says the Treasury Secretary "shall furnish" any "return or return information" requested by the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee or the Senate Finance Committee. If Trump ordered Mnuchin not to release his tax returns, Democrats could file a lawsuit and the issue could ultimately end up before the Supreme Court. George Yin, the former executive director of the Joint Committee on Taxation, said in an interview Wednesday that he doesn't believe there is any legal basis for the White House to assert executive privilege in attempting to block the release of tax returns. "I can't think of any grounds for executive privilege," said Yin, who is now a professor of law and taxation at the University of Virginia. "All of this seems to me to have nothing to do with his official duties as president." But he said there would be an onus on Democrats to explain precisely why they are seeking the information, in order to prove there is a legitimate legislative purpose for any inquiry. Janice Mays, who spent more than 40 years on the House Ways and Means Committee, including as chief counsel, said if Trump sought to block the release of his tax returns, Democrats could file a lawsuit, likely in U.S. District Court. Mays is now a managing director of tax policy services at PwC. What the White House would want, Mays said, "is to buy two years of time" while the issue was bogged down by lawyers. And then the White House would hope "Republicans take the House [of Representatives in the 2020 election] and nobody is demanding [the tax returns] at that point." In the interview, Neal said Democrats did not win control of the House by promising to obtain Trump's tax returns, and that it would not be the singular focus of his first year as chairman. He said Americans were more interested in issues like health care and Social Security, things he planned to focus on next year. (c) 2018, The Washington Post, written by Damian Paletta and Erica Werner. A Southridge High School student faces criminal charges after he used the photo of a fellow classmate to create a social media post threatening to shoot up the school, Beaverton police said. The photo, published Tuesday night on Snapchat, showed the classmate, a teenage boy, dressed head to toe in black, wearing a mask and posing in front of a bathroom mirror. He is seen clutching what appears to be a military-style assault rifle equipped with a drum magazine. "Time to have some fun at Southridge," reads an accompanying message, according to a copy of the post reviewed by The Oregonian/OregonLive. Only the gun pictured in the photo is an airsoft rifle popular among people who participate in mock combat, said Officer Jeremy Shaw, a Beaverton police spokesman. And photo had been taken several weeks prior by the teen before a game with friends, police said. "There's no threat to the school," Shaw said. Police said the post spread quickly on social media, alarming students, parents and teachers. Adding to their anxiety was a separate incident at Southridge earlier in the week where someone found a live round of ammunition in the boy's locker room, according to Shaw. Authorities do not believe there's a connection between the two incidents, though Shaw said the student behind the social media threat might have been inspired to act after unsubstantiated rumors stemming from the bullet in the boy's locker room began to flourish. Beaverton police received a tip about the Snapchat shooting threat shortly after it appeared online, and officers visited the gun-toting teen and his family that evening, Shaw said. That's when police learned the weapon was a replica and that neither the boy nor his family had access to actual firearms, Shaw said. Officers also learned that the teen had shared the photo of him and his airsoft rifle with several friends, who then shared the photo with other Southridge students, police said. By Wednesday morning, police were able to track down the student behind the Snapchat threat because he posted it from his personal account, Shaw said. Police did not arrest the student, but charged him with disorderly conduct and forwarded the case to Washington County's Juvenile Department, Shaw said. "This kid posted the Snapchat as a some kind of joke," said Shaw. "Unfortunately, this is going to be a teachable moment for him." -- Shane Dixon Kavanaugh skavanaugh@oregonian.com 503-294-7632 || @shanedkavanaugh Moncks Corner, SC (29461) Today Cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 50F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 50F. Winds light and variable. BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS In late 2015 the trucks started rolling, dumping more than 300,000 cubic yards of locally sourced dirt at the future SpaceX launch pad site where S.H. 4 dead-ends at Boca Chica beach in South Texas. The Brownsville Herald reports the technical term is "soil surcharging," a process of compressing the underlying soil in order to stabilize it in this case to create a suitable foundation for launch-complex structures. That process is now complete, leading to the artificial mesa being leveled by earthmovers. Once that's done, SpaceX will install a 95,000-gallon liquid oxygen tank and an 80,000-gallon methane tank that the company has taken delivery on in recent months. The tanks, stored for now at the SpaceX control center area a couple of miles west of the launch site, will be used to support propellant-loading operations during space vehicle tests beginning sometime in 2019. In February, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk said tests at Boca Chica would entail "short hopper flights with the spaceship part of BFR." BFR stands for Big Falcon Rocket, a fully reusable, two-stage vehicle consisting of a booster and a spaceship. "Hopper flights" refer to SpaceX's Grasshopper program of low-altitude launch and landing tests of its Falcon 9 rocket at the company's McGregor test facility. Musk had been banking on its biggest rocket, the Falcon Heavy, to get humans to Mars, though the focus has shifted to development of the larger, more powerful BFR for Mars flights an ambitious goal Musk touched on at the Boca Chica groundbreaking ceremony in September 2014. "It could very well be that the first person that departs for another planet could depart from this location," he said. Over the last two years SpaceX, based in suburban Los Angeles, has installed two giant ground-station antennas it acquired from Cape Canaveral in Florida and more than 600 kilowatts of solar arrays to power them. The antennas will be used to track manned Crew Dragon missions to and from the International Space Station as well as flights blasting off from Boca Chica. "The ongoing construction of our launch pad in South Texas is proceeding well," said company spokesman Sean Pitt. "SpaceX has now received the final major ground-system tank needed to support initial test flights of the Big Falcon Spaceship." Musk estimated initially that the first Boca Chica launch could happen by late 2016. The need for soil surcharging created delays, however, then in September 2016 a Falcon 9 rocket exploded during a fueling test at Cape Canaveral, destroying the launch pad, which SpaceX had to rebuild. The company made its first launch from the rebuilt Launch Pad Complex 40 on Dec. 15, 2017, a resupply mission to the ISS using a Falcon 9 rocket and unmanned Dragon capsule. On Feb. 6, SpaceX conducted the maiden launch of the Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Pad 39a at Cape Canaveral's Kennedy Space Center. That's the same pad from which Apollo 11 departed for the moon on July 16, 1969, four days before Neil Armstrong became the first human to walk on the lunar surface. Last August, SpaceX affixed a walkway to Launch Pad 39a that NASA astronauts will use to board the Crew Dragon capsule for missions to the ISS. NASA awarded SpaceX and Boeing contracts in 2014 to ferry its astronauts to and from the space station. Four astronauts have been chosen for SpaceX's inaugural Crew Dragon mission, tentatively scheduled for April 2019. They will be the first humans sent into space from U.S. soil since the Space Shuttle program was discontinued in 2011. Propelling the first Crew Dragon mission into space will be the Falcon 9 rocket, 230 feet tall with a payload of 25 tons in Low Earth Orbit. The Falcon Heavy is the same height but much more powerful, with an LEO payload of 70 tons. At a press conference following February's Falcon Heavy launch, Musk said the mission's success convinced him of the feasibility of developing the BFR. The BFR would stand 387 feet tall, the spaceship portion 180 feet in length, with a payload of more than 110 tons. That's the rocket SpaceX plans eventually to launch from Boca Chica, where hopper tests of the BFR spaceship are slated to begin next year. Gil Salinas, a member of the governor's Aerospace and Aviation Advisory Committee and former executive with the Brownsville Economic Development Council who worked closely with SpaceX during negotiations to bring the company here, admitted his initial meeting with Musk in 2011 was mind-blowing especially the part about Mars, which Musk says needs to be colonized in order to save humanity. "When he provided us his vision back in 2011 it was just so out there where do we begin?" he said. Now, with SpaceX coming up on 70 launches completed and 35 more planned, every eye in the aerospace sector is on what the company is doing in Cameron County, Salinas said. "You can see they are on a path to change the world, and a lot of it is going to be done from here," Salinas said. ___ Information from: The Brownsville Herald, http://www.brownsvilleherald.com This is an AP Member Exchange shared by the Brownsville Herald Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. On July 16, 1888 Lyman Shauger was born in Midland, Michigan. On July 31, 1918 Lyman Shauger died on a battlefield in France . Shauger was born in Midland in 1888 to Thomas and Mary Jane Shauger, the second son in a family that eventually consisted of six girls and five boys. On Oct. 8, 1917 he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was shipped to Waco, Texas for training before being shipped overseas to land in Nancy, France in January 1918 as part of the American Expeditionary Force under the command of Major General John J. Pershing, nicknamed "Black Jack." Both Army personnel and Marines were part of the AEF which Pershing insisted should remain separate from other Allied forces. But the Army and Marines consisted basically of new recruits unprepared for front line warfare. And to speed up the transport of troops to France, heavy equipment was left behind, leaving the Americans in desperate need of guns, ammunition and heavy equipment. Pershing realized his mistake and eventually the new recruits of the AEF began fighting alongside veteran soldiers from France, Great Britain and Italy who had been in the war since June 28, 1914. Both the American soldiers and Marines found themselves in camp waiting for orders and Lyman Shauger like thousands of other young men took the time to write back home. Somewhere in France June 10, 1918 Hello Alex How is the world using you. I got your letter ok and was sure glad to hear from you. Everything here is going fine. I haven't seen Leo for a long time. He isn't very far from where we are at but I can't get to see him. Say, you are real thoughtful for about getting things fixed for when I get home (illegible) and you are foreman at the plant. How are chances to get a job? So Charlie has gone to Custer. I don't suppose there are many young fellows around there now, are there? I got a letter from Mandy yesterday. She sent me some pictures she took while in Midland last winter. They are all good pictures but Dick looks natural, just as fat as ever. Hasn't he the (illegible) that Winonah has sent me when I was at (illegible). I made a mistake and burned them up. I destroyed my old mail (illegible). These are all the pictures I have left. I will take them up the trail with me. Tell Dick if he hasn't sent that tobacco not to bother with it. We are where I can buy all I want now. Are you fellows going up to the Ox-bow for picnics this summer like we did when I was there or haven't you got anybody to drive the car for you? How is George Brink (illegible). They aren't to hiring. I would write to them but there's nothing to write about. I may have more news later to tell you but there is nothing doing just now. This will be all. Don't forget to write soon. Goodbye. As ever, your nephew Lyman. The letter was censored before being mailed: OK. W. Ward, Second Lieutenant, 125 Infantry. Like all wars, there were two sides, the Allies and the Central Powers. The Allies were Great Britain, France, Belgium, Italy, Russia and Serbia and had been at war for three long years with the Central Powers. A declaration of war by the United States against Germany on April 6, 1917 was a welcome boost to morale for the Allies. The Central Powers were Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire (the Turks). The Battle of Chateau Thierry was fought on July 18, 1918 and was one of the first actions of the AEF under Pershing. Troops from both the Army and the Marine Corps participated. Lyman Shauger was in the 125th Infantry, Company E that fought in that battle. In the beginning, the AEF consisted of poorly trained troops sent to France too soon and in inadequate numbers. But by the end of World War I, the American troops numbered four million and were recognized as veterans in a war that devastated much of Europe and killed or wounded thirty seven million civilians and military troops. Poison gas and tanks were responsible for part of the deaths with troops on both sides living and dying in trenches that were sometimes filled with two feet of water. World War I ended on Nov.11, 1918 at 11 a.m. Shauger's parents didn't learn of his death on a battlefield in France until Aug. 29,1918. On Jan. 29, 1920 word was received that Shauger's body was in Flint. This was quickly followed by a second letter stating that it was the wrong Lyman Shauger. On July 28, 1921 a letter came saying the remains of Lyman Shauger was in Hoboken, New Jersey. When the remains arrived in Midland, Alex Shauger, Lyman's uncle, identified his nephew by a pin he had given Lyman when he left for the service. The bodies of Lyman Shauger and William F. Smith (also killed in action) arrived in Midland on Aug. 3, 1921. A double funeral was held in the Community Center on Townsend Street with a thousand people attending. Pall bearers were Oscar O'Dell, Max Anger, Roy Coin, Carl Downs, Sid Hollingshead, Allen McMillan, Ross Smelser and Carl Fisher. None of us knew Lyman Shauger. He lived and died before any of us were born. He left no wife. No children. But because he did live and because he gave his life on a battlefield in France 100 years ago, we are the beneficiaries of his sacrifice. We have a freedom which should never be taken for granted. Young men like Lyman Shauger gave their life for it. Moolenaar wins in congressional race By a 62.6 to 37.4 percent margin, voters in the 4th Congressional District elected incumbent John Moolenaar, R-Midland, to again represent them in Washington, D.C. Moolenaar garnered 178,511 votes in the district while 106,539 residents voted for Democratic opponent Jerry Hilliard. "It is an honor to be chosen by the voters of Mid and Northern Michigan to represent them in Washington. I ran on my record of protecting the Great Lakes, honoring our veterans, supporting our seniors, and helping hardworking Michigan families keep more of their own money," Moolenaar said. "I look forward to continuing that work in Congress and I am thankful to the voters for their support." The 4th Congressional District includes the counties of Clare, Clinton, Gladwin, Gratiot, Isabella, Mecosta, Midland, Missaukee, Ogemaw, Osceola, Roscommon, Shiawassee, and Wexford and parts of Montcalm and Saginaw counties. Moolenaar now returns to Washington for his third two-year term. Following stints in both the Michigan House and Senate, the Midland native succeeded Dave Camp in 2015. During his last term, Moolenaar was a member of the House Committee on Appropriations. He was also a member of the Appropriations subcommittees of: financial services and general government; Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies; and Legislative Branch. He is also the co-founder and co-chairman of the bipartisan Congressional Chemistry Caucus. Stamas defeats Weir in Senate contest Sen. Jim Stamas, R-Midland, will serve the residents of the 36th State Senate District for a second and final four-year term. "It has been my honor to serve the 36th Senate District as your state senator for the last four years and I am honored and humbled to be reelected to continue to serve the people of the 36th Senate District," Stamas said. "I want to thank the residents of the 36th District for their support and I look forward to working with residents throughout Northeast and MidMichigan and bringing their concerns to the forefront in Lansing." Overall, the unofficial results from the Michigan Secretary of State website showed Stamas garnering 71,012 votes, or 64.3 percent, to Weir's 39,439 votes, or 35.7 percent. "I am of course disappointed in the outcome of my election. But given my opponent's advantages and resources, I never had the expectation of winning," commented Weir. "The Republican Party has evolved into an organization whose commitment to American democratic values and traditions are questionable at best, and my campaign was an exercise in ensuring that we challenged that party on every front." In Midland County, Stamas held a 22,996 to 14,714 advantage. "Michigan has come a long way but there is always more to do to keep Michigan moving forward," Stamas said. "I am excited for Michigan's future and I will continue to focus on jobs, education, and accountability." During his first term as a senator, Stamas was elected to be the Assistant Majority Floor Leader for the 98th Legislature. He was also selected to serve on the following committees: Appropriations, Agriculture and Rural Development subcommittee, General Government subcommittee - chair, Economic Development and International Investment, Health Policy, Joint Committee on Administrative Rules - chair, Natural Resources, Michigan Competitiveness - vice chair, Legislative Council and the Library of Michigan Board of Trustees. Stamas and his wife, Marsha, live in Midland County and have two children. Jim has served as a township trustee, county commissioner and state representative. The 36th Senate District includes Alcona, Alpena, Arenac, Gladwin, Iosco, Midland, Montmorency, Oscoda, Otsego, and Presque Isle counties. Glenn defeats Schulz, succeeds her husband Annette Glenn will be following her husband to Lansing. In the closest race in recent memory for the 98th State House, Republican Glenn defeated her Democratic challenger Sarah Schulz by a 20,209 to 18,629 margin. "I'm grateful to the voters of Bay and Midland counties for entrusting me with the responsibility of representing them and their families in the state House of Representatives," Glenn said. "I'm mindful that as the first woman to represent our district in Lansing, as part of that role, I have the opportunity to be a leader toward restoring common courtesy and civility to our public discussions." Glenn took 52 percent of the vote, and Schulz 48 percent. "We saw that this community is willing to consider the merits of the individuals running for office and cross party lines to vote for the best candidate," Schulz said. "We saw that so many people of our district agree that we must move past this era of divisiveness in politics to an era of compromise if we have any hope making the kind of collaborative change that will benefit everyone." Schulz had a strong showing in the City of Midland where she took 20 of the 24 precincts. But Glenn held a 15,147 to 14,577 overall edge in Midland County by doing better in the townships. Glenn also won the Bay County vote. "It wasn't quite enough to win, but with 48 percent of the vote and an outright win of the City of Midland, it was far closer than it ever has been," Schulz said. "We will build on the momentum of these results for future elections. I am so proud of the type of positive clean campaign I and my team ran and I am so grateful for the support I received from this community." Glenn took all 14 precincts in the six Midland County townships that make-up the 98th District. She also held a 5,062 to 4,052 margin in Bay County as she won the seat held by her husband, Gary. Annette Glenn now begins her two-year term on Jan. 1, 2019. "My priorities will be as I shared with thousands of voters at their doors, to bring down the cost of car insurance and fix our roads and bridges, improve skilled trades training and third-grade reading skills, repeal the unfair retirement tax, and finally keep the decade-old promise of repealing the 'temporary' increase in our state income tax," Glenn said. "I'll also work to protect access to health care for patients with preexisting conditions. I'm married to one." The 98th District spans the Bay County townships of Beaver, Fraser, Garfield, Gibson, Mount Forest, Pinconning and Williams. It also covers Homer, Jerome, Larkin, Lee, Lincoln and Midland townships in Midland County along with the cities of Auburn, Midland and Pinconning. Hauck keeps seat in State House Republican incumbent Roger Hauck will keep his 99th State House seat, beating Democratic challenger Kristen Brown by more than 2,100 votes. The final updated voting count in Midland County was Hauck winning 5,043 votes to Brown's 2,891. In Isabella County, Hauck had 11,084 votes to Brown's 11,171. "I feel great. Midland County came through big for me," Hauck said. "The rural townships in Isabella County really helped." He credits his win to on the ground campaign awareness, saying Hauck's campaign knocked on roughly 20,000 doors to make voters aware of his race. Hauck was elected to the 99th State House seat in 2016, beating Democratic opponent Bryan Milke by more than 3,000 votes according to the 2016 Michigan Secretary of State election reports. His seat represents Edenville, Geneva, Greendale, Hope, Ingersoll, Jasper, Mills, Mount Haley, Porter and Warren townships in Midland County as well as all of Isabella County. Prizing himself as a working man who fights against career politicians, Hauck ran on a platform of no-fault auto-insurance reform, fixing state and local infrastructure and education spending reform. Brown issued a press release in the early hours of Wednesday morning, wishing Hauck luck with his continued occupation of the seat. "Running to represent the 99th District has been a humbling experience, and it was a pleasure to talk with voters about the issues impacting them and their families every day," she said. "I look forward to continuing to serve our neighbors and making the 99th House District a better place for all our families." Hauck said his first order of business will be to continue focusing on infrastructure and no-fault auto-insurance, calling the latter issue "totally broken." At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, Hauck served as vice chair of the energy policy committee and sat as a member of the Health Policy, Regulatory Reform and Local Government committees. He has sponsored 25 bills during his time in the State House. A former Union Township trustee, Hauck is an active member of the National Rifle Association, Michigan Farm Bureau, Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart Catholic Church and Eagles Club. He graduated from Beal City High School in 1980 and attended Central Michigan University. Coleman mayor wins by nine votes Coleman Mayor Steve Miller has been elected to a third term, defeating challenger and current City Council member Ben Tigner by just nine votes. The unofficial final tally was 209-200. The mayor serves a two-year term. Miller was first elected in 2014. On City Council, three of the six seats were up for election. Incumbents Aaron Hess, Corey E. Lewis, and Earl Marsh all won re-election over challengers Kathleen Lewis and Donald Jennings. Council members serve four-year terms. Lorie Fox, Christine Blake, and Abby K. Haggart won re-election to the school board for the Coleman Community Schools. Voter turnout was 46.1 percent in the City of Coleman. Gladwin County picks newcomers When the Gladwin County Commissioners meet in January, there will be some new faces. For District 1, Republican Kyle Grove earned 1,577 votes to defeat opponent Richard Bloom, who garnered 794. In District 2, Republican Ron Taylor, a former county animal control officer ousted incumbent Terry Walters by 1,197-871 votes. Walters served as the commission chair. Republican Chuck Hinman was elected the new road commissioner with 6,199 votes. Hinman, who decided to run for the position while serving in District 1, vacated his commissioner seat. He is replacing retiring road commissioner Doyle Donn. Hinman ran against Donn's son, Troy. Troy Donn earned 4,470 votes. County voters agreed to increase the Conservation District tax by 0.15 mills for five years. The additional tax is expected to raise an estimated $140,000 in the first year. The money is used to fund gypsy moth and soil erosion programs. Beaverton voters were generous for roads and public safety. They approved 2 mills for 25 years for road improvements and another 2 mills for five years for public safety. Voters accepted the road improvement proposal 237-137. The 25-year proposal, expected to raise $32,518 in its first year, will be used initially for improvements to Glidden Road and Saginaw Street. Voters approved the 2 mill proposal for Beaverton Public Safety Protection 231-142 for five years. The tax is expected to capture $32,518 in the first year. It will be used for providing public safety services to the city. Daily News correspondents Ron Beacom and Tereasa Nims contributed to this report. Saint Brigid Catholic School will present a Veteran's Day ceremony at 8:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 9 at Saint Brigid Catholic School. The event, which is open to all veterans, will feature Midland Mayor Maureen Donker along with the Saint Brigid Shamrock Band, Boy Scout Troop and keynote speaker Josh High. High comes from a military family. His grandfather served in the Vietnam War and his father was a U.S. Coast Guard Rescue swimmer. High has served as an infantryman in the U.S. Army for four years and is now a student at Saginaw Valley State University. He is excited to talk to students about what Veterans Day means to him both as a veteran and as a Catholic. "I consider myself to have been blessed by hearing Christ's call to serve my country, to serve all of you as an American soldier," High said. "Because from my experiences in the Army, I have learned and grown so much not just in life, but also in my faith. The Army taught me what true service really is and gave me a sense of purpose and discipline which I apply each day in my studies at SVSU." The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriff's Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter John Kennett. Tuesday, Nov. 6 12:18 a.m. -- Deputies were dispatched to a residence in Lee Township in reference to a tip that a 46-year-old man with warrants out of Midland County was there. Deputies found the man and also found he was in violation of probation terms. The man was placed under arrest and transported to the Midland County Jail without incident. 11:33 a.m. -- A deputy was dispatched to the LEC to speak with a 60-year-old Geneva Township woman regarding a larceny of her handgun. The 60-year-old woman stated she just noticed that a .22 caliber handgun was missing from her residence. She suspects a relative as a possible suspect. 2:49 p.m. -- Deputies responded to a residence in Larkin Township in reference to a heated verbal dispute between a 15-year-old and her 16-year-old sister. The 35-year-old mother requested deputy assistance. The sisters were separated for the remainder of the day. No assault. 9:08 p.m. -- A 27-year-old Coleman man was arrested for DWLS following a traffic stop in Geneva Township. The man was transported to the MCJ without incident. 9:12 p.m. -- Deputies were dispatched to a residence in Geneva Township in reference to a verbal argument between a 34-year-old man of the City of Midland and his 31-year-old ex-wife about their children. The man left the residence prior to deputy arrival. The ex-wife and 68-year-old woman owner of the residence advised that they wished to have the man trespassed from the property. Deputies made contact with the man and told him he was trespassed from the property. No assault. 11:43 p.m. -- Deputies were dispatched to a residence in Larkin Township and made contact with a 59-year-old woman and her 60-year-old male roommate. Both were highly intoxicated and the woman was upset about the man not helping out and drinking all the time. The woman was told about the eviction process to potentially help her in the future. The woman left the residence with her 36-year-old son of Auburn. No assault. ATLANTA In a campaign ad pierced by the sound of gunfire, Lucy McBath earlier this year laid out the story of her 17-year-old son's shooting death and how his loss propelled her to activism. The story resonated with voters, who elected her Tuesday to fill a long-red House seat that Georgia Republicans held onto just last year. "We've sent a strong message to the entire country," McBath tweeted Thursday after Rep. Karen Handel conceded. "Absolutely nothing no politician & no special interest is more powerful than a mother on a mission." McBath's son, Jordan Davis, was slain at a Jacksonville, Florida gas station in 2012 by a white man who was angry over the loud music the black teenager and his friends had been playing in their car. Michael Dunn used the "stand-your-ground" law in his defense, but was convicted and is serving a life sentence. After her son's slaying, McBath became active in gun control advocacy. John Feinblatt, who heads the gun control group Everytown for Gun Safety, said McBath first came to them as a volunteer and eventually joined the staff and headed faith outreach efforts. "We saw in Lucy a natural leader that people immediately started to look up to for her real devotion to honoring her son and ability to rally others," he said. Over the years she's testified before Congress and spoken at rallies, often wearing a button with her son's photo on it. In the 2016 presidential race , as a member of "Mothers of the Movement," she endorsed Hillary Clinton. The Mothers group is a sisterhood of black women whose sons were shot to death by white men or police officers. McBath decided to run for office after the February massacre at a south Florida high school, she said during a campaign rally. In running against Handel, McBath made gun control a key issue, sharing with voters her personal journey. "I lost my son Jordan but I'm still his mother. And I still continue to mother him through making sure that I preserve the lives of other children like him," she said during a television ad. The longtime Delta Airlines flight attendant also frequently mentioned her battle with breast cancer during the campaign as she attacked Handel on health care issues. Her neophyte campaign for the suburban Atlanta seat former House Speaker Newt Gingrich held got a big boost from Democrat Stacey Abrams ' efforts to increase turnout in the governor's race. McBath appeared on stage with Abrams and former President Barack Obama during a campaign event last week. Handel conceded Thursday and offered McBath "good thoughts and much prayer for the journey that lies ahead for her." McBath's victory extends Democrats' strength in suburban districts. In 2016, Rep. Tom Price cruised to victory without a serious Democratic challenge. But his resignation to join President Donald Trump 's Cabinet as health secretary set off a fierce special election battle featuring Handel against Democrat Jon Ossoff. Handel won, leaving the appearance that the district was still fundamentally Republican. But getting any kind of gun control measures signed into law, as McBath hopes, will be difficult if not impossible in the next Congress. Republicans expanded their Senate majority Tuesday, and Trump remains a favored ally of the National Rifle Association . In his midterm campaign sweep, the president frequently delighted his boisterous rallies with promises to "protect the Second Amendment." Another congressional race remained too close to call Thursday in the neighboring 7th District. Absentee ballots were still being counted in Gwinnett County, where four-term GOP incumbent Rob Woodall remains locked in a tight contest with Democrat Carolyn Bourdeaux, a college professor who outpaced the congressman in total fundraising. ___ Associated Press writers Bill Barrow in Atlanta; and Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, contributed. ___ For AP's complete coverage of the U.S. midterm elections: http://apne.ws/APPolitics Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. PHOTOS How to negotiate a salary Talking about salary with a potential or current employer can be intimidating. While 81% of employees surveyed by Glassdoor in 2019 believed they deserved a raise, 40% accepted their initial salary offer and did not negotiate in their current or most recent job. Rather than wallow in low wages, leverage these tips to overcome the sweaty palms and self-doubt that come with salary negotiation. Nigerian-American author Nnedi Okorafor was widely respected before she set foot within the comics realm, winning praise and awards for sci-fi and fantasy prose work including Binti, the Akata series and Who Fears Death, which is now in development for an HBO television series. She has won the World Fantasy Award, the Hugo Award and the Nebula Award, and is currently writing Shuri for Marvel Comics, starring Black Panthers genius sister. LaGuardia, published by Karen Bergers eponymous imprint at Dark Horse Comics and drawn by frequent Marvel contributor Tana Ford, is Okorafors first original comic series. It centers around a pregnant Nigerian-American doctor, Future Nwafor Chukwuebuka, who has just returned to Earth with a smuggled alien plant in tow. In the world of LaGuardia, aliens coexist on Earth, but face many of the same challenges current human immigrants do in establishing themselves in their frequently inhospitable new homes. With the first issue hitting stands December 5th, Paste has an exclusive first look below at Okorafors deeply personal afterword about her own travel experience, as well as a peek at Fords interior art. LaGuardia #1 Cover Art by Tana Ford Coming and Going By Nnedi Okorafor Ive been kicking this story around for over six years. The first time I ever went to New York City was in 2009 for the Octavia Butler Symposium at Medgar Evers College. I arrived through LaGuardia International Airport. And I left through it, as well. Two things: 1. What struck me most and immediately about New York was its glorious diversity. You could walk down the street and hear languages, witness customs, find restaurants, see people from all over the world in very close proximity. I prefer quiet less urban places, away from human beings, but this aspect of New York delighted me. 2. I detested LaGuardia Airport. There was barely anywhere to sit, it was ancient in a dirty way, and the construction made getting around confusing and difficult. Over the years, Ive learned that this construction is never-ending. Nevertheless, what made the strongest impression on me was the next-level TSA experience I had while leaving through LaGuardia that first time to fly back to Chicago. These days I have locks (less affectionately called dreadlocks) that are over four and a half feet long. Back then, they were probably closer to two and a half. I went through the body scanner and was quickly asked to step aside. Would you like a private room? the female TSA officer asked. Having no idea why, I said, Yes. My large hair bun was first wanded. Then I was told to undo my bun, and then the officer proceeded to squeeze each of my thick locks from tip to root. Lastly, she massaged my scalp. It was infuriating, creepy and degrading. And it was not the last time this would happen to me when leaving LaGuardia (and at other airports, both in and outside of the United States). I walked away from that first experience at LaGuardia furious, but also thinking about many things. About aliens. About people of African descent with our alarm-raising thick African hair. About African immigrants whod have been kept for more in-depth questioning if theyd had my same amount and type of hair. Hours later, I thought a lot about misdirection and how so much of airport security is just theater to make us feel safer, because when I got home and unpacked, I realized that Id accidently left my palm-sized pink canister of pepper spray in my carry-on. So while the LaGuardia TSA officer was busy rifling through my hair, the other officers had missed a rather important item. Interesting. I am the child of recent immigrants, thus my worldview has been shaped by ideas of people who move around, have multiple homes, cultures, have learned to adapt yet retain their identity, and barrel-forth regardless. The Earth is big to me and humanity is diverse. Therefore, when President Trump signed the executive order to implement the infamous travel ban back in January 2017, the America and the general world climate of my story became that much clearer. I especially remember when long-distance runner Mo Farah declared, Trump has made me an alien because the ban targeted his country of Somalia. All of this was powerful fodder for what eventually became the LaGuardia series. I believe in the existence of aliens. I fantasize about how their eventual arrival will force an amazing paradigm and identity shift in humanity and for the entire Earth. Im an irrational optimist, so I look forward to all this with excitement, anticipation and curiosity. The future portrayed in this series has its problems, but its not a dystopia. LaGuardia is an exploration. Its pushback, its playful shenanigans, its looking forward, its terrestrially alien and its trickster tendencies all rolled up into one narrative. Its metaphor and its literal. I hope you enjoy it. Sincerely, Nnedimma Nkemdili Okorafor October 24, 2018 s. I have since gotten Pre-Check and no longer have to endure these invasive inspections. And no, I never again made the epic mistake of leaving pepper spray in my luggage while flying, haha. LaGuardia #1 Interior Art by Tana Ford LaGuardia #1 Interior Art by Tana Ford Yesterday Qualcomm forecast sales revenue for the holiday shopping quarter below analysts estimates as it took a hit from the loss of chip sales to Apple, sending its shares down 3.1 percent after hours. Reuters is reporting that "Apple excluded Qualcomm from its new iPhones XS and XS Max and XR that launched in September, instead choosing modem chips from rival Intel. Although Qualcomm warned its shareholders earlier this summer that Apple would likely make that move, the impact has shown up more swiftly than Wall Street expected. Qualcomm Chief Financial Officer George Davis told Reuters that about half of Apples chip purchases tended to come during the holiday quarter. Davis said Wall Street analysts may have expected the blow from the Apple loss to be more spread out over the year. Davis added: 'Our guidance has a reduction of over 50 million (chip) units in the quarter, all of that explained by the absence of being in Apple phones. Thats really the difference.'" Earlier on Wednesday, Reuters reported that Apple is not in talks 'at any level' to settle the litigation with Qualcomm, according to a person familiar with the matter. Davis said there was a lot of focus both internally and externally on resolving the dispute with licensees, which include Apple, but did not comment on whether the two were in talks about a settlement. Qualcomm is just lucky that their Chinese customers Xiaomi, Vivo and OPPO have done so well or the pain would have been much worse. Analysts also know that Qualcomm's 5G modem business in 2009 will likely offset the lack of chip sales to Apple. But for now, Qualcomm's pain from the loss of Apple's business is real. The preliminary ruling handed down by Judge Koh in the FTC case against Qualcomm this week was another setback for Qualcomm who said during their conference call that "settlement talks with the FTC are proceeding despite the ruling. Deciding that your business is ready for a web presence is easy; choosing the right web hosting service is not. GoDaddy, one of the world's most popular domain name sellers, is an excellent web hosting provider that gives you to tools to quickly build a website. The service has well-rounded packages that fall below those offered by DreamHost, Hostgator, 1&1 Ionos, and other Editors' Choice picks, but it has many attractive and useful elements that you may find worthwhile, especially if you wish to incorporate Microsoft Office 365 email and apps into your workflows. Shared Web Hosting If you don't want to spend a lot of money on web hosting, shared hosting is the way to go. This cheap web hosting places your website on a server with other sites. So, yes, your site literally shares server resources with others, hence the tier's name. This means also that it's far from the most powerful web hosting type. The sites sharing the server compete for resources, including throughput and storage space. You'll want dedicated or virtual private server (VPS) hosting for extra hosting muscle if you expect big traffic, or if you want to insulate yourself from traffic spikes. You Can Trust Our Reviews Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions. ( See how we test .) GoDaddy has a fine range of Linux- or Windows-based shared web servers and tosses in a free domain name if you sign up for a commitment higher than 12 months. For example, the Economy basic shared hosting package ($10.99 per month, discounted to $6.99 per month for an annual commitment) includes 100GB of storage, 512MB of RAM, the ability to host one website, unlimited monthly data transfers, and a free year of Office 365 Starter Email. Microsoft's mail plan comes with just one email address, but you can upgrade to more accounts for a fee. See the Email Hosting section, below, for more options. The Deluxe plan ($12.99 per month, or $9.99 per month for an 12-month plan) builds on the Economy package by adding unlimited storage and domains. The Ultimate package ($19.99 per month, or $14.99 per month for an 12-month plan) adds double the processing power, 1GB of RAM, unlimited databases, and a one-year Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificate. Finally, there's the Maximum package ($28.99 per month, or $22.99 per month for an 12-month plan) increases the memory to 2GB, server I/O speed from 1,024 KB/sec to 2,048 KB/sec, and gives you free, unlimited SSLs for every website under your plan. GoDaddy has rich shared hosting plans, but HostGator still reigns as the PCMag Editors' Choice for shared web hosting services. Like GoDaddy, HostGator boasts unlimited domains and monthly data transfers across the board, and a choice of Linux- or Windows-based servers, but it tops its rival by offering a unlimited storage and bandwidth with all plans. You can learn the differences between the server operating systems by reading Linux vs. Windows: How to Pick the Best Server OS for Your Website. VPS Web Hosting VPS, or virtual private server, hosting is exactly what it sounds like. You're paying for space on a shared server, but one that does much more to isolate you from your server mates than plain old shared hosting does. Hostwinds may be the PCMag Editors' Choice for VPS hosting, but that doesn't mean that GoDaddy doesn't have quality virtual private server packages. The company offers Linux- or Windows-based servers, as well as unlimited domains and monthly data transfers. GoDaddy's VPS plans begin with a $7.99-per-month, Linux-only starter plan (down to $5.99 for an annual plan), with a single CPU core, 1GB of RAM, and 20GB of SSD storage. The specs top out at eight CPU cores, 32GB of RAM, 400GB of SSD storage, and a free SSL for one year for $149.99 per month. That's good stuff, especially if you sign up for a multi-month plan. So why does GoDaddy fall short of winning our VPS hosting Editors' Choice award? It's because Hostwinds simply has a wider range of VPS plans. For example, the base VPS starts at just $4.99 per month (for 1GB of RAM, 30GB of disk space, and 1TB of monthly data transfers), while the upper tier scales up to $328 per month (for 96GB of RAM, 750GB of disk space, and 9TB of monthly data transfers). Still, GoDaddy's VPS services are a capable option for people who want a web hosting solution that's more powerful than shared web hosting, but don't want to pay dedicated web hosting's relatively expensive cost. Dedicated Web Hosting Dedicated hosting is the tier you need when you operate a site that demands lots of system resources. With dedicated hosting, your site exists on a server all by itself, thus leveraging all of the server's power. This is the hardware you need to power a site designed to handle millions of visitors per year. GoDaddy's dedicated servers come in many configurations. You can outfit one with the Linux or Windows operating systems, high-capacity hard drives, or blazing-fast NVMe SSD options. The starter DS-32 plan ($169.99 per month, or $149.99 per month for a 12-month plan) comes with four CPU cores, 32GB of RAM, 8TB of storage, unlimited monthly data transfers, three IP addresses, Office 365 Starter Email, and a free SSL certificate. The highest level of service available here is the DS-256 (a heavy $519.99 per month, or $469.99 for a 12-month commitment), with 16 CPU cores, 256GB of RAM, and 2TB of SSD storage. Naturally, a long-term commitment nets you big savings. There's also a fully-managed dedicated server tier, that covers similar performance and storage options, but comes with a significant price increase. Fully-managed plans start at $274.99 per month and scale up to $624.99 per month. GoDaddy's dedicated servers are extremely attractive, but AccuWeb takes the Editors' Choice crown. AccuWeb's servers can be outfitted with up to 512GB of RAM, 8TB of storage, and 20TB of monthly data transfers. You can also select either the Linux or Windows operating systems. WordPress Web Hosting Signing up for one of GoDaddy managed WordPress hosting plans has its advantages. GoDaddy has many WordPress themes and plug-ins, and it offers nightly backups and automatic WordPress software updates. GoDaddy doesn't require you to install the CMS, as it comes preinstalled. Once you're logged into WordPress, you can create posts, pages, and galleries as you would with any other self-hosted WordPress site. The Basic plan (starting at $11.99 per month, or $6.99 per month with an annual plan) comes with 30GB of storage, site backup (for up to 90 days), and support for up to 25,000 monthly visitors. Deluxe ($17.99 per month, or $8.99 per month with an annual plan) ups the storage to 75GB, visitor number to 100,000, and includes a single-click testing site. Ultimate (starting at $24.99 per month, or $12.99 per month with an annual plan) builds on Deluxe by offering unlimited storage, unlimited visitors, and unlimited malware removal. Finally, the eCommerce plan (starting at $29.99 per month, or $19.99 per month with an annual plan) adds GoDaddy Payments support, unlimited products, appointment scheduling, and real-time shipping rates. Every plan gets a free SSL certificate and free domain if you choose a 12-month commitment or longer. That's a good offering, but A2 reigns as the consumer-end Editors' Choice for WordPress hosting. A2 has plans starting as low as $7.99 per month (for unlimited storage, unlimited monthly data transfers, and free SSL certificate) and as high as $24.46 per month (which adds unlimited sites and unlimited databases). WP Engine, on the other hand, is the enterprise-class Editors' Choice for WordPress hosting. With WP Engine, you'll enjoy one-slick staging, DDoS protection, daily backups, free site migration, auto-rollbacks, and other goodies. For more on the fantastically popular content management system, you should read How to Get Started With WordPress. No Cloud Web Hosting GoDaddy lacks cloud hosting, an alternative to traditional hosting that draws resources from multiple servers. If you want to get into cloud hosting, which lets you expand server resources with ease, we suggest taking a look at DreamHost, our co-Editors' Choice in that category. DreamHost's small business-friendly packages start at $4.50 per month (for 512MB of RAM, 100GB of storage, and unlimited monthly data transfers) and top out at $48 per month (for four CPU cores, 8GB of RAM, 100GB of storage, and unlimited monthly data transfers). If you're just dabbling in cloud hosting, DreamHost is a fine place to start. Heavily trafficked sites will favor 1&1 Ionos . The co-Editors' Choice has the specs (16-core CPUs, 48GB of RAM) and prorated plans that big businesses crave. In addition, 1&1 Ionos offers customizable servers that you can build from the ground up. Those, of course, cost big bucks. You should reach out to one of the company's customer service reps for pricing information. Reseller Web Hosting If you're looking to get into the web hosting business, but you don't want to deal with infrastructure matters, check out GoDaddy's reseller hosting packages. The company's two plansthe $8.99 per month Basic and the $14.99 per month Prooffer sales and commission reports and credit card processing. The servers have the same RAM and storage amounts as those that Hostwinds supplies directly, which is not always the case. Unfortunately, GoDaddy's reseller packages don't come with email; you'd need to sign up for separate email plans for electronic mail. On the upside, GoDaddy lets you apply your own branding to the servers you rent, and it also supplies 24/7 tech support. Still, Hostwinds goes the extra mile with more generous specs in a variety of server categories. As a result, Hostwinds is the Editors' Choice for reseller hosting. Setting Up a GoDaddy-Hosted Site GoDaddy's free website builder is GoDaddy Websites + Marketing. It's an excellent, responsive-design tool that delivers good-looking, functional desktop and mobile websites. GoDaddy Websites + Marketing's drag-and-drop functionality makes page building a breeze; even novices can build a site with ease. For $29.99 per month, you can add a capable web store. Please read our review for a deep-dive into the website builder. Naturally, you don't need to use GoDaddy Websites + Marketing to build a website. WordPress is an option, as is uploading files by FTP. Email Hosting and Microsoft Office 365 Features GoDaddy is abandoning its old cPanel email hosting service in favor of accounts bundled with Microsoft Office 365 Business Premium, the Editors' Choice for email hosting. If you want to purchase email, here's the breakdown: Email Essentials (starting at $5.99 per month, or $1.99 per month with one-year commitment) gives you 10GB of email storage. Email Plus (starting at $6.99 per month, or $3.99 per month with a one-year commitment) ups the email capacity to 50GB. Business Premium (starting at $15.99 per month, or $8.99 per month with a one-year commitment) raises the email storage capacity to 50GB, and adds unlimited Microsoft Teams web conferencing, desktop Office apps on up to five PCs, online Office apps, and Office mobile apps. Advanced email security is $4.99 per month for any plan, and email backup is another $2.99 per month. Email is charged on a per-user basis. We found it a simple endeavor to set up our GoDaddy email, as the web host prompted us to create one during the sign-up process. We simply selected the email address' associated domain name, and entered an email handle and a password. In general, Microsoft Office 365 is fairly straightforward to configure, but GoDaddy has removed the guesswork. GoDaddy has essentially repackaged Microsoft Office 365, so you get lots of email features for users and administrators. Assuming you go with the Business Premium feature set as we did, you'll get the full Microsoft Office Suite along with its business collaboration tools. This means the usual productivity apps, such as Microsoft Access, Excel, Outlook, and Word, but it also gives you additional team collaboration, online conferencing, and even VoIP phone calling via Microsoft Skype for Business and Microsoft Teams. However, we are a little disappointed in the pricing structure, as some of what GoDaddy sells as extra-cost add-ons, such as encryption, is already present if you go with a plan directly from Microsoft. Along with the desktop apps, you also get access to Microsoft Outlook Web Access (OWA), a sleek and modern web adaptation of the Outlook email client. It offers a familiar layout for calendars, contacts, and tasks, and a new "focused inbox"all available in your browser. What Microsoft means by a "focused inbox" is that, rather than just being a dumping ground for all incoming email, it defaults to a dynamic view that's constantly being updated. This tech is based on a machine learning (ML) algorithm that attempts to figure out which email is most important to you; everything else goes to the regular inbox. As you sort emails between the focused inbox and the regular inbox, the algorithm gradually gets better, helping you to concentrate on email that matters most. You'll also be able to use mentions. When creating a new email, if you prepend someone's name with the @ sign, then it will automatically Cc that individual. You can also apply a filter that will show you emails in which you were directly mentioned. We are pleasantly surprised to find that GoDaddy defaults to the same email management portal that admins would get by purchasing Office 365 directly from Microsoft. The one caveat is that some of the panes have been replaced with links back to the GoDaddy website. This applies particularly to user and license management. Many of the advanced configuration options remain intact, however. Because of this, you'll be able to take advantage of Exchange Online Protection for spam filtering, though you'll have to dig a little more to get to the Security and Compliance panel. E-Commerce Options GoDaddy has ditched its old Quick Shopping Cart e-commerce software in favor of the free GoDaddy Online Store. The new offering boasts many features, including secure checkout, SEO tools, store themes, and unlimited product listings. Setting up shop with the new tool is straightforward and easy. You select a theme, add products, pricing, and images, and pick your preferred payment and shipping methods. If you plan on using your website to sell products, GoDaddy Online Store is an excellent choice. Security Features GoDaddy offers its own Website Security, a product that includes automatic malware scanning, continuous security monitoring, Web Application Firewall (WAF), and Content Delivery Network (CDN). Website Security proactively blocks malware and malicious traffic from reaching your site. It also safeguards against Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) and Zero Day attacks. You can also purchase Secure Sockets Layer certificates (starting at $69.99 per year), the software that's represented by a green padlock in your web browser when you visit, say, a financial institution's website. If you plan to sell products via your website, consider an SSL certificate an essential purchase, as it safeguards the data exchange between a customer and your servers. In terms of security for its hosted email services, you'll find this is all hosted in Microsoft's data centers. That means you'll have all the same security benefits as those provided to other Microsoft Office 365 users. Your email data will be encrypted in transit and at rest using SSL and Bitlocker technology. Per Microsoft's publicly available terms of service, Microsoft employees only have highly limited access to your data and only under specific, audited circumstances. Although these specifications are welcome, they only apply to data residing on GoDaddy's servers. In the case of email hosting, for example, users reading their email using a local email client, like Microsoft Outlook, still store that data on their on-premises devices where it won't be automatically encrypted. For full security, you should still invest in local data encryption software. In addition, employees who access data from remote locations should use a virtual private network (VPN) client. Strong Uptime Website uptime is one of the most important aspects of a hosting service. If your site is down, clients or customers will be unable to find you or access your products or services. You do not want that. Fortunately, GoDaddy proved dependable in our tests. We use a website monitoring tool to track our test sites' uptime over a two-week period. Every 15 minutes, the tool pings our websites and sends an email if it is unable to contact any sites for at least one minute. The data revealed that our test site didn't go down once during the observation period. You can count on GoDaddy to act as a rock-solid hosting foundation. Excellent Customer Service GoDaddy has 24/7 telephone support and live web chat support. We placed a call on a weekday morning and spoke to a customer service rep less than two minutes later. We asked about the different email tiers, and once again experienced the best customer support of any of the web hosting services we've tested so far. The rep was friendly and knowledgeable. A few hours later, we attempted to fire up GoDaddy's customer service web chat to ask an important question: How do we import our existing WordPress.com blog? Unfortunately, the web chat button was grayed out due to the reps being too busy. We had zero issues when we tried to chat again later that day. GoDaddy offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for annual plans, with a 48-hour refund for monthly plans. It simply doesn't compete with DreamHost's generous 97-day money-back guarantee. Who's Your (Go) Daddy? GoDaddy has many business- and consumer-friendly options, a reliable Microsoft-based hosted email service, and quality 24/7 customer service. Note, however, that GoDaddy lacks cloud hosting plans, and has a skimpy number of default email accounts. Sadly, GoDaddy is a master of none, boasting good offerings in many categories, but falling behind the top spot every time. HostGator boasts a wider array of shared web hosting options, while A2 beats GoDaddy on price and features in WordPress hosting. Dreamhost and 1&1 Ionos, the co-Editors' Choices for cloud hosting, are the services to turn to if those features are important to you. Still, if you're looking to quickly set up a website, GoDaddy has the tools you'll need for a successful launch. For more on getting started online, read our tips on how to create a website. You might also want to check out our story on how to register a domain name for your website. GoDaddy Web Hosting 4.0 Check Price Pros Top-notch uptime Linux- and Windows-based servers Email tightly integrated into Microsoft apps Helpful, 24/7 customer support Useful website-builder software View More Cons Lacks cloud hosting Doesn't offer much default email The Bottom Line GoDaddy is a robust web hosting service that offers well-integrated Microsoft Office email features and excellent customer service support. That said, it lacks cloud hosting and has skimpy default email. A glitch with Microsofts activation servers appears to be disrupting many userss PCs, as Windows 10 erroneously reports their systems as either un-activated or downgraded from Windows 10 Pro to Windows 10 Home. Users are advised to ignore the Windows messages and wait for the problem to resolve itself, according to postings in Microsofts support forums. If those forum postings are accurate, however, the problem could take a few days to resolve. Microsoft has acknowledged the problem. Were working to restore product activations for the limited number of affected Windows 10 Pro customers, Jeff Jones, a senior director at Microsoft, said in a statement. At about 4:49 PM, Microsoft issued an update: A limited number of customers experienced an activation issue that our engineers have now addressed. Affected customers will see resolution over the next 24 hours as the solution is applied automatically. In the meantime, they can continue to use Windows 10 Pro as usual. According to users, the Windows activation troubleshooter may report that user PCs may be licensed for Windows 10 Home, even when a valid Windows 10 Pro license is tied to the account on the Windows 10 PC. Windows may also report that the PCs Windows license isnt valid at all, and needs to be activated within Windows. (The latter scenario is in place on the PC Im using right now.) Whats going on? Sumit, a Windows Insider MVP, wrote that Microsoft Chat support had reported a widespread issue, via another user: Microsoft has just released an Emerging issue announcement about current activation issue related to Pro edition recently, according to the message. This happens in Japan, Korea, American and many other countries. I am very sorry to inform you that there is a temporary issue with Microsofts activation server at the moment and some customers might experience this issue where Windows is displayed as not activated. Our engineers are working tirelessly to resolve this issue and it is expected to be corrected within one to two business days. The problem has prevented some users from upgrading from Windows 10 Home to Pro, and worried others that they may have involuntarily purchased a fraudulent license key. Microsofts support forums are filled with complaints and concerns from users, without an official response from Microsoft. Mark Hachman / IDG You may see this error message if Windows thinks that your copy of Windows 10 isnt activated. Clicking the troubleshooter link at the bottom may help. Microsoft does seem to be working on the problem, though. If you go to Settings > Update & Security > Activation, youll see a blue Troubleshooter link at the bottom of the page. Click it, and Microsoft will attempt to discover the source of the problem. Fortunately, in my case, it workedthough theres no guarantee youll have the same luck, unfortunately. Why this matters: Although this may end up being all for naught, Microsoft certainly doesnt need any showstopping bugs right about now. Microsofts Windows 10 October 2018 Update has yet to ship (its now early November, of course) and the company has come under fire for shipping new features without ensuring theyll work correctly. Telling users that their PC is unlicensed, or that they cant get all the features of Windows 10 Pro that they paid for? Absolutely no one needs that stress right now. Updated at 4:50 PM with additional comment from Microsoft. THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) A gunman opened fire on a crowd at a country dance bar holding a weekly college night in Southern California, killing 12 people and sending hundreds fleeing in terror including some who used barstools to break windows and escape, authorities said Thursday. The gunman was later found dead at the scene. The dead from the shooting Wednesday night also included 11 people inside the bar and a sheriff's sergeant who was the first officer inside the door, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said. "It's a horrific scene in there," Dean told a news conference in the parking lot of the Borderline Bar & Grill. "There's blood everywhere." The massacre was the latest mass shooting in the United States and came less than two weeks after a gunman killed 11 people at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. The gunman at the country dance bar was tall and wearing all black with a hood over his head and his face partly covered, witnesses told TV stations at the scene. He first fired on a person working the door, then appeared to open fire at random at the people inside, they said. Many more people had more minor injuries, including some that came from their attempt to flee, Dean said. Sheriffs Sgt. Ron Helus and a passing highway patrolman were responding to several 911 calls when they arrived at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks at about 11:20 p.m., the sheriff said. They heard gunfire and went inside. Helus was immediately hit with multiple gunshots, Dean said. The highway patrolman cleared the perimeter and pulled Helus out, and then waited as a SWAT team and scores more officers arrived. Helus died early Thursday at a hospital. Sgt. Ron Helus, killed as he was among the first responders to the deadly Borderline Bar and Grill shooting in Thousand Oaks, Calif., died a hero, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean says https://t.co/Bym8Fvy1ch pic.twitter.com/DidChhUX6k CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) November 8, 2018 By the time they entered the bar again the gunfire had stopped. They found 12 people dead inside, including the gunman. It's not yet clear how the gunman died, and authorities do not yet know his name or have any idea of a motive, Dean said. It was college night and country two-step lessons were being offered Wednesday at the Borderline, according to its website. The bar, which includes a large dance hall with a stage and a pool room along with several smaller areas for eating and drinking, is a popular hangout for students from nearby California Lutheran University. It's also close to several other universities including California State University Channel Islands in Camarillo, Pepperdine University in Malibu and Moorpark College in Moorpark. When the gunman entered, people screamed and fled to all corners of the bar, while a few people threw barstools through the windows and helped dozens to escape, witnesses said. Tayler Whitler, 19, said she was on the dance floor with her friends nearby when she saw the gunman shooting and heard screams to "get down." It was really, really, really shocking, Whitler told KABC-TV as she stood with her father in the Borderline parking lot. It looked like he knew what he was doing. Sarah Rose DeSon told ABC's "Good Morning America" that she saw the shooter draw his gun. "I dropped to the floor," she said. "A friend yelled 'Everybody down!' We were hiding behind tables trying to keep ourselves covered." Shootings of any kind are very rare in Thousand Oaks, a city of about 130,000 people about 40 miles west of Los Angeles, just across the county line. Helus was a 29-year veteran of the force with a wife and son and planned to retire in the coming year, said the sheriff, who choked back tears several times as he talked about the sergeant who was also his longtime friend. Photo of Sgt. Ron Helus, Ventura County Sheriff's Deputy killed during Wednesday evening's mass shooting incident at Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, California. pic.twitter.com/ZzPlwXnNyr Matthew Keys (@MatthewKeysLive) November 8, 2018 Ron was a hardworking, dedicated sheriffs sergeant who was totally committed, Dean said, and tonight, as I told his wife, he died a hero because he went in to save lives. By KRYSTA FAURIA, Associated Press THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. Using a smoke bomb and a handgun, a hooded gunman opened fire during college night at a country music bar in Southern California, killing 12 people and sending hundreds fleeing in terror, authorities said Thursday. The gunman was later found dead. Authorities said the motive for the attack Wednesday night was under investigation. The county sheriff said there was no evidence linking the attack to terrorism. Authorities have identified the suspect as 28-year-old Ian David Long, who is believed to have killed himself. #BREAKING: Ventura County Sheriff identifies suspect in #ThousandOaks shooting as 28-year-old Ian David Long; Say department's had several run-in's with Long, including in May of this year #LiveDesk pic.twitter.com/PiyeZpLHAo Dan Snyder (@DanSnyderFOX25) November 8, 2018 Patrons screamed in fear, shouted Get down! and used barstools to smash second-floor windows and jump to safety as gunfire erupted at the Borderline Bar & Grill, a popular hangout for college students. The dead included 11 people inside the bar and a sheriffs sergeant who was the first officer inside the door, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said. Its a horrific scene in there, Dean said in the parking lot. Theres blood everywhere. The FBIs Joint Terrorism Task Force was sent to the scene, according to an agency spokeswoman. Representatives from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms andf Explosives were also dispatched. An additional 18 victims who suffered injuries while trying to escape, but were not shot, were received at area hospitals in the hours after the shooting, according to Ventura County Fire Department Capt. Stan Ziegler. The severity of their injuries was not immediately known. Thousand Oaks - Procession for Sgt. Ron Helus - Road closure information https://t.co/0cNJVr30qx Ventura Co. Sheriff (@VENTURASHERIFF) November 8, 2018 Sheriffs deputy dies Sheriff's Sgt. Ron Helus and a passing highway patrolman were responding to several 911 calls when they arrived at the Borderline at about 11:20 p.m., the sheriff said. They heard gunfire and went inside. Helus was immediately hit with multiple gunshots, Sheriff Dean said. The highway patrolman pulled Helus out, then waited as a SWAT team and scores more officers arrived. Helus died early Thursday at a hospital. A 29-year veteran of the department, Helus was planning to retire next year, and Dean said he died a hero. He is survived by a son and his wife, whom he called before entering the bar, Dean said. I have been fully briefed on the terrible shooting in California. Law Enforcement and First Responders, together with the FBI, are on scene. 13 people, at this time, have been reported dead. Likewise, the shooter is dead, along with the first police officer to enter the bar.... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 8, 2018 ....Great bravery shown by police. California Highway Patrol was on scene within 3 minutes, with first officer to enter shot numerous times. That Sheriffs Sergeant died in the hospital. God bless all of the victims and families of the victims. Thank you to Law Enforcement. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 8, 2018 The shooter Authorities have identified the suspect as 28-year-old Ian David Long. A law enforcement source told The L.A. Times that he was armed with a Glock .45 handgun and some type of smoke device. He drove his mothers car to the attack and said nothing upon entering the bar, the source said. The gun was purchased in Ventura County, the source said. Authorities said the man was heavily tattooed. Witnesses said he was tall and had a beard. He first fired on a person working the door, then appeared to shoot at random at people inside, witnesses said. BREAKING: Ian Long, 28, identitied as gunman who killed 12 people, then himself, inside of a Thousand Oaks, California bar. Long served as a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, & underwent a mental health evaluation last year. Gunmans wepaon was modified. David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) November 8, 2018 Bartender survived Vegas massacre: Friend Some people who were at Borderline Bar on Wednesday night had also apparently survived the mass shooting last year in Las Vegas. Chandler Gunn, 23, told the Los Angeles Times that when he heard about the shooting, he called a friend who works at the bar and who was also at Las Vegas festival. A lot of people in the Route 91 situation go here, Gunn told the newspaper about the tragedy in Las Vegas. Theres people that live a whole lifetime without seeing this, and then theres people that have seen it twice. Another man told the Times he got a text from a friend at the bar whod also been in Las Vegas. Josh Coaly, who went to the shooting scene, said he talked to his friend, who told him he was with his father, was fine and was trying to help other friends. College students crowded the bar Authorities said more than 100 were inside at the time of the shooting. Scores of colleges lie within a 20-mile radius of the bar, including Pepperdine University, California Lutheran University and Moorpark College. Like many people, Matthew Wennerstrom, 20, had become a regular at the bar. On Wednesday, he got to the Borderline Bar & Grill at about 10:45 p.m., paid the $7 entrance fee and got an X marked on both hands to show he was still under 21. It was college night and there were a lot of friends and familiar faces around. Wennerstrom had been there less than an hour when he heard the gunshots over the loud music. At that point I grabbed as many people around me as I could and pulled them down underneath the pool table that we were closest to until he ran out of bullets for that magazine and had to reload, he said. During the pause, Wennerstrom said he and others threw bar stools through a window and helped people escape. He told ABC he was able to push 30 or 35 people through that window. A man and his stepfather interviewed by ABC said they heard about 12 shots before they were able to exit through the front door of the nightclub. He fired the first shot, the stepfather said. And I knew it was real. My son thought it was a joke, so I pulled him down and got some cover. I looked up, and he was moving to the right. He shot the front doorman, who was just a young man. Then he shot the cashier, just a young girl. Patrons were found hiding in the bars bathrooms and attic. President Kimball and Melinda Roper recently sent out an email in the wake of last nights events, offering resources and support for victims and families. pic.twitter.com/ZcawgvheqX The Echo News (@CLUEchonews) November 8, 2018 The Borderline Bar and Grill The Southern California bar says on its website that its been in operation for more than 25 years. It says it has the largest country dance hall and live music venue in Ventura County. The bar was holding its regular College Country Nights Wednesday night when the gunman dressed in black opened fire inside the bar. The bar includes a large dance hall with a stage and a pool room along with several smaller areas for eating and drinking. Information from The Associated Press, The Washington Post and Tribune Media Services A crash in York County on Wednesday night resulted in two deaths. The York County Coroners Office was dispatched at 7:26 p.m. Wednesday for a report of a two-vehicle crash with entrapment, and two possible fatalities, in the 100 block of Yocumtown Road in Newberry Township. Upon arrival, deputy coroners were notified that there was one fatality at the scene, and another victim had been transported to York Hospital, according to a news release from the coroners office. The person who died at the scene was only identified as an adult male. About an hour later, the coroners office was dispatched to WellSpan York Hospital after the second victim, identified as a teen male, died, according to the release. Another surviving passenger of one of the vehicles was transported to another hospital for treatment. The news release indicated the status of the passenger is not currently known. The identities of the adult male and teen male are being withheld pending the notification of kin. No autopsies are scheduled, but routine toxicology testing will be done, according to the release. Police in Newberry Township continue to investigate. A Perry County man who was acquitted of a charge that he cursed at children and caused a ruckus at a church Easter egg hunt cant sue the cop who cited him, a federal judge has ruled. That is so even though the filing of that citation might have violated Lance Farmers free speech rights, U.S. Middle District Judge Yvette Kane found in dismissing the Marysville mans civil rights lawsuit. Ultimately, Kane concluded state Trooper Matthew Decker is legally immune from the suit the 42-year-old Farmer lodged after his disorderly conduct charge was tossed out. As the judge noted, the suit stemmed from what happened during an April 4, 2015 egg hunt at the Wesley United Methodist Church in Marysville. Decker was called to investigate after the wife of borough police Chief Aaron Richards claimed Farmer had confronted her during the event and loudly called her children liars and little (expletives), Kane wrote. Other witnesses supported her claims. Decker, who didnt know Farmer, claimed he wasnt able to reach Farmer to hear his side of the story before filing the disorderly conduct citation. More than a year later, District Judge Michael Schechterly dismissed the charge, although as Kane noted, Schechterly called Farmers behavior at the egg hunt totally inappropriate and particularly reprehensible given that it was in a church setting. In arguing his case, Farmer insisted Decker charged him because the trooper is a Christian who was personally offended by his words and actions. Kane found no proof of such a bias. Decker is entitled to immunity because he was acting fully within his duties as a police officer when he cited Farmer, she concluded. Based on his interviews with multiple witnesses, Decker had reason to believe there was probable cause to file the charge, the judge decided. A crash on I-83 in York County has brought traffic to a crawl. The crash happened in the northbound lanes at Exit 33 (PA 392 - Yocumtown), according to 511PA.com. A traffic cam in the area shows emergency personnel on the scene. It is not immediately known if there are any injuries. Stop-and-go traffic is reported in the area. The adoptive mother of a Ukrainian man who posed as a Harrisburg High School student has lost her appeal of her federal fraud convictions. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit upheld those convictions, and Stephayne McClure-Potts 5-month prison term, in an opinion Judge Joseph A. Greenaway Jr. issued Thursday. As Greenaway noted, the case came down to a matter of which liar was more believable. Ultimately, the circuit judges seconded U.S. Middle District Senior Judge Sylvia H. Rambos decision to give the most credence to testimony from Artur Samarin, who had masqueraded as high school student Asher Potts. McClure-Potts, 52, appealed to the circuit court after Rambo imposed her prison term last year. The penalty was based on McClure-Potts guilty pleas to charges of Social Security fraud and harboring an illegal alien. Samarin, now 25, came to U.S. legally, but stayed when his work visa expired. After his arrest, McClure-Potts tried to portray herself as just another victim of Samarins fraud. She was charged, however, after Samarin told authorities McClure-Potts, whom he met at a convenience store, cooked up the scheme for him to assume the false identity. Samarin insisted it was her idea for him to move in with McClure-Potts and her husband Michael and to enroll in high school, Greenaway noted. Also, the circuit judge wrote, Samarin said McClure-Potts made him cut all ties with his overseas family, hand over his identification documents, do housework and McClure-Potts college homework and give any money he received to the couple. Artur Samarin, a Ukrainian man who posed as Harrisburg High School honor student Asher Potts, has finished his prison terms and has been deported from the U.S., records show.Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive. In July 2014 McClure-Potts obtained a Social Security card for Samarin under the name Asher Potts. She used that false ID to secure $7,336 in federal income tax credits and $13,653 in state nutrition and health benefits between 2012 and 2015, investigators said. In her failed appeal, McClure-Potts claimed she should have received a reduction in her sentence because she didnt profit from harboring Samarin. Nor, she insisted, should Rambo have given Samarins testimony more credence than hers. She argued as well that Rambos finding that she had illegally secured more than $21,000 in government benefits was over-inflated. We find none of these arguments to be persuasive, Greenaway wrote. McClure did profit by harboring Samarin, Greenaway found, and he backed the finding that the proceeds of her fraud exceeded $21,000. And while Samarin is a proven liar, at least his claims are supported by documentation in the criminal case, the circuit judge noted. The same cannot be said for the arguments of McClure-Potts, Greenaway found. He cited Rambos observation that McClure-Potts not only lied to the Social Security Administration in the Samarin case, she has three other convictions for theft by deception and another for bad checks. McClure-Potts' prison sentence was on hold while she appealed. Immediately after the circuit court ruling was filed, Rambo issued an order requiring McClure-Potts to surrender by Dec. 3 to begin serving her jail term. McClure-Potts husband avoided a jail sentence after he, too, pleaded guilty to harboring an illegal alien. Rambo put him on 2 years of probation. Samarin was sentenced to 11 - to 23-months in Dauphin County prison for his high school masquerade and for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl. County Judge Deborah E. Curcillo ordered him to pay $44,038 in restitution for his stolen education. Samarin also received a consecutive 2-month federal prison term from Rambo after pleading guilty to passport and Social Security fraud. Court records show Samarin was paroled from his county prison sentence in January 2017. Another notation made on that docket in June 2017 states he has been deported. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg will launch a fund next year that will financially compensate victims of clergy sex abuse. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the Catholic dioceses of Pittsburgh, Scranton, Allentown and Erie said Thursday that they will set up similar compensation funds, the Associated Press reported. None of the dioceses, including Harrisburg, disclosed how much money would be put into the compensation funds. In a statement from the Harrisburg diocese on Thursday, Bishop Ronald Gainer said the diocese was moving forward with its own program independent of other dioceses. The program is slated to be operational early next year and will be led by attorney Kenneth Feinberg and associates, who administered the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund as well as a similar compensation fund for the Archdiocese of New York. In my name and in the name of the Diocesan Church of Harrisburg, I continue to express our profound sorrow and apologize to the survivors of child sex abuse, the Catholic faithful and the general public for the abuses that took place and for those Church officials who failed to protect children," Gainer said. State investigators this year unearthed widespread clergy sex abuse in the Harrisburg Diocese and five other Catholic dioceses across the state. The grand jury investigation, led by the Office of Attorney General, found that over some seven decades, thousands of children had been sexually molested by priests, even as bishops and church officials turned a blind eye to the crimes. Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who released the findings in August, has been able to prosecute only two priests. The vast majority of the cases fall outside the bounds of the statute of limitations. Victims and victims advocates this year pressured lawmakers to reform the statute of limitations, specifically to install a retroactive window for victims timed out of the legal system. Those efforts have largely failed in the Legislature. The federal government has launched its own investigation into the sexual abuse of minors by priests inside the Roman Catholic Church in Pennsylvania. While some victims have welcomed the idea of a compensation fund, many say that such a program alone will not be sufficient to help them heal without the ability to seek legal recourse through a retroactive statute of limitation. Since 2002, when the clergy sex abuse scandal in the Archdiocese of Boston made headlines, Catholic dioceses across the country have increasingly entered into such agreements amid allegations that church leaders have helped to shield predators for years. Attorney General Josh Shapiro this summer released the scathing findings of an 18-month grand jury investigation into clergy sex abuse across Pennsylvania. Victims advocate state Rep. Mark Rozzi worries that a victims reparations program will leave out a sizable community of victims. The majority of victims of sexual abuse have nothing to do with Catholic clergy, he has said. We are shutting out so many other victims from seeking that same justice that clergy abuse victims would get," Rozzi said earlier this year. Like most other compensation funds, Harrisburg Dioceses fund would provide financial resources and other assistance to survivors. In its statement, diocesan officials noted that the financial resources for the program would not come from the money donated to local parishes and to the diocese by Catholic parishioners. We plan that the money for this program will come from our reserve, unrestricted Diocesan accounts and the yield from our Diocesan investments, the statement said. .We will also be working with our insurers who will be another source of these funds. Settlements from victims funds typically come nowhere near the compensation offered to victims out of court settlements. Victims, however, are typically open to the narrower criteria required by victims funds - including considerably lower levels of proof. Gainer this summer ordered the removal of all names from buildings of his predecessors dating to 1947 for their failure to appropriately deal with the sexual abuse of minors at the hands of priests. WILLIAMSPORT - A state prison inmate serving what is tantamount to a life sentence has been awarded $110,000 by a jury that found two guards retaliated against him by destroying his legal papers. It is doubtful Linwood Brant will have the opportunity to spend the money outside of prison because the Philadelphia resident is serving a term of 90 to 200 years imposed in 2001. A U.S. Middle District Court jury Wednesday found now retired Lt. Dale Williams and Corrections Officer Michael Knarr were responsible for the destruction of legal documents belonging to Brant while he was an inmate at the Coal Twp. state prison in early 2011. The verdict slip states Brant proved Williams and Knarr retaliated against him for prior grievances and his announced intent to file a lawsuit. The six men and two women awarded Brant $10,000 in compensatory damages and $100,000 in punitive damages, finding Williams and Knarr acted maliciously in retaliating against the inmate. The $100,000 is divided $60,000 against Knarr and $40,000 against Williams. Brant charged legal documents were taken and destroyed when he was moved to restricted housing at Coal Twp. in early 2011 due to misconduct. Knarr was responsible for taking inventory of and packaging personal belongings of inmates moved to restricted housing and Williams was responsible for the daily operations of that unit. Among the evidence presented during the three-day trial was other inmates retrieved legal papers from the trash and Williams had threatened to tamper with Brant's material if he continued to file grievances. Brant claimed he had the opportunity in August 2011 to fully inventory his personal property and discover what was missing when he was transferred to the Greene state prison. All grievances he filed about the missing property were denied, he said. Brant, now at the Huntingdon state prison, represented himself when he filed his original complaint in 2013, but counsel subsequently was appointed for him. A federal judge in Scranton in 2016 granted summary judgment to the then 16 defendants, but the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled such action was not appropriate for Williams and Knarr. Brant is serving the lengthy prison term after being convicted in Philadelphia of charges of robbery, rape, attempted rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, corruption of minors and possession of an instrument of crime. A Maryland man faces charges in Lancaster County after police said he raped a child while visiting Clay Township. Jose A. Garcia-Pineda, 24, of Hyattsville, Md. is accused of raping the child while visiting for an organized activity, according to Northern Lancaster County Regional police. The incident was reported to police Sept. 29, and officers announced Wednesday that Garcia-Pineda was arrested in connection to the crime. Garcia-Pineda was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, who jailed him in York County Prison on immigration-related crimes, police said. Online court documents in Pennsylvania show that Garcia-Pineda faces felony charges of rape of a child, unlawful contact with a minor and corruption of minors. He is scheduled to appear for a preliminary arraignment at 9 a.m. Nov. 14. before Magisterial District Judge Tony Russell, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. Nov. 16. When North Second Street is eventually returned to two-way traffic in Harrisburg, 50 to 70 percent of the current northbound traffic on that route could be diverted to other roads, according to engineers. And that's what concerned some residents who attended a public meeting Wednesday night about the planned conversion of the major commuter route. About 75 people attended the 6 p.m. meeting at St@rtup Harrisburg at 922 N. Third. Can those other neighborhood streets and intersections handle the increased traffic? What will happen to those neighborhoods? Traffic likely will disperse along North Third, Sixth and Seventh streets, according to engineers, but some drivers, who currently come into Harrisburg to use Second Street solely for a quick cut-through will leave the city altogether, reducing overall traffic volume. City officials already have identified some intersections in the conversion-area that likely will need updating as part of the project, including many on Division, Maclay and Forster streets. Yaqinah Abdurrahman lives in the area of Sixth and Schuylkill streets and said she was concerned with additional traffic in her area without commensurate road improvements. And she worried about whether the city could find the money to make all the additional improvements. She said she's already noticed an uptick in recent years of drivers, apparently looking for cut-throughs, going the wrong-way on Schuylkill from North Second Street. While some residents shared concerns at Wednesday night's meeting, most supported ditching the current three lanes of northbound traffic on Second Street from Forster Street to Division Street in favor of two lanes of opposing traffic. City officials already have identified $6 million in funding for the project, mostly from PennDOT. Many residents on Wednesday said they support using the extra roadway gained from losing a traffic lane for a northbound bike lane, possibly running down the center of the street in a protected zone. Other residents favored adding desperately needed parking by putting angled parking spaces along the shoulder on one side. Several residents said something would need to be done about delivery trucks that now stop along Second Street blocking a lane of traffic. What happens when a delivery truck blocks the one and only traffic lane? Other residents wanted better visibility for pedestrians and bikes to cross Second Street with possible bumpouts to provide safe areas. City officials plan to use the public comments as they enter the design process for Second Street. City officials plan to host another public meeting in the spring with some actual design concepts. For people who could not make the meeting Wednesday, an online survey will be posted soon on the city's Vision Zero website. Vision Zero is the city's program to reduce serious injury and fatal crashes. Residents also can email ideas and comments to info@VisionZeroHbg.org. Second Street was originally a two-way street, but it was changed to a one-way street in 1956. And it wasn't popular, according to historical records shared at the meeting by City Engineer Wayne Martin. Martin explained how residents began loudly complaining about the "speedway" along North Second within a month of the change. The successful mayoral candidate in 1977 campaigned on changing the street back to two lanes of opposing traffic and soon found himself at odds with PennDOT, according to Martin. When Mayor Paul Doutrich signed an executive order in 1979 to convert Second Street back to two-ways, PennDOT threatened to withhold federal grant money from the city. While road design used to be judged on solely on how quickly vehicular traffic could be moved, engineers nowadays are redefining a "successful" road design to address three demands: mobility, safety and accessibility. "Is it really more important to move vehicles than have safe streets?" said Larry Marcus, of Wallace Montgomery, a consultant working on the project. "We work to balance all three, but safety comes first," for all modes of transportation including pedestrians and bicyclists. When considering safety, vehicle speed is a huge factor, Marcus said. A pedestrian hit at 25 mph has a 90 percent chance of surviving. But a pedestrian hit at 40 mph has a 10 percent chance. A traffic study of Second Street showed that its current configuration with three lanes is not justified, Martin said. The typical traffic volume supports one lane, with volumes that reach higher for about one hour each day that could possibly support two lanes but not three. The extra space could be contributing to excess speed along North Second. A recent traffic showed 93 percent of drivers exceeding the 25 mph speed limit at Second and Schuylkill. Most of the drivers are traveling between 25 and 38 mph, but 15 percent of drivers were going even faster than that. Changing Second Street back to two-ways could be the "single most transformative project" the city could do, said Mayor Eric Papenfuse. "Neighborhoods have been cut apart by highways and we want to change that." Harrisburg - 2nd St Public Meeting 1 by PennLive on Scribd After police said he led them on a vehicle chase that ended in a crash that damaged a home, a Lancaster man faces a list of criminal charges including a felony. Isiah Sandell, 18, is accused of driving under the influence when he fled from officers Wednesday near the intersection of Lincoln Highway and Greenland Drive, according to East Lampeter Township police. Officers were attempting to stop Sandell for a minor traffic violation, but he refused to stop and instead led officers on a chase, police said. Sandell was driving a Honda Accord, and he lost control of the vehicle near the 400 block of Coreopsis Drive, crashing and damaging both an unoccupied truck and a residence, police said. Sandell again tried to flee, but his vehicle was inoperable, so he took off on foot before being detained by officers, police said. Online court documents show Sandell faces a felony charge of fleeing and attempting to elude police. He also faces misdemeanor charges of DUI, recklessly endangering another person and causing an accident involving damage, as well as a number of summary violations. Sandell was arraigned Wednesday before Magisterial District Judge David P. Miller and is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing at 9 a.m. Nov. 20 before Magisterial District Judge B. Denise Commins. As of noon Thursday, online court documents showed that Sandell remained incarcerated in Lancaster County Prison unable to post $10,000 cash bail. Voters on Tuesday propelled Pennsylvania through a handful of records, including the number of women elected to Congress. Those gains came amid unusually high voter turnout for a midterm election. Statewide, county elections officials were reporting significantly higher turnouts for midterms in Tuesdays election. More than 4.9 million Pennsylvanians voted in the governors race on Tuesday, far surpassing the 3.5 million voters who cast ballots in the 2014 gubernatorial election. Official voter turnout numbers will not be available for several weeks pending tallies of absentee and provisional ballots, but across the region election officials registered notable upticks in voter turnout. Dauphin County, which had a competitive race between Rep. Scott Perry, a Republican, and Democratic challenger George Scott, scores of polling places reported 60 percent voter turnout, if not higher. Thats a tally culled from registered voters. Of the 185,813 registered voters in Dauphin County, approximately 109,525 cast ballots in the midterms (that includes absentee ballots). For a midterm election that is higher than usual but lower than a presidential race, and its significantly higher than a municipal election, said Dauphin County Board of Elections director Jerry Feaser. Lancaster County saw a similar uptick in voter turnout. The county featured another closely watched Congressional race; Republican incumbent Rep. Lloyd Smucker defeated Jess King, a Democrat in the 11th Congressional District. Roughly 62 percent of registered voters - or 203,000 voters - cast ballots at polls. Compare that to the 2014 gubernatorial race, which saw 142,000 votes cast or 45 percent of voters casting ballots. Again, result numbers at this time are unofficial and are likely to change after final tallies of absentee ballots, provisionals and any unscanned votes are tallied. Randall Wenger, chief elections registrar in Lancaster County, said those numbers are unlikely to change the countywide results. York County officials were reporting a turnout of 64 percent of voters. Board of elections officials across the region saw a significant spike in voter turnout for a midterm electin. Sean Simmers | ssimmers@pennlive.com voting booth THE PATRIOT-NEWSTHE PATRIOT-NEWS Elections officials will not have demographics broken down for some weeks, but exit polls point to a significant turnout among women voters, and perhaps a less dramatic turnout among millennials. Penn State had "quadrupled turnout compared to 2014 in its main precinct - thats according to a tweet from @NextGenAmerica. East Stroudsburg University - located in the 7th Congressional District - had more than doubled overall turnout from 2014, the political advocacy group tweeted. Some of the analysis is putting the youth vote at 31 percent the highest turnout in a midterm in 25 years and an increase of 10 points over 2014. Young voters favored Democrats while older voters tended to vote for Republicans. With few exceptions, pundits and pollsters attribute the high turnout to one factor: the presidency of Donald Trump. Midterm elections often are seen as referendums but when you look at the polls this year the percentage of people who said thats how they are viewing how they they vote, that number was at a historic level, said Chris Borick, a Muhlenberg College political science professor and analyst. Indeed, President Donald Trump inserted himself in the midterm, holding at least two rallies in Pennsylvania alone in the weeks leading to the midterm elections. His two sons also stomped for Republicans across the state. In many ways because the president was a defining figure in this election that it might take on more presidential-like qualities rather than a midterm election, Borick said. Another factor likely to have resulted in the historic voter turnout was simply the nature of some races. Up and down the ballot in some districts voters were considering extremely competitive races. When was the last time lots of Pennsylvanians went to the polls in a congressional race and you werent 99 percent sure of who was going to win? Borick said. You give voters an attraction and you might get voters to show up. Thats what redistricting does. And then there was the woman factor. For the first time in many election cycles, female candidates presented viable challenges to incumbents - almost all progressive women seeking to unseat GOP members. The surge worked: voters on Tuesday elected four women to Congress (all of them Democrats), shattering an all-male barrier to Capitol Hill. U.S. Representative-elects Mary Gay Scanlon, Madeleine Dean, Susan Wild and Chrissy Houlahan will comprise the most number of women the state has ever sent to Congress. Women didnt just shake things up on the ballot - but pulling levers as well. Borick said exit polls point to a surge in women voters. Women have been the majority of the electorate for quite some time, he said. But when everything is said and done, the percentage of women in the electorate is going to be even higher. Borick cautioned that when it comes to the youth vote, the raw numbers could point to higher turnout numbers but their share of the electorate may not have been as historically high. Older and middle age voters historically outpace younger voters when it comes to turnout. Although Republicans in Pennsylvania lost the marquee races of governor and U.S. Senate, the voter turnout and results proved big gains for the party. Republican voter participation on Tuesday came in at around 56 percent. Jason Gottesman, a spokesman for the Republican Party of Pennsylvania, said the strong GOP turnout was a reason why the blue wave that had been predicted didnt crush too much as it rolled in. Republicans won nine contests for U.S. House seats in Pennsylvania, matching the number won by Democrats. Gottesman attributed that to the combined Kavanaugh/caravan effect," referencing the controversy over the appointment of U.S. Supreme Court Judge Brett Kavanaugh and Trumps most recent campaign focused on Central American refugees heading north in Mexico towards the U.S. border. Voters saw really the leadership that Democrats brought to the table and wanted to make sure Republicans had the right leader in charge to make sure we have results over resist leadership. Turnout among some districts remained historically stagnant, while some other areas saw significant surges in turnout. Take the city of Harrisburg, for example, where only about 40 percent of registered voters voted, compared to Reed Township (also part of Dauphin County), where nearly 80 percent of voters voted. Reed Township has 173 registered voters; 138 of them voted on Tuesday. Philadelphia, which accounts for 12 percent of the statewide vote, saw a significant uptick in voter turnout: approximately 550,000 voters cast votes in the city on Tuesday. In 2014, the tally was 380,000. The 2018 midterm uptick comes in at 170,000 more votes cast. Thats huge, said David Thornburgh, president and CEO of The Committee of Seventy, a nonpartisan organization. It looked like a record level high. With the election now over, Gov. Tom Wolf can focus on pushing a second-term agenda that heavily builds on accomplishments of his first four years with a new lieutenant governor at his side. The Democratic incumbent indicated in his brief victory speech on Tuesday night to his supporters with his Cabinet members standing before him and Lt. Gov-elect John Fetterman beside him, that is exactly what he wants to do. Despite his decisive 17 percentage point win over Republican challenger Scott Wagner and the Republicans' loss of a veto-proof majority in the state Senate, Wolf signaled there is no time to rest on their laurels. Four years I stood before you and I said you know we have a lot of work to do so lets get started, he said. Tonight, I have basically the same message: we still have a lot of work to do. So lets get back to work. Alright? What remains to seen is how willing the smaller, yet more conservative and ideological Republican majorities that will occupy the House and Senate is to work with him and in turn, what Wolf has learned from dealing with a divided government for the past four years. While some suggest that the late budgets and gridlock that tainted Wolfs first term in office may well be what Pennsylvanians have to look forward to in his second term, others say that experience may help avoid history repeating itself. Hopefully they are going to find ways to work together on some issues, said Larry Ceisler, a veteran political observer and principal of Ceisler Issue and Media Advocacy. Obviously losing those moderate Republicans in the Philadelphia suburbs was not helpful to any type of compromise or finding middle ground on issues. At the same time, he said Republican lawmakers, particularly ones who will be standing for re-election in two years and may be looking to succeed Wolf in four, have no good reason to want gridlock either. That could present an opportunity that if we can do something, lets say infrastructure, pension reform, some type of tax reform, it could be a win-win, Ceisler said. All interviewed agreed that if Wolf wants to achieve a big-ticket item in his second term, he really only has a two-year window to accomplish it before he is regarded as a lame duck with little political capital left to expend. Still, Jeff Coleman, a principal of Churchill Strategies and Republican political adviser, said if that big ask is something that falls too far left on the national progressive agenda, it will be greeted with the same dismissive reception that Wolfs first budget proposal received from the Republican majorities. In his first year in office, Wolf proposed raising the state sales and income taxes. This year, the governor kept his asks to a minimum and proposed no broad-based taxes. That resulted in an accomplishment not achieved in first three years of his administration. Wolf and the General Assembly reached a bi-partisan agreement on a budget in a timely fashion. Some attributed that more conciliatory tone to it being an election year for both the governor and most of the lawmakers but Coleman suggests that perhaps that may have served as a lesson learned. He would do well to kind of capture the spirit of this last year where he was more cooperative and less bent on the notion of broad-based tax increases, Coleman said. His sense tells him that Wolf will try to focus on items he wants that stand to gain bipartisan support to build up the legacy he wants to leave because he doesnt have the legislative support to pull the state in a more progressive direction or renew old battles he lost on big-ticket tax hikes. During a brief interview with Wolf while strolling through the Capitol with Fetterman on Wednesday, the governor rattled off a number of specific and non-specific items on his to-do list. They tended to be reflective of a pragmatic Democratic governor who knows the GOP lawmakers limits. He wants more money for education and to invest in economic development projects the likes of the Port of Philadelphia and cracker plant in Beaver County. He seeks to protect programs that help senior citizens and combat the opioid epidemic. He wants to expand broadband access. He also hopes to extend the gift ban he imposed on employees under his jurisdiction to all branches of government, among other government reforms. And he desires to enact some voting reforms such as early voting, same-day registration, and no-excuse absentee voting. Chris Borick, a political science professor at Muhlenberg College, said he will be fascinated to see what Wolf comes out off the blocks with at the start of his second term. He expects Wolf will have learned not to propose as grand a vision as he did in 2015 calling for broad-based tax increases that met with strong resistance. I think it will be different. Just how different and in what ways remains to be seen, Borick said. To be sure, though, Ceisler said, Wolf wants to leave a legacy. Whats it going to be? Whats going to be the big-ticket item for Tom Wolf? he said. The clock starts ticking today and I think every elected official in a role like a governor, a president, or mayor or whatever, you think about that and you want that. Pennsylvania's Democratic Blue Wave caused some major movement in the state legislature for the upcoming 2019-20 session. Here's some of the takeaways that have jumped out at us as the dust settles from 228 contests, which left Republicans with a 110-92 majority in the state House, pending official certification of returns; and a 29-21 majority in the Senate. 1. Smaller majorities, bigger differences. Democrats are rightfully pleased that they got off the electoral mat and made some big gains in the state House and Senate this year. But we'll guess that's not going to make anything easier on the policy front. What happened was the majority caucuses in both the state Senate and House turned more conservative with the departure of moderates GOPers from Philadelphia and its suburbs like Stewart Greenleaf, Kate Harper, Warren Kampf, Chuck McIlhinney, Marguerite Quinn, John Rafferty and John Taylor. Sens. Greenleaf and McIlhinney and Rep. Taylor all retired; Sen. Rafferty and Reps. Harper and Kampf were defeated in re-election bids, and Rep. Quinn was defeated in a bid to move to McIlhinney's seat. What this means is that on big-ticket issues where the GOP leaders are negotiating with Gov. Tom Wolf on behalf of a "majority of the majority" - and certainly those involving taxes and spending - the ground that has to be travelled to reach compromise may be greater than ever. Of course, that will depend in large part on the policy priorities that the Wolf chooses to push in his second term. 2. The Year of the Women. (For Real) Looks like the Pennsylvania General Assembly surged to a new record in terms of female members, with 63 between the House (52) and Senate (11). That's a full-quarter of the 253 seats. That shattered the previous high of 49, set in the current session. It's exciting movement, but there's still room for improvement, noted Dana Brown, executive director of the Pennsylvania Center for Women and Politics at Chatham University. "We're very proud of the women who chose to run and excited for those who won. "But we're still far from the 50 percent number that would represent gender parity, and also the 30 percent threshold where many social scientists say you start to see the positive benefits of having diversity," Brown said. And we'll add this question: When will we see any of those women advance beyond the more-or-less junior grade positions in elected caucus leadership? 3. The Minority Report. The number of "persons of color" in the General Assembly dipped slightly, from 27 to 26, with the retirement of Rep. Harry Lewis, R-Chester County, and the defeat Tuesday of Rep. Helen Tai, D-Bucks County. Rep. Summer Lee, a Pittsburgh Democrat, will join the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus next year The final number could also change depending upon the future replacement for Rep. Vanessa Lowery Brown. Brown was re-elected Tuesday - she ran unopposed in her Philadelphia district - but she could be forced to leave the House as early as next week because of her conviction in a bribery scandal. Another minority population, the LGBT citizens of Pennsylvania, literally will see their representation double with the seating in January of Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Philadelphia. Kenyatta, who is openly gay, will join Rep. Brian Sims, another Philadelphia Democrat who was the first representative to run and win as an openly gay man in 2012. There were several other openly gay candidates this year, but they did not win their elections. 4. City Rs and country Ds. Another trend from recent years seemed to continue: the de facto segregation of Republicans and Democrats. With the resignation of replacement of Rep. John Taylor, R-Phliadelphia, by Democrat Joseph Hohenstein, the number of Republicans representing any part of the state's largest city is down to two. There are none in Pittsburgh. Conversely, the number of "country Democrats" representing rural areas and small towns - especially in the infamous 'T" running up and across the center of the state - took another hit with the loss of a Democrat-held seat in Clinton County. It's getting increasingly hard to find enough practicing Democrats to elect members to the state legislature from the 717 (South Central) or 570 and 814 (North Central) or 724 (Southwest) area codes. That's especially true outside of the small cities in those areas -- Erie, Harrisburg, Scranton, Johnstown, Lancaster or York. A map of the new party coverage of the Pennsylvania state Senate, following Tuesday's election results. Red areas are represented by a Republican; areas in blue are represented by a Democrat. The state Senate provides the starkest example. Despite their five pickups, it still holds that aside from four seats in an around the heavily Democratic city of Pittsburgh, Democrats hold no Senate seats west of the Susquehanna River. 5. Tough year for juniors. Two long-time lawmakers tried to hand off their seats to adult children: Rep. Mike Hanna in the aforementioned Clinton County seat; and Greenleaf, the moderate Republican senator from Montgomery County. Michael Hanna Jr. lost to Republican Stephanie Borowicz, and Democrat Maria Collett defeated Stewart Greenleaf Jr. Voters opted against dynasty in both cases. Pittsburgh's Markosek family fared better, though. Longtime House Appropriations Committee Chairman Joseph Markosek, D-Monroeville, did successfully pass the torch to his son, Brandon, in the 25th. Good thing his name wasn't Joe. History museum to host 'market at the museum' for holiday shopping The Harbor Springs Area Historical Society will soon be hosting two holiday markets to help shop local this holiday season. Seventeen days after all votes were cast, the counting of ballots in Montgomery County has been completed and the results of the closely fought Spring-Ford Area School Board race show a Democratic sweep. Representation on the Spring-Ford School Board is divided into three geographic regions and in Region 2, which is comprised of a portion of Upper Providence as well... Mark Gordon was easily elected Wyoming's next governor Tuesday night. As of 10 p.m. Thursday, Gordon had received 48,307 votes to Democratic opponent Mary Throne's 15,674. Several Wyoming counties had not reported their results as of press time and the number is subject to change. The 2018 election marks the first in eight years in which the Wyoming Governor's Mansion was completely open. After being elected in 2010, current Governor Matt Mead won reelection in 2014. He will step down after his term ends at the end of the year. Gordon currently serves as Wyoming State Treasurer. "It's been a long journey to get here tonight, - over 60,000 miles since March to be exact - but I can say with a full heart that I am very proud of the race we have run. From the beginning, we were committed to running a clean campaign," Gordon said in a press release. " At our core, I believe these are the values that still connect each and every one of us in Wyoming independence, grit, and self-reliance. This will be the charge for our next Governor to ensure that Wyoming continues to be a place where you, your family, your friends, and your neighbors can pursue your dreams. And that work starts tonight." Throne, an attorney served in the Wyoming House of Representatives before losing her seat in the 2016 election. Gordon wasn't the only Republican to win easily in heavily Republican Wyoming. U.S. Senator John Barrasso easily defeated Democratic challenger Gary Trauner to hang on to his United States Senate seat. Early results showed Barrasso leading with 48,626 votes to Trauner's 17,197. Barrasso was assumed office in 2007 following the death of Craig Thomas. Prior to entering the U.S. Senate, Barrasso served in the Wyoming State Senate, representing Casper. Liz Cheney will head back to Washington as Wyoming's sole member of the House of Representatives. Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, soundly defeated Greg Hunter in that race with 45,470 votes. "I'm honored by the trust the people of Wyoming have again placed in me to serve as their Representative in Congress, and I thank my opponents for their willingness to participate in our political process," Cheney said in a written statement. "I am grateful for all of the volunteers who worked on behalf of our campaign. Now that the election is over, we must keep our promises, fight to restore America's power in the world and protect the strength of the economy for our families, workers, ranchers, industries and every one of our citizens. Serving alongside Senators Barrasso and Enzi and now Governor-elect Mark Gordon on behalf of Wyoming is more than a privilege, it is a charge to uphold. I will never stop fighting for our beloved state." Hunter garnered 16,700 votes. Statewide offices Curt Meier will become Wyoming's next state treasurer next year. The LaGrange Republican senator soundly defeated Democrat Chris Lowry with 50,116 votes compared to Lowry's 15,578. Meier currently serves in the Wyoming State Senate, representing the LaGrange area. Torrington attorney and former Wyoming Speaker of the House Ed Buchanan will continue his service as Wyoming's Secretary of State after voters overwhelmingly supported him in Tuesday's election. Buchanan was appointed to the position last spring after former Secretary of State Ed Murray resigned amid allegations of sexual assault as a young adult. Kristi Racines was elected to the state auditor position, defeating Democrat Chris Lowry. Jilian Balow will continue to serve as Wyoming's Secretary of Public Instruction. She ran for reelection unopposed. Gunnar Malm will join incumbents Linda Heath and Troy Thompson on the Laramie County Commission next year. Although the race was too close to call between Heath and Malm (Less than one-hundreth of a percentage point separated them Tuesday night.), because they are top-three vote-getters, they will all earn seats. Heath, Malm and Thompson each had 26.85, 26.97 and 28.92 percent of the vote, respectively. Former Democratic State Representative Lee Filer trailed with a mere 16 percent of the vote. Republican State Representative John Eklund easily retained his seat with 80 percent of the vote. Eklund, who represents Wyoming House District 10, defeated Jenefer Pasqua with 2,240 to 544. House District 10 includes much of rural Laramie County and parts of Goshen County. Eklund began serving in the Legislature in 2011. He had won reelection twice prior to this years election. Once in 2012 and again in 2014. Leigh Anne Manlove will be Laramie Countys next district attorney. She defeated Democrat Lynn Boak with 13,411 votes or 68.23 percent of the vote. Boak received 6,216 votes. Laramie County Sheriff Danny Glick cruised to another term with 12,850 votes to challenger Jess Fresquez 6,966. Russell Fornstrom, Jeff Kirkbride and Taft C. Love will remain on the school board for Laramie County School District 2. They received 29.72, 34.12 and 22.65 percent of the vote, respectively. Challenger Ivan Venegas earned 13.18 percent. In the Laramie County School District 2 Area D election, Billie J. Wilson, who ran unchallenged, received 1,089 votes. Only 7 votes on that ticket were for write-in candidates. Rebecca Reid, who ran unopposed in the general election, received 98.98 percent of the vote for Laramie County Coroner. Current Laramie County Clerk Debra Lee was also unopposed and received 99.21 percent of the vote. Jay Berry and Ann W. Sanchez received 51.07 and 48.54 percent of the vote for the Laramie County Conservation District Board, but that wont matter as the top two vote-getters in that election earned seats. Just under two-thirds of Laramie County voters approved continuing a 1 percent sales and use tax. Commonly referred to as the 6th Penny, the tax is used for general purpose expenses within the county and its municipalities. Laramie County voters also voted overwhelmingly to continue imposing a 6 percent lodging tax on those who stay in Laramie County hotel rooms or utilize other lodging facilities such as campgrounds. Members of the police special operations group and Illinois Department of Corrections officials came to the home of Terrell Alvarez, of the 1300 block of Solfisburg Avenue, to make sure he was complying with the terms of his parole around 7:15 a.m. Wednesday, police said in a statement. Police saw drugs and guns in plain view and secured a search warrant for his home. CHEYENNE, Wyo. - The Wyoming Fallen Warriors Memorial will be dedicated at 10 a.m. on Nov. 12, at the Wyoming State Museum, in Cheyenne. The memorial honors those Wyoming military members who have given their lives throughout Wyomings history while serving our great state and nation. Gov. Matt Mead and Wyoming Veterans Commission Chairman Keith Davidson request the pleasure of your attendance for the ceremony. This is an important memorial because it honors, in perpetuity, the military men and women of Wyoming and their families who made the ultimate sacrifice while in the service of our state and nation Davidson said. The partnership and dedication among many state agencies, veterans organizations, and private donors is what made this memorial possible. The event will be held on the state museum grounds, north of the building. In case of inclement weather, the event will be held in the museums lobby. Veterans Day, formerly Armistice Day, is an annual United States holiday honoring military veterans. It is a federal holiday that is observed on November 11. It coincides with other holidays such as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day, which are celebrated in other parts of the world and also mark the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. (Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice.) History of Veterans Day World War I known at the time as The Great War - officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of the war to end all wars. Soldiers of the 353rd Infantry near a church at Stenay, Meuse in France, wait for the end of hostilities. This photo was taken at 10:58 a.m., on November 11, 1918, two minutes before the armistice ending World War I went into effect. In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the countrys service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations" The original concept for the celebration was for a day observed with parades and public meetings and a brief suspension of business beginning at 11:00 a.m. The United States Congress officially recognized the end of World War I when it passed a concurrent resolution on June 4, 1926, with these words: Whereas the 11th of November 1918, marked the cessation of the most destructive, sanguinary, and far reaching war in human annals and the resumption by the people of the United States of peaceful relations with other nations, which we hope may never again be severed, and Whereas it is fitting that the recurring anniversary of this date should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations; and Whereas the legislatures of twenty-seven of our States have already declared November 11 to be a legal holiday: Therefore be it Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), that the President of the United States is requested to issue a proclamation calling upon the officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on November 11 and inviting the people of the United States to observe the day in schools and churches, or other suitable places, with appropriate ceremonies of friendly relations with all other peoples. An Act approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holidaya day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as "Armistice Day." Armistice Day was primarily a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I, but in 1954, after World War II had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen in the Nations history; after American forces had fought aggression in Korea, the 83rd Congress, at the urging of the veterans service organizations, amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting in its place the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars. Later that same year, on October 8th, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first "Veterans Day Proclamation" which stated: "In order to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans' organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose. Toward this end, I am designating the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs as Chairman of a Veterans Day National Committee, which shall include such other persons as the Chairman may select, and which will coordinate at the national level necessary planning for the observance. I am also requesting the heads of all departments and agencies of the Executive branch of the Government to assist the National Committee in every way possible." On that same day, President Eisenhower sent a letter to the Honorable Harvey V. Higley, Administrator of Veterans' Affairs (VA), designating him as Chairman of the Veterans Day National Committee. In 1958, the White House advised VA's General Counsel that the 1954 designation of the VA Administrator as Chairman of the Veterans Day National Committee applied to all subsequent VA Administrators. Since March 1989 when VA was elevated to a cabinet level department, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs has served as the committee's chairman. The Uniform Holiday Bill was signed on June 28, 1968, and was intended to ensure three-day weekends for Federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. It was thought that these extended weekends would encourage travel, recreational and cultural activities and stimulate greater industrial and commercial production. Many states did not agree with this decision and continued to celebrate the holidays on their original dates. The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed with much confusion on October 25, 1971. It was quite apparent that the commemoration of this day was a matter of historic and patriotic significance to a great number of our citizens, and so on September 20th, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed Public Law 94-97 (89 Stat. 479), which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of November 11, beginning in 1978. This action supported the desires of the overwhelming majority of state legislatures, all major veterans service organizations and the American people. Veterans Day continues to be observed on November 11, regardless of what day of the week on which it falls. The restoration of the observance of Veterans Day to November 11 not only preserves the historical significance of the date, but helps focus attention on the important purpose of Veterans Day: A celebration to honor America's veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. Sources: Military,com and history. Wyoming State Veterinarian, Dr. Jim Logan, has released all of the quarantines that were issued in August and September on horses exposed to a Colorado horse known to be infected with Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA or Swamp Fever). All exposed horses that were under quarantine have been tested two times at least 60 days apart with negative results, so the quarantines can be safely released since the animals pose no threat to other Wyoming horses. The quarantined premises were located in Sweetwater, Lincoln, Teton, Park, Natrona, Laramie, and Fremont counties. Dr. Logan thanks all of the horse owners for their cooperation in maintaining the quarantines and working with WLSB personnel to get the testing completed. EIA is a viral disease spread by biting flies. The virus causes anemia but can also be carried by asymptomatic horses that can infect the vectors and cause other equine exposure. The virus is one that incubates very slowly in the host animal and can take up to 60 days from exposure to show a positive test if transmission has occurred. There is no vaccine and no treatment for the disease, and horses that test positive are required to be euthanized or placed under quarantine for life in a screened stall to avoid further exposure risk. The disease is found in many states, and we have had previous cases in Wyoming over the years, said Logan. Were pleased that the recent exposure incident did not result in disease transmission to Wyoming horses. More information about EIA is available at the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) website at: http://www.equinediseasecc.org. All state requirements for shipping livestock interstate can be found at: http://www.interstatelivestock.com. For brand requirements, the state brand agency should be contacted directly. In Wyoming, brand inspections are required at change of ownership and to move all horses, sheep and cattle across county and state lines. More information can be obtained by calling the Wyoming Livestock Board office at 307-777-7515 Why Leaving NYCB to Pursue an Economics Degree Was the Right Decision for Freelance Dancer Shoshana Rosenfield Shoshana Ronsenfields career has not followed a straight path. In a surprising move, the born-and-raised New Yorker left a burgeoning career at New York City Ballet in 2012 to study economics at Barnard College. Upon graduating, Rosenfield spent six months freelancing with companies including New Chamber Ballet and Tom Gold Dance before spending two years working in global management at Goldman Sachs (and dancing on the side). Now Rosenfield is on to a new chapter: Shes just completed a boot camp in computer coding, and is currently doing a coding teaching fellowship. But shes still dancing. This weekend, Rosenfield will appear in Tom Gold Dances fall season at Florence Gould Hall. We caught up with Rosenfield to hear all about how shes balanced college and career and how shes learned that it is possible to do it all. Why did you leave New York City Ballet? I was there for three years. I danced with the company as an apprentice during my senior year of high school and two years afterwards in the corps. I had an offer from Barnard College and deferred for two years, but then it was a now-or-never moment: I could either attend Barnard, or Id need to reapply to an alternative college program that would allow me to take more than two years off. So I decided to go to college. While you were training at School of American Ballet, were you always preparing to go to college afterward? I will be honest and say that I have extremely great parents who made sure that my horizons stayed open for as long as possible, to give me as much flexibility as possible down the road. So it was with their encouragement and help and advice that I applied to colleges when I was a senior. Rosenfield with James Shee in Tom Golds Apparitus Hominus at TurnPark Art Space. Photo by Beau Bernatchez Photography, Courtesy Rosenfield. When you left NYCB did you think that you would keep dancing? I wasnt sure. I left the company in July, and took some time off to figure it out, but by the time I started college in early September I was itching to get back in the studio. I took a ballet class and a modern class at Barnard and then found myself dancing Nutcracker in a studio showing that December with Columbia Ballet Collaborative, a student run ballet company that I became involved in. I always come back to it; Ive found that if Im not dancing, I feel like something is wrong. After having been in the professional ballet world, what surprised you about college life? I loved the feeling of dancing at Barnard because the students who were there were there for their love of dance, and that was the only thing driving them. It wasnt a job. That reinvigorated the love of dance for me as well. How did you fit dance into your schedule while you were working at Goldman Sachs? It was difficult to keep it going. I was lucky enough to do a Nutcracker with Dances Patrelle in the fall of 2016, when I joined Goldman Sachs, and I did alumni shows with Columbia Ballet Collaborative that fall and spring as well. But for the remainder of my time there I wasnt able to do any other gigs. At that point I understood that my time was dedicated to work. Part of the reason why I left was to be able to continue dancing, and to explore other facets of myself. What are the best and most challenging parts of freelancing? What I love about freelancing is that dancers come from a lot of different backgrounds. In Toms group now theres one dancer from NYCB, another from American Ballet Theatre, a dancer from St. Louis and one whos working on his PhD. Having all of those different backgrounds coming together for the love of dance is really nice. Rosenfield (second from left) in Tom Golds Poetic Episodes. Photo by Ani Collier, Courtesy Tom Gold Dance. How long have you been dancing with Tom Gold? Ive known Tom since I started taking class at Steps on Broadway with Willy Burmann when I was 12. I had seen him from afar since then, but we started working together in 2016. What will you be dancing with the company this weekend? Were bringing back a piece that we worked on over the summer called Apparatus Hominus. Tom choreographed it based off a sculpture garden that hed seen in the Berkshires, and we performed it there this summer on an outdoor stage with the Green Mountains in the background. The last time that Id performed outside was in Saratoga with NYCB, so it was super special. Since leaving NYCB your career has taken so many twists and turns, but youve been able to keep dancing the whole time. If you could give your younger self a piece of advice about the future, what would it be? When I left NYCB I was looking at my decision as very black and white: either dance or school, with nothing in between. I imagined Id go into a career completely separate from the ballet world. It would have relieved some of the pressure to have known that you can marry the two. Sometimes its a bit of a struggle, or even entertaining, to run from coding school to rehearsal, put your pointe shoes on, and be up and moving. But it is possible. 3.3k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Cutting past the political circus that dominates Washington, D.C., Georgia Democrat Jon Ossoff said on Saturday that the highly anticipated special election contest in GA-06 should be about improving daily life for Georgians. In an interview on AM Joy, Ossoff said no issue is more central to that than health care, where people in his district are worried about Republican efforts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act. Video: Jon Ossoff says voters from both parties in his district want no part of the GOP health care plan pic.twitter.com/PvTAHFlj5u Sean Colarossi (@SeanColarossi) June 17, 2017 The Georgia Democrat said: Across the political spectrum, folks are concerned about this bill that has just passed the House, particularly women and particularly those with pre-existing conditions more than 300,000 Georgians with pre-existing conditions in the sixth district alone. You know, folks are concerned about losing access to health care. What they want to see is a bipartisan effort to improve the laws on the books, to make health care and health insurance more affordable, to improve access, to improve the quality of care. But what they are getting out of Congress right now is deeply concerning. In this deeply polarized political climate, Ossoff appears to be tapping into the bipartisan consensus that the GOP health care plan is disastrous and will hurt millions of Americans. As Joy Reid pointed out, most people in Ossoffs district chose health care as their top issue. The Georgia Democrats commitment to the issues, instead of diving head first into the political gutter, has largely been successful so far as a handful of polls in recent weeks show him with a small, steady lead over his Republican opponent, Karen Handel. In a district that Donald Trump carried in 2016 and Republicans have held for decades, this should strike fear into the hearts of the GOP as the 2018 midterm campaign is just around the corner. With days until voters in Georgias sixth district head to the polls, Ossoff is making the smart move by focusing not just on the corruption that continues to consume the White House, but the disastrous Republican policy agenda that will bury the middle class. 274 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) The ouster of Attorney General Jeff Sessions by President Donald Trump on Wednesday drew immediate criticism from Democrats who warned Trump against moving to squash a probe of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The probe, led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller under the supervision of the Justice Department, has clouded the Trump presidency. The president had long complained about Sessions recusing himself from supervising Mueller. The removal of the top U.S. law enforcement officer raised questions among Democrats concerned about the acting replacement Trump named for Sessions and what moves might follow. Congress must take bipartisan action to protect the integrity of Special Counsel Muellers investigation, said No. 2 House of Representatives Democrat Steny Hoyer, hours after Democrats won a House majority in Tuesdays elections. If Sessions departure was an opening move by Trump to meddle in Muellers investigation, Hoyer said in a statement, the president must be held accountable. A Justice Department spokeswoman, asked if Sessions acting replacement, Matthew Whitaker, would now oversee Mueller, replied: The acting attorney general is in charge of all matters under the purview of the Department of Justice. A spokesman for Muellers office declined to comment on Sessions departure and what it means for Muellers probe. Trumps personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani told Reuters on Tuesday that he assumed it was not going to affect the Mueller investigation. RECUSAL DEMAND In a Twitter message, the medium he often uses for dismissing subordinates, Trump said he had replaced Sessions with Whitaker, who will be acting attorney general. Whitaker had previously been Sessions chief of staff. Sessions said in a letter to Trump that he had resigned at the presidents request. Some Democrats quickly demanded that Whitaker, as well, should recuse himself from supervising Mueller, as Sessions did. Given his previous comments advocating defunding and imposing limitations on the Mueller investigation, Mr. Whitaker should recuse himself from its oversight for the duration of his time as acting attorney general, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement. In August 2017, Whitaker wrote an opinion piece for CNN, titled Muellers investigation of Trump is going too far. In it, he said Mueller had too much latitude in his investigation of Russian activities during the 2016 election battle and any possible collusion with Moscow by the Trump campaign. The Mueller probe should not extend to the finances of Trump, his family or their business, the Trump Organization, he argued. Democratic Representative Jerrold Nadler, expected to chair the House Judiciary Committee starting in January, said in a statement that the forcing out of Sessions fit a pattern of Trump interfering in the work of the Justice Department and Mueller. Donald Trump may think he has the power to hire and fire whomever he pleases, but he cannot take such action if it is determined that it is for the purposes of subverting the rule of law and obstructing justice, Nadler said in a statement. If he abuses his office in such a fashion, then there will be consequences. Republican Mitt Romney, the partys 2012 presidential nominee who was elected on Tuesday to the U.S. Senate from Utah, also said Muellers probe should not be affected by Sessions departure. Under Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, it is imperative that the important work of the Justice Department continues, and that the Mueller investigation proceeds to its conclusion unimpeded, he said on Twitter. HARSH ATTACKS Never in modern history has a president attacked a Cabinet member as frequently and harshly in public as Trump did Sessions, 71, who had been one of the first members of Congress to back his presidential campaign in 2015. Trump was only a few weeks into his presidency in March 2017 when Sessions upset him. Rejecting White House pleas not to do so, Sessions stepped aside from overseeing an FBI probe of potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow, citing news reports of previously undisclosed meetings he had with Russias ambassador to Washington for his recusal. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein took over supervision of the Russia investigation. He appointed Mueller in May 2017 as the Justice Departments special counsel to take control of the FBIs Russia probe after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey. A permanent replacement for Sessions must be confirmed by the Senate, which Trumps Republicans will continue to control as a result of Tuesdays midterm elections. Mueller is pursuing an investigation into whether Trumps campaign colluded with Russia, whether Trump unlawfully tried to obstruct the probe, and possible financial misconduct by Trumps family and associates. Mueller has brought charges against Trumps former campaign chairman and other campaign figures, as well as against 25 Russians and three firms accused of meddling in the campaign to help Trump win. Trump has denied his campaign colluded with Russia. (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Writing by Bill Trott and Kevin Drawbaugh; Editing by Will Dunham and Peter Cooney) 3.5k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Just hours after Donald Trump took the extraordinary step of forcing attorney general Jeff Sessions to resign, hundreds of pro-Mueller demonstrations have been planned. The effort is dubbed Nobody is Above the Law Mueller Protection Rapid Response and is being organized by MoveOn.org. The website is calling for massive protests on Thursday, Nov. 8 in response to the Sessions firing. So far, more than 900 events have already been planned, as Rachel Maddow pointed out on Twitter a short time ago: Apparently 900+ #ProtectMueller events and protests planned for tomorrow already. List is here by state and townhttps://t.co/faUwNbPy0L Rachel Maddow MSNBC (@maddow) November 7, 2018 Trump continues to cross red lines According to the website, Wednesdays firing of Sessions crossed a red line and Trump is increasingly a threat to our democracy. More from the MoveOn.org Civic Action website: Donald Trump has installed a crony to oversee the special counsels Trump-Russia investigation, crossing a red line set to protect the investigation. By replacing Rod Rosenstein with just-named Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker as special counsel Robert Muellers boss on the investigation, Trump has undercut the independence of the investigation. Whitaker has publicly outlined strategies to stifle the investigation and cannot be allowed to remain in charge of it. The Nobody Is Above the Law network demands that Whitaker immediately commit not to assume supervision of the investigation. Our hundreds of response events are being launched to demonstrate the public demand for action to correct this injustice. We will update this page as the situation develops. On Tuesday night, the American people spoke loudly and clearly by sending more Democrats to the U.S. House of Representatives. Voters want this president to be held accountable. Now, as Trump moves quickly to choke off the Mueller investigation hours are the polls closed, the American people are showing that Tuesday was only the beginning of their renewed commitment to being more engaged. They are ready to take to the streets as Trump continues on this destructive course toward a constitutional crisis. Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook. But more and more in recent years, the beginning of Black Friday has actually been on Thanksgiving Day itself. Malls like Chicago Premium Outlets are open and expect a lot of shoppers on Thanksgiving Day. 3.7k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Historian Michael Beschloss sounded the alarm on Wednesday hours after Donald Trump forced attorney general Jeff Sessions to resign. During an interview with MSNBCs Ari Melber, Beschloss said the president firing Sessions has the potential to be far worse than Nixons Saturday night massacre. If this is going the way this looks, this is ten times worse than Nixon, Beschloss said. Video: Beschloss said: If this is going the way it looks, this is ten times worse than Nixon because, lets look, if this leads to lets say the firing of Robert Mueller or the substantial limiting of this investigation ten times worse than Nixon. Because lets look at what Donald Trump has done here. Lets first look at the Supreme Court. He now has a five justice majority on the Supreme Court. The fifth justice is the one person of all those people on that federalist society list that has the most extreme views of permitting a president not to be investigated, not to be indicted, not to be subpoenaed, use pardons to help himself. There is no doubt in my mind that the reason why Brett Kavanaugh is on the court tonight is because Donald Trump wanted him to be reliable if a Trump case could come to the court. And remember, that was a vacancy that Donald Trump created by encouraging Anthony Kennedy maybe to resign from the court earlier than expected so that it would be Brett Kavanaugh in this position tonight and not Anthony Kennedy who might have been a little bit more in a position to stand up to Donald Trump. And then on the other side, this is a president who now looks as if hes very directly not only firing the attorney general and putting in someone to replace him, who is by most accounts, by most accounts, not terribly qualified. By some accounts a political hack. By almost all accounts someone who can be relied upon to be completely obedient to President Trump. Trump installed a lapdog AG to go after Mueller Not only did Trump force Sessions to leave his post on Wednesday, but he replaced him with a lapdog Matt Whitaker who has been a critic of Mueller in the past and has even said that Hillary Clinton should be indicted. In other words, Whitaker talks a lot like the voices in Trumps head, and now hes the acting attorney general. As PoliticusUSAs Jason Easley noted a short time ago, Trumps choice to be interim attorney general, Matthew Whitaker, believes that the Mueller investigation has gone too far and should not be investigating Trump or his familys finances. With Trump puppet Whitaker now overseeing the special counsel investigation, it leaves open the possibility that Mueller could be fired at any moment. At the very least, the special counsel investigation could be defunded or severely limited. Not only should the new acting attorney general recuse himself from the Russia investigation; he should be removed altogether. Ultimately, one thing is clear: Tuesdays election results scared the daylights out of the president as more Democrats are headed to Washington with the promise of holding him accountable. Hes now moving to protect himself before its too late. In the process, Trump could make Richard Nixons obstruction look like childs play. Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook. By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) The Democratic takeover of the U.S. House of Representatives will likely put the leadership of many congressional committees into the hands of some of Republican President Donald Trumps most prominent adversaries on Capitol Hill. Democratic party leaders in the House will decide on the heads of committees, with seniority one of the major determining factors. Here is a look at Democrats expected to head 10 powerful House panels. APPROPRIATIONS Nita Lowey, 81, would be the first woman to lead Appropriations, which writes spending bills that fund the government. She has long sought to preserve government funding for domestic programs like biomedical research. A close ally of Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, the 30-year House veteran from New York would likely back funding for Planned Parenthood, oppose oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and deny the $5 billion Trump wants for a wall on the border with Mexico. ARMED SERVICES Adam Smith, 53, a pro-business moderate from Washington, has been the top Armed Services Democrat since 2015. The panel is known for bipartisanship and he has worked with Republicans on sharply increasing the Pentagons budget. He is not expected to seek significant changes on policies such as improving military readiness and countering Chinese and Russian expansionism. But Smith likely will seek to rein in Trump initiatives like his deployment of troops to the border with Mexico and the push to create a Space Force. BUDGET John Yarmuth, 71, the only congressional Democrat from Republican Kentucky, is front-runner to lead the committee as it addresses the end of the two-year budget deal that expires in September 2019. Yarmuth has challenged Republican plans to cut domestic spending and boost funding of the military. He has promised to hold a hearing on Medicare for All, a reference to a potential single-payer healthcare system that would largely replace private insurance. ENERGY AND COMMERCE Frank Pallone, 67, the likely next chairman of Energy and Commerce, has been a leading Democratic voice on environmental and health issues. He has promised to hold hearings on the Trump administrations undermining of former President Barack Obamas Affordable Care Act and said he will try to lower prescription drug prices. Pallone has called climate change a critical issue and wants to restore environmental regulations rolled back since Trump took office in January 2017. FINANCIAL SERVICES California representative Maxine Waters, 80, has become a liberal favorite and target of personal attacks from Trump as she has called repeatedly for his impeachment and tried to obtain documents that might reveal any ties with Russia. If she leads Financial Services, as expected, Waters wants to strengthen the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and crack down on predatory lending. Major banks warned before the election that Waters ascent on the powerful panel could slow efforts to deregulate banking. But any such legislation would face stiff opposition in a Senate where Trumps Republicans have increased their majority. FOREIGN AFFAIRS Eliot Engel, 71, wants to conduct oversight of Trumps foreign policy after what he has described as two years of congressional neglect. While Engel is likely to spearhead Democratic initiatives such as efforts to punish Russia for its interference in the 2016 U.S. election and to strengthen international alliances, the veteran New York congressman has at times broken from party leadership, particularly on issues related to Israel. Engel backed Trumps decision to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, and opposed the international nuclear agreement with Iran from which Trump withdrew in May. INTELLIGENCE California representative Adam Schiff, 58, has emerged as a foil to Trump as ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. As chairman, he would seek to restore the power of Congress to check and balance the president and return to traditions such as holding annual public hearings on worldwide threats faced by the United States. Schiff has said an area of particular interest related to investigations of Trump are allegations that Russians might possess financial leverage over him. JUDICIARY Jerrold Nadler, 71, has tangled with Trump for years, stemming from the presidents days as a New York real estate developer. If he becomes Judiciary Committee chairman as expected, the hard-nosed attorney would lead the panel handling any effort to impeach Trump. But Nadler has said he will not rush to drastic action, instead waiting for the outcome of Special Counsel Robert Muellers federal probe. OVERSIGHT AND GOVERNMENT REFORM Elijah Cummings of Maryland, 67, has promised wide-ranging investigations of the Trump administration if he becomes chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, considered the most powerful investigative panel in Congress. Cummings has said the panel will also focus on issues including skyrocketing prescription drug costs, the opioid epidemic and voting rights. WAYS AND MEANS Richard Neal, 69, is a former city mayor from Massachusetts. Known as one of the partys pro-business leaders on economic policy, he has been ranking Democrat since 2017 on the powerful Ways and Means Committee, which writes tax laws and oversees trade. Neal has not publicly clashed with Trump, but as chairman would likely try to roll back some of the presidents tax cuts. Neal also has said he wants Congress to have more of an influence over trade deals. He has vowed to demand Trumps tax returns from Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Mary Milliken and Rosalba OBrien) Since 2009, millions of monthly readers rely on and trust PoliticusUSA for real independent liberal news. We arent owned by a corporation, we dont take any special interest money. We have no shareholders, and we are here to deliver you the unfiltered truth that the mainstream media and their corporate owners dont want to talk about. PoliticusUSA is completely independent, and our goal is to bring you the news with truth and integrity. We are committed to keeping the news free to every reader, but we could use your help. For as little as $1, you can support PoliticusUSA, and keep delivering the message to the corporate media that both sides dont do it. The facts still matter, and truth rises above all. Please give today, and if you cant donate subscribe to our newsletter. 640 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard The Daily Beast reported Wednesday that acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker previously lead a mysterious right-wing organization that existed to issue false statements against Democrats. According to The Daily Beast Whitaker worked as executive director of the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT). Last year FACT had defended then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions for telling falsehoods to the United States Senate when he was testifying about meetings with Russians during confirmation hearings. Working on behalf of FACT Whitaker issued a statement saying: If we are going to have a national discussion about Senators meeting with ambassadors it is appropriate for all Senators to disclose who they met with so the public, and apparently the media, understand that all Senator Sessions did was his job. Whittakers statement defending Sessions for lying to Congress was sent out to reporters by CRC Public Relations, a conservative group based in Alexandria, Virginia. CRC had represented FACT and Whitaker throughout 2017. Recently CRC was criticized during Justice Brett Kavanaughs confirmation process for repeatedly issuing false statements and generating media interest in discredited conspiracy theories about Kavanaughs accusers. In the past Whitaker was also critical of FBI Director James Comeys decision to not charge Hillary Clinton for her handling of classified materials during her time as Secretary of State. Its clear that the FBI was looking for reasons not to bring criminal charges against Hillary Clinton, Whitaker said in a September 2016 press release for FACT. The critical point the FBI overlooked is that Clinton clearly intended to send and store top secret, classified information on an unsecured, personal server, which I believe is a case that any reasonable prosecutor would bring against her or anyone else who committed such reckless acts, Whitaker wrote. According to The Daily Beast: FACT was an organization which served primarily to level ethics complaints against Democrats. The Beast also noted that Whitaker has had a very close relationship with President Trump and has expressed hostility toward special counsel Robert Muellers probe. Whitaker is on record as being more interested in propping up Trump than in upholding the rule of law, a Department of Justice attorney told The Beast. Its hard to have confidence that hell do anything other than what the president had said in his tweets. In appointing Whitaker it is clear that Donald Trump has taken a step to put a complete yes man in the position of acting Attorney General of the United States. 144 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard At least thirteen people, including a sheriffs deputy, were killed late Wednesday night in a mass shooting at a California bar and grill. The gunshots were reported around 11:20 p.m. at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, which is about 40 miles west of Los Angeles. Ventura County Sheriffs Office Capt. Garo Kuredjian held a news conference and said, I cant tell you much about the shooter at this point. We are still looking for the shooter. We cant confirm the shooter is in custody at this point. According to eyewitness reporters after the calls came in and deputies arrived on the scene shots were still being fired. The first deputy to arrive on the scene was hit by multiple bullets, and the sheriffs office later confirmed that his sergeant had died from his gunshot wounds. They also identified the deceased deputy as Sgt. Ron Helus, a 29-year veteran of the sheriffs office. Helus was a father of one who was set to retire next year. The gunman, who opened fire without warning, was found dead inside the Borderline Bar and Grill, authorities said. The venue was filled with young people for College Country Night. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said he had no reason to believe that there was a link to terrorism, but we certainly will look at that option. The only weapon recovered by early Thursday was a handgun, he said. Its a horrific incident, Dean told reporters. Its part of the horrors that are happening in our country and everywhere, and I think its impossible to put any logic or any sense to the senseless. Borderline is a western-style bar and grill that regularly hosts a college night between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m. and is located not far from California Lutheran University. It was chaos, people jumping out of windows, hopping over gates and just trying to get out, said student Nick Steinwender. From what I heard, the gunman started shooting at the front desk Students were hiding in the attics, bathrooms and stuff like that. 830 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Gop Rep. Karen Handel from the sixth congressional district of Georgia finally conceded victory to her opponent, Democratic gun control activist Lucy McBath Thursday morning. Handel had won the seat in June of 2017 by narrowly defeating Democrat Jon Ossoff in a special election. McBath immediately received a congratulatory tweet from Nancy Pelosi. Congratulations U.S. Representative-Elect Lucy McBath @LucyWins2018! After the tragic death of your son Jordan Davis to gun violence, you chose to be the change America needs to make common sense gun reform a reality. I will be honored to serve with you #ForThePeople. NP #GA06 Congratulations U.S. Representative-Elect Lucy McBath @LucyWins2018! After the tragic death of your son Jordan Davis to gun violence, you chose to be the change America needs to make common sense gun reform a reality. I will be honored to serve with you #ForThePeople. NP #GA06 pic.twitter.com/B5dVLXjvId Nancy Pelosi (@TeamPelosi) November 7, 2018 The victory puts Georgias sixth district in Democratic hands for the first time in over thirty years. Democrats had fallen short in last years special election that drew national attention and set records for fundraising. In that election Handel won by about five points over Ossoff. The district had been represented for two decades by former Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, who is now a Trump adviser and TV analyst. The win by McBath adds to the Democratic total in the House. With many races still too close to call Democrats have picked up 28 seats and may gain as many as 35 once all races are decided. McBath decided to run for Congress after her teenage son was shot and killed. She got a huge amount of support nationally from groups linked to gun control advocate and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The billionaire Democrat spent millions of dollars this year to help his party take back the House. Ossoff quickly congratulated McBath on the win. Congratulations Lucy McBath, U.S. Representative-elect for Georgias Sixth District. Lucys 16-year-old son Jordan was murdered. His legacy endures in his mothers powerful voice for Georgia. Thank you @LucyWins2018, and the thousands who have worked like hell for this victory. Congratulations Lucy McBath, U.S. Representative-elect for Georgias Sixth District. Lucys 16-year-old son Jordan was murdered. His legacy endures in his mothers powerful voice for Georgia. Thank you @LucyWins2018, and the thousands who have worked like hell for this victory. Jon Ossoff (@ossoff) November 7, 2018 Georgia Democratic governor nominee Stacey Abrams received some of the credit for McBaths victory. Abrams had mobilized nonwhite voters in her get-out-the-vote efforts. Another factor was the changing demographics of the Sixth Congressional District. After the 2010 census the district was 72.4 percent white but had dropped to below 68 percent white by the end of 2017. McBath gained prominence by appearing publicly as one of the Mothers of the Movement, a group of black women whose children have been killed by police or vigilante violence. 358 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard By David Morgan and Susan Cornwell WASHINGTON (Reuters) The top Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives pledged a new era of congressional scrutiny over President Donald Trump on Wednesday, shrugging off White House threats of political warfare if Democrats launch investigations into his affairs. We have a constitutional responsibility for oversight, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters, a day after voters gave Democrats control of the House for the first time in eight years. This doesnt mean we go looking for a fight. But it means that if we see a need to go forward, we will, she said. Incoming Democratic committee chairmen are expected to lead investigations into Trumps long-hidden tax returns, possible conflicts of interest from his business empire and any collusion between Russia and Trumps campaign team in the 2016 election. Pelosi, who hopes to return as House speaker when the new Democratic majority takes over in January, said committee chairmen will decide how to proceed and make their recommendations to the Democratic caucus. But you can be sure of one thing: when we go down any of these paths, well know what were doing and well do it right, said the 78-year-old San Francisco liberal. Trump earlier threatened to forego any attempt at bipartisanship and urge retaliatory investigations against Democrats in the Senate, which Republicans retained on Tuesday. Were going to do the same thing, and government comes to a halt, and I would blame them, Trump said at a news conference. Trump does not have the authority to order Senate investigations. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell declined to comment on the possibility of retaliatory probes, which Trump first raised in a morning statement on Twitter. Trump has never faced opposition party control in Congress as president. Democrats say their House majority will end the ability of Republican lawmakers to protect him from scrutiny. The American people have demanded accountability from their government, Representative Jerrold Nadler, the New York Democrat poised to become chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, wrote on Twitter. Trump may not like it, but he and his administration will be held accountable to our laws and to the American people. The confrontational tone on both sides may preview whats in store for the next two years of Trumps presidency. Nadler, once slammed by Trump as one of the most egregious hacks in contemporary politics, is among four senior Democrats who have clashed with the president in the past and will take over key House committees when the new Congress convenes. The others are Elijah Cummings at the House Oversight Committee; Adam Schiff of the Intelligence Committee, slammed by Trump as sleazy; and Maxine Waters at the Financial Services Committee, whom Trump said has extraordinarily low IQ. Chairing the committees where they are currently the highest-ranking Democrats will give these Democrats the power to demand documents and testimony from White House officials and figures in Trumps campaign team and businesses, and to issue subpoenas if needed. I plan to shine a light on waste, fraud, and abuse in the Trump administration, Cummings said on Wednesday. I want to probe senior administration officials across the government who have abused their positions of power and wasted taxpayer money, as well as President Trumps decisions to act in his own financial self-interest, he said in a statement. The White House could respond to committee demands by citing executive privilege. That would likely result in court battles. NOT NERVOUS Trump senior adviser Kellyanne Conway told CNN that House Democrats could encounter resistance from lawmakers within their own ranks who won swing districts. People like when you focus on the issues, not investigations, Conway said. The presidents not nervous about anything. A first salvo is expected to come from Representative Richard Neal, who will likely be the Democratic chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, and who has said he will demand Trumps tax returns from Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. That could set in motion a series of probes into any disclosures from the documents. Trump on Wednesday reiterated his claim that the returns cannot be released due to an Internal Revenue Service audit. Schiff has said his panel would probe allegations that Russian money may have been laundered though Trump businesses and that Moscow might have financial leverage over him. Waters and other Democrats have been clamoring for details about Trumps relationship with German-based Deutsche Bank and what it may know about links between the president and Russia. Nadlers panel would handle any effort to impeach Trump, depending on the outcome of Special Counsel Robert Muellers federal probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. elections and possible Trump campaign collusion with Moscow. Trump denies any collusion and has long denounced Muellers investigation as a witch hunt. Moscow denies meddling. Nadler has said any impeachment effort must be based on evidence of action to subvert the Constitution that is so overwhelming it would trouble even the presidents supporters. (Reporting by David Morgan and Susan Cornwell; Additional reporting by Patricia Zengerle, Amanda Becker, Susan Heavey and Mark Hosenball; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh) By Alex Dobuzinskis THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (Reuters) An ex-Marine opened fire in a crowded Southern California bar popular with college students, killing 12 people including a sheriffs deputy, police said on Thursday, in the latest U.S. mass shooting that stunned a community with a reputation for safety. The gunman, identified by authorities as Ian David Long, 28, was found dead in the office of the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, a suburb about 40 miles (64 km) northwest of Los Angeles, apparently having shot himself. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean told a news conference on Thursday morning that Long had apparently fired at random with a .45-caliber Glock handgun with an extra-capacity magazine inside the bar at about 11:30 p.m. PST on Wednesday (0730 GMT Thursday). There was no known motive, he said. Obviously he had something going on in his head that would cause him to do something like this, Dean said. Obviously he had some sort of issues. Long was in the Marine Corps from 2008 to 2013, reaching the rank of corporal, and served as a machine gunner who was deployed to Afghanistan for eight months. Dean said it was possible that Long had suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. Dean told reporters that officers had gone to Longs home in nearby Newbury Park, about 4 miles (6 km) from the bar, in April to answer a disturbance call and found him to be agitated. Mental health specialists talked with Long and determined that no further action was necessary. Dean said authorities were waiting for a search warrant for Longs home. The bar shooting was the latest mass killing in the United States and was sure to revive the debate on gun control. Less than two weeks ago 11 worshippers at a synagogue in Pittsburgh were killed by a man shouting All Jews must die. COLLEGE SCENE The Borderline is popular with university students and on Wednesday night had hosted College Country Night. California Lutheran University, located about 5 miles from the bar, canceled classes on Thursday while Pepperdine University, about 20 miles away, planned a prayer service. Bar patron Cole Knapp, 19, told Reuters he saw the gunman walk in and stop at the counter as if to pay a cover charge. Then Knapp heard gunfire and saw a young woman at the counter shot repeatedly. It took a couple of seconds for people to realize what was going on and once that happened it was just utter chaos, he said. Knapp said he first helped people hide behind a pool table and then fled to the bars outdoor smoking patio, where people were unaware of the shooting. He told them to run and, once outside, Knapp said he and a friend helped carry a gunshot victim to an ambulance. Im just reeling, riding on adrenaline right now, he said. Its just kind of unbelievable that somebody would want to come to a place I care about and hurt people that I care about. Thousand Oaks, with a population of about 127,000, is a leafy, sprawling suburb named the third safest city in the United States for 2018 by Niche, a company that researches cities schools, income, real estate, crime and other livability factors. Ive learned it doesnt matter what community youre in, Dean told reporters when asked if he was surprised this happened in Thousand Oaks. It doesnt matter how safe your community is. It can happen anywhere. The names of the victims were not immediately made public and people gathered at a teen center in Thousand Oaks waiting to learn the fate of loved ones. One man, Jason Coffman, wept and struggled for words as he told reporters that his son, Cody, 22, was among the dead. Only him and I know how I love, how much I miss him, he said. Oh, son, I love you so much. Actress Tamera Mowry-Housley, one of the stars of the 1990s sitcom Sister, Sister, confirmed in a statement to ABC News that her niece, Alaina, was killed at the bar. PROCESSION FOR SLAIN LAWMAN Ventura County Sheriffs Office Sergeant Ron Helus, a 29-year veteran with a wife and son, was shot in the bar and died at a hospital. Helus colleague, Sergeant Julie Novak, told CNN that he was talking to his wife on the phone when the Borderline call came in. He reached the bar in two minutes. A procession of at least 50 police cars and other vehicles escorted the hearse carrying his body from the hospital. Dozens of people watched from the sidewalk and firefighters stood at attention as it passed. Among those outside the hospital was Ellen Rivera, who said she had survived the October 2017 slaughter of 58 people at an outdoor concert in Las Vegas the worst mass shooting in U.S. history. She said the support of the Thousand Oaks community had helped her get through the trauma of that incident and that it hurt to see her friends suffering now. Less than 12 hours after the shooting, a relief fund for the victims families had been established at http://www.vccf.org Thousand Oaks Mayor Andy Fox urged people to give blood to help the wounded and at midday the line of donors stretched around the block. Dean said he had been told that 150 to 200 people were in the Borderline at the time. It could have been much, much worse. Asked what the scene inside the bar was like, Dean said, Like hell. Earlier he had described it as a horrific scene in there. There is blood everywhere and the suspect is part of that. Dean estimated 10 to 15 people, including one with a gunshot wound, had gone to hospitals. President Donald Trump, who has resisted a surge in calls for tougher gun control measures since 17 students and staff were shot dead at Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida in February, ordered flags to be flown at half-staff at public buildings and grounds. (Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Thousand Oaks, Calif., Bernie Woodall in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Rich McKay in Atlanta, Doina Chiacu in Washington, and Gina Cherelus and Gabriella Borter in New York; Writing by Bill Trott; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Grant McCool) 1.5k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard (Reuters) The former son-in-law of Paul Manafort, the one-time chairman of President Donald Trumps campaign, has been arrested on charges that he engaged in financial fraud while out on bail on a prior case, federal prosecutors said on Wednesday. Jeffrey Yohai, a former business partner of Manaforts, was already facing potential jail time after pleading guilty in February in the prior case, which involved misuse of real estate loan funds. That agreement included Yohai cooperating with prosecutors in other criminal probes, Reuters reported in May. The new charges, which were unsealed on Wednesday, involve several fraud schemes similar to the conduct in the prior case in which Yohai had pleaded guilty, the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California said in a press release. In both criminal cases, Yohai obtained money for what he claimed was a legitimate purpose, such as an investment, but he then used the money for personal expenses or to pay debts, the U.S. Attorneys office said in the release. Hilary Potashner, a public defender who is representing Yohai, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Yohai and Manafort co-invested in four high-priced homes in the Los Angeles area before defaulting on loans and putting them into bankruptcy in 2016. The two have exchanged allegations of wrongdoing and both lost millions on the investments. Yohai, who got a divorce from Manaforts daughter last August, pleaded guilty in the first case in February 2018 and had been out on bond ahead of a planned sentencing date early next year. According to the press release, Yohai submitted inflated appraisals in seeking to refinance two of the properties at issue in the first case. Yohai also sought to defraud the owner of a rental property with a $60,000 check he falsely claimed was remitted from his ex-wifes account, the release said. Yohai faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison if convicted on a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in the newly unsealed complaint, the release said. Manafort himself pleaded guilty in September in a federal court in Washington to conspiracy against the United States a charge that includes a range of conduct from money laundering to unregistered lobbying and conspiracy to obstruct justice. As part of his plea deal, Manafort is cooperating with Special Counsel Robert Mueller in his probe into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia which both Trump and the Kremlin deny occurred. Muellers prosecutors agreed last month to drop criminal charges against Manafort that a jury had deadlocked on in August in a separate case against him in Virginia. (Reporting by Nathan Layne in New York; Editing by Darren Schuettler) 2k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Top Democrats in the House are reportedly planning to invite Robert Mueller to testify on Capitol Hill in televised hearings if President Trump takes action to fire the special counsel and shut down the Russia investigation. Dems plan to bring in Mueller for televised hearings if Trump fires him: report https://t.co/HBJRIvdqwu pic.twitter.com/y2hLgn3Fpu The Hill (@thehill) November 8, 2018 Senior Democratic aides told POLITICO that if Trump fires were to fire Mueller and other Justice Department leadership in a scenario like Richard Nixons Saturday Night Massacre, Democrats in Congress would take their own steps. They said their response would be to invite Mueller to testify before the House in a televised hearing. I think you could expect Democrats to take pieces of what they shut down and expose it publicly, a senior aide to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosis thinking told POLITICO. This is a report paid for with taxpayer dollars. So taxpayers would have a right to know what Mr. Mueller found, the aide added. Trump has attacked Muellers special counsel investigation for many months. He has called the Russia probe a witch hunt even though many members of his campaign team have been charged and have pleaded guilty to multiple serious crimes connected to the campaign. His former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, is in jail. His former lawyer Michael Cohen is awaiting sentencing. Over 30 indictments have been issued by grand juries who have seen the evidence. Clearly Mueller has been extremely productive. Trump has previously threatened to fire the special counsel, and there have been rumors that has previously attempted to do it on more than one occasion. The White House has publicly said that the president has no plans to fire Mueller or any other top officials at the Department of Justice. However yesterday Attorney General Jeff Sessions was fired, leading to more speculation that Muellers days are numbered. As weve said many times before, we have no intention of firing the special counsel, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said at a press briefing. Weve been beyond cooperative with them, were continuing to cooperate with them, she added. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), who in January will become the new chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said on MSNBC that Democrats would protect Mueller. I think that the chances that Bob Mueller will be able to finish his work improved for the reason that our committee and others like the Government Reform Committee and the Judiciary Committee, which under Republican leadership served as basically surrogates for the president in their efforts to batter down the Justice Department, to give the president a pretext to fire people in the Justice Department, all of that tearing down of the independence of these institutions is going to end, Schiff said. "I think that the chances that Bob Mueller will be able to finish his work improved." Rep. Adam Schiff is poised to become chairman of the House Intelligence Cmte. when Democrats take control of the House. https://t.co/2ykZi8eQlM MSNBC (@MSNBC) November 7, 2018 Schiff then added, Now that doesnt mean the president cant still act in ways that are antithetical to the rule of law and the interest of justice, but it does mean that were better able to protect our institutions and see this investigation, I hope, complete. Firing Bob Mueller would be a truly stupid move by Donald Trump, but that doesnt mean he wont try to do it. If he does, it may lead to his impeachment. And it also may lead to some very highly rated televised congressional hearings that everyone in the United States would want to watch. Televising Muellers testimony may be the best way for the whole country to find out exactly what the special counsel has learned during his investigations. He may disclose some of the secrets and the incriminating evidence he has uncovered about Donald Trump. He may show America that the president has committed numerous crimes. Televised Mueller hearings could be the biggest must see TV event the country has ever seen. Wade said the upside for the city is that the city will collect lease revenue from both pieces of property, if the solar farms are developed. The city currently gets no revenue off the landfill property, and Ameresco would pay about five times what current farming operations pay to lease the 20 acres at the airport, Wade said. 1.4k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard International press freedom organization, Reporters Without Borders, has issued an alert about Trump press freedom after the White House revoked CNNs Jim Acostas press credentials. Reporters Without Borders said in a statement provided to PoliticusUSA, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is shocked by the unbridled hostility President Donald Trump exhibited toward several White House correspondents during a November 7 press conference, which culminated in the revocation of CNN correspondent Jim Acostas White House press credentials. This punitive action is undemocratic and sends a chilling message to those watching about how the president of the United States ought to behave towards reporters asking him tough questions. Chilling is the accurate description of the White Houses motive for taking away Acostas press credentials. Jim Acosta was on to Trump and this White House long before many of his mainstream press colleagues. Acosta spoke regularity about the efforts of this White House to undercut press freedom. This point of this action was to make an example out of him so that the press will be nicer to Trump. The revocation of Mr. Acostas White House press pass, especially on fabricated grounds, is an absolute blow to freedom of the press, said Margaux Ewen, Director of RSFs North America bureau. This severe measure, paired with the presidents treatment of several other esteemed White House reporters, is unacceptable given the already hostile environment for reporters in the United States. President Trump has continued to refer to journalists as the enemy of the people and fails to treat them or their profession with respect. Now he appears to be retaliating against a reporter for asking tough questions of his administration by denying him access. The White House must cease its continuous assault on the First Amendment. CNN, The White House Correspondents Association and the American people are fighting for Acosta because what the White House did to him was an attack on press freedom. Acosta challenged this White House, and they responded by taking away his press credentials. Trumps behavior is petty, childish, dangerous to the free press, and placing our constitutional liberties under threat. Taking back the House was a good first step, but the fight to protect our democracy from Trump has escalated to a new level of urgency. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook. 455 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard By Andrew Chung WASHINGTON (Reuters) Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a prominent liberal who at 85 is the oldest U.S. Supreme Court justice, was hospitalized on Thursday after falling in her office at the court the night before, fracturing three ribs, a court spokeswoman said. Ginsburg initially went home after the fall, but experienced discomfort overnight and went to George Washington University Hospital on Thursday morning, court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said in a statement. Tests showed she fractured three ribs on her left side and she was admitted for observation and treatment, Arberg added. The court is not scheduled to hear its next arguments in cases until Nov. 26. Ginsburg, who has served on the court since 1993, is one of the courts four liberals. The courts 5-4 conservative majority was restored last month when the U.S. Senate confirmed Republican President Donald Trumps appointee Brett Kavanaugh after a contentious nomination process in which Kavanaugh denied a sexual assault allegation dating to the 1980s. If Ginsburg were unable to continue serving on the court, Trump would likely move swiftly to replace her with a conservative, further shifting the court to the right. That would have major consequences for issues including abortion, the death penalty, voting rights, gay rights, business litigation and presidential powers. As the oldest justice, Ginsburg is closely watched for any signs of deteriorating health. She has survived bouts with cancer and undergoes regular medical checkups. This weeks incident was not the first time Ginsburg has suffered an injury as a result of a fall in June 2012, she fell at home and cracked two ribs. Kavanaughs nomination hearings were rocked by university professor Christine Blasey Fords allegations that he sexually assaulted her in 1982, when they were both high school students. Ginsburg, who made her name as an advocate for womens rights, voiced support for the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct even as Kavanaugh was about to face a Senate hearing on the allegations against him, saying that unlike in her youth, women nowadays are not silent about bad behavior. Trump went to the court on Thursday for a formal ceremony welcoming Kavanaugh to the nations highest court. Kavanaugh was sworn in to the lifetime job last month. The president sat along with first lady Melania Trump at the front of the marble-walled courtroom near the justices mahogany bench, and made no public remarks. Some leading Republicans from the U.S. Congress, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, attended. CRITICAL COMMENTS Ginsburg made critical comments about Trump when he was running for president in 2016, in an unusual foray into politics by a Supreme Court justice. She later said she regretted making the remarks, saying judges should avoid commenting on a candidate for public office. Ginsburg is a hero among many U.S. liberals, sometimes called The Notorious R.B.G in a nickname based on the late American rapper The Notorious B.I.G. Ginsburg has helped buttress equality rights during her time on the high court, including in sex discrimination cases, and has been a champion of abortion rights and gay rights. In 2010, after the retirement of more senior liberals, she became the courts voice of liberalism on behalf of women, racial minorities and the poor and disenfranchised. Trump has already named two members of the court, adding conservative federal appeals court judges Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch, who was confirmed by the Senate last year. If he were able to make a third nomination to the court to replace Ginsburg, that would increase the conservative majority to 6-3. The courts other liberal justices are Stephen Breyer, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor. Breyer, 80, is the courts second-oldest justice. Kavanaughs Senate confirmation process convulsed the nation just weeks before Tuesdays congressional elections in which Trumps fellow Republicans lost control of the U.S. House of Representatives but built on their majority in Senate, which has sole authority over judicial and Supreme Court nominations. On Wednesday, Trump credited the fight over confirming Kavanaugh, in which Democrats strongly opposed the nominee, for the gains in the Senate. By expanding the Senate majority, the voters have also clearly rebuked the Senate Democrats for their handling of the Kavanaugh hearings, he told reporters. Trump selected Kavanaugh in July to replace long-serving conservative Justice Anthony Kennedy, who retired. Other candidates he considered for the vacancy included: Thomas Hardiman, who serves on the Philadelphia-based 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals; Raymond Kethledge and Amul Thapar of the Cincinnati, Ohio-based 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals; and Amy Coney Barrett of the Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. (Reporting by Andrew Chung; Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu and Will Dunham; Editing by Alison Williams and Frances Kerry) 397 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard By Tom Hals (Reuters) A U.S. appeals court in California ruled on Thursday that President Donald Trumps administration must continue a program begun under former President Barack Obama that protects hundreds of thousands of immigrants who were brought into the country illegally as children. The decision by the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals preserves the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program introduced in 2012 that has shielded from deportation a group of immigrants dubbed Dreamers and has given them work permits, though not a path to citizenship. Trump has taken a stern stance against illegal immigration. His administration announced plans in September 2017 to phase out DACA, arguing that Obama exceeded his constitutional powers when he bypassed Congress and created the program. DACA offers protections to roughly 700,000 young adults, mostly Hispanics. The three-judge panel rejected the administrations claim that the decision to end DACA was not reviewable by the courts. And, upon review, we conclude that plaintiffs are likely to succeed on their claim that the rescission of DACA at least as justified on this record is arbitrary, capricious, or otherwise not in accordance with law, Judge Kim McLane Wardlaw wrote. The ruling represented another legal defeat for Trump concerning DACA, although he has won court victories on other parts of his tough immigration policies. On Monday, the administration took the unusual step of asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case, which stems from a federal judges January decision to block Trump from ending DACA, even though the appeals court had yet to rule. Trump said on Wednesday he saw potential to work with Democrats, who won control of the House of Representatives this week, but he would have to see how the Supreme Court rules on the issue. San Francisco-based U.S. District Judge William Alsup decided in January the government must continue processing renewals of existing DACA applications while litigation over the legality of Trumps action is resolved. The administration in February unsuccessfully appealed Alsups ruling to the Supreme Court. The ruling stems from a lawsuit brought by the University of California, the states of California, Maine, Maryland and Minnesota and others challenging Trumps move to end DACA. Trumps move last year had called for the program to begin winding down this past March. Trumps action sparked an outcry from immigration advocates, business groups, colleges and some religious leaders. There are about 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States, according to the Pew Research Center. Lawsuits both challenging and supporting Trumps decision to end DACA have been working their way through the courts, making it likely the issue will wind up in front of the Supreme Court. The ruling by the 9th Circuit does not impact a nationwide injunction to preserve DACA issued by U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis in Brooklyn in February, which also has been appealed. In addition, a federal judge in Washington in August ordered the administration to fully restore DACA, including taking new applications. That decision was stayed pending appeal. Legislation to extend protections for DACA recipients and provide them a path to citizenship failed in Congress this year. (Reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware; Additional reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Noeleen Walder, Tom Brown and Will Dunham) Get the SC business stories that matter. Our newsletter catches you up with all the business stories that are shaping Charleston and South Carolina every Monday and Thursday at noon. Get ahead with us - it's free. From left to right, candidates Joyce Green, Cindy Bohn Coats, Kate Darby and the Rev. Eric Mack were elected to seats on the Charleston County School Board on Tues. Nov. 6, 2018. All four candidates received endorsements from the Charleston Coalition for Kids and the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee. File She also reminded me there are plenty of shades of blue in Illinois, including the more fiscally-conservative Democrats in downstate Illinois, the moderates in the suburbs and the liberals who live closer to Chicago. And while the far ends of the political spectrum tend to be louder and more proactive, she noted, I do believe there are a lot of individuals in the middle of the road in the Democratic Party who are looking toward more universal solutions. Columbia/Myrtle Beach Managing Editor Andy Shain runs The Post and Courier's newsrooms based in Columbia and Myrtle Beach. He was editor of Free Times and has been a reporter and editor for newspapers in Charlotte, Columbia and Myrtle Beach. Assistant Columbia bureau chief Adcox returned to The Post and Courier in October 2017 after 12 years covering the Statehouse for The Associated Press. She previously covered education for The P&C. She has also worked for The AP in Albany, N.Y., and for The Herald in Rock Hill. COLUMBIA A seismic shakeup in the South Carolina political landscape reverberated nationwide Tuesday night. While the Lowcountry's 1st Congressional District race garnered attention for months as a potentially competitive contest, Democrat Joe Cunningham's victory over Republican Katie Arrington still stunned many political experts. Dave Wasserman, the top U.S. House editor at the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, sized up the result in a district Trump won easily in 2016 as the second biggest Democratic upset of the night nationwide. The win immediately prompted strategists to highlight broader takeaways for other Democrat candidates in historically conservative districts. First and foremost, many Democrats said the clearest lesson dates back to the age-old adage from the late longtime U.S. House Speaker Tip O'Neill: All politics is local. A positive, aspirational message also helped distinguish Cunningham in a divisive time when pollsters found moderate voters appreciated unity. "He didn't allow his opponent to drag him into a national narrative but really stayed laser-focused on local issues," S.C. Democratic strategist Antjuan Seawright said. In a three-word campaign slogan, Cunningham sought to encapsulate his approach: "Lowcountry over party." Most notably, Cunningham emphasized Arrington's comments during the primary indicating support for Trump ending the ban on offshore drilling an unpopular position in the coastal community that Arrington struggled to distance herself from during the general election race. He also expressed an openness to working with Trump on issues like infrastructure. To Jaime Harrison, a top official at the Democratic National Committee and the former South Carolina Democratic Party chairman, Cunningham's campaign proved that pundits who said the minority party had no unified national message were looking at the races in the wrong way. "I always said, the Democratic message is the 435 messages you need to have in the 435 districts you're running in," Harrison said. "There doesn't need to be one primary message, particularly in a midterm when you're not all focused on one presidential candidate. How would a message from San Francisco work in Charleston, South Carolina? It doesn't." Overall, the midterm election results offered a muddy picture, leading experts to caution against overarching narratives or conflating districts and states that each have their own unique dynamics. Sign up for updates! Get the latest political news from The Post and Courier in your inbox. Email Sign Up! Both parties highlighted races in which they outperformed expectations. While Democrats took back the House majority, Republicans expanded their margin in the Senate and fended off strong challengers in key states like Florida and Texas. Even in South Carolina alone, the locally-focused strategy offered a mixed bag for Democrats. Cunningham's win stood in contrast to state Rep. James Smith, the party's nominee for governor, who also consistently eschewed national wedge issues only to fall far short of Republican incumbent Gov. Henry McMaster. Many observers argued a key distinction between the gubernatorial and congressional races were the campaigns run by their opponents, which former Gov. Nikki Haley's ex-spokesman Rob Godfrey said "could not have been more different." "Gov. McMaster was a steady hand at the wheel, a well-known commodity who understood the issues that drove the people of the state," Godfrey said. "(Arrington) was an erratic candidate from the start, and as an unknown candidate, she became defined by that." After emerging from the GOP primary on a pro-Trump message, McMaster sought to broaden his appeal in the general election and highlight a positive message of state-level successes. Arrington, by contrast, doubled down on more polarizing issues like the migrant caravan and the Supreme Court confirmation process of Brett Kavanaugh. "Joe kept it local whereas Katie thought she could default to the whole 'Pelosi Joe' thing and embrace Trump," said Democratic former state Rep. Boyd Brown, who helped Cunningham raise money. "People saw right through that. Joe spoke to their hearts and minds where she was trying to speak to their fears, and people just didn't buy it." Another difference-maker, strategists said, was Cunningham's fundraising discipline, building a small-dollar grassroots donor network early on to make up for his public rejection of big contributions from special interest political action committees while still maintaining a heavy campaign schedule. That fundraising advantage allowed him to massively outspend Arrington on TV and other key campaign outreach efforts. "What Joe did really well is he sat down and made the calls, hours and hours of calls every day, but he also didn't disappear," Charleston County Democratic Chairman Brady Quirk-Garvan said. "Sometimes candidates go into a room and don't get out there. Joe was doing public events four to five days a week and that made voters feel like he was accessible." By going on a district-wide brewery tour, Cunningham took the oft-cited goal of becoming a candidate voters feel like they can have a beer with to a literal level while simultaneously championing a growing industry in the area. While the race attracted some national attention and Cunningham landed a prized spot on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's "Red-to-Blue" target list, some Democrats argued that the fact that his candidacy didn't achieve the viral status of some campaigns in states like Georgia and Texas helped to keep the focus in-district. "The hard part is that there is this real temptation that if you nationalize things, there's all this national money that can come in," Quirk-Garvan said. "But I think what Joe showed is that may not be worth the trade-off, and keeping it local both in how you campaign and who you're targeting donor-wise makes a big difference." Krystle Simmons motivation for running for the state House of Representatives was simple. As I began to look at the House and the makeup of the House, I didnt feel like there was anybody who looks like me representing me, said Simmons, a Democrat. Wheres my voice? Wheres the working persons voice? Simmons, 37, was the first person to challenge Republican Rep. Bill Crosby since 2010 when he won the District 117 seat, which includes parts of Ladson, Goose Creek and North Charleston. In unofficial results, Simmons took 54 percent of the vote to Crosbys 46 percent. She joins Annie McDaniel in District 41 Chester, Fairfield and Richland counties as the only two new black women representatives. In all, there are now nine black women in the 124-member House. I said, You know what? I dont want to be a victim of change. I want to be a catalyst. How do I do that? she said. Simmons could be the poster child for the changes going on in Berkeley County and across the Lowcountry. A native of Ohio, she lives in the booming Carnes Crossroads area, which is slated to one day have more than 75,000 residents in the next couple of decades. She deals daily with traffic chokepoints along Charleston area roads as she travels to her full-time job at Boeing or hauls her five children, ages 4 to 14, to school and activities as a single parent. I definitely think my winning is indicative of change, she said. I think that people are moving in every day, and youre getting more of a mesh of people. I definitely think the way the county looks is changing, and I think that some of the people are realizing that not all change is bad change. Even some of the people who have been there their whole lives ... theyre ready for something different. You dont have to lose the integrity of who you are in order to embrace change. County Democratic Party Chairwoman Melissa Watson said the district has leaned Democrat, supporting Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in the presidential elections. I always knew that if the party had a candidate on the ballot that we would win that seat, she said. In 20 years, we never had a single Democratic choice. Krystle Simmons was unafraid to step up and say she was a Democrat. People like choices. That wasnt the only district that flipped Tuesday. Voters in House District 15, which stretches from Goose Creek to Pimlico on the west side of U.S. Highway 52, also turned that seat to over to a Democrat. Republican Rep. Samuel Rivers, who held the seat since 2013, came up short against J.A. Moore, who received 52 percent of the vote to Rivers 47 percent. In September, The Post and Courier noted that both seats 117 and 15 were vulnerable to the blue wave Democrats hoped would mobilize voters. Sign up for updates! Get the latest political news from The Post and Courier in your inbox. Email Sign Up! Even so, Rivers said Wednesday he was surprised by the results. It wasnt the results I was expecting, however, Im at total peace with everything, he said. Moore, a professional chef, ran a dynamic campaign and worked really hard, Watson said. He, too, was unafraid of the Democratic message, she said. When Democrats run as Democrats we have a shot to win more seats. Berkeley County is one of the reddest counties in the state. She credited the volunteers who worked not only for their candidates, but for the entire ticket. We will be challenging more seats in the future, she said. On the flip side, Democrat incumbent Patsy G. Knight lost the upper Dorchester County House 97 seat she has held since 2006 to Republican newcomer Mandy W. Kimmons, by a vote of 54 percent to 46 percent. In May, Kimmons, a lawyer, had one of the lowest scores doled out, 49 (on a 100-point scale), when a conservative Dorchester County Republican Party vetted the slate of candidates and assigned scores in a move that was seen as controversial within the party. I really felt like it was the good-old-boy system at its finest, Kimmons said of the interviews at the time. I am unapologetically conservative, and I dont know what else to tell them. If they felt some other way, Im sorry. Neither Kimmons nor Knight could be reached for comment Wednesday. In addition, while voters in Charleston Countys House races didnt upset any incumbents, Republican lawmakers in suburban districts had some very close calls. Incumbent Rep. Peter McCoy barely held off a challenge from Democrat Carol Tempel in a district centered on James Island. He had slightly more than 51 percent. Lin Bennett, a Republican whose district includes northern West Ashley, had 53 percent. Meanwhile, Democratic incumbent Leon Stavrinakis had 65 percent in his West Ashley district. WELLS, Minn. Colin Wegner was packing up after receiving a top honor at the National FFA convention when he received one heck of a reason to postpone his return home. President Donald Trump was coming to the convention in Indianapolis on Oct. 27 and wanted to recognize Wegner and the three other recipients of the top national honor given to FFA members. Wegner, 21, of Wells, earned one of four American Star Awards. Wegner, a 2018 graduate of South Dakota State University, received the top honor for a participant in the FFAs Supervised Agricultural Experience program. Wegners "experience" was on his familys farm outside of Wells. "He is the fifth generation to work on his familys farm and that is really something incredible," Trump said about Wegner during his convention address. The president invited Wegner and his fellow honorees on stage while he read brief biographies and then told each congratulations as he shook their hands. "It was a surreal experience," Wegner said. "It was a good way to go out, thats for sure." The convention was Wegners final days as an FFA member, completing his transition from student to professional farmer. Wegner said he has known since he was a teen he wanted to join the family business but was never pressured by his family. "I am passionate about agriculture and I get to work with my family and carry on the family tradition. Its the best of all worlds," he said. His family grows and sells corn and soybeans, harvests and sells ditch hay and harvests and sells seeds. This growing season presented challenges because it was so wet. "The rain kept us out of the fields for a while," Wegner said. "But we cant complain. Others had it a lot worse." Wegner has been a member of the United South Central FFA team since ninth grade and stayed involved while earning a degree in agronomy from SDSU in just three years. "Colin is truly an outstanding FFA member who has achieved great success through hard work and dedication," said Dan Dylla, his FFA adviser and a teacher at United South Central High School. "He is a very mature, goal-oriented young man who strives to do his best." Wegner earned the American FFA Degree given to less than 1 percent of FFA participants who accomplish a long list of requirements. In 2016 he won the National FFA Proficiency Award in Diversified Crop Production. That honor won him a trip to Costa Rica where he visited a coffee plantation and other agricultural operations. "Working hard and setting goals and achieving goals is probably the main lesson Ive learned through FFA," he said. they spin, swoon; they lose themselves in one anothers arms." These lines are from DJ Savareses poem, "Swoon." These beautiful words are written by a man, who at one time in his life, was believed by some to be incapable of thought. "Until I learned to read and write, people thought I had no mind," explains Savarese, a non-speaking man with autism who communicates with the assistance of a text-to-voice synthesizer. Savarese is both the subject and a producer of a documentary called Deej, which follows his dream of attending college. The film will be screened in Rochester on Friday, Nov. 9 at RCTCs Hill Theatre. Savarese will be at the screening for a Q&A session following the film. The screening precedes the full-day Southeastern Minnesota Autism Symposium on Nov. 10, which will have key note speakers including both DJ Saverese and his father, Ralph, a professor at Grinnell College who has written on the subject of autism, based on his experiences with his adopted son. James Rechs, the executive director of the RT Autism Awareness Foundation, one of the organizations that has played a big role bringing the Savareses to Rochester, thinks its important for people to watch this film. "People who have autism, including those who do not speak, are capable individuals," he says. "As a society, we tend to be focused on what people with disabilities can not do, but Deej really shows that we need to stop making assumptions about peoples limitations. Every human being, regardless of specific disabilities they may have, should be viewed in terms of their potential." Deej was directed by Robert Rooy and was broadcast on the PBS World Channels "America ReFramed" this fall. The film has won several awards, including the prestigious Peabody. In May of this year, Saverese graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Oberlin College with a double major in anthropology and creative writing, and hes been a strong advocate for other non-speaking people with autism. His film, in part, explores the obstacles to inclusion he faced as he made his way through high school and college. Savereses key note talk and film screening in Rochester is part of the Deej Inclusion Tour. The tour is intended to advocate for the idea that "inclusion shouldnt be a lottery." This idea stems from the fact that Saverese, born into poverty and abandoned by his parents, was only set on a path of inclusion in mainstream classes through the support of his adoptive parents. The film Deej seems to show that those with disabilities can be great gifts to their communities. "Its not that people with autism need to be included," explains Rechs, "its that all of our lives are better when we get to know each other, learn from each other and be a part of each others experience." What:"Deej" film screening Where:RCTC Hill Theatre, 851 30th Ave. SE, Rochester When:7-9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9 Cost:$5, fourthquarter.wufoo.com What:The Southeastern Minnesota Autism Symposium Where:125 Live, 125 Elton Hills Dr. NW, Rochester When:9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10 Cost:$20, fourthquarter.wufoo.com The Air National Guard pilot who was found unresponsive in Tumon Bay Tuesday and later pronounced dead has been identified as Capt. John Goeres. Capt. Goeres was a KC-135R Stratotanker pilot assigned to the Alaska Air National Guards 168th Air Refueling Squadron. He was deployed to Andersen Air Force Base Guam from the 168th Wing, Alaska Air National Guard. The Guam Fire Department responded to a reported drowning Tuesday afternoon behind the Westin Resort in Tumon. Goeres was taken to the Guam Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. A press release posted on the 168th Wing website says the cause of Capt. Goeres' death remains under investigation, however no foul play is suspected. Our hearts are saddened by the sudden and tragic loss of such a fine young man," states Col. Bryan S. White, commander of the 168th Wing. "Capt. John Goeres was a trusted and gifted aviator, a leader who rose from the enlisted ranks to fly jets for the Alaska Air National Guard." Our hearts are saddened by the sudden and tragic loss of such a fine young man. He served our state and nation with distinction and honor, and we will miss him dearly. Our thoughts and prayers rest with his family, as well as all of those who served beside him. The U.S. Army is investigating the death of an Army soldier from Guam. Sgt. Marcos John Aguon, 28, died after being found unconscious at a base in South Korea, the Army announced in a statement on Wednesday. He joined the Army from Talofofo, Guam, in January 2015, according to a report in the Stars and Stripes. Aguon was found unconscious at Camp Hovey and pronounced dead Sunday at Joongang St. Marys Hospital in the surrounding city of Dongducheon, which is near the border with North Korea. The details surrounding Aguons death are under investigation, according to the Army's statement. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Sgt. Marcos Aguons family for their loss, battalion commander Lt. Col. Jason Carter said. Sgt. Aguon was a non-commissioned officer that everyone looked up to and an integral member of the Defender battalion. His unfortunate passing will be felt by us all. Aguon was a cannon crew member with the Fort Bliss, Texas-based 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, which rotated to South Korea last month. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 1st Field Artillery Regiment. He is survived by his wife and three children. The Air National Guard pilot who was found unresponsive Tuesday in Tumon Bay and later pronounced dead has been identified as Capt. John Goeres. Goeres was deployed to Andersen Air Force Base as a pilot for a military refueling aircraft from the Alaska Air National Guard. "Our hearts are saddened by the sudden and tragic loss of such a fine young man," stated Col. Bryan S. White, commander of the 168th Wing at Eilson Air Force Base, Alaska. "Capt. John Goeres was a trusted and gifted aviator, a leader who rose from the enlisted ranks to fly jets for the Alaska Air National Guard." Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Goeres was a KC-135R Stratotanker pilot assigned to the Alaska Air National Guard's 168th Air Refueling Squadron. Reported drowning The Guam Fire Department responded to a reported drowning Tuesday afternoon behind the Westin Guam Resort in Tumon. Goeres was found on the beachside and taken to Guam Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Goeres' death remains under investigation; however, no foul play is suspected. "He served our state and nation with distinction and honor, and we will miss him dearly," White stated. "Our thoughts and prayers rest with his family, as well as all of those who served beside him." Goeres began his career in 2004 as an enlisted member of the Oregon Air National Guard's 173rd Fighter Wing, Klamath Falls, Oregon. In 2012, he was selected to become a pilot with the 168th ARS. Members of the 168th Wing are currently deployed to the 506th Expeditionary Aerial Refueling Squadron, 36th Operations Group at Andersen Air Force Base on Guam. Air National Guard tanker units from across the nation regularly deploy to the island in support of the continuous bomber presence and theater security packages in the region. Editor's note: This article has been updated to reflect that the celebration was in honor of the 30th anniversary of a sister agreement between Guam's Two Lovers Point and its Japanese sister site. The 30th anniversary was celebrated early, according to Guam Visitors Bureau, as the official anniversary will be in September 2019. The 30th anniversary of a sister agreement celebrating Guam's Two Lovers Point and a Japanese sister site was celebrated on Oct. 26 with delegations from Guam and Japan. Like Two Lovers Point, the sister site Koibito Misaki (Lovers Point) at Toi Town in Izu City, Japan celebrates a couple's love. "I think it's wonderful to have two iconic sites from two different places linked together by love," Sen. Regine Biscoe Lee said in a statement. "What's also successful about our sister point agreement is that it adds another dimension to Guam and Japan's friendship. It shows how connected our people have become through the years and the hope that we will continue to maintain that for many years to come." Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. On Sept. 6, 1989, Toi Town Mayor Takashi Aoki and then-Guam Gov. Joseph Ada signed the sister point agreement. That same year, Toi Town donated a silver "Love Bell" to Two Lovers Point, a replica of the Love Bell at Toi Town's Lovers Point, which symbolizes eternal love to visiting couples, according to the Guam Visitors Bureau. The Love Bell was rung during the 30th anniversary celebrations at Two Lovers Point, attended by a Toi delegation headed by Izu City Mayor Yutaka Kikuchi. "We're happy to ... welcome back our friends from Toi and Izu City," GVB President and CEO Nathan Denight said in a statement. "If there is any indicator that tourism works, it is this celebration of this sister point agreement that has lasted three decades." Guam shares a second sister point agreement with Lovers Point in Kashiwazaki City in the Niigata Prefecture of Japan, which was established in 2003. POTTSTOWN Three local Vietnam Veterans were honored with the Glass Tear Hero Award at the 3rd Annual Pottstown Veterans Community Day at Memorial Park. The honorees included Frank Strunk, US Air Force; Captain Robert Boyce, US Navy; and James Sharpless Galloway, US Army. The honorees and their wives were treated to a breakfast at the Elks Lodge 814 and then escorted to the park in military vehicles where they were presented with their awards. The Hamilton Celtic Pipe and Drums along with the Pottstown High School JRAFROTC were part of the ceremony along with other military and civilian dignitaries. The award is presented by the Veterans Island Project @ Memorial Park, a group dedicated to keeping the island at the park dedicated to our veterans. On Tuesday, Nov. 6, a highly-anticipated Democratic Blue Wave trickled ashore, disappointing everyone. Just six weeks earlier, Democrats were giddy about prospects of winning congressional majorities, including the Senate. Only 23 pick-ups would flip the House, but Democrats projected a 50-plus seat gain a rebuke to an illegitimate president. Their rebuke never materialized. Fifty seats didnt flip. Neither did 40. Democrats may miss 30. About $1 billion was spent on Democratic House hopefuls, much of it dark money, to pick up a modest majority in one-half of one-third of the government. Republicans increased their Senate majority. Democrats mounted a subpar, first-presidential-midterm out-of-power-party performance, embarrassing, even, when weighed against expectations. Democrats have been underperforming for years. Although elected president twice, Barack Obama was a disaster for Democrats who lost 1,000 state and local offices, a Senate supermajority, then the Senate, the House (where they lost 63 seats in 2010), and, ultimately, the presidency. This year, weeks of anger-fed politics character assassination, mob rule, intimidation and democratic socialism squandered Democrats best opportunity since 2006-2008. Now, Democrats must take solace in ultimately meaningless theatrical, punitive, certain-to-backfire Pelosi/House-led witch hunts and political stunts that will reelect the president. Left-wing Democrats control the media, higher education and popular culture, but Democrats are in constant states of paranoia, frustration, rage and bitterness, because controlling those too-seldom translates into real political power. Democrats blame every election disappointment on some combination of gerrymandering, racism, voter suppression, sexism, xenophobia or misconduct. David Harsanyi wrote: Democrats have a bad habit of acting as if every political setback is caused by some act of criminality. This instigates people to act like children or worse. Introspection is not their strong suit. Not once have most Democrats considered the possibility that their policies simply arent popular. Instead, Democrats make excuses and mock bitter clingers and deplorables. When Republicans win elections, its because voters prefer them. Why? Americans who regard government as a necessary evil, prefer candidates who promote more-limited government and personal liberties rather than Democrats preference for big, intrusive government that redistributes taxpayer assets, limits choices, and sets rules for culture and personal conduct. Moreover, in October, Thomas Edsall, a self-identified liberal, published a NY Times column entitled, The Democrats Left Turn Is Not an Illusion. Edsall recognized the populist rejection of the establishment liberalism consuming the Democratic Party. Edsall: Over the past 18 years, the Democratic electorate has moved steadily to the left, as liberals have displaced moderates From 2001 to 2018, the share of Democratic voters who describe themselves as liberal has grown from 30 to 50 percent, according to the Gallup Poll. [] One of the dangers for the Democratic Party and the left-leaning parts of the establishment more broadly is that they confound their actual audience with a small but highly visible group of activists. Party leaders could interpret their midterm performance as an opportunity to reject pitchfork politics and engage more rationally, but, more likely, their radical base will keep Democrats angry through 2020 and beyond. Contact columnist Jerry Shenk at jshenk2010@gmail.com And I expect the divide to become even greater over the next two years, and the rhetoric even harder. There will be no coming together, because in a way the two sides no longer speak the same language. They dont see each other as decent, good people with differing points of view. PJ Media New York City editor David Steinberg devoted four investigative posts to newly elected Minnesota Fifth District Rep. Ilhan Omar. In chronological order, for the record, here they are: Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) Perjury Evidence Blacked Out by Minnesota Media (August 8); Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) Perjury Evidence Blacked Out by Minnesota Media (August 12); Official School Records Support Claims That Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) Married Her Brother (October 23); Address Records Show Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) Still Lived With Her First Husband Throughout Marriage To Her Apparent Brother (October 30). Conducting his investigation from New York on what must be a low, low budget, Steinberg has performed a public service with a high degree of difficulty. He has put the Star Tribune to shame. He has contributed to our understanding of The curious case of Ilhan Omar, as Ive been calling it for the past two years. Steinberg shows the case to be curiouser and curiouser. For me the biggest takeaway from Tuesdays elections in Minnesota is the nonfeasance of the press in general and the Star Tribune in particular. In lieu of anything substantive, to take one example, we get Andy Sullivans October 31 Reuters profile of Omar (with bonus Trump bashing): Once a refugee, Somali-American appears headed to U.S. Congress. We get Erin Goldens festive Star Tribune post-election story Ilhan Omar again makes history, becoming 1st Somali-American elected to U.S. House. We get, in other words, glorified public relations serving Democrats. For purposes of contrast, try to find a story celebrating the election of Young Kim in Californias 39th Congressional District (parts of Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino Counties) on Tuesday. Kim will succeed Ed Royce. Kim is a South Korean immigrant who is the first Korean woman elected to Congress. The Examiners Tiana Lowe has drawn the contrast with the press celebrating Omar. In the immediate aftermath of Omars election on Tuesday, Steinberg now looks back in 105 Articles Cover Ilhan Omars Win. Zero Cover Her Anti-Semitism, Finance Investigations, or Perjury Evidence. Steinberg compiles a list of stories celebrating Omar in one way or another and reflects: The media has made the following decision: Presenting Ilhan Omar as a symbol is more valuable information for the public than presenting Ilhan Omar as an individual with a remarkably troubling background. Transparently, the media has decided this is a hill to die on. Their reputations, their readers trust, the rule of law, and Americas struggle against anti-Semitism are secondary to pleasurable, if false, symbolism. Jeff Sessions is out as Attorney General. His ouster was inevitable. He and President Trump have irreconcilable differences about the role of the AG. Sessions believes its the Attorney Generals job to enforce federal law; advance the presidents agenda on law enforcement, immigration, civil rights, etc.; and conduct himself ethically at all times. Trump believes its the Attorney Generals job to be his wingman. Trump wouldnt have needed a wingman if he hadnt stupidly kept slimy egomaniac James Comey on as FBI director. Had he shown a modicum of good judgment, Trump would have ousted Comey in roughly as prompt a relationship to Inauguration Day as Sessions ouster is to Election Day. In that event, Comeys firing would not have led to the appointment of a special counsel. But Trump erred and thus wants his Attorney General to be a wingman. Jeff Sessions isnt that guy. Trump is right about this. Sessions was, however, an excellent Attorney General. At Breitbart, John Bender describes ways in which Sessions advanced the presidents America First agenda: 1. Ending Obamas DACA Amnesty. 2. California over Sanctuary State Law. 3. American Asylum Reforms. 4. Cracking Down on Discrimination Against Americans. 5. Building a Legal Wall to Block Illegal Immigration. 6. Increasing Rejection Rate of False Asylum-Seekers. NumbersUSA, a leader in the fight against illegal immigration, said this: On behalf of the eight million members of our on-line network,NumbersUSA is grateful for Attorney General Sessions years of service to our nation. He has never wavered from his dedication to the rule of law, and he has done more to enforce our immigration laws than any other Attorney General. His commitment to moving us toward an immigration policy that truly serves our national interest and protects American jobs and wages is inspirational. The Public Interest Legal Foundation, the leading group battling for voting integrity, said this: Attorney General Sessions will hopefully leave a lasting legacy on the Department and law enforcement in general. During his tenure, he reversed a dangerous trend of selectively and often politically enforcing federal voter protections. He returned enforcement to equal aspects of the Voting Rights and National Voter Registration Acts for the benefit of all. He led the DOJ to course-correct multiple litigation positions ranging from voter ID, redistricting, voter list maintenance, and moreall to eventual success before the Supreme Court and Appellate Circuits. General Sessions has done more in two years than most can accomplish in four or more. Rick Manning, head of Americans for Limited Government, said: Thank you, Jeff Sessions for serving as our nations Attorney General in a time of strife. Your determination to focus the Justice Department on fighting the opioid crisis, illegal immigration and the drug cartels which plague our nation have been highlights of Trump administrations first two years. Additionally, Attorney General Sessions has been prescient in his attempts to use our nations anti-trust laws to rein in the consolidation of media power through a few massive companies. Americans for Limited Government will miss the General Sessions steady hand at the helm of the Justice Department as he dealt with almost two years without many of the key political appointees needed to run an agency of that size. President Trump will be hard-pressed to find a replacement who can match Jeff Sessions accomplishments on behalf of the Trump agenda. And I question whether finding such a replacement is Trumps primary objective here. A lot has already been said here and elsewhere about the election, but this chart, showing turnout for this midterm the highest since 1970, is interesting: What was happening in 1970? Oh yeah, the Vietnam War protest movement was in full swing, and the Democratic Party, then as today, essentially rejected the legitimacy of Nixons election victory of 1968, and were riding that eras version of the resistance. I forget where, but I did read a smart piece several months ago that said the 1970 midterm was perhaps the parallel for this one, and I think that is right in some ways. Nixon, for his part, campaigned hard for Republicans in that midterm just like Trump and for the same reason, and minimized GOP losses. The huge surge in overall turnout does suggest, however, that the American electorate does understand that we are currently in the midst of a serious contest over the meaning and direction of the country. Accosting Acosta: Speaking of events from the 1970s, the era of showboating and bad behavior by White House reporters may trace back to the press conference where Nixon playfully said to CBS reporter Dan Rather, Are you running for something?, whereupon the unctuous Rather said sarcastically back: No, Mr. Presidentare you? Ah, the good old days. Acostas antics make Rather look rather gentlemanly by comparison. Im ambivalent about taking Costas all-access pass to the White House away. He is without question the most egregious journalist in the White House, but part of me thinks if Acosta didnt exist, wed need to invent him. Hes quite useful for Trump to have around, exposing the mendacity and self-regarding partisanship of the media on a daily basis. Im almost tempted to suggest that Trump ought to call a press conference and let Acosta ask all the questions, which would go poorly for Acosta, and also make the rest of the White House press corp resent Acosta. I say let that man make a fool of himself for as long as he wants. Winning is better than losing, and the loss of the House will have consequences. Though I note the stock market roared today, probably in part because it likes gridlock, which, as I said yesterday, is the next best thing to constitutional government. Ignore the partisan cheerleaders on either side. Just take in what some of the smarter liberals in the media are saying: there is no way this election result can be said to represent any kind of massive rejection of Trump or Republicans. Exhibit 1, David Leonhardt of the New York Times: Last night did not feel like a thorough rejection of Trumpism. In one statewide race after another, Democrats suffered disappointing losses. Exhibit 2: Damon Linker in The Week: Look beyond a few dozen House races, and its clear there is no blue wave sweeping across the country, toppling Republican power from coast to coast with a historic surge of opposition to the presidents party. Or rather, even if there was such a surge, it was matched by a counter-surge from the right that was strong enough to blunt it. . . No sign that a firm, solid, decisive majority has repudiated President Trump. . . Exhibit 3, The Hill: For a number of reasons, Democrats are coming away unsatisfied. They were hoping for a resounding rejection of Trump, who is touting the election results as a tremendous success. . . . The red wave promised by Trump, which attracted mockery earlier this year, showed up in states such as Indiana, Missouri and North Dakota where Democratic Senate candidates were swamped. Democrats lost gubernatorial contests in both Florida and Ohio, arguably the most important swing states in a presidential election. Both will be led in 2020 by Republicans who won their races thanks in part to Trump. About the ballot propositions around the country that I said you should watch. California continued its suicide attempt by voting down a repeal of the gas tax hike, and while the state still had the good sense to reject rent control, San Francisco did adopt Measure C, the tax on large businesses to fund homeless services. Washington state voters rejected a carbon tax handily, and most green energy initiatives around the country failed, even as voters went for liberal politicians. Also, keep in mind that several of the GOP House members who lost, like Carlos Cabella of Florida, were among the tiny handful of GOP congresscritters who expressed openness to carbon taxes or other climate policy enthusiasms. Florida voters passed an initiative requiring a two-thirds vote of the legislature to raise taxes. Well done, Florida People. I might even cut you a break in the next Week in Pictures. P.S. We all remember how the Democratic Partys hard turn to the left worked out for them in 1972. Chances are good for a repeat in 2020. Elizabeth Warren is the gift that keeps on giving: But running a close second is this theme from the left, as is expressed in this tweet by a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin: You can see why political science is in such trouble these days. Law professor David Bernstein makes quick work of this stupidity: Though I have to say, runner-up in the stupid tweet-take department has to be this one: Remind me again who the Hispanic candidate was in that race? Oh yeah . . . the guy named Cruz. The other guy was whiter than the inside of a snowball. Oh, and how do you beard an argument? Is this some kind of new hipster talent I havent heard of? Echoing what I said yesterday about how environmental initiatives mostly failed at the ballot Tuesday, Tyler Cowan writes that the carbon tax is dead: Often the most important results of any election come in the initiatives and referendums. And one striking result from Tuesdays election is that voters in Washington state, a Democratic stronghold, soundly rejected a proposed carbon tax by a margin of 56 to 44 percent. This raises the prospect that the carbon tax may be dead as a policy for the time being, including at the state level. As my Bloomberg Opinion colleague Liam Denning writes: We can debate the magnitude of the vaunted blue wave, but there was definitely no green wave. . . . I dont view the unpopularity of the carbon tax as merely reflecting the influence of special interests. The American people apparently feel that government ought to be able to solve this problem without imposing a new tax burden on them. For all the talk about disillusionment and cynicism in American politics, this view represents a strange kind of optimism. If this issue really is so important, some voters must be thinking, surely you politicians can find a way to solve it without making us pay for everything. Dont we give you enough money already? Economists should not give up our analytical arguments for a carbon tax. But maybe its time for a change in tactics. These new approaches might start with the notion that we can address climate change without transferring more money from voters to politicians. I like Tylers work a lot, but in this last point he is simply naive: raising taxes is the main point for many climatistas. Fixing a crisis without expanding government is no fun at all. I hope Tom Steyer keeps spending millions on behalf of such initiatives. Someday hell run out of money. A couple of weeks ago I was with a friend from Nevada who told me that a dead brothel owner was favored to be elected to the Nevada legislature. His name was Dennis Hof, and he styled himself after President Trump. Hof secured the Republican nomination for the Nevada Assembly, and some time thereafter turned 72. He spent his birthday weekend celebrating at his own brothel, naturally enough. But, sadly, when the weekend was over he was found dead of natural causes. By that time it was too late to replace him on the ballot. The Associated Press has the story: A Nevada brothel owner and reality TV star who died last month after fashioning himself as a Donald Trump-style Republican candidate has won a heavily GOP state legislative district. Dennis Hof defeated Democratic educator Lesia Romanov on Tuesday in the race for Nevadas 36th Assembly District, which includes rural communities and large stretches of desert in the southern part of the state. Ms. Romanov will forever enjoy the distinction of having lost to the deceased owner of a brothel. Hof was found dead on Oct. 16 after a weekend of parties celebrating his 72nd birthday. *** He also starred in the HBO adult reality series Cathouse and wrote a book titled The Art of the Pimp, akin to Trumps book The Art of the Deal. Hof was found dead at his Love Ranch brothel about an hour outside Las Vegas. His body was discovered by porn actor Ron Jeremy and a prostitute at the brothel. Under Nevada law, Republican county officials will appoint someone to serve the term in the Assembly to which Hof was elected. Hence his landslide victory. Still, you gotta like a district where voters prefer a dead brothel owner to a Democrat. PR-Inside.com: 2018-11-08 12:33:02 A New Milestone for Taiwan and Japan Tech Collaboration Information Service Industry Association of R.O.C. Camille Tu, +886-917-906-228 camille@mail.cisanet.org.tw The 2018 MOU-Signing Ceremony of Cooperation between Taiwan and Japan Software Companies was held in Tokyo on 8 November. Four MOUs were signed in order to further advance technological collaborations between Taiwan and Japans information and communication technology sector. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005 Secretary General Chen Pei-li of the Industrial Development Bureau, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Yvonne Chiu, Board Director of World Information Technology and Services Alliance and Chairperson of Information Service Industry Association of R.O.C, pictured with of Vice Chairman Kazunori Hamano of JISA after four MOUs are signed at the 2018 MOU-Signing Ceremony of Cooperation between Taiwan and Japan Software Companies. (Photo: Business Wire) The signing ceremony at the ANA InterContinental Tokyo hotel was attended by Pei-li Chen, Secretary General of Industry Development Bureau, Ministry of Economic Affairs; Yvonne Chiu, Chairperson of the Information Service Industry Association of R.O.C. and Board Director of the World Information Technology and Services Alliance; officers of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan; and nearly a hundred distinguished guests from the information and communication technology sector in Taiwan, Japan, and the Asia-Pacific region. The MOUs were signed by Hamastar Technology Co., Syscom Computer Engineering Co., GEO Informatics Inc., and Appedu Computer Design Institute from Taiwan; and MARS FLAG, Arise Innovation, Codetakt, and animation school amps from Japan. Focusing on areas such as system software, website development, and search engines, the cooperation between Taiwanese and Japanese companies will contribute to educational software, product licensing and distribution, cooperative development, sales, and the establishment of new partnerships. Taiwan and Japan's ICT industries share a high degree of compatibility and complementary skills in terms of technology and management systems. The collaboration is expected to promote mutual business opportunities in markets beyond the two nations. Chiu, Chairperson of the Information Service Industry Association of R.O.C., has long been devoted to promoting technology diplomacy through marketing integration and transnational cooperation, and her efforts have led to successful and outstanding cooperation cases between Japan and Taiwan. Companies are welcomed to ask for more details through the Associations website: http://www.cisanet.org.tw/eng. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181108005 PR-Inside.com: 2018-11-08 16:26:14 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 633 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 FISHERS, IN / ACCESSWIRE / November 8, 2018 / American Resources Corporation (OTCQB: AREC), a mining company focused on the extraction, processing, transportation and selling of metallurgical and premium thermal coal, is pleased to announce the closing of its previously-announced acquisition of all the assets of Synergy Coal, LLC located in Wyoming County, West Virginia. The acquisition includes all coal mining permits (including the associated reclamation bonds), governmental approvals, a coal processing facility, a rail loadout, over one thousand acres of mineral and surface ownership, and all other assets owned by Synergy Coal. In a substantially all-stock transaction, American Resources will pay 1,727,273 common equity shares valued at approximately $22.1 million, based on yesterday's closing stock price of $12.79 per share to acquire the assets. The finalization of this deal provides American Resources with its fourth operating hub within the Central Appalachian coal region, and its first in the state of West Virginia. American Resources will operate the metallurgical coal complex as a newly-formed, wholly-owned subsidiary called Wyoming County Coal LLC."We are very pleased with the timely closing of this acquisition and look forward to integrating and expanding Wyoming County Coal into our portfolio of metallurgical coals under our efficient, low-cost operating strategy," stated Mark Jensen, Chief Executive Officer of American Resources Corporation. " The addition of the mid-vol quality coal will both enhance our product offering to our customers and provides another attractive growth platform for our shareholders.American Resources Corporation continues to focus on its growth objective by efficiently leveraging its large number of core mining permits and through identifying strategic, supplemental acquisitions. The company is committed to being one of the lowest cost operators in CAPP and throughout all its coal mining, processing, and transportation operations.About American Resources CorporationAmerican Resources Corporation is a mining company focused on the extraction, processing, transportation and selling of specialty coal qualities serving the metallurgical, industrial, pulverized coal injection (PCI), and premium thermal coal markets. The company is primarily focused on the Central Appalachian coal basin of eastern Kentucky and south-western West Virginia.The company's business model is to capitalize on the changing coal markets to redefine how to create efficient coal mining operations to thrive and prosper in an industry that has less scale and production. By adjusting its operations to fit the market, American Resources Corporation is flexible and dynamic to adjust rapidly to expanding and contracting coal markets.Website:CONTACT:Institutional/Retail/Individual Contact:RedStone Communications, LLCAnthony D. Altavilla, President317-569-1617 - Office317-590-3780 - celltony@ redstonecommunications.com Company Contact:Mark LaVerghetta317-855-9926 ext. 0Vice President of Corporate Finance and Communicationsinvestor@ americanresourcescorp.com Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other important factors that could cause the Company's actual results, performance, or achievements or industry results to differ materially from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The words "believes," "may," "will," "should," "would," "could," "continue," "seeks," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "intends," "estimates," or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. Any forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date of this release. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. The Company cannot assure you that the projected results or events will be achieved.SOURCE: American Resources Corporation PR-Inside.com: 2018-11-08 13:00:57 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 765 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / November 8, 2018 / Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. (TSX-V: BAY; OTCQB: ATBHF) ("Aston Bay" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the completion of its previously announced transaction to acquire all of the issued and outstanding stock of Jack's Fork Exploration, Inc. ("JFE"), a private company incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware (the "Acquisition"). The Acquisition was completed by way of a reverse triangular merger of Blue Ridge Mining, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, into JFE, resulting in JFE being renamed "Blue Ridge Mining" and becoming a direct and wholly-owned subsidiary of Aston Bay. The new Aston Bay subsidiary will operate the existing business of JFE moving forward.Pursuant to the Acquisition, holders of JFE shares ("JFE Stockholders") are entitled to receive 0.57396868 of a common share of Aston Bay (each whole share, an "Aston Bay Share") in exchange for each JFE share of common stock held immediately prior to the effective time of the Acquisition, with an aggregate of 12,000,000 Aston Bay shares available to be issued to the JFE Stockholders. All required stockholder and regulatory approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, were obtained in connection with the closing of the Acquisition.Jack's Fork Exploration Inc. President Don Taylor stated "The closing of the merger is a very significant step for both Aston Bay and JFE shareholders as the closing sets the stage to expand the exposure to great projects and accelerated exploration. As an advisor to the merged Company I am looking forward to testing the numerous quality targets in the portfolio." "In the coming weeks Aston Bay expects to sign agreements with landholders on projects already well advanced by JFE. Coming from Don Taylor, the pedigree of the projects speaks well to their promising exploration potential for both base and precious metals in this underexplored mineralized belt," stated Thomas Ullrich, CEO of Aston Bay. "The company looks forward to presenting more detailed information on these projects in advance of anticipated drill programs in Virginia this winter." ABOUT ASTON BAY HOLDINGS LTD.Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. is a publicly traded mineral exploration company exploring for large, high-grade, sediment-hosted copper and zinc deposits in Nunavut, a mining-friendly Canadian jurisdiction. Aston Bay is 100% owner of the 1,024,345-acre (414,537-hectare) Aston Bay Property located on western Somerset Island, Nunavut. The Aston Bay Property hosts the Storm Copper Project and the Seal Zinc Prospect, with historical drilling confirming the presence of sediment-hosted copper and zinc mineralization. The Company also has exclusive rights to an integrated geophysical, geochemical and geological dataset over a 1.2 million-acre (0.5 million-hectare) area located in central Virginia, USA. The Company's public disclosure documents are available on www.sedar.com FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTSStatements made in this press release, including those regarding the completion of the acquisition, management objectives, forecasts, estimates, expectations, or predictions of the future may constitute "forward-looking statement", which can be identified by the use of conditional or future tenses or by the use of such verbs as "believe", "expect", "may", "will", "should", "estimate", "anticipate", "project", "plan", and words of similar import, including variations thereof and negative forms. This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect, as of the date of this press release, Aston Bay's expectations, estimates and projections about its operations, the mining industry and the economic environment in which it operates. Statements in this press release that are not supported by historical fact are forward-looking statements, meaning they involve risk, uncertainty and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Although Aston Bay believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which apply only at the time of writing of this press release. Aston Bay disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by securities legislation. We seek safe harbour.Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT:Thomas Ullrich, Chief Executive Officer thomas.ullrich@astonbayholdings.comTelephone: (416) 456-3516Sofia Harquail, IR and Corporate Development sofia.harquail@astonbayholdings.comTelephone: (647) 821-1337SOURCE: Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. PR-Inside.com: 2018-11-08 23:01:25 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 913 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA / ACCESSWIRE / November 8, 2018 / FIORE GOLD LTD. (TSXV: F) (OTCQB: FIOGF) ("Fiore" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that at the annual general meeting of shareholders held on November 8, 2018 (the "Meeting") the shareholders re-elected Mark H. Bailey, Anne Labelle, Peter Tallman, Matthew Manson, Peter T. Hemstead, Tim Warman and Kenneth A. Brunk as directors of the Company for the forthcoming year. Each director was elected by a majority of the votes on a show of hands and the table below presents the votes represented by proxy in respect of the election of each director:NomineeVotes ForVotes WithheldMARK H BAILEY33,354,444 (99.64%)121,721ANNE LABELLE33,356,014 (99.64%)120,151PETER TALLMAN33,366,492 (99.67%)109,673MATTHEW MANSON33,353,444 (99.63%)122,721PETER T. HEMSTEAD33,366,694 (99.67%)109,471TIM WARMAN33,367,492 (99.68%)108,673KENNETH A. BRUNK33,368,154 (99.68%)108,011In addition, shareholders at the Meeting re-approved the Company's stock option plan and the re-appointment of the Company's auditor.Corporate StrategyOur corporate strategy is to grow Fiore Gold into a 150,000 ounce per year gold producer. To achieve this, we intend to:continue to grow gold production at the Pan Mine, while increasing the resource and reserve baseadvance exploration and development of the nearby Gold Rock projectacquire additional production or near-production assets to complement our existing operationsOn behalf of FIORE GOLD LTD."Tim Warman"Chief Executive OfficerContact Us:info@ fioregold.com 1 (416) 639-1426 Ext. 1Neither 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.Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking StatementsThis news release contains "forward-looking statements" and "forward looking information" (as defined under applicable securities laws), based on management's best estimates, assumptions and current expectations. Such statements include but are not limited to, expectations for production at the Pan Mine, advancing exploration and development of the Gold Rock project, goal to become a 150,000-ounce producer, goal to acquire additional production or near production assets, and other statements, estimates or expectations. Often, but not always, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "expects", "expected", "budgeted", "targets", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "scheduled", "estimates", "aims", "will", "believes", "projects" and similar expressions (including negative variations) which by their nature refer to future events. By their very nature, forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond Fiore Gold's control. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Forward looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, as well as a number of assumptions made by, and information currently available to, the Company concerning, among other things, anticipated geological formations, potential mineralization, future plans for exploration and/or development, potential future production, ability to obtain permits for future operations, drilling exposure, and exploration budgets and timing of expenditures, all of which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievement of Fiore Gold to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from results anticipated by such forward looking statements include, but not limited to, risks related to the Pan Mine performance, risks related to the company's limited operating history; risks related to international operations; risks related to general economic conditions, actual results of current or future exploration activities, unanticipated reclamation expenses; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; fluctuations in prices of metals including gold; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; increases in market prices of mining consumables; possible variations in ore reserves, grade or recovery rates; uncertainties involved in the interpretation of drilling results, test results and the estimation of gold resources and reserves; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; the possibility that capital and operating costs may be higher than currently estimated; the possibility of cost overruns or unanticipated expenses in the work programs; availability of financing; accidents, labour disputes, title disputes, claims and limitations on insurance coverage and other risks of the mining industry; delays in the completion of exploration, development or construction activities; the possibility that required permits may not be obtained on a timely manner or at all; possibility that the Gold Rock Record of Decision will be appealed and that such an appeal may be successful; changes in national and local government regulation of mining operations, tax rules and regulations, and political and economic developments in countries in which Fiore Gold operates, and other factors identified in Fiore Gold's filing with Canadian securities authorities under its profile at www.sedar.com respecting the risks affecting Fiore and its business. Although Fiore has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. 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. The forward-looking statements and forward-looking information are made as of the date hereof and are qualified in their entirety by th PR-Inside.com: 2018-11-08 15:38:06 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 924 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 8, 2018 / Fort St. James Nickel Corp. (TSX-V: FTJ; BER: WL3P; OTC PINK: OARFF ) (''FTJ'' or the ''Company'') is pleased to announce it has completed the 2018 diamond drilling program at its Porcupine Base Metal - Precious Metal - Rare Earth Element (REE) Property, located in central New Brunswick. The program was conducted in the central region of the property targeting an area of base metal and silver mineralization discovered previously by option partner, Great Atlantic Resources Corp. (GR). Four shallow drill holes were completed (227 total meters), all intersecting local base metal sulfide mineralization. Property highlights include:Channel Sample: 5.48% zinc & 1.08% lead over 1 meter (Line 4W Trench).Boulder Sample: 20.7% lead, 6.89% zinc and 122 G/T silver (Line 3W Trench).Multi-element soil geochemical anomalies in central and southern regions.Induced polarization (IP) geophysical anomalies in central and southern regions.Vein with base metals sulfides in drill hole PO-18-4The 2018 diamond drilling program tested under a mineralized exposer in a 2012 trench (Line 4W Trench). A one meter channel sample collected from this exposure in 2012 was reported to return 5.48% zinc and 1.08% lead. A qualified person has not verified this data as the sample location is no longer evident in the trench. A qualified person has verified lead, zinc and copper sulfide mineralization in stringers / veins within this approximately 25m long east-west trending trench. A boulder sample collected during 2012 in an adjacent trench (Line 3W Trench) was reported to return 20.7% lead, 6.89% zinc, 2.04% copper and 122 grams / tonne (g/t) silver. A qualified person has not verified these boulders / data as this trench has been reclaimed. The 2012 trenching was conducted by the option partner, Great Atlantic Resources Corp. in an area of base metal geochemical anomalies and IP geophysical anomalies.Each of the 2018 diamond drill holes intersected local, near-surface base metal sulfide mineralization, occurring as disseminations in host rock and in veinlets / veins. Drill core samples are currently being cut for multi-element analysis.Veins with base metals sulfides in drill hole PO-18-1The Porcupine Property occurs within the Miramichi terrane which trends northeast-southwest through New Brunswick. The Miramichi terrane hosts numerous volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits in northeast New Brunswick in the famous Bathurst Camp. Many of these deposits were mined, including the historic Heath Steele Mine, located approximately 40 kilometers northeast of the Porcupine Property. Volcanic rocks are reported locally within the Porcupine Property.Lead and zinc sulfide mineralization in 2012 Line 4W TrenchThe Porcupine Property is located approximately 50 kilometers west of the city of Miramichi. Access is excellent with logging roads transecting the property. The property currently covers an area of approximately 2,830 hectares.David Martin, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, is responsible for the technical information contained in this News Release. Mr. Martin is a consultant for Fort St. James Nickel Corp. and VP Exploration for Great Atlantic Resources Corp.ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD''Barry Brown''PresidentFort St James Nickel Corp. 604-488-3900Forward-Looking StatementsThis news release includes certain statements that constitute ''forward-looking statements'' within the meaning of applicable securities law, including without limitation, statements that address the Private Placement and the listing on TSXV Tier 2, and other matters. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions. These statements relate to analyses and other information that are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as ''expects'' or ''does not expect'', ''is expected'', ''anticipates'' or ''does not anticipate'', ''plans'', ''estimates'' or ''intends'', or stating that certain actions, events or results ''may'', ''could'', ''would'', ''might'' or ''will'' be taken, occur or be achieved), and variations of such words, and similar expressions are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statement are necessarily based upon a number of factors that, if untrue, could cause the actual results, performances or achievements of the Company to be materially different from future results, performances or achievements express or implied by such statements. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, including the price of metals. While such estimates and assumptions are considered reasonable by the management of the Company, they are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive and regulatory uncertainties and risks. In particular, there is no guarantee that exploration work, as proposed, or otherwise, will be completed on the Company's properties.Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual events, level of activity, performance or results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: (i) risks related to commodity price fluctuations; (ii) risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of exploration results; (iii) risks related to the inherent uncertainty of exploration and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; (iv) that resource exploration and development is a speculative business; (v) that the Company may lose or abandon its property interests or may fail to receive necessary licences and permits; (vi) that environmental laws and regulations may become more onerous; (vii) that the Company may not be able to raise additional funds when necessary; (viii) the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; (ix) exploration and development risks, Henyard, who won a second term last year and would have been forced to run again in February had the mayors trustee reduction referendum passed, said she was pleased that it appeared her seat was safe until 2021, when her second term ends. PR-Inside.com: 2018-11-08 17:32:02 Connecting influencers, businesses, and consumers for a new social-commerce experience. Besancon, Nov 7, 2018: Influbook, the first open-network for Influencers to build their social reputation, connect directly with the brands they love, and join forces to offer consumers a new way to discover products and services through the passionate storytelling of influencers around the world. The vast majority of influencer marketing budgets go to the top 1% influencers - Influbook empowers the remaining 99%. Without costly marketing services, businesses are challenged with finding, qualifying & connecting with relevant influencers. At the same time, influencers struggle to prove their value and monetize their social media audiences. We enable the perfect match for an influencer of any size with the marketing objectives and budget of any business. The goal is to open up the influencer ecosystem to a wider audience where influencers, marketers & consumers can easily discover, qualify, and connect for free to democratizes influence while generating new revenue opportunities for the sharing economy. Influbook empowers consumers with a network of shoppable blogs that combine brand descriptions with passionate influencer posts from any social network in a single place...At the moment of buying decision. Based on popular demand, Influbook has also adopted a strategy to white label its platform to companies, cities, and governments as a new way to invite qualified influencers to promote their services directly on their company websites. Influencers enable MicroMania with an effective channel to communicate with its community of gamers and Influbook is well positioned to lead this activity", says Nicolas Bertrand, Senior Vice President, GameStop Europe, and Filip Soete, Chief Commercial Officer, Nice International Airport quotes "At the Nice Cote d'Azur Airport, we have thirteen million passengers a year that walk through our Duty Free shops and we are eager to work with influencers to promote the brands we represent. A collaboration with Influbook on a strategy to gain visibility on the social networks of their influencers would certainly be beneficial for the airport and our customers". Chaineum, a leading ICO boutique in Europe is assisting Influbook with its ICO and the tokenization of it cryptocurrency, the Fluence, an ERC20 utility token. Fluence can be used for payments and purchases on the Influbook platform with five strong utility cases: E-commerce, Influencer Marketing Campaigns, Community rewards, Cash-back rewards, Voting rights. For more information, visit our ICO website at www.influbook.io . Influbook was part of the Alpha startup program at WebSummit in Lisbon on Nov 5 8. Nathan Frey, the founder, was pitching on November 6. Also join us at many other conferences to include BlockShow Asia in Singapore on Nov 27 30, World Blockchain Summit Riyadh on Dec 5 6, and CryptoBlockCon Las Vegas Dec 11 -12. Company: info@influbook.com Press: press@influbook.com Main Website: www.influbook.com ICO Website: www.influbook.io Twitter: twitter.com/influbook Facebook: facebook.com/influblog LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/influbook Telegram: t.me/influbook Chaineum Capital Partners Founded by Laurent Leloup , an expert in blockchain and corporate finance, Chaineum Capital Partners, specialized in decentralized economy and blockchain technology, provides strategic and financial advice, and also accompaniment to corporates, investors, family offices, financial sponsors, banks and governments. Chaineum Capital Partner is specialized in: Financial and Crypto Financial Engineering, tokenomics, assets tokenization and cryptocurrencies ; process of raising funds via token sale*, fundraising, funding, private placement; M&A advisory, blockchain investments strategy. Chaineum Capital Partners, the bridge between old finance & crypto finance. Headquarters in Besancon + offices in Paris, Geneva & Neuchatel. www.chaineum.com Contact : Laurent Leloup - CEO ll@chaineum.com PR-Inside.com: 2018-11-07 22:51:02 HAMILTON, Bermuda, Nov. 07, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The changing nature of work and emergence of new jobs in the future will be the focus of the keynote speech at this months Bermuda Executive Forum in London. Organised by the Bermuda Business Development Agency (BDA), the multi-industry November 27 forum at ME London will feature as its lunchtime keynote speaker Euan Davis, Associate Vice President of the Center for the Future of Work Europe at Cognizant Technology Solutions. Davis, an expert in the business and IT services landscape, will examine how work is changing as new technologies, business practices and workers emerge over the next decade. We are incredibly excited to have Euan and Cognizant participate in this, our second London forum, said BDA Interim CEO Sean Moran. As we prepare for the new employment landscape of the future, insights such as his will be critical in helping industries prepare and in putting Bermuda on the best footing possible. We look forward to a stimulating presentation and resulting discussion on a day when were celebrating Bermudas innovative corporate culture and breadth of market opportunities. The Centre for the Future of Work is a think-tank established by technology services company Cognizant. Its team of industry analysts and futurists researches work trends and dynamics, and collaborates with business, technology and academic thought-leaders about how jobs, careers and societies will change in response to massive disruption driven by fast-changing factors such as artificial intelligence and automation. The number-one reason why work is changing so quickly is the vista of new technology opening up before us and the skills needed to thrive, noted Davis. Many people are excited and energised by what they see emerging; others are scared and afraid. Cognizant believes many types of work will disappear, but there will be new jobs emerging, in new industries, and they will be the cornerstones of employment for years to come. The forum is the fourth cross-sector conferenceand the third this yearproduced by the BDA, following successful events in London last November, New York in May, and Miami last month that each drew turnouts of up to 300 executives. More than 60 industry experts will participate on a dozen panels, discussing trends and opportunities in re/insurance, captive insurance, asset management, high-net-worth services, family offices, captive insurance, plus fintech and digital assets industries. Two related half-day forums will follow on November 28 at the same venuea deeper look at the latest developments in Bermudas blossoming fintech sector that morning, and a focus on the islands world-leading insurance-linked securities (ILS) market in the afternoon. For agenda details or to register for the complimentary November 27 Bermuda Executive Forum in London, contact the BDA at info@bda.bm or go to http://bda.bm/bermuda-executive-forum-london/ MEDIA CONTACT: Rosemary Jones Head of Communications & Marketing rosemary@bda.bm 441 278-6558 441 337-4696 CONNECTING BUSINESS The BDA encourages direct investment and helps companies start up, re-locate or expand their operations in our premier jurisdiction. An independent, public-private partnership, we connect you to industry professionals, regulatory officials, and key contacts in the Bermuda government to assist domicile decisions. Our goal? To make doing business in Bermuda smooth and beneficial. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b3a1fcca-a8bf-41f6-9dff-ead4d5424d1c PR-Inside.com: 2018-11-08 14:32:12 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 944 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 8, 2018 / With sales efforts for our 'PDTWellness' line of organic, full spectrum, pharmaceutical grade CBD products forthe dental office now imminent, Preferred Dental Technologies Inc. is pleasedto introduce Mr. Jay Magee, the first of our independent salesrepresentatives.Our line of product (covered in our October 31st News Releaseis all grown, harvested and manufactured in the US. and will be marketedwhere permitted following individual state and federal regulations. Anon-intoxicating component of industrial hemp, CBD has garnered huge attentionas research continues to show its medical potential. When asked about the 'PDTWellness' product launch and the potential role of our CBD products he will be introducingin the dental space Mr. Magee commented:"It is estimated that 30% of opioid prescriptions are coming out of thedental field.This is of growing concern to the dental professionalcommunity, as well as the patients they are treating.A growing body ofresearch is showing that CBD oil has the potential of dramatically reducing theneed for strong prescriptions.It also will allow the doctor to offer aproduct that is totally unique within dental practices. Doctors will be able toaddress their patients' health, well-being and anxiety in visiting the dentistby incorporating it into their treatment offerings. It also has the potentialto add a new revenue stream to the practices that will be offering thispharmaceutical grade product.Finally , patients will be favorablyimpressed by the high-quality standards governing the production of our CBD oil- no more hit and miss purchases made from sketchy sources." We have taken time and great effort to properly vet our candidates.Given the nature of the dental space and the technical nature of our products,we had high standards we required be met: a strong background in the dentalsales space, excellent relations with an existing client base and an ability toeasily explain the technical benefits of our product.Our new salesrep meets all these criteria and is excited to be able to promote products asinnovative as ours.Mr. Jay Magee has over two decades sales and marketing experience andhas built a broad network of relationships in dental offices while working forsuch multimillion-dollar companies as Westar, SDS, Pelton & Crane, Marus,DCI, A-dec and DentalEZ. Mr. Magee is a true veteran of the dental industry,having managed production, personnel, purchasing as well as international anddomestic sales for these companies. Within this space, Mr. Magee has cultivateda respected presence in dental offices throughout his territory in the AmericanSoutheast, including the States of Georgia, West Virginia and South Carolina.In addition to the 'PDT Wellness' lineup of CBD products, Mr. Magee has beenfully trained in the EAS Series of dental abutment components. Having experiencedfirst hand the dental implant space for years, Mr. Magee has the following tosay about how he expects dentists to receive our product:"I am very excited about the EAS product line.To say that the implantbusiness is highly populated is an understatement, but if doctors will look atthis system openly, they will find that it solves problems that other systemssimply cannot address in terms of angulation and fixation of thecomponents.Furthermore , the system is unique in its totalretrievability.This allows for the doctor and their practice to betteraddress the future hygiene and well-being of the patient, and achieve muchlonger, healthy and lasting outcomes for that patient.In all thecompanies that I have worked for and represented in the dental market, I havecome to learn that those products that make the dentists life easier, and trulyproduce better patient treatment outcomes are not only the most successful, butmost valued by the dental community writ large.This versatile system,utilizing well established dental technique and incorporating the finestmaterials available, hits this mark dead-on." Erik Siegmund, President and CEO stated "Ensuring that the right people are representing PDT in dental officesaround the world has been a key goal as our unique Value Plus sales propositionrelies on strong customer relations and technical excellence. With thesetrained individuals hitting the streets we are excited for the next months ofprogress for the company. Mr. Jay Mageeis a valuable addition to our team." AboutPDTIPreferredDental Technologies Inc. (PDTI) has been established to advance development andcommercialization of various evolutionary and disruptive technologies in thedental implant industry.MISSION INNOVATIVE &PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS FOR THE DENTAL INDUSTRYVisit: www.preferreddentalimplant.com Onbehalf of Preferred Dental Technologies Inc.ErikSiegmundChiefExecutive OfficerEmail:info@ prefdent.com Tel:204.691.3722Thisnews release may contain forward-looking information which is not comprised ofhistorical facts. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties andother factors that could cause actual events, results, performance, prospectsand opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by suchforward-looking information. Forward-looking information in this news releasemay include, but is not limited to, the Company's objectives, goals or futureplans. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from suchforward-looking information include, but are not limited to, those risks setout in the Company's public documents filed on SEDAR. Although the Companybelieves that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-lookinginformation in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not beplaced on such information, which only applies as of the date of this newsrelease, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in thedisclosed time frames or at all. The Company disclaims any intention orobligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as aresult of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required bylaw. Neither The Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulations ServicesProvider (as that term is defined in the policies of The Canadian SecuritiesExchange accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.SOURCE: PreferredDental Technologies Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2018-11-08 14:00:44 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 981 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 WELLINGTON COUNTY, ON / ACCESSWIRE / November 8, 2018 / Spruce Ridge Resources Limited (TSXV: SHL) ("Spruce Ridge") is pleased to announce it has awarded a diamond drilling contract to NPLH Drilling of Timmins, Ontario. Spruce Ridge and its joint venture partner, a private group of knowledgeable mining investors, plan a diamond drilling program of approximately 2,000 metres on their optioned property in Crawford Township, Ontario. Drilling is planned to start immediately.Spruce Ridge's option agreement on the Crawford project was reported in a news release of May 8th, 2018, and the participation of the private investor group was reported in a news release of September 27th, 2018.The primary target of the Crawford drilling program is an ultramafic and mafic intrusive complex which covers an area of approximately 3.5 by 2.0 kilometres, estimated from recently completed airborne geophysical surveys. An airborne gravity survey using the Falcon system was recently carried out by Noble Minerals Inc., the Optionor of the Crawford property. A helicopter-borne electromagnetic and magnetic survey also covered the area.The presence of ultramafic and mafic intrusive rocks is confirmed by limited diamond drilling performed in the 1960s. Ultramafic-mafic complexes are favourable sites for nickel copper cobalt platinum-group elements (PGEs). The primary target of the upcoming drill program is a magnetic anomaly peak and closely associated 1400-metre long EM conductor. An artificial intelligence (AI) assessment of combined geological and geophysical data confirmed the favourable interpretation of the ultramafic-mafic intrusive complex as a target for nickel mineralization, as well as highlighting VMS-type targets elsewhere on the Crawford property (see news release of July 16th, 2018).The Crawford property is crossed from south to north by provincial highway 655. The target area is 42 kilometres by road from the centre of Timmins, and it is 17 kilometres north of the Kidd Creek zinc-copper-silver mine, which has been in continuous operation for 50 years, producing in excess of 100 million tonnes of ore, making it one of the largest VMS mines in Canada and in the world. The Timmins mining camp has produced more gold than any other mining district in Canada, over 70 million ounces to date. Gold mining commenced in 1909 and continues today, with new discoveries being made in response to new exploration programs. The target area for the present drilling program is within 1,500 metres of highway 655.Despite being so close to a major mining camp, the Crawford property has seen relatively little historical exploration. It is in the Abitibi Clay Belt; outcrops are essentially non-existent, making conventional prospecting impossible. The clay and till cover is up to 60 metres thick, and the clay interfered with early electromagnetic survey systems, creating false anomalies and distorting bedrock conductive responses so that anomalies often appeared in the wrong place. Modern electromagnetic methods have largely overcome the clay effects and enable definition of drill targets under thick overburden. Magnetic and gravity surveys are also unaffected by clay and have played a major role in defining the current exploration targets.- 30 -About Spruce Ridge ResourcesSpruce Ridge Resources has a 100% interest in the Great Burnt Copper/Gold Property in Central Newfoundland which covers a series of copper gold rich VMS deposits including the Great Burnt Main Deposit. Potential high-grade starter pit identified with 237,000 tonnes at 2.51% copper (undiluted) at the Great Burnt Zone. Management considers that an open pit with processing at a custom facility should have low capex requirements. It also has a 50% joint venture with Americas Silver Corporation on property that contains tailings with low grade gold and silver from the Drumlummon Mine in Montana and an agreement with Anaconda Mining whereby Anaconda acquired from Spruce Ridge the Viking and Kramer gold properties in northwestern Newfoundland. The Viking property is host to the Thor Deposit which has combined Indicated and Inferred resources totaling 83,000 ounces of gold at an average grade of 2.09 and 1.79 g/t Au respectively at a 1.0 g/t Au cutoff.Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The technical material in this news release has been prepared and/or reviewed by Colin Bowdidge, Ph.D., P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101. No information is available on sample preparation, security, analytical procedures or QA/QC protocols used by INCO in its 1965 drilling program on the Crawford propertyFor further information please contact:John Ryan, President & CEOSpruce Ridge Resources Ltd.Phone: 519-822-5904Email: shiitakejr@ gmail.com CAUTIONARY STATEMENT: This News Release includes certain "forward-looking statements" which are not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", or "plan". Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to the Company, the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the Company's objectives, goals or future plans, statements regarding exploration results, potential mineralization, the estimation of mineral resources, exploration and mine development plans, timing of the commencement of operations and estimates of market conditions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to failure to identify mineral resources, failure to convert estimated PR-Inside.com: 2018-11-08 19:32:43 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 377 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 8, 2018 / For the three months ended September 30, 2018 ("Q1 2019"), revenue increased to $411,608 from $298,849 in the corresponding period in fiscal 2018 ("Q1 2018"). Electricity generation for the three months was below average whereas in Q1 2018 generation was at record lows. Electricity sales for Q1 2019 were $154,424 higher than in Q1 2018.The net loss attributable to shareholders of the Company for Q1 2019 was $576,986 as compared to the net loss attributable to shareholders of $673,465 for Q1 2018. The decrease in net loss for Q1 2019 as compared to Q1 2018 is primarily due to higher electricity sales partly offset by lower engineering consulting revenue. Net loss per share in Q1 2019 was $0.02 as compared to a net loss per share of $0.02 in Q1 2018.The capital expenditures in respect of the development of run-of-river hydro projects in British Columbia for Q1 2019 was $60,170 as compared to $38,760 for Q1 2018. The Power Division was most active on the proposed 4.3MW Newcastle Creek Project (the "Newcastle Project") and 5MW McKelvie Creek Project (the "McKelvie Project").At September 30, 2018, the Company had a cash balance of $438,763 as compared to $1,131,414 at June 30, 2018. The total loan principal outstanding to the Canadian Western Bank was $14,311,410 at September 30, 2018 as compared to $14,539,990 at June 30, 2018. Loans payable at September 30, 2018 included a current portion of $7,528,487 and a non-current portion of $6,782,923.The Company is a successful hydroelectric developer and consultant in British Columbia. The Company wholly owns or has proportionate interests in a net total of 12 MW of operating facilities and 9 MW of construction ready facilities."G.J.Sunell"___Greg Sunell, President400 - 1444 Alberni Street, Vancouver BC V6G 2Z4Phone (604) 688-8271 Ext. 309 Fax (604) 688-1286E-mail: gsunell@ synex.com Web Site: www.synex.com Forward Looking Statements: This pressrelease contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements reflect our current expectations and are subject to change. They are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, changes in economic conditions, risks associated with the construction and operation of hydroelectric facilities and changes in government policies. The Company assumes no obligation to update or revise forward-lookinginformation to reflect changes in assumptions, changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law.SOURCE: Synex International Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2018-11-08 07:56:01 Taichung World Flora Expo Highlight: "The Sound of Blooming" Sanlih E-Television Co., Ltd. Renie Lee +886-937-098-066 renie@mail.sanlih.com.tw The Sound of Blooming, a large installation created by Luxury Logico, a group that consists of four artists, will be featured by the Taichung World Flora Expo from Nov. 3 through April 24, 2019. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181107006 Taichung World Flora Expo Highlight: "The Sound of Blooming" (Photo: Business Wire) The installation, called by some as a large diamond fell from the sky or the largest mechanical flower on earth, is one of the major highlights of this years exposition. The Sound of Blooming is a 15 meters tall, sphere-shaped installation composed with a total of 697 mechanical flowers. Each flower is a single unit that is made with 250 components of 75 kinds. In addition, each unit of flower is also interactive which will move in accordance with different degrees of sunlight exposure and humidity. These mechanical flowers will not only sway in the wind but also curl when they are approached by viewers. Luxury Logico, formed by Chang Geng-hwa, Chang Keng-hau, Lin Kun-ying, and Chen Chih-chien, was also the team that created the torch lighting mechanism for the 2017 Summer Universiade. This time, the team collaborated with twelve Taichung-based companies, including Hiwin Technologies Corp., HIWIN MIKROSYSTEM, EARTHPOWER, REIJU Construction Co., Ltd., Li Ming Machinery Co., Ltd., Philips Lighting, Taiwan, Kuan Yuan Paper, Ji-feng Sheet Metal Corp., and Ta Chen Fong umbrella Co., Ltd., to create the mechanical flower installation. It took eight months to complete. They observed that plants produce flowers to attract bugs and birds to distribute pollen for reproduction. Thus, they chose flower as the theme to explore life and growth, seeking to present the symbiotic relationships between flowers and other creatures, as well as between humans through interdisciplinary application of industrial design, lighting, sound, and art, according to Luxury Logico. Chang Geng-hwa noted that the collaboration brought together twelve enterprises specializing in different fields that all spared no efforts in making this happen. The project is also rewarding for each company in terms of knowledge sharing and opportunity of future partnership. Stationed at the Houli Forest Park venue, the movement of the installation will be directed by Lin Kun-ying () to pair with the music composed by Chen Chien-chi (), giving this flower of Taiwan a dynamic and magical look during the day and in the night-time. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181107006 PR-Inside.com: 2018-11-08 13:01:01 Vectura Group announces global agreement with Hikma to develop generic versions of GSKs Ellipta portfolio Upfront payment of US$15m Up to US$80m of development milestone payments Mid teen percentage profit share arrangement for each portfolio product Chippenham, UK 08 November 2018: Vectura Group plc (LSE: VEC) ("Vectura", "the Group"), today announces signing an agreement with Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC ("Hikma") for the global development and commercialisation of generic versions of GSKs Ellipta portfolio, utilising Vecturas proprietary Open-Inhale-Close dry powder inhaler device. Following interactions with US FDA, the Open-Inhale-Close dry powder inhaler device has the potential to be developed as an AB-rated substitutable drug-device combination for generic versions of the GSK Ellipta portfolio. This presents a significant opportunity, with net sales for Ellipta products in the US projected to be $4bn by 2024 and over $5.5bn globally1. James Ward-Lilley, Chief Executive Officer of Vectura, said: This is a highly significant and valuable agreement for Vectura, reflecting our increased focus in our complex inhaled generic portfolio. The agreement validates Vecturas rare, industry-leading development capabilities. It also reflects the strong existing relationship we have with Hikma and their confidence in the future of the substitutable inhaled generic segment including VR315 our joint Advair generic programme. The Open-Inhale-Close dry powder inhaler programme includes the development of AB-rated substitutable generics of up to five GSK respiratory medicines. Vectura and Hikma have agreed to develop and commercialise at least three of the portfolio products. A substitutable generic version of Breo Ellipta (fluticasone furoate and vilanterol trifenatate) will be prioritised for the first wave of development. Pharmaceutical and device development work has progressed in parallel with partnering discussions. The new device is an evolution of Vecturas lever-operated multi-dose [LOMI] device and builds on Vectura and Hikmas shared experience with the VR315[US] programme, enabling accelerated development under this new agreement. Details of product specific launch timings will be provided as development progresses. Financial Considerations Upon signing Vectura will receive an upfront payment of US$15m and estimate 5m [US$6.5m] of this revenue to be recognised in 2018. Vectura will be responsible for, and fund, initial device and formulation development. Hikma will be responsible for clinical development, regulatory submission and commercialisation activities. Transfer of the first product to Hikmas manufacturing facility to enable clinical manufacturing, will trigger a $5m milestone payment. Thereafter Vectura will receive milestone payments of up to $75m upon achieving key development milestones, including the delivery of pharmacokinetic clinical trials, pivotal clinical trials, ANDA submissions and FDA approvals. On approval Vectura will receive a share of distributable net profit up to a mid teen percentage for each portfolio product. In the event cumulative net global sales of the combined products reaching $1bn, $3bn and $5bn Vectura is also eligible to receive milestone payments of $25m, $35m and $40m respectively. Vectura will contribute up to US$70m towards Hikmas development activities for the portfolio. Vecturas contribution to the development costs will be deferred and made through a reduced profit share mechanism following commercial launch of the first product. Vecturas investment in the programmes does not alter the companys R&D guidance for 2018 and 2019. Ends Conference Call James Ward-Lilley, Chief Executive Officer, will be joined by Roger Heerman, Executive Vice President Business Development and Martin Oliver, Senior Vice President Generic Programmes for a live conference call today at 09.30 GMT to discuss the agreement. A copy of the presentation will be available on Vecturas website 30 minutes before the call. Link: http://www.vectura.com/investors/presentations-webcasts/ Dial-in details: Participant local dial-in: 0844 571 8892 (UK) Participant free phone dial-in: 0800 376 7922 (UK) Conference ID: 5084804 For more information, please contact: Vectura Group plc +44 (0)7471 352 720 David Ginivan VP Corporate Communications Richard Bramwell Corporate Communications Julia Wilson Director Investor Relations +44 (0)7818 430 877 Consilium Strategic Communications +44 (0)20 3709 5700 Mary-Jane Elliott / Jessica Hodgson / David Daley About Vectura Vectura is an industry-leading inhaled product formulation, device design and development business offering a uniquely integrated inhaled drug delivery platform. We develop inhalation products to help patients suffering from airways diseases. Vectura has eight key inhaled, two non-inhaled and ten oral products marketed by partners with growing global royalty streams, and a diverse partnered portfolio of drugs in clinical development. Our partners include Hikma, Novartis, Sandoz, Mundipharma, Kyorin, Baxter, GSK, UCB, Ablynx, Bayer, Chiesi, Almirall, Janssen, Dynavax and Tianjin KingYork. Vectura's strategy is to fully leverage its differentiated technology and skills, maximising value by enhancing the delivery and performance of inhaled products and through the development of high-quality generic alternatives to branded therapies. For further information, please visit Vectura's website at www.vectura.com. About Hikma Hikma helps put better health within reach every day for millions of people in more than 50 countries around the world. For 40 years, weve been creating high-quality medicines and making them accessible to the people who need them. We're a global company with a local presence across the United States (US), the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Europe, and we use our unique insight and expertise to transform cutting-edge science into innovative solutions that transform people's lives. We're committed to our customers, and the people they care for, and by thinking creatively and acting practically, we provide them with a broad range of branded and non-branded generic medicines. Together, our 8,500 colleagues are helping to shape a healthier world that enriches all our communities. We are a leading licensing partner in the MENA region, and through our venture capital arm, are helping bring innovative health technologies to people around the world. For more information, please visit www.hikma.com. 1 Global Data October 2018 The International Monetary Fund (IMF), says the Nigerian economy is expected to grow by 1.9 per cent in 2018, up from 0.8 per cent in 2017, mostly owing to fewer disruptions in oil production. Amine Mati, the IMF Senior Resident Representative for Nigeria, said this while presenting the Fall 2018 Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa on Thursday in Abuja. Mr Mati said that some pick-up in the non-oil economy was also responsible for the predicted growth. The recovery is expected to contribute about 0.7 percentage points to the regions average growth in 2018 and lift activity in Nigerias trading partners through stronger remittances, financial spillovers and import demand. He also said that average growth for the region was expected to reach about 3.1 per cent in 2018, up from 2.7 per cent in 2017. According to him, recovery in sub-Saharan Africa is expected to continue amidst rising risks as growth momentum improved most notably for oil exporters, mainly in Nigeria, but remains subdued in South Africa. He said that as the magnitude of capital flows to the region increased, the volatility also increased. He, however, said that further escalation of trade tensions could threaten the recovery, adding that if the tensions persist, it would have potential impact on Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Mr Mati also said that public debt was diverting more resources toward interests payments, adding that for Nigeria, though debt to GDP was quite low, more than 50 per cent of revenue went into interest payments. He said that increase in revenue was very important to bridge the gap to ensure that revenue to GDP was sufficient to pay up and service the debt profitably. The IMF representative also said that meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs would require stronger growth and more financing. He said that policies that would enhance creation of about 20 million new jobs yearly in the region to meet the demand was needed as meeting the SDGs by 2030 was dependent on that. Mr Mati, however, said that job creation was complicated by uncertainty on the extent to which technology replaces labour. Meanwhile, Nnanna Okwu, the Deputy Governor, Economic Policy, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), said capital inflows into Nigeria responds to both domestic and external shocks. Represented by Friday Ogwuche, also of the CBN, he said Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs), inflows were becoming more diversified in response to the changing structure of the Nigerian economy. He said that there were certain factors shaping capital inflow behaviour in recent times, adding that high oil prices and growth in external reserves provides confidence for capital inflows into the country. Mr Okwu also said that tepid recovery from recession and relatively stable macroeconomic environment provided impetus for capital inflows back to Nigeria between 2017 and 2018. Also, uncertain political environment as a result of the 2019 general elections is a source of concern for foreign investors and may have influenced capital reversal in recent months, he also said. A Pakistani Christian woman acquitted of blasphemy after spending eight years on death row has been freed from prison. However officials said on Thursday that she is now at a secure location for fear of attacks. The release of Asia Bibi, a mother of five, prompted anger from a hard-line Islamist party that has threatened to paralyse daily life countrywide with street protests if her acquittal was not reversed. Ms Bibi, 53, was convicted of blasphemy in 2010 over allegations she made derogatory remarks about Islam after neighbours objected to her drinking water from their glass because she was not Muslim. She denied having committed blasphemy. The case has outraged Christians worldwide, and Pope Francis met Bibis family this year, saying he prayed for her. Italy said on Tuesday it would try to help Bibi, who is Catholic, to leave Pakistan. Muahmmad Faisal, spokesman for Pakistan foreign ministry, on Thursday morning denied media reports Bibi has been flown out of country. She is in Pakistan, Mr Faisal told Reuters via the WhatsApp messaging service. Insulting Islams Prophet Mohammad carries a mandatory death penalty in Pakistan, which is about 95 percent Muslim and has among the harshest blasphemy laws in the world. No executions for blasphemy have been carried out in Pakistan but enraged mobs sometimes kill people accused of blasphemy. Christians make up about 2 per cent of the population. Three security officials told Reuters early on Thursday that Bibi had been released from a prison in Multan, a city in the south of Punjab province. She was flown to the airport near the capital, Islamabad, and was in protective custody because of threats to her life, said the three officials, speaking on condition of anonymity. Ms Bibis lawyer, who has fled Pakistan and this week sought asylum in the Netherlands, confirmed she was no longer in prison. All I can tell you is that she has been released, lawyer Saif-ul-Mulook told Reuters by phone from the Netherlands. A spokesman for the hard-line Tehreek-e-Labaik (TLP) party, which took to the streets after the Supreme Court ruling, said her release violated a deal with the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan to end the protests. The TLP activists are agitated as the government has breached the agreement with our party. The rulers have showed their dishonesty, party spokesman Ejaz Ashrafi told Reuters. Under the deal, the government said it would not block a petition to the Supreme Court to review Ms Bibis acquittal in light of sharia, Islamic religious law, the TLP said. It also said the government promised to work to ensure Bibi could not leave the country. If the government allows Ms Bibi to leave, it would likely face more paralysing protests from the TLP and other Islamist parties. (Reuters/NAN) Police in Ethiopia have discovered a mass grave containing the bodies of some 200 people in the eastern part of the country. The discovery was made during an investigation into Abdi Mohammed, the former President of the Border Region of Somali. Mr Mohammed is suspected of human rights violations and of being connected to a special police force active in the region that is known to have committed violent acts, state-affiliated broadcaster Fana reported on Thursday. He is currently in detention. The bodies will be exhumed during the next 14 days, police said. It is not yet clear where the people were from or what happened to them. Ethiopian officials fear that hundreds of people were killed during clashes between several ethnic groups in the eastern border regions in early August. Similarly, Former Ethiopian Opposition Leader, Birtukan Midkesa, returned home on Thursday, ending eight years of exile, as reconciliation initiated by Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, deepens. Midkesa was greeted at the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport by senior Ethiopian government officials and hundreds of well-wishers. Speaking on arrival, Midkesa said she returned after eight years in exile, to support the reform process in Ethiopia and to encourage more women participation in politics. Womens participation in political office and administration is a solution to deep seated patriarchy in Ethiopian society and during my stay in Ethiopia. I plan to support womens political participation to ensure gender equality, Midkesa said. Midkesa was a prominent leader of the now defunct Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) opposition group, rising to international profile in the bloody aftermath of the contested May 2005 national elections. In spite of taking more than 100 seats in the 547-seat Ethiopian parliament, CUD leaders including Midkesa rejected the election outcome, alleging vote rigged by the ruling party Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). Bloody clashes between CUD supporters and Ethiopian security forces in the aftermath of the May 2005 national elections left about 200 people dead and Midkesa was jailed in November 2005, accused of trying to overthrow the government. Midkesa was pardoned and released by the Ethiopian government in July 2007, but she was jailed again in December 2008, accused of breaking her release conditions. She was again released in October 2010, and shortly after that she went into exile in the U.S., where she has in recent years kept a low profile, until Abiy came to office in April. Abiy, who took office on April 2, has been calling for all opposition groups, government critics and others in exile to be part of the countrys ongoing reform process. His administration has also been implementing measures aimed at creating a nationwide reconciliation, including the release of high-level political prisoners, invitation for Ethiopian rebel groups for talks, as well as the decision to normalise relations with neighboring Eritrea. Various popular Ethiopian rebel groups such as the Patriotic Ginbot 7, Oromo Liberation Front, and the Ogaden National Liberation Front have since declared ceasefire with the government, and their leaders returned from exile over the past couple of months. (dpa/NAN) None of them were born that way, none of them were wrapped in a swastika flag when they came home from hospital. I know that they learned how to do this, he said. My goal is to always find out where the trajectory happened, so I can fill those pot holes in. No fewer than 11 security personnel were killed and 12 others injured after the Taliban insurgents attacked a military base in Khwaja Ghar District of the Northern Takhar province on Thursday. This is contained in a statement issued by Provincial Police Spokesman Abdul Khalil Asir. The insurgents, according to the official, stormed the military base in Darwazakan area of Khwaja Ghar district at 1:00 a.m. local time killing 11 soldiers on the spot and injuring 12 others. However, eight militants were also killed in the fire fight and the insurgents fled the area, the official asserted. (Xinhua/NAN) A Turkish journalist was handed a suspended sentence of two years and five months in prison on Thursday for insulting Turkeys President Tayyip Erdogan, a court ruling seen by Reuters showed. Husnu Mahalli, a prominent journalist who also writes columns in the opposition newspaper Sozcu, will, however, not be sent to jail due to time already served and as the ruling is up for appeal. The Turkish court also handed Mr Mahalli a suspended sentence of one year and eight months for insulting public officials. Mr Mahalli will only serve the less sentence if he commits a crime that requires a prison sentence in the next five years, during which he will be on probation. My client has been sentenced due to the expressions he used in his columns, tweets. These should be regarded within the freedom of criticism. We will appeal the sentence, Mahallis lawyer, Ertugrul Aydogan, said. Mr Mahalli was detained in December 2016 after he accused Turkey of assisting terrorist groups in Syria and called Erdogan a dictator. He was released in January in 2017 pending trial. Mahalli defended himself in court, saying he was doing his journalistic duty, a privately-owned Demiroren news agency (DHA) reported. I have not insulted the president. I have always addressed him as Mr. President. The word dictator is not an insulting word. I demand my acquittal, he said during his defense, DHA said. Turkish authorities have detained tens of thousands of civil servants, journalists, soldiers and others following a failed military coup in July 2016. They have also shut down about 130 media outlets. Erdogan has said some journalists helped nurture terrorists through their writing. He said the crackdown was needed to ensure stability in Turkey, a NATO member that borders Syria, Iraq and Iran. Critics assert that Erdogan had been using the post-coup crackdown to muzzle dissent and tighten his grip on power, charges he denied. The European Union, which Turkey aspires to join, has also criticised the crackdown. (Reuters/NAN) Israeli police on Thursday recommended the trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus lawyer and five other suspects over a $2 billion sale of German Thyssenkrupp submarines to Israel. The police said the suspects should be arraigned on bribery charges. Netanyahu was questioned by police in the investigation but, in a statement announcing its conclusion, police reiterated that the prime minister is not a suspect. The deal for three submarines and four patrol vessels had been the subject of a corruption investigation since 2016. Israels Channel 10 TV first reported that David Shimron, Netanyahus personal lawyer and a distant relative, also represented the local agent of Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems. The report implied a clear case of a conflict of interest. I did not commit any crime, Shimron told Israels YNet news website, which asked him about the police recommendations to prosecutors and posted an audio clip of his comments. Shimrons lawyer, in a statement to Reuters, also denied any wrongdoing by his client, saying he was not involved in the submarine deal. A spokesman for Thyssenkrupp said in a statement: Our information comes so far only from the press, we do not yet have any confirmed information. As soon as we know all the facts, we will examine further measures within the framework of legal possibilities. The other suspects facing possible indictment include retired senior naval officers and former government officials. Mr Netanyahu has been named as a suspect in three other corruption investigations. In February, police recommended charging him with bribery in the first two while Israels attorney-general was considering whether to indict him. (Reuters/NAN) The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) says about 1,090,233 people are receiving anti-retroviral drugs in Nigeria as at June this year. The acting director, research, monitoring and evaluation of NACA, Gregoary Ashefor, made the revelation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos. He spoke on the sidelines of a workshop organised by the federal ministry of health (NACA) and the Global Fund, an international financing group. The theme of the three-day workshop is titled Prioritisation of National Health Management Information System, Procurement and Supply Management and Laboratory Systems Interventions in the Resilient and Sustainable System for Health (RSSH) Proposal and Partners Mapping of Global Fund Support in Nigeria. Mr Ashefor said that the U.S. Presidents Emergency Plans for AIDS Relief was responsible for about 75 to 80 per cent of the treatment while the Global Fund was responsible for about 20 per cent. We have other initiatives like the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. They are responsible for about seven or eight per cent. The acting director said the federal government was planning to include an additional 50,000 people from Taraba and Abia to receive treatment. According to him, about 76,000 people are currently on treatment in Taraba and Abia for which the government is solely responsible for. The government has a scale-up plan, called fast-track plan to actually put more people on drugs. There are other interventions going on. The partners are also doing test and treatment in collaboration with the government. Mr Ashefor said, however, that there was still a huge gap in terms of data management. How do we improve reporting? There are some data we are not capturing. The figures could be more than this. We are not capturing the initiatives and data from the private sector, hence a big gap in the data management system. Efforts are on to engage the private sector, so that we will know what they are doing. We want to ensure standards and we also want data. There are other interventions. For example, Global Fund is ready to support the RSSH, which is a way of promoting ownership and sustainability because one day partners will go and government will be left with all the patients. We are about to develop a sustainable plan. The government wants to own it, drive the process and make sure it is on top of everything, he said. (NAN) Editors Note: The headline of the story has been corrected to reflect the one million persons referenced by the official. Two attacks on Nigerian soldiers attached to Multinational Joint Task Force between November 5 and 6 left at least one soldier killed and 16 others missing, military sources told PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday. At least five soldiers were also wounded during the attack on a military camp in Kukawa village on November 5 and an improvised explosive device that went off on a moving military truck in Mallam Fatori on November 6. Both communities are in the northern fringes of Borno State, near the border with Niger Republic. In the November 5 attack, the Boko Haram insurgents tried to overrun a military checkpoint manned by 101 Special Forces and 157 Battalion with five gun trucks around 5:40 p.m. They managed to dislodge the troops and burned two armoured personnel carriers that were already in disrepair, and made away with one anti-aircraft gun and one light machine gun, military sources said. The sources said the Boko Haram terrorists then proceeded to an abandoned secondary school nearby, where the MNJTF soldiers had been using as their base, and burned its administrative office and kitchen down. The attack left one soldier wounded while 16 others were missing in action as of Wednesday night, sources said. The insurgents fled after air support arrived. The Nigerian Air Force personnel pursued the terrorists with an attack helicopter, forcing them to withdraw into their enclaves. Military sources said the Air Force is currently conducting an assessment of the damage, and would forward final findings on potential casualties to command headquarters afterwards. The attack in Mallam Fatori involved troops of 119 Task Force Battalion who were moving back to their battalion headquarters in the border community when their vehicle hit a landmine planted by Boko Haram elements, military sources said while briefing PREMIUM TIMES on the aftermath of the incident. One soldier was killed and four others were wounded in action in the attack, which occurred between Bosso, Niger Republic and Mallam Fatori, headquarters of Abadam Local Government Area of Borno State. It was not immediately clear whether the wounded have been taken to the hospital in Nigeria or Niger. The Defence Headquarters announced last week it had taken new delivery of military equipment, boasting of a tough time ahead for insurgents. The military has said it recorded tremendous gains in its counter-insurgency operations over the past three years, especially after managing to confine the insurgents to the fringes of Nigerian territories. This was against the years before when the deadly Boko Haram terrorists held vast Nigerian lands across its North-east stronghold, occasionally spilling into North-west and North-central geopolitical zones. Nigerias Information minister, Lai Mohammed, has claimed that the government spends about N3.5 million monthly to feed a Shiite cleric who has been detained by government for over two years. Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, leader of the Shiite IMN movement has been detained since December 2015 after soldiers clamped down on his supporters killing at least 347 of them. The army accused them of blocking a public road being used then by the army chief, Tukur Buratai. The massacre has been condemned by local and international rights groups and is currently being investigated by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Although no soldier is being tried or has been prosecuted for the killings, Mr El-Zakzaky has been detained by the government since the December 2015 incident. The government also ignored a court ruling that ordered that he be released and paid compensation alongside his detained wife, Zinat. Mr El-Zakzaky was initially held for about two years alongside his wife, Zinat, without trial. After much public outcry, he was charged before a Kaduna court for alleged conspiracy and abating culpable homicide. Mr Mohammeds statement on the Shiite leader is believed to have been made on Wednesday, same day the Kaduna court denied Mr El-Zakzaky bail. A video of Mr Mohammed making the claim while addressing some journalists has gone viral. PREMIUM TIMES confirmed Mr Mohammed did make the claim but had told journalists he was speaking off the record. The video, however, still made its way to the public and has since gone viral, drawing wide criticisms of the minister. The issue of whether, where he (Mr El-Zakzaky) is, at least lets keep it off record, that he is in a residence and you know eating at the Ibrahim El-Zakzaky It costs the government about N3.5 million every month to feed him, Mr Mohammed said. The information minister was at that point interjected by the transport minister, Rotimi Amaechi, who jokingly mocked the figures saying then you people need to take me in o. Mr Mohammed, then defended the figure he announced, saying Honestly, dont quote me, but these are the facts. At this point Mr Amaechi joked further that he can take N500,000 monthly to be held in prison by the government. Mr Mohammed then briefly explained that he asked from relevant people to arrive at his information. So please. We dont want to inflame passion. The issue is a very sensitive matter. But that is the situation. The Islamic Movement of Nigeria are a different kettle of fish, he said. At N3.5 million monthly, it would mean the government claims it spends about N115,000 daily to feed the forced prisoner. Mr Mohammeds claims of N3.5 million monthly also comes at a time the government is finding it difficult to pay a monthly minimum wage of N30,000 to workers. Already, many people on social media who have seen the video have attacked the minister for lying and brandishing false figures. See some of the reactions below. President Muhammadu Buhari, Thursday, in Abuja declared a state of emergency on Nigerias water supply, sanitation and hygiene sector. The president said the declaration has become imperative to reduce the high-prevalence of water-borne diseases in different parts of the country, which has caused preventable deaths. Inaugurating the National Action Plan for Revitalization of Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Sector at State House Conference Centre, President Buhari directed government at all levels to redouble efforts and work towards meeting the nations water supply and sanitation needs. The president described statistics on open defecation, access to piped water services and sanitation in the country as disturbing, warning that henceforth, Federal Government support to State Governments will be based on their commitment to implement the National WASH Action Plan in their respective States and to end open defecation by 2025. Access to piped water services which was 32% in 1990 has declined to 7% in 2015; access to improved sanitation has also decreased from 38% in 1990 to 29% in 2015. Our country now ranks No 2 in the global rating on Open Defecation as about 25% of our population are practicing open defecation. WASH services at the rural areas are unsustainable as 46% of all water schemes are non-functional, and the share of our spending on WASH sector has been declining from 0.70% of the GDP in 1990 to about 0.27% in 2015 which is far below the 0.70% at the West African regional level, he said. The president used the occasion, attended by state governments and development partners, to reiterate that the provision of potable water supply, adequate sanitation and hygiene are primarily the responsibilities of state and local governments. However, these are not being given the required attention judging from the high prevalence of water-borne diseases that are being reported in different parts of the country. We cannot and will not continue to allow these preventable occurrences to decimate our population, he said. President Buhari told the gathering that he was aware that Nigeria did not meet the MDG targets for Water Supply and Sanitation that ended in 2015. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets (6.1 & 6.2) for WASH are even more demanding as they require WASH services to be provided in adequate quantity and quality on premises at affordable prices. This cannot be achieved if we continue with a business as usual approach. It is on this premise that I fully endorse the decision taken at the meeting of the Federal Executive Council in April this year to declare a State of Emergency on our WASH Sector. I call on all State Governments to complement this effort by according the sector similar recognition to enable us work together to achieve the SDG targets for WASH by 2030, he said. At the federal level, the president pledged that his administration would continue to place priority on infrastructure development including those of water supply, sanitation and hygiene services towards ensuring a better life for Nigerians. According to him, this is being demonstrated through faithful implementation of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) which is the present administrations blueprint for infrastructure and economic development. From the inception of this administration, we have demonstrated serious commitment to the development of the Water Sector by preserving the Ministry of Water Resources and subsequently approving the 15-year roadmap developed for the sector. The transformation being witnessed in the sector since then is highly commendable. I have no doubt that the on-going initiatives including the implementation of the Partnership for Expanded Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) in the Ministry will take the water sector to improved performance and supply, thereby meeting the national aspirations as well as the SDGs, he said. On Thursday, the House of Representatives Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness indicted Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in its report, accusing him of illegally approving N5.8 billion North East Intervention Fund which the lawmakers said was mismanaged by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). The committee said the authorisation for the release of the fund for emergency food intervention in the North East contravened Section 80(4) of the 1999 Constitution as amended. The committee said the funds were credited directly to the individual banks of the companies and NEMAs bank account, in violation of the approval limit allowed by law. The House, adopting the recommendations of the report, called for the dismissal and prosecution of the director-general of NEMA, Mustapha Maihaja, for fraud, corruption and embezzlement of N33 billion Emergency Intervention Fund, as well as all the government officials involved in the approval, processing, release and diversion of the fund. Here is the full report as adopted by the House below: REPORT OF INVESTIGATIVE HEARING ON THE VIOLATION OF PUBLIC TRUST IN THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (NEMA) SUBMITTED BY THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EMERGENCY AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS. HR 52/2018 1.0 PREAMBLE The House of Representatives in Plenary on Thursday, 15th February, 2018, mandated the Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness to investigate the alleged Violation of Public Trust in National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and report back to it for further legislative consideration. In furtherance to the above Resolution contained in the Votes and Proceedings of the House, dated 15th February, 2018, the Committee adopted the following terms of reference to determine the propriety or otherwise of the transactions undertaken and expenditures incurred in the following areas of concern by management of NEMA. (i) The release of N5,865,671,389.26 and N3,153,000,000.00 as emergency intervention of Food Security to support the population affected by insurgency in the North-East in June 2017 and other releases for the North-East intervention; (ii) The 6,779 metric tons of rice donated by Chinese government to the internally displaced persons in the North-East; (iii) Payment of about N800 Million Demurrage on the donated Rice by the Chinese government; (iiii) Over 10 Billion Naira being statutory 20% Ecological Funds released between January 2017 to February 2018 to NEMA; (v) The Federal Government of Nigeria Flood Intervention in the sum of N1,600,000,000.00 to 16 States in July 2017; (vi) The over N1.6 Billion released to NEMA for Evacuation of Nigerians stranded in Libya in 2017; and (vii) Other ancillary issues. 2.0 MODUS OPERANDI The Committee took the following legislative measures in the course of discharging this assignment:- (i) The Committee held number of meetings to determine its modus operandi; (ii) Letters were written to critical stakeholders to elicit their views on the issue under investigation; (iii) Committee placed adverts in both Print and Electronic Media soliciting for memorandum and sensitizing the Public and stakeholders to the Public Hearing to ensure overall success of the investigation; (iiii) All submissions/documents received at the hearing were objectively scrutinized and analysed for informed findings and recommendations to the House for adoption. 3.0 INVESTIGATIVE PUBLIC HEARING The Committee conducted investigative hearing on the matter. The well-attended hearing was officially declared open on Wednesday, 21st March, 2018, by His Excellency, the Honourable Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara who was represented by the House Leader, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila. The Committee conducted the investigation over a period of three months in 11 Public Sitting with various stakeholders. Invited stakeholders who made presentations at the hearing were from: (i) The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) (ii) Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (iii) Federal Ministry of Finance (iiii) Central Bank of Nigeria (v) Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning (vi) Federal Ministry of Agriculture (vii) Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (viii) Governing Council of NEMA (ix) Contractors: NEMA boss Mustapha Maihaja Dangote Rice Ltd BUA WACOT Golden Agric Input Ltd. Olam Nig. Ltd. 3 Brothers Nig. Ltd. (x) Office of Head of Service of the Federation (xi) The Nigeria Customs Service (xii) Nigeria Port Authority (xiii) MAESK Line Clearing and Forwarding Agents & Transporters (xiiii) APMT & Maresk Line Clearing Agents & Transporter (xv) SEMA (16 states affected by the flood and 5 out of the 6 states of the North East). (xvi) CAC (xvii) PENCOM (xviii) FIRS (xix) ITF (xx) NSITF 4.0 ANALYSIS OF THE SUBMISSIONS 5.0 OBSERVATIONS/FINDINGS A. DONATION OF 6,779 METRIC TONS OF RICE BY CHINESE GOVERNMENT FOR IDPS IN THE NORTH EAST. Committee appraised the submissions made by stakeholders involved in the matter and observed as follows: That the Chinese government donated and shipped a total of 6,779 metric tons of rice, that is 271 trucks and approximately 162,696 bags of rice into the countrys seaport in June 2017 meant for distribution to IDPs in the North-East as food assistance. That the government Agencies namely Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Finance and NEMA were charged with different responsibilities of receiving, clearing, storage, transportation and distribution of the consignments to the IDPs in the North East. That more than one year after the goods were donated, there is no evidence that the 6 States of the North East, who are the beneficiaries have received the items. Evaluation of the correspondences by the Chinese government on the free donation of the items and responses by the Federal government Agencies confirmed that there was adequate information on the donation, as an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was entered into by all the parties indicating the role to be played by each Agency. But the rice could not be evacuated over long period of time at the seaport despite written letters by Chinese Government to Ministry of Budget and National Planning after an import waiver had been obtained from Ministry of Finance, informing the Nigerian authorities of the consequences of the delay in clearing the items. The Federal Government paid about N800 Million as demurrage to APM terminal and Maersk Line for the consignment due to delay arising from inability and negligence on part of NEMA, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Budget and National Planning to secure the items as at when due. APM Terminal provided invoices on the demurrage showing payment by Ministry of Agriculture but NEMA testified it made the payment. NEMA could not however, provide before the Committee evidence of payment to APM terminal but the payment reflected in their account book. Ministry of Budget and National Planning was to provide the funding for the clearing, transportation of the rice, handling and logistic charges as agreed in the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Government Agencies. Ministry of Agriculture was responsible for providing silos for the storage of the rice. The Ministry of Agriculture confirmed to the Committee that no single bag of the consignments was delivered and received from NEMA as at the time of this report. Global View Logistics Ltd and Baltic Air and Maritime Services Ltd engaged to clear the rice were not registered contractors with NEMA, the Companies were equally not registered with ITF, NSITF, and PENCOM, as required by existing law, practice and Regulations. National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) was saddled with the responsibility of delivering the consignments to different designated silos and to distribute all the 6779 metric tons of the Chinese rice to the IDPs within the 6 States in the North-East in the following proportion: S/No States Percentage and Tons Equivalence in Trucks 1 Borno 35% = 2,372.7 M/Tons 79.09 Trucks 2 Yobe 20% = 1355.8 M/Tons 45.1 Trucks 3 Adamawa 15% = 1016.85 M/Tons 33.89 Trucks 4 Gombe 10% = 677.9 M/Tons 22.5 Trucks 5 Bauchi 5% = 339 M/Tons 11.3 Trucks 6 Taraba 5% = 399 M/Tons 11.3 Trucks 7 Kwali FCT 10% = 677.9 M/Tons 22.5 Trucks TOTAL 225.5 Trucks Ministry of Finance provided Certificate for Import tax waiver with tax deduction on the consignments donated to Nigeria by Chinese government The 5 State governments in the North-East except Borno State who did not appear before Committee, denied receiving any single bag of rice from the consignment purported to have been delivered and distributed to the IDPs by NEMA. Due to the testimony of the Director of Finance and Accounts (DFA) and some staff of NEMA on payment of demurrage which the management was not comfortable with, NEMA management hurriedly convened a Governing Council meeting of NEMA for the first time in 3 years where it took a decision to suspend the Director of Finance and 5 other staff of the Agency without due process and in flagrant violation of the principle of fair hearing as guaranteed under Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution as amended. The suspension took place on 2nd April, 2018 which was the date of the inauguration of the Council Members by the Vice President. This was done within the period of investigation by the Committee, and intended to jeopardise and obstruct the work of the Committee. B. RECEIPT AND UTILIZATION OF N1.6 BILLION FOR FLOOD VICTIMS IN 16 STATES FINDINGS: NEMA confirmed receiving the sum of N1.6 Billion released to it by the Federal Government as Intervention Fund to purchase food items and other relief materials for distribution to all the 16 States which was affected by the flood disaster in June 2017. The States are: Lagos, Oyo, Edo, Kwara, Ebonyi, Niger, Ekiti, Kebbi, Akwa Ibom, Plateau, Sokoto, Bayelsa, Enugu, Ondo, Abia State and FCT The ratio of distribution of the fund for each State is N100,000,000.00. The Committee further confirmed that 11 of the States received relief items worth less than N50,000,000.00 each while 5 States received items worth N70,000,000.00 each from NEMA and only received the items in March 2018 when the investigative hearing commenced. The relief materials released was an afterthought and not intended to salvage the situation as the disbursement happened 9 months after the flood disaster. Thereby defeating the emergency purpose for which it was meant. NEMA could only account for the disbursement of N900 Million to the Sixteen States. The balance of N700 Million could not be accounted for. C. FUNDS RELEASED FOR EMERGENCY INTERVENTION OF FOOD SECURITY IN THE NORTH-EAST FINDINGS: On the emergency intervention of food security to the North-East to support the population ravaged by insurgency, a sum of N5,865,671,939.26 was approved and released in June 2017 vide a memo raised from the Office of the Acting President, directing the Hon. Minister of Finance and the Accountant General of the Federation to so act. The details further specified a directive to the Governor of CBN from the Ministry of Finance to pay the sum from the Consolidated Revenue Fund Account which the AGF is to raise a mandate for. This is in contravention of approval of NASS on the issuance of Euro Bond from which the Hon. Minister authorized the payment. The Euro Bond is for specified infrastructural projects and not for discretionary intervention. Furthermore, there is no specific appropriation by the National Assembly. This contravenes Section 80 (4) of the 1999 constitution as amended: which states: No money shall be withdrawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund or any other public fund of the Federation, except in the manner prescribed by the National Assembly. The money was paid to the following companies for supply of food items to the North East:- 1. Dangote Rice Ltd. = N936,196,800.00 2. Golden Agric Input Ltd. = N1,384,554,236.26 3. BUA Rice Ltd. = N1,322,273,520.00 4. WACOT Ltd. = N453,674,296.00 5. WACOT Ltd = N939,946,089.00 6. NEMA = N829,026,456.00 = N5,865,671,389.26 Committee noted the flaws and infractions on the authorization granted and removal of such huge sum of money from the Consolidated Revenue Fund Account of the Federation in violation of section 80(2) of the Constitution, Section 16(2) of the Procurement Act and provisions of the Appropriation Act as approval of the Legislature was not sought nor obtained for such expenditure. Due process was not followed as taxes and interest accruable to government were not deducted and remitted to the FIRS on the sums released and paid into the accounts of the different corporate entities shown above, this created colossal loss of revenue to the Federal Government. No meeting of the Federal Executive Council was held approving the contracts to the named companies and the release and crediting of the funds directly into the individual companies and NEMA bank account in blatant violation of approval limit allowed by law. It was revealed in the Public Hearing testimonies that Dangote Rice Ltd, WACOT Ltd, BUA Rice Ltd and Golden Agric Input Ltd had earlier received N2billion each from CBN as loan to mop up grains across the country. All the 6 States of the North East denied ever receiving this emergency intervention for food security in the North East for which about N5.8b was expended by the Federal Government. Out of about N5.8Billion. NEMA got N829,026,456 for logistics and it claimed it spent it as follows, without satisfactory evidence: (i) General Logistic N369.5 million (ii) Branding and packaging N189.00 million (iii) Others (Marketing, Security, tracking and media) N248.6 million (iiii) Contingency N21.9 million D. RELEASE OF N3,153,000,000.00 TO NEMA FOR FOOD INTERVENTION TO THE NORTH-EAST FINDING: The Committee noted that NEMA released 2.4 Billion Naira to Olam Nigeria Limited to supply 8,000 metric tons of rice, gave 3 Brother Rice Mill Limited the contract to supply 2,000 metric tons of rice at N600,000,000 and N153,160,000 for logistics and transportation of the items, all totaling N3,153,000,000.00. Committee observed that Olam Nigeria Limited and 3 Brother Rice Mill Limited were contacted verbally by Ministry of Agriculture to go to NEMA for the jobs without due process. The contract award letters issued to Olam Nigeria Limited and 3 Brothers Rice Ltd were all signed by the Ag. Director of Relief and Rehabilitation and not by Director of Procurement in contravention of Public Procurement Act. The same Ag. Director of Relief and Rehabilitation who was saddled with the responsibilities of receiving the items and distributing them, signed the award letters without the knowledge of the Procurement Department. This is tantamount to breach of the Procurement Act. Evidence before the Committee showed that the World Food Programme (WFP) sought to import and supply 5000 metric tons of rice to the North East, at the rate of N11,500 per bag which is cheaper than the N15,000 per bag offered by local Nigerian millers. However, the Committees findings indicate that the concerned Federal Government agencies namely Federal Ministry of Agriculture and NEMA offered to subsidise the purchase locally, at the same rate of N11,500 to World Food Programme to discourage importation and encourage local production. NEMA now claimed to have donated the 5000 metric tons of rice to WFP instead of allowing WFP to purchase same and distribute to the North East. There is no evidence that the WFP received the 5000 metric tons as donation from NEMA, as the approval of N3.1billion was for NEMA to purchase the rice and distribute same to the victims of insurgency in the North East, as WFP did not provide the Committee with such evidence after repeated requests. Both companies, Olam Nigeria Ltd and 3 Brothers Rice Mill Ltd, were illegally contracted to carry out the supplies as their profiles showed that they had no PENCOM, FIRS, ITF and NSITF Clearance Certificates in compliance to Section 16 of the Public Procurement Act. The data of 3 Brothers Rice Ltd sighted by the Committee did not tally with registration name Three Brothers Rice Mill Ltd approved by Corporate Affairs Commission which means NEMA gave contract to a non-existent entity. Therefore the contract awarded to both Olam and 3 Brothers were in violation of the Procurement Act. E. EVACUATION OF NIGERIANS FROM LIBYA FINDINGS Committee confirmed that the sum of N1.6Billion was released to NEMA for the evacuation of Nigerians stranded in Libya in year 2017. The Committee also discovered that contract awarded under this exercise were inflated. In the course of the investigations, the Director-General of NEMA, Eng. Mustapha Yunusa Maihaja, gives account of expenditure as the N1.6Billion to include evacuations, security personnel logistics and local transport. F. UNACCOUNTED N17,889,050,401 RELEASED FROM ECOLOGICAL FUND TO NEMA FINDINGS The Committee established that 20% of the Statutory Ecological funds are released to the National Emergency Management Agency on monthly basis. This is in compliance with Section 13(2B) of the NEMA Act. It was discovered that from January 2017 to May 2018 the total amount released and or received by NEMA is to the tune of N17Billion. Furthermore, NEMA incurs expenditure from the fund without going through statutory appropriation approval from the Legislative Arm of Government. The Committee noted that the failure of the Governing Council of NEMA to forward the details of the amount released to it to the National Assembly for Appropriation, consideration by the Legislature and passage is a gross violation of the provisions of the Constitution. Due process was also not followed by NEMA on the contract sums as the Director General exceeded his approval threshold for both capital and recurrent expenditure. Withholding and Value Added Taxes accruable to government for contracts executed were not remitted to FIRS; thus, resulting to loss of revenue by Government in violation of Section 16 (1&2) of National Emergency Management Act CAP N34 LFN 2004. 6. RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. On the issue of donation of 6,779 metric tons of rice by Chinese Government for IDPs in the North East, the Committee recommends as follows: (i.) that the House condemns in strong terms the negligence and inefficiency of the Ministry of Budget and National Planning and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for the long delay in collection of the donated rice from the Port Terminal. (ii) that NEMA and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Budget and National Planning should account for the 6,779 Metric tons of Rice donated to Nigeria Government for the benefit of IDPs in the 6 States of the North East by the Chinese Government but was never received by the beneficiaries. The ICPC, EFCC and Nigeria Police Force (Police) should conduct further investigation and prosecute where necessary. (iii) that the ICPC, EFCC and Police should ensure recovery of the payment of about N800m demurrage from the concerned officers of the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Ministry of Agriculture and NEMA. They should further investigate the conflicting testimonies of the above agencies and determine whether there was multiple payment transaction for the demurrage. (iv) that the suspension of six staff of NEMA by its management is an abuse of power, against the extant public service rules and a gross violation of Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution as amended. It is also a privileged communication under the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, any person that obstructs a witness before a legislative House is also guilty of contempt of parliament. (v) It is therefore hereby recommended that the affected staff below be immediately re-instated by NEMA and the appropriate authorities and all their arrears of entitlements paid. They are: 1. Mr. Akinbola Hakeem Director, Finance and Accounts 2. Alhassan Nuhu Director Disaster & Risk Reduction 3. Mr. Emenike Umesi Ag. Director, Special Duties 4. Mohammed Kanar Deputy Director Welfare 5. Mr. Mamman Ibrahim DD Captain of the Air Ambulance 6. Yunusa Deji Ganiyu Asst. Chief Administrative Officer 2. On the issue of receipt and utilization of N1.6 billion for flood victims in 16 states, the Committee recommends; (i.) that the House condemns in its entirety the display of insensitivity to the plight of flood victims showed by NEMA management in the handling of the relief materials. (ii) that the ICPC and EFCC should further investigate the matter and recover the sum of N700m from the Director-General of NEMA, Engr. Mustapha Yunusa Maihaja, who is the Accounting Officer of the Agency. 3. On the issue of funds released for emergency intervention of food security in the north-east, the Committee recommends; (i.) that all the government officials involved in the approval, processing, release and diversion of the sum of N5.8billion for the emergency intervention of food security in the North East, which contravened the provisions of S.80(2) and 80(4) of the Constitution, infraction of due process for procurement and loss of government revenue, flouting of the terms of the Eurobond loan are hereby indicted and the relevant Security Agencies should take steps to recover the money from them. (ii.) that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) being a banker to the Federal Government should not be involved in giving loans to private companies. Consequently, the N2billion said to be given to four named companies is a fundamental infraction and should be further investigated. 4. On the issue of release of N3,153,000,000.00 to NEMA for food intervention to the North-East, the Committee recommends, (i.) that ICPC and EFCC should recover N1,150,000,000.00 being subsidised cost of 5000 metric tons of rice from the present Director General of NEMA, Eng. Mustapha Yunusa Maihaja, who claimed to have donated same to World Food Programme (WFP) when they were ready to pay for it or import same. (ii.) that in view of the fact that there is evidence that the balance of 5,000 metric tons claimed to have been supplied by Olam Nig. Ltd and 3 Brothers Nig. Ltd at the cost of about N1.5billion to NEMA was not received by the States of the North-East, the money should therefore be recovered from the Director-General, NEMA. 5. On the matter concerning evacuation of Nigerians from Libya, the Committee recommends as follows: (i.) that Federal Government should make available adequate funds to the relevant agencies of government for the rehabilitation of those Nigerians evacuated from abroad, in order to prevent them from going back. (ii.) that the process, procedure, method and cost of evacuation of Nigerians stranded abroad is opaque and should be made more transparent in order to ensure better accountability. 6. On the question of unaccounted N17,889,050,401 released from Ecological Fund to NEMA, the Committee recommends (i.) that NEMA should submit through the appropriate authority all the Ecological funds accruing to it yearly to the National Assembly for Appropriation in order to meet the Constitutional requirements. (ii.) that a comprehensive investigation into the receipt and utilization of 20% Ecological Fund to NEMA over the years be carried out by the House. 7. From the investigation conducted by this Committee it has been established that the Federal Government of Nigeria lost a total sum of over N33 Billion Naira as a result of mismanagement or outright embezzlement of funds occasioned by the actions or inactions of the Managing Director of NEMA, Engr. Mustapha Yunusa Maihaja . It is hereby consequently recommended that the Director General of NEMA, Engr. Mustapha Yunusa Maihaja, be relieved of his duties by Mr President, Commander in Chief, Federal Republic of Nigeria and handed over to relevant authorities for prosecution. 7. CONCLUSION The Committee expresses its appreciation to the Leadership and Members of the House for the opportunity given to us to serve, as we pledge our unflinching support to the House leadership. Hon. Ali Isa J.C Sulyman Mohammed Sarkin-Noma Deputy Chairman Committee Clerk The presidential candidate of the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), Fela Durotoye, has said Nigerian leaders do not value the nations education sector because they (leaders) lack qualitative education. Mr Durotoye made this known at an annual leadership and entrepreneurs conference organised by the students of the Department of Economics, Obafemi Awolowo University, on Wednesday. His criticism is coming at a time university lecturers are clamouring for proper funding of Nigerian universities and have shut down academic activities in various schools. PREMIUM TIMES reported how the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) embarked on an indefinite and total strike on Sunday and the compliance of some schools. Addressing the comatose state of the education sector, Mr Durotoye said Nigerian leaders do not really have the quality of what we can call education. Since most of them have no idea of what education actually means, they are always finding it very difficult to actually define the space of education in a nations development. If you do not have something it is possible for you not to value it he said. Also, he faulted the curricular of the countrys tertiary institutions, saying theres need to have practicing individuals in the disciplines design it. We can specialise our institutions, and once we specialise our institutions, we specialise the people. Our generation must build a nation where everybody gets equal values without necessarily have to know anybody, where you want and receive equally those opportunities the rich get easily. Stating the exploits of Nigerians abroad in the academic world, Mr Durotoye added that statistics show that many Nigerians abroad either top their foreign colleagues or they fall within the top five often in any field of study. Nigerians are born with wings to fly this is why everywhere Nigerians get to in the world to study, they are always among the top five. It is time we start investing in the education, especially the teachers and students by providing the learnable environment for our educational system. We must commit to investing in the future of the nation through a positive investment in to our education, he said. Speaking on how to revive the Nigerian economy, he said it is imperative to cut the cost of governance and make governance effective. We need to review down the salaries, renumerations, of our government officials, most especially the senators. If we try to pay all the elected officials the minimum wage, we will have a long way to go in serving the rest of the people. So, it is important that we must cut down the cost of governance in Nigeria. He also advised state governments to leverage on all the resources of Nigeria present in their states so as to avoid debts. Mr Durotoye said there are 11 states with about 28 local governments fully blessed with gold and all kinds of natural resources. It saddens joyous hearts often to know that despite the natural resources, the country is still wallowing in economy outcry. He said Ondo State is one of the locations with the largest amounts of bitumen in the world, but despite all these, the state, like every other naturally endowed states, still goes for all these resources abroad. If we turn every local government in Nigeria to an economic hub, by ensuring that all the economic resources from them are used to develop each of these local environments, we will go far, and high in Nigeria as a nation. Authorities in Tanzania should immediately release Angela Quintal, Africa program coordinator at the Committee to Protect Journalists, and Muthoki Mumo, CPJs sub-Saharan Africa representative, and return their passports, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Officers who identified themselves as working with the Tanzanian immigration authority detained Quintal and Mumo in their hotel room in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, this evening, according to Quintal. The officials searched the pairs belongings and would not return their passports when asked. Quintal and Mumo were then escorted from the hotel and have been taken to an unknown location. They were in the country on a reporting mission for CPJ. We are concerned for the safety of our colleagues Angela Quintal and Muthoki Mumo, who were detained while legally visiting Tanzania, said Joel Simon, CPJs executive director. We call on the authorities to immediately release them and return their passports. Patel, however, noted that Sam was struggling with mental illness and had sought help. He had visited doctors at a local quick care and Loyola Hospital. Patel said medical professionals described him as disorientated, agitated and not eating well. A priest at his church, who also was a doctor, told Sam something was wrong with your brain and you. need help, Patel said. But Sam would chalk it up to stress and didnt follow treatment plans. President Muhammadu Buhari says his administration is making progress in addressing the challenge of terrorism, including by armed groups who invade villages and small farming communities and commit terrible acts including killing women and children. He said this at the 73rd session of the African Parliamentary Union (APU) in Abuja on Thursday. The president stated that terrorism, armed banditry and organised crimes have continued to be a security challenge for member states of the African Union. He said the proliferation of arms aided by abuse of the ease of movement of persons across freer borders, has contributed to acts of terrorism by groups like Al Shaabab, ISIS and Boko Haram. Here in Nigeria, we have done a lot to reverse the terror trend and halt the advancement of Boko Haram. We have in collaboration with our neighbours strengthened our armed forces to effectively confront terror groups and have also initiated programmes to address widespread poverty, which has been identified as a significant factor fueling unrest and boosting terror recruitment. In spite of this progress, we are not unmindful of the remaining challenge of armed invaders who ransack villages and small farming communities and commit terrible acts including the cold-blooded murder of women and children. We are also making progress in addressing this challenge, he said. While commending the actions of African governments in dealing with these evil groups, he hoped that the APU will develop strategies to assist governments in confronting the menace as he pledged to fast track resolutions for deliberation and adoption at the ECOWAS sub-region and the much larger African Union. Mr Buhari also referred to the recent trade and cooperation agreements signed between China and individual African countries which he said will hasten the efficiency of the business and investment climate in Africa. He added that barriers that restrict ease of doing business and private sector growth must be addressed by legislation and hoped that resolutions will aid the efforts of African governments in developing a more robust private sector to attract necessary investments in Africas economy. Advocating education of the girl child, Mr Buhari explained that it increases the probability of having more women innovators, entrepreneurs and Chief Executive Officers. Education should not be seen as a government programme only, but as a human right and a social imperative. Educating girls once again, I assure the APU of the desire of the government of Nigeria and others to consider your input on this subject with a view to improving the condition of the African girl-child, he said. The APU is a continental inter-parliamentary organisation aimed at bringing parliamentary institutions of all African states together as well as realising the objectives of the African Union for the establishment of lasting peace. Todays event, being hosted by Nigeria, is the 73rd session. It had in attendance the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, members of the Senate and House of Representatives as well as other top politicians and elites. The State Security Services (SSS) has arrested 17 suspected kidnappers, gunrunners and cultists in some states, including Kaduna and Katsina States. The Public Relations Officer of the service, Peter Afunanya, said in a statement in Abuja on Thursday that five of the suspects were arrested on October 25 in Riga Chikun, Kaduna state. Mr Afunanya gave the names of the suspects as Isa Ahmadu (gang leader), Suleiman Umar (ransom negotiator), Ibrahim Mallam, Ishaku Saidu aka Ishe and Mansur (Mallam. He said after a preliminary investigation, the groups hideout in Katsina State was raided, which led to the arrest of two other members, Muhammadu Ibrahim and Muhammed Isa. He said earlier on October 19, another suspected kidnapper, Sirajo Ibrahim was arrested at Hayin Danmni, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The public relations officer said the service had also arrested the duo of Abubakar Umar and Suleiman Sani for alleged gun running. Mr Afunanya said the suspects were arrested on October 30 at Sainyinan, Yabo Local Government Area of Sokoto State. He also said between October 11 and 12, four suspected armed bandits operating around Zamfara State were arrested in Bakura, Tsafe and Bugundu Local Government Areas of the state. He named the suspected bandits as Dan-Alhaji, Dan-Mineri,Yusuf Khalif and Musa (Mallam). The spokesperson added that the service, in collaboration with the military, also arrested Muhammed Aminu, another suspected gunrunner and his accomplice, Dare Okunwola, aka boda. Mr Afunanya said the suspect was arrested in Lere Local Government Area and Agindi, Jos, in Kaduna state and Plateau respectively. He said during a search at Okunwola`s residence, several ammunition and eight AK-47 rifles were recovered. He added other arrests made by the service include two suspected cultists Yakubu Mohammed and Joseph Andoaasin at North Bank, Makurdi in Benue. He said cartridges and a locally made pistol were recovered from the suspects. The spokesperson said the service had leads that would enable it and other sister agencies to address the menace of kidnapping in the country. Mr Afunanya said all the suspects would be prosecuted in accordance with the law. He gave the assurance that the tempo of the operations would be sustained and strengthened sustained for greater impact on the wellbeing of Nigerians. Mr Afunanya enjoined members of the public to cooperate with law enforcement agencies by availing them of useful information to assist them carry out their mandates. The service, in collaboration with the military, had arrested suspected abductors and killers of the traditional ruler of Adara Chiefdom, Maiwada Galadima. (NAN) The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has named the political parties that will participate in the by-elections in Katsina, Bauchi, Kwara and Cross River states scheduled for November 17. According to the commission, the parties which submitted lists of candidates and their particulars are the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Yes Electorates Solidarity (YES), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC), Labour Party (LP), United Party of Nigeria (UPN), and Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN). This was contained in a press release signed by the Festus Okoye, the national commissioner and chairman, information and voter education committee on Thursday. These bye election will hold as scheduled on 17th November, 2018. To this end, all arrangements have been made for the successful conduct of the elections. The by-elections will be conducted in Kankia/Kusada/Ingawa federal constituency of Katsina State, Toro federal constituency of Bauchi State, Ekiti/Irepodum/Isin/Oke-Ero federal constituency of Kwara State and Ikom II state constituency of Cross River State. For Katsina State, PRP, YES, PDP and APC will be contesting. For Bauchi State, only the APC and PDP will be contesting, while for Kwara State LP, UPN, PDP, PPN and APC will be contesting in Cross River State, only the PDP is running for the election. An equipment meant to aid the take-off and landing of aircraft has been stolen at the Benin Airport, Edo State, South-South Nigeria, the state government said. The Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki, has condemned the theft of part of the Instrument Landing System (ILS) being installed at the Benin Airport, a statement issued on Thursday by the Edo State Government House, Benin, said. The Benin Airport is owned and operated by the federal government. The equipment, according to the statement, were bought a few days ago by the state government to enable aircraft take off and land at the airport on 24 hours basis. The statement said, The Instrument Landing System (ILS) is a radio navigation system which provides aircraft with horizontal and vertical guidance before and during landing. It added, Some equipment in the Glide Slope, a component of the ILS, which provides the vertical guidance was stolen while facilities at the localiser component were intact. A disappointed Mr Obaseki, who was on a tour of the facility at the airport, is said to have directed the Nigerian intelligence service, the State Security Service (SSS) to immediately investigate and fish out those behind the theft. I assured Edo people that our Airport will render 24-hour services and we have been working on that with the relevant federal government agencies to see how we can get the necessary equipment in place to allow this happen, the governor was quoted as saying in a meeting with a senior official of the Nigerian Airforce, before he inspected the facilities at the airport. We have been able to secure the ILS and the necessary equipment, we also have an agreement to put runway lights so that planes can be guided to land at night. Work has started but there is little incident as some of the equipment bought last week have been stolen. We have brought in security agencies to investigate and get the culprits arrested and ensure the work proceeds as desired. Our goal is to ensure that before the harmattan season, the Benin Airport will be ready to function as a 24/7 Airport and more importantly, have the landing system to navigate flights even in bad weather, Mr Obaseki said. Officials of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the National Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) accompanied the governor on the facility tour. The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed for second reading, a bill seeking to abolish age barrier in government employment. This indicates that job seekers are one step closer to gaining employment in Federal Government Ministries, Agencies and Departments (MDAs) without discrimination of age. The bill, with the long title Bill for an Act to Eradicate the Age Discrimination against Job seekers in Federal Government Agencies; and for Related Matters (HB. 1502) was sponsored by Sergius Ogun (PDP, Edo). Mr Ogun, while moving the motion for a second reading, said the new law will ensure that no Nigerian job seeker is disqualified from government employment on the basis of age. He added that the bill will first take effect on federal government MDAs before other sectors. It is a key responsibility of we parliamentarians, as representatives of the people, to ensure that no Nigerian job seeker is discriminated against with regard to age in employment opportunities in Federal Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), he said. Mr Ogun added that the adopting that measure will curb the menace of unemployment in Nigeria. As part of the reasons he gave for his colleague to support the bill, the Edo lawmaker cited incessant industrial actions by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) that has prevented students from graduating in the appropriate time. Babajimi Benson, who co-sponsored the bill, while giving his submission pointed out that apart from age, sex, religion and ethnicity are other variables in which discrimination is rampant in Nigeria. I therefore call for the abolition that has deprived qualified, energetic, and patriotic Nigerians the opportunity to fulfil their goals and contribute to societal development. Another lawmaker, Datti Garba, said he agreed with bill but has his reservations on one aspect of it, which is the military and paramilitary. This bill is a very important one particularly with the situation of unemployment the country is facing. The only area I disagree is the aspect of military and paramilitary recruitment. Here, we need young and abled bodied men to carry out this work, Mr Garba said. Another contributor, Istifanus Gyang (PDP, Plateau) called for the need to put stiffer penalty on ministries, departments and agencies that fail to comply with the law when assented. The House spokesperson, Abdulrazak Namdas (APC, Adamawa), while supporting the bill, said age ceiling for job seekers could only apply to societies with stable education calendar, not in Nigeria with recurring strikes, especially in public universities. The bill was adopted by the House majority when the speaker, Yakubu Dogara, put it to voice vote after which it was referred to the House committee on Labour, Employment and Productivity, for further legislative inputs. One person was killed on Wednesday when Customs officials tried to intercept a smuggled truck, an official said. The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) eventually impounded the military truck smuggled into Nigeria through Ebute Community along Ilaro-Oja border town situated in Yewa-South Local Government Area of Ogun State. The Ogun customs spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, disclosed this to journalists on Wednesday at a press statement. He said the interception of the truck followed a routine patrol based on credible intelligence. Officers of (the) Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun Command, on routine patrol based on credible intelligence at about 0830 hours, trailed a military truck smuggled into Nigeria and kept at Ebute Community, Mr Maiwada said. He explained that in an attempt to secure the said vehicle, some members of the community mobilised themselves by blocking the access road and started pelting personnel of the customs with stones, bottles, cutlasses, sticks and other dangerous items. Considering the implication of such truck to national security, our officers resisted and called for reinforcement to cordon the area for the safe evacuation of the truck. Unfortunately, during the encounter, one of the hoodlums was shot at the upper part of his leg (pelvic girdle) and consequently died. The commands spokesperson said normalcy has since been restored, with the intervention of police and military personnel, adding that the truck has been secured at the Customs House, Abeokuta, for further investigation. Finally, we wish to commend the patriotic role of our sister agencies, traditional leaders, eminent personalities and some host communities who have always partnered with us in our quest to effectively secure our nation. The Committee to Protect Journalists today welcomed the release of Angela Quintal, CPJs Africa program coordinator, and Muthoki Mumo, CPJs sub-Saharan Africa representative, from detention in Tanzania and called for Tanzanian authorities to halt their ongoing crackdown against a free press. Quintal and Mumo were detained yesterday at their hotel in Dar es Salaam by immigration and security officials, taken to an unknown location, and interrogated about their work. They were allowed back to their hotel after several hours of questioning. Their passports were seized and only returned midday today. During their detention, Quintal and Mumos phones and computers were also seized. While they were detained, a false tweet saying they had been released was sent from Quintals personal Twitter account and repeated attempts were made to access Quintals email. The two CPJ staff members have now safely left Tanzania. CPJ Executive Director, Joel Simon, expressed gratitude and appreciation to journalists, media and press freedom organisations, and government officials who spoke out about Quintal and Mumos detention. Simon noted in particular the assistance of the South African and Kenyan governments. Angela Quintal and Muthoki Mumo travelled to Tanzania to understand the challenges facing the Tanzanian press and to inform the global public, Simon noted. It is deeply ironic that through their unjustified and abusive detention of our colleagues, Tanzanian authorities have made their work that much easier. It is now abundantly clear to anyone who followed the latest developments that Tanzanian journalists work in a climate of fear of intimidation. We call on the government of Tanzania to allow journalists to work freely and to allow those who defend their rights to access the country without interference. The senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, has criticised the N-Power programme introduced by the President Muhammadu Buharis administration,saying it is used as a means of maintaining grassroot political support. The senator shared the same view on the SURE-P program of the former administration of President Goodluck Jonathan. Mr Sani, who left the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) some weeks ago, was reacting to an allegation that the disbursement of the N-power fund has been politicised. Senate Minority Leader, Biodun Olujimi, said, on Wednesday, that the fund had been politicised and its beneficiaries were asked to submit details of their permanent voters cards (PVCs). She said officials disbursing the fund were circulating forms on which recipients are asked to write their names, gender and details of their PVCs. She said such forms are accompanied by another from Access Bank containing details of payment. The Senate has decided to investigate the allegation setting up a seven-man committee to do the job. In a press statement on Thursday, Mr Sani, a member of the ad-hoc committee, hit hard at both the Buhari and Jonathan administrations on the motives of their social intervention programs. The statement reads: The SURE-P program of the last administration and NSIP of this administration are not social intervention programs but political largesse dispensed for political goals. The two programs are aimed at throwing hands outs and crumbs to the masses with the aim of pacifying them and retaining their support for the political establishment and the ruling parties. The ideological basis and reasoning of both the SURE-P and NSIP programs is to reinforce the iniquities, inequalities and plunder inherent in the prevailing socio economic system that institutionalised the class privilege of a few against a many. Instead of being disbursed to the vulnerable, Mr Sani said the funds were channelled at grassroot political supporters to neutralise possible resistance. The SURE-P programs was designed to build up the grassroots support base of the PDP and the N Power was designed to build the grassroots support base of the APC. SURE-P AND NSIP are institutionalised state generosities and philanthropy presented as social intervention while actually intended to neutralise mass resistance against social injustice and inequality presided over by the political establishment and the ruling elites. SURE-P and N power are all hands outs thrown to the poor to purchase their conscience and loyalty SURE-P was a larcenous bread of corruption and N Power is a butter of social deceit. Nigerias poverty problems cant be solved by a ration system of throwing peanuts. N-Power is a repackaged SURE-P program that only encourages the culture of social dependency on state handouts, he said. The Shiite Islamic Movement of Nigeria says it has received 10 additional bodies of its members who died during a recent clash between the group and the Nigerian military. The Shiites, who last week clashed with the army in Abuja after the group began an inter-state annual religious trek, initially said 47 members were killed when soldiers opened fire on them. On Thursday, the members said they received additional 10 corpses from the police and would bury them at Mararaba, a town in the outskirts of the Federal Capital Territory. Ten more corpses from the Arbaeen Abuja killing were recovered yesterday from police. Burial will take place today at Mararaba, the group said in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday. This would bring the death toll to 57. Apart from fulfilling a religious obligation, the Abuja trek was organised to demand release of their leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky. Mr El-Zakzaky was arrested in December, 2015 after his followers clashed with a convoy of the Nigerian Army, conveying the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai. Although the Nigerian government confirmed over 300 Shiite members were killed in the 2015 clash, no officer has been tried over the matter. Mr El-Zakzaky was arraigned on eight counts, for alleged murder, in April. The Shiite members, whose protests contributed to the arraignment of Mr El-Zakzaky have vowed to continue their demand for the release of their leader. The various protests have been violent with the Shiite members clashing with military officers, resulting in the deaths of many. While the military blames the Shiite members for provoking the clampdown, the Shiite members denied the allegation, saying the attacks on their members were premeditated and caused by the Nigerian government. With about four months to the 2019 general elections, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has expressed doubts in the preparedness of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct free and fair elections. The National Secretary of the party, Shehu Gabam, stated the fears to a team of PREMIUM TIMES editors when he led some officials of the party on a visit Wednesday in Abuja. INEC is clearly not prepared for the election he said. He said alleged militarisation of Nigerias civic space, infraction between police and INEC, the challenge of deployment of materials and the uncertainty around the budget of the electoral body, all cast a pall on the expectation of elections that can support and deepen Nigerias democracy. Mr Gabam said in the light of all these factors, this election cannot hold, INEC is not prepared. The commissions chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, sometime last month said the lack of discrepancy between the figure of N189.2 billion the commission submitted to the executive and what the National Assembly appropriated shows everything was fine. Mr Yakubu said the commission does not foresee any form of difficulties in meeting the requirements to conduct the elections. However, making reference to recent elections in Ekiti, Osun, Bauchi and Katsina states, the SDP scribe said they hint at INECs unpreparedness. If you look at the recent by-elections we had, in Ekiti and Osun states (governorship) and part of Bauchi and other places, you can see clearly they are not prepared for this election. If you look at the way some of the by-elections have been militarised, and the excessive money that was used, you know that they havent done their job in terms of sensitisation. The National Orientation Agency, I cant remember when last I heard of them to sensitise Nigerians on some of these things. It is a collective responsibility and also if you look at the conflict and the infractions between what the INEC says and what the police say, who is to report who is guilty, who has committed an offence, you will know that the institution is still suffering from a lot of deficiencies. And if you look at the budget itself, vis a vis what INEC has said, that if they have not gotten the resources six months to the election, it is going to affect whatever they are doing today. This is a national election, it is not just one or two states that you deploy thousands police and I wonder if the Nigerian government is going to apply to the UN or ECOWAS to deploy troops to Nigeria to monitor this election. Our security agencies are overstretched because of crisis all over the country and I havent seen anything on ground to suggest that this election will be conducted under free and fair atmosphere. Mr Gabam said there is need for all to come together to face the reality as nothing shows INEC is ready for a free and fair election. So for me I will love to encourage INEC to be forthcoming, to be honest, to be transparent. All of us can put heads together, particularly the political parties, to find a way to rescue the situation. So far, they are making us to believe that they will conduct the election, that they are ready for the election, so we will keep on monitoring. Maybe sometimes in the mornings, drivers are not yet fully alert. Maybe they have a job where their boss will yell at them if theyre two minutes late. Sometimes people are so focused on getting to their destination, theyre not aware of what is happening right in front of them. The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday turned down application for a bench warrant to be issued against the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, following his absence in court to stand trial for non-asset declaration charges. The charges were brought against Mr Ekweremadu over his alleged refusal to declare his assets to the Special Presidential Investigative Panel for the Recovery of Public Assets. In her ruling, Justice Binta Nyako, held that the action was hasty and cannot be justified. Mrs Nyako said she was not unmindful of the fact that Mr Ekweremadu had earlier filed processes to challenge the jurisdiction of the court. She said the defendant had also challenged the legal competence of the two-count criminal charge the panel preferred against him. Mrs Nyako, also held that it was not necessary for the court to issue a bench warrant against the defendant. The judge then adjourned the matter until February 26, 2019, to hear Mr Ekweremadus preliminary objections. Celsius Ukpong, counsel to the panel had argued that Mr Ekweremadu ought to have physically appeared before the court to either enter his plea to the charge, or to query the validity of his trial. He informed the court that the defendant was duly served with all processes in the charge that was entered against him on May 11. The prosecution accused Mr Ekweremadu of deliberately making himself unavailable in court so as to frustrate his trial. He, therefore, applied for an order of court to compel security agencies to arrest and produce him before the court for arraignment. However, Adegboyega Awomolo, (SAN), counsel to the defendant prayed the court to dismiss the motion which he described as highly un-meritorious. Mr Awomolo said it was more honourable for the panel to withdraw the charge since the Court of Appeal had declared its operations as illegal. Mr Awomolo tendered a copy of the appellate courts judgment that was delivered on November 5. He further said the higher court made it known that the panel had no prosecutorial power under the law. The panel had in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/62/2018, alleged that Mr Ekweremadu refused to declare his assets in a manner it prescribed for him. It also alleged that the defendant ignored several invitations extended to him to clarify issues in the allegation of excessive wealth or suspicious assets. Nonetheless, the appellate court, in its judgment in a suit marked CA/A/278/2018, filed by Ibrahim Tumsah held that the penal lacked prosecutorial powers. Mr Tumsah, a former Director in the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, instituted the appeal after the Federal High, Court in Abuja permitted his assets to be seized by the panel. (NAN) The Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun, has said that contrary to perception, he has no hand in the reported interrogation of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, by the State Security Service (SSS). Mr Oshimohole was reportedly grilled by operatives of the SSS Sunday following petitions by some governors alleging he accepted bribes in the course of the party primaries held recently. Mr Amosun is one of the governors having a running battle with the APC chairman after his preferred governorship candidate, Adekunle Akinlade, lost to Dapo Abiodun. Other governors having problem with Mr Oshiomhole include Rochas Okorocha of Imo and Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara. Speaking with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari for the third time in a week, Mr Amosun said he has no power to order the probe of the APC chairman. I think you are probably giving me an oversight role and I am not a security person, so clearly I think that question will not be for me, he said The Ogun governor said if he wants to fight Mr Oshiomhole, he will do so openly. I dont have to hide under a finger to fight. If there is need for me to put my views across, you know me by now that I will do it, he said. APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomole Photo: DailyPost Daily Trust newspaper Thursday reported that Mr Oshiomhole suddenly travelled out of the country to the United States of America fuelling speculations that he fled to allow for rising tension to cool down before he returns. Asked for reaction Mr Amosun said I have told you those things are beyond my pedigree and you are asking me questions that I am not well suited for. The one that I have to talk about we have said it loud and clear that it doesnt even need add anything. The Nigerian government says it has spent N250 billion on its Social Investment Programme (N-SIPS) since the beginning of the scheme in 2016. This claim was made on Thursday at a media roundtable by the presidential aide on N-SIPS, Mariam Uwais, in Abuja. N-SIPS was set up by the President Muhammadu Buhari Administration to improve the living conditions of millions of Nigerians across the country. According to Mrs Uwais, N500 billion was requested by the Social Investment Programmes Office for its four component programmes in 2016, 2017 and 2018 budgets. However, only N250 billion has so far been released, she said. The programmes include N-Power, National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP), National Cash Transfer Project (NCTP), and Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP). Mrs Uwais said over 9,300,892 children in 49,837 government schools in 26 states are being fed under the School Feeding Programme. She said this requires 6.8 million eggs, 594 cattle and 83 metric tons of fish to be supplied to cooks every week. We have also engaged 96,972 cooks with over a 100,000 small-scale farmers being part of the value chain, supplying locally sourced ingredients. It is noteworthy that currently, public schools require 6.8 milion eggs, 594 cattle and 83 metric tons of fish to be supplied to the cooks, every week. The Home Grown School Feeding Programme is a programme that is aimed at feeding young children in our public primary schools, with the aim of improving their nutrition, increasing school enrollment and reducing the incidence of malnutrition. So far, we are feeding over 9,300,892 children in 49,837 government schools in 26 States. Being a programme that also aims at empowering communities, we have also engaged 96,972 cooks with over a 100,000 small-scale farmers being part of the value chain, supplying locally sourced ingredients. These statistics do not take into account the boost that is evident in the production and supply of rice, wheat, soya bean, orange-flesh potatoes, fruit and vegetable by farmers, to mention a few, Mrs Uwais said. She furthered said the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme is giving out N5,000 monthly to 297,973 households in Nigeria and is being implemented in 20 states, adding that they have trained 3,000 community cash transfer facilitators in every ward where the programme is ongoing. This programme is giving out 5,000 Naira monthly to 297,973 households in Nigeria. It is currently being implemented in 20 States. We have trained almost 3,000 community cash transfer facilitators in every ward where the programme is ongoing, to build the capacities of our beneficiaries and support them to become productive and take ownership of their lives. The methodology of selecting our beneficiaries is deliberate, tried and tested to assure of credibility, as well as aimed at enabling the capturing of biometric data for financial and social inclusion. Beneficiary households are selected by the communities directly, with their household and community data being uploaded onto Social Registers by trained enumerators at State and LGA levels, as a means of ensuring that we continue to keep a keen eye on their progress, towards weaning them out of poverty. She said that the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) which comprises the MarketMoni, FarmerMoni and the TraderMoni have spent N27.4 Billion in interest-free loans reaching over 1.1 million beneficiaries across the 36 states of the Federation, with N27.4 billion in interest-free loans The Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) comprises the MarketMoni, FarmerMoni and the TraderMoni. We are making available to micro-businesses credit facilities to improve their businesses through this scheme. It is managed by the Bank of Industry, who have the wherewithal to recover loans. We have so far reached over 1.1 Million Beneficiaries across the 36 States of the Federation, with N27.4 Billion in interest-free loans, ranging from N10,000 Naira to N350,000 Naira disbursed so far. In particular, the aim of the Trader Moni programme is to take financial inclusion to the grassroots, considering the daily contributions of millions of petty traders to our economic prosperity and development. Indeed, especially because this category of citizens has hitherto had no access to credit to support their businesses, this is a deliberate effort at assuring of financial credit and a sense of belonging as an entitlement of these citizens, who are also Nigerians deserving of support. She said. According to Mrs Uwais, the N-power scheme has employed 500,000 youth graduates which are paid a monthly stipend of N30,000 N-Power is currently employing 500,000 youth graduates. It is the largest post-tertiary employment programme in Africa, where beneficiaries are paid a monthly stipend of N30,000 and deployed as volunteers into various sectors of need in the public space, such as health, agriculture, education and public finance. They are given devices to facilitate their service delivery, and as a continuous learning avenue. We have also supported 20,000 N-Power non-graduate volunteers, who have been trained in skill centres in every State, and given tool boxes to enable them to apply their newly-acquired expertise in the building and automotive industries. Both schemes have assured of volunteers in all the Local Government Areas of the 36 States of the Federation and the FCT. Mrs Uwais noted that government was having challenges of some beneficiaries not getting the stipends because they did not enter their correct details. She also said government learnt some people who posed as Social Investment Programme staff threatened to remove beneficiaries out of the system just to extort money from them. She, however, asserted nobody can remove anyone from the system who has been registered in it. The claim by Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, that government spends about N3.5million monthly to feed the detained leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), Ibrahim El-zakzaky, on Thursday drew derision from leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other Nigerian commentators. Mr. El-Zakzaky who has has been in detention since 2015 was again on Wednesday denied bail by a court in Kaduna. In a video which has gone viral and also reported by PREMIUM TIMES earlier Thursday, Mr Mohammed while making the claim told journalists he was speaking off record. The issue of whether, where he (Mr El-Zakzaky) is, at least lets keep it off record, that he is in a residence and you know eating at the It costs the government about N3.5 million every month to feed him. Honestly, dont quote me, but these are the facts, the minister said in the video. Reacting to this claim, Ben Murray-Bruce, a senator, said if the president could spend such amount on Mr El-zakzaky, minimum wage of N30,000 should not be a problem. If President @MBuhari can afford N3.5 million per month to feed Ibrahim El Zakzaky, then I dont see why he cant find afford N30,000 per month to pay the new minimum wage. Or should Nigerian workers join Zakzaky in detention so they can feed at N116,000 a day too?, he tweeted. Also, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri, wrote on his Twitter handle, N3.5 million a month is N116,000 a day. Where did @MBuhari find this monumental LIAR from? They should change his title to Minister of misinformation and national disorientation. How can President @MBuhari feed only one man, Ibrahim El Zakzaky, with N3.5 million and expect a worker with a wife and children to feed his family with N18,000 per month? This is an insult to Nigerian workers. I wonder how much Buhari is feeding Dasuki with! Other Nigerians also commented on Twitter. Lai Mohammed will start a statement with Honestly and end it with a Lie that will shock the Devil, @ UmehOMA wrote. @daddyata wrote: A possible breakdown of Zazzakys DAILY consumption going by Lai Mohammeds claim that it cost the govt 120K daily to feed him. One Big Ram One Bag of Rice 5 crates of eggs 5 Loaves of Bread 10 Bottle water 3 Mudu of Garri 1 Mudu of Sugar 4 Tins of Milk & Milo @Igala_king wrote :N30K is enough to feed a family of 4 for a month. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour & Productivity It costs FG N3.5m to feed ElZakzaky for a month. Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information & Culture. These people dont rate us. @PhilipsSunday wrote: Lai Mohammeds claim means Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky is eating gold, diamond and silver spiced with lion, elephant and whale to be able to consume a whopping N3.5m monthly. @adaezemonique wrote : FG Spends N3.5m Monthly To Feed Ibrahim El- Zakzaky Lai Mohammed. That means El-Zakzaky eats N112,903 meal a day. The facial expression the Devil gives whenever Lai Mohammed opens his mouth to talk. Hundreds of pensioners today in Borno State barricaded the entrance of the state secretariat in protest over unpaid entitlements. The protesters comprising aged retirees, their wives and children lamented the hardship they were plunged into due to the unpaid emoluments. The pensioners stormed the premises of the secretariat along Kirikasama road, post office area, Maiduguri at about 9 a.m asking workers to stay out or be locked up inside. All pleas by government officials, especially permanent secretaries, for the pensioners to allow them gain access to the secretariat fell on deaf ears. The aggrieved pensioners said they had not received their pensions and gratuities in the past two years. According to them, their travails started since 2016 when the state government commenced the verification of its workforce using biometric data capturing of all serving and retired workers. Though the exercise had yielded governments desired results of pruning out ghost workers and saving millions of naira, it however left many, whose biometric data could not be captured in a dilemma. Those affected are the retired workers who claimed the exercise had stopped their monthly pensions from hitting their bank accounts. Some said they have not received their gratuities since retirement five years ago. The protest caused heavy traffic gridlock along Kirikasama road, which is the route leading to Maiduguris major commercial centre. Heavily armed police personnel deployed to the secretariat, by the state police command, were seen asking motorists to navigate through alternative routes. The state deputy governor, Usman Mamman Durkwa, arrived the gate of the secretariat at about 1pm to plead with the protesters. The official informed the crowd that the state government was aware of their plight and had mapped out plans towards resolving it. He said a meeting with the labour union leaders had been slated to hold by 2pm today. We know you are all aggrieved, but there is not much we could ask of you than to further solicit for your patience and also to let you know that His Excellency , Governor Kashim Shettima, personally asked me to come here and beg you all for patience, he said. The governor also asked me to kindly ask you to nominate 10 representatives that will be at the meeting slated for 2pm today during which all the issues relating to your grievance would be resolved. Babagana Biji, who was representing his retired aged father, spoke on behalf of the protesters. We have heard the deputy governor and on behalf of our poor parents here, we will go to the meeting, he said. But I want to assure the deputy governor and everyone here that should we not end the meeting with a concrete resolution that will translate in us getting alerts in our bank accounts, we shall return to this gate and lock it up. We are saying this because we have had enough of this suffering. Today is about two years that pensioners in this state have not received a dime. Our plight started with the so-called biometric exercise that have denied many workers and retirees their emoluments. Gathered here are also serving civil servants that have not received their salaries in the past two years even though they have concluded their biometric data capturing exercise; we still have many pensioners that have not yet been called to get their biometric data captured and their salaries have been stopped. We have widows, who have not received their deceased husbands gratuities and related benefits. Our agitation is genuine and we have vowed to pursue it to its logical conclusion till our rights are given to us, he said. A civil servant with the Borno State Agency for Mass Literacy, Muhammed Jidda Saleh, told PREMIUM TIMES that the last time he was paid salary was in October 2016. I concluded my verification exercise on the 28 July 2016, and after then I got my salary for three months then it stopped, he said. I contacted the biometric data capturing team who said I needed to update some of my documents like the declaration of aged, which I did and submitted to them. But till date, nothing came to my bank account in the name of salary. Many people, including pensioners, have similar problems, he said. The Borno State Government in May this year, said it saved N5.5 billion which would have been used to pay 11,876 ghost workers and pensioners. The credit was given to the verification and biometric data capturing exercise of serving and retired workers. Prior to 2016, the state state government said it had a total workforce of 27,971 with a monthly wage bill of N2.2 billion. Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State on Thursday said biometric exercise had assisted the state government to uncover 12,000 ghost workers on its payroll and save N500 million monthly. Mr Shettima made this known at an emergency meeting with the State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Titus Abana and executive members of Nigerian Union of Pensioners at Government House in Maiduguri, the state capital. More than 33,000 workers were on the payroll of Borno State Government for many years, resulting in government having to pay more than N2.5 billion every month on salaries, he said. According to the governor, after the biometric exercise, 20,154 have been identified as genuine workers, adding that 2,000 of the figure are already preparing to retire from service. The governor explained that savings from the exercise were being deployed to other sectors while the recruitment of 1,000 teachers and other workers had commenced. Mr Shettima said with the development, his administration had lifted the embargo on employment which was in force since the early 90s. The governor described the biometric exercise as very complex, saying some persons benefiting from fraudulent activities through pension payments were using different tricks to frustrate the process. He explained that the committee had also uncovered some individuals collecting millions as pensions aside from their salaries. According to him, more than 9,000 pensioners have already been cleared and enrolled through the biometrics and now receiving their pensions. He noted that only 500 pensioners had cases with their biometrics, saying that 171 had been cleared by the committee but the affected pensioners failed to submit bank statements to ensure their enrollment. The governor directed the states civil servants biometric verification committee to address the cases of 500 pensioners pending before it within two weeks. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that hundreds of pensioners in Borno State had stormed the state secretariat to protest the nonpayment of their gratuities and pension arrears since 2016. The pensioners prevented state government officials from resuming duty at the secretariat. (NAN) President Muhammadu Buhari says he received with great sadness, news of the passing of Hassan Abubakar II, the Emir of Nasarawa. Mr Abubakar died Thursday in Nasarawa town from a brief illness. He was 83. Reports said he was buried Thursday afternoon. Mr Buharis spokesperson, Femi Adesina, in a statement said the president on behalf of himself and the federal government extends sincere condolences to the late emirs family, Nasarawa Emirate Council, the government and people of Nasawara State, on the demise of the first class traditional ruler. The president, the statement said, believes that the late emir will be long remembered and honoured as an advocate of peace, dialogue and reconciliation; and a firm believer that a better future awaits Nigeria. The president said the best way for friends, close associates and subjects of the monarch to sustain his legacy is to abhor the things that create divisions in the midst of Nigerians and instead promote tolerance, love and understanding for one another, as a path to national reconciliation and development. The President prays that Almighty Allah will receive Alhaji Abubakars soul and grant his people a worthy successor, the statement said. Hadiza Balarabe, the running mate to Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai in the forthcoming 2019 elections, has been given a fresh appointment. A statement signed by Samuel Aruwan, governors spokesperson disclosed that Mr El-Rufai has appointed her as Senior Adviser-Counsellor, with immediate effect. She is currently the Executive Secretary of the State Primary Health Care Development Agency. In the new function, Mrs Balarabe is expected to work from Government House, overseeing key agencies reporting to the Governor like the State Pensions Board, KADGIS and KASUPDA, advising the governor on matters of human capital development, and understudying him and the Deputy Governor in all aspects of governance. As Senior Adviser-Counsellor she will be at the heart of government, attending meetings of the State Executive and Security Councils. This new responsibility places her within the second echelon of the government, next to the two elected leaders of the executive branch. She will join other senior officials to drive the policy and governance aspirations of the government in the remaining crucial months of the current mandate. The second echelon of the Kaduna State Government comprises of senior officials who are copied recipients of all correspondence from the governor, as part of governor El-Rufais strategy to ensure that not just him and the Deputy Governor are abreast of all issues and decisions the government is dealing with. These senior officials act as the principal advisers to the governor and also function as implementors and monitors of the governance agenda of the government. In her new role, Mrs Balarabe will attend all meetings and activities in the Governors office, and perform other assigned responsibilities. Mrs Balarabe is the first woman to join the second echelon since Hadiza Bala-Usman, El-Rufais first chief of staff, left to take up the leadership of the Nigerian Ports Authority. The new appointment is expected to further expose this accomplished medical doctor and public health expert to the entire workings of the Kaduna State Government. A Federal High Court in Kano has sentenced a popular Kano spiritualist, Abubakar Ishaq, alias Mai-Rakumi, to 10 years in prison for possession of counterfeit currency. The judge, Lewis Allagoa, convicted Mr Ishaq of the two-count charge. The convict was arraigned before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). His journey to prison started when EFCC received him from officers of the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for being in possession of 176 pieces of fake United States dollars during a raid on his apartment. At the commission, Mr Ishaq made statement under word of caution and was granted administrative bail. Subsequently, he was arraigned by the commission at the Federal High Court, Kano where he pleaded guilty to count 1 and 2. Prior to his plea, prosecution counsel, Samuel Chime, applied to withdraw count 3 and 4 of the charge. In view of the guilty plea entered by the convict, Mr Allagoa adjourned the matter to Thursday for judgement during which he convicted him. Counsel for the convict, Mohammed Aliyu, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing his client. He prayed the court to give him an option of fine instead of prison term, but Mr Allagoa ignored the prayer and sentenced him to five years imprisonment on each of count one and two. The sentences are to run concurrently. The court also ordered the counterfeit currency destroyed. The Delta House of Assembly Committee on Education has directed all the state-owned tertiary institutions to furnish it with their records of incomes and expenditures for 2017 and 2018 financial years. The Chairman of the House Committee on Education, Angela Nwaka, gave the directive during the 2019 budget defence meeting with the heads of the state-owned tertiary institutions on Thursday in Asaba, the state capital. Ms Nwaka said though tertiary institutions had the power to generate revenue and spend, there was need for them to be transparent in line with the laid down procedures. Education is a key sector in any nation. As such, there is every need to strengthen it in order for them to live up to expectation in churning out qualified manpower for the nations developmental needs, she said. Ms Nwaka added that the committee was determined to do its best in assisting the state Ministry of Higher Education and other tertiary institutions in the state to achieve their set goals. Earlier, the state Commissioner for Higher Education, Jude Sinebe, noted that tertiary institutions usually submitted their monthly incomes and expenditures reports to the state Ministry of Finance. On achievements recorded in 2018, Mr Sinebe said, some courses were accredited in the Delta State University, the three polytechnics and colleges of education in the state during the year. The state government also embarked on some projects in Abraka and Asaba campuses of DELSU, he said. Mr Sinebe, however, appealed to the committee to appropriate more funds to the ministry to enable it to meet up with its obligations. He also commended Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for embarking on various projects in the state, especially in DELSU. Meanwhile Mr Okowa has forwarded to the State House of Assembly the name of Joseph Utomi, for appointment as Commissioner and member of the State Executive Council. A letter stating the name of the nominee was read during plenary of the Assembly in Asaba by the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Sheriff Oborevwori. Mr Okowa said the nomination was in line with the power conferred on him by section 192, sub section 2 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Receiving the letter for consideration, the Majority Leader of the Assembly, Tim Owhefere, moved the motion which was seconded by the lawmaker representing Aniocha South Constituency in the state Assembly, Ms Nwaka. Consequently, the motion was unanimously adopted by the Assembly when put to a voice vote by the speaker. The speaker directed the nominee to submit 35 copies of his curriculum vitae to the office of the Clerk of the House and also appear before the Assembly for screening and confirmation on November 13. The nominee is a former Council Chairman of Aniocha South Local Government Area of the state. (NAN) With a comfort level already in place, Sover said keeping the older students at Cove gives them the opportunity to build on what they have learned. All high school students with an Individual Education Plan are entitled to services for their learning disabilities until they reach the age of 22, according to state law. Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has urged Christians to consistently pray for God to intervene in the affairs of Nigeria, saying there is nothing that is impossible before God. Governor Okowa made the call Thursday at the 2018 edition of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Day celebration which had as theme, Contend For The Faith held at the Oleh Township Stadium, Oleh, Isoko South local government area of Delta State. According Mr. Okowa, This is the time to work with God, time to spend a lot of time with God, every Christian should pray for Nigeria for the will of God to manifest; we must be brave, we must pray consistently; there is lot of challenges but, we must call on the power of God because, God is able to stop the herdsmen. We need a stronger voice from the Federal Government for the issue of herdsmen to be reduced to the barest minimum, until that strong directive comes in, the security agencies may not be able to do more than it is currently doing. This is the time to trust in God, if as Christians, we genuinely and collectively continue to call on His name, He will answer us and intervene in the affairs of our country. The governor commended CAN for organising the event, and urged Christians to live holy and exemplary life. He assured CAN of his administrations partnership, adding, pray for us as a government, pray for us as a state, pray for our nation, Nigeria; the church should come out in their numbers to do the will of God as we go into elections, as we pray for our nation, we should back it with action; we shall be willing partners with the Church, just imagine a state without the Church of God? The guest speaker at the occasion, Emmanuel Chukwuma of Enugu Diocese of the Anglican Communion, said, Governor Okowa is working, so no vacancy in Delta State Government House in 2019; the Church should not lose the essence of prayers, the word of God, you must hold the Bible always. If you are a man of God and you are not saying the truth, God will punish you, avoid indecent dressing in church, our church is not club house; we must support our Christian leaders, but, the Christian leaders must listen; stop giving awards to thieves. Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa (left); Chairman, CAN South-South, Archbishop Dr. God-do-well Avwomakpa (right) and Others, during the CAN Day Celebration, at Oleh Township Stadium, Delta State. PIX; JIBUNOR SAMUEL. Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa (right); Archbishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma (left); State CAN Chairman, Apostle Dr. Silvanus Okorote (2nd left) and Chairman, CAN South-South, Archbishop Dr. God-do-well Avwomakpa, during the CAN Day Celebration, at Oleh Township Stadium, Delta State. PIX; JIBUNOR SAMUEL. Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa (left) and State CAN Chairman, Apostle Dr. Silvanus Okorote, during the CAN Day Celebration, at Oleh Township Stadium, Delta State. PIX; JIBUNOR SAMUEL. The Chairman of CAN, Delta State, Silvanus Okorote in an address, said, We have enjoyed peace these three and half years in Delta State because, God gave us a man after His own heart, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa; the Church has prayed for Dr Okowa to get a second term. But, let me remind us that INEC only knows how to count votes, so, get your PVC and support your prayers with it. Prayers were offered for different intentions at the occasion which was attended by an array of church leaders and their members. Traditional rulers under the aegis of Anambra South Senatorial Traditional Rulers Forum have called on President Muhammad Buhari to intervene in the current rift between the Guarantee Trust Bank Plc and the chairman of Innoson Group, Innocent Chukwuma. They said the row had lingered through the courts. In a press statement signed by the grand patron of the forum, Igwe Kenneth Orizu III of Nnewi, with 30 other traditional rulers, the monarchs said the intervention of President Buhari becomes expedient so as not to allow the little crisis degenerate into a bigger crisis that will be difficult and costly to resolve. The forum specifically condemned the involvement and roles of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the case against Mr Chukwuma. The Royal fathers of Anambra South Traditional Rulers Forum is calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to look critically into the roles and activities of the EFCC on the ongoing business dispute between the Guarantee Trust Bank PLC and Innoson Nigeria Ltd, the statement said. It has become obvious that the EFCC is not following laid down procedures and judicial precedence in the prosecution of the alleged trumped up charge against our son, Chief Innocent Chukwuma and his company, Innoson Nigeria Ltd. As leaders and elders of the land, knowing fully well the consequences and crisis the roles and activities of the EFCC may cause, we have decided to use this medium call on you, Mr. President, to call EFCC to order on this matter so as not to allow this little crisis degenerate into a bigger crisis that will be difficult and costly to resolve. While recalling several ordeals suffered by the Innoson boss in the hands of the anti graft agency, especially how he was bundled out of his house by EFCC operatives that invaded his Enugu residence in the middle of the night of December 19, 2017; the monarchs wandered why EFCC will persecute such a distinguished Nigerian who has provided direct employment to thousands of Nigerians. While calling on Mr Buhari to direct the EFCC chairman, Ibrahim Magu, to call his officers to order; and to stop displaying elements of bias in the said dispute, the monarchs also called on the police IG and the Lagos police to dutifully and responsibly investigate the recent attack on Prof. McCarthy Mbadugha, Innosons lawyer, by assassins believed to have been sponsored by Innosons opponents; with a view to arresting the perpetrators and unravelling the reason behind such attack. Ebonyi State governor, David Umahi, has suspended indefinitely his special assistant on transportation, Peter Oba, for constituting an illegal task force and extorting members of the public. Mr Oba was further directed to refund all he collected from his victims and return the vehicle number plates confiscated by the illegal task force. Briefing journalists on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting on Thursday, Kenneth Ugbala, the senior special assistant to the governor on internal security, said the suspension followed public outcry. The Council is also notified about the indefinite suspension of the special assistant to the governor on transport, Mr. Peter Oba for constituting illegal taskforce and using the same taskforce to be causing problem for the state. There is a public outcry concerning this, because members of the public are complaining that many times, they will park their vehicles just to go in to buy something and before they know, the vehicles number plates are being taken away and they will be demanded to pay money. Mr Ugbala said the money in question did not go into government coffers. So, the persons collecting the money are not accountable to government. The Council directed that the suspended SA to the governor, Chief Peter Oba, should refund to all those he has collected their money the money and equally return all the vehicle number plates he has collected from members of the public including that of the Rev. Fathers and Sisters. The Council directed further that henceforth, such taskforce should not be in existence in the state and encouraged the members of the public to defend themselves before inviting police whenever such people are being cited because they are not working for government, Mr Ugbala stated. The briefing was attended by the Commissioners for Justice and Attorney-General and Project Monitoring, Uchechi Okah. No fewer than 129 inmates of the Enugu Maximum Security Prison of the Nigeria Prison Service (NPS) will sit for the National Examination Council (NECO) November/December examination. The NPS Public Relations Officer in Enugu, Chukwuemeka Monday, made the disclosure in a statement issued in Enugu on Thursday. Mr Monday said the Deputy Controller of Prison, Ibrahim Usman, confirmed that the number was the highest since inception of the prison centre for the examination. The service spokesperson said the inmates had been well tutored and prepared by best hands to put up a good performance and surpass 2017 performance. He recalled that 81 inmates performed excellently in the 2017 NECO having passed all their subjects with credit including English and Mathematics. (NAN) A fake traditional ruler said to be a member of a cross-border armed-robbery and kidnapping gang has been arrested by the Ogun State police over alleged robberies across various states of the country. The Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, who paraded the suspect, Dele Obey, alongside seven others said they confessed to a series of robbery operations, one of which was the dispossession of serving police officer of his Toyota Corolla car at gunpoint. He gave identities of other gang members as: Olalekan Olawale (27), Danladi Isah (25), Yetunde Adeosun, Tobi Adeosun, Adewale Quaheeb, Oluwatosin Abayomi and Abel Womiloju, adding that nine cars were recovered from the gang. The commissioner said the suspects confessed that the snatched car belonging to the police officer has been taken to one of their gang members at Iseyin in Oyo State. He said the suspect was arrested with customised number plate bearing JAGUNMOLU. He said the gang decided to shift their operations to Ogun State, but before they fully settled down for their nefarious activities, the intelligence arm of the command got wind of their movement and they met their Waterloo. The gang started their operation with snatching of a motorcycle which they did to test the veracity of security architecture of the state. When the report came to my notice, I directed the officer in charge FSARS, SP Uba Adams to go after the culprits with the view of bringing them to book. He said the snatched motorcycle had been sold to somebody by the suspects at Ilara in Imeko Afon local government area. The commissioner said two of the suspects, Danladi Isah and Ismaila Adeosun, were involved in an armed robbery operation in 2013, were arrested by the Federal Anti-Robbery Squad, arraigned in court and jailed for five years, but came out of prison in March 2018. The pump action gun they used then for their operation was found in Tobi Adeosuns custody as their armourer. On further interrogation, the duo of Danladi Isah and Olalekan Olawale informed the operatives that all the cars they robbed here in Nigeria were sold to one Papa in Republic of Benin. On further investigation, it was discovered that one of their sponsors and receiver resides in Abuja following which our men moved to Abuja, tracked and arrested the said sponsor by name Endurance Odiawa who has narrated his role in conveying and disposal of snatched exotic cars from the southern part of the country to Abuja. He disclosed that exhibits recovered from the gang include: nine exotic cars, two AK47 rifles with 50 rounds of ammunition, four locally made pistols with 25 live cartridges and one pump action gun with 12 live cartridges. The Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU), University of Lagos Chapter, has ensured total compliance with the strike directive given by the unions National Executive Committee (NEC). The chairman of the chapter, Dele Ashiru, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos. He said the chapter held a congress on Tuesday during which members resolved to join in the industrial action. NAN reports that the ASUU NEC on Sunday declared a nationwide indefinite strike at a meeting at the Federal University of Technology, Akure. The union is protesting poor funding of public universities, and non-implementation of the 2009 agreement it entered into with the federal government. It is also protesting alleged government plans to introduce tuition fees and an education bank. According to Mr Ashiru, the strike directive has been carried out fully in the institution. We have achieved 100 per cent compliance with the directive handed to us by the unions executives, he said. On the appeal to ASUU by the federal government to shelve the strike and return for negotiation, Mr Ashiru said that the plea was late. Governments appeal is coming late because we gave them more than six months notice prior to our action. We even addressed the press on this, begging the government to see reasons with us, but it refused. Now, we have reached a point of `no return until government meets our demands substantially, the unionist said. NAN reports that students of the institution are on vacation and were slated to resume studies on November 18 for the first semester of the 2018/2019 session. (NAN) Luck ran out on a robber on Wednesday after he attempted to escape with N1.057 million he snatched from a bank customer in Akure, the Ondo State capital. The suspect, now in the custody of the police, was reportedly arrested by citizens after successfully snatching the bag at a bank premises in Alagbaka and was running away. Witnesses said the suspect trailed the bank customer, Muyiwa Oludare, a finance officer of a private school in Akure. As soon as he left the banking hall with the money he withdrew, the suspect accosted him and snatched the bag containing the money. Mr Oludare immediately cried out for help and some persons at the vicinity made efforts to apprehend the robber. Police spokesperson in the state, Femi Joseph, who confirmed the incident to PREMIUM TIMES, said the suspect was apprehended after another bike rider chased and blocked him, forcing him to fall off his bike. It was gathered that the suspect, simply known as Stephen, was beaten mercilessly, and would have been lynched, but for the quick intervention of the police. The money was immediately recovered and handed over to Mr Oludare. Wednesdays incident is one of several cases of bag snatching by robbers posing as commercial motorcycle riders around commercial banks in the city. Mr Joseph said the suspect had been charged with robbery. A total of 888 students will graduate on Friday from Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State for the 2017/2018 academic session, 71 of them with first class honours. The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Joshua Ogunwole, disclosed this on Thursday at the 13th pre-convocation press conference ahead of the convocation ceremony. Mr. Ogunwole said 329 of the graduands are in second class upper division, 329 in second class lower division, while 88 are in third class. The graduands include 42 from the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, 16 Master degree, and seven doctoral students (Ph.D). These students have been found worthy in learning and character modeling, and have convincingly demonstrate high level of academic excellence and discipline, he said. We are releasing them to the public in order for them to bring what they have learnt here to bear on the society and make a positive impact. This university has produced a total number of 11,042 alumni from the first convocation in 2006 to the 12th convocation in November 2018, he said. The vice-chancellor also stated some of the partnerships enjoyed and the achievements recorded by the institution operated by the Nigerian Baptist Convention, a religious body. Mr. Ogunwole said the university has a policy to train and retrain staff, as well as engaging and advancing the frontiers of research to meet the world class benchmark, mostly in globally areas of renewed energy, food security, medicine, peace and conflict studies. He said the senate of the university has approved the admission of new students for Medical Laboratory Science, Electrical and Electronics Engineering and Mechanical Engineering for the 2017/2018 academic session. In order to make the university academically suitable to compete globally at all fronts, Council in 2016 approved its rebranding in all sphere of its operation. This involves re-jiggling the academic content and mode of operation. The University has equally made progress in the area of establishment of positive academic linkages and the promotion of viable outreach programmes locally and overseas. We have been able to establish mutual collaboration agreements for active research collaboration between Bowen and University of Mary Hardin Baylor, Texas U. S. A, Simmons University, Texas USA among others, Mr Ogunwole said. There were 95 sexual-related offences treated by the Lagos State Government out of 313 legal advice issued through the office of the Directorate of Public Prosecution in the last three months, a quarterly report by the Lagos Criminal Information System has shown. The LCIS serves as the data bank of all prison inmates in the state and is administered through the office of the States Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice. Adeniji Kazeem, the attorney-general of the state and commissioner for justice, said in a statement Wednesday that the report, which covered activities between June and September 2018, indicated that the five federal prisons in the state were overstretched with about 5,000 inmates. The Lagos State Ministry of Justice Directorate of Public Prosecution received a total of 320 police duplicate case files and advice has been issued for 313 representing 97 per cent, while seven out of the total number of cases received are pending representing three percent, said Mr Kazeem. A breakdown of the report showed that 56 miscellaneous cases (stealing related offences), 79 robbery cases, 48 fatal motor accident, and 35 homicide cases were received in the period under review. With respect to prison inmates charged for domestic and sexual offences, the report revealed that the top three offences were those of defilement (57 per cent), sodomy (22 per cent), and rape (18 per cent). There has been improvement of legal representation of inmates facing trial, the statement quoted the report as saying. In the last quarter report, 82 percent of the inmates facing trial did not have legal representation, while in this quarter, that percentage has reduced to 43 percent. Mr Kazeem, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said copies of the LCIS report are available for members of the public at the Justice Ministry, free of charge. The report further revealed that out of the 4,087 capacity of the five federal prisons in the State, actual prison open out was 9,303, while the total inmates enrolled on the LCIS system with complete records including biometrics and photographs as at September 30, 2018 was 12,439. In the period under review, reports indicate that the Federal Prison facilities in Lagos State are overstretched, while the State Government through the Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy and the Judiciary are working with the Lagos State Ministry of Justice to get list of inmates with minor offences for possible consideration, the LCIS report said. Also in the report, there are 48 inmates with minor offences who are in the awaiting trial list for three years and above, as well as 72 juvenile inmates out of which 15 are in the age bracket of 0 to 14 years, and 57 in the age bracket of 15 to 17 years. Aviva Lehmann, Director of American Art at the companys New York office, said the tearsheet for The Saturday Evening Post ad is in color. While magazine covers from that era might be in color, color used inside magazines was just coming into use then, Lehmann said. According to the Rockwell catalogue raisonne, the piece was the only one from Rockwell the Elgin Watch Co. ever commissioned, Lehmann said. I want to see us moving toward getting the armed police officers and the people that are actually trained for tactical situations (into the schools)...I want to see us move in that direction, said Owens, who will be the U46 boards representative at this months IASB assembly. Ann Chan, assistant superintendent of human resources at U46, said they may need to hire about 60 bilingual educators for the 2019-20 school year to meet demands within the schools, including U46s dual-language program expanding into sophomore year of high school. Another projection from U46 estimates they may need to hire 80-100 bilingual educators per year to account for the programs growth, educators retiring, educators leaving for other schools, among other reasons. Scott said many of the calls for medical help come from repeat patients who dont have insurance and depend on emergency paramedics for care. The department is working with Presence St. Francis Hospital in Evanston to identify those people and get them into programs that could help them. Ideally that would ease the demand on the department and save taxpayers money, the chief said. For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME. Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire. Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever. Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation. View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union. Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history. Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words. LONDON, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- 2-Ethylhexanoic Acid Market (Method of Production - Butyraldehyde, Octanol; Application - PVB Plasticizers, Synthetic Lubricants, Paint Dryers, PVC Stabilizers, Drugs, Emollients; End user - Chemical, Paints and Coatings, Personal Care and Cosmetics, Pharmaceutical) - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2018-2026 Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5611703 2-Ethylhexanoic Acid Market Overview Report Description 2-Ethylhexanoic acid is a colorless liquid that is commonly used as a plastic stabilizer, drying agent, emollient in cosmetics, processing aid in drugs, wood preservative, and corrosion inhibitor. Commercially, 2-ethylhexanoic acid is produced by using the butyraldehyde method. Addition of 2-ethylhexanoic acid metal salts to PVC increases its resistance to high temperatures. It also functions as a thermal and color stabilizer in alkyd resin plastics. 2-Ethylhexanoic acid is used as a drying agent in paints, enamels, varnishes, and printing inks. 2-Ethylhexanoic acid is combined with metals to produce metal salts and these salts are then added to solvents to function as drying agents. Cobalt and manganese are highly used with 2-ethylhexanoic acid to manufacture paint drying agents. 2-Ethylhexanoic acid is used as emollient in cosmetics, due to its high hydrolytic stability. Sodium salt of 2-ethylhexanoic acid combined with other fungicides is employed to protect cut wood. In terms of method of production, the global 2-ethylhexanoic acid market has been classified into butyraldehyde and octanol.Several manufacturers employ the butyraldehyde method, as it is a costeffective method. In terms of application, the global 2-ethylhexanoic acid market has been segmented into PVB plasticizers, synthetic lubricants, paint dryers, PVC stabilizers, drugs, emollients, and others (wood preservatives, coolants, etc.). In terms of end-user, the global 2-ethylhexanoic acid market can be divided into chemical, paints & coatings, personal care & cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and others. Rising use of 2-ethylhexanoic acid as a PVB plasticizer, which is further utilized in the glass industry, is anticipated to fuel the global 2-ethylhexanoic acid market during the forecast period.Use of 2-ethylhexanoic acid as a PVB plasticizer imparts high transparency, gloss, and impact resistance to glass products. Demand for 2-ethylhexanoic acid for use in PVC stabilization applications is also on the rise.Use of 2-ethylhexanoic acid as an automotive coolant and in personal care applications is anticipated to offer immense growth opportunities to the 2-ethylhexanoic acid market in the next few years. Advancements in nanotechnology and material science are expected to propel the 2-ethylhexanoic acid market in the next few years.Technological advancements in developing economies are likely to provide significant growth opportunities to the global 2-ethylhexanoic acid market in the near future. Japan and China are major countries contributing significantly to the 2-ethylhexanoic acid market in Asia Pacific. In the paints & coatings industry, water-based coatings are gaining significant popularity, as the technology is completely eco-friendly. In solvent- or oil-based coatings, drying agents are required, which emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs). 2-Ethylhexanoic acid is used as a drying agent in solvent- and oil-based coatings. Thus, emergence of water-based coatings is likely to restrain the 2-ethylhexanoic acid market in the next few years. The report analyzes and forecasts the market for 2-ethylhexanoic acid at the global and regional levels.The market has been projected in terms of volume (tons) and revenue (US$ Mn) for the period from 2018 to 2026. The study includes drivers and restraints of the global 2-ethylhexanoic acid market.It also covers the anticipated impact of these drivers and restraints on the demand for 2-ethylhexanoic acid during the forecast period. The report also highlights opportunities for growth of the 2-ethylhexanoic acid market at the global and regional levels. The report comprises detailed value chain analysis, which provides a comprehensive view of the global 2-ethylhexanoic acid market.Porter's five forces model for the 2-ethylhexanoic acid market has also been included to help understand the competition landscape of the market. The study encompasses market attractiveness analysis, wherein end-user industry segments have been benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate, and general attractiveness. The study provides a decisive view of the global 2-ethylhexanoic acid market by segmenting it in terms of method of production, application, end-user, and region.These segments have been analyzed based on the present and future trends. Regional segmentation includes the current and forecast demand for 2-ethylhexanoic acid in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. The report also covers individual end-user industry segments of the 2-ethylhexanoic acid market in all regions. The study includes profiles of major companies operating in the global 2-ethylhexanoic acid market. Key players profiled in the report include The Perstorp Group, BASF SE, The Eastman Chemical Company, Dow DuPont Inc., OXEA Chemicals, Elekeiroz, and KH Neochem Co. Ltd. These players account for a major share of the total production of 2-ethylhexanoic acid. Moreover, they are forward integrated. Brand promotions and launch of new products are likely to raise sales of 2-ethylhexanoic acid in the next few years. Market leaders look for different measures such as strategic pricing and product improvement in order to increase their profit margin. The report provides the estimated market size of the global 2-ethylhexanoic acid market for 2017 and forecast for the next nine years.The size of the global 2-ethylhexanoic acid market has been provided in terms of revenue. Market numbers have been estimated based on method of production, application, and end-user and regional segments. Market size and forecast for each segment have been provided for the global as well as regional markets. Global 2-Ethylhexanoic Acid Market, by Method of Production Butyraldehyde Octanol Global 2-Ethylhexanoic Acid Market, by Application PVB Plasticizers Synthetic Lubricants Paint Dryers PVC Stabilizers Drugs Emollients Others Global 2-Ethylhexanoic Acid Market, by End-user Chemical Paints & Coatings Personal Care & Cosmetics Pharmaceutical Others Global 2-Ethylhexanoic Acid Market, by Region North America U.S. Canada Latin America Brazil Mexico Rest of Latin America Europe Germany France U.K. Italy Spain Russia & CIS Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China Japan India ASEAN Rest of Asia Pacific Middle East & Africa South Africa GCC Rest of Middle East & Africa Key Takeaways The report provides extensive analysis of market trends from 2018 to 2026 in order to identify opportunities and market developments It provides comparative analysis of various applications and end-user industries wherein 2-ethylhexanoic acid is used It offers analysis of the 2-ethylhexanoic acid production process and the value chain analysis It identifies key factors useful to build a roadmap for upcoming growth opportunities for the 2-ethylhexanoic acid market at the global, regional, and country levels The report provides a detailed competition landscape of key players operating in the market in order to help understand the competition level The report provides information on the supplydemand scenario and production of 2-ethylhexanoic acid in every region It provides a list of potential customers of 2-ethylhexanoic acid along with their contact details The report provides detailed pricing analysis based on applications and regions The report offers Porter's five forces analysis that highlights the power of buyers and suppliers Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5611703 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 Launching November 10 exclusively in the US, the travel docu-series, presented by Destination Canada and created in collaboration with Amazon Advertising, follows the journey of eight courageous Americans who have made a positive difference in their communities, as they explore Canada on a road of self-discovery. Viewers will watch each person's story unfold on screen as they discover who they are and what matters to them through food, culture, and interactions with local people and events. "Vacations of the Brave is about discovery, connection and transformation," said David F. Goldstein, President and CEO, Destination Canada. "Canada is the perfect backdrop for Americans to push themselves beyond their comfort zones to find a new sense of bravery." The first episodes will feature the following courageous individuals and their journeys: Episode 1 - Dallas ice cream shop owner Tom and his star employee, Kalin, venture to Ontario. They freestyle in the Caribbean Carnival, hoop dance at a First Nations powwow, explore underwater shipwrecks and come to a powerful realization. Premieres November 10. Episode 2 - Friends and fashion designers, Angela and Autumn, abandon the familiarity of their urban world for the rugged beauty of Haida Gwaii, British Columbia. In the shadow of towering, 1000-year-old cedar trees, the young women learn about the true strength of their own spirit. Premieres November 10. Episode 3 - Eric and Corey, a transgendered father and daughter travel from Southern Michigan to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. They fish for lobster, call to seals, dance a jig and, most importantly find the acceptance they are seeking. Premieres November 17. Episode 4 - Mandy Harvey came to prominence on America's Got Talent as a musician who lost her hearing at the age of 18. With her father, Joe, they leave the Florida Gulf Coast behind to experience the lakes, pine trees and sky diving of Quebec on a journey that pushes the bounds of Mandy's senses. Premieres November 24. Tune in as these inspirational Americans challenge themselves while they discover new places, new people and new aspects of themselves. The first two episodes will premiere November 10 on Prime Video for members in the United States to stream or download and enjoy anytime, anywhere at no additional cost to a Prime membership. Members can watch via the Prime Video app on Fire TV stick, compatible Android and iOS phones and tablets, popular LG and Samsung Smart TVs, Android TV by Sony, Sony PlayStation 3 and 4, Xbox One, Apple TV 3 or 4, or online at PrimeVideo.com. The episodes will also be available on www.vacationsofthebrave.com . Follow #VacationsOfTheBrave and visit https://media.canada.travel/en-US to learn more about transformational experiences in Canada. About Destination Canada Destination Canada markets Canada internationally as a premier four-season tourism destination. In collaboration with partners in the Canadian tourism industry, Destination Canada creates marketing campaigns designed to showcase the best our country has to offer. Destination Canada also provides research and industry data to our partnersequipping them to optimize their businesses. For more information, please visit: www.destinationcanada.com , follow @DestinationCAN and @ExploreCanada on Twitter. Contact: Daniella Sirochinsky, (212) 299-3971, [email protected] SOURCE Destination Canada Related Links http://www.destinationcanada.com Company invites individual and institutional investors, as well as advisors, to attend interactive, real-time virtual event WUHAN, China, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Dunxin Financial Holdings Limited (NYSE: DXF) based in Hubei Province, China, and focused on providing microfinance service for individuals and small and medium-sized enterprises, today announced that Dunxin Financial Holdings Limited, CEO Assistant, Ichi Shih, will present at the dbVIC - Deutsche Bank American Depositary Receipt (ADR) Virtual Investor Conference on November 14, 2018. This virtual investor conference is aimed exclusively at introducing global companies with ADR programs to investors. DATE: November 14, 2018 TIME: 11:30 a.m. ET LINK: https://tinyurl.com/111415dbVICpre This will be a live, interactive online event where investors are invited to ask international companies their questions in real-time and to download a company's information in their "virtual trade booth" in the Exhibits section. If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an on-demand archive will be available for 90 days. Participation is free of charge. It is recommended that investors pre-register to save time and receive event updates. About Dunxin Financial Holdings Limited Dunxin Financial Holdings Limited ("DXF") is one of the leading licensed microfinance lenders in Hubei Province, China. We have been granted a microfinance license by the Financial Affairs Office of the Hubei Provincial People's Government to provide loans to individuals and small- and medium-sized enterprises. We were named the Vice President of the China Micro-credit Companies Association under the China Banking Regulatory Commission in January 2017 and the President of the Hubei Micro-credit Company Association in December 2017. In 2016, we were recognized as a "National Excellent Microfinance Company" by the China Micro-credit Companies Association. We have been named one of the "Top 100 Most Competitive Microfinance Companies in China" by China Microfinance Institution Association for four consecutive years since 2013, an "AA-Credit Rating Enterprise" by China Credit Management Co., Ltd in August 2017, and one of the "Top 10 Private Enterprises in Wuchang District, Wuhan City" by the People's Government of Wuchang District in July 2017. The Company has a strong capital base and professional credit business experience in the microfinance industry. For more information, please visit the Company's website at www.dunxin.us. SOURCE Dunxin Financial Holdings Limited Related Links http://www.dunxin.us TAMPA, Florida, November 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Enviro-Serv, Inc. (OTCBB: EVSV) has traditionally followed the business model for pest control service delivery on both commercial and government markets. However, within the past year, Enviro-Serv management was asked to investigate the possibility of service provision outside of the narrowly defined pest control service arena. On these multiple occasions Enviro-Serv was asked to provide service applications of a diversified nature that took it well outside of its traditional model. These service requests came from a prime contractor that oversees multi-faceted facility and operational service delivery functions at U.S. Government installations under the control of the U.S. Department of Defense. In all situations, Enviro-Serv management was able to assemble the personnel, operational equipment, specialized apparatus and supplies necessary to achieve task orders generated in accordance with specified statements of work. These experiences in service delivery outside of the traditional Enviro-Serv business model, received praise from both the US Government prime contractor and the U.S. Government contracting officials themselves. These successes immediately prompted Enviro-Serv CEO, Christoph Trina to consider expansion of the company business model to formally and permanently create a business unit devoted to capturing and delivering services under a broader and more encompassing range of service delivery scenarios outside of just pest control. As a result of considerable planning that was spawned by these events, Mr. Trina has announced the creation of Patriot Diversified Services, Inc., which has become a wholly owned division of Enviro-Serv and a significant expansion of its business development profile. Patriot Diversified Services (PDS) has been incorporated in the State of Florida and is authorized to undertake service delivery anywhere in the 50 United States, as well as U.S. overseas territories, protectorates and Government facilities of all types. Final filings and certifications with the Federal Government contracting authorities will be completed by the end of next week and Mr. Trina expects to formally commence pursuit of business operation for PDS by the Thanksgiving holiday. In order to properly succeed in expanding the Government work profile, Mr. Trina has retained the service of long time Federal business development consultant Jeffrey Shaw, of Ogdensburg, New York. Mr. Shaw, a 30-year veteran of Washington D.C.'s private sector government contracting business, is a former economist and business-contracting advisor to several small, medium and large businesses. He has helped bring several start-up businesses and small business enterprises into the realms of multi-million dollar business contracts with U.S. Government. He is already at work developing partnerships with existing government prime contractors, Service Disabled Veteran-Owned companies, as well as certified Small Disadvantaged firms, in order to gain working partnerships for Patriot Diversified Services. "We are fortunate to have Mr. Shaw's experience and Government contracting business knowledge working for us. Accordingly, the Enviro-Serv Executive team has retained his services for at least the next three years." Mr. Shaw is currently focused on securing partnering relationships with Service Disabled Veteran-Owned companies for PDS so that business can be secured within that growing community of contracting priorities already set within the Federal Government. Enviro-Serv will have further information regarding Mr. Shaw's efforts in the coming weeks and we look forward to the revenues we expect to generate while meeting the growing demand for quality service delivery for the US Federal Government departments and agencies. Enviro-Serv, in addition to the updates on its Federal contracting business announced herein, has also made substantial strides in advancing its hemp cultivation services business. Look for an update on Enviro-Serv's hemp cultivation services business to be forthcoming soon. About Enviro-Serv, Inc. (EVSV): Enviro-Serv, Inc. is a multi-faceted company targeting a broad range of government, commercial and residential end users. More information can be found visit www.evsvinc.com and www.gsasvcs.com. Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that certain statements in this release are "forward-looking statements" and involve both known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. Such uncertainties include, among others, certain risks associated with the operation of the company described above. The Company's actual results could differ materially from expected results. Contact: Chris Trina CEO Enviro-Serv, Inc. +1-813-708-9910 SOURCE Enviro-Serv Inc. LOUISVILLE, Colo., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Eximis Surgical, Inc. today announced it has secured $7.5 million in financing led by Questa Capital, with participation from Venture Investors. Eximis Surgical is developing a transformational surgical platform for the removal of large specimens through small laparoscopic incisions. The Eximis Laparoscopic Specimen Removal System is designed to keep incisions small throughout the minimally invasive procedure, providing fast, fully contained specimen segmentation and removal. The technology fills a critical gap in minimally invasive surgery. Eximis Surgical will use the new capital to fund U.S. regulatory approval and the commercial launch of the Eximis Laparoscopic Specimen Removal System. As part of the financing, Ryan Drant, founder and managing director, Questa Capital, and Scott Button, managing director, Venture Investors, will join Eximis Surgical's Board of Directors. "I am extremely pleased with the investment by Questa Capital and Venture Investors, and I look forward to partnering as we approach regulatory submission and approval," said Eximis Surgical co-founder and CEO, Kristin Johnson. "Support from highly respected investors further validates our novel technology and enhances the capabilities of our experienced team." "We at Questa are very pleased to invest in Eximis," added Ryan Drant. "Quick and safe large specimen removal is a major unmet need in minimally invasive surgery, and Eximis has developed a very compelling technology solution." Eximis Surgical also announced that Ted Lamson and Scott Hutton recently joined the board as independent directors. Mr. Lamson, CTO, NeoTract, was the company's co-founder and founding President & CEO. NeoTract was acquired by Teleflex for up to $1.1 billion in 2017. Prior to founding NeoTract, Mr. Lamson was the Vice President of R&D at TransVascular, a cardiovascular device company acquired by Medtronic in 2004. He holds a PhD in Bioengineering from Penn State University and a Bachelor of Science degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Mr. Hutton, COO, Biodesix, previously served as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Spectranetics' Vascular Intervention business, which was acquired by Philips in 2017. Prior to Spectranetics, Mr. Hutton spent 16 years with Medtronic, where he held several executive roles including VP and GM of the Neurosurgery business unit. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Health and Kinesiology from Purdue University. "We are excited to have Ted and Scott as members of Eximis' board of directors. Both are highly experienced medical device executives with proven successes in the surgical device space," said Johnson. "Ted is a proven entrepreneur who has developed and marketed a disruptive technology that enables minimally invasive treatment for millions of BPH patients annually," said Johnson. "Scott has successfully led and grown multi-million dollar medical device businesses with cutting edge technologies and brings a unique blend of commercial and business development experience." About Eximis Surgical Eximis Surgical, Inc. is a medical device company that has developed a surgical system for removing large specimens through laparoscopic incisions. We believe in giving patients choice by providing a fully contained specimen removal solution to keep incisions small. Minimally invasive surgery is proven to reduce pain, shorten recovery times and decrease the risk of complications. The system is the only specimen removal technique to have multiple, integrated containment bags for increased confidence and a novel cutting technology that eliminates the need for sharps during segmentation. The Eximis Surgical system is not currently approved for commercial use. For more information visit www.eximissurgical.com. About Questa Capital Questa Capital is a healthcare venture growth equity firm that invests in growth-stage healthcare companies. Founded in 2016, the firm is led by three senior partners: Ryan Drant, who previously led healthcare investing at NEA; Brad Sloan, previously a senior healthcare investor at Parthenon Capital; and Shawn Conway, a former senior operating executive at Andreessen Horowitz and NEA. Questa seeks out disruptive business models that improve lives and provide better quality and more efficient care. The firm partners with superior management teams to help build innovative market leaders. For more information visit www.questacapital.com. About Venture Investors Venture Investors is a premier provider of venture capital funding and company building expertise to early-stage healthcare companies. With a Midwest focus and national reach, we have a track record of working with passionate entrepreneurs to advance solutions to the market that address the world's biggest health challenges. Venture Investors is focused on investment opportunities in healthcare, principally those emerging from ecosystems surrounding major research universities in the Midwest. Formed in 1982, Venture Investors has offices strategically located next to the country's second and sixth largest research institutions in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Madison, Wisconsin. For more information visit www.ventureinvestors.com. Media Contact: Kristin Johnson Phone: 720-890-1111 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Eximis Surgical, Inc. Related Links http://www.eximissurgical.com NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Genpact (NYSE: G), a global professional services firm focused on delivering digital transformation, today announced the launch of a new digital innovation hub in Bentonville, Arkansas to expand the company's services for the retail and consumer goods industries. Genpact's investment in Bentonville reflects its commitment to and deep experience in the retail and consumer goods industries, with clients including Walmart (NYSE: WMT). Genpact is co-innovating with Walmart to transform Walmart's finance and accounting back-office operations located in Bentonville, helping to fuel growth. The digital innovation hub builds on both Walmart's position as an industry leader, and Genpact's expertise in advanced digital technologies and domain and process depth in retail and consumer goods. "Retail and consumer goods companies need to continually reinvent themselves to meet ever-changing customer demands," said Tiger Tyagarajan, president and chief executive officer, Genpact. "We are excited to work with Walmart, a renowned innovator in retail, as the anchor client in our new Bentonville hub. We look forward to partnering together to help the area become a digital transformation talent leader for the industry." As part of its commitment to the area, Genpact plans to work with the Northwest Arkansas business community and local academic institutions. This builds on the company's expertise in learning and development, and successful partnerships with numerous U.S. and global universities. Genpact will encourage new training and education approaches that can provide market-ready skills and practical, real-life experiences in digital transformation. In its work with Walmart, Genpact will help manage part of Walmart's finance and accounting operations. All of Walmart's Bentonville-based finance solutions associates affected by this transition will be offered employment with Genpact at its new digital innovation hub, providing career opportunities that take advantage of Genpact's deep expertise in finance transformation. "This partnership will further accelerate our digital transformation and unlock potential savings for reinvestment in innovation and growth," said Clay Johnson, executive vice president and enterprise chief information officer, Walmart. "We'll leverage Genpact's expertise in finance and accounting services and process transformation to further improve quality, reduce the total cycle time of our processes, and deliver value that's in the best interest of our associates and business." Genpact will develop solutions at its new digital innovation hub that allow companies to reimagine their operations with faster access to data, delivering insights that enable more strategic business decisions. Genpact will help retail and consumer goods clients drive growth, improve customer service, and streamline processes by leveraging robotic process automation, machine learning, predictive analytics, artificial intelligence such as natural language understanding, and other digital technologies. The investment in Arkansas underscores Genpact's ongoing expansion strategy in the United States to support its clients around the world with resources and flexibility in delivery locations. About Genpact Genpact (NYSE: G) is a global professional services firm that makes business transformation real. We drive digital-led innovation and digitally-enabled intelligent operations for our clients, guided by our experience running thousands of processes for hundreds of Global Fortune 500 companies. We think with design, dream in digital, and solve problems with data and analytics. We obsess over operations and focus on the details all 80,000+ of us. From New York to New Delhi and more than 20 countries in between, Genpact has the end-to-end expertise to connect every dot, reimagine every process, and reinvent companies' ways of working. We know that rethinking each step from start to finish will create better business outcomes. Whatever it is, we'll be there with you putting data and digital to work to create bold, lasting results because transformation happens here. Get to know us at Genpact.com and on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook. For more information: Danielle D'Angelo (Genpact Media Relations - Global) [email protected] +1 914-336-7951 Siya Belliappa (Genpact Media Relations - India) [email protected] +91 - 98231333 Laura Brooks (for Genpact U.K.) [email protected] +44 207 680 7113 SOURCE Genpact Limited Related Links http://www.genpact.com TORONTO, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Global mining and renewable energy experts are preparing to meet at the Energy and Mines World Congress taking place Dec. 10-11 at the Hilton Toronto. The 6th annual event is set to be the largest gathering of senior mining energy decision-makers and renewable energy experts with 300+ attendees expected. "Rising energy costs for mines and increased pressure to reduce carbon emissions has led to the highest number of new renewables projects for mines over the last year with around a dozen announced and several more advancing," commented Adrienne Baker, Director, Energy and Mines. "This is a very exciting time in the mining and renewable energy space and we're looking forward to more developments at the Congress." The Congress showcases mines leading the transition to renewable energy and low-carbon solutions and provides a timely and essential networking platform for mining and energy experts to discuss project opportunities. This year's agenda features senior representatives from Agnico Eagle, De Beers, Newmont Mining, Teranga Gold, IAMGOLD, Gold Fields, Rio Tinto, Barrick Gold, Goldcorp, Kinross Gold, Kirkland Lake Gold, Glencore, Algold, B2Gold, Tahoe Canada, Vale, Hudbay Minerals, Nordgold, and Erdene Resource Development. Sponsors and attendees from the renewable energy sector view the Congress as the key networking and business development opportunity with the global mining sector. "If you're involved in any aspect of power for mines, it's hard not to be excited about the Energy & Mines World Congress in Toronto," reported Rob Schueffner, Microgrids and Renewables Commercial Manager, Caterpillar. "You get a chance to talk with all the people in the industry about the real challenges and opportunities they're facing, and then develop real solutions for the project. It's exciting." Current Congress sponsors include 20 global leaders in renewables development, hybrids, consulting, engineering, and energy storage including Thought-Leader Sponsors Caterpillar, Sterling & Wilson and the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service; and Lead Sponsors BBA, Juwi, Advisian, and Wartsila. Hatch, G+ Plastics, Convergent, NRStor, Tulloch, Enel X, Total Eren, Saturn Power, Rioglass, ESS, Engie, SunGrid and Ontario Power Generation are also sponsors and exhibitors. "We look forward to engaging with as many potential mining clients as possible at the Congress, hoping to seek their appreciation of the need for an increasingly decarbonised mining landscape globally, and our potential role to help them achieve it," said Vishwanathan Iyer, Head of Business Development, Hybrid & Energy Storage, Sterling & Wilson, a global hybrid solutions provider. "Knowing that there are very key industry players at the event, I always enjoy meeting with them at both the formal and informal settings," added Jean-Philippe Castonguay, Director of Off-Grid Hybrid Power and Partner at BBA. "The cocktail reception and dinner last year were fantastic opportunities to connect in an informal setting, and our network built significantly following those events." "I am very excited about this year's World Congress because it enables us to share our recent project and technology developments as well as the real-life experience of operating the world's largest PV battery hybrid at DeGrussa in Australia for more than 2 years," commented Amiram Roth-Deblon, Head of Global Business Initiatives, juwi Renewable Energies. "It is equally important to our team to listen to mining energy leaders, learn about their projects and their energy outlook. The great lineup of speakers and participants enables me to meet existing and, hopefully, many future clients." Tristan Jackson, Director, Smart & Distributed Energy, Advisian is also looking forward to hearing from mines and other experts at the Congress. "Most of all, I'm looking forward to the questions the mining companies still have, hearing from them what they are seeing, expecting, and what they consider to be the main challenges so we can learn better how to help them meet them," said Jackson. Visit the event website for full conference details or contact Adrienne Baker on +1 613 680 2482 or [email protected]. Click here to download the Congress brochure Click here to register for the Congress. Related Links Energy and Mines World Congress SOURCE Energy and Mines LONDON, Nov. 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Rare Disease Diagnostics Market to Reach $86.15 billion by 2025, Reports BIS Research Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5612791 Rare diseases, also known as orphan diseases, have become a major health burden in the recent times.Comprising 6000-7000 life threatening diseases, rare diseases affect small percentage of the population. Every country has their own definition of rare disease based on the country's population.In the initial years, pharmaceutical companies were less interested in adopting them to develop treatments for such a small patient population, therefore the US FDA started giving orphan drug designations to the drug candidates intended to treat rare diseases. Orphan drug designations benefit companies from incentives for the development of these products until the marketing approval. The major challenge in rare diseases treatment is the lack of diagnosis, government policies, awareness and funding for R&D, along with long diagnostic delays. The increasing patient pool for rare disease cancer, government funding to accelerate research in rare diseases, and interest of big pharmaceutical companies in manufacturing orphan drugs and orphan disease diagnostic devices are expected to be the major factors for the growth of the market.Pharmaceutical giants such as Shire and Qiagen are investing in the R&D for the development of innovative and improved diagnostic devices and assays for rare disease. Rise in the awareness level among people on rare diseases is also expected to fuel the growth of the market.The rare disease has different definitions across different countries. Rare diseases are genetically inherited and is difficult and expensive to diagnose and with are few treatment options. A disease is known as rare in the United States if it affects fewer to 200,000 people, and in Europe, a disease is referred to as rare if it affects one in 2000 people. Rare diseases are also referred to those diseases that are underappreciated or ignored by the medical community and drug companies The global rare disease diagnostic market is segmented based on disease type, test type, age, trait, end-user, and region. The disease type segment is further sub-segmented into gastroenterology, endocrine and metabolism disorders, cardiovascular disorders, neurology, hematology and oncology, dermatology, and other therapeutic areas. The test type segment is further segmented as genetic tests, general lab tests, imaging, and other physical tests for rare diseases. On the basis of trait type, the rare disease diagnostic market is segmented as inherited and acquired. Based on the age group, the rare disease diagnostic market is segmented into children and adults. On the basis of end user, the rare disease diagnostic marker is segmented as hospital laboratories, diagnostic laboratory, genetic testing laboratories, cancer research laboratories, and others genetic services area. The market analysis includes an in-depth examination of the key ecosystem players, key strategies, and developments taking place in this market. Additionally, it includes market dynamics (market drivers, opportunities, and challenges) and industry analysis. Geographically, the market can be segmented into five distinct regions including, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East Africa (MEA). The purpose of the study is to gain a holistic view of the global rare disease diagnostic market in terms of various factors influencing it such as key market trends, competitive and regulatory aspects of the market, and scientific innovations with respect to gene sequencing.The scope of the report is centered upon conducting a detailed study of the diagnostic devices/services and assays used to diagnose rare disease. It involves wide range of diagnostic tests such as genetic tests (genome sequencing and exome sequencing), lab tests, imaging, and physical examinations that are performed in diagnostic laboratories, hospitals, cancer research institutes and other gene sequencing institutes/companies. The rare disease diagnostic market is divided into six different segments: diseases, test type, 'trait, age, end user, and region.The report offers the reader with an opportunity to unlock comprehensive insights with respect to the market and helps in forming well informed strategic decisions. The research uncovers some of the substantial parameters that must be taken into consideration before entering the market. This research report aims at answering questions related to various aspects of the global market with the help of the key factors driving the market, threats that can possibly inhibit the overall market growth, and the current growth opportunities that are going to shape the future trajectory of the market expansion.The study considers the growth-share matrix model for a comprehensive study of the global enzyme market, and assesses the factors governing the same. Opportunity matrix and detailed product mapping have been included in the report. The market by region has been further sub-segmented in various countries, and in each sub-segment the key market trends, list of the key players, and recent developments, have been discussed. Key questions answered in the report: What are the major market drivers, restraints, and opportunities in the global rare disease diagnostic market? What were the market shares of the leading segments and sub-segments of the global rare disease diagnostic market in 2017, and what will be shares in 2025? How will each segment of the global rare disease diagnostic market grow during the forecast period, and what will be the revenue generated by each of the segments by the end of 2025? What are the influencing factors that may affect the market share of the key players? What are the key developmental strategies implemented by the key players to stand out in this market? What are the major regulatory authorities/associations/consortiums affecting the global rare disease diagnostic market, and who are the key authorities facilitating development and approval of diagnostic products/services? Which companies are holding gene sequencing services, and what is the epidemiology of the rare diseases? What are the types of genetic tests involved in the diagnosis of rare diseases, and what is the market share for various test types performed in the diagnosis of rare diseases? Which test type will be dominant among physicians for diagnosing rare diseases in terms of revenue? Which disease type is expected to have the highest CAGR during the forecast period? Which test type is expected to register the highest CAGR for the global rare disease diagnostic market? Which end user is expected to register the highest CAGR for the global rare disease diagnostic market? Which geographical region will contribute to the highest revenue for rare disease diagnosis during the forecast period? The report also profiles 15 companies including several key players that have been contributing significantly to the market. They key players of the market include Retrophin, Inc., 3billion, Inc., 23andMe, Inc., QIAGEN N.V., Illumina Inc., PerkinElmer, Inc., BGI, Partek, Inc., GENEWIZ, Centogene A.G., Strand Life Sciences Pvt Ltd., Eurofins Scientific, Laboratory Corporation of America, and Laboratory Corporation of America, among others. Executive Summary Rare diseases have become a major health burden in the recent times.Also known as orphan diseases, rare diseases are a group of 6000-7000 life threatening diseases affecting a small percentage of the population. Countries also have their own definition of rare disease based on the population.Rare diseases are also known as orphan diseases because pharmaceutical companies were less interested in adopting them to develop treatments for small patient population. The US FDA then decided to design drugs as orphan drugs and give incentives to encourage companies to develop diagnostics and treatment options for rare diseases. The major challenge in the case of rare diseases is the lack of diagnosis and treatment options, government policies, and funding for research and development. The global rare disease diagnostics market was valued $45.18 billion in 2017 and is anticipated to reach $86.15 billion by 2025. Factors such as high incidence of rare diseases, presence of large numbers of research and development facilities for rare diseases, significant number of rare disease registries, high diagnosis rare of rare diseases in countries of North America, and extensive investments in different therapeutic areas are driving the growth of the North America rare disease diagnostics market. However, the Asia Pacific region is expected to register the highest CAGR of 9.22% during the forecast period 2018-2025. The purpose of the study is to gain a holistic view of the global rare disease diagnostics market in terms of various factors influencing it such as key market trends, competitive and regulatory aspects of the market, and scientific innovations with respect to gene sequencing.The scope of the report is centered upon conducting a detailed study of the diagnostic devices/services, assays used to diagnose rare diseases. Rare disease diagnosis involves wide range of diagnostic tests such as genetic tests, lab tests, imaging, physical examinations performed in diagnostic laboratories, hospitals, cancer research institutes and others.The rare disease diagnostics market is divided into six different segments: diseases, test type, trait, age, end user, and region. The report offers the reader with an opportunity to unlock comprehensive insights with respect to the market and helps in forming well-informed strategic decisions. The research uncovers some of the substantial parameters that must be taken into consideration before entering the market. The global rare disease diagnostics market (by disease type) is currently dominated by hematology and oncology segment. The contribution of hematology and oncology segment was valued $10.0 billion in 2017 and is expected to reach $20.5 billion by 2025, witnessing a CAGR of 9.35% during the forecast period. Based on test type, the market is segmented into genetic tests, general lab tests, imaging, and other physical tests for rare diseases. Rare diseases are difficult to diagnose and according to NIH, as many as 80 % of rare diseases are genetic in origin, thus often requiring genetic test for diagnosis Based on the trait type, the market is segmented into inherited and acquired.Based on the age group, the market is segmented into children and adults. About 80% of rare diseases are not acquired, they are inherited or has predisposition of faulty gene.The average time to diagnosis is approximately 5-6 years and 40% of rare diseases are misdiagnosed. Children account for 50 % of rare disease patients.According to the Canadian Organization of Rare Diseases, two-third of Canadians suffering from rare disease are children. Another extremely unfortunate fact is that thirty percent of children with rare diseases are not likely to reach their fifth birthday. Geographically, the market is segmented into five distinct regions including North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East Africa (MEA).North America, followed by Europe, is the leading contributor of the market. Within North America, the U.S. contributed for almost 91.12% of the total share, and the rest was occupied by Canada in 2017. Within Europe, the U.K dominated the market in 2017. However, the market for the Asia-pacific region is expected to demonstrate high growth rate during the forecast period from 2018 to 2025, as compared to other regions, and the region holds a strong potential for market expansion in the future. The rare disease diagnostics market (by genetic tests) 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 extensive financial summary of each company. The key players of the market include Retrophin, Inc., QIAGEN N.V., Illumina Inc., PerkinElmer, Inc., BGI, Partek, Inc., Centogene A.G., Strand Life Sciences Pvt Ltd., Eurofins Scientific, Laboratory Corporation of America, and Laboratory Corporation of America, among others. Countries Covered North America U.S. Canada Europe U.K Germany France Russia Italy Spain Rest-of-Europe Latin America Brazil Mexico Rest-of-Latin America Asia Pacific China Japan India Australia Singapore Rest-of-Asia-Pacific MEA GCC Country South Africa Rest-of-MEA Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5612791 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 Harmony invites individual and institutional investors, as well as advisors, to attend this interactive, real-time virtual event JOHANNESBURG, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited ("Harmony" and/or "the Company") (LOCAL EXCHANGE: JSE: HAR, US EXCHANGE:NYSE: HMY) based in South Africa, and focused on gold mining and exploration in South Africa and Papua New Guinea, today announced that Harmony's Chief Financial Officer, Boipelo Lekubo, will present at the dbVIC - Deutsche Bank American Depositary Receipt (ADR) Virtual Investor Conference on November 14, 2018. This virtual investor conference is aimed exclusively at introducing global companies with ADR programs to investors. DATE: Wednesday, November 14, 2018 TIME: 9 AM ET LINK: https://tinyurl.com/111415dbvicprepr This will be a live, interactive online event where investors are invited to ask international companies their questions in real-time and to download a company's information in their "virtual trade booth" in the Exhibits section. If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an on-demand archive will be available for 90 days. Participation is free of charge. It is recommended that investors pre-register to save time and receive event updates. Recent Company Highlights Achieved production guidance for the third consecutive year in FY18 Acquired and integrated Moab Khotsong in FY18 a high grade, +250 000oz p.a. mine Delivered Hidden Valley re-investment on schedule and within budget in FY18 200 000oz p.a. with an average life-of mine all-in sustaining unit cost of less than US$950 /oz About Harmony Harmony, a world-class gold mining and exploration company, has operations and assets in South Africa and Papua New Guinea (PNG). Harmony, which has more than 68 years' experience in the industry, is the second largest gold producer in South Africa. Its assets include one open pit mine and several exploration tenements in PNG, as well as nine underground mines and one open pit operation and several surface sources in South Africa. In addition, we own 50% of the significant Wafi-Golpu copper-gold project in a joint venture in PNG. Additional information on the company is available on the corporate website, www.harmony.co.za. SOURCE Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited Related Links http://www.harmony.co.za HARRISBURG, Pa., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania has continued its sweep of worker gains for this 2018 election cycle. After the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's redistricting decision earlier this year, Pennsylvanians were finally given the opportunity to overcome years of hyper-partisan, right-wing gerrymandering. The Pennsylvania AFL-CIO and our affiliate labor unions have worked hard in the last several years to protect and promote the democratic process in our Commonwealth, whether by fighting restrictive voter ID legislation or overturning the most gerrymandered congressional map in America. Today, Pennsylvanians showed that workers' rights and healthcare are treasured values for our Commonwealth. Pennsylvania has added four women to our congressional delegation. The officers of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, President Rick Bloomingdale and Secretary-Treasurer Frank Snyder, have issued a joint statement on the results: "This election has all turned on the issues. While many are tempted to talk of 'blue waves,' the reality is that healthcare, social security, worker safety and the right to make a decent living are unifying issues for Pennsylvanians. By getting out and talking to our fellow union members, we have made a real, and meaningful difference." SOURCE Pennsylvania AFL-CIO WILLMAR, Minn., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Jennie-O Turkey Store, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hormel Foods (NYSE: HRL), today announced the launch of its online Turkey Tracker where consumers can track their fresh or frozen JENNIE-O whole turkey back to its originating farm. Each fresh and frozen turkey package now includes a tracking code stamped on the package's hang tag that can be entered into the JENNIE-O Turkey Tracker page on the company's website. Once the code is entered, a regional farm where the turkey was raised is revealed along with a story about the farmers. More and more of today's consumers want to know where their food comes from and the story behind it. Through the Turkey Tracker, the JENNIE-O brand is increasing its transparency and provides consumers this information while also showcasing its valued partners the farmers who raise its turkeys. "We are proud that a majority of our turkeys are raised on farms located in Minnesota and western Wisconsin," said Heather Carr, director of whole turkey sales at Jennie-O Turkey Store. "We felt it was important to introduce our local farm partners to our consumers and for them to see the hard work and passion our farmers put in everyday to ensure the highest quality animal care for their turkeys." In addition to the Turkey Tracker, the JENNIE-O brand website includes other tools that consumers will find helpful for planning their Thanksgiving meal from calculators that tell the host how much turkey to buy or when to start thawing, as well as full menus to inspire their Thanksgiving dinner and suggestions for preparing tasty leftovers. Also, from now through November 25, consumers have the ability to live chat their turkey prep questions on www.jennieo.com or call 1-800-TURKEYS to speak with a representative. For more information about all JENNIE-O turkey products, including recipes, nutritional information and where to buy, visit www.jennieo.com or follow the brand on social media at www.Facebook.com/JennieoTurkey, www.Instagram.com/jennieo and www.Twitter.com/Jennieo. ABOUT JENNIE-O TURKEY STORE, INC. Jennie-O Turkey Store, Inc., based in Willmar, Minn., is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL) and one of the largest turkey processors and marketers in the world. It offers an array of more than 1,500 high quality fresh, frozen, refrigerated and deli turkey products that are distributed throughout the United States and 27 countries worldwide. Jennieo.com ABOUT HORMEL FOODS Inspired People. Inspired Food. Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $9 billion in annual revenues across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include SKIPPY, SPAM, Hormel Natural Choice, Applegate, Justin's, Wholly Guacamole, Hormel Black Label, Columbus and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named one of "The 100 Best Corporate Citizens" by Corporate Responsibility Magazine for the 10th year in a row and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. In 2016, the company celebrated its 125th anniversary and announced its new vision for the future Inspired People. Inspired Food. focusing on its legacy of innovation. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com and http://csr.hormelfoods.com/. Media Contact: [email protected] 507-434-6352 SOURCE Hormel Foods Corporation Related Links http://www.hormel.com IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Jennifer Keller, a nationally prominent trial attorney at Keller/Anderle LLP in Irvine, has been named to the 2019 Benchmark Litigation "Top 100 Trial Lawyers in America," an exclusive list of the top courtroom advocates in the United States. Jennifer Keller was recently inducted into the "Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame" by the California Lawyers Association, one of only 31 attorneys selected over the years. Other recent statewide and national recognition has included Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journals' list of "The Top 100 Lawyers in California," Top 10 Southern California Super Lawyers, Benchmark Litigation's "Top 250 Women in Litigation," and Lawdragon's "500 Leading Lawyers in America." According to Benchmark Litigation: "This elite group of practitioners were recognized as the best in breed for the coveted and in-demand, yet increasingly rare, art of trial law based upon peer and client review as well as these attorneys' lead role in spearheading some of the most high-stakes and high-profile cases to make their way to the trial level." Benchmark Litigation is the "definitive guide to America's leading litigation firms and attorneys. It is the only publication to focus exclusively on U.S. litigation." Jennifer Keller has tried over 150 cases to jury verdict, ranging from complex civil matters including business and intellectual property cases to white collar to murder. She has received innumerable awards for excellence as a trial lawyer and excels at "bet the company" litigation. Ms. Keller is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, widely considered the most significant honor a trial attorney in North America can receive. Ms. Keller is a fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, an invitation-only organization limited to the top one-half of one percent of the nation's attorneys. Ms. Keller is also active in the community. She is the former President of the Orange County Bar Association and serves as a Trustee of Chapman University. She counts as present and former clients a number of judges, public officials, law enforcement officers, CEOs, CFOs, lawyers, physicians, professional athletes, venture capitalists and entrepreneurs. Contact: Kay Anderle Managing Partner Address: 18300 Von Karman Ave., Suite 930 Irvine, California 92612-1057 Ph. 949.476.8700 Fax 949.476.0900 [email protected] www.kelleranderle.com SOURCE Keller/Anderle LLP Related Links http://www.kelleranderle.com HERENTALS, Belgium, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Kemin confirms that NutriCAB - its coated calcium chloride product - is not affected by the recent Rapid Alert launched following a notification from the Netherlands. The products implicated by the notification indicates that they significantly exceeded the maximum permissible level of dioxin in coated calcium chloride allowed by law in products of Belgian origin. Kemin Europa N.V. has been in close contact with the Belgian Federal Agency of the Food Chain immediately after the RASFF notification was released, and it has received confirmation that Kemin's NutriCAB is not within the scope of this Rapid Alert. As part of its strict quality assurance, Kemin applies a raw material risk assessment program to exclude risks of finding undesirable substances in its final products. Kemin Cavriago Srl, manufacturer of NutriCAB, is registered as a feed business establishment in accordance with the Italian and European legislation. The establishment is subject to official control by the competent authorities. Italian authorities control the absence of prohibited and undesirable substances such as dioxins, PCB's and heavy metals in feeding stuffs including feed materials, compound feedstuffs, additives and premixtures, according to Italian and European legislations in force. In addition, Kemin Cavriago Srl has an internal monitoring program in accordance with the requirements of its GMP+ certification. Based on the results of these controls, NutriCAB can be certified as compliant for animal feeding with regard to residue contents of contaminants such as dioxin, PCB and heavy metals and complies with Italian and European legislations on undesirable substances and products in animal nutrition. About Kemin Industries Kemin Industries (www.kemin.com) is a global ingredient manufacturer with a focus on improving the quality of life for over 3.8 billion people each day with more than 500 specialty ingredients made for the human and animal health, pet food, nutraceutical, food technology, crop technologies and textile industries. For over half a century, Kemin has been dedicated to using applied science to address industry challenges and offers product solutions to customers in more than 120 countries. Kemin provides ingredients to feed a growing population with its commitment to the quality, safety and efficacy of food, feed and health-related products. Established in 1961, Kemin is a privately-held, family-owned and operated company with more than 2,500 employees globally and operations in 90 countries, including manufacturing facilities in Belgium, Brazil, China, India, Italy, Russia, Singapore, South Africa and the United States. Kemin Industries, Inc. and its group of companies 2018. All rights reserved. Trademarks of Kemin Industries, Inc., U.S.A. Media Contact: Ester Bolsens, Marketing Communications Manager, [email protected] (32) 14 242 323 SOURCE Kemin Industries Related Links http://www.kemin.com MIAMI, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Nanogen, The UK's #1 hair thickening brand, announces that their revolutionary Thickening Hair Fibres and select top-selling skus are now available at select CVS locations in South Florida. Consumers in South Florida now have direct access to the brand's versatile styling and thinning hair solutions just as US Google searches for "thinning hair" hit a five-year high. "We know the US consumer is looking for solutions to thinning hair and South Florida is among the top markets to target," says Piia Toikka, General Manager at Nanogen. "We partnered with CVS knowing they have a pulse on what their customers in the region want and need to help add volume and thickness." The hero product range from Nanogen, offers instant camouflage for thinning hair. The Thickening Hair Fibres are made from high quality, 100% natural keratin; a fibrous protein found in hair strands. A patented Kinetic strip generates electrostatic charge in the keratin fibers allowing for 400% better binding of the keratin to the hair fibers than leading competitors. Nanogen offers an array of hair care and styling products guaranteed to help men and women achieve thicker, healthier hair by using the best active ingredients around. With an innovative blend of ingredients developed by the brand's in-house biochemists, Nanogen is proven to deliver shinier, more voluminous and thicker hair from the very first use. Thicker and healthier hair growth over time is attributed to Nanogen's proprietary Hair Growth Factor complex, which is found throughout the treatment range. Currently sold in over 30 countries, Nanogen continues to see year-over-year growth in all markets. Among a crowd of hair products claiming to thicken locks, Nanogen a pioneer in the healthy hair revolution stands out. All Nanogen products are free of parabens and SLS and formaldehyde donors for optimal scalp health. Please visit www.Nanogen.com for more information and the following CVS stores to find their Thickening Hair Fibres as well as a few products from their wet line including the Root Boost Hair Thickening Spray and Fibre Locking Spray: CVS 10111 5748 SW 40th Street, South Miami, FL 33155 CVS 3627 1 N Federal Highway, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33301 About Nanogen Renowned for combining research, development and formulation by a team of in-house biochemists, London-based hair thickening brand Nanogen are the UK's leading hair fiber brand for both men and women. Since the launch of their iconic Keratin Hair Thickening Fibers twenty years ago, the brand has a cult following of loyal and dedicated customers who continually see confidence boosting transformations from the patented technology and innovative formulations that are seen across the product range. Fibres are made from 100% natural keratin and the brand offers 10 natural shades. Their Patented Kinetic technology has been proven in an independent study to bind fibers to natural hair 400% better than any other leading competitor, which firmly places Nanogen as the go-to brand when it comes to hair thickening fibers. Visit Nanogen.com for more information. SOURCE Nanogen Related Links http://www.Nanogen.com WELLESLEY, Mass., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In a legislative webinar post-election yesterday, Sun Life Financial U.S. experts discussed how the midterm elections could affect employee benefits, and explored the growth of new paid leave laws at the federal, state and local levels. Sun Life's Marjory Robertson, senior counsel and a leave compliance expert, and James Slotnick, head of government relations, gave insight into the legislative landscape, particularly in regard to paid leave. "Paid leave is definitely on the rise," said Robertson. "The 2016 election brought it to the national stage. Washington State, Massachusetts and D.C. have passed mandatory paid leave laws, and we expect to see more and more states passing their own leave laws, and are closely watching Connecticut, Colorado, Maine, New Mexico, Oregon and Vermont. We may even see the Democrat-controlled House pass federal paid leave legislation. Employers need to stay updated because these laws increase compliance challenges and will impact the structure of employee benefits, paid time off policies, and short- and long-term disability." Slotnick and Robertson also discussed how opposing majorities in the House and Senate will potentially slow the pace of legislation, and what is next for the Affordable Care Act. "With no support in the House, ACA repeal and replace has no viable path forward for at least the next two years," said Slotnick. "I am watching for the outcome of the state of Texas' ACA lawsuit and whether it makes its way to the Supreme Court. With tax reform reducing the individual mandate penalty to $0, it opened the door to argue that the ACA is no longer constitutional. Currently, there are 37 states involved in this lawsuit, and it has the potential to end the law." Other key takeaways from the webinar, according to Slotnick and Robertson: "Medicare For All": With 15 Democratic senators co-sponsoring, Senator Bernie Sanders' proposed legislation could become part of the 2020 Democratic platform; proposed legislation could become part of the 2020 Democratic platform; Balance billing: A group of bipartisan senators have discussed a bill that would limit patient exposure and put more liability on health-plan sponsors; Evolution of paid family and medical leave laws: Original laws focused on wage replacement rather than job protection, and this is changing to include protections for both wages and jobs; and Employer paid leave programs: More employers are adopting their own voluntary paid leave plans, finding them to be a powerful recruitment and retention tool with millennials. For the full recording of the legislative update webinar, please contact [email protected]. About Sun Life Financial Sun Life Financial is a leading international financial services organization providing a diverse range of insurance, wealth and asset management solutions to individuals and corporate Clients. Sun Life Financial has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of September 30, 2018, Sun Life Financial had total assets under management of C$984 billion. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com. Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF. In the United States, Sun Life Financial is one of the largest group benefits providers, serving more than 60,000 employers in small, medium and large workplaces across the country. Sun Life's broad portfolio of insurance products and services in the U.S. includes disability, absence management, life, dental, vision, voluntary and stop-loss. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com/us . Media contact: Devon Fernald Sun Life Financial 781-416-7151 [email protected] SOURCE Sun Life Financial Related Links http://www.sunlife.com/us NEW YORK and BANGALORE, India, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Mphasis (BSE: 526299; NSE: MPHASIS), an Information Technology (IT) solutions provider specializing in cloud and cognitive services announced today its acquisition of Stelligent Systems LLC, a technology services company specializing in DevOps automation on Amazon Web Services (AWS). Headquartered in Reston, VA, Stelligent provides DevOps and DevSecOps solutions on AWS. The company is a Premier Consulting Partner on AWS Partner Network (APN) and holds both AWS DevOps and Financial Services expertise in deploying their customers' applications on AWS with greater speed, agility, and security. The acquisition is an all-cash deal valued at USD 25 million. Since inception in 2007, Stelligent's driving mission is to 'help their customers gain the ability to continuously deploy their software when they want to and with confidence'. The company has been providing leading enterprises, including Fortune 500 companies, with continuous integration and delivery solutions on AWS and has built its brand as a pioneer and visionary within the AWS ecosystem. "The advent of public cloud infrastructure and SaaS software has elevated the importance of rapid automation in product development and product engineering for enterprises moving to the cloud. Together with Stelligent and its community heroes in the AWS ecosystem, we believe we are uniquely positioned to take advantage of this market opportunity. This allows us to join forces with an equally technically-deep company, bringing innovative, in-depth cloud solutions to enterprises in all Mphasis client segments," said Nitin Rakesh, CEO and Executive Director, Mphasis. "Stelligent is very excited to further its DevOps capability across a broader range of clients and become central to Mphasis' AWS go-to-market strategy. Our engineers will greatly benefit from being part of a larger, complementary tech-centric community; as well as serve enterprises in end-to-end AWS DevOps, DevSecOps and additional AWS cloud services," said Bill Santos, CEO, Stelligent. Stelligent's team of over 50 engineers hold over 100 certifications and significant experience and expertise in DevOps Automation as well as one of a select few consulting partners with two AWS Heroes - an AWS Community Hero and an AWS Hero for Containerization. Safe Harbor: Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks, and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in our earnings, revenue and profits, our ability to generate and manage growth, intense competition in IT services, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, withdrawal of fiscal governmental incentives, political instability, war, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies, and general economic conditions affecting our business and industry. We may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf. About Mphasis Mphasis (BSE: 526299; NSE: MPHASIS) applies next-generation technology to help enterprises transform businesses globally. Customer centricity is foundational to Mphasis and is reflected in the Mphasis' Front2Back Transformation approach. Front2Back uses the exponential power of cloud and cognitive to provide hyper-personalized digital experience to clients and their end customers. Mphasis' Service Transformation approach helps 'shrink the core' through the application of digital technologies across legacy environments within an enterprise, enabling businesses to stay ahead in a changing world. Mphasis' core reference architectures and tools, speed and innovation with domain expertise and specialization are key to building strong relationships with marquee clients. Click here to know more. About Stelligent Stelligent provides DevOps automation professional services on AWS, enabling engineering teams to focus on creating software users love. Our goal is to work closely with customers to develop fundamentally secure infrastructure automation code, deployment pipelines, and feedback mechanisms for faster, more consistent software and infrastructure deployments. For more information, please visit: www.Stelligent.com. SOURCE Mphasis Related Links http://www.mphasis.com SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Panoply and Chartio celebrate that organizations worldwide are becoming more nimble and intelligent thanks to data and insights brought to them by the Automatic Cloud Data Stack . With this solution, your organization can drive insights from your data with an easy-to-use, easy-to-deploy, highly scalable and secure solution built by two AWS Big Data Competency Partners and Amazon Advanced Technology Partners. The Automatic Cloud Data Stack is a turnkey solution leveraging three best-of-breed technologies: a self-optimizing cloud data warehouse by Panoply, a powerful ETL service to extract data from cloud apps you use every day by Stitch Data and Chartio's modern, self-service business intelligence platform, all accessible via a single environment and a unified user experience. The combined product offering has been recognized by Amazon Web Services (AWS) as a Data and Analytics solution and is a part of the AWS Solution Space . These solutions are based on architectures validated by AWS, built via a combination of AWS services and partner technologies, can be deployed quickly and feature optional consulting offerings to accelerate your cloud transformation. The Automatic Cloud Data Stack is used daily by companies in verticals such as publishing, retail, financial, tech and hospitality. One highlighted customer is Motorsport.com, which said: "What used to take my product manager 15 days a month to manually update in a spreadsheet, is now done automatically in Chartio." Chartio and Panoply have given him more time to focus on his job as a data analyst and less time creating reports. Modern organizations want better and easier access to their many cloud data sources like Salesforce, Hubspot, Adwords, etc. Working with all these APIs and putting the data into a warehouse is a tremendous amount of work. The Automatic Cloud Data Stack is a turnkey solution that teams up some of the best products in the industry to solve these challenges together. Panoply CEO Yaniv Leven says: "We've built Panoply to be the best smart data warehouse for business intelligence. With our partner Chartio, we've created the Automatic Cloud Data Stack to be a turnkey data intelligence engine to power teams big and small." Chartio CEO Dave Fowler says: "With the Automatic Cloud Data Stack, we are solving a very real problem most organizations face when trying to access, combine and analyze all their data that usually reside in disparate places. The benefits our customers are seeing in terms of time savings and speed to insights are truly amazing. And this goes to the heart of Chartio's mission to enable everyone in the organization to explore and understand their data." About Chartio Chartio is on a mission to democratize data across organizations so that everyone can access, explore, transform and visualize their data. To that end, Chartio has built a cloud-based data analytics platform that's simple enough for every department yet powerful enough for the data team. Chartio has been named a "Leader" in Self-Service Business Intelligence software by G2 Crowd. About Panoply Panoply is the world's first Smart Cloud Data Warehouse built for business intelligence. Panoply delivers the industry's fastest time to insights by eliminating the development and coding typically associated with transforming, integrating and managing data. Panoply's proprietary AI technology automatically enriches, transforms and optimizes complex data, making it simple to gain actionable insights. The company, based in San Francisco and Tel Aviv, is privately held and funded by investors such as Intel Capital, 500 Startups, Blumberg Capital and C5 Capital. SOURCE Panoply Related Links www.panoply.io CARPINTERIA, Calif., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Procore Technologies, Inc. , a leading provider of cloud-based applications for construction, today announced the promotion and appointment of Dennis Lyandres as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO). As CRO, Lyandres will be responsible for all global operations pertaining to customer-facing and revenue-generating teams at Procore, which includes Sales, Marketing, Customer Success, Revenue Operations, and Business Development. Lyandres will continue to report directly to Tooey Courtemanche, founder and CEO, Procore. "Dennis has played a critical role in Procore's success as we've scaled from a single-product company serving the North American market to a global, multi-product company," said Tooey Courtemanche, founder and CEO, Procore. "Dennis has proven himself as a leader in establishing and growing our Sales team, and his experience at SaaS companies will drive continued growth as we unify our revenue generating teams." Lyandres was promoted from EVP of Sales to CRO, a role he held for more than four years. When Lyandres joined Procore in 2014, the company posted revenue in the $10 million range. Throughout his tenure as head of Sales, the company nearly doubled revenue year-over-year, ending 2017 with over $100 million in revenue. Lyandres was also instrumental in building out and structuring the Sales team, growing the organization from 30 to over 275 employees in four years. Prior to joining Procore, Lyandres held management roles at Cloudera, and before that worked at Pentaho, including experience with investment banking and nonprofits. "I believe that we are doing something exceptional at Procore by helping transform an industry as important as construction," said Dennis Lyandres, CRO, Procore. "It's an honor to be in a position to lead such a passionate group of people. I'm excited about the commitment we're making as a company with this new role to further strengthen our customer-facing teams. This is really an investment in employee success, which in turn fuels the success of our customers. This alignment is an investment Procore is making to help scale and sustain growth for years to come." About Procore Procore is a leading provider of cloud-based applications for construction. Procore connects people, applications, and devices through a unified platform to help construction professionals manage risk and build quality projectssafely, on time, and within budget. Procore has a diversified business model with products for Project Management, Construction Financials, Quality & Safety, and Field Productivity. Headquartered in Carpinteria, California, with offices around the globe, Procore is used to manage billions of dollars in annual construction volume. For more information about Procore, visit procore.com. Contact: [email protected] SOURCE Procore Technologies, Inc. Related Links http://www.procore.com DALLAS, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Berkshire Hathaway Inc. ("Berkshire") is the parent holding company of a variety of business interests. At its helm is arguably one of the best business minds in the world, Warren Buffett. Berkshire invests in a variety of industries, including freight transportation, finance, utilities, insurance companies, consumer retail, food, building materials, and numerous other interests. Operating decisions for the various Berkshire companies are made by the managers of those businesses, while investment and capital deployment decisions are made at the holding company level. In 1997, one of Berkshire's insurance subsidiaries, Columbia Insurance Company ("Columbia") offered to purchase intellectual property (IP) from See's Candies, Inc. ("See's") and other Berkshire-operating companies. The sale was executed as a tax-free exchange of stock for assets under International Revenue Code (IRC) 351; See's transferred its IP in exchange for preferred stock in Columbia equal to the fair market value of the IP. When Columbia decided to embark upon this strategy, it increased its staff levels from one full-time attorney, who spent about 75% of his time on IP, to three full-time IP attorneys. The Columbia IP attorneys kept the trademarks in force and prosecuted infringement. They also visited and trained operating company employees regarding updates in IP law and best practices. They evaluated IP procedures and quality of the branded product to ensure enhancement of the IP. See's and the other operating companies could then focus on their core businesses (e.g., the making of candy). Berkshire would also be able to measure the operating companies on their cost of capital by removing the value of the IP from the operating profit. The transfer is one that would be seen between unrelated business entities. The intellectual property of See's would be managed by a company with IP expertiseColumbia, and Columbia would have additional cash reserves that could be used to grow its business. A portion of the increased value of Columbia would inure with See's through its preferred shareholdings in Columbia. An agreement between See's and Columbia allowed See's to use the IP. The royalty set for the use of the IP was meticulously developed by an independent transfer pricing study. That study was used not only to set the royalty rate, but also the value for which the IP was transferred to Columbia. The pricing set by the study ensured that See's received stock in Columbia equal to the value of the intangibles transferred. The royalty for using the IP was adjusted for expenses incurred by See's to maintain the IP through advertising, managing customer subscription lists, and other activities. In a separate agreement, any additional IP created by See's would be on Columbia's behalf and would be owned by Columbia and licensed to See's. Columbia would reimburse See's for its development expenses on a percentage rate of domestic sales. All financial exchanges between See's and Columbia were set by this independent transfer pricing study and were reevaluated and renewed on a periodic basis. Under the agreement, Columbia did not return to See's any part of the royalties it received as payments, nor did it provide See's loans, dividends, or other compensation. This transaction was first audited by the Multistate Tax Commission (MTC), for years 1995 to 1998. MTC ultimately recommended that the royalty be lowered by 10%, which took the royalty down to the bottom end of the acceptable royalty range established by the transfer pricing study. MTC initiated another audit of See's for the years 1999 through 2007. For those years, the Utah State Tax Commission ("the Commission") disallowed the royalty deductions in their entirety under its authority under Utah Code Annotated 59-7-113. The Commission's position is that the income of See's is not fairly reflective of its taxable income due to the royalty deductions. That audit is the subject of the recently decided Utah Supreme Court case.1 The Utah District Court, the trial court, noted in its opinion that experts for See's were able to support and maintain the business purpose behind the transaction, while the Commission's experts were not able to rebut the business purpose of the transactions with any credible witness. One of the witnesses for See's confirmed that the IP transfer was common, and both parties benefited from the transaction. That expert testified that he would not have recommended that See's undertake the transaction solely for the tax benefits. With the business purpose of the transaction being recognized and sustained by the Court, the gist of the case was whether the Commission had an unlimited ability to reallocate income under Utah Code Ann. 59-7-113 or whether the Commission was limited to adjustments allowed under IRC 482. The District Court found that the Commission did not have unfettered discretion, which led to its appeal to the Utah Supreme Court. The Utah Supreme Court looked at the history of IRC 482. Its review dates to the Revenue Act of 1921, when Congress adopted the earliest predecessor of 482. The section was enacted to allow the Commissioner to require companies to file consolidated returns to properly reflect income. In 1928, Congress modified this approach to correcting the distortion that could be created by intercompany transactions in IRC 45. Congress gave the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) the authority to allocate income and expenses between related entities to clearly reflect its true income. "[T]his history confirms that Congress intended section 45 to provide the IRS with a tool to address transfer pricing manipulation." The IRS had interpreted this authority2 as the ability to recast transactions into those in which unaffiliated parties would enter into at an arm's length. The Court then addressed the history of Utah's code 113. The predecessor to the Utah section was enacted in 1931 as 20 of the Corporation Franchise Tax Act, 1931 Utah Laws 87. Section 20 was enacted verbatim from IRC 45. The Court found that when the Legislature adopts similar language to a federal statute, "that useindicates a legislative intent to adopt not just the language of a federal statute, but also its accompanying 'cluster of ideas'. [W]hen our legislature copies a federal statute, federal interpretations of the statute constitute persuasive authority as to the statute's meaning." The Court found that since Utah 113 contains the same language as IRC 45, the federal interpretation of the phrase "necessary to clearly reflect income" in Utah 113 has the same meaning as IRC 45, "that allocation is 'necessary' in circumstances when related companies enter into transactions that do not resemble what unrelated companies dealing at arm's length would agree to do." The Supreme Court found that the District Court had concluded that the See's-Columbia transaction was at an arm's length, justifying the royalty deduction. The Supreme Court rejected the Commission's arguments that other states have chosen to tax insurance companies differently or that the application of 482 at the federal level was irrelevant because federal taxes were not affected by the transaction. The Court upheld the transaction as reflecting an arm's length arrangement that unrelated companies would enter into for legitimate business purposes and upheld the District Court's ruling. Sound business planning, accompanied by accurate and meticulously followed execution, wins the day in this "sweet" decision. 1Utah State Tax Commission v. See's Candies, Inc., 2018 UT 57, October 5, 2018. 2 Pub. L. No. 70-561, 45 Stat. 791, 806 (1928). About Ryan Ryan, an award-winning global tax services and software provider, is the largest Firm in the world dedicated exclusively to business taxes. With global headquarters in Dallas, Texas, the Firm provides an integrated suite of federal, state, local, and international tax services on a multi-jurisdictional basis, including tax recovery, consulting, advocacy, compliance, and technology services. Ryan is a six-time recipient of the International Service Excellence Award from the Customer Service Institute of America (CSIA) for its commitment to world-class client service. Empowered by the dynamic myRyan work environment, which is widely recognized as the most innovative in the tax services industry, Ryan's multi-disciplinary team of more than 2,200 professionals and associates serves over 14,000 clients in more than 50 countries, including many of the world's most prominent Global 5000 companies. More information about Ryan can be found at ryan.com. "Ryan" and "Firm" refer to the global organizational network and may refer to one or more of the member firms of Ryan International, each of which is a separate legal entity. TECHNICAL INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Nachbar Principal Ryan 213.627.1719 [email protected] SOURCE Ryan "The last two years have been exciting in the solar market and being recognized by a company as revered as Owens Corning is a true milestone," says AC Power founder and CEO, Annika Colston. "Owens Corning aligns with AC Power's sustainability values, working with us to turn an unproductive property into part of the environmental solution that will help take New Jersey to 50 percent renewable by 2030. Our industry is in a period of dramatic growth and change, and I'm proud to be a part of what solar means to millions of consumers. I look forward to working in partnership with more companies like Owens Corning, who are willing to spearhead sustainable energy resourcing." Woman-owned AC Power launched in 2016 and is currently developing five solar projects on landfills in New Jersey, with an installed capacity of approximately 20 megawatts, a composite load that will generate over 25 million kilowatt hours per year and power more than 2,500 homes. In addition to pursuing New Jersey's new solar programs such as Community Solar, AC Power is developing a portfolio of projects along the East Coast, with Fortune 500 companies, municipalities and private land owners. AC Power's team is led by Annika Colston and Robert Simkins. Annika Colston founded AC Power to bring unique vision to solar photovoltaic project development and management on marginalized properties. Colston has been developing alternative energy projects for nearly two decades and before founding AC Power developed a portfolio of landfill gas to energy projects nationwide. Robert Simkins, prior to joining AC Power, spent the majority of his career as the Director of Solid Waste for Burlington County, New Jersey. As a result, he takes into consideration the countless environmental, technical and regulatory issues that go into every landfill-based solar development project. AC Power, in partnership with Paragon Resource Management, Inc., executed two long-term land leases with Owens Corning granting the AC Power/Paragon partnership the exclusive right to develop solar projects and perform ongoing post-closure maintenance. "Paragon is excited to partner with AC Power in the development of solar projects on the Aero Haven and Pettinos landfills in New Jersey. These projects add significantly to Paragon's growing portfolio of landfill-based solar development projects", says Bill Stover, Paragon's President/CEO. Paragon is an Arkansas-based, diversified environmental services company that provides post-closure operation, maintenance and monitoring support to corporate and municipal landfills. The Aero Haven Solar Project has the potential to generate more than 6 megawatts of power and the Pettinos Solar Project has the potential to generate more than 1.5 megawatts. Construction on both of these projects is expected to start in late 2019. About AC Power - http://www.acpowered.com/ SOURCE AC Power Related Links http://www.acpowered.com WILTON MANORS, Fla., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The City of Wilton Manors invites residents, business owners and community neighbors to come together and spread holiday cheer at one or all of the City's family-friendly events. "We hope everyone will take some time out from their day-to-day busy schedules to experience joy, merriment and holiday fun in the Island City," said Mayor Gary Resnick. "Children and adults of all ages have the opportunity to come together for three exciting events that we have planned for this year." Holiday Lighting Ceremony Thursday, November 29, 2018 at 6:30 p.m. Jaycee Park (Wilton Drive/NE 21st Court) Join the City of Wilton Manors and kick off the holidays with the annual Holiday Lighting Ceremony, sponsored by Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital. On November 29, 2018, guests can witness the lighting of the holiday Menorah, the Kinara and the Wilton Manors Christmas Tree. There will also be musical performances by Peter Vincent, participants in the City's Before/After School Program, Wilton Manors Elementary School students, Church of the Holy Spirit, Craig Strang, the Fort Lauderdale Gay Men's Chorus, South Florida Pride Jazz Ensemble and the Gay Men's Chorus of South Florida. Guests can also expect local artists, light refreshments available for purchase, vendors and much more! Santa By Sea Wednesday, December 12, 2018 at 5 p.m. Colohatchee Boat Ramp and Waterways (1975 NE 15th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33305) Even Santa needs to get away from the cold! Everyone is invited to watch Santa launch his lighted water sleigh from Colohatchee Boat Ramp in Wilton Manors. Residents along the Middle River will have a chance to catch a glimpse of Kris Kringle while he takes a break from his work in the North Pole and embarks on a journey throughout the Island City with his reindeer, sleigh and helpers. Breakfast with Santa Saturday, December 15, 2018, 9:30 a.m. noon. Hagen Park Community Center (2020 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors FL, 33305) Join Santa, his elves, Rudolph and the Grinch for a joyous character breakfast at the Hagen Park Community Center which will include fluffy pancakes, story time, fun crafts, bounce houses, pony rides and much more! To purchase tickets, visit the Hagen Park Community Center. Tickets for children 12 and under are $6 each. Adults and children over 12 are $8 each. After November 30, tickets are $10 per person. ABOUT THE CITY OF WILTON MANORS Wilton Manors was laid out in 1925 by Edward John "Ned" Willingham, a land developer from Georgia, as an upscale residential community. It was recognized as a Village in 1947 and incorporated as a City in 1953. Today, the City of Wilton Manors offers all the benefits of a big city from shopping, to hip restaurants and bars, a burgeoning arts community and tons of community events, yet still maintains a cozy, community-feeling offering miles of natural waterways perfect for kayaking, paddle boarding and other outdoor activities. Recently named the "Second Gayest City" in the United States, the City of Wilton Manors celebrates a diverse population of approximately 12,000 residents. To learn more about the live, work and play opportunities in Wilton Manors call (954) 390-2100 or visit www.wiltonmanors.com. CONTACT: Aimee Adler Cooke (954) 732-0754 (or) [email protected] SOURCE The City of Wilton Manors Related Links http://www.wiltonmanors.com SEATTLE, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- European private equity dealmakers have completed 2,327 deals worth a combined 276.8 billion through 3Q 2018 14.8% and 15.3% decreases, respectively, compared to the same timeframe in 2017, according to PitchBook's 3Q 2018 European Private Equity Report. The third quarter represents the weakest quarter in 2018 for PE activity in terms of PE deal count and value, with just 731 completed deals totaling 82.6 billion. What's more, European PE exit activity also recorded a noteworthy dip in 2018. PE-backed exits at 2.5 billion or greater are on pace to make up the lowest proportion of total PE exit value since 2009. 3Q was also the slowest quarter for PE fundraising this year with 9.4 billion raised across 19 vehicles. Despite weak quarterly results, 2018 dealmaking is on pace for the third-best year on record and fundraising has already hit the third-highest annual level in the past decade thanks to fervent activity earlier in the year. Exit activity is also expected to pick up as GPs seek to profit from their investments. "European PE investors experienced a banner year in 2017, reaching decade-highs in dealmaking and fundraising; therefore, while we've recorded significant declines in 2018 activity, the European PE market is still shaking out to be a strong year on a historical basis," said Wylie Fernyhough, analyst at PitchBook. "The slowdowns across deal flow, exits and fundraising can be explained by several reasons including, record activity in 2017, lingering concerns over Brexit as well as the highly-priced and highly competitive market." Investment Activity Coming off a record-setting year in 2017 in terms of PE deal value, 2018 has experienced a shortage of PE deals closing above 2.5 billion a key contributor to diminished deal value. Only eight such deals have closed YTD, compared to 14 completed deals in the same period in 2017. Despite the overall slowdown in dealmaking at the top end of the market, European PE investors continued to gravitate towards larger deals as evidenced by the 22% increase in median PE deal value (24.4 million). Additionally, EV/EBITDA multiples have risen to an all-time high at 10.0x, driven in part by the ease with which general partners (GPs) can finance deals with leveraged loans, an attractive alternative to high-yield bonds. PE investors have consistently increased its share of carveout deals throughout 2018, accounting for more than 20% of all carveouts YTD up from 14% in 2009. Private equity's growing involvement in the broader M&A market is expected to continue as PE's assets under management rises faster than growth in European asset value. Exits Through the first three quarters of 2018, PE firms have recorded 718 exits for a combined 150.5 billion across all exit types, down 24.3% and 30.4%, respectively, from the same period in 2017. Exit activity fell short most notably at the top end of the market (2.5 billion+), which saw the lowest proportion of PE exits since 2009. Secondary buyouts (SBOs) continued to proliferate as an exit strategy throughout 2018. YTD, SBOs accounted for 55.0% of total exit value and 52.2% of total exit count on an absolute basis both annual records if those figures hold through 4Q. The 1.5 billion sale of North Sea Midstream Partners as well as the 1.3 billion sale of Exclusive Networks by a consortium to Permira, were the largest SBOs completed in the third quarter. Europe's exit market saw the fewest PE-backed IPOs (five) since 3Q 2012, down from 19 PE-backed IPOs in 2Q 2018, another significant factor in the overall decline in exit value. Fundraising Private equity fundraising remains healthy on a historical basis, with 55.8 billion raised across 54 funds in the first three quarters. Though, 2018 activity is skewed by 1Q 2018 PE fundraising results More than half of 2018's total capital raised was accounted for in the first quarter where 15 funds raised 31.5 billion, which included three mega-fundsthe only mega-funds to close in 2018. The UK and Ireland continued to be stable hubs for PE fundraising, making up nearly half (44%) of the proportion of total PE fundraising, followed by the Nordic region (33%), which is more than twice the record-setting proportion of PE fundraising the region recorded in 2008 (16%). continued to be stable hubs for PE fundraising, making up nearly half (44%) of the proportion of total PE fundraising, followed by the Nordic region (33%), which is more than twice the record-setting proportion of PE fundraising the region recorded in 2008 (16%). Following the trend witnessed in the broader PE market, investors continued to raise fewer, larger funds to keep pace with ballooning deal sizes. To date, 77.9% of all capital raised was in funds above 1 billion, outpacing the record of 73.5% in 2013. Additional coverage in this report includes: Overview Deals by sector & size Deals by region Spotlight: Carveouts Exits Fundraising Download the full report here. About PitchBook PitchBook is a financial data and software company that provides transparency into the capital markets to help professionals discover and execute opportunities with confidence and efficiency. PitchBook collects and analyzes detailed data on the entire venture capital, private equity and M&A landscapeincluding public and private companies, investors, funds, investments, exits and people. The company's data and analysis are available through the PitchBook Platform, industry news and in-depth reports. Founded in 2007, PitchBook has offices in Seattle, San Francisco, New York and London and serves more than 18,000 professionals around the world. In 2016, Morningstar acquired PitchBook, which now operates as an independent subsidiary. Press Contacts Bailey Fox PR Manager [email protected] +1 206.823.3022 SOURCE PitchBook Related Links http://www.pitchbook.com DUBLIN, Nov. 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The "U.S. Pharmaceutical Sterility Testing Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Type (In-house, Outsourced), By Test Type (Bacterial Endotoxin, Sterility), By End Use, By Sample, And Segment Forecasts, 2018 - 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The U.S. pharmaceutical sterility testing market size is expected to reach USD 713.6 million by 2025 and is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 11.3% over the forecast period. Supportive government investment in healthcare industry, increasing R&D activities, and drug launches are the key factors driving market growth. The government is keen on bringing down healthcare costs which is anticipated to encourage the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to promote fast approvals of generic pharmaceuticals. Faster approvals drive the need for newer sterility testing methods. This is anticipated to encourage market participants to spend more on sterility solutions and in turn, expand the market. With increasing demand for drugs, companies are launching newer drugs with different routes of administration, dosage, and indication. These launches require thorough sterility testing and thus, are anticipated to drive market growth. On the basis of type, the U.S. pharmaceutical sterility testing market is segmented into in-house and outsourcing. Most market players prefer outsourcing sterility testing services, as it is economically viable. Companies shortlist and select outsourcing firms based on their experience, expertise, and quality of service. Hence, it is difficult for new players to enter into this area. Companies active in the U.S. pharmaceutical sterility testing market are Charles River Laboratories, Pace Analytical Series LLC, DynaLabs, Infinity, Boston Analytical, and others. Market players employ various growth strategies such as mergers, capacity expansion, and venturing into new regions. For instance, in April 2018, Charles River Labs completed acquisition of MPI Research, a non-clinical Contract Research Organization (CRO) providing detailed services to medical device and biopharmaceutical companies. This acquisition is anticipated to expand biotechnology client base of the former and to provide the company access to MPI's scientific expertise and quality services. Further key findings from the report suggest: U.S. pharmaceutical sterility testing market was valued at USD 302.2 million in 2017 and is expected to grow lucratively over the forecast period in 2017 and is expected to grow lucratively over the forecast period In terms of revenue, outsourcing segment is anticipated to grow at a lucrative rate during the forecast period. Sterility testing segment was valued at USD 97.6 million in 2016 and is anticipated to witness swift growth over the forecast period. Key Topics Covered: Chapter 1 Research Methodology 1.1 Information procurement 1.2 Information or Data Analysis 1.3 Market Formulation & Validation Chapter 2 Executive Summary 2.1 U.S. Pharmaceutical Sterility Testing Market Snapshot Chapter 3 U.S. Pharmaceutical Sterility Testing Market: Variables, Trends & Scope 3.1 U.S. Pharmaceutical Sterility Testing Market Segmentation & Scope 3.1.1 Market Driver Analysis 3.1.1.1 Supportive government investment in the healthcare industry 3.1.1.2 Increasing R&D activities 3.1.1.3 Increasing number of drug launches 3.1.1.4 Increasing focus on quality and sterility 3.1.2 Market Restraint Analysis 3.1.2.1 Third party performance 3.2 Penetration & growth prospect mapping 3.3 U.S. Pharmaceutical Sterility Testing Market - SWOT Analysis, By Factor (political & legal, economic and technological) 3.4 Industry Analysis - Porter's Chapter 4 U.S. Pharmaceutical Sterility Testing Market: Type Estimates & Trend Analysis 4.1 U.S. pharmaceutical sterility testing market: Type movement analysis 4.2 In-house pharmaceutical sterility testing 4.2.1 In-house pharmaceutical sterility testing market, 2014 - 2025 (USD Million) 4.3 Outsourced pharmaceutical sterility testing 4.3.1 Outsourced pharmaceutical sterility testing market, 2014 - 2025 (USD Million) Chapter 5 U.S. Pharmaceutical Sterility Testing Market: Test Type Estimates & Trend Analysis 5.1 U.S. pharmaceutical sterility testing market: Test type movement analysis 5.2 Sterility testing 5.3 Bioburden testing 5.4 Bacterial endotoxin testing Chapter 6 U.S. Pharmaceutical Sterility Testing Market: End-use Estimates & Trend Analysis 6.1 U.S. pharmaceutical sterility testing market: End-use movement analysis 6.2 Compounding pharmacies 6.3 Medical device companies 6.4 Pharmaceutical companies 6.5 Others Chapter 7 U.S. Pharmaceutical Sterility Testing Market: Sample Estimates & Trend Analysis 7.1 U.S. pharmaceutical sterility testing market: Sample movement analysis 7.2 Sterility drugs 7.3 Medical devices 7.4 Biologics & therapeutics Chapter 8 Regional Estimates & Trend Analysis, by Type, Test type, Sample, End-use 8.1 U.S. Pharmaceutical Sterility Testing Market 2014 & 2025 Chapter 9 Competitive Landscape Pacific Biolabs STERIS Corporation. Boston Analytical Gibraltar Laboratories Infinity Laboratories Dynalabs SGS SA Toxikon, Inc. Pace Analytical Services LLC Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/k5947s/united_states?w=5 Did you know that we also offer Custom Research? Visit our Custom Research page to learn more and schedule a meeting with our Custom Research Manager. Media Contact: Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com CHARLOTTE, N.C., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Village Tavern, Inc., has been proactively working with the North Carolina Department of Health since a server at its South Park restaurant in Charlotte, NC, was diagnosed with Hepatitis A. "Yesterday, we were notified by the NC Department of Health of this situation and are taking precautionary steps to protect our other employees and our customers," said Tony Santarelli, President and CEO of The Village Tavern, Inc. "The employee was not aware or showing symptoms the day he reported to work; and we are not aware of anyone getting sick or this employee infecting anyone. That said, food safety and personal hygiene are of the greatest importance in all of our restaurants, so we are proactively taking every step necessary to ensure the wellbeing of our employees and guests." "All of our South Park employees are being vaccinated within the next 24 hours, per the recommendation of nurses at the Communicable Disease Department," added Santarelli. "We also encourage our customers who dined with us on October 30 to be vaccinated as soon as possible." Health Department has inspected the restaurant multiple times in the past 24 hours and found the restaurant's procedures to be in full compliance. "South Park opened its doors in 1989," said Santarelli. "Since then, the health and wellbeing of our guests and employees is our greatest priority." SOURCE The Village Tavern, Inc. Exclusive: China's extensive penetration into the US auto industry Focus: Parts manufacturing, R&D centers, electric and autonomous vehicles Based on research compiled since 2015, investments are focused in two areas: 1) Auto parts, engineering and production, concentrated in the Midwest. 2) Advanced R&D centers for electric and autonomous cars, primarily in Silicon Valley. The data further indicates there are: 105 Chinese-funded auto companies 190 facilities stretching from California to South Carolina Tens of thousands of employees "Chinese companies started investing in the U.S. during the global financial crisis, when they could buy distressed assets at good prices," says ZoZo Go CEO Michael Dunne. "Investments accelerated again after 2015 when the Chinese government encouraged its companies to go global, as part of the Made In China 2025 initiative." China's entry into U.S. markets contrasts with that of Japan and South Korea, both of whom exported to the U.S. before investing in local production. By first developing a supply-chain, manufacturing and advanced auto tech, China is laying the groundwork before introducing their car brands in 2020. Major Chinese automakers, such as Guangzhou Automotive, Shanghai Automotive and Geely, already operate R&D centers in the U.S., preparing future vehicles for American consumers. Current trade tensions have slowed the pace of investments. "But Chinese firms are determined to compete globally, obstacles be damned," says Dunne. "For those still wondering when the Chinese will arrive on American shores, the reality is they are already here in force." ZoZo Go is a global auto advisory firm with expertise in China and auto tech: electric, autonomous and connected vehicles. The company operates in Hong Kong, Shanghai and San Diego. For more about ZoZo Go, visit zozogo.com Contact: Bill Endemann - ZoZo Go Ph: 310-562-1233 Email: [email protected] SOURCE ZoZo Go Related Links http://www.zozogo.com "We admire Ameco's outstanding reputation as China's largest RB211 shop," said Sal Marino, Senior Vice President Aviation Services, AAR. "This agreement is another example of AAR's success in expanding relationships within the Asia Pacific region." "We are looking forward to a long and stable partnership with AAR," said Bin Teng, General Manager of Marketing and Sales, Ameco. "Our relationship will prove beneficial to both parties over the next 15 years." About Ameco Ameco (Aircraft Maintenance and Engineering Corporation) is the biggest provider of technical support services for aircraft in China. The company, which was founded in 1989, is a joint venture between Air China (75%) and Lufthansa Technik (25%). Ameco specializes in the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of aircraft, engines, LDG, APU and components, as well as business jet completion and maintenance. Additional information can be found at www.ameco.com.cn. About AAR AAR is a global aerospace and defense aftermarket solutions company that employs more than 6,000 people in over 20 countries. Headquartered in the Chicago area, AAR supports commercial and government customers through two operating segments: Aviation Services and Expeditionary Services. AAR's Aviation Services include parts supply; OEM solutions; integrated solutions; maintenance, repair, overhaul; and engineering. AAR's Expeditionary Services include mobility systems and composite manufacturing operations. Additional information can be found at www.aarcorp.com. This press release contains certain statements relating to future results, which are forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on beliefs of Company management, as well as assumptions and estimates based on information currently available to the Company, and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical results or those anticipated, including those factors discussed under Item 1A, entitled "Risk Factors", included in the Company's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2018. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize adversely, or should underlying assumptions or estimates prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described. These events and uncertainties are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many are beyond the Company's control. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events. For additional information, see the comments included in AAR's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. SOURCE AAR Related Links https://www.aarcorp.com The Ribeiro's "Step One: Done" videos, available at www.BobEvansGrocery.com along with other holiday recipes and tips, use Bob Evans Farms Original Mashed Potatoes to show how to make "really" gourmet side dishes out of refrigerated mashed potatoes in minutes because, in reality, people want to spend less time on sides and more time with their family and friends during holiday meals. "We believe the most important part of hosting Thanksgiving dinner is finding a way to not ruin the turkey. My wife and I are excited to partner with Bob Evans to help invite more home cooks across the country to focus on the turkey instead of the sides," said Alfonso Ribeiro. "The videos were fun to make, and they may definitely seem silly, but Bob Evans Mashed Potatoes really do taste just like homemade and we can successfully trick our friends into thinking they are homemade by throwing just one delicious ingredient on top." The Ribeiro family isn't unlike many Americans who use prepared sides to make holiday dinners easier. In fact, according to an actual survey conducted by Bob Evans Farms, more than one in three Americans use prepared sides to make preparing meals quicker. The same study found that 20% of those who use prepared sides tell their guests that the dish was homemade by taking credit for the dish. Bob Evans Farms' survey also found that the Gen X and Millennial age groups were much more likely to use prepared sides: 40% and 44% of respondents respectively. Likewise, the study found that men are much more likely to use prepared sides (41%) compared to their female counterparts (31%). "The Ribeiros are hilarious and real, so we knew Alfonso and Angela would be the perfect partners to joke about all the time and stress that goes into prepping for holiday meals," said Chris Lambrix, SVP Retail Business Development at Bob Evans Farms. "From our family to yours, we hope our mashed potatoes can give you time to focus on what really matters: your guests and a flawless turkey." Beginning today, consumers can enter to win* free Bob Evans Farms products for a year by sharing their favorite "one-step" mashed potato recipe at the Facebook.com/BobEvansGrocery. The sweepstakes ends on November 26, 2018. Bob Evans offers a variety of family-favorite prepared side dishes in an assortment of flavors that are perfect for Thanksgiving, including Mashed Potatoes, Macaroni and Cheese, Glazed Apples, and Homestyle Stuffing. For more information, recipes and tips on hosting the perfect holiday meal, visit www.BobEvansGrocery.com. *Official rules: BobEvansGrocery.com/Rules About Bob Evans Farms, Inc. Bob Evans Farms, Inc. is a brand born and raised on the promise of farm-fresh goodness. For more than 70 years, the company has been making delicious, quick-to-table, farm-fresh food that is sold in grocery stores all over the country. Today, Bob Evans brand mashed potatoes and macaroni & cheese products are the #1 selling refrigerated side dishes in the United States*. Based in Columbus, Ohio and owned by Post Holdings, Inc., a consumer packaged goods holding company, Bob Evans Farms is also a leading producer and distributor of refrigerated potato, pasta and vegetable-based side dishes, pork sausage, and a variety of refrigerated and frozen convenience food items under the Bob Evans, Owens and Pineland Farms brand names. For more information about Bob Evans Farms, Inc., visit www.bobevansgrocery.com. * SOURCE: IRI Total US MULO Latest 52 W/E 10/07/18. Methodology The Bob Evans survey was conducted online by ORC, International from August 31-September 5, 2018, among 1,510 American adults aged 21 to 65. Respondents to the survey were selected from among those who volunteered to participate in online surveys. Fifteen hundred complete surveys were collected using the sample framework based on U.S. Census data for age, ethnicity, gender, region, and income. SOURCE Bob Evans Farms, Inc. Related Links http://www.bobevansgrocery.com The U.S. military was the first institution to establish a universal influenza vaccination policy, which dates back to the early 1940s many decades before widespread immunization of healthy young people was recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other international health officials. Today, their goal is to exceed 90 percent immunization of all military personnel by mid-December each year. Despite this effort to mitigate the outbreak of flu among active duty and reserve personnel, veterans remain at risk. Fast Facts: Veterans, Health and Influenza Among the 19.4 million veterans in the U.S., approximately 750,000 have no insurance coverage. Veterans of the U.S. armed forces tend to be older and have more chronic health problems than the general adult population, which may place them at greater risk of complications from influenza. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has established a vaccination rate of 80 percent as the national goal for seasonal influenza vaccination. However, according to data from the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics, a recent survey shows only 49 percent of veterans received a flu vaccination. The prevalence of influenza vaccination among VA system users is approximately 75 percent, although approximately three-quarters of the U.S. Veteran population does not use VA services. A study recently published in the journal Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology found that only 1.3 percent of U.S. Veterans Affairs hospitals mandate flu shots for their employees. More broadly, influenza outbreaks occur nearly every year, and cost the U.S. economy an estimated 71167 billion dollars per year in health services use and lost productivity. Influenza-related diseases also cause an estimated 225,000 hospitalizations and 36,000 deaths annually in the U.S., mostly among chronically ill or elderly people. "With more than 190 medical centers in 26 states seeing 3 million patients a year, AFC deals with the flu as much or more than any other health care provider outside of the federal government, so we understand the impact it can have on our society," said Dr. Benjamin Barlow, Chief Medical Officer of American Family Care. "With dozens of clinics near military bases across the U.S., we also understand the effect the flu has on veterans and their families. So, we want to do everything we can to serve those who have served our country," concluded Barlow. Veterans interested in obtaining a free flu shot on Sunday, November 11, 2018, are encouraged to visit AmericanFamilyCare.com to find their nearest AFC clinic. SOURCES: The National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics, Veterans Emergency Management Evaluation Center (VEMEC), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). About American Family Care: Starting with a single location in 1982, American Family Care has pioneered the concept of non-emergency room urgent care. With its 2013 acquisition of the Doctors Express franchise, AFC has become the nation's leading provider of urgent care, accessible primary care, and occupational medicine, with more than 190 clinics and 600 in-network physicians caring for 3 million patients a year. Ranked by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest growing companies in the U.S., AFC's stated mission is to provide the best health care possible, in a kind and caring environment, while respecting the rights of all patients, in an economical manner, at times and locations convenient to the patient. For more information, visit www.americanfamilycare.com. SOURCE American Family Care Related Links https://www.afcurgentcare.com It was a blue wave in a lot of ways, but people are more independent these days, said state Sen. Terry Link of Vernon Hills, the county's Democratic Party chairman. He said that for years, Republicans felt all they had to do was win the primary and they were in office. LITTLE ROCK, Ark., Nov. 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ABC Financial Services, LLC (ABC), the leading provider of software and payment processing in the Health and Fitness Industry, announced their Chief Financial Officer, Andrew Landrum, received the CFO of the Year - for a Large Private Company, award today. In its 9th year, the award was created by Arkansas Business to honor outstanding CFO's around the state of Arkansas. Nomination forms were submitted to an independent panel of judges who determined the finalists and winners. As Chief Financial Officer, Andrew Landrum is responsible for all financial and risk management operations, as well as internal and client accounting. Andrew is dedicated to building world-class teams employing industry best practices in Finance and Accounting, and creating win-win partnerships with ABC Financial's valued clients, partners, and vendors. Andrew has 30 years' experience in financial and accounting management at Ernst & Young, LSI Financial Services (now Ally Financial), and Acxiom Corporation. He has been a licensed CPA in the state of Arkansas since 1987. "We are honored to have Andrew as our CFO," stated Corey Benish, President of ABC Financial. "This award recognizes not only Andrew's many contributions to ABC Financial, but is a testament to his thoughtful leadership and steadfast commitment to building great teams throughout his entire career." "We are incredibly proud of Andrew for being acknowledged as the CFO of the year in the Large Private Company category," stated Bob Whisnant, Executive Vice President, ABC Financial. "He has earned this honor with his dedication, commitment, drive, passion, and inspiration to his employees and fellow workers at ABC. He continually praises others around him while refusing to take credit himself. This is why I am so pleased Arkansas Business has seen fit to call out Andrew for a lifetime of achievement." All finalists and winners of each category were honored at a special event November 7, 2018. Also, they were published in a special supplement of Arkansas Business distributed October 29, 2018. About ABC Financial ABC Financial is the nation's leading software and payment processing provider for health and fitness clubs. Its comprehensive offerings include payment processing solutions and advanced health club management tools, such as DataTrak, that allow gym owners and managers to track and manage memberships and member and employee schedules, drive member engagement, and automate payment processing functions. Founded in 1981 by Jim Bottin, ABC Financial's cutting edge technology and top quality customer service are utilized by more than 7,000 health clubs across the United States, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. The company's software has won numerous design and feature awards, such as Club Industry's Best of the Best and IHRSA's Vendor of the Year. In January 2018, ABC Financial was acquired by an affiliate of Thoma Bravo, LLC, a private equity firm based in San Francisco, CA and Chicago, IL CONTACT: Jennifer Hutchinson Director of Public Relations and Events 501-515-5029 [email protected] SOURCE ABC Financial Related Links http://www.abcfinancial.com KANSAS CITY, Mo., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A joint venture between Burns & McDonnell and Hitachi T&D Solutions a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE:6501) has been selected by PacifiCorp to design and build two new high-voltage greenfield substations in Wyoming and upgrade a third existing substation at the Jim Bridger Generating Station, located in Southern Wyoming. Burns & McDonnell will provide engineer-procure-construct (EPC) services while Hitachi will provide all large power transformers and gas circuit breakers for the projects. The new 500/230 kilovolt (kV) Aeolus and 500/345 kV Anticline substations are being added to provide grid support for the addition of more than 1,000 megawatts (MW) of new wind generation capacity being added to the regional power network. The Aeolus substation will be located near Medicine Bow, WY, and the Anticline substation will be located near Point of Rocks, WY. Upgrades to the existing Jim Bridger substation, also near Point of Rocks, will provide added grid stability. Engineering design is expected to begin this month with construction commencing in April 2019. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2020. For photos and support materials, please visit our MEDIA KIT. About Burns & McDonnell Burns & McDonnell is a 100-percent employee-owned, full-service firm providing innovative engineering, quality projects and constructed value to electric and gas utilities, industries and a range of power providers throughout North America and abroad. Burns & McDonnell now has a team of 1,500 engineers and technologists who serve as resources for utilities coping with rapidly evolving technologies, new regulations and a host of other changes. Ranked No. 1 for Power and Electrical Transmission & Distribution by Engineering News-Record magazine, and now the No. 1 ranked Commissioning firm, Burns & McDonnell provides design/build EPC, program management, SCADA and telecommunications engineering, studies, planning, routing, permitting, physical and cyber security and much more. Burns & McDonnell currently has more than 50 offices throughout the world and is proud to be on Fortune magazine's 2018 list of 100 Best Companies to Work For. For more information, visit burnsmcd.com . About Hitachi T&D Solutions, Inc. Hitachi T&D Solutions, Inc. (HTDS) is a premier international supplier of electrical equipment for the power delivery market including high-voltage circuit breakers, gas-insulated switchgear, large power transformers, and generator main circuit breakers, and is a 100% subsidiary organization of Hitachi, Ltd. Japan. HTDS's offices and manufacturing facilities are located in Suwanee, GA providing engineering, procurement, project management, installation, maintenance and testing services for all products and parts. HTDS is dedicated to continuing the expansion and integration of its present products while developing new, state of the art solutions to meet future industry demands. Hitachi T&D Solutions, Inc. (HTDS) provides high voltage circuit breakers from 69 kV to 800 kV, power transformers from 200MVA to over 1000MVA and up to 800 kV, and gas insulated switchgear from 69 kV to 800 kV. HTDS has a vertically integrated field services, parts, maintenance, installation and commissioning organization and can also provide monitoring systems for all its products. One of the company's significant innovative accomplishments was the introduction of the industry's first 72.5 kV, high voltage dead tank vacuum circuit breaker which eliminates the ozone depleting SF-6 gas commonly used in this product. For more information on HTDS' products and services please visit www.hitachi-tds.com. About Hitachi, Ltd. Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, delivers innovations that answer society's challenges, combining its operational technology, information technology, and products/systems. The company's consolidated revenues for fiscal 2017 (ended March 31, 2018) totaled 9,368.6 billion yen ($88.4 billion). The Hitachi Group is an innovation partner for the IoT era, and it has approximately 307,000 employees worldwide. Through collaborative creation with customers, Hitachi is deploying Social Innovation Business using digital technologies in a broad range of sectors, including Power/Energy, Industry/Distribution/Water, Urban Development, and Finance/Social Infrastructure/Healthcare. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at http://www.hitachi.com. Contact: Roger Dick, Burns & McDonnell 816-822-3339 [email protected] Contact: Akiko Krieger, Hitachi T&D Solutions, Inc. 770-495-1755 [email protected] SOURCE Burns & McDonnell Related Links http://www.burnsmcd.com DALLAS, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dallas-based intellectual property and business litigation firm Caldwell Cassady & Curry has been retained to lead the patent licensing efforts for Lewis Center, Ohio-based Midwest Energy Emissions Corp. (OTCQB: MEEC), a national leader in mercury emissions control. Midwest Energy's (ME 2 C) patented SEA Technologies are used to capture mercury emissions generated by coal-burning power plants. The company is offering licenses and other commercial options for users of its patented technologies. "ME 2 Chas made important contributions to the coal-fired utility industry," says Brad Caldwell, a name principal at Caldwell Cassady & Curry. "We are excited to play a role in securing fair compensation and recognition for these contributions." Caldwell Cassady & Curry is recognized as one of the leading intellectual property law firms in the country, including being named the nation's top patent plaintiffs' firm in the IAM Patent 1000 The World's Leading Patent Professionals. The firm also has been honored as the Intellectual Property Litigation Department of the Year by the publishers of Texas Lawyer newspaper. ME 2 C delivers patented and proprietary solutions to the global coal-power industry to remove mercury from power plant emissions. ME 2 C's Sorbent Enhancement Additive SEA technologies have been adopted by a significant number of utility operations across the USA. "We have developed the best possible methods to meet the challenges of removing mercury emissions from coal-fired utilities with our patented SEA processes," says Richard MacPherson, CEO of ME 2 C. "With the support of Caldwell Cassady & Curry, we continue to move this suite of technologies forward for the benefit of the utility industry and ME 2 C shareholders." Caldwell Cassady & Curry represents companies and individuals in high-stakes civil litigation, including patent infringement cases, trade secrets claims, fiduciary duty cases, class actions, and disputes involving company founders. The firm has tried and won some of the nation's top verdicts against the largest companies in the world. For more information, visit www.caldwellcc.com. For more information, contact Bruce Vincent at 214-763-6226 or [email protected]. SOURCE Caldwell Cassady & Curry Related Links http://www.caldwellcc.com SINGAPORE, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- China Yuchai International Limited (NYSE: CYD) ("China Yuchai" or the "Company"), a leading manufacturer and distributor of engines for on- and off-road applications in China through its main operating subsidiary, Guangxi Yuchai Machinery Company Limited ("GYMCL"), announced today its unaudited consolidated financial results for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2018. The financial information presented herein for the third quarter of 2018 and 2017 is reported using International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board. The comparative figures for the third quarter and first nine months ended September 30, 2017 were restated due to the adoption of IFRS 15 effective on or after January 1, 2018, on Revenue from Contracts with Customers by a full retrospective application. The financial impact on the adoption of IFRS 15 is described and attached at the end of the press release. Financial Highlights for the Third Quarter of 2018 Net revenue was RMB 3.2 billion ( US$ 463.6 million ) compared with RMB 3.8 billion in the third quarter of 2017; ) compared with RMB 3.8 billion in the third quarter of 2017; Gross profit was RMB 607.7 million ( US$ 88.3 million ), with a gross margin of 19.1%, compared with RMB 725.5 million and a gross margin of 19.2% in the third quarter of 2017; ), with a gross margin of 19.1%, compared with RMB 725.5 million and a gross margin of 19.2% in the third quarter of 2017; Operating profit was RMB 251.2 million ( US$ 36.5 million ) compared with RMB 287.8 million in the third quarter of 2017; ) compared with RMB 287.8 million in the third quarter of 2017; Net earnings attributable to China Yuchai's shareholders was RMB 128.5 million ( US$ 18.7 million ) compared with RMB 157.9 million in the third quarter of 2017; ( ) compared with in the third quarter of 2017; Earnings per share were RMB 3.15 (US$ 0.46) compared with RMB 3.87 in the third quarter of 2017; Total number of engines sold was 71,062 units compared with 82,839 units in the third quarter of 2017. The net revenue for the third quarter of 2018 decreased by 15.8% to RMB 3.2 billion (US$ 463.6 million) from RMB 3.8 billion for the same quarter last year. The total number of engines sold by GYMCL during the third quarter of 2018 was 71,062 units, compared with 82,839 units for the same quarter last year, a decrease of 14.2%. Sales reflected industry trends with lower engine sales to the truck and bus segments compared with the same quarter last year. Sales to the off-road engine market increased in the third quarter of 2018 primarily due to higher sales in the agriculture and power generation sectors compared with the same quarter last year. According to data reported by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers ("CAAM"), in the third quarter of 2018, sales of commercial vehicles (excluding gasolinepowered and electric-powered vehicles) decreased by 15.2% overall compared with the same quarter in 2017. This included a 15.6% decrease in the truck segment and a 12.3% drop in the bus segment. During this period, the sales of heavy-duty and medium-duty trucks dropped by 23.0% and 31.1% respectively. Gross profit decreased by 16.2% to RMB 607.7 million (US$ 88.3 million) from RMB 725.5 million in the same quarter last year. Gross margin was 19.1% compared with 19.2% in the same quarter last year. Other operating income was RMB 44.1 million (US$ 6.4 million) compared with RMB 50.6 million in the same quarter last year. The decrease was mainly due to lower foreign exchange revaluation gain and lower fair value gain on held for trading investment, partly offset by higher interest income and higher fair value gain on foreign exchange forward contract compared to the same quarter last year. Research and development ("R&D") expenses decreased by 54.4% to RMB 63.6 million (US$ 9.2 million) from RMB 139.6 million in the same quarter last year. Lower R&D expenses were mainly due to the capitalization of development costs of National VI and Tier 4 engines that had met the IFRS capitalization criteria. The ongoing R&D program is focused on new and existing engine products, especially for engines to meet the next-generation National VI and Tier 4 emission standards, as well as continued initiatives to improve engine quality. As a percentage of revenue, R&D expenses decreased to 2.0% compared with 3.7% in the same quarter last year. Selling, general & administrative ("SG&A") expenses decreased by 3.4% to RMB 337.0 million (US$ 49.0 million) from RMB 348.8 million in the same quarter last year. The decrease was mainly due to lower personnel expenses partially offset by higher warranty expenses. SG&A expenses represented 10.6% of revenue compared with 9.2% in the same quarter last year. Operating profit decreased by 12.7% to RMB 251.2 million (US$ 36.5 million) from RMB 287.8 million in the same quarter last year. The operating margin was 7.9% compared with 7.6% in the same quarter last year. Finance costs were reduced by 8.5% to RMB 29.9 million (US$ 4.3 million) compared with RMB 32.7 million in the same quarter last year. Lower finance costs mainly resulted from lower bills discounting costs. For the quarter ended September 30, 2018, total net profit attributable to China Yuchai's shareholders was RMB 128.5 million (US$ 18.7 million), or earnings per share of RMB 3.15 (US$ 0.46), compared with RMB 157.9 million, or earnings per share of RMB 3.87 in the same quarter last year. Earnings per share in the third quarter of 2018 were based on a weighted average of 40,858,290 shares compared with 40,799,959 shares in the same quarter last year. Financial Highlights for the Nine Months ended September 30, 2018 Net revenue was RMB 11.7 billion ( US$ 1.7 billion ) compared with RMB 12.4 billion a year ago; ) compared with billion a year ago; Gross profit was RMB 2.2 billion ( US$ 324.2 million ), or a gross margin of 19.0%, compared with RMB 2.3 billion, or a gross margin of 18.6%, a year ago; ), or a gross margin of 19.0%, compared with RMB 2.3 billion, or a gross margin of 18.6%, a year ago; Operating profit was RMB 949.9 million ( US$ 138.1 million ) compared with RMB 962.7 million a year ago; ) compared with million a year ago; Basic and diluted earnings per share were RMB 12 .32 (US$ 1.79) compared with RMB 13 .26 a year ago; .32 (US$ 1.79) compared with .26 a year ago; Total number of engines sold was 281,850 units compared with 293,487 units a year ago. For the nine months ended September 30, 2018, net revenue decreased by 5.5% to RMB 11.7 billion (US$ 1.7 billion) from RMB 12.4 billion in the same period last year. The total number of engines sold by GYMCL in the first nine months of 2018 was 281,850 units compared with 293,487 units in the same period last year, a decrease of 4.0%. The decrease was due to lower engine sales in the truck and bus segments partially offsetting higher engine unit sales in the off-road segment. According to data reported by CAAM, in the nine months ended September 30, 2018, sales of commercial vehicles (excluding gasolinepowered and electric-powered vehicles) decreased by 0.2%, with an increase of 0.3% in the truck segment offset by a decrease of 4.1% in the bus segment sales. Gross profit decreased by 3.3% to RMB 2.2 billion (US$ 324.2 million) compared with RMB 2.3 billion in the same period last year. The decrease was mainly attributable to lower unit sales. Gross margin was 19.0% compared with 18.6% in the same period last year. Other operating income was RMB 128.3 million (US$ 18.7 million) compared with RMB 138.8 million in the same period last year. This decrease was mainly due to a lower foreign exchange revaluation gain and lower fair value gain on held for trading investment partially offset by higher interest income and higher fair value gain on foreign exchange forward contract. R&D expenses were RMB 340.0 million (US$ 49.4 million) compared with RMB 377.2 million in the same period last year. Lower R&D expenses were mainly due to the capitalization of development costs of National VI and Tier 4 engines that had met the IFRS capitalization criteria. The ongoing R&D program is focused on new and existing engine products as well as continued initiatives to improve engine quality. As a percentage of revenue, R&D spending was 2.9% in the first nine months of 2018 compared with 3.0% in the same period last year. SG&A expenses were RMB 1.1 billion (US$ 155.3 million) compared with RMB 1.1 billion in the same period last year. The higher warranty expenses for the nine months of 2018 were offset by the lower staff costs compared with same period last year. SG&A expenses represented 9.1% of revenue for the first nine months of 2018 compared with 8.9% in the same period last year. Operating profit was RMB 949.9 million (US$ 138.1 million) from RMB 962.7 million in the same period last year. The decrease was mainly due to lower unit sales. The operating margin was 8.1% in the first nine months of 2018 compared with 7.8% in the same period last year. Finance costs were RMB 82.0 million (US$ 11.9 million) compared with RMB 75.9 million in the same period last year. Higher finance costs were mainly due to higher borrowing costs. For the nine months ended September 30, 2018, total net profit attributable to China Yuchai's shareholders was RMB 503.5 million (US$ 73.2 million), compared with RMB 540.2 million in the same period last year. Basic and diluted earnings per share of RMB 12.32 (US$ 1.79) compared with basic and diluted earnings per share of RMB 13.26 in the same period last year. Basic earnings per share in the nine months of 2018 were based on a weighted average of 40,858,290 shares, and diluted earnings per share was based on a weighted average of 40,872,254 shares compared with 40,741,708 shares in the same period in 2017. Balance Sheet Highlights as at September 30, 2018 Cash and bank balances were RMB 4.8 billion ( US$ 699.0 million ) compared with RMB 6.0 billion at the end of 2017; ) compared with RMB 6.0 billion at the end of 2017; Trade and bills receivables were RMB 8.9 billion ( US$ 1.3 billion ) compared with RMB 7.0 billion at the end of 2017; ( ) compared with at the end of 2017; Inventories were RMB 2.2 billion ( US$ 321.7 million ) compared with RMB 2.6 billion at the end of 2017; ) compared with RMB 2.6 billion at the end of 2017; Trade and bills payables were RMB 4.8 billion ( US$ 697.4 million ) compared with RMB 5.2 billion at the end of 2017; ( ) compared with at the end of 2017; Short-term and long-term borrowings were RMB 1.7 billion ( US$ 250.4 million ) compared with RMB 1.6 billion at the end of 2017. Mr. Weng Ming Hoh, President of China Yuchai, commented, "Our engine sales in the third quarter of 2018 reflected the industry trends, with slower sales in trucks and buses. Our growing presence in off-road markets has partially mitigated the industry's commercial vehicle slowdown, with higher sales in the agriculture and power generation segments." "We took another major step with our new JV, Eberspaecher Yuchai Exhaust Technology Co. Ltd., which will add new emissions technology to our manufacturing to produce advanced emission systems for the next-generation National VI standards," Mr. Hoh concluded. Exchange Rate Information The Company's functional currency is the U.S. dollar and its reporting currency is Renminbi. The translation of amounts from Renminbi to U.S. dollars is solely for the convenience of the reader. Translation of amounts from Renminbi to U.S. dollars has been made at the rate of RMB 6.8792 = US$ 1.00, the rate quoted by the People's Bank of China at the close of business on September 30, 2018. No representation is made that the Renminbi amounts could have been, or could be, converted into U.S. dollars at that rate or at any other certain rate on September 30, 2018 or at any other date. Unaudited Third Quarter 2018 Conference Call A conference call and audio webcast for the investment community has been scheduled for 8:00 A.M. Eastern Standard Time on November 8, 2018. The call will be hosted by Mr. Weng Ming HOH, President, and Dr. Thomas PHUNG, Chief Financial Officer, of China Yuchai. They will present on and discuss the financial results and business outlook of the Company followed with a Q&A session. Analysts and institutional investors may participate in the conference call by dialling +1-866-519-4004 (United States), +800-906-601 (Hong Kong), 400-620-8038 (China) or +65 67135090 (International), Conference Code: 1859527 approximately five to ten minutes before the call start time. For all other interested parties, a simultaneous webcast can be accessed at the investor relations section of the Company's website located at http://www.cyilimited.com. Participants are requested to log into the webcast at least 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time. The recorded webcast will be available on the website shortly after the earnings call. About China Yuchai International China Yuchai International Limited, through its subsidiary, Guangxi Yuchai Machinery Company Limited ("GYMCL"), engages in the manufacture, assembly, and sale of a wide variety of light-, medium- and heavy-duty engines for trucks, buses, passenger vehicles, construction equipment, marine and agriculture applications in China. GYMCL also produces diesel power generators. The engines produced by GYMCL range from diesel to natural gas and hybrid engines. Through its regional sales offices and authorized customer service centers, the Company distributes its engines directly to auto OEMs and retailers and provides maintenance and retrofitting services throughout China. Founded in 1951, GYMCL has established a reputable brand name, strong research and development team and significant market share in China with high-quality products and reliable after-sales support. In 2017, GYMCL sold 367,097 engines and is recognized as a leading manufacturer and distributor of engines in China. For more information, please visit http://www.cyilimited.com. Safe Harbor Statement This news release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "project", "targets", "optimistic", "confident that", "continue to", "predict", "intend", "aim", "will" or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that may be deemed forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, statements concerning the Company's operations, financial performance and condition are based on current expectations, beliefs and assumptions which are subject to change at any time. The Company cautions that these statements by their nature involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially depending on a variety of important factors such as government and stock exchange regulations, competition, political, economic and social conditions around the world and in China including those discussed in the Company's Form 20-Fs under the headings "Risk Factors", "Results of Operations" and "Business Overview" and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. All forward looking statements are applicable only as of the date it is made and the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to maintain or update the forward-looking information, whether of the nature contained in this release or otherwise, in the future. For more information, please contact: Kevin Theiss Tel: +1-212-521-4050 Email: [email protected] - Tables Follow - UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENTS For the quarters ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 (RMB and US$ amounts expressed in thousands, except per share data) September 30, 2018 September 30, 2017 RMB '000 US$ '000 RMB '000 US$ '000 Restated Restated Revenue 3,189,426 463,633 3,786,202 550,384 Cost of goods sold (2,581,724) (375,294) (3,060,724) (444,924) Gross profit 607,702 88,339 725,478 105,460 Other operating income, net 44,090 6,409 50,642 7,362 Research and development costs (63,610) (9,247) (139,573) (20,289) Selling, general and administrative costs (336,973) (48,984) (348,753) (50,697) Operating profit 251,209 36,517 287,794 41,836 Finance costs (29,874) (4,343) (32,667) (4,749) Share of results of associates and joint ventures 6,075 883 5,622 817 Profit before tax 227,410 33,057 260,749 37,904 Income tax expense (48,150) (6,999) (46,420) (6,748) Profit for the period 179,260 26,058 214,329 31,156 Attributable to: Equity holders of the parent 128,517 18,682 157,884 22,951 Non-controlling interests 50,743 7,376 56,445 8,205 179,260 26,058 214,329 31,156 Net earnings per common share - Basic 3.15 0.46 3.87 0.56 - Diluted 3.15 0.46 3.87 0.56 Unit sales 71,062 82,839 CHINA YUCHAI INTERNATIONAL LIMITED UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENTS For the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 (RMB and US$ amounts expressed in thousands, except per share data) September 30, 2018 September 30, 2017 RMB '000 US$ '000 RMB'000 US$ '000 Restated Restated Revenue 11,731,070 1,705,296 12,411,467 1,804,202 Cost of goods sold (9,500,860) (1,381,100) (10,105,978) (1,469,063) Gross profit 2,230,210 324,196 2,305,489 335,139 Other operating income, net 128,321 18,653 138,836 20,182 Research and development costs (339,991) (49,423) (377,197) (54,832) Selling, general and administrative costs (1,068,666) (155,347) (1,104,403) (160,542) Operating profit 949,874 138,079 962,725 139,947 Finance costs (81,998) (11,920) (75,918) (11,036) Share of results of associates and joint ventures 14,633 2,127 10,786 1,568 Profit before tax 882,509 128,286 897,593 130,479 Income tax expense (178,303) (25,919) (166,019) (24,133) Profit for the period 704,206 102,367 731,574 106,346 Attributable to: Equity holders of the parent 503,484 73,189 540,249 78,534 Non-controlling interests 200,722 29,178 191,325 27,812 704,206 102,367 731,574 106,346 Net earnings per common share - Basic 12.32 1.79 13.26 1.93 - Diluted 12.32 1.79 13.26 1.93 Unit sales 281,850 293,487 CHINA YUCHAI INTERNATIONAL LIMITED UNAUDITED SELECTED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET ITEMS (RMB and US$ amounts expressed in thousands) As of September 30, 2018 As of December 31, 2017 (Audited) Restated RMB '000 US$ '000 RMB '000 Cash and bank balances 4,808,849 699,042 6,029,207 Trade and bills receivables 8,878,820 1,290,676 7,031,544 Inventories 2,213,072 321,705 2,572,745 Trade and bills payables 4,797,290 697,362 5,177,123 Short-term and long-term interest-bearing loans and borrowings 1,722,668 250,417 1,626,341 Equity attributable to equity holders of the parent 8,242,948 1,198,242 8,334,289 CHINA YUCHAI INTERNATIONAL LIMITED Impact on adoption of IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers: The figures presented below are all expressed in thousands. IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers is effective for the annual periods beginning on or after January 1, 2018. IFRS 15 establishes a five steps model to account for the revenue arising from the contracts with customers. Under IFRS 15, revenue is recognized at an amount that reflects the consideration to which an entity expects to be entitled in exchange for transferring of goods or services to a customer. The Group has applied the changes in accounting policies retrospectively to each reporting period presented, using the full retrospective approach. Accordingly, the comparative figures in the balance sheet at December 31, 2017 and the income statement for the quarter and year-to-date ended September 30, 2017 have been restated to reflect the retrospective adjustments upon adoption of IFRS 15. Warranty obligations Under IFRS 15, the Group accounts for a service-type warranty as a separate performance obligation to which the Group allocates a portion of the transaction price. The portion of the consideration allocated to the service-type warranty is initially recorded as a contract liability and recognized as revenue over the period which warranty services are provided. As a result, the Group's income statement for the third quarter of 2017 was restated as follows: Revenue decreased by RMB 2,556 to RMB 3,786,202 . to . Cost of sales increased by RMB 33,161 to RMB 3,060,724 . to . Selling, general and administrative cost decreased by RMB 25,622 to RMB 348,753 . to . Profit after tax was adjusted from RMB 224,424 to RMB 214,329 . to . Profit attributable to the equity holders of the parent was adjusted from RMB 165,598 to RMB 157,884 . to . Earnings per share was adjusted from RMB 4.06 to RMB 3.87 . As a result, the Group's income statement for the first nine months ended 2017 was restated as follows: Revenue decreased by RMB 30,163 to RMB 12,411,467 . to . Cost of sales increased by RMB 98,881 to RMB 10,105,978 . to . Selling, general and administrative cost decreased by RMB 121,430 to RMB 1,104,403 . to . Profit after tax was adjusted from RMB 739,188 to RMB 731,574 . to . Profit attributable to the equity holders of the parent was adjusted from RMB 546,067 to RMB 540,249 . to . Earnings per share was adjusted from RMB 13.40 to RMB 13.26 . The effect of the restatements on the equity attributable to equity holders of the parent as at December 31, 2017 was adjusted from RMB 8,347,562 to RMB 8,334,289. SOURCE China Yuchai International Limited Related Links http://www.cyilimited.com SACRAMENTO, Calif., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Covered California launched its open-enrollent tour on Thursday to encourage consumers to sign up for health care coverage during the current open-enrollment period. The tour comes just days after voters across the country listed health care as a top issue in the midterm elections. "Voters of every political stripe spoke loudly and clearly that they want quality health care. The Affordable Care Act is now irrevocably woven into the fabric of America," said Covered California Executive Director Peter V. Lee. "We are not going back to the days when health insurance companies were allowed to turn people away because of a preexisting condition. Instead, we are looking forward to strengthening a system that is working and building on the historic gains we have made." The 10-day, 23-stop kickoff tour will travel more than 1,600 miles in November. The tour will begin in Sacramento and travel to Oakland, San Jose, Salinas, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Diego, Palm Desert, Riverside, Bakersfield, Fresno and San Francisco. Watch and download time-lapse video of the Covered California bus being wrapped. The tour will feature individuals who have been enrolled through Covered California since the exchange first opened its doors. Local dance crews will also be depicting the idea that life can change in an instant, which ties to Covered California's award-winning advertising campaign that features ads showing individuals slipping down stairs, falling off a ladder, getting in a bicycle accident and cutting one's hand in the kitchen. "We know that life can change in an instant, and it's important to have health coverage when it does," Lee said. "Dance transcends culture, language and age. These performances from around the state will help Covered California encourage enrollment using a medium that resonates with Californians." The first dance on the tour will be performed by Rob Schultz's Sacramento Crew. Schultz is an internationally known choreographer whose work has been featured in television, film, commercials, tours, award shows and live events. In addition to his extensive portfolio, Schultz is a former Covered California consumer whose coverage gave him the freedom to focus on his work. Watch Schultz's story here. In addition to the live performances during the bus tour, the dances will be captured on video and shared through social media and on Covered California's website . "Californians will be able to share these dramatic performances with their family and friends," Lee said. "We hope the videos spark conversations and get people interested in seeing how affordable it can be to get quality coverage." Affordable Coverage Covered California also launched a new ad campaign that began airing Thursday. The television and radio spots center on how affordable coverage can be and urge consumers to see what they would pay for a health plan. Current enrollees getting financial help pay less than $5 per day for their health insurance. "New research shows that four out of five of the uninsured consumers we surveyed, who are eligible for financial help, either do not know or do not think they qualify," Lee said. "You can get a quote within a minute by using our Shop and Compare Tool , so even if you have checked before, check again and do not leave money on the table." See the new television ad here. While each situation is different depending on a consumer's income, one out of every three Covered California consumers could purchase a Silver plan which provides the best overall value for $50 or less per month. Nearly three out of five consumers could get a Silver plan for $100 or less per month. Even consumers who currently purchase their coverage off-exchange directly from a health carrier could benefit from financial help through Covered California. Two recent analyses estimated that roughly 30 percent of consumers enrolled in off-exchange coverage are potentially eligible for financial help that would lower the cost of their net premiums. The Remaining Uninsured Since first opening its doors in 2014, Covered California has helped cut the state's uninsured rate to a historic low of 6.8 percent. New data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows there are an estimated 2.7 million remaining uninsured consumers in California. However, an estimated 59 percent of the remaining uninsured are not eligible for coverage due to their immigration status. When you take that into account, roughly 1.1 million Californians are currently eligible for coverage in Covered California or Medi-Cal. Table 1: Remaining Uninsured by Metro Area in 2017 California Metro Areas Uninsured Estimated Eligible for Coverage Bakersfield 67,173 27,541 Fresno 74,842 30,685 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim 1,141,590 468,052 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura 71,580 29,348 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario 351,398 144,073 Sacramento-Roseville-Arden-Arcade 114,572 46,975 San Diego-Carlsbad 249,592 102,333 San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward 209,695 85,975 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara 82,876 33,979 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2017 "Nine out of ten Covered California consumers receive financial help, which saves them an average of 80 percent off the price of their coverage," Lee said. "The savings mean more money in your pocket and peace of mind for you and your family." Life Can Change in an Instant Covered California data also shows that when life does change in an instant, it can be extremely costly. In 2017, Covered California consumers were protected from a wide variety of medical claims: More than 11,000 were diagnosed with either breast, lung or prostate cancer; 22,000 consumers fractured, dislocated or sprained their arm or shoulder; nearly 3,000 suffered a lower back injury and 1,600 were diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes with complications. Diagnosis or Injury Number of Covered California Claims in 2017 Potential Cost of Care Without Coverage* Breast cancer 7,701 $78,536 Lung cancer 1,306 $260,866 Prostate cancer 2,335 $72,180 Broken, dislocated or sprained arm or shoulder 22,158 $11,559 Lower back injury 2,784 $13,822 Type 2 diabetes with complications 1,616 $54,724 *Source: California Healthcare Compare "Life can change in an instant, and Covered California members were protected from medical bills that totaled in the tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands and even millions of dollars," Lee said. "No one wants to face a million-dollar medical bill alone, which is why you need health insurance, and a plan through Covered California to protect you and your family when you need it." Five Years Strong As Covered California prepares to enter its sixth year as a marketplace offering affordable health insurance for Californians, long-term enrollees say the effect of the coverage has been life-changing. Those enrollees will be featured at events across the state and highlighted at bus stops during the open-enrollment tour. Among the five-year enrollees are: A Sacramento man who was born with a heart condition. While his pre-existing condition never caused him any issues, it prevented him from getting health insurance. man who was born with a heart condition. While his pre-existing condition never caused him any issues, it prevented him from getting health insurance. An Oakland woman who says Covered California saved the lives of her four children, who have health conditions including asthma to autism. woman who says Covered California saved the lives of her four children, who have health conditions including asthma to autism. A Los Angeles -area woman who runs a thriving marshmallow-manufacturing business. She followed her dream to start the business only because she was able to buy health insurance on the individual market. Before the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, she was not eligible due to a pre-existing condition. -area woman who runs a thriving marshmallow-manufacturing business. She followed her dream to start the business only because she was able to buy health insurance on the individual market. Before the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, she was not eligible due to a pre-existing condition. A business owner who operates a collision-repair shop in Pleasanton . He decided to get health insurance for his employees through Covered California for Small Business. He said this employee coverage helps him attract and retain the best workers. Getting Help Enrolling Consumers will need to sign up by Dec. 15 in order to have their coverage begin on Jan. 1, 2019. Enrollment will continue through Jan. 15. Those interested in learning more about their coverage options should go to www.CoveredCA.com, where they can get help to enroll. They can explore their options and find out if they qualify for financial help by using the Shop and Compare Tool. They can also get free and confidential enrollment assistance by visiting www.coveredca.com/find-help/ and searching among 700 storefronts statewide or 16,000 certified enrollers who can assist consumers in understanding their choices and enrolling, including individuals who can assist in other languages. In addition, consumers can reach the Covered California service center by calling (800) 300-1506. About Covered California Covered California is the state's health insurance marketplace, where Californians can find affordable, high-quality insurance from top insurance companies. Covered California is the only place where individuals who qualify can get financial assistance on a sliding scale to reduce premium costs. Consumers can then compare health insurance plans and choose the plan that works best for their health needs and budget. Depending on their income, some consumers may qualify for the low-cost or no-cost Medi-Cal program. Covered California is an independent part of the state government whose job is to make the health insurance marketplace work for California's consumers. It is overseen by a five-member board appointed by the governor and the Legislature. For more information about Covered California, please visit www.CoveredCA.com . SOURCE Covered California Related Links http://www.CoveredCA.com PASADENA, Calif., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Lotus Clinical Research is pleased to announce that our Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Neil Singla, presented at the 12th annual Pain & Migraine Therapeutics Conference in San Francisco, California. Dr. Singla discussed "Development of Long-Acting Local Anesthetics: Clinical Trial Considerations in Phases I-III." Pain & Migraine Therapeutics is the US's premier pain conference covering the field of pain research and therapeutics, with opportunities to discuss and learn about the latest advances in the treatment of various types of pain. The conference gathered Scientists, Researchers, Physicians, NIH, Pharmaceutical Companies, and Research Companies in one place to tackle pain and migraine research and development and provided attendees "with thoughtful insight from key industry leaders and academic researchers concerning cutting-edge drug discovery science, preclinical development trends, analysis of key clinical-stage pain therapies and newly marketed products." (https://www.paintherapeuticsummit.com) Dr. Singa's presentation focused on Development of Long-Acting Local Anesthetics: Clinical Trial Considerations in Phases I-III. Dr. Singla discussed key elements of clinical trial design and conduct for long-acting local anesthetics. An Anesthesiologist by training, Dr. Singla has been in analgesic clinical research since 2001. His presentation covered topics including: optimum formulations early-phase stopping rules dose escalation paradigms safety review committee concerns proof of concept models Phase 3 pivotal models and other key issues for these programs "Physicians and patients are increasingly looking for non-opioid ways to control postoperative pain," indicated Dr. William Schmidt, President of NorthStar Consulting. "While it's not always possible to provide opioid-free pain control, judicious use of long-acting local anesthetics has already shown promise in reducing patient exposure to postoperative narcotics. There is a significant need for even longer-acting local anesthetics; studies have shown that patients often have less pain overall, fewer side effects, and recover function more quickly when longer-acting local anesthetics are used as part of a comprehensive pain control strategy." Dr. Singla also participated in a Panel Discussion with Nathaniel Katz, MD, MS, and Robert H. Dworkin, PhD. on "Designing and Implementing Better Pain Clinical Trials." About Lotus Clinical Research: Lotus Clinical Research is a specialty analgesic CRO, research site, and regulatory consulting firm supporting all phases of discovery for analgesic treatments and has played a role in 10 analgesic FDA approvals. Led by Dr. Neil Singla, Lotus focuses on optimizing design/conduct of clinical trials in pain providing scientific leadership at every step of the development process. In assisting with the advancement of pain therapies, Lotus Clinical Research seeks to invent and operationalize research methods that improve study design and conduct for analgesic trials, which support our mission to help alleviate the opioid crisis in society. Contact: Hadley Rakowski Lotus Clinical Research 1-802-343-5470 [email protected] www.lotuscr.com Related Links Lotus Clinical Research website SOURCE Lotus Clinical Research Related Links http://www.lotuscr.com NEW YORK, November 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- DirectView Holdings, Inc. (OTC:DIRV) ("DirectView" or the "Company"), a company focused on ownership and management of leading video and security technology companies, today announced that the Company's CEO, Roger Ralston, and CFO, Chris Cutchens, will be attending the 2018 MJ Business Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada. The conference, held November 13th to 16th at The Las Vegas Convention Center, is the largest cannabis business conference in the world. MJBizCon is the preeminent conference to drive business deals and forge valuable connections with cannabis professionals in business today. The conference is estimated to house 20,000+ cannabis professionals and 1,000+ exhibitors for the preeminent event for industry professionals. DirectView management will attend the conference to meet with Cannabis industry professionals, showcase its state-of-the-art cannabis security and surveillance solutions, and discuss the various regulations and mandatory security compliance requirements associated with the quickly evolving industry. DirectView recognizes a major opportunity for custom-tailored security, surveillance, access control, and safety solutions that meet the regulatory and compliance requirements of the booming cannabis industry. According to the research report "Video Surveillance Market by System (Analog, & IP), Offering (Hardware, Software, & Service), Vertical (Commercial, Infrastructure, Military & Defense, Residential, Public Facility, & Industrial), and Geography - Global Forecast to 2023", the overall market is estimated to grow from USD 36.89 Billion in 2018 to USD 68.34 Billion by 2023, at a CAGR of 13.1% between 2018 and 2023. The increasing concerns for public safety and security, growing adoption of IP cameras, and growing demand for DIY and spy cameras are the key factors driving the video surveillance market growth." Roger Ralston, President and CEO of DirectView, said, "The Cannabis industry is quickly taking off here, especially today after the midterm elections and the resignation of attorney general Jeff Sessions. One of the major concerns in the Cannabis industry is Security. DirectView launched its initiative to provide and install custom-tailored security solutions for the Cannabis industry. It goes without saying, then, that DirectView's attendance at this conference is only natural. We are looking forward to meeting with and networking with industry professionals and educating them on DirectView security and surveillance solutions and the various compliance and regulations associated with the industry." About DirectView Holdings, Inc. DirectView Holdings, Inc., ( DIRV) together with its subsidiaries, provides video surveillance solutions and teleconferencing products and services to businesses and organizations. The company operates in two divisions, Security (Video Surveillance) and Video Conferencing. The Security division offers technologies in surveillance systems providing onsite and remote video and audio surveillance, digital video recording, and services. It also sells and installs surveillance systems; and sells maintenance agreements. The company sells its products and services in the United States and internationally through direct sales force, referrals, and its websites. The Video Conferencing division offers teleconferencing products and services that enable clients to conduct remote meetings by linking participants in geographically dispersed locations. It is involved in the sale of conferencing services based upon usage, the sale and installation of video equipment, and the sale of maintenance agreements. This division primarily provides conferencing products and services to numerous organizations ranging from law firms, banks, high tech companies and government organizations. For more information visit our websites at http://www.DirectView.com, http://www.ApexCCTV.com, http://VS-US.com and connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Google+. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements Forward Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding the outlook of the Company's business and results of operations. By nature, these risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated. Generally speaking, any statements using terms such as "will," "expect," "anticipate," or "may," or which otherwise predict or address future results or events, are likely to contain forward-looking statements. It is important to note that actual results may differ materially from what is indicated in any forward-looking statement. Readers should consider any forward-looking statements in light of factors that could cause actual results to vary. These factors are described in our filings with the SEC, and readers should refer to those filings, including Risk Factors described in those filings, in connection with any forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Contact: DirectView Holdings, Inc. Roger Ralston 1-212-858-9100 EXT. 111 [email protected] http://www.DirectView.com SOURCE DirectView Holdings, Inc. TEMPE, Ariz., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- enChoice Inc., an award-winning Enterprise Content Management and Digital Transformation solutions company, today announced an agreement with Welgevonden Game Reserve (WGR) to provide technical, administrative and software support for WGR's unique Rhino Protection Program. enChoice's senior IT professional & on-site Project Manager for the Rhino Project According to statistics released earlier this year by the South African government, rhinoceros poaching remains at crisis levels, with around 1,028 rhinos having been illegally killed in 2017. Although there is much focus on rhino poaching, other animals are also poached for their body parts which, like the rhino horn, are used in traditional medicine in parts of Asia. Since poachers are usually heavily armed, response to poaching until now has been mainly reactive and primarily para-military. WGR's Wildlife Protection Program is a pro-active system which utilizes a breakthrough technology to alert reserve security operations well before any at-risk animals are in danger. The system uses sentinel animals, who themselves are not poaching targets, fitted with sensors. The animals' movement patterns and other data are recorded and transmitted to a cognitive computing platform via a secure network. Predictive algorithms, developed by Wageningen University, analyze the sentinel-animal data and alert security operations of poacher threats. This system was developed in partnership between WGR, the MTN Group (a multinational telecommunications group operating in 22 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East), IBM and Wageningen University in the Netherlands; it is based on IBM's Internet of Thing (IoT) architecture. Francois Spruyt, chairman of Welgevonden Game Reserve, said, "We are delighted to welcome enChoice as a participant in our Wildlife Protection Program. Their IT capabilities will undoubtedly contribute to the success of the program, particularly in the planning of the next phase." Tony White, CEO of enChoice, added, "We are honored to have been given the opportunity to participate in this meaningful project. We are looking forward to being able to channel our skills and solutions to benefit endangered species and a cause that is truly critical for the future of our planet." enChoice's initial participation will include sending a senior IT professional, Jarrod Nash, to work on-site as project manager and take responsibility for planning and scoping the production rollout of the system with WGR, MTN, IBM and Wageningen University. Subsequent support from enChoice will consist of additional staffing, software and technology assistance. About enChoice Founded in 1993, enChoice Inc. is celebrating 25 years as an award-winning Enterprise Content Management (ECM) and Digital Transformation solutions company. enChoice software, services and support help customers accelerate their digital transformation by leveraging content and optimizing business processes. enChoice is an IBM Gold Business Partner, IBM 2015 Business Partner of the Year, OpenText Technology Partner and Microsoft Dynamics Partner. Discover why over 1,000 leading companies have chosen enChoice as their trusted digital transformation expert. Visit www.enchoice.com. About Welgevonden Welgevonden Game Reserve is located in the Limpopo province of South Africa. The reserve's 37,000 hectares of breathtaking mountain bushveld in the Waterberg plateau are home to a wide range of species, including the Big 5. The reserve has been proclaimed as a Protected Area and is known for excellence in wildlife management. It has become a living laboratory for developing advanced wildlife management techniques and using technology in conservation. For more information about Welgevonden visit www.welgevonden.org. FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact: Judy Roman 480-889-1028 [email protected] Related Links enChoice Welgevonden Game Reserve Related Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9olFUDD_2M SOURCE enChoice Inc. Related Links http://www.enchoice.com VANCOUVER, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Entree Resources Ltd. (TSX:ETG; NYSE American:EGI the "Company" or "Entree") has today filed its interim financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2018. All numbers are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted. Q3 2018 HIGHLIGHTS Entree/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property Mongolia On November 1, 2018, Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd. ("Turquoise Hill") provided the following update on underground development on the Oyu Tolgoi mining licence. The Oyu Tolgoi project includes two separate land holdings: the Oyu Tolgoi mining licence, which is held by Entree's joint venture partner Oyu Tolgoi LLC ("OTLLC") and the Entree/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property, which is a partnership between Entree and OTLLC: During Q3 2018, underground lateral development progressed 3.0 equivalent kilometres for a cumulative total of 15.7 equivalent kilometres since project restart. Until the completion of Shaft 2, Oyu Tolgoi is expected to experience similar, but not increased, development rates as seen in Q3 2018. By the end of 2018, underground development is expected to have completed approximately 11 kilometres of equivalent development through a mixture of mass excavation and lateral development. During Q3 2018, Shaft 2 collar doors and controls were commissioned and mechanical installation of the rock breaker on the shaft's jaw crusher was completed. Also, development of the convey-to-surface decline continued to progress with the permanent ventilation facility being commissioned and becoming operational. Rio Tinto International Holdings Ltd. ("Rio Tinto"), in its role as manager of Oyu Tolgoi, has undertaken its second annual schedule and cost re-forecast for the project and, based on preliminary results, has notified Turquoise Hill of a delay to achievement of sustainable first production from the Oyu Tolgoi mining licence which is now expected to occur by the end of Q3 2021 instead of Q1 2021. This is a result of certain delays including, but not limited to, the completion of Shaft 2, which includes over four months of schedule contingency, and challenging ground conditions. At this time, Entree has no information to suggest that this will impact timing of future development or production schedules on the Entree/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property. First draw bell remains on track for mid-2020, partly due to a change in the draw bell sequencing strategy. Per the Oyu Tolgoi Investment Agreement, OTLLC has been exploring two domestic power options a power plant built and operated by OTLLC at the mine site or an independent power producer located at the Tavan Tolgoi coal field. A final decision on the outcome, cost and financing of a domestic power supply has not been concluded. Corporate Q3 2018 net loss was $0.4 million which was an increase compared to Q3 2017 ( $0.1 million ) due mainly to foreign exchange variances on the cash balance. For the 2018 year to date, net loss was $1.2 million which is a reduction of 43% compared to the same period of 2017 ( $2.1 million ). The reduction in the year to date net loss was due to the sale of the Company's 0.5% net smelter returns royalty on the Canariaco project in Peru in Q2 2018 and lower administration costs in the current periods. which was an increase compared to Q3 2017 ( ) due mainly to foreign exchange variances on the cash balance. For the 2018 year to date, net loss was which is a reduction of 43% compared to the same period of 2017 ( ). The reduction in the year to date net loss was due to the sale of the Company's 0.5% net smelter returns royalty on the Canariaco project in in Q2 2018 and lower administration costs in the current periods. Q3 2018 operating cash outflow after working capital was $0.2 million as compared to $0.6 million in Q3 2017 and for the 2018 year to date, operating cash outflow after working capital was $1.0 million compared to $2.4 million in the same period of 2017. The reduction in operating cash outflow after working capital was due to lower net losses in the current periods. as compared to in Q3 2017 and for the 2018 year to date, operating cash outflow after working capital was compared to in the same period of 2017. The reduction in operating cash outflow after working capital was due to lower net losses in the current periods. The cash balance as at September 30, 2018 was $6.0 million . OUTLOOK AND STRATEGY Entree/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property With the completion and filing of its updated technical report titled "Entree/Oyu Tolgoi Joint Venture Project, Mongolia, NI 43-101 Technical Report" with an effective date of January 15, 2018 prepared by Amec Foster Wheeler (the "2018 Technical Report") in Q1 2018, the Company is now focused on: Assessing opportunities to crystallize value ahead of production from the Entree/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property. Streamlining Entree's joint venture interest. Educating the market about the opportunities associated with Entree's interest in the Entree/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property. Working with Entree's joint venture partner to advance any exploration opportunities on the Entree/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property that may exist, including several near surface targets that have been identified. Corporate The Company remains focused on maximizing investor awareness of the results of the 2018 Technical Report and what this report means to the Company and all stakeholders, both current and potential. Corporate costs, which include Mongolian site management and compliance costs, remain estimated to be between $1.2 million and $1.5 million for the full 2018 year. The Company's interim financial statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis ("MD&A") are available on the Company's website at www.EntreeResourcesLtd.com, on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. QUALIFIED PERSON Robert Cinits, P.Geo., Entree's Vice President, Corporate Development, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has approved the technical information in this release. For further information on the Entree/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property, see the Company's Technical Report, titled "Entree/Oyu Tolgoi Joint Venture Project, Mongolia, NI 43-101 Technical Report", with an effective date of January 15, 2018, available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. ABOUT ENTREE RESOURCES LTD. Entree Resources Ltd. is a well-funded Canadian mining company with a unique carried joint venture interest on a significant portion of one of the world's largest copper-gold projects the Oyu Tolgoi project in Mongolia. Entree has a 20% or 30% carried participating interest in the Entree/Oyu Tolgoi joint venture, depending on the depth of mineralization. Sandstorm Gold Ltd., Rio Tinto and Turquoise Hill are major shareholders of Entree, holding approximately 16%, 9% and 8% of the shares of the Company, respectively. More information about Entree can be found at www.EntreeResourcesLtd.com. This News Release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws with respect to corporate strategies and plans; uses of funds; the value and potential value of assets and the ability of Entree to maximize returns to shareholders; timing and status of development of the Oyu Tolgoi underground mine; plans for future exploration and/or development programs and budgets; anticipated business activities; proposed acquisitions and dispositions of assets; and future financial performance. In certain cases, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budgeted", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "does not anticipate" or "believes" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". While the Company has based these forward-looking statements on its expectations about future events as at the date that such statements were prepared, the statements are not a guarantee of Entree's future performance and are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies, local and global economic conditions, and the environment in which Entree will operate in the future, including the price of copper, gold and silver, anticipated capital and operating costs, anticipated future production and cash flows and the status of Entree's relationship and interaction with the Government of Mongolia, OTLLC, Rio Tinto and Turquoise Hill on the Entree/Oyu Tolgoi joint venture and the continued development of the Entree/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property. With respect to the development of the Oyu Tolgoi underground mine, important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and information include, amongst others, the timing and cost of the construction and expansion of mining and processing facilities; the timing and availability of a long term domestic power source for the Oyu Tolgoi underground mine (or the availability of financing for OTLLC to construct such a source); the ability of OTLLC to secure and draw down on the supplemental debt under the Oyu Tolgoi project finance facility and the availability of additional financing on terms reasonably acceptable to OTLLC, Turquoise Hill and Rio Tinto to further develop Oyu Tolgoi; delays, and the costs which would result from delays, in the development of the underground mine; projected copper, gold and silver prices and demand; and production estimates and the anticipated yearly production of copper, gold and silver at the Oyu Tolgoi underground mine. Other uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by forward-looking statements and information include, amongst others, unanticipated costs, expenses or liabilities; discrepancies between actual and estimated production, mineral reserves and resources and metallurgical recoveries; development plans for processing resources; matters relating to proposed exploration or expansion; mining operational and development risks; the size, grade and continuity of deposits not being interpreted correctly from exploration results; the results of preliminary test work not being indicative of the results of future test work; fluctuations in commodity prices and demand; changing foreign exchange rates; actions by Rio Tinto, Turquoise Hill and OTLLC and by government authorities including the Government of Mongolia; the availability of funding on reasonable terms; the impact of changes in interpretation to or changes in enforcement of laws, regulations and government practices, including laws, regulations and government practices with respect to mining, foreign investment, royalties and taxation; the terms and timing of obtaining necessary environmental and other government approvals, consents and permits; the availability and cost of necessary items such as water, skilled labour, transportation and appropriate smelting and refining arrangements; unanticipated reclamation expenses; geotechnical or hydrogeological considerations during mining being different from what was assumed; changes to assumptions as to the availability of electrical power, and the power rates used in operating cost estimates and financial analyses; changes to assumptions as to salvage values; ability to maintain the social licence to operate; and misjudgements in the course of preparing forward-looking statements. In addition, there are also known and unknown risk factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Entree to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and information. Such factors include, among others, risks related to international operations, including legal and political risk in Mongolia; risks associated with changes in the attitudes of governments to foreign investment; risks associated with the conduct of joint ventures; global financial conditions; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; inability to upgrade Inferred mineral resources to Indicated or Measured mineral resources; inability to convert mineral resources to mineral reserves; conclusions of economic evaluations; future prices of copper, gold, silver and molybdenum; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining government approvals, permits or licences or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities; environmental risks; title disputes; limitations on insurance coverage; as well as those factors discussed in the Company's most recently filed MD&A and in the Company's Annual Information Form for the financial year ended December 31, 2017, dated March 8, 2018 filed with the Canadian Securities Administrators and available at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking 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. The Company is under no obligation to update or alter any forward-looking statements except as required under applicable securities laws. SOURCE Entree Resources Related Links www.EntreeResourcesLtd.com AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The FCA Foundation, the charitable arm of North American automaker, FCA US LLC, today announced $200,000 in grants to three organizations, which are currently providing support to residents and communities affected by Hurricanes Florence and Michael. The FCA Foundation has provided grants to support the ongoing efforts of the following organizations: $50,000 - Americares saves lives and improves health for people affected by poverty or disaster. The FCA Foundation is an Americares Emergency Response Partner, providing key resources that allow the organization to maintain a constant state of readiness for emergencies and supports its disaster preparedness, response and recovery efforts in the U.S. and around the world. $75,000 - First Response Team of America provides post-disaster services for emergency (search and rescue) and recovery operations for communities and individuals. $75,000 - Team Rubicon unites the skills and experiences of military veterans with first responders to rapidly deploy emergency response teams across the United States and around the world to provide immediate relief to those impacted by disasters and humanitarian crises. "We know that the recent storms have had a tremendous impact across the country, disrupting lives and in some cases, entire communities," said Shane Karr, Head of External Affairs, FCA North America and President, FCA Foundation. "It is our hope that through our partnership with Americares, First Response Team of America and Team Rubicon, we can help our neighbors recover quickly and get their feet back on solid ground." About the FCA Foundation The FCA Foundation is the charitable arm of North American automaker FCA US LLC, a member of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (FCA) family of companies. The FCA Foundation invests in U.S. charitable organizations and initiatives that help empower people, build strong, resilient communities and generate meaningful and measurable societal impacts. In support of these objectives, the FCA Foundation focuses on the following foundational pillars: youth development, education, support for veterans and their families, and community service. SOURCE FCA US LLC Related Links http://www.fcanorthamerica.com HENDERSON, Ky., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Field & Main Bank has announced changes to its executive leadership team, which go into effect on November 19, 2018. Doug Lawson, SVP at Planter's Bank, a community bank founded in Hopkinsville, KY, will join Field & Main Bank to serve as president and Chief Operating Officer. Dale Sights, current president, will continue to play a critical role in the organization and will move to the position of president of the holding company, Field & Main Bancorp, Inc. Lawson is a veteran banker who brings to Field & Main years of extensive business and banking experience. Lawson comes to Field & Main Bank after having served in the capacity of Senior Vice President for Ag and Commercial Lending at Planter's Bank. In his career, Mr. Lawson was the EVP of Aftermarket at Hutson, Inc., the Co-Founder of The Kingdom Trust Company, a South Dakota Chartered Trust Co. and previously the Market President of Heritage Bank, Murray, KY. He is currently serving his 13th year as a Board Member of the Kentucky Ag Finance Corporation through the Governor's Office of Agricultural Policy. He has also been active in United Way, the Chamber of Commerce, and had multiple opportunities to speak to U.S. and International audiences on various banking and business management topics. Scott P. Davis, Chairman & CEO of Field & Main Bank, said, "We are truly pleased to be able to add to our leadership team a person with Doug's experience and knowledge. His well-rounded background and diverse work experience provides a wonderful mutual opportunity for both Field & Main and Doug." Mr. Lawson has a Masters in Banking and is a graduate of the The Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University as well as the Kentucky Bankers Association School of Banking. He holds a Bachelor's Degree from Murray State University in Agriculture. Mr. Lawson is currently an Adjunct Professor teaching night classes in the Murray State Hutson School of Agriculture. Doug and his wife Stacey are the parents of two teenage daughters. Field & Main Bank operates five banking centers in Henderson, Ky., Cynthiana, Ky. and Evansville, Ind., and offers a loan production office in Lexington, Ky. Construction is underway on a full-service banking center in Lexington that will open in 2019. Field & Main is a Kentucky-chartered community bank formed through the merger of Ohio Valley Financial Group and BankTrust Financial. Learn more at www.fieldandmain.com. Member FDIC. Contact: Kyle Hittner [email protected] (270) 831-1502 office; (615) 428-0084 mobile SOURCE Field & Main Bank Related Links http://www.fieldandmain.com Founded by Mr. Fekkai more than 20 years ago, Fekkai Brands develops and produces hair and body care products, including shampoos, conditioners, treatments, hair fragrances and styling products. Additionally, the Company owns and operates a number of premier salons across the U.S. Mr. Fekkai sold Fekkai Brands in 2008. Blue Mistral LLC, a holding company founded by Mr. Fekkai and Cornell Capital, will own and operate Fekkai Brands together with Bastide, the fast-growing Provence-based provider of luxury fragrances and hand and body care products that Mr. Fekkai has led since 2017. As Chief Executive Officer of Blue Mistral, Mr. Fekkai will further accelerate the growth of the Fekkai Brands and salons by placing a heightened emphasis on education, innovation and the customer's overall experience while leveraging opportunities for collaboration with Bastide. "I am thrilled to rejoin Fekkai Brands and eager to reconnect with the salons, teams and consumers," said Mr. Fekkai. "This acquisition will provide me the opportunity to reinfuse my passion for innovation into the brand, while reigniting its growth and guiding Fekkai Brands through its next chapter in a modern and exciting way." "The opportunity to partner with Frederic, a proven entrepreneur in the beauty sector, as he returns to the helm of his iconic brand is truly compelling," said Henry Cornell, Senior Partner of Cornell Capital. "Leveraging Cornell Capital's cross-border network and operational expertise, and Frederic's deep relationships and reputation within the industry, Fekkai Brands is well-positioned to succeed in the growing global cosmetics and personal care industry." Selling the Fekkai brands is an ownership group of Dilesh Mehta, Tony Bajaj, Joel Ronkin and Amy Sachs, which purchased the business in 2015. Joel Ronkin, exiting CEO of Fekkai Brands added: "Frederic is an accomplished entrepreneur with a proven track record of building highly desirable brands. We are confident that his return to the Company will be instrumental in fueling its growth and driving innovation." About Blue Mistral Blue Mistral LLC was founded in 2018 by global beauty industry icon Frederic Fekkai and private investment firm Cornell Capital to operate luxury beauty and personal care brands. The portfolio currently includes Frederic Fekkai Brands and Bastide. Fekkai Brands was founded by Mr. Fekkai more than 20 years ago and reacquired in 2018. Bastide, a Provence-based provider of luxury fragrances and hand and body care products, has been operated by Mr. Fekkai since 2017. Mr. Fekkai will operate as Chief Executive Officer of Blue Mistral. The Company is headquartered in New York, NY. About Cornell Capital Cornell Capital LLC is a private investment firm that takes a value-driven approach to investing. Partnering with strong and entrepreneurial management teams, the firm seeks opportunities in market- leading businesses across the consumer, energy, financial and industrial sectors. Founder and Senior Partner Henry Cornell, who served as the Vice Chairman of Goldman Sachs' Merchant Banking Division prior to founding Cornell Capital in 2013, leads a staff of more than 20 professionals, including a highly-seasoned senior leadership team with decades of shared investing experience. The firm currently manages over $2.5 billion of assets and has offices in New York and Hong Kong. For more information, visit www.cornellcapllc.com. SOURCE Frederic Fekkai NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- We Are All Human, the global non-profit organization devoted to championing our common humanity, announced today that it is hosting its first-ever Hispanic Leadership Summit on December 10, 2018 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The Hispanic Leadership Summit will explore ways in which to better unify America's Hispanic and Latino communities. "It was imperative that we used our organization's mission to unify this community and promote greater awareness of its vitality and future, especially at a time when negative rhetoric about American immigrants, particularly from Central and South America, have risked alienating the Hispanic and Latinx Americans who make up $1.7 trillion of America's spending power," Claudia Romo Edelman said, founder of We Are All Human Foundation. The Summit is a nonpartisan event that plans to go beyond sectoral interests and insights from the November midterm elections to discuss and reflect on what unites America's many Hispanic and Latino communities and what should be done to ensure their importance to the U.S.'s future is understood. Joining Romo Edelman as co-hosts of the summit will be the following Hispanic and Latino leaders: Sol Trujillo , co-founder and co-chairman of the Latino Donor Collaborative (LDC), a nonprofit organization devoted to reframing and advancing the public perception of Hispanics and Latinos in American society. He also is the former CEO of U.S. West, Orange SA and Telstra, Australia , co-founder and co-chairman of the Latino Donor Collaborative (LDC), a nonprofit organization devoted to reframing and advancing the public perception of Hispanics and Latinos in American society. He also is the former CEO of U.S. West, Orange SA and Telstra, Henry Cisneros , also co-founder and co-chairman of LDC, and the former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and the former mayor of San Antonio, Texas , also co-founder and co-chairman of LDC, and the former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and the former mayor of Patricia Menendez-Cambo, vice chair of Greenberg Traurig, the Miami -based international law firm -based international law firm Cid Wilson, president and CEO of the Hispanic Association for Corporate Responsibility, which promotes the inclusion of Hispanics in Corporate America Romo Edelman also noted the recent findings of We Are All Human's "Hispanic Sentiment Study," conducted by Zeno Group. The study further affirms the importance of convening leaders of Hispanic and Latino communities to explore the future of an economic force that represents $2.3 trillion of annual U.S. GDP, as Hispanics and Latinos launch more new businesses, achieve higher levels of education and reach the C-suite of Fortune 500 companies in greater numbers. "I'm optimistic that the value of America's Hispanic community will continue to be recognized by citizens of all walks of life," Romo Edelman said, "but as our organization's work has shown, much work is needed to dispel misperceptions and to unify this community of 55 million that is so important to America's future." "It's time for perceptions to catch up with the many significant contributions we're making to this country," said Menendez-Cambo of Greenberg Traurig. "There is an urgent need for the Hispanic Community to unify its strengths and efforts to unlock its potential." Summit sponsors include Greenberg Traurig, Ulta Beauty, Dairy Management, Inc., HARMAN, Aflac, the Alumni Society, Chevron, Cultura Colectiva, Hispanic Executive, Western Union and Zeno Group (Sponsorship opportunities are still available). This Summit is in coordination with the Latino Impact Summit on December 11-12, 2018. About We Are All Human We Are All Human is a foundation dedicated to advancing the agenda of equity, diversity and inclusion. Its mission is to unify all people and create channels of access that will leave no one behind. The foundation focuses on research, advocacy and dissemination, capacity development and partnership building in order to fight discrimination, racism and xenophobia by highlighting progress when people all act together. The Hispanic Sentiment Study was supported by Richard Edelman, The Rick and Susan Goings Foundation, the Robert R. McCormick Foundation and Western Union. For more information, visit www.WeAreAllHuman.org. MEDIA CONTACT SPONSORSHIP CONTACT Jen Crichton Michelle Cooprider [email protected] [email protected] 314-422-9305 SOURCE We Are All Human Related Links http://www.weareallhuman.org MEXICO CITY, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Hoteles City Express, S.A.B. de C.V. ("The Company") (BMV: HCITY), announced the opening of City Express Plus Interlomas, reaching 142 hotels in operation, and more than 16,000 available rooms in 69 cities and 30 states in Mexico, as well as Colombia, Costa Rica, and Chile. City Express Plus Interlomas has 141 available rooms and is 100% Company-owned. This new property will serve travelers with activities related to business and commerce that operate on the western area of Mexico City where companies, corporations and health centers are located. In the same way, the hotel will be a meeting point due to its location close to various point of interest and is located on one of the main roads of the area. About Hoteles City Express: Hoteles City Express is considered the leading and fastest-growing limited-service hotel chain in Mexico in terms of number of hotels, number of rooms, geographic presence, market share and revenues. Founded in 2002, Hoteles City Express specializes in offering high-quality, comfortable and safe lodging at affordable prices via a limited-service hotel chain geared mainly towards domestic business travelers. With 142 hotels in operation located throughout Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia and Chile, Hoteles City Express operates five distinct brands: City Express, City Express Plus, City Express Suites, City Express Junior and City Centro to serve different segments of its target market. In June 2013, Hoteles City Express completed its IPO and began trading on the Mexican Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "HCITY"; furthermore, on October 8, 2014, Hoteles City Express completed a follow on with the aim of accelerating its growth in new hotels in coming years. For further information, please visit our website: https://cityexpress.com/en/investors/ SOURCE Hoteles City Express, S.A.B. de C.V. Related Links http://www.cityexpress.com "Howard University is proud to continue to build upon our relationship with the people of Japan, and we are grateful for the gift of Cherry Blossom trees from Air Nippon Airways," says Howard University Provost Anthony K. Wutoh, Ph.D . "Our students take Japanese language courses and study abroad in Japan. Our faculty engage in research with Japanese partners. Further, we are proud that one of our student-athletes, Latroya Pina, will represent her country, and Howard University at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo." Students from the Howard University Early Learning Program and the Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science assisted by adding mulch to the bases of the trees. The gifts are part of the Festival's Neighborhood Tree Planting Program, an effort to celebrate and share the gift of cherry blossom trees throughout the DC-metro region. "We are very proud to be a part of this tree planting at Howard University, sponsored by ANA," says National Cherry Blossom Festival President Diana Mayhew. "Our partnership with ANA is pivotal to United States-Japan relations, along with ensuring that not only is Washington celebrating the National Cherry Blossom Festival at the Tidal Basin, but throughout the entire city. Howard University is a key part of our community and the festival belongs to everyone within it." Also in attendance were students taking Japanese courses in Howard's Department of World Languages and Cultures. During the ceremony ANA Vice President and General Manager Naohiro Terakawa, selected Howard senior Gabrielle Oliver to serve as his translator. Terakawa says Oliver's willingness to assist him is meaningful and representative of a longstanding relationship. "The relationship between Howard University and ANA is the same as the relationship between Japan and the United States," Terakawa explained. "It's all about friendship and partnership. As you look at the cherry blossom trees, they signify the strong ties between the two countries, as well as ANA and Howard University." The five trees will bloom during the upcoming spring season, with more vibrant blooms expected in the years to come. The 2019 National Cherry Blossom Festival is scheduled March 20 April 14, 2019. For more information, visit nationalcherryblossomfestival.org. Media Contact: Alonda Thomas, [email protected] SOURCE Howard University Related Links http://www.howard.edu OMAHA, Neb., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Right at Home, a brand that provides in-home caregiving services in more than 500 locations across the United States and in seven other countries, is elevating the caregiving profession and giving it the respect it deserves, by launching its inaugural Professional Caregivers Week and announcing plans by its franchisees to recruit 30,000 caregivers in 2019. Right at Home is continuously looking for ways to elevate the experience, lifestyle and recognition of the thousands of caregivers who care passionately for their clients. To help showcase their appreciation, the brand is celebrating Professional Caregivers Week to raise awareness of the profession. Professional Caregivers Week will run from November 12 18, and it will take place every second full week in November moving forward. Professional Caregivers Week will be celebrated on a national level and at individual Right at Home offices. Right at Home franchisees will commemorate the first year by honoring caregivers with T-shirts, promotional items, balloons, gift bags, thank-you cards and posters that state, "We heart our caregivers." Many Right at Home franchisees plan to host an appreciation event for their caregivers. "We know that there are more than 500,000 family caregivers making a difference across the world, and in the U.S., National Family Caregivers Month has been established to recognize their efforts every November," said Mike Flair, Vice President of Franchise Business Solutions at Right at Home. "However, we decided to start our own recognition week across our system of 25,000 dedicated caregivers to show our appreciation for all that they do for their clients, and to elevate caregiving as a profession. We are looking forward to partnering with other companies across the industry in the coming years to give all professional caregivers the acknowledgment they deserve for their truly selfless actions." The caregiving profession is more important and in-demand than ever in the United States. Caregivers make a huge impact on the people they care for, as well as on their local communities, which is why Right at Home is so focused on hiring quality caregivers. The Home Care Association of America (HCAOA) recognizes a distinction among professional caregivers, emphasizing that they are employed, trained, qualified and screened. The HCAOA is on board to partner with Right at Home for the 2019 Professional Caregivers Week. "We honor the selfless, fulfilling, and often times life-changing work that thousands of professional caregivers commit themselves to every day in every community across the country," said Phil Bongiorno, Executive Director at HCAOA. "We are glad to join in celebrating Professional Caregivers Week to recognize these caregivers for the work they do to improve the lives of seniors and bring peace of mind to their families." Data from the HCAOA indicates that by 2050, there will be 84 million Americans over the age of 65 and 19 million Americans over the age of 85. Today, 40 percent of adults aged 65+ need daily assistance, and 70 percent of adults aged 65+ will need assistance at some point. HCAOA data also shows that nine out of 10 seniors want to stay in their own homes for as long as possible, but there are many gaps in the care continuum that keep emerging. Right at Home believes in individual recognition, which is why the company holds an annual campaign to identify and acknowledge outstanding caregivers with its Regional and National Caregiver of the Year awards. Last year, the National Caregiver of the Year was awarded to Debra Blank of Frederick, Maryland, whose 12-year career as a professional caregiver includes saving the life of a man stricken with Parkinson's disease who had an unexpected episode where he lost all strength in his limbs and slumped over, barely breathing. Deb's swift action to reposition him and contact emergency response took place during an unscheduled visit because of her intuition. This appreciation week is simply a new way that Right at Home has chosen to focus on elevating the caregiving profession. The company's franchisees are always searching for caregivers who want to make a difference in their communities as the Right People who want to provide the Right Care in the Right Way for the Right Reason. ABOUT RIGHT AT HOME: Founded in 1995, Right at Home offers in-home companionship and personal care and assistance to seniors and adults with a disability who want to continue to live independently. Local Right at Home offices are independently owned and operated and directly employ and supervise all caregiving staff, each of whom is thoroughly screened, trained, and bonded/insured prior to entering a client's home. Right at Home's global office is based in Omaha, Nebraska, with more than 500 franchise locations in the U.S. and seven other countries. Right at Home is the highest-ranked senior care franchise opportunity on Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500 list, coming in at No. 49 overall. For more information on Right at Home, visit About Right at Home at https://www.rightathome.net/about-us or read the Right at Home franchising blog at https://rightathomefranchise.com/blog/. To learn more about franchising opportunities, please visit https://rightathomefranchise.com/. ABOUT THE HOME CARE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA Founded in 2002, the industry's leading trade association currently represents over 2,500 companies that employ more than 500,000 caregivers across the United States. HCAOA serves as the home care industry's unified voice in Washington, D.C. and state governments across the country. Representing a diverse number of small, mid-level and large corporations, HCAOA unites the industry, speaking with one voice in state capitals and Washington, D.C. HCAOA protects industry interests, promotes the industry's value, tackles barriers to growth and takes on industry-wide issues. From standing up to dangerous misinterpretations of long-standing laws or ensuring that caregivers and clients are protected from abuse, HCAOA is a champion and advocate for its members, for caregivers and for seniors across America. For more information on the HCAOA, visit http://www.hcaoa.org/. For more information on caregiving in the U.S. and the benefits it provides visit http://www.hcaoa.org/assets/1/27/Infographic_(SECURED).pdf. Lauren Kaminski No Limit Agency 312-526-3996 [email protected] SOURCE Right at Home Related Links http://www.rightathome.net CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Inari, a Flagship Pioneering company, today introduces the world's first Seed Foundry as part of the company's mission to reintroduce genetic diversity, revolutionize the seed industry and create a winning food system. Purdue University's Research Park incubation complex, in West Lafayette, Indiana, will be the next strategic location for Inari, fueling its product development and innovation in order to restore the naturally rich building blocks of agriculture. Inari is disrupting an industry to fundamentally challenge the current system, revolutionize plant breeding and create value for all. The Seed Foundry leverages the natural genetic diversity in plants, equipping crops to be more resilient to climate change and respectful to the environment all while significantly lowering product development costs and accelerating the timeline for introduction of new varieties. "We are looking forward to tapping into the community and research prowess of Purdue. Establishing a base in Indiana will not only allow us to ramp up our product development efforts, but it puts this activity in close proximity to seed companies, which we view as the best partners to reintroduce genetic diversity in agriculture," said Inari CEO Ponsi Trivisvavet. "We are excited to see a Boston-area startup that undertook a national search to find the best place to break new ground in agribusiness decided being near Purdue was the ideal location. With joint goals to advance agriculture and provide sustainable food products for people around the world, Inari and Purdue are a natural fit," Purdue University President Mitch Daniels said. "Purdue and Inari can change crop development for the better, making it more diverse and help address the world's nutrition and health challenges for decades to come." Inari's total 26,000 square feet at Purdue Research Park will consist of an office space, lab and greenhouse. Growing the Inari team, currently at 65 people, the team based out of Research Park will add another 30 people by 2020 and consist primarily of scientists and product development teams. To learn more about Inari and our Seed Foundry, visit Inari.com. About Inari Founded by Flagship Pioneering in 2016, Inari seeks a winning food system, with its industry-disrupting Seed Foundry, a process which taps the natural genetic diversity of plants in the context of climate change and respect for our environment. Inari works with seed companies to co-develop high performance seeds, with innovations directly benefiting farmers. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with development sites in West Lafayette, Indiana, and Ghent, Belgium, Inari is a growing team of over 60 employees. To learn more, visit Inari.com or follow us on Twitter @inari_ag SOURCE Inari Related Links http://Inari.com CHICAGO, Nov. 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- International Truck today launched the International CV Series, the only Class 4/5 truck that is designed, distributed and supported by a manufacturer specializing in commercial vehicles. "When a start-up business moves to the scale-up stage, the International CV Series provides a truck that will take their business to the next level," said Michael Cancelliere, Navistar's president, Truck and Parts. "We've designed, built and tested the CV Series to deliver the commercial-grade power, reliability and practicality that growing businesses require, along with the comfort, safety features and easy drivability that drivers appreciate. And we are backing it up with the expertise of the International dealer network, the only network in this category 100 percent dedicated to commercial vehicles." Commercial-Grade Design, Heavy-Duty Details The CV Series' commitment to support growing businesses is reflected in the vehicle's many commercial-grade features, starting with a gear-driven transfer case, a high-strength, low-alloy steel frame rail and the industry's only painted chassis for enhanced longevity and corrosion resistance. For faster, more convenient service, the CV Series includes a commercial-style forward-tilting hood, which provides easy access to the engine and to routine maintenance points. Under that hood is the powerful International 6.6-liter, 350-horsepower engine with 700 lb.-ft. of torque. Equipped with that engine and two Allison transmission options, the CV is capable of handling up to a maximum GCWR of 37,500 lbs. The CV Series is also proven rugged: like all International commercial trucks, it was tested in extreme environments, including 40 degrees below zero Fahrenheit in Fairbanks, Alaska and 115 degrees Fahrenheit in Apache, Arizona, as well as high-altitude testing at 12,000 feet in Loveland Pass, Colorado. "The CV Series features a long list of heavy-duty details that would only be found on a truck designed by commercial truck engineers," said David Majors, Navistar vice president, Product Development. "Our engineers had one mission: to create the toughest, most capable, most upfit-friendly Class 4 and 5 truck to be found at any work site." Fit to Be Upfitted Consistent with the CV Series' commercial-grade toughness is its ability to accommodate the wide range of specialized body types that growing businesses need. Straight frame rails with no rivets on the top flange provide a clean area from cab to axle, making it easy to mount bodies for virtually any commercial-grade application. Like other International trucks, the CV Series is outfitted with HuckBolt chassis fasteners that provide consistently superior clamping force without re-torqueing and won't come loose even in extreme environments. Accommodating the configuration options required by different bodies, the CV Series offers a dual battery box mounted under the cab. The CV Series also includes multiple fuel tank options, optional exhaust outlets to suit the vocation and body, and multiple wheelbase options that can suit almost any application. CV Series customers also have access to the same Truck Specialty Center expertise as all International customers. At these centers, which are fully owned and operated by International Truck, experts provide quick, efficient and cost-effective custom engineering solutions. "The CV Series is the only truck in the segment that can take advantage of this level of customization," Cancelliere said. "No one has more experience at body integration than International Truck." Commercial Expertise Beyond the Norm Building on the CV Series' commercial pedigree is the International dealer network's commercial expertise, which offers critical service and support for a growing business. The network's dealership salespersons specialize in commercial transportation sales and spec'ing, making it easy for a customer to pick the configuration and specs that are right for any vocational application. In addition, International's Application Engineering Team offers access to vocational engineering experts who can help customers design a custom configuration geared to their application. Expert service is assured through the International dealer network, which is the industry's largest, with more dedicated commercial truck bays than are offered by any competitor in the segment. Service is also backed by a commercial-grade parts network where 98 percent of parts are available through either dealer inventory or International's highly efficient network of parts distribution centers. The International dealer network's more than 700 service locations feature more than 7,600 ASE-certified commercial diesel-trained technicians in the U.S. and more than 1,900 in Canada a critical advantage over automotive-based service networks. "Our network is committed to providing the expertise needed to keep your business moving," said Cancelliere. "No matter the location, if a customer needs service, help is likely to be nearby." DriverFirst Philosophy for Automotive-Like Comfort On top of its commercial-grade ruggedness and configurability, the CV Series also delivers the comfort, safety features and easy drivability that customers have come to associate with the International DriverFirst philosophy. The truck offers automotive-like comfort, featuring premium interior finishes and outstanding driver ergonomics. Multiple infotainment options are available, including an 8-inch color touch screen with navigation and, for the first time in an International truck, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Added comfort is offered by the segment's only optional air ride suspension with an engine-mounted compressor, which can be used to adjust height and provide a smooth ride for cargo protection and crew comfort. "The CV Series has been compared to a field office with perks," Cancelliere said. "Our philosophy is that driver comfort is critical to get the job done smoothly and efficiently, and the CV Series brings that philosophy to life." For more information on the CV Series or to locate a dealer, visit www.internationaltrucks.com/CVSeriesMedia. About Navistar Navistar International Corporation (NYSE: NAV) is a holding company whose subsidiaries and affiliates produce International brand commercial and military trucks, proprietary diesel engines, and IC Bus brand school and commercial buses. An affiliate also provides truck and diesel engine service parts. Another affiliate offers financing services. Additional information is available at www.Navistar.com. All marks are trademarks of their respective owners. SOURCE International Truck Related Links http://www.Navistar.com PITTSBURGH, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- "I wanted to help car owners in the event that their vehicle was stolen or lost," said an inventor from Oxford, Pa. "This inspired me to develop a device that could track the exact location of the vehicle using a smartphone." He developed the SMART FINDER to track a stolen or missing vehicle or trailer using a smartphone. This device would pinpoint the location of the vehicle and relay the information to the police. It would increase the chances of recovering the vehicle while aiding the police in capturing a criminal. Additionally, this invention may lead police to an established chop shop operation. The original design was submitted to the Lancaster office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 17-LCC-3968, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com. SOURCE InventHelp Related Links http://www.inventhelp.com My lesson plan on Veterans Day is to ask students in my college English class to write a personal letter. Not on the computer and not on their phones, but with pen and ink on a sheet of paper. The assignment may seem radical to many of them, who, at an average age of 19, have never known a world without the internet or texting. STOCKHOLM, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Third quarter, JulySeptember 2018 Net revenue totaled SEK 0.0 million (11.3). Operating loss (EBIT) amounted to SEK -40.0 million (-7.2). Loss after tax totaled SEK -41.8 million (-7.3). Earnings per share before and after dilution amounted to SEK -1.75 (-0.42). Full year to date JanuarySeptember 2018 Net revenue totaled SEK 6.0 million (11.3). Operating loss (EBIT) amounted to SEK -93.2 million (-37.8). Loss after tax totaled SEK -88.8 million (-37.7). Earnings per share before and after dilution amounted to SEK -3.74 (-2.19). Important events during the third quarter FDA clearance of IRRAflow IRRAS received 510(k) clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the company's IRRAflow system and consumable products. The FDA decision means that the company now has the right to market and sell IRRAflow in the US. Preparations for US launch are ongoing and include contacts with key neurosurgery centers in the US and numerous marketing activities that are planned through the end of the year. Preparation launch in the US IRRAS has started the sales preparations in the US and recruited four regional managers with significant experience bringing medical devices to large markets. Important events after the end of the third quarter New Board member At an extraordinary general meeting on October 1, Eva Nilsagard was elected as a new Board member. Eva Nilsagard has a long and broad experience in finance and business development of listed companies. Update on re-certification of catheter CE mark LNE/G-MED, the company's certification body expects that the re-certification process of the IRRAflow catheter to be completed by the end of the year. Expanded management team As of October 19, IRRAS's executive management group consists of Kleanthis Xanthopoulos, Fredrik Alpsten, Will Martin, Lance Bolling and Kellie Fontes. The expanded management group also includes Adam Sampson, Dino De Cicco, Dessi Lyakov and Sabina Berlin. Comments from the President and CEO During the third quarter of 2018, IRRAS obtained its most significant milestone as a company to date we were pleased to receive the FDA clearance for our innovative IRRAflow device, which we believe will become the new standard for safe, efficient, and controlled drainage of intracranial fluids. The United States is our most important market and we are hopeful to begin recording sales revenues in the US at year-end 2018. To ensure we have a successful launch in the US, we have, during the third quarter, significantly enhanced our sales and commercial teams in the US with highly qualified individuals who have advanced numerous medical devices to large markets. At the beginning of October, we participated, for the first time with an approved product, at the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) in Houston, Texas. The initial feedback on our product from physicians in the US has been very positive and we look forward to working within these networks to grow recognition and future use of IRRAflow. While preparing for launch in the US, we also focused substantial efforts on the EU market during the third quarter. The catheter CE mark re-certification has been delayed due to notified body's backlog and we now expect to receive the certificate by the end of the year and anticipate that sales can be resumed in EU in the beginning of 2019. Third quarter financial overview Due to the delay in the re-certification of the CE mark in the EU and pending launch in the US, no sales were reported during the third quarter of 2018. EBIT for the third quarter of the year was SEK -40.0 million (-7.2). The increased costs are primarily attributable to the planned organizational expansion. The average number of employees in the third quarter of 2018 was 21, compared with 8 in the year-earlier period. The preparations for a launch in the US later this year also contributed to the increased costs. In addition, operating expenses in this period include one-time extra costs of SEK 11 million. The one-time costs mainly refer to extra costs in 2018 due to the delayed CE-mark of the catheter and remaining costs for the two product recalls in 2017. Our available liquidity as of September 30, 2018 is SEK 190 million, including short- and long-term financial investments. Building for future growth at IRRAS At IRRAS, our mission is clear: to change the lives of millions by creating medical products that transform the current treatment of intracranial bleedings. We believe that IRRAflow will ultimately become the new standard of care in this field and we continue to make progress toward accomplishing this mission. With the recent FDA clearance in the US and the anticipated re-certification of the CE mark in the EU, as well as registration of our product in additional countries, we believe the future of IRRAS is bright. President and CEO Kleanthis G. Xanthopoulos, Ph.D. The full interim report is enclosed. This document is considered information that IRRAS is obliged to disclose pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was released for public disclosure, through the agency of the contact person above, on November 8, 2018 at 8:00 a.m. (CET). Investor and Media Contact: Fredrik Alpsten CFO and Deputy CEO +46-706-67-31-06 [email protected] This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/irras/r/irras-ab--publ--interim-report-january-september-2018,c2666923 The following files are available for download: http://mb.cision.com/Main/16550/2666923/941087.pdf IRRAS AB (Publ) INTERIM FINANCIAL REPORT JANUARY a" SEPTEMBER 2018 (PDF) SOURCE IRRAS All provinces forecast to see solid export growth next year against a backdrop of a new North American trade deal OTTAWA, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Today Export Development Canada (EDC) released its fall Global Export Forecast, and expectations for 2019 show solid export growth across all provinces. Nationally, exports of goods are expected to grow another four per cent in 2019, following a six per cent boost this year. "There have certainly been some ups and downs among the provinces this year," said Peter Hall, Chief Economist at EDC. "It isn't surprising, given the major economic and trade-related stories that Canadian exporters lived through during 2018. We expect conditions to stabilize in 2019, with growth forecast across every province and territory." Provincial Spotlights: Newfoundland and Labrador is looking at a 33 per cent increase in exports this year and should see another double-digit increase in 2019 thanks to increasing oil production from the Hebron offshore oil platform and the ramp-up of Vale's Long Harbour nickel processing plant. is looking at a 33 per cent increase in exports this year and should see another double-digit increase in 2019 thanks to increasing oil production from the offshore oil platform and the ramp-up of Vale's nickel processing plant. Prince Edward Island's exports are expected to contract by four per cent this year, but frozen food manufacturing PEI's largest export industry will support a rebound of eight per cent growth for 2019. exports are expected to contract by four per cent this year, but frozen food manufacturing PEI's largest export industry will support a rebound of eight per cent growth for 2019. In New Brunswick , exports should rise by 10 per cent this year double the five percent projected last spring and will rack up another solid year in 2019. Stronger commodity prices, improved conditions in the fishing sector and the US International Trade Commission's decision to rescind duties on Canadian newsprint exports are behind the jump. exports should rise by 10 per cent this year double the five percent projected last spring and will rack up another solid year in 2019. Stronger commodity prices, improved conditions in the fishing sector and the US International Trade Commission's decision to rescind duties on Canadian newsprint exports are behind the jump. In Ontario , maxed-out US auto sales and the uncertainty around the future of NAFTA weighed negatively on the outlook for much of 2018. EDC suggests the province's exports will grow by only one per cent this year (revised down from the four per cent forecast in the spring). , maxed-out US auto sales and the uncertainty around the future of NAFTA weighed negatively on the outlook for much of 2018. EDC suggests the province's exports will grow by only one per cent this year (revised down from the four per cent forecast in the spring). Exports from British Columbia have also been softer than expected this year. EDC projects that the province will end up with a four per cent increase, down a shade from the spring forecast. However, expectations for 2019 are up, with another four percent increase in the works. have also been softer than expected this year. EDC projects that the province will end up with a four per cent increase, down a shade from the spring forecast. However, expectations for 2019 are up, with another four percent increase in the works. Alberta enjoyed a banner year in 2018 with 11 per cent growth driven in part by the ramping up of oil production for the Fort Hills oil sands project. 2019 will build on this growth with another three per cent increase, thanks to new export capacity growth in the energy sector and the anticipated opening of the Cavendish Farms frozen potato processing plant. Sectoral Outlooks: Commodities and manufactured goods continue to make strong contributions to the bottom line. The Aerospace sector is still expected to see the biggest gains, rising 10 per cent in 2019 on the heels of a 19 per cent gain this year that saw foreign sales reach $19 billion. In contrast, automotive exports will dip in 2018 before a modest bounce-back next year. While foreign sales of auto parts and heavier transportation equipment will be steady, exports of passenger cars and light vehicles are expected to fall slightly due to sales reaching peak levels in the US and related temporary plant closures. Agri-food exports will slide by one per cent this year. This includes seafood, which, in spite of double-digit sales to China is generally supply-constrained. Growth should rise to four per cent in 2019. The forecast for ores and metals has been downgraded slightly, but still sits at a strong seven per cent increase for 2018 with a further three per cent boost in 2019. About EDC Export Development Canada (EDC) is a financial Crown corporation that helps Canadian companies of all sizes go, grow and succeed beyond Canada's borders. We are international risk experts, equipping Canadian companies with the tools they need trade knowledge, financing solutions, insurance and global connections to take on the world with confidence. EDC also builds financial relationships with foreign buyers to generate opportunities for Canadian companies. For more information and to learn how we can help your company, call us at 1-888-434-8508 or visit www.edc.ca. SOURCE Export Development Canada Related Links http://www.edc.ca ALEXANDRIA, Va., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- King & Union, the provider of Avalon, a threat analytics platform built with collaboration at its core, today announced that Founder and CEO, John Cassidy, will be speaking on threat intelligence at the upcoming NVTC Capital Cybersecurity Summit on November 13 at The Ritz Carlton in Tysons Corner, VA. The 2018 Capital Cybersecurity Summit will feature keynote speakers and panels offering unique insights on emerging cybersecurity technologies, digital solutions, operations and enforcement from the private sector, government and academic perspectives. The event will also include a technology showcase at which cybersecurity companies from Virginia, Maryland and D.C. can promote their products and services, network, and connect with potential customers, partners, investors and employees. John will be speaking on a cybersecurity panel, "Threat Information: Challenges, Opportunities and Actions," at 2:35 pm ET, where he will be joined by industry leaders, including: Jonathan Bransky , Senior Enterprise Security Advisor, Dominion Energy , Senior Enterprise Security Advisor, Dominion Energy Gary Gagnon , Senior Vice President, Chief Security Officer and Corporate Director of Cybersecurity, MITRE Corporation , Senior Vice President, Chief Security Officer and Corporate Director of Cybersecurity, MITRE Corporation Mark Shaw , Senior Executive Director, Cyber Solutions, Mission, Cyber, & Intelligence Solutions Group, ManTech , Senior Executive Director, Cyber Solutions, Mission, Cyber, & Intelligence Solutions Group, ManTech Shamlan Siddiqi , Chief Technology Officer, Public Sector, NTT DATA, Inc. , Chief Technology Officer, Public Sector, NTT DATA, Inc. Howard Marshall , Director, Cyber Threat Intelligence, Accenture Security (Moderator) Enterprise and government organizations, students and security professionals are encouraged to register here . Follow King & Union on Social Media Stay up to date on King & Union news on LinkedIn and Twitter . Follow Twitter updates throughout the Summit and tag @KU_Avalon. About King & Union Headquartered in Alexandria, VA and founded in 2016, King & Union is outsmarting cyber adversaries by uniting security professionals and amplifying the power of the cybersecurity analyst. The company's flagship product, Avalon, is a threat analytics platform built with collaboration at its core. Avalon provides a dynamic workspace where security operators and analysts can lean in, cut through the noise and reduce the time to address threats from hours to minutes. The platform provides access to truly unique and exclusive data sources, automates repetitive workflows and leverages real-time collaboration to deliver unparalleled insight and full context based on facts. Currently, Avalon is in use with several Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and large MSSPs. For more information, visit: https://www.kingandunion.com/ . SOURCE King & Union Related Links https://www.kingandunion.com/ KKday , which launched in 2015, has been proactively expanding its business and its array of product offerings, curating more than 20,000 unique experiences in over 500 cities and 80 countries. Starting with its last round of investment, led by Japanese travel giant H.I.S., KKday has been deepening its partnerships with strategic investors to provide travelers with more in-depth and seamless travel experiences. This new financing round led by LINE Ventures demonstrates a new angle to the continued strategic investor approach. As one of the world's leading mobile messaging and technology companies, LINE Corporation provides its users with an integrated platform that features convenient daily life services, including mobile payment, retail shopping and news broadcasts. The two parties will begin their first strategic collaboration later this month in Taiwan when LINE launches "LINE Travel," a comprehensive in-app service that enables users to search and book flights, hotels, tours and activities, as well as to plan and share their itineraries with friends. "Asia's travel experience booking market has had explosive growth due to the changing of consumer behavior," said Masato Endo, the Investment Director of LINE Ventures. "And KKday , as one of the companies leading this transitional growth, has a CEO who is an entrepreneur with repeated success in the online travel agency field, an experienced executive team, and many young and aspiring team members. Through KKday 's relentless passion to create the most satisfying customer experiences, we are positive that KKday has the potential to become Asia's number one tours and activities booking platform." Chen Ming-ming, the founder and CEO of KKday , states, "The investment and collaboration with LINE is a huge breakthrough, not just for KKday , but also for the travel industry. We are committed to digitizing travel experiences with our partners and are very excited to be working with LINE to build frictionless and seamless travel experiences for all travelers worldwide." According to KKday , more global collaboration with LINE is in the pipeline. Earlier this July, KKday announced financing from Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund and launched a flagship store under Fliggy, Alibaba Group's travel portal in China. Within less than four months, Alibaba witnessed the rapid growth of the business and the great potential of the company, thus increasing its investments in KKday . "Since our investment in July, KKday has demonstrated its strong execution capabilities in different markets and has shown exponential growth," said Andrew Lee, the Executive Director of Alibaba Taiwan Entrepreneurs Fund. " KKday 's goal for global expansion aligns with Alibaba's vision, and we are excited to join their journey and become a supportive strategic partner." With this latest infusion of capital, KKday is set to grow its operations in Japan, China and Korea, and expand into new markets including Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and the U.S.A. According to KKday , the investment details will remain undisclosed. About KKday KKday is an online platform that specializes in local in-destination tours and activities. Through a collection of highly curated experiences, KKday provides travelers an avenue to find exciting off-grid activities and book them easily through the platform. As the leading travel e-commerce platform in Asia, KKday is currently hosting over 20,000 experiences in over 80 countries and 500 cities. The platform is multilingual and supports both traditional and simplified Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, and other languages. KKday's goal is to be accessible and help all types of travelers find and experience new things. Visit KKday.com to learn more. About LINE Ventures With offices in Japan, the United States, China, and Korea, LINE Ventures is the venture investment arm of LINE Corporation, providing funding, industry knowledge, and operational support to its portfolio companies across the globe. Visit https://linecorp.com/en/ to learn more. About Alibaba Taiwan Entrepreneurs Fund Alibaba Taiwan Entrepreneurs Fund is a not-for-profit initiative launched by Alibaba Group in 2015. Its mission is to help Taiwan-based entrepreneurs and young people realize their dreams and visions for their businesses and communities. Alibaba Taiwan Entrepreneurs Fund is passionate about fostering the entrepreneurial spirit amongst young people. As such, it established a NT$10 billion fund in Taiwan to support local entrepreneurs. Visit https://www.ent-fund.org/en/about . About CDIB Capital Group CDIB Capital International ("CDIB Capital") invests in compelling growth oriented companies seeking to capitalize on cross market opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region. Its industry expertise, extensive local knowledge and regional footprint enable CDIB Capital to collaborate with its portfolio partners to boost enterprise value and increase connections between China and closely linked economies. CDIB Capital was established in 2006, as the private equity arm of China Development Financial ("CDF" or the "Group") with the objective to deploy and diversify the Group's proprietary capital outside of Taiwan, laying the foundation for a premier regional private equity asset management business. Visit http://www.cdibcapital.com/about.html . About Monk's Hill Ventures Monk's Hill Ventures is a venture capital fund that invests into high-growth, early stage technology startups in Southeast Asia. With a mantra of "entrepreneurs backing entrepreneurs", its founding partners Peng T. Ong and Kuo-Yi Lim are seasoned entrepreneurs who have built and backed global companies in Silicon Valley and Asia. With offices in Singapore and Jakarta, Monk's Hill Ventures invests in top entrepreneurs who are leveraging technology to take advantage of the fast-growing Southeast Asian markets. For more information, please visit www.monkshill.com . SOURCE KKday PASADENA, Calif., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) and Cypress Creek Renewables received an Energy Storage North America (ESNA) 2018 Innovation Award for leadership in energy storage and positive impact on the energy storage industry, displayed in their collaboration on a series of solar-plus-storage projects. In March, Lockheed Martin and Cypress Creek Renewables commissioned 12 MWh of GridStar Lithium energy storage systems for 12 solar-plus-storage projects. The solar-plus-storage system is custom-designed to provide clean electricity to communities served by Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) in southeastern North Carolina. The unique portfolio of solar-plus-storage projects ensures energy delivery to Brunswick EMC during its peak periods. The GridStar energy storage systems store power from the solar installations and discharge it when needed most, providing reliable, renewable power. These 12 solar-plus-storage projects represent the first set of battery storage projects developed, constructed, financed and commissioned by Cypress Creek. Cypress Creek acquired the projects from United Renewable Energy, the initial developer of the projects. "We are thrilled to have our first set of battery storage projects recognized with this award," said Brian Knowles, director of energy storage, Cypress Creek Renewables. "Projects like these provide real value to our utility customers by delivering energy exactly when it's needed." Energy Storage North America, the most influential gathering of policy, technology and market leaders in energy storage, celebrated the winners of its 2018 Innovation Awards during a reception at the Pasadena Convention Center on Nov. 7. Winners were recognized for their impact on the energy storage ecosystem, services supplied to customers and the grid, unique technology solutions, financing, or partnerships. The Lockheed Martin Cypress Creek Renewables project was named a winner in the "Front-of-the-Meter" category by ESNA, decided with input from public voting. "It's an honor to receive this Innovation Award from ESNA," said Roger Flanagan, director for Lockheed Martin Energy. "We are committed to evolving energy storage by developing new technologies to optimize renewable energy use, manage localized power demand, and improve reliability of the electric grid for generations to come. Innovation is a part of our everyday process." Lockheed Martin's GridStar Lithium energy storage systems, like the one used in this installation, are compact, easy to install, and scalable for 100 kW to multi-MW projects. GridStar system architecture consists of modular, purpose-built energy storage units that contain batteries, local controls software and all required balance-of-system components. The systems are certified to UL 9540 standards, a key certification for product safety for energy storage systems and equipment. Lockheed Martin Energy is a line of business within Lockheed Martin that delivers distributed energy solutions for utility, commercial, industrial, government and military customers. For additional information, visit our website: www.lockheedmartin.com/energy. About Lockheed Martin: Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 100,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. This year the company received three Edison Awards for ground-breaking innovations in autonomy, satellite technology and directed energy. About Cypress Creek Renewables LLC: Cypress Creek believes solar makes the world cleaner and healthier. Our team successfully develops, builds and operates solar facilities across the United States. With more than 3 gigawatts of solar developed and deployed in more than a dozen states, Cypress Creek Renewables is one of the country's leading solar companies. For more information about Cypress Creek Renewables, please visit https://ccrenew.com. About Energy Storage North America Energy Storage North America (ESNA) is the largest conference, exhibition and networking event covering all applications of grid storage in North America. ESNA is produced by Strategen Consulting and Messe Dusseldorf North America, and is part of the larger World of Energy Storage events in Europe, India, China and Japan. ESNA connects utilities, developers, energy users, policy makers and other key stakeholders from around the world to advance understanding and deployment of energy storage, and ultimately build a cleaner, more affordable and more resilient grid. ESNA 2019 will be held November 5-7, 2019 in San Diego. To learn more about ESNA, visit www.esnaexpo.com. SOURCE Lockheed Martin Related Links http://www.lockheedmartin.com STAINES-UPON-THAMES, United Kingdom, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: MNK), a leading global specialty pharmaceutical company, today announced it has received the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 13485:2016 and Medical Device Single Audit Program (MDSAP) certifications following successful audits of INOmax DS IR Plus Nitric Oxide Delivery System sites, conducted by the British Standards Institute (BSI). These achievements indicate Mallinckrodt meets standards and regulations among the most comprehensive for medical device quality management systems. INOmax DS IR Plus delivery systems are approved in the U.S., Europe and certain other countries for delivery of INOMAX (nitric oxide) gas, for inhalation therapy into the patient-breathing circuit to provide a constant concentration of nitric oxide to the patient.1 The INOmax DS IR Plus MRI allows magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner suite use with key adaptive features.2 "Mallinckrodt is committed to patient safety," said Dr. Frank Scholz, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations and Digital Innovation Officer. "We work to provide our customers quality products and services that meet or exceed the standards to fulfill the needs of the patients we serve, and we focus on continuous improvement and innovation companywide." ISO 13485:2016 is the state-of-the-art quality management system standard for medical devices, under which an organization demonstrates its ability to provide medical devices and related services that consistently meet applicable regulatory requirements. ISO is an independent, non-governmental international organization that sets standards for compliance with industry best practices. MDSAP regulatory certification was received for the company's two device manufacturing sites in Madison, Wis., and Port Allen, La., and the company's Specialty Brands office in Bedminster, N.J. MDSAP was established by a coalition of international medical device regulatory authorities, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration, Health Canada, Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and Brazil's health regulatory agency ANVISA. This program enables a manufacturer to contract with an authorized third-party auditing organization to conduct a single audit to satisfy the relevant regulatory requirements of participating authorities. In addition, ISO 13485:2016 specifically sets a new standard concerning design and development validation, indicating that if a medical device's intended use requires it to be connected to or interfaced with other medical devices(s), validation should include confirmation that all necessary requirements have been met when connected or interfaced. Mallinckrodt continues to increase the number of third-party mechanical ventilation systems, both invasive and non-invasive, that are validated for use with the INOmax DS IR Plus. Currently, 75 U.S. validations and 86 global validations have been completed, and the company expects to achieve 6 to 8 additional validations by the end of 2018. Extensive validations are part of INOMAX Total Care, which also delivers a dependable supply of INOMAX gas, for inhalation therapy to hospitals; state-of-the-art bedside and transport delivery systems; services including emergency deliveries of INOMAX cylinders, delivery systems, and support components, most often within four to six hours; and around-the-clock clinical and technical support. About INOmax DS IR Plus and INOmax DS IR Plus MRI The INOmax DS IR uses a "dual-channel" design to provide delivery of INOMAX nitric oxide (NO) gas. The first channel has the delivery central processing unit (CPU), the flow controller and the injector module to help ensure the accurate delivery of NO. The specially designed injector module enables tracking of the ventilator waveforms and the delivery of a synchronized and proportional dose of NO. The second channel is the monitoring system, which includes a separate monitor CPU, the gas cells (NO, NO 2 , and O 2 cells) and the user interface including the display and a comprehensive alarm system. The dual-channel approach to delivery and monitoring permits INOMAX delivery independent of monitoring but also allows the monitoring system to shut down INOMAX delivery if the monitored NO concentration exceeds 100 ppm for 12 consecutive seconds. The delivery system can also shut down delivery if it detects certain serious problems with the monitoring system. The INOmax DS IR Plus incorporates a battery that provides up to six hours of uninterrupted NO delivery in the absence of an external power source. The INOmax DS IR Plus includes a backup NO delivery capability that provides a fixed flow of 250 mL/min of NO, which along with user supplied 10 L/min of oxygen, provides 20 ppm of NO to a patient breathing circuit. Retaining the same functionality of the INOmax DS IR Plus, the INOmax DS IR Plus MRI allows magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner suite use with key adaptive features. For both delivery systems, the INOblender can also be used for backup. Applications The INOmax DS IR Plus Delivery Systems deliver INOMAX (nitric oxide) gas, for inhalation. The INOmax DS IR Plus Delivery Systems must only be used in accordance with the indications, usage, contraindications, warnings and precautions described in the INOMAX package inserts and labeling. The approved patient population is limited to neonates. Refer to the INOMAX Full Prescribing Information prior to use. Device Warnings Abrupt discontinuation of INOMAX can lead to worsening oxygenation and increasing pulmonary artery pressure (rebound pulmonary hypertension syndrome). To avoid abrupt discontinuation, use the INOblender or backup mode immediately to reinstate INOMAX therapy and refer to the INOMAX package insert. If the high NO 2 alarm activates, the delivery system should be assessed for proper setup while maintaining INOMAX delivery. alarm activates, the delivery system should be assessed for proper setup while maintaining INOMAX delivery. Do not connect items that are not specified as part of the system. Monitor for PaO 2 , inspired NO 2 , and methemoglobin during INOMAX administration. , inspired NO , and methemoglobin during INOMAX administration. If an alarm occurs, safeguard the patient first before troubleshooting or repair procedures. Use only INOMAX, pharmaceutical grade NO/N 2. Use in an MR Environment Only use a size "88" (1,963 liters) cylinder that is marked "MR Conditional. Keep cylinder at 100 gauss or less." with the DS IR Plus MRI while in the scanner room. Use of any other cylinder may create a projectile hazard. Plus MRI while in the scanner room. Use of any other cylinder may create a projectile hazard. The INOmax DSIR Plus MRI is classified as MR Conditional with MR scanners of 1.5 or 3.0 Tesla strength ONLY in areas where the field strength is less than 100 gauss. This device contains ferromagnetic components and hence will experience strong attraction close to the magnet. It should be operated at a fringe field of less than 100 gauss. A strong magnetic field such as that from an MRI system can affect the ability of the INOmeter to detect if the cylinder valve is open. This can cause a "Cylinder Valve Closed" alarm to occur when the cylinder valve is actually open. If this alarm occurs, reposition/rotate the INOmax DSIR Plus MRI cart outside the 100 gauss area to reduce the magnetic interference in the area of the INOmeter until the cylinder handle graphic on the display turns green. This will resolve the "Cylinder Valve Closed" alarm. Typically the required INOmax DSIR Plus MRI cart location adjustment is less than 6 inches (15 cm)/90 degrees. Note that interruption of INOMAX therapy will occur one hour from the point when the "Cylinder Valve Closed" alarm is activated if the alarm is not resolved. Rx Only Consult the Operation and Maintenance Manual, which may be found at www.inomax.com/inomax-deliverysystems/support-resources, for complete information. For technical assistance, call (877) 566-9466. For additional information, technical assistance, or a complete list of warnings regarding use of validated ventilators, please refer to the INOmax DSIR Plus Operation Manual at inomax.com/dsirplusmanual. About INOMAX (Nitric Oxide) Gas, For Inhalation INOMAX is indicated to improve oxygenation and reduce the need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in term and near-term (>34 weeks gestation) neonates with hypoxic respiratory failure associated with clinical or echocardiographic evidence of pulmonary hypertension in conjunction with ventilatory support and other appropriate agents. Important Safety Information INOMAX is contraindicated in the treatment of neonates dependent on right-to-left shunting of blood. Abrupt discontinuation of INOMAX may lead to increasing pulmonary artery pressure and worsening oxygenation. Methemoglobinemia and NO 2 levels are dose dependent. Nitric oxide donor compounds may have an additive effect with INOMAX on the risk of developing methemoglobinemia. Nitrogen dioxide may cause airway inflammation and damage to lung tissues. levels are dose dependent. Nitric oxide donor compounds may have an additive effect with INOMAX on the risk of developing methemoglobinemia. Nitrogen dioxide may cause airway inflammation and damage to lung tissues. In patients with pre-existing left ventricular dysfunction, INOMAX may increase pulmonary capillary wedge pressure leading to pulmonary edema. Monitor for PaO 2 , methemoglobin, and inspired NO 2 during INOMAX administration. , methemoglobin, and inspired NO during INOMAX administration. INOMAX must be administered using a calibrated INOmax DS IR Nitric Oxide Delivery System operated by trained personnel. Only validated ventilator systems should be used in conjunction with INOMAX. Please see U.S. Full Prescribing Information. CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS RELATED TO FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This release includes forward-looking statements concerning the INOmax DS IR Plus Delivery Systems, including expectations with regard to future validation activities and the potential impact on patients. The statements are based on assumptions about many important factors, including the following, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements: satisfaction of regulatory and other requirements; actions of regulatory bodies and other governmental authorities; changes in laws and regulations; issues with product quality, manufacturing or supply, or patient safety issues; and other risks identified and described in more detail in the "Risk Factors" section of Mallinckrodt's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the SEC, all of which are available on its website. The forward-looking statements made herein speak only as of the date hereof and Mallinckrodt does not assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events and developments or otherwise, except as required by law. ABOUT MALLINCKRODT Mallinckrodt is a global business that develops, manufactures, markets and distributes specialty pharmaceutical products and therapies. Areas of focus include autoimmune and rare diseases in specialty areas like neurology, rheumatology, nephrology, pulmonology and ophthalmology; immunotherapy and neonatal respiratory critical care therapies; analgesics and gastrointestinal products. To learn more about Mallinckrodt, visit www.mallinckrodt.com . Mallinckrodt uses its website as a channel of distribution of important company information, such as press releases, investor presentations and other financial information. It also uses its website to expedite public access to time-critical information regarding the company in advance of or in lieu of distributing a press release or a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) disclosing the same information. Therefore, investors should look to the Investor Relations page of the website for important and time-critical information. Visitors to the website can also register to receive automatic e-mail and other notifications alerting them when new information is made available on the Investor Relations page of the website. CONTACTS Media Rhonda Sciarra Senior Communications Manager 908-238-6765 [email protected] Meredith Fischer Chief Public Affairs Officer 314-654-3318 [email protected] Investor Relations Daniel J. Speciale, CPA Investor Relations and Strategy Officer 314-654-3638 [email protected] Mallinckrodt, the "M" brand mark and the Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals logo are trademarks of a Mallinckrodt company. Other brands are trademarks of a Mallinckrodt company or their respective owners. 2018 US-1800593 11/18 _________________________________ 1 INOmax DS IR Plus Operation Manual. Hampton, NJ: INO Therapeutics LLC; 2014. 2 INOmax DS IR Plus MRI Operation Manual. Hampton, NJ: INO Therapeutics LLC; 2015. SOURCE Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals Related Links http://www.mallinckrodt.com BOSTON, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its commitment to continually strengthening its solutions business, Manulife Asset Management, the investment management arm of Manulife, has bolstered its Global Asset Allocation team. Nathan Thooft, head of global asset allocation, said today that the team has added three new members, promoted two existing team members to portfolio managers, named a head of Macroeconomic Strategy, and a head of asset allocation in Canada. "One of our key priorities moving forward is continuing to strengthen the solutions we offer clients in Asia, Canada, Europe and US through multi-asset strategies, leveraging both proprietary and non-proprietary alpha streams," said Chris Conkey, President and CEO of Manulife Asset Management. "Multi-asset solutions are a growth area for our company and the industry as a whole. We are one of the pioneers in this space and we look forward to continuing to be one of its leaders." "For more than 20 years, we have successfully managed multi-asset, multi-style, multi- manager portfolios with a consistent, proven investment process," Mr. Thooft said. "We will continue to leverage this approach as the asset allocation space evolves and grows." While much of the company's solutions success has been in the retail, advisor-sold market, opportunities are growing rapidly in the institutional, custom, and model delivery offerings. "Focus areas for growth include target date and other retirement solutions, model delivery and advisory solutions, and outcome oriented and multi-asset income solutions across the risk spectrum," Mr. Thooft said. The Asset Allocation team of more than 40 people globally has approximately $110 billion in assets under management. "These new hires and promotions afford us the opportunity to take advantage of these growth opportunities and further position ourselves as leaders in the multi-asset space," Mr. Thooft said. "We're adding highly talented and experienced investment professionals to continually better serve a growing range of clients." Bruce Picard , Model Portfolio Lead, is responsible for leading investment efforts to expand model delivery and custom solution capabilities. Mr. Picard has more than 25 years of investment experience most recently building and leading multi asset efforts at Mass Mutual, including overseeing a multi-manager platform and asset allocation strategies. , Model Portfolio Lead, is responsible for leading investment efforts to expand model delivery and custom solution capabilities. Mr. Picard has more than 25 years of investment experience most recently building and leading multi asset efforts at Mass Mutual, including overseeing a multi-manager platform and asset allocation strategies. Geoffrey Kelley , Portfolio Manager, joins from State Street Global Advisors and will contribute to the research and investment decision-making process across a wide variety of global, multi-asset strategies, including target-risk, target-date, and other outcome-oriented portfolios. He has nearly 25 years of investment experience, including direct equity and fixed income portfolio management, a strong institutional target date background, a tenured research focus on retirement solutions, and deep knowledge in strategic and dynamic asset allocation. , Portfolio Manager, joins from State Street Global Advisors and will contribute to the research and investment decision-making process across a wide variety of global, multi-asset strategies, including target-risk, target-date, and other outcome-oriented portfolios. He has nearly 25 years of investment experience, including direct equity and fixed income portfolio management, a strong institutional target date background, a tenured research focus on retirement solutions, and deep knowledge in strategic and dynamic asset allocation. David Kobuszewski , Senior Investment Analyst, who also joins from State Street, has more than 15 years of investment experience in multi-asset and fixed income investing. He has a strong background in strategic and tactical asset class forecasting approaches and factor-based and risk premia research, which will further bolster the team's efforts in these areas. , Senior Investment Analyst, who also joins from State Street, has more than 15 years of investment experience in multi-asset and fixed income investing. He has a strong background in strategic and tactical asset class forecasting approaches and factor-based and risk premia research, which will further bolster the team's efforts in these areas. Jamie Robertson has been named head of asset allocation in Canada . Mr. Robertson is responsible for overseeing the Canadian asset allocation franchise, including portfolio management, research and development, and supporting product development and business development. has been named head of asset allocation in . Mr. Robertson is responsible for overseeing the Canadian asset allocation franchise, including portfolio management, research and development, and supporting product development and business development. Frances Donald , who joined the team as a senior economist in 2016, has been promoted to Head of Macroeconomic Strategy. She and her staff provide global macroeconomic investment analysis to further enhance the team's investment process. They also support the organization's other investment teams globally. , who joined the team as a senior economist in 2016, has been promoted to Head of Macroeconomic Strategy. She and her staff provide global macroeconomic investment analysis to further enhance the team's investment process. They also support the organization's other investment teams globally. Rob Sykes and Chris Walsh have been promoted to portfolio manager. Mr. Sykes and Mr. Walsh handle portfolio management of multi-asset portfolios and conduct fundamental research across various asset classes and investment strategies. Mr. Sykes, who joined the company in 2008, previously was at FactSet Research Systems and at Fidelity Investments. Mr. Walsh, who joined the company in 2009, previously was at Putnam Investments. About Manulife Asset Management Manulife Asset Management is the global asset management arm of Manulife Financial Corporation ("Manulife"). We provide comprehensive asset management solutions for investors across a broad range of public and private asset classes, as well as asset allocation solutions. We also provide portfolio management for affiliated retail Manulife and John Hancock product offerings. Our investment expertise includes public and private equity and fixed income, real estate and infrastructure equity and debt, timberland and farmland, oil and gas, and mezzanine debt. We operate in the United States, Canada, Brazil, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, as well as through a China joint venture, Manulife TEDA. We also serve investors in select European, Middle Eastern, and Latin American markets. As at June 30, 2018, assets under management for Manulife Asset Management were approximately C$516 billion (US$392 billion, GBP297 billion, EUR336 billion). Additional information may be found at ManulifeAM.com. About Manulife Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services group that helps people make their decisions easier and lives better. We operate primarily as John Hancock in the United States and Manulife elsewhere. We provide financial advice, insurance, as well as wealth and asset management solutions for individuals, groups and institutions. At the end of 2017, we had about 35,000 employees, 73,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving more than 26 million customers. As of September 30, 2018, we had over $1.1 trillion (US$863 billion) in assets under management and administration, and in the previous 12 months we made $27.6 billion in payments to our customers. Our principal operations are in Asia, Canada and the United States where we have served customers for more than 100 years. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges and under '945' in Hong Kong. SOURCE Manulife Asset Management Related Links http://ManulifeAM.com In partnership with Maxar's SSL, team demonstrates collaborative approach to growing U.S. Government space programs pipeline HERNDON, VA, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Radiant Solutions, a Maxar Technologies company (NYSE: MAXR) (TSX: MAXR), has been awarded a $2 million contract by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to lead a team in designing, building, and demonstrating a next-generation optical telescope system for agile small satellite constellations. Radiant Solutions is partnered on this program with SSL, Maxar's spacecraft manufacturing business, demonstrating the power of combining unique capabilities from across Maxar to meet U.S. Defense and Intelligence agency demand for small form-factor satellites and grow Maxar's US Government space program pipeline. Radiant Solutions will provide world-class geospatial mission engineering expertise, augmented by SSL's decades of experience in providing powerful and resilient spacecraft systems. Both Radiant Solutions and SSL are focused on helping national security customers see, understand and anticipate activity across our changing planet in support of global mapping and intelligence missions. The companies' combined advanced capabilities are driving revenue growth for Maxar's Space Systems Segment by contributing to a variety of defense and intelligence missions which aim to accelerate innovation in support of global GEOINT missions, next-generation spacecraft design, missile defense, and end-to-end system engineering and integration support. The satellite telescope system's lightweight design and large field-of-view is expected to enable more capable small satellites that can be manufactured more rapidly and economically. The system can easily scale to many dozens of spacecraft for persistent, resilient coverage. To reduce mass, the system's design incorporates a robust, high-performance silicon carbide material designed for the most demanding applications in space. "Radiant Solutions is proud to play a major role in the development of disruptive, next-generation technologies that will transform satellite imaging missions and enhance global mapping and intelligence at scale," said Tony Frazier, President of Radiant Solutions. "With our team's extensive experience in highly specialized geospatial systems, we're uniquely positioned to accelerate the evolution of the DoD's most critical imaging infrastructure." "SSL brings unmatched integrated spacecraft system capabilities to deliver effective and affordable end-to-end solutions that build a better world and support our nation's leadership in space," said Richard White, president of SSL Government Systems. "We're delighted to be working closely with our colleagues at Maxar Technologies to solve problems from space." About Radiant Solutions Radiant Solutions provides highly specialized, innovative geospatial multisource data, analytics, software, and services to deliver critical insights and intelligence where and when it matters. Poised to transform how customers support global mapping and intelligence missions at scale, Radiant Solutions harnesses the proliferation of pervasive information-gathering sensors, open-source software, cloud computing, machine learning, and big data analytics. Our combined team of over 1,000 sensor and spacecraft engineers, geospatial analysts, weather and ocean experts, developers, data scientists, and DevOps engineers delivers innovative geospatial solutions that keep our nation safe, protect critical infrastructure, and preserve scarce natural resources. Building on the legacy of MDA Information Systems, RadiantBlue, DigitalGlobe Intelligence Solutions, and HumanGeo, the newly combined Radiant Solutions has a strong track record with its advanced capabilities, open approach, and experience supporting missions that helps customers in the GEOINT community reach critical decisions faster and with greater accuracy. Radiant Solutions is based in Herndon, VA with major offices across Virginia, Maryland, Florida, Michigan, and Colorado. Radiant Solutions is a business unit of Maxar Technologies, a U.S. operating company (NYSE: MAXR) (TSX: MAXR). For more information visit: www.RadiantSolutions.com. About SSL SSL, based in Palo Alto, California, is a leading provider of advanced spacecraft systems, with broad expertise to support commercial and government satellite operators and innovative space missions. The company designs and manufactures spacecraft for services such as direct-to-home television, video content distribution, broadband internet, mobile communications, in-orbit servicing, space exploration, and Earth observation. As a Silicon Valley innovator for 60 years, SSL's advanced product line includes state-of-the-art small satellites, and sophisticated robotics and autonomous solutions for remote operations. SSL is a Maxar Technologies company (NYSE: MAXR) (TSX: MAXR). For more information, visit www.sslmda.com. About Maxar Technologies As a global leader of advanced space technology solutions, Maxar Technologies (formerly MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates) is at the nexus of the new space economy, developing and sustaining the infrastructure and delivering the information, services, systems that unlock the promise of space for commercial and government markets. As a trusted partner, Maxar Technologies provides vertically integrated capabilities and expertise including satellites, Earth imagery, robotics, geospatial data and analytics to help customers anticipate and address their most complex mission-critical challenges with confidence. With more than 6,500 employees in over 30 global locations, the Maxar Technologies portfolio of commercial space brands includes MDA, SSL, DigitalGlobe and Radiant Solutions. Every day, billions of people rely on Maxar to communicate, share information and data, and deliver insights that Build a Better World. Maxar trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange as MAXR. For more information, visit www.maxar.com. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements and other information included in this release constitute "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") under applicable securities laws. Statements including words such as "may", "will", "could", "should", "would", "plan", "potential", "intend", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate" or "expect" and other words, terms and phrases of similar meaning are often intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Forward-looking statements involve estimates, expectations, projections, goals, forecasts, assumptions, risks and uncertainties, as well as other statements referring to or including forward-looking information included in this release. Forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results or expectations expressed in this release. As a result, although management of the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. The risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to, the risk factors and other disclosures about the Company and its business included in the Company's continuous disclosure materials filed from time to time with Canadian and U.S. securities regulatory authorities, which are available online under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, under the Company's EDGAR profile at www.sec.gov or on the Company's website at www.maxar.com. The forward-looking statements contained in this release are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements. All such forward-looking statements are based upon data available as of the date of this release or other specified date and speak only as of such date. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements in this release as a result of new information or future events, except as may be required under applicable securities legislation. Contact Andre Kearns | Radiant Solutions Media Contact | 1-703-480-6890 | [email protected] Wendy Lewis | SSL Media Contact | 1-650-852-5188 | [email protected] Jason Gursky | Maxar Investor Relations | 1-303-684-2207 | [email protected] SOURCE Maxar Technologies Ltd. Related Links www.maxar.com NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Moore Kuehn, PLLC is investigating potential claims for breach of fiduciary duty involving the directors and officers of Pilgrim Bancshare, Inc. (Other OTC: PLRM). On July 25, 2018, Pilgrim announced a proposed acquisition of the company by Hometown financial Group ("Hometown"). Under the terms of the acquisition agreement, Pilgrim shareholders will receive $23.00 in cash for every share of Pilgrim they own. The proposed acquisition is scheduled for shareholder vote on December 11, 2018. Moore Kuehn is investigating whether Pilgrim's Board 1) acted to maximize shareholder value, 2) failed to disclose material information, and 3) conducted a fair process. Moore Kuehn encourages shareholders of Pilgrim to contact Justin Kuehn, Esq. by email at [email protected] or telephone at (212) 709-8245. There is no cost or obligation to you. Moore Kuehn is a New York-based law firm with attorneys representing investors and consumers in class action litigation involving securities law violations, financial fraud, breaches of fiduciary duties, and other claims. For additional information about Moore Kuehn, please go to www.moorekuehn.com. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Contacts: Moore Kuehn, PLLC Justin Kuehn, Esq. 30 Wall Street, 8th Floor New York, New York 10005 [email protected] (212) 709-8245 SOURCE Moore Kuehn, PLLC Related Links http://www.moorekuehn.com CRANBURY, N.J., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Patient navigation for individuals with cancer first caught on in the 1990s and quickly gained traction with patients, clinicians and cancer programs alike. However, shifts in healthcare policy and funding over the past decade have put many navigation programs to the test as practitioners struggle to quantify the value of their services in terms of patient outcomes and their employer's bottom line. The Academy of Oncology Nurse and Patient Navigators (AONN+), the largest national specialty organization serving oncology nurse and patient navigators, is working to address this challenge through the launch of a national, multi-site study aimed at answering key navigation questions. The study, "National Evidence-Based Oncology Navigation Metrics: Multisite Exploratory Study to Demonstrate Value and Sustainability of Navigation Programs," is a collaboration between AONN+, Chartis Oncology Solutions, LLC, and the American Cancer Society* that will evaluate the validity and reliability of 10 navigation metrics selected from a list of 35 evidence-based metrics developed by AONN+. The selected metrics include: barriers to care; time from diagnosis to initial treatment; navigation caseload; number of navigated patients readmitted to the hospital at 30, 60, and 90 days; psychosocial distress screening; social support referrals; palliative care referrals; identifying patient learning style preference; navigation knowledge at time of orientation; and patient experience/satisfaction with care. The study will also provide insight into the barriers and challenges that navigation programs encounter when implementing navigation metrics. "By standardizing metrics under the AONN+ domains, navigators can measure the impact they have with patients from initial diagnosis to survivorship and end of life," says AONN+'s Danelle Johnston, MSN, RN, ONN-CG, OCN, Chief Nursing Officer and Senior Director of Strategic Planning and Initiatives, and Co-Principal Investigator for the study. "These metrics are designed to be used by all organizations and programs to demonstrate the efficacy and sustainability of their programs. They will also assist in measuring outmigration and retention of patients, downstream revenue within the system, increase in screening procedures, reduction in hospital readmissions, decrease in no-show rates, and increase in referrals to revenue-generating services within the organization." Recruitment began in March 2018 and by June eight study sites had been selected, trained and IRB approved for participation. Data collection began at the following locations on November 1, and will extend over six-months: Abington-Jefferson Health, Asplundh Cancer Pavilion, Abington, PA Centra Health, Alan B. Pearson Regional Cancer Center, Lynchburg, VA MaineGeneral Health, Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care, Augusta ME Medical University of South Carolina , Hollings Cancer Center, Charleston, SC , Hollings Cancer Center, Rutgers Health, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick , NJ , NJ Capital Health Cancer Center, Trenton, New Jersey University of Arizona Cancer Center, Phoenix, AZ Cancer Center, University of Colorado Health, Fort Collins, CO "As they test these metrics, we will collect qualitative data on the barriers and challenges the pilot sites face in metrics implementation, data collection, analytics, and reporting", says Lesley Watson, PhD, study Co-Principal Investigator and Principal Scientist in the Statistics and Evaluation Center at the American Cancer Society. "These data will help us in our collaboration with AONN+ to produce an implementation toolkit, which other sites may use to support their efforts to track navigation metrics. By developing tools to facilitate the collection of metrics, we can contribute to the evidence-base around oncology navigation." For its part, Chartis Oncology Solutions will provide data capture, management and analytics reporting of the 10 navigation metrics implemented at each study site through NAVmetrics, a cloud-based tool powered by Chartis Oncology Solutions' ONC iQ business intelligence platform. "Working with national study participants and more broadly with navigation programs across the country, Chartis Oncology Solutions recognizes the challenges navigators face with collecting and reporting data in a standardized way," says Kelley D. Simpson, MBA, Director, Chartis Oncology Solutions. "By extension, many are not leveraging the existing EHR data systems in place to complement the work they are doing. Whether they face data entry, extraction or tracking hurdles, the national study and introduction of the NAVmetrics tool is assisting study sites with more easily accessing the data needed to populate the 10-core metrics for meaningful outcomes reporting. Preliminary findings of the study will be presented at AONN+'s Mid-Year Meeting in May 2019. For more information please visit https://www.aonnonline.org/education/standardized-metrics/navigation-metrics-quality-study. *This project is partially funded through a grant from the Merck Foundation and is part of the American Cancer Society's Patient and Caregiver Services Unit's Care Coordination and Patient Navigation Program. Information about the Merck Foundation and this grant can be found at: https://www.msdresponsibility.com/our-giving/foundation/ . About the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (www.aonnonline.org) The Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators, Inc. (AONN+) is the largest national specialty organization dedicated to improving patient care and quality of life by defining, enhancing, and promoting the role of oncology nurses and patient navigators. The organization, which has more than 8,200 members, was founded in 2009 to provide a network for all professionals involved and interested in patient navigation and survivorship care services in order to better manage the complexities of the cancer treatment process. The Journal of Oncology Navigation & Survivorship (www.jons-online.com) is the official publication of AONN+. It is published 12 times a year and features topics related to patient navigation and survivorship care. JONS offers original research, best practices, interviews, case reports and study highlights as well as a platform through which navigators can share research and views on navigation and survivorship issues. CONQUER: The Patient Voice Magazine (www.conquer-magazine.com) is the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators' (AONN+) premier forum for patients with cancer. CONQUER features articles written by and for patients with cancer, survivors, nurse navigators, and other oncology team members. This magazine addresses the issues that patients, their family members, and caregivers face every day in an easy-to-read format. Issues include interviews with patients with cancer, information on access to care, and articles on lifestyle topics such as nutrition, stress management, personal finance, and legal and employer issues. CONQUER also features patient stories that are nominated for the AONN+ HERO OF HOPE award, which is presented at the AONN+ Annual Conference. All stories are compiled in a special issue of CONQUER at the end of the year. Chartis Oncology Solutions (www.oncologysolutions.com) Chartis Oncology Solutions (COS) was established in January 2018 when Oncology Solutions joined The Chartis Group, a comprehensive healthcare advisory and analytics firm. COS offers preeminent cancer care advisory and analytics services to community hospitals, health systems, NCI-designated and academic cancer centers across the country. With unparalleled depth of expertise and experience, COS works collaboratively with healthcare professionals to strategically and operationally implement cancer care programs that enhance patient experience, improve provider performance, and impact communities. Oncology Solutions was founded in 1973 as the first firm exclusively dedicated to serving cancer providers. American Cancer Society ( www.cancer.org ) The American Cancer Society is a global grassroots force of 1.5 million volunteers saving lives in every community. As the largest voluntary health organization, the Society's efforts have contributed to a 25 percent decline in the cancer death rate in the U.S. since 1991, driven by less smoking, better treatments, and earlier detection. We're finding cures as the nation's largest private, not-for-profit investor in cancer research, ensuring people facing cancer have the help they need and continuing the fight for access to quality health care, lifesaving screenings and more. For more information, to get help, or to join the fight, call us anytime, day or night, at (800) 227-2345 or visit cancer.org. Gwen Coverdale, 267-884-6328 [email protected] SOURCE Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators Related Links https://aonnonline.org BEAVERTON, Ore., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Tektronix, Inc., a leading worldwide provider of measurement solutions, today introduced the Keithley DMM7512 dual channel 7-digit sampling multimeter that packs two independent and identical digital multimeters into a low profile 1U high, full rack width space-saving enclosure. Featuring industry leading density and performance, the DMM7512 is ideally suited for a range of demanding high-volume manufacturing test applications that require measurement capacity, performance and a compact footprint. The Tektronix DMM7512 packs two 7-digit multimeters into a space-saving 1U rack. With volumes and demand ramping up, manufacturers producing products and components such as laser diodes for 3-D sensing, mobile devices, automotive sensors and IoT devices need to minimize test costs, minimize the quantity of test equipment, and minimize floor and rack space consumption. They also need to ensure sufficient test capacity and performance to meet production requirements. Currently, all other 7 -digit, high accuracy DMMs fall short of meeting these requirements, providing only a single-channel in a 2U high, half-rack width chassis. "Test engineers face increasingly difficult challenges. Not only do they need to reduce costs and maximize production throughput, they also need test equipment with the performance and sensitivity to test today's low-power components and products," said Lori Kieklak, Vice President and General Manager, Keithley Product Line at Tektronix. "This new low-profile instrument fills the void with its excellent accuracy and superior measurement sensitivity, high sampling speed, and built-in intelligence. We're delivering the high density test solution our customers need without any compromise in measurement performance." Eliminating the need for a separate instrument to capture waveform parameters, the DMM7512 enables test engineers to capture transient signals and waveforms, even low level waveforms such as battery drain currents, with its 1Msample/s, 18-bit digitizer that has voltage sensitivity of 1V and current sensitivity of 0.1nA. With capacity to store 27.5 million time-stamped readings, each DMM can capture a waveform's full profile and trigger on a variety of parameters. For DC measurements on low power components, the DMM7512 provides 10nV, 0.1, and 1pA sensitivities. It supports high accuracy, low resistance measurements with offset compensated Ohms, four-wire measurement, and dry circuit measurement. It also maximizes the test-uncertainty ratio for higher quality control with 1-year DC voltage accuracies as narrow as 14ppm. For production environments, the DMM7512 reduces test time by executing test scripts using its Embedded Test Script Processor (TSP). This saves PC command communication time since the PC does not need to send a command for every instrument action. In addition, one DMM in the DMM7512 can be conveniently set up as the master controller both to execute test routines and to control other instruments through Keithley's TSP-Link instrument-to-instrument interface. Availability & Pricing The Keithley DMM7512 Dual Channel 7 -Digit Sampling Multimeter is available now worldwide. Pricing starts at $7,000 US MSRP. For full product details go to: https://www.tek.com/dmm7512 Wondering what else Tektronix is up to? Check out the Tektronix Bandwidth Banter blog and stay up to date on the latest news from Tektronix on Twitter and Facebook. About Tektronix Headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, Tektronix delivers innovative, precise and easy-to-operate test, measurement and monitoring solutions that solve problems, unlock insights and drive discovery. Tektronix has been at the forefront of the digital age for over 70 years. Join us on the journey of innovation at TEK.COM. Tektronix is a registered trademark of Tektronix, Inc. All other trade names referenced are the service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. SOURCE Tektronix, Inc. Related Links http://www.tek.com WASHINGTON, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A special report in the November issue of AARP Bulletin reveals important truths about Social Security, how it works, and its financial health. In the publication, AARP takes a deep dive into the current and future state of Social Security and addresses people's misconceptions and questions like whether you can change your mind about collecting benefits (you can, but only once) and whether there's a maximum benefit (yes, there is). In "Social Security: The Real Facts," AARP examines twelve things every American should know about the program, including the likelihood of congressional action and why it was not meant to serve as the sole source of income for retirees. Personal stories from people who rely on Social Security benefits as their only source of income reveal the day-to-day challenges and perspectives of Americans who don't have their own retirement savings. In addition, check out AARP's new Social Security Resource Center with answers to 100 of the top questions asked about Social Security. Other stories in the November issue: In the News Q&A With Filmmaker Ben Patton on Helping Vets Combat PTSD: Ben Patton comes from a distinguished military family. He is the grandson of General George Patton Jr. , one of the most famous generals in American history. Patton discusses his work with AARP Bulletin and how he's applying his filmmaking skills to help veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. Health The One Workout You Must Do: Find out how exercising just ten minutes a day can reverse effects of aging. HIIT (high-intensity interval training) allows older Americans to reap "over-size benefits" in just a short amount of time. HIIT has been shown to boost youth hormones, recharge your cells, help with belly fat, protect your heart and offer other health benefits. Your Money Fight Fraud with Freebies: With the growth of identity theft and fraud, consumers are spending an increasing amount of money on protective services. AARP highlights several free services that can provide protection and assist with the growing rate of digital scams and theft. This includes: freezing your credit, call-blocking apps, getting password managers, credit and identity monitoring, and accessing tax transcripts. More information can be found at: http://www.aarp.org/bulletin/ About AARP Bulletin The definitive news source for AARP's members, AARP Bulletin ( http://www.aarp.org/bulletin/ ) reaches more than 23.5 million households each month in print, with additional news and in-depth coverage online. Covering health and health policy, Medicare, Social Security, consumer protection, personal finance, and AARP state and national news developments, AARP Bulletin delivers the story behind the key issues confronting 50+ America. The monthly consumer-oriented news publication has become a must-read for congressional lawmakers and Washington opinion leaders, and it provides AARP members with pertinent information they need to know. About AARP AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org or follow @AARP and @AARPadvocates on social media. SOURCE AARP Related Links http://www.aarp.org HOUSTON, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Oasis Midstream Partners LP (NYSE: OMP) (the "Partnership" or "OMP") today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire additional interests in Bobcat DevCo LLC ("Bobcat DevCo") and Beartooth DevCo LLC ("Beartooth DevCo") from Oasis Petroleum Inc. (NYSE: OAS) ("Oasis") for $250 million. The acquisition will increase OMP's interest in the Bobcat DevCo to 25% from 10% and will increase OMP's interest in the Beartooth DevCo to 70% from 40%. "We are pleased to announce Oasis Midstream Partners is increasing its exposure to the Bobcat DevCo and Beartooth DevCo," said Taylor Reid, Chief Executive Officer of OMP. "Oasis is investing capital in one of the premier oil basins in the U.S., and OMP's highly strategic assets are uniquely positioned to capture Oasis volume growth. The Williston Basin continues to provide attractive investment returns for both upstream and midstream companies, and we are in an enviable position to capitalize on future growth in the core of the play. Our team has done an incredible job increasing contribution from third-party customers across our asset base. Volumes from both Oasis and third parties provide a solid foundation for peer leading growth well beyond 2021. The transaction is extremely attractive for our investors, allows OMP to increase our scale in an accretive manner, and we look forward to capitalizing on future opportunities." Accretive Acquisition The acquisition is expected to be immediately accretive to distributable cash flow per unit of the Partnership, based on a transaction value representing roughly 6.75x 2019 estimated EBITDA of the acquired interests. Distribution coverage is expected to increase 0.10x-0.15x above our guidance provided on November 5, 2018, with the increase solely attributable to the acquisition. The following table provides 2019 estimates including and excluding the impact of today's announcements. 2019E ($MM) Net to OMP Prior Guidance Updated for Acquisition Adjusted EBITDA $106 - 112 $143 - 149 Maintenance CapEx % of EBITDA 7-10% 7-10% Distribution ($/unit) $2.02 $2.02 LP Coverage Ratio Enter '19 1.4x, increasing to 1.6x-1.7x Enter '19 1.5x, increasing to 1.7x-1.85x Financing and Liquidity OMP has agreed to pay Oasis $250 million. The consideration is expected to consist of $125 million in cash from borrowings under the OMP credit facility, with the remainder to come from, depending on market conditions, proceeds from any capital market transactions, and/or the issuance of common units representing limited partner interests in OMP to Oasis. Total outstanding borrowings under OMP's credit facility are expected to be $291 million pro-forma for the acquisition as of September 30th, 2018, excluding fees and expenses associated with the acquisition and financing. At the closing of the acquisition, OMP's revolving credit facility will increase from $250 million to $400 million. Pro-forma for the acquisition and the increase to the credit facility, OMP's liquidity is expected to be $114 million consisting of approximately $109 million of available credit facility capacity and $5 million of cash on hand. OMP expects net debt at year end 2018 to 2019 estimated EBITDA to remain under 2x. The acquisition, which has an effective date of July 1, 2018, is expected to close in December 2018, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. The terms of the transaction were approved by the Board of Directors of the general partner of OMP following a unanimous recommendation for approval from the conflicts committee of the Board of Directors of the general partner of OMP, which consists entirely of independent directors. The conflicts committee was advised by Baird on financial matters and Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A. on legal matters. Oasis was advised by Evercore Group L.L.C. on financial matters and Vinson and Elkins L.L.P. on legal matters. Bobcat DevCo Bobcat DevCo's assets are focused on the Wild Basin operating area and include gas gathering, compression and gas lift, crude oil gathering and produced water gathering and disposal. Bobcat DevCo is a particularly strategic midstream asset, as it has been a key contributor to the early success of connecting third party volumes to OMP's gas plants. Oasis and OMP have invested heavily in Bobcat DevCo in 2018, positioning the DevCo for over 50% EBITDA growth in 2019. These investments have been to support both Oasis' volume growth as well as third party opportunities at extremely attractive build multiples. Beartooth DevCo The Beartooth DevCo owns significant water infrastructure assets across most of Oasis Petroleum's core operating areas. These assets, which gather and dispose of produced water, deliver freshwater for well completions and deliver freshwater for production optimization services, are predominately located in Oasis's Alger, Cottonwood, Hebron, Indian Hills and Red Bank operating areas. Substantially all of the area around the Beartooth DevCo's acreage dedication can be serviced by these assets, with minimal additional expansion capital expenditures given the reach of our widely dispersed infrastructure systems currently in place. Beartooth DevCo's infrastructure can easily service additional wells through low cost connections. Beartooth DevCo's extensive footprint has allowed OMP to secure agreements with third-parties related to water sourcing and disposal. Non-GAAP Financial Measures Limited Partner ("LP") Coverage is defined as Adjusted EBITDA less maintenance capital expenditures, cash interest expense, and General Partner ("GP") distributions divided by LP Distributions. Cash Interest, Adjusted EBITDA and Distributable Cash Flow are financial measures that are not presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States ("GAAP"). These non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for interest expense, net income (loss), operating income (loss), net cash provided by (used in) operating activities or any other measures prepared under GAAP. Reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to their most comparable GAAP measure can be found in the annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Amounts excluded from these non-GAAP measure in future periods could be significant. The partnership does not provide financial guidance for projected net income or changes in working capital, and, therefore, is unable to provide a reconciliation of its adjusted EBITDA and distributable cash flow projections to net income, operating income, or net cash flow provided by operating activities, the most comparable financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that the Partnership expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, forward-looking statements contained in this press release specifically include the expectations of plans, strategies, objectives and anticipated financial and operating results of the Partnership, including the Partnership's capital expenditure levels and other guidance included in this press release, statements regarding the agreement to acquire additional limited liability company interests of Bobcat DevCo and Beartooth DevCo, its anticipated closing and financing for such acquisition and statements regarding the assets being acquired. These statements are based on certain assumptions made by the Partnership based on management's experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, anticipated future developments and other factors believed to be appropriate. Such statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Partnership, which may cause actual results to differ materially from those implied or expressed by the forward-looking statements. These include, but are not limited to, actual future performance of the Partnership, Bobcat DevCo and Beartooth DevCo, the closing of the acquisition of additional limited liability company interests of Bobcat DevCo and Beartooth DevCo, the availability of financing, changes in oil and natural gas prices, weather and environmental conditions, the timing of planned capital expenditures, availability of other acquisitions and the Partnership's ability to integrate such acquisitions into its existing business, uncertainties in the estimates of proved reserves and forecasted production results of the Partnership's customers, operational factors affecting the commencement or maintenance of producing wells, the condition of the capital markets generally, as well as the Partnership's ability to access them, the proximity to and capacity of transportation facilities, and uncertainties regarding environmental regulations or litigation and other legal or regulatory developments affecting the Partnership's business and other important factors. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties occur, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, the Partnership's actual results and plans could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made and the Partnership undertakes no obligation to correct or update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. About Oasis Midstream Partners LP Oasis Midstream is a growth-oriented, fee-based master limited partnership initially formed by Oasis Petroleum (NYSE: OAS) to own, develop, operate and acquire a diversified portfolio of midstream assets in North America that are integral to the oil and natural gas operations of Oasis Petroleum and strategically positioned to capture volumes from other producers. Oasis Midstream's initial assets are located in the Williston Basin area of North Dakota and Montana. For more information, please visit Oasis Midstream's website at www.oasismidstream.com. Contact: Oasis Midstream Partners LP Bob Bakanauskas, (281) 404-9600 Director, Investor Relations SOURCE Oasis Midstream Partners LP Related Links http://www.oasispetroleum.com HOUSTON, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Oasis Petroleum Inc. (NYSE: OAS) ("Oasis" or the "Company") today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell additional interests in Bobcat DevCo LLC ("Bobcat DevCo") and Beartooth DevCo LLC ("Beartooth DevCo") to Oasis Midstream Partners LP (NYSE: OMP) ("OMP" or the "Partnership") for $250 million, subject to customary purchase price adjustments. The divested assets include a 15% interest in Bobcat DevCo and 30% interest in Beartooth DevCo. The consideration is expected to consist of $125 million in cash from borrowings under OMP's credit facility, with the remainder to come from, depending on market conditions, proceeds from any capital market transactions and/or the issuance of common units representing limited partner interests in OMP to Oasis. "Through this transaction, we were able to enhance the financial profiles of both Oasis and OMP, while strengthening our competitive position," said Thomas B. Nusz, Oasis' Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "The drop is accretive to Oasis and further improves Oasis' leverage position. The Williston Basin remains one of the premier oil basins in the U.S. and both companies are well positioned to grow and generate strong returns through the commodity cycle." Bobcat DevCo's assets are focused in the Wild Basin operating area and include gas gathering, compression and gas lift, crude oil gathering and produced water gathering and disposal. Bobcat DevCo is a particularly strategic midstream asset, as it has been a key contributor to the early success of connecting third-party volumes to OMP's gas plants. Oasis and OMP have invested heavily in Bobcat DevCo in 2018, positioning the DevCo for over 50% EBITDA growth in 2019. These investments have been to support both Oasis' volume growth as well as third-party opportunities at attractive build multiples. The Beartooth DevCo owns significant water infrastructure assets across most of Oasis' core operating areas. These assets, which gather and dispose of produced water, deliver freshwater for well completions and deliver freshwater for production optimization services, are predominately located in Oasis' Alger, Cottonwood, Hebron, Indian Hills and Red Bank operating areas. Substantially all of the area around the Beartooth DevCo's acreage dedication can be serviced by these assets, with minimal additional expansion capital expenditures given the reach of our widely dispersed infrastructure systems currently in place. Beartooth DevCo's infrastructure can easily service additional wells through low-cost connections. Beartooth DevCo's extensive footprint has allowed OMP to secure agreements with third-parties related to water sourcing and disposal. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, forward-looking statements contained in this press release specifically include statements regarding the agreement to sell additional limited liability company interests of Bobcat DevCo and Beartooth DevCo, its anticipated closing and financing for such sale transaction and statements regarding the assets being sold. These statements are based on certain assumptions made by the Company based on management's experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, anticipated future developments and other factors believed to be appropriate. Such statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, which may cause actual results to differ materially from those implied or expressed by the forward-looking statements. These include, but are not limited to, the closing of the sale of additional limited liability company interests of Bobcat DevCo and Beartooth DevCo, changes in oil and natural gas prices, weather and environmental conditions, the timing of planned capital expenditures, availability of acquisitions, uncertainties in estimating proved reserves and forecasting production results, operational factors affecting the commencement or maintenance of producing wells, the condition of the capital markets generally, as well as the Company's ability to access them, the proximity to and capacity of transportation facilities, and uncertainties regarding environmental regulations or litigation and other legal or regulatory developments affecting the Company's business and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected as described in the Company's reports filed with the SEC. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made and the Company undertakes no obligation to correct or update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. About Oasis Petroleum Inc. Oasis is an independent exploration and production company focused on the acquisition and development of unconventional oil and natural gas resources, primarily operating in the Williston and Delaware Basins. For more information, please visit the Company's website at www.oasispetroleum.com. About Oasis Midstream Partners LP Oasis Midstream is a growth-oriented, fee-based master limited partnership initially formed by Oasis Petroleum (NYSE: OAS) to own, develop, operate and acquire a diversified portfolio of midstream assets in North America that are integral to the oil and natural gas operations of Oasis Petroleum and strategically positioned to capture volumes from other producers. Oasis Midstream's initial assets are located in the Williston Basin area of North Dakota and Montana. For more information, please visit Oasis Midstream's website at www.oasismidstream.com. SOURCE Oasis Petroleum Inc. Related Links http://www.oasispetroleum.com CHICAGO, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Peapod today announced that Selma Postma, who most recently served as general manager of Albert Heijn Online, has been appointed to the role of president, Peapod, effective Jan. 1, 2019. "We're extremely pleased to have Selma to serve at the helm of Peapod," said JJ Fleeman, chief ecommerce officer and President, Peapod Digital Labs. "Selma has a proven track record of building an omnichannel experience at Albert Heijn, where she accelerated online growth to more than 20 percent annually and launched several customer-facing solutions, such as the popular mobile app, Appie, single sign-on with bol.com, the largest online, non-food retailer in the Netherlands, and much more. We are confident her expertise will accelerate the ecommerce experience for Peapod customers and continue to grow sales." Postma joins Peapod after a distinguished career of nearly 20 years at Albert Heijn, Ahold Delhaize's largest grocery retailer in the Netherlands. Since 2014, she was General Manager of Albert Heijn Online, where she led the transformation of Albert Heijn into an omnichannel retailer by optimizing ah.nl and creating customer features such as predict my list, voice assistants and subscription services. "I'm very excited to join Peapod, which has a great 30-year heritage in eCommerce to build upon as we look to future growth," said Postma. "I look forward to working with the team that has built this strong brand, along with Peapod Digital Labs and the great local U.S. brands of Ahold Delhaize, to continue to accelerate sales and deliver a world-class consumer experience." Postma holds a business administration degree in Strategic Management from Erasmus University Rotterdam. She will relocate to Chicago, Ill., with her husband and three children in the new year. About Peapod Peapod, an Ahold Delhaize USA company, is America's leading online grocer with over 45 million orders delivered to date. Peapod's intuitive, inspiring website and award-winning mobile app allow customers to shop faster and smarter as well as save time and money with each order. Peapod is an easy and convenient solution for the busy consumer shopping for fresh groceries, pantry staples and meal solutions. Peapod offers delivery to both homes and businesses, and has over 200 pick-up locations. Peapod is available in 24 metro markets across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Maryland, District of Columbia, and Virginia. SOURCE Peapod Related Links http://www.peapod.com HAUPPAUGE, N.Y., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- While your pool sits covered until the spring, now's the time to think about how you can enhance your pool experience come the summer. The fall is a great time to start thinking about pool-improvement projects, whether they're based on appearance or utility. If you ended last season craving more for your outdoor space, this is the time to lay out your plan and cultivate a brand-new backyard before the weather warms up again. What should your new backyard incorporate? Removable pool fence company, LOOP-LOC, forecasts next season's pool design trendscheck them out below to see what you can incorporate into your own personal paradise. Invisible Edges: Otherwise known as an "infinity pool", this pool trend creates an illusion of a disappearing pool edge, making it seem like the pool suddenly disappears into the horizon. Even if you're assuming this style is limited to the classiest hotels and spas, think again: if your pool is raised or built near some kind of ledge or other water body, you can very easily take advantage of this trend by swapping out your pool walls for an invisible edge. "Smart" Pools: As technology becomes increasingly ingrained into our everyday lives, more and more of our daily activities become automated in some way. This pool trend has been up and coming, as companies continue to release new mobile apps and matching accessories to take care of regular pool functions. These pool products can often handle regular vacuuming, chemical balancing, chlorine levels, and water temperature, among other pool features like fountains and lights. Investing in automated pool accessories is sure to save you time this summer. Energy Efficiency: As concerns about environmental conservation continue to grow, many are doing their part to conserve energy. Pool mechanical systems are being produced to prioritize energy efficiency, which not only saves the planet, but also saves your money on your electrical bill. Investing in energy efficient heaters, lights, and filters will have you paying a higher bill upfront, but the investment allows you to benefit from cut energy costs later. Darker Pool Liners: Most pools have a typical light blue liner, and if that works for your aesthetic, then great! However, the upcoming trend in pool design is a little darker: deeper pool colors like a sea green or darker blue create the illusion of a more natural body of water in your backyard. If you value the natural look or want your pool to be an enchanting oasis for guests, these darker liner colors will be great for your backyard. In addition, these darker colors absorb more heat than their lighter counterparts, naturally increasing the temperature of your pool to a more comfortable level. Take these four trends and try to fit them into your backyard. Whether all or none of them work out, it's always fun to play around with your pool design and experiment every few seasons with a new look. Feel free to keep up with the trends or go off the beaten pathit's your pool after all, so the only person who needs to love it is you! About LOOP-LOC: There's only one company known for manufacturing safety pool covers strong and tough enough to support an elephant: the legendary LOOP-LOC. LOOP-LOC, removable pool fence company is a global leader in the pool industry with a 200,000-square-foot headquarters in Hauppauge, New York, and 300 employees. Through its network of dealers, the company has sold safety swimming pool covers on every continent on earth except Antarctica. LOOP-LOC now also manufactures a line of luxury in-ground pool linerswith more exclusive designer patterns than any other companyas well as the BABY-LOC removable fencing, a convenient, cost-effective additional layer of protection to help deter toddlers from gaining access to a swimming pool. Media Contact: Jacqueline Routh, fishbat media, 855-347-4228, [email protected] SOURCE LOOP-LOC WASHINGTON, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the U.S. Small Business Administration today issued the report Financing their Future: Veteran Entrepreneurs and Capital Access. The report provides a comprehensive look at the state of entrepreneurship for military veterans, while presenting new small business credit data from the Federal Reserve Banks' 2017 Small Business Credit Survey (SBCS). "Clearly, aspiring veteran entrepreneurs can benefit from preparation and training to start their businesses and succeed in the marketplace," said Larry Stubblefield, Associate Administrator of the SBA's Office of Veterans Business Development. "This report highlights the value of SBA-partnered resources like the Boots to Business entrepreneurship training program, which helps veterans as they navigate the challenges in financing, starting and growing their companies." "To solve a problem, it's critical first to understand its scope. This report presents the most substantial evidence to date of the challenges veteran-owned businesses face in accessing capital," said Claire Kramer Mills, New York Fed assistant vice president. "By understanding how much credit veteran-owned businesses are seeking, where they're applying, and the nature of their financing challenges, policy makers and service providers can better help veterans overcome financing shortfalls." The report found that: Despite similar demand for financing, veteran-owned small business applicants were more likely than non-veteran-owned small business applicants to experience "financing shortfalls," where they received less than the amount of credit they sought. They have lower approval rates at the most popular lenders, and the amount of SBA-guaranteed loans they have received has increased more slowly over time than for non-veterans. This discrepancy in financing experiences could be attributable to the smaller loan amounts that veteran-owned businesses seek, higher credit risk, and lack of information. To further the research on small business financing, business owners are invited to participate in the 2018 Small Business Credit Survey. Go to the report for more on key findings and conclusions. About the U.S. Small Business Administration The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov. Contact: [email protected] (202) 205-6987 [email protected] (212) 720-6885 Release Number: 18-68 Follow us on Twitter , Facebook , Blogs & Instagram SOURCE U.S. Small Business Administration Related Links http://www.sba.gov Company invites individual and institutional investors, as well as advisors, to attend interactive, real-time virtual event MADRID, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Repsol S.A. (Spain: REP,OTCQX: REPYY) based in Madrid, and focused on Oil & Gas, today announced Repsol's Head of Investor Relation's Front Office, Pablo Bannatyne will present at the dbVIC - Deutsche Bank American Depositary Receipt (ADR) Virtual Investor Conference on 2018. This virtual investor conference is aimed exclusively at introducing global companies with ADR programs to investors. DATE: November 14, 2018 TIME: 12:00 PM ET LINK: https://tinyurl.com/111415dbvicprepr This will be a live, interactive online event where investors are invited to ask international companies their questions in real-time and to download a company's information in their "virtual trade booth" in the Exhibits section. If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an on-demand archive will be available for 90 days. Participation is free of charge. It is recommended that investors pre-register to save time and receive event updates. Recent Company Highlights About Repsol Contacts SOURCE Repsol S.A. Related Links https://www.repsol.com TSX.V: SCZ FSE: 1SZ VANCOUVER, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd. (TSX.V:SCZ) (the "Company" or "Santacruz") reports on the operating results from the Veta Grande Project in Zacatecas, Mexico and the Rosario Project in San Luis Potosi, Mexico for the third quarter of 2018. During Q3 2018 the Company produced a total of 249,431 silver equivalent ounces, a 43% increase over Q2 2018 production (174,175 silver equivalent ounces) and an 8% increase over Q3 2017 production (231,162 silver equivalent ounces). When compared to Q2 2018 the increased production primarily reflects a 15% increase in tonnes milled and a 45% increase in silver equivalent head grade at the Veta Grande Project offset by a 26% decrease in silver equivalent head grade at the Rosario Project. When compared to Q3 2017 the increased production reflects 24% increase in tonnes milled and a 34% increase in silver equivalent head grade at the Veta Grande Project offset by a 16% decrease in tonnes milled and a 35% decrease in silver equivalent head grade at the Rosario Project. Mr. Carlos Silva, Chief Operating Officer, stated "I am pleased to report that we are on track to reach our objective of increasing production and efficiencies at Veta Grande as indicated by our quarter over quarter results. At the same time our exploration activities are delineating a solid path forward for the development of Veta Grande into a significant silver producer. As for the Rosario Project, development work at the Membrillo Prospect is well on its way to reach the targeted mineralized area and preparation of production stopes is underway with the aim of being in full production in Q4 2018 as originally planned." 2018 Third Quarter Consolidated Production Results Summary of Production Results 2018 Q3 2018 Q2 2017 Q3 Material Processed (tonnes milled) 57,976 52,025 46,940 Silver eqv. ounce production(1) 249,431 174,175 231,162 Silver production (ounces) 80,611 56,122 88,234 Gold production (ounces) 225 143 394 Lead production (tonnes) 301 142 148 Zinc production (tonnes) 644 507 595 Average Head Grade (g/t Ag Eqv.) 213 176 201 2018 Third Quarter Veta Grande Project Production Results Summary of Production Results 2018 Q3 2018 Q2 2017 Q3 Material Processed (tonnes milled) 42,011 36,622 27,984 Silver eqv. ounce production(1) 183,198 84,271 103,473 Silver production (ounces) 62,250 36,741 61,960 Silver head grade (g/t) 77 70 107 Gold head grade (g/t) 0.26 0.17 0.17 Lead had grade (%/t) .80 .41 0.51 Zinc head grade (%/t) 1.94 1.14 0.77 Silver recovery (%) 60 45 65 Gold production (ounces) 140 59 66 Lead production (tonnes) 268 111 99 Zinc production (tonnes) 432 164 146 Average Head Grade (g/t Ag Eqv.) 234 161 174 2018 Third Quarter Rosario Project Production Results Summary of Production Results 2018 Q3 2018 Q2 2017 Q3 Material Processed (tonnes milled) 15,965 15,403 18,956 Silver eqv. ounce production(1) 66,233 89,904 127,689 Silver production (ounces) 18,361 19,381 26,274 Silver head grade (g/t) 41 44 51 Gold head grade (g/t) 0.26 0.26 0.67 Lead head grade (%/t) 0.23 0.23 0.31 Zinc head grade (%/t) 1.58 2.54 2.61 Silver recovery (%) 87 89 85 Gold production (ounces) 85 84 328 Lead production (tonnes) 33 31 49 Zinc production (tonnes) 212 344 449 Average Head Grade (g/t Ag Eqv.) 156 212 241 (1 AgEqvOz = (Au*Pau)+(Ag*Pag)+(Pb*Ppb*2205)+(Zn*Pzn*2205) (Pag) Metal Prices 2018: Ag $17.00, Au $1,295, Pb $1.00, Zn $1.35 Metal Prices 2017: Ag $16.00, Au $1,150, Pb $1.00, Zn $1.15 Share Issuance Pursuant to an amended financial advisory agreement between the Company and Haywood Securities Inc. ("Haywood"), the Company intends to issue 250,000 of its common shares (the "Advisory Fee Shares") and provide a cash payment of $1,063 to Haywood in satisfaction of general financial advisory services provided to the Company by Haywood, including services relating to the Company's disposition of its interest in the Gavilanes Project in August 2017. The Advisory Fee Shares will be issued at a deemed share price of $0.085 (gross value: $21,250). The Advisory Fee Shares will be subject to a four-month hold period. The issuance of the Advisory Fee Shares is subject to TSX Venture Exchange acceptance. About Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd. Santacruz is a Mexican focused silver company with two producing silver projects, Veta Grande and Rosario, and two exploration properties, the Minillas property and Zacatecas properties. The Company is managed by a technical team of professionals with proven track records in developing, operating and discovering silver mines in Mexico. Our corporate objective is to become a mid-tier silver producer. 'signed' Arturo Prestamo Elizondo, President, Chief Executive Officer and 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. Forward looking information Certain statements contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information is based on plans, expectations and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to certain factors and assumptions. In making the forward-looking statements included in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, assumptions as to the continuation of payments under the Agreement, the expansion of the Vita Grande Project, the Company's financial condition and development plans do not change as a result of unforeseen events, third party mineralized material to be milled by the Company will have properties consistent with management's expectations, that the Company will receive all required regulatory approvals, and that future metal prices and the demand and market outlook for metals will remain stable or improve. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause plans, estimates and actual results to vary materially from those projected in such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause the forward-looking information in this news release to change or to be inaccurate include, but are not limited to, the risk that any of the assumptions referred to prove not to be valid or reliable, which could result in lower revenue, higher cost, or lower production levels; delays and/or cessation in planned work; changes in the Company's financial condition and development plans; delays in regulatory approval; risks associated with the interpretation of data (including in respect of the third party mineralized material) regarding the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; the possibility that results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations, as well as the other risks and uncertainties applicable to mineral exploration and development activities and to the Company as set forth in the Company's continuous disclosure filings filed under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. There can be no assurance that any forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader should not place any undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information or statements, other than as required by applicable law. Rosario Project The decisions to commence production at the Rosario Mine, Cinco Estrellas Property and Membrillo Prospect were not based on a feasibility study of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability, but rather on a more preliminary estimate of inferred mineral resources. Accordingly, there is increased uncertainty and economic and technical risks of failure associated with this production decision. Production and economic variables may vary considerably, due to the absence of a complete and detailed site analysis according to and in accordance with NI 43-101. Veta Grande Project The decision to commence production at Veta Grande Project was not based on a feasibility study on mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability. Accordingly, there is increased uncertainty and economic and technical risks of failure associated with this production decision. Production and economic variables may vary considerably due to the absence of a complete and detailed site analysis according to and in accordance with NI 43-101. SOURCE Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd. Related Links www.santacruzsilver.com VALENCIA, Calif., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Scorpion Healthcare, the largest healthcare-specific digital marketing and website technology provider, announced plans to launch Scorpion Marketing System 8 (SMS 8) at the 22nd annual Greystone.net Healthcare Internet Conference in Scottsdale, AZ. SMS 8 combines a simple-to-use yet robust content management system (CMS) developed specifically for hospital websites with transparent website analytics and Scorpion's award-winning digital advertising campaign playbooks. In conjunction with Scorpion's managed services, SMS 8 makes it easier than ever for healthcare marketers to deploy cutting edge hospital websites, manage all website and digital content, as well as scale, measure, and optimize digital marketing campaigns. "Leading healthcare executives tell us they are constantly looking to simplify," said Brian Q Davis, Scorpion Healthcare Senior Vice President. "They want fewer solutions. Fewer vendors. More accountability. They are tired of spending their limited resources deploying CMS technologies in conjunction with complicated marketing and advertising strategies. The SMS 8 platform of technology and services brings it all together and lifts the burden off their shoulders. It simplifies the pathway for healthcare systems to deploy world-class, patient-focused websites and launch digital marketing campaigns at scale." SMS 8 was created to deliver a better digital presence for healthcare organizations of all sizes, from small hospitals to large IDNs. Notable features include: A cutting-edge Content Management System that enables a healthcare marketing professional to manage one or many hospital websites from a single platform Healthcare-specific functionality and systems, including a robust physicians directory Integrated website and digital presence analytics World-class digital marketing campaign execution and reporting powered by Scorpion's award-winning digital media platform "Having worked with more than 250 hospitals over the past 10 years, we created SMS 8 specifically for healthcare marketers who have shared the challenges they have managing websites and advertising campaigns on platforms such as Google, Bing, Facebook, Pandora, and other digital media publishers and networks," said Rustin Kretz, CEO of Scorpion. "Coupled with Scorpion's award-winning customer service, SMS 8 gives healthcare marketers the ability to manage one or hundreds of websites as well as access all the data they need to make important digital marketing decisions. From tracking individual visitor journeys online to which site systems are driving the most engagement, data is segmented in such a way that marketing managers get the clearest picture of performance from every possible angle." Schedule a marketing review and learn more about Scorpion Marketing System 8 today at www.scorpionhealthcare.com . ABOUT SCORPION Scorpion is an award-winning internet marketing company that assists ambitious businesses in the legal, healthcare, franchise, and home services industries looking to grow to new heights with their online presence. Companies partner with Scorpion to help guide them to achieve their biggest goals online. SOURCE Scorpion Related Links https://www.scorpion.co I think what would be really important is the project starts and ends on time, Abu-Taleb said. What is really important for businesses is certainty. They want to be able to tell their customers this mess will be done by this date. MIDDLETOWN, N.J., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Gallagher Affinity has launched its new online 360 Coverage Pros portal, a discounted suite of cyber security solutions for companies who are under contract with the U.S. Federal Government to meet the growing demand for cyber and data breach prevention, insurance and compliance. "We're proud to partner with 360 Coverage Pros to deliver our cutting-edge cybersecurity and end-point protection to federal contractors," says Will Lynch, Founder & CEO of Secure CyberID. "Cyber criminals and foreign adversaries continue to target small to-midsize businesses, especially in the Federal Government supply chain. Often with limited resources (IT and financial), these SMBs are viewed as easy targets for cyber-attacks." 360 Coverage Pros will offer federal contractors' Data Breach & Cyber Liability Insurance from industry leading insurance carriers, NIST 800-171 and DFARS compliance services, cyber risk assessments, as well as data breach protection and response. "The impact of not having Cyber Insurance in place to protect against financial loss can be devastating for a small contractor," states R. Scott Reid, National Director of Cyber and Data Breach Insurance Programs for 360 Coverage Pros. "These mission critical contractors now have easy access to affordable solutions that can help them manage their cyber risk, maintain cyber security best practices and mitigate the risk of a data breach." About 360 Coverage Pros Powered by Gallagher Affinity, 360 Coverage Pros utilizes new innovative technologies to provide turn-key insurance solutions. Serving as the program administrator and provider for over 300 national associations and affinity groups, 360 Coverage Pros offers a fast and easy online application process to bind coverage and provide proof of insurance in just minutes directly from the www.Fed360Cyber.com website. About Secure CyberID Provider of unique and patented cybersecurity, data breach protection and identity theft solutions to commercial enterprise companies, small to-midsize businesses and individuals. For more information, visit www.SecureCyberID.com Contact: Will Lynch Phone: (732) 239-2179 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Secure CyberID Related Links http://www.SecureCyberID.com "Since losing Keith and sharing our story we have had so many people reach out for resources. In today's digital age tweens and teens see and hear about suicide whether we address it with them or not. Parents and educators need to be able to communicate effectively that there is help, support and that asking for help is a sign of strength," said Denise Sprung, suicide prevention advocate and resident of Smithtown, New York . "This is why we chose to allocate such a large amount from the Keith Milano Memorial Fund to the groundbreaking Seize The Awkward campaign. As a parent, I know how important it is to talk to your kid about their mental health and about suicide." Seize the Awkward encourages teens and young adults, particularly those ages 16-24, to create a safe space for their friends to open up about mental health challenges. The campaign personifies an awkward silence that can happen between friends before a conversation about mental health, through the character, Awkward Silence, portrayed by actor and Broadway star Gideon Glick. It shows viewers the opportunity that exists in recognizing something is wrong and breaking through an awkward silence between friends and encourages them to use this moment to check in and ask about mental health. Keith Milano grew up on Long Island where he attended Newfield High School. He went on to the University of Buffalo, and then to Stony Brook University where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in Geology. After graduation, he worked as a hydrogeologist for EnviroTrac. Denise Milano Sprung, Keith's older sister by three years, also attended Newfield High School and the University of Buffalo. Denise and her husband Larry run the Keith Milano Memorial Fund in honor of her younger brother. The Sprung family also made a personal donation to Project 2025 and have been generous contributors to AFSP for many years. About the Keith Milano Memorial Fund The Keith Milano Memorial Fund was established to help raise awareness about the devastating deadly disease that is mental illness. Keith's spirit and laughter is kept alive through our efforts to increase awareness about mental illness and to raise money for education and imperative research. Keith often struggled with society's perception of mental illness. Our hope is that by having the strength to say that Keith was "Bipolar" we can strip away the stigma and help others to be more open about their disease. About AFSP The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide. AFSP creates a culture that's smart about mental health through education and community programs, develops suicide prevention through research and advocacy, and provides support for those affected by suicide. Led by CEO Robert Gebbia and headquartered in New York, and with a public policy office in Washington, D.C., AFSP has local chapters in all 50 states with programs and events nationwide. AFSP celebrates 30 years of service to the suicide prevention movement. Learn more about AFSP in its latest Annual Report, and join the conversation on suicide prevention by following AFSP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. SOURCE American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Related Links http://www.afsp.org PETALUMA, Calif., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Should an entrepreneur wait to construct a business without competition or jump into a market full of competition if it suits their vision? For many, it seems like hostile competition is a given when starting a business due to the number of other businesses that are competing. Some markets grow so hostile that they are compared to "shark-infested waters" and are known as Red Oceans. However, if a company was to develop some unfair advantage, such as exclusivity on information, great connections or technology, it could gain a head start on competition that may allow them an effective window of opportunity before others can catch up. This strategy is known as the Blue Ocean strategy and recently, many entrepreneurs have been advised to construct companies using the Blue Ocean strategy. However, Brandon Frere, CEO of Frere Enterprises and other ventures, believes that entrepreneurs should consider a Red Ocean if their business fits within that vision. "Founders equipped with business knowledge and situational awareness that can provide real value shouldn't shy away from competition," said Frere. "Entering a marketplace that is already competitive just means you need to be ready to win, or you won't." Before starting a business, an entrepreneur may want to ask if their business is trying to be a greater version of a business that already exists or if their business is hoping to create a new market. Red Oceans seek to be great, or the greatest company within a pre-existing market. Because of this, Red Oceans claim a space within an existing market, gain as much information as possible and optimize that space as much as possible to take as many profits as possible. These optimized businesses may be better suited to take advantage of the pre-existing market but may have to become well-organized and effectively built out of necessity in order to survive. This may mean that starting a business in Red Oceans may be the best way to create a greater business within the same market. If an entrepreneur wants to create something fundamentally different, they should consider a Blue Ocean business. Blue Ocean businesses do something fundamentally new, but because of this, they need to make up the metrics for their own success and must wade through a lot of indecision and doubt in order to come out ahead. The advantage of Blue Ocean markets is a head start and potentially reaching an untapped market. Blue Ocean markets can create companies with a unique vision like Amazon, Facebook or Apple that fundamentally change their marketplace. However, Red Ocean businesses can carve out a stable, reliable income and may be easier to set up and may help develop skills that are useful in either ocean. When a Blue Ocean business begins to expand, they may come to rely upon executives skilled at business performance that come from Red Ocean backgrounds. Business professionals may learn how to take advantage of any opportunities in a Red Ocean and use that skill to great effect in a Blue Ocean. Because of this, if the vision and information behind an entrepreneur's business lead to a Red Ocean, they should jump at it. "I know I'm in the minority because I prefer markets that are harder to enter; as long as I've done enough research to know I won't lose money," said Frere. "Entering a market with some competition can teach an entrepreneur how to plan effectively, how to organize effectively and how to win." About Brandon Frere Brandon Frere is an entrepreneur and businessman who lives in Sonoma County, California. He has designed and created multiple companies to meet the ever-demanding needs of businesses and consumers, alike. His website, www.BrandonFrere.com, is used as a means of communicating many of the lessons, fundamentals and information that he has learned throughout his extensive business and personal endeavors, most recently in advocating on behalf of student loan borrowers nationwide. As experienced during his own student loan repayment, Mr. Frere found out how difficult it can be to work with federally contracted student loan servicers and the repayment programs designed to help borrowers. Through those efforts, he gained an insider's look into the repayment process and the motivations behind the inflating student loan debt bubble. His knowledge of the often confusing landscape of student loan repayment became a vital theme in his future endeavors, and he now uses those experiences to help guide others through the daunting process of applying for available federal repayment and loan forgiveness programs. BrandonFrere.com Related Images image1.png red-sky-blue-sea.jpg Red Sky, Blue Sea denbelitsky/Bigstock.com Related Links Brandon Frere website SOURCE Brandon Frere Related Links http://www.BrandonFrere.com CORAL SPRINGS, Fla., Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Silver Miller (www.SilverMillerLaw.com) -- the leading cryptocurrency investor law firm in America -- continues to be a strong advocate for cryptocurrency investors harmed in a variety of ways. Along with aiding cryptocurrency investors abused by onerous cryptocurrency exchanges or duped by fraudulent Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs), Silver Miller has recently filed against AT&T and T-Mobile several arbitration claims on behalf of crypto asset holders victimized in an emerging identity theft crisis known as "SIM swapping." By leaving holes in their security protocols and failing to properly train and monitor their employees, cellphone providers have assisted thieves in remotely taking over the SIM cards in people's smartphones, accessing financial records and account information of the victims, and emptying the victim's accounts of cryptocurrency and other valuable assets. In one such case, Silver Miller's client -- an AT&T accountholder -- was robbed of over $621,000.00 of cryptocurrency in a SIM swap, even after AT&T had assured him it had increased security on his account following an earlier attempted hack. In other cases filed by Silver Miller on behalf of T-Mobile clients, the victims were robbed of $400,000.00 and $250,000.00, respectively, when T-Mobile permitted SIM swaps to take place in similar incidents. Read about the investigation at at https://www.silvermillerlaw.com/current-investigations. "SIM swapping" or "SIM hijacking" is a growing crime in the telecommunications world that, in a few moments' time, can allow a thief to steal millions of dollars of an unsuspecting victim's assets with little more than a persuasive plea for assistance, a willing telecommunications carrier representative, and an electronic impersonation of the victim. Anyone who has been victimized by SIM swapping and has had money, cryptocurrency, or other valuable assets taken from them as a result of a cellphone service provider's failed security protocols should contact Silver Miller without delay to discuss their legal options. Silver Miller is at the forefront of cryptocurrency and financial fraud litigation and fights to protect investors where government regulators and law enforcement officials do not. For more information about the lawsuits -- or if you are a smartphone user victimized by a SIM swap -- please contact David C. Silver, Silver Miller - Managing Partner at (954) 516-6000 or [email protected]. SOURCE Silver Miller Related Links http://www.silvermillerlaw.com TORONTO, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Superior Gold Inc. ("Superior Gold" or the "Company") (TSXV: SGI) announced today that its wholly owned subsidiary, Billabong Gold Pty Ltd ("Billabong") has commenced legal proceedings against Vango Mining Limited (ASX: VAN) ("Vango") and its wholly owned subsidiary Dampier (Plutonic) Pty Ltd ("DPPL") with respect to tenements to the northeast of and separate from its 100% owned Plutonic Gold mine property located 800 kilometres northeast of Perth. Billabong's claim arises out of an Ore Treatment Agreement ("OTA") entered into on September 23, 2014 by Northern Star Resources Ltd ("Northern Star"), Vango and DPPL, which Northern Star assigned to Billabong in October 2016. Billabong claims it held rights of first refusal under the OTA in respect to the tenements within Vango's Plutonic Dome project in Western Australia (Tenements), and that these rights were breached with respect to certain of Vango's and DPPL's intended and actual transactions in 2016 and 2017. Billabong is seeking remedies from the Supreme Court of Western Australia in respect to the alleged breaches. Chris Bradbrook, President and CEO of Superior Gold stated: "It is disappointing that our efforts to resolve this dispute without litigation have been unsuccessful. Notwithstanding our claims, the infrastructure at our Plutonic Gold mine, which currently has excess mill capacity, potentially offers Vango's shareholders the opportunity to develop any financially viable mine on the Tenements in the most expedient and cost effective manner. It is important to note that the Tenements under dispute are entirely unrelated to our 100% owned Plutonic Gold operations, which include the Plutonic underground mine and the Hermes open pit mine." About Superior Gold Superior Gold is a Canadian based gold producer that owns 100% of the Plutonic Gold operations located in Western Australia. The Plutonic Gold operations include the Plutonic Gold mine and central mill, the Hermes open pit gold mine and an interest in the Bryah Basin joint venture. Superior Gold is focused on expanding production at the Plutonic Gold operations and building an intermediate gold producer with superior returns for shareholders. Forward Looking Information This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws that is intended to be covered by the safe harbours created by those laws. "Forward-looking information" includes statements that use forward-looking terminology such as "may", "will", "expect", "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "potential" or the negative thereof or other variations thereof or comparable terminology. Forward looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the Company's objectives, goals or future plans, and statements regarding exploration results and exploration plans. Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and is based upon a number of estimates and assumptions of management at the date the statements are made. Furthermore, such forward-looking information involves a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. See "Risk Factors" in the Company's prospectus dated February 15, 2017 filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com for a discussion of these risks. The Company cautions that there can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Except as required by law, the Company does not assume any obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking information contained in this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE Superior Gold AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, T3 and Serviceplan , two of the most successful independent agencies in the world, are joining forces in a mutually beneficial partnership that will extend T3's footprint globally and extend Serviceplan's footprint to the U.S. As part of this partnership, the agencies will be sharing an office space in New York City in Midtown West opening today, November 8. Both companies are privately owned and managed by second-generation executives. The firms will retain their independence while collaborating on new business opportunities. "As independent agencies, we have the freedom to service our clients without the barriers of a holding company, which we believe is the way of the future," states Ben Gaddis, President of T3. "We want to continue to put our clients at the foreground of what we do and are excited to extend our capabilities with this partnership." Serviceplan Group CEO Florian Haller added, "We are excited about our future partnership with T3 as we grow our footprint in the U.S. We are confident we will be able to make great strides internally, through the collaboration, and externally with the great resources that T3 can provide for us as we conversely help build their global presence." This innovative partnership will also allow career development opportunities for the agencies through an exchange program that invites employees from both companies to work abroad. Elements of this partnership allow for each company to truly benefit from their regional and global strengths. About T3 T3 helps clients build Useful Brands. It is one of the largest independent agencies in the country with offices nationwide. Ranked alongside the world's top innovation agencies, T3 works with Allstate, UPS, 7-Eleven, Capital One, Pizza Hut, Rite Aid, FOCUS Brands (Auntie Anne's, Carvel, Cinnabon, McAlister's Deli, Moe's Southwest Grill and Schlotzsky's) and other clients. About Serviceplan The Serviceplan Group is the largest and most diversified owner-managed and partner-managed agency group in Europe. Founded in 1970 in Munich as a traditional advertising agency, Serviceplan today has offices in 38 locations worldwide and more than 4,100 employees whose work regularly wins awards at national and international creative competitions. In 2018 Serviceplan entered the AdAge Agency Report Global Ranking at number 22, and featured in the 2018 Top 5 Innovation Agencies of the Year in the Cannes Lions Global Creativity Report. As well as Serviceplan itself, the additional corporate brands within the Group the media agency Mediaplus, the digital agency Plan.Net, and the market research institute Facit also rank among the market leaders in their respective competitive environments. The precise interplay between the various specialist agencies more than 45 in all in matters of creation, technology and media makes Serviceplan the leading agency group for innovative communication. In order to guarantee outstanding performance in the execution of its campaigns, Serviceplan is represented with its own offices in all significant economic areas in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia. The global network is called Serviceplan International. MEDIA CONTACT: Madison Scullin Marketing Manager, T3 512-439-1437 [email protected] SOURCE T3 Related Links https://www.t-3.com HOUSTON, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Texan Allergy & Sinus Center (TASC), the largest and fastest-growing allergy company in the state, is expanding its footprint by opening multiple clinics across the greater Houston area. TASC has hired board-certified Houston allergist Dr. Rubina Wahid to spearhead the company's efforts to open six clinics in Houston and surrounding cities, with the first two opening mid-November in Sugar Land and Katy. The company has 30 clinics planned by 2019, with 22 current locations across major cities including Dallas, Austin and San Antonio. Dr. Silvers, the head of our OIT program, and Dr. Wahid, our new Houston area physician, going over treatment options. "We're extremely excited to expand our services to the greater Houston area," said Allie Thompson, CEO and co-founder of TASC. "Our partnership with Source Capital has helped us strategically identify and support areas for our company to grow." TASC offers a unique and effective alternative to conventional allergy treatment known as sublingual immunotherapy, or allergy drops. The treatment is widely popular among allergy sufferers due to its ease and convenience. Patients as young as 6 months old can benefit from the treatment. TASC will also be offering the groundbreaking food allergy treatment oral immunotherapy (OIT) at the Houston clinics along with an array of sinus procedures, including Balloon Sinuplasty. Balloon Sinuplasty is a minimally invasive, in-office procedure that is gaining traction in clinics nationwide. Dr. Chris Thompson, chief medical officer and co-founder of TASC, served on a panel of physicians who helped shape the balloon technology when it was first being designed over 10 years ago. In August, TASC announced plans to further expand throughout Texas and out-of-state after partnering with Source Capital LLC, a private equity firm. TASC and Source Capital plan to continue building upon the company's market-leading presence across Central Texas, while also targeting expansion opportunities in key Texas and out-of-state markets. TASC will pursue new affiliations with independent allergy practices to continue to support clinicians while maintaining a patient-first culture. For more information: http://www.texanallergy.com. Media Contact: Kyle Caton Phone: 832.671.7718 Email: [email protected] Phone: 832.671.771 Related Links TASC Website SOURCE Texan Allergy & Sinus Center Related Links http://www.texanallergy.com This latest infusion of funding by LLS, the world's largest nonprofit devoted to curing blood cancers, brings the organization's current commitment to more than $188 million in multi-year grants, supporting more than 240 top scientific investigators at the world's most prestigious cancer institutions, including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, City of Hope and Stanford University, as well as institutions in Australia, Europe and Canada. LLS-supported researchers are advancing new approaches to blood cancers, including immunotherapy, genomics and precision medicine. Importantly, these innovations are now being applied to research and treatments for patients with other cancers and chronic diseases. "Advances in technology have helped bring a deeper understanding of the drivers of cancer, and we are seeing remarkable progress in our quest for cures," said Louis J. DeGennaro, Ph.D., LLS's president and CEO. "Our longtime vision and investment in innovative research is having an impact on patients today. Remarkably, from the start of 2017 through today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved 32 blood cancer treatments and LLS helped advance 26 of these at some point in their development journey." Since its start almost 70 years ago, LLS has invested more than $1.2 billion in cancer research, resulting in game-changing advances; among the latest LLS-supported research projects are efforts to produce the next wave of immunotherapy treatments, new strategies to address the unmet needs of children with acute leukemia, and cures for lethal diseases such as acute myeloid leukemia (AML), myeloma and lymphoma. With 45 new grants supporting early career investigators, we continue to foster the next generation of scientists. Here's how the research grant investment breaks down: Specialized Center of Research The most ambitious of LLS's research grants, Specialized Center of Research (SCOR) grants convene multidisciplinary teams of researchers to solve the most difficult challenges in blood cancer. Each program is supported by a $5 million grant over a five-year period. Currently, 11 SCOR grants are running simultaneously, including two special SCOR grants focused on mantle cell lymphoma thanks to a generous gift from The Sarah Cannon Fund at The HCA Foundation. This year, LLS awarded SCOR grants to three new teams: John Cleveland, Ph.D., Moffitt Cancer Center, leads a team including scientists at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to understand how chronic inflammation of bone marrow in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) impairs their immune system from fighting cancer cells. The team is working on different therapies to cure MDS or prevent it from progressing to the more deadly acute myeloid leukemia. The program is highly relevant since the prevalence of MDS is estimated to exceed 100,000 patients in the US, is expected to continue to grow with an aging population, and few therapies are available for these patients. Helen Heslop, M.D., leads a team at Baylor College of Medicine developing cellular therapies infusing patients with living cells that are specially programmed to target diseases such as leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. On the frontlines of the immunotherapy revolution, Heslop is working on the next generation of immune-based therapies, including maximizing newly-approved chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, which engineers T cells to kill cancer cells. Her team is also developing so-called "off-the-shelf" CAR-Ts using donor rather than patients' cells. Another project involves developing an oral vaccine to boost the cancer fighting T cells of myeloma patients, and a third is developing a CAR-T for patients diagnosed with AML. Craig Jordan, Ph.D., University of Colorado, and his colleagues are taking a multi-pronged approach to eradicate cancer stem cells in AML patients. Treating the cancer without ridding the body of the stem cells is like mowing the lawn but leaving the roots, Jordan says. While one team is developing a process to kill the stem cells by blocking their ability to produce energy, others are utilizing combination therapies to attack the cancer on multiple fronts, using each patient's unique stem cells to personalize therapy. Most notably, his team was pivotal in demonstrating that a combination of azacitidine plus a targeted therapy called venetoclax can produce long-term disease control in patients with AML, and appears to be a game-changer for the future therapy of the disease. The work is supported by a matching fund from the University of Colorado Medical Center. New Ways to Treat Children with Cancer LLS has a long history of helping children with cancer. In fact, it is redoubling efforts to find new treatments for children and adolescents who don't respond to standard care. To this end, LLS is leading a collaboration of pediatric physicians and scientists to develop the framework for a multi-arm clinical trial testing targeted therapies in pediatric acute leukemia. Further, LLS is committed to investing more than $20 million in childhood cancer research over the next five years. Here are some of the new projects that have just started: Todd Druley, M.D., Ph.D., Washington University in St. Louis, has received a Career Development Program (CDP) Scholar grant to study AML in children. Druley attributes poor outcomes in children with AML to residual cancer cells that remain after treatment. His lab is developing a strategy to sharpen molecular detection of AML and identify the precision medicine agents that best target individual patients. Mignon Loh, M.D., University of California San Francisco, received a Translational Research Program (TRP) grant, a program that helps researchers take their discoveries from lab to clinic. Loh and her team are developing a strategy for treating an aggressive pediatric cancer called juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML). The team is studying why JMML resists treatment in some patients, and is testing an approach combining targeted therapy with an epigenetic modifier, a therapy that alters gene behavior in a way that may enhance the destruction of cancer cells. Carolyn Felix, M.D., Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, received a TRP focused on a high-risk subset of pediatric AML patients with a mutation called "mixed lineage leukemia-rearranged" (MLL-AML), which has a very poor survival prognosis. The team is developing a therapy that combines an old class of chemotherapy called TOP2 poisons with a molecularly targeted therapy that blocks an enzyme called DOT1L associated with MLL AML. Tomasz Cierpicki, M.D., University of Michigan, is using his new TRP to study a subtype of pediatric AML caused by a genetic mutation called Nup98-NSD1. He is investigating treating the cancer with a targeted therapy that inhibits the NSD1 enzyme. Soheil Meshinchi, M.D., Ph.D., Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, is studying an antibody drug conjugate a therapy that links an antibody with a cancer-killing chemical to target a protein called mesothelin that is highly expressed in children with AML. The work is supported by a matching gift from Bayer pharmaceuticals. Releasing the Brakes on the Immune System Harnessing the body's immune system to fight cancer is becoming a mainstay of cancer treatment. In addition to CAR-T, another transformational approach is checkpoint inhibitor therapy. This approach suppresses the proteins that allow cancer cells to hide from the immune system. Knocking out these "checkpoint" proteins frees T cells to find and attack cancer cells. LLS is supporting many researchers pursuing this field of study: Phillipe Armand, M.D., Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, is testing various combinations of immunotherapy to target multiple checkpoint proteins simultaneously in follicular lymphoma. Lakshmi Nayak, M.D., of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, is testing the treatment in patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), alone and in combination with ibrutinib, a therapy that inhibits the BTK protein prevalent in several types of cancers. Previously published work by Nayak in a limited number of PCNSL patients already shows great promise in controlling the disease. Amer Zeidan, M.D., Yale of New Haven Health, is testing a combined targeted therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors to treat patients with myelodysplastic syndromes and chronic myeloid leukemia. Christiane Querfeld, M.D., of City of Hope is testing immune checkpoint inhibitors in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Next Generation CAR-T This revolutionary approach is already approved in acute lymphoblastic leukemia for children, teenagers, young adults up to age 25, and in certain large B-cell lymphomas, and LLS researchers are pursuing its utility in other blood cancers. Ravindra Majeti, M.D., Ph.D., Stanford University, is developing a CAR-T for acute myeloid leukemia. One of the risks of the aforementioned experimental "off-the-shelf" CAR T-cell therapy is that the patient's body might reject the donor cells. Maksim Mamonkin, Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine, is developing an "off-the-shelf" CAR-T that would resist this response. Continuing the Offensive Against AML Two years after launching our Beat AML Master Clinical Trial, LLS has enrolled more than 400 patients at 13 cancer centers around the country, with seven pharmaceutical companies testing their therapies in 11 different study arms. LLS will present its first sets of data at the 60th American Society of Hematology Meeting in San Diego in December. Many of these patients have gone on to receive one of the experimental therapies in the trial. In addition to the Master Clinical Trial, LLS's work to conquer AML proceeds on multiple fronts. G. Greg Wang, Ph.D., University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, is using a cutting-edge gene-editing tool called CRISPR, combined with genetic profiling to understand the mechanisms and pathways by which a particular mutation called DNMT3A leads to the development of AML. Several researchers, including Jason Butler, Ph.D., Hackensack University Medical Center, are investigating the relationship between aging and the development of AML cells. Maria Figueroa, M.D., University of Miami, is working to understand why epigenetics, small chemical changes that regulate the ability of genes to ultimately control cellular function, go awry with age and lead to cancers like AML. Deeper understanding of these aberrations could lead the way to early intervention strategies. Tomasz Skorski, M.D., Ph.D., Temple University, is using genetic profiling technology to find leukemic stem cells in AML so they can be targeted and eradicated. The March to Myeloma Cures Myeloma remains incurable, despite a multitude of new therapies that have extended life for thousands of patients over the past decade. LLS supports the work of researchers deploying the latest technologies and emerging therapies to improve outcomes for these patients. Jianhua Yu, Ph.D., City of Hope, is combining CAR-T and bispecific antibodies to treat patients with myeloma, while Mala Shanmugam, Ph.D., Winship Cancer Institute Emory University, is testing whether myeloma patients will respond to venetoclax, which is FDA-approved for chronic lymphocytic leukemia and close to an FDA decision for AML. Toward Prevention of Blood Cancer While the causative basis for blood cancer remains largely elusive, LLS has partnered with the Rising Tide Foundation for Clinical Cancer Research (RTFCCR) to explore ways to either detect mutations in otherwise normal healthy individuals or develop ultrasensitive methods to detect cancer cells that remain after therapy. Ola Landgren, M.D., Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, is using immuno-positron emission tomography to detect and localize small numbers of remaining multiple myeloma cells after therapy or detect them in patients with pre-myeloma conditions. George Vassilou, Ph.D., The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK, is exploring how the aging process leads to genetic changes that causes healthy individuals to progress to a range of leukemias. A third grant with world-wide collaborators, studying a similar phenomenon as Vassilou, will be announced shortly. LLS's Venture Philanthropy Focus In addition to its investment through grants, and to help get new therapies to patients faster, LLS continues to invest approximately $6 million a year in its Therapy Acceleration Program (TAP), a venture philanthropy model through which it partners directly with biotech and academic institutions to advance promising novel therapies in the development pipeline. In addition to its significant investment in academic research, LLS supports currently 19 TAP projects, including some recent additions: Sutro Biopharma, Verastem Oncology and miRagen Therapeutics. "Curing cancer will require exceptional scientific minds, bold ideas, forward-looking investors and compassionate philanthropists," DeGennaro said. "As a patients-first organization, LLS has the ability to bring all of these forces together. Working together I believe we can cure cancer. Like we say at LLS, 'Beating cancer is in our blood.'" About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health agency dedicated to fighting blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world, provides free information and support services, and is the voice for all blood cancer patients seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care. Founded in 1949 and headquartered in Rye Brook, NY, LLS has chapters throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit www.LLS.org. Patients should contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET. For additional information visit lls.org/lls-newsnetwork. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Learn more about LLS's research investment here. Contact: Andrea Greif, [email protected], 914-821-8958 SOURCE The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Related Links http://www.LLS.org NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Laura Zilioli and Victor Rivera, two victims of assault at the hands of New York City Human Resources Police Officers, as well as their supporters, today demonstrated outside the NYC HRA Police Department office at 12 West 14th Street in Manhattan. Rivera and Zilioli called on the NYC Department of Investigation to release their reports on the attacks on Rivera and Zilioli and for the City to further investigate what appears to be a troubling pattern of sexual abuse and brutality at the hands of HRA police officers over the past year. "We do not think it is a coincidence that two violent events occurred at the same location at the hands of HRA officers within approximately one year. In fact, we believe there are other men and women who have been victimized but have not yet come forward," Michael F. Rubin, of Kelly & Rubin LLP, both victims' attorney, said. "There is no debate about whether these attacks occurred. In July, John Lugo, a former Sergeant in the HRA Police Department, pleaded guilty to the sexual assault of Ms. Zilioli and was sentenced to five years in prison," Mr. Rubin said. A federal lawsuit is currently pending against Lugo and the City. "The officer who assaulted Victor Rivera, P.O. Lamar Baker, has yet to be arrested, even though Mr. Rivera was taken to the hospital directly from the HRA to treat his injuries," Mr. Rubin said. "Unfortunately, the DOI has refused to release the result of its investigation into this incident. What are they hiding?" "These two victims have exposed what appears to be a troubling pattern that could point to a systemic problem, and one that surely must be addressed by a thorough investigation by the Department of Investigation," Mr. Rubin said. "It is especially troubling that both assaults occurred in the same secluded office in the HRA building." "Even if the City won't act, we are doing our part to seek justice," Mr. Rubin said, announcing a federal lawsuit on behalf of Rivera, the second against the City for HRA police abuse. Ms. Zilioli said that she is speaking out publicly because she believes others might have also been abused by Lugo and other HRA officers and wants to encourage any others who may have been assaulted by Lugo or any other law enforcement officer to step forward. "I never want anyone to go through what I had to go through," Ms. Zilioli said. KELLY & RUBIN, LLP 225 BROADWAY, 3RD FLOOR New York, N.Y. 10007 212.691.9393 SOURCE Kelly & Rubin, LLP Related Links http://kellyrubin.com A global leader in e-scooters and a sponsor of the 2018 FIFA Russia World Cup, Yadea has launched several high-end intelligent lithium-ion e-scooters that have become standard bearers in the market, backed by proprietary technologies and designs that are in full compliance with internationally-recognized standards. Yadea has become integrated into the world's top-quality supply chains and made sure that only the best that today's technology can offer is applied to every part and detail to create a world-leading product mix of e-scooters. With the G5, Yadea went for an entirely new design concept that allowed for the leveraging of the latest in terms of smart technologies and performance optimization. The vehicle is equipped with the firm's proprietary GTR3.0 high-performance electric motor, a new-generation Panasonic high-energy power lithium battery and battery management system backed by Panasonic-certified battery PACK technology that prevents deterioration of the battery module, extends service life, and assures stable delivery of output power. The battery can be recharged 800 times before needing to be replaced, and each full charge provides the G5 with a range of up to 120km. Other features include the same motorcycle hydraulic damping system found in top-of-the-line international brand motorcycles, a high-quality cold-rolled structural steel frame, ultra-quiet double-pump opposed piston type disc brakes, and, for the first time in any Yadea vehicle, the same run-flat tires installed on cars. Disruptive innovation defines the vehicle's intelligent hardware and software: a 7" ultra-thin (14mm) thin-film-transistor (TFT) full color liquid crystal display (LCD) instrument panel. An intelligent app that can be downloaded onto any smartphone allows the rider to remotely check the condition of the vehicle, look up the vehicle's specifications, undertake troubleshooting in case of malfunction or to locate the vehicle if lost. The e-scooter has keyless access with touch button start along with an array of other intelligent controls. As the largest e-scooter maker in China, Yadea was invited to participate in EICMA, an international, market-oriented, professional trade fair where the latest advances in vehicles technologies, materials and processes will be on display to the world, opening a new channel where fans of every kind of two-wheeled vehicle can learn about and appreciate what China has to offer. The event is also an opportunity to showcase China's leadership in high-end manufacturing. In China's e-scooter industry, Yadea has always played the role of innovation leader. Each of the maker's product and technology releases established new quality standards. The G5 was no different, most notably in the uniqueness of the design. All indications point to this new-generation intelligent Li-Ion battery lightweight e-scooter to be a model of epoch-making significance, setting a new standard for the e-scooter segment of the EV sector. Yadea is recognized in China as the leading brand when it comes to e-scooters. In 2018, the firm's extensive lineup of e-scooters are sold in 77 countries, including the US and Germany, with annual global sales exceeding 4 million units, accounting for 11.7 per cent of the world total. There is good likelihood that Yadea will collaborate with global leading industrial design teams to take the level of creativity in product design and quality to a new level. At the same time, in a move to stake a strong market position in global markets, flagship showrooms are planned in New York and other cities around the world. Yadea, already the established leading brand within the industry in its domestic market, not only gives the sector a new opportunity to further grow and enlarge its footprint, but also an opportunity for the e-scooter maker to leverage the event as a showcase for where China's high-end manufacturing is today, and what can be expected of it in the future. SOURCE Yadea Witnesses reported that bystanders in the area helped to lift the Volkswagen so that it was upright when first responders arrived, but it was not immediately known who these individuals were or how many were involved, Scipione said. NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. today announced its strategic partnership with the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA). Beginning January 1, 2019, the Wolters Kluwer Legal Education group will be the exclusive production, promotion and distribution provider of NITA's widely acclaimed collection of educational publications for legal advocacy skills. For decades, the Wolters Kluwer Legal Education group has been a leading producer of educational materials for trials, with prominent authors such as Thomas Mauet and Warren Wolfson. Wolters Kluwer's partnership with NITA further demonstrates its commitment to advance its market-leading portfolio of authoritative content and best-in-class digital solutions for the legal education community. "Wolters Kluwer's Legal Education group is committed to investing in practice-ready resources for the legal academic community, and our partnership with NITA is a significant step in that investment," said Vikram Savkar, Vice President & General Manager, International and Higher Education Markets, Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. "We are pleased to provide law schools with opportunities to take trial advocacy and litigation education to the next level through strategies that will benefit students and educators. I believe that this partnership between Wolters Kluwer, a public corporation, and NITA, a private, not-for-profit organization, will provide a model for excellence and innovation in legal education." Going forward, Wolters Kluwer customers will be able to access NITA's titles in digital and print formats, including practice-oriented resources, case files, problem sets and other materials for law school classroom use. Wolters Kluwer will be responsible for everything from design and production to manufacturing, warehousing and distribution, as well as sales and marketing activities, while NITA will maintain responsibility for author management and editorial development. "The legal and publishing spaces have experienced tremendous change over the past 10 years, with contraction in some areas and expansion into others," said Wendy McCormack, Executive Director of NITA. "Wolters Kluwer's Legal Education group and NITA have both continued to evolve by moving steadily in the direction of growth, and I'm delighted that this partnership offers us, in perfect complement of our respective strengths and expertise, the chance for us to grow together." The Legal Education group of Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. is the leading provider of educational content and digital learning solutions to law schools in the U.S. and around the world. Its flagship digital solution, CasebookConnect.com, provides law students with a suite of online content and learning tools designed to maximize their success in the highly competitive law school environment. The National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) is the nation's leading provider of legal advocacy skills training. A 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization based in Boulder, Colorado, NITA pioneered the legal skills learning-by-doing methodology over 47 years ago and has since remained the ultimate standard in continuing legal education. To learn more about Wolters Kluwer's partnership with NITA, visit: www.wklegaledu.com/NITA To learn more about NITA, visit: http://www.nita.org/ About Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. is part of Wolters Kluwer N.V. (AEX: WKL), a global leader in information, software solutions and services for professionals in the health, tax and accounting, risk and compliance, finance and legal sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with specialized technology and services. Wolters Kluwer reported 2017 annual revenues of 4.4 billion. The group serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 19,000 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands. For more information about Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S., visit www.WoltersKluwerLR.com, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Media Linda Gharib Director, Communications Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. Tel: +1 (646) 887-7962 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. Related Links http://www.wolterskluwerlr.com Kathmandu, Nov 8 : Nepalis on Thursday are observing the Mha puja, celebrated on the fourth day of Tihar that literally refers to self worship, making offering to one's body. They are also celebrating Govardan puja or goru puja or ox worship throughout the country that marks the fourth day of the five-day-long Tihar festival celebrated by the Hindus. The Newar community celebrated their new year with the Mha puja, Kathmandu post reported. Govardhan puja, that is also celebrated by many Hindus in India, is marked by rituals here that make replicas of the fabled Govardhan mountain made out of the cow dung. People here prepare a mixture of the cow dung and ochre formed into a paste and apply on the courtyard of their homes and on the floors during the one-day festival that comes after Diwali in India. The rituals are linked to the Hindu god Krishna who, according to legend, lifted the Govardhan mountain by his smallest finger and protected people of Gokul from torrential rains caused by angry Indra, the rain god. Similarly, the ox is also worshipped on the day as it is an useful domesticated beast used for the Nepalis, who are from a predominantly agricultural society. Srinagar, Nov 8 : Security forces fired tear gas after being stoned by bands of youths who took to the streets during a cordon and search operation in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, police said. The incident happened when the Rashtriya Rifles, the special operations group (SOG) of the police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) cordoned off Arihal village after learning about the presence of militants. "During the searches, village youths started pelting stones at the security forces who had to fire tear gas," a police officer said. New Delhi, Nov 8 : Actor Saqib Saleem had to grow a moustache for his maiden digital project. He says since he had never sported one before, it was interesting to have the facial hair. The "Race 3" actor will play a "dark but honest" character in ZEE5's show "Rangbaaz". "To be honest, I have never had a moustache in my life. So just to have that, was very interesting. I couldn't recognise myself for a few days. I think as an actor, it did put me in a different space," Saqib told IANS. Talking more about his character, he shared: "Although the process was very interesting, I made sure that I stopped working out because my character wasn't supposed to look very muscular. I did a lot of cardio because there are different phases in the show." "I have to look like a man of different ages at different times. I wanted to make sure that I looked like that. My character is a gangster. There are shades of grey, but you will definitely find some heart in the character," he added. Tokyo, Nov 8 : US Vice President Mike Pence is set to visit Japan next week and discuss issues related to North Korea with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, it was announced here on Thursday. Pence will stop in Japan on his way to Singapore, where he will participate in a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which will begin on Tuesday, Efe news reported. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga confirmed Pence's visit to Tokyo and his meeting with Abe next Tuesday before the US leader leaves for Singapore on the same day. Suga said that the meeting will be a good opportunity to strengthen bilateral relations on pressing issues like North Korea. The minister did not give details of the topics to be discussed, although Tokyo has been closely following the process of North Korea's denuclearization, an initiative of the US administration led by President Donald Trump. Japan has also sought international support for demanding a resolution of the kidnapping of at least 17 Japanese citizens by North Korean agents between 1977-1983. Pence will arrive in Tokyo days after Washington postponed a meeting between US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a North Korean delegation. The aim of the meeting, scheduled to be held in New York, was to prepare for a second summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, for which the date and venue are yet to be decided. Suga refused to comment on the results of the US mid-term elections and said the US-Japan alliance remained firm. In a press conference on Wednesday, Trump alleged that Japan did not treat the US "fairly" in their trade relations. "They send in millions of cars at a very low tax. They don't take our cars," he said. Bhubaneswar, Nov 8 : The stage is all set for the Make in Odisha Conclave 2018, where over 800 industry leaders from the country and abroad are expected to participate. Make in Odisha Conclave 2018, the flagship biennial investors' summit, will be organised here from November 11 to 15. Top industrialists of the country, including Chairman of the Reliance Industries Limited Mukesh Ambani, Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla, Tata Sons Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran and Vedanta Group Chairman Anil Agarwal will attend the conclave, said Industries Secretary Sanjeev Chopra. Besides, Chairmen of SBI and Bandhan Bank will attend the Conclave. "We are focusing on foreign direct investment as well as the domestic investment. Every sector is getting focus in the conclave. The conclave is to showcase the state in its entirety. We are showing the holistic overview of Odisha's economy," said Chopra. Apart from the domestic industries, companies from six countries including Japan, France, Russia, Germany, Saudi Arabia and UAE have given consent to participate in the investors' meet. Japan is the partner country for the Make in Odisha Conclave. "A dedicated session for Japanese companies has been scheduled for November 12. Japanese companies will be given an account of various investment opportunities in Odisha's manufacturing sector," said Chopra. Some of the companies which have confirmed their presence include Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Marubeni, JFE Steel, Nissin Food, Mitsui and Takahata Precision. "All preparations for the successful conduct of the conclave are nearing completion. The conclave this year is much larger in terms of the impact that it will create with 15 government departments organising sessions in different sectors across four days. About 150 experts from India and abroad will discuss and exchange ideas on 15 departments," said Industries Minister Ananta Das. He said the conclave will also provide a unique opportunity for businesses to network and forge partnerships. The expo at the event will also be much larger, showcasing the manufacturing prowess of the state through the use of modern and immersive technologies by the companies, the Minister said. "The event not only aims to get investments but also to make people aware, particularly from outside Odisha, about all the achievements the state has made," Das added. During the conclave, Bibhu Mohapatra, Odisha-born and US-based renowned fashion designer, will deliver a TED-style talk on the creative economy which would touch upon his personal journey from Rourkela to New York and his experience of starting a label and making a leading fashion brand out of it in the US. Notably, the inaugural edition of the Make in Odisha Conclave organised in 2016 attracted investment intent to the tune of Rs 2.03 lakh crore. Washington, Nov 8 : At least 12 people, including a police officer, were killed after a gunman forced his way into a popular bar in the US state of California and opened fire, officials said. The shooter was later found dead at the scene. According to the police, the shooting began at about 11.20 p.m. on Wednesday (0730 GMT Thursday) at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks. At least 12 people were injured in the attack. Ventura County sheriff's deputy Sergeant Ron Helus was among those killed, CNN reported. Helus had been in the force for 29 years and was due to retire in 2019. He was shot several times and later declared dead at a local hospital. Sheriff Geoff Dean told the media that the suspected gunman was found dead inside the bar and he was yet to be identified. The motive for the shooting was not known. At least 200 people were reportedly inside the bar attending a college country music night at the time of the incident, media reports say. Dozens of shots were reportedly fired by the suspect, who police believe may have taken his own life. Witnesses described a scene of panic in the bar when the gunman started firing. Some said they used chairs to break windows to escape while others sheltered inside toilets. The suspect may have used smoke grenades and at least one weapon, described as a semi-automatic handgun by witnesses, during the attack. "A gentleman, who walked in through the front door, shot the girl that was right behind the counter," said Holden Harrah, who witnessed the shooting. Another eyewitness who was injured told local television channel KTLA that the shots sounded "like fireworks". "We just dropped to the ground, we heard a lot of screaming. My friend is the DJ so she cut off the music, we just heard a lot of mayhem," he said. Rabat, Nov 8 : Overcoming decades of political differences, Morocco's King Mohammed VI has invited regional rival Algeria for a direct dialogue in what can be seen as a thaw in ties between the two countries. "Let me point out, and God is my witness, that soon after I acceded to the throne, I asked earnestly and in good faith that the borders between our two countries be opened and that Moroccan-Algerian relations be normalized," King Mohammed VI said in a televised address quoted by Moroccan news agency MAP. "I should like to say today... that Morocco stands ready for a direct and frank dialogue with our sister nation Algeria in order to settle the transient and objective differences impeding the development of relations between the two countries." "To this end, I suggest to our Algerian brothers that we set up a joint political mechanism for dialogue and consultation. This mechanism's format, nature and level of representation can be mutually agreed upon." The 1,600-km-long Morocco-Algeria border has been closed since 1994 after Rabat imposed visa regulations on Algerian visitors in the wake of a deadly attack on the Atlas Asni Hotel in Marrakech. King Mohammed VI said that Morocco was willing to consider the proposals or initiatives Algeria may want to offer in this regard so as to break the stalemate in the relations between "the two neighbours and sister nations". "The mission of this mechanism would be to analyze all the issues on hand in good faith and in a very frank, objective and honest way, using an open-ended agenda, without conditions or exceptions," he said. Bengaluru, Nov 8 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday termed his joining hands with other party leaders an attempt to save the nation and democracy, and accused the BJP-led union government of "destroying" institutions like the CBI and the RBI. Speaking to reporters after meeting Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and his son, Karanataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, Naidu said the Central government is using agencies like Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to harass political opponents. Naidu's meeting with the JD-S leaders came a week after he met Congress President Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on November 1 as part of his effort to unify the opposition. "We have joined hands to save the nation, to save democracy... All institutions are (being) destroyed. CBI, the premier investigation agency, is in trouble. Even RBI is under threat," he said. The leader said the government is using the Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax Department for "controlling opposition" and harassing politicians by "raiding indiscriminately". The day being the second anniversary of demonetisation, Naidu said the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government's policies like demonetisation have thrown the country's economy into a crisis that the mammoth note-ban exercise led to the devaluation of currency and trouble in economy. He also accused the government of betrayal and of not coming good on its promises of special status to Andhra Pradesh. He said that it did not even implement the Bifurcation Act -- the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, under which the state of Telangana came into existence after being carved out of Andhra Pradesh. "We discussed the future course of action for forging an alliance ahead of the 2019 general elections," Gowda told reporters after the meeting. The meeting with Naidu was to bring together the "secular forces" in the country, said Kumaraswamy. "Chandrababu Naidu is working hard, as a co-ordinator, to unite the secular parties ahead of the upcoming general elections. We (Naidu and JD-S leadership) share good political arithmetics and have been friends," the Chief Minister added. Kolkata, Nov 8 : The Maoist problem has taken a turn for the worse in Chhattisgarh over the past year, senior Congress leader and former Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said here on Thursday, in the wake of recent incidents of violence triggered by the ultra left rebels. "Although some progress was made in Chhattisgarh in controlling Maoism or Naxalism, in the last year or so things have deteriorated," Chidambaram told the media here. He said the situation had improved towards the end of the rule of the United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre. "We made considerable progress in Chhattisgarh towards the end of the UPA government. The BJP government in the state has also made progress in the first two-three years. I think in the last year, things have taken a turn for the worse." "Either the Chhattisgarh government has lost control over the situation or the Maoists have regrouped," he said. CISF Head Constable D. Mukhopadhyay and four civilians were killed on Thursday when Maoists blew up a mini bus in which they were returning to their camp after buying vegetables and groceries in Dantewada district, police said. The deadly attack took place four days before the first phase of the Assembly polls in Chhattisgarh. It was also the third Maoist attack in 13 days in the state. A Doordarshan cameraman and three police personnel were killed in a Maoist ambush, also in Dantewada, on October 30. On October 27, the Maoists fired on a contingent of Central Reserve Police Force in Bijapur district, killing four troopers. On the night of Aug. 31, the officers were the first to respond to an emergency call for an unconscious person, and they immediately used a portable defibrillator, which is carried in all squad cars, to administer a shock to the mans heart, Kaminski said. Both officers then performed CPR on the man before administering another shock from the AED. New Delhi, Nov 8 : Telecom service providers have informed the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) about the sites to excercise the Proof of Concept (POC) of the new non-Aadhaar KYC process. Each operator would carry out the process at two sites, as per a DoT notification. The notification dated November 6 said that Bharti Airtel would carry out the process at Delhi and Meerut while Reliance Jio has listed two sites in Mumbai. Vodafone Idea, the newly merged entity would perform the exercise at Delhi and Baramati in Maharastra. The other private player Tata Teleservices has listed two sites in Haryana for the Proof of Concept exercise. Among the public sector players, BSNL would carry out the process at two sites in Telangana, while MTNL has listed Mumbai and Delhi for the same. "Based on the POC results, further directions for any change in the process, if any, will be issued on the subject," the notification said. As per the alternate digital KYC process proposed by the telecom industry, the Customer Appliation Form (CAF) is to be embedded with live photograph of subscriber along with the original proof of indentity (POI) and proof of address (POA) document thereby digitizing the end-to-end process, it said. According to the department, the entire process shall only be used through the authenticated applications hosted by the licensees. DoT further said that "only two mobile conections shall be provided per day per POI/POA document to a customer by a licensee". The proposed process would be applicatble to each connection, it added. The DoT had asked the telecom operators to be ready with the alternate KYC process by November 5, in line with the Supreme Court's verdict on September 26, in which the apex court disallowed private entities from possessing the Aadhaar details of their customers. New Delhi, Nov 8 : The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved the mechanism and procedure for sale of over 6.5 crore "Enemy Shares" lying unutilised since 1968. "The Cabinet has approved the mechanism and procedure for sale of over 6.5 crore enemy shares of 996 companies worth Rs 3,000 crore which have been lying unutilised since 1968," Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told a press conference here. He said that sale proceeds will be used for development and social welfare programmes. According to an official release, a total number of 6,50,75,877 shares in 996 companies of 20,323 shareholders are under the custody of Custodian of Enemy Property of India (CEPI). Of these 996 companies, 588 are functional or active companies, while 139 of these are listed and the remaining being unlisted. The process for selling these shares will be approved by the Alternative Mechanism (AM) under the Chairmanship of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, and comprising Minister of Road Transport and Highway Nitin Gadkari and Home Minister Rajnath Singh. It said that the sale proceeds will be deposited as disinvestment proceeds in the government account maintained by the Finance Ministry. Before initiation of sale of any enemy shares, the CEPI shall certify that their sale 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. The decision will lead to monetisation of enemy shares that have been lying dormant for decades since coming into force of the Enemy Property Act in 1968. Through an amendment in 2017, an enabling legislative provision was created for the disposal of such properties. New Delhi, Nov 8 : The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved filling of Padur Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR) at Padur, Karnataka by overseas national oil companies in order to strengthen the oil reserves in the country. "As per our new system, we are also inviting foreign companies under PPP model. Overseas national oil companies will come and through proper tendering process will help establish a strategic oil reserve at Padur," Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said. "A total of Rs 10,000 crore will be saved with the construction of this inventory," he added while briefing media on cabinet decisions. The SPR facility at Padur is an underground rock cavern with a total capacity of 2.5 million metric tonnes (MMT) having four compartments of 0.625 MMT each. "The filling of the SPR under PPP model is being undertaken to reduce budgetary support of Government of India," the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said in a statement. The Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Ltd (ISPRL) has constructed and commissioned underground rock caverns for storage of total 5.33 MMT of crude oil at three locations namely Vishakhapatnam (1.33 MMT), Mangalore (1.5 MMT) and Padur (2.5 MMT). The total 5.33 MMT capacity under Phase-I of the SPR program is estimated to supply about 95 days of India's crude requirement according to the consumption data for fiscal 2017-18, the statement said. Further, the government has given in-principle approval in June 2018 to establish additional 6.5 MMT SPR facilities at Chandikhol in Odisha and Padur in Karnataka, the Ministry said. This is likely to augment India's energy security by 11.5 days as per the consumption data for financial year 2017-18, it added. Chennai, Nov 9 : Superstar Rajinikanth on Friday tweeted in support of actor Vijay's latest Tamil film "Sarkar". He condemned unlawful acts such as damaging the film's banners and demanding the removal of certain scenes from the film. A.R. Murugadoss directed "Sarkar", a political thriller, hit the screens on Tuesday. Ever since its release, many AIADMK ministers and party cadres expressed their displeasure over certain scenes in the film. Several party cadres on Wednesday protested outside various theatres in Tamil Nadu and indulged in damaging the banners of the film and cut-outs of Vijay. They also demanded certain scenes to be removed from the film. Rajinikanth lashed out against these acts. He took to Twitter and wrote in Tamil: "To protest for the removal of certain scenes from the movie and stop it from being screened after the Censor Board has certified it is against the law. I strong condemn this act." On Thursday, actor-politician Kamal Haasan had also strongly objected the actions of AIADMK government regarding the issue. "It isn't new for this government to act and pressurize against a film like Sarkar, which has completed its censor formalities properly. A government that can't face criticism can go off the tangent. Commercialised politicians will soon be vanished and the good people would win," Haasan tweeted. If the grapevine is anything to go by, "Sarkar" team has agreed to mute scenes that have been termed controversial. However, the makers of the film Sun Picture are yet to officially announce if they are muting scenes. Despite opening to mixed reviews and getting embroiled in controversies, "Sarkar" managed to gross over Rs 100 crore in just two days at the box-office. In the film, Vijay plays an NRI who returns to India to vote, only to realise his vote has been cast illegally. He then digs deep into the matter, stirring up a political turmoil. A near-new petrol station in Echuca has sold for $7.5million on a 6.5% yield. Property industry players Peter Spargo and Bill Guest were the vendors of the 161-189 Ogilvie Avenue property. It is leased to United Petroleum and Hungry Jacks until 2028 with options to extend. The site contains a 1,191 square metre building on a 5,240 square metre site. Colliers Internationals Daniel Wolman, Anthony Kirwan and Harry Bui in conjunction with Melcorp Commercials Paul Jones and Tim Spargo sold the property via an expression of interest campaign. The collaborative approach to the sales campaign for this regionally located property proved to be highly successful, with multiple offers received at the conclusion of the EOI process, Wolman said. The successful purchaser, a private investor from Victoria, acquired the property for $7.5million, a sale price which reflects a tight regional yield of 6.7%. The sale, which has set a new benchmark for the local property market, is another sign that despite a reported cooling in market conditions and funding concerns, the market is still awash with cash buyers and is highly competitive. Kirwan said buyers were increasingly looking for alternative investment options. The major appeal of this asset was the high calibre tenant covenant, fixed income growth and the fact that having been so recently developed, an astute buyer could reap the rewards of newly constructed improvements and great depreciation benefits, he said. National construction group, Built has announced the sale of its Sub Station No.164 development at 183-185 Clarence Street in Sydney to global real estate investment group, TH Real Estate. TH Real Estate have made the $180 million deal for the FJMT designed development on a fund-through basis with Built undertaking the construction of the project. Built will also become the anchor tenant, pre-committing to lease four floors for its new Sydney head office to showcase the groups experience across development, construction and managing complex heritage sites. Brett Mason, Built Managing Director said Sub Station No.164 is unlike any other development in Sydney right now in creating what we clearly see as heritage development of the future he said. Weve already had strong enquiry on the leasing front that clearly talks to the quality and rare opportunity presented by this development and we look forward to working closely with TH Real Estate to bring our clear vision to a reality, he said. Sub Station No.164 will ambitiously revitalise two historic Sydney buildings into one of Sydneys most innovative office towers and become a benchmark for heritage buildings of the future. The A-grade, 7,867 sqm office tower will come equipped with a seven-level sculptural glass extension making an addition to Sydneys skyline. The development will also include the restoration and refurbishment of seven floors in the existing heritage Shelley Warehouse and adjoining former electrical substation, which provides the projects namesake. The development is targeted for completion in 2020. Vegan Culinary Tour November is World Vegan Month, a time to bring awareness to the vegan lifestyle by promoting healthy living and social responsibility. The Whats on the Menu Tour will show tour patrons delicious and healthy options, said LivetoWynn Founder, Maisha Wynn. Today, vegan enthusiast and media lifestyle personality, Maisha Wynn, announced the Whats on the Menu Tour, November 24th-November 29th in Chicago, IL. Held during World Vegan Month, the tour will highlight Maishas favorite restaurants and their famed vegan dishes. The culinary tour will entice tour patrons senses and bring sparkle to their world as they experience dining at its best, The Vegan Way, with a prix fixe menu which will include an appetizer, entree and dessert, all selected by Maisha Wynn. November is World Vegan Month, a time to bring awareness to the vegan lifestyle by promoting healthy living, social responsibility and humane animal treatment. The Whats on the Menu Tour will show tour patrons delicious and healthy options, said LivetoWynn Founder, Maisha Wynn. I am excited to share vegan cuisine with vegans and non-vegans alike, and Im proud to partner with Chefs at Latinicity, Volare, Mercadito, and Portsmith. The Whats on the Menu Tour will kick-off with a beautiful vegan soiree at Latinicity with Chef Marcos Flores on Saturday, November 24th. Attendees will enjoy vegan bites, music, and a vegan SHERO panel with influencers Karyn Calabrese of Karyns Raw, Heather Bodine-Lederman of Pie, Pie My Darling, and Kay Stepkin of The National Vegetarian Museum. Downtown Chicago restaurants: Portsmith, Mercadito, and Volare will be highlighted during Wynns pop-up tour which will offer a three-course vegan meal for only $33 dollars. Im really excited to be a part of Wynns food tour. Its good to see vegan food available in more restaurants and more options available for those who choose a vegan lifestyle, said Chef Nate Henssler at Portsmith. As a proud parent of a vegan daughter, Im elated to provide vegan items on the menu and we work hard to provide options off the menu for our vegan guests. Portsmith is an elevated dining experience. This critically-acclaimed, fresh fish, and seafood restaurant in located in Chicagos Gold Coast on the ground floor of the Dana Hotel & Spa. They make it their mission to find the freshest ingredients. Mercadito is the city's top Mexican restaurant for authentic cuisine, specialty tequila and mezcal cocktails. Their culinary team is led by world-renowned Chef Patricio Sandoval featuring popular Mexican dishes inspired by the eclectic flavors of Mexico's authentic small markets. Volare Ristorante Italiano reflects the look and feel of an old world Italian establishment. Family owned since the beginning, theyve proudly called Chicagos Streeterville neighborhood home since 1997. Their food represents traditional Italian cuisine with modern accents. The Whats on the Menu Tour is supported by NorthShore University HealthSystem and will attract influencers, foodies, bloggers, and friends interested in great food and good choices. Visit http://www.veganwynns.eventbrite.com to learn more. Click link to view vegan restaurants in the tour: https://youtu.be/V71g2SiRIzU ABOUT LIVETOWYNN LiveToWynn is a national lifestyle brand that offers aspirational and practical guidance to individuals who desire to live their lives more abundantly! LiveToWynn produces workshops, special events, social media content, create content for various media outlets (from KTLA 5 to the Rachael Ray Show) to elevate alternate approaches to living your best life and living it abundantly. Pyze now empowers Marketing and Product teams the ability to understand user behavior across all channels so they can understand holistic usage, conduct meaningful segmentation, orchestrate effective marketing campaigns, and build more engaging products. Pyze, the leading AI driven cross-platform analytics and engagement platform, today announced the general availability of its latest Growth Intelligence Platform release featuring the most advanced cross channel analytics solution in the industry. The release also features customizable user dashboards, and a powerful new user interface. Driven by customer demand, Pyze designed the new UI to accelerate understanding of user behavior across multiple different apps or channels, enable easier analytics and quickly act on the data to launch marketing campaigns. Pyze seamlessly combines cross-platform user analytics and marketing capabilities that power over 300,000 apps and websites across the world. Pyze has been recognized as a leader by numerous independent analysts and been the recipient of several Industry Awards. Most recently, Pyze was featured in Gartners 2018 Market Guide for Web & Mobile App Analytics and Gartners 2018 Magic Quadrant for Mobile Marketing Platforms. Key Highlights: Cross Channel User Insights Multi-dimensional analysis across apps, channels, and data sources On demand data visualization and data export Dynamic app groups that combine cross channel or app behavior for data analytics. Customizable Dashboards Custom, role-based views for each user to showcase app or app group data metrics Ability to add any Data Insight or visualization to a Custom Dashboard Real time Dashboard loading powered by a robust back end system Actionable Analytics Campaigns Trigger campaigns from Analytics Views Automated campaigns based on fine grained user actions or behavior Campaign triggers based on event imported using server-side data sources Comments: Customers no longer differentiate between channels as they conduct a transaction. For example, users often add items to shopping carts on the mobile app and then checkout on the web, said Prabhjot Singh, founder & CEO of Pyze. Marketing teams dont have the tools to track holistic user behavior or execute campaigns across channels. Pyze now empowers Marketing and Product teams the ability to understand user behavior across all channels so they can understand holistic usage, conduct meaningful segmentation, orchestrate effective marketing campaigns, and build more engaging products. Pyze enables our customers to understand the effectiveness of their affiliate programs by tracking end-to-end creation of carts curated by influencers and consumer purchases, said Susan Akbarpour, founder & CEO of Mavatar, the leading blockchain powered marketplace and influencer attribution platform as-a-service. The new capabilities introduced in this release will give our customers even more advanced solutions to understand user behavior and engage users of their services. Resources: Screenshots: Dashboards: [Caption: Pyze Role Based Custom Dashboards Data Insights: [Caption: Pyze Data Insights for Ad-hoc Analysis Intelligence Explorer: [Caption: Intelligence Explorer for Automated Segmentation Press Kit: https://pyze.com/press/#presskit About Pyze Pyze is the leading AI driven cross-platform analytics and engagement platform that lets brands and enterprises maximize user retention through integrated user behavior tracking, automated campaigns and content personalization across digital platforms. The Pyze platform provides marketing and product teams with deep understanding of user actions and automated segmentation to deliver hyper-relevant, omnichannel campaigns and personalized experiences. For more information, visit Pyze at http://www.pyze.com. Photo courtesy of Kelsey Snider Pfluger Architects Kelsey Snider and her team developed the Best of Show winner for the 2018 Austin Barkitecture, hosted by Animal Lovers of Austin, Inc. This year's event benefits PALS, Emancipet, and Bastrop Animal Rescue. The Benny House was designed for its namesake, Benny, a BAR rescue dog fostered by Snider. The house boasts a large-scale layout with a modern chic vibe that would accommodate any size dog. The house has a quartz floor and solar-powered fan for those hot Texas days and was designed for easy cleanup by simply hosing the whole thing down. For the second year in a row, Pfluger has participated in Austins Barkitecture event. Pflugers team designed and built this years house in partnership with Wilsonart and UShip Gives. Barkitecture events across the country raise money for local animal welfare organizations. Companies and organizations build luxury doghouses that are auctioned off to the highest bidder. All proceeds from these sales go straight to animals in need. This year, Benny was one of the lucky dogs chosen as a beneficiary of Austins event. About Pfluger Founded in Austin, Texas in 1973, Pfluger Architects plans and designs educational facilities that engage and inspire. With offices in Austin, Houston and San Antonio, Pfluger has completed more than 450 projects totaling more than $1 billion in the last five years alone. Pfluger is committed to the responsible use and management of energy and natural resources by recommending locally sourced products and efficient building systems that meet client needs and budgets. "Were constantly looking to expand our presence and global footprint. This enables us to assist organizations in developing real estate strategies that are fully aligned with their key business goals," said CEO Jim Underhill Cresa, the worlds largest occupier-centric real estate firm, is proud to announce the addition of three senior hires in their newly-established Raleigh, North Carolina and Orange County, California offices. With decades of combined real estate experience, Tim Capps and Michael Hurst will head the Carolinas region as Managing Principals in collaboration with Cresas already existing team in Charlotte, while Mark Bennett leads as Managing Principal in Orange County. This announcement comes on the heels of significant growth for Cresa in the past 18 months, with notable company milestones that include a 20% increase in staff growth and recently-established offices in New Jersey and Silicon Valley, as well as globally in Poland, Spain and Beijing. Were constantly looking to expand our presence and global footprint. This enables us to assist organizations in developing real estate strategies that are fully aligned with their key business goals, said Cresa Chief Executive Officer, Jim Underhill. Both the Orange County and Raleigh, NC markets are strong and positioned for continued economic growth, and we are excited to expand Cresas unique approach to commercial real estate in those regions. As part of Cresas expansion, the three new executive hires will be tasked with growing Cresas capabilities in those markets, as well as building upon Cresas impressive resume and reputation for global services. Tim Capps, Managing Principal, Raleigh, North Carolina Tim Capps has more than 20 years of experience in commercial real estate, which includes more than 50 million square feet of completed real estate transactions, totaling more than $1 billion in value. Prior to joining Cresa, Capps served in management positions within similar world-class commercial real estate firms. His expertise lies in understanding his clients business goals and proposing creative strategic plans to help meet these goals. Capps graduated with a B.S. from the Kenan Flagler Business School at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Michael Hurst, Managing Principal, Raleigh, North Carolina Mike Hurst previously led the Corporate Real Estate and Workplace group, as well as the Corporate Security and Corporate Aviation functions, at SunTrust Banks, Inc., one of the nations Top 10 banks. Under his leadership, SunTrust was able to realize significant real estate related cost reductions while at the same time improving the workplace environment. Hurst is a cum laude graduate of the Wake Forest University School of Law and practiced law in North Carolina for 16 years prior to joining SunTrust. Mark Bennett, Managing Principal, Orange County, California With more than 33 years of experience in the office, industrial and medical property sectors, Mark Bennett has developed strategic real estate plans for numerous Fortune 500 companies on a regional and national basis. Bennetts strengths include acquisitions and dispositions, lease restructurings, and build-to-suit assignments. Adding marquee talent is a top priority for Cresa, continued Underhill. Were excited for the years of experience and expertise that Hurst, Capps and Bennett bring to the team as they look to build on Cresas continued success in their respective markets. For more information on Cresa, please visit http://www.cresa.com. About Cresa Cresa is the world's largest commercial real estate advisory firm that exclusively represents occupiers and specializes in the delivery of fully integrated real estate solutions. Delivered across every industry, its services include Consulting, Facilities Management, Global Portfolio Solutions, Investment Banking, Lease Administration, Location Strategy & Economic Development Incentives, Project Management, Transaction Management and Workplace Intelligence. With over 1000 employees in more than 80 offices globally, Cresa partners with occupiers everywhere. For more information, visit http://www.cresa.com. My dad tried to give young people an opportunity to perform. We do that too but one of the things Im really proudest of is the quality of show. When people go and see what we do, theyre amazed. They think theyve gone off and gotten lost and gone to Chicago and seen something there. AltSource, one of the fastest growing custom software development companies in the U.S., today announced its expansion and new company headquarters in Southeast Portland. Located at 1120 SE Madison Street in Portland, Oregon, AltSource has an in-house team of more than 100 software developers and is continuing to hire to keep up with demand for its development services. In addition to its new headquarters, AltSource has expanded geographically with satellite offices spread across southern Oregon, southern California, Texas, and Florida. AltSource has been on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing private companies in the U.S. for the past five years. We are humbled by the continued opportunity to help our customers meet critical business needs through custom software applications, said Dave Moore, president and founder of AltSource. Our growth is directly linked to the success of our valued customers and we are proud to develop long-term technical partnerships with them. Custom software development is a growing market, with a high demand among companies of all sizes looking to keep pace with the digital transformation of business. According to a June 2018 report from IDC, Worldwide spending on digital transformation will soar past $1 trillion in 2018, led by the manufacturing industries. A May 2018 report from the World Economic Forum noted that creating new efficiencies is still the primary driver for large companies to invest in new technologies. They use these technologies primarily to improve existing business processes and optimize assets and resources, thus reducing their own costs and enabling savings for their customers, according to the report. Other drivers for technology investments include: enhanced customer experiences and investing in new business models. AltSource applies creative problem solving and technical expertise to design and build software that addresses the specific needs of businesses of all sizes, from a wide range of industries, including telecommunications, construction, manufacturing, agriculture, transportation, logistics, and more. AltSource helps companies create efficiencies, reduce costs, achieve growth, and gain a competitive advantage through digital innovation in a way that often cant be achieved with off-the-shelf software. New headquarters: part of the community The goal of the new company headquarters was to create an energy-efficient, functional, and visually appealing workplace. To minimize the carbon footprint as well as the disruption of the neighborhood, the shell of the 94-year-old building remained intact. AltSource added floor-to-ceiling windows and a second floor, open-air deck to welcome the outdoors in, and showcase the view of downtown Portland and the west hills. The headquarters building was designed with input from Energy Trust of Oregon to maximize energy efficiency and incorporate the best environmental practices, such as energy efficient windows and incorporating reclaimed wood from the original building. The building is close to multiple transit lines, and features secure, indoor bike parking, lockers, and shower rooms to promote alternate transportation. AltSource plans to use its new headquarters to host community events and is committed to continuing its support for the local community. Weve been in the neighborhood for more than a decade but spread across five different buildings. We are excited to be together under one roof in our new, modern workspace, and pleased we could remain in the neighborhood, added Moore. Many AltSource employees live in Southeast Portland, and we plan to continue our commitment to this area and broaden our support of the community. Hiring to keep up with demand To keep pace with the demand for its custom software development expertise, AltSource is continuing to hire to fill a number of positions including sales, project managers and coordinators, and developers at all levels. More information about open jobs can be found at http://www.JoinAltSource.com. About AltSource Since 2004, AltSource has been committed to helping organizations of all sizes, across all industries, achieve sustained success through business-driven software. AltSources in-house team of more than 100 software developers partners with innovative business leaders to create custom applications that address critical business needs and enable sustained growth. The applications are uniquely suited to the clients business, and afford the flexibility to modify, scale, and adapt their software as needs change, allowing organizations to remain agile in the rapidly-changing business landscape. Learn more at https://www.altsrc.net. "I am proud to support the Synack Veterans Cyber Program - the first crowdsourced security program to both create opportunities for veterans and help solve one of the largest national security threats of our time. -Former Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Jim Nicholson Mission-critical security takes the same creativity, precision, and discipline as mission-critical military operations, which is why we need more military veterans in the field of cybersecurity. Synack, the crowdsourced security partner of choice for government agencies and enterprises worldwide, is launching the Synack Veterans Cyber Program to recruit, empower, and deploy veterans in the cybersecurity industry, making it the first and only crowdsourced security platform to do so. Founded by two ex-NSA operators, the Silicon Valley-based company is committed to securing the American way of life by way of plugging the growing cybersecurity talent gap that is estimated to grow to 3.5 million unfilled jobs by 2021 according to Cybersecurity Ventures. Pathway for Veterans Through Synacks program, military veterans will be recruited by Synack and will receive expedited application review for access to the Synack Red Team (Synacks elite crowd of ethical hackers), flexible and lucrative security testing opportunities through the Synack platform, annual networking events, training opportunities to further develop cybersecurity skills, and access to interesting enterprise and government targets for their continued mission in protecting the USA. Post-9/11 veteran unemployment is improving, but we still have work to do. Over 65% of veterans experience difficulty in transitioning out of active duty, explains former Secretary of Veterans Affairs and advisor to the Synack Veterans Cyber Program, Jim Nicholson. Crowdsourcing their expertise helps employers, veterans, and our national security. I am proud to support the Synack Veterans Cyber Program - the first crowdsourced security program to both create opportunities for veterans and help solve one of the largest national security threats of our time. As a fellow of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Secretary Nicholson has put veteran cyber training on the agenda of the Chamber Foundations Hiring Our Heroes initiative, which helps veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses find meaningful employment opportunities. Crowdsourcing and the gig economy are lowering the barriers to career transitions and remote work. Hiring Our Heroes looks forward to working with Synack to transfer the experience and skills of veteran cyber operators to the crowdsourced security industry and train up veterans on cybersecurity, says Eric Eversole, Vice President of U.S. Chamber of Commerce and President of Hiring Our Heroes. The Synacks Veterans Cyber Program will augment existing efforts by the Department of Defense, US Army, and other government agencies to provide opportunities to grow and develop military and veteran cyber skill sets. Recruiting, supporting, and retaining technical talent in the military can present unique challenges from training, to compensation, to ensuring opportunities for growth and engagement in a quickly evolving field, said DDS Director Chris Lynch. In response to the challenge, US Army has been supporting soldiers by providing technical training and opportunities related to mission priorities. Developing Talent Synacks investment in veterans is one initiative in a series of programs to protect the American way of life, following on the heels of the Secure the Election initiative and ThinkCyber fellowship program the company launched this summer. Through Secure the Election, Synack has offered states over $1 million for pro bono crowdsourced penetration testing and vulnerability discovery solutions to secure their election systems. Synacks ThinkCyber program offered hands-on cybersecurity training to talented, hacker-minded students from around the world. Taught by world-class ethical hackers from the Synack Red Team, along with partners from Army Cyber, Morgan Stanley, Dominos, and Microsoft, ThinkCyber fellows were encouraged to apply their security skills in a continuously evolving digital world. To kick off the veterans program, Synack recruited veterans at the San Jose State University Veterans Day Celebration on November 7, and today on November 8, Synack will deliver a talk Mission-Focused, Military Grade Security with a Crowd of Hackers at Operation Code in Washington DC, followed by a Veterans happy hour event. I applaud Synacks commitment to helping veterans learn ethical hacking and break into the cybersecurity field through their Veterans Cyber Program. Having volunteered to protect our nation, veterans possess the attitude and aptitude needed to defend our government, businesses, and citizens in cyberspace. I look forward to seeing more veterans and Operation Code members join the Synack Red Team, said Operation Code DC Chapter Lead Sean McBride. HackEDU, an interactive cybersecurity training platform provider, will also join Synack as a partner for the Veterans Cyber Program. Their hands-on learning environment helps accelerate the learning process and provide a safe and legal environment for those looking to their increase their cyber expertise. When it comes to defending our nation from attack, veterans are exactly the type of people security professionals want on their team. Today, we already have a strong cohort of veterans on our Synack Red Team, and theyve demonstrated how successful veterans can be on our platform. Synack is proud to continue investing in the people who will help our country stand strong against cyber threats and protect the American way of life, because it truly does take a crowd, Synack CEO and Co-Founder Jay Kaplan said. Addressing Growing Demand Holding over 78% of the market share for the federal crowdsourced security market, Synack works with the US Department of Defense, US Army, US Air Force, IRS, Department of Transportation, and a handful of other agencies to help protect American citizens and the high-value assets that support their daily lives. While government agency adoption of Synacks secure crowdsourced penetration testing increased 9x last year, the company also continues to protect a growing number of commercial enterprises, nearing $1 trillion in Fortune 500 revenue. An increasing number of crowdsourced projects calls for sustaining talent growth; the Synack Veterans Program will offer government agencies and commercial enterprises alike access to top veteran talent to protect growing digital attack surfaces. For more information about the program, please visit https://www.synack.com/veterans/. About Synack Synack, the leader in crowdsourced security testing, provides real security to the modern enterprise. Organizations who choose Synack dont have to compromise on effectiveness, efficiency, or control when they activate the crowd. By leveraging the worlds most trusted ethical hackers and an industry-leading platform, Synack finds and helps fix critical security issues before criminals can exploit them. Headquartered in Silicon Valley with regional offices around the world, Synack has protected over 100 global organizations by reducing companies security risk and increasing their resistance to cyber attack. For more information, please visit http://www.synack.com. Black Lime Special is the newest True Terpenes botanical strain profile. The Portland based company launched 5 new profiles on Wednesday. Our team has been working on the new profiles for so long its great to finally share them with the world, COO David McLean said. These arent only our newest profiles, I believe theyre also the most flavorful profiles weve formulated. True Terpenes has expanded their industry leading product line with new strain profiles. The Portland-based company announced five brand new profiles that are available on their website or through licensed distributors. True Terpenes is the award-winning supplier of natural, botanically sourced terpenes and terpene profiles. True Terpenes sources terpenes from plants such as lavender (linalool) and pine trees (alpha-pinene) which are then reformulated to match analytical testing data of terpene profiles in cannabis cultivars or strains. These strain profiles have been featured on cooking programs and magazines such as Kitchen Toke and used by chefs across the country. True Terpenes has also become the choice of leading brands in the cannabis and hemp industries like Bezel. Our team has been working on the new profiles for so long its great to finally share them with the world, COO David McLean said. These arent only our newest profiles, I believe theyre also the most flavorful profiles weve formulated. True Terpenes newest botanical terpene profiles are: Wedding Cake, Grapefruit Romulan, Thin Mint Cookies, Limoncello and Black Lime Special. Wedding Cake is a blend of tasty flavor with lemon and mango highlights along with creamy lavender notes. A complex variety; the exhale holds the citrus cream flavor. Grapefruit Romulan retains the sour, tang notes of the grapefruit in its scent. Whiffs of crisp green apple, pine and funky cheese mix throughout. Thin Mint Cookies is a complex profile where the peppery, sweet scent of a bakery forms the base with notes of lemon and fuel hitting the nose first. Limoncello gives off strong citrus aroma, but notes of mango, pine and pepper blend into the lemony tang to give this profile a unique nose. Black Lime Special s mint and floral notes mix with pine and citrus to fill out a complex profile. These new strain profiles and the True Terpenes scent wall interactive exhibit will be on display at the MJBIZCON 11/14 to 11/16 in Las Vegas. For recipes and more information on True Terpenes products please visit their website, email info@trueterpenes.com or call 888-954-8550. Journalism and media contacts can reach David Heldreth at DavidH@trueterpenes.com to schedule interviews with True Terpenes leadership and R&D team. According to Stone, We are incredibly honored to be recognized as one of the Dallas 100...As we look to the future, we hope to be affiliated with the Dallas 100 and SMU Cox School of Business for years to come. For the past 28 years, the Caruth Institute for Entrepreneurship at the SMU Cox School of Business has been celebrating local, Dallas-area entrepreneurs for their spirit, determination and business savvy with its annual Dallas 100 list. The Trade Group is pleased to announce that it has been chosen for this honor in 2018. This is the first year the company has earned a Dallas 100 award, where it ranked 80th on the list. According to Chris Stone, President and CEO of The Trade Group, We are incredibly honored to be recognized as one of the Dallas 100, among so many esteemed privately-held businesses in Dallas. For the past several years, our team has been laser focused on growing the business, which has allowed us to expand our workforce from a handful of employees in 1986 to more than 150 today. To be recognized as an organization that is making an impact on our community is truly humbling. The Caruth Institute ranks businesses from 1 to 100 based on percentage growth and absolute dollar growth over the past three years. To qualify for consideration, businesses must show fiscal year 2015 earnings of more than $500,000 and less than $75 million and a sales history that demonstrates growth over the past three years. Businesses must also have a satisfactory credit report and character, as determined by the Caruth Institute and Dallas 100 sponsors. The Dallas 100 honorees have contributed millions of dollars to the local economy and collectively created more than 11,000 jobs from 2015 through 2017. These accomplishments are something Jerry White, the Linda A. and Kenneth R. Morris Endowed Director of the Caruth Institute for Entrepreneurship at SMU Cox, clearly recognizes. These companies are amazing growth machines. They can create a fantastic number of jobs and pump hundreds of millions of dollars into our economy, For 28 years, the Caruth Institute at SMU Cox has honored the critical role of entrepreneurship in the DFW economy, which has thrived specifically because of its long history of entrepreneurial spirit, White says. Stone, an entrepreneur who co-founded The Trade Group more than 30 years ago, doesnt plan to slow down anytime soon. As he explains, Being recognized as one of the Dallas 100 in 2018 comes at a special time. The Trade Group is in the process of building a new, 230,000 sq. ft. corporate headquarters in Grapevine, a substantial expansion from the 120,000 sq. ft. space we occupy now. Along with continuing to grow our traditional trade show, event marketing and creative design services, weve also invested heavily to expand our service offerings in the exploding esports space. As we look to the future, we hope to be affiliated with the Dallas 100 and SMU Cox School of Business for years to come. To learn more about The Trade Groups trade show, event marketing, creative design and esports services call 800-343-2005 or visit http://www.tradegroup.com. About The Trade Group The Trade Group is an award winning, full-service event marketing and creative design firm, specializing in trade shows, esports events and activations, corporate events, brand activations, retail merchandising, commercial graphics and experiential solutions. Since 1986, the companys team of live event, design and engineering experts has helped thousands of clients amplify their brands and successfully navigate a wide range of events and experiences. Clients rely on The Trade Group for: event ideation, creation and production; esports expertise; exhibit design and fabrication; graphic design and production; strategic marketing solutions; technology integration and more. Silverlon wound dressings have a permanently plated metallic surface, which provides the antimicrobial benefits of silver in the dressing without staining the skin and without increasing bioburden. Our new website is designed to give surgeons and other medical professionals an efficient resource to explore the science and robust body of clinical research supporting the advantages of Silverlon dressings as part of a comprehensive infection prevention bundle. Argentum Medical, LLC and Cura Surgical launched its new website for its Silverlon antimicrobial wound care technology (https://www.silverlon.com). The robust website gives surgeons and other healthcare professionals both in civilian and in military settings convenient access to the science and clinical research supporting the most evidence-based silver-based dressings available today. Users of the new Silverlon website can quickly find Silverlon wound care products by specialty, including surgical, wound care, burn, catheter and negative pressure contact dressings. The site includes educational videos to explain the antimicrobial advantage of silver ions as well as instructional videos on the proper use of Silverlon dressings in a number of clinical settings. The website also features a searchable index of independent, peer-reviewed, clinical studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of Silverlon technology across multiple specialties including surgical, venous catheter, wound and burn care. Recent clinical studies include research conducted by the Harvard Combined Orthopaedic Residency Program published in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the University of South Florida/Tampa General Hospitals central line catheter-related infection (CLABSI) study published in the Journal of Intensive Care Medicine. Our new website is designed to give surgeons and other medical professionals an efficient resource to explore the science and robust body of clinical research supporting the advantages of Silverlon dressings as part of a comprehensive infection prevention bundle, said Raul Brizuela, president and CEO of Cura Surgical and Argentum Medical, the company that pioneered Silverlon wound care technology. Silverlon products use a unique silver-plating process that employs more pure metallic silver than any other silver-based dressing typically up to 100 times more than the leading impregnated dressings and five times more than crystalline silver dressings1. Silverlon produces a broad-spectrum antimicrobial effect that rapidly kills microorganisms, eradicating Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in as little as four hours and Pseudomonas in less than two hours. The sustained release of silver ions in the dressing results in antimicrobial activity that remains effective for up to seven days1. In addition, the new Silverlon website includes Frequently Asked Questions, a calendar showing Silverlon participation in medical conferences and industry events, and a Newsroom to highlight Silverlon-related developments, including new research, products, partnerships and staff. About Silverlon Silverlon wound dressings have a permanently plated metallic surface, which provides the antimicrobial benefits of silver in the dressing without staining the skin and without increasing bioburden. Silverlon was originally developed for the U.S. military, where it is still extensively used for management of burn and blast injuries. Silverlon dressings are used today by surgeons and other healthcare professionals around the world on surgical wounds, in negative pressure wound therapy, on chronic wounds, burns, skin grafts, and IV and catheter-related wounds. For more, visit http://www.silverlon.com. Silverlon Dressings should not be used on patients with 3rd degree burns or with known sensitivity to silver or nylon. For complete Instructions for Use and indicators, please visit: https://www.silverlon.com/resources/instructions-for-use. About Argentum Medical Argentum Medical pioneered the use of silver-plated nylon. Specializing in the development of innovative products made from silver-plated nylon, the company continues to explore new applications and markets for its Silverlon technology in keeping with its corporate mission to improve clinical outcomes. 1Data on File. ### Col. Jennifer Pritzker encourages the Trump administration to make informed, educated decisions on policies. Rather than further perpetuate misinformation to appease far-right conservative groups, I encourage the administration to learn from organizations following a science-based, human-rights approach to better understand gender and human sexuality diversity. Colonel Jennifer Pritzker issued the below statement in response to the Oct. 21, 2018, New York Times article on reported efforts by the Trump administration to narrowly define gender. Pritzker is a retired Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Army and was made an Honorary Colonel in the Illinois Army National Guard. She is also a parent, philanthropist, businesswoman, historian and a transgendered woman. Statement by Colonel Jennifer Pritzker: I firmly oppose a government-mandated definition of sex as assigned at birth. I am not a one-issue voter and have supported many Republicans in elections. However, the recent memo regarding the proposed Trump administration policy on gender, President Trumps position on open transgendered military service, and issues that are dividing this country have caused me to pause and review. Defining sex as "a biological, immutable condition determined at birth by genitalia," disregards the internal, emotional experience of gender identity. It also denies acknowledgment of the transgendered community and strips us of our civil rights. Rather than further perpetuate misinformation to appease far-right conservative groups, I encourage the administration to learn from organizations following a science-based, human-rights approach to better understand gender and human sexuality diversity. Available resources include The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), University of Minnesota Medical Schools Program in Human Sexuality and the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law. The medical community has known for decades that sex and gender cannot be determined solely by birth anatomy or chromosomes (Money & Ehrhardt, 1972). This fact is well understood and accepted by mainstream medical and scientific societies such as the National Academy of Medicine, American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecology, and American Psychiatric Association. Yesterday, we upheld anti-discrimination protections for transgender people when the state of Massachusetts voted yes to adding gender identity to the list of prohibited grounds for discrimination in places of public accommodation and recognized gender identity as separate from a persons physiology or assigned sex at birth. The more educated we are on the issues, the more effectively we can work toward solutions. This is crucial for an administration facing a polarized nation. If we truly want to "Make America Great" we need to open our minds and learn about all sides of the issues, including those outside of our worldview. I would like to volunteer my services to the Trump administration in acquiring credible academic and scientific studies regarding transgender identity to help them make informed policy decisions. Rather than restricting the rights to a large and growing LGBTQ community our leaders time would be better spent on uniting the country for the good of our communities, states and nation. Pamela A. Madeiros, a shareholder in the Education Practice of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLPs Albany office was honored at the ACDS Annual Gala in Old Bethpage, NY on Oct. 20, 2018. Madeiros was honored by the organization for her long-standing commitment and work on behalf of ACDS. ACDS was founded in 1966 by a group of parents on Long Island who were seeking services for their young children with disabilities. Today it has grown into an agency that has served over 1,000 children and adults with Down syndrome, autism, and other developmental disabilities. Madeiros focuses her practice on legislative and regulatory affairs. Her experience in identifying and resolving issues which blur distinction between health, mental health, and education policies is well established. She is a valued partner with the New York State Department of Education, including the Office of the Professions, relating to professional licenses; the Bureau of Proprietary School Services, relating to the approval and operation of trade and business schools; and the Office of College and University Evaluation, relating to accreditation, permission to operate, and general regulation of college and universities in New York State. She is an engaged participant in numerous task forces and advisory committees through her representation of special education programs, Childrens Day Treatment programs, Article 28 Clinics, and schools for the deaf throughout the state. Prior to joining the firm, Madeiros served as Senior Counsel with the New York State Legislative Bill Drafting Commission and was responsible for introducing several Latin American delegations to the state legislative process through her involvement with the Rockefeller Institute. Madeiros received her J.D. in 1983 from Albany Law School and her B.A., cum laude, in 1979 from Union College. She was recently recognized by Best Lawyers in America and has also been recognized by several other organizations including Easter Seals and The National Association of School Psychologists. About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GT) has more than 2,000 attorneys in 38 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. GT has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, was named the largest firm in the U.S. by Law360 in 2017, and is among the Top 20 on the 2018 Am Law Global 100. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com; Twitter: @GT_Law. In observation of World Cities Day 2018, representatives from various sectors make the commitment to sustainable urban development at the UN Conference Center in Bangkok, Thailand. We were honored and humbled to have received this prestigious award by the Global Forum. Coast builds community by connecting people with a mobility solution that put pedestrians first."-David M. Hickey, Chairman and CEO of Coast Coast Autonomous, a self-driving vehicle technology company, announced today that the Global Forum on Human Settlements, with support from the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and the Global One Belt One Road Association, presented Coast with its Global Model of Green Mobility Award for 2018. The award was presented to Coast in connection with the 2018 Annual Session of Global Forum on Human Settlements convened at the United Nations Conference Center, Bangkok, Thailand. The Annual Session brought together mayors from cities across the world, including the mayors of Santa Monica, California, Quezon City in the Philippines, and Male in the Maldives, each of whom discussed the challenges facing their respective cities and their innovative approaches to meet those challenges and improve the quality of life for their citizens. The Session featured non-governmental organizations such as the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (whose representative gave a presentation on project finance for public-private partnerships) and the Habitat for Humanity (whose representative discussed sustainable urban infrastructure). The Session also included representatives from the private sector to discuss smart cities technologies, including autonomous rapid transit and the use of blockchain to improve the workability, livability, and sustainability of urban environments. We were honored and humbled to have received this prestigious award by the Global Forum, said David M. Hickey, Chairman and CEO of Coast. Coast builds community by connecting people with a mobility solution that put pedestrians first. Our self-driving vehicles are smarter, safer, and more convenient than existing modes of transportation at considerably lower costs. We would like to thank the Global Forum and its partners, the Thai Royal Family, the Government of Thailand and Thai people for their warmth and generosity. About Coast Autonomous: Coast Autonomous is a software and technology company focused on delivering AV solutions for low-speed environments. At the center of one of the fastest and most profound disruptions to impact the transportation and logistics industries, Coast has developed a complete suite of Autonomous Vehicle (AV) software that includes mapping & localization, robotics & artificial intelligence (AI), fleet management and supervision systems. Partnering with proven manufacturers, Coast can provide a variety of vehicles equipped with its best-in-class software to offer Transportation-as-a-Service (TaaS) solutions to cities, theme parks, campuses, airports and other low-speed environments. Based in Pasadena, California, Coasts team is recognized for its experience and expertise in all aspects of implementing and operating AV fleets while prioritizing safety and the user experience. To learn how Coast Autonomous can help you power autonomous transportation in your environment, please visit http://www.CoastAutonomous.com. The Stevie Awards have been hailed as the worlds premier business awards. Lori Van Dyke, Senior Manager, Customer Care for Access One was named a Finalist in the Employee of the Year Business category in the 15th annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business, and will ultimately be a Gold, Silver, or Bronze Stevie Award winner in the program. The Stevie Awards for Women in Business honor women executives, entrepreneurs, employees, and the companies they run worldwide. The Stevie Awards have been hailed as the worlds premier business awards. Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Award winners will be announced during a gala event at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel in New York on Friday, November 16. Nominated women executives and entrepreneurs from the U.S.A and several other countries are expected to attend. The event will be broadcast on Livestream. More than 1,500 entries were submitted this year for consideration in more than 90 categories, including Executive of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Company of the Year, Startup of the Year, Women Helping Women, and Women Run Workplace of the Year. John Hoehne, COO of Access One, stated, Congratulations to Lori VanDyke on her nomination for a Stevie Award for Women in Business- Employee of the Year in the technology category. This nomination is another marker of Loris success, which is driven by her leadership skills and her desire to deliver a world-class experience for Access Ones customers. Her leadership is most evident in the development of her award-winning Customer Care team, which receives the best training of any group at Access One, and is continuously updated on the latest technologies to better serve our customers. Loris team has achieved a Net Promoter score of +88 in the period July 2017 - July 2018. This accomplishment reflects Loris dedication to and guidance for her team, as well as a priority placed on personalizing the customer experience. This is Loris second time as a finalist for this award. Finalists were determined by the average scores of more than 200 business professionals around the world, working on five juries. Their scores will also determine the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award placements that will be revealed at the 15th annual awards dinner and presentations in New York. This years Stevie Awards for Women in Business event will be complemented by a new one-day educational and networking event called the Women|Future Conference, also at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel on November 16. In its 15th year, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business received a record number of nominations. With the new Women|Future Conference preceding the announcement of winners on November 16, it will be a day to celebrate the achievements of working women around the world, said Michael Gallagher, founder and president of the Stevie Awards. Were looking forward to recognizing the Stevie Award winners next month. Hoehne continued, Lori ensures the success of her team (and our company) through this continuous development. She sets a high standard, both for leaders at Access One, and really for anyone who aspires to lead a world-class team. Congratulations Lori!! Details about the Stevie Awards for Women in Business and the list of Finalists in all categories are available at http://www.StevieAwards.com/Women. About Access One About Access One Technology Solutions, Delivered with Care - Access One is a privately-held business technology and communications services provider. Our mission is to provide the number one customer experience in the marketplace. For over 25 years, we have continually strived to fulfil this mission and are proud to maintain an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. Learn more at http://www.accessoneinc.com. About the Stevie Awards Stevie Awards are conferred in seven programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 10,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com. ACG Cares, announces the selection of Seven ACG Cares Scholars for 2018-2019. ACG Cares - NY Chapter, Inc., a 501 (c) 3 non-profit corporation, was created by the New York Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG New York) to serve as a way to nurture the next generation of business leaders in New York. ACG Cares does this by providing access to established executives who can assist college and graduate students in their job-search. Scholars come from a range of social backgrounds and are interested in a career in business. Those selected as ACG Cares Scholars include: Hari Balasubramaniam (NYU Stern), Karan Dedhia (Fordham University), Vaishnavi Iyengar (Pace University), Duyen (Lilly) Ha Nguyen (Pace University), Tu Nguyen (Pace University), Michael Tortora (St. Johns University), and Lijiao (Joanna) Zhao (St. Johns University). We are thrilled to honor this years group of ACG Cares Scholars. They all demonstrate a high degree of intellectual curiosity, a strong interest in pursuing a career in business, and in the middle market. In particular, their interest in the middle market demonstrates how much they value its important role in driving the US economy and a means to achieve their own career interests., Martin L. Okner, Chairman, ACG Cares New York Chapter, Inc. With an increased focus of providing greater inclusion in the middle market, ACG Cares is working to provide Scholars a deep network of professionals to gain experience, knowledge and career growth, said Bobby Blumenfeld, Executive Director ACG New York. With the addition of a mentorship component, all of our highly talented and deserving ACG Cares Scholars will benefit even more from their year-long Program by receiving individualized guidance in those areas which they have identified as most important and beneficial to them, said Kathy Nalywajko, Vice-Chairman, ACG Cares New York Chapter, Inc. & NY ACG Cup Co-Chairman. About ACG Cares, New York ACG Cares - NY Chapter, Inc., a 501 (c) 3 non-profit corporation, was created by the New York Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth to serve as a way to nurture the next generation of business leaders in New York. ACG Cares does this by providing access to established executives who can assist college and graduate students in their job-search. In addition, ACG Cares will support nonprofit organizations that facilitate career placement in business. ACG New York, Inc., the founding chapter of The Association for Corporate Growth, is the largest association of middle market deal making and corporate professionals in New York, with more than 1,000 members across all industry sectors. ACG New York facilitates long term relationship building, driving middle-market growth. ACGs members are focused on investing private capital, which benefits the pension funds held by municipal workers, fireman, policeman, health workers and others that provide years of service for the public good. Media Contacts: Bobby Blumenfeld/Sara Kuhns ACG New York bobby@acgnyc.org/skuhns@acgnyc.org 212-489-8700 The area known as Silicon Valley is sandwiched between the University of California-Berkeley on the north and Stanford University on the south. As a former UC-Berkeley student, I remember it as being alive with the scent of eucalyptus trees and close to Napa and Sonoma Valley wine country with all of this accented by beautiful San Francisco Bay. This area is indeed, the center of the tech universe and attracts some of the best minds in the world. If you have an idea that you think may change the world, you will be taken seriously here. No one cares how old you are, or how much experience you have. If you have what it takes, there is serious money to back you up. Not all students will gain admission to Stanford and Berkeley, and although these universities are heavily represented at many technology companies, they are by no means in the majority. At Alera, our people make the difference. Lisa is a valuable resource for all of our clients, but with her new CAPPP designation, she will be an even greater asset particularly to our public sector clients. Lisa Allen, CAPPP, CHRS, CFC, CAS, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at Relph Benefit Advisors, an Alera Group Company, has earned the Certificate of Achievement in Public Plan Policy (CAPPP) through the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP). The classes, held at the University of Chicago, allow participants to acquire a widespread knowledge base addressing the concepts and current trends in the legal, legislative, plan design and fiduciary aspects of public sector benefit plans. Lisa has never been the type of individual to settle. Instead, she constantly looks for ways to better herself, and the services she provides clients. We are proud of Lisa for earning this new designation, which will provide her with a comprehensive understanding of public employee benefit management at the policy-making level, says Bob Relph, President of Relph Benefit Advisors, an Alera Group Company. This CAPPP designation is of particular importance as many entities consider self-funded benefits. At Alera, our people make the difference. Lisa is a great example of the exemplary, high-quality professionals who serve our clients day in and day out, says Jim Blue, President of Alera Group. Lisa is a valuable resource for all of our clients, but with her new certification, she will be an even greater asset particularly to our public sector clients. Continues Blue, Its important that we provide relief to all of our clients as well as provide knowledge and insight in an ever changing regulatory landscape. Allen brings over 25 years of employee benefits experience to her role as the legal and regulatory compliance subject matter expert. She manages regulatory updates and client council regarding ERISA, Section 125, the Affordable Care Act, and managing employee eligibility. Allen is a member of the IRS Information Reporting Program Advisory Council (IRPAC) and Employer Information Reporting Burden/Reduction Sub-Committee. She is a frequent speaker for the WNY National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU), New York State Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), several area Chambers of Commerce, NAHU, Benefit Advisors Network, (BAN), Employer Council on Flexible Compensation (ECFC), and the International Foundation of Employee Benefits Plans (IFEBP), and the National Assocation of Professional Women, to name a few. She is also the Chair of the BAN Compliance Committee, and a Member of the ECFC Conference Committee. About Relph Benefit Advisors Relph Benefit Advisors (RBA) is a US top 50 large group employee benefits broker, and the largest independent employee benefits firm in Upstate New York since 1965. RBA invites you to Experience Relief as we resolve the challenges you face in providing and administering employee benefits. We assist our clients in controlling their medical plan costs, providing paperless and pain-free benefits administration, audit-proof compliance, comprehensive wellness programs, employee education and claims support. For more information visit relphbenefitadvisors.com. About Alera Group Based in Deerfield, IL, Alera Group has more than 1,000 employees serving more than 20,000 clients nationally in employee benefits, property/casualty, risk management and wealth management. Alera Group was created by the merging of 24 high-performing, entrepreneurial firms across the United States and is the nations 15th largest independent insurance agency and the 7th largest independent employee benefits firm. For more information, visit http://www.aleragroup.com or follow Alera Group on Twitter: @AleraGroupUS. Dream Chaser softFEP Apps to process Dream Chaser's in-flight command and telemetry links AMERGINT Technologies has completed delivery of softFEP systems to Sierra Nevada Corporation for the Dream Chaser ground stations. SNC will deploy the softFEP Apps in a mixed hardware and virtualized environment to process the in-flight commanding and telemetry links for the Dream Chaser Cargo System. Were extremely excited to be working with Sierra Nevada Corporation in support of this inspirational spacecraft, said Brian Willette, AMERGINT's Director of Narrowband Digital Systems. SNC is using AMERGINTs softFEP processors to connect Dream Chasers ground control system to NASA's Space Network utilizing Space Link Extensions (SLE) connections. Willette added, Our proven experience with the NASA networks and protocols reduce risk for the upcoming first cargo mission. SNCs Dream Chaser spacecraft is a multi-mission space utility vehicle which was selected by NASA under the Commercial Resupply Service 2 (CRS2) contract to provide cargo delivery, return and disposal service for the International Space Station (ISS). It will carry supplies and science experiments up to the ISS, and then return safely to earth via a runway landing. The Dream Chaser spacecraft is to provide a minimum of six cargo missions and is slated for its first mission in 2019. More information about the Dream Chaser can be found at SNCs website: https://www.sncorp.com/what-we-do/dream-chaser-space-vehicle/ softFEP products already support many of the mission critical links to the ISS and other related programs. Willette noted, The configurability and flexibility of AMERGINTs softFEP products are a perfect match in a mixed hardware and virtualized environment such as this." AMERGINT Technologies, Inc. is an employee-owned company delivering signal, protocol and data processing software applications to the satellite ground, test, and data acquisition markets. For more information or to arrange an onsite or web demonstration, contact us directly at 719-522-2800. Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) is a trusted leader in solving the worlds toughest challenges through advanced engineering technologies in Space Systems, Commercial Solutions, and National Security and Defense. With applications including navigation and guidance, communication and surveillance systems, electronic warfare, aircraft systems and telemedicine, SNC provides state-of-the art solutions to military and commercial customers around the world. SNC has been honored as one of the most innovative U.S. companies in space, a Tier One Superior Supplier for the U.S. Air Force, and as one of Americas fastest growing companies. For more information, visit http://www.sncorp.com. Ardent Partners The CPO Rising 2018 Summit is the ideal forum able to examine best practices in procurement, network with peers, and discuss what it means to manage a procurement department in the "Age of Intelligence." More than 135 chief procurement officers and other procurement executives convened at Bostons elegant Harvard Club this week to discuss best practices, learn about emerging market trends, and collaborate with like-minded peers. The third annual CPO Rising Summit and executive symposium, hosted by prominent research and advisory firm Ardent Partners, will feature an unrivaled lineup of speakers and presentations, all of which will serve to push the procurement function into a new era. This weeks event, which will feature nearly two dozen procurement luminaries from large corporations around the globe (and across many industries), will tackle a vast array of exciting topics within the world of supply management. These executives, from Thermo Fisher, Shire Pharmaceuticals, Bain Capital, Google, Rio Tinto, and many other companies, will discuss: Managing procurement in the Age of Intelligence (this years event theme) Data-driven procurement strategies The role of innovation in todays procurement function Designing and building the optimal procurement department (and procurement transformation) Strategic category management And other relevant procurement topics The procurement function of 2018 sits on the edge of an incredible transformation in its ultimate quest for business agility and enterprise-wide value, says Andrew Bartolini, founder and chief research officer at Ardent Partners. Todays procurement executives have the power to leverage innovation, intelligence, and transformational thinking to become a truly agile business function. The CPO Rising 2018 Summit is the ideal forum for procurement professionals from around the world to learn how to achieve these goals. This exclusive summit is sponsored by Coupa, GEP, Determine, iValua, AppZen, Guidant Global, Basware, SourceOne, and ScoutRFP. For more information on the CPO Rising 2018 Summit, please visit events.cporising.com. About Ardent Partners Ardent Partners is a research and advisory firm focused on defining and advancing the supply management strategies, processes, and technologies that drive business value and accelerate organizational transformation within the enterprise. The Ardent team has decades of experience publishing primary research that help business leaders in procurement, supply management, and financial operations make smarter decisions and improve their performance. To learn more about the company, visit http://www.ardentpartners.com. Belatrix Software, a leading software development company, is pleased to announce that its CEO and Co-Founder, Luis Robbio, has been recognized as Executive of the Year by the Mendoza Executive Association (AEM). The awards aim to recognize local entrepreneurs who contribute to the economic growth of Mendoza. Federico Robbio, Belatrix President, Finance and Talent, and Co-Founder, accepted the award on behalf of Luis Robbio. The event took place at a gala ceremony in the InterContinental Hotel in Mendoza. The governor of Mendoza, Alfredo Cornejo, attended the ceremony. This award follows on from Belatrix being recognized as a top place to work by the organization Great Place to Work and as a great employer in the American Business Awards. Belatrix continues its fast growth, recently opening its first European office in Spain. Earlier this year, Belatrix held the inauguration ceremony of its Colombia office in Bogota. Luis Robbio, commented, Im delighted to receive the award as executive of the year. I want to dedicate it to my sons, Alex and Federico, our partners, everyone at Belatrix including our management team, and our clients, who help make our success possible. We all share the challenges, but also our achievements together Im proud to be part of such an incredible group of individuals. Its a very exciting time in the technology industry, as executives look to conduct digital transformations of their organizations. But to do this successfully, they need new skills and new capabilities. With our experience, we are well positioned to help organizations in their digital journeys. Attorney Francisco J. Botto After a hearing on the merits of the motion, the court concluded that the officer did not have probable cause to search the defendants vehicle, A Boone County judge granted a motion on June 14 to suppress the evidence from a vehicle search that led to a man being charged with drug possession. Marengo, Illinois, resident Anthony Struck has been charged with possession of a controlled substance in the case of People v. Anthony Struck, Case No. 18 CF 102. Francisco J. Botto of Botto Gilbert Lancaster, PC, is serving as Strucks criminal defense attorney and filed the motion to suppress. After a hearing on the merits of the motion, the court concluded that the officer did not have probable cause to search the defendants vehicle, Botto said. On March 5, a police officer stopped the defendant for allegedly failing to signal before reaching an intersection. The officer claims that he saw marijuana in plain view inside the defendants car and ordered the defendant to exit the vehicle while he conducted a search. The officer allegedly found narcotic medication without a prescription. According to Botto, the substance that the officer viewed in plain sight did not look like marijuana, and it cannot be confirmed whether that substance was marijuana because the officer did not keep it as evidence. Botto said that the judge reasoned that the officer did not have grounds to search the entire vehicle without checking whether the substance he initially viewed was illegal. Crystal Lake, Illinois, attorney Francisco Botto is a managing partner at Botto Gilbert Lancaster, PC. He has successfully tried numerous criminal cases to a verdict, including cases involving serious felony charges. He also works extensively on litigation for personal injury and workers compensation cases. About Botto Gilbert Lancaster, PC: The law firm of Botto Gilbert Lancaster, PC is located in Crystal Lake, Illinois. The firms experienced McHenry County attorneys work within a wide-range of practice areas including real estate law, workers' compensation, personal injury, family law, criminal law, and business law. The firm effectively represents individuals and businesses throughout Northern Illinois in the counties of McHenry, Lake, DeKalb, Cook, Boone, Kane, and Winnebago. Call 815-338-3838 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free initial legal consultation with Botto Gilbert Lancaster, PC, today. Cerand will help ensure that were bringing the right kind of money to the right kind of people. Our system for building great companies depends on finding the entrepreneurs who will most benefit from what we have to offer. BuildGroup, a company that selectively invests in leadership teams with staying power, today announced that Tanner Cerand has joined as VP of Investment Research. Cerand will serve as BuildGroups research and deal sourcing expert, identifying promising software markets and finding the best companies in those categories. He will also be responsible for the development of BuildGroups investment evaluation system. Cerand will be sourcing deals based on thematic and quantitative criteria, and he will work with founders and entrepreneurs to determine if they are a good fit for the BuildGroup model. BuildGroups unique approach provides permanent capital and side-by-side support to help founding teams achieve long-term success. BuildGroup employs a set of proprietary growth frameworks and operational models to increase market traction and avoid common pitfalls and barriers to growth. Were looking to invest in a limited number of high-potential companies over the next five years, which means were obsessive about finding the right companies to work with, said Lanham Napier, co-founder and chief executive officer, BuildGroup. Tanners deep analytical skills and industry knowledge will help ensure that were bringing the right kind of money to the right kind of people. Our system for building great companies depends on finding the entrepreneurs who will most benefit from what we have to offer. This past June BuildGroup announced that it had raised $330 million in capital to invest in emerging software companies. BuildGroup believes that software and enterprise technologies often take time to mature and that building great companies and defining new markets requires long-term commitments from all participants. Emerging software companies deserve an investor who is committed to the long climb to greatness. The biggest challenge for entrepreneurs isnt simply securing funding but also finding the right kind of funding that will support their long-term visions, says Cerand. I appreciate BuildGroups approach to deep diligence and working with companies to achieve a common goal of long-term growth. That approach also means that we need to be very strategic in our investments and develop a system that can help us find and evaluate these opportunities. Cerand previously spearheaded research and business development at Vista Equity Partners, a private equity firm headquartered in Austin, TX. As Vista Equitys Director of Business Development, he was responsible for identifying and evaluating new investment opportunities. He brings more than fifteen years experience in the financial sector to BuildGroup, including time at Gerson Lehrman Group and UBS Investment Bank. At BuildGroup he will research software markets and identify potential category-leading companies. He will also help develop BuildGroups system to gather and analyze company-performance data. BuildGroup was founded by Rackspace alumni Lanham Napier, Jim Curry and Klee Kleber, and Pete Freeland from General Catalyst. BuildGroup was designed as a holding company instead of a venture capital fund to free entrepreneurs from the expectations of quick exits, allowing their companies to pursue long-term greatness. The company invests as a permanent source of capital and has developed unique intellectual property to support emerging growth companies. About BuildGroup: BuildGroup is a company that selectively invests in leadership teams with staying power. We back founders who are ambitious enough to want to make a dent in the universe and humble enough to realize they cant do it alone. By providing permanent capital from aligned investors and avoiding forced exits, BuildGroup frees entrepreneurs to focus on serving customers instead of raising the next round. We believe that great businesses are built, not bought, and thats why our team works side-by-side with founders to create conditions for long-term growth. BuildGroup was founded in Austin, Texas by a team of proven builders who love nothing more than helping build and grow extraordinary companies. Always under construction at http://www.BuildGroup.com/. Canal automation, like this structure on a canal in Washington, is one of the types of projects being funded through this announcement. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Brenda Burman announced today that Reclamation has selected 58 projects to receive $3.7 million for small-scale water efficiency projects in 16 western states. The funding from Reclamation is being leveraged to support more than $8.2 million in improvements throughout the West. The projects funded with these grants include installation of flow measurement devices and automation technology, canal lining or piping to address seepage, municipal meter upgrades, and other projects to conserve water. Funding of up to $75,000 is provided to projects on a 50-percent cost-share. A complete list of the projects selected is available at: https://www.usbr.gov/watersmart/swep/. The City of Avondale in Arizona is receiving $75,000 to update two water treatment/booster station wells within their system. They will connect them to their current supervisory control and data acquisition system which will help them better manage their water supplies. The North Kern Water Storage District in Bakersfield, California, is receiving $75,000 to install SCADA software to interface with previously installed SCADA equipment and two evapotranspiration measurement stations in the service area. The City of Gallup in northwest New Mexico is receiving $60,000 to upgrade old mechanical meters with modern solid-state meters for industrial, commercial and institutional users. This project will allow for allow for more accurate measurement of water consumption and is supported by its 2013 water conservation plan. Small-Scale Water Efficiency Projects are part of Reclamations WaterSMART Program. The program aims to improve water conservation and reliability, helping water resource managers make sound decisions about water use. Learn more at https://www.usbr.gov/watersmart/swep/. Visit https://www.usbr.gov/watersmart for additional information about the WaterSMART program. Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) announces the opening of a new treatment center, joining over 200 centers across the United States, as well as new office locations for five others. CARD services are now available in Lakeland, FL, and CARD centers in the communities of Lansing, MI; Lincoln, NE; Omaha, NE; Silverdale, WA; and Towson, MD, have relocated Individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder can access treatment without delay. CARD is the worlds largest provider of top-quality, evidence-based autism treatment, effectively treating individuals of all ages who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Through a network of highly trained behavior analysts, behavior technicians, and researchers, CARD develops and implements quality, individualized treatment programs, which lead to success and, in some cases, recovery. CARD treats the behaviors and deficits commonly associated with ASD using the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA), the only evidence-based treatment for ASD. Services are available in CARD centers and patient homes, schools, and communities. CARD pioneered the center-based model when researchers documented that individuals acquire skills in a center-based program at approximately twice the pace as in a home setting. In addition to communication, adaptive, play, and motor skills, CARDs unique curriculum builds on these foundational skills to develop more advanced social, cognition, and executive function skills, such as understanding sarcasm, solving social and non-social problems, and identifying metaphors. These skills optimize socialization and communication skills and help individuals with ASD experience positive social interactions with their peers and family members. We are humbled by the enormous outpouring of enthusiasm we have encountered from families in Lakeland, Florida, who have been eager to access services, said Doreen Granpeesheh, PhD, BCBA-D, founder and executive director of CARD. Several other centers have also relocated to new facilities as we identify more convenient locations, and we will continue to provide the care that our families in those cities have come to appreciate. In addition to traditional 1:1 intensive ABA programs, CARD offers focused ABA programs and several targeted programs, including feeding, pill swallowing, social skills groups, short and long-term treatment of severe problem behavior, and more focused parent training. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to participate in parent/caregiver training, which is available during non-traditional work hours and online. The Lakeland, FL center is located at: 921 East Parker Street, Suite 1, Lakeland, FL 33801 The following centers are new open as relocations: 120 N Washington STE 300, Lansing, MI 48933 (replacing previous Lansing, MI location) 233 South 13th St. STE 1100, Lincoln, NE 68508 (replacing previous Lincoln, NE location) 2111 South 67th Street STE 300, Omaha, NE 68106 (replacing previous Omaha, NE location) 2430 NW Myhre Road, Suite 101, Silverdale, WA 98383 (replacing previous Bremerton, WA location) 100 West Road Suite 300, Towson, MD 21204 For more information, call (818) 345-2345 or visit CARD online at http://www.centerforautism.com or find a location near you by visiting http://centerforautism.com/locations.aspx. About Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) CARD treats individuals of all ages who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at treatment centers around the globe. CARD was founded in 1990 by leading autism expert and licensed psychologist Doreen Granpeesheh, PhD, BCBA-D. CARD treats individuals with ASD using the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA), which is empirically proven to be the most effective method for treating individuals with ASD and recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the US Surgeon General. CARD has over 200 locations throughout the United States. For more information, visit http://www.centerforautism.com Through my involvement and interaction with Jewish community members around the world, I am confident that this program will provide a unique experience for all students involved, both local and international. Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School announces its new International Student Program. The School is currently recruiting Jewish high school students from around the world to enroll beginning in Fall 2019. The International Student Program contributes to positioning CESJDS at the forefront of educational opportunities in the 21st century. Through a mutually enriching experience for both current and visiting students, the International Student Program promotes pluralism, diversity, and a global perspective for all of our students, said Rabbi Mitchel Malkus, Head of School. The CESJDS International Student Program builds on the School's history of hosting international students who have come with their families to the DC area. This new initiative will allow individual students to live with current CESJDS families through a newly developed International homestay program and to take advantage of the educational and cultural opportunities in the United States Capital.. The goal of the International Student Program is to enhance our mission on a global level and enrich the educational experience of our local students. International students will add diversity and a deeper appreciation for Jewish peoplehood to our school community. International students will follow the same application guidelines as local applicants and only a small number of spots will be available for each grade. Through this program, visiting students will have the opportunity to access the outstanding pluralistic education that CESJDS is recognized for internationally and which is not available in their home communities. I am thrilled to work with CESJDS in launching this program, said Jocelyn Krifcher, parent of four school alumni. Through my involvement and interaction with Jewish community members around the world, I am confident that this program will provide a unique experience for all students involved, both local and international. About CESJDS CESJDS is the largest JK-12 community Jewish day school in North America. Our mission is to engage students in an outstanding and inspiring general and Judaic education. In grades JK-5, we foster an environment where children feel safe, loved and challenged. Our faculty works hard to instill feelings of joy and self-confidence in each child. In Middle School (grades 6-8) and High School (grades 9-12), rigorous study in the classroom is infused with creativity and relevance, while activities outside the classroom are characterized by hands-on engagement. Our program culminates with the journey of a lifetime, the 13-week Senior Trip to Eastern Europe and Israel. Graduates then depart for college equipped with memorable experiences and abundant knowledge to help them succeed in college and beyond. For more information, visit http://www.cesjds.org. Zygus Capital, a partner-owned investment firm, today announced that Christian Besas has joined Zygus as a Managing Partner. His role is Director of Investment Research, as the firm expands its investment scope and research capabilities. He will report to Paul Ho, Chairman, CEO, and Founder of Zygus Capital. Christian Besas has had an accomplished career and will add considerable value to our growing team, said Paul Ho. In his new role, Besas will oversee all aspects of investment research, which will enhance the firms investment process. Furthermore, Besas will help ensure Zygus culture of collaboration and transparency. I am excited to join a firm with a great culture said Besas. Prior to joining Zygus Capital, Mr. Besas was an Analyst in the Leveraged Finance Group at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation for three years. He has experience analyzing U.S., PE-backed middle market companies in the industrial, healthcare, and technology industries. I have worked with Christian at SMBC and have always admired his intellect and drive, said Mr. Ho. Before Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Besas worked at Mariner Investment Group, a privately held hedge fund, for two years. He graduated with a B.B.A. degree in finance from Baruch College. Besas is the latest senior appointment for Zygus since the firm launched in September. His addition is part of Zygus strategy to focus on systematic research and trading. Christians appointment reaffirms our commitment to research and statistical analysis, said Paul Ho. About Zygus Capital Zygus Capital is a partner-owned investment firm. The firms mission is to realize alpha returns by using a systematic approach, trading at market imbalance with a focus on risk management. Zygus Capital is headquartered at 555 Madison Avenue, 5th floor, New York, NY 10022. All inquiries and employment opportunities should be directed to Mr. Ho at 646-783-9192 or at paul.ho@zygus.com. Please visit http://www.zygus.com for more information. About Paul Ho Paul Ho is Chairman, CEO, and Founder of Zygus Capital. Mr. Ho has executive oversight of the firms investments including broad strategy-setting, risk and resource management. Prior to founding Zygus Capital, Mr. Ho was a capital markets banker at Citco based in New York City and a member of the Capital Markets Group. At Citco, Mr. Ho arranged debt and equity capital for sponsors and investors. Before Citco, he was a Leveraged Finance and Financial Sponsors banker at SMBC. Prior to SMBC, Mr. Ho spent three years as a Leveraged Finance Analyst at Citi. He began his investment banking career as a Mergers and Acquisitions banker at Royal Bank of Scotland and was a private equity analyst at the Masan Group. Over his career, Mr. Ho has completed over $2 billion in debt and equity transactions. His experience includes client management, deal sourcing, structuring, leveraged finance underwriting, portfolio management, and risk management. Prior to his career in finance, he served in the United States Army as medic and surgical technologist for four years at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington D.C. and 349th General Hospital in California. He received his B.A. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania About Christian Besas Christian Besas is Director of Investment Research at Zygus Capital. Besas oversees the firms investment research and statistical analysis. Prior to joining Zygus Capital, Mr. Besas worked at Mariner Investment Group, LLC, a privately owned hedge fund in New York, and most recently as an Analyst in the Leveraged Finance group at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation. He has experience analyzing U.S., PE-backed middle market companies in the industrial, healthcare, and technology industries. He received his B.B.A. degree in finance with distinction from Baruch College. We tried to think about who would have the similar experience, she said. The person who came to mind is Dr. Pete Morikis. I brought him to the attention of MGT. Ive known him for several years and have full confidence in him to continue as emergency manager. Clean N Dry, an emergency restoration company providing services in the Panama City area to those in the path of Hurricane Michael, donates 500 meals to support the important work and mission of the faith-based non-profit organization, Mercy Chef. Since 2006, Chef Gary LeBlanc, founder and president of faith-based non-profit, Mercy Chef, has lead his team of volunteers to serve hot meals to the victims, volunteers, and first responders in areas that have suffered natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, wildfires and other national emergencies. To date, Mercy Chef has served over a million and a half meals all over the U.S., showing up after a disaster strikes and staying to help those who are trying to rebuild. After being a volunteer helping those in his own community during the disaster of Hurricane Katrina, LeBlanc witnessed poor quality meals being served to those trying to rebuild the community. As a professional chef for 35 years, he recognized the stress and reality of the situation could be momentarily offset with the normalization of a real, professional, and great-tasting hot meal. The Mercy Chef missions are focused on serving those in disaster areas all across the United States and providing clean water outside the U.S. Most recently, Mercy Chef is on scene in the Panhandle of Florida serving those who are victims and those who are helping victims recover and rebuild from Hurricane Michael. Helping with Hurricane Michael clean-up in the Panama City area of Florida is where the Clean N Dry crews became familiar with the Mercy Chef organization. With smiles and positivity, the Mercy Chef volunteers offered great tasting, hot meals to those displaced and those responding to the disaster. Seeing the community come together to eat and talk after working so hard each day when progress can be slow and frustrating - and to get good, hot food and to get to sit down and enjoy it was incredible, says Chad McKenzie, owner/operator of Clean N Dry. He continued, Its hard to imagine in the middle of a disaster area to find such a welcoming and well-meaning offer for a good meal. We knew we wanted to support their mission and we feel good about supporting what they do! With offices based in Orlando, Florida and Hampton, Virginia, McKenzie was even happier to find out that the Mercy Chef Mission is based out of Portsmouth, Virginia, which is very close to the Clean N Dry Virginia office. The Clean N Dry disaster recovery teams have been on scene, serving and rebuilding during named hurricanes Irma, Harvey, Matthew, Florence, and now Michael. Certified in Emergency and Disaster Restoration Services; Water, Fire, and Mold Restoration, it is very likely the two organizations will meet again in future disaster recovery situations. The Clean N Dry teams were extremely impressed and appreciative of the Mercy Chef volunteers and their quality meals and are proud to support such an integral partner in the communities which both organizations show up to help in their own way. Summary: Chad McKenzie, owner/operator of Clean N Dry, a provider of emergency restoration services in Orlando, Florida and Hampton, Virginia, donated 500 meals to the faith-based non-profit, Mercy Chef of Portsmouth, Virginia. McKenzie was introduced to the Mercy Chef mission of providing hot, professionally prepared meals in disaster areas during Hurricane Michael clean-up in the Panama City area of the Florida Panhandle. Both organizations had responders on scene and helping the community. Learn More About the Mercy Chef Mission and Consider Donating: https://mercychefs.com/who-we-are/ Learn More About Clean N Dry Services in: Orlando, Florida and Hampton, Virginia 1-877-378-9111 https://getcleananddry.com Cloud 9 ERP Solutions, a leading reseller and implementation partner of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions for growing organizations in professional services, distribution, field services, and more has announced a new webinar for organizations specializing in AV-Network Cabling Service companies in need of financial management designed for their specific needs. Titled How to Leverage Business Software for AV-Network Cabling Service Companies, this webcast will feature Kelly Burns, Chief Operating Officer at M3 Technology Group who will share his companys journey from legacy ERP to modern cloud solutions. Moderated by Dan Vanacore, VP of Sales and Marketing at Cloud 9 ERP Solutions, the webinar will highlight the following: Top reasons that companies specializing in AV systems integration are moving away from legacy, on-premise software. M3 Technology Groups successful Acumatica implementation with the help of Cloud 9 ERP Solutions. The key metrics and KPIs M3 realized by selecting Acumatica. Additionally, this webinar will present a brief demonstration of Acumatica Cloud ERP and allow time for a brief question and answer session with both the panelist and moderators. Register for How to Leverage Business Software for AV-Network Cabling Service Companies, scheduled for 1:00 PM EST on Thursday, November 29, 2018 by clicking the following link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5635827618214529538 ### About Cloud 9 ERP Solutions Cloud 9 ERP Solutions has provided enterprise resource planning and other business software to clients in the Eastern United States for nearly 25 years. With locations in Connecticut and Georgia, Cloud 9 ERP Solutions provides expertise in business analysis, IT strategy, software development, distribution, ecommerce, process re-engineering, project management, finance, cost control and technical support call centers. A provider of Acumatica Cloud ERP, Cloud 9 ERP Solutions has helped hundreds of companies like yours to transform their business with modern ERP solutions. For more information, visit http://www.cloud9erp.com. About M3 Technology Group M3 Technology Group is a leading provider of Networked Audio-Visual systems, Managed Services and ITS base building infrastructure, known for delivering outstanding design, installation and support to customers throughout the Southeast and around the country. For more information, visit http://www.m3techgroup.com. About Acumatica Acumatica provides cloud-based business management software that empowers small and mid-size companies to accelerate their businesses. Built on cloud and mobile technology and a unique customer-centric licensing model, Acumatica delivers a suite of fully integrated business management applications, such as Financials, Project Accounting, Distribution, Commerce, Manufacturing, Field Service, Construction, and CRM, on a robust and flexible platform. For more information, visit http://www.acumatica.com. CSI logo As one of our most valued partners, Edenred has been able to support and enhance CSIs global footprint for the past two years. This was truly a natural progression and an exciting move that will further ignite CSIs impressive growth rates." Edenred SA, the world leader in transactional solutions for companies, employees and merchants, has signed a purchase agreement to acquire Corporate Spending Innovations (CSI), an industry frontrunner in electronic B2B payment solutions. The sale includes CSI Enterprises, Inc. and all its subsidiaries with business operations continuing under the CSI brand. As one of our most valued partners, Edenred has been able to support and enhance CSIs global footprint for the past two years. This was truly a natural progression and an exciting move that will further ignite CSIs impressive growth rates, stated Keith Stone, CEO of CSI. Were also very excited for what this means for our clients and employees. We look forward to expanding our market leading position, innovative B2B payments platform, AP services, and support of our commercial bank partners with the Edenred team. Edenred embodies the same innovative approach CSI has always taken with product development and market-leading customer service. Their business model is fully aligned with CSIs technology-driven and high-energy culture. This collaboration will strengthen and enhance each organizations global operations. CSI already boasts best-in-class accounts payable technology, travel solutions, fleet/fuel card programs, and dual-issuing capability for Mastercard and Visa. This exceptional product suite, coupled with Edenreds ecosystem of 770,000 corporate clients worldwide, will create an extraordinary opportunity for revenue generation. With the acquisition of this North American partner, which we know well, we now have many assets to become a major player in the buoyant corporate payment industry. CSI is indeed a well-established and fast-growing fintech. We are accelerating the development of this business line, which will contribute to generating more and more sustainable and profitable growth for the Group, particularly in the United States, said Bertrand Dumazy, Chairman and CEO of Edenred. SunTrust Robinson Humphrey served as the exclusive financial advisor to Corporate Spending Innovations in its sale to Edenred. The team at STRH, led by Jamie Hamilton, were great partners to us at CSI as we explored strategic alternatives for our company, said Keith Stone. As a bootstrapped company since our founding, STRH did a wonderful job preparing us and shepherding us through this important milestone in CSIs history. About CSI CSI provides enterprise-ready payment solutions to world-leading brands with their highly secure corporate payments platform that includes CSI Paysystems, CSI Travel, CSI Go, CSI Connect, CSI Invoice, and Global-Fleet fuel cards. CSI customers can automate 100% of B2B payables including virtual credit card, ghost card, proprietary network, ACH, check, or FX with cross-border payments settled in local currency. CSI is a certified Mastercard processor and has obtained Visa Ready for Business Solutions approval. Learn more at https://www.corporatespending.com. About Edenred Edenred is the world leader in transactional solutions for companies, employees and merchants, with business volume of more than 26 billion generated in 2017, of which 78% through digital formats. Whether delivered via mobile, online platform, card or paper voucher, all of these solutions mean increased purchasing power for employees, optimized expense management for companies and additional business for partner merchants. Edenreds offer is built around three business lines: Employee benefits, Fleet and mobility solutions, and Complementary solutions including corporate payments, incentives and rewards, and public social programs. The Group brings together a unique network of 44 million employees, 770,000 companies and public institutions, and 1.5 million merchants. Listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange and part of the CAC Next 20 index, Edenred operates in 45 countries, with close to 8,000 employees. Learn more at http://www.edenred.com. Recently, dry eye evaporation researcher and talk show host Sharon Kleyne broadcasted her 500th episode of her internationally syndicated talk show, The Sharon Kleyne Hour Water Life Science/Natures Pharma, The Power of Water & Your Health sponsored by Natures Tears EyeMist on VoiceAmerica. It isnt every day that the eye mist for dry eye evaporation educator Kleyne can celebrate a talk show milestone, so she was delighted to reflect on her radio achievements on such a special occasion. For the last twelve years, said Kleyne, Ive envisioned my program as an educational opportunity to teach listeners about the latest breakthroughs in water technology research. I also want to teach healthy habits and eye mist for dry eye evaporation secrets. Kleyne sees her talk show as a kind of living laboratory where listeners become participants with ongoing research and the international roster of guests that join Kleyne every week. These thought leaders and researchers have included luminaries such as Dr. Yuan Fang and Dr. Kevin Chen of China, Dr. Gerald Pollack, discoverer of a 4th phase of water, Dr. Neil Grigg, Andrew Sherman, Dr. William Mathers, Philip Paden, M.D., L. DeWayne Cecil, Rose Hong, Mei Lin Fung, Dame Dr. Effie Chow, the mother of American Qigong and Nobel Prize winner Kurt Wuthrich, among many others. All are dedicated to advancing new water technology research to promote healthier, longer lives around the world. Kleynes great discovery in this line is the water and application device that delivers it to eyes and skin as more than just a mist. The testing and research into the unique Trade Secret tissue culture grade water, patented worldwide, that became Natures Tears EyeMist, Natures Mist Face of the Waters and Bio Med Wash has revolutionized new water research and technology. The water that exclusively makes up Kleynes products has been developed and is produced by her research center at the company she founded, Bio-Logic Aqua Research Water Life Science in Grants Pass, Oregon. The water, in its pH balance, is almost identical to the water that is actually produced by the eyes tear film, which is naturally 99 percent water. No other water on earth can make that claim. That is why Natures Tears EyeMist and Natures Mist Face of the Water are the best products on the planet for relief of dry eye evaporation and dry over-evaporating skin. The mist, not a spray, is designed for maximum absorption into the tear film and the skin. Thats why misting with these products is like being kissed. Its why these products have already sold millions of units in the U.S., China and elsewhere. Customer testimonials attest to the beneficial rewards of product use. A teacher in China shared recently that she never goes anywhere without her convenient portable, handheld humidifier of Natures Tears EyeMist for dry eye evaporation, and she recommends it to all of her students and their families, too. Meanwhile, talk show host Kleyne looks forward to her next 500 broadcasts. Its a privilege to contribute to the new water research and technology discoveries that are happening now, says Kleyne, and of course its an honor to help others learn how to lead a healthier, longer Water Life Science lifestyle. * If you would like to listen to a sample episode of Sharon Kleynes talk show please follow this link: https://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/109696/integrate-mind-body-for-self-healing You need to take the first step and do it. Just maintain what you can in your savings. Being a dedicated saver can bring unexpected rewards, one Duncanville woman learned. After finishing her bus route for Dallas ISD, Diane Reed came into Neighborhood Credit Unions Duncanville branch after being notified that she had won a prize. Skeptical of what that phone call meant, Reed was at a loss for words when Neighborhood Credit Union leadership greeted her with an oversized check for $10,000. The actual $10,000 prize was deposited directly into her Prize Savings Account at the credit union. Youre going to have to tell me again, she said. I won what? Reed has been a member of the credit union for close to 10 years where she works to build her savings. She said she spent all weekend trying to figure out what she could have won. We appreciate Diane, said Francis Santana, vice president of community relations. This is part of what we do in appreciation for her great savings habits. Dallas-based Neighborhood Credit Union established the Prize Savings Account 10 years ago to encourage people to save more money, at a time when the personal savings rate had dropped to one of the lowest levels in U.S. history. But by being a consistent saver, Reed believes that its very important to do whatever she can to keep her money growing every single month. If you have a little something to put back, put it there [in savings] and keep it there as long as you can, Reed said. You need to take the first step and do it. Just maintain what you can in your savings. When asked what she was going to do with her winnings, Reed said she was going to put it straight into her Prize Savings Account. See the video of the surprise: https://youtu.be/RzPIWW3fkX8 How the Prize Savings Account works: Neighborhood Credit Union members receive one drawing entry for every $25 monthly average balance in their Prize Savings Accounts. The greater the savings, the greater the chance a member has of winning. Members are eligible for monthly drawings up to $1,000 and quarterly $10,000 drawings. At the start of each year, a winner is drawn for the newly-increased $49,999.99 grand prize based on the average monthly balance in the savings account at close of business December 31. The upcoming 2018 drawing marks the 10th Anniversary Grand Prize Savings drawing for Neighborhood Credit Union. About Neighborhood Credit Union: The oldest credit union in Dallas (chartered April 18, 1930), Neighborhood Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial organization serving Dallas, Denton and Ellis counties, as well as the City of Arlington. With branches in Dallas, Richardson, Arlington, Mesquite, Duncanville, Waxahachie, Lancaster, Grand Prairie, Coppell, and Highland Village, and assets topping $720 million, Neighborhood Credit Union has a membership of 55,000 and continues to welcome new members daily. For more information, call (214) 748-9393 or visit https://www.myncu.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Dutch Bros Coffee raised more than $421,000 for breast cancer awareness programs through the sale of special edition mugs. We are so proud of the support our customers showed for these amazing organizations, said Travis Boersma, CEO and co-founder of Dutch Bros Coffee. We are honored to have the opportunity to be part of the fight against breast cancer. Dutch Bros Coffee raised $421,440 for the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute and Albie Aware in celebration of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For each custom Be Aware mug sold in October, Dutch Bros donated $10 to support breast cancer research and patient support. We are so proud of the support our customers showed for these amazing organizations, said Travis Boersma, CEO and co-founder of Dutch Bros Coffee. We are honored to have the opportunity to be part of the fight against breast cancer. Of the total funds raised, $385,930 will go to the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. The institute believes individual, targeted treatment and early detection are crucial to ending cancer as we know it. It received the National Cancer Institutes top recognition as a Comprehensive Cancer Center based on meeting criteria in three key areas: laboratory research, clinical research and population-based science. We are incredibly grateful to have Dutch Bros as a long-time partner in our battle against breast cancer, said Brian Druker, M.D., and director of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. Were energized by this years record-breaking contribution and we deeply appreciate this enormous show of support by thousands of Dutch Bros customers who share our desire to end cancer as we know it. The remaining funds, which were raised in the Sacramento area, are helping support Albie Aware, an organization that focuses on individuals fighting cancer by providing diagnostic testing, patient advocacy, prevention education and compassionate support. This years donation totals more than $35,000. We are deeply grateful to Dutch Bros for its support of our mission to provide critical, direct services to women with breast cancer, said Cindy Love, executive director of Albie Aware. This year the demand for our services has increased more than 30 percent, and Dutch Bros support will ensure no one is turned away. Dutch Bros Coffee has taken part in Breast Cancer Awareness month for the last five years. Since then, Dutch Bros has raised more than $1.3 million for the advancement of breast cancer research and treatment. About Dutch Bros Dutch Bros Coffee is the countrys largest privately held drive-thru coffee company, with more than 320 locations and 9,000 employees in seven states. The company is headquartered in Grants Pass, Oregon, where it was founded in 1992 by Dane and Travis Boersma. Dutch Bros serves specialty coffee, smoothies, freezes, teas, a private-label Dutch Bros Blue Rebel energy drink and nitrogen-infused cold brew coffee. Its rich, proprietary coffee blend is handcrafted from start to finish. In addition to its mission of speed, quality and service, Dutch Bros is committed to giving back to the communities it serves. Through its Love Abounds Foundation and local franchisees, Dutch Bros donates more than $5.8 million each year to causes across the country. To learn more about Dutch Bros, visit http://www.dutchbros.com, like Dutch Bros Coffee on Facebook or follow @DutchBros on Twitter. Municipalities want improved access to data, enhanced collaboration, and increased security and compliance within the budget and without service interruptions. eMazzanti Technologies, a Hoboken, New Jersey IT consultant and 2016 New Jersey Business of the Year, announced today that it will be exhibiting at the 103rd Annual New Jersey State League of Municipalities Conference. The three-day event is slated for the Atlantic City Convention Center, November 13 - 15, 2018. Municipalities want improved access to data, enhanced collaboration, and increased security and compliance within the budget and without service interruptions, stated Jennifer Mazzanti, CEO, eMazzanti Technologies. Achieving these objectives while moving applications seamlessly and securely to the cloud requires careful planning. Local elected and appointed officials pursuing migration of core and departmental applications to the cloud and other IT solutions should meet eMazzantis government IT consultants at the event. Interested parties may call 866-362-9926 or come to booth #1303 just inside Entrance C of the Conference Exhibit Hall. The Atlantic City Convention Center is located at 1 Convention Blvd, Atlantic City, New Jersey. The Conference exhibit floor hours will be 9:00 am5:00 pm, November 13, 8:30 am5:00 pm, November 14 and 8:30 am1:00 pm, November 15. Cloud Migration and Government IT Solutions eMazzanti Technologies offers fast and secure core municipal and departmental application migration to the cloud and migration to Office 365. Migrations are completed with minimal impact on internal users and the public. Pre-migration assessments identify the organizations transition requirements and ensure systems compatibility to avoid service interruption. Government IT Services Migration of core and departmental applications to the cloud Pre-migration Assessments Municipal IT Managed Services Application support Office 365 Migration Government officials seek to ensure confidentiality, security and compliance while sharing sensitive information with teams and colleagues anytime and anywhere. Hence, as municipal Office 365 experts, eMazzanti Technologies provides proven Office 365 solutions to satisfy those requirements. NJLM Conference Background The nations largest municipal conference has more than a centurys experience bringing together the community of local government officials. This year, the annual event offers educational sessions covering topics from Using Humor in Governance and Improving Population Health, to Best Practices for Municipal Websites and Optimizing Economic Development Success in Communities. Attendees include a representative slice of local government officials involved in the decision-making process. NJ local elected and appointed officials, department heads, purchasing agents, public works and professional administrators will be represented. Event organizers expect 16,000 attendees for the three-day learning experience which provides benefits throughout the year. The conference offers approximately 125 panels, workshops, clinics and other educational sessions and will showcase over 725 exhibitors. Related resource information: eMazzanti Supports NJMEP National Manufacturing Day Technology Tips to Bridge the Distance for Remote Workers About eMazzanti Technologies eMazzantis team of trained, certified IT experts rapidly deliver government managed IT, digital marketing services, cloud and mobile solutions, multi-site implementations, 247 outsourced network management, remote monitoring and support to increase productivity, data security and revenue growth for clients ranging from small cities to high-end global retailers. eMazzanti has made the Inc. 5000 list eight consecutive years, is a 2015, 2013 and 2012 Microsoft Partner of the Year, 2016 NJ Business of the Year, 5X WatchGuard Partner of the Year and one of the TOP 200 U.S. Microsoft Partners! Contact: 1-866-362-9926, info@emazzanti.net or http://www.emazzanti.net Twitter: @emazzanti Facebook: Facebook.com/emazzantitechnologies. Secure Visibility on the Go We are extremely excited about the opportunity to work with Matrix42," said Steve Cotton, CEO of FireScope. FireScope, a market leader in providing cloud-based enterprise monitoring solutions, including CI discovery and service dependency mapping to customers, and Matrix42, a leading global managed service provider for workspace management solutions, today announced a partnership to integrate the capabilities of the FireScope Secure Data and Dependency Mapping (SDDM) product into Matrix42's full-featured digital workspace security suite. Under the terms of the partnership, Matrix42 will also have the ability to sell FireScope's SDDM product. With Matrix42 products, companies secure, simplify and optimize the management of their IT work environments. Matrix42 has over 25 years experience in Workspace Management. The users of customers of Matrix42 have secure and mobile access to all applications with any device and browser and can continue working without interruption even in the event of a malware infection. The Matrix42 Marketplace provides additional applications, best practices, trainings and services to work successfully with Matrix42 products. "Firescope's SDDM enhances the unified endpoint and service management portfolio of Matrix42 perfectly," said Alexander Link, Managing Director of Matrix42 Marketplace GmbH. "With this solution, our customers will get additional transparency and insights into their applications, services and processes and will be able to implement a high-efficiency risk management." IT environments are complex. Understanding how all of the technology impacts the quality of the service is difficult. When an unknown device (CI) connects to an IT environment, this presents a potential security breach. When network traffic across a device changes it could be an indication of a denial of service attack; FireScope SDDM presents customers with a map showing all of the devices and their dependencies within an environment. When changes occur, such as an unauthorized 3rd party device, FireScope SDDM automated discovery captures that change. With these dependency mappings by service, FireScope SDDM assists IT organizations in the initiation, implementation and leveraging of a change management process. FireScope's partnership with Matrix42 will bring immediate value and return on investment to their customer's business in the areas of regulations/audits, service portfolio, and mission-critical business continuity. In the areas of IT, this partnership enhances ITIL compliance in regard to Change Management, Configuration Management, Service Level Management and Availability Management; given a typical deployment is completed in less than 5 days. Matrix42 will initially offer FireScope SDDM as a standalone solution. FireScope SDDM will be integrated into Matrix42's best of breed value-added solutions, including its new digital workspace security suite. "We are extremely excited about the opportunity to work with Matrix42," said Steve Cotton, CEO of FireScope. "Service dependency mapping is a key aspect of any IT team's ability to truly optimize its service delivery model, enhance the business user experience, and act as a strategic partner to the business. Matrix42 has a growing and highly engaged customer community, and we look forward to jointly extending Matrix42's IT service management capabilities to provide greater value to their valued customers." About Matrix42 Matrix42 helps organizations digitize the workspace environment of their employees. The software for digital workspace experience manages devices, applications, processes and services simple, secure and compliant. The innovative software supports the integration of physical, virtual, mobile and cloud-based workspace environments seamlessly into existing infrastructures. Matrix42 AG is headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, and distributes and implements software solutions with regional and global partners. For further information, visit http://www.matrix42.com About FireScope FireScope is the leader in aligning customers' technology performance to their business and customer experiences through highly innovative, on-demand solutions. FireScope Stratis is the first cloud-based enterprise monitoring solution built on a Big Data (NoSQL) platform that pushes the boundaries of capacity, depth of visibility and performance. FireScope Inc., has offices in Huntington Beach, Sydney, Dallas, Houston and London. To learn more about FireScope and its advanced Service Performance Management solutions, visit http://www.firescope.com, email sales(at)firescope.com, or call 877-780-3473. Download our FREE FireScope SDDM Community Edition today! Dickinson Wright PLLC is pleased to announce that Attorneys Catherine Hoffman, Gregory Mayback, Julie Dahlgard, James Stepan and Rebecca Tie have joined the firms Ft. Lauderdale and Silicon Valley offices. Catherine Hoffman joins Dickinson Wright as a Member in the firms Ft. Lauderdale office. She has 28 years of experience representing domestic and foreign clients in a wide variety of complex commercial litigation matters in federal and state courts and appeals, in both the public and private sectors. Her current practice includes all aspects of trademark (international and domestic) and copyright law as well as portfolio management, including trademark clearance and prosecution, opposition and cancellation proceedings, enforcement, domain name and e-commerce issues. Ms. Hoffman has extensive litigation experience, including proceedings involving trademarks, unfair competition, design patent and utility patent disputes before the U.S. Federal Courts and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Ms. Hoffman is a member of the International Trademark Association (INTA), where she serves as subcommittee chair to the Advocacy division under the Unfair Competition committee. She is also a member of the Coalition Against Counterfeiting and Piracy, the Florida Bar Associations Intellectual Property Committee, and the Broward County Bar Associations Intellectual Property Committee. She is recognized as a leader in her field by Florida Super Lawyers. Ms. Hoffman received her B.B.A. from Emory University and her J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law. Gregory Mayback joins Dickinson Wright as a Member in the firms Ft. Lauderdale office. He is a Registered Patent Attorney and procures patents in a variety of technology areas with a particular focus on medical devices. During his 26 year career, Mr. Mayback has participated in the issuance of over 1,575 patents. His qualifications extend past his electrical engineering training to include diverse technical areas including medicine, semiconductors, computer hardware and software, automotive power and security systems, power generation (nuclear and fossil fuel), and telecommunications. In addition to his patent practice, Mr. Mayback provides advice to clients on all intellectual property matters including trademark prosecution and litigation, due diligence studies, opinion drafting, and intellectual property portfolio management. Mr. Mayback is a member of AIPLA and INTA. He is recognized as a leader in his field by Florida Super Lawyers and the Florida Legal Elite. In 2010, Mr. Mayback was selected by the editorial staff of the Daily Business Review as the 2010 Most Effective Lawyers for Intellectual Property related to a $24+ million verdict in a patent infringement litigation. Mr. Mayback received his J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law and his B.E. in Electrical Engineering from Vanderbilt University. James Stepan joins Dickinson Wright as Of Counsel in the firms Ft. Lauderdale office. He has 19 years of experience in intellectual property, including trademarks (litigation and prosecution), trade secrets, patent infringement, false advertising, licensing, copyrights, restrictive covenants, as well as commercial litigation, including breach of contract, fraud, insurance, and racketeering (RICO), and business transactions. Mr. Stepan has significant experience in jury and bench trials, intellectual property portfolio management, trademark opposition and cancellation proceedings, and management of foreign associates. Mr. Stepan is Board Certified as a Specialist in Intellectual Property as Accredited by the Florida Bar. He is recognized as a leader in his field by Florida Trends Legal Elite, Florida Super Lawyers and the South Florida Legal Guide. He currently serves on the Emerging Issues committee of the International Trademark Association and on the Florida Bars Standing Committee on Professionalism. Mr. Stepan received his B.A. from Johns Hopkins University and his J.D. from the University of Florida College of Law. Julie Dahlgard joins Dickinson Wright as Of Counsel in the firms Ft. Lauderdale office. Her practice focuses on trademark law, with a special emphasis on prosecution, enforcement and maintenance of U.S. and international trademarks. Ms. Dahlgard also provides support for intellectual property litigation, including enforcement of trademarks against infringement and counterfeiting. She is a mechanical engineer and is knowledgeable in several technology areas, including mechanisms, manufacturing, industrial design, medical devices and aerospace. She is a member of the International Trademark Association. Ms. Dahlgard received her B.S. from the University of Miami; her M.S. in Engineering, Product Design from Stanford University; and her J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law. Rebecca Tie joins Dickinson Wright as Of Counsel in the firms Silicon Valley office. She has over 12 years of experience as a registered patent attorney who concentrates her practice on intellectual property law, with a special emphasis on the prosecution, enforcement and maintenance of large-scale patent portfolios comprising U.S. and international patents dealing with the biomedical and electrical arts. She is an electrical engineer and is knowledgeable in the areas of power generation, telecommunications, systems and control, microelectronics, and biomechanics. Ms. Tie is a member of the American Intellectual Property Law Association, the Silicon Valley Intellectual Property Law Association, and the Society of Women Engineers. She is recognized as a leader in her field by Florida Super Lawyers Rising Stars. Ms. Tie received her B.S. from the University of California at Los Angeles Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science and her J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law. About Dickinson Wright PLLC Dickinson Wright PLLC is a general practice business law firm with more than 475 attorneys among more than 40 practice areas and 16 industry groups. Headquartered in Detroit and founded in 1878, the firm has 19 offices, including six in Michigan (Detroit, Troy, Ann Arbor, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Saginaw) and 12 other domestic offices in Austin and El Paso, Texas; Columbus, Ohio; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; Lexington, Ky.; Nashville and Music Row, Tenn.; Las Vegas and Reno, Nev.; Phoenix, Ariz.; Silicon Valley, Calif.; and Washington, D.C. The firms Canadian office is located in Toronto. Dickinson Wright offers our clients a distinctive combination of superb client service, exceptional quality, value for fees, industry expertise and business acumen. As one of the few law firms with ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification, Dickinson Wright has built state-of-the-art, independently-verified risk management controls and security processes for our commercial transactions. Dickinson Wright lawyers are known for delivering commercially-oriented advice on sophisticated transactions and have a remarkable record of wins in high-stakes litigation. Dickinson Wright lawyers are regularly cited for their expertise and experience by Chambers, Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, and other leading independent law firm evaluating organizations. Allison Hill Headshot I'm very excited to be selected to serve on this statewide board. The work that the Network does on behalf of providers all across the state is amazing and I'm especially fortunate to bring the Panhandle perspective to the conversation. Allison Hill, chief executive officer for Pensacolas Lakeview Center, Inc. and a senior vice president at Baptist Health Care (BHC), has joined the board of directors of the Florida Network of Youth and Family Services. The Florida Network of Youth and Family Services is a not-for-profit statewide association representing 29 agencies that serve homeless, runaway and troubled youth ages six and older and their families. I'm very excited to be selected to serve on this statewide board. The work that the Network does on behalf of providers all across the state is amazing and I'm especially fortunate to bring the Panhandle perspective to the conversation. The staff and board of the Network are tireless advocates and it's an honor to serve with them, said Hill. Hill began her work at Lakeview Center in January 1999 and became a vice president of the organization in February 2003 when she was appointed as its chief financial officer. She was promoted to chief operating officer in August 2014, and in 2016 became the third chief executive officer in Lakeviews 62-year history. At Lakeview, she is responsible for the daily functions of a $295 million, 3,000-employee social service organization that impacts lives in 14 states and the District of Columbia. Prior to joining Lakeview, Hill worked for the regional public accounting firm Saltmarsh, Cleaveland and Gund in its Pensacola office. We are extremely grateful to have someone with such vast experience and skills join our board of directors team. We cannot wait to see the ideas and support she will bring to the Network, said Stacy Gromatski, President and CEO of the Florida Network. For more than 40 years, the Florida Network has provided services as a Children and Families in Need of Services agency, as defined by Florida Statute, in order to prevent juvenile delinquency and encourage good choices and healthy family relationships. To learn more about the Florida Network and its board, visit floridanetwork.org. Mark Allan, 50, is a truck driver from Indianapolis who voted for Braun. He likes the way Trump is leading the country, particularly when it comes to immigration and foreign policy, and wanted to cast a ballot for someone who will vote for the president's priorities. Lawyers and practices of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLPs London office were recognized in the 2018 Legal 500 U.K. Guide. For the second consecutive year, the firm was ranked top-tier for Investment fund formation and management: Real estate funds. In addition, four lawyers were recognized as leading lawyers: Global Vice Chair Paul Maher for M&A, Shareholder Tim Webb for Real Estate, and shareholders Barry Vitou and Ann-Marie Ottaway for Regulatory Investigations and Corporate Crime. According to the publisher, The Legal 500 U.K. is the leading guide to law firms in the UK. Published annually, it is researched and written by an experienced team. The research process involves inviting submissions from law firms across the UK. The 2018 guide recommends Greenberg Traurig's London office in the following practices: Corporate and commercial EU and competition Corporate and commercial Equity capital markets Corporate and commercial M&A: Upper mid-market and premium deals, 250m+ Finance Bank lending: Investment grade debt and syndicated loans Investment fund formation and management Real estate funds Projects, energy, and natural resources Water Real estate Commercial property: development Real estate Commercial property: investment Environment Property Finance Risk advisory: Regulatory investigations and corporate crime The Greenberg Traurig lawyers listed below are recommended in the 2018 Legal 500 U.K. editorial based on the guides industry or practice area designations as selected by researchers: Corporate and Commercial: Fiona Adams M&A: upper mid-market and premium deals, 250m+ Andrew Caunt Equity Capital Markets Dorothee Fischer-Appelt Equity Capital Markets David Fitzgerald M&A: upper mid-market and premium deals, 250m+ Michael Goldberg M&A: upper mid-market and premium deals, 250m+ Simon Harms EU and competition Paul Maher M&A: upper mid-market and premium deals, 250m+ James Mountain Equity Capital Markets Lisa Navarro EU and competition Gillian Sproul EU and competition Henrietta Walker M&A: upper mid-market and premium deals, 250m+ Environment: Cate Sharp Environment Finance: Gary Bellingham Bank lending: investment grade debt and syndicated loans Emma Menzies Bank lending: investment grade debt and syndicated loans Investment fund formation and management: Steven Cowins Real estate funds Michael Goldberg Real estate funds Marc Snell Real estate funds Projects, Energy and Natural Resources: Lisa Navarro Water Gillian Sproul Water Henrietta Walker Water Property Finance: Gary Bellingham Property finance Emma Menzies Property finance Steven Cowins Property finance Real Estate: Steven Cowins commercial property Matthew Priday Commercial property Tim Webb Commercial property Risk Advisory: Anne-Marie Ottaway Regulatory Investigations and Corporate Crime Barry Vitou Regulatory Investigations and Corporate Crime About Greenberg Traurig, LLP: Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GT) has more than 2,000 attorneys in 38 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. GT has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, was named the largest firm in the U.S. by Law360 in 2017, and is among the Top 20 on the 2018 Am Law Global 100. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law. Karen Hanlon, EVP, COO & CFO of Highmark Health, named a 2018 CFO of the Year award winner by the Pittsburgh Business Times She has been pivotal in the growth and stability of Highmark Health, and will continue to be instrumental as we transform health care. Karen L. Hanlon, executive vice president, chief operating officer and chief financial officer of Highmark Health was named a 2018 CFO of the Year award winner in a ceremony hosted by the Pittsburgh Business Times on Nov. 7. The award recognizes Hanlon for her outstanding corporate financial stewardship. A certified public accountant and member of the finance team since 1997, Hanlon has served as Highmark Healths CFO since 2014 and was additionally named its chief operating officer in July 2018. In addition to having oversight of the corporations financial success, Hanlon oversees its long-term operations as it focuses on bringing transformational value-based care to customers and growing beyond traditional health care models and core markets. Karen Hanlons recognition as a CFO of the Year is well deserved, said David L. Holmberg, president and CEO of Highmark Health. On behalf of our more than 40,000 employees, we thank Karen for her superb financial stewardship. She has been pivotal in the growth and stability of Highmark Health, and will continue to be instrumental as we transform health care in western Pennsylvania and nationally through the Highmark Health Plan, Allegheny Health Network, United Concordia Dental, Visionworks and our other businesses. In addition to serving on the executive leadership team at Highmark Health, Hanlon sits on the board of directors of Gateway Health and Penn State Health and previously served on the boards and as treasurer for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh and Leadership Pittsburgh. She is a 15-year member of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Ive had the benefit of working on some of our most significant strategic initiatives at Highmark, Allegheny Health Network, and Highmark Health, said Hanlon. This gave me the opportunity to be connected directly to our various businesses and to build relationships throughout the organization. The knowledge I gained and the relationships built through this work were critical in preparing me to become CFO. The array of topics I work on in a given day goes beyond what I ever thought I would do, Hanlon added. Im fortunate to be working for a progressive, growing company. This has afforded me the opportunity to work on some pretty exciting things, and I look forward to continuing to work with all of my colleagues as we successfully transform health care. About Highmark Health Highmark Health, a Pittsburgh, PA-based company, that, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, collectively employ more than 40,000 people and serve millions of Americans across the country, is the second largest integrated health care delivery and financing network in the nation based on revenue. Highmark Health is the parent company of Highmark Inc., Allegheny Health Network, and HM Health Solutions. Highmark Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates provide health insurance to nearly 5 million members in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Delaware as well as dental insurance, vision care and related health products through a national network of diversified businesses that include United Concordia Companies, HM Insurance Group, and Visionworks. Allegheny Health Network is the parent company of an integrated delivery network that includes eight hospitals, more than 2,400 affiliated physicians, ambulatory surgery centers, an employed physician organization, home and community-based health services, a research institute, a group purchasing organization, and health and wellness pavilions in western Pennsylvania. HM Health Solutions focuses on meeting the information technology platform and other business needs of the Highmark Health enterprise as well as unaffiliated health insurance plans by providing proven business processes, expert knowledge and integrated cloud-based platforms. To learn more, please visit http://www.highmarkhealth.org. "40 million people across the country struggle with hunger and our mission is to bring that number to zero through the help of trusted partners like Home Chef, said Nancy Curby, Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at Feeding America. This Thanksgiving season, Home Chef is tackling hunger in a new way by giving customers a chance to give back by skipping a meal! Through the Plate it Forward campaign, Home Chef will donate at least 1,000,000 meals to people in need and help more families enjoy a full table this holiday season through a partnership with Feeding America, the nations largest hunger-relief organization. Were proud of Home Chefs heritage of giving back and want to make it easier than ever to spread the joy beyond your Thanksgiving table. This holiday season, were give our customers a simple and convenient way to help families in need simply by skipping a Home Chef delivery, said Home Chefs VP of Brand, Brian Irwin. Were committed to donating $100,000 to Feeding America and the great work they do to serve communities in need. During the weeks of November 12th, 19th, and 26th, Home Chef customers will have an opportunity to make a big impact by skipping their weekly Home Chef box and donating $40, $60, or $80 dollars to Feeding America. 100% of the proceeds will go to support the Feeding America network of 200 food banks across the country. 40 million people across the country struggle with hunger and our mission is to bring that number to zero through the help of trusted partners like Home Chef, said Nancy Curby, Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at Feeding America. Were excited to partner with Home Chef for the second year to support our local food banks and help create a hunger free America. The Plate it Forward program is part of Home Chefs commitment to Krogers Zero Hunger Zero Waste campaign that aims to end hunger in our communities and eliminate waste in our company by 2025. --30-- About Feeding America: Feeding America is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, we provide meals to more than 46 million people each year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve hunger. Visit http://www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. About Home Chef: Home Chef is the #3 Inc 5000 2018 Fastest Growing Company in America and one of the largest meal kit delivery companies in the U.S., with over 3 million meals delivered each month. Founded in 2013, Home Chef offers fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and easy to follow recipes delivered weekly and is designed for anyone to be able to cook and everyone to enjoy. The Chicago-based company delivers nationwide. For two years running, Home Chef has been rated #1 in customer satisfaction among leading meal kit companies, according to Market Force Information U.S. Grocery Benchmark Study. Find out more and get cooking at http://www.homechef.com. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for live updates and delicious inspiration. *$1 helps provide at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America on behalf of local member food banks. Home Chef guarantees a minimum donation of $100,000 from November 12, 2018 through November 12, 2019. IdentityMind stands alongside money service businesses (MSBs), FinTechs, and traditional financial institutions, aiding them in winning their fight against nefarious actors looking to move illegal gains via cross-border payments. Jose Caldera, Chief Products and Marketing Officer, IdentityMind IdentityMind, Digital Identities You Can Trust, today announced that it will be exhibiting in Booth S2 at the International Money Transfer, Cross-Border Payments and Fintech Conference World (IMTC), November 13 - 16, at the Nobu Eden Roc Hotel, Miami Beach, Florida. Cross-border payment channels are a common conduit for criminals and terrorists looking to launder illegal money, said Jose Caldera, Chief Products and Marketing Officer, IdentityMind. IdentityMind stands on the frontlines alongside money service businesses (MSBs), FinTechs, traditional financial institutions, and other companies transmitting and converting money aiding them in winning their daily fight against nefarious actors looking to move illegal gains via cross-border payments. With increasing globalization, and the rapid adoption of online and mobile payment methods, cross-border, cross-currency money movements are exploding. According to Juniper Research, a leading consultancy that appraises high growth market sectors within the digital ecosystem, cross-border B2B transactions will exceed $218 trillion by 2022, up from $150 trillion this year. IdentityMinds SaaS-based risk, compliance, and fraud prevention Version 2.0 platform builds, maintains, and analyzes trusted digital identities worldwide, allowing companies to perform identity proofing, transaction monitoring, sanctions and PEP screening, and to detect and prevent identity and transaction fraud. It is used by hundreds of customers spanning six continents. IdentityMind helps its clients address cross-border payment crime with the following: Trusted Digital Identities Platform for Cross-Border Payments: The IdentityMind Version 2.0 platform employs a risk-based approach favored by regulators and a user-focused approach that reduces false alert fatigue while speeding up analysis. IdentityMinds Trusted Digital Identities provides the most accurate view of good users with a 99.98% accuracy in trusted users. Customer Identity Verification and Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD): The IdentityMind Version 2.0 platform enables clients to not only do identity verification, but to also protect their platforms against synthetic or stolen identities and enable them to do enhanced due diligence on their users. This approach is further complemented with integrations from IdentityMinds industry-leading ecosystem of 30+ plus third-party technology partners, providing device, email, phone, identity, document, sanctions screening, geolocation, biometric, behavioral verification, and more, through a single, standards-based API. IdentityMind RegTech Webstore for KYC and and Anti-Money Laundering: Earlier this year, IdentityMind launched an industry first the IdentityMind RegTech Webstore an online RegTech plug-in store that enables MSBs, FinTechs, marketplaces, virtual currency exchanges, small lenders, and person-to-person (P2P) firms to integrate affordable KYC and AML regulatory compliance functionality directly and seamlessly into their solutions quickly and easily with just a few lines of code. IdentityMind KYC, AML, and fraud prevention solutions are recognized by a variety of leading market analysts, including Forresters Vendor Landscape: Anti-Money Laundering Solutions, April 2017; Representative Vendor in Gartners Market Guide for Identity Proofing and Corroboration, April 2018; Sample Vendor in Gartners Hype Cycle for Identity and Access Management Technologies, July 2018; Sample RegTech Vendor in Gartners Hype Cycle for Digital Banking Transformation, 2018, July 2018; Leading AML Advanced Analytics Vendor in Aite Groups The AML of Tomorrow: Here Today, July 2018; and IDC Innovator in International Data Corporations IDC Innovators: Identity Proofing Solutions to Prevent New Account Fraud and Enhance KYC Compliance, 2018, July 2018. Resources About IdentityMind IdentityMind, creator of Trusted Digital Identities (TDIs), offers a SaaS platform for online risk management and compliance automation. We help companies reduce client onboarding fraud and transaction fraud, and improve AML, sanctions screening, and KYC. IdentityMind continuously builds, validates and risk scores digital identities through electronic DNA (eDNA) technology to ensure global business safety and compliance from customer onboarding and throughout the customer lifecycle. We securely track the entities involved in each transaction (e.g. consumers, merchants, cardholders, payment wallets, and alternative payment methods) to build payment reputations, and allow companies to identify and reduce potential fraud, evaluate merchant account applications, onboard accounts, enable identity verification services, and identify potential money laundering. For more information, visit IdentityMind on Web, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Blog, and Google My Business. 2018 IdentityMind. All rights reserved. IdentityMind and the IdentityMind logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of IdentityMind in the United States and other countries. All other brand, service or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or owners. Media Contact Dan Rampe Director of Corporate Communications IdentityMind Tel: 415-205-9378 Email: drampe@identitymind.com Implant Direct and Heartland Dental are pleased to announce the formation of a partnership in which Implant Direct will provide dental implants to Heartland Dental, the nations largest dental support organization (DSO). Heartland Dental consists of 1,400 supported doctors working in more than 875 offices in 37 states. We are thrilled to partner with Heartland Dental as its preferred dental implant supplier, said David Painter, Vice President of Commercial Operations at Implant Direct. Implants are one of the fastest growing segments in dentistry, with an expected annual growth rate of around 10 percent. As the largest DSO in the country, Heartland Dental has significant impact and influence on the implant market and dentistry in general. This is great for their supported doctors and the patients they serve. The partnership is the culmination of a process that was 18 months in the making. Heartland Dental launched an evaluative process that enlisted a committee of clinical experts that reviewed multiple providers of implant systems. This review team assessed commitment to continuing education, it performed on-site inspections of manufacturing sites, and it reviewed measures for quality control. Ultimately, Implant Direct was selected due to its unmatched success as a proven leader in implant services, a champion for implant quality, and strong provider of ongoing clinical education. The partnership formally gets underway today with the start of Heartland Dentals inaugural Implant Continuum, an educational event created in partnership with Implant Direct that will host 125 doctors and 70 dental assistants, as well as 43 doctor mentors and 25 dental assistant mentors, from Nov. 1-3. The program offers the clinicians a unique educational experience including a comprehensive dive into implants that covers everything from introductory terminology and basics, to an advanced exploration of implant philosophies and techniques. Implant Direct currently offers 48 implant courses annually, educating more than 2,000 visitors annually in their 50,000 sq. ft. training facility in Las Vegas, NV. They are headquartered in Thousand Oaks CA, with additional locations in Valencia, CA and Las Vegas, NV. Implant Direct utilizes sophisticated manufacturing processes to provide affordably priced implants to practices and patients in over 40 countries around the world. ABOUT IMPLANT DIRECT Implant Direct is best known for their flagship Legacy and InterActive lines of implant systems that are used in a variety of complex procedures. In addition, they also offer a full line of biologic options, implant and attachment components, custom abutment and titanium bars as well as surgical motors and prosthetic instruments. Implant Direct has built-up a robust portfolio of CE courses ranging from introductory to advanced. Their customer support and technical support systems include online, over the phone and in-office. ABOUT HEARTLAND DENTAL Heartland Dental was founded in 1997 by Rick Workman, DMD with two dental offices in Effingham, IL. Today, it is the nations largest dental support organization with 11,000 employees providing non-clinical administrative support services to 1,400 supported dentists in more than 875 supported dental offices in 37 states. Its non-clinical administrative services include staffing, employee relations, procurement, administration, financial, marketing assistance, and information technology. Heartland Dental is majority owned by KKR investments, a leading global investment firm that manages private equity, energy, infrastructure, real estate and more. Heartland Dental remains headquartered in Effingham and offers supported dentists and team members continuing professional education and leadership training. For more information, visit http://www.Heartland.com. Follow Heartland Dental on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. We are honored to receive the prestigious Best Inbound Marketing Agency Award from TMT Magazine. This award recognizes the teams dedication to providing our clients with the highest level of innovation in digital marketing, and our continued global outreach. Prism Global Marketing Solutions, an inbound marketing agency and HubSpot Platinum Partner, is honored to be named the 2018 Best Inbound Marketing Agency by TMT Magazine based in the United Kingdom. The 2018 Global TMT Awards have been designed to celebrate the visionaries, whose innovative approaches have helped their organizations climb the ladder of outstanding success. Each winner is chosen based solely upon merit. Once TMT Magazine closed the voting form, their in-house research team analyzed the past 12-months of each nominee to ensure that the prestigious accolades only go to the most deserving. We are honored to receive the prestigious Best Inbound Marketing Agency for 2018 Award from TMT Magazine. This award recognizes the teams dedication to providing our clients with the highest level of innovation in the digital marketing space, and our continued global outreach, says Elyse Flynn Meyer, Founder of Prism Global Marketing Solutions. In addition, TMT Magazine interviewed Elyse Flynn Meyer to discuss the future of business utilizing innovative marketing strategies and technologies. You can read the complete interview in the digital issue of TMT Magazine. We invite you to schedule a complimentary consultation to learn more about how you can leverage digital marketing to enhance your marketing and sales efforts. About Prism Global Marketing Solutions: Prism Global Marketing Solutions is a digital marketing agency, HubSpot Platinum Partner and HubSpot Accredited Trainer providing strategic online and inbound marketing consulting and support to organizations around the globe. Prism Global Marketing Solutions understands the constraints of marketing time and budgets, and then creates the most unique and effective solutions for their clients to achieve the greatest return on investment from their marketing strategy. Services include: inbound marketing, digital marketing, sales enablement, search engine optimization, lead generation, marketing strategy, marketing automation, social media marketing, and marketing analytics. https://www.prismglobalmarketing.com Innovative Financing Solutions (IFS) has been recognized as a Philadelphia 100 Fastest-Growing Private Company ranking 29th on this prestigious list. The Philadelphia 100 Award is one of the most sought after awards in the Philadelphia region. IFS President, Michael D. Ryan accepted the award at gala event held at The Crystal Tea Room in the Wannamaker Building, in Philadelphia. Started in 1988 by The Entrepreneurs' Forum of Greater Philadelphia and the Wharton SBDC, the Philadelphia 100 Fastest-Growing Private Company award is a merit-based program that has recognized some of the region's finest companies in their earliest days including: Mothers' Work, Fiberlink, Urban Outfitters, Forman Mills, Kremer Laser Eye Center, Primavera Systems, and a host of other privately held companies. To qualify for this prestigious award, applicants must be headquartered in one of the following Pennsylvania counties: Philadelphia, Delaware, Chester, Montgomery, and Bucks. Applicants may also be headquartered in one the following New Jersey counties: Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Mercer. Michael D. Ryan, President and CEO of Innovative Financing Solutions said, We are honored to receive the Philly 100 Award as the 29th fastest growing company in the greater Philadelphia region. None of this would be possible without the hard work and dedication of the IFS team who I am so very fortunate to work with every day! In 2018, the Entrepreneurs Forum of Greater Philadelphia partnered with Philadelphia Media Network, publisher of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News and Philly.com to spotlight the winners in a special editorial section of each newspaper. It is exciting to be a part of a team that has a true passion for helping community banks and small businesses grow and prosper. I look forward to many more years of growth, not only with IFS, but with the community banks and small businesses which we serve, said Christopher A. Meccariello, Chief Operating Officer. About Innovative Financing Solutions Founded in 2009, Innovative Financing Solutions (IFS) is a bank consulting and business advisory firm specializing in the development and implementation of government guaranteed loan programs for financial institutions throughout the U.S. With offices in suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Naples, Florida, IFS team of experienced and knowledgeable consultants possess years of proven success in commercial lending, government guaranteed lending, commercial credit analysis and underwriting, and commercial loan administration. IFS provides an "outsourced" government guaranteed lending arm and turnkey program for financial institutions that may not generate the loan volume or have the internal expertise and support staff needed to implement a sound, secure, safe and profitable government guaranteed loan program. IFS also structures and arranges commercial real estate, C&I, asset-based, and alternative financing for business clients ranging in size from small and growing entrepreneurial companies to established middle-market firms. To learn more about Innovative Financing Solutions, visit: http://www.innovativefinancingsolutions.net. The Floods after the Flood: a passionate opus that magnifies the power of God. The Floods after the Flood is the creation of published author, James E. Rogers, a Christian writer and an ardent believer in God. Rogers shares, There still were earthquakes and volcanic eruptions but not as violent as during the time of Noahs flood. They are still happening and shaping our continents and islands around us today. These first five hundred to one thousand years had the most dramatic changes taking place for both land and man. We are still making changes and adjustments. We continue to live and build near volcanoes and earthquake areas even today. Around the volcanoes is usually better soil for farming. We hear of lost cities or civilizations and come to find out that volcanoes buried them in ash. One such civilization was the Minoans or maybe the lost city or people of Atlantis. It was in the Mediterranean Sea around Thera or Santorini or Crete; they were a thriving civilization about 1500 years BC or 3500 years ago. They were a well-educated people; where did they get their education and skills? Who taught them to write or build? They were boat builders, forgers of bronze, and worked in gold and silver. They were trading all over the Mediterranean Sea and probably beyond. Published by Christian Faith Publishing, James E. Rogerss new book provides an array of evidence that supports both scientific and spiritual notions of how the worlds topography greatly changed through a supernatural phenomenon that transpired thousands of years ago. This book aims to grasp the mysterious benevolence of God and share it with all people to inspire them with faith and trust in his divine plans for their lives. View a synopsis of The Floods after the Flood on YouTube. Consumers can purchase The Floods after the Flood at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about The Floods after the Flood, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. Joanne Bass, founder and director of Peterborough based event and exhibition stand supplier XL Displays, was crowned the winner of the Female Entrepreneur Award for the Midlands region at the Forward Ladies Awards on Friday 26 October. Joannes regional win sees her put through to the national stages of the competition where she will face other winners in the same category from three other regions in a bid to be crowned the overall Female Entrepreneur of the Year. Upon receipt of her award at the Hyatt Regency in Birmingham, Joanne said: Forward Ladies is an inspirational support network that elevates and motivates thousands of women in business globally, and so to be a part of such a high profile event is a huge privilege. There are so many inspirational females who are shattering the mould of the corporate world and who are showing that women are an integral part of business who can bring just as much to society and the economy as men. To be surrounded by so many of these women for a day was such an honour, but to actually win an award in the largest category was a phenomenal moment for me and is definitely one of the most poignant moments of my career so far. Before the national awards, Joanne will have to attend a judging day in Manchester on Tuesday 20 November. This will see finalists from all of the 12 categories put through their paces in a series of interviews in front of a panel of distinguished business leaders. Forward Ladies Managing Director, Griselda Togobo, said: The calibre of entries has been increasing year on year, and our regional shortlists are the everyday heroines, trailblazers and role models who have succeeded despite enormous challenges. They deserve recognition. This award is the third such type for Joanne in the last two years. In 2016 she won the NatWest Every Woman Athena Award, and in 2017 she won the Woman Leaders Female Entrepreneur Award in Peterborough. The national awards grand finale takes place on Friday 7 November in Leeds. Forward Ladies is a well-known support network aimed at creating the worlds largest platform for women in business to connect and learn. The Forward Ladies National Awards night is the largest celebration of female entrepreneurship in the UK. About XL Displays: XL Displays is a family run event and exhibition stand supplier based in Orton Southgate, Peterborough. Company director, Joanne Bass, founded the company in 2010 whilst on maternity leave. XL Displays was initially run from Joannes dining table with her being the only member of staff, but the business rapid success now sees the company in a 28,000 sq/ft office with nearly 50 employees. With a turnover exceeding 6 million, XL Displays is the UKs lead supplier for exhibition and event solutions. The company manufactures pop up display stands, linked pop up exhibition stands, roller banners, promotional counters, branded tablecloths, fabric displays and more in-house. This immense amount of growth in such a short space of time has resulted in the business winning several awards, including the Peterborough Telegraphs customer service award in 2015 and the small business award in both 2014 and 2015. For more information: Name of contact: Lisa Hall Tel.: 01733 511030 (Marketing Department) Email: lisa.c(at)xldisplays.co.uk Website: http://www.xldisplays.co.uk Marks renowned career has spanned clinical care, medical education and health services research, all in service of reducing patient harm by improving diagnostic safety and quality." MARK L. GRABER, MD NAMED NEW SIDM CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER SIDM Founder and President Emeritus honored at DEM2018 The Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine (SIDM) announced that Mark Graber, MD FACP will be its new Chief Medical Officer effective November 7. The announcement was made at the 11th Annual International Diagnostic Error in Medicine Conference (DEM2018) in New Orleans, Louisiana. In honor of his lifelong work to bring attention to the problem of diagnostic errors and to drive improvements in clinical practice and medical education, SIDM established the Mark L. Graber Diagnostic Quality Award. The SIDM Board of Directors determined that Dr. Graber became the first recipient at a reception on Sunday, November 4. Marks renowned career has spanned clinical care, medical education and health services research, all in service of reducing patient harm by improving diagnostic safety and quality. Mark has madeand will continue to makean impact on countless patients and their families by preventing harm from misdiagnosis, said David Newman-Toker, MD, PhD, President of SIDM. He has bravely challenged clinicians, educators and researchers to improve diagnostic tools and training. He has shaped and championed the field of diagnostic medicine. Dr. Graber convened and chaired the first Diagnostic Error in Medicine conference in 2008 and founded the Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine in 2011. He is a respected national leader in the field of patient safety, originating the first-ever Patient Safety Awareness Week in 2003, an event which is now internationally recognized. He is a pioneer of myriad efforts to address diagnostic error, with his research in this area supported by the National Patient Safety Foundation, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and others. In 2014, Dr. Graber was named the recipient of the John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Awards by the Joint Commission and National Quality Forum. Im honored to have the opportunity to continue to work alongside my colleagues at SIDM to build on their efforts to improve diagnostic quality and safety in partnership with clinicians, patients, researchers, policymakers and others with the shared mission of reducing patient harm from diagnostic error, said Dr. Graber. Our Society and its members are passionate about improving diagnostic quality and safety, and Im thrilled to continue help advancing these goals as the new and first SIDM CMO. This week more than 400 physicians, patients, nurses, healthcare professionals, researchers, institutional leaders and policymakers are coming together to showcase and share innovations to reduce diagnostic error and improve diagnostic quality and safety at DEM2018. About the Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine (SIDM) The Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine (SIDM) catalyzes and leads change to improve diagnosis and eliminate harm from diagnostic error. We work in partnership with patients, their families, the healthcare community and every interested stakeholder. SIDM is the only organization focused solely on the problem of diagnostic error and improving the accuracy and timeliness of diagnosis. In 2015, SIDM established the Coalition to Improve Diagnosis, to increase awareness and actions that improve diagnosis. Members of the Coalition represent hundreds of thousands of healthcare providers and patientsand the leading health organizations and government agencies involved in patient care. Together, we work to find solutions that enhance diagnostic safety and quality, reduce harm, and ultimately, ensure better health outcomes for patients. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Deno Yiankes, president and CEO of investments and development division for White Lodging, met with the council Thursday to ask it to pass a food and beverage tax to support its proposed 40-acre development. Without a food and beverage tax, Yiankes said White Lodging will still redevelop the property just not with what its currently proposed. Lyle Green, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, and Mike Cook, Director of Sales, at MarkeTouch Media will be leading a round table discussion on medication synchronization (MedSync) at the ECRM Pharmacy Technology, Services, Supplies, and Automation EPPS. The discussion is titled MedSync: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly and is promoting active conversation regarding best practices and challenges for active MedSync programs and for those interested in initiating the service. Lyle Green had the following to say regarding the cost versus the reward of MedSync: There is no doubt that there are tremendous health and efficiency benefits for patients who are enrolled in MedSync. That said, a pharmacy must weigh the impact on pharmacy workflow and the financial effect on the front-of-store to truly realize the benefits from MedSync, such as increased efficiency, revenue, and the reduction of DIR fees. The question becomes, How do clients develop a thoughtful, sustainable MedSync solution that minimizes the impact on workflow and front-of-store? The ECRM Pharmacy Technology, Services, Supplies, and Automation EPPS takes place in Cape Coral, Florida, from November 12 until November 14. About MarkeTouch Media MarkeTouch Media sends and receives 200 million communications annually on behalf of over 15,000 pharmacy locations across North America. MarkeTouch Media is the only vendor in the pharmacy marketplace offering clients complete in-house development of turnkey patient communications solutions including: Outbound Notifications; Central IVR; Pharmacist Connect; Mobile & Web Solutions. MarkeTouch leverages its technology to implement turnkey HOSTED solutions such as Optimum MedSync, Health & Wellness Scheduler; Clinical Solutions and Hospital Discharge Management. MarkeTouch services have assisted its clients increase revenue, operational efficiency and patient adherence since 2003. http://www.marketouchmedia.com | http://www.rxtouch.com PAL is truly one of the few laboratories in the country with such an unparalled level of expertise in the highly-specialized field of residue testing, Wiebe said. Matrix Sciences has added significant, new capabilities to its roster of client services with the acquisition of Pacific Agricultural Laboratory (PAL), a state-of-the art facility in Portland Oregon that provides pesticide residue testing of fruits and vegetables. Matrix Sciences CEO Robert Wiebe said the acquisition of PAL represents a big step forward in the Matrix vision to build a full-service network for customers. PAL is truly one of the few laboratories in the country with such an unparalled level of expertise in the highly-specialized field of residue testing, Wiebe said. That expertise combined with an impressive dedication to meeting the needs of customers is recognized throughout the Pacific Northwest, across the country and even internationally and we are thrilled to welcome PAL to the Matrix network of businesses. PALs Founder and Laboratory Director, Steve Thun says he is optimistic about the future of the company under the Matrix banner. I genuinely look forward to being a part of Matrix Sciences, which will give us the ability to expand these vitally important services into other parts of the country, Thun said. Matrix and PAL share a commitment to help our customers bring safe, quality food to market through analytical excellence and customer service. About Matrix Sciences Matrix Sciences is building a growing portfolio of exceptional companies that support its customers in bringing safe, quality food to market. Matrix operates laboratory facilities in the Chicago area, Columbus Ohio and Green Bay Wisconsin. In addition to providing microbiology and food testing services, Matrix offers advisory and research services to its rapidly growing customer base. About PAL Pacific Agricultural Laboratory was founded in 1995 and has a track record of providing industry leading expertise. In addition to having earned the trust of its growing customer base, PAL has collaborated to develop methods that have become the standard in the industry. Over its 23 year history, PAL has built robust systems, a best in class facility, a staff with deep technical knowledge and in combination these position PAL for substantial growth. Dataset Selection for 2018 Report The Learning Outcomes module provides our school with critical, real-time data that informs our decisions when allocating resources. While surveys or staff meetings provide perceptions which may have value, Learning Outcomes presents the objeobjective reality of how software is actually being used. Education data management and analytics platform, BrightBytes, today published its second annual Technology and Learning Insights Report, which is authored by Dr. Ryan S. Baker, Director of the Penn Center for Learning Analytics, and examines the cost, usage, and impact of education apps, leveraging data captured by the firms Learning Outcomes module. "BrightBytes Learning Outcomes module provides our school with critical, real-time data that informs our decisions when allocating resources, including our most precious resource: time. While surveys or staff meetings provide perceptions which may have some value, Learning Outcomes presents the objective reality of how software is actually being used," says Marcus R.W. Mead, Director of Administrative and Instructional Technology at Glen Lake Community Schools in Michigan. The analysis, which utilized a dataset from 48 school districts serving more than 390,000 students and 1.48 million hours of usage nationwide, measured digital apps across three domains: investment (subscription cost, number of licenses, active/inactive users), engagement (student usage, session duration, frequency, and quality, as well as user perception), and impact (relationship between standardized test scores and student usage). Key findings from the report include: Usage rates matter, sometimes. Many apps had no association with growth in student learning, regardless of student usage rates. However, several apps were positively associated with gains in student learning. In short, usage of high-quality apps matters to potential app impact on student achievement. Most purchased licenses dont get used. The degree to which licenses are used varies by app. The study found that a median of 30% of licenses are used by learners. The number of licenses purchased does not predict the number of intensive users. 97.6% of licenses in this study were never used intensively (a learner who used the program for at least 10 hours between assessments), and the number of licenses purchased did not predict the number of intensive users. This suggests that some apps were more effective at converting licenses purchased into intense usage than others. Important to note that school implementation of apps can vary widely with different intended phasing-in of usage. Many schools arent following the recommended dosage for apps to contribute to improved student outcomes. Many learners are not meeting the target number of instructional minutes recommended by ed tech app providers. The average usage was fairly low across schools and districts. It is likely that lower than expected usage may lead to less benefit for students than the apps are intended to produce. There is a wide range in app cost per user. The study found there to be large variation in cost; the cost per user varies from under a cent per user to $393 per user (when omitting apps used by under 100 users), with a median cost per user of $6.45. This variance is not a surprise given the range of expected use and impact for each app. The study uncovered some encouraging trends concerning the correlation between improved student math scores and 21 apps. The study found that these 21 apps, when used intensively, were positively associated with gains in math test performance. While this positive correlation does not mean that these apps were found to have caused the improvement in student math performance, this is an encouraging finding nonetheless. School and district leaders are faced with an ever-increasing selection of education apps, and the lack of easily accessible data makes it difficult to invest in the ones that demonstrate the greatest potential for ROL (return on learning) for students, says Traci Burgess, CEO of BrightBytes. Through the Learning Outcomes module, we are partnering with districts to provide on-demand access to this kind of analysis to surface insights that can inform strategic decision-making. To access additional highlights from the report, please visit the reports interactive landing page here. About BrightBytes From complex integrations to actionable analysis, BrightBytes is the leading end-to-end data solution for education organizations. The BrightBytes platforms efficiently unify education data and combine top research and advanced analytics, delivered across easy-to-understand, intuitive dashboards, so educators can turn big data into big benefits for students. Media Contact Tracy Kleine P. 415.855.5000 Email: tracy@brightbytes.net F&I is Under Assault - Winning with Menu Selling "Some of the basics still apply, but there's a learning curve involving word tracks and best practices - basically the psychology of the presentations - that impacts customer perception." I developed this workshop to help dealers transition from a paper menu to a dynamic tablet presentation, she added, but well also show dealers using paper menus how to boost performance by refreshing and decluttering their presentations to better engage Gen X and Millennial customers. A digital menu provides a more interactive and intuitive experience for the customer, said Chernek, but moving to a digital menu isnt intuitive for the F&I staff. Its like switching from playing piano to playing guitar. Not every F&I manager is confident with the change, so proper training is essential. Some of the basics still apply, but theres a learning curve involving word tracks and best practices basically the psychology of the presentation that impacts customer perception. Well also talk about the difference between paper and digital menus. The digital menu isnt just a paper menu on a tablet. The digital menu software draws on databases that incorporate information about consumer demographics, preferences and trends to provide a feature called prescriptive selling. Jeff Stafford, an executive with Darwin Automotive, a digital menu provider, will speak at the workshop. Hell discuss the technical aspects and concept behind the digital menu. The company has digital menus in 3,000 dealerships in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Becky Chernek has been providing menu training since 2001. A self-described menu guru, she helped launch the menu-selling concept in AutoNations megastore in 1997. While there is some correlation between a consumers credit bureau score, a combination of other factors, like debt amount, age of debt etc. is much more predictive of whether a consumer will pay a bill or not. - Katie Bakewell, Lead Statistician, NLP Logix IC System, one of the largest receivables management companies in the United States, adopted a machine-learning powered approach to increasing recovery rates by creating a comprehensive contact strategy for each consumer. The strategy was centered around an Artificially Intelligent Collections (AIC) product developed by NLP Logix, a Jacksonville, Florida-based AI solutions company, and leveraged the decades of consumer behavior embedded in the IC System databases. First and foremost we wanted to ensure that we protect the consumer and use the data in a compliant and discreet manner said David Gunderson, Director IC System, while ensuring an approach that maximized recoveries for our clients. The approach used by IC System and NLP Logix is based upon training a machine learning algorithm developed by NLP Logix specifically for the accounts receivable market. The algorithm identifies patterns in consumers historical payment behaviors and applies a probability-to-pay score to similar or like consumers with outstanding accounts. This was further refined down to specific industries of IC Systems customers, such as healthcare and telecommunications, to capture the different ways consumers approach their doctor bills vs. phone bills. IC System had an excellent scoring system prior to us implementing the AIC solution said Katie Bakewell, Lead Statistician, NLP Logix. It provided a great performance benchmark for our teams to reach a goal of exceeding those recovery numbers. An additional significant advantage to using this unique approach is that credit bureau scores were not used to score the consumer's probability to pay. Not only is there a significant cost to IC System to obtain the credit bureau scores but there is a potential negative impact on the individual consumer. In addition, The Federal Trade Commission found that 1 in 5 consumers had a confirmed material error in their credit score. A twenty percent error rate is much too high for our approach said Bakewell. While there is some correlation between a consumers credit bureau score, a combination of other factors, like debt amount, age of debt, etc. is much more predictive of whether a consumer will pay a bill or not. To obtain a copy of the full white paper go to https://www.nlplogix.com/ai_debt_recovery/ About IC System IC System is one of the largest receivables management companies in the United States. Celebrating its 80th year, IC System is a family-owned, privately held accounts receivable management firm in its third generation of family ownership. IC System provides customized, tailor-made debt recovery solutions for healthcare, dental, financial services, small business, government, utilities, and telecommunications industries on a nationwide scale. With their Core Values (People, Pride, Integrity, Performance, Innovation) driving every business decision, the nationally licensed IC System maintains a 16-year average client tenure, has more than twelve million debts for $6 billion placed annually in their inventory, and is endorsed by over 450 professional healthcare and trade associations/societies. IC System is home to over 550 employees and has been named a Top 150 Workplace by the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Follow IC System at http://www.icsystem.com, on Twitter at @icsystem or Linkedin. About NLP Logix NLP Logix is an artificial intelligence/machine learning product and automation solutions provider, which has grown from a vision in 2011 to one of the fastest growing teams of deep learning practitioners. NLP Logix delivers its solutions through LogixStudio, the companys proprietary automation platform that gives a customer the ability to quickly leverage the growing library of algorithms and deploy them into their workflow. NLP Logix is delivering automation and machine learning solutions to customers across a wide swath of industries, including financial services, energy, healthcare, government, human resources, and others. NLP Logix was recently recognized as one of the top 5000 Fastest Growing Companies in United States by Inc. Magazine. For more information, please visit http://www.nlplogix.com. Follow NLP Logix at http://www.nlplogix.com, on Twitter at @nlplogix or LinkedIn. Pam McDonald, Principal Advisor at Impact Advisors, a leading provider of clinical, revenue cycle and information technology services to the healthcare industry, was named one of the Women Leaders in Consulting of 2018 by Consulting Magazine. McDonald was recognized in the Excellence in Client Services award category. She will attend the Women Leaders in Consulting Gala Awards Dinner on Nov. 8 in New York City. Consulting Magazines Women Leaders in Consulting award is announced every fall and recognizes the value and impact of women in the consulting field. In addition to McDonald, 12 women leaders in the profession and the firms they represent were recognized in various categories, including Lifetime Achievement, Client Service, Leadership and Future Leaders. This year, more than 400 nominations were received by the magazine. I am honored to be recognized among some of the best women leaders in our industry, said McDonald. My passion for the healthcare industry drives me to yield the best results for my clients. I am proud that I can go to work every day and feel like I have made a great impact not only for my customers, but the patients they serve. Pam is a skilled project manager with more than 20 years of experience in health information technology. Her breadth of project management leadership spans planning, implementation, and integration of information technology for integrated delivery networks (IDNs), academic medical centers and childrens hospitals. Pam has directed a number of implementation projects, coordinated testing and training activities, and planned and supported go-lives for a variety of vendors/systems, including Epic, Cerner, McKesson and PerSe Technologies. The Women Leaders in Consulting will be featured in the December issue of Consulting Magazine, which will be available Dec. 7. Online coverage can be found after that date on consultingmag.com. About Impact Advisors Impact Advisors is a nationally recognized healthcare consulting firm and trusted partner of industry leaders focused on delivering clinical, revenue cycle, and information technology services to solve some of healthcares toughest challenges. Our comprehensive suite of patient access, clinical and revenue cycle services spans the lifecycle of our clients needs. Our experienced team has a powerful combination of clinical, revenue, operations, consulting and IT experience. The firm has earned a number of prestigious industry and workplace awards: Best in KLAS for 10 consecutive years (including, in 2018, Leader in Revenue Cycle Optimization and Clinical Optimization Categories and Best in KLAS HIT Enterprise Implementation Leadership), CRN Solution Provider and CRN Fast Growth 150, Modern Healthcares Largest Revenue Cycle Management Firms, Healthcare Informatics HCI 100, as well as best place to work awards from: Modern Healthcare, Consulting Magazine, Beckers Hospital Review and Achievers. For more information about Impact Advisors, visit http://www.impact-advisors.com. Ralf is exactly the right person to lead this exciting expansion, said Kevin J. Keane, Managing Partner. As our international footprint continues to grow, his leadership and experience will be essential. PKF OConnor Davies, LLP, the nation's 29th largest accounting and advisory firm, announced today it has hired Ralf Ruedenburg. Ruedenburg will serve as principal and practice leader of the new German Desk specializing in audit, tax and advisory services, merger and acquisition advice and tax structuring for U.S., German, Austrian and Swiss clients. Ralf is exactly the right person to lead this exciting expansion, said Kevin J. Keane, Managing Partner. As our international footprint continues to grow, his leadership and experience will be essential in further establishing a robust offering for U.S. clients conducting business in Germany and German, Austrian and Swiss clients conducting business in the U.S. This growth is part of PKF OConnor Davies ongoing strategic expansion initiative to solidify world-class services for international markets and answer the call from our clients to extend the Firms practice areas. The German desk will provide clients with international insights, technical expertise and a deep cultural understanding of German business needs and priorities. Im proud to join the incredible international team at PKF OConnor Davies to expand our presence in the market where I began my career, said Ruedenburg. German-owned companies have a unique set of accounting needs, and I look forward to building a practice with exceptional professional services to drive better results for current and new clients. A native German speaker, Ruedenburg is a Germany Certified Public Accountant, tax advisor and an attorney in Germany. He has extensive experience, including managing the tax side of engagements with a specialization in planning. For more than 15 years, Ruedenburg has built his career on providing superior service for clients and developing teams that match his commitment to excellence. He has also worked with U.S. subsidiaries of German parent companies and is well versed in audits and reviews in adherence with IFRS/US-GAAP and German GAAP. The German Desk is the latest expansion designed to meet the specific needs of our expanding international client base, similar to what the firms China Desk has done in Asia. PKF O'Connor Davies is the lead North American partner in the PKF global network of independent accounting and advisory firms. About PKF OConnor Davies, LLP PKF OConnor Davies, LLP is a full service certified public accounting and advisory firm with a long history of serving clients both domestically and internationally. With roots tracing to 1891, nine offices in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Maryland, and more than 700 professionals, led by over 100 partners, the Firm provides a complete range of accounting, auditing, tax and management advisory services. PKF OConnor Davies is ranked number 29 in Accounting Todays 2018 Top 100 Firms list and the Firm is also recognized as a Leader in Audit and Accounting, a Pacesetter in Growth and one of the Top Firms in the Mid-Atlantic. PKF OConnor Davies is ranked number 28 in INSIDE Public Accountings 2017 Top 100 Firms list and recognized as one of the Top Ten Fastest-Growing Firms." In 2017, PKF O'Connor Davies was named one of Vault's Accounting 50, a ranking of the 50 best accounting employers to work for in North America and ranked among the top 50 most prestigious accounting firms in America in a complementary Vault survey. The Firm is the 11th largest accounting firm in the New York Metropolitan area, according to Crains New York Business, and the 11th top accounting firm in New Jersey according to NJBizs 2017 rankings. By consistently delivering proactive, thorough and efficient service, PKF O'Connor Davies has built long-lasting, valuable relationships with its clients. Partners are intimately involved in the day-to-day management of engagements, ensuring a high degree of client service and cost effectiveness. The Firms seasoned professional staff members employ a team approach to all engagements to provide clients with the utmost quality and timely services aimed at helping them succeed. Continuity of staffing and attention to detail in all client engagements make the Firm stand out among its competitors. PKF OConnor Davies is the lead North American representative of the international association of PKF member firms. PKF International is a network of legally independent member firms providing accounting and business advisory services in over 400 locations in 150 countries around the world. With its tradition, experience and focus on the future, PKF OConnor Davies is ready to help clients meet todays ever-changing economic conditions and manage the growing complexities of the regulatory environment. For more information, visit http://www.PKFOD.com. ### The Peace Education Program helped veteran Alyce Knaflich recover from PTSD and inspired her to dedicate her life to assisting homeless women veterans. Prem Rawat's message will help veterans heal their emotional stress, and ease the transition of coming out of the military and trying to find a new career path. It will help them center themselves and bring out their confidence. For too many veterans, finding an enduring sense of peace remains elusive long after they return from war. They often face immense challenges as they transition to civilian life, from trauma disorders to unemployment and homelessness. Thankfully, November 11 marks an occasion to honor their service and support solutions that can improve their lives. The date is Veterans Day in the United States, and in many other countries it is called Remembrance Day and Armistice Day, commemorating the end of World War I. A growing number of veterans say the Peace Education Program is a solution that gives them the tools they need to harness their own inner-strength and overcome their obstacles. The programs workshops feature videos of Prem Rawats empowering international talks on themes such as dignity, choice and hope. The Peace Education Program tries only to achieve one simple thing: its to put you in touch with yourself, says Rawat. While the goal is simple, the impact was profound for Alyce Knaflich, a veteran who suffered from post-traumatic stress, depression and homelessness for 10 years. She credits PEP with giving her the confidence to now work as the executive director of Aura Home Women Vets, a charity in Asheville, NC that provides housing and support to homeless women veterans. I was lost. Prem Rawat and his message in the program, it brought me home. And my home is my heart. Peace starts on the inside, says Knaflich. She has incorporated the Peace Education Program into Aura Homes services to help her clients have the same enriching experience that she did. Prems message will help them heal their emotional stress, and ease the transition of coming out of the military and trying to find a new career path. It will help them center themselves and bring out their confidence, says Knaflich. The program is transcending national and cultural barriers, having similar effects on veterans from the UK, Colombia, Sri Lanka and beyond. Clients and administrators offer praise for the workshops at The Beacon, a recovery center for homeless veterans in North Yorkshire, England. Blair Murray had such a positive experience in the course that he went on to serve as a volunteer facilitator for his fellow vets there. I was an angry, hating man when I first started it, he says. A big conflict I had was trying to understand myself. I didnt have the tools, and now Ive got the tools from the PEP. In Colombia, PEP is offered to veterans at the governments educational centers for peace and reconciliation to help them recover from decades of civil war. One of them, Carlos Cano, who is now in a wheelchair for the rest of his life due to an injury he suffered on the battlefield, credits the course with rekindling his passion for life. There was an emphasis in the course on something very important belief in yourself, he says. That inner strength that you have, you dont need to look for it; you have it. Even when you hit rock bottom, you have it. It comes back. Hernan Rincon, a psychologist at one of the Colombian centers where PEP is offered, hopes the program can play a key role in creating a more peaceful nation and world, one person at a time. You cant talk about peace in society if you dont first talk about peace within, he says. Our goal for this process is to build individual peace in order to create collective peace. Learn more about The Prem Rawat Foundation and the Peace Education Program. Suresh V. Garimella, who has led four straight record years for Purdue University research funding, will be appointed to the National Science Board. Garimella, Purdues executive vice president for research and partnerships and the Goodson Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering, is one of seven appointments to the board by President Donald Trump. Members are selected for their eminence in research, education and records of distinguished service and are appointed by the U.S. president. I am humbled and honored, said Garimella, who was nominated by Purdue President Mitch Daniels and received unanimous support from all 11 of Indianas national legislators. The NSF is a key driver of American research and tech innovation. I believe that this appointment is a recognition of Purdues leadership in science and engineering over its 150 years and in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing. (Garimella discusses the appointment.) The National Science Board, created through the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, oversees the activities of, and establishes policies for, the NSF. The board acts as an independent body of advisers to both the president and Congress on policy matters related to science, engineering and educating the next generation of scientists. Its members also approve major NSF awards, provide congressional testimony and issue statements relevant to the nations science and engineering enterprise. At Purdue, Garimella is in charge of the universitys diverse research enterprise, which expends well over $660 million annually to support world-changing research. He is cited for his strength in innovation, competitiveness and leveraging investments via academic-corporate partnerships. Under his leadership, Purdue is on a streak of record research funding. The university generated a record $454.5 million in sponsored research funding in fiscal year 2018, $36 million more than in 2017, itself a record year. The NSF accounted for 15 percent of the 2018 funding. This year, Purdue is celebrating 150 years of world-changing research and development accomplishments. The Giant Leaps Sesquicentennial Campaign is centered on Purdues Ideas Festival, a series of events that connect world-renowned speakers and Purdue expertise in a conversation on the most critical problems facing the world. You could say that Purdues legacy as a cradle of astronauts also extends to our universitys service to the nation in science and engineering, Daniels said. Purdue faculty and alumni have been selected to fulfill important roles in advancing the nations research enterprise since the beginning of the NSF. Dr. Garimellas distinguished record of success as a leading scholar and educator and in advancing Purdues research enterprise makes him especially qualified to serve on this prestigious board. In 2010, the U.S. Department of State appointed Garimella as a Jefferson Science Fellow to help with engaging the American academic science, technology and engineering communities in the formulation and implementation of U.S. foreign policy. Related to his role as a Jefferson Science Fellow, Garimella was a State Department delegate to the Committee on Energy Research & Technology of the International Energy Agency and a member of the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission Science & Technology working group. He was also a senior fellow in the State Departments Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas. Garimella is a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. He holds a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley and an M.S. in mechanical engineering from The Ohio State University. He received a Bachelor of Technology in mechanical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras. Indeed, Purdues ties to the NSF run deep. Former Purdue President France A. Cordova is the current NSF director. Previous NSF directors include Professor Emeritus Arden L. Bement Jr., and Purdue alumna Rita R. Colwell. NSF directors are ex officio members of the NSB. Purdues legacy of NSB membership includes: Andrey A. Potter, Purdues third dean of engineering from 1920 to 1953, was a charter member of the board during 1950-58, the early years of the NSF. Michael G. Rossmann, the Hanley Distinguished Professor of Biological Sciences, was on the board between 2000-06. Purdue President Steven C. Beering became a member of the NSB in 2002 and was appointed as chair of the Board from 2006-2010. Kent Fuchs, a former department head of electrical and computer engineering, is a current member of the board. Richard A. Buckius, former Purdue vice president for research and professor of mechanical engineering served the NSF in various capacities, beginning as program director of the Thermal Systems and Engineering Program in 1987, and ultimately as the NSF chief operating officer until 2017. Leah H. Jamieson, the John A. Edwardson Dean Emerita of Engineering is an NSF advisory committee member in engineering, and Richard J. Kuhn, the Trent and Judith Anderson Distinguished Professor in Science and the Krenicki Family Director for the Purdue Institute of Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease is a member of the advisory committee for biological sciences. Media Contact: Steve Tally, 765-494-9809, steve@purdue.edu, @sciencewriter Sources: Suresh Garimella, 765-494-6209, sureshg@purdue.edu, @SVGarimella Mitch Daniels, president@purdue.edu We have been looking forward to bringing our ONE LOVE to Hawaii for years Chicken finger lovers in Honolulu can rejoice in preparation for the much-anticipated arrival of one of the most popular restaurant concepts on the mainland. Raising Canes Chicken Fingers, the Louisiana-based brand founded by Todd Graves in 1996 and known for its ONE LOVE quality chicken finger meals will make its debut in the Aloha State at 2615 South King Street, on the ground floor of the Hale Mahana Apartment Complex in Honolulu. Raising Canes is renowned for its tender and flavorful chicken fingers, its craveable some say addictive secret-recipe Canes sauce, crinkle-cut fries, coleslaw, Texas toast, freshly brewed sweet tea and fresh-squeezed lemonade. At Raising Canes, it all starts with the chicken finger the 100% premium white meat chicken tenderloins are marinated, hand-battered and cooked to order, ensuring each chicken finger is served hot, fresh, and juicy. The craveable, secret-recipe Canes sauce, is homemade daily using only premium seasonings and spices. The extra-long premium crinkle-cut fries are served up hot, fresh and perfectly seasoned with salt. The Texas toast is lightly brushed with garlic and real butter, then grilled. And the coleslaw is made daily with fresh cabbage, carrots and premium creamy coleslaw dressing. Even the lemonade is fresh-squeezed daily, and the sweet tea is freshly brewed throughout the day and sweetened with pure cane sugar. Both are served ice-cold over Canes famous crushed ice. This new restaurant in Honolulu marks the first of several Raising Canes openings in Hawaii through a partnership with Panda Restaurant Group, which was founded by Andrew and Peggy Cherng in 1973. When it opens in December, the restaurant will employ 60 local crewmembers. We are thrilled to partner with Raising Canes and bring their restaurants to Hawaii. said Cherng, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Panda Restaurant Group. With our shared people-first mentality, we believe that the University of Hawaii location is the perfect location for Raising Canes to make an impact in serving guests, potential employees, and the whole Honolulu community. In addition to serving delicious chicken finger meals, Raising Canes is also known for its commitment to being actively involved in the local community. The General Manager in Honolulu will soon begin exploring opportunities to support local community organizations of all kinds, including those who fall under Raising Canes Focus Areas Active Lifestyles, Education, Entrepreneurship, Feeding the Hungry, and Pet Welfare. We have been looking forward to bringing our ONE LOVE to Hawaii for years, and I am very proud and excited that we have finally broken ground in Honolulu, said Todd Graves, Founder, CEO, Fry Cook & Cashier at Raising Canes. We could not ask for better partners than Andrew and Peggy and their team to help introduce our brand to this beautiful state, and we look forward to getting involved in local communities all across Hawaii in the months and years ahead. Raising Canes high-quality food, great customer service, and active community involvement have helped to create an incredibly loyal fan base, known as Caniacs, and was recently recognized as having the Most Loyal Guests in the fast-casual segment as part of Technomics 2018 Consumers Choice Awards. The rapidly growing restaurant brand has consistently been ranked in the top restaurants for Overall Customer Satisfaction for 11 years in a row according to the authoritative Sandelman & Associates Quick-Track study, based on food quality, customer service, cleanliness and other important factors. For more information, visit raisingcanes.com. ABOUT RAISING CANE'S: Founded by Todd Graves in 1996 in Baton Rouge, La., RAISING CANE'S CHICKEN FINGERS has more than 400 restaurants in 24 states, Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, with multiple new restaurants under construction. The company has ONE LOVEquality chicken finger mealsand is continually recognized for its unique business model and customer satisfaction. Raising Canes vision is to have restaurants all over the world and be the brand for quality chicken finger meals, a great crew, cool culture and active community involvement. Excuse me, Mr. Trump. Jim Acosta is a fine man, he is an ethical man, trying to do his job, bringing the news to the American people. He is not rude or a terrible person. And furthermore, CNN is fortunate to have him as an employee, and we are very lucky as Americans to have him there. You, however, are the rude, terrible person, and you shouldnt be working for the people of the United States. You might want to consider saving everyone any further grief and just resigning. Carol Lawrence-Erickson, Owner of Red Arrow Diner I am humbled to accept this prestigious honor from our states leading hospitality association, Carol Lawrence-Erickson said. "I am extremely grateful to be included among this years honorees, all of whom I truly admire. Red Arrow Diner is proud to announce that its owner, Carol Lawrence-Erickson, was named Restaurateur of the Year in the 2018 Stars of the Industry Awards presented by the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association (NHLRA). According to the NHLRA, the awards recognize individuals who have achieved significant success and growth in their establishments; who have supported the industry and its concerns on national, state or local levels; who have provided opportunities for growth for their personnel; who set the standard for customer service; and who embody the spirit of hospitality. I am humbled to accept this prestigious honor from our states leading hospitality association, Carol Lawrence-Erickson said in response to the award. I began my hospitality journey working at our familys restaurant Belmont Hall so I have transferred so much of that family atmosphere and comradery to the Red Arrow Diner. For this reason, this award is really a testament to all of our employees and what we have accomplished over the years together, side by side. I am extremely grateful to be included among this years honorees, all of whom I truly admire. Carol Lawrence-Erickson has over 30 years of experience managing various restaurants, including her own. She has earned national exposure through print, television and radio media as well as expanded the Red Arrow Diner brand to four locations across New Hampshire. Even in the infamously competitive hospitality industry, Carol continually advocates collaboration to build a thriving economy that benefits everyone and finds various ways to support her colleagues and their locations. Among her many charitable interests, Carol and the Red Arrow Diner are avid supporters of the annual Tower of Toys holiday fundraiser, Make-A-Wish NH, and Perkins School for the Blind. She also conducts countless fundraisers through her diners and provides generous donations for a wide variety of causes. Carol was honored alongside additional Stars of the Industry recipients at the 2018 Stars of the Industry awards dinner on November 5, 2018 at the Courtyard by Marriott in Nashua, New Hampshire. About Red Arrow Diner A privately-held company based in Manchester, New Hampshire, the Red Arrow Diner operates restaurants in Concord, Manchester, Milford and Londonderry, New Hampshire, United States. Each Red Arrow Diner location is a 24-hour diner and serves over 500,000 breakfasts annually. The Red Arrow Diner has been featured on various nationally-broadcasted television and radio shows, including the Food Networks Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and SiriusXM political channels Patriot (125) and Progress (127). Additionally, Red Arrow is an active community supporter with countless volunteer hours, pro bono promotions, and financial donations. For information about the Red Arrow Diner, visit http://www.redarrowdiner.com. Rigaku XtaLAB Synergy-S X-ray diffractometer for single crystal X-ray diffraction The Rigaku Oxford Diffraction division offers a diverse range of small molecule crystallography systems combinations of area detector, goniometer, generator, optics, and software to address a wide variety small molecule crystallographic needs. Rigaku Corporation a global leader in analytical X-ray technology, is pleased to announce its attendance at the 74th Annual Southwest Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society (SWRM). The Central Arkansas Chapter of ACS is hosting SWRM 2018 at the Little Rock Marriott and Convention Center in Little Rock, Arkansas, Wednesday, November 7 through Saturday, November 10, 2018. The theme of this years meeting is The Natural State of Chemistry. The event features presentations, poster sessions, an exposition, receptions and an educators day, including an assortment of symposia topics chosen from Analytical, Inorganic, Organic, Physical, Polymer and Chemistry. Rigaku Oxford Diffraction (ROD) is representing its single crystal X-ray diffraction instrumentation at Table #8. Three dimensional atomic structures of small molecules can be determined by employing single crystal X-ray diffraction. This technique is applied across a wide range of areas, including new synthetic chemicals, catalysts, metal organic frameworks (MOFs), pharmaceuticals, and natural products. The Rigaku Oxford Diffraction division offers a diverse range of small molecule crystallography systems combinations of area detector, goniometer, generator, optics, and software to address a wide variety small molecule crystallographic needs. About Rigaku Oxford Diffraction (ROD) ROD was formed as the global single crystal business unit of Rigaku Corporation after the acquisition of the former Oxford Diffraction organization from Agilent Technologies in 2015. ROD is a leader in the field of single crystal analysis, both in the field of chemical crystallography as well as well as macromolecular crystallography. Formed in 1951, Rigaku Corporation is a leading analytical instrumentation company based out of Tokyo, Japan. For further information, contact: Michael Nelson Rigaku Global Marketing Group tel: +1. 512-225-1796 michael.nelson@rigaku.com Rockies Venture Clubs (RVC) annual Colorado Capital Conference (CCC) is now celebrating 30 years of connecting entrepreneurs and investors throughout the Rocky Mountain Region. Rockies Venture Clubs (RVC) annual Colorado Capital Conference (CCC) is now celebrating 30 years of connecting entrepreneurs and investors throughout the Rocky Mountain Region. The event will kick-off Tuesday, November 13th with an evening Gala at The Commons on Champa in Downtown Denver. The evening will include networking and happy hour, community awards, and an introduction to the companies and sponsors that will be involved in the event. The full-day conference will then take place on Wednesday, November 14th at Noahs Event Center in Westminster. This year's conference will focus on the theme of Investing Locally, the idea that investing in local companies can result in strong financial returns while building a self-reliant community. At its core, investing locally is about tapping into the existing capital in our community to empower investors, entrepreneurs, and individuals to collaborate in a way that benefits us all. The conference will feature pitches from eight companies, an expert-filled Investing in the Rest Panel, and Keynote Speaker Ross Baird, Co-founder of Village Capital and author of The Innovation Blind Spot: Why We Back the Wrong Ideasand What to Do About It. During the conference, Ross Baird is expected to present to over 250 early-stage investors, entrepreneurs, and engaged community members. Bairds speech will provide insights on the one-pocket thinking approach to investing; identifying that investors can have community impacts through their investments while still generating sizable returns. Although traditional venture capital investors target a high failure rate, and very high success rate, Baird has found success in providing capital to blue-collar projects in cities outside of the usual startup communities such as California, New York, and Massachusetts. Bairds investment strategy has seen significantly higher survival and success rates than the typical venture fund while making a difference in American communities that truly need investment. His expertise will be essential in helping the audience navigate the quickly changing and increasingly popular impact investing landscape while providing valuable insights on investing locally. Through Village Capital, Ross has focused on providing access to opportunity for startups in underserved communities. Since starting Village Capital in 2009, the organization has raised $18M and invested $8M across 70 companies, creating a vast positive impact felt throughout atypical startup communities that often have less access and exposure to venture capital. For the past year, Baird has also been an Innovator-in-Residence with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, where he has been working with the foundation on a strategy to remove barriers to access to capital for the 81% of entrepreneurs who do not receive formal financing. Rockies Venture Club is excited for Ross to share his insights on the rise of impact investing and his one-pocket investment strategy, says RVC Executive Director Peter Adams. We have been studying this concept for several years, and have been inspired by the thinking and writing of Ross Baird. In addition to Baird, the Investing in the Rest panel will feature leading Intra-coastal Angel Investors & Venture Capital Leaders, including Stephanie Spong (Royal Street Venture), Allie Esch (Dundee VC), Pat LaPointe (Frontier Angels) and Moderator Tricia Meyer (Meyer Law). With industry leading speakers and eight investment-ready companies, this years conference is sure to be the best one yet! If you are interested in attending the 30th annual Colorado Capital Conference, please visit the website at http://www.coloradocapitalconference.org to register and learn more. About the Rockies Venture Club: Rockies Venture Club is the longest running and one of the largest Angel Groups in the U.S., founded in 1985, whose mission is to advance economic development by actively connecting the most promising entrepreneurial companies with Angel investors, venture capitalists, and other community members. Every year Rockies Venture Club offers over 140 educational programs, mastermind groups, Angel forums, and two major conferences for both investors and entrepreneurs. Today is International Day of Radiology (IDoR), celebrated around the world in recognition of the remarkable contributions made by medical imaging to health care, and the role of radiology professionals in providing quality care to patients. The day is sponsored by the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), the American College of Radiology (ACR) and the European Society of Radiology (ESR) and is observed by nearly 170 international radiology societies through public lectures, press events and other activities. Held each year on November 8ththe anniversary of the discovery of the X-ray by German physicist Wilhelm RoentgenIDoR is building greater awareness of the value that radiology research, diagnosis and treatment contribute to safe and effective patient care. IDoR recognizes the many innovations in radiology research that have revolutionized modern medicine, produced great technological advances and saved countless lives. Radiology professionals are working together throughout the year to inform patients about the valuable role medical imaging plays in patient care. RSNA and ACR jointly sponsor RadiologyInfo.org, an important patient resource that explains medical imaging tests and treatments in detailed, easy-to-understand language, helping patients to understand and prepare for imaging procedures. The site contains explanations of more than 240 disease and conditions and radiology procedures. It also provides information on screening and wellness and safety topics. Visit the official International Day of Radiology website or RSNA.org/IDoR to learn more. RSNA is an association of over 54,000 radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists and related scientists promoting excellence in patient care and healthcare delivery through education, research and technologic innovation. The Society is based in Oak Brook, Ill. (RSNA.org) The American College of Radiology (ACR), founded in 1924, is a professional medical society dedicated to serving patients and society by empowering radiology professionals to advance the practice, science, and professions of radiological care. The European Society of Radiology is an apolitical, non-profit organization, dedicated to promoting and coordinating the scientific, philanthropic, intellectual and professional activities of Radiology in all European countries. The Societys mission at all times is to serve the health care needs of the general public through the support of science, teaching and research and the quality of service in the field of radiology. The Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (Sigma) recently announced recipients of the following nursing research grants awarded in 2018. These grants were made possible by the Sigma Foundation for Nursing, funding partners, and individual contributors to the Foundations research fund. APRIL GRANT RECIPIENTS Sigma/Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation End-of-Life Nursing Care Research Grant Teaching Caregivers of Hospice Patients to Administer Reiki for Symptom Management and Caregiver Self-Care: A Feasibility Pilot Study Susan E. Thrane PhD, MSN, RN, CHPN The Ohio State University Grant Impact: Learning and providing Reiki which has been shown to be helpful with symptoms such as pain, anxiety, depression, and fatigue may give caregivers a way to help their loved one with symptoms while at the same time feeling useful. Knowledge gained from this study will guide future interventions aimed at the comfort of hospice patients, family caregivers, and hospice volunteers. Sigma/Midwest Nursing Research Society Research Grant Lifestyle Behavior Change Using Mobile Health (mHealth) Technology: A Grounded Theory Study of Breast Cancer Survivors Marjorie Kelley, MSN The Ohio State University Grant Impact: This research begins to investigate the integration of lifestyle modifications and behavior of app use in breast cancer survivors and will offer a substantive theory to build and design future mHealth interventions for lifestyle modification in cancer survivors. It aligns with national research agendas promoting innovation through technology use to improve and personalize health advanced by the Oncology Nurses Society (ONS) and the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR). Sigma/Southern Nursing Research Society Grant Vitamin C Supplementation Intervention for Patients with Heart FailureA Pilot Study Jia-Rong Wu, PhD, MSN University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Nursing Grant Impact: The intervention study offers the opportunity to compare a vitamin C supplementation intervention testing two commonly used doses of vitamin C supplementation on heart failure symptoms and health-related quality of life as well as biomarkers of oxidative stress and cardiac function. Findings from this pilot project will support future tests of the efficacy of vitamin C supplementation in endothelial function, oxidative stress, heart failure symptoms, and improving health outcomes. MAY GRANT RECIPIENTS Sigma/American Nurses' Foundation Grant Motivational Interviewing for Cancer Pain Goals Olga Ehrlich PhD, BSN Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Grant Impact: This study will yield important new data about functional pain goal assessment in persons with cancer pain, an area of nursing practice and research that stands to contribute significantly to the reduction of overall high rates of poorly-controlled cancer pain. Results of this study will contribute data and knowledge so nurses can use motivational interviewing to help patients identify goals and develop related interventions for improving pain severity outcomes. Sigma/Chamberlain University College of Nursing Education Research Grant Health Belief Model Factors as Predictors of Parental Misclassification of the Weight of the Preschool Child Tanna Woods MSN, BSN Idaho State University Grant Impact: This research addresses parental misclassification of their childs weight and ability to realize when weight becomes a problem. It will examine components of the health belief model (HBM) and assessing their relationship to parental misclassification. The time period of 2- to 5-year-olds is critical in future obesity and health problems and a time when behavioral modification can lead to improved outcomes. Sigma/Chamberlain University College of Nursing Education Research Grant CRiticAL Clinical Reasoning and simulation: the passive observer becomes Active Learner Naomi Tutticci, PhD, BN Queensland University of Technology-Nursing Grant Impact: This project focuses on enhancing learning in transformative ways. Students, who were not previously engaged in learning experiences within their simulation experience, will in future be able to articulate and practice key real world attributes within their professional practice. Nursing students transitioning into the workforce are required to be workforce ready, with minimal time to transition into the professional role. Sigma Global Nursing Research Grant A Qualitative Exploration of Peer Mentoring after Spinal Cord Injury in Delhi, India Susan D. Newman PhD, BSN Medical University of South Carolina College of Nursing Grant Impact: This study will be the first known investigation on the experience of peer-mentoring to support health and community participation after spinal cord injury (SCI) in India. Peer mentoring is one potential strategy to extend the goals of rehabilitation, and more specifically rehabilitation nursing, into underserved communities. Findings of this study can inform innovative approaches to community-based SCI rehabilitation, especially in the context of low- to middle-income countries. JULY GRANT RECIPIENTS Doris Bloch Research Award Foot Self-care in Older Adults Without Diabetes Jennifer O Connor MS, BSN Sinclair School of Nursing, University of Missouri Grant Impact: Foot care self-management programs have been shown effective in improving foot health, knowledge, self-efficacy and self-care behaviors in persons with diabetes mellitus. Improved foot self-care among non-diabetic older adults may similarly help to minimize foot problems and related complications, maximize mobility and quality of life, and maintain independence in the growing older adult population. Joan K. Stout, RN, Research Grant Comparison of Simulation Exposure in Undergraduate Nursing Education and its Effect on Critical Thinking Development Joanne Knoesel, PhD, MSN Pace University Grant Impact: The findings from this study may provide insight into the relationship between simulation learning and critical thinking and evidence to current nursing programs for the ratio of simulation substitution in undergraduate nursing programs. The study may also provide meaningful learning experiences in the education of nursing students that can impact learning outcomes and can affect patient safety in the future. ATI Educational Assessment Nursing Research Grant Using Simulation to Develop Clinical Teaching Competencies in Nurse Educators Julie Fitzwater, MNE, BSN Linfield College Grant Impact: This proposed pilot study will further the quantitative evidence to promote the use of competency outcomes in simulation education of nurse educators. Further reliability of the instruments used will add to the knowledge in the field. As the competency outcomes are measured from simulation education, the next steps will be to measure the impacts on student outcomes and patient and system outcomes. American Nurses Credentialing Center Evidence-Based Practice Implementation Grant This grant is made possible with the support of Hill-Rom. Development, Implementation and Evaluation of an Evidence-Based Nurse-Led Rapid Response Program in a Low-Resource Setting Vinciya Pandian, PhD, MBA, MSN, RN, ACNP-BC, FAAN Johns Hopkins School of Nursing Grant Impact: This study uses simulation technology to provide training on different cardiac arrest resuscitation algorithms and mock rapid response teams, providing practical ways to engage interprofessional teams and build team dynamics and effective communication. Nurses in low-resource settings will be educated on early warning signs; empowered to take the lead in identifying, communicating, and intervening in a timely manner; provide critical care in non-ICU wards; and decrease the number of cardiopulmonary arrests. About Sigma The Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (Sigma) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is advancing world health and celebrating nursing excellence in scholarship, leadership, and service. Founded in 1922, Sigma has more than 135,000 active members in over 90 countries and territories. Members include practicing nurses, instructors, researchers, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and others. Sigmas more than 530 chapters are located at more than 700 institutions of higher education throughout Armenia, Australia, Botswana, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, England, Ghana, Hong Kong, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Malawi, Mexico, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Swaziland, Sweden, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, the United States, and Wales. Learn more at http://www.sigmanursing.org. Star's apprentice Sam Gills Im honoured to be representing Star at the WorldSkills competition and hope I can do myself and my company proud again Star Refrigerations third year industrial refrigeration apprentice, Sam Gills has topped national rankings at the national skills competition Skillfridge, and as a result qualified for WorldSkills UK National Final. The competition is set to take place from15th -17th November 2018 at the NEC Arena in Birmingham. While taking part in a number of regional heats throughout the summer at Skillfridge, Sam outperformed scores of all other contestants to find himself amongst the top six in the country. During the heats, the engineers were asked to display competence in assembling and tightening pipework containing both brass and copper fittings. Under a strict time limit, the participants had to identify and repair and electrical fault in a refrigeration unit, as well as fixing leaks, testing for strength and charging, commissioning and evacuating the system. With all entrants holding their own against the competition, Sam came out amongst the top performers. He will now proceed to the WorldSkills UK National Finals, which will recognise the highest scoring refrigeration, air conditioning and heating apprentices across the UK. The winner will represent the UK at international level in future WorldSkills events. Its not the first time that Sams skills have been recognised. Just last year Sam was crowned ACR Trainee of the Year at an awards ceremony in Sutton Coldfield. At the time, Sam had just achieved distinction in his BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Engineering and his industriousness, eagerness to learn and committed work ethic has seen him go from strength to strength ever since. Sam said, Its been a whirlwind year for me, to be honest. After gaining a distinction in my studies and receiving the Trainee of the Year award last December, things just havent slowed down. Im honoured to be representing Star at the WorldSkills competition and hope I can do myself and my company proud again. But regardless of the result of the final next month, Sams training manager believes he has already achieved that particular goal. Dave Bartlett, Star Refrigeration Operations Training Manager, said, I couldnt be more proud of Sam and his achievements, and of all our apprentices and trainees here at Star. We have received a crop of incredibly talented engineers over recent years and all of them have been put through our national training scheme which is producing so many award-winning engineers. Star Refrigeration Operations Director, James Ward, said, We are delighted with the exceptional job that Sam has done during the regional heats allowing him to qualify and successfully secure a place in the Worldskills UK Finals. Our apprentices world-class skills are being recognised throughout the industrys competitions which are set to drive up technical skills. This acknowledgement validates Stars training standards and confirms our commitment to put individual career development at the top of the priority list. We wish Sam all the best over what promises to be an interesting few days of competition in Birmingham and look forward to supporting him throughout the event. For more information on Stars Apprenticeship Scheme, visit http://www.star-ref.co.uk/apprenticeships.aspx. Even with extraordinarily tight budgets, it is important that we stay current on the opportunities and challenges facing our institutions. There is no better way to do that than being at Alliance. The Higher Education User Group (the HEUG), is pleased to announce that registration is now open for the 2019 Alliance conference (https://www.alliance-conference.com). The Alliance Conference is the largest meeting of Higher Education & Public Sector users of Oracle Applications in the world and anticipates over 3500+ attendees to converge in Orlando this March for four days of education and networking. Alliance 2019 is being held March 3-6 in Orlando, Florida at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort. The conference is a user-driven program with more than 350 technical and functional sessions supported by examples, handouts (all available to download after the conference), expert panels, and information system product updates. Cathy Thompson, the 2019 Alliance Conference Chair said Even with extraordinarily tight budgets, it is important that we stay current on the opportunities and challenges facing our institutions. There is no better way to do that than being at Alliance. While the educational program is a primary focus, the ability to network with peers from institutions around the world to help solve problems is equally important. Andy Helms from Miami University, a first-time attendee at the 2018 event, said I made so many great connections and learned a lot. This was also the first event I've attended in a while where I can truly say I felt inspired. It's nice to have gone to a conference that exceeded the learned stuff level and made it to the inspired me to go back and improve level." This years conference is stronger than ever with an array of opportunities for networking and learning. Some of the highlights for this year: 21 tracks covering Oracle Cloud, PeopleSoft, Oracle EBS and Hyperion applications Reports and discussions from successful implementations and upgrades One-to-one interaction with Oracle professionals in Meet the Experts Business intelligence/data warehousing focused sessions Both technical and functional tracks to meet attendee needs Opportunities to build a network of relationships to support institutional needs year round In addition, the Alliance Solution Center hosts over 100+ exhibitors, enabling members to connect with solution delivery partners to help solve problems that require resources beyond the ability of an institution. For more information on becoming a partner at this years event, please visit: https://www.alliance-conference.com/page/2019-be-an-exhibitor. Registration opened on November 7, 2018. The Early Bird rate (signing up before January 11, 2019) offers an impressive discount of over $400 off the regular registration rate, so it is encouraged that attendees register early. Please visit this link to find out more information: http://www.alliance-conference.com/. About the Higher Education User Group The Higher Education User Group (HEUG) is a Non-Profit, international organization consisting of Higher Education institutions that use software from the Oracle Corporation. HEUGs mission is to educate and advocate by facilitating the sharing of ideas, information and experiences among its members, and to provide a unified and effective independent voice to our system partners. The HEUG represents hundreds of member institutions and over 27,000 individuals across the globe. It includes a wide range of institutions, from community colleges, to small liberal arts colleges, to large research universities and state university systems. For more information please visit https://www.heug.org. The Blockchain Club at the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School will host a conference on The Power of Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain on Nov. 16. The event will bring together MBA and computer science students with blockchain and AI industry leaders to expand their understanding of AI and blockchain and learn about future applications of both technologies. Several executives from IBM will speak: Jerry Cuomo, vice president of blockchain; Phaedra Boinodiris (BSBA 94, MBA 08), chief learning innovation officer; Michael Martin, director, offering management, global business solutions; Joe Kozhaya, Watson solution architect; and Bill Le Voir-Barry, chief technology officer at IBM Esports. Other speakers include David Conover, serious video games learning experience designer at Connally High School; Darron Goodgion, CEO of Not Rocket Science; Kenneth Bibbins, founder of PrepWorld; Gregory Kuhnen, senior director at the Advisory Board Company; Stephen Hyduchak, CEO at Bridge Protocol; and Akash Ganapathi, CEO at Trill A.I. Topics will cover the potential that can be found at the intersection of AI and blockchain, the ethical implication of AI, blockchain digital identities and how AI and blockchain solve business problems in education, governance, esports, finance, healthcare and agriculture. The UNC Blockchain Club is a joint initiative of MBA and computer science students who are passionate about blockchain technology. The conference is free UNC students. Visit the conference website to learn more. About the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School Consistently ranked one of the world's best business schools, UNC Kenan-Flagler offers a broad range of programs Undergraduate, MBA and Master of Accounting, PhD and Executive Development and extraordinary, real-life learning experiences. Faculty demonstrate unparalleled dedication to students learning and a commitment to world-class research that addresses critical business challenges. Contributing to the Schools thought leadership is the Frank Hawkins Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise, which promotes innovative, market-based solutions to vital economic issues. UNC Kenan-Flaglers collaborative culture is rooted in core values that date back to its founding in 1919, and graduates are renowned as effective, principled leaders with the technical knowledge and leadership skills to deliver results in the global business environment. Joseph Lopinto, retired commercial airline pilot and co-founder, ExpertFlyer.com We wanted to create a comprehensive game plan that travelers could reference if their travels are disrupted by flight delays or cancellations Youre all set! The boss gave you the time off. You have your airline ticket. You booked a suite at your favorite hotel or resort and youre filled with anticipation of seeing family and friends, escaping the cold, or hitting the slopes this holiday season. Check. Check. AndCheck! Planning ahead saved money on your airline ticket and helped secure the best accommodations and event reservations. But what you didnt plan for was the large winter storm hitting the area, or any number of airline mishaps that can occur, including equipment malfunctions and crew-related issues. And this doesnt include all the potential problems surrounding flight connections or general airport snafus. It almost goes without saying, butevery traveler needs a backup plan or Plan B, a strategic course of action that can be implemented at a moments notice when flights are delayed or cancelled. Members of ExpertFlyer.com and tech expert and travel writer, Dave Dean have created a comprehensive set of guidelines that offer advice and tips for being prepared when your travel plans get stopped at the gate. ExpertFlyers Travelers Backup Plan offers travelers insight to a variety of important and relevant travel information, mobile apps, and other key action items, which can all become part of a Plan B Travel Tool Box travelers can have at-the-ready and available on their mobile device when they are needed. The guidelines for navigating around delayed and cancelled flights comes just ahead of the Thanksgiving and Christmas travel season, which is notorious for delays and cancellations. But Joseph Lopinto, retired commercial airline pilot and co-founder of ExpertFlyer.com, is quick to remind travelers that delays and cancellations occur at all times of the year and the guidelines detailed in their Travelers Backup Plan can be applied year-round. Access the full interview with Mr. Lopinto here. We wanted to create a series of tips and guidelines travelers can use any time of year, explains Joseph Lopinto. Of course, having these tips publicly available prior to the upcoming holiday season is a real benefit to travelers, but the tips, specific mobile apps, and step-by-step recommendations to follow can be applied anytime. The Travelers Backup Plan covers everything from when to book your ticket and why, how to prepare for worst case scenarios, includes a list of the best mobile apps to have on hand for issues or cancellations, and step-by-step instructions on what to do if you get to the airport and find out your flight has been cancelled. Tips and advice included in the Travelers Backup Plan include: Tips for booking your airline ticket A list of printed information and documents you should have with you A social media plan for accessing other resources to help your cause List of critical mobile apps to have on your devices Checklist to review before you leave for the airport Step-by-step process after your flight has been cancelled Consumers today can do a lot to help themselves solve problems at the airport, says Dave Dean, tech expert and travel writer. Smartphones give travelers easy access to up-to-the-minute information, with apps that let you quickly find a new way of getting to your destination, track and re-book flights, book a hotel on the fly, or access customer service without standing in line with hundreds of other people. The key is to have these apps on your phone before you leave for the airport, and know ahead of time what they do and how they do it. To access the Travelers Backup Plan and listen to the entire interview with ExpertFlyer co-founder Joseph Lopinto, visit ExpertFlyers blog. About Dave Dean Dave Dean is a former corporate IT worker turned full-time traveler, writer, and publisher. He is the founder and editor of travel technology site Too Many Adapters, which explores everything you need to know about technology and gear for travel, whether it's a two-week vacation to Aruba or a year-long trip around the world. About ExpertFlyer.com Each month, ExpertFlyer's One-on-One blog goes face-to-face with the travel industry's leading decision makers to discuss and address topics relevant to many of today's business and frequent travelers. ExpertFlyer.com was conceived and created by an eclectic team consisting of a veteran elite tier frequent flyer, an airline captain and corporate travel manager, and information technology professionals to deliver a 24/7 real time powerful air travel information service. The company provides its subscribers and corporate travel managers alike with a complete, concise and efficient way to access the ever-changing details of worldwide air travel information. For more information, please visit expertflyer.com. Stuck in the middle seat again? Download the free Seat Alerts app from ExpertFlyer and get the window or aisle seat without hassle or frustration. A wattlectomy can help patients remove excess neck skin that is often called a turkey wattle or turkey neck. Thanksgiving season is here, and its time to talk turkey specifically, turkey necks. Also known as a wattle, the turkey neck is a common name for drooping or sagging neck skin that can contribute to a double chin and take away from youthful jawline contours. Many patients are concerned about the appearance of their turkey necks, but a solution is here in time for the holidays! A new technique was developed with men and women in mind to lose the wattle. Introducing the wattlectomy (or waddlectomy), performed by top NYC plastic surgeon, Dr. Darrick Antell. During a wattlectomy, loose skin around the neck is directly removed. Patients are awake the whole time, as excess fat and skin are directly excised under local anesthesia with or without mild sedation. The procedure takes approximately an hour to complete. How is the wattlectomy different from a neck lift? Dr. Antell offers his expertise on this innovative procedure to improve neck contours. A wattlectomy can help patients remove excess neck skin that is often called a turkey wattle or turkey neck, explains Dr. Antell. The recovery time of a wattlectomy is significantly shorter when compared to that of a traditional neck lift, and the results are even more impressive. A wattlectomy can address loose neck skin that contributes to double chin. By removing excess skin, you can achieve more youthful neck definition and a firmer-looking jawline. The wattlectomy neck lift is performed using an incision under the chin, which minimizes scarring and shortens downtime. Most patients are able to return to their daily activities 1-2 days post-surgery. The wattlectomy can restore younger, graceful contours to your chin and neck. A waddlectomy can also be combined with other procedures for a more rejuvenated look. Often, the procedure is done in conjunction with blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery), as well as non-surgical treatments like Botox and dermal fillers. Dr. Darrick Antell, a board certified plastic surgeon in NYC, operates his own private practice on the Upper East Side. He has received international recognition for his facial plastic surgery, and was named best plastic surgeon by New York Magazine, Harpers Bazaar, and Town & Country. To learn more about Dr. Antells practice visit his website or call his office to schedule a consultation at 212-988-4040. Use the promo code wattle free 2018 for a complimentary wattlectomy consultation. Offer expires Thanksgiving Day! "I've always followed Chuy. And his son, Sam Garcia, has been a mentor to me for years," said Bahena. He credits the Garcias for getting him involved in the electoral process. "My circle of friends did go out to vote, and I think it was partly motivated by social media. Everyone was taking pictures with their wristbands to show they voted," he said. Tranont employees gathered after volunteering at a homeless shelter. "Fostering an environment where people feel safe, accepted, and part of the team internally positively impacts each relationship with partners, vendors, Independent Associates, and ultimately our customers. - Scott Bland, Tranont President The Salt Lake Tribune named Tranont a top Utah employer in its 2018 list of Top Workplaces. The 2018 list is compiled solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey. The anonymous survey measures several aspects of workplace culture, including alignment, execution, and connection, just to name a few. We strive to treat everyone like family here at Tranont, said Scott Bland, President at Tranont. When youre a direct sales company, youre in the relationship business. Fostering an environment where people feel safe, accepted, and part of the team internally positively impacts each relationship with partners, vendors, Independent Associates, and ultimately our customers. Tranonts unique mission, to change the world one household at a time, is exemplified in its community efforts, encouraging employees and Independent Associates to lift where you live. Last month we held a blood drive with the Red Cross, said Tara Higbee, Human Resources Director at Tranont. We collected dozens of donations here at Tranont headquarters, and many more customers and Independent Associates around the nation donated at their local Red Cross centers. Every person can make a positive impact in their community, and we provide a means to help them lift where they live. Winning Utahs Top Workplaces, as the only direct sales company to make the list, is just the latest award for Tranont this year. Other honors include: INC Magazine, 2018 INC 500 Top 10 fastest growing Utah businesses, top 7% nationwide Utah Valley BusinessQ, 2018 UV50 Top 5 fastest growing Utah Valley businesses Were making a positive impact in peoples lives, said Russ Losee, Tranont COO and Co-founder. Receiving recognition for our incredible growth and or our excellent work environment is a natural outcome from focusing on customers and providing products and services that make a lasting positive impact. About Tranont Founded in 2013 by CEO Lorne Berry, Tranont is on a mission to impact one billion lives for good. Through personalized health and wealth education, we provide instruction, products, and services to help families reach their goals. Using a direct sales model, neighbors are helping neighbors improve their health, create more wealth, and leave a lasting impact in their communities. For more information, visit: http://www.tranont.com or - http://www.thisistranont.com. Uberall, a global leader in location marketing solutions for businesses competing to attract and win local bricks-and-mortar customers, today announced that Andreas Koenig, former CEO of TeamViewer, has been elected as the companys new chairman of the board of directors. Florian Huebner, Uberalls co-CEO commented, We are delighted to welcome Andreas to Uberall. Andreas is a strategic thinker with a proven track record of driving change and transforming businesses. Already having scaled a start-up company to a multi-billion dollar organization, he will be a tremendous asset to Uberall as we continue to expand our global presence in the high-growth location marketing technology space. Koenig has more than 20 years of leadership experience in the technology sector, holding a number of executive and board positions. Koenigs most recent role was CEO of TeamViewer, where under his stewardship, the number of TeamViewer users grew to 400 million and downloads grew to over 1.5 billion. Before that, as CEO of Swisscom IT Services AG, Andreas Koenig successfully merged two business units with 4,500 employees. Prior to joining Swisscom in 2012, he worked at NetApp for 16 years as Senior Vice President and General Manager EMEA where he was instrumental in the companys establishment and expansion in the European market. I am thrilled to be joining Uberall at such an exciting time in their global growth. Local marketing is a $150-billion sector, and Uberalls ever-innovating technology is driving them to the forefront of the segment. Uberalls recent acquisition of Navads and extension of Series B funding to $50 million puts Uberall in pole position, stated Koenig. He further remarked, I have the greatest respect for Uberalls dynamic leadership team, and Im honoured to be joining their board. About Uberall, Inc. Uberall is a global leader in location marketing technology. Its flagship Location Marketing Cloud platform empowers the worlds biggest brands to connect with their customers and turn online interactions into offline sales. Uberall gives businesses central control of their digital presence and online reputation, enabling them to easily manage brand interactions in real-time on all digital platformsmobile, voice and desktopacross websites, mobile apps, store locators, search engines, maps, social platforms, and advertising networks. The Location Marketing Cloud provides a consistent, accurate digital brand footprint that helps businesses capture new customers and maximise revenue for every location. Uberall is headquartered in Berlin, with additional offices in San Francisco, London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Cape Town. Its clients include Fortune 500 companies and industry leaders from all over the world. Learn more at http://www.uberall.com. Travelers is committed to supporting our countrys veterans, service members and their families through a variety of initiatives, including our Small Business Risk Education program which now provides business planning resources to veteran-owned small businesses. VEDC, the largest community development financial institution and small business resource in Los Angeles, will celebrate National Veterans Small Business Week on November 9, 2018, with a public event at the Pacoima Entrepreneur Center. Local veteran entrepreneurs and emerging small business owners are invited to participate in networking and educational activities starting at 8:30 a.m. and lasting until mid-afternoon. In cooperation with Travelers, the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, and other state and national organizations, VEDCs event will focus on providing business-related training to veteran servicemen and women in the San Fernando Valley and across Los Angeles County. A special panel featuring the U.S. Small Business Administrations regional director and other lending experts will answer questions about accessing capital and offer alternative financing solutions. Attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in a workshop hosted by Travelers and VEDC through the Small Business Risk Education program. The workshop is designed for veterans, military spouses, entrepreneurs, and business owners and will guide participants through building a business plan from start to finish. Were excited to partner with strong veteran organizations across the county to celebrate veterans this week, said Alex Guerrero, Chief Development Officer at VEDC. With hundreds of local servicemen and women opening up their own businesses, there are bound to be questions, and VEDC is proud to be a resource for education. These are Americas warriorsthey fought for our country, and theyll fight hard and long to make their business successful. Travelers is committed to supporting our countrys veterans, service members and their families through a variety of initiatives, including our Small Business Risk Education program, said Tara Spain, Second Vice President, Community Relations and Vice President, Travelers Foundation. Were proud to work closely with VEDC to offer this program and reach even more veterans with resources that can help their businesses thrive. Im honored to be part of VEDCs Celebration of National Small Business week. Our veterans and their loved ones have sacrificed to give us every opportunity to be free, said Michael Vallante, U.S. Small Business Administration Regional Administrator. SBA is proud to offer many programs, from loans to counseling, to help any veteran succeed in starting, growing or expanding their business. Its the least we can do to thank them for their service, courage and commitment. The celebration is free to attend for all entrepreneurs and includes small business education, resources and breakfast by local veteran business owners. To register for the event, or for more information on VEDCs services, visit vedc.org or call 1-800-304-1755. Background: SBA Veterans Small Business Week: November 5, 2018 - November 9, 2018 SBA celebrates, connects, and empowers service member (including National Guard and Reserve), veteran, and military spouse entrepreneurs and business ownerspast, present, and futureduring 2018s National Veterans Small Business Week (NVSBW). NVSBW, now entering its fourth year, raises awareness of veteran business ownership and encourages communities to support their veteran- and military-owned businesses. It also inspires business support and mentorship within the veteran and military community while also connecting these business owners to entrepreneurship resources administered through OVBD and its stakeholders. Perhaps most importantly, NVSBW 18 is an annual renewal of the national commitment to veteran business ownership, while highlighting its positive impact on the U.S. economy and the ongoing challenges faced by the veteran entrepreneurship community. About VEDC VEDC is a leading nonprofit small business lender that has a 40-year history of changing the way small business lending is done by making it more available and impactful. With a growing footprint, VEDC has lent $400 million in direct and guaranteed loans to over 108,000 small businesses to create and retain more than 200,600 new jobs. VEDCs mission, as a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), is to help create jobs and promote small business development in under-served communities. The organization provides loans and micro-financing options to small businesses, particularly those owned by women and minorities, that dont qualify for traditional financing. About Travelers Small Business Risk Education Program The Travelers Small Business Risk Education program provides safety risk management education for minority-, veteran- and women-owned small businesses. Travelers has partnered with nonprofit organizations in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City and Atlanta to deliver the following three-part program: Insurance and Risk Management Workshops: Travelers Risk Control consultants provide free training sessions for small business owners to help them understand basic safety risk management concepts. One-on-One Consultation: Business owners who attend a workshop move on to develop a safety-related risk management plan in a personalized, one-on-one consultation with Travelers Risk Control professionals. Participants are asked to present completed risk plans within a six-week timeframe. Microloans: Businesses that complete a risk management plan are eligible to apply for a microloan, funded and administered by nonprofit partners, which would provide funds to support implementation of the risk management plan. We are extremely proud to be named one of BostInnos 50 on Fire this year. This distinction is a testament to the teams dedication and success as we continue to see upward mobility thanks to new partnerships across the life science and healthcare industries. Vyasa Analytics, a fast-growing provider of innovative deep learning software and analytics for life science and healthcare organizations, has been named to BostInnos 50 on Fire list for 2018. This designation recognizes Vyasas successes throughout 2018 including the companys receipt of a $1.8 million loan from MassDevelopments Emerging Technology Fund in July to hire more in-state talent in Massachusetts and build a stronger local infrastructure. In 2018, Vyasa came out of stealth mode and has since experienced new successes and substantial growth, said Vyasa founder and CEO, Christopher Bouton. We are extremely proud to be named one of BostInnos 50 on Fire this year. This distinction is a testament to the teams dedication and success as we continue to see upward mobility thanks to new partnerships across the life science and healthcare industries. This designation comes on the heels of Vyasas recent partnership with Markley Group, New Englands largest, most comprehensive mission-critical data center, and provider of networking and cloud computing services with facilities in Boston and Lowell, Mass. Vyasa selected Markley to house its GPU-based compute infrastructure. The partnership is a part of Vyasas MassDevelopment loan to hire and scale the company in Boston. Vyasas partnership with Markley also follows the companys acceptance into the NVIDIA Inception Program. Through these achievements and efforts, Vyasa will be able to continue to grow its specialization in deep learning while providing higher performance capabilities for its clients in Boston and beyond. For more information on Vyasa and its deep learning capabilities for the life sciences and pharmaceutical industries, please visit http://www.vyasa.com. About Vyasa Analytics Vyasa Analytics provides deep learning software and analytics for life sciences and healthcare organizations. Cortex is Vyasas secure, highly scalable software platform for collaborative knowledge discovery and data analytics. Using Vyasas proprietary Neural Concept Recognition technology, Cortex identifies trends and patterns across disparate data sources, empowering project teams to gain insights and drive better decision making. Learn more and watch the Cortex explainer video at http://www.vyasa.com. Deputy Director Carrolls participation at the Stimulant Summit demonstrates the importance of this issue and the seriousness with which it is being addressed at the highest levels of government. In an effort to combat the crisis of stimulant addiction, HMP, a leader in healthcare events and education, today announced the Institute for the Advancement of Behavioral Healthcare (IABHC), an HMP subsidiary, has secured Jim Carroll, the Deputy Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) as a presenter for the inaugural National Cocaine, Meth, & Stimulant Summit November 12-14, 2018 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Carroll was nominated to the role of ONDCP Director by President Donald Trump earlier this year. His confirmation is currently before the Senate. His address will include the White House perspective on combatting the proliferation of these substances even as the opioid crisis continues to dominate headlines. While much of recent media has focused on prescription opioids, heroin, and fentanyl, the use of stimulants such as cocaine, methamphetamine, and prescription drugs has been ballooning at an alarming rate, said Doug Edwards, Director, IABHC. Deputy Director Carrolls participation at the Stimulant Summit demonstrates the importance of this issue and the seriousness with which it is being addressed at the highest levels of government. His address will underscore the Summits goal of bringing national awareness to this under-recognized drug crisis. The Stimulant Summit features educational tracks for both clinicians and law enforcement officials who work in tandem to address the public health and public safety consequences of individuals with addiction. Supporting the conferences mission are several organizations and government agencies across the country including the South Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, the National Sheriffs Association, the American College of Emergency Physicians, and law enforcement agencies throughout the Southeast. Attendees of the 2018 National Cocaine, Meth, & Stimulant Summit will be able to earn up to 20 CE credits including 3 Ethics/Domestic Violence credits. The Stimulant Summit is a sister conference to the National Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit, the countrys largest annual gathering on the opioid crisis. Former President Bill Clinton and Senior Counselor to President Trump, Kellyanne Conway addressed more than 3,000 attendees at the Summit earlier this year. For more information regarding the National Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit, visit NationalRxDrugAbuseSummit.org. For more information about the Stimulant Summit visit stimulantsummit.com. For media inquiries or press registration contact Kelly McCurdy at pr@hmpglobal.com. About HMP HMP is the force behind Healthcare Made Practical and is a multichannel leader in healthcare events and education, with a mission to improve patient care. The company produces accredited medical education events and clinically relevant, evidence-based content for the global healthcare community across a range of therapeutic areas. Its brands include Consultant360, the year-round, award-winning platform relied upon by other specialists; Psych Congress, the largest independent mental health meeting in the U.S.; EMS World Expo, North Americas largest EMT and paramedic event; and the Symposium on Advanced Wound Care (SAWC), the largest wound care meeting in the world. For more information, visit hmpglobal.com. About the Institute for Behavioral Healthcare The Institute is the leading provider of education for front-line clinicians, mental health and substance use treatment center executives, public health professionals, and law enforcement officials. Its portfolio includes three well-respected events: the National Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit, the largest gathering of federal, state and local professionals focused on addressing prescription drug abuse; the National Conference on Alcohol & Addiction Disorders; and the National Cocaine, Meth & Stimulant Summit, as well as award-winning print and digital brands Addiction Professional and Behavioral Healthcare Executive. The Institute also leads discussion among policy makers, prevention and public health officials, law enforcement personnel, and community advocates. For more information visit iadvancebehavioralhealthcare.com. Don Lindner uses the CAMO Edge Fastening system to speed up his one-person deck installations. CAMO reduced my deck building time by about 75 percent. The systems guides automatically space the boards and then its just a matter of inserting the screws into the guides and driving them into edges of each board. -- Don Lindner, Deck Builder Don Lindner thought retirement would be quieter. After spending more than 20 years specializing in residential repairs and renovations, Lindner Builders of Sussex, Wisconsin officially closed its doors in 2016. The problem is the phone never stopped ringing. I established a good reputation for quality work over the past four or five decades, says Lindner. Pretty much everyone in the area knows who I am, so I continue to get calls for everything from roofing and siding to interior repairs and decking. Im certainly a lot busier than I thought I would be at this stage of life. The good news is that Lindner didnt have to hire a crew or find new help since he is used to working primarily by himself. Prior to starting my own company, I spent years working for other builders, explains Lindner. When I went out on my own, I decided to do everything my way, building everything from garages to second-story additions. I never sacrificed quality, but I was always open to a better way -- anything that would speed up the job or make the whole process easier. That included trying the CAMO Edge Fastening System for the first time several years ago. Building about two decks per year throughout his career, Lindner was immediately impressed by its speed and precision. Developed by National Nail, this unique system quickly and easily drives screws into the edge of deck boards to deliver beautiful, fastener-free surface results with virtually any wood, composite or PVC decking. Extensive field testing has also shown it to reduce cracking, moisture absorption and racking, while adding structural stability. According to Lindner, CAMO paid immediate benefits. On previous jobs, much of his time was spent aligning deck boards, drilling holes and then face fastening the screws extremely tedious and time-consuming tasks for a one-man crew. CAMO reduced my deck building time by 75 percent, offers Lindner. Its just so easy to use. The systems guides automatically space the boards and then its just a matter of inserting the screws into the guides and driving them into edges of each board. Plus, I work year-round. The temperature can dip to 10F in the winter. So, Im extremely grateful for anything that gets me out of the cold sooner than expected. Since learning about CAMO, Lindner has built nearly one dozen decks with the system. These have ranged from simple 12 ft. x 16 ft. rectangles to a 500 sq. ft. multi-tier structure that wraps around the back of a luxury, lakefront home. I still get a lot of calls, but none related to the decks Ive already built, adds Lindner. My customers love the clean, fastener-free look of the deck surface. Another benefit is that the system really holds up to the weather, which can get harsh with severe winds, ice and snow throughout the winter. Ive never received a single call about a loose board or any other problem. This has allowed me to focus on retirement. That is, when I have the time. About CAMO Edge Fastening CAMO Edge Fastening from National Nail delivers beautiful, fastener-free, Barefoot Approved results with virtually any wood, composite or PVC decking. CAMO offers a variety of guides, fasteners, and accessories, as well as a collated system to suit project requirements. CAMO encourages all deck builders to Deck Responsibly. For more information or to locate a dealer, visit CAMO Fasteners or call 1-800-968-6245. Be sure to Like @camofasteners on Facebook and @camodeckfasteners on Instagram. Elaine Pagels, the Harrington Spear Paine professor of religion at Princeton University and winner of both the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award for The Gnostic Gospels (Random House, 1979), is scrutinizing the value of belief in her latest book, Why Religion?: A Personal Story (Ecco, Nov.). In it, Pagels describes the loss of her six-year-old son due to a rare disease in 1987, as well as the shocking death of her husband the following year, and how she got through it. In your experience, what does religion offer? I think religion can provide us with a narrative for how we can understand the world and find meaning, express our pain, and find joy. Religion doesnt have the exclusive on that, but it does provide a rich framework in which people can draw from and connect to each other. How has your understanding of God evolved throughout your life? I dont think a lot about that question. Instead, I explore how the understandings of how views of God have changed throughout the history of Christianity. On a personal level, I focus on practice rather than belief. There is an incredible power to the communal nature of religious practices. After the deaths of your son and your husband, how have you resolved the problem of evil? Why do bad things happen to good people? I struggle with that question and I cant claim to have resolved it. [But] I cannot accept the idea that there is an anthropomorphic God who plans or sends specific punishments on people for transgressions. I dont find that persuasive. What do you want readers to learn from your book? What I take away from all of this is the sense that we can get through things we didnt think we can possibly survive. If you had told me before what would happen to me, I would have thought that I couldnt survive it. But people do, and I did, and people can survive even worse things than what I went through. Loss that involves violence; I think its astonishing that people survived things like death camps, but they do, and they continue their lives and make families, and that gives me hope. When we were dealing with our sons illness, my husband said, Everybodys life has something like this in it. Everyone has loss and pain and suffering. How do we do that without going into despairhow do we maintain hope and joy? How do we have courage? That is what Im exploring in my book. Premium online access is only available tosubscribers. If you have an active subscription and need to set up or change your password, please click here New to PW? To set up immediate access, click here. NOTE: If you had a previous PW subscription, click here to reactivate your immediate access. PW site license members have access to PWs subscriber-only website content. If working at an office location and you are not "logged in", simply close and relaunch your preferred browser. For off-site access, click here. To find out more about PWs site license subscription options, please email Mike Popalardo at: mike@nextstepsmarketing.com. Meanwhile, many more beneficiaries may also be stripped of their scholarship over the massive visa fraud discovered by the Italian Embassy here in Ghana. Every year before the Italian Embassy validates the documents of Ghanaian students on scholarship in Italy, they are expected to present documents for approval. The documents submitted for the scholarship are mainly an affidavit from the Supreme Court and proof of family composition and income, based on tax clearance certificate from Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA); but only the latter needs validation. READ ALSO: KNUST Demo: Govt against members of old Ccil joining new oneKNUST Demo: Govt against members of old Ccil joining new one According to Accra-based Adom FM, this came to light when some Ghanaian students in Italy chided the Italian Embassy in Ghana for causing the cancelation or delay of their scholarships. The students did this on the Facebook page of the Embassy. According to the students, they submitted their documents for validation months ago but the October 31, 2018 deadline has passed without the validation. This has led to the throwing out of some of the students from their dormitories during winter while others have been asked to refund up to 4,000 because it has been discovered that they did not qualify for the scholarship. The students said the Italian Scholarship Secretariat has extended the deadline to November 30, but the Embassy is still showing no sign of validating their documents. Meanwhile, it has been revealed that the validation may either never come or be delayed because the Embassy has to investigate the fraud in the processes. It has been established by Accra-based Adom FM that there is a group of fraudsters in Ghana and Italy who take between 1,000 and 3,850 from students and fake documents for them to acquire visas. Per the documents, 1,000 is for the basic package, 2,300 for the unique package and 3,850 for what they call a complete package. In an audio recording, the Italian-based Ghanaian ringleader, only named as George, is heard advising a client on how to state their family income in order to gain both visas and scholarships. If you state a high income you may get the visa but lose the chance of getting a scholarship because it means your parents have money to pay the fees; and if you state low income you will not get the visa because it means you have no means to take care of yourself while in Italy, so take the middle line." Meanwhile the Italian Ambassador to Ghana, Giovanni Favilli said the Embassy has WhatsApp chats between the ringleader, George and several of his victims; and letters from GRA showing that at least 15 out of a set of 22 tax clearance documents verified came out as fake. ece-auto-gen The Embassy has also received an email from a victim narrating his encounter with some members of the group. The Ambassador said he was shocked that a group of people were using such means to defraud innocent Ghanaians who want to be awarded scholarships. READ ALSO: KNUST reopening in limbo as Otumfuo meets aggrieved unions todayKNUST reopening in limbo as Otumfuo meets aggrieved unions today He added that the Embassy had started investigating the incidents. He revealed that at some point in their investigations, the Embassy had to fire one of their own workers because they suspected complicity. Giovanni Favilli said there are over 1,000 Ghanaians students in Italy and lots of them enjoy scholarships and are treated just like Italian students. "Italy is happy to welcome Ghanaian students and treat them same as Italian students but we will not countenance fraudsters taking advantage of our hospitality to defraud the system," he said. He, however, reiterated that the Embassy does not work with middlemen, except the company hired to receive applications on behalf of the Embassy, and the application processing fee is only 50 and nothing more. "If anyone takes your money and promises you a visa, remember that we will verify every minute detail of documents submitted for visas and if fraud is determined you may become an accomplice of the criminal behind the fraud," he warned. An insider told Pulse.com.gh that Blinkz was stabbed in Akurem, Sawaba, a suburb of Kumasi while trying to interrupt a fight which ensued between his employers wife and brother-in-law. According to the insider, he was stabbed multiple times. He then collapsed in the process and was rushed to the Manhyia District Hospital where he gave up the ghost. The Manhyia Divisional Commander, ACP Kwaku Buah said in an interview that it has launched an investigation into the murder case and would do a thorough job. I would like to call on the youth to keep calm and be patient and give the police an ample time to thoroughly investigate the case. The issue has already happened but painful for a hustling young man to lose his life in this manner. We have conveyed his corpse to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital for an autopsy. Our condolence to his family, friends and the Zongo youth. ece-auto-gen READ MORE: Kumawood actor Abass reportedly stabbed to deathKumawood actor Abass reportedly stabbed to death Narrating the incident to the press, he explained saying; This morning around 10:30 am, a young man who is popularly known and called in Kumasi by the name Blinkz, an actor with Kumawood and a worker at Acheamfour Terminal visited his masters house at Akurem where he met the masters wife and brother exchange words. He found it worrying and tried to intervene, however, the brother to his masters wife took offence with his intervention which eventually turned into a fight. Brother to the masters wife and another guy present then attacked Blinkz with knives and in the action stabbed him. The tiny-waist slay queen in her most recent post shared a photo of herself hanging out with the Hollywood hunk at an unidentified location. How their paths crossed is what we do not know but her caption suggested she would grab the first opportunity to star in a movie with the UK based Ghanaian-Sierra Leon star. Princess Shyngle hangs out with the Sexiest Man Alive Idris ElbaREAD ALSO: Princess Shyngle hangs out with the Sexiest Man Alive Idris Elba ece-auto-gen However, netizens are trooping in lots of interesting comment. Some social media users warn Shyngle to stay back because he is engaged, others seem to congratulate her meeting the Hollywood hunk. Pulse.com.gh brings you Social media reacts to Princess Shyngle with 'Sexiest Man Alive', Idris Alba. ece-auto-gen READ ALSO:Idris Elba is the sexiest man alive for 2018 ece-auto-gen ece-auto-gen According to lindaikejisblog.com, the state Police Commissioner, Ahmed Iliyasu who confirmed the arrest of the suspects said his outfit discovered nine exotic cars in their possession. The commissioner is reported as saying the gang leader identified as Ismaila Adeosun, had previously been arrested by operatives of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Response Team for a robbery incident. Meanwhile, two other members of the gang, Tobi and Yetunde were discovered to be siblings of the gang leader, Adeosun. The police also arrested two nationals of the neighbouring Benin Republic, Dele Obey (who poses as a Yoruba king) and Bayo Quaheeb in addition to 27-year-old Olalekan Olawale, Danladi Isah, 25, Oluwatosin Abayomi and Abel Womiloju. Authorities retrieved two AK47 rifles with 50 rounds of ammunition, four locally made pistols with 21 live cartridges and one pump action gun with 12 live cartridges. Meanwhile, drama ensued when Olawale who confessed to being gay and used to sleep with two fraud boys for a fee of N50,000 per night, suddenly started vomiting blood five minutes after the confession. His explanation was that he had sworn an oath never to divulge the information regarding his homosexual relationship with the fraud boys, saying the blood vomiting was the consequence of the breach of the oath. The victim identified on twitter as @thefitlawyerr claims to be an international law student. Sharing photos of the incident scene, the lady blamed some officers of the Nigeria police who she said intervened in the matter, but let her attacker go scot-free and rather turned around to blame her. Having lost confidence in the police who could have helped her get justice, she resorted to social media to say: I got assaulted at link Bridge the man came to my car, a woman saw and videod, the chap is lying, at the police station Twitter do your work. He slapped me, and I said swear on your life you didnt. He said Im a Christian I dont swear. Everyone around me is a man and they arent trying to tell me to let God. You guys this country is doomed. Women we are not safe!So heres what happened. He scratches me, standard Lagos stuff, I keep my window up because tbh I have places to be, he comes down I cant hear what his saying, so I wind down, he is saying whats wrong with you are you mad, back and forth, next thing he hits/slaps me in the face. I am confused and furious, so I open my car door into him , go past, straight to his car and grab his phone I need something to hold so he cant leave. I have been hit, he must not get away. He gets into a fight with me for the phone, in the process:I go back for his wallet, because in Lagos we are outnumbered. Women are outnumbered when things like this happen people beg and then gang up against you. I needed leverage, we were going to the police station and I was going to press charges. He tried to fight me for the wallet too but I managed to get back in my car, locked up.I needed his wallet to find out who his was. To make sure he couldnt get away with, because as per usual people had gathered and were begging. Link Bridge Police joined- They told the guy to go as I predicted they would. He said he couldnt go I have his wallet you see this was key to stalling him till police I had called arrived. They called me all sorts of names whilst I waited in my car for police to comeWhilst waiting his boss owner of the car came, he was like so what do you want ? , no apology nothing. Wound up my window again, later he was like you didnt consider my age, what if he is your brother. Do you see how doomed we are? Finally police come we get to the station, the woman in charge goes ahh this is a minor issue now. Just small car scratch.. my legs and hands are shaking Im about to break down because over and over again it has been come clear that we are not safe. Eventually, calls are made, the DPO is like do want charges pressed then this bastard starts to beg. He has a wife and two sons. The guts! Having approached my car and slapped me and called me a harlot.Now everyone is begging. That he has nothing. It took me threee hours to get this ass hole to admit hitting me first. It took making fucking calls to get the police to take it seriously. Nigeria is fucking doomed, women are not safe and every establishment is controlled by men. I am hurt, I am angry, I am in disbelief and really I cannot wait to up and leave. Because you no what guys I have lived in many different African countries, Nigeria is not a giant, its not even an ant. No institutions work and half of the citizens women are not valued. On Saturday, scores of flamboyantly costumed paraders, masked reveller and a caravan of dancing troupes meandered its way across Accra, starting from its line-up point the Obra Spot at Kwame Nkrumah Circle, through Adabraka to James Towns Mankye Agboona, and on to the GCB Bank and the National Lotteries Authority on the High Street, before cavorting at its finishing point on Oxford Street, Osu. Residents, shoppers and by-standers, many of whom could not resist the urge to join the cavalcade, were stunned by the uncommon kaleidoscope of bright colours, the outlandish parade gear, and the wild costume of the paraders all of which were designed and crafted from local Ghanaian fabric and drapery. No less than 20 carnival queens commanded the float which drifted along the entire stretch of the route with ball-jugglers, dancers, acrobats and party roisterers having a field day with musical accompaniment from a mix of cultural troupe music, brass band music and DJ sounds. ece-auto-gen READ ALSO: undefined The colourful Mardi Gras was the fourth edition of the national carnival event and was organised by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture under the theme Ghana Carnival 2018 Using Arts and culture to promote the Economy and was sponsored by Ghana Tourism Authority, the National Lotteries Authority, the GCB Bank, Ghana Airport Company, Accra Metropolitan Assembly and the Daily Graphic. Ministry of Tourism sources say the principal objective for rolling out this years edition of the Ghana Carnival is to use the event to diversify the countrys tourism and creative arts sectors by highlighting its cultural relevance and building a linkage between the creative arts and other sectors of the economy. It is the Ministrys hope that in full maturity, the Ghana Carnival could become an avenue for creating employment and income opportunities for Ghanaians. ece-auto-gen I dont see the cotton candies, the truffles and the bonbons yet, but I see the most important ingredients of a good carnival the excitement and radiance brought by ingenious and creative parade gear, the colourful costume, the dancers, the jugglers, the acrobats, excellent musical accompaniment and above all an enthusiastic and responsive public, said a visiting Trinidadian who chanced on the parade at Osu Oxford Street. ece-auto-gen Although relatively new in Ghana, Carnivals of this nature date way back to the 13th Century in the Caribbean where they have become a major component of their tourism industry. Trinidad and Tobago is highly celebrated as the originator of the modern day carnival since the 18th century, having infused the parade with a lot of native culture, spectacle and traditions. Clearly, the future looks very bright for the Ghana Carnival, suggested an authoritative source close to the organisers at the end of the parade adding that this being only the fourth attempt and considering that the edition was plagued with low sponsorship, the general patronage and public response are impressive and commendable. "We very strongly believe that early or immediate preparations for Ghana Carnival 2019 and a more progressive response from Corporate Ghana will transform this social platform into one of our countrys most anticipated national calendar events, the source said. ece-auto-gen READ ALSO: undefined Besides being veritable tourism attractions, popular carnivals have evolved into powerful marketing tools for many corporate and social marketing entities who take advantage of the massive opportunities for brand exposure and visibility and also for point-of-sale activations. The next edition, Ghana Carnival 2019, scheduled to take place just about the same time of the year is tipped to be big and exceptional because it has already been listed by the Tourism Ministry as one of the main items on the Year of Return Ghana 2019 celebration. This, he said, is the reason why the region is yet to benefit from governments flagship One-District, One-Factory policy. READ ALSO: We do not have any project on record from Upper East [Region]," Mr. Kyerematen admitted while speaking on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, November 7. ece-auto-gen One of the biggest campaign promises of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) during the 2016 elections was that they would set up factories in all districts across the country. However, the initiative is yet to fully take off despite the NPP being almost two years into office. Although government has established factories in some regions, the Upper East region is yet to have its own share. This Trade Minister explained that it is so because no investor has so far expressed interest in undertaking any project in the region. He, however, assured that 79 projects would be approved under the One-District, One-Factory policy by the end of this year. The selection of projects is based on the expression of interests of business promoters and the private sector, but in cases where it is clear that no interest has been established in a particular district, then government proposes to play an interventionist role, Mr. Kyeremateng said Even under circumstances where government plays interventionist role, our proposal and our hope would be that when the factory is established, at an appropriate time, we identify strategic investors from the private sector either to co-share the equity with government or actually take up the full equity of the company, he added. Asiamah, who hails from Apedwa in the Eastern region, was arrested for kidnapping the two children, aged 5 and 7.He then demanded a ransom of GHc3,000 before releasing the children.The mother of the two kids, Salamatu Iddrisu, in a bid to get her children back made an initial payment of 1,500 GHC to Michael Asiamah after which he let go of one of the children and demanded the rest of the money before releasing the other child. He said the government of Ghana has sent a three-man investigation team to South Sudan where the alleged incidents happened. READ ALSO: Ashaiman police guns down top armed robber Ambrose Dery told the house that urgent steps were being taken by his ministry and the Attorney-General to amend the Ghana Police Service Regulations 2012 (C176) to include sexual exploitation and abuse which are not explicitly captured under the current regulations. ece-auto-gen He added that in line with the UN zero adherence policy on sexual exploitation and abuse, the detachment of the 46 personnel was repatriated on administrative grounds. Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! Majority of citizens said the government should have the right to prevent the media from publishing things that it considers harmful to society. This is a reversal of attitudes during previous survey rounds between 2005 and 2014, in which a majority of Ghanaians consistently endorsed media freedom from government interference. ece-auto-gen From its strong advocacy during the country's struggles for independence and democratic rule to its current watchdog role for society, the Ghanaian media has continually set the agenda on matters of critical importance, sustained the discourse, and effected change. This has earned the country a reputation as one of the most media-friendly countries in the world, rising steadily on the World Press Freedom Index from 67th in 2002 to 23rd in 2018, from 19th among African countries to number one. This success has relied on constitutional provisions for a free and independent press, including laws against censorship, government interference, and harassment. These provisions have not always protected the media, however: A libel and sedition law allowed authorities to intimidate and criminalize the media. On World Press Freedom Day, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo called on governments around the world to defend the freedoms of the media in order to promote accountable governance. And the media and various civil society organizations have been advocating for the passage of the Right to Information Bill (RTI), which would guarantee citizens equal rights to access information in the custody of any public institution in accordance with Article 31F of the Constitution. ece-auto-gen However, popular support for a free media has dropped sharply in Ghana: According to Afrobarometer survey data, a majority of citizens now said the government should have the right to prevent the media from publishing things that it considers harmful to society. Survey findings also show that most Ghanaians rely on radio and television for their news, though social media and the Internet are growing in importance as news sources, especially among young and well-educated citizens. ece-auto-gen A majority of citizens said they trust information from the media, but many also see at least some members of the media as corrupt. "There has never been an issue raised by Chairman Portuphy or myself at our meetings that Asiedu Nketia has approved before. When I make suggestions they throw it away saying it is illegal. Chairman Portuphy is unable to control him. Asiedu Nketia is a dictator. He has a bad attitude. He does not listen to advice. He likes insulting people. When you say something and it goes against them, they push the young guys to insult you," he added. He said she [Charlotte Osei] was one of the most competent persons he has ever met despite her dismissal by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the government. READ MORE: Charlotte Osei gets top ECOWAS job in Nigeria "I still believe that Mrs Osei has conducted the fairest, most transparent election I have ever witnessed. I was not surprised when I heard about her new job. I knew she would deliver as she did here. ece-auto-gen "I think Akufo-Addo and his government have been exposed over her appointment. The same person they have rejected has now gotten a top job. If indeed she is incompetent, Akufo-Addo and his men should tell us how she would have managed that job. Clearly, it shows how incompetent the NPP government is and how they deal with issues," he said on Accra-based Okay FM. On Wednesday, November 7, ECOWAS appointed Charlotte Osei as deputy head of the sub-regional body's pre-election mission to Nigeria ahead of the country's 2019 polls. The Head of the mission is Mohammed Nfah Alie Conteh, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone and the group is expected to visit Nigeria from November 1, 2018, to November 15, 2018. ece-auto-gen READ MORE: Charlotte Osei dragged to Special Prosecutor for causing financial loss Men living in Mpandawana, located in a small rural town called Gutu, have expressed their frustration with Chinese-produced condoms, The African Exponent reports. Issues with condoms from China They said that the condoms are "too small for them," revealing that they often burst during intercourse. These men have appealed with Chinese manufacturers to produce larger-sized condoms. One resident named Tafadzwa Mazhawi revealed his frustrations to a delegate from the National Aids Council."But why are you (NAC) giving us these small condoms," he said. "I have stopped using them because I have had three of the type bursting during sex." He also complained about the massive hikes in the prices. "Prices here have gone up to about $3 for a packet of three. This means that the fight against the spread of HIV is going backward," Mazhawi also noted. Another resident called Clifton Moyo said, "Especially those free packed ones usually in a white package with a human being image. It seems they are becoming smaller and smaller. Sometimes they just tear off before I could fully fit them on. Worse off if one tries to fit into them on by force, you get shocked to discover after finishing your sexual intercourse that you are left with just the ring around your manhood." He also noted that these faulty condoms could have a negative impact on the lives of the users' wives. These complaints come after the former health minister David Parirenyatwa shared the same concerns in February, 2018. As such, Parirenyatwa has challenged local manufacturers to produce condoms in order "to address concerns over the size of condoms imported from China." It has been one of those years for the 'Port Harcourt first son', from a quiet start to becoming the most featured artist in the second half of the year. Duncan Mighty has owned 2018 killing features and bringing back his distinct sound to the mainstream. This time, the Wene Mighty is doing his own thing as he releases his first official single for 2018 in 'MieKeRaSo.' The groovy song which has a latin feel to its sound is definitely one that will make the dancefloors as 2018 comes to an end. Outside the ever-busy Ikeja City Mall is Alex who is one of such hopefuls. On any given weekend, you can find him strumming the strings of his guitar at the entrance of the popular mall. He sings his heart out hoping to be noticed by one of the many mall goers. While holding on to his painted guitar, Alex speaks to Pulse about his dream and struggles. "I was born and brought up in Ajegunle, Lagos. I am a music artist. I do music professionally. I do this to look for an investor" says Alex on a Sunday evening. "I have been doing this for like 3-4 years" he further says. Some days Alex goes home with N2,000-4000 "depending on God." On some other days, he only makes N200. Alex's interest in music started when he was in Junior Secondary School, about 14 years ago. His passion all these years is strong despite the numerous challenges. "I believe the person will come someday. I can't meet the person at my house" says Alex. He hopes to meet an investor who will fund his music ambition. Till then he keeps on playing to foot his bills and to pay his house rent. "I came late today. I should have been here since morning but it's because of the recent challenges of paying bills" explains Alex, "I just got evicted from my house today. If I don't pay the landlord I cannot come into the house." Today he has to make some money to pay his landlord a percentage of his rent. At the time of the interview (5 pm), the hat which he uses to collect money was empty. Alex is also unemployed. "I used to work in a factory but they sacked everybody about 5 months ago" he states. According to the Mirror UK, Kirkunov's brother Evgeny had joined him and his wife Olga Sukhanova for a meal at their residence in Ufa, Russia and passed the night there. The suspect reportedly woke up to noise from a spare room where the guest was sleeping. ALSO READ: Man reportedly kills wife for greeting church member Upon investigation he walks in to find his partner in bed with his sibling who is 11 years older than he is. After killing the lovers, Oleg Kirkunov reaches the police to report the incident. "Charges have been brought against him. He is accused of double murder," reads a statement by Russian Investigative Committee. The suspect who is described as a keen hunter reportedly shot the victims with a Saiga gun. Feeling aggrieved and filled with insider knowledge, he robbed the banks ATM gallery and stole N14m, then changed it to $33,000 in Abuja and Kaduna for ease of movement. Punch Metro reports Onuma as saying, I worked with the bank for 11 years and I was not settled; no benefits, no settlement; but there is no justification for doing something wrong. ALSO READ: Nigerian Doctor saves a baby with improvised incubator after beating lassa fever While Valentine Olumese the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Operations, was parading Onuma, he said, On November 1, in furtherance of an ongoing investigation, police operatives attached to the Garki Division arrested one Emmanuel Onuma, who broke into the ATM lobby of a bank located in Garki on October 19 at about midnight and stole the sum of N14m. As part of their eight-day West African tour, Prince Charles of Wales and his wife, Duchess Camilla of Cornwall, arrived in Abuja, Nigeria on November 6. This was following their visit to The Gambia and Ghana, where they had attended various engagements, together and individually. To welcome them to the country, some of the most important and influential Nigerian kings, dressed in their full traditional regalia, also converged at the British High Commission in Abuja. The kings arrived with pomp and parade to excited press and guests. However, not everyone welcomed the idea of their respected traditional rulers leaving their palaces to go dote on the British royalty. Nigerians took to Twitter and Facebook to express outrage over this visit. "Oba no dey go transfer" There were questions about the sitting arrangements of the monarchs at the British High Commission and why Prince Charles did not go to visit the kings at their palaces. Ebidan Dan Kemmx (@kemmx) also took to Twitter to say: "...So first class traditional rulers from the Ooni of Ife to the Sultan of Sokoto to Oba of Benin to Emir of Kano and the rest had to rush to Abuja to welcome a 'White Prince'. " The disparity was also very evident as just days before coming to Abuja, Prince Charles and his party had been in Ghana where they visited Osei Tutu II, the monarch of the Kingdom of Ashanti in Ghana and one of the richest kings in Africa. Prince Charles received a tour of the Manhiya Palace and met chiefs and religious leaders before he and Osei Tutu had a private meeting. Where is this coming from? One of the notable mentions in this outrage is the 40th Oba of the Benin Empire, Eheneden Erediauwa Omo NOba Ewuare II, who was also present in Abuja. Since his ascension, he has demanded that the British Empire return all the Benin Bronzes that were stolen in 1897, to which his demands fell to deaf ears. The artifacts along with hundreds of bronze pieces were stolen from Nigeria during the Benin Expedition of 1897. During this expedition, many natives of the Benin Kingdom were killed irrespective of gender, their king humiliated and exiled, and about 3,000-6,000 bronze pieces were carted away by British soldiers. This painful part of history still haunts the Benin people till today, hence the complaints. Besides, this is not the first royal visit from Britain to Nigeria. When Prince Phillips and Queen Elizabeth visited Nigeria in 1956, they went to see then Oba of Benin to pay their respects. It is therefore not hard to see where all the annoyance is coming from. Was the outrage deserved? First, monarchy and royalty in Nigeria is regarded to be just as important as in Britain. Nigeria has many powerful and influential kings, some of them notably absent at this gathering. If Prince Charles had to pay homage to all the Kings in Nigeria, that would not have made sense, logistically, as his is a two-day visit to Nigeria. Also, if he had picked just two kings to visit, there would have still been outrage about who was seen as more important than others. All the Nigerian royals in welcome party were appropriately selected to represent the six geo-political zones in Nigeria South East, South West, North Central, North East, North West, and South South. What would have been interesting was if the Oba of Benin did not use the opportunity to bring up the return of the Benin bronzes, which he did, to Prince Charles. The Oba was quoted to say: "Suffice to say that Nigerians in general and Benin people in particular, will be most delighted to have Your Royal Highness throw his royal weight behind our efforts to have some of our ancient artifacts that were taken in 1897 from the Royal Court of Benin returned to Benin to establish Oba Palace Museum for the promotion of tourism in Benin city, Edo state." However admirable this was, it would have had more significance, though, if said at the actual Oba Palace Museum in Benin to show the Prince the actual efforts the king has made towards tourism. Mr Adesina Tiamiyu, the General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), said that the incident happened on Wednesday at 8:20p.m. Tiamiyu said that the rescue team were still searching for five other missing passengers. the boat enroute Ojo from Liverpool capsized few minutes after take-off. He said: 12 of the passengers were rescued alive by the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) officials and local divers. Two males and one female were confirmed dead, while search and rescue operation have been put on hold till the following day for the remaining five missing people. The three bodies have been bagged, and the men were handed over to the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU) to be deposited at the morgue. Justice Peter Affen, gave the order, after Mr Francis Onoja, counsel for the Owoicho failed to appear in court due to his poor health. Owoicho is facing a 12-count charge of conspiracy and obtaining under false pretence, alongside managing directors of: Standard Allied Universal Concept Limited, Ann Petroleum Investment Company and Alien Logic Ways Unique Services. Other defendants are: Unique Energy Systems Limited, Calibrate Inspection Services Limited, Standard Allied Universal Concept Limited and Unique Energy Distribution Systems EFCC alleged that they conspired to sell a consignment of Bonny Light crude oil purportedly from the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, to Bascom Energy Limited to the tune of N115 million. They also alleged that the defendants collected money to the tune of N115million at various times, for the crude oil which was never supplied. The EFCC counsel, Mr Sylvanus Tahir had informed the court the prosecution only wanted to reflect the names of the fifth and sixth defendants in Counts 1 and 2 of the new charge. We have two versions of what transpired and well lay them out as simply as possible in the following paragraphs: Ekweremadu says the invaders tried to assassinate him The Deputy Senate President is so sure that the young men who arrived his home in the early hours of Tuesday, were sent to have him killed. It is with gratitude to Almighty God that I will like to tell my colleagues, my constituents and the general public that myself my wife and my son narrowly escaped assassination in the early hours of this morning, Ekweremadu said. He added that the assailants made their way to his bedroom. ece-auto-gen It was about 4am this morning that some people evaded the security in my house and got all the way to my room where I was sleeping with my wife - there was a struggle, there was a fight with heavy commotion and by the grace of God we eventually caught one of them and the rest escaped. He also said the police deserted him when it most mattered According to Ekweremadu: We handed that one over to the police investigating the matter. The annoying aspect of it or the one that is worrisome is that at that point I called the Inspector-general of Police (IGP), his phone was off, I called some of his aides, their phones rang out and nobody replied till now. I called DIG operations, till I left my house nobody showed up. I now had my people invite the DPO in charge of Apo police station. We didn't see him till about 5:30. He sent his 2nd-in-command who came and he saw the dangerous weapons that they left behind, he left and said that the DPO was coming until I left my house by 9am, the DPO had not come. According to Ekweremadu, the assassination attempt on him is proof that Nigeria is no longer safe for everyone. ece-auto-gen Nobody is safe in this country. I want to appeal to my colleagues and the general public that we all continue to be prayerful, be conscious of our private security. It appears that the security is not in the hands of government but the Almighty God, he concluded. But the police says it was more of a robbery incident than an assassination attempt Police spokesperson Jimoh Moshood issued a statement disagreeing with Ekweremadus version of events. Preliminary investigation carried out so far did not reveal assassination attempt on the life of the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his family but a case of burglary, the police statement read. Moshood added that the suspects broke into another apartment before arriving at Ekweremadus Apo legislative quarters home. ece-auto-gen However, investigation is still ongoing to determine if there is any other motive behind the offence. The same suspects had earlier at about 0300Hrs broken into the residence of one Mr. Haliru Adamu of No. 38 Denis Osadebey Crescent, APO Legislative quarters where they stole phones, jewelries and other valuables before proceeding to the residence of the Deputy Senate President. Ekweremadu is fuming after the police painted the incident as a robbery The Deputy Senate President has expressed disappointment at the police for calling the incident a robbery before they had carried out an investigation or interrogated the suspects. The Deputy Senate President has also threatened to of the attack. Ekweremadu also said the police did not bother to watch and study the video before rushing to issue a statement. The senate also criticized the police According to a report in Punch; The Senate has condemned the Nigeria Police for dismissing the alleged assassination attempt on the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, as burglary. Members of the Senate, at the plenary on Wednesday, took turns to criticize the police for making conclusions on the invasion of Ekweremadus home by armed men in the early hours of Tuesday without proper investigation. The police denies that it failed to intervene on time There was no delay in police intervention in the incident that occurred in the residence of the Deputy Senate President, the statement from police headquarters added. The police also announced that the officers who were watching over Ekweremadus residence when the men broke in, have been arrested for dereliction of duty. ece-auto-gen Four (4) Police personnel and One (1) personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps on duty at the residence of the Deputy Senate President at the time of the incidence have been arrested and currently in detention for investigation for negligent acts and dereliction of duty. After reading from both parties, do you think it was a robbery or an assassination attempt? Oyetola made the remarks during a special thanksgiving organised in his honour by civil servants on Thursday in Osogbo. He said there was the need for civil servants, who are the engine room of government to drive the state to an economic sustainable status. Oyetola, who expressed gratitude to the entire workforce in the state for voting for him massively during the governorship election, urged them to put more efforts in generating more IGR to make the state financially sufficient. He said increase in IGR would enable the government to carry out its statutory function of payment of workers salaries and other emoluments. The governor-elect commended civil servants in the state for their efficiency, sacrifices and support for the outing administration. Oyetola maintained that his administration would redouble efforts at further smoothening relationships between the government and workers. He however urged the civil servants to support his administration wholeheartedly, saying their services and support is too important to be ignored. In her remarks, Mrs Titi-Laoye Tomori, the outgoing Deputy Governor, described the governor-elect as humble, amiable, gentle, brilliant and approachable. Earlier in his remarks, the state Head of Service, Dr Oyebade Olowogboyega, said the programme was organised to express workers solidarity and support for the incoming government. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Oyetola, an All Progressive Congress (APC) won the Sept. 22 governorship election in the state. He scored 255,505 votes to defeat Sen. Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 255,023 votes. Akufo-Addo said this on Wednesday while receiving President Muhammadu Buharis Special Envoy to Ghana, led by Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr Geofrey Onyeama. The assurance is sequel to attacks on some Nigerian traders in Ghana in July and subsequent closure of shops owned or run by Nigerians. He urged Nigerians to go about their normal businesses in Ghana. As far as the traders are concerned, the shops are re-opened; people are back to work. Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) Act will never be applicable to ECOWAS citizens; so people can get on with their normal lives. The Nigerian High Commissioner also played a very active role in bringing the matter to a satisfactory conclusion, Akufo-Addo said. The Ghanaian president also said that the two countries would continue to cooperate with each other, given their long history. For his part, Onyeama, who corroborated Akufo-Addos remarks on the resolution, urged Nigerians in Ghana to return to their legitimate businesses. Nigerian traders had been facing some challenges, especially, in Kumasi where their shops had been locked and there were some level of harassment. The process of addressing that had been on-going right from the moment the problem broke out. The foreign Minister of Ghana came to Nigeria and made it clear that the president was determined to have this matter resolved; Nigerians should have no problem doing business in Ghana. The spiritual leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), also called Shiites, is on trial for unlawful gathering, criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide. El-Zakzaky was arrested in Zaria, Kaduna in 2015 after soldiers killed over 300 members of the sect after allegedly throwing stones at the convoy of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai, an act declared by the Army to be an assassination attempt. During an invasion of his home, he was arrested and imprisoned with his wife, Zeenah, without any official court charges until he was charged to court in May 2018. While addressing the media after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday, November 7, 2018, Mohammed said the cleric is being housed at a residence where it takes millions of naira to feed him monthly. "The issue of whether, where he (Mr El-Zakzaky) is, at least let's keep it off record, that he is in a residence and you know eating at the It costs the government about N3.5 million every month to feed him. "We don't want to inflame passion. The issue is a very sensitive matter. But that is the situation. The Islamic Movement of Nigeria are a different kettle of fish," he said. The minister told Premium Times that he made the comments off the record but it surfaced on social media early on Thursday, November 8, drawing outrage from Nigerians. While many protested that the figure is false, many others questioned why the government would not consider releasing him instead especially since Justice Gabriel Kolawole of an Abuja Division of the Federal High Court had previously ordered El-Zakzaky's release from custody in a December 2016 ruling. The order was ignored by the government. El-Zakzaky denied bail by Kaduna court During the hearing of the sect leader's bail application on Wednesday, November 7, 2018, presiding Judge, Justice Gideon Kurada, rejected the application. In his ruling, he noted that El-Zakzaky failed to show any substantial medical evidence to back his claims for bail on health grounds. The case was then adjourned to January 22, 2019 for commencement of trial. His detention has led to allegations of persecution by members of the sect who have also taken to the streets several times to protest El-Zakzaky's detention, leading to clashes with authorities, most notably the Army. Dozens of Shiites killed in clashes with Army 400 IMN members were arrested by officers of the Nigeria Police Force for disturbance of public peace and law and order in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Tuesday, October 30, 2018. They were alleged to have set a Police vehicle on fire, and arrested with 31 bottles of petrol bombs and other dangerous weapons. A previous clash on Saturday, October 27, where the Army accused Shiite protesters of attacking a convoy carrying ammunitions, resulted in the death of three people, with a couple of soldiers also wounded. The protesters returned on Monday, October 29 and got involved in another clash with the Army and the Police. While the Army reported that another three Shiites were killed, the Shia sect claimed around 50 were killed by troops. Oak TV sanctions staff for leaking video The management of Oak TV, from whom the video of Mohammed making the N3.5 million claim originated, has sanctioned its staff over the leaking of the video. This was because the minister had believed he was making the claim off the record. "On Wednesday, November 7, 2018, Oak TV made some error in its reporting regarding a conversation with the Minister of Information. "This is an error which we regret. All team members involved have been sanctioned, and we would do more to tighten our gatekeeping responsibilities," an official statement read. Sirika also discredited claims that the government spent $600,000 on the design of the logo after the carrier was unveiled at the Farnborough Airshow in London in July. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the minister spoke in Abuja on Thursday at the 5th Aviation Stakeholders Forum. Sirika said, in recent months, misinformation, factual errors, insinuations and fabrications have been peddled in both social and print media on the Nigeria Air project. These include desirability, inadequate planning, non-consultation with stakeholders, lack of transparency and publications of fictitious amounts allegedly spent by the government on the project, amongst others. He declared that the Federal Government was determined to clarify these issues and set the record straight. He explained that the current effort to establish the National Carrier predated the composition of the present FEC and his appointment as a minister. Mr President directed the then Ministry of Aviation to commence the process for the establishment of a National Carrier during the Ministerial briefing on the Aviation Sector. The ministry set up a committee which came up with the modalities for the establishment of a National Carrier. The Committee in its report submitted in September 2015 recommended a private sector-led national carrier with 10 per cent government ownership and non-involvement of government in the management of the airline, but the provision of enabling environment for its operation, he said. The minister said that following approval by the FEC, a consortium of Transaction Advisers (TAs), comprising Airline Management Group Ltd., Avia Solutions Ltd and Tianaero FZE, were appointed in line with best practices. He said the TAs completed the Outline Business Case (OBC) Report, which was reviewed by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), which subsequently issued the OBC Certificate of Compliance. According to him, the report has been presented to FEC for consideration to move to the procurement phase and then Full Business Case (FBC), where it will be opened for bidding by investors including ordinary Nigerians. The minister explained that the estimated funding requirement for the establishment of the project was 300 million dollars up to 2020. He added that the expected initial startup capital of 55 million dollars was made up of 25 million dollars for deposit for new aircraft and 30 million dollars for working capital from June to December 2018. According to him, the estimated working capital for 2019 is 100 million dollars and 145 million dollars for 2020 to be provided by the Strategic Equity Partners who are expected to manage the project. Certain media publications that 8.8 million dollars was expended at the Farnborough Air show are unfounded, malicious, misleading, mischievous and baseless. The TAs for national carrier coordinated the campaign and provided the additional services that included the development of the brand strategy and the media activities relating to the unveiling of the airline. Due process was followed in the branding, which included obtaining No Objection Certificate with Ref. No. BPP/RPT/18/VOL.1/075 from the Bureau of Public Procurement for payment of N50.8 million for these services is yet to be made. No foreign company was paid $600,000 for the design of the logo as speculated, he said. Sirika said the Nigeria Air project was not lacking investors, stressing that institutions and airlines such as the African Development Bank (AfDB), AFREXIM, US-EXIM, Standard Chartered Bank, Boeing, Airbus and China-Exim Bank, were some of the interested partners. He said that the desirability of the national carrier was occasioned by the fact that no domestic airline had evolved to fill the vacuum left by Nigeria Airways since it ceased to operate more than 15 years ago. According to him, only 28 out of Nigerias Bilateral Air Services Agreements (BASAs) with 83 countries are active and the carrier will give impetus to the emergence of Nigeria as hub for the West and Central Africa. Sirika said that it would promote reliable air transport services and support the growth of the aviation industry and domestic airlines through infrastructure expansion, traffic/routes expansion and manpower development associated with the national carrier. He added that it would create employment as well as compete with foreign airlines for a share of international routes through competitive pricing thereby reducing capital flight. The Acting Director-General of ICRC, Mr Chidi Izuwah, said the nations aviation sector had the capacity to contribute more than the current 0.6 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Izuwah noted that in 2017, Emirates Airlines generated 25.8 billion dollars as revenue, while the total revenue generated by Nigeria through its crude oil sales was 20.4 billion dollars. While speaking during an interview on Channels Television's Sunrise Daily on Thursday, November 8, 2018, he said a lot of Nigerians are suffering because the nation is being mismanaged by its elite political class. He said, "Somehow, we're expecting the hand of God to fix things. But, count the cost, Nigeria is the most miserable place to live on the planet right now. That is the cost. "Check any indicator. Nigeria is at the bottom of almost everything. There's a price. Somehow, we joke about everything. "We're not surviving; millions of people are hungry and dying out there. Everywhere in Nigeria is a war zone. If we don't fix this, we're dealing with an existential crisis." Utomi condemns primary elections Utomi also criticised all political parties in the country for how the recent primary elections were conducted across the country. He said, "Every party's primary was a joke, we know that. Our country is in deep trouble and real patriots need to step up and begin to think how do we fix our country. This is not the dream that the founding fathers had. Something has to be done." Utomi contested as an aspirant to win the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC)to contest in the 2019 Delta governorship election but lost in controversial fashion. Prince Charles made this known when he received the Emir of Dutse in Jigawa, Alhaji Nuhu Sanusi, officials of the Kaduna State Peace Commission and some youth ambassadors for peace in Abuja on Thursday. The prince held separate meetings with the groups and discussed the causes of conflicts and efforts that had been made to stem them. Mr Adam Baba, one of the peace ambassadors from Jos, told the News Agency (NAN) that Prince Charles commended the steps taken by the peace network to encourage peaceful coexistence among victims of violent clashes. What we are doing practically in our community, we explained to the prince and he was happy and encouraged us to sustain what we were doing and said that our activities will change the narrative. Mrs Priscilla Ankut, Chief Executive Officer, Kaduna State Peace Commission, also said the prince expressed interest on the steps the commission was taking to address security in the state. Ankut said: He was particularly interested in the issues driving conflicts and particularly wanted to hear about the farmer-herder issue in northern Nigeria generally and was very interested in knowing what we were doing in addressing these conflicts. He brought in insights, some of his experiences where these types of issues are challenges in those areas and he offered some advice and suggestions on how best we could go about addressing some of the challenges. She further said the prince suggested animal ranching to curb herder-farmer clashes and supported community initiatives aimed at mitigating conflicts. Prof. Isawa Elaigwu, President, Institute for Governance and Social Research, urged Prince Charles to enhance efforts for peacebuilding in the country. Well, the British DFID has been active in peacebuilding and in a number of other activities and I believe the prince will use his good offices to encourage them to do more than they have done. I also think we need a lot of structures for mutual interaction and peaceful coexistence. Mr Saleh Momale, Commissioner, Kaduna State Peace Commission, said the contribution of Prince Charles would contribute in shaping up policies that would influence peaceful coexistence in the country. It is pleasing that His Royal Highness has been able to come to Nigeria at this time and for his efforts and interest in trying to understand the dynamics. I do believe that his understanding of dynamics of conflicts and challenges of governance in Nigeria will help in shaping up some of the policies the British Government, the Commonwealth that will positively influence peacebuilding and harmonious coexistence in Nigeria. The Emir of Dutse commended the support of the British Government to work out solutions to youth unemployment, drug addiction, destruction of environment and all other issues that affect us. The prince and his wife, Princess Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, visited Nigeria, which was the final leg of an eight-day tour to three West African countries, including The Gambia and Ghana. Oh well, if you went to bed last Monday with the knowledge that the federal government has agreed to pay workers the sum of N30,000 as minimum wage following a strike threat kindly do us a favour by waking up. The initial information from almost all the news platforms in the country earlier this week was that President Buhari endorsed the N30,000 recommendation as put forward by the minimum wage committee he inaugurated in 2017. However, while briefing State House correspondents after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting of Wednesday, November 7, 2018, Information Minister Lai Mohammed told the nation that Buhari is yet to endorse or accept the new minimum wage proposal and that there has been a misunderstanding. I think it was a recommendation. So, Mr. President will consider it and would make his views known in due course, Mohammed said. So, like I said, recommendations have been made and Mr. President would get back to the committee after he has studied the recommendations. A presidential source had earlier told journalists that the presidents speech at the event was immediately made available to the media and nowhere indicated that the president endorsed N30,000 minimum wage. Atiku considers the flip-flop on the minimum wage, one more example of why no one should trust the President Buhari administration. In a statement issued by his campaign, Atiku said the following: 1. The minimum wage denial is typical of the Buhari administration In Atikus words, the denial is characteristic of the Buhari administration and it is the evidence of lack of leadership at the very top that is putting our economy in peril. 2. Atiku hits Buhari for the departure of some foreign companies from Nigerias shores In Atikus words: Just two weeks ago, two of the worlds largest banks, HSBC and UBS, pulled out of Nigeria citing lack of policy stability as their reason. This same reason was given by Procter and Gamble when they pulled out last year. In the span of the three years that this administration has been in office, more than 500 companies have pulled out of Nigeria for similar reasons. Nigeria under President Buhari has become synonymous with policy flip flopping. 3. Atiku accuses Buhari and Osinbajo of receiving hardship allowance We are aware that both President Buhari and Vice-President Osinbajo, despite living and feeding at the public expense, collect a hardship allowance of 50 per cent of their annual basic salaries, whereas, the long-suffering Nigerian workers, who are the main sufferers of the hardship caused by the incompetence of this administration, do not have any hardship allowance and are expected to live on the unliveable minimum wage of the Buhari government, Atiku says. 4. Buhari is taking Nigeria into another recession, Atiku says Nigeria emerged from recession in September of 2017. Atiku swears that Buhari is heading Nigeria down another recession pathway. A government is only as reliable as its word and if its word is not reliable then nothing else about the government will be stable. This is why Nigeria suffered from a recession under this administration and its right now at risk of another recession, he says. 5. Atiku says Buhari should stick to the N30,000 agreement it reached with labour Atiku who is a former vice president of Nigeria called on Buhari to keep faith with the agreement it reached with labour and the organised private sector. Nigeria is the current poverty capital of the world and Atiku says we can only change this by paying our workers a living wage as opposed to the starvation wages now paid to them by the Buhari administration. The two met during the 41st Conference and 73rd Executive Committee session of African Parliamentary Union (APU) in Abuja on Thursday, November 8, 2018. Both leaders were all smiles as they shook hands and posed for photos before the president declared the event open with the President of ECOWAS Commission, Jeane Cloude Brou, and Chairperson APU committee, Rt. Hon. Cassama Cipriano, also present. Saraki officially dumped the APC for the PDP on July 31, alleging that certain forces within the APC were bent on making the party uncomfortable for him and his associates. He noted that Buhari's anti-corruption war was being used to target and silence some members of the legislature. His departure back to the PDP led to weeks of war of words with the APC with the ruling party calling for his resignation as Senate President while also threatening to impeach him. The former Kwara governor went on to contest for the PDP's presidential ticket to enable him contest against Buhari in the 2019 presidential election. During his campaign, he launched several attacks against President Buhari's administration. However, he lost the ticket to former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, who has been tipped to be Buhari's biggest challenger for the presidency at next year's polls. Buhari begs APU to assist governments fight terrorism In his address at the event, President Buhari urged the APU to develop strategies to assist governments to continue to fight against security challenges such as terrorism, armed banditry and organised crimes to ensure a safe continent. He said, "Terrorism, armed banditry and organized crimes have continued to be a security challenge for member states of the African Union; the proliferation of arms aided by abuse of the ease of movement of persons across freer borders, which have been historically in place to encourage African unity, have contributed to acts of terrorism by groups like Al Shaabab, ISIS and Boko Haram. "Here in Nigeria, we have done a lot to reverse the terror trend and halt the advancement of Boko Haram. We have in collaboration with our neighbours strengthened our armed forces to effectively confront terror groups and have also initiated programmes to address widespread poverty, which has been identified as a significant factor fueling unrest and boosting terror recruitments. "In spite of this progress, we are not unmindful of the remaining challenge of armed invaders who ransack villages and small farming communities and commit terrible acts including the cold-blooded murder of women and children. We are also making progress in addressing this challenge." He also expressed hopes that the APU's resolutions will aid the efforts of African governments in developing a more robust private sector to attract necessary investments to Africa. Adefuye spoke at a reconciliation meeting held at CMD Shangisha, Lagos, which brought together many stalwarts of the party in the district. Ambode, who hails from Epe Zone in the senatorial district, lost the governorship ticket at the party primaries to Mr Jide Sanwo-Olu, a former Commissioner in the state. Adefuye, also the APC Lagos East Senatorial District Leader, said that leaders of the party in the district did their best to have a meeting with Ambode before the issue went out of hands. ece-auto-gen People accused us of removing Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode. We saw this crack four months ago and we decided to meet with our Lagos Central Senatorial Leader, Alhaji Tajudeen Olusi and we went to see Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. We asked Tinubu if there was any problem, and he said that there was a problem and he narrated it. We prostrated and asked him to call the Ambode and speak with him. We left the place and started calling the Ambode to give him a hint of the meeting, but he did not pick our calls. Asiwaju Tinubu said that he was not picking his calls too. I actually tried my best, Adefuye said. ece-auto-gen The party leader said that he spoke with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo during Sallah that Asiwaju Tinubu would not return the Ambode and I urged Osinbajo to speak with Tinubu. According to him, efforts were also made to visit the Epe home of the governor on the second day to see him which proved abortive. We rose up to defend Ambode. We didnt just follow Asiwaju like sheep, we fought and we tried. Those of us in the East nearly burst into tears for the opportunity we lost in Lagos East. I fought tooth and nail to make sure that the position was not taken away from us. It was a great opportunity that we lost. Anyone that is not a party man should not be elected into positions. Take this advice and make sure you dont make the same mistake, Adefuye said. According to him, politics is all about what you can get for your people and every politician must fight for the people. He said political office holders must fight for the people to prevent them from revolting, saying that there were a lot of things leaders could do to gain the respect of the people and the party. The party chieftain said that APC leaders in the district were committed to ensuring peace and unity among the members for the purpose of moving the party forward. I want to assure you that it is part of our responsibilities to ensure that we remain one. Politics is dynamic; it is not for uncontrolled display of anger. This life is also dynamics. Let us be together, he added. On the disunity in the district, Chief Lanre Rasak, another member of the GAC, said that the district had not been able to resolve its issues like those in the Lagos Central and West Districts. According to Rasak, the major challenge Tinubu has with the district is lack of united voice and divisions. Urgent action was necessary "to prevent a humanitarian tragedy", he warned, blaming the deteriorating situation on the "persistent insecurity". Last week, fresh fighting between armed groups forced more than 10,000 people to take refuge in a hospital in Batangafo, about 380 kilometres (240 miles) north of Bangui. Of the 620,000 people who have been internally displaced by the violence, six out of 10 are staying with host families, the WFP said, indicating that the worsening security situation was having "a direct impact on food security". One of the world's poorest nations, despite a rich supply of diamonds and uranium, CAR has been struggling to recover from a 2013 civil war that started when President Francois Bozize, a Christian, was overthrown by mainly Muslim Seleka rebels. Christians, who account for about 80 percent of the population, sought revenge by organising vigilante units dubbed "anti-balaka" in reference to the machetes used by the rebels. Since then, this country of 4.5 million has been blighted by simmering sectarian violence which has killed thousands. Islamist parties had already vowed to take to the streets of Karachi later Thursday to protest at her acquittal and numbers were now expected to swell sharply following news of her release. "She has been freed," lawyer Saif-ul-Mulook said in a text message to AFP. "I have been told that she is on a plane but nobody knows where she will land." Following protests at last week's ruling, the government agreed in a deal with Islamists to impose a travel ban on Bibi, and not to challenge a review of the Supreme Court's ruling. One of the most vocal groups in the protests -- the Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) -- called for "mutiny" against the army's top brass and the assassination of the top court's justices. Following Bibi's release, the TLP vowed to return to the streets if she was allowed to leave the country. "If the promise is broken and she is sent abroad, then Allah willing, a movement will start and it will be decisive," said TLP leader Afzal Qadri, after an earlier message from the group accused the government of reneging on the agreement. Foreign ministry spokesman Muhammad Faisal on Thursday denied media reports that Bibi had left the country, telling AFP: "She is in Pakistan". Intelligence sources also told AFP that she had not left the country. An order for her release arrived Wednesday at the jail in the central city of Multan where she was held, a prison official told AFP. "Asia Bibi has left the prison and has been transferred to a safe place!" tweeted Antonio Tajani, president of the European Parliament. AFP Another civil aviation official, in Multan, said a small plane arrived in the city with "a few foreigners and some Pakistanis" on board to fetch Bibi. Her case has underscored deep divisions between traditionalists and modernisers in the devoutly Muslim country. The conviction stemmed from a 2009 incident when Bibi was asked to fetch water while out working in the fields. Muslim women labourers objected to her touching the water bowl as a non-Muslim, and a fight reportedly erupted. A local imam then claimed Bibi insulted the Prophet Mohammed. Bibi has consistently denied the charges, and her prosecution rallied international rights groups, politicians and religious figures. Pope Benedict XVI called for her release in 2010, while his successor, Pope Francis, met her daughter in 2015. Incendiary charge Bibi's husband Ashiq Masih has appealed for Britain or the United States to grant the family asylum and several governments including those of Italy and France have offered to help. AFP Her lawyer fled to the Netherlands on Saturday under threat to his life. Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini tweeted: "I will do everything humanly possible to guarantee this young woman's future." Blasphemy is an incendiary charge in Muslim-majority Pakistan, where even unsubstantiated allegations of insulting Islam can result in death at the hands of mobs. Mere calls to reform the law have provoked violence, most notably the assassination of Salmaan Taseer, the governor of Pakistan's Punjab province, by his own bodyguard in Islamabad in 2011. Taseer had called for Bibi's release, and his son Shahbaz tweeted "Pakistan Zindabad" ("Long live Pakistan") following last week's ruling. AFP Thousands of Islamist hardliners poured onto the streets in protest after Supreme Court judges overturned Bibi's conviction last Wednesday. Demonstrations broke out in major cities across the country in the wake of the ruling, with club-wielding protesters blocking Islamabad's main highway and barricading roads in Karachi and Lahore. But it has become a symbol of the sacrifice of the British who battled to defend Mons in 1914 and the Canadians who liberated it at the end of the war. And, in this centenary year of the war's end, it has attracted world leaders alongside thousands of curious well-wishers from around the globe. On Friday, British Prime Minister Theresa May will pay her respects, followed on the next day by Canada's Governor General Julie Payette. And the burial ground has another unusual feature: around half of the 500 graves hold German troops, lying beside their former Commonwealth foes. "It has become an essential place for British and Canadian researchers studying the 1914-1918 war," Belgian historian Corentin Rousman told AFP. First and last By coincidence, Saint Symphorien is the final resting place of the first British soldier to die in the war, John Parr, and the last, George Ellison. Milkman's son Parr, of North Finchley in London, lied about his age to join the Middlesex Regiment when he was just 15 in 1912. On August 21, 1914, he was shot dead after he came upon German cavalry while on a cycle reconnaissance mission. Ellison came from Leeds in northern England and survived several of the bloodiest World War I battles, only to be killed at Mons, aged 40, on the last day of the war. Lying near the Englishmen under another of the white tombstones dotting the green Belgian cemetery is a soldier who has become something of a tragic celebrity in his native Canada. George Price, 26, was shot dead by a German sniper in Ville-sur-Haine near Mons at 10:58 am -- also on November 11, 1918 -- just two minutes before the Armistice went into effect. When Payette visits his graveside on Sunday, it will be to honour the man recognised as the last Commonwealth soldier to have fallen. In the cemetery, as official ceremonies approach, local and international officials are making preparations alongside tourists and military history enthusiasts from Britain and Canada. David Scheel, a 59-year-old government IT manager from Ottawa, told AFP how he and his friends have come to the France-Belgium border to mark the 100-year anniversary of the Armistice. "We honour those that fought and died to preserve our way of life," he said, recalling family tales of his great uncle's death. Local officials estimate that 25,000 people per year still visit Saint Symphorien -- many attracted not just by Commonwealth history but by the site's joint Anglo-German significance. The historian, Rousman, said that German troops began burying their dead here in 1916, while the war was still raging. 'United in death' jpegMpeg4-1280x720A Belgian landowner agreed to give up the land to allow the burials, but only on condition that British troops killed in the same unlucky fields be allowed to lie in the same ground. Aden Mukhtar Bare, the father of Former Garissa Finance CEC Idris Mukhtar who survived an attempted assassination, filed the suit challenging the academic papers of Governor Korane. Bare asked the court to declared the seat vacant arguing that Garissa County boss presented fake academic papers, thereby breaching the Constitution. Authenticity of certificate He alleged that Korane had infringed the Leadership and Integrity Act by filing and presenting certificates he does not possess. ece-auto-gen According to Bare, enigmas began to emerge over the authenticity of the governors Masters of Business Administration degree certificate only months after he had assumed office following last years General Election. He further stated that on January 30, 2018, the University of Nairobi through the office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor allegedly stated that Korane did not graduate with the MA in Business Administration from the school. Blame over attempted assassination Bare, who spoke to members of the press at Milimani Law Courts pointed a finger at Governor Korane over his sons shooting. He told journalists that his son was still in a comma and according to his doctors, even if he healed he will suffer permanent disability. ece-auto-gen The father of the ex-Finance CEC confirmed that his son was still in India for further specialised treatment. Martin Low (left) and Philip Low are brothers and co-founders of On Target Laboratories, a privately held biotechnology company that is developing drugs that help surgeons to more easily identify cancerous cells and other diseased tissue to improve long-term outcomes for patients. They are both serial entrepreneurs. Philip Low, the Purdue University Presidential Scholar in Drug Discovery and the Ralph C. Corley Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, has started four companies. Martin Low, CEO of On Target Laboratories, previously co-founded seven companies. In a podcast they offer practical advice for university researchers who want to move their innovations to applied research through a startup. (Purdue Research Foundation image/Oren Darling) WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. Practical advice for university researchers who want to move their innovations to applied research through a startup is available from a Purdue University distinguished professor and his brother, a successful serial entrepreneur and business partner. The help is posted on a Pharmaceutical Executive magazine podcast. Scientists and researchers looking to commercialize their innovations should be their own worst critics, said Philip Low, the Purdue University Presidential Scholar in Drug Discovery and the Ralph C. Corley Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, who co-founded a pharmaceutical company, Endocyte, which recently sold for $2.1 billion. Our goal in contributing to this podcast is to encourage and provide guidance to other researchers with a desire to move their technologies to the public by founding their own startups. Low and his brother Martin Low co-founded On Target Laboratories, a privately held biotechnology company that is developing drugs that help surgeons to more easily identify cancerous cells and other diseased tissue to improve long-term outcomes for patients. Both are serial entrepreneurs and said during the 28-minute podcast that their past experiences were invaluable. In addition to co-founding On Target Laboratories and Endocyte, which Novartis AG recently acquired, Philip Low also co-founded Novosteo Inc., which is developing and commercializing an innovative new targeted drug to assist in the acceleration of healing bone fractures, and HuLow LLC, which seeks to invest in early-stage, life-changing medical products. Philip Low told listeners to the podcast that those considering the creation of a startup for their technology should thoroughly scrutinize their innovations. If they still firmly believe they can succeed, they should stick with it. Dont lose hope, he said. Marty and I can both attest that the road forward has never been smooth or easy with any of the four companies Ive started. Theres been just many, many ups and downs and I think its smart not to get too far down when you run into roadblocks and not too high when things appear to be destined to succeed. Because the landscape will change very quickly regardless of where you are right now. Martin Low, On Targets chief operating officer, who previously co-founded seven companies in insurance, renewable energy, consulting, retail and health care, was able to bring his entrepreneurial and business vision to partner with his brother and commercialize his research. I think the benefit coming from the outside in any industry is that youve got a whole new perspective. You look at problems differently. You ask the questions, why and why not? Martin Low told the podcast host. His diverse entrepreneurial experience taught him that there are a lot of similarities between industries even though everyone thinks that their industry is unique and is the most difficult to crack. The process is pretty much the same. You have to raise money. You have to convince people. You have to get them on your side. You have to solve a problem. You have to articulate it well, he said. The brothers also said during the podcast that is important to have a deep understanding of the challenges associated with commercializing research, for example, finding funding and recruiting potential patients into clinical studies. Additionally, finding good leadership is essential to help guide the business aspect in the research and assist in the commercialization process. Philip Low started linking cancer homing molecules to bright fluorescent dyes in 2000 but despite speaking at nearly 100 universities and medical schools about the potential of this technology, he found little enthusiasm from others for this research until nine years later when Gooitzen van Dam, a professor and surgeon at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, expressed interest. I think most of the people that I tried to interest in using our tumor-targeted dyes to locate cancer tissue during surgery had difficulty envisioning what they had never personally experienced, Philip Low said. I think thats not uncommon among our colleagues and friends today because its often hard to perceive what you cant see. Their image-guided surgery aligns with Purdue's Giant Leaps celebration of the universitys global advancements made in health, space, artificial intelligence and sustainability as part of Purdues 150th anniversary. Those are the four themes of the yearlong celebrations Ideas Festival, designed to showcase Purdue as an intellectual center solving real-world issues. A video about their image guided surgery is available here. Philip Low said researchers need to seriously reflect on how likely they are to succeed. Be very thorough in evaluating the likelihood of success in humans, the scientific impediments, the regulatory pitfalls, the financial minefields that lie between the laboratory and the human clinical testing, he said. Make sure that you really understand what they are, the problems with raising money, the difficulties associated with recruiting patients to try a new technology that isnt guaranteed to help them. The brothers say it isnt difficult to work together as siblings because they respect each other and have the same goal of helping cure people with cancer. You understand that the outcome is really the most important deliverable out of this whole interaction. You dont want to sacrifice the outcome for minor differences that arise along the way, Philip Low said. On Target Laboratories is based in the Purdue Research Park. Purdues Office of Technology Commercialization runs one of the most comprehensive technology transfer programs among leading research universities. OTC has more than 400 innovations available for licensing and commercialization. Purdue has a robust pipeline of innovations that are making the world a better place. Those innovations also have shown their value in the marketplace, said Brooke Beier, OTC vice president. Purdue has many more technologies available for licensing and the Office of Technology Commercialization is ready and waiting for companies or entrepreneurs to commercialize them. For a complete list of available technologies, click here. About Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization The Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization operates one of the most comprehensive technology transfer programs among leading research universities in the U.S. Services provided by this office support the economic development initiatives of Purdue University and benefit the university's academic activities. The office is managed by the Purdue Research Foundation, which received the 2016 Innovation and Economic Prosperity Universities Award for Innovation from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. For more information about funding and investment opportunities in startups based on a Purdue innovation, contact the Purdue Foundry at foundry@prf.org. For more information on licensing a Purdue innovation, contact the Office of Technology Commercialization at otcip@prf.org. Writer: Zeina Kayyali, zmkayyali@prf.org Purdue Research Foundation contact: Tom Coyne, 765-588-1044, tjcoyne@prf.org Sources: Philip Low, plow@purdue.edu Martin Low, mlow@ontargetlabs.com WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. Could new technology from Purdue University researchers have helped save the Titanic? Engineers from Purdue have developed technology to help prevent catastrophic failures involving nuclear, energy and other materials in extreme environments. Our advancements in temperature measuring and stress sensing can potentially save lives and significantly reduce costs, said Vikas Tomar, a professor of aeronautics and astronautics, who led the research team. Our Nanomechanical Raman Spectroscopy technology will allow for safer structures by enabling simultaneous time-dependent measurements of chemical, thermal and mechanical changes in structures and materials undergoing mechanical loading in extreme environments. The Purdue analytical technology is unique in its approach to seeing if there are changes in materials in environments with very high temperatures or other potentially dangerous factors. The Purdue approach focuses on detecting stress as a predictor of failure, rather than relying on damage detection to try to predict potentially catastrophic failures of these materials in sometimes extreme and dangerous situations. The new technology uses advanced sensors, along with data science and machine learning elements, to detect and predict failures within the materials. Purdues technology could be used for nuclear materials, lithium-ion batteries, metals and biological and energy materials, all of which are used in situations with extreme temperatures and shock velocities. Current practices in damage tolerance are fine if damage is widely distributed, Tomar said. If the damage is localized and not widely distributed, such as the hairline crack in the Titanic, you must have technology like ours that uses stress sensing to predict if damage is going to be catastrophic. The situation is even more complicated for materials in extreme environments. Their work aligns with Purdue's Giant Leaps celebration, acknowledging the universitys global advancements in space as part of Purdues 150th anniversary. This is one of the four themes of the yearlong celebrations Ideas Festival, designed to showcase Purdue as an intellectual center solving real-world issues. Our technology changes the paradigm from damage sensing to stress sensing, Tomar said. Such a paradigm shift will enable safer structures, especially the ones that are operating in extreme environments. I see our technology as an enabler for opening up a new multibillion-dollar industry. The Department of Defense recently awarded the team a $508,000 United States Government competitive Defense University Research Instrumentation Program grant mechanism to make this technology more accessible to extreme environment measurements such as shock loading, nuclear irradiation and rechargeable battery explosions. Tomar and his team worked with the Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization to patent the technology. They are looking for partners to continue developing their system and to license it. About Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization The Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization operates one of the most comprehensive technology transfer programs among leading research universities in the U.S. Services provided by this office support the economic development initiatives of Purdue University and benefit the university's academic activities. The office is managed by the Purdue Research Foundation, which received the 2016 Innovation and Economic Prosperity Universities Award for Innovation from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. For more information about funding and investment opportunities in startups based on a Purdue innovation, contact the Purdue Foundry at foundry@prf.org. For more information on licensing a Purdue innovation, contact the Office of Technology Commercialization at otcip@prf.org. The Purdue Research Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation created to advance the mission of Purdue University. Writer: Chris Adam, 765-588-3341, cladam@prf.org Source: Vikas Tomar, tomar@purdue.edu Despite the travails in other parts of the world, pay-TV is alive and kicking in Asia-Pac and the market is expected to show 5% annual growth over the current year says research from Media Partners Asia (MPA). According to the Asia Pacific Pay-TV Distribution report, covers 17 markets across the region, pay-TV revenue in Asia Pacific, comprising of subscription fees and local and regional advertising sales, is set to top US$56 billion in 2018 after 5% annual growth. The market is then forecast to expand at a 3% CAGR between 2018-23 to generate $66 billion in revenue by 2023.The report notes that over the next five years, the biggest gains will come from what it calls the utility-oriented China market, where pay-TV revenues are projected to grow at a 3% CAGR to reach US$25 billion by 2023, and the more commercial India market, where pay-TV revenues are set for an 8% CAGR to reach US$16 billion by 2023. If realised, this would make India the highest growth and most scalable pay-TV market in Asia Pacific. At the same time, fellow regional pay-TV powerhouse Korea is expected to grow at a 3% CAGR to reach US$7.4 billion in revenue by 2023, while pay-TV revenues in Japan will climb at a 1% CAGR to touch US$7.1 billion over the same time-frame.Driving the revenue increase is a healthy growing subscriber base. MPA analysis forecasts that pay-TV in Asia Pacific will grow by 3% in 2018 to reach 645 million subs, representing 57% of TV homes with at least one pay-TV service. This is then projected for a 2% CAGR between 2018-23 to reach around 696 million subs by the end of this period. Yet MPA points out that by 2023, regional pay-TV penetration 2023 will fall to 55% of TV homes when adjusted for multiple subscriptions, largely due to an acceleration in cable cord-cutting in China.Commenting on the findings from the Asia Pacific Pay-TV Distribution report, MPA executive director Vivek Couto said: Pay-TV stakeholders are adjusting to new realities as the industry shifts to IP-based distribution. The growth of high-speed broadband and online video is driving fundamental changes in content consumption and investment across key markets. This, together with piracy, will continue to adversely impact pay-TV industry growth. There will be more fixed broadband subs than pay-TV subs across much of Asia Pacific by 2021, while the gap between the mobile broadband subs base and pay-TV and fixed broadband subs will further widen as mobile networks emerge as a major means for mass content distribution, accelerating the shift in content consumption from households to individuals.The report also found that M&A activity for the Asia Pacific broadcasting and pay-TV sectors for 2017 and the first half of 2018 reached US$10.5 billion in aggregate, with the biggest deals taking place in Australia, India and Korea. MPA believes that more M&A and consolidation is likely in these markets with Southeast Asia likely to join the action over 2019-20. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale Buy real estate. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale in US and Canada. Search Real Estate , We're sorry, this article is not currently available Eight years after co-starring in the Sino-South Korean coproduction My Ex-Wife's Wedding, actors Lu Yi and Yuan Quan have teamed up again for the new TV series Entering a New Era. Spanning four decades, the 40-episode TV series chronicles the ups and downs of a former soldier-turned-entrepreneur in the wave of China's reform and opening-up launched in 1978. "My character Fang Bangyan begins as a vendor to sell takeaway breakfast like 'baozi' (bread-like dumpling) and 'youtiao' (Chinese fried churros) on street after he leaves the army," said Lu at a press conference in Beijing. But the ambitious man soon finds a job in a textile factory and starts to self-learn English and German, earning an opportunity to be assigned abroad and achieve bigger success thanks to his persistence and passion. Yuan, who stars as Fang's wife, said the TV series reflects the changes of China over the past 40 years, such as the huge economic progress and the rise of internet industry. The TV drama began airing on Hunan Satellite TV on Nov 5. A number of major deals and memoranda of understanding were reached during the first two days of the inaugural China International Import Expo (CIIE) held in Shanghai, as more buyers flocked to the event. "We signed a purchase letter of intent and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with two Korean companies today," Wang Guangjun, chairman of Guangdong Fenghua Advanced Technology Holding Co., Ltd, told Yangcheng Evening News. The company plans to purchase five roller printing machines from South Korea's Dae Jin Machinery Industry Co., Ltd. for US$10.35 million. It also plans to purchase 200 laminating machines from another South Korean company costing US$114 million. "The scale of the first import expo is beyond my expectation. In the past two days, I have seen a lot of equipment manufacturing companies, and it is a rare good opportunity for buyers," Wang said. In addition, China Southern Power Grid Co. and five foreign companies, including Siemens AG, ABB Group and Toshiba Device & Storage Co., Ltd., signed agreements yesterday. The key deal involves the demonstration project of the Wudongde Power Station's auxiliary equipment for extra-high-voltage multi-terminal direct current power transmission. Construction began last May with a total investment of more than 24 billion yuan (US$3.47 billion). E-commerce companies continue to hand out roses to the brands participating in the expo. Guangdong enterprise VIP.com and the British luxury brand Genavant signed a strategic cooperation agreement on Tuesday. VIP.com will become the exclusive e-commerce partner of Genavant China. However, the two parties did not disclose the specific contract amount. Fashion designer and footwear extraordinaire for Genavant, Jimmy Choo, also exhibited his crown jewel at the expo - a pair of shoes encrusted with 10,000 pink diamonds created especially for the occasion. "Chuncan," literally translated as "Splendor of Spring," is the world's only full diamond-bejeweled shoes, worth 30 million yuan (US$4.33 million). On the same day, Suning.com announced overseas purchase orders were expected to reach 15 billion euros by the end of the expo on Saturday. About 5,000 overseas brands are expected to be introduced into the Chinese market offering great potential. Alibaba Group CEO Zhang Yong also announced that, in the next five years (2019-2023), his company would achieve a goal of global imports worth US$200 billion, involving more than 120 countries and regions and covering various imported categories. Many enterprises from Guangdong province moved tirelessly from the Canton Fair 2018, the worlds largest trade fair that closed last Sunday, to the import expo in Shanghai. "I just ended the exhibition at the Canton Fair and went to the import expo, and I'm changing from an exhibitor to a buyer," said Guan Wuli, an executive at Shantou Chenyuan Trading Co. His company mainly sells candies and various food products. "We have been exporting high-end foods to other countries. However, in recent years, as domestic consumption upgrades and food quality requirements continue to rise, we are also considering opening the domestic market. Attending this expo is a good opportunity, and we have already talked to some companies," Guan said, noting that the expo also provided him with a valuable communications platform. "Knowing what our foreign counterparts are doing can give us much inspiration," he said. Meanwhile, Cai Chaohe, secretary-general of Foshan E-Chamber of Commerce in Guangdong province, said: "There are many [Chinese] companies participating in the expo, and the demands vary." He explained that some companies were trying to improve production efficiency and product quality while others hope to purchase more advanced automated production lines or learn about global market trends and the latest technologies through the expo platform. "Some of our member companies told me that the quality and scale of the products at this import expo are beyond imagination, and the price is reasonable. So, the expo is very worthwhile," he added. According to the estimates of the China International Import Expo Bureau, about 200,000 visitors will tour the expo site each day from Nov. 6 to 8. Iconic outdoor goods retailer L.L. Bean is planning to close its outlet store in Orange at the start of 2019, a company spokesman confirmed this week. L.L. Bean has had an outlet store in the Orange Meadow Shopping Center since 2007, Mac McKeever, a spokesman for the Freeport, Maine, retailer, said. But as part of an annual review the company does with all of its stores across the country, McKeever said a determination was made to close the Orange store in January. We do a thorough examination of our entire array of stores throughout the country and conduct an evaluation, based on a variety of factors that make the basis for store opening and closing decisions, he said. One of these factors was the close proximity between our Orange outlet and our new full retail store in New Haven, which is just 10 miles away. In addition, the store was in need of a large remodel, so considering these elements, among others, we decided not to renew our lease. The New Haven store, in the citys Broadway shopping district, opened in August. The roughly 20 employees who work at the Orange store were informed of the closing this summer, McKeever said. We wanted to give our employees as much of a heads-up as possible, he said. We informed employees of opportunities to apply at the New Haven store and we have also provided severance and outplacement for year-round employees to assist with finding other positions. McKeever said the company has no plans to close any of its other Connecticut locations. The company has 55 stores in 19 states including Connecticut. The Orange store is L.L. Beans only outlet center in the state. In addition to the New Haven location, L.L. Bean has stores is Danbury at the Danbury Fair Mall and in South Windsor at the Promenade Shop at Evergreen Walk. The Orange store is a little more than 13,000 square feet, in a shopping center with tenants including Trader Joes and Talbots Outlet. Orange First Selectman Jim Zeoli said Wednesday that neither L.L. Bean officials nor the owner of the Orange Meadows Shopping Center, Greenwich-based Urstadt Biddle Properties, contacted town officials about the closing. Zeoli said he recently purchased a pair of sneakers at the store, which he said is more convenient for shoppers than the New Haven location. Its extremely unfortunate to hear about this, Zeoli said. I think the store has been a real asset to the community and I think they are making a mistake by comparing it to their store in New Haven. They are two different types of stores with different clientele. New of L.L. Beans Orange store closing comes on the heels of Mondays announcement that home improvement retailer Lowes is closing its Boston Post Road store on the east side of Orange, near the West Haven line . And warehouse shopping club giant Sams Club announced in January that it was closing it Orange store. Zeoli said hes concerned the store closings could portend the coming of another recession. The economy took a dive shortly after I took office in 2005 and Im seeing some of the same signs now, Zeoli said. This (the store closings) is casualty of the economic times and it just seems as though the economy is headed into the deep end of the pool. luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com This summer, protesters converged four times outside the blue-gray glass tower at 201 Tresser Blvd., in downtown Stamford. Their target each time was the buildings largest tenant, drugmaker Purdue Pharma. On a mid-August morning, hundreds marched with placards of family members and friends who had died of opioid overdoses, which they largely blamed on the maker of the OxyContin painkiller. Several weeks earlier, a local art gallery owner and a friend installed in the driveway a massive spoon stained to represent burnt heroin. A few weeks before, a pair of brothers slide-projected messages on the building condemning the company. The protestors know the firm is not about to face a reckoning in the streets. If it happens, it would likely take place in the judicial system. Over the past five years, local and state governments across the country have filed hundreds of complaints alleging that Purdue, with chronic and deliberate misrepresentations of its drugs, has helped cause thousands of deaths from prescription and illicit opioids. Resolving the torrent of litigation, which also involves many other opioid makers and distributors, entails protracted and complex negotiations that could lead to a colossal settlement. All the while, plaintiffs face an uncertain timeline for resolving their claims and no assurance they would receive enough funding to help tackle the epidemic. The opioid crisis crosses all the lines party lines, religious lines, cultural lines, Paul Hanly, co-lead counsel for the plaintiffs in a consolidated group of hundreds of lawsuits involving the company, said in an interview at his law firms offices in midtown Manhattan. People of all political and cultural persuasions are united in that there is something terrible happening in our country and that drastic steps need to get taken to deal with it. Purdue officials have denied the lawsuits allegations. We share the state and local officials concern about the opioid crisis, the company said, in part of a statement. Purdue believes the accusations against the company are without merit, and we look forward to the opportunity to present our substantial defenses. The company did not make CEO and President Craig Landau or other executives available for an interview for this article. Long history of litigation Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1995, OxyContin consists of a controlled-release, semi-synthetic opioid painkiller to treat moderate to severe pain lasting more than a few days. Its creator went to great expense to market the drug. Purdues annual spending for OxyContin advertising jumped from about $700,000 in 1996 to approximately $4.6 million in 2001, according to a 2003 federal Government Accountability Office report. Spurred by its marketing, OxyContins annual sales surpassed $1 billion by 2001, making it the most-prescribed brand-name narcotic of its kind in the U.S., according to the GAO. Litigation soon followed. Starting in 2003, Hanlys firm took on about 5,000 patients who had become addicted to OxyContin after being prescribed the drug. From that group, about 1,400 civil lawsuits would be filed against Purdue. That round of litigation was settled for $75 million in 2006, according to news reports at the time. Based on those complaints, federal prosecutors built a criminal case against Purdue. In its largest punishment to date for marketing violations, Purdue pleaded guilty in 2007 in federal court to misbranding OxyContin to mislead and defraud physicians and patients. The company agreed to pay some $600 million in criminal and civil penalties. At the same time, three former and then-executives pleaded guilty, as individuals, to misbranding charges and incurred close to $35 million in fines. But the worsening of the opioid crisis meant the 2007 payouts were not the end of litigation. In 2017, about 49,000 people in the U.S. died of opioid overdoses, according to preliminary data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The toll represented a four-fold increase over the number of opioid deaths in 2002. As local and state governments struggled with the billions of dollars needed to pay for health care, law enforcement and social services to respond to the epidemic, they increasingly sought financial accountability from the pharmaceutical industry. Opioid prescriptions in the U.S. peaked in 2010 and then dropped each year through 2015, according to the CDC, though the 2015 rate ran at about three times the 1999 level. In addition to Purdue, the likes of Allergan, Endo, Insys, Janssen, Mallinckrodt and Teva are frequently targeted in lawsuits and investigations. The opioid crisis has gotten into the fabric of our society and grabbed our attention, Angela Mattie, a professor in the schools of business and medicine at Quinnipiac University, said in an interview. That is reflected in the backlash and repulsion widely felt toward Purdue at this point. Dangers in focus Litigation filed in the past five years largely consists of civil, not criminal, complaints. The suits fit into a framework that has allowed local prosecutors and state attorneys general to invoke a range of consumer-protection and anti-fraud laws to prosecute Purdue. The lawsuits generally share the same allegations, accusing Purdue of years of false or fraudulent marketing that misrepresents the benefits and risks of treating chronic, non-cancer pain with its opioids, namely OxyContin. That (marketing) campaign caused a sea change in medical and scientific thought that had previously deemed these drugs too dangerous to use for chronic pain in most circumstances, Mississippis attorney general, Democrat Jim Hood, wrote in a July letter to attorneys of Purdue and several other opioid producers that he sued in December 2015. It put billions of doses of high-powered drugs into the hands of patients who were unaware of the risks of addiction and death. Mississippis complaint led a wave of state lawsuits against the company. In 2017, 13 states sued, with 18 more following in 2018. The lawsuits have come from Republicans in deep-red states such as Alabama, Oklahoma and South Carolina and Democrats in blue strongholds like Massachusetts and New York and Washington state. Over the same span, hundreds of cities and counties have sued. They range from rural communities to the countrys largest cities, including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. In total, the company faces more than 1,000 active complaints from cities, counties and states. These lawsuits are gaining traction and gathering momentum, Robert Bird, a professor of business law at the University of Connecticut, said in an interview. The litigation generates its own publicity, which, in turn, encourages other states to file suits. To help manage the proliferation of lawsuits, a Cleveland-based federal judge, Dan Polster, is overseeing hundreds of complaints filed by municipal and county governments in a process known as Multidistrict Litigation. Hanly a partner in the Simmons Hanly Conroy firm, which also specializes in asbestos and mesothelioma cases is co-lead counsel for the MDL plaintiffs. Three MDL cases are scheduled to be heard in a trial starting next September. More than 20 cities and towns in southwestern Connecticut have sued. The list includes Bridgeport, Danbury, New Haven and Norwalk. Opioid addiction has had a profound impact on our community in terms of medical care costs, hospital costs and, of course, the tragedies that you see, Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton said in an interview. We want to be reimbursed, and we want dollars there for education and dollars for enforcement of people who are abusing the system. The companys home city, however, has not taken legal action. Stamford Mayor David Martin was not available for an interview for this article, but Martins chief of staff, Michael Pollard, did not rule out the city pursuing litigation. We are continuing to assess all drug companies and other illegal opioid sources involved in the epidemic, Pollard said in a statement. We will be determining the extent and cost of the epidemic to Stamford and focus our legal actions on the companies and others who are most responsible. Connecticuts role At the state level, Connecticut does not have an active lawsuit against Purdue. But the states outgoing attorney general, Democrat George Jepsen, said his office has confronted the opioid crisis as part of a 42-state coalition investigating Purdue and six other pharmaceutical firms. In 2017, 1,038 people in Connecticut died of drug overdoses, more than double the 2012 total, according to state data. Nearly half of last years deaths involved heroin. In an interview, Jepsen said his team has held extensive talks with Purdue officials. In addition, the state can gather evidence to support potential claims against Purdue and other companies and does not have a statute of limitations on opioid litigation, according to his office. We absolutely have their attention, which is what we need and want, Jepsen said. We could make a show of filing a lawsuit and devote very significant staff resources to bringing a lawsuit. Were very comfortable with the position were in right now, (but) always keeping, if settlement talks fail, the option of filing a suit. Jepsens involvement in the multistate alliance will soon end, as he is not running for a third term. Still, the major-party nominees vying to succeed Jepsen, Democrat William Tong and Republican Sue Hatfield, pledged in interviews to maintain Connecticuts involvement in the interstate initiative. Because of how it has affected people in our state and its a crisis in every community here in Connecticut and because we have Purdue Pharma in Connecticut, we have an obligation to have a very critical eye on this whole crisis, said Tong, state representative from a district that includes parts of Stamford and Darien. Hatfield and Tong said they would keep litigation against Purdue on the table, but they both said they would focus on continuing settlement talks. If we have settlement discussions that are currently active and ongoing, I, as the next attorney general, wouldnt want to disrupt that, said Hatfield, a state prosecutor with the Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice. I would want to see that through, first and foremost, and continue on with Attorney General Jepsens work. I have a lot of respect for the work that he has done. Connecticuts involvement in litigation involving Purdue predates Jepsens tenure. In 2007, when U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal was attorney general, the state received about $700,000 as part of a nearly $20 million settlement that 26 states reached with Purdue tied to allegations that the company encouraged physicians to overprescribe OxyContin. The settlement restricted certain opioid marketing practices and helped support the launch of Connecticuts prescription-drug monitoring program. It was a significant and positive first step, Blumenthal said in an interview. We continue to pursue our efforts to stop overuse of these powerful painkillers. ... If there has been law breaking, I support the effort in court to hold these companies accountable. There are other avenues of redress and remedies that can be pursued through negotiation, as well. Purdue also faces an investigation by the U.S. Attorneys Office in Connecticut, which is part of the U.S. Department of Justice. A DOJ spokesman declined to comment on the inquirys status. Company pushback Across the country, the lawsuits have slogged through the courts. The litigation has collectively cost the plaintiffs and defendants many millions of dollars in legal services. Purdue did not answer a question from Hearst Connecticut Media inquiring about how many of the lawsuits it had tried to dismiss or how many cases it had settled. A $24 million payout to the state of Kentucky in December 2015 marked its most prominent settlement in recent years. In court, Purdues lawyers have argued the companys accusers have not proved that it misled prescribers about its drugs. The state seeks to recover costs stemming from the misuse and abuse of prescription and illicit opioids by downstream actors who are far outside the manufacturers control and who in, many instances, engaged in criminal conduct, attorneys for Purdue and the other defendants in Floridas lawsuit wrote in a September filing supporting their motion to dismiss the case. They have also cited FDA oversight of use and marketing of prescription opioids, challenging state liability for actions they said the FDA has specifically authorized. Company officials have also contested claims that the firm flooded the market with OxyContin. In statements, they said that their opioids comprise less than 2 percent of such prescriptions. Outside the courtrooms, Purdue said it is is working hard to help tackle the opioid crisis. The company has allocated $2 million to support prescription-drug education for several thousand high school students around the country between 2017 and 2020. The total includes $500,000 for the programs expansion in Connecticut during the next two years. In September, Purdue announced a $3.4 million grant to support a nonprofit pharmaceutical companys development of an over-the-counter form of naloxone, a drug that can reverse the effects of opioid overdoses. Purdue has also partnered with the National Sheriffs Association on a program that gives naloxone kits and training to officers across the country. In the past year, the company has run full-page ads outlining such efforts in a number of national publications including The New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal and USA Today. The efforts have done little to assuage critics. They can put as many ads as they want to out there, but thats not dealing with the problem, Ohios attorney general, Republican Mike DeWine, who is his partys gubernatorial nominee in Tuesdays election, said in an interview earlier this year. Why dont we take this opportunity to start talking and try to reach an agreement, so that Purdue Pharma can be part of the solution instead of just being the creator of the problem? Envisioning a settlement Despite the widespread anger felt toward opioid producers, the litigants strategy is not to bankrupt the companies. We dont want any of these companies to go out of business; this is not an act of vengeance, Hanly said. This is litigation to recover money that these government entities have spent and lost as a consequence of the defendants. Some critics have suggested Purdue and the other pharmaceutical companies that have been sued pay into a massive fund comparable to one financed by tobacco companies as part of a nationwide settlement in 1998 that was worth nearly $250 billion. To cover the costs of the opioid crisis, such a pool could amount to several times that of the tobacco settlement. In 2015, the opioid crisis cost the country $504 billion, equivalent to 2.8 percent of gross domestic product that year, according to an estimate last year by the Council of Economic Advisers. A comprehensive settlement which would probably be reached through the MDL proceedings, according to Hanly does not appear imminent. Such a pact could take several more months, even years, to hammer out. Before entering into any major agreements, Purdue and the other defendants are expected to demand they would not be liable again for any actions predating a settlement. These defendants need eternal peace, Hanly said. Thats why this settlement is incredibly complex because it has to be completely buttoned up. Otherwise, if theres an escape hatch, the companies are presumably paying all this money to get sued, maybe not tomorrow, but perhaps a year from now, or three years from now. The extent to which Purdue and its owners, members of the Sackler family, could contribute to a settlement is debatable as the company does not publicly disclose its finances. Third-party estimates suggest OxyContin is still lucrative, but less so than at its peak. The drugs sales last year totaled $1.8 billion, down from $2.8 billion five years earlier, according to data from health care analytics company Symphony Health Solutions. Competition from generic drugs has contributed to the decline. One of the issues that we face is not all these companies are financially that cash-flushed, Jepsen said. If you force them into bankruptcy, it might feel good, but it means youre cutting off your nose to spite your face about getting some kind of future income stream, on a pay-as-you-go basis. But theres just not the money in the industry that makes it like tobacco. After collecting their settlement shares, hundreds of the plaintiffs would allot a to-be-determined portion of their proceeds to cover expenses and fees for private-sector law firms. They would then grapple with complicated decisions about the funds distribution. The reality is these lawsuits take years, and years is not something we have. We need to deal with the problem in the here and now, which were doing, Dr. Jeff Gordon, a former president of the Connecticut State Medical Society, said in an interview. But if there are settlements in the future, we should be very clear that the money is protected to support prevention and treatment programs. In the meantime, Purdues dwindling headcount suggests it may be feeling fiscal strain. In June, it announced approximately 350 layoffs, about half of which were linked to the elimination of its already-downsized sales force. That followed earlier job cuts stemming from the companys announcement in February that it would stop marketing OxyContin and other opioids to prescribers. About 550 remain with the company, including some 250 at its Stamford headquarters. Earlier this year, the firm reported employing about 1,100. Purdue has also shaken up its leadership. In July, the company announced a new board chairman and a new general counsel. At the same time, the company is increasingly moving away from opioids. Last month, it announced an exclusive option to acquire a Minnesota company developing an injectable steroid treatment for back pain. Those changes may eventually help repair the companys battered reputation, but they will not end the litigation. Only money flowing out of 201 Tresser that makes its way to the plaintiffs would likely bring the company relief from its opponents. If some company has stolen from the state of Mississippi or injured its citizens or violated its laws, Ive got a duty to collect whats owed to the state, Hood said in an interview. Thats my job. pschott@scni.com; 203-964-2236; Twitter: @paulschott The Connecticut Childbirth & Womens Center in Danbury is a 50-minute drive from Evelyn DeGrafs home in Westchester, N.Y. Pregnant with her second child, the 37-year-old didnt hesitate to make the drive she wanted her birth to be attended by a midwife, not a doctor. DeGraf believed midwifery care to be more personal and less rushed than that delivered by obstetrics/gynecologists. She also knew an OB/GYN would deem her relatively advanced maternal age and previous Cesarean section history too high-risk to attempt a VBAC, or vaginal birth after cesarean section. But she had to drive roughly 35 miles to find a midwife because there arent many of them. Despite the fact that an estimated 85 percent of women are appropriate for midwife care, midwives attend about 11 percent of births in Connecticut, said Holly Kennedy, professor of midwifery at Yale School of Nursing. Kennedy sees a direct correlation between lower use of midwives and higher maternal mortality. If you scaled up midwives, you would avert over 80 percent of maternal deaths, Kennedy said. In Connecticut, there are 211 licensed nurse-midwives, compared to 945 licensed OB/GYNs, according to state Department of Health records. Unlike some other states, which employ midwives who do not require nursing degrees, Connecticut recognizes only nurse-midwives, who hold advanced degrees in nursing and additional training in midwifery. The United States has the highest rate of pregnancy- or childbirth-related deaths in the developed world. According to United Health Foundation, in 2018 the maternal mortality rate for the country is 20.7 deaths per 100,000 births from any cause related to or aggravated by pregnancy, excluding accidents. In Connecticut, the maternal mortality rate is 13.2. Also, in Connecticut and nationwide, black women and their infants suffer disproportionately worse pregnancy-related health outcomes than white women. Babies born to black women are more than twice as likely to die in the first year of life than babies born to white women, and black women are 243 percent more likely than white women to die from pregnancy-related complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. DeGrafs second child was born vaginally at Danbury Hospital, assisted by a nurse-midwife employed by the Connecticut Childbirth Center. Her low-intervention delivery is common of births attended by midwives who, statistically, use fewer intervention than physicians during labor and delivery. Cesarean sections, considered major surgery, carry well-established risks higher rates of hemorrhage, transfusions, infections, and blood clots. All of these are primary causes of maternal mortality, whose rates increased nationwide (with the exception of California) by 26.6 percent between 2010 and 2014, according to a study supported by The National Center for Biotechnology Information. Midwives are also linked to higher rates of physiologic birth and fewer adverse neonatal outcomes, according to a nationwide 2018 study, which ranked states by how well midwives are integrated into regional health care systems. Connecticut fell into the bottom third. Experts say the low ranking is due in large part to a lack of access to midwives. Many would-be nurse-midwives never get the chance to train for the position in Connecticut. At Yale, I get at least 100 applicants for our (nurse-midwife) program. Most are highly qualified, but I can only accept 25 percent, said Kennedy, an author of the 2018 study. She explained that most federal health education dollars are directed to schools of medicine, thereby limiting resources for midwifery education, including the ability to reimburse preceptors who oversee clinical training of nurse-midwife students. Those who do find spots in one of Connecticuts two nurse-midwife programs (Fairfield University offers a doctor of nursing practice in midwifery) may confront challenges to practicing upon graduation. Many face high debt hurdles, Kennedy says, and search the country for employers willing to repay their student loans. Those who do find jobs in Connecticut may be stymied from practicing to the fullest extent possible. Cathy Parisi is director at the Connecticut Childbirth & Womens Center, the states only freestanding birth center. She says that while Connecticut legislation authorizes its nurse-midwives to practice to full scope care, which includes admitting privileges at hospitals that credential nurse-midwives, not all hospital bylaws reflect current state statutes; therefore, some hospitals in Connecticut do not grant admitting privileges. Little things like that are terribly irritating, said Parisi, who suggested several possible reasons why hospitals wouldnt allow a nurse-midwife to practice within the full scope of her license, including pressure from physicians, medical staff or the hospital legal department or, simply, resistance to change. Nurse-midwives follow the same standards of care as OB/GYNs, but the difference in how they deliver care has an increasing number of women gravitating to the midwifery model. The Connecticut Childbirth & Womens Center, which at its inception about 25 years ago delivered five or six births per month, now facilitates up to 35 per month and has increased its staff accordingly, from two to five full-time nurse-midwives. With rare exceptions, all insurances cover midwifery services, including HUSKY/Medicaid, though some plans reimburse midwifery services at 90 percent of the physician rate, said Stephanie Welsh, vice president of the American College of Nurse-Midwives Connecticut affiliate. While the cost to patients is typically the same whether they use a nurse-midwife or an OB/GYN, they may feel like theyre getting a better deal with a nurse-midwife. By seeing only two to three patients an hour a midwife has time to spend with her client. Physicians simply do not have the time in their schedules to accommodate such lengthy visits for a low-risk woman, Parisi said. In contrast, their midwife practice schedules only two to three patients per hour. Midwifery is a relationship-based profession. One of the reasons we probably do have better outcomes is because we listen to women, Yales Kennedy said. This story was reported under a partnership with the Connecticut Health I-Team, a nonprofit news organization dedicated to health reporting. (c-hit.org). What Connecticut can expect after Tuesdays election of the states first black congresswoman is an agenda of progressive initiatives, from a $15 hourly minimum wage to Medicare for all. Jahana Hayes, who beat Trump Republican Manny Santos on a platform of supporting public education, creating citizenship programs for immigrants, passing gun safety legislation, closing the equity gap, and making health care available to everyone, will have a hard time passing any of those measures with a hardline conservative in the White House and a Republican-led U.S. Senate. But Hayes wont be alone. Going to Washington, D.C., with her in 2019 as part of the new Democratic majority in the House of Representatives will be a record number of women including progressives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, of New York, and Ayanna Pressley, of Massachusetts both of whom, like Hayes, defeated establishment Democrats in their primaries. As such, Hayes is not only considered a rising star in the Democratic Party, but a standard-bearer among progressives. Her victory is a victory for everything she stands for: Medicare for all, retirement security, and an opportunity to succeed no matter the color of your skin, your economic status, or where you come from, said Lindsay Farrell, state director of the Connecticut Working Families Party, in a prepared statement. Amid the stark contrast between Jahanas progressive, inclusive vision and her opponent's Trumpian politics, voters made their choice clear. One of Hayes earliest supporters, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, agreed. Jahana Hayes is going to be a rock star in the House of Representatives, Murphy said in a prepared statement. Jahana is part of an impressive group of new members in the House who will help lead the country away from the past eight years of disastrous Republican leadership, and instead fight to grow wages, protect health care, invest in education, and hold President Trump accountable. Although Hayes was a political newcomer and relatively unknown in Connecticuts 5th District except for her selection in 2016 as the National Teacher of the Year, Hayes never trailed Santos. Her aggressive fundraising, her ability to inspire campaign volunteers and her charisma with voters had Washington election forecasters calling her the favorite as soon as she trounced her primary opponent. But it was Hayes ability to translate her personal story of hardship into a message of hope, and her focus on the issues that gave her what state Democratic Party Chairman Nick Balletto called unstoppable momentum and propelled her to a 30,000-vote victory over Santos. Santos was gracious in his concession. I and my opponent ran a relatively clean campaign, focusing on the issues, Santos said in social media post. The outcome was not as we had wanted; nonetheless, the voters of the district have spoken and have elected Jahana Hayes. Hayes herself credited constituents of the 5th District, which stretches from the Danbury area, north to Massachusetts, and from the New York border to New Britain and Middlefield. When I started this campaign, I knew I couldnt do it alone but I asked you to trust me with your vote and to trust me with your voice, Hayes said in a social media post. Thank you for choosing me to be your congresswoman and trusting me with your voice. rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342 Businesses participating in the ongoing China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai are taking the opportunity to strengthen ties in the increasingly important Chinese market and promote their long-term business goals. Michael Baumgartner, CEO of Gimborn, a German Pet food company, said that CIIE is a perfect platform to present his company and foster partnerships in China. "The CIIE is astonishing," said the business executive. "We have been to many fairs here in China before, but nothing is comparable to this one." As China's first state-level import expo, the event has attracted over 3,600 companies from 172 countries and regions to showcase their unique products and technological achievements hoping to match with around 400,000 domestic and foreign professional buyers. Baumgartner told China.org.cn that Gimborn has now formally entered the China market through its partnership with a local company called 5Ctong, facilitated by the CIIE. Aeromobil, a Slovakian company which has developed the world's first "flying car," is also eying the Chinese market and showcased a model at the expo that wowed the crowds. "We see China as a large growing market," said Simon Bendrey, chief engineer of the company. He said that many Chinese people are very interested in air products, not just the normal ones, but also a lot of future products. "So we are looking to develop this type of mode of transportation to give freedom of travel and movement to people around the world," he said. William Midlej, a young Brazilian entrepreneur who is starting his business in China, is using the CIIE to introduce his brand to the market. By setting up a booth with various kinds of coffee beans and coffee machine in the expo, he can introduce his high-quality Brazilian coffee to the increasingly cultured customers in China, he said. Leon Wang, executive vice president of AstraZeneca, a biopharmaceutical company, said the company is honored to participate in China's first import expo in Shanghai, which is an economic hub and frontline of continued reform and opening-up. "The success of the CIIE showcases China's confidence and resolution to strengthen its cooperation with other countries," he said. "Moreover, it proves the country's strong willingness to share the benefits of economic growth, raising the world's expectations for a more open Chinese market." TORRINGTON The career of the citys new police chief, William Baldwin Jr., has come full circle with his return to the Torrington Police Department, where he got his start as a rookie officer in 1983. Baldwin was appointed as the new chief Wednesday night by the Board of Safety after it began a search to replace Michael Maniago, who retired in June. Im looking forward to working here and with the community and getting to know the guys in the department, Baldwin said. For 32 years Baldwin served as a state police lieutenant beginning with Troop B in North Canaan. Not long after, he was transferred to other duties with the Connecticut State Police, including as a member of the Major Crimes Squad and the Office of Counter Terrorism. Mayor Elinor Carbone said Baldwin was one of three finalists out of a group of 10 applicants who interviewed for the position. It was clear he was the choice, she said. The boards desire was to see someone hired who was from the community. Baldwin is a Torrington native and has lived in the city until recently, his wife, Susan, said. He knows so many people here. Im so proud of him for this new chapter in his life. Retired Torrington police Officer John Barbieri said he attended the police academy with Baldwin in 1984. Hes a very good guy, very capable. Hell be up to the challenge. Baldwin has worked for the state for 32 years, and now that hes officially been appointed chief, he said, I may put in my retirement letter tomorrow. He starts the job Dec. 1, Carbone said, followed by a swearing-in ceremony that week. You are here: Beijing agri-product companies have signed a large number of purchase agreements with foreign suppliers at the first China International Import Expo (CIIE) to further diversify food options for local citizens. A 130-miilion-yuan beef deal struck between Beijing Zhuochen Animal Husbandry Co., Ltd. and Uruguay's BPU Meat is expected to stabilize beef prices in Beijing by increasing the supply by 10 percent. Chang Liang, president of Zhuochen, said that beef imported from Uruguay is of good quality and its price is about 8 percent lower than in the Chinese market. Zhuochen accounts for more than 35 percent of the beef market share in Beijing, Chang said, adding that the new deal will raise the share by 10 percent. Beijing Xinfadi Agri-product Wholesale Market, which supplies 90 percent of agricultural products to the capital, signed two deals totaling US$2.5 billion to bring more kinds of fruits into the market, including mangos and avocados from South Africa as well as bananas and durians from Thailand. Partnering with Beijing Hi-Technology Energy Investments (Pty) Ltd, Tetelestai, a Namibian oyster company, started to export its products to Beijing in 2015. Wu Wenli, deputy general manager of Beijing Hi-Technology, said that through promotions at CIIE, they hope to expand the influence of Namibian oysters and increase the annual sales volume from over a hundred thousand units to more than a million. Cambodia should quickly and transparently try opposition leader Kem Sokha, who is currently detained at his home on charges of treason, or drop the case against him, a United Nations expert said Thursday at the end of her sixth visit to the Southeast Asian nation. Kem Sokha, the president of the now-dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), is being held under house arrest after being released from prison on Sept. 10, 2018, a year after he was detained for allegedly plotting to overthrow the governmentcharges widely seen as politically motivated. The release of the 65-year-old opposition leader from pre-trial detention carries the conditions that he must stay within a block radius of his home, cannot meet with CNRP officials or foreigners, and cannot speak at or host any rallies or political activities. He still faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted of treason. In a statement issued at the end of her 11-day fact-finding mission, Rhona Smith, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia, said she remained concerned that Kem Sokha is detained under judicial supervision with his rights and freedoms curtailed more than 14 months after his arrest, noting that she had been denied access to him and other detainees during her visit. I also call for the release of Kem Sokha from restricted detention and for the swift conclusion of the investigation in his case to ensure his right to a trial within a reasonable time based on a clear and transparent evaluation of the evidence, or for the charges to be dropped. Smith also asked authorities to lift the convictions with suspended sentence of prominent activist Tep Vanny, who was granted a royal pardon in August after spending more than two years in prison for her role in a protest over a land grab, and of a group of current and former staffers with local rights group ADHOC, and to drop pending charges against two former RFA journalists accused of espionage. While the special rapporteur welcomed small improvements in judicial services she believes will help bring justice to ordinary Cambodians, she urged the countrys courts to be timelier in trial proceedings and called for an end to pre-trial detention. Access to justice also requires speedy trials and I am concerned at the time taken to conduct trials and the significant number of people in pre-trial detention, Smith said. I repeat my recommendations to use pre-trial detention only when absolutely necessary in accordance with Cambodia criminal procedure code; to carefully document the use of pre-trial detention; and to regularly view the ongoing need in each case. She also addressed concerns that Cambodias courts are beholden to Prime Minister Hun Sen and his ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP), urging the Ministry of Justice and judicial institutions to take more active steps to combat corruption and strengthen judicial independence and impartiality. Government responds Shortly after Kem Sokhas arrest, Cambodias Supreme Court dissolved the CNRP for its alleged role in his plot, setting the stage for a resounding win by the CPP in the countrys July 29 general electionpolls widely dismissed as unfree and unfair. Hun Sen also launched a months-long crackdown on NGOs and the independent media in the lead up to the vote that drew condemnation from Western governments who have accused the strongman of rolling back democratic freedoms in Cambodia. Despite criticism over Hun Sens governance, Keo Remy, head of the Cambodian Human Rights Committee, told reporters following a meeting with Smith earlier this week that there are no human rights violations in the country. On Thursday, Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan dismissed Smiths concerns over Kem Sokhas detention as an insult and an attack on our judicial system, adding that his case is being processed by the court. If she understood the law well, she would not have made this appeal, he said, suggesting that Kem Sokha find good attorneys to represent him at his trial. [She] shouldnt refer to our judicial system as a political tool and laugh at it. Phay Siphan added that Cambodia has no need for evaluation, because we are busy resolving all pressing issues. Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for firm confidence and determination to further reform and opening-up, and accelerated efforts to increase city core competitiveness to better serve the country's reform and development, during his two-day inspection in Shanghai, which ended Wednesday. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stressed upholding and taking the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as a guide and resolutely implementing decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee. Xi made the trip after inaugurating the first China International Import Expo in Shanghai. During the trip, Xi visited places including local enterprises and communities, where he learned about the economy, sci-tech innovation and urban management. Located in Lujiazui, the 632-meter Shanghai Tower is the tallest building in China and the second-tallest in the world. It was Xi himself who approved the design of the building in 2007 and pushed for its construction when he was working in Shanghai. On Tuesday morning, Xi arrived at a Party service center on the 22nd floor of the tower, where he talked with Party members working at the Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone. He said the goal of setting up Party organizations in various kinds of enterprises is to provide Party members with services while uniting them to abide by the law as well as company regulations. Xi then went up to the observation deck on the 119th floor of the tower to view the city's skyline. After viewing a gallery representing the past and the present of the city, Xi said Shanghai is a good example of the tremendous changes that have taken place in China since the reform and opening-up. Highlighting Shanghai as China's economic hub and the forefront of the Yangtze River Delta area, Xi said continued efforts must be made to increase the city's core and international competitiveness. Afterwards, Xi visited a community center in Shanghai's Hongkou district and inspected the center's service counters, a nursery for the elderly and a workstation for Party building. As Chinese society ages, "it is our common wish that elderly people lead a happy, healthy and long life," Xi said, stressing the need to implement well elderly care policies to benefit more people. Xi also stressed that waste-sorting is a new fashion and Shanghai should make sure garbage management is done well. He visited the urban management center of Pudong New Area on Tuesday afternoon and expressed hopes for Shanghai to continue exploring a new path of mega-city management with Chinese characteristics. A first-class city must have first-class management, and efforts should be made to ensure scientific, precise and intelligent urban management, Xi said. When visiting Yangshan Port, Xi said the construction and operation of the port have both created better conditions for Shanghai to open wider to the outside world and accelerate the construction of an international shipping center and a pilot free trade zone. Xi also visited the Zhangjiang science city, where he stressed that the impact of science and technology on a country's future and the people's wellbeing has never been as profound as today. Xi urged efforts to strengthen basic research and application, pay attention to the role played by enterprises, enhance intellectual property protection, value innovative talent, and foster and strengthen new industries and innovation-driven enterprises. He also called for pushing forward the building of a comprehensive national sci-tech innovation center in Zhangjiang with international vision and standards, aiming at building a cluster of globally-advanced labs, research institutions and research-oriented universities. On Wednesday afternoon, Xi heard a report on the work of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the CPC and the Shanghai Municipal Government. He recognized all the work done by the local authorities and said he hopes that Shanghai will continue to be a pioneer in the country's reform and opening-up as well as its innovation-driven development. Xi stressed that China is still in a period of historic opportunity, with a bright future but tough challenges ahead. As long as China maintains its strategic resolve and focuses its attention on its own things, the country is set to meet its targets, he said. Shanghai should develop itself while serving the whole country as it occupies an important position in the overall work of the Party and the state, Xi said. Xi ordered Shanghai to better serve the country's overall reform and development. Shanghai should properly fulfill the country's three new major tasks: expanding the Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone, launching a science and technology innovation board on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and experimenting with a registration system for listed companies. Shanghai should exert all efforts to serve the Belt and Road Initiative, the Yangtze River economic belt, and play a leading role in promoting higher quality growth and integration of the Yangtze River Delta to ensure it becomes the country's strong and robust growth pillar, Xi said. Xi called on Shanghai to improve economic productivity, optimize the allocation of global resources and achieve major breakthroughs in key technology fields to make innovation a strong momentum for high quality development. Xi also urged for pushing forward reforms in key areas and deepening capital market reform to attract and nurture more home-grown tech firms. Shanghai should build a world-class business environment, promote all-round and high-level opening-up to lay a solid foundation for long-term development, take a lead in supporting private businesses and build for them a good institutional environment. Xi also called for the enhancement of innovation in social governance to address major public concerns including employment, education, healthcare and elderly care. The quality of basic public services must be raised to ensure a stronger sense of fulfillment, happiness and security among Chinese people, he said. Party building was also highlighted by Xi, who called for imposing strict governance over the CPC, prioritizing political performance, enhancing the study of the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, nurturing and inviting competent professionals, strengthening primary-level party organizations and emphasizing ideological work. During his inspection, Xi also met with senior military officers stationed in Shanghai and extended greetings to all the soldiers there. A Hong Kong arts center has canceled a planned event with dissident U.K.-based author Ma Jian, saying it can't allow itself to be used as a political platform, the latest in a string of blows to freedom of expression under the ruling Chinese Communist Party. "We do not want Tai Kwun to become a platform to promote the political interests of any individual," a spokesman for Hong Kong's Tai Kwun Arts and Heritage Centre said in response to press inquiries. The Hong Kong International Literary Festival, which organized the event, said it had found a new venue for Ma's discussion of his latest book, a biting satire of President Xi Jinping's concept of the China Dream, after Tai Kwun canceled. "The Hong Kong International Literary Festival stands by the principles of free speech and cultural expression in Hong Kong and has announced a switch of venues for our upcoming events 'Hong Kong Through the Lens of Literature' and 'Ma Jian: China Dream'," the festival's organizers said via its official Twitter account. "Both [events] will be held on 10 November, following Tai Kwuns decision not to stage the events as planned," it said. Ma, who is described in the festival's promotional material as "China's answer to Orwell, Swift and Solzhenitsyn," had earlier tweeted that he had no political agenda other than freedom of speech. "I wouldn't use Tai Kwun as a platform to promote my 'political interests'," the author wrote. "I'm a novelist, not an activist, and am attending the Festival to discuss my new novel, China Dream." "My 'politics' are simple: I believe in free thought and free speech. Without them, life has no meaning," he said. However, Ma as described his latest novel as his answer to President Xi's use of the slogan "China Dream" to call for the nation's rise to greatness on the world stage. "Blending reality and fantasy, Mas tale of a guilt-ridden provincial leader depicts a nation dealing with materialism and a violent history," the event description reads. Financial Times reporter denied entry Meanwhile, a senior editor for the London-based Financial Times newspaper was denied entry to Hong Kong on , just weeks after the city's government declined his work visa renewal application after he hosted an event featuring pro-independence politician Andy Chan in August. The FT's Asia news editor Victor Mallet, who had been acting chairman of Hong Kong's Foreign Correspondents' Club when Chan spoke at a lunch debate there, tried to enter the city as a visa-free visitor--a program allowing U.K. nationals up to 180 days in the city--but was turned away at the border after several hours of questioning by immigration officers, the paper said. "We have not received an explanation for the recent rejection of Victor Mallets work visa and have appealed against the decision," the FT said. The cancellation of Ma's event and the denial of entry to Mallet came just days after the cancellation of a planned Hong Kong exhibition by dissident Chinese cartoonist Badiucao. The cartoonist's work highlights rights violations and abuse of power under Chinese Communist Party rule and he often satirizes President Xi Jinping, something that Chinese activists have been jailed for in recent years. The exhibition, titled Gongle, had been scheduled for Nov. 3, and was canceled one day before the opening. Self-censorship Organizers Hong Kong Free Press, Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders said the decision had come after "threats made by the Chinese authorities relating to the artist." "Whilst the organizers value freedom of expression, the safety of our partners remains a major concern," they said. Badiucao had been due to appear on a panel alongside Russian anti-Kremlin punk band Pussy Riot, as well as Hong Kong student protest leader Joshua Wong. The Hong Kong Journalists' Association (HKJA) said it was "deeply concerned" about the cancellation of both events. "HKJA worries that the two cases of cancellation of art events will further undermine freedom of speech and expression in Hong Kong," it said in a statement on its website. "We oppose any threats from any persons, organizations and governments against freedom of speech and expression." Democratic Party lawmaker Ted Hui said Tai Kwun is clearly engaging in political self-censorship. "For an arts and cultural group to say that an event criticizing the Chinese Communist Party can't go ahead ... is an extremely regressive development," Hui said. Joshua Wong said the cancellations clearly demonstrate Beijing's success in extending its political controls into Hong Kong, in spite of promising the maintenance of the city's traditional freedoms for 50 years after the 1997 handover. "The artist was merely trying to exercise his freedom of expression and his freedom to create," Wong told RFA. "I think what led to this suppression is the fact that [Badiucao's] work represents a challenge and a criticism of the Xi Jinping administration." Beijing-based dissident artist Yan Zhengxue said he wasn't surprised by the censorship of Badiucao, however. "We have to be able to accept this sort of thing, because our work touches on some very sensitive topics," Yan said. "There are safety and security concerns in China that you wouldn't have overseas." "Nonetheless, we ought to be able to exhibit in Hong Kong," he said. Reported by Lee Wang-yam for RFA's Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Riot police in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong have used pepper spray on a small group of former blast-workers seeking compensation for lung disease, RFA has learned. Police used the crowd-control measures to target a group of several hundred former blasters who staged a protest outside government social welfare offices in Guangdong's Shenzhen city on Wednesday. Video obtained by RFA showed dozens of people at the scene staggering or crawling on the ground racked with coughing, while others yelled defiance at police. Many were migrant workers from the central province of Hunan recruited to work as drillers and blasters, detonating explosives and using drills to cut shafts and passageways in rock, from the 1990s. "We began coming out to Shenzhen ... to work in the drilling and blasting industry 30 years ago, but the construction companies did not provide us with effective protective measures," the protesters wrote in an open letter to the city government last May. "The government did not fulfill its responsibility to effectively regulate the construction companies work safety conditions." The protesters say they weren't informed of the severe occupational hazards that went with the job until they began getting sick and dying from silicosis years later. "I am in so much pain right now, I feel like I'm going to die," silicosis sufferer and protester Yixiang told RFA on Thursday. "The police beat us up with metal batons." "They also sprayed pepper spray on a lot of us, which left us in considerable pain," she said. Broken promises A former miner with similar health problems said the authorities had kept promising to address the protesters' demands, but then failed to act. "I can't even walk upstairs now," the protester said. "We are only here having this demonstration because they've done nothing to sort this issue out." "I can't say much more, though, because they are monitoring all of our phones," he said. The group organized in 2009 to demand redress from the Shenzhen authorities, calling for compensation and an apology from the companies concerned and local officials. It said the city government's disease control and prevention agency (CDC) had failed to adequately inform and test some workers, although others had been diagnosed with silicosis and awarded compensation. "Dozens of us have died of silicosis," the letter said. "Of those who were diagnosed in 2009, more than 70 have died, and those of us who are still alive are getting sicker and sicker." It said more than 200 workers were diagnosed with silicosis or discovered their illness had increased in severity after a fresh round of testing by health authorities in Hunan late last year. "Silicosis is an occupational disease. According to the Law of the Peoples Republic of China on the Prevention and Control of Occupational Diseases, victims of occupational disease have the right to receive occupational injury compensation," the letter said. The protesters called on the government to provide workers, or the families of deceased workers, with compensation and to adequately regulate the industry in future. Protest leader dies According to the Hong Kong-based China Labour Bulletin (CLB), the leader of the 2009 silicosis protests, Xu Zhihui, died in June 2015 at the age of 55. Xu was one of around 180 construction workers from Leiyang in Hunan who made national headlines in the summer of 2009 when they traveled back to Shenzhen to demand compensation for the pneumoconiosis they had contracted while working as drillers and blasters on the citys construction sites in the 1990s, CLB reported. While the majority of workers were awarded various levels of compensation, ranging from 70,000 yuan to 130,000 yuan depending on the severity of their illness, the compensation received was too little and too late for many, it said. "During the times when Xu Zhihui was in reasonable health, he continued to work on behalf of his colleagues, meeting with the media, volunteers, and student activists in a bid to ensure that the Leiyang workers were not forgotten," the group said in a report on its website. Reported by Gao Feng for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Wong Lok-to for the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. The wife of detained Chinese rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang, who has been held incommunicado without trial since 2015, has staged a protest for his release in the northern city of Tianjin, she said on her Twitter account. Li Wenzu showed up at the Tianjin No. 2 Intermediate People's Court at around 9.00 a.m. on Thursday alongside fellow activists, all of whom were wearing T-shirts printed with her husband's photo and the slogan "Free Quanzhang!" Video of the encounter showed Li protesting with uniformed police outside a security checkpoint, saying: "You won't let me in just because I'm wearing this shirt, right?" "They told me to wait outside, then said they'd get their boss. When their boss arrived, he said we could only go inside if I did up my jacket to hide the T-shirt." "We refused, with a single voice," Li wrote, adding that they were later allowed into the lobby of the court buildings, where they removed their jackets to reveal their T-shirts. Li's protest, however small-scale, comes after human rights experts at the United Nations found the ruling Chinese Communist Party's continued detention of Wang and fellow rights attorneys Jiang Tianyong and Li Yuhan to be arbitrary and unwarranted under international human rights law. Earlier this week, Li met with diplomats from Britain, the United States, Germany, Canada, Switzerland, and other European Union countries, she tweeted. "We were fortunate enough to meet with [the diplomats] on the morning of Nov. 5," Li tweeted. "The main topic of our conversation was an update on Wang Quanzhang's case, and the submission of letters from various diplomats to human rights officials." Outcome uncertain Li later told RFA in a brief interview that it was hard to judge how the meetings might affect the outcome of Wang's case. "It's very hard to say," Li said. "But we have had a lot of support from these countries ... and the U.S. and the U.K. both clearly referred to Wang Quanzhang's case during the Universal Periodic Review [at the U.N. in Geneva], calling for his release." Human rights lawyers, who frequently represent vulnerable clients or cases deemed politically sensitive by the authorities, continue to be targeted under the administration of President Xi Jinping, which has launched a nationwide crackdown on the profession since July 2015. Wang Quanzhang has been held incommunicado for the past three years on subversion charges, while rights lawyer Jiang Tianyong was sentenced to two years' imprisonment on subversion charges in November 2017. His family says Jiang has been force-fed unidentified medication and now suffers from memory loss. Meanwhile, concerns are growing over the health of detained Chinese rights lawyer Li Yuhan, who is suffering from multiple health problems amid a current heat-wave after months of pretrial detention in the northeastern province of Liaoning. Human rights experts at the U.N. currently reviewing Beijing's rights record found that "the deprivation of liberty of Wang Quanzhang, Jiang Tianyong and Li Yuhan, being in contravention of articles 9, 10, 11 and 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is arbitrary." "The appropriate remedy would be to release Mr. Wang, Mr. Jiang and Ms. Li immediately and accord them an enforceable right to compensation and other reparations, in accordance with international law," the working group on human rights said in a draft statement issued on Wednesday. Call to release International rights groups have repeatedly called on China to release all human rights lawyers who remain behind bars, after more than 300 lawyers, law firm employees, and activists were detained and questioned in the crackdown. While many were released from immediate detention, some lost their license to practice, while others found themselves and loved ones subjected to round-the-clock police surveillance and travel bans. Meanwhile, the wife of fellow detained rights lawyer Yu Wensheng says there has been scant progress on his case. "The time limit [for pretrial detention] was supposed to be Nov. 3, but now they are telling me to call on Nov. 20 for an update," Yu's wife Xu Yan told RFA. "It is inhumane of them to keep on postponing the case like this, both for Yu Wensheng and for his family." "They have used these tactics on all of the lawyers held in the July 2015 crackdown," she said. "It's cruel." Authorities in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu indicted Yu Wensheng for subversion in July. Yu, who is being held incommunicado by authorities in Jiangsu's Xuzhou city, was formally arrested for "incitement to subvert state power"and "obstruction of officials in the course of their duty" in April. Reported by Gao Feng for RFA's Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Kim Jong Nam murder suspects Siti Aisyah (wearing a dark headscarf), and Doan Thi Huong (wearing a lighter scarf), are escorted from the Shah Alam High Court in Selangor, Malaysia, Nov.7, 2018. The defense phase of the trial of two Asian women charged with murdering the half-brother of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un at a Kuala Lumpur airport will start Jan. 7, a Malaysian judge ruled on Wednesday, allowing a defense attorney time to heal from surgery. The trial was set to resume on Nov. 1, but was delayed because Gooi Soon Seng, who is leading the team defending Indonesian citizen Siti Aisyah, underwent pancreatic surgery. He is recovering well, Hisyam Teh Pok Teik, who represents co-defendant Doan Thi Huong, a Vietnamese citizen, told BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service, outside the courtroom. The women are charged with the murder of Kim Jong Nam, who died after being exposed to the toxic VX nerve agent at Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 on Feb. 13, 2017. On Aug. 16, after the prosecution had rested its case, presiding Judge Azmi Ariffin ruled that both suspects must present their defense. He found that the prosecution had presented enough evidence for the trial to go on. On Wednesday, the judge read out the new dates for the trial. The new dates will be on Jan. 7, 8, 9 and 10, 2019, beginning at 9 a.m., he announced. He set four more court dates in January, two in February, eight in March and six in April. Siti will be given 10 days to present her defense and Doan the next 14. Siti and Doan, who were in the courtroom on Wednesday, appeared calm during the short hearing. In addition, the judge set Dec. 14 to hear a request from Sitis lawyers that prosecutors produce statements from eight witnesses. The witnesses include Dessy Meyrisinta and Raisa Rinda Salma, who were Sitis roommates in Kuala Lumpur and may have been present when police raided their room. Another name on the list is Tomie Yoshio, a Japanese friend of the estranged half-brother of Kim Jong Un. During the prosecutions case, the lead investigator identified Yoshio as the Malaysian who provided his personal chauffer for Kim Jong Nam, who had expressed fear for his life six months before he was killed. Meanwhile, Doans lawyer said he planned to call up to six citizens Malaysians and foreigners for her defense. We have one or two foreign witnesses that might be a bit difficult to persuade to come. We will do our best to persuade them and we hope we are able to get them to come here, Hisyam said, adding Doan plans to testify. Reported by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service. This undated photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on July 15, 2011 shows former North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il (front row/17th L) and heir-apparent Kim Jong-Un (front row/15th L) when they visited Korean People's Army Unit 963. An officer of North Koreas elite Supreme Guard Command (also known as Unit 963) was reportedly purged last month for having listened to an RFA broadcast. Sources say the officer, a member of the Commands signal corps, was caught listening to RFA while on patrol. He was discovered by another officer. A source from Pyongyang told RFAs Korean Service on November 3 that the officer was checking the communication center of a mine site, specifically to test a radio transmitter and receiver. He tuned in to the specific frequency for RFA and was caught, said the source. The purged officer is from Pyongsong, South Pyongan province. Hes in his mid-20s and [prior to the incident] had been recognized for his loyalty and exemplary adherence to principles, the source said. He had been in charge of the Supreme Guard Commands communications for quite a while, but after he was caught by his colleague, it was reported and he just disappeared, the source said. The Washington-based RFA broadcasts in nine languages to six countries seen as lacking free and independent media. Like most of the six countries, North Korea bans the outlet. Consequences The consequences for this guards illegal activity extended beyond the individual himself. The whole command was punished. After the incident, the Supreme Guard Command was closely investigated by the Organization and Guidance Department of the [Korean] Workers Party, the source said. They were under close surveillance for about a week and are still being reorganized, added the source. As a result of the investigation other officers in the elite fighting force have also gone missing. Some of the guys who were guarding the Workers Party Committee and Kumsusan Palace of the Sun were also purged, but there is no confirmed information about how many and who they might be, the source said. The purge was conducted on direct orders from the top. On October 20, [Kim Jong Un] delivered a special directive to the Organization and Guidance Department saying they were in charge of investigating the Supreme Guard Command and if they were to find anything, the directive suggested harsh punishment, the source said. [They] are in serious trouble right now, said the source. Another source, also from Pyongyang briefly explained the history of purges in Unit 963. Back in the days of Kim Il Sung, there were two divisions in the Guard Command. The first division was charged with protecting Kim Il Sung and the second, his son, Kim Jong Il, the source said. But once Kim Il Sung died, the first division was thoroughly investigated and many of the guys were purged, said the source. Soviet-groomed Kim Il Sung founded North Korea in 1948 and ruled until his death in 1994, when his son, Kim Jong Il, took over and ruled until his death in 2011. The latter Kims son, Kim Jong Un is the third generation of the family dynasty that rules Pyongyang. The current Guard Command has near-absolute power, as they are in charge of Kim Jong Uns security and protection, but now they are being investigated [because of the incident], the source said. But I doubt the officer listening to American radio is the real reason for the investigation. It all seems fishy to me. The source recalled how similar this was to previous purges under Kim Jong Un. Since [he] took power, the Organization and Guidance Department looked into the General Political Bureau. [Just as they did then] they will reorganize the Guard Commands existing structure by getting rid of people they dont like, the source said. After the Korean-language version of this story was published, South Koreas Ministry of National Defense told RFA Wednesday that they would look into the impact of foreign broadcasting on the North Korean military. Seouls Ministry of Unification told RFA that they are currently reviewing the matter. Reported by Hyemin Son for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Leejin Jun. Written in English by Eugene Whong. Rohingya refugees from Myanmar walk to attend a ceremony commemorating the first anniversary of a military crackdown that prompted a massive exodus of people from Myanmar to Bangladesh, at the Kutupalong refugee camp in Ukhia sub-district, Cox's Bazar, southeastern Bangladesh, Aug. 25, 2018. Myanmar officials say that dozens of nearly 6,500 Rohingya Muslims from Rakhine state whose names appear on a list of refugees from displacement camps in Bangladesh to be considered for repatriation have been involved in terrorism. Soe Han, director general of the ASEAN Affairs Department at Myanmars Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told RFAs Myanmar Service on Thursday that 54 of 6,472 Rohingya on the list have been identified as having been involved in terrorism, without specifying the type, timing, or location of the alleged activities. Myanmar sent the list of these people involved in terrorism to Bangladesh and has asked it to take action against them, but nothing has happened yet, he said, adding that the state cannot reveal any information about them for security or diplomatic reasons. If they are sent back to Myanmar, we have to take action against them according to the law, he said. Myanmar has agreed to take back some of the more than 800,000 Rohingya refugees who fled across the border during the two crackdowns in 2016 and 2017 in response to deadly attacks on border guard stations and police outposts, respectively, by a militant Muslim group known as the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA). Myanmar has largely denied or played down widely documented atrocities against Rohingya before and during their exodus to Bangladesh, while urging its critics to focus on the actions by the shadowy ARSA that triggered the crackdown. Officials also have verified that 4,654 of those on the list actually lived in northern Rakhine state prior to crackdowns there by Myanmar security forces in 2016 and 2017, Soe Han said. Another group, numbering 1,764, have no documents at all that can prove they lived in the state. If they can submit something that shows they lived in Rakhine, we will verify them again, he said. Those who wish to return to northern Rakhine must do so voluntarily, though they must prove that they were residents of the region prior to the two campaigns that expelled them. The much-delayed repatriations, which were agreed to in an agreement Myanmar and Bangladesh signed nearly a year ago, will begin in mid-November, according to Myanmar officials. 'Conditions not conducive for return' In the meantime, the United Nations development (UNDP) and refugee (UNHCR) agencies are in the region conducting surveys in villages to identify community initiatives to support the governments efforts to improve the lives of all populations affected by the violence, build trust in the multiethnic region, and promote social cohesion among communities. We have been working together with the U.N. agencies by arranging field trips to 50 villages, said Chan Aye, director general of the Consular and Legal Affairs Department under Myanmars Ministry of Foreign Affairs, adding that the UNDP and UNHCR must survey about 100 additional villages. The U.N. agencies have shared with us what they found on their field trips and have suggested to us what we should do, he said without providing details. Despite Myanmars readiness to begin repatriations in mid-month, the UNHCR has said that conditions in northern Rakhine are still not conducive for refugee returns. The U.N., human rights groups, and some Western nations also have called on Myanmar and Bangladesh to continue putting off repatriations until the safety of returning Rohingya can be ensured. They say that the Rohingya, whom Myanmar views as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, will likely to face the same persecution and systematic discrimination that they suffered before fleeing. A draft U.N. resolution condemning abuses against the Rohingya and calling on the Myanmar government to end discrimination and provide a means for them to become citizens was circulated at the U.N. in New York on Wednesday, the Associated Press reported. The General Assembly's human rights committee is expected to vote on the measure, sponsored by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, more than 25 European countries, and Canada, on Nov. 15, the report said. Dutch minister discusses Rakhine On Thursday, Sigrid Kaag, the countrys minister for foreign trade and development cooperation, discussed the Rohingya crisis with State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi during a meeting in Naypyidaw, Soe Han said. Aung San Suu Kyi, who also serves as foreign affairs minister, informed Kaag about issues in Rakhine as well as Myanmars progress with the recommendations by an advisory commission on the state, led by late former U.N. chief Kofi Annan, he said. [Kaag] mainly raised questions about how we are implementing the recommendations by the Kofi Annan commission, Soe Han said. We then explained what we have implemented and what remains to be done. The commission called for reviews of the countrys Citizenship Law, which effectively prevents the Rohingya from becoming Myanmar citizens and for an end to restrictions on the stateless minority to prevent further violence in the beleaguered region. The Myanmar government has previously said that it has already implemented 81 of the panels 88 recommendations. Sigrid and Aung San Suu Kyi also talked about what the Netherlands can do to help address communal violence in Rakhine state, assist in the peace process by ending hostilities between ethnic armies and the Myanmar military, and support the countrys transition to democracy. Kaag is visiting Myanmar and Bangladesh this week to gain insight into the refugee crisis, the authorities response, and humanitarian aid being offered. Prior to her visit, she issued a statement, saying, The Netherlands continues to underline that return is only possible if it happens voluntarily and in a safe, dignified and sustainable manner. U.S. diplomats in Buthidaung Meanwhile, Richard Albright, the U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state who is responsible for humanitarian assistance programs in Asia, and U.S. Ambassador to Myanmar Scot Marciel are on a routine visit to Rakhine state. The visit is part of a broader trip by American diplomats to observe U.S. humanitarian assistance programs throughout Myanmar, said Aryani Manring, a spokeswoman at the U.S. embassy in Yangon, in an interview with RFA. The two diplomats visited Buthidaung district on Thursday one of three districts in northern Rakhine affected by the violence from the 2017 crackdown where he and Marciel met with 10 ethnic Rakhine people and 10 Rohingya in Ywama village. We told them about the difficulties we have regarding our survival and transportation, said village chief Aung Zan, referring to tighter restrictions on the Rohingyas movements and access to basic services in the wake of the 2017 violence. A village resident who declined to give his name said that in the past, members of the community were allowed to go to a nearby forest to collect firewood any time they wanted and could even sleep there overnight. But now their movements are more limited, with many checkpoints along the road to the forest and they need permission from local officials to sleep there. So we cant finish our work [in the forest] in time, he said. Manring said the diplomats are meeting with people from different ethnic communities in Rakhine state to find out how the U.S. can help them. Were interested in talking to all communities in Rakhine State because we are trying to look for ways in which the United States can help, she said. And we think that addressing the human rights abuses that occurred in Rakhine state in an honest and forthright way is critical not only for the communities in Rakhine state, but also for the entire country to be able to make progress on the transition to democracy, Manring said. Albright on Wednesday told a group of Rohingya leaders in Thet Kae Pyin village in Sittwe township that he would press the Myanmar government to grant basic rights, including citizenship and freedom of movement, to members of the ethnic minority group who live in the vicinity of the state capital. The two American diplomats also met that day with leaders from the Arakan National Party (ANP), the dominant political party in the state which represents the interests of the ethnic Rakhine people. The group told Albright and Marciel that returning Rohingya refugees should not be placed in the northern Maungdaw district region, another focal point of the violence, said ANP Secretary Aung Mya Kyaw. This proposal was approved by the Rakhine state parliament as well, he told RFA. We also told them to ensure that the Bengalis are accepted back according to the 1982 Citizenship Law, he said using a derogatory name for the Rohingya. Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh have called for full citizenship rights if they return to Myanmar something that most of them are denied under the 2012 Citizenship Law which does not recognize them as one of the countrys official ethnic groups. Albright told the ANP that the U.S. will not interfere in the repatriation process and will only help provide humanitarian assistance, Aung Mya Kyaw said. Reported by Wai Mar Tun, Min Thein Aung, and Nandar Chann for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar and Nandar Chann. Written in English by Rosanne Gerin. A Vietnamese actor is the latest in a series of prominent celebrities to leave the countrys ruling Communist Party following the partys decision to punish Chu Hao, a former technology vice minister-turned publisher, who was found to have printed books diverging from the partys political line. The female performer Kim Chi, in a November 4 Facebook post, wrote I had already stopped participating in party activities since 2013 because I was very disappointed [with the party.] As I am no longer young, it would be a disappointment to die as a member of the party. I wish that the other party members who still have a conscience and passion for the [welfare of] the people and country would also leave, she wrote. Kim Chis exit is at least the 14th such announcement by famous party members since the ruling against Chu Hao, who had himself been a loyal party member for 62 years. In 2013 there was a similar wave of notable people leaving the party on claims that it no longer serves the interests of the Vietnamese people. This wave had been started by senior party member Le Hieu Dang and Chairman Pham Chi Dung of Vietnams independent journalists association, an organization not recognized by the government. Mac Van Trang, another of the 14 recent resignations, told RFAs Vietnamese Service: When Le Hieu Dang quit the party it wasnt as big of a deal. Most of the people who quit then just left for personal reasons. Disciplining Chu Hao is the last straw! Dang said. In a telephone interview, Kim Chi said she did not attend any of the partys meetings but made the decision to leave due to personal reasons. I was very close to Le Hieu Dang and I talked to him about quitting. He told me to think carefully about it before he died, she said. I [felt like] I have to make a decision now. I talked to Chu Hao prior to writing my announcement [on Facebook.] [While I was still thinking about leaving,] some people told me to stay to help bring about positive change [within the party]. [Initially] I agreed because I believe there are still good people in the party, she said. Reported by Kinh Hoa for RFAs Vietnamese Service. Translated by Viet Ha. Written in English by Eugene Whong. Amnesty International has warned that the executions of 12 Saudi Shi'ite Muslim prisoners could be imminent, after they were sent to a secretive state security body that reports directly to the king. The men, who were sentenced to death in 2016 after being convicted of spying for Iran in a mass trial, have been transferred to the Presidency of State Security, the human rights group said. They could be executed once the king ratifies their sentences. "The families of the men are terrified by this development," Amnesty Middle East Director Heba Morayef said. "Given the secrecy surrounding Saudi Arabia's judicial proceedings, we fear that this development signals the imminent execution of the 12 men." The Saudi government could not be reached for comment on the cases. Riyadh's human rights record has been in the spotlight since the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at its Istanbul Consulate last month. According to Amnesty, the men were sentenced to death after being convicted of spying for Iran in what it said was an unfair mass trial of 32 people arrested across Saudi Arabia in 2013 and 2014. Shi'a have long complained of entrenched discrimination in majority-Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia, a charge the authorities deny, and have periodically staged mass protests in the kingdom's eastern region, where many of them live. In January 2016, the kingdom executed prominent Shi'ite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, one of the most vocal critics of the Al-Saud royal family and a leader in the 2011 Arab Spring protests. An absolute monarchy, Saudi Arabia bans political parties and public forms of protest. Dozens of intellectuals and clerics have been detained since last year in a crackdown on dissent. Women's rights activists also have been arrested despite the kingdom's lifting of a ban on women driving this year. Based on reporting by AFP and Reuters MINSK -- Belarusian authorities have charged the chief editor of the BelaPAN private news agency and the editor of the independent online news portal Tut.by with illegally obtaining information via the Internet from the state-run BelTA news agency. BelaPANs Iryna Leushyna and Halina Ulasik of Tut.by told journalists that they were charged after being summoned to the Investigative Committee on November 8. One editor for BelaPAN and five journalists from tut.by were handed similar charges earlier this week, according to the two women. The eight journalists were among 18 reporters detained for 24 hours for questioning in August as part of the investigation. Investigators have also searched the newsrooms of Tut.by and BelaPAN. Rights groups have charged that the government is trying to muzzle independent media that are critical of strongman President Alyaksandr Lukashenka and his government. The Belarusian Foreign Ministry has denied that allegation. If found guilty, the journalists may face hefty fines or up to two years in prison. With reporting by tut.by and BelaPAN The presidents of Kosovo and Serbia are meeting in Brussels as part of an EU-mediated dialogue on the normalization of relations between the two neighbors. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini is hosting the November 8 talks between Aleksandar Vucic of Serbia and Kosovos Hashim Thaci, amid renewed tension over Pristina's recent decision to impose tariffs on Serbian goods. The two countries have had tense relations since Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Although more than 110 countries recognize Kosovo, Serbia does not. Both Serbia and Kosovo have been told they must resolve their differences reach a binding agreement on their ties in order to make progress toward European Union membership. However, the EU-sponsored talks between the two countries' leaders have been stop-and-go in recent months. After the Brussels talks, which lasted less than an hour, Mogherini said the parties had "decided to remain in constant contact in the coming days to assess the followup of today's meeting." She urged both sides "to refrain from words, actions, and measures that are contrary to the spirit of normalization," according to a statement released by the EU's foreign policy service. "In today's meeting we will reconfirm Kosovo's full commitment to achieve a legally binding comprehensive agreement with Serbia," Thaci tweeted ahead of the meeting, while Vucic said he had no big expectations of a breakthrough but said it was necessary to talk, Serbia's national broadcaster RTS reported. Amid talk of land swaps between Serbia and Kosovo, Vucic in September refused to hold face-to-face talks with his Kosovar counterpart in Brussels, casting new doubt over prospects for a landmark agreement between the countries. In another sign of renewed tension in the region, Kosovo's government on November 6 announced it had decided to slap a 10 percent tax on Serbian and Bosnian products in retaliation for what it said was the two countries' hostility toward the young republic. Officials in Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, which also does not recognize Kosovos independence, blasted Pristinas decision, arguing that it violates the terms of the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA). Bosnian Foreign Trade Minister Mirko Sarovic called the move "intolerable," while Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said Kosovos "unilateral decision" showed that Pristina was not willing to continue dialogue with Belgrade. The EU called on the Kosovar government to revoke the new measures, saying they undermine regional cooperation and are in "clear violation" of the country's obligations under CEFTA. The regional grouping, which comprises Albania, Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Moldova, aims at stimulating its members' economic development and EU path. High-level diplomatic and security talks between China and the United States this week will send a positive signal to the world, showing that both sides are willing to enhance mutual trust and properly handle risks and differences, experts said. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense James Mattis will host Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, in Washington on Friday, the US State Department said in a statement on Monday. Yang is also the director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee. State Councilor and Minister of National Defense General Wei Fenghe will also join the Chinese delegation for the Friday talks, referred to as the second round of the China-US Diplomatic and Security Dialogue. The dialogue is a framework for negotiation created by US President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago in 2017 to expand areas of cooperation while narrowing differences on key diplomatic and security issues, the US statement said. The first round of dialogue was held in June last year in Washington, where issues were discussed ranging from the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula to maintaining peace and security in the South China Sea. The Friday dialogue will be the third time in five months that Mattis and Wei have met. They met in June when Mattis first visited China, and they met a second time in October on the sidelines of the 5th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus in Singapore. Tao Wenzhao, a US studies researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said it is unprecedented for defense ministers to meet so frequently. This signals that the countries share a strong interest in maintaining high-level military exchanges, as well as enhancing strategic understanding and trust, Tao said. "The Friday dialogue will play a positive role in dispersing the negative sentiments that are plaguing Sino-US relations," Tao said. However, he added, it might not immediately yield substantial solutions to major diplomatic and security issues between the two nations. "But the dialogue is still important for building stable, healthy, military-to-military relations between the two nations," he said. "Military relations are a matter of life and death. Any mishaps between the two militaries will be catastrophic to bilateral ties." The Chinese delegation will likely reiterate its stance on security regarding the Korean Peninsula, Taiwan and the South China Sea, Tao said. "The Chinese military will respond to provocations from the US, but both militaries will continue to seek cooperation wherever possible," he said. Areas of cooperation include enhancing high-level exchanges and communication mechanisms, promoting mutual visits by military personnel and naval ships and increasing coordination in peacekeeping missions, counterterrorism and humanitarian aid, he said. Li Haidong, a US studies researcher at China Foreign Affairs University, said Sino-US relations are at a crossroads given the rise in uncertainties within US politics due to the recent midterm election. "The dialogue is very timely and necessary for both sides to mitigate misunderstandings and properly handle differences," he said. "It will also serve as preparation for the possible upcoming meeting between Xi and Trump during the G20 summit later this month, allowing the two state leaders to discuss issues more openly and effectively." KHUJAND, Tajikistan -- At least 22 people, including two guards, were killed when a riot broke out late on November 7 in a prison in Tajikistans northern city of Khujand, sources close to local authorities told RFE/RL on November 8. Several people were wounded in the fighting, sources said. It is still not clear what sparked the riot, which was quashed only after additional police forces were sent to the site. Security sources told RFE/RL that the fighting began after an inmate attacked and killed a prison guard. The body of one of the guards killed in the incident, 29-year-old Ehson Yoqubov, was buried in his native village of Pastighav on November 8, the village's head Shohkarim Muhammadiev told RFE/RL. There was no immediate official reaction from the government. The local administration only confirmed that there had been a riot, without offering further information. The sources told RFE/RL that security forces were on high alert and that Justice Ministry staff and other officials flew to Khujand immediately after the incident last night. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media on the issue. Tajik independent news agency Asia Plus cited sources at the Khujand city hospital as saying that six police officers were admitted to hospital with gunshot wounds. A doctor described their condition as "relatively serious," but "not life-threatening." Local residents say that police cordoned all roads and highways connecting Khujand, Tajikistan's second largest city, with neighboring Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. The penitentiary in Khujand, officially known as high-security prison No. 3/3, which largely houses inmates convicted on charges related to terrorism and extremism and other serious crimes, is located some 300 kilometers north of the capital, Dushanbe. Authorities say more than 1,000 Tajiks have joined IS in Syria and Iraq, while dozens of others were detained at home for suspected links to the extremist group. Security sources said many of the inmates in the Khujand prison are those convicted of membership or affiliation with banned militant groups, including IS Hizb-ut-Tahrir, and others. Other inmates include convicted murderers and drug dealers, they said. The prison currently houses some 800 inmates -- around 50 more than it was originally designed to accommodate, said the source at the Justice Ministry. Officials in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan said on November 8 that, due to the prison riot in Khujand, the two countries had beefed up security along the Tajik border. With reporting by Interfax and RFE/RL's Uzbek Service Danish authorities say three members of an Iranian exile opposition group arrested on suspicion of supporting terrorism have been released. Police detained the three on November 7 under the accusation of having praised those behind a deadly attack in the southwestern Iranian city of Ahvaz in September. The release was announced late on November 7 after they were interviewed by police. The three are members of the Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahvaz (ASMLA), an Iranian ethnic Arab separatist group that Iran has blamed for the September attack in which at least 25 people were killed. ASMLA, which seeks a separate state for ethnic Arabs in Iran's oil-producing southwestern province of Khuzestan, has condemned the violence and said it was not involved. Late last month, the Danish PET security service accused the Iranian intelligence service of plotting to assassinate the leader of the group's Danish branch. Tehran denied the allegation, calling it a conspiracy aimed at damaging Tehran's relations with the European Union. A Norwegian citizen of Iranian background has been detained in Sweden in connection with the alleged Iranian plot to kill the opposition activist and extradited to Denmark. The suspect, who remains in pretrial detention, denies any involvement. Copenhagen has recalled its ambassador to Iran for consultations and summoned the Iranian ambassador. Denmark said it was also consulting with its allies about possible sanctions against Tehran. Based on reporting by AP, AFP, and dpa On of Russia's most infamous gangsters, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence, has been placed in solitary confinement after photos of him receiving privileged treatment circulated on the Internet. Vyacheslav Tsepovyaz's lawyer Elbrus Murtazov criticized the decision, saying on November 8 that it was made "for unclear reasons." Tsepovyaz, a member of the notorious Tsapok gang, which terrorized a rural farming community in southern Russia, could be seen in photos sitting in a room with a big television set, eating crab and caviar, and grilling meat. Federal Penitentiary Service officials said on November 8 that the pictures were taken in 2015, two years after Tsepovyaz was convicted, adding that he was placed in "a punitive isolation cell" for violation of the prisons internal regulations. The Prosecutor-Generals office said an investigation was launched against members of the prison administration suspected of providing Tsepovyaz with the privileges. The Tsapok gang operated in the community of Kushchyovskaya, a town in the Krasnodar Krai region, from the late 1990s until 2010. Members of the gang were found guilty of numerous kidnappings, robberies, a series of murders, including the brutal slaying of a wealthy farmer and 11 other people in 2010 that provoked a nationwide outcry, leading to the arrests of the gang leader and other high-ranking members, including Tsepovyaz. The case also sparked controversy after investigations revealed the group's ties to local Russian officials. Based on reporting by TASS, DPA, and Interfax A square near the Moscow headquarters of Russias Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has been named after Kim Philby, a British spy who defected to the Soviet Union in 1963. The intersection in the southwestern part of the capital was renamed Kim Philby Square following the signing of a decree by Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin on November 6. The action comes at a time of heightened tensions between Russia and Britain over the poisoning of a Russian former spy and his daughter in the English city of Salisbury in March. Britain and most of the West has blame Russia for the Soviet-designed nerve agent attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal, although Moscow denies any involvement. Philby, considered his country's biggest Cold War traitor, joined Britain's MI6 foreign intelligence service in 1940 and rose to the head of its counterespionage division. He also served as intelligence liaison with the United States. He was exposed as a double agent in 1963 after passing information to Moscow over three decades and defected to the Soviet Union while being stationed in Beirut. He lived in the Russian capital until he died in 1988, although nowhere near the square named in his honor. The move comes months after a street plaza opposite the Russian Embassy in Washington was renamed in February to honor Boris Nemtsov, the Russian opposition leader who was assassinated in Moscow in February 2015. Based on reporting by AP, AFP, and the BBC Pakistan has begun talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on a possible bailout package to help the country overcome a deepening economic crisis. Finance Ministry spokesman Noor Ahmad said on November 7 that Pakistan expected to receive a three-year assistance package from the international lender of last resort. The talks on what would be the 13th IMF bailout package since the 1980s are scheduled to finish on November 20. Islamabad last received an IMF bailout of $6.6 billion in 2013. Hours ahead of the IMF delegation's arrival in Islamabad, Finance Minister Asad Umar announced that an immediate balance of payment crisis has been averted with the help of China and Saudi Arabia. Pakistan was facing a $12 billion financing gap for the current fiscal year. Umar told a press conference late on November 6 that Saudi Arabia had already committed $6 billion and another $6 billion would come from China. Last month, Saudi Arabia announced it would lend $3 billion to Pakistan's central bank for a year to help maintain reserves at a safe level, and provide another $3 billion through deferred payments on oil purchases. Chinese leaders pledged to help Pakistan during Prime Minister Imran Khan's visit to Beijing last week. Details of the Chinese assistance are still under negotiation. Umar said Pakistan's finance secretary and central bank governor will travel to Beijing on November 9 to finalize terms of the assistance. Khan's government has sought to minimize the amount borrowed from the IMF by getting loans from "friendly" countries. The conditions the IMF typically attaches to its loans include such unpopular measures as devaluing the country's currency, balancing the budget with spending cuts and tax increases, and curbing imports to tame the trade deficit. Pakistani officials are concerned tough IMF conditions would hit economic growth in the short term and prevent Khan from fulfilling populist campaign pledges. Khan's government has pledged to create an "Islamic welfare state" and help build 5 million homes for the poor. Pakistan's current account deficit widened by 43 percent to $18 billion in the last fiscal year and its budget deficit has ballooned to 6.6 percent of economic output, creating a financial crunch that economists say will require IMF intervention to overcome. With reporting by dpa, AFP, and Reuters The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. Asia Bibi, a Christian woman who was sentenced to death for blasphemy, is free but under police protection after the Pakistani Supreme Court overturned her conviction. Hard-line Islamist groups continue to call for her execution. Around 17,500 soldiers from 10 NATO member states are participating in military drills that started on November 7 in Poland and the Baltic states, the Polish Defense Ministry announced. The ministry said the "Anakonda" exercise is the biggest drill the Polish forces have ever held, with 12,500 Polish troops involved at training grounds in the country. A further 5,000 soldiers from NATO member countries are taking part in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The schedule also includes naval maneuvers in the Baltic Sea. The exercises will continue until November 16 and are aimed at training the individual units to cooperate with each other, the ministry said. Since the annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula by Russia in 2014, Poland and the three Baltic states as well as other Eastern European states have expressed concern about their security. The United States has deployed and rotated troops in the region since the Ukraine crisis began in an effort to deter Russia. NATO has also increased its presence on the eastern borders of those four countries, all of which border Russia. Poland has been calling for more U.S. military personnel to be deployed on its territory, with Warsaw suggesting to U.S. President Donald Trump recently that he create a permanent base under the name "Fort Trump." Based on reporting by dpa and TASS Russian and Chinese leaders are lashing out at U.S. sanctions and tariffs that they say are undermining the global trading system built by Washington, and say the measures have served to cement closer economic and political ties between Beijing and Moscow. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, in a visit to Beijing on November 7, accused the United States of misusing sanctions to gain an advantage in world trade and to resolve domestic political disputes. "It is obvious that all sorts of sanctions, talks about sanctions against Iran, sanctions against the Russian Federation, restrictions on supplies and duties against the EU, China are made in order to solve domestic political problems," Medvedev said in comments echoed by Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang. The two leaders said the U.S. trade restrictions had revived "protectionist" sentiments around the world and put a "time bomb" under the World Trade Organization (WTO), the global trade arbiter created by the United States and its allies to enforce a system of rules on global trade. "Protectionism and unilateral approaches harm the multilateral trade system, the core of which is the WTO," Li said. Both Russia and China had to struggle to meet the Western trading standards imposed by the WTO, but recently have become among the organization's biggest defenders. Medvedev said Russia will "withstand" the U.S. sanctions imposed over Moscow's aggression in Ukraine and other matters, but he said the sanctions Washington imposed on Iran this week had the potential to seriously damage Iran's economy and cause the break-up of Iran's 2015 nuclear agreement, which Russia, China, and other world powers pledged to honor after the United States abandoned it this year. Washington has reimposed sanctions on Iran despite having "no evidence" Tehran violated the deal, Medvedev claimed, with the result that "what was done with such difficulty may be derailed, because, as far as I understand it, Iran's patience is not endless." Iranian leaders have said they will honor the 2015 deal as long as Iran's economy continues to benefit from the sanctions relief granted by world powers other than the United States, but they have vowed to walk away from the deal if it no longer benefits Iran. Russia and Iran have been among the main targets of U.S. sanctions imposed by Washington since 2014, when the United States first hit Moscow with sanctions over its annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula. Since then, the sanctions have been widened and ratcheted up in response to alleged Russian meddling in U.S. elections as well as its alleged poisoning of Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal in England this year. A round of U.S. sanctions announced against Russia's defense and intelligence sectors this year was also applied to China recently over its purchase of Russian military aircraft. Meanwhile, Washington has also been in an escalating trade battle with China, with the two economic titans imposing tit-for-tat tariffs on each others' exports. One apparently unintended effect of the sanctions and trade wars has been to drive Beijing and Moscow closer together, while forcing Russia to rely more on its own economic resources, the leaders said. To "withstand" the U.S. sanctions, Medvedev said Russia had had to adapt in ways that have benefited the Russian economy, turning to China to expand trade while developing Russia's own industries instead of relying on imports and technology from the West. As a result, China has become Russia's biggest trade partner, he said, and that trade should continue to grow quickly if only because China is the world's biggest energy consumer while Russia is one of the biggest energy producers. Medvedev told reporters that he expected trade between Russia and China to reach $100 billion this year for the first time, and to eventually double to $200 billion. Trade between the countries grew by 30 percent last year to $87 billion, according to Stratfor, a U.S. analytical firm. Li Zhanshu, a top official in China's National People's Congress, echoed Medvedev's comments. While the United States continues to "swing the club of sanctions" around the world, he said it was important for China and Russia to strengthen their cooperation politically and economically. Li said China's goal was to bring relations with Russia "to a higher level through joint efforts." With reporting by dpa and Interfax Washington may still impose sanctions over the construction of an underwater natural-gas pipeline between Russia and Germany through the Baltic Sea, U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry has said. Speaking during a visit to Warsaw, Perry told reporters on November 8 that he saw "no signals where we would ever get to the point where we can support Nord Stream 2," the planned 1,230-kilometer project being pushed by the Kremlin. "Sanctions were an option that [President Donald Trump] maintained," he added. The United States and Poland, along with the Baltic states and several other EU countries, have expressed concern about the project, which would avoid existing gas pipelines through Ukraine and increase Europe's energy dependence on Russia. Trump last year signed a law giving him the right to sanction companies involved in Nord Stream 2, which is led by Russian gas giant Gazprom, along with other European investors. The Kremlin said the move was economically motivated and an attempt to promote U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Europe. During Perry's visit to Warsaw, the United States and Poland signed a declaration on November 8 calling for enhanced cooperation on energy security as Warsaw looks to further wean itself off Russian energy supplies. "Energy security in turn requires energy diversity. That is the reason we oppose the Nord Stream 2 project, which would further increase the dangerous energy dependence many European nations have on the Russian federation," Perry said at a signing ceremony with Polish President Andrzej Duda. "This is a signal across Europe that this is how your energy future can be developed, the security of the country, the diversity of supply -- this is a great day for Europe," the U.S. energy secretary added. As part of the 24-year accord, a total of nearly 41 billion cubic meters of U.S. LNG will be delivered from Texas-based Cheniere Marketing International to Poland. It was the second recent deal struck by the Polish state-run gas firm PGNiG, which sealed a 20-year pact in October with the U.S.-based Venture Global LNG for delivery of up to 2 million tons of LNG a year. With reporting by AP and Reuters WASHINGTON -- The United States is imposing a new round of financial sanctions related to Moscow's aggression in Ukraine, focusing on individuals and companies doing business in Russian-annexed Crimea. Sigal Mandelker, a U.S. Treasury undersecretary, said on November 8 that the United States "remains committed to targeting Russian-backed entities that seek to profit from Russia's illegal annexation and occupation" of Ukraines Crimea region. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying the sanctions were "doomed to fail" and that Moscow "wont take them into account." U.S. and other Western countries have imposed sanctions on Russia over its annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in March 2014 and its backing of separatists in eastern Ukraine, where fighting with Ukrainian government forces has killed more than 10,300 people since April 2014. The Treasury said it was now targeting three individuals and nine entities that are supporting Moscows attempt to "reintegrate" Crimea into Russia through private investment and privatization projects or are engaging in "serious human rights abuses in furtherance of Russia's occupation or control over parts of Ukraine." It identified the sanctioned individuals are Andriy Volodymyrovych Sushko, Aleksandr Basov, and Vladimir Nikolaevich Zaritsky. Sushko, an officer in Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), is suspected of having participated in the 2017 abduction and torture of a Crimean Tatar activist who opposed Russia's occupation of the region, according to the Treasury. Zaritsky is the former commander-in-chief of Russia's missile and artillery forces who is leading a hotel project in Simferopol, it also said. The entities are the "Ministry of State Security of so-called Luhansk People's Republic;" and companies Mriya Resort and Spa; Garant-SV; Infrastructure Projects Management; Sanatorium AY-Petri; Dyulber; Sanatorium Miskhor; KRIMTETS; and Southern Project. It described Mriya Resort and Spa as a luxury hotel that opened in the resort of Yalta shortly after the annexation and "the main Russian platform for showcasing investment opportunities in Crimea." The Treasury said all of the individuals and entities property and interests in property subject to the U.S. jurisdiction will be frozen, and U.S. persons and entities will generally be prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. The moves reinforce the "Crimea Declaration of July 25, 2018, stating that the United Sates does not and will not recognize Russia's purported annexation of Crimea," it added. Earlier on November 8, Kurt Volker, the U.S. special envoy for Ukraine, said Washington was "leveraging new authorities to target Russian actors for serious human rights abuses" in parts of Ukraine's Luhansk and Donetsk regions that are "forcibly occupied or otherwise controlled by Russia." Speaking in a telephone briefing with journalists, Volker also reiterated the United States opposition to local elections planned for November 11 in areas of eastern Ukraine held by the separatists. "It is something we would call on Russia to halt and not go forward with," he said, adding that the separatists "do not have legitimacy in the local area nor are they consistent" with the accords signed in Minsk in September 2014 and February 2015 aimed at resolving the conflict. Ukraine has said the results of the "fake" elections will be "null and void." European countries have also condemned the "illegitimate" vote. Russia has argued that the municipal elections are needed "to fill the vacuum in power" following the August killing of Donetsk separatist leader Aleksandr Zakharchenko. Volker said he planned to meet with his Russian counterpart, Vladislav Surkov -- an adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin -- "in the next several weeks." With reporting by Interfax A total of 36 telecom fraudsters have been returned from the Philippines to southern China's Shenzhen Wednesday. The suspects are behind more than 700 fraud cases across China involving over 18 million yuan (2.6 million U.S. dollars), according to the police. Among the repatriated, 22 have been handed over to Guangdong police, and the other 14 are being sent to northeast China's Jilin Province for further investigation. Police said the suspects, based in the Philippines, used e-mails and social networking software to trick victims into purchasing assigned products online using their own money to boost order volumes. Then the suspects would wire them the order amounts together with some rewards to establish trust, before inducing them to invest more, but later refused to pay them back using various reasons. Most victims were young people such as college students, some being swindled out of hundreds of thousands of yuan, according to the police. Officials in Afghanistan say Taliban attacks have killed at least 10 soldiers and seven police officers as U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad opens a tour of the region to push for peace negotiations with the militants. Taliban militants attacked an army outpost in the Khwaja Ghar district of the northern province of Takhar early on November 9, provincial police chief Abdul Rashid Bashir said. At least 10 soldiers were killed and 12 were wounded in the hourlong battle before the militants were repulsed, Bashir said. The militants suffered "heavy casualties," Bashir added, but didn't elaborate. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for that attack. Late on November 8, Taliban militants also attacked police forces in Farah, the capital of the western province of the same name. Provincial council member Abdul Samad Salehi said seven police officers were killed and three were wounded there. Khalilzad, who is a former ambassador to Kabul, will visit Afghanistan, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar this month to push for peace negotiations with the Afghan Taliban, the State Department has said. A statement said Khalilzad will travel to the region from November 8 to 20 and meet with Afghan government officials and "other interested parties to advance the goal of an intra-Afghan dialogue and negotiations that include the Taliban and lead to a sustainable peace." For years, the United States has been trying to persuade the Taliban to agree to negotiate an end to the 17-year conflict in Afghanistan, as the Afghan security forces continue to struggle to counter stepped-up attacks by the militant group in its drive to force the Western-backed government in Kabul from power. U.S. efforts foundered over the militants' insistence on negotiating directly with Washington rather than the Afghan government, which it calls a "puppet" of the United States. Khalilzad, Trump's special adviser on Afghanistan, last visited the region in October. The State Department said he had been "encouraged" to see that both the government in Kabul and the Taliban are "taking steps" toward organizing "authoritative negotiating teams." "A sustainable peace requires that all Afghans have a say in their country's future," it also said. "The United States remains committed to a political settlement that results in an end to the war and to the terrorist threat posed to the United States and the world," the statement added. "A peaceful Afghanistan can play a catalytic role in regional trade and development." As recently as late October, U.S. and Taliban officials conducted preliminary talks in Qatar, where the militants have a political office that serves as a de facto embassy. With reporting by AP, Reuters, and AFP The White House has suspended the press credentials of a CNN reporter after a heated exchange with U.S. President Donald Trump. At a November 7 press conference, CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta asked the U.S. president about the investigation into alleged Russia interference in the 2016 presidential election and migrants traveling to the U.S. border. A White House intern attempted to take the microphone away from Acosta and Trump called the reporter "rude" and an "enemy of the people." The United States is warning other countries not to allow Iranian oil tankers into their ports, saying the tankers not only could incur penalties under U.S. sanctions but may be courting "environmental disaster." The State Department warned the global shipping and insurance industries on November 7 that as part of Washington's "maximum pressure campaign" to get Iran to change its behavior, insuring Iranian tankers will now incur penalties under the sanctions reinstated this week. Brian Hook, the special U.S. representative for Iran, said that as major insurers withdraw coverage from Iranian vessels, Iran will likely turn to domestic insurance companies that will not be able to cover losses for maritime accidents that could run into the billions of dollars. "From the Suez Canal to the Strait of Malacca and all choke points in between, Iranian tankers are now a floating liability," Hook told reporters. "Countries, ports and canal operators and private firms should know they will be likely responsible for the costs of an accident involving a self-insured Iranian tanker." The United States "sincerely hopes" accidents do not occur, he said, but he noted that an Iranian tanker was involved in a major accident in the East China Sea in January that resulted in the loss of the ship and all its crew as well as a massive oil spill. He said the department had evidence that Iranian vessels are trying to evade U.S. sanctions by disabling location transponders used to prevent collisions -- with the goal of making Iran's oil exports harder to track. "This tactic is a maritime security threat," Hook said. "These transponders are designed to maximize visibility at sea and turning them off only increases the risk of accidents and injuries. Self-insured Iranian tankers engaging in unsafe behavior, with many tons of crude oil on board, [are] courting environmental and financial disaster." The sanctions that went into force on November 7 target Iran's energy, financial, and shipping sectors and result from President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from Iran's 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers, which had lifted the sanctions for a time. The sanctions aim to isolate Iran by choking off its main source of revenue -- oil exports -- and they are enforced through the imposition of penalties on companies that continue to do business with Iran. However, the administration granted waivers allowing eight major oil-importing countries -- including China and India, Iran's top two customers -- continue buying Iranian petroleum products without penalty for another six months. Iranian officials have said the waivers provide proof that the United States cannot achieve its goal of cutting off all of Iran's oil exports. With reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election will continue despite the change in leadership at the Justice Department, the White House says. Spokeswoman Kellyanne Conway told Fox News on November 8 that "this is a continuum -- the Mueller investigation will continue." The comments come a day after President Donald Trump forced the resignation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, raising concerns of Democratic leaders about the future of Mueller's probe, which Trump has called "disgraceful" and "very bad" for the country. Sessions had recused himself from overseeing the probe that is also investigating any ties between Russian figures and Trump's campaign. Sessions served with the Trump campaign before heading the Justice Department. As Sessions' deputy, Rod Rosenstein has had authority over Mueller's probe. But Trump named Sessions' chief of staff, Matt Whitaker, to become the acting attorney general, allowing him to oversee the Mueller probe. Whitaker, a former Republican politician, has publicly called for limits on the investigation, leading many Democrats to demand he also recuse himself from probe-related matters. Asked if Trump had told Whitaker to shut down the probe, spokeswoman Conway told reporters outside the White House that the "president hasn't instructed him to do anything" beyond serve as acting attorney general. Moscow denies meddling in U.S. elections, while Trump has repeatedly said there was "no collusion" between his campaign and Russia. In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the U.S. election a "headache for our American counterparts," but he declined to comment on Sessions departure, saying, It has nothing to do with us." Based on reporting by dpa and AP Cancun man arrested after Gendarmerie police find packages of cocaine Cancun, Q.R. Gendarmerie police in Cancun have arrested a man they found carrying 100 packages of cocaine. In a statement, they reported that during a routine patrol, members of the Gendarmerie police noticed a man trying to evade them in SM 77. After approaching the man, an inspection of his person revealed the 100 street doses. The subject identified himself as 31-year-old Jose N. Police say they found the packages of cocaine concealed in various parts of his clothing. He was taken into custody. Two cruise ship companies add Puerto Morelos to itineraries Puerto Morelos, Q.R. Cruise companies are expressing interest in adding Puerto Morelos to their itineraries for 2019 with two already offering the service beginning early next year. Victory Cruise Lines and Ponant are already offering Puerto Morelos as a stop with Victory Cruise Lines announcing their first stop to the seaside town on their January 23 route. The first Puerto Morelos cruise stop for Ponant is scheduled for their November 2 (2019) Maya Treasure of the Yucatan cruise followed by a November 9 cruise to Puerto Morelos, Natural and Cultural Wonders of the Western Caribbean. Photo: Victory Cruise Lines For Victory Cruise Lines, they say Victory guests will dock in Puerto Morelos, whose modern port facilities were recently completed to accommodate cruise ship passengers. Victory Cruise Lines will operate The Grand Mayan Experience cruises to the Yucatan Peninsula from January through early May, and the second season begins in November 2019 and ends in May 2020. The Quintana Roo portion of the cruise includes a full-day exploration from the town of Puerto Morelos in the heart of the Riviera Maya. In addition to visiting the Tulum archaeological site, one of two evenings in Puerto Morelos will include the Xcaret Mexico Espectacular, a journey through Mexico s history from the pre-Conquistador era. After Puerto Morelos, guests travel inland to Chichen Itza and the Magic Towns of Valladolid and Izamal. Photo: Ponant Ponant, who are also offering cruise itineraries that include Puerto Morelos say on their website, PONANT brings you a brand-new itinerary in the Caribbean Sea, sailing along the Mexican peninsula of Yucatan to Belize and Guatemala. In Puerto Morelos, Cancuns port, you will board Le Champlain for an 8-day cruise combining idyllic beaches and Pre-Columbian sites. Both cruises are currently selling. Handmade poppies in Swinton VETERANS will join civic leaders and members of the public for remembrance services this weekend. Commemoration events will be held on Sunday in Rotherham, Mexborough, Wath, Kilnhurst, Conisbrough and Swinton, among other venues to mark Remembrance Day and Armistice Day. Rotherhams main civic remembrance commemorations involve a parade through the town centre, followed by a service at Rotherham Minster and a wreath-laying at Clifton Park. The parade members will gather at 9am before heading to the Minster service, which begins at 9.45am, followed by a parade to the park at 10.45am and the wreath-laying and two minutes' silence at 11am. Rotherham's Poppy Cascade is also available to view at the Centenary Market Hall until November 17. There will also be a street party to celebrate the end of the First World War. The party will take place in Rotherham's Outdoor Covered Market, tomorrow (10) from 11am to 4pm, and everyone is welcome to attend. The York and Lancaster Regimental Museum at Clifton Park Museum is running a special exhibition called Coming Home: The End of the Great War. The exhibition can be viewed at any time during museum opening hours, and a number of remembrance-themed events and activities for children and adults are also taking place. Visit www.rotherham.gov.uk/events for further details. Bramley is hosting its own remembrance programme. Details of village services and tributes are as follows: Conisbrough: There will be a service of remembrance at St Peter's at 9.30am, followed by wreath-laying at Conisbrough's war memorial. Mexborough: This year marks the end of the First World War in November, 1918, one hundred years ago, Lone piper Bob Green will play in Castle Hills Park, off Doncaster Road at 5.40am, before parading to the war memorial in the park to perform the traditional Scottish lament "Battle O'er" at 6am. Members of the public are invited to attend. Later in the morning, members of The Royal British Legion and the public will gather in the car park alongside Mexborough Police Station near the New Surgery in plenty of time to march off at 10.20am towards the Castle Hills War Memorial in Doncaster Road. Wreaths will be available to collect at this time. Members of the public are warmly invited to also attend at the war memorial before 10.40am to join in the service of commemoration. which will be attended by The Deputy Lord Lieutenant of South Yorkshire, Mrs Jane Marshall, and other dignitaries. Swinton: A service will be held at St Margaret's Church from 9.30am until 10.45am, followed by a wreath-laying at the nearby war memorial from 10.50am. St John's Methodist Church will hold a service from 10am until 10.30am, after which there will be further commemorations in the Church for the remembrance and at the war memorial in time for 10.50am. Kilnhurst: A service will be held at St Thomas' Church from 9.30am, before the commemoration at the nearby war memorial. Wath: Members of The Royal British Legion and members of the public will gather outside the Burlington Club ready for the march off at 9.30am towards the Wath Parish Church for a service and commemoration at the village's war memorial. On Saturday, November 10th, the McKenzie County Health Systems will be offering Free Stop the Bleed Classes. The courses will be taking place during Womens Day Health Expo at the Rough Rider Center in Watford City, North Dakota. Starting at 9:00 a.m. the Keynote Speaker, Dr. Mary Aaland, a surgeon with over 20 years of experience from Fargo, ND, will be discussing the Stop The Bleed Program. Dr. Aaland will be instructing the Stop The Bleed courses. She is motivated to teach participants that they can save a life if provided with the proper tools and education. She will be teaching Stop the Bleed certification courses at 10:35, 11:10, 11:45 a.m., and 12:20 p.m. During the course, participants will learn how to act as an immediate responder in the case of a life-threatening bleed; the course includes how to apply pressure correctly, dress a wound, and apply a tourniquet. Participants will be trained to identify nearby tools such as a publicly placed bleeding control kit or everyday items that can be used to control bleeding, use their hands to apply direct pressure at the site of a wound to stop bleeding, pack a deep wound with cloth or gauze to control bleeding, correctly apply a tourniquet to an injured limb to stop bleeding, keep a victim calm until help arrives. Stop The Bleed Classes are beneficial for everyone to attend. No matter how quick the arrival of professional emergency responders, bystanders will always be first on the scene. A person who is bleeding can die from blood loss within five minutes; therefore it is essential to stop the blood loss immediately. Those closest to a person with life-threatening injuries are best positioned to provide immediate care. Stop the Bleed is a national awareness campaign. The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma is promoting Stop The Bleed Classes in an effort to save lives by teaching and informing the civilian population how to stop uncontrolled bleeding in emergency situations. Studies have shown that help given by an immediate responder can often make the difference between life and death, even before medical professionals arrive. To register for a Stop The Bleed Class and other Womans Day Health Expo events go to http://www.eventbrite.com. If you have any questions about the event you can contact Leslie Kelly at (701) 444-8661. LK Advani New Delhi, Nov 8 (PTI): Top BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah, Thursday greeted party veteran L K Advani on his 91st birthday, recalling his contribution to national politics, and also in building the party and propagating its ideology. The party veteran's impact on Indian politics is immense, the prime minister said. "Advani ji's contribution towards India's development is monumental. His ministerial tenures are applauded for futuristic decision making and people-friendly policies. His wisdom is admired across the political spectrum," Modi wrote on Twitter. He credited Advani, the longest serving party president and also deputy prime minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, for "selflessly and diligently" building the BJP and "wonderfully" mentoring its workers. Advertisement Went to Advani Jis residence and wished him on his birthday. pic.twitter.com/4We9Tp8Qui Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 8, 2018 Later the prime minister visited Advani's residence to greet him. In his tweets, Shah said Advani strengthened the BJP's organisation and inspired its workers while also infusing discipline into them with his lifelong hard work. "In taking our ideology to the masses from the Jana Sangh to the BJP and in setting India on the path to progress as a skilled politician in Parliament, Advani ji's contribution to Indian politics is unparalleled," he said. Advertisement Jana Sangh, founded in 1951, was the precursor to the Bharatiya Janata Party, which was launched in 1980. Home Minister and former BJP president Rajnath Singh described Advani as a stalwart of Indian politics. "He has nurtured the BJP from its inception. Advani ji is an inspiration to millions of party karyakartas (workers). May he be blessed with a good health and long life," Singh said. ????? ?? ???????????? ?????? ???????? ?????? ?? ?? ??????? ?? ?????? ?????????? ???? ??? ?? ???? ?????????????? ???? ? ???????? ?? ????? ???? ???? ?????? ?? ?? ???? ???? ???????? ?????? ?? ??????? ?? ????? ?? ?????? ????? ???????????? ?? ??????? ? ???????? ???? ?? ????? ???? ??? Amit Shah (@AmitShah) November 8, 2018 Advertisement Credited for crafting the BJP's rise to a pre-eminent position in late 80s and 90s after it had hit a low of two Lok Sabha seats in 1984 Lok Sabha polls, Advani has been sidelined from the party's affairs and was made a member of 'margdarshak mandal' (group of mentors) in 2014 after it came to power. The group has, incidentally, never met since its inception. PM celebrates Diwali with soldiers Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand), Nov 8 (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Harsil near the India-China border in Uttarakhand to celebrate Diwali with Army and ITBP personnel on Wednesday. Greeting the jawans on the occasion, the prime minister said their devotion to duty in the remote icy heights, is enabling the strength of the nation, and securing the future and the dreams of 125 crore Indians, a statement from his office said. He said that Diwali is the festival of lights, it spreads the light of goodness and dispels fear. He said that the jawans, through their commitment and discipline, are also helping to spread the sense of security and fearlessness among the people. The prime minister recalled that he has been visiting soldiers on Diwali ever since he was the chief minister of Gujarat. He also spoke of his interactions with the jawans of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), years ago when he was part of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. Advertisement Celebrated Diwali with Army and ITBP personnel The prime minister said India is taking great strides forward in the defence sector. He spoke of various measures being taken for the welfare of ex-servicemen, including implementation of 'one rank, one pension' (OROP). Modi said that the Indian Armed Forces draw admiration and appreciation across the world, in UN peacekeeping operations. The prime minister offered sweets to the jawans. He also interacted with people from nearby areas who had gathered to greet him on Diwali. Harshil is a cantonment area situated at a height of 7,860 feet close to the India-China border in Uttarkashi district. The prime minister is scheduled to go to Kedarnath later in the day to offer prayers and review the progress of reconstruction projects at Kedarpuri. Kedarpuri, the township situated close to the Himalayan shrine, had bore the brunt of the catastrophic floods of 2013 which killed thousands of people. Advertisement Harshil is a cantonment area situated at a height of 7,860 feet Responding to Diwali greeting from Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday night, Modi had said, "Every year, I visit our border areas and surprise our troops. This year too, will spend Diwali with our brave troops. Spending time with them is special. Flash China and Russia agreed on Wednesday to further enhance political and strategic mutual trust while expanding economic and trade cooperation. The agreement came as Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev co-chaired the 23rd regular meeting between Chinese and Russian heads of governments in Beijing. The meeting is the first of its kind since the two countries formed new governments and it is of great importance, serving as a link between the past and the future, said Li. He said China and Russia are the biggest neighbors in the region and provide important development opportunities to each other. Noting that the presidents of the two countries have met multiple times and the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination has been maintained at a high level, Li said this is not only in line with the interests of the two countries and the two peoples, but also conducive to the stability of the world and the recovery of the global economy. "China is willing to work with Russia to continue deepening political and strategic mutual trust, expanding all-round cooperation and jointly contributing to world peace, stability and development," said Li. Li and Medvedev listened to reports by Chinese vice premiers Han Zheng, Sun Chunlan and Hu Chunhua, as well as Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Anton Siluanov, and deputy prime ministers Tatyana Golikova, Maxim Akimov and Yury Trutnev. Hailing the rapid development of China-Russia economic and trade cooperation since the beginning of this year, Li said the bilateral trade volume will hopefully exceed 100 billion U.S. dollars by year-end, and there is great potential in the future. He called on both sides to further improve trade facilitation, expand mutual investment, reinforce agricultural cooperation, boost cross-border e-commerce development and enhance cooperation in areas of innovation, especially the application of science, technology and basic research. Li also called for intensified people-to-people and local exchanges as well as cooperation in areas of media, youth, tourism, health and sports. China stands ready to work with Russia to be committed to upholding the basic principles and spirit of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and safeguarding free trade and multilateralism, Li said, adding that China will synergize the Belt and Road Initiative and the Eurasian Economic Union. For his part, Medvedev spoke highly of the high-level mutual trust between the two countries, saying Russia is willing to intensify exchanges with China at all levels, further enhance substantial cooperation and expand trade scales. He encouraged both sides to strengthen cooperation in areas of innovation, e-commerce, agriculture, energy, nuclear energy and transportation. The two heads of government agreed to uphold multilateralism and free trade with the WTO as its core. Medvedev also called on both sides to enhance communication on the reform of the WTO and coordination and cooperation under the frameworks of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS. After the talks, Li and Medvedev signed the joint communique of the 23rd regular meeting between Chinese and Russian heads of governments and witnessed the signing of a series of deals in areas including investment, energy, local cooperation, cultural exchanges, agriculture, quality inspection and aviation. The two heads of government also jointly met with the press following the signing ceremony. Calling the meeting "pragmatic and efficient with fruitful results," Li said the dialogue that has run for 22 years without interruption is proof of high-level and stable China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination and bilateral cooperation in various fields. According to Li, the two sides agreed to continue exploring the potential of two-way trade and investment, strengthening cooperation in science and technology innovation, and enhancing local cooperation between China's northeastern provinces and Russia's Far East to cultivate growth points in areas of resources and agricultural products. The two sides will jointly work to put the agreement on economic and trade cooperation between China and the Eurasian Economic Union into effect at an early date, start negotiations on the Eurasian economic partnership in a pragmatic manner and lay a foundation for the building of an all-round and high-level trade and investment liberalization arrangement in the Eurasian region that will open up to other economies, Li said. Medvedev called on both sides to support cooperation between small and medium-sized enterprises and strengthen cooperation on oil and natural gas projects. Both sides expressed willingness to dovetail the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and Russia's Eurasian Economic Union. China's top legislator Li Zhanshu also met with Medvedev on Wednesday, calling on the two nations' legislative bodies to provide legal protection for the continued high-level development of bilateral ties. Medvedev is paying an official visit to China from Nov. 5 to 7 at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. During his stay in China, Medvedev also attended the opening ceremony of the first China International Import Expo (CIIE) on Monday in Shanghai and met with Chinese President Xi Jinping there. Flash After midterm elections set up a divided Congress on Tuesday, the U.S. President Donald Trump claimed the results a "tremendous success" for his Republican Party, while a senior Democratic congresswoman envisioned "a new day in America" onward. The nationwide races, in which Americans chose their representatives in both the upper and lower chambers of the legislature as well as state governors, saw the Republicans consolidate majority in the Senate and the Democrats retake control of the House. The midterm election results will have profound impact on U.S. politics for the next two years. "Tremendous success tonight. Thank you to all!" Trump tweeted on Election Day night, as votes were still being counted. The president continued to refer to the results as "big victory" and "very big win" in several follow-up tweets. That the GOP will fend off Democrats' bid for Senate majority in this election cycle had been well predicted, and the fact that they have extended their on-seat edge in that chamber may imply even more legislative impasse in the years ahead. The Democrats, however, also had reason to celebrate, as they already crossed the 218-seat line to clinch House majority for the first time in eight years. Although ballots counting is still in the process, the Democrats are projected to gain a net win of more than 30 seats in the House, well beyond the 23 threshold needed to flip Republican control. Nancy Pelosi, the House minority leader who soon may be speaker, said when addressing a cheerful crowd that a House led by Democrats will herald "a new day in America." "We have all had enough of division ... The American people want peace. They want results," the congresswoman said, adding that the new majority will defend Medicaid and Medicare - signature programs under former President Barack Obama only to be repealed by the Trump administration. "Voters delivered a resounding verdict against congressional Republicans' attacks on Medicare and Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act and people with pre-existing conditions in districts everywhere in America," she said Wednesday when addressing reporters. Trump struck a much hostile tone concerning some of the thorniest issues that divided U.S. politics, ranging from Democrats' request that Trump reveal his tax returns to the investigation into possible collusion between the Trump presidential campaign and Russia. He lashed out at any Democratic attempt to use the subpoena power they newly retained in the House. "If the Democrats think they are going to waste Taxpayer Money investigating us at the House level, then we will likewise be forced to consider investigating them for all of the leaks of Classified Information, and much else, at the Senate level. Two can play that game!" Trump wrote in a Wednesday morning tweet. Referring to possible stepped-up investigations into his alleged collusion with Russia and obstruction of justice, Trump told reporters at the White House hours later: "If they (the Democrats) do that, then it's just ... a warlike posture." At the same press conference Trump also said he is willing to work across the aisle with the Democrats in the House. "Hopefully, we can all work together next year to continue delivering for the American people, including on economic growth, infrastructure, trade, lowering the cost of prescription drugs." Flash U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he will have lunch with Russian President Vladimir Putin among other leaders during his planned trip to Paris but no meeting was expected. "We will be having a lunch, but I'm sure many people will be there," said Trump at a press conference at the White House when asked if he will meet Putin in Paris, where over 60 leaders were expected to convene on Sunday to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of the World War I. "I don't think we have anything scheduled in Paris," said Trump, explaining that he didn't think there would be time set for any meeting given his short stay there. "We will very shortly meet again at the G20. And that's where we were actually looking forward to meet," Trump added. The Kremlin announced earlier on Wednesday that Putin and Trump will meet at a short working lunch in the Elysee Palace, with longer and more comprehensive talks expected at a summit of the Group of 20 countries at the end of this month in Argentina. [RIO DE JANEIRO] Marcos Pontes, the first South American to go to space, will be Brazils next minister of science and technology, after receiving his appointment last week by incoming president Jair Bolsonaro. Pontes, a lieutenant-colonel in the Brazilian Air Force, spent a week on the International Space Station in March 2006. Prior to his appointment, he oversaw the development of Brazilian components for the ISS at the Johnson Space Centre in Texas, United States. Bolsonaro, who heads the right-wing PSL party, was elected president on 28 October. He holds controversial far-right views and has expressed criticism of academia, as well as support for teaching creationism in schools. We hope the new minister will understand the importance of science and the need for investment, Marcelo Knobel, dean of the State University of Campinas During the elections second run-off, Bolsonaro promised to reach Brazils spending target of committing 3 per cent of GDP to research and development. However, the countrys spending at present stands at just 1.2 per cent of GDP, compared to Chinas 2 per cent and 2.7 per cent of GDP in the United States. Before the elections, the president elected government signalled his willingness to improve investments in science through a substantial increase in the budget for R&D, and we hope now that the promises are kept, said Ildeu Moreira, president of SBPC, the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science. Pontes, an engineer with little political experience, will have to address Brazils dwindling budgets for public funding of science. After years of cuts, the governments 2018 research budget was about US$1 billion down a third from spending levels in 2013. This has led to a situation in which many Brazilian laboratories struggle to get equipment and basic supplies, and grant programmes have been cut back. As a result, many research projects do not get commercialised; Brazil is 13th in the world in terms of volume of published papers, but occupied position 64 in the Global Innovation Index 2018. Marcelo Knobel, dean of the State University of Campinas, told SciDev.Net that budget troubles should be the ministers first priority. We hope the new minister will understand the importance of science and the need for investment, he said. Without technology and innovation , our country will have no future. Another change brought about by the election is the probable merger of the Brazilian science ministry with that of higher education, which currently sits separately under the larger ministry of education. Knobel greeted the move with concern, saying it would be better for the countrys universities if all government education departments were kept under the same umbrella. The antiSMASH tool can help researchers find bacterial genes responsible for the biosynthesis of interesting metabolites such as new antibiotics, pesticides, and anti-cancer drugs. A new database that collects results from the antiSMASH tool eases the comparison of thousands of bacterial genomes when it comes to metabolites. "Many scientists search for bacterial metabolites because they look for new antibiotics. In our group, we look for new antibiotics against multi-drug resistant bacteria like Klebsiella pneumoniae or Acinetobacter baumannii. Society desperately needs new antibiotics against these bacteria, which cause severe septicemia, urinal infections and pneumonia," says Kai Blin, Researcher and Scientific Software Engineer at The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability at Technical University of Denmark (DTU). The database does not only work for discovering new antibiotics. The food and pharmaceutical industries also use this tool in order to ensure that bacteria used as for instance probiotics do not produce toxic compounds. The newest improvements of the database have now been published in Nucleic Acid Research. Interesting metabolites are not directly involved in the normal growth, development, or reproduction of the microorganism. But the metabolites often play an important role in the organism's defense systems against predators. In the industry, these microbial metabolites can be used as medicines, flavourings, and pigments. Often, microorganisms do not produce interesting metabolites automatically when they are assessed in the lab, which makes the valuable compounds "invisible" to the scientists -- unless they look in the DNA. advertisement "For instance, if you know that a certain bacterium produces a metabolite, but at the same time the organism cannot be cultured and, hence, studied further, you can look for the same hidden metabolite in other bacteria via the database," Kai Blin says. The scientists have built and improved the antiSMASH online tool over the last 7 years, and it now runs more than 100,000 tasks pr. year and has over 2500 citations. But the scientists discovered that many antiSMASH-users ran the same genomes, looking for the same results. This was very time consuming for the user, since each run takes up to several hours. Therefore, the researchers and software engineers decided to build the antiSMASH database, which collects all the precomputed results. "This means that the user can have the results right away and doesn't have to wait for hours or do this job manually, which would take days or weeks," says Kai Blin. The interesting metabolites are encoded by so-called biosynthetic gene clusters, BGCs, which the database is trained to identify. antiSMASH uses a rule-based cluster detection approach to identify 45 different types of interesting metabolites. The newest version of the antiSMASH database contains 6,200 full bacterial genomes, an 58 % increase compared to version 1. Also, 18,576 so-called draft genomes have been added. Quite importantly, the update also contains various query options to access the BGS's. The software engineers have also added a redundancy filter to version 2, which means that instead of giving results for hundreds of strains with almost identical sequences, the database only shows results from the best quality genome. The database is open source, free and easy to use, even for non-programmers. Stanford University School of Medicine scientists have developed a noninvasive way of delivering drugs to within a few millimeters of a desired point in the brain. The method, tested in rats, uses focused ultrasound to jiggle drug molecules loose from nanoparticle "cages" that have been injected into the bloodstream. In a proof-of-principle study, the researchers showed that pharmacologically active amounts of a fast-acting drug could be released from these cages in small areas of the rats' brains targeted by a beam of focused ultrasound. The drug went to work immediately, reducing neural activity in the targeted area -- but only while the ultrasound device was active and only where the ultrasound intensity exceeded a certain threshold. By modifying the strength and duration of the beam, the investigators could fine-tune the neural inhibition. While the drug used in this study was propofol, an anesthetic commonly used in surgery, in principle the same approach could work for many drugs with widely differing pharmacological actions and psychiatric applications, and even for some chemotherapeutic drugs used to combat cancer. By turning up the ultrasound intensity and monitoring brainwide metabolic activity, the researchers could also observe the drug's secondary effects on distant downstream brain regions receiving input from the targeted area, said Raag Airan, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of neuroradiology. In this way, the researchers were able to noninvasively map out the connections among disparate circuits in the living brain. A paper describing the study's findings will be published online Nov. 7 in Neuron. Airan is the senior author. Lead authorship is shared by Jeffrey Wang, a student in the MD-PhD program, and postdoctoral scholar Muna Aryal, PhD. advertisement A kindred technology known as optogenetics, pioneered by Karl Deisseroth, MD, PhD, a Stanford professor of bioengineering and of psychiatry and behavioral sciences under whom Airan completed his PhD work a decade ago, uses invasive gene delivery to render specified classes of nerve cells vulnerable to precise experimental manipulation. Airan's approach employs noninvasive pharmacological methods to achieve similar control of neural activity. "This important work establishes that ultrasonic drug uncaging appears to have the required precision to tune the brain's activity via targeted drug application," said Deisseroth, who wasn't involved in the study. "The powerful new technique could be used to test optogenetically inspired ideas, derived initially from rodent studies, in large animals -- and perhaps soon in clinical trials." 'We're optimistic' The new technology could not only speed advances in neuroscientific research but move rapidly into clinical practice, Airan said. "While this study was done in rats, each component of our nanoparticle complex has been approved for at least investigational human use by the Food and Drug Administration, and focused ultrasound is commonly employed in clinical procedures at Stanford," he said. "So, we're optimistic about this procedure's translational potential." Harmless at the low intensities routinely used for imaging bodily tissues, high-intensity focused ultrasound is approved for the ablation, or deliberate destruction, of certain tissues, including portions of a central brain structure called the thalamus to treat the condition known as essential tremor. advertisement For the new study, "we turned down the dials" on the ultrasound device, Airan said. The intensity of the ultrasound used in these experiments was about 1/10th to 1/100th of the intensity used in clinical ablation procedures. The ultrasound in these experiments was delivered in a series of short staccato pulses separated by periods of rest, giving the targeted brain tissue plenty of time to cool off between pulses. Rats exposed numerous times to the experimental protocol showed no evidence of tissue damage from it. The nanoparticles, which Airan has been perfecting for several years, are biocompatible, biodegradable, liquid-filled spheres averaging 400 nanometers (about 15-millionths of an inch) in diameter. Their surfaces consist of a copolymer matrix in which the drug of choice is encaged. Roughly 3 million molecules of a drug typically dot the surface of one of these nanoparticles. Each nanoparticle encloses a droplet of a substance called perfluorocarbon. Buffeted by ultrasound waves at the right frequency, these liquid cores begin shaking and expanding until the copolymer matrix coating the surface ruptures, setting the trapped drug molecules free. Propofol, like all psychoactive drugs, easily diffuses through the otherwise formidable blood-brain barrier. But having crossed this barrier, the drug is quickly soaked up by brain tissue, so that it never gets farther than about a half-millimeter from the capillary where it's been released. Airan and his colleagues injected these particles intravenously into experimental rats and explored focused ultrasound's potential for targeted drug delivery. Initially, they measured nerve cells' activity in the visual cortex, an area in the back of the brain that's activated by visual stimuli, in response to flashes of light aimed at the rats' eyes. Focusing the ultrasound beam on that brain area, they watched electrical activity there plunge while the beam was being transmitted, then recover within about 10 seconds after the device was shut off. This drop-off in the visual cortex's electrical activity, which is what you'd expect from the release of an anesthetic there, grew more pronounced with increasing ultrasound intensity, and didn't occur at all when the rats had been injected instead with drug-free nanoparticles. In contrast, activity in the motor cortex, a brain area not involved in vision, in response to light flashes directed at the rats' eyes was not diminished when ultrasound was applied there. But ultrasound targeting the lateral geniculate nucleus, a brain area that relays visual information to the visual cortex, did reduce electrical activity in the visual cortex. This showed that propofol release in one brain structure can produce secondary effects in another, distant region receiving inputs from that structure. Brainwide metabolic response Next, Airan's team monitored the brainwide metabolic response to focused ultrasound by using positron emission tomography to measure brainwide uptake of a radioactive analog of glucose -- glucose is the brain's chief energy source -- in the rats. When the injected nanoparticles were blanks, there was no effect in ultrasound-exposed areas. But with propofol-loaded nanoparticles, the metabolism dropped, meaning there was reduced neural activity in these ultrasound-exposed regions. This inhibition increased with increasing ultrasound intensity. Cranking the ultrasound level high enough also triggered selectively diminished activity in distant brain regions known to receive inputs from the ultrasound-exposed area. "We hope to use this technology to noninvasively predict the results of excising or inactivating a particular small volume of brain tissue in patients slated for neurosurgery," said Airan. "Will inactivating or removing that small piece of tissue achieve the desired effect -- for example, stopping epileptic seizure activity? Will it cause any unexpected side effects?" Other study co-authors are postdoctoral scholar Qian Zhong, PhD, and medical student Daivik Vyas. The work was funded by the National Institutes of Health (grants RF1MH114252 and U54CA199075), the Stanford Center for Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence, the Foundation of the American Society for Neuroradiology, the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, the Dana Foundation and the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute. Stanford's Office of Technology Licensing has filed patent applications on intellectual property associated with the new technology. Stanford's Department of Radiology also supported the work. New genetic analysis of white rhino populations suggests it could be possible to rescue the critically endangered northern white rhinoceros from extinction, using the genes of its less threatened southern cousin. Analysing genetic samples from 232 rhinos, researchers from Cardiff University and the University of Venda found that despite the northern and southern populations of white rhinos splitting from each other one million years ago they have occasionally shared genes during cold and arid periods, when African grasslands expanded, as recent as 14,000 years ago. Dr Isa-Rita Russo from Cardiff University, said: "By looking at the white rhino's population history we've been able to establish that there was contact between northern and southern rhino populations throughout history. "This is an exciting find! Genetic proof of contact between the populations suggests it may be possible to successfully rescue the northern white rhinoceros using southern white rhinoceros genes to create embryos, although further data would need to be collected to confirm this." White rhinoceros distribution across Africa is divided into populations in the north and south. The southern population declined to its lowest number around the turn of the nineteenth century, but recovered to become the world's most numerous rhinoceros. In contrast, the northern population was common during much of the twentieth century, declining rapidly since the 1970s, leaving only two remaining post-reproductive rhinos. The team also found that population decline was very different in the north and south, with the northern white rhinoceros declining about 1,370 years ago, coincident with the Bantu migration, and the southern white rhinoceros declining during colonialism, starting 400 years ago. Professor Yoshan Moodley, University of Venda, said: "It appears that the white rhinoceros is no stranger to low genetic diversity, as our results show that the species was subjected to several climatically and anthropogenically driven population declines, which would have reduced and compressed genetic diversity in the past. "This is one of the few large animals to survive the last ice age, and it seems that the additional human pressure on an already genetically compromised species has pushed the white rhinoceros further along the road to extinction." Every autumn in the Southern Hemisphere, Magellanic penguins leave their coastal nesting sites in South America. For adults, their summer task -- breeding, or at least trying to -- is complete. Newly fledged chicks and adults gradually head out to sea to spend the winter feeding. They won't return to land until spring. Yet life for these birds when they winter offshore is largely a mystery to the scientists who study Magellanic penguins -- and who advocate for their conservation amid declining population numbers. "The winter period is something of a black box for us in terms of understanding Magellanic penguins," said Ginger Rebstock, a University of Washington research scientist. "We know the least amount about this part of their year." But research by Rebstock and P. Dee Boersma, a UW professor of biology and founder of the Center for Ecosystem Sentinels, is starting to pry open that black box and discover how Magellanic penguins from one nesting site, Punta Tombo in Argentina, fare during the winter months. In a paper published Aug. 9 in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series, they report that the Rio de la Plata -- which drains South America's second-largest river system after the Amazon -- strongly influences oceanographic conditions in the Magellanic penguins' winter feeding waters. Those oceanographic features, they report, show up in the body conditions of Magellanic penguin females, but not males, when the penguins return to their nesting grounds in spring. "Researchers only get to study the penguins up close -- monitor their biology, their health, their population numbers -- for the one time in the year that they come to nesting sites like Punta Tombo to breed," said Rebstock. "Until now, we have not really known how conditions out in the ocean, where they spend the entire winter, affect them." Magellanic penguins are believed to swim hundreds of miles in winter to feed on fish such as anchovy and sardines. For penguins originating at Punta Tombo, this could mean swimming more than 1,000 miles north along the coast up to southern Brazil. They generally stay along the continental shelf in waters usually no more than about 650 feet deep. To understand the oceanographic dynamics in this region, Rebstock turned her attention to space. She analyzed 30 years of weekly sea-surface temperature data, which National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellites collected for those South American coastal waters from 1982 to 2012. Data show that geographic features of coastal South America are responsible for key variations in ocean conditions. advertisement For example, her analysis revealed that the Rio de la Plata, which enters the ocean between Argentina and Uruguay, is the primary driver of oceanographic conditions in the penguins' winter feeding waters. The river discharges silt, microbes and nutrients into the ocean as a plume, which disperses in different directions based on prevailing winds. Strong winds from the southwest, for example, can spread the plume north along hundreds of miles of Brazilian coastline. If winds are weaker, the plume stays near the mouth of the Rio de la Plata. Rebstock then analyzed whether variations in these oceanographic features -- such as a strong, dispersed plume or a weak, localized plume -- were associated with the body condition of penguins at the time of their arrival at Punta Tombo. Boersma and her team have collected information on the health and state of individual penguins when they arrive Punta Tombo for more than three decades. According to their data, the body conditions of male Magellanic penguins weren't correlated with the extent of the plume. But Rebstock found that female penguins arrived back at Punta Tombo earlier, and in healthier body condition, if the Rio de la Plata plume was weaker in winter. This may indicate that the plume affects how hard Magellanic penguins must work to find food. "We believe that the Rio de la Plata plume carries a great deal of nutrients into the coastal waters, making them very productive feeding grounds for the penguins," said Rebstock. "But winds will affect where the plume is distributed and how far penguins will have to go to reach it." A weaker plume may keep the penguins' prey closer together and closer to breeding colonies, increasing an individual penguin's odds of catching fish. Magellanic penguins also are mainly visual hunters. A stronger plume that clings to the coast may obstruct visibility for the birds by making waters more turbid, said Rebstock. The size and disposition of the plume may affect females more than males because male Magellanic penguins tend to be larger, which allows them to dive deeper. This may give males a slight edge in catching food, especially in difficult conditions, said Rebstock. "What we would like to do next is test some of these hypotheses by tracking male and female Magellanic penguins during the winter months, to see if they are feeding in the same locations and see how successful they are at obtaining food in different conditions," said Rebstock. For researchers like Rebstock, that may be the next black box to open. But it will also pose a logistical challenge. Researchers have tried to track Magellanic penguins during winter using satellite tags, but the penguins are very effective at taking them off. The research was funded by the Wildlife Conservation Society; the ExxonMobil Foundation; the Pew Fellows Program in Marine Conservation; the Disney Conservation Fund; the National Geographic Society; the Chase Foundation; the Cunningham Foundation; the CGMK Foundation; the Offield Family Foundation; the Peach Foundation; the Thorne Foundation; the Tortuga Foundation; the W.K. Kellogg Foundation; UW Wadsworth Endowed Chair in Conservation Science; and Friends of the Penguins. Injuries can't heal without a constant influx of blood's key ingredient -- oxygen. A new flexible sensor developed by engineers at the University of California, Berkeley, can map blood-oxygen levels over large areas of skin, tissue and organs, potentially giving doctors a new way to monitor healing wounds in real time. "When you hear the word oximeter, the name for blood-oxygen sensors, rigid and bulky finger-clip sensors come into your mind," said Yasser Khan, a graduate student in electrical engineering and computer sciences at UC Berkeley. "We wanted to break away from that, and show oximeters can be lightweight, thin and flexible." The sensor, described this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is made of organic electronics printed on bendable plastic that molds to the contours of the body. Unlike fingertip oximeters, it can detect blood-oxygen levels at nine points in a grid and can be placed anywhere on the skin. It could potentially be used to map oxygenation of skin grafts, or to look through the skin to monitor oxygen levels in transplanted organs, the researchers say. "All medical applications that use oxygen monitoring could benefit from a wearable sensor," said Ana Claudia Arias, a professor of electrical engineering and computer sciences at UC Berkeley. "Patients with diabetes, respiration diseases and even sleep apnea could use a sensor that could be worn anywhere to monitor blood-oxygen levels 24/7." Existing oximeters use light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to shine red and near-infrared light through the skin and then detect how much light makes it to the other side. Red, oxygen-rich blood absorbs more infrared light, while darker, oxygen-poor blood absorbs more red light. By looking at the ratio of transmitted light, the sensors can determine how much oxygen is in the blood. These oximeters only work on areas of the body that are partially transparent, like the fingertips or the earlobes, and can only measure blood-oxygen levels at a single point in the body. "Thick regions of the body, such as the forehead, arms and legs, barely pass visible or near-infrared light, which makes measuring oxygenation at these locations really challenging," Khan said. In 2014, Arias and a team of graduate students showed that printed organic LEDs can be used to create thin, flexible oximeters for fingertips or earlobes. Since then, they have pushed their work further, developing a way of measuring oxygenation in tissue using reflected light rather than transmitted light. Combining the two technologies let them create the new wearable sensor that can detect blood-oxygen levels anywhere on the body. The new sensor is built of an array of alternating red and near-infrared organic LEDs and organic photodiodes printed on a flexible material. The team used the sensor to track the overall blood-oxygen levels on the forehead of a volunteer who breathed air with progressively lower concentrations of oxygen -- similar to going up in altitude -- and found that it matched those using a standard fingertip oximeter. They also used the sensor to map blood-oxygen levels in a three-by-three grid on the forearm of a volunteer wearing a pressure cuff. "After transplantation, surgeons want to measure that all parts of an organ are getting oxygen," Khan said. "If you have one sensor, you have to move it around to measure oxygenation at different locations. With an array, you can know right away if there is a point that is not healing properly." Scientists at the University of Sussex have developed a piece of hardware to demonstrate how our brains function, as part of a growing range of equipment which uses DIY and 3D printable models to open up access to science education. Professor of Neuroscience, Tom Baden, has been working with colleagues to build Spikeling; a piece of electronic kit which behaves similarly to neurons in the brain. Understanding how neurons encode and compute information is a central part of neuroscience but until now, opportunities for hands-on experience has been scarce. But for just 25, Professor Baden may have found a way to make the process of learning neuroscience much more interactive. Spikeling simulates how nerve cells in the brain compute information, with receptors that react to external stimuli like light. Students can then follow the activity of the brain cells and their underlying mechanisms live on a computer screen. advertisement Multiple Spikelings can be linked together to form a network, showing how brain neurons interconnect; allowing scientists to demonstrate the behaviour behind every day actions like walking. Professor Baden said: "Spikeling is a useful piece of kit for anyone teaching neuroscience because it allows us to demonstrate how neurons work in a more interactive way." Professor Baden and his team hope that Spikeling will become a useful teaching tool in neuroscience and the kit is already being put into practice, with the teaching of third year Neuroscience students at the University of Sussex, and at a summer school in Nigeria in 2017 where scientists were also taught how to build the hardware from scratch. Spikeling is the latest in a line of equipment developed by Professor Baden, who also recently developed designs for a 3D printable microscope called FlyPi, which can be set up with a basic unit for 100 Euros (compared to commercial microscopes costing thousands of dollars) and a pipette. All have been made available openly with the design for Spikeling published on open access journal PLOS Biology. advertisement Professor Baden explained: "With all parts being cheap, and design files being free and open, we hope that like any open Hardware design, Spikeling can be a starting point for others to change or extend it to their requirements, and reshare their improved design with the community." This is sharing of design files is a growing trend with hundreds of designs from the global community constantly collected on the PLOS Open Hardware toolkit, co-moderated by Professor Baden. The overall aim for Baden's lab, is to level the playing field in global science where equipment is otherwise expensive. Andre Maia Chagas, a Research Technician in the lab, recently wrote an article advocating the need for open scientific hardware. Also published in PLOS Biology, the article was a response to a piece by American neuroscientist Eve Marder which questioned whether researchers in less wealth institutions may be left behind as the equipment needed to perform scientific research becomes ever more expensive. Professor Baden said: "By making access to scientific and teaching equipment free and open, researchers and educators can take the future into their own hands. In time, we hope that this type of work will contribute to level the playing field across the globe, such that ideas, not funding can be the primary driver for success and new insights." Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute scientists have shown that mutations in specific genes that destroy motor neurons and thereby cause the devastating effects of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis -- also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease -- also attack sensory neurons. The discovery in today's (Thursday, Nov. 8) Scientific Reports indicates that studying sensory neurons could provide new mechanistic insights to prevent, slow, or even reverse ALS. VTCRI scientists examined sensory neurons in cell cultures and in mice with ALS-causing mutant genes. They found that sensory neurons' axons exhibit similar pathological changes found in motor neurons afflicted with ALS. "Similar to motor neurons, ALS-inducing factors first affect the ending of sensory neurons axons, the site where they form synapses with other cells, and then the rest of the axon falls apart," said Gregorio Valdez, an associate professor with the VTCRI and a faculty member in the Department of Biological Sciences in the College of Science at Virginia Tech. "Because sensory neurons are relatively easy to work with in a dish, in stark contrast to motor neurons, they are an attractive neuronal population for discovering and testing molecules to treat ALS." ALS has no cure and most individuals with the disease die within three to five years from when symptoms first appear, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). "We're closer to understanding where the problem starts within a given cell, and especially neurons, in ALS," Valdez said. "However, we need to understand the reason such cells succumb to ALS-inducing factors. It is also important to develop and optimize assays to test molecules with the potential of preventing neurons from giving in to ALS-inducing factors. Our findings show that sensory neurons could serve both purposes." In practice, motor neurons and sensory neurons work together. Sensory neurons constantly relay information, directly and indirectly, to motor neurons. This information could be about temperature, touch and the contractile status of skeletal muscles. "In essence, we now have a high-content and high-throughput assay using sensory neurons in a dish to look for molecules that could prevent ALS-related pathology," Valdez said. Valdez is the senior and corresponding author of the study. First author is Sydney Vaughn, a student in Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health graduate program at Virginia Tech and a research associate in the Valdez lab. Other authors on the study include Natalia Sutherland, a first-year student in the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Sihui Zhang, formerly a postdoctoral associate in the Valdez lab, and two members of the ALS Therapy Development Institute: Chief Scientific Officer Fernando Vieira and senior scientist Theo Hatzipetros. Flash China's top political advisor Wang Yang met with visiting Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on Wednesday. China and Cuba are good friends, good comrades and good brothers, said Wang, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). "China supports Cuba in its determination to explore a development path suited to its own national conditions," Wang said, adding that, no matter how situations change, China will firmly support deepening friendly cooperation with Cuba. Noting that Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold talks with Diaz-Canel to jointly draw a blueprint for bilateral ties, Wang said China is willing to join hands with Cuba to implement the major consensuses reached by the two leaders to further advance bilateral relations. "The CPPCC National Committee stands ready to maintain friendly exchanges with the Cuban side to communicate and learn from each other's experience of state governance," Wang said. For his part, Diaz-Canel thanked China's long-term support for Cuba. He said the purpose of his visit is to continue and consolidate the traditional friendship between the two countries. The Cuban leader said he looks forward to planning bilateral exchanges and cooperation in the future with President Xi. The Cuban National Assembly of People's Power is ready to strengthen ties with the CPPCC National Committee, he said. 1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war. 2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war. 3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament of the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength. 4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war. 5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites. 6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination. 7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N. 8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N. 9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress. 10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N. 11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.) 12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party. 13. Do away with all loyalty oaths. 14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office. 15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States. 16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights. 17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks. 18. Gain control of all student newspapers. 19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack. 20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions. 21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures. 22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms." 23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art." 24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press. 25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV. 26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy." 27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch." 28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state." 29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis. 30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man." 31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over. 32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc. 33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus. 34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities. 35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI. 36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions. 37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business. 38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand. 39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals. 40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce. 41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents. 42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use united force to solve economic, political or social problems. 43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government. 44. Internationalize the Panama Canal. 45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike. Flash An American Chinese entrepreneur has been awarded with special honor for his contribution to U.S.-China friendship, promoting cultural exchange in the U.S. midwestern state of Iowa. Iowa International Center (IIC) selected Albert Liu, director of International Business Development for Kent Pet Group, as an Honoree for the 2018 Passport to Prosperity Award, local media Voice of Muscatine reported on Wednesday. "Albert has been a brilliant and critical resource for Iowans across the state. He is informed and sincere, which has added so much to the way Iowans and Chinese are able to appreciate each other's cultures." the nomination letter for Liu said. One of Liu's major contributions includes his role in orchestrating the sister city relationship between Iowa's Muscatine and China's Zhengding. Liu worked as the director of Asian sales for Musco Lighting from 2010 to early 2018 and visited Muscatine often. Eventually he met Sarah Lande, who helped him get involved in the Muscatine community, particularly in volunteering to develop the relationship with China. In 2012, Liu organized and led a delegation of five members from Muscatine including Mayor Hopkins and Sarah Lande to visit four cities in China to start the sister city relationship with Zhengding. For these efforts, he was also awarded with a Gold Key to the City of Muscatine by Mayor Hopkins and the Muscatine City Council. Liu came to live in Iowa in 1994 as an immigrant from China. During that time, he became involved with the IIC when he volunteered for one of their programs to welcome and give orientation to new international students. Since then he has served with state and local boards, committees, and businesses dedicated to building a strong relationship between Iowa and China. Based in Des Moines, capital of Iowa, IIC is a non-profit organization, providing personal and professional opportunities linking Iowans with peoples from around the world. Flash Pakistan and Afghanistan have held talks in Islamabad on Afghan refugees and other Afghan nationals illegally residing in Pakistan, officials said. "Both sides deliberated on the ways to enhance mutual cooperation for a dignified, gradual, time bound and complete return of the Afghan nationals to their country," a statement from the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. It was also decided to observe the agreed timelines and procedures for repatriation of various categories of these persons to Afghanistan, the statement said. Both countries have set up a joint working group on refugees under the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Stability (APAPPS), a joint action plan for cooperation in the key areas of counter-terrorism and reduction of violence, peace and reconciliation, refugees'repatriation and joint economic development. The joint working group works on the principle of direct and regular contact among relevant ministries in both countries, under the umbrella of the politico-diplomatic cooperation. "The two sides agreed to optimally utilize the forum to deepen engagement, communication and understanding for early return and resettlement of Afghan refugees," the statement said. Next meeting of the working group on refugees will be held in the Afghan capital Kabul at a mutually convenient date, the Foreign Ministry said. Pakistan still hosts about 1.4 million registered Afghan refugees who hold the proof of registration (PoR) cards, according to the UN refugee agency. The government has extended their stay until June 30, 2019. Besides the PoR card holders, some 880,000 more were documented earlier this year, who hold the Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC), Afghanistan's Deputy Ambassador Zardasht Shams said. Several thousand undocumented refugees are also living in Pakistan. A federal court in the District of Columbia has barred a Long Island-based individual whom the Securities and Exchange Commission charged with defrauding investors from participating in penny stock offerings for twenty-five years. The SEC charged Eric P. Lesak and his firms, Global Research, LLC (PA) and Global Research, LLC (NY), on August 21, 2018, alleging that Lesak and his firms cajoled more than 100 cold-called investors into buying more than $2.8 million worth of shares in penny stock company Axiom Holdings Inc., but didn't tell prospective investors that Lesak had been barred by the predecessor to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or that he had pled guilty to securities and wire fraud. Lesak and his firms also didn't tell prospective investors that they were being paid thousands of dollars each month to promote Axiom stock to investors. The final judgment, entered by default on October 29, 2018 by the Honorable Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, permanently prohibits Lesak and his firms from violating the antifraud provisions of Sections 17(a)(1) and (3) of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder and orders the defendants to pay, jointly and severally, disgorgement of $767,115 plus interest of $46,644. The judgment also orders Lesak to pay a civil monetary penalty in the amount of $184,767, Global to pay a civil monetary penalty in the amount of $923,831, and prohibits Lesak from participating in any offering of penny stock for twenty-five years. The SEC's Retail Strategy Task Force and Office of Investor Education and Advocacy encourage investors to check the background of anyone selling or offering them an investment using the free and simple search tool on Investor.gov. The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged James E. Hengen with insider trading based on material, nonpublic information that he misappropriated from his wife, a human resources executive at a healthcare company who worked on corporate acquisitions. The SEC alleges that Hengen, whose wife worked for a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, Inc., misappropriated material, nonpublic information concerning UnitedHealth's pending acquisitions of two companies, USMD Holdings, Inc. and Surgical Care Affiliates, Inc. According to the complaint, Hengen learned of the pending acquisition of USMD in June 2016 when he overheard one of his wife's phone calls while she was working from home. In breach of his duty to his wife, Hengen then purchased USMD stock based on that information and tipped four other individuals, who also purchased the stock. After the acquisition was announced in August 2016, the price of USMD stock increased, and Hengen sold his stock, realizing profits of $32,315. His tippees, who also sold their stock, realized profits of $8,340. Six months later, Hengen again misappropriated information from his wife, this time concerning UnitedHealth's pending acquisition of Surgical Care, and purchased stock in that company. After the acquisition announcement in January 2017, the price of Surgical Care stock increased, and Hengen sold his stock, realizing $31,489 in illicit profits. The SEC's complaint, filed in federal district court in the District of Minnesota, charges Hengen with violations of the antifraud provisions of Sections 10(b) and 14(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rules 10b-5 and 14e-3 thereunder. Without admitting or denying the allegations in the SEC's complaint, Hengen consented to the entry of a final judgment that permanently enjoins him from future violations, and orders him to pay disgorgement of $63,804, prejudgment interest of $3,865, and a civil penalty of $72,144. The SEC's investigation was conducted by David T. Frisof and Darren E. Long, and supervised by Brian O. Quinn and Carolyn M. Welshhans. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. On November 7, 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged Florida resident Ricardo H. Goldman for fraudulently operating an unregistered securities day trading firm. According to the SEC's complaint, Goldman misled dozens of day traders into thinking they were opening individual online securities trading accounts with Goldman's broker-dealer, America Capital Group LLC, which was not registered with the SEC. The SEC alleges that between at least November 2010 and August 2015, Goldman raised approximately $6.9 million from traders and then comingled their funds by placing them in a pooled master brokerage account that he controlled. Goldman allegedly concealed the comingling of the funds by giving traders online access to individual sub-accounts within the pooled master account. Goldman allegedly profited by charging traders a commission on their trades. According to the SEC's complaint, the pooled account ultimately sustained at least $3.6 million in trading loses. Because funds were commingled, traders were forced to share in the overall losses incurred in the master account. The complaint further alleges Goldman made material misrepresentations and omissions to traders regarding his background and disciplinary history which includes antifraud and securities and broker-dealer registration injunctions, a broker-dealer bar, and a state court conviction for grand theft and forgery. The SEC's complaint, which was filed in the Southern District of Florida, charges Goldman with violating Sections 10(b), 15(a)(1), and 15(b)(6)(B) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Exchange Act") and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, and seeks permanent and conduct-based injunctions, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains with interest, and penalties. Upon filing of the Commission's complaint, and without admitting or denying the allegations in the complaint, Goldman consented to the entry of a judgment that permanently enjoins him from violating the above-mentioned provisions of the federal securities laws, imposes a conduct-based injunction, and directs Goldman to comply with the Commission's Order dated November 19, 2008, In the Matter of Ricardo H. Goldman (Exchange Rel. No. 58976, Admin. Proc. 3-13293). The Judgment also orders Goldman to pay disgorgement of $470,000, prejudgment interest thereon in the amount of $53,497, and a civil penalty in the amount of $320,000. The SEC's investigation was conducted by Shelly-Ann A. Springer-Charles and Crystal C. Ivory with the assistance of Wilfredo Fernandez and was supervised by Eric R. Busto. The flying grunt - Part 2 Rick Ferguson flew UH1H Huey D and H models. He took this photo returning to base after a typhoon during his third tour in Vietnam. "We were just goofing off," said Ferguson. In Part 1, Rick Ferguson joined the Army and became an Airborne Ranger. He was sent for his first tour to Vietnam with the 101st Airborne Division December 1967. Swan Valley - In December of 1968, Richard "Rick" Ferguson came home for a month. When he returned to Vietnam in January in 1969, he was assigned the position of post liaison officer at Long Binh. For six months he gave the daily briefings to the Post Commander and inspected bunkers. Ferguson still had dreams of flying. Encouraged by other pilots, he retook his flight physical at Long Binh. He was told his eyes were fine. His records said he failed the psychological evaluation during his first flight physical when he accused the doctor of being wrong. "The guy at Long Binh knew I wanted [to pass] that physical bad," said Ferguson. "He asked me if I was crazy. I told him, 'No, I'm not crazy. I want to go to flight school!' He said, 'You're going.'" During the next six months, while he waited to hear about flight school, Ferguson volunteered to work as an advisor to a Vietnamese Ranger Battalion. Their job was to stop the North Vietnamese from shooting rockets into the city of Saigon. Ferguson took a helicopter ride every week to check the area and had airboats available which he enjoyed driving. Still, Ferguson said, "There was just not a lot of action." Finally, he got a card that read, "Congratulations, your flight class is 70-36." Ferguson explained this meant Class of 1970, number 36. After he showed the card to the pilots that flew him every week, they started giving him some early flying lessons. Ferguson returned stateside in early 1970 and attended flight school first at Fort Walters, in Mineral Wells, Texas and then at Fort Rucker, Alabama. While in the states, he married Polly. Upon graduation from flight school, he was promoted to captain and was ordered to Fort Hood, Texas. "I figured since I just got out of flight school they were going to give me a nice little assignment flying," said Ferguson. Instead Ferguson was sent to the Second Armored Division as Company Commander. For more than 18 months, he ran the mechanized infantry company each week during the days and flew nights and weekends to get his flight hours. In February of 1973, Ferguson returned to Vietnam flying helicopters for the 129th Assault Helicopter Company. He named his helicopter "Flying Grunts" "I was an infantry guy. They call them grunts." Fighting above ground was no safer than at ground level. Ferguson said his helicopter was hit once in the cockpit and several times in the tail. One time his fuel cells were hit and they were going to run out of gas unless he set it down. "We were real lucky because the Koreans had a little secure place. I just dropped it in there," said Ferguson. "We didn't have to get out of it and fight our way out like others did." When Ferguson returned home, he received orders to enter the Infantry Officers' Career course, a career path which would have taken him completely out of flying and had him leading ground troops. Instead he quit. "With 58,000 troops dead, I just couldn't see where [the military] was going. [The democrats in the White House] weren't going to let us take the war to the north. They weren't letting us really win. It ended that we just kind of walked out," said Ferguson. "I grew up in a military family where we won, with the exception of Korea." By the time Ferguson left the army, his Bronze Star with a V was adorned with a three-oak cluster, the equivalent of earning the Bronze Star three more times. Among the other medals he is most proud of are the purple heart, signifying he was injured in combat, and the Vietnamese Honor Medal 1st Class which he received from the Republic of Vietnam for assistance in training Vietnamese troops. After leaving the Army, Ferguson continued flying. He and Polly moved to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates where he flew for Bristow Helicopters' oil rigs. Bristow Helicopters hired a number of single pilots from Vietnam, but Ferguson was the first married pilot who brought his wife. After a couple years, they returned to the States where Ferguson flew for Era Helicopters out of Anchorage, Alaska. He worked for them for 25 years. He received Pilot of the Year after sustaining a bird strike and landing the helicopter safely. In 1980, Ferguson reenlisted in the Army Reserves. He transferred from the infantry branch to the medical service corps branch. He flew medivac helicopters out of Little Rock, Ark. He was called up to go to Desert Storm but never left American soil because all the troops returned home before he left. By the time he retired Jan. 24, 1997, he had attained the rank of Major. It was Fergusons' love of base jumping and sky diving that brought him out west. After sky diving in Ronan, Mont., someone recommended he drive home via Highway 83. He fell in love with the Swan Valley. The Fergusons moved to the Swan Valley 13 years ago and built their home. Ferguson has been the commander of the Swan Valley American Legion Post #63 for the past seven years. Among the many activities of the post, Ferguson highlighted their support of the Swan Valley and Salmon Prairie Schools' activities; maintaining the ball field on the north end of the Condon air strip; recognizing people and organizations in the Seeley-Swan valleys for supporting veterans and patriotism; maintaining the plaques at the Swan Valley Community Hall and helping whenever a need arises. Photo provided Ferguson volunteered to work as an advisor to a Vietnamese Ranger Battalion. Here he was holding a South Vietnamese child. His mother would send clothes and he would give them to the orphanages for South Vietnamese. "He wasn't mine," said Ferguson. "I was just walking around playing with the kids and this lady comes up and hands me this baby. They wanted you to take these kids and bring them back to the states. It was really sad." "As commander I feel like I'm helping make things happen," said Ferguson who was also quick to point to the rest of the members. "I'm in name only - it doesn't just happen with one guy. I'm proud of this Post." Ferguson credits his faith for pulling him through the tough times. He also points to the skills and attitudes exemplified in the mottos "Rangers lead the way" and "never give up" that he learned in Ranger School - In addition, he said having Polly by his side for 48 years and their two children gave him the motivation to "always come back home." "My little jag of military service wasn't very long but I went and I did my duty," said Ferguson. "We had a lot of lieutenants, platoon sergeants, first sergeants and captains get killed but I didn't. Kind of bothered me for a long time." He continued, "We cannot forget our veterans. That is my fear. We get so stagnant with politics that we forget about the people doing the fighting." Editor's Note: This interview was conducted the last week in September. Ferguson passed away Oct. 10. There will be a Celebration of Life Nov. 10 at 1 p.m. at the Swan Valley School. It was an honor to capture his story and share it leading up to Veterans Day, Nov. 11. Woody Tadesse weaved through the dozens of people at Loren Taylors election-night party at Skyline Pizza offering slices of cheese and pepperoni like they were hors doeuvres. The restaurant, on Keller Avenue near the Leona Canyon Regional Open Space Preserve in East Oakland, was Taylors unofficial campaign headquarters for his successful bid to end Desley Brooks 16-year reign as the District Six representative on the Oakland City Council. Skyline Pizza, which Tadesse owns, is where I first met Taylor, a third-generation Oakland native, in January. (Skyline) was a great resource to our campaign when we didnt have any resources, before we actually got some fundraising momentum, Taylor told me Wednesday morning after hed been declared the winner. Being able to help showcase him, what he was doing, as well as support his business, was important for us. Showcasing East Oakland businesses, as well as helping to create and grow new ones, will be a focus for Taylor. For me, Skyline Pizza is an example of a family-owned small business that we need to have more of in East Oakland, and Oakland in general, where individuals take control of their own destiny by starting their own enterprises, growing their business and creating an establishment that really is a community asset and resource, said Taylor, 41. Tadesse, 52, started working at the restaurant in 1994. He bought it a decade later. Taylor and Tadesse met at Shiloh Church, a nondenominational church on School Street in East Oakland. Taylor joined the Bible study group Tadesse hosts on Monday nights at the restaurant. We developed a friendship and brotherhood on that level, said Tadesse, who encourages neighborhood groups to host meetings at the restaurant. When he told me hes going to be running, I said, Anything you want this is yours. Tadesses 19-year-old son, Nathan, volunteered for Taylors campaign, knocking on doors and calling voters. He was there on election night serving pizza as children played tag while adults watched voting results trickle in. Marlo Rodriguez, one of the District Six candidates, stopped by on Tuesday night. She was there to pick up a pizza and left after an exchange of good lucks with Taylor. Councilwoman Lynette Gibson McElhaney popped in for the celebration. Che and Veronica Allen, who live in East Oaklands Maxwell Park neighborhood, sat at one of the tables that had balloons taped to the sides. They helped set up the party. Che Allen, a Berkeley native, has known Taylor and his twin brother, Preston Taylor, since they were in a summer program together during middle school. Like Taylors mother, Che Allens father was an educator for decades with the Oakland Unified School District. Taylors mother, who is retired, occasionally fills in as a substitute teacher. The Allens were at Arroyo Viejo Park in June when Taylor and his campaign volunteers were chased from a city event by security guards after Brooks told Taylor he wasnt allowed to campaign there. That was a turning point in the race, because the interaction made Taylor campaign harder. Nothing really ruffles him, Erica, Taylors wife, told me on election night. Ive seen him shook maybe twice. Im not that chill. This is why we work. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. What worked for Taylor was Brooks pre-election vanishing act. She missed a month of council meetings, and she skipped four candidate forums where candidates pitched their worthiness to replace her. Taylor also raised more than $140,000 for his campaign, about $66,000 more than Brooks. The commitment to run for public office is something that a lot of people talk about, said Preston Taylor, a project manager for a Seattle software company who left the election party early to catch a flight to Dallas. The fact that he put himself out there, and that he followed through with a very strong campaign, is something to be proud of. Skyline Pizza usually closes at 9 p.m., but well after 10 p.m. on election night, Tadesse continued walking around with a pizza tray in his hand. It feels like the right thing is finally happening, he said. When I see how people can get up and do the right thing, that just gives me hope. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Otis R. Taylor Jr. appears Mondays and Thursdays. Email: otaylor@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @otisrtaylorjr Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced changes Thursday to how the company handles reports of sexual harassment, a week after employees staged a global walkout. We recognize that we have not always gotten everything right in the past and we are sincerely sorry for that, Pichai wrote in an email to employees. Its clear we need to make some changes. Among the changes are making arbitration optional in cases where sexual harassment or assault is claimed, and giving more detail about sexual misconduct cases in internal reports available to all employees. Employees will now take mandatory sexual harassment training annually; before it was required every two years. Employees who do not complete the training, including top leadership, will be marked down on their performance reviews. Additionally, Google will provide more support services for those who report incidents, including extended counseling. Google faced an employee backlash after the New York Times revealed allegations of sexual misconduct against Andy Rubin, the creator of the Android software. The Times said Rubin received a $90 million severance package in 2014 after Google determined that the allegations were credible. Rubin has denied any misconduct and disputed the figure cited for his severance. Google employees walked out of offices worldwide on Nov. 1 to protest how the company handles sexual harassment claims and pay equity for women. Women make up about 31 percent of Googles employees, but there are far fewer in leadership roles. Jessica Christian / The Chronicle Google did not address pay inequity or the workers request to appoint an employee representative to the board. Arbitration is a common practice at technology companies. Googles employment contracts require employees to resolve any grievances with the company through private arbitration Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes The practice has been scrutinized recently because proceedings are typically confidential, preventing employees who report sexual harassment from speaking out. Microsoft and Uber recently ended arbitration for harassment and assault cases. Chronicle news services contributed to this report. Sophia Kunthara is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sophia.kunthara@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SophiaKunthara Robot Mercedes taxis will cruise through downtown San Jose late next year, according to carmaker Daimler and auto-parts supplier Bosch, which said they have an agreement with the city to test an autonomous ride-hailing service there. Self-driving Mercedes-Benz S-Class vehicles will offer free rides to selected members of the public in the San Carlos/Stevens Creek corridor between downtown and west San Jose, the companies said. We want to learn about customer behavior, transportation needs, how things go together, what people expect, said Michael Hafner, Daimlers head of automated driving. We think about the whole journey through the eyes of a customer and what he or she wants to use the time for, what they want for entertainment, user interface and interactions. While the pilot project will use Daimlers existing Mercedes modified for self-driving, the automaker plans to manufacture Mercedes specifically designed for autonomy in the near future. The final product will not necessarily have a steering wheel or manual controls, Hafner said. Using luxury Mercedes, he said, will be a competitive advantage. Daimler and Bosch plan to start the San Jose project with a selected user group of riders, who will summon on-demand rides using an app, Daimler spokeswoman Anja Weinert said. She didnt specify how the companies will select the initial riders but said the city will participate in that process. Most of the larger players rushing to develop autonomous cars have focused on robot taxi services as their road to making money. Waymo, the self-driving unit of Google parent Alphabet, has offered autonomous ride-hailing to selected users in Arizona for more than a year and said it will soon offer a similar service in the Bay Area. It has recently begun charging for some of the Arizona rides and plans further commercialization this year. It predicts it will give 1 million robot taxi rides a day by 2020. General Motors has consistently said it will have fleets of autonomous ride-hailing cars next year, without specifying a location, although many observers expect it to start in San Francisco or Detroit. Technology developed by GMs Cruise self-driving unit, which is based in San Francisco, will enable it to mass-produce autonomous cars without manual controls next year, GM said. Hafner rejected the hypothesis that Waymo and GM are outpacing Daimler on the road to commercialization. We are not thinking we are behind, he said. We might not have that same brute-force approach in terms of vehicles in many locations, but we are more focused on the safety, system architecture and analytics. Daimler will be able to deploy larger fleets once it has data from the pilot project, he said. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes In 2014, Daimlers Mercedes-Benz research and development group, with offices in Sunnyvale, was among the first companies to receive permission from the California Department of Motor Vehicles to test autonomous cars here. It currently has permits for five autonomous vehicles and 36 test drivers, DMV records show. Weinert said the companies have not yet determined how many vehicles will be part of the pilot program or how many rides they will give. Two safety drivers will be aboard for all rides, both to supervise the cars behavior and to observe reactions and behavior of other road users toward our vehicles, Weinert said. The pilot project is an opportunity to explore how autonomous vehicles can help us better meet future transportation needs, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo said in a statement. Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaid Mountain View voters passed a business tax on Tuesday that will largely affect its hometown tech giant and biggest employer, Google. Nearly 70 percent of voters backed Measure P, which implements a per-employee business license tax that ranges from $5 to $150 per worker, rising with the size of the company. Businesses will also pay a flat fee of $75 a year. Google and its corporate parent, Alphabet, will pay over $3 million a year, contributing more than half of the taxs estimated revenue of $6 million. The measure was one of two major Bay Area corporate tax measures that won on Tuesday. San Francisco voters also passed Proposition C, which imposes a gross receipts tax on companies making $50 million or more in revenue. Large tech companies including Salesforce and Square will pay tens of millions of dollars each year under Prop. C. Its unclear how much Google would pay San Francisco, though companies with proportionately fewer employees and revenue in the city pay less tax. The revenue is to fund homelessness services and housing. More than 20,000 Google employees work in Mountain View, according to real estate research firm CoStar. The company has a major office and housing expansion plan in Mountain Views North Bayshore area. Google, which didnt take a position on Measure P, declined to comment. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes Mountain Views existing business tax generated about $250,000 per year and hadnt changed since 1954. The new tax will be phased in beginning in 2020. The City Council passed a resolution that requires 80 percent of the new funding to go to transit improvements and 10 percent to affordable housing, with the remaining 10 percent for general funding. Roland Li is a Chronicle staff writer. Email: roland.li@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rolandlisf In the latest sign of scooter mania, Ford Motor Co. has purchased San Francisco electric-scooter startup Spin for $100 million. The purchase was first reported by Axios, a news website. Stand-up electric scooters have become a worldwide phenomenon over the past year. Companies that rent scooters via apps such as Lime and Bird now have valuations of $4 billion and $2 billion, respectively, and have raised hundreds of millions of dollars. Spin adds an exciting new offering to Fords mobility portfolio as we try to help our customers get places more easily, more quickly and less expensively, wrote Sunny Madra, vice president of Ford X, a division of the carmakers Ford Smart Mobility division focused on piloting new transportation products and services, in a blog post. Affordability, combined with ease of use and electrified power, also means scooters can help tackle challenges such as traffic congestion, parking availability and pollution, he wrote, noting that scooter rentals cost $1 plus 15 cents a minute and that half of all trips made in the U.S. are under 3 miles. Spin will operate as a stand-alone business with Ford Smart Mobility and will expand quickly to hundreds more U.S. markets, Spins three co-founders wrote in a blog post, saying that theyre already on a hiring spree. Spins website shows that it has 24 employees. In the cities where we operate, we plan to help with enforcement around safety and parking, as well as provide rich data to inform urban planning and bolster sustainability initiatives, wrote Euwyn Poon, Derrick Ko and Zaizhuang Cheng. Poon, who is Spins president, said in an email that he couldnt comment directly on the deal details, but said reports of a $100 million acquisition price and of Fords plans to invest $200 million into the business are accurate. Like other carmakers, Ford is preparing for a future where personally owned autos play a less-central role in transportation, and is working on autonomous cars, which it said will be ready at scale in 2021. Its Mobility Group acquired the Chariot commuter shuttle in 2016 and soon spread it beyond its San Francisco roots. In the Bay Area, Ford sponsors docked rental bikes operated by New Yorks Motivate under the name Ford GoBike. Lyft is now acquiring Motivate. Spin, which operates rental scooters in more than a dozen U.S. cities and college campuses, was among three companies that unleashed their two-wheelers onto San Francisco streets in March, triggering controversy that led to a temporary ban and a new permit process. However, Spin maintains that unlike rivals Bird and Lime, it informed the city of its intentions in advance. Thats the basis for an appeal it filed with the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency over not being granted a permit to operate in San Francisco. That appeal is pending. Its our understanding that the MTA considered heavily whether companies used an ask forgiveness instead of permission approach, Brian Kyuhoon No, Spin head of public policy, told The Chronicle last month. We actually did ask for permission. Thats a fact. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes Founded in 2016, Spin has raised $8 million in conventional venture capital. In June it planned to raise $125 million via a blockchain-based security token offering, also called an initial coin offering. Its not clear how much its cryptocurrency offering, which was first reported by TechCrunch, actually raised. Spin started as a bike-share company but pivoted to rental scooters this year. It now operates in Dallas; Washington, D.C.; Miami; Charlotte, N.C.; and Denver, among other locations. TechCrunch reported in June that Spin had a deal with Segway-owned electric scooter manufacturer Ninebot to buy 30,000 scooters a month through December. Editors note: This story has been updated since it was first published to reflect Fords confirmation of the deal, the purchase price and comments from Ford and Spin. Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaid PARADISE, Butte County More than 30,000 people fled for their lives Thursday as a late-season wildfire swept across this town in the Sierra foothills, incinerating numerous homes and businesses and prompting desperate rescues of residents trapped inside buildings and on clogged evacuation routes. Read the latest on the Camp Fire here. The blaze exploded to more than 20,000 acres, adding to a catastrophic two years of wildfires in California that have raised new questions about how the state will cope with a warmer and drier climate. Smoke turned the daytime sky black in Paradise, a community of 27,000 that sits 15 miles east of Chico and 80 miles north of Sacramento. Authorities raced to evacuate a hospital while calling in hundreds of crews from across the region to attack the flames from the ground and by air. Theres pretty much complete devastation in that community entire streets where houses are wiped out, said Lynne Tolmachoff, spokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Its not looking very good at all. Now Playing: Video clips from Camp Fire, wildfire growing rapidly in Butte County, California on Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. Thousands of people were ordered to evacuate several Sierra foothills towns near Chico as a wildfire raged out of control. Video: SFGATE As of Thursday evening, the Camp Fire had no containment, and 15,000 structures were threatened. The flames moved within 2 miles of Chico city limits, and around 9 p.m., residents in the southern part of the city were advised to evacuate. High winds were hampering air tankers efforts to extinguish the flames, said Cal Fire spokesman Scott McLean. Similar winds were expected to continue through the night. Red-flag conditions were in place until at least 10 a.m. Friday. Fire officials said they had received reports of some deaths from the blaze. At least two firefighters were injured. Several hundred homes, and perhaps more than 1,000, had burned. We were engulfed in flames, said Butte County Supervisor Doug Teeter. I dont know what we are coming back to after this. Probably a moonscape. As we drove out, homes were burnt to the ground. Among the structures lost to the flames were a McDonalds, a Mormon church, a Black Bear Diner and Paradises wood welcome sign. Streams of residents hurried out of town, inching along the few available routes. Family members and friends searched for scores of missing people. They inundated 911 with hundreds of requests for help tracking down people who were feared trapped behind fire lines. They flooded Twitter too, posting names and photos of loved ones, along with the addresses where theyd last been seen. The cause of the fire, which ignited at 6:30 a.m., was under investigation. Authorities released no immediate information about the extent of the damage and the toll of injuries. The inferno was so huge that dense smoke clogged skies throughout the Bay Area roughly 200 miles southwest of the blaze and residents across Northern California were warned to expect poor air quality through Friday. Now Playing: The Camp Fire burns in Paradise on Nov. 8, 2018. Video: San Francisco Chronicle Evacuation efforts were difficult, to say the least, said Lt. Al Smith of the Butte County Sheriffs Office, noting that several deputies who ventured into evacuation zones to rescue residents also became trapped by flames burning around them. I cant think of an area thats safe right now. The blaze, named the Camp Fire because of its proximity to Camp Creek Road near Highway 70 in the Feather River Canyon, was scorching several areas within Paradise, which is home to many retirees. Acting Gov. Gavin Newsom, filling in while Gov. Jerry Brown traveled out of state, declared a state of emergency in Butte County. The Butte County towns of Paradise, Pulga and Concow were evacuated shortly after the fire started. Cal Fire officials said residents of Magalia, Butte Creek Canyon and Butte Valley had also been ordered to leave. Pacific Gas and Electric Co. reported that 34,280 customers in Butte County and neighboring Plumas County had lost power. Firefighters spent the morning trying to evacuate trapped Paradise residents while creating firebreaks within the town and even moving some people to empty parking lots. Engines from the San Francisco and Santa Rosa fire departments and other California agencies were aiding Butte County firefighters. The Paradise Unified School District and Butte College closed their doors Thursday morning under evacuation orders from fire officials. The Paradise schools superintendent said she had seen photos of several schools burning. Feather River Hospital in Paradise was evacuated after flames jumped a road leading to the hospital. Fire officials said some people were trapped in a tunnel under the hospital and forced to shelter in place before escaping. The hospital largely survived, but an auxiliary building burned, according to Cal Fire. In the past few years, just the way fires have moved, firefighters have had to help with evacuations before they can go back in to put out the fire, Tolmachoff said. Butte County officials did not send an Amber Alert-style message to warn people in and around Paradise about the rapidly spreading fire early Thursday, a Sheriffs Department spokeswoman said. Instead, the department turned to an opt-in program to contact an estimated 23,000 people who had signed up to receive emergency notifications or who had landline telephones. In October 2017, Sonoma County officials opted not to send out the Amber Alert-style message during the Tubbs Fire, which eventually killed 24 people. That decision was criticized later in a state audit. In Paradise on Thursday morning, Jennifer Broussard, 41, woke to thunder or at least thats what the fire sounded like, she said. She and her husband, Ryan, 50, left their home in a rush. Both in their pajamas, they had no time to change into anything else. Police were everywhere shouting, Move! Go! Get out! She moved from Los Angeles to Paradise 20 years ago, and was surprised upon arriving in town how clear the stars were at night. But in the daytime Thursday, she couldnt see anything except black smoke obscuring the sun and sky. The simple things we take for granted, Broussard said at an evacuation shelter in Oroville. She tapped ash from her cigarette on the concrete and said, That is a whole town gone. The intensity of the Camp Fires surge through Paradise drew immediate comparisons to the Tubbs Fire, which wiped out whole neighborhoods in and around Santa Rosa, and the Carr Fire, which blitzed Redding this year. Gov. Brown and others have raised alarm about the nearly year-round danger in the state, but no broad solutions have surfaced. Twice in the past two years, fires have set the state record for size. In the tiny town of Concow, northeast of Paradise, Nate Tockey, 35, got a call from a neighbor at 7 a.m. warning him about the fire. He woke his three children, warned his wife and saw a dark, orange sky when he went to the porch. His wife, Kat Tockey, 36, left her purse behind, and they didnt bother to grab their computer or important papers from a filing cabinet. By the time the five of them piled into a car, 50- to 100-foot flames were approaching from three sides. They could feel the heat through the closed windows of their sport utility vehicle. Fire Tracker Follow wildfires across the state Latest updates on wildfires burning across Northern and Southern California At this point Im pretty sure the house is gone. Im prepared for the worst, Nate Tockey said. We knew we lived in an area of fire danger, but we never knew it would be like that. Kat Tockey and the children 9-month-old and 11-year-old sons and an 8-year-old daughter were staying at the Neighborhood Church evacuation center in Chico. Pets werent allowed, so Nate Tockey said he would sleep in the car with their rottweiler, Tig, and cat, Kitsy. Kendra Luck evacuated with her father and stepmother a few hours after the fire started. Her stepmother spotted flames shooting up a hillside outside of town around 8 a.m., and the three of them started packing. An hour later, the smoke was so dense that they turned lights on in the house. The sky was an eerie but familiar red glow. Her father and stepmother have lived in the same house in Paradise for 16 years, and this was their third fire evacuation. Theyre getting used to this, said Luck, a former Chronicle photographer. Everything was glowing that fire red. That was enough for them, so we just packed up and left. Todd Trumbull Hundreds of people were unaccounted for Thursday evening after the mad rush to evacuate. Especially worrisome were reports of older people including some with dementia or mobility problems who had not checked in with friends or relatives. A 96-year-old woman who slipped into a strangers car to flee from her retirement home as it was engulfed early Thursday was among the missing. Marcia Hamilton, who had been living at Feather Canyon Retirement Community for nine years, was evacuated from the senior home around 9:30 a.m., just as walls of fire closed in. She joined dozens of other residents outside the main entrance waiting for rides out of town, but firefighters, staffers and others were scrambling to find transportation, said Hamiltons daughter, Lynn Hamilton. Her mother was put in a car with strangers who said they would take her to an evacuation center. But Lynn Hamilton never heard whether they arrived. She was worried in part because her mother left without medication required for her heart condition and cholesterol, and without her walker or a cell phone. She needs to take her medication every day, Lynn Hamilton said. Marcia Hamilton was found hours later in Yuba City, 50 miles to the south. Chronicle staff writers Kimberly Veklerov, Megan Cassidy and Lauren Hernandez contributed to this report. Kurtis Alexander, Lizzie Johnson, Gwendolyn Wu and Erin Allday are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com, ljohnson@sfchronicle.com, gwendolyn.wu@sfchronicle.com, eallday@schronicle.com Twitter: @kurtisalexander, @lizziejohnsonnn, @gwendolynawu, @erinallday An Obama administration program protecting hundreds of thousands of young, undocumented immigrants from deportation was legally established and remains in force despite President Trumps order to abolish it, a federal appeals court in San Francisco ruled Thursday, three days after the Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to take the case out of the appellate courts hands. In a 3-0 ruling, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the Trump administrations two central claims in the case: that President Barack Obama acted illegally in creating the program known as DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, and that courts had no authority to review last years decision to eliminate the program. The government may not simultaneously both assert that its actions are legally compelled, based on its interpretation of the law, and avoid review of that assertion by the judicial branch, Judge Kim Wardlaw said in a decision upholding a San Francisco federal judges order in January keeping DACA in effect for nearly 700,000 immigrants. The court also refused to dismiss claims by the immigrants and their supporters that Trumps action was motivated by racism against Latinos, who make up 93 percent of DACA recipients. Obama established DACA by executive order in 2012 after Congress rejected legislation to overhaul the nations immigration system. The program is available to immigrants who entered the U.S. without authorization before age 16, have lived in the country for five years, attended school or served in the military, and have no serious criminal records. They are eligible for renewable two-year reprieves from deportation and for work permits. The Trump administration argued that Obama had no authority to protect a class of unauthorized immigrants from deportation after Congress had refused to act. But the appeals court said the government has the power to allocate resources and set priorities for deportations, and has a long history of granting deferred action to immigrants who pose minimal risks. President Dwight Eisenhower granted protections in 1956 to more than 30,000 Hungarians who would have been otherwise ineligible to enter the United States, and Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush later took similar actions for children and spouses of newly legalized immigrants, Wardlaw said. She noted that the existence of a long-standing, secretive policy of deferred action in sympathetic cases was revealed in the mid-1970s when the Beatles John Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono, were spared from deportation over Lennons past conviction for marijuana possession. Deferred action has been a feature of our immigration system ... and has been recognized as a practical reality by both Congress and the courts, Wardlaw said. We therefore conclude that DACA was a permissible exercise of executive discretion. Wardlaw said the administration may be able to rescind the program legally if it provides a rational explanation for its decision and refutes the claim of racial motivation. Trump had ordered termination of the program in March. In January, U.S. District Judge William Alsup of San Francisco issued a nationwide injunction keeping DACA in place. Alsup said the president had offered no reasoned explanation for eliminating the program, and also noted that Trump had made disparaging comments about Latinos, including his description of Mexican immigrants as rapists and drug dealers. Similar cases are pending before federal appeals courts in New York and Washington, D.C. On Monday, the Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to take the rare step of bypassing those courts and granting immediate review of the legality of rescinding DACA, for a ruling in the term that ends next June. If the court grants immediate review, it will effectively nullify Thursdays ruling. Otherwise, the Trump administration can still appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court, putting off a final decision for another year. Justice Department spokesman Steven Stafford said the administration still believes that DACA was created illegally, and that the Department of Homeland Security therefore acted within its lawful authority in deciding to wind down DACA in an orderly manner. While we are disappointed in todays ruling, we are pleased that the court has finally acted and that the Supreme Court now can consider our petition for review. Lawyers for the plaintiffs, who included DACA recipients, California and other states, and the University of California, praised the court. The decision is a tremendous victory for our young immigrant Dreamers and the rule of law, said state Attorney General Xavier Becerra, using a term for participants in the program. This administration has tried to strip away the protections that hundreds of thousands of immigrants have relied on for years, and we hope this is a big step toward reversing that trajectory, said Luis Cortes, who is both a DACA recipient and a lawyer representing others in the program. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko WASHINGTON Attorney General Jeff Sessions was pushed out Wednesday as the countrys chief law enforcement officer after enduring more than a year of blistering and personal attacks from President Trump over his recusal from the Russia investigation. Sessions told the president in a one-page letter that he was submitting his resignation at your request. Trump announced in a tweet that he was naming Sessions Chief of Staff Matthew Whitaker, a former U.S. attorney from Iowa, as acting attorney general. Whitaker has criticized Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation into potential coordination between the presidents Republican campaign and Russia. The resignation was the culmination of a toxic relationship that frayed just weeks into the attorney generals tumultuous tenure, when he stepped aside from the Mueller investigation. Trump blamed the decision for opening the door to the appointment of Mueller, who took over the Russia investigation and began examining whether Trumps hectoring of Sessions was part of a broader effort to obstruct justice and stymie the probe. Asked whether Whitaker would assume control over Muellers investigation, Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Flores said Whitaker would be in charge of all matters under the purview of the Department of Justice. The Justice Department did not announce a departure for Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller more than a year and a half ago and has closely overseen his work since then. Whitaker once opined about a situation in which Trump could fire Sessions and then appoint an acting attorney general who could stifle the funding of Muellers probe. So I could see a scenario where Jeff Sessions is replaced with a recess appointment and that attorney general doesnt fire Bob Mueller, but he just reduces his budget to so low that his investigation grinds to almost a halt, Whitaker said during an interview with CNN in July 2017. Asked if that would be to dwindle the special counsels resources, Whitaker responded, Right. In an opinion piece for CNN, Whitaker wrote: Mueller has come up to a red line in the Russia 2016 election-meddling investigation that he is dangerously close to crossing. The relentless attacks on Sessions came even though the Alabama Republican was the first U.S. senator to endorse Trump and despite the fact that his crime-fighting agenda and priorities particularly his hawkish immigration enforcement policies largely mirrored the presidents. But the relationship was irreparably damaged in March 2017 when Sessions, acknowledging previously undisclosed meetings with the Russian ambassador and citing his work as a campaign aide, recused himself from the Russia investigation. The decision infuriated Trump, who repeatedly lamented that he would have never selected Sessions if he had known the attorney general would recuse. The recusal left the investigation in the hands of Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller as special counsel two months later after Trump fired then-FBI Director James Comey. The rift lingered for the duration of Sessions tenure, and the attorney general, despite praising the presidents agenda and hewing to his priorities, never managed to return to Trumps good graces. Eric Tucker is an Associated Press writer. Backers mourned the loss of Proposition 3 on Wednesday, the nearly $9 billion bond measure that would have modernized old dams, restored tainted watersheds and created desalination plants, among dozens of other water projects throughout the state. Prop. 3 backed by state water agencies, farming organizations, social justice advocates and environmentalists, but not the Sierra Club lost by 52 to 48 percent, a difference of 320,000 votes out of nearly 7 million ballots cast. I think its disappointing, said David Lewis, executive director of the nonprofit Save The Bay. We need to do a lot of work to make sure we have clean water for people and wildlife in a time of rapid climate change. (This measure) would have gotten us a long way toward providing clean drinking water to people who dont have it in the Central Valley. He said the recent drought, with the promise of more to come, exposed an urgency in California to adapt water use and water infrastructure to climate change. The Sierra Club argued that the measure was not worth the expense, and that agricultural interests that helped fund the campaign would disproportionately gain. Kathryn Phillips, director of the California chapter of the Sierra Club, called it a pay-to-play measure. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. The Bay Area would have gotten at least $250 million for water agency projects, and $200 million to restore wetlands in San Francisco Bay. Much of the bond money would have been awarded through competitive grants, with some reserved for fixing the Friant-Kern Canal in San Joaquin Valley and the Oroville Dam. Prop. 3 did well with Bay Area voters. Nanette Asimov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: nasimov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @NanetteAsimov A formerly undocumented immigrant, whose application to work as a California prison guard was wrongly denied because he disclosed he had once used a false Social Security number to get a job, can seek damages for emotional distress, a state appeals court ruled Wednesday. Victor Guerrero had won an earlier ruling from a federal judge, who said state prison officials had discriminated against him based on his national origin by using his answer to disqualify him. After a nonjury trial in 2016, U.S. District Judge William Alsup of San Francisco awarded Guerrero $140,000 in lost pay and $1.4 million in attorneys fees and costs. He also ordered the state to reconsider Guerreros job application. He was accepted and has worked as a guard at a Central Valley prison for 2 years, his lawyer said. Guerrero also sought damages under California law for the emotional harm caused by the rejection of his application, a claim Alsup could not consider. He filed a separate suit in San Francisco Superior Court, but Judge Curtis Karnow dismissed it, saying it duplicated Guerreros federal case and he was not entitled to seek additional damages. The First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco disagreed Wednesday and reinstated the suit. When someone with a grievance against the state sues in federal court, the Constitution shields the state from damages based on violations of its own laws, Justice Jon Streeter said in the 3-0 ruling. Guerreros Superior Court suit did not duplicate his federal court suit, and he is free to pursue his state claims for damages in Superior Court, Streeter said. Guerrero was brought to the United States from Mexico by his parents in 1990 at age 11. Needing a job at age 15 to help pay the familys bills, he was taken to a service that provided fake Social Security numbers. He did not know for several years that the number was fictitious and that he was undocumented, said attorney Christopher Ho of the nonprofit Legal Aid at Work, which represents Guerrero. He continued to use the fake number until 2007, when he was a legal resident and obtained a legitimate Social Security number. Guerrero became a U.S. citizen in 2011 and then applied to work for the state as a prison guard. He passed the written and physical exams but was disqualified after saying, in response to a question on the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations standard form, that he had once used a different Social Security number. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. In the trial of Guerreros federal lawsuit, Alsup said the department had discriminated against Guerrero by using his answer to disqualify him, rather than considering his overall qualification. But he refused to order the state to remove the question from its questionnaire, saying the department had a legitimate interest in its applicants honesty and good judgment. Judges have reached different conclusions on whether victims of discrimination like Guerrero can seek additional damages, said Ho, Guerreros lawyer, and Wednesdays ruling provides great guidance for future courts. Ho said the department had used the same answer to reject nine applicants, all of them Latino, over a period of several years. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko Well, that didnt take long. On the day after his Republican Party lost control of the House of Representatives, President Trump fired Attorney General Jeff Sessions. The AG had been on Trumps bad list ever since ex-2016-campaign-figure Sessions decided (quite properly) to recuse himself from the Russia investigation. The president replaced Sessions with the AGs chief of staff, Matthew Whitaker, as acting replacement. Whitaker happens to share Trumps view that special counsel Robert Mueller has exceeded his mandate and once even mused about cutting Muellers funding. Is Mueller next on the chopping block? So we have pivoted from midterms to constitutional crisis. Those soon-to-be-Democratic-led investigative committees will be busy. Our editorial on Sessions ouster. Unfiltered and unhinged: President Trumps performance in a post-election news conference was bizarre even by his standards. Head-shaking moments including his mocking by name the Republicans his fellow Republicans! who had refused to sufficiently embraced him and lost on Tuesday. And he was beyond testy in his exchanges with several reporters as they tried to ask questions. What were saying Newsoms big night: Having covered Gavin Newsom since he first ran for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, before he was mayor of San Francisco, I have been struck in this campaign by how much he has grown as a person and a politician. Hes always been a wonk and serious about doing right in public service. Hes always been willing to take on tough issues, as I noted in this 2016 column. But gone is the hubris that once made him such a tempting target for progressives when he was mayor. Hes more thoughtful, with a touch of humility and about to become the next governor of California. Our editorial on his election. Breeds bad night: There is no doubt about where San Francisco Mayor London Breed falls in the lists of winners and losers in Tuesdays returns. She falls. Breed opposed Proposition C, the plan to tax larger businesses to raise $300 million for homeless programs, and it passed by a wide margin. She was on the right side on the issue, in the view of our editorial board, but her halfhearted campaign effort gave her the worst of both worlds. She didnt influence the election, and she ultimately lost. In my view, she should have laid out a plausible alternative for needs to be in place before making such a huge financial commitment. Worse yet, the candidates she endorsed for the Board of Supervisors underperformed. Our editorial on her election woes. Pelosi is back: Back in July 2017, I wrote a column headlined, Nancy Pelosi: Washingtons most resilient leader. She proved it yet again this week when the Democrats regained control of the House, putting her in position to return to the speakership. Dont bet against her. Heres our editorial on the implications of the Democrats win for Pelosi, for Trump, for the nation, for San Francisco. Money talked, populism walked: That was the upshot of the initiatives on the state ballot. The cause celebres of the election from the left (Prop. 10, to expand rent control) and the right (Prop. 6, to repeal the gas tax) went down to defeat, with heavy spending against each, as our editorial explained. Our editorial on the initiatives. Play it again Late-night punditry: The results were in, the Wednesday paper was put to bed, and my colleague Joe Garofoli summoned the gang for a special edition of his Its All Political podcast. Check out the insights from Garofoli, Editor in Chief Audrey Cooper, columnist Heather Knight, Sacramento Bureau Chief Melody Gutierrez, political scribe John Wildermuth and me. It was after midnight, but not yet closing time, so we all enjoyed a cold one as we chatted. (Photo by Fernando Diaz no relation who produced the podcast) Fernando Diaz Orange is the new Red: Editor in Chief Audrey Cooper and I had a lively election-night recap of the erudite and always lively USF politics Professor James Taylor, who compared Donald Trumps style to that of ... Malcolm X? Seriously! Check it out. Where to follow us Sign up for the newsletter Want to get the latest San Francisco Chronicle Editorial Board opinions in your inbox? Subscribe to Opinion Central. See More Collapse We have a new Twitter channel, Opinion Central (@sfc_opinions). Please add it to your stream. Youll catch our editorials and opinion pieces, as well as our drive-by comments on assorted subjects in the news. Also, please add our Opinion Central podcast to wherever you receive yours. This is the place for backstories and commentary with our opinion writers and special guests. Letter of the Week Donna Delvecchio of Santa Clara summed it up succinctly: In the aftermath of the 2018 midterm election results, in which the Democrats regained control of the House while the Republicans maintained control of the Senate, heres my political traffic report for the next two years in Washington, D.C.: gridlock. And please check out our other letters of the day responding to this and other matters. You can send us a letter via this form. Just a reminder The Chronicles editorials represent the collective judgment of our Editorial Board, which includes the publisher as well as the writers and editors from the opinion team. Our editors and reporters on the news side are not involved in those decisions (including election endorsements). They and are charged with reporting fairly and objectively without regard to our editorial positions. It is one of the core values here at Fifth and Mission streets. Opinion Central is a thrice-weekly newsletter from John Diaz, The Chronicles editorial page editor, and the rest of the Editorial Board. Follow along on Twitter: @sfc_opinions Today, a grim reminder of World War I comes out from under the shadow of Veterans Day, as it is the centennial of the end of that bloody conflict. H.G. Wells first called it the war that will end war, but it is long past time to note that the November 1918 armistice not only failed to prevent future wars, it didnt even slow the bitter fighting still raging in Russia. The civil war there between Reds and anti-communist, somewhat czarist Whites continued until 1922, at an estimated cost of more than 7 million lives. Beyond human suffering caused by internecine strife, the Russian psyche was also scarred by the intervention of a wide range of pro-White foreign forces fueling fears and resentments of others that resonate to this day and manifest in rough behaviors ranging from territorial annexation to social-media-based political warfare. Outside meddling in the Russian civil war began just a month after the November armistice. A French contingent seized the Black Sea port city of Odessa in December 1918, followed quickly by the landing of more than 20,000 Greek soldiers in Crimea. Both aimed at aiding embattled Whites in these areas. In January 1919 they were joined by a Romanian force that invaded Russia along the Black Sea coast. Up north, British Imperial land and naval forces operated from the Baltic to the Arctic, joined by an American polar bear expeditionary force composed mostly of troops from Michigan (it was thought that, considering where they grew up, these men would bear the intense cold best) whose mission was to keep Allied supply stockpiles in Arkhangelsk from falling into the Reds hands. More than 8,000 other American soldiers went to the Russian Far East, where they occupied Vladivostok and took on other tasks. But in this area of operations, the Japanese intervened more heavily, sending in more than 70,000 troops in the hope that they could establish an anti-communist puppet buffer state. Thus was Russia assailed from all sides by former allies remember that the revolutionary government that overthrew the czar had remained actively with the Allies until it was knocked out by defeats in the field and internal rot. That former friends would invade Russia while Russians were fighting each other led to deeply felt resentments that continued to fester after the Reds victory became assured. Most foreign forces left Russian territory in 1920, given the swiftly declining fortunes of the Whites; but the Japanese stayed on for a few more years, planting seeds of an antipathy that would resurface. Perhaps the most dramatic military events that arose in the wake of the armistice that never was came in Ukraine and Poland. The Poles, restored to independence for the first time since late in the 18th century, were eager to improve their security situation by expansion to the east and, by 1919, had taken much of Ukraine. In 1920, Marshal of Poland Jozef Pilsudski even struck at Kiev, but was defeated there by the Red Army which itself took the offensive and very nearly overran Poland in the next months. Needless to say, lasting resentments that grew from the Russo-Polish conflict made it easier for Josef Stalin to agree with Adolf Hitler to carve up Poland in 1939 and to take control of all of that country in the wake of World War II. To be sure, World War II saw Russians, in the end, fighting alongside their erstwhile allies from World War I, the Great War. But that amity lasted only as long as the Nazis. The Cold War that followed began less than a year after Hitlers death, with Winston Churchills March 1946 speech at Westminster College, in which he described Russian behavior as bringing down an iron curtain over Central Europe. The 40-plus years of hostility and proxy wars that followed were only briefly interrupted by dissolution of the Soviet Union at the end of 1991. Then came the rise to power in 1999 of a new Russian leader, Vladimir Putin. He skillfully used the expansion of NATO, efforts to build a Star Wars ballistic missile defense system, and Western aid to anti-Russian forces in Moscows near abroad (states of the former Soviet Union) to reawaken the old hostile feelings forged a century ago. Thus it is no surprise that little green men took back Crimea, that Russian forces have thwarted all efforts to topple Bashar Assad in Syria, and that shadowy, Moscow-linked hackers are waging all-out political warfare against the United States and other democracies from cyberspace. All this need not have been, had Russia been allowed to sort out its own future in the wake of World War I. Outside military intervention as we Americans have seen over the past two decades is a costly, risky business that seldom turns out well. A good thing to remember on this centennial of an armistice that never was. John Arquilla is distinguished professor and chair of defense analysis at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey. The views expressed are his alone. To comment, submit your letter to the editor at SFChronicle.com/letters. San Franciscos mayor, London Breed, won election this spring on a message of pragmatic politics and attention to the quality-of-life details that were plaguing San Franciscans. On Tuesday night, she hit a speed bump. Breed was the most prominent public official against Proposition C, the measure that raises hundreds of millions of dollars for homeless services through a tax on big businesses. It won resoundingly. San Franciscans consistently cite homelessness as one of their top issues, but Breed had no competing plan to offer. After announcing her opposition, Breed was barely visible in the campaign. At the very least, she should have explained to voters in plain terms why the city was not prepared for a tax-and-spending increase of that magnitude for the citys most intractable challenge. Election results for three of the five supervisors races are still pending, but the two firm results should chasten the mayor, too. Matt Haney and Rafael Mandelman, who won in Districts Six and Eight respectively, arent contentious personalities or flaming progressive types. But they arent Breeds natural allies for the board, either. The clear lesson for Breed is that messaging matters in every election. She failed to articulate a clear vision for San Francisco through her endorsements and as a result, she may have to temper her plans as she encounters a board with other agendas. Tuesdays results may also suggest an air of political vulnerability about the mayor that could embolden potential challengers in next years election. This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters. Of the many issues and challenges that Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom and the Legislature will be required to confront, one that rarely gets the attention it deserves is the growth of our senior population. By the year 2030, there will be 4 million new seniors in California. We are not prepared to deal with the fiscal and social costs that this growth will incur. Recognizing the urgency of this issue, Newsom called for the development of a master plan for aging with dignity after Californias June primary election. We heartily agree and enthusiastically support state leaders prioritizing older adults and coming up with solutions to Californias looming senior care crisis. But we have our work cut out for us. In California, 20 percent of seniors live in poverty. In San Francisco, that number jumps to 30 percent. A lack of affordable and safe housing, the threat of eviction and profound income inequality are stripping this community of its heroes. While all of the states seniors face similar problems as they age, such as access to health care, long-term care affordability, economic security and affordable housing, LGBTQ seniors experience amplified challenges. One of these challenges is ensuring they will be able to receive equal access to support services as they age. Reports show that LGBTQ seniors are not using existing long-term care and aging services. Another is the very real fear that if they are no longer able to care for themselves and are at risk of losing housing or facing eviction, they could be forced to deny who they are if living in a care facility is their only option. This fear is justified. Research tells us that LGBTQ seniors face discrimination and mistreatment in long-term care facilities. According to the National Senior Citizens Law Center, 78 percent of LGBTQ Americans felt it would be unsafe to be out in a care facility and 43 percent reported personally witnessing or knowing individuals who experienced instances of mistreatment. For transgender seniors, these risks are even higher. To address this particular issue, I, as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, worked hand-in-hand with the LGBT Aging Policy Taskforce to create and implement an LGBT senior bill of rights in long-term care facilities. This ordinance requires staff in long-term care facilities to respect the dignity of all LGBT residents, and made it illegal to discriminate on the basis of sexual and gender identity, as well as on HIV status. Last year my SB219 placed the protections from the San Francisco ordinance into state law, and ensures LGBT seniors throughout our state know their rights when entering long-term care facilities. In California especially, an out senior shouldnt have to choose between living on the streets and feeling unsafe in a nursing home or assisted living facility. More than 40 percent of LGBTQ seniors dont even feel comfortable using housing assistance programs. People of all ages and backgrounds share a common goal: to age in the place they call home, surrounded by people they love, in a community where they feel they belong. One of the most basic necessities of life is having a roof over ones head and one that is affordable. In California as you all know affordable housing is scarce. Senior housing is even more limited. And, senior housing for LGBTQ Californians is almost nonexistent. Now is the time for the state to develop a master plan for aging that truly meets the needs of all Californians. Former San Francisco supervisor Scott Wiener represents San Francisco in the state Senate and serves as chair of the Senate Human Services Committee. Karyn Skultety is the executive director of Openhouse, a nonprofit that provides housing, services and community for LGBTQ seniors. Above us to the right, two pintail ducks plummeted out of the morning sky at 50 mph. In tandem, they turned 45 degrees, locked their wings, and in a falling-rising-falling dance in midair plunged in front of us. I raised and shot. Got them both. It was one of my most difficult photographs ever. The ducks then flared and landed in the marsh pond. Beyond, a trio of cinnamon teal, perched on a log, slept with their heads tucked under their wings. Far above, skeins of geese filled the high sky. You could hear the squawks and honks carry for miles on this quiet morning at the refuge. Now Playing: One of the great wildlife spectacles in California -- the arrival of 10 million ducks and geese, along with unbelievable millions of shorebirds, raptors and songbirds -- is underway at the marsh wetlands in the Sacramento Valley and the Bay Area. Video: Tom Stienstra One of the great wildlife spectacles in California the arrival of 10 million ducks and geese, along with unbelievable millions of shorebirds, raptors and songbirds is under way at the marsh wetlands in the Sacramento Valley and the Bay Area. The peak migrations on the Pacific Flyway started last week. At the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex alone, roughly 850,000 ducks and geese had arrived by the start of the month. Those numbers are projected to hit 1.5 million by Thanksgiving. The timing means driving tours already good and getting better are projected to be spectacular from Thanksgiving through Christmas. For those heading out of the Bay Area for the holidays or vacations, these driving tours can provide spectacular side trips that can end up being the best part of your holiday. Best of the best A 6-mile loop driving tour of the Sacramento refuge is available just east of Interstate 5, between Maxwell and Willows. A 3-mile driving tour is available at the Colusa National Wildlife Refuge, located just south of Highway 20 just west of Colusa (and east of Williams). Several other refuges provide drives to lookouts with short walks to great viewing areas. These include Woodbridge Ecological Reserve (short walk for best prospects) located west of Lodi in the remote Delta, and Cosumnes River Preserve (great for youngsters, best by kayak) located near Galt, in the Walnut Grove/Thornton area. The Bay Area has 20 wetlands marshes that attract roughly 1.2 million migratory shorebirds and waterfowl for winter. These sites are listed in a story, Marsh project means more fish, birds and wildlife, that appeared in The Chronicle on Oct. 14. The best include the Napa-Sonoma Marsh in the North Bay, Bothin Marsh in Marin, Palo Alto Baylands on the Peninsula, Hayward Regional Shoreline on the shore of the South Bay in Alameda County, Big Break Regional Shoreline on the gateway to the Delta in Oakley in Contra Costa County, and the San Francisco Bay Wildlife Refuges Environmental Education Center in Alviso. Here they come Three weeks ago, big storms and freezing temperatures in Alaska and British Columbia started pushing the birds south en masse. That was followed 10 days ago by a succession of storms that hammered the Pacific Northwest. Right on schedule. In mid-October, 846,700 total waterfowl had arrived at the Sacramento NWR Complex. That included 198,000 white-fronted geese (many call them specks) and 360,000 pintail. By next week, the number of waterfowl is expected to hit 1.4 million to 1.5 million. A huge influx of snow geese is under way. In mid-October, only 2,700 white geese, which combine both snow geese and Ross geese (because they are too difficult to discern the difference in aerial surveys), were counted at the Sacramento Complex. Yet in most years by mid-November, roughly 275,000 white geese arrive to the wetlands marshes here, and they keep coming through Thanksgiving and into December. This massive influx of snow geese is under way, with more white geese piling into the refuge each day. The next counts will take place next week. Pintail numbers are going up as well, with more than 500,000 expected by mid-November, plus 340,000 teal (both green-winged and cinnamon), 180,000 wigeon and more than 100,000 shovelers. One key is rain, flooding and the amount of marsh habitat available to provide landing spots for rest and food. Even with sparse rain this month, wildlife managers have been able to jump-start the marsh habitat with shallow-water flooding: 69 percent of the Sacramento Complex is flooded, compared to 66 percent of Delevan, 74 percent of Colusa and 100 percent of the Butte Sink. Sutter and Llano Seco, which typically flood later in the fall, are at 45 and 33 percent, respectively. These numbers will go up as winter arrives, of course. The next chance of rain, always a wild card for the Sacramento Valley, is forecast for the end of next week. Waterfowl viewing Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge: The 6-mile tour is on a dirt levee road that wraps around the marsh. Drive at the pace of a walk and stop at all the keyhole breaks in the tules, then use binoculars or a spotting scope to home in on all of the birds. A viewing deck provides an elevated long-distance panorama of the marsh and to the Sutter Buttes. Except at viewing stations, do not get out of your car; the birds are habituated to vehicles, not people. Note: As darkness takes over, the geese fly out of the refuge to feed on the neighboring rice fields; the best spot to see the event is the last left turn on the way out of the refuge. Getting there: $6 (good same day for Colusa), free with federal Duck Stamp; GPS location: 752 County Road 99W, Willows; contact: U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, 530-934-2801, www.fws.gov/refuge/sacramento. Colusa National Wildlife Refuge: This is a 3-mile driving tour, but many pass the best spot, the viewing deck on the right located near the start of the drive. For photographs, the ducks and geese are often closest here. A 1-mile trail also starts near the viewing platform. The driving tour passes a pond on your right, crosses a riparian creek, and then extends to a small lake and beyond to good upland habitat. Note: When driving through the uplands, stay alert - we've seen deer, coyote, fox and bobcat. Getting there: $6 (good same day for Sacramento NWR), free with federal Duck Stamp; GPS location: 2180 State Highway 20, Colusa; contact: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 530-934-2801; www.fws.gov/refuge/sacramento. Woodbridge Ecological Reserve: Woodbridge is renowned for its sandhill crane flyovers, which are best at dusk. Tours are available to put visitors in the best position to see the spectacle. As a freshwater marsh, Woodbridge attracts a diversity of waterfowl, shorebirds and songbirds on their migratory flights. Note: After turning on Woodbridge Road, drive 2 miles to a turnout on the left for one of the best lookouts to take in the flights. Getting there: $4.32 or California DFW Lands Pass; GPS location: 7730 W. Woodbridge Road, Lodi; Woodbridge Ecological Reserve,209-234-3435, info and register for crane tours at www.dfg.ca.gov/delta/cranetour. Cosumnes River Preserve: This is a vast habitat that extends into the Delta. Easy walks span miles, where there are more birds than people. On Saturday at headquarters, a row of spotting scopes will be set up to provide views of ducks, geese, stilts, snipe and more. For the more ambitious, this is one of the best places anywhere to launch a kayak or canoe and see birds from the water. Getting there: Free parking, access; GPS location: 13501 Franklin Blvd., Galt; contact: Cosumnes River Preserve, 916-684-2816, www.cosumnes.org. - Tom Stienstra See More Collapse Afternoon temperatures this week have been in the mid-70s, with plenty of sun and tons of birds, both in the air and on the marsh. Tom Stienstra is The Chronicles outdoors writer. His Outdoor Report can be heard Saturdays on KCBS (740 and 106.9) at 7:35 a.m., 9:35 a.m. and 12:35 p.m. Email: tstienstra@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @StienstraTom The significance of Tuesdays vote to preserve Californias new gas-tax hike was not lost on Gov. Jerry Brown. This is bridges, and girders, and overpasses, and cement, and concrete this is real stuff, he said during an election night speech, referring to the $5.2 billion stream that the tax hike generates annually to fix roads and keep mass transit running. That money would have evaporated if voters had passed Proposition 6, a ballot initiative to repeal the taxes and fees that state lawmakers enacted last year as Senate Bill 1. After a hard-fought and at times acrimonious campaign, Prop. 6 went down with 55 percent of voters opposed and 45 percent in favor. State and county officials had already directed the first batch of SB1 revenue toward 6,500 infrastructure projects, said Caltrans spokesman Matt Rocco. They include 400 retrofits of state highways, such as the continuous carpool lanes under construction on the Marin-Sonoma Narrows, which will eventually thread from Windsor to the Robin Williams Tunnel. SB1 also is paying to repave most of Interstate 880 in the East Bay. If the repeal had passed, hundreds of construction projects might have been frozen in place. A new report from the Mineta Transportation Institute, The Future of California Transportation Revenue, predicted that by 2020, California will collect $10.4 billion from SB1 the gasoline tax increase of 12 cents per gallon and diesel fuel tax increase of 20 cents per gallon, along with other vehicle fees. Lawmakers had last raised the gas tax in the 1990s, and the money it supplied before SB1 wasnt enough to prevent highways from deteriorating and keep commerce rolling in the fifth largest economy in the world. The effects of Prop. 6 would have been severe in the Bay Area, which already has the worst roads in the country according to a recent analysis by the Washington, D.C., transportation research firm TRIP. Rural counties would have been hit even harder. Rugged northern areas such as Trinity County which is nestled along the Trinity River and flanked by the Salmon and Klamath Mountains would have lost funding to plow snow in winter and clear a path for emergency vehicles, or to cut back brush and trees so they dont ignite forest fires. Even so, voting maps provided by the secretary of state showed that residents of rural areas including Trinity supported the repeal. Its defeat came from the more populous coastal counties. Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan California Democrats picked up a pair of Republican-held congressional seats Wednesday, adding to the partys growing advantage in the House. Democrat Mike Levin, an environmental attorney, won the seat in the 49thDistrict, which straddles the border between Orange and San Diego counties, defeating Republican Diane Harkey. The seat opened up when GOP Rep. Darrell Issa of Vista (San Diego County) retired. In the northern reaches of Los Angeles County, Democrat Katie Hill beat GOP Rep. Steve Knight of Lancaster, who was seeking his third term in Congress. Knight conceded the race. I entered this race to serve our community and bring our voice and priorities to Washington, said Hill, a 31-year-old resident of Agua Dulce (Los Angeles County) who has never held public office. This is just the beginning. Late-arriving ballots probably will determine the results in two other districts that Democrats were trying to wrest from Republicans. In the 48th District in Orange County, Democratic businessman Harley Rouda held a 1,600-vote lead over 15-term GOP Rep. Dana Rohrabacher of Costa Mesa. We knew this would be a close race and we expected we would have to endure Californias absurdly long counting process, said Dale Neugebauer, a spokesman for Rohrabacher. He estimated that there could be 80,000 or more ballots left to count. In the Central Valley, GOP Rep. Jeff Denham of Turlock (Stanislaus County) held a 1,300-vote lead over Democrat Josh Harder. Denhams campaign estimated there were tens of thousands of votes remaining to be counted. Weve known from the beginning this wasnt going to be resolved on election night, said Nicole Nabulsi, a spokeswoman for Harder. We are encouraged by the results so far and we will be watching the results closely in the days to come. It may be a while. In the June primary, for example, it took three weeks before Rouda was declared the winner of the second slot on this weeks ballot. About 7.2 million votes were tallied by Wednesday morning, for a 36 percent statewide turnout. But mail ballots postmarked by election day and arriving by Friday still will be counted, along with provisional ballots and mail ballots turned in at polling places. In all, an estimated 3 million or more ballots are still out there. A pair of statewide contests are also hanging in the balance for insurance commissioner, where Democrat Ricardo Lara was clinging to a small lead over independent Steve Poizner, and superintendent of public instruction, where Marshall Tuck was narrowly ahead of Tony Thurmond. Republicans have held on to one of the seven House seats in California that Democrats were especially hopeful of grabbing after Hillary Clinton won in those districts in the 2016 presidential election. GOP Rep. David Valadao of Hanford (Kings County) was an easy winner over Democrat TJ Cox. Two additional races were too close to call Wednesday. In Orange County, Republican Young Kim of Fullerton was leading Democrat Gil Cisneros, 51 percent to 49 percent, while GOP Rep. Mimi Walters of Irvine had a 52 percent to 48 margin over Democrat Katie Porter, a UC Irvine law professor. Democrats may have improved on their performance by nominating candidates who better fit conservative-leaning districts, said Thad Kousser, a political science professor at UC San Diego. While Orange County is no longer the Republican stronghold it once was, its still a GOP-friendly area thats a tough sell for a progressive like Porter. All the excitement this year was around the most liberal candidates, but in toss-up districts, having a candidate who sounded like people Republicans were familiar with and comfortable voting for made a difference, Kousser said. When Democrats ran candidates like Levin and Rouda, businessmen with experience in private industry, they won. John Wildermuth is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jfwildermuth Resistance leader Gavin Newsom has a relationship to re-evaluate now that hes Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom: How should he deal with President Trump? As with any relationship assessment, analysts say Newsom needs to figure out when to respond to what his antagonist says and when to ignore it. In other words, the former San Francisco mayor, who called the president a small, scared bully during his campaign, needs a Trump Engagement Policy one in which Newsom dukes it out with Trump on issues that matter most to California, like immigration and the environment, and ignores Trumps tweetstorm du jour. Twitter wars are just not worth his energy as governor or his constituents time. I know the difference between Gavin in campaign mode and Gavin who is in governing mode, said former East Bay Rep. Ellen Tauscher, who founded the Fight Back California super PAC devoted to electing Democratic House candidates and has known Newsom since 1996. It was right for Gavin to put the president on notice, as we are the free state of California. But now, Tauscher said, I would rhetorically ignore him. Dont get into a conversation or a battle with him. It doesnt get you anywhere. Nobody can change that dim, dark mind of his. You end up eating up time when you could have been getting things done. There was zero love lost between the leader of the free world and the leader-elect of the worlds fifth largest economy during the gubernatorial campaign. Trump called Newsom a clown and regularly mocked the Democrat during campaign stops in red states for a cheap look-at-crazy-California laugh. Thats (Trumps) personality, Tauscher said. He has to be in a fight. He has to be the antagonist. Newsom reliably returned fire, calling Trump a pathetic disgrace on Twitter and saying Trump was insane for suggesting that border patrol officers fire on unarmed migrants approaching the U.S. if they threw rocks. One Newsom campaign commercial featured an image of Trump on TV and vowed, Were not backing down. There is little downside to mocking Trump in California, where two-thirds of likely voters dont like him, according to polls. As Newsom said during a campaign stop in San Francisco last week, California is proudly the most un-Trump state in America. That adversarial tone was mutually beneficial during campaign season. Trump and Newsom needed each other as foils. But as governor, Newsom must craft an image that he is more than just the leader of the anti-Trump resistance. He needs to focus on California, not Washington. As a candidate you can rely on rhetoric, said Katie Merrill, a veteran California political strategist. When youre running for office, your goals are different than when youre the steward of a state that has a lot of challenges and a lot of needs. Thats the difference when youre governor, Merrill said. Its not about rhetoric. Its about implementing policy. Top Newsom political strategist Ace Smith said the governor-elects philosophy about engaging Trump should be exactly what Jerry Browns was. When the president was being unreasonable, you need to stand up to him. Its not allowing yourself to be bullied by the bully-in-chief, Smith said Wednesday. California is big enough that it doesnt have to be. Newsom referred to Browns handling of Trump often while he was on the campaign trail. Newsom frequently told a story of how Brown reacted after Trump pulled out of the 2015 Paris Climate Accords. Five days after the president announces his intention, Newsom told a campaign rally Monday in San Francisco, Gov. Brown pulls out of his driveway, he makes his way to the airport. He flies to Beijing. He sits down with (Chinese) President Xi (Jinping) in the presidential palace. Signs a memorandum of understanding basically doubling down on the Paris accords, not as a head of state but a head of a state the state of California. Thats leadership, Newsom said as the audience of 200 roared. Thats California. Unlike Newsom, Brown often shrugged at engaging Trump on Twitter. But the governor did not pull rhetorical punches in real life, especially when it came to defending his pet issues. On climate change, Brown said Trump would be remembered as a liar, criminal, fool pick your choice at the September Global Climate Action Summit that Brown co-hosted in San Francisco. Newsom previewed his Trump Engagement Policy during his victory speech Tuesday night in Los Angeles. Although Newsom did not mention Trump by name, his remarks were clearly aimed at the president when he said Tuesdays election results across California showed that we are saying unmistakably and in unison that its time to roll credits on the politics of chaos and cruelty. Theres a reason why Californias dream is Americas leading brand, Newsom said. Because Californias dream has always been and always will be too big to fail and too powerful to bully. Online, Newsom will need to recast his Twitter interactions with Trump, said John Parmalee, a professor of political communication at the University of North Florida and author of Politics and the Twitter Revolution. He shouldnt be spending so much of his time to think of ways to interact with Trump, Parmalee said. Its like that old saying: Dont wrestle with a pig. You both get muddy and the pig will like it. Instead, Parmalee said, Newsom should focus on ways to interact more with his 1.4 million Twitter followers and grow his brand with them. Then Newsoms followers can fight Trump on his behalf, he said. If Newsom has political aspirations beyond California, he has to decide what image he wants to portray online, said Karen North, a social media expert and professor of communication at the University of Southern California. He can either be the fiery partisan person, she said, or he can decide to reach out to other people in red areas of the country or in California and be appealing to them. As for Trump, he may soon be done trolling Newsom. Thats because he will soon have other California Democrats to worry about, like Sen. Kamala Harris, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, billionaire San Francisco activist and former hedge fund manager Tom Steyer, attorney Michael Avenatti and the rest of the conga line possibly running for president in 2020. And they will have to figure out their own Trump Engagement Policy. Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli WASHINGTON House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi led her party to a resounding victory in the midterm elections, but she has one more race to win: her own. The San Francisco congresswoman is a prohibitive favorite to retake the speakership, which she lost in 2010 to the Republican Tea Party wave. But a small group of Democratic lawmakers who think the party needs a change at the top is quietly organizing in hopes of blocking her path. Pelosis allies are projecting confidence. This is the person that took us to the Super Bowl and won, so this is a magnificent victory and important one, Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, said Wednesday. She will win, said Eshoo, who watched the returns with Pelosi on Tuesday night. But it would be wrong for any of us to demand something of members that are coming in. Its up to them. And Nancy Pelosi is the first one to have said that, as she was funding their campaigns for victory. Senior Democratic congressional aides also told The Chronicle that Pelosi was on track to be speaker, noting that she was the architect of the victory in terms of messaging, fundraising and focus, and that Republicans numerous attacks on her did nothing to stop that. Pelosi raised nearly half the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committees $270 million for the 2018 cycle. She campaigned in 30 cities in October, including appearances for three candidates who flipped Republican-held seats Tuesday night. Pelosi also got an endorsement from an unlikely source: President Trump. In all fairness, Nancy Pelosi deserves to be chosen Speaker of the House by the Democrats. If they give her a hard time, perhaps we will add some Republican votes. She has earned this great honor! Trump tweeted Wednesday morning. He echoed that in a news conference later in the day, saying he genuinely meant it. A lot of people thought I was being sarcastic, Trump said of his tweet. I wasnt. She deserved it. ... She worked very hard. Pelosi, for her part, has expressed confidence that she will be speaker. That didnt change at a news conference she held Wednesday. I heard the president say I deserve to be the speaker, she said. I dont think anybody deserves anything. Its not about what you have done its about what you can do. ... I think Im the best person to go forward to unify, to negotiate. Then she added: Im not going to answer any more questions on that subject. Pelosis apparent momentum hasnt stopped some Democrats from organizing against her. Several lawmakers have been challenging her leadership for years, and they see potential in new House members. According to a list compiled by the Capitol Hill news outlet Roll Call, at least three newly elected Democrats have ruled out voting for Pelosi as speaker on the House floor, and another seven have signaled they might oppose her at least within the intra-party vote scheduled for Nov. 28. Two more have indicated they want new leadership, without specifying how they would vote on the San Francisco Democrat. One Democratic member who is familiar with efforts to pick a speaker other than Pelosi, and who spoke on condition of anonymity to talk about sensitive discussions, said eight to 10 lawmakers were involved in conference calls Wednesday about what to do. Theres a lot of just conversations behind closed doors, the member said, estimating that up to two dozen Democrats could ultimately break with Pelosi. Much depends on the size of the Democratic majority. By late Wednesday, Democrats had locked down 223 seats and were leading in six more races. If those were to hold, it would give Democrats a majority with 11 seats to spare. The speaker must be ratified on the House floor by a majority of those voting, meaning a simple majority of a candidates party is not enough. Anything more than 11 defections under this scenario would require Pelosi to win some Republican votes, which would be highly unlikely now matter how effusively Trump praised her. But no clear candidate who could rival Pelosi has emerged. Her second and third in command say theyll stay put. She has earned it, No. 3 Democrat Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina told CNN. Nancy Pelosi has been a great speaker, I support her, and as long as she is in pursuit of the gavel, Ill be in support of her. The No. 2 Democrat, Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, is a longtime Pelosi ally who announced his intention to run for House majority leader, a job now held by Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield. One Democratic lawmaker who expressed a willingness to consider someone besides Pelosi said there was no obvious alternative to her. The effort to block Pelosi from serving as speaker seems like a vanity exercise, said the lawmaker, talking on condition of anonymity to speak candidly. What frustrates me is, I dont know what their plan is. Without having a candidate, its a pretty shallow exercise. They feel they have a group that wont support her; thats fine, but I dont know what their plan is. It is possible that dissidents could try to extract concessions from Pelosi in private, such as commitments to bring in new leaders or rules changes. Most members of the Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan group of roughly four dozen lawmakers, have signed onto a proposal of House rules changes they say would break the gridlock and make the legislative process more open. They could form a voting bloc to push the package, though not all are returning in the next Congress. Tal Kopan is The San Francisco Chronicles Washington correspondent. Email: tal.kopan@sfchronicle.com Twitter @talkopan There was a lot on the line for Mayor London Breed on Tuesday night as she walked into a cramped pizza restaurant on Irving Street, where her preferred District Four candidate, Jessica Ho, was holding a modest election watch party. We know that these are just early results, so lets not give up, the mayor said to cheers, after the first ballot count showed Ho slipping behind her progressive competitor, Gordon Mar. I need her on the Board of Supervisors because I want to get the job done for all of you. But election night didnt exactly turn out the way Breed had hoped: Mar, a longtime labor activist, beat Ho in the preliminary counts, flipping the District Four board seat, which has long been held by a moderate. Across the city in District Six, Breeds favored candidates, Sonja Trauss and Christine Johnson, who were running as a team to take advantage of the citys ranked-choice voting system, were trounced by progressive candidate Matt Haney. Then Proposition C, a ballot measure that would tax big businesses to raise money for homeless services that Breed opposed, got a big thumbs-up from San Francisco voters. To some political observers, the outcome of these three races amount to one of the first major setbacks for the mayor, who needs to run for re-election in 2019. It also puts into question how many allies she will have on the 11-member Board of Supervisors when it comes to passing key issues on her agenda, like homelessness and housing. Others dont think it will make much of a difference. I dont think voters are thinking anti-mayor when they vote in those elections. Not yet, said Jason McDaniel, a political science professor at San Francisco State University. But Her lack of ability to sway (voters) toward the candidates she desires shows that she will have to keep working at that. ... Her endorsement is not automatic gold. The traditional divisions between San Francisco progressives and moderates were hazier than usual during the fall campaign, as many of the candidates platforms focused on increasing services for the homeless and building more housing. Their differences mainly lay in personality, style and approach. Still, Breed campaigned heavily for those likely to side with her on the board. She appeared in TV ads, on campaign flyers and even personally texted voters who had yet to send in their ballots early this week on behalf of Trauss and Johnson. With many of the votes tallied, the results showed Breeds preferred candidates in two other other districts Catherine Stefani in District Two and Shamann Walton in District 10 holding commanding leads. A number of propositions she spoke out on also went her way, including the victorious statewide Propositions One and Two, which will steer $6 billion in bonds toward affordable housing and mental health funding, and local Proposition A, which will raise $450 million for rebuilding the Embarcadero seawall. But the key races were in Districts Six and Four, where the contests were between progressives and moderates, and on Prop. C, which became by far the most contentious proposition on the local ballot as Salesforce CEO Mark Benioff waged a loud, expensive campaign in its favor. The mayor took a big political gamble throwing her weight in close races so early in her term, said political consultant Jim Stearns. Perhaps her riskiest bet was endorsing Ho, current Supervisor Katy Tangs legislative aide, who had lived in San Francisco for only a few months before entering the race. If Ho had won, she would have been a safe ally for Breed on the board. With Mar, not so much. Its a big deal in that Gordon Mar is much less of a reliable vote than Tang, McDaniel said. That will impact her ability to get policy across the board. While Haney was considered the progressive in the District Six race, he is expected to be less polarizing on the board, as he said he plans to focus on cleaning up the streets in the Tenderloin and SoMa and building more housing. The political divides, however, will likely play out on such issues as how much affordable housing should be built into new developments. Political consultant Nate Ballard said the fact that some of the board seats didnt go to Breeds preferred candidates wont hurt her ability to govern the city effectively. And when it comes to Prop. C, he said, that was more of an extraordinary confluence of circumstances where tech titans were battling each other on Twitter and pouring tens of millions on what had been a little-noticed ballot measure. Ive often seen this with incoming mayors, and it in no way lessens their ability to govern the city, he said of the board seats going to candidates the mayor didn't favor. If anything, this will spur Mayor Breed to get out into the neighborhoods more and take her agenda directly to the people. Mayors govern best when they arent focused on counting votes at the Board of Supervisors. On Wednesday, Breed said she viewed election night as a net win for her choices, despite losses for some of the candidates she had championed as well as the success of Prop. C. You cant win em all, she said. But the fact is not bad for someone who just started in the mayors office a few months ago. Chronicle staff writers Cynthia Dizikes and Kevin Fagan contributed to this report. Trisha Thadani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TrishaThadani If you think Gavin Newsom is already measuring the drapes at the governors mansion in Sacramento think again. Newsom has hesitated when asked if he plans to move into the restored 25-room mansion, making it clear that his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and four children all under the age of 10 may be happy to stay put in Marin County. We havent decided, Newsom said. Jen hasnt seen the house. And we have the kids and schools to think about. Its all too much to get our arms around. Plus, now they only live a couple of blocks from Newsoms sister, Hilary Newsom, and her husband, Geoff Callan. Not to mention that the governor-elects filmmaker wife has an office a half mile from home, in Ross, and her parents also live nearby. Now Playing: From managing the city's $10 billion budget to hearing out public comment, members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors have a number of duties and are accountable to voters. Video: Ted Andersen, SFGATE Gov. Jerry Brown, during his first stint as governor in 1975, famously eschewed the 17-room governors residence built (but never lived in) by Ronald and Nancy Reagan in the suburb of Carmichael. Instead, Brown rented a $250-per-month apartment near downtown Sacramento. His successor, George Deukmejian, formed a foundation that purchased another suburban house where first he and then Govs. Pete Wilson and Gray Davis lived at least when they werent at their homes in Southern California. And Arnold Schwarzenegger kept a 2,000-square-foot hotel penthouse across from the Capitol for a spell during his time as governor before opting to commute home nightly to L.A. on his private jet. When Brown began his second stint as governor, he decidedly upgraded splitting his time between a $3,000-a-month Sacramento loft leased by his friends and a home he purchased in the Oakland hills. But after the century-old, three-story governors mansion occupied by his late father, Pat Brown, back in the 1960s underwent a $4.1 million renovation, Jerry Brown along with his wife, Anne Gust Brown, and their two dogs moved in three years ago. For Newsom, however, the old mansion apparently doesnt have the same sentimental pull. While he hasnt ruled out house-hunting in Sacramento, he may well continue the routine he developed as lieutenant governor, having a California Highway Patrol driver shuttle him from Kentfield to the capital and back. Of course, now hell have additional companions as governor, hell have a full security entourage wherever he goes. San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross appear Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call (415) 777-8815, or email matierandross@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @matierandross Qualcomm suffered a setback in its legal battle with Federal Trade Commission this week when a federal judge ruled that the San Diego company is obligated to offer patent licenses to competitors. The decision could have wide-ranging implications for Qualcomms patent licensing business model, which today collects royalties based on the wholesale price of smartphones, not individual components inside them. Device-level royalties have been the norm in the cellular industry for decades. In August, the FTC asked U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose to rule that Qualcomms pledges to two standard-setting organizations require it to offer patent licenses to all including chip competitors. While Kohs ruling does not prevent device-level licensing, it does pave the way for chip-level licensing, which Qualcomm contends is impractical and puts it at a disadvantage. Kohs partial summary judgment is a narrow ruling. It does not speak to the broader legal theory behind the FTCs antitrust lawsuit against Qualcomm, which is scheduled for trial in January. Qualcomm reported a fiscal fourth-quarter loss of $493 million Wednesday, after reporting a profit in the same period a year earlier. Adjusted earnings, however, came to 90 cents per share on revenue of $5.8 billion. Analysts were expecting 83 cents per share on revenue of $5.53 billion. Qualcomm sells its cellular chips to smartphone makers. It also licenses its portfolio of 130,000 global patents. It sells chips and patents separately. The company refuses to license chip competitors such as Intel and MediaTek. The licenses signed by smartphone makers cover the entire device. Therefore, no additional licenses are necessary, according to Qualcomm. The FTC argued that the plain language in Qualcomms pledge to the Telecommunications Industry Association and the American National Standards Institute requires it to offer licenses to chipmakers who request them. Excluding competitors violates Qualcomms promise not to discriminate. Koh agreed. In her ruling, she pointed to a past patent-infringement lawsuit in which Qualcomm argued that network equipment maker Ericsson could not discriminate by refusing to grant a license to Qualcomm. If Qualcomm is forced to license chip suppliers, it could mean that it would no longer be able to collect standard essential patent royalties based on the price of the entire smartphone. Apple also embroiled in a legal war with Qualcomm is seeking chip-level licensing. In 2016, antitrust regulators in South Korea required Qualcomm to grant patent licenses to chip competitors. The company is appealing. The company contends that component licensing misinterprets how cellular technology works. Qualcomm says its cellular inventions are not limited to a single piece of silicon such as the cellular modem. Delivering high-speed wireless broadband requires myriad chips and software working as a system not only inside smartphones but also across the broader cellular network. Thats why the cellular industry has licensed smartphone makers instead of chip suppliers for three decades. A chip-level licensing requirement for Qualcomm would put it out of sync with the rest of the industry and the top standard setting organization in Europe, which has supported device-level royalties. For its standard essential cellular patents, Qualcomm charges 3.25 percent of the smartphone price up to $400 or a maximum of $13 per phone. Standard essential technologies enable interoperability, so a text message sent from an iPhone on AT&T is received on an Android phone on Verizon. In a court filing last month, Qualcomm and the FTC revealed they were in settlement talks. It is unclear how Kohs ruling might influence negotiations. Mike Freeman is a San Diego Union-Tribune writer. Smoke from Thursdays Camp Fire in the foothills near Chico is drifting across the Bay Area, but officials in Bay Area counties said there is no local danger of the fire spreading at this point. In San Francisco, officials issued a city-wide alert warning people who are sensitive to particle pollution to reduce outdoor activity until air quality improves. The San Francisco Bay Area was bathed in an eerie brownish-orangish glow Thursday afternoon as smoke from the raging Camp Fire near Chico poured into the area from northeast winds. Many residents reported smelling smoke from the wildfire and shared photographs of the sooty air in social media. (See images in gallery above.) It's not unusual for smoke from wildfires hundreds of miles away to reach the Bay Area, but with this one, the pollution reached the region in only six hours. With dry conditions present and offshore, Diablo winds blowing, smoke is moving quickly. Air quality levels were unhealthy in Napa County, and soared to an index of 199 in Sebastopol, and were similar to the current air quality in parts of China as of 2 p.m. Beijing had an index of 167 at the same time, according to Aqicn. When air quality levels are this poor, people should avoid outside activity. Unhealthy readings were also taken in Vacaville and Santa Rosa. The East Bay was seeing levels considered "unhealthy for sensitive groups," while other parts of the bay had "moderate" air quality. In Marin County, officials sent out a Nixle notification confirming that smoke was coming from the Camp Fire, and not from any local wildfires. Much of the North Bay has been under a red-flag warning for the last two days. "Periods of gusty offshore winds and very low humidity will result in critical fire weather conditions in the hills, most notably in the North Bay Mountains, East Bay Hills, and Santa Cruz Mountains from late tonight through early Friday morning," the National Weather Service warned. Looking from San Francisco across to the East Bay Thursday afternoon, the hills and Mount Diablo were obscured by the brown haze. "The Bay is not visible now," Christine Virdee shared in an email to SFGATE written from the top of Mount Tamalpais. "It's just white." ALSO: California Wildfire: Smoke advisory issued for entire Bay Area The Camp Fire is becoming known for its fast-moving pace, having started at 6:30 a.m. this morning and spreading to 5,000 acres in less than three hours. The raging inferno in the Feather River Canyon near Paradise is now 18,000 acres. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has issued an air quality advisory for today and Friday and suggests people stay indoors and close windows if they smell smoke. Elderly persons, children and individuals with respiratory illnesses should take extra precautions to avoid exposure. Please email images of the smoky conditions to agraff@sfgate.com and we'll share them on SFGATE. PARADISE, Butte County More than 30,000 people fled for their lives Thursday as a late-season wildfire swept across this town in the Sierra foothills, incinerating numerous homes and businesses and prompting desperate rescues of residents trapped inside buildings and on clogged evacuation routes. Read the latest on the Camp Fire here. The blaze exploded to more than 20,000 acres, adding to a catastrophic two years of wildfires in California that have raised new questions about how the state will cope with a warmer and drier climate. Smoke turned the daytime sky black in Paradise, a community of 27,000 that sits 15 miles east of Chico and 80 miles north of Sacramento. Authorities raced to evacuate a hospital while calling in hundreds of crews from across the region to attack the flames from the ground and by air. Theres pretty much complete devastation in that community entire streets where houses are wiped out, said Lynne Tolmachoff, spokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Its not looking very good at all. As of Thursday evening, the Camp Fire had no containment, and 15,000 structures were threatened. The flames moved within 2 miles of Chico city limits, and around 9 p.m., residents in the southern part of the city were advised to evacuate. High winds were hampering air tankers efforts to extinguish the flames, said Cal Fire spokesman Scott McLean. Similar winds were expected to continue through the night. Red-flag conditions were in place until at least 10 a.m. Friday. Fire officials said they had received reports of some deaths from the blaze. At least two firefighters were injured. Several hundred homes, and perhaps more than 1,000, had burned. We were engulfed in flames, said Butte County Supervisor Doug Teeter. I dont know what we are coming back to after this. Probably a moonscape. As we drove out, homes were burnt to the ground. Among the structures lost to the flames were a McDonalds, a Mormon church, a Black Bear Diner and Paradises wood welcome sign. Streams of residents hurried out of town, inching along the few available routes. Family members and friends searched for scores of missing people. They inundated 911 with hundreds of requests for help tracking down people who were feared trapped behind fire lines. They flooded Twitter too, posting names and photos of loved ones, along with the addresses where theyd last been seen. The cause of the fire, which ignited at 6:30 a.m., was under investigation. Authorities released no immediate information about the extent of the damage and the toll of injuries. The inferno was so huge that dense smoke clogged skies throughout the Bay Area roughly 200 miles southwest of the blaze and residents across Northern California were warned to expect poor air quality through Friday. Evacuation efforts were difficult, to say the least, said Lt. Al Smith of the Butte County Sheriffs Office, noting that several deputies who ventured into evacuation zones to rescue residents also became trapped by flames burning around them. I cant think of an area thats safe right now. The blaze, named the Camp Fire because of its proximity to Camp Creek Road near Highway 70 in the Feather River Canyon, was scorching several areas within Paradise, which is home to many retirees. Acting Gov. Gavin Newsom, filling in while Gov. Jerry Brown traveled out of state, declared a state of emergency in Butte County. The Butte County towns of Paradise, Pulga and Concow were evacuated shortly after the fire started. Cal Fire officials said residents of Magalia, Butte Creek Canyon and Butte Valley had also been ordered to leave. Pacific Gas and Electric Co. reported that 34,280 customers in Butte County and neighboring Plumas County had lost power. Firefighters spent the morning trying to evacuate trapped Paradise residents while creating firebreaks within the town and even moving some people to empty parking lots. Engines from the San Francisco and Santa Rosa fire departments and other California agencies were aiding Butte County firefighters. The Paradise Unified School District and Butte College closed their doors Thursday morning under evacuation orders from fire officials. The Paradise schools superintendent said she had seen photos of several schools burning. Feather River Hospital in Paradise was evacuated after flames jumped a road leading to the hospital. Fire officials said some people were trapped in a tunnel under the hospital and forced to shelter in place before escaping. The hospital largely survived, but an auxiliary building burned, according to Cal Fire. In the past few years, just the way fires have moved, firefighters have had to help with evacuations before they can go back in to put out the fire, Tolmachoff said. Butte County officials did not send an Amber Alert-style message to warn people in and around Paradise about the rapidly spreading fire early Thursday, a Sheriffs Department spokeswoman said. Instead, the department turned to an opt-in program to contact an estimated 23,000 people who had signed up to receive emergency notifications or who had landline telephones. In October 2017, Sonoma County officials opted not to send out the Amber Alert-style message during the Tubbs Fire, which eventually killed 24 people. That decision was criticized later in a state audit. In Paradise on Thursday morning, Jennifer Broussard, 41, woke to thunder or at least thats what the fire sounded like, she said. She and her husband, Ryan, 50, left their home in a rush. Both in their pajamas, they had no time to change into anything else. Police were everywhere shouting, Move! Go! Get out! She moved from Los Angeles to Paradise 20 years ago, and was surprised upon arriving in town how clear the stars were at night. But in the daytime Thursday, she couldnt see anything except black smoke obscuring the sun and sky. The simple things we take for granted, Broussard said at an evacuation shelter in Oroville. She tapped ash from her cigarette on the concrete and said, That is a whole town gone. The intensity of the Camp Fires surge through Paradise drew immediate comparisons to the Tubbs Fire, which wiped out whole neighborhoods in and around Santa Rosa, and the Carr Fire, which blitzed Redding this year. Gov. Brown and others have raised alarm about the nearly year-round danger in the state, but no broad solutions have surfaced. Twice in the past two years, fires have set the state record for size. In the tiny town of Concow, northeast of Paradise, Nate Tockey, 35, got a call from a neighbor at 7 a.m. warning him about the fire. He woke his three children, warned his wife and saw a dark, orange sky when he went to the porch. His wife, Kat Tockey, 36, left her purse behind, and they didnt bother to grab their computer or important papers from a filing cabinet. By the time the five of them piled into a car, 50- to 100-foot flames were approaching from three sides. They could feel the heat through the closed windows of their sport utility vehicle. At this point Im pretty sure the house is gone. Im prepared for the worst, Nate Tockey said. We knew we lived in an area of fire danger, but we never knew it would be like that. Kat Tockey and the children 9-month-old and 11-year-old sons and an 8-year-old daughter were staying at the Neighborhood Church evacuation center in Chico. Pets werent allowed, so Nate Tockey said he would sleep in the car with their rottweiler, Tig, and cat, Kitsy. Kendra Luck evacuated with her father and stepmother a few hours after the fire started. Her stepmother spotted flames shooting up a hillside outside of town around 8 a.m., and the three of them started packing. An hour later, the smoke was so dense that they turned lights on in the house. The sky was an eerie but familiar red glow. Her father and stepmother have lived in the same house in Paradise for 16 years, and this was their third fire evacuation. Theyre getting used to this, said Luck, a former Chronicle photographer. Everything was glowing that fire red. That was enough for them, so we just packed up and left. Todd Trumbull Hundreds of people were unaccounted for Thursday evening after the mad rush to evacuate. Especially worrisome were reports of older people including some with dementia or mobility problems who had not checked in with friends or relatives. A 96-year-old woman who slipped into a strangers car to flee from her retirement home as it was engulfed early Thursday was among the missing. Marcia Hamilton, who had been living at Feather Canyon Retirement Community for nine years, was evacuated from the senior home around 9:30 a.m., just as walls of fire closed in. She joined dozens of other residents outside the main entrance waiting for rides out of town, but firefighters, staffers and others were scrambling to find transportation, said Hamiltons daughter, Lynn Hamilton. Her mother was put in a car with strangers who said they would take her to an evacuation center. But Lynn Hamilton never heard whether they arrived. She was worried in part because her mother left without medication required for her heart condition and cholesterol, and without her walker or a cell phone. She needs to take her medication every day, Lynn Hamilton said. Marcia Hamilton was found hours later in Yuba City, 50 miles to the south. Chronicle staff writers Kimberly Veklerov, Megan Cassidy and Lauren Hernandez contributed to this report. Kurtis Alexander, Lizzie Johnson, Gwendolyn Wu and Erin Allday are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com, ljohnson@sfchronicle.com, gwendolyn.wu@sfchronicle.com, eallday@schronicle.com Twitter: @kurtisalexander, @lizziejohnsonnn, @gwendolynawu, @erinallday Pacific Gas and Electric Co. has lifted warnings of a preemptive power shutdown in eight Northern California counties, utility officials said. Texts, emails and automated phone calls this week told 70,000 customers that the utility might turn off electricity to prevent downed power lines from sparking new wildfires. Nicole Kowalczyke of Chico heard from friends a wildfire was burning nearby, and at about 9 a.m. Thursday, she stepped outside to look at the smoke. With the Camp Fire raging only 10 miles away in the Feather River Canyon, the sky to the west was pitch-black with swirls of purple and ash falling from the sky. "It looked very ominous ... and then this piece of paper came from nowhere," Kowalczyke says. "It was kind of like a leaf ... how they fall down." The paper was singed, covered in type and clearly looked like a page from a book. "I thought, 'If this is a piece of the Bible, this is going to be crazy,'" she said. On closer inspection at the words, she quickly realized it was a page from some sort of fire manual as it includes information about fire hose pressure. ALSO: Photos from Camp Fire show how day turned to night in less than 3 hours The former student of Chico State snapped a photo and shared it in social media, as she assumed nobody would believe her if she told the story. The image of her holding the burnt paper is now going viral and becoming a symbol of a wildfire that devoured more than 5,000 acres in only three hours, leading to the evacuation of thousands. "At first glance, it looked like a holy message," tweeted @dudewtfnow. "That's a poignant photo," shared @myauthorpaige. "It's a divine hose pressure commandment!" chimed in @jacktorrance182. MORE: Social media posts capture intensity and speed of Camp Fire as it exploded The two towns of Pulga and Concow and most of Paradise were evacuated shortly after the fire started about 6:30 a.m. Patients at the Feather River Hospital were evacuated to Enloe Medical Center in Chico. A retirement home was also evacuated. Cal Fire reports: "This Fire is very dangerous, please evacuate if asked to do so!" The National Weather Service reports the smoke has drifted as far south as Sacramento and is expected to reach the North Bay later Thursday. An evacuation shelter is set up at Oroville Nazarene Church, 2238 Monte Vista Ave. The Neighborhood Church in Chico at 2801 Notre Dame Blvd. and the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds are also welcoming evacuees. PHILADELPHIA Two decades ago, a landmark report from the Institute of Medicine found that thousands of patients die in hospitals each year from preventable medical errors. In a new issue of Health Affairs devoted to that topic, an assortment of studies finds that hospitals have improved somewhat but have more work to do. Among the studies was a survey at 535 hospitals in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, California and Florida finding that 29.6 percent of nurses rated patient safety at those hospitals as unfavorable. Among other findings of that study, led by University of Pennsylvania nursing professor Linda Aiken: 54.9 percent of the nurses would not definitely recommend their hospital. 28.9 percent gave their hospital an unfavorable grade on infection prevention. 37.3 percent said that important information is lost during shift changes. 41.9 percent said that things fall between the cracks. 36.9 percent said that staff do not feel free to question authority. The number of nurses answering each question varied, ranging from about 12,900 to 13,500. Aiken, who is also the director of Penns Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research, was joined on the study by authors from Penns Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Rutgers University, the University of Delaware and Emory University. The researchers found some positive signs when comparing the results with what nurses said when asked the same questions in 2005. On average, nurses gave higher grades for quality of care and patient safety at hospitals where they said the clinical work environment had improved since 2005. Work environment was evaluated based on factors such as the degree of managerial support for nurses, staffing levels, and amounts of resources and training. At hospitals where nurses said the work environment had improved, researchers found a 15 percent jump in the number of nurses who gave the hospitals favorable grades on patient safety defined as an A or a B. But at hospitals where nurses said the work environment had worsened since 2005, researchers found a 19 percent drop in the number of nurses rating patient safety with an A or a B. The report that prompted the national conversation about patient safety, titled To Err Is Human, was published in 1999 by the Institute of Medicine, now called the Health and Medicine Division of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. Among its recommendations were to improve the work environment for nurses by ensuring adequate numbers of staff. In a news release, Aiken said the new survey shows that progress on that score has been uneven. Tom Avril is a Philadelphia Inquirer writer. WASHINGTON Senate races in Florida and Arizona were too close to call Wednesday, raising the possibility of President Trump gaining a more comfortable Senate majority. In Florida, the showdown between Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson and Republican Gov. Rick Scott was still too close to call. Nelson, who was first elected to the Senate in 2000, declined to concede the election and his campaign said it was preparing for a recount. On Wednesday afternoon, Scott had a lead of less than one half of 1 percent. Election officials said early votes were still being tabulated in some counties. Under state law in Florida, a recount is mandatory if the winning candidates margin is less than 0.5 percentage points. In Arizona, Republican Martha McSally and Democrat Kysten Sinema were also locked in a tight race. McSally had a slight edge on Wednesday afternoon, leading by a margin of less than 1 percent. Election officials planned to update the count later Wednesday and in the coming days. Roughly 25 percent of votes in Arizona are counted after Election Day. Whoever emerges will become the first woman elected to the Senate from Arizona. McSally and Sinema are battling over the seat vacated by Sen. Jeff Flake, a Republican critic of Trump who decided not to run for re-election. In Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester prevailed in a tight re-election race, securing a third term in a state President Trump won by 21 points in 2016. With 91 percent of precincts reporting, Tester led Republican state Auditor Matt Rosendale 49 percent to 48 percent when The Associated Press called the race Wednesday afternoon. First elected in 2006, Tester has never won more than 50 percent of the vote in his previous Senate races. But his personal brand once again helped him overcome partisan leanings in Big Sky Country. In Nevada, Democratic Rep. Jacky Rosen won the Nevada Senate race Tuesday, defeating GOP Sen. Dean Heller in one of the most hotly contested races of the cycle. Rosens victory was a rare piece of good news for Democrats on a night when Republicans decisively retained control of the chamber. With 78 percent of precincts reporting, Rosen led Heller 51 percent to 45 percent when The Associated Press called the race. Heller, who served in the House before he was appointed to the Senate in 2011, aligned himself with Trump and argued that a GOP-controlled Senate was necessary to continue the economic progress under the Trump administration. Ken Thomas is an Associated Press writer. Cambodia Table of Contents Sihanouk was away on a trip to Moscow and Beijing when General Lon Nol launched a successful coup d'etat. On the morning of March 18, 1970, the National Assembly was hastily convened, and voted unanimously to depose Sihanouk as head of state. Lon Nol, who had been serving as prime minister, was granted emergency powers. Sirik Matak, an ultraconservative royal prince who in 1941 had been passed over by the French in favor of his cousin Norodom Sihanouk as king, retained his post as deputy prime minister. The new government emphasized that the transfer of power had been totally legal and constitutional, and it received the recognition of most foreign governments. Most middle-class and educated Khmers in Phnom Penh had grown weary of Sihanouk and apparently welcomed the change of government. But he was still popular in the villages. Days after the coup, the prince, now in Beijing, broadcast an appeal to the people to resist the usurpers. Demonstrations and riots occurred throughout the country. In one incident on March 29, an estimated 40,000 peasants began a march on the capital to demand Sihanouk's reinstatement. They were dispersed, with many casualties, by contingents of the armed forces and the Khmer Serei. From Beijing, Sihanouk proclaimed his intention to create a National United Front of Kampuchea (Front Uni National du Kampuchea, FUNK). In the prince's words, this front would embrace "all Khmer both inside and outside the country-- including the faithful, religious people, military men, civilians, and men and women who cherish the ideals of independence, democracy, neutrality, progressivism, socialism, Buddhism, nationalism, territorial integrity, and anti-imperialism." A coalition, brokered by the Chinese, was hastily formed between the prince and the KCP. On May 5, 1970, the actual establishment of FUNK and of the Royal Government of National Union of Kampuchea (Gouvernement Royal d'Union Nationale du Kampuchea, GRUNK, were announced. Sihanouk assumed the post of GRUNK head of state, appointing Penn Nouth, one of his most loyal supporters, as prime minister. Khieu Samphan was designated deputy prime minister, minister of defense, and commander in chief of the GRUNK armed forces (though actual military operations were directed by Pol Pot). Hu Nim became minister of information, and Hou Yuon assumed multiple responsibilities as minister of interior, communal reforms, and cooperatives. GRUNK claimed that it was not a government-in-exile because Khieu Samphan and the insurgents remained inside Cambodia. For Sihanouk and the KCP, this was an extremely useful marriage of convenience. Peasants, motivated by loyalty to the monarchy, rallied to the FUNK cause. The appeal of the Sihanouk-KCP coalition grew immensely after October 9, 1970, when Lon Nol abolished the monarchy and redesignated Cambodia as the Khmer Republic. The concept of a republic was not popular with most villagers, who had grown up with the idea that something was seriously awry in a Cambodia without a monarch. GRUNK operated on two tiers. Sihanouk and his loyalists remained in Beijing, although the prince did make a visit to the "liberated areas" of Cambodia, including Angkor Wat, in March 1973. The KCP commanded the insurgency within the country. Gradually, the prince was deprived of everything but a passive, figurehead role in the coalition. The KCP told people inside Cambodia that expressions of support for Sihanouk would result in their liquidation, and when the prince appeared in public overseas to publicize the GRUNK cause, he was treated with almost open contempt by Ieng Sary and Khieu Samphan. In June 1973, the prince told the Italian journalist Oriana Fallaci that when "they [the Khmer Rouge] no longer need me, they will spit me out like a cherry pit!" By the end of that year, Sihanouk loyalists had been purged from all of GRUNK's ministries. Custom Search Source: U.S. Library of Congress The resistance isnt just in the streets its in the windows. In several San Francisco neighborhoods, particularly the Mission District and Potrero Hill, residents have been placing political signs in their windows in response to policies from President Donald Trump and his administration. These arent preprinted election propaganda or leftovers from street protests. The signs, many homemade, appear to be designed specifically for windows, like political lapel buttons but for houses. San Francisco is no stranger to activism, of course. (The Los Angeles Times has an article on the history of activism in San Francisco.) In the 1990s, conservative commentators and politicians such as Bill OReilly and Newt Gingrich used San Francisco values as a pejorative term to describe the liberal politics of San Francisco and West Coast Democrats. And since the election of Trump, San Francisco has been home to regular protests in response to White House policies. But this new window signage is something that seems to have popped up in the past year. MOUNTAIN VIEW (BCN) A Google employee who was hit and killed by a shuttle bus at the company's headquarters in Mountain View on Monday evening been identified by Google as 27-year-old Emily Hong. Hong lived in Sunnyvale and worked in Google's finance department, according to the Santa Clara County medical examiner's office and Google spokeswoman Gina Scigliano. "She brought an incredible spark to Google. Inquisitive, creative, analytical, positive, generous and kind -- our deepest condolences are with her family and friends," Scigliano said in a statement. Hong was hit by the bus at Charleston Road and Huff Avenue at 6:45 p.m. Monday. Police arrived and began administering CPR to Hong, but the efforts were unsuccessful and she died at the scene. The shuttle bus driver remained at the intersection and cooperated with police, who don't believe drugs or alcohol were factors in the collision. Hong had worked at the company for more than two years as a financial analyst, according to her LinkedIn profile. She also went by the name of Chenxue Hong. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. By Bay Area News Service The election of five American Muslims to local office in the Bay Area on Tuesday is a sign voters are ready for diverse leadership despite troubling increases in hate crimes nationwide, according to the Council on American Islamic Relations. Before Tuesday, only one elected official among hundreds of representatives on the region's local councils, panels and boards was Muslim, Bay Area representatives of CAIR said today. "These victories come in the face of CAIR's recent report revealing a 17 percent increase in bias-motivated incidents and a 15 percent increase in hate crimes against American Muslims since Trump took office," said Zahra Billoo, Bay Area executive director of CAIR. Nationwide, 55 American Muslim candidates won election to offices, 11 of them in California, according to CAIR. The American Muslim candidates elected Tuesday to Bay Area offices won seats on a variety of local panels. Sabina Zafar, a technology executive, was elected to the San Ramon City Council. Business information technology consultant Aisha Wahab won one of two seats open on the Hayward City Council. Maimona Afzal Berta, a special education teacher, ran successfully for the election to the Franklin-McKinley School Board. Cheryl Suddeth, a molecular biologist, won election to the West County Wastewater District Board. Attorney Javed Ellahie was elected to one of three open seats on the Monte Sereno City Council, in Santa Clara County. That election, however, is subject to an automatic recount. Before Tuesday, there was only one elected local elected American Muslim representative on a Bay Area board -- Aziz Akbari of the Alameda County Water District board of the directors. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) A federal appeals court in San Francisco today upheld a preliminary injunction that blocked President Donald Trump's attempt to end a program that protected undocumented young immigrants from deportation. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held a hearing in San Francisco in May about the Trump Administration's decision last year to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. DACA, established by President Barack Obama in 2012, enabled nearly 700,000 undocumented immigrants, known as Dreamers, who arrived in the U.S. as children to apply for renewable two-year work permits and postponements of deportation. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra praised the court's decision today, calling it a "tremendous victory for our young immigrant Dreamers and the rule of law." Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Flavored tobacco products, including vaping liquids and menthol cigarettes, will be illegal to sell in Marin County after the county Board of Supervisors passed a ban on Tuesday, county officials said. The ban will take effect for most retailers on July 1, 2019, and for specialty tobacco stores on Jan. 1, 2020. It will only affect unincorporated areas of the county, though some Marin County cities have already passed similar bans, including Novato, Fairfax and Sausalito. County officials cited data that suggested the use of e-cigarettes, also known as vaping, was rising among Marin County high school students. That trend has raised concerns that use of e-cigarettes could lead to regular tobacco use and smoking as users become addicted. Research also shows that while smoking decreased nationwide between 2004 and 2014, the use of menthol cigarettes increased, according to the county. "After decades of progress on the reduction of tobacco use, we're losing ground," county public health officer Matt Willis said ahead of Tuesday's vote. "It's time for new policy." In addition to those in Marin County, other Bay Area cities have passed bans on flavored tobacco products as well, including San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. NAPA (BCN) Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley has announced that no charges will be filed against a sheriff's deputy who exchanged shots with a gunman who killed three women and himself in a facility at the Veterans Home of California in Yountville in March. Haley said Wednesday her office determined that sheriff's Deputy Steve Lombardi's use of potentially deadly rifle fire against gunman Albert Wong was "a reasonable and lawful use of force under the totality of the circumstances." "The actions were legally justified," Haley said in a written analysis. Her review, based on a report by the California Highway Patrol, was a routine procedure carried out by district attorneys when a law enforcement officer uses lethal force. The review noted that autopsy reports concluded Wong and the three victims were not hit by any of the rifle shots fired by Lombardi through a closed door at the Pathway Home mental health facility at the veterans' campus. Wong, 36, of Sacramento, a U.S. Army veteran, entered a group meeting room at the facility at 10:19 a.m. on March 9, carrying a loaded semi-automatic rifle and shotgun. He had previously resided at Pathway Home, but was discharged on Feb. 20 because he refused to comply with his treatment plan. Wong ordered veterans to leave the room, then released most staff members except for the facility's executive director and two psychologists, and then shot and killed the three women and himself. Lombardi was the first officer on the scene, arriving at the campus four minutes after the first call to 911 was received from escaped hostages. He reached the second-floor meeting room, partly opened the door and saw Wong holding a rifle. Lombardi let go of the door and took up a position covering the doorway, according to the review. When he heard Wong's rifle being racked and a woman screaming, he fired 13 rounds through the door at the location where he last saw the gunman. Wong returned 22 rounds of rifle fire toward Lombardi during the 10-second sequence, according to the review. Additional officers arrived six minutes later and there was no further engagement with Wong, the review said. The victims were executive director Christine Loeber, 48; clinical director Jennifer Gray Golick, 42; and clinic psychologist Jennifer Gonzales Shushereba, 32. The Pathway Home, which supported veterans in the transition to civilian life, closed after the shooting. It announced in July that it will not reopen and instead is referring veterans to other facilities. Haley's written review can be found online at https://www.countyofnapa.org/1335/Media-Center. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) A man suffered life-threatening injuries when a vehicle struck her and its driver fled the scene on foot in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood on Wednesday afternoon, police said. The collision was reported at 3:16 p.m. in the area of Seventh and Natoma streets. The 27-year-old victim was taken to a hospital to be treated for his injuries. The suspect, a man believed to be between 25 and 30 years old, remains at large and police did not immediately release a detailed description of him. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. OAKLAND (BCN) A 23-year-old man and a 13-year-old boy have been arrested and charged for an explosive device attack that injured 10 Oakland police officers during a protest in July, authorities said. The explosive devices were detonated in downtown Oakland on the night of July 23, when a group of about 1,000 people marched in memory of 18-year-old Nia Wilson, who was fatally stabbed at the MacArthur BART station in Oakland the previous night. Oakland police said the two suspects believed to be responsible for setting off the explosives devices fled the scene, and at the beginning of their investigation they had few leads. Police said the 13-year-old was identified as a suspect after officers were able to recover and analyze more than 100 pieces of video surveillance footage. After a search warrant was served at his residence, they found evidence linking him to the crime. The boy made a full confession, apologized for injuring the officers, cooperated with the investigation and pleaded guilty to felony criminal conspiracy charges, according to police. The 23-year-old man, later identified as Giovonni Gaines, was identified as the second suspect and he was arrested on Nov. 1 with the assistance of the FBI and the Oakland Police Department's intelligence section, which conducted more than 40 hours of covert surveillance on him, police said. Gaines provided a full confession, admitted to possessing the explosive device, providing it to the minor co-defendant and then igniting the device, according to police. On Monday, the Alameda County District Attorney's Office charged Gaines with assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer likely to cause great bodily injury, two counts of possessing an explosive device, igniting a destructive device with the intent to injure, and four counts of maliciously igniting a destructive device. Gaines is being held at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin in lieu of $3 million bail and is scheduled to return to court on Nov. 15 for a bail hearing. Oakland police said Gaines could also face federal charges. Responding to the arrests of Gaines and the 13-year-old boy, Oakland Police Officers' Association President Barry Donelan said in a statement, "Thank you to the FBI for their assistance and very well done to each and every Oakland police officer who worked on this successful investigation. Their diligence and hard work makes everyone wearing the blue uniform proud." Donelan said, "Coming to Oakland to perpetrate attacks on Oakland's finest will not be tolerated. Those contemplating such action should be put on notice that they can run from justice but ultimately will just go to jail tired." Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) San Francisco's Proposition C--a business tax for companies grossing more than $50 million--won the majority vote in Tuesday's election, with the latest numbers as of today showing 60 percent of voters approving. The victory has the city's homeless advocates celebrating in light of several prominent San Francisco figures, including Mayor London Breed, state Sen. Scott Wiener and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, initially opposing the proposition. Proposition C aims to alleviate the city's homeless crisis by using a gross receipts tax on San Francisco's largest companies--collecting between $250 to $300 million annually--to go toward providing housing as well as mental health and substance abuse services for homeless individuals. Although last month she announced opposition to the proposition, today in a statement Breed vowed she will work with stakeholders to figure out how to begin implementing it. "The voters sent a clear message that they want an increase in funding to help meet this urgent challenge. I agree we need to build more housing and shelters, help those suffering from mental illness and substance use disorders, and help people to exit homelessness--and businesses can pay more to make that happen," she said. "Today I am committed more than ever to leading our city forward by working with everyone to bring funding and solutions to help our homeless residents." On Twitter, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff said, "Prop C's victory means the homeless will have a home and the help they truly need! Let the city come together in love for those who need it most!" Benioff had loudly voiced support for Prop. C, having had committed $1 million to the campaign. Ben Lintschinger with Glide Foundation said in a statement, "Once this measure hits the streets, San Franciscans will see a steady and visible difference year after year as hundreds of people are helped off the streets as the city builds new housing, opens new shelters, and expands much needed mental health services. We look forward to working with our elected officials and the community on implementing the vision we have voted in." According to the No on Proposition C campaign, however, the proposition will need two-thirds of the vote to pass because of an unrelated proposition from the June elections currently being challenged in court on the grounds that it needed two-thirds of the vote to win rather than a majority. "From day one, both sides knew that two-thirds voter support was necessary because of pending litigation from this year's June primary election," No on C spokesman Jess Montejano said in a statement. "Proposition C was full of empty promises from the start." However, Prop. C proponents said whether or not the proposition faces legal hurdles, they're focused on moving ahead and implementing the measure. According to the city's department of elections, about 125,000 ballots still need to be processed. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. A final vote on a plan to increase water flows to the lower San Joaquin River and southern Delta was delayed Wednesday until Dec. 11 by the State Water Resources Control Board. The board announced that its members voted at a meeting in Sacramento to grant a request by Gov. Jerry Brown and Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom for a postponement to allow more time for voluntary agreement talks among state agencies, local water agencies and other groups. The two officials said in a letter to the board Tuesday that a voluntary agreement could provide "a faster, less contentious and more durable outcome" and avoid potential lawsuits. The plan to increase San Joaquin River flows is one of two parts of the water board's planned revision of the 2006 version of the Bay-Delta Plan. The other part concerns the Sacramento River and is an an earlier stage of the planning process. The board's proposed plan was announced on July 6. It would increase flows from the San Joaquin River and its tributaries, the Stanislaus, Merced and Tuolomne rivers, between February and June to an average of 40 percent of the natural flow that would occur if there were no dams or other diversions of the water. The agency said the plan was aimed at preventing "an ecological crisis, including collapse of the fisheries." It said flows currently remaining in the rivers can run as low as 10 to 20 percent of unimpaired flow, causing a dramatic reduction in populations of fish, including migrating salmon. Environmental groups praised the plan, while local water agencies such as the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and Central Valley water districts said they were concerned that municipal and agricultural water supplies would be cut back. San Francisco Mayor London Breed on Wednesday praised the postponement. "I look forward to continuing working with our state and local leaders on a solution that restores the vibrant fish and wildlife habitats of the Bay Delta while ensuring water reliability for 2.7 million Bay Area residents who depend upon this vital natural resource," Breed said in a statement. Association of California Water Agencies Executive Director Timothy Quinn said the association "strongly supports all parties agreeing to a path forward through collaboration." Groups supporting the board's July proposal include the Sierra Club, San Francisco Baykeeper, Restore the Delta and the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations. The water board has the task of balancing the protection of fish and wildlife with the use of water for cities' drinking water, irrigation of farms, and recreation. Brown and Newsom pledged in their letter to the board that during the five-week postponement, they would "actively and meaningfully engage to bring this vital matter to a successful closure." Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. MARTINEZ (BCN) A man who was elected to the Martinez City Council Tuesday night said the city's switch to district-based elections helped him win. "I think it makes a big difference," then-candidate John Stevens said in an interview before the election. "People like to know who they're electing." This wasn't his first bid for a seat on the city council. Stevens also ran for office two years ago on an at-large basis. This time he narrowly defeated Debbie McKillop by just 25 votes, 1,154 to 1,129, doing slightly better among vote-by-mail voters where he eked out a small but decisive lead of 61 votes. That may be significant in light of the way that district-based campaigning reduced the cost associated with mailing campaign ads to a much smaller number of potential constituents. Had he been running at-large, he would've had to send out mailers to voters all over town -- but district based campaigning allowed Stevens to focus on the much smaller number of voters within his district. "You cut back on your postage costs, a little bit on printing costs, but of course when you go into lower numbers the economy of scale goes away," Stevens said. "The biggest savings comes from postage." Targeting a smaller number of voters who are grouped into a smaller geographical area also made it easier to meet with them one-on-one by canvassing neighborhoods within his district, rather than all over town. Going forward, there are also questions about how representing specific, geographically grouped constituents within the city's voter base will affect policy decisions among councilmembers. "In this city you have different communities of interest, and some have different interests than others," Stevens said. In one neighborhood residents might be particularly concerned about car theft, Stevens said, while residents of another neighborhood might be more concerned about calming traffic along a major thoroughfare. Stevens did acknowledge that running for City Council in the Fourth District of Martinez in 2018 was more difficult than his at-large campaign in 2016 due to one particular factor: terrain. "It's the hilliest part," Stevens said. "You lose more weight." Debbie McKillop, Stevens' opponent, could not be reached for comment. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has issued an air quality advisory for today and Friday because of a large wildfire in Butte County that is expected to send smoke into the region. The advisory was issued this morning following the start of the Camp Fire northeast of the Bay Area, according to the air district. The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office put out a message this morning saying smoke is already visible in the county. "There are no major fires reported in Sonoma County at this time but let's all be very careful," sheriff's officials said in the message. PG&E has been mulling whether to proactively turn off power in certain counties at risk of wildfires. A Red Flag Warning has been issued by the National Weather Service through Friday because of high winds and low relative humidity. PG&E is investigating the cause of a power outage that affected 3,100 customers in Calistoga this morning. The power went out around 6:10 a.m. and was fully restored by 8:30 a.m., PG&E spokeswoman Deanna Contreras said. The outage was unrelated to PG&E's plan to proactively turn off power in portions of eight counties today if necessary because of a Red Flag Warning of extreme fire danger conditions that include strong winds, very low humidity levels and critically dry vegetation. PG&E spokeswoman Tamar Sarkissian said as of 10:40 a.m. that crews are "continuing to monitor, but no decision to proactively turn off power has been made." A grass fire was reported this morning near state Highway 13 in the Oakland hills, a fire dispatcher said. Crews responded to the fire near northbound Highway 13 just south of Joaquin Miller Road, the dispatcher said. White smoke was visible in the hills from downtown Oakland as of 11:30 a.m. A man who was riding a bicycle and collided with a pickup truck in San Jose on Saturday died in a hospital on Tuesday, according to police. Police said the collision occurred around 11:05 a.m. Saturday at the intersection of Second and Santa Clara streets. The 51-year-old bicyclist ran a red light on Second Street and crashed into the 2018 white Ford pickup truck. The bicyclist has been identified as Kenneth Gordon, a San Jose resident, according to the Santa Clara County medical examiner's office. Drugs or alcohol don't appear to be factors in the collision, police said. Anyone with information on the case is asked to call police at (408) 277-4654. A 23-year-old man and a 13-year-old boy have been arrested and charged for an explosive device attack that injured 10 Oakland police officers during a protest in July, authorities said. The explosive devices were detonated in downtown Oakland on the night of July 23, when a group of about 1,000 people marched in memory of 18-year-old Nia Wilson, who was fatally stabbed at the MacArthur BART station in Oakland the previous night. Oakland police said the two suspects believed to be responsible for setting off the explosives devices fled the scene, and at the beginning of their investigation they had few leads. Police said the 13-year-old was identified as a suspect after officers were able to recover and analyze more than 100 pieces of video surveillance footage. After a search warrant was served at his residence, they found evidence linking him to the crime. The boy made a full confession, apologized for injuring the officers, cooperated with the investigation and pleaded guilty to felony criminal conspiracy charges, according to police. The 23-year-old man, later identified as Giovonni Gaines, was identified as the second suspect and he was arrested on Nov. 1 with the assistance of the FBI and the Oakland Police Department's intelligence section, which conducted more than 40 hours of covert surveillance on him, police said. A person is in custody for a psychiatric evaluation after an incident at BART's MacArthur station this morning, a transit agency spokeswoman said. The incident was reported shortly before 9:45 a.m. and BART officials initially said it was a collision between a person and a train. However, BART spokeswoman Anna Duckworth later said no collision occurred, but that the person was being taken to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation. The MacArthur station closed initially but reopened as of shortly after 10 a.m. A man suffered life-threatening injuries when a vehicle struck her and its driver fled the scene on foot in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood on Wednesday afternoon, police said. The collision was reported at 3:16 p.m. in the area of Seventh and Natoma streets. The 27-year-old victim was taken to a hospital to be treated for his injuries. The suspect, a man believed to be between 25 and 30 years old, remains at large and police did not immediately release a detailed description of him. A fire damaged a building with a tax service business in it in San Mateo on Wednesday night, fire officials said. Firefighters responded at 9:14 p.m. to what was initially reported as a trash fire in the area of 24th Avenue and South El Camino Real, according to the San Mateo Fire Department. The two-story building has a Liberty Tax Service business on the ground floor and a single residential unit on the second floor. The fire was in the unoccupied tax business and crews extinguished it within five minutes of arriving, fire officials said. No injuries were reported and the cause of the blaze is under investigation. A maintenance worker helped put out a fire in a one-story modular office building at a Santa Rosa City Schools facility Wednesday night. The 10:37 p.m. fire at 211 Ridgway Ave. was brought under control in 15 minutes and caused about $25,000 damage, Battalion Chief Matt Dahl said. Smoke was coming out of a crawl space vent underneath the building when firefighters arrived. There was smoke inside the office building where the fire burned through the floor, but the fire was contained to where it started, Dahl said. An on-site maintenance worker used a fire extinguisher on the fire before firefighters arrived, Dahl said. The cause of the fire is under investigation. A Salinas man has been convicted of a slew of charges related to a shootout during his attempted robbery of a market in 2017, Monterey County prosecutors said. Mark Morris walked into the Quality Market at 201 Williams Road on the morning of Jan. 3, 2017, wearing a beanie and hoodie covering his head. He pulled out a revolver, pointing it at store owner Michael Filice, prosecutors said. Morris made off with $1,000 in cash and walked out of the store, but he didn't go far. He hid behind a partition and waited for Filice, who soon came out with his own gun. Morris shot at him and the two men got in a gunfight on East Market Street, according to the district attorney's office. One of Morris' shots pierced a nearby trailer and hit innocent bystander Raul Rodriguez in the shoulder as he watched television, prosecutors said. Morris was convicted Monday of premeditated attempted murder using a firearm, robbery at gunpoint, shooting at an inhabited dwelling causing great bodily injury, intimidation of witnesses and possession of a firearm and ammunition as a felon. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. A Mass will be celebrated this evening at St. Patrick Church in San Francisco to remember the homeless who have died on the streets of the city, church officials said. The Mass starts at 6:30 p.m. at the church at 756 Mission St. and will be celebrated by San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone. Church officials asked in their announcement of the Mass who remembers the chronically homeless who are often mentally ill and/or are addicted to alcohol and drugs and who have wandered the streets of San Francisco. Church officials said there are about 2,100 chronically homeless on the city's streets, according to a biennial count that was most recently completed last year. The problem is bad enough that residents approved a measure in Tuesday's election that will raise money to help the homeless. Money will be raised by taxing big businesses in the city. BART officials said nothing suspicious was found on a BART train or at two Oakland BART stations following reports of a suspicious item on a train. The reports were made Wednesday afternoon. Bomb-sniffing dogs checked out the Rockridge station and didn't find anything, according to BART officials. Both Rockridge and MacArthur stations were closed starting around 3:30 p.m. when the suspicious item was reported. A three-acre fire in Castro Valley has been contained, fire officials said. The fire was contained Wednesday afternoon. The blaze, reported about 3 p.m. near Crown Court, was initially said to be threatening homes. No evacuations were ordered, and shortly before 4 p.m. officials said a bulldozer had cut a containment line around the fire to help contain the blaze. No injuries were reported. Information on what sparked the blaze was not immediately available. San Francisco's Proposition C--a business tax for companies grossing more than $50 million-has won the majority vote in Tuesday's election, with the latest numbers showing 60 percent of voters approving. The latest numbers were released Wednesday. The victory has the city's homeless advocates celebrating in light of several prominent San Francisco figures, including Mayor London Breed, state Sen. Scott Wiener and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, initially opposing the proposition. Proposition C aims to alleviate the city's homeless crisis by using a gross receipts tax on San Francisco's largest companies - collecting between $250 to $300 million annually - to go toward providing housing as well as mental health and substance abuse services for homeless individuals. Although last month she announced opposition to the proposition, in a statement Wednesday Breed vowed she will work with stakeholders to figure out how to begin implementing it. "The voters sent a clear message that they want an increase in funding to help meet this urgent challenge. I agree we need to build more housing and shelters, help those suffering from mental illness and substance use disorders, and help people to exit homelessness--and businesses can pay more to make that happen," she said. Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said that she's "grateful and humbled" that she was re-elected to a second term in Tuesday's election with 56 percent of the vote, despite facing nine challengers. Schaaf made the statements Wednesday. Speaking to reporters at the St. Vincent de Paul building, which is being turned into a year-around shelter for 100 people, Schaaf said, "I'm glad to continue as the mayor of a city that is inclusionary and diverse and believes in social justice and fighting for what is right." Schaaf said she wants to "obliterate the disparities" that she said exist between the rich and the poor. The mayor said, "That's why I've chosen St. Vincent de Paul for this news conference, because it serves systematically marginalized people" who she said are victims of a "racist" past. "We have a lot of work to do but we can accomplish great things," Schaaf said. An ambitious $450 million housing bond in San Jose failed to gather the necessary two-thirds vote on Election Day, but the largest bond measure in the city's history gained the required margin to fund infrastructure and public safety services. The city will now focus on different methods of addressing a regional homelessness crisis and direct $650 million in revenue from Measure T, the public safety bond, into disaster response and road repair. Mayor Sam Liccardo advocated for both bond measures, and said Wednesday he was disappointed at the loss of homeless funding through Measure V, but emboldened by the passage of Measure T. Measure T was approved with 69.04 percent of votes, just passing the required two-thirds threshold. A majority of voters approved Measure V, but with 100 precincts reporting, it had gained only 61.58 percent of the "yes" vote. Groups opposed to Measure V argued it was a Band-Aid to bureaucratic restrictions on building more housing, while others said it would levy too high of a tax on homeowners. A man who was elected to the Martinez City Council Tuesday night said the city's switch to district-based elections helped him win. "I think it makes a big difference," then-candidate John Stevens said in an interview before the election. "People like to know who they're electing." This wasn't his first bid for a seat on the city council. Stevens also ran for office two years ago on an at-large basis. This time he narrowly defeated Debbie McKillop by just 25 votes, 1,154 to 1,129, doing slightly better among vote-by-mail voters where he eked out a small but decisive lead of 61 votes. That may be significant in light of the way that district-based campaigning reduced the cost associated with mailing campaign ads to a much smaller number of potential constituents. Had he been running at-large, he would've had to send out mailers to voters all over town -- but district based campaigning allowed Stevens to focus on the much smaller number of voters within his district. After serving 12 years on the Petaluma City Council, Teresa Barrett was elected mayor in Tuesday's election. It is a post retiring Mayor David Glass held for 10 years. Barrett was leading former Councilman Mike Harris by nearly 10 percent Wednesday. "This is a great opportunity. We will also have a new city manager and two new councilmembers to look at our problems with new eyes. It's still very close to my win, I'm still floating on that, but I am surprised by the volume I won by," Barrett said Wednesday afternoon. Known as politically progressive and an environmentalist, she was elected to the Petaluma City Council in 2006, re-elected in 2010 and 2014 and served as vice mayor in 2009 and 2017. She said she and Glass, who's retiring, were in synch on the City Council, but they were in the minority. Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley has announced that no charges will be filed against a sheriff's deputy who exchanged shots with a gunman who killed three women and himself in a facility at the Veterans Home of California in Yountville in March. Haley said Wednesday her office determined that sheriff's Deputy Steve Lombardi's use of potentially deadly rifle fire against gunman Albert Wong was "a reasonable and lawful use of force under the totality of the circumstances." "The actions were legally justified," Haley said in a written analysis. Her review, based on a report by the California Highway Patrol, was a routine procedure carried out by district attorneys when a law enforcement officer uses lethal force. The review noted that autopsy reports concluded Wong and the three victims were not hit by any of the rifle shots fired by Lombardi through a closed door at the Pathway Home mental health facility at the veterans' campus. Wong, 36, of Sacramento, a U.S. Army veteran, entered a group meeting room at the facility at 10:19 a.m. on March 9, carrying a loaded semi-automatic rifle and shotgun. He had previously resided at Pathway Home, but was discharged on Feb. 20 because he refused to comply with his treatment plan. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. BCN40) OAKLAND (BCN) The Oakland City Council will have a new look next year because three new councilmembers were elected on Tuesday, including two candidates who defeated incumbents. In the most stunning result, entrepreneur and management consultant Loren Taylor beat 16-year incumbent Desley Brooks in District 6 in East Oakland, which includes the Eastmont, Havenscourt, Maxwell Park and Millsmont neighborhoods. After five rounds of balloting in the five-candidate race, Taylor finished first with 61.5 percent of the vote and Brooks finished second with 38.9 percent. In District 2, which includes the Lake Merritt and Chinatown neighborhoods, community organizer Nikki Fortunato Bas got 51 percent of the vote to defeat incumbent Abel Guillen, who had 42.5 percent. Kenzie Smith finished third with 6.3 percent. In District 4, where incumbent Annie Campbell Washington chose not to seek re-election, Sheng Thao, the former chief of staff for at-large Councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan, came out on top in the seven-candidate race after seven rounds of ranked choice tabulations by getting 54 percent. Pamela Harris finished second with 46 percent of the vote. Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, who was re-elected to a second term with 56 percent of the vote endorsed Taylor but didn't endorse Fortunato Bas or Thao. At a news conference today, Schaaf said, "I backed other candidates in Districts 2 and 4, but I take no issue with any of the winners." She said Taylor, Thao and Fortunato Bas all "campaigned on the same ideals" that she did, which she said are being inclusionary, supporting diversity and believing in social justice and "fighting for what is right." The mayor said the new councilmembers have "remarkable energy" and will provide "fresh perspectives" to the council. Schaaf also said she hopes that the Brooks' defeat will make it easier for councilmembers to work together, as Brooks was a divisive figure who frequently clashed with her colleagues. Taylor said in an interview today that he thinks that Brooks' combative personality kept businesses from investing in District 6, which suffers from a lack of grocery stores and a shortage of banks and other businesses. Taylor said working with other councilmembers is "critical," even if they won't agree all the time. Taylor said his vision for District 6 is to "make sure we have a thriving economy and create sustainability so that we can live, work, play and shop in our neighborhoods and won't be forced to travel outside the district to do those things." Taylor said he's "glad" he won and the campaign is over but now comes the "hard work" of delivering on his promises to voters. Fortunato Bas, the first Filipina woman to be elected to the City Council, said in her ballot statement that she will "champion housing for all, establish a community approach to public safety that protects residents, tackle illegal dumping and other threats to quality of life." Thao, the daughter of asylum seekers from Vietnam, said in her ballot statement, "I will use my knowledge of City Hall and community to build consensus, cut red tape and fund neighborhood improvements." Thao, who was endorsed by many labor organizations, said, "I have clear plans for strengthening public safety, addressing homelessness, cleaning streets, reducing fire danger and filling potholes." Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) With cannabis being legalized this year in California, San Francisco voters on Tuesday approved a measure to tax cannabis businesses in the city. According to election results as of today, Proposition D had passed with 66 percent of the vote. "Prop. D's passage represents a significant boost to our Equity Program, to patient care, and to streamlining our permitting process for cannabis businesses," Board of Supervisors President Malia Cohen, who authored the legislation, said in a statement. "I look forward to continuing to work with business owners, with neighbors, with the medical marijuana advocates, and with our brothers and sisters in labor to stabilize the industry. With this support, every entrepreneur will have equal opportunity to access and benefit from cannabis legalization," she said. Under the new law, new cannabis businesses and cannabis businesses that don't have a physical presence in the city will be taxed at between 1 and 5 percent of gross receipts, starting in 2021. According to Cohen's office, Prop. D will generate about $10 million in revenue, which is to be directed to the city's General Fund. Under the direction of the San Francisco Office of Cannabis, the newly-created Cannabis Oversight Committee will be responsible for funding priorities for the city's cannabis industry, Cohen's office said. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Scarborough Leader The Oak Hill Players are performing the musical 'Honk!', their first live performance since the COVID-19 pandemic. I am tired. You are tired. It's dark at 5 o'clock now, because fall is here, and Prop 7 has yet to actually do anything about stupid Daylight Saving Time. Let's look at some pictures of cute animals eating pumpkins at the Oakland Zoo. Click through the gallery above for the pics The pumpkins were leftovers from Halloween pumpkin patches donated by to the zoo by Moore's Pumpkin Patch, Fuji Melon, and Monterey Market, so the feast was also a triumph of recycling (and much cuter than regular composting which, while very nice for the planet, also sometimes makes all the ice in my freezer taste weird). YUM: Black bears eat birthday cake in their new Oakland Zoo digs "Besides being added to many animal diets, zookeepers have creatively crafted the orange vegetables into enrichment items such as pumpkin kabobs, gourd bowls filled with meat treats, puzzle feeders, and even frozen delicacies," Erin Harrison, spokeswoman for the Oakland Zoo, said in a statement. Apparently, the elephants are especially fond of the pumpkins, according to Lead Elephant Keeper Gina Kinzley. ALSO: Snow leopard cubs make their zoo debut at 9 weeks old "If they can't fit a whole pumpkin directly into their mouths, they puncture it with their tusks or stomp it open with their foot," Kinzley said. "Most of these pumpkins would otherwise be thrown out or tilled back into the land. The donations provide a fun and healthy food source for so many of our animals." You can catch the animals playing with the leftover pumpkins through the end of December, according to the zoo. If you are a monster who hates animals, it's also peak season for human babies dressed up as pumpkins. Something for everyone. You're welcome. Filipa Ioannou is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at fioannou@sfchronicle.com and follow her on Twitter Stacey Abrams, the Democratic contender in Georgia's gubernatorial race, said Thursday she won't accept the victory declaration from Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, attempting to fight on in her bid to become the next governor of Georgia. Abrams claims Kemp hasn't supplied the public with enough data to support his victory and has abused his role as Secretary of State. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., stepped in on Thursday, tweeting a link to a fundraiser for Abrams. "Stacey Abrams could still win or force a runoff, despite her Republican opponent's rampant voter suppression," she wrote, linking to the fundraiser. "Donate here to make sure every vote is counted in Georgia." OPINION: Stacey Abrams and the politics of appearance But some were critical when they noted that by default, 50 percent of donations go to Harris herself, unless donors opt to adjust the ratio. "NOTE: Your contribution will be divided evenly between Stacey Abrams and Kamala Harris," the text above the donation buttons reads. "Click here to allocate amounts differently." Screenshot via ActBlue Some said the ratio was clearly marked and easy to adjust. "It says right where you donate," wrote Jessamyn Harris of the disclaimer and note about adjusting the ratio. "And then you can easily do so." But others saw it as a cash grab in poor taste. "Good faith small donors shouldn't have to read the fine print, if smart pols want to keep their trust," wrote one critic. Some observers made jokes about civil asset forfeiture, the practice by which police departments can seize, then keep and sell any property suspected of being involved in a crime, even if the owner is not convicted or even charged (Harris fought a bill that would have restricted civil asset forfeiture when she was Attorney General of California in 2011). Harris's fundraising efforts have certainly been successful as of late she topped all other senators in fundraising for her leadership PAC this cycle, a report published late last month found. ALSO: Oprah, Mike Pence offer competing visions of 'Georgia values' Particularly given the fraught political climate, it's not uncommon lately for politicians to step in it while trying to fundraise. Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, drew criticism earlier this fall when her campaign sent a fundraising email during the opening remarks of the confirmation hearing for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who was accused of sexual assault. The campaign of Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, was criticized for soliciting donations with tens of thousands of mailers packaged to look like summonses. And Michael Avenatti, the lawyer for Stormy Daniels who says he may run for president in 2020, recently launched a fundraiser for failed Rep. Beto O'Rourke's Senate run that drew criticism because half the money went to Avenatti's own PAC. Filipa Ioannou is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at fioannou@sfchronicle.com and follow her on Twitter When news broke 85-year-old Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg fractured three ribs, many in social media offered to do anything to get the hospitalized judge back up on her feet. "I hereby donate all of my ribs and organs to Ruth Bader Ginsburg," tweeted NYC-based journalist Lauren Duca. Jezebel reporter Anna Merlan shared a similar message: "If Ruth Bader Ginsburg needs ribs I have like dozens of them that I'm not using, let's do this." The court's oldest justice fell Wednesday evening in her office at the court. She called Supreme Court police to take her to George Washington University Hospital in Washington early Thursday after experiencing discomfort overnight, court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said. Ginsburg is liberal icon who was recently profiled in a popular documentary. The ACLU veteran is considered a progressive stalwart at a time when Republican appointments have shifted the balance of power no the nation's highest court to the right. For that reason, her fans reacted with alarm and attempts at humor, as can be seen in the slides above. ALSO: Justice Ginsburg in hospital after fracturing 3 ribs in fall A Twitter user who goes by @DearAuntCrabby offered her "2 new titanium hips with spinning rims. Good as new, Ruth." Another Twitter user, @owillis, said he'll start a GoFundMe site to raise money for 20-foot-thick bubble wrap to wrap her in. Those who oppose Justin Ginsburg's politics also had things to say. "Just heard on Los Angeles radio liberals are calling Ruth Bader Ginsburg hospital offering to donate their ribs and organs to make sure she stays healthy and remains at the SCOTUS. Sorry, but that is kinda psycho," tweeted Kambree Kawahine Koa, whose online bio identifies her as a political news contributor. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The Florida Keysknown for pristine beaches, cool vibes, and unmatched tropical beautyare a prime vacation destination for sun-seeking travelers. Folks who drop in on the Keys often wind up dreaming about owning a slice of this balmy haven. For them, we've found one such dreamy opportunitya one-of-a-kind compound on Islamorada currently available for $9.5 million. Known as Fish Ranch, the 3-acre spread features three separate homes, a dazzling pool that stretches 100 feet long, and 250 feet of private beach frontage. Fish Ranch realtor.com A piece of land like this in the Keys is really unique, says listing agent Claire Johnson. Much of the Florida Keys is either protected or packed with houses, which means little land to spread out and little privacy for residents. That's not the case with Fish Ranch. 100-foot-long pool realtor.com The property is currently being used by one family, but it offers endless possibilities. With so much space and three homes already on site, this location could easily become a retreat center or group vacation spot. All three homes are in turn-key condition. If new owners wanted to, they could choose to build additional structures on the property, says Johnson. Perhaps it could transform into a small boutique hotel, or an Airbnb rental. Deck realtor.com Kitchen and living area realtor.com Among the three homes, there are six bedrooms, seven baths, and three half-baths. Each home has two stories and is equipped with a deck overlooking the ocean. The pool has a walk-in entrance and in-water lounge. Outdoor cabana realtor.com The property comes with private beach access, a putting green, and cabana with a kitchen and dining area. Located in the Upper Keys just below Key Largo, Islamorada is about 100 miles south of Miami and 86 miles from Key West. The isle is known for its white beaches, swaying palms, and turquoise waters. It's quite simply paradise. The post Fish Ranch in Florida Keys Wants to Lure in a Buyer With $9.5M to Spend appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. Just how expensive is it to buy a home in the San Francisco metro area? If a million-dollar home is unaffordable, you have less than a 1 in 5 shot of finding something in your budget. As a new study by home listing website Trulia found, the vast majority of homes in the San Francisco and San Jose metro area housing markets have eclipsed a value of $1 million, far surpassing that of other housing markets nationwide. In the pricey San Francisco metro (which includes The City but also San Mateo, Redwood City, and others along the peninsula), 81 percent of homes are worth more than $1 million, up from 67.3 percent in 2017. To the south, in the San Jose metro area (which also claims Palo Alto, Sunnyvale and Mountain View), 70 percent of homes are worth more than $1 million, a jump up from 55.7 percent last year. To boot, they found the third-most expensive housing market to be the Oakland metro area (including Berkeley, Alameda, and Lafayette) with 30 percent of homes worth more than $1 million. More for you SF, other NorCal cities no longer dominating the list of hottest housing markets In fact, seven of ten of the metro area housing markets with the highest percentage of million-dollar homes are in California; the others include the areas of Honolulu, Seattle, and Long Island, New York. But what's perhaps more notable or, depending on perspective, alarming is how fast particular neighborhoods in Bay Area metro areas are "crossing the threshold" into having their first homes with a $1 million or more value. In the city of San Francisco, 87 neighborhoods now boast $1 million homes, leaving just 15 including the Tenderloin, Hunter's Point and the Outer Mission that haven't yet passed the threshold. Outside San Francisco, there are seven cities Lafayette, Foster City, Menlo Park, Cupertino, Mountain View, Palo Alto and Sunnyvale in which 100 percent of neighborhoods have million-dollar value homes. But it was Fremont with perhaps the most surprising new statistic. In the last year alone, 11 of 27 tracked Fremont neighborhoods were found to have homes worth $1 million. The finding comes after a survey of more than 2,300 tech workers in the Bay Area found that 59 percent of them say they can't afford to buy a home here. See more findings from the study in the above gallery. Alyssa Pereira is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at apereira@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @alyspereira. How often do you wish you could go back in time and see what it was like in San Francisco before the days of Uber, techies and, of course, the awful traffic? Orbitz captured that sentiment in a set of images they created using historic photographs that are overlaid onto shots of present day S.F. The images give us a snapshot of how the city has drastically changed through the years. Romi Divito, Orbitz outreach specialist, said the company wanted to create a project that was a visual gateway to San Franciscos history. We tried to replicate the locations as accurately as possible by overlaying the photographs in a way where it'll look like the people are part of one photo, Divito told SFGATE. Thats true of many images. One great example is seen in the image of Lombard Street. It features a historic picture of the famous crooked street from 1922 during its construction. In it, two men stand in front of the incomplete road as one of the men, most likely a worker, points to the work in progress. The other man appears better-dressed, in a long coat, black hat and resting against a car. ALSO: Incredible 19th century daguerreotypes show the faces of the Gold Rush The historic photo is at the foreground of the overall image, which was overlaid over a present-day image of the landmark taken in October. If you look at our edited photograph of Lombard Street, the two men speaking next to the vehicle don't look out of place. Similarly, the person in the modern-day image standing to the right, appears to be looking into the historic photograph," Divito said. Click on the slideshow above to see historic San Francisco images overlaid on present day photographs. Follow Susana Guerrero on Twitter and email her at sguerrero@sfchronicle.com Start receiving breaking news emails on wildfires, civil emergencies, riots, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news. How often do you wish you could go back in time and see what it was like in San Francisco before the days of Uber, techies and, of course, the awful traffic? Orbitz captured that sentiment in a set of images they created using historic photographs that are overlaid onto shots of present day S.F. The images give us a snapshot of how the city has drastically changed through the years. Romi Divito, Orbitz outreach specialist, said the company wanted to create a project that was a visual gateway to San Franciscos history. We tried to replicate the locations as accurately as possible by overlaying the photographs in a way where it'll look like the people are part of one photo, Divito told SFGATE. Thats true of many images. One great example is seen in the image of Lombard Street. It features a historic picture of the famous crooked street from 1922 during its construction. In it, two men stand in front of the incomplete road as one of the men, most likely a worker, points to the work in progress. The other man appears better-dressed, in a long coat, black hat and resting against a car. Orbitz ALSO: Incredible 19th century daguerreotypes show the faces of the Gold Rush The historic photo is at the foreground of the overall image, which was overlaid over a present-day image of the landmark taken in October. If you look at our edited photograph of Lombard Street, the two men speaking next to the vehicle don't look out of place. Similarly, the person in the modern-day image standing to the right, appears to be looking into the historic photograph," Divito said. Orbitz Niall David Orbitz Niall David Orbitz Niall David Orbitz Niall David Orbitz Niall David Orbitz Niall David Orbitz Niall David Follow Susana Guerrero on Twitter and email her at sguerrero@sfchronicle.com Start receiving breaking news emails on wildfires, civil emergencies, riots, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news. A Lion Air flight crashed into an electricity pole before take-off last night (November 7) just a week after one of its planes plunged into the sea with 189 people on board. The Boeing 737-900 was moving towards the runway when the wing collided with a metal post at Fatmawati airport in Bengkulu, Indonesia, at approximately 6:30pm. The collision ripped the left wing leaving a fragment dangling in the air and bent the pole over. All passengers on flight JT-633 were transferred to a second plane and they arrived in the capital Jakarta at 11:50pm, four hours later than scheduled. Pramintohadi Sukarno, Acting Director General of Air Transportation of the Ministry of Transportation, said the plane and pilots have been grounded while they investigate. He said: ''The aircraft nudged the pole while travelling to the runway. We have instructed Kabandara to ensure that airlines fulfil their obligations in accordance with the provisions by providing compensation for late flights to passengers.'' Lion Air corporate communications strategic executive Danang Mandala Prihantoro apologised over the incident and said that a team had been deployed to examine the plane. He said: ''Lion Air apologises to all passengers for the inconvenience caused by the incident.'' Charles Azzue, a late-20th Century designer and contractor on Staten Island, built houses and commercial buildings that were so unusual they stopped traffic and still do. Azzue, 79, died August 26 in Boca Raton, Fla., his home since 2014. A part-time fine artist, He was still painting until the day he died, said daughter, Roma Azzue. Among his signature designs, the Physicians and Surgeons Building on Victory Boulevard (opposite Clove Lakes Park) causes rubbernecking after 50 years. Its not surprising. A long, narrow triple swoop of white stucco, the building is unlike anything nearby; some observers have suggested that its top curves deliberately recall the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. But a few miles away, on Todt Hill, two Azzue houses resemble the medical building. They are modern, geometric and skinned in smooth concrete One is angular; the other somewhat more curvaceous and both had surface imagery. For one, Azzue co-opted Pablo Picassos Three Musicians. The other has a hard line mural of recognizable motifs: an Egyptian lotus, prehistoric symbols, a figure launching a thunderbolt. Azzue also designed a traditional Colonial home next door to the modern houses. He was open-minded; clients with conventional taste would be accommodated. He admired Frank Lloyd Wright. Like Wright, he liked skylights and interiors with built-in features. Wrights Guggenheim Museum informs some of Azzues modern designs. Charles (known always as Charlie) Azzue was born in Brooklyn in 1939. After marrying the former Anna Marie Savino in 1960, the couple moved to Rome, where their first child, Roma, was born. In those days, Azzue earned a living renting scooters --the iconic Italian Vespa to tourists. Rome became a tradition. Every few years, the Azzues visited. After returning to New York around 1963, Azzue , who had worked in construction as a teenager, decided to study architecture and enrolled at Pratt Institute. At night, he waited tables in Greenwich Village restaurants. The family moved to Staten Island and by the late 1960s, Charlie Azzue was established. In all, Azzue designed 50 buildings including a suite of custom homes on Milden Avenue on Grymes Hill, medical buildings and pedestrian walkways at Staten Island University Hospital. In the late 1980s, he built a tall apartment building in Brooklyn, crowning it with an actual crown. It masked a water tank that he thought too ugly to be seen. Some designs in Santa Fe reflected Southwestern adobe construction. There were no angles or straight lines. In 1979, Island historian Barnett Shepherd co-curated a Staten Island Museum show of drawings by local architects, including Azzue. It generated a little controversy, because Azzue, although trained, wasnt a licensed architect. His practice was legal, however. He made his own drawings and specifications. A licensed architect reviewed and then approved them, a common procedure. Shepherd defends Azzues inclusion in the exhibit. I had to put him in, he said. He was doing something imaginative and exciting when many people werent. In the early 1970s when the Todt Hill houses were new, a young City College architecture undergraduate, Lois Mazzitelli, became intrigued with them. Azzue had been one of them for himself. I rang the bell, the former West Brighton resident recalled. Mr. Azzue was there and very graciously took me through his home. I learned two lessons that day, one about architecture and one about sharing ones knowledge and educating the next generation coming up. After graduation, Mazzitelli worked for the Department of City Planning, and later for Skidmore, Owings Merrill, long considered one of the premiere architectural firms in the country. For months, pundits and politicians alike have been arguing over whether the country was about to experience a blue wave of Democrats or a red wave of conservatives. Each side claimed they had unstoppable momentum and would not only beat back their opponents, they would overwhelm them. As the last votes are counted and the last candidates conceded, which party actually won? The Tylt's Editor-at-Large Jessie Blaeser and Politics Editor Cait Bladt break down what color was the wave? PERSPECTIVES The president is touting the election as a major victory for republicans. He called the results a "tremendous success," and despite losing power in the House, Trump doesn't seem very concerned about accomplishing his agenda over the next two years. Received so many Congratulations from so many on our Big Victory last night, including from foreign nations (friends) that were waiting me out, and hoping, on Trade Deals. Now we can all get back to work and get things done! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 7, 2018 The numbers, however, tell a different story than the president. In the House of Representatives, Democrats picked up 27 seats, placing them well over the 218 needed to control the chamber. Even so, in the Senate, Republicans expanded their control. Republicans now hold 52 Senate seats, while Democrats only hold 46. Given the states where many seats were up for grabs, Republican domination in Senate races proves that conservative messaging is still resonating with rural voters. As The Washington Post points out: Many Democrats claimed that this race would be a "referendum" on the Trump administration, and after the fact, many are also claiming a blue-wave-victory for winning the House. In reality, the results are split. Conservative messaging won with rural voters, moderate messaging largely took the suburbs, and progressive messaging is still uncertain. One of the most-watched races of the midterms was for Ted Cruz's Senate seat. Democratic congressman Beto O'Rourke ran against Cruz and quickly gained national attention. Despite having one of the best-financed races in the country, O'Rourke still fell short, dashing Democrats' hopes of some purple in the staunchly red state. The New York Times' Manny Fernandez reported on Cruz's comments after the election was called: Even though Democrats faced some crushing defeats, there were plenty of major milestones for the party to celebrate across the country. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, a single mother and daughter of Palestinian immigrants, and Ilhan Omar or Minnesota, a Somali-American woman, become the first two Muslim women to serve in Congress. Their victories are being seen as a step forward for Muslim rights and recognition in the country, even as the president pursues anti-Muslim policies. According to ELLE: Jared Polis became the first openly gay governor in the country, sweeping to victory in Colorado. The win was especially sweet because of Colorado's history of virulently anti-gay legislation. Per The Washington Post: Republicans also came away with a number of high-profile gubernatorial races, despite the fact that many Democrats hoped the "blue wave" would encompass these races across the country-Georgia's in particular. Reports say that this race is still too close to call as of Nov. 7, but all signs point to Republican Brian Kemp becoming the next governor of Georgia. Kemp espouses conservative values and boasts of his "political incorrectness." Kemp's presumed victory demonstrates that the majority of people are tired of walking on their tiptoes around progressives. Conservatives also claimed victory in Florida's gubernatorial race. Democratic candidate Andrew Gillum made headlines when he upset frontrunner Gwen Graham in the primary. Despite blue excitement, Gillum conceded to Republican candidate Ron DeSantis at 11 p.m. on the evening of the election. The New York Times' Patricia Mazzei and Frances Robles reported on the race and highlighted DeSantis' comments after his victory: DeSantis' victory marks the 20th consecutive year that Republicans have won the governor's race in Florida. In this case, the blue wave was not strong enough to break tradition. Yet even the state of Florida was divided. The state voted to elect hyper-Conservative DeSantis while also passing a Constitutional Amendment to allow felons to vote, a right the state had previously denied its citizens. According to PBS: The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Last name aside, this Stapleton resident hasnt been so fortunate in his recent dealings with the law. Jeremiah Luckey, 21, will spend three years behind bars after admitting on Wednesday he attacked the mother of his child nine months ago. Luckey pleaded guilty in state Supreme Court, St. George, to second-degree strangulation, stemming from a Feb. 15 incident in his community. According to a criminal complaint, Luckey, who lives on the 200 block of Broad Street, put his hands around the victims neck and throat and applied pressure, injuring her. He also threw her cable-TV remote control to the ground, breaking it, and damaged her cell phone, said the complaint. Just over a month later, on March 20, Luckey went to the womans home in violation of a protection order. He banged on the window and snarled, If I see you with another man, Im going to kill you, a second criminal complaint said. Luckey was indicted on a number of charges from both incidents to include strangulation, attempted burglary, criminal contempt, criminal trespass and assault. His plea satisfies all counts against him. In exchange, hell be sentenced on Nov. 29 to three years in prison and five years post-release supervision. The stocky defendant wore a string of rosary beads around his neck at Wednesdays proceeding. He made no statement about the incidents besides entering his plea. This was a fair plea, defense lawyer Louis Gelormino said outside court. Mr. Luckey took accountability for his actions and will avail himself to anger-management programs while serving his time. Assistant District Attorney Lindsay Netterville is prosecuting the case. Luckey has previously spent time in jail. In March 2016, he was sentenced to six months behind bars after pleading guilty to criminal contempt, court records show. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The Staten Island woman charged in a fatal Brooklyn crash earlier this year left behind an apparent suicide note Tuesday, saying, I cant do this anymore, according to the NYPD. Police found Dorothy Bruns, 44, dead in her apartment at 1000 Targee St. in Concord at 4:57 p.m. Tuesday, according to a statement from the NYPDs Deputy Commissioner of Public Information. Numerous empty pill bottles were found near her body in what appeared to be a suicide, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation. The medical examiner will determine her cause of death, according to the police statement. The handwritten note left behind by Bruns said, in part, Im sorry, I cant do this anymore." The note also said do not resuscitate and granted power of attorney to a friend, an NYPD spokesman said. Bruns was indicted on charges that included manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and reckless endangerment in connetion with a crash that caused the deaths of 1-year-old Joshua Lew and 4-year-old Abigail Blumenstein on March 5 at an intersection in Park Slope. Bruns allegedly was behind the wheel of a 2016 Volvo S60 sedan traveling westbound on Ninth Street at the intersection of Fifth Avenue when she failed to maintain control of the vehicle and struck five pedestrians. The vehicle continued forward and smashed into a parked car before coming to a stop, according to a police statement. The childrens mothers, Ruth Blumenstein and Lauren Lew, both in their 30s, and a man, Jake Klein, then 46, also were injured, according to a police statement and the indictment. Bruns initially told police she had suffered a seizure at the time of the crash, and witnesses alleged Bruns' head was hanging back as she drove a 2016 Volvo S60 sedan through the intersection. Media reports indicated that Blumenstein -- known professionally as actress Ruthie Ann Miles -- lost her unborn child as a result of her injuries. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez previously issued a statement indicating that Bruns was told by her doctor that she was not allowed to drive due to medical issues. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. A Stapleton man accused of gunning down his buddy on a street in their community six months ago has a solid alibi, his lawyer told a justice on Wednesday: Francis Batama was hanging out with another friend when he is accused of fatally shooting Semori Wilson, 25, three times in the back shortly before midnight on May 10, attorney Joseph Murray said at Batamas arraignment on murder charges in state Supreme Court, St. George. Whats more, the witness who picked out Batama as the shooter during a lineup after his arrest on Oct. 15 had previously identified a filler as the gunman when he viewed a photo array, which included pictures of the defendant and several other men, five days after the slaying, said Murray. He has an alibi, Murray said. The only thing linking him is a bad ID by a mis-pick. But authorities maintain they have the right man. Besides the witness identification, Assistant District Attorney Kate Malloy said surveillance videotape showed Batama, 26, and Wilson had been together earlier in the day. Later that night, Wilson was shot shortly after receiving a phone call from Batama, she said. Surveillance videotape shows the gunman running from the scene wearing the same clothes in which Batama was garbed while he had been with the victim, she said. Batama is charged under a 10-count indictment with second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, criminal weapon and criminal firearm possession stemming from Wilsons death. Hes also charged with three counts of criminal marijuana sale arising from two incidents in August and one in July. The stocky defendant, who was garbed in tan sweatpants and a sweatshirt, stated his name in a low voice and confirmed Murray is his lawyer. But he said nothing else during the proceeding as Murray pleaded not guilty to the charges on his behalf. Justice Stephen J. Rooney denied Batamas bail application. Malloy said the defendant had been out of the country while authorities were investigating the case and is a significant flight risk. She said Batama has had numerous contacts with the criminal justice system, including a felony weapon conviction in Delaware, where he had gone to school, along with a juvenile delinquency adjudication for robbery. About a dozen of Batamas family members and friends, including his parents, attended the arraignment. Several wept when Rooney ordered the defendant remain held without bail. Prosecutors allege Batama fatally shot Wilson three times from behind, although they have not publicly commented on a possible motive. The bullets pierced the victims shoulder, back and hip, perforating his lungs, liver and other organs, Malloy said. Police found Wilson with gunshot wounds in front of a Bay Street bar in Stapleton. Cops at the time believed he was shot a few blocks away and returned to the bar for help, where he collapsed. Murray, the defense lawyer, questioned the validity of the lineup identification. He said his client had not been picked out in the photo array on May 15, just days after the slaying. Yet, the same witness identified him in a lineup five months later. Batama was the only person in the lineup whose photo also was in the array, potentially prejudicing the witness, Murray maintained. According to a criminal complaint, Batama was arrested on Oct. 15 after officers spotted him driving his Mazda through a red light near Bay and Canal streets in Stapleton. He was allegedly tailgating a school bus and switching lanes without signaling. Murray said the defendant had dropped his girlfriend off at the St. George Ferry Terminal. He was charged with three marijuana sales in the summer. While at the precinct, detectives questioned Batama about the killing. Murray said his client freely admitted he had been with Wilson that morning. The lawyer said the pair ran some errands, after which Batama dropped his friend off at the ferry terminal. The defendant then drove to the Bronx to visit another friend. He said Batama drove through the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel, which is documented. Afterward, he returned to Staten Island to hang out with another pal, said Murray. Batama stayed with that friend throughout the evening and early into the next morning, to include the time when Wilson was shot, said Murray. There are a lot of problems in this case, he said. The case was adjourned to Jan. 31, when Murray is expected to re-argue for bail. CITY HALL -- Max Roses win on Staten Island and South Brooklyn was an impressive victory for the 11th Congressional District, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday after 53 percent in the district voted for the Army veteran and political newcomer. Rose unseated three-year incumbent Rep. Dan Donovan (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn) in a stunning defeat Tuesday night. The mayor said the congressman-elect should be very proud. He also applauded Roses grassroots campaign, which he said was able to tell voters in the 11th District it was time for change especially given what was happening in Washington. During his campaign, Rose launched an attack ad criticizing de Blasios treatment of Staten Islanders, he also said: We need to get rid of all the leadership in D.C.-- Republican and Democrat. Despite Roses criticism of de Blasio and the political establishment, Hizzoner said he believes Rose will be able to work with his colleagues when he goes to Washington. I dont know [Rose], I dont know how he approaches working with people. I think folks in Washington try to work together thats my assumption, theres obviously always differences in such a big body as the House delegation and Democratic delegation in Washington from around the country, the mayor said. DEMS VICTORY IN STATE RACES GREAT FOR NYC, MAYOR SAYS De Blasio also applauded Democrats big win in the New York state Senate. He said huge changes could come as a result of their victory including the city being able to strengthen rent regulations and protect affordable housing; fixing the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and finding a permanent funding source for the citys subways; and being able to continue the citys progress on securing funding for education. The fact that we not only have a Democratic majority in the state Senate, but a resounding Democratic majority, is going to allow for a host of progress for the state, its going to allow some really important initiatives to finally be acted on, he said. FOLLOW SYDNEY KASHIWAGI ON TWITTER. CITY HALL -- If the Board of Elections Executive Director Michael Ryan, a native Staten Islander, does not make needed reforms to the agency, he should leave, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday, a day after voters across the city experienced widespread problems at the polls. The Board of Elections simply cant function, it cannot do its job, the mayor told reporters at a press conference at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Manhattan. Look, weeks and week and weeks of notice that this was going to be a higher turnout election than typical -- the size of the ballot was not a shock, the Board of Elections was planning on that for a long time, the fact that it might rain, you know, it rains sometimes on election day this is not a news flash. After voters around the city reported running into broken voting machines, wet ballots and long lines at the polls, City Council Speaker Corey Johnson called for Ryans resignation. The mayor said it was as if the BOE had a purposeful plan to make voting as unappealing as possible for New York City voters Tuesday. Hizzoner called on Albany to pass legislation to professionalize the boards operation and modernize the agency to give its executive director to run the agency like any other agency. The mayor said the BOE could relieve added pressure on election day operations if the state did a better job at implementing early voting, vote by mail, no fault absentee ballots and same-day registration. He also said that in order for him to consider giving Ryan a chance, the executive director of the BOE would need to accept the $20 million he offered the agency in 2016 to help reform the agency amid reports of widespread voter disenfranchisement. Mike Ryan has to make very clear that hes ready to make major changes, de Blasio said. He is a capable person and he has made some improvements, but he has to be ready to accept that $20 million and the specific reforms required. He has to be ready to take on a role that is more professional and more aggressive if we can get the state legislation passed. If he has any hesitation about doing those things, he should leave. If hes ready to do those things, I will give him a chance BOE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RESPONDS Ryan said high voter turnout and two-sided ballots caused the biggest issues with the scanners. We had over 1.9 million voters vote in the City of New York yesterday and four out of the five boroughs not [including] Staten Island, had two page, four-sided ballots -- that had never happened in the City of New York, Ryan said. We were never in that situation. During the 2016 presidential election, Ryan said 2.5 million pieces of paper passed through city scanners. On Tuesday, he said 4 million pieces of paper passed through the scanners. He said the BOE did not receive any reports of issues with scanners on Staten Island and that Island polls functioned very well on election day. As a result of widespread issues at the polls, Ryan said 56 scanners were fully replaced citywide. The BOE head declined to respond to calls from de Blasio and Johnson to resign, saying he only answers to the 10-sitting commissioners of the Board of Elections. But Ryan said the issues at the polls Tuesday proved the time has come to take a serious look at modernizing the elections system throughout the state. He said modernizing the elections system would not necessarily require legislation in Albany, but does require action from the state BOE. Meanwhile, Ryan said he would speak to the other BOE commissioners about the accepting the $20 million from the de Blasio administration to help reform the agency. FOLLOW SYDNEY KASHIWAGI ON TWITTER. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- NYPD Det. Lisa Bergen suffered serious injuries in November 2017 when she was struck by a minivan while investigating a stabbing in Graniteville, but shes now back on the job. Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea tweeted the announcement of Bergens return to the Detective Squad of the 121st Precinct on Tuesday. Bergen was severely injured near the intersection of Richmond Avenue and Akron Street the night of Nov. 5, 2017. She was investigating a stabbing that occurred earlier that day. A witness at the time of the incident said the impact with the vehicle sent Bergen flying in the air. An NYPD spokesman at the time said Bergen suffered head trauma as a result of the collision. More than two weeks after the incident, Bergen was released from Richmond University Medical Center to undergo rehabilitation treatment for her injuries. During her career, Bergen has probed many animal cruelty and gang cases, a source told the Advance at the time of her release. In July 2017, she was part of a pet calendar photo contest to raise awareness about animal cruelty that was sponsored by District Attorney Michael E. McMahon. Bergen also investigated and testified against Ilyas Tromp, a reputed Bloods member, who was sentenced in 2014 to 11 years in jail on a weapons conviction. Tromps prison stint stemmed from a traffic stop on April 13, 2012. Police announced Monday the arrest of two individuals in connection to the stabbing Bergen was investigating the night she was injured, but are still searching for a third man. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Dorothy Bruns, the Staten Island driver criminally charged in a fatal crash in Brooklyn who apparently committed suicide Tuesday, also ran into a pedestrian last year in Queens, a newly filed lawsuit alleges. Bruns was driving a 2012 Volvo when she struck Brandy Williams at 41-01 10th Street in Long Island City, Queens, on Sept. 13, 2017, a civil complaint alleges. The site is near the Queensbridge Houses. Williams suffered severe and grievous injuries both internal and external to her head, body and limbs, alleges the complaint. Those injuries arent specified. The complaint contends Bruns drove in a dangerous and reckless manner, and failed to observe traffic controls, slow down, brake or stop. The suit, which was filed Wednesday in state Supreme Court, St. George, seeks unspecified monetary damages. The venue is based on Bruns address, which suit papers list as Rosebank. The suit says Williams resides in Essex County, N.J. Williams lawyer, Bruce S. Cantin of Jamaica, Queens, did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment. Bruns, 44, was found dead Tuesday with a pill bottle and an apparent suicide note inside her apartment at 1000 Targee Street in Concord, said a Police Department spokesman. The handwritten note said, in part, Im sorry, I cant do this anymore, according to the NYPD. A legal source said a persons death does not negate a lawsuit against their estate. The filing of the suit requires the court to appoint an administrator to step into the deceaseds place, said the source. The estate is ultimately responsible for any liability the deceased had, the source said. Bruns was facing multiple charges, including manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and reckless endangerment, stemming from a March 5 incident in which she was accused of fatally plowing into Joshua Lew, 1, and Abigail Blumenstein, 4, near the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Ninth Street in Brooklyns Park Slope section. Authorities allege Bruns, who was driving a 2016 Volvo S60 sedan, accelerated through a red light before hitting the victims. The two children were walking with their mothers, one of whom was Ruthie Ann Miles, a Tony Award-winning actress who was pregnant. Both women were injured. Miles lost the unborn child, according to media reports. Bruns initially told police she had suffered a seizure at the time of the crash, and witnesses alleged her head was hanging back as she drove through the intersection. NYPD officials said Bruns suffered a "medical episode" before driving through the intersection and the red light. Authorities allege Bruns got behind the wheel despite doctors ordering her off the road due to her medical condition. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- As for what comes next in his life, Staten Islands outgoing congressman is still mum. Rep. Dan Donovan (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn) told the Advance in a phone interview Wednesday that hes planning to go away for a few days, but said that he has no idea what the future has in store for him. Im going to speak with Serena, were going to ask Aniella Rose her opinion, said Donovan, referring to his partner and daughter. I dont know what the future holds for us, but I do know that well do it together and well do it as a family. Donovan didnt answer if he would pursue public office in the future or go into private practice. LOOKING BACK, AND AHEAD Donovan looked back on his legacy as Staten Islands top elected official with pride, rattling off accomplishments such as helping to get the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act passed, passing his own FEMA reform bill, and having his language included in Fentanyl Control Act. Its been a privilege to serve in Congress, said Donovan. Its an experience Ill treasure for the rest of my life. The outgoing congressman also said that hell be reaching out to Congressman-elect Max Rose to offer his assistance on the transition as well as bringing him up to speed on veterans services and some of the boroughs resiliency projects. Donovan, who told his successor over the phone yesterday Max you are not my enemy, said that Rose has a lot of work ahead of him. One of the greatest things about the greatest nation on the planet is that the people choose their leaders and the people on Staten Island and south Brooklyn chose someone else to lead them in the 116th Congress, said Donovan. And I certainly respect that and accept that. On Tuesday in New Yorks 11th congressional district, Rose joined a wave of Democrats who took back the House of Representatives. The district voted overwhelmingly for President Trump in 2016. Rose beat Donovan by six percentage points. Donovan declined to speculate on whether or not he believes the Staten Island Republicans will win back New Yorks 11th congressional district. Donovan said that he viewed his 22 years in public service -- spanning his days working in Staten Island Borough Hall, as the boroughs district attorney, and, finally, in Congress -- as successful. He cited the laws he helped pass in Congress, testing for the deadly synthetic opiate fentanyl, and his integral role in closing the Fresh Kills Landfill on Staten Island. I was very honored to be able to represent this community in one capacity or another, said Donovan Less than a day after his shocking defeat, Donovan spent Wednesday addressing all of his staffers. Today I met with both my Staten Island staff, and my Brooklyn staff, separately, and my D.C. staff was up here, so I met with all my D.C. staff members and told them we still have through the end of December to continue the good work that weve been doing, Donovan told the Advance. We have constituents who depend on our office and were going finish our work to the very last day. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Flying above the tree tops of Butler Manor Woods in the Mount Loretto Unique Area, the red, yellow and orange tree tops fade into the blue Raritan Bay. A few trees already bare anticipate winter. Mount Loretto, located in Pleasant Plains on the South Shore of Staten Island, is home to more than 200 acres of forest, grasslands, wetlands and coastal shoreline. In 2006, it expanded with the purchase of 18 acres of the Butler Manor Woods, according to the Department of Environmental Conservation. The areas three main hiking trails -- Wetlands Trail, Grassland Trail and Beach Loop -- have great views for seeing both the fall foliage and for bird-watching. Founded in 1883 by Fr. John Christopher Drumgoole, an immigrant from Ireland who arrived in the United States when he was 9 years old, Mount Loretto was one of the largest farms in the state of New York at the time. It is believed that Drumgoole purchased the Staten Island farmland because it reminded him of his hometown, County Longford, Ireland. According to Mount Lorettos website: Fr. Drumgoole was responding to the urgent needs of his time by creating a home for some of the thousands of homeless and orphaned children who lived on the streets of the City after the Great Potato Famine and then the Civil War. He created the Mission of the Immaculate Virgin and housed almost 2,000 children. Today, over 1,000 people come to Mount Loretto on an average day for all kinds of services, from Day Care to the senior center, from autistic children to those in recovery from addiction, the Mount Loretto website states. In addition to the mission, Mount Loretto is also home to the John Cardinal OConnor Lighthouse and keepers cottage, built in the 1860s. China Aviation Daily | Nov. 08, 2018 Airbus is accelerating its research and technology cooperation efforts in China, leveraging the country's strong innovation capability. Airbus Beijing Engineering Centre (ABEC), the advanced projects outpost of Airbus in China, is driving R&T projects that aim to disrupt the aerospace industry and cover eight topics including, but not limited to, nanomaterials, multifunctional composites, morphing structures, 3D printing and visual recognition. In 2018, Airbus launched its biggest ever wave of R&T initiatives in China. As part of it, ABEC is announcing a series of cooperation agreements with its Chinese partners at the 2018 China Airshow held in the southern coastal city Zhuhai. The aim is to explore the application of cutting-edge technologies on advanced materials, smart structure and digital solutions in the aeronautical industry. A new joint lab on aeronautical smart structures, between Airbus and Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA), will be open for R&T activities on smart structure design, advanced actuation and control systems and advanced sensing and monitoring technologies. Airbus also opened a new lab jointly with Northwestern Polytechnical University, following the previous agreement by the two parties to conduct cooperative research and development activities around additive manufacturing technology and special materials for the aviation industry. "We have developed real expertise in the past ten years in our Engineering Centre. With extended partners in China, we endeavour to develop some solutions that can be applied on aircraft to improve efficiency and environmental-friendly performance and bring added value for our airline customers and passengers," said Francois Mery, COO of Airbus China commercial aircraft. Since its creation in 2005, ABEC, a joint venture between Airbus and China Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC), has been successfully taking part in designing components for all Airbus programmes including the A350 XWB and A380, with specific design work of some 5% of the A350 airframe work packages carried out in China. Currently around 130 Chinese engineers work at ABEC, applying their skills and competencies in line with Airbus' highest standards and using state-of-the-art technologies. They develop engineering solutions along the full life cycle of an aircraft, which covers areas from research and design to manufacturing and in service support. Contributed by Airbus To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account. We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription. A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much! Shares in Domino's Pizza have plunged more than 10 per cent as investors digested a weak trading update that revealed slower than expected store rollouts and sales growth. The fast-food giant, which has outlets in Australia, New Zealand, Japan and continental Europe, said late on Wednesday that its same-store sales growth was 2.91 per cent in the first 17 weeks of this year. This was below both the 4.4 per cent rate achieved in the first five weeks of the year and its guidance in August for full-year growth of 3 to 6 per cent. No love lost: investors have turned on Domino's over its slow sales growth. Credit:AAP By 2pm, the stock was down 11.2 per cent to $49.42 - the lowest they have traded since August and the stock's biggest one-day decline since August last year. The London-based company behind the world's biggest dating app, known for its lavish parties featuring scantily clad dancers, is facing an investigation by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) over its corporate tax bill. Badoo, part of the matchmaking empire controlled by Russian-born tycoon Andrey Andreev, is under investigation for its tax payments for the years 2013 to 2016, The Daily Telegraph can reveal. Badoo claims to be the biggest dating app in the world. Credit:Glenn Hunt The news comes as Andreev, whose fortune has been estimated at 1 billion ($1.8 billion), talks up plans to take the company public in a New York listing that could value it at several billion dollars. Badoo's London-based founder, 44, has been described as "the most mysterious businessman in the West". For many young Australians, the temptation to escape overseas to live and work is too strong to resist. Although the challenges of setting up a new life in a foreign country should not be understated, with focused perseverance the rewards can speak for themselves. Melbourne-born jazz pianist Benjamin Winkelman, 45, says his original plan was to move to New York in 2010 for a year with the aim of becoming a better jazz musician and the hope of participating in a larger, more challenging music scene. I soon realised that one year wouldn't be enough, he says. Jazz pianist Benjamin Winkelman has released three jazz records since moving to New York city. Credit:Tayla Nebesky As a dual Australian/US citizen, Winkelman didn't have to contend with visa issues and found regular work playing piano for an African-American church in Harlem, as well as freelance gigs playing music at weddings and other events. Nearly 40 per cent of businesses found in breach of workplace laws between 2012 and 2015 were still underpaying workers or failing to provide them with pay slips within three years. Fair Work inspectors found 295 (62 per cent) of the 479 employers previously found to be in breach of their obligations were now fully compliant. Fair Work Ombudsman Sandra Parker. Credit:Department of Jobs and Small Business However, 184 (38 per cent) still fell short of the mark. Of those, 84 (17.5 per cent) were in breach of their pay obligations but compliant with pay slip and book-keeping requirements. Another 68 (14 per cent) were in breach of their pay slip and record-keeping obligations, but were compliant with monetary obligations. And 32 (6.5 per cent) were in breach of both pay and pay slip obligations. Of the 184 businesses who were found to be breaking the law a second time, two were prosecuted and the rest were given formal cautions or infringement notices or other compliance incentives. As a teenager, Dermot OGorman, CEO of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Australia, was discouraged from working in animal protection. I was told at school, you should find a realistic job. Equally, there werent really many jobs, OGorman, now 52, admits. After studying resource management and environmental science, he worked as a ranger for NSW National Parks. Dermot O'Gorman, pictured in Borneo, started his career as a park ranger. Credit:WWF-Aus/Laurent Desarnaud Upon realising the biggest impact on the park came from the outside world, OGorman moved into advocacy, aged 23. Its a job thats taken him to China, Britain and the Pacific, working with scientists and supporters, as well as stakeholders (farmers, business and government) with a different view of the world. In the end, people want to do the right thing, OGorman says. An important element of change is creating a vision of a better world that gives people hope and encourages them to make the journey. If you want to change the world optimism is a very important quality. Phuong Ngo understands there are few missions as futile as trying to recreate the past. In 1982, the Melbourne-based artist's parents fled Vietnam. A few years ago he returned to Pulau Bidong, the Malaysian refugee camp that was home to his family before they started their lives in Australia. Phuong Ngo, with his work, Colony, at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Credit:Janie Barrett However, despite his best intentions, the truth of their experience eluded him,. "I thought that the easiest way to understand them was to retrace their journey, but it was an epic failure on my part," Ngo says. "I stayed at a resort and didn't visit a refugee camp. I visited a tropical island. I was better off not going because I'd had this imaginary closeness to their story without realising how far I was from it." It wasn't smooth sailing. Embarking on the project in 2015, she had little idea how annoyed Greer would be with anyone attempting a biography. Kleinhenz had read Christine Wallace's 1997 Untamed Shrew "but it was not until I was well advanced in my research that I discovered the full extent of Greer's opposition to that book, and was shocked by her venomous attacks on its author". She had herself written to Greer about her plans to use the archive and Greer's response was one of snide indifference she would neither interfere nor assist her. There was reason enough to fear that she too would cop it when her book was published. In May 2013, Germaine Greer gave 500 boxes of correspondence, manuscripts, drafts and various other memorabilia, to her old alma mater. Melbourne University paid $3 million for the collection, a treasure trove for feminist scholars, cultural historians and would-be biographers. A seminar, "Celebrity, Fandom, and Germaine Greer's Archive: Navigating the 'General Correspondence' Series" was recently held in Sydney, and many more might be expected. But Elizabeth Kleinhenz's fine biography is the first major work drawing on the archive to appear in print. Germaine. By Elizabeth Kleinhenz On the face of it, this new biographer might have seemed a worrisome prospect to her cantankerous chosen subject. Unlike Wallace, a political journalist and author of John Hewson's biography when she approached Greer, Kleinhenz is a relative unknown, if with a distinguished career as a teacher, education consultant and researcher. In 2013, the year of Greer's donation, she had published her first biography, of the Melbourne academic Kathleen Fitzpatrick. To put it plainly, and as tactfully as I can, Kleinhenz's public persona is as straight and respectable as Greer's is outrageous and flamboyant. But Kleinhenz's true credentials come from a more telling quarter. Greer's near contemporary, she is typical of the generation of women for whom The Female Eunuch's impact was critical. "Who was this Germaine Greer," she wondered, "who changed my life and the lives of millions of women?" It's Kleinhenz's premise that The Female Eunuch ignited "ordinary women" as books by more "established" second-wave sisters did not. I could take issue with this (none of the writers whose books came out at the time were in any way established) but it would do nothing to dismantle the fact of Greer's reach. Who remembers Kate Millett or Shulamith Firestone or Dorothy Dinnerstein or a host of other authors whose arguments carried far more weight with feminists of the day than Greer's did? Yet for good or ill, Greer among them remains the symbol of our 1970s feminism. Kleinhenz's approach is as imaginative as it is conventionally linear. Using interviews with key figures as well as the archive material, she tracks Greer's life from its beginnings in January 1939, as the first-born of two siblings, the first to experience the discord between their parents, and ends with her attempt to connect with her native land by resurrecting a Queensland rainforest. But to leave it there detracts from Kleinhenz's achievement. Hers is a well-rounded, sympathetic portrait of a remarkable human being, in a narrative that grips from the start. She shows how the contradictions that can infuriate us are the flip side of Greer's ever-questing mind, how for all the strength of her scholarship, Greer's preferred method is to throw out ideas to be tested rather than sustain a coherently structured argument. "The Arson Squad was aware that there were more deliberately lit fires near the urban-rural fringe places where high youth unemployment, child abuse and neglect, and intergenerational welfare dependency met the margins of the bush, the eucalypts. And that pretty much described most of the towns in the Latrobe Valley." Crime rates here were the highest in Victoria and more than 30 people were known as firebugs. But on hot and windy summer days you couldn't expect the police to monitor everyone with fury inside them. "Revenge as elemental to the flames as oxygen." "If arson is an expression of a particular psychology, there will always be arsonists," Hooper writes, mentioning the case of Rosemary Harris, caught lighting fires with her son in the same area two years before. She was 29 and her son was 15. Her other six children were waiting in the car. At her sentencing, she was pregnant with her eighth child. What is especially powerful and nuanced about The Arsonist is Hooper's detailed investigation into "A Mind on Fire" (the book's sub-title), the psyche of the intellectually impaired man, Brendan Sokaluk, 42, who was eventually convicted in 2012 of 10 counts of arson causing death on Black Saturday and jailed for 17 years. While The Arsonist arouses some compassion for Sokaluk a bullied outsider who was only diagnosed with autism after his arrest, and who never confessed (but admitted to maybe unthinkingly dropping a cigarette butt) Hooper's even-handed narrative pays full attention to the victims and the huge human distress the fires caused. Why would you want 28 houses? If having a lot of money is good, observes his sons girlfriend, then having more is better. A former hedge-fund manager rolls a fat cigar around in his mouth; he left the United States with hundreds of thousands of euros strapped around his crotch after a warrant was issued for his arrest. Once the owner of 28 houses, many of which he had never had time to visit, he is now confined to his native Germany. I could have any house, any boat, anything I wanted, he remembers. I love money. Money doesnt look the same from every angle, as the rich, formerly rich and perpetually aspiring tell Lauren Greenfield in her jaw-dropping documentary Generation Wealth. More often than not, its about appearances. It can be about gold teeth or handbag collections; if youre a Chinese industrialists wife, it can be about learning how to eat a banana with a knife and fork. Or it can be about turning your body into a commodity. A bus driver who spends and borrows big to have a suite of plastic surgery procedures ends up living in her car. Capitalism exploits insecurities of all kinds, says Greenfield. It may seem surprising that Greenfields subjects are prepared to talk on camera about these things but, thanks to reality TV, we live in a culture where wealth and public display are inextricably bundled together. Lauren Greenfield has been taking photographs for 25 years. Over that time we have gone from a culture that admired discretion, frugality and hard work the values of the Protestant ethic to a culture that values bling and celebrity and narcissism, she says. Also, we have also had greater inequality, greater concentration of wealth and less social mobility than we have ever had before, so this kind of bling showing off is like a replacement for a real ability to attain wealth. Greenfield became an observer of the rich when her academic parents sent her to a private high school in Los Angeles. Her schoolmates included the children of Hollywood stars and rocknroll millionaires who drove to school in BMWs. Some of them became her photographic subjects; a few of them still are. Ive always walked this fine line between being an insider and an outsider, she says. A lot of the kind of imagery that Ive documented Ive only been able to get because I could fit in. The criminal hedge-fund manager is someone she and her husband knew at university. That said, many of her subjects are nothing like her: a former porn star who once rejoiced in being able to buy all her family flat-screen TVs, for example, or the Kentucky mother whose daughter is winning beauty competitions in heavy make-up and a Las Vegas showgirl outfit at the age of three. But she isnt much like the Wall Street diva with a Botox habit, either; you cant imagine Greenfield being bothered enough about herself to have Botox. You wonder why they trust her. How can she coo over anyones handbag collection? Or admire a facelift? Set in an alternative past where nuclear war has ravaged much of the earth and deadly fallout is slowly spreading, an American navy commander (played by Gregory Peck) stationed in Australia finds love with a local woman (Ava Gardner) and learns that duty and his sense of morals are more important than ever. Watch On The Beach here Tobey Maguire (as Sam Cahill) and Natalie Portman (as Grace Cahill) star in Brothers. Credit:Lorey Sebastian The film: Behind Enemy Lines (1997, rated MA15+) The message: Never abandon your friends. When an American Special Forces soldier is captured while on a mission to recover some rogue nuclear triggers, his government decides to leave him to his fate in a Vietnamese prison. His sister and friends, however, decide otherwise and head back into battle to bring him home or die trying. Watch Behind Enemy Lines here The film: Brothers (2009, rated M) The message: Some wounds never heal. Captured by the Taliban while fighting in Afghanistan, American Marine captain Sam Cahill (Tobey Maguire) is tortured and forced to commit a crime that will haunt him forever. Eventually freed, he returns home but finds his memories of what he did stronger than any relief brought on by his freedom and may yet cost him his life. Watch Brothers here The film: The Imitation Game (2014, rated M) The message: Being different can sometimes be a very good thing. At the height of World War II, a lonely mathematical genius hiding the fact he is gay is suddenly thrust into the centre of the most important fight against Germany the race to crack their secret codes. Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) fights bureaucracy, suspicion and outright prejudice, but proves he is just what the world needs to win. Watch The Imitation Game here The film: Kokoda (2006, rated M) The message: Never give up. Based around one of the most celebrated moments in Australian military history the Kokoda Track Campaign the film follows (loosely) the real story of a group of soldiers from the 39th Battalion, who are cut off from their comrades and forced to survive under almost constant attack before making their way to freedom only to return to the fighting to help their mates. Watch Kokoda here Tom Cruise in the role of failed Hitler assassin Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg for Valkyrie. Credit:Babelsberg Studio AG The film: Valkyrie (2008, rated M) The message: Sometimes you have to defy your friends and take a stand. Despite facing certain destruction, Hitler refused to see his armies were being defeated in the late stage of World War II and his staff remained loyal, sacrificing thousands in futile battles their Fuhrer ordered. Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (Tom Cruise) decided enough was enough and organised a secret plot to kill Hitler and retake Germany. Watch Valkyrie here The film: The Battle Of Britain (1969, rated PG) The message: Never underestimate an opponent. Britain, the German forces were convinced, was a tiny vulnerable island sure to surrender after a few nights of bombing. What they didnt count on, however, was the Brits determination aided by their airforce to never surrender. The battle, fought in the skies over Britain, showed how a determined opponent with everything to lose can defeat seemingly insurmountable odds. Watch The Battle Of Britain here Looking for something more to remember the sacrifices of those who go to war? Check out Stans movie library here: https://www.stan.com.au/watch/movies Stan is Australias leading local SVoD service, providing unlimited access to thousands of hours of entertainment for the whole family. Get access to the biggest Hollywood shows, blockbuster movies, cult classics and popular kids content on your favourite device. Start your free 30-day trial at Stan.com.au. A special conference of some of the country's top environmental scientists has severely criticised the government of New South Wales for protecting brumbies from a cull in the Snowy Mountains. The academics said at the meeting in Canberra that the policy ignored the science. One said he was "appalled and angry". Another said the damage the wild horses caused was so severe that it could be detected by satellites from space. Brumbies pictured on John Barilaro MP's website with the caption, "Brumbies Bill to protect iconic Kosciuszko wild horses". Credit:Unknown The scientists said the NSW government policy meant more pollution of waterways, higher risk of bush fire, scarcer water sources as well as an increased risk to endangered species. Site 86 at Coolum Beach Holiday Park has been home for Bob Davidson and his wife, Bev, since 2007. He and his caravan-dwelling mates at Coolum are hardly unique, with Australian Bureau of Statistics figures showing the Sunshine Coast has more people living in caravans than anywhere else in Australia. Coolum Beach caravan resident Bob Davidson and his mates Darcy Sutton, Mark Duggan, John Jackson and Ken Cameron have lived at Coolum Beach Holiday Park for a combined 80 years. Credit:Tony Moore Of the 115,163 Australians who were living in a caravan park on census night - August 9, 2016 49,126, or 42 per cent, lived in Queensland, according to the ABS. But the reason they live there may not simply be the Queensland sun. ACT Planning Minister Mick Gentleman has called in a major infrastructure project needed to secure the ACT's future electricity supply. Mr Gentleman on Thursday announced his decision to use his ministerial call-in powers to approve the electricity supply project, which will involve a second substation and associated distribution network in west Belconnen. Planning minister Mick Gentleman has used his call-in powers to approve a new electricity project for Ginninderry. Credit:Karleen Minney "Canberrans will have a more secure energy supply following the approval of development applications that will allow work to start as soon as possible on new infrastructure and in turn protect against possible future outages," he said. It is the second time this year Mr Gentleman has used the call-in powers to approve a development, after controversially approving the $7 million media centre at Manuka Oval in January. If you want a glimpse into the future of Australia's relationship with China, with all the elements of competition and co-operation, and tensions and bridge-building, then this week is a good place to start. Marise Payne is in Beijing, the first visit by an Australian foreign minister to the Chinese capital for over two years, evidence enough of the depths to which the relationship had sunk. While she was there, Scott Morrison announced a swathe of fresh policies to reassert Australias place as the prime economic and security partner of Pacific island nations. A sensitive time for the relationship with China. Credit:Matt Davidson The initiatives include new aid, a development bank, military partnerships and new diplomatic posts, including one in Niue, population 1624. No one has any doubt as to why the Cabinet has suddenly become excited about what many politicians crassly call our backyard. Earlier this week, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg announced he was knocking back the $13 billion bid by a Hong Kong-based company for Australias dominant gas pipeline company on national interest grounds. Although the Cheung Kong Group is widely considered a commercial entity not in thrall to Beijing, the blossoming horde of self-ordained Sinologists debating the issue in Canberra have ensured the controversy has been viewed through a Chinese lens. Dr Brown's solution? She developed and refined instructions by testing them on parents and users, instead of relying on existing instructions provided at point-of-sale, that have been developed by experts and committees. A child is three times more likely to die or be seriously injured if his or her car seat has been used incorrectly. In a major breakthrough, early results of new studies by Australian researcher Dr Julie Brown reduced errors in car seat use by 27 per cent, an international conference on injury prevention in Bangkok heard on Wednesday. Children's car seats have never been safer or more protective if they are used correctly, yet for 25 years global studies have found up to 60 per cent are misused, sometimes causing death and serious injuries. The end result was an A3 sheet of step-by-step instructions. Each step had pictograms and a matching QR code that took users to a video. Researchers also developed swing tags that hang on the seat so parents, carers and grandparents could refer to them each time they put a child in the vehicle. "We know that using a restraint is one of the most effective ways to reduce injuries among children in cars," Dr Brown, an associate professor from NeuroScience Australia (NeuRA) at the University of NSW, told Safety 2018 in Bangkok. "But to get optimal crash protection, the child restraint needs to be used correctly." The World Health Organisation says correctly installed and used child restraints reduced deaths among infants by about 70 per cent and among small children by 54 to 80 per cent. They're mandatory in most developed countries, but across Asia and Africa their usage is spotty. In Thailand, where the safety conference was being held, they are rarely used. The Philippines has only now decided to make them mandatory. In China, where 20,000 children under 14 die every year from car crashes, some provinces have introduced laws making them compulsory. For a restraint to protect a child, it needed to be installed correctly in the vehicle, and the child had to be secured in the way the manufacturer intended, Dr Brown told a session on road safety. Yet in Australia, as in many countries, around one in two car seats are used incorrectly. After a military funeral at St James Church, King Street, a gun carriage bearing the coffin of the late Major General Gordon Maitland AO, OBE, RFD, ED, left for the Martin Place Cenotaph. This marked the passing of a remarkable Australian, a doyen of the veteran community, the most senior surviving officer with Second World War Service, the Chief of Clan Maitland, a business and public figure of great respect and a wonderful family man who had died quietly in Turramurra on 18 October. Gordon Maitland was born into a middle-class family in the Sydney suburb of Rockdale on 25 August 1926. Home educated by his mother and an avid reader, he was a gifted student and attended the selective Canterbury Boys High School. He completed the Leaving Certificate and began an economics degree part-time at the University of Sydney. Gordon Maitland in 1975. Even as a boy, Gordon Maitland was interested in the military. He played with tin soldiers and in 1941, at just 14 years of age, took himself off to his first of many Dawn Services. Along with his university studies, he joined the Commonwealth Bank and it was here that he was to meet his future wife and the love of his life, Miss Dorothy Gunn. However, keen to join the Second AIF rather than be conscripted, he enlisted just after his 18th birthday and was sent for infantry training first at Cowra and then as an intelligence officer. He requested a transfer to the Z Special Unit, then operating very secret missions to the north of Australia, but was instead sent to an intensive Japanese language course then running at Point Cook in Victoria. Denning arrested Raymond John Denning, who had eluded police since his escape from Grafton Jail in April, 1980, was recaptured at gunpoint by police in Manly yesterday. Police were acting on an anonymous tip. Dennings 19 months of freedom were marked with numerous incidents in which he sent taunting messages to police and on one occasion, a videotape of himself to a television station. Denning was arrested without a struggle by detectives when his car stopped at traffic lights. The new Darling Harbour The internationally renowned American designer, Mr Lawrence Halprin, flew over the obsolete Darling Harbour waterfront district yesterday and pronounced its future development critical for Sydney. It is a pivotal area between the central business district high-rise towers and the old warehouse-housing area to the west,' he said. It has great possibilities for redevelopment with a mixture of public amenities parks, plazas, fountains and waterways to enhance downtown Sydney.' " Fripp still King What a choice for NSW electors and requiring only a few votes. Racist bigotry and practised bulldust in the one package. - Paul Dirago, Lighthouse Beach Makes me wish the NSW Parliament was more like the Sydney Swans and had a no dickheads policy. - Deb McPherson, Gerringong Contrary to your editorial (Keep Mark Latham out of NSW Parliament, November 8), the former Labor leader did not have a spectacular falling out with David Leyonhjelms Liberal Democrats. Mr Latham was a member of the Liberal Democrats (but never an office bearer or nominated candidate) for just 16 months, during which time his possible nomination for political candidacy was discussed but not resolved. Mr Latham tendered his resignation from the party in September 2018 in cordial terms. - Senator David Leyonhjelm (Liberal Democrats), Drummoyne Mark Latham has only just stuck his head above the political parapet and already he is attracting blistering bursts of chattering fire. Your editorials suggestion Australia is horrified by Mark Lathams 14-year downward spiral, with mention of hate speech and white supremacy thrown in for good measure, is no better than a half-baked smear. - Doug Walker, Baulkham Hills Dont worry, when the dust settles, Latham will be a formidable opponent, hes smart as paint, has had the rough edges knocked off him, wont take a backward step and will appeal to a certain forgotten knot of voters somewhere west of Newtown. - Rosemary OBrien, Georges Hall The bride will wear an attractive outfit combining sackcloth and ashes covered with a lace burqa, fish and chips will be served at the reception, at which guests will be entertained by boringly bombastic, whining, irrelevant announcements. - Bill Leigh, West Pennant Hills Exit Foley: can Labor recover? OK Ryan Park, shadow treasurer, its time to step up (The Labor MPs who could replace Foley, smh.com.au, November 8). You have four months. - Chris Turano, Forest Lodge Fighting these claims has been the only time since he became Labor leader that Luke Foley has actually said anything with even a moderate amount of energy and passion. He should have gone long ago. - David Neilson, Invergowrie Save our koalas Seems we are happy for Meghan and Harry to get up close and personal with one of our cuddly icons in a zoo but in reality, our government doesnt give a flying fig about ensuring the protection and survival of our koalas in the wild ( Worst place: tree clearing killing 10m animals yearly, November 8). Shame. - Viv Munter, Pennant Hills Fat cats are knocking down trees across NSW in their thousands. Koalas, meanwhile, have nowhere to go. The fat cats are everywhere, but they are particularly prominent in Macquarie Street. Lets get rid of this plague of fat, feral felines and give the native animals a fair go. - Martine Moran, Gunnedah Can you imagine Australia without its unique wildlife? No koalas, echidnas, wombats and platypus. Growing up in Australia, its uniqueness in so many ways made me think we were better than the rest of the world in so many ways. Turns out it is only in our greed. Remember, the last species at the top of the food chain will be just as extinct as the rest. In NSW the time is right for a political party that will save all of our assets including the environment for our future generations. - Mark Sexton, Oakhampton Youre fired Another election in a Western democracy and again simplistic appeals to racism and intolerance work (Race baiting saves his furniture, November 8). Surely we are better than this. - Greg Loder, Springwood The US House of Representatives is now blue, the Senate is red but the White House is still orange. - John Bailey, Canterbury The number of sacked ex-Trump staff now seems dangerously close to exceeding the size of the crowd at his inauguration (Attorney-General Jeff Sessions fired by Donald Trump, smh.com.au, November 8). - Barry Tomkinson, Little Forest Way Another apprentice gone? - Daniel Ford, Gerroa War was not futile Jan Carrolls question of how we got into World War I (Letters, November 8) reflects the now popular view that the war was futile. We went to war to support Britain in its efforts to prevent a belligerent and militaristic Germany from invading its European neighbours, destroying liberal democracies and putting Britain in peril. There is no moral equivalence here: Germany was a threat and had to be stopped. Most Australians at the time would have understood this and did not offer their service blindly and at the behest of jingoistic politicians. World War I was tragic and destructive but not futile. - Jim Russell, Balmain I admire Justin Holmwoods sensibilities regarding the honouring of Indigenous Australians who died at the hands of the British (Letters, November 8). But, with respect, it is a European perspective. It is not part of Aboriginal culture to erect memorials to their dead. It should remain as it is, after all, the Australian War Memorial was erected as a tangible expression of the widespread, heartfelt grief and sorrow over the loss of so many young lives in battlefields so far from home and their kin. - Pasquale Vartuli, Wahroonga Illustration: John Shakespeare Credit: Ted was a class act Why cannot we have more politicians like Ted Mack (Letters, November 8)? - Kevin Orr, Blakehurst The hands-on mayor came to our house to advise in a neighbourhood dispute. Having listened to my arguments, Ted asked about a huge rotatable antenna above the roof. He finished up talking on my ham radio to students at the Free University of West Berlin, clearly enjoying the contact, then he drove away in his magnificent classic car. - Garrett Naumann, Cammeray Too much outrage Tragic as the loss of The Cliffsofmoher was in the Cup, the tone of outrage in the letters (November 8) needs some balance. The poor horse was injured early in the race, well before any whips were cracking. As well, there were 135 TAB races run that day, with well over 1000 horses competing and that was the only horse to lose its life. Animal welfare is important to everyone but many seem to just look for an excuse to want to ban horse racing. - Paul Ryan, Emu Plains During a race if a horse is in distress it is described as breaking down. This term seems to imply that there was a fault with the horse, or it just didnt try hard enough ... - Susan Hunt, St Ives Going out for a bite Has anyone made the connection with diminishing fish stocks and increasing numbers of reported shark encounters (Surfer fights off shark near Ballina, November 8)? Maybe the sharks are hungry. - Helen Scanlon, Northbridge Customer care missing The banks keep referring to a failure of process and systems to divert attention from the failure of management integrity (CBA focus on profits an imbalance, November 8). One has only to navigate most large businesses telephone systems to see where their priorities lie: sales and marketing with customer service and complaints buried deep. No amount of marketing about customer focus will convince me much has changed until I see evidence in their systems and processes starting with a responsive telephone service. - Victor Boase, Narraweena Philosophys consolations I concur with Jessica Irvine (Whats an arts degree really worth?, November 8). I recently retired from a working life in business. My most useful expertise came from the critical and analytical thinking skills I developed doing a honours degree in philosophy. - Tony De Lyall, Bulli When Roger Rogerson was offered between $2 million and $5 million to deliver a message, his response was that he wanted ten million and a jet to fly him to Cooma jail to discuss the business on offer. A District Court jury has heard that the corrupt former detective, who has since been jailed for life for murder, was the go-between in an alleged extortion attempt on wealthy murderer Ron Medich. Roger Rogerson was jailed for life for the 2014 murder of student Jamie Gao. Credit:Daniel Munoz The initial approach to Rogerson has been aired via a series of taped phone calls made between prison inmate Shayne Hatfield and his former partner Linda Monfrooy. Both have pleaded not guilty to being involved in a conspiracy with Lucky Gattellari to extort $15 million from Medich in return for Gattellari changing his evidence. The timeline of allegations raised against former Labor leader Luke Foley November 16, 2016: The NSW Parliamentary press gallery hold their annual Christmas Party at NSW Parliament House. Journalists and politicians continue on at Martin Place Bar. It is there Ashleigh Raper says Luke Foley put his hand in the back of her dress and inside her underpants. Luke Foley has always denied the allegations. Credit:AAP May 26, 2018 - The Australian newspaper claims Foley is in danger of being dumped as leader and raises allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards an ABC journalist for the first time. October 18, 2018 - Corrections Minister David Elliott uses parliamentary privilege to accuse Foley of being a "double drink driver" and "who had a little bit too much to drink at a party and harassed an ABC journalist". Foley says the harassment allegation is "untrue"and threatens legal action if Elliott repeats the claims outside parliament. A lawyer for the famous Chinese film star accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a luxury Sydney hotel has confirmed the star is expected to face up to seven new charges over the alleged incident. Yunxiang Gao, who has become known as "China's Hugh Jackman", is currently living under electronic monitoring in a $6000-a-month Chatswood rental with his movie star wife, after he was granted bail in June this year. Chinese actor Yunxiang Gao (right) is seen leaving Central Court in August. Credit:AAP He has previously been charged with two counts of aggravated sexual assault in the company of a woman at the luxury Shangri-La hotel in The Rocks in the early hours of March 27. However, on Thursday a lawyer for Mr Gao, Warwick Korn, confirmed to the Herald that an additional seven charges were expected to be laid against his client. Walking across the gleaming grass on Thursday, you would not have known that Flemington had been hit by a thunderstorm of such Biblical proportions two days prior that it nearly carried away the racecourse's new grandstand like a giant silvery ark. Only the large, muddy patches on the lawn, which sucked like quicksand at ladies' shoes, gave it away. The cigarette butts, beer cans and other detritus from Tuesday's Melbourne Cup crowd had been picked out of the mud by an army of cleaners. And with the sky clear and sun shining on Thursday, there was nothing to detract from the colour and glamour of Oaks Day. The barristers acting for Oscar-winning actor Geoffrey Rush in his defamation case against The Daily Telegraph have described the articles at the centre of the case as "the most recklessly irresponsible journalism" to come before the courts and accused a co-star who made sexual harassment allegations against him of telling "a lot of lies". The high-stakes court battle between Mr Rush, 67, and Rupert Murdoch's Nationwide News, publisher of the Telegraph, entered its 14th day on Thursday as the parties' closing submissions continued. The trial is expected to conclude on Friday. Senior counsel Bruce McClintock, SC, for Mr Rush, said on Thursday the "prerogative of the tabloid press" and specifically the Telegraph was to wield power without responsibility. He said the newspaper had acted with "reckless and indeed cruel irresponsibility" in publishing two articles and a billboard poster in late 2017 accusing Mr Rush of "inappropriate behaviour" towards an unnamed co-star during the Sydney Theatre Company's 2015-16 production of King Lear. A man with a vendetta against the Catholic church admitted breaking into dozens of churches and threatened to punch a priest during a four-month crime spree across Victoria. The man, aged in his fifties, pleaded guilty to 54 charges in the County Court on Thursday, over the January to April offending. The man said he had been abused by a priest when he was a child. When interviewed by police he said he had been sexually abused by priests for three months as a child. "The burglaries were not about money, but were about retribution for what they do to people," the man told officers in April. Traditional owners protesting fracking. Credit:Environs Kimberley Paul Kelly, Jimmy Barnes, John Butler, the band Midnight Oil, Missy Higgins, Tim Winton, Fiona Stanley, Janet Holmes a Court, Carmen Lawrence and Peter Newman have joined to call for the state government to ban gas fracking in Western Australia. The McGowan Government was elected on a platform of banning fracking in the South West with a moratorium elsewhere, including the Kimberley and Mid West, pending the results of an inquiry. The inquiry has now reported to the government but its content remains under wraps and the government is expected to announce its decision any day now. The group of Australian public figures called on Premier McGowan to ban fracking through the whole state, not just the South West. Police have released the name and image of a man they believe can help with an investigation into an incident in South Perth on Wednesday. Police are seeking the whereabouts of 24 year old Arron Leigh Rebbeck. Credit:WA Police Detectives believe Arron Leigh Rebbeck, 24, can help them piece together how a 45-year-old man received critical injuries near a public housing block of flats on Mill Point Road around midday. The victim was reportedly punched in the head, and was rushed to Royal Perth Hospital for treatment. "The victim was struck to the side of the head with such force he was knocked unconscious and fell to the ground hitting his head a second time," 9 News Perth's Jerrie Demasi reported. Changes to the ACTs discrimination laws fall short of protecting the LGBTI community from religious discrimination in hospitals and aged care facilities, analysis from the Public Interest Advocacy Centre indicates. ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr and Justice Minister Shane Rattenbury introduced a bill to strengthen protections for students and staff in religious schools last week. Andrew Barr says his draft laws will protect gay students and teachers by eliminating a "legal loophole". Credit:Rohan Thomson Under the draft legislation, Canberra's schools will still be able to discriminate on the basis of their religion so long as they publish a policy proclaiming they plan to so do first. Public Interest Advocacy Centre chief executive Jonathon Hunyor said while the amendments did a good job balancing religious freedom with the right of students and employees of religious schools to live free of discrimination on the basis of sexuality or gender identity, there was room for improvement. Prime Minister Scott Morrison did not mention China in his foreign policy speech about the South West Pacific on Thursday but it was clearly on his mind. Mr Morrison has belatedly decided that Australia must do more to balance the growing influence of China in the island nations of the south-west Pacific. In fact, the speech candidly admits the Coalition has taken the region "for granted." The Herald welcomes increased commitment to the region but it should be done without provocatively assuming that China is a strategic aggressor. Australia must also show that its interest in the region is not just about geo-politics but extends to genuine humanitarian concern for the region's development. Australia's relations with China are finely poised on a number of fronts. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has denied that security concerns played a role in his decision on Wednesday to block a bid by CK Group of Hong Kong for APA, Australia's largest pipeline network. Still, the decision will not make China feel more welcome here. The Morrison government is pledging to build a large, new naval ship that will cruise the south Pacific and help Australias neighbours deal with natural disasters as part of what is being seen as Australias "pivot" to the neighbouring region. Fairfax Media can also reveal that the planned redevelopment of the Manus Island naval base in Papua New Guinea is widely seen within the government as having a longer-term strategic potential to allow Australian ships and even aircraft to project power well into the Pacific, where China is increasingly contesting the United States' traditional dominance. Defence Minister Christoper Pyne. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Australian policymakers are increasingly concerned about Chinese activity in the south Pacific but are confident that Australia remains the preferred security partner of most neighbours. Defence Minister Christopher Pyne said the governments new plans - largely unveiled in a speech by Prime Minister Scott Morrison in Townsville on Thursday - included "the commitment to a large-hulled humanitarian and disaster relief vessel that would operate semi-permanently operating in the south west Pacific". Corporate and political observers believe a revised bid by Hong-Kong-based CKI for gas pipeline giant APA that involved teaming up with a non-Chinese partner or promising to sell more assets could get the controversial deal over the line. The $13 billion deal suffered a serious blow on Thursday when Treasurer Josh Frydenberg ruled it was a threat to national security. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg still has two weeks to give a final decision on CKI's takeover of APA, giving time for a potentially revised bid. Credit:Chris Pearce Mr Frydenbergs preliminary decision on Wednesday to block CKIs all-cash takeover bid for the Sydney-based APA, which owns the majority of Australia's gas pipelines, wiped $1 billion off the Australian companys value. Mr Frydenberg based his decision on preliminary recommendations by the Foreign Investment Review Board and Critical Infrastructure Centre, which found giving a foreign company control of the pipeline monopoly could present a national security risk. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has shored up his minority government's numbers in Parliament with a $234 million handout to Bob Katter's electorate in return for the independent MP's support on the floor of the House of Representatives. Mr Katter said he was no longer inclined to refer Liberal MP Chris Crewther to the High Court - having threatened to do so earlier in the week - following Thursday's deal with the PM. "Have they bought my vote? I'd say if they have, they've paid a bloody lot of money for it," Mr Katter told Fairfax Media. "I don't mind being used. The cunning of what he's done here is quite amazing." Crossbench MP Bob Katter signed the deal with Prime Minister Scott Morrison in Townsville on Thursday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Mr Morrison pledged $180 million in federal funding for the Hughenden Irrigation Scheme project and up to $54 million for Hells Gates Dam Stage 1, promising "normal public probity requirements will also be met". Plans to introduce stricter rules to make mining companies clean-up their mines have prompted several 11th-hour meetings with state government officials this week. Former Bligh government natural resources minister Stephen Robertson has been called in to mediate negotiations between the government, the Queensland Resources Council and major mining companies, such as BHP and Glencore. A mining rehabilitation bill will be debated in the Queensland Parliament next week. Credit:Peter Braig In February, Treasurer Jackie Trad reintroduced the Mineral and Energy Resources (Financial Provisioning) bill, which had lapsed when the November 2017 election was called. It would manage the financial risk to the state if mineral and energy resource tenure holders did not comply with their environmental management and rehabilitation obligations. Chinese electronics company Oppo has launched its latest smartphones the R17 and R17 Pro at an event in Milan overnight, boasting some features you wont find anywhere else while at the same time blurring the line between mid-range and premium smartphones. The R17 sports a fingerprint scanner underneath the display beating the likes of Samsung to the punch and a near bezel-less 6.4-inch (16cm) AMOLED display with a tiny notch cutout for the front camera. The display is protected by Cornings brand new Gorilla Glass 6, and Oppo claims that both the R17 and R17 Pro can withstand one-metre drops onto rough surfaces up to 15 times. Oppo's R17 Pro borrows a lot of tricks from the flagships of Huawei, Samsung and Apple, but sells for considerably less. Oppo has led the smartphone industry when it comes to fast charging and the company is once again pushing the envelope with its latest handset. The R17 Pro has dual batteries both with a capacity of 1850mAh for a combined equivalent of 3700mAh. Working together in tandem, the charging power reaches close to 50W, enabling the handset to reach a 40 per cent charge in only 10 minutes and a full charge in 35 minutes. However, the big focus for the R17 Pro is its picture taking abilities, with a triple camera setup that was previously seen only on Huaweis flagship smartphones such as the P20 and Mate20 Pro. Oppo also borrows the variable aperture system from Samsungs Galaxy Note9. Bamenda, Cameroon: Kidnappers freed scores of schoolchildren and a driver in west Cameroon on Wednesday, but kept hold of a principal and one teacher, officials said, following an abduction blamed on anglophone separatists. Armed men who seized the youngsters on Monday in the city of Bamenda - a commercial hub of Cameroon's restive English-speaking region - released them about 18 kilometres away in the town of Bafut, the army said. The scale of the incident - with about 80 children taken - was unprecedented in the country's long-running separatist crisis and a lack of official information fuelled confusion in the wake of their disappearance. "We are shocked, devastated and enraged at the premeditated, cold-blooded murder of our colleague and fellow people's lawyer," said Edre Olalia, a leader of the group. "We are disturbed and unbowed. These are dangerous times." Benjamin Ramos, 56, was the 34th lawyer killed since Duterte became president two years ago. His group, the National Union of People's Lawyers, specialised in doing no-cost work for poor clients whose families have been targeted by police, soldiers and death squads associated with the President's drug war. Manila: One of the founding members of a Philippine lawyers' group at the forefront of opposing President Rodrigo Duterte's lethal war on drugs has been shot dead. Initial police reports said that Ramos had just finished work on Tuesday night, Manila time, when he was shot by motorcycle-riding men near the central town of Kabankalan. He was declared dead on arrival at the hospital. Colleagues described Ramos as passionately dedicated to pro-bono work for the poor, environmentalists, activists and political prisoners. The lawyers' group said his work had angered local policemen and the military. His picture was recently included by the local police in a list of people accused of having ties to the underground communist movement, a claim the group has denied. Jose Manuel Diokno, a human rights lawyer for another organisation, the Free Legal Assistance Group, said he was outraged by the killing. "I join the calls for the police to conduct an impartial and thorough investigation, to find the motive, the gunmen and the mastermind," Diokno said, urging the Justice Department to take the lead in the inquiry. "I ask my fellow lawyers who fight for what is right and just to continue and not be cowed." Producers can add more people to try to meet demand, Gaudreault said. But that won't make the plants grow any faster. On Monday, New Brunswick became the latest province to confront a shortage as Cannabis NB, the provincial government agency charged with selling marijuana, temporarily closed half of its 20 stores, citing a production bottleneck. After about 20 per cent of its first order was delivered, it said it was waiting for more marijuana deliveries to help plug the gap. Marijuana plants growing in a massive tomato greenhouse being renovated to grow pot in Delta, British Columbia. Credit:AP That followed the decision by Quebec's provincial cannabis agency to close its 12 cannabis outlets three days a week until the supply can be replenished. In Ontario, some frustrated pot smokers say they have returned to their illegal dealers. The Ontario Cannabis Store, the government retailer, received 150,000 orders in its first week of business and has been struggling to keep up with soaring demand. The problems have been exacerbated by a postal strike. The government is just feeding the black market and our customers are going there, said Tobin, the shopkeeper. We are called High North. But legal weed is in such short supply that no one is getting high on it. Tobin said that after opening the store on October 17, the day of legalisation, his entire marijuana supply sold out in four hours. Among the items flying off the shelves were a potent sativa strain that gives people a creative and social buzz, and pre-rolled joints, he said. After waiting two weeks to get a new cannabis shipment, he said he had been forced to close the store for a week. He said he and his mother had invested about $C100,000 in the shop and were struggling to pay their bills. His suppliers, who are licensed by the provincial government, had told him that they had underestimated demand. The store, which has now reopened, is trying to scrape by with the sales of paraphernalia such as bongs and rolling papers. But Tobin said it was not enough for the business to be profitable. A government cannabis store in Montreal on the day Canada became the largest country with a legal national marijuana marketplace. Credit:AP His mother, Brenda Tobin, added that demand for government cannabis had surpassed expectations, in part because of the novelty but also because consumers were drawn by government marijuana being strictly regulated and free from contaminants found in some street marijuana. People know what they are getting, and they like that, she said. Andre Gagnon, a spokesman for Health Canada, which is regulating the industry, said that October 17 marked the end of nearly a century of criminal prohibition of cannabis and the launch of an entirely new regulated industry in our country. As with any new industry where there is considerable consumer demand, we expect there may be periods where inventories of some products run low or, in some cases, run out, he said in a statement. Given that marijuana had been illegal for so long, he added, the government didn't have a reliable benchmark to know which products would be in high demand or to be able to estimate the demand level. Workers prune marijuana plants at a tomato greenhouse renovated to grow pot in Delta, British Columbia. Credit:AP Producers, for their part, say that mastering a new industry invariably means a steep learning curve. In the run-up to legalisation, Aphria, a cannabis producer in Ontario, said it had been forced to dispose of 13,642 plants after a lack of qualified local labour hobbled its harvesting. Vic Neufeld, the company's chief executive, predicted in October that there would be shortages and that the problem would improve when consumer demand was better understood. It's like trying to merge a five-lane highway into a one-lane country road, he said. It's tough to get everything through the bottleneck on a timely basis. A massive tomato greenhouse renovated to grow pot in Delta, British Columbia, operated by Pure Sunfarms. Credit:AP Mandesh Dosanjh, chief executive of Pure Sunfarms, a licensed cannabis producer based in British Columbia, said shortages were not surprising given that producers were grappling with challenges such as mastering the growing of cannabis on a large scale, creating new supply chains across different provinces and allowing for rigorous and time-consuming inspections by Health Canada inspectors. It's early days, he said. It's hard to find know-how in an industry that was prohibited. Loading Adam Greenblatt, a spokesman for Canopy Growth, one of the largest cannabis producers in the country, said the company was still building greenhouses in British Columbia, as it sought to accommodate a burgeoning market. Small things such as running out of the glue for the excise tax stamps required on every package of cannabis were causing some producers to have bottlenecks. Everyone is doing their best to meet demand, he said. Who would have thought that weed would be this popular? People walk away from the scene in Thousand Oaks. Credit:AP The gunman at the bar was tall and wearing all black with a hood and his face partly covered, witnesses told TV stations at the scene. He first fired on a person working the door, then appeared to open fire at random at the people inside, they said. Many more people had minor injuries, including some that came from their attempt to flee, Dean said. People comfort each other as they stand near the scene in Thousand Oaks, California, where a gunman opened fire inside a country dance bar crowded with hundreds of people on "college night". Credit:AP Sheriff's Sgt. Ron Helus and a passing highway patrolman were responding to several emergency calls when they arrived at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks at about 11.20pm, the sheriff said. They heard gunfire and went inside. Helus was immediately hit with multiple gunshots, Dean said. The highway patrolman cleared the perimeter and pulled Helus out, and then waited as a SWAT team and scores more officers arrived. Helus died early on Thursday local time at a hospital. By the time the SWAT team entered the bar, the gunfire had stopped. They found 12 people dead inside, including the gunman. The shooting happened on a university night. Two-step lessons in country dancing were being offered on Wednesday at the Borderline, according to its website. The scene of the shooting. Credit:KABC The bar, which includes a large dance hall with a stage and a pool room along with several smaller areas for eating and drinking, is a popular hangout for students from nearby California Lutheran University who enjoy country music. It's also close to several other universities including California State University Channel Islands in Camarillo, Pepperdine University in Malibu and Moorpark College in Moorpark. Officers around a Police SUV in the vicinity of a shooting in Thousand Oaks, California. Credit:KABC via AP When the gunman entered, people screamed and fled to all corners of the bar, while a few people threw bar stools through the windows and helped dozens to escape, witnesses said. Video from the scene is punctuated by several rounds of gunfire, a terrified witness runs out and police cars are seen arriving as an armed officer takes up position outside the bar. Three men rush out carrying a bloodied fourth individual and they try to stem the bleeding of what appears to be a gunshot wound. Cole Knapp, a freshman at Moorpark College, said he was inside the bar when the shooting began but thought at first that it was "just someone with an M-80, just kind of playing a prank". Then he said he saw the shooter, wearing a black beanie and black hoodie and holding a small handgun. "I tried to get as many people to cover as I could," Knapp said. "There was an exit right next to me, so I went through that. That exit leads to a patio where people smoke. People out there didn't really know what was going on. There's a fence right there so I said, 'Everyone get over the fence as quickly as you can, and I followed them over." He said a highway patrol officer who just happened to be pulling someone over was nearby. "I screamed to him, 'There's a shooter in there!' He was kind of in disbelief, then saw that I was serious." Knapp said he had friends who hadn't been accounted for. Tayler Whitler, 19, said she was on the dance floor with her friends nearby when she saw the gunman shooting and heard screams to "get down." "It was really, really, really shocking," Whitler told KABC-TV as she stood with her father in the Borderline parking lot. "It looked like he knew what he was doing." Sarah Rose DeSon told ABC's Good Morning America that she saw the shooter draw his gun. "I dropped to the floor," she said. "A friend yelled 'Everybody down!' We were hiding behind tables trying to keep ourselves covered." Chandler Gunn, 23, of Newbury Park said his mum came to his room and told him about the shooting. He rushed to the bar and called a friend who works there. The friend was also at the Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas when a gunman opened fire last year killing 58 people and wounding hundreds. Gunn said his friend had again survived, adding that Wednesday nights were college country nights at the bar, and open to people 18 and over for line dancing lessons. "A lot of people in the Route 91 situation go here," he said. "There's people that live a whole lifetime without seeing this, and then there's people that have seen it twice." Shootings of any kind are very rare in Thousand Oaks, a city of about 130,000 people about 64 kilometres west of Los Angeles, just across the county line. Helus was a 29-year veteran of the force with a wife and son and planned to retire in the coming year, said the sheriff, who choked back tears several times as he talked about the sergeant, who he said was also his longtime friend. PHILIPSBURG:---To mark this occasion with Interactors and Rotarians around the world, Interact clubs, in partnership with their sponsor Rotary clubs, are encouraged to participate in joint projects during World Interact Week. This year the Rotary Club of St. Maarten-Mid Isle invited the Interact Club of St. Dominics High School to attend their weekly meeting on November 5th to help chair their weekly meeting. Accepting the invitation were President Lavisha Dadlani, along with her board Secretary Chanae Davis, Treasurer Jai Gangwani, Vice President Rohan Goswani and their Sargent at Arms Diya Chatani. They gave Mid Isle an update on their plans for Interact Week, Christmas and the rest of the Rotary year 2018-2019. President Lavisha also helped Mid Isle President Denise to give a thank you gift to their guest speakers and a banner exchange to two visiting Rotarians from Italy. To finish the meeting, Sargent at Arms Diya fined all the Mid Isle Rotarians for some minor misdemeanors. Interact is an international organization of service and social clubs for young people of secondary school age 12-18 that fosters leadership and responsible citizenship and promotes international understanding and peace. The name Interact was created by combining the words international and action. Interact clubs are sponsored by Rotary clubs as a program of Rotary International. The sponsor Rotary clubs provide guidance and inspiration, but the Interact clubs are self-governing and self-supporting. Clubs vary greatly, with both single-gender and mixed as well as large and small. The membership base of a club can be drawn from the student body of a single school or from two or more schools from the same community. Each year, Interact clubs complete at least one community service project and at least one project that furthers international understanding and goodwill. Interact's five primary avenues of service include the following: community, international, school, environmental, and fundraising. Interactors develop a worldwide network of friendships through exchanges with local and overseas clubs. Along the way, Interactors develop their leadership skills and initiative while meeting new friends. Interactors also often spearhead the formation of Rotaract clubs and participate in Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA). Interactors also often go on to become Rotary Youth Exchange students or Ambassadorial Scholars. The first Interact club was initiated on November 5th 1962 by the Rotary Club of Melbourne, Florida, USA. Two months later, the first Interact club outside the United States was established in Tanjore, India. There are over 20,370 Interact clubs in 159 countries and geographical areas, 80% of the worlds countries have Interact clubs. Interact is truly a worldwide phenomenon. Through service activities, Interactors learn the importance of, developing leadership skills and personal integrity, demonstrating helpfulness and respect for others and advancing international understanding and goodwill. Most importantly, World Interact Week celebrates Rotarys youngest leaders making a difference in their schools and communities. The Rotary Club of St. Maarten-Mid Isle presently meets Tuesday at 7pm at Pineapple Pete in Simpson Bay. For more information please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit our face book page Rotary Club of St. Maarten-Mid Isle. PHILIPSBURG:-- The Public Prosecutors Office is concerned about the rise in school fights this year. Not only has an increase in violent fights been observed, the Public Prosecutors Office has also taken note of the use of weapons during these fights or groups of youngsters are ganging up on one individual. This development is worrying professionals in the field. Together with the Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM), the Court of Guardianship, Youth Probation Officers and Truancy Officers, the Public Prosecutors Office is committed to addressing this issue. Youngsters who gang up on one individual risk being arrested and prosecuted. Those who take pleasure in filming these fights run the risk of being reported to Facebook and eventually the deletion of their Facebook account. However, our joint efforts cannot be successful unless the government commits to providing a juvenile detention center for boys and girls. As well arrange for a youth institution to execute court decisions, in cases where the ruling states that endangered youngsters should be placed in a closed care facility. Such a facility currently does not exist on Sint Maarten and the Miss Lalie Centre still remains closed. There have been many appeals to the government to have this facility re-opened. The Public Prosecutors Office has over time observed several situations where children were wandering homeless on our island and are threatened in their development. This issue calls for prompt action from government. Prosecutor's Office Press Release ~ CEO of PJIAE Brian Mingo soon to take up his post on December 1st~ PHILIPSBURG: --- 14 months after the passing of hurricane Irma and Maria that devasted St. Maarten and its infrastructures especially its main port of entry the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIAE), workers at PJIAE maybe looking at gloom or doom if the current management has to carry out the wishes of Prime Minister Romeo Marlin. Management and the Supervisory Board of the Government-owned company managed to keep its 280 staff members employed. However, now that the company is cash strapped since they lost over 50% of their business and they are unable to touch the insurance money Government is talking about laying off staff rather than providing the bondholders with a guarantee letter they are requesting so that PJIAE management can have access to the funds to rebuild the much-needed terminal building. On Wednesday reporters asked Prime Minister Leona Romeo Marlin what she intends to do now that PJAIE is need of a financial injection. Romeo Marlin did not give a straight answer except to say that the Steering Committee is meeting with the World Bank and that all three members are in favor of giving PJIAE a loan. Minister of Labor Emil Lee also said that procedures have to be followed when dealing with the World Bank. What the two members of the Council of Ministers did not say or admit is that it has been 14 months since the passing of hurricane Irma and Maria and its time for them to step to the plate and govern the country rather than traveling the world for mere photo shoots. The World Bank already indicated that PJIAE could only get the requested loan sometime around June 2019. SMN News learned that PJIAE is busy negotiating with Brian Mingo the selected candidate to fill the Chief Executive Officer (CEO)position. While Mingo is a competent and reliable candidate for the vacant position one has to ask what he can really do if the company does not have money. Mingo is expected to take up his position on December 1st, 2018 It is understood that if money is not found fast enough even the phase one of the projects will be affected and the planned moving in of the Terminal Building could be affected. Operations were planning to move back into the Terminal Building by December 15th but indications are not might be affected if government does not step up and provide the much needed financial injection. PJIAE is busy negotiating with Piper Jaffray hopefully they would commit to financing PJIAE so that PJIAE Terminal Building can be rebuilt sooner rather than later. SMN News understands that representatives of Piper Jaffray are currently on St. Maarten meeting with PJIAE management to continue negotiations in providing financing to PJIAE. PHILIPSBURG:---:There were happy smiles all around last week in the Group 4 class of the MAC St. Johns Campus primary school when 48 kids found out that the boxes brought into the classroom were laptops and some additional hardware items. After Hurricane Irma, the city of Den Bosch in the Netherlands, in collaboration with Nos Baranka, a Dutch Caribbean grassroots organization, offered assistance to St. Maarten. One of the main criteria was that the donation needed to meet the global sustainable development goals. During a post-Irma St. Maarten event in the Netherlands, Mrs. Ludwina van der Meijden, representing Nos Baranka, met with RebuildSXM Foundation who followed up on this request and contacted Foresee Foundation in St. Maarten. Together with Nos Baranka, Foresee Foundation wrote a plan proposing a DigiKidz project for the MAC school, which had sustained quite some damage during the hurricane and which was eager to bring integrated technology in its schools. A presentation was made by management and IT staff and presented to the committee in Holland. With the collaboration of the Dutch company Skool who had supplied all three current DigiKidz schools on St. Maarten with network equipment and student devices between 2014 and 2016, 43 laptops, a switch and Wireless, Access Points were ordered. The delivery of the laptops to the school was sponsored by shipping agent ProfPac. CaribWork, partner in all Foresee DigiKidz and DigiTeenz projects, will install a small 2 classroom network so students and staff can effectively use the technology. This additional part of the project will be sponsored by Foresee Foundation through a private local St. Maarten donation. In the upcoming months the tech-savvy Group 4 teachers and IT staff, together with the students, will start exploring the use of the laptops and will integrate them within the Foundation Based Education curriculum. The next step in this project will be to set up a pen pal partnership with a primary school in Den Bosch, where students on either side of the Atlantic will become pen pal friends through email and social media. The MAC school Executive Director Mrs. Coram-Hughes expressed her sincere thanks to Den Bosch and all other sponsors. - Corallo vs Kingdom of the Netherlands verdict 1. inhumane detention of Corallo, who was held at the police station in Philipsburg for months. 2. The Court reiterated in particular that Corallo had been detained for more than eight months, 114 days of which in a multi-occupancy cell, in a detention facility in which the CPT considered persons should not be detained for more than three days, and in any event never longer than 10 days, as the facility is totally inappropriate for holding remanded prisoners. 3. Although the government submitted that the recommendations of the CPT had been fulfilled to a large extent and that the detention conditions in the Philipsburg police station had been improved, it was unable to specify this statement in respect of the applicants claim relating to the multi-occupancy cell, for lack of detailed information. In these circumstances the Court considered that there has been a breach of Article 3 of the Convention, the Court stated in its verdict. 4. The Court awarded Corallo 5,000 euros in immaterial damages and 5,500 euros for costs and expenses incurred before the Court. - Dutch parliamentarians and Dutch ministers/ state secretary 5. Deputy Agent at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs K. Adhin, the Dutch government contested Corallos complaints. The government admitted that the circumstances under which Corallo had been detained in St. Maarten had not been ideal, but claimed that the conditions under which he had been held pending his extradition to Italy had not been of such a nature that he should be regarded as having been subjected to treatment prohibited by Article 3 of the Convention. 6. On the other hand at official opening of new prison facility in Bonaire by Min of Justice of the Netherlands The new prison has space for 113 inmates and 10 detainees. It is the only judicial institution in the Caribbean Netherlands and houses convicted criminals of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. The prison, located on Plantation Aruba, has been operational since August and is already filled to capacity. I am content that with this new building we can again comply with the requirements of a modern prison. This prison is of an extraordinary class and by and large complies with the international requirements. That is not only the building, but especially an institution with well-trained personnel who are knowledgeable and dedicated to guide the inmates, said Dekker. According to lieutenant governor Rijna, Bonaire sets a good example for the region with this prison. 7. - for SXM the bill of the verdict and not the improvement of the detainee and prison facility Dutch State Secretary of Kingdom Affairs Raymond Knops recently said the Dutch government is still studying the ruling. But the fine will be passed on to the right party, which is St. Maarten, he said. Knops made his comments during a debate by the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament about the budget and policy for 2019. - SXM parliamentarians and Min of Justice de Weever 8. Members of St. Maartens Parliament indicated to Minister of Justice Cornelius de Weever on Monday that St. Maarten should not foot the bill in the Corallo versus the Netherlands case. The case was filed against the Netherlands, not St. Maarten, 9. De Weever presented the verdict to MPs and said the ministry had recently hired a human rights lawyer to strengthen it. - Which Human rights violated? 10.Article Three of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. Article 3 of the Convention reads that No one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. 11. The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment CPT established in 2015 that no one should be allowed to be detained in police cells for more than three days, and in any case no longer than 10 days. 12. According to Reintjes-Wendenburg, Corallo was held in a 16-square-metre cell between December 13, 2016, and March 29, 2017, and between April 4 and April 12, 2017. During that period he shared this cell with five to six persons. For the remainder of his detention period he was held in a single-occupant cell of 12 square metres. 13. In the meantime, Corallo spent his days under extremely poor detention conditions. The toilet in the multi-person cell leaked and could not be closed off. Detainees had used towels and sheets to separate the toilet from the rest of the cell, which was equipped with two bunk-beds for four detainees. It was the rule rather than the exception that one or two additional detainees were held there and that they had to sleep on mattresses on the floor at night. 14. The defence further argued that the one-person cell was not even equipped with basic equipment such as a cupboard, a table and a chair, that there was no structure in the detainees days, that medical care had been inadequate and that Corallo was locked up for 23 hours a day. 15. Attention was also drawn to the building structure of the cells, which did not provide access to natural light or ventilation. 16. Attorney Sulvaran said he considered violation of Article 3 the worst infraction. The magistrates are directly responsible for this. They have always allowed Corallo to be tortured. This conviction is, therefore, due to them. This is a shame for the Kingdom. But, of course and unfortunately, the Netherlands will consider it a violation by St. Maarten, while the judges from the Netherlands who come here to pronounce judgments would never dare to do something like this in the Netherlands. This is already the third case the Netherlands has lost, he said. 17. - Equal treatment for all detainees and prisoners in SXM (police cells and Point Blanche physical) 18.MP York : Minister, what happens if the lawyers of all those other detainees, former and present detainees, who have gone through or are going through the exact same thing that we are now hearing about or maybe even worse, what happens if these lawyers take their cases to court also? 19. SMAPP/SMCC : immaterial damages for all ! - Equal treatment of all people in SXM (the poor and needy households on the Southern part of Soualiga) : 20. material and immaterial damages for not implementing the non-discrimination principle throughout the kingdom art 2 of International Convention Economic, Social Cultural Rights as well as art 2 Civil and Political Rights TazTag unveils a new rugged product line featuring Suprema\-\-s BM-Slim2 fingerprint sensor SEOUL, KOREA, Nov 7, 2018 (ACN Newswire) TazTag, one of the leading global providers of biometric mobile solutions for pros, celebrates its 10 years anniversary with a brand new rugged product line with Suprema\-\-s high-end biometrics. Featuring Suprema\-\-s famous FAP20 fingerprint authentication scanner module BM-Slim2, the new product line from TazTag sets three different approaches of mobility and provides the best fingerprint authentication performance along with a loads of industry-leading features and options. Three new biometric devices, one industry-leading fingerprint sensor: TazPad LTR is a high-end biometric tablet with an exclusive light and thin IP64 ruggedized design, available with various options in both 7 and 8 inches. TazPad eXS is a shock & dust proof android device with an innovative ultra-slim handheld design, a large 4000 battery and a beautiful 5 inch display. TazPoS comes in an enhanced version, still providing EMV & PCI certified payment, thermal printer, smartcard and magnetic strip reader. Suprema\-\-s BM-Slim2 still offers the best level of security with the industry\-\-s most advanced Live Fingerprint Detection (LFD) technology. Thanks to a very low consumption, the sensor allows an enhanced mobile autonomy for TazTag new devices, still certifying FAP 20 standard and large sensor scanning area for higher quality fingerprint images. Bogun Park, CEO at Suprema ID : \Likewise in other smart devices, fingerprint became an essential authentication method in today\-\-s professional markets. We take great pride in offering BM-Slim2, the world\-\-s slimmest fingerprint sensor of its kind, to TazTag\-\-s new mobile devices that have been widely used in many vertical markets including telco, banking and law enforcement applications. We will keep our strong commitment to TazTag with the most advanced and affordable biometric solutions to provide competitive advantage over competitors.\ TazTag will introduce these new devices at Trustech 2018 on Suprema\-\-s booth #F041, held in Cannes, from November 27-29. For more information on TazTag products, please visit www.taztag.com, and for Suprema ID products, please visit www.suprema-id.com. About Suprema ID Suprema ID is a leading global provider of biometrics and ID solutions. By combining the world\-\-s renowned biometric algorithm with superior engineering, Suprema ID continually designs and develops industry-leading products and solutions. Suprema ID\-\-s extensive range of portfolio includes fingerprint enrollment scanners, fingerprint authentication scanners, fingerprint embedded modules and ePassport readers. Suprema has provided national ID projects in more than 20 countries and over 1 billion people in the world are using Suprema ID\-\-s fingerprinting technology. For more information, please visit www.suprema-id.com. Contact: Andy Ahn Head of Marketing, Suprema Inc. EnWave Signs Research and Development License Agreement with Cornell University, Receives Purchase Order for Small-Scale REVTM Machine for Cornell\-\-s Center of Excellence Posted by Publisher Internet EnWave Corporation (TSX-V:ENW | FSE:E4U) (?EnWave?, or the \Company\ http://www.commodity-tv.net/c/search_adv/?v=298005) announced today that it has signed a Research and Development License Agreement (the \Agreement\) with the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University (CALS). CALS has also committed to purchasing a 10kW Radiant Energy Vacuum (?REV??) dehydration machine to be used at its New York Center of Excellence in Food and Agriculture located in upstate New York.? Under the Agreement, Cornell will use the REV? machinery for research and development purposes to propagate the REV? technology with key stakeholders in the food manufacturing industry throughout New York State and beyond to help develop innovative, premium food applications. The Center for Excellence will effectively serve as a proving ground for prospective future royalty partners of the Company to evaluate the merits of REV? technology. The installation of a pilot-scale REVTM machine at Cornell?s Food Venture Center pilot plant will increase the visibility of EnWave?s technology to potential new royalty partners, and will serve as a location for product trials and demonstrations. EnWave personnel will collaborate closely with Cornell?s renowned food science department to showcase the REVTM technology to potential new royalty partners on a project-to-project basis. About Cornell University?s Center of Excellence in Food and Agriculture The Center for Excellence serves as a hub to connect New York businesses with services they need for success by linking them with world-class Cornell researchers, farmers, processors, businesses and consumers. It pulls together multiple partners to accelerate business development and leverage high technology. New York state?s food manufacturing sector is the nation?s second largest, behind only California in the number of food-related businesses, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. New York ranks in the top 10 in production of 30 commodities. It is the second-largest producer of apples, snap beans and maple syrup, third in cabbage, grapes and dairy ? the largest segment of the state?s agricultural sector ? and fourth in pears, according to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. In partnership with the Cornell Agriculture and Technology Park in Geneva, the Center for Excellence has an incubator program for startups that provides entrepreneurship training, business mentorship and space. Through a mentor network, participants connect with distributors and marketers, potential partners, co-packing and manufacturing facilities and other existing resources. The Center for Excellence assists in bringing technical products to market, expanding technology-related business and employment, and encouraging private-sector investment in emerging high-tech fields, such as REV? technology. In addition, helps to commercialize Cornell food and agriculture-related innovations, inventions and intellectual property. For more information, please visit https://foodscience.cals.cornell.edu/. About EnWave EnWave Corporation, a Vancouver-based advanced technology company, has developed Radiant Energy Vacuum (?REV??) ? an innovative, proprietary method for the precise dehydration of organic materials. EnWave has further developed patent-pending methods for uniformly drying and decontaminating cannabis through the use of REV? technology, shortening the time from harvest to marketable cannabis products.? REV? technology?s commercial viability has been demonstrated and is growing rapidly across several market verticals in the food, and pharmaceutical sectors including legal cannabis. EnWave?s strategy is to sign royalty-bearing commercial licenses with industry leaders in multiple verticals for the use of REV? technology. The company has signed over twenty royalty-bearing licenses to date, opening up nine distinct market sectors for commercialization of new and innovative products. In addition to these licenses, EnWave has formed a Limited Liability Corporation, NutraDried Food Company, LLC, to develop, manufacture, market and sell all-natural cheese snack products in the United States under the Moon Cheese? brand.? EnWave has introduced REV? as the new dehydration standard in the food and biological material sectors: faster and cheaper than freeze drying, with better end product quality than air drying or spray drying. EnWave currently has three commercial REV? platforms: 1. nutraREV? which is used in the food industry to dry food products quickly and at low-cost, while maintaining high levels of nutrition, taste, texture and colour; 2. powderREV? which is used for the bulk dehydration of food cultures, probiotics and fine biochemicals such as enzymes below the freezing point, and 3. quantaREV? which is used for continuous, high-volume low-temperature drying. An additional platform, freezeREV?, is being developed as a new method to stabilize and dehydrate biopharmaceuticals such as vaccines and antibodies. More information about EnWave is available at www.enwave.net. EnWave Corporation Mr. Brent Charleton, CFA President and CEO In Europe Swiss Resource Capital AG info@resource-capital.ch www.resource-capital.ch Safe Harbour for Forward-Looking Information Statements: This press release may contain forward-looking information based on management\-\-s expectations, estimates and projections. All statements that address expectations or projections about the future, including statements about the Company\-\-s strategy for growth, product development, market position, expected expenditures, and the expected synergies following the closing are forward-looking statements. All third party claims referred to in this release are not guaranteed to be accurate. All third party references to market information in this release are not guaranteed to be accurate as the Company did not conduct the original primary research. These statements are not a guarantee of future performance and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. 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. 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. Rajant/Madison Technologies\-\- Alliance Represents Rajant\-\-s Further Investment into Australia and New Zealand Posted by Publisher Telecommunication Malvern, PA November 8, 2018: Rajant Corporation, the exclusive provider of Kinetic Mesh(R) wireless networks, has entered into a strategic distribution agreement with Australian communication solutions company Madison Technologies. This agreement represents Rajant\-\-s further investment into Australia and New Zealand. Madison Technologies\-\- appointment as distributor enables them to introduce the world-leading Kinetic Mesh solution to their customers within industries, such as mining, oil & gas, rail, transport, ports, smart cities, emergency services and utilities. \Madison Technologies\-\- primary customer base and business strategy are specifically focused on wireless and network solutions,\ shared Geoff Smith, Rajant\-\-s Executive VP of Sales & Marketing. \With Rajant?s Kinetic Mesh network, they will now be able to offer their clients a solution with total mobility, autonomous adaptability, and mission-critical reliability. We are pleased to partner with Madison as an additional distributor within the region. Madison Technologies brings solid technical support, along with multiple offices and warehouses across Australia and New Zealand.\ Madison Technologies\-\- General Manager, Matt Rhyne said, \Rajant is a world leader in technology and already has proven applications in Australia as well as throughout the world. By partnering with Rajant, we can change the way that wireless technologies are used within Australian industries. Together with Rajant, we can hone our focus on market verticals with industrial distributed assets with multi-brand opportunities for edge connectivity.\ HeiQ and DuPont Consumer Solutions introduce an Eco-Friendly water-repellent finish for Wolverine World Wide Leather Recent consumer research shows that 49% of consumers think it is important that their water-repellent product is eco-friendly PFC-free1. To meet these consumer and brand demands, HeiQ developed the HeiQ Eco Dry line of PFC-free products. The collaboration with DuPont expands on this product line, with the first product being a PFC-free water-repellent finish for leather ? HeiQ DuPont ECO-LED. Wolverine World Wide Leathers, Inc. will be the first supplier to offer treated leather to their major brand partners. ?We see many apparel items using PFC-free products. Consumers are now looking for this technology in other water repellent finishes for leather. Combining our high-performance pig nubuck with HeiQ DuPont ECO-LED for leather gives us an avenue to meet consumer demands,? said Suzanne Johnson, VP Sales and Marketing at Wolverine. ?We are eager to offer an eco-friendly water repellency on our leathers to our brand partners.? HeiQ Eco Dry is a family of innovative, eco-friendly and non-PFC based repellent textile technologies that provide protection against water and water-based stains. This product family keeps textiles ecologically dry and enables them to handle wet weather conditions. ?This exciting relationship between HeiQ and DuPont focused on collaborating to create an environmentally-friendly water repellent leather solution for Wolverine as a first project,? said Colin Lantz, VP North American Brandforce at HeiQ. He added, ?This innovative non-PFC water repellent treatment achieves the industry-leading water repellency performance that Wolverine is known for with HeiQ?s hallmark environmentally sustainable formulation.? [1) HeiQ Textile Market Knowledge Center, 2018] Founded in 2005 as a spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH), HeiQ is a leader in textile innovation creating some of the most effective, durable and high-performance textile technologies on the market today. With the aim to improve the lives of billions of people by perfecting an everyday product, textile, HeiQ combines three areas of expertise ? scientific research, specialty materials manufacturing and consumer ingredient branding. This makes HeiQ the ideal innovation partner to create differentiating and sustainable products and capture the added value at the point of sale. www.heiq.com HID Global hails the renewed promise of mobile access Its been almost exactly a decade since HID Global launched the world's first university pilot of smartphones carrying secure mobile IDs. A lot has changed in the following 10 years. Todays technology has matured, advanced, and proliferated across a variety of high-value use cases. To catch up on the latest developments in mobile access, we contacted Luc Merredew, Product Marketing Director, Physical Access Control, at HID Global. Q: What has changed since the first pilot implementation of smartphones used for secure mobile identification? Merredew: One of the biggest milestones several years ago was when mobile access solutions achieved certification to the ISO 27001:2013 Information Security Management System (ISMS) standard. With increasing awareness of cloud-based security threats and resulting high expectations from a solution, todays system owners, operators, and users insist on companies being able to demonstrate that they have had their services vetted by independent laboratories and/or agencies. When adopting mobile access solutions that maximise convenience and efficiency, and deliver dramatically improved user experiences, it is neither necessary nor acceptable to compromise security in either the physical or digital domains. Q: Do universities continue to be the biggest users? Mobile IDs on devices eliminate person-to-person credentials when accessing secured areas Merredew: The use cases have grown dramatically, spread evenly across all types of organisations in locations ranging from high-rise buildings to multi-campus global enterprises. But yes, universities continue to be big adopters, and they were among those most eager to leverage the technology so they could bring people back to campus in person during the pandemic. In this environment, mobile IDs on smartphones and other devices eliminate person-to-person credential (e.g., badge or ID card) issuance or revocation, as well as the need to physically touch cards, readers, or keypads when accessing secured areas. Q: How were mobile IDs employed by your customers as they brought people back to physical locations after the pandemic shutdown? Merredew: One example is Vanderbilt University, where the challenges of COVID-19 brought renewed attention to the importance of a modern system for identity management and access control that was compatible with Near Field Communication (NFC) and Bluetooth technologies. Members of the campus community could more conveniently access buildings and services with their mobile devices, and the university could efficiently provision and de-provision credentials remotely without person-to-person contact. More recently, Vanderbilt leveraged HID Mobile Access to deploy campus IDs on iPhone and Apple Watch through Apple Wallet. Q: Is there another example outside the university vertical? Merredew: Another example is the iconic tower Arcos Bosques Torre 1 in Mexico City, where the owners and tenants enjoy the simplicity of using their trusted mobile devices to seamlessly access their spaces. As with the Vanderbilt deployment, the drive for operational efficiency and convenience in the tower was combined with a desire to minimise the need for users to come in physical contact with the system. Having a solution like HID Mobile Access that delivers touchless entry and increased safety and security is important. Q: What have been the biggest mobile access advancements? The mobile credential provides contactless, seamless access to a wide range of devices and services Merredew: One of the most important advancements was simplifying upgrade paths to mobile access. In the Vanderbilt example, our HID Reader Manager was used to upgrade the firmware on the universitys physical access control readers and extend support for NFC-based credentials in Apple Wallet. The university uses the HID Origo Mobile Identities API integrated with CS Gold, a higher education transaction system from CBORD, for credential lifecycle management. Another significant enhancement has been the expanded range of uses cases for the mobile credential, going beyond simply opening doors to include providing contactless, seamless access to a wide range of devices and services such as time-and-attendance terminals, cashless vending machines, printers, computers, workstations, and many other applications. Q: Wearables are also having an impact. Merredew: Contactless mobile experiences are also delivered through wearable wristbands. One example is the Nymi band which, once authenticated, continuously authenticates the identity of the user until its removed from the wrist. This delivers zero-trust security principles and access control using convenient fingerprint and heartbeat biometrics to users seeking touchless authentication. Q: What is the impact of the cloud? Merredew: The move to a cloud-based system to issue and manage mobile identity credentials has unified, automated, and simplified identity issuance at a single facility or across any number of distributed office or remote work locations. Q: What should end users look for in a mobile access solution? Look for solutions that use a secure element in the reader as well as cloud certificates, to ensure security and data privacy Merredew: Solutions should support the largest possible number of popular mobile devices in HIDs case, this includes more than 250. Look for solutions that use a secure element in the reader, and a secure key management process, as well as cloud certificates, to ensure both security and data privacy. Make sure the solution supports Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Near Field Communication (NFC), and both iOS and Android operating systems. Solutions that provide Application Programming Interface (API) and Software Development Kit (SDK) support offer direct access to the solutions access control hardware, speeding deployment while enabling integration partners to continue innovating products that deliver even better user experiences. Q: Wonder what this market will look like in 10 more years. Whats next for mobile access? Merredew: Future innovations are on the horizon with technologies such as Ultra-Wideband (UWB) wireless connectivity, which HID expects will become ubiquitous on mobile devices. It provides unprecedented accuracy and security when measuring the distance or determining the relative position of a target. It is not HIDs expectation that UWB will replace Near Field Communication (NFC) or Bluetooth, but rather supplement Bluetooth and other technologies to provide the assurance, reliability, and granularity of device position that enables truly seamless experiences. With smart city projects on the rise across Thailand, international security brands have converged at the 6th edition of Secutech Thailand in a bid to connect with regional buyers and project owners. Stricter fire and safety regulations enacted by the government have also led to heightened demands for fire and safety equipment, which will be a popular product category during the show. The high demand has translated into an expansion in show scale at Secutech Thailand, which continues its year on year growth. Across 7,000 sqm of exhibition space at the Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre, over 250 brands are exhibiting, which represents a jump of 10% from the previous edition. International exhibitors Visitors to this years Secutech Thailand will find products and solutions that are fit for the new age of security, said Ms Regina Tsai, Deputy General manager of Messe Frankfurt New Era Business Media Ltd. As is the case across Asia, smart and safe city is a hot topic in Thailand and we are expecting a large number of government and commercial sector stakeholders to pass through the doors over the coming days to source and learn about new technologies for this sector. The technological barriers to entry for suppliers in the sector are extremely high, particularly with regards to artificial intelligence and IoT technology. For this reason, we are glad to be hosting a mix of international brands with strong technological pedigree that can fulfil the requirements of regional buyers. The fair offers exhibitors with an excellent opportunity to meet with potential clients to discuss their requirements The international line-up of brands is expected to attract high numbers of visitors to the fair, which welcomed a record 8,326 trade visitors at the previous edition. Some of the most notable companies at the show include Dahua, Full Enterprise, Great Lite, Hikvision, Hip Global, Jvckenwood, Konica Minolta, Naffco and Zkteco. Many of these companies offer IoT based solutions that can be customised to meet the unique needs of end-users. The fair therefore offers them an excellent opportunity to meet with potential clients to discuss their requirements. Concurrent events Although smart city is a central theme of this years show, there is also plenty on offer for stakeholders from other important fields of security. A wide range of products for smart home and building, information security and fire and safety are on display at three concurrent events: Fire & Safety Thailand Allows the market to source and gain insights about video smoke alarms, water mist systems, early suppression fast response fire protection, and alert and rescue equipment for mudslides and floods. Allows the market to source and gain insights about video smoke alarms, water mist systems, early suppression fast response fire protection, and alert and rescue equipment for mudslides and floods. SMAhome Thailand Returns to Secutech Thailand following a successful debut in 2017. The applications of products on display at the event range from residential complexes to commercial real estate such as smart offices and smart buildings. Members of the hospitality industry can also find a range of smart IoT solutions at the event. Returns to Secutech Thailand following a successful debut in 2017. The applications of products on display at the event range from residential complexes to commercial real estate such as smart offices and smart buildings. Members of the hospitality industry can also find a range of smart IoT solutions at the event. Info Security A new addition to the show, this concurrent event addresses the security challenges that have risen from increased digitisation. This includes IoT security, mobile security, cloud security, risk remediation and network & endpoint security. Distinct themed pavilions IoT opportunities are to be mapped out in fringe programme alongside fire and safety challenges There are also four distinct pavilions at the fair showcasing products with applications for smart city, smart home, smart living and smart building. The smart city theme is explored at the DEPA Smart City Pavilion as well as at two international pavilions from Singapore and Taiwan. The Singapore pavilion, which is a new addition at this years show, is hosting a selection of smart sensors, smart access control systems and video smoke alarms, while the Taiwan pavilion mixes solutions for smart city alongside products for smart traffic control, smart home, smart living and emergency exits for fire and safety. The Z-Wave Pavilion, meanwhile, is housing smart home devices that utilise the Z-Wave wireless communication protocol. IoT opportunities are to be mapped out in fringe programme alongside fire and safety challenges. IoT-based smart communities Thailands position as a maturing market for security products means that there is high appetite for sector specific information among regional stakeholders. A series of informative fringe events are being held during the fair to fulfil this need, and to also uncover the trends that can solve local challenges. IoT technology has great potential to be implemented in cities across Thailand and can be readily adopted in new infrastructure projects. The Real Estate and Partnership Association will host the Realtech Seminar: IoT for Smart Property to highlight these opportunities and the associated challenges. The seminar will delve into the complexities of the Building Internet of Things (BIoT) and address ways in which the BIoT can be used for predictive maintenance in commercial buildings. The hot topic of IoT based smart communities will be another discussion point during the seminar. Data and smart entrance technologies The Hotel Security Association of Thailand will host the What IoT Means to Hotel Security seminar during the fair Thailands hotel industry can also stand to benefit from implementing IoT technologies. The Hotel Security Association of Thailand will host the What IoT Means to Hotel Security seminar during the fair to address this theme. The seminar will include case studies and presentations about opportunities for data and smart entrance technologies to improve hotel security. Meanwhile, the Thailand Mayors Summit will bring together urban developers and city leaders to discuss the technologies that are needed to develop smart cities. The summit will host two panel discussions exploring this subject alongside the topic of sustainability. Challenges of increased urbanisation While the fairs programme of fringe events places a spotlight on the prospects for IoT implementation and smart city development, it will also address the challenges that are emerging from increased urbanisation. The aptly named The Challenge of Fire & Safety in High Rise Buildings seminar will focus on such challenges through a panel discussion. The event will also outline the most up-to-date best practices for fire and safety as well as new innovations for emergency response situations. Safety and security are increasingly important basic needs and, therefore, stand for a growing global market. With twelve trade fairs, congresses and forums around the world, Messe Frankfurt brings together demand and supply worldwide with progressive, connected products, applications and services focusing on commercial security and the protection of buildings, spaces and people. The Safety, Security & Fire business cluster offers access to the dynamic markets of the Arabian Peninsula, Asia, Europe and South America. The constellation Taurus is hard to miss as he charges through the northern winter sky. "The bull" is one of the most noticeable constellations and one of the oldest documented constellations, with descriptions of Taurus going as far back as the early Bronze Age. Taurus is most famous for its red giant star, Aldebaran, as well as a star cluster known as the Pleiades. Locating Taurus, the bull In the Northern Hemisphere, the bull passes through the sky from November to March, but the constellation's at its most visible in January. Taurus covers 797 square degrees. Right ascension: 4 hours Declination: 15 degrees Best visible between latitudes 90 degrees and minus 65 degrees Bull's eye The red giant star Aldebaran is 65 light-years from Earth. It is the brightest star in the constellation and the 14th brightest star in the sky, according to EarthSky.org. Aldebaran also forms part of a V-shaped asterism, or group of stars, that is called the Hyades; this shape makes up the bull's face. Orange-hued Aldebaran is often described as glaring at Orion,the hunter, a constellation that lies just to the star's southwest. The planetary probe Pioneer 10 is moving in the general direction of that star, expected to make its closest pass by Aldebaran in roughly 2 million years, according to NASA. Two of the very best star clusters for skywatchers are high in our evening sky and toward the south at around 8 p.m. EST (0100 GMT). You can easily locate them by using the famous three-star belt of the constellation Orion, the Mighty Hunter. (Image credit: Starry Night Software) In addition to the Hyades, the constellation's other major star cluster is the Pleiades, which consists of seven stars that rest on the bull's shoulder. It is said that these stars represent the Seven Sisters, daughters of Atlas and Pleione from Greek mythology. NASA's Kepler space telescope examined the Pleiades. In results released in 2017, astronomers found that six of the seven stars are variable B stars that change brightness over the course of a day. The Pleiades are visible to the naked eye, although the number of stars seen varies depending on your eyesight and the local conditions. In the northwest part of Taurus is the supernova remnant Messier 1, commonly referred to as the Crab Nebula. It is located above the tip of the bull's bottom horn. In 2018, NASA released a video tour of this nebula based on data from the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, Hubble Space Telescope and Spitzer Space Telescope. Mythology When Zeus fell in love with the Phoenician Princess Europa, he transformed himself into a white bull with golden horns named Taurus and carried Europa away to Crete. Taurus, located between the constellations Aries and Gemini, is referenced in astrology, which is not a science. Taurus is the second sign in the zodiac and represents those born from April 20 to May 20. This article was updated on Nov. 8, 2018 by Space.com Contributor, Elizabeth Howell. "Infinite Wonder" by Scott Kelly (Image credit: Knopf) NEW YORK After spending nearly a year on the International Space Station during a record-breaking mission, retired astronaut Scott Kelly knows a thing or two about orbiting Earth. "Depending on where you are over Earth, there were times when if the window shades were closed, just from the light seeping in after being in space for a long time from the color of the light, you could tell where over the Earth you were, generally speaking," Kelly told Space.com. The retired NASA astronaut took the time to talk to us before an event Monday (Nov. 5) at Manhattan's American Museum of Natural History, where he would be presenting his new photobook "Infinite Wonder: An Astronaut's Photographs from a Year in Space" (Knopf, 2018). In an office above the Hayden Planetarium, he paged through the thick coffee-table book to point out a few highlights and talk about his time on the station. ['Infinte Wonder': Photos from Scott Kelly's Year in Space Mission] Kelly pointed out how the aurora's vivid light reflects on the bottom of the International Space Station its robotic arm, Canadarm2. (Image credit: NASA) The book includes three types of photos: Views of Kelly's mission, including launch and landing, and the crew's daily life in space; views of the natural world from space; and artistic photos taken of the ground with a long lens, showing off the planet's patterns and textures. That third one was challenging to do with the station moving at 5 miles per second (18,000 mph, or 28,968 km/h) over the planet it took time and practice to move smoothly enough to track surface features and take their pictures, Kelly said. "There's a picture of the aurora where you can see the reflection of the colors on the bottom of the space station and robot arm," he said, thinking through his favorite images in the album. "Some of the Earth art pictures in the back I actually had blown up and put on my wall at home, so those are certainly ones that are important, or that I really liked so much that I had them reproduced in a large format." Kelly landed in March 2016 after 340 days in space, sharing the "Year in Space" mission with Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko, and since landing he's put out a memoir, "Endurance," and now this photobook. Kelly photographed Lake Wells, Western Australia, in a series of many "Earth art" images taken from the International Space Station. Kelly liked some of those images enough to blow them up to hang in his home. (Image credit: Scott Kelly/NASA) "I hope people would get an appreciation for what we're doing in space, the complexity of it, the importance of it, but also an appreciation for the Earth," Kelly said. "How it looks from space, its beauty, the fragility of the atmosphere. And then I'd want them to just enjoy the book for its aesthetic value. "My mother was an artist; I think it's her inspiration that made me want to take these kind of pictures of the planet and share them with people," he added. See more "Maybe he'd take me with him," Kelly said. "I said good luck, and if you need someone with a little experience, my schedule's wide open in 2023. "I think even if the spacecraft is completely automated, you still should have somebody that's got some experience in space just to help the rest of the crew," he added. "Just moving around is awkward, somebody's always throwing up and you've got to help them." In fact, Kelly said he's definitely to go to space again, after a couple years on the ground but "my phone hasn't been ringing off the hook," he said. Scott Kelly discusses his new photobook, "Infinite Wonder," with space historian John Logsdon at Manhattan's American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 5, 2018. (Image credit: M. Shanley/AMNH) During the talk itself, a discussion between Kelly and space-policy expert and historian John Logsdon, Kelly discussed his daily life on the station: "It is the most joyous and magical place I could imagine," Kelly said. "But not an easy place to live. You can't go outside, there's no sun, no rain, no wind. When you go to sleep, you're at work, and when you wake up in the morning, you're still at work." Kelly's nearly yearlong space mission was his second long-duration stay on the space station and his fourth spaceflight he flew two shuttle missions as well. But in this case, researchers were watching carefully to see the long-term effects of spaceflight on his physiology and gene expression. (His results were compared with his twin brother, Mark Kelly, also an astronaut.) But though his mission was by far the longest, it continued a long tradition of investigation for the orbiting lab. "I think the biggest science experiment on the whole thing is the fact that we've had people living and working in space for the last 18 years, and to demonstrate we can do that, we can do that safely, we're learning more about our physiology and how our human body reacts to the environment," Kelly said during the talk. "Also, how to operate systems for a really, really long time. Because if we're going to Mars someday and the toilet breaks, and you can't fix it, you're going to die." [Scott Kelly's Yearlong Space Station Mission: By the Numbers] Kelly looks out of the space station's Cupola during his 340-day mission in space. While there, he grew very used to documenting the wonders of Earth's surface. (Image credit: Scott Kelly/NASA) Kelly and Logsdon discussed the longevity of the space station Kelly thought it could last at least another 10 years, if the budget was allotted to keep it going and where humans should journey next. Kelly's yearlong mission happened with an eye toward long trips to Mars, but current U.S. policy is leaning toward sending humans back to the moon first. "The question of whether we do this or that, it's no longer about the rocket science," Kelly said. "It's really about the political science now. It's a policy issue; it's do we want to spend our limited resources on maybe going back to the moon, at the expense of going to Mars, because both will be expensive? Or do we just bypass the moon." "My opinion would be if we can only go one place, I think we go to Mars, but I'm not sure we're willing to make the financial commitment to do that," he added. This view of the U.S. laboratory module of the International Space Station at "night" (when lights are out) shows the pink glow of grow lights for the station's plant-growing experiments, Kelly said. Outside the station, day turns to night every 90 minutes. (Image credit: Scott Kelly/NASA) Kelly answered audience questions about what would help with loneliness in space ("people," he said), whether there are aliens (he'd "never had a personal experience with aliens"), and about food in space (saying that "space ice cream" is a hoax he ate Klondike bars up there). Space.com asked Kelly before the presentation whether his images reflect what it really looks like in space many do, he said, although the close-ups are ultra-zoomed in and some have enhanced colors (though no false colors added), and the camera can capture views in more detail than the human eye picks out. But he did point out one image, looking out the space station's windowed cupola, that reflects just what it looks like viewing Earth from space. Kelly offered this photo as the best depiction of what it's like to look at Earth from space it's likely over the Western U.S., he said, looking down from the Cupola where astronauts get their best views of their home planet. (Image credit: Scott Kelly/NASA) "This is how, if you're going over some mountain range this is probably in North America, the western part of the United States, I think," he said. "It gives you a good idea of, even though you can see the limb of the Earth, and the Earth looks round, when you look straight down, it looks like you're about 250 miles above the surface." At the talk later, he fielded a query about people who question the Earth's roundness, sharing how he responds with the wisdom he's gained as a long-term viewer and documenter of the planet from above. "If you're willing to doubt the Earth is round, you're willing to doubt anything and that could be dangerous," he said. "What I always tell the people that claim the Earth is flat is: I've flown around it like 8,000 times." Scott Kelly looks through his photobook at the American Museum of Natural History on Nov. 5, 2018. (Image credit: Diana Whitcroft/Space.com) Email Sarah Lewin at slewin@space.com or follow her @SarahExplains. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook. Original article on Space.com. Abigail Harrison, also known as Astronaut Abby, is a public speaker and undergraduate studying astrobiology with the hopes of someday traveling to space. By aiming for Mars, 21-year-old Abigail Harrison hopes to inspire young women on Earth to pursue their own dreams. Harrison, also known as Astronaut Abby, serves as an advocate for STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and has been publicly aspiring to be the first person to visit Mars since she was 13 years old. Ahead of National STEM Day (Nov. 8), she talked with Space.com about college life, role models and, as she put it, dipping one's feet into the solar system. This week, Harrison registered for her final semester at Wellesley College in Massachusetts, where she is set to graduate in 2019. Before discussing her impressive resume, Harrison cited her earliest educational milestone: being a student of her "passionate" 5th-grade public school teacher in Minneapolis. ['Life-Changing Experience': Teacher-Astronaut Gives Students a Lesson About Space] See more In 2011, at the age of 13, Harrison began speaking publicly about her dreams of becoming the first astronaut on Mars. At the age of 18, she founded a nonprofit called The Mars Generation, which builds excitement around STEM careers and supports space exploration. She is currently studying astrobiology and Russian as an undergraduate. This past summer she worked in the Schuerger Lab at the Space Life Sciences Lab at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. She studied bacteria that could live under extreme conditions to understand how scientists might avoid contaminating Mars, as well as how they might effectively search for life beyond Earth. Certainly impressive. But what choices made this possible? For one, she transferred to find a better educational fit. After spending two years at the University of Minnesota, she left the big school. Harrison said she wanted to shift to a smaller institution to get more one-on-one experience in the classroom. Harrison said she would "hands down" choose to repeat that decision. Her college experience also fortified her passion for STEAM, Harrison said not just STEM. The "A" stands for "arts." "Teaching liberal arts in conjunction with STEM is important it helps us to be able to connect what we're doing," so that lessons set students up for the full scope of a STEM career, Harrison said. She said that it's important for liberal arts colleges and STEM-focused schools to foster "integration" of the expressive arts into science, technology and engineering studies. Abigail Harrison, also known as Astronaut Abby, is pictured here (left) with retired astronaut Mae Jemison (right) at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum on Sept. 22, 2018. (Image credit: Abigail Harrison/ Astronaut Abby Former astronaut Mae Jemison made a deep impression on Harrison when the two met in September of this year. "Meeting her was this incredibly inspiring experience," Harrison said. During the launch of the "Defying Gravity: Microsoft HoloLens Women in Space" exhibit at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York, Harrison watched Jemison, the first black woman astronaut, talk about the history of female space travelers. "Dr. Jemison is this incredible woman who has a lot of passion and knowledge," Harrison said. Along her journey, Harrison's biggest surprise was learning that messing up is part of the process in STEM, she said. "We're all going to fail," she said. "That sounds terrible, doesn't it?" Harrison clarified that the idea isn't that an eager STEM student will fail overall, "but you'll hit a wall, and it'll be too much for you at the time. "For women, it's especially hard. We get told that messing up is the worst thing that could happen and that [it] means we haven't succeeded ... but you have to fail," Harrison said. "It allows you to grow." Having dreamed of reaching Mars since she was a kid, Harrison said her enthusiasm for space exploration is more nuanced now. In addition to the endeavor's undeniable cool factor, Harrison said she also now appreciates that exploration is fundamental to human nature and can produce new scientific by-products in space engineering and other fields. "Dipping our toes in the solar system," she said, can inspire an entire generation to learn more about the world. Follow Doris Elin Salazar on Twitter@salazar_elin. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS. WILL'S SECRET LOVER GREASE LIGHTENING DANNY ZUKO VS. VINCE FONTAINE EXTRAS SINGLE PARENTS WILL RETURN WITH A NEW EPISODE ON NOVEMBER 28TH @ 9:31/8:31c ON ABC. Apologies for not getting a review up last week, I was out of town and by the time everything settled down a new episode was airing so I figured I'd just miss a week and jump back in fresh! Though trust me I definitely enjoyed seeing Hannah Simone pop in and I'm hoping she'll be sticking around for a little while.Also I definitely squealed last week when we got that admission from Douglas about his crush on Poppy! How cute.Will needs more time with the new woman in his life, Doctor Monica Dewan (Hannah Simone) so he lies to Douglas, who is in over his head in the aftermath of an aquarium trip with all the kids, about needing to water his plants. Which Sophie can't be a part of! Apparently, Will has not told Sophie about Monica yet so Douglas will have to forgo his usual plan of dropping the kids off in alphabetical order so Will can figure out what to do.I'm really glad Douglas actually asked Sophie if it was hard for her to water plants. Given everything we know about the Coopers, if there are actually plants, I wouldn't be surprised ifwas the one to water them anyways. Obviously, Will's lying and Sophie's up next on the drop-off list!In a moment of surprising solidarity, Douglas spots Will and Monica kissing in the front yard and after an awkward moment of elongated eye contact, he decides he'll drop the kids off in order of projected career earnings to give Will more time.At the parent's table in the morning Will discusses his fears of revealing his relationship with Monica to Sophie. He's used to always telling her everything and feels uncomfortable keeping it from her. Douglas recommends lying, of course. (I wonder if the twins still think they have an Aunt Gail?) Poppy and Angie share some of their own close call stories, but Will is still conflicted in how to proceed.He doesn't get much time to figure it out as Sophie finds one of Monica's horrifying snake earrings on the ground and Will has to come up with an excuse as to why her doctor was visiting. Sophie won the Healthiest Kid in America award! Suck it Gwen! Gwen is a girl in school who is obsessed with vitamins, they're starting off young these days I guess. Maybe if I was more like Gwen I wouldn't have a Vitamin D deficiency at 25.A red flag for Willhave been when Douglas was approving of his plan. His motto for lying is when you start to get caught lying to your kids... you keep on lying! I really need to see how this guy would handle being caught about the tooth fairy or Santa Claus ( little birdies suggested to me we may be getting a holiday episode ofand suddenly I'm feeling super festive.)Sophie is too smart for both Will and Douglas. Even Monica, who gets roped into the scheme, isn't able to keep up with all her questions about the authenticity of this "Healthiest Child in America" awards banquet. Which is good because Hyper-banquetitis-phrenia Type B sounded serious.He tells her the truth about he and Monica seeing each other and that he was scared to tell her the truth. Will eventually apologizes to Sophie about it and opens the doors for her to ask him anything she wants but sometimes he won't tell her things for her own good, like what they were doing that resulted in Monica's earring getting smashed into the carpet in the first place.Sophie assures her dad that's okay, she doesn't always tell him everything either! Cue a panic-stricken Will realizing what that could mean now and in the future, ha.Looks like the school is going to be putting on a production of, which I'm definitely wondering if that's really an elementary school appropriate play for kids but I digress. Poppy and Angie share compliments on their kid's performances from last year'swhere Rory played Captain Von Trapp and Graham played Nazi 12 AND Nun 13, a real talent.In charge of creating the iconic "grease lightening" vehicle is the terrible twos, Emma and Amy. But they quickly tire of the shoddy paper-made crafts and look for something more realistic. Cue Miggy's beat-up junk car pulling into the lot. He puts it best when he asks whether or not he should be worried about the twins measuring his car to which Douglas replies with love and fear: "Yes. With those two? Always yes."Later on, Miggy finds the twins working under his car, "They're 7!" is all he can think to exclaim as they work on upgrading his vehicle into a car worthy of the Grease Lightening moniker, grease stains and all.Afterwards we're treated to an adorable rendition of the titular song, and it sounds like Rory singing though I could be wrong. Dr. Biscuits edits the script, Emma and Amy hit the tools to the beat of the song, Rory works on learning his lines, Will and Douglas continue working on creating a more intricate lie, everyone's plans are in full swing.Shocks are in store for the casting though! Rory gets to play the part of Vince Fontaine, "a B-list celeb" who judges dance contests and Graham somehow lands the lead part of Danny Zuko! Uh-oh, seeing a rivalry on the horizon. Neither Rory or Graham are excited about this. Rory is disappointed and Graham is vomiting mid-hand jive out of nerves.Poppy arrives at the D'Amato household not long after to discuss talking to the drama teacher about this "casting boo-boo". Angie is on the same page but she says they can't meddle in this. An aside: but I want to see the scene of Poppy convincing the principal to let her first-grade son edit the school yearbook because he has a vision. They're going to have to let their kids play these parts and see how the cookie crumbles.I give both of them about five minutes before their resolve breaks.And as expected, Poppy wastes no time in getting some face time in with the school's theater director, Dr. Biscuits (Rhys Darby). She proposes expanding the role of Vince Fontaine.Angie is on to Poppy the moment she notices Vince Fontaine suddenly stopping a dance contest to sing "Grease Lightnin'" and then also shows up to the girl's sleepover in the play. But what if their meddling could be holding Graham back? Maybe he's supposed to be a lead in the play for a reason. At least that is her argument until Graham runs onstage screaming about the grease in his hair attracting bees.This results in a pretty loud outburst from Poppy about how Biscuits was the one who rewrote, she just meddled from the shadows. To which Angie responds: "Who the hell is Biscuits!?""I the hell am Biscuits!" Doctor Biscuits replies in a hilarious bit. Once Angie understands who the kooky new drama teacher is things start to make a little more sense.Biscuits essentially coaxes Angie and Poppy into a heart-to-heart onstage, complete with a smoking pipe for Angie and a crutch for Poppy so they can really get into character. Angie helps Poppy accept that sometimes her kid will fail and that's okay. She watches Graham fail all the time and she's gotten used to it by now. But their punishment for disrupting rehearsal is banishment from the theater forever.Just kidding. Only this play, which will be regularafter all. Still, damn Biscuits that's harsh.In order to still see their kid's perform despite their temporary banishment, they have Graham and Rory due an impromptu, two-man, unauthorized retelling of the play, which, since they're missing everyone else, is basically just Graham talking to himself for over an hour.But hey, at least Douglas's lying gift hasn't gone anywhere as he assures them both it was the finest play anyone has ever seen and they should perform it again right away!He lies, then doubles down, remember?Will, his heart-to-heart with Sophie at the end was precious and watching him struggle to keep up with all of his lies was a joy to watch.Sophie is just so utterly adorable. I loved watching her square off with Douglas in particular."She's learned a lot from watching."Angie and Poppy's stage performance. I loved Poppy asking if she could "take it again" while hobbling around with the crutch. Catalonia (Spain) Nov 06, 2018 (SPS) - The General Director of Cooperation and Development of the Government of Catalonia, Manuel Beila, received a Saharawi delegation, composed of the international secretary of Sahrawi Women Union, Jadiyetu Al mojtar, together with human rights activist Hassna Alia, in the presence of the deputy representative of the Frente POLISARIO in the province of Catalonia Mr. Amah Yahdih. the Saharawi delegation has briefed their interlocutor on the latest developments of the national issue at all levels, in addition to the serious human rights situation in the occupied territories of Western Sahara committed by Moroccan occupation forces against Sahrawi civilian it has also highlighted with deep concern the deteriorating health situation of Saharawi political detainees in the Moroccan authorities jails on the ground of their legitimate demands, first and foremost to deport them to their homeland in accordance with the Fourth Geneva Convention. The meeting also tackled the difficult living conditions in Saharawi refugee camps due to the harsh climate and the lack of assistance provided by the global financial crisis, which is the responsibility of the international community and the UN as the primary responsible for enabling the Saharawi people to choose freely, democratically and impartially their own future. For his part, Manuel Beila expressed his full support for the Saharawi people's struggle for freedom and independence adding that the issue and the struggle of Western Sahara is part of the cooperation program of the Government of Catalonia for the coming year. The delegation is expected to meet with some mayors, parliamentarians and political parties in the province of Catalonia in order to raise awareness of the suffering of the Saharawi people and the latest developments in the Sahara issue at the regional and international levels. SPS 125/090/TRA STAMFORD It was the same mold story for dozens of parents who attended a packed meeting of the mold task force on Wednesday night. Teachers cited notes from doctors warning them not to return to work because of the risk mold poses to their health. Staff members complained about brown ceiling tiles getting painted over and not properly repaired. A parent mentioned black ceiling tiles in a Stillmeadow Elementary School classroom and another complained of getting watery eyes when walking by the portable classrooms at Newfield Elementary School. Other parents eyes watered with tears when recalling the symptoms their children experienced over the years and now realize it could have been reactions to mold. I know tensions are high, said Mike Handler, Stamfords chief financial officer and member of a mold task force the city has established to address the problem. I know people are upset. If over the years youve been complaining and saying things are not OK and youve been told you are OK or that theyre fixed and the things youre seeing are a figment of your imaginationthe task force is here to tell you theyre not a figment of your imagination. Were aware there are serious problems in our schools and we accept the challenge as a task force to bring you real solutions. Assurances from Handler and Deputy Superintendent of Schools Tamu Lucero about the safety of certain rooms and buildings did not satisfy the packed room of parents who have children at Westover Magnet Elementary School, Westhill High School, Stillmeadow and Newfield. Youre dealing with people who have heard it all, one parent said. While people want to believe in our public school system and want to believe in some of the new administrators that are downtown and want to believe in you, its hard when year after year things have not gotten done. I understand what youre saying, the past is the past. We all want to believe that, but at the end of the day, when Stamford Public Schools has lost the trust of its teachers, its parents, its community...its not that issues are not going to come up. Its how its handled. Westover parents had additional concerns about the safety and security of their children following the citys decision to move students to an Elmcroft Road property, which used to house Pitney Bowes headquarters in the South End. Westover students will move there on Tuesday while their school is cleaned of mold and repaired. Handler said students will share the building, owned by Building and Land Technology, with about 100 employees. He said they will share a lobby and entrance until a separate doorway is built for the students. Police will guide the 700 students to the buildings third floor, which will be converted into classrooms. However, many parents were not satisfied with the plan. They were particularly upset that their children would be marked absent if they did not feel comfortable sending them to the new facility. Newfield parents were concerned about black mold growing in their childrens school, the portable classrooms being shut down and students having class in the auditorium, which has high mold counts. erin.kayata@stamfordadvocate.com; (203) 964-2265; @erin_kayata STAMFORD Hours after announcing students displaced from Westover Magnet Elementary School will move to the former Pitney Bowes building, parents, staff and the mold task force met to shed more light on the issue plaguing the district. The district announced last week Westover will be closed indefinitely due to mold. At a mold task force meeting Wednesday night, Stamfords chief financial officer Mike Handler said a full inspection will be done of every school building in the district. The meeting ended after two hours for a meeting to approve the lease on the Elmcroft Road property. Handler said the new building, owned by Building and Land Technology, is currently occupied by 100 employees who will be sharing an entrance with students until the district can build out the third floor of the building. Seven hundred Westover students and 100 staff will use the fourth floor of the building until the third floor can be renovated. Handler said the goal is to complete the renovation within 30 days of students moving in. As much as wed like to get it finishedits going to be a little rough when we get in there, Handler said. The plan is to move everything to the building next Monday and have students start there in the afternoon on Tuesday, November 13. Students will be bused to Chelsea Piers for a half day, according to deputy superintendent Tamu Lucero. In the morning, teachers will explore the new space and parents can join in the afternoon before their children go over. Lucero said there is discussion of hiring a school resource officer for the space and additional police presence will be there when students arrive. While students may initially have to share an entrance with office employees, they will have separate stairs and elevator banks. Its a very nontraditional space, said Lucero who has been looking at the building since Saturday with police and fire officials. Im not going lie to you and say its done...but Im not going to let them go into an unsafe environment. But her and Handlers answers about determining the safety of certain rooms and buildings could not satisfy the packed room which represented communities from Westover, Westhill High School, Stillmeadow Elementary School and Newfield Elementary School. Teachers cited notes from doctors telling them not to return to schools. Parents mentioned black ceiling tiles in their childrens classrooms and their eyes watering when entering portable classrooms. Youre dealing with a public that doesnt trust the public schools system here, commented one parent. erin.kayata@stamfordadvocate.com; (203) 964-2265; @erin_kayata P reparations for the Victoria's Secret fashion show are now well and truly underway. Models, including Stella Maxwell, Lais Ribeiro, Adriana Lima and newcomer Winnie Harlow, have now arrived at Pier 94 in New York where they are in the midst of getting their hair and make-up done for the lingerie show. Lead hairstylist Anthony Turner, a Brit who is one of the most in-demand in the industry and has worked with the likes of Victoria Beckham, Jil Sander, Dior and Peter Pilotto, is creating this year's hairstyle: a soft wave achieved with texture spray and Conair hair styling tools. Anthony Turner prepares backstage / Getty Images for Victoria's Secr Completing the British glam squad is makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury with the responsibility of making each and every Angel's face look flawless. And, by the looks of things, we can expect subtle no makeup makeup with a noticeable angelic glow. Behati Prinsloo prepares for the 2018 Victoria's Secret show (Getty Images for Victoria's Secr) / Getty Images for Victoria's Secret As always models are wrapped in the official VS backstage robe. In contrast to previous years, it isn't in VS's signature pink shade. Instead, the design is a sleek all-black adorned with diamante detail. With the show taking place in a few hours, models have a lot of waiting around backstage before things get underway. Models Josie Canseco and Iesha Hodges are killing time by taking snaps of one another. Josie Canseco and Iesha Hodges pose backstage during the 2018 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show (Getty Images for Victoria's Secr) / Getty Images for Victoria's Secret S hould investors care if their chief executive has an affair, or are such matters irrelevant? According to an academic study in the US, they are highly relevant. In Do personal ethics influence Corporate ethics? the authors John Griffin, Samuel Kruger and Gonzalo Maturana claim that a boss with a record of marital infidelity is likelier than someone who is faithful to indulge in corporate misconduct. Worse, they were also more likely to cause others in the company to misbehave too. The data for infidelity comes from Ashley Madison, the dating website which advertises discreet encounters for married people. It turned out to be not so discreet after all when a computer hacker put a vast treasure trove of clients names online in 2015. The researchers trawled though the Ashley Madison names and matched these with corporate information series such as Lexis Nexis, or other sources where those hacked had covered their tracks by using a different name or credit card but were still identifiable. They then matched some of them to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authoritys BrokerCheck, which had sourced 1319 male financial advisers who had a record of serious misconduct. They discovered their sample was more than twice as likely as the mainstream group to have committed such an offence. They also collected US Securities and Exchange Commission information from 2010 to 2015 with regard to insider trading, Ponzi schemes, pump-and-dump operations and other fraud. And again the data shows this sample is two to three times as likely as other executives of similar age and location to engage in misconduct. Finally, they examined chief executives, financial directors and other top executives who were known Ashley Madison users, who were also part of a firm which had a class action lawsuit or was engaged in some sort of financial misstatement. They found that chief executives and chief financial officers were twice as likely to commit corporate infractions than were other users. The authors say this new dimension of unethical behaviour would seem to involve trust and dishonesty elsewhere too. They also say there is a body of literature which shows chief executives influence others in the firm, and also that the other employees perform better if they think the top management is trustworthy and ethical. So the chief executives lack of integrity rubs off on other people. There has been a long-standing debate in America on whether ethics are situational. That means whether they think there is always a right and a wrong whatever the context; or alternatively whether people behave depending on what they are doing at the time. The classic view is that character traits drive personal actions. But the other, more widespread view is that there is no evidence that a person who disregards the rules in one case will necessarily do so in another. This seemed to be the default position. But this study, proving ethical misconduct is a predictor of corporate misconduct, is hard to refute. Interestingly there was another study, Predators in the Boardroom, published only in September which linked sexually predatory behaviour and investment performance. It found there was a strong negative correlation between such predatory behaviour and investment outcomes. The authors also said it was hard for women to get into fund management and to highlight difficulties such as these could well make it worse. But that is such a cop-out. A diverse workforce ought to result in diverse ideas and better decision-making by the fund managers. The alternative is that managers are male, stale and pale and investors get bad decisions because women are not an integral part of the management team. The further question is what happens now? Corporate governance in the UK is well entrenched, but not as far as ethics are concerned. There is a lot about risk and the mechanical indicators which suggest when companies go off the rails, but people tend not to pry when it comes to personal behaviour. Is that likely to continue? Well, chairmen do sometimes ask for the head of a chief executive but very rarely. And if they do, it is almost always hushed up so the executive can go onto other things. Nominations committees likewise spend ages interviewing potential chief executives but again personal ethics do not figure. It is assumed that the person is okay. Even when they are canvassing former colleagues as to his worth, they are unlikely to look too closely. And yet the chief executive is the embodiment of the firm. Do personal ethics influence corporate ethics by John Griffin, Samuel Kruger and Gonzalo Maturana. July 2017 P harmaceuticals giant AstraZeneca on Thursday said strong demand for new cancer drugs has helped it return to growth. The FTSE 100 firm said its oncology division saw sales jump 47% in the year to date. That included Lynparza sales surging to $438 million, driven by expanded use in the treatment of ovarian cancer and the approval for use in the treatment of breast cancer. Product sales in the third quarter rose 9%, which is the benchmark the drugs maker uses for measuring the return to growth that it has been promising for this year. Chief executive Pascal Soirot is under pressure to deliver growth after pledging, while fending off a 2014 takeover from US rival Pfizer, to produce annual sales of $45 billion by 2023. He said: Today marks an important day for the future of AstraZeneca, with the performance in the quarter and year to date showing what we expect will be the start of a period of sustained growth for years to come. Total third quarter revenues were down 13% to $5.3 billion. Profits were also lower. W incanton has seen an increase in business as companies that use imports start to build up reserves ahead of Brexit, the logistics firms boss said on Thursday. Adrian Colman told the Evening Standard that some clients have recently started to bring in more products for storage, including engineering spare parts, to make sure they have key components when Britain leaves the EU next March. Drinks firms have also upped imports. Colman added that his storage and transport firm has been contacted by a number of potential new customers looking to prepare for Britains exit from the EU. The chief executives comments came as Wincanton said pre-tax profits in the six months to September 30 rose to 30.1 million from 20.3 million. Revenues were largely flat at 581.8 million. It benefited from steady demand for services from online retailers, and contract renewals with furniture seller Loaf.com and Halfords. Wincanton added that extra work with budget retailers such as Ikea and Wilko helped to make up for lost contracts with Premier Foods and Tesco. Steve Woolf, analyst at broker Numis, said: While life on the UK high street remains challenging, Wincantons exposure to troubled retailers remains low, in our view. Wincanton is lifting the interim dividend 10% to 3.6p per share. N ew tenants including the Premier League and Sony helped landlord Derwent London shrug off Brexit uncertainty with a surge in lettings over the summer, the firm said on Thursday. The firm tempted the pair to its Brunel Building scheme in Paddington, which will be finished early next year and benefit from Crossrails proposed opening later in 2019. The signings bring total lettings this year to 23 million, almost double the 11.8 million announced in August and at rents well above last Decembers valuations. Chief executive John Burns said just 2.3% of its space is vacant as Derwent benefits from a lack of offices elsewhere despite poltical uncertainty. People are getting on with life, he said. Theres not a big choice for decent space which is in our favour because people are not sitting on their hands. Derwent also has 350 million to spend on any bargains which might crop up, he added. B usiness leaders demanded a final say on a Brexit deal on Thursday as a new campaign group claimed growing support among bosses for a Peoples Vote. Theresa May has consistently ruled out another referendum as she inches towards an agreement with Brussels over the UKs departure from the European Union next March. But lobbyists, backed by City grandees including ex-CBI chairman Sir Mike Rake, former City minister Lord Myners and Innocent smoothies founder Richard Reed, today called for the vote amid rising concern over the UKs longer-term relationship with the bloc. The launch of the Business for a Peoples Vote group comes a day after the Government created five business advisory councils to help steer policy following Brexit. It also published a poll of more than 1,000 business leaders, which showed 57% backing a vote on the final Brexit deal. The biggest backing for a second vote comes from larger firms, with 59% in favour, compared with 54% and 52% of small and medium-sized businesses. Just 13% believe turnover will grow after Brexit, while 54% reckon the economy will be weaker, according to YouGov. Sir Mike a ex-BT chairman and CBI president said: The polling shows that business is deeply concerned by the Brexit process and support is growing for a Peoples Vote on the final deal. The concerns are as varied as the British economy, he continued. Retailers are worried about getting stock from the Continent, car makers about delays at the border bringing their production lines to a grinding halt and everyone from hotel and leisure to the food industry is worried about how they are going to find staff. A Peoples Vote is the most democratic way to decide where we go next as a country and today businesses across the UK are joining forces to say they want a final say on the Brexit deal. The call for a second vote comes after leaked media plans dismissed by Downing Street showed ministers and the CBI gearing up for a major campaign to drum up support for a deal in the build-up to a vote in Parliament later this month. The mooted any deal better than a bad deal push has reportedly caused disquiet among some business figures approached to take part. I f Theresa May was on course to cut a good Brexit deal, it would be in the interest of companies to back it. But shes not. If there was no alternative to the miserable one she seems set to deliver, business leaders should still swing in behind it. But this is not so. There is a better option: a Peoples Vote, under which the public would get the final say over whether to quit the EU when we see the deal. This would be the best outcome for business, the economy and the nation. Business confidence has been sapped during the two-and-a-half dreary years since the referendum. Companies have either sat on their hands or diverted investment overseas. The UK has slumped from the top of the Group 7 growth league to near the bottom. And this is before we have even left. The Prime Ministers emerging deal means death by a thousand cuts. All we will get is a 21-month transition period, not nearly long enough to nail down a comprehensive trade deal. As of April 1 next year yes, the first working day after we are meant to leave the EU is April Fools Day firms will be staring at further cliff edges. The rules that business has to follow could change more than once and the UK will no longer be making them. The only clarity will be that the final destination will be worse than our current deal in the EU. Its not as if the political infighting over how close we should be with our biggest trading partner will end either. We wont know for ages whether Mrs May, Boris Johnson or some other Conservative will gain the upper hand or, indeed, whether it will be Labours Jeremy Corbyn in Downing Street. Some business people think crashing out of the EU is so appalling that they should still back the Prime Minister. But the chance of that happening is slim, as very few MPs would vote for no deal. Far more likely, Parliament will call for a Peoples Vote between the deal and staying in the EU. Some business leaders fear the campaign would be divisive and they are right that it would be hard fought. But we shouldnt kid ourselves that the country will miraculously heal itself if we sign up to a bad deal that leads to more years of political warfare and business uncertainty. A campaign not polluted by the cheating and lies of 2016 could be the first step to bring our country back together. But the job of healing will only be complete if politicians have the time and money to tackle our underlying problems and they wont have that if theres a miserable blindfold Brexit. Business leaders have been too quiet for too long. It is time to speak up. T HE director of the Grand Egyptian Museum, Dr Tarek Tawfik, proposes solving where objects such as the Rosetta Stone should be displayed by having a virtual-reality replica [Rosetta Stone should come home to Egypt, November 6]. This is a welcome opportunity to open the debate to audiences in both London and Egypt and find out what they want to happen. Should the Rosetta Stone be returned or not? Almost daily a wide range of Egyptians post the question on social media. If repatriation is intended to bring justice, it can only happen when local voices are included in the decision-making. The next step is to find ways to acknowledge the views from those locally and across borders. One suggestion is that the British Museum or the Mayors office help to provide a media link and translator for Londoners and people in Rashid (Rosetta), where the Stone was unearthed. Public dialogues about any object should enable people to learn more about it, and about one another, across local and international divides. Stephen Quirke UCL Institute of Archaelology Heba Abdel Gawad Durham University and Helwan University, Cairo NO OFFICIAL request has been made, or is being made, to seek the return of the Rosetta Stone. The repatriation of objects is not a priority for the Grand Egyptian Museum because of the sheer number of artefacts more than 100,000 we will have on display when it opens in 2020. Dr Tarek Tawfik Director, Grand Egyptian Museum EDITOR'S REPLY Dear Stephen and Heba YOUR suggestion of using technological innovation to allow a discussion between Londoners and the people of Rashid is intriguing. It would be exciting to discover the views and concerns of both communities. But Im afraid I have my doubts as to how useful a discussion between these two audiences would be to the central question you posed: should the Rosetta Stone be returned or not? If great art and great artefacts are global treasures, then the views of authorities and professionals should, I believe, shape the debate and decision-making more than local opinion. If expertise is given the backseat to populism, I worry that the question of repatriation may soon become drawn across nationalistic lines rather than international. People are too ready to romance the stone. In any case, Dr Tawfik clarifies in his letter that the Grand Egyptian Museum has no plans to pursue the repatriation of the Rosetta Stone and instead will focus on the museums 10,000 existing artefacts that will be on display when it opens in 2020. William Moore, Arts Editor Revolting gimmick of Grenfell film As SOMEONE who lives near Grenfell Tower and was there to witness the fallout from the fire, I was sickened as I watched the film of a cardboard model of the building being set alight by a laughing crowd [Bonfire outrage was not a crime, November 6]. To Brian Wilson it may just seem like just a harmlessly crass viral video but this is exactly how hate spreads, and its heart-breaking to see this sort of offensive gimmick at the expense of other peoples lives. Debating whether its a crime or not is not what we should be focused on in the immediate aftermath instead we must join together in universal condemnation. Its heartless mockery does not align with British values. I t has been a few days since Ashton Attzs won this years Evening Standard Art Prize, announced at the National Gallery last Thursday, but it clearly hasnt sunk in yet. Attzs, who uses the non-binary gender pronouns them/they, gives me a massive hug when we meet in the reception of Central Saint Martins and, as we walk through to the bar, its a continuous stream of gratitude (despite my protestations that I had nothing to do with judging the prize). Every second of the day Im literally having to pinch myself," Attzs says. It doesnt feel real. Ive been saying to all my friends and all my family its the happiest Ive ever felt. Genuinely. Its an incredible feeling. The joy is contagious, a positivity that you can see in their work. Attzss winning painting, Dont Stay in Ya Lane, is a bright celebration of transgender people, an ode to our everyday swimmers, who glide against the waves of social injustice. It was selected from more than 1,000 entries to pick up the 10,000 prize, given in association with Hiscox, and advocates for the empowerment of the LGBTQ+ community, people of colour and those with intersectional identities. I loved Dont Stay in Ya Lane on sight, said the writer and cultural critic Olivia Laing, who sat on the judging panel, its so visually striking, and conveys its message of inclusivity with such infectious joyfulness. My identity is my own, says Attzs, 20. I dont even have a word for it or a title for it, its just who I am. They are midway through a Fine Art degree at Central Saint Martins. Attz grew up in Luton and lives there in the family home, travelling into uni on the train every day to spend long hours in the studio. On top of that is a body of work which takes place mainly in the living room. My parents are such selfless people. If you came to our house and saw the state of our living room, youd understand. Its awful. Theyve always encouraged me. They know I work hard, so they believe the success will come. And come it will. In the past year Attzs exhibited in 20 shows including Nasty Womens Empowerment for International Womens Day and the Anti-Trump Art Show, performed spoken word at Tate Britain and been commissioned by Instagram to paint a piece for Pride. And next month there are collaborations with Disney and Adidas. ES Art Prize 2018 announcement When does inspiration strike? I dont really plan things, to be honest. I may go somewhere and the image will pop up in my mind but in my way of seeing it, with the animated people, colourful backgrounds and fluffy white clouds. My favourite thing about London is just walking around, getting the bus. I too am a bus-over-Tube advocate and say so. Oh my god! Finally, someone who agrees with me! I love the bus! You see so much of London, I just love immersing myself in the whole vibe. Being here makes me so happy. Dont Stay in Ya Lane falls into a body of work Attzs has been creating since January called Queering the Quotidian. It celebrates everyday life and the people you dont see as much in visual arts namely the LGBTQ+ community and people of colour. You dont really see mixed race people [in art] that often, the brown tones are left out. says Attzs. Being mixed race myself [Irish mum and Grenadian dad], I thought right, how nice is it to have people who arent just white in paintings? Attzs with their winning piece / Nigel Howard Attzs wants the works to be for everyone to enjoy, though it hasnt always been the case. When I first started this, my incentive was that this is going to be for queer people, people of colour, people who arent represented in art. I didnt mind if people who arent part of these communities dont like my work or understand it. But Ive changed quite a lot. Attzs agrees when I say Dont Stay in Ya Lane has appeal for any viewer. All the figures are wearing chest binders, a garment that trans and non-binary people may use to flatten their chests. After posting a picture of it online, Attzs was contacted by a trans man who said hed never learned to swim because of his dysphoria. He said the painting really touched him and made him feel happy to see that scene celebrated. It makes me happier than anything being able to connect with people Im trying to make a platform for. I try to celebrate people and by doing that I hope people who arent so aware of LGBT issues and intersectional identity issues and the issues people of colour face will try to understand. I think you can do things in a way that is joyful and brings people in. I want my work to be inclusive and inviting and I dont want to close its borders to anyone. Attzs plans to use some of the prize money to fund a first solo show next year. Theres a lot to look forward to and its well deserved. No matter how much I reiterate this, they cant help but squeeze in another five thank yous before heading back up to the studio. This years panel for the Evening Standard Art Prize, in association with Hiscox, comprised Evening Standard critic Matthew Collings; artist Chantal Joffe; author and cultural critic Olivia Laing; the Standards arts editor, William Moore; Robert Read, the head of art at Hiscox, and Jessie Thompson, digital arts editor of the Standard E ach year, Remembrance Sunday offers the chance to reflect on those who have lost their lives in battle, but all year round London has plenty of places to learn about wars past and present. Several museums in London give an insight into how war affects the lives of people all around the world, from those involved in active conflict, to civilians who have had the consequences of war affect their home lives. In the centenary week of what was meant to be the war to end all wars, these are the places in London you should go to to learn about both the First and Second World Wars, and more conflicts before and since. Imperial War Museum Courtesy of Imperial War Museums The Imperial War Museum was set up in a former military hospital following the end of the First World War as a means for promoting the world peace that was hoped to follow. In the century since, the museum has become an institution dedicated to chronicling how conflict has changed since that time. The atrium space hosts extraordinary artefacts, from a four-storey Nazi Germany V2 bomb to a burned out car from Baghdad. The Holocaust exhibition is harrowing to visit but sensitively conveys the gravity of what took place. Lambeth Road, SE1 6HZ. Admission is free (with charged ticketed exhibitions); iwm.org.uk National Army Museum James McCauley The National Army Museum puts the British Army at the centre of its research and displays, examining the changing roles of different armed regiments throughout history, as well as the impact of British conflicts around the world. The museum explores ideas around why we have an army at all, as well as focusing on the effect of war on British society and the changing nature of battle. Royal Hospital Road, SW3 4HT. Admission is free (with charged ticketed events); nam.ac.uk HMS Belfast Courtesy of Imperial War Museums This museum has been as close to war as it gets. During the Second World War, HMS Belfast travelled the world, engaging in active conflict and supporting the Allied forces across the globe. Now its a museum and London landmark, moored on the River Thames not far from Tower Bridge. On board the ships nine decks, youll get an insight into the lives of those that lived on board throughout its service, learn about the guns that fired some of the first shots on D-Day, and head 15 metres below sea level to take a look at the engine room. The Queen's Walk, SE1 2JH. Tickets start at 15.30, with concessions available; iwm.org.uk Churchill War Rooms Courtesy of Imperial War Museums This museum puts the spotlight on the wartime roles of one of the most famous Britons of the 20th century, Winston Churchill. Head below the government offices of Whitehall and youll find the Churchill War Rooms, the underground bunker where Churchill gathered his fellow ministers to strategise the military effort against Nazi Germany. The site, which is underneath the Treasury, is made up of a museum dedicated to Churchills life, and the perfectly preserved Cabinet War Rooms, which remain exactly the same as when they were left behind in 1945. Clive Steps, King Charles Street, SW1A 2AQ.Tickets start at 18.90, with concessions available; iwm.org.uk Royal Air Force Museum London Courtesy of Royal Air Force Museum From Spitfires to Lancasters, Hawker Hurricanes to Typhoons, this museum will definitely give you wings. The Royal Air Force Museum in London is housed inside five huge hangars in Hendon, filled with dozens of aircraft from throughout the 100-year history of the RAF. As well as marvelling at these groundbreaking pieces of engineering, you can also get up close and personal with them, with opportunities to sit in the cockpit seat of the famous MK16 Spitfire and flight simulators to test your mettle when things get sky high. Grahame Park Way, NW9 5LL. Admission is free (with charged ticketed experiences); rafmuseum.org.uk National Maritime Museum National Maritime Museum, London If youd rather be all at sea than up in the air, the National Maritime Museum is the place to be. This Greenwich museum is dedicated to telling the tales of Britains maritime escapades in times of both war and peace. The explorations here start all the way back in the Tudor era, before setting sail with Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar and ending up amidst the Battle of Jutland in 1916, the largest sea battle of the First World War. The museum has recently opened four immersive new galleries which cover themes including journeys to the pacific and polar voyages. F ilm fans are returning to the world of Harry Potter once again this month, with the arrival of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald in UK cinemas. The highly-anticipated follow-up to 2016's Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them promises to be one of the biggest family films arriving over the festive period. Eddie Redmaynes magizoologist Newt Scamander is returning to the fold, along with his creature companions and a few familiar faces from the Potter universe. If you cant wait until the film is out to get your next Potter fix, heres everything you need to know. Cast Mission: Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander / 2018 WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC Redmayne is back as protagonist Scamander, with his suitcase of adorable creatures in tow. After inflicting chaos on New York in the first film, this time hes linking up with his old friend Albus Dumbledore, played by Jude Law. While Dumbledore is not yet headmaster at Hogwarts at the time of the movie, hes a powerful wizard and professor at the school. Dumbledore calls on Scamander to hunt down the escaped dark wizard Grindelwald a former childhood friend of Dumbledores. Dumbledore isn't the only familiar character set to appear in the movie. A young Professor McGonagall also features in the film, played by Irish actress Fiona Glascott. While fans will be pleased to see the head of Gryffindor house in the film, references on Rowling's Pottermore website suggested she wasnt actually born until eight years after the events of the upcoming film, suggesting the filmmakers have tweaked the timelines to include her. Elsewhere, Dan Fogler who gave arguably the most memorable turn in the first movie is back as Jacob Kowalski. Ezra MIller also returns as the Obscurial Credence Barebone, while Katherine Waterston and Alison Sudol are back as Tina and Queenie Goldstein. Zoe Kravitz plays Leta Lestrange, who had a close relationship with Scamander during their time at Hogwarts. Warner Bro For all the anticipation, the film hasnt been without controversy. Fans criticised producers for casting Johnny Depp in the film sequel, following domestic abuse allegations against him last year. Depp appeared briefly in the role of Grindelwald at the end of the last Fantastic Beasts film, and the Crimes of Grindelwald will mainly focus on Depps titular character. The villain sets out on his plan for domination of pure-blood wizards over all non-magical beings, and it's up to Scamander to stop him. The filmmakers and Rowling also sparked a racism row over the casting of Claudia Kim as Nagini earlier this year. The South Korean actress plays a Maledictus a woman who carries a blood curse from birth and eventually turns into a beast. The character eventually becomes Lord Voldermorts pet snake and fans hit out at the casting of an Asian actress playing a submissive character back in September. Another controversy also saw Rowling shut down trolls who lambasted her decision to not address Albus Dumbledore's sexuality. Trailer Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald - Trailer The film trailer was first revealed back in May and quickly sent fans into a frenzy online. Later clips released for the film show Grindelwalds escape from incarceration, as well as Dumbledores meeting with Scamander. Dumbledore gives Redmayne's character a key to a Parisian safe house in the clip, saying: Should things go terribly wrong, its good to have a place to go. The footage revealed so far suggests Grindelwald is set for a showdown against his captors, while we also see the return of Scamanders adorable companion Bowtruckle. Release date P rivate Eye editor Ian Hislop expects the Remembrance Sunday performance of his Great War play The Wipers Times to be pretty extraordinary. The cast of the play, co-written with Nick Newman, will be joined by Aled Jones who will sing Silent Night to raise money for the Royal British Legion. Hislop said the play, inspired by the story of the soldiers led by Captain Fred Roberts who set up a satirical newspaper on the Western Front, was about the survival of the human spirit. He said: We have a scene in which the Armistice is announced, taken from an unpublished memoir by Fred Roberts, so its 100 per cent authentic. We are doing that scene on the day of the 11th which is pretty extraordinary. Hislop said the success of the play is partly down to a need to remember the First World War after the last veteran, Harry Patch, died aged 111 in 2009. He said: There is a desire to keep the memory alive. The great thing about the Wipers Times is we have got the original material. The special, which includes a Q&A, is at the Arts Theatre in the West End, with more shows until December 1. For tickets to the special show, visit artstheatrewestend.co.uk Dull first, rain in the afternoon, wrote Queen Mary in her diary for November 11, 1918. That day she and her husband King George V took to an open carriage and drove past the crowds who were cheering the news of the Armistice with Germany. Unusually, they frequently paused to shake the hundreds of outstretched hands. Some 22 years later their son George VI and his wife Elizabeth would repeat the gesture, as they met Londoners among the rubble of the Blitz both simple human acts doing as much as anything to ensure the future of the monarchy. Elsewhere bells were rung, flags were waved, alcohol was consumed, though not nearly as much as on VE Day in May 1945, such was the shortage of intoxicating beverages in 1918. School classes were dismissed for the day, some for the week, though some meaner beaks insisted that homework and prep would still be required. Newspapers rushed out special editions, but rather than proclaiming victory most carried the headline Peace at last. This gives Guy Cuthbertson the title of his brilliant portrayal of Britain on the day that peace broke out; when people could believe there was an end to the war to end all wars. He weaves a wonderful tapestry of the mood and events across the country, drawing on a wide range of local and regional newspapers. It is accessible history at its best. But with celebration came mourning and apprehension for a world that had been turned upside down by the demands of the war: from conscription to the requirements of the Defence of the Realm Act, which would make even greater demands when reintroduced 21 years later. Church bells greeting the Armistice were ringing out in Shrewsbury when Wilfred Owens mother received the telegram reporting he had been killed exactly a week before, leading an attack across the Sambre-Oise canal. As a noted biographer of Owen, Cuthbertson weaves the poets and their works though his narrative, most successfully with Ivor Gurney, a musician as well as a poet, who was to die 10 years later suspecting that the nightmare war and its horrors had not truly ended. He had a point. The war, of course, didnt stop for millions of men and women on November 11, 1918. Conflicts were to continue in more than three dozen theatres for five years at least, including Afghanistan, the Caucasus and in and around the borders of Russia. Civil war sputtered and died in Germany. This is the theme of Daniel Schonpflugs book, another outstanding work of accessible history. By following some 20 men and women, he takes the reader through the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front, the highs and lows of the Armistice and the subsequent Versailles Treaty, as well as the growing uncertainties between Europe, Russia and America, as these two agreements failed. Most intriguing are the stories of five women, among them the artist and peace campaigner Kathe Kollwitz, who survived the Nazis but died in 1945, Alma Mahler and Louise Weiss the journalist who witnessed revolution in Berlin, became an elected member of the European Parliament in 1979 and served as its oldest MEP. Then there is the dramatic story of Marina Yurlova, a Cossack medical orderly in the Czarist army, who got caught up in the Russian civil war, in which more Russians died than fighting the Germans, and only managed to escape with a Czech unit fighting its way out to Vladivostok. Less sensational, but just as powerful was the achievement of Moina Michael. Inspired by the poem of the Canadian military doctor John McCrae In Flanders fields the poppies blow she invented the idea of making and selling paper poppies to commemorate the dead and raise funds for injured veterans and their families. There was nothing triumphalist or militarist in her manifesto for remembrance and charity contrary to the mythology of the anti-poppy lobby today. Michael persuaded Field Marshal Haig to endorse her efforts and now the poppy is worn in more than 50 countries. Curiously, the wounded get a surprisingly thin showing in both books a minor blemish as does the long-term burial of the dead, a continuing and increasingly urgent problem. And what of the armies themselves in continental Europe? They were wracked by Spanish flu, which was to kill anywhere between 50 and 100 million people worldwide. In France, flu-stricken American gunners dropped from the limber horses pulling the artillery on the last push towards the Meuse. Most of the Austrian troops that surrendered at Vittorio Veneto on November 3, 1918, were starving. Both these books are wonderfully stimulating guides to a world that knew it had been changed utterly but was fearful about where it was heading. Not so unlike our own uneasy tensions of non-war and non-peace today. T his is an elegantly packaged book designed to be read as a present on Christmas afternoon, when you are full of wine and turkey and the room is stuffy and the TV dull. Outside it is dark and cold but not as dark or as cold as the world described in this curious book, which will inspire some, just as it frightens others. It is the story of what addiction can do to you: addiction to a place, to suffering and to the heroic idea of what it once meant to be British. Henry Worsley, the hero of this story, was a soldier from a background which now feels remote: boarding school, Sandhurst, the SAS. His warning, having served in Afghanistan, that the British army would fail there, was ignored. A growing obsession with Ernest Shackleton, the Edwardian Antarctic explorer, drew him to replicate his heros exploits. One bleak journey follows another. Here this book hits a challenge of its own. Told second-hand, crunching through the ice simply isnt very interesting: just one agonising, storm-crushed, sled-dragging step after another until the job is done. Theres little reflection on the pointlessness of a journey which starts from one base and ends, after much frigid hell, at another, or of the psychological weirdness of being able to phone home every night from nowhere. Pity for Worsley who seems a decent, brave and kind man is mixed in the readers mind with even greater pity for the family he left behind, who have to take those calls. Sent to war as an officer, he had to go. But as an explorer, he went by choice. When he calls his father, who suffered from dementia, at Christmas, to tell him he is in Antarctica the reply was What are you doing there? Its a question the reader asks too. There can be nothing more British than a man who lists the delights he is missing: double cream... rice pudding... Weetabix... toast. Everything is understated, even suffering, as his upbringing demanded (a revealing line mentions he didnt want to join the Army but his mother persuaded him). And of course through it all you ask yourself a question which from the start has an obvious and dreadful answer: why is Worsley not telling us this story himself, as his hero Shackleton did of his trials in the same frozen, beautiful and deadly land? A New Zealander with Russian roots, Michael Seresin is a cinematographer (Midnight Express, Angelas Ashes and, coming soon, Mowgli) and with newly hired Tamra Kelly-Washington a biodynamically inclined winemaker. He was appointed Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to both disciplines, with light being the unifying factor. From the moment you open your eyes, daylight affects moods and creates ambience, says the handsome, sprightly, spiky haired septuagenarian when we meet in his Maida Vale townhouse overlooking a titanic bay tree. Seresin Estate, I learn, was founded a quarter of a century ago in Marlborough at the northerly tip of New Zealands South Island and basks in unpolluted, brutal light compared with Europes dust and clouds. Resultingly, wines such as the territorys world famous, screamingly juicy Sauvignon Blanc often taste vivid. But as well as the brightness of day, Seresin craves the stories that exist in the shadows. We all have phenomenal imaginations, but only use 5 or 10 per cent. When you look into shadows, your imagination goes to work My nickname in film is Prince of Darkness! Referring to the depth of contrasts between light and dark in art, Seresins complex, textured Chiaroscuro blends, unusually, Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris (25.40; hedonism.co.uk). Leah, which is named after one of his six children three of whom work in wine, while three drink it is a fine-spun Pinot Noir (19.99; nzhouseofwine.co.uk). Newly released Syrah is floral and irresistible (20.99; nzhouseofwine.co.uk). Seresins tannic handprint serves as winery logo. O utside on the streets of De Beauvoir Town... Its a normal, crisp autumn afternoon in London. But inside, its as if Ive slipped through a wormhole and ended up in a new dimension. Lets call it Dimension Ezra Miller, because its as wildly peculiar as the film in which he stars this month, JK Rowlings latest slice of cinematic wizardry, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. Miller is lying on a sofa next to me, in an unbuttoned dress shirt, his legs lolling over his head like a chimpanzee, musing about who hed like to meet. Id like to chill with Jesus. He seemed like a queer, radical, person of colour who was resisting an occupying empire, he drawls (Miller himself identifies as queer). Then he adds, rather oddly, I dont know how its gotten so twisted up, you know what I mean? He finishes with a madcap laugh. Cover: Ezra Miller photographed by Luc Coiffait. Styled by Anish Patel. APC jumper, 267 (apc.fr) Its a fittingly bizarre moment, which may or may not have something to do with the superfood tinctures that he pipettes into my mouth after our photoshoot pine pollen and deer antler velvet, apparently. The bottles are kept in a black bag by Rubee, Millers six-foot-something major-domo, dressed in black robes, a fez hat and John Lennon-esque shades. Miller, who reprises his role as Credence Barebone in Rowlings franchise sequel, is himself a fantastical creature. A wild and cerebral 26-year-old, who effortlessly straddles arthouse material (like his bruised, menacing, star-making turn in We Need to Talk About Kevin) and commercial work (hes The Flash in DC Comics mega-budget Justice League), he emits eloquent treatises on the future of Planet Earth and cosmic philosophies (I identify with every single faith in the world and none because theyre all f***ed-up. Quote me!). He spouts Wildean aphorisms: I dont believe in belief and I dont believe in people, but I think theyre pretty. And he is full of all the peace and love of a flower child: Theres a tiny Buddha baby inside your belly who just wants to laugh, be free and be naked. This may sound painfully pretentious but, somehow, it isnt. Really, it isnt. Miller is too sweet, clever and authentically outre. In short, hes a delightful throwback from the blandness of todays Kardashian-o-sphere to the golden era when stars were larger-than-life. CASELY-HAYFORD coat, 965 (020 8885 0302). ALEXANDER McQUEEN vest, 280 (alexandermcqueen.com) Miller even looks as though hes stepped out of the past. With the razor-sharp bone structure of a greyhound, he resembles a young Bob Dylan, albeit a Gothic version from a Tim Burton film. There was a time when I identified with amphetamine-era Dylan, he tells me. Not because I was taking amphetamines but just because of my natural relationship to my own bodys energy. The amazing thing about Dylan is that he was a person in the fame matrix who refused to be defined. Conventional categorisation is also something Miller pushes against. I struggle with male. I dont mind people using he, him, his pronouns with me. Although more and more on my personal journey, they, them, theirs are starting to make sense. I struggle with actor. I definitely struggle with celebrity. The root of the word celebration is something everybody deserves. In 2012, he officially stated that he was queer in Out magazine. There were people [in the industry] who gave me a rough time for coming out, he tells me. Still, the years of exploration since have been a beautiful, ongoing and very sexy journey. This journey has included the sartorial. Miller experiments with clothing, sometimes wearing dresses, and he appeared at Comic-Con earlier this year as a 5ft 11in mushroom from the Super Mario franchise. Of course, this has not been universally celebrated. Ive been physically attacked in public for wearing short floral overalls. Ive been attacked in New Jersey, New York City, Asheville, North Carolina at a Waffle House MAISON MARGIELA coat, 3,595 (maisonmargiela.com). BOTTEGA VENETA trousers, 685, at mrporter.com. ALEXANDER McQUEEN shoes, 560, at mrporter.com. ALEXANDER McQUEEN vest, as before Miller has played several victims of brutalisation in the past, not least Credence Barebone in Fantastic Beasts. An orphan who is beaten by his adoptive mother, the leader of an anti-witchcraft group, Credence represses his magical powers and, as a result, is possessed by a dark parasitical force called the Obscurus. Miller agrees its the perfect metaphor for repressed sexuality, adding: Credence is also a great metaphor for artists: how the power of the wound in early life can be expressed as a force of change. Miller was born and raised with two older sisters in Wyckoff, New Jersey, by Marta, a modern dancer and choreographer and Robert, a publisher. I was a very fastidious, specific kid. I was really into Edgar Allan Poe. My father read me all the Harry Potter books. Those stories became a kind of totemic force for good that helped Miller through a painful childhood. I was repeatedly assaulted as a young teenager, for being weird and gender ambiguous. They couldnt figure out if I was a boy or a girl, and they thought that was hilarious and also despicable, he says matter-of-factly. There were also [boys] who wanted to make out with me because they thought I was a girl. And when they found out I wasnt, they were very angry, as if Id been deceptive. Ezra Millers fantastic rise to stardom 1 /5 Ezra Millers fantastic rise to stardom Californication (2008) This acclaimed television series was Millers first notable screen gig, playing a teenager wooing the daughter of David Duchovnys wastrel writer, Hank Moody We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011) The breakout role, playing the dark-eyed, dark-hearted (spoiler alert!) killer son of a horrified Tilda Swinton in the adaptation of Lionel Shrivers novel. COLLECTION CHRISTOPHEL The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) Charismatic Patrick (Miller) and stepsister Sam (Emma Watson) help bring young teenager Charlie (Logan Lerman) out of his shell. COLLECTION CHRISTOPHEL Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) Millers fragile Credence Barebone is possessed by the Obscurus in the Harry Potter prequel (but survives for the sequel, naturally). Jaap Buitendijk/Warner Bros/Koba Justice League (2017) Bringing some much-needed humour to the po-faced DC universe, Millers superfast The Flash is hilariously neurotic (and Wonder Woman gives him all the feels). Clay Enos/DC/Warner Bros/REX/Shu From the ages of 10 to 17 he would come home after school and wait for his parents to walk through the door. Id listen to Harry Potter books on tape while I ate ramen and tried to self-soothe. But he was blessed with open-minded parents and teachers who encouraged creative expression as an outlet, a talent for which he discovered while playing dress up as a child with his sister Saiya (three years older). After standing out in a school musical, Miller was asked to join the Rockland Conservatory Choir where he found singing naturally cured his stutter, and subsequently performed with the Metropolitan Opera. He once saw Patti Smith at a production of The Threepenny Opera. I ran up to her and told she was a bodhisattva. (For the uninitiated, in Mahayana Buddhism thats a person who is able to reach nirvana but delays doing so through compassion for suffering beings.) After two childhood television appearances, he was cast at 16 as the lead in Antonio Camposs dark teen thriller, Afterschool, as a voyeuristic and sadistic schoolboy Miller left his own school following the films release. Casting directors appear to have seen something dark in him. After Kevin Face was unleashed on the world, the general public reacted to him badly. People thought I was really scary. I remember being at the Hamptons International Film Festival doing a Q&A and this woman got up and screamed, It was all your fault! It was all your fault! MAISON MARGIELA jacket, 2,515; trousers, 445 (maisonmargiela.com). MAISON MARGIELA shirt, 224, at mrporter.com. ALEXANDER McQUEEN shoes, 560, at mrporter.com Miller has been heralded as the first openly LGBTQ actor cast in a superhero film, but he cites Thors Tessa Thompson, who is queer, as a precedent to him. In the spirit of tolerance, he refuses to lambast closeted actors in Hollywood. It is everyones choice how they want to handle that delicate and complicated matter. And he is cautious about celebrating the gains made on LGBTQ issues in the West. We celebrate progress in very privileged pockets of the world. We get together in halls and present each other with awards for minuscule bits of crawling progress, when we are killing the whole earth and were killing ourselves. I cant exactly picture him engaging in mutual backslapping after an awards ceremony at West Hollywoods Chateau Marmont. Does he go there? What? And burn it to the ground? he says, laughing maniacally. Dont worry, climate change will handle that! He screams this in his best mad Muppet voice. He will claim another pioneering title, however. I am the first person to smoke a spliff on the North Pole and do a disco dance there. He skied to the Pole in 2013 on a Greenpeace campaign expedition. He sits bolt upright on the subject of the environment and delivers an impassioned monologue which ends: Earth is a body. We cant ultimately save humanity forever, right? Were all gonna die. But should we work our asses off to secure a little more time, for another 10 generations to be able to fully express and do what humans are meant to do on this planet? We absolutely have to. Ezra Miller x ES Magazine 1 /6 Ezra Miller x ES Magazine MAISON MARGIELA jacket, 2,515; trousers, 445 (maisonmargiela.com). MAISON MARGIELA shirt, 224, at mrporter.com. ALEXANDER McQUEEN shoes, 560, at mrporter.com APC jumper, 267 (apc.fr) MAISON MARGIELA jacket, 2,515; trousers, 445 (maisonmargiela.com). MAISON MARGIELA shirt, 224, at mrporter.com. ALEXANDER McQUEEN shoes, 560, at mrporter.com CASELY-HAYFORD trousers, 485 (020 8885 0302). MARNI vest (right image), POA (marni.com). PRADA shoes, 610 (prada.com) MAISON MARGIELA jacket, 2,515; trousers, 445 (maisonmargiela.com). MAISON MARGIELA shirt, 224, at mrporter.com. ALEXANDER McQUEEN shoes, 560, at mrporter.com CASELY-HAYFORD trousers, 485 (020 8885 0302). MARNI vest (right image), POA (marni.com). PRADA shoes, 610 (prada.com) He has recently moved closer to nature, to rural Vermont, were he keeps 25 chickens. I feed the chickens in my dresses. I walk around in all manners of strange articles of clothing. Its actually where I go hardest on my fashion game. He also dabbles in a little taxidermy, but only on subjects that have died natural or accidental deaths. I have a weasel in my freezer right now. It is also in Vermont that he has been writing more solo music. This summer, Miller released Sadtown, a ballad about ecological disaster, as a side project from his Brooklyn music trio Sons of an Illustrious Father (who are playing South Londons Omeara on 8 December). London is Millers second home, having filmed the majority of the Fantastic Beasts and DC films at Warner Bros Studios in Hertfordshire. More sequels are slated for both franchises, including a solo Flash film. He is also to play the younger Salvador Dali to Ben Kingsleys elder in Dali Land. Dali is the s***, he says, rolling up a very mild joint for the end of the interview. Sandro sweater, 315 (sandro-paris.com) Theres also a secret motion-capture project in the pipeline which explains his earlier posture. I have plans to play a chimpanzee very soon. Andy Serkis [who was motion-captured as Gollum, King Kong and Caesar in The Planet of the Apes reboot] is one of the best living actors. He is gravitating, he says, towards playing non-humans. Because he doesnt believe in our species? I dont believe in believing, he reminds me, singing, dont believe in yourself / dont deceive with belief Its Quicksand by David Bowie and of course he feels an affinity with the pioneering gender-bending creative. I saw Bowies spirit above his vigil in Brixton when he died. He lights up his post-interview joint and smiles. It was gold. PRADA jacket, 1,390; trousers, 790; shirt, 455; tie, 175 (prada.com) Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is released on 16 November Photographs by Luc Coiffait Styled by Anish Patel Creative director Edward Lee N atural, funky, interesting wine is still flowing through London at speed, sousing the gramming customers at every concrete-washed bar and seasonal British restaurant worth its house-pickled elderberries. But if you really want to prove your cool credentials, you need to look to Georgia. Wine from the Eastern European country isnt new in fact, its some of the oldest in the world but by Georgia, it suits our palate for the orange stuff right now. Lucy Hewitt started her Georgian wine importing company, Proper Natural Wine, last year after spending a few months working with natural winemakers in Georgia and falling in love with the stuff, which is rather romantically fermented underground in giant terracotta pots known as qvevri. The proper refers to the heritage of Georgian wine they were the first country to make wine 8,000 years ago, so technically Georgians are the OGs although the slangy nature of proper also refers to Hewitts desire to make her funky orange booze accessible. Vine dining: Proper Natural Wines Lucy Hewitt with her growers in Georgia Its a noble mission: while Georgia was renowned for its wine up to the mid-20th century, under Soviet rule, most Georgian grapes were used for bulk wine. Then after the collapse of the USSR, the wine industry imploded, as farmers stopped growing grapes in order to produce cheap sustenance crops. But as Hewitt says, if youve ever been to Georgia, youll know how important wine is to them. Its basically their religion. Add in the oh-so interesting native grapes with seriously unique flavours, and the lovely fact that its known as amber wine rather than Trumpian orange, and really its our duty to drink Georgia back to vinous health. Start at the hottest restaurant in town, Brat, where the Noble Rot-curated wine list includes a bottle of amber Orgo, which flows like lava into the glass. Made from Rkatsiteli grapes by a father-and-son team in Kakheti, the biggest wine producing region in Georgia, it somewhat bizarrely tastes almost like a chilled red. Its also bloody gorgeous, all salty apricot and elusive earthiness and ideal with Brats incredible cod roe and anchovy bread. Up in Haggerston at Berber & Q, theres more Rkatsiteli from Pheasants Tears, a winery founded by American painter John Wurdeman, for swilling with your shawarma. Meanwhile, down in Marylebone, theres the natural, unfiltered Okros from east Georgian producer John Okruashvili at Jikoni. Georgian orange from Proper Natural Wine W e often talk about the need to learn from history, but increasingly the present is echoing the worst of the past, said Home Secretary Sajid Javid, the UKs most powerful Muslim, at a vigil for the 11 Jews murdered in Pittsburgh two days before. In a heartening display of unity, he stood alongside London Mayor Sadiq Khan, Jewish religious and community leaders and Londoners of all faiths, including US Ambassador, Woody Johnson. The victims of the shooting, congregants of the Tree of Life synagogue, were murdered by a suspect who cried out All Jews must die. Their loved ones torment has since reverberated with Jews and their allies across the world, including London, where anti-Semitic crime has risen in recent years (2.6 times higher in the 12 months to July 2018 than the 12 months to March 2011). Meanwhile, last week Metropolitan Police chief Cressida Dick announced her officers have launched a criminal inquiry into allegations of anti-Semitic hate crimes within the Labour Party. The Community Security Trust (CST), a charity providing security advice and assistance for British Jews, records 100 incidents of anti-Semitism every month. Until 2016, you could identify one trigger event, usually its if Israel has a war, says Dave Rich, head of policy at the CST. He cites 2014s Gaza conflict, after which incidents of anti-Semitic abuse recorded by the Met Police rose 178 per cent. But for the past two years, its just month after month, the same daily grind of anti-Semitic incidents on the streets. These incidents tend to be, Rich explains, old-fashioned bigotry towards Jewish people, unleashed by men, mostly young, shouting stuff about the Holocaust, the Nazis, Israel. The typical victim is a man, perhaps because Jewish men like Muslim women are more likely to be identifiable by their religious dress. And if hes unlucky, Rich says, Someone might throw something at him, or try to beat him up. Against a backdrop of a rise in all hate crime post-Brexit, an anti-Semitic incident can be in response to something as innocuous as taking too long to park a car. Jemma Levene, deputy director of Hope Not Hate, an advocacy group campaigning against racism and fascism, tells me, In north-west London, children in Jewish school uniform are being abused on buses. Fortunately, only about 10 per cent of anti-Semitic attacks reported to the CST involve violence. However, language from all sides of the political spectrum, as Rich puts it, can legitimise and influence physical attacks. Mark Ogus, who co-runs Montys Deli in Hoxton, says that during the Jewish diners beginnings at Maltby Street Market, he received throwaway comments about being tight. One early morning a customer, surprised I was not set up yet, said, A Jew missing out on business? These stereotypes are all part of the bigger picture, says Rich. The CSTs 2017 poll of British attitudes towards Jews and Israel found that, while 5 per cent of Britons are openly anti-Semitic, 30 per cent of Britons believe one or more anti-Semitic stereotypes. This second group, Rich says, may not think its hostility, but they might come out with a comment about Jews and money, and a Jewish person might not know if this person is part of the 30 per cent of the population who just have a stupid idea in their head about Jews, or part of the 5 per cent who really dont like Jews. Those 5 per cent flourish online, where Jews with large followings, such as David Baddiel and Tracy Ann Oberman, are regularly targeted with anti-Semitic abuse. Luciana Berger, former shadow minister for mental health, is one of many women MPs who receives abuse. Some comes from the left, most is from the far-right, and five people, four of whom were neo-Nazis, have been handed criminal convictions for racially aggravated offences against her. Modern anti-Semitism has mutated into new forms of imagery and language, alongside the older tropes, says Berger. The Government and social media companies dont do enough to tackle online anti-Semitism and other forms of hate. She also insists public bodies, private firms and voluntary associations such as political parties must clean up their acts. When Berger mentions political parties, she regretfully includes her own: Labour. I still cant believe I was at a rally on Parliament Square earlier this year, demonstrating with colleagues against anti-Semitism inside the Labour Party. The Labour leadership has allowed people to think they can get away with saying and doing things, says Levene. Ironically, the groups most likely to target Jews are at opposite ends of the political spectrum. There are those on the far-left who conflate Israels foreign policy with all Jews outlooks, and others on the far-right, with their bigotry towards anyone from a non-white, non-Christian background. The nationalism weve seen since the Brexit vote and in the election of heavily right-wing leaders from Donald Trump to Austrias Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and Brazils newly elected far-right President, Jair Bolsonaro paradoxically has international support, thanks in huge part to social media. Cross-border encouragement of bigotry is at an all-time high, with Levene noting that readers of neo-Nazi websites such as The Daily Stormer are not critical about the content theyre consuming; you can scale up quite quickly from something that is problematic to something that is out and out anti-Semitic. The result of anti-Semitism online, in passing or in physical attacks is Jews living in fear. The CST has seen an increase in requests for security training and installations of security equipment at Jewish-affiliated buildings. And since 2015, the UK Government has paid 13.4m annually for security guards at synagogues and other Jewish buildings nationwide, as well as schools. Many Jewish people never experience anti-Semitism, says the Chief Rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis, yet there is deep concern. More so now than at any other time I can recall, and it is well founded. The worry is that this is the first murmur of what may fast become a warning cry. Once youve seen anti-Semitism on the rise, its only a matter of time before it gets to violence, says Marie van der Zyl, President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, adding: Its frightening. People are very worried. And one of these worries is that non-Jews think were crying wolf again. Abigail Morris, CEO of the Jewish Museum in Camden, says: People think were making a fuss; they see a settled, wealthy, high-achieving community. They dont understand that, within our parents and grandparents lifetimes, it was all destroyed. In the face of a poll by The Independent this August showing 27 per cent of the British public believe Jeremy Corbyn to be anti-Semitic, Labour still has its work cut out. Twitter, however, has launched a public consultation on a policy on dehumanisation (hate speech), and the Governments recent launch of an anti-hate crime awareness campaign is promising. On a ground level, Berger says, we have a shared responsibility, no matter who we are, to not turn a blind eye and call it out, stand together against hatred and drive anti-Semitism back under the rock from which it crawled. Sadly, Rabbi Mirvis says, we will all, at some point, meet someone who leaves us guessing as to how hateful they are. You will encounter someone whose ignorance and hatred disturbs you. It could be a thoughtless comment on social media or an unguarded moment at a dinner party. At that moment, you must find the courage not to remain silent. As long as prejudice is greeted with indifference, it will flourish. A 10,000 reward for information is being offered after robbers ransacked a pensioners home and left him fighting for life in a brutal and senseless attack. Peter Gouldstone, 98, is still in a critical condition in hospital after his son found him at his house in New Southgate with a head injury and severe bruising. Detectives have launched a hunt for the raiders, who are thought to have taken a 10-year-old 26-inch Panasonic television but not much else. Detective Inspector Paul Ridley said: "He was left for dead in his own home, a place where he should feel safest. There is no way of knowing when he would have been discovered. Had it not been for a member of the public raising the alarm, I believe that Mr Gouldstone would have succumbed to his injuries." He added: My investigation team has been working relentlessly to trace the individuals behind this horrific attack. To provide an even greater incentive for the public, if one is needed, I have approached Crimestoppers for an enhanced reward of 10,000 for anyone providing information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for this despicable offence. I urge anyone who can provide information, no matter how small a detail, to contact police without delay. Peter Gouldstone is fighting for his life in hospital Mr Gouldstones son Simon, 67, told the Standard after the attack: I had a call from a neighbour to say that the garage door was open and the fence had been knocked down. I dashed around and found the house in a mess and my father on the bedroom floor. He was semi-conscious. I called an ambulance and luckily they were there very, very quickly. Mr Gouldstone, a retired civil servant, said his father, a retired post office engineer and Second World War veteran, had lived alone since his wife died five years ago. The neighbour who raised the alarm said: I saw his garage door open yesterday morning. I rang his son, so he came, and the police and ambulance were here all day. Ive known him for many years. Ive lived here 66 years and hes been here a couple of years shorter. They were a charming family. Police believe the attack took place between Monday at 2pm and when the victim was discovered. There have been no arrests. Anyone with information concerning this incident should call contact Enfield CID by dialling 101 and quoting 2140/6NOV. A taxi driver who claims he was left a friends house in a will drawn up over a pint at a Wetherspoon pub has been accused of taking advantage of the vulnerable man, a court heard. Dean Hughes, 35, claims stroke victim Gary Mendez wanted to leave him everything and put this in writing just weeks before his death in May 2016. However Mr Mendezs long-term boyfriend, Hermes Rodrigues, has accused Mr Hughes of being a bare-faced liar who may even have forged the new will. Central London county court heard the taxi driver claims to have driven Mr Mendez, 57, to the pub at the George Hotel in Hailsham, East Sussex, in February 2016, and brought with him two sets of blank will documents. He ordered a pint of bitter for Mr Mendez and a coke for himself at the meeting. Mr Hughes has been accused of forging a new will for Gary Mendez (pictured) Barrister Julian Reed, for Mr Rodrigues, questioned whether the meeting actually took place and accused the taxi driver of putting Mr Mendez under pressure to leave him the property. He was drinking so much he became rather a local joke, people taking advantage of him, and you were one of those... you were trying to take advantage of a vulnerable man for your personal gain, he said. But Mr Hughes, a married father-of-four from Eastbourne, insisted they were friends, adding: I have taken advantage of no-one in my life. Mr Mendez had been in a relationship with Mr Rodrigues, 44, since 2001 and first wrote a will in 2013 after a stroke, leaving his partner his 160,000 home in Eastbourne. But after his death Mr Hughes produced a new will and is accused of ordering Mr Rodrigues out of the home a claim he denies. Questioning Mr Hughes, Mr Reed said: You thought you could get a house from under Mr Rodriguess nose... you have engaged in a web of deceit to do that. Mr Hughes rejected claims Mr Mendez lacked the capacity to make a new will, and denied the signature on the will was a poor stab at forgery. A City broker is accused of squaring up to ticket inspectors during a foul-mouthed tirade in front of commuters at Liverpool Street station, a court heard. Danny Fenn, 40, swore at revenue inspectors Wesley Champion and Ian Watkins and then turned the abuse to a Pc who came to intervene, it is said. The incident happened on the busy concourse at Liverpool Street Station on October 24, Westminster magistrates heard. Fenn, an energy derivatives broker, admits he used swear words but denies claims the incident turned physical or that he was squaring up to the alleged victims. He hit the headlines last year when an employment tribunal heard that Fenn called trader Sebastian France, one of his colleagues at Spectron Services, a posh t**t in a bonus letter during a period of bullying. Fenn, who was head of the fuel oil desk, was recorded telling Mr France he was a fat lump, and regularly used a slang term butters to call him ugly. The tribunal also heard how Mr France was left with a ripped shirt in an office altercation, and that Fenn had an aggressive management style which involved swearing at fellow employees. However, the tribunal did not find Mr Frances claim that Fenn deliberately assaulted him to be credible. Employment Judge Grewal upheld Mr Frances claim for unfair dismissal in a ruling in October last year. At court yesterday, Fenns lawyer Orla Daly said he accepts that he used swear words during the train station incident with the revenue inspectors. Certainly some of the words alleged were used, but the physical allegation and any squaring up simply did not happen, she said. Magistrate Kirsty Walker confirmed that Fenn agreed there was a confrontation in which swear words were used. Fenn faces three public order charges, alleging that he used threatening, abusive, or insulting words or behaviour. Wearing a smart blue suit and dark tie in the dock, the City worker pleaded not guilty to all three allegations. He was released on unconditional bail until a trial at the same court on January 11 next year. A young man has been repeatedly knifed in north London amid a spate of stabbings in the capital. Police and paramedics rushed to the Third Avenue, in Enfield, at about 11pm on Wednesday after hearing reports of a stabbing. Once there, emergency services found a young man in his 20s with stab wounds. He was treated at the scene before being rushed to hospital. The mans injuries are not thought to be life-threatening, police said, but two men have been arrested in connection to the violent attack. One man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder while another has been arrested on suspicion of GBH. Five killed: (Clockwise from left) A boy named only as John, 16, Malcolm Mide-Madariola, Jay Hughes, Ayodeji Habeeb Azeez, and Rocky Djelal As well as the stabbing in Enfield, there were at least two other stabbings in London on Wednesday, in Shepherds Bush and Hackney Wick. It comes amid a spate of violent crime in the capital after five men and boys lost their lives in six days. A murder investigation was launched after a 16-year-old schoolboy was stabbed to death in Tulse Hill on Monday. A 22-year-old man was knifed to death just after midday on Sunday in Anerley, south east London. Friends and family gather at the scene where Malcolm Mide-Madariola was killed, and pay their respects / Getty Images On Friday, 17-year-old Malcolm Mide-Madariola was stabbed to death in Wandsworth, outside Clapham South station. Jay Hughes , 15, also known as Jai Sewell, was fatally stabbed in Bellingham, south-east London, on Thursday. On Wednesday, Rocky Djelal, 38, died from fatal knife wounds next to a childrens playground at Southwark Park. Home Secretary Sajid Javid speaks at the Conservative Party conference / PA He said: We must step up the police response to get the situation under control so that these measures have time to work." In connection to the stabbing in Enfield, a man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of GBH. Another man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. I nmates freed from a London prison will have their rent deposits paid and housing benefits topped up in a new scheme to reduce the risks of homelessness and reoffending. Each of the nearly 200 eligible men from Pentonville prison will also be given a support worker to help them find a job. The aim is to prevent them from becoming rough sleepers or returning to crime, and to help them settle back into society. The scheme, unveiled today by Justice Secretary David Gauke and housing minister Heather Wheeler, has been prompted by concerns about the number of former prisoners who reoffend after becoming homeless. Research has shown that those with stable accommodation are, by contrast, far less likely to commit new crimes. Mr Gauke said that inmates freed from short sentences from Pentonville, Leeds and Bristol prisons would be given specialist support over two years. This would include finding accommodation, assisting with rent deposits and topping up housing benefit to help ex-prisoners pay their rent. S cotland Yard chief Cressida Dick today defended the Mets tactics in tackling knife crime in London as she pledged to relentlessly target 190 gangs fuelling the violent crimewave. Writing in the Standard after five killings in six days, she said her officers had increased the use of stop and search, taken thousands of knives off the streets and were acting on intelligence to prevent attacks. Her comments came after Home Secretary Sajid Javid urged Scotland Yard to step up the police response, including stop and search, to end the bloodshed. Mr Javid interrupted a visit to the United States to call the Met Commissioner, pictured, for an update on the recent series of knife deaths. His intervention increases pressure on her and London Mayor Sadiq Khan to stem the tide of violence. Cressida Dick pictured at Scotland Yard, / Lucy Young In a separate interview with Sky News today he also admitted the police need more funding to tackle knife violence and hinted that Chancellor Philip Hammond could come forward with extra cash in the coming weeks. On a trip to Seattle, Mr Javid said he was deeply worried about the spiralling violence in London and that he was in discussions with the Chancellor to make sure the police had the financial resources they needed. Home secretary Sajid Javid / Getty Images He said he had a commitment from Mr Hammond to sit down with me and discuss what resource is needed for the police and we have the December settlement just a few weeks away so this is something that can be looked at very, very quickly. He spoke as four more young people were recovering in hospital after being stabbed in London in the past 48 hours. None were said to be in a life-threatening condition. A man in his twenties was stabbed in Third Avenue, Enfield, shortly before 11pm last night. He is said to be stable in hospital and two men have been arrested. A stabbing in Shepherds Bush at midday yesterday left a 16-year-old boy critically ill. He was knifed yards from a childrens nursery in Willow Vale, a quiet residential street. He was today said to be in a stable condition. A 17-year-old boy remained in a critical but stable condition in hospital today after he was stabbed in West Hampstead on Tuesday night. Another man, 21, was injured after being knifed in Hackney Wick at about 2pm yesterday. Ms Dick spoke out after the five killings in London in recent days, with three of the fatalities being teenagers. Five killed: (Clockwise from left) A boy named only as John, 16, Malcolm Mide-Madariola, Jay Hughes, Ayodeji Habeeb Azeez, and Rocky Djelal In a heartfelt piece she said her officers were working tirelessly day and night to prevent attacks and bring to justice the people of violence. She said: The causes of the rise in violence are complex, and so are the solutions but each and every one of my officers and staff, whether they are a firearms officer, a neighbourhood officer or a call handler, know violence is our number one priority and have this at the forefront of their minds whatever they are doing. They take this personally and are determined to arrest the people that blight our communities, often working bravely in dangerous situations. She said the new Violent Crime Task Force had arrested more than 1,800 violent, weapon-carrying people since it was launched seven months ago. Ms Dick, Britains most senior police officer, continued: We have increased the use of stop and search, acting on intelligence to prevent violence before it has taken place, including in the boroughs where we have seen the recent tragic murders. This week we have redeployed additional officers in south London who the public will see out and about with local officers. She also declared war on the 190 gangs in London who she said were committing more than half of all the gun crime in the capital but who were also recruiting vulnerable young people, drawing them into a life of drug-dealing, sexual exploitation and violence through a false sense of belonging which is then incredibly hard for them to escape. The commissioner also spoke of police efforts to safeguard children in a more sophisticated way and how officers used teachable moments in custody to help them away from crime. She said police forces were stretched but called for communities to work together and say enough is enough adding that there was a need for strong partnerships and investment to create real alternatives for our young people so they can choose a life of opportunities helping them avoid the draw into gangs and violence. There have been 119 murders in London so far this year, nearing last years total of 123. On Monday, Mayor Mr Khan warned it could take a generation to turn the tide of violent crime. M ore than half of LGBT people have suffered depression in the past year, according to a major new study. A report by LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) charity Stonewall found 52 per cent had experienced depression and 61 per cent anxiety. Stonewalls health report, a survey of 5,000 LGBT people, found one in eight people aged between 18 and 24 have attempted to take their own life in the past year. For trans people, it also found 46 per cent had thought about taking their own life. Stonewall chief executive Ruth Hunt said the report had uncovered worryingly high rates of poor mental health experienced by LGBT people in Britain today. She said: Despite the strides weve made towards LGBT equality in recent years, many LGBT people still face significant barriers to leading healthy, happy and fulfilling lives in Britain today. Many LGBT people particularly those who are trans continue to be outed without their consent, treated with inappropriate curiosity and subjected to unequal treatment because of who they are. Knowing that we have somewhere to turn when our health is in crisis is crucial. These findings stand as a stark warning that for too many LGBT people, this still isnt the case. The report also addressed discrimination in the healthcare system, with 25 per cent reporting inappropriate curiosity from healthcare staff because they are LGBT. P igeons could be used by doctors to help spot the signs of breast cancer, researchers have suggested. The birds were found to be as effective as humans when employed as cancer-screening pathologists. A study has found that with the right training, pigeons could identify signs of the disease in biopsy samples and mammogram scans. Academics at the University of California used eight pigeons in their experiment. Using food rewards, birds were trained to peck a blue or yellow "report button" depending on whether they were being shown a benign or malignant image. Lead researcher Professor Richard Levenson, from the University of California at Davis, US, said physicians sometimes struggle to interpret microscopic slides and mammograms even after years of education and training. He seriously suggested giving pigeons a role in the development of new diagnostic procedures. He said: "With some training and selective food reinforcement, pigeons do just as well as humans in categorising digitised slides and mammograms of benign and malignant human breast tissue. "The birds were remarkably adept at discriminating between benign and malignant breast cancer slides at all magnifications, a task that can perplex inexperienced human observers, who typically require considerable training to attain mastery." They were also as good as human radiologists at detecting microscopic calcification spots on mammograms that can be an early sign of cancer. Previous research had already shown that the common pigeon, Columba livia, has an extraordinary ability to categorise a wide range of objects and images. They can distinguish between human faces and expressions, letters of the alphabet, and even paintings by different artists. But the birds found it much more difficult to classify suspicious masses on the scans - a task described as "very challenging" even for expert humans. Co-author Professor Edward Wasserman, from the University of Iowa, US, said: "These results go a long way toward establishing a profound link between humans and our animal kin. "Even distant relatives - like people and pigeons - are adept at perceiving and categorising the complex visual patterns that are presented in pathology and radiology images, surely a task for which nature has not specifically prepared us." T he number of military veterans seeking mental health help has soared, a leading psychiatrist said today. The NHS Veterans Mental Health Transition, Intervention and Liaison Service (TILS) offers specialist counselling to those who have left the armed forces. It has reported a sharp spike in referrals of ex-military personnel in the capital and South East. Dr Deirdre MacManus, lead consultant psychiatrist at Camden and Islington NHS trust, which runs TILS in London said: We have seen a greater than 100 per cent increase in referrals over the last six months. Thats for a combination of reasons. Some people have been discharged from the military and have developed mental health problems during their difficult transition. Socially, theres more discussion about mental health and a reduced stigma so people are more prepared to seek help. About 80 per cent of London patients are diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder upon discharge from the armed forces. TILS supports those transitioning into civilian life and provides specialist intervention for people with PTSD or complex psychological trauma. It was launched last year with 9 million from the Government and has worked with over 4,700 people. This year NHS England established the Complex Treatment Service to help those suffering the most. In the Budget last week Chancellor Philip Hammond made 10 million available to boost veterans mental health care. Dr MacManus said more needs to be done for those entering civilian life. She added: Often mental health is still so far down peoples list of priorities it can be months or years after discharge before they seek help. It could be things have not gone well, relationships have broken down or they cannot get into employment. We still get soldiers who served in Northern Ireland coming. A theatre company has defended its decision to award funding from a scheme to help ethnic minorities in the arts to a white theatre director who identifies as black. Talawa Theatre Company was under fire for giving public money to director Anthony Ekundayo Lennon, who identifies as black despite being born to white parents, for the project. The revelation prompted calls for his two-year residency as a trainee artistic director at the black-led theatre company to be reconsidered. Michael Buffong, the company's artistic director has responded to the criticism, saying he had sought legal advice to establish whether he was eligible for the scheme. "From the advice I was given, because of the complex nature of his case, he was deemed to still be eligible, he said. Lennon was given a paid traineeship in Arts Council-funded programme for theatre practitioners of colour. He has identified as mixed race since he was bullied for his appearance as a teenager, and adopted an African name. But was born in 1965 to white Irish parents in Paddington, he wrote in an e-book 10 years ago. Following growing pressure for Lennon to step down, Mr Buffong said: I feel theres a need to set the record straight about why Anthony Ekundayo Lennon as Talawas trainee Associate Director, as part of the Artistic Director Leadership Programme (ADLP). Mr Buffong said he has always been aware of Anthonys unique and complicated story, adding that when Mr Ekundayo Lennon joined the company he was accepted as a person of mixed heritage. Mr Buffong said: My judgement on Anthonys suitability for the ADLP was based on this and I appointed him as Talawas trainee Associate Director for this project. I made this decision in good faith. About a year ago, I was made aware of some quotes taken from a book that Anthony had contributed to about his identity, these were contrary to what I had understood about him. I asked Anthony about this and he said he was misquoted. I took this very seriously and sought legal advice to check whether he was indeed eligible for the ADLP scheme. From the advice I was given, because of the complex nature of his case, he was deemed to still be eligible. He added: I welcome the debate around identity and while I am no arbiter of that debate, surely we must acknowledge that there are nuances and grey areas. Lennon has maintained he was always honest about his white background. A London MP who worked as an emergency doctor has told of the unforgettable trauma of witnessing young victims of knife crime breathe their last breath. Dr Rosena Allin-Khan gave a harrowing account of her experiences at St Georges hospital, in Tooting, as she appealed for help to tackle the sickening epidemic of violence. The Labour MP for Tooting said: To see a young person breathe their last breath is a pain that never leaves you. Addressing the annual London Conference, Dr Allin-Khan told of the trauma of having to explain to parents that their child had died. She said: Unfortunately I have been that A&E registrar, working late at night, really tired, four coffees in, when the red phone goes and its another victim of knife crime. Tooting MP Dr Rosena Allin-Khan on duty at St Georges Hospital / PR Handout from Rosena Allin-Kha A 14-year-old boy comes in, lying there on the bed, crying: Can you please call my mum? The same boy with a tattoo Born to Die emblazoned on his chest. Please Doc, please call my mum. Tell her Im sorry. Countless lives lost. These are lives that dont need to be lost. How do you tell those parents that rush into the resus[citation] room, saying Where is my child? Where is my child? What words you choose? What amount of training can ever prepare you for saying, Im really, really sorry. We did everything we could. Dr Allin-Khan, a mother of two young children, appealed for businesses to encourage staff to become mentors to young Londoners to spot theyre on the verge of turning their life around the wrong way. Dr Allin-Khan worked at St Georges for three-and-a-half years prior to becoming an MP in 2016. She told how she was brought up by a caring single mother and helped by a teacher while friends without the same support ended up in prison. I had a teacher who believed in me, she said. I had a mum who made me feel it didnt matter we didnt have money. She was going to work three jobs to make it work. A lot of people I went to school with ended up in prison because they didnt have that one person. That is all it takes. D isappointed fans complained after tickets to Michelle Obamas book talk at the Southbank Centre appeared on secondary ticketing sites for up to 10,000 a ticket after the event sold out. Those who lost out vented their frustration online as they found touts were selling tickets for thousands of pounds on secondary ticketing site Viagogo. A spokeswoman for Southbank Centre said tickets found "on sale without our authorisation" would be "identified and cancelled". Many took to social media to share their outrage after they spotted the highly priced tickets. However under rules implemented by the Southbank Centre, those with tickets will have to show photographic ID when picking up the tickets on the day. According to the event page, Ms Obama will discuss experiences that have shaped her from her childhood to her time spent at the White House. The discussion will be moderated by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, author of We Should All Be Femenists. Some 300 of the tickets have been given to secondary school pupils from across London and the UK. In a statement, Southbank Centre said: "We are delighted that our event Becoming: An Evening with Michelle Obama on 3 December is so popular. "The capacity of Southbank Centres Royal Festival Hall is just over 2700 and due to extreme demand for this event, unfortunately there will be people who are disappointed at not being able to purchase a ticket. "As is standard, we offer various ways to purchase tickets, online, by phone and in person. "We have worked hard to ensure that tickets are available to as wide an audience as possible by limiting tickets to two per booker and ensuring there is a lower price point of 30 (which includes a copy of the book RRP 25). "We are aware that a small number of tickets to this event have appeared on third party resale sites. "We take secondary ticketing very seriously and aim to discourage this by stipulating that tickets should not be resold for profit or commercial gain. "If we find tickets on sale without our authorisation by any unauthorised third parties they are identified and cancelled. "We are in the process of identifying touted tickets and we have contacted third person resale sites and asked them to remove the tickets as resale is against our terms and conditions. "Tickets will only be available to collect on the night and ticket holders for this event will be required to bring a form of identification." A spokesperson for Viagogo told the Standard: "Viagogo is a marketplace and doesnt buy or sell tickets. F ashionistas queued in London high streets for over nine hours as H&M launched its new collection with Italian designer brand Moschino. The collaboration launched in stores at 9am on Thursday, with people queueing overnight to get their hands on the goods. It was reported that hundreds were queueing outside the Oxford Street branch, while hardy shoppers outside the Kensington High Street told the Standard they had been waiting since Wednesday night. "I'm waiting to get my hat from Moschino," one customer said. H&M Moschino goes on sale - In pictures 1 /9 H&M Moschino goes on sale - In pictures Queues form ahead of the H&M Moschino sale of designer clothes at their Regent St HQ Pictured Kit Lye 20, Z-Enn Choong 21 and Venessa Lee 18 Alex Lentati Queues form ahead of the H&M Moschino sale of designer clothes at their Regent St HQ Alex Lentati Queues form ahead of the H&M Moschino sale of designer clothes at their Regent St HQ Alex Lentati Queues form ahead of the H&M Moschino sale of designer clothes at their Regent St HQ Alex Lentati Queues form ahead of the H&M Moschino sale of designer clothes at their Regent St HQ Alex Lentati Queues form ahead of the H&M Moschino sale of designer clothes at their Regent St HQ Alex Lentati Queues form ahead of the H&M Moschino sale of designer clothes at their Regent St HQ Alex Lentati Queues form ahead of the H&M Moschino sale of designer clothes at their Regent St HQ Alex Lentati Queues form ahead of the H&M Moschino sale of designer clothes at their Regent St HQ Alex Lentati Asked how long he had been waiting, he paused in contemplation before saying: "Since last night. About 11.30pm. "This is the first time I have done this in my life, just to have fun, really. But I really want that hat." Another customer said she had been queueing since 1.30am on Thursday. "I was possibly a bit keen," she said. The collection features a swimming costume printed with CDs and Moschino-emblazoned condom earrings. Prices ranged from 14.99 to 299.99. But while patient queuers got their reward on high streets, those who took their chances online were left furious as H&M's website crashed at 9am. F rom an airport above Westminster to a pyramid in Trafalgar Square, these pictures show what London could have looked like if bizarre design plans had been given the green light. Over the years, many ambitious projects have been put forward which would have changed the face of the capital as we know it. Many were radical infrastructure plans, such as a monorail down Regent Street and an airport runway built over the River Thames by the Houses of Parliament. But other designs included a spectacular pyramid-shaped war memorial in central London and a Victorian glass tower as tall as the Shard. These images, produced by Barratt London, provide a glimpse into what London could have looked like if these bizarre schemes had been given the go-ahead. Central London monorail Around 50 years ago, plans were submitted to ditch buses altogether from central London and replace them with a monorail. Buses were being used less and less at the time as people preferred to use personal vehicles, resulting in congestion problems. The monorail would have consisted of four loops above central London (Barratt London) It would have seen four large loops built above London, with a designers sketch showing how carriages would zip above peoples heads in Regent Street. Despite gaining early political support from the Conservatives, the plans did not progress and were abandoned after a year. Trafalgar Square pyramid The pyramid was designed as a war memorial to commemorate the Battle of the Nile (Barratt London) In 1815, MP Sir Frederick William Trench proposed a spectacular war memorial on land which would later become Trafalgar Square. Designed to commemorate the Battle of the Nile, the memorial would be an enormous 300ft-tall stone pyramid. The pyramid would have dominated London's skyline for miles (Barratt London) Its sheer size would have made it tower above St Pauls cathedral, dominating the skyline for miles around. But Trenchs plans for the land at the top of Whitehall, which was occupied by stables at the time, did not gain much traction. A few years later the land was cleared and a monument to Horatio Nelsons victory was erected. Coincidently, it was also Nelson who won the Battle of the Nile. Westminster City Airport Plans for an airport in Westminster were submitted in 1934 (Barratt London / Popular Science) / Popular Science In 1934, plans were submitted for a new airport in the heart of the capital in order to provide a closer business and tourism link. The airport would have been constructed above the River Thames (Barratt London) Designs published in Popular Science Monthly show a runway would have been constructed above the Thames, between Lambeth Bridge and the Houses of Parliament. Passengers would have have been able to hop off planes in central London (Barratt London) The upright pillars holding up the runway would have contained lifts, transporting passengers to and fro the airport. The Victorian skyscraper Many plans were suggested for the Crystal Palace after the Great Exhibition ended in 1851 When the Great Exhibition of 1851 ended, numerous plans were put forward for what to do with the huge glass and iron structure which housed it. The exhibition, showcasing 100,000 contemporary creations, drew tourists from across the world to Hyde Park. Charles Bruton proposed creating an enormous 1,000-ft skyscraper, which would still be 100-ft higher than Londons tallest building, the Shard, today. The skyscraper would still be London's tallest building today (Barratt London) The spectacular structure would have used an early form of elevator to carry people to the top, while a giant clock would have been placed halfway up. But investors opted to re-erect the original Crystal Palace in a south London park, which went on to be named after it. They were perhaps put off by reports that the skyscraper would have collapsed under its own weight, although the Crystal Palace itself was eventually destroyed by a fire in 1936. The Carlton Hotel The Carlton Hotel was damaged by bombing and never repaired (Barratt London) The Carlton Hotel was one of a number of luxurious establishments in central London to be decimated by bombing during the Second World War. The hotel would have still been located in the heart of the West End A trio has been charged with manslaughter after 49-year-old Sheiku Adams died when he fell from a third-floor flat in north London. Mr Adams was found on the ground outside the Denyer House flat in Kentish Town on October 25, after police responded to reports of a forced entry. He was rushed to hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 11.56pm. On Wednesday Neil Allen, 25, Nicola Green, 32, and Stephanie Haughton, 34, who are all from the Wolverhampton area, were charged with his manslaughter. Sheiku Adams, 49, was pronounced dead on Thursday, October 25 / Met Police Scotland Yard said they will appear in custody at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court in north London on Thursday, while enquiries continue. Neighbours in Highgate Road described Mr Adams as a "great guy" who was part of a "lovely family" after his death. One Denyer House resident, who declined to be named, said: He was a very devout man and a very nice guy. He never had a bad word to say and always said hello to people. A n American chess prodigy who loves to train for games by running in Hyde Park will tomorrow begin a three-week battle to become world champion in an eagerly anticipated match in London. Fabiano Caruana, a 26-year-old who was born in Miami and brought up in Brooklyn, will take on the reigning champion, Norwegian Magnus Carlsen, in a best-of-12-games contest that will be fought out at The College in Holborn. Caruana is hoping to become the first US-born champion since the legendary Bobby Fischer won the title in a Cold War contest against the Russian Boris Spassky in Iceland 46 years ago. Caruana, who won the right to take on 27-year-old Carlsen by winning an eight-man candidates tournament earlier this year, enters the match as the underdog due to his rivals formidable record since taking the world title in 2013. But he told the Standard that he hoped to draw inspiration from playing in London, adding that he enjoyed running and visiting museums in the capital to prepare and relax ahead of his games. It will be a fiercely contested match and the outcome is up in the air, he said, noting that he and his opponent had contrasting styles of play and that spectators can expect some tense matches with climatic endings. Caruana, who became a grandmaster at the age of 14, said: I come to London to play almost every year. An important part of my training is running and London is famous for its parks. One of my favourites is Hyde Park, especially in the autumn. For clearing my mind, the Science Museum is a great distraction. The Imperial War Museum is another. Ive spent my life practising chess. To become world champion would be a dream and an honour for both my family and country. Each game in the contest will be watched by hundreds of spectators and an anticipated worldwide online audience of as many as 15 million people. One point will be awarded for each win and half for a draw. Six-and-a-half points will be needed for overall victory. Magnus Carlsen has been ranked world number one for eight years and became world champion five years ago when he defeated Viswanathan Anand, of India, in Chennai. T he German Zeppelin bombing campaign of London during WWI has been brought to the fore again days before the centenary of the war in a film made by schoolchildren. The first ever example of strategic bombing in history - a tactic used in total war with the goal of defeating the enemy by destroying their morale or economy - was during the First World War Emperor Kaiser Wilhelm II initially banned attacks on the capital because of his close connection to the royal family, but by mid-1915 these restrictions had been lifted. The airships, which were notoriously difficult to bring down and often wildly inaccurate with their bombs, proved to be a terrifying menace. The Zeppelin menace that plagued London in the First World War / Third Sector Media An educational and creative media project undertaken by pupils at Westminster Academy sought to uncover the impact of these bombing raids. The students, aged 13 and 14 years old, examined and explored the subject, produced a short film and then involved and shared their experience and knowledge with the rest of their school. They shared what they learned by organising two screening events for students, teachers and local residents. A plaque commemorating a Zeppelin raid in Queen's Square / Third Sector Media/Westminster Academy Krassimir Damianov, the director of Third Sector media, who worked with the students on the project, told the Standard: Lots of people thought that the Zeppelins raids happened during the Second World War not the First World War. "It was the first time London had been bombed from the air. This strategy was used by the Germans during the Zeppelins raids as a tactic to threaten the British into ending trench warfare. The Zeppelin raids were targeting the home front - the first time civilians were targeted during a war. "The pupils visited the sites in London where bombs were dropped." One notorious raid in September 1915 began in Stoke Newington and worked its way south, randomly dropping bombs in Holborn and Clerkenwell and continuing into the City of London before heading back to Germany. The students visited 61 Farringdon Lane and Queens Square, both locations where bombs were dropped during the raid. A plaque commemorating where a bomb was dropped in 61 Farrington Road / Third Sector Media/Westminster Academy Mr Damianov added: We went to see a plaques at 61 Farrington Road and The Queens Square - the buildings was totally destroyed during the Zeppelin raids. But the damage was mainly psychological - the Zeppelins caused terror amongst the civilians. Londoners endured numerous similar bombing raids from Zeppelins as the war went on. The damage was mainly psychological - the Zeppelins caused terror amongst the civilians, Mr Damianov added. One of the raids fatalities was Lena Ford who wrote the wartime song, Keep the Home Fires Burning. Houses built to replace the ones that were destroyed by bombs in Warrington Crescent, Maida Vale / Third Sector Media/Westminster Academy Ms Ford, who collaborated with Ivor Novello on Keep the Home Fires Burning, was killed along with her son Walter in March 1918 when a 1,000kg bomb was dropped on Warrington Crescent, Maida Vale. They were among 12 people to die during the raid and the first US citizens to die in London during the war. Mr Damianov worked closely with Westminster Academy history teacher and head of humanities Pavel Charitorizhsky on the project. Mr Chartorizhsky said: The Zeppelins Over London project was great in terms of helping students develop their historical skills. Apart from it being a true case of active learning, with the students experiencing history first hand through an analysis of primary materials through visiting the London archives, bomb sites and through historians and authors, the students also got to find out a little bit about the film maker's craft. All the students worked particularly hard and also got to enjoy themselves, despite not realising beforehand just how hard it is to get simple interview snippets on film and other factors affecting filming such as light and sound. I was particularly proud of the way a large part of the project was entirely student led. The 6th formers came up with their own questions for historians and the younger students created their own narrative presentation for use in the film. B ritain will be rock bottom in the league table of European economic growth within a year of Brexit, a new report warned today. The forecasts from the European Commission put GDP growth in the UK at a paltry 1.2 per cent for 2020, behind even the sickly Italian economy which is predicted to be growing at 1.3 per cent. In contrast, Irelands economy is expected to be expanding by 3.8 per cent, Germanys 1.7 per cent, France 1.6 per cent and Spain two per cent. The report was published as Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab stunned senior MPs by admitting that he had not fully realised the importance of the Dover-Calais crossing for the trade of goods. Mr Raab was hit by criticism on social media for his remarks at a London tech event last night. I hadnt quite understood the full extent of this, but if you look at how we trade in goods we are particularly reliant on the Dover-Calais crossing, he said. He denied there was a risk of major shortages in food or medicines if there is no deal. But he added: I think probably the average consumer might not be aware of the full extent to which the choice of goods that we have in stores are dependent on one or two very specific trade routes. Tory MP Nicky Morgan, who chairs the Commons Treasury Committee, retweeted his comment, adding: #enoughsaid. Shadow Brexit Minister Jenny Chapman said: How are we meant to trust this government to deliver a good deal for this country when we have a Brexit Secretary who doesnt even understand the basics of Brexit? Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable said: Its absolutely amazing that out of ignorance or complacency this man who is supposed to be negotiating on our behalf has fundamentally overestimated the strength of our negotiating position. Seventeen per cent of the UKs trade in goods, or 122 billion annually, goes through Dover to either Calais or Dunkirk, according to port officials. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, in Paris today, warned of friction in information-sharing between British and EU security services in a no-deal. He called for the political will to break the deadlock in negotiations, adding: Weve offered a framework which would allow our economic and security relationships to continue... on a dependable basis. Noting Brexit talks were in the crucial endgame, Mr Hunt said the UK would remain tied by bonds of friendship and commerce for decades to come, adding: The alternatives do not deliver that certainty. They make a choice for friction: at our border with queues at Dover and Calais [and] in the exchange of information between our security services. That would seem to me to be a mistake. J eremy Hunt today warned of friction in information-sharing between British and EU security services in a no deal Brexit scenario. In a speech in Paris, the Foreign Secretary also stressed that the success or failure of future Brexit talks could shape Anglo-French relations for decades. Frances president Emmanuel Macron has taken a hardline on Brexit, and Mr Hunt gave his address in French as he called for the political will to break the deadlock in negotiations and make progress on a future trade deal. We have offered a framework for our future relationship which should give confidence that we are not going to pursue a race to the bottom, and would allow our economic and security relationships to continue, not as they were before, but on a dependable basis, he said. He emphasised that the UK would remain tied by bonds of friendship and commerce for decades to come, adding: The alternatives do not deliver that certainty. They make a choice for friction: at our border with queues at Dover and Calais, in the exchange of information between our security services and in greater divergence in our rules. That would seem to me to be a mistake. MI5, MI6, GCHQ and the Met Police are seen as among Europes best agencies. A disorderly Brexit could hamper swift information sharing, for example regarding passenger databases to check for criminals and terrorists. Security experts and government sources said that vital intelligence to prevent terror plots would be passed on speedily. However, former Nato Secretary-General Lord Robertson and ex-French prime minister Bernard Cazeneuve warned: A fragile or fractured relationship between the UK and France would jeopardise our security as much as that of other countries around the world. Mr Hunt said Brexit talks were in the crucial endgame, as the Government works up an acceptable review mechanism for the proposed backstop to resolve the Northern Ireland border row. The answers we give could determine the shape of Franco-British relations, and of relations between Britain and her European partners, for many years, perhaps decades, to come, he said. Former Brexit Secretary David Davis believes that the probability is that Theresa Mays proposed Chequers Brexit blueprint will not get through the Commons. He also urged the Prime Minister to release the Attorney Generals full legal advice on the backstop. Amid warnings of food and drug supplies being hit if there is no deal, Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab reportedly said he had not fully appreciated the importance of the Calais to Dover crossing. I hadnt quite understood the full extent of this, he is said to have told a tech event last night. But if you look at how we trade in goods, we are reliant on the Dover-Calais crossing. S cottish Parliament has decided to back calls for a 'Peoples Vote' on the terms of a final Brexit deal in what has been called a momentous decision. Holyrood voted 66 to 28 in favour after it was proposed in a Liberal Democrat amendment. All Green MSPs and the majority of the SNP backed it in the face of unanimous Conservative opposition. Two rebel Labour MSPs also gave their support. This included the Scottish party's former leader Kezia Dugdale, who said it was the first time she has defied the whip on a vote. "I have been a longstanding supporter of a People's Vote and I believe it would be a democratic outrage if the people of the UK are not given the chance to stop Brexit, she said. "The Scottish Parliament has sent out a strong message and I urge the UK Government to listen." Party colleague Daniel Johnson joined her to back a People's Vote and all remaining Labour MSPs abstained, as did SNP MSP Kenneth Gibson. Tavish Scott, the Liberal Democrat MSP who tabled the motion, said: "This is a momentous vote. The Scottish Parliament is the first in the UK to back a People's Vote. It won't be the last. This will only get bigger. "MSPs and MPs who back the People's Vote are fast forming the biggest and most cohesive bloc in British politics. Every day, more and more people are coming to the conclusion that the public should have their say on the final Brexit deal." He also called on Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and the party's Scottish leader to "change their strategy and build a majority vote in every part of the UK". A Scotland for a People's Vote campaign spokesman said: "This is a hugely significant and welcome decision of the Scottish Parliament - the first legislature in the UK to back a People's Vote." However, Conservative MSP Oliver Mundell accused the Lib Dems of having a "somewhat obsessive wish to hold another referendum". T heresa May has said a Parliament where women are a rare sight is one working with a hand tied behind its back as she hosted female politicians from around the world. The Prime Ministers remarks came as she held a reception ahead of the Women MPs of the World Conference, which involves 120 women from 86 countries visiting the House of Commons. Mrs May, Britains second female Prime Minister, welcomed the increase of women in parliaments and legislative assemblies across the globe as she hosted the event at Downing Street on Wednesday. She said: "We have lived very different lives, hold different political beliefs, but each of us have answered the unique calling that is public service. And we all have the privilege of serving our communities and our countries in our national legislatures. "Here in the UK, women have been allowed to do that for 100 years - later this month will see the centenary of the law being changed to allow women to stand for Parliament. A year from now we will also mark the 100th anniversary of Nancy Astor becoming the first woman to take her seat in the House of Commons." More women in elected office means a greater focus on gender-based violence, on girls education, on childcare and on womens health, the Prime Minster added. "But the benefits are also felt more widely. After all, if half the population is systematically excluded from politics then you're also excluding half the talent, she said. "A parliament where women are a rare sight is a parliament working with one hand tied behind its back; a more representative parliament leads to better decision making, better politics and ultimately a better government." D onald Trump has been criticised for failing to reign in US gun culture as he posted words of condolence to the victims of a mass shooting in California. A mass shooting in a bar in Thousand Oaks left 12 people dead last night, including the sheriffs sergeant who was the first to respond. The President made a series of tweets as morning arrived in America to say "God bless all of the victims and families" involved, and to praise the efforts of emergency services. Americans were quick to remind him of the devastating impact of gun laws and called for him to act. President Trump said police showed great bravery in their response to a shooting last night, which saw a man enter the Borderline bar during a country music night. It is the second such incident in the US in less than a month after a rampage at a Pittsburgh synagogue that left 11 people dead and six injured. The suspected shooter, now named by police as Ian David Long, 29, was said to be armed with a semi-automatic .45-calibre pistol and also died at the scene. But attention turned to the politics surrounding gun control after the President made a statement on Twitter. Critics reminded Mr Trump of the startling number of gun crimes in the US, while others pointed out America has seen two major shootings and a spate of politically-motivated bomb threats during his tenure. Meanwhile others mimicked Trump's previous views on the issue. According to stats analysts at FiveThirtyEight, there are 12,000 homicides a year involving a gun. The number of gun-related suicides, however, dwarfs the figure. Californian police responded to the incident at 99 Rolling Oaks Drive at around 11.30pm local time (7.30am UK time). Upon entering the bar, sergeant Ron Helus, who had been on the force for 29 years and was due to retire, was struck multiple times with gun fire. In a news conference local Sheriff's said they were "still working to identify the victims". "We have identified the suspect," said a spokesman. "Ian David Long, March 27, 1990. 28-years-old and several contacts with him over the years. "Officers are now seeking a warrant to search the property." "He used a Glock 21 .45 calibre handgun. Designed to hold 10 rounds. This weapon did have an extended magazine. We do not know how many rounds were in the weapon or how many it could hold. "He shot the security guard, appears he turned to the right and shot several other security and other employees before opening fire inside the nightclub. "We have no idea what the motive is. He was a veteran, he was in the US Marine Corps. Deputies thought he might be suffering with PTSD. W W1 was one of the deadliest conflicts in human history, and it had a huge impact on the makeup of Europe. There are thought to have been around 40 million casualties as a result of the four-year conflict. The war also saw the collapse of the some of the great European powers as empires broke-up and smaller states began to establish themselves and expand. The German, Ottoman, Russian and Austro-Hungarian Empires collapsed and were replaced by states such as Poland, Estonia, Czechoslovakia and Hungary, with much of Europe redrawn along ethnic lines. The battlefield at Verdun after the major battle there / AP What is the Armistice and where was it signed? After four years of fighting, the leaders of the Allied Powers forced a defeated Germany to sign the Armistice aboard French general Ferdinand Foch's private train in a railway siding in the forest of Compiegne, northern France. Among the terms that Germany agreed to were the cessation of all hostilities and the withdrawal of troops to behind the Rhine. What was the Treaty of Versailles? The Treaty of Versailles was signed after six months of negotiation on June 28, 1919, which ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers but also contained a War Guilt Clause, which burdened Germany with massive reparative costs while stripping them of territory and requiring them to disarm, which some argue lead to the rise of nationalism. German soldiers bring in Canadian wounded during the Battle of Vimy, France / AP How did the WW1 end? From the outset, Germany had tried to avoid fighting an extended, and costly, war on two fronts as both Russia and France were mobilising troops. Their original plan of action was to knock France out of the war by focusing power on the Western Front, before heading eastwards to destroy Russia. To do this Germany intended to rapidly push into Paris, a strategy which required the unconditional right of passage through Belgium. But the Belgians resisted this advance, which led to British intervention and a declaration of war on August 4, 1914 following Germany's refusal to respect Belgium's decision of neutrality. Germany was now fighting a fully-mobilised Russian army on the east as well as the combined might of Britain, France and Belgium on the Western Front. US troops advance on a path near the Somme in France / AP Despite capturing several defensive strongholds in France, Germany failed to secure a decisive victory in the west, leading to the German Crown Prince William saying: "We have lost the war. It will go on for a long time but lost it is already." In 1917, Russia withdrew from the war after the new Bolshevik government signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, following the October Revolution. Their withdrawal freed up German soldiers to fight on the Western Front, who soon launched a powerful offensive which pushed back the Allied powers. But their advance was counteracted by the Hundred Days Offensive, which crippled the Central Powers on the Western Front and eventually ended the war. In the Middle East, British, French and Russian forces, along with local allies, defeated the Ottoman Empire through a number of offensives and campaigns, culminating in the Battle of Megido in 1918. Soldiers carry a stretcher through the mud in Belgium / AP Soon the German, Ottoman and Austro-Hungrian Empires were all facing revolution, mutiny and unrest, and all signed separate treaties of surrender which divided their lands, erected new governments and imposed harsh punishments. The defeated Central Powers were made to sign treaties which inflicted upon them similar, yet weaker, punishments, while the political landscape of Europe had become permanently changed. The fractured Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman and German empires broke up into a succession of smaller states, which allowed for better representation of ethnicities and groups. While the newly-formed League of Nations served as a global platform of discussion and peacemaker, instead of the private meetings which powers took part in before. After the signing of the Armistice in November 1918, most soldiers were allowed to return home and those who stayed were not at a significant risk of death. T he Duchess of Cambridge stepped out in an elegant aqua green floor-length gown alongside Prince William for the Tusk Conservation Awards on Thursday night. William was due to present awards to three "extraordinary people" for their conservation work and bravery protecting Africa's wildlife and natural heritage at the ceremony in London. The duke will present the Tusk award for conservation, Tusk wildlife ranger award and the Prince William award for conservation in Africa to the winners. The charity was set up in 1990 by its current chief executive Charles Mayhew MBE to protect African wildlife against threats including poaching, habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict. The royal couple arrive at the ceremony at Banqueting House on Whitehall / Getty Images for Tusk Trust The duke became a patron of Tusk in 2005 and has supported the charity's work privately and publicly, including visiting its projects in Namibia and Tanzania on his recent tour of Africa. He also visited projects in Kenya on his week-long tour before returning to the UK at the beginning of October. Last year, William said the annual awards mean a great deal to him personally and play a huge part in preserving the continent's wildlife. The Duchess of Cambridge has only recently returned from maternity leave / PA He added: "These awards, which mean a great deal to me personally, play a huge part in our mission to preserve Africa's precious wildlife for its people. "It is vital that we recognise the dedication of these unsung heroes and the bravery of rangers risking their lives, day and night, on conservation's front line. We all owe them a huge debt of gratitude." A left-wing journalist and Labour supporter has blasted the Royal British Legion and denounced its Poppy Appeal. Aaron Bastani, who has a PhD and is co-founder of news site Novara Media, shared a Tweet where he said it was sickening that a huge amount of money was spent on poppies. The writer, who is a Labour party member and renowned for being a Jeremy Corbyn supporter, said: Absolutely sickening that as a country Britain spends 45 million on poppies to feel good and help a worthy cause while 13,000 ex veterans are homeless. "When was the last time the Royal British Legion challenged the government on homelessness and public services? Joke. He also criticised the campaign in a video and wrote a piece for the website he operates explaining why he will not wear a poppy. Since this, he stated: "I have nothing but the greatest respect for Britains war dead." Tom Watson, the deputy leader of the Labour Party said that Dr Bastani does not speak for the party as a whole. Sharing the controversial tweet, he said: I am proud of our Royal British Legion. They tirelessly work to support our Veterans. This man, who I understand has recently joined the Labour Party, does not speak for it. Im sure all my colleagues will distance themselves from this appalling statement. Dr Bastani has since defended the Tweet, playing down the controversy, and pinned it to the top of his account, which has more than 53,000 followers. He has stated the large sums of money garnered by the British Legion and the salaries of figures there as being his issue with it, labelling it a "failure" and stating it should be doing more to increase NHS spending. The statement has caused a furore on social media and fierce debate. He also wrote: "Apparently controversial tweet for moderates has nearly 2k retweets. Maybe its actually...not that controversial?" Mark Ormrod, a former Royal Marines Commando and Invictus Games Athlete, asked Dr Bastani what an "ex Veteran" was and said he was "trying to make himself relevant by failing miserably trying to talk about something he knows nothing about". Others stated that they new of veterans who had been helped by the Legion. However, some joined him in questioning where money went and one said what he felt the main point was had been missed, which he stated to be the homeless veterans. Sunday marks the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day and the Royal British Legion has been running its annual poppy appeal in the build up. The Standard contacted the British Legion, with a spokesperson stating it would not be making a statement following the remarks. A 50-year-old woman has become the UKs oldest mother of quadruplets, defying million-to-one odds. Tracey Britten, a grandmother-of-eight, has hailed her IVF babies a miracle after they were delivered by a team of 35 medics. Ms Britten, from London, said she cant wait to get them home after she gave birth to her quadruplets - three girls a boy by caesarean last week. Speaking to the Sun, the mother, who also has three grown-up children and eight grandchildren, described the experience as a whirlwind. She told the newspaper: Its been a whirlwind and Im so grateful. One of the quads has had so many tubes around her that I havent seen her face properly. The babies have not all been together yet, each hooked up to different machines. The new-borns are all said to be doing well in Londons University College Hospital, where they were delivered, and Ms Britten said she hoped they would be home for Christmas. The news comes after it was revealed earlier this year that she was carrying the quads after spending 7,000 on IVF in Cyprus. Giving birth to quadruplets is extremely rare. In June, St Georges hospital in Tooting, south London, delivered its first set quadruplets in 13 years. A blind 103-year-old former prisoner of war will be the oldest veteran to march at the Cenotaph as the nation marks the centenary of Armistice. Former Army sergeant Ron Freer will lead more than 100 comrades who also lost their sight when he attends the memorial in London on Sunday. Confirmed by the Royal British Legion as the oldest veteran due to attend, he will be representing charity Blind Veterans UK. He said this was a "huge honour" and the Remembrance commemorations hold a "special significance" for him as he remembers his own father's death in battle on September 4, 1918. Ron Freer will be the oldest veteran to attend the Cenotaph on Sunday / PA The former postmaster, who lives in Kent, paid his respects at his father's graveside earlier this year when he travelled to the Dernancourt Communal Cemetery in France with his family to lay a wreath. Born in Teignmouth, Devon, on October 21 1915, Mr Freer was captured in the Second World War while serving as a soldier with the Royal Artillery. He joined up in 1931 aged 15 initially with the Royal Horse Artillery and on the outbreak of war was posted to defend Hong Kong. In late 1941, the Japanese attacked the then British colony and Fort Stanley, where Mr Freer was based. After 18 days of fighting, his garrison was forced to surrender and he remained a prisoner of war until the end of the conflict. The malnutrition he endured at the camp during the four-year ordeal left him blind. The blind veteran from Cliftonville, Kent, is set to march at the Cenotaph / PA Mr Freer said: "The camp was situated on the edge of the harbour with high fences all around. "The Japanese brought in a bag of rice for each unit but only enough for one meal a day per man. We cut an oil drum in half and used the bottom as a boiling pot for the rice. "Each man was given a scoop of rice but many were unable to eat it and looking at the portion of rice, one could see mice droppings and insects. "Disease soon broke out, resulting in many deaths." Ron Freer celebrating his 103rd birthday / PA In 1943 he was among 2,000 prisoners taken by a ship called The Lisbon to Japan when infectious disease diphtheria broke out. His life was saved by the actions of two doctors. Mr Freer said: "Lying in the hut with all the others suffering, I heard a voice say, 'Turn over sergeant', I was then injected with something and the voice said, 'You are very lucky'. "I knew then that it was our medical officer. He later told me that a Japanese civilian doctor had managed to smuggle in six phials of anti-diphtheria toxin so the two of them had saved my life." He lost his sight completely a month later as well as most of his hearing and spent the rest of the war in the camp's medical hut. Ron Freer laying a wreath of his father's grave / PA Once the war was over, he was able to return to the UK via the Philippines and New Zealand. Blind Veterans UK, which was founded as St Dunstan's after more than 3,000 veterans were blinded in the First World War, has supported Mr Freer since 1946. Initially lacking optimism for the future, his confidence returned as he set about getting a job and learning braille thanks to the charity. After marrying, he and his wife Joan opened a post office, buying the property with the help of the organisation. Over the years they ran post offices in Ilfracombe, Devon, Grays in Essex and Gravesend in Kent. He now lives with his daughter Patricia in Cliftonville. Mr Freer said: "Having lost my sight as well as my hearing, my future seemed very dismal and I didn't want to think about what lay ahead. "It is an extraordinary charity which makes an unbelievable difference to the lives of veterans like me, and our families too." A Pakistani Christian woman acquitted of blasphemy eight years after being sentenced to death has is being flown out of the country for security reasons. Amid tight security, Asia Bibi left a detention facility in Punjab province for a flight to the capital city Islamabad, officials said. Troops guarded the roads leading to the airport from which she departed. Her lawyer Saif ul Malook said that she was being flown out of Pakistan with her immediate family but he did not know where they were going. Authorities last month said they arrested two prisoners for allegedly conspiring to strangle her and since then additional police and troops have been deployed to the facility in Punjab. Antonio Tajani, the president of the European parliament, tweeted: Asia Bibi has left the prison and has been transferred to a safe place! I thank the Pakistani authorities. I look forward meeting her and her family, in the European Parliament as soon as possible. Islamists took to the street in protest after Asia Bibi was acquitted / EPA Ms Bibi's move comes a week after the high court in a landmark ruling acquitted her and ordered her released. It triggered nationwide protests and Ms Bibi's release was put on hold on Friday after authorities held talks with radical Islamists who want her publicly hanged. Ms Bibi was arrested in 2009 on charges of insulting Islam's prophet and she was sentenced to death in 2010. Her family has always maintained her innocence and says she never insulted the prophet. T welve people have died after a maniac" gunman burst into a country and western bar in California and opened fire on hundreds of young revellers. A police spokesman said 12 people died in the shooting, including one "hero" sergeant who rushed to the scene to confront the shooter. The gunman, 28, was named by police as Ian David Long. He is said to be a veteran of the US Marine Corps. Sheriff Geoff Dean said local police had previously had "minor interactions" with Long, who lives near the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California. "We have no idea what the motive was at this point," he said. Police said he wielded what appeared to be a legally-purchased, .45-caliber Glock handgun. Thousand Oaks Shooting - In pictures 1 /42 Thousand Oaks Shooting - In pictures Teylor Whittler (L) is hugged by her father after she fled the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA People comfort each other as they sit near the scene AP Sheriff's deputies speak to a potential witness as they stand near the scene AP Sheriff's deputy speaks to a potential witness as they stand near the scene AP A witness talks to reporters outside a country music bar and dance hall in Thousand Oaks AFP/Getty Images A woman who fled the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people EPA People walk away from the scene Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Thousand Oaks AP People comfort each other as they stand near the scene AP Law enforcement officers secure the road leading to the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA This handout video grab obtained on November 8, 2018 courtesy of Jeremy Childs twitter account shows people gathering outside a country music bar and dance hall in the Los Angeles-area after a gunman barged into a large, crowded venue and opened fire late November 7, wounding at least 11 people including a police officer, US police said. AFP/Getty Images An FBI agent talks to a potential witness as they stand near the scene Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Thousand Oaks AP People comfort each other as they stand near the scene Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Thousand Oaks AP This handout video grab obtained on November 8, 2018 courtesy of Jeremy Childs twitter account shows people gathering outside a country music bar and dance hall in the Los Angeles-area after a gunman barged into a large, crowded venue and opened fire late November 7, wounding at least 11 people including a police officer, US police said. AFP/Getty Images Distraught onlookers at the scene Women who fled from the shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill pass by a sheriff's deputy after a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA Emergency services outside the Borderline Bar and Grill ABC Ambulance at the scene KABC SWAT police preparing to raid the restaurant ABC7 Google Streetview of the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks where the shooting has taken place Google EPA Emergency services ABC7 A victim receives treatment ABC7 Emergency Services ABC7 Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 Thousand Oaks Shooting KABC Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News In this image made from aerial video, officials tend to a person on the ground in the vicinity of a shooting in Thousand Oaks, California AP First responders are seen outside Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, U.S Reuters Friends of attendees at the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people wait to hear news of their friends in Thousand Oaks EPA Law enforcement officers secure the road leading to the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks EPA Law enforcement officers secure the road leading to the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA Women who fled from the shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill pass by a sheriff's deputy after a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA First responders are seen outside Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California REUTERS This photo obtained on November 8, 2018 courtesy of Jeremy Childs twitter account shows police officers interviewing people outside a country music bar and dance hall in Thousand Oaks, in the Los Angeles-area, after a gunman opened fire AFP/Getty Images An FBI agent talks to a potential witness as they stand near the scene Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Thousand Oaks AP A woman who fled the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people is hugged by relatives in Thousand Oaks, California EPA Long was also found dead inside the bar after apparently turning his gun on himself, a Ventura County Sheriff spokesman said. The gunman, clad from head to toe in black, opened fire on a crowd of people at the student bar with the handgun after setting off smoke bombs inside. Police at the scene of the shooting, where 12 people died / REUTERS He is described as being be proficient with weapons, according to witnesses who fled the scene in terror. Sheriff Dean addressed reporters and said "this is an ongoing investigation and a tragic, tragic situation". He said the force received "multiple calls of shots being fired", and their first unit arrived within three minutes. The Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks / EPA Upon entering the bar, sergeant Ron Helus, who had been on the force for 29 years and was due to retire, was struck multiple times with gunfire. Sheriff Geoff Dean of Ventura County hailed his deputy as a hero saying he went in to the bar to save lives. Shot dead: Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean He said: Losing Ron is horrific and terrible. There are also parents of the 11 victims in there whose hearts were ripped out tonight. There is no way to describe this. Ron was a hard working, dedicated sheriffs sergeant. He was totally committed. He gave his all and, as I told his wife, he died a hero. Survivors of the shooting embrace after the horror unfolded inside the bar / EPA He went in to save lives - to save other people. Patrons fled in terror as the gunman opened fire inside / EPA The officer was hit by multiple shots as soon as he entered the bar. His colleague managed to drag him out of the restaurant. In an earlier press briefing, Mr Dean said: "11 victims have been killed. The suspect was dead inside and there were multiple other victims of different levels of injury that were rescued from the scene and taken to local hospitals. "The numbers are upwards of 10 to 12 with minor injuries fled the scene on their own. 13 people were killed, including the gunman who took his own life / REUTERS "We have no idea if there is a terrorist link to this or not." The Los Angeles Times reported that at least 30 shots were fired. At least 30 shots were fired inside the bar / EPA Tayler Whitler, 19, said she was inside the bar when a man walked in with his face partly covered by something resembling a ski mask, opened fire on a person working on the door, then began to shoot people at random. Terrified victims hid under tables and in toilets, smashing windows to escape during the attack. One witness said: This maniac came in. Threw in smoke to confuse people and opened fire on the dance floor. Hes taken many young lives. First responders at the scene as shots rang out / Reuters Police said hundreds of people were in the bar at the time. Firefighters and other emergency services are at the scene and are working to secure the area, Ventura County Fire Department said. "We're still looking for the shooter," Ventura County Sheriff's Captain Garo Kuredjian said as he described the situation as still active. "We can't confirm that the shooter is in custody." Witnesses ran to a nearby petrol station for help after shots were fired by the gunman, who reportedly threw smoke grenades around the dance floor area. The gunman, named as David Ian Long, is said to have shot a bouncer before opening fire inside the bar / AP Reports suggest that survivors of the deadly Las Vegas shooting, at Route 91 Harvest music festival, were in attendance during the shooting. A man outside of the bar said he had not heard from friends just yet, but was not too worried. He said: "A lot of my friends survived Route 91. If they survived that, they will survive this." Local media are reporting that the gunman walked up to a security guard and shot him before he opened fire in the building. A statement from Ventura County Fire Department said: "Ongoing active shooter incident reported at Borderline. Please stay away from area. "Active law enforcement incident. Multiple injuries reported. Details still being determined. Multiple ambulances requested." Police responded to the incident at 99 Rolling Oaks Drive at around 11.30pm local time (7.30am UK time). Borderline bar, a western-style bar with a dance floor, was holding a college country night on Wednesday night. Nick Steinwender, student body president at nearby California Lutheran University, rushed to the scene when he heard about a shooting at the bar where he knew friends and fellow students were inside. "It was chaos, people jumping out of windows, people hopping over gates to get out," Mr Steinwender told KABC. He said he heard from people inside that they were hiding in bathrooms and the attic of the bar. T welve people have been killed after a hooded gunman opened fire at a country dance bar holding a weekly "college night" in Southern California. Terrified revellers used barstools to break second-floor windows and jump to safety to escape the dance bar, where the gunman was later found dead. Those killed in the shooting on Wednesday night also included 11 people inside the bar and a sheriff's sergeant who was the first officer inside the door, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said. Here's everything we know so far about the shooting. Who was the shooting suspect? According to NBC, several law enforcement officials identified the shooter as Ian David Long. A law enforcement official told The Associated Press the 29-year-old man deployed a smoke device and used a .45-calibre handgun when he opened fire. Witness of California shooting describes the scene Witnesses said he appeared to be proficient with weapons. His identity has not yet been formally released. How many people were killed? A police spokesman said 12 people died in the shooting, including one "hero" sergeant who rushed to the scene to confront the shooter. The gunman was also found dead inside the bar, Ventura County Sheriff's spokesman said. Many more people had minor injuries, including some that came from their attempt to flee, Mr Dean said. Ron Helus, who was due to retire, was killed in the gunfire / Facebook Upon entering the bar, sergeant Ron Helus, who had been on the force for 29 years and was due to retire, was struck multiple times with gun fire. Mr Dean hailed his deputy as a hero saying he went in to the bar to save lives. What did the gunman do? The gunman wearing all black opened fire on a crowd at a country dance bar holding a weekly "college night", using a .45 handgun, police said. He is thought to have been armed with a semi-automatic gun and appeared to be proficient with weapons, witnesses said. Police and witnesses stand near to the scene / AP Witnesses also told TV stations at the scene that he was tall and wearing all black with a hood and his face partly covered. He first fired on a person working the door, then appeared to open fire at random at the people inside, they said. The Los Angeles Times reported that at least 30 shots were fired. The gunman opened fire on a college night / AP When the gunman entered, people screamed and fled to all corners of the bar, while a few people threw barstools through the windows and helped dozens to escape, witnesses said. Video from the scene accessed by The Associated Press is punctuated by loud sounds of several rounds of gunfire. A terrified witness runs out. Where was the shooting? The shooting happened on college night at the Borderline Bar and Grill, which was holding two-step lessons in country dancing on Wednesday. The bar, which includes a large dance hall with a stage and a pool room along with several smaller areas for eating and drinking, is a popular hangout for students from nearby California Lutheran University who enjoy country music. The Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks / EPA It's also close to several other universities including California State University Channel Islands in Camarillo, Pepperdine University in Malibu and Moorpark College in Moorpark. How did people react? US President Donald Trump tweeted on Thursday that he has been "fully briefed on the terrible shooting." He praised law enforcement, saying "Great bravery shown by police" and said "God bless all of the victims and families of the victims." At the time of the attack, revellers used barstools to break second-floor windows and jump to safety to escape the dance bar. Cole Knapp, a freshman at Moorpark College, said he was inside the bar when the shooting began but thought at first that it was "just someone with an M-80, just kind of playing a prank." Then he said he saw the shooter, wearing a black beanie and black hoodie and holding a small calibre handgun. California shooting: Footage of police response to fatal bar attack "I tried to get as many people to cover as I could," Knapp said. "There was an exit right next to me, so I went through that. That exit leads to a patio where people smoke. People out there didn't really know what was going on. There's a fence right there so I said, `Everyone get over the fence as quickly as you can, and I followed them over." He said a highway patrol officer was nearby who just happened to be pulling someone over. "I screamed to him, `There's a shooter in there!' He was kind of in disbelief, then saw that I was serious." Mr Knapp said he has friends who haven't been accounted for. Tayler Whitler, 19, said she was on the dance floor with her friends nearby when she saw the gunman shooting and heard screams to "get down." "It was really, really, really shocking," Ms Whitler told KABC-TV as she stood with her father in the Borderline parking lot. "It looked like he knew what he was doing." Sarah Rose DeSon told ABC's "Good Morning America" that she saw the shooter draw his gun. "I dropped to the floor," she said. "A friend yelled `Everybody down!' We were hiding behind tables trying to keep ourselves covered." Shootings of any kind are very rare in Thousand Oaks, a city of about 130,000 people about 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of Los Angeles, just across the county line. Helus was a 29-year veteran of the force with a wife and son and planned to retire in the coming year, said the sheriff, who choked back tears several times as he talked about the sergeant who was also his longtime friend. T ributes have been paid to hero police officer Ron Helus, who was killed alongside 11 others in Americas latest shooting. Sgt Helus ran into Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, to help other victims after the gunman fired shots at revellers. Sheriff Geoff Dean said Sgt Helus "undoubtedly" saved lives by going in to confront the gunman. He was hit with multiple gunshots. Sheriff Dean told reporters at the scene of the shooting on Thursday: Ron was a hard-working, dedicated sheriff sergeant. He was totally committed. He gave his all and tonight as I told his wife he died a hero because he went Officer holds back tears while talking about California shooting A visibly emotional Sheriff Dean then broke off mid-sentence as he fought back tears. Taking a few seconds to compose himself, he continued: he went in to save lives. To save other people. Sgt Helus was shot shortly after he entered the crowded bar in Thousand Oaks, a suburb 40 miles south of Los Angeles. He died in hospital early on Thursday. Sgt Helus was a 29-year veteran of the force with a wife and son. He had planned to retire within the next year, Sheriff Dean said of his long-time friend. Journalist Kyle Jorrey posted a picture of Sgt Helus on a fishing trip from his Facebook page. "While others ran," he wrote, "he went inside to take on the shooter. Now hes gone. Heartbreaking." A woman who escaped the gunman outside the scene of the shooting on Thursday / EPA Under another image of Sgt Helus posted on Facebook, people paid tribute to his bravery. "We thank you for the bravery you showed," David Sanchez wrote, "as you ran to the aid of those in need placing your own life in harm's way. It's men and women like you that deserve all of our gratitude and respect and admiration." Thousand Oaks Shooting - In pictures 1 /42 Thousand Oaks Shooting - In pictures Teylor Whittler (L) is hugged by her father after she fled the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA People comfort each other as they sit near the scene AP Sheriff's deputies speak to a potential witness as they stand near the scene AP Sheriff's deputy speaks to a potential witness as they stand near the scene AP A witness talks to reporters outside a country music bar and dance hall in Thousand Oaks AFP/Getty Images A woman who fled the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people EPA People walk away from the scene Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Thousand Oaks AP People comfort each other as they stand near the scene AP Law enforcement officers secure the road leading to the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA This handout video grab obtained on November 8, 2018 courtesy of Jeremy Childs twitter account shows people gathering outside a country music bar and dance hall in the Los Angeles-area after a gunman barged into a large, crowded venue and opened fire late November 7, wounding at least 11 people including a police officer, US police said. AFP/Getty Images An FBI agent talks to a potential witness as they stand near the scene Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Thousand Oaks AP People comfort each other as they stand near the scene Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Thousand Oaks AP This handout video grab obtained on November 8, 2018 courtesy of Jeremy Childs twitter account shows people gathering outside a country music bar and dance hall in the Los Angeles-area after a gunman barged into a large, crowded venue and opened fire late November 7, wounding at least 11 people including a police officer, US police said. AFP/Getty Images Distraught onlookers at the scene Women who fled from the shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill pass by a sheriff's deputy after a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA Emergency services outside the Borderline Bar and Grill ABC Ambulance at the scene KABC SWAT police preparing to raid the restaurant ABC7 Google Streetview of the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks where the shooting has taken place Google EPA Emergency services ABC7 A victim receives treatment ABC7 Emergency Services ABC7 Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 Thousand Oaks Shooting KABC Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News In this image made from aerial video, officials tend to a person on the ground in the vicinity of a shooting in Thousand Oaks, California AP First responders are seen outside Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, U.S Reuters Friends of attendees at the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people wait to hear news of their friends in Thousand Oaks EPA Law enforcement officers secure the road leading to the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks EPA Law enforcement officers secure the road leading to the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA Women who fled from the shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill pass by a sheriff's deputy after a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA First responders are seen outside Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California REUTERS This photo obtained on November 8, 2018 courtesy of Jeremy Childs twitter account shows police officers interviewing people outside a country music bar and dance hall in Thousand Oaks, in the Los Angeles-area, after a gunman opened fire AFP/Getty Images An FBI agent talks to a potential witness as they stand near the scene Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Thousand Oaks AP A woman who fled the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people is hugged by relatives in Thousand Oaks, California EPA Pierre Letourneau wrote: "He probably did what his heart told him to do." Brandon Gillman said: "The true definition of courage!" Witnesses described the terrifying moment the murderous gunman came out of nowhere and started shooting, causing a panicked melee. As well as the 12 fatalities, about 10 people were thought to have been injured in the attack. W itnesses have described the terrifying moment a murderous gunman came out of nowhere and started shooting revellers in a California bar. One woman described how the shots kept going and going, causing a panicked melee to flee for their lives. Witnesses said he had a semi-automatic pistol, which was fired up to 30 times. The suspect died at the scene. Taylor Whittler told ABC News of chaotic scenes when the suspect unloaded the weapon: I was on the dancefloor dancing. I heard the gunshots, turned around and saw him shoot a couple of times. Someone said run. A woman who fled the Borderline Bar and Grill shooting in Thousand Oaks, California / Mike Nelson/EPA Ms Whittler said she got down on the floor to protect herself, adding: All of a sudden a couple of guys closer to the bar said get up, hes coming. It was a huge panic. I got a bar stool thrown at my head because they were trying to break the window to get out. We heard fire break out a second time. Officer holds back tears while talking about California shooting Erika Sigman also told the channel on Thursday: They were very loud gunshots. There were people dancing in the middle and when you hear that, you know something is wrong. They were very fast, very rapid, very loud. The shots kept going and going and going and then someone shouted run. Survivors outside the bar on Thursday / AP She added: I just want to get through it and be here for my friends. There were strangers holding my hand, saying youre going to be OK. Theres a lot of bad in this world but a lot of good people to help. CNN reported patrons were at the bar, in the suburb 40 miles south of Los Angeles, for a "college country" night with line-dancing, music, drinks and food. It was packed with a young crowd. Thousand Oaks Shooting - In pictures 1 /42 Thousand Oaks Shooting - In pictures Teylor Whittler (L) is hugged by her father after she fled the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA People comfort each other as they sit near the scene AP Sheriff's deputies speak to a potential witness as they stand near the scene AP Sheriff's deputy speaks to a potential witness as they stand near the scene AP A witness talks to reporters outside a country music bar and dance hall in Thousand Oaks AFP/Getty Images A woman who fled the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people EPA People walk away from the scene Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Thousand Oaks AP People comfort each other as they stand near the scene AP Law enforcement officers secure the road leading to the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA This handout video grab obtained on November 8, 2018 courtesy of Jeremy Childs twitter account shows people gathering outside a country music bar and dance hall in the Los Angeles-area after a gunman barged into a large, crowded venue and opened fire late November 7, wounding at least 11 people including a police officer, US police said. AFP/Getty Images An FBI agent talks to a potential witness as they stand near the scene Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Thousand Oaks AP People comfort each other as they stand near the scene Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Thousand Oaks AP This handout video grab obtained on November 8, 2018 courtesy of Jeremy Childs twitter account shows people gathering outside a country music bar and dance hall in the Los Angeles-area after a gunman barged into a large, crowded venue and opened fire late November 7, wounding at least 11 people including a police officer, US police said. AFP/Getty Images Distraught onlookers at the scene Women who fled from the shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill pass by a sheriff's deputy after a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA Emergency services outside the Borderline Bar and Grill ABC Ambulance at the scene KABC SWAT police preparing to raid the restaurant ABC7 Google Streetview of the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks where the shooting has taken place Google EPA Emergency services ABC7 A victim receives treatment ABC7 Emergency Services ABC7 Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 Thousand Oaks Shooting KABC Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News In this image made from aerial video, officials tend to a person on the ground in the vicinity of a shooting in Thousand Oaks, California AP First responders are seen outside Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, U.S Reuters Friends of attendees at the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people wait to hear news of their friends in Thousand Oaks EPA Law enforcement officers secure the road leading to the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks EPA Law enforcement officers secure the road leading to the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA Women who fled from the shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill pass by a sheriff's deputy after a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA First responders are seen outside Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California REUTERS This photo obtained on November 8, 2018 courtesy of Jeremy Childs twitter account shows police officers interviewing people outside a country music bar and dance hall in Thousand Oaks, in the Los Angeles-area, after a gunman opened fire AFP/Getty Images An FBI agent talks to a potential witness as they stand near the scene Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Thousand Oaks AP A woman who fled the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people is hugged by relatives in Thousand Oaks, California EPA Nick Steinwender told the channel: "It was chaos, people jumping out of windows, hopping over gates and just trying to get out. From what I heard, the gunman started shooting at the front desk. ... Students were hiding in the attics, bathrooms and stuff like that." Among the 12 fatalities was police officer Ron Helus. Sheriff Geoff Dean said: "He was totally committed, he gave his all, and tonight, as I told his wife, he died a hero. He went in to save lives, to save other people." C NN White House correspondent Jim Acosta has received significant backing to have his White House access reinstated following a row with President Donald Trump. He was banned following a fiery confrontation with the President at a press conference on Wednesday. In a heated Q&A session following the US midterm elections, an intern tried to take the microphone from Mr Acosta as he attempted to ask a question. The President's press secretary described Mr Acosta as "placing his hands" on the young woman during the altercation. Donald Trump tells CNN reporter they are a "rude, terrible person" Mr Acosta's employer has stood by him and the Committee to Protect Journalists, CPJ, has called on the White House to restore his credentials. "Journalists should be able to do their job without fear that a tough series of questions will provoke retaliation," said CPJ's advocacy director Courtney Radsch. "The White House should immediately reinstate Jim Acosta's press pass, and refrain from punishing reporters by revoking their access - that's not how a free press works. "In the current climate, we hope President Trump will stop insulting and denigrating reporters and media outlets, it's making journalists feel unsafe." Jim Acosta was called a "terrible person" by Donald Trump / AP On Wednesday, President Trump called Mr Acosta a "terrible person" and "rude". The furore has continued now as the altercation between the reporter and intern takes centre stage. TODO: define component type apester Sarah Sanders, the press secretary, shared a video of the incident which some people have claimed was doctored. Alongside this, she wrote: "We stand by our decision to revoke this individuals hard pass. We will not tolerate the inappropriate behavior clearly documented in this video." It has since been speculated that they took the footage from the website 'Infowars' and not the original. Paul Joseph Watson of Infowars then responded that it was a "brazen lie" to claim he edited the video to make it quicker. On Twitter, he wrote: "The claim being made my some media outlets that I 'sped up' the Acosta video is a brazen lie. "Here's the original editing in Sony Vegas Pro. As you can see, no tracks are 'sped up' (sped up tracks would show wavy lines). I just zoomed in." CNN accused Sarah Sanders of lying and also said that the decision to ban Mr Acosta was a "threat to our democracy". A statement said: "Press Secretary Sarah Sanders lied. She provided fraudulent accusations and cited an incident that never happened." T he world's first AI anchorman has started broadcasting the news to Chinese viewers. Beijing's state news agency has unveiled a virtual newsreader, who wears a snappy suit and slick hair, and speaks with a robotic voice. The Xinhua news agency said the presenter "can read texts as naturally as a professional news anchor". A comparison between the machine and his human counterpart reading the headlines in Chinese showed startling similarities which fade as soon as the 'robot' anchor opens his mouth and starts speaking. "Hello everyone I am an English artificial intelligence anchor. This is my very first day in Xinhau news agency," said an English-language version of the presenter, modelled on a real reporter with the agency, Zhang Zhao. The system means presenters can work 24-hours a day on its website and social media channels, "reducing production costs". "I will work tirelessly to keep you informed as texts will be typed into my system uninterrupted," said the presenter in an introductory video. The agency pointed out that the presenters may be particularly useful for disseminating breaking news reports in a timely manner. Tweets have started rolling out from CNC English-language news today with the bulletins read by the anchor, designed in collaboration with Sogou, China's second biggest search engine company after Baidu and a key competitor to Google. AI ethics expert Professor Noel Sharkey told the Standard that developers were able to model the virtual news reader from the "constrained set of expressions" real anchors commonly used. "It is clear that the AI anchor is directly reciting continuous text that it is receiving," he said. "The AI component is in the use of machine learning for the difficult task of making the expressions of the CGI news anchor both match the text and and look like a real news anchor. "It will have been trained on a large sample of the real anchors expressions. News readers have a constrained set of expression to show importance, humour and gravitas which makes this possible. And developers will will need to make their AI more expressive and develop more language if it is to keep people interested, he added. "Dont forget that this is a CGI and so it can do anything," said Prof. Sharkey. "It could levitate above the news desk to illustrate a point or fly like a rocket. It could even turn into a rainstorm. There are plenty of tricks to make for an interesting news cast. "But I can't help but feel a slight shudder of a big brother tool with an army of more realistic CGIs pumping out propaganda 24 hours a day." The virtual reporter signed off a bulletin on China's 19th Journalists Day: "Before we go I'd like to send my good wishes to all the journalists across the country. D onald Trump has accused a journalist of posing a racist question when she asked him about white nationalists at a chaotic post-midterm press conference. The president was being quizzed on his decision to brand himself a nationalist, with the reporter saying it could be seen as emboldening white nationalists. PBS reporter Yamiche Alcindor, who asked the question, was interrupted by the US leader who told her: I dont know why you would say that, thats such a racist question. Ms Alcindor repeatedly tried to finish her sentence as Mr Trump talked over her during the heated conference on Wednesday evening. The president accused Yamiche Alcindor of PBS, pictured, of asking a racist question / Getty Images The president said: I love our country. I do. You have nationalists, you have globalists. I also love the world. I dont mind helping the world but weve got to straighten out our country first. We have a lot of problems. But to say that, what you said, is so insulting to me. Its a very terrible thing that you said. Ms Alcindor pressed on. She said: There are some people who say the Republican Party is seen as supporting white nationalists because of your rhetoric. What do you say to that?" Donald Trump clashes with reporters at press conference On Twitter following the press conference, she added: "Even if President Trump doesn't intend it, some see him as directly appealing to the racists. Ms Alcindor was not the only journalist who was personally attacked by Mr Trump during the press conference. Mr Trump unloaded a tirade towards CNN's White House correspondent Jim Acosta, calling him a terrible person as he stonewalled questions over his midterm campaign. Reporters hold up their hands to ask questions to Mr Trump / REUTERS "CNN should be ashamed of themselves having you working for them. You are rude, terrible person, the president said. Peter Alexander, the White House Correspondent for NBC News, leapt to Mr Acosta's defence, with Trump firing back: "I'm not a big fan of yours either, to be honest." A Dutch pensioner who "identifies as 49" has launched a lawsuit to legally change his age so he can get more luck on Tinder. Emile Ratelband, 69, wants to change the date of birth on his passport from March 11, 1949 to March 11, 1969. He says he has had a check-up and is "biologically" 25 years younger than his date of birth claims. The Netherlands media personality and motivational speaker has applied to a court in the city of Arnhem, south-east of Amsterdam, which is expected to rule on the case within four weeks. He hopes the move could improve his life as he says he feels discriminated against because of his age. Dutch media personality Emile Ratelband has launched a legal action to have his legal age changed so he can get more luck on dating apps. / Facebook/Emile Ratelband "When I'm 69, I am limited. If I'm 49, then I can buy a new house, drive a different car. I take more hay on my fork," he told the Dutch paper De Telegraaf, quoting a dutch proverb. "You can change your name. You can change your gender. Why not your age?" But as well as hoping to improve his employment prospects, Mr Ratelband also hopes the move will give him an edge on dating apps. "When I'm on Tinder and it says I'm 69, I don't get an answer. When I'm 49, with the face I have, I will be in a luxurious position," he added. "Maybe they will say 'you have weak muscles for 49,' and I say 'but not that one, you know'. Come on!" (Facebook) He claims to have had a checkup and according to his doctors, has the body of a 45-year-old. The paper said he described himself as a "young god". The pensioner also said he would renounce his pension if he switched his birth date. But the court was sceptical of the suit as there is no legal mechanism allowing a person to change their birth date, according to newspaper Algemeen Dagblad. Mr Ratelband has taken heat in the past after making a call online for a surrogate mother. He is now hoping to change his age to improve his chances on dating app Tinder. / Twitter And the Netherlands' constitution expressly prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of age. De Telegraaf described Mr Ratelband as a "positivity guru", who gives talks on neuro-linguistic programming. He been vocal about his hopes to have children, and attracted flack recently when he made a plea on social media for a surrogate mother. Coen Wulms, a lifestyle editor for Men's Health and Esquire in the Netherlands told the Standard Dutch men commonly experience cultural pressure to stay "youthful". He said: "I would not say there is a lot of pressure on Dutch men to stay young but more to appear youthful. "Signs of aging such as lines, wrinkles and grey hair are not a problem as long as the overall impression a man gives is that hes fit and energetic. Healthy is the new sexy. Half of the Dutch population will be 50 or over in 2019, but there is still a stigma around being older. Nearly eight in ten long term unemployed people are over 50 years old, said Mr Wulms. A boy of three, his teenage parents and a 12-year-old died in temperatures exceeding 40C after their vehicle broke down in the outback. The bodies of two adults, both 19, and the child were discovered near a remote road. They may have been dead for several days, according to Northern Territory Police. After an extensive land and air search, the 12-year-old boy travelling with the young family was found dead 400 feet away. Police are not treating the deaths as suspicious and remnants of food and water were found at the scene near Willowra, 186 miles north-west of Alice Springs. Authorities are investigating whether the extreme heat may have contributed to the tragedy. The group was last seen on Friday leaving the small community of Willowra destined for nearby Yarra Yarra. The three bodies were found nearly three miles from the vehicle. Police superintendent Shaun Gill said: One of the avenues we are looking at is that they have walked off from a vehicle in extreme weather and may have got caught out. Initially we thought it was the result of a car crash, however we are confident its not. The three bodies were discovered by a man who raised the alarm at an Aboriginal health clinic in Willowra just before 12.30pm yesterday. Superintendent Jody Nobbs said: He will be a critical part of the investigation. He is quite distraught about what he has found. This does serve, unfortunately, as a timely reminder for anyone travelling on Northern Territory roads to ensure that when you travel your vehicle is in a fit state, that you have sufficient supplies including water and a first aid kit, and that someone is aware of what your travel itinerary is when you intend to leave, arrive and your anticipated routes. The police chief said the two adults and child may have died days ago. He could not confirm the 12-year-old boys relationship to the young family. Temperatures in the region exceeded 40C in recent days, according to Australias Bureau of Meteorology. The tragedy follows the suspected heat-related deaths of two people in separate incidents in northern Australia within the last two weeks. Police are yet to rule out that there were more passengers in the vehicle. T welve people have died after a maniac" gunman burst into a country and western bar in California and opened fire on hundreds of young revellers. A police spokesman said 12 people died in the shooting, including one "hero" sergeant who rushed to the scene to confront the shooter. The gunman, 29, is also dead inside the bar, Ventura County Sheriff's spokesman said. The man, clad from head to toe in black, opened fire on a crowd of people at the student bar with a .45 handgun, police said. His identity has not yet been released. He is thought to have been armed with a semi-automatic gun and appeared to be proficient with weapons, witnesses said. Sheriff Geoff Dean addressed reporters and said "this is an ongoing investigation and a tragic, tragic situation". Police respond to mass shooting in Thousand Oaks / AP He said the force received "multiple calls of shots being fired", and their first unit arrived within three minutes. Upon entering the bar, sergeant Ron Helus, who had been on the force for 29 years and was due to retire, was struck multiple times with gun fire. Sheriff Geoff Dean of Ventura County hailed his deputy as a hero saying he went in to the bar to save lives. He said: Losing Ron is horrific and terrible. There are also parents of the 11 victims in there whose hearts were ripped out tonight. There is no way to describe this. Ron was a hard working, dedicated sheriffs sergeant. He was totally committed. He gave his all and, as I told his wife, he died a hero. He went in to save lives - to save other people. The officer was hit by multiple shots as soon as he entered the bar. His colleague managed to drag him out of the restaurant. Ron Helus, who was due to retire, was killed in the gunfire / Twitter In an earlier press briefing, Mr Dean said: "11 victims have been killed. The suspect was dead inside and there were multiple other victims of different levels of injury that were rescued from the scene and taken to local hospitals. "The numbers are upwards of 10 to 12 with minor injuries fled the scene on their own. "We have no idea if there is a terrorist link to this or not." Armed police in Thousand Oaks / EPA The Los Angeles Times reported that at least 30 shots were fired. Tayler Whitler, 19, said she was inside the bar when a man walked in with his face partly covered by something resembling a ski mask, opened fire on a person working on the door, then began to shoot people at random. Terrified victims hid under tables and in toilets, smashing windows to escape during the attack. One witness said: This maniac came in. Threw in smoke to confuse people and opened fire on the dance floor. Hes taken many young lives. Police said hundreds of people were in the bar at the time. Firefighters and other emergency services are at the scene and are working to secure the area, Ventura County Fire Department said. "We're still looking for the shooter," Ventura County Sheriff's Captain Garo Kuredjian said as he described the situation as still active. "We can't confirm that the shooter is in custody." Thousand Oaks Shooting - In pictures 1 /42 Thousand Oaks Shooting - In pictures Teylor Whittler (L) is hugged by her father after she fled the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA People comfort each other as they sit near the scene AP Sheriff's deputies speak to a potential witness as they stand near the scene AP Sheriff's deputy speaks to a potential witness as they stand near the scene AP A witness talks to reporters outside a country music bar and dance hall in Thousand Oaks AFP/Getty Images A woman who fled the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people EPA People walk away from the scene Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Thousand Oaks AP People comfort each other as they stand near the scene AP Law enforcement officers secure the road leading to the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA This handout video grab obtained on November 8, 2018 courtesy of Jeremy Childs twitter account shows people gathering outside a country music bar and dance hall in the Los Angeles-area after a gunman barged into a large, crowded venue and opened fire late November 7, wounding at least 11 people including a police officer, US police said. AFP/Getty Images An FBI agent talks to a potential witness as they stand near the scene Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Thousand Oaks AP People comfort each other as they stand near the scene Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Thousand Oaks AP This handout video grab obtained on November 8, 2018 courtesy of Jeremy Childs twitter account shows people gathering outside a country music bar and dance hall in the Los Angeles-area after a gunman barged into a large, crowded venue and opened fire late November 7, wounding at least 11 people including a police officer, US police said. AFP/Getty Images Distraught onlookers at the scene Women who fled from the shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill pass by a sheriff's deputy after a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA Emergency services outside the Borderline Bar and Grill ABC Ambulance at the scene KABC SWAT police preparing to raid the restaurant ABC7 Google Streetview of the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks where the shooting has taken place Google EPA Emergency services ABC7 A victim receives treatment ABC7 Emergency Services ABC7 Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 Thousand Oaks Shooting KABC Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News Thousand Oaks Shooting ABC7 News In this image made from aerial video, officials tend to a person on the ground in the vicinity of a shooting in Thousand Oaks, California AP First responders are seen outside Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, U.S Reuters Friends of attendees at the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people wait to hear news of their friends in Thousand Oaks EPA Law enforcement officers secure the road leading to the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks EPA Law enforcement officers secure the road leading to the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA Women who fled from the shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill pass by a sheriff's deputy after a gunman injured 11 people in Thousand Oaks, California EPA First responders are seen outside Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California REUTERS This photo obtained on November 8, 2018 courtesy of Jeremy Childs twitter account shows police officers interviewing people outside a country music bar and dance hall in Thousand Oaks, in the Los Angeles-area, after a gunman opened fire AFP/Getty Images An FBI agent talks to a potential witness as they stand near the scene Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Thousand Oaks AP A woman who fled the Borderline Bar and Grill where a gunman injured 11 people is hugged by relatives in Thousand Oaks, California EPA Witnesses ran to a nearby petrol station for help after shots were fired by the gunman, who reportedly threw smoke grenades around the dance floor area. Reports suggest that survivors of the deadly Las Vegas shooting, at Route 91 Harvest music festival, were in attendance during the shooting. A man outside of the bar said he had not heard from friends just yet, but was not too worried. He said: "A lot of my friends survived Route 91. If they survived that, they will survive this." Local media are reporting that the gunman walked up to a security guard and shot him before he opened fire in the building. Officer holds back tears while talking about California shooting A statement from Ventura County Fire Department said: "Ongoing active shooter incident reported at Borderline. Please stay away from area. "Active law enforcement incident. Multiple injuries reported. Details still being determined. Multiple ambulances requested." Loading.... Police responded to the incident at 99 Rolling Oaks Drive at around 11.30pm local time (7.30am UK time). Borderline bar, a western-style bar with a dance floor, was holding a college country night on Wednesday night. Nick Steinwender, student body president at nearby California Lutheran University, rushed to the scene when he heard about a shooting at the bar where he knew friends and fellow students were inside. "It was chaos, people jumping out of windows, people hopping over gates to get out," Mr Steinwender told KABC. He said he heard from people inside that they were hiding in bathrooms and the attic of the bar. The witness said: "The gunman was throwing smoke grenades all over the place.I saw him point to the back of the cash register ... and he just kept firing. I ran out the front door. "There was probably three or four [shots]. I hit the ground. I look up -- the security guard is dead. Well, I don't want to say he was dead, but he was shot. He was down." T he first victims have been identified following a mass shooting in the US in which 12 people were killed. Cody Coffman, 22, has been identified by his father as being among the dead after ex marine Ian David Long, 28,opened fire on party-goers inside a bar in the town of Thousand Oaks, California. Mr Coffman, a keen baseball player, was the second named victim. Earlier, hero police officer Sgt Ron Helus was identified by police as being among those killed in the mass shooting in the Borderline country and western bar. Jason Coffman displays a photo of his son Cody / AFP/Getty Images The husband and father-of-one had been a policeman for 29 years and was a professional firearms instructor. He was due to retire next year. "Sister Sister" actress Tamera Mowry-Housley and her husband Adam Housley, a former Fox News correspondent, said their 18-year-old niece Alaina Housely, was also among those killed. The family had been trying to contact the teen, a student at nearby Pepperdine University, for hours after the shooting. "Alaina was an incredible young woman with so much life ahead of her, and we are devastated that her life was cut short in this manner," the couple said in a statement. Alaina Housley is said to be among the dead according to her aunt A fourth named fatality was Justin Meek, a 23-year-old recent graduate of Cal Lutheran, according to the university. Cal Lutheran President Chris Kimball said in a statement that Mr Meek had "heroically saved lives" in the attack, without giving details. He had majored in criminal justice, school spokeswoman Karin Grennan said. He worked as a respite caregiver supporting families with children with special needs and mostly worked with youngsters with developmental disabilities. "Parents just adored him. He was able to bond with their kids," said Sharon Francis, chief executive of Channel Island Social Services. "He was just an all-around guy." Police named the gunman, Long, hours after the shooting. According to the Marine Corps he was deployed to Afghanistan from 16 November 2010 to 14 June 2011. He was in the Marines from August 2008 until March 2013, serving as a machine gunner and becoming a corporal in August 2011. The shooter Ian David Long was found dead at the scene Victim Cody Coffman was said to be talking to recruiters about joining the military which his father, Jason, called his dream. Cody's father had been searching for his missing son ahead of hearing the news. Tamera Moury-Housley has said her niece died in the incident / Getty Images Mr Coffman said: I have been here fighting for him all morning and we did just get the news that he was dead. Cody was the big brother that my kids need. I have a daughter coming on the 29th of this month. He was so excited to have his first sister and now she'll never know him. Oh Cody. I love you son. I just want to thank you for putting him in the news. I want to pray for everybody else going through this same situation. For me this is a heart I will never get back. "I talked to him last night before he headed out the door. The first thing I said was please don't drink and drive. The last thing I said was I love you." A procession for sergeant Ron Helus who died in the shooting / REUTERS Victim sergeant Ron Helus rushed to the scene to confront the shooter. He was on the SWAT team for much of his career and worked in narcotics and investigations. Sgt Helus was also married with a grown son. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean says the report of the shooting came as Sgt Helus was on the phone with his wife. 'Hero': Sgt Ron Helus / Gun Control: Firearms Training and CCW Instruction/Facebook The sheriff said Helus told her: "Hey I gotta go handle a call. I love you. I'll talk to you later." The named attacker Long was found dead in the office of the bar at the centre of the shooting and it has been reported he took his own life. He rose to the rank of corporal before leaving active service in 2013, Joseph Butterfield, a Marine spokesman, wrote in an email. He earned several awards, including a Combat Action Ribbon and a Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal. Long was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, Third Marine Division in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. He served in the war in Afghanistan for seven months beginning in late 2010, the Marine Corp said, and was awarded multiple ribbons, commendations and medals. It was not immediately clear what Long did after leaving active duty. Law enforcement outside the home of Ian David Long following the shooting / AFP/Getty Images Sheriff Geoff Dean said police previously had "minor interactions" with Long, who lived near the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California. Long, who is reported to have had mental health issues, used a Glock 21 .45 calibre handgun and a smoke bomb in the shooting, for which his motive is still unclear. Donald Trump has ordered flags at the White House to be flown at half-mast following the tragedy. However, he has been criticised for failing to reign in US gun culture after posting words of condolence on Twitter. The President wrote a string of tweets and said: "God bless all of the victims and families." The Thousand Oaks incident was the deadliest mass shooting in the US since 17 students and teachers were killed at a Parkland, Florida, high school nine months ago. T wo years ago today, Donald Trump was elected the 45th President of the United States. It was a presidential election - and a result - which shocked the world. Mr Trump became notorious for his divisive policies, demanding an end to Obamacare and a border wall between the US and Mexico. He's also had his fair share of personal controversies, including an alleged affair with an adult film star and reportedly being privy to Russian meddling in the presidential election. But how much has changed for America in two years under Mr Trump and what does it mean for the rest of the world? Here, we take a look back at some of the president's key moments: January 2017: President Trump signs the first travel ban President Trump's controversial travel ban on migrants from majority Muslim countries prompted mass protests (Getty ) / Getty The executive order banned Syrian refugees from entering the US indefinitely and included a 90-day block on travellers and those from seven predominately Muslim countries, including Libya, Sudan, Iran, Yemen and Somalia. Dubbed the 'Muslim ban' by critics, the controversial order suspended all refugee admissions for 120 days and limited the number of refugees allowed into the US in 2017 from 110,000 to 50,000. It was met by protests and legal challenges and was blocked or suspended in a number of courts. It was eventually replaced by a less restrictive order in March. February 2017: Michael Flynn resigns The President's formal national security adviser Michael Flynn quits following accusations that he misled the White House over a meeting with the Russian ambassador to the US, Sergei Kislyak. May 2017: James Comey is fired Ousted FBI director James Comey is sworn in during a hearing before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence / AFP Less than a week after FBI director James Comey announced he was leading an investigation into whether there were any links between Mr Trump's campaign team and Russia, the president sacked him to restore "public trust and confidence" in the bureau. Mr Comey, who played a significant role in the 2016 presidential campaign, was replaced by ex-FBI director Robert Mueller, appointed as special counsel to lead the investigation in his place. June 2017: US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement Donald Trump announces the US will pull out of the Paris climate change deal. / Getty Images The UN convention on climate change was agreed by 195 countries in 2015, with each state promising measures to curb the damage done to the environment. In a televised White House announcement, Mr Trump said the US was withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement "to protect the United States and its citizens." The reaction, whilst welcomed by some Republicans, was overwhelmingly negative and several US states formed the United States Climate Alliance in defiance of Trump's decision. The earliest the US can withdraw from the agreement is November 4, 2020. July 2017: Republicans fail to repeal Obamacare. President Donald Trump speaks while flanked by House Republicans after they passed legislation aimed at repealing and replacing ObamaCare. / Getty Images One of Trump's key campaign pledges was to repeal the Obama-era Affordable Care Act, which has been credited with expanding health coverage to millions of Americans. But it remained unpopular with many and the president had hoped for the Senate's backing in the bid to repeal it. The plan was blocked by 51-49 majority, with all Democrats and three Republicans voting against it, including former presidential candidate John McCain. August 2017: White nationalists "very fine people" White nationalist protest Charlottesville USA After violence broke out between white nationalists and counter-protesters at a rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, the president suggested there were "some very fine people" on both sides. September 2017: The president calls for an end to DACA 'Dreamers': US President Donald Trump is expected to end the programme for immigrants / AFP/Getty Images Obama's "Dreamers" programme gave amnesty to people who came to the US illegally as children, in a scheme known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). It's thought that the programme had protected around 800,000 people from deportation, providing them with work and study permits. Mr Trump announced he was to scrap the scheme and called for a legislative solution to protect those bought to the US, with Republicans saying Obama had exceeded his authority implementing it in 2012. Critics slammed the announcement and it was later blocked on the grounds that young immigrants would suffer harm if they were deported. September 2017: "Little Rocket Man" Channelling Elton John, Mr Trump denounced dictator Kim Jong-Un as little rocket man. He had earlier threatened the North Korean leader with fire and fury like the world has never seen." December 2017: Tax Cut and Reform Bill passed In the most drastic changes to the US tax code in 30 years, the Senate approved the Tax Cut and Reform Bill, slashing corporate taxes to 21% instead of 35%. January 2018: Michael Wolff releases tell-all book Trump's lawyer demands the ceasing of publication of Michael Wolff's revealing book, Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House. The president says Mr Wolff is a "very stable genius" and "like, really smart" in a Twitter rant following the publication of the book which brought the president's intellectual capabilities into question. February 2018: The Stormy Daniels scandal Donald Trump called Stormy Daniels 'Horseface' in his latest tweet / REUTERS Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen tells the New York Times that he had paid $130,000 of his own money to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, money he said was not reimbursed for by either the campaign of the Trump Organisation. The announcement came just a few weeks after Mr Cohen denied the existence of any alleged affair between Trump and Ms Daniels. Ms Daniels has since gone on to release a book about her reported encounter with the president, called Full Disclosure. June 2018: Unemployment levels at record low In a success for the Trump administration, unemployment levels in the US reach 3.8% - the lowest in 18 years. The growth of jobs in America was faster than expected, with 223,000 positions added by employers and an increased hourly pay of private sector workers. But Mr Trump drew criticism for a tweet in which he hinted that he knew about embargoed data after saying he was "looking forward" to seeing the employment numbers prior to its release. July 2018: The president visits the UK US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Theresa May shake hands at a press conference following their meeting at Chequers, the prime minister's country residence, near Ellesborough / AFP/Getty During his trip to the UK, Mr Trump appeared to criticise Theresa May's Brexit strategy in an interview with The Sun which was released on the second day of his visit. In the interview, which he later branded "fake news" he said Mrs May had ignored his advice by opting for a soft Brexit and that her plan would leave the UK closely aligned to the EU. Donald Trump in the UK 2018 - In Pictures 1 /32 Donald Trump in the UK 2018 - In Pictures US President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa meet at Chequers Reuters US President Donald Trump gestures as he prepares to board Marine One to depart the US ambassador's residence Winfield House AFP/Getty Images US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Theresa May shake hands at a press conference following their meeting at Chequers, the prime minister's country residence, near Ellesborough AFP/Getty Images The "Trump Baby" balloon joins demonstrators as they march to Parliament Square in Londo PA First Lady, Melania Trump high fives a Chelsea Pensioners at Royal Hospital Chelsea Getty Images Drag queens take part in the Drag Against Trump protest in Piccadilly Circus EPA Prime Minister Theresa May and US President Donald Trump walk through the doors at Chequers PA First Lady, Melania Trump, tries her hand at bowls as she meets British Army veterans, known as Chelsea Pensioners, at Royal Hospital Chelsea Getty Images Activists inflate a giant balloon depicting US President Donald Trump as an orange baby during a demonstration against Trump's visit to the UK in Parliament Square AFP/Getty Images US Marine helicopters (circled) pass the 'Baby Trump' balloon as it rises after being inflated in London's Parliament Square, as part of the protests against the visit of US President Donald Trump to the UK PA US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania are welcomed by Prime Minister Theresa May and her husband Philip May at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire PA Prime Minister Theresa May greets US President Donald Trump at Blenheim Palace Getty Images Prime Minister Theresa May stands with US President Donald Trump on steps in the Great Court as the bands of the Scots, Irish and Welsh Guards perform a ceremonial welcome for a black-tie dinner at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire AP US President Donald J. Trump, First lady Melania Trump, Prime Minister Theresa May and her husband Philip attend a welcoming ceremony at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire EPA Donald Trump leads Theresa May up the steps of Blenheim Palace, , Oxfordshire AFP/Getty Images Prime Minister Theresa May and U.S. President Donald Trump walk across the courtyard at Blenheim Palace Reuters US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania are welcomed by Prime Minister Theresa May and her husband Philip May at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire PA A US presidential helicopter leaves the grounds of the US ambassador residence in Regent's Park, London whilst demonstrators gather as part of the protests against the visit of US President Donald Trump to the UK PA Melania and Donald Trump join Philip and Theresa May at Blenheim Palace AFP/Getty Images US President Donald Trump and US First Lady Melania Trump are welcomed by Prime Minister Theresa May and her husband Philip May as they arrive for a black-tie dinner with business leaders at Blenheim Palace AFP/Getty Images Prime Minister Theresa May and her husband Philip May greet US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire Getty Images U.S. First Lady Melania Trump, arrives ahead of a black tie dinner at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire AP Prime Minister Theresa May accompanied by her husband Philip wait to greet U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania at v AP Protestors outside the entrance to Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire PA US President Donald Trump waves as he poses with US First Lady Melania Trump leaving the US ambassador's residence, Winfield House AFP/Getty Images US President Donald Trump with US First Lady Melania Trump leaving the US ambassador's residence, Winfield House Reuters Donald Trump and wife Melania touch down in Regent's Park AP The Marine One helicopter carrying US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump flies past the BT Tower before landing at Winfield House, the London residence of US ambassador Woody Johnson Getty Images A giant "Human Rights Nightmare" banner is unfurled by Amnesty International activists across the river Thames on Vauxhall Bridge to protest against the visit of US President Donald Trump, in London AP U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive at Stansted Airport Reuters U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive at Stansted Airport Reuters U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump disembark from Air Force One as they arrive at London Stansted Airport AP July 2018: Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court nominee Poised to take seat: Brett Kavanaugh / REUTERS Mr Trump's nomination of Brett Kavanaugh for Supreme Court sparked a worldwide rift after Dr Christine Ford came forward and accused him of sexual assault in the 1980s. Two other women also accused him of sexual assault, reigniting the cries of the ongoing #MeToo movement. Mr Kavanaugh denied all allegations. The 53-year-old was sworn in as Supreme Court Justice in October after a lengthy investigation into the claims. Brett Kavanaugh says 'I'm not going anywhere' August 2018: Omarosa Manigault Newman blasts "racist" Trump Omarosa Manigault Newman, a former aide to Mr Trump, says the president is a racist who uses the N-word - and claims there is a tape to prove it. Ms Manigault Newman resigned in December 2017, saying she was "forced" out of the White House. August 2018: Paul Manafort convicted Mr Trump's former campaign manager Paul Manafort is convicted on eight charges of bank and tax fraud. October 2018: "Invasion" of migrants The President refers to the migrant caravan hoping to seek asylum in the US an "invasion" and pledges to employ US troops at the border to stop them from entering. November 2018: US sanctions on Iran Donald Trump signs a document reinstating sanctions against Iran after announcing the US withdrawal from the Iran Nuclear deal / AFP/Getty Images The President re-imposed sanctions on Iran that had been eased under the nuclear agreement negotiated by the US and other world powers three years ago. Washington said they would remain in place until Iran met a number of demands, including ending support for terrorism, ending military engagement in Syria and completely halting its nuclear and ballistic missile development. November 2018: Attorney General Jeff Sessions fired Jeff Sessions resigns as US attorney general 'at Donald Trump's request' The president fired Attorney General Jeff Sessions, reportedly over his refusal to oversee ongoing investigations into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential elections. In his resignation letter, Mr Sessions made it clear the position to leave his post was not his own. "Dear Mr President, at your request I am submitting my resignation," he wrote. S upreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 85, has been taken to hospital with three fractured ribs after a fall in her office at the US courthouse. The Supreme Court said the justice went to George Washington University Hospital in Washington early on Thursday after experiencing discomfort overnight. The fall occurred on Wednesday evening. Ginsburg was admitted to the hospital for treatment and observation after tests showed she fractured three ribs. The justice previously broke two ribs in a fall in 2012. She has had two prior bouts with cancer and had a stent implanted to open a blocked artery in 2014. Left-leaning Ginsburg is beloved among Democrats and left-of-centre Americans who view her as a voice of reason on the advancement of civil rights and social justice. Her departure from her seat would pave the way for Donald Trump to appoint another conservative Supreme Court judge. The Supreme Court is a powerful body which has the final word on issues like abortion and same-sex marriage. In Ms Ginsburg's absence, the court was going ahead on Thursday with a courtroom ceremony welcoming new Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who joined the court last month after a fiercely-contested nomination process. President Donald Trump and new acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker were expected to attend. Appointed by then-president Bill Clinton in 1993, Ms Ginsburg rebuffed suggestions from some liberals that she should step down in the first two years of President Barack Obama's second term, when Democrats also controlled the Senate and would have been likely to confirm her successor. A furious row erupted today as a senior CNN reporter was barred from the White House for placing his hands on an intern during an extraordinary spat with Donald Trump. Chief White House correspondent Jim Acostas press pass was suspended following the feisty confrontation which saw the president call him a rude, terrible person. Mr Trumps press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, later announced that Mr Acosta had been barred from the White House for placing his hands on a young woman and accused CNN of having outrageous disregard for administration staff. The network, which has been the focal point of Mr Trumps repeated attacks on so-called fake news, hit back, accusing Ms Sanders of making fraudulent accusations. Mr Acosta said the suggestion he had manhandled the female intern was a lie. Trump and Jim Acosta's furious press conference showdown The row sinks Mr Trumps relationship with the media to new depths and capped off an extraordinary 24 hours since Tuesdays midterm elections, which also saw the president sack Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Trump v Acosta - In pictures 1 /14 Trump v Acosta - In pictures President Donald Trump points to CNN's Jim Acosta during a news conference in the East Room of the White House AP CNN correspondent Jim Acosta does a stand up before the daily press briefing at the White House AP U.S. President Donald Trump gets into an exchange with CNN reporter Jim Acosta Getty Images US President Donald Trump (R) gets into a heated exchange with CNN chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta AFP/Getty Images President Donald Trump points at CNN's Jim Acosta and accuses him of "fake news" while taking questions during a news conference Reuters A White House staff member steps in to try to take the microphone away from CNN's Jim Acosta as he questions U.S. President Donald Trump during a news conference Reuters President Donald Trump watches as a White House aide takes away a microphone from CNN journalist Jim Acosta AP President Donald Trump looks on as a White House aide takes away a microphone from CNN journalist Jim Acosta during a news conference in the East Room of the White House AP US President Donald J. Trump (R) speaks with CNN reporter Jim Acosta (L) during a press conference in the East Room of the White House EPA CNN reporter Jim Acosta (L) holds onto a microphone asn an aide tries to take it away during a press conference with US President Donald J. Trump EPA A Compination of photos showing a White House staff member reaching for the microphone held by CNN's Jim Acosta as he questions U.S. President Donald Trump during a news conference following Tuesday's midterm U.S. congressional elections Reuters US President Donald J. Trump (R) speaks with CNN reporter Jim Acosta (L) during a press conference EPA CNN's Jim Acosta detaches his earphone at the end of a news conference after a tense exchange between Acosta and U.S. President Donald Trump Reuters CNN's Jim Acosta (L) hugs colleague Peter Alexander of NBC after a tense exchange between Acosta and U.S. President Donald Trump Reuters The bust-up began during a 90-minute press conference yesterday when Mr Acosta refused to stop asking questions about the presidents stand on immigration and the inquiry into his campaigns alleged links to Russia. The fiery exchange / AP The female intern tried to grab the microphone from Mr Acosta but was initially rebuffed. Thats enough, thats enough, the president said before telling the correspondent to sit down and put down his microphone. CNN should be ashamed of themselves, having you work for them, he added. I think you should let me run the country, you run CNN and if you did it well, your ratings would be much better. Mr Acosta relinquished the microphone and later filmed an interaction with a White House security guard who confiscated his press pass and refused to allow him entry. In a statement posted on Twitter, Ms Huckabee Sanders alleged the reporter behaved inappropriately. She said the president believes in a free press and expects and welcomes tough questions of him and his Administration. We will, however, never tolerate a reporter placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern The fact that CNN is proud of the way their employee behaved is not only disgusting, its an example of their outrageous disregard for everyone, including young women, who work in this Administration, she added. Ms Sanders later shared zoomed-in footage of the incident, saying the White House will not tolerate the inappropriate behaviour clearly documented in this video. As a result of todays incident, the White House is suspending the hard pass of the reporter involved until further notice. In a statement CNN said: She provided fraudulent accusations and cited an incident that never happened. TODO: define component type apester The network said the presidents ongoing attacks on the press have gone too far. They are not only dangerous, they are disturbingly un-American. The White House Correspondents Association called the decision unacceptable. In a statement, it said: We urge the White House to immediately reverse this weak and misguided action. Mr Acosta had pressed the president over Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation into alleged ties between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin during the 2016 election campaign. Last night, congressional Democrats warned of a constitutional crisis if Mr Trumps axing of Mr Sessions affected the outcome of the Russia inquiry. T he White House has revoked the credential pass of a CNN reporter who engaged in a furious exchange with Donald Trump. Press secretary Sarah Sanders said journalist Jim Acostas access was removed because he put "his hands on a young woman". It comes after he was called a rude, terrible person by the president during a chaotic press conference earlier on Wednesday. Mr Acosta said the claim that he put his hands on the woman, an intern at the White House, at the conference was a lie. The fallout follows a sparring match between Mr Acosta, CNNs White House correspondent, and the US leader when the reporter asked about the migrant caravan. Trump v Acosta - In pictures 1 /14 Trump v Acosta - In pictures President Donald Trump points to CNN's Jim Acosta during a news conference in the East Room of the White House AP CNN correspondent Jim Acosta does a stand up before the daily press briefing at the White House AP U.S. President Donald Trump gets into an exchange with CNN reporter Jim Acosta Getty Images US President Donald Trump (R) gets into a heated exchange with CNN chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta AFP/Getty Images President Donald Trump points at CNN's Jim Acosta and accuses him of "fake news" while taking questions during a news conference Reuters A White House staff member steps in to try to take the microphone away from CNN's Jim Acosta as he questions U.S. President Donald Trump during a news conference Reuters President Donald Trump watches as a White House aide takes away a microphone from CNN journalist Jim Acosta AP President Donald Trump looks on as a White House aide takes away a microphone from CNN journalist Jim Acosta during a news conference in the East Room of the White House AP US President Donald J. Trump (R) speaks with CNN reporter Jim Acosta (L) during a press conference in the East Room of the White House EPA CNN reporter Jim Acosta (L) holds onto a microphone asn an aide tries to take it away during a press conference with US President Donald J. Trump EPA A Compination of photos showing a White House staff member reaching for the microphone held by CNN's Jim Acosta as he questions U.S. President Donald Trump during a news conference following Tuesday's midterm U.S. congressional elections Reuters US President Donald J. Trump (R) speaks with CNN reporter Jim Acosta (L) during a press conference EPA CNN's Jim Acosta detaches his earphone at the end of a news conference after a tense exchange between Acosta and U.S. President Donald Trump Reuters CNN's Jim Acosta (L) hugs colleague Peter Alexander of NBC after a tense exchange between Acosta and U.S. President Donald Trump Reuters When Mr Acosta tried to follow up with another question, Mr Trump said: "That's enough!" and a female aide unsuccessfully tried to grab the microphone from the reporter. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders released a statement accusing Mr Acosta of "placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern. Donald Trump points to CNN's Jim Acosta as a White House aide tries to take the microphone from him / AP Mr Acosta later tweeted that Ms Sanders's statement that he put his hands on the aide was "a lie". Journalists assigned to cover the White House apply for passes that allow them daily access to press areas in the West Wing. TODO: define component type apester White House staff decide whether journalists are eligible, though the Secret Service determines whether their applications are approved. The post-midterm election news conference marked a new low in the president's relationship with journalists. "It's such a hostile media," Mr Trump said after ordering reporter April Ryan of the American Urban Radio Networks to sit down when she tried to ask him a question. Donald Trump tells CNN reporter they are a "rude, terrible person" The president complained that the media did not cover the economy and was responsible for much of the country's divided politics. He said: "I can do something fantastic, and they make it look not good." During their exchange, Mr Acosta asked Mr Trump why the caravan of migrants was emphasised as an issue in the just-concluded midterm races. Trump engages in a furious exchange with the reporter / AP Mr Acosta questioned Mr Trump's reference to the caravan as an invasion, and Mr Trump defended the term. "You should let me run the country," Mr Trump said. "You run CNN and if you did it well, your ratings would be much better." After Mr Acosta asked about the investigation of Russia's involvement in the 2016 election, Mr Trump tried to turn to Mr Alexander, but Mr Acosta continued to ask questions. "CNN should be ashamed of itself having you work for them," the president said to Mr Acosta. "You are a rude, terrible person. You shouldn't be working for CNN. The way you treat Sarah Sanders is horrible. The way you treat other people is horrible. You shouldn't treat people that way." Mr Alexander came to his colleague's defence. "I've travelled with him and watched him," he said. "He's a diligent reporter who busts his butt like the rest of us." D avid Schwimmer has been offered $1 million (762,500) to rehash iconic character Ross Geller in Friendsfor a porn parody. The American actor has been propositioned with a starring role in YouPorns X-rated film after he re-enacted his look-alike thief in a hilarious video last month. The organisation sent Schwimmer a letter referencing the hit show and promised a Rachel has been found to star alongside him. It reads: To make everyones dreams come true, we want to bring those talents back to the screen and are offering you a $1 million contract to star in your very own FRIENDS porn parody. Offer: Schwimmer was made an official offer by the organisation / NBC via Getty Images We know its not the silver screen, but we already have a Rachel on board and think its the perfect PIVOT! in your career. Well even let you wear those leather pants again! A representative for Schwimmer declined to comment. Cast: David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston and Matt LeBlanc / Robert Mora/Getty Images The offer comes after the 52-year-old hilariously responded to police-issued CCTV footage of a man who looked just like him following a theft in Blackpool. The thief's image sent the Internet into a frenzy with thousands of people spotting his resemblance to the Friends star. The actor somehow spotted the local police report from Blackpool before comically clearing his name by posing as his doppelganger to recreate the police image of the suspected thief. Filmed in a US shop, Schwimmer mimics carrying beer and looking into the camera. He tweeted: Officers, I swear it wasn't me. As you can see, I was in New York. E ddie Redmayne, Jude Law and Ezra Miller all joined J.K Rowling on the red carpet for the world premiere of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. The long-awaited second instalment of the Harry Potter spin-off had its star-studded debut screening on Thursday evening at the UGC Cine Cite Bercy in Paris. Redmayne, who posed for pictures with his wife Hannah, praised the films extraordinary thriller quality as he joined his fellow cast members up on stage just before the showing. The lead actor, who plays Newt Scamander, teased that the new movie also has joy and romance bound up in it, with a hint of comedy. Couple: Eddie Redmayne and his wife Hannah stunned on the Paris carpet / Getty Images Law hinted that fans of the Harry Potter franchise will be especially invested in the latest film because of the two worlds suddenly linking. In a red carpet interview, the actor said: I felt an incredible pressure to the wizarding world but its a wonderful character to work on. Lots of layers. Dumbledore: Jude Law plays the wizard in the film / REUTERS We get to see how Dumbledore deals with his backstory. I got to go back and layer up his complexities. I worked a little bit on my magic only to be told that the magic was done by other people! Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald - Trailer Award-winning author Rowling also joined the stars on stage, addressing the excited crowd in French and explaining how her student year in Paris helped create the setting as she found the French capital incredible and moving. The final trailer for the film arrived last month and gave fans their final taster of Law and Redmaynes characters taking on Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald, played by Johnny Depp who did not attend the premiere. L ittle Mix have compared themselves to Olympic athletes in a bid to shut down critics of their on-stage outfits. Speaking to Attitude magazine, Nelson said: You should be able to be whatever kind of woman you want to be. You should be able to wear what you bloody want to wear and rock it with confidence. As long as you feel good about yourself, thats all that matters. It just annoys me. Well wear a leotard and theyre like [pulls a face]. Power: Little Mix branded themselves as feminists / Getty Images But Im thinking, do you say that to the people at the Olympics that theyre too provocative? No, you dont, but because were dancing, Oh, youre too sexy! Fellow bandmate Thirlwall added that the group pride themselves on being feminists. No way: The group told how they don't care what people say / Getty Images She said: Being a feminist doesn't mean you have to wear a polo-neck jumper and a pair of trousers. Anyone can be feminist. Feminism is just believing in equality. Attitude: Nelson donned her cover / Zoe McConnell Speaking as they collected Best British Group at the Global Awards, Thirlwall said: Its obviously quite hard for women in the music industry its also hard for girl groups. As a girl band, and as women, we do face a lot of scrutiny all the time whether its for the way we look, how much thigh we get out, how we dance, what we sing about and we just want to say that although one day we hope that does stop, right now were really not a**** what people think! We are women, well dress how we want to dress, if we want to do a twerk, well do a twerk! Attitude magazine is available in print and digital now. S tormzy has accused Oxford University of allegedly rejecting his offer to fund two scholarships for black British students. The Big For Your Boots rapper claimed his proposal, which has since been accepted by the University of Cambridge, was shut down by the prestigious institution. We tried Oxford," he told the audience at the launch of his debut book Rise Up: The #Merky Story So Far. But they didnt want to get involved. Labour MP David Lammy expressed his outrage on social media over the revelation. He wrote: Stormzy: Can I sponsor some Scholarships for Black students who get the grades for Oxford? Oxford: Get Lost, Stormzy. Why would you look a gift horse in the mouth @UniofOxford? Must be getting too big for your boots. A spokesperson from the University of Oxford told Standard Online: "Oxford University is committed to widening access and participation for all students from under-represented backgrounds. We admire Stormzys commitment to inspire and support black students to succeed in higher education. "We have not received or turned down any offer or proposal to fund undergraduate scholarships at Oxford. We have contacted to Stormzys representatives today to clarify we would welcome the opportunity to work together on inspiring students from African-Caribbean heritage to study at Oxford. The Stormzy Scholarship was unveiled on A-Level results day by the rapper and pays the tuition fees of two students wanting to study at the University of Cambridge. Stormzy offers scholarships to black students to go to Cambridge or Oxford University It also provides a maintenance grant for a four-year undergraduate course this year and in 2019. Opening up on why he wanted to launch the scheme, Stormzy revealed that he had a desire to find the genius and incredible minds within the badly behaved kids. He said: That is something I take personal pride in. I am always very inspired by that genius and people who are smarter than me. T heres been a rise in Chinese tech companies coming to the UK and dominating the space, such as Huawei, Honor and OnePlus. The latest tech brand that hopes to make its mark? Xiaomi. Pronounced Shiao-mi, the company makes stellar smartphones and other tech products at affordable prices, and is finally launching in the UK this week. As well as selling products online through Mi.com, the first UK Mi Store is set to open at Westfield Shepherds Bush on November 18. The UK has already been an industry leader in different areas and the most important thing for us is we want to come to the UK and make friends, Xiaomis UK sales and marketing director, Wilkin Lee, told the Standard. With our brand's mission of bringing innovation to everyone, thats the key aspect of why we're here. Heres what you need to know about Xiaomi... How Xiaomi got started The company started eight years ago in 2010 by Lei Jun, now Xiaomis CEO, who wanted to create a new type of internet company. It started out by making its own software for Android phones, named a skin, whereby a manufacturer takes all the Android features and turns it into something a bit different to work with their devices. Xiaomis MUI software was one of the first Android skins, and its paved the way for the likes of OnePluss OxygenOS and Huaweis EMUI OS. It all started with smartphones A year later, Xiaomi launched its first phone, named Mi Phone. It took China by storm due to its extremely affordable price tag alongside the inclusion of high-end features like Qualcomms processors. Now, Xiaomi is the fourth biggest smartphone maker in the world, just behind Samsung, Huawei, and Apple in Counterpoints global shipments rankings. Xiaomi will be launching the Mi 8 Pro in the UK but the company isnt just about smartphones - it creates other tech gadgets too. Xiaomi is launching the Mi 8 Pro in the UK / Xiaomi Xiaomi is made up of more than 200 companies Xiaomi is more an ecosystem than one singular company. As Xiaomi, it makes products such as smartphones, tablets, TV and set-top boxes, routers and laptops. However, companies in the Xiaomi ecosystem, of which there are more than 200, make thousands of products bearing the Xiaomi brand. This includes products such as air purifiers, wearables like the MiBand, and electric toothbrushes. One of the companies, Ninebot, bought out Segway. These start-ups will focus on creating one product only, using the Xiaomi brand and supply chain, to deliver these different devices at low prices. The worlds largest IoT platform Thanks to Xiaomis ecosystem, the company has the worlds largest Internet of Things (IoT) platform. Xiaomi says IoT devices are much bigger in China, where people have been using products including smart lightbulbs, thermostats and air conditioners for years. The edge Xiaomi has over other IoT companies is the price. Smart lightbulbs from Xiaomi are a lot cheaper than from its competitors, to make the smart home more affordable. Because the ecosystem has so many companies making all these products, theyre so connectable, explains Lee. They work on both iOS and Android, theyre user-friendly, and it makes it so much easier to integrate into our lives. Xiaomi is all about the fans One area where Xiaomi excels is its fan community. It has fan groups all over the world, who are involved in feedback programmes, offering advice on updates to Xiaomi products. The company also holds offline events at its global stores that bring together like-minded Mi fans focusing on areas such as photography or cars. Previously, UK Xiaomi fans have had to import products from China, paying import fees and waiting weeks for them to arrive. We held our first fan event two weeks ago and there were already so many UK Mi fans there who have been buying Mi products. One guy told me he had 20 ecosystem products in his home already, explained Lee. They said they were just so excited [to have Xiaomi in the UK] because they are going to have all the UK support and warranty, the store, and they dont have to wait for super long shipping times. Countries & Areas Search for country or area A Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan B Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burma Burundi C Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Costa Rica Cote dIvoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czechia D Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic E Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia F Fiji Finland France G Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana H Haiti Holy See Honduras Hungary I Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy J Jamaica Japan Jordan K Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan L Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg M Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique N Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea North Macedonia Norway O Oman P Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territories Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Q Qatar R Republic of the Congo Romania Russia Rwanda S Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria T Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu U Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Uruguay Uzbekistan V Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Y Yemen Z Zambia Zimbabwe The Romanian and Canadian Ministers of Defence, Mihai Fifor and Harjit Singh Sajjan, on Friday will pay a visit to the 57th Air Base Mihail Kogalniceanu, on which occasion they will meet with the troops of the Canadian detachment deployed in Romania for conducting Enhanced Air Policing missions, as well as with the Romanian Air Forces personnel working at the 57th Air Base. "The Canadian detachment, made of 135 troops (pilots and technical staff) and CF - 188 Hornet aircraft, is conducting, alongside the MiG-21 LanceR and the troops of the Romanian Air Forces, Enhanced Air Policing missions under NATO command," reads a release of the National Ministry of Defence (MApN) sent to AGERPRES. The Air Policing missions carried out jointly contribute to the development of the response and deterrence capability and, as well as the strengthening of the inter-operability of the Romanian Air Forces and Canadian Royal Air Forces. AGERPRES . The Senate President, Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, indirectly received, 2007 to 2008, when he was prime minister, material benefits worth US about 800,000 dollars from an Austrian company, the National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) shows in a reply sent to AGERPRES. "The prosecutors are conducting an investigation aimed at suspicions in relation to corruption offences having been committed regarding the cover-up of certain electoral campaign expenses with sums of money from a company that would have obtained important commercial contracts from the Romanian state. The case was set up in 2018, when three criminal cases were brought together, of which one was taken over by the DNA prosecutors at the request of the Austrian judicial authorities. Specifically, a dignitary would have indirectly received between 2007 and 2008 material benefits amounting to approximately 800,000 US dollars from the representatives of an Austrian company in exchange for the steps taken by the former in the exercise of his position, so that more additional acts be concluded to a commercial contract conducted by the company. The amount would represent a commission of 10 percent of the value of these additional documents and would have been used for the benefit of the dignitary, being transferred under fictitious contracts concluded with several offshore companies," reads the reply sent upon AGERPRES's request. DNA maintains that prosecution is being carried out in this case against other persons for committing the offense of complicity to bribery, and as far as Tariceanu is concerned, in accordance with the legal and constitutional provisions, conducting the criminal prosecution for the offence of bribery is conditioned by an opinion from the Senate being obtained.In this regard, the Chief Prosecutor of the DNA sent to the Prosecutor General the necessary documents for the notification of the Senate that is due to decide.DNA further affirms that the opinion requested for Tariceanu is necessary for the prosecution to be fully conducted and to give him the opportunity to formulate his defense in a legal framework. The 25th edition of the Gaudeamus International Book Fair, running November 14 - 18 at Bucharest's Romexpo Central Pavilion, will host more than 300 exhibitors and about 900 editorial and professional events, all under the overarching 'Romania Centennial' theme. Romanian publishing houses with long-standing tradition, educational institutions, distributors of books and publications, educational game producers and distributors, professional associations and organizations with activities in the fields of culture and education will be present at Gaudeamus. According to the President and CEO of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation (SRR) Georgica Severin, this year the event unfolds under the auspices of the Government, in a highly significant celebratory context: the Greater Union and WWI Centennial, 90 years since Radio Romania first went on air, making it one of Europe's oldest radio stations, and 25 editions of the Gaudeamus Fair - with a bunch of events and special projects designed to mark the moment. The official opening of the fair, having the head of the Romanian Academy, Academician Ioan - Aurel Pop as honorary president, will take place on Wednesday, November 14, at noon. 'Centennial Romania', the central theme of the edition, will be illustrated through a representative stand showcasing a collection of about 600 volumes dedicated to this historic moment, and about 50 events (book launches and presentations, debates, film screenings, public lectures). The 'Centennial Romania' stand, organized by the Bucharest City Hall through the National Museum of Romanian Literature and the Bucharest City Museum, will give the Gaudeamus Fair visitors the opportunity to meet and talk to some of the most appreciated writers, literary critics and Romanian historians of the moment. Ioan Cristescu, Director General of the National Museum of Romanian Literature, told a press conference that the Gaudeamus stand is the one Romania presented this year at the international fairs in Leipzig and Frankfurt, the brainchild of architect Attila Kim. In his turn, SRR CEO Georgica Severin said that "Romanian culture will be celebrated" at the Gaudeamus 2018 national edition and listed several events on the bill: the "Mircea Nedelciu" National Reading Contest; the "Books Return Home" project; A-grade guests: Romania's Olympiad contestants; Books and Multimedia; the ''Education Exchange', now at the 21st edition; the National Invention Show; the "Gaudeamus 25" and "Romanian Blouse" exhibitions; "Radio Romania 90", "ExpoCalligraphy 2018". The Gaudeamus International Fair is the main component of the Reading Program, a national project initiated by Radio Romania in 1994, to support national culture through exhibition events dedicated to books and education. According to Radio Romania, the record of these 24 years in the service of literature includes 109 fairs organized nationwide (the current edition included), over 2,900,000 visitors and about 12,600 events. AGERPRES . Romania is ranked in the second half of the global ranking Black Friday 2017, with 2.4 pct of the total online searches and a jump of 21 per cent in the search volume on the same day, shows a study conducted by Google, on Thursday sent to AGERPRES. "When it comes to searches on Black Friday, Romania escapes the bottom of the ranking. Our country is positioned in the second half of the ranking, between Poland and Hungary, accounting to 2.4 per cent of the global searches. We are always looking into the previous year's data; we only have the history of the searches to look at. Obviously, the United States of America are very far from us, but Romania is still to be found on a good spot for retailers, considering also the fact that we haven't join the Black Friday phenomenon that long ago. In our region, Romania is very stable, occupying about the same spot every year, with no major fluctuations, with an increase of 21 per cent recorded in 2017 against 2016," explained Oana Dumitrescu, Industry Manager Travel and Retail Google Romania to AGERPRES. According to the research, the online searches recorded a jump of 21 per cent in Romania on Black Friday in 2017 compared with the previous year. At the same time, the tendency to look into the market before the shopping feast in November for choosing the best gift faced a 22 per cent jump year-on-year, while the interest for shopping in the Black Friday weekend recorded a 62 per cent growth. The Google research also showed that Bucharest remains in the top of most online searches on Black Friday (58.9 of the total), followed by Cluj-Napoca (9.5 per cent), Iasi (8.9 per cent), Timisoara (7.7 per cent), Constanta and Brasov (5.4 per cent) and Ploiesti (4.2 per cent). An important aspect highlighted by the study conducted by Google was that 68 per cent of the searches on the Internet including "Black Friday" are done on mobile phones or tablets. The Google Romania study showed that, in general, last year, in Romania, the most searched for products during the Black Friday were: the telephones, TV sets, iPhones, watches and furniture pieces. According to the official data, the sales achieved during the main Black Friday promotional campaign reached approximately 200 million euros in 2017, representing approximately 7 per cent of the sales achieved during the entire year. "Black Friday" was organised in Romania for the first time in 2011 and 2015 was the year when the online sales have exceeded for the first time the traditional ones, the value of acquisitions online exceeding 100 million euros. AGERPRES . Private health service provider MedLife closed the first 9 months of 2018 with a pro forma turnover of 606.16 million lei, up 32 percent YoY; for 2019 the group management expects the figure to exceed 200 million euro, the company said in a release on Thursday. Based on an exchange rate of 4.6617 lei / euro, MedLife's three-quarter turnover amounts to approximately 130 million euro. The clinics and hospitals were the most dynamic, with these business segments recording a YoY growth of 49 percent and 45 percent, respectively, followed by laboratories and the corporate division, with 21 percent and 19 percent. According to company representatives, the results are in line with initial estimates and significantly above the market's growth rate. "We closed the first nine months of 2018 with very good results, which reflect the consolidated development and expansion strategy. In addition to the projects announced for H1, we opened the first one-stop clinic in Oradea this autumn, we are currently present in this city with a medical laboratory, a large clinic and the Transylvania Imaging Center, the result of a takeover. Following the completion of this project, MedLife becomes the only medical operator present with large clinics in all the cities with a population higher than 150,000. No other medical operator is present in at least 10 county seats with such units as MedLife," said MedLife Group president and CEO Mihai Marcu. In the next period, MedLife Group will continue greenfield projects, and plans to develop new business lines and pursue its takeover strategy. The company also intends to develop the second brand - 'Sfanta Maria', but also expand other acquired companies. "Chances are that at the end of 2019, provided that we are able to complete our takeover projects, we will become the first medical service company in Romania to top the 200-ml euro turnover line. MedLife Group will place a strong emphasis on digital infrastructure, second opinion at national level and the development of centers of excellence in the 10 hospitals for several specialties such as neurosurgery, cardiac surgery, abdominal wall surgery, gynecology and sports traumatology," said the MedLife Group CEO. MedLife operates the widest network of clinics, one of the country's major networks of medical laboratories, general and specialized hospitals, and has the largest customer base for Health Prevention Packages in the country. MedLife SA shares are traded on the regulated spot market managed by the Bucharest Stock Exchange. Since 2009 MedLife has opened or acquired 83 medical facilities. AGERPRES . Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) chairman Kelemen Hunor said at the European People's Party (EPP) Congress in Helsinki that a strong European Union is needed in a global competition because the member states can only be successful together, and the European Union "needs to be rethought and strengthened," informs an UDMR press release issued for AGERPRES on Wednesday. "The EPP Congress is an excellent time to talk about the preparations for the European Parliament elections, but also to set out important details about the reforms that will mark the direction ahead for the European political formation," the UDMR leader said, according to the said release. The continent is facing problems, and if it does not find the right answers for them, then it will certainly fail in the competition with the United States, Russia and China, Kelemen Hunor said.The UDMR leader argues that "a correction is always necessary, and the European Union needs to be rethought and strengthened so that its citizens feel closer and safer.""An equally important stake for the EPP Congress is who will be the candidate of the European People's Party for the European Commission presidency. UDMR supports Manfred Weber's candidacy, but that does not mean that the other candidate's vision, Alexander Stubb, on national minorities is not convincing. UDMR had a bilateral meeting with Stubb, at his request, on Wednesday. However, we believe that Manfred Weber is the politician representing the centre orientation of the European People's Party and is capable to unite all the EPP member organizations and member parties, and also has the ability to coordinate the European Union's reform," the press release reads.According to the quoted source, the UDMR delegation met with Dara Murphy, EPP campaign leader, on Tuesday. During the meeting, issues related to the campaign for the European Parliament elections were addressed. UDMR representatives said that over the next 27 weeks, they will inform the Hungarian community about the importance and benefits of the European Union, but also about the problems faced by the EU and the solutions that need to be identified. The two sides expressed their conviction that, through a strong electoral campaign, the EPP will remain the strongest party in the European Parliament in the next term.The EU delegation also met with Navracsics Tibor, the European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sports, with whom they analyzed the situation of the Hungarian education in Romania.On Thursday, the UDMR delegation will meet Phil Hogan, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development. An important part of the Hungarian community in Transylvania lives in rural areas, and agricultural subsidies have meant a substantial additional income, which, in the opinion of Kelemen Hunor, should be further increased. UDMR representatives have also drawn attention to the fact that the alignment of the rural environment to the European standards and the modernization of agriculture are essential priorities for the Hungarians in Romania, the UDMR release also mentions. President Klaus Iohannis will carry out an official visit, next Wednesday, to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, context in which he will meet with British Prime Minister Theresa May and will participate in the reception and state dinner organized for the occasion of Prince Charles's 70th birthday. According to a press release of the Presidential Administration, the topics that will be tackled during the meeting between president Iohannis and Prime Minister Theresa May will aim the bilateral relations, the state of negotiations on Brexit, the priorities of Romania's presidency of the Council of the European Union, cooperation in security and defence, as well as the regional agenda. Klaus Iohannis will attend, following the invitation of Queen Elisabeth the Second of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the reception and state dinner honoring the 70th birthday of the Prince of Wales. President Klaus Iohannis signed on Thursday decrees promulgating laws ratifying agreements. Among the promulgated laws is a law ratifying the Agreement between the Government of Romania and the Government of the Republic of Serbia on defence cooperation, signed in Belgrade on December 4, 2017 and the Law ratifying the Agreement between the Government of Romania and the Government of the Lebanese Republic on defence co-operation, signed in Bucharest on November 27, 2017. President Iohannis also signed a decree promulgating a law ratifying the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and Armenia, of the other part, of the other part, signed in Brussels, November 24, 2017. AGERPRES . Former Prime Minister Victor Ponta, leader of Pro Romania, considers that "a destruction" of justice is currently taking place and it would take several years to fix it, and the "chaos" is produced by criminals and people who do not have thorough legal studies. "This destruction of Justice carried out in 2018 will greatly cost us, those who wish to keep on living in Romania (and not in Brazil or Costa Rica). We will need several years to repair what we have ruined now!" Victor Ponta wrote on Facebook. He specified that he is a graduate of the Bucharest Faculty of Law, was a magistrate, lawyer and deputy, member in the Judiciary Committee, but he does not understand "a thing" from the way the laws are being made and applied in 2018 in Romania."Justice is a part of the public mechanisms without which no society can ever function. There are justice systems more or less efficient, more or less democratic, more or less independent or not. But such chaos like the one produced in 2018 in Romania is without precedent," the former Prime Minister said.In order to support this statement, Ponta explained that the Government amended through emergency ordinances the Justice laws, "made in Parliament for one year," that the Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) and the judges of the Supreme Court "are wrongly applying a law ever since 2014 (although in the CCR, from the 9 current members, only one was a judge) or that the Justice minister and the Prosecutor General "smear each other on television, on Facebook and directly in CSM [the Superior Council of Magistrates, ed.n.]."Furthermore, Victor Ponta made reference to the fact that both the European Commission and the Venice Committee have transmitted to the Bucharest authorities that they are wrong regarding the Justice laws, "and, still, the "Iordache" Committee shows contempt and says that they know best."Ponta said that the "chaos is premeditated and directed by criminals that want to comfortably get away with the stolen money," but also by people without thorough legal studies.He pointed out that he is not interested in the legal fate of Liviu Dragnea (Social Democratic Party leader, ed.n.), but considers that millions of Romanians that are involved in at least one lawsuit must have faith in Justice."I am not interested in Dragnea's legal fate - he has already proved it, much like Pablo Escobar, that he is far too powerful for our Justice. In the end, Escobar did not end his career on the Court's steps either. But I am thinking that millions of Romanians are involved in at least one lawsuit and they hope to see justice being done - and they need to have faith in Justice!" Ponta said. The European Commission has found that energy producer Complexul Energetic Hunedoara (CE Hunedoara) received around 60 million euros of incompatible state aid from Romania through four publicly financed loans, according to the European Commission Representation in Bucharest. "Romania now needs to recover the illegal aid plus interest," reads a press statement released by the representation office on Thursday. Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said: "A government can support a company in financial difficulty if the company has a sound restructuring plan, contributes to the cost of its restructuring and competition distortions are limited. In the case of CE Hunedoara these conditions were not met - we found that the public loans granted by Romania to CE Hunedoara gave the company an unfair economic advantage. This means that the state aid was illegal. Now Romania needs to recover the illegal aid that was granted to the company." On April 21, 2015, the Commission approved under EU state aid rules temporary rescue aid of 37.7 million euros (167 million lei) to Complexul Energetic Hunedoara (CE Hunedoara), a Romanian state-owned electricity and heat producer. "In the context of this decision, Romania committed to submit a restructuring plan aimed at ensuring the future viability of CE Hunedoara, should the company be unable to pay back the rescue aid in six months' time. Following the non-repayment of the rescue aid by CE Hunedoara and in the absence of a credible restructuring plan or any real steps towards the liquidation of the company, in March 2018, the Commission opened an in-depth investigation." During the investigation, the Commission assessed whether five publicly financed or supported loans granted to CE Hunedoara were in line with EU state aid rules. Together, the loans amounted to approximately 73 million euros (337 million lei) as of June 30, 2016. "The Commission concluded that four of the five loans, totalling around 60 million euros plus interest, are incompatible with EU state aid rules and need to be recovered by Romania. The fifth loan constitutes existing aid granted before Romania's accession to the EU and therefore does not need to be recovered." The European Commission is fully committed to support Romania in its efforts to reform the energy sector while addressing the socio-economic consequences of the energy transition, according to the press statement. The Initiative for Coal Regions in Transition, launched in December 2017 as part of the "Clean Energy for all Europeans" Package, is designed to facilitate a fair transition in the EU's coal regions. CE Hunedoara currently owes 547 million euros to various Romanian state bodies, including the five loans subject to the State aid investigation concluded today. The company, which employs around 6,500 people, has been loss-making since 2013 and entered temporarily into formal insolvency proceedings under Romanian law, which have been suspended since January 2016. AGERPRES . Romania's short-term objectives are to join the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), acquire the emerging market status and enter the Schengen area, measures that will ensure the rapid development of the Romanian economy, Minister of Public Finance Eugen Teodorovici said in a meeting with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation headed by Jaewoo Lee, the chief of the mission for Romania and Bulgaria, informs a Ministry of Finance release for AGERPRES. On Wednesday's meeting, the main topics tackled were the prospects for economic development, the plans to modernize revenue management and corporate governance. The IMF's mission in Bucharest is taking place 6 to 12 November with talks with the Romanian authorities being due to revolve around the 2018 budget execution, the macroeconomic outlook, the budget plans for 2019 and the progress on structural reforms.IMF Resident Representative for Romania and Bulgaria Alejandro Hajdenberg recently said that the visit of the international financial institution's team will also be used as preparation for the Article IV consultation mission to be held early next year.Currently, Romania does not have a financing agreement with the International Monetary Fund, but the financial institution assesses annually the evolution of the Romanian economy, based on the consultations on Article IV.In its latest World Economic Outlook, published in early October, the IMF revised downwards the estimates of the Romanian economy, both for this year and for next year after a moderation of the stimuli that led to the robust growth of 2017.In April, the IMF estimated that in 2018 Malta and Romania will record the largest economic growth in Europe of 5.7pct and 5.1pct, respectively, but in the report published in October, the international financial institution revised downwards to 4pct the forecasts on the advance of the Romanian economy, predicting that in 2019 Romania will register an economic growth of 3.4pct, by 0.1 percentage points less than estimated in April. Speaker of the Deputies' Chamber and Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) Liviu Dragnea stated on Thursday that he doesn't know what is included in Senate President Calin Popescu-Tariceanu's case, but noted in this regard the existence of "some odd coincidences." "I don't know what is in the case and I have no way of knowing it, I haven't seen other pieces of information. All I can say is that I find some odd coincidences. Just yesterday, [...] Mr Tariceanu, who was supposed to go to the ALDE [the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats] Party Congress, an important political event for the ALDE of Romania, even yesterday evening when this request popped-up. I find it to be a coincidence. Moreover, also a coincidence seems to be that it emerged in the aftermath which was ultra-announced and shouted out by the PNL [the National Liberal Party], that wants to lodge a censure motion. I no longer believe in coincidences, it's been a while since I believed in such demarches that are very close to the unfolding of some political events, strictly political and, for this reason, I personally am reserved. But, not knowing all the content of the case, for now I cannot make any other comments," Dragnea stated at the Palace of Parliament. President of the Senate Calin Popescu-Tariceanu canceled on Thursday his official visit to Madrid, where he was to attend the ALDE European Congress (the ALDE Party Congress), according to some sources. The ALDE Party Congress is scheduled to take place between 8 and 10 November. The National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) argues that Senate President Calin Popescu-Tariceanu would have received indirectly, between 2007-2008, back when he was in the Prime Minister office, benefits worth approximately 800,000 US dollars from an Austrian company. Calin Popescu-Tariceanu stated on Wednesday that the Government didn't make any payments for the Microsoft licenses during his Prime Minister tenure, mentioning that he had not received any official communication regarding the commencement of criminal prosecution in a DNA case targeting him. After the DNA request is presented to the Standing Bureau of the Senate, it will be forwarded to the Judicial Committee, in view of issuing an opinion which will be sent to the plenary sitting, the body who is entitled to accept or reject the request. AGERPRES . Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR) leader Kelemen Hunor on Thursday stated that Manfred Weber, designated candidate on behalf of the EPP to the presidency of the European Commission, is the most credible candidate to support the case of the citizens belonging to the national minorities and voiced his conviction that he will make all efforts to reduce the existing gap between Eastern and Western Europe. "We voted today for the 50 million European citizens who belong to the national minorities communities to have a strong voice in the election campaign for the elections to the European Parliament. Manfred Weber is the most credible candidate to support our cause, the politician who represents the centre orientation of the European People's Party and is capable of uniting all the organisations and parties members of the EPP. We are convinced that, as President of the European Commission, he will make all the efforts to reduce the existing gap between Eastern and Western Europe," read the message sent by the UMDR leader, Kelemen Hunor. He also specified that "Transylvania can only develop in a strong European Union and Europe will be stronger only if the member states gather their forces and this will be a viable solution to the problems the European citizens are forced to deal with." In the end of his message, Kelemen Hunor congratulated Manfred Weber and wished him further success. The leader of the Union in end-October announced that the UDMR would support Manfred Weber as the main candidate to the presidency of the European Commission, at the EPP Congress in Helsinki. Manfred Weber on Thursday was elected in Helsinki to be the candidate of the European People's Party in the elections to the European Parliament in May 2019, which makes him the favourite German politician candidate for the presidency of the European Commission (2019-2024). AGERPRES . On Oct. 12 CNBC reported that Russia had hit a snag in its development of its hypersonic weapon, because it was at the time unable to find a source for the critical carbon fiber components. The news agency stated that the Pentagon had doubts that the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) existed. Skepticism seems widespread. Some believe that Russias new super weapons are virtual reality, while others think they are mostly hype. In March, the National Interest cited Michael Kofman, a research scientist for the Center for Naval Analyses and a highly respected analyst, who offered his assurances that there was no chance Russia could field its hypervelocity boost-glide weapon by 2019. But history has shown that those who believed it to be just a bluff have been proven wrong. According to recent Russian media reports, the Avangard hypersonic boost-glide system, one of the new super weapons that President Putin mentioned in his address to the Federal Assembly in March, went into production last summer and will be operational with the 13th Strategic Missile Forces division by the end of 2019. It will be deployed near Yasny, a town 502 kilometers (312 mi) southeast of Orenburg in the southern Urals, by the end of 2019. Normally it takes two systems for a regiment to be combat ready by that time, but in this case that number will be increased to six. At least two regiments with six systems each are expected to be battle-ready by 2027. According to the state armaments program (GPV2027), twelve UR-100UTTKh (NATO: SS-19 Stiletto) missiles will be integrated into the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicles (HGVs). The deployment of the HGV might begin without additional flight tests. Eventually, the Sarmat RS-28 ICBM could be used to deliver the Avangard, potentially carrying a single, massive thermonuclear warhead with a yield exceeding two megatons. The boost-glide weapon can fly at speeds of over Mach 20 or about 15,300 miles per hour (four miles per second). It could reach Washington in 15 minutes even if launched from Russia. There is no way to intercept it, as it moves in a cloud of plasma "like a meteorite." The weapon is distinctive for its ability to withstand extreme heat during the final phase of its trajectory thanks to its heat-resistant titanium casing. Its in-flight temperature reaches 1,600-2,000 Celsius. It is impossible to predict the direction of its approach. Installed on the 200-ton Sarmat, the Avangard could be sent into the desired orbit at an altitude of 100 km from Earth using a pre-booster, gliding to its target at a speed of Mach 20 (5-7 km/s) while maneuvering with the help of stabilizers. It can make rapid course changes in the atmosphere. Its signatures are quite different from those of traditional ICBMs. Advanced countermeasure systems increase its ability to penetrate missile defenses. The Avangard is the first HGV in the world to have gone into production, as well as the first to travel at great altitude in the dense layers of the atmosphere while deftly maneuvering. According to General John Hyten, head of US Strategic Command, We don't have any defense that could deny the employment of such a weapon against us. Serial production of Sarmat ICBMs is scheduled to begin in 2021. The UR-100N UTTKn and the Sarmat could carry multiple Avangard glide vehicles. Other ICBNs, such as the RS-24 Yars and RS-26 Rubezh, can potentially accommodate smaller Avangard-type vehicles should the New START Treaty not be extended. The tempo of the glide vehicles deployment and modernization can be expedited depending on the progress of the talks with the United States on strategic nuclear arms. Since its trajectory renders the Avangard immune to missile-defense systems, the HGV will become a powerful argument that can be wielded at that round table. Long-range, high-precision hypersonic glide vehicles can be used in conventional conflicts to deliver prompt global strikes, including against those enemies who possess the air- and missile-defense capabilities to counter aerial targets, cruise missiles, and smaller- and medium-range ballistic missiles. The conventional Avangard can be used with the same efficiency as nuclear delivery vehicles, thus making escalation to a nuclear phase unnecessary under certain circumstances. The HGV does not violate the New START Treaty or any other international agreement. The announcement of the plans to field the HGV as early as next year prove that Russia was not bluffing. This game-changing weapon not only exists, but is already in production. This is a slam dunk for the Russian defense industry and for those scholars who managed to solve the problem of how to tolerate immense heat during hypersonic flight. The US will have to play catch-up. Photo: Russian Defense Ministry On November 5 yet another US soldier was killed by a member of Afghanistans military forces, as the country continues to be wracked by violence in its seventeenth year of war. Donald Rumsfeld was US Secretary for Defence from 2001 to 2006 under President George W Bush. They, along with other psychotic figures such as Vice-President Dick Cheney, were responsible for the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, and their legacy is apparent in many spheres, one of which is the drug production bonanza in Afghanistan. s In August 2004 NBC News reported Secretary Rumsfeld as declaring The danger a large drug trade poses in Afghanistan is too serious to ignore. The inevitable result is to corrupt the government and way of life, and that would be most unfortunate. He issued the warning that It is increasingly clear to the international community that to address the drug problem here is important for the people of Afghanistan. Rumsfeld, for once during his catastrophic years as chief war-maker, was absolutely right, and his pronouncement about likely danger and impending corruption was spot on. The US invasion and subsequent operations led to Afghanistan becoming the fourth most dangerous and fourth most corrupt country in the world. The drug problem to which he referred has expanded rapidly over the years. It is destroying Afghanistan. It is a main reason for the place being ungovernable. Its all very well to blame Afghans for growing poppies and producing opium and heroin, but what they are doing is meeting international demand. After all, there would be no drug industry in Afghanistan if there wasnt a welcoming market in the drug-loving prosperous West although it has to be noted that only about four per cent of its massive narcotics production ends up in the US, which gets most of its heroin from South America. Mr John Sopko, the US Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction (SIGAR), has just produced his latest quarterly report for the US Congress in which he observes that From 2002 through September 2018, the United States has committed an average of more than $1.5 million a day to help the Afghan government combat narcotics. Despite this, 2017 poppy cultivation is more than four times that reported by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime for 2002, the first full year of US intervention in Afghanistan, so there is small wonder that the country is the largest source of street heroin in Europe and Canada. Mr Sopko observed that efforts to combat drugs have cost US taxpayers more than $8 billion since 2002, yet Afghanistans opium crisis is worse than ever, and the increase in the area and quantity of poppy cultivation has been impressive and depressing. Washington is well aware of the shattering effects of Afghan drug production, but the SIGAR writes that counternarcotics seems to have fallen completely off the US agenda. The State Departments new Integrated Country Strategy for Afghanistan no longer includes counternarcotics as a priority, but instead subsumes the issue into general operations. Meanwhile, the US military says it has no counternarcotics mission in Afghanistan, and USAID says it will not plan, design, or implement new programs to address opium-poppy cultivation. It is amazing that The US military says it has no counternarcotics mission in Afghanistan. What happened to the campaign against drug processing that began in November 2017 when US and Afghan forces launched a series of attacks on narcotics laboratories in southern Afghanistan? The massive aerial bombardment of ten drug-processing laboratories included strikes by some Afghan air force Tucano aircraft, but the main assault was by the US Air Force which for the first time in Afghanistan used its F-22 Raptor aircraft, flown from the United Arab Emirates. B-52 strategic nuclear bombers based in Qatar attacked targets, and F-16s joined in from the Bagram base near Kabul. The operation also involved KC-10 and KC-135 refuellers, every surveillance means that could be deployed, and command and control aircraft. This was a major and very expensive operation. The commander of foreign forces in Afghanistan, US General John Nicholson, told a news conference We hit the labs where they turned poppy into heroin. We hit their storage facilities where they kept their final products, where they stockpiled their money and their command and control. Not only that, but The strikes that were prosecuted last night will continue This is going to be steady pressure that's going to stay up and we are not going to let up. He said the Drug Enforcement Administration estimates there are 400 to 500 opium laboratories across Afghanistan. So after that first attack in November 2017 there were ten down and about 400 to go. But SIGAR tells us in October 2018 that the US military says it has no counternarcotics mission in Afghanistan. Why? There is nobody better placed to explain this than Mr Sopko, who had already observed that the Pentagons airstrike campaign against drug laboratories might not have the intended effect, as its longer-term impact on narcotics remains uncertain. Not only this, but there is also the risk that air strikes could result in civilian deaths, alienate rural populations, and strengthen the insurgency. He was right on the button, because, as reported by The Washington Post, in January to June 2018 the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan documented 353 civilian casualties, including 149 deaths, from airstrikes, a 52 percent increase from the same period in 2017. There is no doubt that these casualties alienate the rural population, given the example of one strike in July 2018 when the New York Times wrote that Fourteen members of a family, including three small children, were killed when an American airstrike destroyed their home, several Afghan officials confirmed on [July 20]. In what has become a familiar litany, particularly in Taliban-dominated Kunduz Province, Afghan and American officials had initially denied that any civilians had been killed in the strike . . . claiming the victims were Taliban fighters. Then 11 bodies belonging to women and children appeared at the hospital in Kunduz City, about four miles from the site of the attack in Chardara District. The Taliban do not have women fighters and the children were very young. Time after time the US-NATO and Afghan authorities initially deny that there have been civilian deaths or casualties caused by airstrikes and are then found to be disguising the truth because there can be no denial of facts when shrapnel-ridden bodies of little children are laid out on the ground. Such absurd statements play right into the hands of the militants and, in the predictive words of the SIGAR, strengthen the insurgency. This might explain why the massive and much-publicised air campaign against opium-processing facilities has been abandoned. But what happens now? The US State Department and the Pentagon were told by experts that the narcotics problem was immense. For example, in a speech at Georgetown University in 2014 the SIGAR said: By every conceivable metric, weve failed. Production and cultivation are up, interdiction and eradication are down, financial support to the insurgency is up, and addiction and abuse are at unprecedented levels in Afghanistan. Nothing has changed since then. The 2017 aerial blitz failed utterly, as have so many plans and operations to attempt to reduce narcotics production, and the US-NATO military alliance in Afghanistan continues to flounder in a quagmire of insurgency. The drug catastrophe is plain for all to see, and after seventeen years of war and expenditure of eight billion dollars the illegal narcotics industry is thriving. Can this be indicative of the general level of competence of the US Department of State and the Pentagon? Can they get anything right? PHILIPPINE SEA (Nov. 8, 2018) The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), left, and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopter destroyer JS Hyuga (DDH 181), right, sail in formation with 16 other ships from the U.S. Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force as aircraft from the U.S. Air Force and Japan Air Self-Defense Force fly overhead in formation during Keen Sword 2018. Keen Sword 2018 is a joint, bilateral field-training exercise involving U.S. military and JMSDF personnel, designed to increase combat readiness and interoperability of the Japan-U.S. alliance. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kaila V. Peters 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: The UN has abandoned any hope that the planned elections will take place in December. The UN also admitted the obvious about the Tripoli based GNA (Government of National Accord) it had helped create and long backed. The GNA had lost control over Tripoli as various militias did as they pleased, often with considerable violence. Many of the Tripoli militias are little more than criminal gangs and spending most of their time engaged in criminal acts (theft, kidnapping, extortion and feuding with rivals). Worse the militias were also attacking hospitals, banks and foreign aid efforts. The militias are also cooperating with the people-smuggling gangs which are having a hard time because of pressure from European governments as well as the LNA. The UN helped arrange one more meeting (in Italy) on November 12 between GNA and HoR officials along with other major players (both Libyan and foreign). This is being called a Stabilization Conference and it gives the major players one last chance to work out their differences and cooperate as best they can. Meanwhile, the UN will work with groups in Libya that can effectively implement economic activities and control militia and Islamic terrorist violence. In effect, that means most groups aligned with the HoR and its LNA. The May agreement on December national presidential and parliamentary elections was always considered a risky venture and it was no surprise that it did not come to pass. The main problem was always the militias in and around Tripoli refusing to cooperate. These militias are more concerned with maintaining their own power and income, which would be threatened by a unified government. This is especially true of militias aligned with the GNA government. This is one of the reasons the GNA is the weaker of the two existing national governments, despite occupying Tripoli (the national capital and largest city in the country). While the GNA is based in Tripoli and recognized by the UN it has proved much less capable than its eastern (Tobruk) rival the HoR (House of Representatives). The most obvious sign of GNA decline is its inability to keep the Tripoli airport open. Since late August the airport has been closed most of the time because of rouge militias either attacking the airport with rockets or occupying it. The government finally regained control of the airport by the end of September but was not able to keep the peace. There were growing doubts, especially by the UN, about the GNA ability to maintain control of the airport or Tripoli itself. Without the airport, operational international flights have to land at Misrata (210 kilometers to the east) the third largest city in the country and drive to the capital. The GNA has been trying to reduce violence by appointing more powerful and cooperative militia leaders to senior government posts. That is not lucrative for many militia leaders who are finding it more profitable to get into the oil smuggling business. A growing number of oil tanker trucks can be seen headed for Tunisia. Even that is not enough to keep all the militias solvent and that is driving militia leaders to more desperate measures in order to keep their private armies operational. It was agreements between the GNA and HoR governments that made the December election plan possible but since May the GNA has declined to the point where it can no longer function as a government. The GNA and HoR had agreed to increase their cooperation (already functional enough) to improve the operation of the NOC (National Oil Company) and the CBL (Central Bank of Libya). These two institutions are about the only two that are fully functional and are now looking to the HoR for protection. Actually, the source of protection is the LNA (Libyan National Army) that recognizes the HoR as its political boss. The HoR is not much more effective than the GNA with many of its elected members more interested in themselves than the fate of Libya. Yet some form of security (law and order or a reasonable substitute) is essential because of the relentless efforts by various factions to corrupt the bank or the oil company. Keeping the NOC and SBL going is essential to national survival because without the oil income living standards will plunge to levels that will force much, if not most of the current Libyan population to emigrate or starve. Oil The Giver Of Life Oil production has reached 1.25 million BPD (barrels per day) mainly because most of the major oil fields are now operational. The NOC (National Oil Company) has managed to get all the PDG (Petroleum Defense Guards) under control. This involved convincing local tribes or militias that nearby oil facilities (pumping, pipelines and export terminals) were not an economic opportunity just for them but for the entire country. This reduced the fighting for the right to be highly paid (and often not very reliable) PDG. This problem will only remain solved if there is a national government that can provide law and order. This is crucial because most of the major oil fields were developed and managed by multinational (mainly European nations) efforts and that means there are a lot of foreign workers there, mainly to deal with the high tech stuff. For several years the main source of oil production interruption had been extortionate oil facility guards or other local militia problems. Despite these constant interruptions the NOC has continued to increase production in exports. By the end of 2017 production was about a million BPD. The current goal is to reach 1.6 million BPD by the end of 2019 and 2.1 million BPD by the early 2020s. This is far in excess of pre-2011 levels (1.6 million BPD) but is necessary because of the need to finance reconstruction. The major problem with increasing production is that it attracts more greedy militias seeking to get paid. Fortunately, more Libyans are accepting the fact that unless oil production is left alone the production will decline, as well as national income and Libya will become a nation of paupers. From Russia With Conditions Since early October it has been no secret that several dozen Russian special operations and intel officers are now stationed at bases in eastern Libya (Tobruk and Benghazi). Some of these personnel have been there for over a year but the numbers have recently increased. There are a lot more armed Russians at these two bases but most of them are contractors from the Russian Wagner Group. The contractors concentrate on providing training for LNA men. Russia is also believed to have brought some modern weapons with them, like air defense systems and cruise missiles. The LNA and its commander Khalifa Hiftar have a long relationship with Russia. Hiftar has visited Russia several times seeking more than diplomatic support from Russia. Now Russia is delivering and in return, Hiftar has helped Russia get oilfield exploration, development and management contracts. Russia has also become a major supplier of wheat to Libya, but that probably would have happened anyway because since the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 Russia has resumed its pre-communist status as a major grain exporter. Russian wheat is also cheaper given lower production costs and the poor exchange rate for the Russian currency. November 7, 2018: LNA commander Khalifa Hiftar once more visited Russia, to hold discussions with the Defense Minister and other officials. Hiftar, as well as some Russian observers, are attending the Stabilization Conference in Italy on the 12th. Hiftar has visited Russia several times in the last few years and has a good relationship with the Russians. Because of that Italy had discussed plans for the conference with the Russians and invited them to send observers. November 5, 2018: The UN extended the sanctions on Libya until February 2020. This means it is illegal to send weapons and military equipment to Libya. That happens anyway, mainly for the LNA via Egypt or an airbase run by the UAE. The GNA had pushed for the lifting of sanctions but the UN believed the GNA was too corrupted to import weapons for legitimate reasons. The sanctions also seek to crack down on illegal oil exports. November 4, 2018: In Sabratha (a coastal city 66 kilometers west of Tripoli) fighting local militias and suspected Islamic terrorists has shut down access to the city. Sabratha has long been one of the coastal ports that people smuggling gangs operated from. Local militias sometimes allowed this as long as they got a slice of that income. The militias protected the gangsters moving the illegal migrants to Europe via Libya. Most of the boats loaded with illegal migrants headed for Europe leave from Sabratha and other coastal towns in the area. It costs these illegals thousands of dollars each for the smugglers to get them to the Libyan coast and then on a boat that will get them to Europe or close enough for the EU naval patrol to rescue them and take them the rest of the way. The smuggling gangs took in over a billion dollars from this in 2015 and that kind of income is too attractive to give up without a fight. But since 2017 the LNA, some Sabratha militias and Italy worked to shut down the smugglers. The LNA and its leader general Hiftar had a plan for shutting down all the smuggling gangs and wanted more support from the EU to do the same with the European gangs which control more of this smuggling that the EU would like to admit. Earlier in 2017, Italy took the lead implementing an EU program to organize (and subsidize) a revived Libyan coast guard and paying southern tribes to go after people smugglers. That was the easy part and it soon greatly reduced the flow of illegals to the EU (most of them coming in via Italy). November 2, 2018: The UN, which seeks to keep track of such things, reports that in October eight civilians were killed and two wounded because of militia or Islamic terrorist violence. So far in 2018, about 150 civilians have been killed as a result of fighting in Libya (which now has a population of about six million). There were many more casualties among the military forces (LNA and militias) as well as the few Islamic terror groups still operating. Various surveys indicate that nationwide fewer than 500 civilians died during 2017 from the fighting between militias, Islamic terror groups, criminal gangs and the LNA. The armed men in these groups suffered higher casualties, most of them among the Islamic terror groups, which were considered legitimate targets by everyone. October 29, 2018: In south central Libya (Jufra, 650 kilometers southeast of Tripoli), ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) was believed responsible for an attack on a LNA held town and later a gun battle at an LNA checkpoint. All this left two soldiers and three civilians dead and ten civilians apparently kidnapped. Not much has been seen or heard from local ISIL fighters in the past few months. ISIL has long been operating in the largely desert south, surviving as bandits most of the time. The LNA is tracking them down and destroying them, something no other organization in Libya can do. The LNA is the only government controlled force in the south trying to establish law and order. October 26, 2018: In western Libya (the Egyptian frontier) Egyptian border guards detected, intercepted and seized two four-wheel drive trucks attempting to cross the border via the desert. In the trucks, smugglers had over a ton of illegal drugs and five rifles, ammo and a satellite phone. The primary cargo was the drugs (mainly a million methamphetamine pills and marijuana). Illegal drugs have replaced weapons as the most valuable items smugglers can bring out of Libya. October 24, 2018: Aircraft transponder data revealed that Russian Il-76 and Tu-154 transports are regularly operating from the LNA controlled (and UAE managed) al Kharouba airbase in eastern Libya. These Russian flights often connect with airports in Sudan and the Russian airbase in Syria. The Russian aircraft are moving personnel and cargo. October 21, 2018: The LNA quietly turned over to Egypt the widow of Egyptian Islamic terrorist Omar Rifai Sorour. The widow and her daughters are Egyptian. This was not considered unusual because the LNA has been supported by Egypt for years. Earlier in October LNA forces captured the local ISIL leader, Hesham Ashmwai, along with the widow and two daughters of prominent Egyptian Islamic terrorist leader Omar Rifai Sorour during a raid in northern Libya (Derna). The widow confirmed that her husband had died of wounds suffered from an airstrike in Derna and revealed his burial site. Raids like this are capturing a lot of key Egyptian and Libyan Islamic terrorists or their families and that results in a lot of useful information on past, current and future Islamic terrorist operations in North Africa. This raid was considered a major event because Ashmwai, a former Egyptian special operations officer, had been a notably effective Islamic terrorist leader in Libya and long sought. Ashmwai continued to organize attacks in Egypt after he moved to Libya in 2014 (to recover from wounds). Ashmwai was the most wanted Islamic terrorist in Egypt. Ashmwai agreed to provide LNA interrogators with information on what he knew of current and past Islamic terrorists operations he was involved with. Egypt wants Ashmwai returned to Egypt for interrogation and prosecution. The LNA may have agreed to keep him away from Egypt in return for information. Western or Russian intel agencies would like to have Ashmwai for questioning and that may be how the LNA is keeping Ashmwai out of Egypt without offending the Egyptians unduly. TICKERS: ASM; GV6 Source: James Kwantes for Streetwise Reports (11/8/18) James Kwantes profiles a long-time, stable silver producer with growing deposits in Mexico and a "call option" on high-grade gold in Canada. Long before Hollywood directors made it a favored setting for westerns. . .before Pancho Villa rose from the poverty of a hacienda there to become an important Revolutionary general. . .the Mexican state of Durango was a major center for global silver production. Understanding silver's role in Mexicoformerly part of "New Spain"requires stepping back about 500 years. The precious metal has been mined in Durango since the time of the Spanish conquest, more or less continuously. Silver enriched the Spanish king and bolstered the treasury, helping fund wars against European rivals. It also funded a magnificent cathedral that still stands in the state capital, also named Durango. And coins minted from Mexican silver soon became a global currency. One of the sources of that mineral wealth was Avino, the "mountain of silver" on the eastern flank of the Sierra Madre mountains outside of the city of Durango. It's an ore body now being mined by Vancouver-based Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. (ASM:TSX.V; ASM:NYSE.MKT). Avino produces silver, as well as gold and copper, from two underground mines: the main Avino deposit and San Gonzalo, a small higher-grade deposit about two kilometers away. The metal remains a major export for Mexico, and Avino's silver still makes its way around the world. But these days, it's purchased by a division of Samsung. Samsung C&T purchases all of Avino's production at spot prices and ships it to smelters in Asia. Avino founder Lou Wolfin Avino was founded by current CEO David Wolfin's father Lou Wolfin (above), who in 1968 bought a 49% stake in the mothballed Mexican minewhich had closed in 1912 due to the Mexican Revolution. The joint venture put the mine back into production, and Avino later purchased the remaining stake from the Mexican family that owned it. Avino's 50-year history is one of the features that sets the company apart in a junior mining sector where longevity is typically measured in years, not decades. CEO David Wolfin's roots at Avino run deep, tooas a teenager, he worked in the underground mine. Lou Wolfin, who died on March 3, 2017, at age 85, was an entrepreneur and inventor who showed a willingness to invest where others feared to tread. And although the company founder's path to silver mining in Durango started on Howe Street, it began with a detour through Beverly Hills. That's where the elder Wolfin met Mexican entrepreneur Fernando Ysita at a party in the late 1960s. The chance Hollywood encounter led to forays into Mexico and, eventually, a major investment. Avino purchased a 49-per-cent stake (the maximum allowed) in 1968 when Mexico re-opened to foreign investment. The company later bought the rest of the mine from the Ysita family. Lou Wolfin was a contemporary of Murray Pezim and a bit of a legend in Vancouver business circles. A former stockbroker, Wolfin bought a seat on the Vancouver Stock Exchange in 1960 and later opened a Vancouver brokerage house. His entrepreneurial instincts extended far beyond mininghe owned the patent on holograms and developed a keyless door-lock entry system decades before those became common. But it's in mining that the elder Wolfin's legacy is felt most acutely. He wasn't there to see it, but Avino celebrated its 50-year milestone at the Vancouver Resource and Investment Conference in January. Among those at the party were employees who had been there from the beginning, as well as a contingent from Samsung headquarters in Seoul, South Korea. The Avino mine on the "mountain of silver." I toured the Avino mineswhich also produce gold and copper concentrateson a site visit to Durango late last year. After flying into the state capital of Durango via Mexico City, we shuttled to the Hotel Gobernador, a hacienda that was formerly a state prison (complete with bullet holes on one of the outer walls). Our group, mostly German investors and analysts, was hosted by Avino CEO David Wolfin, COO Carlos Rodrigues and investor relations manager Jennifer North. The mine is about an hour-and-a-half drive through towns and a countryside that looks familiar thanks to westerns such as "How The West Was Won" and "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid." The city of Durango has its own walk of fame featuring Hollywood stars on the sidewalk and several bronze statues including John WayneThe Duke totes a rifle missing its barrel. (John Candy died of a heart attack in the city in 1994 during a break from filming "Wagons East.") At the mine, silver, gold and copper concentrates are processed using a flotation circuit from ore mined at Avino and San Gonzalo. For the last three years, production has held steady at or above the 2.7 million ounces silver-equivalent produced in 2017 (2.68 million AgEq oz in 2016, 3 million AgEq oz in 2015). But a project under construction when I visited and now largely complete should hike that total significantly: the fourth mill circuit. That circuitwith a ball mill purchased from a Quebec mineis now complete and set to process ore in the first quarter of 2019. The circuit is projected to boost capacity by about 70%, to 2,500 tonnes per day. Once the fourth circuit is commissioned, it will process ore from the San Luis (expansion) area of the Avino mine. The fourth circuit at Avino's mill, under construction when I visited, is now complete. Avino announced Q3 2018 production on Oct. 15 and the company's silver-equivalent production dropped by 7% year-over-year, to 704,429 ounces AgEq. Avino produced 342,151 ounces of silver (down 7% YOY), 2,204 ounces of gold (down 18% YOY) and 992,271 pounds of copper (down 10% YOY). The lower production and declining grades are partly because San Gonzalo is reaching the end of its mine life as Avino transitions to San Luis ore. About 90% of Avino's workers live in villages a short drive away from the mine. The local workers have been a constant for the last five centuriesthe jobs pay well and are highly coveted. It's quite a contrast to the fly-in, fly-out contract mining methods at many modern mines. That helps on the community relations front, in addition to Avino's decades-long presence there. The Sinaloa cartel operates in Durango but our group travelled without guards or security, and neither is there a visible security presence at the mine. There are signs of a cartel presence if you pay attention, however, in and around Durango. The police station outside the city is built high on a hill and resembles a fortress. A prison we passed also looked seriously secure. At the mine site, our group of analysts, investors and newsletter writers donned waterproof protective and safety gear and descended into both mines, the temperature rising with each lower level. It was vaguely reminiscent of the silver price, which has fallen more or less consistently and is now stuck under US$15 after running to almost $50 an ounce in April 2011. That's made it tough for silver producers to make money, and Avino is no exception. The company is also in expansion mode; there are exploration drilling projects at both the Avino mine and at the company's Bralorne project in British Columbia. Avino is also investigating the economics of processing oxide tailings at Avino. It all costs money, and Avino recently raised US$4.6 million through the sale of 65-cent (US) units. Each unit consisted of one 65-cent share and a full five-year warrant exercisable at 80 cents. But the financing was announced with the stock at 79 cents US, and the below-market pricing prompted a selloff in the stock. In conjunction with Q3 production numbers, released October 15, Avino announced cost-reduction initiatives (capital, operating and administrative) at its operations in Mexico and British Columbia. There are other examples in Avino's neighbourhood of how silver's struggles have hit other producers. Nearby is Coeur Mining's mothballed Preciosa silver deposit, purchased for $382 million from Orko Silver in 2013. That deal was done with silver at about US$30 an ounce. Growing production from the fourth circuit gives Avino good leverage to rising silver prices. When and if that occurs is anybody's guess, but the silver price has a track record of bouncing hard when it reverses. One measure suggestive of a silver bull market is the gold-silver ratio, which is above 80 and near a historical record. Silver has made outsized returns each time it has reached these levels. Avino also has leverage to gold at Bralorne, its under-the-radar Canadian project. Bralorne is nestled amid rugged mountains in British Columbia's South Chilcotin range. It was the epicenter of a major gold mining camp that produced 4.2 million ounces of gold between 1928 and 1971. The three adjacent minesBralorne, Pioneer and Kingproduced extremely high-grade ore. Average head grades were above 0.5 ounces per tonne, or 14 g/t goldmultiples of global mined grades that are now below 1 g/t Au. Avino's Bralorne project site: July 2018. Bralorne, where Avino is in the middle of a fully funded 28,000-meter drill program, has the potential to become the flagship and a company maker, if things work out. The project already hosts a state-of-the-art water treatment system and dozens of kilometers of underground workings as well as brand-new mining equipment. The latter equipmentincluding two scoop trams and a jumbo drillwas purchased as part of a prior plan to start small and ramp up production. The company now plans to focus on expanding the historical resource before starting up a larger mine. As with Avino, Lou Wolfin played a key role in securing the property, including the historical mine workings. Wolfin bought the Bralorne-Pioneer Mines from Homestake and brought it into Avino in 1990. He got Bralorne running at 100 tonnes per day (in a separate company) but the mine shut down due to low silver prices. Bralorne was brought back into Avino in 2014. Avino funded the drill program through a $6-million flow-through financing priced at $2.00 (Cdn) per share. The drill program is the most extensive in the project's history, and includes both exploration and resource drilling. The company is using two drill rigs; assay results should start landing in the first quarter of 2019. The existing Bralorne resource, announced on Oct. 21, 2016, is 91,528 ounces Measured and Indicated at average grades of 0.33 oz/t gold (9.36 g/t) and 83,900 ounces Inferred at 0.22 oz/t gold (6.2 g/t). Independent geoscientist Garth Kirkham of Kirkham Geosystems completed the NI 43-101 resource model and also played a major role in designing the current drill program. Kirkham is an award-winning geoscientist known for his resource estimation and 3D modelling work. He has worked extensively with John Robins' Discovery Group companies, including Kaminak Gold (acquired by Goldcorp) and Bluestone Resources (BSR-V). The drilling follows structural modelling and geological mapping as well as airborne and ground geophysics. Avino's investment proposition is that of a stable silver producer with growing, lower-grade deposits and a call option on high-grade gold at Bralorne, where drill assays could provide catalysts for the share price. Avino Silver and Gold Mines (ASM-T) Price: CA$0.85 Shares outstanding: 63.3 million (75.5 million fully diluted) Market cap: CA$53.8 million James Kwantes is the editor of Resource Opportunities, a subscriber supported junior mining investment publication. Kwantes has two decades of journalism experience and was the mining reporter at Vancouver Sun, the city's paper of record. Disclosure: James Kwantes has been compensated by Avino Silver & Gold Mines to produce this article and Avino paid for costs of the site visit to Mexico. Avino Silver & Gold Mines is not a Resource Opportunities portfolio company. This article is for informational purposes and does not constitute investment advice. All investors need to do their own due diligence. [NLINSERT] Disclosure: 1) James Kwantes' disclosures are listed above. 2) The following companies mentioned are billboard sponsors of Streetwise Reports: None. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. 3) Statements and opinions expressed are the opinions of the author and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. The author is wholly responsible for the validity of the statements. The author was not paid by Streetwise Reports for this article. Streetwise Reports was not paid by the author to publish or syndicate this article. Streetwise Reports requires contributing authors to disclose any shareholdings in, or economic relationships with, companies that they write about. Streetwise Reports relies upon the authors to accurately provide this information and Streetwise Reports has no means of verifying its accuracy. 4) The article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports. 5) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the interview or the decision to write an article, until one week after the publication of the interview or article. Photos and graphics provided by the author. Marie Harlick almost cried when her niece Vivienne asked for a trampoline for Christmas. It was the first thing Vivienne had ever asked for in the two years following the brutal death of her mother and Harlick's sister. "I almost cried, she's never asked for anything," says Marie. "Not once, not a single thing." Marie became guardian for her three-year-old niece in 2016, after her sister, also called Marie Harlick, was killed by her former-partner Robert Hohua. Vivienne, 18-months old at the time, was left beside her mother as she lay dying, hidden under a blanket. Guardianship of her sister's five children was divided up between family members. Marie took over guardianship of Vivienne the youngest of the bunch, moving her to Pukekohe. Vivienne's mum Marie Harlick was murdered by by her partner in November 2016. Marie, 55, says the $200 cost for the gift will put a strain on the family's tight budget as she is unable to work and is already providing for her 16-year-old daughter and taking care of her 80-year-old mother. "But I'm stubborn if [Vivienne] needs something it just means the pantry will be a bit empty." For Marie, Christmas means everything and provides a chance to give Vivienne some time with her other siblings. Each year they travel across the country so her niece can see them. But the process is expensive, accounting for presents, fuel and motel rooms while travelling, she says the total bill will cost upwards of $800. That's not counting presents for other family members. "But it's important for her, at the end of the day it's all for her." Robert Roupere Hohua was sentenced to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of his partner Marie Harlick. Photo: Sam Gardner. And while she tries to make the day special, she knows the period is difficult for her niece. "She's still delicate after seeing what happened." Anne Doddrell, coordinator for the charitable trust Grandparent Raising Grandchildren Franklin, says many relatives who take on guardianship struggle during Christmas. "It puts a real strain on them." Often it's grandparents who take guardianship of their grandchildren. "They often can't work, they're either too old or it's just too much to juggle." As many as 4200 grandparents across New Zealand are the guardians for their grandchildren, with at least 1800 children raised by a non-parent relative. "Often these children have come from backgrounds of trauma, abuse and drug addiction and sometimes death." She says the Christmas period brings mixed emotions for these families, some children live in hope that their parents will visit, while others go through a grieving process in the knowledge that they will never see their parents again. Shirley's Afoa's grandchildren experience both. After her eldest son died of throat cancer at 37, five years ago, she was thrust into the role of solo guardian for his three children. Her challenge grew again last year when she took on her daughter's two children when her partner became sick. The 58-year-old from Papakura has to budget from "week to week," and every dollar is meticulously organised to cover expenses such as food, petrol, clothes. But Christmas brings with it a significant challenge. "I started [buying presents] in June buying off Trade Me and hiding it in the wardrobe," she says. "I try to provide them with a nice Christmas, because I know there's something I can never replace." This year Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Franklin are hoping to change that for the families in the region. Any presents left at Tuakau Primary School will be distributed to the help the 140 guardian grandparents or relatives across the Franklin region make Christmas special for those in their care. Shirley Afoa, 58, with three of the five children in her care. Chris Afoa, 8, left, Issac Afoa, 12, and Camryn Afoa, 13. Photo: James Baker/Stuff. To donate online visit givealittle.co.nz/cause/2018-christmas-day-for-GRG-franklin-nz-children. For more information on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren visit https://www.grg.org.nz. -Stuff.co.nz/John Baker Bay of Plenty We are looking for a storeman with an OSH forklift license. You will need to be physically for as the job is about 70% forklift... View or Apply on GoodWork.co.nz A petition for moratorium of future housing developments in the Western Bay/Tauranga area has received just shy of 2500 signatures. The Fix the Bloody Road petition closed on November 5. The reason for the petition is to maintain public pressure on the district, city and regional councils for them to send a unified message to central government that it isnt acceptable to keep expecting developers to create more housing without essential infrastructure support, says spokesperson for the Fix the Bloody Road, Matthew Farrell. It isnt a question of being anti-development or anti-growth, in fact, it's about making sure the voice of locals is heard on the need for roading and indeed schooling to support one of New Zealands growth capitals for GDP, population and of course the port. Now that the petition has been submitted, all there is left to do for the group is wait. We expect to hear in December what the outcome is of the Transport Agencys revaluation work on all 16 projects on 12 North Island corridors, says Matthew. We have been told that Waihi-Tauranga is a top three priority alongside Whangarei-Port and Otaki-Levin. Once all the evaluations are complete, we expect to see some funding and timelines announced before Christmas. MPs for Coromandel and Bay of Plenty Scott Simpson and Todd Muller say the Labour-led Government is choosing to ignore the very real fears locals have for their safety when travelling from Tauranga to Katikati by not upgrading the route to four lanes. In 2016, then Minister of Transport Simon Bridges committed $520 million to build the Tauranga Northern Link. That project was going to be a completely upgraded four-lane highway and would have been underway by now, if this government hadnt slashed highway funding, says Scott. The Bay is booming. We want to see the government commit to the infrastructure required to support growth and jobs. Unfortunately, Transport Minister Phil Twyford seems unaware that there is life south of the Bombay hills and is taking an Auckland-centric approach, says Todd. This is just one of many examples of the government stripping funding away from regional New Zealand and feeding it back to Auckland, specifically for Mr Twyfords pet tram project. Regional New Zealand deserves better, and our communities deserve better. Under National construction would have begun on the TNL last month, but this government cant even give us a start date. Matthew says he has received a lot of feedback regarding this issue, with him saying that they still seem to be encountering a hard-core of people who feel the road does not need upgrading, and that the only problem is dangerous driving. Matthew has this to say to those people: All drivers and passengers deserve better protection from careless drivers, and a roading system designed to cope with increased traffic projections of the future. More houses being built for the next 30 years and will need long-term roading solutions starting now. We welcome the positive news that the TNL is now regarded as a certainty by NZTA. Im just asking for some timelines and spending commitments so the good people doing this contracting work can make a start of improving conditions for you and me, our neighbours and their families, and try to get a head start on the next generation. I dont think you should die, because someone else doesnt drive responsibly. Im hoping for you and your friends to be protected from the head-on crashes we dont cause or have time to avoid. Your safety matters. Some people are just too stupid to change their behaviour. Innocent people get hurt, and emergency service workers and volunteers have to clean up the horrible mess. Its wrong. Im not making excuses for dangerous driving. Im asking for our community to be protected from hazardous drivers, with basic road engineering used all over the world. It is about dangerous driving. Speed, alcohol, drugs, inattention/distraction, impatience, poor decision making. There are the occasional medical events and rare mechanical failures, but it doesnt matter. A high-speed road needs safety features to protect oncoming innocent drivers and it needs to be able to cope with the typical amount of daily traffic expected in future. I spoke to a woman on the weekend who is about to have her leg amputated as a result of another driver falling asleep and taking her out in a head-on at Apata. Not her fault. A road with modern safety measures could have prevented her pain and loss. A speed reduction is coming soon. The first positive step. Motorists on the Apata Curves and Te Puna Stream to Loop Road sections of State Highway 2 are eight times more likely to have an accident than those on a typical stretch of highway elsewhere in the country. A median barrier right there would have stopped the tired driver from removing her ability to walk on those legs. Its known to be a deadly section. Its obviously not the womans fault. You cant blame a road either, but you can build a safer road if there are repeated severe and fatal accidents in the same place. Sadly she wasnt on the TEL or Takitimu Drive when he fell asleep opposite her. She was on SH2 which has been under-invested in for years. When sharemilkers Reece and Tash Cox open up their gates to a sold out crowd on Sunday, their main goal will be to educate the public on the agriculture industry. The Pyes Pa-based farm is participating in Fonterras Open Gate scheme. The Open Gates scheme is about getting people to talk about the health of New Zealands waterways. Farmers care about the problem and want to share what they are doing to help fix it. The easiest way to show everyone that they have been working on, is to invite the general public to come and see it for themselves. It gives people opportunity to come and see a day to day running of a dairy farm. It gives people the opportunity to see where their milk comes from, and for kids to get out of town for the day, says Reece. The biggest thing is showing people what is actually happening on a farm and for people to come out and have a look for themselves. This is the first time Reece and Tash are participating in the Open Gates scheme, with the only other time their farm has been opened up is for class trips from the local schools. Its a pretty big attraction for people. Its a surprise but then its pretty good to hear that theyve got a lot of interest in it and want to see whats going on, says Reece. Its good for us in the industry that we are able to showcase what we are doing on the farm, not just what you see in the media, because unfortunately it doesnt always show the better side. With gates people open to a sold out crowd of more than 700 people, Reece says it may be a struggle being able to logistically manage all those people, but they will be constricted to an area of the property of where they are able to go. The public will get to walk around parts of the farm and get up close and personal with the cows. The cows will be fairly close to where they will be walking and calves will be getting fed. They will be able to wonder through the cowshed, and have a look around, feel the cups and things like that. Reece says the while some cows might get brought back into the shed to get milked as part of a demonstration, because he cows are milked once a day in the morning, they wouldnt be comfortable if he brought them back in during the afternoon. Our plan at the moment is to bring a few cows in during the afternoon, so we are able to show people how it happens, but alternatively we will have a screen running of normal milking, so people can watch what a normal milking looks like. We have an area that we will set up so people can wonder down and have a look at the cows and have a look at the planting, and the things that we have done. I think giving people the opportunity to come out and see for themselves and makeup their own mind up rather than just the thing they hear third hand or what they see on TV. What we can take out of it, is if we can close the gap between the urban and rural divide, because New Zealand is a massive agricultural country. So if we can put a few smiles on kids faces for the day, then we will be pretty happy. For more information about the farm and the Fonterra Open Gates Scheme, click here: SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A Syracuse police brutality trial has been delayed because of an officer's two unrelated domestic violence arrests. Officer Ahmad Mims was to be a "key" witness in a federal Civil Rights trial slated to begin later this month. Elijah Johnson, 24, sued the city of Syracuse after his arrest in 2014. Johnson and his friends were stopped by police after party-hopping around the University Hill area one night that summer. Police said Johnson threw a rock at police at one of the parties. He denies this and said he believes he was racially profiled. Johnson was charged with four misdemeanors and a violation including inciting a riot and resisting arrest. (A jury later acquitted him of three of the charges, but found him guilty of second-degree rioting and second-degree criminal trespass.) Johnson claims police officers Joseph Mauro, William LaShomb and Gordon Quonce dragged him behind a garage, beat him and used racial slurs. Johnson's lawsuit does not name Mims. He is not facing claims that he used excessive force, but he was on the scene of the arrest. In court filings, lawyers for the city said they planned to call Mims as a "disinterested" eye witness who is expected to give "favorable testimony" for the city. Mims, 34, was arrested himself on Sept. 15, just weeks before Johnson's case was headed to trial. Mims was charged with assault, menacing and criminal possession of a weapon, all misdemeanors. He is accused of holding a gun to his girlfriend's head, beating her up and threatening her friend at gunpoint. The Syracuse Police Department suspended him with pay Sept. 17. Four days later, a city lawyer wrote to U.S. District Court Judge Brenda Sannes asking for an adjournment. Assistant Corporation Counsel Christina DeJoseph wrote that a critical witness was "out of work on medical leave." Fred Lightmacher, the New York City attorney representing Johnson, opposed any delay of the trial, questioning the identity of the "mystery witness." The city initially resisted identifying Mims, citing his privacy, but Judge Sannes ordered the parties to fully brief her on the issue before she would decide whether to delay the trial. After additional filings and two telephone conferences, Sannes agreed to reschedule. The trial is set for June 2019. Lightmacher, the lawyer for Johnson, has already promised to use Mims' record to question his credibility if the city still calls him to testify at trial. "If this officer is allegedly going to fill in details no other witness provided, [we] should be given ample fuel for cross examination on his integrity, which at the moment seems somewhat less than pristine," Lightmacher wrote. Public Affairs Reporter Julie McMahon covers courts, government and other issues affecting taxpayers. She can be reached anytime: Email | Twitter | 315-412-1992 SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A former middle school principal from the town of Clay pleaded guilty Thursday morning to sexually abusing a 15-year-old boy. Mark Trabucco, 42, of Clay, was a middle school principal for the Adirondack Central School District in Boonville when he was arrested in April 2017. Trabucco contacted the teen, who was not a student in the Oneida County school district, through a classified ad on Craigslist and made arrangements to meet the boy near a strip mall off Oswego Road in Clay, according to Onondaga County sheriff's deputies. The teen reported the sex acts, which took place on April 20, 2017, to a family member, according to deputies. Trabucco admitted to engaging in a sex act with the teen. He pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal sexual act, a felony, in County Judge Matthew Doran's courtroom. Doran promised Trabucco a sentence of 10 years probation. Trabucco will be required to register as a sex offender. He will be sentenced on Jan. 3. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Two men have been charged in an illegal tobacco-selling scheme after investigators from Homeland Security observed them ship more than 1 million untaxed cigarettes into Syracuse, court papers said. Jamal Hassan, of Liverpool, and Saddam Hassan, of Syracuse, were arrested in October after authorities searched their homes and vehicles and found nearly 29,000 untaxed cigarettes, according to charging papers filed in federal court. During their investigation, agents observed the men ship almost 1 million cigarettes into Syracuse, according to the filings. U.S. Magistrate Judge Therese Wiley Dancks approved search warrants in October that allowed law enforcement to search three storage units, four properties and five vehicles, court papers said. Here's the account provided in the documents by Homeland Security Special Agent Michael Ball: On two occasions, agents observed Jamal Hassan, of 4182 Torrey Lane in Liverpool, unloading large quantities of cigarettes into a storage unit in Syracuse. In September, Hassan was seen unloading 47 "master cases" -- which contain 12,000 cigarettes each -- into the unit, along with other tobacco products. In October, Hassan was again seen unloading large quantities into a storage unit at 5300 Business Ave. in Syracuse. This time, agents observed him unload about 30 master cases and seven half-cases from a box truck into the unit. Agents estimated the haul from both trips totaled 966,000 cigarettes. The shipments also included other tobacco products. After their surveillance efforts, agents obtained the warrants to search the men's property. At Jamal Hassan's Torrey Lane home, agents found 61 cartons, or more than 12,000 cigarettes. Most of the cigarettes were unstamped, but many had counterfeit stamps. Agents also recovered more than 10,000 cigarettes and several sheets of counterfeit stamps from a vehicle parked outside the home. At Saddam Hassan's 106 Nelson Ave residence in Syracuse, law enforcement found 28 cartons, or 5,600 untaxed cigarettes, inside the home and in a vehicle. The brands recovered included Marlboro, Parliament, Camel, American Spirit, Newport and Seneca. The men were arrested in late October. Magistrate Judge Wiley Dancks agreed to release the men on bail under certain conditions, including the requirement they turn over their passports to authorities. Jamal Hassan turned in a U.S. passport. Saddam Hassan turned in both his American passport and a passport from Yemen. No mugshots of the men have been released. Public Affairs Reporter Julie McMahon covers courts, government and other issues affecting taxpayers. She can be reached anytime: Email | Twitter | 315-412-1992 SYRACUSE, N.Y. - A Syracuse man is in critical condition Thursday after a fire in a high-rise Syracuse apartment Wednesday night, according to Syracuse Fire Department. The man, who is in his late 30s, is at Upstate University Hospital, according to a fire department news release Thursday. The fire was contained to the man's apartment which was damaged by smoke and fire, officials said. The fire was started by unattended cooking in the apartment's kitchen, fire officials said. Three other people suffered smoke inhalation, officials said. Two were treated at the scene and one was taken to a hospital, officials said. The 23-story apartment building, Royce Residence, was formerly known as Clinton Plaza Apartments, a subsidized apartment building. It was purchased in 2015 by an Upstate company and renovated. The 23-story apartment building, Royce Residence, was formerly known as Clinton Plaza Apartments, a subsidized apartment building. It was purchased in 2015 by an Upstate company and renovated. The call for the fire at 550 S. Clinton St. came in at 11:14 p.m., said Syracuse Fire Chief Michael Monds. Monds said crews carried a hose to the 13th floor and used a valve on the floor to put the fire out. "When our companies got here tonight, they came across a heavy smoke condition," he said. The fire caused officials to block South Clinton Street from West Jefferson Street to Dickerson Street. The 23-floor building has about 305 apartments. Nearly 50 fire department personnel responded to the fire, officials said. Fire department were at the scene until about 1:45 a.m. Thursday. Syracuse, N.Y. -- Extending a bike trail near Destiny USA won't harm the bald eagles that frequent the area, a federal eagle expert said. Thomas Wittig, the Northeast eagle coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the only substantial threat to the eagles from the new trail on Murphy's Island would come during the winter, and Onondaga County has agreed to close the trail then. "During the winter, the site is important to survival of the eagles," Wittig said. "Outside that period, the site is not nearly as significant." The county legislature last December approved spending $1.5 million to build the 1-mile extension of the Onondaga Creekwalk that now ends behind Destiny. At the time, the county planned to build the trail along the CSX railroad tracks, at the farthest point from the lake and away from the trees where the eagles perch. Since then, the county has decided a trail near the tracks would be too dangerous, and moved the planned route closer to the lake, said environment Director Travis Glazier said. He said the county will close the trail from mid-December to mid-March to protect the eagles, as the Fish and Wildlife service has recommended. The local Aubudon society and other environmentalists have objected to the trail, saying the presence of humans would disturb the eagles that are only now beginning to use the area year-round. The eagles have been coming during the winter for a decade, feeding in the warm, ice-free waters near the county's sewage treatment plant at the south end of the lake. During the winter, Wittig explained, the lake provides the eagles an important food source because of the lack of open water elsewhere. During the rest of the year, though, when Onondaga Lake and other water bodies are free of ice, the Murphy's Island area is less important to their survival, he said. Chris Lajewski, president of Audubon New York, said a trail would chase birds out of the trees and away from Murphy's Island. That's exactly what happened last month, he said, when he was touring the planned location of the trail with county officials. That's not enough for the protections of the federal Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act to kick in, Wittig said. "When it comes to eagles being flushed, that is not necessarily a disturbance," he said. "We're looking for instances where (a disturbance) is so severe that the survival of those birds is at risk." Ten bald eagle advocates spoke Wednesday at the county Legislature meeting, urging the county to either move the trail closer to the tracks or cancel plans altogether. Legislators took no action; Glazier said the county intends to build the trail. Contact Glenn Coin: Email | Twitter | Google + | (315) 470-3251 Here are some key takeaways from the eventful 2018 midterm elections: 1. Divided government came to Washington and went away in Albany. That is potentially good and bad. Voters put Democrats in charge of both the U.S. House of Representatives and the New York state Senate. In Washington, we hope that means Congress will begin to reclaim its role as a co-equal branch of government, and a check on the presidency. In Albany, we hope that doesn't lead to excesses of the kind that happened the last time Democrats held the Senate in 2010. With the Republicans no longer empowered to apply the brakes, it will fall to Gov. Andrew Cuomo to rein in the taxing and spending impulses of the Democratic legislative majority and chart a more centrist course. 2. Cuomo (hearts) Upstate? Upstate isn't buying it. The governor's resounding win looks like anything but when you look at voting patterns in Upstate New York. Republican challenger Marc Molinaro carried all but six Upstate counties. Cuomo's message - that he's the governor who has paid most attention to us by pouring billions into the Upstate economy - isn't flying with voters who continue to struggle with high property taxes and a middling job market. The governor should take it as a sign he needs to recalibrate his Upstate economic strategy, and advance the kind of bold property tax reform Molinaro proposed. 3. No more excuses on corruption. Unified government in Albany removes any obstacles to tackling the culture of corruption. Close the LLC loophole. Curb campaign contributions. Create an independent ethics watchdog. No one's standing in the way. Just do it. 4. Voter turnout was way higher than previous midterms. In Onondaga County, 61 percent of the 287,235 registered voters cast ballots, higher than the 50 percent who turned out four years ago but still lower than the presidential year turnout of 70 percent or more. Elections have consequences. Failing to participate in elections just means you're letting someone else decide for you. 5. Give it up for Tish James, barrier breaker. Letitia "Tish" James, the New York City public advocate, will be New York's next attorney general. By winning, James accomplished three "firsts": first woman of color elected to statewide office, first African-American attorney general and first woman elected to be attorney general. (The first woman to be attorney general is Barbara Underwood, who was appointed interim AG when Eric Schneiderman resigned.) 6. Another "year of the woman"? You bet. A record 529 women ran for Congress in 2018, up from 312 women in 2016, according to the Center for American Women in Politics at Rutgers University. A record number won. Next year, for the first time ever, there will be more than 100 women in the House of Representatives, out of 435 seats. Women currently hold 84 seats in the House. Voters sent to Congress the first Native American woman (in Kansas) and the first two Muslim women (in Minnesota and Michigan). Massachusetts and Connecticut elected their first black congresswomen. Texas elected its first two Latinas to Congress. Also, according to CAWP, 61 women ran for governor; 128 women ran for statewide office; and 3,379 women ran for state legislative offices. Even so, according to the Los Angeles Times, "women had won 22 percent of the House seats; 12 percent of the Senate seats; and 9 percent of the gubernatorial seats. We continue to make up 51 percent of the population." In other words, women's gains in elective office are impressive, but a long way from gender parity. Syracuse.com editorials Editorials represent the collective opinion of the Advance Media New York editorial board. Our opinions are independent of news coverage. Read our Members of the editorial board are Tim Kennedy, Jason Murray and Marie Morelli. To respond to this editorial: Post a comment below, or submit a letter or commentary to . Read our If you have questions about the Opinions & Editorials section, contact Marie Morelli, editorial/opinion leader, at Finding a new place for fresh handmade food is always a treat. At Goodies 2, the 1-year-old Walton Street extension of Goodies on James Street, we were delighted to spend a recent Wednesday afternoon sampling a range of excellent traditional Mediterranean dishes in the Lebanese style. Open for lunch and dinner every day but Sunday, the restaurant offers all the dishes we go to Mediterranean restaurants to enjoy, such as falafel ($4.50), tabouli ($5.99), spanakopita ($6.99), dolma, both vegetarian and meat-filled ($5.99/$6.99), gyros ($7.99), kabob dinners ($14.99) as well as extras like burgers ($6.99 to $10.99) and rigatoni ($11.99). With a mostly predictable yet broad menu, we ordered many of the dishes one expects of a Mediterranean restaurant to get a good idea of how well Goodies 2 delivers on their promise. The result was a large meal, plus lunch at home later for a modest price. Goodies 2 offers beer and wine as well as bottled water and soft drinks, and we enjoyed a new-to-us IPA style Uinta Hop Nosh from a Salt Lake City brewery ($4.50), a golden ale with a creamy champagne head. Service pieces are pretty, including the glass brought for our beer and the big mug containing our hot chocolate ($1.50), made with water but hot and good on the cold, drizzly day. We chose a pair of contrasting starters that would have made a good lunch for one person: a bowl of lentil-spinach soup ($3.50) and spanakopita ($5.99). Our soup was hot and flavorful, with equal parts spinach and brown lentils, dominated by a lemony broth. We shared it alongside four pieces of some of the best spanakopita we've eaten. These triangles of phyllo filled with a spinach pie-like blend were obviously fresh and not at all greasy. Delicate and light, they were wrapped in just enough phyllo to form their shape properly. The tzatziki served with them was equally good: yogurt, sour cream, oregano, and garlic blended into a deliciously creamy dip we would be happy to see again later in the meal. Our mains--a vegetarian platter ($12.99) and a beef and lamb gyro platter ($14.99)--came out just as we finished the spanakopita, along with a basket of very thin, dryish pita for scooping and dipping. Our vegetarian platter was an artful arrangement of many of the choices offered as starters: tabouli, hummus, dolma (stuffed grape leaves), falafel, a little pot of tzatziki and one of tahini sauce. Every part of the platter was fresh and clearly handmade. Tabouli is often made with bulgur, a chewy cracked wheat berry. At Goodies, the wheat is absent unless the customer requests it. Instead, the pretty mound of juicy salad blended plenty of chopped parsley with onion, tomatoes and a healthy sprinkling of ground sumac, rendering the flavors lemony. It was the best tabouli we've had. The hummus was smooth and garlicky, with a pool of good olive oil in the center, and the grape leaves, with rice-based filling, were soft and fresh with mild herbal seasonings that combined beautifully with the nutty tahini sauce. Three little doughnut-shaped falafel were served hot, with an almost spicy blend of deep flavors. These were wonderful with the same tzatziki we had earlier enjoyed with our spanakopita. The whole platter was decorated with cucumber, olives, lime wedges and radish. It was as pretty as it was generous and good. Though the two of us could have been satisfied by the vegetarian platter after those starters, we had also ordered a gyro platter, and this dish came with a large helping of Greek salad, fresh and cold, with iceberg lettuce, cucumber, onion slices, tomato, green pepper, plenty of feta cubes and proper kalamata olives. The dressing's flavor was light and bright with lemon. Our gyro sandwich, dressed with more of that excellent tzatziki, was one of the best we'd had anywhere. A thick, soft pita round enclosed plenty of thin, tender slices of lamb and beef with no hint of grease but lots of flavor, just salty enough to balance the bread and salad on the sandwich. This, too, would be worth a return visit. Two types of desserts offered suit the dishes we'd enjoyed especially well: cashew "fingers" ($1) and baklava ($2). We ordered one of each. Both were as good as the rest of our meal, if not as stickily drenched in honey as we've often had, with layers of fresh phyllo and a blend of honey and nuts. Goodies 2 has its peculiarities, including tip jars on the service counter for both the server and the chef, the fact that it doesn't take credit cards, and a mechanism on the door to call workers out of the kitchen with a sound like a very loud trodden-on cat. With food this good made with such obvious care, we decided to consider those differences endearing. We will certainly be back. The Details The restaurant: Goodies 2, 214 Walton St., Syracuse. 315-802-7797. Credit cards? No (ATM on premises) Reservations? No Access to disabled? Yes Vegetarian options? Many Children's menu? Yes Hours: 11 a.m. to 2:30 and 4:30 to 9 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 2:30 and 4:30 to 10 p.m. Fridays; 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays. Closed Sundays. Cost: Mains on the menu range from $11.99 to $16.99. A good dinner can easily be made up of smaller, less expensive dishes. A couple dining could expect to pay $30 to 40, though lunch could certainly be less. For our review, we ordered a representative range of starters and mains, and our total for two with drinks, tax and 20 percent tip was $60. Syracuse, N.Y. - Vivian Howard wants to learn more about Utica Greens. The North Carolina chef whose restaurant and television series celebrates hyper-local foods is in Syracuse for tonight's WCNY Taste of Fame dinner. Howard and two of her staff landed in Syracuse on Wednesday and asked the person driving them from the airport what to eat during her visit. Chicken Riggies and Utica Greens, she was told. "Can you get those at the same restaurant?" she asked Steve Morrison, the owner of The Mission Restaurant, on Wednesday night. Yes, he said, and proceeded to make recommendations. Howard is the star of "A Chef's Life" on PBS, and the author of "Deep Run Roots." She and her husband, Ben Knight, own three restaurants, including Chef & the Farmer in Kinston, North Carolina. During her stay in Syracuse, she plans to visit a few different restaurants. Wednesday evening, she started at The Mission in downtown Syracuse. At The Mission, she tried the Korean short rib tacos, quesadilla with huitlachoche (corn that tastes like an earthy mushroom), a salad of watermelon, jicama, chile-dusted pistachios and tequila cream. Vivian Howard, second from left, talks with Steve Morrison at The Mission Restaurant in Syracuse. She and Morrison, who opened The Mission about 19 years ago, talked about the challenges of running a restaurant as wages rise and staff come and go. "At Chef & the Farmer, in the kitchen and in the dining room, we've had the most success with people who have been long term and worked their way up," she said. Most of the regular workers people see on the show are local residents, she said. Then it was time to talk greens. Utica greens. "It's mostly escarole," Morrison said. "And I know there's some kind of pork in there," said Howard, who's introduced her fans to Eastern North Carolina seasoning meats such as semi-dry sausage, sliced jowls and ham chips. "It is almost like a twist on Southern greens," Morrison said. Prosciutto or pancetta is a key ingredient, along with cherry peppers, cheese and bread crumbs. "I would love to try it," she said. Morrison admitted he knew little about Howard before she visited Wednesday night. He said he watched two episodes of "A Chef's Life" and connected with the honesty of what it takes to run a restaurant. "The show is very transparent," Howard said. "My childhood friend was the director and so we were trying to make a documentary and it became the show. I just felt very safe. I never thought anybody was going to see it. That's why I was wearing maternity clothes and not pregnant," she added, laughing. Howard will tell more stories about her food tonight at WCNY's Taste of Fame Dinner, which will feature dishes from her cookbook. Richard Blais, the winner of Bravo's "Top Chef All-Stars" and a regular judge on Food Network, will emcee the evening. Former New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman will not face criminal charges after four women accused him of assault. Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced the decision not to pursue charges today. Gov. Andrew Cuomo asked her to investigate after Schneiderman resigned in May in the wake of the assault allegations. Singas said the women who accused Schneiderman of abuse were credible, according to The New York Times. She said certain legal hurdles prevented charges. "I believe the women who shared their experiences with our investigation team," Singas said in a statement, according to the Times. "However legal impediments, including statutes of limitation, preclude criminal prosecution." She did not elaborate further on the legal challenges in the case, the Times said. The women, who were all in romantic relationships with Schneiderman, accused him of choking, hitting and slapping them, sometimes during sex, according to the Times. All of them said the acts were not consensual. Schneiderman said he accepted full responsibility for his actions, according to CNN. "I recognize that District Attorney Singas' decision not to prosecute does not mean I have done nothing wrong," Schneiderman said in the statement. "I accept full responsibility for my conduct in my relationships with my accusers, and for the impact it had on them. "I am committed to a lifelong path of recovery and making amends to those I have harmed. I apologize for any and all pain that I have caused, and I apologize to the people of the State of New York for disappointing them after they put their trust in me." Before his resignation, Schneiderman had positioned himself as a major antagonist to President Donald Trump and a supporter of the #MeToo movement. He resigned just hours after The New Yorker published the accusations against him. Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Google + | 315-282-8598 Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is being considered for U.S. Attorney General as acting AG Matt Whitaker says he won't recuse himself from the Russia investigation, according to new reports. Two sources familiar with the matter told CBS News Thursday that President Donald Trump may choose Christie, a fellow Republican and Trump supporter, to permanently replace the fired Jeff Sessions as the nation's chief law enforcement officer. An administration official told CNN that Christie, who served as a U.S. attorney from 2002 to 2008, attended a previously scheduled law enforcement roundtable on prison reform efforts at the White House on Thursday morning. During his visit, Christie also reportedly met privately with Trump's son-in-law and White House senior adviser Jared Kushner. CBS and CNN report Trump is also considering Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, former Attorney General William Barr, and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. No decisions are expected soon, and the list of candidates is "likely to grow," CBS said. Sessions resigned on Wednesday, but made it clear in a one-page letter to the president that he was forced out and resigning "at your request." The move came one day after Republicans lost control of the House of Representatives; more changes are expected in the Cabinet and White House after the midterm elections. The Associated Press reports Trump asked for Sessions' resignation and then replaced the former Alabama senator with Whitaker, Sessions' chief of staff. Whitaker is a former U.S. attorney from Iowa who founded a law firm with other Republican Party activists. Whitaker now has the authority to oversee the remainder of the probe into allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 election and possible ties with Trump's presidential campaign. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein had been overseeing Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation since Sessions recused himself. Whitaker criticized the investigation in a 2017 op-ed for CNN, saying "investigating Donald Trump's finances or his family's finances falls completely outside of the realm of his 2016 campaign and allegations that the campaign coordinated with the Russian government or anyone else." Whitaker also defended the president's son, Donald Trump Jr., for taking a meeting with Russian officials at Trump Tower in 2016. Congressional Democrats have called on Whitaker to recuse himself due to his past comments and position as a friend and political ally of at witness. Two people close to Whitaker told The Washington Post on Thursday that he has no intention of taking himself off the case. White House counselor Kellyanne Conway told reporters Thursday that the president has not instructed Whitaker to do anything regarding the investigation. The AP reports she also said says the exit of Sessions is "not a constitutional crisis." The ongoing investigation has produced guilty pleas from four former Trump aides. A sheriff says 13 people are dead, including a sheriff's sergeant and the gunman, after a shooting inside a crowded Southern California bar late Wednesday. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean says sheriff's Sgt. Ron Helus responded to the scene and was shot after he entered the building. He died at a hospital early Thursday. Authorities did not say how the gunman died. Dean says around 10 other people were shot and wounded. No other information on the victims was immediately known. Ventura County Sheriff's Office Capt. Garo Kuredjian said the first reports of shots fired came around 11:20 p.m. at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, which is about 40 miles west of Los Angeles. The bar's website says its hosts "College Country Night" every Wednesday. Police said hundreds were inside when the shooting occurred. ___ 2 a.m. Ventura County Sheriff Sgt. Eric Buschow says the gunman is dead inside a Southern California bar where 11 people were injured late Wednesday. Authorities say a responding deputy was shot and taken to a hospital. No other information on the victims was immediately known. Ventura County Sheriff's Office Capt. Garo Kuredjian said the first reports of shots fired came around 11:20 p.m. at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, which is about 40 miles west of Los Angeles. The bar's website says its hosts "College Country Night" every Wednesday. Police said hundreds were inside when the shooting occurred. ___ 1:35 a.m. A sheriff's captain says at least 11 people -- including a responding deputy -- were shot late Wednesday when a suspect opened fire in a Southern California bar filled with college students. Ventura County Sheriff's Office Capt. Garo Kuredjian said at a news conference early Thursday that the wounded sheriff's deputy was taken to a hospital. He could not immediately provide information on the extent of the victims' injuries or if any others had been hospitalized. The sheriff's spokesman says the first reports of shots fired came around 11:20 p.m. at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, which is about 40 miles west of Los Angeles. The bar's website says its hosts "College Country Night" every Wednesday. Witnesses said many of those inside were college students. ___ 12:50 a.m. A sheriff's captain says at least six people were shot late Wednesday when a suspect opened fire in a crowded Southern California bar. Ventura County Sheriff's Office Capt. Garo Kuredjian said at a news conference early Thursday that a sheriff's deputy was also shot and taken to a hospital. He could not immediately provide information on the extent of the victims' injuries. The sheriff's spokesman says the first reports of shots fired came around 11:20 p.m. at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, which is about 40 miles west of Los Angeles. He said responding deputies could hear gunshots as they arrived on scene. Authorities are still treating it as an active shooter scene. No other information was immediately available. Authorities have identified the suspect in a mass shooting at a Southern California bar as 28-year-old Ian David Long. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean says Long is believed to have killed himself late Wednesday at the Borderline Bar and Grill in the city of Thousand Oaks. Dean says his department had several previous contacts with the former Marine including a call to his home in April, when deputies found him acting irate and irrationally. The sheriff says a mental health crisis team was called at that time and concluded that Long did not need to be taken into custody. Dean says the other prior encounters were a traffic accident and an incident when he was the victim of a battery at a bar. Long was found dead in the Borderline Bar and Grill after 12 people were shot to death late Wednesday. * * * * * From earlier: Using a smoke bomb and a handgun, a hooded gunman dressed all in black opened fire during "college night" at a country music bar in Southern California, killing 12 people and sending hundreds fleeing in terror, authorities said Thursday. The gunman was later found dead. Authorities said the motive for the attack Wednesday night was under investigation. Patrons screamed in fear, shouted "Get down!" and used barstools to smash second-floor windows and jump to safety as gunfire erupted at the Borderline Bar & Grill, a hangout popular with students from nearby California Lutheran University. The dead included 11 people inside the bar and a sheriff's sergeant who was the first officer inside the door, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said. "It's a horrific scene in there," Dean said in the parking lot. "There's blood everywhere." The killer -- a 29-year-old man whose name was not immediately released -- deployed a smoke device and used a .45-caliber handgun, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The official was not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. It was the deadliest mass shooting in the U.S. since 17 students and teachers were killed at a Parkland, Florida, high school nine months ago. It also came less than two weeks after a gunman massacred 11 people at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. That, in turn, closely followed the series of pipe bombs mailed to critics of President Donald Trump. Trump praised police for their "great bravery" in the California attack and said, "God bless all of the victims and families of the victims." The gunman was tall and wearing all black with a hood and his face partly covered, witnesses told TV stations. He first fired on a person working the door, then appeared to shoot at random at people inside, they said. "I dropped to the floor," Sarah Rose DeSon told ABC's "Good Morning America." ''A friend yelled, 'Everybody down!' We were hiding behind tables trying to keep ourselves covered." Sheriff's Sgt. Ron Helus and a passing highway patrolman arrived at the Borderline around 11:20 p.m. in response to several 911 calls, heard gunfire and went inside, the sheriff said. Helus was immediately hit with multiple gunshots, Dean said. The highway patrolman pulled Helus out, then waited as a SWAT team and scores more officers arrived. Helus died early Thursday at a hospital. By the time they entered the bar again, the gunfire had stopped, according to the sheriff. They found 12 people dead inside, including the gunman. It was not immediately clear how he died, Dean said. Shootings of any kind are extremely rare in Thousand Oaks, a city of about 130,000 people about 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of Los Angeles, just across the county line. The shooting happened on college night at the Borderline, which according to its website was offering lessons in country two-step dancing Wednesday. The bar, which includes a large dance hall with a stage and a pool room along with several smaller areas for eating and drinking, is also close to several other universities, including California State University Channel Islands in Camarillo, Pepperdine University in Malibu and Moorpark College in Moorpark. Nick Steinwender, Cal Lutheran student body president, told KTLA-TV he immediately started receiving messages about the shooting, and he and his roommate went to the scene to offer rides back to campus or moral support. "It's going to be a very somber day," Steinwender said. "I know we don't have all the details in yet, but you know, it just feels like it's an attack on our community. You know, I think it's going to be something that we're going to have to come together and move past." When the gunman entered, people screamed and fled to all corners of the bar, and a few threw barstools through the windows and helped dozens to escape, witnesses said. Video accessed by the AP showed law enforcement officers and vehicles speeding to the scene and people running from the bar. Rapid-fire gunshots could be heard as officers crouched behind a police vehicle, weapons drawn. Three people were seen carrying someone, and paramedics applied bandages to the man, who had blood on his back. Cole Knapp, a freshman at Moorpark College, said he was inside the bar when the shooting began, but he thought at first that it was "just someone with an M-80, just kind of playing a prank." Then he said he saw the gunman, wearing a small black head covering and black hoodie and holding a handgun. "I tried to get as many people to cover as I could," Knapp said. "There was an exit right next to me, so I went through that. That exit leads to a patio where people smoke. People out there didn't really know what was going on. There's a fence right there so I said, 'Everyone get over the fence as quickly as you can,' and I followed them over." He said a highway patrol officer who happened to be pulling someone over was nearby. "I screamed to him, 'There's a shooter in there!' He was kind of in disbelief, then saw that I was serious," Knapp said. He said he had friends who hadn't been accounted for. Tayler Whitler, 19, said she was on the dance floor with her friends nearby when she saw the gunman shooting and heard screams of "Get down!" "It was really, really, really shocking," Whitler told KABC-TV as she stood with her father in the parking lot. "It looked like he knew what he was doing." The slain sheriff's officer was a 29-year veteran of the force with a wife and son and planned to retire in the coming year, said the sheriff, who choked back tears as he talked about the sergeant who was also his longtime friend. "Ron was a hardworking, dedicated sheriff's sergeant who was totally committed," Dean said, "and tonight, as I told his wife, he died a hero because he went in to save lives." A federal appeals court has ruled that President Donald Trump cannot end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, an Obama-era program known as DACA. USA Today reports the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit agreed Thursday with a federal district judge's decision in January that Trump does not have the authority to eliminate DACA. Upholding the ruling means the program will remain in effect, CNN reports. The Trump administration's plan to phase it out would likely be ruled illegal, the court in San Francisco ruled. "We conclude that plaintiffs are likely to succeed on their claim that the rescission of DACA -- at least as justified on this record -- is arbitrary, capricious, or otherwise not in accordance with law," the court ruled. According to the Associated Press, DACA has provided protection from deportation and work permits for about 800,000 young immigrants, many who were brought to the U.S. illegally. Politico reports the court ruled ending the program would cause irreparable harm for the enrollees, also known as "Dreamers." According to CNN, the Trump administration has already asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the injunction. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration's bid to bypass the federal appears court in San Francisco and go directly to the Supreme Court. Since Trump took office, two new Supreme Court justices have been confirmed: Justice Neil Gorsuch and Justice Brett Kavanaugh. The AP reports the Trump administration said it moved to end the program last year because Texas and other states threatened to sue, raising the prospect of a chaotic end to DACA. The decision prompted lawsuits across the nation, including one by California. A judge overseeing that lawsuit and four others ruled against the administration and reinstated the program in January. Federal judges in New York and Washington also have ruled against Trump on DACA. NEW: The 9th Circuit has ruled that the Trump administration's decision to rescind DACA was likely "arbitrary, capricious, or otherwise not in accordance with law," upholding a preliminary injunction https://t.co/olWzUzAgSB pic.twitter.com/JIWsziKy4b Zoe Tillman (@ZoeTillman) November 8, 2018 Syracuse- The weather this weekend in Central New York will turn cold with strong winds on Saturday and a few lake effect snow showers on Sunday. Strong west-southwest winds will buffet Central New York on Saturday behind a storm system that will move through on Friday. Wind gusts over 40 mph will be possible throughout the day with blustery conditions lingering into the evening hours. Cold air will move into the region on these winds. Morning lows Saturday will start out in the low and mid 30s. Afternoon highs will only be a few degrees warmer, with mid 30s in the hills and upper 30s in lower elevations. Once the wind is factored in, it will feel more like the mid and upper 20s. Significant lake effect snow will develop off Lake Ontario on Saturday but will stay north of Central New York. Snow bands off Lake Erie should remain south of the area. Therefore, Saturday should be dry in Central New York with nothing more than a stray flurry, if even that. Skies will be a mix of sun and clouds. Winds will turn to the northwest Saturday Night as high pressure builds in. The atmosphere will dry out, which should severely limit the lake effect snow. Still, flurries and a couple of squalls should move into parts of Central New York late Saturday night and into Sunday morning. Areas in and around Syracuse have the best chance for some snow with a coating of white possible. The snow should taper off over the course of Sunday morning with just a few scattered flurries lingering into the afternoon. Outside any lake effect, skies will continue to be a mix of sun and clouds. Winds on Sunday will not be nearly so strong with top gusts between 20-25 mph. Morning temperatures Sunday will be coldest south of Syracuse where lake effect clouds will be fewer. Here, mid 20s are expected. Further north, where the lake effect sets, morning lows will be in the low 30s. Afternoon highs on Sunday will top out in the mid 30s, which is 10-15 degrees below normal. Quiet conditions are expected for Sunday night as winds turn into the south. Well below normal temperatures will have Central New York feeling wintry this weekend. Here is a look at each day's forecast details: Saturday Morning Lows: Low-Mid 30s Afternoon Highs: Mid-Upper 30s Cloud cover: Sun and clouds. Precipitation: Heavy lake snows north. Winds: West-southwest 15-20 mph, gusting to 45 mph. Confidence: Average Sunday Morning Lows: Mid 20s-Low 30s Afternoon Highs: Mid 30s Cloud cover: Sun and clouds. Precipitation: Scattered snow showers, especially early. Winds: Northwest 5-10 mph, gusting to 25 mph. Confidence: Average The Cambridge University Charity Fashion Show seems to have relocated. We have come to know the halls of the Corn Exchange well as Cambridges set fashion venue, but this years committee are changing it up in an effort for an enhanced and more immersive experience. This year, CUCFS will take place in the Cambridge Guildhall. The site where Charles Cowles-Voyseys 1939 hall now stands has been occupied by all manner of different buildings dating from 1220 from synagogue to prison, from covered marketplace to tollbooth. Nowadays, if passing the building, one is likely to see nervous HSPS students either entering for their exams or leaving, coated in champagne, or pumped up boxers, waiting for the annual Town vs. Gown match to start. So why have this years committee decided to move a street away into market square and this unusual new location? A look inside the building offers all the answers. Its grand staircase, huge organ, and gilded details throughout are just a few of the reasons that this building is something special. The President of CUCFS, Alexandra Sive, explains were thrilled to be working with Cambridge Live again, who manage both the Corn Exchange and the Guildhall. This year we wanted a more ornate location, to mirror the aesthetic of our designers and their creations the Guildhall was the perfect fit. Why after all is the fashion show such a hit in Cambridge? Not only do Cantabs enjoy getting suited and booted, but they also like a change of scene. There is always something exciting about seeing somewhere new. I, for one, am looking forward to see how CUCFS new location might spice up one of the most sought-after nights in Cambridge. WTF?! For those of a certain age who are trying to find a date on Tinder, wishing you were a decade or two younger isnt unusual. But one 69-year-old Dutch man is using the law to try and make the impossible happenhe wants to legally change his age to 49. Emile Ratelband has launched a legal battle to change his birthday from 11 March, 1949, to 11 March, 1969, thereby knocking twenty years off his age, according to Dutch publication De Telegraaf. Ratelband, who claims to have the body of a 45-year-old and describes himself as a young god, says he feels discriminated against because of his age, which is affecting his employment chances and the number of matches he gets on dating app Tinder. "You can change your name. You can change your gender. Why not your age? Nowhere are you so discriminated against as with your age, he said. Emile Ratelband tegen rechter: Ik lijd onder mijn leeftijd https://t.co/T4QVfmfqBx pic.twitter.com/BZtM9SoAoj De Gelderlander (@dgarnhem) 5 November 2018 "When I'm 69, I am limited. If I'm 49, then I can buy a new house, drive a different car. I can take up more work. When I'm on Tinder and it says I'm 69, I don't get an answer. When I'm 49, with the face I have, I will be in a luxurious position. Ratelband said he is willing to renounce his pension if the court grants his wish, though the chances of it happening appear slim as its believed there is no legal way for a person to change their date of birth. Ratelband is described as a positivity trainer and media personality. According to the BBC, he voiced the character Vladimir Trunkov in the Dutch-language version of the Pixar film Cars 2surely that fact alone increases his chances of success on Tinder? An Arnhem court is expected to reach a decision on Ratelbands age within the next four weeks. Through the looking glass: The worry that machines will replace traditional jobs has been around for a long time, but some professions are safer than others. One would imagine that TV news anchors, for example, wouldnt be threatened by advancing technology, but it seems that might not be the case. At the World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, China, the countrys state-run news agency, Xinhua, unveiled the worlds first AI news anchor, which was created in collaboration with local search engine company Sogou. The South China Morning Post reports that the two anchorsone for English broadcasts and one for Chinese-language announcementscombine the images and voices of human anchors with artificial intelligence (AI) technology, mixing their speech, lip movements, and facial expressions. While the voice clearly sounds robotic, and the facial expressions leave a lot to be desired, these will likely become more human-like in future iterations. AI anchors have officially become members of the Xinhua News Agency reporting team. They will work with other anchors to bring you authoritative, timely and accurate news information in both Chinese and English, Xinhua said. The anchors are now available through Xinhuas distribution platforms, including its official Chinese and English apps, WeChat public account, online TV webpage, and two Weibo accounts. Xinhua says that the technology has endless prospects as it would reduce the cost of producing TV news reports and the digital anchors can work 24 hours a day. Its hard to imagine these AI news readers ever replacing the likes of Anderson Cooper, but in a world of virtual celebrities and Deepfakes videos, who knows for certain what the future might hold. What just happened? Last week's massive employee walkout has prompted Google to revise how it handles all aspects of sexual harassment, from assault claims and reporting to support and training. Will it be enough to quell concerns? Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Thursday e-mailed employees regarding changes being made in response to last weeks 20,000-person walkout in regard to the companys poor handling of sexual harassment allegations. In the letter, shared publicly on Googles blog, Pichai said Google recognizes it has not always gotten everything right in the past and for that, they are sincerely sorry. Its clear we need to make some changes, Pichai noted. Moving forward, Pichai said Google will be more transparent about how they handle concerns and be more supportive of those who raise them. To help further the initiative, Google also announced a comprehensive action plan that outlines changes being made at the company including making arbitration optional for individual sexual harassment and sexual assault claims, being more granular with sexual harassment investigations and outcomes, improving reporting channels and updating and expanding mandatory sexual harassment training. With regard to training, Google says that starting next year, all employees will be required to complete sexual harassment training annually (it is currently required every two years). Those who dont comply will be docked one rating in the year-end Perf (Googles performance review system). Also of interest is Googles stance on alcohol. The action plan notes that harassment is never acceptable and alcohol is never an excuse but is one of the most common factors among harassment complaints (in around 20 percent of cases). Google states that excessive consumption of alcohol is not permitted when you are at work, performing Google business, or attending a Google-related event, whether onsite or offsite. It will be up to team leaders to take steps to curb excessive drinking among their teams, Google said, noting that further actions will be taken if problems persist. NASA officially schedules to launch ICON, a spacecraft that will observe the point where Earth meets space, on Wednesday, Nov. 7. The ICON Mission ICON stands for Ionospheric Connection Explorer. Its mission is to study the ionosphere, the point in the atmosphere that stretches about 50 to 400 miles above the surface of the Earth. While from the ground, the sky seems clear, the ionosphere is a dynamic area influenced by both the weather in the lower atmosphere and solar energy from space. The spacecraft was initially scheduled to be launched back in October, but NASA decided to delay the mission to conduct further testing. The spacecraft hopes to capture a closer look at the upper atmosphere an area that is difficult to study because it is too high for scientific balloons to reach but also too low for satellites. "After years of work, I'm excited to get into orbit and turn on the spacecraft, open the doors on all our instruments," said Thomas Immel, the principal investigator behind ICON, in a statement. "ICON carries incredible capacity for science. I'm looking forward to surprising results and finally seeing the world through its eyes." Floating In Airglow The spacecraft will be working amid the red, green, purple, or yellow light bubble known as airglow that surrounds the Earth. It is created by atoms and molecules in the upper atmosphere that gets too excited after receiving too much energy from the sun. The process that produces the aurora is also responsible for the existence of the airglow, although the latter shines constantly around the planet and is so much fainter. Airglow is also only visible to the astronauts aboard the International Space Station. From its position in the low-orbit, ICON will track the airglow in the upper atmosphere. Because the different atmospheric gases produce different colors, scientists can use the images taken by the spacecraft to determine the composition, as well as temperature and density, of the natural glow. The launch of the ICON spacecraft will take place on early Wednesday morning at 3 a.m. EST at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket will take it to its place in the upper atmosphere. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.